bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Metaproteomic Profiling of Fungal Gut Colonization in Gnotobiotic Mice
Authors: Pettersen Veronika Kuchařová , Dufour Antoine , Arrieta Marie-Claire 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background: Eukaryotic microbes can modulate mammalian host health and disease states, yet the molecular contribution of gut fungi remains nascent. We previously showed that mice exclusively colonised with fungi displayed increased sensitivity to allergic airway inflammation and had fecal metabolite profiles similar to germ-free mice. This marginal effect on the host metabolome suggested that fungi do not primarily use metabolites to modulate the host immune system.Methods: To describe functional changes attributed to fungal colonisation, we performed mass spectrometry-based analyses of feces (Label-Free Quantitative; LFQ) and the small intestine (labeling with Tandem Mass Tag; TMT) of gnotobiotic mice colonised with defined consortia of twelve bacterial species, five fungal species, or both. We also evaluated the effect of microbiome perturbances on the metaproteome by analysing feces from mouse pups treated with an antibiotic or antifungal.Results: We detected 6,675 proteins in the mice feces, of which 3,845 had determined LFQ levels. Analysis of variance showed changes in the different gnotobiotic mouse groups; specifically, 46% of 2,860 bacterial, 15% of 580 fungal, and 76% of 405 mouse quantified proteins displayed differential levels. The antimicrobial treatments resulted in lasting changes in the bacterial and fungal proteomes, suggesting that the antimicrobials impacted the entire community. Fungal colonisation resulted in changes in host proteins functional in innate immunity as well as metabolism, predicting specific roles of gut fungi on host systems during early developmental stages. Several of the detected fungal proteins (3% of 1,492) have been previously reported as part of extracellular vesicles and having immunomodulating properties. Using an isobaric labelling TMT approach for profiling low abundant proteins of the jejunal tissue, we confirmed that the five fungal species differentially impacted the host intestinal proteome compared to the bacterial consortium. The detected changes in mouse jejunal proteins (4% of 1,514) were mainly driven by metabolic proteins. Conclusions: We used quantitative proteomic profiling of gnotobiotic conditions to show how colonisation with selected fungal species impacts the host gut proteome. Our results suggest that an increased abundance of certain gut fungal species in early life may affect the developing intracellular attributes of epithelial and immune cells.
The Role of the Angular Gyrus in Semantic Cognition – A Synthesis of Five Functional Neuroimaging Studies
Authors: Kuhnke Philipp , Chapman Curtiss A. , Cheung Vincent K.M. , Turker Sabrina , Graessner Astrid , Martin Sandra , Williams Kathleen A. , Hartwigsen Gesa 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Semantic knowledge is central to human cognition. The angular gyrus (AG) is widely considered a key brain region for semantic cognition. However, the role of the AG in semantic processing is controversial. Key controversies concern response polarity (activation vs. deactivation) and its relation to task difficulty, lateralization (left vs. right AG), and functional-anatomical subdivision (PGa vs. PGp subregions). Here, we combined the fMRI data of five studies on semantic processing (n = 172) and analyzed the response profiles from the same anatomical regions-of-interest for left and right PGa and PGp. We found that the AG was consistently deactivated during non-semantic conditions, whereas response polarity during semantic conditions was inconsistent. However, the AG consistently showed relative response differences between semantic and non-semantic conditions, and between different semantic conditions. A combined analysis across all studies revealed that AG responses could be best explained by independent effects of both task difficulty and semantic processing demand. Task difficulty effects were stronger in PGa than PGp, regardless of hemisphere. Semantic effects were stronger in left than right AG, regardless of subregion. These results suggest that the AG is independently engaged in both domain-general task-difficulty-related processes and domain-specific semantic processes. In semantic processing, we propose that left AG acts as a “multimodal convergence zone” that binds different semantic features associated with the same concept, enabling efficient access to task-relevant features.
Automating Aircraft Scanning For Inspection With A UAV And Reinforcement Learning Technique
Authors: Sun Yufeng , Ma Ou 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Visual inspections of aircraft exterior surface are usually required in aircraft maintenance routine. It becomes a trend to use mobile robots equipped with sensors to perform automatic inspections as a replacement of manual inspections which are time-consuming and error-prone. The sensed data such as images and point cloud can be used for further defect characterization leveraging the power of machine learning and data science. In such a robotic inspection procedure, a precise digital model of the aircraft is required for planning the inspection path, however, the original CAD model of the aircraft is often inaccessible to aircraft maintenance shops. Thus, sensors such as 3D Laser scanners and RGB-D (Red, Green, Blue, and Depth) cameras are used because of their capability of generating a 3D model of an interested object in an efficient manner. This paper presents a two-stage approach of automating aircraft scanning with a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) equipped with an RGB-D camera for reconstructing a digital replica of the aircraft when its original CAD model is not available. In the first stage, the UAVcamera system follows a predefined path to quickly scan the aircraft and generate a coarse model of the aircraft. Then, a full-coverage scanning path is computed based on the coarse model of the aircraft. In the second stage, the UAV-Camera system follows the computed path to closely scan the aircraft for generating a dense and precise model of the aircraft. We solved the Coverage Path Planning (CPP) problem for the aircraft scanning using Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) which is a reinforcement learning technique. We also implemented the Max-Min Ant System (MMAS) strategy, a population-based optimization algorithm, to solve the CPP problem and demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Harboring Cnm-Expressing Streptococcus Mutans In The Oral Cavity Relates To Both Deep and Lobar Cerebral Microbleeds
Authors: Ikeda Shuhei , Saito Satoshi , Hosoki Satoshi , Tonomura Shuichi , Yamamoto Yumi , Ikenouchi Hajime , Ishiyama Hiroyuki , Tanaka Tomotaka , Hattori Yorito , Friedland Robert P. , Carare Roxana O. , Kuriyama Nagato , Yakushiji Yusuke , Hara Hideo , Koga Masatoshi , Toyoda Kazunori , Nomura Ryota , Takegami Misa , Nakano Kazuhiko , Ihara Masafumi 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Streptococcus mutans, a major cariogenic bacterium, expressing the collagen-binding protein Cnm induces cerebrovascular inflammation, resulting in the impairment of blood brain barrier integrity followed by cerebral bleeding. We here examined the association of Cnm-positive S. mutans with cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in acute stroke patients selected from a single-center registry database. Of 428 patients who received oral bacterial examinations among 3154 stroke patients, 326 patients who harbored S. mutans were identified. After excluding four patients without imaging data, we compared 72 patients with Cnm-positive S. mutans and 250 with Cnm-negative S. mutans. Deep, lobar and infratentorial CMBs were observed in 46 (63.9%), 36 (50.0%), 25 (34.7%) patients with Cnm-positive S. mutans and 144 (57.6%), 114 (45.6%), 101 (40.4%) with Cnm-negative S. mutans. Possession of Cnm-positive S. mutans was related to higher numbers of both deep and lobar, but not infratentorial, CMBs (risk ratios 1.57 [1.07‒2.30], deep; 5.44 [2.50‒11.85], lobar). Statistical significance persisted after adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, stroke type, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (risk ratios 1.61 [1.14‒2.27], deep; 5.14 [2.78‒9.51], lobar). Our study indicated that reduction of Cnm-positive S. mutans may serve as a therapeutic approach for improving the prognosis of stroke patients.
Analysis of Rhodopsin G Protein-Coupled Receptor Orthologs Reveals Semiochemical Peptides for Parasite (Schistosoma Mansoni) and Host (Biomphalaria Glabrata) Interplay
Authors: Phan Phong , Liang Di , Zhao Min , Wyeth Russell C. , Fogarty Conor , Duke Mary G. , McManus Donald P. , Wang Tianfang , Cummins Scott F. 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background: Schistosomiasis is a medically significant disease caused by helminth parasites of the genus Schistosoma. The schistosome life cycle requires chemically mediated interactions with an intermediate (aquatic snail) and definitive (human) host. Blocking parasite development within the snail stage requires improved understanding of the interactions between the snail host and the Schistosoma water-borne free-living form (miracidium). Innovations in snail genomics and aquatic chemical communication provide an ideal opportunity to explore snail-parasite coevolution at the molecular level. Rhodopsin G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are of particular interest in studying how trematode parasites navigate towards their snail hosts. The potential role of GPCRs in parasites makes them candidate targets for new antihelminthics that disrupt the intermediate host life-cycle stages, thus preventing subsequent human infections.Results: A genomic-bioinformatic approach was used to identify GPCR orthologs between the snail Biomphalaria glabrata and miracidia of its obligate parasite Schistosoma mansoni. We show that 8 S. mansoni rhodopsin GPCRs expressed within the miracidial stage share overall amino acid similarity with 8 different B. glabrata rhodopsin GPCRs, particularly within transmembrane domains, suggesting conserved structural features. These GPCRs include an orphan peptide receptor as well as several with strong sequence homologies with rhabdomeric opsin receptors, a serotonin receptor, a sulfakinin (SK) receptor, an allatostatin-A (buccalin) receptor and an FMRFamide receptor. Buccalin and FMRFa peptides were identified in water conditioned by B. glabrata, and we show synthetic buccalin and FMRFa can stimulate significant rates of change of direction and turn-back responses in S. mansoni miracidia.Conclusions: Ortholog GPCRs were identified in S. mansoni miracidia and B. glabrata. These GPCRs may detect similar ligands, including snail-derived odorants that could facilitate miracidial host finding. These results lay the foundation for future research elucidating the mechanisms by which GPCRs mediate host finding which can lead to the potential development of novel anti-schistosome interventions.
Fasting Blood Glucose Level Progression And Its Associated Factors Among Diabetic Patients Attending Treatment In North Shewa Hospitals, Oromia, Ethiopia
Authors: Yohannes Yordanos Berihun , Woldeamanuel Berhanu Teshome , Ayano Buzuneh 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background: Diabetes describes a group of metabolic disorders characterized and identified by hyperglycemia without treatment. It includes defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both, and disturbances of carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism. The study aimed to assess fasting blood glucose level progression and its associated factors among diabetic patients attending insulin and metformin follow-up in fiche and Chancho hospitals.Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to obtain secondary data among diabetic patients attending treatment from September 2016 to August 2018 in the hospital. The linear- mixed effects model for longitudinal data was employed to measure the changes in fasting blood glucose level.Result: The result of the study revealed that age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, marital status, regime, and education level were significantly associated factors for the progression of fasting blood glucose levels among diabetic patients. Conclusion: The study recommended that the progression of blood glucose level was higher among diabetic patients, and the health professionals, health sectors, and government should be paid an intervention on patients who had high systolic and diastolic blood pressure, who had high BMI, and older age patients.
Clinical Observations on Infliximab Treatment of Infantile Onset Takayasu Arteritis
Authors: Kang Min , Lai Jianming , Zhang Dan , Xu Yingjie , Zhu Jia , Li Ming 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background: To study short-term clinical effectiveness and safety of infliximab (IFX) treatment of infants with Takayasu arteritis (TA). Methods: We investigated the therapeutic effectiveness of IFX in 10 infantile TA in a retrospective case series. Evaluation included assessment of clinical symptoms, laboratory testing, and vascular imaging. Results: Fever was the presenting symptom for 8 of 10 infants with TA. In the acute episode, leucocyte and inflammatory indices increased significantly. Vascular imaging showed that the most commonly-involved arteries were carotid arteries, abdominal aortas, and coronary arteries (9 cases, 90%). Two weeks after IFX treatment, leukocyte and platelet counts decreased, and hemoglobin levels increased. There were significant clinical differences 6 weeks after treatment compared with before treatment (p<0.05). Inflammatory indices decreased significantly 2 weeks after starting IFX treatment compared with before treatment (p<0.05). Vascular lesions began to recover within 1.5-3 months of initiating IFX therapy, and the involved vessels significantly recovered within 13 months. Some arteries remained stenotic, intimal thickening and uneven lumen wall thickness. Conclusions: TA is rare in infancy. Fever may be the main manifestation of illness, often accompanied by significantly increased inflammatory indices. Early use of IFX appears to be effective, significantly decreasing inflammatory markers and improving clinical features, leading to partial remission of vascular lesions and sustain remissions for some infants. Use of IFX reduced or eliminated need for glucocorticoids. IFX has a reasonable safety profile and does not appear to affect normal growth and development of infants with TA.
Endogenous Small Intestinal Microbiome Determinants of Transient Colonization Efficiency by Bacteria from Fermented Dairy Products; A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Zaccaria Edoardo , Klaassen Tim , Alleleyn Annick M.E. , Boekhorst Jos , Smokvina Tamara , Kleerebezem Michiel , Troost Freddy J. 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
BackgroundThe effects of fermented food consumption on the small intestine microbiome and its role on host homeostasis are largely uncharacterized as our knowledge on intestinal microbiota relies mainly on faecal samples analysis. We investigated changes in the small intestinal microbial composition and functionality, short chain fatty acid (SCFA) profiles, and on the gastro-intestinal (GI) permeability in ileostomy subjects upon the consumption of fermented milk products.ResultsWe report the results from a randomized, cross-over, explorative study where 16ileostomy subjects underwent 3, 2-week interventions periodsin which they daily consumed either milk fermented by Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus CNCM I-3690, or milk fermented by Streptococcus thermophilus CNCM I-1630 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CNCM I-1519, or a chemically acidified milk (placebo). Weperformed metataxonomic, metatranscriptomic analysis and SCFA profiling of ileostomy effluents as well as a sugar permeability test andto investigate the microbiome impact of these interventions and their potential effect on mucosal barrier function. Consumption of the intervention products significantly impacted the small intestinal microbiome composition and functionality but did not affect the SCFA levels in ileostoma effluent, or the gastro-intestinal permeability. Theimpact on microbiome composition was highly personalized,andwe identified the poorly characterized bacterial family, Peptostreptococcaceae, to be positively associated with low abundance of the ingested bacteria. Activity profiling of the microbiota revealed that carbon- versus amino acid-derived energy metabolism of the endogenous microbiome could be responsible for the individual-specific intervention effects on the small intestine microbiome composition and function.ConclusionsThe ingested bacteria are the main drivers of the intervention effect on the small intestinal microbiota composition. Their transient abundance level is highly personalized and influenced by the energy metabolism of the ecosystem that is reflected by its microbial composition (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, ID NCT NCT02920294).
Extension of The Improved Upper-Bound Pushover Analysis For Seismic Assessment of Steel Moment Resisting Frames With Setbacks
Authors: Rahmani Abdallah Yacine , Badaoui Mohamed , Bourahla Nouredine , Bento Rita 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Pushover analysis technique is a key tool for the performance-based seismic design that has been largely adopted in the new generation of seismic codes. Therefore, more precise and reliable performance predictions are highly demanded. Improved upper-bound (IUB) pushover analysis is one of the advanced nonlinear static procedures (NSPs) that has been recently developed. This procedure estimates adequately the response of regular and tall buildings. In this study, IUB is extended to assess the seismic response of irregular buildings with setbacks. To this end, an adjustment of the IUB lateral load distribution is implemented by integrating a third mode of vibration to control the response of these complex buildings. Fifteen multi-storey steel frames with different types of setbacks including a reference structure are used to test the accuracy of the proposed procedure by comparing its results to those from other NSPs and the nonlinear time history analysis (NLHA). The findings show the superior capacity of the extended IUB in predicting the seismic response of buildings with different levels and types of setbacks.
Epidemiology, Clinical Presentation, and Prognosis of Pediatric Brain Tumors: Experience of National Center for Children’s Health
Authors: yang wei , Cai Yingjie , Chen Jiashu , Yang Ping , Ying Zesheng , Liang Yuting , Ling Miao , Zhu Kaiyi , Sun Hailang , Ji Yuanqi , Peng XiaoJiao , Kuang Suhui , Zhang Nan , Zhang Tianlei , Ge Ming 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Objective Brain tumors have become the most common solid tumors in children. The epidemiology is poorly described in China. This retrospective study aimed to describe the epidemiologic characteristics, clinical presentation, and prognosis in national health center for children. Method From January 2015 to December 2020, 484 cases age 0-18 years old diagnosed with brain tumors and receiving neurosurgery treatment were enrolled into the database. Pathology was based on the World Health Organization 2012 nervous system tumor classification, and tumor behavior were classified on International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, third edition. A descriptive and comparative statistic was performed on clinical manifestation, symptom duration, sex, age, tumor location, tumor behavior, and survival time. Results Among the 484 brain tumors, the median age at diagnosis was 4.62 [2.19, 8.17] years old (4.07 [1.64, 7.13] for benign tumors and 5.36 [2.78, 8.84] for malignant tumors). The overall male to female ratios were 1.33:1, with 1.09:1 and 1.62:1 for benign and malignant tumors respectively. Nausea and vomiting, headache were the most frequent initial symptoms. The median symptoms duration was 4[2, 21] weeks. The three most frequent tumor type were embryonal tumors (22.45%), other astrocytic tumors (20.17%), and diffuse astrocytic tumors (11.02%). Supratentorial tumors comprise 57.38% of all brain tumors. And the most common tumor locations were cerebellum and forth ventricles (38.67%), sellar region (22.87%) and ventricles (10.60%). Male were more common among choroid plexus tumors (63.64%), embryonal tumors (61.11%), ependymal tumors (68.57%), and germ cell tumors (78.13%). Patients were followed for 1 to 82 months. The overall 5-year survival was 77.4%, with 90.0% for benign tumor and 65.3% for malignant tumors. log-rank test found significant different at p <0.001 level. Conclusion Brain tumors presented particularly sexual, age dependent, and regional dependent epidemiological characteristic. Our results were consistent with previous reports, and might reflect the real epidemiology status in China.
Early signals of Omicron severity in sentinel UK hospitals
Authors: Ahmad Shazaad , Brown Benjamin , Charlett Andre , Davies Emma , House Thomas , Kirkman Ben , Machin Nicholas , O'Hara Robert , Paton Rob , Pellis Lorenzo , Ward Tom , Overton Christopher E. 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
On 26th November 2021, a novel SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529 (Omicron variant) was designated as a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation. Using data from the Virology laboratory at the Manchester Medical Microbiology Partnership (MMMP, a partnership between UKHSA and the Manchester Foundation Trust), we have extracted a real-time feed of Omicron samples from hospitals across Greater Manchester, an area of the United Kingdom with a population size of approximately three million individuals. Omicron hospital samples are growing exponentially across Greater Manchester (doubling time 2.7 days (95% CI: 2.1, 3.7)). The proportion of Omicron in hospital samples follows a similar trajectory to the SGTF proportion in cases, but with a two-day offset. This is consistent with the delay from testing positive to hospital admission, implying a similar proportion of Omicron cases are converting to hospital admissions as for Delta cases. Comparing the Greater Manchester data to national hospitalisation data, similar tends are observed. Therefore, there is no signal of a substantial reduction in hospital admission risk with Omicron, and Omicron epidemics are likely to place a substantial burden on public health infrastructure.
Microbial community composition associated with early developmental stages of the Indian white shrimp, Penaeus indicus
Authors: TN Vinay , PK Patil , R Aravind , PS Shyne Anand , V Baskaran , CP Balasubramanian 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Gut microbiota is known to influence the physiology, health, nutrient absorption, reproduction, and other metabolic activities of aquatic organisms. Microbial composition can influence intestinal immunity and are considered as health indicators. Information on gut microbial composition provides potential application possibilities to improve shrimp health and production. In the absence of such information for Penaeus indicus, the present study reports the microbial community structure associated with its early developmental stages. Bacterial community associated with the early developmental stages (egg, nauplii, zoea, mysis, postlarvae-1, postlarvae-6 and postlarvae-12) from two hatchery cycles were analysed employing 16S rRNA high throughput sequencing. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, were the two dominant phyla in P. indicus development stages. Sequential sampling revealed the constant change in the bacterial composition at genus level. Alteromonas was dominant in egg and nauplii stage, whilst Ascidiaceihabitans (formerly Roseobacter) was the dominant genera in both PL6 and PL12. The bacterial composition was highly dynamic in early stages and our study suggests that the mysis stage is the critical phase in transforming the microbial composition and it gets stabalised by early post larval stages. This is the first report on the composition of microbiota in early developmental stages of P. indicus. Based on these results the formation of microbial composition seems to be influenced by feeding at early stages. The study provides valuable information to device intervention strategies for healthy seed production.