bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Molecular detection of viruses in Kenyan bats and discovery of
novel astroviruses, caliciviruses and rotaviruses
Authors: Waruhiu Cecilia , Ommeh Sheila , Obanda Vincent , Agwanda Bernard , Gakuya Francis , Ge Xing-Yi , Yang Xing-Lou , Wu Li-Jun , Zohaib Ali , Hu Ben , Shi Zheng-Li 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThis is the first country-wide surveillance of bat-borne viruses in Kenya spanning
from 2012–2015 covering sites perceived to have medium to high level bat-human
interaction. The objective of this surveillance study was to apply a non-invasive
approach using fresh feces to detect viruses circulating within the diverse species
of Kenyan bats. We screened for both DNA and RNA viruses; specifically, astroviruses
(AstVs), adenoviruses (ADVs), caliciviruses (CalVs), coronaviruses (CoVs),
flaviviruses, filoviruses, paramyxoviruses (PMVs), polyomaviruses (PYVs) and
rotaviruses. We used family-specific primers, amplicon sequencing and further
characterization by phylogenetic analysis. Except for filoviruses, eight virus
families were detected with varying distributions and positive rates across the five
regions (former provinces) studied. AstVs (12.83%), CoVs (3.97%), PMV (2.4%), ADV
(2.26%), PYV (1.65%), CalVs (0.29%), rotavirus (0.19%) and flavivirus (0.19%). Novel
CalVs were detected in Rousettus aegyptiacus and
Mops condylurus while novel
Rotavirus-A-related viruses were detected in Taphozous bats and R.
aegyptiacus. The two Rotavirus A (RVA)
strains detected were highly related to human strains with VP6 genotypes I2 and I16.
Genotype I16 has previously been assigned to human RVA-strain B10 from Kenya only,
which raises public health concern, particularly considering increased human-bat
interaction. Additionally, 229E-like bat CoVs were detected in samples originating
from Hipposideros bats roosting in sites with
high human activity. Our findings confirm the presence of diverse viruses in Kenyan
bats while providing extended knowledge on bat virus distribution. The detection of
viruses highly related to human strains and hence of public health concern,
underscores the importance of continuous surveillance.
A Quiescent Phase in Human Mortality? Exploring the Ages of Least Vulnerability
Authors: Engelman Michal , Seplaki Christopher L. , Varadhan Ravi 
Published: April 2017

AbstractDemographic studies of mortality often emphasize the two ends of the lifespan, focusing on the declining hazard after birth or the increasing risk of death at older ages. We call attention to the intervening phase, when humans are least vulnerable to the force of mortality, and consider its features in both evolutionary and historical perspectives. We define this quiescent phase (Q-phase) formally, estimate its bounds using life tables for Swedish cohorts born between 1800 and 1920, and describe changes in the morphology of the Q-phase. We show that for cohorts aging during Sweden’s demographic and epidemiological transitions, the Q-phase became longer and more pronounced, reflecting the retreat of infections and maternal mortality as key causes of death. These changes revealed an underlying hazard trajectory that remains relatively low and constant during the prime ages for reproduction and investment in both personal capital and relationships with others. Our characterization of the Q-phase highlights it as a unique, dynamic, and historically contingent cohort feature, whose increased visibility was made possible by the rapid pace of survival improvements in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This visibility may be reduced or sustained under subsequent demographic regimes.
Trends in Education-Specific Life Expectancy, Data Quality, and Shifting Education Distributions: A Note on Recent Research
Authors: Hendi Arun S. 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Several recent articles have reported conflicting conclusions about educational differences in life expectancy, and this is partly due to the use of unreliable data subject to a numerator-denominator bias previously reported as ranging from 20 % to 40 %. This article presents estimates of life expectancy and lifespan variation by education in the United States using more reliable data from the National Health Interview Survey. Contrary to prior conclusions in the literature, I find that life expectancy increased or stagnated since 1990 among all education-race-sex groups except for non-Hispanic white women with less than a high school education; there has been a robust increase in life expectancy among white high school graduates and a smaller increase among black female high school graduates; lifespan variation did not increase appreciably among high school graduates; and lifespan variation plays a very limited role in explaining educational gradients in mortality. I also discuss the key role that educational expansion may play in driving future changes in mortality gradients. Because of shifting education distributions, within an education-specific synthetic cohort, older age groups are less negatively selected than younger age groups. We could thus expect a greater concentration of mortality at younger ages among people with a high school education or less, which would be reflected in increasing lifespan variability for this group. Future studies of educational gradients in mortality should use more reliable data and should be mindful of the effects of shifting education distributions.
Longitudinal relations between adolescents' self‐esteem and prosocial behavior toward strangers, friends and family
Authors: Fu Xinyuan , Padilla‐Walker Laura M. , Brown Michael N. 
Published: April 2017

ABSTRACTThe present study examined age‐trends and longitudinal bidirectional relations in self‐esteem and prosocial behavior toward strangers, friends, and family over a four‐year time period (age 11 to 14). A total of 681 adolescents were recruited in the United States (51% girls, 28% single parent families). A longitudinal panel model was conducted and the results showed that adolescent self‐esteem was associated longitudinally with subsequent prosocial behavior toward strangers, and earlier prosocial behavior toward strangers promoted subsequent self‐esteem. There were no such bidirectional relations between self‐esteem and prosocial behavior toward friends and family. Findings also highlight the complexity of adolescent development of selfesteem and the multidimensional nature of prosocial behavior. Discussion focuses on understanding the dynamic interplay between adolescent selfesteem and prosocial behavior.
Correlation between change of tongue area and skeletal stability after correction of mandibular prognathism
Authors: Tseng Yu‐Chuan , Wu Ju‐Hui , Chen Chun‐Ming , Hsu Kun‐Jung 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between postoperative stability and a change in tongue area after treatment of mandibular prognathism. Twenty‐six patients, who were treated for mandibular prognathism using intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy, were evaluated cephalometrically. A set of three standardized lateral cephalograms were obtained from each participant preoperatively (T1), immediately postoperatively (T2), and after 2 years postoperatively (T3). Student t test and Pearson correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. Immediately after the surgery (T12), the setback of the menton (Me) was 12.9 mm (p < 0.001) and the tongue area had significantly increased to 105.8 mm2 (p = 0.047). At a 2‐year follow‐up to examine postsurgical stability (T23), the Me exhibited a forward movement of 0.6 mm (p = 0.363) and the tongue area had significantly decreased to 124.3 mm2 (p = 0.004). Pearson correlation coefficient test revealed no statistical significance between postoperative stability and change in tongue area. The tongue area significantly increased during the T12 period and decreased during the T23 period. There is no significant correlation between postoperative skeletal relapse and a change in tongue area.
Correlation of reduced social communicational and interactional skills with regional grey matter volumes in schizophrenia patients
Authors: Ota Miho , Matsuo Junko , Sato Noriko , Teraishi Toshiya , Hori Hiroaki , Hattori Kotaro , Kamio Yoko , Kunugi Hiroshi 
Published: April 2017

ObjectiveRecent studies have detected similarities between autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. We investigated structural abnormalities associated with autistic-like traits in patients with schizophrenia by voxel-based morphometry.MethodsPatients with schizophrenia and healthy subjects were evaluated by the adult version of the social responsiveness scale (SRS-A), which is sensitive to autistic traits and symptoms even under subthreshold conditions, and magnetic resonance imaging.ResultsThere were significant decreases in the anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral hippocampi, cerebellums, and right insula of patients with schizophrenia, compared with healthy subjects. We found significant negative correlations of the social communication and interaction (SCI) score, a subscale of SRS-A, with grey matter volume in the left posterior superior temporal region of schizophrenia patients. When subscales of SCI were examined separately in schizophrenic patients, negative correlations were observed between the social cognition score and the volumes of the left posterior superior temporal region, and between social motivation and the posterior cingulate cortex.ConclusionWe found significant negative correlation between the SCI score and the grey matter volume in the left posterior superior temporal region of schizophrenia patients. This area was the region affected in previous studies of autistic spectrum disorders. Further, this area was associated with the theory of mind. Schizophrenia patients not necessarily show the impairment of SCI, nor this correlated region was not always the point with schizophrenia-specific change. However, we reveal the relationship between the left posterior superior temporal gyrus and the severity of the SCI in schizophrenia by using with SRS-A.
Crystal structure of Zen4 in the apo state reveals a missing conformation of kinesin
Authors: Guan Ruifang , Zhang Lei , Su Qian Peter , Mickolajczyk Keith J. , Chen Geng-Yuan , Hancock William O. , Sun Yujie , Zhao Yongfang , Chen Zhucheng 
Published: April 2017

AbstractKinesins hydrolyse ATP to transport intracellular cargoes along microtubules. Kinesin neck linker (NL) functions as the central mechano-chemical coupling element by changing its conformation through the ATPase cycle. Here we report the crystal structure of kinesin-6 Zen4 in a nucleotide-free, apo state, with the NL initial segment (NIS) adopting a backward-docked conformation and the preceding α6 helix partially melted. Single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) analyses indicate the NIS of kinesin-1 undergoes similar conformational changes under tension in the two-head bound (2HB) state, whereas it is largely disordered without tension. The backward-docked structure of NIS is essential for motility of the motor. Our findings reveal a key missing conformation of kinesins, which provides the structural basis of the stable 2HB state and offers a tension-based rationale for an optimal NL length to ensure processivity of the motor.
Endothelial LRP1 regulates metabolic responses by acting as a co-activator of PPARγ
Authors: Mao Hua , Lockyer Pamela , Li Luge , Ballantyne Christie M. , Patterson Cam , Xie Liang , Pi Xinchun 
Published: April 2017

AbstractLow-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) regulates lipid and glucose metabolism in liver and adipose tissue. It is also involved in central nervous system regulation of food intake and leptin signalling. Here we demonstrate that endothelial Lrp1 regulates systemic energy homeostasis. Mice with endothelial-specific Lrp1 deletion display improved glucose sensitivity and lipid profiles combined with increased oxygen consumption during high-fat-diet-induced obesity. We show that the intracellular domain of Lrp1 interacts with the nuclear receptor Pparγ, a central regulator of lipid and glucose metabolism, acting as its transcriptional co-activator in endothelial cells. Therefore, Lrp1 not only acts as an endocytic receptor but also directly participates in gene transcription. Our findings indicate an underappreciated functional role of endothelium in maintaining systemic energy homeostasis.
Olive oil in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies and intervention trials
Authors: Schwingshackl L , Lampousi A-M , Portillo M P , Romaguera D , Hoffmann G , Boeing H 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Background/Objectives:
Olive oil (OO) as food is composed mainly of fatty acids and bioactive compounds depending from the extraction method. Both had been discussed as health promoting with still open questions. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to illustrate the impact of this food on type 2 diabetes (T2D) by investigating the association between OO intake and risk of T2D, and the effect of OO intake in the management of T2D.

Subjects/Methods:
Searches were performed in PubMed, Cochrane Library and google scholar. First, we conducted a random effect meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies and trials investigating the association between OO and risk of T2D. Second, a meta-analysis was performed to detect the effects of olive oil on glycemic control in patients with T2D.

Results:
Four cohort studies including 15 784 T2D cases and 29 trials were included in the meta-analysis. The highest OO intake category showed a 16% reduced risk of T2D (RR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.92) compared with the lowest. However, we observed evidence for a nonlinear relationship. In T2D patients OO supplementation resulted in a significantly more pronounced reduction in HbA1c (MD: −0.27%; 95% CI: −0.37, −0.17) and fasting plasma glucose (MD: −0.44 mmol l−1; 95% CI −0.66, −0.22) as compared with the control groups.

Conclusions:
This meta-analysis provides evidence that the intake of OO could be beneficial for the prevention and management of T2D. This conclusion regards OO as food, and might not been valid for single components comprising this food.
Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and association with metabolic syndrome in a Qatari population
Authors: Al-Dabhani K , Tsilidis K K , Murphy N , Ward H A , Elliott P , Riboli E , Gunter M , Tzoulaki I 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Objectives:
Despite long hours of sunlight in Qatar and other regions of the Middle East, vitamin D deficiency has been rising. In parallel, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome has also been increasing in Qatar. Vitamin D levels have been associated with metabolic syndrome but the data are inconsistent and no studies have addressed these inter-relationships in a Middle Eastern population where the prevalence of these conditions is high. The objective is to investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its association with metabolic syndrome and its components in the Qatar Biobank population.

Methods:
A cross-sectional study of 1205 participants (702 women and 503 men) from the Qatar Biobank, comprising Qataris and non-Qataris between the ages of 18 and 80 years, was used to perform multivariate linear regression analyses to examine the association between metabolic syndrome and prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (defined as <20 ng ml−1 serum vitamin D levels) adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, season of blood collection, physical activity and education. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for all analyses.

Results:
Approximately 64% of participants were vitamin D deficient (<20 ng ml−1) with more men being deficient (68.6%) than women (61.3%). Serum vitamin D was 8% lower in individuals with metabolic syndrome (RR: 0.92, 95%CI: 0.87–0.98, P-value: 0.01) compared to individuals without metabolic syndrome. Waist circumference and HDL as well as high triglyceride levels were also significantly positively associated with vitamin D deficiency. No association was found between the other components of metabolic syndrome or diabetes and the presence of vitamin D deficiency.

Conclusions:
Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in this Qatari population. Presence of metabolic syndrome was associated with presence of vitamin D deficiency. Future prospective studies need to be conducted to investigate the potential for causality.
The role of sex and body weight on the metabolic effects of high-fat diet in C57BL/6N mice
Authors: Ingvorsen C , Karp N A , Lelliott C J 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Background:
Metabolic disorders are commonly investigated using knockout and transgenic mouse models on the C57BL/6N genetic background due to its genetic susceptibility to the deleterious metabolic effects of high-fat diet (HFD). There is growing awareness of the need to consider sex in disease progression, but limited attention has been paid to sexual dimorphism in mouse models and its impact in metabolic phenotypes. We assessed the effect of HFD and the impact of sex on metabolic variables in this strain.

Methods:
We generated a reference data set encompassing glucose tolerance, body composition and plasma chemistry data from 586 C57BL/6N mice fed a standard chow and 733 fed a HFD collected as part of a high-throughput phenotyping pipeline. Linear mixed model regression analysis was used in a dual analysis to assess the effect of HFD as an absolute change in phenotype, but also as a relative change accounting for the potential confounding effect of body weight.

Results:
HFD had a significant impact on all variables tested with an average absolute effect size of 29%. For the majority of variables (78%), the treatment effect was modified by sex and this was dominated by male-specific or a male stronger effect. On average, there was a 13.2% difference in the effect size between the male and female mice for sexually dimorphic variables. HFD led to a significant body weight phenotype (24% increase), which acts as a confounding effect on the other analysed variables. For 79% of the variables, body weight was found to be a significant source of variation, but even after accounting for this confounding effect, similar HFD-induced phenotypic changes were found to when not accounting for weight.

Conclusion:
HFD and sex are powerful modifiers of metabolic parameters in C57BL/6N mice. We also demonstrate the value of considering body size as a covariate to obtain a richer understanding of metabolic phenotypes.
Phenotypic profiling of CFTR modulators in patient-derived respiratory epithelia
Authors: Ahmadi Saumel , Bozoky Zoltan , Di Paola Michelle , Xia Sunny , Li Canhui , Wong Amy P. , Wellhauser Leigh , Molinski Steven V. , Ip Wan , Ouyang Hong , Avolio Julie , Forman-Kay Julie D. , Ratjen Felix , Hirota Jeremy A. , Rommens Johanna , Rossant Janet , Gonska Tanja , Moraes Theo J. , Bear Christine E. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractPulmonary disease is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis, a disease caused by mutations in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene. Heterogeneity in CFTR genotype–phenotype relationships in affected individuals plus the escalation of drug discovery targeting specific mutations highlights the need to develop robust in vitro platforms with which to stratify therapeutic options using relevant tissue. Toward this goal, we adapted a fluorescence plate reader assay of apical CFTR-mediated chloride conductance to enable profiling of a panel of modulators on primary nasal epithelial cultures derived from patients bearing different CFTR mutations. This platform faithfully recapitulated patient-specific responses previously observed in the “gold-standard” but relatively low-throughput Ussing chamber. Moreover, using this approach, we identified a novel strategy with which to augment the response to an approved drug in specific patients. In proof of concept studies, we also validated the use of this platform in measuring drug responses in lung cultures differentiated from cystic fibrosis iPS cells. Taken together, we show that this medium throughput assay of CFTR activity has the potential to stratify cystic fibrosis patient-specific responses to approved drugs and investigational compounds in vitro in primary and iPS cell-derived airway cultures.
Development and outcomes of a primary care-based sleep assessment service in Canterbury, New Zealand
Authors: Epton Michael J. , Kelly Paul T. , Shand Brett I. , Powell Sallyanne V. , Jones Judith N. , McGeoch Graham R. B. , Hlavac Michael C. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractPrior to 2007, increasing demand for sleep services, plus inability to adequately triage severity, led to long delays in sleep assessment and accessing continuous positive airway pressure. We established a community sleep assessment service carried out by trained general practices using a standardised tool and overnight oximetry. All cases were discussed at a multi-disciplinary meeting, with four outcomes: severe obstructive sleep apnoea treated with continuous positive airway pressure; investigation with more complex studies; sleep physician appointment; no or non-severe sleep disorder for general practitioner management. Assessment numbers increased steadily (~400 in 2007 vs. 1400 in 2015). Median time from referral to assessment and multi-disciplinary meeting was 28 and 48 days, respectively. After the first multi-disciplinary meeting, 23% of cases were assessed as having severe obstructive sleep apnoea. More complex studies (mostly flow based) were required in 49% of patients, identifying severe obstructive sleep apnoea in a further 13%. Thirty-seven percent of patients had obstructive sleep apnoea severe enough to qualify for funded treatment. Forty-eight percent of patients received a definitive answer from the first multi-disciplinary meeting. Median time from referral to continuous positive airway pressure for ‘at risk’ patients with severe obstructive sleep apnoea, e.g., commercial drivers, was 49 days, while patients with severe obstructive sleep apnoea but not ‘at risk’ waited 261 days for continuous positive airway pressure. Ten percent of patients required polysomnography, and 4% saw a sleep specialist. In conclusion, establishment of a community sleep assessment service and sleep multi-disciplinary meeting led to significantly more assessments, with short waiting times for treatment, especially in high-risk patients with severe obstructive sleep apnoea. Most patients can be assessed without more complex studies or face-to-face review by a sleep specialist.
Examining gray matter structure associated with academic performance in a large sample of Chinese high school students
Authors: Wang Song , Zhou Ming , Chen Taolin , Yang Xun , Chen Guangxiang , Wang Meiyun , Gong Qiyong 
Published: April 2017

AbstractAchievement in school is crucial for students to be able to pursue successful careers and lead happy lives in the future. Although many psychological attributes have been found to be associated with academic performance, the neural substrates of academic performance remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the relationship between brain structure and academic performance in a large sample of high school students via structural magnetic resonance imaging (S-MRI) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) approach. The whole-brain regression analyses showed that higher academic performance was related to greater regional gray matter density (rGMD) of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which is considered a neural center at the intersection of cognitive and non-cognitive functions. Furthermore, mediation analyses suggested that general intelligence partially mediated the impact of the left DLPFC density on academic performance. These results persisted even after adjusting for the effect of family socioeconomic status (SES). In short, our findings reveal a potential neuroanatomical marker for academic performance and highlight the role of general intelligence in explaining the relationship between brain structure and academic performance.