bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Suboptimally controlled asthma in patients treated with inhaled ICS/LABA: prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes
Authors: Zhang Shiyuan , White John , Hunter Alyssa Goolsby , Hinds David , Fowler Andrew , Gardiner Frances , Slade David , Murali Sharanya , Meeraus Wilhelmine 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThis observational claims-linked survey study assessed the prevalence of and risk factors for suboptimal asthma control and healthcare utilization in adults with asthma receiving fixed-dose combination (FDC) inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β2-agonist (ICS/LABA). Commercially insured adults from the Optum Research Database were invited to complete the Asthma Control Test (ACT) and Asthma Control Questionnaire-6 (ACQ-6). Among participants (N = 428), 36.4% (ACT-assessed) and 55.6% (ACQ-6-assessed) had inadequately controlled asthma. Asthma-related quality of life was worse and asthma-related healthcare resource utilization was higher in poorly controlled asthma. Factors associated with ACT-defined suboptimal asthma control in multivariate analysis included: frequent short-acting β2-agonist (SABA) use, asthma-related outpatient visits, lower treatment adherence, and lower education levels. During follow-up, factors associated with asthma exacerbations and/or high SABA use included: inadequately controlled asthma (ACT-assessed), body mass index ≥30 kg/m2, and high-dose ICS/LABA. Approximately 35–55% of adults with asthma were inadequately controlled despite FDC ICS/LABA; poor control was associated with worse disease outcomes.
An ancestral molecular response to nanomaterial particulates
Authors: del Giudice G. , Serra A. , Saarimäki L. A. , Kotsis K. , Rouse I. , Colibaba S. A. , Jagiello K. , Mikolajczyk A. , Fratello M. , Papadiamantis A. G. , Sanabria N. , Annala M. E. , Morikka J. , Kinaret P. A. S. , Voyiatzis E. , Melagraki G. , Afantitis A. , Tämm K. , Puzyn T. , Gulumian M. , Lobaskin V. , Lynch I. , Federico A. , Greco D. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe varied transcriptomic response to nanoparticles has hampered the understanding of the mechanism of action. Here, by performing a meta-analysis of a large collection of transcriptomics data from various engineered nanoparticle exposure studies, we identify common patterns of gene regulation that impact the transcriptomic response. Analysis identifies deregulation of immune functions as a prominent response across different exposure studies. Looking at the promoter regions of these genes, a set of binding sites for zinc finger transcription factors C2H2, involved in cell stress responses, protein misfolding and chromatin remodelling and immunomodulation, is identified. The model can be used to explain the outcomes of mechanism of action and is observed across a range of species indicating this is a conserved part of the innate immune system.
Hypoimmune induced pluripotent stem cells survive long term in fully immunocompetent, allogeneic rhesus macaques
Authors: Hu Xiaomeng , White Kathy , Olroyd Ari G. , DeJesus Rowena , Dominguez Antonia A. , Dowdle William E. , Friera Annabelle M. , Young Chi , Wells Frank , Chu Elaine Y. , Ito Cade Ellis , Krishnapura Harini , Jain Surbhi , Ankala Ramya , McGill Trevor J. , Lin August , Egenberger Kyla , Gagnon Allison , Michael Rukstalis J. , Hogrebe Nathaniel J. , Gattis Corie , Basco Ron , Millman Jeffrey R. , Kievit Paul , Davis Mark M. , Lanier Lewis L. , Connolly Andrew J. , Deuse Tobias , Schrepfer Sonja 
Published: May 2023

AbstractGenetic engineering of allogeneic cell therapeutics that fully prevents rejection by a recipient’s immune system would abolish the requirement for immunosuppressive drugs or encapsulation and support large-scale manufacturing of off-the-shelf cell products. Previously, we generated mouse and human hypoimmune pluripotent (HIP) stem cells by depleting HLA class I and II molecules and overexpressing CD47 (B2M−/−CIITA−/−CD47+). To determine whether this strategy is successful in non-human primates, we engineered rhesus macaque HIP cells and transplanted them intramuscularly into four allogeneic rhesus macaques. The HIP cells survived unrestricted for 16 weeks in fully immunocompetent allogeneic recipients and differentiated into several lineages, whereas allogeneic wild-type cells were vigorously rejected. We also differentiated human HIP cells into endocrinologically active pancreatic islet cells and showed that they survived in immunocompetent, allogeneic diabetic humanized mice for 4 weeks and ameliorated diabetes. HIP-edited primary rhesus macaque islets survived for 40 weeks in an allogeneic rhesus macaque recipient without immunosuppression, whereas unedited islets were quickly rejected.
Centaurea triumfetii essential oil chemical composition, comparative analysis, and antimicrobial activity of selected compounds
Authors: Carev Ivana , Gelemanović Andrea , Glumac Mateo , Tutek Klaudia , Dželalija Mile , Paiardini Alessandro , Prosseda Gianni 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe essential oils from the Centaurea genus are well known for their pharmacological properties. The most abundant and dominant chemical components in Centaurea essential oils are ß-caryophyllene, hexadecanoic acid, spathulenol, pentacosane, caryophyllene oxide, and phytol. However, whether these dominant components are the key drivers for observed antimicrobial activity remains unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was dual. Here we provide comprehensive, literature-based data to correlate the chemical compounds in Centaurea essential oils with the tested antimicrobial activity. Secondly, we characterized the essential oil of Centaurea triumfettii All. squarrose knapweed using coupled system gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and tested its phytochemicals for antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. epidermis using disc diffusion assay and monitoring their growth in Muller Hinton broth. The most abundant compounds in C. triumfettii essential oil were hexadecanoic acid (11.1%), spathulenol (10.8%), longifolene (8.8%), germacrene D (8.4%), aromadendrene oxide (6.0%) and linoleic acid (5.3%). Based on our analysis of literature data from other Centaurea essential oils, they were positively correlated with antimicrobial activity. Using an agar disk diffusion method, tested chemical constituents did not show experimental evidence to support this positive correlation to antimicrobial activity when we tested them as pure components. The antibacterial effect of essential oil constituents may be related to a complex synergistic, rather than a single component as suggested by performed network pharmacology analysis, underlying the theoretical interactions between the essential oil phytochemicals listed as potentially responsible for antimicrobial activity and should be confirmed in further in-depth studies. This is the first report on the comparative analysis of Centaurea essential oils with good antimicrobial activity, as well as the first analysis of chemical components of the essential oil from C. triumfettii and the first report of antimicrobial activity of the representative, pure components: aromadendrene, germacrene D, spathulenol, longifolene, and the mixture of selected chemical compounds. This work contributes to the body of knowledge on the genus Centaurea and C. triumfettii species.
Mito-nuclear discordance within Anthozoa, with notes on unique properties of their mitochondrial genomes
Authors: Quattrini Andrea M. , Snyder Karen E. , Purow-Ruderman Risa , Seiblitz Isabela G. L. , Hoang Johnson , Floerke Natasha , Ramos Nina I. , Wirshing Herman H. , Rodriguez Estefanía , McFadden Catherine S. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractWhole mitochondrial genomes are often used in phylogenetic reconstruction. However, discordant patterns in species relationships between mitochondrial and nuclear phylogenies are commonly observed. Within Anthozoa (Phylum Cnidaria), mitochondrial (mt)-nuclear discordance has not yet been examined using a large and comparable dataset. Here, we used data obtained from target-capture enrichment sequencing to assemble and annotate mt genomes and reconstruct phylogenies for comparisons to phylogenies inferred from hundreds of nuclear loci obtained from the same samples. The datasets comprised 108 hexacorals and 94 octocorals representing all orders and > 50% of extant families. Results indicated rampant discordance between datasets at every taxonomic level. This discordance is not attributable to substitution saturation, but rather likely caused by introgressive hybridization and unique properties of mt genomes, including slow rates of evolution driven by strong purifying selection and substitution rate variation. Strong purifying selection across the mt genomes caution their use in analyses that rely on assumptions of neutrality. Furthermore, unique properties of the mt genomes were noted, including genome rearrangements and the presence of nad5 introns. Specifically, we note the presence of the homing endonuclease in ceriantharians. This large dataset of mitochondrial genomes further demonstrates the utility of off-target reads generated from target-capture data for mt genome assembly and adds to the growing knowledge of anthozoan evolution.
Comparing resting state and task-based EEG using machine learning to predict vulnerability to depression in a non-clinical population
Authors: Kaushik Pallavi , Yang Hang , Roy Partha Pratim , van Vugt Marieke 
Published: May 2023

AbstractMajor Depressive Disorder (MDD) affects a large portion of the population and levies a huge societal burden. It has serious consequences like decreased productivity and reduced quality of life, hence there is considerable interest in understanding and predicting it. As it is a mental disorder, neural measures like EEG are used to study and understand its underlying mechanisms. However most of these studies have either explored resting state EEG (rs-EEG) data or task-based EEG data but not both, we seek to compare their respective efficacy. We work with data from non-clinically depressed individuals who score higher and lower on the depression scale and hence are more and less vulnerable to depression, respectively. Forty participants volunteered for the study. Questionnaires and EEG data were collected from participants. We found that people who are more vulnerable to depression had on average increased EEG amplitude in the left frontal channel, and decreased amplitude in the right frontal and occipital channels for raw data (rs-EEG). Task-based EEG data from a sustained attention to response task used to measure spontaneous thinking, an increased EEG amplitude in the central part of the brain for individuals with low vulnerability and an increased EEG amplitude in right temporal, occipital and parietal regions in individuals more vulnerable to depression were found. In an attempt to predict vulnerability (high/low) to depression, we found that a Long Short Term Memory model gave the maximum accuracy of 91.42% in delta wave for task-based data whereas 1D-Convolution neural network gave the maximum accuracy of 98.06% corresponding to raw rs-EEG data. Hence if one has to look at the primary question of which data will be good for predicting vulnerability to depression, rs-EEG seems to be better than task-based EEG data. However, if mechanisms driving depression like rumination or stickiness are to be understood, task-based data may be more effective. Furthermore, as there is no consensus as to which biomarker of rs-EEG is more effective in the detection of MDD, we also experimented with evolutionary algorithms to find the most informative subset of these biomarkers. Higuchi fractal dimension, phase lag index, correlation and coherence features were also found to be the most important features for predicting vulnerability to depression using rs-EEG. These findings bring up new possibilities for EEG-based machine/deep learning diagnostics in the future.
Achromatic and chromatic contrast discrimination in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Tsai Li-Ting , Chen Chien-Chung , Hou Chiun-Ho , Liao Kuo-Meng 
Published: May 2023

AbstractEffects of type 2 diabetes on achromatic and chromatic contrast sensitivity (CS) are still controversial. In this study, we aimed to investigate CS in patients without diabetic retinopathy (no-DR) and in those with non-proliferative DR (NPDR) and proliferative DR (PDR) using psychophysical methods with transient and sustained achromatic stimuli and color patches. Achromatic CS was measured with the pulsed pedestal (PP) paradigm (7, 12, and 19 cd/m2) and pedestal-△-pedestal (P-△-P) paradigm (11.4, 18, and 28.5 cd/m2). A chromatic discrimination paradigm that assesses protan, deutan, and tritan color vision was adopted. Forty-two patients (no-DR n = 24, NPDR n = 12, PDR = 6; male n = 22, mean age = 58.1 y/o) and 38 controls (male n = 18, mean age = 53.4 y/o) participated. In patients, mean thresholds were higher than in controls and linear trends were significant in most conditions. For the PP paradigm, differences were significant in the PDR and NPDR groups in the 7 and 12 cd/m2 condition. For the P-△-P paradigm, differences were only significant in the PDR group in the 11 cd/m2 condition. Chromatic contrast loss was significant in the PDR group along the protan, deutan and tritan axes. The results suggest independent involvements of achromatic and chromatic CS in diabetic patients.
Enhancing cognitive control in amnestic mild cognitive impairment via at-home non-invasive neuromodulation in a randomized trial
Authors: Jones Kevin T. , Ostrand Avery E. , Gazzaley Adam , Zanto Theodore P. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractIndividuals with multi-domain amnestic mild cognitive impairment (md-aMCI) have an elevated risk of dementia and need interventions that may retain or remediate cognitive function. In a feasibility pilot study, 30 older adults aged 60–80 years with md-aMCI were randomized to 8 sessions of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) with simultaneous cognitive control training (CCT). The intervention took place within the participant’s home without direct researcher assistance. Half of the participants received prefrontal theta tACS during CCT and the other half received control tACS. We observed high tolerability and adherence for at-home tACS + CCT. Within 1-week, only those who received theta tACS exhibited improved attentional abilities. Neuromodulation is feasible for in-home settings, which can be conducted by the patient, thereby enabling treatment in difficult to reach populations. TACS with CCT may facilitate cognitive control abilities in md-aMCI, but research in a larger population is needed to validate efficacy.
Plasma-based one-step synthesis of tungsten oxide nanoparticles in short time
Authors: Baharlounezhad F. , Mohammadi M. A. , Zakerhamidi M. S. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractNanostructured tungsten oxide as a semiconductor metal oxide has attracted considerable attention due to its promising and notable properties. Tungsten oxide nanoparticles can be used in a wide range of technology and applications such as catalysts, sensors, supercapacitors, etc. In this study, nanoparticles were prepared via a simple method using an atmospheric glow discharge. This modern approach had many advantages such as high efficiency and straightforward function. Synthesis performance was done in only one step and a short time which started at 2 min and had been continued for 8 min. The X-ray diffraction pattern revealed the formation $${\mathrm{WO}}_{3}$$

WO
3

at atmospheric pressure. The synthesized particle size was characterized using scanning electron microscopy. According to the experimental results, the synthesis was greatly influenced by the applied voltage, gas type, and plasma forming side over the water surface. Increases in electrical potential difference and thermal conductivity of the gas led to a greater rate of synthesis, while this rate was reduced by decreasing the atomic weight of the gas.
Pooled RNA-extraction-free testing of saliva for the detection of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Allicock Orchid M. , Yolda-Carr Devyn , Todd John A. , Wyllie Anne L. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe key to limiting SARS-CoV-2 spread is to identify virus-infected individuals (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) and isolate them from the general population. Hence, routine weekly testing for SARS-CoV-2 in all asymptomatic (capturing both infected and non-infected) individuals is considered critical in situations where a large number of individuals co-congregate such as schools, prisons, aged care facilities and industrial workplaces. Such testing is hampered by operational issues such as cost, test availability, access to healthcare workers and throughput. We developed the SalivaDirect RT-qPCR assay to increase access to SARS-CoV-2 testing via a low-cost, streamlined protocol using self-collected saliva. To expand the single sample testing protocol, we explored multiple extraction-free pooled saliva testing workflows prior to testing with the SalivaDirect RT-qPCR assay. A pool size of five, with or without heat inactivation at 65 °C for 15 min prior to testing resulted in a positive agreement of 98% and 89%, respectively, and an increased Ct value shift of 1.37 and 1.99 as compared to individual testing of the positive clinical saliva specimens. Applying this shift in Ct value to 316 individual, sequentially collected, SARS-CoV-2 positive saliva specimen results reported from six clinical laboratories using the original SalivaDirect assay, 100% of the samples would have been detected (Ct value < 45) had they been tested in the 1:5 pool strategy. The availability of multiple pooled testing workflows for laboratories can increase test turnaround time, permitting results in a more actionable time frame while minimizing testing costs and changes to laboratory operational flow.
Transmission dynamics of a novel HIV/AIDS model through a higher-order Galerkin time discretization scheme
Authors: Attaullah  , Zeb Kamil , Khan Ilyas , Ahmad Riaz , Eldin Sayed M. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThere are numerous contagious diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, that have the propensity to culminate in fatal consequences. A communicable disease is an illness caused by a contagion agent or its toxins and spread directly or indirectly to a susceptible animal or human host by an infected person, animal, vector, or immaterial environment. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, hepatitis A, B, and C, and measles are all examples of communicable diseases. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a communicable disease caused by HIV infection that has become the most severe issue facing humanity. The research work in this paper is to numerically explore a mathematical model and demonstrate the dynamics of HIV/AIDS disease transmission using a continuous Galerkin–Petrov time discretization of a higher-order scheme, specifically the cGP(2)-scheme. Depict a graphical and tabular comparison between the outcomes of the mentioned scheme and those obtained through other classical schemes that exist in the literature. Further, a comparison is performed relative to the well-known fourth-order Ruge–Kutta (RK4) method with different step sizes. By contrast, the suggested approach provided more accurate results with a larger step size than RK4 with a smaller step size. After validation and confirmation of the suggested scheme and code, we implement the method to the extended model by introducing a treatment rate and show the impact of various non-linear source terms for the generation of new cells. We also determined the basic reproduction number and use the Routh-Hurwitz criterion to assess the stability of disease-free and unique endemic equilibrium states of the HIV model.
An assessment of energy system transformation pathways to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions in Switzerland
Authors: Panos Evangelos , Kannan Ramachandran , Hirschberg Stefan , Kober Tom 
Published: May 2023

AbstractSwitzerland has one of the lowest carbon intensities among industrialised countries. However, its transition to net-zero carbon dioxide emissions is complicated by limited domestic mitigation options, which tend to increase costs, raise energy security concerns, and trigger socio-economic barriers in policy implementation. Research on these issues is relevant to the societal and political debates on energy transition worldwide. Here we apply a well-established techno-economic energy systems model and highlight the challenges of the Swiss energy transition under different technical, socio-economic, and geopolitical contexts. We suggest feasible technical solutions based on low-carbon technologies, efficiency, and flexibility. We find that import independency and net-zero emissions by 2050 require an additional cumulative discounted investment, compared to a business-as-usual scenario, of 300 billion CHF2019 in energy efficiency, negative emissions and renewable technologies. The average per capita costs of net-zero emissions are 320–1390 CHF2019/yr. from 2020 to 2050, depending on exploited domestic mitigation options, integration into international energy markets, and energy security ambition.
Fatty acids and their sn-2 positional distribution in breast milk and their association with edible oils in maternal diet: a study of five regions in China
Authors: Wang Fangmin , Yu Jiahui , Wang Li , Wang Shuai , Jin Qingzhe , Wang Qingyun , Wei Wei , Wang Xingguo 
Published: May 2023

This study analyzed total fatty acids and their sn-2 positional distribution in triacylglycerol in breast milk from three lactational stages in five regions of China, and their association with the type of edible oil consumed by lactating mothers.
Beamforming design for max‐min SINR in RIS‐based hybrid relaying
Authors: Xu Mengjie , Mao Minghe , Feng Ye , Li Tianhe , Shi Rui , He Yang 
Published: May 2023

AbstractReconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) technology is regarded as one of the important technologies for future 6G mobile communication networks. However, RIS can only passively reflect signals, rather than actively process received signals like the traditional relay. Therefore, a hybrid decode‐and‐forward (DF) relay and RIS‐assisted multiple‐input single‐output (MISO) multiuser downlink communication system is considered to combine the advantages of both. Then the beamforming at the base station (BS), the DF relay, and the phase vector of the RIS elements is jointly designed, aiming at achieving max‐min signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise ratio (SINR). Due to the non‐convexity caused by coupling between the beamforming vectors, the optimization problem is split into three semidefinite relaxation (SDR) sub‐problems, and then the alternate optimization method is adopted to solve the non‐convex problem. The numerical results verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed optimization algorithm in improving system performance compared with other benchmark schemes.