bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Late‐heading parental selection in orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.)
Authors: Getz Megan M. , Robbins Matthew D. , Thorsted Kimberly , Jensen Kevin B. , Robins Joseph G. , Creech J. Earl , Bushman B. Shaun 
Published: February 2024

AbstractDactylis glomerata L., orchardgrass or cocksfoot, is frequently planted as a companion crop in perennial forage legumes such as alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). However, many commercial orchardgrass cultivars flower earlier than legumes, resulting in a reduction in grass yield and nutritional value if harvested to maximize the legume. Additionally, during orchardgrass seed production over years, later flowering can gradually shift to earlier flowering. In this study, we employed parental selection based on half‐sib family (HS‐family) trait values for dry matter yield (DMY) and heading date (HD), and augmented it with marker‐assisted selection to enrich for late‐heading‐associated alleles in six vernalization and flowering time candidate genes. The parent population resulted from polycrossing three late‐heading orchardgrass germplasm sources and evaluating 94 HS‐families. HDs differed by years and locations for both the parent and HS‐family populations. Of the 313 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified within the candidate genes, 16 were associated with HD with a range of effects from 0.48 to 3.37 days to heading. An SNP detected across multiple years and locations in this study was also found in a previous study, within the intron of the Constans 1 gene (DgCO1). DMY was not highly significant in this study, highlighting a large environmental effect alongside lower variation across the HS‐families. However, parental plants fixed for the SNP within DgCO1 showed a trend to later heading as well as higher DMY.
Convolutional neuronal network for identifying single‐cell‐platelet–platelet‐aggregates in human whole blood using imaging flow cytometry
Authors: Poschkamp Broder , Bekeschus Sander 
Published: February 2024

AbstractImaging flow cytometry is an attractive method to investigate individual cells by optical properties. However, imaging flow cytometry applications with clinical relevance are scarce so far. Platelet aggregation naturally occurs during blood coagulation to form a clot. However, aberrant platelet aggregation is associated with cardiovascular disease under steady‐state conditions in the blood. Several types of so‐called antiplatelet drugs are frequently described to reduce the risk of stroke or cardiovascular diseases. However, an efficient monitoring method is missing to identify the presence and frequency of platelet–platelet aggregates in whole blood on a single cell level. In this work, we employed imaging flow cytometry to identify fluorescently labeled platelets in whole blood with a conditional gating strategy. Images were post‐processed and aligned. A convolutional neural network was designed to identify platelet–platelet aggregates of two, three, and more than three platelets, and results were validated against various data set properties. In addition, the neural network excluded erythrocyte–platelet aggregates from the results. Based on the results, a parameter for detecting platelet–platelet aggregates, the weighted platelet aggregation, was developed. If employed on a broad scale with proband and patient samples, our method could aid in building a future diagnostic marker for cardiovascular disease and monitoring parameters to optimize drug prescriptions in such patient groups.
Machine learning assisted dual port metasurface loaded MIMO antenna with linearly polarized to circularly polarized conversion features for n257 band of 5G mm‐wave applications
Authors: Dwivedi Ajay Kumar , Singh Suyash Kumar , Ranjan Pinku , Sharma Anand , Singh Vivek 
Published: February 2024

SummaryIn this communication, a dual port printed multi‐input and multi‐output (MIMO) antenna with high isolation of dimension 12 × 8.5 × 0.8 mm3 is designed, analyzed, and investigated for 28‐GHz 5G mm‐wave applications. The metasurface layer is suspended over the MIMO antenna to convert the linearly polarized (LP) wave to a circularly polarized (CP) wave. The unit cell of the metasurface consists of a square‐shaped conducting strip with one side of diagonal points interconnected. The conducting strip and rectangular gap between the strips etched on the substrate are capable of generating the π/2 phase shifted electric field components (Ex and Ey) resulting in polarization conversion from LP to CP. The machine learning concept is used to characterize the dimensional configuration of the antenna to achieve the optimum throughput. The MIMO diversity performance parameters and antenna essential results are validated by the measured counterparts.
Masting, fire‐stimulated flowering, and the evolutionary ecology of synchronized reproduction
Authors: Beck Jared J. , McKone Mark J. , Wagenius Stuart 
Published: February 2024

AbstractSynchronized episodic reproduction among long‐lived plants shapes ecological interactions, ecosystem dynamics, and evolutionary processes worldwide. Two active scientific fields investigate the causes and consequences of such synchronized reproduction: the fields of masting and fire‐stimulated flowering. While parallels between masting and fire‐stimulated flowering have been previously noted, there has been little dialogue between these historically independent fields. We predict that the synthesis of these fields will facilitate new insight into the causes and consequences of synchronized reproduction. Here we briefly review parallels between masting and fire‐stimulated flowering, using two case studies and a database of 1870 plant species to facilitate methodological, conceptual, geographical, taxonomic, and phylogenetic comparisons. We identify avenues for future research and describe three key opportunities associated with synthesis. First, the taxonomic and geographic complementarity of empirical studies from these historically independent fields highlights the potential to derive more general inferences about global patterns and consequences of synchronized reproduction in perennial plants. Second, masting's well developed conceptual framework for evaluating adaptive hypotheses can help guide empirical studies of fire‐stimulated species and enable stronger inferences about the evolutionary ecology of fire‐stimulated flowering. Third, experimental manipulation of reproductive variation in fire‐stimulated species presents unique opportunities to empirically investigate foundational questions about ecological and evolutionary processes underlying synchronized reproduction. Synthesis of these fields and their complementary insights offers a unique opportunity to advance our understanding of the evolutionary ecology of synchronized reproduction in perennial plants.
Maintenance of different life stages of old‐growth forest trees in deforested tropical landscapes
Authors: Martínez‐Ruiz Marisela , Arroyo‐Rodríguez Víctor , Arasa‐Gisbert Ricard , Hernández‐Ruedas Manuel Alejandro , San‐José Miriam 
Published: February 2024

AbstractTropical tree species are increasingly being pushed to inhabit deforested landscapes. The habitat amount hypothesis posits that, in remaining forest patches, species diversity in equal‐sized samples decreases with decreasing forest cover in the surrounding landscape. We tested this prediction by taking into account three important factors that can affect species responses to forest loss. First, forest loss effects can be linear (proportional) or nonlinear, as there can be threshold values of forest loss beyond which species extirpation may be accelerated. Second, such effects are usually scale dependent and may go unnoticed if assessed at suboptimal scales. Finally, species extirpation may take decades to become evident, so the effects of forest loss can be undetected when assessing long‐lived organisms, like adult old‐growth forest trees. Here, we evaluated the linear and nonlinear effects of landscape forest loss across different spatial scales on site‐scale abundance and diversity of old‐growth forest trees, separately for four plant‐life stages (seeds, saplings, juveniles, and adults) in two rainforest regions with different levels of deforestation. We expected stronger (and negative) forest loss effects on early plant‐life stages, especially in the region with the highest deforestation. Surprisingly, in 13 of 16 study cases (2 responses × 4 life stages × 2 regions), null models showed higher empirical support than linear and nonlinear models at any scale. Therefore, the species richness and abundance of local tree assemblages seem to be weakly affected by landscape‐scale forest loss independently of the spatial scale, life stage, and region. Yet, as expected, the predictive power of forest cover was relatively lower in the least deforested region. Our findings suggest that landscape‐scale forest loss is poorly related to site‐scale processes, such as seed dispersal and seedling recruitment, or, at least, such effects are too small to shape the abundance and diversity of tree assemblages within forest patches. Therefore, our findings do not support the most important prediction of the habitat amount hypothesis but imply that, on a per‐area basis, a unit of habitat (forest) in a highly deforested landscape has a conservation value similar to that of a more forested one, particularly in moderately deforested rainforests.
A Short Synthesis of (−)‐6,7‐Secoagroclavine via Metal‐Free Reductive Coupling
Authors: Diotallevi Francesca , Bartoccini Francesca , Piersanti Giovanni 
Published: February 2024

AbstractA concise, convergent, and enantioselective synthesis of (−)‐6,7‐secoagroclavine, a pivotal intermediate in the synthesis of both clavine and ergot alkaloids, was accomplished from a derivative of the renowned Uhle's ketone. The synthesis is centered on metal‐free reductive coupling of the tosylhydrazone derivative of protected 4‐amino Uhle's ketone and commercially available 2,2‐dimethylethenylboronic acid, which is used as a four‐carbon building block. This novel approach directly sets the stereochemistry on the difficult‐to‐access aryl vinyl methane carbon stereogenic center of (−)‐6,7‐secoagroclavine.
DMAPO/Boc2O‐Mediated One‐Pot Direct N1‐Acylation of Indazole with Carboxylic Acids: A Practical Synthesis of N1‐Functionalized Alkyl Indazoles
Authors: Umehara Atsushi , Shimizu Soma , Sasaki Makoto 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis report describes the one‐pot direct N‐acylation of indazole with carboxylic acids using our previously developed 4‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)pyridine N‐oxide (DMAPO)/di‐tert‐butyl dicarbonate (Boc2O) system. This simple system provides N1‐acyl indazoles in high yield with high N1 selectivities and does not require the use of activated derivatives of carboxylic acids or high temperatures. This new method exhibits a wide substrate scope (>40 examples). In addition, a new synthesis of N1‐functionalized alkyl indazoles utilizing N1‐acyl indazoles as starting materials was achieved. This stepwise protocol is useful for the selective synthesis of structurally diverse N1‐functionalized alkyl indazoles, which are difficult to synthesize by other methods such as the Mitsunobu reaction and classical SN2 alkylation of indazole.
Surgery for nonlocalizing hyperparathyroidism in high volume center
Authors: Miller Austin B. , Frank Ethan , Simental Alfred A. , Feng Max 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundPatients with nonlocalizing hyperparathyroidism pose a significant challenge to surgeons when undergoing neck exploration for parathyroidectomy.MethodsWe evaluated 536 patients that had parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) from 2005 to 2018 at a single tertiary academic center, and 155 (29%) had standard nonlocalizing preoperative imaging (negative ultrasound and sestamibi scans).ResultsThere were a total of 102 (66%) non‐ectopic single adenomas in the nonlocalizing group and 325 (85%) single adenomas in the localizing group. There was no significant difference (p = 0.09) in adenoma quadrant between localizing and nonlocalizing single adenomas, but the most common location in both groups was right inferior. Patients with nonlocalizing scans were more likely to have double adenomas (21% vs. 9%, p < 0.001), ectopic glands (10% vs. 5%, p = 0.052), and multi‐gland disease (13% vs. 8%, p = 0.002).ConclusionNonlocalizing PHPT patients experienced similar cure and complication rates as localizing PHPT, but required more bilateral explorations and increased operative time.
A Corpus Study of English Language Exam Texts: Vocabulary Difficulty and the Impact on Students' Wider Reading (or Should Students be Reading More Texts by Dead White Men?)
Authors: Jennings Beverley , Powell Daisy , Jaworska Sylvia , Joseph Holly 
Published: February 2024

AbstractStudents in England sit an important gateway examination in English at age 16. Major changes were made to this exam in 2017 resulting in more emphasis on the comprehension of unseen literary texts. This paper uses corpus linguistic methods to identify the kind of vocabulary encountered in these exam texts and compares it to the kind of vocabulary encountered in other sources of written language (classic literary fiction, biographies, poetry, etc.). Results showed vocabulary in the exam texts was typically low in frequency and that older literary fiction texts contained similar types of vocabulary. This suggests that students and teachers should rely more on older literary fiction to best prepare for the exam. However, this raises ethical questions about whether an exam should dictate students' reading experience, especially when older literary fiction is likely to be less diverse and dominated by dead White men.
Combining PLGA microspheres loaded with Liver X receptor agonist GW3965 with a chitosan nerve conduit can promote the healing and regeneration of the wounded sciatic nerve
Authors: Zhong Yuanwu , Li Shiqi , Chen Yanzhen , Tang Yuan , Xiao Xinmao , Nie Tao 
Published: February 2024

AbstractGlobally, peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a common clinical issue. Successfully repairing severe PNIs has posed a major challenge for clinicians. GW3965 is a highly selective LXR agonist, and previous studies have demonstrated its positive protective effects in both central and peripheral nerve diseases. In this work, we examined the potential reparative effects of GW3965‐loaded polylactic acid co‐glycolic acid microspheres in conjunction with a chitosan nerve conduit for peripheral nerve damage. The experiment revealed that GW3965 promoted Schwann cell proliferation and neurotrophic factor release in vitro. In vivo experiments conducted on rats showed that GW3965 facilitated the restoration of motor function, promoted axon and myelin regeneration in the sciatic nerve, and enhanced the microenvironment of nerve regeneration. These results offer a novel therapeutic approach for the healing of nerve damage. Overall, this work provides valuable insights and presents a promising therapeutic strategy for addressing PNI.
Histomolecular profile of Helicobacter pylori strains circulating in Brazzaville (Congo)
Authors: Atipo‐Ibara Bienvenu H , Boumba Anicet , Ibara Ollandzobo Ikobo Atipo , Mongo‐Onkouo Arnaud , Mimiesse Mounamou Jile F , Itoua‐Ngaporo Ngala A , Moukassa Donatien , Atipo Ibara Blaise I 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackground and AimHelicobacter pylori (Hp) infection is a real public health problem in the Congo. We aimed study the histomolecular profile of Hp strains circulating in Brazzaville, Congo, in order to contribute to the improvement of Hp‐infected patients in the country.MethodsThis was an analytical‐transversal study carried out from January to November 2020 (i.e. a study period of 11 months) in the endoscopy centers of Brazzaville as well as the molecular biology and anatomopathology laboratories of Pointe‐Noire and Oyo. It involved 100 symptomatic patients over the age of 18 referred for upper GI endoscopy. These patients underwent gastric biopsies for histopathological analysis according to the Sydney classification and molecular analysis using the real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The frequency of Hp infection was determined using real‐time PCR. PCR was also used to identify the Hp strains and assess their tropism in the gastric mucosa. Digestive symptoms, endoscopic lesions, and histopathological lesions associated with HP infection were studied.ResultsThe incidence of Hp infection was 91%, with a female predominance of 52.75% and an average age of 46.32 years. Endoscopy revealed normal mucosa (56.14%), ulcerated lesions (12.28%), and gastritis (22.81%) in infected patients. Histopathologically, the lesions were chronic atrophic gastritis (91%), with inflammatory activity (16.46%), intestinal metaplasia (16.46%), and adenocarcinoma (3.3%). Cag A strains were present in 85.71% of cases and had no preferential tropism in the gastric mucosa. Strains carrying the Cag A gene were present in severe and serious endoscopic and histopathological lesions.ConclusionThe prevalence of Hp infection is 91% in the Brazzaville population. Cag A strains circulate in high proportions and are implicated in the occurrence of severe lesions of the gastric mucosa.
Prognostic Value of Segmental Strain After ST‐Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Insights From the EARLY Assessment of MYOcardial Tissue Characteristics by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (EARLY‐MYO‐CMR) Study
Authors: He Jie , Kong Lingcong , An Dongaolei , Chen Binghua , Zhao Chengxu , Li Zheng , Yang Fan , Dong Jianxun , Wei Lai , Shan Peiren , Chen Yingmin , Wu Lianming , Xu Jianrong , Ge Heng , Pu Jun 
Published: February 2024

BackgroundThe prognostic value of left ventricular segmental strain (SS) in ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains unclear.HypothesisTo assess the prognostic value and application of SS.Study TypeRetrospective analysis of a prospective registry.PopulationFive hundred and forty‐four patients after STEMI (500 in Cohort 1, 44 in Cohort 2).Field Strength/Sequence3 T, balanced steady‐state free precession, gradient echo, and gradient echo contrast‐enhanced images.AssessmentParticipants underwent cardiac MR during the acute phase after STEMI. Infarct‐related artery (IRA) strain was determined based on SS obtained from cine images. The primary endpoint was the composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) after 8 years of follow‐up. In Cohort 2, SS stability was assessed by MR twice within 8 days. Contrast and non‐contrast risk models based on SS were established, leading to the development of an algorithm.Statistical TestStudent's t‐test, Mann–Whitney U‐test, Cox and logistic regression, Kaplan–Meier analysis, net reclassification index (NRI). P < 0.05 was considered significant.ResultsDuring a median follow‐up of 5.2 years, 83 patients from Cohort 1 experienced a MACE. Among SS, IRA peak circumferential strain (IRA‐CS) was an independent factor for MACEs (adjusted hazard ratio 1.099), providing incremental prognostic value (NRI 0.180, P = 0.10). Patients with worse IRA‐CS (>−8.64%) demonstrated a heightened susceptibility to MACE. Additionally, IRA‐CS was significantly associated with microvascular obstruction (MVO) (adjusted odds ratio 1.084) and infarct size (r = 0.395). IRA‐CS showed comparable prognostic effectiveness to global peak circumferential strain (NRI 0.100, P = 0.39), also counterbalancing contrast and non‐contrast risk models (NRI 0.205, P = 0.05). In Cohort 2, IRA‐CS demonstrated stability between two time points (P = 0.10). Based on risk models incorporating IRA‐CS, algorithm “HJKL” was preliminarily proposed for stratification.Data ConclusionsIRA‐CS is an important prognostic factor, and an algorithm based on it is proposed for stratification.Level of Evidence4Technical EfficacyStage 2
Simultaneous Measurement of GABA, Glutathione, and Glutamate–Glutamine in the Thalamus using Edited MR Spectroscopy: Feasibility and Applications in Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Liang Xiao , Saleh Muhammad G. , Xu Su , Mayer Dirk , Roys Steven , Raghavan Prashant , Badjatia Neeraj , Gullapalli Rao P. , Zhuo Jiachen 
Published: February 2024

BackgroundMR spectroscopy (MRS) is a noninvasive tool for evaluating biochemical alterations, such as glutamate (Glu)/gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) imbalance and depletion of antioxidative glutathione (GSH) after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Thalamus, a critical and vulnerable region post‐TBI, is challenging for MRS acquisitions, necessitating optimization to simultaneously measure GABA/Glu and GSH.PurposeTo assess the feasibility and optimize acquisition and processing approaches for simultaneously measuring GABA, Glx (Glu + glutamine (Gln)), and GSH in the thalamus, employing Hadamard encoding and reconstruction of MEscher–GArwood (MEGA)‐edited spectroscopy (HERMES).Study TypeProspective.Subjects28 control subjects (age: 35.9 ± 15.1 years), and 17 mild TBI (mTBI) patients (age: 32.4 ± 11.3 years).Field Strength/Sequence3T/T1‐weighted magnetization‐prepared rapid gradient‐echo (MP‐RAGE), HERMES.AssessmentWe evaluated the impact of acquisition with spatial saturation bands and post‐processing with spectral alignment on HERMES performance in the thalamus among controls. Within‐subject variability was examined in five controls through repeated scans within a week. The HERMES spectra in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) of controls were used as a reference for assessing HERMES performance in a reliable target. Furthermore, we compared metabolite levels and fitting quality in the thalamus between mTBI patients and controls.Statistical TestsUnpaired t‐tests and within‐subject coefficient‐of‐variation (CV). A P‐value <0.05 was deemed significant.ResultsHERMES spectra, acquired with saturation bands and processed with spectral alignment, yielded reliable metabolite measurements in the thalamus. The mean within‐subject CV for GABA, Glx, and GSH levels were 18%, 10%, and 16% in the thalamus (7%, 9%, and 16% in the PCC). GABA (3.20 ± 0.60 vs 2.51 ± 0.55, P < 0.01) and Glx (8.69 ± 1.23 vs 7.72 ± 1.19, P = 0.03) levels in the thalamus were significantly higher in mTBI patients than in controls, with GSH (1.27 ± 0.35 vs 1.22 ± 0.28, P = 0.65) levels showing no significant difference.Data ConclusionSimultaneous measuring GABA/Glx and GSH using HERMES is feasible in the thalamus, providing valuable insight into TBI.Level of Evidence2Technical EfficacyStage 2