bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sleep‐dependent memory consolidation of televised content in infants
Authors: Hermesch Neele , Konrad Carolin , Barr Rachel , Herbert Jane S. , Seehagen Sabine 
Published: December 2023

SummaryInfants face the constant challenge of selecting information for encoding and storage from a continuous incoming stream of data. Sleep might help in this process by selectively consolidating new memory traces that are likely to be of future relevance. Using a deferred imitation paradigm and an experimental design, we asked whether 15‐ and 24‐month‐old infants (N = 105) who slept soon after encoding a televised demonstration of target actions would show higher imitation scores (retention) after a 24‐h delay than same‐aged infants who stayed awake for ≥4 h after encoding. In light of infants’ well‐known difficulties in learning and remembering information from screens, we tested if increasing the relevance of the televised content via standardised caregiver verbalisations might yield the highest imitation scores in the sleep condition. Regardless of sleep condition, 24‐month‐olds exhibited retention of target actions while 15‐month‐olds consistently failed to do so. For 24‐month‐olds, temporal recall was facilitated by sleep, but not by parental verbalisations. Correlational analyses revealed that more time asleep within 4 h after encoding was associated with better retention of the target actions and their temporal order in 24‐months‐olds. These results suggest that sleep facilitates memory consolidation of screen‐based content in late infancy and that this effect might not hinge on caregivers’ verbal engagement during viewing.
Association of maternal cancer with congenital anomalies in offspring
Authors: Auger Nathalie , Maniraho Amanda , Ayoub Aimina , Arbour Laura 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundCongenital anomalies are common, but the possibility that maternal cancer increases the chance of having a child with a birth defect is not fully understood.ObjectivesTo examine the association between maternal cancer before or during pregnancy and the risk of birth defects in offspring.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of live births in Quebec, Canada, between 1989 and 2022 using hospital data. The main exposure measure was maternal cancer before or during pregnancy. The outcome included birth defects detected in offspring during gestation or at birth. We estimated risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of maternal cancer with birth defects using log‐binomial regression models adjusted for potential confounders.ResultsIn this study of 2,568,120 newborns, birth defects were present in 6.0% and 6.7% of infants whose mothers had cancer before or during pregnancy, respectively, compared with 5.7% of infants whose mothers never had cancer. Cancer during pregnancy was associated with heart (RR 1.58, 95% CI 1.03, 2.44), nervous system (RR 4.05, 95% CI 2.20, 7.46) and urinary defects (RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.01, 2.95). Among specific types of malignancies during pregnancy, breast cancer was the most prominent risk factor for birth defects (RR 1.55, 95% CI 1.02, 2.37). Cancer before pregnancy was not associated with any type of birth defect or with defects overall (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.92, 1.11). Moreover, no specific type of cancer before pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of birth defects.ConclusionsMaternal cancer during pregnancy is associated with the risk of congenital anomalies in offspring, however, cancer before pregnancy is not associated with this outcome.
Phosphorus deficiency alters root length, acid phosphatase activity, organic acids, and metabolites in root exudates of soybean cultivars
Authors: Tantriani  , Cheng Weiguo , Oikawa Akira , Tawaraya Keitaro 
Published: December 2023

AbstractPhosphorus (P) deficiency alters the root morphological and physiological traits of plants. This study investigates how soybean cultivars with varying low‐P tolerance values respond to different P levels in hydroponic culture by assessing alterations in root length, acid phosphatase activity, organic acid exudation, and metabolites in root exudates. Three low‐P‐tolerant cultivars (‘Maetsue,’ ‘Kurotome,’ and ‘Fukuyutaka’) and three low‐P‐sensitive cultivars (‘Ihhon,’ ‘Chizuka,’ and ‘Komuta’) were grown under 0 (P0) and 258 μM P (P8) for 7 and 14 days after transplantation (DAT). Low‐P‐tolerant cultivars increased root length by 31% and 119%, which was lower than the 62% and 144% increases in sensitive cultivars under P0 compared to P8 at 7 and 14 DAT, respectively. Acid phosphatase activity in low‐P‐tolerant cultivars exceeded that in sensitive cultivars by 5.2‐fold and 2.0‐fold at 7 and 14 DAT. Root exudates from each cultivar revealed 177 metabolites, with higher organic acid exudation in low‐P‐tolerant than sensitive cultivars under P0. Low‐P‐tolerant cultivars increased concentrations of specific metabolites (oxalate, GABA, quinate, citrate, AMP, 4‐pyridoxate, and CMP), distinguishing them from low‐P‐sensitive cultivars under P0. The top five metabolomic pathways (purine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, TCA cycle, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism) were more pronounced in low‐P‐tolerant cultivars at 14 DAT. These findings indicate that increasing root length was not an adaptation strategy under P deficiency; instead, tolerant cultivars exhibit enhanced root physiological traits, including increased acid phosphatase activity, organic acid exudation, specific metabolite release, and accelerated metabolic pathways under P deficiency.
Dendrobium officinale Kinura et Migo glycoprotein promotes skin wound healing by regulating extracellular matrix secretion and fibroblast proliferation on the proliferation phase
Authors: Li Jia , Zhao Qian , Gao Xiaoyu , Dai Tianyi , Bai Zilin , Sheng Jun , Tian Yang , Bai Zhongbin 
Published: December 2023

AbstractDendrobium officinale Kinura et Migo (DOKM) has a variety of medicinal applications; however, its ability to promote wound healing has not been previously reported. The purpose of this study is to investigate the proliferative phase of the wound−healing effect of DOKM glycoprotein (DOKMG) in rats and to elucidate its mechanism of action in vitro. In the present study, the ointment mixture containing DOKMG was applied to the dorsal skin wounds of the full‐thickness skin excision rat model, and the results showed that the wound healing speed was faster in the proliferative phase than vaseline. Histological analysis demonstrates that DOKMG promoted the re‐epithelialization of wound skin. Immunofluorescence staining and quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays revealed that DOKMG promotes the secretion of Fibronectin and inhibits the secretion of Collagen IV during the granulation tissue formation period, indicating that DOKMG could accelerate the formation of granulation tissue by precisely regulating extracellular matrix (ECM) secretion. In addition, we demonstrated that DOKMG enhanced the migration and proliferation of fibroblast (3T6 cell) in two‐dimensional trauma by regulating the secretion of ECM, via a mechanism that may implicate the AKT and JAK/STAT pathways under the control of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signalling. In summary, we have demonstrated that DOKMG promotes wound healing during the proliferative phase. Therefore, we suggest that DOKMG may have a potential therapeutic application for the treatment and management of cutaneous wounds.
Slowly recurrent Collet–Eckmann maps with non‐empty Fatou set
Authors: Aspenberg Magnus , Bylund Mats , Cui Weiwei 
Published: December 2023

AbstractIn this paper, we study rational Collet–Eckmann maps for which the Julia set is not the whole sphere and for which the critical points are recurrent at a slow rate. In families where the orders of the critical points are fixed, we prove that such maps are Lebesgue density points of hyperbolic maps. In particular, if all critical points are simple, these maps are Lebesgue density points of hyperbolic maps in the full space of rational maps of any degree .
Metabolic engineering of high-salinity-induced biosynthesis of γ-aminobutyric acid improves salt-stress tolerance in a glutamic acid-overproducing mutant of an ectoine-deficient
Halomonas elongata
Authors: Zou Ziyan , Kaothien-Nakayama Pulla , Ogawa-Iwamura Junpei , Nakayama Hideki 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT

A moderately halophilic eubacterium,
Halomonas elongata
, has been used as cell factory to produce fine chemical 1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid (ectoine), which functions as a major osmolyte protecting the cells from high-salinity stress. To explore the possibility of using
H. elongata
to biosynthesize other valuable osmolytes, an ectoine-deficient salt-sensitive
H. elongata
deletion mutant strain KA1 (Δ
ectABC
), which only grows well in minimal medium containing up to 3% NaCl, was subjected to an adaptive mutagenesis screening in search of mutants with restored salt tolerance. Consequently, we obtained a mutant, which tolerates 6% NaCl in minimal medium by overproducing L-glutamic acid (Glu). However, this Glu-overproducing (GOP) strain has a lower tolerance level than the wild-type
H. elongata
, possibly because the acidity of Glu interferes with the pH homeostasis of the cell and hinders its own cellular accumulation. Enzymatic decarboxylation of Glu to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) by a Glu decarboxylase (GAD) could restore cellular pH homeostasis; therefore, we introduced an engineered salt-inducible
HopgadBmut
gene, which encodes a wide pH-range GAD mutant, into the genome of the
H. elongata
GOP strain. We found that the resulting
H. elongata
GOP-Gad strain exhibits higher salt tolerance than the GOP strain by accumulating high concentration of GABA as an osmolyte in the cell (176.94 µmol/g cell dry weight in minimal medium containing 7% NaCl). With
H. elongata
OUT30018 genetic background,
H. elongata
GOP-Gad strain can utilize biomass-derived carbon and nitrogen compounds as its sole carbon and nitrogen sources, making it a good candidate for the development of GABA-producing cell factories.

IMPORTANCE

While the wild-type moderately halophilic
H. elongata
can synthesize ectoine as a high-value osmolyte via the aspartic acid metabolic pathway, a mutant
H. elongata
GOP strain identified in this work opens doors for the biosynthesis of alternative valuable osmolytes via glutamic acid metabolic pathway. Further metabolic engineering to install a GAD system into the
H. elongata
GOP strain successfully created a
H. elongata
GOP-Gad strain, which acquired higher tolerance to salt stress by accumulating GABA as a major osmolyte. With the ability to assimilate biomass-derived carbon and nitrogen sources and thrive in high-salinity environment, the
H. elongata
GOP-Gad strain can be used in the development of sustainable GABA-producing cell factories.
Effects of clinically achievable pulmonary antibiotic concentrations on the recovery of bacteria:
in vitro
comparison of the BioFire FILMARRAY Pneumonia Panel versus conventional culture methods in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
Authors: Fratoni Andrew J. , Roberts Amity L. , Nicolau David P. , Kuti Joseph L. 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT

Empiric antibiotics may affect bacterial pathogen recovery using conventional culture methods (CCMs), while PCR-based diagnostics are likely less affected. Herein, we conducted an
in vitro
study of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) inoculated with bacteria and clinically relevant antibiotic concentrations to compare the recovery between the BioFire FILMARRAY Pneumonia Panel (Pn Panel) and CCMs. Remnant clinical BAL specimens were inoculated to ~10
5
cfu/mL using 12 clinical isolates. Isolates consisted of one wild-type (WT) and one or more resistant strains of:
Escherichia coli
,
Klebsiella pneumoniae
,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,
Acinetobacter baumannii
, and
Staphylococcus aureus
. Piperacillin–tazobactam, cefepime, meropenem, levofloxacin, or vancomycin was added to achieve pulmonary epithelial lining fluid peak and trough concentrations. Post-exposure cfu/mL was quantified by CCMs and simultaneously tested by the PN Panel for identification and semi-quantitative genetic copies/mL. CCM results were categorized as significant growth (SG) (≥1 × 10
4
), no significant growth (NSG) (≥1 × 10
3
, <1 × 10
4
), or no growth (NG) (<1 × 10
3
). The PN Panel accurately identified all isolates, resistance genes, and reported ≥10
6
genetic copies/mL regardless of antibiotic exposure. The CCM also identified all
S. aureus
strains exposed to vancomycin. For WT Gram-negative isolates exposed to antibiotics, SG, NSG, and NG were observed in 7/52 (13%), 18/52 (35%), and 27/52 (52%) of CCM experiments, respectively. For resistant Gram-negatives isolates, SG, NSG, and NG were observed in 62/88 (70%), 17/88 (19%), and 9/88 (10%), respectively. These
in vitro
data demonstrate that the PN Panel is able to identify Gram-negative pathogens in the presence of clinically significant antibiotic concentrations when CCM may not.
Histone binding of ASF1 is required for fruiting body development but not for genome stability in the filamentous fungus
Sordaria macrospora
Authors: Breuer Jan , Busche Tobias , Kalinowski Jörn , Nowrousian Minou 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT

The highly conserved eukaryotic histone chaperone ASF1 is involved in the assembly and disassembly of nucleosomes during transcription, DNA replication, and repair. It was the first chaperone discovered to be involved in all three of these processes. The filamentous fungus
Sordaria macrospora
is one of only two multicellular organisms where
asf1
deletions are viable, which makes it useful for
in vivo
analysis of this central regulator of eukaryotic chromatin structure. Deletion of
asf1
in
S. macrospora
leads to sterility, a reduction of DNA methylation, and upregulation of genes that are usually weakly expressed in the wild type. Here, we focused on the functions of the highly conserved core and the divergent C-terminal tail of ASF1, studied the effects of ASF1 on histone modifications, and tested its relevance for genomic stability. By co-immunoprecipitation and complementation analysis, we showed that substitutions of amino acid V94 or truncations of the C-terminal tail abolish histone binding and do not complement the sterile mutant phenotype. ∆asf1 is sensitive to the DNA-damaging agent methyl methanesulfonate, while complementation strains, even those with non-histone-binding variants, regain wild type-like resistance. The histone marks H3K27me3 and H3K56ac were shown to be influenced by the histone-binding capability of ASF1. To aid in subsequent analyses, we generated a chromosome-resolved genome assembly of
S. macrospora
. By using Hi-C, we detected a tandem duplication of around 600 kb on chromosome 2 in the mutant. Crossing experiments indicated linkage between the viability of Δasf1 strains and the presence of the duplication.

IMPORTANCE

Histone chaperones are proteins that are involved in nucleosome assembly and disassembly and can therefore influence all DNA-dependent processes including transcription, DNA replication, and repair. ASF1 is a histone chaperone that is conserved throughout eukaryotes. In contrast to most other multicellular organisms, a deletion mutant of
asf1
in the fungus
Sordaria macrospora
is viable; however, the mutant is sterile. In this study, we could show that the histone-binding ability of ASF1 is required for fertility in
S. macrospora
, whereas the function of ASF1 in maintenance of genome stability does not require histone binding. We also showed that the histone modifications H3K27me3 and H3K56ac are misregulated in the Δasf1 mutant. Furthermore, we identified a large duplication on chromosome 2 of the mutant strain that is genetically linked to the Δasf1 allele present on chromosome 6, suggesting that viability of the mutant might depend on the presence of the duplicated region.
MpaR-driven expression of an orphan terminal oxidase subunit supports
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
biofilm respiration and development during cyanogenesis
Authors: Smiley Marina K. , Sekaran Doran C. , Forouhar Farhad , Wolin Erica , Jovanovic Marko , Price-Whelan Alexa , Dietrich Lars E. P. 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is a common, biofilm-forming pathogen that exhibits complex pathways of redox metabolism. It produces four different types of terminal oxidases for aerobic respiration, and for one of these, the
cbb
3
-type terminal oxidases, it has the capacity to produce at least 16 isoforms encoded by partially redundant operons. It also produces small-molecule virulence factors that interact with the respiratory chain, including the poison cyanide. Previous studies had indicated a role for cyanide in activating expression of an “orphan” terminal oxidase subunit gene called
ccoN4
and that the product contributes to
P. aeruginosa
cyanide resistance, fitness in biofilms, and virulence, but the mechanisms underlying this process had not been elucidated. Here, we show that the regulatory protein MpaR, which is predicted to be a pyridoxal phosphate-binding transcription factor and is encoded just upstream of
ccoN4
, controls
ccoN4
expression in response to endogenous cyanide. Paradoxically, we find that cyanide production is required to support CcoN4’s contribution to respiration in biofilms. We identify a palindromic motif required for cyanide- and MpaR-dependent expression of
ccoN4
and co-expressed adjacent loci. We also characterize the regulatory logic of this region of the chromosome. Finally, we identify residues in the putative cofactor-binding pocket of MpaR, which are required for
ccoN4
expression. Together, our findings illustrate a novel scenario in which the respiratory toxin cyanide acts as a signal to control gene expression in a bacterium that produces the compound endogenously.

IMPORTANCE

Cyanide is an inhibitor of heme-copper oxidases, which are required for aerobic respiration in all eukaryotes and many prokaryotes. This fast-acting poison can arise from diverse sources, but mechanisms by which bacteria sense it are poorly understood. We investigated the regulatory response to cyanide in the pathogenic bacterium
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, which produces cyanide as a virulence factor. Although
P. aeruginosa
has the capacity to produce a cyanide-resistant oxidase, it relies primarily on heme-copper oxidases and even makes additional heme-copper oxidase proteins specifically under cyanide-producing conditions. We found that the protein MpaR controls expression of cyanide-inducible genes in
P. aeruginosa
and elucidated the molecular details of this regulation. MpaR contains a DNA-binding domain and a domain predicted to bind pyridoxal phosphate (vitamin B6), a compound that is known to react spontaneously with cyanide. These observations provide insight into the understudied phenomenon of cyanide-dependent regulation of gene expression in bacteria.
A naturally occurring HA-stabilizing amino acid (HA1-Y17) in an A(H9N2) low-pathogenic influenza virus contributes to airborne transmission
Authors: Sun Xiangjie , Belser Jessica A. , Pulit-Penaloza Joanna A. , Brock Nicole , Kieran Troy J. , Zeng Hui , Pappas Claudia , Tumpey Terrence M. , Maines Taronna R. 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT
Airborne transmissibility is a prerequisite for a pandemic influenza A virus (IAV), and a better understanding of how zoonotic IAV evolves to acquire a transmissible phenotype is essential for pandemic preparedness. Select contemporary influenza A(H9N2) viruses such as A/Anhui-Lujiang/39/2018 (AL/39) have exhibited a limited transmission capability by the airborne route in the ferret model; therefore, it is of great importance to identify viral factors that contribute to enhanced transmission. To investigate the role of virus acid stability in virus airborne transmission, we rescued a pair of isogenic A(H9N2) viruses, including the wild-type (wt) AL/39 and the mutant virus bearing a naturally occurring substitution HA1-Y17H, with a resulting difference in virus pH thresholds for hemagglutinin activation. We next assessed virus replication, airborne transmission, and fitness in a co-infection competition model in ferrets. We found that the HA1-Y17H mutant virus yielded only non-productive airborne transmission despite possessing a comparative replication as the wt virus in the ferret upper respiratory tract. Furthermore, ferrets inoculated with the wt virus emitted more virus-laden particles into the air than the HA1-Y17H mutant virus-inoculated animals. During ferret co-infection experiments, the wt virus was the dominant species in multiple types of specimens following different inoculation routes. Taken together, our study demonstrates that an acid-stable IAV had a greater capacity to establish a productive infection in the ferret upper respiratory tract and was emitted in greater quantities from infected animals, features that may contribute to virus airborne transmission in a synergistic manner in mammalian hosts.

IMPORTANCE
Despite the accumulation of evidence showing that airborne transmissible influenza A virus (IAV) typically has a lower pH threshold for hemagglutinin (HA) fusion activation, the underlying mechanism for such a link remains unclear. In our study, by using a pair of isogenic recombinant A(H9N2) viruses with a phenotypical difference in virus airborne transmission in a ferret model due to an acid-destabilizing mutation (HA1-Y17H) in the HA, we demonstrate that an acid-stable A(H9N2) virus possesses a multitude of advantages over its less stable counterpart, including better fitness in the ferret respiratory tract, more effective aerosol emission from infected animals, and improved host susceptibility. Our study provides supporting evidence for the requirement of acid stability in efficient airborne transmission of IAV and sheds light on fundamental mechanisms for virus airborne transmission.
Exploring perceptions and operational considerations for use of a smartphone application to self-monitor blood pressure in pregnancy in Lombok, Indonesia: protocol for a qualitative study
Authors: Tamrat Tigest , Setiyawati Yuni Dwi , Barreix Maria , Gayatri Mergy , Rinjani Shannia Oktaviana , Pasaribu Melissa Paulina , Geissbuhler Antoine , Shankar Anuraj H , Tunçalp Özge 
Published: December 2023

IntroductionHypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of maternal deaths globally and require close monitoring of blood pressure (BP) to mitigate potential adverse effects. Despite the recognised need for research on self-monitoring of blood pressure (SMBP) among pregnant populations, there are very few studies focused on low and middle income contexts, which carry the greatest burden of HDPs. The study aims to understand the perceptions, barriers, and operational considerations for using a smartphone software application to perform SMBP by pregnant women in Lombok, Indonesia.Methods and analysisThis study includes a combination of focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and workshop observations. Pregnant women will also be provided with a research version of the smartphone BP application to use in their home and subsequently provide feedback on their experiences. The study will include pregnant women with current or past HDP, their partners and the healthcare workers involved in the provision of antenatal care services within the catchment area of six primary healthcare centres. Data obtained from the interviews and observations will undergo thematic analyses using a combination of both inductive and deductive approaches.Ethics and disseminationThe study was approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Human Reproduction Programme (HRP) Research Project Review Panel and WHO Ethical Review Committee (A65932) as well as the Health Research Ethics Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Mataram in Indonesia (004/UN18/F7/ETIK/2023).Findings will be disseminated through research publications and communicated to the Lombok district health offices. The analyses from this study will also inform the design of a subsequent impact evaluation.