bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hunter Music and Arts Festival in the Period of Igor Sonevytsky's Organizational Activity (1982-2004)
Authors: Ostrovskyi Yurii
Published: February 2021

The purpose of the research. The purpose of the article is to characterize the Hunter Music and Art Festival in terms of its content, the importance for the development of Ukrainian culture and the high level of organization of Igor Sonevitsky. The methodology of the research combines the use of analytical and comparative methods of work, which allowed to reveal the originality of the project, its high professional level and the involvement of well-known Ukrainian artists. The scientific novelty of the article is to identify the peculiarities of the festival in terms of analyzing the content of concert events, participation of bright personalities, ensuring a high performing level and various artistic practices in the context of belonging to Ukrainian culture. The research was conducted on the basis of a scrupulous analysis of the materials of I. Sonevitsky's archive: festival programs, seasonal booklets, concert brochures, Voice of America radio scripts, epistolary, and a digitized video of the 1997 concert, which provided convincing evidence of the importance of researching a cultural and artistic project, the professionalism of its participants, the originality of the national position aimed at promoting the Ukrainian heritage and the elevation of cultural life for both the Ukrainian diaspora and the local people. Conclusions. Igor Sonevitsky's organization of the Hunther Music and Arts Festival promoted the active promotion of Ukrainian culture on the territory of the North American continent. Programs of the concert repertoire featured Ukrainian works, and young Ukrainian composers and performers had the opportunity to collaborate with well-known foreign artists. In addition to the Ukrainian diaspora, the diverse ethnic composition of the local population was also given the opportunity to learn about the identity of Ukrainian culture, its ethnic customs and peculiarities. In this way, thanks to Igor Sonevitsky's perfect organizational skills, there was an active integration of national art into a wide expanse of world culture.
The metamorphoses of concernity aesthetics in Krzysztof Penderecki’s violins and doppio concerts
Authors: Samostrokova Nataliya
Published: February 2021

The First and Second Concerts for violin and orchestra and the Concerto doppio for violin and viola with orchestra by Krzysztof Penderecki are analyzed in terms of expressing the concernity idea. An attempt was made to trace the dynamics of concernity aesthetics in the mentioned works.
It is emphasized that works in different genres for stringed instruments became the artist’s art search laboratory, at the same time, the pinnacles of the main compositional and stylistic periods in the composer’s life. It is a 1960 avant-garde piece for 52 strings chamber orchestra ―The Crying for Hiroshima Victims‖ and 48 Strings ―Polymorphia‖, written a year later. The Master’s return to subtle self-reflection is a milestone, and string instruments have also played a significant role in this process.
It has been determined that the metamorphoses of concerto aesthetics in semantic invariant of violin concert on the example of violin concerts by K. Penderecki manifested in the following dynamics: in the works of the author deep tragedy (the First concert), deeply reflexive, sophisticated, and sophisticated music were manifested. Thus, the concertize process in the works is carried out through a return to the symphonic thinking and theatrical procedural, while the musical thinking of the ―last great symphonist‖ (First and Second concerts) is supplemented by the iconic work of neo-romantic stylistics with vivid virtuosity (Concerto doppio). Such polar stylistic features create an artistic concept and predetermine the metamorphoses of concernity aesthetics in the Master’s violin and doppio concerts, which is a movement from form to process, when concertize as a process becomes the main concernity idea. New horizons of such development constitute further prospects of this research.
The artistic choral music for children of Myron Datsko
Authors: Nemerko Anna
Published: February 2021

The article highlights aspects of children's choral work by M. Danish. Choral education is at the forefront of promoting children's creative initiative; strengthening of personality values; the formation of musical culture. M. Datsk's choir is a kind of mirror that reflects the general processes and patterns of development of modern Ukrainian choral art for children. Choral works of the composer are firmly entrenched in contemporary performing practice and concert life in Lviv. They form the basis of today's children's choral repertoire. However, with obvious demand for performing practice, they have not yet become the subject of special musicological research. This fact determines the relevance of the appeal to this topic and the need for scientific understanding of this layer of modern choral music for children. The signs of the artistic world of the composer's choral music images are established. Studying the choral work for the children of M.Datsk made it possible to outline the peculiar directions of it, including: secular and spiritual works on poems of Ukrainian poets and clergy; works on canonical texts; choirs inspired by Ukrainian song. The choral work is regarded as a complete multilevel system, where the linguistic component is realized through the expressive-visual possibilities of the choral sound; the plot techniques generate artistic meaning, and the compositional ones generate the layout of the material. Understanding this issue brings you closer to understanding the connection: the energy of the artist is the energy of the text he creates. And the brighter the artistic world of the works, the more natural and the emotional states expressed in them, the more adequate the perception of the performers and listeners.
It is noted that choral works for children are illustrative not only as an example of M. Danish's individual style, but also as a testimony to the creative achievements of the Ukrainian composing school in the 21st century. Thus, the artistic world of M.Datsk's choral music was considered as the basis for the national revival inherent in the Ukrainian culture of the turn of the millennium.
Evolution of Western Ukrainian folk instrumental ensembles in the 20th – early 21st centuries
Authors: Fedun Iryna
Published: February 2021

In the article the author traces the changes that have taken place with traditional instrumental ensembles of Western Ukraine during the 20th – beginning of the 21st centuries. Through this period the communicative capabilities of the environment increased rapidly, which significantly influenced the evolution of folk culture. The basis of the traditional ensembles of Western Ukrainian was the violin, to which was added, depending on the regions, a drum (tambourine), cymbals, bass, and a pipe instrument. Under the influence of various factors (interaction with representatives of other ethnographic regions or national minorities, writing culture, stage performances, remote communication, etc.), the instruments, repertoire, manner of performing, etc. in folk bands changed. During the 20th century the traditional instruments of ensembles were supplemented by others (clarinet, accordion, button accordion, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, etc.). Also, existing instruments were modified in some places (for example, the Hutsuls replaced small cymbals with large ones), or completely new ensembles were introduced to accompany traditional rituals or entertainments (brass bands or a variety of other popular ensembles). The repertoire of traditional ensembles is nowadays constantly replenished not only by the works of the local area in which musicians have an opportunity to perform, but also by the new-fangled samples of popular music. Under the influence of the written tradition, the manner of performing ensemble music is somewhat simplified. Currently, in most regions of Western Ukraine there is a setback and decline of the folk-instrumental ensemble tradition, with the exception of the Hutsul region (where young musicians still adopt this tradition orally) and partly Pokuttia, Zakarpattia, Podillia, Bukovyna, and Bessarabia, where for some occasions sometimes ―live‖ music of traditional or somewhat modified instruments is invited).
Effects of the cold pressor test on cardiac autonomic control in normal subjects
Authors: Mourot L , Bouhaddi M , Regnard J
Published: February 2021

The cold pressor test (CPT) triggers in healthy subjects a
vascular sympathetic activation and an increase in blood
pressure. The heart rate (HR) response to this test is less well
defined, with a high inter-individual variability. We used
traditional spectral analysis together with the non-linear
detrended fluctuation analysis to study the autonomic control of
HR during a 3-min CPT. 39 healthy young subjects (23.7±3.2
years, height 180.4±4.7 cm and weight 73.3±6.4 kg) were
divided into two groups according to their HR responses to CPT.
Twenty subjects have a sustained increase in HR throughout the
test with reciprocal autonomic interaction, i.e. increase in
sympathetic activity and decrease vagal outflow. In the 19
remainders, HR decreased after an initial increase, with indication
of involvement of both sympathetic and vagal outflow. Baseline
evaluation of the subjects revealed no difference between the
two groups. Nevertheless, a higher sympathetic activity at the
skin level during CPT was present in the group with decreased
HR. Further studies are needed to explain why healthy subjects
react differently to the CPT and if this has potential clinical
implications.
Pencocokan Berbasis Kata Kunci pada Penilaian Esai Pendek Otomatis Berbahasa Indonesia
Authors: Chamidah Nurul , Santoni Mayanda Mega
Published: February 2021

Evaluasi dalam pengajaran dapat dilakukan melalui ujian. Ujian berupa esai dapat digunakan untuk mengevaluasi pemahaman sesuai konteks dan memiliki jawaban referensi. Sayangnya, jawaban dari esai ini membutuhkan waktu yang lebih banyak untuk dievaluasi dan dapat terjadi inkonsistensi dalam melakukan penilaian. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk menganalisis performa untuk penilaian esai pendek otomatis berbahasa Indonesia untuk mengevaluasi jawaban yang berbentuk esai pendek. Sehingga, penilaian terhadap jawaban esai lebih konsisten dan dapat digunakan sebagai alternatif untuk penilaian dalam ujian online. Penilaian esai dilakukan dengan menghitung kecocokan antara jawaban uji dengan jawaban referensi, yakni dengan meilhat kata kunci dari masing-masing jawaban. Kata kunci diperoleh dengan melakukan praproses pada teks yakni dengan case folding, pembuangan stopword, stemming, dan tokenisasi. Setelah mendapatkan kata kunci untuk jawaban uji dan jawaban referensi, pada tahap keyword matching dilakukan pencocokan jawaban uji terhadap jawaban referensi. Hasil kecocokan antara jawaban uji dan referensi selanjutnya dihitung menjadi nilai pada tahapan grading. Nilai yang diperoleh dari grading selanjutnya dibandingkan dengan nilai uji sebagai evaluasi performa dengan menghitung Mean Absolute Error (MAE) dan Pearson Correlation. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan MAE untuk keseluruhan jawaban uji sebesar 0.25 dan korelasi antara nilai uji dengan nilai hasil grading sebesar 0.79.
Optimasi Jaringan Wireless PT. TASPEN dengan RADIUS Server dan Firewall Filter Rules
Authors: Dasmen Rahmat Novrianda , Khudri Akhmad
Published: February 2021

PT. TASPEN merupakan BUMN yang menyelenggarakan dua jenis program utama, yaitu Program Tabungan Hari Tua dan Program Pensiun PNS. PT. TASPEN ini tentunya memiliki jaringan wireless, tetapi memiliki beberapa kekurangan ataupun permasalahan sehingga mengganggu kualitas jaringan wireless PT. TASPEN. Adapun permasalahan yang terjadi adalah kecepatan internet menjadi sangat lambat karena user yang bukan karyawan pun sangat mudah terhubung ke jaringan wireless PT. TASPEN. Hal ini dikarenakan belum adanya pengamanan seperti user dan password khusus untuk penggunaan jaringan wireless PT. TASPEN. Selain itu, beberapa karyawan juga terkadang menggunakan jaringan wireless PT. TASPEN untuk membuka media sosial sehingga menimbulkan overload penggunaan bandwidth PT. TASPEN. Oleh karena itu, pada penelitian dengan menggunakan Metode Action Research ini, peneliti menerapkan RADIUS Server untuk mendata user khususnya karyawan PT. TASPEN serta memberikan hak akses (user dan password) yang berbeda-beda untuk setiap karyawan. Selain itu, peneliti juga memanfaatkan Firewall Filter Rules untuk memblok media sosial bagi user yang terhubung ke jaringan wireless agar kualitas kecepatan internet pada PT. TASPEN.
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Authors: Kotelnytsky Nazar
Published: February 2021

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Authors: Terpan Iryna
Published: February 2021

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Authors: Sribniak Ihor
Published: February 2021

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Authors: Yablonskyi Vasyl
Published: February 2021

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Effect of Two Different Biochars as a Component of Compound Feed on Nutrient Digestibility and Performance Parameters in Growing Pigs
Authors: Schubert Dana Carina , Chuppava Bussarakam , Witte Franziska , Terjung Nino , Visscher Christian
Published: February 2021

The objective of this study was to examine two different biochars as a component of compound feed regarding their effects on nutrient digestibility and performance parameters in growing pigs. A total of 18 male, intact piglets (N = 18) with 26 days of age and an initial bodyweight of 6.88 kg were divided into three homogeneous groups of six animals each (n = 6). Treatments were control (CON, no addition of biochar), 2% biochar 1 (BC 1, diet containing 2% biochar 1), and 2% biochar 2 (BC 2, diet containing 2% biochar 2). Before the start of the trials, the biochars were characterized regarding Brunnauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) surface area, surface energy, humidity, and ash content. During the first trial (weeks 1–6) a 3 × 3 Latin square was used to determine the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of all three feed in each animal (N = 54, n = 18). By start of the second trial on day 42, three new homogenous groups were formed with two animals from each of the previous groups. Each group received one of the three diets for 4 weeks. In the first trial, the ATTD of dry matter, organic matter, ether extract, crude fiber, and N-free extract was higher (p < 0.05) in pigs fed the biochar diets (BC1 and BC2) than in those animals fed the control diet. The greatest difference was found for ATTD of crude fiber, which was increased by 19.8 and 23.8%, respectively (CON: 30.8b ± 13.4%; BC 1: 38.4a ± 8.2%; BC 2: 40.4a ± 12.2%). ATTD of crude protein was only higher in BC 2 compared to CON (CON: 81.0b ± 4.1%; BC 1: 82.4ab ± 3.6%; BC 2: 84.2a ± 3.4%). In both trials, the different treatments revealed no effects on ADFI, ADWG or G:F (p > 0.05). The results indicate that no negative effects can be expected when 2% biochar is included in the feed for growing pigs.
Androgen-Driven Fusion Genes and Chimeric Transcripts in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Scaravilli Mauro , Koivukoski Sonja , Latonen Leena
Published: February 2021

Androgens are steroid hormones governing the male reproductive development and function. As such, androgens and the key mediator of their effects, androgen receptor (AR), have a leading role in many diseases. Prostate cancer is a major disease where AR and its transcription factor function affect a significant number of patients worldwide. While disease-related AR-driven transcriptional programs are connected to the presence and activity of the receptor itself, also novel modes of transcriptional regulation by androgens are exploited by cancer cells. One of the most intriguing and ingenious mechanisms is to bring previously unconnected genes under the control of AR. Most often this occurs through genetic rearrangements resulting in fusion genes where an androgen-regulated promoter area is combined to a protein-coding area of a previously androgen-unaffected gene. These gene fusions are distinctly frequent in prostate cancer compared to other common solid tumors, a phenomenon still requiring an explanation. Interestingly, also another mode of connecting androgen regulation to a previously unaffected gene product exists via transcriptional read-through mechanisms. Furthermore, androgen regulation of fusion genes and transcripts is not linked to only protein-coding genes. Pseudogenes and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can also be affected by androgens and de novo functions produced. In this review, we discuss the prevalence, molecular mechanisms, and functional evidence for androgen-regulated prostate cancer fusion genes and transcripts. We also discuss the clinical relevance of especially the most common prostate cancer fusion gene TMPRSS2-ERG, as well as present open questions of prostate cancer fusions requiring further investigation.
Curcumin Modulates the Crosstalk Between Macrophages and Bone Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Ameliorate Osteogenesis
Authors: Chen Songfeng , Liang Hang , Ji Yanhui , Kou Hongwei , Zhang Chi , Shang Guowei , Shang Chunfeng , Song Zongmian , Yang Lin , Liu Lei , Wang Yongkui , Liu Hongjian
Published: February 2021

Bone healing is thought to be influenced by the cross-talk between bone forming and immune cells. In particular, macrophages play a crucial role in the regulation of osteogenesis. Curcumin, the major bioactive polyphenolic ingredient of turmeric, has been shown to regulate inflammatory response and osteogenic activities. However, whether curcumin could regulate macrophage polarization and subsequently influence osteogenesis remain to be elucidated. In this study, the potential immunomodulatory capability of curcumin on inflammatory response and phenotype switch of macrophages and the subsequent impact on osteogenic differentiation of MSCs are investigated. We demonstrated that curcumin exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effect by polarizing the macrophages toward anti-inflammatory phenotype, with increased expression of IL-4, IL-10, and CD206, and decreased expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, CCR7, and iNOS. In addition, curcumin could improve the osteo-immune microenvironment via promoting osteogenesis-related regenerative cytokine BMP-2 and TGF-β production. Moreover, the co-cultured test of macrophages and BMSCs showed that curcumin-modulated macrophages conditioned medium could promote osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs with increased gene (ALP, Runx-2, OCN, and OPN) and protein (Runx-2 and OCN) expression levels, enhanced ALP activity, and obvious formation of mineralized nodules. Taken together, with the interaction between curcumin-conditioned macrophage and curcumin-stimulated BMSCs, curcumin could remarkably enhance the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs in LPS-activated inflammatory macrophage-BMSCs coculture system.
Insights Into circRNAs: Functional Roles in Lung Cancer Management and the Potential Mechanisms
Authors: Feng Bing , Zhou Hao , Wang Ting , Lin Xinrong , Lai Yongting , Chu Xiaoyuan , Wang Rui
Published: February 2021

Lung cancer is the most prevalent cancer globally. It is also the leading cause of cancer-related death because of the late diagnosis and the frequent resistance to therapeutics. Therefore, it is impending to identify novel biomarkers and effective therapeutic targets to improve the clinical outcomes. Identified as a new class of RNAs, circular RNAs (circRNAs) derive from pre-mRNA back splicing with considerable stability and conservation. Accumulating research reveal that circRNAs can function as microRNA (miRNA) sponges, regulators of gene transcription and alternative splicing, as well as interact with RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), or even be translated into proteins directly. Currently, a large body of circRNAs have been demonstrated differentially expressed in physiological and pathological processes including cancer. In lung cancer, circRNAs play multiple roles in carcinogenesis, development, and response to different therapies, indicating their potential as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers as well as novel therapeutics. In this review, we summarize the multi-faceted functions of circRNAs in lung cancer and the underlying mechanisms, together with the possible future of these discoveries in clinical application.
Lipid Abnormalities in Patients With Cushing’s Disease and Its Relationship With Impaired Glucose Metabolism
Authors: Sun Xiaolin , Feng Ming , Lu Lin , Zhao Zixuan , Bao Xinjie , Deng Kan , Yao Yong , Zhu Huijuan , Wang Renzhi
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Dyslipidemia has been frequently reported and associated with increased cardiovascular risk in patients with Cushing’s disease (CD). Few studies are available regarding the relationships between lipid abnormalities and other preoperative metabolic comorbidities in CD, and the data on alterations of the lipid profile after surgery is quite variable. We aimed to investigate the associations between hyperlipidemia and other baseline metabolic and hormonal parameters and the impact of surgical remission on lipid metabolism in patients with CD.

Methods

This retrospective study included 104 patients diagnosed with CD. Baseline hormonal and metabolic parameters were compared between the hyperlipidemia (HLP) group and non-hyperlipidemia (NLP) group, and their relationships with hyperlipidemia at diagnosis were evaluated. Alterations in lipid profiles after surgical remission of CD were evaluated in 65 patients with available follow-up data.

Results

Upon baseline, logistic regression analysis showed that impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) (OR=4.68, 95%CI:1.38–15.91) and morning cortisol levels (per 10 μg/dl change) (OR=1.81, 95%CI:1.11–2.95) are both independent risk factors of preoperative occurrence of hyperlipidemia in patients with CD. The baseline triglyceride (TG) level was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r=0.297, p=0.003). Lipid abnormalities had improvement but may persist after surgical remission, and the persisted hyperlipidemia is associated with higher baseline total cholesterol (TC) levels (r=0.505, p=0.033).

Conclusions

Persistence of post-surgery hyperlipidemia is associated with severe baseline lipid abnormalities. Surgical remission with concomitant control of impaired glucose metabolism at diagnosis may have significant implications for controlling hyperlipidemia and reducing cardiovascular risk in CD.
Small Hydropower Plants' Proliferation Would Negatively Affect Local Herpetofauna
Authors: Crnobrnja-Isailović Jelka , Jovanović Bogdan , Ilić Marija , Ćorović Jelena , Čubrić Tijana , Stojadinović Dragana , Ćosić Nada
Published: February 2021

Hydropower plants (HPPs) have a strong environmental impact on freshwater wetlands. Small diversion HPPs (SDHPPs) with 0.1–10 MW of installed power, redirect water from small mountainous rivers into several-kilometer-long tubes, disrupting complex dynamics of local aquatic food webs and their interactions with neighbor terrestrial food webs. It certainly affects local aquatic communities, but it is often neglected that two highly threatened vertebrate groups—amphibians and reptiles—which live in and around these wetlands, could be affected as well. In the Balkan peninsula, a part of Southeastern Europe, SDHPPs recently became very attractive and profitable for potential investors after they were proclaimed as eligible for subsidies from the national budget. As a result, in year 2020, the maximal projected number of SHPPs in the Balkans increased to 4,556. According to the literature data, ~28% of amphibian species in the Balkan Peninsula use small rivers and streams in the upper parts of watersheds as feeding, breeding and/or nursery habitats. Additionally, 38% of the total number of reptile species in Europe are registered in the hilly/mountainous areas of the peninsula, and 33% of these species strictly need humid habitats. The attempt of this mini-review is to present the facts which show that SHPPs and DSHPPs, in the way they are currently being installed, present harmful energy solution for the biodiversity of the mountain parts of Balkan peninsula, particularly for local amphibian and reptile populations which rely on lotic aquatic ecosystems and/or humid terrestrial habitats.
Cleaning the Cellular Factory–Deletion of McrA in Aspergillus oryzae NSAR1 and the Generation of a Novel Kojic Acid Deficient Strain for Cleaner Heterologous Production of Secondary Metabolites
Authors: Dao Trong T. , de Mattos-Shipley Kate M. J. , Prosser Ian M. , Williams Katherine , Zacharova Marija K. , Lazarus Colin M. , Willis Christine L. , Bailey Andrew M.
Published: February 2021

The use of filamentous fungi as cellular factories, where natural product pathways can be refactored and expressed in a host strain, continues to aid the field of natural product discovery. Much work has been done to develop host strains which are genetically tractable, and for which there are multiple selectable markers and controllable expression systems. To fully exploit these strains, it is beneficial to understand their natural metabolic capabilities, as such knowledge can rule out host metabolites from analysis of transgenic lines and highlight any potential interplay between endogenous and exogenous pathways. Additionally, once identified, the deletion of secondary metabolite pathways from host strains can simplify the detection and purification of heterologous compounds. To this end, secondary metabolite production in Aspergillus oryzae strain NSAR1 has been investigated via the deletion of the newly discovered negative regulator of secondary metabolism, mcrA (multicluster regulator A). In all ascomycetes previously studied mcrA deletion led to an increase in secondary metabolite production. Surprisingly, the only detectable phenotypic change in NSAR1 was a doubling in the yields of kojic acid, with no novel secondary metabolites produced. This supports the previous claim that secondary metabolite production has been repressed in A. oryzae and demonstrates that such repression is not McrA-mediated. Strain NSAR1 was then modified by employing CRISPR-Cas9 technology to disrupt the production of kojic acid, generating the novel strain NSARΔK, which combines the various beneficial traits of NSAR1 with a uniquely clean secondary metabolite background.
Dynamic Allocation of Carbon Storage and Nutrient-Dependent Exudation in a Revised Genome-Scale Model of Prochlorococcus
Authors: Ofaim Shany , Sulheim Snorre , Almaas Eivind , Sher Daniel , Segrè Daniel
Published: February 2021

Microbial life in the oceans impacts the entire marine ecosystem, global biogeochemistry and climate. The marine cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus, an abundant component of this ecosystem, releases a significant fraction of the carbon fixed through photosynthesis, but the amount, timing and molecular composition of released carbon are still poorly understood. These depend on several factors, including nutrient availability, light intensity and glycogen storage. Here we combine multiple computational approaches to provide insight into carbon storage and exudation in Prochlorococcus. First, with the aid of a new algorithm for recursive filling of metabolic gaps (ReFill), and through substantial manual curation, we extended an existing genome-scale metabolic model of Prochlorococcus MED4. In this revised model (iSO595), we decoupled glycogen biosynthesis/degradation from growth, thus enabling dynamic allocation of carbon storage. In contrast to standard implementations of flux balance modeling, we made use of forced influx of carbon and light into the cell, to recapitulate overflow metabolism due to the decoupling of photosynthesis and carbon fixation from growth during nutrient limitation. By using random sampling in the ensuing flux space, we found that storage of glycogen or exudation of organic acids are favored when the growth is nitrogen limited, while exudation of amino acids becomes more likely when phosphate is the limiting resource. We next used COMETS to simulate day-night cycles and found that the model displays dynamic glycogen allocation and exudation of organic acids. The switch from photosynthesis and glycogen storage to glycogen depletion is associated with a redistribution of fluxes from the Entner–Doudoroff to the Pentose Phosphate pathway. Finally, we show that specific gene knockouts in iSO595 exhibit dynamic anomalies compatible with experimental observations, further demonstrating the value of this model as a tool to probe the metabolic dynamic of Prochlorococcus.
A Unique Visual Attention Profile Associated With the FMR1 Premutation
Authors: Winston Molly , Nayar Kritika , Landau Emily , Maltman Nell , Sideris John , Zhou Lili , Sharp Kevin , Berry-Kravis Elizabeth , Losh Molly
Published: February 2021

Atypical visual attention patterns have been observed among carriers of the fragile X mental retardation gene (FMR1) premutation (PM), with some similarities to visual attention patterns observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and among clinically unaffected relatives of individuals with ASD. Patterns of visual attention could constitute biomarkers that can help to inform the neurocognitive profile of the PM, and that potentially span diagnostic boundaries. This study examined patterns of eye movement across an array of fixation measurements from three distinct eye-tracking tasks in order to investigate potentially overlapping profiles of visual attention among PM carriers, ASD parents, and parent controls. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine whether variables constituting a PM-specific looking profile were able to effectively predict group membership. Participants included 65PM female carriers, 188 ASD parents, and 84 parent controls. Analyses of fixations across the eye-tracking tasks, and their corresponding areas of interest, revealed a distinct visual attention pattern in carriers of the FMR1 PM, characterized by increased fixations on the mouth when viewing faces, more intense focus on bodies in socially complex scenes, and decreased fixations on salient characters and faces while narrating a wordless picture book. This set of variables was able to successfully differentiate individuals with the PM from controls (Sensitivity = 0.76, Specificity = 0.85, Accuracy = 0.77) as well as from ASD parents (Sensitivity = 0.70, Specificity = 0.80, Accuracy = 0.72), but did not show a strong distinction between ASD parents and controls (Accuracy = 0.62), indicating that this set of variables comprises a profile that is unique to PM carriers. Regarding predictive power, fixations toward the mouth when viewing faces was able to differentiate PM carriers from both ASD parents and controls, whereas fixations toward other social stimuli did not differentiate PM carriers from ASD parents, highlighting some overlap in visual attention patterns that could point toward shared neurobiological mechanisms. Results demonstrate a profile of visual attention that appears strongly associated with the FMR1 PM in women, and may constitute a meaningful biomarker.
Protein Complexes Form a Basis for Complex Hybrid Incompatibility
Authors: Swamy Krishna B. S. , Schuyler Scott C. , Leu Jun-Yi
Published: February 2021

Proteins are the workhorses of the cell and execute many of their functions by interacting with other proteins forming protein complexes. Multi-protein complexes are an admixture of subunits, change their interaction partners, and modulate their functions and cellular physiology in response to environmental changes. When two species mate, the hybrid offspring are usually inviable or sterile because of large-scale differences in the genetic makeup between the two parents causing incompatible genetic interactions. Such reciprocal-sign epistasis between inter-specific alleles is not limited to incompatible interactions between just one gene pair; and, usually involves multiple genes. Many of these multi-locus incompatibilities show visible defects, only in the presence of all the interactions, making it hard to characterize. Understanding the dynamics of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) leading to multi-protein complexes is better suited to characterize multi-locus incompatibilities, compared to studying them with traditional approaches of genetics and molecular biology. The advances in omics technologies, which includes genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics can help achieve this end. This is especially relevant when studying non-model organisms. Here, we discuss the recent progress in the understanding of hybrid genetic incompatibility; omics technologies, and how together they have helped in characterizing protein complexes and in turn multi-locus incompatibilities. We also review advances in bioinformatic techniques suitable for this purpose and propose directions for leveraging the knowledge gained from model-organisms to identify genetic incompatibilities in non-model organisms.
Tracing Water Mass Mixing From the Equatorial to the North Pacific Ocean With Dissolved Neodymium Isotopes and Concentrations
Authors: Fuhr Michael , Laukert Georgi , Yu Yang , Nürnberg Dirk , Frank Martin
Published: February 2021

The sluggish water mass transport in the deeper North Pacific Ocean complicates the assessment of formation, spreading and mixing of surface, intermediate and deep-water masses based on standard hydrographic parameters alone. Geochemical tracers sensitive to water mass provenance and mixing allow to better characterize the origin and fate of the prevailing water masses. Here, we present dissolved neodymium (Nd) isotope compositions (εNd) and concentrations ([Nd]) obtained along a longitudinal transect at ∼180°E from ∼7°S to ∼50°N. The strongest contrast in Nd isotope signatures is observed in equatorial regions between surface waters (εNd ∼0 at 4.5°N) and Lower Circumpolar Deep Water (LCDW) prevailing at 4500 m depth (εNd = −6.7 at 7.2°N). The Nd isotope compositions of equatorial surface and subsurface waters are strongly influenced by regional inputs from the volcanic rocks surrounding the Pacific, which facilitates the identification of the source regions of these waters and seasonal changes in their advection along the equator. Highly radiogenic weathering inputs from Papua-New-Guinea control the εNd signature of the equatorial surface waters and strongly alter the εNd signal of Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) by sea water-particle interactions leading to an εNd shift from −5.3 to −1.7 and an increase in [Nd] from 8.5 to 11.0 pmol/kg between 7°S and 15°N. Further north in the open North Pacific, mixing calculations based on εNd, [Nd] and salinity suggest that this modification of the AAIW composition has a strong impact on intermediate water εNd signatures of the entire region allowing for improved identification of the formation regions and pathways of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW). The deep-water Nd isotope signatures indicate a southern Pacific origin and subsequent changes along its trajectory resulting from a combination of water mass mixing, vertical processes and Nd release from seafloor sediments, which precludes Nd isotopes as quantitative tracers of deep-water mass mixing. Moreover, comparison with previously reported data indicates that the Nd isotope signatures and concentrations below 100 m depth essentially remained stable over the past decades, which suggests constant impacts of water mass advection and mixing as well as of non-conservative vertical exchange and bottom release.
COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Dental Professionals Based on Employment Status During the Pandemic
Authors: Zigron Asaf , Dror Amiel A. , Morozov Nicole G. , Shani Tali , Haj Khalil Tharwat , Eisenbach Netanel , Rayan Doaa , Daoud Amani , Kablan Fares , Marei Hesham , Sela Eyal , Srouji Samer
Published: February 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly across the globe, leading governments to impose prolonged lockdowns on both movement and commerce. Although lockdowns decrease the rates of novel infections, they can have devastating consequences on the economy and employment levels. One of the most severely affected sectors during this crisis has been dental medicine. Dental professionals are uniquely exposed to environments with high levels of occupational hazards, conferring additional risks of viral exposure and transmission. We analyzed 506 anonymous questionnaires completed by dentists and residents regarding acceptance of a future potential SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Our results demonstrate a statistically significant correlation between the individual's unemployment rate and their willingness to inoculate with a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine when it becomes available. This information can be used to predict trends of vaccine acceptance or rejection based on economic burden during the COVID-19 pandemic by different sectors as part of the preparedness toward global vaccination programs.
Silencing of the tRNA Modification Enzyme Cdkal1 Effects Functional Insulin Synthesis in NIT-1 Cells: tRNALys3 Lacking ms2- (ms2t6A37) is Unable to Establish Sufficient Anticodon:Codon Interactions to Decode the Wobble Codon AAG
Authors: Narendran Amithi , Vangaveti Sweta , Ranganathan Srivathsan V. , Eruysal Emily , Craft Miranda , Alrifai Omar , Chua Fu Yee , Sarachan Kathryn , Litwa Breann , Ramachandran Sheetal , Agris Paul F.
Published: February 2021

Human Genome Wide Association Studies found a significant risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in single nucleotide polymorphisms in the cdkal1 gene. The cdkal1 gene is remote from the insulin gene and with the surprising function of a specific tRNA modification. Population studies and case control studies acquired evidences of the connection between Cdkal1 protein and insulin production over the years. To obtain biochemical proofs directly linking potential SNPs to their roles in insulin production and availability is challenging, but the development of Cdkal1 knock out mice and knock out cell lines made it possible to extend our knowledge towards therapeutic field of diabetic research. Supporting the evidences, here we show that knock down of the cdkal1 gene using small interfering and short hairpin RNA in the NIT-1 cell line, a β-cell line inducible for insulin resulted in reduced levels of cdkal1 and mature insulin mRNAs, increased the level of precursor insulin mRNA, decreased Cdkal1 and insulin proteins, and diminished modification of tRNALys3 from t6A37 to ms2t6A37, the specified function of Cdkal1. tRNALys3 lacking ms2- is incapable of establishing sufficient hydrogen bonding energy and hydrophobic stabilization to decode the wobble codon AAG.
Short-Term Plasticity in Cortical GABAergic Synapses on Olfactory Bulb Granule Cells Is Modulated by Endocannabinoids
Authors: Zhou Fu-Wen , Puche Adam C.
Published: February 2021

Olfactory bulb and higher processing areas are synaptically interconnected, providing rapid regulation of olfactory bulb circuit dynamics and sensory processing. Short-term plasticity changes at any of these synapses could modulate sensory processing and potentially short-term sensory memory. A key olfactory bulb circuit for mediating cortical feedback modulation is granule cells, which are targeted by multiple cortical regions including both glutamatergic excitatory inputs and GABAergic inhibitory inputs. There is robust endocannabinoid modulation of excitatory inputs to granule cells and here we explored whether there was also endocannabinoid modulation of the inhibitory cortical inputs to granule cells. We expressed light-gated cation channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) in GABAergic neurons in the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca (HDB) and their projections to granule cells in olfactory bulb. Selective optical activation of ChR2 positive axons/terminals generated strong, frequency-dependent short-term depression of GABAA-mediated-IPSC in granule cells. As cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor is heavily expressed in olfactory bulb granule cell layer (GCL) and there is endogenous endocannabinoid release in GCL, we investigated whether activation of CB1 receptor modulated the HDB IPSC and short-term depression at the HDB→granule cell synapse. Activation of the CB1 receptor by the exogenous agonist Win 55,212-2 significantly decreased the peak amplitude of individual IPSC and decreased short-term depression, while blockade of the CB1 receptor by AM 251 slightly increased individual IPSCs and increased short-term depression. Thus, we conclude that there is tonic endocannabinoid activation of the GABAergic projections of the HDB to granule cells, similar to the modulation observed with glutamatergic projections to granule cells. Modulation of inhibitory synaptic currents and frequency-dependent short-term depression could regulate the precise balance of cortical feedback excitation and inhibition of granule cells leading to changes in granule cell mediated inhibition of olfactory bulb output to higher processing areas.
Cervical Dystonia Is Associated With Aberrant Inhibitory Signaling Within the Thalamus
Authors: Groth Christopher L. , Brown Mark , Honce Justin M. , Shelton Erika , Sillau Stefan H. , Berman Brian D.
Published: February 2021

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate whether alterations in the neurotransmission of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the thalamus are present in patients with cervical dystonia compared to healthy controls.

Methods: GABA magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to investigate concentration levels of GABA in the thalamus of cervical dystonia patients (n = 17) compared to healthy controls (n = 18). Additionally, a focused post hoc analysis of thalamic GABAA receptor availability data in a similar cohort (n = 15 for both groups) using data from a previously collected 11C-flumazenil positron emission tomography study was performed. Group comparisons for all evaluations were performed using two-sided t-tests with adjustments for age and sex, and Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons was applied. Spearman's coefficient was used to test correlations.

Results: We found significantly reduced GABA+/Cre levels in the thalamus of cervical dystonia patients compared to controls, and these levels positively correlated with disease duration. Although mean thalamic GABAA receptor availability did not differ between patients and controls, GABAA availability negatively correlated with both disease duration and dystonia severity.

Conclusions: These findings support that aberrant inhibitory signaling within the thalamus contributes to the pathophysiology of cervical dystonia. Additionally, these results suggest that an inadequate ability to compensate for the loss of GABA through upregulation of GABAA receptors may underlie more severe symptoms.
Clinical Improvement After Treatment With IncobotulinumtoxinA (XEOMIN®) in Patients With Cervical Dystonia Resistant to Botulinum Toxin Preparations Containing Complexing Proteins
Authors: Hefter Harald , Hartmann Christian J. , Kahlen Ulrike , Samadzadeh Sara , Rosenthal Dietmar , Moll Marek
Published: February 2021

This study investigated the clinical long-term effect of incobotulinumtoxinA (incoBoNT/A) in 33 cervical dystonia (CD) patients who had developed partial secondary therapy failure (PSTF) under previous long-term botulinum toxin (BoNT) treatment. Patients were treated four times every 12 weeks with incoBoNT/A injections. Physicians assessed treatment efficacy using the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) at the baseline visit, week 12 and 48. Patients rated quality of life of CD with the Craniocervical Dystonia Questionnaire (CDQ-24). Titres of neutralizing antibodies(NAB) were determined at start of the study and after 48 weeks. All patients had experienced significant and progressive worsening of symptoms in the last 6 months of previous BoNT treatment. Repeated incoBoNT/A injections resulted in a significant reduction in mean TWSTRS at week 12 and 48. Patients' rating of quality of life was highly correlated with TWSTRS but did not change significantly over 48 weeks. During the 48 weeks -period of incoBoNT/A treatment NAB titres decreased in 32.2%, did not change in 45.2%, and only increased in 22.6% of the patients. Thus, repeated treatment with the low dose of 200 MU incoBoNT/A over 48 weeks provided a beneficial clinical long-term effect in PSTF and did not booster titres of NAB.