bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Decreased Aviation Leads to Increased Ice Crystal Number and a Positive Radiative Effect in Cirrus Clouds
Authors: Zhu Jialei , Penner Joyce E. , Garnier Anne , Boucher Olivier , Gao Meng , Song Lei , Deng Junjun , Liu Cong‐qiang , Fu Pingqing 
Published: March 2022

AbstractTravel restrictions in the wake of the COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in an unprecedented decrease of 73% in global flight mileage in April–May 2020 compared to 2019. Here we examine the CALIPSO satellite observations and do not find a significant increase in ice crystal number concentrations (Ni) in cirrus clouds in the mid‐latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, which might be expected due to an increase in homogeneous freezing when soot from aircraft emissions is reduced. Nevertheless this result is consistent with our model simulations, so do not rule out a positive forcing if reductions in aircraft emissions continue. A relatively small positive global average radiative effect of 21 mW m−2 is estimated if a decrease in aircraft traffic continues, with an average of up to 64 mW m−2 over the area where aviation is most active. We infer from this analysis that the worldwide adoption of biofuel blending in aircraft fuels that lead to smaller soot emissions could lead to a significant change in the microphysical properties of cirrus clouds but a rather small positive radiative effect.
A qualitative exploration of decisions about dental recall intervals - part 2: perspectives of dentists and patients on the role of shared decision making in dental recall decisions
Authors: Scott Hannah , Cope Anwen L. , Wood Fiona , Joseph-Williams Natalie , Karki Anup , Roberts Emyr M. , Lovell-Smith Candida , Chestnutt Ivor G. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIntroduction Patients are sensitive to both the frequency and costs of dental recall visits. Shared decision making (SDM) is a principle of patient-centred care, advocated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and policymakers, whereby joint decisions are made between clinicians and patients.Aims To explore NHS dentists' and patients' attitudes towards SDM in decisions about recall interval.Methods Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 25 NHS patients and 25 NHS general dental practitioners in Wales, UK. Transcripts were thematically analysed.Results While many patients would be happy to accept changes to their recall interval, most wanted to be seen at least annually. Most patients were willing to be guided by their dentist in decisions about recall interval, as long as consideration was given to issues such as time, travel and cost. This contrasted with the desire to actively participate in decisions about operative treatment. Although the dentists' understanding of SDM varied, practitioners considered it important to involve patients in decisions about their care. However, dentists perceived that time, patient anxiety and concerns about potential adverse outcomes were barriers to the use of SDM.Conclusions Since there is uncertainty about the most clinically effective and cost-effective dental recall strategy, patient preference may play a role in these decisions.
Near-atomic structure of the inner ring of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae nuclear pore complex
Authors: Li Zongqiang , Chen Shuaijiabin , Zhao Liang , Huang Guoqiang , Pi Xiong , Sun Shan , Wang Peiyi , Sui Sen-Fang 
Published: March 2022

AbstractNuclear pore complexes (NPCs) mediate bidirectional nucleocytoplasmic transport of substances in eukaryotic cells. However, the accurate molecular arrangement of NPCs remains enigmatic owing to their huge size and highly dynamic nature. Here we determined the structure of the asymmetric unit of the inner ring (IR monomer) at 3.73 Å resolution by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy, and created an atomic model of the intact IR consisting of 192 molecules of 8 nucleoporins. In each IR monomer, the Z-shaped Nup188–Nup192 complex in the middle layer is sandwiched by two approximately parallel rhomboidal structures in the inner and outer layers, while Nup188, Nup192 and Nic96 link all subunits to constitute a relatively stable IR monomer. In contrast, the intact IR is assembled by loose and instable interactions between IR monomers. These structures, together with previously reported structural information of IR, reveal two distinct interaction modes between IR monomers and extensive flexible connections in IR assembly, providing a structural basis for the stability and malleability of IR.
MiR-206 conjugated gold nanoparticle based targeted therapy in breast cancer cells
Authors: Chaudhari Ramesh , Nasra Simran , Meghani Nikita , Kumar Ashutosh 
Published: March 2022

AbstractMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded, non-coding, 19–25 nucleotide RNA molecules that have been observed to be dysregulated in many diseases including cancer. miRNAs have been known to play an important role in cellular proliferation, differentiation, migration, apoptosis, survival, and morphogenesis. Breast cancer is heterogeneous in nature and contributed extensively to the increased mortality rate. miRNA can either be tumor-suppressive or oncogenic in nature. The level of expression of miRNA changes according to the subtypes of cancer and the mutation responsible for different cancers. miRNA mimicry or inhibition are emerging possible therapies to maintain the level of miRNA inside the cells. In order to have proper miRNA mimicry, the major hurdle is to deliver the miRNA mimics at the site of tumor. Metallic nanoparticles with modified surface can be used to solve the problem of miRNA delivery. MiR-206 is reported to be down-regulated in Luminal-A type of breast cancer. In the current manuscript, we aim to modify the surface of gold-nanoparticles (AuNPs) with PEG moiety and allow miRNA to attach to it. The fabricated nano-complex, not only delivered miR-206 but also caused cell death in MCF-7 by arresting cells in the G0-G1 phase and inducing apoptosis by downregulating NOTCH 3.
Assessing radiomics feature stability with simulated CT acquisitions
Authors: Flouris Kyriakos , Jimenez-del-Toro Oscar , Aberle Christoph , Bach Michael , Schaer Roger , Obmann Markus M. , Stieltjes Bram , Müller Henning , Depeursinge Adrien , Konukoglu Ender 
Published: March 2022

AbstractMedical imaging quantitative features had once disputable usefulness in clinical studies. Nowadays, advancements in analysis techniques, for instance through machine learning, have enabled quantitative features to be progressively useful in diagnosis and research. Tissue characterisation is improved via the “radiomics” features, whose extraction can be automated. Despite the advances, stability of quantitative features remains an important open problem. As features can be highly sensitive to variations of acquisition details, it is not trivial to quantify stability and efficiently select stable features. In this work, we develop and validate a Computed Tomography (CT) simulator environment based on the publicly available ASTRA toolbox (www.astra-toolbox.com). We show that the variability, stability and discriminative power of the radiomics features extracted from the virtual phantom images generated by the simulator are similar to those observed in a tandem phantom study. Additionally, we show that the variability is matched between a multi-center phantom study and simulated results. Consequently, we demonstrate that the simulator can be utilised to assess radiomics features’ stability and discriminative power.
Discovery of calcium-binding peptides derived from defatted lemon basil seeds with enhanced calcium uptake in human intestinal epithelial cells, Caco-2
Authors: Kheeree Norhameemee , Kuptawach Kittisak , Puthong Songchan , Sangtanoo Papassara , Srimongkol Piroonporn , Boonserm Patamalai , Reamtong Onrapak , Choowongkomon Kiattawee , Karnchanatat Aphichart 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIt is anticipated that calcium-chelating peptides may serve to enhance the absorption of calcium. This research examined defatted lemon basil seeds (DLBS) which had been treated with Alcalase under optimized parameters for the degree of hydrolysis for proteolysis, discovering that the activity for calcium-binding in a competitive condition with phosphate ion was 60.39 ± 1.545%. The purification of the hydrolysates was performed via ultrafiltration along with reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Determination of the purified peptide amino acid sequence was confirmed for both peptides and reported as Ala-Phe-Asn-Arg-Ala-Lys-Ser-Lys-Ala-Leu-Asn-Glu-Asn (AFNRAKSKALNEN; Basil-1), and Tyr-Asp-Ser-Ser-Gly-Gly-Pro-Thr-Pro-Trp-Leu-Ser-Pro-Tyr (YDSSGGPTPWLSPY; Basil-2). The respective activities for calcium-binding were 38.62 ± 1.33%, and 42.19 ± 2.27%. Fluorescence spectroscopy, and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were employed in order to assess the chelating mechanism between calcium and the peptides. It was found that the calcium ions took place through the activity of the amino nitrogen atoms and the oxygen atoms on the carboxyl group. Moreover, both of these peptides served to improve calcium transport and absorption in Caco-2 cell monolayers, depending on the concentration involved. It was revealed that the peptide-calcium complexes offered an increased calcium absorption percentage when compared to free calcium at similar concentrations. It might be concluded that the peptide within the peptide-calcium complex can promote calcium absorption through both active and passive transport pathways by increasing calcium concentration and promoting cell membrane interaction. Accordingly, DLBS protein can be considered a strong potential source of protein which can be used to produce calcium-binding peptides and might therefore play a role in the production of nutraceutical foods as a bioactive ingredient.
A sonographic software program, Fluctuational Imaging, for diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma
Authors: Imamura Hiroshi , Hata Jiro 
Published: March 2022

AbstractHepatic hemangioma is the most common benign solid lesion of the liver. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is recommended for definitive diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma. However, these modalities have drawbacks in terms of radiation exposure, invasiveness, and high cost for examination. “Fluttering sign” is one of the candidate findings considered specific for hepatic hemangioma that can be useful for diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma using grayscale US alone. However, the assessment is subjective and the findings are weak and likely to be overlooked in some cases. We developed a software program, Fluctuational Imaging, for objective detection and depiction of “fluttering sign”. Here, we evaluated the ability of Fluctuational Imaging software to depict “fluttering sign” in hepatic hemangioma. Presence or absence of “fluttering sign” was evaluated in the grayscale US videos and Fluctuational Imaging software analysis results of patients with hepatic hemangioma. The Cohen’s kappa test showed very good agreement (0.95). Fluctuational Imaging software can detect and depict the phenomenon of “fluttering sign” well and may be a useful tool for diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma.
Muscle wasting assessment tools for prostate cancer
Authors: Espinosa-Marrón Alan , Rubio-Blancas Aquiles , Quiñones-Capistran Christian Aníbal , Camacho-Zamora Anais , Salcedo-Grajales Itzel , Bravo-García Ana Paula , Bourlon Maria T. , Castillejos-Molina Ricardo A. , Dias Julie-Alexia , del Pilar Milke-García María 
Published: March 2022

AbstractProstate cancer and its treatment may induce muscle wasting. Body composition and muscle functionality are rarely assessed in patients with prostate cancer from developing countries due to the limited availability of high-quality equipment for routine diagnosis. This cross-sectional study evaluated the association between several simplistic techniques for assessing muscle mass and function with a more complex standard of reference for muscle wasting among Mexican men with prostate cancer. Muscle wasting was highly prevalent, yet it was presumably associated with aging rather than cancer and its treatment itself. The restricted availability of specific equipment in clinical settings with technological limitations supports using unsophisticated techniques as surrogate measurements for muscle wasting. The left-arm handgrip dynamometry displayed the highest correlation with the standard of reference and exhibited an acceptable predicted probability for muscle estimation. Combining several simplistic techniques may be preferable. We also developed and internally validated a manageable model that helps to identify elderly patients with prostate cancer at risk of muscle depletion and impairment. These findings promote the early recognition and treatment of muscle wasting alterations occurring among older adults with prostate cancer.
A high-throughput real-time PCR tissue-of-origin test to distinguish blood from lymphoblastoid cell line DNA for (epi)genomic studies
Authors: Hardy Lise M. , Bouyacoub Yosra , Daunay Antoine , Sahbatou Mourad , Baudrin Laura G. , Gressin Laetitia , Touvier Mathilde , Blanché Hélène , Deleuze Jean-François , How-Kit Alexandre 
Published: March 2022

AbstractLymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) derive from blood infected in vitro by Epstein–Barr virus and were used in several genetic, transcriptomic and epigenomic studies. Although few changes were shown between LCL and blood genotypes (SNPs) validating their use in genetics, more were highlighted for other genomic features and/or in their transcriptome and epigenome. This could render them less appropriate for these studies, notably when blood DNA could still be available. Here we developed a simple, high-throughput and cost-effective real-time PCR approach allowing to distinguish blood from LCL DNA samples based on the presence of EBV relative load and rearranged T-cell receptors γ and β. Our approach was able to achieve 98.5% sensitivity and 100% specificity on DNA of known origin (458 blood and 316 LCL DNA). It was further applied to 1957 DNA samples from the CEPH Aging cohort comprising DNA of uncertain origin, identifying 784 blood and 1016 LCL DNA. A subset of these DNA was further analyzed with an epigenetic clock indicating that DNA extracted from blood should be preferred to LCL for DNA methylation-based age prediction analysis. Our approach could thereby be a powerful tool to ascertain the origin of DNA in old collections prior to (epi)genomic studies.
Assessment of immunogenicity and drug activity in patient sera by flow-induced dispersion analysis
Authors: Pedersen Morten E. , Østergaard Jesper , Glintborg Bente , Hetland Merete L. , Jensen Henrik 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBiopharmaceuticals have revolutionized the treatment of many diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. These complex entities provide unique advantages like high specificity towards their target. Unfortunately, biopharmaceuticals are also prone to elicit undesired immunogenic responses (immunogenicity), compromising treatment efficacy as well as patient safety due to severe adverse effects including life threatening conditions. Current immunogenicity assays are hampered by immobilization procedures, complicated sample pre-treatment, or rely on cell-based methods which all prevent reliable and continuous monitoring of patients. In this work, we present Flow Induced Dispersion Analysis (FIDA) for assessment of immunogenicity and drug activity in serum samples from arthritis patients receiving adalimumab. FIDA is a first principle technique for size-based characterization of biomolecules and their complexes under biologically relevant conditions. The FIDA methodology rely on an absolute and quantitative readout (hydrodynamic radius) thus reducing the need for positive and negative controls. Here, FIDA is applied for evaluating active adalimumab in serum by studying the interaction with its target tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). We report proof of principle for a quantitative approach for stratifying patients exhibiting presence of neutralizing and non-neutralizing antibodies based on their individual drug activity pattern. Further, it can be applied to any biopharmaceutical having soluble drug targets and it holds potential in a companion diagnostics setting.
Forest structure determines nest box use by Central European boreal owls
Authors: Ševčík Richard , Kloubec Bohuslav , Riegert Jan , Šindelář Jiří , Kouba Marek , Zárybnická Markéta 
Published: March 2022

AbstractNest boxes represent a popular tool to support secondary cavity-nesting species. Surprisingly, the benefits and limitations of nest boxes for target species in different environments are poorly understood. We performed a 3-years experimental study in two different Central European forests to evaluate nest box use and breeding performance of boreal owl (Aegolius funereus) — a species well known for its readiness to occupy nest boxes. Based on territorial vocalisation, two boreal owl populations 200 km apart were similarly abundant in their environments. However, only the boreal owl population in young restored Norway (Picea abies) and blue (Picea pungens) spruce-dominated forests on mountain plateaus readily occupied nest boxes with the occupancy reaching 8–15%. Nest boxes lost their supporting function for the boreal owl in mature Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)-dominated forests in the lowland, where the nest box occupancy reached 0–1%. As a result, the population of boreal owls that used nest boxes in the young restored forests produced 10 times more fledglings than the population inhabiting mature Scots pine forests. We explain the differences by the contrasting availability of natural tree cavities between the two study areas being much higher in mature Scots pine forests. For the first time, this study documents differences in nest box use despite similar food availability and population size of the target species. The study provides the findings-related recommendations for deploying nest boxes for boreal owls and points out a general lack of practical guides.
Co-evolution of machine learning and digital technologies to improve monitoring of Parkinson’s disease motor symptoms
Authors: Chandrabhatla Anirudha S. , Pomeraniec I. Jonathan , Ksendzovsky Alexander 
Published: March 2022

AbstractParkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor impairments such as tremor, bradykinesia, dyskinesia, and gait abnormalities. Current protocols assess PD symptoms during clinic visits and can be subjective. Patient diaries can help clinicians evaluate at-home symptoms, but can be incomplete or inaccurate. Therefore, researchers have developed in-home automated methods to monitor PD symptoms to enable data-driven PD diagnosis and management. We queried the US National Library of Medicine PubMed database to analyze the progression of the technologies and computational/machine learning methods used to monitor common motor PD symptoms. A sub-set of roughly 12,000 papers was reviewed that best characterized the machine learning and technology timelines that manifested from reviewing the literature. The technology used to monitor PD motor symptoms has advanced significantly in the past five decades. Early monitoring began with in-lab devices such as needle-based EMG, transitioned to in-lab accelerometers/gyroscopes, then to wearable accelerometers/gyroscopes, and finally to phone and mobile & web application-based in-home monitoring. Significant progress has also been made with respect to the use of machine learning algorithms to classify PD patients. Using data from different devices (e.g., video cameras, phone-based accelerometers), researchers have designed neural network and non-neural network-based machine learning algorithms to categorize PD patients across tremor, gait, bradykinesia, and dyskinesia. The five-decade co-evolution of technology and computational techniques used to monitor PD motor symptoms has driven significant progress that is enabling the shift from in-lab/clinic to in-home monitoring of PD symptoms.
Effect of dopamine-functionalization, charge and pH on protein corona formation around TiO2 nanoparticles
Authors: Siani Paulo , Di Valentin Cristiana 
Published: March 2022

Controlling the protein corona formation onto nanomaterials is the “holy grail” of modern nanomedicine. This simulation study clarifies how the surface chemistry, pH, and ionic strength affect the protein corona formation onto decorated nanoparticles.
Macrostructural Aspects in Oral Narratives in Brazilian Portuguese by Left and Right Hemisphere Stroke Patients With Low Education and Low Socioeconomic Status
Authors: Schneider Fernanda , Marcotte Karine , Brisebois Amélie , Townsend Sabrine Amaral Martins , Smidarle Anderson Dick , Soder Ricardo Bernardi , Marrone Luiz Carlos Porcello , Hübner Lilian Cristine 
Published: March 2022

Objective:Individuals with a stroke in either the left hemisphere (LH) or the right hemisphere (RH) often present macrostructural impairments in narrative abilities. Understanding the potential influence of low education and low socioeconomic status (SES) is critical to a more effective assessment of poststroke language. The first aim was to investigate macrostructural processing in low-education and low-SES individuals with stroke in the LH or RH or without brain damage. The second aim was to verify the relationships between macrolinguistic, neuropsychological, and sociodemographic variables.Method:Forty-seven adults with LH (n= 15) or RH (n= 16) chronic ischemic stroke and 16 matched (age, education, and SES) healthy controls produced three oral picture-sequence narratives. The macrostructural aspects analyzed were cohesion, coherence, narrativity, macropropositions, and index of lexical informativeness and were compared among the three groups. Then, exploratory correlations were performed to assess associations between sociodemographic (such as SES), neuropsychological, and macrostructural variables.Results:Both the LH and the RH presented impairments in the local macrostructural aspect (cohesion), whereas the RH also presented impairments in more global aspects (global coherence and macropropositions). All five macrostructural variables correlated with each other, with higher correlations with narrativity. Naming was correlated with all macrostructural variables, as well as prestroke reading and writing habits (RWH), showing that higher naming accuracy and higher RWH are associated with better macrostructural skills.Conclusions:The present results corroborate the role of the LH in more local processing and that of the RH in more global aspects of discourse. Moreover, this study highlights the importance of investigating discourse processing in healthy and clinical populations of understudied languages such as Brazilian Portuguese, with various levels of education, SES, and RWH.