bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Scaling‐down biopharmaceutical production processes via a single multi‐compartment bioreactor (SMCB)
Authors: Gaugler Lena , Mast Yannic , Fitschen Jürgen , Hofmann Sebastian , Schlüter Michael , Takors Ralf 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBiopharmaceutical production processes often use mammalian cells in bioreactors larger than 10,000 L, where gradients of shear stress, substrate, dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide, and pH are likely to occur. As former tissue cells, producer cell lines such as Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells sensitively respond to these mixing heterogeneities, resulting in related scenarios being mimicked in scale‐down reactors. However, commonly applied multi‐compartment approaches comprising multiple reactors impose a biasing shear stress caused by pumping. The latter can be prevented using the single multi‐compartment bioreactor (SMCB) presented here. The exchange area provided by a disc mounted between the upper and lower compartments in a stirred bioreactor was found to be an essential design parameter. Mimicking the mixing power input at a large scale on a small scale allowed the installation of similar mixing times in the SMCB. The particularities of the disc geometry may also be considered, finally leading to a converged decision tree. The work flow identifies a sharply contoured operational field comprising disc designs and power input to install the same mixing times on a large scale in the SMCB without the additional shear stress caused by pumping. The design principle holds true for both nongassed and gassed systems.
Performance‐based design of tall‐coupled cross‐laminated timber wall building
Authors: Teweldebrhan Biniam Tekle , Tesfamariam Solomon 
Published: March 2022

AbstractGrowing demand in sustainable high‐rise timber structures is satisfied by proposing innovative structural systems that enhance the building's stiffness, strength, and energy‐dissipation capacity. This study propose and develop the performance‐based design (PBD) guideline for balloon type cross‐laminated timber (CLT) coupled wall (CLT‐CW) structure. In this system, the CLT shear‐walls are connected with energy dissipation coupling beams that comprise shear‐links and in return reduce the seismic demand of the system. To facilitate the desired rocking deformation mode of CLT shear‐wall panels, buckling‐restrained brace (BRB) hold‐downs are used. Utility of the proposed system and design is applied on a 20‐story balloon CLT‐CW system. To investigate the effect of coupling ratio () on the behavior of the system, five values (10%–50%) are used. Nonlinear and incremental dynamic analyses (IDAs) are performed using suitable set of 30 ground motion (GM) records that reflects the seismicity of Vancouver, Canada. Fragility curves are developed and compared considering both the collapse and non‐collapse limit states. The results show that, for a given CLT‐CW system, a system with higher value exhibits better seismic performance.
Urinary free cortisol and childhood maltreatments in eating disorder patients: New evidence for an ecophenotype subgroup
Authors: Meneguzzo Paolo , Mancini Cecilia , Terlizzi Samira , Sales Chiara , Francesconi Maria Federica , Todisco Patrizia 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIntroductionIncreasing neurobiological evidence has suggested the presence of a specific ecophenotype in people with eating disorders (EDs) linked to early maltreatment. Urinary‐free cortisol could strengthen the data and show specific relationships between maltreated subtypes and the hormonal profiles of patients with EDs. This study aims to evaluate the presence of different urinary cortisol in drug‐free patients in the acute phase of the disorder and its relationship with childhood maltreatment.MethodsA sample of 78 female patients with ED is included in the study. Childhood maltreatment history and 24‐h urinary free cortisol (24‐h UFC) are evaluated at a specialised ED ward admission.ResultsPatients with a maltreatment history show more blunted 24‐h UFC levels than peers without childhood maltreatment (p = 0.001). Regression analysis showed that child abuse is a predictor of the reduction of 24‐h UFC (p < 0.001), with physical abuse (p = 0.011) and sexual abuse (p = 0.050) that could have a more specific impact than other maltreatment subtypes.DiscussionChildhood maltreatment should be evaluated in ED patients due to its biological impact on the hormonal stress axis, which could impair the ability of patients to respond to standardized ED treatment.
Pulse injection simulation based on the coupling of transient flow in tubing and fracture propagation in reservoirs
Authors: Zhu Ge , Dong Shimin , Ma Biao 
Published: March 2022

AbstractPulse injection can reduce the maximum operating pressure at the wellhead, which is conducive to solving the operational difficulties caused by the high breakdown pressure. The new injection mode causes a transient fluid flow in the tubing, and it interacts with the initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures. However, there is still a lack of theoretical models to consider the above factors so that its mechanism cannot be explained. In this study, the transient flow model in the tubing was first established. Subsequently, the fracture propagation model was completed based on particle flow code (PFC). Moreover, the transient flow model was embedded into the PFC simulation software via its code script FISH. Finally, their coupled simulation model was established. Based on this model, the effects of injection flow rates on the fluid pressure in the tubing and the initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures were discussed. Furthermore, the influence of parameters in the pulse injection scheme on the maximum wellhead pressure was studied by the orthogonal design method. The results show that with the increase of the injection flow rate, the fluid pressurization rate in the tubing and the fracture propagation rate both raise, which also causes a significant increase of the maximum wellhead pressure. Compared with a stable injection mode, pulse injection can evidently reduce the maximum wellhead pressure. The influence degree of each parameter on the maximum wellhead pressure in the pulse scheme is as follows: t2 > Δq > Δt4 > Δt5 > Δt3. The research results of this paper have guiding significance for the engineering application and parameter design of pulse injection hydraulic fracturing.
A novel method for estimating connectivity‐based parcellation of the human brain from diffusion MRI: Application to an aging cohort
Authors: Coelho Ana , Magalhães Ricardo , Moreira Pedro S. , Amorim Liliana , Portugal‐Nunes Carlos , Castanho Teresa , Santos Nadine Correia , Sousa Nuno , Fernandes Henrique M. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractConnectivity‐based parcellation (CBP) methods are used to define homogenous and biologically meaningful parcels or nodes—the foundations of brain network fingerprinting—by grouping voxels with similar patterns of brain connectivity. However, we still lack a gold standard method and the use of CBPs to study the aging brain remains scarce. Our study proposes a novel CBP method from diffusion MRI data and shows its potential to produce a more accurate characterization of the longitudinal alterations in brain network topology occurring in aging. For this, we constructed whole‐brain connectivity maps from diffusion MRI data of two datasets: an aging cohort evaluated at two timepoints (mean interval time: 52.8 ± 7.24 months) and a normative adult cohort—MGH‐HCP. State‐of‐the‐art clustering techniques were used to identify the best performing technique. Furthermore, we developed a new metric (connectivity homogeneity fingerprint [CHF]) to evaluate the success of the final CBP in improving regional/global structural connectivity homogeneity. Our results show that our method successfully generates highly homogeneous parcels, as described by the significantly larger CHF score of the resulting parcellation, when compared to the original. Additionally, we demonstrated that the developed parcellation provides a robust anatomical framework to assess longitudinal changes in the aging brain. Our results reveal that aging is characterized by a reorganization of the brain's structural network involving the decrease of intra‐hemispheric, increase of inter‐hemispheric connectivity, and topological rearrangement. Overall, this study proposes a new methodology to perform accurate and robust evaluations of CBP of the human brain.
Using child‐friendly movie stimuli to study the development of face, place, and object regions from age 3 to 12 years
Authors: Kamps Frederik S. , Richardson Hilary , Murty N. Apurva Ratan , Kanwisher Nancy , Saxe Rebecca 
Published: March 2022

AbstractScanning young children while they watch short, engaging, commercially‐produced movies has emerged as a promising approach for increasing data retention and quality. Movie stimuli also evoke a richer variety of cognitive processes than traditional experiments, allowing the study of multiple aspects of brain development simultaneously. However, because these stimuli are uncontrolled, it is unclear how effectively distinct profiles of brain activity can be distinguished from the resulting data. Here we develop an approach for identifying multiple distinct subject‐specific Regions of Interest (ssROIs) using fMRI data collected during movie‐viewing. We focused on the test case of higher‐level visual regions selective for faces, scenes, and objects. Adults (N = 13) were scanned while viewing a 5.6‐min child‐friendly movie, as well as a traditional localizer experiment with blocks of faces, scenes, and objects. We found that just 2.7 min of movie data could identify subject‐specific face, scene, and object regions. While successful, movie‐defined ssROIS still showed weaker domain selectivity than traditional ssROIs. Having validated our approach in adults, we then used the same methods on movie data collected from 3 to 12‐year‐old children (N = 122). Movie response timecourses in 3‐year‐old children's face, scene, and object regions were already significantly and specifically predicted by timecourses from the corresponding regions in adults. We also found evidence of continued developmental change, particularly in the face‐selective posterior superior temporal sulcus. Taken together, our results reveal both early maturity and functional change in face, scene, and object regions, and more broadly highlight the promise of short, child‐friendly movies for developmental cognitive neuroscience.
COVID‐19 associated EBV reactivation and effects of ganciclovir treatment
Authors: Meng Mei , Zhang Sheng , Dong Xuan , Sun Wenqing , Deng Yunfeng , Li Wenzhe , Li Ranran , Annane Djillali , Wu Zhixiong , Chen Dechang 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundSystemic reactivation of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) may occur in novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). However, the clinical consequences of EBV reactivation remain uncertain.MethodsIn this retrospective study, we screened 1314 patients with confirmed COVID‐19 who died or were discharged between January 1, 2020 and March 12, 2020, in Wuhan Infectious Disease Hospital, Wuhan, China. Patients who had complete data for EBV serology and cytomegalovirus (CMV) serology were eligible. Serum levels of viral capsid antigen (VCA)‐immunoglobulin G (IgG), Epstein–Barr nuclear antigen‐IgG, VCA‐IgM, early antigen (EA)‐IgG, CMV‐IgG, and CMV‐IgM were compared between survivors and nonsurvivors. Dynamic changes of laboratory tests and outcomes were compared in patients with and without ganciclovir treatment. We used 1:1 matching based on age, gender, and illness severity to balance baseline characteristics.ResultsEBV reactivation was present in 55 of 217 patients. EBV reactivation was associated with age (57.91 [13.19] vs. 50.28 [12.66] years, p < .001), female gender (31 [56%] vs. 60 [37%], p = .02). Patients with EBV reactivation have statistically nonsignificant higher mortality rate (12 [22%] vs. 18 [11%], p = .08). EA‐IgG levels were significantly higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors (median difference: −0.00005, 95% confidence interval, CI [−3.10, 0.00], p = .05). As compared to patients with COVID‐19 who did not receive ganciclovir therapy, ganciclovir‐treated patients had improved survival rate (0.98, 95% CI [0.95, 1.00] vs. 0.88, 95% CI [0.81, 0.95], p = .01). Hemoglobin (p < .001) and prealbumin (p = .02) levels were significantly higher in ganciclovir‐treated patients.ConclusionA high proportion of COVID‐19 patients had EBV reactivation that may be associated with an increased risk of death. Whether treatment with ganciclovir may decrease the mortality of COVID‐19 patients complicated with EBV reactivation warrants to be addressed in a placebo‐controlled randomized trial in the future.
The effects of taxes and stock repurchases on domestic and multinational companies’ debt levels
Authors: Liu Hanni 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIn past decades, corporate debt levels have risen to historical highs and remained elevated. This study examines one of the key reasons that caused the high debt levels––income taxes. Specifically, this study contrasts the effects of tax planning on corporate debt levels in domestic companies (DCs) and multinational companies (MNCs) in the United States. It also explores how stock repurchase enhances such effects. The findings show that the association between debts and the outcomes of tax of planning is stronger in DCs than in MNCs. This suggests that DCs are more likely to use debt tax shields than MNCs. In addition, compared to tax‐efficient DCs, tax‐efficient MNCs are more likely to borrow in order to repurchase stock, resulting high debt levels. Moreover, the study provides evidence that the credit rating adjusts DCs’ and MNCs’ credit ratings when they raise debts to repurchase stocks.
Clinical value of serum JKAP in acute ischemic stroke patients
Authors: Zhang Jianli , Yang Jing , Hu Jingchun , Zhao Weiwei 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundJun N‐terminal kinase pathway‐associated phosphatase (JKAP) regulates neuronal function, T helper (Th) 1/2/17 cell differentiation, and inflammatory process, but its clinical role in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients remains unclear. Hence, this study intended to evaluate JKAP level and its relationship with disease severity, Th1, 2, 17 secreted cytokines, adhesion molecules, and prognosis of AIS patients.MethodsSerum JKAP of 122 AIS patients and 50 controls was detected by ELISA. For AIS patients only, Th1, 2, 17 secreted cytokines IFN‐γ, IL‐4, IL‐17; TNF‐α, ICAM‐1, and VCAM‐1 were also detected by ELISA.ResultsJKAP was decreased in AIS patients compared with controls (46.350 (interquartile range (IQR): 34.250–59.875) pg/ml vs. 84.500 (IQR: 63.175–113.275) pg/ml, p < 0.001), which could distinguish AIS patients from controls (area under curve (AUC): 0.810, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.732–0.888). In AIS patients, JKAP negatively linked with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (rs = −0.342, p < 0.001); besides, it was positively related to IL‐4 (rs = 0.213, p = 0.018) and negatively associated with IL‐17 (rs = −0.270, p = 0.003) but not related to IFN‐γ (rs = −0.146, p = 0.109). Furthermore, elevated JKAP associated with declined TNF‐α (rs = −0.219, p = 0.015) and ICAM‐1 (rs = −0.235, p = 0.009) but not related to VCAM‐1 (rs = −0.156, p = 0.085). Besides, declined JKAP was linked with 2‐year recurrence (p = 0.027) and 3‐year recurrence (p = 0.010) in AIS patients; while JKAP was not related to 1‐year recurrence or death risk (both p > 0.050).ConclusionJKAP may sever as a candidate prognostic biomarker in AIS patients, indicating its potency for AIS management.
The application of certified reference materials for clinical mass spectrometry
Authors: Lingxiao Shen , Jinfei Ma , Qingqing Yang , Pengyun Liu , Huafen Liu 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundIn the application process of clinical mass spectrometry, there are difficulties such as standardization, low degree of automation, complex instruments, and high requirements for operations, which will affect the accuracy and comparability of results. Reference materials are one of the major approaches to achieve measurement accuracy and metrological comparability.MethodsBased on the problems of reference materials in clinical mass spectrometry, the precautions for the use of reference materials are summarized in the aspects of measurement method validation, calibrator usage, and quality control in this article. Additionally, combined with the previous experience of the author's laboratory, the operation mode and acceptance criteria of the new calibration solution lot replacement were formulated to ensure the continuous comparability of the measurement system.ConclusionCarefully understand and correctly regulate the use and management of reference materials to ensure the accuracy of test results, thereby improving the comparability and consistency of results between laboratories.
Abnormal expression of histone acetylases in CD8+ T cells of patients with severe aplastic anemia
Authors: Qi Weiwei , Zhang Yu , Wang Yachen , Wang Huaquan , Fu Rong , Shao Zonghong 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIntroductionWe aimed to investigate the balance between the mRNA levels of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) in CD8+ T cells of patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA).MethodsTwenty untreated SAA patients, 18 remission SAA patients (R‐SAA), and 22 normal controls were evaluated. The mRNA expression levels of HATs, HDACs, and IFNG in CD8+ T cells were measured by real‐time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.ResultsHistone acetylase EP300 and CREBBP mRNA levels were significantly elevated in CD8+ T cells of SAA patients compared with the normal controls (both p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in HDAC1 and HDAC7 mRNA between SAA patients and the normal controls. There was an obvious positive correlation between IFNG and EP300 (r = 0.5126, p < 0.01), and CREBBP (r = 0.4663, p < 0.05), respectively, in SAA and R‐SAA patients. In addition, EP300 and CREBBP mRNA levels were clearly correlated with clinical parameters of peripheral blood and bone marrow in those patients.ConclusionOur findings suggest that EP300 and CREBBP are increased in CD8+ T cells of SAA patients and are correlated with disease severity. The imbalances in HATs and HDACs may play a role in activating CD8+ T cells to promote the immune pathogenesis of SAA.
Barriers, support, and resilience of prospective first‐in‐family university students: Australian high school educators' perspective
Authors: Pires Charmian M. , Chapin Laurie A. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractFirst‐in‐family (FiF) university students—or first generation students—are recognised to have disadvantages and lack social and cultural capital compared with non‐FiF students. The challenges FiF students encounter at university are well understood, however, their journey begins while still in high school. We call this high school cohort prospective FiF (PFiF) students and young people whose parents never attended university. This qualitative study explored the perspectives of 10 high school educators from Melbourne, Australia about the barriers and supports PFiF students encounter as they navigate the path to university. Participants identified that family inexperience, unsupportive attitudes at home and at school, lack of financial capacity and invisibility represented barriers. However, participants also explained that PFiF students can be resilient and motivated, especially when combined with appropriate support from schools, family, and university programmes. The findings highlight the challenges for PFiF and bring much‐needed attention to their challenges and needs in the early transition to higher education.
Virtual aids and students’ performance with haptic simulation in implantology
Authors: Vincent Marin , Giess Renaud , Balthazard Rémy , Tran Nguyen , Mortier Éric , Joseph David 
Published: March 2022

AbstractObjetivesThis study aims to validate that haptic simulator assistance could improve drilling ability in implantology and that the repetition of training session could highlight a learning curve.MethodsThis work was carried out with 88 first‐year dental students. After randomization, students were divided into two groups. Group 1 was assigned to prepare an implant site for a left first mandibular molar (36) on haptic simulator with assistance provided by simulator. Group 2 had to perform the same exercise without assistance. Whatever the group, the maximum time for each reparation was restricted to 5 min. An interval of 1 week was done between each session. For each test, different objective parameters provided by the simulator were recorded and analyzed.ResultsThis study showed that the presence of virtual aids led to quickly obtain better results, and the training led to gradually acquire sufficient competence to do without virtual aids.ConclusionBy associating virtual assistance and repetition, the student will acquire more quickly the skills allowing to carry out his clinical gestures in real conditions.
How aerobic exercise improves executive function in ADHD children: A resting‐state fMRI study
Authors: Jiang Kaihua , Xu Yue , Li Yamin , Li Lin , Yang Mingmei , Xue Peng 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe aim of the study is to explore the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) characteristics of the improvement in executive function by aerobic exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Seventeen children with ADHD were selected for 8 weeks of rope skipping aerobic training, and fMRI findings and executive function were examined before and after training. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and degree centrality (DC) indexes were used in fMRI analysis, whereas the flanker task was used to test executive function. A paired t test was used to compare the fMRI indexes and response time of executive function before and after training. After aerobic exercise, the brain regions in which the ReHo value of ADHD children significantly increased included the left middle frontal gyrus and the right superior frontal gyrus; the brain region in which the DC value increased was the right posterior cingulate cortex. The flanker task response time decreased significantly (P < 0.05, after correction) after aerobic exercise. The study findings support the hypothesis that aerobic exercise can improve the executive function of ADHD children, and the brain mechanism involved is mainly related to the enhancement of spontaneous prefrontal lobe activity.
Effectiveness of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in preventing pneumonia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Tsunoda Hideki , Okami Yukiko , Honda Yuki , Shiroshita Akihiro , Kataoka Yuki , Tsujimoto Yasushi , Matsumura Kazuhiro 
Published: March 2022

AbstractWe performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to re‐evaluate the effectiveness of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE‐I) in the reduction of pneumonia risk. We searched relevant publications in five databases. All studies included patients older than 18 years, who had used ACE‐I as an intervention, and had assessed pneumonia. Seven RCTs (n = 8704) and 38 observational studies (n = 1,705,030) were included. The overall risk of bias was high. ACE‐I‐treated patients were associated with a slightly lower risk of pneumonia, both from pooled estimates of RCTs [pooled odds ratio (OR), 0.75; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.62–0.90; low certainty of evidence] and observational studies (pooled OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78–0.92; very low certainty of evidence). Considering the small effect size of ACE‐I in preventing pneumonia and the low quality of the evidence, routine use of ACE‐I for pneumonia prevention is not recommended.