bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of ZFP57 and additional KRAB-zinc finger proteins in the maintenance of human imprinted methylation and multi-locus imprinting disturbances
Authors: Monteagudo-Sánchez Ana , Hernandez Mora Jose Ramon , Simon Carlos , Burton Adam , Tenorio Jair , Lapunzina Pablo , Clark Stephen , Esteller Manel , Kelsey Gavin , López-Siguero Juan Pedro , de Nanclares Guiomar Perez , Torres-Padilla Maria-Elena , Monk David 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic process regulated by germline-derived DNA methylation that is resistant to embryonic reprogramming, resulting in parental origin-specific monoallelic gene expression. A subset of individuals affected by imprinting disorders (IDs) displays multi-locus imprinting disturbances (MLID), which may result from aberrant establishment of imprinted differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in gametes or their maintenance in early embryogenesis. Here we investigated the extent of MLID in a family harbouring a ZFP57 truncating variant and characterize the interactions between human ZFP57 and the KAP1 co-repressor complex. By ectopically targeting ZFP57 to reprogrammed loci in mouse embryos using a dCas9 approach, we confirm that ZFP57 recruitment is sufficient to protect oocyte-derived methylation from reprogramming. Expression profiling in human pre-implantation embryos and oocytes reveals that unlike in mice, ZFP57 is only expressed following embryonic-genome activation, implying that other KRAB-zinc finger proteins (KZNFs) recruit KAP1 prior to blastocyst formation. Furthermore, we uncover ZNF202 and ZNF445 as additional KZNFs likely to recruit KAP1 to imprinted loci during reprogramming in the absence of ZFP57. Together, these data confirm the perplexing link between KZFPs and imprint maintenance and highlight the differences between mouse and humans in this respect.
4-Methylcytosine DNA modification is critical for global epigenetic regulation and virulence in the human pathogenLeptospira interrogans
Authors: Gaultney Robert A , Vincent Antony T , Lorioux Céline , Coppée Jean-Yves , Sismeiro Odile , Varet Hugo , Legendre Rachel , Cockram Charlotte A , Veyrier Frédéric J , Picardeau Mathieu 
Published: October 2020

AbstractIn bacteria, DNA methylation can be facilitated by ‘orphan’ DNA methyltransferases lacking cognate restriction endonucleases, but whether and how these enzymes control key cellular processes are poorly understood. The effects of a specific modification, 4-methylcytosine (4mC), are even less clear, as this epigenetic marker is unique to bacteria and archaea, whereas the bulk of epigenetic research is currently performed on eukaryotes. Here, we characterize a 4mC methyltransferase from the understudied pathogen Leptospira spp. Inactivating this enzyme resulted in complete abrogation of CTAG motif methylation, leading to genome-wide dysregulation of gene expression. Mutants exhibited growth defects, decreased adhesion to host cells, higher susceptibility to LPS-targeting antibiotics, and, importantly, were no longer virulent in an acute infection model. Further investigation resulted in the discovery of at least one gene, that of an ECF sigma factor, whose transcription was altered in the methylase mutant and, subsequently, by mutation of the CTAG motifs in the promoter of the gene. The genes that comprise the regulon of this sigma factor were, accordingly, dysregulated in the methylase mutant and in a strain overexpressing the sigma factor. Our results highlight the importance of 4mC in Leptospira physiology, and suggest the same of other understudied species.
Single-molecule DNA sequencing of widely varying GC-content using nucleotide release, capture and detection in microdroplets
Authors: Puchtler Tim J , Johnson Kerr , Palmer Rebecca N , Talbot Emma L , Ibbotson Lindsey A , Powalowska Paulina K , Knox Rachel , Shibahara Aya , M. S. Cunha Pedro , Newell Oliver J , Wu Mei , Chana Jasmin , Athanasopoulou Evangelia-Nefeli , Waeber Andreas M , Stolarek Magdalena , Silva Ana-Luisa , Mordaka Justyna M , Haggis-Powell Michael , Xyrafaki Christina , Bush James , Topkaya Ibrahim S , Sosna Maciej , Ingham Richard J , Huckvale Thomas , Negrea Aurel , Breiner Boris , Šlikas Justinas , Kelly Douglas J , Dunning Alexander J , Bell Neil M , Dethlefsen Mark , Love David M , Dear Paul H , Kuleshova Jekaterina , Podd Gareth J , Isaac Tom H , Balmforth Barnaby W , Frayling Cameron A 
Published: October 2020

AbstractDespite remarkable progress in DNA sequencing technologies there remains a trade-off between short-read platforms, having limited ability to sequence homopolymers, repeated motifs or long-range structural variation, and long-read platforms, which tend to have lower accuracy and/or throughput. Moreover, current methods do not allow direct readout of epigenetic modifications from a single read. With the aim of addressing these limitations, we have developed an optical electrowetting sequencing platform that uses step-wise nucleotide triphosphate (dNTP) release, capture and detection in microdroplets from single DNA molecules. Each microdroplet serves as a reaction vessel that identifies an individual dNTP based on a robust fluorescence signal, with the detection chemistry extended to enable detection of 5-methylcytosine. Our platform uses small reagent volumes and inexpensive equipment, paving the way to cost-effective single-molecule DNA sequencing, capable of handling widely varying GC-bias, and demonstrating direct detection of epigenetic modifications.
iCSDB: an integrated database of CRISPR screens
Authors: Choi Ahyoung , Jang Insu , Han Heewon , Kim Min-Seo , Choi Jinhyuk , Lee Jieun , Cho Sung-Yup , Jun Yukyung , Lee Charles , Kim Jaesang , Lee Byungwook , Lee Sanghyuk 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
High-throughput screening based on CRISPR-Cas9 libraries has become an attractive and powerful technique to identify target genes for functional studies. However, accessibility of public data is limited due to the lack of user-friendly utilities and up-to-date resources covering experiments from third parties. Here, we describe iCSDB, an integrated database of CRISPR screening experiments using human cell lines. We compiled two major sources of CRISPR-Cas9 screening: the DepMap portal and BioGRID ORCS. DepMap portal itself is an integrated database that includes three large-scale projects of CRISPR screening. We additionally aggregated CRISPR screens from BioGRID ORCS that is a collection of screening results from PubMed articles. Currently, iCSDB contains 1375 genome-wide screens across 976 human cell lines, covering 28 tissues and 70 cancer types. Importantly, the batch effects from different CRISPR libraries were removed and the screening scores were converted into a single metric to estimate the knockout efficiency. Clinical and molecular information were also integrated to help users to select cell lines of interest readily. Furthermore, we have implemented various interactive tools and viewers to facilitate users to choose, examine and compare the screen results both at the gene and guide RNA levels. iCSDB is available at https://www.kobic.re.kr/icsdb/.
The Dual Function of OsSWEET3a as a Gibberellin and Glucose Transporter Is Important for Young Shoot Development in Rice
Authors: Morii Minami , Sugihara Akihiko , Takehara Sayaka , Kanno Yuri , Kawai Kyosuke , Hobo Tokunori , Hattori Masako , Yoshimura Hisako , Seo Mitsunori , Ueguchi-Tanaka Miyako 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Translocation and long-distance transport of phytohormones are considered important processes for phytohormone responses, as well as their synthesis and signaling. Here, we report on the dual function of OsSWEET3a, a bidirectional sugar transporter from clade I of the rice SWEET family of proteins, as both a gibberellin (GA) and a glucose transporter. OsSWEET3a efficiently transports GAs in the C13-hydroxylation pathway of GA biosynthesis. Both knockout and overexpression lines of OsSWEET3a showed defects in germination and early shoot development, which were partially restored by GA, especially GA20. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR, GUS staining and in situ hybridization revealed that OsSWEET3a was expressed in vascular bundles in basal parts of the seedlings. OsSWEET3a expression was co-localized with OsGA20ox1 expression in the vascular bundles but not with OsGA3ox2, whose expression was restricted to leaf primordia and young leaves. These results suggest that OsSWEET3a is expressed in the vascular tissue of basal parts of seedlings and is involved in the transport of both GA20 and glucose to young leaves, where GA20 is possibly converted to the bioactive GA1 form by OsGA3ox2, during early plant development. We also indicated that such GA transport activities of SWEET proteins have sporadically appeared in the evolution of plants: GA transporters in Arabidopsis have evolved from sucrose transporters, while those in rice and sorghum have evolved from glucose transporters.
Reliability and Validity of Ultrasound Elastography for Evaluating Muscle Stiffness in Neurological Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Miller Tiev , Ying Michael , Sau Lan Tsang Charlotte , Huang Meizhen , Pang Marco Y C 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Objective
Ultrasound elastography is an emerging diagnostic technology used to investigate the biomechanical properties of the musculoskeletal system. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the psychometric properties of ultrasound elastography techniques for evaluating muscle stiffness in people with neurological conditions.

Methods
A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases was performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Using software, reviewers independently screened citations for inclusion. Peer-reviewed studies that evaluated in vivo muscle stiffness in people with neurological conditions and reported relevant psychometric properties were considered for inclusion. Twenty-one articles were included for final review. Data relevant to measurement technique, site, and neurological condition were extracted. The Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments checklist was used to rate the methodological quality of included studies. The level of evidence for specific measurement outcomes was determined using a best-evidence synthesis approach.

Results
Reliability varied across populations, ultrasound systems, and assessment conditions (ie, joint/body positions, active/passive muscle conditions, probe orientation), with most studies indicating moderate to good reliability (ICC = 0.5–0.9, n = 13). Meta-analysis results showed a good overall correlation across studies (r = 0.78, 95% confidence interval = 0.64–0.86), with no between-group difference based on population (Q1 = 0.00). Convergent validity was demonstrated by strong correlations between stiffness values and measures of spasticity (n = 5), functional motor recovery or impairment (n = 5), and grayscale or color histogram pixel intensities (n = 3). Discriminant or known-groups validity was also established for multiple studies and indicated either significant between-group differences in stiffness values (n = 12) or within-group differences between more and less affected limbs (n = 6). Responsiveness was observed in all intervention studies reporting posttreatment stiffness changes (n = 6).

Conclusions
Overall, ultrasound elastography techniques showed moderate reliability in evaluating in vivo muscle stiffness, good convergent validity with relevant clinical assessments, and good divergent validity in discriminating tissue changes within and between groups.

Impact
Ultrasound elastography has clinical utility in assessing muscle stiffness, monitoring its temporal changes, and measuring the response to intervention in people with neurological conditions.
Deficiency of protease-activated receptor (PAR) 1 and PAR2 exacerbates collagen-induced arthritis in mice via differing mechanisms
Authors: Xue Meilang , Lin Haiyan , Liang Hai Po Helena , McKelvey Kelly , Zhao Ruilong , March Lyn , Jackson Christopher 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Objectives
Protease-activated receptor (PAR) 1 and PAR2 have been implicated in RA, however their exact role is unclear. Here, we detailed the mechanistic impact of these receptors on the onset and development of inflammatory arthritis in murine CIA and antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) models.

Methods
CIA or AIA was induced in PAR1 or PAR2 gene knockout (KO) and matched wild type mice. The onset and development of arthritis was monitored clinically and histologically. Immune cells, cytokines and MMPs were detected by ELISA, zymography, flow cytometry, western blot or immunohistochemistry.

Results
In CIA, PAR1KO and PAR2KO exacerbated arthritis, in opposition to their effects in AIA. These deficient mice had high plasma levels of IL-17, IFN-γ, TGF-β1 and MMP-13, and lower levels of TNF-α; T cells and B cells were higher in both KO spleen and thymus, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells were lower only in PAR1KO spleen, when compared with wild type cells. Th1, Th2 and Th17 cells were lower in PAR1KO spleens cells, whereas Th1 and Th2 cells were lower and Th17 cells higher in both KO thymus cells, when compared with wild type cells. PAR1KO synovial fibroblasts proliferated faster and produced the most abundant MMP-9 amongst three type cells in the control, lipopolysaccharides or TNF stimulated conditions.

Conclusion
This is the first study demonstrated that deficiency of PAR1 or PAR2 aggravates inflammatory arthritis in CIA. Furthermore, the protective functions of PAR1 and PAR2 in CIA likely occur via differing mechanisms involving immune cell differentiation and cytokines/MMPs.
UNCERTAINTY OF THERMOLUMINESCENCE AT LOW DOSE LEVELS: A MONTE-CARLO SIMULATION STUDY
Authors: Sadek A M 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
The purpose of the current work is to investigate the effect of the scatter data and the background noise level on the uncertainty of the thermoluminescence (TL) measurements. The Monte-Carlo (MC) algorithm has been used to simulate the scattering data and the background noise signal in TL glow-curve. Under the simulation and experimental parameters used in the present study, a new general criterion for the minimum measurable dose has been established. It has been found from the results that the TL measurements, using either the peak maximum or the peak integral, can be conducted with an uncertainty level $&lt;\pm 10\%[2\sigma ]$ when the TL signal is at least 10 times greater than the background noise signal. It has also been found that the same criterion can be used for the evaluation of the kinetics parameters of the TL glow-peak using either the peak fitting or the peak shape methods.
Racial and Age Disparities in Licensing Rates among a Sample of Urban MSW Graduates
Authors: Senreich Evan , Dale Travis 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Forty-five U.S. states require social workers to pass an examination for entry-level MSW licensure, with all 50 states requiring it for clinical practice. All states use examinations created by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) for this purpose. There has been concern that these exams may contribute to racial bias in social work licensing, as ASWB has historically not reported passing rates by demographic groups. In the present study, New York State licensing rates of over 5,000 graduates of three MSW programs of the City University of New York were analyzed according to race, gender, and age. Although passing rates on ASWB exams were not specifically examined, this study analyzed demographic disparities in licensure. In bivariate and multivariate analyses, White graduates had significantly higher rates of licensure than those who identified as Black, Latinx, Asian/Pacific Islander, mixed, or other. Furthermore, older Black and Latinx graduates had far lower rates of licensure than their younger counterparts. As a core value of social work is social justice, the results indicate the need for far more investigation into racial and age disparities in social work licensure.
An Australian view on a Trustee’s duty to account and to keep records and identify just what records should be kept and to discuss what are trust documents
Authors: Raphael David K L 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
This article reviews the law in England and Australia on the subject of a trustee’s duty to account and to keep appropriate records, and in that connection, what should be contained in a trustee’s minutes of deliberation and indeed what are, in fact, trust documents and the nature and extent of them. Related consideration is given to the ambit and extent of a beneficiary’s rights to information contained in trust documents. It should be noted that, where in this commentary the word “beneficiaries” is used, it is to be read as applying not merely those who are named as a beneficiary of the trust or who or which is a member of a class of beneficiaries but also as applying to all parties who are merely objects of a trust, i.e. those who can only benefit in consequence of the exercise of the trustee’s discretion. This application does not apply to the consideration and analysis of the law relating to inspection of trust documents, as will be abundantly clear later in this article. One other point must be made. This is that Australian unreported decisions and some reported decisions may not be readily available to UK readers. It is for this reason that certain lengthy extracts have been incorporated from some decisions as Annexures. Also in an article such as this, it makes sense to set out the extracts to assist in ease of absorption and comprehension.
Trade-offs between xylem water and carbohydrate storage among 24 coexisting subtropical understory shrub species spanning a spectrum of isohydry
Authors: Jiang Peipei , Meinzer Frederick C , Fu Xiaoli , Kou Liang , Dai Xiaoqin , Wang Huimin 
Published: October 2020

AbstractHydraulic capacitance and carbohydrate storage are two drought adaptation strategies of woody angiosperms. However, we currently lack information on their associations and how they are associated with species’ degree of isohydry. We measured total stem xylem nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) concentration in the dry and wet seasons, xylem hydraulic capacitance, native leaf water potentials, pressure–volume curve parameters and photosynthetic performance in 24 woody understory species differing in their degree of isohydry. We found a trade-off between xylem water and carbohydrate storage both in storage capacitance and along a spectrum of isohydry. Species with higher hydraulic capacitance had lower native NSC storage. The less isohydric species tended to show greater NSC depletion in the dry season and have more drought-tolerant leaves. In contrast, the more isohydric species had higher hydraulic capacitance, which may enhance their drought avoidance capacity. In these species, leaf flushing in the wet season and higher photosynthetic rates in the dry season resulted in accumulation rather than depletion of NSC in the dry season. Our results provide new insights into the mechanisms through which xylem storage functions determine co-occurring species’ drought adaptation strategies and improve our capacity to predict community assembly processes under drought.
A Newborn with Brain-Eating Ameba Infection
Authors: Celik Yalcin , Arslankoylu Ali Ertuğ 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Naegleria fowleriis a thermophilic free-living ameba that is found in warm, fresh water and causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) in humans with high mortality rate. Here we report a case of newborn admitted with destructive clinical features of PAM after having bath with unchlorinated well water on a summer day.
Distinguishing Between the Impacts of Heat and Drought Stress on the Root Microbiome of Sorghum bicolor
Authors: Wipf Heidi M.-L. , Bùi Thảo-Nguyên , Coleman-Derr Devin 
Published: October 2020

Water deficit and extreme temperatures regularly and considerably reduce crop productivity. Although several studies have explored the role of the plant microbiome in drought tolerance, it remains to be determined how the often co-occurring factor of heat conjunctly shapes plant–microbe interactions. In order to compare the roles that temperature and drought stress play in plant microbial recruitment, we conducted a growth chamber experiment with a series of temperatures (22, 30, and 38°C) and watering (drought versus watered) conditions in Sorghum bicolor, sampling soil mixtures and seedling roots at 7 and 21 days after initial stress initiation. We found that bacterial root communities had the lowest α diversity when under drought and at 38°C, and that temperature influenced the β diversity of soil mixture and root microbiomes to a greater extent than watering treatment. Additionally, we observed that the relative abundances of members of phylum Actinobacteria increased both under drought and, incrementally, with higher temperatures. Furthermore, unique Actinobacteria were indicator species of either temperature or watered conditions, and indicators of high temperature in watered conditions were predominantly in the phylum Actinobacteria. Together, these data suggest that heat and drought stress differentially affect microbiome assembly in significant ways and unique Actinobacteria are recruited under either stress. This work informs our understandings of how abiotic stresses jointly shape crop microbiomes, as well as highlights the need for additional work to describe what mechanisms may be involved in host-mediated microbial recruitment and adaptation under various stresses in field-based studies. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Interventional Neuroradiology Suite During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Global Survey
Authors: Chowdhury Tumul , Rizk Abanoub A. , Daniels Abigail H. , Al Azazi Emad , Sharma Deepak , Venkatraghavan Lashmi 
Published: October 2020

Background:
According to early reports, patients affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at an increased risk of developing cerebrovascular events, including acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The COVID-19 pandemic may also impose difficulties in managing AIS patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), as well as concerns for the safety of health care providers. This international global survey aims to gather and summarize information from tertiary care stroke centers on periprocedural pathways and endovascular management of AIS patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:
A cross-sectional survey-based research questionnaire was sent to 259 tertiary care stroke centers with neurointerventional facilities worldwide.

Results:
We received 114 responses (response rate: 44%) from 25 different countries across all 5 continents. The number of AIS patients and EVT cases were reported to have decreased during the pandemic. Most participants reported conducting COVID-19 testing before (49%) or after the procedure (31%); 20% of centers did not test at all. Only 16% of participating centers reported using a negative pressure room for the thrombectomy procedure. Strikingly, 50% of participating centers reported no changes in the anesthetic management of AIS patients undergoing EVT during the pandemic.

Conclusions:
This global survey provides information on the challenges in managing AIS patients undergoing EVT during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its findings can be used to improve patient outcomes and the safety of the health care team worldwide.