bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In‐hospital direct costs for thromboembolism and bleeding in Chinese patients with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Chang San‐Shuai , Wu Jia‐Hui , Liu Yi , Zhang Ting , Du Xin , Dong Jian‐Zeng , Lip Gregory Y.H. , Ma Chang‐Sheng 
Published: February 2018

AbstractObjectiveLimited data are available on the direct costs of hospitalization owing to thromboembolism and bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in China. Such data are essential for policy development, service planning, and cost‐effectiveness analysis of new therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to provide detailed data regarding in‐hospital direct costs for these patients, compare the costs at different scenarios, and identify independent factors that may predict the costs.MethodsWe collected data regarding in‐hospital direct costs among patients with AF who were hospitalized owing to ischemic stroke (IS), transient ischemic attack (TIA), intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), or major gastrointestinal bleeding. All data were collected from 7 representative tertiary referral hospitals and 3 secondary care hospitals from December 2009 to October 2014.ResultsIn total, 312 eligible patients with thromboembolism and 143 patients with major bleeding were identified, and their hospital charts were reviewed. The median in‐hospital direct costs were 17,857 Chinese Yuan (CNY) for IS and 16,589 CNY for TIA (equivalent to 2907 US dollars and 2701 US dollars, respectively). For patients with major bleeding, the costs were 27,924 CNY for ICH and 18,196 CNY for major gastrointestinal bleeding (equivalent to 4546 US dollars and 2962 US dollars, respectively). The direct costs were mainly driven by medications, which accounted for approximately 33.4%–36.1% in different groups of patients. The direct costs were highly related to the hospital level and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores in patients with thromboembolism; in patients with ICH, the factors included hospital level, warfarin treatment before admission, and prior hospitalization for stroke.ConclusionsGiven the high prevalence, AF‐related thromboembolism and bleeding impose considerable economic burden on the Chinese society. Efforts to improve the management of AF may confer substantial economic benefits.
Overexpression of MicroRNA-29b Decreases Expression of DNA Methyltransferases and Improves Quality of the Blastocysts Derived from Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer in Cattle
Authors: Liang Shuang , Nie Zheng-Wen , Guo Jing , Niu Ying-Jie , Shin Kyung-Tae , Ock Sun A. , Cui Xiang-Shun 
Published: February 2018

AbstractMicroRNA (miR)-29b plays a crucial role during somatic cell reprogramming. The aim of the current study was to explore the effects of miR-29b on the developmental competence of bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos, as well as the underlying mechanisms of action. The expression level of miR-29b was lower in bovine SCNT embryos at the pronuclear, 8-cell, and blastocyst stages compared within vitrofertilized embryos. In addition, miR-29b regulates the expression of DNA methyltransferases (Dnmt3a/3bandDnmt1) in bovine SCNT embryos. We further investigated SCNT embryo developmental competence and found that miR-29b overexpression during bovine SCNT embryonic development does not improve developmental potency and downregulation inhibits developmental potency. Nevertheless, the quality of bovine SCNT embryos at the blastocyst stage improved significantly. The expression of pluripotency factors and cellular proliferation were significantly higher in blastocysts from the miR-29b overexpression group than the control and downregulation groups. In addition, outgrowth potential in blastocysts after miR-29b overexpression was also significantly greater in the miR-29b overexpression group than in the control and downregulation groups. Taken together, these results demonstrated that miR-29b plays an important role in bovine SCNT embryo development.
Correlating drought conservation practices and drought vulnerability in a tropical agricultural system
Authors: Álvarez-Berríos Nora L. , Soto-Bayó Sandra , Holupchinski Eva , Fain Stephen J. , Gould William A. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractRecent droughts in Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean have emphasized the region's agricultural vulnerability to this hazard and the increasing need for adaptation mechanisms to support sustainable production. In this study, we assessed the geographic extent of agricultural conservation practices incentivized by US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and evaluated their large-scale contribution to drought adaptability. We identified concentrations of drought-related practices (e.g. cover crops, ponds) applied between 2000 and 2016. Using information from spatial databases and interviews with experts, we assessed the spatial correlation between these practices and areas exposed to drought as identified by the US Drought Monitor. Between 2000 and 2016, Puerto Rico experienced seven drought episodes concentrated around the south, east and southeastern regions. The most profound drought occurred between 2014 and 2016 when the island experienced 80 consecutive weeks of moderate drought, 48 of severe drought and 33 of extreme drought conditions. A total of 44 drought-related conservation practices were applied at 6984 locations throughout 860 km2 of farmlands between 2000 and 2016 through the NRCS-Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Practices related to water availability were statistically clustered along the coasts, whereas soil and plant health practices were clustered in the mountainous region. While these concentrations strongly correlated with areas exposed to moderate drought conditions, >80% did not coincide with areas that experienced severe or extreme drought conditions, suggesting that areas highly exposed to drought conditions generally lacked drought preparedness assisted by EQIP. Climate projections indicate an increase in the frequency and intensity of drought events, particularly in the eastern region of Puerto Rico. Our analysis highlighted the need to implement more conservation practices in these areas subject to drought intensification and exposure. Government programs intended to address vulnerabilities and enhance capacity and resilience may not be reaching areas of highest exposure. Recommendations include raising producer awareness of past and future exposure and making programs more accessible to a broader audience.
Optimal barrier strategy for spectrally negative Lévy process discounted by a class of exponential Lévy processes
Authors: Jiang Huanqun 
Published: February 2018

AbstractIn this paper, we extend the optimality of the barrier strategy for the dividend payment problem to the setting that the underlying surplus process is a spectrally negative Lévy process and the discounting factor is an exponential Lévy process. The proof of the main result uses the fluctuation identities of spectrally negative Lévy processes. This extends recent results of Eisenberg for the case where the accumulated interest rate and surplus process are independent Brownian motions with drift.
Glucose metabolism and NRF2 coordinate the antioxidant response in melanoma resistant to MAPK inhibitors
Authors: Khamari Raeeka , Trinh Anne , Gabert Pierre Elliott , Corazao-Rozas Paola , Riveros-Cruz Samuel , Balayssac Stephane , Malet-Martino Myriam , Dekiouk Salim , Joncquel Chevalier Curt Marie , Maboudou Patrice , Garçon Guillaume , Ravasi Laura , Guerreschi Pierre , Mortier Laurent , Quesnel Bruno , Marchetti Philippe , Kluza Jerome 
Published: February 2018

AbstractTargeted therapies as BRAF and MEK inhibitor combination have been approved as first-line treatment for BRAF-mutant melanoma. However, disease progression occurs in most of the patients within few months of therapy. Metabolic adaptations have been described in the context of acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi). BRAFi-resistant melanomas are characterized by an increase of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and are more prone to cell death induced by mitochondrial-targeting drugs. BRAFi-resistant melanomas also exhibit an enhancement of oxidative stress due to mitochondrial oxygen consumption increase. To understand the mechanisms responsible for survival of BRAFi-resistant melanoma cells in the context of oxidative stress, we have established a preclinical murine model that accurately recapitulates in vivo the acquisition of resistance to MAPK inhibitors including several BRAF or MEK inhibitors alone and in combination. Using mice model and melanoma cell lines generated from mice tumors, we have confirmed that the acquisition of resistance is associated with an increase in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation as well as the importance of glutamine metabolism. Moreover, we have demonstrated that BRAFi-resistant melanoma can adapt mitochondrial metabolism to support glucose-derived glutamate synthesis leading to increase in glutathione content. Besides, BRAFi-resistant melanoma exhibits a strong activation of NRF-2 pathway leading to increase in the pentose phosphate pathway, which is involved in the regeneration of reduced glutathione, and to increase in xCT expression, a component of the xc—amino acid transporter essential for the uptake of cystine required for intracellular glutathione synthesis. All these metabolic modifications sustain glutathione level and contribute to the intracellular redox balance to allow survival of BRAFi-resistant melanoma cells.
Sea ice dynamics across the Mid-Pleistocene transition in the Bering Sea
Authors: Detlef H. , Belt S. T. , Sosdian S. M. , Smik L. , Lear C. H. , Hall I. R. , Cabedo-Sanz P. , Husum K. , Kender S. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractSea ice and associated feedback mechanisms play an important role for both long- and short-term climate change. Our ability to predict future sea ice extent, however, hinges on a greater understanding of past sea ice dynamics. Here we investigate sea ice changes in the eastern Bering Sea prior to, across, and after the Mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT). The sea ice record, based on the Arctic sea ice biomarker IP25 and related open water proxies from the International Ocean Discovery Program Site U1343, shows a substantial increase in sea ice extent across the MPT. The occurrence of late-glacial/deglacial sea ice maxima are consistent with sea ice/land ice hysteresis and land−glacier retreat via the temperature−precipitation feedback. We also identify interactions of sea ice with phytoplankton growth and ocean circulation patterns, which have important implications for glacial North Pacific Intermediate Water formation and potentially North Pacific abyssal carbon storage.
Microhomology-assisted scarless genome editing in human iPSCs
Authors: Kim Shin-Il , Matsumoto Tomoko , Kagawa Harunobu , Nakamura Michiko , Hirohata Ryoko , Ueno Ayano , Ohishi Maki , Sakuma Tetsushi , Soga Tomoyoshi , Yamamoto Takashi , Woltjen Knut 
Published: February 2018

AbstractGene-edited induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide relevant isogenic human disease models in patient-specific or healthy genetic backgrounds. Towards this end, gene targeting using antibiotic selection along with engineered point mutations remains a reliable method to enrich edited cells. Nevertheless, integrated selection markers obstruct scarless transgene-free gene editing. Here, we present a method for scarless selection marker excision using engineered microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ). By overlapping the homology arms of standard donor vectors, short tandem microhomologies are generated flanking the selection marker. Unique CRISPR-Cas9 protospacer sequences nested between the selection marker and engineered microhomologies are cleaved after gene targeting, engaging MMEJ and scarless excision. Moreover, when point mutations are positioned unilaterally within engineered microhomologies, both mutant and normal isogenic clones are derived simultaneously. The utility and fidelity of our method is demonstrated in human iPSCs by editing the X-linkedHPRT1locus and biallelic modification of the autosomalAPRTlocus, eliciting disease-relevant metabolic phenotypes.
Operando spectroscopy study of the carbon dioxide electro-reduction by iron species on nitrogen-doped carbon
Authors: Genovese Chiara , Schuster Manfred E. , Gibson Emma K. , Gianolio Diego , Posligua Victor , Grau-Crespo Ricardo , Cibin Giannantonio , Wells Peter P. , Garai Debi , Solokha Vladyslav , Krick Calderon Sandra , Velasco-Velez Juan J. , Ampelli Claudio , Perathoner Siglinda , Held Georg , Centi Gabriele , Arrigo Rosa 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe carbon–carbon coupling via electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide represents the biggest challenge for using this route as platform for chemicals synthesis. Here we show that nanostructured iron (III) oxyhydroxide on nitrogen-doped carbon enables high Faraday efficiency (97.4%) and selectivity to acetic acid (61%) at very-low potential (−0.5 V vs silver/silver chloride). Using a combination of electron microscopy, operando X-ray spectroscopy techniques and density functional theory simulations, we correlate the activity to acetic acid at this potential to the formation of nitrogen-coordinated iron (II) sites as single atoms or polyatomic species at the interface between iron oxyhydroxide and the nitrogen-doped carbon. The evolution of hydrogen is correlated to the formation of metallic iron and observed as dominant reaction path over iron oxyhydroxide on oxygen-doped carbon in the overall range of negative potential investigated, whereas over iron oxyhydroxide on nitrogen-doped carbon it becomes important only at more negative potentials.
Genetic profiling of poorly differentiated sinonasal tumours
Authors: López-Hernández Alejandro , Vivanco Blanca , Franchi Alessandro , Bloemena Elisabeth , Cabal Virginia N. , Potes Sira , Riobello Cristina , García-Inclán Cristina , López Fernando , Llorente José L. , Hermsen Mario 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe sinonasal cavities harbour a variety of rare tumour types. Many carry a poor prognosis while therapeutic options are limited. Histopathological classification can be difficult, especially for poorly differentiated tumours such as olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB), sinonasal neuroendocrine carcinoma (SNEC) and sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC). We analysed Affymetrix OncoScan genome-wide copy number profiles of these three tumour types, both as originally diagnosed and as regrouped by their cytokeratin (Ck) and neuroendocrine (Ne) expression pattern, aiming to find a relation between phenotype and genotype. According to the original histopathological classification our series consisted of 24 ONB, 11 SNEC and 19 SNUC, while immunohistochemistry indicated 11 Ck−Ne+/ONB, 18 Ck+Ne+/SNEC, 24 Ck+Ne−/SNUC, and 1 Ck−Ne−/unclassified. As originally diagnosed, the three tumour types showed similar copy number profiles. However, when regrouped by Ck/Ne immunostaining we found a distinct set of gains and losses; Ck−Ne+/ONB harboured few and predominantly whole chromosomes abnormalities, Ck+Ne+/SNEC carried both gains and losses in high frequency, and Ck+Ne−/SNUC showed mostly gains. In addition, each tumour carried a number of unique chromosomal deletions. Genome-wide copy number profiling supports the value of immunohistochemical CkNe staining of ONB, SNEC and SNUC for tumour classification, which is important for prognosis and therapeutic decision-making.
Phenotype-driven identification of epithelial signalling clusters
Authors: Marques Elsa , Peltola Tomi , Kaski Samuel , Klefström Juha 
Published: February 2018

AbstractIn metazoans, epithelial architecture provides a context that dynamically modulates most if not all epithelial cell responses to intrinsic and extrinsic signals, including growth or survival signalling and transforming oncogene action. Three-dimensional (3D) epithelial culture systems provide tractable models to interrogate the function of human genetic determinants in establishment of context-dependency. We performed an arrayed genetic shRNA screen in mammary epithelial 3D cultures to identify new determinants of epithelial architecture, finding that the key phenotype impacting shRNAs altered not only the data population average but even more noticeably the population distribution. The broad distributions were attributable to sporadic gene silencing actions by shRNA in unselected populations. We employed Maximum Mean Discrepancy concept to capture similar population distribution patterns and demonstrate here the feasibility of the test in identifying an impact of shRNA in populations of 3D structures. Integration of the clustered morphometric data with protein-protein interactions data enabled hypothesis generation of novel biological pathways underlying similar 3D phenotype alterations. The results present a new strategy for 3D phenotype-driven pathway analysis, which is expected to accelerate discovery of context-dependent gene functions in epithelial biology and tumorigenesis.
Voxel-wise comparisons of cellular microstructure and diffusion-MRI in mouse hippocampus using 3D Bridging of Optically-clear histology with Neuroimaging Data (3D-BOND)
Authors: Stolp H. B. , Ball G. , So P.-W. , Tournier J.-D. , Jones M. , Thornton C. , Edwards A. D. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractA key challenge in medical imaging is determining a precise correspondence between image properties and tissue microstructure. This comparison is hindered by disparate scales and resolutions between medical imaging and histology. We present a new technique, 3D Bridging of Optically-clear histology with Neuroimaging Data (3D-BOND), for registering medical images with 3D histology to overcome these limitations. Ex vivo 120 × 120 × 200 μm resolution diffusion-MRI (dMRI) data was acquired at 7 T from adult C57Bl/6 mouse hippocampus. Tissue was then optically cleared using CLARITY and stained with cellular markers and confocal microscopy used to produce high-resolution images of the 3D-tissue microstructure. For each sample, a dense array of hippocampal landmarks was used to drive registration between upsampled dMRI data and the corresponding confocal images. The cell population in each MRI voxel was determined within hippocampal subregions and compared to MRI-derived metrics. 3D-BOND provided robust voxel-wise, cellular correlates of dMRI data. CA1 pyramidal and dentate gyrus granular layers had significantly different mean diffusivity (p > 0.001), which was related to microstructural features. Overall, mean and radial diffusivity correlated with cell and axon density and fractional anisotropy with astrocyte density, while apparent fibre density correlated negatively with axon density. Astrocytes, axons and blood vessels correlated to tensor orientation.
MSeq-CNV: accurate detection of Copy Number Variation from Sequencing of Multiple samples
Authors: Malekpour Seyed Amir , Pezeshk Hamid , Sadeghi Mehdi 
Published: February 2018

AbstractCurrently a few tools are capable of detecting genome-wide Copy Number Variations (CNVs) based on sequencing of multiple samples. Although aberrations in mate pair insertion sizes provide additional hints for the CNV detection based on multiple samples, the majority of the current tools rely only on the depth of coverage. Here, we propose a new algorithm (MSeq-CNV) which allows detecting common CNVs across multiple samples. MSeq-CNV applies a mixture density for modeling aberrations in depth of coverage and abnormalities in the mate pair insertion sizes. Each component in this mixture density applies a Binomial distribution for modeling the number of mate pairs with aberration in the insertion size and also a Poisson distribution for emitting the read counts, in each genomic position. MSeq-CNV is applied on simulated data and also on real data of six HapMap individuals with high-coverage sequencing, in 1000 Genomes Project. These individuals include a CEU trio of European ancestry and a YRI trio of Nigerian ethnicity. Ancestry of these individuals is studied by clustering the identified CNVs. MSeq-CNV is also applied for detecting CNVs in two samples with low-coverage sequencing in 1000 Genomes Project and six samples form the Simons Genome Diversity Project.
Kinetic effects in thermal explosion with oscillating ambient conditions
Authors: Novozhilov Vasily 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThermal explosion problem for a medium with oscillating ambient temperature at its boundaries is a new problem which was introduced in the preceding publication by the present author. It is directly applicable to a range of practical fire autoignition scenarios (e.g. in the storages of organic matter, explosives, propellants, etc.). Effects of kinetic mechanisms, however, need be further investigated as they are expected to alter critical conditions of thermal explosion. We consider several global kinetic mechanisms: first order reaction, second order reaction, and first order autocatalysis. It is demonstrated that kinetic effects related to reactants consumption do indeed shift respective critical boundaries. Effect of kinetics on oscillatory development of thermal explosion is of particular interest. In line with conclusions of the preceding publication, it is confirmed that temperature oscillations may develop during induction phase of thermal explosion when the effect of reactants consumption is properly taken into account. Moreover, development of thermal explosion instability through the prior oscillations is an inevitable and natural scenario. This fact is confirmed by a number of examples. Besides, effects of the other relevant parameter, Zeldovich number on critical conditions are also investigated.
The impact of creating mathematical formula to predict cardiovascular events in patients with heart failure
Authors: Sakamoto Mari , Fukuda Hiroki , Kim Jiyoong , Ide Tomomi , Kinugawa Shintaro , Fukushima Arata , Tsutsui Hiroyuki , Ishii Akira , Ito Shin , Asanuma Hiroshi , Asakura Masanori , Washio Takashi , Kitakaze Masafumi 
Published: February 2018

AbstractSince our retrospective study has formed a mathematical formula, α = f(x1, …, x252), where α is the probability of cardiovascular events in patients with heart failure (HF) and x1 is each clinical parameter, we prospectively tested the predictive capability and feasibility of the mathematical formula of cardiovascular events in HF patients. First of all, to create such a mathematical formula using limited number of the parameters to predict the cardiovascular events in HF patients, we retrospectively determined f(x) that formulates the relationship between the most influential 50 clinical parameters (x) among 252 parameters using 167 patients hospitalized due to acute HF; the nonlinear optimization could provide the formula of α = f(x1, …, x50) which fitted the probability of the actual cardiovascular events per day. Secondly, we prospectively examined the predictability of f(x) in other 213 patients using 50 clinical parameters in 3 hospitals, and we found that the Kaplan–Meier curves using actual and estimated occurrence probabilities of cardiovascular events were closely correlated. We conclude that we created a mathematical formula f(x) that precisely predicted the occurrence probability of future cardiovascular outcomes of HF patients per day. Mathematical modelling may predict the occurrence probability of cardiovascular events in HF patients.