bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A comparison of co-expression networks in silk gland reveals the causes of silk yield increase during silkworm domestication
Authors: Zhou Qiu-Zhong , Fu Ping , Li Shu-Shang , Zhang Chang-Jiang , Yu Quan-You , Qiu Chuan-Zhen , Zhang Hong-Bo , Zhang Ze 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Background

Long-term domestication and breeding selection have led to that silk yield of the domestic silkworm (Bombyx mori) have increased several times higher than that of its wild ancestor (B. mandarina). However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of silk yield increase during silkworm domestication.

Results

Based on dynamic patterns of functional divergence in silk gland between the domestic and wild silkworms, we found that at early and intermediate stages of silk gland development, the up-regulated genes of the domestic silkworm mainly include DNA integration, nucleic acid binding and transporter activity, which is related to division and growth of cell. This has led to that posterior silk gland (PSG) of the domestic silkworm has significantly more cells (“factories” of fibroin protein synthesis) than that of wild silkworm. At the late stage of silk gland development, the up-regulated genes in the domestic silkworm are enriched in protein processing and ribosome pathways, suggesting that protein synthesis efficiency is greatly improved during silkworm domestication. The synthetic capacity of fibroin proteins of the domestic silkworm has increased, however, the synthetic capacity of sericin proteins has decreased relative to wild silkworm. This reflects that the domestic and wild silkworms have been under different selection pressures. Importantly, we found that the network co-expressed with silk-coding genes for the domestic silkworm is much larger than that for wild silkworm. Furthermore, much more genes co-expressed with silk-coding genes in the domestic silkworm have been subject to artificial selection than those in wild silkworm.

Conclusion

Our results revealed that increase in silk yield during silkworm domestication is involved in improvement of a biological system which includes not only expansion of “factories” (cells of PSG) of protein synthesis but also high expression of silk-coding genes as well as silk production related genes such as biological energy, transport, and ribosome pathway genes. In addition, a combination of comparative multi-omics and dynamic network biological method used in this study provides a methodology reference for investigation of molecular mechanisms of formation of a complex trait for other domestic animals.
Quantitative assessment and impact of thermal treatment on quality of Holstein dairy cattle colostrum immunoglobulin and viscosity
Authors: Hassan Abdulwahed Ahmed , Ganz Sebastian , Schneider Florian , Wehrend Axel , Khan Izhar U.H. , Failing Klaus , Bülte Michael , Abdulmawjood Amir 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
BackgroundBovine postpartum colostrum delivers a vital source of immunoglobulins (Igs) and other non-specific immune factors for passive transfer of immunity to newborn calves. Heat treatment of colostrum is an effective practice to reduce potential pathogens that can be transmitted to the newborn calves. Therefore, there is a need to determine optimized temperature and time that can minimally change IgG concentration and the viscosity (consistency) of colostrum. In order to preserve the quality and value of bovine postpartum colostrum, this study aimed to determine the IgG concentration, influence of different thermal treatments on the quality of colostrum and other properties including viscosity, fat and color.ResultsA total of 40 German Holstein dairy cattle first colostrum samples, collected after birth, were evaluated for color gradation, fat (%), colostrum IgG (mg mL-1), IgG (%Brix) and refractive index (nD) concentration, visual and dynamic viscosity and impact of different treatments (60 °C/60 min; 63.5°C/30 min and 72.0°C/15 s) on the viscosity. The color was graded from white-pale yellow to yellow and dark-yellowish, fat (1.4 - 8.2%) and IgG concentration (4 - 116 mg mL-1), Brix (8.5% - 35.4% Brix) and nD (1.3454 - 1.3905), respectively. The visual viscosity of first colostrum was classified into watery, liquid and thick consistency, whereas the dynamic viscosity and treated colostrum ranged from <10 to 219 and <10 to 3066 centipoise (cP), respectively. The consistency of treated samples were classified into liquid, thick and solid with significant change in the dynamic viscosity.ConclusionData revealed significant variation in the IgG values where both measurement methods showed high congruence with IgG classification. Due to the fact that individual IgG values were disparate, this significantly affected the colostrum consistency with different treatments. The study showed that colostrum containing IgG ≤80 mg mL-1 and ≤68 mg mL-1 treated at 60°C for 60 min and 63.5°C for 30 min showed a slight to moderate change in the consistency which suggests that these two temperatures and lengths of time that had a minimal impact on the consistency can be used to pasteurize colostrum.
Comparison of short- and long-term outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing surgical resection, local ablation, angiological treatment or palliation: Single center results over 35 years
Authors: Kairaluoma Valtteri , Karjalainen Mira , Saarnio Juha , Niemelä Jarmo , Huhta Heikki , Helminen Olli 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one leading cause of cancer mortality often presenting at inoperable stage. The aim of this study was to examine and compare surgically resected, locally ablated, angiologically treated and palliatively treated HCC patients’ short- and long-term outcomes in a single center over 35 year period.

Methods

All HCC diagnosed in Oulu University Hospital between 1983-2018 were identified from hospital records (n=273). Patients underwent hepatic resection (n=49), local ablation (RF, laser ablation or PEI; n=25), angiological treatments (TACE, TAE and SIRT; n=48) or palliative treatment (chemotherapy, best supportive care; n=151). Primary outcomes of the study were postoperative complications within 30 days after the operation, and short- (30- and 90-day) and long-term (1, 3 and 5-year) survival. Results were adjusted with sex, age, comorbidities, cirrhosis, Child-Pugh index points, ASA status, year of operation and stage.

Results

Surgically resected patients were younger than patients in other groups. Recurrence and local recidives occurred more often in local ablation group and in angiological treatment group (p<0.001). Surgical resection rate was 17.9%. Overall complication rates in surgical resection, local ablation and angiological group were 71.5%, 32.0% and 58.3%, (p<0.001). Major complications in respective groups occurred in 28.6%, 8.0% and 27.1%. Overall survival rates in surgical resection group were at 30 and 90 days, 1-, 3 and 5-years 95.9%, 95.9%, 85.1%, 59.0% and 51.2%. In local ablation group, respective overall survival rates were 100.0%, 100.0%, 86.1%, 43.1% and 18.8%, and in angiological group 95.8%, 93.6%, 56.1%, 26.3% and 6.6%. In cox regression model adjusted for confounding factors, local ablation and angiological treatment were significant risk factors for mortality. Prognosis was poor in palliatively treated patients.

Conclusions

Based on our study on Northern Finland population, the surgical resection of HCC seems to be the most effective treatment considering long-term survival and tumor recurrence after adjustment for confounding factors.
Neonatal Near-Misses in Ghana: A Prospective, Observational, Multi-Center Study
Authors: Bakari Ashura , Bell April J. , Oppong Samuel A. , Bockarie Yemah , Wobil Priscilla , Plange-Rhule Gyikua , Goka Bamenla Q. , Engmann Cyril M , Adanu Richard M , Moyer Cheryl A 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Background

For every newborn who dies within the first month after birth, as many as eight more suffer life-threatening complications but survive. Such events, termed ‘neonatal near-misses’, are becoming increasingly important indicators for epidemiologic surveillance and quality of care assessment. However, to date, there is no universally agreed-upon definition of a neonatal near-miss (NNM) nor a standard assessment mechanism. This study sought to describe the development of the Neonatal Near-Miss Assessment Tool (NNMAT) for low-resource settings, identify the incidence of NNM at three tertiary care hospitals in Ghana, compare the incidence rates of NNM to institutional records of neonatal mortality, and identify the strongest predictors of death when comparing NNM cases to those who died.

Methods

This prospective, observational, multi-center study was conducted at three tertiary care hospitals in southern Ghana from April – July 2015. Newborns with evidence of complications and those admitted to the NICUs were screened for inclusion using the NNMAT. Incidence of NNM was determined and compared against institutional neonatal mortality rates. NNM cases were compared with newborns not classified as near-misses and followed to 28 days to determine odds of survival. The main outcome measures were incidence of NNM, NNM:mortality ratio, and factors associated with NNM classification.

Results

Out of 735 newborns with complications, 578 (approximately 80%) were classified as near-misses using the NNMAT. Those newborns with complications who were classified as near-misses using the NNMAT had eight times the odds of dying before 28 days than those classified as non-near-misses. While most newborns qualified as NNM via intervention-based criteria, nearly two-thirds (approximately 65%) of newborns qualified based on two or more of the four NNMAT categories. When disaggregated, the most predictive elements of the NNMAT were gestational age < 33 weeks, presence of a major congenital abnormality, neurologic dysfunction and respiratory dysfunction. The ratio of near-misses to deaths was slightly less than 1:1, yet this varied widely across the three study sites.

Conclusions

This research suggests that the NNMAT is an effective tool for assessing neonatal near-misses in low-resource settings. We believe this approach has significant systems-level, continuous quality improvement, clinical and policy-level implications.
Povidone-iodine pharmacokinetics and study design
Authors: Koerner Jagger , Grzybowski Andrzej 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Dr. Gnanasekaran et al. reported the bactericidal activity of various concentrations of povidone iodine (PI) solution in an agar plate experiment of respiratory flora. The study design and the pharmacokinetic properties of PI solution ensured that dilute PI would not be effective in this study. These results may not replicate the typical clinical situation and are significantly different than a previously reported agar plate experiment, again owing to subtle but very significant differences in methodology.
Longitudinal validity of using digital hand photographs for assessing hand osteoarthritis progression over 7 years in community-dwelling older adults with hand pain
Authors: Marshall Michelle , Jonsson Helgi , Helgadottir Gudrun , Nicholls Elaine , Myers Helen L , Jansen Victoria , Windt Danielle van der 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Background: To determine the longitudinal construct validity of assessing hand OA progression on digital photographs over 7 years compared with progression determined from radiographs, clinical features and change in symptoms.

Methods: Participants were community-dwelling older adults (≥50 years) in North Staffordshire, UK. Standardized digital hand photographs were taken at baseline and 7 years, and hand joints graded for OA severity using an established photographic atlas. Radiographic hand OA was assessed using the Kellgren and Lawrence grading system. Hand examination determined the presence of nodes, bony enlargement and deformity. Symptoms were reported in self-complete questionnaires. Radiographic and clinical progression and change in symptoms were compared to photographic progression. Differences were examined using analysis of covariance and Chi-Square tests.

Results: Of 253 individuals (61% women, mean age 63 years) the proportion with photographic progression at the joint and joint group-level was higher, though not statistically significantly, in those with radiographic or clinical progression compared to those without. At the person-level, those with moderate photographic progression over 7 years had significantly higher summed radiographic and clinical scores after adjustment for baseline scores compared to those with no or mild photographic progression. Similar findings were observed for change in symptoms, although differences were small and not statistically significant.

Conclusion: Assessing hand OA on photographs shows modest longitudinal construct validity over 7 years compared with change in radiographic and clinical hand OA at the person-level. Using hand photographs for determining long-term change may be a reasonable alternative when hand examinations and radiographs are not feasible.
Clinical, Neuroimaging, Biochemical, and Genetic Features in Six Chinese Patients with Adrenomyeloneuropathy
Authors: Li Jie , Wang Hongfen , He Zizi , Wang Xiangqing , Tang Jing , huang dehui 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Background
Adrenoleukodystrophy is a rare neurogenetic disease, AMN is the most common adult phenotype, such patients in China have not gotten enough attention.This article aims to study the features of AMN in Chinese patients and expand the gene spectrum of Chinese X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) patients.
Methods
We applied clinical analysis, radiology, plasma levels of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA) and genetic analysis to test the 6 Chinese AMN patients.
Results
All 6 patients are men. Ages of neurological symptom onset are distributed between 21 and 38. Sexual dysfunction occurred in 5 of 6 patients. Three patients had positive family history. Five patients had Addison's disease. Four patients were diagnosed as pure AMN, while the other two patients were with cerebral involvement. Four patients had abnormalities of nerve conduction studies. There were four patients with central conduction defects in somatosensory evoked potential tests. All 6 patients were found diffuse cord atrophy in spinal MRI. Brain MRI showed abnormal signals in 2 of the 6 tested patients, which indicated the clinical phenotypes. Plasma levels of VLCFA, as well as C24:0/C22:0 and C26:0/C22:0 ratios were elevated in 5 tested patients. Five different ABCD1 mutations were identified in 5 tested patients, one of which was a de novo mutation, and the other four have been reported previously.
Conclusion
This research described the clinical, neuroimaging, biochemical, and genetic sides of Chinese AMN patients. A de novo mutation in the ABCD1 gene sequence was identified. Emotional trauma may trigger or aggravate the development of cerebral demyelination in AMN patients. Regular evaluation of brain MRI is important for AMN patients, especially for ‘pure AMN’ patients. When encountering patients with ‘myeloneuropathy-only’, neurologists should not ignore the tests of VLCFA or/and the ABCD1 gene.
Online Social anxiety Cognitive therapy for Adolescents (OSCA): a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Leigh Eleanor , Clark David M 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Background

Adolescent social anxiety disorder (SAD) is common, impairing and persistent. There is a need to intervene early to avert its long-term consequences. Cognitive Therapy for SAD is the leading treatment for adults and shows promise for adolescents. However, given the scale of the problem of adolescent SAD and the limited availability of psychological therapists in child and adolescent mental health services, there is a substantial gap in service provision. Delivering therapy via the Internet may provide part of the solution to this problem. An Internet version of adult Cognitive Therapy for SAD has been developed, with outcomes similar to face-to-face therapy. We have recently adapted this treatment for use with adolescents with SAD. Here, we describe a randomised controlled trial designed to test the efficacy of Internet Cognitive Therapy for adolescent SAD compared to waitlist.

Methods and Design

Forty adolescents aged 14-18 years old with a diagnosis of SAD will be recruited via schools. Participants will be randomly allocated to Internet Cognitive Therapy or to waitlist. All participants will be assessed three times during the study – at baseline (pretreatment/wait), midtreatment/wait (week 8), and at posttreatment/wait (week 15). Participants in the experimental arm will also complete weekly measures as part of the online program and they will be assessed at 3 and 6 months follow-up. Postwait, participants in the waitlist arm will be offered Internet Cognitive Therapy, and weekly and posttreatment data will also be collected for them. The trial aims to test whether Internet Cognitive Therapy is superior to waitlist in reducing social anxiety symptoms and in reducing the proportion of adolescents meeting criteria for SAD. Other outcomes of interest include depression and general anxiety symptoms. Acceptability of the online treatment will also be evaluated.

Discussion

This RCT will provide preliminary evidence on whether this intervention, requiring relatively low levels of therapist input, is safe and clinically effective. If this is shown to be the case, Internet Cognitive Therapy for adolescents has the potential to provide a service to the large population of adolescents with untreated SAD.
Intraoperative electroencephalographic burst suppression may help to indentify patients at risk for long-term adverse outcome: Findings from a homozygous twins case
Authors: Linassi Federico , Maran Eleonora , Kreuzer Matthias , Mazzarolo Anna Paola , Rosellini Edoardo , Zanatta Paolo , Carron Michele 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Background: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) presents a risk factor after general anesthesia, especially for old or cognitively impaired patients. Hence, strategies to identify possible patients at risk could help to decrease the rate of POCD.
In this case report we relate the occurrence of electroencephalographic burst suppression and low bispectral indices to the development of neurocognitive decline after 12 months in one homozygous twin, whereas the other twin exhibited neither burst suppression nor neurocognitive decline.
Case presentation: Two 68-year-old homozygous twins underwent the same surgical procedure with the same anesthetic regimens in comparable concentrations. For cognitive assessment, we applied a battery of neurocognitive tests at baseline (one day before surgery), at hospital discharge (three days after surgery), and 12 months after the procedure. The twins performed similarly in preoperative and discharge testing, but one twin showed worse test performance after 12 months.
During surgery, we tested for possible connected consciousness by applying the isolated forearm technique (IFT). For assessment of the level of anesthesia and visual inspection of the EEG, we used the bispectral index (BIS). Neither of the twins showed signs of connected consciousness during anesthesia and the emergence tone to the return of a positive IFT response were similar. We observed lower intraoperative BIS indices for one twin. Furthermore, this twin also had two episodes of Burst Supppression. Vital parameters, particularly mean blood pressure, were stable and comparable during the entire duration of anaesthesia. The twin who exhibited Burst Suppression and lower BIS indices showed distinctly worse cognitive test scores after 12 months compared to baseline and discharge testing, indicating serious neurocognitive decline. The other twin’s cognitive performance did not decrease.
Conclusions: We present findings from a unique scenario of homozygous twins with comparable lifestyles undergoing the same surgical intervention. The twin with neurocognitive decline had lower BIS values and multiple episodes of BSupp. These findings suggest that EEG monitoring under general anesthesia could help to identify frail brains that may be at increased risk of developing cognitive impairments.
Signatures of selection for resistance to Haemonchus contortus in sheep and goats
Authors: Estrada-Reyes Zaira Magdalena , Tsukahara Yoko , Amadeu Rodrigo R. , Goetsch Arthur L. , Gipson Terry A. , Sahlu Tilahun , Puchala Richard , Mateescu Raluca G. 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Background

Gastrointestinal nematode infection (GNI) is the most important disease affecting the small ruminant industry in U.S. The environmental conditions in the southern United States are ideal for the survival of the most pathogenic gastrointestinal nematode, Haemonchus contortus. Host genetic variation for resistance to H. contortus allows selective breeding for increased resistance of animals. This selection process increases the prevalence of particular alleles in sheep and goats and creates unique genetic patterns in the genome of these species. The aim of this study was to identify loci with divergent allelic frequencies in a candidate gene panel of 100 genes using two different approaches (frequentist and Bayesian) to estimate Fst outliers in three different breeds of sheep and goats exposed to H. contortus.

Results

Our results for sheep populations showed SNPs under selection in C3AR1, CSF3, SOCS2, NOS2, STAT5B, TGFB2 and IL2RA genes using frequentist and Bayesian approaches. For goats, SNPs in CD1D, ITGA9, IL12A, IL13RA1, CD86 and TGFB2 genes were under selection. Common signatures of selection in both species were observed in NOS2, TGFB2 and TLR4 genes. Directional selection was present in all SNPs evaluated in the present study.

Conclusions

A total of 13 SNPs within 10 genes of our candidate gene panel related to H. contortus exposure were identified under selection in sheep populations. For goats, 11 SNPs within 7 genes were identified under selection. Results from this study support the hypothesis that resistance to H. contortus is likely to be controlled by many loci. Shared signatures of selection related to mechanisms of immune protection against H. contortus infection in sheep and goats could be useful targets in breeding programs aimed to produce resistant animals with low FEC.