bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
HLA‐G in Mayas from Yucatan: An evolutionary approach
Authors: Arnaiz‐Villena Antonio , Suárez‐Trujillo Fabio , Palacio‐Gruber José , Rodríguez‐Sainz Carmen , Fernández‐Cruz Eduardo , Martín‐Villa José Manuel , Fragoso José Manuel 
Published: April 2021

AbstractHLA‐G allele frequencies were studied in Yucatán (Mexico) Maya Amerindians by a direct exon DNA sequencing technique. It is described that Mayas are probably one of the first populations together with Olmecs that populated Meso America and that important HLA genetic differences between Mexican and Guatemalan Mayas support that Maya languages were imposed to several neighbouring Amerindian groups. HLA‐G*01:01:02, HLA‐G*01:01:01 and HLA‐G*01:04:01 are the most frequent alleles in this population. It is remarkable that HLA‐G*01:05N allele was not found in the population in accordance with similar results found in another Amerindians. Also, protein allele HLA‐G*01:04 frequency is found not to differ to those found in another far or close living Amerindians in contrast to other World populations. It seems that while high HLA‐G*01:05N frequency is found in Iran and Middle East populations, probably where this allele appeared within an ancestral HLA‐A*19 group of alleles haplotype and it is maintained by unknown evolutionary forces, Amerindians do not have a high frequency because a founder effect or because required natural evolutionary forces do not exist in America. Finally, we believe useful to study HLA‐G evolution for its physiopathology understanding in addition to the many papers on statistics on HLA‐G and in vitro models that are yearly published.
Robertsonian rearrangements in Neotropical Meliponini karyotype evolution (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)
Authors: Cunha M. S. , Soares F. A. F. , Clarindo W. R. , Campos L. A. O. , Lopes D. M. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractGenome changes, evidenced through karyotype or nuclear genome size data, can result in reproductive isolation, diversification and speciation. The aim of this study was to understand how changes in the karyotype such as chromosome number and nuclear genome size accompanied the evolution of neotropical stingless bees, and to discuss these data in a phylogenetic context focusing on the karyotype evolution of this clade. We sampled 38 species representing the three Neotropical Meliponini groups; 35 for karyotype analyses and 16 for 1C value measurement. The chromosome number varied from 2n = 16 to 2n = 34, with distinct karyotypic formulae and the presence of a few polymorphisms, such as B chromosomes in one species and arm size differences between homologous chromosomes in two species. The mean 1C value varied from 0.31 pg to 0.92 pg. We associated empirical data on chromosome number and mean 1C value to highlight the importance of Robertsonian fusion rearrangements, leading to a decrease in chromosome number during the Neotropical Meliponini evolution. These data also allowed us to infer the independent heterochromatin amplification in several genera. Although less frequent, Melipona species with 2n = 22 represent evidence of Robertsonian fissions. We also pointed out the importance of chromosomal rearrangements that did not alter chromosome number, such as inversions and heterochromatin amplification.
Making the most of high‐dimensional cytometry data
Authors: Marsh‐Wakefield Felix MD , Mitchell Andrew J , Norton Samuel E , Ashhurst Thomas Myles , Leman Julia KH , Roberts Joanna M , Harte Jessica E , McGuire Helen M , Kemp Roslyn A 
Published: April 2021

AbstractHigh‐dimensional cytometry represents an exciting new era of immunology research, enabling the discovery of new cells and prediction of patient responses to therapy. A plethora of analysis and visualization tools and programs are now available for both new and experienced users; however, the transition from low‐ to high‐dimensional cytometry requires a change in the way users think about experimental design and data analysis. Data from high‐dimensional cytometry experiments are often underutilized, because of both the size of the data and the number of possible combinations of markers, as well as to a lack of understanding of the processes required to generate meaningful data. In this article, we explain the concepts behind designing high‐dimensional cytometry experiments and provide considerations for new and experienced users to design and carry out high‐dimensional experiments to maximize quality data collection.
Student‐led field studies of herbivory: Hands‐on experiences for remote (or in‐person) learning
Authors: Berke Sarah K. , Clark Rebecca M. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractChallenging students to independently design and implement experiments is a powerful way to teach the scientific method while engaging with STEM‐related course material. For ecology and organismal biology, such experiences often take the form of field work. The COVID‐19 pandemic presented formidable challenges for instructors of such courses: How can students conductanyexperiments, much less ones of their own design, when they might not even have access to campus? Here we describe a student‐led field project exploring invertebrate herbivory in terrestrial plant systems. Designed to flexibly accommodate student groups working either in‐person, remotely, or both, the project would be suitable for invertebrate biology, plant biology, or general ecology courses at the college or high school level. We describe our implementation in two sections of a sophomore‐level course, provide specific advice based on our experiences, make suggestions for future improvements or adaptations, and provide all the written materials that instructors would need to implement this in their own teaching.
Properties of irradiated sodium borosilicate glasses from experiment and atomistic simulations
Authors: Sun Mengli , Jahn Sandro , Peng Haibo , Zhang Xiaoyang , Wang Tieshan , Kowalski Piotr M. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractWith a combination of atomistic modeling and experimental techniques, we have investigated the structural and elastic parameters of sodium borosilicate glasses, including irradiation‐induced changes. Both approaches show that the Young's modulus depends linearly on the density of material. The simulated glass density and boron speciation match also the estimates by independent, elemental glass composition‐based models, indicating that atomistic simulations could be used in validation of theoretical models and experimental results. This allows us to formulate Young's modulus—density relationships for investigated borosilicate glasses and test the existing empirical model for description of Vickers hardness of these materials. The simulation of irradiation reveals a change of B[4] content under irradiation. By applying a simple defects accumulation procedure, we are able to correctly reproduce the measured critical irradiation dose of ~0.1 dpa and provide reasonable information on density change and stored internal energy. With the obtained agreements between the experimental and simulation results, we obtained superior insights into the atomic‐scale structural evolution of irradiated borosilicate glasses.
Construction of an immune‐related LncRNA signature with prognostic significance for bladder cancer
Authors: Luo Wen‐Jie , Tian Xi , Xu Wen‐Hao , Qu Yuan‐Yuan , Zhu Wen‐Kai , Wu Jie , Ma Chun‐Guang , Zhang Hai‐Liang , Ye Ding‐Wei , Zhu Yi‐Ping 
Published: April 2021

AbstractBladder cancer (BLCA) is one of the most common urological cancer with increasing cases and deaths every year. In the present study, we aim to construct an immune‐related prognostic lncRNA signature (IRPLS) in bladder cancer (BLCA) patients and explore its immunogenomic implications in pan‐cancers. First, the immune‐related differentially expressed lncRNAs (IRDELs) were identified by ‘limma’ R package and the score of IRPLS in every patient were evaluated by Cox regression. The dysregulation of IRDELs expression between cancer and para‐cancer normal tissues was validated through RT‐qPCR. Then, we further explore the biological functions of a novel lncRNA from IRPLS, RP11‐89 in BLCA using CCK8 assay, Transwell assay and Apoptosis analysis, which indicated that RP11‐89 was able to promote cell proliferation and invasive capacity while inhibits cell apoptosis in BLCA. In addition, we performed bioinformatic methods and RIP to investigate and validate the RP11‐89/miR‐27a‐3p/PPARγ pathway in order to explore the mechanism. Next, CIBERSORT and ESTIMATE algorithm were used to evaluate abundance of tumour‐infiltrating immune cells and scores of tumour environment elements in BLCA with different level of IRPLS risk scores. Finally, multiple bioinformatic methods were performed to show us the immune landscape of these four lncRNAs for pan‐cancers. In conclusion, this study first constructed an immune‐related prognostic lncRNA signature, which consists of RP11‐89, PSORS1C3, LINC02672 and MIR100HG and might shed lights on novel targets for individualized immunotherapy for BLCA patients.
Annual Research Review: Youth firearm violence disparities in the United States and implications for prevention
Authors: Bottiani Jessika H. , Camacho Daniel A. , Lindstrom Johnson Sarah , Bradshaw Catherine P. 
Published: April 2021

ObjectiveResearch has identified the United States (U.S.) as a global outlier in its firearm ownership rates, with a correspondingly higher risk of youth firearm violence compared to other countries. The relative extent of disparities in youth firearm violence within the U.S. has been less clear. Little is known about factors in the social ecology driving these disparities and whether current firearm violence prevention approaches sufficiently address them.MethodApplying a health disparities framework, we synthesized epidemiological, sociological, and prevention science literatures, emphasizing structural inequalities in youth sociocultural positionality in life course developmental context. We also highlighted findings from national injury data and other studies regarding the magnitude and impacts of youth firearm violence disparities.ResultsThe burden of firearm violence varied markedly at intersections of gender, race, place, developmental stage, and homicidal or suicidal intent. Firearm homicide among Black boys and young men (ages 15‐24) was at outlier levels ‐ many times greater than the rates of any other demographic group, developmental stage, or violence intent, particularly in urban settings. Recent research has operationalized structural racism and implicated historically racialized spaces as a root cause of this disparity. In contrast, elevated firearm suicide rates were found among Native and White boys and young men in rural settings; firearm‐related cultural attitudes and gender socialization were points of consideration to explain these disparities. We highlighted research‐based youth firearm violence preventive interventions, and emphasized gaps in efforts focused on structural and sociocultural factors.ConclusionsMore explicit attention to reducing firearm homicide among Black boys and young men and firearm suicide among Native and rural White boys and young men is urgently needed and has potential to substantially lower overall rates of firearm violence in the U.S.
Optimizing the SEM specimen preparation method for accurate microanalysis of carbon nanotube/nanocluster hybrids
Authors: Yue Nailin , Wang Li , He Xingquan , Liu Hongyan , Zhang Wei 
Published: April 2021

AbstractScanning electron microscopy (SEM) integrated with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectrometry (EDS) are scientifically used to characterise the morphology, chemical composition and elemental distribution of powder samples. Upon an accessible analytical instrument, the specimen preparation method directly affects the quality and accuracy of the observation and analysis. In this paper, three preparation methods were utilised to characterise the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based materials, and their strengths as well as the limitations are discussed. Thus, a characterisation strategy was established by comparing the obtained three measurement together with the derived sample information. To the end, we proposed to acquire the backscattered electron (BSE) images of nanoscale heavier nanoclusters grafted CNTs, typically for wide functional applications such as energy conversion and storage. Our proposed optimum method works particularly on the clarification of powder samples with small particle sizes and low atomic numbers, which underscores the involved contribution of SEM backscattered electron images.
Kynurenine pathway metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid and blood as potential biomarkers in Huntington's disease
Authors: Rodrigues Filipe B. , Byrne Lauren M. , Lowe Alexander J. , Tortelli Rosanna , Heins Mariette , Flik Gunnar , Johnson Eileanoir B. , De Vita Enrico , Scahill Rachael I. , Giorgini Flaviano , Wild Edward J. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractConverging lines of evidence from several models, and post‐mortem human brain tissue studies, support the involvement of the kynurenine pathway (KP) in Huntington's disease (HD) pathogenesis. Quantifying KP metabolites in HD biofluids is desirable, both to study pathobiology and as a potential source of biomarkers to quantify pathway dysfunction and evaluate the biochemical impact of therapeutic interventions targeting its components. In a prospective single‐site controlled cohort study with standardised collection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, phenotypic and imaging data, we used high‐performance liquid‐chromatography to measure the levels of KP metabolites—tryptophan, kynurenine, kynurenic acid, 3‐hydroxykynurenine, anthranilic acid and quinolinic acid—in CSF and plasma of 80 participants (20 healthy controls, 20 premanifest HD and 40 manifest HD). We investigated short‐term stability, intergroup differences, associations with clinical and imaging measures and derived sample‐size calculation for future studies. Overall, KP metabolites in CSF and plasma were stable over 6 weeks, displayed no significant group differences and were not associated with clinical or imaging measures. We conclude that the studied metabolites are readily and reliably quantifiable in both biofluids in controls and HD gene expansion carriers. However, we found little evidence to support a substantial derangement of the KP in HD, at least to the extent that it is reflected by the levels of the metabolites in patient‐derived biofluids.
image
Role of mass effect and trehalose on early erythrolysis after experimental intracerebral hemorrhage
Authors: Gong Yuhua , Ren Peng , Deng Jia , Hou Zongkun , Guo Tingwang , Hao Shilei , Wang Bochu 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThe mechanisms of brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) involve mass effect‐induced primary injury and secondary injury caused by a pathologic response to the hematoma. Considerable attentions have recently been paid to the mechanisms and therapeutic strategy for secondary brain injury due to no overall benefit from early surgery compared with initial conservative treatment. However, it is unclear whether there is a causal relationship between mass effect and secondary brain injury. Here, the role of mass effect on early erythrolysis after experimental ICH was investigated based on the poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) ICH model. Autologous blood and PNIPAM hydrogel were co‐injected into the right basal ganglia of rats to induce different degrees of mass effect, but with a constant hematoma. The influences of different mass effect and time courses on erythrolysis and brain damages after ICH were investigated. Furthermore, the protective effect of trehalose against erythrolysis after ICH was evaluated. The results showed that mass effect caused erythrocyte morphological change at 24 hr after ICH. The released hemoglobin was quantitatively evaluated by a polynomial concerning with the mass effect, the volume of hematoma, and the time of ICH. An obvious increase in heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule‐1 (Iba‐1) expression, iron deposition, cell death, and neurological deficits was observed with increasing mass effect. Moreover, trehalose alleviated brain injury by inhibiting erythrolysis after ICH. These data demonstrated that mass effect accelerated the erythrolysis and brain damages after ICH, which could be relieved through trehalose therapy.
image
Treatment responses in chronic temporomandibular patients depending on the treatment modalities and frequency of parafunctional behaviour
Authors: Gikić Marijana , Vrbanović Ema , Zlendić Marko , Alajbeg Iva Z. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractObjectives(i) To evaluate the effect of three different interventions on treatment outcomes and (ii) to determine how the frequency of oral parafunction influences the effectiveness of the different therapeutic modalities.MethodsForty‐five participants were randomly assigned into three treatment groups [physical therapy (PT), stabilisation splint (SS) and control therapy (CT)]. According to Oral Behavior Checklist score, participants were divided into “high‐frequency parafunction” (HFP) and low‐frequency parafunction” (LFP) group. Primary (spontaneous pain and characteristic pain intensity) and secondary outcomes (range of mouth opening, anxiety symptoms, quality of life, perceived stress and global functional limitation) were evaluated during six‐month treatment period.ResultsParticipants in PT group showed a significant reduction in characteristic pain intensity (p = .047, η2 = 0.243) when compared to SS and CT group, but significant improvement in spontaneous pain was found in all treatment groups. Patients treated with PT and SS exhibited significantly stronger improvement in pain‐free mouth opening than patients in CT group (3rd month: p=.037, η2=0.258; 6th month: p = .005, η2 = 0.383). Within‐group analyses showed significant decrease of perceived stress, anxiety symptoms and global functional limitation only in PT group over a six‐month treatment period. Participants with HFP presented significantly greater levels of anxiety (3rd month: p = .009, η2 = 0.275; 6th month: p = .041, η2 = 0.176) than participants with LFP. Within‐group analyses, however, showed significant improvement of anxiety, but also the decrease of perceived stress and improvement of global limitation for the HFP group but not for the LFP group.ConclusionAlthough no treatment can be marked as superior in terms of spontaneous pain relief, PT was more effective when observing relief of characteristic pain intensity. In HFP group the reduction of anxiety, stress and functional limitation was present regardless of the applied therapy.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04694274. Registered on 01/04/2021.
Nutrient deposition enhances post‐fire survival in non‐N‐fixing savanna tree seedlings
Authors: Varma Varun , Sankaran Mahesh 
Published: April 2021

AbstractQuestionsNutrient deposition can modify plant growth and potentially alter the susceptibility of plants to disturbance events, while simultaneously influencing properties of the disturbance regimes themselves. With deposition rates accelerating, ecosystems such as savannas and tropical dry forests that are characterised by frequent disturbances such as fire, might be particularly sensitive to changes in nutrient availability. In these mixed tree–grass ecosystems, tree seedling growth rates strongly influence the ability of seedlings to survive fire, and hence, vegetation structure and tree community composition. However, the effects of nutrient deposition on the susceptibility of recruiting trees to fire remain poorly quantified. Here we ask: (a) how does nutrient deposition influence post‐fire survival of tree seedlings, and hence, tree recruitment in savannas; and (b) whether the co‐dominant functional groups (N‐fixers and non‐N‐fixers) respond differently, signalling a potential for long‐term changes in tree communities.LocationSavannas and tropical dry forests of India.MethodsIn a field experiment, seedlings of four N‐fixing and four non‐N‐fixing savanna tree species were grown for 18 months while exposed to a factorial combination of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) addition. We quantified nutrient‐mediated changes in mean seedling growth and growth of the fastest growing individuals. Seedlings were then exposed to a fire treatment at the end of 18 months, and post‐fire seedling survival recorded after six months.ResultsN‐fixers showed substantially greater post‐fire seedling survival compared to non‐N‐fixers in unfertilised treatments. Nutrient addition did not alter post‐fire survival of N‐fixers. However, fertilisation, especially with N, increased post‐fire survival in non‐N‐fixers by increasing the growth of the fastest growing individuals.ConclusionsNutrient deposition can dilute the relative advantage of N‐fixing seedlings in terms of their post‐fire survival, potentially leading to increased relative abundances of non‐N‐fixers in post‐fire resprout communities, with long‐term consequences for the composition of savanna tree communities.
Liquidity in competitive dealer markets
Authors: Bank Peter , Ekren Ibrahim , Muhle‐Karbe Johannes 
Published: April 2021

AbstractWe study a continuous‐time version of the intermediation model of Grossman and Miller. To wit, we solve for the competitive equilibrium prices at which liquidity takers' demands are absorbed by dealers with quadratic inventory costs, who can in turn gradually transfer these positions to an exogenous open market with finite liquidity. This endogenously leads to transient price impact in the dealer market. Smooth, diffusive, and discrete trades all incur finite but nontrivial liquidity costs, and can arise naturally from the liquidity takers' optimization.
Riboswitch control of bacterial RNA stability
Authors: Richards Jamie , Belasco Joel G. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractAlthough riboswitches have long been known to regulate translation initiation and transcription termination, a growing body of evidence indicates that they can also control bacterial RNA lifetimes by acting directly to hasten or impede RNA degradation. Ligand binding to the aptamer domain of a riboswitch can accelerate RNA decay by triggering a conformational change that exposes sites to endonucleolytic cleavage or by catalyzing the self‐cleavage of a prefolded ribozyme. Alternatively, the conformational change induced by ligand binding can protect RNA from degradation by blocking access to an RNA terminus or internal region that would otherwise be susceptible to attack by an exonuclease or endonuclease. Such changes in RNA longevity often accompany a parallel effect of the same riboswitch on translation or transcription. Consequently, a single riboswitch aptamer may govern the function of multiple effector elements (expression platforms) that are co‐resident within a transcript and act independently of one another.