bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Leonurus sibiricus root extracts decrease airway remodeling markers expression in fibroblasts
Authors: Wieczfinska J , Sitarek P , Kowalczyk T , Pawliczak R 
Published: June 2020

Summary
Bronchial asthma is believed to be provoked by the interaction between airway inflammation and remodeling. Airway remodeling is a complex and poorly understood process, and controlling it appears key for halting the progression of asthma and other obstructive lung diseases. Plants synthesize a number of valuable compounds as constitutive products and as secondary metabolites, many of which have curative properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-remodeling properties of extracts from transformed and transgenic Leonurus sibiricus roots with transformed L. sibiricus roots extract with transcriptional factor AtPAP1 overexpression (AtPAP1). Two fibroblast cell lines, Wistar Institute-38 (WI-38) and human fetal lung fibroblast (HFL1), were incubated with extracts from transformed L. sibiricus roots (TR) and roots with transcriptional factor AtPAP1 over-expression (AtPAP1 TR). Additionally, remodeling conditions were induced in the cultures with rhinovirus 16 (HRV16). The expressions of metalloproteinase 9 (MMP)-9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1), arginase I and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunoblotting methods. AtPAP1 TR decreased arginase I and MMP-9 expression with no effect on TIMP-1 or TGF-β mRNA expression. This extract also inhibited HRV16-induced expression of arginase I, MMP-9 and TGF-β in both cell lines (P &lt; 0·05) Our study shows for the first time to our knowledge, that transformed AtPAP1 TR extract from L. sibiricus root may affect the remodeling process. Its effect can be attributed an increased amount of phenolic acids such as: chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid or ferulic acid and demonstrates the value of biotechnology in medicinal research.
Laminin degradation by matrix metalloproteinase 9 promotes ketamine‐induced neuronal apoptosis in the early developing rat retina
Authors: Wu Lei , Zhang Kan , Sun Liping , Bai Jie , Zhang Mazhong , Zheng Jijian 
Published: June 2020

AbstractAimsDuring early development, laminin degradation contributes to the death of neurons. This study aims to investigate the role and regulation of laminin in ketamine‐induced apoptosis.MethodsWe performed terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin‐dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and immunohistochemical assays to investigate the roles of the non‐integrin laminin receptor, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) in ketamine‐induced neuronal apoptosis. In situ zymography, Western blot, and immunofluorescence were used to explore the relationships between laminin, MMP9 activity, and Zn2+. Experiments were performed using whole‐mount retinas dissected from Sprague Dawley rats.ResultsThe TUNEL and immunohistochemical assays indicated that ketamine‐induced neuronal apoptosis in early developing rat retina. Blockade of non‐integrin laminin receptor promoted ketamine‐induced apoptosis, while non‐integrin laminin receptor activation attenuated ketamine‐induced apoptosis. Ketamine‐induced laminin degradation, possibly by enhancing the activity of MMP9. MMP9 inhibition reduced ketamine‐induced apoptosis by reducing laminin degradation. Downregulation of Zn2+ attenuated the increased MMP9 activity, laminin degradation caused by ketamine and significantly reduced ketamine‐induced neuronal apoptosis.ConclusionLaminin degradation by MMP9 promoted ketamine‐induced neuronal apoptosis in early developing rat retina. The non‐integrin laminin receptor may be a pathway involved in ketamine‐induced apoptosis. Zn2+ downregulation may play a protective role against ketamine‐induced neuronal apoptosis through inhibiting MMP9 activity.
Quantification of tricuspid regurgitation area by 3‐dimensional color Doppler echocardiography considering different clinical settings
Authors: Chouchani Mehrez , Michaelsen Jochen , Langenbrink Lukas , Piatkowski Michal , Altiok Ertunc , Hoffmann Rainer 
Published: June 2020

AbstractPurposeThe precise assessment of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) using 2D imaging techniques may be associated with significant difficulties due to the nonround regurgitation area. Direct analysis of the regurgitation area by 3D color Doppler echocardiography at the vena contracta (3D VCA) has the potential to adequately quantify even complex TR. This study compared 3D VCA for quantification of the TR with the regurgitant area determined by proximal isovolumetric convergence method (PISA‐EROA) considering different clinical settings.MethodsIn 95 patients with TR of different severity, the regurgitant orifice area was determined by 3D color Doppler echocardiography and by PISA‐EROA. Using 3D color Doppler echocardiography, the regurgitant orifice area was determined three times in each patient considering 3 datasets.ResultsMean 3D VCA was 0.27 ± 0.14, 0.27 ± 0.13, and 0.29 ± 0.14 cm2, respectively, as determined by three separate measurements in each of the 95 patients. There was a mean relative deviation between the three measurements in each patient of 12.4 ± 14.9%. The regurgitant orifice area using the PISA method was 0.28 ± 0.14 cm2. There was a mean difference of 0.07 cm2 (95% CI −0.124 to 0.138 cm2) between 3D VCA and PISA‐EROA. The correlation between 3D VCA and PISA‐EROA was r = .88 (P < .001). Considering a grading of TR severity in grade I (regurgitant area < 0.2 cm2), grade II (area 0.2–0.4 cm2), and grade III (area > 0.4 cm2), there was a good agreement between severity grade determined by 3D VCA and severity grade determined by PISA‐EROA (kappa 0.71).ConclusionThe analysis of the VCA of a TR using 3D color Doppler echocardiography is an alternative method to determine the regurgitant severity with good agreement to the PISA method.
Pathophysiology of the aortic regurgitation Doppler signal end‐diastolic notching: “A‐dip insight”
Authors: Giannakopoulos Georgios , Rey Florian , Müller Hajo 
Published: June 2020

AbstractA 76‐year‐old man was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of severe decompensated heart failure. Initial echocardiogram showed normal left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, grade II diastolic dysfunction, and mild‐to‐moderate aortic regurgitation. The aortic regurgitant Doppler signal exhibited an end‐diastolic notching, called an A‐dip. After intravenous diuretic therapy and 3 kg weight loss, a new echocardiogram was performed showing a grade I diastolic dysfunction and complete abolishment of the A‐dip. Aortic A‐dip is a rare finding denoting increased LV filling pressures. Conditions that favor its occurrence are increased LV stiffness, low diastolic blood pressure, and preserved left atrial contractility.
Partial bivoltinism in a gregarious endoparasitoid: larval diapause as influenced by season and sharing a host
Authors: Evans Edward W. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe yearly timing of the life cycle of a parasitoid is a key element of its life‐history strategy. I examine here factors influencing the expression of partial bivoltinism in Tetrastichus julis Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a specialist parasitoid introduced to North America to attack its univoltine host, the cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus (L.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). The varying tendency was assessed of individuals of this gregarious larval parasitoid to either emerge as adults in the same summer they mature, or to enter diapause to emerge the following year. Parasitized hosts were obtained by rearing cereal leaf beetles collected as mature larvae from grain fields in northern Utah (western USA) throughout the growing seasons in 2013 and 2014. Cocoons spun by these beetles were held to determine patterns over the spring and summer in the tendency of the parasitoid to forgo larval diapause. A high percentage (nearly 90% in 2013) of parasitoid individuals were found to forgo diapause and emerge in the same summer from earliest maturing hosts. This percentage rapidly declined to 20% or less of individuals forgoing diapause and emerging from cocoons as the summer advanced. The percentage of parasitoid individuals forgoing diapause increased significantly at a given time of season (early or late) as the number of conspecifics with which an individual shared a host larva increased. These results may reflect a trade‐off for individual parasitoids in which greater success in finding – and ovipositing in – host larvae the following spring vs. in summer, is countered by reduced survivorship in diapausing over the winter vs. emerging in the same summer in which the parasitoid matures. Expression of partial bivoltinism of T. julis, as affected strongly by both season and within‐host density, results in high rates of parasitism of cereal leaf beetles both early and late in the season.
Altered resting‐state functional connectivity between subregions in the thalamus and cortex in migraine without aura
Authors: Qin Z. X. , Su J. J. , He X. W. , Zhu Q. , Cui Y. Y. , Zhang J. L. , Wang M. X. , Gao T. T. , Tang W. , Hu Y. , Liu Y. S. , Qiao Y. , Liu J. R. , Li J. Q. , Du X. X. 
Published: June 2020

Background and purposeMigraine is a complex and disabling neurological disorder, the exact neurological mechanisms of which remain unclear. The thalamus is considered to be the hub of the central processing and integration of nociceptive information, as well as the modulation of these processes.MethodsA total of 48 migraineurs without aura (MWoAs) during the interictal phase and 48 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls underwent resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. We utilized masked independent component analysis and seed‐based functional connectivity (FC) to investigate whether MWoAs exhibited abnormal FC between subregions in the thalamus and the cortex regions.ResultsThe MWoAs showed significantly weaker FC between the anterior dorsal thalamic nucleus and left precuneus. Additionally, MWoAs exhibited significantly reduced FC between the ventral posterior nucleus (VPN) and left precuneus, right inferior parietal lobule (R‐IPL) and right middle frontal gyrus. Furthermore, the FC Z‐scores between the VPN and R‐IPL were negatively correlated with pain intensity in MWoAs. The disease duration of patients was negatively correlated with the FC Z‐scores between the VPN and R‐IPL.ConclusionThese altered thalamocortical connectivity patterns may contribute to multisensory integration abnormalities, deficits in pain attention, cognitive evaluation and pain modulation. Pain sensitivity and disease duration are closely tied to abnormal FC between the VPN and R‐IPL. Remarkably, recurrent headache attacks might contribute to this maladaptive functional plasticity closely related to pain intensity.
Relationship between saliva and plasma rufinamide concentrations in patients with epilepsy
Authors: Franco Valentina , Gatti Giuliana , Mazzucchelli Iolanda , Marchiselli Roberto , Fattore Cinzia , Rota Paola , Galimberti Carlo Andrea , Capovilla Giuseppe , Beccaria Francesca , De Giorgis Valentina , Johannessen Landmark Cecilie , Perucca Emilio 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe assay of saliva samples provides a valuable alternative to the use of blood samples for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), at least for certain categories of patients. To determine the feasibility of using saliva sampling for the TDM of rufinamide, we compared rufinamide concentrations in paired samples of saliva and plasma collected from 26 patients with epilepsy at steady state. Within‐patient relationships between plasma rufinamide concentrations and dose, and the influence of comedication were also investigated. Assay results in the two tested fluids showed a good correlation (r2 = .78, P < .0001), but concentrations in saliva were moderately lower than those in plasma (mean saliva to plasma ratio = 0.7 ± 0.2). In eight patients evaluated at three different dose levels, plasma rufinamide concentrations increased linearly with increasing dose. Patients receiving valproic acid comedication had higher dose‐normalized plasma rufinamide levels than patients comedicated with drugs devoid of strong enzyme‐inducing or enzyme‐inhibiting activity. Overall, these findings indicate that use of saliva represents a feasible option for the application of TDM in patients treated with rufinamide. Because rufinamide concentrations are lower in saliva than in plasma, a correction factor is needed if measurements made in saliva are used as a surrogate for plasma concentrations.
Natural history collections are critical resources for contemporary and future studies of urban evolution
Authors: Shultz Allison J. , Adams Benjamin J. , Bell Kayce C. , Ludt William B. , Pauly Gregory B. , Vendetti Jann E. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractUrban environments are among the fastest changing habitats on the planet, and this change has evolutionary implications for the organisms inhabiting them. Herein, we demonstrate that natural history collections are critical resources for urban evolution studies. The specimens housed in these collections provide great potential for diverse types of urban evolution research, and strategic deposition of specimens and other materials from contemporary studies will determine the resources and research questions available to future urban evolutionary biologists. As natural history collections are windows into the past, they provide a crucial historical timescale for urban evolution research. While the importance of museum collections for research is generally appreciated, their utility in the study of urban evolution has not been explicitly evaluated. Here, we: (a) demonstrate that museum collections can greatly enhance urban evolution studies, (b) review patterns of specimen use and deposition in the urban evolution literature, (c) analyze how urban versus rural and native versus nonnative vertebrate species are being deposited in museum collections, and (d) make recommendations to researchers, museum professionals, scientific journal editors, funding agencies, permitting agencies, and professional societies to improve archiving policies. Our analyses of recent urban evolution studies reveal that museum specimens can be used for diverse research questions, but they are used infrequently. Further, although nearly all studies we analyzed generated resources that could be deposited in natural history collections (e.g., collected specimens), a minority (12%) of studies actually did so. Depositing such resources in collections is crucial to allow the scientific community to verify, replicate, and/or re‐visit prior research. Therefore, to ensure that adequate museum resources are available for future urban evolutionary biology research, the research community—from practicing biologists to funding agencies and professional societies—must make adjustments that prioritize the collection and deposition of urban specimens.
Peritoneal fluid accumulation in the femoral canal as a result of a post‐traumatic femoral hydrocele in a mature Warmblood stallion
Authors: Baldwin C. M. , Priestnall S. L. , McMaster M. 
Published: June 2020

SummaryThe following case report documents the clinical presentation, ultrasonographic appearance, surgical management and outcome of a horse with a traumatic tear extending from the superficial and deep inguinal rings, across the aponeurosis of the external abdominal oblique muscle and inguinal ligament, disrupting the femoral ring, vascular lacuna and peritoneum. This subsequently resulted in fluid accumulation within the femoral canal. This unusual injury and presentation gives rise to discussion of the aetiology and nomenclature that should be used to properly describe this injury.
Equine focal mucopurulent placentitis associated withStenotrophomonas maltophilia
Authors: Gomes V. C. L. , Del Piero F. , Langohr I. M. , de Aguiar L. H. , Anderson A. , Sones J. L. , Pinto C. R. 
Published: June 2020

SummaryTwo cases of focal mucopurulent placentitis (FMP) associated withStenotrophomonas maltophiliaare reported herein. The first patient, a 12‐year‐old Quarter Horse mare, aborted at 287 days of gestation and the fetus and placenta were submitted for post‐mortem examination. Histopathological findings included chronic exudative allantochorionitis and fetal multifocal suppurative hepatitis. The second patient, a 10‐year‐old Thoroughbred mare, prematurely delivered a live foal at 293 days of gestation. Chronic exudative allantochorionitis and perifunisitis were diagnosed. The foal was severely compromised and was euthanised. On post‐mortem examination, pneumonia, myocardial and hepatic necrosis, and sepsis were diagnosed. The fetal membranes of both mares had a thick adherent mass of exudate overlaying the chorionic surface. The lesions were well demarcated, and the underlining chorion was avillous, pale and thickened.Stenotrophomonas maltophiliawas isolated from the exudate of both mares and from the lungs and stomach of the fetus from the first patient. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first clinical description of FMP associated withS. maltophiliain the USA. The aetiopathogenesis of placentitis induced by this micro‐organism and its relevance as an emerging pathogen in equine reproduction remains to be further elucidated.
HDAC11 is a novel regulator of fatty acid oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscle
Authors: Hurtado Erica , Núñez‐Álvarez Yaiza , Muñoz Mar , Gutiérrez‐Caballero Cristina , Casas Josefina , Pendás Alberto M. , Peinado Miguel A. , Suelves Mònica 
Published: June 2020

Skeletal muscle is the largest tissue in mammalian organisms and is a key determinant of basal metabolic rate and whole‐body energy metabolism. Histone deacetylase 11 (HDAC11) is the only member of the class IV subfamily of HDACs, and it is highly expressed in skeletal muscle, but its role in skeletal muscle physiology has never been investigated. Here, we describe for the first time the consequences of HDAC11 genetic deficiency in skeletal muscle, which results in the improvement of muscle function enhancing fatigue resistance and muscle strength. Loss of HDAC11 had no obvious impact on skeletal muscle structure but increased the number of oxidative myofibers by promoting a glycolytic‐to‐oxidative muscle fiber switch. Unexpectedly, HDAC11 was localized in muscle mitochondria and its deficiency enhanced mitochondrial content. In particular, we showed that HDAC11 depletion increased mitochondrial fatty acid β‐oxidation through activating the AMP‐activated protein kinase‐acetyl‐CoA carboxylase pathway and reducing acylcarnitine levels in vivo, thus providing a mechanistic explanation for the improved muscle strength and fatigue resistance. Overall, our data reveal a unique role of HDAC11 in the maintenance of muscle fiber‐type balance and the mitochondrial lipid oxidation. These findings shed light on the mechanisms governing muscle metabolism and may have implications for chronic muscle metabolic disease management.
Lenvatinib in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who do not meet the REFLECT trial eligibility criteria
Authors: Sho Takuya , Suda Goki , Ogawa Koji , Shigesawa Taku , Suzuki Kazuharu , Nakamura Akihisa , Ohara Masatsugu , Umemura Machiko , Kawagishi Naoki , Natsuizaka Mitsuteru , Nakai Masato , Morikawa Kenichi , Furuya Ken , Baba Masaru , Ito Jun , Yamamoto Yoshiya , Kobayashi Tomoe , Meguro Takashi , Saga Akiyoshi , Miyagishima Takuto , Terasita Katsumi , Takagi Tomofumi , Kamiyama Toshiya , Taketomi Akinobu , Sakamoto Naoya 
Published: June 2020

AimThis study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who did not meet REFLECT eligibility criteria (phase 3 clinical trial).MethodsIn this multicenter retrospective study, patients with unresectable HCC treated with lenvatinib between 2018 and 2019 and had adequate clinical data were included. Objective response rate, progression‐free‐survival (PFS) and safety were evaluated according to meeting or not meeting the REFLECT eligibility criteria and according to the criteria of the REFLECT trial.ResultsOf the 105 patients included, 61% (64 of 105) did not meet the REFLECT eligibility criteria. Safety and median PFS of lenvatinib were similar between the patients who did and those who did not meet the criteria. Among the patients who did not meet the criteria, 28, 27, 14, six, seven and five had a history of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment, Child–Pugh score B, HCC in ≥50% of the liver, reduced platelet count, bile duct invasion and main portal vein invasion, respectively. The efficacy and safety of lenvatinib for patients with or without Child–Pugh‐score B or HCC in ≥50% of the liver were similar. Although treatment outcome was not significantly different, patients with TKI treatment history tended to have longer median PFS, whereas those with main portal vein invasion tended to have shorter median PFS.ConclusionLenvatinib was effective for patients who did not meet the REFLECT inclusion criteria. However, the treatment outcome may vary according to several factors, such as a history of TKI treatment and tumor invasion.
Acne in pregnancy: A prospective multicenter, cross‐sectional study of 295 patients in Turkey
Authors: Kutlu Ömer , Karadağ Ayşe Serap , Ünal Emine , Kelekçi Kıymet Handan , Yalçınkaya İyidal Ayşegül , Topaloğlu Demir Filiz , Aksoy Berna , Çölgeçen Emine , Tosun Mustafa , Emre Selma , Tatlıparmak Aslı , Demirseren Düriye Deniz , Kaya Özden Hatice , Öztürk Murat , Özlü Emin , Chen Wenchieh 
Published: June 2020

AbstractBackgroundThere are only a few studies on acne in pregnancy. This study was aimed to investigate the demographic, clinical, and familial characteristics of acne in pregnancy, triggering factors including endocrine diseases, and association of these findings with acne in different trimesters of pregnancy.MethodsPregnant women aged 18 years and older with acne at any stage of pregnancy were consecutively interviewed at the participating centers during the study period from 2016 to 2019. Acne severity was evaluated using the Comprehensive Acne Severity Scale.ResultsA total of 295 pregnant women with acne were included, with 167 (56.6%) patients showing mild, 87 (29.5%) moderate, six (12.2%) severe, and five (1.7%) very severe acne. Truncal acne was significantly higher in the third trimester than in the other stages (P < 0.001). Onset of acne before pregnancy, prepubertal, pubertal or adult onset, or acne history in previous pregnancies did not influence acne severity in pregnancy. Women with irregular menstruation before pregnancy, polycystic ovary syndrome, hirsutism, and higher body weight index tended to show severe acne in pregnancy.ConclusionsSevere acne during pregnancy is generally uncommon, while severity of facial acne, truncal acne, and hirsutism is higher in the third trimester than in other trimesters. Acne in pregnancy shares many characteristics with female adult acne. Substantial changes in different kinds of hormones play a more complex role in acne during pregnancy, but the pathogenesis remains to be determined.