bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Segregation of brain and organizer precursors is differentially regulated by Nodal signaling at blastula stage
Authors: Castro Colabianchi Aitana M. , Tavella María B. , Boyadjián López Laura E. , Rubinstein Marcelo , Franchini Lucía F. , López Silvia L. 
Published: July 2020

ABSTRACTThe Blastula Chordin- and Noggin Expressing Center (BCNE) comprises animal-dorsal and marginal-dorsal cells of the amphibian blastula and contains the precursors of the brain and of the gastrula organizer. Previous findings suggested that the BCNE behaves as a homogeneous cell population that depends only on nuclear β-catenin activity but does not require Nodal and segregates into its descendants later, during gastrulation. In this work, we analyzed if the BCNE is already compartmentalized at the blastula stage. In contrast to previous findings, we show that the BCNE does not behave as a homogeneous cell population in response to Nodal antagonists. In fact, we found that thechordin.1expression in a marginal subpopulation of notochordal precursors indeed requires Nodal input. We also establish that an animal BCNE subpopulation of cells that express both,chordin.1andsox2(a marker of pluripotent neuroectodermal cells), and gives rise to most of the brain, persisted at blastula stage after blocking Nodal. Moreover, RT-qPCR analysis showed thatchordin.1andsox2expression increased at blastula stage after blocking Nodal. Therefore, Nodal signaling is required to define a population ofchordin.1+cells and to restrict the recruitment of brain precursors within the BCNE as early as at blastula stage.
Metronomic doses and drug schematic combination response tested within microfluidic models for the treatment of breast cancer cells (JIMT-1)
Authors: Rosero Gustavo , Pattarone Gisela , Peñaherera Ana , Pilz Julia Felicitas , Bödecker Joschka , Lerner B , Mertelsmann Roland , Perez M.S , Follo Marie 
Published: July 2020

AbstractLow-dose metronomic (LDM) chemotherapy is an alternative to conventional chemotherapy and is the most common use of low-dose levels of traditional chemotherapeutics in patients. The selection of patients, drug dosages and dosing intervals in LDM is empirical. In this study we systematically examined the schedule-dependent interaction of drugs on a breast cancer cell line (BCC) cultured in Lab on a Chip (LOC) microdevices. The LDM studies were combined with cell staining in order to better characterize different cell stages and modes of cell death, including caspase-dependent apoptosis, caspase-independent cell death and autophagy-dependent cell death. Microscope images were examined using the Fiji plugin Trainable Weka Segmentation to analyze cell area in 7500 images showing different types of cell death modes. Paclitaxel combined with LDM chemotherapy demonstrated a reduction in the area covered by live cells. In contrast, there was an induction of high levels of cell death due to caspase-dependent apoptosis. Furthermore, the microdevice used in this study is also an attractive alternative for staining cells in order to characterize and study BCC growth and development in situ.
Saliva TwoStep for rapid detection of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 carriers
Authors: Yang Qing , Meyerson Nicholas R. , Clark Stephen K. , Paige Camille L. , Fattor Will T. , Gilchrist Alison R. , Barbachano-Guerrero Arturo , Healy Benjamin G. , Worden-Sapper Emma R. , Wu Sharon S. , Muhlrad Denise , Decker Carolyn J. , Saldi Tassa K. , Lasda Erika , Gonzales Patrick K. , Fink Morgan R. , Tat Kimngan L. , Hager Cole R. , Davis Jack C. , Ozeroff Christopher D. , Brisson Gloria R. , McQueen Matthew B. , Leinwand Leslie , Parker Roy , Sawyer Sara L. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractHere, we develop a simple molecular test for SARS-CoV-2 in saliva based on reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP). The test has two steps: 1) heat saliva with a stabilization solution, and 2) detect virus by incubating with a primer/enzyme mix. After incubation, saliva samples containing the SARS-CoV-2 genome turn bright yellow. Because this test is pH dependent, it can react falsely to some naturally acidic saliva samples. We report unique saliva stabilization protocols that rendered 295 healthy saliva samples compatible with the test, producing zero false positives. We also evaluated the test on 278 saliva samples from individuals who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 but had no symptoms at the time of saliva collection, and from 54 matched pairs of saliva and anterior nasal samples from infected individuals. The Saliva TwoStep test described herein identified infections with 94% sensitivity and >99% specificity in individuals with sub-clinical (asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic) infections.
IgG antibody seroconversion and the clinical progression of COVID-19 pneumonia: A retrospective, cohort study
Authors: Kurashima Kazuyoshi , Kagiyama Naho , Ishiguro Takashi , Takaku Yotaro , Nakajima Hiromi , Shibata Shun , Matsui Yuma , Takano Kenji , Isono Taisuke , Nishida Takashi , Kawate Eriko , Hosoda Chiaki , Kobayashi Yoichi , Takayanagi Noboru , Yanagisawa Tsutomu 
Published: July 2020

SummaryBackgroundCoronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes severe acute respiratory failure. Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) is known as the mechanism for severe forms of other coronavirus diseases. The clinical progression of COVID-19 before and after IgG antibody seroconversion was investigated.MethodsFifty-three patients with reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCT)-confirmed COVID-19 viral pneumonia with or without respiratory failure were retrospectively investigated. The timing of the first IgG antibody against SARS-CoV-2-positive date, as well as changes of C-reactive protein (CRP) as an inflammatory marker and blood lymphocyte numbers, was assessed using serial preserved blood samples.FindingsTen patients recovered without oxygen therapy (mild/moderate group), 32 patients had hypoxemia and recovered with antiviral drugs (severe/non-ICU group), and 11 patients had severe respiratory failure and were treated in the ICU (6 of them died; critical/ICU group). The first IgG-positive date (day 0) was observed from 5 to 18 days from the onset of disease. At day 0, a CRP peak was observed in the severe and critical groups, whereas there was no synchronized CRP peak on day 0 in the mild/moderate group. In the severe/non-ICU group, the blood lymphocyte number increased (P=0.0007) and CRP decreased (P=0.0007) after day 0, whereas CRP did not decrease and the blood lymphocyte number further decreased (P=0.0370) in the critical/ICU group.InterpretationThe respiratory failure due to COVID-19 viral pneumonia observed in week 2 may be related to an antibody-related mechanism rather than uncontrolled viral replication. In the critical form of COVID-19, inflammation was sustained after IgG seroconversion.Fundingnone
The heart of an endurance athlete: impact of and recovery after an ultra-endurance event
Authors: Swart Anton , Constantinou Demitri 
Published: July 2020

AbstractAimsAcute bouts of ultra-endurance exercise may cause an acute reduction in cardiac function, causing a physiological cascade which releases cardiac biomarkers. This study set out to determine the cardiac stress and recovery of participation in a three-day ultra-endurance mountain biking event of athletes using heart rate variability (HRV) as an outcome measure.MethodsSixteen healthy participants (male and female) participating in a three-day ultra-endurance mountain biking event underwent a five-minute resting ECG recording in a supine position. Heart rate variability measurements were recorded two days before the race (baseline testing), after each race day, and at 24-hour post-event (recovery).ResultsTime-domain and frequency domain measures showed significant (p≤0.05) changes from baseline in HRV parameters after each race day. The significant changes in HRV parameters reflected an increase in sympathetic activity after each day of the event. Our data revealed that the mean HR and RR variability variables did not return to baseline value after 24-hours of recovery, reflecting autonomic nervous system dysfunction, and that changes persisted for at least 24-hours post-event.ConclusionOur study shows that competing in an ultra-endurance mountain bike event led to diminished vagal activity and a decrease in HRV throughout the event and persisted for at least 24-hours post-event. The body was under continuous sympathetic dominance during rest as well as during each day of racing, implying each race day can be considered a physiological stress. This may, in turn, cause a disturbance in homeostasis and an increase in autonomic nervous system dysfunction. This has implications for further research, including dysrhythmia risk, and monitoring of athletes in advising a return to strenuous activity.
Temporal patterns of vampire bat rabies and host connectivity in Belize
Authors: Becker Daniel J. , Broos Alice , Bergner Laura M. , Meza Diana K. , Simmons Nancy B. , Fenton M. Brock , Altizer Sonia , Streicker Daniel G. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIn the Neotropics, vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) are the main reservoir host for rabies, a highly fatal encephalitis caused by viruses in the genusLyssavirus. Although patterns of rabies virus exposure and infection have been well-studied for vampire bats in South America and Mexico, exploring the ecology of vampire bat rabies in other regions is crucial for predicting risks to livestock and humans. In Belize, rabies outbreaks in livestock have increased in recent years, underscoring the need for systematic data on viral dynamics in vampire bats. In this study, we examine the first three years of a longitudinal study on the ecology of vampire bat rabies in northern Belize. Rabies seroprevalence in bats was high across years (29–80%), suggesting active and endemic virus circulation. Across two locations, the seroprevalence time series per site were inversely related and out of phase by at least a year. Microsatellite data demonstrated historic panmixia of vampire bats, and mark–recapture detected rare but contemporary inter-site dispersal. This degree of movement could facilitate spatial spread of rabies virus but is likely insufficient to synchronize infection dynamics, which offers one explanation for the observed phase lag in seroprevalence. More broadly, our analyses suggest frequent transmission of rabies virus within and among vampire bat roosts in northern Belize and highlight the need for future spatiotemporal, phylogenetic, and ecological studies of vampire bat rabies in Central America.
A single intranasal dose of chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine confers sterilizing immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Hassan Ahmed O. , Kafai Natasha M. , Dmitriev Igor P. , Fox Julie M. , Smith Brittany , Harvey Ian B. , Chen Rita E. , Winkler Emma S. , Wessel Alex W. , Case James Brett , Kashentseva Elena , McCune Broc T. , Bailey Adam L. , Zhao Haiyan , VanBlargan Laura A. , Dai Yanan , Ma Meisheng , Adams Lucas J. , Shrihari Swathi , Gralinski Lisa E. , Hou Yixuan J. , Schaefer Alexandra , Kim Arthur S. , Keeler Shamus P. , Weiskopf Daniela , Baric Ralph , Holtzman Michael J. , Fremont Daved H. , Curiel David T. , Diamond Michael S. 
Published: July 2020

SUMMARYThe Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic has made deployment of an effective vaccine a global health priority. We evaluated the protective activity of a chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine encoding a pre-fusion stabilized spike protein (ChAd-SARS-CoV-2-S) in challenge studies with Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and mice expressing the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor. Intramuscular dosing of ChAd-SARS-CoV-2-S induces robust systemic humoral and cell-mediated immune responses and protects against lung infection, inflammation, and pathology but does not confer sterilizing immunity, as evidenced by detection of viral RNA and induction of anti-nucleoprotein antibodies after SARS-CoV-2 challenge. In contrast, a single intranasal dose of ChAd-SARS-CoV-2-S induces high levels of systemic and mucosal IgA and T cell responses, completely prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection in the upper and lower respiratory tracts, and likely confers sterilizing immunity in most animals. Intranasal administration of ChAd-SARS-CoV-2-S is a candidate for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission, and curtailing pandemic spread.
Auditory experience prevents loss of the innate song preference as a selective cue inDrosophila
Authors: Li Xiaodong , Kruszelnicki James , Chiba Yukina , Ishimoto Hiroshi , Ishikawa Yuki , Kamikouchi Azusa 
Published: July 2020

AbstractAuditory learning is a prerequisite step for acoustic communication learning, which was previously assumed to be restricted to animals with high levels of cognition, such as humans, cetaceans, and birds. How animals that rely on auditory learning for acoustic communication form sound preferences is not known. Fruit flies are a recently proposed novel animal model for studying experience-dependent auditory perceptual plasticity because of their ability to acquire song preferences via song exposure. Whether fruit flies have innate courtship song preferences, however, is unclear. Here we report that, similar to songbirds, fruit flies exhibit an innate preference for conspecific courtship songs. Maintenance of innate song preference requires song input, reminiscent of the song learning process in songbirds. Our findings also indicate that the response to conspecific and heterospecific songs manifests temporal and experience-dependent differentiation, which may underlie innate song preference and its plasticity. In addition, we find that flies have a robust ability to reacquire song preference during aging. Fruit flies thus offer a novel and simple approach for studying sound preference formation and its underlying mechanisms.
Elucidating essential genes in plant-associatedPseudomonas protegensPf-5 using transposon insertion sequencing
Authors: Fabian Belinda K , Foster Christie , Asher Amy J , Elbourne Liam DH , Cain Amy K , Hassan Karl A , Tetu Sasha G , Paulsen Ian T 
Published: July 2020

AbstractGene essentiality studies have been performed on numerous bacterial pathogens, but essential gene sets have been determined for only a few plant-associated bacteria.Pseudomonas protegensPf-5 is a plant-commensal, biocontrol bacteria that can control disease-causing pathogens on a wide range of crops. Work on Pf-5 has mostly focused on secondary metabolism and biocontrol genes, but genome-wide approaches such as high-throughput transposon mutagenesis have not yet been used in this species. Here we generated a denseP. protegensPf-5 transposon mutant library and used transposon-directed insertion site sequencing (TraDIS) to identify 446 genes essential for growth on rich media. Genes required for fundamental cellular machinery were enriched in the essential gene set, while genes related to nutrient biosynthesis, stress responses and transport were under-represented. Comparison of the essential gene sets of Pf-5 andP. aeruginosaPA14, an opportunistic human pathogen, provides insight into the biological processes important for their different lifestyles. Key differences include cytochromecbiogenesis, formation of periplasmic disulfide bonds, lipid biosynthesis, ribonuclease activity, lipopolysaccharides and cell surface structures. Comparison of the Pf-5in silicopredicted andin vitrodetermined essential gene sets highlighted the essential cellular functions that are over- and underestimated by each method. Expanding essentiality studies into bacteria with a range of lifestyles can improve our understanding of the biological processes important for survival and growth in different environmental niches.ImportanceEssential genes are those crucial for survival or normal growth rates in an organism. Essential gene sets have been identified in numerous bacterial pathogens, but only a few plant-associated bacteria. Employing genome-wide approaches, such as transposon insertion sequencing, allows for the concurrent analysis of all genes of a bacterial species and rapid determination of essential gene sets. We have used transposon insertion sequencing to systematically analyze thousands ofPseudomonas protegensPf-5 genes and gain insights into gene functions and interactions that are not readily available using traditional methods. Comparing Pf-5 essential genes with those ofP. aeruginosaPA14, an opportunistic human pathogen, provides insight into differences in gene essentiality which may be linked to their different lifestyles.
Npac Is a Co-factor of Histone H3K36me3 and Regulates Transcriptional Elongation in Mouse ES Cells
Authors: Yu Sue , Li Jia , Ji Guanxu , Ng Zhen Long , Siew Jiamin , Lo Wan Ning , Ye Ying , Chew Yuan Yuan , Long Yun Chau , Zhang Wensheng , Guccione Ernesto , Loh Yuin Han , Jiang Zhi-Hong , Yang Henry , Wu Qiang 
Published: July 2020

AbstractChromatin modification contributes to pluripotency maintenance in embryonic stem cells (ESCs). However, the related mechanisms remain obscure. Here, we show that Npac, a “reader” of histone H3 lysine 36 trimethylation (H3K36me3), is required to maintain mouse ESC pluripotency since knockdown ofNpaccauses mouse ESC differentiation. Depletion of Npac in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) inhibits reprogramming efficiency. Furthermore, our Npac ChIP-seq results reveal that Npac co-localizes with histone H3K36me3 in gene bodies of actively transcribed genes in mESCs. Interestingly, we find that Npac interacts with p-TEFb, RNA Pol II Ser2 and Ser5. Depletion of Npac disrupts transcriptional elongation of pluripotency genesNanogandRif1. Taken together, we propose that Npac is essential for transcriptional elongation of pluripotency genes by recruiting of p-TEFb and interacting with RNA Pol II Ser2 and Ser5.
Masitinib mediates TGF-Beta1 and Nitric Oxide Secretion and Ameliorates MPTP/Microglia-Induced Degeneration of Differentiated SH-SY5Y Cells
Authors: Göksu Erol Azize Yasemin , Akıncı Ersin , Koçancı Fatma Gonca , Akçakale Fatma , Dora Devrim Demir , Uysal Hilmi 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIntroductionMicroglia secretome includes not only growth factors and cytokines which support neuronal survival, it includes neurotoxic cytokines/enzymes, as well. MPTP is a neurotoxin which has degenerative effects on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Masitinib mesylate is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor which has been shown to have beneficial effects in neurodegenerative diseases.AimWe first aimed to determine the most efficient microglial cell conditioned medium in terms of neurodegenerative effect. Next, we investigated the possible protective/therapeutic effects of masitinib against MPTP/microglia-induced degeneration of differentiated (d)-SH-SY5Y cells, and the role of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and nitric oxide (NO) in these events.Material-MethodsNon-stimulated/LPS-stimulated microglia cells were treated with masitinib or its solvent, DMSO. With or without MPTP-d-SH-SY5Y cell cultures were exposed to the conditioned media (CM) from microglia cell cultures, followed by cell survival analysis. Immunofluorescence staining of microglia andd-SH-SY5Y cells were performed with anti-CD-11b and anti-PGP9.5 antibody, respectively. TGF-β1/NO concentrations in CM of microglia/d-SH-SY5Y cell culture were measured.ResultsThe initial 24 hrs CM of non-stimulated microglia cell culture was found to be the most detrimental microglial medium with lowest survival rates of treatedd-SH-SY5Y cells. The toxicity of 48 and 72 hrs’ CM ond-SH-SY5Y cells were both lower than that of 24 hrs’ CM. Masitinib (0.5 µM), significantly prevented MPTP-related cell degeneration ofd-SH-SY5Y cells. It also decreased the degenerative effects of both non-induced/LPS-induced microglia CM on with or without MPTP-d-SH-SY5Y cells. Although NO levels in microglia CM showed a negative correlation with survival rates of treatedd-SH-SY5Y cells, a positive correlation was seen between TGF-β1 concentrations in microglial CM and rates of treatedd-SH-SY5Y cell survival.ConclusionMasitinib ameliorates viability of with/without MPTP-d-SH-SY5Y cells. It does not only reverse the degenerative effects of its solvent, DMSO, but also prevents the degenerative effects of microglial secretions and MPTP. We suggest that masitinib begins to act as a neuroprotective agent via mediating TGF-β1 and NO secretion, as neurons are exposed to over-activated microglia or neurotoxins.
Genetic diversity and population structure ofLuffa acutangulaaccessions in a Thailand collection using SNP markers
Authors: Perez Grimar Abdiel , Tongyoo Pumipat , Chunwongse Julapark , de Jong Hans , Chuenwarin Paweena 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThis study explored a germplasm consisting of 112Luffa acutangula(ridge gourd) accessions mainly from Thailand, and some accessions from Vietnam, China, Philippines, Indonesia, USA, Bangladesh and Laos for an analysis of the population structure and underlying genetic diversity using 2,834 SNPs. STRUCTURE analysis (ΔKatK=6) allowed us to group the accessions into six subpopulations that corresponded well with the unrooted phylogenetic tree and principal coordinate analyses. The phylogenetic tree showed the diversity ofL. acutangulain Thailand, and accessions from other countries apart from Thailand were grouped together in the same branches. In STRUCTURE, subpopulation 2 contained only accessions from Thailand while other subpopulations contained a combination of accessions from Thailand and from other countries. When plotted, the STRUCTURE bars to the area of collection, it revealed the geneflow from the surrounding places nearby as indicated by the admixed genetic in the STRUCTURE bars. AMOVA based on STRUCTURE clustering showed the variation between populations (12.83%) and confirmed the absence of population structure in subpopulations (−10.59%). There was a distinguishing characteristic fruit shape and length in each subpopulation. The ample genetic diversity found in theL. acutangulagermplasm can be utilized in ridge gourd breeding programs to help meet the demands and needs of both consumers and farmers.