bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Skeletal Anomalies in The Neandertal Family of El Sidrón (Spain) Support A Role of Inbreeding in Neandertal Extinction
Authors: Ríos L. , Kivell T. L. , Lalueza-Fox C. , Estalrrich A. , García-Tabernero A. , Huguet R. , Quintino Y. , de la Rasilla M. , Rosas A. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractNeandertals disappeared from the fossil record around 40,000 bp, after a demographic history of small and isolated groups with high but variable levels of inbreeding, and episodes of interbreeding with other Paleolithic hominins. It is reasonable to expect that high levels of endogamy could be expressed in the skeleton of at least some Neandertal groups. Genetic studies indicate that the 13 individuals from the site of El Sidrón, Spain, dated around 49,000 bp, constituted a closely related kin group, making these Neandertals an appropriate case study for the observation of skeletal signs of inbreeding. We present the complete study of the 1674 identified skeletal specimens from El Sidrón. Altogether, 17 congenital anomalies were observed (narrowing of the internal nasal fossa, retained deciduous canine, clefts of the first cervical vertebra, unilateral hypoplasia of the second cervical vertebra, clefting of the twelfth thoracic vertebra, diminutive thoracic or lumbar rib, os centrale carpi and bipartite scaphoid, tripartite patella, left foot anomaly and cuboid-navicular coalition), with at least four individuals presenting congenital conditions (clefts of the first cervical vertebra). At 49,000 years ago, the Neandertals from El Sidrón, with genetic and skeletal evidence of inbreeding, could be representative of the beginning of the demographic collapse of this hominin phenotype.
Validation and quality assessment of macromolecular structures using complex network analysis
Authors: Pražnikar Jure , Tomić Miloš , Turk Dušan 
Published: February 2019

AbstractValidation of three-dimensional structures is at the core of structural determination methods. The local validation criteria, such as deviations from ideal bond length and bonding angles, Ramachandran plot outliers and clashing contacts, are a standard part of structure analysis before structure deposition, whereas the global and regional packing may not yet have been addressed. In the last two decades, three-dimensional models of macromolecules such as proteins have been successfully described by a network of nodes and edges. Amino acid residues as nodes and close contact between the residues as edges have been used to explore basic network properties, to study protein folding and stability and to predict catalytic sites. Using complex network analysis, we introduced common network parameters to distinguish between correct and incorrect three-dimensional protein structures. The analysis showed that correct structures have a higher average node degree, higher graph energy, and lower shortest path length than their incorrect counterparts. Thus, correct protein models are more densely intra-connected, and in turn, the transfer of information between nodes/amino acids is more efficient. Moreover, protein graph spectra were used to investigate model bias in protein structure.
Antifungal activity and mechanism of action of Ou-gon (Scutellaria root extract) components against pathogenic fungi
Authors: Da Xia , Nishiyama Yayoi , Tie Duerna , Hein Kyaw Zaw , Yamamoto Osamu , Morita Eishin 
Published: February 2019

AbstractOu-gon, an extract fromScutellaria baicalensisGeorgi root, has been shown to exhibit pronounced antifungal activity. The present study aimed to identify antifungal components of Ou-gon and to determine their mechanism of action against pathogenic fungi. Antifungal activity was assessed by the microbroth dilution method using four common human pathogenic fungi,Trichophyton rubrum,Trichophyton mentagrophytes,Aspergillus fumigatus, andCandida albicans. Components of crude Ou-gon extract were separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Active antifungal components were identified by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labelling assay, SYTOX®green uptake assay, determination of intracellular reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial membrane potential as well as microscopy (confocal laser microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy) were used to probe the mode of action. Two components with potent antifungal activity, baicalein and wogonin, were identified in Ou-gon. Baicalein showed potent antifungal activity against the four fungi tested. Wogonin displayed antifungal activity against all four fungi exceptC. albicans. The components are considered to induce apoptosis-like programmed cell death via hyperproduction of reactive oxygen species. This study enhances our understanding of the antifungal activity of Kampo medicine, and may contribute to the development of new and safe antifungal therapeutics.
A Novel Ruthenium-based Molecular Sensor to Detect Endothelial Nitric Oxide
Authors: Vidanapathirana Achini K. , Pullen Benjamin J. , Zhang Run , Duong MyNgan , Goyne Jarrad M. , Zhang Xiaozhou , Bonder Claudine S. , Abell Andrew D. , Bursill Christina A. , Nicholls Stephen J. , Psaltis Peter J. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractNitric oxide (NO) is a key regulator of endothelial cell and vascular function. The direct measurement of NO is challenging due to its short half-life, and as such surrogate measurements are typically used to approximate its relative concentrations. Here we demonstrate that ruthenium-based [Ru(bpy)2(dabpy)]2+ is a potent sensor for NO in its irreversible, NO-bound active form, [Ru(bpy)2(T-bpy)]2+. Using spectrophotometry we established the sensor’s ability to detect and measure soluble NO in a concentration-dependent manner in cell-free media. Endothelial cells cultured with acetylcholine or hydrogen peroxide to induce endogenous NO production showed modest increases of 7.3 ± 7.1% and 36.3 ± 25.0% respectively in fluorescence signal from baseline state, while addition of exogenous NO increased their fluorescence by 5.2-fold. The changes in fluorescence signal were proportionate and comparable against conventional NO assays. Rabbit blood samples immediately exposed to [Ru(bpy)2(dabpy)]2+ displayed 8-fold higher mean fluorescence, relative to blood without sensor. Approximately 14% of the observed signal was NO/NO adduct-specific. Optimal readings were obtained when sensor was added to freshly collected blood, remaining stable during subsequent freeze-thaw cycles. Clinical studies are now required to test the utility of [Ru(bpy)2(dabpy)]2+ as a sensor to detect changes in NO from human blood samples in cardiovascular health and disease.
Haemolymph microbiome of the cultured spiny lobster Panulirus ornatus at different temperatures
Authors: Ooi Mei C. , Goulden Evan F. , Smith Gregory G. , Bridle Andrew R. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractLobsters have an open circulatory system with haemolymph that contains microorganisms even in the healthy individuals. Understanding the role of these microorganisms becomes increasingly important particularly for the diagnosis of disease as the closed life-cycle aquaculture of the spiny lobsterPanulirus ornatusnears commercial reality. This study aimed to characterise haemolymph responses of healthy culturedP.ornatusjuveniles at control (28 °C) and elevated (34 °C) temperatures. This was assessed by measuring immune parameters (total granulocyte counts, total haemocyte counts, clotting times), and culture-independent (pyrosequencing of haemolymph DNA) and culture-dependent (isolation using nonselective growth medium) techniques to analyse bacterial communities from lobster haemolymph sampled on days 0, 4 and 6 post-exposure to the temperature regimes. Elevated temperature (34 °C) affected lobster survival, total granulocyte counts, and diversity, load and functional potential of the haemolymph bacterial community. Pyrosequencing analyses showed that the core haemolymph microbiome consisted of phyla Proteobacteria and Bacteriodetes. Overall, culture-independent methods captured a higher bacterial diversity and load when compared to culture-dependent methods, however members of theRhodobacteraceaewere strongly represented in both analyses. This is the first comprehensive study providing comparisons of haemolymph bacterial communities from healthy and thermally stressed cultured juvenileP.ornatusand has the potential to be used in health monitoring programs.
Substrate reduction therapy for inborn errors of metabolism
Authors: Yue Wyatt W. , Mackinnon Sabrina , Bezerra Gustavo A. 
Published: February 2019

Abstract
Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) represent a growing group of monogenic disorders each associated with inherited defects in a metabolic enzyme or regulatory protein, leading to biochemical abnormalities arising from a metabolic block. Despite the well-established genetic linkage, pathophysiology and clinical manifestations for many IEMs, there remains a lack of transformative therapy. The available treatment and management options for a few IEMs are often ineffective or expensive, incurring a significant burden to individual, family, and society. The lack of IEM therapies, in large part, relates to the conceptual challenge that IEMs are loss-of-function defects arising from the defective enzyme, rendering pharmacologic rescue difficult. An emerging approach that holds promise and is the subject of a flurry of pre-/clinical applications, is substrate reduction therapy (SRT). SRT addresses a common IEM phenotype associated with toxic accumulation of substrate from the defective enzyme, by inhibiting the formation of the substrate instead of directly repairing the defective enzyme. This minireview will summarize recent highlights towards the development of emerging SRT, with focussed attention towards repurposing of currently approved drugs, approaches to validate novel targets and screen for hit molecules, as well as emerging advances in gene silencing as a therapeutic modality.
ATLASGAL-selected massive clumps in the inner Galaxy
Authors: Navarete F. , Leurini S. , Giannetti A. , Wyrowski F. , Urquhart J. S. , König C. , Csengeri T. , Güsten R. , Damineli A. , Menten K. M. 
Published: February 2019

Context. High-mass stars are formed within massive molecular clumps, where a large number of stars form close together. The evolution of the clumps with different masses and luminosities is mainly regulated by their high-mass stellar content and the formation of such objects is still not well understood.
Aims. In this work, we characterise the mid-J CO emission in a statistical sample of 99 clumps (TOP100) selected from the ATLASGAL survey that are representative of the Galactic proto-cluster population.
Methods. High-spatial resolution APEX-CHAMP+ maps of the CO (6–5) and CO (7–6) transitions were obtained and combined with additional single-pointing APEX-FLASH+ spectra of the CO (4–3) line. The data were convolved to a common angular resolution of 13.′′4. We analysed the line profiles by fitting the spectra with up to three Gaussian components, classified as narrow or broad, and computed CO line luminosities for each transition. Additionally, we defined a distance-limited sample of 72 sources within 5 kpc to check the robustness of our analysis against beam dilution effects. We have studied the correlations of the line luminosities and profiles for the three CO transitions with the clump properties and investigate if and how they change as a function of the evolution.
Results. All sources were detected above 3-σ in all three CO transitions and most of the sources exhibit broad CO emission likely associated with molecular outflows. We find that the extension of the mid-J CO emission is correlated with the size of the dust emission traced by the Herschel-PACS 70 μm maps. The CO line luminosity (LCO) is correlated with the luminosity and mass of the clumps. However, it does not correlate with the luminosity-to-mass ratio.
Conclusions. The dependency of the CO luminosity with the properties of the clumps is steeper for higher-J transitions. Our data seem to exclude that this trend is biased by self-absorption features in the CO emission, but rather suggest that different J transitions arise from different regions of the inner envelope. Moreover, high-mass clumps show similar trends in CO luminosity as lower mass clumps, but are systematically offset towards larger values, suggesting that higher column density and (or) temperature (of unresolved) CO emitters are found inside high-mass clumps.
Organic molecules in the protoplanetary disk of DG Tauri revealed by ALMA
Authors: Podio L. , Bacciotti F. , Fedele D. , Favre C. , Codella C. , Rygl K. L. J. , Kamp I. , Guidi G. , Bianchi E. , Ceccarelli C. , Coffey D. , Garufi A. , Testi L. 
Published: February 2019

Context. Planets form in protoplanetary disks and inherit their chemical compositions.
Aims. It is thus crucial to map the distribution and investigate the formation of simple organics, such as formaldehyde and methanol, in protoplanetary disks.
Methods. We analyze ALMA observations of the nearby disk-jet system around the T Tauri star DG Tau in the o − H2CO 31, 2 − 21, 1 and CH3OH 3−2, 2 − 4−1, 4 E, 50, 5 − 40, 4 A transitions at an unprecedented resolution of $ {\sim}0{{\overset{\prime\prime}{.}}}{15} $, i.e., ∼18 au at a distance of 121 pc.
Results. The H2CO emission originates from a rotating ring extending from ∼40 au with a peak at ∼62 au, i.e., at the edge of the 1.3 mm dust continuum. CH3OH emission is not detected down to an rms of 3 mJy beam−1 in the 0.162 km s−1 channel. Assuming an ortho-to-para ratio of 1.8−2.8 the ring- and disk-height-averaged H2CO column density is ∼0.3−4 × 1014 cm−2, while that of CH3OH is < 0.04−0.7 × 1014 cm−2. In the inner 40 au no o − H2CO emission is detected with an upper limit on its beam-averaged column density of ∼0.5−6 × 1013 cm−2.
Conclusions. The H2CO ring in the disk of DG Tau is located beyond the CO iceline (RCO ∼ 30 au). This suggests that the H2CO abundance is enhanced in the outer disk due to formation on grain surfaces by the hydrogenation of CO ice. The emission peak at the edge of the mm dust continuum may be due to enhanced desorption of H2CO in the gas phase caused by increased UV penetration and/or temperature inversion. The CH3OH/H2CO abundance ratio is < 1, in agreement with disk chemistry models. The inner edge of the H2CO ring coincides with the radius where the polarization of the dust continuum changes orientation, hinting at a tight link between the H2CO chemistry and the dust properties in the outer disk and at the possible presence of substructures in the dust distribution.
Analytic solutions to the maximum and average exoplanet transit depth for common stellar limb darkening laws
Authors: Heller René 
Published: February 2019

Context. The depth of an exoplanetary transit in the light curve of a distant star is commonly approximated as the squared planet-to-star radius ratio, (Rp/Rs)2. Stellar limb darkening, however, can result in significantly deeper transits. An analytic solution would be worthwhile to illustrate the principles of the problem and predict the actual transit signal required for the planning of transit observations with certain signal-to-noise requirements without the need of computer-based transit simulations.
Aims. We calculate the overshoot of the mid-transit depth caused by stellar limb darkening compared to the (Rp/Rs)2 estimate for arbitrary transit impact parameters. In turn, this allows us to compute the true planet-to-star radius ratio from the transit depth for a given parameterization of a limb darkening law and for a known transit impact parameter.
Methods. We compute the maximum emerging specific stellar intensity covered by the planet in transit and derive analytic solutions for the transit depth overshoot. Solutions are presented for the linear, quadratic, square-root, logarithmic, and nonlinear stellar limb darkening with arbitrary transit impact parameters. We also derive formulae to calculate the average intensity along the transit chord, which allows us to estimate the actual transit depth (and therefore Rp∕Rs) from the mean in-transit flux.
Results. The transit depth overshoot of exoplanets compared to the (Rp/Rs)2 estimate increases from about 15% for main-sequence stars of spectral type A to roughly 20% for sun-like stars and some 30% for K and M stars. The error in our analytical solutions for Rp∕Rs from the small planet approximation is orders of magnitude smaller than the uncertainties arising from typical noise in real light curves and from the uncertain limb darkening.
Conclusions. Our equations can be used to predict with high accuracy the expected transit depth of extrasolar planets. The actual planet radius can be calculated from the measured transit depth or from the mean in-transit flux if the stellar limb darkening can be properly parameterized and if the transit impact parameter is known. Light curve fitting is not required.
Assoziation von allergischer Rhinitis und Hypertonie
untersucht
Authors: Reichenstein Marek 
Published: February 2019

Sakallioglu O et al. Allergic rhinitis and arterial blood pressure: a
population-based study. J Laryngol Otol 2018; 132: 418–422
Gibt es einen Zusammenhang von allergischer Rhinitis und arteriellem Blutdruck
sowie Bluthochdruck? In einer bevölkerungsbasierten Untersuchung wollten
türkische Ärzte diese Frage klären.
Blind im Altenheim? Versorgungsforschung in stationären Pflegeheimen
Authors: Zolotar Oksana , Schrage Norbert 
Published: February 2019

ZusammenfassungDer demografische Wandel in Deutschland führt zu einer zunehmenden Zahl alter und pflegebedürftiger Personen, die stationär in Pflegeeinrichtungen betreut werden. Zusammen mit der Vergütungspraxis der Krankenkassen für Hausbesuche, auch von Fachärzten, sorgt dies für deutliche Defizite in der augenärztlichen Versorgung. Zur Entlastung des Systems wurde im Rahmen unserer Studie der ACTO-Sehtest getestet. Dieser kann nach einer kurzen Einführung auch von Laien durchgeführt werden. Für unsere Studie haben wir den Lesevisus von 218 Probanden in 4 Altenheimen in Deutschland beurteilt. Das Alter der Probanden lag bei mindestens 60 Jahren. Für die Studie wurden beide Augen einzeln untersucht, wobei eine eventuell vorhandene Lesebrille verwendet werden sollte. Das Pflegepersonal nutzte zur Bestimmung des Lesevisus den ACTO-Sehtest. Dieser stuft ab von 1 – 10, wobei 2 einem Dezimalvisus von 0,8 und 10 einem Dezimalvisus von 0,05 entspricht. Drei Wochen später ermittelte ein Augenarzt mithilfe der Birkhäuser-Lesetafeln ebenfalls den Lesevisus. Der Augenarzt erstellte eine allgemeine Anamnese und eine Anamnese der Augenerkrankungen, weiterhin erfolgte eine Untersuchung mittels Handspaltlampe und eine Funduskopie. Zwei Drittel der Heimbewohner gaben zu Beginn der Studie an, nicht unter Augenerkrankungen zu leiden. Die Untersuchung durch den Augenarzt zeigte jedoch, dass fast die Hälfte der Probanden dringend behandlungsbedürftig war. Der Vergleich der unterschiedlichen Sehtests zeigte, dass die Ergebnisse des ACTO-Lesetests mit den Werten der Birkhäuser-Lesetafel mit einem Korrelationskoeffizienten von r2 = 0,8443 korrelierten. Über den ACTO-Test wurde bei 40% der Probanden ein fehlender Lesevisus (> 7) ermittelt, über die Birkhäuser-Tafeln bei 35% (< 0,4). Die Studie zeigte deutlich die augenärztliche Unterversorgung der Bewohner von Alten- und Pflegeheimen. Weder ihnen noch der Heimleitung waren Sehschwächen bewusst. Mithilfe eines einfachen Lesetests und entsprechend geschultem Personal kann ohne großen Aufwand regelmäßig etwa alle 3 Monate die Lesefähigkeit überprüft werden. Nimmt diese ab, sollte der Betroffene rasch dem Facharzt vorgestellt werden, um eine Verschlechterung zu verhindern oder ein degeneratives Augenleiden zu diagnostizieren. Damit können gezielt die Heimbewohner erkannt werden, die behandlungsbedürftig sind.
Retinovaskuläre Zeichen des Susac-Syndroms
Authors: Dutescu R. M. , Dörr J. M. , Bergholz R. 
Published: February 2019

Zusammenfassung
Hintergrund Das Susac-Syndrom ist eine Vaskulopathie mit Manifestationen
am zentralen Nervensystem, an der Retina und am Innenohr und ist gekennzeichnet
durch die klinische Trias aus Enzephalopathie und/oder fokalen neurologischen
Symptomen, Hörminderung und retinalen Arterienastverschlüssen. Bisher wurden nur
etwa 300 Fälle in der medizinischen Literatur beschrieben.
Patienten/Methoden Drei Patienten mit gesichertem Susac-Syndrom wurden
retrospektiv auf das Vorhandensein krankheitstypischer retinaler Veränderungen
untersucht. Ergänzend wurde der Krankheitsverlauf analysiert mit der
Zielsetzung, ein besseres Krankheitsverständnis zu erreichen.
Ergebnisse In allen 3 beschriebenen Fällen besteht eine okklusive retinale
Mikroangiopathie mit einhergehenden Arterienastverschlüssen. In der cMRT zeigen
sich bei 2 von 3 Fällen krankheitstypische, umschriebene „snowball“-artige
Läsionen des Corpus callosum, die gemeinsam mit dem Netzhautbefund die
diagnostische Zuordnung ermöglichten. Die klassische Trias aus
Innenohrschwerhörigkeit, retinalen Arterienastverschlüssen und ZNS-Symptomatik
war allerdings in keinem der Fälle bei ärztlichem Erstkontakt vollständig
ausgeprägt.
Schlussfolgerung Die Diagnosesicherung setzt eine enge interdisziplinäre
Zusammenarbeit zwischen Neurologen, Psychiatern, HNO- und Augenärzten voraus.
Die typischen okulären Zeichen einer segmentalen Mikrovaskulopathie mit
Okklusion kleiner Arterien sollten auch bei isoliertem Auftreten Anlass dazu
geben, das Krankheitsbild in die Differenzialdiagnose einer okklusiven retinalen
Vaskulopathie mit einzubeziehen.
Sucht und Essstörungen
Authors: Reimer Jens 
Published: February 2019

Liebe Leserinnen und Leser,wann und was haben Sie zuletzt gegessen? Und, hatten Sie Hunger, war es im Rahmen eines gesellschaftlichen Rituals oder haben Sie der kurzen Vergnügung wegen gar ein Stück Schokolade genascht? Mit der Nahrungsaufnahme sind unterschiedliche Kontexte und Funktionen verbunden. Im Vorgenannten existenzielle, soziale und hedonistische. Unser Gehirn ist primär darauf ausgelegt, die existenziellen Bedürfnisse zu befriedigen.