bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Brief Report: Anal Intercourse, HIV-1 Risk, and Efficacy in a Trial of a Dapivirine Vaginal Ring for HIV-1 Prevention
Authors: Peebles Kathryn , van der Straten Ariane , Palanee-Phillips Thesla , Reddy Krishnaveni , Hillier Sharon L. , Hendrix Craig W. , Harkoo Ishana , Gati Mirembe Brenda , Jeenarain Nitesha , Baeten Jared M. , Brown Elizabeth R. ,   on behalf of the MTN-020/ASPIRE Study Team
Published: December 2019

Objectives:
To describe receptive anal intercourse (RAI) behaviors and correlates in a cohort of sub-Saharan African women, evaluate the association of RAI with HIV-1 risk, and evaluate whether the HIV-1 prevention efficacy of a dapivirine vaginal ring differs among women who reported RAI.

Design:
Secondary analysis of the MTN-020/ASPIRE trial, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating a dapivirine vaginal ring for HIV-1 prevention.

Methods:
At enrollment and month 3, women reported RAI in the prior 3 months in audio computer-assisted self-interviews. We evaluated associations between RAI and participant characteristics with χ2 and t-tests adjusted for study site. Cox proportional hazards models stratified by study site tested the association of RAI with HIV-1 acquisition and effect modification by RAI.

Results:
Eighteen percent of women reported any RAI at enrollment and/or month 3, with a median of 2 (interquartile range: 1–4) RAI acts in the prior 3 months, accounting for 1.5% of total sex acts. RAI prevalence was higher among women with lower educational attainment and those reporting transactional sex. In adjusted models, RAI was not associated with HIV-1 acquisition (aHR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.57 to 1.54). The ring reduced HIV-1 risk by 27% (95% CI: −5 to 49) among women reporting no RAI and by 18% (95% CI: −57 to 57) among women reporting any RAI (interaction P-value = 0.77).

Conclusions:
RAI was modestly infrequent and was not associated with reduced HIV-1 protection from the ring, suggesting that, in populations with rates of RAI similar to this cohort, RAI may not appreciably reduce the population-level impact of the dapivirine vaginal ring.
Neuro-protection and neuro-regeneration of the optic nerve: recent advances and future directions
Authors: Gokoffski Kimberly K. , Peng Micalla , Alas Basheer , Lam Phillip 
Published: December 2019

Purpose of review
Optic neuropathies refer to a collection of diseases in which retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the specialized neuron of the retina whose axons make up the optic nerve, are selectively damaged. Blindness secondary to optic neuropathies is irreversible as RGCs do not have the capacity for self-renewal and have a limited capacity for self-repair. Numerous strategies are being developed to either prevent further RGC degeneration or replace the cells that have degenerated. In this review, we aim to discuss known limitations to regeneration in central nervous system (CNS), followed by a discussion of previous, current, and future strategies for optic nerve neuroprotection as well as approaches for neuro-regeneration, with an emphasis on developments in the past two years.

Recent findings
Neuro-regeneration in the CNS is limited by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Environmental barriers to axon regeneration can be divided into two major categories: failure to clear myelin and formation of glial scar. Although inflammatory scars block axon growth past the site of injury, inflammation also provides important signals that activate reparative and regenerative pathways in RGCs. Neuroprotection with neurotrophins as monotherapy is not effective at preventing RGC degeneration likely secondary to rapid clearance of growth factors. Novel approaches involve exploiting different technologies to provide sustained delivery of neurotrophins. Other approaches include application of anti-apoptosis molecules and anti-axon retraction molecules. Although stem cells are becoming a viable option for generating RGCs for cell-replacement-based strategies, there are still many critical barriers to overcome before they can be used in clinical practice. Adjuvant treatments, such as application of electrical fields, scaffolds, and magnetic field stimulation, may be useful in helping transplanted RGCs extend axons in the proper orientation and assist with new synapse formation.

Summary
Different optic neuropathies will benefit from neuro-protective versus neuro-regenerative approaches. Developing clinically effective treatments for optic nerve disease will require a collaborative approach that not only employs neurotrophic factors but also incorporates signals that promote axonogenesis, direct axon growth towards intended targets, and promote appropriate synaptogenesis.
Prevention of bone loss and fractures following solid organ transplantations: Protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Deng Jiawen , Hou Wenteng 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACTPurposeSolid organ transplant (SOT) recipients can develop skeletal diseases caused by underlying conditions and the use of immunosuppressants. As a result, SOT recipients are at risk for decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture incidences. We propose a network meta-analysis (NMA) that incorporates all available RCT data to provide the most comprehensive ranking of antiresorptive interventions according to their ability to decrease fracture incidences and increase BMD in SOT recipients.MethodsWe will search MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, CENTRAL and Chinese literature sources for RCTs, and we will include adult SOT recipients who took antiresorptive therapies starting at the time of transplant with relevant outcomes. We will perform title and full-text screening as well as data extraction in duplicate. We will report changes in BMD as weighted or standardized mean differences, and fracture incidences as risk ratios. We will use SUCRA scores to provide rankings of interventions, and we will examine the quality of evidence using risk of bias and CINeMA.ResultsThe results of this systematic review and network meta-analysis will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this systematic review and network meta-analysis will be the most comprehensive quantitative analysis regarding the management of bone loss and fractures in SOT recipients. Our analysis should be able to provide physicians and patients with an up-to-date recommendation for pharmacotherapies in reducing incidences of bone loss and fractures associated with SOT.CONFLICT OF INTERESTJiawen Deng, and Wenteng Hou declare that they have no conflict of interest.MINI ABSTRACTWe propose a network meta-analysis investigating the use of antiresorptive interventions to prevent bone loss and fractures in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. We aim to provide a comprehensive ranking of antiresorptive therapies in terms of their ability to increase bone mineral density and decrease fracture incidence in SOT recipients.
Acetobacteraceae in the honey bee gut comprise two distant clades with diverging metabolism and ecological niches
Authors: Bonilla-Rosso G , Paredes Juan C , Das S , Ellegaard KM , Emery O , Garcia-Garcera M , Glover N , Hadadi N , van der Meer JR ,   SAGE class 2017-18, Tagini F , Engel P 
Published: December 2019

AbstractVarious bacteria of the family Acetobacteraceae are associated with the gut environment of insects. Honey bees harbor two distinct Acetobacteraceae in their gut, Alpha2.1 and Alpha2.2. While Alpha2.1 seems to be a gut specialist, Alpha2.2 is also found in the diet (e.g. royal jelly), the hypopharyngeal glands, and the larvae of honey bees. Here, we combined amplicon and genome sequencing to better understand functional differences associated with the ecology of Alpha2.1 and Alpha2.2. We find that the two phylotypes are differentially distributed along the worker and queen bee gut. Phylogenetic analysis shows that Alpha2.2 is nested within the acetic acid bacteria and consists of two separate sub-lineages, whereas Alpha2.1 belongs to a basal lineage with an unusual GC content for Acetobacteraceae. Gene content analysis revealed major differences in the central carbon and respiratory metabolism between the two phylotypes. While Alpha2.2 encodes two periplasmic dehydrogenases to carry out oxidative fermentation, Alpha2.1 lacks this capability, but instead harbors a diverse set of cytoplasmic dehydrogenases. These differences are accompanied by the loss of the TCA cycle in Alpha2.2, but not in Alpha2.1. We speculate that Alpha2.2 has specialized for fast-resource utilization through incomplete carbohydrate oxidation, giving it an advantage in sugar-rich environments such as royal jelly. On the contrary, the broader metabolic range of Alpha2.1 may provide an advantage in the worker bee hindgut, where competition with other bacteria and flexibility in resource utilization may be relevant for persistence. Our results show that bacteria belonging to the same family may utilize vastly different strategies to colonize niches associated with the animal gut.
Are “early birds” bolder? Early daily activity is not correlated with risk-taking behaviour in a major invasive species
Authors: Sbragaglia Valerio , Breithaupt Thomas 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACTDaily behavioural rhythms provide ecological advantages with respect to exploitation of food resources and avoidance of predation and recent studies suggested that timing of activity could form a behavioural syndrome with risk-taking behavior. Behavioural syndromes are often displayed by invasive species but the role of activity rhythms in biological invasions is unknown. Here, we investigated whether early nocturnal activity (the relative amount of locomotor activity displayed early in the night) and risk-taking behaviour (i.e. response to a scare stimulus) form a behavioural syndrome in a major invasive species, the signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus). We first characterized daily rhythms of locomotor activity over five days under controlled laboratory conditions and then scored the response to a scare stimulus across two different contexts (neutral and food) two days apart within the following six days. Crayfish displayed overall daily activity rhythms peaking in the first four hours of darkness. Both early nocturnal activity and risk-taking behaviour showed consistent inter-individual differences with repeatability scores of 0.20 and 0.35, respectively. However, the two behavioural traits were not correlated as in a behavioural syndrome. We argue that in contrast to other behavioural syndromes, a link between early nocturnal activity and risk-taking tendency would not be evolutionary stable as it dramatically increases predictability and therefore predatory pressure to individuals. We suggest that daily activity rhythms and risk-taking behavior can be important traits in understanding the adaptations underlying biological invasions or other processes of contemporary evolution.
Marine water environmental DNA metabarcoding provides a comprehensive fish diversity assessment and reveals spatial patterns in a large oceanic area
Authors: Fraija-Fernández Natalia , Bouquieaux Marie-Catherine , Rey Anaïs , Mendibil Iñaki , Cotano Unai , Irigoien Xabier , Santos María , Rodríguez-Ezpeleta Naiara 
Published: December 2019

AbstractCurrent methods for monitoring marine fish diversity mostly rely on trawling surveys, which are invasive, costly and time-consuming. Moreover, these methods are selective, targeting a subset of species at the time, and can be inaccessible to certain areas. Here, we explore the potential of environmental DNA (eDNA), the DNA present in the water column as part of shed cells, tissues or mucus, to provide comprehensive information about fish diversity in a large marine area. Further, eDNA results were compared to the fish diversity obtained in pelagic trawls. A total of 44 5L-water samples were collected onboard a wide-scale oceanographic survey covering about 120,000 square kilometres in Northeast Atlantic Ocean. A short region of the 12S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced through metabarcoding generating almost 3.5 million quality-filtered reads. Trawl and eDNA samples resulted in the same most abundant species (European anchovy, European pilchard, Atlantic mackerel and blue whiting), but eDNA metabarcoding resulted in more detected fish and elasmobranch species (116) than trawling (16). Although an overall correlation between fish biomass and number of reads was observed, some species deviated from the common trend, which could be explained by inherent biases of each of the methods. Species distribution patterns inferred from eDNA metabarcoding data coincided with current ecological knowledge of the species, suggesting that eDNA has the potential to draw sound ecological conclusions that can contribute to fish surveillance programs. Our results support eDNA metabarcoding for broad scale marine fish diversity monitoring in the context of Directives such as the Common Fisheries Policy or the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Multivariable G-E interplay in the prediction of educational achievement
Authors: Allegrini A.G. , Karhunen V. , Coleman J. R. I. , Selzam S. , Rimfeld K. , von Stumm S. , Pingault J.-B. , Plomin R. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractPolygenic scores are increasingly powerful predictors of educational achievement. It is unclear, however, how sets of polygenic scores, which partly capture environmental effects, perform jointly with sets of environmental measures, which are themselves heritable, in prediction models of educational achievement.Here, for the first time, we systematically investigate gene-environment correlation (rGE) and interaction (GxE) in the joint analysis of multiple genome-wide polygenic scores (GPS) and multiple environmental measures as they predict tested educational achievement (EA). We predict EA in a representative sample of 7,026 16-year-olds, with 20 GPS for psychiatric, cognitive and anthropometric traits, and 13 environments (including life events, home environment, and SES) measured earlier in life. Environmental and GPS predictors were modelled, separately and jointly, in penalized regression models with out-of-sample comparisons of prediction accuracy, considering the implications that their interplay had on model performance.Jointly modelling multiple GPS and environmental factors significantly improved prediction of EA, with cognitive-related GPS adding unique independent information beyond SES, home environment and life events. We found evidence for rGE underlying variation in EA (rGE = .36; 95% CIs = .29, .43). We estimated that 38% (95% CIs = 29%, 49%) of the GPS effects on EA were mediated by environmental effects, and in turn that 18% (95% CIs =12%, 25%) of environmental effects were accounted for by the GPS model. Lastly, we did not find evidence that GxE effects collectively contributed to multivariable prediction.Our multivariable polygenic and environmental prediction model suggests widespread rGE and unsystematic GxE contributions to EA in adolescence.
Quantifying Aphantasia through drawing: Those without visual imagery show deficits in object but not spatial memory
Authors: Bainbridge Wilma A. , Pounder Zoë , Eardley Alison F. , Baker Chris I. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractCongenital aphantasia is a recently characterized experience defined by the inability to form voluntary visual imagery, in spite of intact semantic memory, recognition memory, and visual perception. Because of this specific deficit to visual imagery, aphantasia serves as an ideal population for probing the nature of representations in visual memory, particularly the interplay of object, spatial, and symbolic information. Here, we conducted a large-scale online study of aphantasics and revealed a dissociation in object and spatial content in their memory representations. Sixty-one aphantasics and matched controls with typical imagery studied real-world scene images, and were asked to draw them from memory, and then later copy them during a matched perceptual condition. Drawings were objectively quantified by 2,795 online scorers for object and spatial details. Aphantasics recalled significantly fewer objects than controls, with less color in their drawings, and an increased reliance on verbal scaffolding. However, aphantasics showed incredibly high spatial accuracy, equivalent to controls, and made significantly fewer memory errors. These differences between groups only manifested during recall, with no differences between groups during the matched perceptual condition. This object-specific memory impairment in aphantasics provides evidence for separate systems in memory that support object versus spatial information.
Evaluation of the impact ofShigellavirulence genes on the basis of clinical features observed in patients with shigellosis
Authors: Chowdhury Visnu Pritom , Azmi Ishrat Jahan , Islam Mohammad Rafiqul , Akter Mahmuda , Mahmud Shahin , Golam Faruque Abu Syed , Talukder Kaisar Ali 
Published: December 2019

AbstractShigellais still attributable to nearly 164,300 deaths annually, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asian young children, remaining as a major public health threat, especially in the developing countries. Our goal was to study the association betweenShigellavirulence genes and clinical features observed in shigellosis. Therefore, 61S. flexneristrains were investigated, isolated from patients from a tertiary level facility in Bangladesh between 2009 to 2013. Subsequently, the presence of 140 MDa large virulence plasmid (p140), virulence (ipaH, ial), toxin (set, sen) and T3SS related genes (virB, ipaBCD, ipgC, ipgB1, ipgA, icsB, ipgD, ipgE, ipgF, mxiH, mxiI, mxiK, mxiE, mxiC, spa15, spa47, spa32andspa24) were evaluated. p140 was found in 79% (n=48) cases.ipaBCDwas found in 90% (n=55) strains, while seven of them were missing p140. However,ialwas found in 89% isolates, andipgCandipgEin 85% cases. The prevalence of the rest of the genes was less than 85%. These findings were then compared against the clinical features of each of the corresponding pathogens, and several statistically significant correlations were observed (all p<0.05). Briefly, the enterotoxin genes (set, sen) and another virulence gene (ial) were found significantly associated with several clinical features of shigellosis, including bloody mucoid stool, rectal straining, fever, and abdominal pain. Our findings reiterate that the diarrheal disease severity is significantly associated with the enterotoxin producingShigellainfection, also suggesting that the T3SS related virulence genes might be translocated elsewhere other than the 140 MDa large virulence plasmid.
In Vivo Emergence of a Novel Protease Inhibitor Resistance Signature in HIV-1 Matrix
Authors: Datir Rawlings , Kemp Steven , El Bouzidi Kate , Mlchocova Petra , Goldstein Richard , Breuer Judy , Towers Greg J. , Jolly Clare , Quiñones-Mateu Miguel E. , Dakum Patrick S. , Ndembi Nicaise , Gupta Ravindra K. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundProtease Inhibitors (PIs) are the second- and last-line therapy for the majority of HIV-infected patients worldwide. Only around 20% of individuals who fail PI regimens develop major resistance mutations in protease. We sought to explore the role of mutations ingag-proteasegenotypic and phenotypic changes within six Nigerian patients who failed PI-based regimens without known drug resistance associatedproteasemutations in order to identify novel determinants of PI resistance.MethodsTarget enrichment and NGS by Illumina Miseq were followed by haplotype reconstruction. Full lengthgag-protease regions were amplified from baseline (pre-PI) and virologic failure (VF) samples, sequenced and used to constructgag/proteasepseudotyped viruses. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using maximum likelihood methods. Susceptibility to lopinavir (LPV) and darunavir (DRV) were measured using a single-cycle replication assay. Western blotting was used to analyse Gag cleavage.ResultsIn one of six participants (subtype CRF02_AG) we found 4-fold lower LPV susceptibility in viral clones during failure of second line treatment. A combination of four mutations (S126del, H127del, T122A and G123E) in p17 matrix of baseline virus generated a similar 4x decrease in susceptibility to LPV but not darunavir. These four amino acid changes were also able to confer LPV resistance to a subtype B gag-protease backbone. Western blotting did not demonstrate significant Gag cleavage differences between sensitive and resistant isolates. Resistant viruses had around 2-fold lower infectivity compared to sensitive clones in the absence of drug. NGS combined with haplotype reconstruction revealed resistant, less fit clones emerged from a minority population at baseline and thereafter persisted alongside sensitive fitter viruses.ConclusionsWe have used a multi-pronged genotypic and phenotypic approach to document emergence and temporal dynamics of a novel protease inhibitor resistance signature in p17 matrix, revealing the interplay between Gag associated resistance and fitness.
Atrial natriuretic peptide orchestrates a coordinated physiological response to fuel non shivering thermogenesis
Authors: Carper Deborah , Coue Marine , Nascimento Emmani , Barquissau Valentin , Lagarde Damien , Pestourie Carine , Laurens Claire , Vily Petit Justine , Soty Maud , Monbrun Laurent , Marques Marie-Adeline , Jeanson Yannick , Sainte-Marie Yannis , Mairal Aline , Dejean Sébastien , Tavernier Geneviève , Viguerie Nathalie , Bourlier Virginie , Lezoualc’h Frank , Carrière Audrey , Saris Wim H.M. , Astrup Arne , Casteilla Louis , Mithieux Gilles , van Marken Lichtenbelt Wouter , Langin Dominique , Schrauwen Patrick , Moro Cedric 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAtrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a cardiac hormone controlling blood volume and arterial pressure in mammals. It is unclear whether and how ANP controls cold-induced thermogenesis in vivo. Here we show that acute cold exposure induces cardiac ANP secretion in mice and humans. Genetic inactivation of ANP promotes cold intolerance and suppresses about half of cold-induced brown adipose tissue (BAT) activation in mice. While white adipocytes are resistant to ANP-mediated lipolysis at thermoneutral temperature in mice, cold exposure renders white adipocytes fully responsive to ANP to activate lipolysis and a thermogenic program, a physiological response which is dramatically suppressed in ANP null mice. ANP deficiency also blunts liver triglycerides and glycogen metabolism thus impairing fuel availability for BAT thermogenesis. ANP directly increases mitochondrial uncoupling and thermogenic genes expression in human white and brown adipocytes. Together, these results indicate that ANP is a major physiological trigger of BAT thermogenesis upon cold exposure in mammals.