bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Metformin acts to suppress β-hydroxybutyric acid-mediated inflammatory responses through activation of AMPK signaling in bovine hepatocytes
Authors: Xu Tianle , Lu Xubin , Arbab Abdelaziz Adam Idriss , Wu Xinyue , Mao Yongjiang , Loor Juan J , Yang Zhangping 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
The occurrence of bovine ketosis involves the accumulation of β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA), which contributes to the initiation and acceleration of hepatic metabolic stress and inflammation. Metformin has other beneficial effects apart from its medical intervention for diabetes, such as prevention of laminitis and hyper-triglyceridemic. AMPK maintains energy homeostasis and is the intracellular target of metformin action. This study aims to uncover the role of metformin in modulating BHBA-induced inflammatory responses through the activation of AMPK signaling. The hepatocytes were isolated from the liver tissue of mid-lactation multiparous Holstein cows (~160 d postpartum). Treatments were conducted as follows: treated with PBS for 18 h (control); pretreated with PBS for 12 h followed by treatment of 1.2 mM BHBA for 6 h (BHBA); pretreated with 1.5 mM or 3 mM metformin for 12 h followed by the BHBA treatment (1.2 mM) for 6 h (M(1.5)+B; M(3)+B). The inhibitor of AMPK, Compound C, at a concentration of 10 μM, was applied to substantiate the AMPK-dependent responses. RT-qPCR were applied for the mRNA expression while Western-blots and immunofluorescence were conducted for the target proteins expression. Among dose-dependent assays for BHBA, the concentration of BHBA at 1.2 mM activated NF-κB signaling by upregulating the expression of phosphorylated NF-κB and pro-inflammatory cytokines compared with the control cells (P &lt; 0.05). Along with the upregulation of phosphorylated AMPKα and ACCα, metformin at 1.5 and 3 mM inactivated NF-κB signaling components (p65 and IκBα) and the inflammatory genes (TNFA, IL6, IL1B and COX-2) which were activated by BHBA. Additionally, BHBA inhibited cells staining intensity in EdU assay were increased by pretreatment with metformin. The activation of AMPK resulted in the increased gene and protein expression of SIRT1, along with the deacetylation of H3K9 and H3K14. However, the AMPK inhibitor compound C blocked this effect. Compared with BHBA treated cells, the protein expression of COX-2 and IL-1β were decreased by the pretreatment with metformin, and the inhibitory effect of metformin was released by compound C. The bound of NF-κB onto IL1B promoter displayed higher in BHBA group and this was suppressed by pretreatment with metformin (P &lt; 0.05). Altogether, metformin attenuates the BHBA-induced inflammation through the inactivation of NF-κB as a target for AMPK/SIRT1 signaling in bovine hepatocytes.
Impact of manganese amino acid complex on tissue-specific trace mineral distribution and corpus luteum function in gilts
Authors: Studer Jamie M , Kiefer Zoe E , Goetz Brady M , Keating Aileen F , Baumgard Lance H , Rambo Zachary J , Schweer Wesley P , Wilson Mark E , Rapp Christof , Ross Jason W 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Functional corpora lutea (CL) are required for pregnancy establishment and gestational maintenance in swine, and CL function is susceptible to environmental influences. Manganese (Mn) could be critical in regulating CL function since it is a component of the antioxidant enzyme Mn superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) as well as enzymes involved in cholesterol and steroid hormone synthesis. We hypothesized that a more bioavailable dietary Mn source would increase Mn content in the CL thereby influencing luteal function during the mid-luteal phase of the estrous cycle. Postpubertal gilts (n = 32) were assigned to one of four gestation diets. The control diet (CON) met or exceeded National Research Council (2012) requirements and was formulated to contain 20 parts per million (ppm) of added Mn in the form of Mn sulfate. Three additional diets included 20 (treatment [TRT]1), 40 (TRT2), or 60 (TRT3) ppm of added Mn from a Mn–amino acid complex (Availa-Mn; Zinpro Corporation) instead of Mn sulfate. Dietary treatment began at estrus synchronization onset and continued through 12 days post estrus (dpe) of the ensuing estrous cycle. Blood samples were collected at estrus onset, which was assigned as 0 dpe, as well as 4, 8, and 12 dpe. Gilts were euthanized and tissues were collected at 12 dpe. Serum progesterone (P4) increased (P &lt; 0.01) from 0 to 12 dpe but was unaffected by dietary treatment (P = 0.15) and there was no effect of the interaction between day and treatment (P = 0.85). Luteal Mn content increased (P ≤ 0.05) by 19%, 21%, and 24% in gilts fed TRT1, TRT2, and TRT3, respectively, compared to CON. Luteal P4 concentrations decreased (P = 0.03) 25%, 26%, and 32% in gilts fed TRT1, TRT2, and TRT3, respectively, compared to CON. Relative to CON gilts, CL calcium content decreased (P = 0.02) by 36%, 24%, and 34% for TRT1, TRT2, and TRT3 gilts, respectively. Collectively, these data support the hypothesis that feeding a more bioavailable Mn source increases Mn accumulation in CL tissue. If and how this influences CL function may be related to altered luteal P4 concentrations.
Blueberry Yields Increase With Bee Visitation Rates, but Bee Visitation Rates are not Consistently Predicted by Colony Stocking Densities
Authors: Mallinger Rachel , Ternest John J , Naranjo Shiala Morales 
Published: May 2021

AbstractPollinator-dependent crops rely on the activity of managed and wild pollinators. While farm management and surrounding landscape can influence wild pollinator contributions, managed pollinator contributions may be primarily driven by their stocking densities, though this is not well studied across crops. We selected 20 southern highbush blueberry farms along two independent gradients of honey bee Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) stocking density (~1–11 hives/acre) and bumble bee Bombus impatiens Cresson (Hymenoptera: Apidae) stocking density (0 - 3 colonies/acre) ensuring that stocking densities were not correlated with farm or landscape attributes. Across farms, we observed managed and wild bee visitation rates, and measured yield estimates. Farms with greater bumble bee stocking densities had higher bumble bee visitation rates and yield estimates, but farms with higher honey bee stocking densities only received higher honey bee visitation rates at the end of bloom and did not have higher yield estimates. The main wild pollinator, the southeastern blueberry bee Habropoda laboriosa (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), showed higher visitation rates on organic farms and in late bloom. In general, higher visitation rates by honey bees, bumble bees, and H. laboriosa were correlated with higher yields. Our results suggest that yields are limited by bee visitation rates, and that within the stocking density ranges studied, increasing managed bumble bees, but not honey bees, increases their visitation rates. While H. laboriosa had the greatest effect on yield estimates, its activity appears to be limited by both a phenological mismatch with crop bloom and farm management.
Predictors of hospitalization in patients with rheumatic disease and COVID-19 in Ireland: data from the COVID-19 global rheumatology alliance registry
Authors: Conway Richard , Nikiphorou Elena , Demetriou Christiana A , Low Candice , Leamy Kelly , Ryan John G , Kavanagh Ronan , Fraser Alexander D , Carey John J , O’Connell Paul , Flood Rachael M , Mullan Ronan H , Kane David J , Robinson Philip C , Liew Jean W , Grainger Rebecca , McCarthy Geraldine M ,   for the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Objectives
Given the limited data regarding the risk of hospitalization in patients with rheumatic disease and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Ireland, we used the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance (GRA) registry data to study outcomes and their predictors. The primary objective was to explore potential predictors of hospitalization.

Methods
We examined data on patients and their disease-related characteristics entered in the COVID-19 GRA provider registry from Ireland (from 24 March 2020 to 31 August 2020). Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association of demographic and clinical characteristics with hospitalization.

Results
Of 105 patients, 47 (45.6%) were hospitalized and 10 (9.5%) died. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.06, 95% CI 1.01, 1.10], number of co-morbidities (OR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.11, 3.35) and glucocorticoid use (OR = 15.01, 95% CI 1.77, 127.16) were significantly associated with hospitalization. A diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis was associated with lower odds of hospitalization (OR = 0.09, 95% CI 0.02, 0.32).

Conclusion
Increasing age, co-morbidity burden and glucocorticoid use were associated with hospitalization, whereas a diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis was associated with lower odds of hospitalization.
Switching between worlds apart: Negotiating European space sector cultures through innovation
Authors: Clormann Michael 
Published: May 2021

AbstractWith the advent of the so-called New Space Age, promoted by private actors and driven by market logic innovation, the European space sector meets significant challenges over recent years. This article explores the implications of New Space’s emergence for contemporary societies that increasingly rely on space technologies as critical infrastructures. It does so by analyzing conflicting logics of innovation within the sector arising from a clash of Old Space and New Space cultures and associated role identities. To this end, it combines concepts of institutional culture and role identity from science and technology studies and organization studies. Tracing the identity work performed by members of the European space sector through qualitative interviews, it concludes that new demands of market logic innovation are negotiated within a mode of switching between different sector cultures. It concludes that this mode provides opportunities for the responsible future governance of critical space infrastructures.
Assessment of the reproductive performances of native sows in Southern Benin
Authors: Djimènou David , Adoligbé Camus M , Aboh André B , Amagnidé Aubin G , Osei-Amponsah Richard , Edénakpo Aimé K , Tobada Pamphile C , Koudandé Delphin O 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Native sows contribute to a large extent to food security and poverty alleviation in Benin. However, their reproductive performance particularly under extensive systems is poorly characterized. The objective of this study was to fill this knowledge gap by selecting 284 multiparous sows based on hair color and some reproductive parameters. The results showed that native sows of Southern Benin can be clustered into three groups with group 3 showing the best reproductive performances including highest average litter size (LS, 10.31 piglets), live-born piglets (LBP, 10.31 piglets), number of functional teats (10.94), and shorter average farrowing interval (6 mo). The analysis of sows’ performances based on their origin revealed that sows from agro-ecological zone 8 have the highest number of LBP and the lowest age at first mating and first farrowing. The analysis of sows’ performances based on the hair color showed that those with black hair have the largest LS and the highest number of LBP. This study showed that Benin’s native sows have good reproductive ability with enough variation to develop a sustainable pig industry for a better contribution to food security and wealth creation.
Transforming Disruption Into Innovation: A Partnership Between the COVID-19 Medical Student Response Team and the University of British Columbia
Authors: Tsang Vivian W.L. , Yu Alec , Haines Morgan J. , Sagorin Zach , Mitchell Devon , Ching Geoffrey , Holmes Cheryl L. , Kestler Mary 
Published: May 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic caused substantial disruptions in medical education. The University of British Columbia (UBC) MD Undergraduate Program (MDUP) is the sixth-largest medical school in North America. MDUP students and faculty developed a joint response to these disruptions to address the curriculum and public health challenges that the pandemic posed.
After clinical activities were suspended in March 2020, third- and fourth-year MDUP students formed a COVID-19 Medical Student Response Team (MSRT) to support frontline physicians, public health agencies, and community members affected by the pandemic. A nimble organizational structure was developed across 4 UBC campuses to ensure a rapid response to meet physician and community needs. Support from the faculty ensured the activities were safe for the public, patients, and students and facilitated the provision of curricular credit for volunteer activities meeting academic criteria.
As of June 19, 2020, more than 700 medical students had signed up to participate in 68 projects. The majority of students participated in projects supporting the health care system, including performing contact tracing, staffing public COVID-19 call centers, distributing personal protective equipment, and creating educational multimedia products. Many initiatives have been integrated into the MDUP curriculum as scholarly activities or paraclinical electives for which academic credit is awarded. This was made possible by the inherent flexibility of the MDUP curriculum and a strong existing partnership between students and faculty.
Through this process, medical students were able to develop fundamental leadership, advocacy, communication, and collaboration skills, essential competencies for graduating physicians. In developing a transparent, accountable, and inclusive organization, students were able to effectively meet community needs during a crisis and create a sustainable and democratic structure capable of responding to future emergencies. Open dialogue between the MSRT and the faculty allowed for collaborative problem solving and the opportunity to transform disruption into academic innovation.
Characteristics, Comorbidities, Complications, and Outcomes Among 802 Patients With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in a Community Hospital in Florida
Authors: Patel Sachin R. , Mukkera Satyanarayana R. , Tucker Lara , Vatsis Catherine , Poma Antonia , Ammar Ali , Vo Mai , Khan Rumi , Carlan Stephen 
Published: May 2021

Objectives:
Coronavirus disease 2019 continues to increase throughout the United States. Despite the rapid progression of the disease, there is limited information of the factors associated with mortality in Florida. This study aims to review the demographics, characteristics, comorbidities, complications, and outcomes of hospitalized patients, and their association with mortality.

Design:
Cohort study.

Setting:
A community-based tertiary-care hospital of Orlando Health, Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Patients/Subjects:
Data of hospitalized patients who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 between March 1, 2020, and August 31, 2020, at the Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Interventions:
None.

Measurements and Main Results:
Main data assessed included patient demographics, clinical characteristics, comorbidities, complications, outcomes, and inhospital mortality. The median age for hospitalized patients was 61 years; among them, 56% were males. Most were of African American (n = 288, 35.9%), Hispanic (n = 237, 29.6%), and Caucasian (n = 217, 27.1%) descent. More patients presented with symptoms developing at home (n = 589, 75.9%) than from skilled nursing and long-term acute care facilities. The most common comorbidities were diabetes mellitus (42.8%), obesity (39.2%), lung disease (23.3%), coronary artery disease (20.2%), and congestive heart failure (18.3%). Complications with higher odds of mortality were mechanical ventilation (odds ratio, 148.00, p < 0.001), coinfections (odds ratio, 56.42, p < 0.001), acute kidney injury (odds ratio, 84.01, p < 0.001), atrial fibrillation (odds ratio, 28.30, p < 0.001), acute myocardial infarction (odds ratio, 23.29, p < 0.001), and acute venous thromboembolism (odds ratio, 26.43, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:
We identified an increase of severity of coronavirus disease 2019 within older patients of African American and Hispanic descent with comorbidities such as diabetes, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, cancer, liver disease, or cerebrovascular disease. Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation and high-flow nasal cannula oxygen may have helped avert mechanical ventilation, and this may have improved patient outcomes over the course of the study period.
Cutaneous Reconstruction of the Nasal Distal Third: Alternative Local Flaps for a Complex Region
Authors: Cason Roger W. , Shammas, Ronnie L. , Pyfer Bryan J. , Glener Adam D. , Marcus Jeffrey R. , Cook Jonathan L. 
Published: May 2021

Summary
Small-to-medium cutaneous defects of the distal nose pose a significant challenge to reconstructive surgeons, and commonly described reconstructive techniques have their limitations. As the skin of this region is characteristically rigid and sebaceous, care must be taken to avoid introducing unfavorable tension vectors that can result in functional or anatomic distortion of the nasal free margins. With this in mind, the authors discuss 3 alternative reconstructive options, the East-West, nasalis sling, and trilobed flaps, which have wide utility in the repair of distal nasal cutaneous defects and can result in excellent cosmesis. The indications, surgical technique, and limitations of each are discussed in detail, and are compared with several of the more commonly described options in the context of distal nasal reconstruction.
Exploring real-world concordance of tissue mutation burden (TMB) from blood and tissue in patients with solid tumors
Authors: Park Jewel , Park Inae , Hwang Jin Young , Bae William Han , Nam Myungwoo , Lee Grace , Kim Leeseul , Choi Yoonhee , Jung Hojung , Kim Min Jeong , Hong Seung Pyo Daniel , Lee Hiwon , Park Younggyeong , Yu Emma , Lee Alice , Chae Young Kwang 
Published: May 2021

AbstractPurposeTumor mutational burden (TMB) is an approved biomarker for immunotherapy in metastatic cancer patients. While initially measured from tissue (tTMB), TMB derived from circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) - also known as blood TMB (bTMB) - is increasingly being used in the clinic. Currently, real-world concordance between tTMB and bTMB is not well understood.Patients and methodsFrom October 2020 to March 2021, cancer patients who had both tTMB and bTMB results were selected. Patients were classified according to clinical variables and tumor burden, and correlation analyses or tests of independence were performed to explore any associations.ResultsFrom a total of 38 patients included in our study, 20 patients (52.6%) had non-small cell lung carcinoma and 18 (47.4%) had other cancers. Median bTMB of 9.6 mut/MB was higher than median tTMB of 4.0 mut/Mb, and the distributions of bTMB and tTMB differed significantly (n=38, p < 0.001). bTMB was positively correlated with tTMB in the total study population (Spearman ρ=0.57, p < 0.001) and a tTMB of 10 mut/Mb correlated with a bTMB of 21.1 mut/Mb. Dividing patients by cancer type or site of tumor biopsy resulted in significantly differing strength and degree of correlation, but dividing patients by concordant and discordant bTMB:tTMB ratio did not reveal any significantly different distributions of clinical variables or tumor burden.ConclusionbTMB was positively correlated with tTMB, and median bTMB was higher than median tTMB. Cancer type and site of tissue biopsy may influence concordance between tTMB and bTMB. Future studies with more patients may help define the optimal bTMB threshold for receiving immunotherapy, which may be different from the tTMB threshold.
Optimal control of the spatial allocation of COVID-19 vaccines: Italy as a case study
Authors: Lemaitre Joseph C. , Pasetto Damiano , Zanon Mario , Bertuzzo Enrico , Mari Lorenzo , Miccoli Stefano , Casagrandi Renato , Gatto Marino , Rinaldo Andrea 
Published: May 2021

AbstractWhile SARS-CoV-2 vaccine distribution campaigns are underway across the world, communities face the challenge of a fair and effective distribution of limited supplies. We wonder whether suitable spatial allocation strategies might significantly improve a campaign’s efficacy in averting damaging outcomes. To that end, we address the problem of optimal control of COVID-19 vaccinations in a country-wide geographic and epidemiological context characterized by strong spatial heterogeneities in transmission rate and disease history. We seek the vaccine allocation strategies in space and time that minimize the number of infections in a prescribed time horizon. We examine scenarios of unfolding disease transmission across the 107 provinces of Italy, from January to April 2021, generated by a spatially explicit compartmental COVID-19 model tailored to the Italian geographic and epidemiological context. We propose a novel optimal control framework to derive optimal vaccination strategies given the epidemiological projections and constraints on vaccine supply and distribution logistic. Optimal schemes significantly outperform the explored alternative allocation strategies based on incidence, population distribution, or prevalence of susceptibles in each province. Our results suggest that the complex interplay between the mobility network and the spatial heterogeneities imply highly non-trivial prioritization of local vaccination campaigns. The extent of the overall improvements in the objectives grants further inquiry aimed at refining other possibly relevant factors so far neglected. Our work thus provides a proof-of-concept of the potential of optimal control for complex and heterogeneous epidemiological contexts at country, and possibly global, scales.Author summaryThe development of vaccines has sparked high hopes towards the control of SARS-CoV-2 transmission without resorting to extensive community-wide restrictions. A fundamental unanswered question concerns the best possible allocation of a limited vaccine stock in space and time given a specific goal. We address this through an optimal control framework based on a reliable spatially explicit COVID-19 epidemiological model, where vaccine distribution is optimized under supply and deployment capacity constraints. This tool provides strategies for optimal allocations in different scenarios, yielding important improvements over considered alternatives. By accounting for spatial heterogeneities and human mobility networks, the presented approach complements currently used allocation methods based on criteria such as age or risk.
An evidence-based data science perspective on the prediction of heart failure readmissions
Authors: Locey Kenneth J. , Webb Thomas A. , Hota Bala 
Published: May 2021

ABSTRACTThe prevention of unplanned 30-day readmissions of patients discharged with a diagnosis of heart failure (HF) remains a profound challenge among hospital enterprises. Despite the many models and indices developed to predict which HF patients will readmit for any unplanned cause within 30 days, predictive success has been meager. Using simulations of HF readmission models and the diagnostics most often used to evaluate them (C-statistics, ROC curves), we demonstrate common factors that have contributed to the lack of predictive success among studies. We reveal a greater need for precision and alternative metrics such as partial C-statistics and precision-recall curves and demonstrate via simulations how those tools can be used to better gauge predictive success. We suggest how studies can improve their applicability to hospitals and call for a greater understanding of the uncertainty underlying 30-day all-cause HF readmission. Finally, using insights from sampling theory, we suggest a novel uncertainty-based perspective for predicting readmissions and non-readmissions.