bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Temperature-induced morphometrical variability in an isolate of Pratylenchus vulnus Allen & Jensen, 1951 (Nematoda: Tylenchida)
Authors: Doucet Marcelo , Baujard Pierre , Pinochet Jorge , Di Rienzo Julio , Lax Paola 
Published: July 2002

AbstractThe influence of temperature on morphometrical variability of females and males of an isolate of Pratylenchus vulnus was studied. Nematodes were reared monoxenically on carrot disk cultures and incubated for 4 months at 16, 21, 25 and 28°C. The morphometrics of several characters were significantly affected depending on sex and temperature. It is concluded that temperature can significantly influence several morphometrical characters of P.vulnus.
Surface temperature, sequence stratigraphy and deep burial diagenesis
Authors: Worden R. H. , Ruffell A. H. , Cornford C. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractFourth-order relative sea level changes may have a significant impact upon burial diagenesis and reservoir quality through their effect upon surface and subsurface temperature. Relative sea level changes can induce sediment surface temperature changes of <20°C when the sediment surface changes from being close to or beneath the thermocline to being sub-aerially exposed. Such sea level changes typically occur on a timescale of half a million years. Approximately one quarter to one third of the magnitude of these temperature fluctuations will be propagated to 2500 m in the subsurface. Shorter timescale fluctuations of similar magnitude, resulting from glaciation, will not be significant below ~1000 m burial as there is not enough time to effect the change before the next surface temperature cycle occurs. Diagenesis is strongly controlled by temperature through its impact on the driving force and rate of geochemical processes. Burial diagenesis and cementation may thus be episodic on timescales associated with sequence stratigraphic events occurring on the surface, thousands of metres above the zone where diagenesis is occurring.
Expandability- layer stacking relationship during experimental alteration of a Wyoming bentonite in pH 13.5 solutions at 35 and 60°C
Authors: Rassineux F. , Griffault L. , Meunier A. , Berger G. , Petit S. , Vieillard P. , Zellagui R. , Munoz M. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractThe reaction of a Wyoming-type bentonite with pH 13.5 solutions was investigated experimentally at 35 and 60°C for periods of 1 to 730 days. Some crystal properties of the starting montmorillonitic clay remain unchanged, i.e. stability of the octahedral sheet, total cation exchange capacity (CEC) and CEC after neutralization of the octahedral charge, full expandability in the Casaturated state, and size distribution. Other properties are changed, e.g. there is an increase in the expandability after octahedral charge neutralization; a slight increase in the average layer charge; a decrease of the total surface area; and a particle morphological change from flakes to hexagonal shape.The composition and the structure of the smectite layers did not change significantly during the reaction. The increasing number of expandable layers after octahedral charge neutralization is attributed to modifications in the stacking sequence. The number of interlayers surrounded by two charged tetrahedral sheets increases with reaction time.
Smectite to illite conversion by hydrous pyrolysis
Authors: Roaldset E. , Wei He , Grimstad S. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractExperimental illitization of smectite has been simulated by means of hydrous pyrolysis, using a smectite-rich starting material from a Lower Tertiary claystone from the Oseberg field, North Sea. The <2 µm fraction was subjected to hydrous pyrolysis using KCL solutions at concentrations of 1.0 and 0.01 N, temperatures from 180-350°C and reaction times from 24-72 h. The conversion of smectite into illite has been identified by XRD analysis of the pyrolysed products. It was clearly demonslrated that the K+ concentration ([K+]) and temperature are the major factors controlling the rate and extent of illitization. The distributions of activation energies around 33 kcal/mol and frequency factors in the range of 10+8 to 10+9 S-1 have been calculated by applying a parallel reaction model. However, geological modelling and comparison with buried smectite clays indicates that both 1.0 n and 0.01 N KCL are too high in K+ content compared to the pore-water. The results suggest that dilute KCL solution close to pore-water should be used in hydrous pyrolysis to obtain proper kinetic models.
Fundamental particles: an informal history
Authors: Nadeau P. H. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractAn informal overview is given of the development of the fundamental particle model, where, in a series of papers published from 1982-1987, researchers from the Macaulay Institute presented a radical model for the interpretation of the crystal structure, chemistry, and genesis of interstratified clays. The model reconciled electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) data from a variety of sedimentary clay specimens, and proposed that these minerals were composed of nano-crystalline ‘fundamental particles’ whose adsorptive interfaces were responsible for the expanding smectite layers observed by XRD. The term ‘interparticle diffraction’ was used to describe this phenomenon. Experiments were reported which proved the model, by producing randomly interstratified illite-smectites from combinations of ordered illite-smectite and smectite clay dispersions. The model was extended to propose that fundamental particles were the primary units of crystallization, and that changes in the particle population were responsible for the commonly observed evolution in XRD character of these minerals with increasing depth of burial and temperature.
Human equivalent of the mouse Nude/SCID phenotype: long-term evaluation of immunologic reconstitution after bone marrow transplantation
Authors: Pignata Claudio , Gaetaniello Lucia , Masci Anna Maria , Frank Jorge , Christiano Angela , Matrecano Eliana , Racioppi Luigi 
Published: July 2002

AbstractHuman Nude/SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency) is the first severe combined immunodeficiency caused by mutation of the winged–helix–nude (WHN) gene, which is expressed in the thymus but not in the hematopoietic lineage. The disease is characterized by a T-cell defect, congenital alopecia, and nail dystrophy. A Nude/SCID patient who underwent bone marrow transplantation from the human leukocyte antigen–identical heterozygote brother was studied to investigate, in this unique model, the role of the thymus in immunologic reconstitution. Despite an increase in CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+cells, CD4+ CD45 RA naive lymphocytes were not regenerated. Conversely, naive CD8+ cells were normal. After an initial recovery, lymphocyte proliferation to mitogens progressively declined compared with controls and genotypically identical donor cells grown in the WHN+/−environment. Analysis of the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire of CD4+ cells revealed that only 3 of 18 Vβ families had an altered CDR3 heterogeneity length profile. Conversely, CD8+lymphocytes showed an abnormal distribution in most Vβ families. These data indicate that the thymus is differentially required in the reconstitution of CD4+ and CD8+ naive subsets and in the maintenance of their TCR repertoire complexity. Taken together, these findings suggest that bone marrow transplantation is ineffective in the long-term cure of this form of SCID.
Isolation and expansion of cytomegalovirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes to clinical scale from a single blood draw using dendritic cells and HLA-tetramers
Authors: Szmania Susann , Galloway Amanda , Bruorton Mary , Musk Philip , Aubert Geraldine , Arthur Andrew , Pyle Haywood , Hensel Nancy , Ta Nga , Lamb Lawrence , Dodi Toni , Madrigal Alejandro , Barrett John , Henslee-Downey Jean , van Rhee Frits 
Published: July 2002

AbstractCytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation in immunocompromised recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplantation is a cause of morbidity and mortality from viral pneumonitis. Antiviral drugs given to reactivating patients have reduced the mortality from CMV but have toxic side effects and do not always prevent late CMV disease. Cellular immunotherapy to prevent CMV disease is less toxic and could provide prolonged protection. However, a practical approach to generating sufficient quantities of CMV-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) is required. This study describes a system for generating sufficient CMV-specific CTLs for adoptive immunotherapy of HLA-A*0201 bone marrow transplant recipients from 200 mL donor blood. Donor monocytes are used to generate dendritic cells (DCs) in medium with autologous plasma, interleukin 4, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and CD40 ligand. The DCs are pulsed with the immunodominant HLA-A*0201–restricted CMV peptide pp65495-503, and incubated with donor T cells. These cultures are restimulated twice with peptide-pulsed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) or CD40-ligated B cells and purified with phycoerythrin (PE)–labeled pp65495-503/HLA-A*0201 tetramers by flow sorting, or with anti-PE paramagnetic beads. The pure tetramer-positive population is then rapidly expanded to obtain sufficient cells for clinical immunotherapy. The expanded CTLs are more than 80% pure, of memory phenotype, with a Tc1 cytokine profile. They efficiently kill CMV-infected fibroblasts and express the integrin VLA-4, suggesting that the CTLs could cross endothelial barriers. This technique is reproducible and could be used for generating CMV-specific CTLs to prevent CMV disease after allogeneic blood and marrow transplantation.
Adenovirus type 5 vectors induce dendritic cell differentiation in human CD14+ monocytes cultured under serum-free conditions
Authors: Lyakh Lyudmila A. , Koski Gary K. , Young Howard A. , Spence Sally E. , Cohen Peter A. , Rice Nancy R. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractTo determine whether infection by a model virus is capable of initiating dendritic cell (DC) differentiation, human CD14+peripheral blood monocytes were infected with replication-defective type 5 adenovirus. Under serum-free conditions, this resulted in differentiation of a majority of cells toward a DC phenotype within 36 to 48 hours, without the need for cytokine-induced predifferentiation. Infection induced DC morphology and altered the expression of surface markers, including loss of CD14, de novo induction of CD83 and CD25, and strongly augmented expression of CD86, CD80, CD40, and HLA-DR and HLA class I molecules. Differentiated cells maintained immunophenotype without loss of viability for at least 2 days after removal of the differentiation agent and cytokines. A greatly enhanced capacity to stimulate T-lymphocyte alloproliferation and increased expression of the DC-associated transcription factor RelB were observed. Virus without transgene was found to induce changes similar to transgene-expressing viruses. RelB up-regulation and DC immunophenotype were sensitive to the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine, suggesting a critical role for nuclear factor κB. RNAse protection assays revealed elevated levels of messenger RNA for a number of chemokines and cytokines associated with DCs. Finally, during differentiation, adenovirus-infected monocytes were shown to secrete chemokines and cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Furthermore, a TNF-α–neutralizing antibody inhibited the expression of some DC surface markers, indicating a contributing role for this cytokine in the adenovirus-induced differentiation of DC from monocytes. These findings have implications for the biology of monocytes as precursors to DCs and also for the use of recombinant adenovirus in vaccines or gene therapy.
Gender-Based Variations in Medicare Reimbursements Among Different Surgical Subspecialties
Authors: Munir Muhammad Musaab , Dillhoff Mary , Tsai Susan , Collins Courtney , Dedhia Priya , Pawlik Timothy M. 
Published: July 2024

ImportanceGender inequities and limited representation are an obstacle to surgical workforce diversification. There has been limited examination of gender-based disparities in billing practices among surgeons.ObjectiveTo evaluate variations in practice metrics and billing practices among female and male surgeons and identify factors associated with gender disparities in Medicare reimbursements.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis retrospective cross-sectional study used publicly available Medicare Fee-for-Service Provider Utilization and Payment data from January to December 31, 2021, to identify demographics, annual services provided, and financial payments and charges for general surgeons, surgical oncologists, and colorectal surgeons. Data were analyzed from November 2023 to February 2024.ExposureThe primary exposure of interest was surgeon gender (ie, female or male).Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe annual total submitted charges and payments submitted in 2021 by female and male surgeons were assessed. Additionally, the total number and types of services provided each year and the number of beneficiaries treated were examined. Multivariable linear regression models were used to evaluate the association of surgeon gender with payments, number of services, and beneficiaries.ResultsA total of 20 549 general surgeons (5036 [24.5%] female; 15 513 [75.5%] male), 1065 surgical oncologists (450 [42.3%] female; 615 [57.7%] male), and 1601 colorectal surgeons (432 [27.0%] female; 1169 [73.0%] male) were included. Across all surgical subspecialties, female surgeons billed fewer mean (SE) Medicare charges (general surgeons: 30.1% difference; $224 934.80 [$3846.97] vs $321 868.50 [$3933.57]; surgical oncologists: 27.5% difference; $277 901.70 [$22 857.37] vs $382 882.90 [$19 566.06]; colorectal surgeons: 21.7% difference; $274 091.70 [$10 468.48] vs $350 146.10 [$8741.66]; all P &amp;lt; .001) and received significantly lower mean (SE) reimbursements (general surgeons: 29.0% difference; $51 787.61 [$917.91] vs $72 903.12 [$890.35]; surgical oncologists: 23.6% difference; $57 945.18 [$3853.28] vs $75 778.22 [$2622.75]; colorectal surgeons: 24.5% difference; $63 117.01 [$2248.10] vs $83 598.53 [$1934.77]; all P &amp;lt; .001). On multivariable analysis, a reimbursement gap remained across all 3 surgical subspecialties (general surgeons: –$14 963.46 [95% CI, –$18 822.27 to –$11 104.64] [P &amp;lt; .001]; surgical oncologists: –$8354.69 [95% CI, –$15 018.12 to –$1691.25] [P = .01]; colorectal surgeons: –$4346.73 [95% CI, –$7660.15 to –$1033.32] [P = .01]).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this cross-sectional study, there was considerable gender-based variation in practice patterns and reimbursement among different surgical subspecialties serving the Medicare population. Differences in mean payment per service were associated with variations in billing and coding strategies among female and male surgeons.
Futility of Up-Front Resection for Anatomically Resectable Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Crippa Stefano , Malleo Giuseppe , Mazzaferro Vincenzo , Langella Serena , Ricci Claudio , Casciani Fabio , Belfiori Giulio , Galati Sara , D’Ambra Vincenzo , Lionetto Gabriella , Ferrero Alessandro , Casadei Riccardo , Ercolani Giorgio , Salvia Roberto , Falconi Massimo , Cucchetti Alessandro 
Published: July 2024

ImportanceThere are currently no clinically relevant criteria to predict a futile up-front pancreatectomy in patients with anatomically resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.ObjectivesTo develop a futility risk model using a multi-institutional database and provide unified criteria associated with a futility likelihood below a safety threshold of 20%.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis retrospective study took place from January 2010 through December 2021 at 5 high- or very high-volume centers in Italy. Data were analyzed during April 2024. Participants included consecutive patients undergoing up-front pancreatectomy at the participating institutions.ExposureStandard management, per existing guidelines.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe main outcome measure was the rate of futile pancreatectomy, defined as an operation resulting in patient death or disease recurrence within 6 months. Dichotomous criteria were constructed to maintain the futility likelihood below 20%, corresponding to the chance of not receiving postneoadjuvant resection from existing pooled data.ResultsThis study included 1426 patients. The median age was 69 (interquartile range, 62-75) years, 759 patients were male (53.2%), and 1076 had head cancer (75.4%). The rate of adjuvant treatment receipt was 73.7%. For the model construction, the study sample was split into a derivation (n = 885) and a validation cohort (n = 541). The rate of futile pancreatectomy was 18.9% (19.2% in the development and 18.6% in the validation cohort). Preoperative variables associated with futile resection were American Society of Anesthesiologists class (95% CI for coefficients, 0.68-0.87), cancer antigen (CA) 19.9 serum levels (95% CI, for coefficients 0.05-0.75), and tumor size (95% CI for coefficients, 0.28-0.46). Three risk groups associated with an escalating likelihood of futile resection, worse pathological features, and worse outcomes were identified. Four discrete conditions (defined as CA 19.9 levels-adjusted-to-size criteria: tumor size less than 2 cm with CA 19.9 levels less than 1000 U/mL; tumor size less than 3 cm with CA 19.9 levels less than 500 U/mL; tumor size less than 4 cm with CA 19.9 levels less than 150 U/mL; and tumor size less than 5 cm with CA 19.9 levels less than 50 U/mL) were associated with a futility likelihood below 20%. Both disease-free survival and overall survival were significantly longer in patients fulfilling the criteria.Conclusions and relevanceIn this study, a preoperative model (MetroPancreas) and dichotomous criteria to determine the risk of futile pancreatectomy were developed. This might help in selecting patients for up-front resection or neoadjuvant therapy.
Biomimetic Spider Silk by Crosslinking and Functionalization with Multiarm Polyethylene Glycol
Authors: Romaņuks Viktors , Fridmanis Jēkabs , Schmuck Benjamin , Bula Anna Līna , Lends Alons , Senkane Kristine , Leitis Gundars , Gaidukovs Sergejs , Smits Krisjanis , Rising Anna , Smits Gints , Jaudzems Kristaps 
Published: July 2024

AbstractSpider silk is renowned for its exceptional mechanical properties, surpassing those of other natural and many synthetic fibers. Yet, replicating its remarkable properties through synthetic production remains a challenge. The variability in the mechanical properties of synthetic spider silks lacking protective coatings, exacerbated by factors such as spinning conditions and humidity levels, poses an additional challenge, impacting their application potential. Bioconjugation offers a versatile synthetic method to modify protein structures, enhancing their pharmacokinetics, solubility, stability, and immune response. In particular, polyethylene glycol (PEG)‐ylation has emerged as a successful strategy with numerous marketed PEG–protein conjugates. This study introduces synthetic spider silk—multiarm PEG bioconjugates, facilitating spidroin crosslinking, and chemical functionalization while retaining a biomimetic spinning approach. Two different examples demonstrate the potential of this approach to improve the fiber's tensile strength and extensibility, respectively, both leading to an increased toughness modulus. Furthermore, the approach could allow the tuning of fiber mechanical properties without developing a new mini‐spidroin construct and fiber coating with lipids attached to multiarm PEG, potentially mitigating the impact of environmental conditions on synthetic spider silk fibers.
Underwater Acoustic Camouflage by Wettability Transition on Laser Textured Superhydrophobic Metasurfaces
Authors: Mezzapesa Francesco P. , Gaudiuso Caterina , Volpe Annalisa , Ancona Antonio , Mauro Salvatore , Buogo Silvano 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe superhydrophobicity of submerged surfaces typically pertains to the trapped air film at the liquid–solid interface, subject to wettability transitions from a Cassie–Baxter state to more unstable states that gradually collapse to high retention regimes, which are energetically more favorable. In this work, the dynamic evolution of those transient metastable states is correlated to the underwater acoustic performance of laser textured superhydrophobic surfaces, resolving the dependence of the ultrasound spectral response with the immersion time to capture the genuine contribution of the hierarchical subwavelength morphology, regardless of the air layer effects. Acoustic wave attenuation of the incident ultrasound energy is extensively quantified in transmission, accounting for instantaneous broadband sound blocking (>30 dB) within the spectral range 0.5–1.5 MHz. As a result of the air layer detachment with the immersion time, transmission coefficients increase accordingly, while acoustic fields in reflection unexpectedly evolve toward stealthiness and naïve acoustic camouflage, mostly ascribable to dissipative mechanisms at air layer interfaces. The intrinsic decay of the air layer effect is tentatively determined at different frequencies, since quantitative understanding of the transient lifetime governing underwater surface wettability is critical to design stable superhydrophobic character of laser induced subwavelength metastructures on the most promising acoustic materials – from eco‐friendly natural to artificial.
Chiral Twist Interface Modulation Enhances Thermoelectric Properties of Tellurium Crystal
Authors: Abbey Stanley , Jang Hanhwi , Frimpong Brakowaa , Nguyen Van Quang , Park Jong Ho , Park Su‐Dong , Cho Sunglae , Jung Yeon Sik , Hong Ki‐Ha , Oh Min‐Wook 
Published: July 2024

AbstractManipulating the grain boundary and chiral structure of enantiomorphic inorganic thermoelectric materials facilitates a new degree of freedom for enhancing thermoelectric energy conversion. Chiral twist mechanisms evolve by the screw dislocation phenomenon in the nanostructures; however, contributions of such chiral transport have been neglected for bulk crystals. Tellurium (Te) has a chiral trigonal crystal structure, high band degeneracy, and lattice anharmonicity for high thermoelectric performance. Here, Sb‐doped Te crystals are grown to minimize the severe grain boundary effects on carrier transport and investigate the interface of chiral Te matrix and embedded achiral Sb2Te3 precipitates, which induce unusual lattice twists. The low grain boundary scattering and conformational grain restructuring provide electrical‐favorable semicoherent interfaces. This maintains high electrical conductivity leading to a twofold increase in power factor compared to polycrystal samples. The embedded Sb2Te3 precipitates concurrently enable moderate phonon scattering leading to a remarkable decrease in lattice thermal conductivity and a high dimensionless figure of merit (zT) of 1.1 at 623 K. The crystal growth and chiral atomic reorientation unravel the emerging benefits of interface engineering as a crucial contributor to effectively enhancing carrier transport and minimizing phonon propagation in thermoelectric materials.