bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Are the Healthy Vulnerable? Cytomegalovirus Seropositivity in Healthy Adults Is Associated With Accelerated Epigenetic Age and Immune Dysregulation
Authors: Poloni Chad , Szyf Moshe , Cheishvili David , Tsoukas Christos M 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Background
Evaluating age as a risk factor for susceptibility to infectious diseases, particularly coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is critical. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) serologic prevalence increases with age and associates with inflammatory-mediated diseases in the elderly. However, little is known regarding the subclinical impact of CMV and risk it poses to healthy older adults. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic we conducted a study to determine the association of CMV to biologic age and immune dysregulation.

Methods
Community-dwelling, healthy adults older than 60 years were evaluated using DNA methylation assays to define epigenetic age (EpiAge) and T-cell immunophenotyping to assess immune dysregulation.

Results
All subjects were healthy and asymptomatic. Those CMV seropositive had more lymphocytes, CD8 T cells, CD28− T cells, decreased CD4:CD8 cell ratios, and had higher average EpiAge (65.34 years) than those CMV seronegative (59.53 years). Decreased percent CD4 (P = .003) and numbers of CD4 T cells (P = .0199) correlated with increased EpiAge.

Conclusions
Our novel findings distinguish altered immunity in the elderly based on CMV status. Chronic CMV infection in healthy, older adults is associated with indicators of immune dysregulation, both of which correlate to differences in EpiAge.
Pitfalls in genotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing caused by low expression of blaKPC in Escherichia coli
Authors: Kocer Kaan , Klein Sabrina , Hildebrand Dagmar , Krall Johannes , Heeg Klaus , Boutin Sébastien , Nurjadi Dennis 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Background
There is a growing interest in the rapid genotypic identification of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In routine diagnostics, we detected multiple KPC-positive Escherichia coli (KPC-Ec) with discordant phenotypic meropenem susceptibility from a single patient’s blood cultures, which prompted a more thorough investigation.

Objectives
We investigated the potential clinical relevance of, and the mechanism behind, discordant phenotypic and genotypic meropenem susceptibility in KPC-Ec.

Methods
WGS was used to perform a comparative analysis of the isolates’ genetic characteristics and their blaKPC-2 locus. Expression of blaKPC-2 was determined by quantitative PCR and the potency of meropenem hydrolysis was determined using a semi-quantitative carbapenem inactivation method. An in vivo infection assay using Galleria mellonella was performed to assess the potential clinical relevance of KPC expression in E. coli.

Results
Despite the presence of blaKPC-2, three of five isolates were susceptible to meropenem (MICVITEK2 ≤ 0.25 mg/L), while two isolates were resistant (MICVITEK2 ≥ 16 mg/L). The isolates with high MICs had significantly higher blaKPC-2 expression, which corresponds to phenotypic meropenem inactivation. The genetic environment of blaKPC-2, which may impact KPC production, was identical in all isolates. In vivo infection assay with G. mellonella suggested that meropenem was effective in reducing mortality following infection with low-expressing KPC-Ec.

Conclusions
Our findings clearly highlight a limitation of genotypic AMR prediction for blaKPC. For the time being, genotypic AMR prediction requires additional analysis for accurate antibiotic therapy decision-making.
Kolaflavanone, a biflavonoid derived from medicinal plantGarcinia, is an inhibitor of mitotic kinesin Eg5
Authors: Alrazi Islam M D , Ogunwa Tomisin H , Kolawole Ayodele O , Elekofehinti Olusola O , Omotuyi Olaposi I , Miyanishi Takayuki , Maruta Shinsaku 
Published: July 2021

AbstractMitotic kinesin Eg5 remains a validated target in antimitotic therapy because of its essential role in the formation and maintenance of bipolar mitotic spindles. Although numerous Eg5 inhibitors of synthetic origin are known, only a few inhibitors derived from natural products have been reported. In our study, we focused on identifying novel Eg5 inhibitors from medicinal plants, particularly Garcinia species. Herein, we report the inhibitory effect of kolaflavanone (KLF), a Garcinia biflavonoid, on the ATPase and microtubule-gliding activities of mitotic kinesin Eg5. Additionally, we showed the interaction mechanism between Eg5 and KLF via in vitro and in silico analyses. The results revealed that KLF inhibited both the basal and microtubule-activated ATPase activities of Eg5. The inhibitory mechanism is allosteric, without a direct competition with adenosine-5′-diphosphate for the nucleotide-binding site. KLF also suppressed the microtubule gliding of Eg5 in vitro. The Eg5–KLF model obtained from molecular docking showed that the biflavonoid exists within the α2/α3/L5 (α2: Lys111–Glu116 and Ile135–Asp149, α3: Asn206–Thr226; L5: Gly117–Gly134) pocket, with a binding pose comparable to known Eg5 inhibitors. Overall, our data suggest that KLF is a novel allosteric inhibitor of mitotic kinesin Eg5.
Visualization of the Nipple in Profile: Does It Really Affect Selected Outcomes in Organized Mammographic Screening?
Authors: Holen Åsne S , Larsen Marthe , Moshina Nataliia , Wåade Gunvor G , Sechopoulos Ioannis , Hanestad Berit , Tøsdal Linn , Hofvind Solveig 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Objective
To investigate whether having the nipple imaged in profile was associated with breast characteristics or compression parameters, and whether it affected selected outcomes in screening with standard digital mammography or digital breast tomosynthesis.

Methods
In this IRB-approved retrospective study, results from 87 450 examinations (174 900 breasts) performed as part of BreastScreen Norway, 2016–2019, were compared by nipple in profile status and screening technique using descriptive statistics and generalized estimating equations. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated for outcomes of interest, including age, breast volume, volumetric breast density, and compression force as covariates.

Results
Achieving the nipple in profile versus not in profile was associated with lower breast volume (845.1 cm3 versus 1059.9 cm3, P &lt; 0.01) and higher mammographic density (5.6% versus 4.4%, P &lt; 0.01). Lower compression force and higher compression pressure were applied to breasts with the nipple in profile (106.6 N and 11.5 kPa) compared to the nipple not in profile (110.8 N and 10.5 kPa, P &lt; 0.01 for both). The adjusted odds ratio was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.88–1.02; P = 0.15) for recall and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.77–1.10; P = 0.36) for screen-detected cancer for nipple in profile versus not in profile.

Conclusion
Breast characteristics and compression parameters might hamper imaging of the nipple in profile. However, whether the nipple was in profile or not on the screening mammograms did not influence the odds of recall or screen-detected cancer, regardless of screening technique.
The Effect of Patent Litigation Insurance: Theory and Evidence from NPEs
Authors: Ganglmair Bernhard , Helmers Christian , Love Brian J 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
We analyze the extent to which private defensive litigation insurance deters patent assertion by non-practicing entities (NPEs). We study the effect that a patent-specific defensive insurance product, offered by a leading litigation insurer, had on the litigation behavior of insured patents’ owners, all of which are NPEs. We first model the impact of defensive litigation insurance on the behavior of patent enforcers and accused infringers. We show that the availability of defensive litigation insurance can have an effect on how often patent enforcers will assert their patents. We confirm this result empirically showing that the insurance policy had a large, negative effect on the likelihood that a patent included in the policy was subsequently asserted relative to other patents held by the same NPEs and relative to patents held by other NPEs with portfolios that were entirely excluded from the insurance product. Our findings suggest that market-based mechanisms can deter so-called “patent trolling.” (JEL: G22, K41, O34)
Comparing Systemic and Individual Sources of Racially Disparate Traffic Stop Outcomes
Authors: Shoub Kelsey 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
The deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor brought discussions of race and policing to the forefront in the summer of 2020 in the United States, spurring protests and calls for policing reform. However, enacting successful reforms curtailing racially biased policing requires understanding whether bias is widespread, likely tied to systemic sources, or the work of a few racist officers. This study elaborates on these perspectives by drawing on theories of systemic and individual bias that may arise when bureaucrats have ample discretion. Using millions of traffic stops, I construct two measures to evaluate whether disparities are widespread—as indicated by the first perspective—or confined to a few officers—as suggested by the second. This study finds widespread racial disparities in who is searched following a traffic stop and that banning consent searches would alter policing patterns more than eliminating outlier officers in a set of paired t-tests.
Effects of the hummock–depression microhabitat on plant communities of alpine marshy meadows in the Yellow River Source Zone, China
Authors: Wu Guiling , Gao Jay , Ou Weiyou , Wan Jizhong , Li Xilai 
Published: July 2021

AbstractOur objectives are to examine the effects of hummock–depression spatial heterogeneity on plant communities and soil properties, and to understand the process of maintaining and adjusting microtopography-mediated hydrological inputs and their spatial fluctuations that produce obvious microhabitats. We set up 36 plots (1 m × 1 m) and sampled 45 plant and 225 soil samples in flooded (FH) and non-flooded hummocks (NFH) and depressions of the marshy, and the surrounding non-wetland meadows as well as in the Yellow River Source Zone, west China. We evaluated whether the alpine marshy wetland has a fertile island effect by the comparison method. Our results show that hummock presence can increase the spatial heterogeneity of the microhabitat and promote the plant diversity and soil fertility of the Kobresia tibetica community. Plant height, coverage, above-ground biomass, species richness and diversity were significantly higher in the FH and NFH microhabitat than in the areas between hummocks and surrounding non-wetland meadows. Compared with broad alpine meadows, the hummock–depression complex provided a microhabitat favorable to the growth of Cyperaceae. In the 0–50 cm soil layer, the closer the soil layer was to the ground surface, the higher its soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents. Thus, in deeper layers, the gap between soil nutrients in wetland hummock–depression microhabitat and in the surrounding alpine meadows becomes smaller. Hence, the wetland hummock–depression microhabitat formed a fertile island pattern. Therefore, these results contribute toward improving our understanding of ecosystem restoration in alpine marshy meadows.
Nebular Emission from Lanthanide-rich Ejecta of Neutron Star Merger
Authors: Hotokezaka Kenta , Tanaka Masaomi , Kato Daiji , Gaigalas Gediminas 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
The nebular phase of lanthanide-rich ejecta of a neutron star merger (NSM) is studied by using a one-zone model, in which the atomic properties are represented by a single species, neodymium (Nd). Under the assumption that β-decay of r-process nuclei is the heat and ionization source, we solve the ionization and thermal balance of the ejecta under non-local thermodynamic equilibrium. The atomic data including energy levels, radiative transition rates, collision strengths, and recombination rate coefficients, are obtained by using atomic structure codes, GRASP2K and HULLAC. We find that both permitted and forbidden lines roughly equally contribute to the cooling rate of Nd II and Nd III at the nebular temperatures. We show that the kinetic temperature and ionization degree increase with time in the early stage of the nebular phase while these quantities become approximately independent of time after the thermalization break of the heating rate because the processes relevant to the ionization and thermalization balance are attributed to two-body collision between electrons and ions at later times. As a result, in spite of the rapid decline of the luminosity, the shape of the emergent spectrum does not change significantly with time after the break. We show that the emission-line nebular spectrum of the pure Nd ejecta consists of a broad structure from 0.5 μm to 20 μm with two distinct peaks around 1 μm and 10 μm.
Deep Learning assessment of galaxy morphology in S-PLUS Data Release 1
Authors: Bom C R , Cortesi A , Lucatelli G , Dias L O , Schubert P , Oliveira Schwarz G B , Cardoso N M , Lima E V R , Mendes de Oliveira C , Sodre L , Smith Castelli A V , Ferrari F , Damke G , Overzier R , Kanaan A , Ribeiro T , Schoenell W 
Published: July 2021

ABSTRACT
The morphological diversity of galaxies is a relevant probe of galaxy evolution and cosmological structure formation, but the classification of galaxies in large sky surveys is becoming a significant challenge. We use data from the Stripe-82 area observed by the Southern Photometric Local Universe Survey (S-PLUS) in 12 optical bands, and present a catalogue of the morphologies of galaxies brighter than r = 17 mag determined both using a novel multiband morphometric fitting technique and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for computer vision. Using the CNNs, we find that, compared to our baseline results with three bands, the performance increases when using 5 broad and 3 narrow bands, but is poorer when using the full 12 band S-PLUS image set. However, the best result is still achieved with just three optical bands when using pre-trained network weights from an ImageNet data set. These results demonstrate the importance of using prior knowledge about neural network weights based on training in unrelated, extensive data sets, when available. Our catalogue contains 3274 galaxies in Stripe-82 that are not present in Galaxy Zoo 1 (GZ1), and we also provide our classifications for 4686 galaxies that were considered ambiguous in GZ1. Finally, we present a prospect of a novel way to take advantage of 12 band information for morphological classification using morphometric features, and we release a model that has been pre-trained on several bands that could be adapted for classifications using data from other surveys. The morphological catalogues are publicly available.
Probing the spectral shape of dust emission with the DustPedia galaxy sample
Authors: Nersesian Angelos , Dobbels Wouter , Xilouris Emmanuel M , Baes Maarten , Bianchi Simone , Casasola Viviana , Clark Christopher J R , De Looze Ilse , Galliano Frédéric , Madden Suzanne C , Mosenkov Aleksandr V , Paspaliaris Evangelos-D , Trčka Ana 
Published: July 2021

ABSTRACT
The objective of this paper is to understand the variance of the far-infrared (FIR) spectral energy distribution (SED) of the DustPedia galaxies, and its link with the stellar and dust properties. An interesting aspect of the dust emission is the inferred FIR colours which could inform us about the dust content of galaxies, and how it varies with the physical conditions within galaxies. However, the inherent complexity of dust grains as well as the variety of physical properties depending on dust, hinder our ability to utilize their maximum potential. We use principal component analysis (PCA) to explore new hidden correlations with many relevant physical properties such as the dust luminosity, dust temperature, dust mass, bolometric luminosity, star formation rate (SFR), stellar mass, specific SFR, dust-to-stellar mass ratio, the fraction of absorbed stellar luminosity by dust (fabs), and metallicity. We find that 95 per cent of the variance in our sample can be described by two principal components (PCs). The first component controls the wavelength of the peak of the SED, while the second characterizes the width. The physical quantities that correlate better with the coefficients of the first two PCs, and thus control the shape of the FIR SED are the dust temperature, the dust luminosity, the SFR, and fabs. Finally, we find a weak tendency for low-metallicity galaxies to have warmer and broader SEDs, while on the other hand high-metallicity galaxies have FIR SEDs that are colder and narrower.
A study of outer disc stellar populations of face-on star-forming galaxies in SDSS-IV MaNGA: causes of H α deficiency
Authors: Kauffmann Guinevere 
Published: July 2021

ABSTRACT
Integral field unit spectra of face-on star-forming galaxies from the MaNGA survey are stacked in radial bins so as to reach an S/N high enough to measure emission lines and Lick indices out to 2.5–3Re. Two-thirds of galaxies have stellar populations in the outer discs that are older, more metal poor, and less dusty than in the inner discs. Recent bursts of star formation have occurred more frequently in the outer disc, but extinction-corrected H α equivalent widths are significantly lower at fixed Dn(4000) in these regions. I examine the properties of a subset of galaxies with the most H α-deficient outer discs. These regions contain young stellar populations that must have formed within the last 0.5 Gyr, but have extinction-corrected H α values well below the values predicted for a standard Kroupa initial mass function. The H α-deficient galaxies have flat Dn(4000) and H δA profiles with little radial fluctuation, indicating that star formation has occurred extremely uniformly across the entire disc. The H α line profiles indicate that the ionized gas kinematics is also very regular across the disc. The main clue to the origin of the H α deficiency is that it sets in at the same radius where the dust extinction abruptly decreases, suggesting a mode of star formation deficient in massive stars in quiescent, H i-dominated gas. Finally, I have carried out a search for galaxies with signatures of unusual H α kinematics and find that 15 per cent of the sample exhibits evidence for significant ionized gas that is displaced from the systemic velocity of the disc.
Mistranslation Reduces Mutation Load in Evolving Proteins through Negative Epistasis with DNA Mutations
Authors: Zheng Jia , Guo Ning , Wagner Andreas 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Translational errors during protein synthesis cause phenotypic mutations that are several orders of magnitude more frequent than DNA mutations. Such phenotypic mutations may affect adaptive evolution through their interactions with DNA mutations. To study how mistranslation may affect the adaptive evolution of evolving proteins, we evolved populations of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in either high-mistranslation or low-mistranslation Escherichia coli hosts. In both hosts, we first evolved GFP under purifying selection for the ancestral phenotype green fluorescence, and then under directional selection toward the new phenotype yellow fluorescence. High-mistranslation populations evolved modestly higher yellow fluorescence during each generation of evolution than low-mistranslation populations. We demonstrate by high-throughput sequencing that elevated mistranslation reduced the accumulation of deleterious DNA mutations under both purifying and directional selection. It did so by amplifying the fitness effects of deleterious DNA mutations through negative epistasis with phenotypic mutations. In contrast, mistranslation did not affect the incidence of beneficial mutations. Our findings show that phenotypic mutations interact epistatically with DNA mutations. By reducing a population’s mutation load, mistranslation can affect an important determinant of evolvability.
HBO1 is a versatile histone acyltransferase critical for promoter histone acylations
Authors: Xiao Yanhui , Li Wenjing , Yang Hui , Pan Lulu , Zhang Liwei , Lu Lu , Chen Jiwei , Wei Wei , Ye Jie , Li Jiwen , Li Guohong , Zhang Yong , Tan Minjia , Ding Jianping , Wong Jiemin 
Published: July 2021

AbstractRecent studies demonstrate that histones are subjected to a series of short-chain fatty acid modifications that is known as histone acylations. However, the enzymes responsible for histone acylations in vivo are not well characterized. Here, we report that HBO1 is a versatile histone acyltransferase that catalyzes not only histone acetylation but also propionylation, butyrylation and crotonylation both in vivo and in vitro and does so in a JADE or BRPF family scaffold protein-dependent manner. We show that the minimal HBO1/BRPF2 complex can accommodate acetyl-CoA, propionyl-CoA, butyryl-CoA and crotonyl-CoA. Comparison of CBP and HBO1 reveals that they catalyze histone acylations at overlapping as well as distinct sites, with HBO1 being the key enzyme for H3K14 acylations. Genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation assay demonstrates that HBO1 is highly enriched at and contributes to bulk histone acylations on the transcriptional start sites of active transcribed genes. HBO1 promoter intensity highly correlates with the level of promoter histone acylation, but has no significant correlation with level of transcription. We also show that HBO1 is associated with a subset of DNA replication origins. Collectively our study establishes HBO1 as a versatile histone acyltransferase that links histone acylations to promoter acylations and selection of DNA replication origins.
Characterization of a functional endothelial super-enhancer that regulates ADAMTS18 and angiogenesis
Authors: Mushimiyimana Isidore , Niskanen Henri , Beter Mustafa , Laakkonen Johanna P , Kaikkonen Minna U , Ylä-Herttuala Seppo , Laham-Karam Nihay 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Super-enhancers are clusters of enhancers associated with cell lineage. They can be powerful gene-regulators and may be useful in cell-type specific viral-vector development. Here, we have screened for endothelial super-enhancers and identified an enhancer from within a cluster that conferred 5–70-fold increase in transgene expression. Importantly, CRISPR/Cas9 deletion of enhancers demonstrated regulation of ADAMTS18, corresponding to evidence of chromatin contacts between these genomic regions. Cell division-related pathways were primarily affected by the enhancer deletions, which correlated with significant reduction in cell proliferation. Furthermore, we observed changes in angiogenesis-related genes consistent with the endothelial specificity of this SE. Indeed, deletion of the enhancers affected tube formation, resulting in reduced or shortened sprouts. The super-enhancer angiogenic role is at least partly due to its regulation of ADAMTS18, as siRNA knockdown of ADAMTS18 resulted in significantly shortened endothelial sprouts. Hence, functional characterization of a novel endothelial super-enhancer has revealed substantial downstream effects from single enhancer deletions and led to the discovery of the cis-target gene ADAMTS18 and its role in endothelial function.