bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
LPIN1 promotes triglycerides synthesis and is transcriptionally regulated by PPARG in buffalo mammary epithelial cells
Authors: Zhou Fangting , Fan Xinyang , Miao Yongwang 
Published: February 2022

AbstractStudies on 3T3-L1 cells and HepG2 hepatocytes have shown that phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase1 (LPIN1) plays a key role in adipogenesis, acting as a co-activator of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1a (PGC-1a) to regulate fatty acid metabolism. However, the functional role and regulatory mechanism of LPIN1 gene in milk fat synthesis of buffalo are still unknown. In this study, overexpression of buffalo LPIN1 gene transfected with recombinant fusion expression vector significantly increased the expression of AGPAT6, DGAT1, DGAT2, GPAM and BTN1A1 genes involved in triglyceride (TAG) synthesis and secretion, as well as PPARG and SREBF1 genes regulating fatty acid metabolism in the buffalo mammary epithelial cells (BMECs), while the lentivirus-mediated knockdown of buffalo LPIN1 dramatically decreased the relative mRNA abundance of these genes. Correspondingly, total cellular TAG content in the BMECs increased significantly after LPIN1 overexpression, but decreased significantly after LPIN1 knockdown. In addition, the overexpression or knockdown of PPARG also enhanced or reduced the expression of LPIN1 and the transcriptional activity of its promoter. The core region of buffalo LPIN1 promoter spans from − 666 bp to + 42 bp, and two PPAR response elements (PPREs: PPRE1 and PPRE2) were identified in this region. Site mutagenesis analysis showed that PPARG directly regulated the transcription of buffalo LPIN1 by binding to the PPRE1 and PPRE2 on its core promoter. The results here reveal that the LPIN1 gene is involved in the milk fat synthesis of BMECs, and one of the important pathways is to participate in this process through direct transcriptional regulation of PPARG, which in turn significantly affects the content of TAG in BMECs.
Nonlinear refinement of functional brain connectivity in golf players of different skill levels
Authors: Chen Tai-Ting , Wang Kuo-Pin , Huang Chung-Ju , Hung Tsung-Min 
Published: February 2022

AbstractDifferent functional connectivities in the brain, specifically in the frontoparietal and motor cortex–sensorimotor circuits, have been associated with superior performance in athletes. However, previous electroencephalogram (EEG) studies have only focused on the frontoparietal circuit and have not provided a comprehensive understanding of the cognitive–motor processes underlying superior performance. We used EEG coherence analysis to examine the motor cortex–sensorimotor circuit in golfers of different skill levels. Twenty experts, 18 amateurs, and 21 novices performed 60 putts at individual putting distances (40–60% success rate). The imaginary inter-site phase coherence (imISPC) was used to compute 8–13 Hz coherence that can be used to distinguish expert-novice and expert-amateur differences during motor preparation. We assessed the 8–13 Hz imISPC between the Cz and F3, F4, C3, C4, T3, T4, P3, P4, O1, and O2 regions. (1) Amateurs had lower 8–13 Hz imISPC in the central regions (Cz–C3 and C4) than novices and experts, but experts had lower 8–13 Hz imISPC than novices. (2) Skilled golfers (experts and amateurs) had lower 8–13 Hz imISPC in the central–parietal regions (Cz–P3 and P4) than novices. (3) Experts had lower 8–13 Hz imISPC in the central–left temporal regions (Cz–T7) than amateurs and novices. Our study revealed that refinement of the motor cortex–sensorimotor circuit follows a U-shaped coherence pattern based on the stage of learning. The early learning stage (i.e., novice to amateur) is characterized by lower connectivity between the regions associated with motor control and visuospatial processes, whereas the late learning stage (i.e., amateur to expert) is characterized by lower connectivity in the regions associated with verbal-analytic and motor control processes.
Differential associations of regional cerebellar volume with gait speed and working memory
Authors: Won Junyeon , Callow Daniel D. , Purcell Jeremy J. , Smith J. Carson 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe relationship between gait speed and working memory is well-understood in older adults. However, it remains to be determined whether this relationship also exists in younger adults; and there is little known regarding the possible neural mechanism underlying the association between gait speed and working memory. The aims of this study are to determine if there is: (1) an association between gait speed and working memory performance; and (2) a mediating role of cerebellar subregion volume in the correlation between gait speed and working memory in healthy younger adults. 1054 younger adults (28.7 ± 3.6 years) from the Human Connectome Project were included in the analyses. A four-meter gait test was used to assess gait speed. The 2-back task was used to measure working memory performance [accuracy and response time (RT)]. T1-weighted structural MRI data (obtained using Siemens 3 T MRI scanner) was used to assess cerebellar subregion volumes. Linear regression and mediation analysis were used to examine the relationships between the variables after controlling for age, sex, and education. There was no association between gait speed and 2-back working memory performance in younger adults. Greater Crus I and whole cerebellar volumes were associated with better 2-back working memory accuracy. Greater VIIIa volume was associated with faster gait speed. Greater Crus 1 and VIIIa volumes were also associated with higher fluid cognition. The present study suggests that specific subregions of the cerebellar volumes are distinctively associated with gait speed and working memory performance in healthy younger adults.
Prognosis of COVID-19 pneumonia can be early predicted combining Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index, CRB score and baseline oxygen saturation
Authors: Nuevo-Ortega Pilar , Reina-Artacho Carmen , Dominguez-Moreno Francisco , Becerra-Muñoz Victor Manuel , Ruiz-Del-Fresno Luis , Estecha-Foncea Maria Antonia ,   HOPE Group Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Aguilar-Galvez A. M. , Barrera-Serrano R. , Becerra-Muñoz Victor Manuel , Cabrera-Cesar E. , Castillo-Caballero J. M. , Cordon-Alvarez S. , Cota-Delgado F. , Daga-Ruiz D. , De La Torre-Muñoz A. , Dominguez-Moreno Francisco , Doncel-Abad V. , Estecha-Foncea Maria Antonia , Estevez-Escobar E. , Fernandez-Villalba A. , Garcia-Aragon S. , Garcia-Cruz M. C. , Garcia-Gomez I. G. , Gomez-Perez A. M. , Gonzalez-Redondo P. , Lara-Dominguez P. , Martinez-Lopez P. , Martinez-Mesa A. , Mateos-Rodriguez M. , Moratalla-Cecilia G. , Murcia-Casas B. , Nieto-Gonzalez M. , Nuevo-Ortega Pilar , Perez-Lopez C. , Puerto-Morlan A. , Reina-Artacho Carmen , Rodriguez-Capitan J. , Rueda-Molina C. , Ruiz-Del-Fresno Luis , Salazar-Ramirez C. , Salido-Diaz L. , Sanchez-Alvarez E. , Sanchez-Calderon A. , Sanchez-Garcia A. , Segura-Gonzalez F. , Valera-Rubio M. , Vallejo-Baez A. , Vera-Sanchez M. C. , Zamboschi N. A. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractIn potentially severe diseases in general and COVID-19 in particular, it is vital to early identify those patients who are going to progress to severe disease. A recent living systematic review dedicated to predictive models in COVID-19, critically appraises 145 models, 8 of them focused on prediction of severe disease and 23 on mortality. Unfortunately, in all 145 models, they found a risk of bias significant enough to finally "not recommend any for clinical use". Authors suggest concentrating on avoiding biases in sampling and prioritising the study of already identified predictive factors, rather than the identification of new ones that are often dependent on the database. Our objective is to develop a model to predict which patients with COVID-19 pneumonia are at high risk of developing severe illness or dying, using basic and validated clinical tools. We studied a prospective cohort of consecutive patients admitted in a teaching hospital during the “first wave” of the COVID-19 pandemic. Follow-up to discharge from hospital. Multiple logistic regression selecting variables according to clinical and statistical criteria. 404 consecutive patients were evaluated, 392 (97%) completed follow-up. Mean age was 61 years; 59% were men. The median burden of comorbidity was 2 points in the Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index, CRB was abnormal in 18% of patients and basal oxygen saturation on admission lower than 90% in 18%. A model composed of Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index, CRB score and basal oxygen saturation can predict unfavorable evolution or death with an area under the ROC curve of 0.85 (95% CI 0.80–0.89), and 0.90 (95% CI 0.86 to 0.94), respectively. Prognosis of COVID-19 pneumonia can be predicted without laboratory tests using two classic clinical tools and a pocket pulse oximeter.
Persistence of the invasive bird-parasitic fly Philornis downsi over the host interbreeding period in the Galapagos Islands
Authors: Bulgarella Mariana , Lincango M. Piedad , Lahuatte Paola F. , Oliver Jonathan D. , Cahuana Andrea , Ramírez Ismael E. , Sage Roxanne , Colwitz Alyssa J. , Freund Deborah A. , Miksanek James R. , Moon Roger D. , Causton Charlotte E. , Heimpel George E. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractMany parasites of seasonally available hosts must persist through times of the year when hosts are unavailable. In tropical environments, host availability is often linked to rainfall, and adaptations of parasites to dry periods remain understudied. The bird-parasitic fly Philornis downsi has invaded the Galapagos Islands and is causing high mortality of Darwin’s finches and other bird species, and the mechanisms by which it was able to invade the islands are of great interest to conservationists. In the dry lowlands, this fly persists over a seven-month cool season when availability of hosts is very limited. We tested the hypothesis that adult flies could survive from one bird-breeding season until the next by using a pterin-based age-grading method to estimate the age of P. downsi captured during and between bird-breeding seasons. This study showed that significantly older flies were present towards the end of the cool season, with ~ 5% of captured females exhibiting estimated ages greater than seven months. However, younger flies also occurred during the cool season suggesting that some fly reproduction occurs when host availability is low. We discuss the possible ecological mechanisms that could allow for such a mixed strategy.
Suppression of tumor metastasis by a RECK-activating small molecule
Authors: Yoshida Yoko , Yuki Kanako , Dan Shingo , Yamazaki Kanami , Noda Makoto 
Published: February 2022

AbstractRECKencodes a membrane-anchored protease-regulator which is often downregulated in a wide variety of cancers, and reducedRECKexpression often correlates with poorer prognoses. In mouse models, forced expression of RECK in tumor xenografts results in suppression of tumor angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis.RECKmutations, however, are rare in cancer genomes, suggesting that agents that re-activate dormantRECKmay be of clinical value. We found a potentRECK-inducer, DSK638, that inhibits spontaneous lung metastasis in our mouse xenograft model. Induction ofRECKexpression involves SP1 sites in its promoter and may be mediated by KLF2. DSK638 also upregulates MXI1, an endogenous MYC-antagonist, and inhibition of metastasis by DSK638 is dependent on both RECK and MXI1. This study demonstrates the utility of our approach (using a simple reporter assay followed by multiple phenotypic assays) and DSK638 itself (as a reference compound) in finding potential metastasis-suppressing drugs.
miR-520a-5p regulates Frizzled 9 expression and mediates effects of cigarette smoke and iloprost chemoprevention
Authors: Smith A. J. , Do P. , Sompel K. , Elango A. , Tennis M. A. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractExpression of Frizzled 9 (FZD9) is critical to the activity of the lung cancer chemoprevention agent and prostacyclin analogue, iloprost. FZD9 is required in lung epithelial cells for iloprost to activate peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARG) and related anti-tumor signaling. We aimed to investigate which miRNA regulate FZD9 in the context of cigarette smoke exposure and iloprost treatment. We found that miR-520a-5p binds the FZD9 3’UTR in lung cell lines and alters activity and expression of FZD9 downstream targets. Cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) increases expression of miR-520a-5p, while iloprost decreases expression. Cancer promoting effects of a miR-520a-5p mimic were rescued with iloprost treatment, and effects of cigarette smoke were partially rescued with a miR-520a-5p inhibitor. Here we confirm miR-520a-5p as a regulator of FZD9 activity and a mediator of CSC and iloprost effects in the lung. Targeting miR-520a-5p could be an approach to restoring FZD9 expression and improving response to iloprost lung cancer chemoprevention.
Identification of the robust predictor for sepsis based on clustering analysis
Authors: Jang Jae Yeon , Yoo Gilsung , Lee Taesic , Uh Young , Kim Juwon 
Published: February 2022

AbstractSepsis is a life-threatening disorder with high incidence and mortality rate. However, the early detection of sepsis is challenging due to lack of specific marker and various etiology. This study aimed to identify robust risk factors for sepsis via cluster analysis. The integrative task of the automatic platform (i.e., electronic medical record) and the expert domain was performed to compile clinical and medical information for 2,490 sepsis patients and 16,916 health check-up participants. The subjects were categorized into 3 and 4 groups based on seven clinical and laboratory markers (Age, WBC, NLR, Hb, PLT, DNI, and MPXI) by K-means clustering. Logistic regression model was performed for all subjects including healthy control and sepsis patients, and cluster-specific cases, separately, to identify sepsis-related features. White blood cell (WBC), well-known parameter for sepsis, exhibited the insignificant association with the sepsis status in old age clusters (K3C3 and K4C3). Besides, NLR and DNI were the robust predictors in all subjects as well as three or four cluster-specific subjects including K3C3 or K4C3. We implemented the cluster-analysis for real-world hospital data to identify the robust predictors for sepsis, which could contribute to screen likely overlooked and potential sepsis patients (e.g., sepsis patients without WBC count elevation).
Influencing the body schema through the feeling of satiety
Authors: Baumann Patricia , Beckmann Nina , Herpertz Stephan , Trojan Jörg , Diers Martin 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe body schema is a much discussed aspect of body awareness. Although there is still no single definition, there is widespread consensus that the body schema is responsible for movement and interaction with the environment. It usually remains outside of active consciousness. There are only few investigations on influences on the body schema and none of them investigated feeling of satiety or hunger. Thirty-two healthy women were investigated twice, one time sat and the other time hungry. To measure the body schema, we used a door-like-aperture and compared the critical aperture-to-shoulder-ratio (cA/S). A cover story was used to ensure that the unconscious body schema has been measured. We found a significantly higher cA/S for satiety compared to hungry, which indicates that during satiety participants rotate their shoulders for relatively larger door compared to hunger, unconsciously estimating their body size to be larger. We showed that even a moderate rated feeling of hunger or satiety leads to an adjustment in body-scaled action and consequently also an adaptation of body schema. It suggests that, in addition to the visual-spatial and the proprioceptive representation, somatic information can also be relevant for the body schema.
Providing early indication of regional anomalies in COVID-19 case counts in England using search engine queries
Authors: Yom-Tov Elad , Lampos Vasileios , Inns Thomas , Cox Ingemar J. , Edelstein Michael 
Published: February 2022

AbstractPrior work has shown the utility of using Internet searches to track the incidence of different respiratory illnesses. Similarly, people who suffer from COVID-19 may query for their symptoms prior to accessing the medical system (or in lieu of it). To assist in the UK government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we analyzed searches for relevant symptoms on the Bing web search engine from users in England to identify areas of the country where unexpected rises in relevant symptom searches occurred. These were reported weekly to the UK Health Security Agency to assist in their monitoring of the pandemic. Our analysis shows that searches for “fever” and “cough” were the most correlated with future case counts during the initial stages of the pandemic, with searches preceding case counts by up to 21 days. Unexpected rises in search patterns were predictive of anomalous rises in future case counts within a week, reaching an Area Under Curve of 0.82 during the initial phase of the pandemic, and later reducing due to changes in symptom presentation. Thus, analysis of regional searches for symptoms can provide an early indicator (of more than one week) of increases in COVID-19 case counts.
Dipole pattern of meridional atmospheric internal energy transport across the Arctic gate
Authors: Latonin Mikhail M. , Bobylev Leonid P. , Bashmachnikov Igor L. , Davy Richard 
Published: February 2022

AbstractHigh-latitude atmospheric meridional energy transport plays a fundamental role in the Arctic climate system. However, despite numerous studies, there are no established clear regional features of the atmospheric energy transport components from a large-scale perspective. This study aims at investigating the internal energy and its instantaneous sensible and latent heat transports in the troposphere across the Arctic gate at 70°N using the high-resolution climate reanalysis ERA5. We have done a regional analysis of the time series of heat fluxes across the zonal section and found by decomposing them into empirical orthogonal functions that they have opposing features for the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. In particular, the sensible heat transport dominates in the Western Hemisphere, whereas the latent heat transport dominates in the Eastern Hemisphere. Moreover, we detected the existence of an anti-phase dipole pattern for each of these components in the entire troposphere, which is robust because it continued during the entire studied period 1950–2019. The hemispheric net fluxes indicate that the Arctic gains internal energy mostly due to the latent heat transport.
Role of a lower cutoff of high sensitivity troponin I in identification of early cardiac damage in non-severe patients with COVID-19
Authors: Lin Yiting , Yan Kun , Chen Lingling , Wu Yiqun , Liu Jielan , Chen Yingying , Hou Bingbo , Zhong Ping 
Published: February 2022

AbstractCardiac damage in non-severe patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is poorly explored. This study aimed to explore the manifestations of cardiac damage at presentation in non-severe patients with COVID-19. In this study, 113 non-severe patients with COVID-19 were grouped according to the duration from symptoms onset to hospital admission: group 1 (≤ 1 week, n = 27), group 2 (> 1 to 2 weeks, n = 28), group 3 (> 2 to 3 weeks, n = 27), group 4 (> 3 weeks, n = 31). Clinical, cardiovascular, and radiological data on hospital admission were compared across the four groups. The level of high sensitivity troponin I (hs-cTnI) in group 2 [10.25 (IQR 6.75–15.63) ng/L] was significantly higher than those in group 1 [1.90 (IQR 1.90–8.80) ng/L] and group 4 [1.90 (IQR 1.90–5.80) ng/L] (all Pbonferroni < 0.05). The proportion of patients who had a level of hs-cTnI ≥ 5 ng/L in group 2 (85.71%) was significantly higher than those in the other three groups (37.04%, 51.85%, and 25.81%, respectively) (all Pbonferroni < 0.05). Compared with patients with hs-cTnI under 5 ng/L, those with hs-cTnI ≥ 5 ng/L had lower lymphocyte count (P = 0.000) and SpO2 (P = 0.002) and higher CRP (P = 0.000). Patients with hs-cTnI ≥ 5 ng/L had a higher incidence of bilateral pneumonia (P = 0.000) and longer hospital length of stay (P = 0.000). In conclusion, non-severe patients with COVID-19 in the second week after symptoms onset were most likely to suffer cardiac damage. A detectable level of hs-cTnI ≥ 5 ng/L might be a manifestation of early cardiac damage in the patients.
Design and simulation of the liposomal model by using a coarse-grained molecular dynamics approach towards drug delivery goals
Authors: Parchekani Jalil , Allahverdi Abdollah , Taghdir Majid , Naderi-Manesh Hossein 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe simulated liposome models provide events in molecular biological science and cellular biology. These models may help to understand the cell membrane mechanisms, biological cell interactions, and drug delivery systems. In addition, the liposomes model may resolve specific issues such as membrane transports, ion channels, drug penetration in the membrane, vesicle formation, membrane fusion, and membrane protein function mechanism. One of the approaches to investigate the lipid membranes and the mechanism of their formation is by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In this study, we used the coarse-grained MD simulation approach and designed a liposome model system. To simulate the liposome model, we used phospholipids that are present in the structure of natural cell membranes (1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE)). Simulation conditions such as temperature, ions, water, lipid concentration were performed based on experimental conditions. Our results showed a liposome model (ellipse vesicle structure) during the 2100 ns was formed. Moreover, the analysis confirmed that the stretched and ellipse structure is the best structure that could be formed. The eukaryotic and even the bacterial cells have elliptical and flexible structures. Usually, an elliptical structure is more stable than other assembled structures. The results indicated the assembly of the lipids is directed through short-range interactions (electrostatic interactions and, van der Waals interactions). Total energy (Van der Waals and electrostatic interaction energy) confirmed the designed elliptical liposome structure has suitable stability at the end of the simulation process. Our findings confirmed that phospholipids DOPC and DOPE have a good tendency to form bilayer membranes (liposomal structure) based on their geometric shapes and chemical-physical properties. Finally, we expected the simulated liposomal structure as a simple model to be useful in understanding the function and structure of biological cell membranes. Furthermore, it is useful to design optimal, suitable, and biocompatible liposomes as potential drug carriers.