bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Developing a CRISPR‐assisted base‐editing system for genome engineering of Pseudomonas chlororaphis
Authors: Yue Sheng‐Jie , Huang Peng , Li Song , Cai Yu‐Yuan , Wang Wei , Zhang Xue‐Hong , Nikel Pablo I. , Hu Hong‐Bo 
Published: May 2022

SummaryPseudomonas chlororaphis is a non‐pathogenic, plant growth‐promoting rhizobacterium that secretes phenazine compounds with broad‐spectrum antibiotic activity. Currently available genome‐editing methods for P. chlororaphis are based on homologous recombination (HR)‐dependent allelic exchange, which requires both exogenous DNA repair proteins (e.g. λ‐Red–like systems) and endogenous functions (e.g. RecA) for HR and/or providing donor DNA templates. In general, these procedures are time‐consuming, laborious and inefficient. Here, we established a CRISPR‐assisted base‐editing (CBE) system based on the fusion of a rat cytidine deaminase (rAPOBEC1), enhanced‐specificity Cas9 nickase (eSpCas9ppD10A) and uracil DNA glycosylase inhibitor (UGI). This CBE system converts C:G into T:A without DNA strands breaks or any donor DNA template. By engineering a premature STOP codon in target spacers, the hmgA and phzO genes of P. chlororaphis were successfully interrupted at high efficiency. The phzO‐inactivated strain obtained by base editing exhibited identical phenotypic features as compared with a mutant obtained by HR‐based allelic exchange. The use of this CBE system was extended to other P. chlororaphis strains (subspecies LX24 and HT66) and also to P. fluorescens 10586, with an equally high editing efficiency. The wide applicability of this CBE method will accelerate bacterial physiology research and metabolic engineering of non‐traditional bacterial hosts.
Simplified Cross‐Validation in Principal Component Regression (PCR) and PCR‐Like Machine Learning for Water Supply Forecasting
Authors: Fleming Sean W. , Garen David C. 
Published: May 2022

AbstractCross‐validated principal component regression (PCR) is widely used in day‐to‐day operational forecasting systems for seasonal river runoff volume in western North America. Complexities are increasing in both predictor datasets (including climate‐science products) and in predictive models employed instead of linear regression within the PCR framework (including artificial intelligence), potentially complicating cross‐validation for model evaluation. We explored these issues with 300 modeling experiments on two high‐impact and hydroclimatically diverse basins in the western United States, the Truckee River (Sierra Nevada) and Rio Grande headwaters (southern Rockies), using five different PCR and PCR‐like machine learning models. The results suggest out‐of‐sample error is satisfactorily estimated by applying cross‐validation to only the final, supervised learning, step of PCR/PCR‐like procedures. The outcome facilitates streamlined algorithms and potentially reduced computational times for more complex emerging model architectures and datasets; provides reassurance around a possible inability to perform genuinely complete cross‐validation when predictors include certain complex and externally sourced data sources; and may reflect mitigation of overtraining by geophysical process‐informed model development protocols normally used during feature selection in operational water supply forecast (WSF). The results provide practical guidance helping support the design of next‐generation WSF models.
Survey of brachytherapy training experience among radiation oncology trainees and fellows in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR)
Authors: Ong Wee Loon , Byrne Adam , Chelvarajah Revadhi , Chong Caris , Gallo James , Kain Mollie , Khong Jeremy , O'Reilly Eileen , Udovicich Cristian , Weeransinghe Chamitha , Zhong Hu Ta‐chi , Bece Andrej 
Published: May 2022

AbstractIntroductionTo evaluate brachytherapy training experience among trainees and fellows trained through the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR).MethodsAll current trainees and fellows (who obtained fellowship from 2015 onwards) were sent an online anonymous questionnaire on various aspects of brachytherapy training, including number of cases observed/ performed, opinions on brachytherapy assessment during training, barriers to brachytherapy training and future role of brachytherapy.ResultsThe overall survey response rate was 24% (40/161 trainees, 30/126 fellows). Of the 70 respondents, 50 (71%), 38 (54%) and 43 (61%) reported to have received formal brachytherapy teaching from radiation oncologists, radiation therapists and medical physicists respectively. Most respondents had exposure to gynaecology brachytherapy – two‐thirds of trainees and all fellows have performed at least one gynaecology brachytherapy procedure. Prostate brachytherapy exposure was more limited – by the end of training, 27% and 13% of fellows did not have exposure to LDR and HDR prostate brachytherapy. More than two‐thirds indicated there should be a minimum number of brachytherapy case requirements during training, and half indicated that trainees should be involved in ≥6 gynaecology brachytherapy procedures. Barriers affecting training include lack of caseload (70%) and perceived decreasing role of brachytherapy (66%). Forty‐three percent of respondents were concerned about the decline in brachytherapy utilisation.ConclusionThis is the first survey on brachytherapy training experience among RANZCR trainees and fellows. It highlighted limited brachytherapy exposure during RANZCR training, and the need to revisit brachytherapy training requirement in the current training programme, along with long‐term brachytherapy workforce planning.
Association between the implementation of tobacco control policies and adolescent vaping in 44 lower‐middle, upper‐middle, and high‐income countries
Authors: Chan Gary C. K. , Gartner Coral , Lim Carmen , Sun Tianze , Hall Wayne , Connor Jason , Stjepanović Daniel , Leung Janni 
Published: May 2022

AbstractAimTo (i) estimate the prevalence of adolescent vaping in 47 lower‐middle, upper‐middle and high‐income countries, and (ii) test the association between implementation of World Health Organisation (WHO) tobacco control policies and adolescent e‐cigarette use (also known as vaping) in 44 countries where implementation data were available.DesignCross‐sectional surveys.SettingsA total of 47 lower‐middle, upper‐middle and high‐income countries.ParticipantsA total of 151 960 adolescents (typically ages 13–15) who participated in WHO's Global Youth Tobacco Survey between 2015 and 2018.MeasurementsPrevalence of past‐30‐day vaping and past 30‐day frequent vaping (≥10 days) were estimated from the surveys. Data on the implementation of six tobacco control measures including monitoring, smoke‐free policies, cessation programs, warning about the dangers of tobacco, advertising bans and taxation were taken from WHO's report on global tobacco epidemic.FindingsThe overall weighted prevalence of adolescent vaping and frequent vaping in the past 30 days was 8.6% (95% CI, 8.3‐8.9) and 1.7% (95% CI, 1.6‐1.8), respectively. For five of WHO's policies (monitoring, smoking‐free environment, cessation programs, health warning and advertising bans), their association with adolescent vaping was inconclusive because of large variation of their effects across countries. Higher tax on combustible tobacco products was associated with higher adolescent vaping (> = 75% tax vs < 25% tax; odds ratio = 2.58; 95% CI, 1.25‐5.21).ConclusionIn 47 lower‐middle, upper‐middle and high‐income countries from 2015 to 2018, ~1 in 12 (8.6%) adolescents reported vaping in the past 30 days, but prevalence of frequent vaping was low (1 in 60; 1.7%). A higher tobacco tax was associated with higher adolescent vaping.
Genome‐wide association study of three litter traits in Yorkshire pigs
Authors: Shi Lijun , Li Huihui , Gao Xuefeng , Wang Lixian 
Published: May 2022

AbstractLitter traits are important in the development of production and economic profits of pigs. The object of this study was to perform genome‐wide association studies (GWASs) for the total number born (TNB), number born alive (NBA) and number born healthy (NBH) traits in a Yorkshire population. By mixed model, we conducted GWASs with gcta software, and in total identified 3, 7 and 12 significant SNPs associated with TNB, NBA and NBH respectively: one on Sus scrofa chromosome (SSC) 2 (p = 7.03 × 10−5), one on SSC4 (p = 8.53 × 10−5), two on SSC 6 (p = 9.27 × 10−5 to 9.64 × 10−5), nine on SSC 8 (p = 1.53 × 10−5 to 8.52 × 10−5), four on SSC 14 (p = 2.17 × 10−5 to 6.79 × 10−5), and one on SSC 15 (p = 9.30 × 10−5). We screened for flanking regions ±1 Mb nearby or within the significant SNPs, and found 203 candidate genes, including 53 for TNB, 71 for NBA and 112 for NBH. In conclusion, our findings show the significant SNPs with candidate genes for the TNB, NBA and NBH traits in Yorkshire pigs.
DRD4 polymorphism associated with greater positive affect in response to negative and neutral social stimuli
Authors: Gilman T. Lee , Ford Matthew T. , Jasnow Aaron M. , Coifman Karin G. 
Published: May 2022

AbstractDespite the robustness of DRD4 polymorphism associations with brain‐based behavioral characteristics in candidate gene research, investigations have minimally explored associations between these polymorphisms and emotional responses. In particular, the prevalent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) ‐521C/T (rs1800955) in the promoter region of DRD4 remains unexplored relative to emotions. Here, two independent samples were evaluated using different emotion elicitation tasks involving social stimuli: Study 1 (N = 120) evoked positive and negative emotional responses to validated film clips; Study 2 (N = 122) utilized Cyberball to simulate social rejection and acceptance. Across studies, C/C individuals self‐reported higher mean positive affect scores using Likert scales versus T carrier individuals, selectively when presented with neutral or negative (but not positive) social stimuli. The consistent findings across these two studies supports a functional consequence of this DRD4 SNP on emotion processing during changing social contexts. Continued investigation will help clarify if a C/C genotype enhances positive emotions under negative circumstances, or if the presence of the T allele reduces positive emotions, and how rs1800955 behavioral associations might generalize across different demographics. Future studies could also reveal if this SNP interacts with other changing environmental conditions to affect emotional responses, such as social limitations during the COVID‐19 pandemic.
The role of hypothermic machine perfusion in selecting renal grafts with advanced histological score
Authors: Ruberto Franco , Lai Quirino , Piazzolla Mario , Brisciani Matteo , Pretagostini Renzo , Garofalo Manuela , Giovanardi Francesco , Nudo Francesco , Poli Luca , Zullino Veronica , Santopietro Pietro , Rossi Massimo , Berloco Pasquale B. , Pugliese Francesco 
Published: May 2022

AbstractBackgroundFew studies explored the role of hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) in the sub‐group of non‐standard renal grafts with a biopsy‐proven advanced histological impairment. This study aimed to investigate the role of HMP in grafts with a Karpinski Score >3 in terms of the need for dialysis, creatinine reduction ratio at day‐7 (CRR7), and 3‐year graft survival.MethodsTwenty‐three perfused grafts with Karpinski Score >3 evaluated between November 2017 and December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed and compared with a control group of 32 non‐perfused grafts transplanted between January 2014 and October 2017.ResultsAfter transplantation, perfused grafts had fewer cases requiring dialysis (8.7% vs. 34.4%; p = 0.051), a better reduction in serum creatinine (median at 7 days: 2.2 vs. 4.3 mg/dl; p = 0.045), and shorter length of hospital stay (median 11 vs. 15 days; p = 0.01). Three‐year death‐censored graft survival was better in the perfused cases (91.3% vs. 77.0%; p = 0.16).In perfused grafts, initial renal resistance (RR) had the best predictive value for renal function recovery after the first week, as defined by CRR7 ≤ 70% (AUC = 0.83; p = 0.02). A cut‐off value of 0.5 mm Hg/ml/min showed a sensitivity of 82.4%, a specificity of 83.3%, and diagnostic odds ratio = 23.4. After dividing the entire population into a Low‐RR (n = 8) and a High‐RR Group (n = 15), more cases with CRR7 ≤ 70% were reported in the latter group (86.7 vs. 13.3%; p = 0.03).ConclusionHMP yielded promising results in kidneys with Karpinski Score >3. Initial RR should be of interest in selecting non‐standard organs for single kidney transplantation even in impaired histology.
Development of positive intergroup emotions amongst youth in contexts affected or threatened by conflict
Authors: Čehajić‐Clancy Sabina 
Published: May 2022

AbstractSocial‐psychological research has established the importance of positive emotions for creating and maintaining positive intergroup relations in contexts affected or threatened by conflict (intergroup reconciliation). Building on existing body of evidence, we conceptualised intergroup reconciliation as a process aimed at regulating negative intergroup emotions such as hatred and creating more positive and relationship functional emotions such as trust. This review presents theoretical and empirical insights into the emotion regulation perspective on intergroup reconciliation. Regulation of negative intergroup emotions amongst youths affected by conflict is feasible through social‐psychological interventions.
Association of ICT utilization level and life satisfaction of people with disabilities: Focus on differences in disability type
Authors: Baek Sehyun , Lee Sungkyu , Lee Shin Young 
Published: May 2022

AbstractUsing a nationally representative sample in Korea, this study examined the association of information and communication technology (ICT) utilization level and the life satisfaction of people with disabilities and the variations by disability type. Data were obtained from the second wave of the 2021 Survey on the Digital Divide, administered by the Korean National Information Society Agency (N = 2200 persons with disabilities). Study findings reveal that ICT utilization level has a significant association with the life satisfaction of people with disabilities, regardless of the disability type. In addition, the level of disability was related to the life satisfaction of people with physical disabilities only, while income was associated with the life satisfaction of people with physical disabilities and brain lesion disabilities. Based upon these results, this study discussed practical and policy implications for people with disabilities, particularly focusing on the methods to increase to increase the level of ICT utilization.
The role of the audit committee in enhancing the credibility of CSR disclosure: Evidence from STOXX Europe 600 members
Authors: Dwekat Aladdin , Meqbel Rasmi , Seguí‐Mas Elies , Tormo‐Carbó Guillermina 
Published: May 2022

AbstractThis study examines the influence of audit committee attributes, namely financial expertise, independence, meeting frequency and size, on the adoption of CSR assurance. The study also offers insight into the effect of audit committee attributes on the scope and level of CSR assurance and the selection of CSR assurance providers. Contextually, this is achieved using a sample of European companies listed on the STOXX 600 index over the period 2012–2018. The findings show that attributes related to audit committee financial expertise, audit committee independence and audit committee meeting frequency and the existence of a CSR committee, are positively linked with the adoption of CSR assurance. Moreover, our empirical analysis further highlights the critical role of audit committee financial expert members in enhancing the scope and level of CSR assurance. Furthermore, audit committee with more frequent meetings lead to higher assurance scopes. Our findings offer significant and multidimensional insights for regulators, policymakers and professionals, regarding the revision and establishment of regulations concerning the audit committee structure.
Gender diversity on boards for organizational impression management: An empirical study of Japanese firms
Authors: Min Jungwon 
Published: May 2022

AbstractThe literature on gender diversity on corporate boards is growing, yet firms' motivation for achieving such diversity remains underexplored. This study examines the potential objective behind appointing female directors that could be driven by organizational impression management based on the hypothesis that firms strategically propose to nominate female directors when they need to form a favorable impression to their stakeholders, especially in relation to executive compensation. This study analyzed annual shareholders meeting agendas for 3585 listed Japanese firms between 2011 and 2020 and found that firms placed female director appointments on the meeting agenda when they needed approval for the revision of executive compensation. This tendency was strengthened for firms with more outside directors. This study's approach and findings contribute to the literature on corporate board gender diversity by suggesting organizational impression management as a potential strategic motivation behind the appointment of female directors.
Neogene sediment provenance and paleogeography of SE Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Nugraha Abang Mansyursyah Surya , Hall Robert 
Published: May 2022

AbstractNeogene syn‐and post‐orogenic sedimentary rocks in Sulawesi are important to understand the history of collision of Australian continental crust with SE Asia. However, they have received relatively little attention, and have generally been considered to be molasse‐type deposits of similar characteristics across Sulawesi—the Celebes Molasse. New field sedimentological observations, results from heavy mineral studies and detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology, together with conventional sandstone petrography identify three important provenance shifts, that can be correlated with significant tectonic events and enable the reconstruction of the Neogene palaeogeography of SE Sulawesi. The first provenance shift was related to the Early Miocene collision of Australian crust and the North Sulawesi volcanic arc, accompanied by ophiolite emplacement in East Sulawesi, marked by a change from pre‐collision carbonates to ultramafic‐rich clastics of the Bungku Formation. A second change in the Late Miocene was marked by input of abundant metamorphic detritus including blueschists into the Pandua Formation indicating exhumation of Oligo‐Miocene subduction zone material. The third provenance change, of Mio‐Pliocene age, was from the ophiolite‐ and blueschist‐rich Pandua Formation to the quartz‐rich Langkowala Formation, and records blocking of the ophiolite debris pathways by the rise and progressive unroofing of low‐ to high‐grade metamorphic rocks. The Neogene sedimentary rocks of SE Sulawesi record Early Miocene collision and ophiolite emplacement, followed by extension which led to exhumation of Mesozoic and metamorphic rocks, driven by Banda subduction rollback.
Structure‐based discovery of Licoflavone B and Ginkgetin targeting c‐Myc G‐quadruplex to suppress c‐Myc transcription and myeloma growth
Authors: Liu Linlin , Geng Xiaoju , Zhang Jinyuan , Li Shihao , Gao Jian 
Published: May 2022

AbstractG‐quadruplex (G4), present in the c‐Myc promoter, has emerged as an attractive cancer‐specific molecular target for drug development. So, the discovery of small molecules to stabilize c‐Myc‐G4 to inhibit transcription of c‐Myc protein is of great significance. Herein, a combined molecular docking‐based virtual screening strategy, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and molecular mechanics/generalized Born surface area (MM/GBSA) free energy calculation was conducted on the existing L6000 Natural Compound Library. Four natural compounds, including Licoflavone B, Demethyleneberberine, Ginkgetin, and Mulberroside C, were predicted to have preferable binding affinities to c‐Myc G4 and then selected for commercial purchase and experimental evaluation. Compounds Licoflavone B and Ginkgetin can significantly inhibit myeloma cell proliferation, with IC50 values <8 μM against the RPMI‐8226 cell line. Moreover, our data demonstrated that the two compounds could simultaneously downregulate c‐Myc transcription and expression. Collectively, compounds Licoflavone B and Ginkgetin might be regarded as new candidates for the development of the more potent c‐Myc‐G4 stabilizers in the future.
Quad‐fisheye Image Stitching for Monoscopic Panorama Reconstruction
Authors: Cheng Haojie , Xu Chunxiao , Wang Jiajun , Zhao Lingxiao 
Published: May 2022

AbstractMonoscopic panorama provides the display of omnidirectional contents surrounding the viewer. An increasingly popular way to reconstruct a panorama is to stitch a collection of fisheye images. However, such non‐planar views may result in problems such as distortions and boundary irregularities. In most cases, the computational expense for stitching non‐planar images is also too high to satisfy real‐time applications. In this paper, a novel monoscopic panorama reconstruction pipeline that produces better quad‐fisheye image stitching results for omnidirectional environment viewing is proposed. The main idea is to apply mesh deformation for image alignment. To optimize inter‐lens parallaxes, unwarped images are firstly cropped and reshuffled to facilitate the circular environment scene composition by the seamless ring‐connection of the panorama borders. Several mesh constraints are then adopted to ensure a high alignment accuracy. After alignment, the boundary of the result is rectified to be rectangular to prevent gapping artefacts. We further extend our approach to video stitching. The temporal smoothness model is added to prevent unexpected artefacts in the panoramic videos. To support interactive applications, our stitching algorithm is programmed using CUDA. The camera motion and average gradient per video frame are further calculated to accelerate for synchronous real‐life panoramic scene reconstruction and visualization. Experimental results demonstrate that our method has advantages in respects of alignment accuracy, adaptability and image quality of the stitching result.
Combining donor derived cell free DNA and gene expression profiling for non‐invasive surveillance after heart transplantation
Authors: Henricksen Erik J. , Moayedi Yasbanoo , Purewal Saira , Twiggs Julien Valverde , Waddell Kian , Luikart Helen , Han Jiho , Feng Kent , Wayda Brian , Lee Roy , Shudo Yasuhiro , Jimenez Shirin , Khush Kiran K. , Teuteberg Jeffrey J. 
Published: May 2022

AbstractBackgroundDonor‐derived cell free DNA (dd‐cfDNA) and gene expression profiling (GEP) offer noninvasive alternatives to rejection surveillance after heart transplantation; however, there is little evidence on the paired use of GEP and dd‐cfDNA for rejection surveillance.MethodsA single center, retrospective analysis of adult heart transplant recipients. A GEP cohort, transplanted from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2017 and eligible for rejection surveillance with GEP was compared to a paired testing cohort, transplanted July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2020, with surveillance from both dd‐cfDNA and GEP. The primary outcomes were survival and rejection‐free survival at 1 year post‐transplant.ResultsIn total 159 patients were included, 95 in the GEP and 64 in the paired testing group. There were no differences in baseline characteristics, except for less use of induction in the paired testing group (65.6%) compared to the GEP group (98.9%), P < .01. At 1‐year, there were no differences between the paired testing and GEP groups in survival (98.4% vs. 94.7%, P = .23) or rejection‐free survival (81.3% vs. 73.7% P = .28).ConclusionsCompared to post‐transplant rejection surveillance with GEP alone, pairing dd‐cfDNA and GEP testing was associated with similar survival and rejection‐free survival at 1 year while requiring significantly fewer biopsies.