bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Functional organization of woody plant assemblages along precipitation and human disturbance gradients in a seasonally dry tropical forest
Authors: Zorger Bianca B. , Tabarelli Marcelo , de Queiroz Rubens T. , Rosado Bruno H. P. , Pinho Bruno X. 
Published: November 2019

AbstractChronic anthropogenic disturbances (CAD) and rainfall are important drivers of plant community assembly, but little is known about the role played by inter‐ and intraspecific trait variation as communities respond to these pervasive forces. Here, we examined the hypothesis that lower precipitation and higher CAD reduce both intra‐ and interspecific trait variation in Caatinga dry forests. We sampled woody plants across 15 plots along precipitation and CAD gradients and measured resource‐use traits. The effects of precipitation and CAD on RaoQ functional diversity were decomposed into species turnover and intraspecific variability. We used “T‐statistics” to assess the trait sorting from the regional pool to local communities (i.e., external filtering), and within‐community forces leading to low trait overlap (i.e., internal filtering) at individual and species levels. Intraspecific variability explained at least one‐third of the total trait variation and 46% of variation in multitrait diversity across communities. Increasing disturbance reduced multitrait diversity, while precipitation affected some particular traits, such as wood density. Overall, precipitation determined species sorting across communities, while disturbance relaxed internal filters, leading to higher trait overlap within communities due to higher intraspecific variability. Our results suggest that the woody Caatinga flora contains a substantial amount of both inter‐ and intraspecific trait variation. This variation is not randomly distributed within and across communities, but varies according to rainfall conditions and disturbance intensity. These findings reinforce the emerging idea that human disturbances can reorganize plant communities at multiple scales and highlight trait variability as a key biological asset for the resilience of dry forests.
Ubiquitin carboxyl‐terminal hydrolase L1 promotes hypoxia‐inducible factor 1‐dependent tumor cell malignancy in spheroid models
Authors: Li Xuebing , Hattori Akira , Takahashi Senye , Goto Yoko , Harada Hiroshi , Kakeya Hideaki 
Published: November 2019

AbstractHypoxia‐inducible factor 1 (HIF‐1) is a critical heterodimeric transcription factor for tumor malignancy. Recently, ubiquitin carboxyl‐terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) has been reported to function as a deubiquitinating enzyme for the stabilization of its α subunit (HIF‐1α). In the present study, we showed that UCHL1 inhibition can be an effective therapeutic strategy against HIF‐1‐dependent tumor malignancy. In 2D monolayer culture, a UCHL1 inhibitor suppressed HIF activity and decreased the transcription of HIF downstream genes by inhibiting the UCHL1‐mediated accumulation of HIF‐1α. Phenotypically, UCHL1 inhibition remarkably blocked cell migration. In 3D spheroid culture models, ectopic expression of UCHL1 significantly upregulated malignancy‐related factors such as solidity, volume, as well as viable cell number in an HIF‐1α‐dependent manner. Conversely, inhibition of the UCHL1‐HIF‐1 pathway downregulated these malignancy‐related factors and also abolished UCHL1‐mediated cell proliferation and invasiveness. Finally, inhibition of UCHL1 promoted HIF‐1α degradation and lowered the expression of HIF‐1 target genes in the 3D model, as also observed in 2D monolayer culture. Our research indicates that the UCHL1‐HIF‐1 pathway plays a crucial role in tumor malignancy, making it a promising therapeutic target for cancer chemotherapy.
Low immune index correlates with favorable prognosis but with reduced benefit from chemotherapy in gallbladder cancer
Authors: Wang Jie , Bo Xiaobo , Wang Changcheng , Xin Yanlei , Nan Lingxi , Luo Rongkui , Chen Lingli , Shi Xiao , Suo Tao , Ni Xiaoling , Liu Han , Shen Sheng , Li Min , Lu Pinxiang , Wang Yueqi , Liu Houbao 
Published: November 2019

AbstractUse of immune index is a new potential approach for cancer classification and prediction. To investigate the status and clinical effect of immune index in gallbladder cancer (GBC), 238 GBC patients from Zhongshan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University were involved in the present study, including 113 patients in a training set and 125 patients in a validation set. Five immune cells (macrophages, neutrophils, regulatory T cells, cytotoxic T cells and mast cells) were selected based on a literature review and the immune index for each patient was calculated using the LASSO regression. A low immune index (<1) was defined as immunotype A and a high immune index (≥1) was defined as immunotype B. The 5‐year overall survival rate for immunotype A was higher than that for immunotype B in the training set and the validation set (70.0% vs 37.0%, P < 0.001; 68.9% vs 47.5%, P = 0.002; respectively). Moreover, the immune index showed higher prediction efficiency compared with all the single immune cells which we selected. When combined with the immune index, the areas under the curve (AUC) of the TNM staging system in both sets were elevated from 0.677 to 0.787 and from 0.631 to 0.694, respectively. Interestingly, gemcitabine‐based chemotherapy only benefits stage II patients of immunotype B and stage III patients of both immunotype A and immunotype B (P = 0.015, P = 0.030, P = 0.011, respectively) but does not work in stage II patients of immunotype A (P = .307). Taken together, the immune index could effectively predict prognosis and the benefits of gemcitabine‐based chemotherapy and might improve on the TNM staging system.
Phenotypic delineation of the retinal arterial macroaneurysms with supravalvular pulmonic stenosis syndrome
Authors: Alkuraya Hisham , Patel Nisha , Ibrahim Niema , Al Ghamdi Bandar , Alsulaiman Sulaiman M. , Nowilaty Sawsan R. , Abboud Emad , Alturki Ramadan , Alkharashi Abdullah , Eyaid Wafaa , Almasseri Zainab , Alzaidan Hamad , Alotaibi Mohammed D. , Abu El‐Asrar Ahmed M. , Alamro Bandar , Helaby Rana , Elshaer Amani , Almontashiri Naif A.M. , Al‐Hussaini Abdulrahman A. , Alkuraya Fowzan S. 
Published: November 2019

AbstractRetinal arterial macroaneurysms with supravalvular pulmonic stenosis (RAMSVPS), also known as Familial Retinal Arterial Macroaneurysms (FRAM) syndrome, is a very rare multisystem disorder. Here, we present a case series comprising ophthalmologic and systemic evaluation of patients homozygous for RAMSVPS syndrome causative IGFBP7 variant. New clinical details on 22 previously published and 8 previously unpublished patients are described. Age at first presentation ranged from 1 to 34 years. The classical feature of macroaneurysms and vascular beading involving the retinal arteries was universal. Follow up extending up to 14 years after initial diagnosis revealed recurrent episodes of bleeding and leakage from macroaneurysms in 55% and 59% of patients, respectively. The majority of patients who underwent echocardiography (18/23) showed evidence of heart involvement, most characteristically pulmonary (valvular or supravalvular) stenosis, often requiring surgical correction (12/18). Four patients died in the course of the study from complications of pulmonary stenosis, cerebral hemorrhage, and cardiac complications. Liver involvement (usually cirrhosis) was observed in eight patients. Cerebral vascular involvement was observed in one patient, and stroke was observed in two. We conclude that RAMSVPS is a recognizable syndrome characterized by a high burden of ocular and systemic morbidity, and risk of premature death. Recommendations are proposed for early detection and management of these complications.
Null variants in AGRN cause lethal fetal akinesia deformation sequence
Authors: Geremek Maciej , Dudarewicz Lech , Obersztyn Ewa , Paczkowska Magdalena , Smyk Marta , Sobecka Katarzyna , Nowakowska Beata 
Published: November 2019

AbstractWe present a case of lethal fetal akinesia deformation sequence (FADS) caused by a frameshift variant in trans with a 148 kbp deletion encompassing 3‐36 exons of AGRN. Pathogenic variants in AGRN have been described in families with a form of congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS), manifesting in the early childhood with variable fatigable muscle weakness. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of FADS caused by defects in AGRN gene. FADS has been reported to be caused by pathogenic variants in genes previously associated with CMS including these involved in endplate development and maintenance: MuSK, DOK7, and RAPSN. FADS seems to be the most severe form of CMS. None of the reported in the literature CMS cases associated with AGRN had two null variants, like the case presented herein. This indicates a strong genotype‐phenotype correlation.
Surgical procedures for soft tissue augmentation at implant sites. A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Cairo Francesco , Barbato Luigi , Selvaggi Filippo , Baielli Maria G. , Piattelli Adriano , Chambrone Leandro 
Published: November 2019

AbstractBackgroundDifferent procedures were proposed to augment soft tissue around dental implants.ObjectiveAims of this Systematic Review (SR) were to evaluate (a) clinical benefit of soft tissue augmentation at implant sites (b) which is the best surgical procedure to augment soft tissue.Materials and MethodsManual/electronic searches were performed to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Change in keratinized tissue thickness (STT) and height (KT) were primary outcomes. Random effects meta‐analyses were performed where suitable and expressed as weighted mean differences (MD) with their associated 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsFourteen RCTs accounting for 475 patients and 538 implants were included. Only five studies were judged at low risk of bias. In the single studies, soft augmentation lead to higher STT and KT compared to no augmentation. Considering primary outcomes, connective tissue graft (CTG) was more effective than xenogeneic collagen matrix (XCM) to improve STT (MD: −0.30 mm; 95% CI −0.43; −0.17; P < .00001) in the meta‐analysis for different techniques for augmentation.ConclusionsEven if further studies at low risk of bias are needed, soft tissue augmentation techniques improved quantity and quality of peri‐implant soft tissue. Among the augmentation procedures, CTG was associated to higher STT change compared to XCM.
Atlastin‐1 modulates seizure activity and neuronal excitability
Authors: Lu Xi , Yang Min , Yang Yong , Wang Xue‐Feng 
Published: November 2019

AbstractEpilepsy is a neurological disease, and the main clinical manifestation is recurrent seizures. The exact etiology of epilepsy and the pathogenesis of the disorder are not yet fully understood. Atlastin‐1, a dynamin‐like GTPase, interacts with microtubules and is responsible for vesicle formation, both of which are highly associated with the development of epilepsy. Here, we reported that the expression level of atlastin‐1 protein was reduced in the temporal neocortex of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and in the hippocampus and adjacent cortex of a pentylenetetrazol‐kindled epileptic mouse model. Cells expressing atlastin‐1 coexpressed the inhibitory synaptic marker GAD67 in the temporal cortex and hippocampus of patients with epilepsy and an epileptic mouse model. The lentivirus‐mediated overexpression of atlastin‐1 protein in the hippocampus of mice suppressed seizure activity in behavioral experiments. Patch‐clamp recordings in the Mg2+‐free epilepsy cell model showed that atlastin‐1 overexpression inhibited neuronal excitability by suppressing the discharge frequency of spontaneous action potentials rather than by changing the passive and active properties of action potentials. Inhibitory synaptic transmission, but not excitatory synaptic currents, increased after atlastin‐1 overexpression. These findings suggest that atlastin‐1 likely contributes to the occurrence and development of epilepsy through inhibitory synaptic transmission.
Intelligent methodologies for cardiac sound signals analysis and characterization in cepstrum and time‐scale domains
Authors: El‐Dahshan El‐Sayed A. , Bassiouni Mahmoud M. 
Published: November 2019

AbstractBiometric authentication is the process that allows an individual to be identified based on a set of unique biological features data. In this study, we present different experiments to use the cardiac sound signals (phonocardiogram “PCG”) as a biometric authentication trait. We have applied different features extraction approaches and different classification techniques to use the PCG as a biometric trait. Through all experiments, data acquisition is based on collecting the cardiac sounds from HSCT‐11 and PASCAL CHSC2011 datasets, while preprocessing is concerned with de‐noising of cardiac sounds using multiresolution‐decomposition and multiresolution‐reconstruction (MDR‐MRR). The de‐noised signal is then segmented based on frame‐windowing and Shanon energy (SE) methods. For feature extraction, Cepstral (Cp) domain (based on mel‐frequency) and time‐scale (T‐S) domain (based on Wavelet Transform) features are extracted from the de‐noised signal after segmentation. The features, extracted from the Cp‐domain and the T‐S domain, are fed to four different classifiers: Artificial neural networks (ANN), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF) and K‐nearest neighbor (KNN). The performance of the classifications is assessed based on the k‐fold cross validation. The computation complexity of the feature extraction domains is expressed using the Big‐O measurements. The T‐S features are superior to PCG heart signals in terms of the classification accuracy. The experiments' results give the highest classification accuracy with lowest computation complexity for RF in the Cp domain and SVM and ANN in the T‐S domain.
Synthesising polymeric dispersants to apply to carbon black pigmented mill bases for use in ink‐jet inks
Authors: Yoon Chun , Choi Jae‐Hong 
Published: November 2019

AbstractDyes are an important component of drop‐on‐demand ink‐jet inks and are commonly used in desktop printers. While they offer bright, vivid colour, these dyes exhibit poor light and water fastness. To combat this, researchers have started using pigmented ink‐jet inks instead of dye‐based inks to improve light and water fastness, but the pigments are insoluble in ink vehicles. To use pigments, dispersants must be applied; however, this is a delicate process because the properties of the dispersant substantially affect how the pigmented mill base must be prepared. In this study, polymeric dispersants are synthesised based on the properties and ratios of monomers and the molecular weights of polymers. In total, 14 types of polymeric dispersants are synthesised and examined, with special attention paid to the dispersing properties of particle size reduction and the stability of the pigmented mill base used to prepare drop‐on‐demand ink‐jet inks. This study describes the synthesis of the dispersants in terms of their suitability for commercial application.
A review of the NG17 recommendations for the use of basal insulin in type 1 diabetes
Authors: Bain S. , Feher M. , Fisher M. , Hex N. , Lee K. C. S. , Mahon J. , Russell‐Jones D. , Schou H. , Wilmot E. G. , Baxter M. 
Published: November 2019

AbstractAimsTo revisit the data analysis used to inform National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) NG17 guidance for initiating basal insulin in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (diabetes).MethodsWe replicated the data, methodology and analysis used by NICE diabetes in the NG17 network meta‐analysis (NMA). We expanded this data cohort to a more contemporary data set (extended 2017 NMA) and restricted the studies included to improve the robustness of the data set (restricted 2017 NMA) and in a post hoc analysis, changed the index comparator from neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin twice daily to insulin detemir twice daily.ResultsThe absolute changes in HbA1c were similar to those reported in the NG17. However, all 95% credible intervals for change in HbA1c point estimates crossed the line of null effect, except for detemir twice daily (in the NICE and extended 2017 NMAs) and NPH four times daily. In the detemir twice‐daily centred post hoc analysis, the 95% credible intervals for change in HbA1c crossed the line of null effect for all basal therapies, except NPH.ConclusionsIn NG17, comparisons of basal insulins were based solely on efficacy of glycaemic control. Many of the trials used in this analysis were treat‐to‐target, which minimize differences in HbA1c. In the NMAs, statistical significance was severely undermined by the wide credible intervals. Despite these limitations, point estimates of HbA1c were used to rank the insulins and formed the basis of NG17 guidance. This study queries whether such analyses should be used to make specific clinical recommendations.
An artificial nucleoside that simultaneously detects and combats drug resistance to doxorubicin
Authors: Choi Jung‐Suk , Berdis Anthony 
Published: November 2019

AbstractObjectivesDoxorubicin is a DNA‐damaging agent used to treat hematological cancers. Unfortunately, drug resistance can occur by defective DNA repair activity coupled with the ability of DNA polymerases to misreplicate unrepaired DNA lesions. This study demonstrates that the efficacy of doxorubicin can be improved by using an artificial nucleoside to efficiently and selectively inhibit this activity.MethodsIn vitro studies using acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines define the mechanism of cell death caused by combining an artificial nucleoside with doxorubicin.ResultsFlow cytometry experiments demonstrate that combining an artificial nucleoside with doxorubicin potentiates the cell killing effects of the drug by increasing apoptosis. The potentiation effect correlates with expression of TdT, a specialized DNA polymerase overexpressed in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cell cycle experiments demonstrate that this combination blocks cells at S‐phase prior to inducing apoptosis. Finally, the unique chemical composition of the nucleoside analog was used to visualize the replication of damaged DNA in TdT‐positive cells. This represents a potential diagnostic tool to easily identify doxorubicin‐resistant cancer cells.ConclusionStudies demonstrate that a novel artificial nucleoside improves the therapeutic efficacy of doxorubicin, thereby reducing the risk of potential side effects caused by the DNA‐damaging agent.
Can genetic assignment tests provide insight on the influence of captive egression on the epizootiology of chronic wasting disease?
Authors: Miller William L. , Walter W. David 
Published: November 2019

AbstractIdentifying the sources of ongoing and novel disease outbreaks is critical for understanding the diffusion of epizootic diseases. Identifying infection sources is difficult when few physical differences separate individuals with different origins. Genetic assignment procedures show great promise for assessing transmission dynamics in such situations. Here, we use genetic assignment tests to determine the source of chronic wasting disease infections in free‐ranging white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations. Natural dispersal is thought to facilitate the geographic diffusion of chronic wasting disease, but egression from captive cervid populations represents an alternative source of infection that is difficult to detect due to physical similarities with wild deer. Simulated reference populations were created based on allele frequencies from 1,912 empirical microsatellite genotypes collected in four sampling subregions and five captive facilities. These reference populations were used to assess the likelihood of ancestry and assignment of 1,861 free‐ranging deer (1,834 noninfected and 27 infected) and 51 captive individuals to captive or wild populations. The ancestry (Q) and assignment scores (A) for free‐ranging deer to wild populations were high (average Qwild = 0.913 and average Awild = 0.951, respectively), but varied among subregions (Qwild = 0.800–0.947, Awild = 0.857–0.976). These findings suggest that captive egression and admixture are rare, but risk may not be spatially uniform. Ancestry and assignment scores for two free‐ranging deer with chronic wasting disease sampled in an area where chronic wasting disease was previously unobserved in free‐ranging herds indicated a higher likelihood of assignment and proportion of ancestry attributable to captive populations. While we cannot directly assign these individuals to infected facilities, these findings suggest that rare egression events may influence the epizootiology of chronic wasting disease in free‐ranging populations. Continued disease surveillance and genetic analyses may further elucidate the relative disease risk attributable to captive and wild sources.
Comparing raccoon major histocompatibility complex diversity in native and introduced ranges: Evidence for the importance of functional immune diversity for adaptation and survival in novel environments
Authors: Biedrzycka Aleksandra , Konopiński Maciej , Hoffman Eric , Trujillo Alexa , Zalewski Andrzej 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThe adaptive potential of invasive species is related to the genetic diversity of the invader, which is influenced by genetic drift and natural selection. Typically, the genetic diversity of invaders is studied with neutral genetic markers; however, the expectation of reduced diversity has not been consistently supported by empirical studies. Here, we describe and interpret genetic diversity at both neutral microsatellite loci and the immune‐related MHC‐DRB locus of native and invasive populations of raccoon to better understand of how drift and selection impact patterns of genetic diversity during the invasion process. We found that despite the loss of many MHC (major histocompatibility complex) alleles in comparison with native populations, functional MHC supertypes are preserved in the invasive region. In the native raccoon population, the number of supertypes within individuals was higher than expected under a neutral model. The high level of individual functional divergence may facilitate the adaptation to local conditions in the invasive range. In the invasive populations, we also detected increased population structure at microsatellites compared to the MHC locus, further suggesting that balancing selection is acting on adaptively important regions of the raccoon genome. Finally, we found that alleles known to exhibit resistance to rabies in the native range, Prlo‐DRB*4, Prlo‐DRB*16 and Prlo‐DRB*102, were the most common alleles in the European populations, suggesting directional selection is acting on this locus. Our research shows empirical support for the importance of functional immune diversity for adaptation and survival in novel environments.