bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Muscle Pressure Correlates With Pain Levels in Fibromyalgia Patients
Authors: Katz Robert S. , Adler Seth , Small Ben J. , Cherny Katya , Small Alexandra Katz 
Published: January 2024

Background/Objective
We evaluated patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) to determine whether there is a correlation between pain scores based on a 0- to 10-point visual analog scale (VAS) and muscle pressure.

Methods
One hundred forty-two patients who satisfied the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for FMS and 38 non-FMS controls comprised the study groups. Muscle pressure was measured in mm Hg using a pressure gauge attached to a no. 22 needle inserted into the midportion of the trapezius muscle. The muscle pressure was then correlated with the VAS pain score of 0 to 10, some with an increment of 0.5. A second muscle pressure was obtained from 19 patients at a subsequent visit, which was compared with their pain scores.

Results
The mean (SD) pain score for 142 patients with FMS was 6.6 (SD, 1.84) on a 0- to 10-point VAS. The mean pain score in the non-FMS subjects was 0.7 (SD, 1.26). The mean muscle pressure in the FMS group was 32.9 (SD, 6.57) mm Hg. The mean muscle pressure in the non-FMS subjects was 10.6 (SD, 3.85) mm Hg. The calculated Pearson correlation coefficient for muscle pressure versus pain score was 0.8312 (p < 0.0001). This indicates a highly significant association between subjects' muscle pressure and pain scores. For the repeat muscle pressures, the change in muscle pressure was correlated with the change in pain score, and the resulting Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.9255 (p < 0.0001). These results again indicate a highly significant association between subjects' muscle pressure and pain scores.

Conclusion
The results show that increased muscle pressure may be a significant cause of pain in FMS, and the etiology of the pain may have a large peripheral component in addition to a centralized origin of the pain.
A New Iterative Metal Artifact Reduction Algorithm for Both Energy-Integrating and Photon-Counting CT Systems
Authors: Anhaus Julian A. , Heider Maximilian , Killermann Philipp , Hofmann Christian , Mahnken Andreas H. 
Published: January 2024

Objectives
The aim of this study was to introduce and evaluate a new metal artifact reduction framework (iMARv2) that addresses the drawbacks (residual artifacts after correction and user preferences for image quality) associated with the current clinically applied iMAR.

Materials and Methods
A new iMARv2 has been introduced, combining the current iMAR with new modular components to remove residual metal artifacts after image correction. The postcorrection image impression is adjustable with user-selectable strength settings. Phantom scans from an energy-integrating and a photon-counting detector CT were used to assess image quality, including a Gammex phantom and anthropomorphic phantoms. In addition, 36 clinical cases (with metallic implants such as dental fillings, hip replacements, and spinal screws) were reconstructed and evaluated in a blinded and randomized reader study.

Results
The Gammex phantom showed lower HU errors compared with the uncorrected image at almost all iMAR and iMARv2 settings evaluated, with only minor differences between iMAR and the different iMARv2 settings. In addition, the anthropomorphic phantoms showed a trend toward lower errors with higher iMARv2 strength settings. On average, the iMARv2 strength 3 performed best of all the clinical reconstructions evaluated, with a significant increase in diagnostic confidence and decrease in artifacts. All hip and dental cases showed a significant increase in diagnostic confidence and decrease in artifact strength, and the improvements from iMARv2 in the dental cases were significant compared with iMAR. There were no significant improvements in the spine.

Conclusions
This work has introduced and evaluated a new method for metal artifact reduction and demonstrated its utility in routine clinical datasets. The greatest improvements were seen in dental fillings, where iMARv2 significantly improved image quality compared with conventional iMAR.
Identifying Stigmatizing Language Used by Israelis and Germans With a Mild Neurocognitive Disorder, Their Relatives, and Caregivers of People With Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Werner Perla , Ulitsa Natalie , Alpinar-Sencan Zümrüt , Shefet Daphna , Schicktanz Silke 
Published: January 2024

Objectives:
The purpose of the study was to examine and compare the dementia-related discourse and language used by people with mild neurocognitive disorder (MND), their family members, and family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease in Israel and Germany.

Design:
This secondary qualitative analysis included focus groups and semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to reveal the main discourses and stigmatic language used regarding dementia and people with dementia.

Setting:
Israeli and German stakeholders.

Participants:
Forty-four Israeli and 44 German participants: 28 people with MND, 20 family members of people with MND, and 40 family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Results:
Two main discourses were identified: the tragedy and the biomedical discourse. The tragedy discourse included several subthemes: “Dementia as the worst-case scenario,” “Nothing can be done about dementia,” and “People with dementia are not human.” The biomedical discourse stressed pathologic aspects of the condition. Similarities and differences were found between Israeli and German participants.

Conclusions:
The study indicates that, despite culture and language differences, the use of stigmatic discourse and stigmatizing language is common among people with close exposure to dementia in Israel and Germany. Efforts should be increased to develop a person-centered and dementia-friendly language.
Implementing evidence-based pre-operative education in hospitalized patients undergoing total knee replacement: a best practice implementation project
Authors: Yang Miao-Miao , Wang Lin , Yu Zheng-Hong , Ying-Zhang  
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT

Introduction:
Pre-operative education is a key factor influencing post-operative recovery, patient expectations of surgery, and patient satisfaction. Although there are guidelines for the pre-operative education of patients undergoing knee replacement, pre-operative education of patients remains suboptimal.

Objectives:
This study aimed to improve the knowledge and skills of health care providers and patients undergoing elective knee replacement. The project used pre-operative education to increase compliance with best practices.

Methods:
This project was conducted from January to October 2022 in the orthopedic department of a tertiary hospital in China. The project was conceptually guided by the JBI Model of Evidence-Based Healthcare, while the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework was used to guide the implementation. Two audit criteria were developed for the baseline and follow-up audits, which assessed 20 patients undergoing elective knee replacement.

Results:
A comparison of the audit outcomes revealed that for Criterion 1, the percentage of patients receiving pre-operative education in both audits was 100%. For Criterion 2, the compliance rate increased significantly from 0% in the baseline audit to 90% in the follow-up audit.

Conclusions:
A clinical audit is an effective approach to improving compliance with recommended best practices. Leadership, team resource management, education, and monitoring were helpful in implementing the best practices. Further audits will need to be conducted to maintain practice changes and ensure that the project is sustainable.
Examination of SARS-CoV-2 serological test results from multiple commercial and laboratory platforms with an in-house serum panel
Authors: Lester Sandra N. , Stumpf Megan , Freeman Brandi D. , Mills Lisa , Schiffer Jarad , Semenova Vera , Jia Tao , Desai Rita , Browning Peter , Alston Bailey , Ategbole Muyiwa , Bolcen Shanna , Chen Alexander , David Ebenezer , Manitis Panagiotis , Tatum Heather , Qin Yunlong , Zellner Briana , Drobeniuc Jan , Tejada-Strop Alexandra , Chatterjee Payel , Shrivastava-Ranjan Punya , Jenks M. Harley , McMullan Laura K. , Flint Mike , Spiropoulou Christina F. , Niemeyer Glenn P. , Werner Bonnie J. , Bean Christopher J. , Johnson Jeffrey A. , Hoffmaster Alex R. , Satheshkumar Panayampalli S. , Schuh Amy J. , Owen S. Michele , Thornburg Natalie J. 
Published: January 2024

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel human coronavirus that was identified in 2019. SARS-CoV-2 infection results in an acute, severe respiratory disease called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The emergence and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 has led to a global public health crisis, which continues to affect populations across the globe. Real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) is the reference standard test for COVID-19 diagnosis. Serological tests are valuable tools for serosurveillance programs and establishing correlates of protection from disease. This study evaluated the performance of one in-house enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) utilizing the pre-fusion stabilized ectodomain of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S), two commercially available chemiluminescence assays Ortho VITROS Immunodiagnostic Products Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Total Reagent Pack and Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay and one commercially available Surrogate Virus Neutralization Test (sVNT), GenScript USA Inc., cPass SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Antibody Detection Kit for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies. Using a panel of rRT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 patients’ sera and a negative control group as a reference standard, all three immunoassays demonstrated high comparable positivity rates and low discordant rates. All three immunoassays were highly sensitive with estimated sensitivities ranging from 95.4%-96.6%. ROC curve analysis indicated that all three immunoassays had high diagnostic accuracies with area under the curve (AUC) values ranging from 0.9698-0.9807. High positive correlation was demonstrated among the conventional microneutralization test (MNT) titers and the sVNT inhibition percent values. Our study indicates that independent evaluations are necessary to optimize the overall utility and the interpretation of the results of serological tests. Overall, we demonstrate that all serological tests evaluated in this study are suitable for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.
Retention of an endosymbiont for the production of a single molecule
Authors: Garber Arkadiy I. , de la Filia Molina Andrés Garcia , Vea Isabelle , Mongue Andrew J. , Ross Laura , McCutcheon John P. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractSap-feeding insects often maintain multiple nutritional endosymbionts, which act in concert to produce compounds essential for insect survival. Many mealybugs have endosymbionts in a nested configuration: one or two bacterial species reside within the cytoplasm of another bacterium, and to-gether these bacteria have genomes which encode interdependent but complete sets of genes needed to produce key nutritional molecules. Here we show that the mealybugPseudococcus viburnihas three endosymbionts, one of which contributes only two genes that produce a single host nutrition-related molecule. All three bacterial endosymbionts have tiny genomes, suggesting that they have been co-evolving inside their insect host for millions of years.SignificanceNutritional endosymbionts synthesize (or contribute to the synthesis of) key metabolites such as essential amino acids and vitamins for their host organism. These nutrients are required by hosts because of their restricted diets, which in the case of mealybugs consists solely of plant phloem sap. Genome sequencing of insect endosymbionts has shown that their genomes can be very small, encoding few genes outside of core bacterial processes and nutrient provisioning. Here we highlight an example that has taken this reductive process to the extreme: a mealybug endosymbiont contributes only a single essential compound, chorismate, to the symbiosis.
The recombination landscape of introgression in yeast
Authors: Schwarzkopf Enrique J. , Brandt Nathan , Heil Caiti Smukowski 
Published: January 2024

AbstractMeiotic recombination is an evolutionary force that acts by breaking up genomic linkage, increasing the efficacy of selection. Recombination is initiated with a double-strand break which is resolved via a crossover, which involves the reciprocal exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes, or a non-crossover, which results in small tracts of non-reciprocal exchange of genetic material. Crossover and non-crossover rates vary between species, populations, individuals, and across the genome. In recent years, recombination rate has been associated with the distribution of ancestry derived from past interspecific hybridization (introgression) in a variety of species. We explore this interaction of recombination and introgression by sequencing spores and detecting crossovers and non-crossovers from two crosses of the yeastSaccharomyces uvarum. One cross is between strains which each contain introgression from their sister species,S. eubayanus, while the other cross has no introgression present. We find that the recombination landscape is significantly different betweenS. uvarumcrosses, and that some of these differences can be explained by the presence of introgression in one cross. Crossovers are reduced and non-crossovers are increased in heterozygous introgression compared to syntenic regions in the cross without introgression. This translates to reduced allele shuffling within introgressed regions, and an overall reduction of shuffling on most chromosomes with introgression compared to the syntenic regions and chromosomes without introgression. Our results suggest that hybridization can significantly influence the recombination landscape, and that the reduction in allele shuffling contributes to the initial purging of introgression in the generations following a hybridization event.
Epithelial cytokeratin 6a restricts secretory autophagy of proinflammatory cytokines by interacting with Sec16A
Authors: Bhushan Anand , Chan Jonathan K. , Sun Yan , Ghiamati Fariba , Crabb Jack S , Jang Geeng-Fu , Willard Belinda , Crabb John W , Tam Connie 
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACTEpithelial cells form a crucial barrier against harmful microbes and inflammatory stimuli. Restraining inflammatory responses at the corneal barrier is necessary for avoiding sight-threatening tissue damage. Yet, epithelial cell-intrinsic mechanisms that dampen inflammation are largely unexplored. Keratin 6a (K6a) is a common type II cytokeratin highly expressed in corneal and other stratified epithelial cells. In a mouse model of sterile corneal inflammation, K6a knockout mice exhibit disease exacerbation. Here, we investigated cell-intrinsic mechanisms by which cytoplasmic K6a curbs corneal inflammation. We stimulated wild-type (WT) and K6a siRNA-knockdown (K6a-KD) human corneal epithelial (hTCEpi) cells with inflammatoryP. aeruginosaculture supernatant. Our results showed that, under both basal and inflammatory conditions, K6a-KD cells secreted higher levels of cytokines and chemokines (IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, CXCL1, CCL20) as compared to WT cells. K6a-KD cells also had increased level of LC3-II, a marker for autophagosomes, while autophagic degradation of SQSTM1/p62 remained unchanged. In K6a-KD cells, the majority of LC3-II puncta were associated with non-acidified autophagosomes rather than acidified autolysosomes. Upon stimulation, IL-8 was found to co-localize with LC3-II by confocal microscopy. Mechanistically, mass spectrometric analysis of K6a immunoprecipitates identified Sec16A, a protein involved in secretory autophagy, as an interacting partner of K6a. Further experiments showed that knocking down key proteins involved in autophagosome formation (ATG5) and the secretory autophagy process (Sec16A, GRASP55, Rab8) abolished the augmentative effect of K6a-KD on cytokine and chemokine secretion. These findings reveal a novel repressive role of K6a in secretory autophagy-mediated proinflammatory cytokine secretion and provide new insights into cell-intrinsic mechanisms of inflammation control at epithelial barriers.
Movement-integrated habitat selection reveals wolves balance ease of travel with human avoidance in a risk-reward trade-off
Authors: Kingdon Katrien A. , Prokopenko Christina M. , Dupont Daniel L. J. , Turner Julie , Wiens Jonathan , Harriman Vanessa B. , Wal Eric Vander 
Published: January 2024

AbstractAnthropogenic linear features are often linked to alterations in wildlife behaviour and movement. Landscape features such as habitat can have important mediating effects on wildlife response to disturbance and yet is rarely explicitly considered in how it interacts with other features. This study tests the effects of habitat variation on the space-use responses of GPS-collared wolves to linear features in eastern Manitoba. We simultaneously model wolf movement and selection within a conditional logistic regression framework (integrated Step Selection Analysis) with explicit consideration for how habitat alters these responses through either added cover or friction to movement. Classifying linear features based on the selection and movement response of wolves revealed that pairing transmission lines and primary roads increased the avoidance response to be greater than either feature on their own and provided evidence of a semi-permeable barrier to movement. In contrast, features with reduced human activity, including secondary and tertiary roads were highly selected for and provided access to movement corridors. Explicit parameterization of habitat provides evidence that where a linear feature is routed and which habitats it interacts with will have the greatest implications for wolf behavioural responses. Reduction of avoidance behavioural in highly risky environments signifies the importance of habitat for maintaining landscape connectivity, particularly when routing multiple features together. Natural regrowth along these features reduced movement advantages by increasing friction, indicating that actively decommissioning other features such as secondary roads would have important implications for reducing wolf encounters with prey. Knowing the influence of adjacent habitats on the likelihood of wolves selecting for a given linear feature creates context to minimize the impact of new anthropogenic features on behaviour.
The CD4 T cell epigenetic JUNB+ state is associated with proliferation and exhaustion
Authors: Mihai Ionut Sebastian , Selinger Martin , Boucheron Nicole , Forsell Mattias , Magalhaes Isabelle , Trygg Johan , Henriksson Johan 
Published: January 2024

AbstractAdoptive cell therapy (ACT) requires the in vitro expansion of T cells, a process where currently several variables are poorly controlled. As the state and quality of the cells affects the treatment outcome, the lack of insight is problematic. To get a better understanding of the production process and its degrees of freedom, we have generated a multiome CD4 T cell single-cell atlas. We find in particular a JUNB+ epigenetic state, orthogonal to traditional CD4 T cell subtype categorization. This new state is present but overlooked in previous transcriptomic CD4 T cell atlases. We characterize it to be highly proliferative, having condensed and actively remodeled chromatin, and correlating with exhaustion. JUNB+ subsets are also linked to memory formation, as well as circadian rhythm, connecting several important processes into one state. To dissect JUNB regulation, we also derived a gene regulatory network (GRN) and developed a new explainable machine learning package, Nando. We propose potential upstream drivers of JUNB, verified by other atlases and orthogonal data. We expect our results to be relevant for optimizing in vitro ACT conditions as well as modulation of gene expression through novel gene editing.
Temporal information of subsecond sensory stimuli in primary visual cortex is encoded via high dimensional population vectors
Authors: Post Sam , Mol William , Rahmatullah Noorhan , Goel Anubhuti 
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACTWhether in music, language, baking, or memory, our experience of the world is fundamentally linked to time. However, it is unclear how temporal information is encoded, particularly in the range of milliseconds to seconds. Temporal processing at this scale is critical to prediction and survival, such as in a prey anticipating not only where a charging predator will go but alsowhenthe predator will arrive at that location. Several models of timing have been proposed that suggest that either time is encoded intrinsically in the dynamics of a network or that time is encoded by mechanisms that are explicitly dedicated to temporal processing. To determine how temporal information is encoded, we recorded neural activity in primary visual cortex (V1) as mice (male and female) performed a goal directed sensory discrimination task, in which patterns of subsecond stimuli differed only in their temporal profiles. We found that temporal information was encoded in the changing population vector of the network and that the space between these vectors was maximized in learned sessions. Our results suggest that temporal information in the subsecond range is encoded intrinsically and does not rely upon specialized timing mechanisms.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTOur experience of the world is fundamentally linked to time, but it is unclear how temporal information is encoded, particularly in the range of milliseconds to seconds. Using a sensory discrimination task in which patterns of subsecond stimuli differed in their temporal profiles, we found that primary visual cortex encodes temporal information via the changing population vector of the network. As temporal processing via population encoding has been shown to rely on inhibitory activity in computational models, our results may provide insight into temporal processing deficits in disorders such as autism spectrum disorder in which there is inhibitory-excitatory imbalance. Furthermore, our results may underlie processing of higher-order sensory stimuli, such as language, that are characterized by complex temporal sequences.
A Combinatorial Strategy for HRV 3C Protease Engineering to Achieve the N-terminal Free Cleavage
Authors: Mei Meng , Fan Xian , Zhou Yu , Zhang Faying , Zhang Guimin , Yi Li 
Published: January 2024

AbstractHuman rhinovirus 3C protease (HRV 3C-P) has a high specificity against the substrate of LEVLFQ↓G at P1’ site, which plays an important role in biotechnology and academia as a fusion tag removal tool. However, a non-ignorable limitation is that an extra residue of Gly would remain at the N terminus of the recombinant target protein after cleavage with HRV 3C-P, thus potentially causing protein mis-functionality or immunogenicity. Here, we developed a combinatorial strategy by integrating structure-guided library design and high-throughput screening of eYESS approach for HRV 3C-P engineering to expand its P1’ specificity. Finally, a C3 variant was obtained, exhibiting a broad substrate P1’ specificity to recognize 20 different amino acids with the highest activity against LEVLFQ↓M (kcat/KM= 3.72 ± 0.04 mM-1·s-1). Further biochemical and NGS-mediated substrate profiling analysis showed that C3 variant still kept its substrate stringency at P1 site and good residue tolerance at P2’ site, but with an expanded P1’ specificity. Structural simulation of C3 indicated a reconstructed S1’ binding pocket as well as new interactions with the substrates. Overall, our studies here prompt not only the practical applications and understanding of substrate recognition mechanisms of HRV 3C-P, also provide new tools for other enzyme engineering.Abstract graphic