bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gamified intervention to educate healthcare professionals on rational use of antimicrobials
Authors: Neelambike Sumana M , Shettar Supreeta R , Maheshwarappa Yogeesh , Megha G K 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBackgroundAntimicrobial resistance [AMR] is a global problem. It’s important to train health care professionals on rational use of antimicrobials to curb AMR.MethodsThis is a prospective interventional study conducted for the clinical practitioners, Undergraduates [MBBS/Interns], Post graduates and Pharmacy Students. A total of 50 participants were included in the study. The innovative games were administered for management of infections of all the different systems of the body in accordance with the ICMR treatment guidelines 2022 and latest IDSA guidelines involving different components. Pre-test and Post-test questionnaires were administered and evaluated.ResultsAfter the intervention, the knowledge on differentiating between bacterial and viral symptoms in respiratory tract infections and gastroenteritis improved from 48% to 94%. The practice of using right empirical choice of antimicrobials in the right dose for the right duration, based on the severity of the infection improved from 34 % to 82 %. The awareness/practice of using the right and rational combination of antibiotics improved from 44% to 84%. The knowledge on suspecting multi-drug resistant gram negative infections and other priority pathogens such as Methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus[MRSA] andCandidainfection improved from 32% to 78%. The practice of using certain antibiotics in specific infection sites based on their pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics improved from 20% to 76%. The knowledge on intrinsic resistance of certain microorganisms to specific antimicrobial agents improved from 15 % to 80%.ConclusionThe gamified intervention successfully improved participants’ knowledge and awareness on rational antimicrobial use. The substantial improvements in all the aforementioned components highlight the positive impact of the intervention in promoting optimal antimicrobial use and curbing AMR. Innovative gamified interventions create better and long-lasting awareness ensuring the appropriate use of antimicrobials.
Longitudinal Exposomics in a Multiomic Wellness Cohort Reveals Distinctive and Dynamic Environmental Chemical Mixtures in Blood
Authors: Sdougkou Kalliroi , Papazian Stefano , Bonnefille Bénilde , Xie Hongyu , Edfors Fredrik , Fagerberg Linn , Uhlén Mathias , Bergström Göran , Martin Leah JM , Martin Jonathan W. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractChemical exposomes can now be comprehensively measured in human blood, but robust application of chemical exposomics in cohort studies requires knowledge of the longitudinal stability and interindividual variability of exogenous molecular profiles. Here we applied chemical exposomics to plasma of 46 adults, each sampled six times over two years in a multiomic wellness cohort. New chemicals were discovered, distinctive co-exposure patterns were observed, and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) for 519 confidently annotated substances are reported to support study design. Longitudinal stability of the chemical exposome (mean ICC 0.30) was significantly lower than the proteome, metabolome, lipidome or microbiome, and must be measured more frequently than other molecular profiles in health studies. Mixed-effects models nevertheless revealed significant associations between testosterone and perfluoroalkyl substances, and significant time-trends for low and high stability exposures alike. Complex exposome data structures were visualized and explored, demonstrating great potential for longitudinal exposomics in precision health research.TeaserThe first cohort-level application of longitudinal exposomics revealed novel and dynamic co-exposures in blood of relevance to precision health.
Acute high-fat high-sugar diet rapidly increases blood-brain barrier permeability in mice
Authors: Leidmaa Este , Zimmer Andreas , Stein Valentin , Gellner Anne-Kathrin 
Published: April 2024

BackgroundThe blood-brain barrier (BBB) maintains brain homeostasis by protecting the brain from pathological stimuli and controlling the entry of physiological substances from the periphery. Consequently, alterations in BBB permeability may pose a threat to brain health. Long-term consumption of a high-fat high-sugar/Western diet (HFD) is known to induce BBB dysfunction. However, nothing is known about the immediate effects of acute HFD consumption on the BBB.MethodsAfter consumption of either HFD or standard chow, mice were injected into the tail vein with fluorescent tracers of different sizes, including the drug doxorubicin. Individual brain regions were homogenized and analyzed for tracer extravasation using spectrophotometry. Localized tracer leakage over time in the somatosensory cortex was studied using high-resolution in vivo 2-photon microscopy.ResultsWe demonstrate region-specific BBB leakage already after 1 hour of HFD for low- and high-molecular-weight tracers. Acute HFD also significantly increased BBB permeability to the anticancer drug doxorubicin.ConclusionThese previously unknown effects of acute HFD may have direct and drastic implications for the clinical use of drugs depending on the dietary habits of the patient.
Optimizing Variable Selection in Phylogenetic Eigenvector Regression for Trait Correlation Analysis
Authors: Chen Zheng-Lin , Niu Deng-Ke 
Published: April 2024

AbstractPhylogenetic autocorrelation refers to the similarity in traits among closely related species due to shared evolutionary history, violating the assumption of independence in conventional statistical analyses. Phylogenetic eigenvector regression (PVR) addresses this issue by incorporating phylogenetic eigenvectors derived from phylogenetic trees to control for shared ancestry and isolate trait correlations. In this study, we investigated how different selections of dependent and independent variables affect eigenvector identification and trait correlation results. We used simulated data to analyze both fixed-balanced and random phylogenetic trees, which allowed us to record internal node data. This enabled us to determine the true correlation between traits using traditional Pearson and Spearman rank correlations, providing a gold standard for comparison. We found that the eigenvectors selected differed significantly when switching between dependent variables (X1andX2), which led to inconsistent PVR correlation results. We assessed three criteria—R2, Pagel’s λ, and AIC—to determine which dependent variable produced more accurate results. Our results indicate that, under scenarios with significant phylogenetic autocorrelation and larger sample sizes (128 and 1024 species), the criterion of maximizingR2consistently provided the more accurate model. This was true across multiple evolutionary models, tree structures, and regression estimators, including L2 (OLS), MM, and L1. However, in smaller samples (16 species), Pagel’s λ was more effective as a selection criterion. These findings emphasize the importance of using appropriate criteria, such asR2or λ, for selecting dependent variables to enhance the accuracy and consistency of evolutionary inferences. Additionally, our preliminary findings suggest that similar issues of variable selection may affect other spatial statistical tools, such as spatial eigenvector mapping, conditional autoregressive models, simultaneous autoregressive models, and generalized additive models. These insights extend beyond phylogenetic analyses to other contexts where spatial autocorrelation exists or coexists with phylogenetic autocorrelation. Future work is needed to address how to appropriately select dependent and independent variables in these contexts, which remains a key challenge for understanding evolutionary and ecological relationships.
Chromosome-level baobab (Adansonia digitata) genome illuminates its evolutionary insights
Authors: Kitony Justine K. , Colt Kelly , Abramson Bradley W. , Hartwick Nolan T. , Petrus Semar , Konozy Emadeldin H. E. , Karimi Nisa , Yant Levi , Michael Todd P. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBaobab,Adansonia digitata, is a long-lived tree endemic to Africa that holds great economic, ecological, and cultural value. However, our knowledge of its genomic features, evolutionary history, and diversity is limited, rendering it orphaned scientifically. We generated a haploid chromosome-level reference genome anchored into 42 chromosomes forA. digitata, as well as draft assemblies for a sibling tree, two trees from distinct locations in Africa, and a related species,A. zafrom Madagascar. Unlike any other plant to date, DNA transposable elements (TEs) make up 33% of theA. digitatagenome compared to only 10% long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs), which are usually predominant in plant genomes. Baobab has undergone a whole genome duplication (WGD) shared with the Malvoideae ∼30 million years ago (MYA), as well as a confirmed autotetraplody event 3-4 million MYA that coincides with the most recent burst of TE insertions. Resequencing 25A. digitatatrees from Africa revealed three subpopulations that suggest gene flow through most of West Africa but separated from East Africa. Gene enrichment analysis for baobab-specific and high fixation index (Fst) suggested baobab may have retained multiple copies of circadian, light and growth genes to coordinate genome protection for longevity through theUV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8(UVR8) and synchronizing flower development with pollinators. This study lays the groundwork for the creation of breeding resources and the conservation of baobab biodiversity.
Three-Dimensional Molecular Atlas of Octopus Arm Neuroanatomy Highlights Spatial and Functional Complexity
Authors: Winters-Bostwick Gabrielle C. , Giancola-Detmering Sarah E. , Bostwick Caleb J. , Crook Robyn J. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractOctopus arms, notable for their complex anatomy and remarkable flexibility, have sparked significant interest within the neuroscience community. However, there remains a dearth of knowledge about the molecular and functional identities of various cell types in the arm’s nervous system. To address this gap, we used hybridization chain reaction (HCR) to identify distinct neuronal types in the arms of the pygmy octopus,Octopus bocki, including putative dopaminergic, octopaminergic, serotonergic, GABAergic, glutamatergic, cholinergic, and peptidergic neurons. We obtained high-resolution multiplexed fluorescent images at 0.28x0.28x1.0 μM voxel size from 10 arm base and arm tip cross sections (each 50 μM thick) and created three-dimensional reconstructions of the axial ganglia, illustrating the spatial distribution of multiple neuronal populations. Our analysis unveiled anatomically distinct and molecularly diverse scattered neurons, while also highlighting multiple populations of dense small excitatory neurons that appear uniformly distributed throughout the cortical layer. Our data provide new insights into how different types of neurons may contribute to the ability of an octopus to interact with its environment and execute complex tasks. In addition, our findings establish a benchmark for future studies, allowing pioneering exploration of octopus arm molecular neuroanatomy, and offering exciting new avenues in invertebrate neuroscience research.
Viscoelastic Extracellular Matrix Enhances Epigenetic Remodeling and Cellular Plasticity
Authors: Wu Yifan , Song Yang , Soto Jennifer , Hoffman Tyler , Zhang Aaron , Han Xiao , Fang Zhiwei , Eoh Joon , Gu Luo , Gu Zhen , Li Song 
Published: April 2024

AbstractLiving tissue and extracellular matrices possess viscoelastic properties, but understanding how viscoelastic matrix regulates chromatin and the epigenome is limited. Here, we find that the regulation of the epigenetic state by the viscoelastic matrix is more pronounced on softer matrices. Cells on viscoelastic matrices exhibit larger nuclei, increased nuclear lamina ruffling, loosely organized chromatin, and faster chromatin dynamics, compared to those on elastic matrices. These changes are accompanied by a global increase in euchromatic marks and a local increase in chromatin accessibility at thecis-regulatory elements associated with neuronal and pluripotent genes. Consequently, viscoelastic matrices enhanced the efficiency of reprogramming fibroblasts into neurons and induced pluripotent stem cells, respectively. Together, our findings demonstrate the key roles of matrix viscoelasticity in the regulation of epigenetic state, and uncover a new mechanism of biophysical regulation of chromatin and cell reprogramming, with implications for the design of smart materials to engineer cell fate.
A new leaf sensing organ in a predatory insect group, the praying mantises
Authors: Brannoch Sydney K. , Katzke Julian , Taylor Danielle S. , Economo Evan , Ogawa Yuri , Narendra Ajay , Svenson Gavin J. , Martin Joshua 
Published: April 2024

AbstractAnimals’ sensory systems enable them to navigate and interact with their environments. Adaptive specializations of these systems can generate novel structures or organs that support highly unique niche adaptations. We report the discovery of a novel sensory organ in a group of praying mantises (Insecta, Mantodea, Nanomantoidea), which have an unusual “leaf-planking” ecomorphic life strategy, laying against the undersides of broadleaf vegetation. Histology, scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray computed tomography all support the novelty of this distinct morphology while electrophysiology reveals that the sensory organ, herein designated the gustifolium organ, detects plant volatiles. The location of the gustifolium organon the ventral thoracic surface of these mantises appears to facilitate the chemical detection of the leaves on which it resides. The gustifolium is a novel plant volatile-detecting sensory structure in an obligate predatory insect, directly linked to a newly-identified, highly-adapted life strategy.
Mucin-7 as a Potential Candidate Risk Allele for Cleft Lip and/or Palate
Authors: Montel Rachel A. , Rengifo Tatiana P. , Chang Sulie L. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractCleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) occur in approximately 1 in 700 live births in the United States. High hereditary rates (50-80%) of CL/P indicate a strong genetic cause. The concept of strong genetic causes has been well-demonstrated in previous studies such as GWAS studies that identifiedIRF6for Van der Woode syndrome. Since the risk for genetic factors is strongly associated with CL/P, we hypothesized that RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) from CL/P patients may reveal enriched genes. Differential expression analysis examined changes in gene expression in CL/P patients compared to healthy controls, and gene-enrichment in relevant pathways. To explore the relationship between variants driving the observed changes in gene expression, we performed variant analysis and reported all CL/P-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Our findings demonstrate that the normally upregulatedMUC7gene is significantly downregulated in CL/P patients. Using our list of prioritized differentially expressed genes (DEGs), we observed significantly enriched pathways for biological processes related to cornification, skin and epidermis development, and keratinocyte and epidermal cell differentiation. By performing variant analyses, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) inMUC7, and 47 SNPs in 20 additional genes (CLCA4,ETNK2,ERLNC1,HAL,HOPX,IVL,KLK11,LIPK,LY6D,MUC21,NCCRP1,NEBL,PHYH,SERPINB11,SERPINB4,SORD,SPINK5,SULT2B1,TMEM154,TMPRSS11A) were revealed. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the potential role ofMUC7in contributing to CL/P. Together, these findings provide further insight into the genetic causes of CL/P.
Mathematical assessment of wastewater-based epidemiology to predict SARS-CoV-2 cases and hospitalizations in Miami-Dade County
Authors: Pant Binod , Safdar Salman , Ngonghala Calistus N. , Gumel Abba B. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThis study presents a wastewater-based mathematical model for assessing the transmission dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The model, which takes the form of a deterministic system of nonlinear differential equations, monitors the temporal dynamics of the disease, as well as changes in viral RNA concentration in the county’s wastewater system (which consists of three sewage treatment plants). The model was calibrated using the wastewater data during the third wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Miami-Dade (specifically, the time period from July 3, 2021 to October 9, 2021). The calibrated model was used to predict SARS-CoV-2 case and hospitalization trends in the county during the aforementioned time period, showing a strong correlation (with a correlation coefficientr= 0.99) between the observed (detected) weekly case data and the corresponding weekly data predicted by the calibrated model. The model’s prediction of the week when maximum number of SARS-CoV-2 cases will be recorded in the county during the simulation period precisely matches the time when the maximum observed/reported cases were recorded (which was August 14, 2021). Furthermore, the model’s projection of the maximum number of cases for the week of August 14, 2021 is about 15 times higher than the maximum observed weekly case count for the county on that day (i.e., the maximum case count estimated by the model was 15 times higher than the actual/observed count for confirmed cases). This result is consistent with the result of numerous SARS-CoV-2 modeling studies (including other wastewater-based modeling, as well as statistical models) in the literature. Furthermore, the model accurately predicts a one-week lag between the peak in weekly COVID-19 case and hospitalization data during the time period of the study in Miami-Dade, with the model-predicted hospitalizations peaking on August 21, 2021. Detailed time-varying global sensitivity analysis was carried out to determine the parameters (wastewater-based, epidemiological and biological) that have the most influence on the chosen response function - the cumulative viral load in the wastewater. This analysis revealed that the transmission rate of infectious individuals, shedding rate of infectious individuals, recovery rate of infectious individuals, average fecal loadperpersonperunit time and the proportion of shed viral RNA that is not lost in sewage before measurement at the wastewater treatment plant were most influential to the response function during the entire time period of the study. This study shows, conclusively, that wastewater surveillance data can be a very powerful indicator for measuring (i.e., providing early-warning signal and current burden) and predicting the future trajectory and burden (e.g., number of cases and hospitalizations) of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, such as SARS-CoV-2, in a community.
Five-layered robot (F-robot) based on functionally graded multilayer foam antiviral low-carbon (F-MAX) system for Pathogenic Microorganism Elimination
Authors: Fan Haotian , Gu Wangcheng , Zhou Dongrui , Ge Song , Xiao Pengfeng , Fei Zhongjie 
Published: April 2024

AbstractIn this study, a revolutionary air filtration technology, the F-MAX multilayer composite plate, is introduced, offering high efficiency and environmental sustainability. This innovative system is designed to capture a wide range of pollutants, including harmful viruses and bacteria, enhancing air quality significantly. The F-MAX combines multiple layers, each tailored to target specific particles, with features like an electrostatically charged melt-blown fabric and eco-friendly materials like lithium brine by-product magnesia. Its durability, antiviral, and antibacterial properties make it a sustainable choice for air purification, suitable for both commercial and residential use. This system represents healthier living environments, effectively removing airborne contaminants, and demonstrating a commitment to a sustainable future. Additionally, the study introduces the F-robot specifically designed for laboratory environments to ensure pristine air quality.One-Sentence SummaryT-robot air filter, which use F-MAX, a multilayer composite consisted of self-healing cellular coating, Desert Rose (DR) coating, melt-blown cloth, and BMSC with high-efficiency, environmentally sustainable filtration, and antiviral properties, suitable for diverse environments.
Reanalysis of sequences of alleged Javan tiger highlights the difficulties in studying big cats and the need for high throughput sequencing
Authors: Khan Anubhab , Yulianto Yulianto , Aninta Sabhrina Gita , Wirdateti Wirdateti 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBig cats are of conservation concern throughout their range. Genetic tools are often employed to study them for various purposes. However, there are several difficulties in using genetic tools for big cat conservation which may be resolved by modern methods of DNA sequencing. Recent reports of discovery of Javan tigers in West Java, Indonesia highlights few of the difficulties in big cat genetics. We reanalysed the data of the original reports and found that the results were unreliable. However, resequencing of the DNA extracts confirm that the sighting could have been that of a tiger, but the subspecies cannot be confirmed. The work highlights the urgency for development of high throughput sequencing infrastructure in the tropics and the need for reliable databases for studies of big cats.
Spatial mRNA expression patterns of orexin receptors in the dorsal hippocampus
Authors: Krause Gina Marie , Chirich Barreira Lara Mariel , Albrecht Anne 
Published: April 2024

AbstractOrexins are wake-promoting neuropeptides that originate from hypothalamic neurons projecting to widespread brain areas throughout the central nervous system. They modulate various physiological functions via their orexin 1 (OXR1) and 2 (OXR2) receptors, including sleep-wake rhythm but also cognitive functions such as memory formation.Here, we provide a detailed analysis of OXR1 and OXR2 mRNA expression profiles in the dorsal hippocampus as a key region for memory formation, using RNAscope® multiplexin situhybridization. Interconnected subareas relevant for cognition and memory such as the medial prefrontal cortex and the nucleus reuniens of the thalamus were assessed as well. Both receptor types display distinct profiles, with the highest percentage of OXR1 mRNA-positive cells in the hilus of the dentate gyrus. Here, the content of OXR1 mRNA per cell was slightly modulated at selected time points over a 12h light/ 12 dark light phase. Using RNAScope® and quantitative polymerase chain reaction approaches, we began to address a cell-type specific expression of OXR1 in hilar GABAergic interneurons.The distinct expression profiles of both receptor subtypes within hippocampal subareas and circuits provide an interesting basis for future interventional studies on orexin receptor function in spatial and contextual memory.