bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Balance response to levodopa predicts balance improvement after bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Yin Zixiao , Bai Yutong , Zou Liangying , Zhang Xin , Wang Huimin , Gao Dongmei , Qin Guofan , Ma Ruoyu , Zhang Kai , Meng Fangang , Jiang Yin , Yang Anchao , Zhang Jianguo 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
The effect of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) on balance function in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and the potential outcome predictive factors remains unclear. We retrospectively included 261 PD patients who underwent STN-DBS and finished the 1-month follow-up (M1) assessment in the explorative set for identifying postoperative balance change predictors, and 111 patients who finished both the M1 and 12-month follow-up (M12) assessment in the validation set for verifying the identified factors. Motor and balance improvement were evaluated through the UPDRS-III and the Berg balance scale (BBS) and pull test (PT), respectively. Candidate predictors of balance improvement included age, disease duration, motor subtypes, baseline severity of PD, cognitive status, motor and balance response to levodopa, and stimulation parameters. In the off-medication condition, STN-DBS significantly improved BBS and PT performance in both the M1 and M12, in both datasets. While in the on-medication condition, no significant balance improvement was observed. Higher preoperative BBS response to levodopa was significantly associated with larger postoperative off-medication, but not on-medication, BBS (p < 0.001) and PT (p < 0.001) improvement in both the M1 and M12. BBS subitems 8, 9, 11, 13, and 14 were the major contributors to the prediction of balance improvement after STN-DBS. STN-DBS improves short-term off-medication, but not on-medication, balance function assessed through BBS and PT. Preoperative BBS response to levodopa best predicts postoperative off-medication balance improvement. For patients who manifested severe balance problems, a levodopa challenge test on BBS or the short version of BBS is recommended.
Mechanically reconfigurable multi-functional meta-optics studied at microwave frequencies
Authors: Ballew Conner , Roberts Gregory , Camayd-Muñoz Sarah , Debbas Maximilien F. , Faraon Andrei 
Published: May 2021

AbstractMetasurfaces advanced the field of optics by reducing the thickness of optical components and merging multiple functionalities into a single layer device. However, this generally comes with a reduction in performance, especially for multi-functional and broadband applications. Three-dimensional metastructures can provide the necessary degrees of freedom for advanced applications, while maintaining minimal thickness. This work explores mechanically reconfigurable devices that perform focusing, spectral demultiplexing, and polarization sorting based on mechanical configuration. As proof of concept, a rotatable device, a device based on rotating squares, and a shearing-based device are designed with adjoint-based topology optimization, 3D-printed, and measured at microwave frequencies (7.6–11.6 GHz) in an anechoic chamber.
Expression of the miR-302/367 microRNA cluster is regulated by a conserved long non-coding host-gene
Authors: Rahimi Karim , Füchtbauer Annette Christine , Fathi Fardin , Mowla Seyed Javad , Füchtbauer Ernst-Martin 
Published: May 2021

AbstractMicroRNAs are important regulators of cellular functions. MiR-302/367 is a polycistronic miRNA cluster that can induce and maintain pluripotency. Here we investigate the transcriptional control and the processing of the miR-302 host-gene in mice. Our results indicate that the mmu-miR-302 host-gene is alternatively spliced, polyadenylated and exported from the nucleus. The regulatory sequences extend at least 2 kb upstream of the transcription start site and contain several conserved binding sites for both transcriptional activators and repressors. The gene structure and regulatory elements are highly conserved between mouse and human. So far, regulating miR-302 expression is the only known function of the miR-302 host-gene. Even though we here only provide one example, regulation of microRNA transcription might be a so far little recognized function of long non-coding RNA genes.
Macrophages rely on extracellular serine to suppress aberrant cytokine production
Authors: Kurita Kento , Ohta Hiroya , Shirakawa Ibuki , Tanaka Miyako , Kitaura Yasuyuki , Iwasaki Yorihiro , Matsuzaka Takashi , Shimano Hitoshi , Aoe Seiichiro , Arima Hiroshi , Ogawa Yoshihiro , Ito Ayaka , Suganami Takayoshi 
Published: May 2021

AbstractA growing body of evidence indicates that cellular metabolism is involved in immune cell functions, including cytokine production. Serine is a nutritionally non-essential amino acid that can be generated by de novo synthesis and conversion from glycine. Serine contributes to various cellular responses, but the role in inflammatory responses remains poorly understood. Here, we show that macrophages rely on extracellular serine to suppress aberrant cytokine production. Depleting serine from the culture media reduced the cellular serine content in macrophages markedly, suggesting that macrophages depend largely on extracellular serine rather than cellular synthesis. Under serine deprivation, macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide showed aberrant cytokine expression patterns, including a marked reduction of anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 expression and sustained expression of interleukine-6. Transcriptomic and metabolomics analyses revealed that serine deprivation causes mitochondrial dysfunction: reduction in the pyruvate content, the NADH/NAD+ ratio, the oxygen consumption rate, and the mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We also found the role of mitochondrial ROS in appropriate cytokine production. Thus, our results indicate that cytokine production in macrophages is tightly regulated by the nutritional microenvironment.
Metabolomics study of fibroblasts damaged by UVB and BaP
Authors: Yang Xiaoyu , Wang Jiateng , Wang Hecong , Li Xueying , He Congfen , Liu Lei 
Published: May 2021

AbstractWe have recently shown that both UVB and BaP can induce the production of ROS, apoptosis and even cancer. However, the differences in the metabolic profiles of skin damaged by UVB, BaP or UVB combined with BaP have not been studied. Therefore, we examined the metabolic changes in the human foreskin fibroblast injured by UVB or BaP or the combination of the two, using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (qTOF-MS). 24 metabolites were altered in the UVB damage group, 25 in the BaP damage group, and 33 in the UVB combined with BaP group. These alterations indicated that the metabolic mechanisms of HFF-1 cells treated with UVB or BaP are related to multiple main metabolites including glycerophosphocholine (PC), lactosylceramide (LacCer), guanidinosuccinic acid (GSA), glutathione(GSH), and lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC) and the main mechanisms involved glycerophospholipid and glutathione metabolism. Thus, our report provided useful insight into the underlying mechanisms of UVB and BaP damage to skin cells.
Enhanced use of gaze cue in a face-following task after brief trial experience in individuals with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Fukui Takao , Chakrabarty Mrinmoy , Sano Misako , Tanaka Ari , Suzuki Mayuko , Kim Sooyung , Agarie Hiromi , Fukatsu Reiko , Nishimaki Kengo , Nakajima Yasoichi , Wada Makoto 
Published: May 2021

AbstractEye movements toward sequentially presented face images with or without gaze cues were recorded to investigate whether those with ASD, in comparison to their typically developing (TD) peers, could prospectively perform the task according to gaze cues. Line-drawn face images were sequentially presented for one second each on a laptop PC display, and the face images shifted from side-to-side and up-and-down. In the gaze cue condition, the gaze of the face image was directed to the position where the next face would be presented. Although the participants with ASD looked less at the eye area of the face image than their TD peers, they could perform comparable smooth gaze shift to the gaze cue of the face image in the gaze cue condition. This appropriate gaze shift in the ASD group was more evident in the second half of trials in than in the first half, as revealed by the mean proportion of fixation time in the eye area to valid gaze data in the early phase (during face image presentation) and the time to first fixation on the eye area. These results suggest that individuals with ASD may benefit from the short-period trial experiment by enhancing the usage of gaze cue.
GRK2 contributes to glucose mediated calcium responses and insulin secretion in pancreatic islet cells
Authors: Snyder Jonathan , Lackey Atreju I , Brown G. Schuyler , Diaz Melisa , Yuzhen Tian , Sato Priscila Y. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractDiabetes is a metabolic syndrome rooted in impaired insulin and/or glucagon secretory responses within the pancreatic islets of Langerhans (islets). Insulin secretion is primarily regulated by two key factors: glucose-mediated ATP production and G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) signaling. GPCR kinase 2 (GRK2), a key regulator of GPCRs, is reported to be downregulated in the pancreas of spontaneously obesogenic and diabetogenic mice (ob/ob). Moreover, recent studies have shown that GRK2 non-canonically localizes to the cardiac mitochondrion, where it can contribute to glucose metabolism. Thus, islet GRK2 may impact insulin secretion through either mechanism. Utilizing Min6 cells, a pancreatic ß-cell model, we knocked down GRK2 and measured glucose-mediated intracellular calcium responses and insulin secretion. Silencing of GRK2 attenuated calcium responses, which were rescued by pertussis toxin pre-treatment, suggesting a Gαi/o-dependent mechanism. Pancreatic deletion of GRK2 in mice resulted in glucose intolerance with diminished insulin secretion. These differences were due to diminished insulin release rather than decreased insulin content or gross differences in islet architecture. Furthermore, a high fat diet feeding regimen exacerbated the metabolic phenotype in this model. These results suggest a new role for pancreatic islet GRK2 in glucose-mediated insulin responses that is relevant to type 2 diabetes disease progression.
Real-time, automatic, open-source﻿﻿ sleep stage classification system using single EEG for mice
Authors: Tezuka Taro , Kumar Deependra , Singh Sima , Koyanagi Iyo , Naoi Toshie , Sakaguchi Masanori 
Published: May 2021

AbstractWe developed a real-time sleep stage classification system with a convolutional neural network using only a one-channel electro-encephalogram source from mice and universally available features in any time-series data: raw signal, spectrum, and zeitgeber time. To accommodate historical information from each subject, we included a long short-term memory recurrent neural network in combination with the universal features. The resulting system (UTSN-L) achieved 90% overall accuracy and 81% multi-class Matthews Correlation Coefficient, with particularly high-quality judgements for rapid eye movement sleep (91% sensitivity and 98% specificity). This system can enable automatic real-time interventions during rapid eye movement sleep, which has been difficult due to its relatively low abundance and short duration. Further, it eliminates the need for ordinal pre-calibration, electromyogram recording, and manual classification and thus is scalable. The code is open-source with a graphical user interface and closed feedback loop capability, making it easily adaptable to a wide variety of end-user needs. By allowing large-scale, automatic, and real-time sleep stage-specific interventions, this system can aid further investigations of the functions of sleep and the development of new therapeutic strategies for sleep-related disorders.
Clinical factors associated with discontinuation of ts/bDMARDs in rheumatic patients from the BIOBADASER III registry
Authors: Prior-Español A. , Sánchez-Piedra C. , Campos J. , Manero F. J. , Pérez-García C. , Bohórquez C. , Busquets-Pérez N. , Blanco-Madrigal J. M. , Díaz-Torne C. , Sánchez-Alonso F. , Mateo L. , Holgado-Pérez S. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractBiologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (ts/bDMARDs) play a pivotal role in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Persistence of therapy provides an index of a drug’s overall effectiveness. The objective of the study was to identify factors associated with discontinuation of ts/bDMARDs in a real-world dataset. The study population comprised patients diagnosed with RA, PsA, and AS included in the BIOBADASER registry for whom follow-up data were available until November 2019. Patient features and treatment data were included in the analysis. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to study survival of the different drugs according to the reason for discontinuation. Factors associated with discontinuation were studied using Cox regression models and bivariate and multivariate analyses. P values of less than 0.05 were regarded as statistically significant. The study population comprised 4,752 patients who received a total of 8,377 drugs, of which 4,411 (52.65%) were discontinued. The Kaplan–Meier curves showed that survival for first-line treatment was greater in all 3 groups (p < 0.001). Patients with RA had a greater risk of discontinuation if they were younger (HR, 0.99; 95% CI 0.99–1.00), if they were receiving anti-TNFα agents (HR, 0.61; 95% CI 0.54–0.70), and if they had more comorbid conditions (HR, 1.09; 95% CI 1.00–1.17). Patients with PsA had a higher risk if they were women (HR, 1.36; 95% CI 1.15–1.62) and if they were receiving other ts/bDMARDs (HR, 1.29; 95% CI 1.05–1.59). In patients with AS, risk increased with age (HR, 1.01; 95% CI 1.00–1.02), as did the number of comorbid conditions (HR, 1.27; 95% CI 1.12–1.45). The factors that most affected discontinuation of ts/bDMARDs were line of treatment, age, type of drug, sex, comorbidity and the year of initiation of treatment. The association with these factors differed with each disease, except for first-line treatment, which was associated with a lower risk of discontinuation in all 3 diseases.
A system for controlling vocal communication networks
Authors: Rychen J. , Rodrigues D. I. , Tomka T. , Rüttimann L. , Yamahachi H. , Hahnloser R. H. R. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractAnimal vocalizations serve a wide range of functions including territorial defense, courtship, social cohesion, begging, and vocal learning. Whereas many insights have been gained from observational studies and experiments using auditory stimulation, there is currently no technology available for the selective control of vocal communication in small animal groups. We developed a system for real-time control of vocal interactions among separately housed animals. The system is implemented on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and it allows imposing arbitrary communication networks among up to four animals. To minimize undesired transitive sound leakage, we adopted echo attenuation and sound squelching algorithms. In groups of three zebra finches, we restrict vocal communication in circular and in hierarchical networks and thereby mimic complex eavesdropping and middleman situations.
Immune spleen cells attenuate the inflammatory profile of the mesenteric perivascular adipose tissue in obese mice
Authors: da Silva Renée de Nazaré Oliveira , Santos-Eichler Rosangela Aparecida , Dias Carolina , Rodrigues Stephen Fernandes , Skiba Dominik S. , Landgraf Richardt Gama , de Carvalho Maria Helena Catelli , Guzik Tomasz , Fock Ricardo Ambrósio , Akamine Eliana Hiromi 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) differs from other fat depots and exerts a paracrine action on the vasculature. The spleen has an important role in the immune response, and it was observed to have either a protective role or a contribution to obesity-related diseases. However, the relation between spleen and PVAT is elusive in obesity. We investigated the role of spleen in the inflammatory profile of the mesenteric PVAT (mPVAT) from mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks. Male C57Bl/6 mice were sham-operated or splenectomized (SPX) and fed a HFD for 16 weeks. mPVAT morphology was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, infiltrated immune cells were evaluated by flow cytometry, inflammatory cytokines were evaluated by ELISA and the splenic cell chemotaxis mediated by mPVAT was evaluated using a transwell assay. In SPX mice, HFD induced adipocyte hypertrophy and increased immune cell infiltration and proinflammatory cytokine levels in mPVAT. However, none of these effects were observed in mPVAT from sham-operated mice. Spleen from HFD fed mice presented reduced total leukocytes and increased inflammatory markers when compared to the spleen from control mice. Chemotaxis of spleen cells mediated by mPVAT of HFD fed mice was reduced in relation to standard diet fed mice. The spleen protects mPVAT against the effects of 16-week HFD. This information was missing, and it is important because PVAT is different from other fat depots and data cannot be extrapolated from any type of adipose tissue to PVAT.
Vitamin D stimulates miR-26b-5p to inhibit placental COX-2 expression in preeclampsia
Authors: Cao Yang , Jia Xiaotong , Huang Yujia , Wang Jiao , Lu Chunmei , Yuan Xiaolei , Xu Jie , Zhu Hui 
Published: May 2021

AbstractVitamin D insufficiency or deficiency during pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia. Increased placental cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity was proposed to contribute to the inflammatory response in preeclampsia. This study was to investigate if vitamin D can benefit preeclampsia by inhibiting placental COX-2 expression. Placenta tissues were obtained from 40 pregnant women (23 normotensive and 17 preeclampsia). miR-26b-5p expression was assessed by quantitative PCR. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression and COX-2 expression were determined by immunostaining and Western blot. HTR-8/SVneo trophoblastic cells were cultured in vitro to test anti-inflammatory effects of vitamin D in placental trophoblasts treated with oxidative stress inducer CoCl2. 1,25(OH)2D3 was used as bioactive vitamin D. Our results showed that reduced VDR and miR-26b-5p expression, but increased COX-2 expression, was observed in the placentas from women with preeclampsia compared to those from normotensive pregnant women. Transient overexpression of miR-26b-5p attenuated the upregulation of COX-2 expression and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production induced by CoCl2 in placental trophoblasts. 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment inhibited CoCl2-induced upregulation of COX-2 in placental trophoblasts. Moreover, miR-26b-5p expression were significantly upregulated in cells treated with 1,25(OH)2D3, but not in cells transfected with VDR siRNA. Conclusively, downregulation of VDR and miR-26b-5p expression was associated with upregulation of COX-2 expression in the placentas from women with preeclampsia. 1,25(OH)2D3 could promote miR-26b-5p expression which in turn inhibited COX-2 expression and PGE2 formation in placental trophoblasts. The finding of anti-inflammatory property by vitamin D through promotion of VDR/miR-26b-5p expression provides significant evidence that downregulation of vitamin D/VDR signaling could contribute to increased inflammatory response in preeclampsia.
Development of comorbidities in type 2 diabetes between 2005 and 2017 using German claims data
Authors: Safieddine Batoul , Sperlich Stefanie , Epping Jelena , Lange Karin , Geyer Siegfried 
Published: May 2021

AbstractAgainst the background of increasing life expectancy over time, several hypotheses have been proposed on the way morbidity has been developing. In type 2 diabetes (T2D), previous research suggests that morbidity compression could be ruled out due to increasing prevalence and life expectancy with T2D over time. Understanding how the health state in individuals with T2D is developing would help identify whether morbidity expansion or a dynamic equilibrium pattern applies for this disease. This study aims to answer the following questions: (1) How do the number and the prevalence of T2D concordant comorbidities develop over time? (2) What does this imply in terms of morbidity development in T2D in Germany? The study used claims data from a statutory health insurance provider in Lower Saxony, Germany. Period prevalence of T2D concordant comorbidities was examined for the periods 2005–2007, 2010–2012 and 2015–2017 in 240,241, 295,868 and 308,134 individuals with T2D respectively. The effect of time period on the number and prevalence of comorbidities was examined by means of (ordered) logistic regression. The age-adjusted predicted probabilities of more severe cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) decreased over the three periods while those of less severe CVDs and other vascular diseases increased significantly in men and women and among all examined age-groups. Predicted probability of having at least one more comorbidity over time also increased significantly among all examined groups. While less and more severe CVDs exhibited different developmental patterns, the results of the study point towards morbidity expansion in T2D. Future studies should focus on mechanisms that contribute to these trends.
Whole-genome resequencing of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) reveals the population structure and signatures of environmental adaptation
Authors: Kon Tetsuo , Pei Liyi , Ichikawa Ryota , Chen Chunyan , Wang Ping , Takemura Ikuyo , Ye Yingying , Yan Xiaojun , Guo Baoying , Li Weiye , Lauden Hagai Nsobi , Tabata Hiromasa , Pan Hao , Omori Yoshihiro , Ogura Atsushi , Jiang Lihua 
Published: May 2021

AbstractLarge yellow croaker is an economically important fish in China and East Asia. Despite its economic importance, genome-wide adaptions of domesticated large yellow croaker are largely unknown. Here, we performed whole-genome resequencing of 198 individuals of large yellow croaker obtained in the sea or from farmers in Zhoushan or Ningde. Population genomics analyses revealed the genetic population structure of our samples, reflecting the living environment. Each effective population size is estimated to be declining over generations. Moreover, we identified genetically differentiated genomic regions between the sea-captured population in the Zhoushan Sea area and that of the Ningde Sea area or between the sea-captured population and the farmed population in either area. Gene ontology analyses revealed the gene groups under selective sweep for the adaptation to the domesticated environment. All these results suggest that individuals of the large yellow croaker populations show genomic signatures of adaptation to different living environments.
Hyperradiance by a stream of phase-correlated atomic dipole pairs traversing a high-Q cavity
Authors: Han Junseok , Kim Jinuk , Oh Seung-hoon , Son Gibeom , Ha Junseo , An Kyungwon 
Published: May 2021

AbstractHyperradiance in which radiation rate exceeds that of superradiance has been theoretically investigated in various coherently-coupled emitter-field systems. In most cases, either proposed setups were experimentally challenging or the mean photon number in a cavity was limited. In this paper, with numerical simulations and analytic calculations, we demonstrate that significant hyperradiance with a large mean photon number can occur in a microlaser system, where pairs of two-level atoms prepared in quantum superposition states traverse a high-Q cavity in the presence of a pump field intersecting the cavity mode. Hyperradiance is induced when the intracavity-pump Rabi frequency is out of phase with respect to the atom-cavity coupling so that the reduction of atomic polarization by the atom-cavity coupling is compensated by the pump Rabi frequency in the steady state to maximize atomic photoemission.