bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Limitations to intergenerational inheritance: subchronic paternal stress preconception does not influence offspring anxiety
Authors: Fennell K. A. , Busby R. G. G. , Li S. , Bodden C. , Stanger S. J. , Nixon B. , Short A. K. , Hannan A. J. , Pang T. Y. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractIndependent studies have observed that a paternal history of stress or trauma is associated with his children having a greater likelihood of developing psychopathologies such as anxiety disorders. This father-to-child effect is reproduced in several mouse models of stress, which have been crucial in developing a greater understanding of intergenerational epigenetic inheritance. We previously reported that treatment of C57Bl/6J male breeders with low-dose corticosterone (CORT) for 28 days prior to mating yielded increased anxiety-related behaviours in their male F1 offspring. The present study aimed to determine whether subchronic 7-day CORT treatment of male mice just prior to mating would be sufficient to induce intergenerational modifications of anxiety-related behaviours in offspring. We report that subchronic CORT treatment of male breeders reduced their week-on-week body weight gain and altered NR3C1 and CRH gene expression in the hypothalamus. There were no effects on sperm count and glucocorticoid receptor protein levels within the epididymal tissue of male breeders. Regarding the F1 offspring, screening for anxiety-related behaviours using the elevated-plus maze, light–dark box, and novelty-suppressed feeding test revealed no differences between the offspring of CORT-treated breeders compared to controls. Thus, it is crucial that future studies take into consideration the duration of exposure when assessing the intergenerational impacts of paternal health.
Camera-based optical palpation
Authors: Sanderson Rowan W. , Fang Qi , Curatolo Andrea , Adams Wayne , Lakhiani Devina D. , Ismail Hina M. , Foo Ken Y. , Dessauvagie Benjamin F. , Latham Bruce , Yeomans Chris , Saunders Christobel M. , Kennedy Brendan F. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractOptical elastography is undergoing extensive development as an imaging tool to map mechanical contrast in tissue. Here, we present a new platform for optical elastography by generating sub-millimetre-scale mechanical contrast from a simple digital camera. This cost-effective, compact and easy-to-implement approach opens the possibility to greatly expand applications of optical elastography both within and beyond the field of medical imaging. Camera-based optical palpation (CBOP) utilises a digital camera to acquire photographs that quantify the light intensity transmitted through a silicone layer comprising a dense distribution of micro-pores (diameter, 30–100 µm). As the transmission of light through the micro-pores increases with compression, we deduce strain in the layer directly from intensity in the digital photograph. By pre-characterising the relationship between stress and strain of the layer, the measured strain map can be converted to an optical palpogram, a map of stress that visualises mechanical contrast in the sample. We demonstrate a spatial resolution as high as 290 µm in CBOP, comparable to that achieved using an optical coherence tomography-based implementation of optical palpation. In this paper, we describe the fabrication of the micro-porous layer and present experimental results from structured phantoms containing stiff inclusions as small as 0.5 × 0.5 × 1 mm. In each case, we demonstrate high contrast between the inclusion and the base material and validate both the contrast and spatial resolution achieved using finite element modelling. By performing CBOP on freshly excised human breast tissue, we demonstrate the capability to delineate tumour from surrounding benign tissue.
Vitamin D deficiency serves as a precursor to stunted growth and central adiposity in zebrafish
Authors: Knuth Megan M. , Mahapatra Debabrata , Jima Dereje , Wan Debin , Hammock Bruce D. , Law Mac , Kullman Seth W. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractEmerging evidence demonstrates the importance of sufficient vitamin D (1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) levels during early life stage development with deficiencies associated with long-term effects into adulthood. While vitamin D has traditionally been associated with mineral ion homeostasis, accumulating evidence suggests non-calcemic roles for vitamin D including metabolic homeostasis. In this study, we examined the hypothesis that vitamin D deficiency (VDD) during early life stage development precedes metabolic disruption. Three dietary cohorts of zebrafish were placed on engineered diets including a standard laboratory control diet, a vitamin D null diet, and a vitamin D enriched diet. Zebrafish grown on a vitamin D null diet between 2–12 months post fertilization (mpf) exhibited diminished somatic growth and enhanced central adiposity associated with accumulation and enlargement of visceral and subcutaneous adipose depots indicative of both adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia. VDD zebrafish exhibited elevated hepatic triglycerides, attenuated plasma free fatty acids and attenuated lipoprotein lipase activity consistent with hallmarks of dyslipidemia. VDD induced dysregulation of gene networks associated with growth hormone and insulin signaling, including induction of suppressor of cytokine signaling. These findings indicate that early developmental VDD impacts metabolic health by disrupting the balance between somatic growth and adipose accumulation.
Edaphic factors and plants influence denitrification in soils from a long-term arable experiment
Authors: Clark Ian M. , Fu Qingling , Abadie Maïder , Dixon Elizabeth R. , Blaud Aimeric , Hirsch Penny R. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractFactors influencing production of greenhouse gases nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitrogen (N2) in arable soils include high nitrate, moisture and plants; we investigate how differences in the soil microbiome due to antecedent soil treatment additionally influence denitrification. Microbial communities, denitrification gene abundance and gas production in soils from tilled arable plots with contrasting fertilizer inputs (no N, mineral N, FYM) and regenerated woodland in the long-term Broadbalk field experiment were investigated. Soil was transferred to pots, kept bare or planted with wheat and after 6 weeks, transferred to sealed chambers with or without K15NO3 fertilizer for 4 days; N2O and N2 were measured daily. Concentrations of N2O were higher when fertilizer was added, lower in the presence of plants, whilst N2 increased over time and with plants. Prior soil treatment but not exposure to N-fertiliser or plants during the experiment influenced denitrification gene (nirK, nirS, nosZI, nosZII) relative abundance. Under our experimental conditions, denitrification generated mostly N2; N2O was around 2% of total gaseous N2 + N2O. Prior long-term soil management influenced the soil microbiome and abundance of denitrification genes. The production of N2O was driven by nitrate availability and N2 generation increased in the presence of plants.
Ghrelin reverses ductular reaction and hepatic fibrosis in a rodent model of cholestasis
Authors: Petrescu Anca D. , Grant Stephanie , Williams Elaina , Frampton Gabriel , Reinhart Evan H. , Nguyen Amy , An Suyeon , McMillin Matthew , DeMorrow Sharon 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe orexigenic peptide ghrelin (Ghr) stimulates hunger signals in the hypothalamus via growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R1a). Gastric Ghr is synthetized as a preprohormone which is proteolytically cleaved, and acylated by a membrane-bound acyl transferase (MBOAT). Circulating Ghr is reduced in cholestatic injuries, however Ghr’s role in cholestasis is poorly understood. We investigated Ghr’s effects on biliary hyperplasia and hepatic fibrosis in Mdr2-knockout (Mdr2KO) mice, a recognized model of cholestasis. Serum, stomach and liver were collected from Mdr2KO and FVBN control mice treated with Ghr, des-octanoyl-ghrelin (DG) or vehicle. Mdr2KO mice had lower expression of Ghr and MBOAT in the stomach, and lower levels of circulating Ghr compared to WT-controls. Treatment of Mdr2KO mice with Ghr improved plasma transaminases, reduced biliary and fibrosis markers. In the liver, GHS-R1a mRNA was expressed predominantly in cholangiocytes. Ghr but not DG, decreased cell proliferation via AMPK activation in cholangiocytes in vitro. AMPK inhibitors prevented Ghr-induced FOXO1 nuclear translocation and negative regulation of cell proliferation. Ghr treatment reduced ductular reaction and hepatic fibrosis in Mdr2KO mice, regulating cholangiocyte proliferation via GHS-R1a, a G-protein coupled receptor which causes increased intracellular Ca2+ and activation of AMPK and FOXO1, maintaining a low rate of cholangiocyte proliferation.
Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter (MCU) deficiency reveals an alternate path for Ca2+ uptake in photoreceptor mitochondria
Authors: Bisbach Celia M. , Hutto Rachel A. , Poria Deepak , Cleghorn Whitney M. , Abbas Fatima , Vinberg Frans , Kefalov Vladimir J. , Hurley James B. , Brockerhoff Susan E. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractRods and cones use intracellular Ca2+ to regulate many functions, including phototransduction and neurotransmission. The Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter (MCU) complex is thought to be the primary pathway for Ca2+ entry into mitochondria in eukaryotes. We investigate the hypothesis that mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake via MCU influences phototransduction and energy metabolism in photoreceptors using a mcu-/- zebrafish and a rod photoreceptor-specific Mcu-/- mouse. Using genetically encoded Ca2+ sensors to directly examine Ca2+ uptake in zebrafish cone mitochondria, we found that loss of MCU reduces but does not eliminate mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. Loss of MCU does not lead to photoreceptor degeneration, mildly affects mitochondrial metabolism, and does not alter physiological responses to light, even in the absence of the Na+/Ca2+, K+ exchanger. Our results reveal that MCU is dispensable for vertebrate photoreceptor function, consistent with its low expression and the presence of an alternative pathway for Ca2+ uptake into photoreceptor mitochondria.
Meter enhances the subcortical processing of speech sounds at a strong beat
Authors: Moon Il Joon , Kang Soojin , Boichenko Nelli , Hong Sung Hwa , Lee Kyung Myun 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe temporal structure of sound such as in music and speech increases the efficiency of auditory processing by providing listeners with a predictable context. Musical meter is a good example of a sound structure that is temporally organized in a hierarchical manner, with recent studies showing that meter optimizes neural processing, particularly for sounds located at a higher metrical position or strong beat. Whereas enhanced cortical auditory processing at times of high metric strength has been studied, there is to date no direct evidence showing metrical modulation of subcortical processing. In this work, we examined the effect of meter on the subcortical encoding of sounds by measuring human auditory frequency-following responses to speech presented at four different metrical positions. Results show that neural encoding of the fundamental frequency of the vowel was enhanced at the strong beat, and also that the neural consistency of the vowel was the highest at the strong beat. When comparing musicians to non-musicians, musicians were found, at the strong beat, to selectively enhance the behaviorally relevant component of the speech sound, namely the formant frequency of the transient part. Our findings indicate that the meter of sound influences subcortical processing, and this metrical modulation differs depending on musical expertise.
Casein kinase 1.2 over expression restores stress resistance to Leishmania donovani HSP23 null mutants
Authors: Kröber-Boncardo Constanze , Lorenzen Stephan , Brinker Christine , Clos Joachim 
Published: September 2020

AbstractLeishmania donovani is a trypanosomatidic parasite and causes the lethal kala-azar fever, a neglected tropical disease. The Trypanosomatida are devoid of transcriptional gene regulation and rely on gene copy number variations and translational control for their adaption to changing conditions. To survive at mammalian tissue temperatures, L. donovani relies on the small heat shock protein HSP23, the loss of which renders the parasites stress sensitive and impairs their proliferation. Here, we analysed a spontaneous escape mutant with wild type-like in vitro growth. Further selection of this escape strains resulted in a complete reversion of the phenotype. Whole genome sequencing revealed a correlation between stress tolerance and the massive amplification of a six-gene cluster on chromosome 35, with further analysis showing over expression of the casein kinase 1.2 gene as responsible. In vitro phosphorylation experiments established both HSP23 and the related P23 co-chaperone as substrates and modulators of casein kinase 1.2, providing evidence for another crucial link between chaperones and signal transduction protein kinases in this early branching eukaryote.
Aspirin administration might accelerate the subsidence of periprosthetic joint infection
Authors: Wei Yi Ping , Chien Ju Chun , Hsiang Wei Hsin , Yang Shan Wei , Chen Chun Yu 
Published: September 2020

AbstractSince the past decade, aspirin, a popular anti-inflammatory drug, has been increasingly studied for its potential antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity with promising results, but studies were limited to in vitro and in vivo investigations. Moreover, evidence concerning the beneficial effects of aspirin on the treatment of biofilm-related infections in real-world population is limited. Thus, this study aimed to investigate whether aspirin could promote infection control for patients with periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs). A single-center database was searched. Regular aspirin exposure was defined as a prescription of aspirin for > 6 months before diagnosis of PJIs and consecutive use during the PJI treatment course at a dose ≧ 100 mg/day. General data, treatment modalities, and recurrence status were collected from medical records by an independent orthopedic surgeon. From January 01, 2010, to February 17, 2019, 88 patients who met the PJI criteria were identified and included in this study. Of these patients, 12 were taking aspirin regularly during the infectious events. In the Cox proportional hazards model, multivariate analysis revealed that the aspirin group demonstrated significant benefit via superior resolution of PJIs (HR 2.200; 95% CI 1.018–4.757; p = 0.045). In this study, aspirin is beneficial for infection resolution when combined with the current standard of PJI treatment and conventional antibiotics in the management of PJIs.
Dual COX and 5-LOX inhibition by clerodane diterpenes from seeds of Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn.) Thwaites
Authors: Nguyen Ha Thi , Vu Thien-Y. , Chandi Vishala , Polimati Haritha , Tatipamula Vinay Bharadwaj 
Published: September 2020

AbstractNatural metabolites with their specific bioactivities are being considered as a potential source of materials for pharmacological studies. In this study, we successfully isolated and identified five known clerodane diterpenes, namely 16-oxo-cleroda-3,13(14)E-dien-15-oic acid (1), 16-hydroxy-cleroda-3,13-dien-15-oic acid (2), 16-hydroxy-cleroda-4(18),13-dien-16,15-olide (3), 3α,16α-dihydroxy-cleroda-4(18),13(14)Z-dien-15,16-olide (4), and 16α-hydroxy-cleroda-3,13(14)Z-dien-15,16-olide (5) from the methanolic extract of seeds of Polyalthia longifolia. Initially, all the isolated metabolites were investigated for COX-1, COX-2, and 5-LOX inhibitory activities using the standard inhibitory kits. Of which, compounds 3, 4, and 5 exhibited to be potent COX-1, COX-2, and 5-LOX inhibitors with the IC50 values similar or lower to those of the reference drugs. To understand the underlying mechanism, these compounds were subjected to molecular docking on COX-1, COX-2, and 5-LOX proteins. Interestingly, the in silico study results were in high accordance with in vitro studies where compounds 3, 4, and 5 hits assumed interactions and binding pattern comparable to that of reference drugs (indomethacin and diclofenac), as a co-crystallized ligand explaining their remarkable dual (COX/LOX) inhibitor actions. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that compounds 3, 4, and 5 functioned as dual inhibitors of COX/5-LOX and can contribute to the development of novel, more effective anti-inflammatory drugs with minimal side-effects.
Fear expressions of dogs during New Year fireworks: a video analysis
Authors: Gähwiler Sarah , Bremhorst Annika , Tóth Katinka , Riemer Stefanie 
Published: September 2020

AbstractA high proportion of pet dogs show fear-related behavioural problems, with noise fears being most prevalent. Nonetheless, few studies have objectively evaluated fear expression in this species. Using owner-provided video recordings, we coded behavioural expressions of pet dogs during a real-life firework situation at New Year’s Eve and compared them to behaviour of the same dogs on a different evening without fireworks (control condition), using Wilcoxon signed ranks tests. A backwards-directed ear position, measured at the base of the ear, was most strongly associated with the fireworks condition (effect size: Cohen’s d = 0.69). Durations of locomotion (d = 0.54) and panting (d = 0.45) were also higher during fireworks than during the control condition. Vocalisations (d = 0.40), blinking (d = 0.37), and hiding (d = 0.37) were increased during fireworks, but this was not significant after sequential Bonferroni correction. This could possibly be attributed to the high inter-individual variability in the frequency of blinking and the majority of subjects not vocalising or hiding at all. Thus, individual differences must be taken into account when aiming to assess an individual’s level of fear, as relevant measures may not be the same for all individuals. Firework exposure was not associated with an elevated rate of other so-called ‘stress signals’, lip licking and yawning.
Chronic stepwise cerebral hypoperfusion differentially induces synaptic proteome changes in the frontal cortex, occipital cortex, and hippocampus in rats
Authors: Tukacs Vanda , Mittli Dániel , Györffy Balázs András , Hunyady-Gulyás Éva , Hlatky Dávid , Tóth Vilmos , Ravasz Lilla , Medzihradszky F. Katalin , Nyitrai Gabriella , Czurkó András , Juhász Gábor , Kardos József , Kékesi Katalin Adrienna 
Published: September 2020

AbstractDuring chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH), the cerebral blood flow gradually decreases, leading to cognitive impairments and neurodegenerative disorders, such as vascular dementia. The reduced oxygenation, energy supply induced metabolic changes, and insufficient neuroplasticity could be reflected in the synaptic proteome. We performed stepwise bilateral common carotid occlusions on rats and studied the synaptic proteome changes of the hippocampus, occipital and frontal cortices. Samples were prepared and separated by 2-D DIGE and significantly altered protein spots were identified by HPLC–MS/MS. We revealed an outstanding amount of protein changes in the occipital cortex compared to the frontal cortex and the hippocampus with 94, 33, and 17 proteins, respectively. The high alterations in the occipital cortex are probably due to the hypoxia-induced retrograde degeneration of the primary visual cortex, which was demonstrated by electrophysiological experiments. Altered proteins have functions related to cytoskeletal organization and energy metabolism. As CCH could also be an important risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we investigated whether our altered proteins overlap with AD protein databases. We revealed a significant amount of altered proteins associated with AD in the two neocortical areas, suggesting a prominent overlap with the AD pathomechanism.
Entangling capacities and the geometry of quantum operations
Authors: Kao Jhih-Yuan , Chou Chung-Hsien 
Published: September 2020

AbstractQuantum operations are the fundamental transformations on quantum states. In this work, we study the relation between entangling capacities of operations, geometry of operations, and positive partial transpose (PPT) states, which are an important class of states in quantum information. We show a method to calculate bounds for entangling capacity, the amount of entanglement that can be produced by a quantum operation, in terms of negativity, a measure of entanglement. The bounds of entangling capacity are found to be associated with how non-PPT (PPT preserving) an operation is. A length that quantifies both entangling capacity/entanglement and PPT-ness of an operation or state can be defined, establishing a geometry characterized by PPT-ness. The distance derived from the length bounds the relative entangling capability, endowing the geometry with more physical significance. We also demonstrate the equivalence of PPT-ness and separability for unitary operations.
Enhanced LTP of population spikes in the dentate gyrus of mice haploinsufficient for neurobeachin
Authors: Muellerleile Julia , Blistein Aline , Rohlmann Astrid , Scheiwe Frederieke , Missler Markus , Schwarzacher Stephan W. , Jedlicka Peter 
Published: September 2020

AbstractDeletion of the autism candidate molecule neurobeachin (Nbea), a large PH-BEACH-domain containing neuronal protein, has been shown to affect synaptic function by interfering with neurotransmitter receptor targeting and dendritic spine formation. Previous analysis of mice lacking one allele of the Nbea gene identified impaired spatial learning and memory in addition to altered autism-related behaviours. However, no functional data from living heterozygous Nbea mice (Nbea+/−) are available to corroborate the behavioural phenotype. Here, we explored the consequences of Nbea haploinsufficiency on excitation/inhibition balance and synaptic plasticity in the intact hippocampal dentate gyrus of Nbea+/− animals in vivo by electrophysiological recordings. Based on field potential recordings, we show that Nbea+/− mice display enhanced LTP of the granule cell population spike, but no differences in basal synaptic transmission, synapse numbers, short-term plasticity, or network inhibition. These data indicate that Nbea haploinsufficiency causes remarkably specific alterations to granule cell excitability in vivo, which may contribute to the behavioural abnormalities in Nbea+/− mice and to related symptoms in patients.
Aerosolization and recovery of viable murine norovirus in an experimental setup
Authors: Alsved Malin , Widell Anders , Dahlin Henrik , Karlson Sara , Medstrand Patrik , Löndahl Jakob 
Published: September 2020

AbstractNoroviruses are the major cause for viral acute gastroenteritis in the world. Despite the existing infection prevention strategies in hospitals, the disease continues to spread and causes extensive and numerous outbreaks. Hence, there is a need to investigate the possibility of airborne transmission of norovirus. In this study, we developed an experimental setup for studies on the infectivity of aerosolized murine norovirus (MNV), a model for the human norovirus. Two aerosol generation principles were evaluated: bubble bursting, a common natural aerosolization mechanism, and nebulization, a common aerosolization technique in laboratory studies. The aerosolization setup was characterized by physical and viral dilution factors, generated aerosol particle size distributions, and the viral infectivity after aerosolization. We found a lower physical dilution factor when using the nebulization generator than with the bubble bursting generator. The viral dilution factor of the system was higher than the physical dilution; however, when comparing the physical and viral dilution factors, bubble bursting generation was more efficient. The infectivity per virus was similar using either generation principle, suggesting that the generation itself had a minor impact on MNV infectivity and that instead, the effect of drying in air could be a major reason for infectivity losses.