bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Biogenic synthesis of nano-sulfur using Punica granatum fruit peel extract with enhanced antimicrobial activities for accelerating wound healing
Authors: Samrat K , Chandraprabha M N , Hari Krishna R , Sharath R , Harish B G 
Published: December 2021

AbstractMicrobial wound infections leading to secondary complications in wound healing has resulted in high demand for therapeutic drugs with improved efficacy. Despite achieving enhanced bio-activity and higher bioavailability compared to its bulk form, nano-sulfur (SNP) has been explored to a very limited extent for wound healing applications. In this work, we prepare biogenic SNP (SNP-B) via simple biogenic technique using pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel extract and demonstrate its antimicrobial and wound healing activity. The SNP-B was characterized using powder x-ray diffractometer, FESEM, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Different wound models (excision, incision, dead space and burn) were used to assess the wound healing potential of SNP-B. The 2% (w/w) SNP-B treated group exhibited enhanced wound contraction rate (excision wound, 99.62 ± 0.59%; burn wound, 99.46 ± 0.59%), breaking strength (393.2 ± 10.87 g cm−2), and granulation tissue weight (166.8 ± 9.45 mg) compared to the control group (excision wound, 84.24 ± 2.78%; burn wound, 90.58 ± 3.2%; breaking strength, 241.3 ± 16.11 g cm−2; granulation tissue weight, 91.17 ± 7.28 mg). The efficacy of 2% (w/w) SNP-B was comparable to that of standard (5% w/w povidone-iodine ointment) in all the wound models analyzed. The SNP-B showed enhanced antibacterial activity with a MIC value of 90, 80, 80, and 60μg ml−1forPseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. The results obtained prove the potential of SNP-B as a multifunctional therapeutic agent for topical applications.
Portable universal tensile testing machine for studying mechanical properties of superelastic biomaterials
Authors: Gunter Sergey V , Marchenko Ekaterina S , Yasenchuk Yuriy F , Baigonakova Gulsharat A , Volinsky Alex A 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
A portable universal tensile testing machine for single and cyclic loading of superelastic biomaterials is presented. It’s an alternative to large-sized stationary universal testing machines. The machine is designed to obtain uniaxial cyclic tension stress-strain curves of materials with a low elastic modulus, including biological tissues. Its portability allows using it in various conditions: classrooms, production laboratories, and in the field. An interface has been developed to connect it to a computer. Computer output of experimental data allows recording and displaying load-displacement curves, setting the number of cycles, limits, and rate of cyclic deformation. Several examples of testing various biomaterials are presented. The functional advantage of the device is the wide tensile testing speed range of 0.01–10 mm s−1 and cyclic loading, which allow capturing viscoelastic and superelastic behavior of biomaterials.
Incidence of neurological and psychiatric comorbidity over time: a population-based cohort study in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Maxwell Colleen J , Maclagan Laura C , Harris Daniel A , Wang Xuesong , Guan Jun , Marrie Ruth Ann , Hogan David B , Austin Peter C , Vigod Simone N , Swartz Richard H , Bronskill Susan E 
Published: December 2021

Abstract

Introduction
Comprehensive, population-based investigations of the extent and temporality of associations between common neurological and psychiatric disorders are scarce.

Methods
This retrospective cohort study used linked health administrative data for Ontarians aged 40–85 years on 1 April 2002, to estimate the adjusted rate of incident dementia, Parkinson’s disease (PD), stroke or mood/anxiety disorder (over 14 years) according to the presence and time since diagnosis of a prior disorder. Sex differences in the cumulative incidence of a later disorder were also examined.

Results
The cohort included 5,283,546 Ontarians (mean age 56.2 ± 12.1 years, 52% female). The rate of dementia was significantly higher for those with prior PD (adjusted hazard ratio [adjHR] 4.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.99–4.11); stroke (adjHR 2.49, CI 2.47–2.52) and psychiatric disorder (adjHR 1.79, CI 1.78–1.80). The rate of PD was significantly higher for those with prior dementia (adjHR 2.23, CI 2.17–2.30) and psychiatric disorder (adjHR 1.77, CI 1.74–1.81). The rate of stroke was significantly higher among those with prior dementia (adjHR 1.56, CI 1.53–1.58). Prior dementia (adjHR 2.36, CI 2.33–2.39), PD (adjHR 1.80, CI 1.75–1.85) and stroke (adjHR 1.47, CI 1.45–1.49) were associated with a higher rate of an incident psychiatric disorder. Generally, associations were strongest in the 6 months following a prior diagnosis and demonstrated a J-shape relationship over time. Significant sex differences were evident in the absolute risks for several disorders.

Conclusions
The observed nature of bidirectional associations between these neurological and psychiatric disorders indicates opportunities for earlier diagnosis and interventions to improve patient care.
Hemolysis Index and Potassium Reporting
Authors: DiToro Daniel F , Conrad Michael J , Jarolim Petr 
Published: December 2021

Abstract

Objectives
In vitro hemolysis generates a spurious increase in potassium. Roche Diagnostics recently revised its recommended guidelines for potassium reporting on cobas analyzers. By dramatically reducing the allowable degree of hemolysis, these guidelines would increase specimen rejection rates. We attempted to balance the desire to avoid inaccurate results with the clinical implications of increased specimen rejection rates.

Methods
We downloaded hemolytic indices (HI) for 80,795 specimens tested at our institution on cobas chemistry analyzers in 1 month and evaluated potential specimen rejection rates based on the new criteria. We also spiked nonhemolyzed samples with hemolyzed blood to assess the influence of HI values on potassium measurements.

Results
The new recommendations would lead to specimen rejection rates of 76% in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), 41% in the emergency department (ED), 16% in inpatient specimens, and 9% in outpatient samples. Our current criteria of reporting potassium concentrations in inpatient and outpatient specimens with HI ≤100 and in NICU and ED specimens with HI ≤300 and additional interpretive guidance for HI values between 100 and 300 reduce unnecessary specimen rejections to 3% in NICU, 2% in ED and inpatients, and less than 1% in outpatients without significantly increasing the number of clinically consequential incorrect results.

Conclusions
The new recommendations would lead to unacceptably high specimen rejection rates. Laboratories should develop context-specific, evidence-based reporting criteria that minimize reporting of inaccurate results without disrupting delivery of care.
RiboChat: a chat-style web interface for analysis and annotation of ribosome profiling data
Authors: Xie Mingzhe , Yang Ludong , Chen Gennong , Wang Yan , Xie Zhi , Wang Hongwei 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
The increasing volume of ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq) data, computational complexity of its data processing and operational handicap of related analytical procedures present a daunting set of informatics challenges. These impose a substantial barrier to researchers particularly with no or limited bioinformatics expertise in analyzing and decoding translation information from Ribo-seq data, thus driving the need for a new research paradigm for data computation and information extraction. In this knowledge base, we herein present a novel interactive web platform, RiboChat (https://db.cngb.org/ribobench/chat.html), for direct analyzing and annotating Ribo-seq data in the form of a chat conversation. It consists of a user-friendly web interface and a backend cloud-computing service. When typing a data analysis question into the chat window, the object-text detection module will be run to recognize relevant keywords from the input text. Based on the features identified in the input, individual analytics modules are then scored to find the perfect-matching candidate. The corresponding analytics module will be further executed after checking the completion status of the uploading of datasets and configured parameters. Overall, RiboChat represents an important step forward in the emerging direction of next-generation data analytics and will enable the broad research community to conveniently decipher translation information embedded within Ribo-seq data.
Integrated causal-predictive machine learning models for tropical cyclone epidemiology
Authors: Nethery Rachel C , Katz-Christy Nina , Kioumourtzoglou Marianthi-Anna , Parks Robbie M , Schumacher Andrea , Anderson G Brooke 
Published: December 2021

SummaryStrategic preparedness reduces the adverse health impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms, referred to collectively as tropical cyclones (TCs), but its protective impact could be enhanced by a more comprehensive and rigorous characterization of TC epidemiology. To generate the insights and tools necessary for high-precision TC preparedness, we introduce a machine learning approach that standardizes estimation of historic TC health impacts, discovers common patterns and sources of heterogeneity in those health impacts, and enables identification of communities at highest health risk for future TCs. The model integrates (i) a causal inference component to quantify the immediate health impacts of recent historic TCs at high spatial resolution and (ii) a predictive component that captures how TC meteorological features and socioeconomic/demographic characteristics of impacted communities are associated with health impacts. We apply it to a rich data platform containing detailed historic TC exposure information and records of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular- and respiratory-related hospitalization among Medicare recipients. We report a high degree of heterogeneity in the acute health impacts of historic TCs, both within and across TCs, and, on average, substantial TC-attributable increases in respiratory hospitalizations. TC-sustained windspeeds are found to be the primary driver of mortality and respiratory risks.
Neural representation of others during action observation in posterior medial prefrontal cortex
Authors: Falcone Rossella , Cirillo Rossella , Ceccarelli Francesco , Genovesio Aldo 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Making decisions based on the actions of others is critical to daily interpersonal interactions. We investigated the representations of other’s actions at single neural level in posterior medial prefrontal cortex (pmPFC) in two monkeys during the observation of actions of another agent, in a social interaction task. Each monkey separately interacted with a human partner. The monkey and the human alternated turns as actor and observer. The actor was required to reach one of two visual targets, avoiding the previously chosen target, while the observer monitored that action. pmPFC neurons decoupled in most cases self from others during both the execution and the observation of explicit actions. pmPFC neurons showed selective directional tuning specific for the agent who was executing the task. Moreover, we assessed the relationship of the response coding between the periods immediately before and after the action, by using a cross-modal decoding analysis. We found neural network stability from the action anticipation period to the observation of other’s actions, suggesting a strong relationship between the anticipation and the execution of an action. When the monkey was the actor, the population coding appeared dynamic, possibly reflecting a goal-action transformation unique to the monkey’s own action execution.
Clinical Performance of a Standardized Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Interferon-γ Release Assay for Simple Detection of T-Cell Responses After Infection or Vaccination
Authors: Fernández-González Marta , Agulló Vanesa , Padilla Sergio , García José Alberto , García-Abellán Javier , Botella Ángela , Mascarell Paula , Ruiz-García Montserrat , Masiá Mar , Gutiérrez Félix 
Published: December 2021

Abstract

Background
We evaluated a standardized interferon-γ (IFN-γ) release assay (IGRA) for detection of T-cell immune response after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection or vaccination.

Methods
This prospective study included patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with different severity of illness and follow-up (FU), vaccinated subjects, and healthy unvaccinated persons. SARS-CoV-2 T-cell response was measured using a specific quantitative IGRA in whole blood (Euroimmun, Germany) and TrimericS-IgG and neutralizing antibodies with validated serological platforms. Positivity of reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction or vaccination was considered as the reference standard.

Results
A total of 239 individuals were included (152 convalescent, 54 vaccinated, and 33 uninfected unvaccinated). Overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive- and negative-predictive values (95% confidence interval) of the IGRA were 81.1% (74.9–86%), 90.9% (74.5–97.6%), 98.2% (94.5–99.5%), and 43.5% (31.8–55.9%), respectively. All vaccinated SARS-CoV-2-naive subjects had positive IGRA at 3 months. In convalescent subjects the magnitude of IFN-γ responses and IGRA accuracy varied according to disease severity and duration of FU, with the best performance in patients with severe COVID-19 at 3 months and the worst in those with mild disease at 12 months. The greatest contribution of IGRA to serological tests was observed in patients with mild disease and long-term FU (incremental difference, 30.4%).

Conclusions
The IGRA was a reliable method of quantifying T-cell response after SARS-COV-2 infection or vaccination. In convalescent patients, the sensitivity is largely dependent on disease severity and time since primary infection. The assay is more likely to add clinical value to serology in patients with mild infections.
Rate and Risk Factors for Severe/Critical Disease Among Fully Vaccinated Persons With Breakthrough Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection in a High-Risk National Population
Authors: Butt Adeel A , Yan Peng , Shaikh Obaid S , Mayr Florian B , Omer Saad B 
Published: December 2021

Abstract

Background
Breakthrough severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections after vaccination have been reported. Outcomes among persons with breakthrough infection are poorly understood.

Methods
We identified all veterans with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection &gt;14 days after the second dose of an mRNA vaccine between 15 December 2020 and 30 June 2021 and propensity score–matched unvaccinated controls with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary outcome was severe/critical disease, defined as admission to an intensive care unit, need for mechanical ventilation, or death within 28 days of diagnosis or during index hospitalization.

Results
Among 502 780 vaccinated and 599 974 unvaccinated persons, there were 2332 (0.5%) breakthrough infections in the vaccinated group and 40 540 (6.8%) infections in the unvaccinated group over a follow-up period of 69 083 person-days in each group. Among these groups, we identified 1728 vaccinated persons with breakthrough infection (cases) and 1728 propensity score–matched unvaccinated controls with infection. Among the former, 95 (5.5%) persons met the criteria for severe/critical disease, while 200 (11.6%) persons met the criteria among the latter group. The incidence rate for severe/critical disease per 1000 person-days (95% confidence interval [CI]) was .55 (.45–.68) among vaccinated persons with breakthrough infection and 1.22 (1.07–1.41) among the unvaccinated matched controls who developed infection (P &lt; .0001). Risk was higher; the hazard ratio (95% CI) with increasing age per 10-year increase was 1.25 (1.11–1.41); for those with &gt;4 comorbidities, it was 2.85 (1.49–5.43), while being vaccinated was associated with strong protection against severe/critical disease (HR, 0.41; 95% CI: .32–.52).

Conclusions
The rate of severe/critical disease is higher among older persons and those with &gt;4 comorbidities but lower among fully vaccinated persons with breakthrough infection compared with unvaccinated controls who develop infection.
Kidney glomerular filtration rate plasticity after transplantation
Authors: Denic Aleksandar , Rule Andrew D , Gaillard François 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTSince the first living donor kidney transplantation about six decades ago, significant progress has been made in terms of extending allograft survival. However, to date, only a small number of studies have compared the functional changes of the donated kidney to that of the remaining kidney. Although relatively small, the study by Gonzalez Rinne et al. demonstrated the adaptive capacity of the transplanted kidney in 30 donor–recipient pairs. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in both donors and recipients was obtained 12 months after transplantation and the authors identified three scenarios: (i) where donors had a higher GFR than recipients; (ii) where donors had a lower GFR than recipients; and (iii) where donors had a similar GFR to recipients. The mechanisms mediating GFR adaptability after kidney transplantation seem to be associated with body surface area (including sex differences in body surface area). Microstructural analysis of human and animal models of renal physiology provides some clues to the physiological adaptation of the transplanted organ. The nephron number from endowment and age-related loss and the adaptive ability for compensatory glomerular hyperfiltration likely play a major role.
End-of-life care in the cardiac intensive care unit: a contemporary view from the Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network (CCCTN) Registry
Authors: Fagundes Antonio , Berg David D , Bohula Erin A , Baird-Zars Vivian M , Barnett Christopher F , Carnicelli Anthony P , Chaudhry Sunit-Preet , Guo Jianping , Keeley Ellen C , Kenigsberg Benjamin B , Menon Venu , Miller P Elliott , Newby L Kristin , van Diepen Sean , Morrow David A , Katz Jason N ,   for the CCCTN Investigators
Published: December 2021

Abstract

Aims
Increases in life expectancy, comorbidities, and survival with complex cardiovascular conditions have changed the clinical profile of the patients in cardiac intensive care units (CICUs). In this environment, palliative care (PC) services are increasingly important. However, scarce information is available about the delivery of PC in CICUs.

Methods and results
The Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network (CCCTN) Registry is a network of tertiary care CICUs in North America. Between 2017 and 2020, up to 26 centres contributed an annual 2-month snapshot of all consecutive medical CICU admissions. We captured code status at admission and the decision for comfort measures only (CMO) before all deaths in the CICU. Of 13 422 patients, 10% died in the CICU and 2.6% were discharged to palliative hospice. Of patients who died in the CICU, 68% were CMO at death. In the CMO group, only 13% were do not resuscitate/do not intubate at admission. The median time from CICU admission to CMO decision was 3.4 days (25th–75th percentiles: 1.2–7.7) and ≥7 days in 27%. Time from CMO decision to death was &lt;24 h in 88%, with a median of 3.8 h (25th–75th 1.0–10.3). Before a CMO decision, 78% received mechanical ventilation and 26% mechanical circulatory support. A PC provider team participated in the care of 41% of patients who died.

Conclusions
In a contemporary CICU registry, comfort measures preceded death in two-thirds of cases, frequently without PC involvement. The high utilization of advanced intensive care unit therapies and lengthy times to a CMO decision highlight a potential opportunity for early engagement of PC teams in CICU.
Imaging features of renal malperfusion in aortic dissection
Authors: van Bakel Pieter A J , Henry Matthew , Kim Karen M , Yang Bo , van Herwaarden Joost A , Alberto Figueroa C , Patel Himanshu J , Williams David M , Burris Nicholas S 
Published: December 2021

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Malperfusion syndrome accompanying aortic dissection is an independent predictor of death with in-hospital mortality rates &gt;60%. Asymmetrically decreased renal enhancement on computed tomography angiography is often considered evidence of renal malperfusion. We investigated the associations between renal enhancement, baseline laboratory values and the diagnosis of renal malperfusion, as defined by invasive manometry, among patients with aortic dissection.

METHODS
In this retrospective cohort study, we included all patients who were referred to our institution with acute dissection and suspected visceral malperfusion between 2010 and 2020. We determined asymmetric renal enhancement by visual assessment and quantitative density measurements of the renal cortex. We collected invasive renal artery pressures during invasive angiography at the aortic root and in the renal arteries. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate independent predictors of renal malperfusion.

RESULTS
Among the 161 patients analysed, the majority of patients were male (78%) and had type A dissection (52%). Invasive angiography confirmed suspected renal malperfusion in 83% of patients. Global asymmetric renal enhancement was seen in 42% of patients who did not have renal malperfusion during invasive angiography. Asymmetrically decreased renal enhancement was 65% sensitive and 58% specific for renal malperfusion. Both global [odds ratio (OR) 4.43; 1.20–16.41, P = 0.03] and focal (OR 11.23; 1.12–112.90, P = 0.04) enhancement defects were independent predictors for renal malperfusion.

CONCLUSIONS
In patients with aortic dissection, we found that differential enhancement of the kidney as seen on the computed tomography angiography is predictive, but not prescriptive for renal malperfusion. While detection of renal malperfusion is aided by computed tomography angiography, its diagnosis requires close monitoring and often invasive assessment.