bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preferences for end-of-life care settings among the healthy population in Israel—Related socio-demographic variables
Authors: Hamama-Raz Yaira , Cohen Yael , Ben-Ezra Menachem 
Published: June 2021

AbstractObjectivePreferences for end-of-life (EoL) care settings is of considerable interest for developing public health policy and EoL care strategies. Culture, the cause of illness, and background characteristics may impact preferences. The present study aimed to explore preferences for EoL care settings: homes, hospitals, and inpatient hospice units among the general healthy population in Israel. Possible associations between the setting preferences and socio-demographic characteristics were also examined.MethodA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 311 healthy adults who were recruited through a representative internet panel of the Israeli population using the Israeli census sampling method. The sex ratio was almost 1:1 with 158 women (50.8%) and 153 men (49.2%). All participants completed self-report measures using an online survey system. The questionnaires assessed sociodemographics and preferences for EoL care settings.ResultsThis survey revealed that 52.1% of the participants expressed preference for being cared for at home rather than in an inpatient hospice unit, 40.8% expressed being cared for at home rather than in a hospital, while 36.7% had no preference regarding being cared for in hospital or in a hospice unit. Among the socio-demographic variables, only age and gender were found to be significantly associated with preferences for EoL care settings.Significance of resultsThe present study highlights the need to be cautious when regarding home as the preferred EoL care setting, as some individuals declared that they would prefer EoL hospice/hospital care. Age and gender should be considered when discussing and tailoring strategies regarding EoL preferences.
Development of virtual instrument model for parameter estimation of fractal antenna array
Authors: Rani Sunita , Sivia Jagtar Singh 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThis paper presents the parameter estimation of the fractal antenna array with the virtual instrument model designed in laboratory virtual instrument engineering workbench software. In this work resonant frequency, gain and voltage standing wave ratio have been used as an output parameter with the change in three input parameters such as radius of a circular patch, height of substrate, and dielectric constant of the material. Measured output parameters have been compared with neural network outputs and error has been represented in a graphical way for each output parameter of the antenna array. Along with output parameter estimation, a designing parameter such as radius of the circular patch has also been estimated with virtual instrument model and absolute error for radius has been shown in the display window of the designed model. The proposed antenna array has been fabricated and simulated results have been validated with measured results.
Direct Numerical Simulations of Miniature Along‐Shelf Current‐Supported Turbidity Currents: Conceptual Investigation of Velocity Structure and Drag Coefficient
Authors: Haddadian S. , Ozdemir C. E. , Goodlow B. L. , Xue G. , Bentley S. J. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAlongshore current‐supported turbidity currents (ACSTCs) are a subclass of wave‐ and current‐supported turbidity currents. They are one of the agents responsible for the dispersal of the river‐borne sediments on the continental shelf, which constitutes a major phenomenon controlling the geomorphic evolution of ocean‐basin margins over geological time. Therefore, parameterization of the sediment flux associated with ACSTCs will help its implementation in operational models and quantify the sediment flux budgets on the continental shelf. The velocity structure of ACSTCs and the amount of sediments suspended by them are crucial to determine the suspended sediment flux. This study investigates the velocity structure of a simplified miniature ACSTC over an erodible bed composed of fine sediments. Direct numerical simulations are conducted for various bed erosion parameters and sediment settling velocity. The role of sediment‐induced stable density stratification on the velocity structure of ACSTCs is analyzed. The simulation results indicate that density stratification and the drag coefficient are functions of the product of sediment settling velocity and sediment concentration. The velocity profile was found to deviate toward the alongshore direction with strengthening density stratification, which enhances the drag coefficient. By using the Monin‐Obukhov theory, the drag coefficient associated with the cross‐shelf propagation of ACSTCs is formulated as a function of the Reynolds number, sediment concentration, and sediment settling velocity.
Impact Classification of Future Land Use and Climate Changes on Flow Regimes in the Yellow River Source Region, China
Authors: Wang Wei , Zhang Yongyong , Geng Xin , Tang Qiuhong 
Published: June 2021

AbstractTraditional impact assessments of future changes on flow regimes mainly focus on streamflow magnitude and static land use, which are insufficient to capture entire characteristics of flow regime variations and future land use change. In this study, 18 flow regime metrics are adopted to fully characterize the streamflow hydrograph. The future changes are considered, including land use scenario in 2025 predicted by the Cellular Automata‐Markov (CA‐Markov), and climate change scenarios under three representative concentration pathways (RCPs) (i.e., RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5) obtained from five general circulation models (GCMs) for the period 2021–2030. Regional impacts of future land use and climate changes on flow regimes in the Yellow River Source Region are simulated and identified using distributed hydrological modeling and spatial classification. Results show that the increases in unused land (14.16%), and decreases in grassland (2.54%), glacier and snow cover (62.85%) are remarkable for the period 1980–2025. The flow regimes will be highly impacted in the source region for the RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 scenarios, but in the middle stream and downstream regions for the RCP4.5 scenario. Both the future land use and climate changes will increase flow magnitude for most regions, but their impacts on other flow regime metrics are not homogeneous. The climate change will play the dominant role in the flow regime variations, while the land use change will highly affect mean pre‐flood runoff, frequency and duration of high flow events, and mean rates of positive and negative changes.
Eulerian Two‐Phase Model Reveals the Importance of Wave Period in Ripple Evolution and Equilibrium Geometry
Authors: Salimi‐Tarazouj Ali , Hsu Tian‐Jian , Traykovski Peter , Chauchat Julien 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe evolution of ripple geometries and their equilibrium states due to different wave forcing parameters are investigated by a Reynolds‐averaged two‐phase model, SedFoam, in a two‐dimensional domain. Modeled ripple geometries, for a given uniform grain diameter, show a good agreement with ripple predictors that include the wave period effect explicitly, in addition to the wave orbital excursion length (or wave orbital velocity amplitude). Furthermore, using a series of numerical experiments, the ripple's response to a step‐change in the wave forcing is studied. The model is capable of simulating “splitting,” “sliding,” “merging,” and “protruding” as the ripples evolve to a new equilibrium state. The model can also simulate the transition to sheet flow in energetic wave conditions and ripple reformation from a nearly flat bed condition. Simulation results reveal that the equilibrium state is such that the “primary” vortices reach half of the ripple length. Furthermore, an analysis of the suspended load and near‐bed load ratio in the equilibrium state indicates that in the orbital ripple regime, the near‐bed load is dominant while the suspended load is conducive to the ripple decaying regime (suborbital ripples) and sheet flow condition.
Design Engineering of Tri‐Band Ulu‐Shape NGD Circuit
Authors: Gu Taochen , Wan Fayu , Nebhen Jamel , Lallechère Sébastien , Ravelo Blaise 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThis paper investigates a negative group delay (NGD) design of Ulu geometrical shape circuit. The NGD basic topology is constituted by a coupled line coupler with two‐port terminated by open‐ended stub. The S‐matrix model of the topology is presented. The design equations allowing to determine the NGD circuit parameters in function of the NGD function specifications, NGD center frequency, NGD values and insertion loss are presented. As proof of concept, a microstrip circuit is designed and fabricated. As expected, the tested results confirm that the circuit behaves as bandpass NGD function. The modeled, simulated and measured results are in good correlation. The POC operates with tri‐band NGD behavior with center frequencies around 0.645, 1.285, and 1.87 GHz with NGD values of about −3.5, −2, and −1 ns, respectively.
Innovative dual system approach for selective eradication of cancer cells using viral-based delivery of natural bacterial toxin–antitoxin system
Authors: Shapira Shiran , Boustanai Ilana , Kazanov Dina , Ben Shimon Marina , Fokra Ahmad , Arber Nadir 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe inactivation of p53, a tumor suppressor, and the activation of the RAS oncogene are the most frequent genetic alterations in cancer. We have shown that a unique E. coli MazF-MazE toxin–antitoxin (TA) system can be used for selective and effective eradication of RAS-mutated cancer cells. This out of the box strategy holds great promise for effective cancer treatment and management. We provide proof of concept for a novel platform to selectively eradicate cancer cells using an adenoviral delivery system based on the adjusted natural bacterial system. We generated adenoviral vectors carrying the mazF toxin (pAdEasy-Py4-SV40mP-mCherry-MazF) and the antitoxin mazE (pAdEasy-RGC-SV40mP-MazE-IRES-GFP) under the regulation of RAS and p53, resp. The control vector carries the toxin without the RAS-responsive element (pAdEasy-ΔPy4-SV40mP-mCherry-MazF). In vitro, the mazF-mazE TA system (Py4-SV40mP-mCherry-MazF+RGC-SV40mP-MazE-IRES-GFP) induced massive, dose-dependent cell death, at 69% compared to 19% for the control vector, in a co-infected HCT116 cell line. In vivo, the system caused significant tumor growth inhibition of HCT116 (KRASmut/p53mut) tumors at 73 and 65% compared to PBS and ΔPY4 control groups, resp. In addition, we demonstrate 65% tumor growth inhibition in HCT116 (KRASmut/p53wt) cells, compared to the other two control groups, indicating a contribution of the antitoxin in blocking system leakage in WT RAS cells. These data provide evidence of the feasibility of using mutations in the p53 and RAS pathway to efficiently kill cancer cells. The platform, through its combination of the antitoxin (mazE) with the toxin (mazF), provides effective protection of normal cells from basal low activity or leakage of mazF.
Long non-coding RNA AFAP1-AS1 accelerates lung cancer cells migration and invasion by interacting with SNIP1 to upregulate c-Myc
Authors: Zhong Yu , Yang Liting , Xiong Fang , He Yi , Tang Yanyan , Shi Lei , Fan Songqing , Li Zheng , Zhang Shanshan , Gong Zhaojian , Guo Can , Liao Qianjin , Zhou Yujuan , Zhou Ming , Xiang Bo , Li Xiaoling , Li Yong , Zeng Zhaoyang , Li Guiyuan , Xiong Wei 
Published: June 2021

AbstractActin filament associated protein 1 antisense RNA 1 (named AFAP1-AS1) is a long non-coding RNA and overexpressed in many cancers. This study aimed to identify the role and mechanism of AFAP1-AS1 in lung cancer. The AFAP1-AS1 expression was firstly assessed in 187 paraffin-embedded lung cancer and 36 normal lung epithelial tissues by in situ hybridization. The migration and invasion abilities of AFAP1-AS1 were investigated in lung cancer cells. To uncover the molecular mechanism about AFAP1-AS1 function in lung cancer, we screened proteins that interact with AFAP1-AS1 by RNA pull down and the mass spectrometry analyses. AFAP1-AS1 was highly expressed in lung cancer clinical tissues and its expression was positively correlated with lung cancer patients’ poor prognosis. In vivo experiments confirmed that AFAP1-AS1 could promote lung cancer metastasis. AFAP1-AS1 promoted lung cancer cells migration and invasion through interacting with Smad nuclear interacting protein 1 (named SNIP1), which inhibited ubiquitination and degradation of c-Myc protein. Upregulation of c-Myc molecule in turn promoted the expression of ZEB1, ZEB2, and SNAIL gene, which ultimately enhanced epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and lung cancer metastasis. Understanding the molecular mechanism by which AFAP1-AS1 promotes lung cancer’s migration and invasion may provide novel therapeutic targets for lung cancer patients’ early diagnosis and therapy.
Long term outcome of functional independence and quality of life after traumatic SCI in Germany
Authors: Möller Florian , Rupp Rüdiger , Weidner Norbert , Gutenbrunner Christoph , Kalke Yorck B. , Abel Rainer F. 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Study design
Multicenter observational study.

Objective
To describe the long-term outcome of functional independence and quality of life (QoL) for individuals with traumatic and ischemic SCI beyond the first year after injury.

Setting
A multicenter study in Germany.

Methods
Participants of the European multicenter study about spinal cord injury (EMSCI) of three German SCI centers were included and followed over time by the German spinal cord injury cohort study (GerSCI). Individuals’ most recent spinal cord independence measure (SCIM) scores assessed by a clinician were followed up by a self-report (SCIM-SR) and correlated to selected items of the WHO short survey of quality of life (WHO-QoL-BREF).

Results
Data for 359 individuals were obtained. The average time passed the last clinical SCIM examination was 81.47 (SD 51.70) months. In total, 187 of the 359 received questionnaires contained a completely evaluable SCIM-SR. SCIM scores remained stable with the exception of reported management of bladder and bowel resulting in a slight decrease of SCIM-SR of −2.45 points (SD 16.81). SCIM-SR scores showed a significant correlation with the selected items of the WHO-QoL-BREF (p < 0.01) with moderate to strong influence.

Conclusion
SCIM score stability over time suggests a successful transfer of acquired independence skills obtained during primary rehabilitation into the community setting paralleled by positively related QoL measurements but bladder and bowel management may need special attention.
An observational clinical study of the influence of phacoemulsification on choroidal neovascular membrane activity in age related macular degeneration
Authors: Hogg H. D. Jeffry , Chung N. , Reed J. , Berrett G. , Pearce M. , Di Simplicio Sandro 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background
Thousands of phacoemulsification surgeries are performed on eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) complicated by choroidal neovascular membrane (CNV) in the United Kingdom each year. As populations age this number is expected to rise. Controversy over phacoemulsification’s influence on CNV activity limits the information which clinicians and these patients use to decide on surgery. This observational study aims to resolve this controversy by reporting on intravitreal injection (IVI) frequency as a pragmatic marker of CNV activity in a large cohort.

Methods
A cohort of eyes with AMD complicated by CNV (n = 327) that underwent cataract surgery at a single tertiary centre from 2014 to 2019 were identified. These cases were matched by interval since CNV diagnosis at a specified ‘time zero’ within the follow-up of pseudophakic eyes with AMD (n = 327). Data concerning demographics, visual acuity (VA) and intravitreal injection frequency before and after ‘time zero’/phacoemulsification were collected.

Results
Following ‘time zero’/phacoemulsification’ the mean reduction in annual IVI frequency was 0.6 injections/year (95% CI 0.4,0.9) and 0.4 injections/year (95% CI 0.1,0.7) in the comparison and phacoemulsification cohorts respectively. The mean VA gain 12 months after phacoemulsification in the intervention cohort was 11.3 (95% CI 9.2,13.4) early treatment of diabetic retinopathy study (ETDRS) letters, with 214 eyes (65.4%) having gained ≥5 ETDRS letters after surgery.

Conclusions
Phacoemulsification has no clinically significant impact on the activity of pre-existent CNV secondary to AMD. Phacoemulsification should be offered to patients with AMD and cataract that limits vision, regardless of CNV activity.
The clinical and molecular significance associated with STING signaling in breast cancer
Authors: Parkes Eileen E. , Humphries Matthew P. , Gilmore Elaine , Sidi Fatima A. , Bingham Victoria , Phyu Su M. , Craig Stephanie , Graham Catherine , Miller Joseph , Griffin Daryl , Salto-Tellez Manuel , Madden Stephen F. , Kennedy Richard D. , Bakhoum Samuel F. , McQuaid Stephen , Buckley Niamh E. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractSTING signaling in cancer is a crucial component of response to immunotherapy and other anti-cancer treatments. Currently, there is no robust method of measuring STING activation in cancer. Here, we describe an immunohistochemistry-based assay with digital pathology assessment of STING in tumor cells. Using this novel approach in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) and ER- breast cancer, we identify perinuclear-localized expression of STING (pnSTING) in ER+ cases as an independent predictor of good prognosis, associated with immune cell infiltration and upregulation of immune checkpoints. Tumors with low pnSTING are immunosuppressed with increased infiltration of “M2”-polarized macrophages. In ER- disease, pnSTING does not appear to have a significant prognostic role with STING uncoupled from interferon responses. Importantly, a gene signature defining low pnSTING expression is predictive of poor prognosis in independent ER+ datasets. Low pnSTING is associated with chromosomal instability,MYCamplification and mTOR signaling, suggesting novel therapeutic approaches for this subgroup.
3D numerical simulation of acoustophoretic motion induced by boundary-driven acoustic streaming in standing surface acoustic wave microfluidics
Authors: Namnabat Mohammad Sadegh , Moghimi Zand Mahdi , Houshfar Ehsan 
Published: June 2021

AbstractStanding surface acoustic waves (SSAWs) have been widely utilized in microfluidic devices to manipulate various cells and micro/nano-objects. Despite widespread application, a time-/cost-efficient versatile 3D model that predicts particle behavior in such platforms is still lacking. Herein, a fully-coupled 3D numerical simulation of boundary-driven acoustic streaming in the acoustofluidic devices utilizing SSAWs has been conducted based on the limiting velocity finite element method. Through this efficient computational method, the underlying physical interplay from the electromechanical fields of the piezoelectric substrate to different acoustofluidic effects (acoustic radiation force and streaming-induced drag force), fluid–solid interactions, the 3D influence of novel on-chip configuration like tilted-angle SSAW (taSSAW) based devices, required boundary conditions, meshing technique, and demanding computational cost, are discussed. As an experimental validation, a taSSAW platform fabricated on YX 128 $$^\circ $$

∘

LiNbO3 substrate for separating polystyrene beads is simulated, which demonstrates acceptable agreement with reported experimental observations. Subsequently, as an application of the presented 3D model, a novel sheathless taSSAW cell/particle separator is conceptualized and designed. The presented 3D fully-coupled model could be considered a powerful tool in further designing and optimizing SSAW microfluidics due to the more time-/cost-efficient performance than precedented 3D models, the capability to model complex on-chip configurations, and overcome shortcomings and limitations of 2D simulations.
Determination of in vivo biological activities of Dodonaea viscosa flowers against CCL4 toxicity in albino mice with bioactive compound detection
Authors: Tong Zhao-Wei , Gul Hina , Awais Muhammad , Saddick Salina , Khan Falak Sher , Gulfraz Muhammad , Afzal Umara , Nazir Khizar , Malik M. Y. , Khan Sami Ullah , Khan M. Ijaz 
Published: June 2021

AbstractDodonaea viscosa L.Jacq. is an evergreen shrub and native to Asia, Africa, and Australia. It has been used as traditional medicine in different countries. The foremost objective of the current study was to discover the protective potential of D. viscosa flowers Methanol (DVM) and Chloroform (DVC) extracts against CCL4 induced toxicity in mice. This study was intended to identify phytochemicals through HPLC, GCMS, and FT-IR, as well as in vitro antioxidant and in vitro anti-tuberculosis activity. Our comprehensive findings indicate that Dodonaea viscosa is valuable and widespread herbal medicine through therapeutic potentials for curing various ailments. Dodonaeaviscosa flowersare found to have a protective effect against oxidative stress produced by CCL4 in the liver, kidney, and spleen. The intake of DV extracts restored the level of hepatic enzymes (ALP, AST ALT, and Direct bilirubin), hematological parameters (RBCs, WBCs, and Platelets), total protein, and liver antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx, and CAT) after a decline in levels by CCL4. Histopathological results discovered the defensive effect of 300 mg/kg of DVM extract against CCL4 induced damage, thus having an improved protective effect compared to DVC and control. As a result of metabolite screening, the total flavonoids and total phenolics were present in abundance. A phytochemical investigation by HPLC identified gallic acid, epicatechin, cumeric acid, flavonoids, while GCMS estimated oleic acid (Octadecenoic acid) (C18H34O2), Stearic acid (C18H36O2), Ricinoleic acid (C18H34O3), and Cedrol (C15H26O). DVM extract exhibited resistance against in vitro Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. So this study proposed that the protective effect of DV against oxidative damage induced in the liver, kidney, and spleen can be correlated to the antioxidant compounds.
Patient-derived scaffolds as a drug-testing platform for endocrine therapies in breast cancer
Authors: Gustafsson Anna , Garre Elena , Leiva Maria Carmen , Salerno Simona , Ståhlberg Anders , Landberg Göran 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThree-dimensional cell culture platforms based on decellularised patient-based microenvironments provide in vivo-like growth conditions allowing cancer cells to interact with intact structures and components of the surrounding tissue. A patient-derived scaffold (PDS) model was therefore evaluated as a testing platform for the endocrine therapies (Z)-4-Hydroxytamoxifen (4OHT) and fulvestrant as well as the CDK4/6-inhibitor palbociclib, monitoring the treatment responses in breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and T47D adapted to the patient-based microenvironments. MCF7 cells growing in PDSs showed increased resistance to 4OHT and fulvestrant treatment (100- and 20-fold) compared to 2D cultures. Quantitative PCR analyses of endocrine treated cancer cells in PDSs revealed upregulation of pluripotency markers further supported by increased self-renewal capacity in sphere formation assays. When comparing different 3D growth platforms including PDS, matrigel, gelatin sponges and 3D-printed hydrogels, 3D based cultures showed slightly varying responses to fulvestrant and palbociclib whereas PDS and matrigel cultures showed more similar gene expression profiles for 4OHT treatment compared to the other platforms. The results support that the PDS technique maximized to provide a multitude of smaller functional PDS replicates from each primary breast cancer, is an up-scalable patient-derived drug-testing platform available for gene expression profiling and downstream functional assays.