bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Stressor-induced ecdysis and thecate cyst formation in the armoured dinoflagellates Prorocentrum cordatum
Authors: Matantseva Olga , Berdieva Mariia , Kalinina Vera , Pozdnyakov Ilya , Pechkovskaya Sofia , Skarlato Sergei 
Published: October 2020

AbstractEcdysis, the process of extensive cell covering rearrangement, represents a remarkable physiological trait of dinoflagellates. It is involved in the regulation of the population and bloom dynamics of these microorganisms, since it is required for the formation of their thin-walled cysts. This study presents laboratory data on ecdysis in Prorocentrum cordatum, a harmful dinoflagellate species of high environmental significance. We studied external stressors triggering this process and changes in the cell ultrastructure accompanying it. Our experiments showed that mass ecdysis and formation of cysts in P. cordatum could be induced by centrifugation, temperature decrease, changes in salinity, and treatment by 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile, whereas temperature increase, changes in pH and treatment by tetracycline did not have this effect. Obtained cysts of P. cordatum did not contain the pellicular layer and were formed in the end of the first stage of this process, i.e. removal of the plasma membrane and the outer amphiesmal vesicle membrane, whereas its second stage, removal of theca, represented excystment. Based on our findings, we conclude that such cysts can be attributed to thecate cysts and suggest P. cordatum as a promising model organism for the investigation of cellular and molecular aspects of ecdysis in dinoflagellates.
Robustness and capabilities of ultrashort laser pulses characterization with amplitude swing
Authors: Sola Íñigo J. , Alonso Benjamín 
Published: October 2020

AbstractIn this work we firstly study the influence of different parameters in the temporal characterization of ultrashort laser pulses with the recently developed amplitude swing technique. In this technique, the relative amplitude of two delayed replicas is varied while measuring their second-harmonic spectra. Here we study the retrieval of noisy traces and the implications of having different delays or phase retardations (relative phases) between the two replicas. Then, we study the capability of the technique to characterize the pulses when the second-harmonic signal is spectrally uncalibrated or incomplete, presenting the analytical calculation of the marginal, which is used to calibrate the traces and to perform the pulse retrievals. We experimentally show the retrieval of different pulses using diverse delays and phase retardations to perform the amplitude swing trace and demonstrate that, from an uncalibrated trace, both the pulse information and the response of the nonlinear process can be simultaneously retrieved. In sum, the amplitude swing technique is shown to be very robust against experimental constraints and limitations, showing a high degree of soundness.
Current NAFLD guidelines for risk stratification in diabetic patients have poor diagnostic discrimination
Authors: Blank Valentin , Petroff David , Beer Sebastian , Böhlig Albrecht , Heni Maria , Berg Thomas , Bausback Yvonne , Dietrich Arne , Tönjes Anke , Hollenbach Marcus , Blüher Matthias , Keim Volker , Wiegand Johannes , Karlas Thomas 
Published: October 2020

AbstractPatients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are at risk for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and associated complications. This study evaluated the performance of international (EASL-EASD-EASO) and national (DGVS) guidelines for NAFLD risk stratification. Patients with T2D prospectively underwent ultrasound, liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and serum-based fibrosis markers. Guideline-based risk classification and referral rates for different screening approaches were compared and the diagnostic properties of simplified algorithms, genetic markers and a new NASH surrogate (FAST score) were evaluated. NAFLD risk was present in 184 of 204 screened patients (age 64.2 ± 10.7 years; BMI 32.6 ± 7.6 kg/m2). EASL-EASD-EASO recommended specialist referral for 60–77% depending on the fibrosis score used, only 6% were classified as low risk. The DGVS algorithm required LSM for 76%; 25% were referred for specialised care. The sensitivities of the diagnostic pathways were 47–96%. A simplified referral strategy revealed a sensitivity/specificity of 46/88% for fibrosis risk. Application of the FAST score reduced the referral rate to 35%. This study (a) underlines the high prevalence of fibrosis risk in T2D, (b) demonstrates very high referral rates for in-depth hepatological work-up, and (c) indicates that simpler referral algorithms may produce comparably good results and could facilitate NAFLD screening.
A conceptual change in crystallisation mechanisms of oxide materials from solutions in closed systems
Authors: Padmanabhan Sibu C. , Collins Timothy W. , Pillai Suresh C. , McCormack Declan E. , Kelly John M. , Holmes Justin D. , Morris Michael A. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractAtomic and molecular level interactions in solutions dictate the structural and functional attributes of crystals. These features clearly dictate the properties of materials and their applicability in technologies. However, the microscopic phenomena of particle formation—nucleation and growth—in real systems are still not fully understood. Specifically, crystallisation occurring in closed systems are largely unproven. Combining coherent experimental data, we here demonstrate a fundamental nucleation-growth mechanism that occurs in a model zinc oxide system when particles are formed under continuous, rapid heating under closed reaction conditions. Defying all previous reports, we show that the nucleation commences only when the heating is terminated. A prenucleation clusters pathway is observed for nucleation, followed by crystallite assembly-growth. We show that the nucleation-growth processes result from temporal and dynamic activity of constituent ions and gaseous molecules in solution and by the irreversible expulsion of the dissolved gaseous molecules. We suggest that this nucleation process is generic to most closed systems that go through precipitation, and, therefore, important for the crystallisation of a variety of metal oxides, composites and minerals. We anticipate that the work may be a platform for future experimental and theoretical investigation promoting deeper understanding of the nucleation-growth phenomena of a variety of practical systems.
Association between noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis and coronary artery calcification progression in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Lee Jiwoo , Kim Hwi Seung , Cho Yun Kyung , Kim Eun Hee , Lee Min Jung , Bae In Yong , Jung Chang Hee , Park Joong-Yeol , Kim Hong-Kyu , Lee Woo Je 
Published: October 2020

AbstractAdvanced liver fibrosis and coronary artery calcification (CAC) progression has been reported to correlate with cardiovascular disease. This study investigated the association between noninvasive liver fibrosis score and CAC progression in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We included 1173 asymptomatic adults with CAC scores from 2007–2013. CAC progression was defined as newly incident CAC or a ≥ 2.5-unit increase in the final CAC score square root. Liver fibrosis was assessed using fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) score and NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS). A total of 293 (25.0%) subjects developed CAC. Mean baseline FIB-4 score was significantly higher in subjects with CAC. CAC progressed in 20.5% of subjects without NAFLD, 27.5% of those with NAFLD and low FIB-4 scores, and 35.9% of those with NAFLD and intermediate/high FIB-4 scores. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio for CAC progression was 1.70 (95% confidence interval, 1.12–2.58) for subjects with NAFLD plus intermediate/high FIB-4 scores versus those without NAFLD. In the sensitivity analysis, the odds ratio for CAC progression was 1.57 (95% confidence interval, 1.02–2.44) for subjects with NAFLD plus an intermediate/high NFS versus those without NAFLD. Advanced liver fibrosis stage assessed using noninvasive markers is associated with a higher risk of CAC progression in subjects with NAFLD.
The effect of pamidronate delivery in bisphosphonate-naïve patients on neutrophil chemotaxis and oxidative burst
Authors: Chadwick Jeffrey W. , Tenenbaum Howard C. , Sun Chun-Xiang , Wood Robert E. , Glogauer Michael 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe pathogenesis of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), a morbid condition associated with bisphosphonate administration, has not been fully elucidated. Recent research utilizing a murine model has revealed that the neutrophil becomes dysfunctional following exposure to bisphosphonates. Accordingly, the impairment of neutrophil function could play an important role in the pathogenesis of MRONJ via an infectious mechanism mediated by the suppression of the innate immune system. Currently, the existing human data are insufficient to substantiate this theory. To investigate, we isolated neutrophils from blood and oral rinse samples from bisphosphonate-naïve patients who were recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma both prior to and one month following their initial infusion of pamidronate, an intravenous bisphosphonate agent. Stimulated blood and oral neutrophil superoxide production and chemotactic capabilities were found to be impaired relative to baseline values. These results suggest that impaired neutrophil function may partially contribute to the aetiology underlying the pathophysiological processes linked to the development of MRONJ. Further, as the functional status of circulating neutrophils was reflected in the oral cavity where sampling can be accomplished in a non-invasive fashion, it is conceivable that neutrophil function could serve as a potential biomarker for MRONJ prognostication.
SARS-Cov-2 trajectory predictions and scenario simulations from a global perspective: a modelling study
Authors: Yang Tianan , Liu Yexin , Deng Wenhao , Zhao Weigang , Deng Jianwei 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 emerging from Wuhan, China has developed into a global epidemic. Here, we combine both human mobility and non-pharmaceutical interventions (social-distancing and suspected-cases isolation) into SEIR transmission model to understand how coronavirus transmits in a global environment. Dynamic trends of region-specific time-variant reproduction number, social-distancing rate, work-resumption rate, and suspected-cases isolation rate have been estimated and plotted for each region by fitting stochastic transmission processes to the real total confirmed cases reported of each region. We find after shutdown in Wuhan, the reproduction number in Wuhan greatly declined from 6·982 (95% CI 2·558–14·668) on January 23rd, 2020 to 1.130 (95% CI 0.289–3.279) on February 7th, 2020, and there was a higher intervention level in terms of social-distancing and suspected-cases isolation in Wuhan than the Chinese average and Western average, for the period from the shutdown in Wuhan to mid-March. Future epidemic trajectories of Western countries up to October 10th, 2020, have been predicted with 95% confidence intervals. Through the scenario simulation, we discover the benefits of earlier international travel ban and rigorous intervention strategies, and the significance of non-pharmaceutical interventions. From a global perspective, it is vital for each country to control the risks of imported cases, and execute rigorous non-pharmaceutical interventions before successful vaccination development.
Defining the structural basis for human leukocyte antigen reactivity in clinical transplantation
Authors: Gu Yue , Koh Robynne W. K. , Lai May Ling , Pochinco Denise , Teo Rachel Z. C. , Chan Marieta , Murali Tanusya M. , Liew Chong Wai , Wong Yee Hwa , Gascoigne Nicholas R. J. , Wood Kathryn J. , Lescar Julien , Nickerson Peter , MacAry Paul A. , Vathsala Anantharaman 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe current state-of-the-art technology employed to assess anti-human leukocyte antigen antibodies (Anti-HLA Ab) for donor-recipient matching and patient risk stratification in renal transplantation is the single antigen bead (SAB) assay. However, there are limitations to the SAB assay as it is not quantitative and due to variations in techniques and reagents, there is no standardization across laboratories. In this study, a structurally-defined human monoclonal alloantibody was employed to provide a mechanistic explanation for how fundamental alloantibody biology influences the readout from the SAB assay. Performance of the clinical SAB assay was evaluated by altering Anti-HLA Ab concentration, subclass, and detection reagents. Tests were conducted in parallel by two internationally accredited laboratories using standardized protocols and reagents. We show that alloantibody concentration, subclass, laboratory-specific detection devices, subclass-specific detection reagents all contribute to a significant degree of variation in the readout. We report a significant prozone effect affecting HLA alleles that are bound strongly by the test alloantibody as opposed to those bound weakly and this phenomenon is independent of complement. These data highlight the importance for establishing international standards for SAB assay calibration and have significant implications for our understanding of discordance in previous studies that have analyzed its clinical relevance.
NKCC-1 mediated Cl− uptake in immature CA3 pyramidal neurons is sufficient to compensate phasic GABAergic inputs
Authors: Kolbaev Sergey N. , Mohapatra Namrata , Chen Rongqing , Lombardi Aniello , Staiger Jochen F. , Luhmann Heiko J. , Jedlicka Peter , Kilb Werner 
Published: October 2020

AbstractActivation of GABAAreceptors causes in immature neurons a functionally relevant decrease in the intracellular Cl−concentration ([Cl−]i), a process termed ionic plasticity. Amount and duration of ionic plasticity depends on kinetic properties of [Cl−]ihomeostasis. In order to characterize the capacity of Cl−accumulation and to quantify the effect of persistent GABAergic activity on [Cl−]i, we performed gramicidin-perforated patch-clamp recordings from CA3 pyramidal neurons of immature (postnatal day 4–7) rat hippocampal slices. These experiments revealed that inhibition of NKCC1 decreased [Cl−]itoward passive distribution with a time constant of 381 s. In contrast, active Cl− accumulation occurred with a time constant of 155 s, corresponding to a rate of 15.4 µM/s. Inhibition of phasic GABAergic activity had no significant effect on steady state [Cl−]i. Inhibition of tonic GABAergic currents induced a significant [Cl−]iincrease by 1.6 mM, while activation of tonic extrasynaptic GABAAreceptors with THIP significantly reduced [Cl−]i.. Simulations of neuronal [Cl−]ihomeostasis supported the observation, that basal levels of synaptic GABAergic activation do not affect [Cl−]i. In summary, these results indicate that active Cl−-uptake in immature hippocampal neurons is sufficient to maintain stable [Cl−]iat basal levels of phasic and to some extent also to compensate tonic GABAergic activity.
Temperature dependence of the dielectric function and critical points of α-SnS from 27 to 350 K
Authors: Nguyen Hoang Tung , Le Van Long , Nguyen Thi Minh Hai , Kim Tae Jung , Nguyen Xuan Au , Kim Bogyu , Kim Kyujin , Lee Wonjun , Cho Sunglae , Kim Young Dong 
Published: October 2020

AbstractWe report the temperature dependence of the dielectric function ε = ε1 + iε2 and critical point (CP) energies of biaxial α-SnS in the spectral energy region from 0.74 to 6.42 eV and temperatures from 27 to 350 K using spectroscopic ellipsometry. Bulk SnS was grown by temperature gradient method. Dielectric response functions were obtained using multilayer calculations to remove artifacts due to surface roughness. We observe sharpening and blue-shifting of CPs with decreasing temperature. A strong exciton effect is detected only in the armchair direction at low temperature. New CPs are observed at low temperature that cannot be detected at room temperature. The temperature dependences of the CP energies were determined by fitting the data to the phenomenological expression that contains the Bose–Einstein statistical factor and the temperature coefficient for describing the electron–phonon interaction.
Towards isolated attosecond electron bunches using ultrashort-pulse laser-solid interactions
Authors: Lin Jinpu , Batson Thomas , Nees John , Thomas Alexander G. R. , Krushelnick Karl 
Published: October 2020

AbstractWe investigate MeV-level attosecond electron bunches from ultrashort-pulse laser-solid interactions through similarities between experimental and simulated electron energy spectra. We show measurements of the bunch duration and temporal structure from particle-in-cell simulations. The experimental observation of such bunches favors specular reflection direction when focusing the laser pulse onto a subwavelength boundary of thick overdense plasmas at grazing incidence. Particle-in-cell simulation further reveals that the attosecond duration is a result of ultra-thin ($$\sim $$
∼
tenth of a micron) gaps of zero electromagnetic energy density in the modulated reflected radiation, while the bunching (locally peaked electron concentration) comes from the highly-directional electron angular distribution acquired by the electrons in a grazing incidence setup. To isolate a single electron bunch, we perform simulations using 1-cycle laser pulses and analyze the effect of carrier-envelop phase with particle tracking. The duration of the electron bunch can be further decreased by increasing the laser intensity and the focal spot size, while its direction can be changed by tuning the preplasma density gradient.
Cyclocreatine treatment ameliorates the cognitive, autistic and epileptic phenotype in a mouse model of Creatine Transporter Deficiency
Authors: Cacciante Francesco , Gennaro Mariangela , Sagona Giulia , Mazziotti Raffaele , Lupori Leonardo , Cerri Elisa , Putignano Elena , Butt Mark , Do Minh-Ha T. , McKew John C. , Alessandrì Maria Grazia , Battini Roberta , Cioni Giovanni , Pizzorusso Tommaso , Baroncelli Laura 
Published: October 2020

AbstractCreatine Transporter Deficiency (CTD) is an inborn error of metabolism presenting with intellectual disability, behavioral disturbances and epilepsy. There is currently no cure for this disorder. Here, we employed novel biomarkers for monitoring brain function, together with well-established behavioral readouts for CTD mice, to longitudinally study the therapeutic efficacy of cyclocreatine (cCr) at the preclinical level. Our results show that cCr treatment is able to partially correct hemodynamic responses and EEG abnormalities, improve cognitive deficits, revert autistic-like behaviors and protect against seizures. This study provides encouraging data to support the potential therapeutic benefit of cyclocreatine or other chemically modified lipophilic analogs of Cr.
Quasi-spectral characterization of intracellular regions in bright-field light microscopy images
Authors: Lonhus Kirill , Rychtáriková Renata , Platonova Ganna , Štys Dalibor 
Published: October 2020

AbstractInvestigation of cell structure is hardly imaginable without bright-field microscopy. Numerous modifications such as depth-wise scanning or videoenhancement make this method being state-of-the-art. This raises a question what maximal information can be extracted from ordinary (but well acquired) bright-field images in a model-free way. Here we introduce a method of a physically correct extraction of features for each pixel when these features resemble a transparency spectrum. The method is compatible with existent ordinary bright-field microscopes and requires mathematically sophisticated data processing. Unsupervised clustering of the spectra yields reasonable semantic segmentation of unstained living cells without any a priori information about their structures. Despite the lack of reference data (to prove strictly that the proposed feature vectors coincide with transparency), we believe that this method is the right approach to an intracellular (semi)quantitative and qualitative chemical analysis.
Untreated sewage outfalls do not promote Trichodesmium blooms in the coasts of the Canary Islands
Authors: Benavides Mar , Arístegui Javier 
Published: October 2020

AbstractDuring the summer of 2017, recurrent extensive blooms of the diazotrophic cyanobacterium Trichodesmium invaded the beaches and coastal waters of the Canary Islands, causing great social alarm. Some local media and public sectors ascribed, without any strong scientific evidence, the origin and reactivation of these blooms to untreated sewage outfalls distributed along the coasts. In order to test whether sewage outfalls could have any influence on the metabolic activity of Trichodesmium, we performed 13C and 15N2 uptake experiments with colonies experiencing three different bloom development stages, incubated both with clear seawater and sewage water from an outfall south of Gran Canaria island. Our results showed that sewage outfalls did not promote any increase in dinitrogen (N2) fixation in Trichodesmium, supporting the hypothesis that decaying blooms were generated offshore and transported shoreward by local currents and winds, accumulating mostly leeward of the islands. The combination of unusually warm seawater temperatures, enhanced and sustained stratification of the upper water column and recurrent dust deposition events would have favored the development of the Trichodesmium blooms, which lasted for at least four months.
Pollination and fruit infestation under artificial light at night:light colour matters
Authors: Boom Michiel P. , Spoelstra Kamiel , Biere Arjen , Knop Eva , Visser Marcel E. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractRapid human population growth and associated urbanization lead to increased artificial illumination of the environment. By changing the natural light–dark cycle, artificial lighting can affect the functioning of natural ecosystems. Many plants rely on insects in order to reproduce but these insects are known to be disturbed by artificial light. Therefore, plant–insect interactions may be affected when exposed to artificial illumination. These effects can potentially be reduced by using different light spectra than white light. We studied the effect of artificial lighting on plant–insect interactions in the Silene latifolia–Hadena bicruris system using a field set-up with four different light treatments: red, green, white and a dark control. We compared the proportion of fertilized flowers and fertilized ovules as well as the infestation of fruits by Hadena bicruris, a pollinating seed predator. We found no difference in the proportion of fertilized flowers among the treatments. The proportion of fruits infested by H. bicruris was however significantly higher under green and white light and a significantly lower proportion of fertilized ovules was found under green light. We show that artificial light with different colours impacts plant–insect interactions differently, with direct consequences for plant fitness.