bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Low Titers of Antidonor ABO Antibodies After ABO-Incompatible Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Long-Term Follow-Up Study
Authors: Ueda Daisuke , Yoshizawa Atsushi , Kaneshiro Masakatsu , Hirata Yoshihiro , Yagi Shintaro , Hata Koichiro , Okajima Hideaki , Egawa Hiroto , Uemoto Shinji 
Published: January 2019

Background
The ABO blood-type barrier in kidney and liver transplantation has been overcome by aggressive treatments such as B cell depletion using rituximab. However, the long-term effects of ABO-incompatible liver transplantation (ABO-I LTx) on immunological status have not previously been studied. Here, we assessed whether long-term immune hyporesponsiveness against ABO blood-group antigens was retained.

Methods
We recruited 81 patients, 75 patients who had survived ABO-I LTx without retransplantation and 6 patients who had survived after retransplantation using blood type-compatible grafts. The time between ABO-I LTx and outpatient visits for blood sampling for this study ranged from 1.1 to 16.8 years. We also evaluated patients' backgrounds and postoperative therapies.

Results
Overall, antidonor ABO antibody titers in the 75 patients without retransplantation decreased during long-term follow-up. In the subset of 40 patients with blood type O, anti-nondonor ABO antibody titers did not decrease and were significantly higher than antidonor ABO antibody titers. In addition, long-term antidonor ABO antibody titers were significantly lower in pediatric patients than in adult patients. In the 6 patients who were retransplanted with blood type–compatible grafts, antidonor ABO antibody immunoglobulin G titers remained low, but IgM titers increased slightly long after removal of the ABO-incompatible graft.

Conclusions
These findings suggest that donor-specific hyporesponsiveness remains after ABO-I LTx, particularly in pediatric patients. Long-term persistence of blood antigens may contribute to this donor-specific hyporesponsiveness.
LIDAR explains diversity of plants, fungi, lichens and bryophytes across multiple habitats and large geographic extent
Authors: Moeslund Jesper Erenskjold , Zlinszky András , Ejrnæs Rasmus , Brunbjerg Ane Kirstine , Bøcher Peder Klith , Svenning Jens-Christian , Normand Signe 
Published: January 2019

ABSTRACTEffective planning and nature management require spatially accurate and comprehensive measures of the factors important for biodiversity. Light detection and ranging (LIDAR also known as light radar) can provide exactly this, and is hereby a promising technology to support future nature management and related applications. However, until now studies evaluating the potential of LIDAR for this field have been highly limited in scope. Here, we assess the potential of LIDAR to estimate the local diversity of four species groups in multiple habitat types, from open grasslands and meadows over shrubland to forests and across a large area (approximately 43.000 km2), providing a crucial step towards enabling the application of LIDAR in practice, planning and policy-making. We assessed the relationships between the species richness of macrofungi, lichens, bryophytes and plants, respectively, and 25 LIDAR-based measures related to potential abiotic and biotic diversity drivers. We used negative binomial Generalized Linear Modelling to construct 19 different relevant models for each species group, and leave-one-region-out cross validation to select the best models. These best models explained 49, 31, 32 and 28 % of the variation in species richness (R2) for macrofungi, lichens, bryophytes and plants respectively. Three LIDAR measures were important and positively related to the richness in three of the four species groups: variation in local heat load, terrain slope and shrub layer height. Four other LIDAR measures were ranked among the three most important for at least one of the species groups: point amplitude entropy, shrub layer density (1.5 – 5 m), medium-tree layer density (10 – 15 m) and variation in biomass. Generally, LIDAR measures exhibited strong associations to the biotic environment, and to some abiotic factors, but was not suitable for representing spatiotemporal continuity. In conclusion, we showed how well LIDAR alone can predict the local biodiversity across habitats. We also showed that several LIDAR measures are highly correlated to important biodiversity drivers, which are notoriously hard to measure in the field. This opens up hitherto unseen possibilities for using LIDAR for cost-effective monitoring and management of local biodiversity across species groups and habitat types even over large areas.
The axonal actin-spectrin lattice acts as a tension buffering shock absorber
Authors: Dubey Sushil , Bhembre Nishita , Bodas Shivani , Ghose Aurnab , Callan-Jones Andrew , Pullarkat Pramod A 
Published: January 2019

AbstractAxons are thin tubular extensions generated by neuronal cells to transmit signals across long distances. In the peripheral and the central nervous systems, axons experience large deformations during normal activity or as a result of injury. Yet, axon biomechanics, and its relation to the internal structure that allows axons to withstand such deformations, is poorly understood. Up to now, it has been generally assumed that microtubules and their associated proteins are the major load-bearing elements in axons. We revise this view point by combining mechanical measurements using a custom developed force apparatus with biochemical or genetic modifications to the axonal cytoskeleton, revealing an unexpected role played by the actin-spectrin skeleton. For this, we first demonstrate that axons exhibit a reversible strain-softening response, where its steady state elastic modulus decreases with increasing strain. We then explore the contributions from the various cytoskeletal components of the axon, and show that the recently discovered membrane-associated skeleton consisting of periodically spaced actin filaments interconnected by spectrin tetramers play a prominent mechanical role. Finally, using a theoretical model we argue that the actin-spectrin skeleton act as an axonal tension buffer by reversibly unfolding repeat domains of the spectrin tetramers to buffer excess mechanical stress.
β1 integrin is a sensor of blood flow direction
Authors: Xanthis Ioannis , Souilhol Celine , Serbanovic-Canic Jovana , Roddie Hannah , Kalli Antreas C. , Fragiadaki Maria , Wong Raymond , Shah Dhruv R. , Askari Janet A. , Canham Lindsay , Akhtar Nasreen , Feng Shuang , Ridger Victoria , Waltho Jonathan , Pinteaux Emmanuel , Humphries Martin J. , Bryan Matthew T. , Evans Paul C. 
Published: January 2019

ABSTRACTThe ability of endothelial cells (EC) to sense blood flow direction is a critical determinant of vascular health and disease. Unidirectional flow induces EC alignment and vascular homeostasis, whereas bidirectional flow has pathophysiological effects. EC express several mechanoreceptors that can respond to fluid flow (shear stress) but the mechanism for sensing the direction of shearing force is poorly understood. We observed usingin vitroflow systems and magnetic tweezers that β1 integrin is a key sensor of force direction because it is activated by unidirectional but not bidirectional shearing forces. Consistently, β1 integrin was essential for Ca2+signalling and cell alignment in response to unidirectional but not bidirectional shear stress. β1 integrin activation by unidirectional force was amplified in EC that were pre-sheared in the same direction, indicating that alignment and β1 integrin activity has a feedforward interaction which is a hallmark of system stability.En facestaining and EC-specific genetic deletion studies of the murine aorta revealed that β1 integrin is activated and is essential for EC alignment at sites of unidirectional flow but is not activated at sites of bidirectional flow. In summary, β1 integrin sensing of unidirectional force is a key mechanism for decoding blood flow mechanics to promote vascular homeostasis.SUMMARY STATEMENTWe demonstrate using flow systems, magnetic tweezers and knockout mice that β1 integrin is a sensor of shear stress direction in endothelial cells. β1 integrin is activated by unidirectional hemodynamic shear force leading to calcium signalling and cell alignment, but it is not activated by bidirectional force.
Dissecting the heterogeneity of DENV vaccine-elicited cellular immunity using single-cell RNA sequencing and cellular metabolic profiling
Authors: Waickman Adam T. , Victor Kaitlin , Li Tao , Hatch Kristin , Rutvisuttinnunt Wiriya , Medin Carey , Gabriel Benjamin , Jarman Richard G. , Friberg Heather , Currier Jeffrey R. 
Published: January 2019

ABSTRACTGenerating effective and durable T cell immunity is a critical prerequisite for vaccination against dengue virus (DENV) and other viral diseases. Understanding the precise molecular mechanisms of vaccine-elicited T cell immunity remains a critical knowledge gap in vaccinology. In this study, we utilized single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) and TCR clonotype analysis to demonstrate that a unique transcriptional signature is present in acutely-activated and clonally-expanded T cells that become committed to the memory repertoire. This effector-associated transcriptional signature is dominated by a unique metabolic transcriptional program. Based on this transcriptional signature, we were able to define a set of functional markers that identify the most potent and durable vaccine-reactive memory precursor CD8+T cells. The transferrin receptor (CD71) other important transporters of amino acids, and direct measurements of glucose and fatty acid uptake, were further validated as early markers of durable T cell memory using conventional flow cytometry. These data suggest that generating durable T cell immunity is a process that is determined by metabolic programming and metabolite availability during the acute phase of the immune response. This study illustrates the power of scRNAseq as an analytical tool to assess the molecular mechanisms of host control and vaccine modality in determining the magnitude, diversity, and persistence of vaccine-elicited cell-mediated immunity.
Identification of Factors Complicating Bioluminescence Imaging
Authors: Yeh Hsien-Wei , Wu Tianchen , Chen Minghai , Ai Hui-wang 
Published: January 2019

ABSTRACTIn vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) has become a standard, non-invasive imaging modality for following gene expression or the fate of proteins and cells in living animals. Currently, bioluminescent reporters used in laboratories are mostly derivatives of two major luciferase families: ATP-dependent insect luciferases and ATP-independent marine luciferases. Inconsistent results have been reported for experiments using different bio-luminescent reporters and users are often confused when trying to choose an optimal bioluminescent reporter for a given research purpose. Herein, we re-examined inconsistency in several experimental settings and identified factors, such as ATP dependency, serum stability, and molecular size, which significantly affected BLI results. We expect this study will make the research community aware of these factors and facilitate more accurate interpretation of BLI data by considering the nature of each bioluminescent reporter.
Distinguishing Closely Related Pancreatic Cancer Subtypes In Vivo by 13C Glucose MRI without Hyperpolarization
Authors: Kishimoto Shun , Brender Jeffrey R. , Matsumoto Shingo , Seki Tomohiro , Oshima Nobu , Merkle Hellmut , Reed Galen , Chen Albert P. , Ardenkjaer-Larsen Jan Henrik , Munasinghe Jeeva , Saito Keita , Yamamoto Kazu , Choyke Peter L. , Mitchell James , Krishna Murali C. 
Published: January 2019

ABSTRACTMetabolic differences between patients and within the tumor itself can be an important determinant in cancer treatment outcome. However, methods for determining these differences non-invasively in vivo have been lacking. Using pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma as a model, we demonstrate that tumor xenografts with a similar genetic background can be distinguished by their differing rates of metabolism, as detected by imaging of uniformly 13C labeled glucose tracers using a newly developed technique using tensor decomposition for noise suppression to bring the signal to a detectable level without hyperpolarization of the tracer. Using this method, cancer subtypes that appeared to exhibit similar metabolic profiles by other techniques that measured steady state metabolism can be distinguished.
Insulator Activities of Nucleosome-Excluding DNA Sequences Without Bound Chromatin Looping Proteins
Authors: Matsushima Yuki , Sakamoto Naoaki , Awazu Akinori 
Published: January 2019

ABSTRACTChromosomes consist of various domains with different transcriptional activities separated by chromatin boundary sequences such as insulator sequences. Recent studies suggested that CTCF or other chromatin loop-forming protein binding sequences represented typical insulators. Alternatively, some long nucleosome-excluding DNA sequences were also reported to exhibit insulator activities in yeast and sea urchin chromosomes although specific binding of loop-forming proteins were not expected for them. However, the mechanism of the insulator activities of these sequences and the possibilities of similar insulators existing in other organisms remained unclear. In this study, we first constructed and performed simulations of a coarse-grained chromatin model containing nucleosome-rich and nucleosome-excluding DNA regions. We found that a long nucleosome-excluding region between two nucleosome-rich regions could markedly hinder the associations of two neighboring chromatin regions owing to the stronger long-term-averaged rigidity of the nucleosome-excluding region compared to that of nucleosome-rich regions. Subsequent analysis of the genome wide nucleosome positioning, protein binding, and DNA rigidity in human cells revealed that some nucleosome-excluding rigid DNA sequences without bound chromatin looping proteins could exhibit insulator activities, functioning as chromatin boundaries in various regions of human chromosomes.
Data-driven spectral analysis for coordinative structures in periodic systems with unknown and redundant dynamics
Authors: Fujii Keisuke , Takeishi Naoya , Kibushi Benio , Kouzaki Motoki , Kawahara Yoshinobu 
Published: January 2019

AbstractLiving organisms dynamically and flexibly operate a great number of components. As one of such redundant control mechanisms, low-dimensional coordinative structures among multiple components have been investigated. However, structures extracted from the conventional statistical dimensionality reduction methods do not reflect dynamical properties in principle. Here we regard coordinative structures in biological periodic systems with unknown and redundant dynamics as a nonlinear limit-cycle oscillation, and apply a data-driven operator-theoretic spectral analysis, which obtains dynamical properties of coordinative structures such as frequency and phase from the estimated eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of a composition operator. First, from intersegmental angles during human walking, we extracted the speed-independent harmonics of gait frequency. Second, we discovered the speed-dependent time-evolving behaviors of the phase on the conventional low-dimensional structures by estimating the eigenfunctions. Our approach contributes to the understanding of biological periodic phenomena with unknown and redundant dynamics from the perspective of nonlinear dynamical systems.
Increased spontaneous EEG signal diversity during stroboscopically-induced altered states of consciousness
Authors: Schwartzman David J. , Schartner Michael , Ador Benjamin B. , Simonelli Francesca , Chang Acer Y.-C. , Seth Anil K. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractWhat are the global neuronal signatures of altered states of consciousness (ASC)? Recently, increases in neural signal diversity, compared to those found in wakeful rest, have been reported during psychedelic states. Neural signal diversity has previously been identified as a robust signature of the state of consciousness, showing lower scores during sleep or anaesthesia compared to wakeful rest. The increased neural signal diversity during psychedelic states raises the additional possibility that it may also reflect the increased diversity of subjective experiences associated with these states. However, psychedelic states involve widespread neuropsychopharmacological changes, only some of which may be associated with altered phenomenology. Therefore, we used stroboscopic stimulation to induce non-pharmacological altered states of consciousness while measuring the diversity of EEG signals. Stroboscopic stimulation caused substantial increases in the intensity and range of subjective experiences, with reports of both simple and complex visual hallucinations. These experiences were accompanied by increases in EEG signal diversity scores (measured using Lempel-Ziv complexity) exceeding those associated with wakeful rest, in line with studies of the psychedelic state. Our findings support the proposal that EEG signal diversity reflects the diversity of subjective experience that is associated with different states of consciousness.
A device to collect exhaled breath to study biomarkers in small animal models
Authors: Liu Yongtao , Hou Yutong , Hua Yuanrui , Gao Youhe 
Published: January 2019

AbstractBiomarkers are measurable changes associated with disease. Exhaled breath provides many signs of bodily changes and has been proposed to be a good early biomarker source because it lacks homeostatic mechanisms. Earlier biomarker detection can provide earlier diagnosis, which can bring about more choices and more time for treatment. The benefit of studying exhaled breath in animal models is that most interfering factors can be avoided, and earlier changes in disease may be found. However, there is currently no device that can effectively collect exhaled breath from small animals. In this study, such a device was designed, constructed, and used for the study of candidate biomarkers from the exhale breaths of a papain-induced pulmonary emphysema rat model.
An EDS1-SAG101 complex functions in TNL-mediated immunity in Solanaceae
Authors: Gantner Johannes , Ordon Jana , Kretschmer Carola , Guerois Raphaël , Stuttmann Johannes 
Published: January 2019

AbstractEDS1 (Enhanced disease susceptibility 1) forms mutually exclusive heterodimers with its interaction partners PAD4 (Phytoalexin-deficient 4) and SAG101 (Sensecence-associated gene 101). Collectively, these complexes are required for resistance responses mediated by nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat-type immune receptors (NLRs) possessing an N-terminal Toll-interleukin-1 receptor-like domain (TNLs). Here, immune functions of EDS1 complexes were comparatively analyzed in a mixed species approach relying on Nicotiana benthamiana (Nb), Solanum lycopersicum (Sl) and Arabidopsis thaliana (At). Genomes of most Solanaceae plants including Nb and Sl encode for two SAG101 isoforms, which engage into distinct complexes with EDS1. By a combination of genome editing and transient complementation, we show that one of these EDS1-SAG101 complexes, and not an EDS1-PAD4 complex as previously described in At, is necessary and sufficient for all tested TNL-mediated immune responses in Nb. Intriguingly, not this EDS1-SAG101 module, but mainly Solanaceae EDS1-PAD4 execute immune functions when transferred to At, and TNL functions are not restored in Nb mutant lines by expression of At EDS1 complexes. We conclude that EDS1 complexes do not represent a complete functional module, but co-evolve with additional factors, most likely protein interaction partners, for their function in TNL signaling networks of individual species. In agreement, we identify a large surface on SlEDS1 complexes required for immune activities, which may function in partner recruitment. We highlight important differences in TNL signaling networks between At and Nb, and genetic resources in the Nb system will be instrumental for future elucidation of EDS1 molecular functions.
The impact of Temporal Artery Biopsy for the diagnosis of Giant Cell Arteritis in clinical practice in a tertiary University Hospital
Authors: Kaltsonoudis E , Pelechas E , Papoudou-Bai A , Markatseli E.T. , Elisaf M , Voulgari PV , Drosos AA 
Published: January 2019

ABSTRACTBackgroundTemporal artery biopsy (TAB) is useful in assisting with giant cell arteritis (GCA) diagnosis but lacks sensitivity. The aim of our study was to assess the diagnostic impact of TAB histology in patients with suspected GCA on hospital admission.MethodsA prospectively maintained database was queried for all TABs performed between 1-1-2000 until 31-12-2017 at the University Hospital of Ioannina. Thus, inclusion criteria were made on the grounds of every patient that underwent a TAB during the above-mentioned period, regardless of demographic, clinical and laboratory data.ResultsTwo hundred forty-five TABs were included (149 females and 96 males), with a mean age of 64.5 (±3.5) years. The mean symptoms duration until admission to the hospital was 8.6 (±1.3) weeks and all had elevated acute phase reactants on admission. The reasons of admission were fever of unknown origin (FUO) in 114 (46.5%) patients, symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) in 84 (34.3%), new headache in 33 (13.5%), anemia of chronic disease (ACD) in 8 (3.32%) and eye disturbances in 6 (2.5%) patients. Positive results were found in 49 (20%) TABs. More specifically, in 14% of patients with FUO, 21% in those with PMR, while in patients with a new headache the percentage was 27%. Finally, 5 out of 6 (83.3%) of patients with ocular symptoms and only one (12.5%) of those suffering from ACD. Visual manifestations and FUO are correlated with a positive TAB.ConclusionIt seems that TAB is useful in assisting with GCA diagnosis, but lacks sensitivity.
Forest canopy, a proxi of light intensity, arrests Pinus radiata invasion: basic science to conserve the Coastal Maulino forest, Central Chile
Authors: Gómez Persy , Murúa Maureen , Martín José San , Goncalves Estefany , Bustamante Ramiro 
Published: January 2019

ABSTRACTCoastal Maulino forest is an endemic forest of central Chile, which has suffered a large history of disturbance, being replaced by large extensions of Pinus radiata plantations. This land transformation conveys high rates of pines invasion into native remnants. In this study we examined to what extent structural features of forest patches explains invisibility of this forest-type. Within eight forest fragments, we sampled 162 plots (10 x 10 m2 each). We quantified seedling pine density and related this estimates with tree cover, litter depth, PAR radiation, and diversity of the resident community. Our results indicate that canopy cover was the most important variable to determine seedling pine density within forest fragments. To preserve the Coastal Maulino forest and the biodiversity containing on it, it seems to be necessary to maintain the native canopy cover. These actions can be highly effective even if we cannot avoid a massive seed arrival from pine plantations which will be unable to regenerate under well conserved native forests.