bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
BnaC4.BOR2 mediates boron uptake and translocation in Brassica napus under boron deficiency
Authors: Liu Wei , Xu Fangsen , Ye Xiangsheng , Cai Hongmei , Shi Lei , Wang Sheliang 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBoron (B) is an essential microelement in plant growth and development. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying B uptake and translocation in Brassica napus are poorly understood. Herein, we identified a low‐B (LB)‐inducible gene, namely BnaC4.BOR2, with high transcriptional activity in root tips, stele cells, leaves, and floral organs. The green fluorescence protein labelled BnaC4.BOR2 protein was localised to the plasma membrane to demonstrate the B efflux activity in yeast and Arabidopsis. BnaC4.BOR2 knockout considerably reduced B concentration in the root and xylem sap, and altered B distribution in different organs at low B supply, exacerbating B sensitivity at the vegetative and reproductive stages. Additionally, the grafting experiment showed that BnaC4.BOR2 expression in the roots contributed more to B deficiency adaptability than that in the shoots. The pot experiments with LB‐soil revealed B concentration in leaves and siliques of BnaC4.BOR2 mutants were markedly reduced, showing an obvious B‐deficient phenotype of ‘flowering without seed setting’ and a considerable reduction in seed yield in B‐deficient soil. Altogether, the findings of this study highlight the crucial role of BnaC4.BOR2 in B uptake and translocation during B. napus growth and seed yield under LB conditions.
BnTX1–BnNCED3 interaction contributes to the ABA biosynthesis response in the Brassica napus–Leptosphaeria maculans pathosystem
Authors: Zou Zhongwei , Liu Fei , Huang Shuanglong , Fernando W. G. Dilantha 
Published: May 2024

AbstractAbscisic acid (ABA) plays multiple and pivotal roles in plant defence against abiotic and biotic stresses. Blackleg, mainly caused by the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, is one of the most devastating diseases in canola (Brassica napus) resulting in significant yield loss worldwide. Few studies have investigated the function of ABA biosynthesis genes in response to fungal pathogens. In this study, we identified and characterized BnNCED3 (9‐cis‐epoxycarotenoid dioxygenease) and BnTX1 (trithorax‐like factor) from B. napus. Transgenic B. napus ‘Westar’ plants overexpressing BnNCED3 showed enhanced adult plant resistance to blackleg infection. Chromatin immunoprecipitation‐quantitative PCR demonstrated that BnTX1 bound to the promoter region of the BnNCED3 gene. However, the overexpression of BnTX1 in transgenic plants decreased adult plant resistance to blackleg pathogen infection. The expression analysis confirmed the abundance of BnNCED3 transcripts was higher in BnTX1‐RNAi knockdown plants than in overexpressing plants. Thus, BnTX1 might play a negative role in regulating BnNCED3 gene expression and hence ABA biosynthesis, thereby affecting plant disease resistance. Our study provides a new model demonstrating how increased ABA levels can enhance plant disease resistance, which may lead to the characterization of minor/quantitative genes in the B. napus–L. maculans interaction.
The relationship between workload and exercise‐induced cardiac troponin elevations is influenced by non‐obstructive coronary atherosclerosis
Authors: Bjorkavoll‐Bergseth Magnus , Erevik Christine , Kleiven Øyunn , Wiktorski Tomasz , Auestad Bjørn , Skadberg Øyvind , Aakre Kristin M. , Eijsvogels Thijs M. H. , Ørn Stein 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe relationship between exercise‐induced troponin elevation and non‐obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is unclear. This observational study assessed non‐obstructive CAD's impact on exercise‐induced cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) elevation in middle‐aged recreational athletes. cTnI levels of 40 well‐trained recreational athletes (73% males, 50 ± 9 years old) were assessed by a high‐sensitive cTnI assay 24 h before, and at 3 and 24 h following two high‐intensity exercises of different durations; a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), and a 91‐km mountain bike race. Workload was measured with power meters. Coronary computed tomography angiography was used to determine the presence or absence of non‐obstructive (<50% obstruction) CAD. A total of 15 individuals had non‐obstructive CAD (Atherosclerotic group), whereas 25 had no atherosclerosis (normal). There were higher post‐exercise cTnI levels following the race compared with CPET, both at 3 h (77.0 (35.3–112.4) ng/L vs. 11.6 (6.4–22.5) ng/L, p < 0.001) and at 24 h (14.7 (6.7–16.3) vs. 5.0 (2.6–8.9) ng/L, p < 0.001). Absolute cTnI values did not differ among groups. Still, the association of cTnI response to power output was significantly stronger in the CAD versus Normal group both at 3 h post‐exercise (Rho = 0.80, p < 0.001 vs. Rho = −0.20, p = 0.33) and 24‐h post‐exercise (Rho = 0.87, p < 0.001 vs. Rho = −0.13, p = 0.55). Exercise‐induced cTnI elevation was strongly correlated with exercise workload in middle‐aged athletes with non‐obstructive CAD but not in individuals without CAD. This finding suggests that CAD influences the relationship between exercise workload and the cTnI response even without coronary artery obstruction.
Comparative efficacy and safety of the treatment by Omalizumab for chronic idiopathic urticaria in the general population: A systematic review and network meta‐analysis
Authors: Xu Lan , Yu Han , Xu Shengxian , Wang Yingjun , Cao Yi 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBackgroundOmalizumab is the only licensed drug that serves as a third‐line treatment for chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). The optimum doses of omalizumab remain controversial. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the efficacy and safety of different doses of omalizumab in the treatment of CIU patients.Materials and methodsFour databases were searched from the database's creation to April 8, 2023. Several keywords such as omalizumab and urticarias were used to retrieve related studies. The meta‐analytical outcomes were analyzed in R 4.2.1 software and Stata 15.1 software. Cochrane risk‐of‐bias tool Ver. 2 was used to evaluate the risk of bias in randomized controlled trials (RCTs).ResultsIn total, 2331 patients were included. Five indexes were employed to assess, including weekly Itch Severity Score (ISS7), weekly Hive Severity Score (HSS7), weekly Urticaria Activity Score (UAS7), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and adverse events (AE). A 300 mg dose of omalizumab was the optimum dose to treat CIU, followed by the 150 mg dose. Furthermore, 600 mg of omalizumab only showed a significant difference from the placebo in HSS7. No significant statistical difference was observed in AE. Meta‐regression analysis revealed that time, as a covariate, was statistically significant in the comparison of omalizumab 150 mg with placebo.Conclusion300 mg of omalizumab was the optimum dosage to treat CIU patients, with a 150 mg dose also exhibiting good efficacy. Further studies are required to explore the efficacy and safety of different doses of omalizumab in the treatment of CIU patients.
Apolipoprotein E2 Expression Alters Endosomal Pathways in a Mouse Model With Increased Brain Exosome Levels During Aging
Authors: Peng Katherine Y. , Liemisa Braison , Pasato Jonathan , D'Acunzo Pasquale , Pawlik Monika , Heguy Adriana , Penikalapati Sai C. , Labuza Amanda , Pidikiti Harshitha , Alldred Melissa J. , Ginsberg Stephen D. , Levy Efrat , Mathews Paul M. 
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACTThe polymorphic APOE gene is the greatest genetic determinant of sporadic Alzheimer's disease risk: the APOE4 allele increases risk, while the APOE2 allele is neuroprotective compared with the risk‐neutral APOE3 allele. The neuronal endosomal system is inherently vulnerable during aging, and APOE4 exacerbates this vulnerability by driving an enlargement of early endosomes and reducing exosome release in the brain of humans and mice. We hypothesized that the protective effects of APOE2 are, in part, mediated through the endosomal pathway. Messenger RNA analyses showed that APOE2 leads to an enrichment of endosomal pathways in the brain when compared with both APOE3 and APOE4. Moreover, we show age‐dependent alterations in the recruitment of key endosomal regulatory proteins to vesicle compartments when comparing APOE2 to APOE3. In contrast to the early endosome enlargement previously shown in Alzheimer's disease and APOE4 models, we detected similar morphology and abundance of early endosomes and retromer‐associated vesicles within cortical neurons of aged APOE2 targeted‐replacement mice compared with APOE3. Additionally, we observed increased brain extracellular levels of endosome‐derived exosomes in APOE2 compared with APOE3 mice during aging, consistent with enhanced endosomal cargo clearance by exosomes to the extracellular space. Our findings thus demonstrate that APOE2 enhances an endosomal clearance pathway, which has been shown to be impaired by APOE4 and which may be protective due to APOE2 expression during brain aging.
Disease severity in subsequent pregnancies with RhD immunization: A nationwide cohort
Authors: Zwiers Carolien , Slootweg Yolentha M. , Koelewijn Joke M. , Ligthart Peter C. , van der Bom Johanna G. , van Kamp Inge L. , Lopriore Enrico , van der Schoot C. Ellen , Oepkes Dick , de Haas Masja 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesTo evaluate the severity of haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn (HDFN) in subsequent pregnancies with RhD immunization and to identify predictive factors for severe disease.Materials and MethodsNationwide prospective cohort study, including all pregnant women with RhD antibodies. All women with at least two pregnancies with RhD antibodies and RhD‐positive foetuses were selected. The main outcome measure was the severity of HDFN in the first and subsequent pregnancy at risk. A subgroup analysis was performed for the group of women where RhD antibodies developed after giving birth to an RhD‐positive child and thus after receiving anti‐D at least twice (group A) or during the first pregnancy at risk for immunization (group B).ResultsSixty‐two RhD immunized women with a total of 150 RhD‐positive children were included. The severity of HDFN increased for the whole group significantly in the subsequent pregnancy (p < 0.001), although it remained equal or even decreased in 44% of women. When antibodies were already detected at first trimester screening in the first immunized pregnancy, after giving birth to an RhD‐positive child (group A), severe HDFN in the next pregnancy was uncommon (22%). Especially when no therapy or only non‐intensive phototherapy was indicated during the first immunized pregnancy (6%) or if the antibody‐dependent cell‐mediated cytotoxicity result remained <10%. Contrarily, women with a negative first trimester screening and RhD antibodies detected later during the first pregnancy of an RhD‐positive child (group B), often before they had ever received anti‐D prophylaxis, were most prone for severe disease in a subsequent pregnancy (48%).ConclusionRhD‐mediated HDFN in a subsequent pregnancy is generally more severe than in the first pregnancy at risk and can be estimated using moment of antibody detection and severity in the first immunized pregnancy. Women developing antibodies in their first pregnancy of an RhD‐positive child are at highest risk of severe disease in the next pregnancy.
The effect of anatomic location on porcine models of burn injury and wound healing
Authors: Liu Aiping , Cheong J. Z. Alex , Hassan Sameeha , Wielgat Matthew B. , Meudt Jennifer J. , Townsend Elizabeth Catherine , Shanmuganayagam Dhanansayan , Kalan Lindsay R. , Gibson Angela 
Published: May 2024

AbstractPorcine models are frequently used for burn healing studies; however, factors including anatomic location and lack of standardised wound methods can impact the interpretation of wound data. The objectives of this study are to examine the influence of anatomical locations on the uniformity of burn creation and healing in porcine burn models. To optimise burn parameters on dorsal and ventral surfaces, ex vivo and in situ euthanized animals were first used to examine the location‐dependence of the burn depth and contact time relationship. The location‐dependent healing in vivo was then examined using burn and excisional wounds at dorsal, ventral, caudal and cranial locations. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and H&E were used to assess burn depth and wound re‐epithelialization. We found that burn depth on the ventral skin was significantly deeper than that of the dorsal skin at identical thermal conditions. Compared with burns created ex vivo, burns created in situ immediately post‐mortem were significantly deeper in the ventral location. In live animals, 2 out of 12 burn wounds were fully re‐epithelialized after 14 days in contrast to complete re‐epithelialization of all excisional wounds. Among the burn wounds, those at the cranial‐dorsal site exhibited faster healing than at the caudal‐dorsal site. This study showed that anatomical location is an important consideration for the consistency of burn depth creation and healing. These data support symmetric localization of treatment and control for comparative assessment of burn healing in porcine models to prevent misinterpretation of results and increase the translatability of findings to humans.
Optimizing Coupled Fluid-Structure Simulations for Nuclear-Relevant Geometries
Authors: Vivaldi Daniele , Ricciardi Guillaume 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
The numerical simulation of fluid-structure interactions (FSI) has gained interest to study flow-induced vibrations. Nevertheless, the high computational resources required by such simulations can represent a significant limitation for their application to industrial configurations. Therefore, simplified modeling approaches, when physically applicable, can represent an interesting compromise. This can be the case of slender structures (tubes, rods) often encountered in nuclear power plants. In this paper, an Euler–Bernoulli beam finite element model is implemented inside the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code code_Saturne. With the goal of finding CFD methods less expensive than large eddy simulations (LES), unsteady Reynolds Navier–Stokes (URANS) and hybrid URANS/LES approaches are considered. The resulting fluid-structure model is able to calculate the vibration response of cantilever beams under a fluid flow, avoiding the necessity of CFD-finite element method (FEM) code coupling. The first part of the paper describes the model and its implementation: it allows to perform 2-way explicit fluid-structure coupling, using the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian approach to account for the structure deformations. Validation test cases are presented in the second part: first, the model is validated in terms of frequency, added mass, and damping for a cylinder vibrating in static air and water; then, the model is validated toward the vortex-induced resonance and lock-in mechanisms for a cylinder subjected to water cross-flow. The model is then applied to a real experimental configuration of two in-line cylinders in water cross-flow: the calculated vibrations are found to be in good agreement with the experimental measurements.
Masks and respirators for prevention of respiratory infections: a state of the science review
Authors: Greenhalgh Trisha , MacIntyre C. Raina , Baker Michael G. , Bhattacharjee Shovon , Chughtai Abrar A. , Fisman David , Kunasekaran Mohana , Kvalsvig Amanda , Lupton Deborah , Oliver Matt , Tawfiq Essa , Ungrin Mark , Vipond Joe 
Published: May 2024

SUMMARY
This narrative review and meta-analysis summarizes a broad evidence base on the benefits—and also the practicalities, disbenefits, harms and personal, sociocultural and environmental impacts—of masks and masking. Our synthesis of evidence from over 100 published reviews and selected primary studies, including re-analyzing contested meta-analyses of key clinical trials, produced seven key findings. First, there is strong and consistent evidence for airborne transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and other respiratory pathogens. Second, masks are, if correctly and consistently worn, effective in reducing transmission of respiratory diseases and show a dose-response effect. Third, respirators are significantly more effective than medical or cloth masks. Fourth, mask mandates are, overall, effective in reducing community transmission of respiratory pathogens. Fifth, masks are important sociocultural symbols; non-adherence to masking is sometimes linked to political and ideological beliefs and to widely circulated mis- or disinformation. Sixth, while there is much evidence that masks are not generally harmful to the general population, masking may be relatively contraindicated in individuals with certain medical conditions, who may require exemption. Furthermore, certain groups (notably D/deaf people) are disadvantaged when others are masked. Finally, there are risks to the environment from single-use masks and respirators. We propose an agenda for future research, including improved characterization of the situations in which masking should be recommended or mandated; attention to comfort and acceptability; generalized and disability-focused communication support in settings where masks are worn; and development and testing of novel materials and designs for improved filtration, breathability, and environmental impact.
Exploring the versatile roles of the endocannabinoid system and phytocannabinoids in modulating bacterial infections
Authors: Barker Hailey , Ferraro Mariola J. 
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACT

The endocannabinoid system (ECS), initially identified for its role in maintaining homeostasis, particularly in regulating brain function, has evolved into a complex orchestrator influencing various physiological processes beyond its original association with the nervous system. Notably, an expanding body of evidence emphasizes the ECS’s crucial involvement in regulating immune responses. While the specific role of the ECS in bacterial infections remains under ongoing investigation, compelling indications suggest its active participation in host-pathogen interactions. Incorporating the ECS into the framework of bacterial pathogen infections introduces a layer of complexity to our understanding of its functions. While some studies propose the potential of cannabinoids to modulate bacterial function and immune responses, the outcomes inherently hinge on the specific infection and cannabinoid under consideration. Moreover, the bidirectional relationship between the ECS and the gut microbiota underscores the intricate interplay among diverse physiological processes. The ECS extends its influence far beyond its initial discovery, emerging as a promising therapeutic target across a spectrum of medical conditions, encompassing bacterial infections, dysbiosis, and sepsis. This review comprehensively explores the complex roles of the ECS in the modulation of bacteria, the host’s response to bacterial infections, and the dynamics of the microbiome. Special emphasis is placed on the roles of cannabinoid receptor types 1 and 2, whose signaling intricately influences immune cell function in microbe-host interactions.
Role of the membrane-associated accessory protein (MAAP) in adeno-associated virus (AAV) infection
Authors: Aksu Kuz Cagla , Ning Kang , Hao Siyuan , Cheng Fang , Qiu Jianming 
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACT

Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) package a single-stranded (ss) DNA genome of 4.7 kb in their capsid of ~20 nm in diameter. AAV replication requires co-infection of a helper virus, such as adenovirus. During the optimization of recombinant AAV production, a small viral nonstructural protein, membrane-associated accessory protein (MAAP), was identified. However, the function of the MAAP in the context of AAV infection remains unknown. Here, we investigated the expression strategy and function of the MAAP during infection of both AAV2 and AAV5 in human embryonic kidney (HEK)293 cells. We found that AAV2 MAAP2 and AAV5 MAAP5 are expressed from the capsid gene (
cap
)-transcribing mRNA spliced from the donor to the second splice site that encodes VP2 and VP3. Thus, this AAV
cap
gene transcribes a multicistronic mRNA that can be translated to four viral proteins, MAAP, VP2, AAP, and VP3 in order. In AAV2 infection, MAAP2 predominantly localized in the cytoplasm, alongside the capsid, near the nuclear and plasma membranes, but a fraction of MAAP2 exhibited nuclear localization. In AAV5 infection, MAAP5 revealed a distinct pattern, predominantly localizing within the nucleus. In the cells infected with an MAAP knockout mutant of AAV2 or AAV5, both viral DNA replication and virus replication increased, whereas virus egress decreased, and the decrease in virus egress can be restored by providing MAAP
in trans
. In summary, MAAP, a novel AAV nonstructural protein translated from a multicistronic viral
cap
mRNA, not only facilitates cellular egress of AAV but also likely negatively affects viral DNA replication during infection.

IMPORTANCE
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) has been used as a gene delivery vector in clinical gene therapy. In current gene therapies employing rAAV, a high dose of the vector is required. Consequently, there is a high demand for efficient and high-purity vector production systems. In this study, we demonstrated that membrane-associated accessory protein (MAAP), a small viral nonstructural protein, is translated from the same viral mRNA transcript encoding VP2 and VP3. In AAV-infected cells, apart from its prevalent expression in the cytoplasm with localization near the plasma and nuclear membranes, the MAAP also exhibits notable localization within the nucleus. During AAV infection, MAAP expression increases the cellular egress of progeny virions and decreases viral DNA replication and progeny virion production. Thus, the choice of MAAP expression has pros and cons during AAV infection, which could provide a guide to rAAV production.