bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The European Biological Variation Study (EuBIVAS): Biological Variation Data for Coagulation Markers Estimated by a Bayesian Model
Authors: Aarsand Aasne K , Kristoffersen Ann Helen , Sandberg Sverre , Støve Bård , Coşkun Abdurrahman , Fernandez-Calle Pilar , Díaz-Garzón Jorge , Guerra Elena , Ceriotti Ferruccio , Jonker Niels , Røraas Thomas , Carobene Anna 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Background
For biological variation (BV) data to be safely used, data must be reliable and relevant to the population in which they are applied. We used samples from the European Biological Variation Study (EuBIVAS) to determine BV of coagulation markers by a Bayesian model robust to extreme observations and used the derived within-participant BV estimates [CVP(i)] to assess the applicability of the BV estimates in clinical practice.

Method
Plasma samples were drawn from 92 healthy individuals for 10 consecutive weeks at 6 European laboratories and analyzed in duplicate for activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), fibrinogen, D-dimer, antithrombin (AT), protein C, protein S free, and factor VIII (FVIII). A Bayesian model with Student t likelihoods for samples and replicates was applied to derive CVP(i) and predicted BV estimates with 95% credibility intervals.

Results
For all markers except D-dimer, CVP(i) were homogeneously distributed in the overall study population or in subgroups. Mean within-subject estimates (CVI) were &lt;5% for APTT, PT, AT, and protein S free, &lt;10% for protein C and FVIII, and &lt;12% for fibrinogen. For APTT, protein C, and protein S free, estimates were significantly lower in men than in women ≤50 years.

Conclusion
For most coagulation markers, a common CVI estimate for men and women is applicable, whereas for APTT, protein C, and protein S free, sex-specific reference change values should be applied. The use of a Bayesian model to deliver individual CVP(i) allows for improved interpretation and application of the data.
Evolutionary engineering reveals amino acid substitutions in Ato2 and Ato3 that allow improved growth ofSaccharomyces cerevisiaeon lactic acid
Authors: Baldi Nicolò , de Valk Sophie Claire , Sousa-Silva Maria , Casal Margarida , Soares-Silva Isabel , Mans Robert 
Published: May 2021

ABSTRACTIn Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the complete set of proteins involved in transport of lactic acid across the cell membrane has not been determined. In this study, we aimed to identify transport proteins not previously described to be involved in lactic acid transport via a combination of directed evolution, whole-genome resequencing and reverse engineering. Evolution of a strain lacking all known lactic acid transporters on lactate led to the discovery of mutated Ato2 and Ato3 as two novel lactic acid transport proteins. When compared to previously identified S. cerevisiae genes involved in lactic acid transport, expression of ATO3T284C was able to facilitate the highest growth rate (0.15 ± 0.01 h-1) on this carbon source. A comparison between (evolved) sequences and 3D models of the transport proteins showed that most of the identified mutations resulted in a widening of the narrowest hydrophobic constriction of the anion channel. We hypothesize that this observation, sometimes in combination with an increased binding affinity of lactic acid to the sites adjacent to this constriction, are responsible for the improved lactic acid transport in the evolved proteins.
Study on the strategy of multimodal transportation of medical aid materials for public health emergencies: a case study basing on COVID-19
Authors: Ning Tao , Duan Xiaodong , An Lu 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
The emergency response to sudden public health incident often encounters problems such as the long distance between the medical material supply node and the demand point or the destruction of key roads, which makes it difficult to transport materials directly to the disaster area by vehicles in time. Helicopters are increasingly being used to transport critical medical emergency resources, but it is not easy to distribute medical supplies through helicopter in large-scale public health incidents. In order to solve the above problems, a two-stage combined transportation method for medical supplies based on clustering is proposed in this paper. In the first stage, the quantum bacterial foraging (QBF) algorithm is used to select emergency transit points and divide the medical assistance points. In view of the imbalance of remaining capacity in QBF division, an improved division method (quantum bacterial foraging with capacity constraints (QBFwCC)) is proposed and a ‘helicopter–vehicle’ medical material combined transportation network structure is constructed in consideration of capacity constraints. In the second stage, a transportation route optimization model based on clustering is established to determine the specific transportation route from the emergency transit point to the medical assistance point. The performance of the method proposed in the paper was analyzed through experimental COVID-19 simulation and compared between QBF and QBFwCC. The results show that the method not only achieves the goal of optimization, but also effectively reduces the number of vehicles.
Novel phase-locked loop-based resonant frequency tracking control for linear reciprocating compressor
Authors: Wang Liqiang , Yu Xiaofan , Lei Meizhen , Yin Xiuxing 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
The paper presents a novel phase-locked loop (PLL)-based resonant frequency tracking method for linear compressors with oscillatory motions. The proposed method achieves the phase-locked control between two signals by using PLL, which includes a multiplier, and a low-pass filter to obtain the phase signal difference. Consequently, based on the phase signal difference, the electrical frequency of the power supply can be adjusted through a PI (proportional-derivative) regulator such that the phase signal difference converges to 90° and the linear compressor works under the resonant frequency conditions. The analytical expression of the resonant frequency condition is proposed for the linear compressor. Then, the detailed design and procedure of the proposed method are presented. The designed method and the resonant frequency characteristics are verified by using the simulation experiment. The simulated results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has faster response speed and higher convergence accuracy to step load change in comparison with the other commonly used algorithms.
Medicines optimization for patients with chronic kidney disease in the outpatient setting: the role of the clinical pharmacist
Authors: Schütze Alexander , Hohmann Carina , Haubitz Marion , Radziwill Roland , Benöhr Peter 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Objectives
Medicines optimization (MO) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is at high risk at transition points of different ambulatory care levels such as nephrologists in outpatient clinics and general practitioners (GPs). We examined if adding a clinical pharmacist to the therapeutic team promotes implementation of nephrologists’ drug therapy recommendations by GPs’ and reduces drug-related problems (DRPs).

Methods
A prospective, controlled intervention study was conducted in the nephrology outpatient clinic of the Klinikum Fulda, Germany. The control and intervention phases took place successively. Patients with CKD stage 3–5 and at least one concomitant disease, for example, arterial hypertension or type-2 diabetes were recruited consecutively in three subgroups (naive, 1 contact, ≥2 contacts with nephrologist) from June 2015 to May 2019. GPs’ acceptance and frequency of DRPs without (control group [CG]) and with (intervention group [IG]) pharmacist’s interventions were compared after 6 months. Interventions include educational training events for GPs between control- and intervention phase, medication therapy management and pharmaceutical patient counselling.

Key findings
In total, 256 patients (CG = 160, IG = 96) were recruited into the study. GPs’ acceptance of nephrologists’ medication recommendations increased significantly among naive patients and those with one prior contact with the nephrologist (CG/IG: naive = 72.8%/95.5%, 1 contact = 81.1%/94.4%; P &lt; 0.001). DRPs per patient were significantly reduced in all subgroups (P &lt; 0.001).

Conclusions
Interdisciplinary collaboration between the nephrologist, GPs and clinical pharmacist resulted in better MO for patients with CKD.
A Brief History of Use of Animals in Biomedical Research and Perspective on Non-Animal Alternatives
Authors: Kinter Lewis B , DeHaven Ron , Johnson David K , DeGeorge Joseph J 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Animals have been closely observed by humans for at least 17 000 years to gain critical knowledge for human and later animal survival. Routine scientific observations of animals as human surrogates began in the late 19th century driven by increases in new compounds resulting from synthetic chemistry and requiring characterization for potential therapeutic utility and safety. Statistics collected by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and United Kingdom Home Office show that animal usage in biomedical research and teaching activities peaked after the mid-20th century and thereafter fell precipitously until the early 21st century, when annual increases (in the UK) were again observed, this time driven by expansion of genetically modified animal technologies. The statistics also show a dramatic transfer of research burden in the 20th and 21st centuries away from traditional larger and more publicly sensitive species (dogs, cats, non-human primates, etc) towards smaller, less publicly sensitive mice, rats, and fish. These data show that new technology can produce multi-faceted outcomes to reduce and/or to increase annual animal usage and to redistribute species burden in biomedical research. From these data, it is estimated that annual total vertebrate animal usage in biomedical research and teaching in the United States was 15 to 25 million per year during 2001–2018. Finally, whereas identification and incorporation of non-animal alternatives are products of, but not an integral component of, the animal research cycle, they replace further use of animals for specific research and product development purposes and create their own scientific research cycles, but are not necessarily a substitute for animals or humans for discovery, acquisition, and application of new (eg, previously unknown and/or unsuspected) knowledge critical to further advance human and veterinary medicine and global species survival.
Extremal density for sparse minors and subdivisions
Authors: Haslegrave John , Kim Jaehoon , Liu Hong 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
We prove an asymptotically tight bound on the extremal density guaranteeing subdivisions of bounded-degree bipartite graphs with a mild separability condition. As corollaries, we answer several questions of Reed and Wood on embedding sparse minors. Among others,
• $(1+o(1))t^2$ average degree is sufficient to force the $t\times t$ grid as a topological minor;
• $(3/2+o(1))t$ average degree forces every$t$-vertex planar graph as a minor, and the constant $3/2$ is optimal, furthermore, surprisingly, the value is the same for $t$-vertex graphs embeddable on any fixed surface;
• a universal bound of $(2+o(1))t$ on average degree forcing every$t$-vertex graph in any nontrivial minor-closed family as a minor, and the constant 2 is best possible by considering graphs with given treewidth.
Analytical Comparison of Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A (PAPP-A) Immunoassays for Biochemical Determination of Gestational Age
Authors: Buhimschi Irina A , Zhao Guomao , El Helou Yara , Frye Laura J , Winikoff Beverly , Raymond Elizabeth G 
Published: May 2021

AbstractBackgroundAccurate pregnancy dating is critical for maternal and child health and for counseling on safe and effective abortion methods. While last menstrual period and first trimester ultrasound are often used together to determine gestational age (GA), they have limited accuracy and availability, respectively. Prior studies have shown that pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) increases exponentially during pregnancy and has the potential to serve as a biochemical marker of GA. We aimed to analyze the relationship between sonographically determined GA and serum PAPP-A concentration measured by different immunoassays and to derive cutoff levels informative for the 70 days GA commonly recommended limit for medical abortion in outpatient settings.MethodsWe compared technical characteristics of 4 commercially available PAPP-A immunoassays and tested 120 maternal serum samples (GA range: 34–231 days) along with contrived pool samples and traceable quality controls. These characteristics included area under the receiver operator characteristic (AUROC) plot, sensitivity and specificity based on cutoffs defined by the Youden Index, and likelihood ratios.ResultsAll 4 immunoassays had sensitivities and specificities ≥80%, and AUROC values ranging from 0.948 to 0.968. Marked differences among absolute PAPP-A values were noted depending on immunoassay. PAPP-A cutoff values at 70 days GA for each individual immunoassay were established along with procedural recommendations that increase equivalence among immunoassays.ConclusionsMaternal serum PAPP-A levels correlated strongly with GA despite differences in immunoassay formats and absolute data output. Serum PAPP-A has biomarker potential for future development of a point-of-care test aimed at increasing access to medical abortion.
The ‘other’ bone sarcomas in Japan: a retrospective study of primary bone sarcomas other than osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma and chondrosarcoma, using data from the Bone Tumuor Registry in Japan
Authors: Nagano Akihito , Tsugita Masanori , Nishimoto Yutaka , Akiyama Haruhiko , Kawai Akira 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Background
To date, no standard treatments for primary bone sarcomas other than those for osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma and chondrosarcoma have been developed.

Methods
The clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of 330 patients with primary bone sarcomas other than osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma and chondrosarcoma, listed in a nationwide tumour registry (Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Registry in Japan) were investigated. The effects of adjuvant chemotherapy were determined by comparing the outcomes of patients with non-metastatic bone tumours who received surgery plus chemotherapy with those of patients who underwent surgery alone.

Results
The most common diagnosis was undifferentiated high-grade pleomorphic sarcoma. Axial site tumours (47.8%) and distant metastases at presentation (24.5%) were frequent. The 5-year overall and progression-free survival rates were 44.9 and 39.9%, respectively. Prognostic factor analysis identified surgery as an independent predictor of overall survival, and distant metastases at presentation was significant and independent predictor of both overall and progression-free survival. No significant difference in outcome was observed between patients treated with surgery alone and those treated with surgery plus chemotherapy (P = 0.71).

Conclusions
Patients with bone sarcomas other than osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma and chondrosarcoma without metastasis at presentation have a relatively good prognosis with definitive surgery; however, the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy is unclear.
Large bilateral pulmonary arterial venous malformations treated with embolization and lingulectomy in a patient with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia
Authors: Orovec Adele , French Daniel , Lightfoot Chris , Wallace Alison M 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
A 76-year-old woman with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia presented to the emergency department with chest pain. Workup revealed multiple bilateral pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) with large aneurysmal venous outflow. A collaborative approach between interventional radiology and thoracic surgery was used in the treatment of these PAVMs.
The JCMT Gould Belt Survey: radiative heating by OB stars
Authors: Rumble D , Hatchell J , Kirk H , Pattle K 
Published: May 2021

ABSTRACT
Radiative feedback can influence subsequent star formation. We quantify the heating from OB stars in the local star-forming regions in the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) Gould Belt Survey. Dust temperatures are calculated from 450/850 $\mu$m flux ratios from SCUBA-2 observations at the JCMT assuming a fixed dust opacity spectral index β = 1.8. Mean dust temperatures are calculated for each submillimetre clump along with projected distances from the main OB star in the region. Temperature versus distance is fitted with a simple model of dust heating by the OB star radiation plus the interstellar radiation field and dust cooling through optically thin radiation. Classifying the heating sources by spectral type, O-type stars produce the greatest clump average temperature rises and largest heating extent, with temperatures of over 40 K and significant heating out to at least 2.4 pc. Early-type B stars (B4 and above) produce temperatures of over 20 K and significant heating over 0.4 pc. Late-type B stars show a marginal heating effect within 0.2 pc. For a given projected distance, there is a significant scatter in clump temperatures that is due to local heating by other luminous stars in the region, projection effects, or shadowing effects. Even in these local, ‘low-mass’ star-forming regions, radiative feedback is having an effect on parsec scales, with 24 per cent of the clumps heated to at least 3 K above the 15 K base temperature expected from heating by only the interstellar radiation field, and a mean dust temperature for heated clumps of 24 K.
Jets, disc-winds, and oscillations in general relativistic, magnetically driven flows around black hole
Authors: Dihingia Indu K , Vaidya Bhargav , Fendt Christian 
Published: May 2021

ABSTRACT
Relativistic jets and disc-winds are typically observed in black hole X-ray binaries (BH-XRBs) and active galactic nuclei. However, many physical details of jet launching and the driving of disc winds from the underlying accretion disc are still not fully understood. In this study, we further investigate the role of the magnetic field strength and structure in launching jets and disc winds. In particular, we explore the connection between jet, wind, and the accretion disc around the central black hole. We perform axisymmetric general relativistic magneto-hydrodynamical simulations of the accretion-ejection system using adaptive mesh refinement. Essentially, our simulations are initiated with a thin accretion disc in equilibrium. An extensive parametric study by choosing different combinations of magnetic field strength and initial magnetic field inclination is also performed. Our study finds relativistic jets driven by the Blandford & Znajek mechanism and the disc-wind driven by the Blandford & Payne (BP) mechanism. We also find that plasmoids are formed due to the reconnection events, and these plasmoids advect with disc-winds. As a result, the tension force due to the poloidal magnetic field is enhanced in the inner part of the accretion disc, resulting in disc truncation and oscillation. These oscillations result in flaring activities in the jet mass flow rates. We find simulation runs with a lower value of the plasma-β, and lower inclination angle parameters are more prone to the formation of plasmoids and subsequent inner disc oscillations. Our models provide a possible template to understand spectral state transition phenomena in BH-XRBs.
Dissipation measures in weakly collisional plasmas
Authors: Pezzi O , Liang H , Juno J L , Cassak P A , Vásconez C L , Sorriso-Valvo L , Perrone D , Servidio S , Roytershteyn V , TenBarge J M , Matthaeus W H 
Published: May 2021

ABSTRACT
The physical foundations of the dissipation of energy and the associated heating in weakly collisional plasmas are poorly understood. Here, we compare and contrast several measures that have been used to characterize energy dissipation and kinetic-scale conversion in plasmas by means of a suite of kinetic numerical simulations describing both magnetic reconnection and decaying plasma turbulence. We adopt three different numerical codes that can also include interparticle collisions: the fully kinetic particle-in-cell vpic, the fully kinetic continuum Gkeyll, and the Eulerian Hybrid Vlasov–Maxwell (HVM) code. We differentiate between (i) four energy-based parameters, whose definition is related to energy transfer in a fluid description of a plasma, and (ii) four distribution function-based parameters, requiring knowledge of the particle velocity distribution function. There is an overall agreement between the dissipation measures obtained in the PIC and continuum reconnection simulations, with slight differences due to the presence/absence of secondary islands in the two simulations. There are also many qualitative similarities between the signatures in the reconnection simulations and the self-consistent current sheets that form in turbulence, although the latter exhibits significant variations compared to the reconnection results. All the parameters confirm that dissipation occurs close to regions of intense magnetic stresses, thus exhibiting local correlation. The distribution function-based measures show a broader width compared to energy-based proxies, suggesting that energy transfer is co-localized at coherent structures, but can affect the particle distribution function in wider regions. The effect of interparticle collisions on these parameters is finally discussed.
The evolution of rapid optical/X-ray timing correlations in the initial hard state of MAXI J1820+070
Authors: Paice J A , Gandhi P , Shahbaz T , Veledina A , Malzac J , Buckley D A H , Charles P A , Rajwade K , Dhillon V S , Littlefair S P , Marsh T R , Uttley P , Vincentelli F M , Misra R 
Published: May 2021

ABSTRACT
We report on a multiepoch campaign of rapid optical/X-ray timing observations of the superbright 2018 outburst of MAXI J1820+070, a black hole low-mass X-ray binary system. The observations spanned 80 d in the initial hard state and were taken with NTT/ULTRACAM and GTC/HiPERCAM in the optical (usgsrsiszs filters at time resolutions of 8–300 Hz) and with ISS/NICER in X-rays. We find (i) a growing anticorrelation between the optical and X-ray light curves, (ii) a steady, positive correlation at an optical lag of ∼0.2 s (with a longer lag at longer wavelengths) present in all epochs, and (iii) a curious positive correlation at negative optical lags in the last, X-ray softest epoch, with longer wavelengths showing a greater correlation and a more negative lag. To explain these, we postulate the possible existence of two synchrotron-emitting components – a compact jet and a hot flow. In our model, the significance of the jet decreases over the outburst, while the hot flow remains static (thus, relatively, increasing in significance). We also discuss a previously discovered quasi-periodic oscillation and note how it creates coherent optical time lags, stronger at longer wavelengths, during at least two epochs.