bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A review of inbreeding depression in dairy cattle: current status, emerging control strategies, and future prospects
Authors: Gutiérrez-Reinoso Miguel A. , Aponte Pedro M. , García-Herreros Manuel 
Published: February 2022

AbstractDairy cattle breeding has historically focused on relatively small numbers of elite bulls as sires of sons. In recent years, even if generation intervals were reduced and more diverse sires of sons could have been selected, genomic selection has not fundamentally changed the fact that a large number of individuals are being analyzed. However, a relatively small number of elite bulls are still siring those animals. Therefore inbreeding-derived negative consequences in the gene pool have brought concern. The detrimental effects of non-additive genetic changes such as inbreeding depression and dominance have been widely disseminated while seriously affecting bioeconomically important parameters because of an antagonistic relationship between dairy production and reproductive traits. Therefore, the estimation of benefits and limitations of inbreeding and variance of the selection response deserves to be evaluated and discussed to preserve genetic variability, a significant concern in the selection of individuals for reproduction and production. Short-term strategies for genetic merit improvement through modern breeding programs have severely lowered high-producing dairy cattle fertility potential. Since the current selection programs potentially increase long-term costs, genetic diversity has decreased globally as a consequence. Therefore, a greater understanding of the potential that selection programs have for supporting long-term genetic sustainability and genetic diversity among dairy cattle populations should be prioritized in managing farm profitability. The present review provides a broad approach to current inbreeding-derived problems, identifying critical points to be solved and possible alternative strategies to control selection against homozygous haplotypes while maintaining sustained selection pressure. Moreover, this manuscript explores future perspectives, emphasizing theoretical applications and critical points, and strategies to avoid the adverse effects of inbreeding in dairy cattle. Finally, this review provides an overview of challenges that will soon require multidisciplinary approaches to managing dairy cattle populations, intending to combine increases in productive trait phenotypes with improvements in reproductive, health, welfare, linear conformation, and adaptability traits into the foreseeable future.
Beyond formal powers: Understanding the African Union's authority on the ground
Authors: Witt Antonia 
Published: February 2022

AbstractInternational organisations (IOs) are said to command growing levels of authority. But in studying this phenomenon, scholars predominantly focus on the formal capacities member states assign to IOs. Much less attention is paid to the effects of IO authority, that is, how authority is exerted in practice and what it does within the affected societies. Based on a case study of the African Union's (AU) anti-coup regime, I make the case for a ‘bottom-up’ approach to IO authority, focusing on its localised enactment and effects. Analysing the AU's authority through a governmentality lens and drawing on several months of field research, I show that the AU's authority to govern coups is indeed effective: in commanding the re-establishment of constitutional order, the AU prescribes a particular imaginary of political order to resolve conflict and shapes the conduct of political actors in affected states by inscribing them into this order. But rather than operating in a top-down, direct way, the AU's authority is enacted in a distant, diffuse manner. Although based on formal powers assigned to the AU, neither the way this authority is exercised nor its effects can be inferred merely from these formal powers.
Cardiac tumours in children: a single-centre experience and literature review
Authors: Faim Diogo , Francisco Andreia , Pires António 
Published: February 2022

AbstractCardiac tumours are extremely rare in children. Although more than 90% are benign, children can develop obstructive or embolisation derived symptoms, arrhythmias, constitutional symptoms, cardiac tamponade, or even sudden death. Although the majority are asymptomatic, and some spontaneously regress, appropriate follow-up is needed on a case-by-case basis, as patients may develop late symptoms. Definitive diagnosis is only possible through histological analysis; however, it is possible to infer tumour type with a high grade of certainty based on imaging features, particularly cardiac magnetic resonance. Surgical resection is advocated for those causing symptoms, obstruction, cardiac dysfunction, and high risk of embolisation. The aim of this review is to present the state of the art related to cardiac tumours in the paediatric population, in the context of our own experience.
Imagery rescripting and negative self-imagery in social anxiety disorder: a systematic literature review
Authors: Lloyd James , Marczak Magda 
Published: February 2022

AbstractBackground:Imagery rescripting (IR) is an effective intervention for social anxiety disorder (SAD) that targets memories of distressing formative events linked to negative self-imagery (NSI). IR is thought to update unhelpful schema by addressing the needs of the younger self within the memory. An accumulating body of evidence indicates that by modifying NSI, IR can significantly affect distressing imagery, memory appraisal, and beliefs about the self.Aims:This systematic review aims to critically evaluate and synthesise literature investigating the existing research on the effects IR has on NSI in SAD.Method:A systematic electronic search of Academic Search Complete, ProQuest, Medline, Scopus and PubMed was performed in February 2021 using pre-defined criteria. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria and were selected for review.Results:Analysis of the reviewed articles’ findings identified three main themes: Changes to negative self-images, Memories linked to images and Encapsulated beliefs. IR was associated with significant decreases in image distress, image vividness, memory vividness, memory distress, and encapsulated beliefs. Although reductions were found with image frequency, they were non-significant. Interpretation of results is limited by the small number of studies.Conclusions:IR appears to effectively alter images, memories and beliefs in SAD in as little as a single session. The findings indicate that IR could be utilised as a cost-effective intervention for SAD. However, additional studies and longer-term follow-ups are needed.
The Power of Perception: Beliefs About Memory Ability Uniquely Contribute to Memory Performance and Quality of Life in Adults Aging with Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Venkatesan Umesh M. , Rabinowitz Amanda R. , Hillary Frank G. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractObjective:Personal beliefs about memory ability, which comprise memory self-efficacy (MSE), can influence memory performance in healthy older adults. Self-efficacy theory also predicts that MSE biases self-perceptions of functioning more globally, potentially impacting daily activity beyond cognitive performance. People with traumatic brain injury (PwTBI) frequently report debilitating memory problems long after acute recovery, but little is known about how MSE affects health outcomes in this population. We examined demographic and clinical correlates of MSE, as well as its relationship to memory test performance and health-related quality of life (QOL), in older adults with chronic moderate-to-severe TBI (msTBI).Method:One hundred fourteen adults, aged 50+ and at least 1 year post-msTBI, underwent neuropsychological testing to assess their memory functioning. Participants also self-reported levels of psychological distress, MSE (Cognitive Confidence subscale of the Metacognitions Questionnaire), and health-related QOL (Quality of Life after Brain Injury questionnaire).Results:Demographic and injury-related predictors showed weak correlations with MSE. Although the relationship between MSE and general psychological distress was robust, only the former significantly predicted memory performance. Bivariate analyses revealed significant relationships between MSE and five out of the six QOL domains assessed. Multivariate linear regression revealed a significant impact of MSE on overall QOL independent of demographic and clinical variables.Conclusions:Our findings support a unique role for MSE in both the objective cognitive performance and subjective health of PwTBI. Increased focus on self-perceptions of ability and their impact on measured outcomes is an important step towards personalized rehabilitation for adults with chronic msTBI.
The role of biotechnology and biofuels in US Corn Belt cropping system changes
Authors: Annan Kenneth , Van der Sluis Evert , Fausti Scott W. , Kolady Deepthi E. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe effects of transgenic corn use and federal biofuel policies on state-level cropping patterns in the US Corn Belt region are investigated using state-level data from 2000 to 2019. During this time, producers moved away from diverse cropping patterns and toward simpler rotational practices. Empirical evidence indicates that the intensification of corn acres planted was positively impacted by the spread of genetically modified (GM) soybeans—used as a proxy for GM corn for biofuel usage—but the effects of biotech advancements on producer planting decisions vary across states. This suggests that future policy changes affecting corn production decisions at the farm level will also be heterogeneous across states.
A further reply to Jean-Philippe Robé on the firm
Authors: Deakin Simon , Gindis David , Hodgson Geoffrey M. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractDespite agreement on many points, including our shared insistence that ‘corporation’ and ‘firm’ are different concepts, Jean-Philippe Robé still maintains that they are mutually exclusive: no corporation is a firm, and no firm is a corporation. In contrast, we follow standard nomenclature when we point out that all (business) corporations are firms, but some firms are not corporations. We show here that this is a standard practice among lawyers writing in leading law journals and note that Robé seems to have abandoned the task of defining the firm.
The Rule, Not the Exception: One-Party Monopolies in the American States
Authors: Parry Janine A. , Dowdle Andrew J. , Long Abigail B. , Kloss Jessica R. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThousands of studies have examined party competition in the American states, finding significant consequences for voter turnout, policy adoptions, and more. Long-term patterns of party control have received less attention. Here, we reexamine the operationalization of party competition. We then update Klarner’s state partisan balance data to include state house and senate composition and gubernatorial vote share since the 1930s, adding—in light of the nationalization of American politics—presidential vote share and the proportion of Democrats in each state’s congressional delegation. After establishing a threshold for one-party dominance, we examine the frequency and duration of subnational party monopolies, highlighting regional variations in the relationship between the state and national measures and applying the index to voter turnout. Our analysis reveals that extended periods of one-party dominance – currently on the uptick – are the rule, not the exception, in the American states and are a phenomenon ripe for further exploration.
Effects of Air Pollution on Rainfall Microphysics Over the Yangtze River Delta
Authors: Yang Qiqi , Dai Qiang , Chen Yiheng , Zhang Shuliang , Zhang Yaru 
Published: February 2022

AbstractHerein, the raindrop size distribution (DSD) and rainfall microphysics characteristics are investigated at multiple stations within the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) under two air pollution conditions. Raindrop data from 14 Thies Clima Laser Precipitation Monitor disdrometers spanning approximately 2 years were employed together with corresponding air pollution data. Rain gauge data and several types of meteorological data were also used. The DSD characteristics were found to vary across the YRD; thus, we compiled DSD‐based demarcations between convective rain and stratiform rain at each site. During summer, the average mass‐weighted mean drop diameter parameter value was higher by a mean 20%, and the average normalized intercept parameter value was lower by a mean 12% in polluted atmosphere conditions for both convective rain and stratiform rain, as well as for different rainfall intensity classes. The differences in atmospheric conditions between clear and polluted air conditions partially account for the uncertainties in the DSD characteristics. Air pollution resulted in uncertainty in the shape parameter‐slope parameter relationship and in the rainfall kinetic energy‐rainfall intensity (KE‐R) relationship. The air pollution index can be integrated into the KE‐R relationship to improve the KE simulation accuracy. In addition, air pollution causes some uncertainty in the radar reflectivity‐rainfall intensity (Z‐R) relationship, while the acceptable deviation of the Z‐R relationship did not significantly impact the accuracy of rainfall simulations. This study improves our understanding of DSD and provides a comprehensive overview of the relationship between air pollution and rainfall microphysics for a typical urban agglomeration area.
Barriers to Melt Ascent in the Lithosphere of Io With Applications to Heat Pipe Formation
Authors: Schools J. , Montési L. G. J. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractMelt from the presumed magma ocean in Io's interior reaches the surface at well‐documented paterae and hotspots. To do so, melt needs to cross the thermal lithosphere of Io, even though, as it loses heat, it may stall inside the lithosphere. Permeability barriers form when melt crystallization is rapid and further prevents melt ascent unless a different melt transport mechanism develops. The heat pipe model of Io provides such a mechanism, allowing the melt to travel from the molten asthenosphere to the surface at discrete points. However, unless these heat pipes are billions of years old and constant in both location and flux, melt must ascend through the cold lithosphere at other locations and form new melt conduits. We model here the crystallization sequence of melts as they rise through the lithosphere of Io and determine under what conditions a permeability barrier may form. The barrier is generally deep, but can be elevated 100s of meters to several kilometers in areas of high strain rate or low resurfacing rate. We propose a feedback mechanism where regions closer to a heat pipe experience a higher resurfacing rate, driving the permeability barrier deeper, while regions away from a heat pipe experience a lower resurfacing rate allowing the permeability barrier to rise. A new heat pipe may develop in these regions where the melt is focused by variations of permeability barrier elevation while the old heat pipe closes, potentially leading to changes of heat pipe location over a time scale of 100,000 years.
Microengineered platforms for characterizing the contractile function of in vitro cardiac models
Authors: Dou Wenkun , Malhi Manpreet , Zhao Qili , Wang Li , Huang Zongjie , Law Junhui , Liu Na , Simmons Craig A. , Maynes Jason T. , Sun Yu 
Published: February 2022

AbstractEmerging heart-on-a-chip platforms are promising approaches to establish cardiac cell/tissue models in vitro for research on cardiac physiology, disease modeling and drug cardiotoxicity as well as for therapeutic discovery. Challenges still exist in obtaining the complete capability of in situ sensing to fully evaluate the complex functional properties of cardiac cell/tissue models. Changes to contractile strength (contractility) and beating regularity (rhythm) are particularly important to generate accurate, predictive models. Developing new platforms and technologies to assess the contractile functions of in vitro cardiac models is essential to provide information on cell/tissue physiologies, drug-induced inotropic responses, and the mechanisms of cardiac diseases. In this review, we discuss recent advances in biosensing platforms for the measurement of contractile functions of in vitro cardiac models, including single cardiomyocytes, 2D monolayers of cardiomyocytes, and 3D cardiac tissues. The characteristics and performance of current platforms are reviewed in terms of sensing principles, measured parameters, performance, cell sources, cell/tissue model configurations, advantages, and limitations. In addition, we highlight applications of these platforms and relevant discoveries in fundamental investigations, drug testing, and disease modeling. Furthermore, challenges and future outlooks of heart-on-a-chip platforms for in vitro measurement of cardiac functional properties are discussed.
Single-cell transcriptomic profiling unravels the adenoma-initiation role of protein tyrosine kinases during colorectal tumorigenesis
Authors: Zheng Xiaobo , Song Jinen , Yu Chune , Zhou Zongguang , Liu Xiaowei , Yu Jing , Xu Guangchao , Yang Jiqiao , He Xiujing , Bai Xin , Luo Ya , Bao Yu , Li Huifang , Yang Lie , Xu Mingqing , Song Nan , Su Xiaodong , Xu Jie , Ma Xuelei , Shi Hubing 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe adenoma-carcinoma sequence is a well-accepted roadmap for the development of sporadic colorectal cancer. However, cellular heterogeneity in aberrant epithelial cells limits our understanding of carcinogenesis in colorectal tissues. Here, we performed a single-cell RNA sequencing survey of 54,788 cells from patient-matched tissue samples, including blood, normal tissue, para-cancer, polyp, and colorectal cancer. At each stage of carcinogenesis, we characterized cell types, transcriptional signatures, and differentially expressed genes of distinct cell populations. The molecular signatures of epithelial cells at normal, benign, and malignant stages were defined at the single-cell scale. Adenoma and carcinoma precursor cell populations were identified and characterized followed by validation with large cohort biopsies. Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) BMX and HCK were identified as potential drivers of adenoma initiation. Specific BMX and HCK upregulations were observed in adenoma precursor cell populations from normal and adenoma biopsies. Overexpression of BMX and HCK significantly promoted colorectal epithelial cell proliferation. Importantly, in the organoid culture system, BMX and HCK upregulations resulted in the formation of multilayered polyp-like buds protruding towards the organoid lumen, mimicking the pathological polyp morphology often observed in colorectal cancer. Molecular mechanism analysis revealed that upregulation of BMX or HCK activated the JAK-STAT pathway. In conclusion, our work improved the current knowledge regarding colorectal epithelial evolution during carcinogenesis at the single-cell resolution. These findings may lead to improvements in colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Asymmetric, amphiphilic RGD conjugated phthalocyanine for targeted photodynamic therapy of triple negative breast cancer
Authors: Li Rui , Zhou Yiming , Liu Yijia , Jiang Xingpeng , Zeng Wenlong , Gong Zhuoran , Zheng Gang , Sun Desheng , Dai Zhifei 
Published: February 2022

AbstractTargeted photodynamic therapy (TPDT) is considered superior to conventional photodynamic therapy due to the enhanced uptake of photosensitizers by tumor cells. In this paper, an amphiphilic and asymmetric cyclo-Arg-Gly-Asp-d-Tyr-Lys(cRGDyK)-conjugated silicon phthalocyanine (RSP) was synthesized by covalently attaching the tripeptide Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) to silicone phthalocyanine in the axial direction for TPDT of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). RSP was characterized by spectroscopy as a monomer in physiological buffer. Meanwhile, the modification of RSP with RGD led to a high accumulation of the photosensitizer in TNBC cells overexpressing ανβ3 integrin receptors which can bind RGD, greatly reducing the risk of phototoxicity. In vitro photodynamic experiments showed that the IC50 of RSP was 295.96 nM in the 4T1 cell line, which caused significant apoptosis of the tumor cells. The tumor inhibition rate of RSP on the orthotopic murine TNBC achieved 74%, while the untargeted photosensitizer exhibited no obvious tumor inhibition. Overall, such novel targeted silicon phthalocyanine has good potential for clinical translation due to its simple synthesis route, strong targeting, and high therapeutic efficacy for TPDT treatment of TNBC.
Immunoarchitectural patterns as potential prognostic factors for invasive ductal breast cancer
Authors: Du Xue , Zhou Zhe , Shao Yun , Qian Kun , Wu Yongfang , Zhang Jun , Cui Miao , Wang Jingjing , Wang Shengqi , Tai Yanhong 
Published: February 2022

AbstractCurrently, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in invasive breast cancers are assessed solely on the basis of their number, whereas their spatial distribution is rarely investigated. Therefore, we evaluated TILs in 579 patients with invasive breast cancer of no special type (IBC-NST) with a focus on their spatial distributions in tumor center (TC) and invasive margin (IM). We also assessed a new factor, namely para-tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (PILs) in the para-tumor lobular area (Para). Five immunoarchitectural patterns (IPs) were observed, which were significantly associated with clinicopathological features, especially molecular subtypes, histological grades, clinical stages, and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. High-TIL density (IP1/2) correlated with favorable disease-free survival (DFS) in TNBC patients (p = 0.04), but opposite results were observed for luminal B subtype patients (both the lowest TIL and PIL densities (IP5) correlated with good DFS, p = 0.013). Luminal B patients with high TILs in the IM and low TILs in the TC (IP3) exhibited the worst DFS, whereas those with low TILs (similar to IP5) and high PILs (IP4) exhibited poor DFS. We also identified TIL subpopulations with significantly different IPs. Our findings suggest that IP can be a potential prognostic factor for tumor immunity in IBC.
Large-area photonic lift-off process for flexible thin-film transistors
Authors: Weidling Adam M. , Turkani Vikram S. , Akhavan Vahid , Schroder Kurt A. , Swisher Sarah L. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractFabricating flexible electronics on plastic is often limited by the poor dimensional stability of polymer substrates. To mitigate, glass carriers are used during fabrication, but removing the plastic substrate from a carrier without damaging the electronics remains challenging. Here we utilize a large-area, high-throughput photonic lift-off (PLO) process to rapidly separate polymer films from rigid carriers. PLO uses a 150 µs pulse of broadband light from flashlamps to lift-off functional thin films from glass carrier substrates coated with a light absorber layer (LAL). Modeling indicates that the polymer/LAL interface reaches above 800 °C during PLO, but the top surface of the PI remains below 120 °C. An array of indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) was fabricated on a polyimide substrate and photonically lifted off from the glass carrier. The TFT mobility was unchanged by PLO. The flexible TFTs were mechanically robust, with no reduction in mobility while flexed.