bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Active and Passive Rhythmic Music Therapy Interventions Differentially Modulate Sympathetic Autonomic Nervous System Activity
Authors: McPherson Trevor , Berger Dorita , Alagapan Sankaraleengam , Fröhlich Flavio 
Published: June 2019

Abstract
Dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis has been implicated in psychiatric disorders. Music therapy (MT) has been shown to modulate heart-rate variability (HRV) and salivary stress markers, physiological markers of the ANS and HPA axes, respectively. Given the prominent role of arousal and stress physiology in many psychiatric disorders, MT has the potential to provide therapeutic benefits in psychiatry. Active MT requires patients to engage rhythmically with music; in contrast, passive MT requires patients to listen to music, eliminating the rhythmic movement seen in active MT. Yet, it remains unknown whether active or passive MT differentially modulates arousal and stress physiology. We contrasted the effects of active and passive MT experiences to examine the differential impact of rhythmic movement on the ANS and HPA axes in healthy participants. Individuals (N = 16) participated in a crossover study of 40 min of an active MT and a passive MT intervention. HRV recordings and saliva samples were collected both before and after each intervention. The high-frequency component (HF) and the ratio of low-frequency to high-frequency components (LF/HF) were calculated as cardiac markers of parasympathetic and sympathetic ANS activation, respectively. Saliva samples were analyzed for alpha-amylase and cortisol, markers of the sympathetic ANS and HPA axes, respectively. Active MT and passive MT interventions differentially modulated LF/HF, where active MT decreased LF/HF and passive MT increased LF/HF. These results indicate that MT affects the ANS and suggests that differences in engagement between active MT and passive MT lead to a differential modulation of the sympathetic ANS.
Constraining the non-gravitational scattering of baryons and dark matter with early cosmic structure formation
Authors: Liu Boyuan , Schauer Anna T P , Bromm Volker 
Published: June 2019

ABSTRACT
We derive new constraints on the non-gravitational baryon-dark matter scattering (BDMS) by evaluating the mass thresholds of dark matter (DM) haloes in which primordial gas can cool efficiently to form Population III (Pop III) stars, based on the timing of the observed 21 cm absorption signal. We focus on the BDMS model with interaction cross-section $\sigma =\sigma _{1}[v/(1\ \mathrm{km\, s^{-1}})]^{-4}$, where v is the relative velocity of the encounter. Our results rule out the region in parameter space with $\sigma _{1}\gtrsim 10^{-19}\, \mathrm{cm^{2}}$ and DM particle mass mχc2 ≲ 3 × 10−2 GeV, where the cosmic number density of Pop III hosts at redshift z ∼ 20 is at least three orders of magnitude smaller than in the standard Lambda cold DM (ΛCDM) case. In these BDMS models, the formation of Pop III stars is significantly suppressed for z ≳ 20, inconsistent with the timing of the observed global 21 cm absorption signal. For the fiducial BDMS model with mχc2 = 0.3 GeV and $\sigma _{1}=8\times 10^{-20}\, \mathrm{cm^{2}}$, capable of accommodating the measured absorption depth, the number density of Pop III hosts is reduced by a factor of 3−10 at z ∼ 15−20, when the 21 cm signal is imprinted, compared with the ΛCDM model. The confluence of future detailed cosmological simulations with improved 21 cm observations promises to probe the particle-physics nature of DM at the small-scale frontier of early structure formation.
Planetary giant impacts: convergence of high-resolution simulations using efficient spherical initial conditions and swift
Authors: Kegerreis J A , Eke V R , Gonnet P , Korycansky D G , Massey R J , Schaller M , Teodoro L F A 
Published: June 2019

ABSTRACT
We perform simulations of giant impacts on to the young Uranus using smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) with over 100 million particles. This 100–1000 × improvement in particle number reveals that simulations with below 107 particles fail to converge on even bulk properties such as the post-impact rotation period, or on the detailed erosion of the atmosphere. Higher resolutions appear to determine these large-scale results reliably, but even 108 particles may not be sufficient to study the detailed composition of the debris – finding that almost an order of magnitude more rock is ejected beyond the Roche radius than with 105 particles. We present two software developments that enable this increase in the feasible number of particles. First, we present an algorithm to place any number of particles in a spherical shell such that they all have an SPH density within 1 per cent of the desired value. Particles in model planets built from these nested shells have a root-mean-squared velocity below 1 per cent of the escape speed, which avoids the need for long precursor simulations to produce relaxed initial conditions. Secondly, we develop the hydrodynamics code sph with interdependent fine-grained tasking(swift) for planetary simulations. swift uses task-based parallelism and other modern algorithmic approaches to take full advantage of contemporary supercomputer architectures. Both the particle placement code and swift are publicly released.
Continuous behavioural ‘switching’ in human spermatozoa and its regulation by Ca2+-mobilising stimuli
Authors: Achikanu Cosmas , Correia Joao , Guidobaldi Héctor A , Giojalas Laura C , Barratt Christopher L R , Da Silva Sarah Martins , Publicover Stephen 
Published: June 2019

AbstractHuman sperm show a variety of different behaviours (types of motility) that have different functional roles. Previous reports suggest that sperm may reversibly switch between these behaviours. We have recorded and analysed the behaviour of individual human sperm (180 cells in total), each cell monitored continuously for 3–3.5 min either under control conditions or in the presence of Ca2+-mobilising stimuli. Switching between different behaviours was assessed visually (1 s bins using four behaviour categories), and was verified by fractal dimension analysis of sperm head tracks. In the absence of stimuli, ~90% of cells showed at least one behavioural transition (mean rate under control conditions = 6.4 ± 0.8 transitions.min−1). Type 1 behaviour (progressive, activated-like motility) was most common, but the majority of cells (>70%) displayed at least three behaviour types. Treatment of sperm with Ca2+-mobilising agonists had negligible effects on the rate of switching but increased the time spent in type 2 and type 3 (hyperactivation-like) behaviours (P < 2*10−8; chi-square). Treatment with 4-aminopyridine under alkaline conditions (pHo = 8.5), a highly-potent Ca2+-mobilising stimulus, was the most effective in increasing the proportion of type 3 behaviour, biasing switching away from type 1 (P < 0.005) and dramatically extending the duration of type 3 events (P < 10−16). Other stimuli, including 300 nM progesterone and 1% human follicular fluid, had qualitatively similar effects but were less potent. We conclude that human sperm observed in vitro constitutively display a range of behaviours and regulation of motility by [Ca2+]i, at the level of the single cell, is achieved not by causing cells to adopt a ‘new’ behaviour but by changing the relative contributions of those behaviours.
Extensively Drug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa ST309 Harboring Tandem Guiana Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase Enzymes: A Newly Emerging Threat in the United States
Authors: Khan Ayesha , Tran Truc T , Rios Rafael , Hanson Blake , Shropshire William C , Sun Zhizeng , Diaz Lorena , Dinh An Q , Wanger Audrey , Ostrosky-Zeichner Luis , Palzkill Timothy , Arias Cesar A , Miller William R 
Published: June 2019

Abstract

Background
Treatment of serious infections due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa remains a challenge, despite the introduction of novel therapeutics. In this study, we report 2 extensively drug-resistant clinical isolates of sequence type (ST) 309 P aeruginosa resistant to all β-lactams, including the novel combinations ceftolozane/tazobactam, ceftazidime/avibactam, and meropenem/vaborbactam.

Methods
Isolates were sequenced using both short-read (Illumina) and long-read technology to identify resistance determinants, polymorphisms (compared with P aeruginosa PAO1), and reconstruct a phylogenetic tree. A pair of β-lactamases, Guiana extended spectrum β-lactamase (GES)-19 and GES-26, were cloned and expressed in a laboratory strain of Escherichia coli to examine their relative impact on resistance. Using cell lysates from E coli expressing the GES genes individually and in tandem, we determined relative rates of hydrolysis for nitrocefin and ceftazidime.

Results
Two ST309 P aeruginosa clinical isolates were found to harbor the extended spectrum β-lactamases GES-19 and GES-26 clustered in tandem on a chromosomal class 1 integron. The presence of both enzymes in E coli was associated with significantly elevated minimum inhibitory concentrations to aztreonam, cefepime, meropenem, ceftazidime/avibactam, and ceftolozane/tazobactam, compared with those expressed individually. The combination of ceftazidime/avibactam plus aztreonam was active in vitro and used to achieve cure in one patient. Phylogenetic analysis revealed ST309 P aeruginosa are closely related to MDR strains from Mexico also carrying tandem GES.

Conclusions
The presence of tandem GES-19 and GES-26 is associated with resistance to all β-lactams, including ceftolozane/tazobactam. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that ST309 P aeruginosa may be an emerging threat in the United States.
OsC2DP, a Novel C2 Domain-Containing Protein Is Required for Salt Tolerance in Rice
Authors: Fu Shan , Fu Liangbo , Zhang Xiang , Huang Jingjing , Yang Guangzhe , Wang Zhigang , Liu Yao-Guang , Zhang Guoping , Wu Dezhi , Xia Jixing 
Published: June 2019

Abstract
Salt stress is one of the major factors limiting crop production globally, including rice (Oryza sativa). Although a number of genes involved in salt tolerance have been functionally identified, the mechanism underlying salt tolerance in rice is still poorly understood. Here, we reported a novel C2 domain-containing protein, OsC2DP required for salt tolerance in rice. OsC2DP was predominately expressed in the roots and its expression was repressed by salt stress. Transient expression of OsC2DP in rice protoplast cells showed that it was localized in the cytosol. Immunostaining further showed that OsC2DP was able to translocate from the cytosol to plasma membrane under salt conditions. Knockout of OsC2DP did not affect Na+ concentration in the roots, but increased shoot Na+ concentration, resulting in a significant sensitivity of rice to salt stress. Furthermore, the quantitative Real-time PCR and transcriptomic analysis showed that the expression level of some genes related to salt tolerance were indirectly regulated by OsC2DP, especially OsSOS1 and OsNHX4. These results indicate that OsC2DP has an important role in salt tolerance and these findings provide new insights into the regulation of OsC2DP gene for rice breeding with high salt tolerance.
FAX2 Mediates Fatty Acid Export from Plastids in Developing Arabidopsis Seeds
Authors: Tian Yinshuai , Lv Xueyan , Xie Guilan , Wang Linghui , Dai Tingwei , Qin Xiaobo , Chen Fang , Xu Ying 
Published: June 2019

Abstract
Vegetable oils are mainly stored in the form of triacylglycerol (TAG) in oilseeds. Fatty acids (FAs), one of the building blocks for TAG assembly, are synthesized in plastids and then exported to the endoplasmic reticulum for storage oil synthesis. A recent study demonstrated that the export of FAs from plastids was mediated by a FAX (FA export) family protein. However, the significance of FAs export from plastid during seed oil accumulation has not been investigated. In this study, we found that FAX2 was highly expressed in developing Arabidopsis seeds and the expression level was consistent with FAs synthesis activity. FAX2 mutant seeds showed an approximately 18% reduction of lipid levels compared with wild-type seeds. By contrast, overexpression of FAX2 enhanced seed lipid accumulation by up to 30%. The FAs export activity of FAX2 was confirmed by yeast mutant cell complementation analysis. Our results showed that FAX2 could interact with other proteins to facilitate FAs transport. Taken together, these results indicate that FAX2-mediated FA export from plastids is important for seed oil accumulation, and that FAX2 can be used as a target gene for increasing lipid production in oilseeds.
Developing Heritable Mutations in Arabidopsis thaliana Using a Modified CRISPR/Cas9 Toolkit Comprising PAM-Altered Cas9 Variants and gRNAs
Authors: Yamamoto Akihiro , Ishida Takashi , Yoshimura Mika , Kimura Yuri , Sawa Shinichiro 
Published: June 2019

Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9), comprising an RNA-guided DNA endonuclease and a programmable guide RNA (gRNA), is currently recognized to be a powerful genome-editing tool and is widely used in biological science. Despite the usefulness of the system, a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) immediately downstream of the target sequence needs to be taken into account in the design of the gRNA, a requirement which limits the flexibility of the CRISPR-based genome-editing system. To overcome this limitation, a Cas9 isolated from Streptococcus pyogenes, namely SpCas9, engineered to develop several variants of Cas9 nuclease, has been generated. SpCas9 recognizes the NGG sequence as the PAM, whereas its variants are capable of interacting with different PAMs. Despite the potential advantage of the Cas9 variants, their functionalities have not previously been tested in the widely used model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we developed a plant-specific vector series harboring SpCas9-VQR (NGAN or NGNG) or SpCas9-EQR (NGAG) and evaluated their functionalities. These modified Cas9 nucleases efficiently introduced mutations into the CLV3 and AS1 target genes using gRNAs that were compatible with atypical PAMs. Furthermore, the generated mutations were passed on to their offspring. This study illustrated the usefulness of the SpCas9 variants because the ability to generate heritable mutations will be of great benefit in molecular genetic analyses. A greater number of potential SpCas9-variant-recognition sites in these genes are predicted, compared with those of conventional SpCas9. These results demonstrated the usefulness of the SpCas9 variants for genome editing in the field of plant science research.
Health inequalities in the Great Depression: a case study of Stockton on Tees, North-East England in the 1930s
Authors: Langthorne Michael , Bambra Clare 
Published: June 2019

Abstract

Background
Parallels have been drawn between the ‘Great Depression’ of the 1930s and the more recent ‘Great Recession’ that followed the 2007/8 financial crisis. Austerity was the common policy response by UK governments in both time periods. This article examines health inequalities at a local level in the 1930s, through a historical case study.

Methods
Local and national historical archives, Medical Officer for Health reports, and secondary sources were examined from 1930 to 1939 to obtain data on inequalities in health (infant mortality rates, stillbirths and neonatal mortality rates, 1935 and crude overall mortality rates, 1936) and ward-level deprivation (over-crowding rates, 1935) in Stockton-on-Tees, North-East England.

Results
There were high geographical inequalities in overcrowding and health in Stockton-on-Tees in the 1930s. Rates of overall mortality, in particular, were higher in those wards with higher levels of overcrowding.

Conclusions
There were geographical inequalities in health in the 1930s and the most deprived areas had the worst overall mortality rates. The areas with the worst housing conditions and health outcomes in the 1930s remain so today - health inequality is extant over time across different periods of austerity.
The Endogeneity of Race: Black Racial Identification and Men’s Earnings in Mexico
Authors: Villarreal Andrés , Bailey Stanley R 
Published: June 2019

AbstractA growing body of sociological research has shown that racial identification is not only fluid, but crucially depends on other individual- and societal-level factors. When such factors are also associated with socioeconomic outcomes such as earnings, estimates of the disadvantage experienced by individuals because of how they identify racially obtained from standard regression models may be biased. We illustrate this potential bias using data from a large-scale survey conducted by the Mexican census bureau. This survey is the first by the government agency since the country’s independence to include a question on black identification. We find evidence of a substantial bias in estimates of racial disadvantage. Results from our initial models treating racial self-identification as an exogenous predictor indicate that black men have higher earnings than non-black men. However, when we use an instrumental variables model that treats racial self-identification as endogenous, that is, as a function of the same unobserved characteristics as individuals’ earnings, we find a significant negative effect of black identification on earnings. While previous studies have acknowledged the endogeneity of race, ours is the first to explicitly model racial self-identification as an endogenous predictor to obtain an unbiased estimate of its effect on individuals’ socioeconomic conditions.
Phenotype of ventilatory control in children with moderate to severe persistent asthma and obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: He Zhihui , Armoni Domany Keren , Nava-Guerra Leonardo , Khoo Michael C K , Difrancesco Mark , Xu Yuanfang , Mcconnell Keith , Hossain Md Monir , Amin Raouf 
Published: June 2019

AbstractStudy ObjectivesTo examine the role of ventilatory control in asthmatic children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the relationships between measures of ventilatory control, OSA severity, and pulmonary function.MethodsFive- to 18-year-old children with persistent asthma and nightly snoring were enrolled in the study. Children had physical examination, pulmonary function test, and polysomnography. Loop and controller gains were derived from 5 min segments which included a sigh during nonrapid eye movement sleep by applying a mathematical model that quantifies ventilatory control from the ensuing responses to the sighs. Plant gain was derived from 5 min segments of spontaneous breathing (i.e. without sighs). Nonparametric statistical tests were used for group comparisons. Cluster analysis was performed using Bayesian profile regression.ResultsOne hundred thirty-four children were included in the study, 77 with and 57 without OSA. Plant gain was higher in children with OSA than in those without OSA (p = 0.002). A negative correlation was observed between plant gain and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (p = 0.048) and the ratio of f forced expiratory volume to forced vital capacity (p = 0.02). Plant gain correlated positively with severity of OSA. Cluster analysis demonstrated that children with more severe OSA and abnormal lung function had higher plant gain and a lower controller gain compared with the rest of the population.ConclusionsChildren with OSA and persistent asthma with abnormal lung function have phenotypic characteristics which consist of diminished capacity of the lungs to maintain blood gas homeostasis reflected by an increase in plant gain and decreased chemoreceptor sensitivity.
Repair of severe winter xylem embolism supports summer water transport and carbon gain in flagged crowns of the subalpine conifer Abies veitchii
Authors: Ogasa Mayumi Y , Taneda Haruhiko , Ooeda Hiroki , Ohtsuka Akihiro , Maruta Emiko 
Published: June 2019

AbstractXylem embolism induced by winter drought is a serious dysfunction in evergreen conifers growing at wind-exposed sites in the mountains. Some coniferous species can recover from winter embolism. The aim of this study was to determine whether wind direction influences embolism formation and/or repair dynamics on short windward and long leeward branches of asymmetrical `flagged' crowns. We analyzed the effect of branch orientation on percentage loss of xylem conductive area (PLC), leaf functional traits and the xylem:leaf area ratio for subalpine, wind-exposed flagged-crown Abies veitchii trees in the northern Yatsugatake Mountains of central Japan. In late winter, the shoot water potential was below −2.5 MPa, and the PLC exceeded 80% in 2-year-old branches, independent of branch orientation within a flagged crown. Both of these parameters almost fully recovered by summer. At branch internodes 4 years of age and older, seasonal changes in PLC were not found in either windward or leeward branches, but the PLC was higher in less leafy windward branches. The leaf nitrogen content and water-use efficiency of mature leaves were comparable between windward branches and leafy leeward branches. The ratio of xylem conductive area to total leaf area was the same for windward and leeward branches. These results indicate that the repair of winter xylem embolism allows leaf physiological functions to be maintained under sufficient leaf water supply, even on winter-wind-exposed branches. This permits substantial photosynthetic carbon gain during the following growing season on both windward and leeward branches. Thus, xylem recovery from winter embolism is a key trait for the survival of harsh winters and to support productivity on the individual level in flagged-crown A. veitchii trees.
Determinants of Lung Function at Age 8.5 Years in a Birth Cohort of Thai Children
Authors: Anuntaseree Wanaporn , Ruangnapa Kanokpan , Sangsupawanich Pasuree , Mo-suwan Ladda , Saelim Kantara , Pruphetkaew Nannapat 
Published: June 2019

Abstract

Background and aims
Early life factors have reported the associations with impaired lung function in later life. In the present study, the birth cohort was followed up longitudinally to investigate the determinants of lung function in Thai children.

Methods
Cohort subjects were recruited from children born in Songkhla Province in southern Thailand. Data collections were obtained starting from antenatal, at birth, and at 1, 5 and 8.5 years of age. Spirometry was assessed at age 8.5 years. The variables investigated included birth weight, smoke exposure, respiratory diseases during the newborn period and during the first year of life, and asthma diagnosed at age 5 or 8.5 years.

Results
Of 1056 subjects, 892 (84.5%) subjects completed the spirometric measurements. The presence of asthma was the only factor that was significantly associated with a lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio, forced expiratory flow at 25–75% vital capacity (FEF25–75%VC) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). The regression analysis found that asthma was significantly associated with a lower FEV1/FVC ratio, FEF25–75%VC, and PEFR value with estimated coefficients ± standard error of –1.27 ± 0.55%, p = 0.02; –131.8 ± 48.2 ml/s, p = 0.006; and –166.2 ± 65.0 ml/s, p = 0.01, respectively. Asthma diagnosed at age 5 or 8.5 years was more likely among children who had lower respiratory tract illness during the first year of life. The odds ratio for the association was 4.81 (95% confidence interval 2.14–10.83, p &lt; 0.001).

Conclusion
The main factor associated with lower lung function in Thai cohort subjects was the present of asthma by age 5 or 8.5 years and early respiratory illness was the risk factor for asthma in childhood period.