bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Lipidomics Analysis of Human Follicular Fluid Form Normal-weight Patients With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Ban Yanna , Ran Haiying , Chen Ying , Ma Li 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine associated with insulin resistance, even in the absence of overweight. The global lipid profile of the follicular fluid in PCOS with normal weight as yet has not been investigated. The objection of this study was to explore the changes of lipids in the follicular fluid of PCOS with normal weight.MethodsFollicular fluid samples were collected from patients who underwent IVF, including normal women (control group, n=10) and normal weight women with PCOS (PCOS group, n=8). A lipidomic analysis was performed by high performance liquid chromatography/ mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Multidimensional statistical analysis was performed to disclose the global differences between the two groups. Further, differential lipid analysis between the two groups was performed by Fold Change Analysis (FC Analysis) and T-test to screen potential markers. ResultsAll 812 species of 32 subclasses of lipids were identified by lipidomics analysis. 108 kinds of lipids were considered as the potential candidate differential metabolites with the score of variable importance in the project (VIP) more than 1 by the orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis. 32 lipids were significantly different between the PCOS group and the control group simultaneously with FC > 1.5 or FC<0.67, p-value <0.05 and VIP value > 1. These differential metabolites were the lipid subclasses including triglycerides (TG), phosphatidylethanolamines (PE) and phosphatidylinositols (PI).ConclusionThe identified differential lipids in the follicular fluid may be considered as candidate biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets of PCOS with normal weight.
Effect of ST36 on Body Weight and Blood Lipid Concentration in Obese Animal Models: a Protocol of Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Zepeng , Huang Haipeng , Wu Xingquan , Jin Di , Xu Xiaoru , Li Xiangyan , Wang Zhihong 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background: Obesity is a health crisis for people all over the world. ST 36 plays an irreplaceable role in the treatment of weight control and blood lipid in traditional Chinese medicine. The aim of this systematic review is to assess and synthesis evidence of efficacy of ST 36 for body weight and blood lipid concentration.Methods: We will search studies on the anti-obesity effect of ST36 in animal models from the following databases in consultation with an experienced medical information-scientist or librarian: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. Searches were performed until January 2021. There is no time of publication limitation. The outcomes will be measured with body weight and outcomes related to blood lipid level. SYRCLE Risk tool for animal studies will be conducted to assess the risk of bias. The protocol will be conducted according to approach and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols 2015.Discussion: This systematic review will bring the following results: 1) whether ST 36 acupoint is closely related to the intervention of obesity and blood lipid, 2) If the ST 36 therapy have the function of reducing weight and fat, which intervention means is the best choice, 3) Massage is a simple and easy to learn intervention method, and can treat ST36 by patients themselves, it is called Dao yin in Chinese.PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020177223
Effective Removal of Alkanes and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Bacteria from Soil Chronically Exposed to Crude Petroleum Oil
Authors: Afkar Eman , Hafez Aly M. , Ibrahim Rashid I.H. , Aldayel Munirah 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
In this study, two bacterial strains isolated from an oil-contaminated soil, designated as AramcoS2 and AramcoS4 were able to degrade crude oil, long-chain n-alkanes of C10 to C20; (n-decane, n-undecane, n-dodecane, n-tridecane, n-tetradecane, n-pentadecane, n-hexadecane, n-heptadecane, n-octadecane n-nonadecane, and n-eicosane) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) including biphenyl, naphthalene, and anthracene. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique was conducted to analyze and identify the crude oil residues after biodegradation. AramcoS2 and AramcoS4 were able to reduce the concentration of long-chain n-alkanes of C10-C20 efficiently on average by 77% of the original concentration. Both isolates could also degrade PAHs on average by 67% of the original concentration within 7 and 14 days of incubation at 30ºC, pH=6.8±0.2. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of AramcoS2 and S4 classified these isolates as Actinobacteria; well-known alkanes and PAHs degraders. The nucleotide sequences of AramcoS2 and AramcoS4 were submitted to the GenBank database under the accession numbers MN142506 and MN142551, respectively. Both isolates can be used to restore the environments contaminated with crude oil components. They should be of great practical significance both in bioremediation of soil contaminated with crude oil and bio-treatment of oil spills on surface water.
Effectiveness of Marital Couple Interventions on Marital Conflict: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Experimental Studies
Authors: Samuel Likawunt Samuel , Alene Getu Degu 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background: Marital life is an important social institution that greatly influences the health and well-being of individuals and the entire society. Inherently, marriage is a complex phenomenon that the risks for marital instability are ubiquitous including social upheavals, stay home order due to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID 19). Several studies have been proposed different interventions to optimize the quality of marital life. However, problems related to marital conflict are getting worse and there are uncertainties about the effectiveness of the interventions. Thus, the current systematic review was aimed at examining the effectiveness of interventions in reducing a variety of aspects of marital conflict among the cohort of married couples.Methods: Randomized controlled trial (RCT) and Qazi experimental studies describing the effectiveness of marital couple interventions published over the last 10 years were retrieved from six electronic databases using different search terms, Medical subject heading (MeSH) terms “Marital therapy”, “Couple therapy”, or “Marital couple therapy” included in this study. The risk of bias in individual studies assessed based on the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. The effectiveness of the interventions was examined by comparing the intervention group with those who did not receive the intervention. Results: A total of 14, 536 records are searched from 6 databases, and eleven of these studies are included in the final systematic review and meta-analysis. Overall, the included studies were identified to have a low risk of bias and a substantial level of heterogeneity (I2 =96%). The meta-analysis confirmed that marital couple’s interventions significantly improved marital conflict among distressed couples (Pooled effect size, -1.71, [-2.93, -0.49])Conclusions: This finding indicated that marital couples’ interventions effectively reduce marital conflict among a cohort of married couples. Thus, marital counselors and educators are strongly suggested to compile and use the interventions outline in this study. Funding: There is no source of funding, that, the authors have no competing interests to declare. Systematic review registration: This study is registered as PROSPERO: CRD42020218280
Nanoscopic investigation of C9orf72 poly-GA oligomers on nuclear membrane disruption by photoinducible platform
Authors: Chien Hung-Ming , He Ruei-Yu , Lee Chi-Chang , Huang Yung-An , Hung I-Ju , Hou Kai-Ting , Hsiao Jye-Chian , Lu Po-Chao , Agnihotri Diksha , Hwang Eric , Huang Jen-Tse 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Dipeptide repeats (DPRs) translated from the mutated C9orf72 gene have recently been correlated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Within these DPRs, the most abundant glycine-alanine (GA) DPRs form insoluble inclusions in C9orf72-ALS patients. While GA DPRs aggregates have been considered as amyloid, the biophysical features and cytotoxicity of GA DPRs oligomers generated during the amyloidogenesis has not yet been explored due to its unstable and fast equilibrium nature. In this study, we develop a photoinducible platform based on methoxynitrobenzene chemistry to enrich GA DPRs that allows to monitor the oligomerization process of GA DPRs in cells in nanoscale. By combining lifetime-based and super-resolution fluorescence microscopies with biophysical tools, we thoroughly examined the GA DPRs oligomerization process nanoscopically in a time-dependent manner. We provide direct ex vivo and in vitro evidences to demonstrate GA DPRs oligomers rather than nanofibrils disrupt nuclear membrane integrity. In addition, we found GA DPRs sabotage Ran protein gradient, hamper nucleocytoplasmic shuttling in neurons, and cause the mislocalization of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 in primary cortical neurons. Our results highlight the nanoscopic properties and toxicity of GA DPRs oligomers in living cells, which is a key step toward elucidating the pathological roles of C9orf72 DPRs in disease.
When character forges the crisis: Personality traits of world leaders and differential policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Medeiros Mike , Nai Alessandro , Erman Ayşegül , Young Elizabeth 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
The rapidly growing scholarship on the COVID-19 crisis has focused on a variety of macro-level factors to understand government policy responses. The current study addresses an important gap in this line of research by evaluating the extent to which government leaders’ personality traits have led to divergent policy responses during the pandemic. To do so, we use data from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker initiative (OxCGRT) to measure differences in both the speed and magnitude of these responses across countries and NEGex, a dataset that maps the personality traits of current heads of government (presidents or prime ministers) in 61 countries. Our results show that personality matters. We find that world leaders scoring high on “plasticity” (extraversion, openness) provide a stronger overall response, as well as a more rapid response in terms of financial relief. Whereas, leaders scoring high on “stability” (conscientiousness, agreeableness, emotional stability) offer both a quicker and stronger financial relief response. Our findings underscore the need to account for the personality of decision-makers when exploring policy decisions taken during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as during other crisis situations.
A Desmoplastic Fibroblastoma that Developed in the Anterior Mediastinum
Authors: Hato Tai , Kashimada Hiroaki , Yamaguchi Masatoshi , Sugiyama Ato , Inoue Yoshiaki , Aoki Kohei , Fukuda Hiroki , Gika Masatoshi , Kikuchi Jun , Fujino Takashi , Yamaguchi Takehiko , Tamaru Jun-ichi , Nakayama Mitsuo 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background:Desmoplastic fibroblastoma (also known as collagenous fibroma) is a benign, slowly growing soft tissue tumor. Most desmoplastic fibroblastomas develop in the limbs, neck, or trunk. A mediastinal origin is quite rare.Case presentation:A 32-year-old female was referred to us for the diagnosis and treatment of an anterior mediastinal tumor. The tumor was 80 mm in the largest diameter and was located on the pericardium. No invasion was evident. She underwent resection of the tumor via video-assisted thoracoscopic resection. The tumor was totally encapsulated, and its pedicle was on the pericardium. The resected specimen was very rigid, making it difficult to remove from the intercostal space. Histologically, the tumor was composed of a paucicellular dense collagenous tissue. Mitosis was rarely observed, and cellular atypia was not evident, suggesting that the tumor was benign. We diagnosed the tumor as a desmoplastic fibroblastoma by morphology and immunohistochemistry.Conclusions:Desmoplastic fibroblastoma of the mediastinum is a rare disease. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult. Early surgical resection is suitable for diagnosis and treatment planning.
Immunity Against a Japanese Local Strain of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Decreases Viremia and Symptoms of a Highly Pathogenic Strain
Authors: ISEKI HIROSHI , Kawashima Kenji , Shibahara Tomoyuki , Mase Masaji 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background: The type 2 highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (HP-PRRSV) has spread throughout countries of southeast Asia, where it has caused severe economic losses. Even countries presently free of PRRSV are at high risk for infection and spread of this virus. Some of these countries, including Japan, have broad epidemics of the local type 2 PRRSV, creating chronic pathogenicity in the domestic pig population. The present study aimed to evaluate the protective efficacy of immunity by infection with a Japanese field isolate, EDRD1, against heterologous challenge with a Vietnamese HP-PRRSV field strain. To this end, four groups of PRRSV-negative crossbreed piglets were used for a challenge study. Groups 1 and 2 were inoculated with EDRD1 via the intranasal route. After 26 days, Groups 2 and 3 were inoculated with HP-PRRSV via the same route. Group 4 served as an uninfected control. Blood and oral fluid samples were taken every 3–4 days after HP-PRRSV challenge; on day 16 post-challenge, all pigs were euthanized, and examined pathologically.Results: The nucleotide sequence analysis of nonstructural protein 2 gene of EDRD1 and comparison with Vietnamese HP-PRRSV showed that the 39 amino acid deletion sites of EDRD1 was nearly in the same region as the 29 amino acid deletion sites of HP-PRRSV. Immunity conferred by inoculation with EDRD1 dramatically reduced viral load in the sera and tissues besides viral shedding (Group 2) compared with those in pigs infected only with HP-PRRSV (Group 3). The clinical signs and rectal temperature were significantly reduced, and the average daily weight gain was significantly improved in the EDRD1-inoculated pigs (Group 2) compared with the Group 3 pigs. Notably, no viral RNA was detected in various organs of the Group 2 pigs 16 days post-infection with HP-PRRSV, except in one pig. Therefore, the immunity induced by EDRD1 and its genetically close field isolates may play a role in reducing viremia caused by HP-PRRSV.Conclusions: The results of the present study demonstrate that pigs are highly protected against heterologous Vietnamese HP-PRRSV challenge by immunity against a Japanese local strain, EDRD1.
Excitotoxicity and genetics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: effects of intracellular calcium accumulation on proteins encoded by the major genes underlying the disease
Authors: DE MARCO Giovanni , Lomartire Annarosa , Manera Umberto , Canosa Antonio , Grassano Maurizio , Casale Federico , Fuda Giuseppe , Salamone Paolina , Rinaudo Maria Teresa , Colombatto Sebastiano , Moglia Cristina , Chiò Adriano , Calvo Andrea 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
The aetiology of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a fatal and incurable disease caused by motor neuron degeneration, is still poorly understood. The discovery of genetic forms of ALS helped to shed light on the mechanisms underlying this pathology, but also showed how complex these mechanisms are. Excitotoxicity is one of the processes strongly suspected to play a role in motor neuron degeneration in ALS. This process consists in neuron damage due to excessive intake of calcium ions (Ca2+) by the cell. This study aims to find a relationship between the proteins coded by the most relevant genes associated with ALS and excitotoxicity. In detail, the profile of eight proteins (TDP-43, C9ORF72, p62/SQSTM1, matrin3, VCP, FUS, SOD1 and profilin-1), was analysed in three different cell types induced to raise their cytoplasmic amount of Ca2+. Intracellular Ca2+ accumulation causes a significant decrease in the levels of TDP-43, C9ORF72, matrin3, VCP, FUS, SOD1 and profilin-1 and an increase in p62/SQSTM1. These events are associated to the proteolytic action of two proteases, calpains and caspases, as well as to the activation of autophagy, a process responsible for the degradation and recycling of cytoplasmic components. Interestingly, Ca2+ appears to both favour and hinder autophagy. The discovery of when Ca2+ levels become toxic for the cell, as well as understanding why the physiological processes of calpain proteolysis and autophagy become pathological, may elucidate the mechanisms responsible for ALS and help discover new therapeutic targets.
Human Primary Visual Cortex Shows Larger Population Receptive Fields for Binocular Disparity-Defined Stimuli
Authors: Alvarez Ivan , Hurley Samuel , Parker Andrew John , Bridge Holly 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
The visual perception of 3D depth is underpinned by the brain's ability to combine signals from the left and right eyes to produce a neural representation of binocular disparity for perception and behavior. Electrophysiological studies of binocular disparity over the past two decades have investigated the computational role of neurons in area V1 for binocular combination, while more recent neuroimaging investigations have focused on identifying specific roles for different extrastriate visual areas in depth perception. Here we investigate the neural population receptive field properties of responses to binocular information in striate and extrastriate cortical visual areas using ultra-high field fMRI. We measured BOLD fMRI responses while participants viewed retinotopic-mapping stimuli defined by different visual properties: contrast, luminance, motion, correlated and anti-correlated stereoscopic disparity. By fitting each condition with a population receptive field model, we were able to compare quantitatively the size of the population receptive field for disparity-defined vs not disparity-defined stimulation conditions. We found larger population receptive fields for disparity compared to the contrast and luminance stimuli in area V1, the first stage of binocular combination, which likely reflects the binocular integration zone, an interpretation supported by modelling of the binocular energy model. A similar pattern was found in region LOC, where it may reflect the role of disparity as a cue for 3D shape. These findings provide insight into the binocular receptive field properties underlying processing for human stereoscopic vision.
Unfolding the multiscale structure of networks with dynamical Ollivier-Ricci curvature
Authors: Gosztolai Adam , Arnaudon Alexis 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Defining the geometry of networks is typically associated with embedding in low-dimensional spaces such as manifolds. This approach has helped design efficient learning algorithms, unveil network symmetries and study dynamical network processes. However, the choice of embedding space is network-specific, and incompatible spaces can result in information loss. Here, we define a dynamic edge curvature for the study of arbitrary networks measuring the similarity between pairs of dynamical network processes seeded at nearby nodes. We show that the evolution of the curvature distribution exhibits gaps at characteristic timescales indicating bottleneck-edges that limit information spreading. Importantly, curvature gaps robustly encode communities until the phase transition of detectability, where spectral clustering methods fail. We use this insight to derive geometric modularity optimisation and demonstrate it on the European power grid and the C. elegans homeobox gene regulatory network finding previously unidentified communities on multiple scales. Our work suggests using network geometry for studying and controlling the structure of and information spreading on networks.
Autophagy of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells conduces to pro-angiogenic function of conditioned medium
Authors: Wang Wenya , Li Xiao , Cui Chaochu , Liu Dongling , Yin Guotian , Guo Zhikun , Wang Xianwei 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
BackgroundAngiogenesis is a key prerequisite for wound healing. The conditioned medium following culture of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) has a potential to promote angiogenesis, but the efficacy is very low. Autophagy is an important process in protein recycling and a contributor for cell exocrine, which maybe stimulate the release of cytokines from UCMSCs to the medium and enhance the pro-angiogenic efficacy of the conditioned medium.MethodsAutophagy in UCMSCs was induced by 100 nM, 1 µM and 10 µM rapamycin for 6-hour and then detected by LC-3 immunofluorescence staining. After induction, the cells were washed with PBS for 3 times and cultured in fresh medium without rapamycin for additional 24-hour. And then, the conditioned medium was collected for the following experiments. The angiogenic effects of different groups of conditioned medium were verified by in vitro and in vivo tube formation assays in the matrigel-coated plates and matrigel plaques injected in mouse inguinal areas. Finally, the expressions of angiogenic factors including VEGF, FGF-1, FGF-2, TGF-α, MMP-3, MMP-9, PDGF-α, PDGF-β, HIF-1α and Ang II in the autophagic and control UCMSCs were measured by q-PCR assay.ResultsRapamycin induced autophagy of UCMSCs in a dose dependent manner, but the conditioned medium in 100 nM rapamycin-induced group was with the best pro-angiogenic efficacy. Thus, this group of medium was viewed as the optimal conditioned medium. The in vivo tube formation assay showed that angiogenesis in matrigel plaques injected daily with the optimal conditioned medium was more obvious than that injected with the control conditioned medium. Further, the expressions of VEGF, FGF-2, PDGF-α, MMP-9 and HIF-1α were markedly increased in UCMSCs following treatment with 100 nM rapamycin.ConclusionAppropriate autophagy improves the pro-angiogenic efficacy of the conditioned medium, which might be utilized to optimize the applications of UCMSCs-derived conditioned medium in wound healing and tissue repair.Trial registrationNot applicable.