bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development of primary care quality indicators for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using a Delphi-derived method
Authors: Dewaele Sigrid , Van den Bulck Steve , Gerne Lien , Vaes Bert 
Published: March 2022

AbstractHigh-quality care for patients with COPD is necessary. To achieve quality improvement in primary care, the general practitioner and the electronic health record (EHR) play an important role. The aim of this study was to develop a set of evidence-based and EHR extractable quality indicators (QIs) to measure and improve the quality of COPD primary care. We composed a multidisciplinary expert panel of 12 members, including patients, and used a RAND-modified Delphi method. The SMART principle was applied to select recommendations and QIs from international guidelines as well as existing sets of QIs, and these recommendations and QIs were added to an individual written questionnaire. Based on the median score, prioritization and degree of agreement, the recommendations and QIs were rated as having a high, uncertain or low potential to measure the quality of COPD primary care and were then discussed in an online consensus meeting for inclusion or exclusion. After a final validation, a core set of recommendations was translated into QIs. From 37 recommendations, obtained out of 10 international guidelines, and 5 existing indicators, a core set of 18 recommendations and 2 QIs was derived after the rating procedure. The expert panel added one new recommendation. Together, the recommendations and QIs were translated and merged into a final set of 21 QIs. Our study developed a set of 21 evidence-based and EHR-extractable QIs for COPD in primary care. These indicators can be used in an automated quality assessment to measure and improve the quality of COPD primary care.
A cross-sectional MR study of body fat volumes and distribution in chronic schizophrenia
Authors: Osimo Emanuele F. , Brugger Stefan P. , Thomas E. Louise , Howes Oliver D. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractPeople with schizophrenia show higher risk for abdominal obesity than the general population, which could contribute to excess mortality. However, it is unclear whether this is driven by alterations in abdominal fat partitioning. Here, we test the hypothesis that individuals with schizophrenia show a higher proportion of visceral to total body fat measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We recruited 38 participants with schizophrenia and 38 healthy controls matched on age, sex, ethnicity, and body mass index. We found no significant differences in body fat distribution between groups, suggesting that increased abdominal obesity in schizophrenia is not associated with altered fat distribution.
A contrastive learning approach for ICU false arrhythmia alarm reduction
Authors: Zhou Yuerong , Zhao Guoshuai , Li Jun , Sun Gan , Qian Xueming , Moody Benjamin , Mark Roger G. , Lehman Li-wei H. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe high rate of false arrhythmia alarms in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) can lead to disruption of care, negatively impacting patients’ health through noise disturbances, and slow staff response time due to alarm fatigue. Prior false-alarm reduction approaches are often rule-based and require hand-crafted features from physiological waveforms as inputs to machine learning classifiers. Despite considerable prior efforts to address the problem, false alarms are a continuing problem in the ICUs. In this work, we present a deep learning framework to automatically learn feature representations of physiological waveforms using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to discriminate between true vs. false arrhythmia alarms. We use Contrastive Learning to simultaneously minimize a binary cross entropy classification loss and a proposed similarity loss from pair-wise comparisons of waveform segments over time as a discriminative constraint. Furthermore, we augment our deep models with learned embeddings from a rule-based method to leverage prior domain knowledge for each alarm type. We evaluate our method using the dataset from the 2015 PhysioNet Computing in Cardiology Challenge. Ablation analysis demonstrates that Contrastive Learning significantly improves the performance of a combined deep learning and rule-based-embedding approach. Our results indicate that the final proposed deep learning framework achieves superior performance in comparison to the winning entries of the Challenge.
Optimization of an O2-balanced bioartificial pancreas for type 1 diabetes using statistical design of experiment
Authors: Mouré Anne , Bekir Sawsen , Bacou Elodie , Pruvost Quentin , Haurogné Karine , Allard Marie , De Beaurepaire Laurence , Bosch Steffi , Riochet David , Gauthier Olivier , Blancho Gilles , Soulillou Jean-Paul , Poncelet Denis , Mignot Grégoire , Courcoux Philippe , Jegou Dominique , Bach Jean-Marie , Mosser Mathilde 
Published: March 2022

AbstractA bioartificial pancreas (BAP) encapsulating high pancreatic islets concentration is a promising alternative for type 1 diabetes therapy. However, the main limitation of this approach is O2supply, especially until graft neovascularization. Here, we described a methodology to design an optimal O2-balanced BAP using statistical design of experiment (DoE). A full factorial DoE was first performed to screen two O2-technologies on their ability to preserve pseudo-islet viability and function under hypoxia and normoxia. Then, response surface methodology was used to define the optimal O2-carrier and islet seeding concentrations to maximize the number of viable pseudo-islets in the BAP containing an O2-generator under hypoxia. Monitoring of viability, function and maturation of neonatal pig islets for 15 days in vitro demonstrated the efficiency of the optimal O2-balanced BAP. The findings should allow the design of a more realistic BAP for humans with high islets concentration by maintaining the O2balance in the device.
Cold plasma enamel surface treatment to increase fluoride varnish uptake
Authors: Fathollah S. , Abbasi H. , Akhoundi S. , Naeimabadi A. , Emamjome S. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAmong the available methods of enamel strengthening, fluoride varnish (FV) treatment has relatively better results. On the other hand, cold plasma technology has shown promising capacities in sterilizing the environment, surface modification, and improving adhesion. Accordingly, this study aimed to increase the adhesion of FV to the enamel surface to prolong the enamel interaction with FV with subsequently increased fluoride uptake by enamel. Emphasizing that the change in adhesion is evidence-based and has not been explicitly measured. For this purpose, we randomly divided twenty bovine teeth into two groups A (consisting of four teeth) and B (composed of four subgroups, each containing four teeth). Samples of group A and one specimen of each subset B investigated the effect of using Helium-DBD (He-DBDJ), Argon (ArJ), and Air-DBD jet on the enamel surface. Other B specimens are devoted to studying the release of FV fluoride ions from processed enamel. Two diagnostic techniques, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), have been utilized to examine the samples' surface morphology and chemical analysis, respectively. Finally, the release of fluoride ions into distilled water was measured by an ion-selective electrode (ISE). SEM images showed that ArJ and Air-DBD significantly damaged enamel hexagonal structures, whereas, in the case of He-DBDJ, the hexagonal structures have only altered from convex to concave. EDX indicated an increase in calcium to phosphorus ratio and the amount of fluoride and sodium uptake on the enamel surface layer in the group processed with He-DBDJ plasma. The latter helps restore the damaged parts of the enamel. Analysis of fluoride released from the FV did not show a significant change owing to plasma processing (P ≤ 0.112). The combination of cold plasma and fluoride varnish treatment on the enamel surface might be considered as a more promising approach to increasing enamel resistance to tooth decay.
Plant growth promoting characteristics of halophilic and halotolerant bacteria isolated from coastal regions of Saurashtra Gujarat
Authors: Reang Likhindra , Bhatt Shraddha , Tomar Rukam Singh , Joshi Kavita , Padhiyar Shital , Vyas U. M. , Kheni Jasmin Kumar 
Published: March 2022

AbstractHalophiles are a class of microorganisms that thrive in environments with very high salt concentrations. The coastal regions of Saurashtra Gujarat host a diverse group of microorganisms including halophilic and halotolerant bacteria that may have plant growth promoting characteristics. Microorganisms with plant growth promoting characteristics are of immense importance in the field of agriculture and the present study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of halophilic and halotolerant bacteria isolated from agricultural soils of coastal regions of Junagadh and Porbandar districts of Saurashtra, Gujarat. A total of 15 isolated strains showed indole acetic acid production, solubilization of phosphate and potash, and nitrogen fixing capacity ranging from 18.77–33.48 μg ml−1, 50.10–106.10%, 180.42–239.92% and 0.170–0.480 g kg−1 of Jensen’s agar medium, respectively, while two isolates were also found positive for siderophore production. Besides, nine out of fifteen isolates also showed positive ACC deaminase activity ranging from 0.92-5.78 µM α-ketobutyrate mg−1 h−1. The isolates were further characterized by physiological, microscopic, and biochemical tests. The halophilic and halotolerant bacterial isolates were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as belonging to Halomonas pacifica, H. stenophila, and Bacillus haynesii, B. licheniformis and Oceanobacillus aidingensis respectively. The 16S rRNA partial gene sequence of two isolates belonging to H. pacifica and H. stenophila were submitted to NCBI with accession number MK955347 and MK961217 respectively. The findings of the present investigation showed that isolated bacterial halophiles possess promising plant growth promoting characteristics. Their potential as bioinoculants to alleviate salinity stress in crops and for bioremediation deserves further investigation.
Analysis tools for single-monomer measurements of self-assembly processes
Authors: Hoyer Maria , Crevenna Alvaro H. , Kitel Radoslaw , Willems Kherim , Czub Miroslawa , Dubin Grzegorz , Van Dorpe Pol , Holak Tad A. , Lamb Don C. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractProtein assembly plays an important role throughout all phyla of life, both physiologically and pathologically. In particular, aggregation and polymerization of proteins are key-strategies that regulate cellular function. In recent years, methods to experimentally study the assembly process on a single-molecule level have been developed. This progress concomitantly has triggered the question of how to analyze this type of single-filament data adequately and what experimental conditions are necessary to allow a meaningful interpretation of the analysis. Here, we developed two analysis methods for single-filament data: the visitation analysis and the average-rate analysis. We benchmarked and compared both approaches with the classic dwell-time-analysis frequently used to study microscopic association and dissociation rates. In particular, we tested the limitations of each analysis method along the lines of the signal-to-noise ratio, the sampling rate, and the labeling efficiency and bleaching rate of the fluorescent dyes used in single-molecule fluorescence experiments. Finally, we applied our newly developed methods to study the monomer assembly of actin at the single-molecule-level in the presence of the class II nucleator Cappuccino and the WH2 repeats of Spire. For Cappuccino, our data indicated fast elongation circumventing a nucleation phase whereas, for Spire, we found that the four WH2 motifs are not sufficient to promote de novo nucleation of actin.
Validation of leaf area index measurement system based on wireless sensor network
Authors: Yang Rongjin , Liu Lu , Liu Qiang , Li Xiuhong , Yin Lizeyan , Hao Xuejie , Ma Yushuang , Song Qiao 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAccurate measurement of leaf area index (LAI) is important for agricultural analysis such as the estimation of crop yield, which makes its measurement work important. There are mainly two ways to obtain LAI: ground station measurement and remote sensing satellite monitoring. Recently, reliable progress has been made in long-term automatic LAI observation using wireless sensor network (WSN) technology under certain conditions. We developed and designed an LAI measurement system (LAIS) based on a wireless sensor network to select and improve the appropriate algorithm according to the image collected by the sensor, to get a more realistic leaf area index. The corn LAI was continuously observed from May 30 to July 16, 2015. Research on hardware has been published, this paper focuses on improved system algorithm and data verification. By improving the finite length average algorithm, the data validation results are as follows: (1) The slope of the fitting line between LAIS measurement data and the real value is 0.944, and the root means square error (RMSE) is 0.264 (absolute error ~ 0–0.6), which has high consistency with the real value. (2) The measurement error of LAIS is less than LAI2000, although the result of our measurement method will be higher than the actual value, it is due to the influence of weeds on the ground. (3) LAIS data can be used to support the retrieval of remote sensing products. We find a suitable application situation of our LAIS system data, and get our application value as ground monitoring data by the verification with remote sensing product data, which supports its application and promotion in similar research in the future.
Variation in cross-sectional indicator of femoral robusticity in Homo sapiens and Neandertals
Authors: Kubicka Anna Maria , Balzeau Antoine , Kosicki Jakub , Nowaczewska Wioletta , Haduch Elżbieta , Spinek Anna , Piontek Janusz 
Published: March 2022

AbstractVariations in the cross-sectional properties of long bones are used to reconstruct the activity of human groups and differences in their respective habitual behaviors. Knowledge of what factors influence bone structure inHomo sapiensand Neandertals is still insufficient thus, this study investigated which biological and environmental variables influence variations in the femoral robusticity indicator of these two species. The sample consisted of 13 adult Neandertals from the Middle Paleolithic and 1959 adult individuals ofH. sapiensranging chronologically from the Upper Paleolithic to recent times. The femoral biomechanical properties were derived from the European data set, the subject literature, and new CT scans. The material was tested using a Mantel test and statistical models. In the models, the polar moment of area (J) was the dependent variable; sex, age, chronological period, type of lifestyle, percentage of the cortical area (%CA), the ratio of second moment areas of inertia about the X and Y axes (Ix/Iy), and maximum slope of the terrain were independent covariates. The Mantel tests revealed spatial autocorrelation of the femoral index inH. sapiensbut not in Neandertals. A generalized additive mixed model showed that sex, %CA, Ix/Iy, chronological period, and terrain significantly influenced variation in the robusticity indicator ofH. sapiensfemora. A linear mixed model revealed that none of the analyzed variables correlated with the femoral robusticity indicator of Neandertals. We did not confirm that the gradual decline in the femoral robusticity indicator ofH. sapiensfrom the Middle Paleolithic to recent times is related to the type of lifestyle; however, it may be associated with lower levels of mechanical loading during adolescence. The lack of correlation between the analysed variables and the indicator of femoral robusticity in Neandertals may suggest that they needed a different level of mechanical stimulus to produce a morphological response in the long bone thanH. sapiens.
Cardiac protection by pirfenidone after myocardial infarction: a bioinformatic analysis
Authors: Aimo Alberto , Iborra-Egea Oriol , Martini Nicola , Galvez-Monton Carolina , Burchielli Silvia , Panichella Giorgia , Passino Claudio , Emdin Michele , Bayes-Genis Antoni 
Published: March 2022

AbstractLeft ventricular (LV) remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) is promoted by an intense fibrotic response, which could be targeted by the anti-fibrotic drug pirfenidone. We explored the relationship between protein modulation by pirfenidone and post-MI remodeling, based on molecular information and transcriptomic data from a swine model of MI. We identified 6 causative motives of post-MI remodeling (cardiomyocyte cell death, impaired myocyte contractility, extracellular matrix remodeling and fibrosis, hypertrophy, renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system activation, and inflammation), 4 pirfenidone targets and 21 bioflags (indirect effectors). Pirfenidone had a more widespread action than gold-standard drugs, encompassing all 6 motives, with prominent effects on p38γ-MAPK12, the TGFβ1-SMAD2/3 pathway and other effector proteins such as matrix metalloproteases 2 and 14, PDGFA/B, and IGF1. A bioinformatic approach allowed to identify several possible mechanisms of action of pirfenidone with beneficial effects in the post-MI LV remodeling, and suggests additional effects over guideline-recommended therapies.
Arc and forearc rifting in the Tyrrhenian subduction system
Authors: Corradino M. , Balazs A. , Faccenna C. , Pepe F. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe evolution of forearc and backarc domains is usually treated separately, as they are separated by a volcanic arc. We analyse their spatial and temporal relationships in the Tyrrhenian subduction system, using seismic profiles and numerical modelling. A volcanic arc, which included the Marsili volcano, was involved in arc-rifting during the Pliocene. This process led to the formation of an oceanic backarc basin (~ 1.8 Ma) to the west of the Marsili volcano. The eastern region corresponded to the forearc domain, floored by serpentinised mantle. Here, a new volcanic arc formed at ~ 1 Ma, marking the onset of the forearc-rifting. This work highlights that fluids and melts induce weakening of the volcanic arc region and drive the arc-rifting that led to the backarc basin formation. Later, the slab rollback causes the trench-ward migration of volcanism that led to the forearc- rifting under the control of fluids released from the downgoing plate.
Newly initiated carbon stock, organic soil accumulation patterns and main driving factors in the High Arctic Svalbard, Norway
Authors: Juselius T. , Ravolainen V. , Zhang H. , Piilo S. , Müller M. , Gallego-Sala A. , Väliranta M. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractHigh latitude organic soils form a significant carbon storage and deposition of these soils is largely driven by climate. Svalbard, Norway, has experienced millennial-scale climate variations and in general organic soil processes have benefitted from warm and humid climate phases while cool late Holocene has been unfavourable. In addition to direct effect of cool climate, the advancing glaciers have restricted the vegetation growth, thus soil accumulation. Since the early 1900’s climate has been warming at unprecedented rate, assumingly promoting organic soil establishment. Here we present results of multiple organic soil profiles collected from Svalbard. The profiles have robust chronologies accompanied by soil property analyses, carbon stock estimations and testate amoeba data as a proxy for soil moisture. Our results reveal relatively recent initiation of organic soils across the Isfjorden area. The initiation processes could be linked to glacier retreat, and improvement of growing conditions and soil stabilization. Carbon stock analyses suggested that our sites are hot spots for organic matter accumulation. Testate amoebae data suggested drying of soil surfaces, but the reason remained unresolved. If continued, such a process may lead to carbon release. Our data suggest that detailed palaeoecological data from the Arctic is needed to depict the on-going processes and to estimate future trajectories.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: A one-year observational cohort study of menstrual cramps and ovulation in healthy, normally ovulating women
Authors: Bann Sewon , Goshtasebi Azita , Shirin Sonia , Prior Jerilynn C. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThis is a prospective, observational community cohort study with the objective of investigating menstrual cramp occurrence related to ovulatory characteristics. Women reported cramp intensity on daily Menstrual Cycle Diary© records over one year. Ovulation and luteal phase lengths were assessed by validated Quantitative Basal Temperature© (QBT) analysis. Healthy, normal-weight, non-smoking community dwelling premenopausal women ages 21–41 years with two consecutive, normally ovulatory, normal-length menstrual cycles were enrolled. All 53 women, with 13.6 ± 2.8 cycles per woman, reported at least one cramp episode of median intensity 1.5 [0–4 scale; range 1.0–3.5], and 2.2 days’ [range 1.0–10.2] duration. Within the 49 women who experienced all ovulatory cycle types (normal, short luteal length [SLL < 10 days] and anovulatory), median cramp intensity was greater in normal-length cycles having subclinical ovulatory disturbances (SLL and anovulatory; median 1.4 [range 0.0–2.8]) than in normally ovulatory cycles (median 1.2 [range 0.0–2.3]) (P = 0.023). Cramp Scores did not differ by ovulatory status within the 19 women having both normally ovulatory and anovulatory cycles (P = 0.222). Within-woman 1-year Cramp Scores were not different in anovulatory and normally ovulatory menstrual cycles but were more intense with ovulatory disturbances.
Local pressure calibration method of inductively coupled plasma generator based on laser Thomson scattering measurement
Authors: Sun Jinhai , Liu Yong-Qiang , Zheng Yan , Shi Jielin , Li Yu , Zhao Yarui , Zhang Xutao , Cai He , Zhu Xianli , Sun Xinxue , Chao Zengming , Yin Hongcheng , Ding Hongbin 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBased on laser Thomson scattering (TS) measurements and finite element method (FEM) simulations of electron density in inductively coupled plasma (ICP), the simulated local pressure calibration curves of ICP generator are obtained by comparing the experimental and simulated electron density distributions and maxima. The equation coefficients of theoretical model associated with the ICP generator experimental system can be obtained by fitting the simulation curve with the least square method, and the theoretical pressure calibration curves under different absorbed powers can be further obtained. Combined with the vacuum gauge measurements, both the simulated and theoretical pressure calibration curves can give the true local pressure in the plasma. The results of the local pressure calibration at the different absorbed powers show that the density gradient from the vacuum gauge sensor to the center of the coil in ICP generator cavity becomes larger with the increase of electron density, resulting in a larger gap between the measured value and the pressure calibration value. This calibration method helps to grasp the local pressure of ICP as an external control factor and helps to study the physicochemical mechanism of ICP in order to achieve higher performance in ICP etching, material modification, etc.