bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Integrated use of biomarkers to assess the impact of heavy metal pollution on Solea aegyptiaca fish in Lake Qarun
Authors: El-Agri Asmaa M. , Emam Manal A. , Gaber Hanan S. , Hassan Ekrami A. , Hamdy Soha M. 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Background
Biomarkers have become a valuable tool in environmental assessment, since they contribute to predicting contaminants in monitoring programmes. This study aimed to investigate the toxicity of heavy metal pollution in Lake Qarun using a multibiomarker approach (morphological, oxidative stress, genotoxicity, stress proteins) in Solea aegyptiaca fish. During the winter and summer seasons, water and fish samples were collected from different locations along Lake Qarun; western and northern sectors were away from any source of pollution, while southern and eastern sectors were exposed to effluents discharged from El-Wadi and El-Bats drains, respectively. The environmental quality, as well as the accumulation of metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni) in fish gills, liver, and muscles were assessed. Data were integrated using the integrated biomarker response index (IBRv2) for biomarker response interpretation.

Results
Water quality and bioaccumulation of heavy metals revealed a highly significant difference between samples collected from polluted sectors and those collected far from drainage water, and, seasonal differences were detected. Growth indices revealed a significant difference between sites and seasons. Fish from the western sector had the highest total antioxidant capacity in their gills, liver, and muscles, with no seasonal differences detected. However, the maximum value of malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl, 8-hydroxy-2′deoxyguanosine, metallothionein, heat shock protein 70, and DNA strand breaks in gills, liver, and muscles was detected in the polluting sectors. It revealed a significant difference between seasons, with the highest value during the winter season. According to IBRv2 results, the most effective biomarkers in this study were malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy-2′deoxyguanosine in gills, protein carbonyl and metallothionein in the liver, heat shock protein 70 in gills and liver, and DNA strand break in gills, liver, and muscles.

Conclusions
This multibiomarker approach contributes to distinguishing between locations with varying levels of anthropogenic pollution, identifying the drainage water-exposed sectors as the most stressed and the winter season as the most critical time for Solea aegyptiaca owing to spawning. The biomarkers chosen are effective indicators in Solea aegyptiaca under stress, indicating the potential for environmental monitoring.

Graphical Abstract
Phenotypic screen and transcriptomics approach complement each other in functional genomics of defensive stink gland physiology
Authors: Lehmann Sabrina , Atika Bibi , Grossmann Daniela , Schmitt-Engel Christian , Strohlein Nadi , Majumdar Upalparna , Richter Tobias , Weißkopf Matthias , Ansari Salim , Teuscher Matthias , Hakeemi Muhammad Salim , Li Jianwei , Weißbecker Bernhard , Klingler Martin , Bucher Gregor , Wimmer Ernst A. 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Background
Functional genomics uses unbiased systematic genome-wide gene disruption or analyzes natural variations such as gene expression profiles of different tissues from multicellular organisms to link gene functions to particular phenotypes. Functional genomics approaches are of particular importance to identify large sets of genes that are specifically important for a particular biological process beyond known candidate genes, or when the process has not been studied with genetic methods before.

Results
Here, we present a large set of genes whose disruption interferes with the function of the odoriferous defensive stink glands of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. This gene set is the result of a large-scale systematic phenotypic screen using RNA interference applied in a genome-wide forward genetics manner. In this first-pass screen, 130 genes were identified, of which 69 genes could be confirmed to cause phenotypic changes in the glands upon knock-down, which vary from necrotic tissue and irregular reservoir size to irregular color or separation of the secreted gland compounds. Gene ontology analysis revealed that many of those genes are encoding enzymes (peptidases and cytochromes P450) as well as proteins involved in membrane trafficking with an enrichment in lysosome and mineral absorption pathways. The knock-down of 13 genes caused specifically a strong reduction of para-benzoquinones in the gland reservoirs, suggesting a specific function in the synthesis of these toxic compounds. Only 14 of the 69 confirmed gland genes are differentially overexpressed in stink gland tissue and thus could have been detected in a transcriptome-based analysis. However, only one out of eight genes identified by a transcriptomics approach known to cause phenotypic changes of the glands upon knock-down was recognized by this phenotypic screen, indicating the limitation of such a non-redundant first-pass screen.

Conclusion
Our results indicate the importance of combining diverse and independent methodologies to identify genes necessary for the function of a certain biological tissue, as the different approaches do not deliver redundant results but rather complement each other. The presented phenotypic screen together with a transcriptomics approach are now providing a set of close to hundred genes important for odoriferous defensive stink gland physiology in beetles.
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus replicates in brain tissues and damages neurons in newborn mice
Authors: Chen Rui , Li Qiang , Chen Hongmei , Yang Hongguang , Wei Xuemin , Chen Mengting , Wen Hongling 
Published: August 2022

AbstractSevere fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus (SFTSV) is an emerging tick-borne phlebovirus with a high fatality rate of 12–30%, which has an expanding endemic and caused thousands of infections every year. Central nervous system (CNS) manifestations are an important risk factor of SFTS outcome death. Further understanding of the process of how SFTSV invades the brain is critical for developing effective anti-SFTS encephalitis therapeutics. We obeserved changes of viral load in the brain at different time points after intraperitoneal infection of SFTSV in newborn C57/BL6 mice. The virus invaded the brain at 3 h post-infection (hpi). Notably, the viral load increased exponentially after 24 hpi. In addition, it was found that in addition to macrophages, SFTSV infected neurons and replicated in the brain. These findings provide insights into the CNS manifestations of severe SFTS, which may lead to drug development and encephalitis therapeutics.
A maize heat shock factor ZmHsf11 negatively regulates heat stress tolerance in transgenic plants
Authors: Qin Qianqian , Zhao Yujun , Zhang Jiajun , Chen Li , Si Weina , Jiang Haiyang 
Published: August 2022

AbstractBackgroundHeat shock transcription factors (Hsfs) are highly conserved among eukaryote and always play vital role in plant stress responses. Whereas, function and mechanism of Hsfs in maize are limited.ResultsIn this study, an HSF geneZmHsf11, a member of class B Hsfs, was cloned from maize, and it was up-regulated under heat treatment. ZmHsf11 was a nuclear protein with no transcriptional autoactivation activity in yeast. Overexpression ofZmHsf11gene inArabidopsisand rice significantly reduced the survival rate under heat shock treatment and decreased ABA sensitivity of transgenic plants. Under heat stress, transgenic rice accumulated more H2O2, increased cell death, and decreased proline content compared with wild type. In addition, RT-qPCR analysis revealed thatZmHsf11negatively regulated some oxidative stress-related genesAPX2, DREB2A, HsfA2e, NTL3, GRandHSP17under heat stress treatment.ConclusionsOur results indicate thatZmHsf11decreases plant tolerance to heat stress by negatively regulating the expression of oxidative stress-related genes, increasing ROS levels and decreasing proline content. It is a negative regulator involved in high temperature stress response.
Grafting enhances drought tolerance by regulating stress-responsive gene expression and antioxidant enzyme activities in cucumbers
Authors: Shehata Said A. , Omar Hanaa S. , Elfaidy Ahmed G. S. , EL-Sayed Shereen S. F. , Abuarab Mohamed E. , Abdeldaym Emad A. 
Published: August 2022

AbstractWater scarcity is a major limiting factor for crop yield production in arid and water-stressed areas worldwide. Cucumber plants have a high transpiration ratio and are vulnerable to drought. Grafting commercial genotypes onto selected strong rootstocks has been useful in mitigating the effects of drought. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the possibility of using a novel rootstock plant’s tolerance to water-deficit stress in inducing drought tolerance in cucumbers by activating the stress-response gene expression and the antioxidant system, which improved the cucumber quality and yield under water-deficit conditions. This field experiment was conducted for > 2 years, 2020 and 2021, with five drought stress tolerant genotypes (i.e., rootstock) and drought-sensitive genotype Luerans (i.e., a scion). They were subjected to various deficit irrigation levels for 12 days, and their agro-physiological and molecular responses to water-deficit stress were assessed. The results of the study showed that the agronomical parameters, including the leaf area (LA), leaf water content (LWC), number of leaves, plant height, root dry matter shoot dry matter, rates of leaf appearance and stem elongation, and total yield significantly increased with grafted cucumber plants than with non-grafted cucumber plants (control) under normal and stressful conditions.Similar results were observed in the physiological measurements in terms of antioxidant enzymes, abscisic acid levels, gibberellic acid content, and lower lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA). Grafting of Luerans (section) on five rootstocks significantly raised the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase), improved the gibberellic acid and proline accumulation, and reduced the content of lipid peroxidation and abscisic acid. Furthermore, the real-time polymerase chain reaction expression results revealed that transcript levels of the stress-response genes CsAGO1 and CsDCLs increased rapidly and continuously in five rootstock grafting. Concurrently, these findings suggest that grafting with local varieties of novel drought-tolerant rootstock genotypes could improve drought tolerance in drought-sensitive cucumber genotypes.
Gene-diet interactions and cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review of observational and clinical trials
Authors: Roa-Díaz Zayne M. , Teuscher Julian , Gamba Magda , Bundo Marvin , Grisotto Giorgia , Wehrli Faina , Gamboa Edna , Rojas Lyda Z. , Gómez-Ochoa Sergio A. , Verhoog Sanne , Vargas Manuel Frias , Minder Beatrice , Franco Oscar H. , Dehghan Abbas , Pazoki Raha , Marques-Vidal Pedro , Muka Taulant 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Background
Both genetic background and diet are important determinants of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Understanding gene-diet interactions could help improve CVD prevention and prognosis. We aimed to summarise the evidence on gene-diet interactions and CVD outcomes systematically.

Methods
We searched MEDLINE® via Ovid, Embase, PubMed®, and The Cochrane Library for relevant studies published until June 6th 2022. We considered for inclusion cross-sectional, case–control, prospective cohort, nested case–control, and case-cohort studies as well as randomised controlled trials that evaluated the interaction between genetic variants and/or genetic risk scores and food or diet intake on the risk of related outcomes, including myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and CVD as a composite outcome. The PROSPERO protocol registration code is CRD42019147031.

Results and discussion
We included 59 articles based on data from 29 studies; six articles involved multiple studies, and seven did not report details of their source population. The median sample size of the articles was 2562 participants. Of the 59 articles, 21 (35.6%) were qualified as high quality, while the rest were intermediate or poor. Eleven (18.6%) articles adjusted for multiple comparisons, four (7.0%) attempted to replicate the findings, 18 (30.5%) were based on Han-Chinese ethnicity, and 29 (49.2%) did not present Minor Allele Frequency. Fifty different dietary exposures and 52 different genetic factors were investigated, with alcohol intake and ADH1C variants being the most examined. Of 266 investigated diet-gene interaction tests, 50 (18.8%) were statistically significant, including CETP-TaqIB and ADH1C variants, which interacted with alcohol intake on CHD risk. However, interactions effects were significant only in some articles and did not agree on the direction of effects. Moreover, most of the studies that reported significant interactions lacked replication. Overall, the evidence on gene-diet interactions on CVD is limited, and lack correction for multiple testing, replication and sample size consideration.
NAPSB as a predictive marker for prognosis and therapy associated with an immuno-hot tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Ning Yu-Mei , Lin Kun , Liu Xiao-Ping , Ding Yang , Jiang Xiang , Zhang Zhang , Xuan Yu-Ting , Dong Li , Liu Lan , Wang Fan , Zhao Qiu , Wang Hai-Zhou , Fang Jun 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Background
Napsin B Aspartic Peptidase, Pseudogene (NAPSB) was associated with CD4 + T cell infiltration in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. However, the biological role of NAPSB in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains to be determined.

Methods
The expression of NAPSB in HCC as well as its clinicopathological association were analyzed using data from several public datasets. qRT-PCR was used to verify the relative expression of NAPSB in patients with HCC using the Zhongnan cohort. Kaplan–Meier analyses, and univariate and multivariate Cox regression were conducted to determine the prognosis value of NAPSB on patients with HCC. Then enrichment analyses were performed to identify the possible biological functions of NAPSB. Subsequently, the immunological characteristics of NAPSB in the HCC tumor microenvironment (TME) were demonstrated comprehensively. The role of NAPSB in predicting hot tumors and its impact on immunotherapy and chemotherapy responses was also analyzed by bioinformatics methods.

Results
NAPSB was downregulated in patients with HCC and high NAPSB expression showed an improved survival outcome. Enrichment analyses showed that NAPSB was related to immune activation. NAPSB was positively correlated with immunomodulators, tumor-infiltrating immune cells, T cell inflamed score and cancer-immunity cycle, and highly expressed in immuno-hot tumors. High expression of NAPSB was sensitive to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, possibly due to its association with pyroptosis, apoptosis and necrosis.

Conclusions
NAPSB was correlated with an immuno-hot and inflamed TME, and tumor cell death. It can be utilized as a promising predictive marker for prognosis and therapy in HCC.
Associations of BMI with all-cause mortality in normoglycemia, impaired fasting glucose and type 2 diabetes mellitus among an elderly Chinese population: a cohort study
Authors: Song Rui , Chen Xuejiao , He Kun , Hu Xueqi , Bai Kaizhi , Shi Wenlong , Shi Songhe 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Aim
To explore the associations of body mass index (BMI) and mortality among people with normal fasting glucose (NFG), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in an elderly Chinese population.

Methods
A retrospective cohort study was conducted that included 59,874 elderly people who were aged 60 and older at baseline. Data for the study came from a health check-up program in China between 2011 and 2019. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using multivariable Cox proportional hazard models of BMI categories by glycemic status.

Results
During the median of 5.96 years of follow-up, 7928 participants died (6457/49057 with NFG, 712/5898 with IFG and 759/4919 with T2DM). In adjusted Cox models, risk of mortality showed a decreasing trend with BMI < 18.5 kg/m2, 24 ≤ BMI < 28 kg/m2, and BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2 compared to 18.5 ≤ BMI < 24 kg/m2: HR (95% CI): 1.33 (1.18 to 1.49), 0.88 (0.83 to 0.93), and 0.90 (0.82 to 0.98), respectively, for NFG; 0.89 (0.55 to 1.46), 0.84 (0.71 to 0.99), and 0.88 (0.70 to 1.11), respectively, for IFG; and 1.42 (0.88 to 2.29), 0.75 (0.64 to 0.89), and 0.76 (0.62 to 0.93), respectively, for T2DM. There were curvilinear-shaped associations between BMI and mortality in the NFG and T2DM groups (P overall < 0.001 and P overall < 0.001, respectively; P nonlinearity < 0.001 and P nonlinearity = 0.027, respectively) and no significantly association between BMI and all-cause mortality was observed in the IFG group (P overall = 0.170).

Conclusion
High BMI compared to normal BMI was associated with decreased mortality, especially in the old populations with NFG and T2DM. Future studies are needed to explain the obesity paradox in elderly patients with T2DM.
Duration of skin-to-skin care and rectal temperatures in late preterm and term infants
Authors: Kardum Darjan , Bell Edward F. , Grčić Boris Filipović , Müller Andrijana 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Background
Hypothermia during the newborn period is widely regarded as a major contributory cause of significant morbidity and mortality of newborn infants. Thermoprotective behaviours such as skin-to-skin care (SSC) or the use of appropriate devices have been recommended as simple tools for the avoidance of neonatal hypothermia. We examined the relation between the duration of skin-to-skin care and infant temperature change after birth in suboptimal delivery room temperatures.

Methods
We reviewed the medical charts of all vaginally born infants of gestational age ≥ 35 weeks born January-July 2018 and admitted to the well-baby nursery. After SSC was discontinued, the infant’s rectal temperature was measured to determine the frequency and severity of hypothermia.

Results
The charts of 688 vaginally born infants were examined. Our mean delivery room temperature was 21.7 (SD 2.2) °C, well below the WHO recommendation of 25 °C. After SSC 347 (50.4%) infants were normothermic (temperature 36.5–37.5 °C), 262 (38.0%) were mildly hypothermic (36.0-36.4 °C), and 79 (11.4%) were moderately hypothermic (32.0-35.9 °C). The mean skin-to-skin time in infants was 63.9 (SD 20.9) minutes. SSC duration was associated with increase in rectal temperature for patients of gestational ages ≥ 38 weeks and with decrease in rectal temperature in patients of gestational age < 38 weeks.

Conclusion
SSC is effective, even at suboptimal delivery room temperatures, for promoting normothermia in infants of ≥ 38 weeks’ gestation but may not provide adequate warmth for infants of < 38 weeks.
Corneal epithelial remodeling after femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis combined with intraoperative accelerated corneal collagen crosslinking for myopia: a retrospective study
Authors: Piao Junjie , Wang Shen , Tao Ye , Zhou Yue Hua , Li Ying 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Background
This study analyzed regional corneal thickness remodeling, biomechanical properties, and visual outcomes after femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis combined with intraoperative accelerated corneal collagen crosslinking (LASIK Xtra) for myopia.

Methods
This retrospective study analyzed 21 consecutive patients (18 women, three men; 42 eyes) who were treated with LASIK Xtra. All treatments were performed with ultraviolet-A (energy, 2.7 J/cm2; irradiance, 30 mW/cm2), using continuous (90 s) illumination. Postoperative values of corneal biometrics and visual outcomes were compared with preoperative values. Corneal thickness changes were evaluated using anterior segment optical coherence tomography. All patients were followed up for 12-month postoperatively. Preoperative and postoperative data were compared statistically using the paired t-test for normally distributed parameters and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Friedman analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction for non-normally distributed data.

Results
Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) significantly improved at 6-month after surgery (P < 0.001). The central and inner regional corneal epithelial thickness significantly increased after LASIK Xtra (P < 0.05 for all), while the peripheral corneal epithelial thickness remained stable at 12-month after surgery. There was also a statistically significant decreased in the stromal thickness at most locations (P < 0.05 for all), except in the outer superior and outer superior-temporal regions.

Conclusions
LASIK Xtra provided improvement in UDVA, corneal curvature, and corneal biomechanical stability. Because the results of this retrospective study results depended on the cohort members’ past information, it was inferred and confirmed that regular corneal thickness remodeling occurred after treatment.
Measuring anxiety and fear of Covid-19 among older people: psychometric properties of anxiety and fear of Covid-19 scale (AMICO) in Spain
Authors: Vélez-Morón Aurora , Andújar-Barroso Rafael T. , Allande-Cussó Regina , García-Iglesias Juan Jesús , Aquino-Cárdenas Gregoria , Gómez-Salgado Juan 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Background
The elderly population has proven to be a particularly vulnerable group with regard to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to study the psychometric properties of the Ansiedad y MIedo a Covid-19 scale (AMICO) on a population-based sample of elderly people.

Methods
A descriptive and psychometric cross-sectional study, based on questionnaires, was carried out. An exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was performed, as well as a bivariate analysis between the different sociodemographic variables with respect to the total scale score.

Results
A sample of 720 adults over 65 years of age was obtained, 52.2% of whom were women. The structure of the factor of the scale showed two factors (fear and anxiety) and was confirmed with good fit parameters. The overall reliability of the scale in terms of internal consistency was α = 0.94.

Conclusions
The AMICO scale is a valid and reliable instrument to measure anxiety and fear of COVID-19 in the Spanish population over 65 years of age. Women and subjects with a partner showed the highest values of fear and anxiety.