bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nerve guide conduits, nerve transfers, and local and free muscle transfer in facial nerve palsy
Authors: Shoman Nael 
Published: August 2023

Purpose of review
To highlight the recent literature on reinnervation options in the management of facial nerve paralysis using nerve conduits, and nerve and muscle transfers.

Recent findings
Engineering of natural and synthetic nerve conduits has progressed and many of these products are now available on the market. The use of the masseter nerve has become more popular recently as a choice in nerve transfer procedures due to various unique advantages. Various authors have recently described mimetic muscle reinnervation using more than one nerve transfer, as well as dual and triple innervation of free muscle transfer.

Summary
The ideal nerve conduit continues to be elusive, however significant progress has been made with many natural and synthetic materials and designs tested and introduced on the market. Many authors have modified the classic approaches in motor nerve transfer, as well as local and free muscle transfer, and described new ones, that aim to combine their advantages, particularly the simplification to a single stage and use of multiple reinnervation to the mimetic muscles. These advances are valuable to the reconstructive surgeon as powerful tools that can be tailored to the unique challenges of patients with facial nerve palsy looking for dynamic reanimation options.
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Authors: Matthews Andrea , Muthukumar Sharan Pradeep Thiruvazhuthi , Hamill Sharon , Aitken Elizabeth A. B. , Chen Andrew 
Published: August 2023

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is an important horticultural crop valued for its medicinal and culinary properties. Fusarium yellows, caused by the ascomycete fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. zingiberi (Foz) is a devastating soil borne disease of ginger. It has curtailed ginger production in Australia and around the world leading to significant economic losses. An integrated approach is required to manage soil-borne diseases such as those caused by Foz. However, little is known about the influence of Foz inoculum on disease severity. This study aimed to establish a minimum threshold level of spores per gram of soil required for plant infection and to develop and evaluate a pot inoculation method for suitability in screening large number of plants in a controlled environment. To achieve this, the dominant Australian ginger cultivar ‘Canton’ was inoculated with 101, 103, 105, 106, and 107 microconidia per gram of soil. The inoculum density positively associated with leaf and stem yellows, and rhizome discolouration, and negatively associated with root length and rhizome weight. The lowest threshold required for plant infection was 101 microconidia per gram of soil, which may provide an important basis for outbreaks of Foz in the field. This finding adds significantly to the knowledge of the impact of soil health to ginger production thereby contributing to the integrated management of Foz. When used at a high dose, this method can facilitate reliable and accurate screening of Foz susceptible ginger genotypes in a controlled environment.
Percutaneous Intramyocardial Septal Cryoablation for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Canine Model with 6 months Follow-up
Authors: Lu Xiaonan , Li Jing , Hsi David H. , Zhang Juan , Han Yupeng , Ta Shengjun , Wang Jing , He Jing , Zhao Jia , Hao Chao , Yao Lu , Ou Xumei , Shan Bo , Wang Bo , Zhao Xueli , Hu Rui , Liu Liwen 
Published: August 2023

ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDEchocardiography-guided percutaneous intramyocardial septal radiofrequency ablation (PIMSRA, Liwen procedure) is a novel treatment option for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). The safety and feasibility of using this procedure for cryoablation are unknown.OBJECTIVETo establish a canine model for echocardiography-guided percutaneous intramyocardial septal cryoablation (PIMSCA).METHODSEight canines underwent PIMSCA and had electrocardiography, echocardiography, myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE), (ECG), serological and pathological examinations during the preoperative, immediate postoperative, and in 6-month follow-up.RESULTSAll eight canines underwent successful cryoablation and continued to be in sinus rhythm during ablation and without malignant arrhythmias. MCE showed that ablation area had decreased myocardial perfusion after procedure. Troponin I levels were significantly elevated [0.010 (0.005, 0.297) ng/mL vs. 3.122 (1.152,7.990) ng/mL, p < 0.05)]. At follow-up 6-months after procedure, all animals were alive, with thinning of the interventricular septum (7.26 ± 0.52 mm vs. 3.86 ± 0.29 mm, p < 0.05). Echocardiography showed no significant decrease in left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF) (54.32 ± 2.93 %vs. 54.70 ± 2.47 %, p > 0.05) or changes by pulse-wave Doppler E/A (1.17 ± 0.43 vs. 1.07 ± 0.43, p > 0.05), E/e’(8.09 ± 1.49 vs. 10.05 ±2.68, p > 0.05). Pathological findings proved effective cryoablation in myocardial tissues. We observed pericardial effusions and premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) associated with the procedure.CONCLUSIONOur findings provide preliminary evidence of the safety and feasibility of PIMSACA in interventricular septum reduction, which provides a potentially new treatment option for HOCM.
Structural elucidation and antiviral activity of cathepsin L inhibitors with carbonyl and epoxide warheads
Authors: Falke Sven , Lieske Julia , Herrmann Alexander , Loboda Jure , Günther Sebastian , Reinke Patrick YA , Ewert Wiebke , Karničar Katarina , Usenik Aleksandra , Lindič Nataša , Sekirnik Andreja , Tsuge Hideaki , Turk Vito , Chapman Henry N , Hinrichs Winfried , Ebert Gregor , Turk Dušan , Meents Alke 
Published: August 2023

AbstractEmerging RNA viruses including SARS-CoV-2 continue to be a major threat around the globe. The cell entry of SARS-CoV-2 particles via the endosomal pathway involves the cysteine protease cathepsin L (CatL) among other proteases. CatL is rendered as a promising drug target in the context of different viral and lysosome-related diseases. Hence, drug discovery and structure-based optimization of inhibitors is of high pharmaceutical interest. We herein verified and compared the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of a set of carbonyl and succinyl-epoxide-based inhibitors, which have previously been identified as cathepsin inhibitors. Calpain inhibitor XII (CI-XII), MG-101 and CatL inhibitor IV (CLI-IV) possess antiviral activity in the very low nanomolar IC50range in Vero E6 cells. Experimental structural data on how these and related compounds bind to CatL are however notably lacking, despite their therapeutic potential. Consequently, we present and compare crystal structures of CatL in complex with 14 compounds, namely BOCA (N-BOC-2-aminoacetaldehyde), CLI-IV, CI-III, CI-VI, CI-XII, the main protease α-ketoamide inhibitor 13b, MG-101, MG-132 as well as E-64d (aloxistatin), E-64, CLIK148, CAA0225, TC-I (CID 16725315) and TPCK at resolutions better than 2 Å. Overall, the presented data comprise a broad and solid basis for structure-guided understanding and optimization of CatL inhibitors towards protease drug development.
Functional Domains of Substance Use and Trauma: A Systematic Review of Neuroimaging Studies
Authors: Hinojosa Cecilia A. , Sitar Siara I. , Zhao Joshua C. , Barbosa Joshua D. , Hien Denise A. , Welsh Justine W. , Fani Negar , van Rooij Sanne J.H. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractIn a framework for substance use concerning trauma, Hien and colleagues suggested three domains: reward salience, executive function, and negative emotionality. In this PRISMA-guided systematic review, we explored the neural correlates of these domains in individuals who use substances with or without trauma exposure. We included 45 studies utilizing tasks of interest in alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use groups.Greater reward, lesser regulation of inhibitory processes, and mixed findings of negative emotionality processes in individuals who use substances versus controls were found. Specifically, greater orbitofrontal cortex, ventral tegmental area, striatum, amygdala, and hippocampal activation was found in response to reward-related tasks, and reduced activation was found in the inferior frontal gyrus and hippocampus in response to inhibition-related tasks. No studies in trauma-exposed individuals met our review criteria.Future studies examining the role of trauma-related factors are needed and should explore inhibition- and negative-emotionality domains in individuals who use substances to uncover alterations in these domains that place an individual at greater risk for developing SUD.
Artemisitene protected against murine schistosomiasis japonica through anti-parasite activity and immune regulation
Authors: Liu Meng-ke , Chen Xu-yang , Tang Juan-juan , Liu Zhi-peng , Lin Gui-ying , Cai Jun-ling , Chen Zuo-ming , Yan Yu-yun , Ji Xiao-fang , Yang Zhong-jin , Li Zi 
Published: August 2023

AbstractSchistosoma japonicum(Sj) infection induced liver granulomatous inflammation and fibrosis. As an active artemisinin analog, the implication of artemisitene (ATT) in schistosomiasis were unclear. Herein, we found that ATT significantly reduced the count of total adult worms and eggs, and increased the count of single males, injured the tegument in the surface ofSjadult worms & gynecophoral canal of males. The transcription of 98 genes in females and 48 genes in males were significantly changed, and these genes were closely related to cellular anatomical entity through gene ontology analysis. So, ATT might possess anti-parasite activity. Meanwhile, ATT treatment significantly lowered the level of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (AST) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (ALT) in sera, the size of mesenteric lymph node, and granuloma, the collagen area and α-SMA expression level in the liver. Liver transcriptome and multi-cytokines analysis indicated its immune regulation effect. Flow cytometry verified that the count of eosinophils in the liver were significantly increased, while the frequency of neutrophils, M1/M2 and Th1/Th2 index were significantly decreased. Therefore, we provided strong evidence that ATT has therapeutic potential throughSjclearance and anti-liver disease. Tegument development injury and immune regulation including type 2 immunity enhancement might be the mechanisms.Author summaryCurrently, there were still 290 million people worldwide who were infected bySchistosoma, and the treatment for schistosomiasis relies majorly on the use of a single drug-praziquantel. In this study, we described for the first time that artemisinin-derived artemisitene (ATT), chemically remarkably different from praziquantel, possessed the therapeutic effects on murine schistosomiasis japonica. ATT displayed both anti-Schistsosoma japonicumand anti-liver inflammation & liver fibrosis effect. Through RNA-seq and scanning electronic microscope of adult female & male worms from hepatoportal veins with or without ATT treatment, we found that the mechanisms of ATT’s anti-parasites could be through injuring tegument development and then interrupting adult worms’ especially adult female worms’ clearance by immune cells such as eosinophils. Moreover, through RNA-seq of liver total RNA, ELISA of multi-cytokines in liver lysates and flow cytometry analysis of liver single cells, we found that the anti-liver diseases’ efficacy of ATT was associated with immune regulation especially type 2 immunity enhancement. Therefore, ATT possessed the therapeutic potential against schistosomiasis japonica and further researches were necessary for its future clinical use.
Skeletons in the closet? – Using a bibliometric lens to visualise phytochemical and pharmacological activities linked toSceletium, a mood enhancer
Authors: Reddy Kaylan , Stafford Gary I. , Makunga Nokwanda P. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractPlants from theSceletiumgenus (Aizoaceae) have been traditionally used by the Khoe-Sān people in southern Africa, mainly for thirst and hunger relief, pain reduction and spiritual purposes, particularlySceletium tortuosum. The research on this species has seen rapid growth with advancements in analytical and pharmacological tools. The Web of Science (WoS) database was searched for articles related to ‘Sceletium’ and ‘Mesembrine’. These data were additionally analysed by bibliometric software (VOSviewer) to generate term maps and author associations. The thematic areas with the most citations were, South African Traditional Medicine for mental health (110) and anxiolytic agents (75). Pioneer studies in the genus focused on chemical structural isolation, purification and characterization and techniques such as thin layer chromatography, liquid chromatography (HPLC, UPLC and more recently, LC-MS), gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to study mesembrine alkaloids. Different laboratories have used a diverse range of extraction and pre-analytical methods that become routinely favoured in the analysis of the main metabolites (mesembrine, mesembranol, mesembranone and Sceletium A4) in their respective experimental settings. In contrast with previous reviews, this paper identified gaps in the research field, being a lack of toxicology assays, a deficit of clinical assessments, too few bioavailability studies and little to no investigation into the minor alkaloid groups found inSceletium. Future studies are likely to see innovations in analytical techniques like leaf spray mass spectrometry and direct analysis in real-time ionization coupled with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (DART-HR-TOF-MS) for rapid alkaloid identification and quality control purposes. WhileS. tortuosumhas been the primary focus, studying otherSceletiumspecies may aid in establishing chemotaxonomic relationships and addressing challenges with species misidentification. This research can benefit the nutraceutical industry and conservation efforts for the entire genus. At present, little to no pharmacological information is available in terms of the molecular physiological effects of mesembrine alkaloids in medical clinical settings. Research in these fields is expected to increase due to the growing interest inS. tortuosumas a herbal supplement and the potential development of mesembrine alkaloids into pharmaceutical drugs.
The Role of Binding Site Specificity in the Disaggregation of Aβ42Fibrils through a Synthetic Paratope
Authors: Tiwari Shivam , Mandal Bhubaneswar , Reddy K Anki 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAmyloid-β(Aβ) fibrils are the characteristic hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease(AD), and most drug development approaches for AD are focused on preventing and reversing the formation of these fibrillar aggregates. Previous studies show that synthetic antibodies have demonstrated great potential to inhibit the Aβaggregation and disaggregate the preformed Aβfibrils. Here, we perform explicit molecular dynamics(MD) simulation to elucidate the molecular mechanism of disaggregation of preformed LS-shaped Aβ42protofibril with a flexible, hairpin-like synthetic paratope (SP) which, in a recent experimental study, has shown promising results. Our simulations demonstrate various potential binding sites for SP on Aβ42protofibril. However, binding of SP at the amyloidogenic core region (KLVFF) shows pronounced structural disruption of Aβ42protofibril. Our results show heavy loss ofβsheet content, dismantling of K28-A42 salt bridge, and destruction of key contacts in the hydrophobic cores of Aβ42protofibril in the presence of SP. We found the aromatic and hydrophobic residues of Aβ42protofibril participating primarily in the binding with SP. Also, we found thatπ−πstacking and hydrophobic interactions are the most dominant mode of interaction between SP and Aβ42protofibril. This work provides a detailed atomistic perspective on the Aβ42protofibril disaggregation mechanism with SP, and the findings can help develop more effective drugs for AD in the future.
Comparative analysis of PB2 residue 627E/K/V in H5 subtypes of avian influenza viruses isolated in birds and mammals
Authors: Briggs Kelsey , Kapczynski Darrell R. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAvian influenza viruses (AIV) are naturally found in wild birds, primarily in migratory waterfowl. Although species barriers exist, many AIV have demonstrated the ability to jump from birds into mammalian species. A key contributor to this jump is the adaption of the viral RNA polymerase complex to a new host for efficient replication of its RNA genome. The AIV PB2 gene appears to be essential in this conversion as key residues have been discovered at amino acid position 627 that interact with the host cellular protein, acidic nuclear phosphoprotein 32 family member A (ANP32A). In particular, the conversion of glutamic acid (E) to a lysine (K) is frequently observed at this position following isolation in mammals. The focus of this report was to compare the distribution of PB2 627 residues from different lineages and origins of H5 AIV, determine the prevalence between historical and contemporary sequences, and investigate the ratio of amino acids in avian versus mammalian AIV sequences. Results demonstrate a low prevalence of E627K in H5 non-Goose/Guangdong/1996-lineage (Gs/GD) AIV samples, with a low number of mammalian sequences in general. In contrast, the H5-Gs/GD lineages sequences had an increased prevalence of the E627K mutation and contained more mammalian sequences. An approximate 40 percent conversion of E to K was observed in human sequences of H5 AIV, suggesting a non-exclusive requirement. Taken together, these results expand our understanding of the distribution of these residues within different subtypes of AIV and aid in our knowledge of PB2 mutations in different species.
Unveiling Novel Double-Negative Prostate Cancer Subtypes Through Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Analysis
Authors: Cheng Siyuan , Li Lin , Yeh Yunshin , Shi Yingli , Franco Omar , Corey Eva , Yu Xiuping 
Published: August 2023

AbstractRecent advancements in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) have facilitated the discovery of previously unrecognized subtypes within prostate cancer (PCa), offering new insights into disease heterogeneity and progression. In this study, we integrated scRNAseq data from multiple studies, comprising both publicly available cohorts and data generated by our research team, and established the HuPSA (HumanProstateSingle cellAtlas) and the MoPSA (MouseProstateSingle cellAtlas) datasets. Through comprehensive analysis, we identified two novel double-negative PCa populations: KRT7 cells characterized by elevated KRT7 expression, and progenitor-like cells marked by SOX2 and FOXA2 expression, distinct from NEPCa, and displaying stem/progenitor features. Furthermore, HuPSA-based deconvolution allowed for the re-classification of human PCa specimens, validating the presence of these novel subtypes. Leveraging these findings, we developed a user-friendly web application, “HuPSA-MoPSA” (https://pcatools.shinyapps.io/HuPSA-MoPSA/), for visualizing gene expression across all newly-established datasets. Our study provides comprehensive tools for PCa research and uncovers novel cancer subtypes that can inform clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies.Graph abstract
Assessing the Quality of Hand-Dug Wells in the Sunyani Municipality, Ghana
Authors: Addo Henry Ofosu , Barimah Antwi Joseph , Dun-Dery Elvis J. , Ibrahim Fati , Obeng Mercy O. , Asiamah Christiana , Amegah Kingsley E. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractBackgroundHand-dug well water represents one of the main sources of drinking water for many settlements, especially people without access to treated potable water. However, water from such alternative sources can sometimes be polluted and not conducive for human consumption, due to the presence of pathogenic parasitic organisms. This study assessed the physico-chemical and microbial quality of hand-dug wells in the Sunyani Municipality in Ghana.MethodsThe study was cross-sectional in nature and results were laboratory-based analyses. The study used Global Positioning System (GPS)tracker to locate and sample hand-dug wells within the Sunyani Municipality. Fifteen (15) households with hand-dug wells were randomly selected from fifteen major communities within the Sunyani Municipality. One (1) sample was collected from each of the 15-household hand-dug wells for the study.ResultsPhysico-chemical analyses suggest that the temperature of water from all sources ranged between 25.8oC and 270C whiles phenolphthalein alkalinity of all water samples was 0. But the total alkalinity was between 28 to 116 mg/L. Relatively higher concentrations of nitrate were also observed in samples from all locations and most wells were exposed. However, all samples contained 18.2MPN Index/100ml of faecal coliform compared to 0.0MPN Index/100ml of acceptable national limits.ConclusionApart from most samples recording parameters exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) and Ghana Standards Authority recommended levels, majority of wells were exposed and sited around unhygienic environment. Hand-dug well water in the Sunyani Municipality is not completely safe for drinking purposes and requires periodic expert supervision and sample testing.
Fixational Eye Movements Enhance the Precision of Visual Information Transmitted by the Primate Retina
Authors: Wu Eric G. , Brackbill Nora , Rhoades Colleen , Kling Alexandra , Gogliettino Alex R. , Shah Nishal P. , Sher Alexander , Litke Alan M. , Simoncelli Eero P. , Chichilnisky E.J. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractFixational eye movements alter the number and timing of spikes transmitted from the retina to the brain, but whether these changes enhance or degrade the retinal signal is unclear. To quantify this, we developed a Bayesian method for reconstructing natural images from the recorded spikes of hundreds of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the macaque retina (male), combining a likelihood model for RGC light responses with the natural image prior implicitly embedded in an artificial neural network optimized for denoising. The method matched or surpassed the performance of previous reconstruction algorithms, and provides an interpretable framework for characterizing the retinal signal. Reconstructions were improved with artificial stimulus jitter that emulated fixational eye movements, even when the eye movement trajectory was assumed to be unknown and had to be inferred from retinal spikes. Reconstructions were degraded by small artificial perturbations of spike times, revealing more precise temporal encoding than suggested by previous studies. Finally, reconstructions were substantially degraded when derived from a model that ignored cell-to-cell interactions, indicating the importance of stimulusevoked correlations. Thus, fixational eye movements enhance the precision of the retinal representation.