bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Molecular changes tracking through multiscale fluorescence microscopy differentiate Meningioma grades and non-tumoral brain tissues
Authors: Mehidine Hussein , Refregiers Matthieu , Jamme Frédéric , Varlet Pascale , Juchaux Marjorie , Devaux Bertrand , Abi Haidar Darine 
Published: February 2021

AbstractMeningioma is the most common primary intracranial extra-axial tumor. Total surgical removal is the standard therapeutic method to treat this type of brain tumors. However, the risk of recurrence depends on the tumor grade and the extent of the resection including the infiltrated dura mater and, if necessary, the infiltrated bone. Therefore, proper resection of all invasive tumor borders without touching eloquent areas is of primordial in order to decrease the risk of recurrence. Nowadays, none of the intraoperative used tools is able to provide a precise real-time histopathological information on the tumor surrounding areas to help the surgeon to achieve a gross total removal. To respond to this problem, our team is developing a multimodal two-photon fluorescence endomicroscope, compatible with the surgeon tool, to better delimitate tumor boundaries, relying on the endogenous fluorescence of brain tissues. In this context, we are building a tissue database in order to specify each brain tissue, whether healthy or tumoral, with its specific optical signature. In this study, we present a multimodal and multiscale optical measurements on non-tumoral control brain tissue obtained in epilepsy surgery patients and several meningioma grades. We investigated tissue auto-fluorescence to track the molecular changes associated with the tumor grade from deep ultra-violet (DUV) to near infrared (NIR) excitation. Micro-spectroscopy, fluorescence lifetime imaging, two-photon fluorescence imaging and Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) imaging were performed. Several optically derived parameters such as collagen crosslinks fluorescence in DUV, SHG emission in NIR and long lifetime intensity fraction of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide and Flavins were correlated to discriminate cancerous tissue from control one. While collagen response managed to discriminate meningioma grades from control samples with a 100% sensitivity and 90% specificity through a 3D discriminative algorithm.
Intestinal protection by proanthocyanidins involves anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory actions in association with an improvement of insulin sensitivity, lipid and glucose homeostasis
Authors: Koudoufio Mireille , Feldman Francis , Ahmarani Lena , Delvin Edgard , Spahis Schohraya , Desjardins Yves , Levy Emile 
Published: February 2021

AbstractRecent advances have added another dimension to the complexity of cardiometabolic disorders (CMD) by directly implicating the gastrointestinal tract as a key player. In fact, multiple factors could interfere with intestinal homeostasis and elicit extra-intestinal CMD. As oxidative stress (OxS), inflammation, insulin resistance and lipid abnormalities are among the most disruptive events, the aim of the present study is to explore whether proanthocyanidins (PACs) exert protective effects against these disorders. To this end, fully differentiated intestinal Caco-2/15 cells were pre-incubated with PACs with and without the pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory iron/ascorbate (Fe/Asc). PACs significantly reduce malondialdehyde, a biomarker of lipid peroxidation, and raise antioxidant SOD2 and GPx via the increase of NRF2/Keap1 ratio. Likewise, PACs decrease the inflammatory agents TNFα and COX2 through abrogation of NF-κB. Moreover, according to crucial biomarkers, PACs result in lipid homeostasis improvement as reflected by enhanced fatty acid β-oxidation, diminished lipogenesis, and lowered gluconeogenesis as a result of PPARα, γ and SREBP1c modulation. Since these metabolic routes are mainly regulated by insulin sensitivity, we have examined the insulin signaling pathway and found an upregulation of phosphoPI3K/Akt and downregulation of p38-MAPK expressions, indicating beneficial effects in response to PACs. Taken together, PACs display the potential to counterbalance OxS and inflammation in Fe/Asc-exposed intestinal cells, in association with an improvement of insulin sensitivity, which ameliorates lipid and glucose homeostasis.
Reflected wave intensity increases based on aortic diameter after endovascular aortic therapy in a goat model
Authors: Takano Tomohiro , Iwai-Takano Masumi , Tsuboko Yusuke , Shiraishi Yasuyuki , Yambe Tomoyuki , Igarashi Takashi , Yokoyama Hitoshi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractReflected wave increases after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) in patients with aortic aneurysm. This affects the left ventricular (LV) diastolic function and leads to a poor prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between increased reflected wave amplitude and aortic diameter after EVAR. EVAR was performed in seven healthy goats. We assessed wave intensity (WI), aortic diameter, and stiffness parameter β. Moreover, we evaluated the relationship between negative reflected wave (NW, reflected waves toward the heart from the periphery by WI) and other parameters after EVAR. Results showed an increase in stiffness parameter β (3.5 ± 0.3 vs 15.9 ± 4.7, p = 0.018) and a decrease in the change of aortic diameter (6.9 ± 0.7 vs 2.7 ± 0.4%, p = 0.018) after EVAR. The NW was significantly amplified after EVAR from baseline (−589.8 ± 143.4 to  − 1192.3 ± 303.7 mmHg-m/sec3, p = 0.043). The NW showed a significant correlation with maximum aortic diameter (R = 0.707, p = 0.038) and minimum aortic diameter (R = 0.724, p = 0.033). The reflected wave was enhanced after EVAR and was correlated to the aortic diameter at the stent-graft site. It is important to consider that patients with smaller aortic diameters in landing zone who undergo EVAR may develop LV dysfunction.
Fungal diversity and community structure from coastal and barrier island beaches in the United States Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Walker Allison K. , Robicheau Brent M. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractFungi are an important and understudied component of coastal biomes including sand beaches. Basic biogeographic diversity data are lacking for marine fungi in most parts of the world, despite their important role in decomposition. We examined intertidal fungal communities at several United States (US) Gulf of Mexico sand beach sites using morphology and ITS rDNA terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analyses. Fungal biogeographical patterns from sand beach detritus (wood, emergent plant [mangrove/ saltmarsh], or marine [algae, seagrass]) from Florida, Mississippi, and Texas were investigated using diversity indices and multivariate analyses. Fungal diversity increased with decreasing latitude at our study sites. Substrate type strongly influenced fungal community structure in this region, with different fungal communities on detrital marine versus emergent substrates, as well as detrital marine versus wood substrates. Thirty-five fungi were identified morphologically, including new regional and host records. Of these, 86% were unique to an individual collection (i.e., sampled once from one site). Rarefaction curves from pooled morphological data from all sites estimate the number of samples required to characterize the mycota of each substrate. As sampling occurred before the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (April-2010), our findings contribute pre-oil spill sand beach biodiversity data and marine fungal distribution trends within this economically important oceanographic region.
PGMD/curcumin nanoparticles for the treatment of breast cancer
Authors: Kumari Mankamna , Sharma Nikita , Manchanda Romila , Gupta Nidhi , Syed Asad , Bahkali Ali H. , Nimesh Surendra 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe present study aims at developing PGMD (poly-glycerol-malic acid-dodecanedioic acid)/curcumin nanoparticles based formulation for anticancer activity against breast cancer cells. The nanoparticles were prepared using both the variants of PGMD polymer (PGMD 7:3 and PGMD 6:4) with curcumin (i.e. CUR NP 7:3 and CUR NP 6:4). The size of CUR NP 7:3 and CUR NP 6:4 were found to be ~ 110 and 218 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.174 and 0.36, respectively. Further, the zeta potential of the particles was − 18.9 and − 17.5 mV for CUR NP 7:3 and CUR NP 6:4, respectively. The entrapment efficiency of both the nanoparticles was in the range of 75–81%. In vitro anticancer activity and the scratch assay were conducted on breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The IC50of the nanoformulations was observed to be 40.2 and 33.6 μM at 48 h for CUR NP 7:3 and CUR NP 6:4, respectively, in MCF-7 cell line; for MDA-MB-231 it was 43.4 and 30.5 μM. Acridine orange/EtBr and DAPI staining assays showed apoptotic features and nuclear anomalies in the treated cells. This was further confirmed by western blot analysis that showed overexpression of caspase 9 indicating curcumin role in apoptosis.
The simply modified intrascleral fixation using round flange (SMURF) technique for intrascleral intraocular lens fixation
Authors: Kim Soa , Kim Jee Taek 
Published: February 2021

AbstractWe describe a simply modified intrascleral fixation using round flange (SMURF) technique and report the clinical outcomes of the surgery. Forty-one eyes of 41 consecutive patients, with intraocular lens (IOL) dislocation, crystalline lens subluxation, and zonular weakness, who underwent surgery using the SMURF technique were included. The modified technique included the use of a conventional 27-gauge needle, a non-bent needle, oblique sclerotomy, direct threading of the leading haptic, and simple placement of the following haptic. IOLs were successfully placed and showed good centring. There were no cases of wound leakage or hypotony during the early postoperative period. Postoperative complications included vitreous haemorrhage in one eye (2.4%), intraocular pressure elevation in one eye (2.4%), and iris capture in six eyes (14.6%). There were no cases of postoperative retinal detachment, cystoid macular oedema, endophthalmitis, or IOL dislocation during the follow-up period. We proposed a few modifications in the intrascleral flanged technique for IOL fixation. The modified technique is a simple, easy, and minimally invasive procedure for successful IOL intrascleral fixation.
Association of maternal pre-pregnancy low or increased body mass index with adverse pregnancy outcomes
Authors: Tang Jie , Zhu Xinhong , Chen Yanbing , Huang Dongming , Tiemeier Henning , Chen Ruoling , Bao Wei , Zhao Qingguo 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThis study investigated the association between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and adverse pregnancy outcomes among women participated in the National Free Preconception Health Examination Project in Guangdong Province, China, and explored these associations according to maternal age. Pre-pregnancy BMI was classified into underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), healthy weight (18.5–23.9 kg/m2), overweight (24.0–27.9 kg/m2), and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m2) according to Chinese criteria. Outcomes were preterm birth (PTB, delivery before 37 weeks of gestation), large for gestational age (LGA, birthweight above the 90th percentile for gestational age by infants’ sex), small for gestational age (SGA, birthweight below the 10th percentile for gestational age by infants’ sex), primary caesarean delivery, shoulder dystocia or birth injury, and stillbirth. Adjusted incidence risk ratios (aIRR) were calculated for underweight, overweight and obesity, respectively. Compared with healthy weight, underweight was associated with increased risk of PTB (aIRR 1.06, 95%CI 1.04–1.09) and SGA (1.23, 1.22–1.26) but inversely associated with LGA (0.83, 0.82–0.85), primary caesarean delivery (0.88, 0.87–0.90) and stillbirth (0.73, 0.53–0.99). Overweight was associated with increased risk of LGA (1.17, 1.14–1.19), primary caesarean delivery (1.18, 1.16–1.20) and stillbirth (1.44, 1.03–2.06), but inversely associated with SGA (0.92, 0.90–0.95) and shoulder dystocia or birth injury (0.86, 0.79–0.93). Obesity was associated with increased risk of PTB (1.12, 1.05–1.20), LGA (1.32, 1.27–1.37), primary caesarean delivery (1.45, 1.40–1.50), but inversely associated with SGA (0.92, 0.87–0.97). The aIRRs for underweight, overweight and obesity in relation to these adverse pregnancy outcomes ranged from 0.65 to 1.52 according to maternal age. In Chinese population, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI was significantly associated with the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and the risk differs according to maternal age. Further investigation is warranted to determine whether and how counselling and interventions for women with low or increased BMI before pregnancy can reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
The tendency to stop collecting information is linked to illusions of causality
Authors: Moreno-Fernández María Manuela , Blanco Fernando , Matute Helena 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPrevious research proposed that cognitive biases contribute to produce and maintain the symptoms exhibited by deluded patients. Specifically, the tendency to jump to conclusions (i.e., to stop collecting evidence soon before making a decision) has been claimed to contribute to delusion formation. Additionally, deluded patients show an abnormal understanding of cause-effect relationships, often leading to causal illusions (i.e., the belief that two events are causally connected, when they are not). Both types of bias appear in psychotic disorders, but also in healthy individuals. In two studies, we test the hypothesis that the two biases (jumping to conclusions and causal illusions) appear in the general population and correlate with each other. The rationale is based on current theories of associative learning that explain causal illusions as the result of a learning bias that tends to wear off as additional information is incorporated. We propose that participants with higher tendency to jump to conclusions will stop collecting information sooner in a causal learning study than those participants with lower tendency to jump to conclusions, which means that the former will not reach the learning asymptote, leading to biased judgments. The studies provide evidence in favour that the two biases are correlated but suggest that the proposed mechanism is not responsible for this association.
Nubian Levallois technology associated with southernmost Neanderthals
Authors: Blinkhorn James , Zanolli Clément , Compton Tim , Groucutt Huw S. , Scerri Eleanor M. L. , Crété Lucile , Stringer Chris , Petraglia Michael D. , Blockley Simon 
Published: February 2021

AbstractNeanderthals occurred widely across north Eurasian landscapes, but between ~ 70 and 50 thousand years ago (ka) they expanded southwards into the Levant, which had previously been inhabited by Homo sapiens. Palaeoanthropological research in the first half of the twentieth century demonstrated alternate occupations of the Levant by Neanderthal and Homo sapiens populations, yet key early findings have largely been overlooked in later studies. Here, we present the results of new examinations of both the fossil and archaeological collections from Shukbah Cave, located in the Palestinian West Bank, presenting new quantitative analyses of a hominin lower first molar and associated stone tool assemblage. The hominin tooth shows clear Neanderthal affinities, making it the southernmost known fossil specimen of this population/species. The associated Middle Palaeolithic stone tool assemblage is dominated by Levallois reduction methods, including the presence of Nubian Levallois points and cores. This is the first direct association between Neanderthals and Nubian Levallois technology, demonstrating that this stone tool technology should not be considered an exclusive marker of Homo sapiens.
Genetic characteristics of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus third-stage dispersal juveniles
Authors: Chen Qiaoli , Zhang Ruizhi , Li Danlei , Wang Feng 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe third-stage dispersal juvenile (DJ3) of pinewood nematode (PWN) is highly associated with low-temperature survival and spread of the nematode. Oil-Red-O staining showed that its lipid content was significantly higher compared with other PWN stages. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis identified that genes in the pink module were highly related to DJ3 induced in the laboratory (DJ3-lab). These genes were arranged according to their gene significance (GS) to DJ3-lab. Of the top 30 genes with the highest GS, seven were found to be highly homologous to the cysteine protease family cathepsin 1 (CATH1). The top 30 genes with the highest weight value to each of the seven genes in the pink module were selected, and finally 35 genes were obtained. Between these seven CATH1 homologous genes and their 35 highly related genes, 15 were related to fat metabolism or autophagy. These autophagy-related genes were also found to be highly correlated with other genes in the pink module, suggesting that autophagy might be involved in the mechanism of longevity in DJ3 and the formation of DJ3 by regulating genes related to fat metabolism.
Oestrogen replacement fails to fully revert ovariectomy-induced changes in adipose tissue monoglycerides, diglycerides and cholesteryl esters of rats fed a lard-enriched diet
Authors: Boldarine Valter Tadeu , Joyce Ellen , Pedroso Amanda Paula , Telles Mônica Marques , Oyama Lila Missae , Bueno Allain Amador , Ribeiro Eliane Beraldi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractMenopause may be accompanied by abdominal obesity and inflammation, conditions accentuated by high-fat intake, especially of saturated fat (SFA)-rich diets. We investigated the consequences of high-SFA intake on the fatty acid (FA) profile of monoglycerides, diglycerides and cholesteryl esters from retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (RET) of rats with ovariectomy-induced menopause, and the effect of oestradiol replacement. Wistar rats were either ovariectomized (Ovx) or sham operated (Sham) and fed either standard chow (C) or lard-enriched diet (L) for 12 weeks. Half of the Ovx rats received 17β-oestradiol replacement (Ovx + E2). Body weight and food intake were measured weekly. RET neutral lipids were chromatographically separated and FAs analysed by gas chromatography. Ovariectomy alone increased body weight, feed efficiency, RET mass, leptin and insulin levels, leptin/adiponectin ratio, HOMA-IR and HOMA-β indexes. OvxC + E2 showed attenuation in nearly all blood markers. HOMA-β index was restored in OvxL + E2. OvxC showed significantly disturbed SFA and polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) profile in RET cholesteryl esters (CE). OvxC also showed increased monounsaturated FA (MUFA) in the monoglyceride diglyceride (Mono–Di) fraction. Similar changes were not observed in OvxL, although increased SFA and decreased PUFA was observed in Mono–Di. Overall, HRT was only partially able to revert changes induced by ovariectomy. There appears to be increased mobilization of essential FA in Ovx via CE, which is a dynamic lipid species. The same results were not found in Mono–Di, which are more inert. HRT may be helpful to preserve FA profile in visceral fat, but possibly not wholly sufficient in reverting the metabolic effects induced by menopause.
Extracellular vesicle concentrations of glial fibrillary acidic protein and neurofilament light measured 1 year after traumatic brain injury
Authors: Flynn Spencer , Leete Jacqueline , Shahim Pashtun , Pattinson Cassandra , Guedes Vivian A. , Lai Chen , Devoto Christina , Qu Bao-Xi , Greer Kisha , Moore Brian , van der Merwe Andre , Ekanayake Vindhya , Gill Jessica , Chan Leighton 
Published: February 2021

AbstractTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is linked to long-term symptoms in a sub-set of patients who sustain an injury, but this risk is not universal, leading us and others to question the nature of individual variability in recovery trajectories. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a promising, novel avenue to identify blood-based biomarkers for TBI. Here, our aim was to determine if glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament light (NfL) measured 1-year postinjury in EVs could distinguish patients from controls, and whether these biomarkers relate to TBI severity or recovery outcomes. EV GFAP and EV NfL were measured using an ultrasensitive assay in 72 TBI patients and 20 controls. EV GFAP concentrations were elevated in moderate and severe TBI compared to controls (p’s < 0.001) and could distinguish controls from moderate (AUC = 0.86) or severe TBI (AUC = 0.88). Increased EV GFAP and EV NfL levels were associated with lower 1-year Glasgow Outcome Scale–Extended (GOS-E) score (p’s < 0.05). These findings suggest that blood-derived EV concentrations of GFAP and NfL drawn even 1 year after injury are higher in TBI patients compared to controls, and are related to injury severity and poor recovery outcomes, suggesting that TBIs alter the activity of these biomarkers, likely contributing to individual variability in recovery.
Monitoring blood potassium concentration in hemodialysis patients by quantifying T-wave morphology dynamics
Authors: Palmieri Flavio , Gomis Pedro , Ferreira Dina , Ruiz José Esteban , Bergasa Beatriz , Martín-Yebra Alba , Bukhari Hassaan A. , Pueyo Esther , Martínez Juan Pablo , Ramírez Julia , Laguna Pablo 
Published: February 2021

AbstractWe investigated the ability of time-warping-based ECG-derived markers of T-wave morphology changes in time ($$d_{w}$$

d
w

) and amplitude ($$d_a$$

d
a

), as well as their non-linear components ($${d_w^{{\mathrm{NL}}}}$$

d
w
NL

and $${d_a^{\mathrm{NL}}}$$

d
a
NL

), and the heart rate corrected counterpart ($$d_{w,c}$$

d

w
,
c

), to monitor potassium concentration ($$[K^{+}]$$

[

K
+

]

) changes ($$\Delta [K^+]$$

Δ
[

K
+

]

) in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). We compared the performance of the proposed time-warping markers, together with other previously proposed $$[K^{+}]$$

[

K
+

]

markers, such as T-wave width ($$T_w$$

T
w

) and T-wave slope-to-amplitude ratio ($$T_{S/A}$$

T

S
/
A

), when computed from standard ECG leads as well as from principal component analysis (PCA)-based leads. 48-hour ECG recordings and a set of hourly-collected blood samples from 29 ESRD-HD patients were acquired. Values of $$d_w$$

d
w

, $$d_a$$

d
a

, $${d_w^{\mathrm{NL}}}$$

d
w
NL

, $${d_a^{\mathrm{NL}}}$$

d
a
NL

and $$d_{w,c}$$

d

w
,
c

were calculated by comparing the morphology of the mean warped T-waves (MWTWs) derived at each hour along the HD with that from a reference MWTW, measured at the end of the HD. From the same MWTWs $$T_w$$

T
w

and $$T_{S/A}$$

T

S
/
A

were also extracted. Similarly, $$\Delta [K^+]$$

Δ
[

K
+

]

was calculated as the difference between the $$[K^{+}]$$

[

K
+

]

values at each hour and the $$[K^{+}]$$

[

K
+

]

reference level at the end of the HD session. We found that $$d_{w}$$

d
w

and $$d_{w,c}$$

d

w
,
c

showed higher correlation coefficients with $$\Delta [K^+]$$

Δ
[

K
+

]

than $$T_{S/A}$$

T

S
/
A

—Spearman’s ($$\rho$$
ρ
) and Pearson’s (r)—and $$T_w$$

T
w

—Spearman’s ($$\rho$$
ρ
)—in both SL and PCA approaches being the intra-patient median $$\rho \ge 0.82$$

ρ
≥
0.82

and $$r \ge 0.87$$

r
≥
0.87

in SL and $$\rho \ge 0.82$$

ρ
≥
0.82

and $$r \ge 0.89$$

r
≥
0.89

in PCA respectively. Our findings would point at $$d_{w}$$

d
w

and $$d_{w,c}$$

d

w
,
c

as the most suitable surrogate of $$\Delta [K^+]$$

Δ
[

K
+

]

, suggesting that they could be potentially useful for non-invasive monitoring of ESRD-HD patients in hospital, as well as in ambulatory settings. Therefore, the tracking of T-wave morphology variations by means of time-warping analysis could improve continuous and remote $$[K^{+}]$$

[

K
+

]

monitoring of ESRD-HD patients and flagging risk of $$[K^{+}]$$

[

K
+

]

-related cardiovascular events.