bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Long‐term comparison of high‐ and low‐dose oral immunotherapy in children with anaphylactic cow's milk allergy
Authors: Ito Yu , Nagakura Ken‐ichi , Sato Sakura , Ebisawa Motohiro , Yanagida Noriyuki 
Published: February 2025

AbstractBackgroundLong‐term evidence on maintenance doses of oral immunotherapy (OIT) for anaphylactic cow's milk allergy is insufficient.MethodsWe retrospectively compared the three‐year safety, efficacy, and adherence between OIT with a maintenance dose of 200 mL of cow's milk (HOIT, 2009–2013) and 3 mL of cow's milk (LOIT, 2013–2019). Patients aged 6–18 years with a history of anaphylaxis reacting to ≤3 mL of cow's milk during oral food challenge (OFC) were included. Adverse symptoms, OFC negative rate after 2 weeks of avoidance, dropout rate, and immunological changes were compared.ResultsThe median ages in the HOIT (n = 78) and LOIT (n = 99) groups were 8.1 and 7.8 years, with milk‐specific IgE levels of 56.5 and 49.2 kUA/L, respectively. The percentages of doses triggering symptoms were 20.88%, 13.73%, and 7.31% in the HOIT group and 11.81%, 8.15%, and 6.30% in the LOIT group during years 1, 2, and 3, respectively. After 3 years, 29% of patients in the HOIT group passed the OFC with 200 mL, and 47%, 18%, and 5% of patients in the LOIT group passed the OFC with ≥25 mL, ≥50 mL, and 100 mL of cow's milk, respectively. After 3 years, the dropout rates were 24% and 11% in the HOIT and LOIT groups and milk‐specific IgE levels decreased by 88% and 78% in the HOIT and LOIT groups, respectively.ConclusionHOIT enables higher dose consumptions. LOIT might be safer and have higher adherence in patients with anaphylactic cow's milk allergy.
The impact of the European Federation of Periodontology on European and global periodontology
Authors: Sanz Mariano , Kamma Joanna , Goldstein Moshe , Tonetti Maurizo 
Published: February 2025

AbstractThe European Federation of Periodontology (EFP), founded in 1991, is a non‐profit organization comprising 43 national periodontal societies worldwide, representing over 18 000 professionals. Its mission is to promote periodontology and oral health globally. The EFP's strategic objectives include advancing the practice and development of periodontology, promoting scientific research, ensuring the integrity of the profession, and raising awareness of the link between periodontal and general health. These goals are pursued through initiatives such as EuroPerio, the EFP's flagship scientific congress held every 3 years, which attracts thousands of global participants, and European Workshops in Periodontology (EWPs), which foster evidence‐based discussions and produce consensus reports. These workshops have produced landmark publications, including the new classifications of periodontal diseases and S3‐level clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of periodontitis and peri‐implant diseases. Additionally, the organization plays a central role in setting standards for postgraduate education in periodontology, accrediting programs across Europe and internationally, with 24 universities offering EFP‐accredited programs as of 2024. The EFP also publishes the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, a key platform for disseminating scientific and clinical research. Through outreach campaigns in collaboration with global partners, the EFP aims to raise awareness of the links between periodontal health and systemic diseases, engaging medical professionals, international organizations, policymakers, and patient groups. A notable initiative is Gum Health Day, held annually on May 12, to promote public awareness of periodontal health. The EFP's activities have significantly contributed to the development of modern periodontology, both academically and clinically, with a substantial global impact.
On the properties of distance covariance for categorical data: Robustness, sure screening, and approximate null distributions
Authors: Zhang Qingyang 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTPearson's Chi‐squared test, though widely used for detecting association between categorical variables, exhibits low statistical power in large sparse contingency tables. To address this limitation, two novel permutation tests have been recently developed: The distance covariance permutation test and the U‐statistic permutation test. Both leverage the distance covariance functional but employ different estimators. In this work, we explore key statistical properties of the distance covariance for categorical variables. Firstly, we show that, unlike Chi‐squared, the distance covariance functional is B‐robust for any number of categories (fixed or diverging). Second, we establish the strong consistency of distance covariance screening under mild conditions, and simulations confirm its advantage over Chi‐squared screening, especially for large sparse tables. We illustrate this novel screening method using the General Social Survey data. Finally, we derive an approximate null distribution for a bias‐corrected distance correlation estimate, demonstrating its effectiveness through simulations and real‐world applications.
Topology Optimization-Driven Design of Container Ship Hatch Cover for Lightweight Performance and Cost Efficiency
Authors: Yilmaz Ahmet Fatih , Konal Mehmet 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Recent economic conditions and technological developments in manufacturing methods have necessitated the use of advanced engineering design and analysis methods, such as topology optimization to increase efficiency and reduce costs in structural designs in the shipbuilding industry, as in many manufacturing sectors. Finite element method-based topology optimization aims to optimize a lightweight design without compromising the desired strength in ship structural designs, thus increasing efficiency in postmanufacturing functionality. Thus, it helps to create innovative products that can meet the sustainable design and manufacturing needs in the shipbuilding industry. In this study, the design of a foldable hatch cover for a feeder container ship was improved using topology optimization. Based on the premise geometry obtained by topology optimization, the model design was updated and an optimum design with the desired strength at minimum mass was obtained through iterative analyses. The optimization study resulted in a weight reduction of 2.49 tons and a material cost saving of $3.635 for a hatch cover. Thus, a total saving of $50.890 is expected from raw materials, labor, and consumables for 14 hatch covers on a sample ship. In addition, due to reduced draft and consequently lower drag, a 6-kW reduction in main engine power will result in approximately 6.6 tons less annual fuel consumption. Furthermore, an 8-mm vertical reduction in the ship's center of gravity increases stability by approximately 0.6% according to International Maritime Organization (IMO) stability criteria.
A more rapid method for transformation of
Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Skene Caroline D. , Ferrero Richard L. 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACT

Helicobacter pylori
is a major causative agent in several upper gastroduodenal tract diseases, including gastric cancer. The development of methods to genetically manipulate
H. pylori
by natural transformation has allowed a greater understanding of its biology and role in these diseases. Nevertheless, the transformation methods used for
H. pylori
are time-consuming, requiring growth of these fastidious and slow-growing bacteria from −80°C stocks. The aim of the study was to develop a more rapid and convenient method for generating
H. pylori
mutants. We describe here a method in which competent
H. pylori
bacteria can be stored at −80°C and used in transformations on the day of resuscitation, similar to methods routinely used for
Escherichia coli
. This means that transformation can be performed at will and that transformants can be obtained within days, rather than weeks. Furthermore, we show that bacteria remain competent for at least six months storage at −80°C and that the method is applicable to strains with varying levels of natural competence. Transformation efficiencies of the bacteria varied between 10
1
and 10
6
transformants/total colony-forming units/µg donor DNA, depending on the strain. We suggest that this improved method will facilitate studies on
H. pylori
and, moreover, may be applicable to other naturally transformable pathogens with fastidious growth requirements and requiring ultra-low temperature refrigeration for long-term preservation.

IMPORTANCE

Genetic manipulation is an important tool in the study of pathogenic bacteria and their interactions with the host. Many pathogenic bacteria are naturally transformable; however, transformation experiments can be impeded by the slow-growing and fastidious nature of some species. One such bacterium is
Helicobacter pylori
, which requires resuscitation from −80°C and multiple subcultures prior to transformation. The method described in the current study uses a simple modification of a conventional method of natural transformation. Using this method, competent
H. pylori
bacteria can be stored for long periods (at least six months) and resuscitated as needed for use in experiments. The method circumvents the need for multiple and lengthy subcultures prior to transformation, nor does it involve costly materials, complicated procedures, or sophisticated equipment. Thus, we describe a simple, inexpensive, and time-efficient method that may have broader applications for use with other fastidious bacteria.
Elevated Frame Rates During Exercise Echocardiography Improve Speckle Tracking Success Rate and Augment Deformation Values
Authors: Spahiu Fabian , Mook Michelle , Helbig Lars C. , Stöhr Eric J. 
Published: January 2025

Background: Although 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) is important for the clinical quantification of myocardial function it remains unknown whether increased frame rates during exercise STE augment tracking success and absolute deformation values. Method: 19 participants (15 male and 4 female; age 26.7±4.8) underwent step-wise exercise testing on a recumbent bicycle. Exercise started at 50 W, increasing by 30 W every 3 min until a target heart rate of 130–140 bpm was reached. During last 90 seconds of each exercise stage, echocardiographic sequences for offline quantification of longitudinal strain (LS), peak twist, untwisting velocity, basal rotation and apical rotation were acquired with high (HFPS), medium (MFPS), and low frame rates (LFPS). Differences in tracking success were determined using chi-square test and the impact of different frames rates on absolute deformation values were compared using mixed-model-analysis. Results: Utilization of HFPS significantly improved tracking success for parasternal short-axis images. LS acquired at HFPS was highest at baseline and across all exercise stages. Similar trends were observed for twist, peak untwisting velocity and apical rotation, while basal rotation showed no differences. Mixed model analysis revealed a significant effect of frame rate setting on LS (p<0.05) and untwisting velocity (p<0.05). Conclusion: In contrast to recommendations by leading organizations advocating for frame rates between 40 and 80 fps during resting conditions, with a proportional increase as heart rate rises, our findings suggest that consistently maintaining the frame rate at the highest feasible level is preferable for achieving optimal tracking success and accuracy in STE.
Evaluating the Incidence of Seizures and Its Relationship With Blood Glucose Levels in Tramadol Poisoning Patients Admitted to Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad (Iran) From 2019 to 2020
Authors: Mousavi Seyed Reza , Jafari Faezeh , Ghamsari Anahita Alizade , AkbariRad Mina , Khadem-Rezaiyan Majid , Mousavi Seyed Amirhossein , Rafati Sadaf Sadat 
Published: February 2025

Background: Drug poisoning is the most common type of poisoning in the world. The utilization of tramadol for the management of pain has been identified as a significant contributor to the incidence of poisoning cases. Tramadol poisoning can result in a range of neurological complications, including seizures and a decreased level of consciousness. Tramadol‐induced seizures are frequently dose independent and manifest as generalized tonic‐clonic seizures. The neurotoxic effects of tramadol are primarily manifested within the initial 24 h period following ingestion, with 84.6% of the seizures occurring within the first six hours. In addition, it has been documented that 15%–35% of the patients with tramadol poisoning have experienced seizures. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the clinical and paraclinical signs and symptoms observed in patients with tramadol poisoning and their correlation with the occurrence of seizures.Methods and Materials: All patients hospitalized due to tramadol poisoning from October 2019 to September 2020 in the poisoning department of Imam Reza Hospital if they met the inclusion criteria were studied. The patients were divided into two groups with and without seizures. The occurrence of seizures was substantiated through the documentation of EMS personnel and the direct observation of the attending physician in the emergency room. Following admission, the patient’s blood glucose level was quantified via a glucometer. A blood sample was also obtained for subsequent laboratory evaluation. In the event of any aberrations in blood glucose levels, a re‐evaluation was conducted at one‐hour intervals using a glucometer. All findings were analyzed using SPSS Version 25 statistical software. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05.Results: A total of 163 patients were included in this study. In 94 patients (57.3%), some degree of consciousness loss and seizures occurred in 69 patients (42.1%). There was a significant relationship between the occurrence of seizures and the increase in blood glucose levels of patients (p = 0.031). The findings indicated that 60% of the patients with blood glucose levels exceeding 140 mg/dL experienced seizures.Conclusion: Seizures in tramadol poisoning may be related to the patient’s blood glucose levels.
Corticosteroid-Dependent Association between Prognostic Peripheral Blood Cell-Free DNA Levels and Neutrophil-Mediated NETosis in Patients with Glioblastoma
Authors: Till Jacob E. , Seewald Nicholas J. , Yazdani Zachariya , Wang Zhuoyang , Ballinger Dominique , Samberg Heather , Dandu Siri , Macia Camilla , Yin Melinda , Abdalla Aseel , Prior Timothy , Shah Shivani S. , Patel Thara , McCoy Emily , Mansour Maikel , Wills Carson A. , Bochenek Veronica , Serrano Jonathan , Snuderl Matija , Phillips Richard E. , O’Rourke Donald M. , Amankulor Nduka M. , Nabavizadeh Ali , Desai Arati S. , Gollomp Kandace , Binder Zev A. , Zhou Wanding , Bagley Stephen J. , Carpenter Erica L. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Purpose:
Noninvasive prognostic biomarkers to inform clinical decision-making are an urgent unmet need for the management of patients with glioblastoma (GBM). We previously showed that higher circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) concentration is associated with worse survival in GBM. However, the biology underlying this is unknown.

Experimental Design:
We prospectively enrolled 129 patients with treatment-naïve GBM with blood drawn prior to initial resection (baseline) and at the time of the first postradiotherapy MRI. We performed ccfDNA methylation deconvolution to determine cellular sources of ccfDNA. ELISA was performed to detect citrullinated histone 3 (citH3), a marker of neutrophil extracellular traps (NET). Multiplex proteomic analysis was used to measure soluble inflammatory proteins.

Results:
We found that neutrophils contributed the highest proportion of prognostic ccfDNA. The percentage of ccfDNA derived from neutrophils was correlated with total [ccfDNA] but only in patients receiving preoperative corticosteroids. At baseline and on therapy, [citH3] was significantly higher in the plasma of patients with GBM receiving corticosteroids compared with corticosteroid-naïve GBM or no-cancer controls. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of ccfDNA methylation patterns yielded two clusters, with one enriched for patients with the NETosis phenotype and who received corticosteroids. Unsupervised clustering of circulating inflammatory proteins yielded similar results.

Conclusions:
These data suggest neutrophil-mediated NETosis is the dominant source of prognostic ccfDNA in patients with GBM and may be associated with glucocorticoid exposure. If further studies show that pharmacological inhibition of NETosis can mitigate the deleterious effects of corticosteroids, these plasma markers will have important clinical utility as noninvasive correlative biomarkers.
Preservation of Vascular Endothelial Function in Late-Onset Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Darvish Sanna , Murray Kevin O. , Ludwig Katelyn R. , Avalani Krisha H. , Craighead Daniel H. , Freeberg Kaitlin A. , Bevers Shaun , Reisz Julie A. , D’Alessandro Angelo , Moreau Kerrie L. , Seals Douglas R. , Rossman Matthew J. 
Published: January 2025

BACKGROUND:
Postmenopausal women (PMW) who complete menopause at a late age (55+ years) have lower cardiovascular disease risk than PMW who complete menopause at a normal age (45–54 years). However, the influence of late-onset menopause on vascular endothelial dysfunction is unknown. Moreover, the mechanisms by which a later age at menopause may modulate endothelial function remain to be determined.

METHODS:

We measured endothelial function (brachial artery flow-mediated dilation [FMD
BA
]) in age-matched late- and normal-onset PMW and a young premenopausal reference group. We determined mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mitoROS)–related suppression of endothelial function (change in FMD
BA
with an acute dose of the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant MitoQ; ΔFMD
BA, MTQ
) in PMW. The effects of serum from late- and normal-onset PMW and premenopausal women on mitoROS bioactivity in human aortic endothelial cells in culture were assessed. Metabolomics analyses in combination with serum metabolite level normalization and human aortic endothelial cell serum exposure experiments were performed to identify the circulating factors contributing to the serum effects on endothelial cell mitoROS bioactivity.

RESULTS:

FMD
BA
in PMW was lower than in premenopausal women. However, FMD
BA
was >50% higher in late- versus normal-onset PMW and positively related to age at menopause. ΔFMD
BA, MTQ
was >50% lower in late- versus normal-onset PMW. Serum from normal-onset PMW but not late-onset PMW induced higher mitoROS bioactivity in human aortic endothelial cells compared with serum from premenopausal women. MitoROS bioactivity was negatively related to FMD
BA
and age at menopause. Seventeen metabolites significantly differed between late- and normal-onset PMW; 15 were lipid specific; 8 were triglyceride derived. TG(16:0) was most strongly correlated with mitoROS bioactivity. Normalization of TG(16:0) concentrations in serum from premenopausal women and late-onset PMW to match serum levels in normal-onset PMW abrogated differences in mitoROS bioactivity in serum-treated human aortic endothelial cells.

CONCLUSIONS:
Late-onset menopause is associated with preservation of endothelial function, which is mediated by lower mitoROS-associated oxidative stress. A more favorable profile of circulating lipid metabolites, specifically triglyceride-derived metabolites, contributes to lower endothelial cell mitoROS in late-onset PMW. These findings provide new insight into the possible mechanisms of reduced cardiovascular disease risk in late-onset menopause.
Categorization and discrimination of human and non-human primate affective vocalizations: Investigation of frontal cortex activity through fNIRS
Authors: Debracque Coralie , Ceravolo Leonardo , Clay Zanna , Grandjean Didier , Gruber Thibaud 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Previous research has highlighted the involvement of frontal regions in human participants while they engaged in the explicit decoding, such as categorization (A vs B) and discrimination (A vs non-A), of affective signals. Given its adaptive value and deep evolutionary history, this human capacity to recognize the affective content in human calls is likely to extend to the vocalizations of other closely related species, such as non-human primates. However, few comparative studies have thus far investigated this process at both the behavioral and neural levels. Here, we aimed to study the role of frontal regions in human participants while they engaged in the explicit affective content decoding of primate calls using functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS). Specifically, we recorded frontal regions of participants while they categorized or discriminated positive and negatively valenced vocal signals produced by four different primates: humans, chimpanzee and bonobo (both great apes species), and rhesus macaques (a more distant species). We also analyzed whether behavioral responses correlated with recorded frontal activations. fNIRS data revealed more activations within the inferior frontal cortex pars triangularis (IFCtri), the frontopolar (FPC), and middle frontal cortices (MFC) during discrimination compared with categorization. Activity in these regions was modulated by both the species and the type of task, with greater activity during the discrimination of agonistic chimpanzee calls compared with categorization. Categorization was itself characterized by a decrease of frontal activity during the correct recognition of all chimpanzee calls, and of affiliative rhesus macaque and agonistic bonobo vocalizations. Our results also highlighted behavioral differences related to the type of task. Participants discriminated almost all affective cues of all four species vocalizations above chance level. In comparison, they correctly categorized the affective content of most human and great ape vocalizations above chance level, but not those of rhesus macaque calls, highlighting an effect of both phylogenetic relatedness and the type of task. Overall, these findings support the hypothesis of an evolutionary ancient affective recognition processing system situated in the frontal cortex, inherited from our last common ancestor with other great apes.
Use of Statistical and Acoustic Cues for Speech Segmentation in French-Learning 7-Month-Old Infants and French-Speaking Adults
Authors: Marimon Mireia , Berdasco-Muñoz Elena , Höhle Barbara , Nazzi Thierry 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Young infants can segment continuous speech with acoustic as well as statistical cues. Understanding how these cues interact can be informative about how infants solve the segmentation problem. This study investigates the use of acoustic and statistical cues by both adult French speakers and 6-to-7-month-old French-learning infants. Both groups were familiarized with a naturally recorded string, alternating either in duration (long-short) or in intensity (soft-loud). In addition, statistical cues were present in both strings, signaling different word boundaries than the acoustic cues. The adults were tested in a recognition task and the infants with the Head-turn Preference Procedure. Results show that the French-speaking adults segmented the strings by responding to the acoustic cues in both familiarization conditions, following the predictions of the Iambic-Trochaic Law. In contrast, the French-learning infants displayed segmentation based on TPs in the Intensity condition only. These findings collectively contribute to our understanding of how the use of acoustic and statistical cues to decode linguistic input changes between infancy and adulthood and differs across languages.