bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Novel Variants in HFM1 Lead to Male Infertility Due to Non-obstructive Azoospermia
Authors: Tang Dongdong , Lv Mingrong , Gao Yang , Cheng Huiru , Li Kuokuo , Xu Chuan , Geng Hao , Li Guanjian , Shan Qunshan , Wang Chao , He Xiaojin , Cao Yunxia 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is the most severe form of male infertility. More than half of the NOA patients were idiopathic for their etiology, in whom it’s difficult to retrieve sperm despite the application of microsurgical testicular sperm extraction (microTESE). Therefore, we conducted to this study to identify the potential genetic factors responsible for NOA, and investigate the sperm retrieval rate of microTESE for the genetic defected NOA.Methods One NOA patient from a consanguineous family (F1-II-1) and fifty NOA patients from non-consanguineous families were included in the study. Semen analyses, chromosome karyotypes, screening of Y chromosome microdeletions, sex hormone testing, and subsequent testicular biopsy were performed to categorize NOA or obstructive azoospermia. Potentialgenetic variants were identified by whole exome sequencing (WES),and confirmed by Sanger sequencing in F1 II-1. The candidate genes were screened in the other fifty NOA patients. Further experiments including quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were performed to verify the effects of gene variation on gene expression.Results Normal somatic karyotypes and Y chromosome microdeletions were examined in all patients. Hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E) of the testicular tissues suggested meiotic arrest, and a novel homozygous HFM1 variant (c.3490C>T: p.Q1164X) was identified in F1 II-1. Furthermore, another homozygous HFM1 variant (c.3470G>A: p.C1157Y) was also verified in F2 II-1 from the fifty NOA patients. Significantly decreased expression levels of HFM1 mRNA and protein were observed in the testicular tissues of these two mutants compared with controls. MicroTESE was performed in these two patients, while no sperm were retrieved. Conclusions Our study identified two novel homozygous variants of HFM1 that are responsible for spermatogenic failure and NOA, even microTESE can not contribute to retrieve sperm in these patients.
B7-H2 Expression in Human Salivary Gland Epithelial Cells Affects Saliva Secretion in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome
Authors: Li Ping , Jin Yi , Zhao Rui , Xue Zhonghui , Ji Juan 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of exocrine gland. In pSS, permanent activation of the adaptive immune system is obvious. Lymphocyte co-stimulation plays an important part in inflammation and immunotherapy. Co-stimulator ligands (B7-H2) are significant costimulatory molecules. The interaction of B7-H2, with its sole receptor ICOS, promotes T cell differentiation, effector responses and activation. Our study found that B7-H2 is up-regulated in salivary gland, saliva and serum of pSS patients. B7-H2 expression in saliva have negatively correlated with saliva weight. Overexpression of B7-H2 into human salivary gland epithelial (HSGE) cells, increased the activity of p65 (phosphorylated at S536) and decreased the expression of AQP5. Furthermore, up-regulated B7-H2 induced apoptosis and inhibited proliferation in HSGE cell lines. These results suggest the expression of B7-H2 can decrease the secretion of saliva, increase the quantity of dental caries and reduce lifespan of patients of pSS.
The Extent of Pollinator Sharing Among Fig Trees in Southern China
Authors: Yu Hui , Liao Yaolin , Cheng Yufen , Fushi Ke , Yongxia Jia , Compton Steve 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background: The obligate mutualism between fig trees (Ficus, Moraceae) and pollinating fig wasps (Agaonidae) is a model system for studying co-evolution due to its perceived extreme specificity, but recent studies have reported a number of examples of trees pollinated by more than one fig wasp or sharing pollinators with other trees. This makes pollen flow between species and hybridization more likely. We reared pollinator fig wasps from figs of 13 Chinese fig tree species trees and established their identity using genetic methods in order to investigate the extent to which are they were supporting more than one species of pollinator.Results: Our results showed 1) pollinator sharing was frequent among closely-related dioecious species (where pollinator offspring and seeds develop on different trees), but not monoecious species and 2) that where two pollinator species were developing in figs of one host species there was usually one fig wasp that was far rarer than the other. An exception was F. triloba, where its two pollinators were equally abundant. Conclusions: Our results suggest that host expansion events where pollinators reproduce in figs other than those of their usual hosts are not uncommon among fig wasps associated with dioecious hosts. Because closely related trees typically have closely related pollinators that have a very similar appearance, the extent of pollinator-sharing has probably been underestimated. Any pollinators that enter female figs carrying heterospecific pollen could potentially generate hybrid seed, and the extent of hybridization and its significance may also have been underestimated.
Aridity Indices to Assess Desertification Susceptibility: A Methodological Approach Using Gridded Climate Data
Authors: Santos Janaína Cassiano dos , Lyra Gustavo Bastos , Abreu Marcel Carvalho de , Oliveira-Júnior José Francisco de , Bohn Leonardo , Cunha-Zeri Gisleine , Zeri Marcelo 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Desertification is a land degradation phenomenon with dire and irreversible consequences, affecting different regions of the world. Assessment of spatial susceptibility to desertification requires long-term series of precipitation (P) and evapotranspiration (PET). An approach to desertification analysis is the use of spatially gridded time series of air temperature and precipitation, derived from spatial interpolation of in situ measurements and available globally. The aim of this article was to estimate the susceptibility to desertification over Southeast Brazil using monthly gridded data from the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC), and from the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN). Two indices were used to estimate desertification susceptibility: the aridity index Ia (P/PET) and D (PET/P). Validation of these datasets was performed using in situ observations (1961—2010) from the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) – (68 weather stations). Determination coefficient (r²) and the Willmott’s coefficient of agreement (d) between gridded and observed data revealed satisfactory accuracy and precision for grids of precipitation (r2 > 0.93, d > 0.90), air temperature (r2 > 0.94, d > 0.53) and PET (r2 > 0.93, d > 0.63). Areas susceptible to desertification were identified by the index Ia over the Northern regions of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro states. No areas susceptible to desertification were identified using the index D. However, both indices indicated large areas of dry sub-humid climate, which can be strongly affected by drought conditions. Overall, climate gridded variables presented good precision and accuracy when used to identify areas susceptible to desertification.
Early immune pressure imposed by tissue resident memory T cells sculpts tumour evolution in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Weeden Clare , Gayevskiy Velimir , Trussart Marie , Marceaux Claire , Ribera Nina Tubau , Batey Daniel , Teh Charis , Mitchell Andrew , Antippa Phillip , Leong Tracy , Steinfort Daniel , Irving Louis , Gordon Claire , Swanton Charles , Speed Terence , Gray Daniel , Asselin-Labat Marie-Liesse 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) provide immune defence against local infection and can inhibit cancer progression. However, it is unclear to what extent chronic inflammation impacts TRM activation and how the immune pressure exerted by TRM affects developing tumours in humans. We performed deep profiling of lung cancers arising in never-smokers (NS) and ever-smokers (ES), finding evidence of enhanced TRM immunosurveillance in ES lung. Only tumours arising in ES patients underwent clonal immune escape, even when evaluating cancers with similar tumour mutational burden to NS patients, suggesting that the timing of immune pressure exerted by TRM is a critical factor in the evolution of tumour immune evasion. Tumours grown in T cell quiescent NS lungs displayed little evidence of immune evasion and had fewer neoantigens with low diversity, paradoxically making them amenable to treatment with agonist of the costimulatory molecule, ICOS. These data demonstrate local environmental insults enhance TRM immunosurveillance of human tissue, shape the evolution of tumour immunogenicity and that this interplay informs effective immunotherapeutic modalities.
Assessing Genetic Variability and Population Structure of Ziziphus Nummularia as Characterized by Phenotypic Traits and SSR Markers with Climatic Distribution
Authors: Uddin Nisar , Muhammad Noor , Ali Niaz , Khan Muhammad Khalil Ullah , Nisar Muhammad , Rooman Muhammad 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Genus of Ziziphus (family Rhamnaceae), approximately 170 species of prodigious economic and ecological importance. Studies on the genetic diversity within Pakistani Ziziphus species are limited, and to date, no single report on the application of DNA barcoding attempt for identification of Ziziphus species is available in the literature. Therefore, the current study was designed to biogeographic distribution, to assess diversity based on phenotypic traits, SSRs markers, and relationships among Ziziphus nummularia (Burm.f.) Wight & Arn. genotypes. For the first time we use ArcGIS modeling, and their cartographic function for the identification of diversity in climatic variables such as temperature, mean diurnal, humidity, precipitation, and precipitation seasonality and the using of these techniques to determine the important variable which is responsible for the recent distribution of the Ziziphus species. A total of 11 phenotypic traits were noted and have significant phenotypic variation among the traits. The study has used 40 simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers for gaining insights into the genetic diversity within 180 genotypes of Z. nummularia. Successful amplification was achieved with 27 SSRs and was applied for understanding the population structure and relationships among the genotypes. A total of 120 alleles were amplified from Z. nummularia genotypes collected from three districts of the Malakand division, alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 6, averaging 4.4286. whereas polymorphism information content (PIC) from 0.332 to 0.794 in locus JSSR-490 and JSSR-97, within mean value was 0.671 per locus, expected heterozygosity (He), was 0.575, observed heterozygosity (Ho), 0.6618 and average gene diversity 0.494. Flow estimates (6.415) indicated frequent gene flow within Z. nummularia genotypes. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed high genetic variability (80%). The genetic relationship inferred from the neighbor-joining (NJ) phylogeny separate genotypes into three clusters and Bayesian model-based STRUCTURE analyses and PCoA analysis resolved all genotypes and indicted that the KP, populations, Swat and Buner, represent excesses of two different migration routes, with one designated from Swat and Dir (L). The overall results indicated the prevalence of genetic variability and relationships among Z. nummularia across geographical boundaries has retained unique alleles and this may facilitate the development of agronomically desirable and genetically improved Ziziphus cultivars and collections that can help achieve efficient conservation.
Distribution of Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria in Aerobic Composting of Swine Manure With Different Antibiotics
Authors: Song Tingting , Li Hongna , Li Binxu , Yang Jiaxun , Sardar Muhammad Fahad , Yan Mengmeng , Li Luyao , Tian Yunlong , Xue Sha , Zhu Changxiong 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background: Livestock manure is an important reservoir of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The community structure and bacterial diversity are usually studied using high-throughput sequencing that cannot provide direct evidence for ARB changes. Thus, little is known about the distribution of ARB, especially in the presence of different antibiotics in composting process. In this study, the fate of ARB was investigated in aerobic composting of swine manure, using chlortetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, lincomycin, ciprofloxacin as typical antibiotics. The abundance and species of ARB were analyzed systematically to evaluate their ecological risk at different stages of composting. Results: The absolute abundance of total ARB decreased while the relative abundance showed an increasing trend on Day 2. The relative abundance of lincomycin-resistant bacteria was higher than other ARBs during the whole composting process. The absolute abundance of four ARBs was 9.42×106-2.51×102 CFU/g (lincomycin- > chlortetracycline- > sulfamethoxazole- > ciprofloxacin- > multiple antibiotic-resistant bacteria), and they were not completely inactivated at the end of composting. Antibiotics led to a partial proliferation of ARBs including Corynebacterium_1, Sporosarcina, Solibacillus, and Acinetobacter. Especially, Corynebacterium_1, a pathogenic bacterium, was observed in the treatments of chlortetracycline and lincomycin. Conclusion: Among the antibiotics studied, lincomycin showed the highest ecological risk, due to it expanded the range of lincomycin-resistant bacteria at the phyla level (Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria). The principal co-ordinates analysis indicated that the bacterial community structure was primarily associated with the composting stages rather than the antibiotic types. Possible potential hosts and degrading bacteria for ARGs were indicated based on the network analysis. The decrease of culturable Proteobacteria and the increase of culturable Firmicutes (Solibacillus, Bacillus) partially explained the high removal rate of various ARGs in this study. These results provided important information for the control of antibiotic resistance in composting.
Could lateral decubitus position improve the cement distribution of unilateral percutaneous kyphoplasty in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture?
Authors: Wu Tao , Qin Hu , Tang Xiaohui , Bai Yunfeng , Jin Zhen , Liu Jun 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background: To determine the influence of lateral decubitus position on cement distribution of unilateral percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF).Methods: A retrospective review was performed on patients who underwent PKP for OVCF at the Spine Department of our hospital between January 2016 and January 2020. Unilateral PKP were performed by the same senior spinal surgeon team under local anesthesia. Patients were divided into two group according to positions with injecting cement. Complete symptom and radiographic evaluation information were gathered from each patient since the initial presentation. Then, the radiographic and symptomatic indexes between two groups were compared.Results: There were 190 patients included in this study. Ninety-four patients used to receive cement injection in lateral decubitus position while 96 patients were in prone position. A significantly longer surgical time (28.7±4.5 min vs. 26.8±4.3min) and more cement volume (6.14±0.66ml vs. 5.69±0.69ml) were found in lateral decubitus group. And visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were significantly lower (p <0.05) in lateral decubitus group one week after surgery. Compared with prone group, lateral decubitus group showed a significantly higher proportion of grade III cement distribution (18.2% vs. 7.3%, p<0.05) and a significantly lower cement leakage rate (13.8% vs. 26%, p<0.05).Conclusion: It is possible that lateral decubitus position can improve cement distribution, relieve acute pain more and decrease leakage incidence in OVCF patients with unilateral PKP，although it might be slightly time-consuming. It was recommended that position could be switched to lateral decubitus position during cement injection for unilateral PKP, especially when extraversion angle was small.
Modeling long-term volcanic deformations at the Kusatsu-Shirane and Asama volcanoes, Japan using the GNSS coordinate time series
Authors: Munekane Hiroshi 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Long-term deformations of the Kusatsu-Shirane and Asama volcanoes in central Japan were investigated using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements. Large postseismic deformations caused by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake — which obscure the long-term volcanic deformations — were effectively removed by approximating the postseismic and other recent tectonic deformations in terms of quadrature of the geographical eastings/northings. Subsequently, deformation source parameters were estimated by the Markov Chain Monte-Carlo (MCMC) method and linear inversion. The deformation source of the Kusatsu-Shirane volcano was found to be a sill-like oblate spheroid located a few kilometers northwest of the Yugama crater at a depth of approximately five km, while that of Asama was also estimated to be a sill-like oblate spheroid located at the western flank of the edifice at a depth of approximately 13 km, along with the previously reported shallow east-west striking dike at a depth of approximately 1 km. It was revealed that 1) volume changes of the Kusatsu-Shirane deformation source and the shallow deformation source of Asama were correlated with the volcanic activities of the corresponding volcanoes, and 2) the Asama deep source has been steadily losing volume, which may indicate that the volcano will experience less eruptions in the near future.
Genome Comparison and Phylogenetic Analysis of Mastitis-Related Staphylococci with a Focus on Adhesion, Biofilm, and Regulatory-Related Genes
Authors: Pizauro Lucas José Luduverio , Almeida Camila Chioda , Silva Saura Rodrigues , MacInnes Janet I. , Kropinski Andrew M. , Zafalon Luiz Francisco , Avila Fernando Antônio , Varani Alessandro Mello 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Bovine mastitis is the costliest diseases on dairy farms and is caused by different Staphylococcus species. However, staphylococci associated with clinical mastitis infections are different from subclinical ones, indicating a complex mechanism related to bovine mastitis pathogenesis. Here, we performed genomic analyses to determine the prevalence of adhesion, biofilm, and regulatory genes in 478 staphylococcal spp. associated with clinical and subclinical mastitis deposited in public databases. The most prevalent adhesin genes were the ebpS, atl, pls, sasH and sasF genes found in both clinical and subclinical isolates. However, the ebpS gene is absent in subclinical isolates of Staphylococcus arlettae, S. succinus, S. sciuri, S. equorun, S. galinarum, and S. saprophyticus. In constrast, the coa, eap, emp, efb, and vWbp genes were present more frequently in clinical mastitis isolates and highly correlated with the presence of the icaABCD and icaR biofilm genes. We also revealed that many adhesins, biofilm, and associated regulatory genes were potentially horizontally disseminated between clinical and subclinical isolates. Taken together, our results indicate that several adhesins, biofilm, and regulatory-related genes have been overlooked in previous studies and that these virulence factors may arise in staphylococcal species not generally associated with clinical mastitis by horizontal gene transfer.
Prediction of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis using nonlinear measures of language-related EEG at 6 and 12 months
Authors: Peck Fleming C. , Gabard-Durnam Laurel J. , Wilkinson Carol L , Bosl William , Tager-Flusberg Helen , Nelson Charles A. 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background: Early identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) provides opportunity for early intervention and improved outcomes. Electroencephalography (EEG) use in infants has shown promise in predicting later ASD diagnoses and in identifying neural mechanisms underlying the disorder. Given the high co-morbidity with language impairment, we and others have speculated that infants who are later diagnosed with ASD have altered language learning, including phoneme discrimination. Phoneme learning occurs rapidly in infancy, so altered neural substrates either during or after the first year may serve as early, accurate indicators of later autism diagnosis. Methods: Using longitudinal EEG data collected during a passive phoneme task in infants with high familial risk for ASD, we compared the predictive accuracy of a combination of feature selection and machine learning models at 6 months (during phoneme learning) versus 12 months (after phoneme learning), and identified a single model with strong predictive accuracy (100%) for both ages. Samples at both ages were matched in size and diagnoses (n=14 with later ASD; n= 40 without ASD). Features included a combination of power and nonlinear measures across 10-20 electrodes and 6 frequency bands. Predictive features at each age were compared both by feature characteristics and EEG scalp location. Results: Using a combination Pearson correlation feature selection and support vector machine classifier 100% predictive diagnostic accuracy was observed at both 6 and 12 months. Predictive features differed between the models trained on 6- versus 12- month data. At 6-months, predictive features were biased to measures from central electrodes, power measures, and measures in the alpha range. At 12-months, predictive features were more distributed between power and nonlinear measures, and biased toward measures in the beta range. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that speech processing EEG measures can facilitate earlier identification of ASD but emphasize the need for age-specific predictive models with large sample sizes to develop clinically relevant classification algorithms.
Functional characteristics of a novel odorant binding protein in the legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
Authors: Ai Hui , Liu Yuying , Long Guangyan , Yuan Yuan , Huang Shaopei , Chen Yan 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Insect olfaction system plays a key role in the foraging food, pollination, mating, oviposition, reproduction and other insect physiological behavior. Odorant binding protein are widely found in the various olfactory sensilla of different insect antennae and involved in chemical signals discrimination from natural environment. In this study, a novel OBP gene, MvitOBP3 is identified from the legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata, which it mainly harms important legume vegetables including cowpea, soybean and lablab bean. Real-time PCR results demonstrated that MvitOBP3 gene was abundantly expressed in the antennal tissue of M. vitrata, while low levels were distributed in the head, thorax, abdomen, leg and wing of adult moths. The recombinant OBP3 protein was purified using the prokaryotic expression and affinity chromatography system. Fluorescence competitive binding experiments indicated that that MvitOBP3 protein exhibited greater binding affinities with host-plant flower volatiles including Butanoic acid butyl ester, Limonene, 1H-indol-4-ol and 2-methyl-3-phenylpropanal, highlighting they may have attractant activities for the oviposition of female moths on the legume vegetables. Moreover, protein homology modeling and molecular docking analysis revealed that there are six amino acid sites of MvitOBP3 involved in the binding of the host-plant volatiles. These findings will further promote to understand the key role of odorant binding protein during host perception and oviposition of M. vitrata moths, which improve the efficiency of semiochemical-based prevention and monitoring for this pest in the legume vegetables field.