bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Limited‐stage diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma: current management and challenges
Authors: Zhang Xiao‐Yin , Collins Graham P. , Cutter David J. , Eyre Toby A. 
Published: February 2021

SummaryTwenty‐five to thirty per cent of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) presents as limited stage (I–II). Prognosis is generally excellent with four to six cycles of R‐CHOP alone (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, prednisolone) or combined‐modality therapy with three or four cycles and involved‐site radiotherapy (RT). There is growing interest in optimising algorithms to retain disease control whilst minimising long‐term toxicity, with several recent studies focusing on the safety of abbreviating chemotherapy and omitting RT in low‐risk patients and the utility of PET‐based response‐adapted approaches. As these studies are limited to younger patients without risk factors, application of similar approaches in elderly or higher‐risk patients is hampered by a lack of evidence. Whilst there has been a move away from using RT in low‐risk patients, it remains a useful adjunct in specific situations. Current evidence cannot exclude a clinically meaningful benefit from RT even in low‐risk patients and, given the low expected toxicity from modern RT techniques, a risk–benefit assessment should be individualised and considered in a multidisciplinary fashion. The optimal approach for extranodal limited‐stage DLBCL (~40% of cases) varies according to site of origin. Herein we discuss the latest clinical trial evidence and how this can be applied in routine practice.
Low‐dose fludarabine and cyclophosphamide combined with rituximab in the first‐line treatment of elderly/comorbid patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL): long‐term results of project Q‐lite by the Czech CLL Study Group
Authors: Smolej Lukáš , Brychtová Yvona , Cmunt Eduard , Doubek Michael , Špaček Martin , Belada David , Šimkovič Martin , Stejskal Lukáš , Zygulová Irena , Urbanová Renata , Brejcha Martin , Zuchnická Jana , Móciková Heidi , Kozák Tomáš ,   for the Czech CLL Study Group
Published: February 2021

SummaryTherapeutic options used to be very limited for treatment‐naïve elderly/comorbid patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) before the introduction of chemo‐immunotherapy. Because dose‐reduced fludarabine‐based regimens yielded promising results, the Czech CLL Study Group initiated a prospective observational study to assess safety and efficacy of low‐dose fludarabine and cyclophosphamide combined with rituximab (FCR) in elderly/comorbid patients. Between March 2009 and July 2012, we enrolled 107 patients considered ineligible for full‐dose FCR (median age, 70 years; median Cumulative Illness Rating Scale score, 5; median creatinine clearance, 69 ml/min). Notably, 77% patients had unfavourable biological prognosis [unmutated immunoglobulin heavy‐chain variable‐region gene (IGHV), 74%; deletion 17p, 9%). Fludarabine was reduced to 12 mg/m2 intravenously (iv) or 20 mg/m2 orally on days 1–3 and cyclophosphamide to 150 mg/m2 iv/orally on days 1–3. Grade 3–4 neutropenia occurred in 56% of the patients, but there were serious infections in only 15%. The median progression‐free survival was 29 months, but was markedly longer in patients with mutated IGHV (median 53 months), especially in absence of del 11q or 17p (median 74 months). Low‐dose FCR is a well‐tolerated and effective first‐line regimen for selected elderly/comorbid patients with CLL/SLL with favourable biology. The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02156726).
Riverscape nesting dynamics of Neosho Smallmouth Bass: To cluster or not to cluster?
Authors: Miller Andrew D. , Brewer Shannon K. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAimHierarchical stream habitat conditions influence patterns of fish abundance and population dynamics. The spawning period is important for stream fishes but coincides with unpredictable environmental conditions and stressors. Thus, identifying habitats that confer suitable spawning is crucial to managing vulnerable fish populations, including narrow‐range endemics. Here, we evaluate reach‐ and catchment‐scale habitat features related to Neosho Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu velox) nest presence, abundance and aggregations (clusters) and quantify nest microhabitat.LocationOzark Highlands ecoregion, USA.MethodsWe conducted snorkel and habitat surveys from 2016 to 2018 to quantify nest abundance, describe nest cluster characteristics and quantify nest microhabitat. We used field‐collected and geospatial variables and developed generalized mixed models to evaluate the influence of multi‐scale habitat features on nest cluster presence and nest abundance.ResultsNest clusters, scarcely known for other Smallmouth Bass populations, contained 25% of all documented nests. Presence of nests was more likely in warmer stream reaches with wide, shallow channels and more pool habitat. Nest cluster presence was more likely with greater nest densities and earlier in the spawning season. The abundance of Smallmouth Bass nests was related to several reach‐scale habitat conditions, with greater nest counts in warmer reaches and reaches with deeper pool habitat. Regardless of cluster behaviour, nesting Smallmouth Bass used similar microhabitats, including a range of depths (0.26–1.85 m), low velocities (<0.1 m/s) and typically gravel substrates.Main conclusionsOur results indicate plasticity in nesting ecology within Neosho Smallmouth Bass populations and highlight the need to consider multiple aspects of stream habitat when developing conservation and management plans. The importance of reach‐scale habitat features suggests it may be important to limit landscape and channel alterations. Nest clustering behaviour suggests these populations may be vulnerable to human influence during the nesting season, but also provides management opportunities for protection during critical time periods.
Are growth diagnostics biased against the poor? Evidence from the Millennium Challenge Corporation
Authors: Bhatt Jigar D. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractMotivationThe growth diagnostics methodology was developed to encourage context‐specific problem‐solving and priority‐setting as a substitute for the universal prescriptions that characterized the Washington Consensus era. While growth diagnostics have been praised and become popular in development planning, little is known about what they do in practice.PurposeThe Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a new aid agency, adopted growth diagnostics in 2007 to guide decision‐making for bilateral development assistance after forging nearly 20 agreements informed by existing Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers. This study examines how the MCC’s adoption of growth diagnostics affected its development investments.Approach and methodsThe study used a mixed‐methods approach with primary and secondary data and an interrupted time‐series research design that compares MCC agreements designed with and without growth diagnostics.FindingsThe study found that growth diagnostics helped move the MCC’s investment portfolio away from multi‐sector integrated rural development programmes aimed at high‐poverty regions towards programmes in fewer sectors concentrated in urban areas with large policy and institutional reform components reminiscent of earlier structural adjustment programmes. The article explains how features of the growth diagnostic methodology largely contributed to these changes.Policy implicationsDevelopment planners committed to using diagnostics should employ inclusive growth diagnostics, which modify the original diagnostic in ways that identify and target constraints to achieve pro‐poor growth.
Identification of genes and pathways related to breast cancer metastasis in an integrated cohort
Authors: Wang Lingchen , Mo Changgan , Wang Liqin , Cheng Minzhang 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundBreast cancer is the most common malignant disease in women. Metastasis is the most common cause of death from this cancer. Screening genes related to breast cancer metastasis may help elucidate the mechanisms governing metastasis and identify molecular targets for antimetastatic therapy. The development of advanced algorithms enables us to perform cross‐study analysis to improve the robustness of the results.Materials and methodsTen data sets meeting our criteria for differential expression analyses were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Among these data sets, five based on the same platform were formed into a large cohort using the XPN algorithm. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with breast cancer metastasis were identified using the differential expression via distance synthesis (DEDS) algorithm. A cross‐platform method was employed to verify these DEGs in all ten selected data sets. The top 50 validated DEGs are represented with heat maps. Based on the validated DEGs, Gene Ontology (GO) functional and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed. Protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed to further illustrate the direct and indirect associations among the DEGs. Survival analysis was performed to explore whether these genes can affect breast cancer patient prognosis.ResultsA total of 817 DEGs were identified using the DEDS algorithm. Of these DEGs, 450 genes were validated by the second algorithm. Enriched KEGG pathway terms demonstrated that these 450 DEGs may be involved in the cell cycle and oocyte meiosis in addition to their functions in ECM‐receptor interaction and protein digestion and absorption. PPI network analysis for the proteins encoded by the DEGs indicated that these genes may be primarily involved in the cell cycle and extracellular matrix. In particular, several genes played roles in multiple signalling pathways and were related to patient survival. These genes were also observed to be targetable in the CTD2 database.ConclusionsOur study analysed multiple cross‐platform data sets using two different algorithms, helping elucidate the molecular mechanisms and identify several potential therapeutic targets of metastatic breast cancer. In addition, several genes exhibited promise for applications in targeted therapy against metastasis in future research.
Contrasting patterns of food and macronutrient limitation in the field among co‐existing omnivorous carnivores
Authors: Toft Søren , Pavón‐Peláez Camila , Martinez‐Villar Mauro , Rengifo Laura , Arroyave Alejandra , Pompozzi Gabriel , Franco Viviana , Albo Maria J. 
Published: February 2021

1. Carnivores are often food and/or macronutrient limited in their natural habitats, but whether they are limited mostly by protein or lipid is still a matter of controversy. As many predators and carnivorous scavengers also include plant material in their diet (omnivory), carbohydrate limitation is also possible.2. The authors used a recently described double‐test procedure to test for food and macronutrient limitation in five co‐existing species of predators and omnivorous scavengers from Uruguay (two crickets: Gryllus sp. and Miogryllus verticalis; two cockroaches: Blatta orientalis and Blaptica dubia and a harvestman: Acanthopachylus aculeatus).3. The authors found that the two crickets and one cockroach were food limited and one cockroach was non‐protein (lipid) limited in the field. The harvestman showed a dramatic change in food limitation between two dates separated by only 3 weeks, but was non‐protein (lipid) limited over both dates. From all species, the harvestman showed the highest self‐selected intake of carbohydrates (27%), indicating a high level of omnivory. In contrast, the two cockroaches selected a surprisingly low proportion of carbohydrates (13–14%), while the crickets were intermediate (14–19%). The authors hypothesize that these omnivores are more carnivorous in the wild than expected from studies of laboratory populations.4. Though individuals were collected from the same habitats and all species self‐selected macronutrient ratios characteristic of omnivorous carnivores, they showed different patterns of food and macronutrient limitation, reflecting species' niche segregation and individual differences in foraging success.
Examining the effect of stress on the flexible updating of avoidance responses
Authors: Lemmens Anke , Quaedflieg Conny W. E. M. , Dibbets Pauline , Rijkeboer Marleen , Smeets Tom 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAcute stress has been found to impair the flexible updating of stimulus − outcome associations. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the effect of acute stress on the flexible updating of stimulus–response associations, like active avoidance responses. The current study used an avoidance reversal learning paradigm to address this question. Sixty‐one participants learned that a red dot was associated with an aversive sound, whereas a green dot was not (Pavlovian Acquisition phase). Next, they were trained to avoid the aversive stimulus by selectively pressing a button in response to the red, but not the green, dot (Avoidance Acquisition phase). Subsequently, participants either underwent a stress induction task or a no‐stress control task. The flexible updating of expectancies of the US and avoidance responses were assessed after reversal of the original contingencies (Reversal Test). Acute stress did not impair the flexible updating of avoidance responses during the Reversal Test. In contrast, results showed that in the stress group the expectancies of the aversive sound were more in accordance with the reversed contingencies compared to the ratings of control participants. Additionally, cortisol responders avoided less often in comparison to cortisol non‐responders. Increased noradrenergic activity in stressed participants was related to impairments in the flexible updating of avoidance responses after contingency reversal, while this association was absent in the control participants. In conclusion, our results suggest that the autonomic response might account for shifting the balance toward inflexible updating of stimulus–outcome awareness while stress does not impair flexible updating of avoidance responses.
Assortative mating in space and time: patterns and biases
Authors: Rios Moura Rafael , Oliveira Gonzaga Marcelo , Silva Pinto Nelson , Vasconcellos‐Neto João , Requena Gustavo S. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDespite the important roles of assortative mating for understanding evolutionary processes, our knowledge on the variation in assortative mating across populations and breeding periods has been overshadowed by the greater attention given to general patterns. Obtaining data on mating pairs are difficult for most species; therefore, researchers often group data from different populations or breeding periods, which can increase positive biases in detecting and estimating assortative mating. We used a meta‐analytic approach to investigate the biases caused by spatially or temporally pooling data and the assortative mating consistency across populations and breeding periods. We describe assortative mating patterns across and within animal taxa. We performed a systematic review to search studies reporting measures of size‐assortative mating (SAM). Grouping data from multiple populations and seasons incurred positive biases. Overall, assortative mating moderately exhibited low repeatability in space and time, but it was inconsistent for most taxa. After excluding pooled measures, the average estimate for assortative mating was moderate and positive. Thus, our findings demonstrate that pooling data can produce misleading results. We also highlight the importance of further investigation of hypotheses that explain spatial and temporal variation in assortative mating, after its detection. Our study reinforces the significance of investigating mating patterns at various spatial and temporal scales before drawing broad conclusions.
In silico model reveals the key role of GABA in KCNT1‐epilepsy in infancy with migrating focal seizures
Authors: Kuchenbuch Mathieu , Nabbout Rima , Yochum Maxime , Sauleau Paul , Modolo Julien , Wendling Fabrice , Benquet Pascal 
Published: February 2021

AbstractObjectiveThis study was undertaken to investigate how gain of function (GOF) of slack channel due to a KCNT1 pathogenic variant induces abnormal neuronal cortical network activity and generates specific electroencephalographic (EEG) patterns of epilepsy in infancy with migrating focal seizures.MethodsWe used detailed microscopic computational models of neurons to explore the impact of GOF of slack channel (explicitly coded) on each subtype of neurons and on a cortical micronetwork. Then, we adapted a thalamocortical macroscopic model considering results obtained in detailed models and immature properties related to epileptic brain in infancy. Finally, we compared simulated EEGs resulting from the macroscopic model with interictal and ictal patterns of affected individuals using our previously reported EEG markers.ResultsThe pathogenic variants of KCNT1 strongly decreased the firing rate properties of γ‐aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) interneurons and, to a lesser extent, those of pyramidal cells. This change led to hyperexcitability with increased synchronization in a cortical micronetwork. At the macroscopic scale, introducing slack GOF effect resulted in epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (EIMFS) EEG interictal patterns. Increased excitation‐to‐inhibition ratio triggered seizure, but we had to add dynamic depolarizing GABA between somatostatin‐positive interneurons and pyramidal cells to obtain migrating seizure. The simulated migrating seizures were close to EIMFS seizures, with similar values regarding the delay between the different ictal activities (one of the specific EEG markers of migrating focal seizures due to KCNT1 pathogenic variants).SignificanceThis study illustrates the interest of biomathematical models to explore pathophysiological mechanisms bridging the gap between the functional effect of gene pathogenic variants and specific EEG phenotype. Such models can be complementary to in vitro cellular and animal models. This multiscale approach provides an in silico framework that can be further used to identify candidate innovative therapies.
Enhanced fracture toughness of silica glass by ion‐implanted platinum nanoparticles
Authors: Gutiérrez‐Menchaca Jesús , Garay‐Tapia Andrés Manuel , Torres‐Torres David , Arizmendi‐Morquecho Ana María , Leyva‐Porras Cesar , Torres‐Torres Carlos , Oliver Alicia 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe enhancement of fracture toughness exhibited by silica glass (SG) remains a challenge for a wide variety of technology applications, particularly without implying significant changes in the glass structure. The present work shows that embedded platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) can significantly improve the mechanical performance of silica glass (PtNPs/SG). The PtNPs were implanted into a high‐purity SG substrate with 3MV Tandem accelerator Pelletron and thermally annealed at 600°C. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy characterizations disclosed a Gaussian distribution of PtNPs at 600‐nm depth. Nanoindentation test revealed that brittleness (B) decreased about 24% and the effective elastic modulus (Er) increased by about 7% for the nanostructured compound. Additionally, an increase in fracture toughness (Kc) of 19% and an enhancement of elasto‐plastic performance behavior during the scratch test were observed. Therefore, embedded PtNPs represent a potential solution for brittleness problems in SG.
Effect of the consumption of amaranth seeds and their sprouts on alterations of lipids and glucose metabolism in mice
Authors: Corzo‐Ríos Luis Jorge , Garduño‐Siciliano Leticia , Sánchez‐Chino Xariss M. , Martínez‐Herrera Jorge , Cardador‐Martínez Anaberta , Jiménez‐Martínez Cristian 
Published: February 2021

SummaryAmaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) is appreciated for its nutritional and functional quality. This study evaluated the effects of consuming amaranth seeds and their sprouts on the metabolic markers in ICR male mice. Ungerminated amaranth seeds (A) and one‐day (G1) and three‐day (G3) germinated amaranth sprouts were dried and milled. The mice groups (n = 10) were fed standard (N) or hypercaloric (H) diets and 1 g A, G1 or G3/kg body weight for 28 days. The total cholesterol (TC), high‐ and low‐density lipoprotein (HDL and LDL), atherogenic index (AI), triglyceride (TG) and glucose levels were determined in blood samples. Germination increased the dietary fibre, phenolic and flavonoid concentration and decreased ash and squalene concentration. A, G1 or G3 consumption also decreased body weight, TC, LDL, AI and glucose levels in H group mice. Thus, amaranth seed or sprout consumption could be beneficial for people with altered lipid metabolism.
When and why does sense of power hinder self‐reported helping behavior? Testing a moderated mediation model in Chinese undergraduates
Authors: Sun Peng , Li Hui , Liu Zhen , Ren Minzhi , Guo Qingke , Kou Yu 
Published: February 2021

AbstractMany studies on power and its influence on pro‐social behavior have been conducted with Western samples. Little is known about whether the relevant research findings can be extended to other cultural settings. This study investigates the relationship between sense of power and self‐reported helping behavior in Chinese culture. Using a sample of 388 undergraduate students, this study examines a moderated mediation model in which moral identity serves as a moderator and perspective taking serves as a mediator. The results show that sense of power is negatively associated with helping behavior, and this association is mediated by perspective taking. That is, sense of power exerts a negative effect on perspective taking, thereby decreasing people's tendency to help others. In addition, moral identity moderates the direct and indirect effect from sense of power to helping behavior. Specifically, when moral identity is low, sense of power exerts negative effects on perspective taking and helping behavior, but these effects become non‐significant when moral identity is high. This study sheds new light on the understanding of sense of power by examining its profound role in influencing pro‐social engagement in Eastern cultures. Our findings suggest that powerful people with lower levels of moral identity may be less willing to consider others' thoughts and feelings, and act less helping behavior. While high moral identity may buffer the negative effect of sense of power and enable powerful people to better play a role in promoting social harmony.