bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Long‐term biological variability and the generation of a new reference interval for plasma N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide in Labrador retrievers
Authors: Gomart S. , Allaway D. , Harrison M. , Dickson D. , Seo J. , Ferasin L. , Payne J. R. , Hezzell M. J. , Borgeat K. 
Published: April 2020

ObjectivesFirst, to investigate the biological variability of N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) in healthy Labrador retrievers and compare this with current laboratory recommendations for dilated cardiomyopathy screening. Second, to calculate a breed‐specific reference interval and validate it in a retrospective cohort.Materials and MethodsPlasma NT‐proBNP was measured in 51 clinically healthy Labrador retrievers at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks. Coefficient of variation for individual dogs over time, the coefficient of variation for the group at each time point and the index of individuality were calculated. A reference interval was derived and tested on a clinical dataset available from four UK cardiology referral centres.ResultsMedian NT‐proBNP was 865 pmol/L (315 to 2064 pmol/L). Mean individual coefficient of variation was 19% (95% CI: 16 to 21%) and group coefficient of variation was 43% (95% CI: 41 to 46%), with index of individuality at 0.44. The breed‐specific reference interval was 275 to 2100 pmol/L. In the validation group, 93% of NT‐proBNP measurements from healthy dogs were within the reference interval. NT‐proBNP measurements exceeded the reference interval in 82% of dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy. The upper bound of the reference interval (2100 pmol/L) had a positive predictive value of 90% and a negative predictive value of 87% for identification of dilated cardiomyopathy in this population.Clinical SignificanceBreed‐specific reference intervals might improve the diagnostic accuracy of NT‐proBNP measurement. Applying the currently recommended general cut‐off value to Labradors is likely to result in frequent false positives and diagnosis would be improved by application of the new breed‐specific reference interval calculated here.
Acute sleep deprivation elevates brain and body temperature in rats
Authors: Vishwakarma Lal Chandra , Sharma Binney , Singh Vishwajeet , Jaryal Ashok Kumar , Mallick Hruda Nanda 
Published: April 2020

AbstractAvailable sleep deprivation studies lack data on simultaneous changes in hypothalamic, cortical and body temperature during sleep deprivation and recovery. Ten adult male Wistar rats chronically implanted with electroencephalogram, electro‐oculogram and electromyogram electrodes for recording sleep were used in this study. Hypothalamic and cortical temperatures were measured by pre‐implanted thermocouples. A radio transmitter (TA10TAF‐40, DSI USA) was implanted intraperitoneally to measure body temperature. All the temperatures were measured simultaneously at 15‐s intervals during baseline conditions, sleep deprivation and recovery sleep. Sleep deprivation was carried out for 24 hr by the gentle handling method; however, sleep and temperature were only recorded during the first 12 hr of deprivation. During sleep deprivation the body, hypothalamic and cortical temperatures increased significantly as compared to baseline. During recovery sleep, body and cortical temperature recovered earlier than the hypothalamic temperature. Hypothalamic temperature remained higher than the baseline values throughout 12 hr of recovery sleep. In the recovery sleep, cortical temperature decreased immediately and reached near baseline by 4 hr. We observed a quicker return of cortical temperature towards control temperature during recovery sleep compared with hypothalamic and body temperature. The results of the present study show that acute sleep deprivation results in a rise in both cortical and hypothalamic temperature, along with body temperature. A rise in cortical temperature may be a contributing factor for cognitive dysfunction resulting from sleep deprivation.
Acute effects of vagus nerve stimulation parameters on gastric motility assessed with magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Lu Kun‐Han , Cao Jiayue , Phillips Robert , Powley Terry L. , Liu Zhongming 
Published: April 2020

AbstractBackgroundVagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an emerging bioelectronic therapy for regulating food intake and controlling gastric motility. However, the effects of different VNS parameters and polarity on postprandial gastric motility remain incompletely characterized.MethodsIn anesthetized rats (N = 3), we applied monophasic electrical stimuli to the left cervical vagus and recorded compound nerve action potential (CNAP) as a measure of nerve response. We evaluated to what extent afferent or efferent pathway could be selectively activated by monophasic VNS. In a different group of rats (N = 13), we fed each rat a gadolinium‐labeled meal and scanned the rat stomach with oral contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) while the rat was anesthetized. We evaluated the antral and pyloric motility as a function of pulse amplitude (0.13, 0.25, 0.5, 1 mA), width (0.13, 0.25, 0.5 ms), frequency (5, 10 Hz), and polarity of VNS.Key ResultsMonophasic VNS activated efferent and afferent pathways with about 67% and 82% selectivity, respectively. Primarily afferent VNS increased antral motility across a wide range of parameters. Primarily efferent VNS induced a significant decrease in antral motility as the stimulus intensity increased (R = −.93, P < .05 for 5 Hz, R = −.85, P < .05 for 10 Hz). The VNS with either polarity tended to promote pyloric motility to a greater extent given increasing stimulus intensity.Conclusions and InferencesMonophasic VNS biased toward the afferent pathway is potentially more effective for facilitating occlusive contractions than that biased toward the efferent pathway.
Plant small heat shock proteins – evolutionary and functional diversity
Authors: Waters Elizabeth R. , Vierling Elizabeth 
Published: April 2020

SummarySmall heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are an ubiquitous protein family found in archaea, bacteria and eukaryotes. In plants, as in other organisms, sHSPs are upregulated by stress and are proposed to act as molecular chaperones to protect other proteins from stress‐induced damage. sHSPs share an ‘α‐crystallin domain’ with a β‐sandwich structure and a diverse N‐terminal domain. Although sHSPs are 12–25 kDa polypeptides, most assemble into oligomers with ≥ 12 subunits. Plant sHSPs are particularly diverse and numerous; some species have as many as 40 sHSPs. In angiosperms this diversity comprises ≥ 11 sHSP classes encoding proteins targeted to the cytosol, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, chloroplasts, mitochondria and peroxisomes. The sHSPs underwent a lineage‐specific gene expansion, diversifying early in land plant evolution, potentially in response to stress in the terrestrial environment, and expanded again in seed plants and again in angiosperms. Understanding the structure and evolution of plant sHSPs has progressed, and a model for their chaperone activity has been proposed. However, how the chaperone model applies to diverse sHSPs and what processes sHSPs protect are far from understood. As more plant genomes and transcriptomes become available, it will be possible to explore theories of the evolutionary pressures driving sHSP diversification.
Experimental assessment of tree canopy and leaf litter controls on the microbiome and nitrogen fixation rates of two boreal mosses
Authors: Jean Mélanie , Holland‐Moritz Hannah , Melvin April M. , Johnstone Jill F. , Mack Michelle C. 
Published: April 2020

Summary

Nitrogen (N2)‐fixing moss microbial communities play key roles in nitrogen cycling of boreal forests. Forest type and leaf litter inputs regulate moss abundance, but how they control moss microbiomes and N2‐fixation remains understudied. We examined the impacts of forest type and broadleaf litter on microbial community composition and N2‐fixation rates of Hylocomium splendens and Pleurozium schreberi.

We conducted a moss transplant and leaf litter manipulation experiment at three sites with paired paper birch (Betula neoalaskana) and black spruce (Picea mariana) stands in Alaska. We characterized bacterial communities using marker gene sequencing, determined N2‐fixation rates using stable isotopes (15N2) and measured environmental covariates.

Mosses native to and transplanted into spruce stands supported generally higher N2‐fixation and distinct microbial communities compared to similar treatments in birch stands. High leaf litter inputs shifted microbial community composition for both moss species and reduced N2‐fixation rates for H. splendens, which had the highest rates. N2‐fixation was positively associated with several bacterial taxa, including cyanobacteria.

The moss microbiome and environmental conditions controlled N2‐fixation at the stand and transplant scales. Predicted shifts from spruce‐ to deciduous‐dominated stands will interact with the relative abundances of mosses supporting different microbiomes and N2‐fixation rates, which could affect stand‐level N inputs.
Optimization of the classical oral cancerization protocol in hamster to study oral cancer therapy
Authors: Santa Cruz Iara S. , Garabalino Marcela A. , Trivillin Verónica A. , Itoiz María E. , Pozzi Emiliano C. C. , Thorp Silvia , Curotto Paula , Guidobono Juan S. , Heber Elisa M. , Nigg David W. , Schwint Amanda E. , Monti Hughes Andrea 
Published: April 2020

AbstractObjective(s)The hamster carcinogenesis model recapitulates oral oncogenesis. Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) cancerization induces early severe mucositis, affecting animal's welfare and causing tissue loss and pouch shortening. “Short” pouches cannot be everted for local irradiation for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Our aim was to optimize the DMBA classical cancerization protocol to avoid severe mucositis, without affecting tumor development. We evaluated BNCT in animals cancerized with this novel protocol.Materials and methodsWe studied: Classical cancerization protocol (24 applications) and Classical with two interruptions (completed at the end of the cancerization protocol). BNCT mediated by boronophenylalanine (BPA) was performed in both groups.ResultsThe twice‐interrupted group exhibited a significantly lower percentage of animals with severe mucositis versus the non‐interrupted group (17% versus 71%) and a significantly higher incidence of long pouches (100% versus 53%). Tumor development and the histologic characteristics of tumor and precancerous tissue were not affected by the interruptions. For both groups, overall tumor response was more than 80%, with a similar incidence of BNCT‐induced severe mucositis.Conclusion(s)The twice‐interrupted protocol reduced severe mucositis during cancerization without affecting tumor development. This favored the animal's welfare and reduced the number of animals to be cancerized for our studies, without affecting BNCT response.
Management of infantile hemangiomas during the COVID pandemic
Authors: Frieden Ilona J. , Püttgen Katherine B. , Drolet Beth A. , Garzon Maria C. , Chamlin Sarah L. , Pope Elena , Mancini Anthony J. , Lauren Christine T. , Mathes Erin F. , Siegel Dawn H. , Gupta Deepti , Haggstrom Anita N. , Tollefson Megha M. , Baselga Eulalia , Morel Kimberly D. , Shah Sonal D. , Holland Kristen E. , Adams Denise M. , Horii Kimberly A. , Newell Brandon D. , Powell Julie , McCuaig Catherine C. , Nopper Amy J. , Metry Denise W. , Maguiness Sheilagh ,   For The Hemangioma Investigator Group
Published: April 2020

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic has caused significant shifts in patient care including a steep decline in ambulatory visits and a marked increase in the use of telemedicine. Infantile hemangiomas (IH) can require urgent evaluation and risk stratification to determine which infants need treatment and which can be managed with continued observation. For those requiring treatment, prompt initiation decreases morbidity and improves long‐term outcomes. The Hemangioma Investigator Group has created consensus recommendations for management of IH via telemedicine. FDA/EMA‐approved monitoring guidelines, clinical practice guidelines, and relevant, up‐to‐date publications regarding initiation and monitoring of beta‐blocker therapy were used to inform the recommendations. Clinical decision‐making guidelines about when telehealth is an appropriate alternative to in‐office visits, including medication initiation, dosage changes, and ongoing evaluation, are included. The importance of communication with caregivers in the context of telemedicine is discussed, and online resources for both hemangioma education and propranolol therapy are provided.
The prevalence of HPA‐1a alloimmunization and the potential risk of FNAIT depend on both the DRB3*01:01 allele and associated DR‐DQ haplotypes
Authors: Ahlen Maria Therese , Heide Gøril , Husebekk Anne , Skogen Bjørn , Kjeldsen‐Kragh Jens , Stuge Tor B. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractAlloimmunization against human platelet antigen (HPA)‐1a during pregnancy can cause foetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) and severe bleeding in the foetus or newborn and likely depends on several factors. HPA‐1a alloimmunization is associated with DRB3*01:01, which is associated with several DR‐DQ haplotypes. However, it is not known to what extent these haplotypes contribute to the prevalence of HPA‐1a alloimmunization. HPA‐1a–alloimmunized women, identified in a prospective study, and random donors were typed for selected DRB3, DRB4, DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1 alleles to determine allele and DR‐DQ haplotype frequencies. DRB3*01:01 was carried by 94% HPA‐1a–immunized women compared to 27% in the general population. In the first population, the DR3‐DQ2 haplotype was overrepresented (P < .003). The prevalence of HPA‐1a alloimmunization was estimated to be about twice as frequent with DR3‐DQ2 compared to DR13‐DQ6, together accounting for about 90% of DRB3*01:01–positive individuals. Further, we examined DQB1*02 and DRB4*01:01 alleles for their reported association with HPA‐1a alloimmunization, in the context of DR‐DQ haplotypes. Since ~ 80% of DQB1*02 alleles are linked to the DR3‐DQ2 haplotype, the association might be coincidental. However, the DQB1*02:02–associated DR7‐DQ2 haplotype was also overrepresented in alloimmunized women, suggesting a role for this allele or haplotype in HPA‐1a alloimmunization. As DRB4*01:01 is predominantly associated with the DR7‐DQ2 haplotype in HPA‐1a–alloimmunized individuals, the reported association with FNAIT may be coincidental. Typing for DR‐DQ haplotypes revealed important genetic associations with HPA‐1a alloimmunization not evident from typing individual alleles, and the presence of different DRB3‐associated DR‐DQ haplotypes showed different prevalence of HPA‐1a alloimmunization.
An insight into neonatal unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia from the transfusion medicine perspective
Authors: Routray Suman Sudha , Ray Gopal Krushna , Prakash Satya , Mishra Debasish , Das Pankaj Kumar , Mukherjee Somnath 
Published: April 2020

Unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia is a common cause of morbidity and mortality among neonates in Asian and African countries. The aetiology is multifactorial and has wide range of presentation ranging from simple physiological jaundice to severe HDN requiring prompt intervention to prevent long‐term neurological sequelae. Extensive detection of borderline raised bilirubin level in newborn is debatable as it may lead to inappropriately increased phototherapy and unnecessary increased hospital stay. However, those at risk like early presentation of hyperbilirubinaemia within 48 h, prolonged hyperbilirubinaemia, and family history in siblings or having history of HDN must be screened for immune as well as non‐immune causes to prevent the neonate from further severe form of complications. Along with direct antiglobulin test, elution, antibody screening/identification is performed to evaluate the immune causes. Improvement in the molecular technology leads to prompt diagnosis of non‐immune causes which were previously remained as idiopathic. This will aid in the early management like phototherapy or exchange transfusion as per the indication. This review will basically focus on the aetiopathogenesis of neonatal unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia and approach to immune causes from transfusion medicine prospective.
Vibration attenuates spasm‐like activity in humans with spinal cord injury
Authors: DeForest Bradley A. , Bohorquez Jorge , Perez Monica A. 
Published: April 2020

Key points
Cutaneous reflexes were tested to examine the neuronal mechanisms contributing to muscle spasms in humans with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Specifically, we tested the effect of Achilles and tibialis anterior tendon vibration on the early and late components of the cutaneous reflex and reciprocal Ia inhibition in the soleus and tibialis anterior muscles in humans with chronic SCI.
We found that tendon vibration reduced the amplitude of later but not earlier cutaneous reflex in the antagonist but not in the agonist muscle relative to the location of the vibration. In addition, reciprocal Ia inhibition between antagonist ankle muscles increased with tendon vibration and participants with a larger suppression of the later component of the cutaneous reflex had stronger reciprocal Ia inhibition from the antagonistic muscle.
Our study is the first to provide evidence that tendon vibration attenuates late cutaneous spasm‐like reflex activity, likely via reciprocal inhibitory mechanisms, and may represent a method, when properly targeted, for controlling spasms in humans with SCI.
AbstractThe neuronal mechanisms contributing to the generation of involuntary muscle contractions (spasms) in humans with spinal cord injury (SCI) remain poorly understood. To address this question, we examined the effect of Achilles and tibialis anterior tendon vibration at 20, 40, 80 and 120 Hz on the amplitude of the long‐polysynaptic (LPR, from reflex onset to 500 ms) and long‐lasting (LLR, from 500 ms to reflex offset) cutaneous reflex evoked by medial plantar nerve stimulation in the soleus and tibialis anterior, and reciprocal Ia inhibition between these muscles, in 25 individuals with chronic SCI. We found that Achilles tendon vibration at 40 and 80 Hz, but not other frequencies, reduced the amplitude of the LLR in the tibialis anterior, but not the soleus muscle, without affecting the amplitude of the LPR. Vibratory effects were stronger at 80 than 40 Hz. Similar results were found in the soleus muscle when the tibialis anterior tendon was vibrated. Notably, tendon vibration at 80 Hz increased reciprocal Ia inhibition between antagonistic ankle muscles and vibratory‐induced increases in reciprocal Ia inhibition were correlated with decreases in the LLR, suggesting that participants with a larger suppression of later cutaneous reflex activity had stronger reciprocal Ia inhibition from the antagonistic muscle. Our study is the first to provide evidence that tendon vibration suppresses late spasm‐like activity in antagonist but not agonist muscles, likely via reciprocal inhibitory mechanisms, in humans with chronic SCI. We argue that targeted vibration of antagonistic tendons might help to control spasms after SCI.
Enrichment of Tc1 cells and T cell resistance to suppression are associated with dysglycemia in the visceral fat in human obesity
Authors: Cardellini Sara , Socci Carlo , Bissolati Massimiliano , Pindozzi Fioralba , Giovenzana Anna , Saibene Alessandro , Bosi Emanuele , Battaglia Manuela , Petrelli Alessandra 
Published: April 2020

ObjectiveInsulin resistance, defined as tissue inflammation leading to type 2 diabetes, is a feature of obesity. The immune system has been implicated in its pathogenesis, but the role of adaptive immunity in humans remains uncertain. Here, we aim to determine whether specific phenotypic and functional properties of visceral adipose tissue (VAT)-derived CD4 conventional T cells (Tconv) and CD8 T cells are associated with dysglycemia in human obesity.Research design and methodsPeripheral blood and the stromal vascular fraction of obese patients without dysglycemia (n=23), with impaired fasting glucose or type 2 diabetes (n=17), and non-diabetic lean controls (n=11) were studied. Characterization of memory, activation profile, cytokine production, proliferative capacity, cytotoxic potential and transforming growth factor-β-mediated suppression of CD4 Tconv and CD8 T cells was performed. Correlation between anthropometric/metabolic parameters and VAT-derived T cell subsets was determined.ResultsIn the VAT of the overall obese population, reduced frequency of interferon-γ-producing or tumor necrosis factor-α-producing CD4 (ie, T helper 1, Th1) and CD8 (ie, cytotoxic type 1, Tc1) T cells, as well as interleukin-17-producing CD8 T cells (ie, Tc17), was evident when compared with lean controls. However, enrichment of Tc1 cells, together with the impaired ability of CD4 and CD8 T cells to be suppressed, distinguished the visceral fat of obese patients with dysglycemia from the one of non-diabetic obese patients. Moreover, accumulation of Th1 and Tc1 cells in the VAT correlated with anthropometric and metabolic parameters.ConclusionsHere, we define the VAT-specific characteristics of T cells in human obesity, showing that accumulation of Tc1 cells and T cell resistance to suppression can be harmful to the development of obesity-induced diabetes. These findings open new directions to investigate immunological targets in the obesity setting.
Diabetes mellitus as a risk factor for compression neuropathy: a longitudinal cohort study from southern Sweden
Authors: Rydberg Mattias , Zimmerman Malin , Gottsäter Anders , Nilsson Peter M , Melander Olle , Dahlin Lars B 
Published: April 2020

IntroductionCompression neuropathies (CN) in the upper extremity, the most common being carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and ulnar nerve entrapment (UNE), are frequent among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Earlier studies have shown contradicting results regarding DM as a risk factor for CN. Thus, the aim of the present population-based, longitudinal study was to explore potential associations between DM, CTS, and UNE during long-term follow-up.Research design and methodsA total of 30 466 participants aged 46–73 years, included in the population-based Malmö Diet and Cancer Study during 1991–1996, were followed up in Swedish national registries regarding incident CTS and UNE until 2016. Associations between prevalent DM at baseline and incident CTS or UNE were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models, adjusted for baseline confounders, such as sex, age at study entry, smoking, hypertension, use of antihypertensive treatment, alcohol consumption, and body mass index (BMI). HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose levels had been measured at baseline in a subgroup of 5508 participants and were related to incident CTS and UNE in age and sex-adjusted binary logistic regression models.ResultsA total of 1081 participants developed CTS and 223 participants developed UNE during a median follow-up of 21 years. Participants with incident CTS or UNE had higher prevalence of DM and higher BMI at baseline. Using multivariate Cox regression models, prevalent DM at baseline was independently associated with both incident CTS (HR 2.10; 95% CI 1.65 to 2.70, p<0.0001) and incident UNE (HR 2.20; 95% CI 1.30 to 3.74, p=0.003). Higher levels of HbA1c and plasma glucose were associated with an increased risk for CTS, but not for UNE.ConclusionThis study establishes DM as a major risk factor in the development of both CTS and UNE. Furthermore, a higher BMI is associated with both CTS and UNE. Finally, hyperglycemia seems to affect the median and ulnar nerves differently.