bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Body perception in chimpanzees and humans: The expert effect
Authors: Gao Jie , Kawakami Fumito , Tomonaga Masaki
Published: April 2020

Both humans and chimpanzees have better performances when recognizing faces or bodies when the stimuli are upright compared to inverted. This is called the inversion effect. It suggests that these two species use a specific way to process faces and bodies. Previous research has suggested that humans also show the inversion effect to objects that they have expertise about, and this is called the expert effect. We investigated whether chimpanzees show the expert effect and how humans and chimpanzees differ by testing chimpanzees (human experts) with human body stimuli and testing humans (chimpanzee experts) with chimpanzee and human body stimuli in body recognition tasks. The main finding was that humans (chimpanzee experts) showed the expert effect to chimpanzee bodies, while chimpanzees partially showed it to human bodies. This suggests that compared with chimpanzees, the special processing in humans can be more flexibly tuned for other objects. We also tested humans that were not chimpanzee experts using chimpanzee body stimuli. Although they showed similar performances as the chimpanzee experts, the two groups had differences in some situations, indicating the effect of expertise. This study revealed the important role of experience in object processing in humans, and our evolutionary relatives, chimpanzees.
Diagnostic performance of non-invasive, stool-based molecular assays in patients with paucibacillary tuberculosis
Authors: Gaur Mohita , Singh Anoop , Sharma Vishal , Tandon Gayatri , Bothra Ankur , Vasudeva Aarushi , Kedia Shreeya , Khanna Ashwani , Khanna Vishal , Lohiya Sheelu , Varma-Basil Mandira , Chaudhry Anil , Misra Richa , Singh Yogendra
Published: April 2020

Timely diagnosis of paucibacillary tuberculosis (TB) which includes smear-negative pulmonary TB (PTB) and extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB) remains a challenge. This study was performed to assess the diagnostic utility of stool as a specimen of choice for detection of mycobacterial DNA in paucibacillary TB patients in a TB-endemic setting. Stool samples were collected from 246 subjects including 129 TB patients (62 PTB and 67 EPTB) recruited at TB hospital in Delhi, India. Diagnostic efficacy of stool IS6110 PCR (n = 228) was measured, using microbiologically/clinically confirmed TB as the reference standard. The clinical sensitivity of stool PCR was 97.22% (95% confidence interval (CI), 85.47-99.93) for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in stool samples of smear-positive PTB patients and 76.92% (CI, 56.35–91.03) in samples from smear-negative PTB patients. Overall sensitivity of PCR for EPTB was 68.66% (CI, 56.16–79.44), with the highest sensitivity for stool samples from patients with lymph node TB (73.5%), followed by abdominal TB (66.7%) and pleural effusion (56.3%). Stool PCR presented a specificity of 95.12%. The receiver operating characteristic curve also indicated the diagnostic utility of stool PCR in TB detection (AUC: 0.882). The performance characteristic of the molecular assay suggests that stool DNA testing has clinical value in detection of TB.
The internal cranial anatomy of Champsosaurus (Choristodera: Champsosauridae): Implications for neurosensory function
Authors: Dudgeon Thomas W. , Maddin Hillary C. , Evans David C. , Mallon Jordan C.
Published: April 2020

Although isolated Champsosaurus remains are common in Upper Cretaceous sediments of North America, the braincase of these animals is enigmatic due to the fragility of their skulls. Here, two well-preserved specimens of Champsosaurus (CMN 8920 and CMN 8919) are CT scanned to describe their neurosensory structures and infer sensory capability. The anterior portion of the braincase was poorly ossified and thus does not permit visualization of a complete endocast; however, impressions of the olfactory stalks indicate that they were elongate and likely facilitated good olfaction. The posterior portion of the braincase is ossified and morphologically similar to that of other extinct diapsids. The absence of an otic notch and an expansion of the pars inferior of the inner ear suggests Champsosaurus was limited to detecting low frequency sounds. Comparison of the shapes of semicircular canals with lepidosaurs and archosauromorphs demonstrates that the semicircular canals of Champsosaurus are most similar to those of aquatic reptiles, suggesting that Champsosaurus was well adapted for sensing movement in an aquatic environment. This analysis also demonstrates that birds, non-avian archosauromorphs, and lepidosaurs possess significantly different canal morphologies, and represents the first morphometric analysis of semicircular canals across Diapsida.
Long-term potentiation prevents ketamine-induced aberrant neurophysiological dynamics in the hippocampus-prefrontal cortex pathway in vivo
Authors: Lopes-Aguiar Cleiton , Ruggiero Rafael N. , Rossignoli Matheus T. , Esteves Ingrid de Miranda , Peixoto-Santos José Eduardo , Romcy-Pereira Rodrigo N. , Leite João P.
Published: April 2020

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAr) antagonists such as ketamine (KET) produce psychotic-like behavior in both humans and animal models. NMDAr hypofunction affects normal oscillatory dynamics and synaptic plasticity in key brain regions related to schizophrenia, particularly in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. It has been shown that prior long-term potentiation (LTP) occluded the increase of synaptic efficacy in the hippocampus-prefrontal cortex pathway induced by MK-801, a non-competitive NMDAr antagonist. However, it is not clear whether LTP could also modulate aberrant oscillations and short-term plasticity disruptions induced by NMDAr antagonists. Thus, we tested whether LTP could mitigate the electrophysiological changes promoted by KET. We recorded HPC-PFC local field potentials and evoked responses in urethane anesthetized rats, before and after KET administration, preceded or not by LTP induction. Our results show that KET promotes an aberrant delta-high-gamma cross-frequency coupling in the PFC and an enhancement in HPC-PFC evoked responses. LTP induction prior to KET attenuates changes in synaptic efficiency and prevents the increase in cortical gamma amplitude comodulation. These findings are consistent with evidence that increased efficiency of glutamatergic receptors attenuates cognitive impairment in animal models of psychosis. Therefore, high-frequency stimulation in HPC may be a useful tool to better understand how to prevent NMDAr hypofunction effects on synaptic plasticity and oscillatory coordination in cortico-limbic circuits.
The Amyloid-beta rich CNS environment alters myeloid cell functionality independent of their origin
Authors: Drost Natalia , Houtman Judith , Cseresnyés Zoltán , Niesner Raluca , Rinnenthal Jan-Leo , Miller Kelly R. , Prokop Stefan , Heppner Frank L.
Published: April 2020

Microglia, the innate immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS) survey their surroundings with their cytoplasmic processes, phagocytose debris and rapidly respond to injury. These functions are affected by the presence of beta-Amyloid (Aβ) deposits, hallmark lesions of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We recently demonstrated that exchanging functionally altered endogenous microglia with peripheral myeloid cells did not change Aβ-burden in a mouse model mimicking aspects of AD at baseline, and only mildly reduced Aβ plaques upon stimulation. To better characterize these different myeloid cell populations, we used long-term in vivo 2-photon microscopy to compare morphology and basic functional parameters of brain populating peripherally-derived myeloid cells and endogenous microglia. While peripherally-derived myeloid cells exhibited increased process movement in the non-diseased brain, the Aβ rich environment in an AD-like mouse model, which induced an alteration of surveillance functions in endogenous microglia, also restricted functional characteristics and response to CNS injury of newly recruited peripherally-derived myeloid cells. Our data demonstrate that the Aβ rich brain environment alters the functional characteristics of endogenous microglia as well as newly recruited peripheral myeloid cells, which has implications for the role of myeloid cells in disease and the utilization of these cells in Alzheimer’s disease therapy.
α-Lipoic acid induces Endoplasmic Reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis in hepatoma cells
Authors: Pibiri Monica , Sulas Pia , Camboni Tania , Leoni Vera Piera , Simbula Gabriella
Published: April 2020

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver cancer and a major cause of adult death. The current treatments for HCC suffer from drug resistance and poor prognosis; therefore, novel therapeutic agents are urgently needed. Phytochemicals have been proposed to treat a range of cancers. Among them, α-lipoic acid (α-LA), a naturally synthesized antioxidant found in various dietary animal and plant sources, prevents oxidant-mediated cell death in normal cells while inducing apoptosis in several cancer cell lines. Previously, we demonstrated that the treatment of hepatoma cells with α-LA induced apoptosis, which was preceded by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of the p53 protein, a known inducer of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. Several studies have shown that ROS-induced apoptosis is associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) activation. Herein, we investigated if α-LA-induced apoptosis in hepatoma cell lines was ER stress- and UPR-mediated by gene expression profiling analyses. UPR and ER stress pathways were the most up-regulated after treatment with α-LA. This finding, which has been confirmed by expression analyses of ER- and UPR-associated proteins, provides a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind the anti-tumoral action of α-LA on hepatoma cells.
Nitrifying biofilms deprived of organic carbon show higher functional resilience to increases in carbon supply
Authors: Navada Sharada , Knutsen Maja F. , Bakke Ingrid , Vadstein Olav
Published: April 2020

In nitrifying biofilms, the organic carbon to ammonia nitrogen (C/N) supply ratio can influence resource competition between heterotrophic and nitrifying bacteria for oxygen and space. We investigated the impact of acute and chronic changes in carbon supply on inter-guild competition in two moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR), operated with (R1) and without (R0) external organic carbon supply. The microbial and nitrifying community composition of the reactors differed significantly. Interestingly, acute increases in the dissolved organic carbon inhibited nitrification in R1 ten times more than in R0. A sustained increase in the carbon supply decreased nitrification efficiency and increased denitrification activity to a greater extent in R1, and also increased the proportion of potential denitrifiers in both bioreactors. The findings suggest that autotrophic biofilms subjected to increases in carbon supply show higher nitrification and lower denitrification activity than carbon-fed biofilms. This has significant implications for the design of nitrifying bioreactors. Specifically, efficient removal of organic matter before the nitrification unit can improve the robustness of the bioreactor to varying influent quality. Thus, maintaining a low C/N ratio is important in nitrifying biofilters when acute carbon stress is expected or when anoxic activity (e.g. denitrification or H2S production) is undesirable, such as in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).
Revealing the air pollution burden associated with internal Migration in Peru
Authors: Carrasco-Escobar Gabriel , Schwarz Lara , Miranda J. Jaime , Benmarhnia Tarik
Published: April 2020

This study aims to quantify changes in outdoor (ambient) air pollution exposure from different migration patterns within Peru and quantify its effect on premature mortality. Data on ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Census data was used to calculate rates of within-country migration at the district level. We calculated differences in PM2.5exposure between “current” (2016–2017) and “origin” (2012) districts for each migration patterns. Using an exposure-response relationship for PM2.5extracted from a meta-analysis, and mortality rates from the Peruvian Ministry of Health, we quantified premature mortality attributable to each migration pattern. Changes in outdoor PM2.5exposure were observed between 2012 and 2016 with highest levels of PM2.5in the Department of Lima. A strong spatial autocorrelation of outdoor PM2.5values (Moran’s I = 0.847, p-value=0.001) was observed. In Greater Lima, rural-to-urban and urban-to-urban migrants experienced 10-fold increases in outdoor PM2.5exposure in comparison with non-migrants. Changes in outdoor PM2.5exposure due to migration drove 185 (95% CI: 2.7, 360) premature deaths related to air pollution, with rural-urban producing the highest risk of mortality from exposure to higher levels of ambient air pollution. Our results demonstrate that the rural-urban and urban-urban migrant groups have higher rates of air pollution-related deaths.
A novel highly active and reusable carbon based
platinum-ruthenium nanocatalyst for dimethylamine-borane dehydrogenation in water at
room conditions
Authors: Karatas Yasar , Acidereli Hilal , Gulcan Mehmet , Sen Fatih
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we present platinum/ruthenium nanoparticles supported on
Vulcan carbon (PtRu@VC) as a nanocatalyst for the dehydrogenation of
dimethylamine-borane (DMAB) in aqueous solution under mild conditions. PtRu@VC
nanocatalyst was fabricated using the alcohol-reduction techniques which is a facile
and effective method. The prepared PtRu@VC nanocatalyst exhibited a good
stabilization and an effective catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution from the
DMAB dehydrogenation in water at room temperature. The composition of PtRu@VC
nanocatalyst was investigated using different analytical techniques inductively
coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), transmission electron
microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), powder
X-ray diffraction (P-XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A
monodispersedPt/Ru metals distributions on VC (as supporting material) were revealed
by TEM and HR-TEM analyses. The mean particle size of PtRu@VC nanocatalyst was found
to be 3.15 ± 0.76 nm. XPS analysis for PtRu@VC nanocatalyst showed that almost Pt-Ru
metals were found to be the metallic state. Catalytic experimental results showed
that PtRu@VC nanocatalyst has a high catalytic activity with an excellent turn-over
frequency (TOFinitial)
value of 14926.2 h−1
(248.77 min−1) in the dehydrogenation of DMAB in
water at room temperature. Additionally, in the paper, we report some different
kinetic data obtained from different experimental parameters of temperature,
catalyst and substrate concentrations conducted for DMAB dehydrogenation in water
catalyzed with PtRu@VC nanocatalyst.
Tagging enhances histochemical and biochemical detection of Ran Binding Protein 9 in vivo and reveals its interaction with Nucleolin
Authors: Soliman Shimaa H. A. , Stark Aaron E. , Gardner Miranda L. , Harshman Sean W. , Breece Chelssie C. , Amari Foued , Orlacchio Arturo , Chen Min , Tessari Anna , Martin Jennifer A. , Visone Rosa , Freitas Michael A. , La Perle Krista M. D. , Palmieri Dario , Coppola Vincenzo
Published: April 2020

The lack of tools to reliably detect RanBP9 in vivo has significantly hampered progress in understanding the biological functions of this scaffold protein. We report here the generation of a novel mouse strain, RanBP9-TT, in which the endogenous protein is fused with a double (V5-HA) epitope tag at the C-terminus. We show that the double tag does not interfere with the essential functions of RanBP9. In contrast to RanBP9 constitutive knock-out animals, RanBP9-TT mice are viable, fertile and do not show any obvious phenotype. The V5-HA tag allows unequivocal detection of RanBP9 both by IHC and WB. Importantly, immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry analyses reveal that the tagged protein pulls down known interactors of wild type RanBP9. Thanks to the increased detection power, we are also unveiling a previously unknown interaction with Nucleolin, a protein proposed as an ideal target for cancer treatment. In summary, we report the generation of a new mouse line in which RanBP9 expression and interactions can be reliably studied by the use of commercially available αtag antibodies. The use of this line will help to overcome some of the existing limitations in the study of RanBP9 and potentially unveil unknown functions of this protein in vivo such as those linked to Nucleolin.
Analysis of inter-system variability of systolic and diastolic intraventricular pressure gradients derived from color Doppler M-mode echocardiography
Authors: Hodzic Amir , Bonnefous Odile , Langet Hélène , Hamiche Walid , Chaufourier Laure , Tournoux Francois , Milliez Paul , Normand Hervé , Saloux Eric
Published: April 2020

Assessment of intraventricular pressure gradients (IVPG) using color Doppler M-mode echocardiography has gained increasing interest in the evaluation of cardiac function. However, standardized analysis tools for IVPG quantification are missing. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility, the test-retest observer reproducibility, and the inter-system variability of a semi-automated IVPG quantification algorithm. The study included forty healthy volunteers (50% were men). All volunteers were examined using two ultrasound systems, the Philips Epiq 7 and the General Electric Vivid 6. Left ventricular diastolic (DIVPG) and systolic (SIVPG) intraventricular pressure gradients were measured from the spatiotemporal distribution of intraventricular propagation flow velocities using color Doppler M-mode in standard apical views. There was good feasibility for both systolic and diastolic IVPG measurements (82.5% and 85%, respectively). Intra and inter-observer test-retest variability measured with the intraclass correlation coefficient were 0.98 and 0.93 for DIVPG respectively, and 0.95 and 0.89 for SIVPG respectively. The inter-system concordance was weak to moderate with Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient of 0.59 for DIVPG and 0.25 for SIVPG. In conclusion, it is feasible and reproducible to assess systolic and diastolic IVPG using color Doppler M-mode in healthy volunteers. However, the inter-system variability in IVPG analysis needs to be taken into account, especially when using displayed data.
In vivo large-scale analysis of Drosophila neuronal calcium traces by automated tracking of single somata
Authors: Delestro Felipe , Scheunemann Lisa , Pedrazzani Mélanie , Tchenio Paul , Preat Thomas , Genovesio Auguste
Published: April 2020

How does the concerted activity of neuronal populations shape behavior? Impediments to address this question are primarily due to critical experimental barriers. An integrated perspective on large scale neural information processing requires an in vivo approach that can combine the advantages of exhaustively observing all neurons dedicated to a given type of stimulus, and simultaneously achieve a resolution that is precise enough to capture individual neuron activity. Current experimental data from in vivo observations are either restricted to a small fraction of the total number of neurons, or are based on larger brain volumes but at a low spatial and temporal resolution. Consequently, fundamental questions as to how sensory information is represented on a population scale remain unanswered. In Drosophila melanogaster, the mushroom body (MB) represents an excellent model to analyze sensory coding and memory plasticity. In this work, we present an experimental setup coupled with a dedicated computational method that provides in vivo measurements of the activity of hundreds of densely packed somata uniformly spread in the MB. We exploit spinning-disk confocal 3D imaging over time of the whole MB cell body layer in vivo while it is exposed to olfactory stimulation. Importantly, to derive individual signal from densely packed somata, we have developed a fully automated image analysis procedure that takes advantage of the specificities of our data. After anisotropy correction, our approach operates a dedicated spot detection and registration over the entire time sequence to transform trajectories to identifiable clusters. This enabled us to discard spurious detections and reconstruct missing ones in a robust way. We demonstrate that this approach outperformed existing methods in this specific context and made possible high-throughput analysis of approximately 500 single somata uniformly spread over the MB in various conditions. Applying this approach, we find that learned experiences change the population code of odor representations in the MB. After long-term memory (LTM) formation, we quantified an increase in responsive somata count and a stable single neuron signal. We predict that this method, which should further enable studying the population pattern of neuronal activity, has the potential to uncover fine details of sensory processing and memory plasticity.
Characterization of doxycycline-mediated inhibition of Marfan syndrome-associated aortic dilation by multiphoton microscopy
Authors: Tehrani Arash Y. , Cui Jason Z. , Bucky Jones T. , Hotova Ester , Castro Monica , Bernatchez Pascal , van Breemen Cornelis , Esfandiarei Mitra
Published: April 2020

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder that results in aortic root widening and aneurysm if unmanaged. We have previously reported doxycycline, a nonselective matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) inhibitor, to attenuate aortic root widening and improve aortic contractility and elasticity in MFS mice. We were also first to use multiphoton microscopy, a non-invasive and label-free imaging technique, to quantify and link the aortic ultrastructure to possible changes in the skin dermis. Here, we aimed to assess the effects of long-term doxycycline treatment on the aortic ultrastructure and skin dermis of MFS mice through immunohistochemical evaluation and quantification of elastic and collagen content and morphology using multiphoton microscopy. Our results demonstrate a rescue of aortic elastic fiber fragmentation and disorganization accompanied by a decrease in MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression within the aortic wall in doxycycline-treated MFS mice. At 12 months of age, reduced skin dermal thickness was observed in both MFS and control mice, but only dermal thinning in MFS mice was rescued by doxycycline treatment. MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression was reduced in the skin of doxycycline-treated MFS mice. A decrease in dermal thickness was found to be positively associated with increased aortic root elastin disorganization and wall thickness. Our findings confirm the beneficial effects of doxycycline on ultrastructural properties of aortic root as well as on skin elasticity and structural integrity in MFS mice.
Effect of the type of reducing agents of silver ions in interpolyelectrolyte-metal complexes on the structure, morphology and properties of silver-containing nanocomposites
Authors: Demchenko V. , Riabov S. , Kobylinskyi S. , Goncharenko L. , Rybalchenko N. , Kruk A. , Moskalenko O. , Shut M.
Published: April 2020

The objective of this work is to study the peculiarities of structural organization, morphology, thermomechanical, electrical and antimicrobial properties of nanocomposites based on pectin-polyethyleneimine interpolyelectrolyte complexes and silver nanoparticles in dependence on the type of reducing agent being applied for chemical reduction of silver ions in the interpolyelectrolyte-metal complexes. The average size of Ag nanoparticles is shown to be increased with decreasing of the activity of reducing agent (E0) and equals to 3.8 nm, 4.3 nm, and 15.8 nm, respectively, when engaging sodium borohydride (–1.24 V), hydrazine (–1.15 V) and ascorbic acid (–0.35 V). Moreover, it was found that the crystallite size of Ag nanoparticles also had the smallest value for nanocomposites obtained involving NaBH4 as reducing agent. Ag-containing nanocomposites prepared by reduction of silver ions in interpolyelectrolyte-metal complexes while applying a range of reducing agents are characterized by different electrical properties and polymer matrix’ glass transition temperature. The influence of silver nanoparticles’ size incorporated in the polymer matrix on the antimicrobial activity of nanocomposites has been established. The inhibition zone diameter of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was higher for nanocomposites obtained using sodium borohydride and hydrazine compared to nanocomposites where ascorbic acid was used as the reducing agent.
Anatomical study of the female reproductive system and bacteriome of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, (Insecta: Hemiptera, Liviidae) using micro-computed tomography
Authors: Alba-Alejandre Ignacio , Alba-Tercedor Javier , Hunter Wayne B.
Published: April 2020

Huanglongbing (HLB) (citrus greening disease) is one of the most serious bacterial diseases of citrus. It is caused by (1)CandidatusLiberibacter africanus, transmitted byTrioza erytreaeand (2)C.L. asiaticus andC.L. americanus, transmitted byDiaphorina citri. As part of a multidisciplinary project onD. citri(www.citrusgreening.org), we made a detailed study, using micro-computed tomography, of the female abdominal terminalia, reproductive system (ovaries, accessory glands, spermatheca, colleterial (= cement) gland, connecting ducts, and ovipositor) and bacteriome, which we present here. New terms and structures are introduced and described, particularly concerning the spermatheca, ovipositor and bacteriome. The quality of images and bacteriome reconstructions are comparable, or clearer, than those previously published using a synchrotron or fluorescencein situhybridisation (FISH). This study: reviews knowledge of the female reproductive system and bacteriome organ inD. citri; represents the first detailed morphological study ofD. citrito use micro-CT; and extensively revises existing morphological information relevant to psylloids, hemipterans and insects in general. High quality images and supplementary videos represent a significant advance in knowledge of psylloid anatomy and are useful tools for future research and as educational aids.
Initiation Factor 3 is Dispensable For Mitochondrial Translation in Cultured Human Cells
Authors: Chicherin Ivan V. , Baleva Maria V. , Levitskii Sergey A. , Dashinimaev Erdem B. , Krasheninnikov Igor A. , Kamenski Piotr
Published: April 2020

The initiation of protein synthesis in bacteria is ruled by three canonical factors: IF1, IF2, and IF3. This system persists in human mitochondria; however, it functions in a rather different way due to specialization and adaptation to the organellar micro-environment. We focused on human mitochondrial IF3, which was earlier studied in vitro, but no knock-out cellular models have been published up to date. In this work, we generated human HeLa cell lines deficient in the MTIF3 gene and analyzed their mitochondrial function. Despite the lack of IF3mt in these cells, they preserved functional mitochondria capable of oxygen consumption and protein synthesis; however, the translation of ATP6 mRNA was selectively decreased which compromised the assembly of ATP synthase. Together with the analogous results obtained earlier for baker’s yeast mitochondrial IF3, our findings point to a functional divergence of mitochondrial initiation factors from their bacterial ancestors.
The synthetic LPS binding peptide 19-2.5 interferes with clotting and prevents degradation of high molecular weight kininogen in plasma
Authors: Köhler Juliane , Ehler Johannes , Kreikemeyer Bernd , Bajorath Rika , Schürholz Tobias , Oehmcke-Hecht Sonja
Published: April 2020

Sepsis and septic shock are life-threatening conditions and remain an important medical problem, emphasizing the need to identify novel therapeutic approaches. Coagulation dysfunction, hypotension, disturbed microcirculation and multiorgan failure occur frequently. These severe conditions result from an overwhelming inflammatory response, induced by pathogen and damage associated molecular patterns (PAMPs and DAMPs) released into the bloodstream. In the present study, we demonstrated that the synthetic Lipopolysaccharid (LPS)-binding peptide 19-2.5 interferes with the activation of the coagulation and contact system. Moreover, binding of LPS to high molecular weight kininogen (HK), one of the major LPS carrier in blood, could be prevented by the peptide. Thus, peptide 19-2.5 might represent a promising target in the treatment of endotoxemia and sepsis, not only by its anti-inflammatory potential, but also by the anticoagulant effect, together with its ability to prevent degradation of HK.
The Preoperative Prognostic Nutritional Index for the Prediction of Outcomes in Patients with Early-Stage Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Yoshikawa Nobuhisa , Yoshida Kosuke , Tamauchi Satoshi , Ikeda Yoshiki , Nishino Kimihiro , Niimi Kaoru , Suzuki Shiro , Kikkawa Fumitaka , Kajiyama Hiroaki
Published: April 2020

The prognostic nutritional index (PNI), which reflects preoperative malnutrition, is useful for predicting the incidence of postoperative complications and has been reported in recent years to predict the long-term prognosis of various malignancies. The purpose of this study was to clarify the significance of PNI as a prognostic factor for early-stage clear cell ovarian carcinoma. A total of 82 patients with stage I–II (FIGO 2014) ovarian clear cell carcinoma undergoing primary surgery at our hospital from January 2005 to December 2017 were enrolled. PNI was calculated using the formula: 10 × serum albumin (g/ dL) + 0.005 × peripheral blood lymphocyte count (/mm3). Preoperative PNI exhibited relatively high area under the curve value (0.709) for 5 year survival, and the optimal cutoff value was 46.5. The overall survival was significantly shorter in the PNI-low group than in the PNI-high group. Multivariate analysis showed that high PNI was a significant independent prognostic factor for favorable prognosis (hazard ratio = 0.102, p = 0.010). There was no significant difference in recurrence-free survival between the two groups (p = 0.220), but the postrecurrence survival was significantly longer in the PNI-high group than in the PNI-low group (p = 0.0383). The preoperative PNI was a useful predictor of prognosis, even in early-stage ovarian clear cell carcinoma.
A Facile Approach to High Precision Detection of Cell-to-Cell Variation for Li-ion Batteries
Authors: Xie Leqiong , Ren Dongsheng , Wang Li , Chen Zonghai , Tian Guangyu , Amine Khalil , He Xiangming
Published: April 2020

Over the past decade, it has been repeatedly demonstrated that homogeneity in electrochemical performance of lithium-ion cells plays a major role in determining the life and safety of lithium-ion battery modules or packs. Generally, the homogeneity of a battery pack is evaluated by characterizing the cells individually in terms of capacity, mass, impedance. Particularly, high quality electrochemical data heavily relies on the availability of high precision current source to minimize the discrepancy induced by the channel-to-channel variation. Here, a facile and precise measurement method is reported for screening cell-to-cell variations, in which voltage is the only indicator parameter independent of high precision current source. In detail, by connecting the cells in series (CiS), the measurement error of electrochemical data caused by stability and discrepancy of current sources among different charge/discharge equipment can be effectively avoided. The findings of this work showed that the cell-to-cell variations can be simply and sensitively detected with CiS configuration. For example, the relative standard deviation, which is the evaluation criterion of battery homogeneity, was 2.14% based on CiS while it was 0.43% based on individual measurements. The simple and precise CiS measurement is promising for evaluation of cell quality or module integration quality. In addition, this work can also provide a solid foundation for the development of detection algorithms for battery management systems to rapidly monitor battery homogeneity.
Motor cortex stimulation in chronic neuropathic orofacial pain syndromes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Henssen Dylan , Kurt Erkan , van Walsum Anne-Marie Van Cappellen , Kozicz Tamas , van Dongen Robert , Bartels Ronald
Published: April 2020

Invasive motor Cortex Stimulation (iMCS) was introduced in the 1990’s for the treatment of chronic neuropathic orofacial pain (CNOP), although its effectiveness remains doubtful. However, CNOP is known to be a heterogeneous group of orofacial pain disorders, which can lead to different responses to iMCS. Therefore, this paper investigated (1) whether the effectiveness of iMCS is significantly different among different CNOP disorders and (2) whether other confounding factors can be impacting iMCS results in CNOP. A systematic review and meta-analysis using a linear mixed-model was performed. Twenty-three papers were included, totaling 140 CNOP patients. Heterogeneity of the studies showed to be 55.8%. A visual analogue scale (VAS) measured median pain relief of 66.5% (ranging from 0–100%) was found. Linear mixed-model analysis showed that patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia responded significantly more favorable to iMCS than patients suffering from dysfunctional pain syndromes (p = 0.030). Also, patients suffering from CNOP caused by (supra)nuclear lesions responded marginally significantly better to iMCS than patients suffering from CNOP due to trigeminal nerve lesions (p = 0.049). No other confounding factors were elucidated. This meta-analysis showed that patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia and patients suffering from (supra)nuclear lesions causing CNOP responded significantly more favorable than others on iMCS. No other confounding factors were found relevant.
The Pivotal Roles of US3 Protein in Cell-to-Cell Spread and Virion Nuclear Egress of Duck Plague Virus
Authors: Deng Liyao , Wang Mingshu , Cheng Anchun , Yang Qiao , Wu Ying , Jia Renyong , Chen Shun , Zhu Dekang , Liu Mafeng , Zhao Xinxin , Zhang Shaqiu , Huang Juan , Ou Xumin , Mao Sai , Zhang Ling , Liu Yunya , Yu Yanling , Tian Bin , Pan Leichang , Rehman Mujeeb Ur , Chen Xiaoyue
Published: April 2020

The duck plague virus (DPV) US3 protein, a homolog of the herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) US3 protein that is reported to be critical for viral replication, has been minimally studied. Therefore, to investigate the function of the DPV US3 protein, we used scarless Red recombination technology based on an infectious bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) containing the DPV Chinese virulent strain (CHv) genome and successfully constructed and rescued a US3-deleted mutant and the corresponding revertant virus (BAC-CHv-ΔUS3 and BAC-CHv-ΔUS3R, respectively). For viral growth characteristics, compared to the parental and revertant viruses, the US3-deleted mutant showed an approximately 100-fold reduction in viral titers but no significant reduction in genome copies, indicating that the US3-deleted mutant exhibited decreased viral replication but not decreased viral DNA generation. In addition, the US3-deleted mutant formed viral plaques that were 33% smaller on average than those formed by the parental and revertant viruses, demonstrating that US3 protein affected the viral cell-to-cell spread of DPV. Finally, the results of electron microscopy showed that the deletion of US3 resulted in a large number of virions accumulating in the nucleus and perinuclear space, thus blocking virion nuclear egress. In this study, we found that the DPV US3 protein played pivotal roles in viral replication by promoting viral cell-to-cell spread and virion nuclear egress, which may provide some references for research on the function of the DPV US3 protein.
Validating a low-cost laser speckle contrast imaging system as a quantitative tool for assessing retinal vascular function
Authors: Patel Dwani D. , Lipinski Daniel M.
Published: April 2020

The ability to monitor progression of retinal vascular diseases like diabetic retinopathy in small animal models is often complicated by their failure to develop the end-stage complications which characterize the human phenotypes in disease. Interestingly, as micro-vascular dysfunction typically precedes the onset of retinal vascular and even some neurodegenerative diseases, the ability to visualize and quantify hemodynamic changes (e.g. decreased flow or occlusion) in retinal vessels may serve as a useful diagnostic indicator of disease progression and as a therapeutic outcome measure in response to treatment. Nevertheless, the ability to precisely and accurately quantify retinal hemodynamics remains an unmet challenge in ophthalmic research. Herein we demonstrate the ability to modify a commercial fundus camera into a low-cost laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) system for contrast-free and non-invasive quantification of relative changes to retinal hemodynamics over a wide field-of-view in a rodent model.
The Synthetic Curcumin Analogue GO-Y030 Effectively Suppresses the Development of Pressure Overload-induced Heart Failure in Mice
Authors: Shimizu Kana , Sunagawa Yoichi , Funamoto Masafumi , Wakabayashi Hiroki , Genpei Mai , Miyazaki Yusuke , Katanasaka Yasufumi , Sari Nurmila , Shimizu Satoshi , Katayama Ayumi , Shibata Hiroyuki , Iwabuchi Yoshiharu , Kakeya Hideaki , Wada Hiromichi , Hasegawa Koji , Morimoto Tatsuya
Published: April 2020

Curcumin is a naturally occurring p300-histone acetyltransferase (p300-HAT) inhibitor that suppresses cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and the development of heart failure in experimental animal models. To enhance the therapeutic potential of curcumin against heart failure, we produced a series of synthetic curcumin analogues and investigated their inhibitory activity against p300-HAT. The compound with the strongest activity was further evaluated to determine its effects on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and pressure overload-induced heart failure in mice. We synthesised five synthetic curcumin analogues and found that a compound we have named GO-Y030 most strongly inhibited p300-HAT activity. Furthermore, 1 μM GO-Y030, in a manner equivalent to 10 µM curcumin, suppressed phenylephrine-induced hypertrophic responses in cultured cardiomyocytes. In mice undergoing transverse aortic constriction surgery, administration of GO-Y030 at a mere 1% of an equivalently-effective dose of curcumin significantly attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and systolic dysfunction. In addition, this low dose of GO-Y030 almost completely blocked histone H3K9 acetylation and eliminated left ventricular fibrosis. A low dose of the synthetic curcumin analogue GO-Y030 effectively inhibits p300-HAT activity and markedly suppresses the development of heart failure in mice.
Type III, IV, and VI Collagens Turnover in Systemic Sclerosis – a Longitudinal Study
Authors: Juhl Pernille , Bay-Jensen Anne-Christine , Hesselstrand Roger , Siebuhr Anne S. , Wuttge Dirk M.
Published: April 2020

Tissue turnover, especially in the skin, is altered in systemic sclerosis (SSc), leading to tissue accumulation. The objective was to examine type III, IV, and VI collagens turnovers in SSc and investigate longitudinal alterations in relation to modified Rodnan Skin Score (mRSS). We included patients fulfilling the 2013 ACR/EULAR criteria for SSc (limited cutaneous [lcSSc, n = 20], diffuse cutaneous SSc [dcSSc, n = 23]) and healthy controls (HC, n = 10). Biomarkers of type III, IV, and VI collagens formation (PRO-C3, PRO-C4, PRO-C6) and degradation (C3M, C4M, C6M) were measured in serum. The fibrotic index of the individual collagens (FICol) were calculated. The fibrotic index of type III and VI collagens (FICol3 and FICol6) were increased in dcSSc compared to lcSSc (FICol3: 1.4 vs. 0.8, P = 0.0001; FICol6: 1.2 vs. 0.9, P = 0.03). The fibrotic index of type IV collagen (FICol4) was not different between the groups but was 1.5 times higher than HC (HC: 6.9, lcSSc 10.4, dcSSc: 10.5). Both FICol3 and FICol6 correlated with mRSS with rho’s of 0.59 (P < 0.0001) and 0.35 (P = 0.04). Furthermore, FICol3 steadily decrease over the disease course. Examining collagen turnover and specific collagens could be beneficial in following patients’ skin fibrosis and possibly identifying progressors.
The accuracy of auditory spatial judgments in the visually impaired is dependent on sound source distance
Authors: Kolarik Andrew J. , Raman Rajiv , Moore Brian C. J. , Cirstea Silvia , Gopalakrishnan Sarika , Pardhan Shahina
Published: April 2020

Blindness leads to substantial enhancements in many auditory abilities, and deficits in others. It is unknown how severe visual losses need to be before changes in auditory abilities occur, or whether the relationship between severity of visual loss and changes in auditory abilities is proportional and systematic. Here we show that greater severity of visual loss is associated with increased auditory judgments of distance and room size. On average participants with severe visual losses perceived sounds to be twice as far away, and rooms to be three times larger, than sighted controls. Distance estimates for sighted controls were most accurate for closer sounds and least accurate for farther sounds. As the severity of visual impairment increased, accuracy decreased for closer sounds and increased for farther sounds. However, it is for closer sounds that accurate judgments are needed to guide rapid motor responses to auditory events, e.g. planning a safe path through a busy street to avoid collisions with other people, and falls. Interestingly, greater visual impairment severity was associated with more accurate room size estimates. The results support a new hypothesis that crossmodal calibration of audition by vision depends on the severity of visual loss.
Physical activity-related injuries of college students in southern China: A 1-year prospective study
Authors: Tang Dongchun , Cai Weicong , Gao Yang , Chen Shangmin , Li Liping
Published: April 2020

This prospective study was to describe the incidence and characteristics of physical activity-related injuries (PARI) among college students in southern China. Online questionnaires and telephone interviews were combined to investigate the physical activity (PA) participation and PARI occurrences every two weeks. Totally, 84 college students (men: 49; women: 35) with a mean age of 19.4 years completed the entire 1-year follow-up. Overall, 14250.3 PA exposure hours were collected and 36 PARI episodes were reported by 26 students, with an injury incidence density of 2.53 injuries per 1000 PA exposure hours and an injury risk of 0.43 injuries/student/year. July to September accounted for a highest proportion of injuries and half of the injuries happened in the evening. The majority of injuries occurred outdoors, happened in non-contact activities, were acute and involved the lower limbs, with sprains and strains being the primary injury types. Of all injuries, 80.6% resulted in PA withdrawal immediately and 58.3% led to absence from the next planned PA. No significant difference was found between men and women. This study reveals the problem of PARI among college students, which provides the direction for the prevention of PARI in this population.
Author Correction: Probabilistic Assessment of Nerve Regeneration with Diffusion MRI in Rat Models of Peripheral Nerve Trauma
Authors: Manzanera Esteve Isaac V. , Farinas Angel F. , Pollins Alonda C. , Nussenbaum Marlieke E. , Cardwell Nancy L. , Kang Hakmook , Does Mark D. , Thayer Wesley P. , Dortch Richard D.
Published: April 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
In the rivers: Multiple adaptive radiations of cyprinid fishes (Labeobarbus) in Ethiopian Highlands
Authors: Levin Boris A. , Simonov Evgeniy , Dgebuadze Yury Y. , Levina Marina , Golubtsov Alexander S.
Published: April 2020

Multiple repeated patterns of adaptive radiation were revealed in cyprinid fish inhabiting the compact geographic region of the Ethiopian Highlands. We found four independently evolved radiations in the evolutionary hexaploid (2n = 150)Labeobarbuslineage based on matrilineal relationships of >800 individuals. Each radiation displayed similar patterns of mouth phenotype diversification, and included ecomorphs/species of the generalized, lipped, scraping (one or two), and large-mouthed (one to three) types. All radiations were detected in geographically isolated rivers, and originated from different ancestral populations. This is the first documented case in which numerous parallel radiations of fishes occurred–via different ways–in a riverine environment. Some radiations are very recent and monophyletic, while others are older and include ecomorphs that originated in separate mini flocks and later combined into one. The diversification bursts among EthiopianLabeobarbuswere detected in the mid-upper reaches of rivers (1050-1550 m above sea level), which likely offer ecological opportunities that include diverse habitats yet poor fauna (i.e. lower competition and relaxed selection). This promising example of parallel evolution of adaptive radiation warrants further investigation.
The role of extensional rheology in the oral phase of swallowing: an in vitro study
Authors: Marconati Marco , Ramaioli Marco
Published: April 2020

In vitro swallowing experiments suggest that thin, viscoelastic liquids with strong apparent extensional viscosity lead to fast transit, lower oral residues and a compact bolus leaving the oral cavity.
In situ self-assembled biosupramolecular porphyrin nanofibers for enhancing photodynamic therapy in tumors
Authors: Liu Yang , Li Xiaomin , Niu Xiaoyan , Yu Licheng , Sha Weizhou , Wang Wei , Yuan Zhi
Published: April 2020

Focusing on the high tissue hydraulic pressure in tumors leads to the low retention effect of photosensitizers (PSs), we proposed a “PSs self-fiber forming strategy” to effectively increase PSs concentration in tumor and enhance the PDT effect.
RGD functionalized chitosan nanoparticle mediated targeted delivery of raloxifene selectively suppresses angiogenesis and tumor growth in breast cancer
Authors: Yadav Amit S. , Radharani N. Naga Venkata , Gorain Mahadeo , Bulbule Anuradha , Shetti Dattatrya , Roy Gaurab , Baby Thejus , Kundu Gopal C.
Published: April 2020

Peptide functionalized pH sensitive raloxifene-chitosan nanoparticles with high biocompatibility synergistically inhibit tumor growth and angiogenesis in breast cancer.
Two-dimensional covalent–organic frameworks for ultrahigh iodine capture
Authors: Li Jinheng , Zhang Huixin , Zhang Lingyan , Wang Ke , Wang Zhengkang , Liu Guiyan , Zhao Yanli , Zeng Yongfei
Published: April 2020

Two new two-dimensional covalent–organic frameworks are synthesized using a three-connected building block, showing ultrahigh iodine capture capacities of 5.625 g g−1 and 4.820 g g−1 on account of physical–chemical adsorption.
Chiral separations with crosslinked cellulose derivatives attached onto hybrid silica monolith particles via the thiol–ene click reaction
Authors: Zhou Yuhong , Liang Qian , Zhang Zhilun , Wang Zhaodi , Huang Mingxian
Published: April 2020

A hybrid silica monolith containing vinyl groups was synthesized by a sol–gel method, and then ground and treated, yielding silica particles with a 3–5 μm particle size and a 10–20 nm pore size.
A transport system based on a quantum dot-modified nanotracer is genetically and developmentally stable in pregnant mice
Authors: Kim Hye Jin , Park Ji Sun , Yi Se Won , Go Minyeon , Kim Hye-Ryun , Lee Su Jin , Park Jong Min , Cha Dong Hyun , Shim Sung Han , Park Keun-Hong
Published: April 2020

The use of nanoscale materials (NMs) could cause problems such as cytotoxicity, genomic aberration, but the impacts of NM exposure during pregnancy remain uncharacterized in the context of clinical applications.
Mechanistic insights into the oxidation of copper(i) species during NH3-SCR over Cu-CHA zeolites: a DFT study
Authors: Liu Chong , Kubota Hiroe , Toyao Takashi , Maeno Zen , Shimizu Ken-ichi
Published: April 2020

DFT calculations suggest that Cu(i) oxidation with O2 as the sole oxidant plays a major role in the oxidation half cycle of standard NH3-SCR over Cu-CHA zeolites.