bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Seroprevalence and Determinants of SARS-Cov-2 Antibodies Among Healthcare Workers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Authors: Mboya Erick , Hawkins Claudia , Kamori Doreen , Amani Davis , Shayo Grace , Sangeda Raphael Z. , Rugemalila Joan , Chiwanga Faraja , Mugusi Sabina , Nkwera Upendo , Mabusi Mangaro , Aboud Said , Mugusi Ferdinand , Sunguya Bruno , Bakari Muhammad , Nagu Tumaini 
Published: February 2025

AbstractBackgroundStudies from the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries suggest an underestimate of SARS-CoV-2 infections early in the pandemic. To understand and inform infection control strategies to protect key and vulnerable populations, this study investigated the seroprevalence and factors associated with anti-SARS CoV-2 seropositivity among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in three tertiary and national hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Employed HCWs aged ≥18 years were enrolled between October 2021 and March 2022. Laboratory testing for Immunoglobulin G (IgG) against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) or spike (S) proteins was performed using WHO/FDA pre-qualified SARS-CoV-2 ELISA test kits, and data were collected on demographics and COVID-19-related exposures. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence. Multivariable Modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors accounting for clustering within sites was used to test the independent association between HCW characteristics and SARS-CoV-2 serologic status.ResultsA total of 402 participants [mean age (SD) of 37.9 (9.7) years] were included in this study. 150 (37.3%) reported receiving at least one dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. The overall seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG (S or N)) was 90.9% (358/394) among those with valid results. HCWs who reported receiving the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine were 1.14 times more likely to have anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies compared to those who reported not being vaccinated (aPR (95% CI) = 1.14 (1.03- 1.26)). HCWs who believed to have contracted COVID-19 previously but never tested had an 11% higher risk of being seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG compared to those who thought never to have contracted COVID-19 before (aPR (95% CI) = 1.11 (1.05- 1.16)). Anesthetists and HCWs working in the laboratory and Obstetrics and Gynecology departments were more likely to have SARS-CoV-2 antibodies than HCWs from the Emergency Medicine Department (EMD).ConclusionThe seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG among HCWs in this study was high in this population indicating high SARS-CoV-2 exposure among HCWs. Our work highlights the need for more effective infection control practices in healthcare settings in future pandemics like these, especially among HCWs at highest risk.
Trichiasis With and Without Tarsal Conjunctival Scarring: a multi-country observational study
Authors: Habtamu Esmael , Mpyet Caleb , Mugume Francis , Atto Gladys , Seife Fikre , Baayenda Gilbert , Backers Sharone , Bakhtiari Ana , Tadesse Zerihun , Nash Scott D. , Callahan E. Kelly , Mcpherson Scott , Harding-Esch Emma M , Macleod David , Kelly Michaela , Millar Tom , Hu Victor , Courtright Paul , Burton Matthew 
Published: February 2025

AbstractThere has been discussion regarding the definition of the clinical sign trachomatous trichiasis (TT) for the purposes of determining elimination of trachoma as a public health problem, and whether the definition should include the presence of trachomatous scarring (TS). A multi-country observational study was conducted in settings with varying TT burdens in Ethiopia, Uganda and Nigeria to determine if the TS grading collected from trichiasis cases by field graders in trachoma surveys using a simplified grading scheme are comparable with tarsal conjunctival scarring (TCS) grading by experts using a detailed grading scheme. The primary outcome was the proportion of eyes that were originally graded in the surveys as “No TS” but had some degree of TCS from expert photographic grading (the negative predictive value, NPV). In Ethiopia, Uganda and Nigeria, 545 (438 cases and 107 comparisons), 256 (156 trichiasis cases and 100 comparisons), and 468 (352 trichiasis cases and 116 comparisons) participants, respectively, were enrolled. In Ethiopia, among 111 trichiatic eyes graded “No TS” in the surveys, 103 (92.8%) had TCS in expert photo grading, NPV 7.2% (95% CI 3.2%– 13.7%). In Uganda, among 28 trichiatic eyes graded “No TS” in the surveys, 19 (67.9%) had TCS in expert photo grading, NPV 32.1% (95% CI 15.9%–52.4%). In Nigeria, among 111 trichiatic eyes graded “No TS” in the surveys, 100 (90.1%) had TCS in expert photo grading, NPV 9.9% (95% CI 5.0%–17.0%). Among eyes misdiagnosed as “No TS” in the survey grading in all the three settings, 174/250 (69.6%) were those with extensive TCS (patches of scarring occupying ≥1/3 of the upper tarsal conjunctiva). Trichiatic eyes with TCS had more severe entropion, trichiasis, conjunctival inflammation, and corneal opacity than those without TCS. In all three settings, including TS to define a trichiasis “trachomatous” in a survey could result in the underestimation of the burden of TT. However, TCS can be effectively used to determine TT severity and management.
Novel Biomolecular techniques in the analysis of Orthopaedic trabecular metal implants produced by additive manufacturing
Authors: Hurst Jack , Oreffo Richard OC , Dunlop Douglas 
Published: February 2025

AbstractRecent trends have seen an increase in the use of orthopaedic acetabular implants produced by additive manufacturing.These implants utilise novel trabecular metals with seemingly large variations in their structural designs.There is no available biomolecular comparisons between these different implants. We have therefore created novel techniques to image and analyse 5 different implants.Our results have shown differing responses of Human Bone Marrow Stem Cells cultured on these 5 different implants.
Genome Mining ofStreptomycessp. PB17 from Cuatro Ciénegas Basin Reveals Biosynthetic Potential for Novel Neurotherapeutics
Authors: Adriana Martínez-Olivas Martha , Alejandro Melchor-Rangel Silverio , Ángel Mendoza-Cibrian Miguel , Paola Benavides-García , Susana De la Torre-Zavala 
Published: February 2025

AbstractThe Cuatro Ciénegas Basin (CCB), a biodiversity hotspot in Coahuila, Mexico, harbors microbial communities adapted to extreme oligotrophic conditions, making it a promising site for novel bioactive compound discovery.. This study reports the isolation, whole-genome sequencing, and analysis ofStreptomycessp. PB17, a thermotolerant actinomycete retrieved from the karstic Poza La Becerra. Phylogenomic analyses including TYGS and VBCG pipelines, combined with ANI values, support its classification as a putatively novel species.StreptomycesPB17’s genome mining revealed 31 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), with over 10 exhibiting low similarity to known pathways, highlighting its potential for novel bioactive compounds. Among these, ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) demonstrated strong predictive scores for blood-brain barrier penetration properties, representing promising candidates for neurotherapeutic applications. These findings underscore the biotechnological potential of actinomycetes retrieved from extreme sites and emphasize the importance of underexplored ecosystems like the CCB in natural product discovery, including neurotherapeutic research.
Wood ants on the edge: how do the characteristics of linear edges affect the population dynamics of an edge specialist?
Authors: Podesta Jacob A. , Parr Catherine L. , Redeker Kelly R. , Robinson Elva J. H. 
Published: February 2025

AbstractLandscape structure may facilitate or inhibit the dispersal of species by presenting barriers or opportunities. Slow dispersing edge specialists are likely to be most affected by local topography and land management practices because they require two different adjacent habitats within their limited dispersal range. The northern hairy wood ant,Formica lugubris,requires adjacent forest and open habitats to access aphid honeydew, invertebrate prey, and direct sunlight for thermoregulation. In plantation forest, canopy gaps that provide this combination are often linear and anthropogenic, such as paths, firebreaks, and roads (collectively termed ‘rides’), and their orientation determines shade distribution. Using population data spanning 10 years, we ask how properties of rides, such as bearing and width, affect the distribution and dispersal of wood ant populations in the North York Moors. Regardless of orientation, nests were more abundant on the north side of rides, where they receive more sunlight, and nests were generally larger on narrower rides. Furthermore, we found thatF. lugubrisdispersed approximately 3 times quicker along rides that were oriented north-south or east-west compared to NE-SW or NW-SE. Because wood ants can suppress defoliating pests, these findings have potential forest management implications and may apply to other forest dwelling edge specialists.
Contribution of floral transmission to the assembly and health impact of bacterial communities in watermelon seeds
Authors: Bergmann Gillian E. , Lui Kacie , Lopez Carina , Velasco Alexander , Marais Coralie , Barret Matthieu , Simonin Marie , Vannette Rachel L. , Leveau Johan H.J. 
Published: February 2025

SummaryFlower-sourced assembly of seed microbiota remains an understudied ecological process. Here, we investigated the floral transmission pathway for bacterial acquisition by developing seeds of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). Comparison of stigma- and seed-associated bacterial communities from field-grownC. lanatusrevealed significant overlap: up to 40% of the bacterial diversity that was detected in seed was also found on stigmas. In a field pollinator exclusion experiment, honeybee visitation to flower stigmas had no significant effect on bacterial community composition in seeds. Among a collection of bacterial isolates from stigmas and seeds in the field, more than half (57%) were able to transmit to seeds after inoculation onto stigmas under laboratory conditions. Interestingly, for most bacterial strains, fruit set rates increased after floral inoculation, and in some cases even in the absence of transmission to the seed. We also found that bacterial isolates from watermelon stigmas and seeds had variable (i.e. positive or negative) effects on seed germination and seedling emergence. Our findings highlight the contribution of floral transmission to seed microbiota assembly and its consequences for plant fitness.
Myocardial cGMP-PKG1α dysregulation contributes to VT pathogenesis in type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome
Authors: Cao Xuehong , Zhang Yali , Tripp Audrey , Steinhauer Rachel , Liu Pei-wen , Aronovitz Mark J. , Martin Greg L. , Wang Bo , Alissa Abdullah , Aljuaid Mossab , Ho Justin , Phan Tina , Madias Christopher , Blanton Robert M. , Galper Jonas B. 
Published: February 2025

AbstractBackgroundType-II diabetes (DMII) and metabolic syndrome increase ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death risk.ObjectivesTo identify signaling mechanisms through which DMII and metabolic syndrome promote ventricular tachycardia (VT).MethodsWe performed ventricular programmed stimulation on leptin receptor mutant (Db/Db) mice with DMII, high fat high sucrose (HFHS)-fed mice with metabolic syndrome, and cGMP-dependent Protein Kinase 1α (PKG1α) leucine zipper mutant (LZM) mice, which do not have DMII or metabolic syndrome but have disrupted PKG1α signaling.ResultsDuring ventricular programmed stimulation, Db/Db and HFHS-fed mice displayed increased VT and T-wave alternans. Cardiomyocytes from these mice displayed early afterdepolarizations. Both models demonstrated decreased heart rate response to parasympathetic inhibition, indicating autonomic dysfunction. cGMP, which mediates cardiac parasympathetic stimulation, was reduced in LVs of Db/Db and HFHS-fed mice. Conversely, cGMP augmentation with soluble guanylate cyclase stimulation (riociguat) or phosphodiesterase 5 inhibition (sildenafil) reduced VT inducibility. PKG1α LZM mice had normal autonomic responsiveness, but excess VT inducibility. Db/Db, HFHS, and LZM mice each demonstrated hyperactivated myocardial glycogen synthase kinase3β (GSK3β). Further, GSK3β inhibition with TWS119 abolished inducible VT in these mice. Diastolic cytosolic Ca2+reuptake slope decreased in cardiomyocytes from all models, while GSK3β inhibition with TWS119 reversed this effect. Phospholamban (PLB), which inhibits sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase 2a-mediated Ca2+reuptake, was hyperactivated/hypophosphorylated in HFHS-fed and LZM mice, and this was reversed by TWS119.ConclusionsThese findings identify cGMP reduction as driving GSK3β hyperstimulation, calcium dyshomeostasis, and VT in DMII and metabolic syndrome. Pharmacological modulation of these pathways opposes VT pathogenesis.
The effect of task demand on EEG responses to irrelevant sound and speech in simulated surgical environments
Authors: Rosenkranz Marc , Uslar Verena N. , Weyhe Dirk , Bleichner Martin G. 
Published: February 2025

1AbstractComplex soundscapes in high-stakes environments, such as the operating room (OR), are characterized by a variety of overlapping auditory stimuli and present significant challenges for personnel, particularly during periods of high demand. This study investigates how task demand and an OR soundscape including irrelevant speech, influence perceived work-load, surgical performance, and auditory processing in a simulated surgical environment, using mobile electroencephalography (EEG). Participants performed two simulated surgical tasks, namely peg transfer and suturing, representing a low-demand and high-demand task, respectively. The tasks were performed under two sound conditions: An OR soundscape was presented with irrelevant speech or alone. Neural responses to transient and continuous auditory stimuli were analyzed using event-related potentials (ERPs) and temporal response functions (TRFs), respectively. Results showed that irrelevant speech increased self-reported workload and distraction. EEG analyses revealed reduced neural responses to transient sounds and irrelevant speech under high task demand, reflecting early-stage sensory filtering of auditory distractions. Notably, an inverse relationship was observed between neural responses to speech and self-reported workload, indicating that the speech responses may serve as a marker for perceived workload. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of EEG to assess irrelevant sound processing in realistic work-like settings and highlights the critical role of task demand in modulating neural responses and self-reported workload to soundscapes.
Characterisation ofMarteilia cocosarumin the Wash Estuary, UK, linked to mass mortalities of cockles (Cerastoderma edule), and its relationship to closely related species
Authors: Tidy Annabel , Jessop Ron , Ward Georgia M. , Green Matthew J. , Bateman Kelly S. , Bass David , Hunt Jasmine E. , Ross Stuart H. , Hooper Chantelle 
Published: February 2025

AbstractGlobally,Marteiliaparasites have been associated with significant mass mortality events in populations of commercially important bivalve molluscs, frequently resulting in large-scale fishery collapses and substantial socio-economic impacts. The Wash Estuary, UK, supports several bivalve fisheries, and among these, common cocklesCerastoderma edulehave suffered unusually high mortalities since 2008. We investigate potential causes of these mortalities, and confirm infection withMarteilia cocosarum, strongly associated with cockle moribundity, also confirming its presence in archived samples collected in 2009. Molecular and light microscopy screening of samples collected during mortality events in 2021, including healthy (buried) and moribund (weak, unable to bury) cockles, indicated high prevalence ofM. cocosarumin moribund cockles (PCR incidence up to 95%) in contrast to healthy cockles (up to 42%), suggesting an association between cockle moribundity andMarteiliainfection. Analysis of the full ribosomal RNA array identified consistently different nucleotides betweenM. cocosaruminfections in The Wash (denoted as genotype WE) and those in Wales (denoted genotype BI). 83% of infections in The Wash could be identified asM. cocosarumWE and 12% asM. cocosarumBI, with both genotypes recovered from 5% of infected animals. Histopathologically,M. cocosarumWE infects the gill, mantle and connective tissues, identical to observations ofM. cocosaruminfecting Welsh cockles. Ongoing cockle mortalities in The Wash raise concerns regarding the sustainability of this resource ecologically and economically. Additional measures may be required to reduce the spread of this pathogen, noting that its distribution beyond The Wash and Wales is currently unknown.
The role of pathogens in creating and maintaining host polymorphism
Authors: Djahoui Edgard , Loeuille Nicolas , Rohr Rudolf P. 
Published: February 2025

AbstractTerrestrial and marine ecosystems exhibit remarkable species diversity and richness. Among the hypotheses put forward to explain this diversity —its origins and the forces sustaining it— one prominent hypothesis posits that pathogens could be pivotal in generating and maintaining species diversity within ecosystems. To explore this hypothesis, we analyzed a host-pathogen system, examining the specific conditions that might facilitate pathogen-driven diversification within the host population, with a focus on both the emergence and persistence of diversity. By applying a fecundity-transmission trade-off in which a non-evolving pathogen influences its evolving host, we observed that pathogens only infrequently drive host diversification, and only around intermediate trade-off conditions. Furthermore, while these rare diversification events result in stable coexistence, evolved diversity is low, consisting of two coexisting host morphs. Because the sole evolution of hosts in response to pathogens offers limited opportunity for diversification, we propose additional mechanisms that could foster higher levels of diversity within the system.
CVAE-based Causal Representation Learning from Retinal Fundus Images for Age Related Macular Degeneration(AMD) Prediction
Authors: Kim Dae young 
Published: February 2025

AbstractRegarding relatively poor prognosis and acute vision impairment, analyzing Age-Related Macular Degeneration, or AMD has been one of the most important tasks in retinal disease analysis. Especially, constructing methods to analyze and predict Wet AMD, which is characterized by rapid RPE damage due to neovascularization, has been a demanding task for many ophthalmologists for decades. Recently, with advancements in ML/DL frameworks and computer vision AI, these previous efforts are now leading to drastic enhancements in AMD prediction and mechanism analysis. Specifically, use of attention mechanism based CNNs or XAI methods are leading to higher performance in predicting AMD status and reliable explanations. Under current success in the usage of cutting-edge techniques, this research implemented a novel latent causal representation learning framework to further enhance AI-based models to comprehend complex causal AMD mechanisms with only access to retinal fundus images, while constructing a more reliable type of AMD prediction model. Results show that valid convolutional VAE and GAE based explicit latent causal modeling can lead to successful causal disentanglements of underlying AMD mechanisms, while returning essential causal factors that can be utilized to reliably distinguish normal fundus and AMD fundus images in downstream tasks such as diagnosis prediction.
Synaptotoxic forms of amyloid-β and α-synuclein act through a common pathway
Authors: Ribe E. , Ghosh A. , Paslawski W. , Savory K. , Ballard C. , Morin P. , Cash D. , Hirth F. , Williams G. , Svenningsson P. , Aarsland D. , Siow R. C. M. , Killick R. 
Published: February 2025

AbstractIt has been suggested that α-synuclein (αSyn), a major player in Parkinson’s disease (PD), plays a role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Several reports have also concluded that αSyn and amyloid-β (Aβ) are mechanistically linked, although how is unclear. Synapse loss is an early feature in both PD and AD and held to be the driver of both diseases. We have previously uncovered a signalling pathway required for Aβ-driven dendritic spine loss - a non-canonical branch of Wnt signalling known as the Wnt/Planar Cell Polarity (Wnt/PCP) pathway. We asked if a synaptotoxic form of αSyn known to impact dendritic spines, the A53T autosomal dominant PD mutant form of αSyn (A53T-αSyn), might act on synapses through the same pathway. Here, by blocking all Wnt activity with the porcupine inhibitor IWP2, we show that A53T-αSyn-driven spine loss is Wnt-dependent. By silencingDaam1, which is unique to Wnt/PCP, we show that A53T-αSyn spine loss isDaam1-dependent. Finally, using the pan-ROCK inhibitor fasudil indicates the mechanism also involves ROCK1/2, whichDaam1signals to via RhoA to modulate actin cytoskeletal dynamics within dendritic spines. Together, these observations indicate that A53T-αSyn-driven spine loss involves the Wnt/PCP pathway, the same pathway that mediates Aβ synaptotoxicity. This indicates that Aβ and αSyn are mechanistically connected and that a common pathway is responsible for synapse loss in AD and PD. It also begins to explain why this group of neurodegenerative diseases have many features in common and suggests that drugs which target Wnt/PCP could be of benefit for both AD and PD.
SeQuoIA: a single-cell BCR sequencing analysis pipeline for tracking selection mechanisms in germinal centres
Authors: Hector Eglantine , Milpied Pierre 
Published: February 2025

AbstractGerminal centres (GCs) are specialized structures where B cells undergo iterative steps of B-cell receptor (BCR) somatic hypermutation and selection of best antigen binders in a darwinian-like fashion. The accelerated evolutionary process leads to the production of high-affinity antibodies that are crucial for robust and long-term humoral immunity. Within this frame, single-cell BCR sequencing analysis is a method of choice to track GC B cell dynamics as somatic mutations can be utilised as anin vivomolecular tracer. Herein, we present SeQuoIA, a start-to-finish pipeline for the analysis of BCR repertoire sequencing data at the single-cell level, including improved clonotype assignment and phylogeny reconstruction. Most importantly, we introduce a new method for the inference of BCR-driven selection pressure based on somatic mutation patterns, that was validated with biological data. With this pipeline, we explored public datasets and proposed new selection mechanisms in GCs.SignificanceOur pipeline should contribute to a better understanding of the basic biology of GC dynamics, and potentially help in laboratory animal usage reduction. Clinical applications could include assessment of vaccine efficacy, monitoring of B cell anti-tumoral responses, and identification of BCR-mediated processes in B cell lymphomas.