bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Age-related differences in humoral and cellular immune responses after primary immunisation: indications for stratified vaccination schedules
Authors: Wagner Angelika , Garner-Spitzer Erika , Jasinska Joanna , Kollaritsch Herwig , Stiasny Karin , Kundi Michael , Wiedermann Ursula 
Published: June 2018

AbstractImmunosenescence is characterised by reduced B and T cell responses. Evidence shows that booster vaccinations are less effective in elderly people, but data on the efficacy of primary immunisation are sparse. We conducted a monocentric, open label, phase IV trial to compare immune responses to primary vaccinations using the inactivated, adjuvanted Japanese Encephalitis vaccine by 30 elderly people (mean 69, range 61–78 years) and 30 younger people (mean 24, range 18–30 years). Humoral and cellular immune responses were analysed in relation to age and cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositivity. Vaccine-specific antibody titres were significantly lower in elderly participants and 47% of them were non- or low responders after the two doses of the vaccine neo-antigen. The reduced humoral immune responses in elderly people correlated with reduced cytokine production, such as interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in vitro, as well as higher frequencies of late-differentiated effector and effector memory T cells and T regulatory cells. These cellular changes and lower antibody titres were particularly prominent in CMV-seropositive elderly participants. If primary vaccination before the age of 60 is not possible, elderly patients may require different vaccination strategies to ensure sufficient long-lasting immunity, such as adapted or accelerated schedules and the use of different adjuvants.
Circulating miR-30a-5p as a prognostic biomarker of left ventricular dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Maciejak Agata , Kostarska-Srokosz Edyta , Gierlak Wlodzimierz , Dluzniewski Miroslaw , Kuch Marek , Marchel Michal , Opolski Grzegorz , Kiliszek Marek , Matlak Krzysztof , Dobrzycki Slawomir , Lukasik Anna , Segiet Agnieszka , Sygitowicz Grazyna , Sitkiewicz Dariusz , Gora Monika , Burzynska Beata 
Published: June 2018

AbstractLeft ventricular (LV) dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with an increased risk of heart failure (HF) development. Diverse microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to appear in the bloodstream following various cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to identify prognostic miRNAs associated with LV dysfunction following AMI. Patients were divided into subgroups comprising patients who developed or not LV dysfunction within six months of the infarction. miRNA profiles were determined in plasma and serum samples of the patients on the first day of AMI. Levels of 14 plasma miRNAs and 16 serum miRNAs were significantly different in samples from AMI patients who later developed LV dysfunction compared to those who did not. Two miRNAs were up-regulated in both types of material. Validation in an independent group of patients, using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) confirmed that miR-30a-5p was significantly elevated on admission in those patients who developed LV dysfunction and HF symptoms six months after AMI. A bioinformatics analysis indicated that miR-30a-5p may regulate genes involved in cardiovascular pathogenesis. This study demonstrates, for the first time, a prognostic value of circulating miR-30a-5p and its association with LV dysfunction and symptoms of HF after AMI.
The airway inflammation induced by nasal inoculation of PM2.5 and the treatment of bacterial lysates in rats
Authors: Shen Yang , Zhang Zhi-Hai , Hu Di , Ke Xia , Gu Zheng , Zou Qi-Yuan , Hu Guo-Hua , Song Shang-Hua , Kang Hou-Yong , Hong Su-Ling 
Published: June 2018

AbstractParticulate matter (PM) is one of the most important environmental issues in China. This study aimed to explore the correlation between PM2.5 and airway inflammation in healthy rats. The PM2.5 group was given an intranasal instillation of PM2.5 suspension on 15 consecutive days, and each received oral saline from day 16 to 90. The BV intervention group was treated as the PM2.5 exposure group, except that BV instead of saline was given daily. A histopathologic examination was performed to evaluate the airway inflammation. The prevalence and function of Th1/Th2/Treg/Th17 cells were detected by flow cytometry and ELISA. The expression of AhR was detected by western blot and real-time PCR. We found that epithelial damage and increased infiltration of inflammatory cell were present in the airways after PM2.5 exposure; there was an immune imbalance of Th cells in the PM2.5 group; the expression of AhR was increased in the airways after PM2.5 exposure. In the PM2.5 + BV group, we demonstrated alleviated immune imbalance and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in the airways. Our study showed that exposure to PM2.5 induced airway inflammation. The imbalance of Th1/Th2/Treg/Th17 in PM2.5-induced airway inflammation might be associated with activation of the AhR pathway. Oral BV reduces PM2.5-induced airway inflammation and regulates systemic immune responses in rats.
The Predictive Value of Head Circumference Growth during the First Year of Life on Early Child Traits
Authors: Dupont Caroline , Castellanos-Ryan Natalie , Séguin Jean R. , Muckle Gina , Simard Marie-Noëlle , Shapiro Gabriel D. , Herba Catherine M. , Fraser William D. , Lippé Sarah 
Published: June 2018

AbstractAtypical head circumference (HC) growth has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. However, whether it is associated with specific aspects of development in early childhood in the general population is unknown. The objective of this study was to assess the predictive value of HC growth as an early biomarker of behavioral traits. We examined longitudinal associations between HC growth from 0 to 12 months and temperament, cognitive, and motor development at 24 months. A subsample of healthy children (N = 756) was drawn from the 3D (Design, Develop, Discover) cohort study. Early HC growth was modeled with latent growth curve analysis. Greater postnatal HC growth predicted lower temperamental effortful control and lower surgency/extraversion in boys. HC growth did not predict cognitive or fine motor scores, but did predict greater gross motor skills in boys. No significant effect of HC growth was found in girls. This study is the first to demonstrate an association between postnatal HC growth and specific aspects of child development in a healthy population. Results suggest HC growth overshadows brain mechanisms involved in behavioral traits in early infancy. Whether links are maintained throughout development and the mechanisms involved correspond to traits found in atypical populations remains to be studied.
Visual cues do not enhance sea lion pups’ response to multimodal maternal cues
Authors: Wierucka Kaja , Charrier Isabelle , Harcourt Robert , Pitcher Benjamin J. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractMammals use multiple sensory cues for mother-offspring recognition. While the role of single sensory cues has been well studied, we lack information about how multiple cues produced by mothers are integrated by their offspring. Knowing that Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) pups recognise their mother’s calls, we first tested whether visual cues are used by pups to discriminate between conspecifics of different age classes (adult female vs pup). We then examined if adding a visual stimulus to an acoustic cue enhances vocal responsiveness of Australian sea lion pups, by presenting wild individuals with either a visual cue (female 3D-model), an acoustic cue (mother’s call), or both simultaneously, and observing their reaction. We showed that visual cues can be used by pups to distinguish adult females from other individuals, however we found no enhancement effect of these cues on the response in a multimodal scenario. Audio-only cues prompted a similar reaction to audio-visual cues that was significantly stronger than pup response to visual-only cues. Our results suggest that visual cues are dominated by acoustic cues and that pups rely on the latter in mother recognition.
Impact of varying levels of hyperglycemia on clinicoradiographic outcomes after endovascular reperfusion treatment
Authors: Lee Seong-Joon , Hwang Yang-Ha , Hong Ji Man , Choi Jin Wook , Yoon Bok Seon , Kang Dong-Hun , Kim Yong-Won , Kim Yong-Sun , Hong Jeong-Ho , Yoo Joonsang , Kim Chang-Hyun , Ovbiagele Bruce , Demchuk Andrew M. , Sohn Sung-Il , Lee Jin Soo 
Published: June 2018

AbstractWe evaluated the effects of admission hyperglycemia with different cut-off levels on 3-month outcomes, infarct growth, and hemorrhagic transformation in acute stroke patients with large artery occlusion of anterior circulation who received endovascular treatment (EVT). Between January 2011 and May 2016, patients that underwent EVT with pre-procedural and post-procedural diffusion-weighted imaging were identified from a multicenter registry. Normoglycemia was defined as a glucose level ≤ 110 mg/dL, moderate hyperglycemia as >110 and ≤170 mg/dL, and overt hyperglycemia as >170 mg/dL. Its effects on poor outcomes (3-month modified Rankin Scale score 3–6), infarct growth, and parenchymal hematoma type 2 were analyzed. Of 720 patients encountered, 341 patients were eligible. There was a statistically significant difference in glycated hemoglobin levels between the normoglycemia/moderate hyperglycemia and overt hyperglycemia groups (p < 0.001). Moderate hyperglycemia (odds ratio 2.37 [95% confidence interval 1.26–4.45], p = 0.007) and overt hyperglycemia (2.84 [1.19–6.81], p = 0.019) were associated with poor outcomes. Post-procedural infarct volumes were significantly greater in hyperglycemic patients (padjusted = 0.003). Only overt hyperglycemia (9.28 [1.66–51.88], p = 0.011) was associated with parenchymal hematoma type 2. Overall hyperglycemia was associated with poor outcomes and infarct growth, whereas overt hyperglycemia was associated with parenchymal hematoma type 2.
Role of the hippocampal CA1 region in incremental value learning
Authors: Jeong Yeongseok , Huh Namjung , Lee Joonyeup , Yun Injae , Lee Jong Won , Lee Inah , Jung Min Whan 
Published: June 2018

AbstractIt is generally believed that the hippocampus plays a crucial role in declarative memory—remembering facts and events—but not in gradual stimulus-response association or incremental value learning. Based on the finding that CA1 conveys strong value signals during dynamic foraging, we investigated the possibility that the hippocampus contributes to incremental value learning. Specifically, we examined effects of inactivating different subregions of the dorsal hippocampus on behavioral performance of mice performing a dynamic foraging task in a modified T-maze. A reinforcement learning model-based analysis indicated that inactivation of CA1, but not dentate gyrus, CA3, or CA2, impaired trial-by-trial updating of chosen value without affecting value-dependent action selection. As a result, it took longer for CA1-inactivated mice to bias their choices toward the higher-reward-probability target after changes in reward probability. Our results indicate, contrary to the traditional view, that the hippocampus, especially CA1, might contribute to incremental value learning under certain circumstances.
Nanopore sequencing as a revolutionary diagnostic tool for porcine viral enteric disease complexes identifies porcine kobuvirus as an important enteric virus
Authors: Theuns Sebastiaan , Vanmechelen Bert , Bernaert Quinten , Deboutte Ward , Vandenhole Marilou , Beller Leen , Matthijnssens Jelle , Maes Piet , Nauwynck Hans J. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractEnteric diseases in swine are often caused by different pathogens and thus metagenomics are a useful tool for diagnostics. The capacities of nanopore sequencing for viral diagnostics were investigated here. First, cell culture-grown porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and rotavirus A were pooled and sequenced on a MinION. Reads were already detected at 7 seconds after start of sequencing, resulting in high sequencing depths (19.2 to 103.5X) after 3 h. Next, diarrheic feces of a one-week-old piglet was analyzed. Almost all reads (99%) belonged to bacteriophages, which may have reshaped the piglet’s microbiome. Contigs matched Bacteroides, Escherichia and Enterococcus phages. Moreover, porcine kobuvirus was discovered in the feces for the first time in Belgium. Suckling piglets shed kobuvirus from one week of age, but an association between peak of viral shedding (106.42–107.01 copies/swab) and diarrheic signs was not observed during a follow-up study. Retrospective analysis showed the widespread (n = 25, 56.8% positive) of genetically moderately related kobuviruses among Belgian diarrheic piglets. MinION enables rapid detection of enteric viruses. Such new methodologies will change diagnostics, but more extensive validations should be conducted. The true enteric pathogenicity of porcine kobuvirus should be questioned, while its subclinical importance cannot be excluded.
Creation of independently controllable multiple focal spots from segmented Pancharatnam-Berry phases
Authors: Li Peng , Guo Xuyue , Qi Shuxia , Han Lei , Zhang Yi , Liu Sheng , Li Yu , Zhao Jianlin 
Published: June 2018

AbstractRecently, based on space-variant Pancharatnam-Berry (PB) phases, various flat devices allowing abrupt changes of beam parameters have been predicted and demonstrated to implement intriguing manipulation on spin states in three dimensions, including the efficient generation of vector beams, spin Hall effect of light and light-guiding confinement, and so on. Here, we report on the construction of independently controllable multiple focal spots with different inhomogeneous polarization states by utilizing segmented PB phases. Combining the phase shift approach with PB phases, we engineer fan-shaped segmented PB phases and encode them onto two spin components that compose a hybrid polarized vector beam in a modified common-path interferometer system. Experimental results demonstrate that the fan-shaped segmented PB phase enables the flexible manipulation of focal number, array structure and polarization state of each focal spot. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this fan-shaped approach enables to flexibly tailor the polarization state and the spin angular momentum distribution of a tightly focused field, which have potential applications in optical manipulation, tailored optical response and imaging etc.
Circa 1 Ga sub-seafloor hydrothermal alteration imprinted on the Horoman peridotite massif
Authors: Ranaweera Lalindra V. , Ota Tsutomu , Moriguti Takuya , Tanaka Ryoji , Nakamura Eizo 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe chemical compositions of the residues of the mantle melting that produces mid-ocean ridge basalt can be altered by fluid–rock interactions at spreading ridges and, possibly, during seawater penetration along bending-related faults in plates approaching trenches. This chemically modified rock, if subducted deeply and after long-term residence within the deep Earth, is a potential source of chemical heterogeneity in the mantle. Here, we demonstrate that peridotites from the Horoman massif preserve the chemical signatures of sub-seafloor hydrothermal (SSH) alteration at a mid-ocean ridge approximately one billion years ago. These rocks have evolved chemically subsequent to this SSH alteration; however, they retain the SSH-associated enrichments in fluid mobile elements and H2O despite their long-term residence within the mantle. Our results indicate that ancient SSH alteration resulting in the production of sulfide leads to Pb enrichment that could affect the present-day Pb isotopic evolution of the silicate earth. Evidence from the Horoman massif of the recycling of hydrous refractory domains into the mantle suggests that both the flux of H2O content into the mantle and the size of the mantle H2O reservoir are higher than have been estimated recently.
Gait Estimation from Anatomical Foot Parameters Measured by a Foot Feature Measurement System using a Deep Neural Network Model
Authors: Mun Kyung-Ryoul , Song Gyuwon , Chun Sungkuk , Kim Jinwook 
Published: June 2018

AbstractAn accurate and credible measurement of human gait is essential in multiple areas of medical science and rehabilitation. Yet, the methods currently available are not only arduous but also costly. Researchers who investigated the relationship between foot and gait parameters have found that the two parameters are closely interrelated and suggested that measuring foot characteristics can be an alternative to the strenuous quantification currently in use. This study aims to verify the potential of foot characteristics in predicting the actual gait temporo-spatial parameters and to develop a deep neural network (DNN) model that can estimate and quantify the gait temporo-spatial parameters from foot characteristics. The foot features in sitting, standing, and one-leg standing conditions of 42 subjects were used as the input data and gait temporo-spatial parameters at fast, normal, and slow speed were set as the output of the DNN regressor. With the prediction accuracy of 95% or higher, the feasibility of the developed model was verified. This study might be the first in attempting experimental verification of the foot features serving as predictors of individual gait. The DNN regressor will help researchers improve the data pool with less labor and expense when some limitations get properly overcome.
Human and Microbial Proteins From Corpora Amylacea of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Pisa Diana , Alonso Ruth , Marina Ana Isabel , Rábano Alberto , Carrasco Luis 
Published: June 2018

AbstractCorpora amylacea (CA) are spherical bodies mainly composed of polyglucans and, to a lesser extent, proteins. They are abundant in brains from patients with neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. Although CA were discovered many years ago, their precise origin and function remain obscure. CA from the insular cortex of two Alzheimer’s patients were purified and the protein composition was assessed by proteomic analysis. A number of microbial proteins were identified and fungal DNA was detected by nested PCR.A wide variety of human proteins form part of CA. In addition, we unequivocally demonstrated several fungal and bacterial proteins in purified CA. In addition to a variety of human proteins, CA also contain fungal and bacterial polypeptides.In conclusion, this paper suggests that the function of CA is to scavenge cellular debris provoked by microbial infections.
Crystallization of a human galectin-3 variant with two ordered segments in the shortened N-terminal tail
Authors: Flores-Ibarra Andrea , Vértesy Sabine , Medrano Francisco J. , Gabius Hans-Joachim , Romero Antonio 
Published: June 2018

AbstractAmong members of the family of adhesion/growth-regulatory galectins, galectin-3 (Gal-3) bears a unique modular architecture. A N-terminal tail (NT) consisting of the N-terminal segment (NTS) and nine collagen-like repeats is linked to the canonical lectin domain. In contrast to bivalent proto- and tandem-repeat-type galectins, Gal-3 is monomeric in solution, capable to self-associate in the presence of bi- to multivalent ligands, and the NTS is involved in cellular compartmentalization. Since no crystallographic information on Gal-3 beyond the lectin domain is available, we used a shortened variant with NTS and repeats VII-IX. This protein crystallized as tetramers with contacts between the lectin domains. The region from Tyr101 (in repeat IX) to Leu114 (in the CRD) formed a hairpin. The NTS extends the canonical β-sheet of F1-F5 strands with two new β-strands on the F face. Together, crystallographic and SAXS data reveal a mode of intramolecular structure building involving the highly flexible Gal-3’s NT.
Utilization of lactic acid in human myotubes and interplay with glucose and fatty acid metabolism
Authors: Lund Jenny , Aas Vigdis , Tingstad Ragna H. , Van Hees Alfons , Nikolić Nataša 
Published: June 2018

AbstractOnce assumed only to be a waste product of anaerobe glycolytic activity, lactate is now recognized as an energy source in skeletal muscles. While lactate metabolism has been extensively studied in vivo, underlying cellular processes are poorly described. This study aimed to examine lactate metabolism in cultured human myotubes and to investigate effects of lactate exposure on metabolism of oleic acid and glucose. Lactic acid, fatty acid and glucose metabolism were studied in myotubes using [14C(U)]lactic acid, [14C]oleic acid and [14C(U)]glucose, respectively. Myotubes expressed both the MCT1, MCT2, MCT3 and MCT4 lactate transporters, and lactic acid was found to be a substrate for both glycogen synthesis and lipid storage. Pyruvate and palmitic acid inhibited lactic acid oxidation, whilst glucose and α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid inhibited lactic acid uptake. Acute addition of lactic acid inhibited glucose and oleic acid oxidation, whereas oleic acid uptake was increased. Pretreatment with lactic acid for 24 h did not affect glucose or oleic acid metabolism. By replacing glucose with lactic acid during the whole culturing period, glucose uptake and oxidation were increased by 2.8-fold and 3-fold, respectively, and oleic acid oxidation was increased 1.4-fold. Thus, lactic acid has an important role in energy metabolism of human myotubes.
Estimation of intraocular lens position from full crystalline lens geometry: towards a new generation of intraocular lens power calculation formulas
Authors: Martinez-Enriquez Eduardo , Pérez-Merino Pablo , Durán-Poveda Sonia , Jiménez-Alfaro Ignacio , Marcos Susana 
Published: June 2018

AbstractIn a cataract surgery, the opacified crystalline lens is replaced by an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). To optimize the visual quality after surgery, the intraocular lens to be implanted must be selected preoperatively for every individual patient. Different generations of formulas have been proposed for selecting the intraocular lens dioptric power as a function of its estimated postoperative position. However, very few formulas include crystalline lens information, in most cases only one-dimensional. The present study proposes a new formula to preoperatively estimate the postoperative IOL position (ELP) based on information of the 3-dimensional full shape of the crystalline lens, obtained from quantitative eye anterior segment optical coherence tomography imaging. Real patients were measured before and after cataract surgery (IOL implantation). The IOL position and the postoperative refraction estimation errors were calculated by subtracting the preoperative estimations from the actual values measured after surgery. The proposed ELP formula produced lower estimation errors for both parameters -ELP and refraction- than the predictions obtained with standard state-of-the-art methods, and opens new avenues to the development of new generation IOL power calculation formulas that improve refractive and visual outcomes.