bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gut microbiota changes related to Helicobacter pylori eradication with vonoprazan containing triple therapy among adolescents: a prospective multicenter study
Authors: Kakiuchi Toshihiko , Yamamoto Kentaroh , Imamura Ichiro , Hashiguchi Kazutoshi , Kawakubo Hiroharu , Yamaguchi Daisuke , Fujioka Yasuhiko , Okuda Masumi 
Published: January 2021

AbstractCurrently, it is unclear whether treating Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is safe among adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of H. pylori eradication therapy by examining gut microbiota changes in adolescents 3 months after the therapy. H. pylori-infected adolescents were enrolled in this study. Their stool samples were collected at the following three time points: before treatment, 1–2 days after completion of treatment, and time of eradication successful judgment. We assessed the relative abundance, alpha-diversity, and beta-diversity of the gut microbiota and adverse events. The number of isolated Actinobacteria decreased immediately after eradication therapy in the 16 students included in the study, and it returned to pretreatment condition at the eradication judgment point. There was no change in the relative abundance at genus level. The alpha-diversity was lost immediately after eradication therapy; however, it recovered at the time of eradication judgment, and it was restored to pretreatment condition. Meanwhile, none of the participants experienced serious adverse events. H. pylori eradication therapy is safe for adolescents with respect to gut microbiota changes associated with H. pylori eradication therapy. Therefore, further long-term evaluations of gut microbiota changes following eradication therapy are warranted.
Comparing the protective effects of resveratrol, curcumin and sulforaphane against LPS/IFN-γ-mediated inflammation in doxorubicin-treated macrophages
Authors: Saleh Haidy A. , Ramdan Eman , Elmazar Mohey M. , Azzazy Hassan M. E. , Abdelnaser Anwar 
Published: January 2021

AbstractDoxorubicin (DOX) chemotherapy is associated with the release of inflammatory cytokines from macrophages. This has been suggested to be, in part, due to DOX-mediated leakage of endotoxins from gut microflora, which activate Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling in macrophages, causing severe inflammation. However, the direct function of DOX on macrophages is still unknown. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that DOX alone is incapable of stimulating inflammatory response in macrophages. Then, we compared the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin (CUR), resveratrol (RES) and sulforaphane (SFN) against lipopolysaccharide/interferon-gamma (LPS/IFN-γ)-mediated inflammation in the absence or presence of DOX. For this purpose, RAW 264.7 cells were stimulated with LPS/IFN-γ (10 ng/mL/10 U/mL) in the absence or presence of DOX (0.1 µM). Our results showed that DOX alone is incapable of stimulating an inflammatory response in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, after 24 h of incubation with LPS/IFN-γ, a significant increase in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA levels was observed. Similarly, nitric oxide (NO) production and TNF-α and IL-6 protein levels were significantly upregulated. Moreover, in LPS/IFN-γ-treated macrophages, the microRNAs (miRNAs) miR-146a, miR-155, and miR-21 were significantly overexpressed. Interestingly, upon testing CUR, RES, and SFN against LPS/IFN-γ-mediated inflammation, only SFN was able to significantly reverse the LPS/IFN-γ-mediated induction of iNOS, TNF-α and IL-6 and attenuate miR-146a and miR-155 levels. In conclusion, SFN, at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels, exhibits potent immunomodulatory action against LPS/IFN-γ-stimulated macrophages, which may indicate SFN as a potential treatment for DOX-associated inflammation.
The molecular mechanisms of the long noncoding RNA SBF2-AS1 in regulating the proliferation of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Zha Wenjuan , Li Xiaomin , Tie Xiaowei , Xing Yao , Li Hao , Gao Fei , Ye Ting , Du Wangqi , Chen Rui , Liu Yangchen 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe long noncoding RNASBF2-AS1 can promote the occurrence and development of many kinds of tumours, but its role in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is unknown. We found that SBF2-AS1 was up-regulated in ESCC, and its expression was positively correlated with tumor size (P = 0.0001), but was not related to gender, age, TNM stage, histological grade, and lymphnode metastasis (P > 0.05). It was further found that the higher the expression of SBF2-AS1, the lower the survival rate. COX multivariate analysis showed that the expression of SBF2-AS1 was an independent prognostic factor. Functional experiments show that inhibition of SBF2-AS1 can inhibit the proliferation of ESCC through in vivo and in vitro, and overexpression of SBF2-AS1 can promote the proliferation of ESCC and inhibit its apoptosis. In mechanism, SBF2-AS1/miR-338-3P, miR-362-3P/E2F1 axis are involved in the regulation of ESCC growth. In general, SBF2-AS1 may be used as ceRNA to combine with miR-338-3P and miR-362-3P to up-regulate the expression ofE2F1, and ultimately play a role in promoting cancer. It may be used as a therapeutic target and a biomarker for prognosis.
Knowledge and awareness about human papillomavirus infection and its vaccination among women in Arab communities
Authors: Alsous Mervat M. , Ali Ahlam A. , Al-Azzam Sayer I. , Abdel Jalil Mariam H. , Al-Obaidi Hala J. , Al-abbadi Esraa I. , Hussain Zainab K. , Jirjees Feras J. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractCervical cancer (CC) is one of the most common types of cancer that affect females worldwide with hundreds of thousands of women dying annually due to this disease, mainly in developing countries. Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main risk factor for this cancer. There are no public awareness and national immunization programs in most Arab countries. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and awareness about the HPV vaccine among females in four Arab countries and their acceptance to receive the vaccine. A cross-sectional study was conducted in several Arab countries: Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Iraq. Respondents that fulfilled the desired criteria and were willing to participate in the study were asked to fill out the survey. Knowledge and awareness were assessed using 13 questions. Ethical approvals were given from the four countries. A total of 3658 individuals participated in the study; however, 2804 responses were included in the analysis and more than one third of participants (n = 1007) were aged between 18 and 25 years old. This study revealed poor awareness and knowledge of the participants about HPV and its vaccine among all four countries’ participants with relatively better knowledge among participants from the UAE. Participants who are younger (18–25 years old), have a postgraduate education, have an education or career related to the medical field, or had a Pap smear in the last three years tend to have higher knowledge about the HPV vaccine compared to others. Poor knowledge and awareness findings in this study were expected, considering the lack of public education campaigns regarding the HPV virus coupled with the absence of the HPV vaccination from the national immunization schedule in three participating countries (Jordan, Qatar, and Iraq). It is recommended that there is a need to provide national educational campaigns about the HPV vaccine to the public in all Arab populations.
Combination therapy of cisplatin with cilastatin enables an increased dose of cisplatin, enhancing its antitumor effect by suppression of nephrotoxicity
Authors: Arita Masashi , Watanabe Satoshi , Aoki Nobumasa , Kuwahara Shoji , Suzuki Ryo , Goto Sawako , Abe Yuko , Takahashi Miho , Sato Miyuki , Hokari Satoshi , Ohtsubo Aya , Shoji Satoshi , Nozaki Koichiro , Ichikawa Kosuke , Kondo Rie , Hayashi Masachika , Ohshima Yasuyoshi , Kabasawa Hideyuki , Hosojima Michihiro , Koya Toshiyuki , Saito Akihiko , Kikuchi Toshiaki 
Published: January 2021

AbstractCisplatin, one of the most active anticancer agents, is widely used in standard chemotherapy for various cancers. Cisplatin is more poorly tolerated than other chemotherapeutic drugs, and the main dose-limiting toxicity of cisplatin is its nephrotoxicity, which is dose-dependent. Although less toxic methods of cisplatin administration have been established, cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity remains an unsolved problem. Megalin is an endocytic receptor expressed at the apical membrane of proximal tubules. We previously demonstrated that nephrotoxic drugs, including cisplatin, are reabsorbed through megalin and cause proximal tubular cell injury. We further found that cilastatin blocked the binding of cisplatin to megalin in vitro. In this study, we investigated whether cilastatin could reduce cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity without influencing the antitumor effects of cisplatin. Nephrotoxicity was decreased or absent in mice treated with cisplatin and cilastatin, as determined by kidney injury molecule-1 staining and the blood urea nitrogen content. Combined with cilastatin, a twofold dose of cisplatin was used to successfully treat the mice, which enhanced the antitumor effects of cisplatin but reduced its nephrotoxicity. These findings suggest that we can increase the dose of cisplatin when combined with cilastatin and improve the outcome of cancer patients.
Validation of efficacy and mechanism of Sanwei-Tanxiang powder in improving myocardial ischemia reperfusion injuries
Authors: Sun Yu-Hui , Bu Ren , Wang Yue-Wu , Hu Yu-Chong , Wang Xu-Mei , Dong Xin , Zu Wen , Niu Yan , Zhao Peng-Wei , Sun Peng , Ru Shi-Hang , Lu Jing-Kun , Na Sheng-Sang 
Published: January 2021

AbstractSanwei-Tanxiang powder (SWTX), a traditional Mongolian and Tibetan medicine containing a cocktail of active molecules, relieves angina pectoris and improves recovery in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The pharmacological effect of SWTX on CHD was analyzed at a systemic point of view in our previous studies. The bioinformatics prediction showed that the PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a pathway was one of important pathways of SWTX on treatment of coronary heart disease. Based on it, the aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of SWTX in acute myocardial ischemic-reperfused (MIR) rat in vivo and H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells under oxidative stress induced by H2O2 in vitro, and further investigate the involvement of PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a pathway in these processes. Ex vivo, under physiological conditions, SWTX did not show any modification in the heart rate and contraction amplitude. However, against a MIR injury, SWTX pretreatment provided significant protection, including reduced ST-segment elevation, pathological changes and myocardial infarct size in vivo, meanwhile, some monomers of SWTX showed antioxidant capacity and inhibited cardiomyocytic apoptosis in vitro. The effect was correlated with the activation of the PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a signaling pathway downstream and the regulation of downstream pro-apoptotic Bim of FoxO3a experimental verified by qRT-PCR, Western blot and immunofluorescent assay. In vitro, blocking Akt and p-FoxO3a activation with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 effectively suppressed the protective effects of several active monomers (including quercetin, macelignan,methyleugenol and Santol) of SWTX against H2O2-induced injury. Collectively, these results suggest that SWTX decreases I/R injury, and the PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a pathway takes part in protection during this process, gallogen (G3) and quercetin (G8) of GZ, methyleugenol (R2) and macelignan (R7) of RDK, santol (T1) of TX are responsible at least in part for SWTX’s cardioprotection effect.
Cerebrospinal fluid metabolomics identifies 19 brain-related phenotype associations
Authors: Panyard Daniel J. , Kim Kyeong Mo , Darst Burcu F. , Deming Yuetiva K. , Zhong Xiaoyuan , Wu Yuchang , Kang Hyunseung , Carlsson Cynthia M. , Johnson Sterling C. , Asthana Sanjay , Engelman Corinne D. , Lu Qiongshi 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe study of metabolomics and disease has enabled the discovery of new risk factors, diagnostic markers, and drug targets. For neurological and psychiatric phenotypes, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is of particular importance. However, the CSF metabolome is difficult to study on a large scale due to the relative complexity of the procedure needed to collect the fluid. Here, we present a metabolome-wide association study (MWAS), which uses genetic and metabolomic data to impute metabolites into large samples with genome-wide association summary statistics. We conduct a metabolome-wide, genome-wide association analysis with 338 CSF metabolites, identifying 16 genotype-metabolite associations (metabolite quantitative trait loci, or mQTLs). We then build prediction models for all available CSF metabolites and test for associations with 27 neurological and psychiatric phenotypes, identifying 19 significant CSF metabolite-phenotype associations. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of MWAS to study omic data in scarce sample types.
Extended life cycle assessment reveals the spatially-explicit water scarcity footprint of a lithium-ion battery storage
Authors: Schomberg Anna C. , Bringezu Stefan , Flörke Martina 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe life cycle water scarcity footprint is a tool to evaluate anthropogenic contributions to regional water scarcity along global supply chains. Here, we complement it by a classification of the risk from human water use, a comprehensive conceptualisation of water use and a spatially-explicit impact assessment to a midpoint approach that assesses the risk of on-site and remote freshwater scarcity. For a 2 MWh Lithium-ion battery storage, the quantitative Water Scarcity Footprint, comprising physically used water, accounts for 33,155 regionally weighted m3 with highest contributions from Chilean lithium mining. The qualitative Water Scarcity Footprint, the virtual volume required to dilute pollutant emissions to safe concentrations, is approximately determined to 52 million m3 of regionally weighted demineralised water with highest contributions from copper and aluminium mining operations. As mining operations seem to have the highest impact, we recommend to consider the spatially-explicit water scarcity footprint for assessment of global material supply.
Small glitches and other rotational irregularities of the Vela pulsar
Authors: Espinoza C. M. , Antonopoulou D. , Dodson R. , Stepanova M. , Scherer A. 
Published: January 2021

Context. Glitches are sudden increases in the rotation rate ν of neutron stars, which are thought to be driven by the neutron superfluid inside the star. The Vela pulsar presents a comparatively high rate of glitches, with 21 events reported since observations began in 1968. These are amongst the largest known glitches (17 of them have sizes Δν/ν ≥ 10−6) and exhibit very similar characteristics. This similarity, combined with the regularity with which large glitches occur, has turned Vela into an archetype of this type of glitching behaviour. The properties of its smallest glitches, on the other hand, are not clearly established.
Aims. We explore the population of small-amplitude, rapid rotational changes in the Vela pulsar and determine the rate of occurrence and sizes of its smallest glitches. This will help advance our understanding of the actual distribution of glitch sizes and inter-glitch waiting times in this pulsar, which has implications for theoretical models of the glitch mechanism.
Methods. High-cadence observations of the Vela pulsar were taken between 1981 and 2005 at the Mount Pleasant Radio Observatory. An automated systematic search was carried out that investigated whether a significant change of spin frequency ν and/or the spin-down rate ν̇ takes place at any given time.
Results. We find two glitches that have not been reported before, with respective sizes Δν/ν of (5.55 ± 0.03) × 10−9 and (38 ± 4) × 10−9. The latter is followed by an exponential-like recovery with a characteristic timescale of 31 d. In addition to these two glitch events, our study reveals numerous events of all possible signatures (i.e. combinations of Δν and Δν̇ signs), all of them small with |Δν|/ν < 10−9, which contribute to the Vela timing noise.
Conclusions. The Vela pulsar presents an under-abundance of small glitches compared to many other glitching pulsars, which appears genuine and not a result of observational biases. In addition to typical glitches, the smooth spin-down of the pulsar is also affected by an almost continuous activity that can be partially characterised by small step-like changes in ν, ν̇ or both. Simulations indicate that a continuous wandering of the rotational phase, following a red spectrum, could mimic such step-like changes in the timing residuals.
On the question of the research methodology of the Russian political elite (on the example of the Republic of Tuva)
Authors: Sadi Saidash , Nekrasov Yaroslav , Pyatkov Matvey , Chirun Sergey 
Published: January 2021

The article is devoted to the analysis of the transparency of concepts known in modern political science to the study of Russian regional political elites, using the example of the Republic of Tuva. In the process of work, the authors used qualitative methods: in-depth interviews, expert survey, focus groups; quantitative methods: sampling method, questionnaire survey, event analysis, content analysis. The authors focused their attention on such characteristics of the regional political elite as: clientelism, closeness, corporate, particular orientation.The authors come to the conclusion that an increase in the degree of efficiency of the regional elite can be achieved subject to the modernization of personnel policy, the transition from a clan-related system of relations to the implementation of effective management based on an entrepreneurial system.
Role of Contrast-Enhanced Voiding Urosonography in the Evaluation of Renal Transplant Reflux – Comparison with Voiding Cystourethrography and a New Classification
Authors: Drudi Francesco Maria , Angelini Flavia , Bertolotto Michele , Granata Antonio , Di Pierro Giovanni Battista , Lai Quirino , D'Ermo Giuseppe , Pretagostini Renzo , Cantisani Vito 
Published: January 2021

AbstractVesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a common urological complication in renal transplant patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography (CEvUS) in the diagnosis and classification of reflux into the renal allograft, to evaluate and classify VUR into the allograft using voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) and CEvUS, to compare the two methods, and to propose a new classification of reflux into the allograft based on CEvUS and VCUG assessment, in line with the international reflux grading system.
Materials and Methods From January 2017 to July 2019, 84 kidney transplant patients were enrolled. All patients underwent VCUG and CEvUS.
Results In 76 cases there was agreement between VCUG and CEvUS (90 %) (Kappa = 0.7). The sensitivity of CEvUS using VCUG as the gold standard was 90 %, and the specificity was 92 %. Of the 7 cases diagnosed by VCUG and not by CEvUS, 6 were grade 1 and 1 was grade 2.
Conclusion Transplant patients with reflux symptoms should undergo CEvUS. If the outcome is negative, VCUG should be performed. The classification that we propose is better suited to describe VUR in transplant patients, because it is simpler and takes into account whether reflux occurs not only during urination but also when the bladder is relaxed.
Formulation of a Semisolid Emulsion Containing Leptospermum scoparium Essential Oil and Evaluation of In Vitro Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Efficacy
Authors: Porter Gemma C. , Safii Syarida H. , Medlicott Natalie J. , Duncan Warwick J. , Tompkins Geoffrey R. , Coates Dawn E. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractManuka oil, an essential oil derived from the Leptospermum scoparium, has been traditionally used for wound care and as a topical antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory. However, the essential oil is not well retained at mucosal sites, such as the oral cavity, where the benefits of the aforementioned properties could be utilized toward the treatment of persistent biofilms. Within this study, L. scoparium essential oil was incorporated into a semisolid emulsion for improved delivery. The safety profile of L. scoparium essential oil on human gingival fibroblasts was determined via cell viability, cytotoxicity, and caspase activation. The minimal bactericidal concentration of L. scoparium essential oil was determined, and the emulsionʼs antibiofilm effects visualized using confocal laser scanning microscopy. L. scoparium essential oil demonstrated a lower IC50 (0.02% at 48 h) when compared to the clinical control chlorhexidine (0.002% at 48 h) and displayed lower cumulative cytotoxicity. Higher concentrations of L. scoparium essential oil (≥ 0.1%) at 6 h resulted in higher caspase 3/7 activation, suggesting an apoptotic pathway of cell death. A minimal bactericidal concentration of 0.1% w/w was observed for 6 oral bacteria and 0.01% w/v for Porphyromonas gingivalis. Textural and rheometric analysis indicated increased stability of emulsion with a 1 : 3 ratio of L. scoparium essential oil: Oryza sativa carrier oil. The optimized 5% w/w L. scoparium essential oil emulsion showed increased bactericidal penetrative effects on Streptococci gordonii biofilms compared to oil alone and to chlorhexidine controls. This study has demonstrated the safety, formulation, and antimicrobial activity of L. scoparium essential oil emulsion for potential antibacterial applications at mucosal sites.
Bile Acids in Control of the Gut-Liver-Axis
Authors: Hild Benedikt , Heinzow Hauke S. , Schmidt Hartmut H. , Maschmeier Miriam 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe liver and gut share an intimate relationship whose communication relies heavily on metabolites, among which bile acids play a major role. Beyond their function as emulsifiers, bile acids have been recognized for their influence on metabolism of glucose and lipids as well as for their impact on immune responses. Therefore, changes to the composition of the bile acid pool can be consequential to liver and to gut physiology. By metabolizing primary bile acids to secondary bile acids, the bacterial gut microbiome modifies how bile acids exert influence. An altered ratio of secondary to primary bile acids is found to be substantial in many studies. Thus, disease pathogenesis and progression could be changed by gut microbiome modification which influences the bile acid pool.