bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Using Renin Activity to Guide Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonist Therapy in Patients with Low Renin and Hypertension
Authors: Mansur Arian , Vaidya Anand , Turchin Alexander 
Published: April 2023

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) are often empirically used for patients with low-renin hypertension (LRH) or probable primary aldosteronism (PA) who decline surgery. However, the optimal approach to MRA therapy is unknown. Studies have shown that a rise in renin is an effective biomarker of prevention of cardiovascular complications of PA. This study aimed to determine whether empiric MRA therapy in patients with LRH or probable PA targeting unsuppressed renin is associated with a decrease in blood pressure and/or proteinuria.

METHODS
Retrospective single-center cohort study from 2005 to 2021 included adults with LRH or probable PA (renin activity &lt;1.0 ng/ml/h and detectable aldosterone levels). All patients were empirically treated with an MRA, targeting renin ≥1.0 ng/ml/h.

RESULTS
Out of 39 patients studied, 32 (82.1%) achieved unsuppressed renin. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased from 148.0 and 81.2 to 125.8 and 71.6 mm Hg, respectively (P &lt; 0.001 for both). Similar blood pressure reductions were seen whether patients had high (&gt;10 ng/dl) or low (&lt;10 ng/dl) aldosterone levels. The majority (24/39; 61.5%) of patients had at least one baseline anti-hypertensive medication stopped. Among the six patients who had detectable proteinuria and albumin-to-creatinine (ACR) measurements post-treatment, the mean ACR decreased from 179.0 to 36.1 mg/g (P = 0.03). None of the patients studied had to completely stop treatment due to adverse reactions.

CONCLUSIONS
Empiric MRA therapy in patients with LRH or probable PA targeting unsuppressed renin can safely and effectively improve blood pressure control and reduce proteinuria.
Comparison of Adipocyte Viability After Short-Term Cryopreservation of Adipose Aspirates Through 3 Different Techniques
Authors: Koçak Polen , Ünsal Naz , Canikyan Serli , Kul Yaren , Cohen Steven R , Tiryaki Tunç 
Published: April 2023

Abstract

Background
Effective cryopreservation allows for the long-term storage of living cells or tissues with the possibility of later clinical applications. Unfortunately, no successful investigations on the long-term preservation of adipose aspirates for prospective autologous fat grafting have been conducted.

Objectives
In this study, we aimed to compare 3 different freezing methods to preserve adipose aspirates obtained from conventional lipoplasty to determine the optimal cryopreservation technique.

Methods
To determine the optimal cryopreservation technique, hematoxylin and eosin staining, MTS assay, and Annexin assay were performed on each of the 3 groups plus a fourth control group. Group 1 served as the control, and fat tissue was analyzed immediately after adipose harvesting with no cryopreservation. For experimental Group 2, 15 mL of adipose aspirates were directly frozen at −80°C for up to 2 weeks. For experimental Group 3, 15 mL of adipose aspirates were frozen inside the adi-frosty containing 100% isopropanol and stored at −80°C for up to 2 weeks. For experimental Group 4, 15 mL of adipose aspirates were frozen with freezing solution containing 90% fetal bovine serum (v/v) and 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (v/v).

Results
The results demonstrated that the experimental Group 3 had significantly more live adipocytes and greater cellular function of adipose aspirates than the experimental Groups 2 and 4.

Conclusion
Cryopreservation with adi-frosty containing 100% isopropanol appears to be the best means of cryopreservation of fat.

Level of Evidence: 3
Recognition of conspecific immunological status in a neotropical paper wasp
Authors: de Souza André Rodrigues , França Wilson , Prato Amanda , Rantala Markus J , do Nascimento Fábio Santos 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Host immune activation is common under a pathogen invasion. This physiological response can promote changes in the body surface compounds, thus providing chemical cues related to health that might be useful to conspecifics. By recognizing the current immunological status of social partners, individuals can modulate their behavior to minimize the risk of infection. Tegument wounding, an immune elicitor, is a required step for many parasites to become established in a host. By using the neotropical eusocial paper wasp Mischocyttarus metathoracicus as a model organism, we first performed a lure presentation experiment in the field to test if wasps discriminate conspecific immunological status (experimentally manipulated by wounding) during on nest social interactions. Then, we performed gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analyses to test if immunostimulation by wounding alters the wasps’ cuticular hydrocarbon profile. We found that wasps reduce the duration of aggressive physical contact when interacting with wounded lures, despite displaying a similar frequency of inspective and aggressive behaviors toward both the wounded and the control lures. Besides, we found a subtle increase in a single cuticular hydrocarbon in the wounded wasps. Thus, wasps recognize conspecific immunological status, likely by chemical cues, and modulate their behavior in order to defend the colony against intruders while minimizing the personal risk of infection.
Antibodies against the flotillin-1/2 complex in patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Lleixà Cinta , Caballero-Ávila Marta , Pascual-Goñi Elba , Martín-Aguilar Lorena , Vidal Nuria , Tejada Clara , Valdés-Hevia Eduardo , Zárate Elisa , Vesperinas Ana , Collet Roger , Franco-Leyva Teresa , Martínez-Martínez Laura , Moga Esther , Cortés-Vicente Elena , Rojas-García Ricard , Gómez-Anson Beatriz , Gil Anna , González-Mingot Cristina , Brieva Luis , Martínez-Yélamos Sergio , Querol Luis 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Multiple sclerosis is a tissue-specific autoimmune disease of the central nervous system in which the antigen(s) remains elusive. Antibodies targeting the flotillin-1/2 complex have been described in 1–2% of the patients in a recent study. Other candidate antigens as anoctamin-2 or neurofascin-155 have been previously described in multiple sclerosis patients, although their clinical relevance remains uncertain. Our study aims to analyse the frequency and clinical relevance of antibodies against neurofascin-155, anoctamin-2 and flotillin-1/2 complex in multiple sclerosis. Serum (n = 252) and CSF (n = 50) samples from 282 multiple sclerosis patients were included in the study. The control group was composed of 260 serum samples (71 healthy donors and 189 with other neuroinflammatory disorders). Anti-flotillin-1/2, anti-anoctamin-2 and anti-neurofascin-155 antibodies were tested by cell-based assays using transfected cells. We identified six multiple sclerosis patients with antibodies against the flotillin-1/2 complex (2.1%) and one multiple sclerosis patient with antibodies against anoctamin-2 (0.35%). All multiple sclerosis patients were negative for anti-neurofascin-155 antibodies. Three of the anti-flotillin-1/2 positive patients showed anti-flotillin-1/2 positivity in other serum samples extracted at different moments of their disease. Immunoglobulin G subclasses of anti-flotillin-1/2 antibodies were predominantly one and three. We confirm that antibodies targeting the flotillin-1/2 complex are present in a subgroup of patients with multiple sclerosis. Further studies are needed to understand the clinical and pathological relevance of anti-flotillin-1/2 autoantibodies in multiple sclerosis.
Benedicamus Domino tropes in the Birgittine Order: embellishing everyday liturgy
Authors: Lagergren Karin 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
A remarkable feature of the Birgittine monastic Order is its daily use of tropes for the embellishment of an exclusively monophonic liturgy. Ferial tropes were sung in both Mass and Office and their purpose was to highlight the Marian devotion that was central to the Order’s spirituality. In the Birgittine sisters’ ferial Office liturgy, the so-called Cantus sororum, the Benedicamus Domino was a notable location for the provision of tropes, which were performed daily at Lauds and Vespers. These Benedicamus tropes are a complex mix of unica, as well as musical and textual patchworks of pre-existing and new and/or remodelled musical and textual material. This article explains the place and importance of Benedicamus Domino tropes in Birgittine liturgy and spirituality, illustrated by new transcriptions of the Benedicamus tropes that were consistently assigned to embellish each particular day of the week.
Ancestral reconstruction of the MotA stator subunit reveals that conserved residues far from the pore are required to drive flagellar motility
Authors: Islam Md Imtiazul , Ridone Pietro , Lin Angela , Michie Katharine A , Matzke Nicholas J , Hochberg Georg , Baker Matthew A B 
Published: April 2023

AbstractThe bacterial flagellar motor (BFM) is a rotary nanomachine powered by the translocation of ions across the inner membrane through the stator complex. The stator complex consists of two membrane proteins: MotA and MotB (in H+-powered motors), or PomA and PomB (in Na+-powered motors). In this study, we used ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) to probe which residues of MotA correlate with function and may have been conserved to preserve motor function. We reconstructed 10 ancestral sequences of MotA and found four of them were motile in combination with contemporary Escherichia coli MotB and in combination with our previously published functional ancestral MotBs. Sequence comparison between wild-type (WT) E. coli MotA and MotA-ASRs revealed 30 critical residues across multiple domains of MotA that were conserved among all motile stator units. These conserved residues included pore-facing, cytoplasm-facing, and MotA–MotA intermolecular facing sites. Overall, this work demonstrates the role of ASR in assessing conserved variable residues in a subunit of a molecular complex.
Permeability of artificial sandstones identified by their dual-pore structure
Authors: Lu Minghui , Han Tongcheng , Wang Pan , Fu Li-Yun 
Published: April 2023

SUMMARYGeophysical exploration technologies are developed not only to detect and quantify the geofluid in a reservoir but also with the expectation to identify the reservoir's permeability that determines its exploitability. However, the knowledge about whether there is a geophysically invertible pore parameter that determines the permeability of a rock, the key to the geophysical identification of permeability, remains poorly understood. We address this knowledge gap by establishing, through dedicated laboratory measurements and theoretical modelling, the correlations between permeability and the porosity and aspect ratios of the dual-pore structure in artificial sandstones with approximately the same porosity but with different permeability. Permeability is found to increase with increasing compliant porosity but show no apparent relations with the dual-pore aspect ratios, indicating compliant porosity is the key parameter determining the permeability of rocks with the same porosity. The results reveal the key factor that influences permeability in sandstones with the same porosity, and provide a potential way to simply identify the permeability to indicate the exploitability of a geofluid reservoir.
Climate change scenarios in fisheries and aquatic conservation research
Authors: Burgess M G , Becker S L , Langendorf R E , Fredston A , Brooks C M 
Published: April 2023

AbstractScenarios are central to fisheries and aquatic conservation research on climate change. Scenarios project future greenhouse-gas emissions, which climate models translate into warming projections. Recent climate research and global development trends have significantly changed our understanding of plausible emissions pathways to 2100 and climate sensitivities to emissions. Here, we review these developments and make recommendations for scenario use in fisheries and aquatic conservation research. Although emissions pathways are uncertain, recent research suggests that scenarios producing ∼3.4–4.5 W/m2 radiative forcing by 2100 (e.g. scenarios SSP2-3.4 and SSP2-4.5/RCP4.5) might be most plausible. This corresponds to ∼2–3 degrees C global warming by 2100 with median climate sensitivities, or 1.5–4 degrees C considering climate-system uncertainties. Higher- and lower-emissions scenarios (e.g. RCP2.6 and RCP6.0) might be plausible and should be explored in research. However, high-emission scenarios (RCP8.5/SSP5-8.5, SSP3-7.0) seem implausible and should be used with clear rationales and caveats to ensure results are not misinterpreted by scholars, policymakers, and media. We analyse fisheries and aquatic conservation papers published from 2015 to 2022 in major journals, and find that RCP8.5/SSP5-8.5 are the most commonly used scenarios, though RCP4.5/SSP2-4.5 use has increased since 2020. Studies predominantly project quantitative rather than qualitative differences between these scenarios’ impacts.
No effects of plasticized microplastics on the body condition and reproduction of a marine fish
Authors: McCormick M I , Fakan E P , Vamvounis G , Bosshard S , Moad C , Smyth E , Gatenby P , Edmiston J , Patel K , Allan B J M 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
This study experimentally explored the influence of periodic consumption of polystyrene (PS) microplastic fragments on the body condition and fitness of a tropical marine fish. Adult damselfish, Acanthochromis polyacanthus, were pulse fed microplastic fragments bound with one of two different common plasticizers [di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), di-2-ethylhexyl terephthalate (DEHT)] together with virgin-plastic and no-plastic controls. Ingestion of plastic over a 150d period had no detectable effect on growth, indices of body condition, or gonadosomatic indices. Histology of the liver showed no detrimental effects of ingesting any of the plastic treatments on hepatocyte density or vacuolation. Plastic consumption had no effect on the number of clutches produced over the breeding period, the number of eggs, or the survival of embryos. It is believed that the relatively inert nature of PS, the low amount of plasticizers leached from the fragments and fast gut through-put times meant fish were exposed to low levels of toxic compounds.
Dynamics of an age-structured HIV model with general nonlinear infection rate
Authors: Yuan Yuan , Fu Xianlong 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
In this paper, the asymptotical behaviour of an age-structured Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection model with general non-linear infection function and logistic proliferation term is studied. Based on the existence of the equilibria and theory of operator semigroups, linearized stability/instability of the disease-free and endemic equilibria is investigated through the distribution of eigenvalues of the linear operator. Then persistence of the solution semi-flow of the considered system is studied by showing the existence of a global attractor and the obtained result shows that the solution semi-flow is persistent as long as the basic reproduction number $R_{0}&gt;1$. Moreover, the Hopf bifurcations problem around the endemic equilibrium is also considered for the situation with a specific infection function. Since the system has two different delays, four cases are discussed to investigate the influence of the time delays on the dynamics of system around the endemic equilibrium including stability and Hopf bifurcations. At last, some numerical examples with concrete parameters are provided to illustrate the obtained results.
On a hierarchy of effective models for the biomechanics of human compact bone tissue
Authors: Nika Grigor 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
We derive a hierarchy of effective models that can be used to model the biomechanics of human compact bone taking into account scale-size effects observed experimentally. The classification of the effective models depends on the hierarchy of four characteristic lengths: the size of the heterogeneities, two intrinsic lengths of the constituents and the overall characteristic length of the domain. Depending on the different scale interactions between the size of the heterogeneities, the two intrinsic lengths of the constituents, and the characteristic length of the domain we obtain either an effective Cauchy continuum or an effective Cosserat continuum. The passage to the limit relies on suitable use of the periodic unfolding operator. Moreover, we perform numerical simulations to validate our results.
On global in time self-similar solutions of Smoluchowski equation with multiplicative kernel
Authors: Breschi G , Fontelos M A 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
We study the similarity solutions (SS) of Smoluchowski coagulation equation with multiplicative kernel $K(x,y)=(xy)^{s}$ for $s&lt;\frac{1}{2}$. When $s&lt;0$ , the SS consists of three regions with distinct asymptotic behaviours. The appropriate matching yields a global description of the solution consisting of a Gamma distribution tail, an intermediate region described by a lognormal distribution and a region of very fast decay of the solutions to zero near the origin. When $s\in \left ( 0,\frac{1}{2}\right ) $, the SS is unbounded at the origin. It also presents three regions: a Gamma distribution tail, an intermediate region of power-like (or Pareto distribution) decay and the region close to the origin where a singularity occurs. Finally, full numerical simulations of Smoluchowski equation serve to verify our theoretical results and show the convergence of solutions to the selfsimilar regime.
Identifying a response parameter in a model of brain tumour evolution under therapy
Authors: Baravdish G , Johansson B T , Svensson O , Ssebunjo W 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
A nonlinear conjugate gradient method is derived for the inverse problem of identifying a treatment parameter in a nonlinear model of reaction–diffusion type corresponding to the evolution of brain tumours under therapy. The treatment parameter is reconstructed from additional information about the tumour taken at a fixed instance of time. Well-posedness of the direct problems used in the iterative method is outlined as well as uniqueness of a solution to the inverse problem. Moreover, the parameter identification is recasted as the minimization of a Tikhonov type functional and the existence of a minimizer to this functional is shown. Finite-difference discretization of the space and time derivatives are employed for the numerical implementation. Numerical simulations on full 3D brain data are included showing that information about a spacewise-dependent treatment parameter can be recovered in a stable way.
Stability and convergence analysis of high-order numerical schemes with DtN-type absorbing boundary conditions for nonlocal wave equations
Authors: Wang Jihong , Yang Jerry Zhijian , Zhang Jiwei 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
The stability and convergence analysis of high-order numerical approximations for the one- and two-dimensional nonlocal wave equations on unbounded spatial domains are considered. We first use the quadrature-based finite difference schemes to discretize the spatially nonlocal operator, and apply the explicit difference scheme to approximate the temporal derivative to achieve a fully discrete infinity system. After that, we construct the Dirichlet-to-Neumann (DtN)-type absorbing boundary conditions (ABCs), to reduce the infinite discrete system into a finite discrete system. To do so, we first adopt the idea in Du et al. (2018, Commun. Comput. Phys., 24, 1049–1072) and Du et al. (2018, SIAM J. Sci. Comp., 40, A1430–A1445) to derive the Dirichlet-to-Dirichlet (DtD)-type mappings for one- and two-dimensional cases, respectively. We then use the discrete nonlocal Green’s first identity to achieve the discrete DtN-type mappings from the DtD-type mappings. The resulting DtN-type mappings make it possible to perform the stability and convergence analysis of the reduced problem. Numerical experiments are provided to demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Interference Between Enteric Viruses and Live-Attenuated Rotavirus Vaccine Virus in a Healthy Australian Birth Cohort
Authors: El-Heneidy Asmaa , Grimwood Keith , Lambert Stephen B , Ware Robert S 
Published: April 2023

Abstract

Background
Rotavirus vaccines have reduced effectiveness in high-mortality settings. Interference between enteric viruses and live-attenuated oral vaccine strains may be a factor.

Methods
In a birth cohort of healthy Australian infants, parents collected weekly stool samples. Three hundred eighty-one paired swabs collected within 10-days of RotaTeq vaccination from 140 infants were tested for 10 enteric viruses and RotaTeq strains.

Results
Collectively, both ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid viruses were negatively associated with RotaTeq shedding (adjusted odds ratio = 0.29, 95% confidence interval = 0.14–0.58 and adjusted odds ratio = 0.30, 95% confidence interval = 0.11–0.78, respectively).

Conclusions
Enteric viruses may interfere with RotaTeq replication in the gut and thus RotaTeq stool shedding.
Red clover root-associated microbiota is shaped by geographic location and choice of farming system
Authors: Jambagi Shridhar , Hodén Kristian Persson , Öhlund Linda , Dixelius Christina 
Published: April 2023

AbstractAimsThis study evaluated the red clover (Trifolium pratense) root-associated microbiota to clarify the presence of pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms in 89 Swedish field sites.Methods and results16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing analysis were performed on DNA extracted from the red clover root samples collected to determine the composition of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic root-associated microbe communities. Alpha and beta diversities were calculated and relative abundance of various microbial taxa and their co-occurrence were analyzed. Rhizobium was the most prevalent bacterial genus, followed by Sphingomonas, Mucilaginibacter, Flavobacterium, and the unclassified Chloroflexi group KD4-96. The Leptodontidium, Cladosporium, Clonostachys, and Tetracladium fungal genera known for endophytic, saprotrophic, and mycoparasitic lifestyles were also frequently observed in all samples. Sixty-two potential pathogenic fungi were identified with a bias toward grass pathogens and a higher abundance in samples from conventional farms.ConclusionsWe showed that the microbial community was mainly shaped by geographic location and management procedures. Co-occurrence networks revealed that the Rhizobiumleguminosarum bv. trifolii was negatively associated with all fungal pathogenic taxa recognized in this study.