bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and safety of the extracorporeal shock wave therapy in patients with postherpetic neuralgia: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chen Lu , Zhou Ruihao , Sun Fuguo , Weng Yan , Ye Ling , Yang Pingliang 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is one of the most common chronic neuropathic pain, which seriously affected the quality of the life due to the severity of pain and the poor response to the current treatment. The main management strategies of PHN include medication therapy and invasive interventional therapy. However, there are lots of side effects. It is meaningful to find another effective and safe treatment for PHN. Methods: A single-center, randomized, single-blind clinical trial will be held. A total of 98 participants will be randomly divided into control group and experimental group in a 1:1 ratio. Patients in control group will receive conventional treatment including medication therapy and invasive interventional therapy. The experimental group will be treated with extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in addition to conventional therapy. The primary outcome is visual analogue scale (VAS), secondary outcome contains 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36), self-rating anxiety Scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS) and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). Assessors who are blinded to the randomization will collect data during the intervention period at baseline, 1 weeks, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks in this study. The plasma levels of TNF-α、IL-6 in patients will be detected before and after ESWT to explore part of the biochemical mechanism of ESWT for the treatment of PHN. Discussion: This randomized controlled trial will be held to evaluate the actual effectiveness and safety of ESWT in patients with PHN, and thus provide clinical evidences for its application in the PHN management and explore the potential mechanism of this treatment. Trial registration: www.ChiCTR.org.cn, identifier: ChiCTR1900025828. Registered on 10th September 2019.
Yu Nu compound regulates autophagy and apoptosis through mTOR in vivo and vitro
Authors: He Caigu , Liu Guang , Zhuang Shuting , Zhang Jialin , Chen Yangtao , Li Hetian , Huang Zhengpin , Zheng Yanfang 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background: Yu Nu compound (YNJ) is a traditional Chinese medicine widely utilized to treat type 2 diebetes, which has been reported to regulate autophagy. Abnormal podocyte autophagy and apoptosis could result in podocyte loss in diabetics nephropathy (DN). The mechanism of Yu Nu compound in DN is still unclear. Therefore, the study aims to investigate how Yu Nu compound exerts effects on DN rats.Methods: GK rats were administered using YNJ with different dose once a day by gavage for 4 weeks. The renal cortex injury was observed by HE and electron microscope. Cell apoptosis of renal cortex was analyzed by tunnel staining. The mTOR, autophagy-related proteins and apoptosis-related proteins were detected by Western blot or Real-time PCR in vivo and vitro. MPC5 cells were exposed to high glucose (HG, 30mM) for 12h for simulating podocytes injury in DN. MPC5 cells were treated by serum containing YNJ with different dosage. Cell activities and apoptosis were respectively detected through CCK8 assay and Flow cytometry.Results: The results showed that the medium dose of YNJ has better effects on decreasing blood glucose and improving renal injury in GK rats, followed by decreasing mTOR levels. The autophagy levels were enhanced, accompanied with the increase of cell apoptosis in vivo and vitro. The decreasing endogenous mTOR could reverse the effects of YNJ on cell apoptosis and autophagy.Conclusion : the study suggested that YNJ reduced the excessive autophagy and suppressed apoptosis through regulating mTOR. The maintenance of normal basal autophagic activity possibly based on the effect of YNJ on multiple target was essential for maintaining podocytes function.
Time to recovery from Proteinuria and its related factors in patients with lupus nephritis
Authors: Aghdashi Miramir , Makhdomi Khadije , Rashidi Arash 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background lupus nephritis (LN) is a severe form of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with renal involvement. It affects the kidneys in about 50% of SLE patients. The aim of this study was to assess the evaluation of proteinuria recovery time and its related factors associated with lupus nephritis patients in Urmia- Northwest of Iran.Methods A retrospective cohort study was carried out, in which medical records of 80 patients with systemic lupus nephritis referred to Imam Khomeini university hospital were reviewed. According to these records biopsy-proven renal disease has been progressed from September 2009 to September 2013. Proteinuria less than 0.5 g/24h was defined as proteinuria recovery. The time elapsed from the diagnosis of proteinuria to its recovery is considered as the duration of proteinuria recovery (month). The findings were analyzed by STATA11 statistical software.Results Mean age at diagnosis of lupus nephritis was 26.50±8.10 years (14-51 years). Mean creatinine level at the start of treatment was 1.20±0.61 mg/dl (0.5- 2.80). Proteinuria recovery time was 4 months for 25% of patients, 6 months for 50% of patients (median time) and 12 months for 75% of them. Higher class of LN had a trend toward 31% lower risk of proteinuria recovery (HR: 0.73, 95% CI 0.56 -0.96; P= 0.02), the expected risk is 1.94 times greater in women as compared with men (HR: 1.94, 95% CI 1.1-3.48; P=0.02).Conclusions The patients in this study population respond to treatment in less time and in comparison with other studies, their proteinuria recovers earlier. Class of lupus nephritis (negative) and gender (positive) were predictive factors proteinuria recovery among LN patients.
Synergism between nonane and emanations from soil as cues in oviposition-site selection of natural populations of Anopheles gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus
Authors: Mwingira Victor S. , Mboera Leonard EG , Takken Willem 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background: Olfactory cues have been shown to have an important role in guiding gravid mosquito females to selected sites for egg laying. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of emanations from soil from a breeding site and the putative oviposition pheromone nonane on oviposition-site selection of natural populations of Anopheles gambiae s.l. and Culex quinquefasciatus.Methods: This field-based study was conducted in Mvomero District in East-central Tanzania. In a dual-choice experimental set up, clay bowls were dug into the ground and filled with one of the following treatments: (i) distilled water + autoclaved soil (control), (ii) distilled water + soil from a natural mosquito breeding site, (iii) distilled water + nonane and (iv) distilled water + nonane + soil from a natural breeding site. Soil was either left untreated or was autoclaved before use. The number of larvae present in the bowls after 10 d was used as outcome measure.Results: Autoclaved soil had a significant effect on oviposition behaviour of Cx. quinquefasciatus (P<0.005) but no effect on An. gambiae (P= 0.18). Nonane and emanations from untreated soil significantly influenced the selection of oviposition sites by both An. gambiae (P< 0.0001) and Cx. quinquefasciatus (P<0.0001). A mixture of nonane and untreated soil caused a synergistic effect on oviposition behaviour compared to either nonane or untreated soil alone, in both An. gambiae (Oviposition Activity Index (OAI) = 0.56; P< 0.001) and Cx. quinquefasciatus (OAI =0.59; P<0.0001).Conclusion: The larval pheromone nonane and emanations from breeding-site soil both induced oviposition in wild An. gambiae s.l. and Cx. quinquefasciatus, with a synergistic effect when both stimuli were present simultaneously. This is the first study in which nonane is shown to cause oviposition under natural conditions, suggesting that this compound can potentially be exploited for the management of mosquito vectors.
Scleroderma-specific autoantibodies embedded in immune complexes mediate endothelial damage: an early event in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis
Authors: Raschi Elena , Privitera Daniela , Bodio Caterina , Lonati Paola Adele , Borghi Maria Orietta , Ingegnoli Francesca , Meroni Pier Luigi , Chighizola Cecilia Beatrice 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background: Consistently with their diagnostic and prognostic value, autoantibodies specific for systemic sclerosis (SSc) embedded in immune complexes (ICs) elicited a pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cascade in healthy skin fibroblasts, engaging Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) via their nucleic acid components. The objective of this study was to investigate the pathogenicity of SSc-ICs in endothelial cells (ECs).Methods: ICs were purified from sera of SSc patients bearing different autoantibody specificities (antibodies against DNA topoisomerase I, centromeric proteins, RNA polymerase and Th/To), patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), primary anti-phospholipid syndrome (PAPS) or healthy controls (NHS) using polyethylen glycol precipitation. Human umbilical vein ECs (HUVECs) were incubated with ICs, IL-1β, Poly I:C, LPS or ODN CpG. mRNA levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), collagenIα1 (colIα1), interferon (IFN)-α and IFN-β were investigated by Real-Time PCR; ICAM-1 expression was evaluated by cell-ELISA; secretion of IL-6, IL-8 and tumour growth factor (TGF)-β1 in culture supernatants was measured by ELISA. Intracellular signalling pathways culminating with NFkB, p38MAPK, SAPK-JNK and Akt were assessed by Western Blotting. Healthy skin fibroblasts were stimulated with supernatants from HUVEC incubated with ICs, and tumour growth factor (TGF)-β1secretion, mRNA levels of colIα1 and matrix metalloproteinase (mmp)-1 were evaluated.Results: All SSc stimulated IL-6 secretion compared to NHS-ICs; ACA-ICs and anti-Th/To-ICs increased ICAM-1 expression; all SSc-ICs but anti-Th/To-ICs augmented IL-8 levels; all SSc-ICs but ACA and ARA-ICs up-regulated et-1 and all SSc-ICs but ARA-ICs affected TGF-β1 secretion. ColIα1, IFN-α and IFN-β mRNA levels were not affected by any SSc-ICs. A differential modulation of tlr expression was observed: tlr2, tlr3 and tlr4 were upregulated by ATA-ICs and ACA-ICs, while anti-Th/To-ICs resulted in tlr9 up-regulation. All SSc-ICs activated p38MAPK and AKT, all SSc-ICs but ARA-ICs yielded the activation of NFκB; ATA-ICs and ACA-ICs increased the activation rate of both subunits of SAPK-JNK.When healthy skin fibroblasts were stimulated with supernatants from HUVECs incubated with SSc-ICs, TGF-β1 secretion and colIα1 expression levels were significantly modulated.Conclusions: These data provide the first demonstration of the pathogenicity of ICs from scleroderma patients with different autoantibodies in ECs. Endothelial activation induced by SSc-ICs ultimately led to a pro-fibrotic phenotype in healthy skin fibroblasts.
Risk factors for lymph node metastasis in gastric neuroendocrine tumor: a retrospective study
Authors: Li Xianghui , Wang Meng , Lu Xiaofeng , Yang Zhengyang , AI Shichao , Sun Feng , Guan Wenxian , Liu Song 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) plays a vital role in the determination of clinical outcome in patients with gastric neuroendocrine tumor (G-NET). Preoperative identification of LNM is helpful for intraoperative lymphadenectomy. This study aims to investigate risk factors for LNM in patients with G-NET. Method: We performed a retrospective study involving 37 patients in non-LNM group and 82 patients in LNM group. Data of demographics, preoperative lab result, clinical pathological results, surgical management and postoperative situation were compared between groups. Significant parameters were subsequently entered into logistic regression for further analysis. Results: Patients in LNM group exhibited older age (p=0.011), lower preoperative albumin (ALB) (p=0.003), higher carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (p=0.020), higher International normalized ratio (p=0.034), longer thrombin time (p=0.018), different tumor location (p=0.005), higher chromogranin A positive rate (p=0.045), and higher Ki-67 expression level (p=0.002). Logistic regression revealed ALB (p=0.043), CEA (p=0.032), tumor location (p=0.013) and Ki-67 (p=0.041) were independent risk factors for LNM in G-NET patients. Conclusions: ALB, CEA, tumor location and Ki-67 expression level correlate with the risk of LNM in patients with G-NET.
The esophagus survives non-thermal irreversible electroporation ablation and gradually rehabilitates
Authors: Song Yue , Zheng Jingjing 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background When using ablation technology to treat esophageal cancer or tumors adjacent to the esophagus, the damage and recovery of the esophagus itself is of particular concern. Non-thermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE) is a novel minimally invasive ablation method that uses microsecond electric fields to create nanoscale defects on cell membranes and induce cell death, while keeping all other molecules (including the extracellular matrix) intact. In this study, we aimed to study the effect of NTIRE on the esophagus wall and its subsequent repair process.Methods A typical NTIRE electrical protocol was applied to the rabbit esophagus and histological analysis was used to analyze subsequent changes in esophageal tissue after ablation.Results The application of NTIRE resulted in complete cell inactivation, but the experimental animals did not show severe pathological discomfort after in situ ablation. After ablation, the entire layer of the esophageal wall gradually showed signs of recovery: regeneration and creep replacement of epithelial basal cells, regeneration of muscle cells and structural remodeling of the muscle layer, and finally the restoration of clear anatomical structures in each layer.Conclusions The esophagus can survive the direct application of NTIRE, and the whole layer of the entire wall can be gradually regenerated and repaired. NTIRE can be used for in situ ablation of local tumors, including esophageal, intrathoracic and mediastinal tumors, and upper abdominal tumors, while minimizing collateral damage to adjacent tissues because of the unique ability of the NTIRE ablation method to target the cell membrane.
Ectopic expression of Cripto-1 in transgenic mouse liver promotes hepatocyte proliferation, and causes the altered expression of hepatocarcinogenesis-related genes
Authors: Liu Yu , Li Yan-Qing , Jia Jun-Shuang , Zhao Wen-Tao , Wei Fang , Wang Jia-Hong , Dai Guan-Qi , Huang Shi-Hao , Wang Yu-Cai , Li Yong-Long , Li Xiao-Yan , Han Liu-Xin , Xiao Dong , Xu Kang , Lin Xiaolin 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background : Embryonic gene Cripto-1 (CR-1) is not detected or expressed at low levels in normal adult tissues, however, is re-expressed in numerous tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and CR-1 transgene overexpression led to mammary epithelial hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma, which prompted us to investigate whether hepatocyte-specific overexpression of CR-1 in transgenic mice can initiate hepatocarcinogenesis. Methods : Semi-quantitative RT-PCR, qRT-PCR, Western blotting or immunohistochemical staining were employed to detected CR-1 mRNA transcript or CR-1 expression in HCC tissue specimens. Combined use of CR-1 transgenic mice, microarray, 2/3 partial hepatectomy (PHx), and TCGA and GEO database examined the functions of CR-1 in initiate hepatocelluar carcinogenesis. Results: Here we firstly provided the direct evidence that a truncated 1.7-kb mRNA transcript from CR-1 geneis dominantly expressed in HCC specimens, suggesting the importance of short CR-1 mRNA form in HCC progression.We found that CR-1 is frequently upregulated in HCC specimens. Hepatocyte-specific overexpression of CR-1 in transgenic mice promoted hepatocyte proliferation after 2/3 PHx, CR-1 positively regulated HCC cell proliferation and invasion in vitro, and CR-1 overexpression promoted tumour growth of HCC cells in nude mice. In this study, we demonstrated that CR-1 transgenic overexpression in transgenic liver abnormally activated downstream pathways (i.e., AKT, Wnt/b-catenin, Stat3, MAPK/ERK, JNK, TGF-b and Notch) and led to the deregulated expression profile of genes, including up-regulated genes (i.e., CD5L, S100A8, S100A9, Timd4, Orm2, Orm3, Saa1, Saa3, Itih3, Itih4, Ly6e, IGHG1, IGHG2B and Vnn3) and down-regulated genes (i.e.,PDK4, DMBT1, G0S2, Plk2, Plk3, Gsta1 and Gsta2), all of which are key regulators of cellular proliferation, inflammation response, cellular malignant transformation, hepatocarcinogenesis or HCC progression, however, there were no histological signs of precancerous lesions, hepatocyte dysplasia and HCC formation in livers samples from 3-, 6- or 8-month-old RCLG/Alb-Cre transgenic mice, suggesting that the constitutive expression of CR-1 alone is not sufficient to promote hepatocarcinogenesis, unless other factors, i.e., a second hit, is present. Conclusions: Taken together, we provide the first in vivo genetic evidence that CR-1 overexpression in transgenic mouse liver promotes hepatocyte proliferation after 2/3 PHx, and causes the deregulated molecular alterations involved in HCC oncogenesis, however, these abnormally molecular alterations are not sufficient to initiate hepatocarcinogenesis in mice. Keywords : Cripto-1 (CR-1), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), transgenic mice, hepatocarcinogenesis
Assessment of Biventricular Function in Clinically Well Pediatric Heart Transplantation Patients by Three-dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography
Authors: Lv Qing , Li Meng , Li He , Wu Chun , Dong Nianguo , Li Yuman , Zhang Li , Xie Mingxing 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background Studies on pediatric heart transplantation (HTx) are uniquely challenging because pediatric HTx center volumes are generally low. And, the biventricular function plays an important role in the prognosis of pediatric HTx. The primary aim of our study was to evaluate biventricular function of pediatric HTx by three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography(3D-STE). Methods We enrolled 30 clinically well pediatric HTx patients and 30 sex- and age- matched healthy controls. All subjects underwent comprehensive echocardiographic examinations. Left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), LV and right ventricular (RV) ejection fraction (EF) and RV longitudinal strain (RVLS) of free wall and septum were acquired by 3D-STE. And the correlations between strains and clinical data were explored. Results Compared with controls, LV GLS was decreased in pediatric HTx patients (P<0.05), while LV GCS and LVEF showed no difference. RVEF, RVLS (free wall) and RVLS (septum) in HTx group were diminished (P<0.05), but RVEF was still in normal range. Cold ischemic time was correlated inversely with LV GLS (β=-0.401, P<0.05). The mean pulmonary artery pressure (β=0.447, P<0.05) and postoperative tricuspid regurgitation pressure (β=0.607, P<0.05) were associated with RVLS (free wall). Conclusion Biventricular longitudinal systolic function rather than global systolic function was impaired after HTx. 3D STE may be able to evaluate the ventricular function better. Prolonged ischemic time leads to impaired LV longitudinal systolic function in pediatric HTx patients. It’s interesting that in HTx patients, it shows compensatory enhancement due to increased pulmonary vascular resistance.
High-density Genetic Linkage Map Construction in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Using SNP and SSR Markers
Authors: Lyu Pin , Hou Jianhua , Yu Haifeng , Shi Huimin 
Published: March 2020

Background:
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an important oil crop only after
soybean, canola and peanuts. A high-quality genetic map is the foundation of marker-assisted
selection (MAS). However, for this species, the high-density maps have been reported limitedly.

Objective:
In this study, we proposed the construction of a high-density genetic linkage map by the
F7 population of sunflowers using SNP and SSR Markers.

Methods:
The SLAF-seq strategy was employed to further develop SNP markers with SSR
markers to construct the high-density genetic map by the HighMap software.

Results:
A total of 1,138 million paired-end reads (226Gb) were obtained and 518,900 SLAFs
were detected. Of the polymorphic SLAFs, 2,472,245 SNPs were developed and finally, 5,700
SNPs were found to be ideal to construct a genetic map after filtering. The final high-density
genetic map included 4,912 SNP and 93 SSR markers distributed in 17 linkage groups (LGs) and
covered 2,425.05 cM with an average marker interval of 0.49 cM.

Conclusion:
The final result demonstrated that the SLAF-seq strategy is suitable for SNP markers
detection. The genetic map reported in this study can be considered as one of the most highdensity
genetic linkage maps of sunflower and could lay a foundation for quantitative trait loci
(QTLs) fine mapping or map-based gene cloning.
A Bidirectional Associations between Urban Physical Environment and Mental Health: A theoretical framework
Authors: Marzukhi Marlyana Azyyati , Ghazali Nur Masyitah , Leh Oliver Ling Hoon , Yakob Hamizah 
Published: March 2020

This paper examines the influence of the urban physical environment on mental health. A scoping review of reviews and a search of keywords from 109 international literatures from 1985 to 2019 conducted in a relevant database such as SCOPUS, Web of Science, and PubMed and snowballing method in the references list to get a recent paper that related. The relationship developed in the form of a theoretical framework using urban health indicators that identifies a relationship between the urban physical environment and mental health. The framework can be beneficial to the urban planning decision-makers to plan healthier and more sustainable Malaysian cities.Keywords: Urban Physical; Environment; Mental; HealtheISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v5i13.2048
Factors Influencing Active Travel Mode to School for Primary School Children
Authors: Osman Naimah , Nasrudin Na'asah , Abdullah Yusfida Ayu , Khalid Nurul Shakila 
Published: March 2020

Walking is a healthy way for children to explore their environment. However, nowadays, children prefer a passive mode of transport to commute to school. This paper aims to identify the factors that influence children to walk to school and evaluates the safety level of the children. This study, therefore, investigates children's preference to understand their perceptions on the choice to walk to school involving 100 primary school children in the Shah Alam City, Malaysia, through a case study method. Results indicated that distance to school, quality of the pedestrian facility and surrounding environment in a facility area affect the decision of children to walk to school.Keywords: Active Travel Mode; Walking; Primary School ChildreneISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v5i13.2089