bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrocardiographic characteristics and ablation of ventricular arrhythmias originating from the basal inferoseptal area
Authors: Larsen Timothy R , Shepard Richard K , Koneru Jayanthi N , Cabrera José-Angel , Ellenbogen Kenneth A , Padala Santosh K
Published: July 2021

Aims 

Ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) from the basal inferoseptal (BIS) area are rare and can pose unique challenges during catheter ablation (CA) due to the anatomic complexity. The study sought to describe the electrocardiographic and clinical characteristics of VAs originating from the BIS area.

Methods and results 

Patients with VAs and successful ablation at the BIS area from 2016 to 2020 were included. The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), intracardiac findings, and outcomes were analysed. Of 482 patients with VAs referred for CA, 17 (3.5%) had successful ablation at BIS area. There were 12 males, mean age was 66.7 ± 9 years, 82% had ejection fraction <50%. Mean baseline premature ventricular complex burden was 28.6 ± 9%. All patients had a leftward superior axis. Left bundle branch block (LBBB) with early transition in V2 was noted in eight patients and right bundle branch block (RBBB) in nine patients. Detailed mapping of the right ventricle (RV) was performed in 15 patients (88%), coronary sinus (CS)/middle cardiac vein (MCV) in 13 (76%), right atrium (RA) adjacent to the inferoseptal process (ISP) of left ventricle (LV) in 5 (29%), ISP-LV in 13 (76%), and epicardium in 2 (12%). Successful ablation site was in LV in 10 (59%), RV in 2 (12%), CS/MCV in 1 (6%), RA in 1 (6%), and epicardium in 2 (12%). Fifteen patients (88%) required mapping in at least two chambers (range 2–5) and seven patients (41%) required ablation in at least two chambers (range 2–3).

Conclusions 

Ventricular arrhythmias originating in the BIS are uncommon. The most common ECG patterns were leftward superior axis, LBBB with transition in V2 or RBBB. The VA foci can be endocardial or epicardial and meticulous mapping/ablation from multiple chambers is often required to eliminate these foci successfully.
Draft genome assembly of the Aral barbell Luciobarbus brachycephalus using PacBio sequencing
Authors: Geng Longwu , Zou Ming , Jiang Haifeng , Meng Minghui , Xu Wei
Published: July 2021

The endangered Aral barbell Luciobarbus brachycephalus is endemic to the water systems of the Caspian Sea and Aral Sea. Given the scarcity of genetic data for the species, we present a draft assembly based on PacBio long read sequencing technology. Approximate 299.4 Gb of long reads representing 166X of the estimated genome size were generated, and the final assembly was composed of 653 contigs totaling approximately 1,698.3 Mb, with a contig N50 length of 4.5 Mb. A total of 807.6 Mb represented approximately 47.6% of the assembly and were identified as repeats. Fifty-four thousand and six hundred possible protein genes were predicted, among which 50,727, representing approximately 92.9%, could be annotated by at least one database. Evolutionary analysis showed that L. brachycephalus and Labeo rohita diverged by approximately 42.6 Mya, and the obvious expansion of gene families residing in the L. brachycephalus genome may be attributed to the specific whole genome duplication of the species. The first genome assembly of L. brachycephalus can not only provide a foundation for genetic conservation and molecular breeding of this species but also contribute to comparative analyses of genome biology and evolution within Cyprinidae.
Surviving Older Patients Show Preserved Cellular and Humoral Immunological Memory Several Months After SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: García-Torre Alejandra , Bueno-García Eva , López-Martínez Rocío , Rioseras Beatriz , Moro-García Marco Antonio , Alonso-Alvarez Sara , Lluna-González Alba , Sousa-Fernández Alejandra , Fernández-Gudin Marta , Campos-Riopedre Laura , Castro-del Cueto Corina , Pérez-Fernández Ana Belén , Alonso-Rodríguez Ana , Menéndez-Peña Carla , Menéndez-Peña Lara , García-Arnaldo Noelia , Feito-Díaz Estefanía , Fernández-Lorences Adriana , Fraile-Manzano Agustín , Fernández-Iglesias Carolina , Rivera José Arturo , Pérez-Fonseca Carmen , Urdiales-Ruano Estibaliz , Debán-Fernández María , Mendes-Moreira Hugo , Herrero-Puente Pablo , Alonso-Arias Rebeca
Published: July 2021

Understanding how older people respond to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical if we are to confront the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and establish effective vaccination strategies. Immunosenescence reduces the ability to respond to neoantigens and may compromise the life of infected individuals. Here, we analyzed the immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 in 102 recovered patients aged over 60 years several months after the infection had been resolved. Specific memory T lymphocytes against the virus were measured by interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and granzyme B release by ELISpot; memory B-lymphocyte responses were quantified by detection of anti-S IgG1 producer cells by ELISpot and anti-S and anti-N antibodies were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Memory T lymphocytes were found in peripheral blood of most of the studied donors, more than 7 months after the infection in some of them. Fewer patients maintained memory B lymphocytes, but antibodies, mainly anti-S, were highly durable and positively correlated with T responses. More robust humoral responses were found in patients who had more severe symptoms and had been admitted to hospital. We concluded that specific immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is effectively preserved regardless of age, despite the great heterogeneity of their immune responses, and that memory T lymphocytes and anti-S IgG might be more durable than memory B cells and anti-N IgG.
Stated job preferences of three health worker cadres in Ethiopia: a discrete choice experiment
Authors: Lamba Shyam , Arora Nikita , Keraga Dorka Woldesenbet , Kiflie Abiyou , Jembere Birkety Mengistu , Berhanu Della , Dubale Mehret , Marchant Tanya , Schellenberg Joanna , Umar Nasir , Estafinos Abiy Seifu , Quaife Matthew
Published: July 2021

Attracting, training and retaining high-quality health workers are critical for a health system to function well, and it is important to know what health workers value in their roles. Many studies eliciting the labour market preferences of health workers have interviewed doctors or medical students, and there has been little research on the job preferences of lower-skilled cadres such as community health workers, mid-skilled clinical care staff such as nurses and midwives, or non-patient facing staff who manage health facilities. This study estimated the job preferences of public health sector community health extension workers (HEWs), care providers including nurses and midwives, and non-patient-facing administrative and managerial staff in Ethiopia. We used a discrete choice experiment to estimate which aspects of a job are most influential to health worker choices. A multinomial logistic regression model estimated the importance of six attributes to respondents: salary, training, workload, facility quality, management and opportunities to improve patient outcomes. We found that non-financial factors were important to respondents from all three cadres: e.g., supportive management [odds ratio (OR) = 2.96, P-value = 0.001] was the only attribute that influenced the job choices of non-patient-facing administrative and managerial staff. Training opportunities (OR = 3.45, P-value < 0.001), supportive management (OR = 3.26, P-value < 0.001) and good facility quality (OR = 2.42, P-value < 0.001) were valued the most amongst HEWs. Similarly, supportive management (OR = 3.22, P-value < 0.001), good facility quality (OR = 2.69, P-value < 0.001) and training opportunities (OR = 2.67, P-value < 0.001) influenced the job choices of care providers the most. Earning an average salary also influenced the jobs choices of HEWs (OR = 1.43, P-value = 0.02) and care providers (OR = 2.00, P-value < 0.001), which shows that a combination of financial and non-financial incentives should be considered to motivate health workers in Ethiopia.
Effects of a new health financing scheme on out-of-pocket health expenditure: findings from a longitudinal household study in Yangon, Myanmar
Authors: Thein Si Thu , Thet May Me , Aung Ye Kyaw
Published: July 2021

Since 2017, Population Services International Myanmar (PSI/Myanmar) has been running Strategic Purchasing (SP) clinics in Hlegu and Shwepyithar townships in Yangon, Myanmar. In the project, Population Services International Myanmar simulated the role of a purchaser and contracted SP clinics through a capitation payment scheme. The project aimed to reduce the health-related financial burden of poor populations in the catchment area, by having them registered under respective SP clinics for access to a package of essential health services for a minimal fixed co-payment, as a replacement for usual fee-for-service payments. Four longitudinal surveys of households registered under SP clinics were conducted in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Among 2506 registered households, 867 households sought some health care in all surveys, resulting in 3468 observations. Multivariable linear mixed-effect regression model was used to analyse the changes in out-of-pocket expenditure for health care in relation to household capacity to pay (OOPCTP). The utilization of SP clinics increased over time, and the rates were much higher in Hlegu (20.5% in baseline to 61.9% in round three) compared with those in Shwepyithar (0.2 to 7.9%). Compared with the baseline assessment, household OOPCTP decreased significantly during and after the implementation (0.76 times in round one, 0.80 in round two and 0.82 in round three; P < 0.001). Households in Shwepyithar with less utilization of SP clinics had 1.8 times higher OOPCTP compared with those in Hlegu (1.82, 95% CI 1.58, 2.09; P < 0.001). Household direct expenditures on care-seeking and family planning were up to 50% lower among those who used SP clinics. Our study highlighted that capitation-based health financing schemes could successfully lower out-of-pocket health expenditures among the poor. Optimal utilization of services was paramount in the successful implementation of such programmes. Therefore, for the effective scale-up of new health financing schemes, service utilization rates should be carefully monitored as one of the critical indicators.
The Promise of Patient-Derived Colon Organoids to Model Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Ojo Babajide A , VanDussen Kelli L , Rosen Michael J
Published: July 2021

Physiologic, molecular, and genetic findings all point to impaired intestinal epithelial function as a key element in the multifactorial pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC). The lack of epithelial-directed therapies is a conspicuous weakness of our UC therapeutic armamentarium. However, a critical barrier to new drug discovery is the lack of preclinical human models of UC. Patient tissue–derived colon epithelial organoids (colonoids) are primary epithelial stem cell–derived in vitro structures capable of self-organization and self-renewal that hold great promise as a human preclinical model for UC drug development. Several single and multi-tissue systems for colonoid culture have been developed, including 3-dimensional colonoids grown in a gelatinous extracellular matrix, 2-dimensional polarized monolayers, and colonoids on a chip that model luminal and blood flow and nutrient delivery. A small number of pioneering studies suggest that colonoids derived from UC patients retain some disease-related transcriptional and epigenetic changes, but they also raise questions regarding the persistence of inflammatory transcriptional programs in culture over time. Additional research is needed to fully characterize the extent to which and under what conditions colonoids accurately model disease-associated epithelial molecular and functional aberrations. With further advancement and standardization of colonoid culture methodology, colonoids will likely become an important tool for realizing precision medicine in UC.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices of healthcare professionals regarding drug–food interactions: a scoping review
Authors: Osuala Emmanuella Chinonso , Ojewole Elizabeth Bolanle
Published: July 2021

Objectives

Drug–food interactions (DFIs) are a problem in clinical practice as they can alter the bioavailability of drugs and nutrients and may lead to various adverse effects. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) play a significant role in counselling patients and preventing these interactions. Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) regarding DFIs are, therefore, vital to ensure that they carry out their role efficiently. This review maps evidence on KAPs of HCPs regarding DFIs and highlights gaps for further research.

Methods

A systematic literature search for the period from 1990 to 2018 was done using Google Scholar, PubMed and ScienceDirect. Keywords such as ‘knowledge, attitudes, practices, healthcare professionals, drug-food interactions’ in combination with the Boolean operator (AND) were used. Articles published only in English that described KAPs of HCPs relating to DFIs were included.

Key findings

Twelve studies were included in this review. Inadequate knowledge was observed among the HCPs as they were unable to identify important DFIs. The HCPs had a positive attitude towards acquiring knowledge, reporting and counselling patients on DFIs. Most of the medical residents felt that they were inadequately trained on DFIs and over half believed that DFIs were only slightly important in clinical practice.

Conclusion

Deficits exist in the KAPs of HCPs regarding DFIs. An educational intervention targeting HCPs is recommended. Further research assessing the KAPs of the HCPs is required as the small number of studies conducted was a limitation.
Are the Healthy Vulnerable? Cytomegalovirus Seropositivity in Healthy Adults Is Associated With Accelerated Epigenetic Age and Immune Dysregulation
Authors: Poloni Chad , Szyf Moshe , Cheishvili David , Tsoukas Christos M
Published: July 2021

Background

Evaluating age as a risk factor for susceptibility to infectious diseases, particularly coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is critical. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) serologic prevalence increases with age and associates with inflammatory-mediated diseases in the elderly. However, little is known regarding the subclinical impact of CMV and risk it poses to healthy older adults. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic we conducted a study to determine the association of CMV to biologic age and immune dysregulation.

Methods

Community-dwelling, healthy adults older than 60 years were evaluated using DNA methylation assays to define epigenetic age (EpiAge) and T-cell immunophenotyping to assess immune dysregulation.

Results

All subjects were healthy and asymptomatic. Those CMV seropositive had more lymphocytes, CD8 T cells, CD28− T cells, decreased CD4:CD8 cell ratios, and had higher average EpiAge (65.34 years) than those CMV seronegative (59.53 years). Decreased percent CD4 (P = .003) and numbers of CD4 T cells (P = .0199) correlated with increased EpiAge.

Conclusions

Our novel findings distinguish altered immunity in the elderly based on CMV status. Chronic CMV infection in healthy, older adults is associated with indicators of immune dysregulation, both of which correlate to differences in EpiAge.
Pitfalls in genotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing caused by low expression of blaKPC in Escherichia coli
Authors: Kocer Kaan , Klein Sabrina , Hildebrand Dagmar , Krall Johannes , Heeg Klaus , Boutin Sébastien , Nurjadi Dennis
Published: July 2021

Background

There is a growing interest in the rapid genotypic identification of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In routine diagnostics, we detected multiple KPC-positive Escherichia coli (KPC-Ec) with discordant phenotypic meropenem susceptibility from a single patient’s blood cultures, which prompted a more thorough investigation.

Objectives

We investigated the potential clinical relevance of, and the mechanism behind, discordant phenotypic and genotypic meropenem susceptibility in KPC-Ec.

Methods

WGS was used to perform a comparative analysis of the isolates’ genetic characteristics and their blaKPC-2 locus. Expression of blaKPC-2 was determined by quantitative PCR and the potency of meropenem hydrolysis was determined using a semi-quantitative carbapenem inactivation method. An in vivo infection assay using Galleria mellonella was performed to assess the potential clinical relevance of KPC expression in E. coli.

Results

Despite the presence of blaKPC-2, three of five isolates were susceptible to meropenem (MICVITEK2 ≤ 0.25 mg/L), while two isolates were resistant (MICVITEK2 ≥ 16 mg/L). The isolates with high MICs had significantly higher blaKPC-2 expression, which corresponds to phenotypic meropenem inactivation. The genetic environment of blaKPC-2, which may impact KPC production, was identical in all isolates. In vivo infection assay with G. mellonella suggested that meropenem was effective in reducing mortality following infection with low-expressing KPC-Ec.

Conclusions

Our findings clearly highlight a limitation of genotypic AMR prediction for blaKPC. For the time being, genotypic AMR prediction requires additional analysis for accurate antibiotic therapy decision-making.
Kolaflavanone, a biflavonoid derived from medicinal plantGarcinia, is an inhibitor of mitotic kinesin Eg5
Authors: Alrazi Islam M D , Ogunwa Tomisin H , Kolawole Ayodele O , Elekofehinti Olusola O , Omotuyi Olaposi I , Miyanishi Takayuki , Maruta Shinsaku
Published: July 2021

Mitotic kinesin Eg5 remains a validated target in antimitotic therapy because of its essential role in the formation and maintenance of bipolar mitotic spindles. Although numerous Eg5 inhibitors of synthetic origin are known, only a few inhibitors derived from natural products have been reported. In our study, we focused on identifying novel Eg5 inhibitors from medicinal plants, particularly Garcinia species. Herein, we report the inhibitory effect of kolaflavanone (KLF), a Garcinia biflavonoid, on the ATPase and microtubule-gliding activities of mitotic kinesin Eg5. Additionally, we showed the interaction mechanism between Eg5 and KLF via in vitro and in silico analyses. The results revealed that KLF inhibited both the basal and microtubule-activated ATPase activities of Eg5. The inhibitory mechanism is allosteric, without a direct competition with adenosine-5′-diphosphate for the nucleotide-binding site. KLF also suppressed the microtubule gliding of Eg5 in vitro. The Eg5–KLF model obtained from molecular docking showed that the biflavonoid exists within the α2/α3/L5 (α2: Lys111–Glu116 and Ile135–Asp149, α3: Asn206–Thr226; L5: Gly117–Gly134) pocket, with a binding pose comparable to known Eg5 inhibitors. Overall, our data suggest that KLF is a novel allosteric inhibitor of mitotic kinesin Eg5.
Visualization of the Nipple in Profile: Does It Really Affect Selected Outcomes in Organized Mammographic Screening?
Authors: Holen Åsne S , Larsen Marthe , Moshina Nataliia , Wåade Gunvor G , Sechopoulos Ioannis , Hanestad Berit , Tøsdal Linn , Hofvind Solveig
Published: July 2021

Objective

To investigate whether having the nipple imaged in profile was associated with breast characteristics or compression parameters, and whether it affected selected outcomes in screening with standard digital mammography or digital breast tomosynthesis.

Methods

In this IRB-approved retrospective study, results from 87 450 examinations (174 900 breasts) performed as part of BreastScreen Norway, 2016–2019, were compared by nipple in profile status and screening technique using descriptive statistics and generalized estimating equations. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated for outcomes of interest, including age, breast volume, volumetric breast density, and compression force as covariates.

Results

Achieving the nipple in profile versus not in profile was associated with lower breast volume (845.1 cm3 versus 1059.9 cm3, P < 0.01) and higher mammographic density (5.6% versus 4.4%, P < 0.01). Lower compression force and higher compression pressure were applied to breasts with the nipple in profile (106.6 N and 11.5 kPa) compared to the nipple not in profile (110.8 N and 10.5 kPa, P < 0.01 for both). The adjusted odds ratio was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.88–1.02; P = 0.15) for recall and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.77–1.10; P = 0.36) for screen-detected cancer for nipple in profile versus not in profile.

Conclusion

Breast characteristics and compression parameters might hamper imaging of the nipple in profile. However, whether the nipple was in profile or not on the screening mammograms did not influence the odds of recall or screen-detected cancer, regardless of screening technique.
The Effect of Patent Litigation Insurance: Theory and Evidence from NPEs
Authors: Ganglmair Bernhard , Helmers Christian , Love Brian J
Published: July 2021

We analyze the extent to which private defensive litigation insurance deters patent assertion by non-practicing entities (NPEs). We study the effect that a patent-specific defensive insurance product, offered by a leading litigation insurer, had on the litigation behavior of insured patents’ owners, all of which are NPEs. We first model the impact of defensive litigation insurance on the behavior of patent enforcers and accused infringers. We show that the availability of defensive litigation insurance can have an effect on how often patent enforcers will assert their patents. We confirm this result empirically showing that the insurance policy had a large, negative effect on the likelihood that a patent included in the policy was subsequently asserted relative to other patents held by the same NPEs and relative to patents held by other NPEs with portfolios that were entirely excluded from the insurance product. Our findings suggest that market-based mechanisms can deter so-called “patent trolling.” (JEL: G22, K41, O34)
Comparing Systemic and Individual Sources of Racially Disparate Traffic Stop Outcomes
Authors: Shoub Kelsey
Published: July 2021

The deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor brought discussions of race and policing to the forefront in the summer of 2020 in the United States, spurring protests and calls for policing reform. However, enacting successful reforms curtailing racially biased policing requires understanding whether bias is widespread, likely tied to systemic sources, or the work of a few racist officers. This study elaborates on these perspectives by drawing on theories of systemic and individual bias that may arise when bureaucrats have ample discretion. Using millions of traffic stops, I construct two measures to evaluate whether disparities are widespread—as indicated by the first perspective—or confined to a few officers—as suggested by the second. This study finds widespread racial disparities in who is searched following a traffic stop and that banning consent searches would alter policing patterns more than eliminating outlier officers in a set of paired t-tests.
Effects of the hummock–depression microhabitat on plant communities of alpine marshy meadows in the Yellow River Source Zone, China
Authors: Wu Guiling , Gao Jay , Ou Weiyou , Wan Jizhong , Li Xilai
Published: July 2021

Our objectives are to examine the effects of hummock–depression spatial heterogeneity on plant communities and soil properties, and to understand the process of maintaining and adjusting microtopography-mediated hydrological inputs and their spatial fluctuations that produce obvious microhabitats. We set up 36 plots (1 m × 1 m) and sampled 45 plant and 225 soil samples in flooded (FH) and non-flooded hummocks (NFH) and depressions of the marshy, and the surrounding non-wetland meadows as well as in the Yellow River Source Zone, west China. We evaluated whether the alpine marshy wetland has a fertile island effect by the comparison method. Our results show that hummock presence can increase the spatial heterogeneity of the microhabitat and promote the plant diversity and soil fertility of the Kobresia tibetica community. Plant height, coverage, above-ground biomass, species richness and diversity were significantly higher in the FH and NFH microhabitat than in the areas between hummocks and surrounding non-wetland meadows. Compared with broad alpine meadows, the hummock–depression complex provided a microhabitat favorable to the growth of Cyperaceae. In the 0–50 cm soil layer, the closer the soil layer was to the ground surface, the higher its soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents. Thus, in deeper layers, the gap between soil nutrients in wetland hummock–depression microhabitat and in the surrounding alpine meadows becomes smaller. Hence, the wetland hummock–depression microhabitat formed a fertile island pattern. Therefore, these results contribute toward improving our understanding of ecosystem restoration in alpine marshy meadows.
Nebular Emission from Lanthanide-rich Ejecta of Neutron Star Merger
Authors: Hotokezaka Kenta , Tanaka Masaomi , Kato Daiji , Gaigalas Gediminas
Published: July 2021

The nebular phase of lanthanide-rich ejecta of a neutron star merger (NSM) is studied by using a one-zone model, in which the atomic properties are represented by a single species, neodymium (Nd). Under the assumption that β-decay of r-process nuclei is the heat and ionization source, we solve the ionization and thermal balance of the ejecta under non-local thermodynamic equilibrium. The atomic data including energy levels, radiative transition rates, collision strengths, and recombination rate coefficients, are obtained by using atomic structure codes, GRASP2K and HULLAC. We find that both permitted and forbidden lines roughly equally contribute to the cooling rate of Nd II and Nd III at the nebular temperatures. We show that the kinetic temperature and ionization degree increase with time in the early stage of the nebular phase while these quantities become approximately independent of time after the thermalization break of the heating rate because the processes relevant to the ionization and thermalization balance are attributed to two-body collision between electrons and ions at later times. As a result, in spite of the rapid decline of the luminosity, the shape of the emergent spectrum does not change significantly with time after the break. We show that the emission-line nebular spectrum of the pure Nd ejecta consists of a broad structure from 0.5 μm to 20 μm with two distinct peaks around 1 μm and 10 μm.
Deep Learning assessment of galaxy morphology in S-PLUS Data Release 1
Authors: Bom C R , Cortesi A , Lucatelli G , Dias L O , Schubert P , Oliveira Schwarz G B , Cardoso N M , Lima E V R , Mendes de Oliveira C , Sodre L , Smith Castelli A V , Ferrari F , Damke G , Overzier R , Kanaan A , Ribeiro T , Schoenell W
Published: July 2021

The morphological diversity of galaxies is a relevant probe of galaxy evolution and cosmological structure formation, but the classification of galaxies in large sky surveys is becoming a significant challenge. We use data from the Stripe-82 area observed by the Southern Photometric Local Universe Survey (S-PLUS) in 12 optical bands, and present a catalogue of the morphologies of galaxies brighter than r = 17 mag determined both using a novel multiband morphometric fitting technique and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for computer vision. Using the CNNs, we find that, compared to our baseline results with three bands, the performance increases when using 5 broad and 3 narrow bands, but is poorer when using the full 12 band S-PLUS image set. However, the best result is still achieved with just three optical bands when using pre-trained network weights from an ImageNet data set. These results demonstrate the importance of using prior knowledge about neural network weights based on training in unrelated, extensive data sets, when available. Our catalogue contains 3274 galaxies in Stripe-82 that are not present in Galaxy Zoo 1 (GZ1), and we also provide our classifications for 4686 galaxies that were considered ambiguous in GZ1. Finally, we present a prospect of a novel way to take advantage of 12 band information for morphological classification using morphometric features, and we release a model that has been pre-trained on several bands that could be adapted for classifications using data from other surveys. The morphological catalogues are publicly available.
Probing the spectral shape of dust emission with the DustPedia galaxy sample
Authors: Nersesian Angelos , Dobbels Wouter , Xilouris Emmanuel M , Baes Maarten , Bianchi Simone , Casasola Viviana , Clark Christopher J R , De Looze Ilse , Galliano Frédéric , Madden Suzanne C , Mosenkov Aleksandr V , Paspaliaris Evangelos-D , Trčka Ana
Published: July 2021

The objective of this paper is to understand the variance of the far-infrared (FIR) spectral energy distribution (SED) of the DustPedia galaxies, and its link with the stellar and dust properties. An interesting aspect of the dust emission is the inferred FIR colours which could inform us about the dust content of galaxies, and how it varies with the physical conditions within galaxies. However, the inherent complexity of dust grains as well as the variety of physical properties depending on dust, hinder our ability to utilize their maximum potential. We use principal component analysis (PCA) to explore new hidden correlations with many relevant physical properties such as the dust luminosity, dust temperature, dust mass, bolometric luminosity, star formation rate (SFR), stellar mass, specific SFR, dust-to-stellar mass ratio, the fraction of absorbed stellar luminosity by dust (fabs), and metallicity. We find that 95 per cent of the variance in our sample can be described by two principal components (PCs). The first component controls the wavelength of the peak of the SED, while the second characterizes the width. The physical quantities that correlate better with the coefficients of the first two PCs, and thus control the shape of the FIR SED are the dust temperature, the dust luminosity, the SFR, and fabs. Finally, we find a weak tendency for low-metallicity galaxies to have warmer and broader SEDs, while on the other hand high-metallicity galaxies have FIR SEDs that are colder and narrower.
A study of outer disc stellar populations of face-on star-forming galaxies in SDSS-IV MaNGA: causes of H α deficiency
Authors: Kauffmann Guinevere
Published: July 2021

Integral field unit spectra of face-on star-forming galaxies from the MaNGA survey are stacked in radial bins so as to reach an S/N high enough to measure emission lines and Lick indices out to 2.5–3Re. Two-thirds of galaxies have stellar populations in the outer discs that are older, more metal poor, and less dusty than in the inner discs. Recent bursts of star formation have occurred more frequently in the outer disc, but extinction-corrected H α equivalent widths are significantly lower at fixed Dn(4000) in these regions. I examine the properties of a subset of galaxies with the most H α-deficient outer discs. These regions contain young stellar populations that must have formed within the last 0.5 Gyr, but have extinction-corrected H α values well below the values predicted for a standard Kroupa initial mass function. The H α-deficient galaxies have flat Dn(4000) and H δA profiles with little radial fluctuation, indicating that star formation has occurred extremely uniformly across the entire disc. The H α line profiles indicate that the ionized gas kinematics is also very regular across the disc. The main clue to the origin of the H α deficiency is that it sets in at the same radius where the dust extinction abruptly decreases, suggesting a mode of star formation deficient in massive stars in quiescent, H i-dominated gas. Finally, I have carried out a search for galaxies with signatures of unusual H α kinematics and find that 15 per cent of the sample exhibits evidence for significant ionized gas that is displaced from the systemic velocity of the disc.
Mistranslation Reduces Mutation Load in Evolving Proteins through Negative Epistasis with DNA Mutations
Authors: Zheng Jia , Guo Ning , Wagner Andreas
Published: July 2021

Translational errors during protein synthesis cause phenotypic mutations that are several orders of magnitude more frequent than DNA mutations. Such phenotypic mutations may affect adaptive evolution through their interactions with DNA mutations. To study how mistranslation may affect the adaptive evolution of evolving proteins, we evolved populations of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in either high-mistranslation or low-mistranslation Escherichia coli hosts. In both hosts, we first evolved GFP under purifying selection for the ancestral phenotype green fluorescence, and then under directional selection toward the new phenotype yellow fluorescence. High-mistranslation populations evolved modestly higher yellow fluorescence during each generation of evolution than low-mistranslation populations. We demonstrate by high-throughput sequencing that elevated mistranslation reduced the accumulation of deleterious DNA mutations under both purifying and directional selection. It did so by amplifying the fitness effects of deleterious DNA mutations through negative epistasis with phenotypic mutations. In contrast, mistranslation did not affect the incidence of beneficial mutations. Our findings show that phenotypic mutations interact epistatically with DNA mutations. By reducing a population’s mutation load, mistranslation can affect an important determinant of evolvability.
HBO1 is a versatile histone acyltransferase critical for promoter histone acylations
Authors: Xiao Yanhui , Li Wenjing , Yang Hui , Pan Lulu , Zhang Liwei , Lu Lu , Chen Jiwei , Wei Wei , Ye Jie , Li Jiwen , Li Guohong , Zhang Yong , Tan Minjia , Ding Jianping , Wong Jiemin
Published: July 2021

Recent studies demonstrate that histones are subjected to a series of short-chain fatty acid modifications that is known as histone acylations. However, the enzymes responsible for histone acylations in vivo are not well characterized. Here, we report that HBO1 is a versatile histone acyltransferase that catalyzes not only histone acetylation but also propionylation, butyrylation and crotonylation both in vivo and in vitro and does so in a JADE or BRPF family scaffold protein-dependent manner. We show that the minimal HBO1/BRPF2 complex can accommodate acetyl-CoA, propionyl-CoA, butyryl-CoA and crotonyl-CoA. Comparison of CBP and HBO1 reveals that they catalyze histone acylations at overlapping as well as distinct sites, with HBO1 being the key enzyme for H3K14 acylations. Genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation assay demonstrates that HBO1 is highly enriched at and contributes to bulk histone acylations on the transcriptional start sites of active transcribed genes. HBO1 promoter intensity highly correlates with the level of promoter histone acylation, but has no significant correlation with level of transcription. We also show that HBO1 is associated with a subset of DNA replication origins. Collectively our study establishes HBO1 as a versatile histone acyltransferase that links histone acylations to promoter acylations and selection of DNA replication origins.
Characterization of a functional endothelial super-enhancer that regulates ADAMTS18 and angiogenesis
Authors: Mushimiyimana Isidore , Niskanen Henri , Beter Mustafa , Laakkonen Johanna P , Kaikkonen Minna U , Ylä-Herttuala Seppo , Laham-Karam Nihay
Published: July 2021

Super-enhancers are clusters of enhancers associated with cell lineage. They can be powerful gene-regulators and may be useful in cell-type specific viral-vector development. Here, we have screened for endothelial super-enhancers and identified an enhancer from within a cluster that conferred 5–70-fold increase in transgene expression. Importantly, CRISPR/Cas9 deletion of enhancers demonstrated regulation of ADAMTS18, corresponding to evidence of chromatin contacts between these genomic regions. Cell division-related pathways were primarily affected by the enhancer deletions, which correlated with significant reduction in cell proliferation. Furthermore, we observed changes in angiogenesis-related genes consistent with the endothelial specificity of this SE. Indeed, deletion of the enhancers affected tube formation, resulting in reduced or shortened sprouts. The super-enhancer angiogenic role is at least partly due to its regulation of ADAMTS18, as siRNA knockdown of ADAMTS18 resulted in significantly shortened endothelial sprouts. Hence, functional characterization of a novel endothelial super-enhancer has revealed substantial downstream effects from single enhancer deletions and led to the discovery of the cis-target gene ADAMTS18 and its role in endothelial function.
A single nucleotide mutation in the dual-oxidase 2 (DUOX2) gene causes some of the panda's unique metabolic phenotypes
Authors: Rudolf Agata M , Wu Qi , Li Li , Wang Jun , Huang Yi , Togo Jacques , Liechti Christopher , Li Min , Niu Chaoqun , Nie Yonggang , Wei Fuwen , Speakman John R
Published: July 2021

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is an iconic bear native to China, famous for eating almost exclusively bamboo. This unusual dietary behavior for a carnivore is enabled by several key adaptations including low physical activity, reduced organ sizes and hypothyroidism leading to lowered energy expenditure. These adaptive phenotypes have been hypothesized to arise from a panda-unique single-nucleotide mutation in the dual-oxidase 2 (DUOX2) gene, involved in thyroid hormone synthesis. To test this hypothesis, we created genome-edited mice carrying the same point mutation as the panda and investigated its effect on metabolic phenotype. Homozygous mice were 27% smaller than heterozygous and wild-type ones, had 13% lower body mass-adjusted food intake, 55% decreased physical activity, lower mass of kidneys (11%) and brain (5%), lower serum thyroxine (T4: 36%), decreased absolute (12%) and mass-adjusted (5%) daily energy expenditure, and altered gut microbiota. Supplementation with T4 reversed the effects of the mutation. This work uses a state-of-the-art genome editing approach to demonstrate the link between a single-nucleotide mutation in a key endocrine-related gene and profound adaptive changes in the metabolic phenotype, with great importance in ecology and evolution.
History and Correlates of Smoking Cessation Behaviors Among Individuals With Current or Past Major Depressive Disorder Enrolled in a Smoking Cessation Trial
Authors: Quinn Mackenzie Hosie , Olonoff Matthew , Bauer Anna-Marika , Fox Erica , Jao Nancy , Lubitz Su Fen , Leone Frank , Gollan Jacqueline K , Schnoll Robert , Hitsman Brian
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Smoking among adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) is at least double that of the general US population. More effective smoking cessation interventions for depressed smokers may be facilitated through a better understanding of the smoking and depression-related characteristics of this population.

Methods

We used baseline data from 300 participants enrolled in randomized clinical trial for smokers with current or past MDD. We described history of smoking cessation behaviors (ie, quit attempts, quit motivation, and cessation treatment utilization) and used multivariate regression to identify demographic and depression-related correlates of these behaviors.

Results

Sixty-eight percent of participants reported at least one quit attempt in the past year, nearly 51% reported motivation to quit in the subsequent 30 days, and 83% reported prior use of a nicotine replacement therapy. A greater readiness to quit smoking was associated with increased age (p = .04) and lower cigarettes per day (p = .01). Greater use of smoking cessation medication was associated with greater education and nicotine dependence, minority race, and greater use of complementary reinforcers (eg, activities associated with increased reinforcing value of smoking; p’s < .05).

Conclusions

These data indicate that smokers with current or past MDD are highly motivated to quit smoking and have a history of engaging in efforts to quit. Interventions to promote smoking cessation behaviors should address younger and lighter smokers, who may perceive less risk from tobacco use, and efforts to promote smoking cessation medications and counseling should address minority smokers who are engaging in complementary reinforcers.

Implications

These data are inconsistent with the assumption that smokers with serious mental illness are not willing to quit smoking and suggest the need for studies that test behavioral interventions that address complementary reinforcers to treat tobacco use in this community.
Dietary patterns in middle age: effects on concurrent neurocognition and risk of age-related cognitive decline
Authors: Gauci Sarah , Young Lauren M , Arnoldy Lizanne , Lassemillante Annie-Claude , Scholey Andrew , Pipingas Andrew
Published: July 2021

Context

Diet plays a critical role in cognitive integrity and decline in older adults. However, little is known about the relationship between diet and cognitive integrity in middle age.

Objective

To investigate the relationship between dietary patterns in healthy middle-aged adults and neurocognition both in middle age and later in life.

Data Sources

Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, the following electronic databases were searched: Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and PsychInfo.

Data Extraction

Data from eligible articles was extracted by 2 reviewers.

Data Analysis

Articles included in the systematic review were synthesized (based on the synthesis without meta-analysis reporting guidelines) and assessed for quality (using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and cross-sectional studies) by 2 reviewers.

Results

Of 1558 studies identified, 34 met the eligibility criteria for inclusion. These comprised 9 cross-sectional studies, 23 longitudinal or prospective cohort studies, and 2 randomized controlled trials. Findings were mixed, with some studies reporting a significant positive relationship between adherence to various “healthy” dietary patterns and neurocognition, but others reporting no such relationship.

Conclusion

This systematic review demonstrated that adherence to the Mediterranean diet and other healthy dietary patterns in middle age can protect neurocognition later in life.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020153179.
Macronutrient-induced modulation of periodontitis in rodents—a systematic review
Authors: Choowong Phannaphat , Wali Jibran A , Nguyen Anh Thi Mai , Jayasinghe Thilini N , Eberhard Joerg
Published: July 2021

Context

Consumption of dietary macronutrients is associated with the progression of a wide range of inflammatory diseases, either by direct modulation of host immune response or via microbiome. This includes periodontitis, a disease affecting tooth-supporting tissues.

Objective

The aim of this work was to systematically review studies focusing on the effect of macronutrient (ie, carbohydrate, protein, fat) intake on periodontitis in rodents.

Data Sources

Electronic searches were performed in February 2021 using the PubMed and Web of Science databases. Out of 883 articles reviewed, 23 studies were selected for additional analysis.

Data Extraction

Investigators extracted relevant data, including author names; the year of publication; article title; macronutrient composition; number and species of animals and their age at the start of the experiment; intervention period; method of periodontitis induction; and primary and secondary periodontitis outcomes. Quality assessment was done using the risk-of-bias tool for animal studies. After completing the data extraction, descriptive statistical information was obtained.

Data Analysis

High intakes of dietary cholesterol, saturated fatty acids, and processed carbohydrates such as sucrose, and protein-deficient diets were positively associated with periodontitis in rodents. This included greater amounts of alveolar bone loss, more lesions on periodontal tissues, and dental plaque accumulation. In contrast, high doses of milk basic protein in diets and diets with a high ratio of ω-3 to ω-6 fatty acids were negatively associated with periodontitis in rodents.

Conclusion

This work highlights the fact that, despite the large body of evidence linking macronutrients with inflammation and ageing, overall there is little information on how dietary nutrients affect periodontitis in animal models. In addition, there is inconsistency in data due to differences in methodology, outcome measurement, and dietary formulation. More studies are needed to examine the effects of different dietary macronutrients on periodontitis and investigate the underlying biological mechanisms.
Cell-to-Cell Connection in Plant Grafting—Molecular Insights into Symplasmic Reconstruction
Authors: Kurotani Ken-ichi , Notaguchi Michitaka
Published: July 2021

Grafting is a means to connect tissues from two individual plants and grow a single chimeric plant through the establishment of both apoplasmic and symplasmic connections. Recent molecular studies using RNA-sequencing data have provided genetic information on the processes involved in tissue reunion, including wound response, cell division, cell–cell adhesion, cell differentiation and vascular formation. Thus, studies on grafting increase our understanding of various aspects of plant biology. Grafting has also been used to study systemic signaling and transport of micromolecules and macromolecules in the plant body. Given that graft viability and molecular transport across graft junctions largely depend on vascular formation, a major focus in grafting biology has been the mechanism of vascular development. In addition, it has been thought that symplasmic connections via plasmodesmata are fundamentally important to share cellular information among newly proliferated cells at the graft interface and to accomplish tissue differentiation correctly. Therefore, this review focuses on plasmodesmata formation during grafting. We take advantage of interfamily grafts for unambiguous identification of the graft interface and summarize morphological aspects of de novo formation of plasmodesmata. Important molecular events are addressed by re-examining the time-course transcriptome of interfamily grafts, from which we recently identified the cell–cell adhesion mechanism. Plasmodesmata-associated genes upregulated during graft healing that may provide a link to symplasm establishment are described. We also discuss future research directions.