bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantitative PCR of string‐test collected gastric material: A feasible approach to detect Helicobacter pylori and its resistance against clarithromycin and levofloxacin for susceptibility‐guided therapy
Authors: Han Xinyuan , Yu Xiqiu , Gao Xiaojuan , Wang Xiangyu , Tay Chin Yen , Wei Xiaolan , Lai Bing , Marshall Barry J. , Zhang Xiuming , Chua Eng Guan 
Published: April 2023

AbstractBackgroundAs the reduced eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), we introduced string‐test and quantitative PCR (qPCR) for susceptibility‐guided therapy innovatively. The practicality of the string test was evaluated.MethodsIt was an open‐label, non‐randomized, parallel, single‐center study, in which subjects tested by 13C‐ urea breath test (UBT) and string‐qPCR were enrolled. Based on the results of string‐qPCR, we calculated clarithromycin and levofloxacin resistance rates and gave 13C‐UBT positive patients 14 days susceptibility‐guided bismuth quadruple therapy. In the empirical therapy group, we retrospectively analyzed the treatment results of 13C‐UBT positive patients also treated with bismuth quadruple at Shenzhen Luohu People's Hospital from January 2021 to May 2022. The eradication rate was compared between susceptibility‐guided therapy and empirical therapy groups.ResultsThe diagnosis of H. pylori infection using the string‐qPCR had an overall concordance rate of 95.9% with the 13C‐UBT results. Based on the results of string‐qPCR, the clarithromycin and levofloxacin resistance rates were 26.1% and 31.8%, respectively. The patients who were given 14 days susceptibility‐guided bismuth‐based quadruple therapy achieved a high H. pylori eradication rate of 91.8%. Retrospective analysis of patient treatment data from January 2021 to May 2022 available in the hospital database revealed an overall success rate of 82.3% for those who received empirical bismuth‐based quadruple therapies, which is marginally significantly lower than that of the string‐qPCR susceptibility‐guided group (p = 0.084).ConclusionThe high treatment success rate of 91.8% indicates that the string‐qPCR test is a valuable and feasible approach for clinical practice to help improve H. pylori treatment success rate.
Does the plant growth regulator paclobutrazol enhance root growth of maize exposed to drought stress during flowering?
Authors: Hütsch Birgit W. , Kehm Lukas , Schubert Sven 
Published: April 2023

AbstractDue to climate change, crop production will increasingly be affected by water limitation, causing remarkable decreases in grain yields of cereals. Plant growth regulators such as paclobutrazol (PAC) have been shown to protect plants from detrimental impacts of drought stress, and improvement of root growth and antioxidant activity were identified as main reasons for their positive effect. A container experiment was conducted with two maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars, Galactus and Fabregas, to investigate how PAC application affects root growth and grain yield under stress conditions. At growth stage V8, the plants were treated once with PAC (0, 2, or 3 mg PAC per plant), and concomitantly reduction in soil water content commenced until 30–35% of the maximum water‐holding capacity (WHC) was achieved. The plants were exposed to this drought condition for three weeks during flowering as the critical period for kernel setting. Both factors, PAC application and drought stress, caused decreases in plant height, whereas total leaf area was unchanged and transpiration rate was significantly reduced by water limitation only. Flowering was almost unaffected by PAC treatment; yet, drought stress significantly delayed start of silking. The straw yield was decreased due to PAC and drought stress, and an improvement of the harvest index was obtained for drought‐stressed Galactus plants with PAC application. Grain yield was unaffected by PAC application, whereas drought stress caused significant decreases by 15% on average of both cultivars. The kernel number of drought‐stressed Galactus plants was increased after PAC treatment, but concurrently smaller kernels were produced. Water limitation generally decreased kernel number. Drought‐stressed Fabregas plants consumed less water after PAC treatment, resulting in significant improvements of water‐use efficiency (WUEgrain) during silking and thus most likely alleviating stress intensity. For both cultivars, PAC treatment and water limitation showed almost no significant impact on root dry matter, root length density, and root surface area, either determined for different soil layers down to 80 cm or on a per‐plant basis. It is concluded that grain yield performance of maize plants, exposed to water limitation during flowering, was not source‐limited but sink‐limited. Consequently, even if PAC can cause improvement of antioxidant activity and photosynthesis, due to sufficient availability of assimilates in the maize kernels a positive effect on grain yield is improbable. Considering source–sink relationships during flowering and kernel set, enhanced root growth due to PAC treatment did apparently not occur.
Comparative life cycle assessment of graphitic carbon nitride synthesis routes
Authors: Aquino de Carvalho Nathalia , Gilbertson Leanne M. 
Published: April 2023

AbstractGraphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4) has gained great interest as a visible‐light‐activated photocatalyst. As an emerging nanomaterial for environmental applications, its competitive performance and environmentally responsible synthesis are critical to its success. A powerful tool for informing material development with reduced environmental impacts is life cycle assessment (LCA). In this study, LCA is used to evaluate the environmental impacts of g‐C3N4 nanosheet produced via eight existing synthesis routes. The results reveal electricity as the main contributor to the cumulative impacts of all eight g‐C3N4 syntheses. There are opportunities to reduce energy demand, and consequently the synthesis impacts, by revising synthesis procedures (i.e., removing or reducing time of use of a piece of equipment), optimizing the calcination step (i.e., faster heating rate, lower heating time, lower temperature), and moving to cleaner electricity sources. Further, benchmarking the environmental impacts of g‐C3N4 nanosheets to a well‐established metal‐based photocatalyst, titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano‐TiO2), reveals mixed comparative results. The synthesis method substantially influences the comparative impacts. Considering use‐phase benefits of activating g‐C3N4 with visible wavelength light emitting diodes compared to ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths for nano‐TiO2 results in a 52% energy demand reduction (in kWh). Performance of g‐C3N4 compared to a high‐energy disinfection approach (i.e., conventional UV) reveals an inability to meet drinking water disinfection standards for viral load reduction (4‐log reduction) with any mass of g‐C3N4, given its high embodied resource footprint. This work establishes a foundation to inform and direct g‐C3N4 nanosheets toward improved sustainable development.
Full‐field input generated from right visual field information for healthy participants reproduces performance simulating left unilateral spatial neglect in line bisection
Authors: Nukui Keita , Ishiai Sumio 
Published: April 2023

AbstractPatients with left unilateral spatial neglect (USN) typically place the subjective midpoint to the right of the objective centre when bisecting a horizontal line. This pathological phenomenon may be explained as a result of greater dependence on the right endpoint in the external reference frame (Koyama et al., Brain Cogn, 35, 1997, 271; McIntosh et al., Cogn Brain Res, 25, 2005, 833). Ishiai et al. (Brain, 112, 1989, 1485) reported that once patients with USN fixated on a certain point on the right part of the presented line, they persisted with this point and marked the subjective midpoint there without leftward searches. Ishiai et al.'s interpretation was that the patients saw a totalised line representation that extended equidistantly to the right and left sides, based on the information of the attended rightward extent from the subjective midpoint. Accordingly, we used virtual reality goggles (VRG) and devised a mirror‐image viewing (MV) condition that showed a full‐field view based on the right visual field information to test whether healthy participants would thereby show neglect‐like bisection performance. The participants were 30 healthy adults (22–37 years old; 15 women and 15 men). In this condition, 96.7% (29/30) of participants were judged to exhibit USN‐like performance of line bisection, indicating the effectiveness of MV condition to simulate USN. The novelty of the present study lies in the use of a task‐specific intervention of neglect‐like visuospatial processing during line bisection without attempting to modify the direction of spatial attention. This approach may contribute to the understanding of the pathological visuospatial processing of USN.
Exploring mechanisms that affect retrograde memory for public events in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: A longitudinal update
Authors: De Simone Maria Stefania , Rodini Marta , De Tollis Massimo , Caltagirone Carlo , Carlesimo Giovanni Augusto 
Published: April 2023

AbstractHere, we examined mechanisms that affect retrograde memory in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (a‐MCI) as a function of longitudinal clinical outcome. 8 a‐MCI who converted to Alzheimer's dementia (AD) during the subsequent 3‐year follow‐up (converter a‐MCI) and 10 a‐MCI who remained clinically stable during the same period (stable a‐MCI) were compared at the baseline evaluation (i.e., when they were diagnosed as a‐MCI) using a remote memory questionnaire for public events that allows disentangling the differential contribution of storage and retrieval mechanisms to performance accuracy. Results suggest that deficits in remote memory are primarily explained by impaired retrieval abilities in stable a‐MCI and by impaired storage in converter‐to‐AD a‐MCI. This distinction between retrograde amnesia due to defective trace utilisation in stable a‐MCI and trace storage in converter a‐MCI is consistent with the temporal unfolding of declining anterograde memory over the course of disease progression to AD.
Mixed‐methods pilot study exploring the influence of the novel Paediatric Anaesthetic Drug Solution tool on clinician cognitive load during simulated paediatric rapid sequence intubation in the emergency department
Authors: Goodier Robyn , Partyka Christopher , Moore Nicholas , Middleton Paul , Abdullah Qabirul 
Published: April 2023

AimRapid sequence intubation (RSI) in children is a low‐incidence, high‐risk event associated with cognitive overload and potential errors producing unfavourable outcomes. Cognitive aids, such as charts, algorithms and flow diagrams, are prompts that externalise and structure mental processes to reduce cognitive load, thereby reducing errors. The Paediatric Anaesthetic Emergency Drug Solution (PAEDS) approach combines a colour‐coded chart and medication box with a simplified mathematical system of volume‐based dosing; the effect of which on cognitive load during a simulated RSI has not previously been described.MethodsA randomised, cross‐over trial was conducted with 26 multi‐disciplinary emergency medicine clinicians (doctors and nurses) allocated to four groups, performing four high‐fidelity RSI simulations, two mandating the use of the PAEDS approach. This mixed methods study followed the pragmatic ontology using grounded theory methodology. Qualitative data were collected from nine individual interviews by a process of thematic analysis via an inductive approach, to allow for appropriate open and axial coding to occur. Quantitative data collected included cognitive loading using the raw NASA‐Task Load Index as well as time to intubation and drug dosage details to assess for safety.ResultsQualitative results showed that the PAEDS approach reduced cognitive loading through the use of both the labelled medication box and colour‐coded medication charts. The PAEDS approach also showed improved perceived time pressure without feeling rushed, and with no recorded drug errors. Differences in the quantitative data for total cognitive load, error and time were not statistically significant, likely due to sample size.ConclusionThe PAEDS approach is a multifaceted system which is not inferior to current practice, with some components described as an improvement. Further research on a larger sample size needs to be conducted to assess the aspects of the PAEDS approach both collectively and independently.
Cryopreservation of six marine microalgae used in Taiwanese aquaculture
Authors: Gwo Jin‐Chywan , Twan Wen‐Hung , Lin Shih‐Chao 
Published: April 2023

AbstractWe investigated the possible conditions to cryopreserve six marine microalgae that are frequently used in Taiwanese aquaculture: Amphora exigua, Isochrysis galbana, Nannochloropsis oculata, Seminavis gracilenta, Skeletonema costatum, and Tetraselmis elliptica. The approaches for microalgae cryopreservation with cooling from room temperature to −40°C, a rate of approximately −1°C/min, and final storage in liquid nitrogen at −196°C are described. We subsequently assessed the viability of cultures of these microalgae after thawing in a 40°C water bath and evaluated the relative survival rates to compare the suitability of cryoprotectant and cryopreservation conditions. We used four concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) of five cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), methanol (MeOH), glycerine (GLY), ethylene glycol (EG), and propylene glycol (PG), and found that the individual microalgae required distinct cryoprotectant and concentrations. Only S. costatum was not viable after cryopreservation under any of the conditions tested. Relative survival rates were 87.6% (A. exigua), 70.73% (I. galbana), 87.48% (N. oculata), 91.0% (S. gracilenta), and 57.8% (T. elliptica), when using 20% DMSO, 15% Gly, 20% EG, 20% DMSO, and 20% PG as cryoprotectants, respectively. In summary, we established suitable conditions to cryopreserve these five microalgae that will facilitate conserving their genetic diversity.
‘Neurodivergent literacies’: exploring autistic adults' ‘ruling passions’ and embracing neurodiversity through classroom literacies
Authors: Bailey Chris 
Published: April 2023

AbstractThe concept of neurodiversity has fuelled a social justice movement advocating for the rights of those whose lives diverge from a socially‐constructed default. However, deficit understandings of disability persist in educational settings and neurodivergent people continue to face disadvantage and discrimination in organisations constructed on normative understandings of the world. Although New Literacy Studies is concerned with ideas of power, dominance and worth, there is a notable lack of work that connects NLS with issues of neurodiversity. In this paper, I introduce the term ‘neurodivergent literacies’ to propose a field of study that links the ideological model of literacy with the neurodiversity paradigm. From this starting point, I outline a project that examined literacies around what are often referred to as the ‘special interests’ of autistic people. Presenting data from interviews with 13 neurodivergent adults, related to school experiences and the literacies they engage with around their self‐defined ‘ruling passions’, I make recommendations for literacies practitioners, arguing that schools need to do more to take account of difference and disability. By describing how ‘neurodivergent literacies’ can help teachers harness their own critical literacy skills to challenge deficit models of difference in the classroom, this paper illuminates how an understanding of neurodiversity is essential for anyone teaching and researching literacies with a commitment to social justice.
Reinforcement learning with dynamic convex risk measures
Authors: Coache Anthony , Jaimungal Sebastian 
Published: April 2023

AbstractWe develop an approach for solving time‐consistent risk‐sensitive stochastic optimization problems using model‐free reinforcement learning (RL). Specifically, we assume agents assess the risk of a sequence of random variables using dynamic convex risk measures. We employ a time‐consistent dynamic programming principle to determine the value of a particular policy, and develop policy gradient update rules that aid in obtaining optimal policies. We further develop an actor–critic style algorithm using neural networks to optimize over policies. Finally, we demonstrate the performance and flexibility of our approach by applying it to three optimization problems: statistical arbitrage trading strategies, financial hedging, and obstacle avoidance robot control.
Groundwater environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals hidden diversity and reflects land‐use and geology
Authors: Couton Marjorie , Hürlemann Samuel , Studer Angela , Alther Roman , Altermatt Florian 
Published: April 2023

AbstractDespite being the most important source of liquid freshwater on the planet, groundwater is severely threatened by climate change, agriculture, or industrial mining. It is thus extensively monitored for pollutants and declines in quantity. The organisms living in groundwater, however, are rarely the target of surveillance programmes and little is known about the fauna inhabiting underground habitats. The difficulties accessing groundwater, the lack of expertise, and the apparent scarcity of these organisms challenge sampling and prohibit adequate knowledge on groundwater fauna. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding provides an approach to overcome these limitations but is largely unexplored. Here, we sampled water in 20 communal spring catchment boxes used for drinking water provisioning in Switzerland, with a high level of replication at both filtration and amplification steps. We sequenced a portion of the COI mitochondrial gene, which resulted in 4917 ASVs, yet only 3% of the reads could be assigned to a species, genus, or family with more than 90% identity. Careful evaluation of the unassigned reads corroborated that these sequences were true COI sequences belonging mostly to diverse eukaryotic groups, not present in the reference databases. Principal component analyses showed a strong correlation of the community composition with the surface land‐use (agriculture vs. forest) and geology (fissured rock vs. unconsolidated sediment). While incomplete reference databases limit the assignment of taxa in groundwater eDNA metabarcoding, we showed that taxonomy‐free approaches can reveal large hidden diversity and couple it with major land‐use drivers, revealing their imprint on chemical and biological properties of groundwater.
The locomotor ecomorphology of Mesozoic marine reptiles
Authors: Gutarra Susana , Stubbs Thomas L. , Moon Benjamin C. , Heighton Beatrice H. , Benton Michael J. 
Published: April 2023

AbstractThe aftermath of the end‐Permian mass extinction provided ecological opportunities for many groups of reptiles, marking the beginning of reptile dominance of the Mesozoic oceans. Clades such as ichthyosaurs, thalattosuchians, sauropterygians, mosasaurs and turtles evolved a remarkable diversity of ecological niches and became important components of aquatic ecosystems. Locomotion is a key aspect of ecology, crucial for many biological functions such as foraging and migration. However, the evolution of locomotory adaptations across all Mesozoic marine reptiles remains poorly understood. Here we present multivariate and disparity analyses based on body proportions, body size and post‐cranial proxies for locomotion in 125 species of Mesozoic marine reptiles. Our analysis highlights key anatomical transformations in the evolution of swimming modes, characterizing two divergent evolutionary paths in the transition from drag‐based to lift‐based propulsion in both the axial and appendicular spectrum. Analyses against geological time do not show evidence for an explosive radiation after the end‐Permian extinction, pointing instead to a gradual increase in locomotory disparity during the whole Mesozoic, which reached the highest levels in the Cretaceous. Our analysis also provides insight into the evolution of locomotion in particular clades. Some notable findings are the high aquatic specialization in the earliest ichthyosauromorphs and the morphospace overlap between mosasauroids and ichthyosauromorphs.
Effect of stimulation intensity of a differential target multiplexed SCS program in an animal model of neuropathic pain
Authors: Cedeño David L. , Kelley Courtney A. , Vallejo Ricardo 
Published: April 2023

AbstractBackgroundSpinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been proven to be an effective treatment for patients suffering from intractable chronic neuropathic pain. Recent advances in the field include the utilization of programs that multiplex various signals to target different neural structures in the dorsal spinal cord associated with the painful area. Preclinical studies have been fundamental in understanding the mechanism by which this differential target multiplexed programming (DTMP) SCS approach works. Transcriptomic‐ and proteomic‐based studies demonstrated that DTMP can modulate expression levels of genes and proteins involved in pain‐related processes that have been affected by a neuropathic pain model. This work studied the effect of the intensity of DTMP signals on mechanical hypersensitivity and cell‐specific transcriptomes.MethodsThe spared nerve injury model (SNI) of neuropathic pain was induced in 20 animals which were 1:1 randomized into two SCS groups in which the intensity of the DTMP was adjusted to either 70% or 40% of the motor threshold (MT). SCS was applied continuously for 48 h via a quadripolar lead implanted in the dorsal epidural space of animals. Controls, which included a group of implanted SNI animals that received no SCS and a group of animals naive to the SNI, were assessed in parallel to the SCS groups. Mechanical hypersensitivity was assessed before SNI, before SCS, and at 48 h of SCS. At the end of SCS, the stimulated segment of the dorsal spinal cord was dissected and subjected to RNA sequencing to quantify expression levels in all experimental groups. Differential effects were assessed via fold‐change comparisons of SCS and naive groups versus the no‐SCS group for transcriptomes specific to neurons and glial cells. Standard statistical analyses were employed to assess significance of the comparisons (p < 0.05).ResultsSCS treatments provided significant improvement in mechanical sensitivity relative to no SCS treatment. However, the change in the intensity did not provide a significant difference in the improvement of mechanical sensitivity. DTMP regulated expression levels back toward those found in the naive group in the cell‐specific transcriptomes analyzed. There were no significant differences related to the intensity of the stimulation in terms of the percentage of genes in each transcriptome in which expression levels were reversed toward the naive state.ConclusionsDTMP when applied at either 40% MT or 70% MT provided similar reduction of pain‐like behavior in rats and similar effects in neuron‐ and glia‐specific transcriptomes.