bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A predictive model for dilated cardiomyopathy with pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Liang Jiahua , Zhu Ruochen , Yang Yi , Li Rong , Hong Chuangxiong , Luo Chuanjin 
Published: August 2021

AbstractAimsDilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is defined as a serious cardiac disorder caused by the presence of left ventricular dilatation and contractile dysfunction in the absence of severe coronary artery disease and abnormal loading conditions. The incidence of cardiac death is markedly higher in patients with DCM with pulmonary hypertension (PH) than in DCM patients without PH. No previous studies have constructed a predictive model to predict PH in patients with DCM.MethodsData from 218 DCM patients (68.3% man; mean age 57.33) were collected. Patients were divided into low, intermediate and high PH‐risk groups based on the echocardiographic assessment at the tricuspid regurgitation peak velocity (TRV) in conjunction with the presence of echocardiographic signs from at least two different categories. Basic information, vital signs, comorbidities and biochemical data of each patient were determined. The impact of each parameter on PH probability was analysed by univariable and multivariable analyses, the data from which were employed to establish a predictive model. Finally, the discriminability, calibration ability and clinical efficacy of the model were verified for both the modelling group and the external validation group.ResultsWe successfully applied a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or chronic bronchitis, systolic murmur (SM) at the tricuspid area, SM at the apex and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level to establish a model for predicting PH probability in DCM. The model was proven to have high accuracy and good discriminability (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.889), calibration ability and clinical application value.ConclusionsA model for predicting PH probability in patients with DCM was successfully established. The new model is reliable for predicting PH probability in DCM and has good clinical applicability.
Protein‐Polymer Bioconjugates Prepared by Post‐Polymerization Modification of Alternating Copolymers
Authors: Saxer Samantha , Erdogan Omer , Paniagua Cédric , Chavanieu Alain , Garric Xavier , Darcos Vincent 
Published: August 2021

AbstractProtein‐polymer bioconjugates have shown great promise in biomedical and life science applications including drug delivery and diagnosis. The current bioconjugation strategies suffer from lack of efficiency and versatility. In this article, poly(styrene‐alt‐maleic anhydride) copolymers were first prepared by RAFT polymerization and characterized by different analytical techniques. Then, the poly(styrene‐alt‐maleic anhydride) precursors were functionalized with primary amine such as azidopropylamine and amino poly(ethylene glycol). The reaction of amino compounds with maleic anhydride was found to be a highly efficient, a versatile, and a facile chemical ligation reaction for the synthesis of macromolecules with quantitative yield under mild conditions. The main benefit is the incorporation of a wide range of functionality by easily changing the primary amine compound. For the amphiphilic graft copolymers based on poly(ethylene glycol), aggregation behavior in water was investigated. In a second part, azido‐functionalized polystyrene copolymers were used to prepare a new protein‐polymer bioconjugate by copper‐free click chemistry reaction.
Double‐effect of highly concentrated acetonitrile‐based electrolyte in organic lithium‐ion battery
Authors: Zhang Weisheng , Sun Huimin , Hu Pandeng , Huang Weiwei , Zhang Qichun 
Published: August 2021

AbstractOrganic electrode materials have become a hot research field in lithium‐ion batteries. However, the dissolution issue of organic materials (especially small molecules) in traditional electrolytes has become one of the important reasons to limit their application. The usage of highly concentrated electrolyte (HCE, >3 M) has been demonstrated to solve this problem, where the electrochemical performance of Pillar[5]quinone (P5Q) in 4.2 M LiTFSA/AN electrolyte was investigated. The HCE can avoid the reaction between acetonitrile molecules and lithium metal anode, reduce the dissolution of organic materials, and display excellent battery performance. At a current density of 0.2 C, a high specific capacity of 310 mAh g−1 (Ctheo = 446 mAh g−1) was maintained after 900 cycles, and the reversible capacity is higher than 113 mAh g−1 even at 10 C, indicating a good rate capability. This research would expand the new application of acetonitrile‐based electrolyte in organic secondary battery.image
A profound explanation of why eating green (wild) edible plants promote health and longevity
Authors: Åhlberg Mauri Kalervo 
Published: August 2021

AbstractFrom 1970, research evidence has accumulated that the Mediterranean diet promotes health and longevity. Its main components include local (wild) green vegetables, citrus fruits, and olive oil (extra virgin). Since the 1990s, experimental research on phytochemicals to explain why plant food is healthy and promotes longevity has grown exponentially. Nowadays, molecular biology provides deep explanations for many experimentally found health‐promoting properties of plant species and their phytochemicals. The specialized approach is OK because it is the way research progresses. Mainly, nutritional researchers concentrate on a particular group of compounds such as flavonoids, phenolic compounds, carboxylic acids, fatty acids, and so forth. Science outside the research on nutrition deals with the same chemical compounds but which nutritional researchers generally do not follow. Plant biologists have found that all photosynthesizing plants share many compounds and ions. They are vital to plants. Some of the compounds and ions are also vital to humans. Plant biologists make a distinction between minerals, primary metabolites, and secondary metabolites. This distinction applies partly to humans. Plant minerals and primary metabolites often are essential to humans. Plant secondary metabolites are often not vital to humans but experimental research has shown that they promote health and longevity. Eating local wild edible plants (WEP) also promotes sustainability. WEPs are an ecosystem service. I have found 52 compounds and ions that all green edible plants share, promoting human health, well‐being, and longevity, and I present the evidence in this paper.
Measuring process control automation benefits through a human‐machine function allocation analysis
Authors: Cummings Mary L. , Benac David , Li Songpo , Harris James 
Published: August 2021

AbstractOften technology is introduced into manufacturing and process control environments to partially automate tasks too complex to fully automate. However, it is not always clear how to measure the benefits of such projects. More often than not, automation eliminates but also shifts human work, and broad productivity measures can fail to capture such changes. To this end, this effort describes a manufacturing case study that looks at human‐machine allocation metrics involving a laboratory fermentation unit upgrade. Using a workflow monitoring and function allocation analytic approach, it was determined that upgrading an older microbial culture bioreactor (fermentor) to a new design with intelligent monitoring capabilities resulted in an approximate 17% reduction in dedicated human supervision. This workload reduction allowed scientists to spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time concentrating on other, more open‐ended problems that require more expertize. However, the new technology increased human efforts across other functions, suggesting potential mitigation paths for future technology development. This effort illustrates that the impact of new technology on human‐machine tasking can be quantified through a function allocation analysis and also provide diagnostic information, both of which are critical in understanding any overall added benefit of intelligent systems.
Proanthocyanidins attenuate the high glucose‐induced damage of retinal pigment epithelial cells by attenuating oxidative stress and inhibiting activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome
Authors: Li Hongsong , Li Rong , Wang Lijun , Liao Dingying , Zhang Wenyi , Wang Jianming 
Published: August 2021

AbstractDiabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common diabetic complication known to cause vision impairment and blindness. Previous studies have demonstrated that proanthocyanidins (PACs), polyphenols that are naturally found in several plants and fruits, have powerful antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects on various cells. However, the effects and underlying mechanism of PACs against DR pathogenesis remain unknown. Here, we investigated the proliferation, apoptosis, and mechanisms of ARPE‐19 cells in response to oxidative stress and inflammation under high‐glucose conditions with or without PACs treatment. The Cell‐Counting Kit‐8 assay and western blot analysis showed that treatment with 10 μl PACs significantly increased cell proliferation and the expression level of Bcl‐2 in ARPE‐19 cells under high‐glucose conditions. Moreover, PACs attenuated the high glucose‐induced apoptosis, and the increased expression levels of caspase‐3 and Bax. Under high‐glucose conditions, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and levels of malondialdehyde increased, whereas the superoxide dismutase content decreased. Moreover, the expression level of the NLRP3 inflammasome, and the release of interleukin 1β (IL‐1β) and IL‐18 increased. PACs reversed all of these high glucose‐induced effects on ARPE‐19 cells. Additionally, exposure to nigericin sodium salt, an agonist of the NLRP3 inflammasome, upregulated expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome accompanied by the release of IL‐1β and IL‐18. Again, treatment with PACs markedly downregulated these effects. Collectively, these results demonstrate that PACs can prevent retinal pigment epithelial cells from high glucose‐induced injury via inhibiting the generation of ROS and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, suggesting PACs as a potential candidate for the management of DR.
Local anesthetic bupivacaine inhibits proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via suppressing PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling
Authors: Wang Lei , Guo Weijia , Guan Hongman , Yan Ni , Cai Xiaolan , Zhu Lili 
Published: August 2021

AbstractHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. Retrospective studies suggest that using local/regional anesthetic (LA/RA) is associated with better outcomes in primary HCC patients. In this study, we evaluated the effects of LA/RA bupivacaine in HCC cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The biological functions of bupivacaine in HCC cells were evaluated by transcriptome RNA sequencing, cell viability assay, bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry, western blot, wound healing assay, transwell cell migration assay, tumor xenograft formation, and lung metastasis assay. Bupivacaine suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis of HepG2 and SNU‐449 cells in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner. Bupivacaine treatment also decreased colony formation, migration, and invasion of HepG2 and SNU‐449 cells. In mouse models, bupivacaine repressed tumor xenograft growth and lung metastasis of HepG2 cells. Transcriptome sequencing of HepG2 cells suggested that PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways were suppressed by bupivacaine treatment. In western blot analysis, bupivacaine reduced the expression of total and phosphorylated Akt, mTOR, and MAPK. Furthermore, reactivated PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling by EGF or NRG1 partially reversed the effects of bupivacaine on cell growth, colony formation, and invasion of HCC cells. Local anesthetic bupivacaine suppressed proliferation, migration and invasion, and induced apoptosis of HCC cells. Our results provided novel insights into the local anesthetic bupivacaine in the therapy of HCC patients.
Impact of Obesity on Brexpiprazole Pharmacokinetics: Proposal for Improved Initiation of Treatment
Authors: Bruno Christopher D. , Elmokadem Ahmed , Housand Conrad , Jordie Eric Burroughs , Chow Christina R. , Laughren Thomas P. , Greenblatt David J. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractBrexpiprazole is an oral antipsychotic agent indicated for use in patients with schizophrenia or as adjunctive treatment for major depressive disorder. As obesity (body mass index ≥35 kg/m2) has the potential to affect drug pharmacokinetics and is a common comorbidity of both schizophrenia and major depressive disorder, it is important to understand changes in brexpiprazole disposition in this population. This study uses a whole‐body physiologically based pharmacokinetic model to compare the pharmacokinetics of brexpiprazole in obese and normal‐weight (body mass index 18‐25 kg/m2) individuals known to be cytochrome P450 2D6 extensive metabolizers (EMs) and poor metabolizers (PMs). The physiologically based pharmacokinetic simulations demonstrated significant differences in the time to effective concentrations between obese and normal‐weight individuals within metabolizer groups according to the label‐recommended titration. Simulations using an alternative dosing strategy of 1 week of twice‐daily dosing in obese EMs or 2 weeks of twice‐daily dosing in obese poor metabolizers, followed by a return to once‐daily dosing, yielded more consistent plasma concentrations between normal‐weight and obese patients without exceeding the area under the plasma concentration–time curve observed in the normal‐weight EMs. These alternative dosing strategies reduce the time to effective concentrations in obese patients and may improve clinical response to brexpiprazole.
Polypropylene as a selective support for the immobilization of lipolytic enzymes: hyper‐activation, purification and biotechnological applications
Authors: Sánchez‐Otero María‐Guadalupe , Quintana‐Castro Rodolfo , Rojas‐Vázquez Adela‐Sofía , Badillo‐Zeferino Giselle‐Lilian , Mondragón‐Vázquez Karina , Espinosa‐Luna Graciela , Kumar Nadda Ashok , Oliart‐Ros Rosa María 
Published: August 2021

AbstractLipases are the versatile biological catalysts used in a wide range of commercial synthetic applications. Microbial lipases have been widely used in the pharmaceutical, food, textile, oleochemical, paper, and bioenergy industries, in the composition of detergents, and in the production of polymers and enantiomerically pure chemical intermediates. Lipases have a unique lid opening mechanism that makes them interesting biocatalysts to catalyze reactions in hydrophobic environments. Water insoluble substrates have also been efficiently transformed by lipases in organic solvents. The use of lipases in industrial processes could be limited by the cost of their production, the difficulties in their recovery and disposal, or by the harsh conditions of some processes that could inactivate or denature the protein. The immobilization of enzymes helps overcome these physical and economical drawbacks, making the catalyst more active, stable, and reusable, resulting in the reduction of costs and of contaminating and harmful byproducts. Polypropylene has unique properties that aid in the activation of the lid opening mechanism and improve the catalytic efficiency of immobilized lipases. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the uses of polypropylene as a support for immobilization of lipolytic enzymes, the study of the immobilization procedure conditions, the characteristics of the immobilized enzymes, and the perspectives of their use in the future as a powerful tool in sustainable industry. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Phosphorus retention within a relic agricultural ditch in a constructed wetland
Authors: Duersch Bobby G. , Powers Matthew O. , Newman Sue , Ricca John G. , Bhadha Jehangir H. , Louda J. William 
Published: August 2021

AbstractStormwater treatment areas (STAs) are constructed wetlands established to capture phosphorus (P) from agricultural runoff before reaching the Florida Everglades. Retained P is primarily stored in wetland soils and sediments generated through a collection of interrelated physical, chemical, and biological processes. The amount of P and other elements (Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Pb, and Zn) retained in the flocculent (floc) and recently accreted soil (RAS) horizons from a relic agricultural ditch within Cell 4S of STA‐1E were compared with the surrounding marsh soils (upstream and downstream sites of the ditch). The amount of P retained in the ditch was significantly greater than the surrounding marsh soils and for all the elements in the floc horizon and five of the nine elements in the RAS horizon, suggesting that different processes or process rates influenced accumulation. Phosphorus species in the floc and RAS sediment horizons were identified and quantified using 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and total P determined by microwave plasma–optical emission spectroscopy. In general, P forms were dominated by orthophosphate, sugar phosphates, nucleotides, DNA, and pyrophosphate, with varying relative abundances of species. Total P concentration significantly decreased from upstream to downstream of the ditch by an average of 28 and 35% for floc and RAS soils, respectively. The relatively high P accrual rate within the ditch suggested that relic ditches perpendicular to flow could reduce P transport to downstream soils and sediments and, in turn, help maintain low P levels in overlying water.
Human bronchial epithelial cell‐derived extracellular vesicle therapy for pulmonary fibrosis via inhibition of TGF‐β‐WNT crosstalk
Authors: Kadota Tsukasa , Fujita Yu , Araya Jun , Watanabe Naoaki , Fujimoto Shota , Kawamoto Hironori , Minagawa Shunsuke , Hara Hiromichi , Ohtsuka Takashi , Yamamoto Yusuke , Kuwano Kazuyoshi , Ochiya Takahiro 
Published: August 2021

AbstractIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by devastating and progressive lung parenchymal fibrosis, resulting in poor patient prognosis. An aberrant recapitulation of developmental lung gene expression, including genes for transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β and WNT, has been widely implicated in the pathogenic IPF wound healing process that results from repetitive alveolar epithelial injury. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been shown to carry bioactive molecules and to be involved in various physiological and pathological processes. Here, we demonstrate that, by attenuating WNT signalling, human bronchial epithelial cell‐derived EVs (HBEC EVs) inhibit TGF‐β mediated induction of both myofibroblast differentiation and lung epithelial cellular senescence. This effect of HBEC EVs is more pronounced than that observed with mesenchymal stem cell‐derived EVs. Mechanistically, the HBEC EV microRNA (miRNA) cargo is primarily responsible for attenuating both myofibroblast differentiation and cellular senescence. This attenuation occurs via inhibition of canonical and non‐canonical WNT signalling pathways. Among enriched miRNA species present in HBEC EVs, miR‐16, miR‐26a, miR‐26b, miR‐141, miR‐148a, and miR‐200a are mechanistically involved in reducing WNT5A and WNT10B expression in LFs, and in reducing WNT3A, WNT5A, and WNT10B expression in HBECs. Mouse models utilizing intratracheal administration of EVs demonstrate efficient attenuation of bleomycin‐induced lung fibrosis development accompanied by reduced expression of both β‐catenin and markers of cellular senescence. These findings indicate that EVs derived from normal resident lung HBECs may possess anti‐fibrotic properties. They further suggest that, via miRNA‐mediated inhibition of TGF‐β‐WNT crosstalk, HBEC EVs administration can be a promising anti‐fibrotic modality of treatment for IPF.
Inflammasome‐induced extracellular vesicles harbour distinct RNA signatures and alter bystander macrophage responses
Authors: Budden Christina F. , Gearing Linden J. , Kaiser Romina , Standke Lena , Hertzog Paul J. , Latz Eicke 
Published: August 2021

AbstractInfectious organisms and damage of cells can activate inflammasomes, which mediate tissue inflammation and adaptive immunity. These mechanisms evolved to curb the spread of microbes and to induce repair of the damaged tissue. Chronic activation of inflammasomes, however, contributes to non‐resolving inflammatory responses that lead to immuno‐pathologies. Inflammasome‐activated cells undergo an inflammatory cell death associated with the release of potent pro‐inflammatory cytokines and poorly characterized extracellular vesicles (EVs). Since inflammasome‐induced EVs could signal inflammasome pathway activation in patients with chronic inflammation and modulate bystander cell activation, we performed a systems analysis of the ribonucleic acid (RNA) content and function of two EV classes. We show that EVs released from inflammasome‐activated macrophages carry a specific RNA signature and contain interferon β (IFNβ). EV‐associated IFNβ induces an interferon signature in bystander cells and results in dampening of NLRP3 inflammasome responses. EVs could, therefore, serve as biomarkers for inflammasome activation and act to prevent systemic hyper‐inflammatory states by restricting NLRP3 activation in bystander cells.