bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Magnaporthe oryzae effector MoSPAB1 directly activates rice Bsr-d1 expression to facilitate pathogenesis
Authors: Zhu Ziwei , Xiong Jun , Shi Hao , Liu Yuchen , Yin Junjie , He Kaiwei , Zhou Tianyu , Xu Liting , Zhu Xiaobo , Lu Xiang , Tang Yongyan , Song Li , Hou Qingqing , Xiong Qing , Wang Long , Ye Daihua , Qi Tuo , Zou Lijuan , Li Guobang , Sun Changhui , Wu Zhiyue , Li Peili , Liu Jiali , Bi Yu , Yang Yihua , Jiang Chunxian , Fan Jing , Gong Guoshu , He Min , Wang Jing , Chen Xuewei , Li Weitao 
Published: December 2023

AbstractFungal pathogens typically use secreted effector proteins to suppress host immune activators to facilitate invasion. However, there is rarely evidence supporting the idea that fungal secretory proteins contribute to pathogenesis by transactivating host genes that suppress defense. We previously found that pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae induces rice Bsr-d1 to facilitate infection and hypothesized that a fungal effector mediates this induction. Here, we report that MoSPAB1 secreted by M. oryzae directly binds to the Bsr-d1 promoter to induce its expression, facilitating pathogenesis. Amino acids 103-123 of MoSPAB1 are required for its binding to the Bsr-d1 promoter. Both MoSPAB1 and rice MYBS1 compete for binding to the Bsr-d1 promoter to regulate Bsr-d1 expression. Furthermore, MoSPAB1 homologues are highly conserved among fungi. In particular, Colletotrichum fructicola CfSPAB1 and Colletotrichum sublineola CsSPAB1 activate kiwifruit AcBsr-d1 and sorghum SbBsr-d1 respectively, to facilitate pathogenesis. Taken together, our findings reveal a conserved module that may be widely utilized by fungi to enhance pathogenesis.
Acetylation is required for full activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome
Authors: Zhang Yening , Luo Ling , Xu Xueming , Wu Jianfeng , Wang Fupeng , Lu Yanyan , Zhang Ningjie , Ding Yingying , Lu Ben , Zhao Kai 
Published: December 2023

AbstractFull activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome needs two sequential signals: a priming signal, followed by a second, assembly signal. Several studies have shown that the two signals trigger post-translational modification (PTM) of NLRP3, affecting activity of the inflammasome, however, the PTMs induced by the second signal are less well characterized. Here, we show that the assembly signal involves acetylation of NLRP3 at lysine 24, which is important for the oligomerization and the actual assembly of NLRP3 without affecting its recruitment to dispersed trans-Golgi network (dTGN). Accordingly, NLRP3 inflammasome activation is impaired in NLRP3-K24R knock-in mice. We identify KAT5 as an acetyltransferase able to acetylate NLRP3. KAT5 deficiency in myeloid cells and pharmacological inhibition of KAT5 enzymatic activity reduce activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, our study reveals a key mechanism for the oligomerization and full activation of NLRP3 and lays down the proof of principle for therapeutic targeting of the KAT5-NLRP3 axis.
Autophagy of OTUD5 destabilizes GPX4 to confer ferroptosis-dependent kidney injury
Authors: Chu Li-Kai , Cao Xu , Wan Lin , Diao Qiang , Zhu Yu , Kan Yu , Ye Li-Li , Mao Yi-Ming , Dong Xing-Qiang , Xiong Qian-Wei , Fu Ming-Cui , Zhang Ting , Zhou Hui-Ting , Cai Shi-Zhong , Ma Zhou-Rui , Hsu Ssu-Wei , Wu Reen , Chen Ching-Hsien , Yan Xiang-Ming , Liu Jun 
Published: December 2023

AbstractFerroptosis is an iron-dependent programmed cell death associated with severe kidney diseases, linked to decreased glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). However, the spatial distribution of renal GPX4-mediated ferroptosis and the molecular events causing GPX4 reduction during ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) remain largely unknown. Using spatial transcriptomics, we identify that GPX4 is situated at the interface of the inner cortex and outer medulla, a hyperactive ferroptosis site post-I/R injury. We further discover OTU deubiquitinase 5 (OTUD5) as a GPX4-binding protein that confers ferroptosis resistance by stabilizing GPX4. During I/R, ferroptosis is induced by mTORC1-mediated autophagy, causing OTUD5 degradation and subsequent GPX4 decay. Functionally, OTUD5 deletion intensifies renal tubular cell ferroptosis and exacerbates acute kidney injury, while AAV-mediated OTUD5 delivery mitigates ferroptosis and promotes renal function recovery from I/R injury. Overall, this study highlights a new autophagy-dependent ferroptosis module: hypoxia/ischemia-induced OTUD5 autophagy triggers GPX4 degradation, offering a potential therapeutic avenue for I/R-related kidney diseases.
Dilution of specialist pathogens drives productivity benefits from diversity in plant mixtures
Authors: Wang Guangzhou , Burrill Haley M. , Podzikowski Laura Y. , Eppinga Maarten B. , Zhang Fusuo , Zhang Junling , Schultz Peggy A. , Bever James D. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractProductivity benefits from diversity can arise when compatible pathogen hosts are buffered by unrelated neighbors, diluting pathogen impacts. However, the generality of pathogen dilution has been controversial and rarely tested within biodiversity manipulations. Here, we test whether soil pathogen dilution generates diversity- productivity relationships using a field biodiversity-manipulation experiment, greenhouse assays, and feedback modeling. We find that the accumulation of specialist pathogens in monocultures decreases host plant yields and that pathogen dilution predicts plant productivity gains derived from diversity. Pathogen specialization predicts the strength of the negative feedback between plant species in greenhouse assays. These feedbacks significantly predict the overyielding measured in the field the following year. This relationship strengthens when accounting for the expected dilution of pathogens in mixtures. Using a feedback model, we corroborate that pathogen dilution drives overyielding. Combined empirical and theoretical evidence indicate that specialist pathogen dilution generates overyielding and suggests that the risk of losing productivity benefits from diversity may be highest where environmental change decouples plant-microbe interactions.
An inorganic-rich but LiF-free interphase for fast charging and long cycle life lithium metal batteries
Authors: Rahman Muhammad Mominur , Tan Sha , Yang Yang , Zhong Hui , Ghose Sanjit , Waluyo Iradwikanari , Hunt Adrian , Ma Lu , Yang Xiao-Qing , Hu Enyuan 
Published: December 2023

AbstractLi metal batteries using Li metal as negative electrode and LiNi1-x-yMnxCoyO2 as positive electrode represent the next generation high-energy batteries. A major challenge facing these batteries is finding electrolytes capable of forming good interphases. Conventionally, electrolyte is fluorinated to generate anion-derived LiF-rich interphases. However, their low ionic conductivities forbid fast-charging. Here, we use CsNO3 as a dual-functional additive to form stable interphases on both electrodes. Such strategy allows the use of 1,2-dimethoxyethane as the single solvent, promising superior ion transport and fast charging. LiNi1-x-yMnxCoyO2 is protected by the nitrate-derived species. On the Li metal side, large Cs+ has weak interactions with the solvent, leading to presence of anions in the solvation sheath and an anion-derived interphase. The interphase is surprisingly dominated by cesium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, a component not reported before. Its presence suggests that Cs+ is doing more than just electrostatic shielding as commonly believed. The interphase is free of LiF but still promises high performance as cells with high LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 loading (21 mg/cm2) and low N/P ratio (~2) can be cycled at 2C (~8 mA/cm2) with above 80% capacity retention after 200 cycles. These results suggest the role of LiF and Cs-containing additives need to be revisited.
Geometry of visuospatial working memory information in miniature gaze patterns
Authors: Linde-Domingo Juan , Spitzer Bernhard 
Published: December 2023

AbstractStimulus-dependent eye movements have been recognized as a potential confound in decoding visual working memory information from neural signals. Here we combined eye-tracking with representational geometry analyses to uncover the information in miniature gaze patterns while participants (n = 41) were cued to maintain visual object orientations. Although participants were discouraged from breaking fixation by means of real-time feedback, small gaze shifts (<1°) robustly encoded the to-be-maintained stimulus orientation, with evidence for encoding two sequentially presented orientations at the same time. The orientation encoding on stimulus presentation was object-specific, but it changed to a more object-independent format during cued maintenance, particularly when attention had been temporarily withdrawn from the memorandum. Finally, categorical reporting biases increased after unattended storage, with indications of biased gaze geometries already emerging during the maintenance periods before behavioural reporting. These findings disclose a wealth of information in gaze patterns during visuospatial working memory and indicate systematic changes in representational format when memory contents have been unattended.
Commensal production of a broad-spectrum and short-lived antimicrobial peptide polyene eliminates nasal Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Torres Salazar Benjamin O. , Dema Taulant , Schilling Nadine A. , Janek Daniela , Bornikoel Jan , Berscheid Anne , Elsherbini Ahmed M. A. , Krauss Sophia , Jaag Simon J. , Lämmerhofer Michael , Li Min , Alqahtani Norah , Horsburgh Malcolm J. , Weber Tilmann , Beltrán-Beleña José Manuel , Brötz-Oesterhelt Heike , Grond Stephanie , Krismer Bernhard , Peschel Andreas 
Published: December 2023

AbstractAntagonistic bacterial interactions often rely on antimicrobial bacteriocins, which attack only a narrow range of target bacteria. However, antimicrobials with broader activity may be advantageous. Here we identify an antimicrobial called epifadin, which is produced by nasal Staphylococcus epidermidis IVK83. It has an unprecedented architecture consisting of a non-ribosomally synthesized peptide, a polyketide component and a terminal modified amino acid moiety. Epifadin combines a wide antimicrobial target spectrum with a short life span of only a few hours. It is highly unstable under in vivo-like conditions, potentially as a means to limit collateral damage of bacterial mutualists. However, Staphylococcus aureus is eliminated by epifadin-producing S. epidermidis during co-cultivation in vitro and in vivo, indicating that epifadin-producing commensals could help prevent nasal S. aureus carriage. These insights into a microbiome-derived, previously unknown antimicrobial compound class suggest that limiting the half-life of an antimicrobial may help to balance its beneficial and detrimental activities.
Analysis and prediction of readmissions for heart failure in the first year after discharge with INCA score
Authors: Rubini Alessia , Vilaplana-Prieto Cristina , Vázquez-Jarén Elena , Hernández-González Miriam , Félix-Redondo Francisco Javier , Fernández-Bergés Daniel 
Published: December 2023

AbstractTo determine the readmissions trends and the comorbidities of patients with heart failure that most influence hospital readmission rates. Heart failure (HF) is one of the most prevalent health problems as it causes loss of quality of life and increased health-care costs. Its prevalence increases with age and is a major cause of re-hospitalisation within 30 days after discharge. INCA study had observational and ambispective design, including 4,959 patients from 2000 to 2019, with main diagnosis of HF in Extremadura (Spain). The variables examined were collected from discharge reports. To develop the readmission index, capable of discriminating the population with higher probability of re-hospitalisation, a Competing-risk model was generated. Readmission rate have increased over the period under investigation. The main predictors of readmission were: age, diabetes mellitus, presence of neoplasia, HF without previous hospitalisation, atrial fibrillation, anaemia, previous myocardial infarction, obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). These variables were assigned values with balanced weights, our INCA index showed that the population with values greater than 2 for men and women were more likely to be re-admitted. Previous HF without hospital admission, CKD, and COPD appear to have the greatest effect on readmission. Our index allowed us to identify patients with different risks of readmission.
The preferences of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on riluzole treatment in Europe
Authors: Ludolph Albert C. , Grandjean Harish , Reviers Evy , De Micheli Valentina , Bianchi Cosetta , Cardosi Leonardo , Russ Hermann , Silani Vincenzo 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe Patient Preference Survey aims to understand unmet needs related to riluzole management in people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and to identify which characteristics of a new formulation could better match their preferences. The survey involved 117 people with ALS (PALS) treated with riluzole in four European countries. The dysphagic PALS were least satisfied with the riluzole tablet and oral suspension and with ease in self-administration; up to 68% of respondents postponed or missed the treatment due to swallowing difficulties and need of caregiver assistance. Overall, 51% of tablet and 53% of oral suspension users regularly crushed or mixed riluzole with beverages, respectively; PALS who always manipulated riluzole showed low satisfaction with the formulation and considered the risk of choking and pneumonia the most worrisome event. The survey evaluated the driving factors in choosing/switching the therapy: 67% of PALS declared a low risk of choking. The research finally evaluated which attributes of a new formulation would be preferred: the most relevant were ease of use (4.3/5), convenient/portable packaging (4.0/5) and oral-dissolving properties without tongue motility (3.9/5). The Patient Preference Survey suggests that patients have several unmet needs and preferences that could be addressed by a different formulation, e.g. using oral film technologies.
Analysis of oxidized glucosylceramide and its effects on altering gene expressions of inflammation induced by LPS in intestinal tract cell models
Authors: Jutanom Mirinthorn , Kato Shunji , Yamashita Shinji , Toda Masako , Kinoshita Mikio , Nakagawa Kiyotaka 
Published: December 2023

AbstractGlucosylceramide (GlcCer) belongs to sphingolipids and is found naturally in plant foods and other sources that humans consume daily. Our previous studies demonstrated that GlcCer prevents inflammatory bowel disease both in vitro and in vivo, whose patients are increasing alarmingly. Although some lipids are vulnerable to oxidation which changes their structure and activities, it is unknown whether oxidative modification of GlcCer affects its activity. In this research, we oxidized GlcCer in the presence of a photosensitizer, analyzed the oxide by mass spectrometric techniques, and examined its anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated differentiated Caco-2 cells as in vitro model of intestinal inflammation. The results showed that GlcCer is indeed oxidized, producing GlcCer hydroperoxide (GlcCerOOH) as a primary oxidation product. We also found that oxidized GlcCer preserves beneficial functions of GlcCer, suppressing inflammatory-related gene expressions. These findings suggested that GlcCerOOH may perform as an LPS recognition antagonist to discourage inflammation rather than induce inflammation.
Effective processing pipeline PACE 2.0 for enhancing chest x-ray contrast and diagnostic interpretability
Authors: Siracusano Giulio , La Corte Aurelio , Nucera Annamaria Giuseppina , Gaeta Michele , Chiappini Massimo , Finocchio Giovanni 
Published: December 2023

AbstractPreprocessing is an essential task for the correct analysis of digital medical images. In particular, X-ray imaging might contain artifacts, low contrast, diffractions or intensity inhomogeneities. Recently, we have developed a procedure named PACE that is able to improve chest X-ray (CXR) images including the enforcement of clinical evaluation of pneumonia originated by COVID-19. At the clinical benchmark state of this tool, there have been found some peculiar conditions causing a reduction of details over large bright regions (as in ground-glass opacities and in pleural effusions in bedridden patients) and resulting in oversaturated areas. Here, we have significantly improved the overall performance of the original approach including the results in those specific cases by developing PACE2.0. It combines 2D image decomposition, non-local means denoising, gamma correction, and recursive algorithms to improve image quality. The tool has been evaluated using three metrics: contrast improvement index, information entropy, and effective measure of enhancement, resulting in an average increase of 35% in CII, 7.5% in ENT, 95.6% in EME and 13% in BRISQUE against original radiographies. Additionally, the enhanced images were fed to a pre-trained DenseNet-121 model for transfer learning, resulting in an increase in classification accuracy from 80 to 94% and recall from 89 to 97%, respectively. These improvements led to a potential enhancement of the interpretability of lesion detection in CXRs. PACE2.0 has the potential to become a valuable tool for clinical decision support and could help healthcare professionals detect pneumonia more accurately.
The biomarkers’ landscape of post-COVID-19 patients can suggest selective clinical interventions
Authors: Paris Debora , Palomba Letizia , Albertini Maria Cristina , Tramice Annabella , Motta Lorenzo , Giammattei Eleonora , Ambrosino Pasquale , Maniscalco Mauro , Motta Andrea 
Published: December 2023

AbstractIn COVID-19 clinical symptoms can persist even after negativization also in individuals who have had mild or moderate disease. We here investigated the biomarkers that define the post-COVID-19 clinical state analyzing the exhaled breath condensate (EBC) of 38 post COVID-19 patients and 38 sex and age-matched healthy controls via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics. Predicted gene-modulated microRNAs (miRNAs) related to COVID-19 were quantified from EBC of 10 patients and 10 controls. Finally, clinical parameters from all post-COVID-19 patients were correlated with metabolomic data. Post-COVID-19 patients and controls showed different metabolic phenotype (“metabotype”). From the metabolites, by using enrichment analysis we identified miRNAs that resulted up-regulated (hsa-miR146a-5p) and down-regulated (hsa-miR-126-3p and hsa-miR-223-3p) in post-COVID-19. Taken together, our multiomics data indicate that post-COVID-19 patients before rehabilitation are characterized by persistent inflammation, dysregulation of liver, endovascular thrombotic and pulmonary processes, and physical impairment, which should be the primary clinical targets to contrast the post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.
Reproduction of Varroa destructor depends on well-timed host cell recapping and seasonal patterns
Authors: Gabel Martin , Scheiner Ricarda , Steffan-Dewenter Ingolf , Büchler Ralph 
Published: December 2023

AbstractResistance traits of honeybees (Apis mellifera) against their major parasite Varroa destructor have fascinated scientists and breeders for long. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying resistance are still largely unknown. The same applies to possible interactions between host behaviours, mite reproduction and seasonal differences. Two resistance traits, reproductive failure of mites and recapping of brood cells, are of particular interest. High rates of recapping at the colony level were found to correspond with low reproductive success of mites. However, the direct effect of recapping on mite reproduction is still controversial and both traits seem to be very variable in their expression. Thus, a deeper knowledge of both, the effect of recapping on mite reproduction and the seasonal differences in the expression of these traits is urgently needed. To shed light on this host-parasite interaction, we investigated recapping and mite reproduction in full-grown colonies naturally infested with V. destructor. Measurements were repeated five times per year over the course of 3 years. The reproductive success of mites as well as the recapping frequency clearly followed seasonal patterns. Thereby, reproductive failure of mites at the cell level was constantly increased in case of recapping. Interestingly, this did not apply to the occurrence of infertile mites. In line with this, recapping activity in fertile cells was most frequent in brood ages in which mite offspring would be expected. Our results suggest that mite offspring is the main target of recapping. This, in turn, leads to a significantly reduced reproductive success of the parasite.
Effects of different manufacturing techniques on the performance of planar antennas
Authors: Žemgulytė Justina , Sadauskas Modestas , Ragulis Paulius , Trusovas Romualdas , Ratautas Karolis , Simniškis Rimantas , Kancleris Žilvinas , Račiukaitis Gediminas 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThis study investigates antenna performance based on its manufacturing process. Two types of planar antennas are manufactured on FR-4 dielectric using three different techniques: traditional lithography, laser ablation, and the novel SSAIL (selective surface activation by laser) technique. Various characteristics, such as reflection coefficient, gain, half-power beamwidth, and surface conductivity, are measured to compare the results. These findings offer invaluable insights for choosing the most suitable antenna manufacturing technique, particularly since the SSAIL technique has not been previously compared to alternative methods in the context of antenna production. In both types of antennas, the highest gain is achieved using laser ablation, with the slot-loaded patch antenna reaching 8.5 dBi and the Yagi-Uda antenna reaching 9.76 dBi. Antennas manufactured using SSAIL technology are notable for their excellent resolution and usefulness in constructing structures on non-metallized dielectrics.
A surrogate safety analysis at sharp gore areas of diverging freeway ramps using micro simulation under congested traffic conditions
Authors: Alshehri Abdulaziz H. , Farooq Muhammad Umer , Farhan Abdul , Yosri Ahmed M. , Alanazi Fayez , Deifallah Ahmed Farouk , Okail Mohamed Ahmed 
Published: December 2023

AbstractSafety at the gore areas near diverging ramps is very crucial during planning and implementation of highway safety improvement programs. Limited research has been conducted on safety at the gore areas on arterial roads. This study aims at investigating the impact of improving a sharp gore area in Lincoln, Nebraska by performing a micro simulation before-and-after study with respect to its underlying state of safety and congestion. Data on travel times and traffic volumes for peak hours are incorporated after successful calibration to find out how a geometric intervention can decrease mobility issues as well as the likelihood of crash involvement. This study has utilized VISSIM software package to run the simulation however, to perform safety analysis, Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM) is used which is developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). During the model calibration, custom driving behaviors are created to represent driving tendencies of familiar drivers. The simulation results indicated that by adding an auxiliary lane near the gore area, the mobility issues such as bottle necks, lane changing dilemmas and queue lengths are substantially decreased. However, geometric interventions such as provision of a separate lane, increasing ramp spacing, nose spacing, deceleration area and queue storage area considerably reduced the likelihood of rear-end and lane changing crashes. Surrogate safety assessment in diverging ramps, particularly for sharp gores, has not previously been studied, and this study can serve as a primary footmark for future research on ramp-gores safety.