bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists decrease hyperinsulinemia and hyperandrogenemia in dehydroepiandrosterone-induced polycystic ovary syndrome mice and are associated with mitigating inflammation and inducing browning of white adipose tissue
Authors: Zhang Yahui , Lin Yi , Li Guoqiang , Yuan Yuan , Wang Xuejiao , Li Na , Xiong Chuanhao , Yang Yueying , Ma Yuhang , Zhang Zhijian , Ding Xiaoying 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a complicated hormonal and metabolic disorder. The exact pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome is not clear thus far. Inflammation is involved in the progression of polycystic ovary syndrome. In addition, brown adipose tissue activity is impaired in polycystic ovary syndrome. Interestingly, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists have been reported to alleviate inflammation and promote browning of white adipose tissue. In this study, the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on polycystic ovary syndrome mice were explored. Mice were randomly assigned into four groups: control, dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone + liraglutide, and dehydroepiandrosterone + semaglutide. Relative indexes were measured after glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist intervention. Glucose metabolism in polycystic ovary syndrome mice was ameliorated by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, while the reproductive endocrine disorder of polycystic ovary syndrome mice was partially reversed. The messenger ribonucleic acid levels of steroidogenic enzymes and the expression of inflammatory mediators in serum and ovaries of polycystic ovary syndrome mice were improved. Furthermore, toll-like receptor 4 and phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappa B protein levels were decreased by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in ovary. Notably, after glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist intervention, the expression of brown adipose tissue marker levels was considerably raised in the white adipose tissue of polycystic ovary syndrome mice. In conclusion, the hyperinsulinemia and hyperandrogenemia of polycystic ovary syndrome mice were alleviated by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist intervention, which was associated with mitigating inflammation and stimulating adipose tissue browning.
TMEM232 promotes the inflammatory response in atopic dermatitis via the nuclear factor-κB and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signalling pathways
Authors: Han Jie , Cai Xinying , Qin Shichun , Zhang Zengyunou , Wu Yuanyuan , Shi Yuanzhe , Deng Tingyue , Chen Benjin , Liu Li , Qian Haisheng , Fang Wenliang , Xiao Fengli 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Background
Our group previously found that the transmembrane protein 232 (TMEM232) gene was associated with atopic dermatitis (AD) by genome-wide association study and fine mapping study. However, its function is unclear so far.

Objectives
To investigate the roles and mechanisms of TMEM232 in AD.

Methods
The expression of TMEM232 was investigated in skin lesions of patients with AD, the MC903-induced AD mouse model, human primary keratinocytes and immortalized human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) cells stimulated with different inflammatory factors. The role of TMEM232 in AD was analysed in HaCaT cells and Tmem232 knockout (Tmem232–/–) mice. Tmem232-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to evaluate its therapeutic potential in the AD mouse model.

Results
The expression of TMEM232 was significantly increased in skin lesions of patients with AD, the MC903-induced AD mouse model and human primary keratinocytes and HaCaT cells stimulated with different inflammatory factors compared with controls. In the presence of MC903, Tmem232–/– mice exhibited significantly reduced dermatitis severity, mast-cell infiltration in the back, and expression of T-helper (Th)1 and Th2-related inflammatory factors in skin tissue compared with wild-type mice. In vitro and in vivo experiments further showed that upregulation of TMEM232 in AD exacerbated the inflammation response through activating the pathway of nuclear factor-κB and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3, and was regulated by the interleukin-4/STAT6 axis, which formed a self-amplifying loop. Finally, topical application of Tmem232 siRNA markedly ameliorated AD-like lesions in the AD model.

Conclusions
This study is the first to outline the function of TMEM232. It is involved in regulating inflammation in AD and may be a potential target for AD treatment.
Comparing Local Authority Rates of Children in Care: A Survey of the Children’s Social Care Workforce in Wales
Authors: Wood Sophie , Forrester Donald 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
The rate of children in care in Wales is one of the highest in the world and has increased considerably in the past two decades. Whilst many factors may be driving these increases, there is considerable variation between local authorities. This article presents findings from a survey completed by children’s social care workers in Wales (n = 792). It compares the views, values and responses to case study vignettes of workers in authorities with increasing to those with decreasing care rates over five years (2016–2020). Statistically significant differences were found relating to the values and the practices of workers, with workers in local authorities with reducing rates having stronger pro-family values, less risk averse responses to case vignettes, more confidence in the decisions made in their local authority and being more positive about support for practice. The findings indicate that variations in local authority values and practices may influence the rate of children in care and that some with significant social problems seem able to avoid the large numbers of children in care found in other authorities. The challenge faced in Wales and the UK is how local authorities can learn from one another to ensure consistency and quality in services.
Cortical thickness alterations are associated with astrocytes and excitatory neuron-specific transcriptome signatures in pediatric bipolar disorder
Authors: Zhang Xiaotong , Gao Weijia , Cao Weifang , Niu Jinpeng , Guo Yongxin , Cui Dong , Yu Guanghui , Dou Ruhai , Jiao Qing , Qiu Jianfeng , Su Linyan , Lu Guangming 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a heritable psychiatric disorder with a complex etiology that is often associated with cortical alterations. Morphometric studies in adults with BD are well established; however, few have examined cortical changes in pediatric BD (PBD). Additionally, the correlation between cortical thickness (CT) changes in PBD and gene expression remains elusive. Here, we performed an integrative analysis using neuroimaging data from 58 PBD individuals and the Allen human brain transcriptomic dataset. We applied partial least squares (PLS) regression analysis on structural MRI data and cortical gene expression, enrichment and specific cell type analysis to investigate the genetic correlates of CT alterations in PBD. We found the expression levels of PBD-related genes showed significant spatial correlations with CT differences. Further enrichment and specific cell type analysis revealed that transcriptome signatures associated with cortical thinning were enriched in synaptic signaling, ion channels, astrocytes, and excitatory neurons. Neurodevelopmental patterns of these genes showed significantly increased expression in the cerebellum, cortex, and subcortical regions during the adolescence period. These results highlight neurodevelopmental transcriptional changes could account for most of the observed correlations with CT differences in PBD, which offers a novel perspective to understand biological conceptualization mechanisms for the genetic correlates of CT alterations.
Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation enhances ankle force control and modulates the beta-band activity of the sensorimotor cortex
Authors: Xiao Songlin , Shen Bin , Zhang Chuyi , Zhang Xini , Yang Suyong , Zhou Junhong , Fu Weijie 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the cortical responses to the ankle force control and the mechanism underlying changes in ankle force control task induced by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Sixteen young adults were recruited, and they completed the electroencephalogram (EEG) assessment and high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) sessions. Root mean square (RMS) error was used to evaluate ankle force control task performance. Spectral power analysis was conducted to extract the average power spectral density (PSD) in the alpha (8–13 Hz) and beta (13–30 Hz) bands for resting state and tasking (i.e. task-PSD). The ankle force control task induced significant decreases in alpha and beta PSDs in the central, left, and right primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) and beta PSD in the central frontal as compared with the resting state. HD-tDCS significantly decreased the RMS and beta task-PSD in the central frontal and SM1. A significant association between the percent change of RMS and the percent change of beta task-PSD in the central SM1 after HD-tDCS was observed. In conclusion, ankle force control task activated a distributed cortical network mainly including the SM1. HD-tDCS applied over SM1 could enhance ankle force control and modulate the beta-band activity of the sensorimotor cortex.
Dissecting the neurocomputational bases of patch-switching
Authors: Zacharopoulos George , Maio Greg , Linden David E J 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
The survival and well-being of humans require solving the patch-switching problem: we must decide when to stop collecting rewards in a current patch and travel somewhere else where gains may be higher. Previous studies suggested that frontal regions are underpinned by several processes in the context of foraging decisions such as tracking task difficulty, and/or the value of exploring the environment. To dissociate between these processes, participants completed an fMRI patch-switching learning task inspired by behavioral ecology. By analyzing &gt;11,000 trials collected across 21 participants, we found that the activation in the cingulate cortex was closely related to several patch-switching-related variables including the decision to leave the current patch, the encounter of a new patch, the harvest value, and the relative forage value. Learning-induced changes in the patch-switching threshold were tracked by activity within frontoparietal regions including the superior frontal gyrus and angular gyrus. Our findings suggest that frontoparietal regions shape patch-switching learning apart from encoding classical non-learning foraging processes. These findings provide a novel neurobiological understanding of how learning emerges neurocomputationally shaping patch-switching behavior with implications in real-life choices such as job selection and pave the way for future studies to probe the causal role of these neurobiological mechanisms.
Pancreas transplantation today: quo vadis?
Authors: Al-Naseem Abdulrahman O , Attia Ahmed , Gonnah Ahmed Reda , Al-Naseem Abdulaziz O A S , Spiers Harry V M , Gruessner Angelika , Leelarathna Lalantha , Thabit Hood , Augustine Titus 
Published: March 2023

AbstractSuccessful pancreas or islet transplantation is currently the only cure for type 1 diabetes mellitus. Since the first pancreas transplant in 1966, there have been various refinements of surgical technique along with improved immunosuppressive regimens, resulting in significantly improved outcomes, with contemporary research into graft monitoring and newer biomarkers, potentially lengthening graft survival rates further. Patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus who are eligible for pancreas or islet transplantation represent a select group, the tip of the iceberg for a significant global diabetes disease burden. In the last 50 years, there have been quantum advances in alternative technologies in diabetes therapy, both experimental and translational. Further development and improved access are required to treat the larger proportion of people suffering from diabetes. Emerging stem cell therapy is still experimental whereas alternatives including automated insulin delivery systems and islet cell transplantation are already used in some countries. Whilst automated insulin delivery systems have increased in efficacy, they still do not achieve the near physiological control of blood sugar, which can be achieved by successful pancreas or islet transplantation. This state-of-the-art review provides a summary of pancreas and islet transplantation to its current place in diabetes therapy, along with alternative and future therapies, including the obstacles associated with the dissemination of these new therapies. With the advent of these modern cellular and technological advances, this review addresses the question: are we entering an era where whole organ pancreas transplantation could be replaced entirely by modern technological advances in diabetes therapy?
Body size as a magic trait in two plant-feeding insect species
Authors: Glover Ashleigh N , Bendall Emily E , Terbot John W , Payne Nicole , Webb Avery , Filbeck Ashley , Norman Gavin , Linnen Catherine R 
Published: March 2023

AbstractWhen gene flow accompanies speciation, recombination can decouple divergently selected loci and loci conferring reproductive isolation. This barrier to sympatric divergence disappears when assortative mating and disruptive selection involve the same “magic” trait. Although magic traits could be widespread, the relative importance of different types of magic traits to speciation remains unclear. Because body size frequently contributes to host adaptation and assortative mating in plant-feeding insects, we evaluated several magic trait predictions for this trait in a pair of sympatric Neodiprion sawfly species adapted to different pine hosts. A large morphological dataset revealed that sawfly adults from populations and species that use thicker-needled pines are consistently larger than those that use thinner-needled pines. Fitness data from recombinant backcross females revealed that egg size is under divergent selection between the preferred pines. Lastly, mating assays revealed strong size-assortative mating within and between species in three different crosses, with the strongest prezygotic isolation between populations that have the greatest interspecific size differences. Together, our data support body size as a magic trait in pine sawflies and possibly many other plant-feeding insects. Our work also demonstrates how intraspecific variation in morphology and ecology can cause geographic variation in the strength of prezygotic isolation.
Female preferences between incipient species ofDrosophila athabascareveal divergent closed functions, epistasis, and segregation of veiled preference alleles
Authors: Yukilevich Roman 
Published: March 2023

AbstractTheoretical models typically assume that speciation is driven by divergence in female preference functions for secondary sexual traits. However, little is known about how these functions diverge between incipient species. This study used song playback experiments and mate choice tests to characterize female preference functions for divergent male courtship songs between two incipient species of Drosophila athabasca complex; D. athabasca (WN) and Drosophila mahican (EA). The study focused on two male song parameters: pulses per burst (PPB) and inter-pulse interval (IPI). Preference functions for PPB were open-ended and lacked species-specificity. In contrast, preference functions for IPI revealed a closed shape, with peak preferences highly divergent between species. Thus, females imposed divergent and ongoing sexual selection on male IPI. Further work demonstrated variation in peak preferences and choosiness for IPI across genetic lines, while F1 hybrid females varied extensively in their mating preferences across different heterospecific line crosses. Finally, F2 female genotypes with foreign single-copy chromosome substitutions showed little to no change in preferences until three or four chromosomes were combined: indicating strong dominance epistasis. These results suggest “veiled” or hidden segregating female preference alleles for male speciation phenotypes. This may explain the rapid speciation observed in this species complex.
Patterns of morphological variation highlight the effect of natural selection on eyespots modularity in the butterflyMorpho telemachus
Authors: Chotard Ariane , Llaurens Violaine , Debat Vincent 
Published: March 2023

AbstractMorphological correlations can not only stem from developmental constraints but also from selective pressures. Butterfly eyespots are repeated wing color pattern elements, widespread across species. As developmental serial homologs, they are controlled by similar developmental pathways imposing correlations among eyespots: selection on a single eyespot may induce correlated responses in all eyespots. We study the variations in the ventral eyespots of Morpho telemachus, where two different selective regimes are likely to act: while most eyespots are always-visible, two eyespots are conditionally displayed: hidden at rest, they can be exposed when the butterflies are threatened, or during sexual interactions. We investigate how such contrasted selection across eyespots can alter the covariations imposed by their shared developmental origin. We quantified eyespots covariations within a large population of M. telemachus and compared the observed patterns to those found in M. helenor, where all eyespots are always-visible and thus probably affected by a similar selection regime. We found that M. telemachus conditionally displayed eyespots are less variable than always-visible eyespots and that these two eyespots form a separate variational module in this species, in contrast to M. helenor. Our results suggest that eyespots covariations were shaped by selection, highlighting how natural selection may promote the evolution of modularity.
Digest: The non-redundancy of non-ephemeral reproductive isolation
Authors: Anderson Sean A S , Anspach Tayte 
Published: March 2023

AbstractWhat factors determine the stability of intrinsic reproductive barriers in the face of hybridization? In a set of theoretical analyses, Xiong and Mallet (2022) show that intrinsic incompatibilities are more prone to collapse when the incompatible genotypes encode biological functions with redundant genetic bases. These findings suggest that stable reproductive barriers often will be based on non-redundant genetic complexes that evolve among diverging lineages.
Digest: A new tool will illuminate patterns of morphological integration
Authors: Sheets Alec D , Cortés Dariel , Rader Jonathan A 
Published: March 2023

AbstractMorphological integration is the result of natural selection influencing the evolution of multiple morphological traits simultaneously. Understanding how and why morphological traits covary is fundamental to uncovering the processes that drive phenotypic diversity. In a new study, Conaway and Adams (2022) review the utility of several methods for quantifying morphological integration and provide a new metric that will facilitate broad, novel comparisons of morphological integration among taxa and between different morphological features.
Socioeconomic deprivation, medical services accessibility, and income-related health inequality among older Chinese adults: evidence from a national longitudinal survey from 2011 to 2018
Authors: Yang Jing , Zhong Qiao , Liao Zangyi , Pan Changjian , Fan Qiuyan 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Background
Health inequality poses a challenge to improving the quality of life of older adults as well as the service system. The literature rarely explores the moderating role of medical services accessibility in the association between socioeconomic deprivation and health inequality.

Objective
This study examines the socioeconomic deprivation and medical services accessibility associated with health inequality among older Chinese adults, which will contribute to the medical policy reform.

Methods
Using data from the 2011, 2014, and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), we analyse 14,232 older adults. This paper uses a concentration index (CI) to measure the income-related health inequality among the target population and employs a recentered influence function–concentration index–ordinary least squares (RIF-CI-OLS) model to empirically analyse the correlation between socioeconomic deprivation and health inequality among older Chinese adults. Based on the correlation analysis, we discuss the moderating effect of medical services accessibility.

Results
We find that health inequality exists among older Chinese adults and that the relative deprivation in socioeconomic status (SES) is significantly associated with health inequality (β∈ [0.1109, 0.1909], P &lt; 0.01). The correlation between socioeconomic deprivation and health inequality is moderated by medical services accessibility, which means that an increase in medical services accessibility can weaken the correlation between socioeconomic deprivation and health inequality.

Conclusion
China needs an in-depth reform of its medical services accessibility system to promote the equitable distribution of medical services resources, strengthen medical costs and quality management, and ultimately mitigate the SES reason for health inequality among older Chinese adults.
Vir1p, the yeast homolog of virilizer, is required for mRNA m6A methylation and meiosis
Authors: Park Zachory M , Belnap Ethan , Remillard Matthew , Rose Mark D 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is among the most abundant modifications of eukaryotic mRNAs. mRNA methylation regulates many biological processes including playing an essential role in meiosis. During meiosis in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, m6A levels peak early, before the initiation of the meiotic divisions. High-throughput studies suggested, and this work confirms that the uncharacterized protein Ygl036wp interacts with Kar4p, a component of the mRNA m6A-methyltransferase complex. Protein structure programs predict that Ygl036wp folds like VIRMA/Virilizer/VIR, which is involved in mRNA m6A-methylation in higher eukaryotes. In addition, Ygl036wp contains conserved motifs shared with VIRMA/Virilizer/VIR. Accordingly, we propose the name VIR1 for budding yeast ortholog of VIRMA/Virilizer/VIR 1. Vir1p interacts with all other members of the yeast methyltransferase complex and is itself required for mRNA m6A methylation and meiosis. In the absence of Vir1p proteins comprising the methyltransferase complex become unstable, suggesting that Vir1p acts as a scaffold for the complex. The vir1Δ/Δ mutant is defective for the premeiotic S-phase, which is suppressed by overexpression of the early meiotic transcription factor IME1; additional overexpression of the translational regulator RIM4 is required for sporulation. The vir1Δ/Δ mutant exhibits reduced levels of IME1 mRNA, as well as transcripts within Ime1p's regulon. Suppression by IME1 revealed an additional defect in the expression of the middle meiotic transcription factor, Ndt80p (and genes in its regulon), which is rescued by overexpression of RIM4. Together, these data suggest that Vir1p is required for cells to initiate the meiotic program and for progression through the meiotic divisions and spore formation.