bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Understanding collective regularity in human mobility as a familiar stranger phenomenon
Authors: Leng Yan , Santistevan Dominiquo , Pentland Alex 
Published: September 2021

AbstractBeyond the physical structures that contain daily routines, urban city dwellers repeatedly encounter strangers that similarly shape their environments. Familiar strangers are neither formal acquaintances nor completely anonymous faces in daily urban life. Due to data limitations, there is a lack of research focused on uncovering the structure of the “Familiar Stranger” phenomenon at a large scale while simultaneously investigating the social relationships between such strangers. Using countrywide mobile phone records from Andorra, we empirically show the existence of such a phenomenon as well as details concerning these strangers’ relative social relations. To understand the social and spatial components of familiar strangers more deeply, we study the temporal regularity and spatial structure of collective urban mobility to shed light on the mechanisms that guide these interactions. Furthermore, we explore the relationship between social distances and the number of encounters to show that more significant physical encounters correspond to a shorter social distance. Understanding these social and physical networks has essential implications for epidemics spreading, urban planning, and information diffusion.
Functional and histologic imaging of urinary bladder wall after exposure to psychological stress and protamine sulfate
Authors: Saito Tetsuichi , Hitchens T. Kevin , Foley Lesley M. , Singh Nishant , Mizoguchi Shinsuke , Kurobe Masahiro , Gotoh Daisuke , Ogawa Teruyuki , Minagawa Tomonori , Ishizuka Osamu , Chermansky Christopher , Kaufman Jonathan , Yoshimura Naoki , Tyagi Pradeep 
Published: September 2021

AbstractTo quantify the urinary bladder wall T1 relaxation time (T1) before and after the instillation contrast mixture in rats previously subjected to water avoidance stress (WAS) and/or acute exposure to protamine sulfate (PS). Female Wistar rats were randomized to receive either sham (control) or 1 h of WAS for ten consecutive days before the evaluation of nocturnal urination pattern in metabolic cages. T1 mapping of urinary bladder wall at 9.4 T was performed pre- and post- instillation of 4 mM Gadobutrol in a mixture with 5 mM Ferumoxytol. Subsequently, either T1 mapping was repeated after brief intravesical PS exposure or the animals were sacrificed for histology and analyzing the mucosal levels of mRNA. Compared to the control group, WAS exposure decreased the single void urine volume and shortened the post-contrast T1 relaxation time of mucosa- used to compute relatively higher ingress of instilled Gadobutrol. Compromised permeability in WAS group was corroborated by the urothelial denudation, edema and ZO-1 downregulation. PS exposure doubled the baseline ingress of Gadobutrol in both groups. These findings confirm that psychological stress compromises the paracellular permeability of bladder mucosa and its non-invasive assay with MRI was validated by PS exposure.
A negative association between prevalence of diabetes and urban residential area greenness detected in nationwide assessment of urban Bangladesh
Authors: Khan Jahidur Rahman , Sultana Amena , Islam Md. Mazharul , Biswas Raaj Kishore 
Published: September 2021

AbstractResidential area greenness may influence diabetes, but limited studies have explored this relationship in developing countries. This study assessed the association between residential area greenness and diabetes among urban adults in Bangladesh. The mediation effect of the body mass index (BMI) was also assessed. A total of 2367 adults aged ≥ 35 years were extracted from a nationally representative survey. Diabetes was characterised as fasting plasma glucose level be ≥ 7.0 mmol/L or taking prescribed medications to reduce blood sugar level. Residential area greenness was estimated by enhanced vegetation index. Binary logistic regression models were employed to estimate the association between residential area greenness and diabetes adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Mediation analysis was performed to assess whether BMI mediated the association between greenness and diabetes. Greater area greenness was associated with lower odds of diabetes (adjusted odds ratio 0.805, 95% confidence interval 0.693–0.935, p = 0.0052). BMI significantly mediated 36.4% of the estimated association between greenness and diabetes. Presence of areas of greenness adjacent to living area tends to be associated with lower diabetes prevalence. Findings emphasised the importance of preserving the local environment to tackle the growing diabetes prevalence in Bangladesh.
A novel thermostable prokaryotic fucoidan active sulfatase PsFucS1 with an unusual quaternary hexameric structure
Authors: Mikkelsen Maria Dalgaard , Cao Hang Thi Thuy , Roret Thomas , Rhein-Knudsen Nanna , Holck Jesper , Tran Van Thi Thanh , Nguyen Thuan Thi , Tran Vy Ha Nguyen , Lezyk Mateusz Jakub , Muschiol Jan , Pham Thinh Duc , Czjzek Mirjam , Meyer Anne S. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractFucoidans are sulfated, fucose-rich marine polysaccharides primarily found in cell walls of brown seaweeds (macroalgae). Fucoidans are known to possess beneficial bioactivities depending on their structure and sulfation degree. Here, we report the first functional characterization and the first crystal structure of a prokaryotic sulfatase, PsFucS1, belonging to sulfatase subfamily S1_13, able to release sulfate from fucoidan oligosaccharides. PsFucS1 was identified in the genome of aPseudoalteromonassp. isolated from sea cucumber gut. PsFucS1 (57 kDa) is Ca2+dependent and has an unusually high optimal temperature (68 °C) and thermostability. Further, the PsFucS1 displays a unique quaternary hexameric structure comprising a tight trimeric dimer complex. The structural data imply that this hexamer formation results from an uncommon interaction of each PsFucS1 monomer that is oriented perpendicular to the common dimer interface (~ 1500 Å2) that can be found in analogous sulfatases. The uncommon interaction involves interfacing (1246 Å2) through a bundle of α-helices in the N-terminal domain to form a trimeric ring structure. The high thermostability may be related to this unusual quaternary hexameric structure formation that is suggested to represent a novel protein thermostabilization mechanism.
Cytotoxicity of snake venom Lys49 PLA2-like myotoxin on rat cardiomyocytes ex vivo does not involve a direct action on the contractile apparatus
Authors: López-Dávila Alfredo Jesús , Weber Natalie , Kraft Theresia , Matinmehr Faramarz , Arias-Hidalgo Mariela , Fernández Julián , Lomonte Bruno , Gutiérrez José María 
Published: September 2021

AbstractViperid snake venoms contain a unique family of cytotoxic proteins, the Lys49 PLA2 homologs, which are devoid of enzymatic activity but disrupt the integrity of cell membranes. They are known to induce skeletal muscle damage and are therefore named ‘myotoxins’. Single intact and skinned (devoid of membranes and cytoplasm but with intact sarcomeric proteins) rat cardiomyocytes were used to analyze the cytotoxic action of a myotoxin, from the venom of Bothrops asper. The toxin induced rapid hypercontraction of intact cardiomyocytes, associated with an increase in the cytosolic concentration of calcium and with cell membrane disruption. Hypercontraction of intact cardiomyocytes was abrogated by the myosin inhibitor para-aminoblebbistatin (AmBleb). No toxin-induced changes of key parameters of force development were observed in skinned cardiomyocytes. Thus, although myosin is a key effector of the observed hypercontraction, a direct effect of the toxin on the sarcomeric proteins -including the actomyosin complex- is not part of the mechanism of cytotoxicity. Owing to the sensitivity of intact cardiomyocytes to the cytotoxic action of myotoxin, this ex vivo model is a valuable tool to explore in further detail the mechanism of action of this group of snake venom toxins.
Prevalence of depression and suicide ideation in Hong Kong doctors: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ng Amy Pui Pui , Chin Weng Yee , Wan Eric Yuk Fai , Chen Julie , Lau Chak Sing 
Published: September 2021

AbstractDepression amongst physicians can lead to poor individual and institutional outcomes. This study examined the prevalence and factors associated with depression and suicidal ideation amongst doctors in Hong Kong. Doctors who graduated from medical school at the University of Hong Kong between 1995 and 2014 were invited to participate in a survey measuring depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation and thoughts of self-harm, lifestyle behaviours, career satisfaction and socio-demographic characteristics. Data collection occurred between January and April 2016. The prevalence of screened-positive depression was 16.0% and 15.3% of respondents reported having suicidal ideation. Amongst those with positive depression screening scores, less than half reported having a diagnosed mood disorder. Sleeping fewer hours was associated with higher depression scores (P < 0.001) and an increased odds of meeting the cut-off for depression (P < 0.001). Factors associated with suicidal ideation included being unmarried (P = 0.012) and sleeping fewer hours (P = 0.022). Hong Kong doctors appear to have high rates of undiagnosed depression, and high levels of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideations. There is a need for greater awareness of the morbidity due to depression and to promote better mental health help-seeking among physicians. Barriers to mental health help-seeking need to be addressed and appropriate resources allocated to reduce suffering.
Coexisting commensurate and incommensurate charge ordered phases in CoO
Authors: Negi Devendra , Singh Deobrat , Ahuja Rajeev , van Aken Peter A. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe subtle interplay of strong electronic correlations in a distorted crystal lattice often leads to the evolution of novel emergent functionalities in the strongly correlated materials (SCM). Here, we unravel such unprecedented commensurate (COM) and incommensurate (ICOM) charge ordered (CO) phases at room temperature in a simple transition-metal mono-oxide, namely CoO. The electron diffraction pattern unveils a COM ($$q_{1}$$

q
1

=$$\frac{1}{2}(1,1,{\bar{1}})$$

1
2

(
1
,
1
,

1

¯

)

and ICOM ($$q_{2}=0.213(1,1,{\bar{1}})$$

q
2

=
0.213

(
1
,
1
,

1

¯

)

) periodic lattice distortion. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) captures unidirectional and bidirectional stripe patterns of charge density modulations. The widespread phase singularities in the phase-field of the order parameter (OP) affirms the abundant topological disorder. Using, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we demystify the underlying electronic mechanism. The DFT study shows that a cation disordering ($$\mathrm {Co}_{1-\textit{x}}\mathrm {O}, \text {with }{} \textit{x} = 4.17 \%$$

Co

1
-
x

O
,
with

x
=
4.17
%

) stabilizes Jahn-Teller (JT) distortion and localized aliovalent $$\mathrm {Co}^{3+}$$

Co

3
+

states in CoO. Therefore, the lattice distortion accompanied with mixed valence states ($$\mathrm {Co}^{3+}, \mathrm {Co}^{2+}$$

Co

3
+

,

Co

2
+

) states introduces CO in CoO. Our findings offer an electronic paradigm to engineer CO to exploit the associated electronic functionalities in widely available transition-metal mono-oxides.
The immunomodulatory effects of long-term supplementation with Lactobacillus casei Shirota depend on ovalbumin presentation in BALB/c mice
Authors: Chen Li-Han , Pan Chun-Hsu , Huang Shih-Yi , Chan Ching-Hung , Huang Hui-Yu 
Published: September 2021

AbstractImmunomodulation is an ability of several particular probiotics. However, it still remains unclear whether the immunomodulatory effects of specific probiotics vary for different antigen presentation models with the same antigen. To investigate this matter, six groups of BALB/c mice (n = 10) were exposed to one of two antigen presentation models: ovalbumin (OVA) by injection alone, or injection plus intranasal administration. Moreover, the mice were fed distilled water or Lactobacillus casei Shirota fermented beverage (LcSFB) at low (2.5 × 109 CFU/kg body weight) or high doses (5 × 109 CFU/kg body weight) by gavage for 8 weeks. LcSFB enhanced the proliferation of splenocytes, production of OVA-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)-G and IgA, and the ratio of T-helper (Th)-2/Th1 cytokines in mice injected with OVA. Conversely, in the mice treated with OVA by injection plus intranasal administration, LcSFB attenuated the immune responses against OVA by reducing the proliferation of splenocytes, levels of OVA-specific IgE, IgG, and IgM, and ratio of Th2/Th1 cytokines. Moreover, LcSFB increased the percentage of regulatory T cells in the injection plus intranasal administration group. Taken together, this work indicates the immunoregulatory effects of LcSFB depend on how the antigen is presented. Therefore, the use of probiotics to boost the immune system must be carefully considered.
Noise reduction by adaptive-SIN filtering for retinal OCT images
Authors: Hu Yan , Ren Jianfeng , Yang Jianlong , Bai Ruibing , Liu Jiang 
Published: September 2021

AbstractOptical coherence tomography (OCT) images is widely used in ophthalmic examination, but their qualities are often affected by noises. Shearlet transform has shown its effectiveness in removing image noises because of its edge-preserving property and directional sensitivity. In the paper, we propose an adaptive denoising algorithm for OCT images. The OCT noise is closer to the Poisson distribution than the Gaussian distribution, and shearlet transform assumes additive white Gaussian noise. We hence propose a square-root transform to redistribute the OCT noise. Different manufacturers and differences between imaging objects may influence the observed noise characteristics, which make predefined thresholding scheme ineffective. We propose an adaptive 3D shearlet image filter with noise-redistribution (adaptive-SIN) scheme for OCT images. The proposed adaptive-SIN is evaluated on three benchmark datasets using quantitative evaluation metrics and subjective visual inspection. Compared with other algorithms, the proposed algorithm better removes noise in OCT images and better preserves image details, significantly outperforming in terms of both quantitative evaluation and visual inspection. The proposed algorithm effectively transforms the Poisson noise to Gaussian noise so that the subsequent shearlet transform could optimally remove the noise. The proposed adaptive thresholding scheme optimally adapts to various noise conditions and hence better remove the noise. The comparison experimental results on three benchmark datasets against 8 compared algorithms demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in removing OCT noise.
Cortical thickness is differently associated with ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism according to level of amyloid deposition
Authors: Cho Yong Hyuk , Lee Heirim , Kim Na-Rae , Choi Jin Wook , Roh Hyun Woong , Ha Jae Ho , Hong Chang Hyung , Seo Sang Won , Choi Seong Hye , Kim Eun-Joo , Kim Byeong C. , Kim Seong Yoon , Cheong Jaeyoun , Park Bumhee , Son Sang Joon 
Published: September 2021

AbstractAccumulating evidence indicates that amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition and biogenic aldehyde accumulation contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Human aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) metabolizes biogenic aldehydes produced in the brain to prevent damage. However, r671G>A, a single nucleotide polymorphism of ALDH2, causes aldehyde accumulation and decreased ALDH2 activity. We aimed to investigate whether Aβ deposition and rs671 polymorphism have an interaction effect on cortical thickness (CTh). We grouped 179 participants in the Biobank Innovations for chronic Cerebrovascular disease With ALZheimer's disease Study as follows: amyloid (–) [A(–)] and amyloid (+) [A(+)] groups based on the Aβ deposition degree; A-carrier (AC) and GG (GG) groups based on the presence/absence of the rs671 A allele; and their combinations, i.e., A(–)AC, A(–)GG, A(+)AC, and A(+)GG groups. A multiple regression analysis identified nine regions of interest. Compared with the A(–)GG group, the A(–)AC group showed thinner CTh in all regions. There were no significant differences between the A(+)AC and A(+)GG groups. We observed an interaction effect of amyloid deposition and rs671 polymorphism on CTh. The CTh in the A(–) group appeared to be strongly influenced by rs671 polymorphism, which could have contributed to cortical thinning and biogenic aldehyde accumulation in the AC group. Additionally, CTh in the A(+) group appeared to be strongly influenced by amyloid deposition.
Suppression of autophagy promotes fibroblast activation in p53-deficient colorectal cancer cells
Authors: Inoue Takanori , Hayashi Yoshito , Tsujii Yoshiki , Yoshii Shunsuke , Sakatani Akihiko , Kimura Keiichi , Uema Ryotaro , Kato Minoru , Saiki Hirotsugu , Shinzaki Shinichiro , Iijima Hideki , Takehara Tetsuo 
Published: September 2021

AbstractDeficiency of p53 in cancer cells activates the transformation of normal tissue fibroblasts into carcinoma-associated fibroblasts; this promotes tumor progression through a variety of mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment. The role of autophagy in carcinoma-associated fibroblasts in tumor progression has not been elucidated. We aimed to clarify the significance of autophagy in fibroblasts, focusing on the TP53 status in co-cultured human colorectal cancer cell lines (TP53-wild-type colon cancer, HCT116; TP53-mutant colon cancer, HT29; fibroblast, CCD-18Co) in vitro. Autophagy in fibroblasts was significantly suppressed in association with ACTA2, CXCL12, TGFβ1, VEGFA, FGF2, and PDGFRA mRNA levels, when co-cultured with p53-deficient HCT116sh p53 cells. Exosomes isolated from the culture media of HCT116sh p53 cells significantly suppressed autophagy in fibroblasts via inhibition of ATG2B. Exosomes derived from TP53-mutant HT29 cells also suppressed autophagy in fibroblasts. miR-4534, extracted from the exosomes of HCT116sh p53 cells, suppressed ATG2B in fibroblasts. In conclusion, a loss of p53 function in colon cancer cells promotes the activation of surrounding fibroblasts through the suppression of autophagy. Exosomal miRNAs derived from cancer cells may play a pivotal role in the suppression of autophagy.
Methylprednisolone stimulated gene expression (GILZ, MCL-1) and basal cortisol levels in multiple sclerosis patients in relapse are associated with clinical response
Authors: Evangelopoulos Maria Eleftheria , Nasiri-Ansari Narjes , Kassi Eva , Papadopoulou Anna , Evangelopoulos Dimitrios Stergios , Moutsatsou Paraskevi 
Published: September 2021

AbstractGlucocorticoids (GCs) are the main treatment of relapse in multiple sclerosis (MS). Decreased sensitivity to GCs in MS patients has been associated with lack of the suppressive effect of GCs on inflammatory molecules as well as increased resistance to apoptosis. We investigated GC-sensitivity by measuring the effect of intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) treatment on transactivation of anti-inflammatory and apoptotic genes (GILZ, MCL-1 and NOXA respectively), in accordance to clinical outcome. Thirty nine MS patients were studied: 15 with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), 12 with relapsing remitting (RRMS) and 12 with secondary progressive (SPMS) under relapse. Patients underwent treatment with IVMP for 5 days. Blood was drawn before IVMP treatment on day 1 and 1 h after IVMP treatment on days 1 and 5. GIlZ, MCL-1 and NOXA were determined by qPCR. The Expanded Disability Status was evaluated and patients were divided according to their clinical response to IVMP. GILZ and MCL-1 gene expression were significantly higher following first IVMP treatment in responders, compared to non-responders. Furthermore, serum basal cortisol and 1,25-OH Vitamin D levels were significantly higher in clinical-responders as compared to non-clinical responders. Our findings suggest that the differential GILZ and MCL-1 gene expression between clinical-responders and non-clinical responders may implicate the importance of GILZ and MCL-1 as possible markers for predicting glucocorticoid sensitivity and response to GC-therapy in MS patients following first IVMP injection.
Analysis of body condition indices reveals different ecotypes of the Antillean manatee
Authors: Castelblanco-Martínez D. N. , Slone D. H. , Landeo-Yauri S. S. , Ramos E. A. , Alvarez-Alemán A. , Attademo F. L. N. , Beck C. A. , Bonde R. K. , Butler S. M. , Cabrias-Contreras L. J. , Caicedo-Herrera D. , Galves J. , Gómez-Camelo I. V. , González-Socoloske D. , Jiménez-Domínguez D. , Luna F. O. , Mona-Sanabria Y. , Morales-Vela J. B. , Olivera-Gómez L. D. , Padilla-Saldívar J. A. , Powell J. , Reid J. P. , Rieucau G. , Mignucci-Giannoni A. A. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractAssessing the body condition of wild animals is necessary to monitor the health of the population and is critical to defining a framework for conservation actions. Body condition indices (BCIs) are a non-invasive and relatively simple means to assess the health of individual animals, useful for addressing a wide variety of ecological, behavioral, and management questions. The Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) is an endangered subspecies of the West Indian manatee, facing a wide variety of threats from mostly human-related origins. Our objective was to define specific BCIs for the subspecies that, coupled with additional health, genetic and demographic information, can be valuable to guide management decisions. Biometric measurements of 380 wild Antillean manatees captured in seven different locations within their range of distribution were obtained. From this information, we developed three BCIs (BCI1 = UG/SL, BCI2 = W/SL3, BCI3 = W/(SL*UG2)). Linear models and two-way ANCOVA tests showed significant differences of the BCIs among sexes and locations. Although our three BCIs are suitable for Antillean manatees, BCI1 is more practical as it does not require information about weight, which can be a metric logistically difficult to collect under particular circumstances. BCI1 was significantly different among environments, revealing that the phenotypic plasticity of the subspecies have originated at least two ecotypes—coastal marine and riverine—of Antillean manatees.
Histological findings of sperm storage in green turtle (Chelonia mydas) oviduct
Authors: Kitayama Chiyo , Tomiyasu Jumpei , Bochimoto Hiroki , Kondo Satomi , Tokuda Kazuyuki , Ogawa Ryuta , Okubo Saki , Kondoh Daisuke 
Published: September 2021

AbstractGreen turtles (Chelonia mydas) are seasonal breeders with a time lag between mating and nesting periods. We therefore investigated whether female turtles store sperm like some other animals by histologically and ultrastructurally analyzing oviducts collected from three mature female free-ranging green turtles during the breeding season in the Ogasawara Islands, Japan. The oviduct comprised an infundibulum, magnum, isthmus, uterus, and vagina. Sperm was found in the isthmus of all turtles examined. Some spermatozoa were found in the duct and acini of glands in the isthmus of two turtles with oviducts containing eggs, and a few were also located in the transition area between the uterus and vagina of one of the turtles. On the other hand, we also found abundant spermatozoa on the luminal surface of the isthmus of one turtle captured during mating. In most reptiles, fertilization occurs in the infundibulum or albumen region, and thus the isthmus near those areas might be suitable for storing sperm in female turtles.