bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical detection of homovanillic acid, a breast cancer biomarker, using Pluronic-modified MoS2 nanosheets
Authors: Zniber Mohammed , Vahdatiyekta Parastoo , Roy Shounak , Nikiforow Kostiantyn , Jaiswal Amit , Huynh Tan-Phat 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides have gained considerable attention from the scientific community for their various applications thanks to their remarkable chemical, physical, optical and electronic properties. In this study, MoS2 nanosheets were synthesized using a kitchen blender with the assistance of a surfactant, Pluronic F-127, through a shear-exfoliation process. The chemical composition, nanostructure and electrochemical properties of the synthesized MoS2–F127 were characterized by different methods. A Pt electrode modified with MoS2–F127 (Pt/MoS2–F127) was used with differential pulse voltammetry for the electrochemical detection of homovanillic acid (HVA) – a breast-cancer biomarker, in the presence of common interferents in urine. This study provides a new approach to discriminate the electrochemical signals of HVA and uric acid, leading to higher selectivity of the sensor.
Surveillance and examination of microbial contamination in ice cream in China
Authors: Yan Lin , Pei Xiaoyan , Miao Junjie , Li Ying , Yang Shuran , Peng Zixin , Yang Xiaorong , Mei Lingling , Yang Qingwen , Ren Huan , Yang Dajin , Shi Hongmei 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
This study investigated the microbial contamination of ice cream in China. A total of 2887 ice cream samples were collected from different regions of China. Contamination by the aerobic plate count (APC), coliforms, and three foodborne pathogens, Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Salmonella spp., was detected in the samples. L. monocytogenes isolates were further analyzed for antibiotic susceptibility and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). The results showed that APC was more than 105 colony forming units (CFU)/g in 6.10% (176/2887) and coliform was more than 102 CFU/g in 15.69% (453/2887) of all samples. The positive rates of S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. were 0.66%, 0.62%, and 0.10%, respectively. Among these, S. aureus contamination was more than 102 CFU/g in two samples, and L. monocytogenes in the positive sample was in the range of 0.3–240 most probable number (MPN)/g, with a median of 4.3 MPN/g. The hygienic status of the packaged samples was much better than that of the bulk samples (P&lt;0.05). Catering samples were more frequently and heavily contaminated than samples from retail and wholesale outlets (P&lt;0.05). No significant differences were observed in samples bought from urban and rural areas (P&gt;0.05). For 18 L. monocytogenes strains isolated from ice cream, the resistance rate of nine antibiotics was 5.56% (1/18). By MLST, the L. monocytogenes strains were classified into nine sequence types (STs), of which ST8 was the most common (six isolates). These results indicate that a potential health risk to the public may be caused by ice cream, particularly in susceptible populations.
The statistical foundation of the reference population for semen analysis included in the sixth edition of the WHO manual: a critical reappraisal of the evidence
Authors: Paffoni Alessio , Somigliana Edgardo , Boeri Luca , Viganò Paola 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
In the most recent version of the ‘WHO Laboratory Manual For The Examination And Processing Of Human Semen’, the updated target population used to infer reference values included 3589 fertile subjects, representative of 12 countries and 5 continents, and 10 studies. We have critically evaluated the newly proposed distribution of semen examination results using an approach borrowed from clinical chemistry laboratories and based on the recommendations of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry for estimation of reference intervals. Surprisingly, most prerequisites to produce common reference intervals through multicentric data were not met. Moreover, when we assessed with the bootstrap method the descriptive reference values obtained from raw data of the 10 individual studies for sperm concentration, sperm number, motility and normal forms, we found that none of the populations was completely correctly described by the reference centiles. We concluded that aggregated data used to build the reference distribution cannot be considered to originate from the same population, and this can result from real differences among individuals or different methodological approaches used in the various studies. Transferability conditions across studies did not seem to have been met. Our findings strengthen the relevance of concerns regarding the use of reference populations in the World Health Organization manual to discriminate between fertile and infertile men.
Estimating growth from length frequency distribution: comparison of ELEFAN and Bayesian approaches for red endeavour prawns (Metapenaeus ensis)
Authors: Zhou Shijie , Hutton Trevor , Lei Yeming , Miller Margaret , van Der Velde Tonya , Deng Roy Aijun 
Published: July 2022

AbstractUsing length frequency distribution data (LFD) is cost-effective for estimating somatic growth in fish or invertebrates as length data are relatively easy to obtain. The recently developed R packages TropFishR and fishboot extend classic ELEFAN (Electronic LEngth Frequency ANalysis) programs and include more powerful optimization procedures and a bootstrap method for estimating uncertainties. Yet, the fundamental functions require users to provide search conditions (e.g. upper and lower limits for each parameter, length-class size, number of length-classes for the calculation of moving average), which can significantly affect the results. In this paper, we compare the ELEFAN approach with a Bayesian approach in analysing LFD, employing both standard and seasonal von Bertalanffy growth functions. We apply both approaches to a commercially valuable but poorly studied red endeavour prawn (Metapenaeus ensis) harvested in Australia's Northern Prawn Fishery. Sensitivity tests on ELEFAN confirm that any change in search settings would affect the results. Simulation studies on Bayesian growth models show that Linf and K can be accurately obtained even with modal progression of only one year-class and using non-informative priors. However, age information, including the theoretical age at length zero (t0), is difficult to estimate and requires LFD from multiple age classes and informative priors. The Bayesian models yield mean parameters of: Linf = 36.56 mm (carapace length), K = 2.74 yr–1, and t0 = -0.02 yr for the males, and Linf = 51.81 mm, K = 1.94 yr–1, and t0 = -0.02 yr for the females. Seasonal oscillation models fit the LFD better, but the improvement is small and the estimated season-related parameters have large variances.
b-Monotone Hurwitz Numbers: Virasoro Constraints, BKP Hierarchy, and O(N)-BGW Integral
Authors: Bonzom Valentin , Chapuy Guillaume , Dołęga Maciej 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
We study a $b$-deformation of monotone Hurwitz numbers, obtained by deforming Schur functions into Jack symmetric functions. We give an evolution equation for this model and derive from it Virasoro constraints, thereby proving a conjecture of Féray on Jack characters. A combinatorial model of non-oriented monotone Hurwitz maps that generalize monotone transposition factorizations is provided. In the case $b=1$, we obtain an explicit Schur expansion of the model and show that it obeys the BKP integrable hierarchy. This Schur expansion also proves a conjecture of Oliveira–Novaes relating zonal polynomials with irreducible representations of $O(N)$. We also relate the model to an $O(N)$ version of the Brézin–Gross–Witten integral, which we solve explicitly in terms of Pfaffians in the case of even multiplicities.
Primary Decomposition with Differential Operators
Authors: Cid-Ruiz Yairon , Sturmfels Bernd 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
We introduce differential primary decompositions for ideals in a commutative ring. Ideal membership is characterized by differential conditions. The minimal number of conditions needed is the arithmetic multiplicity. Minimal differential primary decompositions are unique up to change of bases. Our results generalize the construction of Noetherian operators for primary ideals in the analytic theory of Ehrenpreis–Palamodov, and they offer a concise method for representing affine schemes. The case of modules is also addressed. We implemented an algorithm in Macaulay2 that computes the minimal decomposition for an ideal in a polynomial ring.
Bounds on the Hausdorff Dimension of Teichmüller Horocycle Flow Orbit Closures
Authors: Arana-Herrera Francisco 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
We show that the Hausdorff dimension of any proper Teichmüller horocycle flow orbit closure on any irreducible $\textrm {SL}{(2,\textbf {R})}$-invariant subvariety of Abelian or quadratic differentials is bounded away from the dimension of the subvariety in terms of the polynomial mixing rate of the Teichmüller horocycle flow on the subvariety. The proof is based on abstract methods for measurable flows adapted from work of Bourgain and Katz on sparse ergodic theorems.
Rank of Matrices with Entries from a Multiplicative Group
Authors: Alon Noga , Solymosi József 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
We establish lower bounds on the rank of matrices in which all but the diagonal entries lie in a multiplicative group of small rank. Applying these bounds we show that the distance sets of finite pointsets in $\mathbb {R}^d$ generate high-rank multiplicative groups and that multiplicative groups of small rank cannot contain large sumsets.
Pluripotential-Theoretic Stability Thresholds
Authors: Xia Mingchen 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Given a compact polarized manifold $(X,L)$, we introduce two new stability thresholds in terms of singularity types of global quasi-plurisubharmonic functions on $X$. We prove that in the Fano setting, the new invariants can effectively detect K-stability of $X$. We study some functionals of geodesic rays in the space of Kähler potentials by means of the corresponding test curves. In particular, we introduce a new entropy functional of quasi-plurisubharmonic functions and relate the radial entropy functional to this new entropy functional.
Isobarycentric Inequalities
Authors: Gilboa Shoni , Haim-Kislev Pazit , Slomka Boaz A 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
We prove the following isoperimetric-type inequality: Given a finite absolutely continuous Borel measure on ${\mathbb {R}}^n$, half-spaces have maximal measure among all subsets with prescribed barycenter. As a consequence, we make progress towards a solution to a problem of Henk and Pollehn, which is equivalent to a log-Minkowski inequality for a parallelotope and a centered convex body. Our probabilistic approach to the problem also gives rise to several inequalities and conjectures concerning the truncated mean of certain log-concave random variables.
A protein kinase D inhibitor suppresses AKT on T cells and antagonizes cancer immunotherapy by anti-PD-1
Authors: Miyamoto Kazuhide , Hayabuchi Hodaka , Tokifuji Yukiko , Ando Makoto , Onishi Nobuyuki , Okamura Tadashi , Yoshimura Akihiko , Chikuma Shunsuke 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Antibodies that block the interaction between PD-1 and PD-1 ligands (anti-PD-1) are in clinical use for the treatment of cancer, yet their efficacy is limited. Pre-approved therapies that enhance the effect of anti-PD-1 in combination are beneficial. Small-molecule inhibitors that attenuate T cell receptor signaling are reported to prevent T cell exhaustion and induce memory T cells with stem cell potential, resulting in a durable effector T cell response in combination with anti-PD-1. In search of such targets, we focused on protein kinase D (PKD), which is suggested to be suppressive in both tumor growth and TCR signaling. We report that CRT0066101, a PKD inhibitor (PKDi), suppressed the growth of mouse tumors at a sub-micromolar concentration in vitro. Despite its inhibitory effects on tumors, a single treatment of tumor-bearing mice with PKDi did not inhibit, but rather accelerated tumor growth, and reversed the therapeutic effect of anti-PD-1. Mice treated with PKDi showed reduced T cell infiltration and defects in the generation of effector T cells, compared to those treated with anti-PD-1, suggesting that PKDi inhibited ongoing antitumor responses. Mechanistically, PKDi inhibited phosphorylation of AKT, a primary checkpoint that is reactivated by anti-PD-1. In conclusion, PKD is fundamentally required for T cell reactivation by anti-PD-1; therefore, inhibition of PKD is not appropriate for combination therapy with anti-PD-1. On the other hand, a single dose of PKDi was shown to strongly suppress experimental autoimmunity in mice, indicating that PKDi could be useful for the treatment of immune-related adverse events that are frequently reported in anti-PD-1 therapy.
Women, Peace, and Security and Increasing Gendered Risk in the Era of COVID-19: Insights from Nepal and Sri Lanka
Authors: K C Luna , Whetstone Crystal 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
This article analyzes the effects of COVID-19 on women and girls. It examines policy responses to the pandemic crisis and its implications on the women, peace, and security (WPS) agenda in postwar Nepal and Sri Lanka. Building on our previous work in Nepal and Sri Lanka, we rely on secondary studies, news sources, and governmental and nongovernmental organization reports and social media from March 2020 through March 2022 to demonstrate our argument that policymakers should place women and girls at the center of COVID-19 recovery plans. We further stress the need for an intersectional approach to understand the contextual relationships among gender, race, class, caste, ability, religion, sexual orientation, and additional markers that situate women's and girls’ experiences. The WPS agenda promotes women and girls’ participation in peace and security governance and has seen significant rollbacks given the impacts of the pandemic. We conclude by sketching new policy frontiers for the WPS agenda and urge WPS implementers to rethink their approach to WPS policies to promote women's diverse needs and interests in postwar Nepal and Sri Lanka in pandemic recovery policies.
Survey of the Impact of COVID-19 on Chronic Liver Disease Patient Care Experiences and Outcomes
Authors: Jiang Shirley X , Schwab Katerina , Enns Robert , Ko Hin Hin 
Published: July 2022

Abstract

Background
The COVID-19 pandemic has a secondary impact on the health of patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). Our objective was to study this impact on care provision, telemedicine, and health behaviours in CLD patients.

Methods
CLD patients of an urban gastroenterology clinic who attended a telemedicine appointment between March 17, 2020 and September 17, 2020, completed an online survey on care delays, health behaviours, and experience with telemedicine. Chart review was conducted in 400 randomly selected patients: 200 charts from during the pandemic were compared to 200 charts the previous year. Data were extracted for clinicodemographic variables, laboratory investigations, and clinical outcomes.

Results
Of 399 patients invited to participate, 135 (34%) completed the online survey. Fifty (39%) patients reported 83 care delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the majority (71%) of delays persisting beyond 2 months. Ninety-five (75%) patients were satisfied with telemedicine appointments. There was a longer delay between lab work and appointments in patients seen during the pandemic compared to 2019 (P = 0.01). Compared to the year prior, during the COVID pandemic, there was a similar number of cases of cirrhosis decompensation (n = 26, 13% versus n = 22, 11%) and hospitalization (n = 12, 6% versus n = 5, 3%).

Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to care delays for CLD outpatients, with most delays on the scale of months. These patient-reported experiences and clinical observations can direct optimization of CLD care as effects from the pandemic evolve.
Acknowledging and addressing the gender disparity in pre-exposure prophylaxis use for HIV prevention
Authors: Allen Dion C , Rabionet Silvia E , Popovici Ioana , Zorrilla Carmen D 
Published: July 2022

Abstract

Objective
One in four persons living with HIV in the USA is a woman. While the annual HIV diagnoses for 2019 decreased by approximately 9% when compared with 2015, this decrease was seen in men, while the rates remained stable for women. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is one major biomedical tool that could benefit women at risk of HIV. However, women only account for approximately 5% of PrEP users annually. The objective of this study is to identify and address the gender disparity in PrEP use.

Methods
This study used epidemiological data from the AIDSVu database to confirm the presence of a gender disparity in PrEP use across the USA. Cross-sectional data from 2019 showed that PrEP use was significantly higher in men, which suggested the existence of a disparity. The PrEP-to-Need ratio was then used to examine the trends in PrEP use relative to the rate of HIV infections, from 2012 to 2019, and to confirm the existence of the gender disparity in PrEP use.

Key findings
There is a marked gender disparity in PrEP use. This disparity is widening and therefore demands more attention to women at risk of HIV. Some recommendations for addressing the disparity include the following: raising awareness, capacity building for providers, scaling up efforts to better reach women at risk of HIV and additional research to understand the drivers of the disparity.

Conclusions
Policy makers could therefore prioritize the health outcomes of women by promoting research and education aimed at extending PrEP offerings to effectively reach women.
Definitive radiotherapy with stereotactic or IMRT boost with or without radiosensitization strategy for operable breast cancer patients who refuse surgery
Authors: Shibamoto Yuta , Takano Seiya , Iida Masato , Urano Misugi , Ohta Kengo , Oguri Masanosuke , Murai Taro 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
For breast cancer (BC) patients who refused surgery, we developed a definitive treatment employing modern sophisticated radiation techniques. Thirty-eight operable BC patients were treated by conventionally fractionated whole-breast (WB) radiotherapy in combination with stereotactic (for primary tumor) or intensity-modulated (for primary tumor with/without regional lymph nodes [LN]) radiotherapy (IMRT) boost. Standard doses were 50 Gy/25 fractions, 21 Gy/3 fractions and 20 Gy/8 fractions, respectively, for the three radiation modalities. Disease stages were 0 (ductal carcinoma in situ [DCIS]) in seven patients, I in 12, II in 16 and III in three. In 26 patients, intratumoral hydrogen peroxide injection or hyperthermia with oral tegafur-gimeracil-oteracil potassium (S-1) was also used to sensitize the tumors to radiation. Hormonal and standard systemic therapy were administered in 25 and 13 patients, respectively. Complete and partial responses were obtained in 19 patients each; in patients with partial response, no further regrowth of the residual mass was observed, except for two patients who developed local recurrence. During a follow-up of 8–160 months (median, 50 months for living patients), two, one and two patients developed local relapse, sub-clavicular node metastasis and distant metastasis, respectively. The 5-year rates for overall, progression-free and local relapse-free survival were 97.2, 90.9 and 93.4%, respectively. Fourteen patients developed Grade 3 radiation dermatitis but all recovered after treatment. In 47%, the affected breast became better-rounded, and the nipple of the irradiated breast became higher by ≥1 cm than the contralateral nipple. Our method might be a treatment option for operable BC patients.
Smooth muscle AKG/OXGR1 signaling regulates epididymal fluid acid–base balance and sperm maturation
Authors: Xu Chang , Yuan Yexian , Zhang Cha , Zhou Yuchuan , Yang Jinping , Yi Huadong , Gyawali Ishwari , Lu Jingyi , Guo Sile , Ji Yunru , Tan Chengquan , Wang Songbo , Zhang Yongliang , Jiang Qingyan , Shu Gang 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Infertility is a global concern attributed to genetic defects, lifestyle, nutrition, and any other factors that affect the local metabolism and niche microenvironment of the reproductive system. 2-Oxoglutarate receptor 1 (OXGR1) is abundantly expressed in the testis; however, its cellular distribution and biological function of OXGR1 in the male reproductive system remain unclear. In the current study, we demonstrated that OXGR1 is primarily expressed in epididymal smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Aging and heat stress significantly reduced OXGR1 expression in the epididymis. Using OXGR1 global knockout and epididymal-specific OXGR1 knockdown models, we revealed that OXGR1 is essential for epididymal sperm maturation and fluid acid–base balance. Supplementation of α-ketoglutaric acid (AKG), the endogenous ligand of OXGR1, effectively reversed epididymal sperm maturation disorders caused by aging and heat stress. Furthermore, in vitro studies showed that AKG markedly stimulated the release of instantaneous intracellular calcium from epididymal SMCs and substantially reduced the pHi value in the epididymal SMCs via OXGR1. Mechanistically, we discovered that AKG/OXGR1 considerably increased the expression of Na+/HCO3− cotransporter (NBCe1) mRNA in the epididymal SMCs, mediated by intracellular calcium signaling. The local AKG/OXGR1 system changed the epididymal fluid pH value and HCO3− concentration, thereby regulating sperm maturation via intracellular calcium signaling and NBCe1 mRNA expression. This study for the first time reveals the crucial role of OXGR1 in male fertility and sheds light on the applicability of metabolic intermediates in the nutritional intervention of reproduction.
Notch-dependent and -independent functions of transcription factor RBPJ
Authors: Friedrich Tobias , Ferrante Francesca , Pioger Léo , Nist Andrea , Stiewe Thorsten , Andrau Jean-Christophe , Bartkuhn Marek , Giaimo Benedetto Daniele , Borggrefe Tilman 
Published: July 2022

AbstractSignal transduction pathways often involve transcription factors that promote activation of defined target gene sets. The transcription factor RBPJ is the central player in Notch signaling and either forms an activator complex with the Notch intracellular domain (NICD) or a repressor complex with corepressors like KYOT2/FHL1. The balance between these two antagonizing RBPJ-complexes depends on the activation state of the Notch receptor regulated by cell-to-cell interaction, ligand binding and proteolytic cleavage events. Here, we depleted RBPJ in mature T-cells lacking active Notch signaling and performed RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq and ATAC-seq analyses. RBPJ depletion leads to upregulation of many Notch target genes. Ectopic expression of NICD1 activates several Notch target genes and enhances RBPJ occupancy. Based on gene expression changes and RBPJ occupancy we define four different clusters, either RBPJ- and/or Notch-regulated genes. Importantly, we identify early (Hes1 and Hey1) and late Notch-responsive genes (IL2ra). Similarly, to RBPJ depletion, interfering with transcriptional repression by squelching with cofactor KYOT2/FHL1, leads to upregulation of Notch target genes. Taken together, RBPJ is not only an essential part of the Notch co-activator complex but also functions as a repressor in a Notch-independent manner.