bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the bi-directional relationship between blood mitochondrial DNA copy number and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a multivariable-adjusted regression and Mendelian randomisation study
Authors: Wang Wenyi , Luo Jiao , Willems van Dijk Ko , Hägg Sara , Grassmann Felix , `t Hart Leen M. , van Heemst Diana , Noordam Raymond 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Aims/hypothesis
Mitochondrial dysfunction, which can be approximated by blood mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN), has been implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Thus far, however, insights from prospective cohort studies and Mendelian randomisation (MR) analyses on this relationship are limited. We assessed the association between blood mtDNA-CN and incident type 2 diabetes using multivariable-adjusted regression analyses, and the associations between blood mtDNA-CN and type 2 diabetes and BMI using bi-directional MR.

Methods
Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the association between blood mtDNA-CN and incident type 2 diabetes in 285,967 unrelated European individuals from UK Biobank free of type 2 diabetes at baseline. Additionally, a cross-sectional analysis was performed to investigate the association between blood mtDNA-CN and BMI. We also assessed the potentially causal relationship between blood mtDNA-CN and type 2 diabetes (N=898,130 from DIAGRAM, N=215,654 from FinnGen) and BMI (N=681,275 from GIANT) using bi-directional two-sample MR.

Results
During a median follow-up of 11.87 years, 15,111 participants developed type 2 diabetes. Participants with a higher level of blood mtDNA-CN are at lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (HR 0.90 [95% CI 0.89, 0.92]). After additional adjustment for BMI and other confounders, these results attenuated moderately and remained present. The multivariable-adjusted cross-sectional analyses showed that higher blood mtDNA-CN was associated with lower BMI (−0.12 [95% CI −0.14, −0.10]) kg/m2. In the bi-directional MR analyses, we found no evidence for causal associations between blood mtDNA-CN and type 2 diabetes, and blood mtDNA-CN and BMI in either direction.

Conclusions/interpretation
The results from the present study indicate that the observed association between low blood mtDNA-CN and higher risk of type 2 diabetes is likely not causal.

Graphical abstract
Pre- and post-therapeutic evaluation of liver and spleen in type I and type III Gaucher’s disease using diffusion tensor imaging
Authors: Alnaghy Eman , Razek Ahmed Abdel , Abdelhalim Ebrahim 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Purpose
To assess the role of diffusion tensor imaging in assessing liver and splenic parenchymal infiltration in Gaucher’s disease (G.D.) type I and III before and after therapy.

Methods
A prospective study was conducted upon 28 consecutive patients with G.D. type I and III and 28 age and sex-matched controls. They underwent an MRI and DTI of the liver and spleen. Mean diffusivity (M.D.) and fractional anisotropy (F.A.) values of the liver and spleen were evaluated before and after treatment and compared with control.

Results
There was a statistically significant difference in the M.D. value of the liver and spleen between untreated patients and controls and between control and treated patients and in the M.D. value of the liver and spleen between untreated and treated patients. There is a statistically significant difference in the F.A. value of the liver and spleen between untreated patients and controls and in the F.A. value of the liver and spleen between untreated and treated patients. Hemoglobin level was positively correlated with the M.D. value of the spleen. Clinical score was negatively correlated with M.D. value of the spleen and was positively correlated with F.A. values of the liver and F.A. values of the spleen. Spleen volume was negatively correlated with M.D. values of the spleen.

Conclusion
Significant difference in M.D. and F.A. values of liver and splenic parenchyma in p
atients with type I and III G.D. and controls, and between untreated and treated patients. The M.D. and F.A. values were well correlated with some biomarkers of disease activity.
Summer temperature—but not growing season length—influences radial growth of Salix arctica in coastal Arctic tundra
Authors: Boyle Joseph S. , Angers-Blondin Sandra , Assmann Jakob J. , Myers-Smith Isla H. 
Published: July 2022

AbstractArctic climate change is leading to an advance of plant phenology (the timing of life history events) with uncertain impacts on tundra ecosystems. Although the lengthening of the growing season is thought to lead to increased plant growth, we have few studies of how plant phenology change is altering tundra plant productivity. Here, we test the correspondence between 14 years of Salix arctica phenology data and radial growth on Qikiqtaruk–Herschel Island, Yukon Territory, Canada. We analysed stems from 28 individuals using dendroecology and linear mixed-effect models to test the statistical power of growing season length and climate variables to individually predict radial growth. We found that summer temperature best explained annual variation in radial growth. We found no strong evidence that leaf emergence date, earlier leaf senescence date, or total growing season length had any direct or lagged effects on radial growth. Radial growth was also not explained by interannual variation in precipitation, MODIS surface greenness (NDVI), or sea ice concentration. Our results demonstrate that at this site, for the widely distributed species S. arctica, temperature—but not growing season length—influences radial growth. These findings challenge the assumption that advancing phenology and longer growing seasons will increase the productivity of all plant species in Arctic tundra ecosystems.
Effect of clay/nepheline tailing ratio on the dielectric relaxation and conduction mechanism of the conventional ceramic
Authors: Mahani Ragab M. , Omara ·Shereen 
Published: July 2022

AbstractThe dielectric relaxation and conduction mechanism of 40 wt% nepheline tailing and 60 wt% clay-based ceramic, i.e., the 40/60 ceramic, have been investigated over wide ranges of frequency and temperature, using a broadband dielectric spectrometer (BDS) and then compared with the data recently reported for the 50/50 ceramic. Both 40/60 and 50/50 ceramics were fabricated by grinding the raw materials to be very fine, wet homogenously mixing, drying and finally firing at 1200 °C. Their crystalline phases identified by X-ray diffraction were quartz, hematite, cristobalite, and albite. The 40/60 ceramic of lower glassy phase (nepheline tailing) content displays lower crystallinity than the 50/50 ceramic. Its conduction activation energies (Eac) show values between 0.12 and 0.32 eV, corresponding to the activation energy of oxygen vacancies (Vo++ ~ 0.22 eV). As oxygen vacancies migrate at relatively low operating voltages, the fabricated ceramics would be promising in manufacturing the random access memory (RAM), taking into consideration that the 50/50 ceramic is more useful than the 40/60 ceramic. As a result, nepheline tailing or the glassy phase component may generate more oxygen vacancies and thus enhance the ceramic electrical properties. Finally, the conduction mechanism of both ceramics is described via the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model.
Temporal and spatial summation of laser heat stimuli in cultured nociceptive neurons of the rat
Authors: Jubileum Elisabeth , Binzen Uta , Treede Rolf-Detlef , Greffrath Wolfgang 
Published: July 2022

AbstractWe studied the efficacy of a near-infrared laser (1475 nm) to activate rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons with short punctate radiant heat pulses (55 µm diameter) and investigated temporal and spatial summation properties for the transduction process for noxious heat at a subcellular level. Strength-duration curves (10–80 ms range) indicated a minimum power of 30.2mW for the induction of laser-induced calcium transients and a chronaxia of 13.9 ms. However, threshold energy increased with increasing stimulus duration suggesting substantial radial cooling of the laser spot. Increasing stimulus duration demonstrated suprathreshold intensity coding of calcium transients with less than linear gains (Stevens exponents 0.29/35mW, 0.38/60mW, 0.46/70mW). The competitive TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine blocked responses to short near-threshold stimuli and significantly reduced responses to longer duration suprathreshold heat. Heating 1/3 of the soma of a neuron was sufficient to induce calcium transients significantly above baseline (p < 0.05), but maximum amplitude was only achieved by centering the laser over the entire neuron. Heat-induced calcium increase was highest in heated cell parts but rapidly reached unstimulated areas reminiscent of spreading depolarization and opening of voltage-gated calcium channels. Full intracellular equilibrium took about 3 s, consistent with a diffusion process. In summary, we investigated transduction mechanisms for noxious laser heat pulses in native sensory neurons at milliseconds temporal and subcellular spatial resolution and characterized strength duration properties, intensity coding, and spatial summation within single neurons. Thermal excitation of parts of a nociceptor spread via both membrane depolarization and intracellular calcium diffusion.
Differential role of chronic liver diseases on the incidence of cancer: a longitudinal analysis among 248,224 outpatients in Germany
Authors: Loosen Sven H. , Schöler David , Luedde Mark , Eschrich Johannes , Luedde Tom , Kostev Karel , Roderburg Christoph 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Background
Chronic liver diseases, especially chronic hepatitis, are a known risk factor for the development of liver cancer. However, the risk of total cancer development and malignant potential from these diseases is largely unknown. Systematic data on the risk of cancer development from these diseases are missing. Therefore, the goal of this study is to analyze the risk of total cancer development in chronic liver diseases.

Methods
A cohort of 15,706 patients with chronic hepatitis and 15,706 patients without hepatitis were matched by propensity scoring from outpatient practices in Germany over a period of 15 years. Cox regression models were conducted to study the association between alcoholic hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and cancer incidence, including liver, other digestive organs, skin, prostate, breast and lymphoid and hematopoietic tissue cancer.

Results
Within 10 years of the index date, 19.3% of patients with alcoholic hepatitis and 13.4% of non-hepatitis individuals were diagnosed with cancer (log-rank p = 0.035). These proportions were 15.0 vs. 9.9% (p = 0.078) for autoimmune hepatitis, 8.7 vs. 7.1% (p = 0.015) for hepatitis B, and 12.7 vs. 7.6% (p < 0.001) for hepatitis C. In regression analyses, only alcoholic hepatitis (HR: 1.84, 95% CI 1.32–2.54) and hepatitis C (HR: 2.10, 95% CI 1.77–2.50) were significantly associated with increased risk of cancer. There was a very strong positive association between hepatitis C and liver cancer (HR: 78.2 (95% CI 10.9–560.7). Furthermore, hepatitis C was associated with an increased risk of respiratory organ cancer (HR: 2.59, 95% CI 1.42–4.73).

Conclusion
This study confirms the strong association between chronic hepatitis and liver cancer, but also with an overall elevated cancer risk, and especially of cancer in the respiratory tract in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Species-specific effects of ethanol concentration on host colonization by four common species of ambrosia beetles
Authors: Cavaletto Giacomo , Ranger Christopher M. , Reding Michael E. , Montecchio Lucio , Rassati Davide 
Published: July 2022

AbstractAmbrosia beetles (Coleoptera; Curculionidae; Scolytinae and Platypodinae) can cause severe damage to trees growing in plant nurseries, orchards and natural forests. Ethanol is emitted by stressed trees and represents an important cue used by ambrosia beetles to locate suitable hosts to infest. Ethanol also favors the growth of ambrosia beetles’ nutritional fungal symbionts and suppresses the growth of antagonistic fungi. An optimal concentration of ethanol in host tissues might maximize fungal growth and offspring production, but it is unclear if this optimal concentration varies among ambrosia beetle species. To investigate this mechanism, we injected five different concentrations of aqueous ethanol solution (5%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 90%) into the stems of container-grown oak trees, Quercus robur L. Modified Falcon tube chambers were used to confine four species of field-collected ambrosia beetles to the injected stems, namely, Anisandrus dispar, Xyleborinus saxesenii, Xylosandrus germanus, and Xylosandrus crassiusculus. Incidence of boring, ejected sawdust, gallery development, and offspring production were then quantified. The incidence of boring generally increased with increasing ethanol concentration for all four Scolytinae species tested. Ejected sawdust and offspring production increased with increasing ethanol concentration up to 90% for A. dispar and X. saxesenii; by contrast, an increasing trend up to 75% ethanol followed by a decrease at 90% ethanol was associated with X. germanus and X. crassiusculus. Our study highlights the key role of ethanol for ambrosia beetles, and showed that the optimal concentration maximizing colonization and offspring production can vary among species.
Trastuzumab therapy duration in HER2-positive de novo metastatic breast cancer: 1999–2018
Authors: Kaplan Henry G. , Malmgren Judith A. , Guo Boya , Atwood Mary K. 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Purpose
The optimal duration of first-line trastuzumab (T) treatment for de novo stage IV HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients after complete response (CR) is not known.

Methods
A retrospective cohort study of de novo stage IV HER2-positive MBC patients who had trastuzumab included in their initial treatment (n = 69), 1999–2018, was conducted with follow-up for CR, progressive disease (PD), vital status, and disease-specific survival (DSS). Statistics included Kaplan–Meier plots and Cox proportional hazards models.

Results
Mean trastuzumab treatment time was 4.1 years (range 0.1–15). 54% of patients experienced CR at average time 9 months on treatment (n = 37). Eight CR patients discontinued T treatment after 18 months average post-CR time (range 0–86) and twenty-nine stayed on T treatment post CR [average 65 months (range 10–170)]. Average follow-up was 6 years, range 1–15 years. 5-year DSS was 92% for CR on T patients (N = 29); 88% CR off T (n = 8); 73% No CR on T (n = 14); and 29% No CR off T (n = 18) (p < 0.001). In forward Cox proportional hazards modeling, CR = yes [HzR = 0.31, (95% CI 0.14, 0.73), p = 0.007], continuous T treatment > 2 years [HzR = 0.24, (95% CI 0.10, 0.62), p = 0.003], and age < 65 [HzR = 0.29, (95% CI 0.11, 0.81), p = 0.018] were significantly associated with better DSS.

Conclusion
Maximum trastuzumab treatment time to CR was 27 months with 2 or more years trastuzumab treatment independently associated with better survival. Survival comparisons and hazard modeling both indicate as good or better survival associated with continuous trastuzumab treatment regardless of CR status.
Word count (n = 250).
One Genus or Two? Evaluating Whether Gracile and Robust Capuchin Monkeys are Validly Classified as Separate Genera Based on Craniofacial Shape
Authors: Balolia Katharine L. , Wulff Alexandra 
Published: July 2022

AbstractAssessments of whether closely related species should be classified into more than one genus have been a longstanding source of controversy in primatology. For example, researchers hold differing opinions about whether cebine species should be classified into one or two genera. In this study, we investigated whether craniofacial shape is a reliable taxonomic indicator among cebines and statistically evaluated whether the magnitude of craniofacial shape differences observed among gracile and robust capuchin species is consistent with a two-genus taxonomic framework. We quantify craniofacial shape using 3D landmark data taken from 72 surface models, representing five cebine species (Cebus albifrons, C. capucinus, C. olivaceus, C. (Sapajus) libidinosus, and C. (S.) macrocephalus). We find that although statistically significant shape differences exist between gracile and robust capuchins in all four craniofacial regions investigated (face and palate, basicranium, calvarium, and frontal region of the calvarium), the magnitude of shape differences between species pairs does not support gracile and robust species being classified into separate genera. The shape of the frontal region of the calvarium and the face and palate show the highest magnitude of shape differences between the gracile and robust capuchin groups, and both regions are good taxonomic predictors, showing correct classification rates of 97% and 96%, respectively. At the species-level, face and palate shape is the only craniofacial measure that consistently shows high classification rates among species (84-97% for combined-sex analyses). Our findings suggest that robust capuchin species that are often assigned to Sapajus may be more appropriately considered as Cebus under a single-genus framework for cebines based on craniofacial shape evidence.
Flexible multimethod approach for seismic site characterization
Authors: Stephenson William J. , Yong Alan , Martin Antony 
Published: July 2022

AbstractWe describe the flexible multimethod seismic site characterization technique for obtaining shear-wave velocity (VS) profiles and derivative information, such as the time-averaged VS of the upper 30 m (VS30). Simply stated, the multimethod approach relies on the application of multiple independent noninvasive site characterization acquisition and analysis techniques utilized in a flexible field-based approach through a decision process based on primary factors such as the investigator’s available equipment, field logistics (e.g., available array deployment space, urban versus rural), geologic setting, and funding among other primary factors. In a multimethod approach, sites ideally should be characterized using both active and passive noninvasive (i.e., no drilling and only minimal disturbance to the ground surface) methods. Almost without exception, we recommend the use of at least one active-source technique for analyzing surface waves, which in the current state of practice would include one or more of the following: spectral analysis of surface waves (SASW; commonly Rayleigh waves) and multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW; Rayleigh and/or Love waves). In addition, passive-source microtremor array methods (MAMs) using linear (one-dimensional) and two-dimensional arrays may be appropriate or even required for characterizing a given site. Similarly, the microtremor horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (mHVSR) method thacan be valuable for identifying shallow rock sites. Finally, P- and SH-wave seismic refraction methods warrant consideration, especially at rock and shallow-rock sites.
Promoting Daily Well-being in Adolescents using mHealth
Authors: Mens Michelle M. J. , Keijsers Loes , Dietvorst Evelien , Koval Soldado , Legerstee Jeroen S. , Hillegers Manon H. J. 
Published: July 2022

AbstractAdolescents are at increased risk for developing mental health problems. The Grow It! app is an mHealth intervention aimed at preventing mental health problems through improving coping by cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-inspired challenges as well as self-monitoring of emotions through Experience Sampling Methods (ESM). Yet, little is known about daily changes in well-being and coping during a stressful period, like the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study aimed to elucidate daily changes in positive and negative affect, and adaptive coping, and to better understand the within-person’s mechanisms of the Grow It! app. The sample consisted of 12–25-year old Dutch adolescents in two independent cohorts (cohort 1: N = 476, Mage = 16.24, 76.1% female, 88.7% Dutch; cohort 2: N = 814, Mage = 18.45, 82.8% female, 97.2% Dutch). ESM were used to measure daily positive and negative affect and coping (cohort 1: 42 days, 210 assessments per person; cohort 2: 21 days, 105 assessments). The results showed that, on average, adolescents decreased in daily positive affect and adaptive coping, and increased in their experienced negative affect. A positive relation between adaptive coping and positive affect was found, although independent of the CBT-based challenges. Latent class analysis identified two heterogeneous trajectories for both positive and negative affect, indicating that the majority of participants with low to moderate-risk on developing mental health problems were likely to benefit from the Grow It! app.
Risky choice: Probability weighting explains independence axiom violations in monkeys
Authors: Ferrari-Toniolo Simone , Seak Leo Chi U. , Schultz Wolfram 
Published: July 2022

AbstractExpected Utility Theory (EUT) provides axioms for maximizing utility in risky choice. The Independence Axiom (IA) is its most demanding axiom: preferences between two options should not change when altering both options equally by mixing them with a common gamble. We tested common consequence (CC) and common ratio (CR) violations of the IA over several months in thousands of stochastic choices using a large variety of binary option sets. Three monkeys showed consistently few outright Preference Reversals (8%) but substantial graded Preference Changes (46%) between the initial preferred gamble and the corresponding altered gamble. Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) indicated that gamble probabilities predicted most Preference Changes in CC (72%) and CR (88%) tests. The Akaike Information Criterion indicated that probability weighting within Cumulative Prospect Theory (CPT) explained choices better than models using Expected Value (EV) or EUT. Fitting by utility and probability weighting functions of CPT resulted in nonlinear and non-parallel indifference curves (IC) in the Marschak-Machina triangle and suggested IA non-compliance of models using EV or EUT. Indeed, CPT models predicted Preference Changes better than EV and EUT models. Indifference points in out-of-sample tests were closer to CPT-estimated ICs than EV and EUT ICs. Finally, while the few outright Preference Reversals may reflect the long experience of our monkeys, their more graded Preference Changes corresponded to those reported for humans. In benefitting from the wide testing possibilities in monkeys, our stringent axiomatic tests contribute critical information about risky decision-making and serves as basis for investigating neuronal decision mechanisms.
Is Working from Home a Blessing or a Burden? Home Demands as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Work Engagement and Work-Life Balance
Authors: Ugwu Fabian Onyekachi , Enwereuzor Ibeawuchi K. , Mazei Jens 
Published: July 2022

AbstractAs COVID-19 pandemic made its incursion into the world of work in early 2020, many employees were compelled to work from home to slow down the transmission of the disease. Since then, it has been asked whether working from home is a blessing or a burden. We respond to this question by building on the Affective Events Theory to examine whether work engagement is related to work-life balance (WLB), and whether home demands mediate this relationship, using data from 219 knowledge workers drawn from universities in the South-eastern region of Nigeria primarily working from home when they were surveyed. Results of regression analysis using PROCESS macro showed that work engagement related positively to home demands; in turn, home demands related negatively to WLB. The results further revealed that work engagement related negatively to WLB and that home demands mediated the negative work engagement-WLB connection. Theoretical as well as practical implications of the study are discussed, limitations are highlighted, and suggestions for future research are outlined.