bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clerodendrum Chinensis Extracts;AeC and EeC Exerts Rapid Antihypertensive Effects in L-NAME Hypertensive Experimental Models
Authors: Odimegwu Joy I. , Okanlawon Tolulope F. , Noel Obumneme , Ishola Ismail 
Published: July 2020

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe rise in occurrence of hypertension, a non-communicable disease and a major factor for chronic renal failure, cardiovascular disease, and stroke, which most times lead to sudden death is worrisome. Resistant hypertension is more common and may have no symptoms at all for months or years, but then can cause heart attack, stroke, and vision and kidney damage. Prevention and quick management of hypertension are therefore essential in reducing the risk of these debilitating ailments. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the leaves ofClerodendrum chinensis (AeCandEeC) are used by local communities of West Africa as medicine for rapid antihypertensive actions. We aim to discover the scientific basis for the use of the herb as medicine.MethodsThis work investigates the antihypertensive effects ofAeCandEeCin L-Arginine Methyl Ester Hydrochloride (L-NAME)-induced hypertensive rats Acetylcholine, L-Arginine and Sodium Nitroprusside were used as standards. All results were expressed as means ± standard error of mean. Differences were considered significant at p <0.05.ResultsIntravenous administration of the extracts caused a significant decrease in the Mean Arterial Blood Pressure (MABP) in a dose-dependent manner.AeCat 100mg/kg caused a significant decline in blood pressure in a dose-related manner. Likewise at 100mg/kg,EeCreduced MABP steadily from 103.9± 2.55 to 34.1± 0.95mmHg. The two extracts; possess significant antihypertensive properties.ConclusionsBoth extracts show significant antihypertensive effects and at high doses could lead to hypotension and so should be used with care. Further research is necessary to determine safe dosage forms.
Learning the Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 in the United States with Explainable Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Jha Indra Prakash , Awasthi Raghav , Kumar Ajit , Kumar Vibhor , Sethi Tavpritesh 
Published: July 2020

AbstractImportanceCOVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected the health, economic, and social fabric of nations. Identification of individual-level susceptibility factors may help people in identifying and managing their emotional, psychological, and social well-being.ObjectiveThis work is focused on learning a ranked list of factors that could indicate a predisposition to a mental disorder during the COVID pandemic.Data Sources and Study designIn this study, We have used a survey of 17764 adults in the USA at different age groups, genders, and socioeconomic statuses.MethodsThrough initial statistical analysis followed by Bayesian Network inference, we have identified key factors affecting Mental health during the COVID pandemic. Integrating Bayesian networks with classical machine learning approaches lead to effective modeling of the level of mental health.ResultsOverall, females are more stressed than males, and people of age-group 18-29 are more vulnerable to anxiety than other age groups. Using the Bayesian Network Model, we found that people with chronic medical condition of mental illness are more prone to mental disorders during the COVID age. The new realities of working from home, home-schooling, and lack of communication with family/friends/neighbors induces mental pressure. Financial assistance from social security helps in reducing mental stress during COVID generated economic crises. Finally, using supervised ML models, we predicted the most mentally vulnerable people with ~80% accuracy.QuestionWhat factors could affect mental health, and how could this level be predicted using the same factors during the of COVID-19?FindingIn this survey-data based study, multiple factors such as Social isolation, digital communication, working, and schooling from home, were identified as crucial factors of mental illness during Covid-19. Interestingly, behavioral changes such as wearing a mask and avoiding restaurants and public places were not found to be associated with mental health.MeaningRegular non-virtual communication with friends and family, healthy social life and social security are key factors and especially taking care of people with mental disease history is even more important.
Estimating predator functional responses using the times between prey captures
Authors: Coblentz Kyle E. , DeLong John P. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractPredator functional responses, which describe how predator feeding rates change with prey densities, are a core component of predator-prey theory. Given their importance, ecologists have measured thousands of predator functional responses. However, most of these studies have used a single standard experimental method that is ill-suited to address many current, pressing questions regarding functional responses.We derive a new experimental design and statistical analysis that quantifies the parameters of predator functional responses by using the time between a predator’s feeding events and can be used with individual predators requiring only one or a few trials. We examine the feasibility of this experimental method and analysis by using simulations to examine the ability of the statistical model to estimate the ‘true’ functional response parameters from simulated data. We also perform a proof-of-concept experiment estimating the functional responses of two individual jumping spiders feeding on midges.Our simulations show that the statistical method is capable of reliably estimating functional response parameters under a wide range of parameter values and sample sizes. Our proof-of-concept experiment illustrates that the experimental design and statistical method provided reasonable estimates of functional response parameters and good fits to the data for individual jumping spiders using only a few trials per individual.By virtue of the fewer number of trials required to measure a functional response, the method derived here promises to expand the questions that can be addressed using functional response experiments and the systems for which functional responses can be measured. For example, this method is well-poised to address questions such as intraspecific variation in predator functional response parameters and the role of predator and prey traits and abiotic conditions on shaping functional responses. We hope, therefore, that this time-between-captures method will refine our understanding of functional responses and thereby our understanding of predator-prey interactions more generally.
Optogenetic activation of spinal microglia triggers chronic pain in mice
Authors: Yi Min-Hee , Liu Yong U. , Umpierre Anthony D. , Chen Tingjun , Ying Yanlu , Dheer Aastha , Bosco Dale B , Dong Hailong , Wu Long-Jun 
Published: July 2020

AbstractSpinal microglia are highly responsive to peripheral nerve injury and are known to be a key player in neuropathic pain. However, there has not been any direct evidence showing selective microglial activation in vivo is sufficient to induce chronic pain. Here we used optogenetic approaches in microglia to address this question employing CX3CR1creER/+: R26LSL-ReaChR/+transgenic mice, in which red-activated channelrhodopsin (ReaChR) is inducibly and specifically expressed in microglia. We found that activation of ReaChR by red light in spinal microglia evoked reliable inward currents and membrane depolarization. In vivo optogenetic activation of microglial ReaChR in the spinal cord triggered chronic pain hypersensitivity lasting for 5-7 days. In addition, activation of microglial ReaChR upregulated neuronal c-fos expression and enhanced C-fiber responses. Mechanistically, ReaChR activation led to a reactive microglial phenotype with increased IL-1β production. IL-1 receptor antagonist was able to reverse the pain hypersensitivity and neuronal hyperactivity induced by microglial ReaChR activation.Therefore, our work demonstrates that optogenetic activation of spinal microglia is sufficient to trigger chronic pain phenotypes by increasing neuronal activity via IL-1 signaling.
Evolution and genomic signatures of spontaneous somatic mutation inDrosophilaintestinal stem cells
Authors: Riddiford Nick , Siudeja Katarzyna , van den Beek Marius , Boumard Benjamin , Bardin Allison J. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractSpontaneous mutations can alter tissue dynamics and lead to cancer initiation. While large-scale sequencing projects have illustrated processes that influence somatic mutation and subsequent tumour evolution, the mutational dynamics operating in the very early stages of cancer development are currently not well understood. In order to explore mutational dynamics in the early stages of cancer evolution we exploited neoplasia arising spontaneously in theDrosophilaintestine. We analysed whole-genome sequencing data through the development of a dedicated bioinformatic pipeline to detect structural variants, single nucleotide variants, and indels. We found neoplasia formation to be driven largely through the inactivation ofNotchby structural variants, many of which involve highly complex genomic rearrangements. Strikingly, the genome-wide mutational burden of neoplasia - at six weeks of age - was found to be similar to that of several human cancers. Finally, we identified genomic features associated with spontaneous mutation and defined the evolutionary dynamics and mutational landscape operating within intestinal neoplasia over the short lifespan of the adult fly. Our findings provide unique insight into mutational dynamics operating over a short time scale in the genetic model system,Drosophila melanogaster.
The change pattern and significance of IgM and IgG in the progress of COVID-19 disease
Authors: Qin Xuzhen , Shen Jun , Dai Erhei , Li Haolong , Tang Guodong , Zhang Lixia , Hou Xin , Lu Minya , Wu Xian , Duan Simeng , Zhang Jingjia , Li Yongzhe 
Published: July 2020

BackgroundTo investigate the significance of IgM and IgG in the progress of COVID-19.MethodA multicenter cross-sectional study conducted in suspected and confirmed patients from four hospitals of China and a cohort study to identify the change pattern and significance in the process of COVID-19 disease.ResultsA total of 571 patients were enrolled in the cross-sectional study, including 235 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection with 91.9% patients IgG positive and 92.3% IgM positive. 30 patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled in the cohort study for flowing-up in 20 days. The peak of IgM and IgG reached in 10th and 20 th day separately after symptom onset. The relationship between clinical classification and serological antibodies were analysed. The positive rate of COVID-19 IgG and IgM increased along with the clinical classification and the delay of treatment time.ConclusionWe demonstrated the kinetics of IgM and IgG SARS-CoV-2 antibody in COVID-19 patients, which may contribute to explain the results of IgM and IgG SARS-CoV-2 antibody test and predict the prognosis of COVID-19.
Host transcriptional response to TB preventive therapy differentiates two sub-groups of IGRA-positive individuals
Authors: Broderick Claire , Cliff Jacqueline M , Lee Ji-Sook , Kaforou Myrsini , Moore David AJ 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWe investigated the longitudinal whole blood transcriptional profile responses to tuberculosis preventive therapy of 18 IGRA-positive tuberculosis contacts and IGRA-negative, tuberculosis-unexposed healthy controls.Longitudinal unsupervised clustering analysis with a subset of 474 most variable genes in antigen-stimulated blood separated the IGRA+ participants into two distinct subgroups, one of which clustered with the IGRA-negative controls. 117 probes were significantly differentially expressed over time between the two cluster groups, many of them associated with immunological pathways important in mycobacterial control.We contend that the differential host RNA response reflects lack ofM.tuberculosis(Mtb) viability in the group that clustered with the IGRA-unexposed healthy controls, andMtbviability in the group (1/3 of IGRA-positives) that clustered away.Gene expression patterns in the blood of IGRA+ individuals emerging during the course of PT, which reflectMtbviability, could have major implications in the identification of risk of progression, treatment stratification and biomarker development.
Ase1 domains dynamically slow anaphase spindle elongation and recruit Bim1 to the midzone
Authors: Thomas Ezekiel C. , Ismael Amber , Moore Jeffrey K. 
Published: July 2020

ABSTRACTHow cells regulate microtubule crosslinking activity to control the rate and duration of spindle elongation during anaphase is poorly understood. In this study, we test the hypothesis that PRC1/Ase1 proteins use distinct microtubule-binding domains to control spindle elongation rate. Using budding-yeast Ase1, we identify unique contributions for the spectrin and carboxy-terminal domains during different phases of spindle elongation. We show that the spectrin domain uses conserved, basic residues to promote the recruitment of Ase1 to the midzone before anaphase onset and slow spindle elongation during early anaphase. In contrast, a partial Ase1 carboxy-terminal truncation fails to form a stable midzone in late anaphase, produces faster elongation rates after early anaphase, and exhibits frequent spindle collapses. We find that the carboxy-terminal domain interacts with the plus-end tracking protein EB1/Bim1 and recruits Bim1 to the midzone to maintain midzone length. Overall, our results suggest that the Ase1 domains provide cells with a modular system to tune midzone activity and control elongation rates.
Functional requirements of intentional control over the integrated cortico-thalamo-cortical and basal ganglia systems using neural computations
Authors: Naze Sébastien , Kozloski James 
Published: July 2020

AbstractLarge scale brain models encompassing cortico-cortical, thalamo-cortical and basal ganglia processing are fundamental to understand the brain as an integrated system in healthy and disease conditions but are complex to analyze and interpret. Neuronal processes are typically segmented by region and modality in order to explain an experimental observation at a given scale, but integrative frameworks linking scales and modalities are scarce. Here, we present a set of functional requirements used to evaluate the recently developed large-scale brain model against a learning task involving coordinated learning between cortical and sub-cortical systems. The original Information Based Exchange Brain model (IBEx) is decomposed into functionally relevant subsystems, and each subsystem is analyzed and tuned independently and with regard to its relevant functional requirements. Intermediate conclusions are made for each subsystems according to the constraints imposed by these requirements. Subsystems are then re-introduced into the global framework. The relationship between the global framework and phenotypes associated with Huntington’s disease is then discussed and the framework considered in the context of other state-of-the-art integrative brain models.
Brain Network Reconfiguration for Narrative and Argumentative Thought
Authors: Xu Yangwen , Vignali Lorenzo , Collignon Olivier , Crepaldi Davide , Bottini Roberto 
Published: July 2020

AbstractOur brain constructs reality through narrative and argumentative thought. Some hypotheses argue that these two modes of cognitive functioning are irreducible, reflecting distinct mental operations underlain by separate neural bases; Others ascribe both to a unitary neural system dedicated to long-timescale information. We addressed this question by employing inter-subject measures to investigate the stimulus-induced neural responses when participants were listening to narrative and argumentative texts during fMRI. We found that following both kinds of texts enhanced functional couplings within the frontoparietal control system. However, while a narrative specifically implicated the default mode system, an argument specifically induced synchronization between the intraparietal sulcus in the frontoparietal control system and multiple perisylvian areas in the language system. Our findings reconcile the two hypotheses by revealing commonalities and differences between the narrative and the argumentative brain networks, showing how diverse mental activities arise from the segregation and integration of the existing brain systems.
Coronavirus surveillance in Congo basin wildlife detects RNA of multiple species circulating in bats and rodents
Authors: Kumakamba Charles , Niama Fabien R. , Muyembe Francisca , Mombouli Jean-Vivien , Kingebeni Placide Mbala , Nina Rock Aime , Lukusa Ipos Ngay , Bounga Gerard , N’Kawa Frida , Nkoua Cynthia Goma , Losoma Joseph Atibu , Mulembakani Prime , Makuwa Maria , Tamufe Ubald , Gillis Amethyst , LeBreton Matthew , Olson Sarah H. , Cameron Kenneth , Reed Patricia , Ondzie Alain , Tremeau-Bravard Alex , Smith Brett R. , Pante Jasmine , Schneider Bradley S. , McIver David J. , Ayukekbong James A. , Hoff Nicole A. , Rimoin Anne W. , Laudisoit Anne , Monagin Corina , Goldstein Tracey , Joly Damien O. , Saylors Karen , Wolfe Nathan D. , Rubin Edward M. , MPassi Romain Bagamboula , Tamfum Jean J. Muyembe , Lange Christian E. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractCoronaviruses play an important role as pathogens of humans and animals, and the emergence of epidemics like SARS, MERS and COVID-19 is closely linked to zoonotic transmission events primarily from wild animals. Bats have been found to be an important source of coronaviruses with some of them having the potential to infect humans, with other animals serving as intermediate or alternate hosts or reservoirs. Host diversity may be an important contributor to viral diversity and thus the potential for zoonotic events. To date, limited research has been done in Africa on this topic, in particular in the Congo Basin despite frequent contact between humans and wildlife in this region. We sampled and, using consensus coronavirus PCR-primers, tested 3,561 wild animals for coronavirus RNA. The focus was on bats (38%), rodents (38%), and primates (23%) that posed an elevated risk for contact with people, and we found coronavirus RNA in 121 animals, of which all but two were bats. Depending on the taxonomic family, bats were significantly more likely to be coronavirus RNA-positive when sampled either in the wet (PteropodidaeandRhinolophidae) or dry season (Hipposideridae, Miniopteridae, Molossidae, andVespertilionidae). The detected RNA sequences correspond to 15 Alpha- and 6 Beta-coronaviruses, with some of them being very similar (>95% nucleotide identities) to known coronaviruses and others being more unique and potentially representing novel viruses. In seven of the bats, we detected RNA most closely related to sequences of the human common cold coronaviruses 229E or NL63 (>80% nucleotide identities). The findings highlight the potential for coronavirus spillover, especially in regions with a high diversity of bats and close human contact, and reinforces the need for ongoing surveillance.
Resistive force theory and wave dynamics in swimming isolated flagellar apparatus
Authors: Goli Pozveh S. , Bae A. J. , Gholami A. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractCilia-driven motility and fluid transport is ubiquitous in nature and essential for many biological processes, including swimming of eukaryotic unicellular organisms, mucus transport in airway apparatus or fluid flow in brain. The-biflagellated micro-swimmerChlamydomonas reinhardtiiis a model organism to study dynamics of flagellar synchronization. Hydrodynamic interactions, intracellular mechanical coupling or cell body rocking are believed to play crucial role in synchronization of flagellar beating in green algae. Here, we use freely swimming intact flagellar apparatus isolated from wall-less strain ofChlamydomonasto investigate wave dynamics. Our analysis in phase coordinates show that, when the frequency difference between the flagella is high, neither mechanical coupling via basal body nor hydrodynamics interactions are strong enough to synchronize two flagella, indicating that beating frequency is controlled internally by the cell. We also examined the validity of resistive force theory for a flagellar apparatus swimming freely in the vicinity of a substrate and found a quantitative agreement between experimental data and simulations with drag anisotropy of ratio 2. Finally, using a simplified wave form, we investigated the influence of phase and frequency differences, intrinsic curvature and wave amplitude on the swimming trajectory of flagellar apparatus. Our analysis shows that by controlling phase or frequency differences between two flagella, steering can occur.
Can Bayesian phylogeography reconstruct migrations and expansions in human history?
Authors: Neureiter Nico , Ranacher Peter , van Gijn Rik , Bickel Balthasar , Weibel Robert 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBayesian phylogeography aims to reconstruct migrations in evolutionary processes. This methodological framework has been used for the reconstruction of homelands and historical expansions of various language families, but its reliability for language diversification research has remained unclear. We contribute to this discussion with a simulation study where we distinguish two types of spatial processes:migrationandexpansion. By migration we denote long-distance movement of whole populations, leaving their previous habitat empty. Expansions are small-scale movements of speakers or inclusions of new speakers into the language community, cumulatively contributing to a gradual spread into new territories. We simulate migrations, in the form of directional random walks, and expansions, in the form of a grid-based region-growing process. We run both simulation scenarios with varying degrees of directional trends and evaluate the performance of state-of-the-art phylogeographic methods. Our results show that phylogeography fails to reconstruct migrations, but works surprisingly well on expansions, even under severe directional trends. We demonstrate that migrations and expansions have typical phylogenetic and spatial patterns, which in the one case inhibit and in the other facilitate phylogeographic reconstruction. Furthermore, we propose descriptive statistics to identify whether a real sample of languages (Bantu), their relationship and spatial distribution, better fits a migration or an expansion scenario. Bringing together the results of the simulation study and theoretical arguments, we make recommendations for judging the adequacy of phylogeographic models to reconstruct the spatial evolution of languages.