bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Feasibility study on stereotactic radiotherapy for total pulmonary vein isolation in a canine model
Authors: Chang Ji Hyun , Cha Myung-Jin , Seo Jeong-Wook , Kim Hak Jae , Park So-Yeon , Kim Byoung Hyuck , Lee Euijae , Kim Moo-kang , Yoon Hye-sun , Oh Seil 
Published: June 2021

AbstractWe tested the feasibility of pulmonary vein (PV) and left atrial (LA) posterior wall isolation using non-invasive stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) and investigated pathological changes in irradiated lesions in a canine model. Seven male Mongrel dogs received single-fraction 33 Gy SABR. We designed the en-bloc circular target of total PVs and LA posterior wall to avoid the esophagus. The circular box lesion included the LA roof and ridge, low posterior wall, and posterior interatrial septum. At 6 weeks or 4 months post-SABR, electrical isolation of the SABR lesion was confirmed using LA posterior wall pacing, and histopathological review was performed. Electrical isolation of all PVs and the LA posterior wall was achieved in three of five dogs in the 4-month group. There was one target failure and one sudden death at 15 weeks. Although two dogs in the 6-week group failed to achieve electrical lesion isolation, the irradiated atrial myocardium showed diffuse hemorrhage with inflammatory cell infiltration. In successfully isolated 4-month model dogs, we observed transmural fibrotic scarring with extensive fibrosis on irradiated atrial tissue. The findings suggest that this novel circular box-design radiotherapy technique using SABR could be applied to humans after further studies are conducted to confirm safety.
HSP-90/kinase complexes are stabilized by the large PPIase FKB-6
Authors: Sima Siyuan , Barkovits Katalin , Marcus Katrin , Schmauder Lukas , Hacker Stephan M. , Hellwig Nils , Morgner Nina , Richter Klaus 
Published: June 2021

AbstractProtein kinases are important regulators in cellular signal transduction. As one major type of Hsp90 client, protein kinases rely on the ATP-dependent molecular chaperone Hsp90, which maintains their structure and supports their activation. Depending on client type, Hsp90 interacts with different cofactors. Here we report that besides the kinase-specific cofactor Cdc37 large PPIases of the Fkbp-type strongly bind to kinase•Hsp90•Cdc37 complexes. We evaluate the nucleotide regulation of these assemblies and identify prominent interaction sites in this quaternary complex. The synergistic interaction between the participating proteins and the conserved nature of the interaction suggests functions of the large PPIases Fkbp51/Fkbp52 and their nematode homolog FKB-6 as contributing factors to the kinase cycle of the Hsp90 machinery.
Adapted tolerance to virus infections in four geographically distinct Varroa destructor-resistant honeybee populations
Authors: Locke Barbara , Thaduri Srinivas , Stephan Jörg G. , Low Matthew , Blacquière Tjeerd , Dahle Bjørn , Le Conte Yves , Neumann Peter , de Miranda Joachim R. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe ectoparasitic mite,Varroa destructor, is unarguably the leading cause of honeybee (Apis mellifera) mortality worldwide through its role as a vector for lethal viruses, in particular, strains of theDeformed wing virus(DWV) andAcute bee paralysis virus(ABPV) complexes. Several honeybee populations across Europe have well-documented adaptations of mite-resistant traits but little is known about host adaptations towards the virus infections vectored by the mite. The aim of this study was to assess and compare the possible contribution of adapted virus tolerance and/or resistance to the enhanced survival of four well-documented mite-resistant honeybee populations from Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands and France, in relation to unselected mite-susceptible honeybees. Caged adult bees and laboratory reared larvae, from colonies of these four populations, were inoculated with DWV and ABPV in a series of feeding infection experiments, while control groups received virus-free food. Virus infections were monitored using RT-qPCR assays in individuals sampled over a time course. In both adults and larvae the DWV and ABPV infection dynamics were nearly identical in all groups, but all mite-resistant honeybee populations had significantly higher survival rates compared to the mite-susceptible honeybees. These results suggest that adapted virus tolerance is an important component of survival mechanisms.
Novel nanocomposites of Ni-Pc/polyaniline for the corrosion safety of the aluminum current collector in the Li-ion battery electrolyte
Authors: Deyab M. A. , Mele G. , Bloise E. , Mohsen Q. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractIn electrochemical energy storage systems, Li-ion batteries have drawn considerable interest. However, the corrosion of the aluminum current collector in the LiN(SO2CF3)2 electrolyte has a major effect on battery efficiency. To protect the current collector from the corrosive action of the LiN(SO2CF3)2 electrolyte, new nanocomposites based on Ni(II)tetrakis[4-(2,4-bis-(1,1-dimethyl-propyl)-phenoxy)]phthalocyanine (Ni-Pc) and polyaniline matrix (PANI) (i.e. PANI@Ni-Pc composites) are coated on the aluminum current. SEM, XRD, and EDS were used to characterize the PANI@Ni-Pc composite. This method represents a novel approach to the production of Li-ion batteries. Electrochemical tests show that the PANI@Ni-Pc composites can protect aluminum from corrosion in LiN(SO2CF3)2. The output of PANI@Ni-Pc composites is influenced by the Ni-Pc concentration. The composite PANI@Ni-Pc is a promising way forward to build high-stability Li-Ion batteries.
Cognitive load influences oculomotor behavior in natural scenes
Authors: Walter Kerri , Bex Peter 
Published: June 2021

AbstractCognitive neuroscience researchers have identified relationships between cognitive load and eye movement behavior that are consistent with oculomotor biomarkers for neurological disorders. We develop an adaptive visual search paradigm that manipulates task difficulty and examine the effect of cognitive load on oculomotor behavior in healthy young adults. Participants (N = 30) free-viewed a sequence of 100 natural scenes for 10 s each, while their eye movements were recorded. After each image, participants completed a 4 alternative forced choice task in which they selected a target object from one of the previously viewed scenes, among 3 distracters of the same object type but from alternate scenes. Following two correct responses, the target object was selected from an image increasingly farther back (N-back) in the image stream; following an incorrect response, N decreased by 1. N-back thus quantifies and individualizes cognitive load. The results show that response latencies increased as N-back increased, and pupil diameter increased with N-back, before decreasing at very high N-back. These findings are consistent with previous studies and confirm that this paradigm was successful in actively engaging working memory, and successfully adapts task difficulty to individual subject’s skill levels. We hypothesized that oculomotor behavior would covary with cognitive load. We found that as cognitive load increased, there was a significant decrease in the number of fixations and saccades. Furthermore, the total duration of saccades decreased with the number of events, while the total duration of fixations remained constant, suggesting that as cognitive load increased, subjects made fewer, longer fixations. These results suggest that cognitive load can be tracked with an adaptive visual search task, and that oculomotor strategies are affected as a result of greater cognitive demand in healthy adults.
Detecting functional connectivity disruptions in a translational pediatric traumatic brain injury porcine model using resting-state and task-based fMRI
Authors: Simchick Gregory , Scheulin Kelly M. , Sun Wenwu , Sneed Sydney E. , Fagan Madison M. , Cheek Savannah R. , West Franklin D. , Zhao Qun 
Published: June 2021

AbstractFunctional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has significant potential to evaluate changes in brain network activity after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and enable early prognosis of potential functional (e.g., motor, cognitive, behavior) deficits. In this study, resting-state and task-based fMRI (rs- and tb-fMRI) were utilized to examine network changes in a pediatric porcine TBI model that has increased predictive potential in the development of novel therapies. rs- and tb-fMRI were performed one day post-TBI in piglets. Activation maps were generated using group independent component analysis (ICA) and sparse dictionary learning (sDL). Activation maps were compared to pig reference functional connectivity atlases and evaluated using Pearson spatial correlation coefficients and mean ratios. Nonparametric permutation analyses were used to determine significantly different activation areas between the TBI and healthy control groups. Significantly lower Pearson values and mean ratios were observed in the visual, executive control, and sensorimotor networks for TBI piglets compared to controls. Significant differences were also observed within several specific individual anatomical structures within each network. In conclusion, both rs- and tb-fMRI demonstrate the ability to detect functional connectivity disruptions in a translational TBI piglet model, and these disruptions can be traced to specific affected anatomical structures.
Spectral collapse in anisotropic two-photon Rabi model
Authors: Lo C. F. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractIn this communication, based upon a squeezed-state trial wave function, we have performed a simple variational study of the spectral collapse in the anisotropic two-photon Rabi model. Our analysis indicates that the light-matter interaction and the spin-flipping (together with the anisotropy) effectively constitute two competing impacts upon the radiation mode. Whilst the former tries to decrease the radiation mode frequency, the latter may counteract or reinforce it. The light-matter interaction appears to dominate the frequency modulation as its coupling strengths go beyond the critical values, leading to the emergence of the spectral collapse. However, at the critical couplings the dominance of the light-matter interaction is not complete, and incomplete spectral collapse appears. Accordingly, at the critical couplings the eigenenergy spectrum comprises both a set of discrete energy levels and a continuous energy spectrum. The discrete eigenenergy spectrum can be derived via a simple one-to-one mapping to the bound state problem of a particle of variable effective mass in a finite potential well, and the number of bound states available is determined by the energy difference between the two atomic levels. Each of these eigenenergies has a twofold degeneracy corresponding to the spin degree of freedom.
Development of a capture sequencing assay for enhanced detection and genotyping of tick-borne pathogens
Authors: Jain Komal , Tagliafierro Teresa , Marques Adriana , Sanchez-Vicente Santiago , Gokden Alper , Fallon Brian , Mishra Nischay , Briese Thomas , Kapoor Vishal , Sameroff Stephen , Guo Cheng , Marcos Luis A. , Hu Linden , Lipkin W. Ian , Tokarz Rafal 
Published: June 2021

AbstractInadequate sensitivity has been the primary limitation for implementing high-throughput sequencing for studies of tick-borne agents. Here we describe the development of TBDCapSeq, a sequencing assay that uses hybridization capture probes that cover the complete genomes of the eleven most common tick-borne agents found in the United States. The probes are used for solution-based capture and enrichment of pathogen nucleic acid followed by high-throughput sequencing. We evaluated the performance of TBDCapSeq to surveil samples that included human whole blood, mouse tissues, and field-collected ticks. For Borrelia burgdorferi and Babesia microti, the sensitivity of TBDCapSeq was comparable and occasionally exceeded the performance of agent-specific quantitative PCR and resulted in 25 to > 10,000-fold increase in pathogen reads when compared to standard unbiased sequencing. TBDCapSeq also enabled genome analyses directly within vertebrate and tick hosts. The implementation of TBDCapSeq could have major impact in studies of tick-borne pathogens by improving detection and facilitating genomic research that was previously unachievable with standard sequencing approaches.
Short term fluctuating temperature alleviates Daphnia stoichiometric constraints
Authors: Balseiro Esteban , Laspoumaderes Cecilia , Smufer Facundo , Wolinski Laura , Modenutti Beatriz 
Published: June 2021

AbstractIn this study, we analysed how short term temperature fluctuation interacts with nutrient limitation in the vertical migrating Daphnia commutata. We hypothesize that short term (daily) temperature fluctuation will alleviate nutrient limitation. We carried out experiments analysing growth rates, phosphorus and RNA content of D. commutate grown under four different temperature regimes and two P-limited conditions. Our experiments showed that individuals grown under fluctuating temperature grew more than at the mean temperature. We estimated the expected sizes for the 15 °C treatment based on the Q10 and for the fluctuating temperature treatment. These expected sizes for both treatments resulted well below the observed ones. The P and RNA content of individuals grown at 10 °C were significantly higher than those at 20 °C, and when individuals grown at 10 °C were translocated to 20 °C they exerted an increased growth rate. Our results suggest that, under a regime of diel vertical migration, the temperature alternation would allow migrating organisms to alleviate the effect of severe nutrient limitation maintaining population growth. Under a scenario of global warming, where epilimnetic temperatures will increase, lake temperature will interact with nutrient limitation for consumers, but, organisms may be able to face these changes if they can still regularly move from a cold hypolimnion to a warmer epilimnion.
Assessment of reliability and validity of the 5-scale grading system of the point-of-care immunoassay for tear matrix metalloproteinase-9
Authors: Kim Minjeong , Oh Ja Young , Bae Seon Ha , Lee Seung Hyeun , Lee Won Jun , Chun Yeoun Sook , Kim Kyoung Woo 
Published: June 2021

AbstractWe evaluated the reliability and validity of the 5-scale grading system to interpret the point-of-care immunoassay for tear matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9. Six observers graded red bands of photographs of the readout window in MMP-9 immunoassay kit (InflammaDry) two times with 2-week interval based on the 5-scale grading system (i.e. grade 0–4). Interobserver and intraobserver reliability were evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients. The interobserver agreements were analyzed according to the severity of tear MMP-9 expression. To validate the system, a concentration calibration curve was made using MMP-9 solutions with reference concentrations, then the distribution of MMP-9 concentrations was analyzed according to the 5-scale grading system. Both intraobserver and interobserver reliability was excellent. The readout grades were significantly correlated with the quantified colorimetric densities. The interobserver variance of readout grades had no correlation with the severity of the measured densities. The band density continued to increase up to a maximal concentration (i.e. 5000 ng/mL) according to the calibration curve. The difference of grades reflected the change of MMP-9 concentrations sensitively, especially between grade 2 and 4. Together, our data indicate that the subjective 5-scale grading system in the point-of-care MMP-9 immunoassay is an easy and reliable method with acceptable accuracy.
Aspects of tree shrew consolidated sleep structure resemble human sleep
Authors: Dimanico Marta M. , Klaassen Arndt-Lukas , Wang Jing , Kaeser Melanie , Harvey Michael , Rasch Björn , Rainer Gregor 
Published: June 2021

AbstractUnderstanding human sleep requires appropriate animal models. Sleep has been extensively studied in rodents, although rodent sleep differs substantially from human sleep. Here we investigate sleep in tree shrews, small diurnal mammals phylogenetically close to primates, and compare it to sleep in rats and humans using electrophysiological recordings from frontal cortex of each species. Tree shrews exhibited consolidated sleep, with a sleep bout duration parameter, τ, uncharacteristically high for a small mammal, and differing substantially from the sleep of rodents that is often punctuated by wakefulness. Two NREM sleep stages were observed in tree shrews: NREM, characterized by high delta waves and spindles, and an intermediate stage (IS-NREM) occurring on NREM to REM transitions and consisting of intermediate delta waves with concomitant theta-alpha activity. While IS-NREM activity was reliable in tree shrews, we could also detect it in human EEG data, on a subset of transitions. Finally, coupling events between sleep spindles and slow waves clustered near the beginning of the sleep period in tree shrews, paralleling humans, whereas they were more evenly distributed in rats. Our results suggest considerable homology of sleep structure between humans and tree shrews despite the large difference in body mass between these species.
Sex, age, and parental harmonic convergence behavior affect the immune performance of Aedes aegypti offspring
Authors: Reitmayer Christine M. , Pathak Ashutosh K. , Harrington Laura C. , Brindley Melinda A. , Cator Lauren J. , Murdock Courtney C. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractHarmonic convergence is a potential cue, female mosquitoes use to choose male mates. However, very little is known about the benefits this choice confers to offspring performance. UsingAedes aegypti(an important vector of human disease), we investigated whether offspring of converging parental pairs showed differences in immune competence compared to offspring derived from non-converging parental pairs. Here we show that harmonic convergence, along with several other interacting factors (sex, age, reproductive, and physiological status), significantly shaped offspring immune responses (melanization and response to a bacterial challenge). Harmonic convergence had a stronger effect on the immune response of male offspring than on female offspring. Further, female offspring from converging parental pairs disseminated dengue virus more quickly than offspring derived from non-converging parental pairs. Our results provide insight into a wide range of selective pressures shaping mosquito immune function and could have important implications for disease transmission and control.
Inhibitory neurons in the superior colliculus mediate selection of spatially-directed movements
Authors: Essig Jaclyn , Hunt Joshua B. , Felsen Gidon 
Published: June 2021

AbstractDecision making is a cognitive process that mediates behaviors critical for survival. Choosing spatial targets is an experimentally-tractable form of decision making that depends on the midbrain superior colliculus (SC). While physiological and computational studies have uncovered the functional topographic organization of the SC, the role of specific SC cell types in spatial choice is unknown. Here, we leveraged behavior, optogenetics, neural recordings and modeling to directly examine the contribution of GABAergic SC neurons to the selection of opposing spatial targets. Although GABAergic SC neurons comprise a heterogeneous population with local and long-range projections, our results demonstrate that GABAergic SC neurons do not locally suppress premotor output, suggesting that functional long-range inhibition instead plays a dominant role in spatial choice. An attractor model requiring only intrinsic SC circuitry was sufficient to account for our experimental observations. Overall, our study elucidates the role of GABAergic SC neurons in spatial choice.
Topological gaps by twisting
Authors: Rosa Matheus I. N. , Ruzzene Massimo , Prodan Emil 
Published: June 2021

AbstractTwisted bilayered systems such as bilayered graphene exhibit remarkable properties such as superconductivity at magic angles and topological insulating phases. For generic twist angles, the bilayers are truly quasiperiodic, a fact that is often overlooked and that has consequences which are largely unexplored. Herein, we uncover that twisted n-layers host intrinsic higher dimensional topological phases, and that those characterized by second Chern numbers can be found in twisted bi-layers. We employ phononic lattices with interactions modulated by a second twisted lattice and reveal Hofstadter-like spectral butterflies in terms of the twist angle, which acts as a pseudo magnetic field. The phason provided by the sliding of the layers lives on 2n-tori and can be used to access and manipulate the edge states. Our work demonstrates how multi-layered systems are virtual laboratories for studying the physics of higher dimensional quantum Hall effect, and can be employed to engineer topological pumps via simple twisting and sliding.
Critical behavior in interdependent spatial spreading processes with distinct characteristic time scales
Authors: Castioni Piergiorgio , Gallotti Riccardo , De Domenico Manlio 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe spread of an infectious disease is well approximated by metapopulation networks connected by human mobility flow and upon which an epidemiological model is defined. In order to account for travel restrictions or cancellation we introduce a model with a parameter that explicitly indicates the ratio between the time scales of the intervening processes. We study the critical properties of the epidemic process and its dependence on such a parameter. We find that the critical threshold separating the absorbing state from the active state depends on the scale parameter and exhibits a critical behavior itself: a metacritical point – a critical value in the curve of critical points – reflected in the behavior of the attack rate measured for a wide range of empirical metapopulation systems. Our results have potential policy implications, since they establish a non-trivial critical behavior between temporal scales of reaction (epidemic spread) and diffusion (human mobility) processes.
Non-isothermal phase-field simulations of laser-written in-plane SiGe heterostructures for photonic applications
Authors: Aktas Ozan , Yamamoto Yuji , Kaynak Mehmet , Peacock Anna C. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAdvanced solid-state devices, including lasers and modulators, require semiconductor heterostructures for nanoscale engineering of the electronic bandgap and refractive index. However, existing epitaxial growth methods are limited to fabrication of vertical heterostructures grown layer by layer. Here, we report the use of finite-element-method-based phase-field modelling with thermocapillary convection to investigate laser inscription of in-plane heterostructures within silicon-germanium films. The modelling is supported by experimental work using epitaxially-grown Si0.5Ge0.5 layers. The phase-field simulations reveal that various in-plane heterostructures with single or periodic interfaces can be fabricated by controlling phase segregation through modulation of the scan speed, power, and beam position. Optical simulations are used to demonstrate the potential for two devices: graded-index waveguides with Ge-rich (>70%) cores, and waveguide Bragg gratings with nanoscale periods (100–500 nm). Periodic heterostructure formation via sub-millisecond modulation of the laser parameters opens a route for post-growth fabrication of in-plane quantum wells and superlattices in semiconductor alloy films.