bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Calibration of the root water uptake spatial distribution of a young Melaleuca styphelioides, an Australian-native plant, by means of a large-scale apparatus experiment
Authors: Bertolini Ilaria , Gottardi Guido , Gragnano Carmine Gerardo , Buzzi Olivier 
Published: June 2023

AbstractThe stability of slopes is greatly influenced by seasonal variations in pore water pressures (pwp) induced by rainfall infiltration and evapotranspiration processes. Despite that, the prediction of the hydrological effects of long-stem planting is often simplified or neglected because it is challenging to address. Its computation requires a proper definition of the plant root water uptake spatial distribution, which depends, in turn, on geometry and spatial root density. A well-suited case study in this field of application has been provided by a soil-filled embankment, close to an important traffic artery in Newcastle (Australia), which experienced shallow instability. The implementation of long-stem planting has been suggested as a remediation intervention. Based on this, an experimental study focusing on the effects of plant roots on the distribution of pwp in the site soil has been performed by means of a large-scale laboratory experiment on a 2-year-old native plant. Suction measurements were recorded within the vegetated soil mass under controlled boundary conditions and used to calibrate two different root spatial distributions in a seepage simulation. One is based on a flexible RWU spatial distribution function, and the other, specific for the plant RWU pattern, is simpler in its formulation and requires the definition of a lower number of parameters. A comparison between their performances in reproducing pwp distribution suggests that the second one is a better alternative. The methodological approach adopted has proven to be suitable for representing the hydraulic behaviour of a vegetated hillslope, to be eventually implemented in a proper stability assessment problem.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in older patients with gastric cancer undergoing surgery: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Keywani Kammy , Borgstein Alexander B. J. , Eshuis Wietse J. , Pape Marieke , Versteeg Kathelijn S. , Derks Sarah , van Laarhoven Hanneke W. M. , Gisbertz Suzanne S. , Verhoeven Rob H. A. , van Berge Henegouwen Mark I. 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Background
In trials evaluating perioperative chemotherapy for gastric cancer, which serve as the basis for treatment guidelines, patients are selected. The generalizability of these trial findings to older patients is uncertain.

Methods
This population-based retrospective cohort study compared the survival outcomes of patients ≥ 75 years with gastric adenocarcinoma treated with or without neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 2015 and 2019. Additionally, the percentage of patients < 75 years and ≥ 75 years who did not proceeded to surgery after receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy were examined.

Results
A total of 1995 patients, of whom 1249 aged < 75 years and 746 aged ≥ 75 years, were included. In the group of patients ≥ 75 years, 275 patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 471 patients were directly scheduled for gastrectomy. Patients ≥ 75 years treated with or without neoadjuvant chemotherapy differed significantly from one and another in characteristics. Overall survival of patients ≥ 75 years treated with or without neoadjuvant chemotherapy was not significantly different (median 34.9 vs. 32.3 months; P = 0.506), also after adjusting for potential confounders (HR 0.87; P = 0.263). Of patients ≥ 75 years who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 43 (15.6%) did not proceed to surgery compared to 111 (8.9%) patients < 75 years (P < 0.001).

Conclusion
Patients ≥ 75 years treated with or without chemotherapy were highly selected, and overall survival was not significantly different between both groups. Nonetheless, the proportion of patients who did not proceed to surgery following neoadjuvant chemotherapy was higher in patients ≥ 75 years compared to patients < 75 years. Therefore, neoadjuvant chemotherapy should be considered with more caution in patients ≥ 75 years, while identifying those who may benefit.
Classification of homogeneous hypersurfaces in some noncompact symmetric spaces of rank two
Authors: Solonenko Ivan 
Published: June 2023

AbstractWe classify, up to isometric congruence, the homogeneous hypersurfaces in the Riemannian symmetric spaces $$\textrm{SL}(3,\mathbb {H})/\textrm{Sp}(3), \textrm{SO}(5,\mathbb {C})/\textrm{SO}(5),$$

SL
(
3
,
H
)
/
Sp
(
3
)
,
SO
(
5
,
C
)
/
SO
(
5
)
,

and $$\textrm{Gr}^*(2,\mathbb {C}^{n+4}) = \textrm{SU}(n+2,2)/\textrm{S}(\textrm{U}(n+2)\textrm{U}(2)), \, n \geqslant 1$$

Gr
∗

(
2
,

C

n
+
4

)

=
SU

(
n
+
2
,
2
)

/
S

(
U

(
n
+
2
)

U

(
2
)

)

,

n
⩾
1

.
Aberrant phosphorylation of human LRH1 at serine 510 is predictable of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence
Authors: Nishimagi Atsushi , Kobayashi Makoto , Sugimoto Kotaro , Kofunato Yasuhide , Sato Naoya , Haga Junichiro , Ishigame Teruhide , Kimura Takashi , Kenjo Akira , Kobayashi Yasuyuki , Hashimoto Yuko , Marubashi Shigeru , Chiba Hideki 
Published: June 2023

AbstractWe previously identified the AKT-phosphorylation sites in nuclear receptors and showed that phosphorylation of S379 in mouse retinoic acid γ and S518 in human estrogen receptor α regulate their activity independently of the ligands. Since this site is conserved at S510 in human liver receptor homolog 1 (hLRH1), we developed a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that recognized the phosphorylation form of hLRH1S510 (hLRH1pS510) and verified its clinicopathological significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We generated the anti-hLRH1pS510 mAb and assessed its selectivity. We then evaluated the hLRH1pS510 signals in 157 cases of HCC tissues by immunohistochemistry because LRH1 contributes to the pathogenesis of diverse cancers. The developed mAb specifically recognized hLRH1pS510 and worked for immunohistochemistry of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. hLRH1pS510 was exclusively localized in the nucleus of HCC cells, but the signal intensity and positive rates varied among the subjects. According to the semi-quantification, 45 cases (34.9%) showed hLRH1pS510-high, and the remaining 112 cases (65.1%) exhibited hLRH1pS510-low. There were significant differences in the recurrence-free survival (RFS) between the two groups, and the 5-year RFS rates in the hLRH1pS510-high and hLRH1pS510-low groups were 26.5% and 46.1%, respectively. In addition, high hLRH1pS510 was significantly correlated with portal vein invasion, hepatic vein invasion, and high levels of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Furthermore, multivariable analysis revealed that hLRH1pS510-high was an independent biomarker for HCC recurrence. We conclude that aberrant phosphorylation of hLRH1S510 is a predictor of poor prognosis for HCC. The anti-hLRH1pS510 mAb could provide a powerful tool to validate the relevance of hLRH1pS510 in pathological processes such as tumor development and progression.
IL-6-induced response of human osteoblasts from patients with rheumatoid arthritis after inhibition of the signaling pathway
Authors: Sellin Marie-Luise , Klinder Annett , Bergschmidt Philipp , Bader Rainer , Jonitz-Heincke Anika 
Published: June 2023

AbstractInterleukin (IL-) 6 is a critical factor in inflammatory processes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This is of high interest as the progression of RA may lead to the implantation of joint endoprostheses, which is associated with a pro-inflammatory increase in IL-6 in the periprosthetic tissue. Biological agents such as sarilumab have been developed to inhibit IL-6-mediated signaling. However, IL-6 signaling blockade should consider the inhibition of inflammatory processes and the regenerative functions of IL-6. This in vitro study investigated whether inhibiting IL-6 receptors can affect the differentiation of osteoblasts isolated from patients with RA. Since wear particles can be generated at the articular surfaces of endoprostheses leading to osteolysis and implant loosening, the potential of sarilumab to inhibit wear particle-induced pro-inflammatory processes should be investigated. Both in monocultures and indirect co-cultures with osteoclast-like cells (OLCs), human osteoblasts were stimulated with 50 ng/mL each of IL-6 + sIL-6R and in combination with sarilumab (250 nM) to characterize cell viability and osteogenic differentiation capacity. Furthermore, the influence of IL-6 + sIL-6R or sarilumab on viability, differentiation, and inflammation was evaluated in osteoblasts exposed to particles. Stimulation with IL-6 + sIL-6R and sarilumab did not affect cell viability. Except for the significant induction of RUNX2 mRNA by IL-6 + sIL-6R and a significant reduction with sarilumab, no effects on cell differentiation and mineralization could be detected. Furthermore, the different stimulations did not affect the osteogenic and osteoclastic differentiation of co-cultured cells. Compared to the osteoblastic monocultures, a decreased release of IL-8 was triggered in the co-culture. Among these, treatment with sarilumab alone resulted in the greatest reduction of IL-8. The co-culture also showed clearly increased OPN concentrations than the respective monocultures, with OPN secretion apparently triggered by the OLCs. Particle exposure demonstrated decreased osteogenic differentiation using different treatment strategies. However, sarilumab administration caused a trend toward a decrease in IL-8 production after stimulation with IL-6 + sIL-6R. The blockade of IL-6 and its pathway have no significant effect on the osteogenic and osteoclastic differentiation of bone cells derived from patients with RA. Nonetheless, observed effects on the reduced IL-8 secretion need further investigation.
How common is hybridization in birds?
Authors: Ottenburghs Jente 
Published: June 2023

AbstractHybridization—the interbreeding of different species—plays an integral role in the evolution of numerous bird species. However, it remains unclear how widespread this phenomenon is within and across different bird groups. Estimating the incidence of hybridization in different bird lineages can inform comparative analyses to uncover the evolutionary and ecological forces that promote or prevent the formation of hybrids. Estimates on a species level have varied from about 10% to almost 20% of hybridizing bird species. The variation among the latest estimates largely depends on the choice of global species checklists with differing decisions on the taxonomic status of certain (sub)species. However, the hybrid records in these estimates have generally been taken at face value. Detailed assessments of these records revealed that some cases are unreliable or incorrect. Removing of these faulty records and discovery of novel hybrids will result in a fluctuating percentage of hybridizing species that can best be captured in a living document (e.g., a regularly updated website or checklist). Estimating hybridization on an individual level is more challenging. A first attempt, using citizen science data from the eBird project, reported 0.064% hybrid individuals in the United States. This percentage is probably an underestimate due to underreporting of hybrids by birdwatchers and remains to be finetuned by considering other confounding factors, such as spatial and temporal variation in hybridization dynamics. Future efforts in estimating avian hybridization will need to rely on a combination of data sources and techniques, such as genetics, museum specimens, and citizen science.
Linking winter severity to space use of European bison around feeding sites in Białowieża Primeval Forest (NE Poland)
Authors: Bramorska Beata , Kowalczyk Rafał , Kamiński Tomasz , Borowik Tomasz 
Published: June 2023

AbstractSupplementary feeding is a commonly used wildlife management practice, but while it may bring benefits and fulfil management goals, it can also result in unintended negative consequences. In the temperate zone, winter supplementary feeding may reduce movement of some ungulate species, leading to increased utilization of feeding sites by individuals and, consequently, animal aggregation. However, the intensity of feeding site utilization can vary depending on various extrinsic factors, e.g. habitat type, population density or weather conditions. Here, we predicted that the index of feeding sites utilization, expressed as the distance of European bison (Bison bonasus) to feeding sites, would be positively associated with the severity of winter conditions; thus, bison will be closer to feeding sites on colder days and in the presence of snow cover. We analysed winter (December to March) tracking data of 43 VHF- and GPS-collared European bison (24 males and 19 females) collected from 2005 to 2012 in Białowieża Primeval Forest (NE Poland), where bison are supplementally fed with different intensity throughout winter. Female bison were closer to feeding sites than males throughout winter, and regardless of sex, bison were the closest to feeding sites in mid-winter (January to February) and on colder days independently of the time of the season. Additionally, the distances of bison to feeding sites were significantly related to snow cover and depth; i.e. bison were closer to the feeding sites on days with present snow cover and deeper snow. Hence, the winter area occupied by bison differed with changing weather severity — being 4 and 28 times larger in the warmest periods compared to the coldest days with snow cover (for females and males, respectively). This may have direct and indirect ecological consequences for the ecosystem due to potential impact on nutrient cycling, seed dispersal, interspecific competition, vegetation growth, forest succession and carrion distribution. Given these ecological impacts of bison and weather-dependent utilization of supplementary fodder, we recognize the possible need in the future to revise and adapt winter supplementary feeding to annual and seasonal variation in winter severity to meet management goals while optimizing the costs.
Natural Clerodendrum-derived tick repellent: learning from Nepali culture
Authors: Mazuecos Lorena , Contreras Marinela , Kasaija Paul D. , Manandhar Prajwol , Grąźlewska Weronika , Guisantes-Batan Eduardo , Gomez-Alonso Sergio , Deulofeu Karelia , Fernandez-Moratalla Isabel , Rajbhandari Rajesh Man , Sojka Daniel , Grubhoffer Libor , Karmacharya Dibesh , Gortazar Christian , de la Fuente José 
Published: June 2023

AbstractTicks attaching to ear canals of humans and animals are the cause of otoacariasis, common in rural areas of Nepal. The plant Clerodendrum viscosum is used in multiple indigenous systems of medicine by ethnic communities in the Indo-Nepali-Malaysian region. Visiting the Chitwan National Park, we learned that in indigenous medicine, flower extract of C. viscosum is utilized to treat digestive disorders and extracts from leaves as tick repellent to prevent ticks from invading or to remove them from the ear canal. The objective of our study was to provide support to indigenous medicine by characterizing the in vivo effect of leave extracts on ticks under laboratory conditions and its phytochemical composition. We collected plant parts of C. viscosum (leaves and flowers) and mango (Mangifera indica) leaves at the Chitwan National Park, previously associated with repellent activity to characterize their effect on Ixodes ricinus ticks by in vivo bioassays. A Q-ToF high-resolution analysis (HPLC-ESI-QToF) was conducted to elucidate phenolic compounds with potential repellent activity. Clerodendrum viscosum and M. indica leaf extracts had the highest tick repellent efficacy (%E = 80–100%) with significant differences when compared to C. viscosum flowers extracts (%E = 20–60%) and phosphate-buffered saline. Phytochemicals with tick repellent function as caffeic acid, fumaric acid and p-coumaric acid glucoside were identified in C. viscosum leaf extracts by HPLC-ESI-QToF, but not in non-repellent flower extracts. These results support the Nepali indigenous medicine application of C. viscosum leaf extracts to repel ticks. Additional research is needed for the development of natural and green repellent formulations to reduce the risks associated with ticks resistant to acaricides.
Content-free speech activity records: interviews with people with schizophrenia
Authors: Cangemi Francesco , Grice Martine , Janz Alicia , Lucarini Valeria , Spaniol Malin , Vogeley Kai 
Published: June 2023

AbstractSchizophrenia is characterised by a variety of symptoms, many of which are expressed verbally. However, privacy concerns limit the possibility of collecting and sharing large corpora of schizophrenic speech. As a result, variability in the communicative behaviour of individuals with schizophrenia is currently poorly understood. In this study we explore how far content-free speech activity records can successfully profile the behaviour of patients with schizophrenia. We used data from one of the very few publicly available corpora of conversations with patients with schizophrenia, featuring interviews between a therapist and three patients with different symptoms. Crucially, in this study we annotated only moments of speech and silence during the interview, and we entirely discarded the verbal content of the interview. In this way we perform a type of analysis that fully preserves the speakers’ privacy, while still allowing for comparisons with the full original recorded material. We developed several types of analyses and corresponding visualisations from the activity records. Exemplifying these analyses, clear patient-specific profiles can be derived, based on the dimensions of total silence duration and the speech duration of patients and therapists. These findings are consistent with an independent phenomenological assessment of the three patients.
Cumulative risk assessment of the dietary heavy metal and aluminum exposure of Finnish adults
Authors: Suomi Johanna , Tuominen Pirkko 
Published: June 2023

AbstractWhile directly comparable toxicological data are unavailable, this pilot study used published toxicological endpoints for neurological damage to weigh the relative importance of cadmium, lead, arsenic, mercury, nickel, and aluminum in the mixture Finnish adults receive from their daily diet. In addition, the effects of a selection of these chemicals on cognition, kidney tubular damage, and fertility were assessed using the toxicological endpoints available in the Chemical Mixture Calculator developed by the Technical University of Denmark. Consumption data from the FinDiet 2012 national survey of 25 to 74-year-olds and occurrence data mainly obtained in national monitoring were used to estimate the cumulative dietary exposure, which was found to be so high that the possibility of neurological damage or kidney effects cannot be ruled out for most of the population, particularly fertile age women. For Finns below the age of 65 years, the main sources of cumulative exposure were bread and other cereals, non-alcoholic drinks, and vegetables. When mean exposure was statistically compared between age groups and genders, women aged 25 to 45 years had a statistically significantly higher exposure than men of the same age (P < 0.05) and women aged 46 to 64 years (P < 0.001).
Assessment of a Parachor Model for the Surface Tension of Binary Mixtures
Authors: Log Alexandra Metallinou , Diky Vladimir , Huber Marcia L. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractWe compiled an experimental database for the surface tension of binary mixtures containing a wide variety of fluids, from the chemical classes (water, alcohols, amines, ketones, linear and branched alkanes, naphthenes, aromatics, refrigerants, and cryogens). The resulting data set includes 65 pure fluids and 154 binary pairs with a total of 8205 points. We used this database to test the performance of a parachor model for the surface tension of binary mixtures. The model uses published correlations to determine the parachors of the pure fluids. The model has a single, constant binary interaction parameter for each pair that was found by fitting experimental mixture data. It can be also used in a predictive mode when the interaction parameters are set to zero. We present detailed comparisons on the performance of the model for both cases. In general, the parachor model in a predictive mode without fitted interaction parameters can predict the surface tension of binary mixtures of non-polar mixtures such as linear and branched alkanes, linear and branched alkanes with naphthenes, aromatics with aromatics, aromatics with naphthenes, and mixtures of linear alkanes of similar sizes with an average absolute percentage deviation of about 3 % or less. Polar mixtures of halocarbons with other halocarbons and also polar/nonpolar mixtures of alkanes with halocarbons could be modeled with an average absolute deviation of less than 0.35 mN·m−1 with the use of a binary interaction parameter. The parachor model even with a fitted binary interaction parameter performs poorly for mixtures of water and organic compounds and is not recommended.
Assessment of Critical Health and Safety Risks in Homes where Hoarding is Prevalent
Authors: Larkin Persephone , Bratiotis Christiana , Woody Sheila R. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractHoarding behaviour sometimes requires intervention from community agencies to reduce risks to residents and the nearby community. Human services professionals from a wide range of disciplines are called upon to address hoarding concerns, often in collaboration with each other. No guidelines currently exist to guide staff from those community agencies in a shared understanding of common health and safety risks that occur with severe hoarding behaviour. Using a modified Delphi method, we aimed to generate consensus among a panel of 34 service-provider experts from a range of disciplines on essential risks in the home that would require intervention for health or safety reasons. This process identified 31 environmental risk factors that experts agreed are critical to assess in cases of hoarding. Panelist comments outlined the debates that commonly occur in the field, the complexity of hoarding, and the difficulty with conceptualizing risks in the home. The multi-disciplinary consensus achieved on these risks will facilitate better collaboration between agencies by providing a minimum standard of what to evaluate in hoarded homes to ensure health and safety standards are being met. This can improve communication between agencies, specify the core hazards that should be incorporated into training for professionals who work with hoarding, and facilitate more standardized assessment of health and safety risks in hoarded homes.
Allelic and genotypic frequencies of SNP related to beef and carcass quality in Romosinuano cattle in Mexico
Authors: Rocha Ricardo Martínez , Ramírez-Valverde Rodolfo , Núñez-Domínguez Rafael , García-Muñiz José G. , Parra-Bracamonte Gaspar M. , Domínguez-Viveros Joel 
Published: June 2023

AbstractRomosinuano is a tropically adaptedBos taurusbreed, and some Mexican breeders aim to improve it genetically. The aim was to estimate allelic and genotypic frequencies for SNPs associated with meat quality in a Mexican Romosinuano population. Four hundred ninety-six animals were genotyped using the Axiom©BovMDv3 array. Only SNPs related to meat quality in this array were studied in this analysis. The Calpain, Calpastatin, and Melanocortin-4 receptor alleles were considered. Allelic and genotypic frequencies and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were estimated with the PLINK software. Alleles associated with meat tenderness and higher marbling scores were found in the Romosinuano cattle population. CAPN1_4751 was not found in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The rest of the markers could not be affected by selection and inbreeding. Romosinuano cattle in Mexico have similar genotypic frequencies in markers related to meat quality toBos taurusbreeds known for their meat tenderness. Breeders can choose a marker-assisted selection to improve meat quality characteristics.