bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessment of skeletal age in youth female soccer players: Agreement between Greulich‐Pyle and Fels protocols
Authors: Martinho Diogo V. , Coelho‐e‐Silva Manuel J. , Valente‐dos‐Santos João , Minderico Cláudia , Oliveira Tomás G. , Rodrigues Inês , Conde Jorge , Sherar Lauren B. , Malina Robert M. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractObjectiveThe purpose of the study was to evaluate the agreement between the Fels and Greulich‐Pyle methods for the assessment of skeletal age (SA) in female youth soccer players.MethodsThe sample included 441 Portuguese players 10.08–16.73 years of age who regularly participated in organized and competitive soccer. Standardized radiographs of the left hand‐wrist were obtained and analyzed by an experienced examiner. SA was estimated with the Fels and Greulich‐Pyle (GP) methods. Differences between SA and chronological age (CA) were used to define skeletal maturity groups: late, average and early maturing. In addition to descriptive statistics, Cohen's kappa and Lin concordance correlation coefficients were used to evaluate agreement between methods.ResultsIntraindividual differences in SA based on the two methods varied between 0.10 to 1.47 years among age groups with larger mean differences at older ages. Agreement of maturity classifications between methods was 74% at younger ages (under‐13: kappa = 0.48; under‐14: kappa = 0.39; Lin CCC = 0.68) and declined with increasing CA (under‐17: 19% agreement; kappa = 0.001; Lin CCC = 0.11). About 19% of the total sample was skeletally mature with the Fels method and an SA was not assigned; in contrast, no players were skeletally mature with the GP method.ConclusionsGP SAs were systematically lower than Fels SAs among female soccer players. Intraindividual variability in SAs between methods was considerable. The findings highlight the impact of method on estimates of maturity status.
Patterns of congenital anomalies among individuals with trisomy 13 in Texas
Authors: Diaz Diego , Benjamin Renata H. , Navarro Sanchez Maria Luisa , Mitchell Laura E. , Langlois Peter H. , Canfield Mark A. , Chen Han , Scheuerle Angela E. , Schaaf Christian P. , Scott Daryl A. , Northrup Hope , Ray Joseph W. , McLean Scott D. , Swartz Michael D. , Ludorf Katherine L. , Lupo Philip J. , Agopian A. J. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractFew population‐based studies have analyzed patterns of co‐occurring birth defects among those with trisomy 13. We evaluated the frequency of all possible combinations of any one, two, three, or four additional co‐occurring birth defects among 736 individuals with trisomy 13 using data from the Texas Birth Defects Registry for deliveries during 1999–2014. We calculated the observed‐to‐expected ratio for each combination, adjusting for the known tendency for birth defects to cluster non‐specifically. To address potential ascertainment differences among live births and non‐live births, we repeated analyses specifically among live births. The combination of defects with the largest observed‐to‐expected ratio was microcephalus, reduction deformities of brain (e.g., holoprosencephaly), anomalies of nose, and polydactyly. As expected, most of the highest 30 observed‐to‐expected ratios involved combinations with documented features of trisomy 13, including defects of the scalp (e.g., aplasia cutis) and heart. Results were similar among sensitivity analyses restricted to live births. Our findings may help further delineate the phenotypic spectrum for trisomy 13 and may inform future research related to improving screening and counseling for the condition.
Further expanding the mutational spectrum of brain abnormalities, neurodegeneration, and dysosteosclerosis: A rare disorder with neurologic regression and skeletal features
Authors: Kındış Erdem , Simsek‐Kiper Pelin Özlem , Koşukcu Can , Taşkıran Ekim Z. , Göçmen Rahşan , Utine Eda , Haliloğlu Göknur , Boduroğlu Koray , Alikaşifoğlu Mehmet 
Published: March 2021

AbstractColony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R, MIM# 164770) encodes a tyrosine‐kinase receptor playing an important role in development of osteoclasts and microglia. Heterozygous CSF1R variants have been known to cause hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with spheroids (HDLS, MIM# 221820), an adult‐onset leukoencephalopathy characterized by loss of motor functions and cognitive decline. Recently, a new phenotype characterized by brain abnormalities, neurodegeneration, and dysosteosclerosis (BANDDOS) with biallelic CSF1R pathogenic variants in the etiology has been described. BANDDOS differs from HDLS by early‐onset neurodegenerative changes with additional structural brain abnormalities and skeletal findings resembling dysosteosclerosis (DOS). Described skeletal findings of the disease are highly variable ranging from absence of a skeletal phenotype and milder Pyle disease‐like to osteopetrosis and DOS. To date, only a few patients carrying biallelic CSF1R variants have been reported. In this clinical report, we describe three siblings with variable skeletal findings along with neurological symptoms ranging from mild to severe in whom exome sequencing revealed a novel homozygous splice site variant in canonical splice donor site of intron 21 adjacent to an exon, which encoding part of kinase domain of CSF1R along with a review of the literature.
The glass transition of amorphous polymers: About a continuous equation of state and its derivatives
Authors: Corbisieri Claudio , Jousset Pierre , Roos Markus 
Published: March 2021

AbstractDescribing the pressure‐volume‐temperature (PVT) behavior of polymers is often hindered due to limitations of models and theories. In this work, we propose the logistic function to derive a phenomenological equation of state (EOS) that overcomes these limitations. Without dividing the temperature domain into several intervals, this continuous EOS describes the PVT behavior of amorphous polymers in the equilibrium state, the vitreous state and at glass transition. Discontinuities at glass transition are inherently eliminated. The EOS is continuously differentiable with respect to temperature and pressure. The thermal expansion coefficient and compression modulus thus can be determined at any valid reference state. The EOS linearly depends on temperature both in the equilibrium state and vitreous state. Furthermore, a parameter of the EOS is interpreted as the pressure‐dependent glass transition temperature. Using PVT data of polyethersulfone (PES), measured in the temperature range of 20 − 360 °C and pressure range of 10 − 200 MPa in both the isobaric and standard isothermal mode, the validity of the EOS is discussed. Polymer processing simulation and solid mechanics benefit from the EOS and its derivatives, respectively. In addition, the EOS can be used to determine the glass transition temperature from PVT data.
Advances and challenges in marine conservation in Chile: A regional and global comparison
Authors: Fernández Miriam , Rodríguez‐Ruiz Montserrat , Gelcich Stefan , Hiriart‐Bertrand Luciano , Castilla Juan Carlos 
Published: March 2021

Abstract

Despite significant progress made in Chile, and globally, in establishing marine protected areas (MPAs), the actual contribution to marine biodiversity conservation needs to be revised, to focus on representativeness and the diversity of tools alongside effective implementation, management, and enforcement.
This study makes progress in this direction, describing the most recent advances in marine conservation in Chile and analysing the contribution of the different conservation instruments as well as the distribution of designated areas across ecoregions. Furthermore, it examines the potential contribution of alternative area‐based instruments to balance ocean protection. The advances observed in Chile were compared among four South American countries and five leading countries in ocean conservation, analysing protection levels in coastal areas, continental exclusive economic zones, and overseas territories.
Data on MPA boundaries and attributes were sourced from the World Database on Protected Areas and complemented the official information on MPAs and territorial user rights for fisheries and for indigenous people in South America.
The current level of protection in Chile is among the highest in the world in area coverage and in the proportion of the continental exclusive economic zone assigned to fully protected areas. However, it exhibits the strongest imbalances in the distribution of designated MPAs between coastal and oceanic waters, in comparison with the leading countries and also within South America (Perú, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay), and among ecoregions.
The patterns observed suggest that Chile has advanced, but concentrated, conservation efforts in low‐threat, remote ecoregions. There is an urgent need to progress towards high‐threat ecoregions, which implies balancing the needs of nature and people. The distribution of ancillary conservation instruments can help double the level of protection in threatened coastal areas, filling gaps in marine conservation and creating an opportunity to progress and diversify conservation strategies.
Efficacy and Safety of Diclofenac–Hyaluronate Conjugate (Diclofenac Etalhyaluronate) for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Phase III Trial in Japan
Authors: Nishida Yoshihiro , Kano Kazuyuki , Nobuoka Yuji , Seo Takayuki 
Published: March 2021

ObjectiveTo confirm the efficacy and safety of intraarticular (IA) injection of diclofenac covalently linked to hyaluronic acid (diclofenac etalhyaluronate [DF‐HA]; ONO‐5704/SI‐613) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).MethodsIn a phase III multicenter, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial, eligible subjects ages 40–75 years with symptomatic knee OA (Kellgren/Lawrence score of 2 or 3) were randomly assigned to receive IA injections of DF‐HA 30 mg or placebo (citric acid–sodium citrate buffered solution; 1:1) once every 4 weeks for 20 weeks (a total of 6 injections). Subjects were followed up for 24 weeks. The primary end point was the mean change from baseline to 12 weeks in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index version 3.1 (WOMAC) pain subscale scores, measured on a 100‐mm visual analog scale. Safety was evaluated by adverse event monitoring.ResultsAll 440 subjects received investigational products (220 received placebo and 220 received DF‐HA). The full analysis set and safety population comprised 438 subjects (220 in the placebo group and 218 in the DF‐HA group) and 440 subjects, respectively. At 12 weeks, subjects receiving DF‐HA showed significant improvement from baseline in the WOMAC pain subscale score (–23.2 mm) compared to subjects receiving placebo ( −17.1 mm), with a difference of −6.1 mm (95% confidence interval −9.4, −2.8; P < 0.001). The difference between groups was significant as early as week 1, and a difference was maintained for 24 weeks, although the difference at week 24 was not significant. Anaphylactic reactions were observed in 2 subjects receiving DF‐HA.ConclusionOur findings indicate that treatment with DF‐HA results in significant improvement in the WOMAC pain subscale score compared to placebo over 12 weeks. Anaphylactic reactions were observed, and further safety evaluation is needed.
Risk Factors for Severe Outcomes in Patients With Systemic Vasculitis and COVID‐19: A Binational, Registry‐Based Cohort Study
Authors: Rutherford Matthew A. , Scott Jennifer , Karabayas Maira , Antonelou Marilina , Gopaluni Seerapani , Gray David , Barrett Joe , Brix Silke R. , Dhaun Neeraj , McAdoo Stephen P. , Smith Rona M. , Geddes Colin C. , Jayne David , Luqmani Raashid , Salama Alan D. , Little Mark A. , Basu Neil ,   the UK and Ireland Vasculitis Rare Disease Group (UKIVAS)
Published: March 2021

ObjectiveCOVID‐19 is a novel infectious disease with a broad spectrum of clinical severity. Patients with systemic vasculitis have an increased risk of serious infections and may be at risk of severe outcomes following COVID‐19. We undertook this study to establish the risk factors for severe COVID‐19 outcomes in these patients, including the impact of immunosuppressive therapies.MethodsA multicenter cohort was developed through the participation of centers affiliated with national UK and Ireland vasculitis registries. Clinical characteristics and outcomes are described. Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between potential risk factors and a severe COVID‐19 outcome, defined as a requirement for advanced oxygen therapy, a requirement for invasive ventilation, or death.ResultsThe cohort included 65 patients with systemic vasculitis who developed COVID‐19 (median age 70 years, 49% women), of whom 25 patients (38%) experienced a severe outcome. Most patients (55 of 65 [85%]) had antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody–associated vasculitis (AAV). Almost all patients required hospitalization (59 of 65 [91%]), 7 patients (11%) were admitted to intensive care, and 18 patients (28%) died. Background glucocorticoid therapy was associated with severe outcomes (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.7 [95% confidence interval 1.1–14.9]; P = 0.047), as was comorbid respiratory disease (adjusted OR 7.5 [95% confidence interval 1.9–38.2]; P = 0.006). Vasculitis disease activity and nonglucocorticoid immunosuppressive therapy were not associated with severe outcomes.ConclusionIn patients with systemic vasculitis, glucocorticoid use at presentation and comorbid respiratory disease were associated with severe outcomes in COVID‐19. These data can inform clinical decision‐making relating to the risk of severe COVID‐19 in this vulnerable patient group.
An Overview on Pt3X Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Sarkar Shreya , Peter Sebastian C. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe activity of Pt towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) can be enhanced by alloying it with secondary metals. They can be grouped into three different classes: alloys, bimetallics and intermetallics. Although alloys and bimetallics exhibit enhanced performance, often they are limited by metal dissolution and resulted in poor durability. This invokes the need on the development of ordered intermetallics. In this minireview we comprehensively present the recent progress and developments of Pt3X alloys and intermetallics towards ORR. Additionally, major technical challenges and possible future research directions to overcome these challenges are discussed to facilitate further research in this area.
Single‐object localization using multiple ultrasonic sensors and constrained weighted least‐squares method
Authors: Juan Chung‐Wei , Hu Jwu‐Sheng 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this paper, an active single‐object localization system with U‐shaped ultrasonic module array is presented. The proposed algorithm in this system has two stages. The first stage is time‐of‐flight (TOF) estimation of reflected ultrasonic signals. We analyze several distortion cases of reflection signals and provide solutions to improve the performance of TOF estimation. The second stage is TOF‐based object localization. A good localization algorithm can suppress the problems caused by inaccurate TOF estimation and improve the accuracy of target positioning. We propose two object‐localization algorithms to estimate the object location. One is the unconstrained least‐squares method, and the other is the constrained weighted least‐squares method based on the eigenvalues‐analyzing technique. The simulation results suggest that the performance of the proposed constrained weighted method is better than that of the unconstrained method. In addition, the median smoother and the outlier exclusion scheme are implemented in the overall system to make the object location estimation more stable. The performance of the proposed system is confirmed by the experiment results, which show that the single‐object localization has a considerable degree of accuracy and stability.
Bioinformatics‐driven discovery of novel Clostridioides difficile lysins and experimental comparison with highly active benchmarks
Authors: Furlon Jacob M. , Mitchell Spencer J. , Bailey‐Kellogg Chris , Griswold Karl E. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractClostridioides difficile is the single most deadly bacterial pathogen in the United States, and its global prevalence and outsized health impacts underscore the need for more effective therapeutic options. Towards this goal, a novel group of modified peptidoglycan hydrolases with significant in vitro bactericidal activity have emerged as potential candidates for treating C. difficile infections (CDI). To date, discovery and development efforts directed at these CDI‐specific lysins have been limited, and in particular there has been no systematic comparison of known or newly discovered lysin candidates. Here, we detail bioinformatics‐driven discovery of six new anti‐C. difficile lysins belonging to the amidase‐3 family of enzymes, and we describe experimental comparison of their respective catalytic domains (CATs) with highly active CATs from the literature. Our quantitative analyses include metrics for expression level, inherent antibacterial activity, breadth of strain selectivity, killing of germinating spores, and structural and functional measures of thermal stability. Importantly, prior studies have not examined stability as a performance metric, and our results show that the panel of eight enzymes possess widely variable thermal denaturation temperatures and resistance to heat inactivation, including some enzymes that exhibit marginal stability at body temperature. Ultimately, no single enzyme dominated with respect to all performance measures, suggesting the need for a balanced assessment of lysin properties during efforts to find, engineer, and develop candidates with true clinical potential.
Development and optimization of a high‐throughput HPLC–MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of naringenin and its valine carbamate prodrug in rat plasma
Authors: Xu Xiaolan , Shen Lulu , Xu Qiuchi , Bai Xiaochen , He Zhonggui , Zhang Tianhong , Jiang Qikun 
Published: March 2021

AbstractA valine carbamate prodrug of naringenin (NAR) called 4'V was synthesized to enhance its oral bioavailability because of low water solubility and poor membrane permeability of NAR. This study developed and fully validated a sensitive, rapid, and robust HPLC–MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of NAR and 4’V in plasma. The analytes were treated using liquid–liquid extraction, separated on a Phenomenex Kinetex XB‐C18 column, and detected using a triple‐quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization interface. The analytes were eluted within only 4 min by gradient procedure. The excellent linear correlations were validated over the range of 4–400 ng/mL (r = 0.9990) for NAR and 2–2000 ng/mL (r = 0.9951) for 4’V, with lower limits of quantification of 4 and 2 ng/mL, respectively. For all quality control samples, the intra‐day and inter‐day precision and accuracy were within ±15%. The validated method was economical, high throughput, and reliable and was first successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of NAR and 4’V after oral administration to Sprague–Dawley rats. The results of the pharmacokinetic study demonstrated that the idea of amino acid carbamate prodrug is a promising strategy to improve the bioavailability of NAR.
Interactions between methodological and interindividual variability: How Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task contrast maps vary and impact associations with behavior
Authors: Demidenko Michael I. , Weigard Alexander S. , Ganesan Karthikeyan , Jang Hyesue , Jahn Andrew , Huntley Edward D. , Keating Daniel P. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIntroductionPhenomena related to reward responsiveness have been extensively studied in their associations with substance use and socioemotional functioning. One important task in this literature is the Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task. By cueing and delivering performance‐contingent reward, the MID task has been demonstrated to elicit robust activation of neural circuits involved in different phases of reward responsiveness. However, systematic evaluations of common MID task contrasts have been limited to between‐study comparisons of group‐level activation maps, limiting their ability to directly evaluate how researchers’ choice of contrasts impacts conclusions about individual differences in reward responsiveness or brain‐behavior associations.MethodsIn a sample of 104 participants (Age Mean = 19.3, SD = 1.3), we evaluate similarities and differences between contrasts in: group‐ and individual‐level activation maps using Jaccard's similarity index, region of interest (ROI) mean signal intensities using Pearson's r, and associations between ROI mean signal intensity and psychological measures using Bayesian correlation.ResultsOur findings demonstrate more similarities than differences between win and loss cues during the anticipation contrast, dissimilarity between some win anticipation contrasts, an apparent deactivation effect in the outcome phase, likely stemming from the blood oxygen level‐dependent undershoot, and behavioral associations that are less robust than previously reported.ConclusionConsistent with recent empirical findings, this work has practical implications for helping researchers interpret prior MID studies and make more informed a priori decisions about how their contrast choices may modify results.
Enabling pathways to opportunity through a skills‐based architecture
Authors: DeMark Sarah , Kozyrev Joann 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIndividuals need the shortest path to opportunity and employers require the shortest path to a skilled diverse workforce. To solve for this, Western Governors University (WGU) has created a skills‐based architecture to map our competencies and credentials to high‐demand knowledge, and technical skills as well as powerful, enduring, employability skills like critical thinking, social‐emotional intelligence, creativity, and the ability to work with diverse collaborators. At WGU, these high‐demand industry‐relevant skills are mapped into educational experiences and credentials to better support the upskilling and reskilling needs required for our dramatically altered job market. WGU also intends to surface these skills and competency achievements to employers, thereby facilitating a more efficient and effective match of talent to opportunity. This skills‐based architecture enables WGU to create new in‐demand program offerings, better supporting underserved populations through new pathways and onramps to education while the alignment to skills ensures pathways to careers and a strong return on investment for students.
Theoretical Insights into the Formation Mechanism of Methane, Ethylene and Methanol in Fischer‐Tropsch Synthesis at Co2C Surfaces
Authors: Zaffran Jeremie , Yang Bo 
Published: March 2021

AbstractFischer‐Tropsch synthesis (FTS) is an attractive opportunity to prepare fuels and chemicals, avoiding fossil resources exploration. Co2C was recently demonstrated to exhibit outstanding properties in Fischer‐Tropsch to olefins (FTO) reaction, inhibiting methane formation. However, the exact mechanisms have not been entirely revealed yet. Here we are proposing a study combining DFT calculations and microkinetic modelling (MKM) in order to unveil the dominant reaction pathways of three products of interest in FTS, namely methane, ethylene, and methanol, over (020), (101) and (111) facets of Co2C. We found methane and ethylene share the same determining states, being responsible for the competition between the two species. Since our MKM gives results suggesting the surface is fully covered with CO at the steady‐state, we expect that including adsorbate‐adsorbate interactions both in DFT calculations and MKM simulations would be important in the future studies of FTS over Co2C surfaces.