bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
What is the accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound for endometriosis mapping prior to surgery when performed by a sonographer within an outpatient women's imaging centre?
Authors: Deslandes Alison , Parange Nayana , Childs Jessie T , Osborne Brooke , Hull M. Louise , Panuccio Catrina , Croft Anthea , Bezak Eva 
Published: July 2022

AbstractIntroductionThis study aimed to assess the accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) for the mapping of endometriosis before surgery when performed by sonographers in an outpatient women's imaging centre.MethodsA prospective longitudinal cohort study was performed. The study group comprised of 201 women who underwent a comprehensive TVUS assessment, performed by a sonographer. Laparoscopy was performed as the reference standard. Complete TVUS and surgical data were available for 53 women who were included in the final analysis.ResultsEndometriosis was confirmed at a surgery in 50/53 (94.3%) participants, with 25/53 (47.2%) having deep endometriosis (DE) nodules and/or endometriomas present. TVUS for mapping of DE had an overall sensitivity of 84.0%, specificity of 89.3%, PPV of 87.5%, NPV of 86.2%, LR+ of 7.85, LR− of 0.18, and accuracy of 86.8% (P < 0.001). Ovarian immobility had poor sensitivity for detecting localised superficial endometriosis, DE, adhesions, and/or endometriomas (Left = 61.9% and right = 13.3%) but high specificities (left = 87.5% and right = 94.7%). Site‐specific tenderness had low sensitivities and moderate specificities for the same. All soft markers of endometriosis failed to reach statistical significance except for left ovarian immobility (P = <0.001).ConclusionSonographers well experienced in obstetric and gynaecological imaging, working in an outpatient women's imaging setting can accurately map DE; however, the performance of soft markers for detection of SE was poor.
The optimal assortativity of teams inside the firm
Authors: Kambhampati Ashwin , Segura‐Rodriguez Carlos 
Published: July 2022

AbstractHow does a profit‐maximizing manager form teams and compensate workers when workers have private information about their productivity and exert hidden effort once in a team? We study a team‐production model in which positive assortative matching is both efficient and profit‐maximizing under pure adverse selection and pure moral hazard. We show that the interaction of adverse selection and moral hazard can lead to nonassortative matching if complementarities are sufficiently weak. When this is the case, the manager may prefer to delegate matching, allowing workers to sort themselves into teams.
The UN High‐Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development: An orchestrator, more or less?
Authors: Beisheim Marianne , Fritzsche Felicitas 
Published: July 2022

AbstractThe UN High‐level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is at the heart of the UN's follow‐up and review of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Analysing the first full cycle of the HLPF (2016–19), we ask what and how the HLPF delivers. In the early debates on its mandate, experts suggested that the HLPF could be an orchestrator, arguing that it would likely have to rely upon indirect and non‐hierarchical forms of governance. Others asked for more or expected less. For the analysis of the HLPF's (orchestration) qualities, we study the proceedings of the HLPF and specifically the HLPF's review of SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, one of the most contested goals and therefore an interesting hard case. Taken together, DESA as the secretariat of the HLPF does indeed use orchestration to make the most out of the forum's mandate, both through convening and shaping third actors' activities. Political conflicts and limited resources, however, negatively impact what they can do and what the HLPF can deliver. The results of the UN's recent negotiations on the review of the HLPF's ‘format and organizational aspects’ (2020–21) did not change that.
Prenatal methadone exposure leads to long‐term memory impairments and disruptions of dentate granule cell function in a sex‐dependent manner
Authors: Gamble Meredith E. , Marfatia Rhea , Diaz Marvin R. 
Published: July 2022

AbstractPrenatal opioid exposures lead to extensive cognitive and emotion‐regulation problems in children, persisting at least through school‐age. Methadone, an opioid typically used for the treatment of opioid use disorder, has been approved for use in pregnant women for several decades. Importantly, however, the impacts of prenatal methadone exposure (PME), particularly on offspring as they progress into adulthood, has not been extensively examined. In recent years, children and young animal models have shown cognitive deficits related to PME, including evidence of hippocampal dysfunction. The present work aims to examine the persistent nature of these deficits, as well as determine how they may differ by sex. Pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats either received subcutaneous methadone or water injections twice daily from gestational days 3–20 or were left undisturbed. Following postnatal day 70, male and female offspring were behaviourally tested for impairments in recognition memory using the Novel Object Recognition task and working spatial memory through Spontaneous Alternation. Additionally, using whole‐cell patch‐clamp electrophysiology, hippocampal dentate granule cell function was examined in adult offspring. Results indicate that methadone‐exposed females showed decreased excitability and increased inhibition of dentate granule cells compared to naïve controls, while males did not. These findings were accompanied by impairments in female working spatial memory and altered behaviour in the Object Recognition task. Overall, this work supports the continued investigation of the long‐term effects of PME on adult male and female learning and memory, as well as promotes further exploration of adult hippocampal function as a neural mechanism impacted by this exposure.
Fetal heart block: Vaginal delivery an option
Authors: Gebara Sarah Asmaa , Melov Sarah Jane , Alahakoon Thushari Indika , Sholler Gary , Nayyar Roshini 
Published: July 2022

BackgroundFetal heart block (FHB) occurs in approximately 1:20 000 births and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Vaginal delivery with intrapartum fetal scalp lactate monitoring is offered as an option at our centre for selected cases, in contrast with the published literature advocating caesarean birth.AimsTo review perinatal outcomes at delivery for FHB at a tertiary referral hospital.Materials and MethodsOurs was a retrospective cohort study from 1 January, 2007 to 30 June, 2020. The infant outcomes are summarised in three delivery groups: vaginal delivery, planned caesarean section (CS) and unplanned CS.ResultsThere were 23 newborns in the study period, with a median gestation at birth of 37.2 weeks and there was one antepartum fetal death in this cohort. Vaginal delivery was planned in 12 women: eight had normal births, three of these women progressed to an intrapartum (unplanned) CS and one woman had a planned CS. All live babies in the vaginal delivery cohort had an Apgar score greater than seven at five minutes. Of the 22 newborns, six required intubation, of which five had been delivered by a planned CS.ConclusionOur data suggest that planned vaginal delivery is a safe option for selected women carrying a fetus with FHB. Managing labour with serial fetal scalp lactates, and the involvement of senior clinicians are important factors in achieving a successful outcome.
Embolic phenomena to the limbs are an independent predictor of in‐hospital mortality from infective endocarditis
Authors: Lovelock Thomas , Zhu Michael Z. L. , Saran Ayushica , Vasudevan Thodur 
Published: July 2022

AbstractBackgroundInfective endocarditis (IE) is a morbid condition with high mortality. We investigated predictors of in‐hospital mortality and embolic phenomena in a contemporary Australasian cohort.MethodsWe identified all patients with IE admitted between January 2017 and 30th April 2020 (40 months). Patient characteristics, risk factors and clinical outcomes were retrospectively collected and analysed.ResultsOne hundred and seventy‐two consecutive patients (mean age: 56.8 ± 17.9 years, male: 63%, 114/172) were included. Causative organisms were Staphylococcus aureus (44%, 75/172), Enterococcus faecalis (15%, 26/172), Streptococcus mitis (6%, 10/172) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (3%, 6/172). In‐hospital mortality was 15% (25/172). Embolic complications were found among 57% (98/172) of patients, the most common being stroke (23%, 40/172), septic pulmonary emboli (17%, 29/172), splenic and/or renal emboli (17%, 26/172) and peripheral limb emboli (15%, 25/172). Sixty (35%, 60/172) patients underwent cardiac surgery. On multivariable analysis, independent predictors of in‐hospital mortality were: increased age (odds ratio: 1.064, per year older, P = 0.001), ICU admission independent of cardiac surgery (OR 9.81, P < 0.001), moderate or severe LV impairment (OR 5.19, P = 0.012) and any sign of embolic phenomena to limbs (OR 5.02, P = 0.006). Multivariable predictors of embolic complications were S. aureus bacteraemia (OR 3.22, P = 0.001) and large vegetation >10 mm (OR 3.04, P = 0.002).ConclusionWe demonstrate predictors of in‐hospital mortality and embolic phenomena in our cohort. Though age remains a consistent predictor of mortality, surprisingly, signs of embolic phenomena to the limbs was established as an independent predictor of mortality. The mechanism of this is unclear and warrants further evaluation.
Patterns and controls on island‐wide aboveground biomass accumulation in second‐growth forests of Puerto Rico
Authors: Martinuzzi Sebastián , Cook Bruce D. , Helmer Eileen H. , Keller Michael , Locke Dexter H. , Marcano‐Vega Humfredo , Uriarte María , Morton Douglas C. 
Published: July 2022

AbstractUnderstanding the heterogeneity of biomass accumulation in second‐growth tropical forests following land use abandonment is important for informing ecosystem carbon models and forest restoration efforts. There is an urgent need for a broad sample of second‐growth forests to enhance our knowledge of carbon accumulation in human‐dominated landscapes, especially for older forests. Puerto Rico has predominantly second‐growth forests, ranging in age from approximately 25 to more than 80 years. We used an island‐wide sample of airborne lidar from the NASA Goddard Lidar, Hyperspectral, and Thermal (G‐LiHT) Airborne Imager collected on March 2017, forest inventory data, and data on forest age, precipitation, soils, and land use to estimate aboveground biomass stocks in moist and wet, second‐growth tropical forests. Biomass accumulation rates in Puerto Rico were lower, on average, than in other Neotropical forests. Median biomass across >16,700 ha of older second‐growth forests was 105 Mg ha−1, and sampled biomass rarely surpassed 250 Mg ha−1. Differences in biomass by age were large and persistent across different substrates and land uses, with a plateau in the pattern of island‐wide biomass accumulation after about 33 years. A spatial regression model showed that multiple factors were related to biomass accumulation, including time since abandonment, geologic substrate, past land use as coffee or pasture, precipitation, topographic wetness index, and slope. Our findings have important consequences for the total carbon storage and expected climate mitigation benefits of large‐scale reforestation efforts, and highlight the value of airborne lidar for quantifying biomass variability in complex tropical landscapes.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.
Targeting upregulated RNA binding protein RCAN1.1: a promising strategy for neuroprotection in acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Yun Yan , Yang Xiaxin , Tan Shichuan , Wang Pin , Ji Yanbin , Sun Xiulian 
Published: July 2022

AbstractAimsTo explore the expression changes and roles of the RNA‐binding protein RCAN1.1 in acute ischemic stroke (AIS), and to preliminarily confirm the medicinal value of the RNA aptamer R1SR13 in AIS by targeting RCAN1.1.MethodsTwo mouse AIS models of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and right common carotid artery ligation (R‐CCAL) and oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) model of AIS in primary neurons and SH‐SY5Y were performed. The expression pattern of RCAN1.1 was assessed using real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR) and western blotting (WB) in vivo and in vitro. The underlying mechanism for the elevation of RCAN1.1 in the upstream was investigated. Lentiviruses were administrated and the effect of RCAN1.1 in AIS was assessed by ATP level, caspase 3/7 assay, TUNEL and WB. The protective function of R1SR13 in AIS was evaluated both in vivo and in vitro.ResultsIn two mouse models of AIS, RCAN1.1 mRNA and RCAN1.1 L protein were significantly upregulated in the ischemic brain tissue. The same results were detected in the OGD model of primary neurons and SH‐SY5Y. The mechanistic analysis proved that hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF1α) could specifically activate the RCAN1.1 gene promoter through combining with the functional hypoxia‐responsive element (HRE) site (−325 to −322 bp). The increased expression of RCAN1.1 L markedly depleted ATP production and aggravated neuronal apoptosis under OGD condition. R1SR13, an antagonizing RNA aptamer of RCAN1.1, was demonstrated to reduce neuronal apoptosis caused by the elevated RCAN1.1 L in the cellular and animal models of AIS.ConclusionRCAN1.1 is a novel target gene of HIF1α and the functional HRE in the RCAN1.1 promoter region is −325 to −322 bp. The marked upregulation of RCAN1.1 in AIS promoted neuronal apoptosis, an effect that could be reversed by its RNA aptamer R1SR13 in vivo and in vitro. Thus, R1SR13 represents a promising strategy for neuroprotection in AIS and our study lays a theoretical foundation for it to become a clinically targeted drug.
Climate matching and anthropogenic factors contribute to the colonization and extinction of local populations during avian invasions
Authors: Cardador Laura , Tella José L. , Louvrier Julie , Anadón José D. , Abellán Pedro , Carrete Martina 
Published: July 2022

AbstractAimConcern about the impacts of biological invasions has generated a great deal of interest in understanding factors that determine invasion success. Most of our current knowledge comes from static approaches that use spatial patterns as a proxy of temporal processes. These approaches assume that species are present in areas where environmental conditions are the most favourable. However, this assumption is problematic when applied to dynamic processes such as species expansions when equilibrium has not been reached.LocationIberian Peninsula.TaxonBirds.MethodsIn our work, we analyse the roles played by human activities, climatic matching and spatial connectivity on the two main underlying processes shaping the spread of invasive species (i.e. colonization and extinction) using a dynamic modelling approach. We use a large data set that has recorded the occurrence of two invasive bird species—the ring‐necked (Psittacula krameri) and the monk (Myiopsitta monachus) parakeets—in the Iberian Peninsula from 1991 to 2016.ResultsHuman activities and climate matching play a role on species range dynamics. Human influence and urbanization were the most relevant factors explaining colonization. Additionally, an effect of climate matching was found. Persistence (the inverse of extinction) was mainly affected by human influence for the monk parakeet and by the extent of urban environments for the ring‐necked parakeet.Main conclusionsHuman activities play a major role not only on colonization of new locations, but also on persistence during range expansion. Additionally, natural processes—notably climate matching—also affect new colonizations. These findings add to our understanding of the mechanisms that might allow alien species to expand their geographic range at new locations and might help to improve our capacity to assess invasion risks and impacts accurately.
The role of dual‐specificity phosphatase 3 in melanocytic oncogenesis
Authors: Chousakos Emmanouil , Katsoulas Nikolaos , Kavantzas Nikolaos , Stratigos Alexandros , Lazaris Andreas C. 
Published: July 2022

AbstractDual‐specificity phosphatase 3 (DUSP3), also known as Vaccinia H1‐related phosphatase, is a protein tyrosine phosphatase that typically performs its major role in the regulation of multiple cellular functions through the dephosphorylation of its diverse and constantly expanding range of substrates. Many of the substrates described so far as well as alterations in the expression or the activity of DUSP3 itself are associated with the development and progression of various types of neoplasms, indicating that DUSP3 may be an important player in oncogenesis and a promising therapeutic target. This review focuses exclusively on DUSP3's contribution to either benign or malignant melanocytic oncogenesis, as many of the established culprit pathways and mechanisms constitute DUSP3's regulatory targets, attempting to synthesize the current knowledge on the matter. The spectrum of the DUSP3 interactions analysed in this review covers substrates implicated in cellular growth, cell cycle, proliferation, survival, apoptosis, genomic stability/repair, adhesion and migration of tumor melanocytes. Furthermore, the speculations raised, based on the evidence to date, may be considered a fundament for potential research regarding the oncogenesis, evolution, management and therapeutics of melanocytic tumors.
A regularization‐based deep unsupervised model for affine multimodal co‐registration
Authors: Boveiri Hamid Reza , Khayami Raouf , Javidan Reza , Mehdizadeh Alireza , Abbasi Samaneh 
Published: July 2022

AbstractExtensive network receptive field is key for unsupervised affine registration because instead of deformable registration that takes care of local subtleties, the affine registration is global so that the last layers need to see big patches of the organ‐in‐interest. To extend the network's receptive field, we need to go for deeper networks, which causes producing complex models. On the other hand, affine transformation is restricted by its low degree‐of‐freedom (DoF) where larger models increasingly develop the hazard of overfitting. To worsen the situation, the regularizer module cannot be applied to the affine transformation with such a restricted DoF. In this paper, we propose a differentiable computational layer to convert the affine transformation outputted by the network to its corresponding dense displacement field. Such an affine‐to‐field layer enables us to apply different regularization terms on the outputted transformation in order to avoid the overfitting phenomenon while deepening the network. The proposed approach was evaluated on an annotated hard multimodal dataset containing 1109 pairs of CT/MR images of the brain with different heterogeneity for example, variety in scanners, setups and resolutions. Based on the results, the proposed customized layer is fully successful to handle the overfitting for deeper networks that are able to produce richer transformations than the shallower networks from different evaluation metrics for example, in target registration error the proposed network with seven layers has a 13.3% (or 9.1 mm) improvement in performance. The implementation of the proposed customized affine‐to‐field layer in the Python, Keras package with the Tensorflow backend can be publically accessed via https://github.com/boveiri/Deep-coReg.
Dopaminergic inhibition of human neutrophils is exerted through D1‐like receptors and affected by bacterial infection
Authors: Marino Franca , Pinoli Monica , Rasini Emanuela , Martini Stefano , Luini Alessandra , Pulze Laura , Dalla Gasperina Daniela , Grossi Paolo , Legnaro Massimiliano , Ferrari Marco , Congiu Terenzio , Pacheco Rodrigo , Osorio‐Barrios Francisco , de Eguileor Magda , Cosentino Marco 
Published: July 2022

AbstractDopamine (DA) affects immune functions in healthy subjects (HS) and during disease by acting on D1‐like (D1 and D5) and D2‐like (D2, D3 and D4) dopaminergic receptors (DR); however, its effects on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) are still poorly defined. We investigated DR expression in human PMN and the ability of DA to affect cell migration and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Experiments were performed on cells from HS and from patients (Pts) with bacterial infections as well, during the acute phase and after recovery. Some experiments were also performed in mice knockout (KO) for the DRD5 gene. PMN from HS express both D1‐like and D2‐like DR, and exposure to DA results in inhibition of activation‐induced morphological changes, migration and ROS production which depend on the activation of D1‐like DR. In agreement with these findings, DA inhibited migration of PMN obtained from wild‐type mice, but not from DRD5KO mice. In Pts with bacterial infections, during the febrile phase D1‐like DRD5 on PMN were downregulated and DA failed to affect PMN migration. Both D1‐like DRD5 expression and DA‐induced inhibition of PMN migration were however restored after recovery. Dopaminergic inhibition of human PMN is a novel mechanism which is likely to play a key role in the regulation of innate immunity. Evidence obtained in Pts with bacterial infections provides novel clues for the therapeutic modulation of PMN during infectious disease.
The prevalence and risk factors of facial pressure injuries related to adult non‐invasive ventilation equipment: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Wei Yuting , Pei Juhong , Yang Qiuxia , Zhang Hongyan , Cui Yutong , Guo Jiali , Guo Xiaojing , Ma Yuxia , Han Lin 
Published: July 2022

AbstractTo systematically assess the prevalence of facial pressure injuries related to adult non‐invasive ventilation equipment, and risk factors of facial pressure injuries. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Database and Weipu Database were comprehensively searched for observational studies investigating the prevalence and risk factors of facial pressure injuries related to adult non‐invasive ventilation equipment from inception to May 16th, 2022. Filter articles based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of the included studies was evaluated independently by two investigators. Meta‐analysis was conducted using Stata 16.0 software package. In total, 2835 articles were screened and data from 12 studies were used in meta‐analysis. The prevalence of facial pressure injuries related to adult non‐invasive ventilation equipment was 25% (95% confidence interval, CI:15% to 37%, I2 = 97.34%, P < 0.0001). After controlling for confounding variables, the following risk factors of facial pressure injuries: use equipment form, with diabetes, fever, cumulative time of using equipment, facial skin oedema and Glasgow score. Understanding the risk factors of facial pressure injuries can provide the healthcare personnel with the theoretical basis for the management and treatment of the patients.