bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Numerical Modeling of Complex Stress State in a Fault Damage Zone and Its Implication on Near‐Fault Seismic Activity
Authors: Sainoki A. , Schwartzkopff A. K. , Jiang L. , Mitri H. S. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractNear‐fault severe seismic activity is frequently observed when excavating deep underground during various engineering projects. The present study elaborates a method to simulate the heterogeneous, complex stress state inside fractured rock mass in a fault damage zone, based on the concept of equivalent elastic compliance tensor and boundary traction method. After verifying the method with the discrete element method, the stress state of the fault damage zone composed of millions of fractures was analyzed. It is then demonstrated that the method is capable of simulating stress anomalies that could be the cause for severe seismic activity. The quantitative analysis indicates that the discrepancy between local and regional fracture densities is one of the dominant factors that produce an intensely stressed region, suggesting the use of local‐to‐regional fracture density ratio as an index to evaluate the potential for stress anomalies and its degree. Furthermore, a model parametric study on fracture properties was carried out to provide insight into the discrepancy in the likelihood of abnormal stress state between jointed host rock and fault damage zone. Lastly, b‐value was computed from thousands of possible seismic events identified in the model, by assuming seismic efficiency and scaled energy. The computed b‐value was found to fall within a reasonable range estimated from induced seismicity in deep underground mines. These results imply that the proposed method may be used to obtain a first‐order approximation of the complex rock mass stress state in fault damage zones and to evaluate the severity of seismic activity.
Inflammasomes as therapeutic targets in human diseases
Authors: Li Yangxin , Huang Hui , Liu Bin , Zhang Yu , Pan Xiangbin , Yu Xi-Yong , Shen Zhenya , Song Yao-Hua 
Published: July 2021

AbstractInflammasomes are protein complexes of the innate immune system that initiate inflammation in response to either exogenous pathogens or endogenous danger signals. Inflammasome multiprotein complexes are composed of three parts: a sensor protein, an adaptor, and pro-caspase-1. Activation of the inflammasome leads to the activation of caspase-1, which cleaves pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-18, leading to pyroptosis. Effectors of the inflammasome not only provide protection against infectious pathogens, but also mediate control over sterile insults. Aberrant inflammasome signaling has been implicated in the development of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we review the role of the inflammasome as a double-edged sword in various diseases, and the outcomes can be either good or bad depending on the disease, as well as the genetic background. We highlight inflammasome memory and the two-shot activation process. We also propose the M- and N-type inflammation model, and discuss how the inflammasome pathway may be targeted for the development of novel therapy.
Maternal psychosocial risk factors and child gestational epigenetic age in a South African birth cohort study
Authors: Koen Nastassja , Jones Meaghan J. , Nhapi Raymond T. , Lake Marilyn T. , Donald Kirsten A. , Barnett Whitney , Hoffman Nadia , MacIsaac Julia L. , Morin Alexander M. , Lin David T. S. , Kobor Michael S. , Koenen Karestan C. , Zar Heather J. , Stein Dan J. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractAccelerated epigenetic aging relative to chronological age has been found to be associated with higher risk of mortality in adults. However, little is known about whether and how in utero exposures might shape child gestational epigenetic age (EA) at birth. We aimed to explore associations between maternal psychosocial risk factors and deviation in child gestational EA at birth (i.e., greater or lower EA relative to chronological age) in a South African birth cohort study—the Drakenstein Child Health Study. Maternal psychosocial risk factors included trauma/stressor exposure; posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); depression; psychological distress; and alcohol/tobacco use. Child gestational EA at birth was calculated using an epigenetic clock previously devised for neonates; and gestational EA deviation was calculated as the residuals of the linear model between EA and chronological gestational age. Bivariate linear regression was then used to explore unadjusted associations between maternal/child risk factors and child gestational EA residuals at birth. Thereafter, a multivariable regression method was used to determine adjusted associations. Data from 271 maternal-child dyads were included in the current analysis. In the multivariable regression model, maternal PTSD was significantly and negatively associated with child gestational EA residuals at birth (β = −1.95; p = 0.018), controlling for study site, sex of the child, head circumference at birth, birthweight, mode of delivery, maternal estimated household income, body mass index (BMI) at enrolment, HIV status, anaemia, psychological distress, and prenatal tobacco or alcohol use. Given the novelty of this preliminary finding, and its potential translational relevance, further studies to delineate underlying biological pathways and to explore clinical implications of EA deviation are warranted.
Modelling the links between farm characteristics, respiratory health and pig production traits
Authors: Gray H. , Friel M. , Goold C. , Smith R. P. , Williamson S. M. , Collins L. M. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractSustainable livestock production requires links between farm characteristics, animal performance and animal health to be recognised and understood. In the pig industry, respiratory disease is prevalent, and has negative health, welfare and economic consequences. We used national-level carcass inspection data from the Food Standards Agency to identify associations between pig respiratory disease, farm characteristics (housing type and number of source farms), and pig performance (mortality, average daily weight gain, back fat and carcass weight) from 49 all in/all out grow-to-finish farms. We took a confirmatory approach by pre-registering our hypotheses and used Bayesian multi-level modelling to quantify the uncertainty in our estimates. The study findings showed that acquiring growing pigs from multiple sources was associated with higher respiratory condition prevalence. Higher prevalence of respiratory conditions was linked with higher mortality, and lower average daily weight gain, back fat and pig carcass weight. Our results support previous literature using a range of data sources. In conclusion, we find that meat inspection data are more valuable at a finer resolution than has been previously indicated and could be a useful tool in monitoring batch-level pig health in the future.
Stabilization demands of walking modulate the vestibular contributions to gait
Authors: Magnani Rina M. , Bruijn Sjoerd M. , van Dieën Jaap H. , Forbes Patrick A. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractStable walking relies critically on motor responses to signals of head motion provided by the vestibular system, which are phase-dependent and modulated differently within each muscle. It is unclear, however, whether these vestibular contributions also vary according to the stability of the walking task. Here we investigate how vestibular signals influence muscles relevant for gait stability (medial gastrocnemius, gluteus medius and erector spinae)—as well as their net effect on ground reaction forces—while humans walked normally, with mediolateral stabilization, wide and narrow steps. We estimated local dynamic stability of trunk kinematics together with coherence of electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS) with muscle activity and mediolateral ground reaction forces. Walking with external stabilization increased local dynamic stability and decreased coherence between EVS and all muscles/forces compared to normal walking. Wide-base walking also decreased vestibulomotor coherence, though local dynamic stability did not differ. Conversely, narrow-base walking increased local dynamic stability, but produced muscle-specific increases and decreases in coherence that resulted in a net increase in vestibulomotor coherence with ground reaction forces. Overall, our results show that while vestibular contributions may vary with gait stability, they more critically depend on the stabilization demands (i.e. control effort) needed to maintain a stable walking pattern.
Sagittal body alignment in a sitting position in children is not affected by the generalized joint hypermobility
Authors: Czaprowski Dariusz , Gwiazdowska-Czubak Karolina , Tyrakowski Marcin , Kędra Agnieszka 
Published: July 2021

AbstractBack pain may be related to an improper sitting position. The aim of the study was to assess the sagittal curvatures of the spine in a sitting position in children with generalized joint hypermobility (GJH). The study included 302 children aged 8–14 years. The sagittal curvatures of the spine (sacral slope, lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis with its lower and upper part) were assessed using the Saunders digital inclinometer. In order to assess GJH a 9-point Beighton scale was used. The study revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in sagittal curvatures of the spine in a relaxed sitting position between children with and without GJH. Regardless of the occurrence of GJH, kyphotic alignment of the spine was noted in a relaxed sitting. GJH does not affect the position of the trunk in a sagittal plane in a relaxed sitting position in children aged 8–14 years. A relaxed sitting position in children with and without GJH is characterized by a kyphotic position of the spine caused by an improper position of pelvis and lumbar segment of the spine.
A new inflammatory parameter can predict delayed intracranial hemorrhage following ventriculoperitoneal shunt
Authors: Li Shiwei , Wang Hongcai , Li Feng , Chen Maosong , Chen Pandi 
Published: July 2021

AbstractDelayed intracerebral hemorrhage (DICH) secondary to ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is considered to be a potentially severe event. This study aimed to investigate the association between a ratio of postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio to preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLRR) and DICH secondary to VP shunt. We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent VP shunt between January 2016 and June 2020. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of DICH and NLRR. Then patients were divided into two groups according to the optimal cut-off point of NLRR, propensity score matching (PSM) method was performed to reconfirm the result. A total of 130 patients were enrolled and DICH occurred in 29 patients. Elevated NLRR and history of craniotomy were independent risk factors for DICH secondary to VP shunt. The optimal cut off point of NLRR was 2.05, and the sensitivity was 89.7%, the specificity was 63.4%. Patients with NLRR > 2.05 had much higher incidence of DICH (40.6% vs 4.5%). Our finding suggested that DICH following VP shunt was not a rare complication and elevated NLRR could independently predict DICH. Inflammatory responses might play an important role in the development of DICH following VP shunt.
Impact of unknown incidental findings in PET/CT examinations of patients with proven or suspected vascular graft or endograft infections
Authors: Husmann Lars , Eberhard Nadia , Huellner Martin W. , Ledergerber Bruno , Mueller Anna , Gruenig Hannes , Messerli Michael , Mestres Carlos-A. , Rancic Zoran , Zimmermann Alexander , Hasse Barbara 
Published: July 2021

AbstractVascular graft or endograft Infections (VGEI) are rare but severe complications of vascular reconstructive surgery, and associated with significant mortality and morbidity risk. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (PET/CT) has been shown to have a high diagnostic accuracy in the detection of VGEI. In this single-center prospective cohort study, we assessed the rate and the impact on patient management of relevant unknown incidental findings in PET/CT of patients with proven or suspected VGEI, and clinical follow-up of all patients was performed. Our study results show a comparably high rate of relevant unknown incidental findings (181 in 502 examinations), with documented direct impact on patient management in 80 of 181 (44%) of all findings. PET/CT scan- and patient-based evaluation revealed impact on patient management in 76 of 502 (17%) of all PET/CT scans, and in 59 of 162 (36%) of all patients, respectively. Furthermore, PET/CT correctly identified the final diagnosis in 20 of 36 (56%) patients without VGEI. In conclusion, in proven and suspected VGEI, PET/CT detects a high rate of relevant unknown incidental findings with high impact on patient management.
Brazil’s sugarcane embitters the EU-Mercosur trade talks
Authors: Follador Marco , Soares-Filho Britaldo Silveira , Philippidis George , Davis Juliana Leroy , de Oliveira Amanda Ribeiro , Rajão Raoni 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe Brazilian government’s decision to open the Amazon biome to sugarcane expansion reignited EU concerns regarding the sustainability of Brazil’s sugar sector, hindering the ratification of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. Meanwhile, in the EU, certain conventional biofuels face stricter controls, whilst uncertainty surrounding the commercialisation of more sustainable advanced-biofuels renders bioethanol as a short- to medium-term fix. This paper examines Brazil’s land-use changes and associated greenhouse gas emissions arising from an EU driven ethanol import policy and projections for other 13 biocommodities. Results suggest that Brazil’s sugarcane could satisfy growing ethanol demand and comply with EU environmental criteria, since almost all sugarcane expansion is expected to occur on long-established pasturelands in the South and Midwest. However, expansion of sugarcane is also driven by competition for viable lands with other relevant commodities, mainly soy and beef. As a result, deforestation trends in the Amazon and Cerrado biomes linked to soy and beef production could jeopardize Brazil’s contribution to the Paris agreement with an additional 1 ± 0.3 billion CO2eq tonnes above its First NDC target by 2030. Trade talks with a narrow focus on a single commodity could thus risk unsustainable outcomes, calling for systemic sustainability benchmarks, should the deal be ratified.
Validation of a liquid biopsy assay with molecular and clinical profiling of circulating tumor DNA
Authors: Finkle Justin D. , Boulos Hala , Driessen Terri M. , Lo Christine , Blidner Richard A. , Hafez Ashraf , Khan Aly A. , Lozac’hmeur Ariane , McKinnon Kelly E. , Perera Jason , Zhu Wei , Dowlati Afshin , White Kevin P. , Tell Robert , Beaubier Nike 
Published: July 2021

AbstractLiquid biopsy is a valuable precision oncology tool that is increasingly used as a non-invasive approach to identify biomarkers, detect resistance mutations, monitor disease burden, and identify early recurrence. The Tempus xF liquid biopsy assay is a 105-gene, hybrid-capture, next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay that detects single-nucleotide variants, insertions/deletions, copy number variants, and chromosomal rearrangements. Here, we present extensive validation studies of the xF assay using reference standards, cell lines, and patient samples that establish high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in variant detection. The Tempus xF assay is highly concordant with orthogonal methods, including ddPCR, tumor tissue-based NGS assays, and another commercial plasma-based NGS assay. Using matched samples, we developed a dynamic filtering method to account for germline mutations and clonal hematopoiesis, while significantly decreasing the number of false-positive variants reported. Additionally, we calculated accurate circulating tumor fraction estimates (ctFEs) using the Off-Target Tumor Estimation Routine (OTTER) algorithm for targeted-panel sequencing. In a cohort of 1,000 randomly selected cancer patients who underwent xF testing, we found that ctFEs correlated with disease burden and clinical outcomes. These results highlight the potential of serial testing to monitor treatment efficacy and disease course, providing strong support for incorporating liquid biopsy in the management of patients with advanced disease.
Genotoxic stress in constitutive trisomies induces autophagy and the innate immune response via the cGAS-STING pathway
Authors: Krivega Maria , Stiefel Clara M. , Karbassi Sahar , Andersen Line L. , Chunduri Narendra K. , Donnelly Neysan , Pichlmair Andreas , Storchová Zuzana 
Published: July 2021

AbstractGain of even a single chromosome leads to changes in human cell physiology and uniform perturbations of specific cellular processes, including downregulation of DNA replication pathway, upregulation of autophagy and lysosomal degradation, and constitutive activation of the type I interferon response. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying these changes. We show that the constitutive nuclear localization of TFEB, a transcription factor that activates the expression of autophagy and lysosomal genes, is characteristic of human trisomic cells. Constitutive nuclear localization of TFEB in trisomic cells is independent of mTORC1 signaling, but depends on the cGAS-STING activation. Trisomic cells accumulate cytoplasmic dsDNA, which activates the cGAS-STING signaling cascade, thereby triggering nuclear accumulation of the transcription factor IRF3 and, consequently, upregulation of interferon-stimulated genes. cGAS depletion interferes with TFEB-dependent upregulation of autophagy in model trisomic cells. Importantly, activation of both the innate immune response and autophagy occurs also in primary trisomic embryonic fibroblasts, independent of the identity of the additional chromosome. Our research identifies the cGAS-STING pathway as an upstream regulator responsible for activation of autophagy and inflammatory response in human cells with extra chromosomes, such as in Down syndrome or other aneuploidy-associated pathologies.
Ultrafast optical melting of trimer superstructure in layered 1T′-TaTe2
Authors: Siddiqui Khalid M. , Durham Daniel B. , Cropp Frederick , Ophus Colin , Rajpurohit Sangeeta , Zhu Yanglin , Carlström Johan D. , Stavrakas Camille , Mao Zhiqiang , Raja Archana , Musumeci Pietro , Tan Liang Z. , Minor Andrew M. , Filippetto Daniele , Kaindl Robert A. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractQuasi-two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides are a key platform for exploring emergent nanoscale phenomena arising from complex interactions. Access to the underlying degrees-of-freedom on their natural time scales motivates the use of advanced ultrafast probes sensitive to self-organised atomic-scale patterns. Here, we report the ultrafast investigation of TaTe2, which exhibits unique charge and lattice trimer order characterised by a transition upon cooling from stripe-like chains into a (3 × 3) superstructure of trimer clusters. Utilising MeV-scale ultrafast electron diffraction, we capture the photo-induced TaTe2 structural dynamics – exposing a rapid ≈ 1.4 ps melting of its low-temperature ordered state followed by recovery via thermalisation into a hot cluster superstructure. Density-functional calculations indicate that the initial quench is triggered by intra-trimer Ta charge transfer which destabilises the clusters, unlike melting of charge density waves in other TaX2 compounds. Our work paves the way for further exploration and ultimately rapid optical and electronic manipulation of trimer superstructures.
High-contrast imaging at ten microns: A search for exoplanets around Eps Indi A, Eps Eri, Tau Ceti, Sirius A, and Sirius B
Authors: Pathak P. , Petit dit de la Roche D. J. M. , Kasper M. , Sterzik M. , Absil O. , Boehle A. , Feng F. , Ivanov V. D. , Janson M. , Jones H. R. A. , Kaufer A. , Käufl H.-U. , Maire A.-L. , Meyer M. , Pantin E. , Siebenmorgen R. , van den Ancker M. E. , Viswanath G. 
Published: July 2021

Context. The direct imaging of rocky exoplanets is one of the major science goals of upcoming large telescopes. The contrast requirement for imaging such planets is challenging. However, the mid-IR (infrared) regime provides the optimum contrast to directly detect the thermal signatures of exoplanets in our solar neighbourhood.
Aims. We aim to exploit novel fast-chopping techniques newly developed for astronomy with the aid of adaptive optics to look for thermal signatures of exoplanets around bright stars in the solar neighbourhood.
Methods. We used the upgraded Very Large Telescope Imager and Spectrometer for the mid-InfraRed (VISIR) instrument with high-contrast imaging capability optimised for observations at 10 μm to look for exoplanets around five nearby (d < 4 pc) stars. The instrument provides an improved signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) by a factor of ~4 in the N-band compared to standard VISIR for a given S/N and time.
Results. In this work, we achieve a detection sensitivity of sub-mJy, which is sufficient to detect a few Jupiter mass planets in nearby systems. Although no detections are made, we achieve most sensitive limits within <2″ for all the observed targets compared to previous campaigns. For ϵ Indi A and ϵ Eri, we achieve detection limits very close to the giant planets discovered by RV, with the limits on ϵ Indi A being the most sensitive to date. Our non-detection therefore supports an older age for ϵ Indi A. The results presented here are promising for high-contrast imaging and exoplanet detections in the mid-IR regime.
Strahlenrisiken nach Radiojodtherapie
Authors: Kreißl Michael C. , Reinecke Maximilian , Luster Markus 
Published: July 2021

ZUSAMMENFASSUNGBei der Anwendung ionisierender Strahlung ist prinzipiell die Induktion von Zweitmalignomen möglich. Dies trifft auch auf die Radiojodtherapie beim differenzierten Schilddrüsenkarzinom bzw. bei benignen Erkrankungen der Schilddrüse zu. Bei der in der Regel höher dosierten Radiojodgabe zur Behandlung des differenzierten Schilddrüsenkarzinoms ist der Effekt in einigen groß angelegten retrospektiven Studien nachweisbar und muss dem therapeutischen und auch diagnostischen Nutzen gegenübergestellt werden. Das Strahlenrisiko bei der Behandlung von gutartigen Schilddrüsenerkrankungen ist als sehr gering einzuschätzen. Eine jüngst publizierte Studie mit sehr langem Follow-up beschreibt eine dosisabhängig steigende Sterblichkeit an Zweitmalignomen. Eine am gleichen Kollektiv durchgeführte weitere Analyse fand jedoch nur eine erhöhte Sterblichkeit im Vergleich zur Normalbevölkerung bei Langzeitthyreostase und nicht nach Radiojodgabe.Insgesamt gilt es, im Kontext von Radiojod auch bei der Interpretation von Studiendaten, die Strahlenrisiken mit den weiteren Risiken, den Vorteilen und Vorzügen bzw. Nachteilen der alternativen Therapieoptionen in Bezug zu setzen.