bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Tri-antennary tri-sialylated mono-fucosylated glycan of alpha-1 antitrypsin as a non-invasive biomarker for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: a novel glycobiomarker for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
Authors: Ogawa Koji , Kobayashi Takashi , Furukawa Jun-ichi , Hanamatsu Hisatoshi , Nakamura Akihisa , Suzuki Kazuharu , Kawagishi Naoki , Ohara Masatsugu , Umemura Machiko , Nakai Masato , Sho Takuya , Suda Goki , Morikawa Kenichi , Baba Masaru , Furuya Ken , Terashita Katsumi , Kobayashi Tomoe , Onodera Manabu , Horimoto Takahiro , Shinada Keisuke , Tsunematsu Seiji , Tsunematsu Izumi , Meguro Takashi , Mitsuhashi Tomoko , Hato Megumi , Higashino Kenichi , Shinohara Yasuro , Sakamoto Naoya 
Published: January 2020

AbstractNon-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that may lead to liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Here, we examined the diagnostic utility of tri-antennary tri-sialylated mono-fucosylated glycan of alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT-A3F), a non-invasive glycobiomarker identified in a previous study of NASH diagnosis. This study included 131 biopsy-proven Japanese patients with NAFLD. We evaluated the utility of AAT-A3F in NASH diagnosis, and conducted genetic analysis to analyse the mechanism of AAT-A3F elevation in NASH. Serum AAT-A3F concentrations were significantly higher in NASH patients than in NAFL patients, and in patients with fibrosis, lobular inflammation, and ballooning. Hepatic FUT6 gene expression was significantly higher in NASH than in NAFL. IL-6 expression levels were significantly higher in NASH than in NAFL and showed a positive correlation with FUT6 expression levels. The serum-AAT-A3F levels strongly correlated with hepatic FUT6 expression levels. AAT-A3F levels increased with fibrosis, pathological inflammation, and ballooning in patients with NAFLD and may be useful for non-invasive diagnosis of NASH from the early stages of fibrosis.
Mangosteen pericarp components alleviate progression of prostatic hyperplasia and mitochondrial dysfunction in rats
Authors: Tsai Hui-Hsuan , Chen Chia-Wen , Yu Pei-Ling , Lin Yu-Ling , Hsieh Rong-Hong 
Published: January 2020

AbstractProstatic hyperplasia, characterized by progressive hyperplasia of glandular and stromal tissues, is the most common proliferative abnormality of the prostate in aging men. A high-fat diet (HFD) usually is a major factor inducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and an abnormal state of the prostate. Mangosteen pericarp powder (MPP) has abundant xanthones which can be antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative agents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to research whether MPP supplementation can affect the progression of prostatic hyperplasia. Twenty-four male F344 rats were randomly divided into four groups, including a control group (C), prostatic hyperplasia-induced group (P), prostatic hyperplasia-induced with low-dose MPP group (PL), and induced with high-dose MPP group (PH). The P, PL, and PH groups were given weekly intraperitoneal injections of 3,2′-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl (DMAB) at 25 mg/kg body weight for 10 weeks, and simultaneously fed an HFD for 24 weeks. Our findings first demonstrated that MPP consumption significantly decreased the prostate weight, serum testosterone and dihydrotestosterone concentrations, protein expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and malondialdehyde levels and ameliorated mitochondrial function in prostatic tissues. These results suggest that MPP supplementation could be used to attenuate the progression of prostatic hyperplasia.
MicroRNA-mRNA Interactions at Low Levels of Compressive Solid Stress Implicate mir-548 in Increased Glioblastoma Cell Motility
Authors: Calhoun Mark A. , Cui Yixiao , Elliott Eileen E. , Mo Xiaokui , Otero Jose J. , Winter Jessica O. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractGlioblastoma (GBM) is an astrocytic brain tumor with median survival times of <15 months, primarily as a result of high infiltrative potential and development of resistance to therapy (i.e., surgical resection, chemoradiotherapy). A prominent feature of the GBM microenvironment is compressive solid stress (CSS) caused by uninhibited tumor growth within the confined skull. Here, we utilized a mechanical compression model to apply CSS (<115 Pa) to well-characterized LN229 and U251 GBM cell lines and measured their motility, morphology, and transcriptomic response. Whereas both cell lines displayed a peak in migration at 23 Pa, cells displayed differential response to CSS with either minimal (i.e., U251) or large changes in motility (i.e., LN229). Increased migration of LN229 cells was also correlated to increased cell elongation. These changes were tied to epigenetic signaling associated with increased migration and decreases in proliferation predicted via Ingenuity® Pathway Analysis (IPA), characteristics associated with tumor aggressiveness. miRNA-mRNA interaction analysis revealed strong influence of the miR548 family (i.e., mir-548aj, mir-548az, mir-548t) on differential signaling induced by CSS, suggesting potential targets for pharmaceutical intervention that may improve patient outcomes.
Comparison of phenological traits, growth patterns, and seasonal dynamics of non-structural carbohydrate in Mediterranean tree crop species
Authors: Tixier Aude , Guzmán-Delgado Paula , Sperling Or , Amico Roxas Adele , Laca Emilio , Zwieniecki Maciej A. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractDespite non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) importance for tree productivity and resilience, little is known about their seasonal regulations and trade-off with growth and reproduction. We characterize the seasonal dynamics of NSC in relation to the aboveground phenology and temporal growth patterns of three deciduous Mediterranean species: almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb), walnut (Juglans regia L.) and pistachio (Pistacia vera L.). Seasonal dynamics of NSC were synchronous between wood tissues from trunk, branches and twigs. Almond had almost identical levels and patterns of NSC variation in twigs, branches and trunks whereas pistachio and walnut exhibited clear concentration differences among plant parts whereby twigs had the highest and most variable NSC concentration, followed by branches and then trunk. While phenology had a significant influence on NSC seasonal trends, there was no clear trade-off between NSC storage and growth suggesting that both were similarly strong sinks for NSC. A temporal trade-off observed at the seasonal scale was influenced by the phenology of the species. We propose that late senescing species experience C allocation trade-off at the end of the growing season because of C-limiting thermal conditions and priority allocation to storage in order to survive winter.
Comparison of laparoscopic and open pyloromyotomy: Concerns for omental herniation at port sites after the laparoscopic approach
Authors: van den Bunder Fenne A. I. M. , van Heurn Ernest , Derikx Joep P. M. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractPyloromyotomy is a common surgical procedure in infants with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and can be performed with a small laparotomy or laparoscopically. No specific complications have been documented about one of the approaches. We aim to study (severity of) complications of pyloromyotomy and to compare complications of both approaches. Children undergoing pyloromyotomy between 2007 and 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. Complication severity was classified using the Clavien-Dindo classification. We included 474 infants (236 open; 238 laparoscopic). 401 were male (85%) and median (IQR) age was 33 (19) days. There were 83 surgical complications in 71 patients (15.0%). In the open group 45 infants (19.1%) experienced a complication vs. 26 infants in the laparoscopic group (10.5%)(p = 0.013). Severity and quantity of postoperative complications were comparable between both groups. Serosal tears of the stomach (N = 19) and fascial dehiscence (N = 8) occurred only after open pyloromyotomy. Herniation of omentum through a port site occurred only after laparoscopy (N = 6) and required re-intervention in all cases. In conclusion, the surgical complication rate of pyloromyotomy was 15.0%. Serosal tear of the stomach and fascial dehiscence are only present after open pyloromyotomy and omental herniation after laparoscopy respectively. The latter complication is underestimated and requires attention.
Landscape agricultural simplification correlates positively with the spatial distribution of a specialist yet negatively with a generalist pest
Authors: Dong Zhaoke , Zhang Qingqing , Li Lili , Lu Zengbin , Li Chao , Ouyang Fang , Tscharntke Teja , Yu Yi , Men Xingyuan 
Published: January 2020

AbstractAgricultural expansion at the cost of natural or semi-natural habitats is simplifying human-dominated landscapes. As croplands provide a large resource of food to herbivores, pest damage may increase, but such large-scale patterns across regions are little known. Here, we used two years of maize field data from 102 counties (each 1318 km2 on average) across Shandong Province in China to study the spatial distribution of two major co-occurring maize pests: the putative habitat specialist the Asian Corn Borer (Ostrinia furnacalis) (ACB) and the generalist Yellow Peach Moth (Conogethes punctiferalis) (YPM). We used Spatial Analysis by Distance Indices (SADIE) to assess the spatial distribution patterns of these pests and their relation to landscape factors. In both 2016 and 2017, the aggregation and abundance of the ACB was positively correlated with the proportion of maize on the county level, whereas the YPM exhibited the opposite pattern, i.e., a negative correlation with maize proportion. The ACB abundance was below the economic threshold level when maize was <31% in 2017, whereas the YPM abundance was below the threshold when maize was >27% (in 2016) or 23% (in 2017). Maize plant presence was the main determinant of the abundance of the ACB, while the YPM appeared to benefit from further resources in non-crop habitats. These contrasting distribution patterns suggest that the two pests are driven by their different resource requirements. In more diversified landscapes, pest control may need to focus primarily on the generalist consumer, the YPM, whereas in maize-dominated landscapes, the specialist consumer, the ACB, is dominant and needs attention.
Dimensions of Impulsivity in Gambling Disorder
Authors: Mestre-Bach Gemma , Steward Trevor , Granero Roser , Fernández-Aranda Fernando , Mena-Moreno Teresa , Vintró-Alcaraz Cristina , Lozano-Madrid María , Menchón José M. , Potenza Marc N. , Jiménez-Murcia Susana 
Published: January 2020

AbstractImpulsivity is a multidimensional construct. Although gambling disorder (GD) has been associated with high impulsivity, impulsivity across multiple domains has not been thoroughly investigated in this population. We first aimed to examine whether associations between three facets of impulsivity (response impulsivity, choice impulsivity and impulsive tendency) varied between GD patients and healthy controls (HC). We next aimed to evaluate relationships between these three types of impulsivity, as proposed by theoretical models of impulsivity, and their associations with GD severity. The sample included 97 treatment-seeking adult men with GD, diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria, and 32 male HCs recruited from the general population. Greater impulsivity in all three domains was found in men with GD in comparison to men without GD. Associations between impulsivity facets were found in both groups, with response impulsivity being the only domain associated with GD severity. Our findings confirm that multiple domains of impulsivity are relevant in GD. Future studies should examine the extent to which treatments aimed at targeting specific aspects of impulsivity improve outcomes.
Quantification of Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer Thickness on Optical Coherence Tomography with a Deep Learning Segmentation-Free Approach
Authors: Mariottoni Eduardo B. , Jammal Alessandro A. , Urata Carla N. , Berchuck Samuel I. , Thompson Atalie C. , Estrela Tais , Medeiros Felipe A. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis study describes a segmentation-free deep learning (DL) algorithm for measuring retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT). The study included 25,285 B-scans from 1,338 eyes of 706 subjects. Training was done to predict RNFL thickness from raw unsegmented scans using conventional RNFL thickness measurements from good quality images as targets, forcing the DL algorithm to learn its own representation of RNFL. The algorithm was tested in three different sets: (1) images without segmentation errors or artefacts, (2) low-quality images with segmentation errors, and (3) images with other artefacts. In test set 1, segmentation-free RNFL predictions were highly correlated with conventional RNFL thickness (r = 0.983, P < 0.001). In test set 2, segmentation-free predictions had higher correlation with the best available estimate (tests with good quality taken in the same date) compared to those from the conventional algorithm (r = 0.972 vs. r = 0.829, respectively; P < 0.001). Segmentation-free predictions were also better in test set 3 (r = 0.940 vs. r = 0.640, P < 0.001). In conclusion, a novel segmentation-free algorithm to extract RNFL thickness performed similarly to the conventional method in good quality images and better in images with errors or other artefacts.
Excellent Combination of Tensile ductility and strength due to nanotwinning and a biamodal structure in cryorolled austenitic stainless steel
Authors: Kumar G. Venkata Sarath , Mangipudi K. R. , Sastry G. V. S. , Singh Lalit Kumar , Dhanasekaran S. , Sivaprasad K. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractAustenitic stainless steels are prominent materials for their superior corrosion resistance and a combination of strength and ductility. However, the relatively low yield strength limits its application in high strength structural applications. Cryorolling is one of the promising methods of enhancing the mechanical properties of sheet metals. In the present work, Cryorolling of UNS S31000 stainless steel resulted in five-fold enhancement in yield strength with a significant loss in ductility. However, flash annealing at 800 °C for 120 s could restore its ductility up to 50% of its original ductility. The enhancement in strength is attributed to the formation of deformation nano-twins during flash annealing along with a bimodal grain structure.
Improved small blob detection in 3D images using jointly constrained deep learning and Hessian analysis
Authors: Xu Yanzhe , Wu Teresa , Gao Fei , Charlton Jennifer R. , Bennett Kevin M. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractImaging biomarkers are being rapidly developed for early diagnosis and staging of disease. The development of these biomarkers requires advances in both image acquisition and analysis. Detecting and segmenting objects from images are often the first steps in quantitative measurement of these biomarkers. The challenges of detecting objects in images, particularly small objects known as blobs, include low image resolution, image noise and overlap between the blobs. The Difference of Gaussian (DoG) detector has been used to overcome these challenges in blob detection. However, the DoG detector is susceptible to over-detection and must be refined for robust, reproducible detection in a wide range of medical images. In this research, we propose a joint constraint blob detector from U-Net, a deep learning model, and Hessian analysis, to overcome these problems and identify true blobs from noisy medical images. We evaluate this approach, UH-DoG, using a public 2D fluorescent dataset for cell nucleus detection and a 3D kidney magnetic resonance imaging dataset for glomerulus detection. We then compare this approach to methods in the literature. While comparable to the other four comparing methods on recall, the UH-DoG outperforms them on both precision and F-score.
Remodeling of the pulmonary artery in idiopathic pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis
Authors: Kinoshita Yoshiaki , Ishii Hiroshi , Kushima Hisako , Johkoh Takeshi , Yabuuchi Hidetake , Fujita Masaki , Nabeshima Kazuki , Watanabe Kentaro 
Published: January 2020

AbstractIdiopathic pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (IPPFE) is a rare subtype of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia that consists of alveolar septal elastosis and intra-alveolar collagenosis, which is predominantly located in the upper lobes. The aim of this study was to examine the remodeling of the pulmonary arteries in patients with IPPFE. This study included 18 patients with IPPFE, 24 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and 5 patients without pulmonary disease as controls. We selected muscular pulmonary arteries and calculated the percentage of the thickness of each layer of the wall (intima, media, and adventitia) in relation to the external diameter. We also quantified the percentage of areas of elastic fiber in the media divided by the whole area of the media (medial elastic fiber score). The percentage of adventitial thickness in IPPFE was significantly higher than that in IPF and in control lungs. The percentage of medial thickness did not differ statistically between IPPFE and IPF. However, the medial elastic fiber score in IPPFE was also significantly larger than that in IPF and control lungs. These results suggest that collagenous thickening of the adventitia and medial elastosis are distinct histological features in the muscular pulmonary arteries of patients with IPPFE.
Emergent features break the rules of crowding
Authors: Melnik Natalia , Coates Daniel R. , Sayim Bilge 
Published: January 2020

AbstractCrowding is the deleterious influence of surrounding objects (flankers) on target identification. A central rule of crowding is that it is stronger when the target and the flankers are similar. Here, we show in three experiments how emergent features break this rule. Observers identified targets with various emergent features consisting of a pair of adjacent chevrons either pointing in opposite (‘Diamonds’ and ‘Xs’), or the same (both up or down) directions. Targets were flanked by Diamonds or Xs, resulting in conditions with different levels of target-flanker similarity. Despite high target-flanker similarity, Diamonds were identified better than Xs when flanked by Diamonds. Participants’ judgments of target conspicuity, however, showed that Diamonds were not perceived to stand out more strongly from X than Diamond flankers. Next, we asked observers to indicate whether all presented items were identical. We found superior performance with all Diamonds compared to all Xs, indicating that display uniformity judgments benefitted from the emergent features of Diamonds. Our results showed that emergent features and the information content of the entire display strongly modulated crowding. We suggest that conventional crowding rules only hold when target and flankers are artificially constrained to be mutually independent.
Recombinant Alkaline Phosphatase Prevents Acute on Chronic Liver Failure
Authors: Engelmann Cornelius , Adebayo Danielle , Oria Marc , De Chiara Francesco , Novelli Simone , Habtesion Abeba , Davies Nathan , Andreola Fausto , Jalan Rajiv 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe lipopolysaccharide (LPS)– toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) pathway plays an important role in liver failure. Recombinant alkaline phosphatase (recAP) deactivates LPS. The aim of this study was to determine whether recAP prevents the progression of acute and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Eight groups of rats were studied 4-weeks after sham surgery or bile duct ligation and were injected with saline or LPS to mimic ACLF. Acute liver failure was induced with Galactosamine-LPS and in both models animals were treated with recAP prior to LPS administration. In the ACLF model, the severity of liver dysfunction and brain edema was attenuated by recAP, associated with reduction in cytokines, chemokines, liver cell death, and brain water. The activity of LPS was reduced by recAP. The treatment was not effective in acute liver failure. Hepatic TLR4 expression was reduced by recAP in ACLF but not acute liver failure. Increased sensitivity to endotoxins in cirrhosis is associated with upregulation of hepatic TLR4, which explains susceptibility to development of ACLF whereas acute liver failure is likely due to direct hepatoxicity. RecAP prevents multiple organ injury by reducing receptor expression and is a potential novel treatment option for prevention of ACLF but not acute liver failure.
Indel locations are determined by template polarity in highly efficient in vivo CRISPR/Cas9-mediated HDR in Atlantic salmon
Authors: Straume Anne Hege , Kjærner-Semb Erik , Ove Skaftnesmo Kai , Güralp Hilal , Kleppe Lene , Wargelius Anna , Edvardsen Rolf Brudvik 
Published: January 2020

AbstractPrecise gene editing such as CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology directed repair (HDR) can increase our understanding of gene function and improve traits of importance for aquaculture. This fine-tuned technology has not been developed for farmed fish including Atlantic salmon. We performed knock-in (KI) of a FLAG element in the slc45a2 gene in salmon using sense (S), anti-sense (AS) and double-stranded (ds) oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) templates with short (24/48/84 bp) homology arms. We show in vivo ODN integration in almost all the gene edited animals, and demonstrate perfect HDR rates up to 27% in individual F0 embryos, much higher than reported previously in any fish. HDR efficiency was dependent on template concentration, but not homology arm length. Analysis of imperfect HDR variants suggest that repair occurs by synthesis-dependent strand annealing (SDSA), as we show for the first time in any species that indel location is dependent on template polarity. Correct ODN polarity can be used to avoid 5′-indels interrupting the reading frame of an inserted sequence and be of importance for HDR template design in general.
Long-term Clinical Course after Vitrectomy for Breakthrough Vitreous Hemorrhage Secondary to Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration and Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy
Authors: Kim Jae Hui , Kim Jong Woo , Kim Chul Gu , Lee Dong Won 
Published: January 2020

AbstractTo investigate the long-term clinical course after vitrectomy for breakthrough vitreous hemorrhage secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). This retrospective study included 45 eyes that underwent vitrectomy due to breakthrough vitreous hemorrhage secondary to neovascular AMD. The patients were divided into 2 groups: neovascular AMD group and PCV group. Within each group, the status of the eye within 6 months after the surgery and that at the final follow-up was identified. The visual acuity at the final visit was additionally compared between the 2 groups. The patients were followed up for a mean period of 39.9 ± 19.4 months after the surgery. In the neovascular AMD group (n = 17), re-bleeding requiring vitrectomy was noted in 4 eyes and extensive scar formation was noted in 6 eyes within 6 months after the surgery. At the final visit, treatment was discontinued due to poor visual outcome in 10 eyes. In the PCV group (n = 28), re-bleeding requiring vitrectomy was noted in 1 eye, and extensive scar formation was noted in 4 eyes within 6 months after the surgery. At the final visit, treatment was discontinued in 8 eyes. The visual acuity at the final visit was significantly better in the PCV group (P = 0.003). The long-term clinical course after vitrectomy for breakthrough vitreous hemorrhage was markedly different between neovascular AMD and PCV, showing significantly better long-term visual outcomes in PCV.