bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Terraced and 3D Pyramid‐Shaped Polymer Single Crystal via Low Temperature‐Assisted Microfluidic Technology
Authors: Li Shi , Li Zhihua , Wang Xiao , Zhan Pei , Gui Xuefeng , Hu Jiwen , Lin Shudong , Tu Yuanyuan 
Published: December 2021

Abstract3D pyramidal polymer single crystals provide spatial gradient variations within the crystal molecules, and these variations facilitate the study of the relationship between structure and properties within the molecules of various complexes with anisotropic structures. As described herein, a low‐temperature‐assisted microfluidic pore channeling approach is proposed to prepare structurally ordered polymer single crystals. A mixture of dichloromethane and dimethyl sulfoxide is used as a prepolymer, and a liquid microfluidic technique is employed to grow the end‐functionalized polymers into 3D polymer single crystals. Through the ordered growth of single crystals, a personalized pyramidal pattern with a homogeneous structure is formed. To evaluate the mesh node density, low‐temperature growth time and substrate type are also investigated. Rectangular, pyramidal, and dendritic patterns are synthesized via low‐temperature single crystal growth. This work shows that low temperature‐assisted microfluidics provides a novel means to tune the 3D structure of polymer single crystals.
Quality of Life After Deep Brain Stimulation of Pediatric Patients with Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy: A Prospective, Single‐Arm, Multicenter Study with a Subsequent Randomized Double‐Blind Crossover (STIM‐CP)
Authors: Koy Anne , Kühn Andrea A. , Huebl Julius , Schneider Gerd‐Helge , van Riesen Anne K. , Eckenweiler Matthias , Rensing‐Zimmermann Cornelia , Coenen Volker Arnd , Krauss Joachim K. , Saryyeva Assel , Hartmann Hans , Haeussler Martin , Volkmann Jens , Matthies Cordula , Horn Annette , Schnitzler Alfons , Vesper Jan , Gharabaghi Alireza , Weiss Daniel , Bevot Andrea , Marks Warren , Pomykal Angela , Monbaliu Elegast , Borck Guntram , Mueller Joerg , Prinz‐Langenohl Reinhild , Dembek Till , Visser‐Vandewalle Veerle , Wirths Jochen , Schiller Petra , Hellmich Martin , Timmermann Lars ,   the STIM‐CP investigators
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundPatients with dyskinetic cerebral palsy are often severely impaired with limited treatment options. The effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) are less pronounced than those in inherited dystonia but can be associated with favorable quality of life outcomes even in patients without changes in dystonia severity.ObjectiveThe aim is to assess DBS effects in pediatric patients with pharmacorefractory dyskinetic cerebral palsy with focus on quality of life.MethodsThe method used is a prospective, single‐arm, multicenter study. The primary endpoint is improvement in quality of life (CPCHILD [Caregiver Priorities & Child Health Index of Life with Disabilities]) from baseline to 12 months under therapeutic stimulation. The main key secondary outcomes are changes in Burke‐Fahn‐Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale, Dyskinesia Impairment Scale, Gross Motor Function Measure‐66, Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), and Short‐Form (SF)‐36. After 12 months, patients were randomly assigned to a blinded crossover to receive active or sham stimulation for 24 hours each. Severity of dystonia and chorea were blindly rated. Safety was assessed throughout. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02097693.ResultsSixteen patients (age: 13.4 ± 2.9 years) were recruited by seven clinical sites. Primary outcome at 12‐month follow‐up is as follows: mean CPCHILD increased by 4.2 ± 10.4 points (95% CI [confidence interval] –1.3 to 9.7; P = 0.125); among secondary outcomes: improvement in COPM performance measure of 1.1 ± 1.5 points (95% CI 0.2 to 1.9; P = 0.02) and in the SF‐36 physical health component by 5.1 ± 6.2 points (95% CI 0.7 to 9.6; P = 0.028). Otherwise, there are no significant changes.ConclusionEvidence to recommend DBS as routine treatment to improve quality of life in pediatric patients with dyskinetic cerebral palsy is not yet sufficient. Extended follow‐up in larger cohorts will determine the impact of DBS further to guide treatment decisions in these often severely disabled patients. © 2021 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
β3‐Adrenoceptor, a novel player in the round‐trip from neonatal diseases to cancer: Suggestive clues from embryo
Authors: Filippi Luca , Pini Alessandro , Cammalleri Maurizio , Bagnoli Paola , Dal Monte Massimo 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe role of the β‐adrenoceptors (β‐ARs) in hypoxia‐driven diseases has gained visibility after the demonstration that propranolol promotes the regression of infantile hemangiomas and ameliorates the signs of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Besides the role of β2‐ARs, preclinical studies in ROP have also revealed that β3‐ARs are upregulated by hypoxia and that they are possibly involved in retinal angiogenesis. In a sort of figurative round trip, peculiarities typical of ROP, where hypoxia drives retinal neovascularization, have been then translated to cancer, a disease equally characterized by hypoxia‐driven angiogenesis. In this step, investigating the role of β3‐ARs has taken advantage of the assumption that cancer growth uses a set of strategies in common with embryo development. The possibility that hypoxic induction of β3‐ARs may represent one of the mechanisms through which primarily embryo (and then cancer, as an astute imitator) adapts to grow in an otherwise hostile environment, has grown evidence. In both cancer and embryo, β3‐ARs exert similar functions by exploiting a metabolic shift known as the Warburg effect, by acquiring resistance against xenobiotics, and by inducing a local immune tolerance. An additional potential role of β3‐AR as a marker of stemness has been suggested by the finding that its antagonism induces cancer cell differentiation evoking that β3‐ARs may help cancer to grow in a nonhospital environment, a strategy also exploited by embryos. From cancer, the round trip goes back to neonatal diseases for which new possible interpretative keys and potential pharmacological perspectives have been suggested.
Bioavailability and Cardiometabolic Effects of Xanthohumol: Evidence from Animal and Human Studies
Authors: Neumann Hannah F. , Frank Jan , Venturelli Sascha , Egert Sarah 
Published: December 2021

AbstractXanthohumol is the main prenylflavonoid in hops and has been associated with a wide range of health benefits, due to its anti‐inflammatory, anti‐oxidative, and cancer‐preventive properties. Increasing evidence suggests that xanthohumol positively affects biomarkers associated with metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This review summarizes the effects of xanthohumol supplementation on body weight, lipid and glucose metabolism, systemic inflammation, and redox status. In addition, it provides insights into the pharmacokinetics of xanthohumol intake. Animal studies show that xanthohumol exerts beneficial effects on body weight, lipid profile, glucose metabolism, and other biochemical parameters associated with metabolic syndrome and CVDs. Although in vitro studies are increasingly elucidating the responsible mechanisms, the overall in vivo results are currently inconsistent and quantitatively insufficient. Pharmacokinetic and safety studies confirm that intake of xanthohumol is safe and well tolerated in both animals and humans. However, little is known about the metabolism of xanthohumol in the human body, and even less about its effects on body weight and CVD risk factors. There is an urgent need for studies investigating whether the effects of xanthohumol on body weight and cardiometabolic parameters observe in animal studies are reproducible in humans, and what dosage, formulation, and intervention period are required.
Three‐dimensional self super‐resolution for pelvic floor MRI using a convolutional neural network with multi‐orientation data training
Authors: Feng Fei , Ashton‐Miller James A. , DeLancey John O.L. , Luo Jiajia 
Published: December 2021

AbstractPurposeHigh‐resolution pelvic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is important for the high‐resolution and high‐precision evaluation of pelvic floor disorders (PFDs), but the data acquisition time is long. Because high‐resolution three‐dimensional (3D) MR data of the pelvic floor are difficult to obtain, MR images are usually obtained in three orthogonal planes: axial, sagittal, and coronal. The in‐plane resolution of the MR data in each plane is high, but the through‐plane resolution is low. Thus, we aimed to achieve 3D super‐resolution using a convolutional neural network (CNN) approach to capture the intrinsic similarity of low‐resolution 3D MR data from three orientations.MethodsWe used a two‐dimensional (2D) super‐resolution CNN model to solve the 3D super‐resolution problem. The residual‐in‐residual dense block network (RRDBNet) was used as our CNN backbone. For a given set of low through‐plane resolution pelvic floor MR data in the axial or coronal or sagittal scan plane, we applied the RRDBNet sequentially to perform super‐resolution on its two projected low‐resolution views. Three datasets were used in the experiments, including two private datasets and one public dataset. In the first dataset (dataset 1), MR data acquired from 34 subjects in three planes were used to train our super‐resolution model, and low‐resolution MR data from nine subjects were used for testing. The second dataset (dataset 2) included a sequence of relatively high‐resolution MR data acquired in the coronal plane. The public MR dataset (dataset 3) was used to demonstrate the generalization ability of our model. To show the effectiveness of RRDBNet, we used datasets 1 and 2 to compare RRDBNet with interpolation and enhanced deep super‐resolution (EDSR) methods in terms of peak signal‐to‐noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity (SSIM) index. As 3D MR data from one view have two projected low‐resolution views, different super‐resolution orders were compared in terms of PSNR and SSIM. Finally, to demonstrate the impact of super‐resolution on the image analysis task, we used datasets 2 and 3 to compare the performance of our method with interpolation on the 3D geometric model reconstruction of the urinary bladder.ResultsA CNN‐based method was used to learn the intrinsic similarity among MR acquisitions from different scan planes. Through‐plane super‐resolution for pelvic MR images was achieved without using high‐resolution 3D data, which is useful for the analysis of PFDs.
Influence of ATOMS implant on the voiding phase of patients with post‐prostatectomy urinary incontinence
Authors: Ruiz Sonia , Virseda‐Chamorro Miguel , Salinas Jesús , Queissert Fabian , Arance Ignacio , Angulo Javier C. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractObjectiveTo assess changes in voiding phase, especially urethral resistance after post‐prostatectomy urinary incontinence (PPI) treatment with the Adjustable TransObturator Male System (ATOMS).Material and MethodsA longitudinal prospective study was performed on 45 men treated with ATOMS for PPI, with the intention to evaluate the changes produced by the implant on the voiding phase. Patients with preoperative urodynamic study were offered postoperative urodynamic evaluation, and both studies were compared. The following urodynamic date were evaluated: maximum voiding detrusor pressure, detrusor pressure at maximum flow rate, maximum flow rate (Qmax), voiding volume, post‐void residue, bladder outlet obstruction index (BOOI), urethral resistance factor (URA), and bladder contractility index (BCI). The statistical analysis used were the mean comparison test for dependent groups (Student's t test) for parametric variables and the Wilcoxon test for non‐parametric variables. The signification level was set at 95% bilateral.ResultsA total of 37 patients (82.2%) used zero pads/day at the time of urodynamic postoperative evaluation and pad‐test evolved from 592 ± 289 ml baseline to 25 ± 40 ml (p = 0.0001). Significant differences were observed in Qmax (15 ± 8.3 before and 11 ± 8.3 after surgery; p = 0.008), voiding volume (282 ± 130.7 before and 184 ± 99.92 after surgery). BOOI (−12 ± 23.9 before and −2 ± 21.4 after surgery; p = 0.025) and BCI (93 ± 46.4 before and 76 ± 46.0 after surgery; p = 0.044). In no case did we observe postoperative bladder outlet obstruction, according to URA parameter below 29 cm H2O in all cases. There was not a significant variation either in post‐void urinary residual volume (15 ± 47.4 before and 14 ± 24.2 after surgery, p = 0.867).ConclusionsThe ATOMS implant induces a decrease of Qmax, voided volume, and bladder contractility and an increase of BOOI. However, our findings suggest that ATOMS device does not cause bladder outlet obstruction.
3D‐printed surface‐modified aluminum nitride reinforced thermally conductive composites with enhanced thermal conductivity and mechanical strength
Authors: Lee Seonmin , Park Dabin , Kim Jooheon 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWith the rapid miniaturization of electronic devices, novel thermally conductive composite materials are required for efficient thermal management. In this study, a straightforward strategy to fabricate thermally conductive composites, based on UV‐curable acrylate polymer using the DLP technique, was explored. Aluminum nitride (AlN), a ceramic filler with high thermal conductivity and mechanical strength, was functionalized with an acrylate bearing silane compound. This improved the interfacial adhesion between the filler and matrix, resulting in enhanced thermal conductivity. The thermal conductivity of the composite with 30 wt.% modified AlN was 0.42 W/mK, which is 3.5 times higher than that of neat UV‐cured acrylate resin (0.12 W/mK). The tensile strength also increased from 13.9 to 20.8 MPa before and after surface treatment due to improved filler‐matrix compatibility. The study demonstrates that 3D‐printing can be easily integrated into the fabrication of thermally conductive composites and filler surface modification can effectively enhance the thermal and mechanical strength of the composite.
Use of hormonal contraceptives in perimenopause: A systematic review
Authors: Guerin Julie , Engelmann Alexandra , Mattamana Meena , Borgelt Laura M. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractHormonal contraceptives have been used in perimenopausal women to manage a variety of symptoms and prevent unintended pregnancy. However, it is unclear what contraceptive regimen is best for these women. To evaluate hormonal contraceptive methods in women experiencing perimenopause using two prespecified outcomes: perimenopausal symptom management and long‐term effects. A literature search of PubMed and EMBASE databases was performed (January 1990 to October 2021) using search terms “perimenopause” and “contraception.” Relevant full‐text articles in English were included. Fifteen clinical articles were reviewed: Fourteen were internationally based, and one study was conducted in the United States. Nine articles evaluated symptom resolution, and six of these nine reported statistically significant changes in favor of treating perimenopausal women with hormonal contraceptives compared with no treatment. Seven studies evaluated long‐term outcomes including bone loss and metabolic parameters, and six of these seven showed statistically significant improvements with hormonal contraceptives. Based on limited data and a lack of comparative studies, the use of a levonorgestrel intrauterine device with supplemental low‐dose menopausal estrogen has positive results for the management of disruptive perimenopausal symptoms and long‐term outcomes. Hormonal contraception in perimenopausal women improves symptom management and long‐term outcomes if patients do not have contraindications. When selecting a contraceptive for women in perimenopause, clinicians and pharmacists need to address specific patient risk factors, symptom profiles, long‐term risks and benefits, and patient preferences.
Opportunity for pharmacogenomic testing in patients with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Sakon Colleen , Alicea Leah A. , Patacca Heather , Brown Cynthia D. , Skaar Todd C. , Tillman Emma M. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundPatients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are exposed to many drugs in their lifetime and many of these drugs have Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) guidelines that are available to guide dosing. Contemporary CF treatments are targeted to specific mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, and thus, require patients to have genetic testing before initiation of modulator therapy. However, aside from CFTR genetic testing, pharmacogenomic testing is not standard of care for CF patients.AimThe aim of this study is to determine the number of non‐CFTR modulator medications with CPIC guidelines that are prescribed to patients with CF.Materials & MethodsWe identified all patients with a diagnosis of CF and queried our hospital electronic medical records (EMR) for all orders, including inpatient and prescriptions, for all drugs or drug classes that have CPIC actionable guidelines for drug–gene pairs that can be used to guide therapy.ResultsWe identified 576 patients with a diagnosis of CF that were treated at our institution during this 16‐year period between June 2005 and May 2021. Of these patients, 504 patients (87.5%) received at least one drug that could have been dosed according to CPIC guidelines if pharmacogenomic results would have been available.ConclusionsPatients with CF have high utilization of drugs with CPIC guidelines, therefore preemptive pharmacogenomic testing should be considered in CF patients at the time of CFTR genetic testing.
Trends in cystic fibrosis survival over 40 years in South Africa: An observational cohort study
Authors: Zampoli Marco , Kassanjee Reshma , Verstraete Janine , Westwood Anthony , Zar Heather J. , Morrow Brenda M. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIntroductionTemporal trends in cystic fibrosis (CF) survival from low‐middle‐income settings is poorly reported. We describe changes in CF survival after diagnosis over 40 years from a South African (SA) CF center.MethodsAn observational cohort study of people diagnosed with CF from 1974 to 2019. Changes in age‐specific mortality rates from 2000 (vs. before 2000) were estimated using multivariable Poisson regression. Data were stratified by current age < or ≥10 years and models controlled for diagnosis age, sex, ethnicity, genotype, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infection. A second analysis explored the association of mortality with weight and forced expiratory volume in 1 s reported as z‐scores (FEV1z‐scores) at age 5–8 years.ResultsA total of 288 people (52% male; 57% Caucasian; 44% p.Phe508del homozygous) were included (median diagnosis age 0.5 years: Q1, Q3: 0.2, 2.5); 100 (35%) died and 30 (10%) lost to follow‐up. Among age >10 years, age‐specific mortality from 2000 was significantly lower (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.14; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.06, 0.29; p < 0.001), but not among age <10 years (aHR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.28, 1.64; p = 0.383). In children <10 years, Caucasian ethnicity was associated with lower mortality (aHR 0.17; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.63), and longer times since first PA infection with higher mortality (aHR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.68). Mortality was sevenfold higher if FEV1z was <−2.0 at age 5–8 years (aHR: 7.64; 95% CI: 2.58, 22.59).ConclusionOverall, CF survival has significantly improved in SA from 2000 in people older than 10 years. However, increased risk of mortality persists in young non‐Caucasian children, and with FEV1z <−2.0 at age 5–8 years.
Risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea in cystic fibrosis
Authors: Shakkottai Aarti , Irani Sanaya , Nasr Samya Z. , O'Brien Louise M. , Chervin Ronald D. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIntroductionDespite emerging data that suggest a high frequency and severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), few of them are referred for polysomnography. Little is known about which patients with CF are at increased risk for OSA and which sleep symptoms merit investigation.MethodsA single‐center retrospective analysis of clinical and polysomnographic data from 2009, January 1 to October 31, 2020 in referred children and adults with CF.ResultsAmong 74 patients (42 children, 32 adults) with CF, 39 (53%) had OSA. No age or sex differences emerged in OSA frequency. Mean apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) was higher among overweight/obese adults (n = 16) as compared with adults of normal weight or underweight (11.4 vs. 6.2; p = 0.005). Adults with (n = 10) versus without a crowded oropharynx had 13.0 times greater odds of OSA (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4, 121.4; p = 0.02). Children with (n = 24) versus without tonsillar hypertrophy had a higher risk for OSA (OR = 5.2; 95% CI: 1.4, 19.8; p = 0.02), as did children with (n = 10) versus without symptomatic chronic sinusitis (OR = 5.8; 95% CI: 1.1, 32.1; p = 0.04). Neither snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, nor lung disease severity were associated with OSA.ConclusionKey risk factors for OSA may differ between children and adults with CF: upper airway pathology appears important in children and overweight/obesity or a crowded oropharynx in adults. Given the lack of sensitivity of snoring, daytime sleepiness, and lung disease severity, detection of OSA may require a low threshold for polysomnographic assessment in this vulnerable population.
Molnupiravir: A new candidate for COVID‐19 treatment
Authors: Pourkarim Fariba , Pourtaghi‐Anvarian Samira , Rezaee Haleh 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) emerged in late December 2019 in china and has rapidly spread to many countries around the world. The effective pharmacotherapy can reduce the mortality of COVID‐19. Antiviral medications are the candidate therapies for the management of COVID‐19. Molnupiravir is an antiviral drug with anti‐RNA polymerase activity and currently is under investigation for the treatment of patients with COVID‐19. This review focuses on summarizing published literature for the mechanism of action, safety, efficacy, and clinical trials of molnupiravir in the treatment of COVID‐19 patients.
The search for Schizosaccharomyces fission yeasts in environmental metatranscriptomes
Authors: Shraim Rasha , Nieuwenhuis Bart P. S. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractFission yeast is an important model organism in evolutionary genetics and cell biology research. Nevertheless, most research is limited to a single laboratory strain and knowledge of its natural occurrence is limited, which reduces our understanding of its life history and hinders isolation of new strains from nature. Understanding the natural diversity of fission yeast can provide insight into its genetic and phenotypic diversity and the evolutionary processes that shaped these. Here, we aimed to identify candidate natural habitats of fission yeasts by searching through a large collection of publicly available environmental metatranscriptomic datasets. Using a custom pipeline, we processed over 13,000 NCBI SRA accessions, from a wide range of 34 different environmental categories. Overall, we found a very low abundance of putative yeast transcripts, with most fission yeast signatures coming from the categories of ‘food’ and ‘terrestrial arthropods’. Additionally, a signal could be found in a variety of marine and fresh aquatic habitats. Our results do not provide a conclusive answer on the natural habitat of fission yeasts, but our analysis further narrows the range of locations where fission yeasts naturally occur.