bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis of MRI and CT-based radiomics features for personalized treatment in locally advanced rectal cancer and external validation of published radiomics models
Authors: Shahzadi Iram , Zwanenburg Alex , Lattermann Annika , Linge Annett , Baldus Christian , Peeken Jan C. , Combs Stephanie E. , Diefenhardt Markus , Rödel Claus , Kirste Simon , Grosu Anca-Ligia , Baumann Michael , Krause Mechthild , Troost Esther G. C. , Löck Steffen 
Published: June 2022

AbstractRadiomics analyses commonly apply imaging features of different complexity for the prediction of the endpoint of interest. However, the prognostic value of each feature class is generally unclear. Furthermore, many radiomics models lack independent external validation that is decisive for their clinical application. Therefore, in this manuscript we present two complementary studies. In our modelling study, we developed and validated different radiomics signatures for outcome prediction after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) based on computed tomography (CT) and T2-weighted (T2w) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging datasets of 4 independent institutions (training: 122, validation 68 patients). We compared different feature classes extracted from the gross tumour volume for the prognosis of tumour response and freedom from distant metastases (FFDM): morphological and first order (MFO) features, second order texture (SOT) features, and Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) transformed intensity features. Analyses were performed for CT and MRI separately and combined. Model performance was assessed by the area under the curve (AUC) and the concordance index (CI) for tumour response and FFDM, respectively. Overall, intensity features of LoG transformed CT and MR imaging combined with clinical T stage (cT) showed the best performance for tumour response prediction, while SOT features showed good performance for FFDM in independent validation (AUC = 0.70, CI = 0.69). In our external validation study, we aimed to validate previously published radiomics signatures on our multicentre cohort. We identified relevant publications on comparable patient datasets through a literature search and applied the reported radiomics models to our dataset. Only one of the identified studies could be validated, indicating an overall lack of reproducibility and the need of further standardization of radiomics before clinical application.
Analysis of clinical phenotypic and genotypic spectra in 36 children patients with Epilepsy of Infancy with Migrating Focal Seizures
Authors: Yang Haiyan , Yang Xiaofan , Cai Fang , Gan Siyi , Yang Sai , Wu Liwen 
Published: June 2022

AbstractEpilepsy of Infancy with Migrating Focal Seizures (EIMFS) is a rare developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEEs) with unknown etiology, and poor prognosis. In order to explore new genetic etiology of EIMFS and new precision medicine treatment strategies, 36 children with EIMFS were enrolled in this study. 17/36 cases had causative variants across 11 genes, including 6 novel EIMFS genes: PCDH19, ALDH7A1, DOCK6, PRRT2, ALG1 and ATP7A. 13/36 patients had ineffective seizure control, 14/36 patients had severe retardation and 6/36 patients died. Of them, the genes for ineffective seizure control, severe retardation or death include KCNT1, SCN2A, SCN1A, ALG1, ATP7A and WWOX. 17 patients had abnormal MRI, of which 8 had ineffective seizure control, 7 had severe retardation and 4 died. 13 patients had hypsarrhythmia, of which 6 had ineffective seizure control, 6 had severe retardation and 2 died. Also, 7 patients had burst suppression, of which 1 had ineffective seizure control, 3 had severe retardation and 3 died. This study is the first to report that ALDH7A1, ATP7A, DOCK6, PRRT2, ALG1, and PCDH19 mutations cause the phenotypic spectrum of EIMFS to expand the genotypic spectrum. The genes KCNT1, SCN2A, SCN1A, ALG1, ATP7A and WWOX may be associated with poor prognosis. The patients presenting with MRI abnormalities, hypsarrhythmia and burst suppression in EEG may be associated with poor prognosis.
Elevated expression of TLR2 and its correlation with disease activity and clinical manifestations in adult-onset Still’s disease
Authors: Han Jae Ho , Ahn Mi-Hyun , Jung Ju-Yang , Kim Ji-Won , Suh Chang-Hee , Kwon Ji Eun , Yim Hyunee , Kim Hyoun-Ah 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThis study investigated the role of Toll-like receptor 1 (TLR1), TLR2, TLR4, TLR7, and TLR9 in patients with adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD). This study included 20 patients with AOSD and 15 healthy controls (HCs). TLR expression in the peripheral blood was quantified using flow cytometry; TLR expression pattern, in the skin lesions and lymph nodes (LNs) of patients with AOSD, was evaluated immunohistochemically. Significantly higher mean intensities of cells presenting TLR2 and TLR7 from whole blood were observed in patients with AOSD than in HCs. TLR2 expression in whole cells correlated with systemic scores, levels of lactate dehydrogenase and ferritin and serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and IL-18. The percentage of TLR2-positive inflammatory cells was higher in skin biopsy samples from patients with AOSD than those in HCs. TLR9-expressing positive inflammatory cell counts were higher in skin lesions from patients with AOSD than those in the HC, eczema, and psoriasis groups. The expression levels of TLR1, TLR4, TLR7, and TLR9 were higher in LNs of patients with AOSD than in those with T cell lymphoma and reactive lymphadenopathy. Circulating TLR2- and TLR7-positive cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of AOSD. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining for TLRs in skin lesions and LNs may aid in differentiating AOSD from similar conditions.
Support for mechanical advantage hypothesis of grasping cannot be explained only by task mechanics
Authors: Rajakumar Banuvathy , Dutta Swarnab , Varadhan S. K. M. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractSuccessful object interaction during daily living involves maintaining the grasped object in static equilibrium by properly arranging the fingertip contact forces. According to the mechanical advantage hypothesis of grasping, during torque production tasks, fingers with longer moment arms would produce greater normal force than those with shorter moment arms. Previous studies have probed this hypothesis by investigating the force contributions of individual fingers through systematic variations (or perturbations) of the properties of the grasped handle. In the current study, we examined the validity of this hypothesis in a paradigm wherein the thumb tangential force was constrained to a minimal constant magnitude. This was achieved by placing the thumb on a freely movable slider platform. The total mass of the handle was systematically varied by adding external loads directly below the center of mass of the handle. Our findings suggest that the mechanical advantage hypothesis manifests only during the heaviest loading condition when a threshold difficulty is reached. We infer that the support for the mechanical advantage hypothesis depends not only on the physical parameters but also on the individual ability to manage the task.
Study on a risk model for prediction and avoidance of unmanned environmental hazard
Authors: Qiu Chengqun , Zhang Shuai , Ji Jie , Zhong Yuan , Zhang Hui , Zhao Shiqiang , Meng Mingyu 
Published: June 2022

AbstractComprehensive research is conducted on the design and control of the unmanned systems for electric vehicles. The environmental risk prediction and avoidance system is divided into the prediction part and the avoidance part. The prediction part is divided into environmental perception, environmental risk assessment, and risk prediction. In the avoidance part, according to the risk prediction results, a conservative driving strategy based on speed limit is adopted. Additionally, the core function is achieved through the target detection technology based on deep learning algorithm and the data conclusion based on deep learning method. Moreover, the location of bounding box is further optimized to improve the accuracy of SSD target detection method based on solving the problem of imbalanced sample categories. Software such as MATLAB and CarSim are applied in the system. Bleu-1 was 67.1, bleu-2 was 45.1, bleu-3 was 29.9 and bleu-4 was 21.1. Experiments were carried out on the database flickr30k by designing the algorithm. Bleu-1 was 72.3, bleu-2 was 51.8, bleu-3 was 37.1 and bleu-4 was 25.1. From the comparison results of the simulations of unmanned vehicles with or without a system, it can provide effective safety guarantee for unmanned driving.
Effects of paternal high-fat diet and maternal rearing environment on the gut microbiota and behavior
Authors: Korgan Austin C. , Foxx Christine L. , Hashmi Heraa , Sago Saydie A. , Stamper Christopher E. , Heinze Jared D. , O’Leary Elizabeth , King Jillian L. , Perrot Tara S. , Lowry Christopher A. , Weaver Ian C. G. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractExposing a male rat to an obesogenic high-fat diet (HFD) influences attractiveness to potential female mates, the subsequent interaction of female mates with infant offspring, and the development of stress-related behavioral and neural responses in offspring. To examine the stomach and fecal microbiome’s potential roles, fecal samples from 44 offspring and stomach samples from offspring and their fathers were collected and bacterial community composition was studied by 16 small subunit ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene sequencing. Paternal diet (control, high-fat), maternal housing conditions (standard or semi-naturalistic housing), and maternal care (quality of nursing and other maternal behaviors) affected the within-subjects alpha-diversity of the offspring stomach and fecal microbiomes. We provide evidence from beta-diversity analyses that paternal diet and maternal behavior induced community-wide shifts to the adult offspring gut microbiome. Additionally, we show that paternal HFD significantly altered the adult offspring Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio, an indicator of obesogenic potential in the gut microbiome. Additional machine-learning analyses indicated that microbial species driving these differences converged on Bifidobacterium pseudolongum. These results suggest that differences in early-life care induced by paternal diet and maternal care significantly influence the microbiota composition of offspring through the microbiota-gut-brain axis, having implications for adult stress reactivity.
Respiratory dysfunction in two rodent models of chronic epilepsy and acute seizures and its link with the brainstem serotonin system
Authors: Kouchi Hayet , Ogier Michaël , Dieuset Gabriel , Morales Anne , Georges Béatrice , Rouanet Jean-Louis , Martin Benoît , Ryvlin Philippe , Rheims Sylvain , Bezin Laurent 
Published: June 2022

AbstractPatients with drug-resistant epilepsy can experience respiratory alterations, notably during seizures. The mechanisms underlying long-term alterations in respiratory function remain unclear. As the brainstem 5-HT system is a prominent modulator of respiratory function, this study aimed at determining whether epilepsy is associated with alterations in both the respiratory function and brainstem serotonin (5-HT) system in rats. Epilepsy was triggered by pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus in rats. Our results showed that 30–50% of epileptic (EPI) rats exhibited a sharp decrease in oxygen consumption (SDOC), low metabolic rate of oxygen, and slow regular ventilation (EPI/SDOC + rats). These alterations were detected only in rats with chronic epilepsy, independent of behavioral seizures, were persistent over time, and not associated with death. In these rats, 5-HT fiber density in the nucleus tractus solitarius was lower than that in the control and EPI/SDOC− rats. Both EPI/SDOC + rats and DBA/2 mice that present with audiogenic-induced seizure followed by fatal respiratory arrest—a model of sudden and expected death in epilepsy—had increased transcript levels of tryptophan hydroxylase 2 and 5-HT presynaptic transporter. Thus, our data support that 5-HT alterations are associated with chronic and acute epilepsy-related respiratory dysfunction.
Nanomechanical variability in the early evolution of vertebrate dentition
Authors: Shohel Mohammad , Ray Kamal K. , Tivanski Alexei V. , McAdams Neo E. B. , Bancroft Alyssa M. , Cramer Bradley D. , Forbes Tori Z. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractConodonts are an extinct group of primitive jawless vertebrates whose elements represent the earliest examples of a mineralized feeding apparatus in vertebrates. Their relative relationship within vertebrates remains unresolved. As teeth, conodont elements are not homologous with the dentition of vertebrates, but they exhibit similarities in mineralization, growth patterns, and function. They clearly represent an early evolutionary experiment in mineralized dentition and offer insight into analogous dentition in other groups. Unfortunately, analysis of functional performance has been limited to a handful of derived morphologies and material properties that may inform ecology and functional analysis are virtually unknown. Here we applied a nanoscale approach to evaluate material properties of conodont bioapatite by utilizing Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) nanoindentation to determine Young’s modulus (E) along multiple elements representing different ontogenetic stages of development in the coniform-bearing apparatus of Dapsilodus obliquicostatus. We observed extreme and systematic variation in E along the length (oral to aboral) of each element that largely mirrors the spatial and ontogenetic variability in the crystalline structure of these specimens. Extreme spatial variability of E likely contributed to breakage of elements that were regularly repaired/regrown in conodonts but later vertebrate dentition strategies that lacked the ability to repair/regrow likely required the development of different material properties to avoid structural failure.
Revisiting sea-level budget by considering all potential impact factors for global mean sea-level change estimation
Authors: Wang Fengwei , Shen Yunzhong , Chen Qiujie , Geng Jianhua 
Published: June 2022

AbstractAccurate estimates of global sea-level change from the observations of Altimetry, Argo and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE Follow-on (GRACE-FO) are of great value for investigating the global sea-level budget. In this study, we analyzed the global sea-level change over the period from January 2005 to December 2019 by considering all potential impact factors, i.e. three factors for Altimetry observations (two Altimetry products, ocean bottom deformation (OBD) and glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA)), three factors for Argo observations (four Argo products, salinity product error and deep-ocean steric sea-level change), and seven factors for GRACE/GRACE-FO observations including three official RL06 solutions, five spatial filtering methods, three GIA models, two C20 (degree 2 order 0) products, Geocenter motion, GAD field and global mass conservation. The seven impact factors of GRACE/GRACE-FO observations lead to ninety combinations for the post-procession of global mean barystatic sea-level change estimation, whose rates range from 2.00 to 2.45 mm/year. The total uncertainty of global barystatic sea-level change rate is ± 0.27 mm/year at the 95% confidence level, estimated as the standard deviation of the differences between the different datasets constituting the ensembles. The statistical results show that the preferred GIA model developed by Caron et al. in 2018 can improve the closure of the global sea-level budget by 0.20–0.30 mm/year, which is comparable with that of neglecting the halosteric component. About 30.8% of total combinations (GRACE/GRACE-FO plus Argo) can close the global sea-level budget within 1-sigma (0.23 mm/year) of Altimetry observations, 88.9% within 2-sigma. Once the adopted factors including GRACE/GRACE-FO solutions from Center for Space Research (CSR), Caron18 GIA model, SWENSON filtering and Argo product from China Second Institute of Oceanography, the linear trend of global sterodynamic sea-level change derived from GRACE/GRACE-FO plus Argo observations is 3.85 ± 0.14 mm/year, nearly closed to 3.90 ± 0.23 mm/year of Altimetry observations.
Cretaceous Antodicranomyia (Diptera: Limoniidae) and their paleohabitat
Authors: Kania-Kłosok Iwona , Perrichot Vincent , Krzemiński Wiesław 
Published: June 2022

AbstractNew representatives of the Cretaceous cranefly genus Antodicranomyia (Diptera: Limoniidae) are reported from Albian-Cenomanian Charentese (French) amber. The newly reported specimens allow for an emended diagnosis of the type species A. azari, as well as the description of a new species, Antodicranomyia rubra sp. nov., which is mostly distinguished from the type species by features of its wing venation, antennae, and genitalia. As a rare, extinct genus known only from French amber, Antodicranomyia is compared with its closest relative genera Antocha, Dicranomyia and Antohelia. The evolutionary implications and paleohabitat of Antodicranomyia are discussed. The new discovery adds to the knowledge of the crane flies’ diversity and evolution in the mid-Cretaceous.
Synergistic interactions of repurposed drugs that inhibit Nsp1, a major virulence factor for COVID-19
Authors: Kao Hung-Teh , Orry Andrew , Palfreyman Michael G. , Porton Barbara 
Published: June 2022

AbstractNsp1 is one of the first proteins expressed from the SARS-CoV-2 genome and is a major virulence factor for COVID-19. A rapid multiplexed assay for detecting the action of Nsp1 was developed in cultured lung cells. The assay is based on the acute cytopathic effects induced by Nsp1. Virtual screening was used to stratify compounds that interact with two functional Nsp1 sites: the RNA-binding groove and C-terminal helix-loop-helix region. Experimental screening focused on compounds that could be readily repurposed to treat COVID-19. Multiple synergistic combinations of compounds that significantly inhibited Nsp1 action were identified. Among the most promising combinations are Ponatinib, Rilpivirine, and Montelukast, which together, reversed the toxic effects of Nsp1 to the same extent as null mutations in the Nsp1 gene.
Computation of vertical fluid mobility of CO$$_{2}$$, methane, hydrogen and hydrocarbons through sandstones and carbonates
Authors: Lodhia Bhavik Harish , Clark Stuart Raymond 
Published: June 2022

AbstractOver the last decade, there has been an irreversible shift from hydrocarbon exploration towards carbon storage, low-carbon energy generation and hydrogen exploration. Whilst basin modelling techniques may be used to predict the migration of hydrocarbons through sedimentary basins on geological timescales, there remains little understanding of how fluids behave at the basin scale on present-day timescales. We apply the Darcy flow equation to present an algorithm to determine the basin-scale mobilities and maximum vertical velocity, $$v_{max}$$

v

max

, of CO$$_{2}$$

2

, methane, hydrogen and hydrocarbons with depth for sandstone and carbonate. $$v_{max}$$

v

max

for CO$$_{2}$$

2

and methane are on scales of m/year, whilst values for hydrocarbon fluids are an order of magnitude smaller than for other fluids. Our results indicate that the fluid mobility of subsurface CO$$_{2}$$

2

may be sensitive to surface and near-surface temperature variations. $$v_{max}$$

v

max

for hydrogen is approximately 2–10 times greater than hydrocarbon fluids, yielding important consequences for the future use of basin modelling software for determining hydrogen migration for exploration and storage.
Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation in epilepsy patients enhances cooperative behavior in the prisoner’s dilemma task
Authors: Oehrn Carina R. , Molitor Lena , Krause Kristina , Niehaus Hauke , Schmidt Laura , Hakel Lukas , Timmermann Lars , Menzler Katja , Knake Susanne , Weber Immo 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe vagus nerve constitutes a key link between the autonomic and the central nervous system. Previous studies provide evidence for the impact of vagal activity on distinct cognitive processes including functions related to social cognition. Recent studies in animals and humans show that vagus nerve stimulation is associated with enhanced reward-seeking and dopamine-release in the brain. Social interaction recruits similar brain circuits to reward processing. We hypothesize that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) boosts rewarding aspects of social behavior and compare the impact of transcutaneous VNS (tVNS) and sham stimulation on social interaction in 19 epilepsy patients in a double-blind pseudo-randomized study with cross-over design. Using a well-established paradigm, i.e., the prisoner’s dilemma, we investigate effects of stimulation on cooperative behavior, as well as interactions of stimulation effects with patient characteristics. A repeated-measures ANOVA and a linear mixed-effects model provide converging evidence that tVNS boosts cooperation. Post-hoc correlations reveal that this effect varies as a function of neuroticism, a personality trait linked to the dopaminergic system. Behavioral modeling indicates that tVNS induces a behavioral starting bias towards cooperation, which is independent of the decision process. This study provides evidence for the causal influence of vagus nerve activity on social interaction.
Patient-specific brain arteries molded as a flexible phantom model using 3D printed water-soluble resin
Authors: Nilsson Daniel P. G. , Holmgren Madelene , Holmlund Petter , Wåhlin Anders , Eklund Anders , Dahlberg Tobias , Wiklund Krister , Andersson Magnus 
Published: June 2022

AbstractVisualizing medical images from patients as physical 3D models (phantom models) have many roles in the medical field, from education to preclinical preparation and clinical research. However, current phantom models are generally generic, expensive, and time-consuming to fabricate. Thus, there is a need for a cost- and time-efficient pipeline from medical imaging to patient-specific phantom models. In this work, we present a method for creating complex 3D sacrificial molds using an off-the-shelf water-soluble resin and a low-cost desktop 3D printer. This enables us to recreate parts of the cerebral arterial tree as a full-scale phantom model ($$10\times 6\times 4$$

10
×
6
×
4

cm) in transparent silicone rubber (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) from computed tomography angiography images (CTA). We analyzed the model with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and compared it with the patient data. The results show good agreement and smooth surfaces for the arteries. We also evaluate our method by looking at its capability to reproduce 1 mm channels and sharp corners. We found that round shapes are well reproduced, whereas sharp features show some divergence. Our method can fabricate a patient-specific phantom model with less than 2 h of total labor time and at a low fabrication cost.