bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Distinct lung microbiota associate with HIV-associated chronic lung disease in children
Authors: Bhadriraju Sudha , Fadrosh Douglas W. , Shenoy Meera K. , Lin Din L. , Lynch Kole V. , McCauley Kathryn , Ferrand Rashida A. , Majonga Edith D. , McHugh Grace , Huang Laurence , Lynch Susan V. , Metcalfe John Z. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractChronic lung disease (CLD) is a common co-morbidity for HIV-positive children and adolescents on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa. In this population, distinct airway microbiota may differentially confer risk of CLD. In a cross-sectional study of 202 HIV-infected children aged 6–16 years in Harare, Zimbabwe, we determined the association of sputum microbiota composition (using 16S ribosomal RNA V4 gene region sequencing) with CLD defined using clinical, spirometric, or radiographic criteria. Forty-two percent of children were determined to have CLD according to our definition. Dirichlet multinomial mixtures identified four compositionally distinct sputum microbiota structures. Patients whose sputum microbiota was dominated by Haemophilus, Moraxella or Neisseria (HMN) were at 1.5 times higher risk of CLD than those with Streptococcus or Prevotella (SP)-dominated microbiota (RR = 1.48, p = 0.035). Cell-free products of HMN sputum microbiota induced features of epithelial disruption and inflammatory gene expression in vitro, indicating enhanced pathogenic potential of these CLD-associated microbiota. Thus, HIV-positive children harbor distinct sputum microbiota, with those dominated by Haemophilus, Moraxella or Neisseria associated with enhanced pathogenesis in vitro and clinical CLD.
Association of mprF mutations with cross-resistance to daptomycin and vancomycin in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Authors: Thitiananpakorn Kanate , Aiba Yoshifumi , Tan Xin-Ee , Watanabe Shinya , Kiga Kotaro , Sato’o Yusuke , Boonsiri Tanit , Li Feng-Yu , Sasahara Teppei , Taki Yusuke , Azam Aa Haeruman , Zhang Yuancheng , Cui Longzhu 
Published: September 2020

AbstractWe first reported a phenomenon of cross-resistance to vancomycin (VCM) and daptomycin (DAP) in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in 2006, but mechanisms underlying the cross-resistance remain incompletely understood. Here, we present a follow-up study aimed to investigate genetic determinants associated with the cross-resistance. Using 12 sets of paired DAP susceptible (DAPS) and DAP non-susceptible (DAPR) MRSA isolates from 12 patients who had DAP therapy, we (i) assessed susceptibility to DAP and VCM, (ii) compared whole-genome sequences, (iii) identified mutations associated with cross-resistance to DAP and VCM, and (iv) investigated the impact of altered gene expression and metabolic pathway relevant to the cross-resistance. We found that all 12 DAPR strains exhibiting cross-resistance to DAP and VCM carried mutations in mprF, while one DAPR strain with reduced susceptibility to only DAP carried a lacF mutation. On the other hand, among the 32 vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) strains isolated from patients treated with VCM, five out of the 18 strains showing cross-resistance to DAP and VCM carried a mprF mutation, while 14 strains resistant to only VCM had no mprF mutation. Moreover, substitution of mprF in a DAPS strain with mutated mprF resulted in cross-resistance and vice versa. The elevated lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol (L-PG) production, increased positive bacterial surface charges and activated cell wall (CW) synthetic pathways were commonly found in both clinical isolates and laboratory-developed mutants that carry mprF mutations. We conclude that mprF mutation is responsible for the cross-resistance of MRSA to DAP and VCM, and treatment with DAP is more likely to select for mprF-mediated cross-resistance than is with VCM.
Photovoltaic and flexible deep ultraviolet wavelength detector based on novel β-Ga2O3/muscovite heteroepitaxy
Authors: Tak Bhera Ram , Yang Ming-Min , Lai Yu-Hong , Chu Ying-Hao , Alexe Marin , Singh Rajendra 
Published: September 2020

AbstractFlexible and self-powered deep ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors are pivotal for next-generation electronic skins to enrich human life quality. The fabrication of epitaxial β-Ga2O3thin films is challenging on flexible substrates due to high-temperature growth requirements. Herein, β-Ga2O3($$\stackrel{-}{2}$$2-0 1) films are hetero-epitaxially grown on ultra-thin and environment-friendly muscovite mica which is the first time β-Ga2O3epitaxy growth on any flexible substrate. Integration of Gallium oxide with muscovite enables high-temperature processing as well as excellent flexibility compared to polymer substrates. Additionally, the metal–semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetector on β-Ga2O3layer shows an ultra-low dark current of 800 fA at zero bias. The photovoltaic peak responsivity of 11.6 µA/W is obtained corresponding to very weak illumination of 75 μW/cm2of 265 nm wavelength. Thermally stimulated current (TSC) measurements are employed to investigate the optically active trap states. Among these traps, trap with an activation energy of 166 meV dominates the persistence photocurrent in the devices. Finally, photovoltaic detectors have shown excellent photocurrent stability under bending induced stress up to 0.32%. Hence, this novel heteroepitaxy opens the new way for flexible deep UV photodetectors.
Comparing blood pressure measurements between a photoplethysmography-based and a standard cuff-based manometry device
Authors: Nachman Dean , Gepner Yftach , Goldstein Nir , Kabakov Eli , Ishay Arik Ben , Littman Romi , Azmon Yuval , Jaffe Eli , Eisenkraft Arik 
Published: September 2020

AbstractRepeated blood pressure (BP) measurements allow better control of hypertension. Current measurements rely on cuff-based devices. The aim of the present study was to compare BP measurements using a novel cuff-less photoplethysmography-based device to a standard sphygmomanometer device. Males and females were recruited from within the general population who arrived at a public BP screening station. One to two measurements were taken from each using a sphygmomanometer-based and the photoplethysmography-based devices. Devices were considered equal if the mean difference between paired measurements was below 5 mmHg and the Standard Deviation (SD) was no greater than 8 mmHg. Agreement and reliability analyses were also performed. 1057 subjects were included in the study analysis. There were no adverse events during the study. The mean (± SD) difference between paired measurements for all subjects was -0.1 ± 3.6 mmHg for the systolic and 0.0 ± 3.5 mmHg for the diastolic readings. We found 96.31% agreement in identifying hypertension and an Interclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.99 and 0.97 for systolic and diastolic measurements, respectively. The photoplethysmography-based device was found similar to the gold-standard sphygmomanometer-based device with high agreement and reliability levels. The device might enable a reliable, more convenient method for repeated BP monitoring.
Effects of varying the standard deviation of the luminance on the appearance of food, flavour expectations, and taste/flavour perception
Authors: Ueda Junya , Spence Charles , Okajima Katsunori 
Published: September 2020

AbstractWhat we taste is affected by what we see, and that includes the colour, opacity, and shape of the food we consume. We report two experiments designed to investigate how the standard deviation (SD) of the luminance distribution of food images influences the perceived visual texture and the taste/flavour experience by using the latest Augmented Reality (AR) technology. We developed a novel AR system capable of modifying the luminance distribution of foods in real-time using dynamic image processing for simulating actual eating situations. Importantly, this form of dynamic image manipulation does not change the colour on the food (which has been studied extensively previously). Instead, the approach outlined here was used to change the SD of the luminance distribution of the food while keeping the chromaticity, the average luminance, and the skewness constant. We investigated the effects of changing the luminance SD distribution of Baumkuchen (a German baked cake) and tomato ketchup on visual perception, flavour expectations, and the ensuing taste experience. Participants looked at a piece of Baumkuchen (Experiment 1) or a spoonful of tomato ketchup (Experiment 2) having different luminance distributions and evaluated the taste on sampling the food. Manipulating the SD of the luminance distribution affected not only the expected taste/flavour of the food (e.g. expected moistness, wateriness and deliciousness), but also the actual taste properties on sampling the food itself. The novel food modification method and system outlined here can therefore potentially be used to control the taste/flavour of different foods crossmodally by means of modifying their appearance properties (specifically the SD of the luminance distribution while keeping other aspects of image statistics constant), and can do so in real time, without the need for food markers.
Liver and spleen elastography of dogs affected by brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome and its correlation with clinical biomarkers
Authors: Facin Andréia Coutinho , Uscategui Ricardo Andres Ramirez , Maronezi Marjury Cristina , Pavan Letícia , Menezes Mareliza Possa , Montanhim Gabriel Luiz , Camacho Aparecido Antonio , Feliciano Marcus Antônio Rossi , Moraes Paola Castro 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to determine whether the brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) is correlated to alterations in liver and spleen elasticity. Forty-eight brachycephalic and 22 mesocephalic dogs were submitted to a BOAS functional assessment, laboratory tests, abdominal ultrasound and liver and spleen Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography. Dogs clinically affected by BOAS had higher values of liver stiffness (p < 0.001) than healthy dogs: medial lobes (1.57 ± 0.37 m/s), left and right lateral lobes (1.54 ± 0.50 m/s, 1.23 ± 0.28 m/s, respectively) and caudate lobe (1.28 ± 0.42 m/s). Compared to the mesocephalic group, the brachycephalic group (BOAS clinically affected and unaffected dogs) had higher spleen (2.51 ± 0.45 m/s; p < 0.001) and liver stiffness (p < 0.001): medial lobes (1.53 ± 0.37 m/s), left and right lateral lobes (1.47 ± 0.47 m/s, 1.20 ± 0.30 m/s, respectively) and caudate lobe (1.23 ± 0.40 m/s). Principal component analysis explained 70% of the variances composed by liver stiffness increase, erythrocytes and alanine aminotransferase reduction. Brachycephalic dogs had higher spleen and liver stiffness and a subacute inflammatory state, which represent another BOAS systemic effect. Consequently, these dogs can be at higher risk of hepatic disorders compared with mesocephalic dogs, similarly to humans affected by sleep apnea syndrome.
Rajyoga meditation induces grey matter volume changes in regions that process reward and happiness
Authors: Babu M. G. Ramesh , Kadavigere Rajagopal , Koteshwara Prakashini , Sathian Brijesh , Rai Kiranmai S. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractStudies provide evidence that practicing meditation enhances neural plasticity in reward processing areas of brain. No studies till date, provide evidence of such changes in Rajyoga meditation (RM) practitioners. The present study aimed to identify grey matter volume (GMV) changes in reward processing areas of brain and its association with happiness scores in RM practitioners compared to non-meditators. Structural MRI of selected participants matched for age, gender and handedness (n = 40/group) were analyzed using voxel-based morphometric method and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) scores were correlated. Significant increase in OHQ happiness scores were observed in RM practitioners compared to non-meditators. Whereas, a trend towards significance was observed in more experienced RM practitioners, on correlating OHQ scores with hours of meditation experience. Additionally, in RM practitioners, higher GMV were observed in reward processing centers—right superior frontal gyrus, left inferior orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and bilateral precuneus. Multiple regression analysis showed significant association between OHQ scores of RM practitioners and reward processing regions right superior frontal gyrus, left middle OFC, right insula and left anterior cingulate cortex. Further, with increasing hours of RM practice, a significant positive association was observed in bilateral ventral pallidum. These findings indicate that RM practice enhances GMV in reward processing regions associated with happiness.
Azure-winged magpies’ decisions to share food are contingent on the presence or absence of food for the recipient
Authors: Massen Jorg J. M. , Haley Sofia M. , Bugnyar Thomas 
Published: September 2020

AbstractHelping others is a key feature of human behavior. However, recent studies render this feature not uniquely human, and describe discoveries of prosocial behavior in non-human primates, other social mammals, and most recently in some bird species. Nevertheless, the cognitive underpinnings of this prosociality; i.e., whether animals take others’ need for help into account, often remain obscured. In this study, we take a first step in investigating prosociality in azure-winged magpies by presenting them with the opportunity to share highly desired food with their conspecifics i) in a situation in which these conspecifics had no such food, ii) in a situation in which they too had access to that highly desired food, and iii) in an open, base-line, situation where all had equal access to the same food and could move around freely. We find that azure-winged magpies regularly share high-value food items, preferably with, but not restricted to, members of the opposite sex. Most notably, we find that these birds, and specifically the females, seem to differentiate between whether others have food or do not have food, and subsequently cater to that lack. Begging calls by those without food seem to function as cues that elicit the food-sharing, but the response to that begging is condition-dependent. Moreover, analyses on a restricted dataset that excluded those events in which there was begging showed exactly the same patterns, raising the possibility that the azure-winged magpies might truly notice when others have access to fewer resources (even in the absence of vocal cues). This sharing behavior could indicate a high level of social awareness and prosociality that should be further investigated. Further studies are needed to establish the order of intentionality at play in this system, and whether azure-winged magpies might be able to attribute desire states to their conspecifics.
Regulatory gene function handoff allows essential gene loss in mosquitoes
Authors: Cheatle Jarvela Alys M. , Trelstad Catherine S. , Pick Leslie 
Published: September 2020

AbstractRegulatory genes are often multifunctional and constrained, which results in evolutionary conservation. It is difficult to understand how a regulatory gene could be lost from one species’ genome when it is essential for viability in closely related species. The genepairedis a classicDrosophilapair-rule gene, required for formation of alternate body segments in diverse insect species. Surprisingly,pairedwas lost in mosquitoes without disrupting body patterning. Here, we demonstrate that apairedfamily member,gooseberry, has acquiredpaired-like expression in the malaria mosquitoAnopheles stephensi.Anopheles-gooseberryCRISPR-Cas9 knock-out mutants display pair-rule phenotypes and alteration of target gene expression similar to what is seen inDrosophilaand beetlepairedmutants. Thus,pairedwas functionally replaced by the related gene,gooseberry, in mosquitoes. Our findings document a rare example of a functional replacement of an essential regulatory gene and provide a mechanistic explanation of how such loss can occur.
Micromanipulation of prophase I chromosomes from mouse spermatocytes reveals high stiffness and gel-like chromatin organization
Authors: Biggs Ronald J. , Liu Ning , Peng Yiheng , Marko John F. , Qiao Huanyu 
Published: September 2020

AbstractMeiosis produces four haploid cells after two successive divisions in sexually reproducing organisms. A critical event during meiosis is construction of the synaptonemal complex (SC), a large, protein-based bridge that physically links homologous chromosomes. The SC facilitates meiotic recombination, chromosome compaction, and the eventual separation of homologous chromosomes at metaphase I. We present experiments directly measuring physical properties of captured mammalian meiotic prophase I chromosomes. Mouse meiotic chromosomes are about ten-fold stiffer than somatic mitotic chromosomes, even for genetic mutants lacking SYCP1, the central element of the SC. Meiotic chromosomes dissolve when treated with nucleases, but only weaken when treated with proteases, suggesting that the SC is not rigidly connected, and that meiotic prophase I chromosomes are a gel meshwork of chromatin, similar to mitotic chromosomes. These results are consistent with a liquid- or liquid-crystal SC, but with SC-chromatin stiff enough to mechanically drive crossover interference.
Comprehensive genetic analysis of pediatric germ cell tumors identifies potential drug targets
Authors: Kubota Yasuo , Seki Masafumi , Kawai Tomoko , Isobe Tomoya , Yoshida Misa , Sekiguchi Masahiro , Kimura Shunsuke , Watanabe Kentaro , Sato-Otsubo Aiko , Yoshida Kenichi , Suzuki Hiromichi , Kataoka Keisuke , Fujii Yoichi , Shiraishi Yuichi , Chiba Kenichi , Tanaka Hiroko , Hiwatari Mitsuteru , Oka Akira , Hayashi Yasuhide , Miyano Satoru , Ogawa Seishi , Hata Kenichiro , Tanaka Yukichi , Takita Junko 
Published: September 2020

AbstractTo elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of pediatric germ cell tumors (GCTs), we performed DNA methylation array analysis, whole transcriptome sequencing, targeted capture sequencing, and single-nucleotide polymorphism array analysis using 51 GCT samples (25 female, 26 male), including 6 germinomas, 2 embryonal carcinomas, 4 immature teratomas, 3 mature teratomas, 30 yolk sac tumors, and 6 mixed germ cell tumors. Among the 51 samples, 11 were from infants, 23 were from young children, and 17 were from those aged ≥10 years. Sixteen of the 51 samples developed in the extragonadal regions. Germinomas showed upregulation of pluripotent genes and global hypomethylation. Pluripotent genes were also highly expressed in embryonal carcinomas. These genes may play essential roles in embryonal carcinomas given that their binding sites are hypomethylated. Yolk sac tumors exhibited overexpression of endodermal genes, such as GATA6 and FOXA2, the binding sites of which were hypomethylated. Interestingly, infant yolk sac tumors had different DNA methylation patterns from those observed in older children. Teratomas had higher expression of ectodermal genes, suggesting a tridermal nature. Based on our results, we suggest that KIT, TNFRSF8, and ERBB4 may be suitable targets for the treatment of germinoma, embryonal carcinomas, and yolk sac tumors, respectively.
Toward short-lived and energy-dependent fission product yields from neutron-induced fission
Authors: Tonchev Anton P , Silano Jack A , Hagmann Chris , Henderson Roger , Stoyer Mark A , Gooden Matthew , Bredeweg Todd , Wilhelmy Jerry , Tornow Werner , Howell Calwin , Finch Sean , Krishichayan FNU 
Published: September 2020

Fission product yields (FPYs) are an important source of information that are used for basic and applied physics. They are essential observables to address questions relevant to nucleosynthesis in the cosmos that created the elements from iron to uranium, for example, in energy generating processes from fission recycling in binary neutron star mergers; resolving the reactor neutrino anomaly; decay heat release in nuclear reactors; and many national security applications. While new applications will require accurate energy-dependent FPY data over a broad set of incident neutron energies, the current evaluated FPY data files contain only three energy points: thermal, fast, and 14-MeV incident energies.Recent measurements using mono-energetic and pulsed neutron beams at the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) tandem accelerator and employing a dual fission ionization chambers setup have produced self-consistent, high-precision data critical for testing fission models for the neutron-induced fission of the major actinide nuclei. This paper will present new campaign just beginning utilizing a RApid Belt-driven Irradiated Target Transfer System (RABITTS) to measure shorter-lived fission products and the time dependence of fission yields, expanding the measurements from cumulative towards independent fission yields.
Trends on major actinides from an integral data assimilation
Authors: Rimpault Gerald , Noguère Gilles , de Saint Jean Cyrille 
Published: September 2020

The objective of this work is to revisit integral data assimilation for a better prediction of the characteristics of SFR cores.
ICSBEP, IRPhE and MASURCA critical masses, PROFIL irradiation experiments and the FCA-IX experimental programme (critical masses and spectral indices) with well-mastered experimental technique have been used. As calculations are performed without modelling errors (with as-built geometries) and without approximations with the TRIPOLI4 MC code, highly reliable C/E are achieved.
Assimilation results suggest a 2.5% decrease for 238U capture from 3 keV to 60 keV, and a 4-5% decrease for 238U inelastic in the plateau region. For this energy range, uncertainties are respectively reduced to 1-2% and to 2-2.5% for 238U capture and 238U inelastic respectively.
The increase trends on 239Pu capture cross section of around 3% in the [2 keV-100 keV] energy range come from a low PROFIL 240Pu/239Pu ratio C/E. For 240Pu capture cross section, the increase trend of around 4% in the [3 keV-100 keV] energy range goes in the same direction as the recent ENDF/B.VIII evaluation though at a much lower level.
The nuclear data uncertainty associated to SFR ASTRID critical mass is reduced to 470 pcm.