bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hemoplasmas Are Endemic and Cause Asymptomatic Infection in the Endangered Darwin’s Fox (Lycalopex fulvipes)
Authors: Di Cataldo Sophia , Hidalgo-Hermoso Ezequiel , Sacristán Irene , Cevidanes Aitor , Napolitano Constanza , Hernández Claudia V. , Esperón Fernando , Moreira-Arce Darío , Cabello Javier , Müller Ananda , Millán Javier
Published: April 2020

Mycoplasma haemocanis
is enzootic in Darwin’s foxes. There is a higher
M. haemocanis
genetic diversity and prevalence in foxes than in sympatric dogs, although haplotypes are shared between the two carnivore species. There is an apparent tolerance of Darwin’s foxes to
Mycoplasma haemocanis
.
Salmonella enterica Infection of Murine and Human Enteroid-Derived Monolayers Elicits Differential Activation of Epithelium-Intrinsic Inflammasomes
Authors: Holly Mayumi K. , Han Xiao , Zhao Edward J. , Crowley Shauna M. , Allaire Joannie M. , Knodler Leigh A. , Vallance Bruce A. , Smith Jason G.
Published: April 2020

Recent studies have determined that inflammasome signaling plays an important role in driving intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) responses to bacterial infections, such as
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium. There are two primary inflammasome pathways, canonical (involving caspase-1) and noncanonical (involving caspase-4 and -5 in humans and caspase-11 in mice). Prior studies identified the canonical inflammasome as the major pathway leading to interleukin-18 (IL-18) release and restriction of
S
.
Aerococcus urinae Isolated from Women with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: In Vitro Aggregation and Genome Analysis
Authors: Hilt Evann E. , Putonti Catherine , Thomas-White Krystal , Lewis Amanda L. , Visick Karen L. , Gilbert Nicole M. , Wolfe Alan J.
Published: April 2020

Aerococcus urinae is increasingly recognized as a potentially significant urinary tract bacterium. A. urinae has been isolated from urine collected from both males and females with a wide range of clinical conditions, including urinary tract infection (UTI), urgency urinary incontinence (UUI), and overactive bladder (OAB). A. urinae is of particular clinical concern because it is highly resistant to many antibiotics and, when undiagnosed, can cause invasive and life-threatening bacteremia, sepsis, or soft tissue infections. Previous genomic characterization studies have examined A. urinae strains isolated from patients experiencing UTI episodes. Here, we analyzed the genomes of A. urinae strains isolated as part of the urinary microbiome from patients with UUI or OAB. Furthermore, we report that certain A. urinae strains exhibit aggregative in vitro phenotypes, including flocking, which can be modified by various growth medium conditions. Finally, we performed in-depth genomic comparisons to identify pathways that distinguish flocking and nonflocking strains.

IMPORTANCE Aerococcus urinae is a urinary bacterium of emerging clinical interest. Here, we explored the ability of 24 strains of A. urinae isolated from women with lower urinary tract symptoms to display aggregation phenotypes in vitro. We sequenced and analyzed the genomes of these A. urinae strains. We performed functional genomic analyses to determine whether the in vitro hyperflocking aggregation phenotype displayed by certain A. urinae strains was related to the presence or absence of certain pathways. Our findings demonstrate that A. urinae strains have different propensities to display aggregative properties in vitro and suggest a potential association between phylogeny and flocking.
Comparison of Two Multilocus Sequence Typing Schemes for Mycoplasma bovis and Revision of the PubMLST Reference Method
Authors: Register Karen B. , Lysnyansky Inna , Jelinski Murray D. , Boatwright William D. , Waldner Matthew , Bayles Darrell O. , Pilo Paola , Alt David P.
Published: April 2020

Mycoplasma bovis
causes pneumonia, pharyngitis, otitis, arthritis, mastitis, and reproductive disorders in cattle and bison. Two multilocus sequence typing (MLST) schemes have been developed for
M. bovis
, with one serving as the PubMLST reference method, but no comparison of the schemes has been undertaken. Although the PubMLST scheme has proven to be highly discriminatory and informative, the recent discovery of isolates missing one of the typing loci,
adh-1
, raises concern about its suitability for continued use.
A Method To Prevent SARS-CoV-2 IgM False Positives in Gold Immunochromatography and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays
Authors: Wang Qiang , Du Qin , Guo Bin , Mu Daiyong , Lu Xiaolan , Ma Qiang , Guo Yangliu , Fang Li , Zhang Bing , Zhang Guoyuan , Guo Xiaolan
Published: April 2020

We set out to investigate the interference factors that led to false-positive novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) IgM detection results using gold immunochromatography assay (GICA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the corresponding solutions. GICA and ELISA were used to detect SARS-CoV-2 IgM in 86 serum samples, including 5 influenza A virus (Flu A) IgM-positive sera, 5 influenza B virus (Flu B) IgM-positive sera, 5
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
IgM-positive sera, 5
Legionella pneumophila
IgM-positive sera, 6 sera of HIV infection patients, 36 rheumatoid factor IgM (RF-IgM)-positive sera, 5 sera from hypertensive patients, 5 sera from diabetes mellitus patients, and 14 sera from novel coronavirus infection disease 19 (COVID-19) patients.
Clinical Evaluation of the cobas SARS-CoV-2 Test and a Diagnostic Platform Switch during 48 Hours in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Poljak Mario , Korva Miša , Knap Gašper Nataša , Fujs Komloš Kristina , Sagadin Martin , Uršič Tina , Avšič Županc Tatjana , Petrovec Miroslav
Published: April 2020

Laboratories are currently witnessing extraordinary demand globally for sampling devices, reagents, consumables, and diagnostic instruments needed for timely diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. To meet diagnostic needs as the pandemic grows, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted several commercial SARS-CoV-2 tests Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), but manufacturer-independent evaluation data are scarce. We performed the first manufacturer-independent evaluation of the fully automated sample-to-result two-target test cobas 6800 SARS-CoV-2 (cobas) (Roche Molecular Systems, Branchburg, NJ), which received U.
Cellular Gene Modulation of HIV-Infected CD4 T Cells in Response to Serial Treatment with the Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Vorinostat
Authors: Maxwell Jill W. , Falcinelli Shane D. , Nefedov Alexey , Dorfmeier Corin , Wu Guoxin , Dewey Morgan , Webber Andrea L. , Archin Nancie M. , Margolis David M. , Hazuda Daria J. , Barnard Richard J. O. , Howell Bonnie J.
Published: April 2020

Histone deacetylase inhibitors are widely studied HIV latency-reversing agents (LRAs). VOR, an HDACi, induces histone acetylation and chromatin remodeling and modulates host and HIV gene expression. However, the relationship between these events is poorly defined, and clinical studies suggest diminished HIV reactivation in resting CD4 T cells with daily exposure to VOR. Our study provides evidence that VOR induces a consistent level of host cell gene transcription following intermittent exposure. In addition, in response to VOR exposure a gene signature that was conserved across single and serial exposures both
in vitro
and
in vivo
was identified, indicating that VOR can consistently and reproducibly modulate transcriptional host responses. However, as the HIV response to HDACi declines over time, other factors modulate viral reactivation
in vivo
despite robust HDAC activity. The identified host gene VOR biomarkers can be used for monitoring the pharmacodynamic activity of HDAC inhibitors.
YejM Modulates Activity of the YciM/FtsH Protease Complex To Prevent Lethal Accumulation of Lipopolysaccharide
Authors: Guest Randi L. , Samé Guerra Daniel , Wissler Maria , Grimm Jacqueline , Silhavy Thomas J.
Published: April 2020

Gram-negative bacteria are encapsulated by an outer membrane (OM) that is impermeable to large and hydrophobic molecules. As such, these bacteria are intrinsically resistant to several clinically relevant antibiotics. To better understand how the OM is established or maintained, we sought to clarify the function of the essential protein YejM in
Escherichia coli
. Here, we show that YejM inhibits activity of the YciM/FtsH protease complex, which regulates synthesis of the essential OM glycolipid lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Our data suggest that disrupting proper communication between LPS synthesis and transport to the OM leads to accumulation of LPS within the inner membrane (IM). The lethality associated with this event can be suppressed by increasing OM vesiculation. Our research has identified a completely novel signaling pathway that we propose coordinates LPS synthesis and transport.
Global Trends in Proteome Remodeling of the Outer Membrane Modulate Antimicrobial Permeability in Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Rocker Andrea , Lacey Jake A. , Belousoff Matthew J. , Wilksch Jonathan J. , Strugnell Richard A. , Davies Mark R. , Lithgow Trevor
Published: April 2020

Klebsiella pneumoniae
is a pathogen of humans with high rates of mortality and a recognized global rise in incidence of carbapenem-resistant
K. pneumoniae
(CRKP). The outer membrane of
K. pneumoniae
forms a permeability barrier that modulates the ability of antibiotics to reach their intracellular target. OmpK35, OmpK36, OmpK37, OmpK38, PhoE, and OmpK26 are porins in the outer membrane of
K. pneumoniae
, demonstrated here to have a causative relationship to drug resistance phenotypes in a physiological context. The data highlight that currently trialed combination treatments with a carbapenem and β-lactamase inhibitors could be effective on porin-deficient
K. pneumoniae
. Together with structural data, the results reveal the role of outer membrane proteome remodeling in antimicrobial resistance of
K. pneumoniae
and point to the role of extracellular loops, not channel parameters, in drug permeation. This significant finding warrants care in the development of phage therapies for
K. pneumoniae
infections, given the way porin expression will be modulated to confer phage-resistant—and collateral drug-resistant—phenotypes in
K. pneumoniae
.
Intercellular Transmission of a Synthetic Bacterial Cytotoxic Prion-Like Protein in Mammalian Cells
Authors: Revilla-García Aida , Fernández Cristina , Moreno-del Álamo María , de los Ríos Vivian , Vorberg Ina M. , Giraldo Rafael
Published: April 2020

Proteotoxic amyloid seeds can be transmitted between mammalian cells, arguing that the intercellular exchange of prion-like protein aggregates can be a common phenomenon. RepA-WH1 is derived from a bacterial intracellular functional amyloid protein, engineered to become cytotoxic in
Escherichia coli
. Here, we have studied if such bacterial aggregates can also be transmitted to, and become cytotoxic to, mammalian cells. We demonstrate that RepA-WH1 is capable of entering naive cells, thereby inducing the cytotoxic aggregation of a soluble RepA-WH1 variant expressed in the cytosol, following the same trend that had been described in bacteria. These findings highlight the universality of one of the central principles underlying prion biology: No matter the biological origin of a given prion-like protein, it can be transmitted to a phylogenetically unrelated recipient cell, provided that the latter expresses a soluble protein onto which the incoming protein can readily template its amyloid conformation.
New Ti-in-quartz diffusivities reconcile natural Ti zoning with time scales and temperatures of upper crustal magma reservoirs
Authors: Jollands Michael C. , Bloch Elias , Müntener Othmar
Published: April 2020

Titanium-in-quartz thermometry and diffusion chronometry are routinely applied to felsic magmatic systems. These techniques can be used to determine for how long, and at what temperatures, shallow crustal magmatic systems remain partially molten, both of which are fundamental for assessing volcanic hazards. We have conducted new Ti-in-quartz diffusion experiments at 1 bar, in air, between 900 and 1490 °C, and analyzed the products by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profiling. The results show that Ti diffusivity is two to three orders of magnitude lower than previously determined {log10D = –8.3 ± 0.4 m2 s–1 – [311 ± 12 kJ mol–1/(2.303RT)]}, where R is the universal gas constant (kJK–1 mol–1) and T is the temperature in Kelvin. Application of these new diffusivities brings time scales determined by Ti-in-quartz diffusion chronometry, using quartz primarily from ignimbrites, into agreement with those determined from zircon U-Pb ages from the Bishop Tuff system (California, USA). This indicates that quartz crystallized early and recorded all, or much of, the thermal history of this magmatic system. These new data also show that sharp Ti zoning profiles can be maintained in quartz within slowly cooled rocks without necessitating that the quartz crystallization temperature is significantly lower than the experimentally determined H2O-saturated granite solidus, or that such samples underwent ultrafast cooling, as has recently been proposed for the granitoids from the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite (California, USA). Finally, our data also indicate that, at least regarding the Bishop Tuff, temperatures must have remained at near-solidus conditions for the entire pre-eruptive evolution of the system, thus relaxing interpretations of “cold storage” for this magmatic system.
General anaesthesia of a black leopard (Panthera pardus) with alfaxalone, ketamine and isoflurane
Authors: Jimenez Isabel Angelica , Militana Erika Ashley , Martin‐Flores Manuel
Published: April 2020

A one‐year‐old captive black leopard (Panthera pardus) was evaluated for chronic lethargy, behavioural abnormalities and vomiting. The leopard was immobilised with intramuscular alfaxalone (Alfaxan; 1.6 mg/kg) and ketamine (3.1 mg/kg) at doses similar to those used in domestic cats. General anaesthesia was induced with intravenous alfaxalone (1.6 mg/kg) and maintained with isoflurane. Imaging revealed hydrocephalus and a paresophageal hernia. The hernia was surgically corrected. During prolonged anaesthesia (5 hours and 40 minutes), this protocol produced smooth induction, reliable depth, successful deep extubation and smooth, rapid recovery, without major electrolyte abnormalities. This is the first reported use of alfaxalone in a leopard and Alfaxan in any large cat. Alfaxalone may be an alternative to alpha‐2 adrenergic agonists in non‐domestic felids and may decrease the risk of hyperkalemia associated with those agents. Alfaxalone may also be considered for patients with cardiac or neurological disease, to avoid or reduce the use of ketamine.
First cases of myxomatosis in Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) in Portugal
Authors: Carvalho Carina Luísa , Abade dos Santos Fábio Alexandre , Monteiro Madelena , Carvalho Paulo , Mendonça Paula , Duarte Margarida Dias
Published: April 2020

Myxomatosis was detected in Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) in Portugal, October 2018, following its emergence in Spain 3 months earlier. Here, we describe the epidemiological, molecular and anatomo‐histopathological data of the first two cases. Myxoma virus DNA was detected in the eyelids, nose and perineal region in both hares. It was also detected in the lungs of hare 1 and in the spleen and liver of hare 2. The genomic insertion identified in strains from Spain was confirmed in both strains suggesting a common origin for the Iberian viruses. Gross lesions in hare 1 included palpebral oedema and conjunctival mucopurulent discharge, common in both forms of the disease in rabbits. Hare 2 presented eyelid thickening with small diffuse nodules. Histopathology of the eyelids showed extracellular myxoid matrix in hare 1 and purulent dermatitis in hare 2. Both animals exhibited good body condition, suggesting a short course of the disease and higher virulence of the virus towards the Iberian hare.
Estimating overconsolidation ratio (OCR) in structured and unstructured cohesive soil with field vane tests referencing soil index properties
Authors: Saye Steven R. , Kumm Bryan P. , Lutenegger Alan J.
Published: April 2020

Estimation of the preconsolidation stress and overconsolidation ratio (OCR) in uniform cohesive soils using a field vane is variably impacted by the combined effects of soil type and plasticity, geologic history, structured vs. unstructured behavior, and the presence of sand or organic matter. Published empirical correlations for cohesive soils consider the effects of soil type and plasticity, but significant variability can occur with changes in soil structure and organic matter content for specific instances. The adaption of the “stress history and normalized soil engineering properties” (SHANSEP) format improves the characterization of overconsolidated soils using field vane tests by applying a proposed empirical approach to identify structured soils from unstructured soils and updating the SHANSEP-based approach to separately evaluate structured and unstructured soils. Validation of the correlation coefficients for individual projects will be needed as the approach is applied to new geologic materials and with potentially different field vane equipment and laboratory testing procedures used to characterize the soils. This additional testing provides an opportunity to improve the correlations for specific conditions and reduce the variability in the OCR assessments.
Otolith microchemistry and acoustic telemetry reveal anadromy in non-native rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Prince Edward Island, Canada
Authors: Roloson Scott D. , Landsman Sean J. , Tana Raymond , Hicks Brendan J. , Carr Jon W. , Whoriskey Fred , van den Heuvel Michael R.
Published: April 2020

This study examined the migratory patterns of introduced rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in three rivers in Prince Edward Island, Canada, using acoustic telemetry and otolith microchemistry. Only 6% of acoustically tagged fish in three river systems left coastal embayments. A cohort of rainbow trout in all three rivers entered saline waters. Habitat use differed among migrants in the three rivers, as Montague River fish occupied estuary habitat (mean 20.79 PSU) more often than West River and Dunk River fish that tended to occupy both riverine tidal (mean 1.27 and 4.29 PSU, respectively) and freshwater habitats (<0.5 PSU), particularly during summer months (July and August). A second cohort of rainbow trout remained exclusively in fresh water. Migratory individuals were more likely to arise from anadromous mothers, but freshwater mothers produced migratory offspring in all sites. Migratory individuals were significantly larger than nonmigratory freshwater residents. This study suggests that partial residency was the primary strategy, with prominent tidal occupation, while secondary marine and freshwater contingents were included in the full range of successful migratory strategies.
Extrapolating the precision of the hypergeometric resummation to strong couplings with application to the 𝒫𝒯-symmetric iϕ3 field theory
Authors: Shalaby Abouzeid M.
Published: April 2020

In Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 143001 (2015), H. Mera et al. developed a new simple but precise hypergeometric resummation technique. In this work, we suggest to obtain half of the parameters of the hypergeometric function from the strong-coupling expansion of the physical quantity. Since these parameters are taking now their exact values they can improve the precision of the technique for the whole range of the coupling values. The second order approximant [Formula: see text] of the algorithm is applied to resum the perturbation series of the ground state energy of the [Formula: see text]-symmetric [Formula: see text] field theory. It gives accurate results compared to exact calculations from the literature specially for very large coupling values. The [Formula: see text]-symmetry breaking of the Yang–Lee model has been investigated where third, fourth and fifth orders were able to get very accurate results when compared to other resummation methods involving [Formula: see text] orders. The critical exponent [Formula: see text] of the [Formula: see text]-symmetric model in three dimensions has been precisely obtained using only first order of perturbation series as input. The algorithm can be extended easily to accommodate any order of perturbation series in using the generalized hypergeometric function [Formula: see text] as it shares the same analytic properties with [Formula: see text].
Wormhole modeling in R2 gravity with linear trace term
Authors: Godani Nisha , Samanta Gauranga C.
Published: April 2020

Morris and Thorne1 proposed traversable wormholes, hypothetical connecting tools, using the concept of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. In this paper, the modification of general relativity (in particular [Formula: see text] theory of gravity defined by Harko et al.2) is considered, to study the traversable wormhole solutions. The function [Formula: see text] is considered as [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are controlling parameters. The shape and redshift functions appearing in the metric of wormhole structure have significant contribution in the development of wormhole solutions. We have considered both variable and constant redshift functions with a logarithmic shape function. The energy conditions are examined, geometric configuration is analyzed and the radius of the throat is determined in order to have wormhole solutions in absence of exotic matter.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND GOVERNANCE IN THE ARAB REGION — A REVIEW OF RECENT LITERATURE TO PRIORITIZE POLICY CHALLENGES
Authors: MAHMALAT MOUNIR , SUMPF DENISE
Published: April 2020

The “Arab Spring” drew attention worldwide to the dire socio-economic conditions in many Arab countries. Efforts to explain, address and resolve these challenges led to a surge in both academic research as well as a plethora of policy recommendations from very different perspectives. By focusing on a crucial area for employment and growth in the Arab region — economic governance and entrepreneurship — the present paper consolidates the vast research and policy recommendations available based on a ‘best evidence’ approach and identifies three priority policy challenges to facilitate entrepreneurship: competition policy, access to finance and entrepreneurial education. We argue that improvement of economic governance tailored to improve these policy areas is a crucial lever for promoting entrepreneurship and creating employment in Arab countries. Highlighting interdependences between these areas, we derive a set of recommendations for each of the identified policy challenges.
Effects of extreme potassium stress on blood pressure and renal tubular sodium transport
Authors: Boyd-Shiwarski Cary R. , Weaver Claire J. , Beacham Rebecca T. , Shiwarski Daniel J. , Connolly Kelly A. , Nkashama Lubika J. , Mutchler Stephanie M. , Griffiths Shawn E. , Knoell Sophia A. , Sebastiani Romano S. , Ray Evan C. , Marciszyn Allison L. , Subramanya Arohan R.
Published: April 2020

We characterized mouse blood pressure and ion transport in the setting of commonly used rodent diets that drive K+intake to the extremes of deficiency and excess. Male 129S2/Sv mice were fed either K+-deficient, control, high-K+basic, or high-KCl diets for 10 days. Mice maintained on a K+-deficient diet exhibited no change in blood pressure, whereas K+-loaded mice developed an ~10-mmHg blood pressure increase. Following challenge with NaCl, K+-deficient mice developed a salt-sensitive 8 mmHg increase in blood pressure, whereas blood pressure was unchanged in mice fed high-K+diets. Notably, 10 days of K+depletion induced diabetes insipidus and upregulation of phosphorylated NaCl cotransporter, proximal Na+transporters, and pendrin, likely contributing to the K+-deficient NaCl sensitivity. While the anionic content with high-K+diets had distinct effects on transporter expression along the nephron, both K+basic and KCl diets had a similar increase in blood pressure. The blood pressure elevation on high-K+diets correlated with increased Na+-K+-2Cl−cotransporter and γ-epithelial Na+channel expression and increased urinary response to furosemide and amiloride. We conclude that the dietary K+maneuvers used here did not recapitulate the inverse effects of K+on blood pressure observed in human epidemiological studies. This may be due to the extreme degree of K+stress, the low-Na+-to-K+ratio, the duration of treatment, and the development of other coinciding events, such as diabetes insipidus. These factors must be taken into consideration when studying the physiological effects of dietary K+loading and depletion.
Serum N-Acetylneuraminic Acid Is Associated with Atrial Fibrillation and Left Atrial Enlargement
Authors: Hu Wei , Xie Jing , Zhu Tongjian , Meng Guannan , Wang Meng , Zhou Zhen , Guo Fuding , Chen Hui , Wang Zhuo , Wang Songyun , Liu Huafen , Jiang Hong
Published: April 2020

Purpose. Recent studies have indicated that N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) plays a key role in severe coronary artery diseases, involving RhoA signaling pathway activation, which is critically involved in cardiac fibrosis. There is convincing evidence from many studies that left atrium fibrosis is involved in the pathophysiology of AF. Therefore, we speculated that Neu5Ac may be associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) and involved in the development of AF. This study aims to investigate the clinical relationship between Neu5Ac and AF and left atrial enlargement. Methods. Forty-five patients with AF (AF group) and forty-five patients with non-AF (control group) matched for age, sex, and hospitalization date were recruited for our study. Plasma concentrations of Neu5Ac from peripheral venous blood were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The baseline characteristics, plasma level of Neu5Ac, and echocardiographic characteristics were evaluated. Results. The plasma level of Neu5Ac was significantly higher in the AF group than in the control group (107.66 ± 47.50 vs 77.87 ± 39.09  ng/ml; P<0.05); the left atrial diameters were positively correlated with the plasma Neu5Ac level (R = 0.255; P<0.05). The plasma Neu5Ac level (R = 0.368; P<0.05) and the left atrial diameters (R = 0.402; P<0.05) were positively correlated with AF history times. Neu5Ac (odds ratio 1.018, 95% CI 1.003–1.032; P<0.05) and the left atrial diameter (odds ratio 1.142, 95% CI 1.020–1.280; P<0.05) were independent risk factors for AF in multivariate regression analysis. Conclusions. Serum Neu5Ac is associated with atrial fibrillation, and the mechanism may involve left atrial enlargement.
Role of the eNOS Uncoupling and the Nitric Oxide Metabolic Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases
Authors: Łuczak Anna , Madej Marta , Kasprzyk Agata , Doroszko Adrian
Published: April 2020

Atherosclerosis and its clinical complications constitute the major healthcare problems of the world population. Due to the central role of endothelium throughout the atherosclerotic disease process, endothelial dysfunction is regarded as a common mechanism for various cardiovascular (CV) disorders. It is well established that patients with rheumatic autoimmune diseases are characterized by significantly increased prevalence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality compared with the general population. The current European guidelines on cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention in clinical practice recommend to use a 1,5-factor multiplier for CV risk in rheumatoid arthritis as well as in other autoimmune inflammatory diseases. However, mechanisms of accelerated atherosclerosis in these diseases, especially in the absence of traditional risk factors, still remain unclear. Oxidative stress plays the major role in the endothelial dysfunction and recently is strongly attributed to endothelial NO synthase dysfunction (eNOS uncoupling). Converted to a superoxide-producing enzyme, uncoupled eNOS not only leads to reduction of the nitric oxide (NO) generation but also potentiates the preexisting oxidative stress, which contributes significantly to atherogenesis. However, to date, there are no systemic analyses on the role of eNOS uncoupling in the excess CV mortality linked with autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The current review paper addresses this issue.
Fracture Mechanical Behavior of Cracked Cantilever Roof with Large Cutting Height Mining
Authors: Zhao Zenghui , Sun Wei , Zhang Mingzhong , Gao Xiaojie , Chen Shaojie
Published: April 2020

Accurately predicting the roof collapse span is crucial in ensuring the safe production of thick seam mining with large mining height, which is easy in forming a “cantilever beam” structure. Considering roof damage caused by roadway excavation and coal seam mining disturbance, the fracture mechanics model of large mining height roof cantilever beam with nonpenetrating cracks was established. The roof was divided into two parts: the crack-affected area and the crack-unaffected area. The analytical expression of the boundary between the two areas was established by fracture mechanics methods. Based on the boundary equation, the influences of crack size, crack inclination, roof lithology, and roof thickness on the roof crack-affected area were analyzed in detail. Finally, the accuracy of the theoretical model was verified by numerical experiments using the extended finite element method. The results demonstrate that the size of the area affected by the vertical crack increases with the increase of the crack size and the thickness of the roof. The influence of the crack decreases with the increase of roof lithology. The probability of early periodic collapse of a thin roof with the crack is increased. When the crack is completely located in the interior of the roof, the crack-affected area shrinks greatly with the decrease of the crack inclination. When the crack inclination is small, the crack will not cause the early collapse of the roof. Overall, the conclusions obtained are of great significance for predicting the collapse span of a cantilever roof with initial damage in large mining height.
A Modified Skip-Gram Algorithm for Extracting Drug-Drug Interactions from AERS Reports
Authors: Wang Li , Pan Wenjie , Wang QingHua , Bai Heming , Liu Wei , Jiang Lei , Zhang Yuanpeng
Published: April 2020

Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are one of the indispensable factors leading to adverse event reactions. Considering the unique structure of AERS (Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FDA AERS)) reports, we changed the scope of the window value in the original skip-gram algorithm, then propose a language concept representation model and extract features of drug name and reaction information from large-scale AERS reports. The validation of our scheme was tested and verified by comparing with vectors originated from the cooccurrence matrix in tenfold cross-validation. In the verification of description enrichment of the DrugBank DDI database, accuracy was calculated for measurement. The average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of logistic regression classifiers based on the proposed language model is 6% higher than that of the cooccurrence matrix. At the same time, the average accuracy in five severe adverse event classes is 88%. These results indicate that our language model can be useful for extracting drug and reaction features from large-scale AERS reports.
Predicting Soil Organic Carbon Content Using Hyperspectral Remote Sensing in a Degraded Mountain Landscape in Lesotho
Authors: Bangelesa Freddy , Adam Elhadi , Knight Jasper , Dhau Inos , Ramudzuli Marubini , Mokotjomela Thabiso M.
Published: April 2020

Soil organic carbon constitutes an important indicator of soil fertility. The purpose of this study was to predict soil organic carbon content in the mountainous terrain of eastern Lesotho, southern Africa, which is an area of high endemic biodiversity as well as an area extensively used for small-scale agriculture. An integrated field and laboratory approach was undertaken, through measurements of reflectance spectra of soil using an Analytical Spectral Device (ASD) FieldSpec® 4 optical sensor. Soil spectra were collected on the land surface under field conditions and then on soil in the laboratory, in order to assess the accuracy of field spectroscopy-based models. The predictive performance of two different statistical models (random forest and partial least square regression) was compared. Results show that random forest regression can most accurately predict the soil organic carbon contents on an independent dataset using the field spectroscopy data. In contrast, the partial least square regression model overfits the calibration dataset. Important wavelengths to predict soil organic contents were localised around the visible range (400–700 nm). This study shows that soil organic carbon can be most accurately estimated using derivative field spectroscopy measurements and random forest regression.
Prognostic Values of Transforming Growth Factor‐Beta Subtypes in Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Zhou Junhan , Jiang Wenxiao , Huang Wenbin , Ye Miaomiao , Zhu Xueqiong
Published: April 2020

Purpose. To explore the potential role of the transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β) subtypes in the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients. Materials and Methods. The prognostic roles of individual TGF‐β subtypes in women with ovarian cancer were retrieved from the Kaplan‐Meier plotter (KM plotter) database. In addition, the Oncomine database and immunohistochemistry were used to observe the mRNA and protein expression of TGF‐β subtypes between human ovarian carcinoma and normal ovarian samples, respectively. Results. TGF‐β1 and TGF‐β4 were totally uncorrelated with survival outcomes in women with ovarian cancer. Increased TGF‐β2 and TGF‐β3 mRNA expression was markedly related to unfavorable prognosis, especially in women with serous, poorly differentiated, and late‐stage ovarian carcinoma. High expression levels of TGF‐β2 were related to worse progression‐free survival (PFS) while TGF‐β3 was linked to unfavorable overall survival (OS) and PFS in women with TP53‐mutated ovarian cancer. TGF‐β2 was associated with poor OS and PFS from treatment with chemotherapy with platins, Taxol, or a platin+Taxol. However, overexpression of TGF‐β3 was associated with poor OS from the use of platins and poor PFS of Taxol or a platin+Taxol in women with ovarian carcinoma. Furthermore, the expression of TGF‐β2 mRNA and protein was higher but only TGF‐β3 mRNA expression was higher in cancerous tissues than in normal ovarian samples. Conclusion. Higher expression of TGF‐β2 functioned as a significant predictor of poor prognosis in women with ovarian cancer, especially those with TP53 mutations or who were undergoing chemotherapy with platins, Taxol, or a platin+Taxol.
Pepsinogen Serology and Gastritis OLGA Staging in Mucosal Atrophy Assessment: A Cross-Sectional Study Involving East China Endoscopy Population
Authors: Xia Junjun , Liu Zhenzhen , Zhang Kaiguang
Published: April 2020

The histological gastric stage (OLGA) plays an important role in evaluating gastric atrophy, a symptom which suggests a risk of gastric cancer (GC). However, gastroscopy is an invasive examination, which has limited application in populations undergoing physical examination. Serum pepsinogen (PG) and gastin-17 (G-17) levels are noninvasive indexes which are recommended when screening for GC. We aim to explore the correlation between PG/G-17 and OLGA stage, in order to provide reliable indexes for GC screening. The study included 453 asymptomatic individuals from East China undergoing physical examination, who then underwent endoscopy including collection of biopsy samples. Assays for serum PG, G-17, and Helicobacter pylori (Hp) were performed. Atrophy of gastric mucosa was graded according to OLGA for each individual. 453 participants, average age 52.46±10.30 years, 253 male and 200 female, were included. In the asymptomatic physical examination population, serum PGI, PGII, and PGR levels decreased with increasing OLGA scores. PGI and PGR were inversely correlated with increasing OLGA stage in both Hp-positive and Hp-negative groups. The levels of serum PGI, PGII, and G-17 in the Hp-positive group were higher than those in the Hp-negative group; conversely, the PGR levels were lower. Furthermore, OLGA scores increased with age in the Hp-positive group. In conclusion, there is a significant correlation between OLGA stage and serum PG in populations from East China undergoing physical examination. Serum PG and G-17 combined with Hp test plays an important role in evaluating gastric atrophy.
[Retracted] miR‐30a‐5p Inhibits Proliferation and Migration of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells by Targeting FOXD1
Authors: Chen Chunhua , Tang Junhua , Xu Shan , Zhang Wenxia , Jiang Hanliang
Published: April 2020

Objective. To investigate the mechanism of miR‐30a‐5p inhibiting proliferation and migration of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) cells by targeting FOXD1. Methods. Bioinformatics was used to analyze differentially expressed genes in the TCGA_LUSC database. qRT‐PCR was used to detect the expression levels of miR‐30a‐5p and FOXD1 in human normal lung epithelial cell line and human LSCC cell lines. The protein expression of FOXD1 was detected by western blot. The cell viability and colony formation abilities were examined by CCK‐8 and colony formation assays, respectively. Wound healing and Transwell assays were performed to examine the migration and invasion abilities of cells. The targeted binding sites of miR‐30a‐5p and FOXD1 were predicted by bioinformatics, and dual luciferase assay was used to verify the targeted binding relationship between miR‐30a‐5p and FOXD1. Result. miR‐30a‐5p was downregulated in LSCC tissues and cells, while FOXD1 was highly expressed. Overexpression of miR‐30a‐5p or silencing FOXD1 inhibited cell viability, colony formation ability, migration, and invasion of LSCC cells. miR‐30a‐5p inhibited the proliferation and migration of LSCC cells by downregulating the expression of FOXD1. Conclusion. miR‐30a‐5p can downregulate the expression of FOXD1 and inhibit the proliferation and migration of LSCC.
Investigating Tunneling Nanotubes in Cancer Cells: Guidelines for Structural and Functional Studies through Cell Imaging
Authors: Dubois Fatéméh , Bénard Magalie , Jean-Jacques Bastien , Schapman Damien , Roberge Hélène , Lebon Alexis , Goux Didier , Monterroso Baptiste , Elie Nicolas , Komuro Hitoshi , Bazille Céline , Levallet Jérôme , Bergot Emmanuel , Levallet Guénaëlle , Galas Ludovic
Published: April 2020

By allowing insured communication between cancer cells themselves and with the neighboring stromal cells, tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) are involved in the multistep process of cancer development from tumorigenesis to the treatment resistance. However, despite their critical role in the biology of cancer, the study of the TNTs has been announced challenging due to not only the absence of a specific biomarker but also the fragile and transitory nature of their structure and the fact that they are hovering freely above the substratum. Here, we proposed to review guidelines to follow for studying the structure and functionality of TNTs in tumoral neuroendocrine cells (PC12) and nontumorigenic human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC‐3, H28). In particular, we reported how crucial is it (i) to consider the culture conditions (culture surface, cell density), (ii) to visualize the formation of TNTs in living cells (mechanisms of formation, 3D representation), and (iii) to identify the cytoskeleton components and the associated elements (categories, origin, tip, and formation/transport) in the TNTs. We also focused on the input of high‐resolution cell imaging approaches including Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) nanoscopy, Transmitted and Scanning Electron Microscopies (TEM and SEM). In addition, we underlined the important role of the organelles in the mechanisms of TNT formation and transfer between the cancer cells. Finally, new biological models for the identification of the TNTs between cancer cells and stromal cells (liquid air interface, ex vivo, in vivo) and the clinical considerations will also be discussed.
Effect of Deep Sedation on Mechanical Power in Moderate to Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Prospective Self‐Control Study
Authors: Xie Yongpeng , Cao Lijuan , Qian Ying , Zheng Hui , Liu Kexi , Li Xiaomin
Published: April 2020

Mechanical power (MP) is a parameter for assessing ventilator‐induced lung injury (VILI) in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Deep sedation inhibits the respiratory center and reduces the excessive spontaneous breathing in ARDS patients, thereby reducing transpulmonary pressure (Ptp) and lung injury. However, the effect of sedation on MP in ARDS patients is not yet clear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of deep sedation on MP in ARDS patients. Patients with moderate to severe ARDS who required mechanical ventilation were considered. Different degrees of sedation were performed on patients in three stages after 24 hours of mechanical ventilation. The three stages are as follows: stage 1 (H+3): 0 to 3 hours of sedation; patients’ Ramsay score was 2‐3 to obtain mild sedation; stage 2 (H+6): 4 to 6 hours of sedation; the sedation depth was adjusted to 5‐6 points; and stage 3 (H+9): 7 to 9 hours of sedation; the sedation depth was adjusted to 2‐3 points. Under deep sedation (H+6), MP, respiratory rate (RR), and Ptp were significantly lower than the ones in the patients under mild sedation (H+3) (all P < 0.01) although PaO2/FiO2 (P/F) and static lung compliance (Cst) were significantly higher (both P < 0.01). However, no significant difference in the above parameters was observed between H+3 and H+9. Correlation analysis showed that ΔMP was significantly and positively correlated with ΔRR and ΔPtp (both P < 0.001), while no correlation was observed neither between ΔMP and ΔCst nor between ΔMP and ΔP/F. The 28‐day Kaplan‐Meier survival curve showed the occurrence of 19 deaths, and the overall survival rate was 63.46%. The survival rate was 53.12% in the high‐MP (HMP) group and 80.95 in the low‐MP (LMP) group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, deep sedation significantly reduced MP in patients with moderate to severe ARDS, thereby reducing the occurrence of VILI. In addition, MP monitoring in deep sedation predicted the 28‐day survival of patients with moderate to severe ARDS.
E-Cigarette Quality Control: Impurity and Nicotine Level Analysis in Electronic Cigarette Refill Liquids
Authors: Bennani Ismail , Alami Chentoufi Madiha , El Karbane Miloud , Cheikh Amine , Bouatia Mustapha
Published: April 2020

This work targets mainly the quality control of electronic cigarette liquids. It relies on an analytical control of a “32-product” sample made of several types of e-cigarette liquids taken from various supermarkets and tobacconist’s offices in Morocco. All along this study, we made sure to check both the conformity of the nicotine level indicated in the packaging of each product and the existence of any other components inside the product, especially toxic or unknown impurities. The method used for this study is known under the name of high-performance liquid chromatography. For statistical analysis, we used Student’s t-test for a single sample in order to analyze the relative differences between nicotine quantity reported in the product and the one measured during our experiment. Finally, we used linear regression test to determine the relationship between the nicotine level accuracy on the packaging and the level of toxic impurities in the products. The differences between the nicotine concentrations reported in the packages and the measured ones varied from −100% to +3.3%. The study showed that 31% of analyzed products have an accurate indication of the level of nicotine on the packaging. However, 47% of the studied products showed more than 20% difference between measure and packaging indication. In all analyzed samples, the level of impurities altered from 0 to 32.6%. Furthermore, the level of the nicotine breakdown products did not exceed 2% of the nicotine content in pretty much all of the samples. The actual nicotine content of electronic cigarette refill liquids is not always as precise as what is stated on the packaging; in addition to the level of impurities detected in several brands and that exceeds the European Pharmacopoeia standards, some may even present a risk of causing toxicological damage.
General Issues in Clinical Research of Acupuncture and In Vitro Fertilization
Authors: Zheng Cuihong , Wan Xiaoyang , Xu Xiaohu , Zhang Mingmin , Huang Guangying , Wang Wei
Published: April 2020

In vitro fertilization‐embryo transfer (IVF‐ET), a well‐developed technology, provides the last possibility or hope for infertile women. However, the live birth rate per IVF cycle is still not satisfactory. Acupuncture is a frequently used adjunctive therapy drawing wide attention on improvement of IVF. Although so many randomized controlled trials have been evaluating the effect of acupuncture on IVF in the past 20 years, the exact efficacy of acupuncture on IVF is still controversy mainly because of no consensus on placebo control and acupuncture scheme. This paper focused on the general issues in clinical research of acupuncture and IVF and gave some suggestions for future directions.
Methimazole Inhibits the Expression of GFAP and the Migration of Astrocyte in Scratched Wound Model In Vitro
Authors: Zhao Lina , Zhang Xianyu , Zhang Chunhai
Published: April 2020

Astrocytes respond to central nervous system (CNS) insults with varieties of changes, such as cellular hypertrophy, migration, proliferation, scar formation, and upregulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression. While scar formation plays a very important role in wound healing and prevents further bleeding by forming a physical barrier, it is also one of key features of CNS injury, resulting in glial scar formation (astrogliosis), which is closely related to treatment resistant epilepsy, chronic pain, and other devastating diseases. Therefore, slowing the astrocytic activation process may give a time window of axonal growth after the CNS injury. However, the underlying mechanism of astrocytic activation remains unclear, and there is no effective therapeutic strategy to attenuate the activation process. Here, we found that methimazole could effectively inhibit the GFAP expression in physiological and pathological conditions. Moreover, we scratched primary cultures of cerebral cortical astrocytes with and without methimazole pretreatment and investigated whether methimazole could slow the healing process in these cultures. We found that methimazole could inhibit the GFAP protein expression in scratched astrocytes and prolong the latency of wound healing in cultures. We also measured the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in these cultures and found that methimazole could significantly inhibit the scratch-induced GFAP upregulation. For the first time, our study demonstrated that methimazole might be a possible compound that could inhibit the astrocytic activation following CNS injury by reducing the ERK phosphorylation in astrocytes.