bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Colocalization of Oxtr with Prader-Willi syndrome transcripts in the trigeminal ganglion of neonatal mice
Authors: Vaidyanathan Radhika , Schaller Fabienne , Muscatelli Françoise , Hammock Elizabeth A D 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is caused by deficient expression of the paternal copy of several contiguous genes on chromosome 15q11-q13 and affects multiple organ systems in the body, including the nervous system. Feeding and suckling deficits in infants with PWS are replaced with excessive feeding and obesity in childhood through adulthood. Clinical trials using intranasal oxytocin (OXT) show promise to improve feeding deficits in infants with PWS. The mechanism and location of action of exogenous OXT are unknown. We have recently shown in neonatal mice that OXT receptors (OXTR) are present in several regions of the face with direct roles in feeding. Here we show that the trigeminal ganglion, which provides sensory innervation to the face, is a rich source of Oxtr and a site of cellular co-expression with PWS gene transcripts. We also quantified OXTR ligand binding in mice deficient in Magel2, a PWS gene, within the trigeminal ganglion and regions that are anatomically relevant to feeding behavior and innervated by the trigeminal ganglion including the lateral periodontium, rostral periodontium, tongue, olfactory epithelium, whisker pads and brainstem. We found that peripheral OXTR ligand binding in the head is mostly intact in Magel2-deficient mice, although it is reduced in the lateral periodontium (gums) of neonatal Magel2-deficient mice compared to wild-type controls. These data suggest that OXT via orofacial OXTR may play a peripheral role to modulate sensory-motor reflexes necessary for suckling and may be part of the mechanism by which intranasal OXT shows promise for therapeutic benefit in PWS.
Sensitivity in Detection of Antibodies to Nucleocapsid and Spike Proteins of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019
Authors: Burbelo Peter D , Riedo Francis X , Morishima Chihiro , Rawlings Stephen , Smith Davey , Das Sanchita , Strich Jeffrey R , Chertow Daniel S , Davey Richard T , Cohen Jeffrey I 
Published: May 2020

Abstract

Background
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is associated with respiratory-related disease and death. Assays to detect virus-specific antibodies are important to understand the prevalence of infection and the course of the immune response.

Methods
Quantitative measurements of plasma or serum antibodies to the nucleocapsid and spike proteins were analyzed using luciferase immunoprecipitation system assays in 100 cross-sectional or longitudinal samples from patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. A subset of samples was tested both with and without heat inactivation.

Results
At &gt;14 days after symptom onset, antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein showed 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity, whereas antibodies to spike protein were detected with 91% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Neither antibody levels nor the rate of seropositivity were significantly reduced by heat inactivation of samples. Analysis of daily samples from 6 patients with COVID-19 showed anti-nucleocapsid and spike protein antibodies appearing between days 8 and 14 after initial symptoms. Immunocompromised patients generally had a delayed antibody response to SARS-CoV-2, compared with immunocompetent patients.

Conclusions
Antibody to the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 is more sensitive than spike protein antibody for detecting early infection. Analyzing heat-inactivated samples with a luciferase immunoprecipitation system assay is a safe and sensitive method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.
Enhancing network activation in natural killer cells: predictions from in silico modeling
Authors: Makaryan Sahak Z , Finley Stacey D 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are part of the innate immune system and are capable of killing diseased cells. As a result, NK cells are being used for adoptive cell therapies for cancer patients. The activation of NK cell stimulatory receptors leads to a cascade of intracellular phosphorylation reactions, which activates key signaling species that facilitate the secretion of cytolytic molecules required for cell killing. Strategies that maximize the activation of such intracellular species can increase the likelihood of NK cell killing upon contact with a cancer cell and thereby improve efficacy of NK cell-based therapies. However, due to the complexity of intracellular signaling, it is difficult to deduce a priori which strategies can enhance species activation. Therefore, we constructed a mechanistic model of the CD16, 2B4 and NKG2D signaling pathways in NK cells to simulate strategies that enhance signaling. The model predictions were fit to published data and validated with a separate dataset. Model simulations demonstrate strong network activation when the CD16 pathway is stimulated. The magnitude of species activation is most sensitive to the receptor’s initial concentration and the rate at which the receptor is activated. Co-stimulation of CD16 and NKG2D in silico required fewer ligands to achieve half-maximal activation than other combinations, suggesting co-stimulating these pathways is most effective in activating the species. We applied the model to predict the effects of perturbing the signaling network and found two strategies that can potently enhance network activation. When the availability of ligands is low, it is more influential to engineer NK cell receptors that are resistant to proteolytic cleavage. In contrast, for high ligand concentrations, inhibiting phosphatase activity leads to sustained species activation. The work presented here establishes a framework for understanding the complex, nonlinear aspects of NK cell signaling and provides detailed strategies for enhancing NK cell activation.
Lung fibroblasts produce IL-33 in response to stimulation with retinoblastoma-binding protein 9 via production of prostaglandin E2
Authors: Adachi Takumi , Yasuda Koubun , Muto Taichiro , Serada Satoshi , Yoshimoto Tomohiro , Ishii Ken J , Kuroda Etsushi , Araki Kimi , Ohmuraya Masaki , Naka Tetsuji , Nakanishi Kenji 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIntestinal nematode infection induces pulmonary eosinophilia via IL-33, although the mechanism of pulmonary IL-33 induction remains unclear. Because nematode migration damages lungs, we speculated that lung-derived damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) possess an IL-33-inducing activity (IL33ia). Indeed, intra-nasal administration of a lung extract induced IL-33 production in lungs. Additionally, lung extracts increased Il33 mRNA expression in primary lung fibroblasts. Proteomic analysis identified retinoblastoma-binding protein 9 (RBBP9) as a major DAMP with IL33ia. RBBP9 was originally discovered as a protein that provides cells with resistance to the growth inhibitory effect of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1. Here, we found that stimulation by RBBP9 induced primary fibroblasts to produce prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) that, in turn, induced fibroblasts to produce IL-33. RBBP9-activated fibroblasts expressed mRNAs of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and PGE2 synthase-1 that convert arachidonic acid to PGE2. Furthermore, they expressed PGE2 receptors E-prostanoid (EP) 2 and EP4. Thus, treatment with a COX-2 inhibitor or EP2 and/or EP4 receptor antagonists inhibited RBBP9-induced IL-33 production. Nematode infection induced pulmonary Il33 mRNA expression, which was inhibited by the COX-2 inhibitor or EP2 and EP4 antagonists, suggesting that nematode infection induced pulmonary Il33 mRNA via PGE2. RBBP9 was expressed constitutively in the lung in the steady state, which did not increase after nematode infection. Finally, we found that Rbbp9-deficient mice had a significantly diminished capacity to increase pulmonary Il33 mRNA expression following nematode infection. Thus, the PGE2-EP2/EP4 pathway activated by RBBP9 released from damaged lungs is important for pulmonary IL-33 production in nematode-infected animals.
Barriers to hospital electronic public health reporting and implications for the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Holmgren A Jay , Apathy Nate C , Adler-Milstein Julia 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
We sought to identify barriers to hospital reporting of electronic surveillance data to local, state, and federal public health agencies and the impact on areas projected to be overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Using 2018 American Hospital Association data, we identified barriers to surveillance data reporting and combined this with data on the projected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital capacity at the hospital referral region level.
Our results find the most common barrier was public health agencies lacked the capacity to electronically receive data, with 41.2% of all hospitals reporting it. We also identified 31 hospital referral regions in the top quartile of projected bed capacity needed for COVID-19 patients in which over half of hospitals in the area reported that the relevant public health agency was unable to receive electronic data.
Public health agencies’ inability to receive electronic data is the most prominent hospital-reported barrier to effective syndromic surveillance. This reflects the policy commitment of investing in information technology for hospitals without a concomitant investment in IT infrastructure for state and local public health agencies.
Chronic prenatal heat stress alters growth, carcass composition, and physiological response of growing pigs subjected to postnatal heat stress
Authors: Serviento Aira Maye , Lebret Bénédicte , Renaudeau David 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
Postnatal heat stress (HS) effects on pig physiology and performance are widely studied but prenatal HS studies, albeit increasing, are still limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the chronic prenatal HS effects in growing pigs raised in postnatal thermoneutral (TN) or in HS environment. For prenatal environment (PE), mixed-parity pregnant sows were exposed to either TN (PTN; cyclic 18 to 24 °C; n = 12) or HS (PHS; cyclic 28 to 34 °C; n = 12) conditions from day 9 to 109 of gestation. Two female offspring per sow were selected at 10 wk of age and allotted to one of two postnatal growing environments (GE): GTN (cyclic 18 to 24 °C; n = 24) and GHS (cyclic 28 to 34 °C; n = 24). From 75 to 140 d of age, GTN pigs remained in GTN conditions, while GHS pigs were in GTN conditions from 75 to 81 d of age and in GHS conditions from 82 to 140 d of age. Regardless of PE, postnatal HS increased rectal and skin temperatures (+0.30 and +1.61 °C on average, respectively; P &lt; 0.01) and decreased ADFI (−332 g/d; P &lt; 0.01), resulting in lower ADG and final BW (−127 g/d and −7.9 kg, respectively; P &lt; 0.01). The GHS pigs exhibited thicker backfat (P &lt; 0.01), lower carcass loin percentage (P &lt; 0.01), increased plasma creatinine levels (P &lt; 0.01), and decreased plasma glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, T3, and T4 levels (P &lt; 0.05). Prenatal HS increased feed intake in an age-dependent manner (+10 g·kg BW–0.60·d−1 for PHS pigs in the last 2 wk of the trial; P = 0.02) but did not influence BW gain (P &gt; 0.10). Prenatal HS decreased the plasma levels of superoxide dismutase on day 3 of GHS (trend at P = 0.08) and of T4 on day 49 (P &lt; 0.01) but did not affect T3 on day 3 nor 49 (P &gt; 0.10). Prenatal HS increased rectal and skin temperatures and decreased temperature gradient between rectal and skin temperatures in GTN pigs (+0.10, +0.33 and −0.22 °C, respectively; P &lt; 0.05) but not in GHS pigs (P &gt; 0.10). There were also PE × GE interactions found with lower BW (P = 0.06) and higher backfat (P &lt; 0.01) and perirenal adiposity (P &lt; 0.05) for GHS–PHS pigs than the other groups. Overall, increased body temperature and altered thyroid functions and physiological stress responses suggest decreased heat tolerance and dissipation ability of pigs submitted to a whole-gestation chronic prenatal HS. Postnatal HS decreased growth performance, increased carcass adiposity, and affected metabolic traits and thyroid functions especially in pigs previously submitted to prenatal HS.
Beef cattle responses to pre-grazing sward height and low level of energy supplementation on tropical pastures
Authors: Dórea João R R , Gouvêa Vinícius N , Agostinho Neto Luiz Roberto D , Da Silva Sila C , Brink Geoffrey E , Pires Alexandre V , Santos Flávio A P 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of energy supplementation and pre-grazing sward height on grazing behavior, nutrient intake, digestion, and metabolism of cattle in tropical pastures managed as a rotational grazing system. Eight rumen-cannulated Nellore steers (24 mo of age; 300 ± 6.0 kg body weight [BW]) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design. Treatments consisted of two levels of energy supplementation (0% [none] or 0.3% of BW of ground corn on an as-fed basis) and two pre-grazing sward heights (25 cm [defined by 95% light interception (LI)] or 35 cm [defined by ≥ 97.5% LI]) constituting four treatments. Steers grazed Marandu Palisadegrass [Brachiaria brizantha Stapf. cv. Marandu] and post-grazing sward height was 15 cm for all treatments. Forage dry matter intake (DMI) was increased (P = 0.01) when sward height was 25 cm (1.86% vs. 1.32% BW) and decreased (P = 0.04) when 0.3% BW supplement was fed (1.79% vs. 1.38% BW). Total and digestible DMI were not affected by energy supplementation (P = 0.57) but were increased when sward height was 25 cm (P = 0.01). Steers grazing the 25-cm sward height treatment spent less time grazing and more time resting, took fewer steps between feeding stations, and had a greater bite rate compared with 35-cm height treatment (P &lt; 0.05). Energy supplementation reduced grazing time (P = 0.02) but did not affect any other grazing behavior parameter (P = 0.11). Energy supplementation increased (P &lt; 0.01) diet dry matter digestibility but had no effect on crude protein and neutral detergent fiber digestibilities (P = 0.13). Compared with 35-cm pre-grazing sward height, steers at 25 cm presented lower rumen pH (6.39 vs. 6.52) and greater rumen ammonia nitrogen (11.22 vs. 9.77 mg/dL) and N retention (49.7% vs. 20.8%, P &lt; 0.05). The pre-grazing sward height of 25 cm improved harvesting efficiency and energy intake by cattle, while feeding 0.3% of BW energy supplement did not increase the energy intake of cattle on tropical pasture under rotational grazing.
Ruminal microbes of adult sheep do not degrade extracellular l-citrulline
Authors: Gilbreath Kyler R , Bazer Fuller W , Satterfield M Carey , Cleere Jason J , Wu Guoyao 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
This study determined whether extracellular citrulline is degraded by ruminal bacteria of sheep. In the first experiment, whole rumen fluid (3 mL) from six adult Suffolk sheep was incubated at 37 °C with 5 mM l-glutamine (Gln), l-glutamate (Glu), l-arginine (Arg), or l-citrulline (Cit) for 0, 0.5, 1, and 2 h or with 0, 0.5, 2, or 5 mM Gln, Glu, Arg, or Cit for 2 h. An aliquot (50 µL) of the incubation solution was collected at the predetermined time points for amino acids (AA) analyses. Results showed extensive hydrolysis of Gln into Glu and ammonia, of Arg into l-ornithine and l-proline, but little or no degradation of extracellular Cit or Glu by ruminal microbes. In the second experiment, six adult Suffolk sheep were individually fed each of three separate supplements (8 g Gln , Cit, or urea) on three separate days along with regular feed (800 g/animal). Blood (2 mL) was sampled from the jugular vein prior to feeding (time 0) and at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 h after consuming the supplement. Plasma was analyzed for AA, glucose, ammonia, and urea. The concentrations of Cit in the plasma of sheep consuming this AA increased (P &lt; 0.001) by 117% at 4 h and those of Arg increased by 23% at 4 h, compared with the baseline values. Urea or Gln feeding did not affect (P &gt; 0.05) the concentrations of Cit or Arg in plasma. These results indicate that Cit is not metabolized by ruminal microbes of sheep and is, therefore, absorbed as such by the small intestine and used for the synthesis of Arg by extrahepatic tissues.
Coarse, Efficient Decision-Making
Authors: Mandler Michael 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
To minimize the cost of making decisions, an agent should use criteria to sort alternatives and each criterion should sort coarsely. To decide on a movie, for example, an agent could use one criterion that orders movies by genre categories, another by director categories, and so on, with a small number of categories in each case. The agent then needs to aggregate the criterion orderings, possibly by a weighted vote, to arrive at choices. As criteria become coarser (each criterion has fewer categories) decision-making costs fall, even though an agent must then use more criteria. The most efficient option is consequently to select the binary criteria with two categories each. This result holds even when the marginal cost of using additional categories diminishes to 0. The extensive use of coarse criteria in practice may therefore be a result of optimization rather than cognitive limitations. Binary criteria also generate choice functions that maximize rational preferences: decision-making efficiency implies rational choice.
International Politics in the Age of Existential Threats
Authors: Sears Nathan Alexander 
Published: May 2020

AbstractHumans in the twenty-first century live under the specter of anthropogenic existential threats to human civilization and survival. What is the significance of humanity’s capacity for self-destruction to the meaning of “security” and “survival” in international politics? The argument is that it constitutes a material “revolution” in international politics—that is, the growing spectrum of anthropogenic existential threats represents a radical transformation in the material context of international politics that turns established truths about security and survival on their heads. The paper develops a theoretical framework based in historical security materialism, especially the theoretical proposition that the material circumstances of the “forces of destruction” determine the security viability of different “modes of protection”, political “units” and “structures”, and “security ideologies” in international politics. The argument seeks to demonstrate the growing disjuncture (or “contradiction”) between the material context of anthropogenic existential threats (“forces of destruction”); and the security practices of war, the use of military force, and the balance-of-power (“modes of protection”); the political units of nation-states and structure of international anarchy (“political superstructure”); and the primacy of “national security” and doctrines of “self-help” and “power politics” in international politics (“security ideologies”). Specifically, humanityapos;s survival interdependence with respect to anthropogenic existential threats calls into question the centrality of national security and survival in international politics. In an age of existential threats, “security” is better understood as about the survival of humanity.
Colonic diverticulitis following open-heart surgery: a case report of an unusual postoperative gastrointestinal complication
Authors: Acheampong Derrick , Boateng Percy 
Published: May 2020

AbstractDiverticulitis, though a common gastrointestinal disease, is rare following open-heart surgery. There is insufficient data regarding its incidence and management post-cardiac surgery. Especially in patients with atypical presentation, diagnosis and management can be challenging. This case outlines one such atypical diverticulitis case in which a 57-year-old female patient developed perforated diverticulitis with pelvic abscess accumulation following left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) repair. Diagnosis, appropriate management and treatment approaches are discussed. Cardiac surgeons should consider the possibility of diverticulitis in patients reporting nonspecific abdominal pain following cardiac surgery to ensure early diagnosis and institution of appropriate treatment to prevent associated adverse outcomes.
Reobserving the NLS1 galaxy RE J1034+396 – I. The long-term, recurrent X-ray QPO with a high significance
Authors: Jin Chichuan , Done Chris , Ward Martin 
Published: May 2020

ABSTRACT
RE J1034+396 is a narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1) in which the first significant X-ray quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) in an active galactic nucleus (AGN) was observed in 2007. We report the detection of this QPO in a recent XMM–Newton observation in 2018 with an even higher significance. The quality factor of this QPO is 20, and its period is 3550 ± 80 s, which is 250 ± 100 s shorter than in 2007. While the QPO’s period has no significant energy dependence, its fractional root mean square variability increases from 4 per cent in 0.3–1 keV to 12 per cent in 1–4 keV bands. An interesting phenomenon is that the QPO in 0.3–1 keV leads that in the 1–4 keV bands by 430 ± 50 s with a high coherence, opposite to the soft X-ray lag reported for the observation in 2007. We speculate that the QPO has an intrinsic hard lag, while the previous reported soft lag is caused by the interference of stochastic variability. This soft X-ray lead in the new data supports the idea that the QPO of RE J1034+396 is a possible AGN counterpart of the 67 Hz high-frequency QPO seen in the black hole binary GRS 1915+105. We also search for QPO harmonics, but do not find any significant signals. Our new data reinforce previous results that the QPO is seen in a specific spectral state, as the only two observations showing no significant QPO signal exhibit an even stronger soft X-ray excess than the other six observations that display the QPO. Therefore, our results imply that the QPO in RE J1034+396 is physically linked to a soft X-ray component.
Photometric study of the young open clusters IC 1442, King 21, and Trumpler 7
Authors: Maurya Jayanand , Joshi Y C , Gour A S 
Published: May 2020

ABSTRACT
We carried out the UBVRcIc photometric study of three poorly studied young open clusters IC 1442, King 21, and Trumpler 7 (Tr 7). We obtained 263, 244, and 128 member stars using Gaia Data Release 2 proper motions and parallaxes in IC 1442, King 21, and Tr 7, respectively. The reddening, E(B − V), was derived to be 0.54 ± 0.04, 0.76 ± 0.06, and 0.38 ± 0.04 mag for these clusters. The comparison of observed colour–magnitude diagrams with solar metallicity isochrones yields log(age) = 7.40 ± 0.30, 7.70 ± 0.20, and 7.85 ± 0.25 yr and corresponding distances of 2847 ± 238, 2622 ± 156, and 1561 ± 74 pc for IC 1442, King 21, and Tr 7, respectively. The estimated mass function (MF) slopes are found to be −1.94 ± 0.18, −1.54 ± 0.32, and −2.31 ± 0.29 for IC 1442, King 21, and Tr 7, respectively. The study of MF slopes done separately in the inner and the outer regions of these clusters gives a steeper slope in the outer region, which suggests spatial variation in slope and mass segregation in the clusters. We found evidence of mass segregation after the dynamical study in these clusters. The obtained relaxation time, TE, is 74, 26, and 34 Myr for the clusters IC 1442, King 21, and Tr 7, respectively. The mass segregation in IC 1442 may be caused by early dynamical relaxation. The estimated TE is well below the ages of King 21 and Tr 7, which indicates that these clusters are dynamically relaxed.