bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm of the Pancreas
Authors: Sun Gen , Fang Kang , Fu Xiaowei , Peng Long , Shu Jiaming , Tu Yi , Li Yong , Xiao Weidong 
Published: July 2023

Objectives
The aim of the study is to summary the clinicopathological characteristics and surgical outcomes of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas.

Methods
In this retrospective study, the information of 118 patients with SPN from 3 hospitals were analyzed.

Results
A total of 118 patients. The mean age was 30.8 (standard deviation, 14.7) years and the majority were female (n = 95, 80.5%). Sixty-seven patients (56.8%) had clinical symptoms, of which the most common symptom was abdominal pain (49.6%). The mean tumor size was 5.9 (standard deviation, 2.9) cm. Pseudopapillary architecture was the commonest histologic feature, and β-catenin, CD56, vimentin, neuron-specific enolase, CD10, a1-antitrypsin, cytokeratins showed different degrees of positive expression in immunohistochemical staining. Fourteen patients (11.9%) presented aggressive pathologic behavior, which was correlated to the incomplete tumor capsule. At a median follow-up of 59.2 months, the recurrence rate was 1.8% and the overall 5-year survival rate was 97.7%.

Conclusions
Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas is a potentially low-grade malignant tumor that most frequently found in young females. Its clinical manifestations are nonspecific and the diagnosis mostly depends on pathological examination. Surgical resection is the first choice of treatment for SPN with a good prognosis.
Stability of Symptom Clusters in Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Undergoing Chemotherapy
Authors: Li Rongrong , Shen Xinyi , Yang Qi , Zhang Lin , Li Huiling , Yao Wenying , Chan Yuying 
Published: July 2023

Background
Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) experience multiple symptoms during chemotherapy. Assessing how symptoms cluster together and how these symptom clusters (SCs) change over time may lay a foundation for future research in SC management and the pathophysiological mechanisms of SCs.

Objectives
This study aimed to assess the stability of SCs in children with ALL during chemotherapy.

Methods
A longitudinal investigation was carried out. The Chinese version of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale 10 to 18 was used to assess the occurrence, severity, and distress of symptoms in 134 children with ALL (8–16 years old) at the following 4 separate points: before chemotherapy (T1), start of post–induction therapy (T2), 4 months post–induction therapy (T3), and start of maintenance therapy (T4). Exploratory factor analyses were used to extract SCs.

Results
Six SCs were identified. Emotional and somatic clusters were identified across all dimensions and time points. Gastrointestinal cluster was all identified except for occurrence at T1. Neurological cluster was identified at T2 and T3 for all dimensions and at T4 for severity and distress. Self-image disorder cluster was all identified except at T1. Skin mucosa cluster was identified at T2 and T3 for all dimensions. Emotional cluster exhibited common symptoms across dimensions and time points.

Conclusion
The number and types of SCs determined by scoring the occurrence, severity, and distress are different, but some SCs are relatively stable.

Implications for Practice
Clinicians should not only focus on the common trajectory of symptoms and SCs, but also assess each child individually.
Extending Quality Improvement for Pancreatoduodenectomy Within the High-Volume Setting
Authors: Cannas Samuele , Casciani Fabio , Vollmer Charles M. ,   on behalf of the Pancreas Fistula Study Group
Published: July 2023

Objective:
To analyze the association of a surgeon’s experience with postoperative outcomes of pancreatoduodenectomies (PDs) when stratified by Fistula Risk Score (FRS).

Summary Background Data:
Centralization is now well-established for pancreatic surgery. Nevertheless, the benefits of individual surgeon’s experience in high-volume settings remains undefined.

Methods:
Pancreatoduodenectomies performed by 82 surgeons across 18 international, specialty institutions (median:140 PD/year) were analyzed. Surgeon cumulative PD volume was linked with postoperative outcomes through multivariable models, adjusted for patient/operative characteristics and the FRS. Then, surgeon experience was also stratified by the ten, previously defined, most clinically impactful scenarios for clinically-relevant pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) development.

Results:
Of 8,189 PDs, 18.7% suffered severe complications (Accordion≥3), 4.8% were reoperated upon and 2.2% expired. Although the most experienced surgeons (top-quartile; >525 career PDs) more often operated on riskier cases, their experience was significantly associated with declines in CR-POPF (P<0.001), severe complications (P=0.008), reoperations (P<0.001), and length of stay (LOS) (P<0.001) - accentuated even more in the most impactful FRS scenarios (2,830 patients). Risk-adjusted models indicate male gender, increasing age, ASA class and FRS, but not surgeon experience, as being associated with severe complications, failure-to-rescue and mortality. Instead, upper-echelon experience demonstrates significant reductions in CR-POPF (OR 0.66), reoperations (OR 0.64) and LOS (OR 0.65) in moderate-to-high fistula risk circumstances (FRS≥3, 68% of cases).

Conclusions:
At specialty institutions, major morbidity, mortality and failure-to-rescue are primarily associated with baseline patient characteristics, while cumulative surgical experience impacts pancreatic fistula occurrence and its attendant effects for most, higher-risk pancreatoduodenectomies. These data also suggest an extended proficiency curve exists for this operation.
The Use of Oblique-viewing Endoscopic Ultrasound for Accessing the Afferent Limb for Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Biliary Drainage in Patients with Severe Stenotic Hepaticojejunal Anastomosis: One Case and Literature Review
Authors: Huang Ping-Xiao , Song Qi-Long , Di Shu-Jie , Fan Yan , Zhang Heng 
Published: July 2023

Background:
The treatment of hepaticojejunal anastomotic strictures in patients with surgically altered anastomosis is challenging. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided biliary drainage is being established as a feasible biliary drainage procedure. How can oblique-viewing endoscopic ultrasound (OV-EUS) safely reach the treatment area in the afferent limb for EUS-guided hepaticojejunostomy? This is a key, meaningful, and challenging question.

Methods:
A unique case of an OV-EUS-guided hepaticojejunostomy performed in a patient with severe stenotic hepaticojejunal anastomosis was reported, and the relevant literatures were reviewed.

Results:
There are only 3 previous case reports of EUS-guided transanastomotic drainage using OV-EUS. The above 3 cases reported did not elaborate on the key treatment details of the procedure. Especially how can the OV-EUS safely reach the treatment area in the afferent limb?

Conclusions:
For patients with severe anastomotic stricture, when the retrograde or antegrade guide wire cannot pass through the stenosis to establish biliary drainage, OV-EUS can safely reach the treatment area in the afferent limb under the guidance of a fluoroscopic view and a guide wire. Thus, an OV-EUS-guided hepaticojejunostomy can be achieved.
α-Catenin Dependent E-cadherin Adhesion Dynamics as Revealed by an Accelerated Force Ramp
Authors: Bush Joshua , Cabe Jolene I. , Conway Daniel , Maruthamuthu Venkat 
Published: July 2023

AbstractTissue remodeling and shape changes often rely on force-induced cell rearrangements occurring via cell-cell contact dynamics. Epithelial cell-cell contact shape changes are particularly dependent upon E-cadherin adhesion dynamics which are directly influenced by cell-generated and external forces. While both the mobility of E-cadherin adhesions and their adhesion strength have been reported before, it is not clear how these two aspects of E-cadherin adhesion dynamics are related. Here, using magnetic pulling cytometry, we applied an accelerated force ramp on the E-cadherin adhesion between an E-cadherin-coated magnetic microbead and an epithelial cell to ascertain this relationship. Our approach enables the determination of the adhesion strength and force-dependent mobility of individual adhesions, which revealed a direct correlation between these key characteristics. Since α-catenin has previously been reported to play a role in both E-cadherin mobility and adhesion strength when studied independently, we also probed epithelial cells in which α-catenin has been knocked out. We found that, in the absence of α-catenin, E-cadherin adhesions not only had lower adhesion strength, as expected, but were also more mobile. We observed that α-catenin was required for the recovery of strained cell-cell contacts and propose that the adhesion strength and force-dependent mobility of E-cadherin adhesions act in tandem to regulate cell-cell contact homeostasis. Our approach introduces a method which relates the force-dependent adhesion mobility to adhesion strength and highlights the morphological role played by α-catenin in E-cadherin adhesion dynamics.
C. elegansAfadin is required for epidermal morphogenesis and functionally interfaces with the cadherin-catenin complex and RhoGAP PAC-1/ARHGAP21
Authors: Hall Allison E. , Klompstra Diana , Nance Jeremy 
Published: July 2023

AbstractDuring epithelial morphogenesis, the apical junctions connecting cells must remodel as cells change shape and make new connections with their neighbors. In theC. elegansembryo, new apical junctions form when epidermal cells migrate and seal with one another to encase the embryo in skin (‘ventral enclosure’), and junctions remodel when epidermal cells change shape to squeeze the embryo into a worm shape (‘elongation’). The junctional cadherin-catenin complex (CCC), which links epithelial cells to each other and to cortical actomyosin, is essential forC. elegansepidermal morphogenesis. RNAi genetic enhancement screens have identified several proteins that interact with the CCC to promote epidermal morphogenesis, including the scaffolding protein Afadin (AFD-1), whose depletion alone results in only minor morphogenesis defects. Here, by creating a null mutation inafd-1, we show thatafd-1provides a significant contribution to ventral enclosure and elongation on its own. Unexpectedly, we find thatafd-1mutant phenotypes are strongly modified by diet, revealing a previously unappreciated maternal nutritional input to morphogenesis. We identify functional interactions between AFD-1 and the CCC by demonstrating that E-cadherin is required for the polarized distribution of AFD-1 to cell contact sites in early embryos. Finally, we show thatafd-1promotes the enrichment of polarity regulator and CCC-interacting protein PAC-1/ARHGAP21 to cell contact sites, and identify genetic interactions suggesting thatafd-1andpac-1regulate epidermal morphogenesis at least in part through parallel mechanisms. Our findings reveal thatC. elegansAFD-1 makes a significant contribution to epidermal morphogenesis and functionally interfaces with core and associated CCC proteins.
Long-term root electrotropism reveals habituation and hysteresis
Authors: Salvalaio Maddalena , Sena Giovanni 
Published: July 2023

ABSTRACTPlant roots sense many physical and chemical cues in soil, such as gravity, humidity, light and chemical gradients, and respond by redirecting their growth towards or away from the source of the stimulus. This process is called tropism. While gravitropism is the tendency to follow the gravitational field downwards, electrotropism is the alignment of growth with external electric fields and the induced ionic currents. Although root tropisms are at the core of their ability to explore large volumes of soil in search of water and nutrients, the molecular and physical mechanisms underlying most of them remain poorly understood. We have previously provided a quantitative characterization of root electrotropism in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) primary roots exposed for 5 hours to weak electric fields, showing that auxin asymmetric distribution is not necessary but that cytokinin biosynthesis is. Here, we extend that study showing that long-term electrotropism is characterized by a complex behavior. We describe overshoot and habituation as key traits of long-term root electrotropism in Arabidopsis and provide quantitative data about the role of past exposures in the response to electric fields (hysteresis). On the molecular side, we show that cytokinin, although necessary for root electrotropism, is not asymmetrically distributed during the bending.Overall, the data presented here represent a significant step forward towards the understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating electrotropism in plants and provide a quantitative platform for future studies on the genetics of this and other tropisms.
A gel-coated air-liquid-interface culture system with tunable substrate stiffness matching healthy and diseased lung tissues
Authors: He Zhi-Jian , Chu Catherine , Dickson Riley , Cai Li-Heng 
Published: July 2023

AbstractSince its invention in the late 1980s, the air-liquid-interface (ALI) culture system has been the standardin vitromodel for studying human airway biology and pulmonary diseases. However, in a conventional ALI system, cells are cultured on a porous plastic membrane that is much stiffer than human airway tissues. Here, we develop a gel-ALI culture system by simply coating the plastic membrane with a thin layer of hydrogel with tunable stiffness matching that of healthy and fibrotic airway tissues. We determine the optimum gel thickness that does not impair the transport of nutrients and biomolecules essential to cell growth. We show that the gel-ALI system allows human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) to proliferate and differentiate into a pseudostratified epithelium. Further, we discover that HBECs migrate significantly faster on hydrogel substrates with stiffness matching that of fibrotic lung tissues, highlighting the importance of mechanical cues to human airway remodeling. The developed gel-ALI system provides a facile approach to studying the effects of mechanical cues on human airway biology and in modeling pulmonary diseases.New and NoteworthyIn a conventional air-liquid-interface (ALI) system, cells are cultured on a plastic membrane that is much stiffer than human airway tissues. We develop a gel-ALI system by coating the plastic membrane with a thin layer of hydrogel with tunable stiffness matching that of healthy and fibrotic airway tissues. We discover that human bronchial epithelial cells migrate significantly faster on hydrogel substrates with pathological stiffness, highlighting the importance of mechanical cues to human airway remodeling.
Conformational Properties of Polymers at Droplet Interfaces as Model Systems for Disordered Proteins
Authors: Wang Jiahui , Devarajan Dinesh Sundaravadivelu , Nikoubashman Arash , Mittal Jeetain 
Published: July 2023

ABSTRACTPolymer models serve as useful tools for studying the formation and physical properties of biomolecular condensates. In recent years, the interface dividing the dense and dilute phases of condensates has been discovered to be closely related to their functionality, but the conformational preferences of the constituent proteins remain unclear. To elucidate this, we perform molecular simulations of a droplet formed by liquid–liquid phase separation of homopolymers, as a surrogate model for the prion-like low-complexity domains. By systematically analyzing the polymer conformations at different locations in the droplet, we find that the chains become compact at the droplet interface compared to the droplet interior. Further, segmental analysis revealed that the end sections of the chains are enriched at the interface to maximize conformational entropy, and are more expanded than the middle sections of the chains. We find that the majority of chain segments lie tangential to the droplet surface and only the chain ends tend to align perpendicular to the interface. These trends also hold for the natural proteins FUC LC and LAF-1 RGG, which exhibit more compact chain conformations at the interface compared with the droplet interior. Our findings provide important insights into the interfacial properties of biomolecular condensates and highlight the value of using simple polymer physics models to understand the underlying mechanisms.
A Small-Molecule Approach to Bypass In Vitro Selection of New Aptamers: Designer Pre-Ligands Turn Baby Spinach into Sensors for Reactive Inorganic Targets
Authors: Aggarwal Tushar , Wang Liming , Gutierrez Bryan , Guven Hakan , Erguven Huseyin , Izgu Enver Cagri 
Published: July 2023

ABSTRACTFluorescent light-up aptamer (FLAP) systems are promising biosensing platforms that can be genetically encoded. Here, we describe how a single FLAP that works with specific organic ligands can detect multiple, structurally unique, non-fluorogenic, and reactive inorganic targets. We developed 4-O-functionalized benzylidene imidazolinones as pre-ligands with suppressed fluorescent binding interactions with the RNA aptamer Baby Spinach. Inorganic targets, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), can specifically convert these pre-ligands into the native benzylidene imidazolinones, and thus be detected with Baby Spinach. Adaptation of this approach to live cells opened a new opportunity for top-down construction of whole-cell sensors:Escherichia colitransformed with a Baby Spinach-encoding plasmid and incubated with pre-ligands generated fluorescence in response to exogenous H2S or H2O2. Our approach eliminates the requirement of in vitro selection of a new aptamer sequence for molecular target detection, allows for the detection of short-lived targets, thereby advancing FLAP systems beyond their current capabilities. Leveraging the functional group reactivity of small molecules can lead to cell-based sensors for inorganic molecular targets, exploiting a new synergism between synthetic organic chemistry and synthetic biology.
HDX-MS reveals concealed conformations of ISWI during different stages of nucleosome sliding
Authors: Bhat Younus A , Bhat Javaid Y , Amin Shajrul , Udgaonkar Jayant B , Wani Ajazul H 
Published: July 2023

AbstractNucleosome spacing across the genome is regulated by the adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP)- dependent nucleosome sliding activity of Imitation Switch, ISWI. ISWI is believed to be auto-inhibited in the resting-state by the binding of its N-and C-terminal regulatory regions to its central ATPase-domain, attaining a “closed” conformation. To slide nucleosomes ISWI must i) transition to the state competent for nucleosome binding, ii) bind to nucleosome and iii) carry the ATP-dependent nucleosome sliding. The conformations attained by full-length ISWI (FL-ISWI) during the entire sliding process have remained inaccessible by the methods used so far. Using Hydrogen/Deuterium-exchange coupled to Mass-Spectrometry (HDX-MS), we monitored conformational dynamics of theDrosophilaFL-ISWI at all the stages of sliding process. HDX-MS data show that in the resting state, ISWI samples an ensemble of conformations showing varying levels of deuterium uptake in many regions including N-and C-terminal regulatory regions, suggesting ISWI intrinsically samples relatively “open-states”. In addition to substantiating previous nucleosome binding studies, HDX-MS reveals that during actual sliding-step, regions of ATPase-domain which bind to the nucleosomal DNA undergo major conformational change. The C-terminal HSS domain switches from the solvent protected stable state to a more dynamic state, implying several interactions established by ISWI with the nucleosome upon binding are relieved during sliding. In sum, this study provides mechanistic insights into how ISWI can switch from an auto-inhibited “closed-state” to an “open-state” competent for nucleosome binding, and reveals the conformation attained by ISWI during the actual nucleosome sliding step. We propose that, like ISWI, intrinsic dynamics may be involved in functioning of other Rec-like ATPase-domain containing protein families.
Melatonin alleviates valproic acid-induced neural tube defects by modulating Src/PI3K/ERK signaling and oxidative stress
Authors: Liang Yuxiang , Wang Ying , Zhang Xiao , Jin Shanshan , Guo Yuqian , Yu Zhaowei , Xu Xinrui , Shuai Qizhi , Feng Zihan , Chen Binghong , Liang Ting , Ao Ruifang , Li Jianting , Zhang Juan , Cao Rui , Zhao Hong , Chen Zhaoyang , Liu Zhizhen , Xie Jun 
Published: July 2023

AbstractNeural tube defects (NTDs) represent a developmental disorder of the nervous system that can lead to significant disability in children and impose substantial social burdens. Valproic acid (VPA), a widely prescribed first-line antiepileptic drug for epilepsy and various neurological conditions, has been associated with a fourfold increase in the risk of NTDs when used during pregnancy. Consequently, urgent efforts are required to identify innovative prevention and treatment approaches for VPA-induced NTDs. Studies have demonstrated that the disruption in the delicate balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis is a crucial factor contributing to NTDs induced by VPA. Encouragingly, our current data reveal that melatonin (MT) exerts significant inhibition on apoptosis while promoting the restoration of neuroepithelial cells proliferation impaired by VPA. Moreover, further investigations demonstrate that MT substantially reduces the incidence of neural tube malformations resulting from VPA exposure, primarily achieved by suppressing apoptosis through the modulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. In addition, the Src/PI3K/ERK signaling pathway appears to play a pivotal role in VPA-induced NTDs, with a significant inhibition observed in the affected samples. Notably, MT treatment successfully reinstates the Src/PI3K/ERK signals, thereby offering a potential underlying mechanism for MT’s protective effects against VPA-induced NTDs. In summary, our current study substantiates the considerable protective potential of MT in mitigating VPA-triggered NTDs, thereby offering valuable strategies for the clinical management of VPA-related birth defects.
Vitamin B12conveys a protective advantage to phycosphere-associated bacteria at high temperatures
Authors: Brisbin Margaret Mars , Schofield Alese , McIlvin Matthew , Krinos Arianna I. , Alexander Harriet , Saito Mak 
Published: July 2023

AbstractMany marine microbes require vitamin B12(cobalamin) but are unable to synthesize it, necessitating reliance on other B12-producing microbes. Thus, phytoplankton and bacterioplankton community dynamics can partially depend on the production and release of a limiting resource by members of the same community. We tested the impact of temperature and B12availability on the growth of two bacterial taxa commonly associated with phytoplankton:Ruegeria pomeroyi, which produces B12and fulfills the B12requirements of some phytoplankton, andAlteromonas macleodii, which does not produce B12but also does not strictly require it for growth. For B12-producingR. pomeroyi, we further tested how temperature influences B12production and release. Access to B12significantly increased growth rates of both species at the highest temperatures tested (38ºC forR. pomeroyi, 40ºC forA. macleodii) andA. macleodiibiomass was significantly reduced when grown at high temperatures without B12, indicating that B12is protective at high temperatures. Moreover,R. pomeroyiproduced more B12at warmer temperatures but did not release detectable amounts of B12at any temperature tested. Results imply that increasing temperatures and more frequent marine heatwaves with climate change will influence microbial B12dynamics and could interrupt symbiotic resource sharing.