bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
VItamin K In PEritonial DIAlysis (VIKIPEDIA): Rationale and study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Roumeliotis Stefanos , Roumeliotis Athanasios , Georgianos Panagiotis I. , Thodis Elias , Schurgers Leon J. , Maresz Katarzyna , Eleftheriadis Theodoros , Dounousi Evangelia , Tripepi Giovanni , Mallamaci Francesca , Liakopoulos Vassilios 
Published: August 2022

Vascular calcification (VC) is an active process, resulting from the disturbance of balance between inhibitors and promoters of calcification, in favor of the latter. Matrix Gla Protein, a powerful inhibitor of VC, needs vitamin K to become active. In vitamin K depletion, plasma levels of the inactive form of MGP, dephosphorylated, uncarboxylated MGP (dp-ucMGP) are increased and associated with VC and cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients have increased circulating dp-ucMGP levels and accelerated VC. VItamin K In PEritoneal DIAlysis (VIKIPEDIA) is a prospective, randomized, open label, placebo-controlled trial, evaluating the effect of vitamin K2 supplementation on arterial stiffness and CV events in ESRD patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). Forty-four PD patients will be included in the study. At baseline, dp-ucMGP and pulse-wave velocity (PWV) will be assessed and then patients will be randomized (1:1 ratio) to vitamin K (1000 μg MK-7/day) or placebo for 1.5 years. The primary endpoint of this trial is the change in PWV in the placebo group as compared to the treatment group. Secondary endpoints are the occurrence of CV events, mortality, changes in PD adequacy, change in 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure indexes and aortic systolic blood pressure and changes in calcium/phosphorus/parathormone metabolism. VIKIPEDIA is a new superiority randomized, open label, placebo-controlled trial aiming to determine the effect of vitamin K2 supplementation on VC, CV disease and calcium/phosphorus metabolism, in PD patients.
Trial registration: The protocol of this study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with identification number NCT04900610 (25 May 2021).
Traumatic brain injury in the elderly after a skiing accident: A retrospective cohort study in a level 1 emergency department in Switzerland
Authors: Consuegra Alberto , Lutz Katharina , Exadaktylos Aristomenis K. , Z’Graggen Werner J. , Hasler Rebecca M. 
Published: August 2022

Background
Skiing is a very popular sport worldwide, with increasing trends over the past decades. This study aimed to evaluate the importance of traumatic brain injury (TBI), especially in the elderly, after a ski accident, and to describe its short-term repercussions.

Methodology
Patients were analyzed who were admitted to our neurotrauma center from 2012–2018 after a head trauma while skiing. Three different age groups were differentiated and analyzed for the severity of TBI depending on the initial Glasgow Coma Scale as the primary outcome and as secondary outcomes need and type of surgery, Glasgow Outcome Score, preexisting use of anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs, time to presentation, and pattern of brain injury. TBI severity was adjusted to the time to initial medical consultation.

Results
No significant difference in TBI severity was found when comparing the middle (>29–54) and older (≥54) age groups to the reference group <30 years (OR:0.45, p = 0.127; OR:0.46, p = 0.17). Acute subdural hemorrhage was present in 21.2% of the ≥55 group and 14.5% of the 30–54 age group, compared to 12.8% of the youngest group (p = <0.001). Overall, 39.4% of the patients in the ≥55 group and 8.1% of the 30–54 age group presented with chronic subdural hemorrhage, whereas none of the youngest patients did (p = <0.001).

Conclusion
No differences were observed in terms of TBI severity between age groups after acute trauma. Nonetheless, a different pattern of head injury after TBI in older patients was demonstrated. Accordingly, the management differs for these TBIs compared to those of younger patients.
Ellipsometry study of the infrared-active phonon modes in strained SrMnO3 thin films
Authors: Marsik Premysl , de Andrés Prada Roberto , Daniil Andreana , Bernhard Christian 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
We performed infrared and time-domain terahertz spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements of thin films of the perovskite antiferromagnetic insulator SrMnO3 that were grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on LaAlO3, SrLaGaO4, and LSAT substrates which yield an epitaxial strain ranging from −0.3 to 1.7%. Taking these thin films as a representative example, we discuss the strategies for analyzing the ellipsometry spectra and extracting the information about the thin film dielectric response that can be equally applied to a variety of oxide based thin films and heterostructures. In particular, for the room temperature spectra we show that the three infrared-active phonon modes of the cubic perovskite structure of SrMnO3 undergo the expected softening with increasing tensile strain. For the SrMnO3 film on SrLaGaO4, we find that the low-energy (TO1) phonon mode reveals anomalous temperature dependence in the vicinity of the Néel temperature of about 170 K that signifies a strong spin-phonon coupling. For the SrMnO3 film on LSAT, we identify some irreversible changes of the infrared ellipsometry spectra that occur as the sample is heated to elevated temperature up to 560 K. These changes of the ellipsometry spectra have been attributed to a partial oxygen loss of the SrMnO3 thin film since they can be reverted with a post annealing treatment under high oxygen pressure.
Aberrant pulmonary immune response of obese mice to periodontal infection
Authors: Zhou Wei , Xuan Dongying , Yu Ting , Zhang Jincai 
Published: August 2022

AbstractObesity and periodontitis constitute mutual risk factors in respiratory disorders; this study aimed to explore the pulmonary immune response to periodontal infection using combined animal models with diet-induced obesity (DIO). Thirty-two C57 BL/6J mice were randomly divided into low-fat (LF) or high-fat (HF) diet groups and fed an LF diet as a control or an HF diet to induce obesity. The 30-week mice in the diet group were divided into periodontal ligation group (10 days usingPorphyromonas gingivalisATCC 33277) or sham-ligation group. The expressions of the macrophage-specific maker (F4/80), macrophage chemotactic protein1 (MCP1), and inflammatory cytokines in lung tissues were analyzed. The mRNA and protein levels of F4/80, MCP1, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 expressions were significantly upregulated by obesity in lung tissues. However, the mRNA and protein levels of F4/80, MCP1, and IL-6 were downregulated by periodontitis in DIO mice relative to that of the HF control group. Periodontitis increased tumor necrosis factor-α level of lung tissues under LF, while IL-10 was not affected by obesity regardless of periodontitis. Periodontitis may aggravate pulmonary immune response in obese rodents. This may relate to the imbalance of the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine status of lung lesions, which tends to attenuate the infiltration of alveolar macrophages.
Risk prioritization model driven by success factor in the light of multicriteria decision making
Authors: Tomak Necmiye , Polat Tulay Korkusuz 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Some factors in the product development process can increase success. Evaluating the risks and success factors is necessary for a more successful product development process. Some inadequacies arise in classical risk assessment methods due to the subjective nature of likelihood and severity ratings. Different probability and impact values can give the same risk size. Due to these inadequacies, doubts about the accuracy of risk prioritization may arise. In this study, a new risk prioritization model is proposed to eliminate these doubts and to consider their contribution to the success of the process they affect while prioritizing the risks, with a detailed literature review and the support of the experts of the applied company, the risks affecting the product development process. The importance levels of risks and success factors were calculated using the analytical hierarchy process. With the proposed model, unlike the classical method, when calculating the risk size, the risk weight and the total score from the success factors are added to the likelihood and severity values of the risk. Thus, companies will obtain more detailed and objective results, considering success factors and risk importance levels, and use the resources they allocate for risk reduction activities more efficiently.
miR-21-3p and miR-192-5p in patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Akpınar Kadriye , Aslan Diler , Fenkçi Semin Melahat , Caner Vildan 
Published: August 2022

Abstract

Objectives
Microribonucleic acids (microRNA/miRNA/miR-) are predicted to be useful in the early diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of diabetic nephropathy (DN). We aimed to investigate the relationship of DN to miR-21-3p, miR-29a-3p, miR-29b-3p, miR-29c-3p, miR-126-3p, miR-129-1-3p, miR-137, miR-192-5p, miR-212-3p, and miR-320c.

Methods
There were 50 healthy controls and 100 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The diabetic patients were divided into three subgroups: normal to mildly increased (A1, n=51), moderately increased (A2, n=25), and severely increased (A3, n=24) albuminuria. The biochemical measurements were analysed using Roche Cobas 8000. The plasma miRNAs were analysed using RT-qPCR based on SYBR green chemistry.

Results
The relative expression of miR-21-3p was significantly lower in the (A3 p=0.005, 6.6-fold decrease) and DN (A1 + A3) (p=0.005, 6.6-fold decrease) groups compared to the controls. The relative expression of miR-192-5p was also significantly lower in the DN group (p=0.027, 2.4-fold decrease) compared to the controls. The area under curve value was 0.726 for miR-21-3p and 0.717 for miR-192-5p for distinguishing the DN group from the controls.

Conclusions
The decreased expressions of miR-21-3p and miR-192-5p are associated with the development of DN and may be potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis of DN.
Approaching the world of non-human experience: Unnatural ways of worldmaking in Ian McEwan’s fiction
Authors: Biwu Shang 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
The past two decades witnessed an increasing interest in literary worldmaking. This paper begins with examining the current models of worldmaking, in particular, the model of the phenomenological, the constructive, the cognitive psychological, the media, the narratological, and the ethical. In doing so, it reveals their shared feature of the human-centred view and mimetic bias. Against the backdrop of the non-human turn in the 21st century, it questions the generally accepted assumption that “the representation of human experience is the central aim of narrative” (Fludernik 1996: 51) and gears scholarly attention to non-human agents in literature and their contribution to constructing the non-human world. Drawing on insights from unnatural narratology, it aims to go beyond the existing mimetic paradigm by proposing the unnatural ways of worldmaking. Taking cues of the narrative function of worldmaking and focusing on the non-human character in particular, it delves into three types of non-human worlds in Ian McEwan’s fiction, namely the world of a fetus in The Nutshell (2016), the world of a machine in Machines Like Me (2019), and the world of a metamorphosized being in The Cockroach (2019). Arguably, by projecting the non-human world and representing the non-human experience, unnatural narrative works invite readers to address such questions as what to do with non-human world, how it is made, and ultimately what it means to humans.
Evolution of a theranostic applicator for microwave ablation treatment
Authors: Hessinger Carolin , Hübner Frank , Schüßler Martin , Paravicini Markus , Ketomäki Markus , Vogl Thomas , Jakoby Rolf 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
The purpose of this work is to further develop a novel dual-mode microwave applicator for diagnosis and thermal ablation treatment. The MR-compatible MW applicator enables differentiation of tumor tissue and healthy tissue through dielectric contrast measurements, optimizing the positioning of the applicator in the lesion. Due to the robust applicator design and the resulting permittivity tracking during ablation, even carbonized tissue can be detected. The use of operating frequencies between 5 and 10 GHz allow a noticeably lower power consumption for microwave ablation of only 20 W compared to commercially available applicators. Clinically relevant dimensions of ablation zones can be achieved and additionally monitored using MR imaging and thermometry.
A narrative review of nine commercial point of care influenza tests: an overview of methods, benefits, and drawbacks to rapid influenza diagnostic testing
Authors: Morehouse Zachary P. , Chance Nathan , Ryan Gabriella L. , Proctor Caleb M. , Nash Rodney J. 
Published: August 2022

Abstract

Context
Rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) are becoming increasingly accurate, available, and reliable as the first line of testing when suspecting influenza infections, although the global burden of influenza infections remains high. Rapid diagnosis of influenza infections has been shown to reduce improper or delayed treatment and to increase access to diagnostic measures in public health, primary care, and hospital-based settings.

Objectives
As the use of RIDTs continues to expand in all healthcare settings, there is a multitude of molecular techniques being employed by these various testing platforms. With this in mind, we compare the sensitivity, specificity, and time to diagnosis for nine highly utilized commercial RIDTs.

Methods
Nine commercially available RIDTs were identified from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, which were also referenced on PubMed by name within the title or abstract of peer-reviewed publications examining the sensitivity and specificity of each test against a minimum of three influenza A virus (IAV) strains as well as seasonal influenza B virus (IBV). Data from the peer-reviewed publications and manufacturers’ websites were combined to discuss the sensitivity, specify, and time to diagnosis associated with each RIDT.

Results
The sensitivity and specificity across the examined RIDTs were greater than 85.0% for both IAV and IBV across all platforms, with the reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays maintaining sensitivity and specificity greater than 95.0% for all viruses tested. However, the RT-PCR platforms were the longest in time to diagnosis when compared to the other molecular methods utilized in the examined RIDTs.

Conclusions
Herein, we discussed the benefits and limitations of nine commercially available RIDTs and the molecular techniques upon which they are based, showing the relative accuracy and speed of each test for IAV and IBV detection as reported by the peer-reviewed literature and commercial manufacturers.
Relationship between dental caries and saliva’s visfatin levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant status (TOS)
Authors: Hataysal Ahmet Ercan , Ünlü Ali , Paydas Hataysal Esra , Abusoglu Sedat , Ünlü Nimet 
Published: August 2022

Abstract

Objectives
Dental caries is a multifactorial infectious disease caused by the colonization and proliferation of bacteria in the mouth. Recently, it has been reported that local antioxidant and oxidant status may play an important role in the pathogenesis of dental caries. Visfatin is an adipocytokine that enhances leukocyte activation and release of proinflammatory cytokines. In this study, our aim was to investigate the salivary visfatin levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and total oxidant status (TOS) in patients with and without dental caries.

Methods
Saliva samples were collected from 50 caries-free individuals and 115 patients with dental caries who were admitted to Selcuk University Restorative Dentistry Clinics. Saliva samples were collected based on the stimulated saliva collection procedure. Visfatin levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Spectrophotometric methods were used to determine salivary TAC and TOS.

Results
Salivary TAC, TOS, and visfatin levels were statistically higher in patients with dental caries compared to caries-free group (p=0.035; p=0.003; p<0.001 respectively). There was a positive correlation between caries number and salivary TOS and visfatin levels.

Conclusions
Findings of this prospective study demonstrated that oxidative stress may be involved in the pathogenesis of dental caries. Salivary visfatin, TAC, and TOS may be novel markers to evaluate dental caries.
Behavioral Forgetting of Olfactory Learning Is Mediated by Interneuron-Regulated Network Plasticity inCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Teo Jamine Hooi-Min , Kurokawa Itsuki , Onishi Yuuki , Sato Noriko , Kitazono Tomohiro , Tokunaga Terumasa , Fujiwara Manabi , Ishihara Takeshi 
Published: August 2022

AbstractForgetting is important for animals to manage acquired memories to enable adaptation to changing environments; however, the neural network in mechanisms of forgetting is not fully understood. To understand the mechanisms underlying forgetting, we examined olfactory adaptation, a form of associative learning, inCaenorhabditis elegans. The forgetting of diacetyl olfactory adaptation inC. elegansis regulated by secreted signals from AWC sensory neurons via the TIR-1/JNK-1 pathway. These signals cause a decline of the sensory memory trace in AWA neurons, where diacetyl is mainly sensed. To further understand the neural network that regulates this forgetting, we investigated the function of interneurons downstream of AWA and AWC neurons. We found that a pair of interneurons, AIA, is indispensable for the proper regulation of behavioral forgetting of diacetyl olfactory adaptation. Loss or inactivation of AIA caused the impairment of the chemotaxis recovery after adaptation without causing severe chemotaxis defects in the naive animal. AWA Ca2+imaging analyses suggested that loss or inactivation of AIA interneurons did not affect the decline of the sensory memory trace after the recovery. Furthermore, AIA responses to diacetyl were observed in naive animals and after the recovery, but not just after the conditioning, suggesting that AIA responses after the recovery are required for the chemotaxis to diacetyl. We propose that the functional neuronal circuit for attractive chemotaxis to diacetyl is changed temporally at the recovery phase so that AIA interneurons are required for chemotaxis, although AIAs are dispensable for attractive chemotaxis to diacetyl in naive animals.
Uncovering the Locus of Object-Context-Based Modulations in Depth Processing Using Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Authors: Wong Nicole H. L. , Chang Dorita H. F. 
Published: August 2022

AbstractNeural responses of dorsal visual area V7 and lateral occipital complex (LOC) have been shown to correlate with changes in behavioral metrics of depth sensitivity observed as a function of object context, although it is unclear as to whether the behavioral manifestation results from an alteration of early depth-specific responses in V7 or arises as a result of alterations of object-level representations at LOC that subsequently feed back to affect disparity readouts in dorsal cortex. Here, we used online transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to examine the roles of these two areas in giving rise to context–disparity interactions. Stimuli were disparity-defined geometric objects rendered as random-dot stereograms, presented in geometrically plausible and implausible variations. Observers’ sensitivity to depth (depth discrimination) or object identity (plausibility discrimination) was indexed while receiving repetitive TMS at one of the two sites of interest (V7, LOC) along with a control site (Cz). TMS over LOC produced results no different from TMS over baseline Cz (and prior no-TMS behavioral work). That is, depth sensitivity was higher for implausible versus plausible objects. Strikingly, TMS over V7 abolished differences in depth sensitivity for implausible versus plausible objects. V7 serves as a key locus in bringing stereosensitivity changes because of object context, perhaps by reweighing stereoscopic data en route to informing object–motoric interactions.
The glucagon receptor antagonist LY2409021 does not affect gastrointestinal-mediated glucose disposal or the incretin effect in individuals with and without type 2 diabetes
Authors: Hædersdal Sofie , Lund Asger , Nielsen-Hannerup Elisabeth , Maagensen Henrik , Forman Julie L , Holst Jens J , Knop Filip K , Vilsbøll Tina 
Published: August 2022

AbstractObjectiveGastrointestinal-mediated glucose disposal (GIGD) during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) reflects the percentage of glucose disposal caused by mechanisms elicited by the oral route of glucose administration. GIGD is reduced in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) due to a reduced incretin effect and possibly also due to inappropriate suppression of glucagon after oral glucose. We investigated the effect of glucagon receptor antagonism on GIGD, the incretin effect and glucose excursions in patients with T2D and controls without diabetes.DesignA double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled crossover study was conducted.MethodsTen patients with T2D and 10 gender-, age- and BMI-matched controls underwent two 50 g OGTTs and 2 isoglycaemic i.v. glucose infusions, succeeding (~10 h) single-dose administration of 100 mg of the glucagon receptor antagonist LY2409021 or placebo, respectively.ResultsCompared to placebo, LY2409021 reduced fasting plasma glucose in patients with T2D and controls. Plasma glucose excursions after oral glucose assessed by baseline-subtracted area under the curve were increased by LY2409021 compared to placebo in both groups, but no effect of LY2409021 on GIGD or the incretin effect was observed. LY2409021 increased fasting glucagon concentrations three-fold compared to placebo concentrations.ConclusionsGlucagon receptor antagonism with LY2409021 had no effect on the impaired GIGD or the impaired incretin effect in patients with T2D and did also not affect these parameters in the controls. Surprisingly, we observed reduced oral glucose tolerance with LY2409021 which may be specific for this glucagon receptor antagonist.
Huelga sobre la reforma fiscal en Costa Rica
Authors: Mora Solano Sindy 
Published: August 2022

En el año 2019, gracias a la motivación de la Dra. Ciska Raventós Vorst, profesora jubilada de la Universidad de Costa Rica, un grupo de personas interesadas en el estudio de la protesta y los movimientos sociales, así como participantes en la huelga en contra del Plan Fiscal del año 2018, empezamos a conversar sobre este evento político. Con el convencimiento de que la huelga en contra del Plan Fiscal, que se desarrolló a inicios de la administración de Carlos Alvarado Quesada (2018-2022), es uno de los fenómenos políticos que condensan las fracturasde la Costa Rica actual, surgió la propuesta de preparar una serie de reflexiones con el objetivo de ofrecerlas a quienes tuvieran interés en la huelga.