bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Spall Behaviors of Metaconcrete: 3D Meso-Scale Modelling
Authors: Jin Hexin , Hao Hong , Chen Wensu , Xu Cheng 
Published: April 2021

Spalling is a typical tensile fracture phenomenon due to insufficient tensile strength of concrete. Concrete structure might experience severe spall damage at the rear surface of the structure owing to reflected tensile stress wave induced by impulsive load. In recent years, metaconcrete consisting of engineered aggregates has attracted attentions as metaconcrete exhibits extraordinary wave-filtering characteristics. Metaconcrete can be used to attenuate stress wave generated by impulsive load and hence possibly mitigate the spall damage. In this study, engineered aggregate is designed via the software COMSOL to have the frequency bandgap coincide with the dominant frequency band of stress wave propagating in the normal concrete (NC) specimen to reduce the stress wave propagation and hence spall damage. The wave propagation behaviors in metaconcrete specimen with periodically distributed engineered aggregates have been investigated in a previous study. This study establishes 3D meso-scale model of metaconcrete including mortar, randomly distributed natural aggregates and engineered aggregates to simulate spall behaviors of metaconcrete via the software LS-DYNA. The responses of metaconcrete composed of engineered aggregates with single bandgap and multiple bandgaps are studied. The results show that stress wave can be more effectively attenuated by using engineered aggregates with multiple bandgaps. It is found that although engineered aggregates mitigate stress wave propagation, the soft coating of the engineered aggregates reduces the concrete material strength, therefore spall damage of metaconcrete specimen is not necessarily less severe than the normal concrete, but has different damage mode. In addition, the influences of loading intensity and duration on stress wave, as well as the spall behaviors of metaconcrete specimen are also studied.
The Transcription Factor SLUG Uncouples Pancreatic Cancer Progression from the RAF–MEK1/2–ERK1/2 Pathway
Authors: Bilal Faiz , Arenas Enrique J. , Pedersen Kim , Martínez-Sabadell Alex , Nabet Behnam , Guruceaga Elizabeth , Vicent Silvestre , Tabernero Josep , Macarulla Teresa , Arribas Joaquín 
Published: April 2021

AbstractActivating mutations in some isoforms of RAS or RAF are drivers of a substantial proportion of cancers. The main Raf effector, MEK1/2, can be targeted with several highly specific inhibitors. The clinical activity of these inhibitors seems to be mixed, showing efficacy against mutant BRAF-driven tumors but not KRAS-driven tumors, such as pancreatic adenocarcinomas. To improve our understanding of this context-dependent efficacy, we generated pancreatic cancer cells resistant to MEK1/2 inhibition, which were also resistant to KRAS and ERK1/2 inhibitors. Compared with parental cells, inhibitor-resistant cells showed several phenotypic changes including increased metastatic ability in vivo. The transcription factor SLUG, which is known to induce epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, was identified as the key factor responsible for both resistance to MEK1/2 inhibition and increased metastasis. Slug, but not similar transcription factors, predicted poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients and induced the transition to a cellular phenotype in which cell-cycle progression becomes independent of the KRAS–RAF–MEK1/2–ERK1/2 pathway. SLUG was targeted using two independent strategies: (i) inhibition of the MEK5–ERK5 pathway, which is responsible for upregulation of SLUG upon MEK1/2 inhibition, and (ii) direct PROTAC-mediated degradation. Both strategies were efficacious in preclinical pancreatic cancer models, paving the path for the development of more effective therapies against pancreatic cancer.Significance:This study demonstrates that SLUG confers resistance to MEK1/2 inhibitors in pancreatic cancer by uncoupling tumor progression from KRAS–RAF–MEK1/2–ERK1/2 signaling, providing new therapeutic opportunities.
Observations on butterflies of non-protected areas of Titabar, Assam, India
Authors: Konwar Abhijit , Bortamuly Manashi 
Published: April 2021

This paper depicts the result of two years study from 2014 to 2016 in non-protected areas on butterflies of Titabar (26.588 N & 94.187 E), Assam, India. During the study period, a total of 158 species of butterflies distributed in six families were recorded, out of which 29 belong to the family Hesperiidae, 17 to Pieridae, 11 to Papilionidae, 38 to Lycaenidae, two to Riodinidae, and 61 to Nymphalidae. Fourteen ‘rare’ species were recorded during the survey as per Evans (1932) such as Athyma ranga, Arhopala paraganesa, Caltoris cormasa, and Appias nero. This indicates the importance of the study and the need for conservation of butterflies of non-protected area of Titabar subdivision in upper Assam.
Feeding ecology of Walia Ibex Capra walie (Mammalia: Artiodactyla: Bovidae) in Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia
Authors: Ejigu D. , Bekele A. , Powell L. 
Published: April 2021

Walia Ibex Capra walie is an endemic and endangered species residing in Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia. It has shifted its range within the Park in the last decade, and in this study our main objective was to provide information on their feeding ecology to inform recovery goals. We used a scan sampling method to collect foraging information during October 2009 to November 2011. Our observations suggest a diverse diet of more than 28 species of grasses, forbs, and shrubs. The most commonly used plants were Festuca sp., Lobelia rhynchopetalum, Helichrysum citrispinum, and Helichrysum horridum. Walia Ibex were active in feeding before and after mid-day, and time spent feeding was the highest compared with other diurnal activities. The percentage of time spent feeding on major plant species did not differ between wet and dry seasons (p> 0.05). Walia Ibex, however, tended to spend more time browsing than grazing. The generalist nature of foraging behaviour in Walia Ibex most likely contributes to complaints from the local people who witness Walia Ibex raiding crops cultivated in and around the Park. Thus, the contribution of crop raiding to the shifts in the species’ range towards higher altitudes at Sebatminch within Simien Mountains National Park emphasizes the need to consider foraging ecology as community-based conservation efforts are developed to support Walia Ibex in the Park.
Legumes (Angiosperms: Fabaceae) of Bagalkot District, Karnataka, India
Authors: Dalavi Jagdish , Pujar Ramesh , Kambale Sharad , Jadhav-Rathod Varsha , Yadav Shrirang 
Published: April 2021

Fabaceae Lindl. or Leguminosae is one of the largest families of Angiosperms. Due to adaptability in various climatic conditions, members of the family Fabaceae are worldwide in their distribution. Globally, Fabaceae is represented by 770 genera and 19,500 taxa. Bagalkot is one of the largest districts of northern Karnataka and falls under the Deccan Peninsular region of India. The study area (Bagalkot District) is a rain shadow region and remains dry and hot throughout year. During floristic analysis of the District the authors recorded 157 species of legumes, which is communicated here in relation to habitat, life forms, distribution, classification and their importance.
Avian diversity in a fragmented landscape of central Indian forests (Bhopal Forest Circle)
Authors: Kumar Amit , Dubey Yogesh , Edgaonkar Advait 
Published: April 2021

With increasing fragmentation of natural areas and a dramatic reduction of forest cover in several parts of the world, quantifying the impact of such changes on species richness and community dynamics has been a subject of much concern. Therefore, this study intends to assess avifaunal biodiversity in fragmented forests. Forest patches between the sizes of 10ha and 700ha were identified in Bhopal Forest Circle (BFC), which covers the Vindhyan plateau. Forest patches were classified based on their size and degree of isolation. A sample of 21 forest fragments was selected using proportional sampling. Bird surveys were conducted using the point count method at each site. Three replicates were taken at each site. Avian species richness of each patch was calculated. The results suggest that species richness is positively associated with the size of the forest patches. Larger forest patches such as Binapur (166ha, Chao 1= 73), Sayar (107ha, Chao 1= 78) and Kalyanpura (133ha, Chao 1= 80) had relatively high species richness, except for patches including Narsinghgarh (393ha, Chao 1= 28) and Singota (184ha, Chao 1= 45) with high levels of anthropogenic disturbance. Smaller forest patches were found to have fewer bird species, although small forest patches with lesser degrees of anthropogenic disturbance such as Lalghati (99ha, Chao 1 = 62), Lasudli (16ha, Chao 1 = 65), Ghot (36ha, Chao 1 = 53), and Nasipur (23ha, Chao 1 =52) were more diverse than other patches. These patches were more protected due to being sacred groves (Lalghati and Lasudli) or under private ownership (Ghot and Nasipur). A total of 131 bird species were recorded from all the sampled forest patches. These results suggest that forest patches embedded in an agrarian landscape play a vital role in conserving biodiversity, hence conservation efforts should also be focused on these forest fragments.
Serum interleukin-30 level in patients with psoriasis and its correlation with psoriasis severity: a case-control study
Authors: Omar Nergez Sabah , Long Xinxin , Xian Jiayi , Afewerky Henok Kessete , Hussain Saeed Ghulam , Peng Xuebiao 
Published: April 2021

Objectives To examine the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-30 in patients with psoriasis and evaluate the correlations with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Methods Serum was collected from 26 patients with psoriasis and 26 healthy controls in a case–control setting, and the level of IL-30 was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analysis of the IL-30 levels among groups and further correlation analyses of IL-30 levels with PASI scores were performed. Results A significant increase in the level of IL-30 in patients with psoriasis compared with healthy controls was observed. In addition, a positive correlation between the IL-30 concentration and PASI scores was found in patients with psoriasis. Conclusion IL-30 is presumably involved in the proliferation of epidermal cells during the development of psoriasis. Further studies with a larger number of participants are required to comprehensively elucidate the biological roles of IL-30 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
A narrative account of the key drivers in the development of the Learning from Deaths policy
Authors: Lalani Mirza , Hogan Helen 
Published: April 2021

Objective In recent years there has been a proliferation of patient safety policies in the United Kingdom triggered by well publicized failures in health care. The Learning from Deaths (LfD) policy was implemented in response to failures at Southern Health National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust. This study aims to develop a narrative to enable the understanding of the key drivers involved in its evolution and implications for future national patient safety policy development. Methods A qualitative study was undertaken using documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews (n = 12) with policymakers from organizations involved in the design, implementation and assurance of LfD at a system level. Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Approach was used to frame the policymaking process. Results The publication of the Southern Health independent review and subsequent highlighting by the Care Quality Commission of a fragmented approach to learning from deaths across the NHS opened a ‘policy window.’ Under the influence of the families affected by patient safety failures and the then Secretary of State, acting as ‘policy entrepreneurs,’ recently developed methods for mortality review were combined with mechanisms to enhance transparency and governance. This rapidly created a framework designed to ensure NHS organizations identified remedial safety problems and could be accountable for addressing them. Conclusions The development of LfD exhibits several common features with other patient safety policies in the NHS. It was triggered by a crisis and the need for a prompt political response and attempts to address a range of concerns related to safety. In common with other safety policies, LfD contains inherent tensions related to its primary purpose, which may hinder its impact. In the absence of formal evaluations of these policies, deeper understanding of the policymaking process offers the possibility of identifying potential barriers to goal achievement.
Factors Affecting the Control of Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps: A Comparison in Patients With or Without NERD
Authors: Lilja Markus Jukka , Koskinen Anni , Virkkula Paula , Vento Seija Inkeri , Myller Jyri , Hammarén-Malmi Sari , Laulajainen-Hongisto Anu , Hytönen Maija , Mäkitie Antti , Numminen Jura , Sillanpää Saara , Raitiola Hannu , Rautiainen Markus , Toppila-Salmi Sanna Katriina 
Published: April 2021

Objectives The aim was to compare the control of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), in patients with/without nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug exacerbated respiratory disease (NERD). Study Desing: A retrospective hospital-based sample of CRSwNP patients with/without NERD with follow-up. Setting Tertiary rhinology centers. Methods Electronic patient record data from 116 CRSwNP patients (46 with NERD and 70 without NERD) undergoing ESS during 2001–17 were studied. Mean follow-up time was 9.9 years (range 1.1–15.3). Endpoints reflecting uncontrolled CRSwNP were revision ESS, and need for rescue/advanced therapy (e.g. antibiotics, oral corticosteroids and/or biological therapy) during follow-up. NERD was variable of interest and gender, age, asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR), smoking, Lund-Mackay (LM) score of sinus computed tomography scans previous ESS and baseline total ethmoidectomy were used as covariates. Results Twenty-one (49.7%) NERD patients and 18 (25.7%) non-NERD patients underwent revision ESS within a mean ± SD of 4.3 ± 2.8 and 3.7 ± 2.6 years, respectively (p = .013, by Logrank test). In Cox´s regression models, NERD, female gender, young age, asthma, AR, previous ESS, and lack of total ethmoidectomy were associated with revision-ESS. In adjusted model, only the total ethmoidectomy predicted revision-free survival. In adjusted logistic regression model, there was an insignificant trend that NERD and LM score were associated with the need for rescue/advanced therapy in the follow-up. Conclusions Patients with NERD had higher risk of uncontrolled CRSwNP than patient group without NERD, as measured by revision ESS and/or need for rescue/advanced therapy in the follow-up. In addition, baseline total ethmoidectomy was associated with revision-free survival.
Community Response to the Impact of Thunderstorm Asthma Using Smart Technology
Authors: AlQuran Ala , Batra Mehak , Harry Susanto Nugroho , Holland Anne E. , Davies Janet M. , Erbas Bircan , Lampugnani Edwin R. 
Published: April 2021

Background The most severe thunderstorm asthma (TA) event occurred in Melbourne on the 21st November 2016 and during this period, daily pollen information was available and accessible on smart devices via an App. An integrated survey within the App allows users to self-report symptoms. Objective To explore patterns of symptom survey results during the period when the TA event occurred. Methods Symptom data from the Melbourne Pollen Count and Forecast App related to asthma history, hay fever symptoms, and medication use was explored. A one-week control period before and after the event was considered. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to assess associations between sex, age, symptoms, and medication use. Results Of the 28,655 responses, during the 2016 pollen season, younger (18 to 40 years) males, with no hay fever and no asthma were the most single and regular responders. During the TA event for new users, sex was only significantly associated with hay fever ( p = 0.008) of which 60.2% of females’ responses reported having hay fever, while 43% of males’ responses did not. Those with mild symptoms peaked during the TA event. Conclusions Many individuals completed the survey on the app for the first time during the TA event indicating the potential of digital technologies to be used as indicators of health risk among populations at risk of TA events.
P2X3 receptor upregulation in trigeminal ganglion neurons through TNFα production in macrophages contributes to trigeminal neuropathic pain in rats
Authors: Koizumi Momoko , Asano Sayaka , Furukawa Akihiko , Hayashi Yoshinori , Hitomi Suzuro , Shibuta Ikuko , Hayashi Katsuhiko , Kato Fusao , Iwata Koichi , Shinoda Masamichi 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background
Trigeminal neuralgia is a characteristic disease that manifests as orofacial phasic or continuous severe pain triggered by innocuous orofacial stimulation; its mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we established a new animal model of trigeminal neuralgia and investigated the role of P2X3 receptor (P2X3R) alteration in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) via tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) signaling in persistent orofacial pain.

Methods
Trigeminal nerve root compression (TNC) was performed in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Changes in the mechanical sensitivity of whisker pad skin, amount of TNFα in the TG, and number of P2X3R and TNF receptor-2 (TNFR2)-positive TG neurons were assessed following TNC. The effects of TNFR2 antagonism in TG and subcutaneous P2X3R antagonism on mechanical hypersensitivity following TNC were examined.

Results
TNC induced unilateral continuous orofacial mechanical allodynia, which was depressed by carbamazepine. The accumulation of macrophages showing amoeboid-like morphological changes and expression of TNFα in the TG was remarkably increased following TNC treatment. The number of P2X3R- and TNFR2-positive TG neurons innervating the orofacial skin was significantly increased following TNC. TNFα was released from activated macrophages that occurred in the TG following TNC, and TNFR2 antagonism in the TG significantly diminished the TNC-induced increase in P2X3R-immunoreactive TG neurons. Moreover, subcutaneous P2X3R antagonism in the whisker pad skin significantly depressed TNC-induced mechanical allodynia.

Conclusions
Therefore, it can be concluded that the signaling of TNFα released from activated macrophages in the TG induces the upregulation of P2X3R expression in TG neurons innervating the orofacial region, resulting in orofacial mechanical allodynia following TNC.
Episodic headache with spontaneous hypothermia reveal Shapiro’s syndrome variant with effectiveness of clonidine therapy
Authors: Aubignat Mickael , Tir Melissa , Krystkowiak Pierre , Andriuta Daniela 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background
Episodic headache with spontaneous hypothermia constitute an uncommon association and is not well recognized in the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3). Spontaneous periodic hypothermia, also called Shapiro’s syndrome, is a rare disease characterized by hypothermia attacks associated or not with hyperhidrosis without any triggering factor.

Case presentation
We report a rare case of Shapiro’s syndrome variantrevealed by episodes of headache with spontaneous hypothermia witheffectiveness of clonidine therapy in a 76-year-old Parkinson’s disease woman.

Conclusions
In the literature, apart from Shapiro’s syndrome, headache withhypothermia seem to occur very rarely. In our case,these symptoms may be considered as a very rare non-motor fluctuation ofParkinson’s disease.
Longitudinal Zeolite-Iron Oxide Nanocomposite Deposited Capacitance Biosensor for Interleukin-3 in Sepsis Detection
Authors: Chen Chao , Gopinath Subash C. B. , Anbu Periasamy 
Published: April 2021

AbstractSepsis is an extreme condition involving a physical response to severe microbial infection and causes fatal and life-threatening issues. Sepsis generates during the chemicals release with the immune system into the bloodstream for fighting against an infection, which causes the inflammation and leads to the medical emergency. A complexed longitudinal zeolite and iron oxide nanocomposite was extracted from coal mine fly ash and utilized to improve the surface characteristics of the capacitance biosensor to identify sepsis attacks. Anti-interleukin-3 (anti-IL-3) antibody was attached to the zeolite- and iron oxide-complexed capacitance electrode surface through an amine linker to interact with the sepsis biomarker IL-3. The morphological and chemical components of the nanocomplex were investigated by FESEM, FETEM, and EDX analyses. At approximately 30 nm, the longitudinal zeolite and iron oxide nanocomposite aided in attaining the limit of IL-3 detection of 3 pg/mL on the linear curve, with a regression coefficient (R2) of 0.9673 [y = 1.638x − 1.1847]. A lower detection limit was achieved in the dose-dependent range (3–100 pg/mL) due to the higher amount of antibody immobilization on the sensing surface due to the nanomaterials and the improved surface current. Furthermore, control experiments with relevant biomolecules did not show capacitance changes, and spiked IL-3 in human serum increased capacitance, indicating the specific and selective detection of IL-3. This study identifies and quantifies IL-3 via potentially useful methods and helps in diagnosing sepsis attack.
Tremor assessment using smartphone sensor data and fuzzy reasoning
Authors: Fuchs Caro , Nobile Marco S. , Zamora Guillaume , Degeneffe Aurélie , Kubben Pieter , Kaymak Uzay 
Published: April 2021

AbstractBackgroundTremor severity assessment is an important step for the diagnosis and treatment decision-making of essential tremor (ET) patients. Traditionally, tremor severity is assessed by using questionnaires (e.g., ETRS and QUEST surveys). In this work we assume the possibility of assessing tremor severity using sensor data and computerized analyses. The goal of this work is to assess severity of tremor objectively, to be better able to asses improvement in ET patients due to deep brain stimulation or other treatments.MethodsWe collect tremor data by strapping smartphones to the wrists of ET patients. The resulting raw sensor data is then pre-processed to remove any artifact due to patient’s intentional movement. Finally, this data is exploited to automatically build a transparent, interpretable, and succinct fuzzy model for the severity assessment of ET. For this purpose, we exploit pyFUME, a tool for the data-driven estimation of fuzzy models. It leverages the FST-PSO swarm intelligence meta-heuristic to identify optimal clusters in data, reducing the possibility of a premature convergence in local minima which would result in a sub-optimal model. pyFUME was also combined with GRABS, a novel methodology for the automatic simplification of fuzzy rules.ResultsOur model is able to assess tremor severity of patients suffering from Essential Tremor, notably without the need for subjective questionnaires nor interviews. The fuzzy model improves the mean absolute error (MAE) metric by 78–81% compared to linear models and by 71–74% compared to a model based on decision trees.ConclusionThis study confirms that tremor data gathered using the smartphones is useful for the constructing of machine learning models that can be used to support the diagnosis and monitoring of patients who suffer from Essential Tremor. The model produced by our methodology is easy to inspect and, notably, characterized by a lower error with respect to approaches based on linear models or decision trees.