bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Individuality, self and sociality of vascular plants
Authors: Baluška František , Mancuso Stefano 
Published: February 2021

Vascular plants are integrated into coherent bodies via plant-specific synaptic adhesion domains, action potentials (APs) and other means of long-distance signalling running throughout the plant bodies. Plant-specific synapses and APs are proposed to allow plants to generate theirselfidentities having unique ways of sensing and acting as agents with their own goals guiding their future activities. Plants move their organs with a purpose and with obvious awareness of their surroundings and require APs to perform and control these movements. Self-identities allow vascular plants to act as individuals enjoying sociality via their self/non-self-recognition and kin recognition. Flowering plants emerge as cognitive and intelligent organisms when the major strategy is to attract and control their animal pollinators as well as seed dispersers by providing them with food enriched with nutritive and manipulative/addictive compounds. Their goal in interactions with animals is manipulation for reproduction, dispersal and defence.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Basal cognition: multicellularity, neurons and the cognitive lens’.
The chemical brain hypothesis for the origin of nervous systems
Authors: Jékely Gáspár 
Published: February 2021

In nervous systems, there are two main modes of transmission for the propagation of activity between cells. Synaptic transmission relies on close contact at chemical or electrical synapses while volume transmission is mediated by diffusible chemical signals and does not require direct contact. It is possible to wire complex neuronal networks by both chemical and synaptic transmission. Both types of networks are ubiquitous in nervous systems, leading to the question which of the two appeared first in evolution. This paper explores a scenario where chemically organized cellular networks appeared before synapses in evolution, a possibility supported by the presence of complex peptidergic signalling in all animals except sponges. Small peptides are ideally suited to link up cells into chemical networks. They have unlimited diversity, high diffusivity and high copy numbers derived from repetitive precursors. But chemical signalling is diffusion limited and becomes inefficient in larger bodies. To overcome this, peptidergic cells may have developed projections and formed synaptically connected networks tiling body surfaces and displaying synchronized activity with pulsatile peptide release. The advent of circulatory systems and neurohemal organs further reduced the constraint imposed on chemical signalling by diffusion. This could have contributed to the explosive radiation of peptidergic signalling systems in stem bilaterians. Neurosecretory centres in extant nervous systems are still predominantly chemically wired and coexist with the synaptic brain.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Basal cognition: multicellularity, neurons and the cognitive lens’.
Bistability of somatic pattern memories: stochastic outcomes in bioelectric circuits underlying regeneration
Authors: Pezzulo Giovanni , LaPalme Joshua , Durant Fallon , Levin Michael 
Published: February 2021

Nervous systems’ computational abilities are an evolutionary innovation, specializing and speed-optimizing ancient biophysical dynamics. Bioelectric signalling originated in cells' communication with the outside world and with each other, enabling cooperation towards adaptive construction and repair of multicellular bodies. Here, we review the emerging field of developmental bioelectricity, which links the field of basal cognition to state-of-the-art questions in regenerative medicine, synthetic bioengineering and even artificial intelligence. One of the predictions of this view is that regeneration and regulative development can restore correct large-scale anatomies from diverse starting states because, like the brain, they exploit bioelectric encoding of distributed goal states—in this case, pattern memories. We propose a new interpretation of recent stochastic regenerative phenotypes in planaria, by appealing to computational models of memory representation and processing in the brain. Moreover, we discuss novel findings showing that bioelectric changes induced in planaria can be stored in tissue for over a week, thus revealing that somatic bioelectric circuitsin vivocan implement a long-term, re-writable memory medium. A consideration of the mechanisms, evolution and functionality of basal cognition makes novel predictions and provides an integrative perspective on the evolution, physiology and biomedicine of information processingin vivo.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Basal cognition: multicellularity, neurons and the cognitive lens’.
West Nile virus in Portugal
Authors: Lourenço José , Barros Sílvia C , Zé-Zé Líbia , Damineli Daniel SC , Giovanetti Marta , Osório Hugo C , Amaro Fátima , Henriques Ana M , Ramos Fernanda , Luís Tiago , Duarte Margarida D , Fagulha Teresa , Alves Maria J , Obolski Uri 
Published: February 2021

AbstractWest Nile virus (WNV) causes outbreaks with sustained spillover to humans in many European countries. Despite Portugal’s Mediterranean climate being adequate for WNV transmission, only four human infections have been detected there so far. Here, we offer an historical account of past WNV circulation and develop new, climate-driven insights on the geo-temporal suitability for WNV transmission in Portugal. WNV and vector related literature and database reviews were performed in the context of Portugal covering the time period 1966-2020, and local climate data were used to estimate WNV transmission suitability for the period 1981-2019. Reviewed data demonstrate that WNV-compatible vectors are abundant across the entire country, while molecular and serological evidence for WNV circulation has mostly been associated with the southern districts. Our estimated WNV transmission suitability was found to support geographical differences in transmission potential that favour the southern districts, with an increasing trend over the past forty years due to climate change. Empirical and theoretical evidence supports WNV circulation in Portugal, but it remains unclear whether the virus is endemic or sporadically transmitted. Given the recent public health emergencies related to WNV in other European countries and the findings herein described in relation to Portugal, our study supports a timely change towards a local WNV active surveillance.Abstract Figure
TOP-Plus is a Versatile Biosensor Platform for Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Durability
Authors: Racine-Brzostek Sabrina E. , Karbaschi Mohsen , Gaebler Christian , Klasse P.J. , Yee Jim , Caskey Marina , Yang He S. , Hao Ying , Chadburn Amy , Shi Yuanyuan , Zuk Robert , Nussenzweig Michel C. , Cushing Melissa M. , Zhao Zhen 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundThere is a concern that low initial SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers in individuals may drop to undetectable levels within months after infection. Although this may raise concerns over long term immunity, both the antibody levels and avidity of the antibody-antigen interaction should be examined to understand the quality of the antibody response.MethodsA testing-on-a-probe “plus” panel (TOP-Plus) was developed, which included a newly developed avidity assay built into the previously described SARS-CoV-2 TOP assays that measured total antibody (TAb), surrogate neutralizing antibody (SNAb), IgM and IgG on a versatile biosensor platform. TAb and SNAb levels were compared with avidity in previously infected individuals at 1.3 and 6.2 months post-infection in paired samples from 80 COVID-19 patients.ResultsThe newly designed avidity assay in this TOP panel correlated well with a reference Bio-Layer Interferometry avidity assay (R=0.88). The imprecision of the TOP avidity assay was less than 9%. Although TAb and neutralization activity (by SNAb) decreased between 1.3 and 6.2 months post infection, the antibody avidity increased significantly (P < 0.0001).ConclusionThis highly precise and versatile TOP-Plus panel with the ability to measure SARS-CoV-2 TAb, SNAb, IgG and IgM antibody levels and avidity of individual sera on one sensor can become a valuable asset in monitoring not only SARS-CoV-2-infected patients, but also the status of individuals’ COVID-19 vaccination response.
High-throughput splicing assays identify missense and silent splice-disruptivePOU1F1variants underlying pituitary hormone deficiency
Authors: Gergics Peter , Smith Cathy , Bando Hironori , Jorge Alexander A. L. , Rockstroh-Lippold Denise , Vishnopolska Sebastian , Castinetti Frederic , Maksutova Mariam , Carvalho Luciani Renata Silveira , Hoppmann Julia , Mayer Julian Martinez , Albarel Frédérique , Braslavsky Debora , Keselman Ana , Bergadá Ignacio , Martí Marcelo , Saveanu Alexandru , Barlier Anne , Jamra Rami Abou , Guo Michael H. , Dauber Andrew , Nakaguma Marilena , Mendonça Berenice B , Ozel A Bilge , Fang Qing , Ma Qianyi , Li Jun Z. , Brue Thierry , Millán María Ines Pérez , Kitzman Jacob O. , Arnhold Ivo JP , Pfaeffle Roland , Camper Sally A. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPituitary hormone deficiency occurs in ∼1:4,000 live births. Approximately 3% of the cases are due to mutations in the alpha isoform of POU1F1, a pituitary-specific transcriptional activator. We found four separate heterozygous missense variants in unrelated hypopituitarism patients that were predicted to affect a minor isoform, POU1F1 beta, which can act as a transcriptional repressor. These variants retain repressor activity, but they shift splicing to favor the expression of the beta isoform, resulting in dominant negative loss of function. Using a high throughput splicing reporter assay, we tested 1,080 single nucleotide variants inPOU1F1. We identified 113 splice disruptive variants, including 23 synonymous variants. We evaluated separate cohorts of hypopituitarism patients and found two different synonymous splice disruptive variants that co-segregate with hypopituitarism. This study underlines the importance of evaluating the impact of variants on splicing and provides a catalog for interpretation of variants of unknown significance in thePOU1F1gene.
The successful introduction of a hand dermatitis clinic to reduce occupational dermatoses during the covid-19 pandemic
Authors: Walsh Sarah , Carey Siobhan 
Published: February 2021

BackgroundThe SARS-Co-V pandemic has necessitated strict hand hygiene practices in healthcare settings. An increased incidence of staff presentations of occupational dermatitis in our institutions prompted the establishment of a drop-in access daily hand dermatitis clinic.Objectiveto document the incidence and severity of cases of occupational dermatitis arising in healthcare workers during the first wave of the pandemic, and to reduce the impact of this with early assessment and treatment.Methodsan open-access daily staff clinic run by dermatologists was established, and demographic and clinical data collected from each clinical encounter.Results532 staff attended the clinic over a 6 week period. This compared to 7 staff presenting to occupational health over the same period in 2019. The majority were females 81%,and ward based 51%. ITU and A&E staff represented 15%. The prevalence of occupational hand dermatitis was 88%. 52% were classed as mild, 26% as moderate 26% and 9% severe/very severe.Conclusionsthe pandemic and associated hand hygiene practices have led to a substantial increase in presentations of occupational hand dermatitis. A drop-in clinic proved an effective way of allowing staff to access treatment in a timely fashion.
Staff-Pupil SARS-CoV-2 Infection Pathways in Schools: A Population Level
Linked Data Approach
Authors: Thompson Daniel A , Abbasizanjani Hoda , Fry Richard , Marchant Emily , Griffiths Lucy , Akbari Ashley , Hollinghurst Joe , North Laura , Lyons Jane , Torabi Fatemeh , Davies Gareth , Gravenor Mike B , Lyons Ronan 
Published: February 2021

Abstract

Background
Better understanding of the role that children and school staff play in
the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is essential to guide policy development on
controlling infection whilst minimising disruption to children’s education
and wellbeing.

Methods
Our national e-cohort (n=500,779) study used anonymised linked data for
pupils, staff and associated households linked via educational settings. We
estimated the risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection for staff
and pupils over the period August - December 2020, dependent on measures of
recent exposure to known cases linked to their educational
settings.

Results
The total number of cases in a school was not associated with a
subsequent increase in the risk of testing positive (Staff OR per case 0.92,
95%CI 0.85, 1.00; Pupils OR per case 0.98, 95%CI 0.93, 1.02). Amongst
pupils, the number of recent cases within the same year group was
significantly associated with subsequent increased risk of testing positive
(OR per case 1.12, 95%CI 1.08 – 1.15). These effects were adjusted for a
range of demographic covariates, and in particular any known cases within
the same household, which had the strongest association with testing
positive (Staff OR 39.86, 95%CI 35.01, 45.38, pupil OR 9.39, 95%CI 8.94 –
9.88).

Conclusions
In a national school cohort, the odds of staff testing positive for
SARS-CoV-2 infection were not significantly increased in the 14-day period
after case detection in the school. However, pupils were found to be at
increased risk, following cases appearing within their own year group, where
most of their contacts occur. Strong mitigation measures over the whole of
the study period may have reduced wider spread within the school
environment.

What is known

Evidence of the role schools play in the transmission of
SARS-CoV-2 is limited

Higher positivity rates are observed in school staff
compared to pupils

Lack of evidence on transmission pathways transmission
into and within schools

What this study adds

First UK national level study of transmission between
pupils and staff in a school environment during the
SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Schools opening September-December 2020 was not
associated with an increased subsequent risk of testing
positive in staff

Pupils were found to be at increased risk of testing
positive, following cases appearing within their own year
group
SOUTH AMERICAN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND BODY MASS INDEX: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS
Authors: Jara Carlos P , Mendes Natalia Ferreira , José Gomes Campos Claudinei , de Freitas Maria Isabel Pedreira , Oliveira Henrique Ceretta , Velloso Lício Augusto , de Araujo Eliana Pereira 
Published: February 2021

AbstractObesity is an increasing new pandemic. Currently more than 1.9 billion adults are overweight and at least 700 million of them are obese. Obesity is the result of a positive energy balance, which is conditioned by both environmental and genetic factors. Interestingly, individuals from similar ethnic-based ancestry communities, share both environmental and genetic features. Here, we described the relationship between indigenous Chilean groups and body mass Index. We conducted a Systematic review and Meta-analysis on Pubmed, LILACS, Scielo, Web of Science and Scopus databases. Our results showed that Indigenous Children present a lower BMI than Non-Indigenous Children. However, no difference within BMI was identified in adults. The gender affected the BMI as well. Aymara and Mapuche Women presented higher BMI than Indigenous Men. In the other hand, Indigenous people living in rural environment showed lower BMI than those whose live-in urban areas. Finally, Indigenous communities presented no difference in the risk to suffer Obesity when compared with Non-Indigenous communities. Here suggest that ethnicity could be a health determinant as well as a risk factor for obesity. Then, targeted prevention strategies with ethnic-based focus would be developed.
Mapping internet activity in Australian cities during COVID-19 lockdown: how occupational factors drive inequality
Authors: Zachreson Cameron , Martino Erika , Tomko Martin , Shearer Freya M. , Bentley Rebecca , Geard Nicholas 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, evidence has accumulated that movement restrictions enacted to combat virus spread produce disparate consequences along socioeconomic lines. We investigate the hypothesis that people engaged in financially secure employment are better able to adhere to mobility restrictions, due to occupational factors that link the capacity for flexible work arrangements to income security. We use high-resolution spatial data on household internet traffic as a surrogate for adaptation to home-based work, together with the geographical clustering of occupation types, to investigate the relationship between occupational factors and increased internet traffic during work hours under lockdown in two Australian cities. By testing our hypothesis based on the observed trends, and exploring demographic factors associated with divergences from our hypothesis, we are left with a picture of unequal impact dominated by two major influences: the types of occupations in which people are engaged, and the composition of households and families. During lockdown, increased internet traffic was correlated with income security and, when school activity was conducted remotely, to the proportion of families with children. Our findings suggest that response planning and provision of social and economic support for residents within lockdown areas should explicitly account for income security and household structure. Overall, the results we present contribute to the emerging picture of the impacts of COVID-19 on human behaviour, and will help policy makers to understand the balance between public health and social impact in making decisions about mitigation policies.
Engagement with COVID-19 Public Health Measures in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Social Media Analysis from June to November 2020
Authors: Massey Daisy , Huang Chenxi , Lu Yuan , Cohen Alina , Oren Yahel , Moed Tali , Matzner Pini , Mahajan Shiwani , Caraballo César , Kumar Navin , Xue Yuchen , Ding Qinglan , Dreyer Rachel P. , Roy Brita , Krumholz Harlan M. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has continued to spread in the US and globally. Closely monitoring public engagement and perception of COVID-19 and preventive measures using social media data could provide important information for understanding the progress of current interventions and planning future programs.ObjectiveTo measure the public’s behaviors and perceptions regarding COVID-19 and its daily life effects during the recent 5 months of the pandemic.MethodsNatural language processing (NLP) algorithms were used to identify COVID-19 related and unrelated topics in over 300 million online data sources from June 15 to November 15, 2020. Posts in the sample were geotagged, and sensitivity and specificity were both calculated to validate the classification of posts. The prevalence of discussion regarding these topics was measured over this time period and compared to daily case rates in the US.ResultsThe final sample size included 9,065,733 posts, 70% of which were sourced from the US. In October and November, discussion including mentions of COVID-19 and related health behaviors did not increase as it had from June to September, despite an increase in COVID-19 daily cases in the US beginning in October. Additionally, counter to reports from March and April, discussion was more focused on daily life topics (69%), compared with COVID-19 in general (37%) and COVID-19 public health measures (20%).ConclusionsThere was a decline in COVID-19-related social media discussion sourced mainly from the US, even as COVID-19 cases in the US have increased to the highest rate since the beginning of the pandemic. Targeted public health messaging may be needed to ensure engagement in public health prevention measures until a vaccine is widely available to the public.
Immune cell residency in the nasal mucosa and COVID-19 severity across the age range
Authors: Winkley Konner , Banerjee Dithi , Louiselle Daniel , Biswell Rebecca , Posey Nyshele , Fatheree Kelly , McDanel Stephanie , Bradley Todd , Moffatt Mary E. , Koseva Boryana , Cheung Warren A , Johnston Jeffrey J , Selvarangan Rangaraj , Pastinen Tomi , Grundberg Elin 
Published: February 2021

SummarySevere coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) positively correlates with age (Centers for Disease Control), develops after progression of infection from the upper airway to the lower respiratory tract (LRT), and can worsen into acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (Shi et al., 2020). Why children seem to be less likely to develop severe disease remains unclear. As the nasal mucosa (NM) is the first site of contact and defense for respiratory pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 before dissemination to the LRT (Casadei and Salinas, 2019), we hypothesized that differences in this tissue across the age range may help explain the disparity in COVID-19 severity. To this end, we profiled NM samples across the lifespan in health and disease. We find that global transcriptomic changes including the expression of SARS-CoV-2 and coronavirus-associated receptors and factors are not correlated with age or the novel virus type, since pediatric NM cells mount similar antiviral response to both SARS-CoV-2 or Influenza B. Rather, we find immune cell residency in NM decreases dramatically with age especially cells of the innate immune system. This includes a resident-memory-like T cell subset with antiviral properties. These observations give plausible biological explanation to the observed clinical differences in disease spectrum and provide a foundation for future experimental studies.
Molecular Mechanism of Parosmia
Authors: Parker Jane K. , Kelly Christine E. , Gane Simon B. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe molecular stimuli that trigger a parosmic response have been identified. Parosmia is a debilitating disease in which familiar smells become distorted and unpleasant. Often a result of post infectious smell loss, incidences are increasing as the number of COVID-19 cases escalates worldwide. Little is understood of its pathophysiology, but the prevailing hypothesis for the underlying mechanism is a mis-wiring of olfactory sensory neurons. We identified 15 different molecular triggers in coffee using GC-Olfactometry as a relatively rapid screening tool for assessment of both quantitative olfactory loss and parosmia. This provides evidence for peripheral causation, but places constraints on the mis-wiring theory.
Modeling fractional order dynamics of Syphilis via Mittag-Leffler law
Authors: Bonyah E. , Chukwu C.W. , Juga M.L. , Fatmawati  
Published: February 2021

AbstractSyphilis is one the most dangerous sexually transmitted disease which is common in the world. In this work, a mathematical model is formulated with an emphasis on treatment. The reproduction number which presents information on the spread of the disease is determined. The model’s steady states are established, and the disease free state’s local and global stability are studied. The existence and uniqueness of solutions for both Caputo-Fabrizio and Atangana-Baleanu derivative in the Caputo sense are established. Numerical simulations were carried out to support the analytical solution, which indicates that the fractional order derivatives influence the dynamics of the spread of the Syphilis in the community.2010 MSC: 00-01, 99-00