bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The relationship between short-term and long-term effects of air pollution on stroke morbidity in Arak, Iran: time series zero-inflated negative binomial regression
Authors: Poorsaadat Leila , Almasi-Hashiani Amir , Amini Payam , Koolivand Ali , Nasrollahi Maede , Mirhoseini Seyed Hamed 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Backgrounds
Stroke, caused by artery occlusion, stenosis, or rupture is characterized by acute cerebral blood circulation disorder. The risk factors of stroke are generally classified into two main parts including non-modifiable and modifiable (e.g., air pollution). Air pollution has become an important environmental issue in Arak, Iran due mainly to the rapid industrialization and urbanization over the recent decades. The aims of this study were to examine the association between short and long-term exposures to air pollutants including PM10, PM2.5, O3, SO2, and NO2 with incidence of stroke in Arak, Iran, during 2019– 2022.
Methods
This study is a prospective cohort study in which all patients diagnosed with stroke were enrolled. The information of these patients was extracted from the registration program of stroke patients established in city of Arak, Iran, from 2019 to 2022. In this study, the relationship between the occurrence of stroke and 6 pollutants including PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, and SO2 has been investigated. Both the short-term (1week, 1month, three months and six months) and long-term effects (9, 12, 18, and 24 months) of pollutants on the stroke incidence were evaluated by time series zero-inflated negative binomial regression model.
Results
In this study, based on the evaluation of two models a significant positive association was found between increase risk of stroke incidence and short-term three-month exposure to NO2, O3 and, SO2. However, a statistically significant negative association was found between the short-term one-week exposure to these pollutants and the increased incidence of stroke.
Conclusion
The findings of the study suggest that reducing long-term exposure to these pollutants could significantly benefit the health of individuals, especially those who are more susceptible to cerebrovascular disease. The further studies recommended to investigate the relationship between the type of stroke, territory of stroke and severity of cerebrovascular accident and air pollution
Enhancement of BMP-2-Induced Osteogenic Differentiation of MC3T3-E1 Cells by Dexamethasone through the Smad Signaling Pathway
Authors: Xu Yaoxiang , Li Yali , Liu Yanshan , Chen Liqiang , Sun Ming , Li Li , Gao Xiaohan , Xu Zexian , Sun Jian 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Tissue-engineered bone is a promising approach for repairing defects in the jawbone caused by tumors, infections, trauma, and congenital malformations, with BMP-2 playing a key role. Clinically, to achieve favorable therapeutic outcomes, the doses of BMP-2 used far exceed the physiological levels found in natural bone, leading to various side effects.To investigate the effectiveness and molecular mechanisms of the synergistic osteogenic action of dexamethasone (DEX) and BMP-2, and to explore effective methods to reduce the dosage of BMP-2 used. The effects of low concentration DEX (10− 8 M) and/or BMP-2 (100 ng/mL) on the morphology and activity of MC3T3-E1 cells were examined in various combinations. The efficacy of their combined use was verified through the detection of alkaline phosphatase, alizarin red staining, and the expression of osteogenesis-related genes. The molecular mechanism of their synergistic action was explored by detecting the expression of proteins in the Smad and p38 signaling pathways. The combined use of low concentration DEX and BMP-2 had no significant impact on the morphology and activity of MC3T3-E1 cells. Compared to the use of DEX or BMP-2 alone, their combined use enhanced the expression of alkaline phosphatase, increased calcium deposition, and significantly elevated the expression of osteogenesis-related genes such as ALP, RUNX2, OCN, and Col-1. Western blot analysis showed that the combined use of DEX and BMP-2 significantly increased the expression of Smad1/3/5, while p38 expression did not show a significant increase. The combined use of low concentration DEX and BMP-2 has a synergistic effect on osteogenic differentiation in MC3T3-E1 cells, acting through the BMPs-Smads signaling pathway rather than the p38-MAPK pathway. The results of this study are expected to reduce the dosage and dosage-related side effects of BMP-2 in jawbone repair, offering new strategies for the use of dosage and mode of growth factors in tissue-engineered bone.
Counting Polyominoes, Revisited
Authors: Barequet Gill , Ben-Shachar Gil 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

A polyomino is an edge-connected set of squares on the square lattice.
In this paper, we improve Jensen's algorithm for counting polyominoes
by considering bounding boxes on the square lattice rotated by 45o
instead of on the regular unrotated lattice.
This allows us to extend significantly the count of polyominoes from 56
to 70 terms.
Tissue-specific alternative splicing and the functional differentiation of LmLPMO15-1 in Locusta migratoria
Authors: Kong Lin , Hu Huiying , Li Pengfei , Qu Mingbo 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Insect lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMO15s) are newly discovered copper-dependent enzymes that promote chitin degradation through oxidative cleavage of glycosidic bonds. They are potential pesticide targets due to their critical role for chitin turnover in the integument, trachea, and peritrophic matrix of the midgut during insect molting. However, the knowledge about whether and how LPMOs participate in the chitin turnover in other tissues is still insufficient. Here, using the orthopteran pest Locusta migratoria as a model, a novel alternative splicing site of LmLPMO15-1 was discovered and it produces two variants, LmLPMO15-1a and LmLPMO15-1b. The transcripts of LmLPMO15-1a and LmLPMO15-1b were specifically expressed in the trachea and foregut, respectively. RNAi targeting LmLPMO15-1 (a common fragment shared by both LmLPMO15-1a and LmLPMO15-1b), a specific region of LmLPMO15-1a or LmLPMO15-1b all significantly reduced survival rate of nymphs and induced lethal phenotypes with developmental stasis or molt failure. Ultrastructure analysis demonstrated that LmLPMO15-1b was specifically involved in foregut old cuticle degradation, while LmLPMO15-1a was exclusively responsible for the degradation of the tracheal old cuticle. This study revealed the LmLPMO15-1 achieved tissue-specific functional differentiation through alternative splicing, and proved the significance of the spliced variants during insect growth and development. It provides new strategies for pest control targeting LPMO15-1.
Cystatin M/E ameliorates bone resorption through increasing osteoclastic cell estrogen influx
Authors: Chen Jin-Ran , Gai Dongzheng , Caviness Perry , Lazarenko Oxana , Chen Jennifer , Randolph Christopher , Zhang Zijun , Cheng Yan , Sun Fumou , Xu Hongwei , Blackburn Michael , Tricot Guido , Shaughnessy John , Zhan Fenghuang 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

In multiple myeloma (MM), increased osteoclast differentiation leads to the formation of osteolytic lesions in most MM patients. Bisphosphonates, such as zoledronic acid (ZA), are used to ameliorate bone resorption, but due to risk of serious side effects as well as the lack of repair of existing lesions, novel anti-bone resorption agents are required. Previously, the absence of osteolytic lesions in MM was strongly associated with elevated levels of cystatin M/E (CST6), a cysteine protease inhibitor, secreted by MM cells. In this study, both MM- and ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporotic mouse models were used to compare the effects of recombinant mouse CST6 (rmCst6) and ZA on preventing bone loss. µCT showed that rmCst6 and ZA had similar effects on improving percent bone volume, and inhibited differentiation of non-adherent bone marrow cells into mature osteoclasts. Single-cell RNA sequencing showed that rmCst6 and not ZA treatment reduced bone marrow macrophage percentage in the MM mouse model compared to controls. Protein and mRNA arrays showed that both rmCst6 and ZA significantly inhibit OVX-induced expression of inflammatory cytokines. For OVX mice, ERα protein expression in bone was brought to sham surgery level by only rmCst6 treatments. rmCst6 significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of ERα and significantly increased total intracellular estrogen concentrations for ex vivo osteoclast precursor cell cultures. Based on these results, we conclude that CST6 improves MM or OVX bone loss models by increasing the expression of estrogen receptors as well as the intracellular estrogen concentration in osteoclast precursors, inhibiting their maturation.
Associations of 2,922 genetically predicted plasma protein levels with mental illness and response to treatment
Authors: Zhang Kaijia , Chidiac Benjamin , Zhao Vivian , Noordeen Suleyman , Warrier Varun , Butterworth Adam , Perry Benjamin I. , Murray Graham K. , Osimo Emanuele F. 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

There is growing evidence that mental disorders are associated with altered levels of plasma proteins, potentially indicating molecular targets for drug development or repurposing, but determining which associations are due to confounding and which are causal for illness onset or course is challenging. We used two-sample Mendelian randomisation, which can examine associations free from the effects of confounding between genetically predicted levels of the blood proteome and multiple psychiatric traits. We used the UK Biobank’s largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 2,922 plasma proteins, selecting lead cis-quantitative trait loci variants as genetic instruments. We report 337 false discovery rate (FDR) corrected associations of plasma proteins involved in immunity, cytoskeletal integrity, and vesicular trafficking with psychiatric traits: 188 with schizophrenia, 86 with bipolar disorder, 32 with opioid use disorder, 30 with major depressive disorder, and one with treatment resistance in depression. Immune-metabolic protein BTN2A1 associated with depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. We did not find strong evidence for obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, treatment resistance in schizophrenia, or the depression trait antidepressant response rate of improvement. Colocalisation analyses were applied to the above results and provided evidence for 33 associations that are less likely to be due to horizontal pleiotropy. Our results can help to inform efforts toward identifying potential aetiological pathways of mental disorders and assist in drug development or repurposing.
Exploring Computational Methods to Identify Inhibitors for CDK2 Kinase
Authors: Bijral Rajneet Kaur , Singh Inderpal , Manhas Jatinder , Sharma Varun , Sharma Vinod 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Deregulation of Cyclin-Dependent kinase 2 is one of the main causes of lung cancer and is considered as a potential target for cancer therapy. Discovery of the inhibitors against the kinase using traditional methods is costly and time consuming. This issue can be easily dealt with by the usage of potential computational methods. Molecular Dynamic simulation has the ability to offer scientists an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of biomolecules at an atomic level. In the present study the molecular dynamic simulation of Cyclin Dependent kinase is carried out for one microsecond. T-sne and Isomap dimensionality reduction techniques are used followed by different clustering algorithms; Hierarchical, K-means, PAM, Hierarchical K-means and Clara. Subsequently, an optimal number of clusters was generated by using the validation index; Average Silhouette Width (ASW), Dunn Index and Davies Bouldin Index. Further, the cluster representative for each cluster is virtually screened with 52,000 drug-like molecules taken from May bridge library. Based on docking score the top 6 drugs like molecules are selected. Finally, the ADMET properties of the top compounds are evaluated using the Swiss ADMET tool. The strong binding energies and ADMET properties suggest that these molecules are considered to be valuable inhibitors and play a vital role in drug discovery.
Wolffia globosa, a novel crop species for protein production in space agriculture
Authors: Romano Leone Ermes , Loon Jack J.W.A. , Vincent-Bonnieu Sébastien , Aronne Giovanna 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Space agriculture, pivotal for sustainable extraterrestrial missions, requires plants that can adapt to altered gravitational conditions. This study delves into the adaptive responses to altered gravity of Wolffia globosa, an aquatic plant known for its rapid growth and high nutritional value. The research aimed to analyse the effect of simulated microgravity and hypergravity on relative growth rate (RGR), morphological characteristics, protein content, and the correlation between plant size and growth rate of Wolffia globosa. The study highlighted the responses of the species to altered gravity, uncovering inherent variability among seven different clones of Wolffia globosa. Results show a base variability among clones in terms of RGR, size and protein content. Furthermore, some clones are affected by simulated microgravity, showing a decrease in RGR. Differently, under hypergravity, clones showed RGR higher than in 1 g control, therefore revealing a novel plant response to hypergravity. Morphological adaptations to gravity alterations were also evident. Among the studied clones, significant morphological changes were observed, further underlining the peculiar adaptation to the hypergravity environment. Differently, under simulated microgravity, morphology was generally stable across clones, indicating resilience to real microgravity. A key finding of the study was the significant negative correlation between RGR and the physical dimensions of the plants: the fastest growth was associated with the smallest dimensions of the plants. This correlation might have practical implications in selecting clones for space cultivation, that leads to compact yet highly productive clones. The analysis of the protein content of all the clones revealed mostly no significant changes under hypergravity. Otherwise, a general decrease in protein content was observed under simulated microgravity. Overall, the study confirms the suitability of Wolffia globosa for space agriculture and provides new insights into the perspective of using Wolffia globosa as an alternative crop species for protein production for manned Space missions. Furthermore, it underscores the need for focusing on the clones and the selection of the Wolffia globosa plants that are best adapted to the environmental conditions of space; therefore, selecting those with the best combination of biomass production (by means of growth rate, size), and protein content.
Shifts in benthic megafauna communities after glacial retreat in an Antarctic fjord
Authors: Khim Jong Seong , Kim Dong-U , Ahn In-Young , Noh Junsung , Lee Changkeun 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Underwater imagery survey was conducted to address changes in Antarctic benthic megafauna communities by recent glacial retreat in Marian Cove, where the distance from the glacier was proportional to retreat period. Benthic megafauna communities showed lesser variation due to frequent ice-scouring at 10 m than deeper seabed. At deep seabed, where glacier impacts decreased, benthic megafauna was scarce right in front of the glacier, but near the glacier (~ 10 years after seabed exposure), the density peaked (116 ind. m− 2) with pioneer species. At the outermost site, pioneer species were extremely limited (9 ind. m− 2) and late-successional species were abundant (21 ind. m− 2). Taxonomic and functional diversities peaked near the glacier and outermost site, respectively, indicating different mechanisms of structural and functional change after glacial retreat. This study showed a four-step successional process of benthic megafauna communities after glacial retreat in Antarctic nearshore: high disturbance, colonization, transition, and maturing stages.
Single-hit genome editing in B cells to redirect their specificity toward tumor antigens
Authors: Cogne Michel , UEDA Natsuko , CAHEN Marine , Leonard Jenny , Deleurme Laurent , DREANO Stephane , Sirac Christophe , Galy Anne , Moreaux Jérome , Danger Yannic 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

T-cell-based adoptive immunotherapy is a new pillar of cancer care. Despite recent breakthroughs, B cells remain a challenging target in terms of survival after in vitro manipulation and functional expression of rewired immunoglobulin (Ig) genes. To address these limitations, we designed a single-chain Ig-encoding cassette (“scFull-Ig”) that, when inserted at a single genomic position, redirects antigen specificity but preserves all the Ig functional domains and the intrinsic regulatory mechanisms that modulate Ig expression in activated cells from the IgM B-cell receptor (BCR) expression to Ig secretion and/or class switching. Single-locus editing may then provide an efficient and safe strategy to both disrupt endogenous Ig expression and encode a new Ig paratope. As a proof of concept, the functionality of scFull BCR and/or secreted Ig was validated against two different classical tumor antigens, HER2 and hCD20. Once validated in cell lines, the strategy was extended to primary B cells, and successful engineering of BCR and Ig expression was confirmed, as the ability of scFull-Ig to undergo further class switching was confirmed. These results pave the way for future B-cell-based adoptive immunotherapy and strategies to express a therapeutic mAb with a variety of switched H-chains that provide complementary functions.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Open Cast Mining Activity in Asansol-Durgapur-Development Authority: A Geospatial Review
Authors: Dey Debduti , Salui Chalantika Laha , Gupta Srimanta , Biswas Biplab 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

In recent times rapid urban growth has resulted into fast transformation of LULC patterns, which in turn significantly affects the surface temperature and air quality. This study has been executed in Asansol Durgapur Development Authority (ADDA) region in West Bengal, analyzing the impact of Open Cast Mines on the environmental issues, especially the increasing Land Surface Temperature (LST) and air-suspended particles causing air pollution Apart from monitoring of the spatial extension of open cast mines (1999–2022) in ADDA region this study also examine the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) by using Dark Target (DT) and Deep Blue (DB) algorithms and single channel algorithm respectively. The results of LST and land use categories are validated with the field information. Outcome of the research reveals a significant positive correlation between the open cast mines and the spatial distribution of LST (R2 = 0.87) and AOD (R2 = 0.96) respectively. Positive relationship between PM10 and AOD for winter season is also noticed. Contribution of industries on PM10 is also considerable as seen with a decreased level during COVID-19 lockdown period which further suggests that the opencast mining activity acts as a major contributor to the prevalence of the respiratory diseases in the study area.
Bounding the probability of causality under ordinal outcomes
Authors: Sun Hanmei , Shi Chengfeng , Zhao Qiang 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

The probability of causation (PC) is often used in liability assessments. In a legal context, for example, where a patient suffered the side effect after taking a medication and sued the pharmaceutical company as a result, the value of the PC can be used to measure how likely it is that the side effect can be attributed to the taking of the medication, i.e., how likely it is that the patient will win the case. Beyond the issue of legal disputes, the PC plays an equally large role when one wants to go about explaining causal relationships between events that have already occurred in other areas. This article first reviews the definitions and bounds for the probability of causality under binary outcomes, then generalizes them to ordinal outcomes and shows that taking into account additional mediator variable information in a complete mediation analysis yields an improved bound compared to the simple case where only exposure and outcome variables are considered.
Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matter in the Huai River (Bengbu Section) during Wet and Dry Seasons
Authors: Song Han , Kai Xiaoli , Gao Liangmin , Xia Jieyu , Shu Xin , Zhu Limei , Zhang Kai , Wu Lin , Pang Zhendong 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

This study investigates the different characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Huai River in China (Bengbu section) during wet and dry seasons, using a combination of three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy (EEMs) with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and self-organizing map (SOM). Results indicate that the degree levels of humification and the relative molecular weight of DOM in the Huai River are significantly higher during the wet season compared to the dry season (P<0.01). The PARAFAC model resolves three chemical components for both wet and dry seasons: C1 (UVC-like fulvic acid), C2 (humic acid-like), and C3 (tyrosine-like). Humic substances are the main fluorescent components of the Huai River water. During the dry season, the lower rate of water flow leads to an increase in protein-like components due to the slowing of biodegradation rates. The SOM model shows that representative neurons 1 (wet season) and 12 (dry season) are UV-like humic substances, influenced by exogenous inputs and agricultural activities. PCA results show the effects of seasonal variations on dissolved oxygen (DO) and the size of DOM molecules. Organic acids and alkaline functional groups in humic substances buffer the pH value of the water, slowing down its variation. Overall, these results demonstrate dynamic changes of DOM in the Huai River during wet and dry seasons, with terrestrial inputs increasing the level of humification, while also promoting the influence of autochthonous sources in the water.
Effects of static stretching and specific warm-up on the performance in upper- and lower-limb exercises in resistance-trained older women
Authors: Lisboa Felipe , Kassiano Witalo , Stavinski Natã , Costa Bruna , Kunevaliki Gabriel , Francsuel Jarlisson , Tricoli Ian , Prado Aline , Cyrino Leticia T. , Carneiro Marcelo AS , Alves Luis , Castro-E-Souza Pâmela , Cavalcante Edilaine , Achour Abdallah , Cyrino Edilson S. 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Preparation methods are used to improve performance within the resistance training session, however there is still no consensus in the scientific literature on the best form of preparation for the older adults. We compared the effects of preparation by specific warm-up (SW) and static stretching (SS) and control condition (CC) on the total number of repetitions in four exercises: leg extension, triceps pushdown, seated leg curl, preacher curl. Fifty-seven older women (60 > years) performed the experimental protocols and the control condition in a cross-balanced and counterbalanced design. Following the preparation protocol, the exercises were performed in two sets until volitional concentric failure, with a two-minute interval between sets and 2–3 minutes between exercises. The main outcome was the total number of repetitions. SS improved performance in total number of repetitions when compared to the other experimental conditions in lower limb exercises, while the SW impaired when compared to the other experimental conditions in upper limb exercise. The short-term static stretching can be used to increase performance in the leg extension and seated leg curl, while the specific warm-up should not be used as a form of preparation for the exercises in the triceps pushdown and preacher curl.