bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preparation of Activated Carbon-Based Solid Sulfonic Acid and Its Catalytic Performance in Biodiesel Preparation
Authors: Pi Yuanzheng , Liu Wenzhu , Wang Jiani , Peng Guanmin , Jiang Dabo , Guo Ruike , Yin Dulin 
Published: June 2022

With activated carbon as raw material, AC-Ph-SO3H was prepared after oxidation with nitric acid, modification with halogenated benzene and sulfonation with concentrated sulfuric acid. After modified by 10% bromobenzene with toluene as a solvent for 5 h, followed sulfonation with concentrated sulfuric acid at 150°C, the -SO3H content of prepared AC-Ph-SO3H was 0.64 mmol/g. Acid content test, infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy detection proved that the surface of AC-Ph-SO3H was successfully grafted with -SO3H group. When used as a catalyst for the methylation of palmitate acid, the catalytic performance of AC-Ph-SO3H was explored. When the reaction time was 6 h, the amount of catalyst acid accounted for 2.5 wt% of palmitic acid, and the molar ratio of methanol/palmitic acid was 40, the esterification rate of palmitic acid was 95.2% and the yield of methyl palmitate was 94.2%, which was much better than those of its precursors AC, AC-O, and AC-Ph (both about 4.5%). AC-Ph-SO3H exhibited certain stability in the esterification reaction system and the conversion rate of palmitic acid was still above 80% after three reuses.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Reduces Long-Term Mortality in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease and Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Hsu Cheng-Yueh , Sheu Wayne Huey-Herng , Lee I-Te 
Published: June 2022

ObjectivesChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). We examined the effects of circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on long-term mortality in patients with CAD and CKD.Materials and MethodsWe enrolled patients with established CAD in the present study. Serum BDNF and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were assessed after overnight fasting. All-cause mortality served as the primary endpoint.ResultsAll 348 enrolled patients were divided into four groups according to their median BDNF level and CKD status, defined according to eGFR &lt;60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Forty-five patients reached the primary endpoint during the median follow-up time of 6.0 years. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated that the group with low BDNF and CKD had a significantly higher mortality rate than the other three groups (log-rank test p &lt; 0.001). Compared to the high BDNF without CKD group, the low BDNF with CKD group had a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.186 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.482–6.846] for all-cause mortality according to the multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analysis after adjusting for age and urine albumin-creatinine ratio (p = 0.003). Furthermore, there was a significantly interactive effect between BDNF and CKD status on the risk of the primary endpoint (odds ratio = 6.413, 95% CI: 1.497–27.47 in the multivariable logistic regression model and HR = 3.640, 95% CI: 1.006–13.173 in the Cox regression model).ConclusionWe observed a synergistic effect between low serum BDNF levels and CKD on the prediction of all-cause mortality in patients with CAD.
LncRNA-mRNA Expression Profiles of Osteoclast After Conditional Knockout HIF-1α
Authors: Tian Yuanye , Shao Qi , Gu Jiahong , Tang Yi , Bie Miaomiao , Zhou Yangyifan , Cheng Chunan , Liang Yi , Zhang Qian , Kang Feiwu 
Published: June 2022

Background: Osteoclasts, which are multinucleated cells formed by monocyte fusion, play a key role in bone resorption. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α is vital for the development of osteoclasts in hypoxic environments and during bone resorption. However, additional research is required to further study the HIF-1α-dependent regulation of osteoclast differentiation at the genetic level.Methods: In our study, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to identify the expression profiles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and mRNAs in conditional HIF-1α-knockout osteoclasts.Results: A total of 1,320 mRNAs and 95 lncRNAs were differentially expressed. The expression of lncRNAs MSTRG.7566.12 and MSTRG.31769.2 were strongly negatively correlated with that of Mmp9, Ctsk, etc.Conclusion: Our research provides a basis for further understanding the role of mRNAs and lncRNAs in conditional HIF-1α-knockout osteoclasts, and many of these molecules may be potential targets for treating bone diseases related to HIF-1α.
Characterization of Different Subtypes of Immune Cell Infiltration in Glioblastoma to Aid Immunotherapy
Authors: Feng Peng , Li Zhenqing , Li Yuchen , Zhang Yuelin , Miao Xingyu 
Published: June 2022

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has been identified as a frequently occurring adult primary brain cancer that is highly aggressive. Currently, the prognostic outcome for GBM patients is dismal, even with intensive treatment, and the median overall survival (OS) is 14.6 months. Immunotherapy, which is specific at the cellular level and can generate persistent immunosurveillance, is now becoming a promising tool to treat diverse cancers. However, the complicated nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME) makes it challenging to develop anti-GBM immunotherapy because several cell types, cytokines, and signaling pathways are involved in generating the immunosuppressive environment. Novel immunotherapies can illustrate novel tumor-induced immunosuppressive mechanisms. Here, we used unsupervised clustering analysis to identify different subtypes of immune cell infiltration that actuated different prognoses, biological actions, and immunotherapy responses. Gene cluster A, with a hot immune cell infiltration phenotype, had high levels of immune-related genes (IRGs), which were associated with immune pathways including the interferon-gamma response and interferon-alpha response, and had low IDH1 and ATRX mutation frequencies. Gene cluster B, a cold immune cell infiltration subtype, exhibited a high expression of the KCNIP2, SCRT1, CPLX2, JPH3, UNC13A, GABRB3, ARPP21, DLGAP1, NRXN1, DLL3, CA10, MAP2, SEZ6L, GRIA2, and GRIA4 genes and a low expression of immune-related genes, i.e., low levels of immune reactivity. Our study highlighted the complex interplay between immune cell infiltration and genetic mutation in the establishment of the tumor immune phenotype. Gene cluster A was identified as an important subtype with a better prognosis and improved immunotherapy response.
Cellular Mechanisms Underlying B Cell Abnormalities in Patients With Gain-of-Function Mutations in the PIK3CD Gene
Authors: Wang Wenjie , Min Qing , Lai Nannan , Csomos Krisztian , Wang Ying , Liu Luyao , Meng Xin , Sun Jinqiao , Hou Jia , Ying Wenjing , Zhou Qinhua , Sun Bijun , Hui Xiaoying , Ujhazi Boglarka , Gordon Sumai , Buchbinder David , Schuetz Catharina , Butte Manish , Walter Jolan E. , Wang Xiaochuan , Wang Ji-Yang 
Published: June 2022

BackgroundActivated phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K) -delta syndrome (APDS) is an inborn error of immunity with variable clinical phenotype of immunodeficiency and immune dysregulation and caused by gain-of-function mutations in PIK3CD. The hallmark of immune phenotype is increased proportions of transitional B cells and plasmablasts (PB), progressive B cell loss, and elevated levels of serum IgM.ObjectiveTo explore unique B cell subsets and the pathomechanisms driving B cell dysregulation beyond the transitional B cell stage in APDS.MethodsClinical and immunological data was collected from 24 patients with APDS. In five cases, we performed an in-depth analysis of B cell phenotypes and cultured purified naïve B cells to evaluate their survival, activation, Ig gene class switch recombination (CSR), PB differentiation and antibody secretion. We also analyzed PB differentiation capacity of sorted CD27-IgD- double-negative B (DNB) cells.ResultsThe patients had increased B cell sizes and higher proportions of IgM+ DNB cells than healthy controls (HC). Their naïve B cells exhibited increased death, impaired CSR but relatively normal PB differentiation. Upon stimulation, patient’s DNB cells secreted a similar level of IgG but a higher level of IgM than DNB cells from HC. Targeted therapy of PI3K inhibition partially restored B cell phenotypes.ConclusionsThe present study suggests additional mechanistic insight into B cell pathology of APDS: (1) decreased peripheral B cell numbers may be due to the increased death of naïve B cells; (2) larger B cell sizes and expanded DNB population suggest enhanced activation and differentiation of naïve B cells into DNB cells; (3) the impaired CSR yet normal PB differentiation can predominantly generate IgM-secreting cells, resulting in elevated IgM levels.
Proteomic Analyses Reveal Higher Levels of Neutrophil Activation in Men Than in Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Cai Ming-long , Gui Lan , Huang He , Zhang Yu-kun , Zhang Li , Chen Zhu , Sheng Yu-jun 
Published: June 2022

ObjectiveSystemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease that displays a significant gender difference in terms of incidence and severity. However, the underlying mechanisms accounting for sexual dimorphism remain unclear. The aim of this work was to reveal the heterogeneity in the pathogenesis of SLE between male and female patients.MethodsPBMC were collected from 15 patients with SLE (7 males, 8 females) and 15 age-matched healthy controls (7 males, 8 females) for proteomic analysis. The proteins of interest were validated in independent samples (6 male SLE, 6 female SLE). Biomarkers for neutrophil activation (calprotectin), neutrophil extracellular traps (cell-free DNA and elastase), and reactive oxygen species (glutathione) were measured, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in plasma obtained from 52 individuals.ResultsEnrichment analysis of proteomic data revealed that type I interferon signaling and neutrophil activation networks mapped to both male and female SLE, while male SLE has a higher level of neutrophil activation compared with female SLE. Western blot validated that PGAM1, BST2, and SERPINB10 involved in neutrophil activation are more abundant in male SLE than in female SLE. Moreover, biomarkers of neutrophil activation and reactive oxygen species were increased in male SLE compared with female SLE.ConclusionType I interferon activation is a common signature in both male and female SLE, while neutrophil activation is more prominent in male SLE compared with female SLE. Our findings define gender heterogeneity in the pathogenesis of SLE and may facilitate the development of gender-specific treatments.
Mitochondrial DNA as a Biomarker for Acute Central Serous Chorioretinopathy: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Hashida Noriyasu , Asao Kazunobu , Hara Chikako , Quantock Andrew J. , Saita Ryotaro , Kurakami Hiroyuki , Maruyama Kazuichi , Nishida Kohji 
Published: June 2022

BackgroundThe literature suggests that stress may play a pivotal role in the precipitation of acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) because chorioretinal integrity can be affected by the psychosocial state of the patient, indicating the need for a biomarker. Not only physical stress but also psychological stress causes many types of physical disorders. However, little is known about the pathophysiology of stress-induced disease. The objective of this study was to investigate whether serum factors might be involved in the development of stress-induced ocular diseases.MethodsThis observational case series included 33 eyes of 33 consecutive patients with treatment-naïve acute CSC. Fifty eyes of 50 age-matched healthy volunteers were included in this study as non-CSC controls. Serum samples were collected from all participants, and the levels of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were measured by quantitative real-time (RT)-PCR. Serum levels of high-mobility group box (HMGB) 1 and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), biological markers of acute/chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, were also measured. The relationships between serum mtDNA, 8-OHdG, and HMGB1 concentrations were investigated by multivariate regression analysis, alongside an assessment of clinical data.ResultsIn the treatment-naïve acute CSC group, the serum mtDNA levels (36.5 ± 32.4 ng/mL) were significantly higher than the levels in the control group (7.4 ± 5.9 ng/mL; p &lt; 0.001). Serum levels of 8-OHdG and HMGB1 in treatment-naïve acute CSC patients measured 0.12 ± 0.08 ng/mL and 18.1 ± 35.0 ng/mL, respectively, indicating that HMGB1 levels were elevated in CSC compared with the control group. Multivariable regression analysis demonstrated that increased serum mtDNA levels were significantly associated with the height of serous retinal detachment.ConclusionWe showed serum mtDNA and HMGB1 level elevation and its relation to the clinical activities of CSC, indicating that serum mtDNA and HMGB1 could serve as biomarkers for the acute phase of the disease. The use of these biomarkers makes it possible to predict disease onset and determine disease severity.
New Kid on the Block: The Efficacy of Phytomedicine Extracts Urox® in Reducing Overactive Bladder Symptoms in Rats
Authors: Zapała Łukasz , Juszczak Kajetan , Adamczyk Przemysław , Adamowicz Jan , Ślusarczyk Aleksander , Kluz Tomasz , Misiek Marcin , Rogowski Artur , Grzybowska Magdalena Emilia , Stangel-Wójcikiewicz Klaudia , Zaborowski Mikołaj Piotr , Poleszak Ewa , Radziszewski Piotr , Wróbel Andrzej 
Published: June 2022

The aim of the current study was to determine if phytomedicine (Urox®) would reverse retinyl acetate (RA)–induced changes characteristic of bladder overactivity. There were 60 rats divided into the following 4 groups: I—control, II—received RA to induce detrusor overactivity (DO), III—received Urox (840 mg daily for 14 days), and IV—received combination of RA and Urox®. The cystometry was performed 2 days after the last dose of Urox®. Next, urothelium thickness and biochemical parameter measurements were performed. In group IV, a decrease in basal pressure and detrusor overactivity index was noted when compared to group II. Furthermore, in group IV the following parameters were increased: threshold pressure, voided volume, intercontraction interval, and bladder compliance in comparison with group II. There were significant elevations in c-Fos expression in the neuronal voiding centers in group II, while the expression of c-Fos in group IV was normalized. No significant changes in the values of the analyzed biomarkers in group III were found, while in group II, an elevation in BDNF, NGF, CGRP, ATP, Rho kinase, malondialdehyde, 3-nitrotyrosine, TRPV1, OCT-3, and VAChT and then a decrease in E-cadherin and Z01 were found. A successful restoration of all the abovementioned biomarkers’ levels was observed in group IV. Phytomedicine extracts (Urox®) were found to be potent in reversing RA-induced changes in several cystometric and biochemical parameters that are determinants of overactive bladder (OAB). The actions of Urox® were proved to be dependent on several factors, such as growth factors and several OAB biomarkers but not pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Network Pharmacology-Based Strategy to Investigate the Pharmacologic Mechanisms of Coptidis Rhizoma for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Ye Xian-wen , Wang Hai-li , Cheng Shui-qing , Xia Liang-jing , Xu Xin-fang , Li Xiang-ri 
Published: June 2022

BackgroundAlzheimer's disease (AD) is becoming a more prevalent public health issue in today's culture. The experimental study of Coptidis Rhizoma (CR) and its chemical components in AD treatment has been widely reported, but the principle of multi-level and multi-mechanism treatment of AD urgently needs to be clarified.ObjectiveThis study focuses on network pharmacology to clarify the mechanism of CR's multi-target impact on Alzheimer's disease.MethodsThe Phytochemical-compounds of CR have been accessed from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and Symmap database or HPLC determination. The values of Oral Bioavailability (OB) ≥ 30% and Drug Like (DL) ≥ 0.18 or blood ingredient were used to screen the active components of CR; the interactive network of targets and compounds were constructed by STRING and Cytoscape platform, and the network was analyzed by Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE); Gene Ontology (GO) function, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Pathway (KEGG) and metabolic pathway enrichment of targets were carried out with Metascape, the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) and MetaboAnalyst platform; Based on CytoHubba, the potential efficient targets were screened by Maximal Clique Centrality (MCC) and Degree, the correlation between potential efficient targets and amyloid β-protein (Aβ), Tau pathology was analyzed by Alzdata database, and the genes related to aging were analyzed by Aging Altas database, and finally, the core targets were obtained; the binding ability between ingredients and core targets evaluated by molecular docking, and the clinical significance of core targets was assessed with Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database.Results19 active components correspond to 267 therapeutic targets for AD, of which 69 is potentially effective; in module analysis, RELA, TRAF2, STAT3, and so on are the critical targets of each module; among the six core targets, RELA, MAPK8, STAT3, and TGFB1 have clinical therapeutic significance; GO function, including 3050 biological processes (BP), 257 molecular functions (MF), 184 cellular components (CC), whose functions are mainly related to antioxidation, regulation of apoptosis and cell composition; the HIF-1 signaling pathway, glutathione metabolism is the most significant result of 134 KEGG signal pathways and four metabolic pathways, respectively; most of the active components have an excellent affinity in docking with critical targets.ConclusionThe pharmacological target prediction of CR based on molecular network pharmacology paves the way for a multi-level networking strategy. The study of CR in AD treatment shows a bright prospect for curing neurodegenerative diseases.
Are Mind-Body Exercise Beneficial for Treating Pain, Function, and Quality of Life in Middle-Aged and Old People With Chronic Pain? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wen Yu-Rong , Shi Jian , Wang Ya-Fei , Lin Yang-Yang , Hu Zheng-Yu , Lin You-Tian , Wang Xue-Qiang , Wang Yu-Ling 
Published: June 2022

BackgroundAging is a significant risk factor in chronic pain development with extensive disability and greater health care costs. Mind-body exercise (MBE) has been scientifically proven to affect the pain intensity and physical health.ObjectivesTo assess the effects of MBE modes (Tai Chi, yoga, and qigong) for treating chronic pain among middle-aged and old people, compared with nonactive and active treatment, as well as function, quality of life, and adverse events.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, and Chinese Scientific Journals Full-Text Database (VIP) till March 2022. No restrictions were chartered within the year and language of publication. We included randomized controlled trials of MBE treatment in middle-aged and elderly people with chronic pain. The overall certainty of evidence was evaluated by using the GRADE approach.ResultsA total of 17 studies (n = 1,332) were included in this review. There was low-certainty evidence indicating that MBE had a moderate effect on reducing pain compared with the nonactive and active control group (standard mean difference (SMD): −0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.86 to −0.42, P &lt; 0.001). Very-low-certainty evidence showed that the pooled SMD for the functional improvement was −0.75 (95% CI: −1.13 to −0.37, P &lt; 0.001). Low-certainty evidence presented that no influence was observed in physical component summary (SMD: 0.23, 95% CI: −0.16 to 0.62, P = 0.24) and mental component summary (SMD: −0.01, 95% CI −0.39 to 0.36, P = 0.95).ConclusionOur results indicated that MBE was an effective treatment for reducing symptoms of middle-aged and elderly people with chronic pain compared with nonactive and active control groups. TC and qigong had obvious benefits for knee osteoarthritis in self-reported function, but the efficacy of chronic low back pain was uncertain. No significant benefit of MBE on quality of life in older adults with chronic pain was found. More high-quality RCTs should be conducted to explore the efficacy and mechanism of MBE on chronic pain in middle-aged and elderly people from various dimensions, such as affective and cognitive dimensions.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=316591, identifier CRD42022316591.
LncRNA LINC00680 Acts as a Competing Endogenous RNA and Is Associated With the Severity of Myasthennia Gravis
Authors: Liu Li , Zhang Huixue , Lu Xiaoyu , Li Lifang , Wang Tianfeng , Li Shuang , Wang Xu , Xu Si , Li Lei , Li Qian , Yi Tingting , Wu Tao , Chen Zhimin , Gao Hongyu , Wang Jianjian , Wang Lihua 
Published: June 2022

Background and PurposeMyasthenia gravis (MG) is a T cell-dependent antibody-mediated autoimmune disorder that can seriously affect patients' quality of life. However, few studies have focused on the severity of MG. Moreover, existing therapeutic efforts, including those targeting biomarkers for MG, remain unsatisfactory. Therefore, it is vital that we investigate the pathogenesis of MG and identify new biomarkers that can not only evaluate the severity of the disease but also serve as potential therapeutic targets. Long noncoding RNA LINC00680 has been found to be associated with the progression of a variety of diseases as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA). However, the specific role of LINC00680 in MG has yet to be clarified. Here, we aimed to investigate the association between LINC00680 and the severity of MG.MethodsBioinformatics tools, quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting, and luciferase assays were selected to investigate key signaling pathways and RNA expression in patients with MG. The Quantitative MG Score scale and the MG Composite scale were used to evaluate the severity of MG in the included patients. Cell viability assays and flow cytometry analysis were selected to analyze cell proliferation and apoptosis.ResultsCompared with control subjects, the expression levels of LINC00680 and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with MG were both upregulated; the levels of miR-320a were downregulated. A positive correlation was detected between LINC00680 expression and the severity of MG. Luciferase reporter assays identified that LINC00680 acts as a target for miR-320a. The in vitro analysis confirmed that LINC00680 regulates the expression of MAPK1 by sponging miR-320a. Finally, the functional analysis indicated that LINC00680 promoted Jurkat cell proliferation and inhibited cellular apoptosis by sponging miR-320a.ConclusionLINC00680 may be associated with the severity of MG as a ceRNA by sponging miR-320a to upregulate MAPK1. These findings suggest that LINC00680 may represent a potential biomarker which evaluates the severity of MG and may serve as a therapeutic target.