bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The health effects of smoking bans: Evidence from German hospitalization data
Authors: Kvasnicka Michael , Siedler Thomas , Ziebarth Nicolas R. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThis paper studies the short‐term impact of public smoking bans on hospitalizations in Germany. It exploits the staggered implementation of smoking bans over time and across the 16 federal states along with the universe of hospitalizations from 2000 to 2008 and daily county‐level weather and pollution data. Smoking bans in bars and restaurants have been effective in preventing 1.9 hospital admissions (−2.1%) due to cardiovascular diseases per day, per 1 million population. We also find a decrease by 0.5 admissions (−6.5%) due to asthma per day, per 1 million population. The health prevention effects are more pronounced on sunny days and days with higher ambient pollution levels.
Kinetic processes and stable isotopes in cave dripwaters as indicators of winter severity
Authors: Ersek Vasile , Onac Bogdan P. , Perșoiu Aurel 
Published: July 2018

AbstractWe examine how the stable isotope composition of meteoric water is transmitted through soil and epikarst to dripwaters in a cave in western Romania. δ2H and δ18O in precipitation at this site are influenced by temperature and moisture sources (Atlantic and Mediterranean), with lower δ18O in winter and higher in summer. The stable isotope composition of cave dripwaters mimics this seasonal pattern of low and high δ18O, but the onset and end of freezing conditions in the winter season are marked by sharp transitions in the isotopic signature of cave dripwaters of approximately 1 ‰. We interpret these shifts as the result of kinetic isotopic fractionation during the transition phase from water to ice at the onset of freezing conditions and the input of meltwater to the cave at the beginning of the spring season. This process is captured in dripwaters and therefore speleothems from Urșilor Cave, which grew under such dripping points, may have the potential to record past changes in the severity of winters. Similar isotopic changes in dripwaters driven by freeze–thaw processes can affect other caves in areas with winter snow cover, and cave monitoring during such changes is essential in linking the isotopic variability in dripwaters and speleothems to surface climate.
The application of two‐dimensional hydrodynamic models for underwater archaeological finds from the Vistula River in Warsaw, Poland
Authors: Kowalski Hubert , Magnuszewski Artur , Radecki‐Pawlik Artur 
Published: July 2018

AbstractLow water levels occurring on the Warsaw section of the Vistula River during droughts in 2012 and 2015 stirred considerable interest by exposing parts of the riverbed. The river's low flow discharge created favourable conditions for archaeologists who, from the river's bottom, managed to salvage sculptures, architectural artefacts, and military accessories dating back to the middle of the 17th century. Literature shows that archaeological finds at the bottom of a major lowland river are unique and are attributed to very specific hydrological and geological conditions. Embankments and works meant to regulate the channel of the Vistula River in Warsaw narrowed the channel and accelerated the erosion of the river's bottom. A comparison of rating curves created between 1919 and 2015 shows that the river's bottom had lowered by 225 cm. The diameter of sediment particles that could be moved at maximum shear stress has been calculated using the Meyer–Peter and Muller formula. According to the calculated shear stress corresponding to the highest historical flood of 1844 particles smaller than 0.05 m were transported down the river, and it is true that artefacts of that size had not been collected at the site. Taking into consideration the very specific geological and hydrological conditions, we believe that finding so many 17th century artefacts with a well‐documented history at a site at the bottom of major lowland river with intensive channel processes is indeed unique. Additionally, it is the first time that results of hydrodynamic modelling have been successfully used for archaeological survey to define the critical shear stress and the smallest diameter of artefacts, which could remain stable on a river's bottom.
Microtopographical and hydrophysical controls on subsurface flow and solute transport: A continuous solute release experiment in a subarctic bog
Authors: Balliston Nicole Elizabeth , McCarter Colin Patrick Ross , Price Jonathan Stephen 
Published: July 2018

AbstractResource extraction and transportation activities in subarctic Canada can result in the unintentional release of contaminants into the surrounding peatlands. In the event of a release, a thorough understanding of solute transport within the saturated zone is necessary to predict plume fate and the potential impacts on peatland ecosystems. To better characterize contaminant transport in these systems, approximately 13,000 L/day of sodium chloride tracer (200 mg/L) was released into a bog in the James Bay Lowland. The tracer was pumped into a fully penetrating well (1.5 m) between July 5 and August 18, 2015. Horizontal and vertical plume development was measured via in situ specific conductance and water table depth from an adaptive monitoring network. Over the spill period, the bulk of the plume travelled a lateral distance of 100 m in the direction of the slight regional groundwater and topographical slope. The plume shape was irregular and followed the hollows, indicating preferential flow paths due to the site microtopography. Saturated transport of the tracer occurred primarily at ~25 cm below ground surface (bgs), and at a discontinuous high hydraulic conductivity layer ~125 cm bgs due to a complex and heterogeneous vertical hydraulic conductivity profile. Plume measurement was confounded by a large amount of precipitation (233 mm over the study period) that temporarily diluted the tracer in the highly conductive upper peat layer. Longitudinal solute advection can be approximated using local water table information (i.e., depth and gradient); microtopography; and meteorological conditions. Vertical distribution of solute within the peat profile is far more complex due to the heterogeneous subsurface; characterization would be aided by a detailed understanding of the site‐specific peat profile; the degree of decomposition; and the type of contaminant (e.g., reactive/nonreactive). The results of this research highlight the difficulty of tracking a contaminant spill in bogs and provide a benchmark for the characterization of the short‐term fate of a plume in these complex systems.
Macroinvertebrate sensitivity thresholds for sediment in Virginia streams
Authors: Govenor Heather , Krometis Leigh Anne H , Willis Lawrence , Angermeier Paul L , Hession W Cully 
Published: July 2018

Abstract

Sediment is the most commonly identified pollutant associated with macroinvertebrate community impairments in freshwater streams nationwide. Management of this physical stressor is complicated by the multiple measures of sediment available (e.g., suspended, dissolved, bedded) and the variability in natural “healthy” sediment loadings across ecoregions. Here we examine the relative importance of 9 sediment parameters on macroinvertebrate community health as measured by the Virginia Stream Condition Index (VSCI) across 5 ecoregions. In combination, sediment parameters explained 27.4% of variance in the VSCI in a multiregion data set and from 20.2% to 76.4% of variance for individual ecoregions. Bedded sediment parameters had a stronger influence on VSCI than did dissolved or suspended parameters in the multiregion assessment. However, assessments of individual ecoregions revealed conductivity had a key influence on VSCI in the Central Appalachian, Northern Piedmont and Piedmont ecoregions. In no case was a single sediment parameter sufficient to predict VSCI scores or individual biological metrics. Given the identification of embeddedness and conductivity as key parameters for predicting biological condition, we developed family-level sensitivity thresholds for these parameters, based on extirpation. Resulting thresholds for embeddedness were 68% for combined ecoregions, 65% for the Mountain bioregion (composed of Central Appalachian, Ridge and Valley, and Blue Ridge ecoregions), and 88% for the Piedmont bioregion (composed of Northern Piedmont and Piedmont ecoregions). Thresholds for conductivity were 366 μS/cm for combined ecoregions, 391 μS/cm for the Mountain bioregion, and 136 μS/cm for the Piedmont bioregion. These thresholds may help water quality professionals identify impaired and at-risk waters designated to support aquatic life and develop regional strategies to manage sediment-impaired streams. Inclusion of embeddedness as a restoration endpoint may be warranted; this could be facilitated by application of more quantitative, less time-intensive measurement approaches. We encourage refinement of thresholds as additional data and genus-based metrics become available. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;15:77–92. Published 2018. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
Blockade of deubiquitinase USP7 overcomes bortezomib resistance by suppressing NF-κB signaling pathway in multiple myeloma
Authors: Yao Yao , Zhang Yan , Shi Min , Sun Yueyue , Chen Chong , Niu Mingshan , Zhang Qi , Zeng Lingyu , Yao Ruosi , Li Hujun , Yang Jiajia , Li Zhenyu , Xu Kailin 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
The treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) with bortezomib (BTZ) is promising; however, the emergence of resistance is challenging in the clinical treatment. Thus, a novel targeted treatment or exploring the mechanism underlying BTZ resistance is an urgent requisite. The current data showed that high expression of USP7 in myeloma was a predictor of short overall survival and poor outcome. USP7 knockout significantly suppressed the colony formation, inhibited the proliferation of BTZ-resistant MM cells even in the presence of growth factors, and overcame BTZ resistance. The knockout markedly inhibited the tumor growth and prolonged the survival of mice bearing BTZ-resistant MM cells. Mechanistically, USP7 knockout remarkably increased the sensitivity to BTZ by stabilizing ΙκΒα and blocking the NF-κB pathway. Not surprisingly, when IκBα was knocked down by siRNA transfection, the MM cells restored the BTZ resistance. Importantly, usage of USP7 inhibitors also suppressed the activation of NF-κB and combination with BTZ triggered the synergistic antitumor activity in BTZ-resistant MM cells. Taken together, this study provides the rationale for clinical protocols evaluating USP7 inhibition, alone and in combination with BTZ, to overcome BTZ resistance and improve the patient outcome in MM.
our study provides the rationale for clinical protocols evaluating USP7 inhibition, alone and combination with bortezomib, to overcome bortezomib resistance.
AFM‐based nanomechanical characterization of bronchoscopic samples in asthma patients
Authors: Zemła Joanna , Stachura Tomasz , Gross‐Sondej Iwona , Górka Karolina , Okoń Krzysztof , Pyka‐Fościak Grażyna , Soja Jerzy , Sładek Krzysztof , Lekka Małgorzata 
Published: July 2018

AbstractAsthma is not a single disease, but recently, it is considered as a syndrome characterized through various clinical presentations and different etiopathologies. Large degree of the disease heterogeneity manifests in distinct characteristics that translate into variability of properties at single cell and molecular levels. Here, we conducted measurements of mechanical properties of bronchial tissue samples collected from patients suffering from asthma. The results obtained from different applied protocols for sample preparation may indicate that deep freezing and storage in liquid nitrogen, followed by consecutive unfreezing of tissue samples, preserve tissue mechanical properties as indicated by a parameter referred here as a tissue relative stiffness index. Tissue relative stiffness index quantifies both the degree of heterogeneity and deformability of tissue samples regarding healthy one. These studies demonstrate that the freezing protocol, optimized towards asthma tissue, can facilitate atomic force microscopy use what, together with recent findings on standardization of elasticity measurements, enables the measurements of large group of samples with minimized influence of errors stemming from the applied methodology of tissue stiffness determination.
Identification of spoilage by Alicyclobacillus bacteria in tomato‐based products by UHPLC‐MS/MS
Authors: Cocconi Emanuela , Franceschini Barbara , Previdi Maria Paola 
Published: July 2018

AbstractIn recent years, there have been some cases of alteration of tomato derivatives by Alicyclobacilli spp. The spoilage was reported by consumers who felt odors and abnormal tastes (“bad”) of products. In this work, an untarget approach with Q‐Exactive™ Quadrupole‐Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer has been used to identify metabolites associated with the alteration of tomato puree by Alicyclobacillus bacteria. The study was carried out on tomato puree found positive for the presence of Alicyclobacillus spores. The germination and growth of native spores were induced through incubation at 65°C under static conditions for 5 days. For microbial concentration below 100 ufc/mL, negative growth was considered. The samples arising from incubation were submitted to UHPL‐HRMS/MS analysis. To find compounds related to microbial growth, data obtained by UHPLC‐MS/MS analysis were processed with Thermo Fisher Compound Discoverer™ 2.0 software. We compared samples grouped according to microbial growth: positive growth vs negative growth. Five compounds were identified and confirmed by analysis performed on authentic standards. To other compounds, we have assigned a putative identity. The HRMS approach using Q‐Exactive™ Quadrupole‐Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer has proven to be an important and powerful tool for identification of compounds which could be used as marker molecules in cases of suspected spoilage by Alicyclobacillus bacteria in tomato derivatives.
Astrocytes and Glutamine Synthetase in Epileptogenesis
Authors: Eid Tore , Lee Tih‐Shih W. , Patrylo Peter , Zaveri Hitten P. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe cellular, molecular, and metabolic mechanisms that underlie the development of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy are incompletely understood. Here we review the role of astrocytes in epilepsy development (a.k.a. epileptogenesis), particularly astrocyte pathologies related to: aquaporin 4, the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir4.1, monocarboxylate transporters MCT1 and MCT2, excitatory amino acid transporters EAAT1 and EAAT2, and glutamine synthetase. We propose that inhibition, dysfunction or loss of astrocytic glutamine synthetase is an important causative factor for some epilepsies, particularly mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and glioblastoma‐associated epilepsy. We postulate that the regulatory mechanisms of glutamine synthetase as well as the downstream effects of glutamine synthetase dysfunction, represent attractive, new targets for antiepileptogenic interventions. Currently, no antiepileptogenic therapies are available for human use. The discovery of such interventions is important as it will fundamentally change the way we approach epilepsy by preventing the disease from ever becoming manifest after an epileptogenic insult to the brain.
Functional Polymeric Materials Inspired by Geckos, Mussels, and Spider Silk
Authors: Yang Juan , Włodarczyk‐Biegun Małgorzata K. , Filippov Alexei , Akerboom Sabine , Dompé Marco , van Hees Ilse A. , Mocan Merve , Kamperman Marleen 
Published: July 2018

AbstractNature has developed elegant and economical strategies to produce materials that are well‐adapted to their purposes. As biology evolved to remarkable and complex designs, synthetic mimics are evolving toward new levels of complexity achieving larger combinations of properties within one material. The field of bioinspiration encompasses a wide range of advanced materials ranging from biooptics to energy materials, to biomaterials. In this paper an overview is given of selected recent developments in the field of bioinspired material design focusing on gecko‐inspired adhesives, mussel‐inspired coatings, and spider silk‐inspired biomaterials.
Reverse mathematics of the finite downwards closed subsets of ordered by inclusion and adjacent Ramsey for fixed dimension
Authors: Pelupessy Florian 
Published: July 2018

AbstractWe show that the well partial orderedness of the finite downwards closed subsets of , ordered by inclusion, is equivalent to the well foundedness of the ordinal . Since we use Friedman's adjacent Ramsey theorem for fixed dimensions in the upper bound, we also give a treatment of the reverse mathematical status of that theorem.
Stimulated echo based mapping (STEM) of T1, T2, and apparent diffusion coefficient: validation and protocol optimization
Authors: Zhang Yuxin , Wells Shane A. , Hernando Diego 
Published: July 2018

PurposeTo present a stimulated‐echo based mapping (STEM) approach for simultaneous T1, T2, and ADC mapping.MethodsDiffusion‐weighted stimulated‐echo images with various combinations of mixing time (TM), TE, and b‐value were acquired to enable simultaneous mapping of T1, T2, and ADC. The proposed STEM method was performed by densely sampling the TM‐TE‐b space in a phantom and in brain and prostate of healthy volunteers. T1, T2, and ADC from STEM were compared to reference mapping methods. Additionally, protocol optimization was performed to enable rapid STEM acquisition within 2 min by sparsely sampling the TM‐TE‐b space. The T1, T2, and ADC measurements from rapid acquisitions were compared to the densely sampled STEM for evaluation. Finally, a patient with biopsy‐proven high‐risk prostate cancer was imaged to demonstrate the ability of STEM to differentiate cancer and healthy tissues.ResultsRelative to the reference measurements, densely sampled STEM provided accurate quantitative T1, T2, and ADC mapping in phantoms (R2 = 0.999, slope between 0.97–1.03), as well as in brain and prostate. Further, the T1, T2, and ADC measurements from the optimized rapid STEM acquisitions agreed closely with densely sampled STEM. Finally, STEM showed decreased T2 and ADC in prostate cancer compared to healthy prostate tissue.ConclusionSTEM provides accurate simultaneous mapping of T1, T2, and ADC. This method may enable rapid and accurate multi‐parametric tissue characterization for clinical and research applications.
Hyperpolarized 129Xe gas transfer MRI: the transition from 1.5T to 3T
Authors: Wang Ziyi , He Mu , Bier Elianna , Rankine Leith , Schrank Geoffry , Rajagopal Sudarshan , Huang Yuh‐Chin , Kelsey Christopher , Womack Samantha , Mammarappallil Joseph , Driehuys Bastiaan 
Published: July 2018

PurposeHyperpolarized 129Xe MRI depicting 3D ventilation, interstitial barrier uptake, and transfer to red blood cells (RBCs) has emerged as a powerful new means of detecting pulmonary disease. However, given the challenging susceptibility environment of the lung, such gas transfer imaging has, thus far, only been implemented at 1.5T. Here, we seek to demonstrate the feasibility of Dixon‐based 129Xe gas transfer MRI at 3T.MethodsSeven healthy subjects and six patients with pulmonary disorders were recruited to characterize 129Xe spectral structure, optimize acquisition parameters, and acquire representative images. Imaging used randomized, gradient‐spoiled 3D‐radial encoding of 1000 gas (0.5° flip) and dissolved (20° flip) views, reconstructed into 3‐mm isotropic voxels. The center of k‐space was sampled when barrier and RBC compartments were 90° out of phase (TE90). A single dissolved phase spectrum was appended to the sequence to measure the global RBC–barrier ratio for Dixon‐based decomposition.ResultsA 0.69 ms sinc was found to generate minimal off‐resonance gas‐phase excitation (3.0 ± 0.3% of the dissolved‐phase), yielding a TE90 = 0.47 ± 0.02 ms. The RBC and barrier resonance frequencies were shifted by 217.6 ± 0.6 ppm and 197.8 ± 0.2 ppm. The RBC was estimated to be ∼1.1 ms, and therefore each read‐out was limited to 1.3 ms. 129Xe gas and dissolved‐phase images have sufficient SNR to produce gas transfer maps of similar quality and sensitivity to pathology, as previously obtained at 1.5T.ConclusionsDespite short dissolved‐phase , 129Xe gas transfer MRI is feasible at 3T.
Precision and accuracy of cross‐sectional area measurements used to measure coronary endothelial function with spiral MRI
Authors: Schär Michael , Soleimanifard Sahar , Bonanno Gabriele , Yerly Jérôme , Hays Allison G. , Weiss Robert G. 
Published: July 2018

PurposeCoronary endothelial function (CEF) reflects vascular health and conventional invasive CEF measures predict cardiovascular events. MRI can now noninvasively measure CEF by quantifying coronary artery cross‐sectional area changes in response to isometric handgrip exercise, an endothelial‐dependent stressor. Area changes (10 to 20% in healthy; 2 to −12% in impaired vessels) are only a few imaging voxels because of MRI's limited spatial resolution. Here, with numerical simulations and phantom studies, we test whether Fourier interpolation enables sub‐pixel area measurement precision and determine the smallest detectable area change using spiral MRI.MethodsIn vivo coronary SNR with the currently used CEF protocol at 3T was measured in 7 subjects for subsequent in vitro work. Area measurements of circular vessels were simulated by varying partial volume, vessel diameter, voxel size, SNR, and Fourier interpolation factor. A phantom with precision‐drilled holes (diameters 3–3.42 mm) was imaged 10 times with the current CEF protocol (voxel size, Δx = 0.89 mm) and a high‐resolution protocol (Δx = 0.6 mm) to determine precision, accuracy, and the smallest detectable area changes.ResultsIn vivo coronary SNR ranged from 30–76. Eight‐fold Fourier interpolation improved area measurement precision by a factor 6.5 and 4.9 in the simulations and phantom scans, respectively. The current CEF protocol can detect mean area changes of 4–5% for SNR above 30, and 3–3.5% for SNR above 40 with a higher‐resolution protocol.ConclusionCurrent CEF spiral MRI with in vivo SNR allows detection of a 4–5% area change and Fourier interpolation improves precision several‐fold to sub‐voxel dimensions.
What is the utility of urodynamics, including ambulatory, and 24 h monitoring, in predicting upper urinary tract damage in neuro‐urological patients and other lower urinary tract dysfunction? ICI‐RS 2017
Authors: Rantell Angie , Lu Yutao , Averbeck Marcio A. , Badawi Jasmin K. , Rademakers Kevin , Tarcan Tufan , Cardozo Linda , Djurhuus Jens C. , Castro‐Diaz David 
Published: July 2018

AimsThis article focuses on how, and if, urodynamics can help to identify which kidneys are in danger of deteriorating in function and also gives recommendations for future research.MethodsAt the International Consultation on Incontinence‐Research Society (ICI‐RS) in 2017, a multi—disciplinary group presented a literature search of what is known about the utility of Urodynamics, including ambulatory, and 24 h monitoring, in predicting upper urinary tract damage in neuro‐urological patients and other lower urinary tract dysfunctions. Wider discussions regarding knowledge gaps, and ideas for future research ensued and are presented in this paper along with a review of the evidence.ResultsThe current treatment strategy both in congenital and acquired neurogenic bladder is rather aggressive and successful when addressing hazards to kidney function. This article has highlighted uncertainties concerning the use of 40 cmH2O DLPP and even the lower value of 20. The current literature suggests that patients with spina bifida and those with spinal cord injury have a higher risk of developing upper urinary tract damage and kidney function impairment than those with multiple sclerosis.ConclusionsFuture research should focus on less invasive methods to assess the risk to the upper and lower urinary tract such as urine and serum measurements of cytokines that are involved in the pathophysiology of urinary tract impairment.