bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Child marriage and adverse reproductive outcomes among young Afghan women: implication for policy and practice in Afghanistan
Authors: Dadras Omid , Nakayama Takeo 
Published: November 2021

AbstractBackgroundChild marriage is defined as marriage before the age of 18 years and it has been linked to several adverse health and social outcomes. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and determinants of child marriage and its association with adverse reproductive outcomes among a nationally representative sample of young Afghan women.MethodsThis was a secondary analysis of the 2015 Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data. Based on the UN recommendation on child marriage study, only women aged 20-24 years old were included. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were employed to determine the distribution of respondents’ characteristics and prevalence and determinants of child marriage. Multivariate logistic models examined the association between child marriage and adverse reproductive outcomes accounting for the sociodemographic factors.ResultsAn estimated 52% of the Afghan women aged 20-24 married at ages less than 18 years. Poor illiterate women were more likely to marry at early ages (<18). There was a significant negative relationship between child marriage and history of rapid repeat childbirth, delivery by skilled personnel, and institutional delivery. In both adjusted and unadjusted models, women married at age ≤14 were more likely to experience terminated or unintended pregnancy (AOR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.31-2.75 and AOR = 2.20. 95% CI: 1.24-3.91, respectively), inadequate ANC (AOR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.01-2.90), unmet need for family planning (AOR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.05-1.98), fistula (AOR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.22-4.57); While, for those married at age 15-17 years, only terminated or unintended pregnancy remained significant.ConclusionThe younger age of marriage was associated with a higher prevalence of adverse reproductive outcomes among Afghan women. Moreover, poverty and illiteracy proved to be important predictors of child marriage in Afghan women. Strict international law enforcement and advocacy are a need in the current situation of Afghanistan to increase young women’s education, promote their civil rights, and improve their autonomy and role in decision-making concerning their health.
Second-Hand Smoke Exposure inside the House and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Indonesia: Evidence from Demographic and Health Survey 2017
Authors: Andriani Helen , Rahmawati Nurul Dina , Ahsan Abdillah , Kusuma Dian 
Published: November 2021

ABSTRACTObjectivesSecond-hand Smoke (SHS) during pregnancy among non-smoking women associates with mortality and morbidity risks in their infants. However, little is known about the SHS inside the house and the adverse birth outcomes. This study aims to assess the prevalence, level, and frequency of SHS exposure inside the house and investigate their associations with birth outcomes.MethodsWe use the Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS) 2017, a large-scale nationally representative survey. Women aged 15 to 49 years who had given birth in the last five years before the study and their husbands were interviewed (n=19,935). Three dependent variables included Low Birth Weight (LBW), size at birth, and birth weight.ResultsSeventy-eight percent of mothers exposed to SHS inside home, of whom 7.2% had LBW children. Compared to non-SHS exposure mothers, those exposed to SHS were younger, had first birth before 20 years old, married, lower educated, non-worker, lived in rural, grand multipara, had pollution from cooking fuel, cook in a separate building, had higher risk of delivering lower birth weight (aOR=1.16, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.33), and smaller baby (aOR=1.51, 95%CI: 1.35, 1.69), even after the controlling for the covariates. We identified the inverted U-shaped association for SHS exposure frequency. Similar risk was also observed among mothers exposed with SHS on a daily basis compared to those who are not exposed.Conclusion for PracticeExposure to SHS inside home was significantly associated with LBW and size at birth. Given the high smoking prevalence, relevant policy and health promotion are needed.Significance StatementAdverse birth outcomes, such as low birth weight and smaller size at birth, may not be clearly explained by the second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure from a smoking husband alone. Our findings show that the prevalence of SHS inside the house in Indonesia is 78.4%. Pregnant women exposed to anyone who smokes in the household may be linked to poor birth quality, including low birth weight and smaller size at birth in their babies, after adjustment for risk factors. The effects of SHS exposure on birth outcomes are further exacerbated by daily SHS exposure.
Immunogenicity of heterologous prime/boost inactivated and mRNA COVID-19 vaccine
Authors: Wanlapakorn Nasamon , Yorsaeng Ritthideach , Phowatthanasathian Harit , Suntronwong Nungruthai , Kanokudom Sitthichai , Sudhinaraset Natthinee , Poovorawan Yong 
Published: November 2021

AbstractIntroductionIn August 2021, Thailand imported the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. The prioritised group to receive the BNT162b2 vaccine were health professionals. The BNT162b2 vaccine scheduled for healthcare workers were two-dose regimen administered three weeks apart, the third dose booster in two-dose inactivated CoronaVac vaccine recipients or as a second dose in health professionals who had received the CoronaVac or adenoviral-vectored (ChAdOx1-S) vaccine as the first dose regardless of the interval between the first and second dose.MethodsThis study aims to evaluate the immunogenicity of the heterologous prime boost CoronaVac followed by BNT162b2 in health professionals.ResultsThe CoronaVac/BNT162b2 vaccine recipients elicited higher neutralizing activity against the original Wuhan and all variants of concern than in the recipients of the two-dose CoronaVac.ConclusionsThe heterologous CoronaVac/BNT162b2 could be used as an alternative regimen in countries experiencing the vaccine shortages and in individuals experiencing the adverse events following CoronaVac.
Non-invasive visualization of amyloid-beta deposits in Alzheimer amyloidosis mice using magnetic resonance imaging and fluorescence molecular tomography
Authors: Ren Wuwei , Ni Ruiqing , Vaas Markus , Klohs Jan , Ripoll Jorge , Wolf Martin , Rudin Markus 
Published: November 2021

AbstractAbnormal cerebral accumulation of amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) is a major hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Non-invasive monitoring of Aβ deposits enables assessing the disease burden in patients and animal models mimicking aspects of the human disease as well as evaluating the efficacy of Aβ-modulating therapies. Previous in vivo assessments of plaque load in mouse models of cerebral amyloidosis have been predominantly based on two-dimensional diffuse fluorescence reflectance imaging (2D-FRI) and two-photon microscopy (2PM) using Aβ-specific imaging agents. However, 2D-FRI lacks depth resolution, whereas 2PM is restricted by the limited field of view preventing coverage of large brain regions. Here, we utilized a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) pipeline with the curcumin derivative fluorescent probe CRANAD-2 to achieve full 3D brain coverage for detecting Aβ accumulation in the arcAβ mouse model of cerebral amyloidosis. A homebuilt FMT system was used for data acquisition in combination with a customized software platform enabling the integration of anatomical information derived from MRI as prior information for FMT image reconstruction. The results obtained from the FMT-MRI study were compared to data obtained from conventional 2D-FRI recorded under similar physiological conditions. The two methods yielded comparable time courses of the fluorescence intensity following intravenous injection of CRANAD-2 in a region of interest comprising the mouse brain. The depth resolution inherent to FMT allowed separation of signal contributions from the scalp and different brain regions, indicating preferential accumulation of the fluorescent tracer in the cerebral cortex, a region characterized by significant plaque deposition in arc Aβ mice. In conclusion, we have demonstrated the feasibility of visualizing Aβ deposition in 3D using a multimodal FMT-MRI method. This hybrid imaging method provides complementary anatomical, physiological and molecular information, thereby enabling the detailed characterization of the disease status in mouse models of cerebral amyloidosis, which is also important for monitoring the efficacy of putative treatments targeting Aβ.
RNA-Seq analysis identifies novel roles for the primary cilia gene SPAG17 and the SOX9 locus non-coding RNAs in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Roberson Elisha D.O. , Carns Mary , Cao Li , Aren Kathleen , Goldberg Isaac A. , Morales-Heil David J. , Korman Benjamin D. , Atkinson John P. , Varga John 
Published: November 2021

AbstractSystemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by immune activation, vasculopathy, and unresolving fibrosis in the skin, lungs, and other organs. We performed RNA-Seq analysis on skin biopsies and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from SSc patients and controls to better understand SSc pathogenesis. We analyzed these data to 1) test for case-control differences, and 2) identify genes whose expression levels correlate with SSc severity as measured by local skin score, modified Rodnan skin score (MRSS), forced vital capacity (FVC), or diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO). We found that PBMCs from SSc patients showed a strong type 1 interferon signature. This signal replicated in the skin, with additional signals for increased extracellular matrix (ECM) genes, classical complement pathway activation, and the presence of B cells. Notably, we observed a marked decrease in the expression of SPAG17, a cilia component, in SSc skin. We identified genes that correlated with MRSS, DLCO, and FVC in SSc PBMCs and skin using weighted gene co-expression analysis (WGCNA). These genes were largely distinct from the case/control differentially expressed genes. In PBMCs, type 1 interferon signatures negatively correlated with DLCO. In SSc skin, ECM gene expression positively correlated with MRSS. Network analysis of SSc skin genes correlated with clinical features identified the non-coding RNAs SOX9-AS1 and ROCR, both near the SOX9 locus, as highly connected, “hub-like” genes in the network. These results identify non-coding RNAs and SPAG17 as novel factors potentially implicated in SSc pathogenesis.
A glycerol shunt functions as a glucose excess security valve in pancreatic β-cells
Authors: Al-Mass Anfal , Poursharifi Pegah , Peyot Marie-Line , Lussier Roxane , Levens Emily , Guida Julian , Mugabo Yves , Possik Elite , Ahmad Rasheed , Al-Mulla Fahd , Sladek Robert , Madiraju S.R.Murthy , Prentki Marc 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThe recently identified glycerol-3-phosphate (Gro3P) phosphatase (G3PP) in mammalian cells, encoded by thePGPgene, was shown to regulate intermediary metabolism by hydrolyzing Gro3P and to control glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in β-cells,in vitro. We now examined in inducible β-cell specific G3PP-KO (BKO) mice, the role of G3PP in the control of insulin secretionin vivo, β-cell function and glucotoxicity. BKO mice, compared toMCrecontrols, showed increased body weight, adiposity, fed insulinemia, GSIS, reduced plasma triglycerides and mildly altered glucose tolerance. Isolated BKO mouse islets at high (16.7 mM) but not low or intermediate glucose (3-8 mM) showed elevated GSIS, Gro3P, metabolites reflecting β-cell activation, O2consumption, ATP production and reduced glycerol release. BKO islets chronically exposed to elevated glucose showed increased apoptosis, reduced insulin content and expression ofPdx-1, MafAandIns-2genes. As G3PP channels glucose carbons towards glycerol formation and release, the results demonstrate that β-cell are endowed with a “glycerol shunt” acting as a glucose excess security valve. We propose that the glycerol shunt plays a role in glucodetoxification, the prevention of insulin hypersecretion, acts as a defense against excess body weight gain and contributes to β-cell mass preservation in the face of hyperglycemia.
Epigenetic changes in autoimmune monocytes contribute to disease and can be targeted by JAK inhibition
Authors: Peeters J.G.C. , Boltjes A. , Scholman R.C. , Vervoort S.J. , Coffer P.J. , Mokry M. , Vastert S.J. , van Wijk F. , van Loosdregt J. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractHow the local inflammatory environment regulates epigenetic changes in the context of autoimmune diseases remains unclear. Here we assessed the transcriptional and active enhancer profile of monocytes derived from the inflamed joints of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) patients, a model well-suited for studying autoimmune diseases. RNA-sequencing analysis demonstrated that synovial-derived monocytes display an activated phenotype, characterized by increased expression of surface activation markers and multiple chemokines and cytokines. This increased expression is regulated on the epigenetic level, as ChIP-sequencing indicated increased H3K27 acetylation of genes upregulated in synovial monocytes. IFN signaling-associated genes are increased and epigenetically altered in synovial monocytes, suggesting a role for IFN in establishing the inflammatory phenotype. Treatment of human synovial monocytes with the Janus-associated kinase (JAK) inhibitor Ruxolitinib, which inhibits IFN signaling, transformed the activated enhancer landscape and reduced disease-associated gene expression, thereby inhibiting the inflammatory phenotype. Taken together, these data provide novel insight into epigenetic regulation of autoimmune disease-patient derived monocytes and suggest that altering the epigenetic profile can be a therapeutic approach for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
cNap1 bridges centriole contact sites to maintain centrosome cohesion
Authors: Mahen Robert 
Published: November 2021

AbstractCentrioles are non-membrane bound organelles that participate in fundamental cellular processes through their ability to form physical contacts with other structures. During interphase, two mature centrioles can associate to form a single centrosome - a phenomenon known as centrosome cohesion. Centrosome cohesion is important for processes such as cell migration, and yet how it is maintained is unclear. Current models indicate that pericentriolar fibres termed rootlets, also known as the centrosome linker, entangle to maintain centriole proximity. Here, I uncover a new centriole-centriole contact site and mechanism of centrosome cohesion, based on coalescence of the proximal centriole component cNap1. Using live-cell imaging of endogenously tagged cNap1, I show that proximal centrioles form dynamic contacts in response to physical force from the cytoskeleton. Expansion microscopy reveals that cNap1 bridges between these contact sites, physically linking proximal centrioles on the nanoscale. When ectopically tethered to organelles such as lysosomes, cNap1 forms viscous and cohesive condensates that promote organelle spatial proximity. Conversely, cNap1 mutants with reduced viscosity are unable to maintain centrosome cohesion. These results define a previously unrecognised mechanism of centrosome cohesion by cNap1 assemblies at the proximal centriole and illustrate how a non-membrane bound organelle forms dynamic organelle contact sites.
Conformational Changes in the Negative Arm of the Circadian Clock Correlate with Dynamic Interactomes Involved in Post-transcriptionally Regulated Processes
Authors: Pelham Jacqueline F. , Mosier Alexander E. , Altshuler Samuel C. , Kirchhoff Christopher L. , Fall William B. , Baik Lisa S. , Chiu Joanna C. , Hurley Jennifer M. 
Published: November 2021

SUMMARYThe circadian clock employs a transcriptional/translational negative feedback loop (TTFL) to anticipate environmental changes due to the Earth’s diurnal cycle, with regulation of organismal physiology believed to stem from temporal transcriptional activation by the positive arm. However, up to 80% of oscillating proteins do not have rhythmic mRNA, establishing circadian post-transcriptional regulation through unknown mechanisms. Given the pervasive conservation of the intrinsically disordered nature of negative-arm clock proteins, we hypothesized that post-transcriptional regulation may stem from conformational shifts in negative-arm proteins that time vacillations in the constituents of negative-arm macromolecular complexes to time cellular physiology. Our investigation of the negative arm clock protein in Neurospora crassa, FREQUENCY (FRQ), demonstrated temporal conformational fluidity correlated with daily changes in physiologically diverse macromolecular complex components. A parallel investigation of the macromolecular complexes centered around Drosophila melanogaster PERIOD (dPER) and human PERIOD (hPER2) found a similar number and physiological diversity of interacting partners in higher eukaryotes. Short linear motifs (SLiMs) associated with the interactors localized to disordered and phosphorylated regions on the PERs and FRQ, with disordered interactors oscillating in the macromolecular complexes over circadian time. This oscillation correlated with oscillations in post-transcriptionally regulated proteins, suggesting the negative arm may tune cellular physiology and proteostasis post-transcriptionally via vacillations in the circadian negative-arm macromolecular protein complexes.
A multiscale X-ray phase-contrast tomography dataset of whole human left lung
Authors: Xian R. Patrick , Walsh Claire L. , Verleden Stijn E. , Wagner Willi L. , Bellier Alexandre , Marussi Sebastian , Ackermann Maximilian , Jonigk Danny D. , Jacob Joseph , Lee Peter D. , Tafforeau Paul 
Published: November 2021

ABSTRACTTechnological advancements in X-ray imaging using bright and coherent synchrotron sources now allows to decouple sample size and resolution, while maintaining high sensitivity to the microstructure of soft, partially dehydrated tissues. The recently developed imaging technique, hierarchical phase-contrast tomography, is a comprehensive approach to address the challenge of organ-scale (up to tens of centimeters) soft tissue imaging with resolution and sensitivity down to the cellular level. Using this technique, we imaged ex vivo an entire human left lung at an isotropic voxel size of 25.08 μm along with local zooms down to 6.05 - 6.5 μm and 2.45 - 2.5 μm in voxel size. The high tissue contrast offered by the fourth-generation synchrotron source at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility reveals complex multiscale anatomical constitution of the human lung from the macroscopic (centimeter) down to the microscopic (micrometer) scale. The dataset provides complete organ-scale 3D information of the secondary pulmonary lobules and delineates the microstructure of lung nodules with unprecedented detail.
A ROS-Ca2+ signalling pathway identified from a chemical screen for modifiers of sugar-activated circadian gene expression
Authors: Li Xiang , Deng Dongjing , Cataltepe Gizem , Román Ángela , Monte-Bello Carolina Cassano , Skyricz Aleksandra , Caldana Camila , Haydon Michael J 
Published: November 2021

AbstractSugars are essential metabolites for energy and anabolism that can also act as signals to regulate plant physiology and development. Experimental tools to disrupt major sugar signalling pathways are limited. We have performed a chemical screen for modifiers of activation of circadian gene expression by sugars to discover pharmacological tools to investigate and manipulate plant sugar signalling. Using a library of commercially available bioactive compounds, we identified 75 confident hits that modified the response of a circadian luciferase reporter to sucrose in dark-adapted seedlings. We validated the transcriptional effect on a subset of the hits and measured their effects on a range of sugar-dependent phenotypes for 13 of these chemicals. Chemicals were identified that appear to influence known and unknown sugar signalling pathways. Pentamidine isethionate (PI) was identified as a modifier of a sugar-activated Ca2+ signal that acts downstream of superoxide in a metabolic signalling pathway affecting circadian rhythms, primary metabolism and plant growth. Our data provide a resource of new experimental tools to manipulate plant sugar signalling and identify novel components of these pathways.
Fast DNA-PAINT imaging using a deep neural network
Authors: Narayanasamy Kaarjel K. , Rahm Johanna V. , Tourani Siddharth , Heilemann Mike 
Published: November 2021

AbstractDNA points accumulation for imaging in nanoscale topography (DNA-PAINT) is a super-resolution technique with relatively easy-to-implement multi-target imaging. However, image acquisition is slow as sufficient statistical data has to be generated from spatio-temporally isolated single emitters. Here, we trained the neural network (NN) DeepSTORM to predict fluorophore positions from high emitter density DNA-PAINT data. This achieves image acquisition in one minute. We demonstrate multi-color super-resolution imaging of structure-conserved semi-thin neuronal tissue and imaging of large samples. This improvement can be integrated into any single-molecule microscope and enables fast single-molecule super-resolution microscopy.
Heat activation and inactivation of bacterial spores. Is there an overlap?
Authors: Wen Juan , Smelt Jan P. P. M. , Vischer Norbert O.E. , de Vos Arend L. , Setlow Peter , Brul Stanley 
Published: November 2021

AbstractHeat activation at a sublethal temperature is widely applied to promote Bacillus species spore germination. This treatment also has potential to be employed in food processing to eliminate undesired bacterial spores by enhancing their germination, and then inactivating the less heat resistant germinated spores at a milder temperature. However, incorrect heat treatment could also generate heat damage in spores, and lead to more heterogeneous spore germination. Here, the heat activation and heat damage profile of Bacillus subtilis spores was determined by testing spore germination and outgrowth at both population and single spore levels. The heat treatments used were 40-80°C, and for 0-300 min. The results were as follows. 1) Heat activation at 40-70°C promoted L-valine and L-asparagine-glucose-fructose-potassium (AGFK) induced germination in a time dependent manner. 2) The optimal heat activation temperatures for AGFK and L-valine germination via the GerB plus GerK or GerA germinant receptors were 65 and 50-65°C, respectively. 3) Heat inactivation of dormant spores appeared at 70°C, and the heat damage of molecules essential for germination and growth began at 70 and 65°C, respectively. 4) Heat treatment at 75°C resulted in both activation of germination and damage to the germination apparatus, and 80°C treatment caused more pronounced heat damage. 5) For the spores that should withstand adverse environmental temperatures in nature, heat activation seems functional for a subsequent optimal germination process, while heat damage affected both germination and outgrowth.