bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Chronic toxicity of aluminum, at a pH of 6, to freshwater organisms: Empirical data for the development of international regulatory standards/criteria
Authors: Cardwell Allison S. , Adams William J. , Gensemer Robert W. , Nordheim Eirik , Santore Robert C. , Ryan Adam C. , Stubblefield William A. 
Published: July 2017

Abstract

The chemistry, bioavailability, and toxicity of aluminum (Al) in the aquatic environment are complex and affected by a wide range of water quality characteristics (including pH, hardness, and dissolved organic carbon). Data gaps in Al ecotoxicology exist for pH ranges representative of natural surface waters (pH 6–8). To address these gaps, a series of chronic toxicity tests were performed at pH 6 with 8 freshwater species, including 2 fish (Pimephales promelas and Danio rerio), an oligochaete (Aeolosoma sp.), a rotifer (Brachionus calyciflorus), a snail (Lymnaea stagnalis), an amphipod (Hyalella azteca), a midge (Chironomus riparius), and an aquatic plant (Lemna minor). The 10% effect concentrations (EC10s) ranged from 98 μg total Al/L for D. rerio to 2175 μg total Al/L for L. minor. From these data and additional published data, species-sensitivity distributions (SSDs) were developed to derive concentrations protective of 95% of tested species (i.e., 50% lower confidence limit of a 5th percentile hazard concentration [HC5-50]). A generic HC5-50 (not adjusted for bioavailability) of 74.4 μg total Al/L was estimated using the SSD. An Al-specific biotic ligand model (BLM) was used to develop SSDs normalized for bioavailability based on site-specific water quality characteristics. Normalized HC5-50s ranged from 93.7 to 534 μg total Al/L for waters representing a range of European ecoregions, whereas a chronic HC5 calculated using US Environmental Protection Agency aquatic life criteria methods (i.e., a continuous criterion concentration [CCC]) was 125 μg total Al/L when normalized to Lake Superior water in the United States. The HC5-50 and CCC values for site-specific waters other than those in the present study can be obtained using the Al BLM. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:36–48. © 2017 SETAC
Evaluation of infiltration‐based stormwater management to restore hydrological processes in urban headwater streams
Authors: Fanelli Rosemary , Prestegaard Karen , Palmer Margaret 
Published: July 2017

AbstractUrbanization threatens headwater stream ecosystems globally. Watershed restoration practices, such as infiltration‐based stormwater management, are implemented to mitigate the detrimental effects of urbanization on aquatic ecosystems. However, their effectiveness for restoring hydrologic processes and watershed storage remains poorly understood. Our study used a comparative hydrology approach to quantify the effects of urban watershed restoration on watershed hydrologic function in headwater streams within the Coastal Plain of Maryland, USA. We selected 11 headwater streams that spanned an urbanization–restoration gradient (4 forested, 4 urban‐degraded, and 3 urban‐degraded) to evaluate changes in watershed hydrologic function from both urbanization and watershed restoration. Discrete discharge and continuous, high‐frequency rainfall‐stage monitoring were conducted in each watershed. These datasets were used to develop 6 hydrologic metrics describing changes in watershed storage, flowpath connectivity, or the resultant stream flow regime. The hydrological effects of urbanization were clearly observed in all metrics, but only 1 of the 3 restored watersheds exhibited partially restored hydrologic function. At this site, a larger minimum runoff threshold was observed relative to the urban‐degraded watersheds, suggesting enhanced infiltration of stormwater runoff within the restoration structure. However, baseflow in the stream draining this watershed remained low compared to the forested reference streams, suggesting that enhanced infiltration of stormwater runoff did not recharge subsurface storage zones contributing to stream baseflow. The highly variable responses among the 3 restored watersheds were likely due to the spatial heterogeneity of urban development, including the level of impervious cover and extent of the storm sewer network. This study yielded important knowledge on how restoration strategies, such as infiltration‐based stormwater management, modulated—or failed to modulate—hydrological processes affected by urbanization, which will help improve the design of future urban watershed management strategies. More broadly, we highlighted a multimetric approach that can be used to monitor the restoration of headwater stream ecosystems in disturbed landscapes.
Catchment‐scale conceptual modelling of water and solute transport in the dual flow system of the karst critical zone
Authors: Zhang Zhicai , Chen Xi , Soulsby Chris 
Published: July 2017

AbstractHydrological and hydrochemical processes in the critical zone of karst environments are controlled by the fracture‐conduit network. Modelling hydrological and hydrochemical dynamics in such heterogeneous hydrogeological settings remains a research challenge. In this study, water and solute transport in the dual flow system of the karst critical zone were investigated in a 73.5‐km2 catchment in southwest China. We developed a dual reservoir conceptual run‐off model combined with an autoregressive and moving average model with algorithms to assess dissolution rates in the “fast flow” and “slow flow” systems. This model was applied to 3 catchments with typical karst critical zone architectures, to show how flow exchange between fracture and conduit networks changes in relation to catchment storage dynamics. The flux of bidirectional water and solute exchange between the fissure and conduit system increases from the headwaters to the outfall due to the large area of the developed conduits and low hydraulic gradient in the lower catchment. Rainfall amounts have a significant influence on partitioning the relative proportions of flow and solutes derived from different sources reaching the underground outlet. The effect of rainfall on catchment function is modulated by the structure of the karst critical zone (e.g., epikarst and sinkholes). Thin epikarst and well‐developed sinkholes in the headwaters divert more surface water (younger water) into the underground channel network, leading to a higher fraction of rainfall recharge into the fast flow system and total outflow. Also, the contribution of carbonate weathering to mass export is also higher in the headwaters due to the infiltration of younger water with low solute concentrations through sinkholes.
Gridded climate data products are an alternative to instrumental measurements as inputs to rainfall–runoff models
Authors: Ledesma José L.J. , Futter Martyn N. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractRainfall–runoff models are widely used to predict flows using observed (instrumental) time series of air temperature and precipitation as inputs. Poor model performance is often associated with difficulties in estimating catchment‐scale meteorological variables from point observations. Readily available gridded climate products are an underutilized source of temperature and precipitation time series for rainfall–runoff modelling, which may overcome some of the performance issues associated with poor‐quality instrumental data in small headwater monitoring catchments. Here we compare the performance of instrumental measured and E‐OBS gridded temperature and precipitation time series as inputs in the rainfall–runoff models “PERSiST” and “HBV” for flow prediction in six small Swedish catchments. For both models and most catchments, the gridded data produced statistically better simulations than did those obtained using instrumental measurements. Despite the high correspondence between instrumental and gridded temperature, both temperature and precipitation were responsible for the difference. We conclude that (a) gridded climate products such as the E‐OBS dataset could be more widely used as alternative input to rainfall–runoff models, even when instrumental measurements are available, and (b) the processing applied to gridded climate products appears to provide a more realistic approximation of small catchment‐scale temperature and precipitation patterns needed for flow simulations. Further research on this issue is needed and encouraged.
Efficacy of oral methylcobalamin in treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency anemia in children
Authors: Verma Deepti , Chandra Jagdish , Kumar Praveen , Shukla Shailaja , Sengupta Shantanu 
Published: July 2017

AbstractTo demonstrate the efficacy of oral methylcobalamin in treating vitamin B12 (vitB12) deficiency anemia, our prospective observational study enrolled 28 children with both macrocytic anemia and low holotranscobalamin (HoloTC) levels. Their hematological and biochemical parameters pre‐ and posttreatment at 1 month were compared. Hemoglobin showed mean increase of 2.89 g/dl (P < 0.001), rising above 10 g/dl in 24 patients (85.7%). Reticulocytes peaked at 1 week. Mean fall in mean corpuscular volume of 24.83 fl (P < 0.001) and mean improvement in platelets of 122,100/μl (P = 0.001) were noted, and mean rise in HoloTC and vitB12 were 111.36 pmol/l (P < 0.001) and 918.34 pg/ml (P < 0.001), respectively. Thus, initial responses to oral methylcobalamin in children with vitB12 deficiency anemia were adequate.
Respiratory Rate Estimation by Using ECG, Impedance, and Motion Sensing in Smart Clothing
Authors: Shen Chien-Lung , Huang Tzu-Hao , Hsu Po-Chun , Ko Ya-Chi , Chen Fen-Ling , Wang Wei-Chun , Kao Tsair , Chan Chia-Tai 
Published: July 2017

Abstract
The needs for light-weight and soft smart clothing in homecare have been rising since the past decade. Many smart textile sensors have been developed and applied to automatic physiological and user-centered environmental status recognition. In the present study, we propose wearable multi-sensor smart clothing for homecare monitoring based on an economic fabric electrode with high elasticity and low resistance. The wearable smart clothing integrated with heterogeneous sensors is capable to measure multiple human biosignals (ECG and respiration), acceleration, and gyro information. Five independent respiratory signals (electric impedance plethysmography, respiratory induced frequency variation, respiratory induced amplitude variation, respiratory induced intensity variation, and respiratory induced movement variation) are obtained. The smart clothing can provide accurate respiratory rate estimation by using three different techniques (Naïve Bayes inference, static Kalman filter, and dynamic Kalman filter). During the static sitting experiments, respiratory induced frequency variation has the best performance; whereas during the running experiments, respiratory induced amplitude variation has the best performance. The Naïve Bayes inference and dynamic Kalman filter have shown good results. The novel smart clothing is soft, elastic, and washable and it is suitable for long-term monitoring in homecare medical service and healthcare industry.
Indications for suboptimal low‐dose direct oral anticoagulants for non‐valvular atrial fibrillation patients
Authors: Umei Masahiko , Kishi Mikio , Sato Takahiro , Shindo Akito , Toyoda Masayuki , Yokoyama Masaaki , Matsushita Masashiro , Ohnishi Satoshi , Yamasaki Masao 
Published: July 2017

AbstractBackgroundDirect oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been developed for stroke prevention in patients with non‐valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with NVAF who were newly treated with DOACs in a real‐world clinical setting.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed patients with NVAF newly treated with one of three DOACs—dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or apixaban—between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2015.ResultsA total of 670 patients with NVAF who were newly prescribed one of the three DOACs were analyzed; 74 patients (10.9%) received dabigatran, 290 (43.3%) received rivaroxaban, and 306 (45.8%) received apixaban. Fifteen patients had thromboembolic events, almost half of which were due to discontinuation of DOACs. Six patients had major bleeding, although almost all were discharged with good neurological prognoses. A total of 129 patients were treated with a suboptimal low‐dose DOAC; none experienced a thromboembolic event as long as the DOAC was taken regularly, and none of the patients in any of the three DOAC groups had major bleeding events.ConclusionsWith good adherence, the clinical course associated with DOACs is comparatively good. In the future, suboptimal low‐dose DOAC therapy may serve as an appropriate choice for some patients with a high risk of stroke and bleeding.
Serum Wisteria floribunda agglutinin‐positive Mac‐2‐binding protein expression predicts disease severity in chronic hepatitis C patients
Authors: Huang Ching‐I , Huang Chung‐Feng , Yeh Ming‐Lun , Lin Yi‐Hung , Liang Po‐Cheng , Hsieh Meng‐Hsuan , Dai Chia‐Yen , Hsieh Ming‐Yen , Lin Zu‐Yau , Chen Shinn‐Cherng , Huang Jee‐Fu , Yu Ming‐Lung , Chuang Wan‐Long 
Published: July 2017

AbstractWisteria floribunda agglutinin‐positive Mac‐2 binding protein (WFA+‐M2BP) has recently been developed as a promising liver fibrosis glyco biomarker. We assessed its efficacy in evaluating liver disease severity in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in Taiwan. The association between WFA+‐M2BP and histological features was evaluated among those CHC patients underwent liver biopsy. We also aimed to clarify the factors determining the performance of WFA+‐M2BP in CHC. A total of 229 CHC patients were consecutively recruited. The mean value of WFA+‐M2BP in patients from F0 to F4 was 1.68, 2.23, 3.45, 3.48, 3.77 respectively (linear trend P = 0.008). Linear regression analysis revealed that alanine aminotransferase (odds ratio [OR]: 0.03, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.02–0.05, P < 0.001), AST (OR: −0.1, 95% CI: −0.02 to −0.01, P < 0.001), and liver fibrosis (OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.01–0.59, P = 0.043) were the independent factors correlated to serum WFA+‐M2BP level. The optimal cutoff values of WFA+‐M2BP for fibrosis stages F1, F2, F3, and F4 were 1.42, 1.61, 1.42, and 2.67, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that the platelet count (OR/CI: −0.009/0.986–0.996, P = <0.001), r‐glutamyl transferase (OR/CI: 0.007/1.000–1.013, P = 0.036), and WFA+‐M2BP (OR/CI: 0.187/1.057–1.374, P = 0.005). We concluded that WFA+‐M2BP is a competent noninvasive marker for liver fibrosis assessment in CHC patients.
High frequencies of a favorable IL‐28B rs8099917 polymorphism and the clinical implications in patients with HCV in one multiracial area of Taiwan
Authors: Cheng Chun‐Han , Lin Ching‐Chung , Chen Huan‐Lin , Lin I.‐Tsung , Wu Chia‐Hsien , Lee Yuan‐Kai , Wong Ming‐Wun , Bair Ming‐Jong 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThere is a strong association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment efficacy and the interleukin (IL)‐28B gene. However, the IL‐28B variant's distribution and potential role in the therapeutic response are not well established in Taitung, a racially diverse county in Taiwan. Here, we investigated the distribution pattern of IL‐28B rs8099917 and its influence on treatment efficacy. In this retrospective study, we enrolled 180 patients who had been treated with pegylated‐interferon plus ribavirin. Patients' general information, virological characteristics, IL‐28B status, laboratory results, treatment course, and outcome were analyzed. Of the patients enrolled, 56.7% were male, with a mean age of 54.11 years. A total of 24.4% of the population were indigenous people. The majority of patients had the favorable IL‐28B polymorphism (rs8099917 TT/TG/GG: 94.4%/5.6%/0%). The proportion of patients with the TT genotype seemed to be higher in indigenous patients. The rate of sustained virological response (SVR) among included patients was 73.0%. Univariate analysis showed that genotype non‐1, patients achieved rapid virological response (RVR), lower body mass index (BMI), and lower baseline HCV viral load were significantly associated with SVR. Multivariate analysis revealed that BMI <25 and RVR are the independent predictor of success treatment. In conclusion, the favorable IL‐28B rs8099917 polymorphism occurs in high frequency in this multiracial area, which might be important to help guide physicians and patients in their future clinical decisions.
MicroRNA in glutamate receptor-dependent neurological diseases
Authors: Alsharafi Walid A. , Luo Zhaohui , Long Xiaoyan , Xie Yuanyuan , Xiao Bo 
Published: July 2017

Glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity is the major neuropathological process contributing to numerous neurological diseases. Recently, emerging evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) play essential roles in the pathophysiology of a wide range of neurological diseases. Notably, there have been significant developments in understanding the biogenesis of miRNAs, their regulatory mechanisms, and their potential as effective biomarkers and therapies. In the present review, we summarize the recent literature that highlights the versatile roles played by miRNAs in glutamate receptor (GluR)-dependent neurological diseases. Based on the reported studies to date, modulation of miRNAs could emerge as a promising therapeutic target for a variety of neurological diseases that were discussed in this review.
Distinct VASP tetramers synergize in the processive elongation of individual actin filaments from clustered arrays
Authors: Brühmann Stefan , Ushakov Dmitry S. , Winterhoff Moritz , Dickinson Richard B. , Curth Ute , Faix Jan 
Published: July 2017

Significance
Ena/VASP proteins are tetramers that drive the processive elongation of actin filaments. Because Ena/VASP proteins are implicated in motility, embryogenesis, and cancer, it is mandatory to understand their molecular mechanism. The kinetic model of VASP-mediated filament elongation in solution and on beads revealed that VASP uses one arm for tethering to growing barbed ends while three GABs on other arms are used to capture and deliver actin monomers to growing filament tips. However, the underlying mechanism must be profoundly diverse because only in clustered arrays does VASP-mediated filament elongation become exceptionally processive and resistant against capping protein. Using VASP oligomerization mutants and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) imaging, we show now that, in clustered arrays, adjacent VASP tetramers synergize in the elongation of single filaments.
Cardiac Rehabilitation Participation Rates and Outcomes for Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Rengo Jason L. , Savage Patrick D. , Barrett Trace , Ades Philip A. 
Published: July 2017

Purpose:
Exercise training has been shown to reduce combined cardiovascular mortality and hospitalizations in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Whereas there are extensive data on exercise training for individuals with HFrEF in a research setting, the experience of delivering cardiac rehabilitation (CR) services in the clinical setting has not been well described. With little knowledge regarding the number of qualifying patients with HFrEF in the United States, we described our 18-month experience recruiting hospitalized inpatients and stable outpatients into phase 2 CR.

Methods:
Patients hospitalized with CHF HFrEF were tracked for enrollment in CR. Exercise training response was described for patients identified as inpatients and for stable HFrEF outpatients referred from cardiology clinic or heart failure clinic.

Results:
The cohort included 83 patients hospitalized with CHF and 36 outpatients. Only 17% (14/83) of eligible HFrEF inpatients enrolled in CR following CHF hospitalization compared with 97% (35/36) outpatient referrals. Improvements in aerobic capacity for the total cohort were observed whether expressed as estimated metabolic equivalents (n = 19, 4.6 ± 1.6 to 6.2 ± 2.4, P < .0001) or

JOURNAL/jcprh/04.03/01273116-201801000-00006/6FSM1/v/2023-09-11T232139Z/r/image-gif

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2peak (n = 14, 14.4 ± 3.5 to 16.4 ± 4.6 mL/kg/min, P = .02) for those who completed CR.

Conclusion:
Significant barriers to recruiting and enrolling patients with HFrEF were observed and only 17% of inpatients attended CR. Systematic in-hospital referral with close followup in the outpatient setting has the potential to capture more eligible patients. The participation of referred stable outpatients with HFrEF was much higher. Regardless of the referral source, patients with HFrEF completing CR can expect improvements in aerobic capacity, muscle strength, and depressive symptoms.
A benchmarking of workflows for detecting differential splicing and differential expression at isoform level in human RNA-seq studies
Authors: Merino Gabriela A. , Conesa Ana , Fernández Elmer A. 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACTOver the last few years, RNA-seq has been used to study alterations in alternative splicing related to several diseases. Bioinformatics workflows used to perform these studies can be divided into two groups, those finding changes in the absolute isoform expression and those studying differential splicing. Many computational methods for transcriptomics analysis have been developed, evaluated and compared; however, there are not enough reports of systematic and objective assessment of processing pipelines as a whole. Moreover, comparative studies have been performed considering separately the changes in absolute or relative isoform expression levels. Consequently, no consensus exists about the best practices and appropriate workflows to analyse alternative and differential splicing. To assist the adequate pipeline choice, we present here a benchmarking of nine commonly used workflows to detect differential isoform expression and splicing. We evaluated the workflows performance over three different experimental scenarios where changes in absolute and relative isoform expression occurred simultaneously. In addition, the effect of the number of isoforms per gene, and the magnitude of the expression change over pipeline performances were also evaluated. Our results suggest that workflow performance is influenced by the number of replicates per condition and the conditions heterogeneity. In general, workflows based on DESeq, DEXSeq, Limma and NOISeq performed well over a wide range of transcriptomics experiments. In particular, we suggest the use of workflows based on Limma when high precision is required, and DESeq2 and DEXseq pipelines to prioritize sensitivity. When several replicates per condition are available, NOISeq and Limma pipelines are indicated.