bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of IL‐25 and allergen‐induced airway fibrosis in a murine model of asthma
Authors: Yao Xiujuan , Wang Wei , Li Yan , Lv Zhe , Guo Run , Corrigan Chris J , Ding Gang , Huang Kewu , Sun Yongchang , Ying Sun 
Published: April 2015

AbstractBackground and objectiveInterleukin (IL)‐25 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of human asthma by inducing a Th2 cytokine response, but its possible role in the development of airway remodelling is less clear.MethodsWe developed a murine surrogate of chronic airway inflammation induced by intranasal application of IL‐25 alone. Comparison was with the ‘classical’ surrogate of ovalbumin (OVA) intranasal instillation into previously sensitized animals. Airway fibrotic biomarkers were analysed by immunohistochemistry and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Additionally, proliferation assay and real‐time polymerase chain reaction analysis were performed to assess IL‐25's effects on primary human bronchial fibroblasts in vitro.ResultsIn Balb/c mice, intranasal instillation of IL‐25 alone induced florid airway fibrosis, including increased lay down of extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen I, III, V and fibronectin, increased numbers of fibroblasts/myofibroblasts, a profibrotic imbalance in matrix metalloproteinase/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase production and increased expression of profibrotic mediators including connective tissue growth factor and transforming growth factor‐β1. These changes broadly reproduced those seen with classical intranasal OVA challenge in OVA‐sensitized animals. Furthermore, IL‐25 induced proliferation and expression of collagen I and III and smooth muscle α‐actin in primary human lung fibroblasts.ConclusionsWe conclude that chronic exposure of the airways to IL‐25 alone is sufficient to cause functionally relevant airway remodelling, with the corollary that targeting of IL‐25 may attenuate bronchial remodelling and fibrosis in human asthmatics.
First‐Hand Experience and Second‐Hand Information: Changing Trust across Three Levels of Government
Authors: Reinhardt Gina Yannitell 
Published: April 2015

AbstractLittle is known about how different sources of information drive citizen trust in government. To address that gap this article compares disaster evacuees to observers, noting how trust differs as attention to media coverage increases. First‐hand experience supplies information to update trust through biological and personal processes and performance assessments, while secondary sources provide information about other people's experiences, filtered through lenses that take an active role in crafting information. These two types of information have varying effects depending on the level of government being trusted. Using surveys administered a year after Hurricane Katrina, I find that Katrina evacuees have the highest trust in federal government, until they start paying attention to media coverage, and that attention to coverage has the most dramatic effect on these evacuees compared to all other groups. I also find that increasing attention to second‐hand information corresponds with higher trust in local officials, and that this effect decreases as the level of government increases. It appears media coverage creates a comparison in the mind of hurricane evacuees, causing them to update their performance assessments based on comparing their own experience to that which they observe, thereby updating their political trust.
Probabilistic Principal Component Analysis to Identify Profiles of Physical Activity Behaviours in the Presence of Non-Ignorable Missing Data
Authors: Geraci Marco , Farcomeni Alessio 
Published: April 2015

SummaryThe paper is motivated by an accelerometer-based study of physical activity (PA) behaviours in a large cohort of UK school-aged children. Advances in research on PA are accompanied by a growing number of results that are contributing to form a complex picture of PA behaviours in children. One source of such complexity is intimately related to the multiplicity of dimensions associated with PA. Currently a comprehensive individual accelerometer summary can include a large number of outcomes and this clearly poses challenges for the analysis. We explore the application of principal component analysis to accelerometer measurements that are aggregated daily over several days of the week and are affected by missingness. The probabilistic approach to principal component analysis with latent scores is extended to include non-ignorable missing data. The extended likelihood is maximized through a Monte Carlo EM algorithm via adaptive rejection Metropolis sampling. Our findings suggest that physical activity and inactivity are two dimensions over which children aggregate into distinct behavioural profiles, characterized by gender and season but not by anthropometric factors.
Statements about true and false intentions: Using the Cognitive Interview to magnify the differences
Authors: Sooniste Tuule , Granhag Pär Anders , Strömwall Leif A. , Vrij Aldert 
Published: April 2015

This study investigates the combined effect of the Cognitive Interview (CI) and the unanticipated questions approach on the magnitude of the elicited cues to true and false intentions. The participants (N = 125) planned for either a mock crime or a non‐criminal event, half of them were interviewed with a standard interview (SI) and half with theCI. All participants were asked one set of questions targeting their intentions (anticipated questions) and one set of questions targeting the phase in which they planned their stated intentions (unanticipated questions). As predicted, the questions about the planning phase were perceived as unanticipated by both liars and truth‐tellers. Furthermore, and as predicted, the truth‐tellers' (vs. the liars') answers to the unanticipated questions were significantly more detailed. Importantly, and in line with our predictions, for the answers given to questions about the planning‐phase, liars and truth‐tellers differed more clearly in theCI‐condition than in theSI‐condition, indicating that theCIindeed magnified the differences between liars and truth‐tellers. In addition, and as predicted, the truth‐tellers' (vs. the liars') descriptions of their intentions were more characterized by information related to how to attain the stated goal.
Estimation of the infectious viral load required for transfusion‐transmitted human T‐lymphotropic virus type 1 infection (TT‐HTLV‐1) and of the effectiveness of leukocyte reduction in preventing TT‐HTLV‐1
Authors: Sobata R. , Matsumoto C. , Uchida S. , Suzuki Y. , Satake M. , Tadokoro K. 
Published: April 2015

Background and ObjectivesThe risk of transfusion‐transmitted human T‐lymphotropic virus type 1 infection (TT‐HTLV‐1) after prestorage leucocyte reduction (LR) remains unknown, as the proviral load in the blood component that would cause TT‐HTLV‐1 is undetermined. On the basis of the distribution of HTLV‐1 proviral load among HTLV‐1‐sero‐positive blood donors, we attempted to estimate the proviral load for transfusion‐related infectivity. We also discuss the effectiveness of LR in preventing TT‐HTLV‐1.Materials and MethodsThe HTLV‐1 proviral load in 300 HTLV‐1‐sero‐positive blood donors was determined by real‐time polymerase chain reaction analysis. The proviral load required for transfusion‐related infectivity was estimated using historical TT‐HTLV‐1 frequency data from a retrospective study on patients who had received blood from HTLV‐1‐sero‐positive blood donors and the distribution pattern of HTLV‐1 proviral load among blood donors.ResultsHTLV‐1 proviral loads ranged between <0·01 and 25·0 copies per 100 leucocytes. Historical data showed TT‐HTLV‐1 frequency to be 80%. Assuming that 80% of the 300 sero‐positive samples are infectious, it is estimated that the transfer of ≥9 × 104 cells containing the HTLV‐1 provirus is required to establish TT‐HTLV‐1.ConclusionThe residual number of HTLV‐1‐infected cells after LR is substantially lower than the viral load necessary for TT‐HTLV‐1. LR therefore appears to be effective in minimizing the incidence of TT‐HTLV‐1.
Function of the M1 π‐helix in endplate receptor activation and desensitization
Authors: Purohit Prasad , Chakraborty Srirupa , Auerbach Anthony 
Published: April 2015

Key points
A conserved proline in M1 causes a kink between α and π helical segments.
The kink is under greater tension in the resting versus active conformation.
The kink and the agonist do not interact directly.
The π‐helix separates the gating functions of the extracellular and transmembrane domains.
Mutations of the conserved proline and propofol increase desensitization.
AbstractNicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) switch on/off to generate transient membrane currents (C↔O; closed‐open ‘gating’) and enter/recover from long‐lived, refractory states (O↔D; ‘desensitization’). The M1 transmembrane helix of the muscle endplate AChR is linked to a β‐strand of the extracellular domain that extends to a neurotransmitter binding site. We used electrophysiology to measure the effects of mutations of amino acids that are located at a proline kink in M1 that separates π and α helices, in both α (N217, V218 and P221) and non‐α subunits. In related receptors, the kink is straighter and more stable in O vs. C structures (gating is ‘spring‐loaded’). None of the AChR kink mutations had a measureable effect on agonist affinity but many influenced the allosteric gating constant substantially. Side chains in the M1 α‐helix experience extraordinarily large energy differences between C and O structures, probably because of a ∼2 Å displacement and tilt of M2 relative to M1. There is a discrete break in the character of the gating transition state between αN217 and αV218, indicating that the π‐helix is a border between extracellular‐ and transmembrane‐domain function. Mutations of the conserved M1 proline, and the anaesthetic propofol, increase a rate constant for desensitization. The results suggest that straightening of the M1 proline kink triggers AChR desensitization.
Salt Water Aerosol Separator Development
Authors: Kaufman R. E. 
Published: April 2015

• Sea salt in oil can contribute to an unacceptable concentration of sea salt in the combustion gases of naval gas turbines, so fuel-oil cleanliness requires increased emphasis in gas turbine practices.
• Sea salt in air can be a very large contributor to unacceptable sea salt concentrations in the gases of the naval gas turbine. Efforts toward the reduction or elimination of this are:
(a) The determination of definition of “maximum acceptable concentration.”
(b) The determination or definition of “maximum expected concentration.”
(c) To make emphatic the importance of particle-size distribution, as well as quantity, of sea salt in air to the problem of separation.
(d) The evaluation of a number of prototype or commercial separators.
(e) The determination of scale-up factors for full-scale designs of separators.
(f) The actual preparation of drawings and specifications for a full-scale separator system.
Isokinetic Rotator Cuff Functional Ratios and the Development of Shoulder Injury in Collegiate Baseball Pitchers
Authors: Vogelpohl Rachele E. , Kollock Roger O. 
Published: April 2015

Context:Shoulder injury in baseball pitchers is a very common problem and has been linked to an imbalance in rotator cuff strength. Recently, the use of functional shoulder strength ratios has become more popular because they more closely resemble the actions of the shoulder during the throwing motion.Objective:To investigate the link between preseason shoulder rotator cuff functional strength ratios and the development of shoulder pain and injury.Design:Prospective research design.Setting:University human performance laboratory.Patients:Fifteen collegiate baseball pitchers participated in this study. At the end of the baseball season, six (19.5 ± 1.8 years, 73.6 ± 2.8 inches, 198.7 ± 19.1 lbs) developed shoulder injury and were placed in the injured group, and nine (21.0 ± 1.7 years, 73.1 ± 2.3 inches, 207.9 ± 28.1 lbs) did not develop injury and were placed in the noninjured group.Interventions:Isokinetic peak torque was collected concentrically and eccentrically for both shoulder internal rotation (IR) and external rotation (ER) at 60°-s−1, 180°-s−1, and 300°-s−1.Main Outcome Measure:The following functional ratios were calculated from the peak torque measures: concentric ER: concentric IR; eccentric ER: eccentric IR; concentric ER: eccentric IR (cocking phase); and eccentric ER: concentric IR (acceleration phase). Analysis was conducted using an analysis of variance comparing the injured and noninjured groups. A secondary analysis was conducted using an analyses of variance on the concentric and eccentric peak torque for shoulder IR and ER between groups.Results:The acceleration phase functional shoulder ratio was significantly higher (p = .019) in the injured group and a concentric IR peak torque (p = .003) was significantly lower in the injured group compared with the noninjured group.conclusion:Increased acceleration phase ratios and decreased concentric IR peak torque may be linked to the development of shoulder injury during a baseball season.
Accelerating extinction risk from climate change
Authors: Urban Mark C. 
Published: April 2015

Predicting extinction in a changing world
There is great interest in understanding how species might respond to our changing climate, but predictions have varied greatly. Urban looked at over 130 studies to identify the level of risk that climate change poses to species and the specific traits and characteristics that contribute to risk (see the Perspective by Hille Ris Lambers). If climate changes proceed as expected, one in six species could face extinction. Several regions, including South America, Australia, and New Zealand, face the greatest risk. Understanding these patterns will help us to prepare for, and hopefully prevent, climate-related loss of biodiversity.

Science
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571
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501
Comparison of Two Commercial Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus IgG Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays
Authors: Weissbach Fabian H. , Hirsch Hans H. 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACTDespite the availability of protective vaccines, tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) infections have been increasingly reported to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in the past 2 decades. Since the diagnosis of TBEV exposure relies on serological testing, we compared two commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), i.e., Immunozym FSME IgG assay (ELISA-1) and Euroimmun FSME Vienna IgG assay (ELISA-2). Both assays use whole TBEV antigens, but they differ in viral strains (Neudoerfl for ELISA-1 and K23 for ELISA-2) and cutoff values. In testing of samples from 398 healthy blood donors, ELISA-1 showed higher reactivity levels than ELISA-2 (P< 0.001), suggesting different assay properties. This finding was supported by Bland-Altman analysis of the optical density at 450 nm (OD450) (mean bias, +0.32 [95% limits of agreement, −0.31 to +0.95]) and persisted after transformation into Vienna units. Concordant results were observed for 276 sera (69%) (44 positive and 232 negative results). Discordant results were observed for 122 sera (31%); 15 were fully discordant, all being ELISA-1 positive and ELISA-2 negative, and 107 were partially discordant (101 being ELISA-1 indeterminate and ELISA-2 negative and 6 having positive or indeterminate reactivity in both ELISAs). Neutralization testing at a 1:10 dilution yielded positive results for 33 of 44 concordant positive sera, 1 of 15 fully discordant sera, and 1 of 33 partially discordant sera. Indirect immunofluorescence testing revealed high antibody titers of ≥100 for yellow fever virus in 18 cases and for dengue virus in one case, suggesting that cross-reactivity contributed to the ELISA-1 results. We conclude that (i) cross-reactivity among flaviviruses remains a limitation of TBEV serological testing, (ii) ELISA-2 revealed reasonable sensitivity and specificity for anti-TBEV IgG population screening of human sera, and (iii) neutralization testing is most specific and should be reserved for selective questions.
Loss of Immunization-Induced Epitope-Specific CD4 T-Cell Response following Anaplasma marginale Infection Requires Presence of the T-Cell Epitope on the Pathogen and Is Not Associated with an Increase in Lymphocytes Expressing Known Regulatory Cell Phenotypes
Authors: Brown Wendy C. , Turse Joshua E. , Lawrence Paulraj K. , Johnson Wendell C. , Scoles Glen A. , Deringer James R. , Sutten Eric L. , Han Sushan , Norimine Junzo 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACTWe have shown that in cattle previously immunized with outer membrane proteins, infection withAnaplasma marginaleinduces a functionally exhausted CD4 T-cell response to theA. marginaleimmunogen. Furthermore, T-cell responses following infection in nonimmunized cattle had a delayed onset and were sporadic and transient during persistent infection. The induction of an exhausted T-cell response following infection presumably facilitates pathogen persistence. In the current study, we hypothesized that the loss of epitope-specific T-cell responses requires the presence of the immunizing epitope on the pathogen, and T-cell dysfunction correlates with the appearance of regulatory T cells. In limited studies in cattle, regulatory T cells have been shown to belong to γδ T-cell subsets rather than be CD4 T cells expressing forkhead box protein P3 (FoxP3). Cattle expressing the DRB3*1101 haplotype were immunized with a truncatedA. marginalemajor surface protein (MSP) 1a that contains a DRB3*1101-restricted CD4 T-cell epitope, F2-5B. Cattle either remained unchallenged or were challenged withA. marginalebacteria that express the epitope or withA. marginalesubsp.centralethat do not. Peripheral blood and spleen mononuclear cells were monitored for MSP1a epitope F2-5B-specfic T-cell proliferative responses and were stained for γδ T-cell subsets or CD4+CD25+FoxP3+T cells before and during infection. As hypothesized, the induction of T-cell exhaustion occurred only following infection withA. marginale, which did not correlate with an increase in either CD4+CD25+FoxP3+T cells or any γδ T-cell subset examined.
Assessment of Reproducibility of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry for Bacterial and Yeast Identification
Authors: Westblade Lars F. , Garner Omai B. , MacDonald Karen , Bradford Constance , Pincus David H. , Mochon A. Brian , Jennemann Rebecca , Manji Ryhana , Bythrow Maureen , Lewinski Michael A. , Burnham Carey-Ann D. , Ginocchio Christine C. 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACT
Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) has revolutionized the identification of clinical bacterial and yeast isolates. However, data describing the reproducibility of MALDI-TOF MS for microbial identification are scarce. In this study, we show that MALDI-TOF MS-based microbial identification is highly reproducible and can tolerate numerous variables, including differences in testing environments, instruments, operators, reagent lots, and sample positioning patterns. Finally, we reveal that samples of bacterial and yeast isolates prepared for MALDI-TOF MS identification can be repeatedly analyzed without compromising organism identification.
Highly Pathogenic New World and Old World Human Arenaviruses Induce Distinct Interferon Responses in Human Cells
Authors: Huang Cheng , Kolokoltsova Olga A. , Yun Nadezhda E. , Seregin Alexey V. , Ronca Shannon , Koma Takaaki , Paessler Slobodan 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACT
The arenavirus family includes several important pathogens that cause severe and sometimes fatal diseases in humans. The highly pathogenic Old World (OW) arenavirus Lassa fever virus (LASV) is the causative agent of Lassa fever (LF) disease in humans. LASV infections in severe cases are generally immunosuppressive without stimulating interferon (IFN) induction, a proinflammatory response, or T cell activation. However, the host innate immune responses to highly pathogenic New World (NW) arenaviruses are not well understood. We have previously shown that the highly pathogenic NW arenavirus, Junin virus (JUNV), induced an IFN response in human A549 cells. Here, we report that Machupo virus (MACV), another highly pathogenic NW arenavirus, also induces an IFN response. Importantly, both pathogenic NW arenaviruses, in contrast to the OW highly pathogenic arenavirus LASV, readily elicited an IFN response in human primary dendritic cells and A549 cells. Coinfection experiments revealed that LASV could potently inhibit MACV-activated IFN responses even at 6 h after MACV infection, while the replication levels of MACV and LASV were not affected by virus coinfection. Our results clearly demonstrated that although all viruses studied herein are highly pathogenic to humans, the host IFN responses toward infections with the NW arenaviruses JUNV and MACV are quite different from responses to infections with the OW arenavirus LASV, a discovery that needs to be further investigated in relevant animal models. This finding might help us better understand various interplays between the host immune system and highly pathogenic arenaviruses as well as distinct mechanisms underlying viral pathogenesis.

IMPORTANCE
Infections of humans with the highly pathogenic OW LASV are accompanied by potent suppression of interferon or proinflammatory cytokine production. In contrast, infections with the highly pathogenic NW arenavirus JUNV are associated with high levels of IFNs and cytokines in severe and fatal cases. Arenaviruses initially target macrophages and dendritic cells, which are potent IFN/cytokine-producers. In human macrophages, JUNV reportedly does not trigger IFN responses. We here demonstrated that JUNV activated IFN responses in human dendritic cells. MACV, another highly pathogenic NW arenavirus, also activated IFN responses. LASV did not induce detectable IFN responses, in spite of higher replication levels, and blocked the MACV-triggered IFN response in a coinfection assay. Although these viruses are highly pathogenic to humans, our study highlights distinct innate immune responses to infections with the NW arenaviruses JUNV and MACV and to infection with the OW arenavirus LASV and provides important insights into the virus-host interaction and pathogenesis.