bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sulphenylation of CypD at Cysteine 104: A Novel Mechanism by Which SO2 Inhibits Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis
Authors: Lv Boyang , Peng Hanlin , Qiu Bingquan , Zhang Lulu , Ge Mei , Bu Dingfang , Li Kun , Yu Xiaoqi , Du Jiantong , Yang Liu , Tang Chaoshu , Huang Yaqian , Du Junbao , Jin Hongfang 
Published: January 2022

Objectives: The study was designed to explore the role of endogenous gaseous signaling molecule sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the control of cardiomyocyte apoptosis and its molecular mechanisms.Methods: Neonatal mouse cardiac myocytes (NMCMs) and H9c2 cells were used in the cell experiments. The endogenous SO2 pathway including SO2 level and the expression of SO2-generating enzyme aspartate aminotransferase 1/2 (AAT1/2) were detected in NMCMs. The apoptosis of cardiomyocytes was examined by a TUNEL assay. The cleavage and the activity of apoptotic proteins caspase9 and caspase3 were measured. The content of ATP, the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), and the cytochrome c (cytc) leakage were detected by immunofluorescence. The sulphenylation of cyclophilin-D (CypD) was detected by biotin switch analysis. The four CypD mutant plasmids in which cysteine sites were mutated to serine were constructed to identify the SO2-affected site in vitro.Results: ISO down-regulated the endogenous SO2/AAT pathway of cardiomyocytes in association with a significant increase in cardiomyocyte apoptosis, demonstrated by the increases in apoptosis, cleaved-caspase3/caspase3 ratio, and caspase3 activity. Furthermore, ISO significantly reduced ATP production in H9c2 cells, but the supplement of SO2 significantly restored the content of ATP. ISO stimulated mPTP opening, resulting in an increase in the release of cytc, which further increased the ratio of cleaved caspase9/caspase9 and enhanced the protein activity of caspase9. While, the supplementation of SO2 reversed the above effects. Mechanistically, SO2 did not affect CypD protein expression, but sulphenylated CypD and inhibited mPTP opening, resulting in an inhibition of cardiomyocyte apoptosis. The C104S mutation in CypD abolished SO2-induced sulphenylation of CypD, and thereby blocked the inhibitory effect of SO2 on the mPTP opening and cardiomyocyte apoptosis.Conclusion: Endogenous SO2 sulphenylated CypD at Cys104 to inhibit mPTP opening, and thus protected against cardiomyocyte apoptosis.
Infrared Spectroscopic Evidence of WS2 Morphology Change With Citric Acid Addition and Sulfidation Temperature
Authors: Zavala-Sanchez Luz A. , Maugé Françoise , Portier Xavier , Oliviero Laetitia 
Published: January 2022

MS2 morphology is strongly influenced by several parameters including the addition of a chelating agent and sulfidation temperature. In this work, we report the use of citric acid as chelating agent in order to prepare a series of WS2/Al2O3 catalysts that were submitted to sulfidation at several temperatures. The effect of these two parameters in the morphology of the slabs was explored by means of CO adsorption at low temperature followed by IR spectroscopy (IR/CO) and later confirmed by High-Resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy coupled with High Angular Annular Dark Field detector (HR STEM - HAADF). This allowed to depict the morphology of WS2 slabs by means of calculating the M-edge/S-edge site ratio. The use of citric acid in the preparation stage favors the increase of S-edge site concentration whereas it keeps that of M-edge sites: according to IR/CO, with an increasing amount of citric acid, the WS2 morphology progressively changes from a slightly truncated triangle exhibiting predominantly M edges to a hexagon with both M edge and S edge. In addition, HR STEM-HAADF demonstrated that the addition of citric acid in the impregnation step of W catalysts considerably reduces the size of WS2 nanoparticles increasing their dispersion degree. The morphology of the WS2 plates on the activated WS2/Al2O3 catalyst with a typical sulfidation temperature range (573–673 K) was detected to be a truncated triangle exposing both the M-edge and the S-edge. Furthermore, the IR/CO results indicate that the degree of truncation (ratio of S-edge/M-edge) of WS2 slabs gradually rises with the increasing sulfidation temperature. However, the most determining factor for a modification of the morphology of the slabs turns out to be the presence of citric acid as a chelating agent and not the sulfidation temperature. This change in morphology (i.e., change of S-edge/M-edge ratio) is a key factor for catalytic performance, since the M-edge and the S-edge show different reactivity in hydrodesulfurization (HDS) reactions. Notably, it was also found that the addition of citric acid not only improves the catalytic activity but also the stability of the catalysts, giving the best performance in concentrations higher than (CA/W = 1).
Microstructural Mapping of Arctica islandica Shells Reveals Environmental and Physiological Controls on Biomineral Size
Authors: Höche Nils , Walliser Eric O. , Schöne Bernd R. 
Published: January 2022

The shells of long-lived bivalves record environmental variability in their geochemical signatures and are thus used extensively in marine high-resolution paleoclimate studies. To possibly overcome the limitations of the commonly employed temperature proxy, the δ18Oshell value, which requires knowledge of the seawater δ18O signature and is prone to diagenetic overprint, the shell microstructures and the morphological properties of individual biomineral units (BMUs) recently attracted research interest as an alternative paleoclimate proxy. In shells of A. islandica, one of the most extensively used and best studied sclerochronological archives, the size of the BMUs increases in warmer temperatures under laboratory circumstances. This study assesses whether this relationship persists under natural growth conditions or whether additional environmental and physiological factors control the BMU size and bias temperature reconstructions. For this purpose, shells from the surface waters of NE Iceland and the Baltic Sea, as well as from deeper waters of the North Sea (100 and 243 m) were analyzed by means of SEM. The BMU sizes were measured by means of image processing software. Results demonstrate a strong effect of temperature on the BMU size at NE Iceland and in the North Sea at 100 m depth. At 243 m depth, however, temperature variability was likely too low (1.2°C) to evoke a microstructural change. At the Baltic Sea, the BMUs remained small, possibly due to physiological stress induced by low salinity and/or hypoxia. Thus, the size of BMUs of A. islandica shells only serves as a relative temperature indicator in fully marine habitats, as long as seasonal temperature amplitudes exceed ca. 1°C. Furthermore, BMU size varied through lifetime with the largest units occurring during age seven to nine. This pattern is possibly linked to the shell growth rate or to the amount of metabolic energy invested in shell growth.
Cancer-Specific Survival Outcome in Early-Stage Young Breast Cancer: Evidence From the SEER Database Analysis
Authors: Liu Rui , Xiao Zhesi , Hu Daixing , Luo Haojun , Yin Guobing , Feng Yang , Min Yu 
Published: January 2022

BackgroundYoung women with breast cancer are determined to present poorer survival compare with elderly patients. Therefore, identifying the clinical prognostic factors in young women with early-stage (T1-2N0-1M0) breast cancer is pivotal for surgeons to make better postoperative management.MethodsThe clinicopathological characteristics of female patients with early-stage breast cancer from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program between Jan 2010 and Dec 2015 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to determine the potential risk factors of cancer-specific survival in young women with early-stage breast cancer. The nomogram was constructed and further evaluated by an internal validation cohort. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to estimate cancer-specific survival probability and the cumulative incidence.ResultsSix variables including race, tumor location, grade, regional lymph node status, tumor subtype, and size were identified to be significantly associated with the prognosis of young women with early-stage breast cancer during the postoperative follow-up. A nomogram for predicting the 3-, 5- year cancer-specific survival probability in this subpopulation group was established with a favorable concordance index of 0.783, supported by an internal validation cohort with the AUC of 0.722 and 0.696 in 3-, 5- year cancer-specific survival probability, respectively.ConclusionsThe first predictive nomogram containing favorable discrimination is successfully established and validated for predicting the 3-, 5- year cancer-specific survival probability in young women with early-stage breast cancer during the postoperative follow-up. This model would help clinicians to make accurate treatment decisions in different clinical risk population.
WASp Deficiency Selectively Affects the TCR Diversity of Different Memory T Cell Subsets in WAS Chimeric Mice
Authors: Li Wenyan , Jia Yanjun , Wang Yanping , Zhao Qin , Yang Lu , Zeng Ting , Niu Linlin , Dai Rongxin , Li Yanan , Zhao Xiaodong , Wu Junfeng 
Published: January 2022

BackgroundThe T cell receptor (TCR) diversity is essential for effective T cell immunity. Previous studies showed that TCR diversity in Wiskott–Aldrich Syndrome (WAS) patients was severely impaired, especially in the memory T cell populations. Whether this defect was caused by intrinsic WASp deficiency or extrinsic reasons is still unclear.MethodsWe sorted different T cell subsets from the bone marrow chimeric mice model using both magnetic beads and flow cytometry. TCR repertoires of memory T cells, especially CD4+ effector memory T (TEM) cells and CD8+ central memory T (TCM) cells, were analyzed using the UMI quantitative high-throughput sequencing (HTS).ResultsAn average of 5.51 million sequencing reads of 32 samples was obtained from the Illumina sequencing platform. Bioinformatic analyses showed that compared with wild type (WT), WAS knock out (KO)-CD4+ TEM cells exhibited increased Simpson index and decreased D50 index (P &lt;0.05); The rank abundance curve of KO-CD4+ TEM cells was shorter and steeper than that of WT, and the angle of qD and q in KO-CD4+ TEM cells was lower than that of WT, while these indexes showed few changes between WT and KO chimeric mice in the CD8+TCM population. Therefore, it indicated that the restriction on the TCRVβ repertoires is majorly in KO-CD4+ TEM cells but not KO- CD8+ TCM cells. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), a comprehensive parameter for TCRVβ diversity, successfully segregated CD4+ TEM cells from WT and KO, but failed in CD8+ TCM cells. Among the total sequences of TRB, the usage of TRBV12.2, TRBV30, TRBV31, TRBV4, TRBD1, TRBD2, TRBJ1.1, and TRBJ1.4 showed a significant difference between WT-CD4+ TEM cells and KO-CD4+ TEM cells (P &lt;0.05), while in CD8+ TCM cells, only the usage of TRBV12.2 and TRBV20 showed a substantial difference between WT and KO (P &lt;0.05). No significant differences in the hydrophobicity and sequence length of TCRVβ were found between the WT and KO groups.ConclusionWASp deficiency selectively affected the TCR diversity of different memory T cell subsets, and it had more impact on the TCRVβ diversity of CD4+ TEM cells than CD8+ TCM cells. Moreover, the limitation of TCRVβ diversity of CD4+ TEM cells and CD8+ TCM cells in WAS was not severe but intrinsic.
Microwave-Assisted Green Synthesis of Pure and Mn-Doped ZnO Nanocomposites: In Vitro Antibacterial Assay and Photodegradation of Methylene Blue
Authors: Khan Sher Bahadar , Khan Muhammad Iqbal , Nisar Jamila 
Published: January 2022

This paper describes the eco-friendly microwave-assisted green synthesis of pure and manganese-doped zinc oxide nanocomposites using ethanolic solution of castor oil as a reductant and capping agent. Solutions of Zn2+ and Mn2+ ions were mixed in fixed ratios to obtain 0%, 1%, 2.5%, 5%, and 7% pure and Mn-doped ZnO nanomaterials. The obtained nanomaterials were characterized by powder XRD, FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and EDX analyses. Powder XRD furnished characteristic fragmentation patterns for the confirmation of the synthesized materials and was also used to estimate the size of the synthesized nanoparticles by Scherrer’s equation. Diffraction patterns were characteristic of wurtzite structure and of the size in the range of 6.5, 5.6, 5.2, 5.1, and 4.3 nm for pure and Mn-doped ZnO nanocomposites. UV-visible spectra displayed maximum absorbance at 340 nm, and manganese doping caused a red shift. FT-IR spectra confirmed that the formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles as Zn─O appeared at below 700 cm−1 as well as the presence of organic moieties of the castor oil acting as stabilizing agents. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) revealed all the synthesized materials were spherical in shape with some aggregation and polydispersity, and in the Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), specific peaks with characteristic patterns were seen for Zn, O, and Mn. A TEM micrograph displayed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of nanoparticles with average size less than 50 nm. Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was checked in the presence of sunlight and in darkness. Interestingly, samples placed under the solar radiation exhibited significant results only with the catalyst; all the samples used without the catalyst showed negligible degradation effects, and even the samples placed in the dark containing catalysts also displayed a negative effect. A mechanism for this significant activity is also proposed. In vitro the antibacterial potential was studied against two pathogenic strains, i.e., Streptococcus aureus and Escherichia coli; interestingly activity kept on increasing with the increasing manganese content. Overall, all the samples presented comparable activity to ciprofloxacin.
Design and Photoelectric Performance of Perfect Solar Absorber Based on GaAs Grating
Authors: Liu Bin , Wu Pinghui , Li Yan , Zhu Hongyang , Lv Li 
Published: January 2022

In recent years, solar energy has received extensive attention as a clean and renewable energy. We present a perfect broadband solar absorber based on tungsten and semiconductor GaAs in this paper. The structure of GaAs grating-GaAs film-W substrate has been proposed. And the finite time domain difference method (FDTD) has been used for the numerical simulation of the model. Broadband absorption has been realized in the 500–1,850 nm, by adjusting the parameters of geometry to excite high-efficiency surface plasmon resonance. The absorption spectrum of the structure can be changed by adjusting the geometric parameters to meet different needs. The proposed absorber has incidence insensitive (0–60°) and high short-circuit current characteristics. The structure is simple and easy to manufacture, and has superior photoelectric properties to be application in photothermal conversion, collection and utilization of solar energy.
Interstitial Lung Disease Is a Major Characteristic of Patients Who Test Positive for Anti-PM/Scl Antibody
Authors: Ge Yongpeng , Shu Xiaoming , He Linrong , Li Chunjia , Lu Xin , Wang Guochun 
Published: January 2022

ObjectiveThis study aimed to analyze the clinical features of anti-PM/Scl antibodies in Chinese patients.MethodWe reviewed the clinical data of anti-PM/Scl antibody-positive patients, including their long-term follow-up.ResultsA total of 30 patients carried anti-PM/Scl antibodies, 21 (70%) were females, and the mean age was 55.4 years, 15 (50%) and 10 (33.3%) patients were positive for anti-PM/Scl-75 and anti-PM/Scl-100, respectively. Fifteen cases (50%) were diagnosed as inflammatory myopathy, namely, 11 dermatomyositis (DM) and 4 polymyositis (PM). Five (16.7%) patients were diagnosed with overlap syndrome, and only one (3.3%) was diagnosed as systemic sclerosis. The other 9 (30%) patients were classified as undifferentiated connective tissue disease. Twenty-six (86.7%) had interstitial lung disease (ILD) and was the sole manifestation in 8 (26.7%) patients, 15 (58.0%) showed non-specific interstitial pneumonia based on high-resolution CT or lung biopsy. The majority of patients (95%) with mild and moderate groups on basis of pulmonary function tests. Compared to the anti-PM/Scl-100 group, the occurrence of clinical characteristics was not significantly different from the anti-PM/Scl-75 group, except the levels of C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in the anti-PM/Scl-75 antibody-positive group were higher (p &lt; 0.05). All patients with positive Ro-52 antibodies had ILD and were more likely to develop skin rash in the group with Ro-52 (p = 0.024). With a follow-up of the present cohort, 70.8% improved with treatment, but 16.7% of patients are easy to relapse.ConclusionThe anti-PM/Scl antibody occurred frequently in DM/PM patients, ILD was the major clinical feature, especially in patients combined with Ro-52. Some patients may complicate with ILD alone without extrapulmonary manifestations. Anti-PM/Scl antibodies positive patients were responsive to treatment.
Analysis of Internal and External Microorganism Community of Wild Cicada Flowers and Identification of the Predominant Cordyceps cicadae Fungus
Authors: Huang Ailin , Wu Tao , Wu Xiuyun , Zhang Biao , Shen Yuanyuan , Wang Suying , Song Wenjun , Ruan Haihua 
Published: January 2022

Graphical AbstractBrief strategy for wild cicada flowers internal and external microorganism community analysis and its applications.
Haemophilus pittmaniae and Leptotrichia spp. Constitute a Multi-Marker Signature in a Cohort of Human Papillomavirus-Positive Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Authors: Mougeot Jean-Luc C. , Beckman Micaela F. , Langdon Holden C. , Lalla Rajesh V. , Brennan Michael T. , Bahrani Mougeot Farah K. 
Published: January 2022

ObjectivesHuman papillomavirus (HPV) is a known etiological factor of oropharyngeal head and neck cancer (HNC). HPV positivity and periodontal disease have been associated with higher HNC risk, suggesting a role for oral bacterial species. Our objective was to determine oral microbiome profiles in HNC patients (HPV-positive and HPV-negative) and in healthy controls (HC).MethodsSaliva samples and swabs of buccal mucosa, supragingival plaque, and tongue were collected from HNC patients (N = 23 patients, n = 92 samples) before cancer therapy. Next-generation sequencing (16S-rRNA gene V3–V4 region) was used to determine bacterial taxa relative abundance (RA). β-Diversities of HNC HPV+ (N = 16 patients, n = 64 samples) and HNC HPV– (N = 7 patients, n = 28 samples) groups were compared using PERMANOVA (pMonte Carlo &lt; 0.05). LEfSe discriminant analysis was performed to identify differentiating taxa (Log LDA &gt; 2.0). RA differences were analyzed by Mann–Whitney U-test (α = 0.05). CombiROC program was used to determine multi-marker bacterial signatures. The Microbial Interaction Network Database (MIND) and LitSuggest online tools were used for complementary analyses.ResultsHNC vs. HC and HNC HPV+ vs. HNC HPV– β-diversities differed significantly (pMonte Carlo &lt; 0.05). Streptococcus was the most abundant genus for HNC and HC groups, while Rothia mucilaginosa and Haemophilus parainfluenzae were the most abundant species in HNC and HC patients, respectively, regardless of antibiotics treatment. LEfSe analysis identified 43 and 44 distinctive species for HNC HPV+ and HNC HPV– groups, respectively. In HNC HPV+ group, 26 periodontal disease-associated species identified by LefSe had a higher average RA compared to HNC HPV– group. The significant species included Alloprevotella tannerae, Fusobacterium periodonticum, Haemophilus pittmaniae, Lachnoanaerobaulum orale, and Leptotrichia spp. (Mann–Whitney U-test, p &lt; 0.05). Of 43 LEfSe-identified species in HPV+ group, 31 had a higher RA compared to HPV– group (Mann–Whitney U-test, p &lt; 0.05). MIND analysis confirmed interactions between Haemophilus and Leptotrichia spp., representing a multi-marker signature per CombiROC analysis [area under the curve (AUC) &gt; 0.9]. LitSuggest correctly classified 15 articles relevant to oral microbiome and HPV status.ConclusionOral microbiome profiles of HNC HPV+ and HNC HPV– patients differed significantly regarding periodontal-associated species. Our results suggest that oral bacterial species (e.g., Leptotrichia spp.), possessing unique niches and invasive properties, coexist with HPV within HPV-induced oral lesions in HNC patients. Further investigation into host–microbe interactions in HPV-positive HNC patients may shed light into cancer development.
A Nomogram for Predicting the Risk of Radiotherapy-Related Esophageal Fistula in Esophageal Cancer Patients
Authors: Gui Zhongxuan , Liu Huiquan , Shi Weijiong , Xu Yuechen , Qian Han , Wang Fan 
Published: January 2022

BackgroundTo construct and validate a nomogram for predicting the risk of esophageal fistula in esophageal cancer patients receiving radiotherapy.MethodsA retrospective nested case–control study was performed, in which a total of 81 esophageal fistula patients and 243 controls from 2014 to 2020 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were enrolled. Factors included in the nomogram were determined by univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis. The following methods including ROC curve, C-index, calibration curves, Brier score, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were adopted to evaluate this nomogram.ResultsMultivariate logistic regression analysis showed that T4 stage, level 4 stenosis, ulcerative esophageal cancer, prealbumin, and maximum diameters of GTV and NLR were the independent risk factors of esophageal fistula. Accordingly, a nomogram incorporating the aforementioned six parameters was constructed. The AUC was 0.848 (95% CI 0.901–0.895), indicating a high prediction accuracy of this nomogram. Further evaluation of this model showed that the C-index was 0.847, while the bias-corrected C-index after internal validation was 0.833. The Brier score was 0.127. The calibration curves presented good concordance, and the DCA revealed promising clinical application.ConclusionsThe nomogram presents accurate and applicable prediction for the esophageal fistula risk in esophageal cancer patients receiving radiotherapy.