bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ingestion of leucine + glycine with glucose produces a partially additive effect on plasma glucose despite a less than additive effect on serum insulin (LB427)
Authors: Nuttall Frank , Iverson Jennifer , Gannon Mary 
Published: June 2021

Leucine (Leu) is well recognized to stimulate insulin secretion and to reduce the glucose rise when ingested with glucose. Glycine (Gly) reduces the glucose rise, but only weakly stimulates insulin secretion. We have shown that both were particularly potent in their ability to attenuate the glucose response to 25 g glucose. The current study was designed to determine whether the glucose‐attenuating effects would be even greater if Gly and Leu were ingested together with glucose.On 4 separate days, 9 healthy subjects were studied. Test meals were given at 0800 hr. Subjects received water only on day 1, followed by 25 g glucose only, Leu + Gly (1 mmol/kg fat free body mass each), or Leu + Gly with 25 g glucose, on subsequent days in random order. Serum/plasma glucose, insulin and glucagon were measured frequently thereafter for 2.5 hrs. Net areas under the curve were calculated.The glucose area response decreased by 77% (p<0.02) after ingestion of Leu + Gly + glucose compared to ingestion of glucose alone. The insulin area response increased by only 24% (p<0.05). When compared to our previously published data on the individual amino acids, the decrease in glucose response with Leu + Gly + glucose was partially additive. The increase in insulin response was less than additive. The glucagon response was considerably less than additive.Thus, there is a mechanistic interaction between Leu and Gly when ingested with glucose that results in a markedly attenuated glucose response. This occurred in the presence of an attenuated insulin response. Changes in glucagon response could not explain the results. Overall, the way in which ingested amino acids interact with each other and affect glucose metabolism is complex and not well understood.Grant Funding Source: Supported in part by Funds from the Department of Veterans Affairs
Parental perceptions of Rhode Island EFNEP (LB464)
Authors: van Asch Patrick , Gorman Kathleen , Melanson Kathleen , Sebelia Linda , Tovar Alison 
Published: June 2021

Parental perceptions of Rhode Island EFNEP Patrick van Asch, Kathleen Gorman, Kathleen Melanson, Linda Sebelia, Alison Tovar Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island Childhood obesity in the United States has tripled over the last thirty years. In Rhode Island (RI), 19% of children ages 2 – 4 are overweight and 16% are obese, which is higher than the national average (16% and 12% respectively). The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) targets low‐income households and provides knowledge and skills to improve nutritional well‐being. This project aimed to assess parental perceptions of the RI‐EFNEP curriculum and how it addresses childhood obesogenic behaviors (sugar‐sweetened beverage consumption, physical activity, sleep duration, and screen‐time) using individual face‐to‐face semi‐structured interviews. Sixty‐minute interviews were conducted at local community centers with caregivers (n=22) of 2 – 8 year old children who had completed the program. A translator was present for Spanish speaking participants (n=14). Content analysis was utilized to analyze themes coded in Microsoft NVivo 10. Overall, caregivers reported a positive experience with the program and felt empowered to change their families’ health as a result (e.g. consuming more whole grains). In addition to learning about nutrition, they reported being able to improve health behaviors (e.g. increasing physical activity). Suggestions for improving the curriculum included more instruction in label reading, physical activity, media literacy, food demonstrations, portion control, and tips to get their children to be healthier. Although not part of the curriculum, caregivers reported learning little about sleep duration, screen‐time, and physical activity with regards to their children’s health. Since RI‐EFNEP targets at‐risk, low‐income households, the results from this project can be used to tailor the curriculum to focus more on childhood obesity prevention.Grant Funding Source: Supported by the Rhode Island Foundation
Gender differentials in undernutrition among Tanzanian adolescents: a rural‐urban comparison (LB475)
Authors: Otis Nicholas , Peterman Jerusha , Cordeiro Lorraine 
Published: June 2021

Background: Urban population growth has outpaced expectations in developing countries, changing physical, social, and economic landscapes with implications on health across gender. Comparative studies on gender differences in nutritional status by geographic location present mixed findings.Objective: This study examines gender differentials in undernutrition across rural‐urban residence in a sample of Tanzanian adolescents.Methods: This cross‐sectional study examines predictors of poor nutritional status across urban and rural adolescents aged 10‐14 (n=892) in Tanzania. Undernutrition was classified as BMI for Age <5th percentile of the NCHS/WHO reference. Logistic regression analysis tested the association between undernutrition, gender, and urban‐rural residence after adjusting for covariates.Results: The prevalence of undernutrition was 23.7 % among rural and 11.8% among urban adolescents (p<0.05). Among males, prevalence of undernutrition was 28.8% for rural and 17.5% for urban adolescents (p<0.05). The rates for rural females were 18.4% compared to 6% for urban peers (p<0.05). Overall, males more likely to be undernourished than females after adjusting for urban/rural residence and age [OR=2.15 (95%CI: 1.49, 3.09); p<0.05].Conclusions: Our findings suggest that adolescents in rural settings experience higher rates of undernutrition than urban youth. In particular, programs and policies aiming to improve public health in Tanzania should target rural males. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether the gender differential observed in adolescent nutritional status in developing countries has a physiological explanation and whether growth trajectories differ across urban‐rural settings.Grant Funding Source: Supported by UNICEF/Tanzania, and the Commonwealth Honors College and the Department of Nutrition of the University of Massachusetts Amherst
The Wnt/β‐catenin coupled with HIF‐1α/ VEGF signal pathway involved neurovascular unit protection by galangin against permanent focal cerebral ischemia in rats (LB628)
Authors: Li Shaojing 
Published: June 2021

Background In recent years, the concept of the neurovascular unit (NVU) has emerged as a new paradigm for understanding the pathology of central nervous system (CNS) disease, including stroke. Our previous studies reported the neuroprotection of galangin on permanent focal cerebral ischemia in vivo, but its underlying mechanisms are far from clear. In this study, we investigated the effects of galangin on NVU functions and associated signal pathway in rats impaired by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)‐induced focal cerebral ischemia.Methods Neurological scores were used to reflect the therapeutic effect of galangin. Cerebral edema and the detection of Evan’s blue (EB) concentration in brain tissue were utilized to evaluate the permeability of BBB. The pathological changes of NVU ultrastructure and BBB permeability were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) after MCAO visually. The protective mechanism of galangin was operated through Real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and Western blot.Results Results showed that galangin could ameliorate neurological scores and brain edema, reduce the concentration of EB in brain tissue after MCAO.Meanwhile, ultrastructural changes of NVU were improved by galangin. Moreover, the results of RT‐PCR and Western blot revealed that galangin protect NVU through Wnt/β‐catenin pathway coupled with HIF‐1α/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF was activated in an HIF‐1α dependent way. VEGF and β‐catenin could be the key joints of these two coupled pathways.Conclusions All these data in this study firstly demonstrated that anti‐cerebral ischemia mechanism of galangin might through its regulation effect that enhance angiogenesis and neurogenesis in NVU. Galangin might function as a potential multi‐target drug in the treatment of ischemic stroke.Grant Funding Source: the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81274133 and 81303261) and the Major Scientific and Technological Special Project for “Significant New Drugs Creation” (No. 2012ZX09103‐201‐055)
Assessment of physiological parameters in the rat following intravenous injection of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION’s) (LB730)
Authors: Edge Deirdre , Shortt Christine , Markos Farouk , Barry Elaine 
Published: June 2021

With a growing number of applications associated with nanostructures, characterization in‐vivo is imperative. Previous MRI studies have described the accumulation of SPION’s in the rat and pig kidneys following intravenous (i.v) injection. Since intra‐renal accumulation of SPION’s may lead to acute kidney injury, we sought to assess an array of physiological parameters including renal function following injection of SPION’s.Adult male Wistar rats (n=16) were anaesthetised with an i.p. injection of sodium pentobarbital (60mg/kg bw). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was continually monitored. Plasma and urine samples were collected over 20 minute clearance periods, two prior to and two following injection of 2mg/kg SPION’s (MF66 or OD15). Plasma and urine were analysed for electrolyte measurements and determination of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR).I.v. injection of both SPION’s led to a significant transient drop in MAP. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was not significantly affected following SPION injection, however fractional sodium excretion (FENa) and absolute sodium excretion (UVNa) significantly increased in SPION‐treated animals compared to baseline values, (p=0.0313, one‐tailed Wilcoxin signed rank test).The mechanisms of this MAP drop and natriuresis is unclear but may involve vasodilator release, e.g. prostaglandins, which oppose the actions of the Renin Angiotensin System.Grant Funding Source: Framework Project 7
The effects of early maternal separation on gastric mucosa maturation and stress response (LB739)
Authors: Ogias Daniela , Gama Patricia 
Published: June 2021

Repeated maternal separation (MS) is a potent and chronic stressor that activates the HPA axis response. We demonstrated that few hours of fasting elevate plasma corticosterone (CORT) in pups, but it also increases CBG binding and reduces glucocorticoid receptor (GR) intracellular traffic in the gastric epithelium. In the stomach, complete cell differentiation occurs by the third postnatal week, in parallel with plasma CORT augment. However, it is not clear how CORT and maternal separation affect gastric epithelium growth and maturation. Currently, our aims were to evaluate: the impacts of MS on body weight; total CORT plasma levels by RIA; gr expression, and the consequences on rat gastric mucosa cell differentiation through the evaluation of developmental target genes by qPCR. For this purpose we used 10, 14, 18, 21 and 30‐ day‐ old rats divided into two groups: 1) Maternal separated group (MS) in which pups were removed from their dams and placed in a clean cage (32° C) for 3 h/day (from postnatal day 2‐ 21),; 2) Control group (C), in which pups were equally manipulated, but were maintained with the dams until weaning (21 days). MS resulted in loss of body weight in the developing rats (p <0.05), but such difference did not persist until 30‐ d‐old rats. Total CORT levels increased only in 18‐ and 30‐d‐old MS rats (p< 0.05).gr expression was down‐ regulated by MS only in 18‐ d‐ old pups (p <0.05). Mucin 6 expression increased after MS in 18‐ and 30‐ d‐ old rats, but decreased at 21 days (p <0.05). Mist1 increased only in 18‐ and 30‐d‐old rats (p <0.05), while Pepsinogen C expression was amplified only in 18‐ d‐old MS pups (p <0.05). In conclusion, repeated MS during early postnatal life reduced body mass, altered total CORT plasma levels and modified the profile of gastric genes expression throughout postnatal development.Grant Funding Source: Supported by Grant 2011/17415‐3 and 2012/10948‐9, São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
Modeling Life and Consciousness as Qualities (LB853)
Authors: Ghosh Santibrata 
Published: June 2021

We are familiar with the so called seven characteristics of life, featured in text books. These by themselves only describe a typical living being, but not what represents “life”. While mathematical modeling in dynamical systems have been done, by many investigators including this author, to simulate biochemical and biophysical processes in vivo, in health and in disease, a description of what life is has been elusive.One may ,however, say that at the moment of death, everything in the body ( viz molecules and their motions ) remain identical to what it was at the last moment of life. The difference being that Life has something more than the underlying physical and chemical aspects, more than the reductive elements. 'Life' is a totality, which is more like a flow, i.e. a time derivative or differential, as in Zeno’s paradox on “arrow in flight”. This is what may be called , in a dialectical sense, a new quality that is 'life'.Something else accompanies life in animals having a full‐fledged nervous system . Through the sense organs, the system, a living being or an animal, perceives all that happens ; it also stores, compiles and integrates all incoming information as on a hard disk for later use. This has to do with what we call consciousness, a much discussed aspect of life. Now if one becomes unconscious but still alive, we may use the same metaphor as above; i.e. that all the molecular information are the same at the moment one conscious animal becomes unconscious, making the flow of consciousness a 'totality'. Call it manifestation, emergence or qualia, it really represents a quality in the dialectical sense.This ability, however, needs the input of vital energy from life, implying that consciousness needs life but not vice versa, though ‘life’ may need the autonomic nervous system (involuntary nervous system) acting largely below the level of consciousness.
Kappa Opioid Receptor‐Based Treatments for Pain (LB88)
Authors: Assana C. , Feller C. , Fogel M. , Frelka A. , Gottfried S. , Jaber R. , Keyes M. , Koehler M. , Kujawa K. , Lautz N. , Olson S. , Pena J. , Ries L. , Schauer L. , Scherrer C. , Strandberg C. , Strandberg S. , Cunningham Christopher 
Published: June 2021

Dangerous painkillers may cause serious problems for those who fall into drugs’ addictive trap, such as former NFL quarterback Brett Favre. The addictiveness of painkillers such as OxyContin and Vicodin is largely attributed to the response they trigger in proteins such as mu opioid receptors (MOPs). This receptor activates cellular signaling pathways responsible for dulling pain; however, the protein also has the ability to stimulate cellular signaling pathways that makes MOP‐based painkillers rewarding. An alternate target that alleviates pain but does not produce reward is the kappa opioid receptor (KOP). Unfortunately, many KOP agonists also activate signaling pathways that produce hallucinogenic effects. To investigate the changes that occur when KOP binds to different ligands, the Divine Savior Holy Angels SMART (Students Modeling A Research Topic) Team has used 3D printing technology to model the active site of the KOP with salvinorin A, to see how the induced fit changes the signal transduction pathways in a neuron. Manipulating receptor proteins like the KOP to inhibit pain pathways without the addictive effect of MOP‐targeting painkillers would be a breakthrough in chronic pain management. Computer‐aided drug design helps streamline the development of KOP ligands that activate this receptor in ways that result in less hallucinogenic effects.Grant Funding Source: Supported by a grant from NIH‐CTSA.
Physical Model of p300 Acetyltransferase and Bromodomain (LB89)
Authors: Assad Fatima , Briglall Annie , Eusebio Diana , Flores Edwin , Ramirez Hillary , Simon Margarita , Valentin Tashina , Zaman Mohammed , Granberry Allison , Houck‐Loomis Brian 
Published: June 2021

In the nucleus of a cell, chromatin is structured into nucleosomes in which the DNA is wrapped around a histone core, condensing the DNA. In this form, DNA is not readily accessible for gene expression. Post‐translational modification to the histone proteins, such as acetylation, regulates gene expression. Histone acetyltranferase (HAT) catlyzes the transfer of an acetyl group to a target lysine by aligning an acetyl‐CoA group with a lysine on the unstructured histone tail region. The acetylated lysine tail then becomes a binding site for other factors. Bromodomain‐containing proteins (BRD) recognize and bind to the acetylated lysine and recruit transcription factors and RNA polymerase II complex to the DNA. The transcriptional coactivator p300 contains both a HAT and BRD region and is known to play an important role in cell cycle and tumor suppression. The activity of the p300 HAT is in part dependent upon the activity of its BRD, and disruption of the BRD can significantly affect transcription of p300‐regulated gene targets. The Hostos‐Lincoln Academy SMART (Students Modeling A Research Topic)Team has generated models of both the HAT (3biy.pdb) and BRD (3i3j.pdb) of p300 using 3D printing technology to illustrate the interplay between HAT and BRD in the transcription of p300 genes.Grant Funding Source: Supported by grants from the NIH‐SEPA and NIH‐CTSA.
Impact of edaravone on serum CXC chemokine ligand-13 levels and perioperative neurocognitive disorders in elderly patients with hip replacement
Authors: Xie Hai-Hui , Ma Hong-Yan , Zhang Shu , Li Jian-Wen , Han Qi , Chen Hui-Qun , Su Bo-Qin , Zhou Jian-Ping 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Background:
Perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND) are a series of severe complications in the perioperative and anesthetic periods with a decline in memory, execution ability, and information processing speed as the primary clinical manifestation. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of edaravone (EDA) on PND and peripheral blood C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13) levels in elderly patients with hip replacement.

Methods:
A total of 160 elderly patients undergoing hip arthroplasty in Affiliated Dongguan People's Hospital of Southern Medical University (from March 2016 to March 2018) were randomly and double-blindly categorized into an EDA group and a control group (CON). Group EDA was administered intravenously EDA 30 min before surgery, and group CON was administered intravenously saline. The cognitive function of the two groups was evaluated 1-day before the operation and at 1 and 12 months after surgery, and the incidence of post-operative delirium was tested on days 1, 3, and 7 after surgery using the Chinese version of the confusion assessment method. Serum CXCL13 and interleukin (IL)-6 concentrations were measured before anesthesia, during surgery (30 min after skin incision), and on days 1, 3, and 7 after surgery. The continuous variables in accordance with normal distribution were tested using the Student's t test, the continuous variables without normal distribution using the Mann-Whitney U test, and categorical variables by the χ
2 test or Fisher exact test.

Results:
The incidence of post-operative delirium within 7 days after surgery was significantly higher in group CON than that in group EDA (31.3% vs. 15.0%, t = −5.6, P < 0.001). The modified telephone interview for cognitive status and activities of daily life scores were significantly higher in the group EDA than those in the group CON at 1 month (39.63 ± 4.35 vs. 33.63 ± 5.81, t = −2.13, P < 0.05 and 74.3 ± 12.6 vs. 61.2 ± 13.1, t = −1.69, P < 0.05) and 12 months (40.13 ± 5.93 vs. 34.13 ± 5.36, t = −3.37, P < 0.05 and 79.6 ± 11.7 vs. 65.6 ± 16.6, t = −2.08, P < 0.05) after surgery; and the incidence of neurocognitive dysfunction was significantly lower in the group EDA than that in the group CON (P < 0.05). Serum CXCL13 and IL-6 concentrations were significantly lower in the group EDA than those in the group CON during and after surgery (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:
EDA can significantly reduce the serum concentrations of CXCL13 and IL-6 and improve the PND of patients.
Risk assessment of malignancy in solitary pulmonary nodules in lung computed tomography: a multivariable predictive model study
Authors: Liu Hai-Yang , Zhao Xing-Ru , Chi Meng , Cheng Xiang-Song , Wang Zi-Qi , Xu Zhi-Wei , Li Yong-Li , Yang Rui , Wu Yong-Jun , Zhang Xiao-Ju 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Background:
Computed tomography images are easy to misjudge because of their complexity, especially images of solitary pulmonary nodules, of which diagnosis as benign or malignant is extremely important in lung cancer treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a more effective strategy in lung cancer diagnosis. In our study, we aimed to externally validate and revise the Mayo model, and a new model was established.

Methods:
A total of 1450 patients from three centers with solitary pulmonary nodules who underwent surgery were included in the study and were divided into training, internal validation, and external validation sets (n = 849, 365, and 236, respectively). External verification and recalibration of the Mayo model and establishment of new logistic regression model were performed on the training set. Overall performance of each model was evaluated using area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Finally, the model validation was completed on the validation data set.

Results:
The AUC of the Mayo model on the training set was 0.653 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.613–0.694). After re-estimation of the coefficients of all covariates included in the original Mayo model, the revised Mayo model achieved an AUC of 0.671 (95% CI: 0.635–0.706). We then developed a new model that achieved a higher AUC of 0.891 (95% CI: 0.865–0.917). It had an AUC of 0.888 (95% CI: 0.842–0.934) on the internal validation set, which was significantly higher than that of the revised Mayo model (AUC: 0.577, 95% CI: 0.509–0.646) and the Mayo model (AUC: 0.609, 95% CI, 0.544–0.675) (P < 0.001). The AUC of the new model was 0.876 (95% CI: 0.831–0.920) on the external verification set, which was higher than the corresponding value of the Mayo model (AUC: 0.705, 95% CI: 0.639–0.772) and revised Mayo model (AUC: 0.706, 95% CI: 0.640–0.772) (P < 0.001). Then the prediction model was presented as a nomogram, which is easier to generalize.

Conclusions:
After external verification and recalibration of the Mayo model, the results show that they are not suitable for the prediction of malignant pulmonary nodules in the Chinese population. Therefore, a new model was established by a backward stepwise process. The new model was constructed to rapidly discriminate benign from malignant pulmonary nodules, which could achieve accurate diagnosis of potential patients with lung cancer.