bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Glucose-6-Phosphate/Phosphate Translocator Is Involved in Carbohydrate Metabolism and Starch Biosynthesis in Sweet Potato (Ipomoea Batatas (L.) Lam.)
Authors: Wu Zhengdan , Wang Zhiqian , Zhang Kai 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) is a good source of carbohydrates, an excellent raw material for starch-based industries, and a strong candidate for biofuel production due to its high starch content. However, the molecular basis of starch biosynthesis and accumulation in sweet potato is still insufficiently understood. Glucose-6-phosphate/phosphate translocators (GPTs) mediate the import of glucose-6-phosphate (Glc6P) into plastids for starch synthesis. Here, we report the isolation of a GPT-encoding gene, IbG6PPT1, from sweet potato and the identification of two additional IbG6PPT1 gene copies in the sweet potato genome. IbG6PPT1 encodes a chloroplast membrane–localized GPT belonging to the GPT1 group and highly expressed in storage root of sweet potato. Heterologous expression of IbG6PPT1 resulted in increased starch content in the leaves, root tips, and seeds and soluble sugar in seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana, but a reduction in soluble sugar in the leaves. These findings suggested that IbG6PPT1 might play a critical role in carbohydrate accumulation in storage tissues and would be a good candidate gene for controlling critical starch properties in sweet potato.
Analysis of the Expressions and Prognostic Significance of AJUBA and YAP1 in Glioma
Authors: Su Liping , Sang Wei , Xue Jing , Li Liu , Lu Zi-Yang , Ji Min , Zhai Yang-Yang , Hu Yan-Ran , Pu Hong-Wei , Zhang Wei 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Background: The LIM protein AJUBA is reported to play crucial roles in a variety of cellular processes and participate in the progression of human cancers. Uncovering proteins and pathways required for glioma growth is necessary for the development of novel targeted therapies.However, the expression and prognostic values of AJUBA related with Hippo signaling pathway remain poorly explored in glioma. Methods:In our study,Bioinformatics analysis revealed AJUBA and YAP1 mRNA and proteins as crucial in the Hippo signaling pathway in glioma.A total of 217 formalin-fixed paraffinembedded (FFPE) glioma tissue samples were used to verify the expressions of AJUBA and YAP1 via immunohistochemistry.Spearman correlation was performed to analyze the relationship of these proteins, and survival analysis was conducted to investigate their effects on prognosis.Results:The results showed that the mRNA levels of AJUBA and YAP1 were significantly up-regulated in glioma compared with normal tissues.The protein expressions of AJUBA and YAP1 in glioblastoma(HGG) were higher than that in low grade glioma(LGG). Survival analysis revealed glioma patients with high mRNA expression of AJUBA and YAP1 showed worse PFS. Additionally, Immunohistochemistry analysis indicated that AJUBA and YAP1 proteins were highly and positively expressed in glioma. AJUBA expression was related to WHO grade (p = 0.000), recurrence (p = 0.018) ,Tumor resection(p = 0.012) ,p53 expression (p = 0.000). Low expression of AJUBA was associated with 1p19q codeletion in LGG (r = -0.22,p = 0.009) . AJUBA was positively correlated with YAP1 (p < 0.001;r = 0.219) .In survival analysis, age, frontal location,recurrence,total tumor resection,WHO grade, ki-67 expression,AJUBA and YAP1 expressions independently predicted a short OS in total cohort (p < 0.05). Conclusions:AJUBA is a hub protein associated with Hippo signaling pathway in glioma, and its expression indicates poor prognosis in glioma. Therefore, AJUBA and YAP1 may be the promising potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in glioma.
Equitable vaccine distribution promotes socioeconomic benefits globally
Authors: Stenseth Nils , Wang Daoping , Li Ruiyun , Lei Tianyang , Sun Yida , Huo Jingwen , Hao Qi , Zhu Shupeng , Hallegatte Stephane , Guan Dabo 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Ensuring a more equitable distribution of vaccines worldwide is an effective strategy to control the COVID-19 pandemic and support global economic recovery. Here, we analyze the socioeconomic effects - defined as health gains, lockdown-easing benefit, and supply-chain rebuilding benefit - of a set of idealized vaccine distribution scenarios, by coupling an epidemiological model with a global trade-modeling framework. We find that overall a perfectly equitable vaccine distribution across the world (Altruistic Age-informed Distribution Strategy) would increase global economic benefits by 11.7% ($950 billion) per year, compared to a strategy focusing on vaccinating the entire population within vaccine-producing countries first and then distributing vaccines to non-vaccine-producing countries (Selfish Distribution Strategy). With limited doses among mid- and low-income countries, prioritizing the elderly who are at high risk of dying, together with the key workforce who are at high risk of exposure, is found to be economically beneficial. We further show that such a strategy would cascade the protection to other production sectors while rebuilding the supply chains. Our results point to a benefit-sharing mechanism which highlights the potential of collaboration between vaccine-producing and other countries to guide an economically preferable vaccine distribution worldwide.
Correlation Between Cardiometabolic Index and Microalbuminuria in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Yang Xi , Jiang YueFei , Hao XinLin , Cheng XiaoLing , Wan Qin 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Background: In recent years, cardiometabolic index (CMI) has been introduced to predict the risk of diabetes in the general population and is also strongly associated with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and ischemic stroke, but the relationship between CMI and diabetic microalbuminuria remains unclear. This study intends to investigate the relationship between CMI and microalbuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM). Methods: 524 subjects (mean age 57.28 ± 10.52 years, 283 males and 241 females) from the Department of Endocrinology, Southwestern Medical University Hospital, China (data collected from June 2017 to June 2019) participated in this study. CMI was calculated by triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio(TG/HDL-C) multiply waist-to-height ratio(WHtR). Microalbuminuria was identified by the urinary albumin‐to‐creatinine ratio (UACR) when the value was between 30–300 mg/g. Multivariate logistic regression aimed to explore the association between CMI and diabetic microalbuminuria; The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to evaluate the predictive value of CMI for microalbuminuria in T2DM patients. Results: The prevalence of microalbuminuria in all participants was 37.8% in men and 41.1% in women. Regardless of gender, CMI was significantly more unfavorable in the microalbuminuria group. The incidence of microalbuminuria increased dose-responsively with increasing CMI quartiles. Modeling CMI as a continuous variable in a multivariate-adjusted model, we observed an independent effect of each 1 SD increase in CMI on the risk of developing microalbuminuria. The relationship was more pronounced in women than in men. In women, the odds ratio(OR) for microalbuminuria was 5.666 (95% CI: 2.247-14.289) in the highest quartile of CMI compared with the lowest quartile; in men, the OR was nearly 4-fold increased(OR: 4.667, 95% CI: 1.910-11.405) in the same situation. The AUC for CMI was 0.681 (0.613 to 0.749) in women and 0.648 (0.582-0.713) in men. Conclusion: High levels of CMI were independently associated with diabetic microalbuminuria, and CMI, a novel index covering lipids and central obesity, explained the gender differences in obesity-related microalbuminuria excretion, an effect that was substantially increased in women. The results of this study provide important insights into the potential usefulness and clinical relevance of CMI for microalbuminuria in Chinese patients with T2DM.Registration number: ChiCTR2100047930Date of registration: On June 27, 2021 (retrospectively registered)
Somewhere to go: Assessing the impact of public restroom interventions on reports of open defecation in San Francisco, California from 2014 to 2020
Authors: Amato Heather Kathleen , Martin Douglas , Hoover Christopher Michael , Graham Jay Paul 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Background

Open defecation due to a lack of access to sanitation facilities remains a public health issue in the United States. People experiencing homelessness face barriers to accessing sanitation facilities, and are often forced to practice open defecation on streets and sidewalks. Exposed feces may contain harmful pathogens posing a significant threat to public health, especially among unhoused persons living near open defecation sites. The City of San Francisco’s Department of Public Works implemented the Pit Stop Program to provide the unhoused and the general public with improved access to sanitation with the goal of reducing fecal contamination on streets and sidewalks. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of these public restroom interventions on reports of exposed feces in San Francisco, California.
Methods

We evaluated the impact of various public restroom interventions implemented from January 1, 2014 to January 1, 2020 on reports of exposed feces, captured through a 311 municipal service. Publicly available 311 reports of exposed feces were spatially and temporally matched to 31 Pit Stop restroom interventions in ten San Francisco neighborhoods. We conducted an interrupted time-series analysis to compare pre- versus post-intervention rates of feces reports near the restrooms.
Results

Feces reports declined by 12.47 reports per week after the installation of 13 Pit Stop restrooms (p-value = 0.0002). The rate of reports per week declined from the six-month pre-intervention period to the post-intervention period (slope change=-0.024 [95% CI=-0.033, -0.014]). Reports also declined after new restroom installations in the Mission and Golden Gate Park, and after the provision of attendants in the Mission, Castro/Upper Market, and Financial District/South Beach.
Conclusions

Increased access to public toilets and the addition of restroom attendants reduced fecal contamination in San Francisco, especially in neighborhoods with people experiencing homelessness. Programs that improve access to public restrooms should be evaluated at the neighborhood level in order to tailor sanitation interventions to neighborhood-specific needs.
The Influence of Sense of Community on Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study on their Satisfaction in a Distance Learning Environment
Authors: Innab Adnan , Albloushi Monirah , Alruwaili Mohammed , Alenazi Latifah , Alkathiri Alwah 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a sudden shift to distance learning. For many nursing students, distance learning was a new experience. Along with being an essential requirement for retaining students, developing a sense of community is a factor influencing students' success in distance learning. Assessments of the effectiveness of e-learning have been well documented in the literature. However, there is a dearth of research that assessed nursing students’ sense of community. This study aimed to assess students’ sense of community during e-learning, while determining its impact on their level of satisfaction. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study used convenience sampling to collect data via a student satisfaction survey and a classroom community scale. Nursing students were recruited from 13 public and private nursing programs in Saudi Arabia. Results: There was a positive and significant correlation between a sense of community and satisfaction with teaching (r = .269, p < .001), satisfaction with assessment (r = .258, p < .001), satisfaction with generic skills and learning experiences (r = .238, p < .001), and total satisfaction with e-learning (r = .07, p < .001). Students who perceived themselves as working collaboratively with their classmates and being more engaged in their learning were more satisfied with e-learning (p<.01). There were no significant variations in the participants’ satisfaction by age (β = −.06, p > .05) and sex (β = −.283, p > .05). However, school level was significantly correlated with satisfaction with e-learning. Specifically, students in lower levels of their nursing school had higher satisfaction rates with e-learning (95% CI [.08, 1.33], [F (3, 99) = 6.96, p < .001, β = −.335, R2 = .174]).Conclusions: Failing to meet student expectations can lead to low levels of student involvement. Thus, students’ engagement and satisfaction are good indicators of the quality and effectiveness of online programs. This study calls for further action through seminars and training sessions to introduce innovative teaching techniques and alternative assessment plans for learners in advanced levels. This study helps educational institutions devise strategies to enhance the level of interaction and cooperation among nursing students.
Classifying the tracing difficulty of 3D neuron image blocks based on deep learning
Authors: Yang Bin , Huang Jiajin , Wu Gaowei , Yang Jian 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Quickly and accurately tracing neuronal morphologies in large-scale volumetric microscopy data is a very challenging task. Most automatic algorithms for tracing multi-neuron in a whole brain are designed under the Ultra-Tracer framework, which begins the tracing of a neuron from its soma and traces all signals via a block-by-block strategy. Some neuron image blocks are easy to trace and their automatic reconstructions are very accurate, and some others are difficult to trace and their automatic reconstructions are inaccurate or incomplete. The former are called low Tracing Difficulty Blocks (low-TDBs), while the latter are called high Tracing Difficulty Blocks (high-TDBs). We design a model named 3D-SSM to classify the tracing difficulty of 3D neuron image blocks, which is based on 3D Residual neural Network (3D-ResNet), Fully Connected Neural Network (FCNN) and Long Short-Term Memory network (LSTM). 3D-SSM contains three modules: Structure Feature Extraction (SFE), Sequence Information Extraction (SIE) and Model Fusion (MF). SFE utilizes a 3D-ResNet and a FCNN to extract two kinds of features in 3D image blocks and their corresponding automatic reconstruction blocks. SIE uses two LSTMs to learn sequence information hidden in 3D image blocks. MF adopts a concatenation operation and a FCNN to combine outputs from SIE. Neuron images of a whole mouse brain are segmented into many overlapped 3D image blocks along the gold standard reconstruction of each marked neuron. With the help of gold standard reconstructions and APP2 automatic reconstructions, 12732 training samples and 5342 test samples are constructed based on those 3D image blocks. The 3D-SSM achieves classification accuracy rate 87.04% on the training set and 84.07% on the test set. The trained 3D-SSM is tested on samples from another whole mouse brain and its accuracy rate is 83.21%. 3D-SSM can be used as a stop condition of an automatic tracing algorithm in the Ultra-Tracer framework. With its help, neuronal signals in low-TDBs can be traced by the automatic algorithm and in high-TDBs may be reconstructed by annotators.
Effect of Benzoylsalicylic Acid on IKK-Beta Kinase and NF-κB Pathway in Murine Macrophage raw 264.7 Cells
Authors: Kamatham Samuel , Sepuri Naresh Babu V. , Kumar Naresh 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
The transcription factor NF-κB regulates a large array of genes of immune and inflammatory responses. Deregulated NF-κB signalling is implicated in the pathogenesis and broad spectrum of human inflammatory disorders and malignancies. The mechanism for NF-κB activation is the inducible degradation of IκB, triggered through its site-specific phosphorylation by a multi-subunit IκB kinase (IKK) complex. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) a well-known anti-inflammatory agent that binds to ATP binding pocket of IKKβ and inhibits its kinase activity. However, several side effects of aspirin due to the inactivation of COX-1 limits the therapeutic usage of ASA. Here we have demonstrate the effect of a plant phenolic compound benzoylsalicylic acid (BzSA) isolated first time in plants a potent anti-viral compound inhibits Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and enhance the plant defense response (Samuel et all 2016&2017) inhibit the IKKβ mediated NF-κB pathway higher than aspirin. Our In-vitro COX enzymatic assays with BzSA have shown less COX-1 and high COX-2 inhibition as compared to ASA. Western blotting analysis of Raw 264.7 cells that were pre-treated with BzSA down-regulated LPS stimulated pIKK-β, pIκB, NF-κBp65, TNF-α, COX-1, COX-2, 5-LOX, IL-1β, and IL-6 higher than ASA. Therefore, our observations suggested that the potencial therapeutic value of BzSA an upcoming new inhibitor of NF-KB pathway and the dual inhibitor of COX2/5-LOX without effecting the usefull COX-1. Hence useful as an anti-inflammatory agent like ASA.
The “friend and foe” of deterministic and stochastic cell-cell variations
Authors: Vedel Søren , Košmrlj Andrej , Nunns Harry , Trusina Ala 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
By diversifying, cells in a clonal population can together overcome the limits of individuals. Diversity in single-cell growth rates allows the population to survive environmental stresses, such as antibiotics, and grow faster than undiversified population. These functional cell-cell variations can arise stochastically, from noise in biochemical reactions, or deterministically, by asymmetrically distributing damaged components. While each of the mechanism is well understood, the effect of the combined mechanisms is unclear. To evaluate the contribution of the deterministic component we mapped the growing population to the Ising model. Model results, confirmed by simulations and experimental data, show that cell-cell variations increase near-linearly with stress. As a consequence,
we predict that the entropic gain — the gain in population doubling time compared to an “average” cell — is primarily stochastic at low stress but crosses over to deterministic at higher stresses. Furthermore, we find that while the deterministic component minimizes population damage, stochastic
variations antagonize this effect. Together our results may help identifying stress-tolerant pathogenic cells and thus inspire novel antibiotic strategies.
Dietary patterns and cognitive function risk in the elderly in a county of Guangxi: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Gou Ruoyu , Li You , Pang Weiyi , Mo Chunbao , Cai Jiansheng , Luo Tingyu , Mai Tingyu , Tan Dechan , He Kailian , Xiao Song , Tang Xu , Li Hongnan , Zhang Zhiyong , Qin Jian 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Objective: To explore the effects of changes in dietary patterns on the cognitive functions of elderly people aged 60 and above in Gongcheng County. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to study the health status of the elderly population in Gongcheng County, Guangxi. A quantitative food frequency table was used in obtaining information about eating habits, and the Chinese version of the Simple Mental State Examination Scale was used in obtaining the cognitive function score. Three main dietary patterns were obtained through factor analysis, and the significance of the main dietary structure and cognitive function was analyzed through logistic regression. Results: This study covered 1246 elderly patients, of which 221 had cognitive impairments, accounting for 17.7%. Three dietary patterns were extracted. The cereal and potato dietary model and oil tea-type dietary model had no protective effects on cognitive function (P > 0.05), whereas the vegetable and fruit-based diet pattern exerted a protective effect on cognition before and after the adjustment of potential confounding factors. This protective effect alleviated decline in cognitive function (before adjustment for confounding factors: odds ratio [OR] = 2.05; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34–3.15; P < 0.05; after adjustment, OR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.34–3.33, and P < 0.05). Conclusion: Traditional dietary patterns: (grain and potato dietary models and oil-tea-type dietary patterns) cannot alleviate cognitive decline. This study suggests that a specific structure of dietary habits (vegetable and fruit-based dietary patterns) can protect the elderly against cognitive decline.
Basis for drug selectivity of plasmepsin IX and X inhibition for Plasmodium falciparum and vivax
Authors: Hodder Anthony N. ,   Janni Christensen1, Scally Stephen , Triglia Tony , Ngo Anna , Birkinshaw Richard W. , Bailey Brodie , Favuzza Paola , Dietrich Melanie H. , Tham Wai-Hong , Czabotar Peter E. , Lowes Kym , Guo Zhuyan , Murgolo Nicholas , Ruiz Manuel de Lera , McCauley John A. , Sleebs Brad E. , Olsen David , Cowman Alan F. 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Plasmepsin IX (PMIX) and X (PMX) are aspartyl proteases of Plasmodium spp. that play essential roles in parasite egress, invasion and development. Consequently, they are important drug targets for Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. WM4 and WM382 are potent inhibitors of PMIX and PMX that block invasion of liver and blood stages and transmission to mosquitoes. WM4 specifically inhibits PMX whilst WM382 is a dual inhibitor of PMIX and PMX. To understand the function of PMIX and PMX proteases we identified new protein substrates in P. falciparum and together with detailed kinetic analyses and structural analyses identified key molecular interactions in the active site responsible for the specificity of WM4 and WM382 inhibition. The crystal structures of PMX apo enzyme and the protease/drug complexes of PMX/WM382 and PMX/WM4 for P. falciparum and P. vivax have been solved. We show PMIX and PMX have similar substrate selectivity, however, there are distinct differences for both peptide and full-length protein substrates through differences in localised 3-dimensional structures for the enzyme substrate-binding cleft and substrate interface. The differences in affinities of WM4 and WM382 binding for PMIX and PMX map to variations in surface interactions with each protease in the S' region of the active sites. Crystal structures of PMX reveal interactions and mechanistic detail on the selectivity of drug binding which will be important for further development of clinical candidates against these important molecular targets.