bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cardiovascular Risk and Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Simões João Filipe Carvalho Pereira Mano , Vlaminck Stephan , Seiça Raquel Maria Fino , Acke Frederic , Miguéis António Carlos Eva 
Published: April 2022

Objectives/HypothesisIt was previously suggested that patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study is to determine if ISSNHL patients have an increased cardiovascular risk by means of a systematic review and meta‐analysis.MethodsA systematic literature review was performed using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Libraries and Web of Science. Studies with a clear definition of ISSNHL, investigating an association between traditional vascular risk factors and ISSNHL were included. Adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, two reviewers extracted the data, assessed the risk of bias and performed the analysis of the collected evidence.ResultsNineteen case–control studies and two cohort studies were included (102,292 patients). Individual studies argued for higher prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus (DM) and higher blood pressure (HBP) in ISSNHL patients with a range of odds ratios (ORs) from 1.03 to 19. Pooled analysis of adjusted ORs revealed a significantly increased risk of ISSNHL for patients with hypertriglyceridemia (OR 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18–2.02) and high levels of total cholesterol (TC) (OR 2.09; 95% CI 1.52–2.87 after sensitivity analysis), but not for HBP, DM, or high levels of low‐ and high‐density lipoproteins.ConclusionAn association between higher vascular risk profile and ISSNHL seems apparent in high levels of triglycerides (TG) and TC, but more studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis due to the high levels of data heterogeneity in the literature.Level of EvidenceNA Laryngoscope, 133:15–24, 2023
Role of autotrophic microbes in organic matter accumulation in soils degraded by erosion
Authors: Xiao Haibing , Xu Min , Wang Zhen , Wang Ling , Wang Jian , Xiao Yinping , Shi Zhihua 
Published: April 2022

AbstractAtmospheric CO2 fixation by autotrophic microbes has been investigated in various habitats, but little is known about the microbial CO2 fixation capacity in soil degraded by erosion. To fill the knowledge gap about the role of autotrophic microbes in organic matter accumulation in degraded soil, the microbial CO2 fixation rate was estimated in nondegraded, lightly degraded, and severely degraded soils using 13C stable isotope tracing technique. The influences of soil physical properties, nutrient contents, and autotrophic bacterial community on the microbial CO2 fixation capacity were investigated using a structural equation model. The results showed that soil degradation significantly reduced the autotrophic bacterial abundance. However, a higher species diversity and a more complex cooccurrence network of autotrophic bacterial taxa were observed in the lightly degraded soil than in the nondegraded and severely degraded soils. Interestingly, the microbial CO2 fixation rates in the lightly and severely degraded soils were 2.15‐ and 1.52‐times higher than those in the nondegraded soil, respectively. The annual organic carbon fixed by autotrophic microbes exceeded 2.05% of the total organic carbon in the degraded soil, suggesting that autotrophic microbes play a vital role in organic matter accumulation in degraded soil. The structural equation model showed that soil nutrients other than the autotrophic bacterial community are the key factor affecting the microbial CO2 fixation capacity. The negative effect of soil nutrients on the CO2 fixation capacity indicates that autotrophic microbes exert a more important function at the initial stage of the restoration of degraded soil.
Product approximations of solution operators for non‐autonomous perturbations of Gibbs semigroups
Authors: Zagrebnov Valentin A. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe paper is devoted to study of linear evolution equation corresponding to a small non‐autonomous Hölder continuous perturbations of Gibbs semigroups on a separable Hilbert space. It is shown that an evolution family solving the non‐autonomous Cauchy problem can be constructed for as a limit in the trace‐norm topology of the product trace‐class approximants , . We also proved that estimates of the rate of convergence of these approximants to the trace‐norm continuous solution operator are related to estimates established for their rates of convergence in the operator‐norm
topology.
Stereochemical dependence of substituent γ‐effects in the 19F NMR shielding constants
Authors: Ukhanev Stepan A. , Fedorov Sergei V. , Krivdin Leonid B. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe substituent α‐, β‐, and γ‐effects of the elements of the second and third periods on 19F NMR chemical shifts are evaluated including the establishment of stereochemical dependence of γ‐effect, the latter particularly important in stereochemical studies of fluorine‐containing compounds. Benchmark calculations performed for a series of 32 simple inorganic fluorine‐containing molecules demonstrated a markedly good correlation between calculated and experimental fluorine chemical shifts characterized by a mean absolute error of 22.5 ppm in the range of about 900 ppm, which corresponds to a 2.5% error in the percentage terms.
Stability of serial platelet and urine protein measurements in patients receiving nusinersen for spinal muscular atrophy
Authors: Nagarajan Eric K. , Özütemiz Can , Rubin Nathan , Nascene David R. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractIntroduction/AimsPatients undergoing nusinersen treatment for spinal muscular atrophy are subject to measurements of platelet count and urine protein before each injection due to concern for platelet depletion and renal dysfunction according to the prescribing information. These tests may be uncomfortable or inconvenient and may cause delays in treatment. However, it is still unclear whether these values have been significantly affected by nusinersen treatment. Our aim in this study was to determine whether these measurements ever reached critical values that necessitated withholding treatment at our center.MethodsRecords from 57 patients treated with nusinersen at our institution between 2017 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Laboratory values for platelet count, random urine protein, and total urine protein:creatinine ratio were collected from all patients before each procedure.ResultsMean patient age was 28.9 years (range, 2‐76 years). Mean platelet count was 307 × 109/L (range, 96‐755 × 109/L; normal lab limits, 150‐450 × 109/L), mean random urine protein was 0.164 g/L (range, <0.05‐0.73 g/L), and mean total urine protein:creatinine ratio was 0.885 g per gram creatinine (range, 0.12‐9.71 g per gram creatinine). No laboratory values precluded continuing treatment for any patient.DiscussionAlthough further study on a larger cohort is warranted for more definitive conclusions, it may not be necessary to measure platelet count and urine protein before each nusinersen treatment, particularly in the maintenance phase.
Control of mat thickness in electrospinning with transparent conductive glass collector
Authors: Nishiuchi Hitachi , Tonami Hiroyuki 
Published: April 2022

AbstractElectrospinning is a versatile technique for producing micro‐ and nanofibrous mats with great potential in many fields. However, reproducibility remains a key issue for product development. In particular, thickness is an important parameter for controlling electrospun fiber mats. In this study, we developed a method to control the polymer mat thickness during electrospinning. The mat thickness was controlled on the basis of the light transmittance and by using conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) glass connected to ground as a collector. Living cells were seeded on the fiber mat without detaching from the ITO glass, which enabled observation under a microscope and the evaluation of cell behavior. This study indicates that the thickness of the fiber mat can be consistently controlled by monitoring the light transmittance instead of the electrospinning duration and the mat can be easily observed under a microscope. This is expected to be particularly useful in the field of tissue engineering.
Linearized teixobactin is inactive and after sequence enhancement, kills methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus via a different mechanism
Authors: Wu Qianhui , Mishra Biswajit , Wang Guangshun 
Published: April 2022

AbstractStaphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a highly adaptable pathogen that can rapidly develop resistance to conventional antibiotics such as penicillin. Recently, teixobactin was discovered from uncultivated soil bacteria by using the i‐chip technology. This depsipeptide forms an ester bond between the backbone C‐terminal isoleucine carboxylic acid and the hydroxyl group of threonine at position 8. Also, it contains multiple nonstandard amino acids, making it costly to synthesize. This study reports new peptides designed by linearizing teixobactin. After linearization and conversion to normal amino acids, teixobactin lost its antibacterial activity. Using this inactive template, a series of peptides were designed via hydrophobic patching and residue replacements. Three out of the five peptides were active. YZ105, only active against Gram‐positive bacteria, however, showed the highest cell selectivity index. Different from teixobactin, which inhibits cell wall synthesis, YZ105 targeted the membranes of methicillin‐resistant S. aureus (MRSA) based on kinetic killing, membrane permeation, depolarization, and scanning electron microscopy studies. Moreover, YZ105 could kill nafcillin‐resistant MRSA, Staphylococcal clinical strains, and disrupted preformed biofilms. Taken together, YZ105, with a simpler sequence, is a promising lead for developing novel anti‐MRSA agents.
A nomogram for accurately predicting the pathological upgrading of prostate cancer, based on 68Ga‐PSMA PET/CT
Authors: Hu Qiang , Hong Xi , Xu Luwei , Jia Ruipeng 
Published: April 2022

AbstractPurposeTo develop and validate a nomogram for preoperative predicting the pathological upgrading of prostate cancer (PCa).MethodsThe prediction model was developed in a primary cohort that consisted of 208 PCa patients. All patients included in the study possessed both biopsy pathology specimens and radical prostatectomy pathology specimens, and completed the (68Ga‐prostate‐specific membrane antigen [PSMA]) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) detection. The R function “createDataPartition” was used in a 7:3 ratio to randomly divide the patients into training and validation cohorts. In the training cohort, the independent predictors of pathological upgrading of PCa were determined by univariate analysis, univariate regression analysis and multivariate regression analysis. Based on these independent predictors, a nomogram was developed, and its performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under the curve (AUC) and calibration curve of training cohort and validation cohort.ResultsThe nomogram incorporated five independent predictors including prostate volume (PV), SUVmax of the 68Ga‐PSMA PET/CT examination on prostate lesions (SUVmax), body mass index (BMI); percentage of cancer positive biopsy cores (PPC) and biopsy International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade. The nomogram showed good diagnostic accuracy for the pathological upgrading of both the training cohort and the validation cohort (AUC = 0.818 and 0.806, respectively). The calibration curves for the two cohorts both showed optimal agreement between nomogram prediction and actual observation.ConclusionsWe developed and validated a nomogram to accurately predict the risk of pathological upgrading after radical PCa surgery, which can provide accurate basis for therapeutic schedule and prognostic data of PCa patients.
Negative binomial factor regression with application to microbiome data analysis
Authors: Mishra Aditya K. , Müller Christian L. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe human microbiome provides essential physiological functions and helps maintain host homeostasis via the formation of intricate ecological host‐microbiome relationships. While it is well established that the lifestyle of the host, dietary preferences, demographic background, and health status can influence microbial community composition and dynamics, robust generalizable associations between specific host‐associated factors and specific microbial taxa have remained largely elusive. Here, we propose factor regression models that allow the estimation of structured parsimonious associations between host‐related features and amplicon‐derived microbial taxa. To account for the overdispersed nature of the amplicon sequencing count data, we propose negative binomial reduced rank regression (NB‐RRR) and negative binomial co‐sparse factor regression (NB‐FAR). While NB‐RRR encodes the underlying dependency among the microbial abundances as outcomes and the host‐associated features as predictors through a rank‐constrained coefficient matrix, NB‐FAR uses a sparse singular value decomposition of the coefficient matrix. The latter approach avoids the notoriously difficult joint parameter estimation by extracting sparse unit‐rank components of the coefficient matrix sequentially, effectively delivering interpretable bi‐clusters of taxa and host‐associated factors. To solve the nonconvex optimization problems associated with these factor regression models, we present a novel iterative block‐wise majorization procedure. Extensive simulation studies and an application to the microbial abundance data from the American Gut Project (AGP) demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed procedure. In the AGP data, we identify several factors that strongly link dietary habits and host life style to specific microbial families.
Variable selection in semiparametric regression models for longitudinal data with informative observation times
Authors: Aghababaei Jazi Omidali , Pullenayegum Eleanor 
Published: April 2022

AbstractA common issue in longitudinal studies is that subjects' visits are irregular and may depend on observed outcome values which is known as longitudinal data with informative observation times (follow‐up). Semiparametric regression modeling for this type of data has received much attention as it provides more flexibility in studying the association between regression factors and a longitudinal outcome. An important problem here is how to select relevant variables and estimate their coefficients in semiparametric regression models when the number of covariates at baseline is large. The current penalization procedures in semiparametric regression models for longitudinal data do not account for informative observation times. We propose a variable selection procedure that is suitable for the estimation methods based on pseudo‐score functions. We investigate the asymptotic properties of penalized estimators and conduct simulation studies to illustrate the theoretical results. We also use the procedure for variable selection in semiparametric regression models for the STAR*D dataset from a multistage randomized clinical trial for treating major depressive disorder.
One‐Dimensional Co‐Carbonate Hydroxide@Ni‐MOFs Composite with Super Uniform Core–Shell Heterostructure for Ultrahigh Rate Performance Supercapacitor Electrode
Authors: Zhang Xu , Yang Shixuan , Lu Wang , Tian Yuhan , Liu Zhiqing , Zhao Yingyuan , Liu Anmin 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe insufficient contact between two phases in the heterostructure weakens the coupling interaction effect, which makes it difficult to effectively improve the electrochemical performance. Herein, a Co‐carbonate hydroxide@ Ni‐metal organic frameworks (Co‐CH@Ni‐MOFs) composite with super uniform core‐shell heterostructure is fabricated by adopting 1D Co‐CH nanowires as structuredirecting agents to induce the coating of Ni‐MOFs. Both experimental and theoretical calculation results demonstrate that the heterostructure plays a vital role in the high performance of the as‐prepared materials. On the one hand, the construction of super uniform core‐shell heterostructure can create a large number of interfacial active sites and take advantages of the electrochemical characteristics of each component. On the other hand, the heterostructure can increase the adsorption energy of OH– ions and promote the electrochemical activity for improving the reversible redox reaction kinetics. Based on the aforementioned advantages, the as‐fabricated Co‐CH@Ni‐MOFs electrode exhibits a high specific capacity of 173.1 mAh g−1 (1246 F g−1) at 1 A g−1, an ultrahigh rate capability of 70.3% at 150 A g−1 and excellent cycling stability with 90.1% capacity retention after 10 000 cycles at 10 A g−1. This study may offer a versatile design for fabricating a MOFs‐based heterostructure as energy storage electrodes.
Australian sonographer competency—A new framework
Authors: Edwards Christopher , Thoirs Kerry , Osborne Brooke , Slade Debbie , McDonald Sandra , Lombardo Paul , Chandler Amanda , Quinton Ann , Stoodley Paul , Taylor Lucy , Childs Jessie 
Published: April 2022

AbstractSonographers possess a unique and complex body of knowledge and skills, providing real health benefits to the community. The value of competency frameworks rests on their capacity to support and facilitate professional practice in the interests of public safety. The commitment to act in the service of others carries with it a professional and ethical obligation to practice within the boundaries of accepted competency standards. The well‐accepted Australasian Sonographers Association (ASA) competency standards for entry‐level Australian sonographers were introduced a decade ago. At this time, ultrasound technology, its application and the sonographer's role as a critical interface to this technology continue to evolve. The article provides an overview of research used to develop a contemporary competency framework for sonographers. It describes each framework component and how these components have a potential role in sonographer education and clinical practice at different levels of expertise. Sonographer competencies were developed via a national collaborative research project led by a multi‐institutional research team of academic and industry professionals. A Delphi study design elicited consensus on multiple competency characteristics from an expert panel of 55 sonographers. The expert panel contained representatives from all Australian states and territories and represented all domains of practice. The resulting project outcome consisted of a competency framework containing four significant components: sonographer competency standards, sonographer knowledge, sonographer attitudes and a holistic competency matrix.
Agency in Constrained Spaces: How English Learners and their Teachers Negotiate the Power of High‐stakes Exams
Authors: Leo Aaron 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe growing influence of high‐stakes exams has had drastic impacts on English learners and their teachers. The linguistic demands of these exams have harmed English learners' aspirations and attainment, while teachers are pressured to teach to the test and replace critical approaches to language learning with practices designed to encourage rapid language acquisition. Despite their constraining effects, educators, and students often find ways to assert agency and disrupt the hegemony of high‐stakes exams. This article draws on ethnographic data gathered over a year in a secondary school in New York State to illustrate the ways in which English learners and their teachers negotiate spaces of agency amid the power of high‐stakes exams. These findings illustrate the power and presence of high‐stakes exams on English learners while also highlighting the avenues of agency taken by educators and students as they rework aspects of the educational policy through classroom practice.
Fetal neurosonography and infant neurobehavior following conception by assisted reproductive technology with fresh or frozen embryo transfer
Authors: Boutet M. L. , Eixarch E. , Ahumada‐Droguett P. , Nakaki A. , Crovetto F. , Cívico M. S. , Borrás A. , Manau D. , Gratacós E. , Crispi F. , Casals G. 
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACTObjectiveWe aimed to explore fetal cortical brain development by neurosonography in fetuses conceived by assisted reproductive technology (ART), including frozen and fresh embryo transfer (ET), compared with those conceived spontaneously (SC), and to investigate its association with infant neurobehavior at 12 months of age.MethodsThis was a prospective cohort study of 210 singleton pregnancies, including 70 SC pregnancies, 70 conceived by in‐vitro fertilization (IVF) following frozen ET and 70 conceived by IVF after fresh ET. Fetal neurosonography was performed at 32 ± 2 gestational weeks to assess cortical development. Sulci depths were measured offline and normalized by biparietal diameter (BPD). Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) were completed postnatally, at 12 ± 1 months of corrected age. Neurosonographic findings were adjusted by regression analysis for maternal age, ethnicity, parity, fetal sex and fetal‐weight centile and gestational age at scan, and ASQ scores were adjusted for maternal age, ethnicity, parity, educational level and employment status, gestational age at birth, breastfeeding, infant sex and infant age at the ASQ evaluation.ResultsOverall, in comparison to the SC fetuses, fetuses conceived by ART showed statistically significant differences in cortical development, with reduced parieto‐occipital sulci depth adjusted for BPD (mean ± SD: fresh ET, 12.5 ± 2.5 vs frozen ET, 13.4 ± 2.6 vs SC, 13.4 ± 2.6, P < 0.001), cingulate sulci depth adjusted for BPD (median (interquartile range (IQR)): fresh ET, 5.8 (4.2–7.4) vs frozen ET, 5.8 (4.1–7.5) vs SC, 6.5 (4.8–7.8), P = 0.001) and calcarine sulci depth adjusted for BPD (median (IQR): fresh ET, 13.5 (10.1–16.1) vs frozen ET, 14.5 (12.1–15.8) vs SC, 16.4 (14.3–17.9), P < 0.001), together with lower Sylvian fissure grading score. Changes in cortical development were more pronounced in the fresh ET than in the frozen ET group. ART infants showed lower ASQ scores as compared to SC infants, particularly in the fresh ET group (mean ± SD global ASQ Z‐score: fresh ET, –0.3 ± 0.4 vs frozen ET, –0.2 ± 0.4 vs SC, 0 ± 0.4, P < 0.001).ConclusionsFetuses conceived by ART show a distinctive pattern of cortical development and suboptimal infant neurodevelopment, with more pronounced changes in those conceived following fresh ET. These findings support the existence of in‐utero brain reorganization associated with ART and warrant follow‐up studies to assess its long‐term persistence. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.