bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Locus of emotion influences psychophysiological reactions to music
Authors: Merrill Julia , Omigie Diana , Wald-Fuhrmann Melanie 
Published: March 2020

AbstractIt is now widely accepted that the perception of emotional expression in music can be vastly different from the feelings evoked by it. However, less understood is how the locus of emotion affects the experience of music, that is how the act of perceiving the emotion in music compares with the act of assessing the emotion induced in the listener by the music. In the current study, we compared these two emotion loci based on the psychophysiological response of 40 participants listening to 32 musical excerpts taken from movie soundtracks. Facial electromyography, skin conductance, respiration and heart rate were continuously measured while participants were required to assess either the emotion expressed by, or the emotion they felt in response to the music. Using linear mixed effects models, we found a higher mean response in psychophysiological measures for the “perceived” than the “felt” task. This result suggested that the focus on one’s self distracts from the music, leading to weaker bodily reactions during the “felt” task. In contrast, paying attention to the expression of the music and consequently to changes in timbre, loudness and harmonic progression enhances bodily reactions. This study has methodological implications for emotion induction research using psychophysiology and the conceptualization of emotion loci. Firstly, different tasks can elicit different psychophysiological responses to the same stimulus and secondly, both tasks elicit bodily responses to music. The latter finding questions the possibility of a listener taking on a purely cognitive mode when evaluating emotion expression.
Analysis of female song provides insight into the evolution of sex differences in a widely studied songbird
Authors: Wilkins Matthew R. , Odom Karan J. , Benedict Lauryn , Safran Rebecca J. 
Published: March 2020

ABSTRACTUnderstanding the patterns and processes related to sexual dimorphism and sex differences in diverse animal taxa is a foundational research topic in ecology and evolution. Within the realm of animal communication, studies have traditionally focused on male signals, assuming that female choice and male-male competition have promoted sex differences via elaboration of male traits, but selection on females also has the potential to drive sexual differentiation in signals. Here, we describe female song in barn swallows (Hirundo rustica erythrogaster) for the first time, report rates of female song production, and couple song data with plumage data to explore the relative degree to which sex differences in phenotypic traits are consistent with contemporary selection on males versus females. During previous intensive study of male song over two years, we opportunistically recorded songs for 15 females, with matched phenotypic and fitness data. We randomly selected 15 high-quality samples from our larger male dataset to test whether sex differences in song and plumage are more strongly associated with fledgling success for females or genetic paternity for males. Analyses included 35 potential sexual signals including 22 song parameters and 13 plumage traits. Outcomes indicate that: female songs were used in multiple contexts, restricted primarily to the beginning of the breeding season; song traits showed greater sexual differentiation than visual plumage traits; and trait correlations with reproductive success in females, rather than males, predicted sex-based differences in song and plumage. These results are consistent with phylogenetic studies showing that sex-based phenotypic differences are driven by changes in females, highlighting the potential role of female trait evolution in explaining patterns of sexual differentiation. To achieve a better understanding of sex differences and dimorphism, we require comprehensive studies that measure the same traits in males and females and their fitness consequences.
Evaluating the Sensitivity of Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) Inhibition (Velaparib, Olaparib, AG14361) as Single Agents and as Chemo-sensitizers
Authors: de Soto J. Angel 
Published: March 2020

AbstractAfter resection of pancreatic cancer local recurrence occurs in 50%-80% of the cases while metastasis develops 75% of the time. Current, adjuvant therapy often consists of gemcitabine, cisplatin and/or 5-fluorouracil which add a modest increase in median survival by 4-5 months. In this study, we treated human pancreatic cancer cells with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) Inhibitors (AG14361, Veliparib and Olaparib) alone or with gemcitabine, cisplatin or 5 – fluorouracil. Methods: CFPAC-1 and BXPC-3, HPAC human pancreatic cancer cell lines were treated for 72 hours with PARP inhibitors alone or in combination with gemcitabine, cisplatin, or 5 – fluorouracil. Validated MTT assays were used to form dose response curves from which the IC50 values were calculated. Results: The PARP1 IC50 values for CFPAC-1, BXPC-3 and HPAC pancreatic cancer cell lines were AG14361 (14.3 μM, 12.7 μM, 38.3 μM), Veliparib (52.6 μM, 100.9 μM 102.0 μM) and Olaparib (79.5 μM, 184.8 μM, 200.2 μM). The IC50 values of cisplatin, were decreased up to 60 fold in the presence of clinically relevant amounts of PARP inhibitor while 5-flourouracil IC50 values were decreased up to 6000 fold in the presence of clinically relevant amounts of PARP inhibitor. Gemcitabine was inhibited up to 73% by PARP inhibitors. Conclusions: Sporadic human pancreatic cancer cells are sensitive to PARP inhibition. PARP inhibitors significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil while inhibiting gemcitabine. There is little correlation between endogenous PARP activity and the effectiveness of PARP inhibitors.
Comparable behaviour of ring and little fingers due to an artificial reduction in thumb contribution to hold objects
Authors: Rajakumar Banuvathy , SKM Varadhan 
Published: March 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe human hand plays a crucial role in accomplishing activities of daily living. The contribution of each finger in the human hand is remarkably unique in establishing object stabilization. According to the mechanical advantage hypothesis, the little finger tends to exert a greater normal force than the ring finger during a supination moment production task to stabilize the object. Similarly, during pronation, the index finger produces more normal force when compared with the middle finger. Hence, the central nervous system employs the peripheral fingers for torque generation to establish the equilibrium as they have a mechanical advantage of longer moment arms for normal force. In our study, we tested whether the mechanical advantage hypothesis is supported in a task in which the contribution of thumb was artificially reduced. We also computed the safety margin of the individual fingers and thumb.MethodologyFifteen participants used five-finger prismatic precision grip to hold a custom-built handle with a vertical railing on the thumb side. A slider platform was placed on the railing such that the thumb sensor could move either up or down. There were two experimental conditions. In the “Fixed” condition, the slider was mechanically fixed, and hence the thumb sensor could not move. In the “Free” condition, the slider platform on which the thumb sensor was placed could freely move. In both conditions, the instruction was to grasp and hold the handle (and the platform) in static equilibrium. We recorded tangential and normal forces of all the fingers.ResultsThe distribution of fingertip forces and moments changed depending on whether the thumb platform was movable (or not). In the free condition, the drop in the tangential force of thumb was counteracted by an increase in the normal force of the ring and little finger. Critically, the normal forces of the ring and little finger were statistically equivalent. The safety margin of the index and middle finger did not show a significant drop in the free condition when compared to fixed condition.ConclusionWe conclude that our results does not support the mechanical advantage hypothesis at least for the specific mechanical task considered in our study. In the free condition, the normal force of little finger was comparable to the normal force of the ring finger. Also, the safety margin of the thumb and ring finger increased to prevent slipping of the thumb platform and to maintain the handle in static equilibrium during the free condition. However, the rise in the safety margin of the ring finger was not compensated by a drop in the safety margin of the index and middle finger.
Current State and Predicting Future Scenario of COVID-19 Pandemic for Highly Infected Nations
Authors: Patil Nandan L. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractSince the first report of COVID-19 from Wuhan China, the virus has rapidly spread across the globe now presently reported in 177 countries with positive cases crossing 400 thousand and rising. In the current study, prediction is made for highly infected countries by a simple and novel method using only cumulative positive cases reported. The rate of infection per week (Rw) coefficient delineated three phases for the current COVID-19 pandemic. All the countries under study have passed Phase 1 and are currently in Phase 2 except for South Korea which is in Phase 3. Early detection with rapid and large-scale testing helps in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Staying in Phase 2 for longer period would lead to increase in COVID-19 positive cases.
Application of an Age-Structured Deterministic Endemic Model for Disease Control in Nigeria
Authors: Victor A. O. , Oduwole H. K. 
Published: March 2020

ABSTRACTThis paper focuses on the development and analysis of the endemic model for disease control in an aged-structured population in Nigeria. Upon the model framework development, the model equations were transformed into proportions with rate of change of the different compartments forming the model, thereby reducing the model equations from twelve to ten homogenous ordinary differential equations. The model exhibits two equilibria, the endemic state and the disease-free equilibrium state while successfully achieving a Reproductive Number R0 = 0.The deterministic endemic susceptible-exposed-infected-removed-undetectable=untransmissible-susceptible (SEIRUS) model is analyzed for the existence and stability of the disease-free equilibrium state. We established that a disease-free equilibrium state exists and is locally asymptotically stable when the basic reproduction number 0 ≤ R0 < 1. Furthermore, numerical simulations were carried to complement the analytical results in investigating the effect treatment rate and the net transmission rate on recovery for both juvenile and adult sub-population in an age-structured population.
Orthogonal genome-wide screenings in bat cells identify MTHFD1 as a target of broad antiviral therapy
Authors: Anderson Danielle E , Cui Jin , Ye Qian , Huang Baoying , Zu Wenhong , Gong Jing , Liu Weiqiang , Kim So Young , Yan Biao Guo , Sigmundsson Kristmundur , Lim Xiao Fang , Ye Fei , Niu Peihua , Zhou Xuming , Tan Wenjie , Wang Lin-Fa , Tan Xu 
Published: March 2020

SUMMARYBats are responsible for the zoonotic transmission of several major viral diseases including the 2003 SARS outbreak and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While bat genomic sequencing studies have revealed characteristic adaptations of the innate immune system, functional genomic studies are urgently needed to provide a foundation for the molecular dissection of the tolerance of viral infections in bats. Here we report the establishment and screening of genome-wide RNAi library and CRISPR library for the model megabat,Pteropus Alecto. We used the complementary RNAi and CRISPR libraries to interrogatePteropus Alectocells for infection with two different viruses, mumps virus and Influenza A virus, respectively. Screening results converged on the endocytosis pathway and the protein secretory pathway as required for both viral infections. Additionally, we revealed a general dependence of the C-1-tetrahydrofolate synthase gene, MTHFD1, for viral replication in bat cells as well as in human cells. MTHFD1 inhibitor carolacton potently blocked replication of several RNA viruses including SARS-CoV-2. Our studies provide a resource for systematic inquiry into the genetic underpinnings of bat biology and a potential target for developing broad spectrum antiviral therapy.
Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory and Anticancer activities of Methanolic Extract ofThottea siliquosa:An In Vitro study
Authors: Koottasseri Amrutha , Babu Amal , Augustin Anna , Job Joice Tom , Narayanankutty Arunaksharan 
Published: March 2020

AbstractBackground and AimOxidative stress and inflammation are the predominant cause of chronic diseases including cancers, thereby making it as an essential target for preventing these disorders. Various natural products and plants have been shown to prevent the process of free radical induced damages. The present study evaluated the biological properties ofThottea siliquosa,belonging to the family Aristolochiaceae, which is a traditionally used Ayurvedic plant.Experimental ProcedureAntioxidant assays carried out were DPPH, FRAP, hydrogen peroxide scavenging and hemolysis inhibition assay; nitric oxide and lipoxygenase inhibition assays were used for anti-inflammatory studies. Anticancer activity was done using human endometrial and breast cancer cells by MTT assay.Results and ConclusionThe results of the present study showed antioxidant properties for the methanolic crude extract ofT. siliquosaas DPPH radical scavenging (110.40± 4.5μg/mL), FRAP capacity (41.1± 6.2), peroxide scavenging (233.4± 14.2 μg/mL) etc. In addition, anti-inflammatory properties are also evident in terms of nitric oxide radical scavenging (28.76± 3.9 μg/mL) and lipoxygenase inhibition (39.2± 3.2 μg/mL) assays. Further, the anticancer activity of these extract has been identified against human endometrial and breast cancer cells. Further studies together with a bioassay guided fractionation may identify possible bioactive compounds.HighlightsThottea siliquosa is a traditional Ayurvedic medicineT. siliquosa exhibits significant anti-inflammatory and anticancer propertiesPolyphenolic compounds may be responsible for the bioactivities of T. siliquosaT. siliquosa may be a source for novel bioactive components
CIS checkpoint deletion enhances the fitness of cord blood derived natural killer cells transduced with a chimeric antigen receptor
Authors: Daher May , Basar Rafet , Gokdemir Elif , Baran Natalia , Uprety Nadima , Nunez Cortes Ana Karen , Mendt Mayela , Kerbauy Lucila Nassif , Banerjee Pinaki P. , Sanabria Mayra Hernandez , Imahashi Nobuhiko , Li Li , Wei Inng Lim Francesca Lorraine , Fathi Mohsen , Rezvan Ali , Mohanty Vakul , Shen Yifei , Shaim Hila , Lu Junjun , Ozcan Gonca , Ensley Emily , Kaplan Mecit , Nandivada Vandana , Bdaiwi Mustafa , Acharya Sunil , Xi Yuanxin , Wan Xinhai , Mak Duncan , Liu Enli , Ang Sonny , Muniz-Feliciano Luis , Li Ye , Wang Jing , Kordasti Shahram , Petrov Nedyalko , Varadarajan Navin , Marin David , Brunetti Lorenzo , Skinner Richard J. , Lyu Shangrong , Silva Leiser , Turk Rolf , Schubert Mollie S. , Rettig Garrett R. , McNeill Matthew S. , Kurgan Gavin , Behlke Mark A. , Li Heng , Fowlkes Natalie W. , Chen Ken , Konopleva Marina , Champlin Richard , Shpall Elizabeth J. , Rezvani Katayoun 
Published: March 2020

AbstractImmune checkpoint therapy has produced remarkable improvements in the outcome for certain cancers. To broaden the clinical impact of checkpoint targeting, we devised a strategy that couples targeting of the cytokine-inducible SH2-containing (CIS) protein, a key negative regulator of interleukin (IL)-15 signaling, with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineering of natural killer (NK) cells. This combined strategy boosted NK cell effector function through enhancing the Akt/mTORC1 axis and c-MYC signaling, resulting in increased aerobic glycolysis. When tested in a lymphoma mouse model, this combined approach improved NK cell anti-tumor activity more than either alteration alone, eradicating lymphoma xenografts without signs of any measurable toxicity. We conclude that combining CIS checkpoint deletion with CAR engineering promotes the metabolic fitness of NK cells in an otherwise suppressive tumor microenvironment. This approach, together with the prolonged survival afforded by CAR modification, represents a promising milestone in the development of the next generation of NK cells for cancer immunotherapy.
Cardio-centric hemodynamic management improves spinal cord oxygenation and mitigates hemorrhage in acute spinal cord injury
Authors: Williams Alexandra M. , Manouchehri Neda , Erskine Erin , Tauh Keerit , So Kitty , Streijger Femke , Shortt Katelyn , Kim Kyoung-Tae , Kwon Brian K. , West Christopher R. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractChronic high-thoracic and cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a complex phenotype of cardiovascular consequences, including impaired left-ventricular contractility. Here, we sought to determine whether such dysfunction manifests immediately post-injury, and if so, whether correcting impaired contractility can improve spinal cord oxygenation (SCO2), blood flow (SCBF) and metabolism. Using a porcine model of SCI, we demonstrate that high-thoracic SCI acutely impairs cardiac contractility and causes substantial reductions in intraparenchymal SCO2and SCBF within the first hours post-injury. Utilizing the same model, we next show that treating the reduced contractile function with the β-agonist dobutamine is more efficacious at increasing SCO2and SCBF than the current clinical standard of vasopressor therapy, whilst also mitigating increased anaerobic metabolism and hemorrhage in the injured cord. Our data provide compelling evidence that cardio-centric hemodynamic management represents a novel and advantageous alternative to the current clinical standard of vasopressor therapy for acute traumatic SCI.
Highly Versatile, Non-Invasive Method for Collecting Buccal DNA from Free-Ranging Non-Human Primates
Authors: Toyoda Aru , Matsudaira Kazunari , Maruhashi Tamaki , Malaivijitnond Suchinda , Kawamoto Yoshi 
Published: March 2020

ABSTRACTNon-invasive techniques for collection of DNA samples of suitable quality and quantity are important for improving the efficiency of genetic wildlife research. The development of a non-invasive method for collection of DNA samples from wild stump-tailed macaques (Macaca arctoides) is described herein. Sterilized polyester rope was cut into 10 cm pieces, which were then soaked in a 20% sugar solution to bait individuals. Rope swabs were immediately collected and transferred to a lysis buffer solution after subjects had picked up, chewed, and discarded them. DNA was later extracted from the buffer. Quantitative real-time PCR and both allelic dropout and genotype failure rates were used to compare the quantity and quality of the buccal DNA samples to those of intestinal slough cell DNA samples collected from freshly dropped feces. The buccal samples yielded significantly more DNA (27.1 ± 33.8 ng/µL) than did the fecal samples (11.4 ± 15.4 ng/µL) and exhibited lower allelic dropout and genotyping failure rates for the 10 autosomal microsatellites investigated. Buccal cell collection was also simple, inexpensive, reliable, and less time-consuming compared to fecal sampling. Thus, this method should facilitate genome-wide studies of non-human primates and other wildlife species.
Dopamine promotes instrumental motivation, but reduces reward-related vigour
Authors: Grogan J.P. , Sandhu T.R. , Hu M.T. , Manohar S.G. 
Published: March 2020

SummaryWe can be motivated when reward depends on performance, or merely by the prospect of a guaranteed reward. Performance-dependent (contingent) reward is instrumental, relying on an internal action-outcome model, whereas motivation by guaranteed reward may serve to minimise opportunity cost in reward-rich environments. Competing theories propose that each type of motivation should be dependent on dopaminergic activity. We contrasted these two types of motivation with a rewarded saccade task, in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). When PD patients were ON dopamine, they had greater response vigour (peak saccadic velocity) forcontingentrewards, whereas when PD patients were OFF medication, they had greater vigour forguaranteedrewards. These results support the view that reward expectation and contingency drive distinct motivational processes, and can be dissociated by manipulating dopaminergic activity. We posit that dopamine is necessary for goal-directed motivation, but dampens reward-driven vigour, challenging the theory that tonic dopamine encodes reward expectation.
HIV-1 promoter is gradually silenced when integrated intoBACH2
Authors: Inderbitzin Anne , Kok Yik Lim , Jörimann Lisa , Kelley Audrey , Neumann Kathrin , Heinzer Daniel , Cathomen Toni , Metzner Karin J. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThe persistence of the latent HIV-1 reservoir is a major obstacle to cure HIV-1 infection. HIV-1 integrates into the cellular genome and some targeted genomic loci are frequently detected in clonally expanded latently HIV-1 infected cells, for instance, the geneBTB domain and CNC homology 2 (BACH2). We investigated HIV-1 promoter activity after integration into specific sites inBACH2. The HIV-1-based vector LTatCL[M] contains two fluorophores: 1.) Cerulean, which reports the activity of the HIV-1 promoter, and 2.) mCherry driven by a constitutive promotor and flanked by genetic insulators. This vector was inserted into introns 2 and 5 ofBACH2of Jurkat T-cells via CRISPR/Cas9 technology in the same and convergent transcriptional orientation ofBACH2, and into the genomic safe harbour AAVS1. Single cell clones representing active (Cerulean+/mCherry+) and inactive (Cerulean−/mCherry+) HIV-1 promoters were characterized. Upon targeted integration of the 5.3 kb vector LTatCL[M] intoBACH2, active HIV-1 promoters were gradually silenced as reflected by decrease in Cerulean expression over a period of 162 days in culture. Silenced HIV-1 promoters could be reactivated by TNF-α and Romidepsin. This observation was independent of the targeted intron and the transcriptional orientation. BACH2 mRNA and protein expression was not impaired by mono-allelic integration of LTatCL[M]. Our results show that the HIV-1 promoter is silenced when integrated intoBACH2without impairing BACH2 mRNA and protein expression. This might contribute to HIV-1 persistence, enabling infected T-cells to complete differentiation into a memory phenotype, persist, and clonally expand over time.