bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acne microbiome: From phyla to phylotypes
Authors: Dreno Brigitte , Dekio Itaru , Baldwin Hilary , Demessant Anne Laure , Dagnelie Marie‐Ange , Khammari Amir , Corvec Stephane 
Published: October 2023

AbstractAcne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a complex pathogenesis. Traditionally, the primary pathophysiologic factors in acne have been thought to be: (1) altered sebum production, (2) inflammation, (3) excess keratinization and (4) colonization with the commensal Cutibacterium acnes. However, the role of C. acnes has been unclear, since virtually all adults have C. acnes on their skin yet not all develop acne. In recent years, understanding of the role of C. acnes has expanded. It is still acknowledged to have an important place in acne pathogenesis, but evidence suggests that an imbalance of individual C. acnes phylotypes and an alteration of the skin microbiome trigger acne. In addition, it is now believed that Staphylococcus epidermidis is also an actor in acne development. Together, C. acnes and S. epidermidis maintain and regulate homeostasis of the skin microbiota. Antibiotics, which have long been a staple of acne therapy, induce cutaneous dysbiosis. This finding, together with the long‐standing public health edict to spare antibiotic use when possible, highlights the need for a change in acne management strategies. One fertile direction of study for new approaches involves dermocosmetic products that can support epidermal barrier function and have a positive effect on the skin microbiome.
Superheated steam treatment of soft wheat on the physicochemical properties and structure of wheat starch
Authors: Liu Yuanxiao , Li Mengmeng , Guan Erqi , Liu Yuanfang , Bian Ke , Zhang Yingquan 
Published: October 2023

AbstractSoft wheat grains were treated with superheated steam (SS) at 165 and 190°C, respectively for 1–5 min to understand the changes in the structures and properties of wheat starch following SS treatment. The damaged starch contents, amylose ratio, gelatinization properties, surface morphology, viscosity, and crystalline structure of the starch in wheat flour were determined. Damaged starch content, amylose ratio, and starch viscosity significantly increased after SS treatment. The onset temperature (To) and peak temperature (Tp) of wheat starch increased with the extending of treatment time, while an opposite variation trend was observed for (Tc − To). Additionally, the gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH) decreased after 3–5 min of SS treatment. Starch aggregation was observed in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) graphs. Compared to traditional heat treatment methods, SS treatment of wheat grains may be preferable for modifying the starch properties of soft wheat since much time and energy could be saved.Practical ApplicationThe physicochemical properties and structure of soft wheat starch significantly affect the quality of cakes made with soft wheat flour. After SS treatment of wheat kernels, the amylose ratio and damaged starch content in wheat starch significantly increased. Moreover, gelatinization properties and starch viscosity of wheat starch were also significantly affected. The changes in physicochemical properties were mainly due to the changes in the structure of starch granules and starch molecules. The above results in the physicochemical properties and structure of starch led to the increase in the viscosity and gas retention capacity of cake batter, which might be the reason why the specific volumes and texture of cakes could be improved after SS treatment of wheat. This research verified SS treatment may be preferable for improving cake quality compared to traditional heat treatment methods, which promotes the application of SS in wheat process engineering.
Dendrimer nanotherapy targeting of glial dysfunction improves inflammation and neurobehavioral phenotype in adult female Mecp2‐heterozygous mouse model of Rett syndrome
Authors: Khoury Elizabeth Smith , Patel Ruchit V. , O'Ferrall Caroline , Fowler Amanda , Sah Nirnath , Sharma Anjali , Gupta Siddharth , Scafidi Susanna , Kurtz Joshua S. , Olmstead Sarah J. , Kudchadkar Sapna R. , Kannan Rangaramanujam M. , Blue Mary E. , Kannan Sujatha 
Published: October 2023

AbstractRett syndrome is an X‐linked neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutation of Mecp2 gene and primarily affects females. Glial cell dysfunction has been implicated in in Rett syndrome (RTT) both in patients and in mouse models of this disorder and can affect synaptogenesis, glial metabolism and inflammation. Here we assessed whether treatment of adult (5–6 months old) symptomatic Mecp2‐heterozygous female mice with N‐acetyl cysteine conjugated to dendrimer (D‐NAC), which is known to target glia and modulate inflammation and oxidative injury, results in improved behavioral phenotype, sleep and glial inflammatory profile. We show that unbiased global metabolomic analysis of the hippocampus and striatum in adult Mecp2‐heterozygous mice demonstrates significant differences in lipid metabolism associated with neuroinflammation, providing the rationale for targeting glial inflammation in this model. Our results demonstrate that treatment with D‐NAC (10 mg/kg NAC) once weekly is more efficacious than equivalently dosed free NAC in improving the gross neurobehavioral phenotype in symptomatic Mecp2‐heterozygous female mice. We also show that D‐NAC therapy is significantly better than saline in ameliorating several aspects of the abnormal phenotype including paw clench, mobility, fear memory, REM sleep and epileptiform activity burden. Systemic D‐NAC significantly improves microglial proinflammatory cytokine production and is associated with improvements in several aspects of the phenotype including paw clench, mobility, fear memory, and REM sleep, and epileptiform activity burden in comparison to saline‐treated Mecp2‐hetereozygous mice. Systemic glial‐targeted delivery of D‐NAC after symptom onset in an older clinically relevant Rett syndrome model shows promise in improving neurobehavioral impairments along with sleep pattern and epileptiform activity burden. These findings argue for the translational value of this approach for treatment of patients with Rett Syndrome.image
Romantic Planet: Science and Literature within the Anthropocene
Authors: Griffiths Devin 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThis article surveys recent scholarship in Romantic science and literature, exploring what such studies may offer the recent “planetary turn” in ecocriticism and postcolonial research on the Anthropocene. Situating these studies in a longer critical history, it explores their implications for how we engage modern climate science. The “Romantic century” 1750–1850 marks both the dawn of the Anthropocene and a formative stage in its sciences and technologies, from the industrial revolution to modern theories of climate change and ecology. Because ecocritical writing, including green Romanticism and ecofeminism, as well as research into colonialism, empire, and global capitalism were traditionally skeptical of Western science, their recent theorizations of “planetarity” do not adequately confront a new investment in the empirical claims of global warming. Positing that the traffic between science and social forms is asymmetric – two‐way but uneven – the author argues that Romantic science and literature both furnishes a sophisticated historical epistemology for planetary studies and, in its concern for the technologies, genres, and social forms that produced the Anthropocene, an epistemology of the climate that may help us dig our way out.
Co‐evolution at protein–protein interfaces guides inference of stoichiometry of oligomeric protein complexes by de novo structure prediction
Authors: Kilian Max , Bischofs Ilka B. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThe quaternary structure with specific stoichiometry is pivotal to the specific function of protein complexes. However, determining the structure of many protein complexes experimentally remains a major bottleneck. Structural bioinformatics approaches, such as the deep learning algorithm Alphafold2‐multimer (AF2‐multimer), leverage the co‐evolution of amino acids and sequence‐structure relationships for accurate de novo structure and contact prediction. Pseudo‐likelihood maximization direct coupling analysis (plmDCA) has been used to detect co‐evolving residue pairs by statistical modeling. Here, we provide evidence that combining both methods can be used for de novo prediction of the quaternary structure and stoichiometry of a protein complex. We achieve this by augmenting the existing AF2‐multimer confidence metrics with an interpretable score to identify the complex with an optimal fraction of native contacts of co‐evolving residue pairs at intermolecular interfaces. We use this strategy to predict the quaternary structure and non‐trivial stoichiometries of Bacillus subtilis spore germination protein complexes with unknown structures. Co‐evolution at intermolecular interfaces may therefore synergize with AI‐based de novo quaternary structure prediction of structurally uncharacterized bacterial protein complexes.
Electron microscopy: The key to resolve RNA viruses replication organelles
Authors: Stelitano Debora , Cortese Mirko 
Published: October 2023

AbstractPositive‐sense single‐stranded RNA viruses significantly reshape intracellular membranes to generate viral replication organelles that form a controlled niche in which nucleic acids, enzymes, and cofactors accumulate to assure an efficient replication of the viral genome. In recent years, advancements in electron microscopy (EM) techniques have enabled imaging of these viral factories in a near‐native state providing significantly higher molecular details that have led to progress in our general understanding of virus biology. In this review, we describe the contribution of the cutting‐edge EM approaches to the current knowledge of replication organelles biogenesis, structure, and functions.
Nrf2 protein in melanoma progression, as a new means of treatment
Authors: Feng Qun , Xu Xiaolin , Zhang Shoulin 
Published: October 2023

AbstractMelanoma is a potentially lethal form of skin cancer resulting from the unlimited proliferation of melanocytes. Melanocytic lineage appears to have a greater rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, possibly as a result of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light and the production of melanin. It has been established that nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) serves as a master regulator of the cellular response to oxidative stresses. Recent research has shown that the Nrf2 and its critical negative regulator Kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1 (Keap1) are misregulated in melanoma, and the Keap1‐Nrf2 pathway has emerged as a promising new target for treating and preventing melanoma. In melanoma, Nrf2 may either limit tumor growth or promote its development. This review covers a wide range of topics, including the dual functions played by the Keap1‐Nrf2 signaling pathway in melanoma and the most recent targeting techniques of the Nrf2.
The creativity of cells: aneural irrational cognition
Authors: Alexander Victoria N. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractEvidence of cognition in aneural cells is well‐establish in the literature. This paper extends the exploration of the mechanisms of cognition by considering whether or not aneural cells may be capable of irrational cognition, making associations based on coincidental similarities and circumstantial factors. If aneural cells do harness such semiosic qualities, as with higher‐level creativity, this might be how they are able to overcome old algorithms and invent tools for new situations. I will look at three examples of irrational learning in aneural systems in terms of semiotics: (1) generalisation in the immune system, based on viral molecular mimicry, whereby immune cells attack the self, which seems to be an overgeneralisation of an icon sign based on mere similarity, not identity, (2) the classical conditioning of pea plants to trope toward wind as a sign of light, which seems to be an association of an index sign based on mere temporal proximity, and (3) a pharmaceutical intervention to prevent pregnancy, using a conjugate to encrypt self with non‐self, which seems to be an example of symbol use. We identify irrational cognition easily when it leads to ‘wrong’ outcomes, but, if it occurs, it may also lead to favourable outcomes and ‘creative’ solutions.
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The mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus encodes irradiance via a diverse population of neurons monotonically tuned to different ranges of intensity
Authors: Orlowska‐Feuer Patrycja , Bano‐Otalora Beatriz , Rodgers Jessica , Martial Franck P. , Storchi Riccardo , Lucas Robert James 
Published: October 2023

AbstractMany neurons of the mammalian master circadian oscillator in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) respond to light pulses with irradiance‐dependent changes in firing. Here, we set out to better understand this irradiance coding ability by considering how the SCN tracks more continuous changes in irradiance at both population and single unit level. To this end, we recorded extracellular activity in the SCN of anaesthetised mice presented with up + down irradiance staircase stimuli covering moonlight to daylight conditions and incorporating epochs with steady light or superimposed higher frequency modulations (temporal white noise (WN) and frequency/contrast chirps). Single unit activity was extracted by spike sorting. The population response of SCN units to this stimulus was a progressive increase in firing rate at higher irradiances. This relationship was symmetrical for up vs. down phases of the ramp in the presence of white noise or chirps but exhibited hysteresis for steady light, with firing systematically higher during increasing irradiance. Single units also showed a monotonic relationship between firing and irradiance but exhibited diversity not only in response polarity (increases vs. decreases in firing), but also in the sensitivity (EC50) and slope of fitted functions. These data show that individual SCN neurons exhibit monotonic relationships between irradiance and firing rate but differ in the irradiance range over which they respond. This property may help the SCN to encode the large differences in irradiance found in nature using neurons with a constrained range of firing rates.
imageKey points
Daily changes in environmental light (irradiance) entrain the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) circadian clock. The mouse SCN shows graded increases in neurophysiological activity with light pulses of increasing irradiance.
We show that this monotonic relationship between firing rate and irradiance is retained at population and single unit level when probed with more naturalistic staircase increases and decreases in irradiance.
The irradiance response is more reliable in the presence of ongoing higher temporal frequency modulations in light intensity than under steady light.
Single units varied in sensitivity allowing the population to cover a wide range of irradiances.
Irradiance coding in the SCN has characteristics of a sparse code with individual neurons tracking different portions of the natural irradiance range. This property may address the challenge of encoding a 109‐fold day:night difference in irradiance within the constrained range of firing rates available to individual neurons.
A comparative examination of morphine and fentanyl: unravelling the differential impacts on breathing and airway stability
Authors: Burgraff Nicholas J. , Baertsch Nathan A. , Ramirez Jan‐Marino 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThis study provides an in‐depth analysis of the distinct consequences of the opioid drugs morphine and fentanyl during opioid‐induced respiratory depression (OIRD). We explored the physiological implications of both drugs on ventilation and airway patency in anaesthetized mice. Our results revealed a similar reduction in respiratory frequency with equivalent scaled dosages of fentanyl and morphine, though the onset of suppression was more rapid with fentanyl. Additionally, fentanyl resulted in transient airflow obstructions during the inspiratory cycle, which were absent following morphine administration. Notably, these fentanyl‐specific obstructions were eliminated with tracheostomy, implicating the upper airways as a major factor contributing to fentanyl‐induced respiratory depression. We further demonstrate that bronchodilators salbutamol and adrenaline effectively reversed these obstructions, highlighting the bronchi's contribution to fentanyl‐induced airflow obstruction. Our study also uncovered a significant reduction in sighs during OIRD, which were eliminated by fentanyl and markedly reduced by morphine. Finally, we found that fentanyl‐exposed mice had reduced survival under hypoxic conditions compared to mice given morphine, demonstrating that fentanyl becomes more lethal in the context of hypoxaemia. Our findings shed light on the distinct and profound impacts of these opioids on respiration and airway stability and lay the foundation for improved opioid use guidelines and more effective OIRD prevention strategies.
imageKey points
Both morphine and fentanyl significantly suppressed respiratory frequency, but the onset of suppression was faster with fentanyl. Also, while both drugs increased tidal volume, this effect was more pronounced with fentanyl.
Fentanyl administration resulted in transient obstructions during the inspiratory phase, suggesting its unique impact on airway stability. This obstruction was not observed with morphine.
The fentanyl‐induced obstructions were reversed by administering bronchodilators such as salbutamol and adrenaline. This suggests a possible therapeutic strategy for mitigating the adverse airway effects of fentanyl.
Both drugs reduced the frequency of physiological sighs, a key mechanism to prevent alveolar collapse. However, fentanyl administration led to a complete cessation of sighs, while morphine only reduced their occurrence.
Fentanyl‐treated mice showed a significantly reduced ability to survive under hypoxic conditions compared to those administered morphine. This indicates that the impacts of hypoxaemia during opioid‐induced respiratory depression can vary based on the opioid used.
Effect of research participation versus usual clinical care in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal disorders: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Ginnerup-Nielsen Elisabeth , Christensen Robin , Bliddal Henning , Henriksen Marius 
Published: October 2023

ObjectiveTo compare illness perception (IP), pain, functional level and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) between patients with musculoskeletal pain who participate versus those who do not participate in clinical research projects.MethodsData were collected between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2021 in patients visiting the Outpatient Osteoarthritis Clinic at Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, as part of either clinical research or regular treatment. Questionnaires were collected at baseline and after 10–18 months. Major outcome measure was the change from baseline to follow-up in the Brief Pain Inventory - Short Form (BPI-SF) item ‘Average pain’. Secondary outcome measures included The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ), measured only at baseline, the EuroQol (EQ-5D-3L), the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index and PainDETECT.Results1495 patients were included with 358 (24%) categorised as research participants (exposed) and 1137 (76%) being non-participants (unexposed). The baseline B-IPQ item scores were generally more favourable in the exposed group with statistically significant standardised differences (SD) of 0.2–0.3. Similarly, an SD of 0.3 on the EQ-5D-3L score indicated a better HR-QoL in the exposed group. At follow-up, 24% in the exposed group and 27% in the unexposed group, completed the questionnaires. The mean BPI-sf Average pain between-group difference was: −0.01 points (95% CI: −0.6 to 0.6). Similar clinically irrelevant differences were seen in the other outcomes.ConclusionsAmong musculoskeletal pain patients, research participants report more positive IP and better HR-QoL than non-participants. No additional effect of research participation was found in any outcome over time.Trial registration numberNCT03785561.
Serum Galectin-3 Predicts Mortality in Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Patients
Authors: Zhu Jianlong , Guo Dehui , Liu Liying , Zhong Jing 
Published: October 2023

Objective. We investigated the potential use of galectin-3 (Gal-3) as a prognostic indicator for patients with cardiogenic shock and developed a predictive mortality model for venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). Methods. We prospectively studied patients (survivors and nonsurvivors) who received VA-ECMO for cardiogenic shock from 2019 to 2021. We recorded baseline data, Gal-3, and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) before ECMO and 24–72 h after ECMO. We used multivariable logistic regression to analyze significant risk factors and construct a VA-ECMO death prediction model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to assess the predictive efficacy of the model. Results. We enrolled 73 patients with cardiogenic shock who received VA-ECMO support; 38 (52.05%) died in hospital. The median age was 57 years (interquartile range (IQR): 48–67 years); the median duration of ECMO therapy was 5.8 days (IQR: 4.62–7.57 days); and the median intensive care unit stay was 19.04 days (IQR: 13.92–26.15 days). Compared with the nonsurvivors, survivors had lower acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II scores (

p

< 0.001), increased left ventricular ejection fraction (

p

< 0.05), lower Gal-3 levels at 24 and 72 h (both

p

= 0.001), lower BNP levels at 24 and 72 h (both

p

= 0.001), and higher platelet counts (

p

= 0.009). Further multivariable analysis showed that APACHE II score, BNP-T72, and Gal-3-T72 were independent risk factors for death in VA-ECMO patients. Gal-3 and BNP were positively correlated (

p

< 0.05) and decreased significantly during ECMO treatment. The areas under the ROC curve (AUC) for APACHE II score, Gal-3-T72, and BNP-T72 were 0.687, 0.799, and 0.723, respectively. We constructed a combined prediction model with an AUC of 0.884 (

p

< 0.01). Conclusion. Gal-3 may serve as a prognostic indicator for patients receiving VA-ECMO for cardiogenic shock. The combined early warning score is a simple and effective tool for predicting mortality in VA-ECMO patients.