bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Alleviation of TGF‐β1 induced tubular epithelial–mesenchymal transition via the δ‐opioid receptor
Authors: Luo Fengbao , Xu Renfang , Song Guanglai , Xue Dong , He Xiaozhou , Xia Ying 
Published: June 2020

Renal fibrosis is a common pathological feature of progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is indicated that transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) plays as a central mediator in renal fibrosis. The present study aimed to investigate the role of δ‐opioid receptor (DOR) on renal fibrosis of the rat renal proximal tubular epithelial cell line (NRK‐52E) induced by TGF‐β1 and to elucidate its underlying mechanism, as well as its involvement in signaling pathways. Cells were treated with TGF‐β1 (10 ng·mL−1), along with a specific DOR agonist (UFP‐512) or naltrindole (a DOR antagonist). Cell viability and morphology, as well as cell migration, were measured after drug administration. Western blotting was employed to examine the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein Fibronectin, and the tubular epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers (E‐cadherin and α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA)), signal transducer (p‐Smad3), and EMT‐regulatory gene (Snail). The expression level of phosphorylated Akt and p38 was also examined. Our results showed that TGF‐β1 induced fibroblastic appearance and increased the expression of Fibronectin, α‐SMA, P‐Smad3, and Snail, while it decreased the expression of E‐cadherin in NRK‐52E cells. Moreover, TGF‐β1 induced the activation of Akt and p38 MAPK signaling pathways. DOR activation was found to efficiently block morphological changes and cell migration, as long as the expression changes of Fibronectin, E‐cadherin, α‐SMA, P‐Smad3, Snail, P‐Akt, and P‐p38 were induced by TGF‐β1. These findings suggest that DOR may serve as an antifibrotic factor for renal proximal tubule cells by inhibiting the fibrosis process via TGF‐β/Smad, Akt, and p38 MAPK signaling pathways.
Canopy photosynthesis of six major arable crops is enhanced under diffuse light due to canopy architecture
Authors: Emmel Carmen , D'Odorico Petra , Revill Andrew , Hörtnagl Lukas , Ammann Christof , Buchmann Nina , Eugster Werner 
Published: June 2020

AbstractDiffuse radiation generally increases photosynthetic rates if total radiation is kept constant. Different hypotheses have been proposed to explain this enhancement of photosynthesis, but conclusive results over a wide range of diffuse conditions or about the effect of canopy architecture are lacking. Here, we show the response of canopy photosynthesis to different fractions of diffuse light conditions for five major arable crops (pea, potato, wheat, barley, rapeseed) and cover crops characterized by different canopy architecture. We used 13 years of flux and microclimate measurements over a field with a typical 4 year crop rotation scheme in Switzerland. We investigated the effect of diffuse light on photosynthesis over a gradient of diffuse light fractions ranging from 100% diffuse (overcast sky) to 11% diffuse light (clear‐sky conditions). Gross primary productivity (GPP) increased with diffuse fraction and thus was greater under diffuse than direct light conditions if the absolute photon flux density per unit surface area was kept constant. Mean leaf tilt angle (MTA) and canopy height were found to be the best predictors of the diffuse versus direct radiation effect on photosynthesis. Climatic factors, such as the drought index and growing degree days (GDD), had a significant influence on initial quantum yield under direct but not diffuse light conditions, which depended primarily on MTA. The maximum photosynthetic rate at 2,000 µmol m−2 s−1photosynthetically active radiation under direct conditions strongly depended on GDD, MTA, leaf area index (LAI) and the interaction between MTA and LAI, while under diffuse conditions, this parameter depended mostly on MTA and only to a minor extent on canopy height and their interaction. The strongest photosynthesis enhancement under diffuse light was found for wheat, barley and rapeseed, whereas the lowest was for pea. Thus, we suggest that measuring canopy architecture and diffuse radiation will greatly improve GPP estimates of global cropping systems.
Political ecology of milk: Contested futures of a lively food
Authors: Clay Nathan , Yurco Kayla 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThis article advances thinking on the political ecology of food and agriculture by reviewing research on milk and dairy. As increasingly contested foods, milk and dairy provide a window onto inter‐linked social and environmental crises and attempts to solve them through adjustments to food production and consumption. We critically assess three trajectories of change (more milk, better milk, and less milk) that are representative of broader efforts to fix social‐environmental crises through food. Arguing that these efforts eschew systemic change, we discuss how ideas from food studies, agrarian political economy, and development studies can be united in a potentially transformative research agenda on the political ecology of milk (as well as other foods). We reflect on how concepts of justice, power, and care might inform a political ecology of food and agriculture that can help envision and enact more democratic food futures.
Intraoperative assessment and reporting of radical prostatectomy specimens to guide nerve‐sparing surgery in prostate cancer patients (NeuroSAFE)
Authors: van der Slot Margaretha A , den Bakker Michael A , Klaver Sjoerd , Kliffen Mike , Busstra Martijn B , Rietbergen John B W , Gan Melanie , Hamoen Karen E , Budel Leo M , Goemaere Natascha N T , Bangma Chris H , Helleman Jozien , Roobol Monique J , van Leenders Geert J L H 
Published: June 2020

AimsRadical prostatectomy for prostate cancer is frequently complicated by urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Nerve‐sparing surgery reduces the risk of postoperative complications and can be optimised by the use of intraoperative frozen sections of the adjacent neurovascular structure (NeuroSAFE). The aims of this study were to evaluate the pathological outcomes of the NeuroSAFE technique and to develop a comprehensive algorithm for intraoperative clinical decision‐making.Methods and resultsBetween September 2018 and May 2019, 491 NeuroSAFE procedures were performed in 258 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy; 74 of 491 (15.1%) NeuroSAFE specimens had positive surgical margins. As compared with the corresponding paraffin sections, NeuroSAFE had a positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 85.1% and 95.4%, respectively. In 72.2% of secondary neurovascular bundle resections prompted by a NeuroSAFE positive surgical margin, no tumour was present. These cases more often had a positive surgical margin of ≤1 mm (48.7% versus 20.0%; P = 0.001) and only one positive slide (69.2% versus 33.3%; P = 0.008). None of the nine patients with Gleason pattern 3 at the surgical margin, a positive surgical margin length of ≤1 mm and one positive slide had tumour in the secondary resection.ConclusionsThis study provides a systematic reporting template for pathological intraoperative NeuroSAFE evaluation, supporting intraoperative clinical decision‐making and comparison between prostate cancer operation centres.
Food insecurity is associated with increased weight loss attempts in children and adolescents
Authors: Masler Isabella V. , Palakshappa Deepak , Skinner Asheley C. , Skelton Joseph A. , Brown Callie L. 
Published: June 2020

SummaryHousehold food insecurity (HFI) has been associated with adverse childhood outcomes and shares many common risk factors with obesity. Half of adolescents with overweight or obesity are actively attempting to lose weight. We aim to evaluate whether HFI is associated with weight loss attempts and unhealthy weight loss control practices in children. We examined cross‐sectional data of children ages 8 to 15 years old from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Attempted weight loss was more common among children with very low food security (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.09, 2.07). Children with a healthy weight with very low food security had increased odds of attempting weight loss (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.00, 2.26) but there was no association in children with overweight or obesity. Very low food security was also associated with unhealthy weight control practices (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.93). Physicians should counsel all children and adolescents on healthy and unhealthy weight loss behaviours, regardless of weight or food security status.
Lipids, inflammasomes, metabolism, and disease
Authors: Anand Paras K. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractInflammasomes are multi‐protein complexes that regulate the cleavage of cysteine protease caspase‐1, secretion of inflammatory cytokines, and induction of inflammatory cell death, pyroptosis. Several members of the nod‐like receptor family assemble inflammasome in response to specific ligands. An exception to this is the NLRP3 inflammasome which is activated by structurally diverse entities. Recent studies have suggested that NLRP3 might be a sensor of cellular homeostasis, and any perturbation in distinct metabolic pathways results in the activation of this inflammasome. Lipid metabolism is exceedingly important in maintaining cellular homeostasis, and it is recognized that cells and tissues undergo extensive lipid remodeling during activation and disease. Some lipids are involved in instigating chronic inflammatory diseases, and new studies have highlighted critical upstream roles for lipids, particularly cholesterol, in regulating inflammasome activation implying key functions for inflammasomes in diseases with defective lipid metabolism. The focus of this review is to highlight how lipids regulate inflammasome activation and how this leads to the progression of inflammatory diseases. The key roles of cholesterol metabolism in the activation of inflammasomes have been comprehensively discussed. Besides, the roles of oxysterols, fatty acids, phospholipids, and lipid second messengers are also summarized in the context of inflammasomes. The overriding theme is that lipid metabolism has numerous but complex functions in inflammasome activation. A detailed understanding of this area will help us develop therapeutic interventions for diseases where dysregulated lipid metabolism is the underlying cause.
Cold sintered LiMgPO4 based composites for low temperature co‐fired ceramic (LTCC) applications
Authors: Wang Dawei , Chen Jinrong , Wang Ge , Lu Zhilun , Sun Shikuan , Li Jinglei , Jiang Juan , Zhou Di , Song Kaixin , Reaney Ian M. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractCold sintered, Li2MoO4‐based ceramics have recently been touted as candidates for electronic packaging and low temperature co‐fired ceramic (LTCC) technology but MoO3 is an expensive and endangered raw material, not suited for large scale commercialization. Here, we present cold sintered temperature‐stable composites based on LiMgPO4 (LMP) in which the Mo (and Li) concentration has been reduced, thereby significantly decreasing raw material costs. Optimum compositions, 0.5LMP‐0.1CaTiO3‐0.4K2MoO4 (LMP‐CTO‐KMO), achieved 97% density at <300°C and 600 MPa for 60 minutes. Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X‐ray mapping confirmed the coexistence of end‐members, LMP, CTO, and KMO, with no interdiffusion and parasitic phases. Composites exhibited temperature coefficient of resonant frequency ~ –6 ppm/°C, relative permittivity ~9.1, and Q × f values ~8500 GHz, properties suitable for LTCC technology and competitive with commercial incumbents.
Interrelationships between interventricular electrical delays in cardiac resynchronization therapy
Authors: Moubarak Ghassan , Sebag Frédéric A. , Socie Pierre , Villejoubert Olivier , Louembe Jules , Ferchaud Virginie 
Published: June 2020

AbstractIntroductionIn cardiac resynchronization therapy, pacing the left ventricle (LV) at sites of prolonged electrical delay is associated with better outcomes. We sought to characterize the interrelationships between intrinsic, right‐ventricular (RV)‐paced, and LV‐paced interventricular delays.Methods and ResultsThe following electrical timings were measured at implantation for all electrodes of the LV quadripolar leads: QLV, interventricular delay in intrinsic rhythm (RVs‐LVs), in RV‐paced rhythm (RVp‐LVs), and in LV‐paced rhythm (LVp‐RVs). We included 32 patients (78% men, age 72 years, LV ejection fraction 29%, left bundle branch block 84%). QLV and RVs‐LVs were correlated (R2 = .72, p < .0001), as were RVs‐LVs and RVp‐LVs (R2 = .27, p = .002) and RVp‐LVs and LVp‐RVs (R2 = .60, p < .001). Direction of activation along the four LV lead electrodes was concordant between RVs‐LVs and RVp‐LVs in only 17 (53%) patients. The latest‐activated electrodes in RVs‐LVs and RVp‐LVs were concordant in 26 (81%) patients, adjacent in 3 (9%) patients, and remote in 3 (9%) patients. Biventricular‐paced QRS duration varied by more than 10 ms between the two electrodes in half of the patients with dissimilar latest electrodes. Among the seven echocardiographic nonresponders at 6 months, the programmed electrode was remote from the latest electrode in RVs‐LVs in five patients and in RVp‐LVs in three patients.ConclusionIntrinsic and RV‐paced interventricular electrical delays are correlated, but there is substantial heterogeneity between patients. The latest‐activated electrode may be different between RVs‐LVs and RVp‐LVs, and this might have important implications in selecting the optimal LV vector.
Metabolic alterations in plasma after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy
Authors: Yoshida Naofumi , Kitahama Seiichi , Yamashita Tomoya , Hirono Yasuko , Tabata Tokiko , Saito Yoshihiro , Shinohara Ryohei , Nakashima Hitomi , Emoto Takuo , Hirota Yushi , Takahashi Tetsuya , Ogawa Wataru , Hirata Ken‐ichi 
Published: June 2020

AbstractLaparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is an important therapeutic option for morbidly obese patients. Although LSG promotes sufficient weight loss, how LSG changes plasma metabolites remains unclear. We assessed changes in plasma metabolite levels after LSG. We collected plasma samples from 15 morbidly obese Japanese patients before and 3 months after LSG. A total of 48 metabolites were quantified using capillary electrophoresis time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry‐based metabolomic profiling. Branched chain amino acids, several essential amino acids, choline, 2‐hydroxybutyric acid, 2‐oxoisovaleric acid and hypoxanthine were significantly decreased after LSG. Tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites, including citric acid, succinic acid and malic acid, were significantly elevated after LSG. This is the first report to show dynamic alterations in plasma metabolite concentrations, as assessed using capillary electrophoresis time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry, in morbidly obese patients after LSG. Our results might show how LSG helps improve obesity, in part through metabolic status changes, and propose novel therapeutic targets to ameliorate obesity.
Non‐invasive quality analysis of thawed tuna using near infrared spectroscopy with baseline correction
Authors: Li Yuqiang , Pan Tianhong , Li Haoran , Chen Shan 
Published: June 2020

AbstractIn order to investigate the ability of NIR spectroscopy coupled with baseline correction to detect quality‐related changes of thawed tuna during the storage and the transportation. First, adaptive iteratively reweighted penalized least squares (airPLS) method was taken to eliminate the baseline and estimate spectra feature peaks of 168 samples (bigeye = 82, yellowfin = 86), and the Monte Carlo method was used to determine the optimal adjustment parameter λ. Second, predictive models based on the fitted features were established by the partial least squares regression (PLSR) to estimate docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), fat, and protein content. Compared with the standard normal variate (SNV), the proposed airPLS achieved good performance in a comparative experimental test. When the original spectra was preprocessed by airPLS, the number of feature peaks (nf) and the mean value of R2 () achieved 6 and 0.89 respectively, which is greater than that of the preprocessing algorithm SNV (nf = 4 and ). The proposed airPLS effectively reduces the interfering variability and reserves much more NIR features, which is a feasible and stable method for quality‐related analysis of the thawed tuna.Practical application: During the storage and the transportation, the rich nutrients in tuna are easily oxidized and degraded when they are exposed to the air. In order to develop effective methods to determine the quality of tuna and avoid selling thawed products as the fresh tuna, a quality‐related analysis method for thawed tuna based on the baseline correction is proposed to improve the prediction accuracy.
Implications of 2020 Skilled Home Healthcare Payment Reform for Persons with Dementia
Authors: Ankuda Claire K. , Leff Bruce , Ritchie Christine S. , Rahman Omari‐Khalid , Ferreira Katelyn B. , Bollens‐Lund Evan , Ornstein Katherine A. 
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESThe Medicare home health benefit provides episodic skilled home‐based clinical care to the growing population of community‐dwelling persons with dementia. As of January 1, 2020, home health payment changed: episodes shortened from 60 to 30 days, and episodes initiated in the community are now reimbursed at lower rates than episodes following institutional stays. We aim to assess the potential impact of these policy changes on this population.DESIGN/SETTINGCross‐sectional study using the Medicare claims‐linked National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS).PARTICIPANTSA total of 1,867 NHATS respondents who received home health between 2011 and 2017.MEASUREMENTSDementia was defined through both self‐report and a validated cognitive assessment through NHATS. We described the demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics of older adults with dementia receiving home health compared with those without dementia. We then assessed the association of dementia with both receiving community‐initiated home health (vs postinstitutional) and visit timing during the home health episode.RESULTSOver a follow‐up period of just over 4 years, 50.2% of persons with dementia used home health compared with 15.3% of persons without dementia. Most home health provided to persons with dementia was initiated in the community (61%), compared with 37% of episodes provided to persons without dementia. Persons with dementia were more likely to receive care in days 31 to 60 of the episode compared with those without dementia.CONCLUSIONSShortening episodes and reimbursing community‐initiated episodes at lower rates may disproportionately impact the highly vulnerable population of older adults with dementia, who receive more community‐initiated care over longer time periods. Our work highlights the need to better understand the unique role of home health in meeting gaps in both acute‐ and long‐term care systems for older adults with dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:2303–2309, 2020.
Mass incarceration and consumer financial harm: Critique of rent‐seeking by the carceral state
Authors: Carder Rockwell Casey , Crockett David , Davis Lenita 
Published: June 2020

AbstractMass incarceration is an approach to managing public safety that emphasizes detention over other means. It is also neoliberalism's quintessential political and economic project because it mobilizes a prison industrial complex to generate revenue. We highlight rent‐seeking, the pursuit of extra‐budgetary revenues by carceral agencies, because it inflicts financial harm on incarcerated consumers and their supporters. Carceral agencies leverage government's authority to set the conditions of detention. However, when they also leverage government's market‐making authority to seek rents from incarcerated persons we characterize that as a government failure. To understand it, we depart from a focus on corruption by specific actors to highlight features of institutions that enable unethical behavior. We join activists and elected officials who call for an end to mass incarceration, but we also highlight more immediate reforms that can help restrain rent‐seeking and enable greater public scrutiny of the carceral state.
Potential role of the skin microbiota in Inflammatory skin diseases
Authors: Chen Pan , He Guangwen , Qian Jingru , Zhan Yi , Xiao Rong 
Published: June 2020

AbstractBackgroundInflammatory skin diseases include a variety of skin diseases, such as seborrheic dermatitis, acne, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and so on, which are more common and tend to have a significant impact on patients' quality of life. Inflammatory skin diseases often result in physical or psychological distress; however, the pathogenesis of these diseases have not been clearly elucidated. Many factors are involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases, including heredity, environment, immunity, epidermal barrier, mental disorders, infection and so on. In recent years, skin microbiota has been shown to play an important role in inflammatory skin diseases.AimsTo elaborate on the specific mechanisms of inflammatory skin diseases induced by microbiota dysbiosis.MethodsWe introduce the function and influence of skin microbiota in inflammatory skin diseases from the following aspects: Immunity, epigenetics, epidermal barrier and treatment.ResultsSkin microbiota can affect many aspects of the host, such as Immunity, epigenetics, epidermal barrier, and it plays an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases.ConclusionSkin microbiota is extremely important for maintaining the health of skin and the dysbiosis of skin microbiota is an important pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases.
Effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for perinatal depression: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Li Zimeng , Liu Ying , Wang Jiayao , Liu Jia , Zhang Chunmei , Liu Yanhui 
Published: June 2020

AbstractAims and objectivesTo systematically review the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy for improving mood in perinatal depression.BackgroundThe impact of cognitive behavioural therapy on perinatal depression has been evaluated in various studies, but there is uncertainty about their impact.DesignSystematic review and meta‐analysis.MethodsNine electronic literature databases were searched to retrieve eligible randomised controlled trials: CNKI, VIP digital database, Chinese Wanfang database, the Cochrane library, PubMed, Web of science, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL from the inception of the databases up to 15 November 2019. The eligible studies were screened and extracted, and then, the methodological quality was evaluated independently by two researchers. The meta‐analyst software (Rev Man 5.3) was used to conduct the meta‐analysis. Checklist of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses has been followed.ResultsThirteen RCTs with 966 participants were included. The results showed that the CBT group was superior to the usual care group in reducing depression symptoms of pregnant women after treatment immediately, and the difference was statistically significant. Similarly, at postpartum (<4 months), the results showed that the CBT group was superior to the usual care group in improving depression symptoms of pregnant women. However, there was no statistical difference at postpartum (>4 months).ConclusionsCognitive behavioural therapy can effectively relieve the symptoms of depression at short‐term effect. However, its long‐term effect need to be verified by further clinical studies.Relevance to clinical practiceThis meta‐analysis suggested that cognitive behavioural therapy should be considered as a complementary programme for patients with perinatal depression. Medical workers could apply cognitive behavioural therapy into daily routine cares for perinatal depression.