bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Surgical Treatment of Lymphedema: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Trials. Results of a Consensus Conference
Authors: Chang David W. , Dayan Joseph , Greene Arin K. , MacDonald John K. , Masia Jaume , Mehrara Babak , Neligan Peter C. , Nguyen Dung 
Published: March 2021

Background:The goal of this consensus conference, sponsored by the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials to examine both the benefits and risks of surgical treatment and surgical prevention of upper and lower extremity lymphedema.Methods:The panel met in Boston for a 3-day, face-to-face meeting in July of 2017. After an exhaustive review of the existing literature, the authors created consensus recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation criteria. Important directions for future research were also identified.Results:There is evidence to support that lymphovenous anastomosis can be effective in reducing severity of lymphedema (grade 1C). There is evidence to support that vascular lymph node transplantation can be effective in reducing severity of lymphedema (grade 1B). Currently, there is no consensus on which procedure (lymphovenous bypass versus vascular lymph node transplantation) is more effective (grade 2C). A few studies show that prophylactic lymphovenous bypass in patients undergoing extremity lymphadenectomy may reduce the incidence of lymphedema (grade 1B). More studies with longer follow-up are required to confirm this benefit. Debulking procedures such as liposuction are effective in addressing a nonfluid component such as fat involving lymphedema (grade 1C). There is a role for liposuction combined with physiologic procedures although the timing of each procedure is currently unresolved (grade 1C).Conclusions:Many studies seem to support some efficacy of lymphovenous bypass and vascular lymph node transplantation. Many studies show the important role of lymphedema therapy and other procedures such as liposuction and debulking. The management of lymphedema is a challenging field with many promising advances. However, many questions remain unanswered.
The vocal tract as a time machine: inferences about past speech and language from the anatomy of the speech organs
Authors: Dediu Dan , Moisik Scott R. , Baetsen W. A. , Bosman Abel Marinus , Waters-Rist Andrea L. 
Published: March 2021

While speech and language do not fossilize, they still leave traces that can be extracted and interpreted. Here, we suggest that the shape of the hard structures of the vocal tract may also allow inferences about the speech of long-gone humans. These build on recent experimental and modelling studies, showing that there is extensive variation between individuals in the precise shape of the vocal tract, and that this variation affects speech and language. In particular, we show that detailed anatomical information concerning two components of the vocal tract (the lower jaw and the hard palate) can be extracted and digitized from the osteological remains of three historical populations from The Netherlands, and can be used to conduct three-dimensional biomechanical simulations of vowel production. We could recover the signatures of inter-individual variation between these vowels, in acoustics and articulation. While ‘proof-of-concept’, this study suggests that older and less well-preserved remains could be used to draw inferences about historic and prehistoric languages. Moreover, it forces us to clarify the meaning and use of the uniformitarian principle in linguistics, and to consider the wider context of language use, including the anatomy, physiology and cognition of the speakers.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Reconstructing prehistoric languages’.
Metaphors: the evolutionary journey from bidirectionality to unidirectionality
Authors: Gil David , Shen Yeshayahu 
Published: March 2021

Metaphors, a ubiquitous feature of human language, reflect mappings from one conceptual domain onto another. Although founded on bidirectional relations of similarity, their linguistic expression is typically unidirectional, governed by conceptual hierarchies pertaining to abstractness, animacy and prototypicality. The unidirectional nature of metaphors is a product of various asymmetries characteristic of grammatical structure, in particular, those related to thematic role assignment. This paper argues that contemporary metaphor unidirectionality is the outcome of an evolutionary journey whose origin lies in an earlier bidirectionality. Invoking the Complexity Covariance Hypothesis governing the correlation of linguistic and socio-political complexity, the Evolutionary Inference Principle suggests that simpler linguistic structures are evolutionarily prior to more complex ones, and accordingly that bidirectional metaphors evolved at an earlier stage than unidirectional ones. This paper presents the results of an experiment comparing the degree of metaphor unidirectionality in two languages: Hebrew and Abui (spoken by some 16 000 people on the island of Alor in Indonesia). The results of the experiment show that metaphor unidirectionality is significantly higher in Hebrew than in Abui. Whereas Hebrew is a national language, Abui is a regional language of relatively low socio-political complexity. In accordance with the Evolutionary Inference Principle, the lower degree of metaphor unidirectionality of Abui may accordingly be reconstructed to an earlier stage in the evolution of language. The evolutionary journey from bidirectionality to unidirectionality in metaphors argued for here may be viewed as part of a larger package, whereby the development of grammatical complexity in various domains is driven by the incremental increases in socio-political complexity that characterize the course of human prehistory.
This article is part of the theme issue ‘Reconstructing prehistoric languages’.
Persuasive conversation as a new form of communication inHomo sapiens
Authors: Ferretti Francesco , Adornetti Ines 
Published: March 2021

The aim of this paper is twofold: to propose that conversation is the distinctive feature ofHomo sapiens' communication; and to show that the emergence of modern language is tied to the transition from pantomime to verbal and grammatically complex forms of narrative. It is suggested that (animal and human) communication is a form of persuasion and that storytelling was the best tool developed by humans to convince others. In the early stage of communication, archaic hominins used forms of pantomimic storytelling to persuade others. Although pantomime is a powerful tool for persuasivecommunication, it is proposed that it is not an effective tool for persuasiveconversation: conversation is characterized by a form of reciprocal persuasion among peers; instead, pantomime has a mainly asymmetrical character. The selective pressure towards persuasive reciprocity of the conversational level is the evolutionary reason that allowed the transition from pantomime to grammatically complex codes inH. sapiens, which favoured the evolution of speech.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Reconstructing prehistoric languages’.
Anticoagulation trends in adults aged 65 and over with atrial fibrillation; a cohort study
Authors: Lund J , Saunders CL , Edwards D , Mant J 
Published: March 2021

AbstractObjectiveTo describe patterns of anticogulation prescribing and persistence for those aged ≥65 years with atrial fibrillation (AF).MethodsDescriptive cohort study using electronic general practice records of patients in England who attended a flu vaccination aged ≥65, and were diagnosed with AF between 2008-2018. Patients were stratified by 10 year age group and year of diagnosis. Proportion anticoagulated, type of anticoagulation (direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) or Warfarin) initiated at diagnosis, and persistence with anticoagulation over time are reported.Results42,290 patients (49% female), aged 65-74 (n=11,722), 75-84 (n=19,055) and 85+ (n=11,513) at AF diagnosis are included. Prescription of anticoagulation at diagnosis increased over the time period from 55% to 86% in people aged 65-74, from 54% to 86% in people aged 75-84 and from 27% to 75% in people aged 85 and over. No patients were prescribed DOACs as a first anticoagulation agent in 2008, by 201892% of new AF patients were started on DOACs. Survivor function for 5 year persistence for patients taking only a single type of anticoagulant was 0.80 (0.77:0.82) for DOACs and0.71(0.70:0.72) for warfarin, Survivor function for any anticoagulation at 5 years was0.79(0.78:0.81), 0.73(0.72:0.75), 0.58(0.59:0.64) for people aged 65-74, 75-84 and 85+ respectively.ConclusionsRates of anticoagulation for new AF in those aged ≥65 have increased from 2008 to 2018, over which time there has been a shift from initiating anticoaguation with warfarin to DOACs. Persistence with anticoagulation is higher in people on DOACs than on warfarin, and in people under the aged of 85.Key MessagesWhat is already known?Anticoagulation is a highly effective way of reducing the risk of stroke associated with AF, but is underused, particularly in older people. The introduction of DOACs has been associated with increasing use of anticoagulation in AF.What does this study add?Our study provides up to date information on anticoagulation for AF in older people who are most at risk of AF related stroke and highlights particular increases in use of anticoagulation in people aged 85 and over.DOACs are now the major class of anticoagulant prescribed to patients with new AF in UK general practice.Long term persistence with anticoagulation is higher with DOACs than warfarin, but drops in all age groups over 5 years.How might this impact on clinical practice?Improved uptake of anticoagulation at all ages removes one of the potential barriers to screening for atrial fibrillation, but new strategies may be needed to enhance longer term persistence with treatment.
Limit of detection in different matrices of nineteen commercially available rapid antigen tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Cubas-Atienzar Ana I. , Kontogianni Konstantina , Edwards Thomas , Wooding Dominic , Buist Kate , Thompson Caitlin R. , Williams Christopher T. , Patterson Edward I , Hughes Grant , Baldwin Lisa , Escadafal Camille , Sacks Jilian A. , Adams Emily R. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic there has been an increase of the use of antigen-detection rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDT). The performance of Ag-RDT vary greatly between manufacturers and evaluating their analytical limit of detection (LOD) has become high priority. Here we describe a manufacturer-independent evaluation of the LOD of 19 marketed Ag-RDT using live SARS-CoV-2 spiked in different matrices: direct culture supernatant, a dry swab, and a swab in Amies. Additionally, the LOD using dry swab was investigated after 7 days’ storage at −80°C of the SARS-CoV-2 serial dilutions. An LOD of ≈ 5.0 × 102pfu/ml (1.0 × 106genome copies/ml) in culture media is defined as acceptable by the World Health Organization. Fourteen of nineteen Ag-RDTs (ActiveXpress, Espline, Excalibur, Innova, Joysbio, Mologic, NowCheck, Orient, PanBio, RespiStrip, Roche, Standard-F, Standard-Q and Sure-Status) exceeded this performance criteria using direct culture supernatant applied to the Ag-RDT. Six Ag-RDT were not compatible with Amies media and a decreased sensitivity of 2 to 20-fold was observed for eleven tests on the stored dilutions at −80°C for 7 days. Here, we provide analytical sensitivity data to guide appropriate test and sample type selection for use and for future Ag-RDT evaluations.
Temporal Window based Feature Extraction Technique for Motor-Imagery EEG Signal Classification
Authors: Chatterjee Rajdeep , Datta Ankita , Sanyal Debarshi Kumar , Banerjee Swati 
Published: March 2021

ABSTRACTElectroencephalogram (EEG) based motor-imagery classification is one of the most popular Brain Computer Interface (BCI) research areas due to its portability and low cost. In this paper, we have compared Wavelet Energy-entropy based different prediction models and empirically proven that temporal window based approach in motor-imagery classification provides more consistent and better results than popular filter-bank approach. In order to examine the robustness and stability of the proposed method, we have also employed multiple types of classifiers at the end and found that mix-bagging (bagging ensemble learning with multiple types of learners) technique out-smarts other frequently used classifiers. In our study, BCI Competition II Data-set III has been used with four experimental setup: (a) The whole signal (for each trial) as one segment, (b) The whole signal (for each trial) is divided into non-overlapping segments, (c) The whole signal (for each trial) is divided into overlapping segments, and (d) The filter-bank approach where the whole signal (each trial) is segmented based on different frequency bands. The result obtained from the experiment (c) i.e. 91.43% classification accuracy which outperforms the other approaches not only in this paper but to best of our knowledge it is the highest performance for this dataset so far.
Lack of Cdk5 activity is involved on Dopamine Transporter expression and function: Evidences from an animal model of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Guillermo Fernández , Favio Krapacher , Soledad Ferreras , Gonzalo Quassollo , Mariel Mari Macarena , María Victoria Pisano , Antonella Montemerlo , María Dolores Rubianes , Claudia Bregonzio , Arias Carlos , María Gabriela Paglini 
Published: March 2021

ABSTRACTAttention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most diagnosed psychiatric disorders nowadays. The core symptoms of the condition include hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattention. The main pharmacological treatment consists of psychostimulant drugs affecting Dopamine Transporter (DAT) function. We have previously shown that genetically modified mice lacking p35 protein (p35KO), which have reduced Cdk5 activity, present key hallmarks resembling those described in animal models useful for studying ADHD. The p35KO mouse displays spontaneous hyperactivity and shows a calming effect of methylphenidate or amphetamine treatment. Interestingly, dopaminergic neurotransmission is altered in these mice as they have an increased Dopamine (DA) content together with a low DA turnover. This led us to hypothesize that the lack of Cdk5 activity affects DAT expression and/or function in this animal model. In this study, we performed biochemical assays, cell-based approaches, quantitative fluorescence analysis and functional studies that allowed us to demonstrate that p35KO mice exhibit decreased DA uptake and reduced cell surface DAT expression levels in the striatum (STR). These findings are supported byin vitroobservations in which the inhibition of Cdk5 activity in N2a cells induced a significant increase in constitutive DAT endocytosis with a concomitant increase in DAT localization to recycling endosomes. Taken together, these data provide evidences regarding the role of Cdk5/p35 in DAT expression and function, thus contributing to the knowledge of DA neurotransmission physiology and also providing therapeutic options for the treatment of DA pathologies such as ADHD.
Song complexity in relation to repertoire size and phonological syntax in the breeding song of Purple Sunbird
Authors: Chorol Sonam , Jain Manjari 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThere are multiple measures for bird song complexity such as repertoire size, phonological or compositional syntax and complex vocal mechanism (CVM). We examined these in an old-world passerine, Purple Sunbird. First, we identified and acoustically characterised the repertoire size (of notes and phrases). We then assessed positional fidelity and ordering of notes within phrases. We found 23 distinct notes by aural-visual inspection of spectrograms which was validated using a Classification and Regression Tree based on 5 acoustic parameters. These notes combined in different iterations to form 30 different phrases. Phrases comprised of an overall structure with an introductory note (prefix) at the onset, followed by notes occurring at specific positions within the phrase body, and terminated with a trill (suffix syllable(s)). Prefix was present in 93% of phrases whereas suffix syllable(s) occurred in 27% of phrases only. We found that notes exhibited positional fidelity and combined in specific order to form a phrase. This is indicative of underlying phonological syntax that limits the ways in which notes combine to form phrase and offers insights to song complexity. Finally, we found that suffix syllables exhibit the presence of mini-breath (very short inter-note interval) which are known to be produced by CVM.
Convergence of clinically relevant manipulations on dopamine-regulated prefrontal activity underlying stress-coping responses
Authors: Wilke Scott A. , Lavi Karen , Byeon Sujin , Sohal Vikaas S. 
Published: March 2021

ABSTRACTBackgroundDepression is a pleiotropic condition that can be produced or ameliorated by diverse genetic, environmental, and pharmacological manipulations. In this context, identifying patterns of circuit activity on which many of these manipulations converge would be important, because studying these patterns could reveal underlying biological processes related to depression and/or new therapies. In particular, the prefrontal cortex and dopaminergic signaling have both been implicated in depression. Nevertheless, how dopamine influences disease-relevant patterns of prefrontal circuit activity remains unknown.MethodsWe used calcium imaging in brain slices to identify depression-relevant patterns of activity in prefrontal microcircuits, and measure how these are modulated by dopamine D2 receptors (D2Rs). Then, we used optogenetic and genetic manipulations to test how dopamine and D2Rs contribute to stress-coping behavior in a paradigm commonly used to assay how manipulations promote or ameliorate depression-like states.ResultsPatterns of correlated activity in prefrontal microcircuits are enhanced by D2R stimulation as well as by two mechanistically distinct antidepressants: ketamine and fluoxetine. Conversely, this D2R-driven effect was disrupted in two etiologically distinct models of depression: a genetic susceptibility model and chronic social defeat. Phasic stimulation of dopamine afferents to prefrontal cortex increased effortful responses to tail suspension stress. Conversely, deleting prefrontal D2R receptors reduced the duration of individual struggling episodes.ConclusionsCorrelated prefrontal microcircuit activity represents a point of convergence for multiple depression-related manipulations. Prefrontal D2Rs enhance this activity. Through this mechanism, prefrontal dopamine signaling may promote network states associated with antidepressant actions that manifest as effortful responses to stress.
piRNA pathway is essential for generating functional oocytes in golden hamster
Authors: Zhang Hongdao , Zhang Fengjuan , Chen Jinghua , Li Mingzhi , Lv Xiaolong , Xiao Yali , Zhang Zhaozhen , Hou Li , Lai Yana , Xiao Wen , Zhang Aihua , Fu Heling , Zhou Jianli , Diao Feiyang , Shi Aimin , Su Youqiang , Zeng Wentao , Wu Ligang , Li Jianmin 
Published: March 2021

AbstractPiwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small RNAs predominantly expressed in germ cells that are critical for gametogenesis in various species. However, PIWI-deficient female mice are fertile and mouse oocytes express a panel of small RNAs that do not appear widely representative of mammals, and piRNA function in the oogenesis of other mammals has therefore remained elusive. Recent studies revealed the small RNA andPIWItranscriptional profiles in golden hamster oocytes more closely resemble that of humans than mice. Herein, we generatedPIWIL1-,PLD6-andMOV10L1-deficient golden hamsters and found that all female mutants were sterile, with embryos arrested at the two-cell stage. InPIWIL1mutant oocytes, we observed transposon accumulation and broad transcriptomic dysregulation, while zygotic gene activation was impaired in early embryos. Intriguingly, PIWIL1-piRNAs exhibited a unique, preferential silencing of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), whereas silencing LINE1s depended on both PIWIL1- and PIWIL3-piRNAs. Moreover, we showed that piRNAs participate in the degradation of maternal mRNAs in MII oocytes and embryos via partially complementary targets. Together, our findings demonstrate that piRNAs are indispensable for generating functional oocytes in golden hamster, and show the informative value of this model for functional and mechanistic investigations of piRNAs, especially those related to female infertility.
Information-Efficient, Off-Center Sampling Results in Improved Precision in 3D Single Particle Tracking Microscopy
Authors: Zhang Chen , Welsher Kevin 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this work, we present a 3D single-particle tracking system that can apply tailored sampling patterns to selectively extract photons that yield the most information for particle localization. We demonstrate that off-center sampling at locations predicted by Fisher information utilizes photons most efficiently. When performing localization in a single dimension, optimized off-center sampling patterns gave doubled precision compared to uniform sampling. A ~20% increase in precision compared to uniform sampling can be achieved when a similar off-center pattern is used in 3D localization. Here we systematically investigated the photon efficiency of different emission patterns in a diffraction-limited system and achieved higher precision than uniform sampling. The ability to maximize information from the limited number of photons demonstrated here is critical for particle tracking applications in biological samples, where photons may be limited.
Thiamin-Diphosphate Enzymes Are an Ancient Family of Repeat Proteins
Authors: Merski Matthew , Górna Maria 
Published: March 2021

ABSTRACTA repeating sequence and structure pattern that is highly similar to the canonical cofactor binding motif has been identified in the thiamin-diphosphate dependent (ThDP) enzyme family. We have identified more than a thousand of these repeats in a non-redundant set (N = 58) of ThDP enzyme structures. The repeating element has a helix-turn-strand secondary structure which typically begins with an [G/A]{X(1,2)}[G/A] sequence motif with a typical length of 29 residues. The catalytically important diphosphate and aminopyrimidine interacting domains are comprised of a set of six of these repeats in a conserved architecture with a flavodoxin-like 213465 strand order. The canonical ThDP binding motif is the fourth repeat in the ThDP binding domain, while the conserved aminopyrimidine interacting glutamate is part of the second repeat in its domain. The third and fourth repeats form a contact between the functional domains, while the fifth repeat in the N-terminal domain forms an inter-chain contact. The conservation of these functional properties highlights the role of these repeats in the function and structure of this well-studied enzyme family and agrees with the principle of modular assembly in protein ancestry.