bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Developing a faster way to identify biocontamination in the air of controlled environment rooms with HEPA filters: airborne particle counting
Authors: Figuerola-Tejerina Angels , Hernández-Aceituno Ana , Alemán-Vega Guadalupe , Orille-García César , Ruiz-Álvarez Miguel , Sandoval-Insausti Helena 
Published: February 2020

AbstractOur aim was to assess whether airborne particle counting is an immediate indicator of biocontamination in controlled environment rooms with HEPA filters in a hospital. A prospective study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital between 2016 and 2018. The study was divided in two periods and the measurements were performed in different controlled environment rooms with HEPA filters. The Environmental Biosafety Criterion (EBC) was defined as the absence of fungal and bacterial contamination. In the training period, the area under the ROC curve (aROC) of airborne particle counting and EBC was calculated for each particle size as well as the cut-off points that optimize the combination of sensitivity and specificity in the association between them. aROC is created by plotting sensitivity against 1-specificity. In the testing period, the cut-off points previously selected were validated. 328 measurements were carried out in the training period and 301 in the testing period. In the training period, an association was found between airborne particle counting and EBC. An aROC = 0.760, 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) 0.695–0.825 was observed for 0.3 µm particles; an aROC = 0.797 (95% CI 0.734–0.860) for 0.5 µm particles; and an aROC = 0.751 (95% CI 0.673–0.829) for 5 µm particles. The cut-off points that optimized the combination of sensitivity and specificity were 9.0 × 103 for 0.3 µm particles, 3.6 × 103 particles for 0.5 µm, and 3.2 × 102 particles for 5 µm. In the testing period, the previous cut-off points were validated. We conclude that airborne particle counting is a useful, immediate, and preliminary measure to identify the presence of biocontamination in controlled environment rooms with HEPA filters.
Optimisation of assessment of maximal rate of heart rate increase for tracking training-induced changes in endurance exercise performance
Authors: Nelson Maximillian J. , Bellenger Clint R. , Thomson Rebecca L. , Robertson Eileen Y. , Davison Kade , Olstad Daniela Schäfer , Buckley Jonathan D. 
Published: February 2020

AbstractThe maximal rate of heart rate (HR) increase (rHRI), a marker of HR acceleration during transition from rest to submaximal exercise, correlates with exercise performance. In this cohort study, whether rHRI tracked performance better when evaluated over shorter time-periods which include a greater proportion of HR acceleration and less steady-state HR was evaluated. rHRI and five-km treadmill running time-trial performance (5TTT) were assessed in 15 runners following one week of light training (LT), two weeks of heavy training (HT) and 10-day taper (T). rHRI was the first derivative maximum of a sigmoidal curve fit to one, two, three and four minutes of R-R data during transition from rest to running at 8 km/h (rHRI8 km/h), 10.5 km/h, 13 km/h and transition from 8 to 13 km/h (rHRI8–13km/h). 5TTT time increased from LT to HT (effect size [ES] 1.0, p < 0.001) then decreased from HT to T (ES −1.7, p < 0.001). 5TTT time was inversely related to rHRI8 km/h assessed over two (B = −5.54, p = 0.04) three (B = −5.34, p = 0.04) and four (B = −5.37, p = 0.04) minutes, and rHRI8–13km/h over one (B = −11.62, p = 0.006) and three (B = −11.44, p = 0.03) minutes. 5TTT correlated most consistently with rHRI8 km/h. rHRI8 km/h assessed over two to four minutes may be suitable for evaluating athlete responses to training.
No evidence for after-effects of noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation on motion perception
Authors: Keywan Aram , Badarna Hiba , Jahn Klaus , Wuehr Max 
Published: February 2020

AbstractNoisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS) delivered at imperceptible intensities can improve vestibular function in health and disease. Here we evaluated whether nGVS effects on vestibular function are only present during active stimulation or may exhibit relevant post-stimulation after-effects. Initially, nGVS amplitudes that optimally improve posture were determined in 13 healthy subjects. Subsequently, effects of optimal nGVS amplitudes on vestibular roll-tilt direction recognition thresholds (DRT) were examined during active and sham nGVS. Ten of 13 subjects exhibited reduced DRTs during active nGVS compared to sham stimulation (p < 0.001). These 10 participants were then administered to 30 mins of active nGVS treatment while being allowed to move freely. Immediately post-treatment , DRTs were increased again (p = 0.044), reverting to baseline threshold levels (i.e. were comparable to the sham nGVS thresholds), and remained stable in a follow-up assessment after 30 min. After three weeks, participants returned for a follow-up experiment to control for learning effects, in which DRTs were measured during and immediately after 30 min application of sham nGVS. DRTs during both assessments did not differ from baseline level. These findings indicate that nGVS does not induce distinct post-stimulation effects on vestibular motion perception and favor the development of a wearable technology that continuously delivers nGVS to patients in order to enhance vestibular function.
Blockade of the renin-angiotensin system suppresses hydroxyl radical production in the rat striatum during carbon monoxide poisoning
Authors: Hara Shuichi , Kobayashi Masamune , Kuriiwa Fumi , Mizukami Hajime , Mukai Toshiji 
Published: February 2020

AbstractOxidative stress has been suggested to play a role in brain damage during carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Severe poisoning induced by CO at 3000 ppm, but not 1000 ppm, enhances hydroxyl radical (˙OH) production in the rat striatum, which might be mediated by NADPH oxidase (NOX) activation associated with Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate (Rac) via cAMP signaling pathway activation. CO-induced ˙OH production was suppressed by antagonists of angiotensin II (AngII) type 1 receptor (AT1R) and type 2 receptor (AT2R) but not an antagonist of the Mas receptor. Suppression by an AT1R antagonist was unrelated to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors also suppressed CO-induced ˙OH production. Intrastriatal AngII at high concentrations enhanced ˙OH production. However, the enhancement of ˙OH production was resistant to inhibitors selective for NOX and Rac and to AT1R and AT2R antagonists. This indicates a different mechanism for ˙OH production induced by AngII than for that induced by CO poisoning. AT1R and AT2R antagonists had no significant effects on CO-induced cAMP production or ˙OH production induced by forskolin, which stimulates cAMP production. These findings suggest that the renin-angiotensin system might be involved in CO-induced ˙OH production in a manner independent of cAMP signaling pathways.
Reduced Resting-State Connectivity in the Precuneus is correlated with Apathy in Patients with Schizophrenia
Authors: Forlim Caroline Garcia , Klock Leonie , Bächle Johanna , Stoll Laura , Giemsa Patrick , Fuchs Marie , Schoofs Nikola , Montag Christiane , Gallinat Jürgen , Kühn Simone 
Published: February 2020

AbstractA diagnosis of schizophrenia is associated with a heterogeneous psychopathology including positive and negative symptoms. The disconnection hypothesis, an early pathophysiological framework conceptualizes the diversity of symptoms as a result of disconnections in neural networks. In line with this hypothesis, previous neuroimaging studies of patients with schizophrenia reported alterations within the default mode network (DMN), the most prominent network at rest. The aim of the present study was to investigate the functional connectivity during rest in patients with schizophrenia and with healthy individuals and explore whether observed functional alterations are related to the psychopathology of patients. Therefore, functional magnetic resonance images at rest were recorded of 35 patients with schizophrenia and 41 healthy individuals. Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to extract resting state networks. Comparing ICA results between groups indicated alterations only within the network of the DMN. More explicitly, reduced connectivity in the precuneus was observed in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. Connectivity in this area was negatively correlated with the severity of negative symptoms, more specifically with the domain of apathy. Taken together, the current results provide further evidence for a role DMN alterations might play in schizophrenia and especially in negative symptoms such as apathy.
Conversion of chemical to mechanical energy by the nucleotide binding domains of ABCB1
Authors: Szöllősi Dániel , Chiba Peter , Szakacs Gergely , Stockner Thomas 
Published: February 2020

AbstractP-glycoprotein (ABCB1) is an important component of barrier tissues that extrudes a wide range of chemically unrelated compounds. ABCB1 consists of two transmembrane domains forming the substrate binding and translocation domain, and of two cytoplasmic nucleotide binding domains (NBDs) that provide the energy by binding and hydrolyzing ATP. We analyzed the mechanistic and energetic properties of the NBD dimer via molecular dynamics simulations. We find that MgATP stabilizes the NBD dimer through strong attractive forces by serving as an interaction hub. The irreversible ATP hydrolysis step converts the chemical energy stored in the phosphate bonds of ATP into potential energy. Following ATP hydrolysis, interactions between the NBDs and the ATP hydrolysis products MgADP + Pi remain strong, mainly because Mg2+ forms stabilizing interactions with ADP and Pi. Despite these stabilizing interactions MgADP + Pi are unable to hold the dimer together, which becomes separated by avid interactions of MgADP + Pi with water. ATP binding to the open NBDs and ATP hydrolysis in the closed NBD dimer represent two steps of energy input, each leading to the formation of a high energy state. Relaxation from these high energy states occurs through conformational changes that push ABCB1 through the transport cycle.
Complex Evolutionary History of Mboumar, a Mariner Element Widely Represented in Ant Genomes
Authors: Sanllorente Olivia , Vela Jesús , Mora Pablo , Ruiz-Mena Areli , Torres María Isabel , Lorite Pedro , Palomeque Teresa 
Published: February 2020

AbstractMboumar-9 is an active mariner-transposable element previously isolated in the ant Messor bouvieri. In this work, a mariner-like element, Mboumar, isolated from 22 species of ants, is analyzed. These species belong to nine different subfamilies, including Leptanillinae, the most primitive ant subfamily, and Myrmicinae and Formicidae, the most derived ones. Consequently, Mboumar-like elements seem to be well-represented in ant genomes. The phylogenetic tree drawn for mariner elements is highly inconsistent with the phylogeny of host ants, with almost identical elements found in clearly distant species and, on the contrary, more variable elements in closely related species. The inconsistency between the two phylogenetic trees indicates that these transposable elements have evolved independently from the speciation events of the ants that host them. Besides, we found closer genetic relationships among elements than among their host ants. We also found potential coding copies with an uninterrupted open reading frame of 345 aa in 11 species. The putative transposase codified by them showed a high sequence identity with the active Mboumar-9 transposase. The results of selection tests suggest the intervention of purifying selection in the evolution of these elements. Overall, our study suggests a complex evolutionary history of the Mboumar-like mariner in ants, with important participation of horizontal transfer events. We also suggest that the evolutionary dynamics of Mboumar-like elements can be influenced by the genetic system of their host ants, which are eusocial insects with a haplodiploid genetic system.
Epitaxial Growth and Characterization of AlInN-Based Core-Shell Nanowire Light Emitting Diodes Operating in the Ultraviolet Spectrum
Authors: Velpula Ravi Teja , Jain Barsha , Philip Moab Rajan , Nguyen Hoang Duy , Wang Renjie , Nguyen Hieu Pham Trung 
Published: February 2020

AbstractWe report the demonstration of the first axial AlInN ultraviolet core-shell nanowire light-emitting diodes with highly stable emission in the ultraviolet wavelength range. During epitaxial growth of the AlInN layer, an AlInN shell is spontaneously formed, resulting in reduced nonradiative recombination on the nanowire surface. The AlInN nanowires exhibit a high internal quantum efficiency of ~52% at room temperature for emission at 295 nm. The peak emission wavelength can be varied from 290 nm to 355 nm by changing the growth conditions. Moreover, significantly strong transverse magnetic (TM) polarized emission is recorded, which is ~4 times stronger than the transverse electric (TE) polarized light at 295 nm. This study provides an alternative approach for the fabrication of new types of high-performance ultraviolet light emitters.
Barium Titanate Nanoparticles Sensitise Treatment-Resistant Breast Cancer Cells to the Antitumor Action of Tumour-Treating Fields
Authors: Yoon Yi Na , Lee Dae-Sik , Park Hyung Ju , Kim Jae-Sung 
Published: February 2020

AbstractAlthough tumour-treating fields (TTFields) is a promising physical treatment modality based on disruption of dipole alignments and generation of dielectrophoretic forces during cytokinesis, not much is known about TTFields-responsive sensitisers. Here, we report a novel TTFields-responsive sensitiser, barium titanate nanoparticles (BTNPs), which exhibit cytocompatibility, with non-cytotoxic effects on breast cancer cells. BTNPs are characterised by high dielectric constant values and ferroelectric properties. Notably, we found that BTNPs sensitised TTFields-resistant breast cancer cells in response to TTFields. In addition, BTNPs accumulated in the cytoplasm of cancer cells in response to TTFields. Further, we showed that TTFields combined with BTNPs exhibited antitumor activity by modulating several cancer-related pathways in general, and the cell cycle-related apoptosis pathway in particular. Therefore, our data suggest that BTNPs increase the antitumor action of TTFields by an electric field-responsive cytosolic accumulation, establishing BTNP as a TTFields-responsive sensitiser.
Structure-antioxidant activity relationship of methoxy, phenolic hydroxyl, and carboxylic acid groups of phenolic acids
Authors: Chen Jinxiang , Yang Jing , Ma Lanlan , Li Jun , Shahzad Nasir , Kim Chan Kyung 
Published: February 2020

AbstractThe antioxidant activities of 18 typical phenolic acids were investigated using 2, 2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Five thermodynamic parameters involving hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), single-electron transfer followed by proton transfer (SET-PT), and sequential proton-loss electron transfer (SPLET) mechanisms were calculated using density functional theory with the B3LYP/UB3LYP functional and 6–311++G (d, p) basis set and compared in the phenolic acids. Based on the same substituents on the benzene ring, -CH2COOH and -CH = CHCOOH can enhance the antioxidant activities of phenolic acids, compared with -COOH. Methoxyl (-OCH3) and phenolic hydroxyl (-OH) groups can also promote the antioxidant activities of phenolic acids. These results relate to the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy of the phenolic hydroxyl group in phenolic acids and the values of proton affinity and electron transfer enthalpy (ETE) involved in the electron donation ability of functional groups. In addition, we speculated that HAT, SET-PT, and SPLET mechanisms may occur in the DPPH reaction system. Whereas SPLET was the main reaction mechanism in the FRAP system, because, except for 4-hydroxyphenyl acid, the ETE values of the phenolic acids in water were consistent with the experimental results.
Novel and selective inactivators of Triosephosphate isomerase with anti-trematode activity
Authors: Ferraro Florencia , Corvo Ileana , Bergalli Lucia , Ilarraz Andrea , Cabrera Mauricio , Gil Jorge , Susuki Brian M. , Caffrey Conor R. , Timson David J. , Robert Xavier , Guillon Christophe , Freire Teresa , Álvarez Guzmán 
Published: February 2020

AbstractTrematode infections such as schistosomiasis and fascioliasis cause significant morbidity in an estimated 250 million people worldwide and the associated agricultural losses are estimated at more than US$ 6 billion per year. Current chemotherapy is limited. Triosephosphate isomerase (TIM), an enzyme of the glycolytic pathway, has emerged as a useful drug target in many parasites, includingFasciola hepaticaTIM (FhTIM). We identified 21 novel compounds that selectively inhibit this enzyme. Using microscale thermophoresis we explored the interaction between target and compounds and identified a potent interaction between the sulfonyl-1,2,4-thiadiazole (compound187) andFhTIM, which showed an IC50of 5 µM and a Kdof 66 nM. In only 4 hours, this compound killed the juvenile form ofF. hepaticawith an IC50of 3 µM, better than the reference drug triclabendazole (TCZ). Interestingly, we discoveredin vitroinhibition ofFhTIM by TCZ, with an IC50of 7 µM suggesting a previously uncharacterized role ofFhTIM in the mechanism of action of this drug. Compound187was also active against various developmental stages ofSchistosoma mansoni. The low toxicityin vitroin different cell types and lack of acute toxicity in mice was demonstrated for this compound, as was demonstrated the efficacy of187in vivoinF. hepaticainfected mice. Finally, we obtained the first crystal structure ofFhTIM at 1.9 Å resolution which allows us using docking to suggest a mechanism of interaction between compound187and TIM. In conclusion, we describe a promising drug candidate to control neglected trematode infections in human and animal health.
Sonoelastographic evaluation of plantar fascia after shock wave therapy for recalcitrant plantar fasciitis: A 12-month longitudinal follow-up study
Authors: Wu Chueh-Hung , Lin Yun-Yi , Chen Wen-Shiang , Wang Tyng-Guey 
Published: February 2020

AbstractExtracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is proposed to be effective in reducing pain and improving functional outcome in chronic plantar fasciitis. However, no long-term reports exist on the changes in plantar fascia (PF) elasticity after ESWT. We aimed to evaluate the changes in PF stiffness in patients with plantar fasciitis undergoing ESWT. The visual analogue scale (VAS, 0–100) was used for evaluating heel pain severity. B-mode sonography and strain sonoelastography were used for evaluating the PF thickness and stiffness. The sonoelastogram was analyzed using hue histogram analysis (value: 0–255, from stiffer to softer). All evaluations were recorded before ESWT, and 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after ESWT. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare pain VAS, PF thickness, and PF hue value at different follow-up time-points. Twenty-two participants (8 men, 14 women) completed all measurements for 12 months. The VAS of heel pain, PF thickness, and PF hue values at pre-ESWT, and 1-week, 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month evaluations after ESWT were 62.4 ± 4.2, 49.3 ± 5.8, 38.3 ± 5.7, 27.9 ± 5.3, 18.9 ± 4.7, and 13.2 ± 3.0 (p < 0.01 in all measurements post ESWT versus pre-ESWT); 5.57 ± 0.22 mm, 5.64 ± 0.18 mm, 5.45 ± 0.24 mm, 5.37 ± 0.20 mm, 5.08 ± 0.20 mm, and 4.62 ± 0.15 mm (p < 0.01 at 6-month; otherwise p > 0.05); and 24.5 ± 2.4, 35.2 ± 3.1, 31.0 ± 4.1, 30.5 ± 3.9, 21.4 ± 2.1, and 15.9 ± 1.6 (p < 0.01 at 1-week and 6-month; otherwise p > 0.05), respectively. In conclusion, the heel pain intensity and PF thickness reduced gradually over 12 months after ESWT. The PF stiffness decreased during the first week and increased thereafter; at the 12-month follow-up, stiffness was more than at pre-ESWT.
Cross-kingdom signalling regulates spore germination in the moss Physcomitrella patens
Authors: Vesty Eleanor F. , Whitbread Amy L. , Needs Sarah , Tanko Wesal , Jones Kirsty , Halliday Nigel , Ghaderiardakani Fatemeh , Liu Xiaoguang , Cámara Miguel , Coates Juliet C. 
Published: February 2020

AbstractPlants live in close association with microorganisms that can have beneficial or detrimental effects. The activity of bacteria in association with flowering plants has been extensively analysed. Bacteria use quorum-sensing as a way of monitoring their population density and interacting with their environment. A key group of quorum sensing molecules in Gram-negative bacteria are the N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs), which are known to affect the growth and development of both flowering plants, including crops, and marine algae. Thus, AHLs have potentially important roles in agriculture and aquaculture. Nothing is known about the effects of AHLs on the earliest-diverging land plants, thus the evolution of AHL-mediated bacterial-plant/algal interactions is unknown. In this paper, we show that AHLs can affect spore germination in a representative of the earliest plants on land, the Bryophyte moss Physcomitrella patens. Furthermore, we demonstrate that sporophytes of some wild isolates of Physcomitrella patens are associated with AHL-producing bacteria.
Physiologic heart rate dependency of the PQ interval and its sex differences
Authors: Toman Ondřej , Hnatkova Katerina , Smetana Peter , Huster Katharina M. , Šišáková Martina , Barthel Petra , Novotný Tomáš , Schmidt Georg , Malik Marek 
Published: February 2020

AbstractOn standard electrocardiogram (ECG) PQ interval is known to be moderately heart rate dependent, but no physiologic details of this dependency have been established. At the same time, PQ dynamics is a clear candidate for non-invasive assessment of atrial abnormalities including the risk of atrial fibrillation. We studied PQ heart rate dependency in 599 healthy subjects (aged 33.5 ± 9.3 years, 288 females) in whom drug-free day-time 12-lead ECG Holters were available. Of these, 752,517 ECG samples were selected (1256 ± 244 per subject) to measure PQ and QT intervals and P wave durations. For each measured ECG sample, 5-minute history of preceding cardiac cycles was also obtained. Although less rate dependent than the QT intervals (36 ± 19% of linear slopes), PQ intervals were found to be dependent on underlying cycle length in a highly curvilinear fashion with the dependency significantly more curved in females compared to males. The PQ interval also responded to the heart rate changes with a delay which was highly sex dependent (95% adaptation in females and males after 114.9 ± 81.1 vs 65.4 ± 64.3 seconds, respectively, p < 0.00001). P wave duration was even less rate dependent than the PQ interval (9 ± 10% of linear QT/RR slopes). Rate corrected P wave duration was marginally but significantly shorter in females than in males (106.8 ± 8.4 vs 110.2 ± 7.9 ms, p < 0.00001). In addition to establishing physiologic standards, the study suggests that the curvatures and adaptation delay of the PQ/cycle-length dependency should be included in future non-invasive studies of atrial depolarizations.