bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Melanophilin (Mlph) gene expression by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR)
Authors: Myung Cheol Hwan , Lee Ji Eun , Jo Chan Song , Park Jong il , Hwang Jae Sung 
Published: August 2021

AbstractMlph plays a crucial role in regulating skin pigmentation through the melanosome transport process. Although Mlph is a major component involved in melanosome transport, the mechanism that regulates the expression of the Mlph gene has not been identified. In this study, we demonstrate that Mlph expression is regulated by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Alteration of GR activity using a specific GR agonist or antagonist only regulated the expression of Mlph among the 3 key melanosome transport proteins. Translocation of GR from the cytosol into the nucleus following Dex treatment was confirmed by separating the cytosol and nuclear fractions and by immunofluorescence staining. In ChIP assays, Dex induced GR binding to the Mlph promoter and we determined that Dex induced the GR binding motif on the Mlph promoter. Our findings contribute to understanding the regulation of Mlph expression and to the novel role of GR in Mlph gene expression.
A national assessment of elective cesarean sections in Bangladesh and the need for health literacy and accessibility
Authors: Afiaz Awan , Arusha Anowara Rayhan , Ananna Nurjahan , Kabir Enamul , Biswas Raaj Kishore 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThere has been a gradual rise in the number of cesarean sections (CSs) in Bangladesh. The present study identified the cohort of women, who were more likely to opt for an elective CS based on their sociodemographic characteristics, pre-delivery care history, and media exposure, using the Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey-2019. The survey stratification adjusted logistic regression model and interpretable machine learning method of building classification trees were utilized to analyze a sample of 9202 women, alongside district-wise heat maps. One-in-five births (20%) were elective CSs in the 2 years prior to the survey. Women residing in affluent households with educated house-heads, who accessed antenatal care prior to delivery (AOR 4.12; 95% CI 3.06, 5.54) with regular access to media (AOR 1.31; 95% CI 1.10, 1.56) and who owned a mobile phone (AOR 1.25; 95% CI 1.04, 1.50) were more likely to opt for elective CSs, which suggests that health access and health literacy were crucial factors in women’s mode of delivery. Spatial analyses revealed that women living in larger cities had more elective CS deliveries, pointing towards the availability of better health and access to multiple safe delivery options in peripheral areas.
Effect of aerobic and resistance exercise on the mitochondrial peptide MOTS-c in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White breast cancer survivors
Authors: Dieli-Conwright Christina M. , Sami Nathalie , Norris Mary K. , Wan Junxiang , Kumagai Hiroshi , Kim Su-Jeong , Cohen Pinchas 
Published: August 2021

AbstractMOTS-c is a mitochondrial derived peptide with exercise mimetic activity that elicits beneficial effects on metabolism and exercise capacity. Furthermore, MOTS-c effects in humans are affected by race, potentially via ethnic-specific mtDNA variations. Women treated for breast cancer are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, due to side effects of cancer-treatments. We conducted a secondary analysis of the effects of a 16-week aerobic and resistance exercise intervention on MOTS-c in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White breast cancer survivors (BCS). BCS (Stage I–III) were randomized to exercise or standard care. The intervention promoted aerobic and resistance exercise for 16 weeks. MOTS-c was analyzed in fasting plasma using an in-house ELISA. Within and between group differences were assessed by paired t-test and repeated measures ANOVA. Pearson’s correlation was computed to assess the association between MOTS-c and metabolic biomarkers at baseline and post-exercise. Twenty-five Hispanic-BCS and 24 non-Hispanic White BCS were included. Hispanic BCS were younger, of greater adiposity, had higher stage cancers, and had worse metabolic profiles at baseline compared to non-Hispanic White BCS (p < 0.001). Post-exercise, MOTS-c levels significantly increased when compared to baseline and the usual care group among non-Hispanic White BCS (p < 0.01) but not among Hispanic breast cancer survivors (p > 0.01). Post-exercise levels of MOTS-c among non-Hispanic White BCS were significantly associated with reductions in fat mass, body weight, HOMA-IR, CRP, and an increase in lean mass (p < 0.01). A 16-week aerobic and resistance intervention increased MOTS-c levels among non-Hispanic White BCS.
Trial registration: This trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01140282 as of June 9, 2010. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01140282.
Associations of creatinine/cystatin C ratio and postoperative pulmonary complications in elderly patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery: a retrospective study
Authors: Kim Hye Jin , Kim Hye-Bin , Kim Ha Yan , Shim Jae-Kwang , Lee Cheolhun , Kwak Young-Lan 
Published: August 2021

AbstractSarcopenia along with nutritional status are associated with postoperative pulmonary complications in various surgical fields. Recently, the creatinine/cystatin C ratio and CONtrolling NUTritional status score were introduced as biochemical indicators for sarcopenia and malnutrition, respectively. We aimed to investigate the associations among these indicators and postoperative pulmonary complications in elderly patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery. We reviewed the medical records of 605 elderly patients (aged ≥ 65 years) who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery from January 2010 to December 2019. Postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, prolonged ventilation [> 24 h], and reintubation during post-surgical hospitalisation) occurred in 80 patients. A 10-unit increase of creatinine/cystatin C ratio was associated with a reduced risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (odds ratio: 0.80, 95% confidence interval: 0.69–0.92, P = 0.001); the optimal cut-off values for predicting postoperative pulmonary complications was 89.5. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that age, congestive heart failure, and creatinine/cystatin C ratio < 89.5 (odds ratio 2.36, 95% confidence interval 1.28–4.37) were independently associated with the occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complications, whereas CONtrolling NUTritional status score was not. A low creatinine/cystatin C ratio was associated with an increased risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.
Serum indices based on creatinine and cystatin C predict mortality in patients with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease
Authors: Lin Yu-Li , Chang I-Chen , Liou Hung-Hsiang , Wang Chih-Hsien , Lai Yu-Hsien , Kuo Chiu-Huang , Hsu Bang-Gee 
Published: August 2021

AbstractSerum indices based on creatinine and cystatin C, including creatinine/cystatin C ratio (Cr/CysC), ratio and difference of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on cystatin C and creatinine (eGFRcys/eGFRcre and eGFRDiff), and serum creatinine × eGFRcys, are recently identified serum markers for sarcopenia. We aimed to evaluate the association between these serum indices and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). A single-center retrospective cohort study included 1141 adult patients with stage 1–5 CKD between 2016 and 2018. Basic characteristics, comorbidities, laboratory parameters, and serum creatinine and cystatin C values were obtained. Patients were followed up until death, dialysis, transfer to another hospital, or end of the study. The median age (interquartile range) of our participants was 71 (62–81) years. During a median follow-up of 39 months, 116 (10.2%) patients died. Compared to the survivor group, Cr/CysC, eGFRcys/eGFRcre, eGFRDiff, and Cr × eGFRcys were all lower in the non-survivors (p < 0.001 for all). The receiver operating characteristic curves of serum indices for predicting mortality showed that all four indices had significant discriminative power. Based on the Cox proportional hazard models, lower values of four serum indices, both as continuous and categorical variables, independently predicted mortality. Our findings suggest that low serum indices of Cr/CysC, eGFRcys/eGFRcre, eGFRDiff, and Cr × eGFRcys are independent indicators of mortality in patients with non-dialysis CKD.
Pest detection dogs for wood boring longhorn beetles
Authors: Arnesen Charlotte Holmstad , Rosell Frank 
Published: August 2021

AbstractInvasive alien species are increasing due to globalization. Their spread has resulted in global economic losses. Asian [Anoplophora glabripennis(Motschulsky)] (ALB) and citrus [A. chinensis(Forster)] (CLB) longhorn beetles are two introduced wood borers which contribute to these economic losses e.g. the destruction of tree plantations. Early detection is key to reduce the ecological influence alongside the detrimental and expensive eradication. Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) can detect these insects, potentially at an early stage. We trained two privately owned dogs to investigate their use as detection tools. We tested the dog’s ability to discriminate ALB and CLB from native wood borers by carrying out double-blind and randomized experiments in three search conditions; (1) laboratory, (2) semi-field and (3) standardized field. For condition one, a mean sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 95% and accuracy of 92% were achieved. For condition two and three, a mean sensitivity of 88% and 95%, specificity of 94% and 92% and accuracy of 92% and 93% were achieved. We conclude that dogs can detect all types of traces and remains of ALB and CLB and discriminate them from native wood borers and uninfested wood, but further tests on live insects should be initiated.
An exploratory, cross-cultural study on perception of putative cyclical changes in facial fertility cues
Authors: Marcinkowska Urszula M. , Jones Benedict C. , Cai Huaijan , Contreras-Garduno Jorge , Onyishi Ike E. , Orjiakor Charles T. , Prasai Keshav , Pazhoohi Farid , Taniguchi Hirokazu , Lee Anthony J. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractAlthough many researchers have argued that facial traits evolved as honest cues to women’s current fertility (possibly via changes in facial femininity), evidence that women’s facial attractiveness is significantly, positively related to probability of conception throughout menstrual cycle is mixed. These mixed results could reflect differences among studies in the methods used to assess facial attractiveness (i.e., forced choice versus rating-scale methods), differences in how fertility was assessed, differences in perceiver characteristics (e.g., their own attractiveness), and facial preferences possibly being moderated by the characteristics of the living environment. Consequently, the current study investigated the putative effect of cyclical changes in fertility on women’s facial attractiveness and femininity (1) using forced choice and rating-scale method, (2) conducting both ovulation tests and repeated daily measures of estradiol assessing the conception probability, (3) based on a culturally diverse sample of perceivers, while (4) controlling for inter-individual variation. Although we found some limited evidence that women’s faces became more attractive when conception probability increased, these effects differed depending on the methods used to assess both attractiveness and fertility. Moreover, where statistically significant effects were observed, the effect sizes were extremely small. Similarly, there was little robust evidence that perceivers’ characteristics reliably predicted preferences for fertility cues. Collectively, these results suggest that mixed results in previous studies examining cyclical fluctuation in women’s facial attractiveness are unlikely to reflect inter-cultural differences and are more likely to reflect differences in the methods used to assess facial attractiveness and fertility.
Interaction of clozapine with metformin in a schizophrenia rat model
Authors: Horvath G. , Kis G. , Kekesi G. , Büki A. , Adlan L. G. , Szűcs E. , Heni H. El , Benyhe S. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThe low efficacy of antipsychotic drugs (e.g., clozapine) for negative symptoms and cognitive impairment has led to the introduction of adjuvant therapies. Because previous data suggest the procognitive potential of the antidiabetic drug metformin, this study aimed to assess the effects of chronic clozapine and metformin oral administration (alone and in combination) on locomotor and exploratory activities and cognitive function in a reward-based test in control and a schizophrenia-like animal model (Wisket rats). As impaired dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) function might play a role in the cognitive dysfunctions observed in patients with schizophrenia, the second goal of this study was to determine the brain-region-specific D1R-mediated signaling, ligand binding, and mRNA expression. None of the treatments affected the behavior of the control animals significantly; however, the combination treatment enhanced D1R binding and activation in the cerebral cortex. The Wisket rats exhibited impaired motivation, attention, and cognitive function, as well as a lower level of cortical D1R binding, signaling, and gene expression. Clozapine caused further deterioration of the behavioral parameters, without a significant effect on the D1R system. Metformin blunted the clozapine-induced impairments, and, similarly to that observed in the control animals, increased the functional activity of D1R. This study highlights the beneficial effects of metformin (at the behavioral and cellular levels) in blunting clozapine-induced adverse effects.
Design of time-delayed safety switches for CRISPR gene therapy
Authors: Sun Dashan 
Published: August 2021

AbstractCRISPR system is a powerful gene editing tool which has already been reported to address a variety of gene relevant diseases in different cell lines. However, off-target effect and immune response caused by Cas9 remain two fundamental problems. Inspired by previously reported Cas9 self-elimination systems, time-delayed safety switches are designed in this work. Firstly, ultrasensitive relationship is constructed between Cas9-sgRNA (enzyme) and Cas9 plasmids (substrate), which generates the artificial time delay. Then intrinsic time delay in biomolecular activities is revealed by data fitting and utilized in constructing safety switches. The time-delayed safety switches function by separating the gene editing process and self-elimination process, and the tunable delay time may ensure a good balance between gene editing efficiency and side effect minimization. By addressing gene therapy efficiency, off-target effect, immune response and drug accumulation, we hope our safety switches may offer inspiration in realizing safe and efficient gene therapy in humans.
Identification of a transcription factor, PunR, that regulates the purine and purine nucleoside transporter punC in E. coli
Authors: Rodionova Irina A. , Gao Ye , Sastry Anand , Hefner Ying , Lim Hyun Gyu , Rodionov Dmitry A. , Saier Milton H. , Palsson Bernhard O. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractMany genes in bacterial genomes are of unknown function, often referred to as y-genes. Recently, the analytic methods have divided bacterial transcriptomes into independently modulated sets of genes (iModulons). Functionally annotated iModulons that contain y-genes lead to testable hypotheses to elucidate y-gene function. The inversely correlated expression of a putative transporter gene,ydhC, relative to purine biosynthetic genes, has led to the hypothesis that it encodes a purine-related transporter and revealed a LysR-family regulator, YdhB, with a predicted 23-bp palindromic binding motif. RNA-Seq analysis of aydhBknockout mutant confirmed the YdhB-dependent activation ofydhCin the presence of adenosine. The deletion of either theydhCor theydhBgene led to a substantially decreased growth rate forE. coliin minimal medium with adenosine, inosine, or guanosine as the nitrogen source. Taken together, we provide clear evidence that YdhB activates the expression of theydhCgene that encodes a purine transporter inE. coli. We propose that the genesydhBandydhCbe re-named aspunRandpunC, respectively.
Rydberg series of dark excitons and the conduction band spin-orbit splitting in monolayer WSe2
Authors: Kapuściński Piotr , Delhomme Alex , Vaclavkova Diana , Slobodeniuk Artur O. , Grzeszczyk Magdalena , Bartos Miroslav , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Faugeras Clément , Potemski Marek 
Published: August 2021

AbstractStrong Coulomb correlations together with multi-valley electronic bands in the presence of spin-orbit interaction are at the heart of studies of the rich physics of excitons in monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD). Those archetypes of two-dimensional systems promise a design of new optoelectronic devices. In intrinsic TMD monolayers the basic, intravalley excitons, are formed by a hole from the top of the valence band and an electron either from the lower or upper spin-orbit-split conduction band subbands: one of these excitons is optically active, the second one is dark, although possibly observed under special conditions. Here we demonstrate the s-series of Rydberg dark exciton states in tungsten diselenide monolayer, which appears in addition to a conventional bright exciton series in photoluminescence spectra measured in high in-plane magnetic fields. The comparison of energy ladders of bright and dark Rydberg excitons is shown to be a method to experimentally evaluate one of the missing band parameters in TMD monolayers: the amplitude of the spin-orbit splitting of the conduction band.
Earth’s core could be the largest terrestrial carbon reservoir
Authors: Bajgain Suraj K. , Mookherjee Mainak , Dasgupta Rajdeep 
Published: August 2021

AbstractEvaluating carbon’s candidacy as a light element in the Earth’s core is critical to constrain the budget and planet-scale distribution of this life-essential element. Here we use first principles molecular dynamics simulations to estimate the density and compressional wave velocity of liquid iron-carbon alloys with ~4-9 wt.% carbon at 0-360 gigapascals and 4000-7000 kelvin. We find that for an iron-carbon binary system, ~1-4 wt.% carbon can explain seismological compressional wave velocities. However, this is incompatible with the ~5-7 wt.% carbon that we find is required to explain the core’s density deficit. When we consider a ternary system including iron, carbon and another light element combined with additional constraints from iron meteorites and the density discontinuity at the inner-core boundary, we find that a carbon content of the outer core of 0.3-2.0 wt.%, is able to satisfy both properties. This could make the outer core the largest reservoir of terrestrial carbon.
Incorporating Patient Narratives to Enhance Audiological Care and Clinical Research Outcomes
Authors: Clark Khaya D. , Garinis Angela C. , Konrad-Martin Dawn 
Published: August 2021

Purpose
The engagement of patients as key stakeholders in their experience of care processes is a critical component of quality improvement efforts for both clinical care and translational research. Increasingly, health care systems are soliciting input from patients on care processes and experiences through surveys, patient interviews, and patient video narratives. The purpose of this viewpoint article is twofold: (a) to describe the increasing role of patient narratives about their experiences with adverse health conditions to inform patient-centered research and quality improvement efforts and (b) to present three patient narratives that highlight the real-world impacts of hearing loss and tinnitus, the life enhancing impacts of aural rehabilitation, and the importance of prospective ototoxicity monitoring in individuals with complex health conditions.

Conclusion
Patient narratives provide individual patient perspectives that can be used to build awareness of the range of experiences and impact of hearing disorders, and to explore patient preferences for when and how to implement hearing-related clinical services.
Genesis of a New Generation of Telepractitioners: The COVID-19 Pandemic and Pediatric Speech-Language Pathology Services
Authors: Campbell Deborah R. , Goldstein Howard 
Published: August 2021

Purpose
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a worldwide shift from in-person care to synchronous videoconferencing or telehealth. Many barriers to remote service delivery were eliminated, effectively creating a new generation of telepractitioners. This study chronicles changes in speech-language pathology clinicians' use and perceptions of telehealth with pediatric populations.

Method

The
Telehealth Services: Pediatric Provider Survey
was created in multiple steps and then distributed broadly through social media and professional community sites. Respondents were speech-language pathologists and speech-language pathology assistants in a variety of employment settings from across the country and abroad who were serving primarily pediatric clients (
n
= 269). Survey questions sought to capture changes in speech-language pathology clinicians' experiences with and perceptions of telehealth before, during, and predictions after the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses identified factors that influenced the use of telehealth services before and after March 2020 (COVID-19).

Results
Survey results documented the dramatic increase in telehealth use from before March 2020 to October 2020. The reasons pediatric speech-language pathology clinicians used telehealth during the pandemic were mostly a result of employer mandates or lowering infection risk for both client and clinician; however, over time, pediatric speech-language pathology clinicians increased their telehealth proficiency and discovered the benefits of telehealth.

Conclusion
The adoption of telehealth and the rapid improvement in proficiency is a testament to the resiliency of providers and has long-term effects on the use of telehealth into the future.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.15183690