bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Associations of C-reactive protein isoforms with systemic lupus erythematosus phenotypes and disease activity
Authors: Karlsson Jesper , Wetterö Jonas , Weiner Maria , Rönnelid Johan , Fernandez-Botran Rafael , Sjöwall Christopher 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBackgroundSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by a large production of autoantibodies and deficient clearance of cellular waste. The disease typically oscillates between episodes of elevated disease activity and quiescent disease. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a pentameric acute-phase protein usually reflecting inflammation and tissue damage. However, despite increased inflammation and elevated interleukin-6, the levels of CRP typically remain low or only slightly raised in SLE. Under certain conditions, pentameric CRP (pCRP) can dissociate into its monomeric isoform (mCRP), which mainly has been ascribed pro-inflammatory properties. The present study aims to investigate the potential relationship between pCRP and mCRP, respectively, with disease activity and clinical features of SLE.MethodsThe levels of pCRP and mCRP were measured, by turbidimetry (high-sensitive) and sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively, in serum samples from 160 patients with SLE and 30 patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). Twenty-two of the SLE cases were selected for analysis at two time-points; quiescent disease and active disease. The two CRP isoforms were evaluated in relation to disease activity and clinical features in the two diseases.ResultsLevels of pCRP and mCRP were significantly lower in SLE than AAV (p < 0.001) and the ratio of mCRP/pCRP was higher in SLE compared to AAV. The mCRP/pCRP ratio was higher for patients in remission and able to significantly separate between active/quiescent disease in paired, but not in non-paired, samples from patients with SLE. Significant correlations were observed with SLICC/ACR damage index for pCRP levels as well as inversely with the mCRP/pCRP ratio. Lower mCRP levels associated with malar rash.ConclusionAs the interrelationship between the two isoforms appear to (a) discriminate between quiescent and active SLE and (b) differ between SLE and AAV, our data indicates that the two CRP isoforms could exert contrasting immunological effects and/or reflect different milieus. Given the biological effects of mCRP, it is possible that altered levels may indicate increased opsonization of immune complexes and apoptotic debris, and thereby prevent their deposition outside the reticuloendothelial system and manifestations such as lupus nephritis and lupus-related skin disease.
Reproducibility of prediction models in health services research
Authors: Belbasis Lazaros , Panagiotou Orestis A. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe field of health services research studies the health care system by examining outcomes relevant to patients and clinicians but also health economists and policy makers. Such outcomes often include health care spending, and utilization of care services. Building accurate prediction models using reproducible research practices for health services research is important for evidence-based decision making. Several systematic reviews have summarized prediction models for outcomes relevant to health services research, but these systematic reviews do not present a thorough assessment of reproducibility and research quality of the prediction modelling studies. In the present commentary, we discuss how recent advances in prediction modelling in other medical fields can be applied to health services research. We also describe the current status of prediction modelling in health services research, and we summarize available methodological guidance for the development, update, external validation and systematic appraisal of prediction models.
Challenges and solutions to recruitment of neonates and children having cardiac surgery into a study using a novel sampling device
Authors: Walker-Smith Terrie , Fudulu Daniel , Ramesh Aravind , Sheehan Karen , Madden Julie , Culliford Lucy , Evans Jonathan , Angelini Gianni D. , Upton Thomas , Gibbison Ben 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Objective
To narratively describe the challenges and solutions required in delivering a non-commercial study of children undergoing cardiac surgery using a novel subcutaneous hormone collection device.

Results
The challenges faced by the research team are divided into those of conducting healthcare research in children and those specific to this study. Many of the issues of conducting healthcare research in children can and have been overcome by structural and institutional culture change–normalising and embedding research as part of good clinical care. The issues specific to insertion and maintenance of the novel collection device can be overcome by education and support of the clinical teams. The increased incentives and resources of commercial research may have overcome many of these.
Generalized allergic reaction in response to exercise due to strawberry gibberellin-regulated protein: a case report
Authors: Inuo Chisato , Okazaki Fumiko , Shiraki Rie , Tanaka Yutaka , Momma Keiko , Kondo Yasuto , Narita Hiroshi 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Background
The Rosaceae family includes fruits, such as peach, apple, Japanese apricot, cherry (Prunoideae subfamily), and strawberry (Rosoideae subfamily). The allergens responsible for Rosaceae fruit allergies have been reported to include Bet v 1 and profilin, which mainly cause oral symptoms, and lipid transfer protein (LTP). Recently, gibberellin-regulated protein (GRP) has been identified as an allergen that induces generalized symptoms in peach-, orange-, and plum-related allergies. Most patients with food allergies induced by GRP show allergic symptoms accompanied by cofactors, such as exercise or drugs. To date, there are very few reports of generalized symptoms induced by strawberry.

Case presentation
We evaluated the reactivity of strawberry GRP in a 15-year-old boy who was confirmed to have generalized symptoms induced by strawberry with exercise using an oral food challenge test (OFCT). The patient’s serum exhibited a strong positive reaction to strawberry GRP but not to peach GRP or peach LTP. The patient’s basophils reacted to strawberry and peach GRP but not to peach LTP.

Conclusions
Strawberry GRP may be a causative component for strawberry with exercise-induced generalized symptoms in this patient. This is the first study to investigate the role of GRP in strawberry with cofactor-induced allergic symptoms. Further epidemiological and clinical researches are necessary to improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for patients with strawberry allergy.
Potency assays for human adipose-derived stem cells as a medicinal product toward wound healing
Authors: Ren Guoqiang , Peng Qiuyue , Fink Trine , Zachar Vladimir , Porsborg Simone Riis 
Published: June 2022

AbstractIn pre-clinical studies, human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) have shown great promise as a treatment modality for healing of cutaneous wounds. The advantages of hASCs are that they are relatively easy to obtain in large numbers from basic liposuctions, they maintain their characteristics after long-term in vitro culture, and they possess low immunogenicity, which enables the use of hASCs from random donors. It has been hypothesized that hASCs exert their wound healing properties by reducing inflammation, inducing angiogenesis, and promoting fibroblast and keratinocyte growth. Due to the inherent variability associated with the donor-dependent nature of ASC-based products, it appears necessary that the quality of the different products is prospectively certified using a set of most relevant potency assays. In this review, we present an overview of the available methodologies to assess the Mode and the Mechanism of Action of hASCs, specifically in the wound healing scenario. In conclusion, we propose a panel of potential potency assays to include in the future production of ASC-based medicinal products.
Detection of low-load Epstein-Barr virus in blood samples by enriched recombinase aided amplification assay
Authors: Li Jing-yi , Chen Xiao-ping , Tie Yan-qing , Sun Xiu-li , Zhang Rui-qing , He An-na , Nie Ming-zhu , Fan Guo-hao , Li Feng-yu , Tian Feng-yu , Shen Xin-xin , Feng Zhi-shan , Ma Xue-jun 
Published: June 2022

AbstractEpstein-Barr virus (EBV), a common human γ-herpesvirus, infects more than 90% of adults worldwide. The purpose of this study was to establish a novel EBV detection method by combining the recombinase aided amplification (RAA) assay with an initial enrichment step that utilizes magnetic beads coated with a recombinant human mannan-binding lectin (rhMBL, M1 protein). An M1 protein–protein A magnetic bead complex (M1 beads) was prepared and used to achieve separation and enrichment of EBV from blood. After nucleic acid extraction, DNA was amplified by RAA. Using 388 whole blood samples and 1 serum sample, we explored the specificity, sensitivity and applicability of the newly developed detection method and compared it with commercial quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) following M1 bead enrichment, traditional qPCR and traditional RAA. After enrichment, the positivity rate of EBV was increased from 15.94% to 17.74% by RAA (P < 0.05) and from 7.20% to 15.17% by qPCR (P < 0.05). The viral loads after enrichment were increased by 1.13 to 23.19-fold (P < 0.05). Our data demonstrates that an RAA assay incorporating M1 bead enrichment is a promising tool for detecting low EBV viral loads in blood samples that will facilitate an early response to EBV infection.
Graphical abstract
Robust single- and multi-loudspeaker least-squares-based equalization for hearing devices
Authors: Schepker Henning , Denk Florian , Kollmeier Birger , Doclo Simon 
Published: June 2022

AbstractTo improve the sound quality of hearing devices, equalization filters can be used to achieve acoustic transparency, i.e., listening with the device in the ear is perceptually similar to the open ear. The equalization filter needs to ensure that the superposition of the equalized signal played by the device and the signal leaking through the device into the ear canal matches a processed version of the signal reaching the eardrum of the open ear. Depending on the processing delay of the hearing device, comb-filtering artifacts can occur due to this superposition, which may degrade the perceived sound quality. In this paper, we propose a unified least-squares-based procedure to design single- and multi-loudspeaker equalization filters for hearing devices aimed at achieving acoustic transparency. To account for non-minimum phase components, we utilize a so-called group delay compensation. To reduce comb-filtering artifacts, we propose to use a frequency-dependent regularization. Experimental results using measured acoustic transfer functions from a multi-loudspeaker earpiece show that the proposed equalization filter design procedure results in robust acoustic transparency and reduces the impact of comb-filtering artifacts. A comparison between single- and multi-loudspeaker equalization shows that for both cases a robust equalization performance can be achieved for different desired open ear transfer functions.
The role of melatonin on caspase-3-like activity and expression of the genes involved in programmed cell death (PCD) induced by in vitro salt stress in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) roots
Authors: Jalili Shabnam , Ehsanpour Ali Akbar , Javadirad Seyed Morteza 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Background
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is the most cultivated forage plant as a model in legumes. Salinity stress due to Na+ toxicity causes severe, oxidative stress as a main reason for program cell death (PCD) in plants. Melatonin application can increase plant productivity in response to diverse stressors via modulating plant antioxidant mechanisms and PCD inhibition in plants.

Results
Alfalfa roots were subjected to different concentrations of in vitro salinity supplemented with melatonin (0.1, 10 and 15 µM) for ten days. Application of melatonin under salinity stress reduced ROS, H2O2 and $${\text{O}}_{2}^{ - }$$

O

2

-

content and showed a dramatic impact on TTC reduction and augmented cell viability. Interestingly, melatonin inhibited caspase 3-like protease activity and could decrease DNA fragmentation induced by salinity while increased expression of anti-apoptotic genes BI-1, UCP1-UCP2 involved in PCD pathway. In contrast, in 300 mM salinity, γVPE gene as a proapoptotic of PCD down-regulated significantly.

Conclusions
For the first time, present data showed that, melatonin plays a major function in preventing PCD in alfalfa root meristem cells. We attempted to offer a mechanism for the function of melatonin as an anti-apoptotic agent by demonstrating significant actions of melatonin on mitochondria proteins, such as UCPs, in a manner similar to animal cells.
Solubilized chlorin e6-layered double hydroxide complex for anticancer photodynamic therapy
Authors: Jo Young-um , Sim HyunJune , Lee Chung-Sung , Kim Kyoung Sub , Na Kun 
Published: June 2022

Abstract

Background
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are one type of 2-dimensional material with unique structure and strongly positive surface charge. Particularly, LDHs can be exfoliated by mono-layered double hydroxides (MLHs) as a single layer, showing an increased surface area. Therefore, there is a large focus on LDHs for drug delivery applications. Furthermore, most photosensitizers are hydrophobic that they cannot be soluble in aqueous solvents. Herein, we designed a simple way to solubilize hydrophobic photosensitizers by MLH with electrostatic interactions for anticancer photodynamic therapy (PDT), which has tremendous therapeutic advantages. The photosensitizer solubilized via loading on the MLH exhibited fluorescence and singlet oxygen-generation activities in aqueous solvent without chemical modification, resulting in photo-mediated anticancer treatment.

Methods
Negatively charged hydrophobic photosensitizers, chlorin e6 (Ce6) were solubilized by loading on the MLHs through the electrostatic interaction between positively charged MLHs. MLH/Ce6 complexes evaluated for physico-chemical characterization, pH-sensitive release property, in vitro photocytotoxicity, and in vivo tumor ablation.

Results
The photosensitizer solubilized via MLH exhibited fluorescence intensity and singlet-oxygen generation activities in aqueous solvent without chemical modification, resulting photocytotoxicity in cancer cells. The encapsulation efficiency of Ce6 increased to 21.2% through MLH compared to 0.6% when using LDH. In tumor-bearing mice, PDT with solubilized MLH/Ce6 indicated a tumor-suppressing effect approximately 3.4-fold greater than that obtained when Ce6 was injected alone.

Conclusions
This study provided the solubilized Ce6 by the MLH in a simple way without chemical modification. We demonstrated that MLH/Ce6 complexes would have a great potential for anticancer PDT.
In vivo generated autologous plasmin assisted vitrectomy in young patients
Authors: Aras Cengiz , Senturk Fevzi , Koytak Arif , Dogramaci Mahmut , Erdur Sevil Karaman , Kocabora Selim 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBackgroundAutologous plasmin enzyme facilitates the induction of posterior vitreous detachment(PVD) during vitrectomy in young patients. We proposed the concept of in-vivo generated plasmin which is based on the injection of tissue plasminogen activator(t-PA) and autologous whole blood(AWB) into the vitreous cavity. The purpose of this pilot study is to report the efficacy of preoperative simultaneous intravitreal injection of(t-PA) and autologous whole blood in facilitating the intraoperative induction of PVD in young patients with various vitreoretinal pathologies.MethodsSeventeen eyes of 16 young patients with various vitreoretinal pathologies requiring vitrectomy, who received simultaneous intravitreal injection of 0.1 ml of AWB and 25 µg of t-PA, 3 days prior to surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Outcome measures were the number of attempts required to achieve successful intraoperative separation of the posterior hyaloid; the postoperative visual acuity; and intraoperative and postoperative complications.ResultsThe mean age of the patients was 23.87 ± 10.09 years, ranging from 10 to 39 years. Eight of 16 patients were men. The mean follow-up time was 19.35 ± 5.04 months, ranging from 12 to 26 months. Surgical indications for vitrectomy were chronic retinal detachment (n = 7), traumatic retinal detachment without proliferative vitreoretinopathy(n = 3), traumatic macular hole(n = 1), secondary vasoproliferative tumor(n = 4) and optic pit maculopathy(n = 2). Patients with retinal detachment complicated with PVR and those who were older than 40 years of age were excluded from the study. Separation of the Weiss ring from the optic nerve head was achieved intraoperatively in all cases, with a mean number of 2.86 ± 1.4 attempts. While the mean preoperative LogMAR visual acuity was 1.38 ± 0.59, ranging from 2.40 to 0.50, it was a mean of 0.51 ± 0.29, ranging from 1.00 to 0.10 at final postoperative exam(p < 0.001; paired samples t-test). No preoperative or intraoperative complications were noted.ConclusionPreoperative simultaneous intravitreal injection of 25 µg t-PA with 0.1 ml of AWB facilitates the intraoperative induction of posterior vitreous detachment in young patients.
Analysis of market efficiency and fractal feature of NASDAQ stock exchange: Time series modeling and forecasting of stock index using ARMA-GARCH model
Authors: Arashi Mohammad , Rounaghi Mohammad Mahdi 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe multi-fractal analysis has been applied to investigate various stylized facts of the financial market including market efficiency, financial crisis, risk evaluation and crash prediction. This paper examines the daily return series of stock index of NASDAQ stock exchange. Also, in this study, we test the efficient market hypothesis and fractal feature of NASDAQ stock exchange. In the previous studies, most of the technical analysis methods for stock market, including K-line chart, moving average, etc. have been used. These methods are generally based on statistical data, while the stock market is in fact a nonlinear and chaotic system which depends on political, economic and psychological factors. In this research we modeled daily stock index in NASDAQ stock exchange using ARMA-GARCH model from 2000 until the end of 2016. After running the model, we found the best model for time series of daily stock index. In next step, we forecasted stock index values for 2017 and our findings show that ARMA-GARCH model can forecast very well at the error level of 1%. Also, the result shows that a correlation exists between the stock price indexes over time scales and NASDAQ stock exchange is efficient market and non-fractal market.
Technical considerations towards commercialization of porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome (PRRS) virus resistant pigs
Authors: Mark Cigan A. , Knap Pieter W. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe selection and introduction of disease resistance genes in livestock not only provide health benefits to animals but opportunities for breeders and farmers to meet the growing demand for high-quality meat and milk while reducing agriculture’s footprint on the environment. As traditional methods of classical breeding and selection for trait improvement are slow, recent progress in several areas of biology including (a) understanding host–pathogen interactions, (b) inexpensive and rapid DNA sequencing, and (c) robust gene editing like CRISPR-Cas provide geneticists tools to accelerate discovery and deployment of disease resistance alleles in livestock. Using these advances, the introduction of resistance genes into commercially relevant germplasm requires access to genetically superior livestock, an infrastructure for scalable allele deployment, freedom to operate, global regulatory approvals, and acceptance of gene edited livestock by producers and consumers. Importantly, academic researchers have recently discovered that modification of the CD163 gene in pigs can confer resistance to the virus that causes porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). While this achievement represents a major step towards solving an important disease in livestock, to realize the positive impact on animal health while benefiting the pork industry and consumers, it is necessary to introduce this recessive disease resistance allele into commercial breeding populations. Rather than backcrossing the resistance gene from a few non-commercial founders, as a global supplier of high genetic merit livestock genetics, Genus plc and its pig division PIC (Pig Improvement Company) with Genus R&D have mobilized advances in reproductive biology, gene editing, DNA sequencing, and bioinformatics to simultaneously generate and introduce a single modified CD163 allele across four genetically diverse porcine lines of commercial importance that prevents PRRS virus (PRRSV) infection. This report focuses on technical aspects for a scaled gene editing program to consider for rapid and efficient generation and advancement of a small population of non-transgenic founder pigs for commercial breeding. This high genetic merit herd containing a PRRS disease resistance allele will provide important benefits to animal health and food chain value once approved for commercial sale and export.