bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Leukotriene metabolism and proiflammatory cytokines in Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever
Authors: Doğan Kübra , Bolat Serkan , Öksüz Caner , Büyüktuna Seyit Ali 
Published: October 2022

AbstractCrimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an emerging acute viral infection disease, yet its pathophysiology remains largely uncharacterized. Lipid mediators are molecules that play numerous roles in the physiologic and pathophysiologic conditions in certain viral diseases. No previous study evaluated the status of cysteinyl leukotrienes (CYSLT) and 5‐lipoxygenase (5‐LO) and their relationship with proinflammatory cytokines in CCHF. A total of 90 subjects including 60 CCHF patients and 30 healthy controls were enrolled the study. Serum CYSLT, 5‐LO, interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), and ferritin levels were determined in the study population. Lower median 5‐LO level was determined in patients compared to healthy controls (p = 0.0004). Higher ferritin (p < 0.001) and IL‐6 (p < 0.001) levels in patients than healthy controls. No statistically significant difference was observed between patients and controls in terms of CYSLT levels. No statistically significant differences were observed between mild, moderate, and severe groups in terms of both 5‐LO and CYSLT levels. IL‐6 and ferritin levels were higher in severe group compared mild and moderate groups. In conclusion, changes in 5‐LO enzyme and increased inflammation are related with the disease molecular mechanism. Higher inflammatory status contributes to the impaired hemostatic balance in CCHF. Thus, treatment strategies to reduce inflammation may help to prevent bleeding and DIC in patients. IL‐6 and ferritin can be used to as an additional biomarker in the estmation of the prognosis and diagnosis of the patients.
Does ACE2 mediate the detrimental effect of exposures related to COVID‐19 risk: A Mendelian randomization investigation
Authors: Au Yeung Shiu Lun , Wong Tommy Hon Ting , He Baoting , Luo Shan , Kwok Kin On 
Published: October 2022

AbstractObjectivesAdiposity, smoking, and lower socioeconomic position (SEP) increase COVID‐19 risk while the association of vitamin D, blood pressure, and glycemic traits in COVID‐19 risk were less clear. Whether angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the key receptor for SARS‐CoV‐2, mediates these associations has not been investigated. We conducted a Mendelian randomization study to assess the role of these exposures in COVID‐19 and mediation by ACE2.MethodsWe extracted genetic variants strongly related to various exposures (vitamin D, blood pressure, glycemic traits, smoking, adiposity, and educational attainment [SEP proxy]), and ACE2 cis‐variants from genome‐wide association studies (GWAS, n ranged from 28 204 to 3 037 499) and applied them to GWAS summary statistics of ACE2 (n = 28 204) and COVID‐19 (severe, hospitalized, and susceptibility, n ≤ 2 942 817). We used inverse variance weighted as the main analyses, with MR‐Egger and weighted median as sensitivity analyses. Mediation analyses were performed based on product of coefficient method.ResultsHigher adiposity, lifetime smoking index, and lower educational attainment were consistently associated with higher risk of COVID‐19 phenotypes while there was no strong evidence for an association of other exposures in COVID‐19 risk. ACE2 partially mediates the detrimental effects of body mass index (ranged from 4.3% to 8.2%), waist‐to‐hip ratio (ranged from 11.2% to 16.8%), and lower educational attainment (ranged from 4.0% to 7.5%) in COVID‐19 phenotypes while ACE2 did not mediate the detrimental effect of smoking.ConclusionsWe provided genetic evidence that reducing ACE2 could partly lower COVID‐19 risk amongst people who were overweight/obese or of lower SEP.
Cytoprotective, antimutagenic/antirecombinogenic and antibacterial properties of Lallemantia iberica extracts
Authors: Yilmaz Kardas Begumhan , Diken Mehmet Emin , Bayhan Hamza , Acar Mikail , Dogan Serap 
Published: October 2022

AbstractBACKGROUNDPlants have important chemical compounds to protect organisms from many mutagens but they may also have dangerous toxic substances that must be tested before use. Lallemantia iberica has been used by local people for treatment of some diseases but it was never tested for its cell protective and antimutagenic/antirecombinogenic properties. In this study, it was aimed to determine the cytoprotective, antimutagenic/antirecombinogenic, antibacterial, antioxidant and phenolic profile of L. iberica by MTS assay, micronucleus test/somatic mutation recombination test (SMART), disc diffusion method, ABTS/DPPH tests and liquid chromatography (LC), respectively.RESULTSMTS assay results showed that both of the extracts supported the normal growth of healthy human lymphocytes and there was no significant difference between extracts. Although there was no significant increase in micronucleus concentration (‰) of the cultures treated with ethanol or methanol extracts, methanol extract caused slightly lower micronucleus concentration (12.64 ± 3.65‰) than the ethanol extract (24.46 ± 4.50‰). SMART results showed that ethanol and methanol extracts prevented harmful mitotic recombination. Lallemantia iberica also showed antibacterial activity against all of the strains tested, and the largest inhibition zones were observed with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (17.9 mm) and Enterobacter aerogenes (13.8 mm). Methanol extracts showed better antioxidant activities (ABTS IC50: 104.07 μg mL−1, DPPH IC50: 58.8 μg mL−1) than ethanol extracts (ABTS IC50: 344.03 μg mL−1, DPPH IC50: 233.7 μg mL−1). According to the LC results, the most abundant phenolic compounds were rutin hydrate (1796.4 ± 62.9 mg kg−1) and p‐coumaric acid (228.1 ± 7.60 mg kg−1).CONCLUSIONLallemantia iberica extracts had cell‐protective, antimutagenic/antirecombinogenic, antibacterial and strong antioxidant characteristics in relation to their rich phenolic content. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Inoculation with phosphate‐solubilizing bacteria alters microbial community and activates soil phosphorus supply to promote maize growth
Authors: Li Ning , Sheng Keyin , Zheng Qiyuan , Hu Dongnan , Zhang Ling , Wang Jiawei , Zhang Wenyuan 
Published: October 2022

AbstractPhosphorus (P) is one of the essential macronutrients for plants, but agricultural soil generally lacks available P. This study aims to ascertain the impact of phosphate‐solubilizing bacterial inoculation on the development of maize, soil characteristics, P fractions, and the microbial population in the soil. In this experiment, we explored the P solubilizing ability of P‐solubilizing bacteria through liquid culture. In a maize pot experiment, soil P fractions and maize growth were examined, and a metagenomic sequence was constructed to analyze the soil microbial community and gene abundances and to link their relationship. In the shaking flask culture experiment, it was found that the Burkholderia (XQP35) and Raoultella (SQP80) have a strong capability for calcium phosphate and calcium phytate. Compared with the blank control, the XQP35 and SQP80 treatments could improve maize biomass and the soil nutrient status. Moreover, SQP80 treatments increased the soil acid phosphatase activity. SQP80 inoculation dramatically decreased the variety of the soil microbial community and the abundance of Acidobacteria. We found that the different treatments had no significant effect on the number of genes but that the SQP80 treatments significantly increased the P‐cycling pathway gene family phoA and phoD compared with the CK treatment. Our results demonstrated that inoculation with XQP35 and SQP80 could dissolve varieties of insoluble P and, together with functional pathways of P‐cycling, promote the transformation of P fractions and ultimately increase soil available P content to promote the development of maize.
Preservation of soil organic carbon in coastal wetlands promoted by glomalin–iron–organic carbon ternary system
Authors: Zhao Bo , Jia Yunlong , Wu Shengjie , Wei Lili , Li Jian , Hong Hualong , Yan Chongling , Williams Mark A. , Wang Qiang 
Published: October 2022

AbstractIron‐bound soil organic carbon (Fe‐bound SOC) and microbial residues are vital for SOC preservation, a process crucial for drawdown of anthropogenic carbon. However, the relative importance of Fe‐bound SOC in coastal wetlands, and its interaction with microbial residues remain poorly understood. Here, we used glomalin as a proxy for microbial residues, with the goal of determining microbial residues binding to Fe and Fe‐bound SOC across a 1000 km coastline of China including seven typical mangrove wetlands. As hypothesized, it was found that the glomalin fraction was strongly associated with and likely bound to Fe‐bound SOC complexes, which accounted for 21.4% ± 1.6% of mangrove SOC. Mean level of Fe‐bound glomalin was 1.2 ± 0.1 mg cm−3, accounting for 40.6% ± 1.5% of total glomalin and 35.4% ± 3.2% of Fe‐bound SOC in the top 10 cm mangrove soil layer at regional scale. Due to the growing realization that Fe may be a crucial factor of glomalin cycling, we performed multiple chemical characterization techniques to identify the association between Fe and glomalin. Our results suggested that association to Fe was a main stabilization mechanism of glomalin in soils, and glomalin served as organic ligands in the formation of Fe‐bound SOC. We also found that the bulk glomalin extracts were a glomalin–Fe–OC ternary complex, which constituted an important proportion of mangrove SOC. These findings highlight the important effect of glomalin bound to Fe as a major mechanism of SOC persistence in coastal wetlands.
Far‐Field Polarization Engineering from Nonlinear Nanoresonators
Authors: Weissflog Maximilian A. , Cai Marcus , Parry Matthew , Rahmani Mohsen , Xu Lei , Arslan Dennis , Fedotova Anna , Marino Giuseppe , Lysevych Mykhaylo , Tan Hark Hoe , Jagadish Chennupati , Miroshnichenko Andrey , Leo Giuseppe , Sukhorukov Andrey A. , Setzpfandt Frank , Pertsch Thomas , Staude Isabelle , Neshev Dragomir N. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractNanoresonators fabricated from low‐loss dielectrics with second‐order nonlinearity have emerged as a widespread platform for nonlinear frequency conversion at the nanoscale. However, a persisting challenge in this research is the generated complex far‐field polarization state of the upconverted light, which is a limiting factor in many applications. It will be highly desirable to generate uniform far‐field polarization states across all propagation directions, to control the polarization truly along the optical axis and to simultaneously be able to tune the polarization along the entire circumference of the Poincaré sphere by solely modifying the excitation polarization. Here, a nonlinear nanoresonator combining all these properties is theoretically proposed and experimentally demonstrated. At first, an analytical model connecting the induced multipolar content of a nanoresonator with a desired far‐field polarization is derived. Based on this, a nonlinear dielectric nanoresonator is designed to enable sum‐frequency generation (SFG) with highly pure and tuneable far‐field polarization states. In the experiment, the nanoresonators fabricated from the III‐V semiconductor gallium arsenide in (110)‐orientation are excited in an SFG scheme with individually controllable excitation beams. The generation of highly uniform and tuneable far‐field polarization states is demonstrated by combining back‐focal plane measurements with Stokes polarimetry.
Evaluation and characterization of facial skin aging using optical coherence tomography
Authors: Vingan Nicole R. , Parsa Shyon , Barillas Jennifer , Culver Abby , Kenkel Jeffrey M. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractObjectivesThe skin aging exposome encompasses internal and external factors that contribute to clinical signs of facial aging. Aging skin can be characterized by distinctive features such as wrinkles, lentigines, elastosis, and roughness. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is capable of noninvasively measuring skin characteristics. This study aimed to assess bilateral features using OCT to explore temporal skin changes among decades and potential changes in facial skin aging based on laterality.MethodsA total of 97 subjects between 20 and 89 years old with Fitzpatrick skin types I to IV were enrolled. VivoSight, a Multi‐Beam OCT system intended to gather topographical and histological images of skin, was used to scan the area inferolateral to the lateral canthus, bilaterally. Investigators compared characteristics of skin roughness, attenuation coefficient and blood flow across age groups and based on laterality to determine any differences.ResultsOnly data from successful OCT scans were used. Seventy subjects, 10 from each specified decade, had successful bilateral scans and were thus included in the analysis. Chronological aging was characterized by significantly decreased dermal attenuation coefficient with increased age. Skin roughness measurements showed trends of increased roughness with age; however, no statistically significant changes were seen between groups. Qualitative differences amongst scans taken on right and left sides of the face showed no significance regarding roughness, density or blood flow at depths ranging from 0.05 to 0.5 mm.ConclusionsOCT is an effective method for evaluating changes in aging skin. Our results illustrate a decline in skin density with chronological age. Additionally, it was illustrated that structural change in the epidermis and dermis does occur, however on a microscopic scale, there are no significant differences based on laterality. OCT holds promise as a noninvasive technique for characterization of aging skin. Its utility and application in the clinical management and treatment of aged skin requires further research; however, the technology has potential to personalize therapies based on objective findings.
Synthesis of Well‐Defined Block Copolymers of Hyperbranched Polyamide and Polystyrene and Their Micelle‐to‐Vesicle Transformation in Organic Solvents
Authors: Ohta Yoshihiro , Huang Chih‐Feng , Lee Yi‐Huan , Dai Chi‐An , Yokozawa Tsutomu 
Published: October 2022

AbstractWell‐defined block copolymers consisting of hyperbranched polyamide (HBPA) and polystyrene (PSt) are synthesized, and their self‐assembled structures in solutions are investigated. Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene initiated from an HBPA macroinitiator, prepared by the chain‐growth condensation polymerization of an AB2 monomer, followed by introduction of an ATRP initiator unit at the focal point, gives the desired block copolymers, PSt‐b‐HBPAs, with well‐defined molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution. The block copolymer (PSt/HBPA = 84/16) undergoes self‐assembly in toluene to form spherical micelles (≈10–20 nm), but upon addition of methanol to the toluene solution (toluene/methanol = 0.97/0.03), the morphology changes to vesicles. Further addition of methanol (toluene/methanol = 0.90/0.10) leads to an increase in vesicle size (200–300 nm) and the morphology further transforms from vesicles to large aggregates (>100 nm) at toluene/methanol = 0.80/0.20. In the case of PSt‐b‐HBPA with shorter PSt segments (PSt/HBPA = 76/24 and 60/40), spherical micelles are formed in toluene, but the micelle morphology remains unchanged when 10 wt% methanol is added, though large aggregates (>100 nm) are still formed in toluene/methanol = 0.80/0.20. Interestingly, the morphological transformations of linear/hyperbranched block copolymers are different from those of their double linear block copolymer counterparts.
Doublecortin‐like kinase 1 is a therapeutic target in squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Standing David , Arnold Levi , Dandawate Prasad , Ottemann Brendan , Snyder Vusala , Ponnurangam Sivapriya , Sayed Afreen , Subramaniam Dharmalingam , Srinivasan Pugazhendhi , Choudhury Sonali , New Jacob , Kwatra Deep , Ramamoorthy Prabhu , Roy Badal C. , Shadoin Melissa , Al‐Rajabi Raed , O'Neil Maura , Gunewardena Sumedha , Ashcraft John , Umar Shahid , Weir Scott J. , Tawfik Ossama , Padhye Subhash B. , Biersack Bernhard , Anant Shrikant , Thomas Sufi Mary 
Published: October 2022

AbstractDoublecortin like kinase 1 (DCLK1) plays a crucial role in several cancers including colon and pancreatic adenocarcinomas. However, its role in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remains unknown. To this end, we examined DCLK1 expression in head and neck SCC (HNSCC) and anal SCC (ASCC). We found that DCLK1 is elevated in patient SCC tissue, which correlated with cancer progression and poorer overall survival. Furthermore, DCLK1 expression is significantly elevated in human papilloma virus negative HNSCC, which are typically aggressive with poor responses to therapy. To understand the role of DCLK1 in tumorigenesis, we used specific shRNA to suppress DCLK1 expression. This significantly reduced tumor growth, spheroid formation, and migration of HNSCC cancer cells. To further the translational relevance of our studies, we sought to identify a selective DCLK1 inhibitor. Current attempts to target DCLK1 using pharmacologic approaches have relied on nonspecific suppression of DCLK1 kinase activity. Here, we demonstrate that DiFiD (3,5‐bis [2,4‐difluorobenzylidene]−4‐piperidone) binds to DCLK1 with high selectivity. Moreover, DiFiD mediated suppression of DCLK1 led to G2/M arrest and apoptosis and significantly suppressed tumor growth of HNSCC xenografts and ASCC patient derived xenografts, supporting that DCLK1 is critical for SCC growth.
Challenges in modeling the Agility multileaf collimator in treatment planning systems and current needs for improvement
Authors: Hernandez V. , Angerud A. , Bogaert E. , Hussein M. , Lemire M. , García‐Miguel J. , Saez J. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractBackgroundThe Agility multileaf collimator (MLC) mounted in Elekta linear accelerators features some unique design characteristics, such as large leaf thickness, eccentric curvature at the leaf tip, and defocused leaf sides (‘tilting'). These characteristics offer several advantages but modeling them in treatment planning systems (TPSs) is challenging.PurposeThe goals of this study were to investigate the challenges faced when modeling the Agility in two commercial TPSs (Monaco and RayStation) and to explore how the implemented MLC models could be improved in the future.MethodsFour linear accelerators equipped with the Agility, located at different centers, were used for the study. Three centers use the RayStation TPS and the other one uses Monaco. For comparison purposes, data from four Varian linear accelerators with the Millennium 120 MLC were also included. Average doses measured with asynchronous sweeping gap tests were used to characterize and compare the characteristics of the Millennium and the Agility MLCs and to assess the MLC model in the TPSs. The FOURL test included in the ExpressQA package, provided by Elekta, was also used to evaluate the tongue‐and‐groove with radiochromic films. Finally, raytracing was used to investigate the impact of the MLC geometry and to understand the results obtained for each MLC.ResultsThe geometry of the Agility produces dosimetric effects associated with the rounded leaf end up to a distance 20 mm away from the leaf tip end measured at the isocenter plane. This affects the tongue‐and‐groove shadowing, which progressively increases along the distance to the tip end. The RayStation and Monaco TPSs did not account for this effect, which made trade‐offs in the MLC parameters necessary and greatly varied the final MLC parameters used by different centers. Raytracing showed that these challenging leaf tip effects were directly related to the MLC geometry and that the characteristics mainly responsible for the large leaf tip effects of the Agility were its tilting design and its small source‐to‐collimator distance.ConclusionsThe MLC models implemented in RayStation and Monaco could not accurately reproduce the leaf tip effects for the Agility. Therefore, trade‐offs are needed and the optimal MLC parameters are dependent on the specific characteristics of treatment plans. Refining the MLC models for the Agility to better approximate the measured leaf tip and tongue‐and‐groove effects would extend the validity of the MLC model, reduce the variability in the MLC parameters used by the community, and facilitate the standardization of the MLC configuration process.
Integrating serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacology to identify chemical markers for quality control of Apocyni Veneti Folium
Authors: Shi Xi , Long Fang , Wu Cheng‐Ying , Zhou Jing , Shen Hong , Zhou Shan‐Shan , Xu Jin‐Di , Zhang Wei , Li Song‐Lin 
Published: October 2022

AbstractIntroductionApocyni Veneti Folium (AVF) is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal herb for the treatment of hypertension. Chemical markers are crucial for the quality control of herbal medicines; however, the therapeutic components of AVF remain to be well elucidated.ObjectivesThis study was intended to integrate serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacology to identify chemical markers of AVF and establish an efficacy‐related quality control method of AVF.Material and methodsUltra‐performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐QTOF‐MS/MS) was applied to identify the absorbed AVF constituents in rat serum. Network pharmacology was further used to identify anti‐hypertension‐related chemical markers. Subsequently, a quantitative method was established using UPLC with diode array detection (DAD) and applied for quality evaluation of commercial AVF samples.ResultsThirteen prototype constituents were unequivocally or tentatively characterized in serum samples, among which quercetin, kaempferol, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, and neochlorogenic acid were identified as dominant chemicals related to anti‐hypertensive efficacy. The quantitative data showed that the total contents of seven marker components even showed 2‐fold variation among 14 batches of commercial AVF samples with RSD values ranging from 12.15% to 75.61%. Hierarchical cluster analysis and heatmap analysis showed that 14 batches of commercial AVF samples could be divided into three main groups.ConclusionThe chemical markers obtained from this study could be applicable for efficacy‐related quality control of AVF.
Heliox simulations for initial management of congenital laryngotracheal stenosis
Authors: Del Puppo Marine , Meister Lionel , Médale Marc , Allary Chloé , Nicollas Richard , Moreddu Eric 
Published: October 2022

AbstractObjectivesCongenital laryngotracheal stenosis is rare, potentially severe, and difficult to manage. Heliox is a medical gas effective in obstructive airway pathologies, given its physical properties. This study aims to model the interest of Heliox in reducing the respiratory work in congenital laryngotracheal stenosis, using numerical fluid flow simulations, before considering its clinical use.DesignThis is a retrospective study, performing Computational Fluid Dynamics numerical simulations of the resistances to airflow and three types of Heliox, on 3D reconstructions from CT scans of children presenting with laryngotracheal stenosis.PatientsInfants and children who were managed in the Pediatric ENT department of a tertiary‐care center and underwent CT scanning for laryngotracheal stenosis between 2008 and 2018 were included.ResultsFourteen models of congenital laryngotracheal stenosis were performed in children aged from 16 days to 5 years, and one model of the normal trachea in a 5‐year‐old child. Tightest stenosis obtained the highest airway resistances, ranging from 40 to 10 kPa/L/s (up to 800 times higher than in the normal case). Heliox enabled a decrease in pressure drops and airway resistances in all stenosis cases, correlated to increasing Helium concentration.ConclusionsHeliox appears to reduce pressure drops and airway resistances in 3D models of laryngotracheal stenosis. It may represent a supportive treatment for laryngotracheal stenosis, while waiting for specialized care, thanks to the reduction of respiratory work.