bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Classification of invasive bloodstream infections and Plasmodium falciparum malaria using autoantibodies as biomarkers
Authors: Krumkamp Ralf , Struck Nicole Sunaina , Lorenz Eva , Zimmermann Marlow , Boahen Kennedy Gyau , Sarpong Nimako , Owusu-Dabo Ellis , Pak Gi Deok , Jeon Hyon Jin , Marks Florian , Jacobs Thomas , May Jürgen , Eibach Daniel 
Published: December 2020

AbstractA better understanding of disease-specific biomarker profiles during acute infections could guide the development of innovative diagnostic methods to differentiate between malaria and alternative causes of fever. We investigated autoantibody (AAb) profiles in febrile children (≤ 5 years) admitted to a hospital in rural Ghana. Serum samples from 30 children with a bacterial bloodstream infection and 35 children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria were analyzed using protein microarrays (Protoplex Immune Response Assay, ThermoFisher). A variable selection algorithm was applied to identify the smallest set of AAbs showing the best performance to classify malaria and bacteremia patients. The selection procedure identified 8 AAbs of which IFNGR2 and FBXW5 were selected in repeated model run. The classification error was 22%, which was mainly due to non-Typhi Salmonella (NTS) diagnoses being misclassified as malaria. Likewise, a cluster analysis grouped patients with NTS and malaria together, but separated malaria from non-NTS infections. Both current and recent malaria are a risk factor for NTS, therefore, a better understanding about the function of AAb in disease-specific immune responses is required in order to support their application for diagnostic purposes.
Solid-state NMR investigation of the involvement of the P2 region in tau amyloid fibrils
Authors: Savastano Adriana , Jaipuria Garima , Andreas Loren , Mandelkow Eckhard , Zweckstetter Markus 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThe aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau into amyloid fibrils is closely linked to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. To gain insight into the link between amyloid structure and disease, the three-dimensional structure of tau fibrils has been studied using solid-state NMR (ssNMR) and cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The proline-rich region of tau remains poorly defined in the context of tau amyloid structures, despite the clustering of several phosphorylation sites, which have been associated with Alzheimer’s disease. In order to gain insight into the contribution of the proline-rich region P2 of tau to amyloid fibrils, we studied in vitro aggregated amyloid fibrils of tau constructs, which contain both the proline-rich region P2 and the pseudo-repeats. Using ssNMR we show that the sequence $$^{225}{\text {KVAVVRT}}^{231}$$

225

KVAVVRT

231

, the most hydrophobic patch within the P2 region, loses its flexibility upon formation of amyloid fibrils. The data suggest a contribution of the P2 region to tau amyloid fibril formation, which might account for some of the unassigned electron density in cryo-EM studies of tau fibrils and could be modulated by tau phosphorylation at the disease-associated AT180 epitope T231/S235.
Single infection with Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis or Ranavirus does not increase probability of co-infection in a montane community of amphibians
Authors: Bosch Jaime , Monsalve-Carcaño Camino , Price Stephen J. , Bielby Jon 
Published: December 2020

AbstractUnderstanding the occurrence and consequence of co-infections can be useful in designing disease management interventions. Amphibians are the most highly threatened vertebrates, and emerging pathogens are a serious threat to their conservation. The amphibian chytrid fungus and the viruses of the Ranavirus genus are already widely distributed, causing disease outbreaks and population declines worldwide. However, we lack information about the occurrence and consequences of coinfection with these pathogens across age-classes of amphibian hosts. Here, we analyze the occurrence of infection of the amphibian chytrid fungus and ranaviruses during one season in two susceptible amphibian species at two different locations at which outbreaks have occurred. We found that the co-occurrence of both pathogens in a particular host is not common except in highly susceptible life-stages, and that single infections are the most common situation. Moreover, we found that the occurrence of one pathogen in a particular host did not predict the occurrence of the other. We attribute these results to the niches in which both pathogens proliferate in amphibian hosts.
Excited state dynamics and exciton diffusion in triphenylamine/dicyanovinyl push–pull small molecule for organic optoelectronics
Authors: Raul Benedito A. L. , Luponosov Yuriy N. , Yang Wenyan , Surin Nikolay M. , Douhéret Olivier , Min Jie , Jansen Thomas L. C. , Ponomarenko Sergei A. , Pshenichnikov Maxim S. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractTriphenylamine-based small push–pull molecules have recently attracted substantial research attention due to their unique optoelectronic properties. Here, we investigate the excited state de-excitation dynamics and exciton diffusion in TPA-T-DCV-Ph-F small molecule, having simple chemical structure with asymmetrical architecture and end-capped with electron-withdrawing p-fluorodicyanovinyl group. The excited state lifetime in diluted solutions (0.04 ns in toluene and 0.4 ns in chloroform) are found to be surprisingly shorter compared to the solid state (3 ns in PMMA matrix). Time-dependent density functional theory indicates that this behavior originates from non-radiative relaxation of the excited state through a conical intersection between the ground and singlet excited state potential energy surfaces. Exciton diffusion length of ~ 16 nm in solution processed films was retrieved by employing time-resolved photoluminescence volume quenching measurements with Monte Carlo simulations. As means of investigating the device performance of TPA-T-DCV-Ph-F, we manufactured solution and vacuum processed bulk heterojunction solar cells that yielded efficiencies of ~ 1.5% and ~ 3.7%, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that the short lifetime in solutions does not hinder per se long exciton diffusion length in films thereby granting applications of TPA-T-DCV-Ph-F and similar push–pull molecules in vacuum and solution processable devices.
Cortical plasticity elicited by acoustically cued monetary losses: an ERP study
Authors: Gorin Aleksei , Krugliakova Elena , Nikulin Vadim , Kuznetsova Aleksandra , Moiseeva Victoria , Klucharev Vasily , Shestakova Anna 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBoth human and animal studies have demonstrated remarkable findings of experience-induced plasticity in the cortex. Here, we investigated whether the widely used monetary incentive delay (MID) task changes the neural processing of incentive cues that code expected monetary outcomes. We used a novel auditory version of the MID task, where participants responded to acoustic cues that coded expected monetary losses. To investigate task-induced brain plasticity, we presented incentive cues as deviants during passive oddball tasks before and after two sessions of the MID task. During the oddball task, we recorded the mismatch-related negativity (MMN) as an index of cortical plasticity. We found that two sessions of the MID task evoked a significant enhancement of MMN for incentive cues that predicted large monetary losses, specifically when monetary cue discrimination was essential for maximising monetary outcomes. The task-induced plasticity correlated with the learning-related neural activity recorded during the MID task. Thus, our results confirm that the processing of (loss)incentive auditory cues is dynamically modulated by previously learned monetary outcomes.
Accumulation of antinuclear associated antibodies in circulating immune complexes is more prominent in SLE patients from Sudan than Sweden
Authors: Elbagir Sahwa , Sohrabian Azita , Elshafie Amir I. , Elagib Elnour M. , Mohammed Nasr Eldeen A. , Nur Musa A. M. , Svenungsson Elisabet , Gunnarsson Iva , Rönnelid Johan 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThe role of anti-nuclear autoantibody (ANA) specificities in immune complexes (IC) formation has been studied to a limited extent in SLE, and not at all in African SLE patients. We compared ANA in IC from Sudanese and Swedish SLE patients. We included 93 Sudanese and 332 Swedish SLE patients fulfilling the 1982 ACR criteria. IC were captured using C1q-coated beads. ANA specificities were quantified in sera and IC. Results were related to modified SLEDAI. Whereas serum levels of anti-Sm, anti-dsDNA and anti-ribosomal P were higher in Swedish patients, IC levels of most ANA specificities were higher among Sudanese patients. This difference was especially prominent for anti-chromatin antibodies, which remained after adjustment for age, disease duration and treatment. Total levels of C1q-binding IC correlated with levels of specific ANA in IC, with highest correlations for anti-chromatin antibodies among Sudanese patients. Whereas occurrence of anti- SSA/Ro60, anti-histone and anti-U1RNP in both serum and IC associated with high SLEDAI score, anti-dsDNA in IC but not in serum associated with high SLEDAI. ANA, especially antibodies targeting chromatin, accumulate more in IC from Sudanese SLE patients. If the autoantibody fraction forming IC is pathogenically important, this might explain the generally described severe SLE in black populations.
Fingerprinting molecular and isotopic biosignatures on different hydrothermal scenarios of Iceland, an acidic and sulfur-rich Mars analog
Authors: Sánchez-García Laura , Carrizo Daniel , Molina Antonio , Muñoz-Iglesias Victoria , Lezcano María Ángeles , Fernández-Sampedro Maite , Parro Victor , Prieto-Ballesteros Olga 
Published: December 2020

AbstractDetecting signs of potential extant/extinct life on Mars is challenging because the presence of organics on that planet is expected to be very low and most likely linked to radiation-protected refugia and/or preservative strategies (e.g., organo-mineral complexes). With scarcity of organics, accounting for biomineralization and potential relationships between biomarkers, mineralogy, and geochemistry is key in the search for extraterrestrial life. Here we explored microbial fingerprints and their associated mineralogy in Icelandic hydrothermal systems analog to Mars (i.e., high sulfur content, or amorphous silica), to identify potentially habitable locations on that planet. The mineralogical assemblage of four hydrothermal substrates (hot springs biofilms, mud pots, and steaming and inactive fumaroles) was analyzed concerning the distribution of biomarkers. Molecular and isotopic composition of lipids revealed quantitative and compositional differences apparently impacted by surface geothermal alteration and environmental factors. pH and water showed an influence (i.e., greatest biomass in circumneutral settings with highest supply and turnover of water), whereas temperature conditioned the mineralogy that supported specific microbial metabolisms related with sulfur. Raman spectra suggested the possible coexistence of abiotic and biomediated sources of minerals (i.e., sulfur or hematite). These findings may help to interpret future Raman or GC–MS signals in forthcoming Martian missions.
Smoking load reduction is insufficient to downregulate miR-301b, a lung cancer promoter
Authors: dos Santos Arcas Camila , Lin-Wang Hui Tzu , Umeda Iracema Ioco Kikuchi , de Sousa Márcio Gonçalves , Utiyama Daniela Mitiyo Odagiri , de Padua Mansur Antonio , Macchione Mariangela , Hirata Mario Hiroyuki , Nakagawa Naomi Kondo 
Published: December 2020

AbstractSeveral circulating miRNAs identified in the plasma of smokers have been implicated as promoters of nasopharyngeal and lung carcinoma. To investigate the plasma profile of miRNAs in subjects who reduces the number of smoked cigarettes and who quit after six months. We accompanied 28 individuals enrolled in a Smoking Cessation Program over 6 months. At Baseline, clinical characteristics, co-morbidities, and smoking history were similar among subjects. After 6 months, two groups were defined: who successfully quitted smoking (named “quitters”, n = 18, mean age 57 years, 11 male) and who reduced the number of cigarettes smoked (20–90%) but failed to quit smoking (named “smokers”, n = 10, mean age 52 years, 3 male). No significant clinical changes were observed between groups at baseline and after a 6-month period, however, quitters showed significant downregulations in seven miRNAs at baseline: miR-17 (− 2.90-fold, p = 0.029), miR-20a (− 3.80-fold, p = 0.021); miR-20b (− 4.71-fold, p = 0.027); miR-30a (− 3.95-fold, p = 0.024); miR-93 (− 3.63-fold, p = 0.022); miR-125a (− 1.70-fold, p = 0.038); and miR-195 (− 5.37-fold, p = 0.002), and after a 6-month period in 6 miRNAs: miR-17 (− 5.30-fold, p = 0.012), miR-20a (− 2.04-fold, p = 0.017), miR-20b (− 5.44-fold, p = 0.017), miR-93 (− 4.00-fold, p = 0.041), miR-101 (− 4.82-fold, p = 0.047) and miR-125b (− 3.65-fold, p = 0.025). Using time comparisons, only quitters had significant downregulation in miR-301b (− 2.29-fold, p = 0.038) after 6-month. Reductions in the number of smoked cigarettes was insufficient to change the plasma profile of miRNA after 6 months. Only quitting smoking (100% reduction) significantly downregulated miR-301b related to hypoxic conditions, promotion of cell proliferation, decreases in apoptosis, cancer development, and progression as increases in radiotherapy and chemotherapy resistance.
Predictors of right ventricular function and size in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Śpiewak Mateusz , Kłopotowski Mariusz , Mazurkiewicz Łukasz , Kowalik Ewa , Petryka-Mazurkiewicz Joanna , Miłosz-Wieczorek Barbara , Klisiewicz Anna , Witkowski Adam , Marczak Magdalena 
Published: December 2020

AbstractWe investigated factors associated with right ventricular (RV) function and size in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients. Two hundred fifty-three consecutive HCM patients and 20 healthy volunteers underwent cardiac magnetic resonance examination. In addition to measuring RV function (ejection fraction—RVEF) and size (end-diastolic volume—RVEDV), each image was inspected for the presence of RV and left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, and the maximal wall thickness of the left and right ventricles was recorded. HCM patients had higher RVEF and lower RVEDV than healthy volunteers and similar RV mass. The mean RV wall thickness was higher in HCM patients than in controls. LV late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was present in 89.7% of patients, and RV LGE was present in 3.1% of patients (p < 0.0001). Univariate and multivariable analyses revealed that LVEF, peak LV outflow tract gradient, LV LGE, maximal LV wall thickness, and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) volume by magnetic resonance imaging were positive predictors of RVEF. In addition to TR volume, the only independent predictor of RVEF < 45% was LVEF (odds ratio = 0.80, 95% confidence interval 0.67–0.95). Multivariable analysis revealed that LVEDV and TR volume were positive predictors of RVEDV, whereas negative predictors were RVEF, maximal RV wall thickness, LV LGE, and age. Neither estimated systolic pulmonary artery pressure nor TR grade by echocardiography proved to be predictors of RVEF. There were no differences in either the maximal RV wall thickness or the maximal left ventricular (LV) wall thickness in patients stratified according to NYHA functional class (p = 0.93 and p = 0.15, respectively). There were no differences in mean RV wall thickness in patients categorised based on the number of clinical risk factors for sudden cardiac death (SCD), i.e., non-sustained ventricular tachycardia, family history of SCD, or unexplained syncope (p = 0.79). On the other hand, there was a weak positive association between RV hypertrophy and the estimated probability of SCD at 5 years (rho = 0.16, p = 0.01). RV systolic dysfunction measured as decreased RVEF was uncommon in HCM and was associated with poor LV systolic function. LV also had a significant impact on RV size.
Two GWAS-identified variants are associated with lumbar spinal stenosis and Gasdermin-C expression in Chinese population
Authors: Jiang Hua , Moro Abu , Liu Yang , Wang Jiaqi , Meng Dihua , Zhan Xinli , Wei Qingjun 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThe aim of this study is to investigate the expression levels of genome-wide association studies (GWAS)-identified variants near Gasdermin-C (GSDMC) and its association with lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) in a Chinese population. In accordance with previously reported findings, our study involved the top 4 variants; rs6651255, rs7833174, rs4130415, and rs7816342. A total of 800 participants, 400 LDD patients and 400 controls were involved in the study. The LDD patients were divided into two mutually exclusive subgroups: subgroup 1: lumbar disc herniation; subgroup 2: lumbar spinal stenosis. Genotyping were performed using TaqMan assay, and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) used to measure the plasma GSDMC levels, while quantitative reverse-transcription (qRT)-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to evaluate the GSDMC expression levels. Among the studied variants, there were no statistically significant differences in allelic and genotypic frequencies between LDD patients and their controls (all P > 0.05). However, the subgroup analysis revealed a significant association between rs6651255 and rs7833174 in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (subgroup 2). Furthermore, the max-statistic test revealed that the inheritance models of two variants of lumbar spinal stenosis were represented by the recessive model. The plasma and mRNA expression levels of GSDMC were significantly higher in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the CC genotypes of rs6651255 and rs7833174 were significantly associated with increased plasma expression levels of GSDMC in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (P < 0.01). Two GWAS-identified variants (rs6651255 and rs7833174) near GSDMC were associated with a predisposition to lumbar spinal stenosis. GSDMC protein and mRNA expression levels may have prognostic qualities as biomarkers for the existence, occurrence or development of lumbar spinal stenosis.
Aphid colony duration does not limit the abundance of Harmonia axyridis in the mediterranean area
Authors: Kindlmann Pavel , Štípková Zuzana , Dixon Anthony F. G. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThere is a lot of information on the factors limiting the distributions of species in their native areas, but much less on those limiting potential changes in distributions of species that are currently spreading outside their present range, especially invasive species. However, this information is often quite essential, as it enables the prediction of future spatial distributions and local abundances of invasive species and the potential effect they may have on people and crops. Arising from glasshouse escapes in North America and the Netherlands, the invasive ladybird,Harmonia axyridis(Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), originally from the east Palearctic, has now spread across the whole of North America and most of Europe, both of which caused serious concern. Recent observations show that the spread ofH. axyridistowards the equator is limited. For example, it is quite rare in the Mediterranean area and its northward spread in South America is also quite slow, as if there was something limiting its spread towards the equator. European literature indicates it is neither climate, nor the distance of the Mediterranean from the original release location in the Netherlands. Therefore, we hypothesized that it may be biotic factors. In particular, the duration of colonies of prey (colony is the set of individuals in one patch, usually on one plant) that becomes shorter as one approaches the equator. This may lower the fitness of the predator and subsequently lead to low population densities. We test here, whether the duration of aphid colonies is shorter in the Mediterranean area than in Central Europe. Unfortunately, our data does not support this hypothesis. Therefore, the question of what limits the distribution ofH. axyridistowards the equator remains to be resolved.
Stability of tuberous sclerosis complex 2 is controlled by methylation at R1457 and R1459
Authors: Gen Seishu , Matsumoto Yu , Kobayashi Ken-Ichi , Suzuki Tsukasa , Inoue Jun , Yamamoto Yuji 
Published: December 2020

AbstractMutations in genes that encode components of tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) are associated with tuberous sclerosis complex disease. TSC2 interacts with tuberous sclerosis complex 1 to form a complex that negatively regulates cell growth and proliferation via the inactivation of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1. The activity of TSC2 is mainly regulated via posttranslational modifications such as phosphorylation. However, the control of TSC2 activity is not entirely achieved by phosphorylation. In this study, we show that TSC2 is methylated at R1457 and R1459 by protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1). Methylation of these two residues can affect the phosphorylation status through protein kinase B (Akt) of TSC2 at T1462 and is essential for TSC2 stability. Taken together, these findings indicate that novel posttranslational modifications are important for the regulation of TSC2 stability through PRMT1-mediated methylation.
Domain-specific functional coupling between dorsal and ventral systems during action perception
Authors: Yang Huichao , He Chenxi , Han Zaizhu , Bi Yanchao 
Published: December 2020

AbstractVisual perception of actions and objects has been shown to activate different cortical systems: action perception system spanning more dorsally, across parietal, frontal, and dorsal temporal regions; object perception relying more strongly the ventral occipitotemporal cortex (VOTC). Compared to the well-established object-domain structure (e.g., faces vs. artifacts) in VOTC, it is less known whether the action perception system is constrained by similar domain principle and whether it communicates with the ventral object recognition system in a domain-specific manner. In a fMRI long-block experiment designed to evaluate both regional activity and task-based functional connectivity (FC) patterns, participants viewed animated videos of a human performing two domains of actions to the same set of meaningless shapes without object-domain information: social-communicative-actions (e.g., waving) and manipulation-actions (e.g., folding). We observed action-domain-specific activations, with the superior temporal sulcus and the right precentral region responding more strongly during social-communicative-action perception; the supramarginal gyrus, inferior and superior parietal lobe, and precentral gyrus during manipulation-action perception. The two domains of action perception systems communicated with VOTC in domain-specific manners: FC between the social-communicative-action system and the bilateral fusiform face area was enhanced during social-communicative-action perception; FC between the manipulation-action system and the left tool-preferring lateral occipitoptemporal cortex was enhanced during manipulation-action perception. There was a significant correlation between the FC-with-action-system and the local activity strength across VOTC voxels. Our findings highlight social- and manipulation-domains of human interaction as an overarching principle of both object and action perception systems, with domain-based functional communication across systems.