bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Barriers to the donation of living kidneys for kidney transplantation
Authors: Min Kyungok , Koo Tai Yeon , Hwang Young Hui , Yang Jaeseok 
Published: February 2022

AbstractSince the waiting time for deceased donor kidney transplantation continues to increase, living donor kidney transplantation is an important treatment for end stage kidney disease patients. Barriers to living kidney donation have been rarely investigated despite a growing interest in the utilization of living donor transplantation and the satisfaction of donor safety. Here, we retrospectively analyzed 1658 potential donors and 1273 potential recipients who visited the Seoul National University Hospital for living kidney transplantation between 2010 and 2017 to study the causes of donation discontinuation. Among 1658 potential donors, 902 (54.4%) failed to donate kidneys. The average number of potential donors that received work-up was 1.30 ± 0.66 per recipient. Among living donor kidney transplant patients, 75.1% received kidneys after work-up of the first donor and 24.9% needed work-up of two or more donors. Donor-related factors (49.2%) were the most common causes of donation discontinuation, followed by immunologic or size mismatches between donors and recipients (25.4%) and recipient-related factors (16.2%). Interestingly, withdrawal of donation consent along with refusal by recipients or family were the commonest causes, suggesting the importance of non-biomedical aspects. The elucidation of the barriers to living kidney donation could ensure more efficient and safer living kidney donation.
Theoretical discrimination index of postural instability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Vallée Rodolphe , Vallée Alexandre , Vallée Jean-Noël , Abidi Malek , Couillandre Annabelle , Termoz Nicolas , Pradat Pierre-François , de Marco Giovanni 
Published: February 2022

AbstractTo assess the usefulness of a theoretical postural instability discrimination index (PIth) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Prospective regression analyzes were performed to identify the biomechanical determinants of postural instability unrelated to lower limb motor deficits from gait initiation factors. PIth was constructed using a logit function of biomechanical determinants. Discriminatory performance and performance differences were tested. Backward displacement of the pression center (APAamplitude) and active vertical braking of the mass center (Braking-index) were the biomechanical determinants of postural instability. PIth = − 0.13 × APAamplitude − 0.12 × Braking-index + 5.67, (P < 0.0001, RSquare = 0.6119). OR (APAamplitude) and OR (Braking-index) were 0.878 and 0.887, respectively, i.e., for a decrease of 10 mm in APAamplitude or 10% in Braking-index, the postural instability risk was 11.391 or 11.274 times higher, respectively. PIth had the highest discriminatory performance (AUC 0.953) with a decision threshold value $$\ge$$
≥
0.587, a sensitivity of 90.91%, and a specificity of 83.87%, significantly increasing the sensitivity by 11.11%. PIth, as objective clinical integrator of gait initiation biomechanical processes significantly involved in dynamic postural control, was a reliable and performing discrimination index of postural instability with a significant increased sensitivity, and may be useful for a personalized approach to postural instability in ALS.
Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to the direct health impact of COVID-19 in India, 2020
Authors: Singh Balbir B. , Devleesschauwer Brecht , Khatkar Mehar S. , Lowerison Mark , Singh Baljit , Dhand Navneet K. , Barkema Herman W. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractCOVID-19 has affected all countries. Its containment represents a unique challenge for India due to a large population (> 1.38 billion) across a wide range of population densities. Assessment of the COVID-19 disease burden is required to put the disease impact into context and support future pandemic policy development. Here, we present the national-level burden of COVID-19 in India in 2020 that accounts for differences across urban and rural regions and across age groups. Input data were collected from official records or published literature. The proportion of excess COVID-19 deaths was estimated using the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Washington data. Disability-adjusted life years (DALY) due to COVID-19 were estimated in the Indian population in 2020, comprised of years of life lost (YLL) and years lived with disability (YLD). YLL was estimated by multiplying the number of deaths due to COVID-19 by the residual standard life expectancy at the age of death due to the disease. YLD was calculated as a product of the number of incident cases of COVID-19, disease duration and disability weight. Scenario analyses were conducted to account for excess deaths not recorded in the official data and for reported COVID-19 deaths. The direct impact of COVID-19 in 2020 in India was responsible for 14,100,422 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 14,030,129–14,213,231) DALYs, consisting of 99.2% (95% UI 98.47–99.64%) YLLs and 0.80% (95% UI 0.36–1.53) YLDs. DALYs were higher in urban (56%; 95% UI 56–57%) than rural areas (44%; 95% UI 43.4–43.6) and in men (64%) than women (36%). In absolute terms, the highest DALYs occurred in the 51–60-year-old age group (28%) but the highest DALYs per 100,000 persons were estimated for the 71–80 years old age group (5481; 95% UI 5464–5500 years). There were 4,815,908 (95% UI 4,760,908–4,924,307) DALYs after considering reported COVID-19 deaths only. The DALY estimations have direct and immediate implications not only for public policy in India, but also internationally given that India represents one sixth of the world’s population.
Association between dietary acid load and clinical features of migraine headaches among Iranian individuals
Authors: Lotfi Keyhan , Askari Gholamreza , Mohammad Hamed , Fadel Abdulmannan , Khorvash Fariborz , Arab Arman 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThere is limited evidence regarding the possible role of dietary acid load (DAL) in the pathophysiology of migraine headaches. Therefore, we sought to examine DAL in relation to the clinical features of migraine including headache frequency, severity and duration, headache impact test-6 (HIT-6), and serum levels of nitric oxide (NO). In the present cross-sectional study, 262 patients (38 men and 224 women aged 20–50 years) were recruited through a simple random sampling method. Dietary intakes were obtained by using a validated 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). DAL was then calculated by two different methods; potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAP). In total, 262 patients with a mean (SE) age of 36.1 (0.53) and a BMI of 25.55 (0.21) were included in the current study. After controlling for potential confounders, a higher DAL was positively associated with headache frequency in those with the highest DAL score compared to the lowest (PRAL; β = 2.33; 95% CI 0.78, 3.88; NEAP; β = 1.74; 95% CI 0.13, 3.34). Increasing NEAP from 28.96 to 35.89 resulted in a 3.43 and 2.74 increment in HIT-6 scores in the crude (95% CI 1.35, 5.52) and fully-adjusted models (95% CI 0.40, 5.07), respectively. Moreover, a higher dietary PRAL was significantly associated with migraine-related disability, as shown by HIT-6, in subjects of the third tertile compared to those in the first tertile after controlling for confounders (β = 2.42; 95% CI 0.13, 4.70). In conclusion, our study highlighted the importance of the acid–base properties of a diet in the pathophysiology of migraine headaches. However, further well-designed studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Urbanization favors high wage earners
Authors: Shutters Shade T. , Applegate J. M. , Wentz Elizabeth , Batty Michael 
Published: February 2022

AbstractAs cities increase in size, total wages grow superlinearly, meaning that average wages are higher in larger cities. This phenomenon, known as the urban wage premium, supports the notion that urbanization and the growth of cities contribute positively to human well-being. However, it remains unclear how the distribution of wages changes as cities grow. Here we segment the populations of U.S. cities into wage deciles and determine the scaling coefficient of each decile’s aggregate wages versus city size. We find that, while total wages of all deciles grow superlinearly with city size, the effect is uneven, with total wages of the highest wage earners growing faster than all other deciles. We show that this corresponds with the predominance of high-wage jobs in larger cities. Thus, the effects of urbanization are mixed -- it is associated with higher average wages but with increasing inequality, thus inhibiting prospects for long-term sustainability.
Insights into pathological mechanisms and interventions revealed by analyzing a mathematical model for cone metabolism
Authors: Dobreva Atanaska , Camacho Erika Tatiana , Larripa Kamila , Rǎdulescu Anca , Schmidt Deena R. , Trejo Imelda 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
This work analyzes a mathematical model for the metabolic dynamics of a cone photoreceptor, which is the first model to account for energy generation from fatty acids oxidation of shed photoreceptor outer segments (POS). Multiple parameter bifurcation analysis shows that joint variations in external glucose, the efficiency of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), lipid utilization for POS renewal, and oxidation of fatty acids affect the cone’s metabolic vitality and its capability to adapt under glucose-deficient conditions. The analysis further reveals that when glucose is scarce, cone viability cannot be sustained by only fueling energy production in the mitochondria, but it also requires supporting anabolic processes to create lipids necessary for cell maintenance and repair. In silico experiments are used to investigate how the duration of glucose deprivation impacts the cell without and with a potential GLUT1 or oxidation of fatty acids intervention as well as a dual intervention. The results show that for prolonged duration of glucose deprivation, the cone metabolic system does not recover with higher oxidation of fatty acids and requires greater effectiveness of GLUT1 to recover. Finally, time-varying global sensitivity analysis (GSA) is applied to assess the sensitivity of the model outputs of interest to changes and uncertainty in the parameters at specific times. The results reveal a critical temporal window where there would be more flexibility for interventions to rescue a cone cell from the detrimental consequences of glucose shortage.
The protoplanetary disk population in the ρ-Ophiuchi region L1688 and the time evolution of Class II YSOs
Authors: Testi L. , Natta A. , Manara C. F. , de Gregorio Monsalvo I. , Lodato G. , Lopez C. , Muzic K. , Pascucci I. , Sanchis E. , Miranda A. Santamaria , Scholz A. , De Simone M. , Williams J. P. 
Published: February 2022

Context. Planets form during the first few Myr of the evolution of the star-disk system, possibly before the end of the embedded phase. The properties of very young disks and their subsequent evolution reflect the presence and properties of their planetary content.
Aims. We present a study of the Class II/F disk population in L1688, the densest and youngest region of star formation in Ophiuchus. We also compare it to other well-known nearby regions of different ages, namely Lupus, Chamaeleon I, Corona Australis, Taurus and Upper Scorpius.
Methods. We selected our L1688 sample using a combination of criteria (available ALMA data, Gaia membership, and optical and near-IR spectroscopy) to determine the stellar and disk properties, specifically stellar mass (M⋆), average population age, mass accretion rate (Ṁacc) and disk dust mass (Ṁdust). We applied the same procedure in a consistent manner to the other regions. Results. In L1688 the relations between Ṁacc and M⋆, Mdust and M⋆, and Ṁacc and Mdust have a roughly linear trend with slopes 1.8–1.9 for the first two relations and ~1 for the third, which is similar to what found in the other regions. When ordered according to the characteristic age of each region, which ranging from ~ 0.5 to ~5 Myr, Ṁacc decreases as t−1, when corrected for the different stellar mass content; Mdust follows roughly the same trend, ranging between 0.5 and 5 Myr, but has an increase of a factor of ~3 at ages of 2–3 Myr. We suggest that this could result from an earlier planet formation, followed by collisional fragmentation that temporarily replenishes the millimeter-size grain population. The dispersion of Ṁacc and Mdust around the best-fitting relation with M⋆, as well as that of Ṁacc versus Mdust are equally large. When adding all the regions together to increase the statistical significance, we find that the dispersions have continuous distributions with a log-normal shape and similar widths (~0.8 dex).
Conclusions. This detailed study of L1688 confirms the general picture of Class II/F disk properties and extends it to a younger age. The amount of dust observed at ~1 Myr is not sufficient to assemble the majority of planetary systems, which suggests an earlier formation process for planetary cores. The dust mass traces to a large extent the disk gas mass evolution, even if the ratio Mdust/Mdisk at the earliest age (0.5–1 Myr) is not known. Two properties are still not understood: the steep dependence of Ṁacc and Mdust on M⋆ and the cause of the large dispersion in the three relations analyzed in this paper, in particular that of the Ṁacc versus Mdust relation.
VVVX Near-IR Photometry for 99 Low-mass Stars in the Gaia EDR3 Catalog of Nearby Stars
Authors: Mejías A. , Minniti D. , Alonso-García J. , Beamín J. C. , Saito R. K. , Solano E. 
Published: February 2022

Context. Red dwarf stars, which represent 75% of stars in the Milky Way, can be studied in great detail in the solar neighborhood, where the sample is more complete.
Aims. We intend to better characterize red-dwarf candidates selected from the Gαìα Catalog of Nearby Stars using optical and near-infrared multi-filter photometry from the Vista Variables in the Vía Láctea extended (VVVX) Survey, the DECam Plane Survey, the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer.
Methods. We performed a cross-matching procedure among the positions of a color-selected sample of M dwarfs in the VVVX Survey and the Gaia Early Data Release 3 sub-catalog of nearby stars. We explored their stellar parameters and spectral types using the Virtual Observatory SED Analyzer (VOSA). Radii were also obtained from the computed luminosities and Teff using the Stefan-Boltzmann equation. Masses and ages were computed for some of the objects using evolutionary tracks and isochrones. Additional mass estimations were obtained with the MKs – M*, relation. We then validated our results for the stellar parameters of two of our objects with spectra obtained with the TripleSpec instrument at the SOAR telescope, as well as those of our total amount of stars through a direct comparison with an independent sample from the literature. We revised the objects in our sample and compared their proper motion vectors with other sources within 30′′ to identify possible companions and probed their renormalized unit weight error (RUWE) values to identify unresolved companions.
Results. We present a catalog of physical parameters for 99 low-mass objects with distances from 43.2 to 111.3 pc. Effective temperatures range from 2500 to 3400 K, with the majority of stars in the sample compatible with the status of M4 dwarfs. We obtained a good agreement between the stellar parameters computed with VOSA and the estimations from observed spectra, also when comparing with an independent sample from the literature. The distribution of masses obtained with VOSA is concentrated toward the very low-mass regime. Eight objects present values of RUWE ≥ 1.4 and seven are consistent with being part of a binary system.
Crater production on Titan and surface chronology
Authors: Rossignoli N. L. , Di Sisto R. P. , Parisi M. G. 
Published: February 2022

Context. Impact crater counts on the Saturnian satellites are a key element for estimating their surface ages and placing constraints on their impactor population. The Cassini mission radar observations allowed crater counts to be made on the surface of Titan, revealing an unexpected scarcity of impact craters that show high levels of degradation.
Aims. Following previous studies on impact cratering rates on the Saturnian satellites, we modeled the cratering process on Titan to constrain its surface chronology and to assess the role of centaur objects as its main impactors.
Methods. A theoretical model previously developed was used to calculate the crater production on Titan, considering the centaur objects as the main impactors and including two different slopes for the size-frequency distribution (SFD) of the smaller members of their source population. A simple model for the atmospheric shielding effects is considered within the cratering process and our results are then compared with other synthetic crater distributions and updated observational crater counts. This comparison is then used to compute Titan’s crater retention age for each crater diameter.
Results. The cumulative crater distribution produced by the SFD with a differential index of s2 = 3.5 is found to consistently predict large craters (D > 50km) on the surface of Titan, while it overestimates the number of smaller craters. As both the modeled and observed distributions flatten for craters with D ≲ 25 km due to atmospheric shielding, the difference between the theoretical results and the observational crater counts can be considered as a proxy for the scale to which erosion processes have acted on the surface of Titan throughout the Solar System age. Our results for the surface chronology of Titan indicate that craters with D > 50 km can prevail over the Solar System age, whereas smaller craters may be completely obliterated due to erosion processes acting globally.
A “no-drift” runaway pile-up of pebbles in protoplanetary disks
Authors: Hyodo Ryuki , Ida Shigeru , Guillot Tristan 
Published: February 2022

Context. Forming planetesimals from pebbles is a major challenge in our current understanding of planet formation. In a protoplanetary disk, pebbles drift inward near the disk midplane via gas drag and they may enter a zone of reduced turbulence (dead zone). In this context, we identified that the backreaction of the drag of pebbles onto the gas could lead to a runaway pile-up of pebbles, the so-called no-drift mechanism for the formation of planetesimals.
Aims. We improve upon the previous study of planetesimal formation from accumulating pebbles via the no-drift mechanism by investigating the nature and characteristics of the resultant planetesimal belt.
Methods. We performed 1D diffusion-advection simulations of drifting pebbles in the outer region of a modeled dead zone by including a pebble-gas backreaction to the radial drift of pebbles and including planetesimal formation via the streaming instability. We independently considered the parameters that regulate gas accretion (αacc) and vertical stirring of pebbles in the disk midplane (αmid). In this study, the pebble-to-gas mass flux (Fp/g) was fixed as a parameter.
Results. We find that, for a constant Fp/g, after the criteria of the no-drift mechanism are satisfied, planetesimals initially form within a narrow ring whose width expands as accumulating pebbles radially diffuse over time. The system finally reaches a steady-state where the width of the planetesimal belt no longer changes, followed by a continuous formation of planetesimals. A non-negligible total mass of planetesimals (more than one Earth mass) is formed via the no-drift mechanism for a disk having Fp/g ≳ 0.1 for more than ~10–100 kyr with nominal parameters: a gas mass flux of ≳10−8 M⊙ yr−1, τs ≃ 0.01−0.1, αmid ≲ 10−4, and αacc ≃ 10−3−10−2 at r ≲ 10 au, where r, τs, αmid, and αacc are the heliocentric distance, the Stokes number, and the parameters in a dead zone controlling the efficiencies of vertical turbulent diffusion of pebbles (i.e., scale height of pebbles) and gas accretion of the α-disk (i.e., gas surface density), respectively.
Ophthalmology Medical Student Directors, Associate Residency Program Directors, and Program Directors: A Benchmarking Study of Work and Life Metrics
Authors: Dagi Glass Lora R. , De Moraes C. Gustavo , Wright Melissa A. , Winn Bryan J. , Chen Royce W. S. , Cioffi George A. 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Introduction During a time of increased interest in physician well-being, this study benchmarks current work life, home life, and burnout scores for ophthalmology medical student directors (MSD), associate program directors (APD), and program directors (PD).
Methods An anonymous cross-sectional survey was disseminated through the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO) listserve, with queries regarding leadership positions, work time allotment, extracurricular activities, family life, and burnout. Answers were analyzed descriptively through Fisher's exact test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Poisson regression models.
Results Nineteen percent of listed MSD, 15% of APD, and 29% of PD queried responded to the survey. MSD, APD, and PD are statistically similar in terms of work and home life, with the exception of time spent performing administrative tasks for the position. PD spend more time on administrative tasks, and are paid more. All groups score positively on burnout surveys.
Conclusion This benchmarking survey demonstrates that MSD, APD, and PD are intensively involved in both their work and home lives, with a seemingly high correlation of sense of worth both personally and in their careers.
Does AGE–RAGE Stress Play a Role in the Development of Coronary Artery Disease in Obesity?
Authors: Prasad Kailash , Khan Amal S. , Bhanumathy Kalpana K. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThis article deals with the role of AGE (advanced glycation end products)–RAGE (receptor for AGE) stress (AGE/sRAGE) in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) in obesity. CAD is due to atherosclerosis in coronary artery. The serum/plasma levels of AGE and sRAGE are reduced, while AGE–RAGE stress and expression of RAGE are elevated in obese individuals. However, the levels of AGE are elevated in obese individuals with more than one metabolic syndrome. The increases in the AGE–RAGE stress would elevate the expression and production of atherogenic factors, including reactive oxygen species, nuclear factor-kappa B, cytokines, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecules, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and growth factors. Low levels of sRAGE would also increase the atherogenic factors. The increases in the AGE–RAGE stress and decreases in the levels of sRAGE would induce development of atherosclerosis, leading to CAD. The therapeutic regimen for AGE–RAGE stress–induced CAD in obesity would include lowering of AGE intake, prevention of AGE formation, degradation of AGE in vivo, suppression of RAGE expression, blockade of AGE–RAGE interaction, downregulation of sRAGE expression, and use of antioxidants. In conclusion, the data suggest that AGE–RAGE stress is involved in the development of CAD in obesity, and the therapeutic interventions to reduce AGE–RAGE would be helpful in preventing, regressing, and slowing the progression of CAD in obesity.