bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Use of whole genome sequencing to complement characterisation of a typhoid fever outbreak among a Marshallese community: Oklahoma, 2015
Authors: Burnsed L. J. , Kovar L. D. , Angelo K. M. , Trees E. K. , Concepción-Acevedo J. , McDermott M. D. , Wagner D. , Bradley K. K. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractTyphoid fever is an illness caused bySalmonella entericaserotype Typhi. In developing regions, it affects an estimated 20 million people annually, causing 200 000 deaths. Although uncommon, cases occur in the USA each year, predominantly due to international travel. During February 2015, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) detected an outbreak of typhoid fever among residents of northwestern Oklahoma. OSDH conducted case-patient interviews to identify the source and symptomatic contacts. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed to characterise the genetic relatedness of isolates among the four outbreak-associated pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns. We identified 38 cases, 25 confirmed and 13 probable, in two states. WGS revealed a 0–10 single-nucleotide polymorphism variation between isolates. Although we were unable to determine the source, almost all case-patients were members of the Marshallese community that attended a common event in Oklahoma, or were contacts to a confirmed case. This is the largest outbreak of typhoid fever in the USA since 1989, and first to apply WGS to complement interpretation of PFGE results during a typhoid fever outbreak investigation. This investigation illustrates the potential risk of outbreaks among communities comprised of international populations from regions where typhoid fever remains endemic.
Are Whites and minorities more similar than different? Testing the cultural similarities hypothesis on psychopathology with a second-order meta-analysis
Authors: Causadias José M. , Korous Kevin M. , Cahill Karina M. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe cultural differences hypothesis is the assertion that there are large differences between Whites and racial/ethnic minorities in the United States, while there are small differences between- (e.g., African Americans and Latinos) and within- (e.g., Latinos: Mexican Americans and Cuban Americans) minority groups. Conversely, the cultural similarities hypothesis argues that there are small differences between Whites and minorities, and these differences are equal or smaller in magnitude than differences between and within minorities. In this study, we conducted a second-order meta-analysis focused on psychopathology, to (a) test these hypotheses by estimating the absolute average difference between Whites and minorities, as well as between and within minorities, on levels of psychopathology, and (b) determine if general and meta-analytic method moderators account for these differences. A systematic search in PsycINFO, Web of Science, and ProQuest Dissertations identified 16 meta-analyses (13% unpublished) on 493 primary studies (N = 3,036,749). Differences between Whites and minorities (d+ = 0.23, 95% confidence interval [0.18, 0.28]), and between minorities (d+ = 0.30, 95% confidence interval [0.12, 0.48]) were small in magnitude. White–minority differences remained small across moderators. These findings support the cultural similarities hypothesis. We discuss their implications and future research directions.
Characterization of Acetolactate Synthase (ALS)-Inhibitor Resistance in Pennsylvania smartweed (Persicaria pensylvanica)
Authors: Varanasi Vijay K. , Norsworthy Jason K. , Brabham Chad , Scott Robert C. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractPennsylvania smartweed [Persicaria pensylvanica(L.) M. Gómez] is a common weed of rice (Oryza sativaL.) in the midsouthern United States and has recently become a concern for farmers because of reduced tillage systems. Acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors have been extensively used for controlling smartweeds in imidazolinone-resistant and conventional rice. In the present study, we confirmed resistance to commonly used ALS inhibitors in rice and characterized the underlying resistance mechanism in aP. pensylvanicabiotype from southeast Missouri. A dose–response experiment was conducted in the greenhouse using bensulfuron-methyl, imazethapyr, and bispyribac-sodium to determine the resistance index (resistance/susceptibility [R/S]) based on GR50estimates. The target-siteALSgene was amplified from R and S plants, and sequences were analyzed for mutations known to confer ALS-inhibitor resistance. TheP. pensylvanicabiotype in question was found to be resistant to bensulfuron-methyl (R/S=2,330), imazethapyr (R/S=12), and bispyribac-sodium (R/S=6). Sequencing of theALSgene from R plants revealed two previously known mutations (Pro-197-Ser, Ala-122-Ser) conferring resistance to sulfonylureas and imidazolinones. This is the first report of ALS-inhibitor resistance inP. pensylvanica.
Syn‐Contractional Overprinting Between Extension and Shortening Along the Montagna Dei Fiori Fault During Plio‐Pleistocene Antiformal Stacking at the Central Apennines Thrust Wedge Toe
Authors: Storti F. , Balsamo F. , Mozafari M. , Koopman A. , Swennen R. , Taberner C. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe Montagna dei Fiori fault vertically offsets the crest of the NW‐SE trending Montagna dei Fiori anticline in the distal foothills of the central Apennines. There are several interpretations to explain this extensional fault system in close proximity to the Apennine deformation front. A prefolding age of the Montagna dei Fiori fault prevails in models and ideas, based on evidence of Triassic to Early Jurassic rift‐related faults and on thickness and facies distribution of Miocene sediments. However, overprint relationships between extension and shortening are generally speculative and relative age constraints are loose. In this paper we provide an alternative interpretation based on new structural and geochemical data that does not support any preshortening scenarios. The outcrops show that (1) failure of the prerift to syn‐rift Jurassic platform carbonates is controlled by a pattern of ~ N‐S and E‐W fault trends, (2) cessation of fault activity coincides with a breakup unconformity of Late Jurassic age, and (3) a large variety of S‐C shear fabrics occurs along the Montagna dei Fiori fault. Petrography, C‐O stable isotope, and microthermometric data of calcite veins provide constraints on the environmental conditions of deformation. Our multidisciplinary data set favors a partitioning of strain by the interaction of horizontal shortening and related uplift, and by gravitational reequilibration controlled by antiformal stacking underneath the Montagna dei Fiori anticline. Therefore, shortening and extensional strain fields are genetically connected, coeval, while nucleating from different levels in the mechanical stratigraphy. We discuss the implications of this model on the seismo‐tectonic framework of active faulting in the central Apennines of Italy.
The implications of signaling lipids in cancer metastasis
Authors: Luo Xiangjian , Zhao Xu , Cheng Can , Li Namei , Liu Ying , Cao Ya 
Published: September 2018

AbstractMetastasis is the most malignant stage of cancer. Lipid metabolic abnormalities are now increasingly recognized as characteristics of cancer cells. The accumulation of certain lipid species, such as signaling lipids, due to the avidity of lipid metabolism may be a causal factor of tumor malignant progression and metastatic behavior. In this review, we first describe signaling lipids implicated in cancer migration, invasion and metastasis. Next, we summarize the regulatory signaling hubs of lipid anabolic and catabolic metabolism. We then address lipid-rich circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and the lipid composition of exosomes budded off from tumor cells. We also present advances in targeting the regulatory hubs of lipid metabolism and signaling lipids in cancer therapy. Given the complexity of metabolic disorders in cancer, the development of significant portfolios of approaches to target signaling lipids by the integration of multiple chemical modulations, as well as molecular imaging modalities, should offer promising strategies for cancer therapy.
Notch ligand Jagged1 promotes mesenchymal stromal cell-based cartilage repair
Authors: Sun Junkui , Luo Zhengliang , Wang Guangxi , Wang Yuping , Wang Yisheng , Olmedo Margaret , Morandi Massimo Max , Barton Shane , Kevil Christopher G. , Shu Bing , Shang Xifu , Dong Yufeng 
Published: September 2018

AbstractPlacenta-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (PMSCs) provide a promising cell source for tissue regeneration. However, rapid induction of PMSC chondrogenic differentiation during therapeutic transplantation remains extremely challenging. Here we undertook a study to determine if Notch inhibition by soluble Jagged1 (JAG1) peptides could be utilized to accelerate PMSC-induced cartilage regeneration in a mouse post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) model. Our results showed that treatment of PMSCs with soluble JAG1 significantly enhanced chondrogenesis in culture as shown by increased alcian blue staining and decreased Notch target Hes1 expression when compared to those in lgG-treated control cells. Importantly, significantly enhanced cartilage formation and decreased joint inflammation were observed when JAG1-treated PMSCs were injected into mouse PTOA knee joints. Finally, in vivo cell tracing showed that more JAG1-treated PMSCs remained in knee joint tissues and that JAG1-treated PMSCs exhibited greater PMSC chondrogenic differentiation than lgG-treated control PMSCs at 4 weeks after injection. These data indicate that transient Notch inhibition by soluble JAG1 could be used to enhance PMSC survival and chondrogenic differentiation, thereby increasing the therapeutic potential of PMSCs for cartilage regeneration.
AP-4 vesicles contribute to spatial control of autophagy via RUSC-dependent peripheral delivery of ATG9A
Authors: Davies Alexandra K. , Itzhak Daniel N. , Edgar James R. , Archuleta Tara L. , Hirst Jennifer , Jackson Lauren P. , Robinson Margaret S. , Borner Georg H. H. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractAdaptor protein 4 (AP-4) is an ancient membrane trafficking complex, whose function has largely remained elusive. In humans, AP-4 deficiency causes a severe neurological disorder of unknown aetiology. We apply unbiased proteomic methods, including ‘Dynamic Organellar Maps’, to find proteins whose subcellular localisation depends on AP-4. We identify three transmembrane cargo proteins, ATG9A, SERINC1 and SERINC3, and two AP-4 accessory proteins, RUSC1 and RUSC2. We demonstrate that AP-4 deficiency causes missorting of ATG9A in diverse cell types, including patient-derived cells, as well as dysregulation of autophagy. RUSC2 facilitates the transport of AP-4-derived, ATG9A-positive vesicles from the trans-Golgi network to the cell periphery. These vesicles cluster in close association with autophagosomes, suggesting they are the “ATG9A reservoir” required for autophagosome biogenesis. Our study uncovers ATG9A trafficking as a ubiquitous function of the AP-4 pathway. Furthermore, it provides a potential molecular pathomechanism of AP-4 deficiency, through dysregulated spatial control of autophagy.
Regulatory mechanisms of incomplete huntingtin mRNA splicing
Authors: Neueder Andreas , Dumas Anaelle A. , Benjamin Agnesska C. , Bates Gillian P. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractHuntington’s disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in exon 1 of theHTTgene. We have previously shown that exon 1HTTdoes not always splice to exon 2 producing a small transcript (HTTexon1) that encodes the highly pathogenic exon 1 HTT protein. The mechanisms by which this incomplete splicing occurs are unknown. Here, we have generated a minigene system that recapitulates the CAG repeat-length dependence ofHTTexon1production, and has allowed us to define the regions of intron 1 necessary for incomplete splicing. We show that manipulation of the expression levels of the splicing factor SRSF6, predicted to bind CAG repeats, modulates this aberrant splicing event and also demonstrate that RNA polymerase II transcription speed regulates the levels ofHTTexon1production. Understanding the mechanisms by which this pathogenic exon 1 HTT is generated may provide the basis for the development of strategies to prevent its production.
Shu complex SWS1-SWSAP1 promotes early steps in mouse meiotic recombination
Authors: Abreu Carla M. , Prakash Rohit , Romanienko Peter J. , Roig Ignasi , Keeney Scott , Jasin Maria 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe DNA-damage repair pathway homologous recombination (HR) requires factors that promote the activity of strand-exchange protein RAD51 and its meiosis-specific homolog DMC1. Here we show that the Shu complex SWS1-SWSAP1, a candidate for one such HR regulator, is dispensable for mouse viability but essential for male and female fertility, promoting the assembly of RAD51 and DMC1 on early meiotic HR intermediates. Only a fraction of mutant meiocytes progress to form crossovers, which are crucial for chromosome segregation, demonstrating crossover homeostasis. Remarkably, loss of the DNA damage checkpoint kinase CHK2 rescues fertility in females without rescuing crossover numbers. Concomitant loss of the BRCA2 C terminus aggravates the meiotic defects in Swsap1 mutant spermatocytes, suggesting an overlapping role with the Shu complex during meiotic HR. These results demonstrate an essential role for SWS1-SWSAP1 in meiotic progression and emphasize the complex interplay of factors that ensure recombinase function.
Metal-organic framework patterns and membranes with heterogeneous pores for flow-assisted switchable separations
Authors: Jeong Guan-Young , Singh Ajay K. , Kim Min-Gyu , Gyak Ki-Won , Ryu UnJin , Choi Kyung Min , Kim Dong-Pyo 
Published: September 2018

AbstractPorous metal-organic-frameworks (MOFs) are attractive materials for gas storage, separations, and catalytic reactions. A challenge exists, however, on how to introduce larger pores juxtaposed with the inherent micropores in different forms of MOFs, which would enable new functions and applications. Here we report the formation of heterogeneous pores within MOF particles, patterns, and membranes, using a discriminate etching chemistry, called silver-catalyzed decarboxylation. The heterogeneous pores are formed, even in highly stable MOFs, without altering the original structure. A decarboxylated MOF membrane is shown to have pH-responsive switchable selectivity for the flow-assisted separation of similarly sized proteins. We envision that our method will allow the use of heterogeneous pores for massive transfer and separation of complex and large molecules, and that the capability for patterning and positioning heterogeneous MOF films on diverse substrates bodes well for various energy and electronic device applications.
Ingestion of subthreshold doses of environmental toxins induces ascending Parkinsonism in the rat
Authors: Anselmi L. , Bove C. , Coleman F. H. , Le K. , Subramanian M. P. , Venkiteswaran K. , Subramanian T. , Travagli R. A. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractIncreasing evidence suggests that environmental neurotoxicants or misfolded α-synuclein generated by such neurotoxicants are transported from the gastrointestinal tract to the central nervous system via the vagus nerve, triggering degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and causing Parkinson’s disease (PD). We tested the hypothesis that gastric co-administration of subthreshold doses of lectins and paraquat can recreate the pathology and behavioral manifestations of PD in rats. A solution containing paraquat + lectin was administered daily for 7 days via gastric gavage, followed by testing for Parkinsonian behavior and gastric dysmotility. At the end of the experiment, brainstem and midbrain tissues were analyzed for the presence of misfolded α-synuclein and neuronal loss in the SNpc and in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV). Misfolded α-synuclein was found in DMV and SNpc neurons. A significant decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase positive dopaminergic neurons was noted in the SNpc, conversely there was no apparent loss of cholinergic neurons of the DMV. Nigrovagally-evoked gastric motility was impaired in treated rats prior to the onset of parkinsonism, the motor deficits of which were improved by l-dopa treatment. Vagotomy prevented the development of parkinsonian symptoms and constrained the appearance of misfolded α-synuclein to myenteric neurons. These data demonstrate that co-administration of subthreshold doses of paraquat and lectin induces progressive, l-dopa-responsive parkinsonism that is preceded by gastric dysmotility. This novel preclinical model of environmentally triggered PD provides functional support for Braak’s staging hypothesis of idiopathic PD.
A requirement for slc15a4 in imiquimod-induced systemic inflammation and psoriasiform inflammation in mice
Authors: Griffith Alexis D. , Zaidi Asifa K. , Pietro Ashley , Hadiono Matthew , Yang Jessica S. , Davis Rachel , Popkin Daniel L. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThere is competing evidence that plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC), the most potent source of IFN-I, may initiate psoriasis. We targeted pDC function using the slc15a4feeble loss-of-function mouse whose pDC are unresponsive to TLR agonists. slc15a4feeble treated with the topical TLR7-agonist imiquimod (IMQ) demonstrated decreased epidermal thickening 24 hours post-treatment which was more pronounced by day 5 as compared to wildtype mice. These findings were specific to the acute IMQ model and not the protracted IL23 model that drives inflammation downstream of TLR activation. Systemically, slc15a4 was required for IMQ-induced weight loss and cutaneous accumulation of CD4+ and Siglec H+, but not CD11b+ cells. Consistent with this phenotype and the function of slc15a4, induction of IFN-I was virtually absent systemically and via cutaneous gene expression. Induction of other inflammatory cytokines (cytokine storm) was modestly blunted in slc15a4feeble except for inflammasome-associated genes consistent with slc15a4 being required for TLR7-mediated (but not inflammasome-mediated) inflammation downstream of IMQ. Surprisingly, only IFN-I gene expression was suppressed within IMQ-treated skin. Other genes including conserved psoriasiform trademark gene expression were augmented in slc15a4feeble versus littermate controls. Taken together, we have identified a role for slc15a4 but not canonical psoriasiform genes in the imiquimod model of psoriasiform dermatitis.
Control of source fertility on the eruptive activity of Piton de la Fournaise volcano, La Réunion
Authors: Vlastélic I. , Di Muro A. , Bachèlery P. , Gurioli L. , Auclair D. , Gannoun A. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe eruptive activity of basaltic hotspot volcanoes displays major fluctuations on times scales of years to decades. Theses fluctuations are thought to reflect changes in the rate of mantle melt supply. However, the crustal filter generally masks the mantle processes involved. Here, we show that the cyclic and generally increasing activity of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano (La Réunion) since the mid 20th century is tightly linked to the fertility of its source, as recorded by 87Sr/86Sr and incompatible trace elements ratios of lavas. We identify a twofold control of source fertility on eruptive activity: melt extraction from fertile, incompatible element-enriched veins initiates decadal-scale eruptive sequences, so that vein distribution in the plume source directly controls the cyclic activity. Indirectly, reactive flow of enriched melts increases mantle porosity and promotes melts extraction from the peridotite matrix. This process is thought to have caused a fourfold increase in magma supply between 1998 and 2014 at Piton de la Fournaise, and could also explain magma surges at other frequently active hotspot volcanoes, such as Kilauea, Hawaii. The short-term eruptive activity of hotspot volcanoes appears to be ultimately linked to the distribution and size of lithological heterogeneities in mantle plumes.
Machine learning and medical education
Authors: Kolachalama Vijaya B. , Garg Priya S. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractArtificial intelligence (AI) driven by machine learning (ML) algorithms is a branch in computer science that is rapidly gaining popularity within the healthcare sector. Recent regulatory approvals of AI-driven companion diagnostics and other products are glimmers of a future in which these tools could play a key role by defining the way medicine will be practiced. Educating the next generation of medical professionals with the right ML techniques will enable them to become part of this emerging data science revolution.
Optimisation of inductive telemetry links in an implantable medical device for a wireless range of 25 cm
Authors: John B. , Spink C. , Braunschweig M. , Ranjan R. , Schroeder D. , Koops A. , Woldt G. , Adam G. , Krautschneider W.H. 
Published: September 2018

The optimisation of inductive telemetry link for increasing wireless range of a medical implant device is studied in detail. An active implant device using separate wireless power and data links at 2 MHz and 420 kHz has been fabricated and tested. A test setup consisting of RF power transmitter and data reader hardware has been implemented. Measurement results show that the fabricated device achieved a wireless range of 25 cm.
Effects of Peer Support Interventions on the Communication of Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review
Authors: Chapin Shelley , Boyle Susannah , Babb Salena , McNaughton David 
Published: September 2018

AbstractMany young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) experience difficulty in the development of communication skills. Teaching peers to make use of communication support behaviors has been investigated as a strategy to increase communication for young children with ASD in early childhood settings. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine (1) the overall effects of peer support interventions on the communication of young children with ASD and (2) any possible moderating variables related to participant and intervention characteristics. The social support model was used as a framework for the study of intervention components. Eighteen single-case experimental design studies (48 children with ASD) met the inclusion criteria and were advanced to the full coding and analysis phase of the investigation. Descriptive analyses and effect size estimations using the improvement rate difference (IRD) metric were conducted. Overall, peer support interventions were found to be effective across a range of young children with ASD and intervention approaches. Evidence was also identified for the use of the social support model as a framework to guide the development of peer interventions in early childhood settings. The use of friendship groups, the selection of play materials based on the interests of the child with ASD, and the provision of augmentative and alternative communication appeared to be associated with positive communication outcomes.