bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Use of respirator vs. surgical masks in healthcare personnel and its impact on SARS-CoV-2 acquisition – a prospective multicentre cohort study
Authors: Haller Sabine , Güsewell Sabine , Egger Thomas , Scanferla Giulia , Thoma Reto , Leal-Neto Onicio B. , Flury Domenica , Brucher Angela , Lemmenmeier Eva , Möller J. Carsten , Rieder Philip , Ruetti Markus , Stocker Reto , Vuichard-Gysin Danielle , Wiggli Benedikt , Besold Ulrike , Kuster Stefan P. , McGeer Allison , Risch Lorenz , Schlegel Matthias , Friedl Andrée , Vernazza Pietro , Kahlert Christian R. , Kohler Philipp 
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACTBackgroundThere is insufficient evidence regarding the role of respirators in the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We analysed the impact of filtering facepiece class 2 (FFP2)vs. surgical masks on the risk of SARS-CoV-2 acquisition among Swiss healthcare workers (HCW).MethodsOur prospective multicentre cohort enrolled patient-facing HCWs from June to August 2020. Participants were asked about COVID-19 risk exposures/behaviours, including preferred mask type when caring for COVID-19 patients outside of aerosol-generating procedures (AGP). For those performing AGPs, we asked whether they used FFP2 irrespective of the patient’s COVID-19 status (i.e. universal use). The impact of FFP2 on i) self-reported SARS-CoV-2-positive nasopharyngeal PCR/rapid antigen tests captured during weekly surveys, and ii) SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion between baseline and January/February 2021 was assessed.ResultsWe enrolled 3’259 participants from nine healthcare institutions, whereof 716 (22%) preferentially used FFP2 respirators. Among these, 81/716 (11%) reported a SARS-CoV-2-positive swab, compared to 352/2543 (14%) surgical mask users (median follow-up 242 days); seroconversion was documented in 85/656 (13%) FFP2 and 426/2255 (19%) surgical mask users. Adjusted for baseline characteristics, COVID-19 exposure, and risk behaviour, FFP2 use was non-significantly associated with a decreased risk for SARS-CoV-2-positive swab (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0·8, 95% CI 0·6-1·0, p=0·052) and seroconversion (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0·7, 95% CI 0·5-1·0, p=0·053); household exposure was the strongest risk factor (aHR for positive swab 10·1, p<0·001; aOR for seroconversion 5·0, p<0·001). In subgroup analysis, FFP2 use was clearly protective among those with frequent (>20 patients) COVID-19 exposure (aHR 0·7, p<0·001; aOR 0·6, p=0·035). Universal FFP2 use during AGPs showed no protective effect (aHR 1·1, p=0·7; aOR 0·9, p=0·53).ConclusionRespirators compared to surgical masks may convey additional protection from SARS-CoV-2 for HCW with frequent exposure to COVID-19 patients.FundingSwiss National Sciences Foundation, Federal Office of Public Health, Cantonal Health Department St.Gallen
Acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients due to COVID-19
Authors: Fernández Pehuén , Saad Emanuel José , Douthat Augusto , Marucco Federico Ariel , Heredia María Celeste , Barra Ayelén Tarditi , Bonazzi Silvina Trinidad Rodriguez , Zlotogora Melani , Barovero María Antonella Correa , Villada Sofía , Maldonado Juan Pablo , Caeiro Juan Pablo , Albertini Ricardo Arturo , De La Fuente Jorge , Douthat Walter Guillermo 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is variable, being associated with worse outcomes. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the incidence, risk factors and impact of AKI in subjects hospitalized for COVID-19 in two third- level hospitals in Córdoba, Argentina.A retrospective cohort study was conducted. 448 adults who were consecutively hospitalized for COVID-19 between March and the end of October 2020 at Hospital Privado Universitario de Córdoba and Hospital Raúl Angel Ferreyra were included. The incidence of AKI was 19% (n = 85). 50.6% presented AKI stage 1 (n=43), 20% stage 2 (n=17) and 29.4% stage 3 (n=25, of which 18 required renal replacement therapy). In the multivariate analysis, the variables that were independently associated with AKI were: age (adjusted Odd ratio -aOR- =1.30, 95%CI=1.04-1.63, p=0.022), history of chronic kidney disease (aOR=9.92, 95%CI=4.52-21.77, p<0.001), blood neutrophil count at admission (aOR=1.09, 95%CI=1.01-1.18, p=0.037) and requirement for mechanical ventilation (MV) (aOR=6.69, 95%CI=2.24-19.9, p=0.001). AKI was associated with longer hospitalization, greater admission and length of stay in the intensive care unit, a positive association with bacterial superinfection, sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, MV requirement and mortality (mortality with AKI=47.1% vs without AKI=12.4%, p<0.001). AKI was independently associated with higher mortality (aOR=3.32, 95%CI=1.6-6.9, p=0.001).In conclusion, the incidence of AKI in adults hospitalized for COVID-19 was 19% and had a clear impact on morbidity and mortality. Local predisposing factors for AKI were identified.
Albumin-dependent and independent mechanisms in the syndrome of kwashiorkor
Authors: Gonzales Gerard Bryan , Njunge James M , Gichuki Bonface M , Wen Bijun , Ngari Moses , Potani Isabel , Thitiri Johnstone , Laukens Debby , Vanmassenhove Jill , Voskuijl Wieger , Bandsma Robert , Berkley James A 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe syndrome of kwashiorkor is a striking phenotype of childhood severe malnutrition (SM) comprising oedema, fatty liver, and skin and hair changes. Despite high fatality, the aetiology and pathophysiology of kwashiorkor remain enigmatic, including the role of serum albumin on oedema development. Here, we demonstrate that serum albumin is associated with the presence and severity of oedema among severely malnourished children. Further, in two independent cohorts of children in Malawi and Kenya, we show albumin-independent mechanisms are associated with oedema in SM, including oxidative stress and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling. Plasma concentrations of ECM-related proteins: lumican, podoplanin, lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE1) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 were associated with kwashiorkor. We therefore conclude that the pathophysiology of kwashiorkor has both albumin-dependent and independent mechanisms. We discuss the ways in which albumin-independent mechanisms may explain the clinical features observed in kwashiorkor.
The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the Veterans Affairs System toward being a payer and virtual care provider: is it sustainable?
Authors: Rose Liam , Tran Linda Diem , Asch Steven M. , Vashi Anita 
Published: June 2021

Structured AbstractObjectiveTo examine how VA shifted care delivery methods one year into the pandemic.Study SettingAll encounters paid or provided by VA between January 1, 2019 and February 27, 2021.Study DesignWe aggregated all VA paid or provided encounters and classified them into community (non-VA) acute and non-acute visits, VA acute and non-acute visits, and VA virtual visits. We then compared the number of encounters by week over time to pre-pandemic levels.Data Extraction MethodsAggregation of administrative VA claims and health records.Principal FindingsVA has experienced a dramatic and persistent shift to providing virtual care and purchasing care from non-VA providers. Before the pandemic, a majority (63%) of VA care was provided in-person at a VA facility. One year into the pandemic, in-person care at VA’s constituted just 33% of all visits. Most of the difference made up by large expansions of virtual care; total VA provided visits (in person and virtual) declined (4.9 million to 4.2 million) while total visits of all types declined only 3.5%. Community provided visits exceeded prepandemic levels (2.3 million to 2.9 million, +26%).ConclusionUnlike private health care, VA has resumed in-person care slowly at its own facilities, and more rapidly in purchased care with different financial incentives a likely driver. The very large expansion of virtual care nearly made up the difference. With a widespread physical presence across the U.S., this has important implications for access to care and future allocation of medical personnel, facilities, and resources.
Calsyntenin-3, an atypical cadherin, suppresses inhibitory basket- and stellate-cell synapses but boosts excitatory parallel-fiber synapses in cerebellum
Authors: Liu Zhihui , Jiang Man , Liakath-Ali Kif , Ko Jaewon , Zhang Roger Shen , Südhof Thomas C. 
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACTCadherins contribute to the organization of nearly all tissues, but the functions of several evolutionarily conserved cadherins, including those of calsyntenins, remain enigmatic. Puzzlingly, two distinct, non-overlapping functions for calsyntenins were proposed: As postsynaptic neurexin ligands in synapse formation, or as presynaptic adaptors for kinesin-mediated vesicular transport. Here, we show that acute CRISPR-mediated deletion of calsyntenin-3 in cerebellar Purkinje cellsin vivocauses a large decrease in inhibitory synapses, but a surprisingly robust increase in excitatory parallel-fiber synapses. No changes in the dendritic architecture of Purkinje cells or in climbing-fiber synapses were detected. Thus, by promoting formation of an excitatory type of synapses and decreasing formation of an inhibitory type of synapses in the same neuron, calsyntenin-3 functions as a postsynaptic adhesion molecule that regulates the excitatory/inhibitory balance in Purkinje cells. No similarly opposing function of a synaptic adhesion molecule was previously observed, suggesting a new paradigm of synaptic regulation.
SLP2/prohibitins aggregates and instability of the PHB complex are key elements in CHCHD10S59L-related disease
Authors: Genin Emmanuelle C. , Bannwarth Sylvie , Ropert Baptiste , Mauri-Crouzet Alessandra , Lespinasse Françoise , Augé Gaelle , Fragaki Konstantina , Cochaud Charlotte , Lacas-Gervais Sandra , Paquis-Flucklinger Véronique 
Published: June 2021

AbstractCHCHD10 is an ALS/FTD gene, also involved in a large clinical spectrum, that encodes a protein whose precise function within mitochondria is unclear. Here we show that CHCHD10 interacts with the Stomatin-Like Protein 2 (SLP2) to control the stability of the Prohibitin (PHB) complex in the inner mitochondrial membrane. In affected tissues, SLP2 forms aggregates with prohibitins and the instability of the PHB complex results in activation of OMA1 and accelerated OPA1 proteolysis leading to mitochondrial fragmentation, loss of mitochondrial cristae and apoptosis. Abnormal cristae morphogenesis depends on both the PHB complex destabilization leading to MICOS complex instability, via disruption of OPA1/Mitofilin interaction, and the activation of PINK1-mediated pathways. We also show that the increase of mitophagy found in both heart and hippocampus of Chchd10S59L/+ mito-QC mice is PINK1/Parkin-dependent. Thus, SLP2/PHBs aggregates and destabilization of the PHB complex with PINK1 activation are critical in the sequence of events leading to CHCHD10S59L-related disease.
End-of-life targeted auxin-mediated degradation of DAF-2 Insulin/IGF-1 receptor promotes longevity free from growth-related pathologies
Authors: Venz Richard , Pekec Tina , Katic Iskra , Ciosk Rafal , Ewald Collin Y. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractPreferably, lifespan-extending therapies should work when applied late in life without causing undesired pathologies. However, identifying lifespan-extending interventions that are effective late in life and which avoid undesired secondary pathologies remains elusive. Reducing Insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) increases lifespan across species, but the effects of reduced IIS interventions in extreme geriatric ages remains unknown. Using the nematode C. elegans, we engineered the conditional depletion of the DAF-2/insulin/IGF-1 transmembrane receptor using an auxin-inducible degradation (AID) system that allows for the temporal and spatial reduction in DAF-2 protein levels at time points after which interventions such as RNAi may lose efficacy. Using this system, we found that AID-mediated depletion of DAF-2 protein efficiently extends animal lifespan. Depletion of DAF-2 during early adulthood resulted in multiple adverse phenotypes, including growth retardation, germline shrinkage, egg-retention, and reducing offspring. By contrast, however, AID-mediated depletion of DAF-2 specifically in the intestine resulted in an extension of lifespan without these deleterious effects. Importantly, AID-mediated depletion of DAF-2 protein in animals past their median lifespan allowed for an extension of lifespan without affecting growth or behavioral capacity. Thus, both late-in-life targeting and tissue-specific targeting of IIS minimize the deleterious effects typically seen with interventions that reduced IIS, suggesting potential therapeutic methods by which longevity and healthspan can be increased in even geriatric populations.
The giant staphylococcal protein Embp facilitates colonization of surfaces through Velcro-like attachment to fibrillated fibronectin
Authors: Khan Nasar , Aslan Hüsnü , Büttner Henning , Rohde Holger , Golbek Thaddeus Wayne , Roeters Steven Joop , Woutersen Sander , Weidner Tobias , Meyer Rikke Louise 
Published: June 2021

AbstractStaphylococcus epidermidis causes some of the most hard-to-treat clinical infections by forming biofilms: Multicellular communities of bacteria encased in a protective matrix, supporting immune evasion and tolerance against antibiotics. Biofilms occur most commonly on medical implants, and a key event in implant colonization is the robust adherence to the surface, facilitated by interactions between bacterial surface proteins and host matrix components. S. epidermidis is equipped with a giant adhesive protein, Embp, which facilitates bacterial interactions with surface-deposited, but not soluble fibronectin. The structural basis behind this selective binding process has remained obscure. Using a suite of single-cell and single-molecule analysis techniques, we show that S. epidermidis is capable of such distinction because Embp binds specifically to fibrillated fibronectin on surfaces, while ignoring globular fibronectin in solution. S. epidermidis adherence is critically dependent on multi-valent interactions involving 50 fibronectin-binding repeats of Embp. This unusual, Velcro-like interaction proved critical for colonization of surfaces under high flow, making this newly identified attachment mechanism particularly relevant for colonization of intravascular devices, such as prosthetic heart valves or vascular grafts. Other biofilm-forming pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, express homologs of Embp and likely deploy the same mechanism for surface colonization. Our results may open for a novel direction in efforts to combat devastating, biofilm-associated infections, as the development of implant materials that steer the conformation of adsorbed proteins is a much more manageable task than avoiding protein adsorption altogether.Graphical abstractFibronectin exists in two different conformations in the body. It circulates in the bodily fluids in globular conformation, however, it become fibrillated once adsorbed to an implant surface. S. epidermidis possess a giant 1 MDa receptor known as Embp bind specifically to fibrillated Fn but not to the globular Fn.
Local field potentials reflect cortical population dynamics in a region-specific and frequency-dependent manner
Authors: Gallego-Carracedo Cecilia , Perich Matthew G. , Chowdhury Raeed H. , Miller Lee E. , Gallego Juan A. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe spiking activity of populations of cortical neurons is well described by a small number of population-wide covariance patterns, the “latent dynamics”. These latent dynamics are largely driven by the same correlated synaptic currents across the circuit that determine the generation of local field potentials (LFP). Yet, the relationship between latent dynamics and LFPs remains largely unexplored. Here, we characterised this relationship for three different regions of primate sensorimotor cortex during reaching. The correlation between latent dynamics and LFPs was frequency-dependent and varied across regions. However, for any given region, this relationship remained stable across behaviour: in each of primary motor and premotor cortices, the LFP-latent dynamics correlation profile was remarkably similar between movement planning and execution. These robust associations between LFPs and neural population latent dynamics help bridge the wealth of studies reporting neural correlates of behaviour using either type of recordings.
One shot generalization in humans revealed through a drawing task
Authors: Tiedemann Henning , Morgenstern Yaniv , Schmidt Filipp , Fleming Roland W 
Published: June 2021

AbstractHumans have the striking ability to learn and generalize new visual concepts from just a single exemplar. We suggest that when presented with a novel object, observers identify its significant features and infer a generative model of its shape, allowing them to mentally synthesize plausible variants. To test this, we showed participants abstract 2D shapes (‘Exemplars’) and asked them to draw new objects (‘Variations’) belonging to the same class. We show that this procedure created genuine novel categories. In line with our hypothesis, particular features of each Exemplar were preserved in its Variations and there was striking agreement between participants about which shape features were most distinctive. Also, we show that strategies to create Variations were strongly driven by part structure: new objects typically modified individual parts (e.g., limbs) of the Exemplar, often preserving part order, sometimes altering it. Together, our findings suggest that sophisticated internal generative models are key to how humans analyze and generalize from single exemplars.
Self-resetting Molecular Probes for Nucleic Acids Enabled by Fuel Dissipative Systems
Authors: Li Na , Liu Yu , Yin Zhe , Liu Rui , Zhang Linghao , Zhao Yuee , Ma Liang , Dai Xiaochuan , Zhou Dongsheng , Su Xin 
Published: June 2021

Withdraw disclaimer statementThe authors have withdrawn this manuscript because lots of additional experiments which are not discussed in this version have been performed to further support the conclusion. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as reference for the project. If you have any questions, please contact the corresponding author.
Dissociating the neural correlates of subjective visibility from those of decision confidence
Authors: Mazor Matan , Dijkstra Nadine , Fleming Stephen M. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractA key goal of consciousness science is identifying neural signatures of being aware vs. unaware of simple stimuli. This is often investigated in the context of near-threshold detection, with reports of stimulus awareness being linked to heightened activation in a frontoparietal network. However, due to reports of stimulus presence typically being associated with higher confidence than reports of stimulus absence, these results could be explained by frontoparietal regions encoding stimulus visibility, decision confidence or both. In an exploratory analysis, we leverage fMRI data from 35 human participants (20 females) to disentangle these possibilities. We first show that, whereas stimulus identity was best decoded from the visual cortex, stimulus visibility (presence vs. absence) was best decoded from prefrontal regions. To control for effects of confidence, we then selectively sampled trials prior to decoding to equalize confidence distributions between absence and presence responses. This analysis revealed striking differences in the neural correlates of subjective visibility in prefrontal cortex regions of interest, depending on whether or not differences in confidence were controlled for. We interpret our findings as highlighting the importance of controlling for metacognitive aspects of the decision process in the search for neural correlates of visual awareness.Significance statementWhile much has been learned over the past two decades about the neural basis of visual awareness, the role of the prefrontal cortex remains a topic of debate. By applying decoding analyses to functional brain imaging data, we show that prefrontal representations of subjective visibility are contaminated by neural correlates of decision confidence. We propose a new analysis method to control for these metacognitive aspects of awareness reports, and use it to reveal confidence-independent correlates of perceptual judgments in a subset of prefrontal areas.
Characterizing Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Immune Modulatory Potency Using Targeted Lipidomic Profiling of Sphingolipids
Authors: DeVeaux S’Dravious A. , Ogle Molly E. , Vyshnya Sofiya , Chiappa Nathan F. , Leitmann Bobby , Rudy Ryan , Day Abigail , Mortensen Luke J. , Kurtzberg Joanne , Roy Krishnendu , Botchwey Edward A. 
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACTCell therapies are expected to increase over the next decade due to increasing demand for clinical applications. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been explored to treat a number of diseases, with some successes in early clinical trials. Despite early successes, poor MSC characterization results in lessened therapeutic capacity oncein vivo. Here, we characterized bone–marrow (BM), adipose derived and umbilical cord tissue MSCs’ sphingolipids (SLs), a class of bioactive lipids, using liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry. We found ceramide levels differed based upon donor’s sex in BM-MSCs. We detected fatty acyl chain variants in MSCs from all 3 sources. Linear discriminant analysis revealed that MSCs separated based on tissue source. Principal component analysis showed IFN-γ primed and unstimulated MSCs separated according to their SL signature. Lastly, we detected higher ceramide levels in low IDO MSCs, indicating sphingomeylinase or ceramidase enzymatic activity may be involved in their immune potency.
Bacterial predation on T4 phages
Authors: Godon Jean-Jacques , Bize Ariane , Ngo Hoang , Cauquil Laurent , Almeida Mathieu , Petit Marie Agnès , Zemb Olivier 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundBacterial consumption of viruses has never yet been reported, even though bacteria feed on almost anything. Viruses are omnipresent predators for all organisms, but have no acknowledged active biocontrol. The viral biomass undoubtedly reintegrates the trophic cycles, however the mechanisms of this phase still remain unknown.MethodsHere, we used stable isotope probing with 13C labelled T4 phages to monitor the increase of density of the bacterial DNA concomitant with the decrease of plaque forming units. We used 12C T4 phages as control.ResultsT4 phage disappearance in wastewater sludge was found to occur mainly through predation by Aeromonadacea. Phage consumption also favours significant in situ bacterial growth. Furthermore, an isolated strain of Aeromonas was observed to grow on T4 phages as sole source of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus.Conclusionsbacterial species are capable of consuming bacteriophages in situ, which is likely a widespread and underestimated type of biocontrol.This assay is anticipated as a starting point for harnessing the bacterial potential in limiting the diffusion of harmful viruses within environments such as gut or water.