bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Scanning electron microscopy examination of needle tips after different procedures of deep dry needling in humans
Authors: Poveda-Pagán Emilio J. , Hernández-Sánchez Sergio , Rhys-Jones-López Luis , Palazón-Bru Antonio , Lozano-Quijada Carlos 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate the tips and the surface conditions of two types of needles with different quality and their possible alterations after performing different needling on human beings. A total of 160 needles from AguPunt brand were examined. Surface conditions (lumps and scratches) and tip of the needles after needling procedures in humans were tested using a JEOL JSM-6360LV microscopy device. Additionally, a group of physiotherapists assessed the use of both types of needles in clinical practice using a self-reported questionnaire. Both types of needles, after performing different needling on human beings, kept the needle tips well preserved although the dry needle (Type B) suffered very little deformation even touching the bone of the scapula 10 times versus acupuncture needle (Type A), which were deformed slightly. The surface conditions revealed irregularities and scratches in both types of needles but the tips of Type A suffered more damage after different procedures (Odds ratio = 0.04,95% CI:0.01–0.13, p < 0.001). The cellular tissue adhered to the surface was similar in both types of needles and the questionnaire about clinical practice of both types of needles showed that Type B seemed easier than Type A when the physical therapist penetrated the skin and when the needle went out the skin.
Possible role of phytoestrogens in breast cancer via GPER-1/GPR30 signaling
Authors: Molina Luis , Bustamante Felipe A. , Bhoola Kanti D. , Figueroa Carlos D. , Ehrenfeld Pamela 
Published: December 2018

Estrogens generated within endocrine organs and the reproductive system act as ligands for at least three types of estrogen receptors. Estrogen receptors α (ERα) and β (ERβ) belong to the so-called classical family of estrogen receptors, whereas the G protein-coupled receptor GPR30, also known as GPER-1, has been described as a novel estrogen receptor sited in the cell membrane of target cells. Furthermore, these receptors are under stimulation of a family of exogenous estrogens, known as phytoestrogens, which are a diverse group of non-steroidal plant compounds derived from plant food consumed by humans and animals. Because phytoestrogens are omnipresent in our daily diet, they are becoming increasingly important in both human health and disease. Recent evidence indicates that in addition to classical estrogen receptors, phytoestrogens also activate GPER-1 a relevant observation since GPER-1 is involved in several physiopathological disorders and especially in estrogen-dependent diseases such as breast cancer.
The first estrogen receptors discovered were the classical ERα and ERβ, but from an evolutionary point of view G protein-coupled receptors trace their origins in history to over a billion years ago suggesting that estrogen receptors like GPER-1 may have been the targets of choice for ancient phytoestrogens and/or estrogens.
This review provides a comprehensive and systematic literature search on phytoestrogens and its relationship with classical estrogen receptors and GPER-1 including its role in breast cancer, an issue still under discussion.
Expanding the Porphycene Core: Modification and Metalation
Authors: Brewster James , Anguera Gonzalo , Sessler Jonathan 
Published: December 2018

Porphycenes, the first structural isomer of porphyrin, display unique chemical and photophysical properties. In this Account, we detail our group’s individual and collaborative efforts in elucidating further the chemical properties of porphycene. Particular emphasis will be placed on recent efforts devoted to expanding the porphycene core.1	Introduction2	Exploring the Chemistry of Porphycene3	Synthesis and Metalation of an Expanded Porphycene4	Conclusion
Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Bisindolylmethane Derivatives
Authors: Petrini Marino , Palmieri Alessandro 
Published: December 2018

This review article summarizes the fundamental synthetic procedures aimed at the preparation of unsymmetrical bisindolylmethanes that have appeared in the literature since 2010. To this goal, reactive electrophilic indole-containing intermediates are mostly generated from indolylmethanols, indolylmethanamines, and indolylmethanthio derivatives and then made to react with simple or functionalized indoles. The asymmetric synthesis of bisindolylmethanes can be also achieved under chiral-catalyzed conditions.1	Introduction2	Direct Three-Component Coupling3	Reaction of Indolylmethanols4	Reaction of Indolylmethanamine Derivatives5	Reaction of 3-Vinylindoles6	Reaction of indolylmethanthio Derivatives7	Bisindolylmethanes by Ring Closure of Alkyne Derivatives8	Miscellaneous Methods9	Conclusion
Right temporal alpha oscillations as a neural mechanism for inhibiting obvious associations
Authors: Luft Caroline Di Bernardi , Zioga Ioanna , Thompson Nicholas M. , Banissy Michael J. , Bhattacharya Joydeep 
Published: December 2018

Significance
“Taking a less-traveled path” is often considered an effective approach to creativity (i.e., creative thinking calls for a break from habitual thinking and associations), yet little is known about its underlying neural mechanism. In a series of four independent experiments involving electrophysiological and brain stimulation methods we provide evidence that this process is mediated by the right temporal alpha oscillations. Alpha oscillations are known to represent a process of active inhibition to suppress irrelevant information, such as inhibiting distractions during visual search. Through monitoring the brain’s electrical activity during different creativity tasks and by stimulating the right temporal brain region at the alpha frequency we show that a similar process of active inhibition is also key to creative thinking.
PF deletion within Chinese DPs
Authors: Chiu Liching Livy 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to study the empty categories which may exist inside the Chinese DP domain. The primary discussion concerns an empty category which results from the deletion of NP. This paper introduces a novel observation that equation sentences with a “Modifier- Empty-NP” object can only result from ellipsis, and cannot be a base-generated pro-Form in Mandarin Chinese. I further show that the rich array of functional elements and modifications in the internal structure of the Chinese DP can aid linguists in ascertaining the domain over which deletion happens.
Race and Labor in Sixteenth-Century Seville through the Prism of Accounting Books (Hijuelas) from the Reales Alcázares
Authors: Beck Lauren 
Published: December 2018

AbstractHijuelasfurnish scholars with more than account balances and bills paid: ledgers such as the ones that detailed the expenses of Seville’s sixteenth-century Alcázar also yield important insight into the facility’s work environment. These hardly studied ledgers describe the workers’ backgrounds, including their wages and any special accommodations they required, as well as the transaction of material goods, which in this period included slaves. The following examination ofhijuelasuncovers the racial and labor realities of a royal property. These documents also challenge established scholarly observations about working life in early modern Seville in important ways.
Sidney’s Legal Patronage and the International Protestant Cause
Authors: Crowley Timothy D. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThis study brings to light a legal treatise from the mid-1580s on diplomatic and royal immunities and the authority of magistrates. Comparison of extant manuscript copies elucidates the work’s authorship by John Hammond, its commission by Sir Philip Sidney, its legal argument, and its textual transmission to those who orchestrated the treason trial of Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1586. Documentary evidence from 1584 to 1585 aligns Sidney with Elizabeth I’s Scottish policy, not directly with the campaign against Mary Stuart. When Sidney commissioned Hammond’s treatise, this study argues, he aimed primarily to prepare himself for anticipated service as a foreign magistrate.
Rites of Reversion: Ceremonial Memory and Community in the Funeral Services for Philip II in the Netherlands (1598)
Authors: Thiry Steven 
Published: December 2018

AbstractPhilip II’s death in September 1598 coincided with the restoration of Habsburg authority in the southern Low Countries after decades of revolt. Local obsequies for the deceased ruler therefore reclaimed ecclesiastical infrastructure and revived urban cohesion. In contrast to previous funerals, the Brussels service did not significantly stage a transfer of power. Instead, by selectively drawing on traces of former ceremonies, particularly Charles V’s 1558 funeral, the ritual overcame the recent upheavals and soothed the anxieties surrounding the cession of sovereignty to the archdukes. Simultaneously, each important urban center also staged its own ceremonial, thereby stressing local privilege.
Passage Adaptation Correlates With the Reduced Efficacy of the Influenza Vaccine
Authors: Chen Hui , Alvarez Jacob Josiah Santiago , Ng Sock Hoon , Nielsen Rasmus , Zhai Weiwei 
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Background
As a dominant seasonal influenza virus, H3N2 virus rapidly evolves in humans and is a constant threat to public health. Despite sustained research efforts, the efficacy of H3N2 vaccine has decreased rapidly. Even though antigenic drift and passage adaptation (substitutions accumulated during vaccine production in embryonated eggs) have been implicated in reduced vaccine efficacy (VE), their respective contributions to the phenomenon remain controversial.

Methods
We utilized mutational mapping, a powerful probabilistic method for studying sequence evolution, to analyze patterns of substitutions in different passage conditions for an unprecedented amount of H3N2 hemagglutinin sequences (n = 32 278).

Results
We found that passage adaptation in embryonated eggs is driven by repeated convergent evolution over 12 codons. Based on substitution patterns at these sites, we developed a metric, adaptive distance (AD), to quantify the strength of passage adaptation and subsequently identified a strong negative correlation between AD and VE.

Conclusions
The high correlation between AD and VE implies that passage adaptation in embryonated eggs may be a strong contributor to the recent reduction in H3N2 VE. We developed a computational package called MADE (Measuring Adaptive Distance and vaccine Efficacy based on allelic barcodes) to measure the strength of passage adaptation and predict the efficacy of a candidate vaccine strain. Our findings shed light on strategies for reducing Darwinian evolution within the passaging medium in order to potentially restore an effective vaccine program in the future.
Utilization of Vector Autoregressive and Linear Transfer Models to Follow Up the Antibiotic Resistance Spiral in Gram-negative Bacteria From Cephalosporin Consumption to Colistin Resistance
Authors: Tóth Hajnalka , Fésűs Adina , Kungler-Gorácz Orsolya , Balázs Bence , Majoros László , Szarka Krisztina , Kardos Gábor 
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Background
Increasing antibiotic resistance may reciprocally affect consumption and lead to use of broader-spectrum alternatives; a vicious cycle that may gradually limit therapeutic options. Our aim in this study was to demonstrate this vicious cycle in gram-negative bacteria and show the utility of vector autoregressive (VAR) models for time-series analysis in explanatory and dependent roles simultaneously.

Methods
Monthly drug consumption data in defined daily doses per 100 bed-days and incidence densities of gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii) resistant to cephalosporins or to carbapenems were analyzed using VAR models. These were compared to linear transfer models used earlier.

Results
In case of all gram-negative bacteria, cephalosporin consumption led to increasing cephalosporin resistance, which provoked carbapenem use and consequent carbapenem resistance and finally increased colistin consumption, exemplifying the vicious cycle. Different species were involved in different ways. For example, cephalosporin-resistant Klebsiella spp. provoked carbapenem use less than E. coli, and the association between carbapenem resistance of P. aeruginosa and colistin use was weaker than that of A. baumannii. Colistin use led to decreased carbapenem use and decreased carbapenem resistance of P. aeruginosa but not of A. baumannii.

Conclusions
VAR models allow analysis of consumption and resistance series in a bidirectional manner. The reconstructed resistance spiral involved cephalosporin use augmenting cephalosporin resistance primarily in E. coli. This led to increased carbapenem use, provoking spread of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii and consequent colistin use. Emergence of panresistance is fueled by such antibiotic-resistance spirals.
Penis size and sperm quality, are all bats grey in the dark?
Authors: Fasel Nicolas Jean , Kołodziej-Sobocińska Marta , Komar Ewa , Zegarek Marcin , Ruczyński Ireneusz 
Published: December 2018

AbstractPenises play a key role in sperm transport and in stimulating female genitals. This should impact post-copulatory competition, and expose penis characteristics to sexual selective pressures. Studies of male genitalia have repeatedly reported negative static allometries, which mean that, within species, large males have disproportionally small genitals when compared with smaller individuals. Males of some sperm-storing bat species may stand as an exception to such a pattern by arousing from hibernation to copulate with torpid females. The selection for large penises might take place, if a long organ provides advantages during post-copulatory competition and/or if females have evolved mechanisms allowing the choice of sire, relying on characters other than pre-copulatory traits (e.g., penis size). In this study, we measured dimensions of the erected penis in 4 sperm-storing bat species. Furthermore, we collected sperm and evaluated the link between penis dimensions and sperm velocity. Our results revealed steep allometric slopes of the erected penis length in Barbastella barbastellus and an inverse allometry of penis head width in Myotis nattereri. More detailed studies of copulatory behavior are urgently needed to explain the range of observed scaling relations. Furthermore, penis head width correlates with sperm velocity in Plecotus auritus. For this last species, we propose that penis shape might act as a marker of male fertility.
Financial Fraud Among Older Americans: Evidence and Implications
Authors: DeLiema Marguerite , Deevy Martha , Lusardi Annamaria , Mitchell Olivia S 
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Objectives
The consequences of poor financial capability at older ages are serious and include making mistakes with credit, spending retirement assets too quickly, and being defrauded by financial predators. Because older persons are at or past the peak of their wealth accumulation, they are often the targets of fraud.

Methods
Our project analyzes a module we developed and fielded on people aged 50 an older years in the 2016 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Using this data set, we evaluated the incidence and prospective risk factors (measured in 2010) for investment fraud and prize/lottery fraud using logistic regression (N = 1,220).

Results
Relatively few HRS respondents mentioned any single form of fraud over the prior 5 years, but 5.0% reported at least one form of investment fraud and 4.4% recounted prize/lottery fraud. Greater wealth (nonhousing) was associated with investment fraud, whereas lower housing wealth and symptoms of depression were associated with prize/lottery fraud. Hispanics were significantly less likely to report either type of fraud. Other suspected risk factors—low social integration and financial literacy—were not significant.

Discussion
Fraud is a complex phenomenon and no single factor uniquely predicts victimization across different types, even within the category of investment fraud. Prevention programs should educate consumers about various types of fraud and increase awareness among financial services professionals.
Religious Participation and Mortality Risk in Mexico
Authors: Hill Terrence D , Saenz Joseph L , Rote Sunshine M 
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Objectives
Although research suggests that religious involvement tends to favor longevity, most of this work has been conducted in the United States. This article explores the association between religious participation and all-cause mortality risk in Mexico.

Methods
We used data from the 2003–2015 Mexican Health and Aging Study (n = 14,743) and Cox proportional hazard regression models to assess the association between religious participation and all-cause mortality risk.

Results
Our key finding is that older Mexicans who participate once or more per week in religious activities tend to exhibit a 19% reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality than those who never participate. This estimate persisted with adjustments for health selection (chronic disease burden, activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, cognitive functioning, and depressive symptoms), several potential mediators (social support, smoking, and drinking), and a range of sociodemographic characteristics. Although we observed considerable health selection due to physical health and cognitive functioning, we found no evidence of mediation.

Discussion
Our results confirm that religious participation is associated with lower all-cause mortality risk among older adults in Mexico. Our analyses contribute to previous research by replicating and extending the external validity of studies conducted in the United States, Israel, Denmark, Finland, and Taiwan.
Re-assembly, quality evaluation, and annotation of 678 microbial eukaryotic reference transcriptomes
Authors: Johnson Lisa K , Alexander Harriet , Brown C Titus 
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Background
De novo transcriptome assemblies are required prior to analyzing RNA sequencing data from a species without an existing reference genome or transcriptome. Despite the prevalence of transcriptomic studies, the effects of using different workflows, or “pipelines," on the resulting assemblies are poorly understood. Here, a pipeline was programmatically automated and used to assemble and annotate raw transcriptomic short-read data collected as part of the Marine Microbial Eukaryotic Transcriptome Sequencing Project. The resulting transcriptome assemblies were evaluated and compared against assemblies that were previously generated with a different pipeline developed by the National Center for Genome Research.

Results
New transcriptome assemblies contained the majority of previous contigs as well as new content. On average, 7.8% of the annotated contigs in the new assemblies were novel gene names not found in the previous assemblies. Taxonomic trends were observed in the assembly metrics. Assemblies from the Dinoflagellata showed a higher number of contigs and unique k-mers than transcriptomes from other phyla, while assemblies from Ciliophora had a lower percentage of open reading frames compared to other phyla.

Conclusions
Given current bioinformatics approaches, there is no single “best” reference transcriptome for a particular set of raw data. As the optimum transcriptome is a moving target, improving (or not) with new tools and approaches, automated and programmable pipelines are invaluable for managing the computationally intensive tasks required for re-processing large sets of samples with revised pipelines and ensuring a common evaluation workflow is applied to all samples. Thus, re-assembling existing data with new tools using automated and programmable pipelines may yield more accurate identification of taxon-specific trends across samples in addition to novel and useful products for the community.
Neutrophil-mediated antifungal activity against highly virulent Cryptococcus gattii strain R265
Authors: Ueno Keigo , Yanagihara Nao , Otani Yoshiko , Shimizu Kiminori , Kinjo Yuki , Miyazaki Yoshitsugu 
Published: December 2018

AbstractVaccine-induced immune responses, including neutrophil, macrophage, and T-cell responses, ameliorate cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus gattii. However, whether neutrophils can exert fungicidal activity against C. gattii remains to be elucidated. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the neutrophil-mediated fungicidal effect against C. gattii R265 in vitro and compared it to the related fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans standard strain H99. We found that neutrophils recognized, phagocytosed, and killed C. gattii R265 in the presence of fresh mouse serum. This antifungal effect required phagocytosis and serine protease activity but not nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity. We also demonstrated that C. gattii R265 was more resistant to oxidative and nitrosative stress than C. neoformans H99. Together, these findings indicate that neutrophils can exert fungicidal activity against highly virulent C. gattii, at least under in vitro conditions.
Collagen density regulates the activity of tumor-infiltrating T cells
Authors: Kuczek Dorota E , Larsen Anne Mette H , Carretta Marco , Kalvisa Adrija , Siersbæk Majken S , Simões Ana Micaela C , Roslind Anne , Engelholm Lars H , Donia Marco , Svane Inge Marie , Straten Per thor , Grøntved Lars , Madsen Daniel H 
Published: December 2018

AbstractBackgroundTumor progression is accompanied by dramatic remodeling of the surrounding extracellular matrix leading to the formation of a tumor-specific ECM, which is often more collagen-rich and of increased stiffness. The altered ECM of the tumor supports cancer growth and metastasis, but it is unknown if this effect involves modulation of T cell activity. To investigate if a high-density tumor-specific ECM could influence the ability of T cells to kill cancer cells, we here studied how T cells respond to 3D culture in different collagen densities.MethodsT cells cultured in 3D conditions surrounded by a high or low collagen density were imaged using confocal fluorescent microscopy. The effects of the different collagen densities on T cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation were examined using flow cytometry. Cancer cell proliferation in similar 3D conditions was also measured. Triple-negative breast cancer specimens were analyzed for the number of infiltrating CD8+ T cells and for the collagen density. Whole-transcriptome analyses were applied to investigate in detail the effects of collagen density on T cells. Computational analyses were used to identify transcription factors involved in the collagen density-induced gene regulation. Observed changes were confirmed by qRT-PCR analysis.ResultsT cell proliferation was significantly reduced in a high-density matrix compared to a low-density matrix and prolonged culture in a high-density matrix led to a higher ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ T cells. The proliferation of cancer cells was unaffected by the surrounding collagen-density. Consistently, we observed a reduction in the number of infiltrating CD8+ T-cells in mammary tumors with high collagen-density indicating that collagen-density has a role in regulating T cell abundance in human breast cancer.Whole-transcriptome analysis of 3D-cultured T cells revealed that a high-density matrix induces downregulation of cytotoxic activity markers and upregulation of regulatory T cell markers. These transcriptional changes were predicted to involve autocrine TGF-B signaling and they were accompanied by an impaired ability of tumor-infiltrating T cells to kill autologous cancer cells.ConclusionsOur study identifies a new immune modulatory mechanism, which could be essential for suppression of T cell activity in the tumor microenvironment.