bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glucocorticoid-Induced Leucine Zipper as a Druggable Target in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Authors: Ronchetti Simona , Gentili Marco , Ricci Erika , Migliorati Graziella , Riccardi Carlo
Published: January 2020

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic inflammatory disorders with a complex pathogenesis, affecting people of all ages. They are characterized by alternating phases of clinical relapse and remission, depending on the fine balance between immune cells and the gut microbiota. The cross talk between cells of the immune system and the gut microbiota can result in either tolerance or inflammation, according to multifactorial triggers, ranging from environmental factors to genetic susceptibility. Glucocorticoid (GC) administration remains the first-line treatment for IBDs, although long-term use is limited by development of serious adverse effects. Recently, new alternative pharmacological therapies have been developed, although these are not always effective in IBD patients. There is a constant demand for effective new drug targets to guarantee total remission and improve the quality of life for IBD patients. The glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) has been implicated as a promising candidate for this purpose, in view of its powerful anti-inflammatory effects that mimic those of GCs while avoiding their unwanted adverse reactions. Here we present and discuss the latest findings about the involvement of GILZ in IBDs.
Performance estimation of membrane dehumidification based on heat exchanger analogy approaches using ε-NTU model
Authors: Lee Gilbong , Roh Chul Woo , Choi Bong Soo , Wang Eunseok , Ra Ho-Sang , Cho Junhyun , Baik Young-Jin , Lee Young-Soo , Shin Hyungki , Lee Beomjoon
Published: January 2020

Reports by the US Department of Energy in 2014 evaluated membrane heat pump technology as one of the most promising alternatives to conventional vapour compression methods. Vapour compression methods maintain an evaporator temperature lower than the dew point to deal with the latent heat load. In membrane heat pump systems, only the water vapour is transferred and there is no phase change. The migration is caused by the difference in vapour pressure before and after the membrane. A vacuum pump or blower is used to create the pressure difference. However, there is no methodology for predicting dehumidification performance of membranes when used as part of a cooling system. In this study, using the assumption that there is a similarity between heat transfer and moisture pervaporation, the performance indices of the membrane are derived using a well-known heat exchanger method, the ε-NTU models. Performance estimations are calculated for two representative system layouts: bypass and vacuum. Simple relations between design parameters are suggested, giving design guidelines for researchers.
Phosphocholine Antagonizes Listeriolysin O-Induced Host Cell Responses of Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: La Pietra Luigi , Hudel Martina , Pillich Helena , Abu Mraheil Mobarak , Berisha Besim , Aden Saša , Hodnik Vesna , Lochnit Günter , Rafiq Amir , Perniss Alexander , Anderluh Gregor , Chakraborty Trinad
Published: January 2020

Background

Bacterial toxins disrupt plasma membrane integrity with multitudinous effects on host cells. The secreted pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO) of the intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes promotes egress of the bacteria from vacuolar compartments into the host cytosol often without overt destruction of the infected cell. Intracellular LLO activity is tightly controlled by host factors including compartmental pH, redox, proteolytic, and proteostatic factors, and inhibited by cholesterol.

Methods

Combining infection studies of L. monocytogenes wild type and isogenic mutants together with biochemical studies with purified phospholipases, we investigate the effect of their enzymatic activities on LLO.

Results

Here, we show that phosphocholine (ChoP), a reaction product of the phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) of L. monocytogenes, is a potent inhibitor of intra- and extracellular LLO activities. Binding of ChoP to LLO is redox-independent and leads to the inhibition of LLO-dependent induction of calcium flux, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis. ChoP also inhibits the hemolytic activities of the related cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDC), pneumolysin and streptolysin.

Conclusions

Our study uncovers a strategy used by L. monocytogenes to modulate cytotoxic LLO activity through the enzymatic activity of its PC-PLC. This mechanism appears to be widespread and also used by other CDC pore-forming toxin-producing bacteria.
Feasibility and Safety of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy in Conjunction With Addiction Treatment for People Who Inject Drugs
Authors: Price Christin N , Solomon Daniel A , Johnson Jennifer A , Montgomery Mary W , Martin Bianca , Suzuki Joji
Published: January 2020

Background

Research is limited on combining outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) with addiction treatment for people who inject drugs (PWID) with serious infections.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of PWID (n = 68) requiring intravenous antibiotics evaluated for suitability for our OPAT program with concurrent addiction treatment.

Results

Most common infections were bacteremia and/or endocarditis (73.5%), bone and/or joint infections (32.4%), and epidural abscess (22.1%). Of the 20 patients (29.4%) who qualified, 100.0% completed the course of antibiotics, 30.0% experienced a 30-day readmission, and 15.0% relapsed. No overdoses, deaths, or peripherally inserted central catheter-line complications were reported.

Conclusions

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy with addiction treatment may be feasible and safe for PWID with serious infections.
Fly-on-a-Chip: Microfluidics for Drosophila melanogaster Studies
Authors: Zabihihesari Alireza , Hilliker Arthur J , Rezai Pouya
Published: January 2020

The fruit fly or Drosophila melanogaster has been used as a promising model organism in genetics, developmental and behavioral studies as well as in the fields of neuroscience, pharmacology, and toxicology. Not only all the developmental stages of Drosophila, including embryonic, larval, and adulthood stages, have been used in experimental in vivo biology, but also the organs, tissues, and cells extracted from this model have found applications in in vitro assays. However, the manual manipulation, cellular investigation and behavioral phenotyping techniques utilized in conventional Drosophila-based in vivo and in vitro assays are mostly time-consuming, labor-intensive, and low in throughput. Moreover, stimulation of the organism with external biological, chemical, or physical signals requires precision in signal delivery, while quantification of neural and behavioral phenotypes necessitates optical and physical accessibility to Drosophila. Recently, microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip devices have emerged as powerful tools to overcome these challenges. This review paper demonstrates the role of microfluidic technology in Drosophila studies with a focus on both in vivo and in vitro investigations. The reviewed microfluidic devices are categorized based on their applications to various stages of Drosophila development. We have emphasized technologies that were utilized for tissue- and behavior-based investigations. Furthermore, the challenges and future directions in Drosophila-on-a-chip research, and its integration with other advanced technologies, will be discussed.
Physiology and pathology of T-cell aging
Authors: Minato Nagahiro , Hattori Masakazu , Hamazaki Yoko
Published: January 2020

Acquired immune function shows recognizable changes over time with organismal aging. These changes include T-cell dysfunction, which may underlie diminished resistance to infection and possibly various chronic age-associated diseases in the elderly. T-cell dysfunction may occur at distinct stages, from naive cells to the end stages of differentiation during immune responses. The thymus, which generates naive T cells, shows unusually early involution resulting in progressive reduction of T-cell output after adolescence, but peripheral T-cell numbers are maintained through antigen-independent homeostatic proliferation of naive T cells driven by the major histocompatibility complex associated with self-peptides and homeostatic cytokines, retaining the diverse repertoire. However, extensive homeostatic proliferation may lead to the emergence of dysfunctional CD4+ T cells with features resembling senescent cells, termed senescence-associated T (SA-T) cells, which increase and accumulate with age. In situations such as chronic viral infection, T-cell dysfunction may also develop via persistent antigen stimulation, termed exhaustion, preventing possible immunopathology due to excessive immune responses. Exhausted T cells are developed through the effects of checkpoint receptors such as PD-1 and may be reversed with the receptor blockade. Of note, although defective in their regular T-cell antigen-receptor-mediated proliferation, SA-T cells secrete abundant pro-inflammatory factors such as osteopontin, reminiscent of an SA-secretory phenotype. A series of experiments in mouse models indicated that SA-T cells are involved in systemic autoimmunity as well as chronic tissue inflammation following tissue stresses. In this review, we discuss the physiological aspects of T-cell dysfunction associated with aging and its potential pathological involvement in age-associated diseases and possibly cancer.
Dietary soy isoflavones reduce pathogen-related mortality in growing pigs under porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viral challenge
Authors: Smith Brooke N , Oelschlager Maci L , Abdul Rasheed Muhammed Shameer , Dilger Ryan N
Published: January 2020

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an economically important disease, and ingestion of soy isoflavones (ISF) may benefit PRRSV-infected pigs due to demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. The objective of this experiment was to recreate immunological effects previously observed in young pigs infected with PRRSV receiving ISF and determine how those effects influence growth performance during the entire growth period from weaning to market. In total, 96 weaned barrows were group housed in a biosafety level-2 containment facility and allotted to 1 of 3 experimental treatments that were maintained throughout the study: noninfected pigs received an ISF-devoid control diet (NEG, n = 24), and infected pigs received either the control diet (POS, n = 36) or that supplemented with total ISF in excess of 1,600 mg/kg (ISF, n = 36). Following a 7-d adaptation, weanling pigs were inoculated intranasally with either a sham-control (PBS) or live PRRSV (1 × 105 TCID50/mL, strain NADC20). After inoculation, individual blood samples (n = 8 to 12/treatment) were routinely collected to monitor viral clearance and hematological parameters, including serum neutralizing anti-PRRSV antibody production. Pen-based oral fluids were used to monitor PRRSV clearance at later growth stages. A 1- or 2-way ANOVA was performed to compare experimental treatments depending on whether the outcome was repeatedly measured. In general, PRRSV infection decreased performance during early growth phases, resulting in 5.4% lower final BW for POS vs. NEG pigs (P < 0.05). Dietary ISF elicited inconsistent effects on growth performance, increased (P < 0.05) neutrophil cell counts and the relative proportion of memory T-cells, and decreased (P < 0.05) the time to full PRRSV clearance from oral fluids. Dietary ISF also elicited earlier, more robust anti-PRRSV neutralizing antibody production when compared with POS pigs. Additionally, and most notably, POS pigs experienced ~50% greater infection-related mortality rate vs. ISF pigs (P < 0.05), which may have significant economic implications for producers. Overall, dietary ISF ingestion supported immune responses and reduced mortality in PRRSV-infected pigs when fed to growing pigs though the biological mechanism of these effects remains unclear.
Investigation of Ayahuasca β-Carboline Alkaloids and Tryptamine in Sweat Samples from Religious Community Participants by GC-MS
Authors: Tavares Lidiane , Monedeiro Fernanda , Bordin Dayanne Mozaner , De Martinis Bruno Spinosa
Published: January 2020

Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic beverage used in religious rituals in South America, has become a global phenomenon. Its main active components are the β-carbolines alkaloids, harmine (HRM) and harmaline (HRL), as well as the potent hallucinogen N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). Despite its rising consumption, information regarding possible clinical applications and toxicological effects of ayahuasca is still limited. This study presents the first investigation of the use of sweat for the determination of DMT, HRM and HRL in ayahuasca users during a religious ritual. Sweat is an alternative matrix with advantages over many conventional biological samples, mainly because the collection procedure is non-invasive, easy and simple and samples can be collected without disturbing the religious ritual. In the study, solid-phase extraction was performed under basic conditions. Linearity was observed ranging from 20 to 1500 ng/patch with coefficients of determination (R2) higher than 0.99 for all analytes. The results indicated high selectivity for all investigated analytes, with extraction efficiency exceeding 70%, accuracy ranging from 87.5 to 102.4%, intra-assay precision of 1.85–9.44% and inter-assay precision between 3.34 and 9.85%. The limits of detection were 15 ng/patch for HRM and HRL and 10 ng/patch for DMT. The sweat proved to be a viable option to monitor ayahuasca use.
Comparative Survival of Asian and White Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Men Treated With Docetaxel
Authors: Halabi Susan , Dutta Sandipan , Tangen Catherine M , Rosenthal Mark , Petrylak Daniel P , Thompson Ian M , Chi Kim N , De Bono Johann S , Araujo John C , Logothetis Christopher , Eisenberger Mario A , Quinn David I , Fizazi Karim , Morris Michael J , Higano Celestia S , Tannock Ian F , Small Eric J , Kelly William Kevin
Published: January 2020

There are few data regarding disparities in overall survival (OS) between Asian and white men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). We compared OS of Asian and white mCRPC men treated in phase III clinical trials with docetaxel and prednisone (DP) or a DP-containing regimen. Individual participant data from 8820 men with mCRPC randomly assigned on nine phase III trials to receive DP or a DP-containing regimen were combined. Men enrolled in these trials had a diagnosis of prostate adenocarcinoma. The median overall survival was 18.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI] = 17.4 to 22.1 months) and 21.2 months (95% CI = 20.8 to 21.7 months) for Asian and white men, respectively. The pooled hazard ratio for death for Asian men compared with white men, adjusted for baseline prognostic factors, was 0.95 (95% CI = 0.84 to 1.09), indicating that Asian men were not at increased risk of death. This large analysis showed that Asian men did not have shorter OS duration than white men treated with docetaxel.
Refugee-Run Grassroots Organizations: Responsive Assistance beyond the Constraints of US Resettlement Policy
Authors: Gonzalez Benson Odessa
Published: January 2020

Refugee-resettlement policy as constitutive of neoliberal governance has been critically examined as delimiting service provision by state-contracted refugee-serving agencies. What remains unexamined is how state-detached refugee-run organizations at the grassroots fit into the privatized, marketized and technocratic modalities of such governance. This study examines Refugee Community Organizations (RCOs) in the US and their scope of services in relation to publicly funded resettlement services, drawing on focus groups and 40 interviews with RCO leaders of Bhutanese communities in 35 US cities. Findings illustrate RCOs with a wide scope of services, in terms of eligibility, time limits, proximity and modality. Who and when: RCOs target those neglected by work-oriented policies and provide assistance well beyond policy time limits. Where and how: RCOs are closer to communities in terms of both geographical and sociocultural proximity. Issues of equity and social justice are thus raised, as RCOs aim to assume important functions of the state and pursue the mandates of federal policy, without adequate resources and legitimacy.
Endomembrane architecture and dynamics during secretion of the extracellular matrix of the unicellular charophyte, Penium margaritaceum
Authors: Domozych David S , Sun Li , Palacio-Lopez Kattia , Reed Reagan , Jeon Susan , Li Mingjia , Jiao Chen , Sørensen Iben , Fei Zhangjun , Rose Jocelyn K C
Published: January 2020

The extracellular matrix (ECM) of many charophytes, the assemblage of green algae that are the sister group to land plants, is complex, produced in large amounts, and has multiple essential functions. An extensive secretory apparatus and endomembrane system are presumably needed to synthesize and secrete the ECM, but structural details of such a system have not been fully characterized. Penium margaritaceum is a valuable unicellular model charophyte for studying secretion dynamics. We report that Penium has a highly organized endomembrane system, consisting of 150–200 non-mobile Golgi bodies that process and package ECM components into different sets of vesicles that traffic to the cortical cytoplasm, where they are transported around the cell by cytoplasmic streaming. At either fixed or transient areas, specific cytoplasmic vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane and secrete their constituents. Extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production was observed to occur in one location of the Golgi body and sometimes in unique Golgi hybrids. Treatment of cells with brefeldin A caused disruption of the Golgi body, and inhibition of EPS secretion and cell wall expansion. The structure of the endomembrane system in Penium provides mechanistic insights into how extant charophytes generate large quantities of ECM, which in their ancestors facilitated the colonization of land.
Star–disc alignment in the protoplanetary discs: SPH simulation of the collapse of turbulent molecular cloud cores
Authors: Takaishi Daisuke , Tsukamoto Yusuke , Suto Yasushi
Published: January 2020

We perform a series of three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations to study the evolution of the angle between the protostellar spin and the protoplanetary disc rotation axes (the star–disc angle ψsd) in turbulent molecular cloud cores. While ψsd at the protostar formation epoch exhibits broad distribution up to ∼130°, ψsd decreases (≲ 20°) in a time-scale of ∼104 yr. This time-scale of the star–disc alignment, talignment, corresponds basically to the mass doubling time of the central protostar, in which the protostar forgets its initial spin direction due to the mass accretion from the disc. Values of ψsd both at t = 102 yr and t = 105 yr after the protostar formation are independent of the ratios of thermal and turbulent energies to gravitational energy of the initial cloud cores: α = Ethermal/|Egravity| and γturb = Eturbulence/|Egravity|. We also find that a warped disc is possibly formed by the turbulent accretion flow from the circumstellar envelope.
Globular clusters in Coma cluster ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs): evidence for two types of UDG?
Authors: Forbes Duncan A , Alabi Adebusola , Romanowsky Aaron J , Brodie Jean P , Arimoto Nobuo
Published: January 2020

Ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) reveal extreme properties. Here, we compile the largest study to date of 85 globular cluster (GC) systems around UDGs in the Coma cluster, using new deep ground-based imaging of the known UDGs and existing imaging from the Hubble Space Telescope of their GC systems. We find that the richness of GC systems in UDGs generally exceeds that found in normal dwarf galaxies of the same stellar mass. These GC-rich UDGs imply haloes more massive than expected from the standard stellar mass–halo mass relation. The presence of such overly massive haloes presents a significant challenge to the latest simulations of UDGs in cluster environments. In some exceptional cases, the mass in the GC system is a significant fraction of the stellar content of the host galaxy. We find that rich GC systems tend to be hosted in UDGs of lower luminosity, smaller size, and fainter surface brightness. Similar trends are seen for normal dwarf galaxies in the Coma cluster. A toy model is presented in which the GC-rich UDGs are assumed to be ‘failed’ galaxies within massive haloes that have largely old, metal-poor, alpha-element-enhanced stellar populations. On the other hand, GC-poor UDGs are more akin to normal, low surface brightness dwarfs that occupy less massive dark matter haloes. Additional data on the stellar populations of UDGs with GC systems will help to further refine and test this simplistic model.
Constraining the gravitational-wave afterglow from a binary neutron star coalescence
Authors: Banagiri Sharan , Coughlin Michael W , Clark James , Lasky Paul D , Bizouard M A , Talbot Colm , Thrane Eric , Mandic Vuk
Published: January 2020

Binary neutron star mergers are rich laboratories for physics, accessible with ground-based interferometric gravitational-wave detectors such as the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo. If a neutron star remnant survives the merger, it can emit gravitational waves that might be detectable with the current or next generation detectors. The physics of the long-lived post-merger phase is not well understood and makes modelling difficult. In particular the phase of the gravitational-wave signal is not well modelled. In this paper, we explore methods for using long duration post-merger gravitational-wave signals to constrain the parameters and the properties of the remnant. We develop a phase-agnostic likelihood model that uses only the spectral content for parameter estimation and demonstrate the calculation of a Bayesian upper limit in the absence of a signal. With the millisecond magnetar model, we show that for an event like GW170817, the ellipticity of a long-lived remnant can be constrained to less than about 0.5 in the parameter space used.
Predictions for the 21cm-galaxy cross-power spectrum observable with SKA and future galaxy surveys
Authors: Vrbanec Dijana , Ciardi Benedetta , Jelić Vibor , Jensen Hannes , Iliev Ilian T , Mellema Garrelt , Zaroubi Saleem
Published: January 2020

In this paper we use radiative transfer + N-body simulations to explore the feasibility of measurements of cross-correlations between the 21 cm field observed by the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) and high-z Lyman Alpha Emitters (LAEs) detected in galaxy surveys with the Subaru Hyper Supreme Cam (HSC), Subaru Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) and Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST). 21cm-LAE cross-correlations are in fact a powerful probe of the epoch of reionization as they are expected to provide precious information on the progress of reionization and the typical scale of ionized regions at different redshifts. The next generation observations with SKA will have a noise level much lower than those with its precursor radio facilities, introducing a significant improvement in the measurement of the cross-correlations. We find that an SKA-HSC/PFS observation will allow to investigate scales below ∼10 h−1 Mpc and ∼60 h−1 Mpc at z = 7.3 and 6.6, respectively. WFIRST will allow to access also higher redshifts, as it is expected to observe spectroscopically ∼900 LAEs per square degree and unit redshift in the range 7.5 ≤ z ≤ 8.5. Because of the reduction of the shot noise compared to HSC and PFS, observations with WFIRST will result in more precise cross-correlations and increased observable scales.
Solar-metallicity gas in the extended halo of a galaxy at z ∼ 0.12
Authors: Pradeep Jayadev , Sankar Sriram , Umasree T M , Narayanan Anand , Khaire Vikram , Gebhardt Matthew , Sameer  , Charlton Jane C
Published: January 2020

We present the detection and analysis of a weak low-ionization absorber at z = 0.121 22 along the sightline of the blazar PG 1424+240, using spectroscopic data from both HST/COS and STIS. The absorber is a weak Mg ii analogue, with an incidence of weak C ii and Si ii, along with multicomponent C iv and O vi. The low ions are tracing a dense (nH ∼ 10−3 cm−3) parsec-scale cloud of solar or higher metallicity. The kinematically coincident higher ions are either from a more diffuse (nH ∼ 10−5–10−4 cm−3) photoionized phase of kiloparsec-scale dimensions or are tracing a warm (T ∼ 2 × 105 K) collisionally ionized transition temperature plasma layer. The absorber resides in a galaxy overdense region, with 18 luminous (>L*) galaxies within a projected radius of 5 Mpc and velocity of 750 km s−1. The multiphase properties, high metallicity, and proximity to a 1.4L* galaxy, at ρ ∼ 200 kpc and separation |Δv| = 11 km s−1, favour the possibility of the absorption tracing circumgalactic gas. The absorber serves as an example of weak Mg ii–O vi systems as a means to study multiphase high-velocity clouds in external galaxies.
Fragmentation favoured in discs around higher mass stars
Authors: Cadman James , Rice Ken , Hall Cassandra , Haworth Thomas J , Biller Beth
Published: January 2020

We investigate how a protoplanetary disc’s susceptibility to gravitational instabilities and fragmentation depends on the mass of its host star. We use 1D disc models in conjunction with 3D smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations to determine the critical disc-to-star mass ratios at which discs become unstable against fragmentation, finding that discs become increasingly prone to the effects of self-gravity as we increase the host star mass. The actual limit for stability is sensitive to the disc temperature, so if the disc is optically thin stellar irradiation can dramatically stabilize discs against gravitational instability. However, even when this is the case we find that discs around 2 M⊙ stars are prone to fragmentation, which will act to produce wide-orbit giant planets and brown dwarfs. The consequences of this work are twofold: that low-mass stars could in principle support high disc-to-star mass ratios, and that higher mass stars have discs that are more prone to fragmentation, which is qualitatively consistent with observations that favour high-mass wide-orbit planets around higher mass stars. We also find that the initial masses of these planets depends on the temperature in the disc at large radii, which itself depends on the level of stellar irradiation.
GC ends control topology of DNA G-quadruplexes and their cation-dependent assembly
Authors: Pavc Daša , Wang Baifan , Spindler Lea , Drevenšek-Olenik Irena , Plavec Janez , Šket Primož
Published: January 2020

GCn and GCnCG, where n = (G2AG4AG2), fold into well-defined, dimeric G-quadruplexes with unprecedented folding topologies in the presence of Na+ ions as revealed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Both G-quadruplexes exhibit unique combination of structural elements among which are two G-quartets, A(GGGG)A hexad and GCGC-quartet. Detailed structural characterization uncovered the crucial role of 5′-GC ends in formation of GCn and GCnCG G-quadruplexes. Folding in the presence of 15NH4+ and K+ ions leads to 3′–3′ stacking of terminal G-quartets of GCn G-quadruplexes, while 3′-GC overhangs in GCnCG prevent dimerization. Results of the present study expand repertoire of possible G-quadruplex structures. This knowledge will be useful in DNA sequence design for nanotechnological applications that may require specific folding topology and multimerization properties.
Transport of Asian surface pollutants to the global stratosphere from the Tibetan Plateau region during the Asian summer monsoon
Authors: Bian Jianchun , Li Dan , Bai Zhixuan , Li Qian , Lyu Daren , Zhou Xiuji
Published: January 2020

Due to its surrounding strong and deep Asian summer monsoon (ASM) circulation and active surface pollutant emissions, surface pollutants are transported to the stratosphere from the Tibetan Plateau region, which may have critical impacts on global climate through chemical, microphysical and radiative processes. This article reviews major recent advances in research regarding troposphere–stratosphere transport from the region of the Tibetan Plateau. Since the discovery of the total ozone valley over the Tibetan Plateau in summer from satellite observations in the early 1990s, new satellite-borne instruments have become operational and have provided significant new information on atmospheric composition. In addition, in situ measurements and model simulations are used to investigate deep convection and the ASM anticyclone, surface sources and pathways, atmospheric chemical transformations and the impact on global climate. Also challenges are discussed for further understanding critical questions on microphysics and microchemistry in clouds during the pathway to the global stratosphere over the Tibetan Plateau.
Mini Fronto-Orbital Approach: “Window Opening” Towards the Superomedial Orbit – A Virtual Reality-Planned Anatomic Study
Authors: Donofrio Carmine Antonio , Capitanio Jody Filippo , Riccio Lucia , Herur-Raman Aalap , Caputy Anthony J , Mortini Pietro
Published: January 2020

BACKGROUND

Surgical approaches to the orbit are challenging and require combined multispecialist skills. Considering its increasing relevance in neurosurgical practice, keyhole surgery could be also applied to this field. However, mastering a minimally invasive approach necessitates an extended learning curve. For this reason, virtual reality (VR) can be effectively used for planning and training in this demanding surgical technique.

OBJECTIVE

To validate the mini fronto-orbital (mFO) approach to the superomedial orbit, using VR planning and specimen dissections, conjugating the principles of skull base and keyhole neurosurgery.

METHODS

Three-dimensional measurements were performed thanks to Surgical Theater (Surgical Theater© LLC), and then, simulated craniotomies were implemented on cadaver specimens.

RESULTS

The mFO approach affords optimal exposure and operability in the target area and reduced risks of surrounding normal tissue injuries. The eyebrow skin incision, the minimal soft-tissue retraction, the limited temporalis muscle dissection and the single-piece craniotomy, as planned with VR, are the key elements of this minimally invasive approach. Furthermore, the “window-opening” cotton-tip intraorbital dissection technique, based on widening surgical corridors between neuromuscular bundles, provides a safe orientation and a deep access inside the orbit, thereby significantly limiting the risk of jeopardizing neurovascular structures.

CONCLUSION

The mFO approach associated to the window-opening dissection technique can be considered safe, effective, suitable, and convenient for treating lesions located in the superomedial orbital aspect, up to the orbital apex.
Study of the Anatomical Features of the Offending Arteries Involved in Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia
Authors: Inoue Kohei , Matsushima Toshio , Ohara Shinji , Masuoka Jun , Abe Tatsuya
Published: January 2020

BACKGROUND

The anatomic features of the posterior inferior cerebellar arteries (PICAs) and the anterior inferior cerebellar arteries (AICAs) as offending arteries involved in glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) are important to dictate the best surgical approach.

OBJECTIVE

To study and classify the anatomic features of the offending arteries.

METHODS

All clinical data and surgical videos from 18 GPN cases that were surgically treated during the past 10 yr were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

Among these 18 patients, the offending arteries involved were the PICA in 12 (66.7%), AICA in 4 (22.2%), and both PICA and AICA in 2 (11.1%). The PICA were then classified into the following groups based on their anatomic features: type I: the PICA formed an upward loop at the level of the glossopharyngeal nerve and passed between the glossopharyngeal and vestibulocochlear nerves; type II: the PICA formed an upward loop at the level of the glossopharyngeal nerve and passed between the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves or between the rootlets of the vagus nerve; and type III: the PICA passed between the glossopharyngeal and vestibulocochlear nerves without forming a loop. The AICA had only one running pattern.

CONCLUSION

The offending arteries involved in GPN, mainly the PICA and/or AICA, were classified into 4 different types based on their anatomic features.
Using Parsimony-Guided Tree Proposals to Accelerate Convergence in Bayesian Phylogenetic Inference
Authors: Zhang Chi , Huelsenbeck John P , Ronquist Fredrik
Published: January 2020

Sampling across tree space is one of the major challenges in Bayesian phylogenetic inference using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms. Standard MCMC tree moves consider small random perturbations of the topology, and select from candidate trees at random or based on the distance between the old and new topologies. MCMC algorithms using such moves tend to get trapped in tree space, making them slow in finding the globally most probable trees (known as “convergence”) and in estimating the correct proportions of the different types of them (known as “mixing”). Here, we introduce a new class of moves, which propose trees based on their parsimony scores. The proposal distribution derived from the parsimony scores is a quickly computable albeit rough approximation of the conditional posterior distribution over candidate trees. We demonstrate with simulations that parsimony-guided moves correctly sample the uniform distribution of topologies from the prior. We then evaluate their performance against standard moves using six challenging empirical data sets, for which we were able to obtain accurate reference estimates of the posterior using long MCMC runs, a mix of topology proposals, and Metropolis coupling. On these data sets, ranging in size from 357 to 934 taxa and from 1740 to 5681 sites, we find that single chains using parsimony-guided moves usually converge an order of magnitude faster than chains using standard moves. They also exhibit better mixing, that is, they cover the most probable trees more quickly. Our results show that tree moves based on quick and dirty estimates of the posterior probability can significantly outperform standard moves. Future research will have to show to what extent the performance of such moves can be improved further by finding better ways of approximating the posterior probability, taking the trade-off between accuracy and speed into account. [Bayesian phylogenetic inference; MCMC; parsimony; tree proposal.]
Cross-Infectivity of Powdery Mildew Isolates Originating from Hemp (Cannabis sativa) and Japanese Hop (Humulus japonicus) in New York
Authors: Weldon William A. , Ullrich Maire R. , Smart Lawrence B. , Smart Christine D. , Gadoury David M.
Published: January 2020

In the recent decade, agricultural production of both hemp (Cannabis sativa) and hop (Humulus lupulus) has expanded throughout the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, and Eastern United States to support the growing industries for which these plants are key components. The significant and rapidly expanding overlap of production regions of these two Cannabaceae plant family members creates a potential dispersal route for organisms that are pathogenic to both hosts. Powdery mildew is a disease of high economic impact in both hemp and hop production systems, yet it was largely unknown whether the powdery mildew fungi commonly associated with hemp could also be pathogenic on hop, and vice versa. We isolated Golovinomyces spadiceus growing upon hemp in New York production greenhouses and Podosphaera macularis from feral hop (H. japonicus) plantings also in New York. Herein, we report the pathogenicity of P. macularis associated with hop to C. sativa cultivars ‘Anka’ and ‘Wild Horse’ and pathogenicity of G. spadiceus toward hop. The potential for P. macularis to establish, produce viable, infectious conidia, and undergo sexual recombination on hemp could complicate efforts to exclude the MAT1-2 mating type of P. macularis from western North America and could facilitate the spread of races pathogenic toward ‘Cascade’ hop, and hop cultivars with R6-based resistance to P. macularis, including ‘Nugget’. Further assessment of the pathogenicity of diverse P. macularis isolates, in both geographic origin and the range of hop species, is necessary to better understand the dispersal risk of P. macularis on hemp.
Physiological and Transcriptional Response of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae to Berberine, an Emerging Chemical Control
Authors: Yang Ping , Li Fang-Jing , Huang Shi-Wen , Luo Man , Lin Wei , Yuan Gao-Qing , Li Qi-Qin
Published: January 2020

Berberine, a botanical drug, has great ability to inhibit the growth of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. However, the antibacterial mechanism of berberine against X. oryzae pv. oryzae remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the physiological and transcriptional response of X. oryzae pv. oryzae to berberine. When strain X. oryzae pv. oryzae GX13 was treated with berberine (10 µg/ml), the hypersensitive response in tobacco, virulence to rice, pathogen population in the rice xylem, production of extracellular polysaccharide (EPS), and activity of extracellular hydrolases decreased, but the levels of pyruvate and ATP increased. Moreover, biofilm formation was inhibited, and the cell membrane was damaged. Transcriptome sequencing analysis showed downregulated expression of gspD, gspE, and gspF, involved in the type II secretion system (T2SS); hrcC, hrcJ, hrcN, and others, involved in the type III secretion system (T3SS); gumB and gumC, associated with EPS; zapE, ftsQ, and zapA, associated with cell division; lpxH, lpxK, kdtA, and others, associated with the membrane; and pyk, pgk, and mdh, encoding pyruvate kinase, phosphoglycerate kinase, and malate dehydrogenase, respectively. Upregulated expression was observed for nuoA, nuoB, and nuoH, encoding the NADH dehydrogenase complex, and atpF, atpC, and atpB, encoding ATP synthase. An adenylate cyclase (CyaA) fusion assay showed that berberine affects type three effector protein secretion via the T3SS and reduces effector translocation in X. oryzae pv. oryzae. It is speculated that the negative growth and virulence phenotypes of berberine-treated X. oryzae pv. oryzae GX13 may involve differentially expressed genes associated with cytoarchitecture and energy metabolism, and these effects on primary cell function may further dampen virulence and result in differential expression of T3SS- and T2SS-related genes.
Cold atmospheric plasma as antiviral therapy – effect on human herpes simplex virus type 1
Authors: Bunz Oskar , Mese Kemal , Funk Christina , Wulf Maximilan , Bailer Susanne M. , Piwowarczyk Andree , Ehrhardt Anja
Published: January 2020

In previous studies, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) was explored as an antibacterial and antiviral agent for the treatment of chronic wounds. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether CAP may also be suitable as an antiviral therapy against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). HSV-1 most frequently manifests as recurrent herpes labialis, but it can also cause encephalitis, conjunctivitis or herpes neonatorum as a perinatal infection. HSV-1 encoding the reporter gene GFP was propagated. The CAP dose for HSV-1 treatment was gradually increased, ranging from 0–150 s, and aciclovir was used as a positive control. After CAP treatment, the virus suspension was applied to a standard HSV research cell line (Vero cells) and the neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y as a model for neuronal infection. The results showed that plasma treatment had a negligible antiviral effect on HSV-1 in both Vero- and SH-SY5Y cells at high dose. However, when we lowered the viral load 100-fold, we observed a significantly decreased number of internalized HSV-1 genomes 3 h post-infection for CAP-treated viruses. This difference was less pronounced with respect to GFP expression levels 24 h post-infection, which was in sharp contrast to the acyclovir-treated positive control, for which the viral load was reduced from 95 to 25%. In summary, we observed a low but measurable antiviral effect of CAP on HSV-1.
Haitian-like genetic traits with creeping MIC of Azithromycin in Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates from Puducherry, India
Authors: Mohanraj Regina Sumitha , Samanta Prosenjit , Mukhopadhyay Asish K. , Mandal Jharna
Published: January 2020

Introduction.The emergence of novel strains ofVibrio choleraeO1 El Tor biotype has gained attention due to causing several epidemics around the world. Variant strains have evolved as a result of the acquisition of genes that confer extended virulence and pathogenicity.

Aim.This study aimed to determine the presence of the most recently emerging Haitian-like genetic traits among the isolates from Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, Southern India. We also wanted to detect the prevalence of the sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (SXT) element, which is an integrating conjugative element (ICE) and the antimicrobial resistance genes present in our isolates.

Methodology.Identification of Haitian-specific alleles was done by mismatched amplification mutation assay PCR (MAMA-PCR). The presence of SXT elements was carried out by PCR by detectingint, eex, att-prfCandsetRgenes. Detection of antibiotic resistance determinant,sul(1,2,3); dfr(A1,18,5) for trimethoprim resistance,tet(A,B,C,D,E,Y,G,M), tet34for tetracycline resistance anderm(A,B,C), mph(A,B), ere(A,B), msr(A,D) for azithromycin resistance were targeted by PCR. The MIC of tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and azithromycin was determined by the E-test method.

Results.Of the 95 isolates, 60 % of the isolates were found to carry Haitian-specific alleles ofctxB,tcpAandrtxAgene,100 % of the isolates were found to carry SXT elements. All the isolates harboured the four conserved genes of the SXT element, except one which had onlyeex,att-prfC,setRgenes. About 99 % harbouredsul2anddfrA1genes. Notetand macrolide genes were detected. We observed a progressive increase in the MIC of azithromycin ranging from 0.75 µg ml−1to 2 µg ml−1.

Conclusion.None of the isolates were the prototype El Tor biotype. All the isolates were a Haitian variant. The presence of SXT elements across all our isolates and their creeping MIC of azithromycin is a matter of concern. Further testing for other genetic determinants of resistance will be carried out in our future studies.
Building thelacoperon: A guided-inquiry activity using 3D-printed models
Authors: Gordy Claire L. , Sandefur Conner I. , Lacara Tessa , Harris Felix R. , Ramirez Melissa V.
Published: January 2020

Undergraduate biology courses rely heavily on visual representation of information. Students view images of plants, animals, and microbes, interpret data presented in graphs, and use drawings to understand how cells and molecules interact in three dimensions. Traditional teaching approaches exclude students with visual impairments and disadvantage students with disabilities that affect their interpretation and processing of visual and spatial information as well as students who simply do not identify as “visual learners”. By using new technologies to develop tactile teaching tools (TTTs) that can be employed in classrooms, we aim to create inclusive learning environments and more effectively instruct diverse learners. The advent of affordable and accessible 3D printing technology makes it possible to create tactile models that represent molecules, cells, and entire organisms more accurately than traditional visual representations. We describe the assessment of a 3D gene expression puzzle as a guided inquiry learning activity in which students must correctly assemble a series of components in order to achieve an output. Upon completion of the puzzle, the TTT provides tactile feedback through vibration to signal transcriptional activation. Analysis of pre- and post-assessment performance demonstrated statistically significant increases in individual students’ paired assessment scores in two different classroom implementations, with a greater effect size at a rural minority-serving institution than an urban R1 university. These encouraging preliminary data suggest that TTTs with guided-inquiry learning disproportionately benefit disadvantaged student populations and could serve as a tool in leveling the playing field when teaching abstract biological concepts in diverse educational settings.
Ultrasound imaging links soleus muscle neuromechanics and energetics during human walking with elastic ankle exoskeletons
Authors: Nuckols R.W. , Dick T.J.M , Beck O.N. , Sawicki G.S.
Published: January 2020

Unpowered exoskeletons with springs in parallel to human plantar flexor muscle-tendons can reduce the metabolic cost of walking. We used ultrasound imaging to look ‘under the skin’ and measure how exoskeleton stiffness alters soleus muscle contractile dynamics and shapes the user’s metabolic rate during walking. Eleven participants (4F, 7M; age: 27.7 ± 3.3 years) walked on a treadmill at 1.25 m s-1and 0% grade with elastic ankle exoskeletons (rotational stiffness: 0-250 Nm rad-1) in one training and two testing days. Metabolic savings were maximized (4.2%) at a stiffness of 50 Nm rad-1. As exoskeleton stiffness increased, the soleus muscle operated at longer lengths and improved economy (force/activation) during early stance, but this benefit was offset by faster shortening velocity and poorer economy in late stance. Changes in soleus activation rate correlated with changes in users’ metabolic rate (p= 0.038, R2= 0.44), highlighting a crucial link between muscle neuromechanics and exoskeleton performance; perhaps informing future ‘muscle-in-the loop’ exoskeleton controllers designed to steer contractile dynamics toward more economical force production.
Role of prefrontal cortex projections to the nucleus accumbens core in mediating the effects of ceftriaxone on cued cocaine relapse
Authors: Bechard Allison R. , Logan Carly N. , Mesa Javier , Hernandez Yasmin Padovan , Blount Harrison , Hodges Virginia L. , Knackstedt Lori A.
Published: January 2020

Ceftriaxone is an antibiotic that reliably attenuates the reinstatement of cocaine-seeking after extinction while preventing the nucleus accumbens (NA) core glutamate efflux that drives reinstatement. However, when rats undergo abstinence without extinction, ceftriaxone attenuates context-primed relapse but NA core glutamate efflux still increases. Here we sought to determine if the same would occur when relapse is prompted by both context and discrete cues (context+cues) after cocaine abstinence. Male rats self-administered intravenous cocaine for 2 hr/day for 2 weeks. Cocaine delivery was accompanied by drug-associated cues (light+tone). Rats were then placed into abstinence with daily handling but no extinction training for two weeks. Ceftriaxone (200 mg/kg IP) or vehicle was administered during the last 6 days of abstinence. During a context+cue relapse test, microdialysis procedures were conducted. Rats were perfused at the end of the test for later Fos analysis. A separate cohort of rats was infused with the retrograde tracer cholera toxin B in the NA core and underwent the same self-administration and relapse procedures. Ceftriaxone increased baseline glutamate and attenuated both context+cue-primed relapse and NA core glutamate efflux during this test. Ceftriaxone reduced Fos expression in regions sending projections to the NA core (prefrontal cortex, basolateral amygdala, ventral tegmental area) and specifically reduced Fos in prelimbic cortex and not infralimbic cortex neurons projecting to the NA core. Thus, when relapse is primed by drug-associated cues and context, ceftriaxone is able to attenuate relapse by preventing NA core glutamate efflux, likely through reducing activity in prelimbic NA core-projecting neurons.