bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of Baduanjin on Essential Hypertension: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Guan Yuanyuan , Hao Yang , Guan Yun , Wang Dongjun , Sun Xuan , Tian Chunying , Tian Zhikui , Bu Huaien , Wang Hongwu 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background: Clinical treatment of hypertension recommends the use of drugs to reduce the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular diseases in hypertensive patients. However, the side effects of long-term medication and economic pressure have increased the medical community's interest in Baduanjin as a method of exercise therapy. Clinical studies have shown that Baduanjin can be used to treat various diseases, and it can also regulate physical and mental factors such as tension and anxiety. This study aims to evaluate the antihypertensive effect of Baduanjin on patients with essential hypertension. Methods/design: In this study, 92 patients with essential hypertension were randomly divided into the Baduanjin group and the routine care group, using a randomized, active control, evaluator blind method, and two parallel control methods, with 46 cases in each group, signed informed Subjects with the consent form will manage their blood pressure by limiting salt intake, losing weight, drinking moderately, exercising, and adjusting dietary intake during the first visit. In addition to self-management, the Baduanjin group will also conduct 30-minute Baduanjin training three times a week for a total of 8 weeks. The main result is the measurement of blood pressure. In addition, body composition will be measured as a secondary result.Discussion: This study is a randomized controlled Baduanjin trial and is not currently widely used. It may provide valuable data on the impact of Baduanjin on essential hypertension, which will inform non-drug treatment options for this disease.Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registration Center, ChiCTR200003570. Register on August 16, 2020.
Three-month outcomes from a patient-centered program to treat opioid use disorder in Iowa, USA
Authors: Lynch Alison C. , Weber Andrea N. , Hedden Suzy , Sabbagh Sayeh , Arndt Stephan , Acion Laura 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background: Opioid use disorder (OUD), a chronic disease, is a major public health problem. Despite availability of effective treatment, too few people receive it and treatment retention is low. Understanding barriers and facilitators of treatment access and retention is needed to improve outcomes for people with OUD.Objectives: To assess 3-month outcomes pilot data from a patient-centered OUD treatment program in Iowa, USA, that utilized flexible treatment requirements and prioritized engagement over compliance. Methods: Forty patients (62.5% female: mean age was 35.7 years, SD 9.5) receiving medication, either buprenorphine or naltrexone, to treat OUD were enrolled in an observational study. Patients could select or decline case management, counseling, and peer recovery groups. Substance use, risk and protective factors, and recovery capital were measured at intake and 3 months. Results: Most participants reported increased recovery capital. The median Assessment of Recovery Capital (ARC) score went from 37 at enrollment to 43 (p<0.01). Illegal drug use decreased, with the median days using illegal drugs in the past month dropping from 10 to 0 (p<0.001). Cravings improved: 29.2% reported no cravings at intake and 58.3% reported no cravings at 3 months (p<0.001). Retention rate was 92.5% at 3 months. Retention rate for participants who were not on probation/parole was higher (96.9%) than for those on probation/parole (62.5%, p=0.021). Conclusion: This study shows preliminary evidence that a care model based on easy and flexible access and strategies to improve treatment retention improves recovery capital, reduces illegal drug use and cravings, and retains people in treatment.
Behavioral changes before lockdown and decreased retail and recreation mobility during lockdown contributed most to controlling COVID-19 in Western countries
Authors: Deforche Koen , Vercauteren Jurgen , Müller Viktor , Vandamme Anne-Mieke 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a lockdown in many countries to control the exponential spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, hereby reducing the time-varying basic reproduction number (Rt) to below one. Governments are looking for evidence to balance the demand of their citizens to ease some of the restriction, against the fear of a new peak in infections. In this study, we wanted to quantify the relative contribution of mobility restrictions, and that of behavioral changes that occurred already before the lockdowns, on the reduction of transmission during lockdowns in Western countries in early 2020.
Methods
Incidence data of cases and deaths from the first wave of infections for 35 Western countries (32 European, plus Israel, USA and Canada) were analyzed using epidemiological compartment models in a Bayesian framework. Mobility data was used to estimate the timing of changes associated with a lockdown, and was correlated with estimated reductions of Rt.
Results
Across all countries, the initial median estimate for Rt was 3.6 (95% IQR 2.4 – 5.2), and it was reduced to 0.78 (95% IQR 0.58 – 1.01) during lockdown. 48% (18% – 65%) of the reduction occurred already in the week before lockdown, with lockdown itself causing the remaining drop in transmission. A lower Rt during lockdown was independently associated with an increased time spent at home (0.21 per 10% more time, p < 0.007), and decreased mobility related to retail and recreation (0.07 per 10% less mobility, p < 0.008).
Conclusions
In a Western population unaware of the risk, SARS-CoV-2 can be highly contagious with a reproduction number R0 > 5. Our results are consistent with evidence that recreational activities (including restaurant and bar visits) enable super-spreading events. Exiting from lockdown therefore requires continued physical distancing and tight control on this kind of activities.
Multiple freeze-thaw cycles lead to a loss of consistency in poly(A)-enriched RNA sequencing
Authors: Kellman Benjamin , Baghdassarian Hratch , Pramparo Tiziano , Shamie Isaac , Gazestani Vahid , Begzati Arjana , Li Shengzhong , Nalabolu Srinivasa , Murray Sarah , Lopez Linda , Pierce Karen , Courchesne Eric , Lewis Nathan 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background: Both RNA-Seq and sample freeze-thaw are ubiquitous. However, knowledge about the impact of freeze-thaw on downstream analyses is limited. The lack of common quality metrics that are sufficiently sensitive to freeze-thaw and RNA degradation, e.g. the RNA Integrity Score, makes such assessments challenging.Results: Here we quantify the impact of repeated freeze-thaw cycles on the reliability of RNA-Seq by examining poly(A)-enriched and ribosomal RNA depleted RNA-seq from frozen leukocytes drawn from a toddler Autism cohort. To do so, we estimate the relative noise, or percentage of random counts, separating technical replicates. Using this approach we measured noise associated with RIN and freeze-thaw cycles. As expected, RIN does not fully capture sample degradation due to freeze-thaw. We further examined differential expression results and found that three freeze-thaws should extinguish the differential expression reproducibility of similar experiments. Freeze-thaw also resulted in a 3’ shift in the read coverage distribution along the gene body of poly(A)-enriched samples compared to ribosomal RNA depleted samples, suggesting that library preparation may exacerbate freeze-thaw-induced sample degradation.Conclusion: The use of poly(A)-enrichment for RNA sequencing is pervasive in library preparation of frozen tissue, and thus, it is important during experimental design and data analysis to consider the impact of repeated freeze-thaw cycles on reproducibility.
Systematic comparison of high-throughput single-cell RNA-seq methods for immune cell profiling
Authors: Yamawaki Tracy M , Lu Daniel R , Ellwanger Daniel C , Bhatt Dev , Manzanillo Paolo , Arias Vanessa , Zhou Hong , Yoon Oh Kyu , Homann Oliver , Wang Songli , Li Chi-Ming Kevin 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background: Elucidation of immune populations with single-cell RNA-seq has greatly benefited the field of immunology by deepening the characterization of immune heterogeneity and leading to the discovery of new subtypes. However, single-cell methods inherently suffer from limitations in the recovery of complete transcriptomes due to the prevalence of cellular and transcriptional dropout events. This issue is often compounded by limited sample availability and limited prior knowledge of heterogeneity, which can confound data interpretation. Results: Here, we systematically benchmarked seven high-throughput single-cell RNA-seq methods. We prepared 21 libraries under identical conditions of a defined mixture of two human and two murine lymphocyte cell lines, simulating heterogeneity across immune-cell types and cell sizes. We evaluate methods by their cell recovery rate, library efficiency, sensitivity, and ability to recover expression signatures for each cell type. We observed higher mRNA detection sensitivity with the 10x Genomics 5’ v1 and 3’ v3 methods. We demonstrate that these methods have fewer drop-out events which facilitates the identification of differentially-expressed genes and improves the concordance of single-cell profiles to immune bulk RNA-seq signatures.Conclusion: Overall, our characterization of immune cell mixtures provides useful metrics, which can guide selection of a high-throughput single-cell RNA-seq method for profiling more complex immune-cell heterogeneity usually found in vivo.
Abnormal Eye Movements in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3
Authors: Lin Junyu , Zhang Lingyu , Cao Bei , Wei Qianqian , Ou Ruwei , Hou Yanbing , Xu Xinran , Liu Kuncheng , Gu Xiaojing , Shang Huifang 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background: Abnormal eye movements are common in spinocerebellar ataxias Type 3 (SCA3). We conducted the research to explore the frequency of abnormal eye movements in Chinese patients with SCA3, to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics between SCA3 patients with and without each type of abnormal eye movement, and to explore the correlation between abnormal eye movements and the severity of ataxia.Methods: Seventy-four patients with SCA3 were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Six types of abnormal eye movements including impaired smooth pursuit, increased square-wave jerks (SWJ), gaze-evoked nystagmus (GEN), slowing of saccades, saccadic hypo/hypermetria and supranuclear gaze palsy were evaluated by experienced neurologists. The severity of ataxia was evaluated by Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA). Results: The prevalence of impaired smooth pursuit, increased SWJ, GEN, slowing of saccades, saccadic hypo/hypermetria and supranuclear gaze palsy in Chinese SCA3 patients was 28.4%, 13.5%, 78.4%, 41.9%, 23.0%, and 5.4%, respectively. SCA3 patients with GEN had higher scores of International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS-IV) and total ICARS, and longer length of CAG repeat than patients without GEN. SCA3 patients with slowing of saccades had a longer disease duration, higher scores of ICARS-I, ICARS-II, total ICARS and SARA than patients without slowing of saccades. SCA3 patients with saccadic hypo/hypermetria had higher scores of ICARS-III, ICARS-IV, and SARA than patients without saccadic hypo/hypermetria. The demographic and clinical characteristics did not differ significantly between SCA3 patients with and without impaired smooth pursuit, increased SWJ, or supranuclear gaze palsy. Multivariate linear regression showed that the number of abnormal eye movements (0-6), disease duration, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 (HDRS-24) score, and CAG repeat length were positively correlated with SARA score, whereas Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score was negatively correlated with SARA score in SCA3. Conclusions: An increased number of abnormal eye movement types correlated with the severity of ataxia in SCA3.
Enormous thermoelectric power factor of ZrTe2/SrTiO3 heterostructure
Authors: Suen Chun Hung , Cai Songhua , Li Hui , Tang Xiaodan , Wang Huichao , He Mingquan , Chai Yisheng , Zhou Kai , Wong Chi Man , Wang Jiannong , Zhou Xiaoyuan , Dai Jiyan 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Achieving high thermoelectric power factor in thin film heterostructures is essential for integrated and miniaturized thermoelectric device applications. In this work, we demonstrate a mechanism to enhance thermoelectric power factor through coupling the interfacial confined two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with thin film conductivity in a transition metal dichalcogenides-SrTiO3 heterostructure. Owing to the formed conductive interface with two-dimensional electron confinement effect and the elevated conductivity, the ZrTe2/SrTiO3 (STO) heterostructure presents enormous thermoelectric power factor as high as 4×10^5 μW cm^(-1) K^(-2) at 20 K and 4800 μW cm^(-1) K^(-2) at room temperature. Interfacial reaction induced degradation of Ti cations valence number from Ti4+ to Ti3+ is attributed to be responsible for the formation of the quasi-two-dimensional electrons at the interface which results in very large Seebeck coefficient; and the enhanced electrical conductivity is suggested to be originated from the charge transfer induced doping in the ZrTe2. By taking the thermal conductivity of STO substrate as a reference, the effective zT value of this heterostructure can reach 15 at 300 K. This superior thermoelectric property makes this heterostructure a promising candidate for future thermoelectric device, and more importantly, paves a new pathway to design promising high-performance thermoelectric systems.
Boron isotope compositions establish the origin of marble from metamorphic complexes: Québec, New York, and Sri Lanka
Authors: Kuebler Corinne , Simonetti Antonio , Simonetti Stefanie S. , Martin Robert F. 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
The origin of an array of marble samples found in both the Grenville Province and southwestern Sri Lanka remains uncertain, whether magmatic, sedimentary, or mixed, due to their proximity to both carbonatite bodies and carbonate-rich metasedimentary rocks. This study reports boron and trace element abundances, in addition to carbon, oxygen, boron, and strontium isotopic compositions, to determine the petrogenesis of these carbonate-rich samples. Boron abundances for all of the samples are relatively high and variable (1.48–71.1 ppm) compared to those for carbonatites worldwide (≤1 ppm), and mostly overlap those documented for sedimentary sources (up to 54 ppm). The rare earth element (REE) abundances (0.5–1068 ppm) for the marbles studied are similar to those for local sedimentary units and thus contain, in general, lower REE contents than both the average worldwide calciocarbonatite and respective neighboring carbonatite bodies. The δ13CV-PDB and δ18OV-SMOW compositions for all of the samples range between –2.9 to +3.2 ± 0.1‰ and +14.3 to +25.8 ± 0.2‰, respectively, and are considerably heavier than those reported for magmatic or metamorphosed carbonatites. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios reported here range from 0.70417 to 0.70672, which are more radiogenic than the average 87Sr/86Sr (~0.70345) reported for carbonatites included for comparison in this study. Importantly, the boron isotopic compositions (δ11B‰) for samples from the Grenville Province range from +7.5 to +15.7 ± 0.5‰, which are consistent with those reported for biogenic carbonate (+4.9 to +35.1‰). In contrast, δ11B values for the samples of marble from Sri Lanka vary from –9.8 to –14.3 ± 0.5‰ overlapping with those estimated for average bulk continental crust (–9.1 ± 2.4‰). Together, the boron compositions, chemical data, stable (C, O), and radiogenic Sr isotopic data overwhelmingly point to a sedimentary origin for the marble samples examined here. Specifically, the samples from the Grenville Province represent marble formed during high-temperature regional metamorphism of limestone units. The Sri Lankan samples were formed from carbonate-rich and 11B-poor fluids derived from a crustal source. The boron isotopic compositions for the samples studied here are also compared to those reported for mantle-derived carbonate (i.e., carbonatites) worldwide, along with their associated δ13CV-PDB and 87Sr/86Sr values. This comparison results in defining three isotopically distinct fields; mantle-derived carbonates, sedimentary carbonates derived from heterogeneous limestone protoliths, and carbonates derived from meteoric water interacting with crustal material. This work establishes the effective use of boron isotopic compositions in determining the origin of carbonate-rich rocks of contentious petrogenesis.
Estimation of parameters in groundwater modelling by modified Clonalg
Authors: Eryiğit Miraç 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to improve the optimization model for predicting more parameters in more difficult conditions (more grid cell numbers and high time interval numbers) than other studies in groundwater flow modelling. Also, the model needs fewer observation numbers for estimating parameters than other studies. In the present study, an optimization model based on model calibration was developed to estimate simultaneously four groundwater flow parameters – hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity, storage coefficient and leakance. The modified clonal selection algorithm, a class of artificial immune systems, was used as a heuristic optimization method. In order to simulate the groundwater flow, MODFLOW was used in conjunction with the model in MATLAB. The input files for MODFLOW were obtained by GMS groundwater simulator. The model was applied to two different hypothetical groundwater systems (two- and three-dimensional) under transient conditions to evaluate its performance. The results showed that the model was feasible for groundwater flow modelling and it could determine the groundwater flow parameters successfully with less observations and more grid cell numbers than the other studies.
A least squares method for identification of unknown groundwater pollution source
Authors: He Zhukun , Zuo Rui , Zhang Dan , Ni Pengcheng , Han Kexue , Xue Zhenkun , Wang Jinsheng , Xu Donghui 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
The identification of unknown groundwater pollution sources is one of the most important premises in groundwater pollution prevention and remediation. In this paper, an exploratory application of a least squares method to identify the unknown groundwater pollution source is conducted. Supported by a small amount of observation data and the analytical solutions of the pollutant transport model, the initial concentration, the leakage location and the pollutant mass are identified by using the least squares method under a sand tank experiment and a gas station area. In the sand tank experiment, it is found that the fitting errors of three cross-sections are within 6%. In the gas station area, it is found that the results are nearly consistent with the site investigation information. The results indicate that the least squares method has considerable application values in the identification of groundwater pollution sources.
A comparison between the European and the Brazilian models for management and diagnosis of river basins
Authors: Bettencourt Pedro , Fulgêncio Claudia , Grade Maria , Wasserman Julio Cesar 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Water management is assuming more and more importance as freshwater resources are becoming scarce, both in quality and in quantity, across many developed and developing countries. This trend can be attributed to population growth, industrialization, growing agricultural demand, poor water management practices and climate change. In attempting to deal with the intensification of water quality- and quantity-related problems in recent decades, many countries have revised their water resource management policies and legislation, introducing new institutional frameworks and management instruments. Considering regional geographic and cultural distinctions, the present article aims at comparing the models of water resource management in the European Union (EU) and in Brazil. Institutional and legal arrangements currently in place, water planning and management instruments currently in use, assessments of water body status and watershed diagnoses were analysed. Main strengths and weaknesses of each water management system are pointed out in the conclusion. Main challenges for the water sector, and highlights of the converging and diverging points concerning water resource management systems, in each region, are discussed.
Calculation of drainage volume during tunnel construction based on the control of negative effects of ecosystem
Authors: Wang Yu , Zhao Yan , Ge Xiaoyan , Li Yongyu , Huang Tianrong , Zhang Qingming 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Water inrush and seepage in tunnel engineering often lead to the loss of regional environmental groundwater resources and the imbalance of the hydrological ecological circulation system, which have a serious impact on the growth of natural vegetation. Based on the analysis of the burial depth of the critical water level of vegetation groundwater, a calculation method for the response of vegetation to water environment stress is established, and the water inrush and seepage volume of tunnel engineering under the condition of ecological balance protection are derived. By calculating the range and volume of the dewatering funnel when the tunnel underground water level reaches the maximum depth after water inrush and seepage, the maximum drainage value that must be controlled in tunnel construction is obtained. The proposed method has achieved certain practical results and could provide some theoretical reference for guiding the reasonable protection of groundwater, alleviating and eliminating adverse environmental geological effects in tunnel construction.
Variation of total phosphorus concentration and loads in the upper Yangtze River and contribution of non-point sources
Authors: Li Qian , Yang Zhonghua , Yue Yao , Zhong Hua , Li Da 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Excessive phosphorus has become the primary reason for the deterioration of the water quality of the upper Yangtze River Basin. Here, we comprehensively study variations in total phosphorus (TP) concentration and TP loads in the upper reach of the Yangtze River during 2004–2017 (after the impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam). Non-point source TP loads flowing into the mainstream are also analyzed based on the base flow segmentation method. TP concentration in the mainstream showed a fluctuating trend of decreasing–increasing–decreasing from 2004 to 2017. TP loads from tributaries had a greater impact on TP concentration in the mainstream than the retention effect. Non-point source was an important source of TP loads. Average TP loads from non-point source pollution were 24.9 × 106 kg per year, contributing about 50.8% of the TP loads from 2004 to 2017. Non-point source TP loads were mainly from Jinsha River and Jialing River, accounting for 59.1% of total non-point TP loads, and they mainly occurred in the wet season. The long-term variation trend of TP loads from tributaries was affected by economic development, intensity of pollution control and significant discharge change. In terms of pollution control, we suggest comprehensive treatment of point and non-point source pollution.