bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Phenotypic characterization of paroxysmal dyskinesia in Maltese dogs
Authors: Polidoro Dakir , Van Ham Luc , Santens Patrick , Cornelis Ine , Charalambous Marios , Broeckx Bart J. G. , Bhatti Sofie F. M. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractBackgroundParoxysmal dyskinesias (PDs) are a group of central nervous system diseases characterized by episodes of abnormal involuntary hyperkinetic movement without altered consciousness that increasingly have been recognized in dogs.ObjectivesTo present the phenotypical characterization, treatment, and outcome of a PD observed in Maltese dogs.AnimalsClient‐owned Maltese dogs (n = 19) with presumed diagnosis of PD.MethodsData were collected retrospectively from medical records (2014‐2019), and supporting information was added prospectively by using a questionnaire directed to the owners of the affected dogs.ResultsThe episodes were characterized mainly by sudden dystonia of ≥1 limbs and generalized body tremors with preserved consciousness. The mean age of clinical onset was 5.4 years. Episode frequency varied widely both among and within individuals. Median episode duration was 4.5 minutes. Most episodes were stress‐ or exercise‐induced. Acetazolamide was administered to 6 dogs, and 4 dogs experienced a decrease in episode frequency. In 7 dogs that received a gluten‐free diet, 6 dogs became episode‐free. In 4 dogs, the episodes stopped spontaneously and in 2 dogs no medication or specific diet was given and the episodes continued at the same frequency.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceGiven the breed predisposition and regional distribution of the disease, additional research should focus on elucidating the underlying genetic cause doing so might advance both our understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment of this disease, not only in dogs, but also in humans. Regardless of the treatment protocol selected, prognosis appears fair to good.
Sperm telomere length correlates with blood telomeres and body size in red‐sided garter snakes,Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
Authors: Rollings N. , Waye H. L. , Krohmer R. W , Uhrig E. J. , Mason R. T. , Olsson M. , Whittington C. M. , Friesen C. R. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractTelomeres, tandem repeats of TTAGGG at the ends of chromosomes, are highly dynamic structures that shorten in response to a variety of factors, including organismal stress and tissue‐specific growth rates. Cell turnover rates are frequently linked to their functions, resource availability and telomere dynamics. Using male red‐sided garter snakes,Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis, as a model, we investigated the relationship between telomere length in sperm cells, blood cells telomere length and a growth proxy (age‐adjusted body length and mass). This relationship is interesting because snakes exhibit indeterminate growth and because these garter snakes have a dissociated reproductive cycle where spermatogenesis occurs months prior to the mating season. In this study, we determined sperm telomere length (STL) and male age using qPCR and skeletochronology, respectively. Sperm telomere length correlated positively with snout–vent length (SVL) and with age‐adjusted SVL as a proxy for growth rate (residuals of size against age regression, hereafter growth), but not with age. Although an individual’s STL is correlated with blood telomere length (BTL), sperm telomeres are 60% longer than blood telomeres. In previous work, we have shown that BTL is shorter in older males and unrelated to SVL or any growth rate proxies. We hypothesized that STL is related to growth and SVL because growth and sperm production both occur during summer when resources are most abundant and stress lowest. This study is the first to compare telomere dynamics between cell types in a snake and supports growing evidence that telomere dynamics may be highly tissue‐specific and driven by the life‐history strategy of an organism.
Women who undergo liver transplant have longer length of stay post‐transplant compared with men
Authors: Rubin Jessica B. , Cullaro Giuseppe , Ge Jin , Lai Jennifer C. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractBackgroundWomen on the liver transplant waitlist are at greater risk of hospitalization compared with men, but whether this impacts length of stay (LOS) post‐transplant is unknown. We aimed to evaluate gender disparities in post‐transplant LOS, an important surrogate of health resource utilization post‐transplant.MethodsUsing the UNOS/OPTN registry, we analysed all non‐Status 1 adult deceased donor liver transplant recipients without exception points from 2008 to 2017. Poisson regression associated female gender with post‐transplant LOS.ResultsOf 27 294 transplant recipients, 36% were women. Women were more likely to be hospitalized pretransplant than men (44% vs 39%, P < .01). Post‐transplant, women were more likely to have prolonged (≥20d) LOS (25% vs 22%, P < .01). In univariable analysis, female gender was associated with longer post‐transplant LOS (IRR 1.09, 95%CI 1.06‐1.12, P < .01). Prolonged pretransplant admission was also associated with post‐transplant LOS (IRR 1.83, 95%CI 1.77‐1.89, P < .01). In multivariable analysis, female gender remained independently associated with post‐transplant LOS (aIRR 1.05, 95%CI 1.02‐1.08, P < .01), after adjustment for age, UNOS region, insurance type, MELDNa, cirrhosis complications, and donor risk index. Pretransplant hospitalization mediated this relationship, explaining 14.1% (95%CI 9.7%‐25.4%) of the total effect.ConclusionsWomen who undergo deceased donor liver transplant have increased healthcare utilization in the peritransplant period compared with men. Reducing gender disparities in liver transplantation, including the disproportionate burden of healthcare utilization by women pre‐ and post‐transplant, will require interventions targeted at preventing hospitalization among women on the transplant waitlist and developing tools aimed at better characterizing the severity of end‐stage liver disease in women.
High MHC gene copy number maintains diversity despite homozygosity in a Critically Endangered single‐island endemic bird, but no evidence of MHC‐based mate choice
Authors: Stervander Martin , Dierickx Elisa G. , Thorley Jack , Brooke M. de L. , Westerdahl Helena 
Published: May 2020

AbstractSmall population sizes can, over time, put species at risk due to the loss of genetic variation and the deleterious effects of inbreeding. Losing diversity in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) could be particularly harmful, given its key role in the immune system. Here, we assess MHC class I (MHC‐I) diversity and its effects on mate choice and survival in the Critically Endangered Raso lark Alauda razae, a species restricted to the 7 km2 islet of Raso, Cape Verde, since ~1460, whose population size has dropped as low as 20 pairs. Exhaustively genotyping 122 individuals, we find no effect of MHC‐I genotype/diversity on mate choice or survival. However, we demonstrate that MHC‐I diversity has been maintained through extreme bottlenecks by retention of a high number of gene copies (at least 14), aided by cosegregation of multiple haplotypes comprising 2–8 linked MHC‐I loci. Within‐locus homozygosity is high, contributing to low population‐wide diversity. Conversely, each individual had comparably many alleles, 6–16 (average 11), and the large and divergent haplotypes occur at high frequency in the population, resulting in high within‐individual MHC‐I diversity. This functional immune gene diversity will be of critical importance for this highly threatened species’ adaptive potential.
The switch complex ArlCDE connects the chemotaxis system and the archaellum
Authors: Li Zhengqun , Rodriguez‐Franco Marta , Albers Sonja‐Verena , Quax Tessa E. F. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractCells require a sensory system and a motility structure to achieve directed movement. Bacteria and archaea possess rotating filamentous motility structures that work in concert with the sensory chemotaxis system. This allows microorganisms to move along chemical gradients. The central response regulator protein CheY can bind to the motor of the motility structure, the flagellum in bacteria, and the archaellum in archaea. Both motility structures have a fundamentally different protein composition and structural organization. Yet, both systems receive input from the chemotaxis system. So far, it was unknown how the signal is transferred from the archaeal CheY to the archaellum motor to initiate motor switching. We applied a fluorescent microscopy approach in the model euryarchaeon Haloferax volcanii and shed light on the sequence order in which signals are transferred from the chemotaxis system to the archaellum. Our findings indicate that the euryarchaeal‐specific ArlCDE are part of the archaellum motor and that they directly receive input from the chemotaxis system via the adaptor protein CheF. Hence, ArlCDE are an important feature of the archaellum of euryarchaea, are essential for signal transduction during chemotaxis and represent the archaeal switch complex.
Did Christ die for Neanderthals?
Authors: Gaine Simon Francis 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe discovery that Neanderthals once existed raises the question of their relationship with homo sapiens. Neanderthals have been studied in various disciplines, giving rise to a range of opinions about them. This article raises the question in a theological perspective, asking what a Thomist should make of the status of Neanderthals, whether they were created in the image of God and Christ died for their sins. Having examined what light might be thrown on their status by that of angels and aliens, it is asked whether Neanderthals are part of the same human family as sapiens. Genetics has shown that sapiens and Neanderthals had offspring, leaving Eurasian sapiens with about two per cent Neanderthal DNA, including our Lady, and implying that, when the Word became flesh, the Word became partly Neanderthal. Since reconciling Catholic teaching on Monogenism with the results of population genetics implies interbreeding between humans properly defined by a subsistent immaterial soul and a wider population, there is reason to ask whether the meeting of Neanderthals and sapiens may also have been an example of interbreeding. Possible evidence for Neanderthals possessing a subsistent immaterial soul, and so being part of the same human family as sapiens, is assessed.
Elucidating the function of brain resting‐state networks and their relation to the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric diseases
Authors: Yamashita Ken‐ichiro 
Published: May 2020

AbstractAt the end of the 1990s, PET studies revealed synchronized deactivation during cognitive tasks in a network of dissociated brain regions named the default mode network. In addition to default mode network deactivation during cognitive tasks, hyperactivation of the default mode network during non‐cognitive activities such as mind‐wandering state has been revealed by resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. Progress in magnetic resonance imaging devices and analysis methods have allowed the physiological dynamics of functional brain networks to be elucidated as either task‐negative resting‐state networks such as the default mode network or task‐positive networks. Moreover, the anatomical overlap between brain areas with reduced mental load‐dependent default mode network deactivation and those with amyloid beta protein deposition in patients with Alzheimer's disease suggests a close interaction between abnormalities in functional connectivity and aggregation of the pathological protein. Apart from Alzheimer's disease, recent resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have additionally revealed associations not only of dysfunctional resting‐state networks with neurodegenerative diseases, but also with various psychiatric disorders. Below we outline the physiological characteristics of brain resting‐state networks and their relation to the progression of neuropsychiatric diseases. The aim of this paper was to provide evidence that resting‐state networks are crucial for understanding the mechanisms of human cognitive function.
This paper might change your mind
Authors: Dever Josh , Schiller Henry Ian 
Published: May 2020

AbstractLinguistic intervention in rational decision making is standardly captured in terms of information change. But the standard view gives us no way to model interventions involving expressions that only have an attentional effects on conversational contexts. How are expressions with non‐informational content – like epistemic modals – used to intervene in rational decision making? We show how to model rational decision change without information change: replace a standard conception of value (on which the value of a set of worlds reduces to values of individual worlds in the set) with one on which the value of a set of worlds is determined by a selection function that picks out agenericmember world. We discuss some upshots of this view for theorizing in philosophy and formal semantics.
Woody tissue photosynthesis delays drought stress in Populus tremula trees and maintains starch reserves in branch xylem tissues
Authors: De Roo Linus , Salomón Roberto Luis , Oleksyn Jacek , Steppe Kathy 
Published: May 2020

Summary

Photosynthesis in woody tissues (Pwt) is less sensitive to water shortage than in leaves, hence, Pwt might be a crucial carbon source to alleviate drought stress. To evaluate the impact of Pwt on tree drought tolerance, woody tissues of 4‐m‐tall drought‐stressed Populus tremula trees were subjected to a light‐exclusion treatment across the entire plant to inhibit Pwt.

Xylem water potential (Ψxylem), sap flow (

), leaf net photosynthesis (Pn,l), stem diameter variations (ΔD), in vivo acoustic emissions in stems (AEs) and nonstructural carbohydrate concentrations ([NSC]) were monitored to comprehensively assess water and carbon relations at whole‐tree level.

Under well‐watered conditions, Pwt kept Ψxylem at a higher level, lowered

and had no effect on [NSC]. Under drought, Ψxylem,

and Pn,l in light‐excluded trees rapidly decreased in concert with reductions in branch xylem starch concentration. Moreover, sub‐daily patterns of ΔD,

and AEs were strongly related, suggesting that in vivo AEs may inform not only about embolism events, but also about capacitive release and replenishment of stem water pools.

Results highlight the importance of Pwt in maintaining xylem hydraulic integrity under drought conditions and in sustaining NSC pools to potentially limit increases in xylem tension.
Biological factors associating pulp necrosis and sickle cell anemia
Authors: Costa Cyrene Piazera Silva , Thomaz Érika Bárbara Abreu Fonseca , Ribeiro Cecília Cláudia Costa , Souza Soraia de Fátima Carvalho 
Published: May 2020

AbstractBackgroundThis study was conducted to investigate the biological factors underlying the association between pulp necrosis (PN) in subjects with permanent teeth with intact crowns and sickle cell anemia (SCA).MethodsThis cohort study included 140 subjects: 125 without PN and 15 with PN. A theoretical model was built to explore the following biological factors involved in the association between PN and SCA, namely (a) increased number of sickle cell crises in the previous year (No. SCCs/year), (b) low percentage of blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) in the body, and (c) comorbidities (CoMs). The theoretical model for testing associations was analyzed by structural equation modeling.ResultsPN was associated with CoMs (SFL = 1.115; p = .032) but not with No. SCCs/year (SFL = .127; p = .596) or body SpO2 (SFL = −.102; p = .485). The prevalence rates of osteoarticular lesions (p = .009) and death(p<.001) were significantly higher in subjects with PN than in those without.ConclusionsComorbidities, primarily osteoarticular lesions, are associated with PN in permanent teeth with intact crowns of patients with SCA. PN can be considered an indicator of the lethality of SCA.
Clinical Outcome of Free Vascularized Fibula Graft in the Surgical Treatment of Extremity Osteosarcoma
Authors: Xu Leilei , Wen Li , Qiao Jun , Zhu Zezhang , Qiu Yong , Xiong Jin , Mao Haijun , Wang Shoufeng 
Published: May 2020

ObjectiveTo determine the clinical outcome and complications associated with use of free vascularized fibular graft (FVFG) in the resection and reconstruction of extremity osteosarcoma (OS).MethodsThis is a retrospective study recruiting a consecutive series of 18 patients who had undergone resection of extremity OS between May 2009 and June 2017 in our clinic center. Reconstruction of the bone defect with FVFG was performed for each patient. Surgery‐related complications and time of bone union were recorded at the follow‐up visit. The functional outcome of the reconstructed limb was assessed with the musculoskeletal tumor society (MSTS) scoring system. Patients were further classified into low extremity group and upper extremity group according to the tumor location. The Student t‐test was used to compare the surgical outcome between the two subgroups.ResultsThere were 11 males and seven females with an average age of 25.9 ± 14.2 years. The mean length of the bone resection was 11.9 ± 4.1 cm. The mean follow‐up duration was 3.1 ± 1.2 years. As for tumor location, six cases were located in the femur, five in the tibia, four in the humerus, two in the ulna, and one in the radius. All the patients had successful graft healing at an average of 4.9 months after surgery. At the 2‐year follow‐up, an excellent functional outcome was observed in 88.9% of the patients (n = 16). The mean score of MSTS was 27.0 ± 4.6. Screw loosening and autograft fracture were observed in one patient with femur tumor, who had a low MSTS score of 11. Besides, there were three cases with delayed incision healing. Patients with lower extremity OS were found to have significantly longer duration of hospital stay and more blood loss than those with upper extremity OS. The incidence of postoperative complication was higher in the lower extremity group but with marginal significance (0% vs 36.3%, P = 0.1). There was no significant difference regarding time to bone union and the functional outcome as indicated by MSTS score.ConclusionsFVFG technique can be effectively applied to the reconstruction of bone defects after OS resection with satisfactory functional outcome and low incidence of complications.
Milk allergy most burdensome in multi‐food allergic children
Authors: Abrams Elissa Michele , Kim Harold , Gerdts Jennifer , Protudjer Jennifer Lisa Penner 
Published: May 2020

AbstractBackgroundFood allergy is a substantial health burden, which disproportionately affects children. Among children with food allergy, as many as 70% have multiple food allergies. Whereas the overall burden of food allergy on quality of life has been described, little is known about the burden of individual allergens. We aimed to examine the perception of burden among families with multiple food‐allergic children.MethodsParents of children with 1 + children with multiple food allergies including milk responded to online questions, including both open‐ended and closed‐ended questions on food allergy–related burdens of time, financial costs, social restrictions, and emotional demands.ResultsOverall, 64 children (69.8% boys) of whom (73.0%) most were aged 10 and younger were included. Most had been diagnosed with food allergy in infancy and by a (pediatric) allergist. Other common allergies included peanut (65.6%), tree nuts (57.8%), egg (76.6%), and sesame (31.3%). Quantitatively, milk allergy was reported as carrying the most burden, including most socially limiting (81.5%), requiring the most planning (75.9%), causing the most anxiety (68.5%), most challenging to find “safe” or allergy‐friendly foods (72.2%), and costly (81.5%). Qualitatively, we identified five themes that captured burdens associated with costs, marketing of milk products to children, risk of cross‐contamination, ubiquity of milk/dairy and public confusion with lactose intolerance, and an unwillingness of others to accommodate the allergy.ConclusionParents whose children have multiple food allergies, including milk, report milk as the allergy associated with the greatest time, financial, social, and emotional burdens.
A fungal effector and a rice NLR protein have antagonistic effects on a Bowman–Birk trypsin inhibitor
Authors: Zhang Chongyang , Fang Hong , Shi Xuetao , He Feng , Wang Ruyi , Fan Jiangbo , Bai Pengfei , Wang Jiyang , Park Chan‐Ho , Bellizzi Maria , Zhou Xueping , Wang Guo‐Liang , Ning Yuese 
Published: May 2020

SummaryBowman–Birk trypsin inhibitors (BBIs) play important roles in animal and plant immunity, but how these protease inhibitors are involved in the immune system remains unclear. Here, we show that the rice (Oryza sativa) BBI protein APIP4 is a common target of a fungal effector and an NLR receptor for innate immunity. APIP4 exhibited trypsin inhibitor activity in vitro and in vivo. Knockout of APIP4 in rice enhanced susceptibility, and overexpression of APIP4 increased resistance to the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. The M. oryzae effector AvrPiz‐t interacted with APIP4 and suppressed APIP4 trypsin inhibitor activity. By contrast, the rice NLR protein Piz‐t interacted with APIP4, enhancing APIP4 transcript and protein levels, and protease inhibitor activity. Our findings reveal a novel host defence mechanism in which a host protease inhibitor targeted by a fungal pathogen is protected by an NLR receptor.
Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation of prefrontal cortex on risk‐taking behavior
Authors: Khaleghi Ali , Pirzad Jahromi Gila , Zarafshan Hadi , Mostafavi Seyed‐Ali , Mohammadi Mohammad Reza 
Published: May 2020

AimRecent cognitive neuroscience research shows that noninvasive brain stimulation can modify a wide range of behaviors in healthy people. Such regulation effects on human behaviors provide new insights into the neurobiology of cognitive processes and establish causal brain–behavior relations. Here, we aimed to examine the effects of transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) of the prefrontal cortex on risk‐taking.MethodsWe performed a systematic search on the PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases with appropriate keywords for original studies reporting the use of TES to modulate risk‐taking behavior in healthy individuals. Then, in the meta‐analysis phase, a random‐effects model was used to measure the pooled effect size (ES).ResultsTwenty articles were evaluated as eligible studies, including 16 articles on transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), two on transcranial alternating current stimulation, one on transcranial pulsed current stimulation, and one on high‐definition tDCS. A meta‐analysis showed a pooled estimated standardized ES of −0.20 (95% confidence interval [CI], –0.39 to −0.01), which indicates a small ES for active tDCS over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in comparison to sham stimulation (z = 2.31, P = 0.03) in terms of less risky behaviors. Subgroup analysis showed that there is no significant ES for bilateral DLPFC stimulation (d = −0.01; 95%CI, –0.28 to 0.26), but a significant near‐medium ES for unilateral DLPFC stimulation (d = −0.41; 95%CI, –0.71 to −0.10).ConclusionOur findings support a significant impact of neuroregulation of the DLPFC on risk‐taking behavior in healthy individuals. Unilateral noninvasive electrical stimulation of the DLPFC can result in a conservative risk‐averse response style, probably through modulating plasticity of the relevant brain networks, including cortical and subcortical structures, as well as increasing subcortical dopaminergic activity.