bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
SMG1 heterozygosity exacerbates haematopoietic cancer development in Atm null mice by increasing persistent DNA damage and oxidative stress
Authors: Ho Uda , Luff John , James Alexander , Lee Cheok Soon , Quek Hazel , Lai Hui‐Chi , Apte Simon , Lim Yi Chieh , Lavin Martin F. , Roberts Tara L. 
Published: October 2019

AbstractSuppressor of morphogenesis in genitalia 1 (SMG1) and ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) are members of the PI3‐kinase like–kinase (PIKK) family of proteins. ATM is a well‐established tumour suppressor. Loss of one or both alleles of ATM results in an increased risk of cancer development, particularly haematopoietic cancer and breast cancer in both humans and mouse models. In mice, total loss of SMG1 is embryonic lethal and loss of a single allele results in an increased rate of cancer development, particularly haematopoietic cancers and lung cancer. In this study, we generated mice deficient in Atm and lacking one allele of Smg1, Atm−/−Smg1gt/+ mice. These mice developed cancers more rapidly than either of the parental genotypes, and all cancers were haematopoietic in origin. The combined loss of Smg1 and Atm resulted in a higher level of basal DNA damage and oxidative stress in tissues than loss of either gene alone. Furthermore, Atm−/−Smg1gt/+ mice displayed increased cytokine levels in haematopoietic tissues compared with wild‐type animals indicating the development of low‐level inflammation and a pro‐tumour microenvironment. Overall, our data demonstrated that combined loss of Atm expression and decreased Smg1 expression increases haematopoietic cancer development.
Estimating the Accuracy of Relative Growth Measures Using Empirical Data
Authors: Castellano Katherine E. , McCaffrey Daniel F. 
Published: October 2019

AbstractThe residual gain score has been of historical interest, and its percentile rank has been of interest more recently given its close correspondence to the popular Student Growth Percentile. However, these estimators suffer from low accuracy and systematic bias (bias conditional on prior latent achievement). This article explores three alternatives—using the expected a posterior (EAP), conditioning on an additional lagged score, and correcting for measurement error bias from the prior score (Corrected‐Observed)—evaluated in terms of their systematic bias, squared correlation with their target (R2), and proportional reduction in mean squared error (PRMSE). Both analytic results (under model assumptions) and empirical results (found using item response data to calculate the growth estimators) reveal that the EAP estimators are the most accurate, whereas the Corrected‐Observed removes systematic bias, but reduces overall accuracy. Adding another prior year often decreases accuracy but only slightly reduces systematic bias at realistic test reliabilities. For all estimators, R2 and PRMSE are substantially below levels that are considered necessary for reporting educational measurements with moderate to high stakes. For all but the EAP, the raw residual gain estimators have negative PRMSE, indicating that inferences about a student's latent growth would be more accurate if students were assigned the average residual rather than estimating their residual.
BCL6 BTB‐specific inhibition via FX1 treatment reduces Tfh cells and reverses lymphoid follicle hyperplasia in Indian rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Cai Yanhui , Watkins Meagan A. , Xue Fengtian , Ai Yong , Cheng Huiming , Midkiff Cecily C. , Wang Xiaolei , Alvarez Xavier , Poli Adi Narayana Reddy , Salvino Joseph M. , Veazey Ronald S. , Montaner Luis J. 
Published: October 2019

AbstractBackgroundThe BTB domain of B‐cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) protein was identified as a therapeutic target for B‐cell lymphoma. This study compared the pharmacokinetics (PK) of the BCL6 BTB inhibitor (FX1) between mice and macaques, as well as evaluating its lymphoid suppressive effect in uninfected macaques with lymphoid hyperplasia.Materials and MethodsEight uninfected adult Indian rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) were used in the study, four animals carrying lymphoid tissue hyperplasia. Plasma FX1 levels were measured by HPLC‐MS/MS. Lymph node biopsies were used for H&E and immunohistochemistry staining, as well as mononuclear cell isolation for flow cytometry analysis.ResultsInhibition of the BCL6 BTB domain with FX1 led to a reduction in the frequency of GC, Tfh CD4+, and Tfh precursor cells, as well as resolving lymphoid hyperplasia, in rhesus macaques.ConclusionsB‐cell lymphoma 6 inhibition may represent a novel strategy to reduce hyperplastic lymphoid B‐cell follicles and decrease Tfh cells.
Tenocytes form a 3‐D network and are connected via nanotubes
Authors: Egerbacher Monika , Gabner Simone , Battisti Sarah , Handschuh Stephan 
Published: October 2019

AbstractCells use different cell adhesion and communication structures to promote tissue development, maintenance of tissue integrity as well as repair and regenerative processes. Another recently discovered way of information exchange is long‐distance thin cellular processes called nanotubes (NTs), mainly studied in vitro. Information on the existence and relevance of NTs in vivo is sparse. Building on two references which hint at the potential existence of longitudinally directed cell processes resembling NTs, we investigated tendons from young (3 weeks) and adult (9 weeks, 4 and 8 months) Fisher rats. Whole mounts of rat tail tendon fascicles (RTTfs) and sections of Achilles, flexor, extensor and patellar tendons were stained with Deep Red plasma membrane and DAPI nuclear stain and immunolabelled with Connexin43 (Cx43). In addition, 3‐D reconstruction of serial semithin sections and TEM was used to verify the presence of NTs. We were able to demonstrate NTs as straight thin longitudinal processes (Ø 100–500 nm) reaching up to several 100 μm in length, mainly originating from lateral sheet‐like cell processes or cell bodies in all tendon types investigated. NTs were observed to distend between tenocyte rows at the same level but also connect cells of different rows, thus leading to a complex 3‐D cellular scaffold. Shorter NTs connected lateral cell sheets of tenocytes in the same row, omitting one or two cells. In addition, we detected links or potential branching of NTs. Cx43 immunostaining for the detection of gap junctions revealed Cx43‐positive foci at the end‐to‐end contacts of tenocyte cell bodies as well as along their contacting sheet‐like processes. Only rarely, we found clear Cx43 signals at their potential contact points between NTs and tendon cells as well as along the course of NTs, and most NTs appeared completely devoid of Cx43 signals. Therefore, we conclude that NTs in tendons could have a twofold function: long‐distance communication as well as stabilization of a mechanically challenged tissue. From in vitro studies it is known that NTs allow intercellular transmission of various cell components, offering potential protective effects for the respective tissue. Further studies on functional properties of NTs in tendons under changing mechanical loading regimens are required in the future. The fact that NTs are present in tendons may necessitate the reconsideration of our traditional understanding of cell‐to‐cell communication.
MDMA Is Not Ecstasy: The Production of Pharmaceutical Safety through Documents in Clinical Trials
Authors: Hendy Katherine 
Published: October 2019

AbstractNonprofit efforts to develop ±3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)—better known as the street drug Ecstasy—as a prescription pharmaceutical provide the opportunity to examine recent theorizations of pharmaceuticals as fluid objects transformed in new informational and material environments. Drawing from ethnographic research, this article interrogates MDMA researchers’ own distinction between MDMA and the street drug Ecstasy. While researchers maintain that pure MDMA is distinct from Ecstasy, this article argues that the difference between the two hangs not on a distinction in substance, but on a distinction in safety that must be produced through the trial. This article tracks the production of safety through the inter‐connected work of clinical documents, which manage both which bodies are allowed to absorb the drug and which bodily events count as effects. MDMA's safety emerges from the careful management of relations through these documentary practices.
Ultrasound‐guided botulinum toxin therapy for deep muscles in cervical dystonia
Authors: Mezaki Takahiro 
Published: October 2019

AbstractBotulinum toxin (BoNT) injection is the established first line of treatment for cervical dystonia, and the accurate injection into target muscles is of paramount importance to improve the treatment outcome. To this purpose, guided injections with the electromyography or the ultrasound (US) are commonly utilized. The current review provides personally invented US‐guided procedures to approach the obliquus capitis inferior (OCI), the semispinalis cervicis, the longissimus capitis, and the rectus capitis posterior major muscles for BoNT injection. Among them the OCI is particularly important because it is a strong head rotator and is an essential target for rotatocollis. The OCI is also involved in no‐no type of dystonic tremor and jaw protrusion (sagittal shift) and should be dealt with as a target of treatment in the routine practice. The US‐guided muscle identification followed by BoNT injection is a fundamental technique particularly for deep cervical muscles. As for the rectus capitis posterior major muscle, however, its demonstration technique with the US seems challenging.
Clinical Efficacy of Three Surgical Approaches for the Treatment of Cervicothoracic Tuberculosis: A Multicenter Retrospective Study
Authors: Wu Wen‐jie , Tang Yong , Lyu Jing‐tong , Yang Sen , Wang Dong‐Gui , Zhang Qiang , Liu Xun , Deng Jie‐zhong , Luo Fei , Hou Tian‐Yong , Xu Jian‐zhong , Zhang Ze‐hua 
Published: October 2019

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of three surgical approaches for the treatment of cervicothoracic tuberculosis.MethodsThis is a multicenter retrospective study. We analyzed 74 patients with cervicothoracic tuberculosis who were treated in six institutions between January 2000 and January 2015. There were 37 male and 37 female patients, with an average age of 24 years (range, 5–62 years). The operative method was selected according to the indications. A total of 33 patients underwent one‐stage anterior surgery (group A); 16 underwent a combined anterior and posterior surgery (group B) and 25 underwent one‐stage posterior surgery (group C). Clinical outcomes, laboratory indexes, and radiological results were analyzed.ResultsAll cases were followed up for approximately 36–96 months post‐surgery (average, 39 months). At the last follow‐up, patients in all three groups had achieved bone fusion, with pain relief and neurological recovery. No major vessel and nerve injuries were found during the operation. There were significant differences before and after treatment for visual analogue scale (VAS), neck disability index (NDI), and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score (P < 0.001). Three surgical strategies significantly improved kyphosis (P < 0.001).ConclusionThe choice of operation for cervicothoracic tuberculosis should be selected based on the pathological changes, scope, and general physical condition of the patient. The indication for a posterior approach is narrow and it should be used selectively. The combined anterior and posterior approach involved a longer operating time, larger blood loss, and greater trauma, and also required a higher level of surgical skill. Therefore, the indications for this approach should be strictly controlled. Anterior approach surgery for the treatment of cervicothoracic tuberculosis showed excellent efficacy and fewer complications.
Does treatment with propranolol affect quality of life in infantile hemangioma patients and their parents?
Authors: de Wild Sabine R. , Moyakine Andre V. , van der Vleuten Catharina J. M. 
Published: October 2019

AbstractThis study compares the quality of life (QoL) of infantile hemangioma (IH) patients and their parents at the beginning of the involution phase with QoL in the growth phase. Additionally, the differences in QoL between propranolol‐treated patients and non‐treated patients are assessed. Overall, QoL seems to improve, even before involution occurs. Due to the efficacy of propranolol treatment, the impact on QoL remains relatively mild even in patients with severe IH.
Migration decisions under ambiguity: Migration distance effects revisited
Authors: Lim Sung Soo 
Published: October 2019

AbstractThere is ample evidence that distance has a strong negative effect on migration. Despite its significance in migration decisions, scholars rarely explore the migration distance effect deeper than the first level of interpretation derived from the simple neoclassical theory of migration. This study revisits the migration distance effect in the spirit of Knightian distinction between risk and uncertainty. To this end, this study attempts to construct estimates of the risk premium migrants are willing to pay to avoid the risk associated with migration distance. The results show that the magnitude of the distance effect is not rationalized by risk aversion in the Arrow–Pratt sense (Arrow, 1965, The theory of risk aversion, Yrjo Jahnssonin Saatio, Helsinki, Finland, 90; Pratt, 1964, Econometrica, 32, 122). In particular, the risk premium demanded by distant rural residents is unjustifiably higher compared with that of those living closer to urban areas in their migration decisions. The results suggest that the migration distance effect is analogous to the equity home bias puzzle and the Ellsberg paradox in that the assumption of subjective expected utility can lead to seemingly irrational human behaviors. Some of the findings in this study shed light on the role of subjective aspects such as perception, confidence, and pessimism in migration decisions, which have been neglected in the literature.
Risk aversion, cooperative membership, and path dependences of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia
Authors: Molla Alemayehu , Beuving Joost , Ruben Ruerd 
Published: October 2019

AbstractSmallholder farmers in Sub‐Saharan Africa often mitigate production risks through cooperative membership: institutionalized arrangements where they pool resources and collectively manage production and marketing chains. Cooperative membership has a significant advantage: it cushions detrimental effects of external forces, placing a premium on a risk‐seeking attitude (experimenting and innovating), which can yield greater accumulation. However, cooperatives are self‐selective institutions: relatively better‐endowed farmers, who are usually less risk‐avoidant than poorer ones (a consequence of their broader material bases), tend to be overrepresented. These two realities complicate the causal assessment of the relationships between risk attitudes, farmers’ socioeconomic status, and cooperative membership that is essential to comprehend the role of cooperatives in local capital accumulation. To help resolve this thorny analytical problem, an experimental study was carried out in eastern Ethiopia—a risky production environment where cooperatives feature prominently and relatively affluent farmers exist alongside poorer ones. It unveils the working of specific path dependences: poorer cooperative members are less risk seeking than nonmembers, but at an interval much less than that observed for affluent farmers. For development policies, this suggests that a greater payoff can be expected from investing in farmers’ material bases than from further improving cooperative membership.
Neutropenia and renal dysfunction due to intravesical cidofovir for virus‐associated hemorrhagic cystitis after kidney and allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantations
Authors: Shimizu Takuya , Kondo Tadakazu , Matsumoto Kana , Hishizawa Masakatsu , Yamashita Kouhei , Takaori‐Kondo Akifumi 
Published: October 2019

AbstractWe present a patient with virus‐associated hemorrhagic cystitis who underwent kidney and allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (allo‐HSCT). Six months post‐allo‐HSCT, adenovirus hemorrhagic cystitis occurred, which has been in remission after a single dose of intravesical cidofovir. This might cause prolonged neutropenia and nephrotoxicity, suggesting cidofovir absorption in the blood.
Risk of intra‐articular injection with longitudinal ultrasound‐guided injection of collateral ligaments of the equine distal interphalangeal joint
Authors: Smith Roger , Parsons Jennifer , Dixon Jonathon 
Published: October 2019

AbstractDesmopathy of the collateral ligaments of the distal interphalangeal joint is a common cause of equine foot lameness and carries a poor prognosis with conservative management. Intralesional injections may improve healing, although accuracy of radiographically guided injections is significantly less than when guided by MRI, which requires special needles. Longitudinal ultrasound‐guided injection of the distal collateral ligament has not been evaluated objectively. In this prospective, anatomic study, seven equine cadaver limbs (14 collateral ligaments) were injected with methylene blue dye and radiographic contrast medium using ultrasound to guide the needle longitudinally into the collateral ligaments until contacting bone. The insertion site of the needle proximal to the coronary band was measured on the limb and the needles left in place for radiography and CT to evaluate the needle angulation, location of the contrast medium, and whether the contrast entered the distal interphalangeal joint. The limbs were frozen and sectioned with a band saw to identify the location of the dye. Fifty percentage of injections were in or around the collateral ligaments. However, the percentage of “successful” injections, defined as in the collateral ligament but not in the joint, was only 36%. All legs had dye and contrast in the joint after both ligaments had been injected. There were no significant differences between the needle angle and entry site for “successful” and “unsuccessful” injections. Findings from this study indicates that the success rate is low for injecting the distal portions of the distal interphalangeal joint collateral ligaments using ultrasound guidance alone.
Universally Applicable Fabrication Technique for Biomimetic Nanocone Arrays on Flexible Polymer Substrates for Anti-Reflection Functionality
Authors: Li Yupeng , Liu Xia , Li Xiaoyu , Zhu Bao , Lei Mingkai , Lakhtakia Akhlesh 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Inspired by the anti-reflection functionality of cicada wings decorated with nanocone arrays, a facile technique to endow flexible polymer substrates of diverse chemical compositions with the same functionalities has been devised. In this universally applicable two-step technique based on a capacitatively coupled radiofrequency plasma (CCRP), first oxygen-plasma treatment (OPT) is implemented to grow arrays of vertical elongated nanostructures with almost uniform cross-sectional diameter of the polymer substrate, and then fluorocarbon polymer deposition (FPD) is carried out so that the nanostructures evolve into nanocones with small apex angle. The dependence of ion-bombardment-induced sputtering on the local impingement angle of ions taper the vertical nanostructures into the nanocones during the FPD under CCRP. The nanocone arrays exhibit low specular reflectance in a broad wavelength range and a wide incidence angle range that is quite insensitive to the polarization state of the incident light. The effective refractive index gradient of irregularly arranged nanocone arrays is characterized from the refractive index of the fluorocarbon polymer and the volume fraction considering the nanocone probability with the Gaussian distribution. The excellent broadband and omnidirectional anti-reflection properties are in consequence of a graded refractive index.
Accelerated Multifidelity Emulator Modeling for Probabilistic Rotor Response Study
Authors: Bae Harok , Boyd Ian M. , Carper Emily B. , Brown Jeff 
Published: October 2019

AbstractThis paper presents an efficient methodology to build a modal solution emulator for the probabilistic study of geometrically mistuned bladed rotors by using the newly developed localized-Galerkin multifidelity (LGMF) modeling and eigensolution reanalysis (ER) with the symmetric successive matrix inversion (SSMI) methods. The key idea of the mistuned blade emulator is to establish a reduced functional relationship between the stochastic geometric variations and the disturbed modal responses. The prediction accuracy of an emulator generally depends on how many training samples of modal solutions are available and how well the potential modal switching due to stochastic mistuning is captured. To reduce the computational costs of generating training samples without sacrificing accuracy, this paper introduces the collaborative framework of the new approaches of multifidelity (MF) modeling and ER. The proposed framework is demonstrated for its computational benefits with several numerical examples including the point-cloud scanned mistuned blade problem.
Modeling Deformation of Corroded Buried Steel Pipes and Design of Protective Measure
Authors: Wordu Alvan H. , Tee Kong Fah , Shafiee Mahmood 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Corrosion damage is reported to be one of the leading causes of steel pipeline failure causing significant financial losses to operators and damage to the surrounding environment. As part of a rising confrontation to pipeline integrity management, researchers are continuously seeking better ways to assist on how to identify, assess, and prevent such incidents. Thus, there is a crucial need to establish a connection between assessment of pipeline condition and its structural stability. To achieve this, a three-dimensional finite element (FE) model is developed. The effects of geometry parameters such as defect thickness and spread angle are considered. Results show that thicker pipelines with corrosion groove perform better structurally than slender equivalents. The impact of corrosion damage is assessed to be significant on pipe stability with pipelines experiencing higher displacement and wall stresses with increasing defect depth and spread angle. A protective measure has been proposed using the buried pipes bedding system. The most critical spread angle is at 60 deg for unprotected pipe sections and 90 deg for bedded protected sections.
Application of Cross Sections Uncertainty Propagation Framework to Light and Heavy Water Reactor Systems
Authors: Huang Dongli , Abdel-Khalik Hany S. 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Uncertainty quantification has been recognized by the community as an essential component of best-estimate reactor analysis simulation because it provides a measure by which the credibility of the simulation can be assessed. In a companion paper, a framework for the propagation of nuclear data uncertainties from the multigroup level through lattice physics and core calculations and ultimately to core responses of interest has been developed. The overarching goal of this framework is to automate the propagation, prioritization, mapping, and reduction of uncertainties for reactor analysis core simulation. This paper employs both heavy and light water reactor systems to exemplify the application of this framework. Specifically, the paper is limited to the propagation of the nuclear data starting with the multigroup cross section covariance matrix and down to core responses, e.g., eigenvalue and power distribution, in steady-state core wide calculations. The goal is to demonstrate how the framework employs reduction techniques to compress the uncertainty space into a very small number of active degrees-of-freedom (DOFs), which renders the overall process computationally feasible for day-to-day engineering evaluations.