bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Can Daily Walking Alone Reduce Pneumonia-Related Mortality among Older People?
Authors: Ikeda Takaaki , Inoue Sumito , Konta Tsuneo , Murakami Masayasu , Fujimoto Shouichi , Iseki Kunitoshi , Moriyama Toshiki , Yamagata Kunihiro , Tsuruya Kazuhiko , Narita Ichiei , Kondo Masahide , Shibagaki Yugo , Kasahara Masato , Asahi Koichi , Watanabe Tsuyoshi 
Published: May 2020

AbstractPneumonia-related mortality is expected to increase in aging societies. This prospective cohort study examined whether daily walking (1 hour/day) could reduce pneumonia-related mortality among older people who lacked other exercise habits. We analysed data from Japanese Specific Health Checkup across 82 municipalities in 7 prefectures among participants aged ≥65 years who participated in daily walking but did not regularly engage in other forms of exercise (n = 132,448). Information on walking habits and health-related indicators was assessed at a baseline survey conducted between 2008 and 2014. Pneumonia-related and all-cause mortality were followed for a median of 3.4 years. We performed a competing risk model with propensity score matching to evaluate the association between daily walking habits and pneumonia-related mortality. Our propensity-matched analysis revealed a significant association between daily walking and pneumonia-related mortality among older people who lacked other exercise habits, such that the sub-hazard ratio and 95% confidence intervals were 0.58 (0.39, 0.86). This study extends the findings of previous research on the effects of exercise on pneumonia by demonstrating that daily walking alone is sufficient to reduce pneumonia-related mortality among older people who do not regularly engage in other exercise habits.
Optical mapping of the pig heart in situ under artificial blood circulation
Authors: Martišienė Irma , Karčiauskas Dainius , Navalinskas Antanas , Mačianskienė Regina , Kučinskas Audrius , Treinys Rimantas , Grigalevičiūtė Ramunė , Zigmantaitė Vilma , Ralienė Laima , Benetis Rimantas , Jurevičius Jonas 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe emergence of optical imaging has revolutionized the investigation of cardiac electrical activity and associated disorders in various cardiac pathologies. The electrical signals of the heart and the propagation pathways are crucial for elucidating the mechanisms of various cardiac pathological conditions, including arrhythmia. The synthesis of near-infrared voltage-sensitive dyes and the voltage sensitivity of the FDA-approved dye Cardiogreen have increased the importance of optical mapping (OM) as a prospective tool in clinical practice. We aimed to develop a method for the high-spatiotemporal-resolution OM of the large animal hearts in situ using di-4-ANBDQBS and Cardiogreen under patho/physiological conditions. OM was adapted to monitor cardiac electrical behaviour in an open-chest pig heart model with physiological or artificial blood circulation. We detail the methods and display the OM data obtained using di-4-ANBDQBS and Cardiogreen. Activation time, action potential duration, repolarization time and conduction velocity maps were constructed. The technique was applied to track cardiac electrical activity during regional ischaemia and arrhythmia. Our study is the first to apply high-spatiotemporal-resolution OM in the pig heart in situ to record cardiac electrical activity qualitatively under artificial blood perfusion. The use of an FDA-approved voltage-sensitive dye and artificial blood perfusion in a swine model, which is generally accepted as a valuable pre-clinical model, demonstrates the promise of OM for clinical application.
Chloroplast development at low temperature requires the pseudouridine synthase gene TCD3 in rice
Authors: Lin Dongzhi , Kong Rongrong , Chen Lu , Wang Yulu , Wu Lanlan , Xu Jianlong , Piao Zhongze , Lee Gangseob , Dong Yanjun 
Published: May 2020

AbstractLow temperature affects a broad spectrum of cellular components in plants, such as chloroplasts, as well as plant metabolism. On the other hand, pseudouridine (Ψ) synthases are required for the most abundant post-transcriptional modification of RNA in Escherichia coli. However, the role of rice Ψ synthases in regulating chloroplast development at low temperature remains elusive. In this study, we identified the rice thermo-sensitive chlorophyll-deficient (tcd3) mutant, which displays an albino phenotype before the 4-leaf stage and ultimately dies when grown at 20 °C, but can grow normally at 32 °C. Genetic analysis showed that the mutant trait is controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene (tcd3). Map-based cloning, complementation and knockout tests revealed that TCD3 encodes a chloroplast-localized Ψ synthase. TCD3 is a cold-induced gene that is mainly expressed in leaves. The disruption of TCD3 severely affected the transcript levels of various chloroplast-associated genes, as well as ribosomal genes involved in chloroplast rRNA assembly at low temperature (20 °C), whereas the transcript levels of these genes were normal at high temperature (32 °C). These results provide a first glimpse into the importance of rice Ψ synthase gene in chloroplast development at low temperatures.
Identification of Reference Genes in Chicken Intraepithelial Lymphocyte Natural Killer Cells Infected with Very-virulent Infectious Bursal Disease Virus
Authors: Boo Sook Yee , Tan Sheau Wei , Alitheen Noorjahan Banu , Ho Chai Ling , Omar Abdul Rahman , Yeap Swee Keong 
Published: May 2020

AbstractDue to the limitations in the range of antibodies recognising avian viruses, quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) is still the most widely used method to evaluate the expression of immunologically related genes in avian viruses. The objective of this study was to identify suitable reference genes for mRNA expression analysis in chicken intraepithelial lymphocyte natural killer (IEL-NK) cells after infection with very-virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV). Fifteen potential reference genes were selected based on the references available. The coefficient of variation percentage (CV%) and average count of these 15 genes were determined by NanoString technology for control and infected samples. The M and V values for shortlisted reference genes (ACTB,GAPDH,HMBS,HPRT1,SDHA,TUBB1andYWHAZ) were calculated using geNorm and NormFinder.GAPDH,YWHAZandHMBSwere the most stably expressed genes. The expression levels of three innate immune response related target genes,CASP8,IL22andTLR3, agreed in the NanoString and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) results using one or two reference genes for normalisation (notHMBS). In conclusion,GAPDHandYWHAZcould be used as reference genes for the normalisation of chicken IEL-NK cell gene responses to infection with vvIBDV.
The Impact of Electron Correlation on Describing QM/MM Interactions in the Attendant Molecular Dynamics Simulations of CO in Myoglobin
Authors: Wang Xianwei , Lu Chenhui , Yang Maoyou 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe impact of the dispersion and electron correlation effects on describing quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) interactions in QM/MM molecular dynamics (MD) simulations was explored by performing a series of up to 2 ns QM/MM MD simulations on the B states of the myoglobin–carbon monoxide (MbCO) system. The results indicate that both dispersion and electron correlations play significant roles in the simulation of the ratios of two B states (B1/B2), which suggests that the inclusion of the electron correlation effects is essential for accurately modeling the interactions between QM and MM subsystems. We found that the QM/MM interaction energies between the CO and the surroundings statistically present a linear correlation with the electric fields along the CO bond. This indicates that QM/MM interactions can be described by a simple physical model of a dipole with constant moment under the action of the electric fields. The treatment provides us with an accurate and effective approach to account for the electron correlation effects in QM/MM MD simulations.
A gland-sparing, intraoral sialolithotomy approach for hilar and intraparenchymal multiple stones in the submandibular gland
Authors: Shi Huan , Zhao Jun , Hze-Khoong Eugene Poh , Liu Shixin , Yin Xuelai , Hu Yongjie 
Published: May 2020

AbstractMultiple intraglandular sialolithiasis for stones deep in the glandular parenchyma may require submandibulectomies, especially if sialendoscopic facilities are unavailable. We describe a gland-sparing intraoral sialolithotomy approach for both hilar and intraparenchymal multiple sialoliths. Nine patients with obstructive sialadenitis resulting from multiple sialoliths in both the deep hilar region and the submandibular gland parenchyma were selected for this study. Ultrasonography and computer tomography (CT) scans were performed to determine the location, number and sizes of the calculi and the distance between hilar and intraparenchymal sialoliths. All sialoliths were removed via gland-sparing, intraoral sialolithotomy. In all, 27 stones were found in the 9 patients. The hilar and deeper sialoliths were 4.5–11 and 0.8–4.5 mm, respectively, in diameter. The largest distance between the hilar and intraparenchymal sialoliths was 28.3 mm. Sialoliths in the hilar region were excised through an intraoral incision before deeper intraparenchymal stones were eased out of the same incision site. Postoperative follow-up imaging verified complete sialolith removal. Therefore, submandibular gland multiple sialoliths in the hilum and parenchyma can be successfully removed via an intraoral sialolithotomy under general anesthesia, thereby preserving the gland and restoring its secretory function.
Seasonal and spatial dynamics of the planktonic trophic biomarkers in the Strait of Georgia (northeast Pacific) and implications for fish
Authors: Costalago David , Forster Ian , Nemcek Nina , Neville Chrys , Perry R. Ian , Young Kelly , Hunt Brian P. V. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractFish growth and survival are largely determined by the nutritional quality of their food, and the fish that grow quickly during early life stages are more likely to reproduce. To adequately estimate the quality of the prey for fish, it is necessary to understand the trophic links at the base of the food-web. Trophic biomarkers (e.g., stable isotopes and fatty acids) are particularly useful to discriminate and quantify food-web relationships. We explored the connections between plankton food-web components, and the seasonal and spatial dynamics of the trophic biomarkers and how this determines the availability of high-quality prey for juvenile Pacific salmon and Pacific herring in the Strait of Georgia, Canada. We demonstrate that the plankton food-web in the region is largely supported by diatom and flagellate production. We also show that spatial differences in terms of energy transfer efficiency exist in the region. Further, we found that the fatty acid composition of the zooplankton varied seasonally, matching a shift from diatom dominated production in the spring to flagellate dominated production in the summer. This seasonal shift conferred a higher nutritional value to zooplankton in the summer, indicating better quality prey for juvenile salmon and herring during this period.
Oxytocin receptor gene and parental bonding modulate prefrontal responses to cries: a NIRS Study
Authors: Cataldo Ilaria , Neoh Michelle Jin-Yee , Chew Wei Fang , Foo Jia Nee , Lepri Bruno , Esposito Gianluca 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe ability to interpret and regulate emotions relies on experiences of emotional socialization, obtained firstly through the interaction with the parents, and on genetic features that affect how individuals take on social situations. Evidence from the genetic field states that specific allelic variations of the oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms regulate physiological modulation of human behavior, especially concerning responses to social cues and affiliative behaviors. Starting from this gene-by-environment interaction frame, we assessed 102 young adults for OXTr rs53576 and rs2254298, recalled parental bonding (using the Parental Bonding Instrument), and recorded participants’ neural responses to social stressors using Near InfraRed Spectroscopy (NIRS). The results highlight that higher genetic susceptibility (G/G homozygous) to familiar context and positive early life interactions modulate more optimal neural responses to general social cues, in terms of promptness to action. With regards to the dimensions of parental bonding, we found lateralized effects, with greater activation in the right prefrontal cortex for Care subscales, and on the left side of the prefrontal cortex for Overprotection. Results provide evidence to understand the neurological mechanisms behind the negative impact of poor parenting practices on the child.
Prediction of breast cancer proteins involved in immunotherapy, metastasis, and RNA-binding using molecular descriptors and artificial neural networks
Authors: López-Cortés Andrés , Cabrera-Andrade Alejandro , Vázquez-Naya José M. , Pazos Alejandro , Gonzáles-Díaz Humberto , Paz-y-Miño César , Guerrero Santiago , Pérez-Castillo Yunierkis , Tejera Eduardo , Munteanu Cristian R. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractBreast cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease where genomic alterations, protein expression deregulation, signaling pathway alterations, hormone disruption, ethnicity and environmental determinants are involved. Due to the complexity of BC, the prediction of proteins involved in this disease is a trending topic in drug design. This work is proposing accurate prediction classifier for BC proteins using six sets of protein sequence descriptors and 13 machine-learning methods. After using a univariate feature selection for the mix of five descriptor families, the best classifier was obtained using multilayer perceptron method (artificial neural network) and 300 features. The performance of the model is demonstrated by the area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) of 0.980 ± 0.0037, and accuracy of 0.936 ± 0.0056 (3-fold cross-validation). Regarding the prediction of 4,504 cancer-associated proteins using this model, the best ranked cancer immunotherapy proteins related to BC were RPS27, SUPT4H1, CLPSL2, POLR2K, RPL38, AKT3, CDK3, RPS20, RASL11A and UBTD1; the best ranked metastasis driver proteins related to BC were S100A9, DDA1, TXN, PRNP, RPS27, S100A14, S100A7, MAPK1, AGR3 and NDUFA13; and the best ranked RNA-binding proteins related to BC were S100A9, TXN, RPS27L, RPS27, RPS27A, RPL38, MRPL54, PPAN, RPS20 and CSRP1. This powerful model predicts several BC-related proteins that should be deeply studied to find new biomarkers and better therapeutic targets. Scripts can be downloaded athttps://github.com/muntisa/neural-networks-for-breast-cancer-proteins.
Bacterial communities associated with the surface of fresh sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) and their potential as biocontrol
Authors: Mamphogoro Tshifhiwa Paris , Maboko Martin Makgose , Babalola Olubukola Oluranti , Aiyegoro Olayinka Ayobami 
Published: May 2020

AbstractFresh produce vegetables are colonized by different bacterial species, some of which are antagonistic to microbes that cause postharvest losses. However, no comprehensive assessment of the diversity and composition of bacteria inhabiting surfaces of fresh pepper plants grown under different conditions has been conducted. In this study, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used to reveal bacterial communities inhabiting the surfaces of red and green pepper (fungicides-treated and non-fungicides-treated) grown under hydroponic and open field conditions. Results revealed that pepper fruit surfaces were dominated by bacterial phylum Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and, Bacteroidetes. The majority of the bacterial operation taxonomic units (97% similarity cut-off) were shared between the two habitats, two treatments, and the two pepper types. Phenotypic predictions (at phylum level) detected a high abundance of potentially pathogenic, biofilm-forming, and stress-tolerant bacteria on samples grown on open soils than those from hydroponic systems. Furthermore, bacterial species of genera mostly classified as fungal antagonists including; Acinetobacter, Agrobacterium, and Burkholderia were the most abundant on the surfaces. These results suggest that peppers accommodate substantially different bacterial communities with antagonistic activities on their surfaces, independent of employed agronomic strategies and that the beneficial bacterial strains maybe more important for peppers established on open fields, which seems to be more vulnerable to abiotic and biotic stresses.
Agonist-induced phosphorylation bar code and differential post-activation signaling of the delta opioid receptor revealed by phosphosite-specific antibodies
Authors: Mann Anika , Liebetrau Sophia , Klima Marie , Dasgupta Pooja , Massotte Dominique , Schulz Stefan 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe δ-opioid receptor (DOP) is an attractive pharmacological target due to its potent analgesic, anxiolytic and anti-depressant activity in chronic pain models. However, some but not all selective DOP agonists also produce severe adverse effects such as seizures. Thus, the development of novel agonists requires a profound understanding of their effects on DOP phosphorylation, post-activation signaling and dephosphorylation. Here we show that agonist-induced DOP phosphorylation at threonine 361 (T361) and serine 363 (S363) proceeds with a temporal hierarchy, with S363 as primary site of phosphorylation. This phosphorylation is mediated by G protein-coupled receptor kinases 2 and 3 (GRK2/3) followed by DOP endocytosis and desensitization. DOP dephosphorylation occurs within minutes and is predominantly mediated by protein phosphatases (PP) 1α and 1β. A comparison of structurally diverse DOP agonists and clinically used opioids demonstrated high correlation between G protein-dependent signaling efficacies and receptor internalization. In vivo, DOP agonists induce receptor phosphorylation in a dose-dependent and agonist-selective manner that could be blocked by naltrexone in DOP-eGFP mice. Together, our studies provide novel tools and insights for ligand-activated DOP signaling in vitro and in vivo and suggest that DOP agonist efficacies may determine receptor post-activation signaling.
Detrimental effects of flame retardant, PBB153, exposure on sperm and future generations
Authors: Greeson Katherine Watkins , Fowler Kristen L. , Estave Paige M. , Kate Thompson S. , Wagner Chelsea , Clayton Edenfield R. , Symosko Krista M. , Steves Alyse N. , Marder Elizabeth M. , Terrell Metrecia L. , Barton Hillary , Koval Michael , Marcus Michele , Easley Charles A. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIn 1973, the Velsicol Chemical Company, which manufactured FireMaster, a brominated flame retardant, and NutriMaster, a nutritional supplement, mistakenly shipped hundreds of pounds of FireMaster to grain mills around Michigan where it was incorporated into animal feed and then into the food chain across the state. An estimated 6.5 million Michigan residents consumed polybrominated biphenyl (PBB)-laced animal products leading to one of the largest agricultural accidents in U.S. history. To date, there have been no studies investigating the effects of PBB on epigenetic regulation in sperm, which could explain some of the endocrine-related health effects observed among children of PBB-exposed parents. Fusing epidemiological approaches with a novel in vitro model of human spermatogenesis, we demonstrate that exposure to PBB153, the primary component of FireMaster, alters the epigenome in human spermatogenic cells. Using our novel stem cell-based spermatogenesis model, we show that PBB153 exposure decreases DNA methylation at regulatory elements controlling imprinted genes. Furthermore, PBB153 affects DNA methylation by reducing de novo DNA methyltransferase activity at increasing PBB153 concentrations as well as reducing maintenance DNA methyltransferase activity at the lowest tested PBB153 concentration. Additionally, PBB153 exposure alters the expression of genes critical to proper human development. Taken together, these results suggest that PBB153 exposure alters the epigenome by disrupting methyltransferase activity leading to defects in imprint establishment causing altered gene expression, which could contribute to health concerns in the children of men exposed to PBB153. While this chemical is toxic to those directly exposed, the results from this study indicate that the epigenetic repercussions may be detrimental to future generations. Above all, this model may be expanded to model a multitude of environmental exposures to elucidate the effect of various chemicals on germline epigenetics and how paternal exposure may impact the health of future generations.
Incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study in Shanghai
Authors: Li Yanyun , Guo Juntao , Xia Tian , Wu Fei , Tian Jingyan , Cheng Minna , Xu Wanghong , Yang Qinping , Chen Jing , Wu Zheyuan , Yan Qinghua , Shi Yan , Wu Fan 
Published: May 2020

AbstractTo estimate the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in Chinese diabetes patients and to evaluate the effect of blood glucose on PTB risk, a retrospective cohort study was built based on the diabetes management system in Shanghai and included 240,692 adults aged 35 or above. Incidences of PTB in all diabetes patients and by subgroups were calculated and compared. Multivariable Cox regression models with restricted cubic splines were used to evaluate the association of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) with the risk of PTB. A total of 439 incident PTB cases were identified in the cohort after an average of 3.83 years of follow-up. The overall PTB incidence rate was 51.3/100,000 in diabetes patients, and annual incidence remained higher than that in general population. The PTB incidence rate of diabetes patients was higher in men than in women (86.2 vs. 22.1 per 100,000) and was highest in patients with body mass index (BMI) < 18.5 kg/m2(215.2/100,000) or FPG ≥ 10 mmol/L (143.2/100,000). Our results suggest that the risk of tuberculosis may be greater at higher levels of FPG in diabetes patients of normal weight. Specific tuberculosis screening strategies for different characteristic diabetes population should be provided to prevent and control tuberculosis in China.