bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Psychosocial stress and cortisol stress reactivity predict breast milk composition
Authors: Ziomkiewicz Anna , Babiszewska Magdalena , Apanasewicz Anna , Piosek Magdalena , Wychowaniec Patrycja , Cierniak Agnieszka , Barbarska Olga , Szołtysik Marek , Danel Dariusz , Wichary Szymon 
Published: June 2021

AbstractWe studied a sample of 146 Polish, exclusively breastfeeding mothers and their healthy born on time infants to explore the effect of perinatal psychosocial stress on breast milk composition. Maternal perinatal stress was assessed using Recent Life Changes Questionnaire summarizing stressful events from the previous six months. Stress reactivity was determined by administering the cold pressor test and measuring cortisol in saliva samples taken during the test. Breast milk sample was taken to measure energy, protein, fat, lactose, and fatty acid content. Analyses revealed that stress reactivity was positively associated with milk fat and long-chain unsaturated fatty acids and negatively associated with milk lactose. Perinatal psychosocial stress negatively affected energy density, fat as well as medium-chain and long-chain saturated fatty acids in milk. These results, together with previous studies, advocate monitoring maternal psychological status during the peripartum to promote breastfeeding and healthy infant nutrition.
Saphenous vein valve assessment utilizing upright CT to potentially improve graft assessment for bypass surgery
Authors: Nakahara Takehiro , Yamada Minoru , Yokoyama Yoichi , Yamada Yoshitake , Narita Keiichi , Imanishi Nobuaki , Yamazaki Masataka , Shimizu Hideyuki , Narula Jagat , Jinzaki Masahiro 
Published: June 2021

AbstractSaphenous veins (SVs) are frequently employed as bypass grafts. The SV graft failure is predominantly seen at the valve site. Avoiding valves during vein harvest would help reduce graft failure. We endeavored to detect SV valves, tributaries, and vessel size employing upright computed tomography (CT) for the raw cadaver venous samples and in healthy volunteers. Five cadaver legs were scanned. Anatomical analysis showed 3.0 (IQR: 2.0–3.0) valves and 13.50 (IQR: 10.00–16.25) tributaries. The upright CT completely detected, compared to 2.0 (IQR: 1.5–2.5, p = 0.06) valves and 9.5 (IQR: 7.5–13.0, p = 0.13) tributaries by supine CT. From a total of 190 volunteers, 138 (men:75, women:63) were included. The number of valves from the SF junction to 35 cm were significantly higher in upright CT than in supine CT bilaterally [upright vs. supine, Right: 4 (IQR: 3–5) vs. 2 (IQR:1–2), p < 0.0001, Left: 4 (IQR: 3–5) vs. 2 (IQR: 1–2), p < 0.0001]. The number of tributaries and vessel areas per leg were also higher for upright compared with supine CT. Upright CT enables non-invasive detection of SV valves, tributaries, and vessel size. Although not tested here, it is expected that upright CT may potentially improve graft assessment for bypass surgery.
A performance evaluation of despiking algorithms for eddy covariance data
Authors: Vitale Domenico 
Published: June 2021

AbstractSpike detection for raw high-frequency eddy covariance time series is a challenging task because of the confounding effect caused by complex dynamics and the high level of noise affecting such data. To cope with these features, a new despiking procedure rooted on robust functionals is proposed. By processing simulated data, it is demonstrated that the proposed procedure performs better than the existing algorithms and can be therefore considered as a candidate for the implementation in data center environmental monitoring systems, where the availability of automatic procedures ensuring a high quality standard of released products constitutes an essential prerequisite.
Evaluation of a collaborative model for successful implementation of a National CD4 enumeration EQA program in Cameroon
Authors: Sagnia Bertrand , Kiazyk Sandra , Meyers Adrienne F. A. , Plews Margot , Diallo Tamsir O. , Sosso Samuel Martin , Ambada Georgia , Kamgaing Rachel , Nji Nadesh , Sandstrom Paul , Ball Blake T. , Nchinda Godwin , Ndjolo Alexis 
Published: June 2021

AbstractParticipation in an EQA program is critical to the quality assurance process. Reliable and precise CD4 T-cells enumeration are essential to improve the clinical management of patients by evaluating the disease progression and by monitoring the effectiveness of ART in HIV-patients. The CIRCB, CD4 reference laboratory, in collaboration with the Canadian QASI-program, recruited sites, distributed and analyzed CD4-panels in 61 sites across Cameroon. A trend and performance analysis in the pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical phases was performed. Continuous training and corrective actions carried out from 2014 to 2018 increased the number of participating sites from 15 to 61 sites, the number of unacceptable results decreased from 50 to 10%. Specific challenges included errors in pre analytic (17.5%), analytic (77.0%) and post-analytic (5.5%) phases. This EQA requires the application of good laboratory practices, fluidic communication between all the stakeholders, continuous training, application of specific on-site corrective measures, and timely equipment maintenance in order to avoid repetitive errors and to increase laboratory performance. It could be extended to other HIV-1 testing like viral load and EID point-of-care. Partnership with QASI serve as a model for implementation of a successful EQA model for resource limited countries wanting to implement EQA for HIV testing and monitoring in alignment with 90–90–90 targets.
Preparation of serum capped silver nanoparticles for selective killing of microbial cells sparing host cells
Authors: Parveen Rehana , Maiti Prasanta Kumar , Murmu Nabendu , Datta Alokmay 
Published: June 2021

AbstractFollowing access into the cell, colloidal silver nanoparticles exhibit generalized cytotoxic properties, thus appear as omnipotent microbicidal, but not suitable for systemic use unless are free of toxic effects on host cells. The AgNP-Serum-18 when prepared from silver nitrate, using dextrose as reducing and group-matched homologous serum as a stabilizing agent, selective endocytosis, and oxidative stress-dependent bio-functional damages to the host are mostly eliminated. For their bio-mimicking outer coat, there is the least possibility of internalization into host cells or liberation of excess oxidants in circulation following interaction with erythrocytes or vascular endothelial cells. The presence of infection-specific antibodies in the serum can make such nano-conjugates more selective. A potent antimicrobial action and a wide margin of safety for mammalian cells in comparison with very similar PVA-capped silver nanoparticles have been demonstrated by the in-vitro challenge of such nanoparticles on different microbes, human liver cell-line, and in-vivo study on mice model. This may open up wide-range therapeutic prospects of colloidal nanoparticles.
Accelerated mapping of electronic density of states patterns of metallic nanoparticles via machine-learning
Authors: Bang Kihoon , Yeo Byung Chul , Kim Donghun , Han Sang Soo , Lee Hyuck Mo 
Published: June 2021

AbstractWithin first-principles density functional theory (DFT) frameworks, it is challenging to predict the electronic structures of nanoparticles (NPs) accurately but fast. Herein, a machine-learning architecture is proposed to rapidly but reasonably predict electronic density of states (DOS) patterns of metallic NPs via a combination of principal component analysis (PCA) and the crystal graph convolutional neural network (CGCNN). With the PCA, a mathematically high-dimensional DOS image can be converted to a low-dimensional vector. The CGCNN plays a key role in reflecting the effects of local atomic structures on the DOS patterns of NPs with only a few of material features that are easily extracted from a periodic table. The PCA-CGCNN model is applicable for all pure and bimetallic NPs, in which a handful DOS training sets that are easily obtained with the typical DFT method are considered. The PCA-CGCNN model predicts the R2 value to be 0.85 or higher for Au pure NPs and 0.77 or higher for Au@Pt core@shell bimetallic NPs, respectively, in which the values are for the test sets. Although the PCA-CGCNN method showed a small loss of accuracy when compared with DFT calculations, the prediction time takes just ~ 160 s irrespective of the NP size in contrast to DFT method, for example, 13,000 times faster than the DFT method for Pt147. Our approach not only can be immediately applied to predict electronic structures of actual nanometer scaled NPs to be experimentally synthesized, but also be used to explore correlations between atomic structures and other spectrum image data of the materials (e.g., X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy).
Development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for the detection of Tilletia controversa based on genome comparison
Authors: Sedaghatjoo Somayyeh , Forster Monika K. , Niessen Ludwig , Karlovsky Petr , Killermann Berta , Maier Wolfgang 
Published: June 2021

AbstractTilletia controversa causing dwarf bunt of wheat is a quarantine pathogen in several countries. Therefore, its specific detection is of great phytosanitary importance. Genomic regions routinely used for phylogenetic inferences lack suitable polymorphisms for the development of species-specific markers. We therefore compared 21 genomes of six Tilletia species to identify DNA regions that were unique and conserved in all T. controversa isolates and had no or limited homology to other Tilletia species. A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for T. controversa was developed based on one of these DNA regions. The specificity of the assay was verified using 223 fungal samples comprising 43 fungal species including 11 Tilletia species, in particular 39 specimens of T. controversa, 92 of T. caries and 40 of T. laevis, respectively. The assay specifically amplified genomic DNA of T. controversa from pure cultures and teliospores. Only Tilletia trabutii generated false positive signals. The detection limit of the LAMP assay was 5 pg of genomic DNA per reaction. A test performance study that included five laboratories in Germany resulted in 100% sensitivity and 97.7% specificity of the assay. Genomic regions, specific to common bunt (Tilletia caries and Tilletia laevis together) are also provided.
Ipomoeassin-F disrupts multiple aspects of secretory protein biogenesis
Authors: Roboti Peristera , O’Keefe Sarah , Duah Kwabena B. , Shi Wei Q. , High Stephen 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe Sec61 complex translocates nascent polypeptides into and across the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), providing access to the secretory pathway. In this study, we show that Ipomoeassin-F (Ipom-F), a selective inhibitor of protein entry into the ER lumen, blocks the in vitro translocation of certain secretory proteins and ER lumenal folding factors whilst barely affecting others such as albumin. The effects of Ipom-F on protein secretion from HepG2 cells are twofold: reduced ER translocation combined, in some cases, with defective ER lumenal folding. This latter issue is most likely a consequence of Ipom-F preventing the cell from replenishing its ER lumenal chaperones. Ipom-F treatment results in two cellular stress responses: firstly, an upregulation of stress-inducible cytosolic chaperones, Hsp70 and Hsp90; secondly, an atypical unfolded protein response (UPR) linked to the Ipom-F-mediated perturbation of ER function. Hence, although levels of spliced XBP1 and CHOP mRNA and ATF4 protein increase with Ipom-F, the accompanying increase in the levels of ER lumenal BiP and GRP94 seen with tunicamycin are not observed. In short, although Ipom-F reduces the biosynthetic load of newly synthesised secretory proteins entering the ER lumen, its effects on the UPR preclude the cell restoring ER homeostasis.
Maximizing the potential of aggressive mouse tumor models in preclinical drug testing
Authors: Elghetany M. Tarek , Ho Jia-Min , Shi-Qi Lois Hew , Karthik Sekar , Su Jack M. F. , Lin Qi , Du YuChen , Shen Jianhe , Chow Wing-Yuk , Lau Ching C. , Adesina Adekunle , Major Angela , Erdreich-Epstein Anat , Hui Kam-Man , Li Xiao-Nan , Teo Wan-Yee 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAtypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) is an aggressive embryonal brain tumor among infants and young children. Two challenges exist for preclinical testing in ATRT. First, genetically quiet, ATRT is a difficult tumor to target molecularly. Tumor cells need to divide to propagate tumor growth—intercepting the common crossroads in cell cycle progression is a feasible strategy. KIF11 is needed for bipolar spindle formation in metaphase. We identified KIF11 as a universal target of all ATRT-molecular-subtypes. Ispinesib, a KIF11-inhibitor, effectively inhibited tumor proliferation in all seven cell lines. A second challenge—a major challenge in preclinical drug testing in-vivo among aggressive tumor models, is the narrow therapeutic window to administer drugs within the limited murine lifespan. Our most aggressive ATRT tumor model was lethal in all mice within ~ 1 month of tumor implantation. Such short-surviving mouse models are difficult to employ for preclinical drug testing due to the narrow time window to administer drugs. To overcome this time restriction, we developed a clinical staging system which allowed physically-fit mice to continue treatment, in contrast to the conventional method of fixed drug-dose-duration regimen in preclinical testing which will not be feasible in such short-surviving mouse models. We validated this approach in a second embryonal brain tumor, medulloblastoma. This is a clinically relevant, cost-efficient approach in preclinical testing for cancer and non-cancer disease phenotypes. Widely used preclinical mouse models are not the most accurate and lack the aggressive tumor spectrum found within a single tumor type. Mice bearing the most aggressive tumor spectrum progress rapidly in the limited murine life-span, resulting in a narrow therapeutic window to administer drugs, and are thus difficult to employ in preclinical testing. Our approach overcomes this challenge. We discovered ispinesib is efficacious against two embryonal brain tumor types.
BAFF predicts immunogenicity in older patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with TNF inhibitors
Authors: Hernández-Breijo Borja , Navarro-Compán Victoria , Plasencia-Rodríguez Chamaida , Parodis Ioannis , Gehin Johanna E. , Martínez-Feito Ana , Novella-Navarro Marta , Mezcua Araceli , Warren David J. , Nozal Pilar , Pascual-Salcedo Dora , Balsa Alejandro 
Published: June 2021

AbstractImmunogenicity related to treatment with TNF inhibitors (TNFi) is one of the causes for the decreased attainment of clinical response in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The B-cell activating factor (BAFF) may be playing a role in the development of immunogenicity. The objective of this study was to analyse the association of baseline concentration of serum B-cell activating factor (BAFF) with immunogenicity after 6 months of TNFi treatment. A total of 127 patients with RA starting a TNFi (infliximab, adalimumab, certolizumab pegol or golimumab) were followed-up for 6 months. Serum samples were obtained at baseline and at 6 months and anti-drug antibody (ADA) and BAFF concentrations were measured. Logistic regression models were employed in order to analyse the association between BAFF concentrations and immunogenicity. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to determine the BAFF concentrations with a greater likelihood of showing immunogenicity association. At 6 months, 31 patients (24%) developed ADA. A significant interaction between the age and baseline BAFF concentration was found for the development of ADA (Wald chi-square value = 5.30; p = 0.02); therefore, subsequent results were stratified according to mean age (≤ / > 55 years). Baseline serum BAFF concentration was independently associated with ADA development only in patients over 55 years (OR = 1.51; 95% CI 1.03–2.21). Baseline serum BAFF ≥ 1034 pg/mL predicted the presence of ADA at 6 months (AUC = 0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.69–0.93; p = 0.001; positive likelihood ratio = 3.7). In conclusion, our results suggest that the association of BAFF concentration and immunogenicity depends on the patient’s age. Baseline serum BAFF concentration predicts the presence of ADA within 6 months of TNFi therapy in older patients with RA.
MHD hybrid nanofluid flow comprising the medication through a blood artery
Authors: Alghamdi Wajdi , Alsubie Abdelaziz , Kumam Poom , Saeed Anwar , Gul Taza 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe current study focuses on the laminar flow of copper and copper oxide ($${\text{Cu/blood}}$$
Cu/blood
and $${\text{Cu}} + {\text{CuO/blood}}$$

Cu
+
CuO/blood

) hybrid nanoliquid, considering blood as a carrier fluid in a rectangular domain between two permeable channels. This study may manipulate for the purpose such as the drug delivery process, flow dynamic mechanism of the micro-circulatory system. In the proposed model, MHD and heat source/sink on the flow pattern have been studied. Furthermore, the sides of each channel are permeable, allowing the nanoliquid to escape, filter, squeezing and dilating with a fixed velocity. Appropriate transformations are incorporated to convert the governing partial differential equations and the boundary conditions suitable for computation. The elegant homotopy analysis method (HAM) is used to obtain analytic approximations for the resulting system of nonlinear differential equations. The features of flow characteristics such as velocity, and temperature profiles in response to the variations of the emerging parameters are simulated and examined with a physical explanation. The magnetic field plays a vital role in the blood flow and therefore the existing literature has been extending with the addition of magnetic field. Among the many outputs of the study, it is found that the pressure distribution decline with the accumulated values of the magnetic parameter at the center of the flow regime. The augmentation in the temperature distribution estimates the pH values and electric conductivity. Therefore, the $${\text{Cu}}\,\,{\text{and}}\,\,{\text{CuO}}$$

Cu

and

CuO

hybrid nanofluids are used in this study for medication purposes. The magnetic field has an important role in the blood flow and therefore the extending study has been extending using the magnetic field. The heat emission/absorption term is added to the energy equation to maintain the homogeneous temperature for the blood flow. We expect that this work will provide efficient outputs for medical purposes such as drug delivery.
Focused peptide library screening as a route to a superior affinity ligand for antibody purification
Authors: Bozovičar Krištof , Jenko Bizjan Barbara , Meden Anže , Kovač Jernej , Bratkovič Tomaž 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAffinity chromatography is the linchpin of antibody downstream processing and typically relies on bacterial immunoglobulin (Ig)-binding proteins, epitomized by staphylococcal protein A-based ligands. However, such affinity ligands are fairly costly and suffer from chemical instability, leading to ligand denaturation and leaching from chromatographic support. Innovations in this area are aimed at developing robust and highly selective antibody ligands capable of withstanding harsh column sanitization conditions. We report the development and first-stage characterization of a selective short linear peptide ligand of the IgG Fc region capable of capturing all four IgG subclasses. The ligand was discovered through in vitro directed evolution. A focused phage-display library based on a previously identified peptide lead was subjected to a single-round screen against a pool of human IgG. The hits were identified with next-generation sequencing and ranked according to the enrichment ratio relative to their frequency in the pre-screened library. The top enriched peptide GSYWYNVWF displaying highest affinity for IgG was coupled to bromohydrin-activated agarose beads via a branched linker. The resulting affinity matrix was characterized with a dynamic binding capacity of approx. 43 mg/mL, on par with commercially employed protein A-based resin.
Aberrant activity of mitochondrial NCLX is linked to impaired synaptic transmission and is associated with mental retardation
Authors: Stavsky Alexandra , Stoler Ohad , Kostic Marko , Katoshevsky Tomer , Assali Essam A. , Savic Ivana , Amitai Yael , Prokisch Holger , Leiz Steffen , Daumer-Haas Cornelia , Fleidervish Ilya , Perocchi Fabiana , Gitler Daniel , Sekler Israel 
Published: June 2021

AbstractCalcium dynamics control synaptic transmission. Calcium triggers synaptic vesicle fusion, determines release probability, modulates vesicle recycling, participates in long-term plasticity and regulates cellular metabolism. Mitochondria, the main source of cellular energy, serve as calcium signaling hubs. Mitochondrial calcium transients are primarily determined by the balance between calcium influx, mediated by the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), and calcium efflux through the sodium/lithium/calcium exchanger (NCLX). We identified a human recessive missense SLC8B1 variant that impairs NCLX activity and is associated with severe mental retardation. On this basis, we examined the effect of deleting NCLX in mice on mitochondrial and synaptic calcium homeostasis, synaptic activity, and plasticity. Neuronal mitochondria exhibited basal calcium overload, membrane depolarization, and a reduction in the amplitude and rate of calcium influx and efflux. We observed smaller cytoplasmic calcium transients in the presynaptic terminals of NCLX-KO neurons, leading to a lower probability of release and weaker transmission. In agreement, synaptic facilitation in NCLX-KO hippocampal slices was enhanced. Importantly, deletion of NCLX abolished long term potentiation of Schaffer collateral synapses. Our results show that NCLX controls presynaptic calcium transients that are crucial for defining synaptic strength as well as short- and long-term plasticity, key elements of learning and memory processes.
PP2A in LepR+ mesenchymal stem cells contributes to embryonic and postnatal endochondral ossification through Runx2 dephosphorylation
Authors: Yen Yu-Ting , Chien May , Wu Pei-Yi , Hung Shih-Chieh 
Published: June 2021

AbstractIt has not been well studied which cells and related mechanisms contribute to endochondral ossification. Here, we fate mapped the leptin receptor-expressing (LepR+) mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in different embryonic and adult extremities using Lepr-cre; tdTomato mice and investigated the underling mechanism using Lepr-cre; Ppp2r1afl/fl mice. Tomato+ cells appear in the primary and secondary ossification centers and express the hypertrophic markers. Ppp2r1a deletion in LepR+ MSCs reduces the expression of Runx2, Osterix, alkaline phosphatase, collagen X, and MMP13, but increases that of the mature adipocyte marker perilipin, thereby reducing trabecular bone density and enhancing fat content. Mechanistically, PP2A dephosphorylates Runx2 and BRD4, thereby playing a major role in positively and negatively regulating osteogenesis and adipogenesis, respectively. Our data identify LepR+ MSC as the cell origin of endochondral ossification during embryonic and postnatal bone growth and suggest that PP2A is a therapeutic target in the treatment of dysregulated bone formation.