bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Differentiation between wild and domesticated Ungulates based on ecological niches
Authors: Hendrix Elke , Vos Rutger 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe domestication of flora and fauna is one of the most significant transitions in humankind’s history. It changed human societies drastically with alterations in biodiversity, atmospheric composition and land use. Humans have domesticated relatively few large animals and all of them belong to the Ungulates, though they are only 15 species of the ±150 that the entire group comprises. This can partially be explained by behavioral and life history pre-adaptations, e.g. social group structure, mating behavior, parent-young interaction, feeding behavior, and response to humans. The other dimension of proposed pre-adapatations concerns the biomes from which domesticated Ungulates originate. Here we test whether environmental preferences i.e. niches and related niche traits, differentiate between wild and domesticated Ungulates. We used three methods to determine the niche dimensions for each species and calculate overlap in niche space between them. Two methods are based on MaxEnt ecological niche models and one method uses raw occurrence data. Our results show that there is no weighted combination of environmental traits that clusters all domesticated Ungulates to the exclusion of all wild ones. On the contrary, domesticated Ungulates are overdispersed in niche space, indicating that the major pre-adaptations for domestication are not directly related to the abiotic niche. However, phylogenetic generalized linear modelling of selected niche dimensions does predict domestication significantly. We conclude that further research of other traits is needed.
Global ribosome profiling reveals that mutant huntingtin stalls ribosomes and represses protein synthesis independent of fragile X mental retardation protein
Authors: Eshraghi Mehdi , Karunadharma Pabalu , Blin Juliana , Shahani Neelam , Ricci Emiliano , Michel Audrey , Urban Nicolai , Galli Nicole , Rao Sumitha Rajendra , Sharma Manish , Florescu Katie , Subramaniam Srinivasa 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe regulators that stall ribosome translocation are poorly understood. We find that polyglutamine-expanded mutant Huntingtin (mHtt), the Huntington’s disease (HD) causing protein, promotes ribosome stalling and physiologically suppresses protein synthesis. A comprehensive, genome-wide analysis of ribosome footprint profiling (Ribo-Seq) revealed widespread ribosome stalling on mRNA transcripts and a shift in the distribution of ribosomes toward the 5’ end, with single-codon unique pauses on selected mRNAs in HD cells. In Ribo-Seq, we found fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), a known regulator of ribosome stalling, translationally upregulated and it co-immunoprecipitated with mHtt in HD cells and postmortem brain. Depletion of FMRP gene,Fmr1, however, did not affect the mHtt-mediated suppression of protein synthesis or ribosome stalling in HD cells. Consistent with this, heterozygous deletion ofFmr1in Q175FDN-Het mouse model, Q175FDN-Het;Fmr1+/–, showed no discernable phenotype, but a subtle deficit in motor skill learning. On the other hand, depletion of mHtt, which binds directly to ribosomes in an RNase-sensitive manner, enhanced global protein synthesis, increased ribosome translocation and decreased stalling. This mechanistic knowledge advances our understanding of the inhibitory role of mHtt in ribosome translocation and may lead to novel target(s) identification and therapeutic approaches that modulate ribosome stalling in HD.One Sentence SummaryHuntington’s disease (HD) protein, mHtt, binds to ribosomes and affects their translocation and promotes stalling independent of the fragile X mental retardation protein.
MEK1/2 in Rhabdomyosarcoma
Authors: Crawford Kenneth A. , Cleary Megan M. , Ricker Cora A. , Svalina Matthew N. , Shern John F. , Chen Hung-I Harry , Berlow Noah E. , Keller Charles , Li Guangheng 
Published: May 2019

AbstractAlveolar and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) are soft-tissue cancers that affect children, adolescents, and young adults. Sometimes referred to as muscle cancer, RMS is a cancer of muscle and non-muscle origin that phenocopies incompletely differentiated myoblasts or activated satellite (muscle stem) cells. Interestingly, embryonal RMS (ERMS) has been observed to undergo terminal myogenic differentiation in response to stress induced by chemotherapy and radiation therapy4, 9, 24. Given the propensity of rhabdomyosarcoma to differentiation, in this report we explore the use of differentiation therapy combining MEK inhibitor (MEKi) cobimetinib and chemotherapy as a strategy to halt RMS growth. We evaluated a representative panel of RMS cell lines with cobimetinib and chemotherapy in two dosing schedules that mimic clinical use followed by cell growth evaluation and high content analysis (differentiation) assays. We uncovered that cobimetinib does not have significant additive or synergistic effects on cell differentiation or cell growth with chemotherapy in RMS and can have unanticipated antagonistic effects; specifically, pre-exposure of cobimetinib to cells can decrease the effectiveness of chemotherapy-mediated cell growth inhibition in vitro. Although differentiation-therapy is still a potential viable strategy in RMS, our data do not support MEKi/chemotherapy co-treatment in this context.
Genic evidence that gnetophytes are sister to all other seed plants
Authors: Zhang Yinzhi , Liu Zhiming 
Published: May 2019

AbstractGnetophytes, comprising three relict genera, Gnetum, Welwitchia and Ephedra, are a morphologically diverse and enigmatic assemblage among seed plants. Despite recent progress on phylogenomic analyses or the insights from the recently decoded Gnetum genome, the relationship between gnetophytes and other seed plant lineages is still one of the outstanding, unresolved questions in plant sciences. Here, we showed that phylogenetic studies from nuclear genes support the hypothesis that places gnetophytes as sister to all other extant seed plants and so this hypothesis should not be ruled out according to phylogenetic inference based on nuclear genes. However, this extraordinarily difficult phylogenetic problem might never be solved by phylogenetic inference based gene tree under various artificial selection. Hence, we adopted a novel approach, comparing gene divergence among different lineages, to solve the conflicts by showing that gnetophytes actually did not gained a set of genes like the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of other seed plants. This distinct gene evolution pattern could not be explained by random gene lost as in other seed plants but should be interpreted by the early divergence of gnetophytes from rest of seed plants. With such a placement, the gymnosperms are paraphyletic and there should be three distinct groups of living seed plants: gnetophytes, non-gnetophytes gymnosperms and angiosperms.
Modeling glioblastoma invasion using human brain organoids and single-cell transcriptomics
Authors: Krieger Teresa G , Tirier Stephan M , Park Jeongbin , Eisemann Tanja , Peterziel Heike , Angel Peter , Eils Roland , Conrad Christian 
Published: May 2019

AbstractGlioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are devastating neoplasms with high invasive capacity. GBM has been difficult to study in vitro. Therapeutic progress is also limited by cellular heterogeneity within and between tumors. To address these challenges, we present an experimental model using human cerebral organoids as a scaffold for patient-derived glioblastoma cell invasion. By tissue clearing and confocal microscopy, we show that tumor cells within organoids extend a network of long microtubes, recapitulating the in vivo behavior of GBM. Single-cell RNA-seq of GBM cells before and after co-culture with organoid cells reveals transcriptional changes implicated in the invasion process that are coherent across patient samples, indicating that GBM cells reactively upregulate genes required for their dispersion. Functional therapeutic targets are identified by an in silico receptor-ligand pairing screen detecting potential interactions between GBM and organoid cells. Taken together, our model has proven useful for studying GBM invasion and transcriptional heterogeneity in vitro, with applications for both pharmacological screens and patient-specific treatment selection at a time scale amenable to clinical practice.
Glycosylation-dependent enhanced cell-binding and infectivity through DC-SIGN in the West African Ebola virus Makona
Authors: Lasala Fátima , Luczkowiak Joanna , Kremer Leonor , Casasnovas Jose M , Delgado Rafael 
Published: May 2019

AbstractSince its discovery in Zaire in 1976, most ebolavirus outbreaks described occurred mainly in remote and poorly communicated areas of Central Africa and affected a limited number of individuals. Nonetheless, the Ebola epidemic that began in West Africa at the end of 2013 spread rapidly and reached an unprecedented scale. This epidemic was caused by the Makona variant of Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV). Monitoring of the EBOV Makona evolution throughout the epidemic identified the A82V substitution in the EBOV glycoprotein (GP) at the beginning of the epidemic, which correlated with its rapid spread. The Makona GP-V82 variant exhibits slightly higher human and primate cell infectivity. Host factors responsible for the enhanced transmission of EBOV Makona have yet to be identified. Here we show that the GP A82V substitution increases EBOV avidity for its DC-SIGN lectin receptor, which enhances cell-binding and infectivity of dendritic cells and macrophages, the primary cell subsets infected during the initial stages of the disease. Using a pseudotype lentivirus system, we identified two GP N-linked glycosylation responsible of the augmented Makona GP-V82 cell infection. Crystal structures indicated how the GP A82V substitution drives exposure of a key glycan and facilitates lectin recognition. Thus, DC-SIGN might be an important host determinant for the unique dissemination of EBOV during the 2013-2016 epidemic, which likely promoted host-to-host transmission by enhancing viral infection of dendritic cells in the skin and mucosa. This study also reveals that variations in virus envelope glycosylations can be a common pathway for virus adaptation to human transmission.SynopsisThe Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) Makona, responsible of the largest outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa from 2013-2016, displayed a glycosylation-dependent enhancement of binding and subsequent infectivity in cells expressing the DC-SIGN surface lectin.
Effect of high-salt diet on mean arterial pressure, renal epithelial sodium channels and aquaporin subunits expression levels in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Ramachandran Chitra Devi , Gholami Khadijeh , Lam Sau-Kuen , Mustafa Mohd Rais , Hoe See-Ziau 
Published: May 2019

AbstractAn increase in blood pressure (BP) by a high-salt (HS) diet may involve the changes in the expression of epithelium sodium channels (ENaCs) and aquaporins (AQPs) in the kidney which affect the sodium- and water-handling mechanisms. In the present study, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were exposed to HS and regular-salt (RS) diets for 6 weeks and fluid intake was monitored. After 6 weeks, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and plasma hormonal activity of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), levels of angiotensin II (Ang II), aldosterone and arginine vasopressin (AVP) were determined. The expression of mRNA and protein levels of ENaC and AQP subunits in kidneys were quantified by real-time PCR and Western blotting. High-salt diet caused higher MAP only in SHRs and higher fluid intake in both strains of rats when compared with their respective controls on RS diet. The plasma levels of Ang II and aldosterone were low in both SHRs and WKY rats fed with HS diet. Meanwhile, plasma ANP activity was high in both strains of rats on HS diet; whilst the AVP showed vice versa effects. The renal expression of mRNA and protein levels of α- and γ-ENaCs was lowered by HS diet in both SHRs and WKY rats. Although β-ENaC mRNA and protein expression levels were depressed in SHRs but they were enhanced in WKY rats. On the other hand, AQP-1, 2 and 7 mRNA and protein expression levels were lowered in both strains of rats fed with HS diet, while that of AQP-3, 4 and 6 showed no significant changes. The suppression of mRNA and protein expression levels of ENaC and AQP subunits suggests that the HS-induced increase in the MAP of SHRs may not be due to the renal sodium and water retention solely.
Factors affecting pathogenicity of the turfgrass dollar spot pathogen in natural and model hosts
Authors: Rioux R.A. , Stephens C.M. , Kerns J.P. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractClarireediasp. (formerly calledSclerotinia homoeocarpa), the fungal pathogen that causes dollar spot of turfgrasses, produces oxalic acid but the role of this toxin inClarireediasp. pathogenesis is unknown. In the current study, whole plant inoculation assays were used to evaluate pathogenesis ofClarireediasp. in various model hosts and investigate the role of oxalic acid in dollar spot disease. These assays revealed that both host endogenous oxalate content and pathogen-produced oxalic acid influence the timing and magnitude of symptom development. In time-course expression analysis, oxalate oxidase and related defense-associated germin-like protein genes in creeping bentgrass showed strong up-regulation starting at 48-72 hpi, indicating that germin-like protein genes are most likely involved in defense following initial contact with the pathogen and demonstrating the importance of oxalic acid inClarireediasp. pathogenesis. Overall, the results of these studies suggest that oxalic acid and host endogenous oxalate content are important for pathogenesis byClarireediasp. and may be associated with the transition from biotrophy to necrotrophy during host infection.
Trophoblast proliferation, migration, and invasion is regulated by the miR-195/EGFR signaling pathway in recurrent spontaneous abortion patients
Authors: Bai Xue , Zheng Chunyang , Ren Na 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of the miR-195/EGFR signaling pathway on trophoblasts in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion, thus providing a clinical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of recurrent spontaneous abortion.METHODSRT-qPCR, western blot, flow cytometry, CCK8, cell scratch assay, transwell, and a dual Luciferase reporter assay were used to detect changes in the miR-195/EGFR signaling pathways in clinical samples and in vitro cultured cells and to explore how these changes affect trophoblasts in affected patients.RESULTSExpression of miR-195 was elevated in villus tissues of patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion, while the expression levels of EGFR and its downstream genes p38 and AKT phosphorylation were down-regulated. In vitro cultured cell experiments showed that miR-195 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of trophoblast cells. EGFR is a target gene of miR-195, and miR-195 suppresses the expression of EGFR.ConclusionThe miR-195/EGFR signaling pathway regulates the proliferation, migration, and invasion of trophoblast cells, thus playing an important role in recurrent spontaneous abortion.
The effect of ceramic friction pairs on the tribocorrosion behavior of AISI 304 stainless steel in seawater
Authors: Fan Na , Chai Liqiang , Wang Peng , Liang Jun 
Published: May 2019

Purpose
This paper aims to study the tribocorrosion behavior of 304 stainless steel (SS) sliding against SiC and Si3N4 counterparts in artificial seawater.

Design/methodology/approach
The tribocorrosion behavior of 304SS sliding against SiC and Si3N4 balls in artificial seawater has been investigated. The tests were conducted using a ball-on-disk rig equipped with an electrochemical workstation. The friction coefficient, surface morphology, wear volume and current density were determined.

Findings
When 304SS sliding against SiC ball, a smooth surface with a silica layer was formed on the top, which led to the low friction coefficient, current density and small wear volume. For 304SS-Si3N4 tribo-pair, a lot of metal debris was scattered on contact surfaces leading to high friction coefficient, current density and big wear volume.

Research limitations/implications
This research suggests that the lubrication effect of silicon-based ceramics is related to counterpart specimen in artificial seawater.

Practical implications
The results may help us to choose the appropriate ceramic ball under seawater environment.

Originality/value
The main originality of the work is to reveal the tribocorrosion behavior of 304SS sliding against SiC and Si3N4 balls, which help us to realize that the Si3N4 ball as water-lubricated ceramics could not exhibit lubrication effect when coupled with 304SS in artificial seawater.
A rehabilitation gait for the balance of human and lower extremity exoskeleton system based on the transfer of gravity center
Authors: Wang Hansong , Yang Canjun , Yang Wei , Deng Meiying , Ma Zhangyi , Wei Qianxiao 
Published: May 2019

Purpose
Most current lower extremity exoskeletons emphasize assistance for walking rather than stability. The purpose of this paper is to propose a rehabilitation gait based on the transfer of gravity center to improve the balance of exoskeleton rehabilitation training of the hemiplegic patients in the frontal plane, reducing the dependence on crutches/walking frames.

Design/methodology/approach
The real-time and predictable instability factors of human and exoskeleton system (HES) are analyzed. Inspired by the walking balance strategy of the blind, a rehabilitation gait based on the transfer of gravity center is proposed and studied by modeling and experimental test and is finally applied to the prototype – Zhejiang University lower extremity exoskeleton (ZJULEEX) – to verify its feasibility.

Findings
At least three real-time and predictable factors cause the instability of HES, and the factor of lateral tilt caused by gravity should be focused in the balance control of frontal plane. With the proposed gait, the hip height of stepping leg of HES does not reduce obviously even when the crutches do not work, which can improve the balance of HES.

Research limitations/implications
However, the rehabilitation gait control needs to be more complete and intelligent to response to other types of perturbations to further improve the balance of HES. In addition, more clinical trials should be conducted to evaluate the effect of the proposed gait.

Social implications
May bring happiness to the rehabilitation of patients with hemiplegia.

Originality/value
The rehabilitation gait based on the transfer of gravity center to improve the balance of HES is first proposed and applied to HES.
Invasive species reduces parasite prevalence and neutralizes negative environmental effects on parasitism in a native mosquito
Authors: Westby Katie M. , Sweetman Brenden M. , Van Horn Thomas R. , Biro Elizabeth G. , Medley Kim A. 
Published: May 2019

Abstract

Invasive species research often focuses on direct effects of invasion on native ecosystems and less so on complex effects such as those influencing host–parasite interactions. However, invaders could have important effects on native host–parasite dynamics. Where infectious stages are ubiquitous and native host–pathogen specificity is strong, invasive less‐competent hosts may reduce the pool of infectious stages, effectively reducing native host–parasite encounter rate. Alternatively, invasive species could alter transmission via changes in native species abundance.

Biotic and abiotic environmental factors can also impact disease dynamics by altering host or parasite condition. However, little is known about potential interactive effects of invasion and environmental context on native species disease dynamics. Moreover, experimental examinations of the mechanisms driving dilution effects are limited, but serve to provide tests of predictions leading to diversity–disease relationships.

Using field and laboratory experiments, we tested competing hypotheses that an invasive species reduces the prevalence of a native parasite in its host by removing infectious propagules from the environment or by reducing native host abundance. In addition, we evaluated the role of detritus quantity as a resource base in mediating effects of the invasive species.

Native parasite prevalence was reduced when the invasive species was present. Prevalence was also higher in high detritus habitats, although this effect was lost when the invasive species was present. The invasive species significantly reduced infectious propagules from the aquatic habitats. Presence of the invasive species had no effect on the native species abundance; thus, the reduction in parasitism was not due to changes in host density but through a reduction in infectious propagule encounters.

We conclude that an invasive species can facilitate a native species by reducing parasite prevalence via a dilution effect and that these effects can be modified by resource level. Reductions in parasitism may have ripple effects throughout the community, altering the strength of competitive interactions, predation rates or coinfection with other pathogens. We advocate considering potential positive effects of invasive species on recipient communities, in addition to effects of invasions on host–parasite interactions to gain a broader understanding of the complex consequences of invasion.
Rheumatoid arthritis patients' oral health and disease activity
Authors: Radwan‐Oczko Małgorzata , Duś‐Ilnicka Irena , Richards Pamela , Thomsen Anna Marie , Rasmussen Claus 
Published: May 2019

AbstractAimRheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontal diseases (PD) are common chronic, inflammatory, destructive and progressive diseases that may have similar pathophysiological mechanisms and risk factors. RA affects more than 1.5% of the world's population, with a higher percentage of females than males. PD is present in around 20% of the population and has multifactorial etiology. The purpose of this study is to describe patients' self‐reported oral health and the association with RA disease activity.MethodThree hundred patients under treatment for RA from the Division of Rheumatology, Clinical Medicine, North Jutland Region Hospital, Hjørring, Denmark and were eligible for the study. Questionnaires were emailed to the patients and 164 completed answers were received.ResultsThe mean age of the group of 164 patients (61% female) was 65 ± 11 years. The average value of Disease Activity Score of 28 joints was 2.31 ± 0.83. Only 12% of responders were active smokers. Patients estimated their status of their teeth and gingiva respectively as poor in 13% and 11% of cases, good, in 46% and 49%, and excellent, both as 40%. Spontaneous and/or provoked gingival bleeding were experienced by 15% and 49% of patients. Only 14% of patients declared feelings of loose or movable teeth and 10% declared difficulties in biting or chewing.ConclusionsThe status of oral cavity reported by Danish patients indicates a significant proportion with symptoms of gingival/periodontal disease, which may negatively influence RA activity and disease management. Cooperation between rheumatologists and dentists is important in oral health management in periodontal inflammation.