bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors Associated With Endowed Chair Allocation in Medical Oncology in the United States
Authors: Jia Lena , Rooney Michael Kevin , Jacobson Clare E , Griffith Kent A , Mangurian Christina , Jagsi Reshma , Markham Merry Jennifer 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
To explore persisting gender disparities across leadership roles in medicine, we examined factors associated with holding endowed chairs in US oncology divisions. In 2019, we identified 95 academic oncology divisions, using the Oncology Division Chiefs and Department Chairs listing in the American Society of Clinical Oncology myConnection forum. We collected public information on gender, degree, total National Institutes of Health funding as principal investigator, H-indices, publication and citation numbers, and graduation year and constructed a multivariable logistic regression model. All statistical tests were 2-sided. We identified 1087 oncology full professors. Of these, 287 (26.4%) held endowed chairs: 60 of 269 women (22.3%) vs 227 of 818 men (27.8%) (P = .08). On multivariable analysis, greater research productivity and National Institutes of Health funding were associated with having an endowed chair (P &lt; .001), whereas gender was not (P = .45). Though sample size was limited, if gender differences are in fact smaller in certain subspecialties than other fields of internal medicine, insights might emerge to guide efforts to promote equity.
Phonetic Variance of /d/ and /r/ in Hebrew in Late Antiquity
Authors: Howard Jonathan 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
A common type of textual variant in Hebrew is the alternation of ד and ר. Such variance has traditionally been attributed to scribes and confined to the written layer of transmission. However, given the articulatory proximity of /d/ and /r/, orally-induced variance should also be considered. I present several instances in Hebrew and Aramaic, where the context suggests that the two letters were confused in speech. This in turn sheds light on two other matters: first, it offers a new point of view for examining the question of the two allophones of /r/ reported in the Tiberian Masoretic tradition, seemingly in support of Aron Dotan’s view on the matter; second, it removes one of the difficulties raised against Yaacov Sussman’s theory about the orality of the Mishna in the Amoraic period, by reducing a scribal variant (צוערי/סועדי) to a phonetic one.
Travel-associated SARS-CoV-2 transmission documented with whole genome sequencing following a long-haul international flight
Authors: Ngeh Sera , Vogt Florian , Sikazwe Chisha T , Levy Avram , Pingault Nevada M , Smith David W , Effler Paul V 
Published: May 2022

Abstract

Background
Multiple instances of flight-associated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission during long-haul flights have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, comprehensive investigations of passenger risk behaviours, before, during and after the flight, are scarce.

Methods
To investigate suspected SARS-CoV-2 transmission during a flight from United Arab Emirates to Australia in July 2020, systematic, repeated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of passengers in hotel quarantine was linked to whole genome sequencing. Epidemiological analyses of in-depth interviews covering behaviours during the flight and activities pre- and post-boarding were used to identify risk factors for infection.

Results
Seventeen of the 95 passengers from four different travel origins had PCR-confirmed infection yielding indistinguishable genomic sequences. Two of the 17 passengers were symptomatic within 2 days of the flight, and classified as co-primary cases. Seven secondary cases were seated within two rows of the co-primary cases, but five economy passengers seated further away and three business class passengers were also infected (attack rate = 16% [15/93]). In multivariable analysis, being seated within two rows of a primary case [odds ratio (OR) 7.16; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.66–30.85] and spending more than an hour in the arrival airport (OR 4.96; 95% CI 1.04–23.60) were independent predictors of secondary infection, suggesting travel-associated SARS-CoV-2 transmission likely occurred both during and after the flight. Self-reported increased hand hygiene, frequent aisle walking and using the bathroom on the plane did not independently affect the risk of SARS-CoV-2 acquisition.

Conclusions
This investigation identified substantial in-flight transmission among passengers seated both within and beyond two rows of the primary cases. Infection of passengers in separate cabin classes also suggests transmission occurred outside the cabin environment, likely at the arrival airport. Recognizing that transmission may occur pre- and post-boarding may inform contact tracing advice and improve efforts to prevent future travel-associated outbreaks.
Hemispheric asymmetry of long-term sunspot activity: sunspot relative numbers for 1939–2019
Authors: Zhang X J , Deng L H , Fei Y , Li C , Tian X A , Wan Z J 
Published: May 2022

ABSTRACT
Hemispheric asymmetry of solar magnetic structures is an important feature of solar cycles, and it involves dynamical processes in the interior of the Sun. For the first time, the data of the monthly sunspot relative numbers derived from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) is used to perform a long-term study (1939 March–2019 November) of the north–south asymmetry. The results show the following: (1) the sunspot relative numbers derived from NAOJ/Mitaka observatory are highly correlated with the international sunspot numbers obtained from the World Data Center Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations, which justifies the use of Mitaka sunspot time series for hemispheric variation; (2) the change in the signs of the slopes of the regression lines fitted to the absolute asymmetry index suggest a kind of periodic variation in the hemispheric asymmetry, but the time interval of the current data base is not long enough to derive 8 or 12 cycles periodicity; and (3) for mid-term periods, there are enhanced powers for the period ranges around 3.7 yr, around 9 yr, between 30 and 50 yr. Our analysis results implicate a possible mechanism responsible for the generation and variation of the hemispheric coupling in the Sun.
Diagnostics for PopIII galaxies and direct collapse black holes in the early universe
Authors: Nakajima K , Maiolino R 
Published: May 2022

ABSTRACT
Forthcoming observational facilities will make the exploration of the early universe routine, likely probing large populations of galaxies at very low metallicities. It will therefore be important to have diagnostics that can solidly identify and distinguish different classes of objects in such low metallicity regimes. We use new photoionization models to develop diagnostic diagrams involving various nebular lines. We show that combinations of these diagrams allow the identification and discrimination of the following classes of objects in the early universe: PopIII and direct collapse black holes (DCBH) in pristine environments, PopIII and DCBH embedded in slightly enriched interstellar medium (ISM; $\rm Z\sim 10^{-5}-10^{-4}$), and (metal poor) PopII and active galactic nucleus in enriched ISM. Diagnostics involving rest-frame optical lines (that will be accessible by James Webb Space Telescope) have a better discriminatory power but also rest-frame ultraviolet diagnostics can provide very useful information. Interestingly, we find that metal lines such as [O iii]λ5007 and C ivλ1549 can remain relatively strong (about a factor of 0.1–1 relative H β and He iiλ1640, respectively), even in extremely metal poor environments ($\rm Z\sim 10^{-5}-10^{-4}$), which could be embedding PopIII galaxies and DCBH.
Optical variability of quasars with 20-yr photometric light curves
Authors: Stone Zachary , Shen Yue , Burke Colin J , Chen Yu-Ching , Yang Qian , Liu Xin , Gruendl R A , Adamów M , Andrade-Oliveira F , Annis J , Bacon D , Bertin E , Bocquet S , Brooks D , Burke D L , Carnero Rosell A , Carrasco Kind M , Carretero J , da Costa L N , Pereira M E S , De Vicente J , Desai S , Diehl H T , Doel P , Ferrero I , Friedel D N , Frieman J , García-Bellido J , Gaztanaga E , Gruen D , Gutierrez G , Hinton S R , Hollowood D L , Honscheid K , James D J , Kuehn K , Kuropatkin N , Lidman C , Maia M A G , Menanteau F , Miquel R , Morgan R , Paz-Chinchón F , Pieres A , Plazas Malagón A A , Rodriguez-Monroy M , Sanchez E , Scarpine V , Serrano S , Sevilla-Noarbe I , Smith M , Suchyta E , Swanson M E C , Tarlé G , To C ,   (DES Collaboration)
Published: May 2022

ABSTRACT
We study the optical gri photometric variability of a sample of 190 quasars within the SDSS Stripe 82 region that have long-term photometric coverage during ∼1998−2020 with SDSS, PanSTARRS-1, the Dark Energy Survey, and dedicated follow-up monitoring with Blanco 4m/DECam. With on average ∼200 nightly epochs per quasar per filter band, we improve the parameter constraints from a Damped Random Walk (DRW) model fit to the light curves over previous studies with 10–15 yr baselines and ≲ 100 epochs. We find that the average damping time-scale τDRW continues to rise with increased baseline, reaching a median value of ∼750 d (g band) in the rest frame of these quasars using the 20-yr light curves. Some quasars may have gradual, long-term trends in their light curves, suggesting that either the DRW fit requires very long baselines to converge, or that the underlying variability is more complex than a single DRW process for these quasars. Using a subset of quasars with better-constrained τDRW (less than 20 per cent of the baseline), we confirm a weak wavelength dependence of τDRW∝λ0.51 ± 0.20. We further quantify optical variability of these quasars over days to decades time-scales using structure function (SF) and power spectrum density (PSD) analyses. The SF and PSD measurements qualitatively confirm the measured (hundreds of days) damping time-scales from the DRW fits. However, the ensemble PSD is steeper than that of a DRW on time-scales less than ∼ a month for these luminous quasars, and this second break point correlates with the longer DRW damping time-scale.
A fast and reliable method for the comparison of covariance matrices
Authors: Ferreira Tassia , Marra Valerio 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Covariance matrices are important tools for obtaining reliable parameter constraints. Advancements in cosmological surveys lead to larger data vectors and, consequently, increasingly complex covariance matrices, whose number of elements grows as the square of the size of the data vector. The most straightforward way of comparing these matrices, in terms of their ability to produce parameter constraints, involves a full cosmological analysis, which can be very computationally expensive. Using the concept and construction of compression schemes, which have become increasingly popular, we propose a fast and reliable way of comparing covariance matrices. The basic idea is to focus only on the portion of the covariance matrix that is relevant for the parameter constraints and quantify, via a fast Monte Carlo simulation, the difference of a second candidate matrix from the baseline one. To test this method, we apply it to two covariance matrices that were used to analyse the cosmic shear measurements for the Dark Energy Survey Year 1. We found that the uncertainties on the parameters change by 2.6%, a figure in agreement with the full cosmological analysis. While our approximate method cannot replace a full analysis, it may be useful during the development and validation of codes that estimate covariance matrices. Our method takes roughly 100 times less CPUh than a full cosmological analysis.
MO008: Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) without a Clear Family History have Rapid Progression and Poor Prognosis
Authors: Gkika Vasiliki , Louka Michaela , Fokas Stavros , Tigka Eirini , Drakopoulos Angelos , Markou Niki , Kanellopoulou Konstantina , Kostopoulou Myrto , Tsagkatakis Mihail , Tsirpanlis George 
Published: May 2022

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS
A small percentage of patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) have no clear family history. The clinical course and prognosis of the disease in this subgroup of patients may be different. The present study investigates the progression and prognostication of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in a large cohort of patients with and without a family history of ADPKD.

METHOD
This study enrolled 291 patients who were being followed in a specialized outpatient ADPKD clinic. Patients having a total of more than 10 kidney cysts in a recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan were included in the study even if they had no clear family history or confirmatory genetic test. At enrollment, total kidney volume was calculated by MRI, and the Mayo Clinic Imagining Category (MCIC) was determined. The prediction of ESRD (future estimated-glomerular filtration rate [e-GFR &lt; 10 mL/min] based on the Mayo Clinic formula (which takes into consideration age, TKV, e-GFR, gender, race and MCIC) was also calculated. Demographics, medical and laboratory data were recorded using a standardized form. T-test, x2 and Mann–Whitney test were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS
Of the 291 patients included in the study, 34 (11.68%) had no clear family history of ADPKD, and 257 (88.32%) had a clear family history. Age, gender, presence or not, and age at diagnosis of hypertension as well as BMI were similar in the two groups (P = 0.369, 0.398, 0.170, 0.295, 0.597, respectively). The age at diagnosis of ADPKD was similar between patients with and without a clear family history (P = 0.125) as well as, the e-GFR, the stage of chronic kidney disease and albuminuria (P = NS). The TKV tended to be higher in patients without a clear family history (median, [range]), 2210.3 (440.7–9137.5) mL versus 1649.9 (215.7–10 425.9) mL in those with a family history of ADPKD (P = 0.09), and the same was valid for the height-adjusted TKV (P = 0.08). In MCIC 1C, 1D and 1E, more patients without a known family history of ADPKD were classified than patients with a family history of ADPKD (88.89% versus 70.14%), and vice versa in MCIC 1A and 1B (11.11% versus 29.86%; P = 0.04). Finally, the ESRD prediction was (median, [range]) 15.66 (1–42) years for the patients without a clear family history and 34.1 (1–346) years for those with a clear family history of ADPKD (P = 0.025).

CONCLUSION
Patients with ADPKD without a clear family history tend to have a more rapid progression and a worse renal prognosis than those with a clear family history of the same disease.
MO020: Rare mutation of the IQGAP1 protein in an Algerian family with corticosteroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome
Authors: Azouaou Leila , Oukrif Lamia , Bensnouci Abdelhani , Benabadji Mohamed , Seba Atmane 
Published: May 2022

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS
There is podocyte involvement in corticosteroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. A certain number of proteins play an essential role in the biology of the podocyte; the mutation of these proteins generates the aforementioned pathology. The aim of this work is the determination of the rare mutation of the IQGAP1 protein, which is a protein involved in the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton of the podocyte.

METHOD
We identified six patients in our family with corticosteroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome, including one death with four adults and two children from a consanguineous marriage with autosomal recessive transmission. It was noted that three deaths of unknown etiologies were reported at a very young age.

RESULTS
The patients had corticosteroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. Nephrotic syndrome is discovered at the age of 4 years on average for two children and 20 years for four adults. Kidney biopsy showed minimal glomerular damage at 19%, mesangial proliferation at 6% and segmental and focal hyalinosis at 71%. The extra-renal manifestations observed were linked to complications of chronic renal failure. Alteration of the expression of IQGAP1 or of its cellular location, as well as structural or functional alterations of the protein could lead to abnormal interactions between the different complexes of the podocyte and the cytoskeleton; the specificity of the study is the discovery of an SNCRF in patients where they have only one mutation of the IQGAP1 gene without mutation of the other IQGAPs (2 and 3).

CONCLUSION
We have a very high consanguineous marriage rate, which explains why the transmission of recessive diseases is very important. The mutation of the IQGAP1 protein is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. A genetic investigation is essential. IQGAP1 can therefore be considered to be a factor influencing the progression of glomerulopathies.
MO062: Pan-Disease Segmentation and Feature Extraction for Large-Scale Digital Nephropathology
Authors: Hölscher David , Bouteldja Nassim , Lan Yu-Chia , von Stillfried Saskia , David Bülow Roman , Boor Peter 
Published: May 2022

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Nephropathology is essential for the diagnosis of kidney diseases. Deep learning-based image analyses, including segmentation of kidney histology, open new possibilities for reproducible quantitative precision pathology. Current segmentation approaches in kidney histology focused on specific use cases. Here, we developed a framework for automated segmentation and quantification of a wide spectrum of non-neoplastic kidney diseases.

METHOD
We trained U-Net Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for two streamlined tasks: (i) detection of kidney tissue and (ii) instance segmentation of relevant histological structures, i.e. glomeruli, tubules and arteries. These were used to segment 1103 Whole-Slide-Images (WSIs) from four cohorts, including two external datasets for multi-center validation. In total, 35 features from 51 445 glomeruli, 4016 792 tubules and 362 471 arteries were extracted, generating 30 million morphometric data points. Morphometry data were associated with clinical and pathology data.

RESULTS
Kidney tissue was precisely outlined by the tissue segmentation CNN. The structure segmentation CNN for histology provided accurate results on WSI-level despite difficult histopathological morphologies such as crescents, segmental sclerosis, tubular casts or arteriosclerosis. Quantitative analyses of morphological alterations of glomeruli revealed, for example, an increased glomerular area in membranous glomerulonephritis and all cases characterized with nephrotic range proteinuria independent of the underlying disease, and decrease in glomerular tuft circularity in pauci-immune glomerulonephritis, especially in cases with severe loss of kidney function. Principal component analysis of multiple glomerular, tubular and interstitial features stratified based on estimated glomerular filtration rate identified CKD-relevant morphological alterations of glomeruli and the tubulointerstitium. Image extraction of morphometric outliers enabled fast-track visual assessment of severe lesions.

CONCLUSION
Segmentation and large-scale quantitative feature extraction enable reproducible quantitative analysis of kidney morphology, opening new possibilities for digital precision nephropathology.
MO066: The Role of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor in Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis
Authors: Jia Ting , Xu Tong , Smeets Bart , Johannes Moeller Marcus , Floege Jürgen , Mara Klinkhammer* Barbara , Boor* Peter 
Published: May 2022

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) describes a primary disease of podocytes (podocytopathy) and a secondary consequence of severe or progressive glomerular damage. No specific treatment options exist for FSGS, with many patients progressing to end-stage kidney disease. While podocyte injury is considered to initiate FSGS, parietal epithelial cells (PECs) were shown to be one of the main effector cells forming FSGS. Given the involvement of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in fibrotic processes, we hypothesized that PDGF signaling is involved in the formation and progression of FSGS.

METHOD
We analyzed the role of PDGF in FSGS development and progression using a murine Thy1.1 trangenic FSGS model, patient kidney biopsies and primary murine PECs. In a second step, we therapeutically treated mice with FSGS with a neutralizing anti-PDGF-B antibody.

RESULTS
The podocyte-specific Thy1.1 transgenic mice 3 weeks after anti-Thy1.1 antibody injection showed reduced kidney function due to FSGS development. In this model, compared with control mice, PECs were progressively activated (63.3-fold increase in CD44 expression), showed a significantly increased proliferation (14-fold increase in Ki67 expression), followed by glomerular extracellular matrix deposition (2.6-fold increase in collagen 4) and FSGS development. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that mRNA of Pdgfb and Pdgfd was elevated in podocytes and Pdgfrb was upregulated in PECs during the time course of the disease. Similarly, in human FSGS biopsies, gene expression of both ligands, PDGFB and PDGFD, was elevated in podocytes and PDGFRB was increased in PECs compared with healthy glomeruli. Stimulation of primary mouse PECs with PDGF-B and PDGF-D in vitro led to significant activation (1.37- and 1.44-fold increase in CD44 expression, respectively), proliferation (1.46- and 1.36-fold increase, respectively), migration and extracellular matrix production (1.40-fold increase in fibronectin after PDGF-D stimulation) which could be inhibited by imatinib or a neutralizing PDGF-B antibody. In mice with FSGS, both a short- and long-term treatment with PDGF-B neutralizing antibody improved kidney function and reduced FSGS, PEC proliferation and profibrotic activation.

CONCLUSION
PDGFR-β and its ligands PDGF-B and PDGF-D were upregulated in experimental and clinical samples with FSGS in PECs and podocytes, respectively, and the inhibition of PDGF-B reduced PEC proliferation and FSGS development. This suggests paracrine cross-talk between injured podocytes and PECs, leading to PECs activation toward a profibrotic (pro-FSGS) phenotype and FSGS development. Thus, PDGF represents a novel molecular pathway in FSGS pathogenesis and potential target for therapy.