bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Controlling for Artifacts in Widefield Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Measurements of Non-Perfusion Area
Authors: De Pretto Lucas R. , Moult Eric M. , Alibhai A. Yasin , Carrasco-Zevallos Oscar M. , Chen Siyu , Lee ByungKun , Witkin Andre J. , Baumal Caroline R. , Reichel Elias , de Freitas Anderson Zanardi , Duker Jay S. , Waheed Nadia K. , Fujimoto James G. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThe recent clinical adoption of optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography (OCTA) has enabled non-invasive, volumetric visualization of ocular vasculature at micron-scale resolutions. Initially limited to 3 mm × 3 mm and 6 mm × 6 mm fields-of-view (FOV), commercial OCTA systems now offer 12 mm × 12 mm, or larger, imaging fields. While larger FOVs promise a more complete visualization of retinal disease, they also introduce new challenges to the accurate and reliable interpretation of OCTA data. In particular, because of vignetting, wide-field imaging increases occurrence of low-OCT-signal artifacts, which leads to thresholding and/or segmentation artifacts, complicating OCTA analysis. This study presents theoretical and case-based descriptions of the causes and effects of low-OCT-signal artifacts. Through these descriptions, we demonstrate that OCTA data interpretation can be ambiguous if performed without consulting corresponding OCT data. Furthermore, using wide-field non-perfusion analysis in diabetic retinopathy as a model widefield OCTA usage-case, we show how qualitative and quantitative analysis can be confounded by low-OCT-signal artifacts. Based on these results, we suggest methods and best-practices for preventing and managing low-OCT-signal artifacts, thereby reducing errors in OCTA quantitative analysis of non-perfusion and improving reproducibility. These methods promise to be especially important for longitudinal studies detecting progression and response to therapy.
The logic behind neural control of breathing pattern
Authors: Ben-Tal Alona , Wang Yunjiao , Leite Maria C. A. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThe respiratory rhythm generator is spectacular in its ability to support a wide range of activities and adapt to changing environmental conditions, yet its operating mechanisms remain elusive. We show how selective control of inspiration and expiration times can be achieved in a new representation of the neural system (called a Boolean network). The new framework enables us to predict the behavior of neural networks based on properties of neurons, not their values. Hence, it reveals the logic behind the neural mechanisms that control the breathing pattern. Our network mimics many features seen in the respiratory network such as the transition from a 3-phase to 2-phase to 1-phase rhythm, providing novel insights and new testable predictions.
An Effective Meta-analysis of Magnetic Stimulation Therapy for Urinary Incontinence
Authors: He Qing , Xiao Kaiwen , Peng Liao , Lai Junyu , Li Hong , Luo Deyi , Wang Kunjie 
Published: June 2019

AbstractMagnetic stimulation (MS) is a novel approach for treating urinary incontinence (UI), but its applicability remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the effects of MS treatment on UI. A literature search was performed in EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane Library (from May 2018 to August 2018), and all randomized control trials (RCTs) published in English were screened to determine whether they met the inclusion criteria. A manual search of the reference lists of the retrieved studies was also performed. Eleven studies involving 612 patients were included in this review. According to the results of the meta-analysis, MS therapy relieved UI symptoms evaluated using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) score (mean difference [MD] −3.03, 95% CI −3.27 to −2.79). In addition, the frequency of UI in the MS treatment group was also alleviated compared with sham group (MD −1.42, 95% CI −2.15 to −0.69). Finally, MS treatment improved the quality of life of patients with UI (standardized mean difference [SMD] −1.00, 95% CI −1.24 to −0.76). Our meta-analysis preliminarily indicates that MS treatment is an effective therapeutic modality for patients with UI. Nevertheless, additional large, high quality RCTs with a longer follow-up period that use consistent stimulation methods and analyse comparable outcomes are required to validate the efficacy.
Protective effects of the Francisella tularensis ΔpdpC mutant against its virulent parental strain SCHU P9 in Cynomolgus macaques
Authors: Tian Deyu , Uda Akihiko , Ami Yasushi , Hotta Akitoyo , Park Eun-sil , Nagata Noriyo , Iwata-Yoshikawa Naoko , Yamada Akio , Hirayama Kazuhiro , Miura Kozue , Koyama Yuki , Azaki Mika , Morikawa Shigeru 
Published: June 2019

AbstractTularemia is a severe infectious zoonotic disease caused byFrancisella tularensis. AlthoughF. tularensisis considered to be a potential biological weapon due to its high infectivity and mortality rate, no vaccine has been currently licensed. Recently, we reported thatF. tularensisSCHU P9 derived ΔpdpCstrain lacking the pathogenicity determinant protein C gene conferred stable and good protection in a mouse lethal model. In this study, the protective effect of ΔpdpCwas evaluated using a monkey lethal model. Two cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) intratracheally challenged with the virulent strain SCHU P9 were euthanized on 7 and 11 days post-challenge after the development of severe clinical signs. The bacterial replication in alveolar macrophages and type II epithelial cells in the lungs would cause severe pneumonia accompanied by necrosis. Conversely, two animals subcutaneously immunized with ΔpdpCsurvived 3 weeks after SCHU P9 challenge. Though one of the two animals developed mild symptoms of tularemia, bacterial replication was limited in the respiratory organs, which may be due to a high level of humoral and cellular immune responses againstF. tularensis. These results suggest that the ΔpdpCmutant would be a safe and promising candidate as a live attenuated tularemia vaccine.
Field trial of a probiotic bacteria to protect bats from white-nose syndrome
Authors: Hoyt Joseph R. , Langwig Kate E. , White J. Paul , Kaarakka Heather M. , Redell Jennifer A. , Parise Katy L. , Frick Winifred F. , Foster Jeffrey T. , Kilpatrick A. Marm 
Published: June 2019

AbstractTools for reducing wildlife disease impacts are needed to conserve biodiversity. White-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has caused widespread declines in North American bat populations and threatens several species with extinction. Few tools exist for managers to reduce WNS impacts. We tested the efficacy of a probiotic bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens, to reduce impacts of WNS in two simultaneous experiments with caged and free-flying Myotis lucifugus bats at a mine in Wisconsin, USA. In the cage experiment there was no difference in survival between control and P. fluorescens-treated bats. However, body mass, not infection intensity, predicted mortality, suggesting that within-cage disturbance influenced the cage experiment. In the free-flying experiment, where bats were able to avoid conspecific disturbance, infection intensity predicted the date of emergence from the mine. In this experiment treatment with P. fluorescens increased apparent overwinter survival five-fold compared to the control group (from 8.4% to 46.2%) by delaying emergence of bats from the site by approximately 32 days. These results suggest that treatment of bats with P. fluorescens may substantially reduce WNS mortality, and, if used in combination with other interventions, could stop population declines.
Genome-wide analyses of long non-coding RNA expression profiles and functional network analysis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Ma Junliang , Xiao Yuhang , Tian Bo , Chen Shaolin , Zhang Baihua , Wu Jie , Wu Zhining , Li Xu , Tang Jinming , Yang Desong , Zhou Yong , Wang Hui , Su Min , Wang Wenxiang 
Published: June 2019

AbstractEsophageal cancer (EC) is a serious malignancy and that is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the main subtype of EC in China. In recent years, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have demonstrated to be novel tumor-associated regulatory factors. However, the functions and mechanisms of lncRNAs in ESCC have not been fully understood. In this study, we attempted to construct Genome-wide expression profiles of lncRNAs and their potential functions in ESCC. By using microarray, we found a total of 2,366 lncRNAs (1,032 upregulated and 1,334 downregulated) and 3,052 mRNAs (1,477 upregulated and 1,575 downregulated) were differentially expressed between the paired five ESCC tumor tissues and adjacent normal esophageal tissues (fold change, FC ≥2.0 or ≤0.5, p ≤ 0.05). Eight lncRNAs were detected by qRT-PCR to verify the results of the microarray, and the clinicopathological parameters were analyzed in 53 patients with ESCC. GO analysis and KEGG pathway analysis showed that the main biological functions of these abnormal lncRNAs were related to immune response, extracellular vesicular exosome, and protein binding. At the same time, the cis and trans models were used to analyze the potential synergistic regulatory relationship between lncRNAs and their potential target genes. Related genes were the processes that affect cell growth, differentiation, and migration. Then we mapped the lncRNAs-mRNAs co-expression pattern by calculating the PCCs of each lncRNA and mRNA expression value. Furthermore, we investigated the function and potential mechanism of a novel highly expressed lncRNA, lnc-KIAA1244-2, and found that its expression is associated with tumor size, N classification and clinical stage. Knockdown of lnc-KIAA1244-2 inhibited the cell proliferation and inhibited the TNFAIP3 expression in Eca-109 cells. Taken together, the expression patterns of lncRNAs and mRNAs in ESCC tumor tissues are different from those in normal adjacent tissues, and some abnormal expressed lncRNAs may play important roles in the development and progression of ESCC. Lnc-KIAA1244-2 could promote the cell proliferation of ESCC cells and might be a potent therapeutic target for ESCC.
The contribution of gut bacteria to insecticide resistance and the life histories of the major malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: Barnard Kirsten , Jeanrenaud Alexander C. S. N. , Brooke Basil D. , Oliver Shüné V. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThe gut microbiota of mosquitoes is a crucial determinant of their fitness. As such, the biology of the gut microbiota of Anopheles arabiensis, a major malaria vector of Southern Africa, was investigated. Two laboratory strains of An. arabiensis were used; SENN, an insecticide susceptible strain, and SENN-DDT, a resistant strain. The strains were supplemented with either non-commensal bacteria or antibiotics via a sucrose source to sterilize the gut. The strains were fed the broad-spectrum bactericidal antibiotic gentamicin, or a preferentially gram-positive bactericidal (vancomycin), gram-negative bactericidal (streptomycin) or broad-spectrum bacteriostatic (erythromycin), either by sugar supplementation or by artificially-spiked blood-meal. The effects on adult mosquito longevity and insecticide resistance phenotype were assessed. Bacteria from the midgut of both strains were characterised by MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy. Bactericidal antibiotics increased longevity in SENN-DDT. Bacterial supplementation increased insecticide tolerance. Antibiotic supplementation via sugar decreased tolerance to the insecticides deltamethrin and malathion. Blood-supplemented vancomycin decreased insecticide resistance, while gentamicin and streptomycin increased resistance. SENN showed a greater gut bacterial diversity than SENN-DDT, with both strains dominated by Gram-negative bacteria. This study suggests a crucial role for bacteria in An. arabiensis life history, and that gut microflora play variable roles in insecticide resistant and susceptible mosquitoes.
Patterning of High-Viscosity Silver Paste by an Electrohydrodynamic-Jet Printer for Use in TFT Applications
Authors: Can Thi Thu Thuy , Nguyen Tuan Canh , Choi Woon-Seop 
Published: June 2019

AbstractElectrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing has a variety of benefits compared to conventional inkjet techniques, such as high resolution and the ability to work with high-viscosity pastes. In this work, Ag nanoparticles with 4000 cPs were chosen because they are printable on various substrates for electronic devices. The effects of additive on the high-viscosity Ag paste formulation were investigated, and pattern lines narrower than 100 μm were achieved by EHD-jet printing with an average sheet resistance of 0.027 Ω □−1. Furthermore, solution-processed oxide TFTs were fabricated with EHD jet-printed Ag electrodes for the first time. The electrical properties obtained were a current ratio of 1.5 × 106, a mobility of approximately 1 cm2 V−1s−1, a threshold voltage of 21.5 V, and a subthreshold slope of 3.05 V dec−1.
The water depth-dependent co-occurrence patterns of marine bacteria in shallow and dynamic Southern Coast, Korea
Authors: Cui Yingshun , Chun Seong-Jun , Baek Seung Ho , Lee Minji , Kim Yunji , Lee Hyung-Gwan , Ko So-Ra , Hwang Seungwoo , Ahn Chi-Yong , Oh Hee-Mock 
Published: June 2019

AbstractTo investigate the interactions between bacterial species in relation to the biotic and abiotic environmental fluctuations, free-living (FL), nanoparticle-associated (NP), and microparticle-associated (MP) bacterial community compositions (BCCs) were analyzed. A total of 267 samples were collected from July to December 2016 in the dynamic and shallow southern coastal water of Korea. The variations in BCC mostly depended on planktonic size fraction. Network analysis revealed water depth-dependent co-occurrence patterns of coastal bacterial communities. Higher interspecies connectivity was observed within FL bacteria than NP/MP bacteria, suggesting that FL bacteria with a streamlined genome may need other bacterial metabolites for survival, while the NP/MP copiotrophs may have the self-supporting capacity to produce the vital nutrients. The analysis of topological roles of individual OTUs in the network revealed that several groups of metabolically versatile bacteria (the marine Roseobacters, Flavobacteriales, Desulfobacterales, and SAR406 clade) acted as module hubs in different water depth. In conclusion, interspecies interactions dominated in FL bacteria, compared to NP and MP bacteria; modular structures of bacterial communities and keystone species strongly depended on the water depth-derived environmental factors. Furthermore, the multifunctional, versatile FL bacteria could play pivotal roles in dynamic shallow coastal ecosystems.
Uhlmann number in translational invariant systems
Authors: Leonforte Luca , Valenti Davide , Spagnolo Bernardo , Carollo Angelo 
Published: June 2019

AbstractWe define the Uhlmann number as an extension of the Chern number, and we use this quantity to describe the topology of 2D translational invariant Fermionic systems at finite temperature. We consider two paradigmatic systems and we study the changes in their topology through the Uhlmann number. Through the linear response theory we link two geometrical quantities of the system, the mean Uhlmann curvature and the Uhlmann number, to directly measurable physical quantities, i.e. the dynamical susceptibility and the dynamical conductivity, respectively. In particular, we derive a non-zero temperature generalisation of the Thouless-Kohmoto-Nightingale-den Nijs formula.
Genomic, morphological and functional characterisation of novel bacteriophage FNU1 capable of disrupting Fusobacterium nucleatum biofilms
Authors: Kabwe Mwila , Brown Teagan L. , Dashper Stuart , Speirs Lachlan , Ku Heng , Petrovski Steve , Chan Hiu Tat , Lock Peter , Tucci Joseph 
Published: June 2019

AbstractFusobacterium nucleatum is an important oral bacterium that has been linked to the development of chronic diseases such as periodontitis and colorectal cancer. In periodontal disease, F. nucleatum forms the backbone of the polymicrobial biofilm and in colorectal cancer is implicated in aetiology, metastasis and chemotherapy resistance. The control of this bacteria may be important in assisting treatment of these diseases. With increased rates of antibiotic resistance globally, there is need for development of alternatives such as bacteriophages, which may complement existing therapies. Here we describe the morphology, genomics and functional characteristics of FNU1, a novel bacteriophage lytic against F. nucleatum. Transmission electron microscopy revealed FNU1 to be a large Siphoviridae virus with capsid diameter of 88 nm and tail of approximately 310 nm in length. Its genome was 130914 bp, with six tRNAs, and 8% of its ORFs encoding putative defence genes. FNU1 was able to kill cells within and significantly reduce F. nucleatum biofilm mass. The identification and characterisation of this bacteriophage will enable new possibilities for the treatment and prevention of F. nucleatum associated diseases to be explored.
Dual β-lactam combination therapy for multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection: enhanced efficacy in vivo and comparison with monotherapies of penicillin-binding protein inhibition
Authors: Siriyong Thanyaluck , Murray Rachael M. , Bidgood Lucy E. , Young Simon A. , Wright Florence , Parcell Benjamin J. , Voravuthikunchai Supayang Piyawan , Coote Peter J. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThe aim of the study was to determine the efficacy of dual β-lactam combination treatments derived from eight approved drugs against Galleria mellonella larvae infected with MDR strains of P. aeruginosa. Carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa NCTC 13437 and an unrelated clinical isolate were used to infect G. mellonella larvae and the efficacy of twenty-eight dual β-lactam combination therapies were compared to their constituent monotherapies. For the most potent combinations identified, penicillin-binding protein (PBP) inhibition profiles were measured and compared with each constituent antibiotic. Five of the dual β-lactam combinations resulted in greater than 70% survival of infected G. mellonella. Two combinations showed potent, enhanced efficacy versus both strains − ceftazidime + meropenem and aztreonam + meropenem. Comparison of PBP inhibition profiles revealed that the enhanced efficacy of these two dual β-lactam combinations could not be explained by more potent inhibition of PBPs or inhibition of a broader range of PBPs. A possible contribution to the enhanced efficacy of the combinations could be stimulation of innate immunity via increased haemocyte numbers compared to their constituent monotherapies. Combinations of β-lactam antibiotics show promise in overcoming MDR P. aeruginosa and are worthy of additional study and development.
Spectrally filtered passive Si photodiode array for on-chip fluorescence imaging of intracellular calcium dynamics
Authors: Xiong Zheshun , Hwang Fuu-Jiun , Sun Feng , Xie Yaowei , Mao Dacheng , Li Geng-Lin , Xu Guangyu 
Published: June 2019

AbstractOn-chip fluorescence imaging devices are recognized for their miniaturized and implantable nature that can benefit the study of intracellular dynamics at a variety of settings. However, it is challenging to integrate a spectral filter onto such devices (to block the excitation light) that has similar performance to the state-of-the-art emission filters used in fluorescence microscopes. In this work, we report a 100%-yield, spectrally filtered passive Si photodiode array designed for on-chip fluorescence imaging of intracellular Ca2+ dynamics. Coated with a spectral filter layer that has a high extinction ratio (>103), our array features high wavelength selectivity (>102), high linearity (R2 > 0.98), and low detection limit (45.1 μW 640/30 nm light). Employing fluorescence microscopy as the reference, we demonstrate that our array can conduct on-chip Ca2+ imaging in C2C12 cells that were chemically triggered to increase their intracellular Ca2+ levels. Importantly, our array-level data qualitatively captured the static fluorescence image of the cells and the intracellular Ca2+ dynamics, both of which are correlated with the microscope-collected data. Our results suggest the possible use of the spectrally filtered array towards a miniaturized on-chip fluorescence imaging device, which may open up new opportunities in tissue-level pharmaceutical screening and fundamental studies on cell networks.
Left hemisphere enhancement of auditory activation in language impaired children
Authors: van Bijnen Sam , Kärkkäinen Salme , Helenius Päivi , Parviainen Tiina 
Published: June 2019

AbstractSpecific language impairment (SLI) is a developmental disorder linked to deficient auditory processing. In this magnetoencephalography (MEG) study we investigated a specific prolonged auditory response (N250m) that has been reported predominantly in children and is associated with level of language skills. We recorded auditory responses evoked by sine-wave tones presented alternately to the right and left ear of 9–10-year-old children with SLI (n = 10) and children with typical language development (n = 10). Source analysis was used to isolate the N250m response in the left and right hemisphere. In children with language impairment left-hemisphere N250m responses were enhanced compared to those of controls, while no group difference was found in the right hemisphere. Consequently, language impaired children lacked the typical right-ward asymmetry that was found in control children. Furthermore, left but not right hemisphere N250m responses correlated positively with performance on a phonological processing task in the SLI group exclusively, possibly signifying a compensatory mechanism for delayed maturation of language processing. These results suggest that enhanced left-hemisphere auditory activation reflects a core neurophysiological manifestation of developmental language disorders, and emphasize the relevance of this developmentally specific activation pattern for competent language development.
Effects of Relaxing Music on Healthy Sleep
Authors: Cordi Maren Jasmin , Ackermann Sandra , Rasch Björn 
Published: June 2019

AbstractSleep is vital for human health and wellbeing, and sleep disturbances are comorbid to many mental and physiological disorders. Music consistently improves subjective sleep quality, whereas results for objective sleep parameters diverge. These inconsistencies might be due to inter-individual differences. Here, 27 female subjects listened to either music or a control text before a 90 minutes nap in a within-subjects design. We show that music improved subjective sleep quality as compared to the text condition. In all participants, music resulted in a reduced amount of sleep stage N1 during the nap. In addition, music significantly increased the amount of slow-wave sleep (SWS) and increased the low/high frequency power ratio. However, these effects occurred only in participants with a low suggestibility index. We conclude that listening to music before a nap can improve subjective and objective sleep parameters in some participants.