bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identifying novel regulatory effects for clinically relevant genes through the study of the Greek population
Authors: Rouskas Konstantinos , Katsareli Efthymia A , Amerikanou Charalampia , Dimopoulos Alexandros C , Glentis Stavros , Kalantzi Alexandra , Skoulakis Anargyros , Panousis Nikolaos , Ongen Halit , Bielser Deborah , Planchon Alexandra , Romano Luciana , Harokopos Vaggelis , Reczko Martin , Moulos Panagiotis , Griniatsos Ioannis , Diamantis Theodoros , Dermitzakis Emmanouil T , Ragoussis Jiannis , Dedoussis George , Dimas Antigone S 
Published: April 2023

Abstract

Background
Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) studies provide insights into regulatory mechanisms underlying disease risk. Expanding studies of gene regulation to underexplored populations and to medically relevant tissues offers potential to reveal yet unknown regulatory variants and to better understand disease mechanisms. Here, we performed eQTL mapping in subcutaneous (S) and visceral (V) adipose tissue from 106 Greek individuals (Greek Metabolic study, GM) and compared our findings to those from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) resource.
Results
We identified 1,930 and 1,515 eGenes in S and V respectively, over 13% of which are not observed in GTEx adipose tissue, and that do not arise due to different ancestry. We report additional context-specific regulatory effects in genes of clinical interest (e.g. oncogene ST7) and in genes regulating responses to environmental stimuli (e.g. MIR21, SNX33). We suggest that a fraction of the reported differences across populations is due to environmental effects on gene expression, driving context-specific eQTLs, and suggest that environmental effects can determine the penetrance of disease variants thus shaping disease risk. We report that over half of GM eQTLs colocalize with GWAS SNPs and of these colocalizations 41% are not detected in GTEx. We also highlight the clinical relevance of S adipose tissue by revealing that inflammatory processes are upregulated in obese individuals, not only in V, but also in S tissue.
Conclusions
By focusing on an understudied population, our results provide further candidate genes for investigation regarding their role in adipose tissue biology and their contribution to disease risk and pathogenesis.
Colour discrimination in post-COVID-19 observers assessed by the Farnsworth-Munsell 100-Hue test
Authors: Paramei Galina V. , Griber Yulia A. 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Post-COVID-19, recorded were various ophthalmological symptoms and visual impairment. We hypothesised that colour vision may be affected too. We assessed colour discrimination using the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue test (FM-100) in individuals, who have had COVID-19 (N=77; 18–68 years). Total error score (TES) indicated superior colour discrimination in 34 observers. The Vingrys–King-Smith C-index (severity) exceeded the normal cutoff measure in 44 observers. In participants (N=35) with average TES, the Vingrys–King-Smith analysis revealed subtle colour deficiencies – either a mild tritan defect (‘blue’ or blue-yellow) or moderate defect with a diffuse error pattern. A minor sub-sample (N=6) manifested poor discrimination or colour vision loss (N=2), with a tritan or diffuse error pattern. √TES negatively correlated with the recovery time lapse. Partial error scores (√PES) indicated prevailing B–Y errors, regardless of the elapsed post-illness period. Overall, the results indicate that about half of those who have recovered from COVID-19 reveal predominantly mild Type III acquired colour discrimination loss, characteristic of retinal disorders and vascular disease. Conceivably, coronavirus infection caused hypoperfusion (reduced vascular supply) at the retinal and/or post-retinal stages of the visual system having affected neural mechanisms of colour discrimination. The mild impairment appears to be reversible with a favourite prognosis.
Analysis of pathological manifestations through damage map: case study in Buildings I and K of the Polytechnic School of Pernambuco
Authors: de AZEVEDO Vinicius Francis Braga , JÚNIOR José Maria de MOURA , SANTOS Bruna Letícia Costa , SILVA Wildson Wellington , PÓVOAS Yeda Vieira 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Building inspection in constructions is important to verify that the building is in good safety condition for its occupants, identify problems that harm people's comfort or even determine preventive maintenance to avoid problems early, helping to extend the life of the building. One of the ways to document the condition of a building is through the damage map. The objective of this article is to present the survey of the existing pathological manifestations on the facades of Buildings I and K of the Polytechnic School of Pernambuco, representing them using damage maps to contribute to the maintenance and restoration services of the analyzed buildings. To this end, the architectural survey of the facades of Buildings I and K was carried out, the photographic survey was done using smartphone and drone and finally, the creation of the damage map. With the analysis of the results, it was noticed the presence of 14 pathological manifestations, where the most recurrent were grime and efflorescence. The front and right lateral facades presented the highest and lowest number of pathological manifestations, respectively. With the periodic survey of the pathological manifestations and their representations in damage maps it will be possible to create an evolution chart of the state of Buildings I and K and plan future preventive and/or corrective maintenance.
Differences in photosynthetic and water use characteristics of four co-existing tree species on the treeline of the Japanese Alps
Authors: Kamakura Mai , Azuma Wakana A , Yahara Hikari , Takahashi Koichi , Makita Naoki 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
In this study, we analyzed photosynthetic and water use characteristics of two deciduous broad-leaved (Sorbus matsumurana and Betula ermanii) and two evergreen coniferous (Abies mariesiiand Pinus pumila) tree species on the treeline ¾i.e., the line connecting the highest patches of forest composed of trees at least three meters high¾of Mt. Norikura, central Japan, to explore the physiological adaptations of trees to alpine environments. We monitored diurnal changes in leaf gas exchange rates and leaf and soil water potentials in each tree species during the growing season, as well as bulk leaf water relations based on pressure–volume curves and whole-tree hydraulic structures. The four species under study relied on different physiological characteristics at both leaf and plant levels for adaptation to their natural habitat. In S. matsumurana, photoassimilate acquisition occured during the short growing season, and reducing transpirational water loss was associated with osmotic adjustment. In contrast, B. ermanii showed higher photosynthetic rates, while maintaining higher hydraulic conductance and transpirational water loss in the absence of severe stomatal restrictions. In turn, A. mariesii showed higher leaf succulence, and a leaf water storage capacity that was favorable for growth, while reducing water loss. Meanwhile, Pinus pumila compensated for water loss through higher leaf hydraulic capacitance and cell-wall elasticity, and exhibitedthe longest daily transpiration period, while maintaining high stomatal conductance, even as soil water potential decreased. Our observations demonstrates that tree species rely on specific physiological characteristics to adapt to the alpine treeline environment.
BANF1 Promotes Glutamate-induced Apoptosis of HT-22 Hippocampal Neurons
Authors: Yao Xinyu , Xu Xiaoyi , Hu Kunhua , Yang Zhaoshou , Shaodong Deng 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Background Glutamate exposure was fatal to HT-22 neuronal cells that derived from mouse hippocampus. This is often used as a model for hippocampus neurodegeneration in vitro. The targets relevant to glutamate-induced neuronal toxicity is not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to identify crucial factors associated with glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in HT-22 cells.Methods HT-22 cells were treated with 7.5 mM glutamate for 24 h and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) proteomic analysis conducted to identify the differentially expressed proteins. Differential proteins were subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment (KEGG) analyses. Upregulation of barrier to autointegration factor (BANF1/BANF1) protein was confirmed by RT-qPCR and western blotting. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis rates and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were detected using flow cytometry.Results A total of 5811 proteins were quantified by iTRAQ, 50 of which were recognized as significantly differential proteins (fold change ≥ 1.5 and P ≤ 0.05); 26 proteins were up-regulated and 24 were down-regulated after exposure to glutamate. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that the apoptotic signaling pathway was involved in cell death induced by glutamate. BANF1 expression level was markedly increased in HT-22 cells after glutamate treatment. Further, knockdown of BANF1 alleviated glutamate-mediated cell death with lower ROS levels.Conclusions In conclusion, we successfully filtered out differential proteins relevant to glutamate-mediated cytotoxicity. BANF1 upregulation promoted glutamate-induced apoptosis of HT-22 cells by enhancing ROS generation.
An auxiliary hybrid heuristic approach for objective function design evaluation
Authors: Lei Li , Kwan Raymond S.K. , Lin Zhiyuan 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Real-world combinatorial optimization problems are mostly NP-hard, and often only near-optimal solutions can be obtained practically. To differentiate as fine-grained as possible the near-optimal solutions is therefore desirable. Moreover, a real-world problem may have numerous possible structural properties of concern to the practitioners, too numerous to be all elicited and incorporated as optimization criteria in an objective function.
In contrast with pure heuristics, we consider hybrid (meta-)heuristics that utilise an exact solver iteratively to solve a series of significantly reduced problem instances converging to near-optimal solutions within practical time. To avoid the hybrid heuristic being stranded in a “poorly differentiated” solution space, an effective objective function design plays an important role. We propose a methodology to benchmark the effectiveness of alternative objective function designs. The main metric used is the structural similarity between the solutions obtained by the hybrid heuristic and by the exact solver. Several other solution features are also distilled and aggregated in the benchmark.
This methodology is explained and demonstrated on a train unit scheduling problem tested with four alternative objective functions. The results show that two of them are significantly more effective than the others in differentiating solutions of different qualities and speeding up the solution process. Moreover, some criteria not modeled explicitly could also be satisfied implicitly in the effective objective designs.
Social interactions, loneliness and collective health: A new angle on an old debate
Authors: KOVACIC MATIJA , CASABIANCA ELIZABETH 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Loneliness is increasingly being recognized as an important economic and public health issue. This paper investigates the relationship between historically rooted norms that drive individuals to conform to predefined behavioral standards and contemporary perceptions of social interactions and attitudes towards loneliness. Using a sub-population of second-generation immigrants, we identify an intergenerationally transmitted component of culture that reflects the importance of restrained discipline and rules characterizing highly intensive pre-industrial agricultural systems. We show that this cultural dimension influences perceptions of the quality of social relationships and significantly affects the likelihood of experiencing loneliness. The identified trait is then used to instrument loneliness in a two-stage model for health. We find that loneliness directly affects body mass index and some specific mental health issues. We argue, however, that loneliness may influence other health outcomes indirectly due to its economically significant effect on the increased body mass index. The results are robust to a battery of sensitivity checks. Our findings add to a growing body of research on the importance of attitudes in predicting significant economic and health outcomes, opening up a new channel via which deeply-rooted geographical, cultural, and individual characteristics may influence comparative economic development processes.
Controlled synthesis of MWCNTs/V2O5 nanocomposite by hydrothermal approach for adsorption and photodegradation processes
Authors: Ashery Marwa H. , Elnouby Mohamed , EL-Maghraby Mohamed , Elsehly Emad M. 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
The current work outlines the synthesis of pristine multi-wall carbon nanotubes (PMWCNTs) and functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes (FMWCNTs) based on Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) nanocomposites for photocatalytic applications. The functionalized MWCNTs were obtained by the oxidizing agents (H2SO4 and HNO3) to introduce the oxygenated functional groups. The samples were synthesized by hydrothermal approach and investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy analysis (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). These tools revealed the structure and morphology of the prepared nanocomposites as well as their elemental compositions. The photocatalytic activity of FMWCNTs/V2O5 and PMWCNTs/V2O5 nanocomposites was assessed via Methylene Blue (MB) degradation from water under visible light. The results demonstrated that the removal percentage of FMWCNTs/V2O5 and PMWCNTs/V2O5 could reach 98.9% and 94.9%, respectively. It was noted that MB adsorption and photodegradation tend to follow pseudo-second-order kinetics. The mechanism of MB adsorption by FMWCNTs/ V2O5 nanoparticles was explained. MWCNTs/metal oxide nanocomposites could provide an opportunity for further applications of these nanomaterials to remove other dyes and contaminants from wastewater.
Anatomical variations of the zygomaticofacial foramen and its related canal through the zygomatico-orbital and zygomaticotemporal foramina in dry human skulls
Authors: Chatzioglou Gkionoul Nteli , Sağlam Latif , Çandır Buse Naz , Yiğit Mehmet , Gayretli Özcan 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to reveal the location of the zygomaticofacial foramina, the variations of their numbers, and their connections between the zygomatico-orbital and zygomaticotemporal foramina.
Methods
Ethics committee approval of our study was received by the Istanbul Medical Faculty Clinical Research Ethics Committee (date:30.07.2021, number:358356). 171 zygomatic bones of unknown gender from the Department of Anatomy, Istanbul University, were included in this study. The number of zygomaticofacial foramen and their connections with the zygomatico-orbital foramen and the zygomaticotemporal foramina were examined. Also, the morphometric distances between the zygomaticofacial foramen were calculated. Evaluation of the data was done with SPPS v.21.
Results
The number of zygomaticofacial foramina was found as 299. It was found single, double, three, four, five and six foramina, in 52 (30.4%), 52 (30.4%), 24 (14.03%), 10 (5.85%), 5 (2.93%), 1 (0.58%) zygomatic bone, respectively. Zygomaticofacial foramen was absent in 27 (15.8%) bones. Of these 299 foramina, 129 were found to be connected with zygomatico-orbital foramen and 23 with zygomaticotemporal foramen. It was noted that 147 zygomaticofacial foramina had no connection with any foramina. The distances between the zygomaticofacial foramen and the frontozygomatic suture, temporal process, maxillary process, the lowest point of the zygomatic bone, and orbital rim were found as 25.30 ± 2.81mm, 18.74 ± 3.56mm, 21.56 ± 4.16mm, 18.72 ± 2.57mm, 6.67 ± 3.27mm, respectively.
Conclusion
Consequently, the location and variations of ZFF are of great importance for maxillofacial surgery and regional block anesthesia. Knowing its location and variations will help prevent complications during any surgical intervention in this region.
Developing new intermuscular coordination patterns through an electromyographic signal-guided training in the upper extremity
Authors: Seo Gang , Park Jeong-Ho , Park Hyung-Soon , Roh Jinsook 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Background Muscle synergies, computationally identified intermuscular coordination patterns, have been utilized to characterize neuromuscular control and learning in humans. However, it is unclear whether it is possible to alter the existing muscle synergies or develop new ones in an intended way through a relatively short-term motor exercise in adulthood. This study aimed to test the feasibility of expanding the repertoire of intermuscular coordination patterns in an intended way through an isometric, electromyographic (EMG) signal-guided exercise in the upper extremity (UE) of neurologically intact individuals.Methods 10 participants were trained for six weeks to induce independent control of the activation of a pair of elbow flexor muscles that tended to be naturally co-activated in force generation. An untrained isometric force generation task was performed to assess the effect of the training on the intermuscular coordination of the trained UE. We applied a non-negative matrix factorization on the EMG signals recorded from 12 major UE muscles during the assessment to identify the muscle synergies. In addition, the task performance and the characteristics of individual muscles’ activity in both time and frequency domains were quantified as the training outcomes.Results Typically, in two weeks of the training, participants could use newly developed muscle synergies when requested to perform new, untrained motor tasks by activating their UE muscles in the trained way. Meanwhile, their habitually expressed muscle synergies, the synergistic muscle activation groups that were used before the training, were conserved throughout the entire training period. The number of muscle synergies activated for the task performance remained the same. As the new muscle synergies were developed, the neuromotor control of the trained muscles reflected in the metrics, such as the ratio between the targeted muscles, number of matched targets, and task completion time, was improved.Conclusion These findings suggest that our protocol can increase the repertoire of readily available muscle synergies and improve motor control by developing the activation of new muscle coordination patterns in healthy adults within a relatively short period. Furthermore, the study shows the potential of the isometric EMG-guided protocol as a neurorehabilitation tool for aiming motor deficits induced by abnormal intermuscular coordination after neurological disorders.Trial Registration This study was registered at the Clinical Research Information Service (CRiS) of the Korea National Institute of Health (KCT0005803) on 1/22/2021.
Effect of press temperature on oat husk particleboards bound with a dialdehyde starch adhesive
Authors: Neitzel Nicolas , Hosseinpourpia Reza , Adamopoulos Stergios 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
In the search for alternative raw materials of agricultural origin and bio-based adhesives for wood panel manufacturing, the influence of production parameters has hardly been investigated. Therefore, this study examined the effect of press temperature on the properties of an oat husk particleboard bonded by a dialdehyde starch-based adhesive of 99.52% bio-based content. From a pressing temperature of 160°C, the particleboards became increasingly darker, and the internal bond and bending strength deteriorated. The increasing press temperature initiates processes between oat husk and dialdehyde starch, such as the Maillard reaction, which accelerate the degradation of the adhesive and reduce its bonding capacity.
Systemic inflammatory regulators and primary ovarian insufficiency: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Wang Jiahui , Zhao Xia , Luo Rong , Xia Di , Liu Yi , Shen Tao , Liang Yuanjiao 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Background: Recent studies have suggested a potential link between systemic inflammatory regulators and primary ovarian insufficiency (POI); however, a causal relationship between them remains unclear. In this study, we explored the causal link between systemic inflammatory regulators and POI risk using a bidirectional, two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) strategy.
Results: This approach utilized the most extensive genome-wide association study involving 41 systemic inflammatory regulators in a sample of 8,293 Finnish individuals and POI data from the FinnGen consortium (254 cases vs. 118,228 controls). The inverse variance weighting approach served as a primary MR method, and four additional MR techniques (Maximum Likelihood, MR-Egger, Weighted Median, and constrained Maximum Likelihood and Model Averaging Bayesian ) were applied to support and validate results. Cochran's Q statistics were used to assess the heterogeneity of instrumental variables, whereas the MR-Egger and MR Pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier tests detected horizontal pleiotropy. The MR Steiger test evaluated the strength of a causal association. Our findings suggest that vascular endothelial growth factor (odds ratio [OR] = 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.54–0.99, P=0.046) and interleukin-10 (OR=0.53, 95% CI: 0.33–0.85, P=0.0091) exhibit protective effects on POI. Reverse MR analysis revealed no significant effect of POI on these 41 systemic inflammatory regulators. No notable heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy was observed in the instrumental variables.
Conclusions: This study revealed a causal relationship between 41 systemic inflammatory regulators and POI. Further investigations are necessary to assess the potential of these biomarkers as diagnostic tools, preventive strategies, and therapeutic targets for POI.