bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of acromegaly treatment on left ventricular systolic function assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography in relation to sex differences: results from a prospective single center study
Authors: Popielarz-Grygalewicz Agata , Stelmachowska-Banaś Maria , Raczkiewicz Dorota , Czajka-Oraniec Izabella , Zieliński Grzegorz , Kochman Wacław , Dąbrowski Marek , Zgliczyński Wojciech 
Published: May 2023

BackgroundDespite the preserved LVEF, patients with acromegaly are characterized by subclinical systolic dysfunction i.e., abnormal global longitudinal strain (GLS) assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE). The effect of acromegaly treatment on LV systolic function assessed by STE, has not been evaluated so far.Patients and methodsThirty-two naïve acromegalic patients without detectable heart disease were enrolled in a prospective, single-center study. 2D-Echocardiography and STE were performed at diagnosis, 3&amp;6 months on preoperative somatostatin receptor ligand (SRL) treatment and 3 months after transsphenoidal surgery (TSS).ResultsTreatment with SRL resulted in reduction in median (IQR) GH&amp;IGF-1 levels after 3 months, from 9.1(3.2-21.9) to 1.8(0.9-5.2) ng/mL (p&lt;0.001) and from 3.2(2.3-4.3) to 1.5(1.1-2.5) xULN (p&lt;0.001), respectively. Biochemical control on SRL was achieved in 25.8% of patients after 6 months and complete surgical remission was achieved in 41.7% of patients. TSS resulted in decrease in median (IQR) IGF-1 compared to IGF-1 levels on SRL treatment: from 1.5(1.2-2.5) to 1.3(1.0-1.6) xULN (p=0.003). Females had lower IGF-1 levels at baseline, on SRL and after TSS compared to males. The median end diastolic and end systolic left ventricle volumes were normal. Almost half of the patients (46.9%) had increased LVMi, however the median value of LVMi was normal in both sex groups: 99g/m2 in males and 94g/m2 in females. Most patients (78.1%) had increased LAVi and the median value was 41.8mL/m2. At baseline 50% of patients, mostly men (62.5% vs. 37.5%) had GLS values higher than -20%. There was a positive correlation between baseline GLS and BMI r=0.446 (p=0.011) and BSA r=0.411 (p=0.019). The median GLS significantly improved after 3 months of SRL treatment compared to baseline: -20.4% vs. -20.0% (p=0.045). The median GLS was lower in patients with surgical remission compared to patients with elevated GH&amp;IGF-1 levels: -22.5% vs. -19.8% (p=0.029). There was a positive correlation between GLS and IGF-1 levels after TSS r=0.570 (p=0.007).ConclusionThe greatest beneficial effect of acromegaly treatment on LV systolic function is visible already after 3 months of preoperative SRL treatment, especially in women. Patients with surgical remission have better GLS compared to patients with persistent acromegaly.
Knowledge mapping of exosomes in metabolic diseases: a bibliometric analysis (2007-2022)
Authors: Xu Fangzhi , Xia Chenxi , Dou Lin , Huang Xiuqing 
Published: May 2023

BackgroundResearch on exosomes in metabolic diseases has been gaining attention, but a comprehensive and objective report on the current state of research is lacking. This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of publications on “exosomes in metabolic diseases” to analyze the current status and trends of research using visualization methods.MethodsThe web of science core collection was searched for publications on exosomes in metabolic diseases from 2007 to 2022. Three software packages, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R package “bibliometrix” were used for the bibliometric analysis.ResultsA total of 532 papers were analyzed, authored by 29,705 researchers from 46 countries/regions and 923 institutions, published in 310 academic journals. The number of publications related to exosomes in metabolic diseases is gradually increasing. China and the United States were the most productive countries, while Ciber Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red was the most active institution. The International Journal of Molecular Sciences published the most relevant studies, and Plos One received the most citations. Khalyfa, Abdelnaby published the most papers and Thery, C was the most cited. The ten most co-cited references were considered as the knowledge base. After analysis, the most common keywords were microRNAs, biomarkers, insulin resistance, expression, and obesity. Applying basic research related on exosomes in metabolic diseases to clinical diagnosis and treatment is a research hotspot and trend.ConclusionThis study provides a comprehensive summary of research trends and developments in exosomes in metabolic diseases through bibliometrics. The information points out the research frontiers and hot directions in recent years and will provide a reference for researchers in this field.
Indocyanine green angiography-guided thyroidectomy versus conventional thyroidectomy for preserving parathyroid function: study protocol for a randomized single-blind controlled trial
Authors: Moreno-Llorente Pablo , García-González Guillermo , Pascua-Solé Mireia , García-Barrasa Arantxa , Videla Sebastián , Muñoz-de-Nova José Luis ,   the GuiArte Study Group
Published: May 2023

IntroductionAngiography with indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence performed before thyroidectomy would allow identification of the vascularization of parathyroid glands, maximizing efforts for preserving functioning glands intraoperatively. The rationale of the study was based on the hypothesis that showing the vascular pattern of the parathyroid glands by means of ICG angiography before performing the thyroidectomy could prevent permanent hypoparathyroidism.Methods and analysisWe propose a randomized single-blind controlled and multicenter clinical trial to assess the efficacy and safety of ICG angiography-guided thyroidectomy to identify the vascular pattern of the parathyroid glands versus conventional thyroidectomy in patients scheduled for elective total thyroidectomy. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to ICG angiography-guided thyroidectomy (experimental group) or conventional thyroidectomy (control group). Patients in the experimental group will undergo ICG angiography before thyroidectomy to identify the feeding vessels of the parathyroid glands and then, post-thyroidectomy ICG angiography to predict immediate parathyroid gland function by scoring the degree of fluorescence of the glands. Patients in the control group will undergo post-thyroidectomy ICG angiography only. The primary outcome measure will be the rate of patients with permanent hypoparathyroidism. Secondary outcome measures will be rate of postoperative hypoparathyroidism, the percentage of well vascularized parathyroid glands remaining in situ, the levels of iPTH and serum calcium after surgery and the influence of the type of vascular pattern of the parathyroid glands over these outcomes, as well as the safety profile of ICG angiography.DiscussionThe results will contribute to adopt a new surgical strategy based on intraoperative ICG angiography before performing total thyroidectomy, according to which the rate of permanent hypoparathyroidism could be substantially reduced.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov. identifier NCT05573828.
Gut microbial profile of treatment-naive patients with primary biliary cholangitis
Authors: Zhou Yi-jun , Ying Gao-xiang , Dong Shi-lei , Xiang Bo , Jin Qiao-fei 
Published: May 2023

Background and aimsThe pathogenesis of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is associated with alterations of gut microbiota. We compared the gut microbiota of PBC patients and healthy controls from Zhejiang Province and assessed the use of these data for the diagnosis of PBC.MethodsFirst, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to characterize the gut microbiota of treatment-naive PBC patients (n=25) and matched healthy controls (n=25). Then, the value of gut microbiota composition for the diagnosis of PBC and assessment of PBC severity was determined.ResultsThe gut microbiota of PBC patients had lower diversity based on three different metrics of alpha-diversity (ace, Chao1, and observed features) and fewer overall genera (all p&lt;0.01). PBC patients had significant enrichment of four genera and significant depletion of eight genera. We identified six amplicon sequence variants (Serratia, Oscillospirales, Ruminococcaceae, Faecalibacterium, Sutterellaceae, and Coprococcus) as optimal biomarkers to distinguish PBC patients from controls based on receiver operating characteristic analysis (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.824). PBC patients who were anti-gp210-positive had lower levels of Oscillospiraceae than those who were anti-gp210-negative. KEGG functional annotation suggested the major changes in the gut microbiota of PBC patients were related to lipid metabolism and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites.ConclusionWe characterized the gut microbiota of treatment-naive PBC patients and healthy controls from Zhejiang Province. The PBC patients had significant alterations in their gut microbiota, suggesting that gut microbiota composition could be useful as a non-invasive tool for the diagnosis of PBC.
Safety of COVID-19 vaccine in patients with myasthenia gravis: a self-controlled case series study
Authors: Ruan Zhe , Huan Xiao , Su Yue , Tang Yong-Lan , Meng Dong-Dong , Ren Da-Lin , Li Chun-Hong , Hao Si-Jia , Zhao Chong-Bo , Luo Su-Shan , Li Zhu-Yi , Chang Ting 
Published: May 2023

BackgroundThe safety of COVID-19 vaccines has been clarified in clinical trials; however, some immunocompromised patients, such as myasthenia gravis (MG) patients, are still hesitant to receive vaccines. Whether COVID-19 vaccination increases the risk of disease worsening in these patients remains unknown. This study aims to evaluate the risk of disease exacerbation in COVID-19-vaccinated MG patients.MethodsThe data in this study were collected from the MG database at Tangdu Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, and the Tertiary Referral Diagnostic Center at Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, from 1 April 2022 to 31 October 2022. A self-controlled case series method was applied, and the incidence rate ratios were calculated in the prespecified risk period using conditional Poisson regression.ResultsInactivated COVID-19 vaccines did not increase the risk of disease exacerbation in MG patients with stable disease status. A few patients experienced transient disease worsening, but the symptoms were mild. It is noted that more attention should be paid to thymoma-related MG, especially within 1 week after COVID-19 vaccination.ConclusionCOVID-19 vaccination has no long-term impact on MG relapse.
Grouper RIP2 inhibits Singapore grouper iridovirus infection by modulating ASC-caspase-1 interaction
Authors: Zhang Xin , Wu Siting , Liu Zetian , Chen Hong , Liao Jiaming , Wei Jingguang , Qin Qiwei 
Published: May 2023

IntroductionReceptor interacting protein 2 (RIP2), serves as a vital sensor of cell stress, is able to respond to cell survival or inflammation, and is involved in antiviral pathways. However, studies on the property of RIP2 in viral infections in fish have not been reported.MethodsIn this paper, we cloned and characterized RIP2 homolog from orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) (EcRIP2) and further discussed the relevance of EcRIP2 to EcASC, comparing the influences of EcRIP2 and EcASC on the modulation of inflammatory factors and the NF-κB activation to reveal the mechanism of EcRIP2 in fish DNA virus infection.ResultsEncoded a 602 amino acid protein, EcRIP2 contained two structural domains: S-TKc and CARD. Subcellular localization signified that EcRIP2 existed in cytoplasmic filaments and dot aggregation patterns. After SGIV infection, the EcRIP2 filaments aggregated into larger clusters near the nucleus. The infection of SGIV could notably up-regulate the transcription level of the EcRIP2 gene compared with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and red grouper nerve necrosis virus (RGNNV). Overexpression of EcRIP2 impeded SGIV replication. The elevated expression levels of inflammatory cytokines induced by SGIV were remarkably hindered by EcRIP2 treatment in a concentration-dependent manner. In contrast, EcASC treatment could up-regulate SGIV-induced cytokine expression in the presence of EcCaspase-1. Enhancing amounts of EcRIP2 could overcome the down regulatory effect of EcASC on NF-κB. Nevertheless, increasing doses of EcASC failed to restrain the NF-κB activation in the existence of EcRIP2. Subsequently, it was validated by a co-immunoprecipitation assay that EcRIP2 dose-dependently competed with EcASC binding to EcCaspase-1. With increasing time to SGIV infection, EcCaspase-1 gradually combined with more EcRIP2 than EcASC.DiscussionCollectively, this paper highlighted that EcRIP2 may impede SGIV-induced hyperinflammation by competing with EcASC for binding EcCaspase-1, thereby suppressing viral replication of SGIV. Our work supplies novel viewpoints into the modulatory mechanism of RIP2-associated pathway and offers a novel view of RIP2-mediated fish diseases.
Quantifying changes in soil organic carbon density from 1982 to 2020 in Chinese grasslands using a random forest model
Authors: Chen Jie , Biswas Asim , Su Haohai , Cao Jianjun , Hong Shuyan , Wang Hairu , Dong Xiaogang 
Published: May 2023

China has the second-largest grassland area in the world. Soil organic carbon storage (SOCS) in grasslands plays a critical role in maintaining carbon balance and mitigating climate change, both nationally and globally. Soil organic carbon density (SOCD) is an important indicator of SOCS. Exploring the spatiotemporal dynamics of SOCD enables policymakers to develop strategies to reduce carbon emissions, thus meeting the goals of “emission peak” in 2030 and “carbon neutrality” in 2060 proposed by the Chinese government. The objective of this study was to quantify the dynamics of SOCD (0–100 cm) in Chinese grasslands from 1982 to 2020 and identify the dominant drivers of SOCD change using a random forest model. The results showed that the mean SOCD in Chinese grasslands was 7.791 kg C m−2 in 1982 and 8.525 kg C m−2 in 2020, with a net increase of 0.734 kg C m−2 across China. The areas with increased SOCD were mainly distributed in the southern (0.411 kg C m−2), northwestern (1.439 kg C m−2), and Qinghai–Tibetan (0.915 kg C m−2) regions, while those with decreased SOCD were mainly found in the northern (0.172 kg C m−2) region. Temperature, normalized difference vegetation index, elevation, and wind speed were the dominant factors driving grassland SOCD change, explaining 73.23% of total variation in SOCD. During the study period, grassland SOCS increased in the northwestern region but decreased in the other three regions. Overall, SOCS of Chinese grasslands in 2020 was 22.623 Pg, with a net decrease of 1.158 Pg since 1982. Over the past few decades, the reduction in SOCS caused by grassland degradation may have contributed to soil organic carbon loss and created a negative impact on climate. The results highlight the urgency of strengthening soil carbon management in these grasslands and improving SOCS towards a positive climate impact.
Mapping of QTLs for morphophysiological and yield traits under water-deficit stress and well-watered conditions in maize
Authors: Sarkar Basudeb , Varalaxmi Yellisetty , Vanaja Maddi , RaviKumar Nakka , Prabhakar Mathyam , Yadav Sushil Kumar , Maheswari Mandapaka , Singh Vinod Kumar 
Published: May 2023

Maize productivity is significantly impacted by drought; therefore, improvement of drought tolerance is a critical goal in maize breeding. To achieve this, a better understanding of the genetic basis of drought tolerance is necessary. Our study aimed to identify genomic regions associated with drought tolerance-related traits by phenotyping a mapping population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) for two seasons under well-watered (WW) and water-deficit (WD) conditions. We also used single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping through genotyping-by-sequencing to map these regions and attempted to identify candidate genes responsible for the observed phenotypic variation. Phenotyping of the RILs population revealed significant variability in most of the traits, with normal frequency distributions, indicating their polygenic nature. We generated a linkage map using 1,241 polymorphic SNPs distributed over 10 chromosomes (chrs), covering a total genetic distance of 5,471.55 cM. We identified 27 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with various morphophysiological and yield-related traits, with 13 QTLs identified under WW conditions and 12 under WD conditions. We found one common major QTL (qCW2–1) for cob weight and a minor QTL (qCH1–1) for cob height that were consistently identified under both water regimes. We also detected one major and one minor QTL for the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) trait under WD conditions on chr 2, bin 2.10. Furthermore, we identified one major QTL (qCH1–2) and one minor QTL (qCH1–1) on chr 1 that were located at different genomic positions to those identified in earlier studies. We found co-localized QTLs for stomatal conductance and grain yield on chr 6 (qgs6–2 and qGY6–1), while co-localized QTLs for stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were identified on chr 7 (qgs7–1 and qTR7–1). We also attempted to identify the candidate genes responsible for the observed phenotypic variation; our analysis revealed that the major candidate genes associated with QTLs detected under water deficit conditions were related to growth and development, senescence, abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, signal transduction, and transporter activity in stress tolerance. The QTL regions identified in this study may be useful in designing markers that can be utilized in marker-assisted selection breeding. In addition, the putative candidate genes can be isolated and functionally characterized so that their role in imparting drought tolerance can be more fully understood.
Integrated use of plant growth-promoting bacteria and nano-zinc foliar spray is a sustainable approach for wheat biofortification, yield, and zinc use efficiency
Authors: Jalal Arshad , Oliveira Carlos Eduardo da Silva , Fernandes Guilherme Carlos , da Silva Edson Cabral , da Costa Kaway Nunes , de Souza Jeferson Silva , Leite Gabriel da Silva , Biagini Antonio Leonardo Campos , Galindo Fernando Shintate , Teixeira Filho Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto 
Published: May 2023

Introduction and aimsThe intensive cropping system and imbalance use of chemical fertilizers to pursue high grain production and feed the fast-growing global population has disturbed agricultural sustainability and nutritional security. Understanding micronutrient fertilizer management especially zinc (Zn) through foliar application is a crucial agronomic approach that could improve agronomic biofortification of staple grain crops. The use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPBs) is considered as one of the sustainable and safe strategies that could improve nutrient acquisition and uptake in edible tissues of wheat to combat Zn malnutrition and hidden hunger in humans. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the best-performing PGPB inoculants in combination with nano-Zn foliar application on the growth, grain yield, and concentration of Zn in shoots and grains, Zn use efficiencies, and estimated Zn intake under wheat cultivation in the tropical savannah of Brazil.MethodsThe treatments consisted of four PGPB inoculations (without inoculation, Azospirillum brasilense, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas fluorescens, applied by seeds) and five Zn doses (0, 0.75, 1.5, 3, and 6 kg ha−1, applied from nano ZnO in two splits by leaf).ResultsInoculation of B. subtilis and P. fluorescens in combination with 1.5 kg ha−1 foliar nano-Zn fertilization increased the concentration of Zn, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the shoot and grain of wheat in the 2019 and 2020 cropping seasons. Shoot dry matter was increased by 5.3% and 5.4% with the inoculation of P. fluorescens, which was statistically not different from the treatments with inoculation of B. subtilis as compared to control. The grain yield of wheat was increased with increasing nano-Zn foliar application up to 5 kg Zn ha−1 with the inoculation of A. brasilense in 2019, and foliar nano-Zn up to a dose of 1.5 kg ha−1 along with the inoculation of P. fluorescens in the 2020 cropping season. The zinc partitioning index was increased with increasing nano Zn application up to 3 kg ha−1 along with the inoculation of P. fluorescens. Zinc use efficiency and applied Zn recovery were improved at low doses of nano-Zn application in combination with the inoculation of A. brasilense, B. subtilis, and P. fluorescens, respectively, as compared to control.DiscussionTherefore, inoculation with B. subtilis and P. fluorescens along with foliar nano-Zn application is considered a sustainable and environmentally safe strategy to increase nutrition, growth, productivity, and Zn biofortification of wheat in tropical savannah.
Regulation of soybean drought response by mepiquat chloride pretreatment
Authors: Wang Xiyue , Zhou Xinyu , Qu Zhipeng , Yan Chao , Ma Chunmei , Liu Jun , Dong Shoukun 
Published: May 2023

IntroductionSoybean is the world’s most important cultivated crop, and drought can affect their growth and, eventually, yields. Foliar application of mepiquat chloride (MC) can potentially alleviate the damage caused by drought stress in plants; however, the mechanism of MC regulation of soybean drought response has not been studied.MethodsThis study investigated the mechanism of soybean drought response regulation by mepiquat chloride in two varieties of soybean, sensitive Heinong 65 (HN65) and drought-tolerant Heinong44 (HN44), under three treatment scenarios, normal, drought stress, and drought stress + MC conditions.Results and discussionMC promoted dry matter accumulation under drought stress, reduced plant height, decreased antioxidant enzyme activity, and significantly decreased malondialdehyde content. The light capture processes, photosystems I and II, were inhibited; however, accumulation and upregulation of several amino acids and flavonoids by MC was observed. Multi-omics joint analysis indicated 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism and isoflavone biosynthetic pathways to be the core pathways by which MC regulated soybean drought response. Candidate genes such as LOC100816177, SOMT-2, LOC100784120, LOC100797504, LOC100794610, and LOC100819853 were identified to be crucial for the drought resistance of soybeans. Finally, a model was constructed to systematically describe the regulatory mechanism of MC application in soybean under drought stress. This study fills the research gap of MC in the field of soybean resistance.