bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Layer‐specific longitudinal strain in Anderson–Fabry disease at diagnosis: A speckle tracking echocardiography analysis
Authors: Esposito Roberta , Santoro Ciro , Sorrentino Regina , Riccio Eleonora , Citro Rodolfo , Buonauro Agostino , Di Risi Teodolinda , Imbriaco Massimo , Trimarco Bruno , Pisani Antonio , Galderisi Maurizio ,   the Anderson‐Fabry Federico II Naples, ITalY (AFFINIITY) Group
Published: June 2019

AbstractBackgroundSpeckle tracking advancements make now available the analysis of layer‐specific myocardial deformation. This study investigated multilayer longitudinal strain in Anderson–Fabry disease (AFD) patients at diagnosis.MethodsIn a case–control study, 33 newly diagnosed, untreated AFD patients and 33 healthy age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls underwent a complete echocardiogram, including assessment of left ventricular (LV) transmural global longitudinal strain (GLS), subendocardial longitudinal strain (LSsubendo), subepicardial longitudinal strain (LSsubepi), and strain gradient (LSsubendo–LSsubpepi).ResultsAnderson–Fabry disease patients had similar blood pressure, heart rate, and ejection fraction but higher body mass index in comparison with controls. LV mass index, maximal, and relative wall thickness were significantly greater in AFD patients. LSsubendo was significantly higher than LSsubepi in both groups, but GLS (P < 0.0001), LSsubendo (P = 0.003), and particularly LSsubepi (21.4 ± 1.7 vs 18.8 ± 1.4%, P < 0.0001) were lower in AFD patients than in controls. Accordingly, LS gradient was higher in AFD patients (P = 0.003). Three patients symptomatic for dyspnoea presented a combination of LV hypertrophy and reduced LSsubepi. After adjusting for confounders by multivariate analyses, LV mass index or maximal wall thickness were independently and inversely associated with transmural GLS and LSsubepi, but not with LSsubendo in the AFD group. At receiver operating curve curves, LSsubepi best discriminated AFD and normals.ConclusionsIn newly diagnosed, untreated AFD patients, layer‐specific strain imaging highlights an impairment of LV longitudinal deformation, mainly involving subepicardial strain and causing increase in longitudinal strain myocardial gradient. These findings could be useful for identifying the mechanisms underlying early LV dysfunction in AFD patients.
Bilateral absence of the superior vena cava presenting with superior vena cava syndrome: A case report
Authors: Zhang Luni , Zhang Li , Wang Hui , Chen Libo 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBilateral absence of the superior vena cava (SVC) is a very rare congenital vascular anomaly that is mainly asymptomatic. In this report, we describe an adult male patient with bilateral absence of the SVC presenting with SVC syndrome. Blood from the upper body returned to the right atrium via the superficial thoracoepigastric veins, the great saphenous veins, the common femoral veins, and the inferior vena cava.
Mutualistic networks: moving closer to a predictive theory
Authors: Valdovinos Fernanda S. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractPlant–animal mutualistic networks sustain terrestrial biodiversity and human food security. Global environmental changes threaten these networks, underscoring the urgency for developing a predictive theory on how networks respond to perturbations. Here, I synthesise theoretical advances towards predicting network structure, dynamics, interaction strengths and responses to perturbations. I find that mathematical models incorporating biological mechanisms of mutualistic interactions provide better predictions of network dynamics. Those mechanisms include trait matching, adaptive foraging, and the dynamic consumption and production of both resources and services provided by mutualisms. Models incorporating species traits better predict the potential structure of networks (fundamental niche), while theory based on the dynamics of species abundances, rewards, foraging preferences and reproductive services can predict the extremely dynamic realised structures of networks, and may successfully predict network responses to perturbations. From a theoretician's standpoint, model development must more realistically represent empirical data on interaction strengths, population dynamics and how these vary with perturbations from global change. From an empiricist's standpoint, theory needs to make specific predictions that can be tested by observation or experiments. Developing models using short‐term empirical data allows models to make longer term predictions of community dynamics. As more longer term data become available, rigorous tests of model predictions will improve.
Inter‐ and intraobserver agreement of programmed death ligand 1 scoring in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, urothelial carcinoma and breast carcinoma
Authors: Downes Michelle R , Slodkowska Elzbieta , Katabi Nora , Jungbluth Achim A , Xu Bin 
Published: June 2019

AimsProgrammed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) expression by tumour cells (TC) is a mechanism for tumour immune escape through down‐regulation of antitumour T cell responses and is a target for immunotherapy. PD‐L1 status as a predictor of treatment response has led to the development of multiple biomarkers with different reference cut‐offs. We assessed pathologist consistency in evaluating PD‐L1 immunopositivity by examining the inter‐ and intraobserver agreement using various antibody clones and different cancer types.Methods and resultsPD‐L1 expression in TC and immune cells (IC) was manually scored in 27 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC), 30 urothelial carcinoma (UC) and breast carcinoma (BC) using three commercial clones (SP263, SP142, 22C3) and one platform‐independent test (E1L3N). For interobserver agreement, PD‐L1 status was evaluated blindly by three pathologists. For intraobserver agreement, PD‐L1 expression was re‐evaluated following a wash‐out period. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), overall percentage agreement (OPA) and κ‐values were calculated. Using clinical algorithms, the percentage of PD‐L1‐positive cases in HSCC, BC and UC were 15–81%, 47–67% and 7–43%, respectively. The percentage of PD‐L1 positive cases relied heavily on the algorithm/cut‐off values used. Almost perfect interobserver agreement was achieved using SP263 and E1L3N in HSCC, 22C3, SP142 and E1L3N in BC and 22C3 in UC. The SP142 clone in UC and HSCC showed moderate agreement and was associated with lower ICC and decreased intraobserver concordance.ConclusionsExcellent inter‐ and intraobserver agreement can be achieved using SP263, 22C3 and E1L3N, whereas PD‐L1 scoring using SP142 clone is associated with a higher level of subjectivity.
The effects of thioacetamide/copper molar ratio and reaction time on the phase evolution, morphology, optical, and photocatalytic properties of the nanosheets‐based flower‐like copper sulfide
Authors: Sabaghi Vahid , Davar Fatemeh , Sadat Nabi Ali , Hasani Saeed 
Published: June 2019

AbstractIn this paper, various morphologies including spherical and flower‐like nanosheets‐based CuS were synthesized by the green hydrothermal synthesis method. Copper (II) nitrate trihydrate and thioacetamide (TAM) were selected as a Cu2+ and sulfur source, respectively. The effects of TAM/Cu molar ratio and reaction time on the phase and morphological evolution of the samples were studied. For this purpose, the samples were distinguished by FT‐IR, FE‐SEM, XRD, and ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy. The photocatalytic and optical properties of the products were evaluated. It was found that self‐organized nanoflower(SONF) structures exhibit very good photocatalyst efficiency to degrade organic dye due to a significant increase in their surface area because of decorated nanosheets on the sample. Therefore, the SONF structures exhibited a very suitable potential as the photocatalyst agents.
Effects of SiC content on the densification, microstructure, and mechanical properties of HfB2–SiC composites
Authors: Baharvandi Hamid Reza , Mashayekh Sadjad 
Published: June 2019

AbstractTo investigate the effects of SiC on microstructure, hardness, and fracture toughness, 0, 10, 20, and 30 vol% SiC were added to HfB2 and sintered by SPS. Upon adding SiC to 30 vol%, relative density increased about 4%; but HfB2 grain growth had a minimum at 20 vol% SiC. This may be due to grain boundary silicate glass, responsible for surface oxide wash out, enriched in SiO2 with higher fraction of SiC. By SiO2 enrichment, the glass viscosity increased and higher HfO2 remained unsolved which subsequently lead to higher grain growth. Hardness has increased from about 13 to 15 GPa by SiC introduction with no sensible variation with SiC increase. Residual stress measurements by Rietveld method indicated high levels of tensile residual stresses in the HfB2 Matrix. Despite the peak residual stress value at 20 vol% SiC, fracture toughness of this sample was the highest (6.43 MPa m0.5) which implied that fracture toughness is mainly a grain size function. Tracking crack trajectory showed a mainly trans‐granular fracture, but grain boundaries imposed a partial deflection on the crack pathway. SiC had a higher percentage in fracture surface images than the cross‐section which implied a weak crack deflection.
The effect of ultraviolet modification of Acetobacter xylinum (CGMCC No. 7431) and the use of coconut milk on the yield and quality of bacterial cellulose
Authors: Liu Dong‐mei , Yao Kun , Li Jia‐hui , Huang Yan‐yan , Brennan Charles S. , Chen Si‐min , Wu Hui , Zeng Xin‐An , Brennan Margaret , Li Li 
Published: June 2019

SummaryThis paper reports on the treatment of Acetobacter xylinum (CGMCC No. 7431) by ultraviolet (UV) to investigate the role of mutagenesis on the production of cellulose. When Acetobacter xylinum was treated at intervals of UV mutagenesis, the treatment times of 3 and 4 min formed more compact bacterial cellulose. The activation conditions, including the medium nutrients that affected the yield of bacterial cellulose, were investigated including the use of coconut milk. The optimal yield of bacterial cellulose was 43.91 ± 3.89 g L−1, which was 1.22 times higher than that obtained from the wild type without any treatment. The experimental results suggested that different UV factors could significantly affect the yield of bacterial cellulose. The resulting bacterial cellulose has a potential as a novel functional food material.
Assessing students' conceptual understanding using an online three‐tier diagnostic test
Authors: Yang Der‐Ching , Sianturi Iwan Andi J. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractWhen solving a mathematical problem, students who do not have sufficient conceptual understanding may perform poorly and exhibit misconceptions. This study was aimed to examine students' conceptual understanding and significant misconceptions when solving number sense‐related problems. An online three‐tier diagnostic test was administered to 125 fifth‐grade students with varied socio‐economic backgrounds in Hong Kong. Only 14.40% of the students exhibited high performance with high confidence, indicating that these students had a profound conceptual understanding of number sense. In addition, the majority of the students (66.40%) did not demonstrate number sense; these students exhibited several significant misconceptions and could solve the questions only by using a rule‐based method or guessing. Accordingly, most students performed unsatisfactorily on number sense‐related problems. This study is imperative in identifying early predictors and provides information for further compatible interventions in the teaching and learning of number sense in Hong Kong in particular and worldwide in general.
Difference in 24‐hour urine sodium excretion between controlled and uncontrolled patients on antihypertensive drug treatment
Authors: Rhee Moo‐Yong , Jo Sang‐Ho , Kim Ji‐Hyun , Kim Kwang‐Il , Nah Deuk‐Young , Kim Sun‐Woong , Gu Namyi , Sung Ki‐Chul , Hong Kyung‐Soon , Cho Eun‐Joo , Lee Sim‐Yeol 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThe objective of this study was to evaluate the association between sodium intake and blood pressure (BP) control in hypertensive patients taking antihypertensive medications by using 24‐hour urine collection and 24‐hour ambulatory BP. This is a cross‐sectional community‐based study and conducted in 2011 and 2012. A total of 1128 participants were recruited from five cities in Korea. Among them, 740 participants who had complete 24‐hour urine collection and valid 24‐hour ambulatory BP data were included in this study. Participants were divided into four groups: normotensives (NT, n = 441), untreated hypertensive patients (UTHT, n = 174), controlled hypertensive patients (CHT, n = 62), and uncontrolled hypertensive patients (UCHT, n = 63). UCHT and CHT groups showed higher mean age than NT and UTHT groups. UCHT and UTHT groups showed higher 24‐hour systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) than NT and CHT groups. UCHT group had the highest level of 24‐hour urine sodium. Multivariate analysis adjusted with age, gender, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and use of diuretics showed higher level of 24‐hour urine sodium in UCHT group than that in CHT group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed independent association of the amount of 24‐hour urine sodium with uncontrolled BP in hypertensive patients on antihypertensive drug treatment. Higher level of 24‐hour urine sodium excretion in uncontrolled hypertensive patients suggests that excessive sodium intake could be associated with blunted BP lowering efficacy of antihypertensive medications.
Local but not systemic administration of mesenchymal stromal cells ameliorates fibrogenesis in regenerating livers
Authors: van der Helm Danny , Barnhoorn Marieke C. , de Jonge‐Muller Eveline S. M. , Molendijk Ilse , Hawinkels Luuk J. A. C. , Coenraad Minneke J. , van Hoek Bart , Verspaget Hein W. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractChronic liver injury leads to the accumulation of myofibroblasts resulting in increased collagen deposition and hepatic fibrogenesis. Treatments specifically targeting fibrogenesis are not yet available. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are fibroblast‐like stromal (stem) cells, which stimulate tissue regeneration and modulate immune responses. In the present study we assessed whether liver fibrosis and cirrhosis can be reversed by treatment with MSCs or fibroblasts concomitant to partial hepatectomy (pHx)‐induced liver regeneration. After carbon tetrachloride‐induced fibrosis and cirrhosis, mice underwent a pHx and received either systemically or locally MSCs in one of the two remaining fibrotic/cirrhotic liver lobes. Eight days after treatment, liver fibrogenesis was evaluated by Sirius‐red staining for collagen deposition. A significant reduction of collagen content in the locally treated lobes of the regenerated fibrotic and cirrhotic livers was observed in mice that received high dose MSCs. In the non‐MSC‐treated counterpart liver lobes no changes in collagen deposition were observed. Local fibroblast administration or intravenous administration of MSCs did not ameliorate fibrosis. To conclude, local administration of MSCs after pHx, in contrast to fibroblasts, results in a dose‐dependent on‐site reduction of collagen deposition in mouse models for liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.
Sperm morphology and evidence for sperm competition among parrots
Authors: Carballo Luisana , Battistotti Alessandra , Teltscher Kim , Lierz Michael , Bublat Andreas , Valcu Mihai , Kempenaers Bart 
Published: June 2019

AbstractSperm competition is an important component of post‐copulatory sexual selection that has shaped the evolution of sperm morphology. Previous studies have reported that sperm competition has a concurrently directional and stabilizing effect on sperm size. For example, bird species that show higher levels of extrapair paternity and larger testes (proxies for the intensity of sperm competition) have longer sperm and lower coefficients of variation in sperm length, both within and between males. For this reason, these sperm traits have been proposed as indexes to estimate the level of sperm competition in species for which other measures are not available. The relationship between sperm competition and sperm morphology has been explored mostly for bird species that breed in temperate zones, with the main focus on passerine birds. We measured sperm morphology in 62 parrot species that breed mainly in the tropics and related variation in sperm length to life‐history traits potentially indicative of the level of sperm competition. We showed that sperm length negatively correlated with the within‐male coefficient of variation in sperm length and positively with testes mass. We also showed that sperm is longer in sexually dichromatic and in gregarious species. Our results support the general validity of the hypothesis that sperm competition drives variation in sperm morphology. Our analyses suggest that post‐copulatory sexual selection is also important in tropical species, with more intense sperm competition among sexually dichromatic species and among species that breed at higher densities.
Nativity as a Moderator of Familial and Nonfamilial Correlates of Latino/a Youth Prosocial Behaviors
Authors: Streit Cara , Carlo Gustavo 
Published: June 2019

Familial and nonfamilial relations play prominent roles in fostering youths’ prosocial tendencies. The present study examined the direct and indirect relations among family conflict, parental and peer acceptance, deviant peer affiliation, and prosocial tendencies. Participants included 306 (53.8% female, Mage = 15.50, SD = .42; range = 14–18) U.S. Latino/a adolescents and their parents (87.9% mothers). The majority of adolescents were born in the United States (N = 206, 68.0%; average time in United States = 10 years) and identified as a Mexican heritage group member (N = 248, 81.0%). Findings differed by nativity as parental acceptance predicted prosocial tendencies for U.S. Latinos/as born outside the United States and peers were significant predictors of prosocial tendencies for U.S.‐born Latino/as.
Asthmatic children from lower‐income families are less likely to own an individualised asthma action plan
Authors: Harrison Philippa , Duggan William , Preddy John , Moline Adrienne 
Published: June 2019

AimThis study aimed to explore the relationship between indicators of socio‐economic status (SES) and prescription of a paediatric individualised asthma action plan (IAAP), as well as compliance with that plan.MethodsBetween May and September 2017, parents/carers of children aged 2–16 years who presented with acute respiratory symptoms and a prior diagnosis of asthma to the emergency department at one regional and one metropolitan hospital in NSW, Australia, were invited to participate in a questionnaire‐based study.ResultsA total of 175 eligible participants were identified, of which 113 completed the questionnaire. Eighty‐seven children had been prescribed an IAAP (77%). Forty‐nine parents/carers reported non‐compliance with that plan (56.3%). Children from low‐ to middle‐income families were significantly less likely to have a plan (P = 0.001). Being an only child was associated with greater IAAP compliance (P = 0.007) and better asthma control (P = 0.035). No significant relationship between other indicators of SES and rates of plan ownership or compliance was demonstrated.ConclusionAlthough relatively high in our study sample, IAAP ownership rates remain well below published guidelines. Given the income‐based disparity in plan ownership, physicians must routinely prescribe plans to all asthmatics. Strategies to ensure IAAP ownership and promote their use, especially in the public health sector, would be valuable. Repeating a similar study with a larger sample size will allow more robust conclusions to be drawn regarding the impact of parental SES on compliance.
A Quality of Life Perspective on the New Eugenics
Authors: Brown Ivan , Brown Roy I. , Schippers Alice 
Published: June 2019

AbstractQuality of life is a concept that has had robust development and application in the field of intellectual disability in recent decades. It functions as an apt goal for individuals to enhance their lives, as well as for policy and disability support. Quality of life helps address ethical issues by acting as a key guidepost in ethical considerations. Current philosophical and human rights approaches to disability support the view that intellectual disability is no reason to assume poor quality of life. Moreover, individuals with intellectual disabilities themselves typically rate their own quality of life quite high. Similarly, families perceive disability as contributing to family quality of life in some ways, although this is tempered by social constructs, especially normalcy, that support marginalization and discrimination. Disability Studies, and critical disability theory that constitutes much of its foundation, offer an alternative perspective of intellectual disability that values its contribution to larger society‐intellectual disability as a positive and necessary aspect of the diversity within the human mosaic. It is argued that this perspective of intellectual disability negates the necessity of new eugenics practices.
Floristic composition and endemism pattern of vascular plants in Ethiopia and Eritrea
Authors: Wang Sheng‐Wei , Boru Biyansa Hirpo , Njogu Antony Waigwa , Ochola Anne Christine , Hu Guang‐Wan , Zhou Ya‐Dong , Wang Qing‐Feng 
Published: June 2019

AbstractTraditional attempts to delineate floristic regions are typically based on the qualitative analysis of species distribution, often ignoring the phylogenetic relationships among their taxa. Ethiopia and Eritrea are in the Horn of Africa, known as one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. We quantitatively classified the flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea into meaningful geographical units by analyzing the taxonomic and phylogenetic β‐diversity at genera, total species, and endemic species levels at a scale of 0.5° × 0.5° grid cells. Hierarchical clustering was used to quantitatively delimitate the flora and analysis of similarities was used to test the significant difference between the derived groups in taxonomic composition and phylogenetic relatedness. In total, two floristic subprovinces, five floristic districts, and 13 floristic subdistricts, as well as three centers of species endemism associated with three floristic subdistricts were identified. Our results also showed that the species diversity, endemism, and turnover of the highlands in Ethiopia and Eritrea were much higher than the lowlands, indicating that the floristic differences are closely related to the topography of the East African Rift. In this study, we provided a scientific framework for the composition and relationships of the floristic units in the Horn of Africa, and similarly provided a scientific basis for better conservation of the diversity in this region.