bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A polyamine acetyltransferase regulates the motility and biofilm formation of Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Armalytė Julija , Čepauskas Albinas , Šakalytė Gabija , Martinkus Julius , Skerniškytė Jūratė , Martens Chloé , Sužiedėlienė Edita , Garcia-Pino Abel , Jurėnas Dukas 
Published: June 2023

AbstractAcinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen highly resistant to environmental changes and antimicrobial treatments. Regulation of cellular motility and biofilm formation is important for its virulence, although it is poorly described at the molecular level. It has been previously reported that Acinetobacter genus specifically produces a small positively charged metabolite, polyamine 1,3-diaminopropane, that has been associated with cell motility and virulence. Here we show that A. baumannii encodes novel acetyltransferase, Dpa, that acetylates 1,3-diaminopropane, directly affecting the bacterium motility. Expression of dpa increases in bacteria that form pellicle and adhere to eukaryotic cells as compared to planktonic bacterial cells, suggesting that cell motility is linked to the pool of non-modified 1,3-diaminopropane. Indeed, deletion of dpa hinders biofilm formation and increases twitching motion confirming the impact of balancing the levels of 1,3-diaminopropane on cell motility. The crystal structure of Dpa reveals topological and functional differences from other bacterial polyamine acetyltransferases, adopting a β-swapped quaternary arrangement similar to that of eukaryotic polyamine acetyltransferases with a central size exclusion channel that sieves through the cellular polyamine pool. The structure of catalytically impaired DpaY128F in complex with the reaction product shows that binding and orientation of the polyamine substrates are conserved between different polyamine-acetyltransferases.
Deep learning-based incoherent holographic camera enabling acquisition of real-world holograms for holographic streaming system
Authors: Yu Hyeonseung , Kim Youngrok , Yang Daeho , Seo Wontaek , Kim Yunhee , Hong Jong-Young , Song Hoon , Sung Geeyoung , Sung Younghun , Min Sung-Wook , Lee Hong-Seok 
Published: June 2023

AbstractWhile recent research has shown that holographic displays can represent photorealistic 3D holograms in real time, the difficulty in acquiring high-quality real-world holograms has limited the realization of holographic streaming systems. Incoherent holographic cameras, which record holograms under daylight conditions, are suitable candidates for real-world acquisition, as they prevent the safety issues associated with the use of lasers; however, these cameras are hindered by severe noise due to the optical imperfections of such systems. In this work, we develop a deep learning-based incoherent holographic camera system that can deliver visually enhanced holograms in real time. A neural network filters the noise in the captured holograms, maintaining a complex-valued hologram format throughout the whole process. Enabled by the computational efficiency of the proposed filtering strategy, we demonstrate a holographic streaming system integrating a holographic camera and holographic display, with the aim of developing the ultimate holographic ecosystem of the future.
Nationwide survey of medical student interest in and exposure to aerospace medicine
Authors: Thamer Semran B. , Bello Joseph , Stevanovic Mirjana , Obat Dennis , Buckey Jay C. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractAerospace Medicine is experiencing a renaissance. Commercial spaceflight is now a reality, meaning that individuals with a variety of medical conditions will be flying in space. NASA has Mars plans, and SpaceX plans to send humans to Mars within the next decade, so today’s medical students may be future physicians on these crews. Considering these developments, we evaluated interest in and exposure to Aerospace Medicine among medical students in the United States (US). A 19-question anonymous multiple-choice questionnaire was emailed to current medical students throughout the US. Information about demographics, career and research interests in aerospace medicine, opportunities available at students’ respective institutions, and possible avenues for supporting students’ interests was collected and analyzed. One thousand two hundred forty-four students (490 men, 751 women, 3 other) with a mean age of 25.8 ± 3.0 years from 60 institutions completed the questionnaire. Most respondents expressed an interest in learning about aerospace medicine during their training. A strong interest in research, as well as career opportunities, exists despite the majority of students reporting minimal access to opportunities to get involved in the field at most of the surveyed institutions. With growing interest and an expected increase in demand for physicians with a background in aerospace medicine, medical schools may be able to support students by increasing access to opportunities.
Host specificity and adaptive evolution in settlement behaviour of coral-associated barnacle larvae (Cirripedia: Pyrgomatidae)
Authors: Yap Fook-Choy , Chen Hsi-Nien , Chan Benny K. K. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractCoral-associated organisms often exhibit a continuum of host specificities. We do not know whether the variation in host specificity is related to the settlement organs or preferential settlement behaviours of the larvae. We examined the morphology of attachment discs, the settlement and metamorphosis of coral barnacles—Pyrgoma cancellatum (lives in a single coral species), Nobia grandis (two families of corals), and Armatobalanus allium (six families of corals). Our results revealed that the attachment organ of all three species are spear-shaped with sparse villi, indicating that the morphology of the attachment organs does not vary among species with different host specificities. Larvae of P. cancellatum and N. grandis only settle on their specific hosts, suggesting that chemical cues are involved in the settlement. Cyprids of N. grandis display close searching behaviour before settlement. Cyprids of P. cancellatum settle immediately on their specific host corals, without any exploratory behaviour. The host specificity and exploratory behaviours of coral barnacle cyprids are results of adaptive evolution. We argue that there is a trade-off between exploration and energy conservation for metamorphosis processes. Coral barnacle metamorphosis is longer when compared to free-living species, likely because it involves the development of a tube-shaped base on the coral surface.
Immunological evaluation of herbal extracts commonly used for treatment of mental diseases during pregnancy
Authors: Winker Moritz , Chauveau Antoine , Smieško Martin , Potterat Olivier , Areesanan Alexander , Zimmermann-Klemd Amy , Gründemann Carsten 
Published: June 2023

AbstractNonpsychotic mental diseases (NMDs) affect approximately 15% of pregnant women in the US. Herbal preparations are perceived a safe alternative to placenta-crossing antidepressants or benzodiazepines in the treatment of nonpsychotic mental diseases. But are these drugs really safe for mother and foetus? This question is of great relevance to physicians and patients. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of St. John’s wort, valerian, hops, lavender, and California poppy and their compounds hyperforin and hypericin, protopine, valerenic acid, and valtrate, as well as linalool, on immune modulating effects in vitro. For this purpose a variety of methods was applied to assess the effects on viability and function of human primary lymphocytes. Viability was assessed via spectrometric assessment, flow cytometric detection of cell death markers and comet assay for possible genotoxicity. Functional assessment was conducted via flow cytometric assessment of proliferation, cell cycle and immunophenotyping. For California poppy, lavender, hops, and the compounds protopine and linalool, and valerenic acid, no effect was found on the viability, proliferation, and function of primary human lymphocytes. However, St. John’s wort and valerian inhibited the proliferation of primary human lymphocytes. Hyperforin, hypericin, and valtrate inhibited viability, induced apoptosis, and inhibited cell division. Calculated maximum concentration of compounds in the body fluid, as well as calculated concentrations based on pharmacokinetic data from the literature, were low and supported that the observed effects in vitro would probably have no relevance on patients. In-silico analyses comparing the structure of studied substances with the structure of relevant control substances and known immunosuppressants revealed structural similarities of hyperforin and valerenic acid to the glucocorticoids. Valtrate showed structural similarities to the T cells signaling modulating drugs.
Local and wide-scale livestock movement networks inform disease control strategies in East Africa
Authors: Ekwem Divine , Enright Jessica , Hopcraft J. Grant C. , Buza Joram , Shirima Gabriel , Shand Mike , Mwajombe James K. , Bett Bernard , Reeve Richard , Lembo Tiziana 
Published: June 2023

AbstractLivestock mobility exacerbates infectious disease risks across sub-Saharan Africa, but enables critical access to grazing and water resources, and trade. Identifying locations of high livestock traffic offers opportunities for targeted control. We focus on Tanzanian agropastoral and pastoral communities that account respectively for over 75% and 15% of livestock husbandry in eastern Africa. We construct networks of livestock connectivity based on participatory mapping data on herd movements reported by village livestock keepers as well as data from trading points to understand how seasonal availability of resources, land-use and trade influence the movements of livestock. In communities that practise agropastoralism, inter- and intra-village connectivity through communal livestock resources (e.g. pasture and water) was 1.9 times higher in the dry compared to the wet season suggesting greater livestock traffic and increased contact probability. In contrast, livestock from pastoral communities were 1.6 times more connected at communal locations during the wet season when they also tended to move farther (by 3 km compared to the dry season). Trade-linked movements were twice more likely from rural to urban locations. Urban locations were central to all networks, particularly those with potentially high onward movements, for example to abattoirs, livestock holding grounds, or other markets, including beyond national boundaries. We demonstrate how livestock movement information can be used to devise strategic interventions that target critical livestock aggregation points (i.e. locations of high centrality values) and times (i.e. prior to and after the wet season in pastoral and agropastoral areas, respectively). Such targeted interventions are a cost-effective approach to limit infection without restricting livestock mobility critical to sustainable livelihoods.
Polyoxazoline-conjugated porcine serum albumin as an artificial plasma expander for dogs
Authors: Okamoto Wataru , Usui Tomone , Hasegawa Mai , Kobayashi Tatsuhiro , Fujisawa Junya , Taguchi Kazuaki , Matsumoto Kazuaki , Kohno Mitsutomo , Iwazaki Masayuki , Shimano Shotaro , Nagao Itsuma , Toyoda Hiroto , Matsumura Naoki , Tomiyasu Hirotaka , Tochinai Ryota , Komatsu Teruyuki 
Published: June 2023

AbstractVeterinary medicine has made tremendous progress for domestic dogs, which are irreplaceable family members enriching human life. Nevertheless, no adequate supply system exists for their blood products. This study examined the synthesis, structure, safety, and efficacy of poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-conjugated porcine serum albumin (POx-PSA) as an artificial plasma expander for dogs. The aqueous POx-PSA solution showed moderately high colloid osmotic pressure and good blood cell compatibility. Actually, lyophilized powder stored for 1 year can regenerate into a homogeneous solution. The circulation half-life of POx-PSA in rats was 2.1-fold longer than that of naked PSA. Rats produced neither anti-PSA IgG antibody nor anti-POx IgG antibody, which suggests excellent immunological stealth properties of POx-PSA. Complete resuscitation of hemorrhagic shock in rats was achieved soon after injection of POx-PSA solution. Serum biochemistry tests and histopathological observations indicated no abnormality in the related organs. When POx-PSA was administered to dogs intravenously, (i) no serum biochemical or hematological alteration was observed, also (ii) no overt deterioration of animal health was observed. These results indicate that POx-PSA has potential as an artificial plasma expander for dogs.
Intact mass analysis reveals the novel O-linked glycosylation on the stalk region of PD-1 protein
Authors: Tit-oon Phanthakarn , Wonglangka Arisa , Boonkanta Klaichan , Ruchirawat Mathuros , Fuangthong Mayuree , Sasisekharan Ram , Khongmanee Amnart 
Published: June 2023

AbstractProgrammed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is a key receptor in the immune checkpoint pathway and has emerged to be a promising target for cancer therapy. PD-1 consists of an intracellular domain followed by a transmembrane domain that is connected to the extracellular domain by the stalk region. Although the PD-1 structure has been studied for more than two decades, the posttranslational modification of this protein has been incompletely characterized. In this study, we identified the previously undescribed modification sites of O-linked glycan on the stalk region of PD-1 protein using O-protease digestion coupling with intact mass analysis. The result indicates that T153, S157, S159, and T168 are modified by sialylated mucin-type O-glycan with core 1- and core 2-based structures. This study provides both information on potential novel modification sites on the PD-1 protein and an attractive method for identifying O-linked glycosylation using a specific enzyme and intact mass analysis.
Predicting vasovagal reactions to needles with anticipatory facial temperature profiles
Authors: Rudokaite Judita , Ong L. L. Sharon , Onal Ertugrul Itir , Janssen Mart P. , Huis in ‘t Veld Elisabeth M. J. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractAround one-third of adults are scared of needles, which can result in adverse emotional and physical responses such as dizziness and fainting (e.g. vasovagal reactions; VVR) and consequently, avoidance of healthcare, treatments, and immunizations. Unfortunately, most people are not aware of vasovagal reactions until they escalate, at which time it is too late to intervene. This study aims to investigate whether facial temperature profiles measured in the waiting room, prior to a blood donation, can be used to classify who will and will not experience VVR during the donation. Average temperature profiles from six facial regions were extracted from pre-donation recordings of 193 blood donors, and machine learning was used to classify whether a donor would experience low or high levels of VVR during the donation. An XGBoost classifier was able to classify vasovagal groups from an adverse reaction during a blood donation based on this early facial temperature data, with a sensitivity of 0.87, specificity of 0.84, F1 score of 0.86, and PR-AUC of 0.93. Temperature fluctuations in the area under the nose, chin and forehead have the highest predictive value. This study is the first to demonstrate that it is possible to classify vasovagal responses during a blood donation using temperature profiles.
Knowledge, attitudes and intention on fertility preservation among breast cancer patients
Authors: Ko Jennifer K. Y. , Cheung Charleen S. Y. , Cheng Heidi H. Y. , Yung Sofie S. F. , Ng Ting Ying , Tin Winnie W. Y. , Yuen Ho Yan , Lam Martin H. C. , Chan Ann S. Y. , Fung Sara W. W. , Man Vivian C. M. , Kwong Ava , Ng Ernest H. Y. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractBreast cancer is the most common cancer in reproductive age women. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and intention on fertility preservation among women diagnosed to have breast cancer. This is a multi-centre cross-sectional questionnaire study. Reproductive age women diagnosed with breast cancer attending Oncology, Breast Surgery and Gynaecology Clinics and support groups were invited to participate. Women filled in paper or electronic form of the questionnaire. 461 women were recruited and 421 women returned the questionnaire. Overall, 181/410 (44.1%) women had heard of fertility preservation. Younger age and higher education level were significantly associated with increased awareness of fertility preservation. Awareness and acceptance of the different fertility preservation methods in reproductive age women with breast cancer was suboptimal. However, 46.1% women felt that their fertility concerns affected their decision for cancer treatment in some way.
Dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI estimation of vascular parameters using knowledge-based adaptive models
Authors: Bagher-Ebadian Hassan , Brown Stephen L. , Ghassemi Mohammad M. , Nagaraja Tavarekere N. , Valadie Olivia Grahm , Acharya Prabhu C. , Cabral Glauber , Divine George , Knight Robert A. , Lee Ian Y. , Xu Jun H. , Movsas Benjamin , Chetty Indrin J. , Ewing James R. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractWe introduce and validate four adaptive models (AMs) to perform a physiologically based Nested-Model-Selection (NMS) estimation of such microvascular parameters as forward volumetric transfer constant, Ktrans, plasma volume fraction, vp, and extravascular, extracellular space, ve, directly from Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced (DCE) MRI raw information without the need for an Arterial-Input Function (AIF). In sixty-six immune-compromised-RNU rats implanted with human U-251 cancer cells, DCE-MRI studies estimated pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters using a group-averaged radiological AIF and an extended Patlak-based NMS paradigm. One-hundred-ninety features extracted from raw DCE-MRI information were used to construct and validate (nested-cross-validation, NCV) four AMs for estimation of model-based regions and their three PK parameters. An NMS-based a priori knowledge was used to fine-tune the AMs to improve their performance. Compared to the conventional analysis, AMs produced stable maps of vascular parameters and nested-model regions less impacted by AIF-dispersion. The performance (Correlation coefficient and Adjusted R-squared for NCV test cohorts) of the AMs were: 0.914/0.834, 0.825/0.720, 0.938/0.880, and 0.890/0.792 for predictions of nested model regions, vp, Ktrans, and ve, respectively. This study demonstrates an application of AMs that quickens and improves DCE-MRI based quantification of microvasculature properties of tumors and normal tissues relative to conventional approaches.
Aquaporin-4 expression and modulation in a rat model of post-traumatic syringomyelia
Authors: Berliner Joel A. , Lam Magdalena A. , Najafi Elmira , Hemley Sarah J. , Bilston Lynne E. , Stoodley Marcus A. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractAquaporin-4 (AQP4) has been implicated in post-traumatic syringomyelia (PTS), a disease characterised by the formation of fluid-filled cysts in the spinal cord. This study investigated the expression of AQP4 around a mature cyst (syrinx) and the effect of pharmacomodulation of AQP4 on syrinx size. PTS was induced in male Sprague–Dawley rats by computerized spinal cord impact and subarachnoid kaolin injection. Immunofluorescence of AQP4 was carried out on mature syrinx tissue 12 weeks post-surgery. Increased AQP4 expression corresponded to larger, multiloculated cysts (R2 = 0.94), yet no localized changes to AQP4 expression in perivascular regions or the glia limitans were present. In a separate cohort of animals, at 6 weeks post-surgery, an AQP4 agonist (AqF026), antagonist (AqB050), or vehicle was administered daily over 4 days, with MRIs performed before and after the completion of treatment. Histological analysis was performed at 12 weeks post-surgery. Syrinx volume and length were not altered with AQP4 modulation. The correlation between increased AQP4 expression with syrinx area suggests that AQP4 or the glia expressing AQP4 are recruited to regulate water movement. Given this, further investigation should examine AQP4 modulation with dose regimens at earlier time-points after PTS induction, as these may alter the course of syrinx development.
Functional connectivity discriminates epileptogenic states and predicts surgical outcome in children with drug resistant epilepsy
Authors: Rijal Sakar , Corona Ludovica , Perry M. Scott , Tamilia Eleonora , Madsen Joseph R. , Stone Scellig S. D. , Bolton Jeffrey , Pearl Phillip L. , Papadelis Christos 
Published: June 2023

AbstractNormal brain functioning emerges from a complex interplay among regions forming networks. In epilepsy, these networks are disrupted causing seizures. Highly connected nodes in these networks are epilepsy surgery targets. Here, we assess whether functional connectivity (FC) using intracranial electroencephalography can quantify brain regions epileptogenicity and predict surgical outcome in children with drug resistant epilepsy (DRE). We computed FC between electrodes on different states (i.e. interictal without spikes, interictal with spikes, pre-ictal, ictal, and post-ictal) and frequency bands. We then estimated the electrodes’ nodal strength. We compared nodal strength between states, inside and outside resection for good- (n = 22, Engel I) and poor-outcome (n = 9, Engel II–IV) patients, respectively, and tested their utility to predict the epileptogenic zone and outcome. We observed a hierarchical epileptogenic organization among states for nodal strength: lower FC during interictal and pre-ictal states followed by higher FC during ictal and post-ictal states (p< 0.05). We further observed higher FC inside resection (p< 0.05) for good-outcome patients on different states and bands, and no differences for poor-outcome patients. Resection of nodes with high FC was predictive of outcome (positive and negative predictive values: 47–100%). Our findings suggest that FC can discriminate epileptogenic states and predict outcome in patients with DRE.
Thoracoscopic segmentectomy in children with congenital lung malformation
Authors: Joo Seohee , Yun Taeyoung , Kang Chang Hyun , Na Kwon Joong , Park Samina , Park In Kyu , Kim Young Tae 
Published: June 2023

AbstractCongenital lung malformations (CLM) are most commonly treated with a pulmonary lobectomy. However, due to technological advancement, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) segmentectomy is becoming an attractive alternative to VATS lobectomy. This study aimed to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of VATS segmentectomy as a lung parenchyma-saving strategy in children with CLM. A retrospective analysis was performed on 85 children, for whom VATS segmentectomy was tried for CLM between January 2010 and July 2020. We compared the surgical outcomes of VATS segmentectomy with the outcomes of 465 patients who underwent VATS lobectomy. Eighty-four patients received VATS segmentectomy and thoracotomy conversion was necessary for one patient for CLM. The mean age was 3.2 ± 2.5 (range 1.2–11.6) years. The mean operative time was 91.4 ± 35.6 (range 40–200) minutes. The median duration of chest tube drainage was 1 (range 1–21) day, and the median length of postoperative hospital stay was 4 (range 3–23) days. There were no postoperative mortality and postoperative complications developed in 7 patients (8.2%), including persistent air leakage in 6 patients (7.1%) and postoperative pneumonia in 1 patient (1.2%). The median follow-up period was 33.5 (interquartile range 31–57) months and there were no patients requiring re-intervention or reoperation during the follow-up period. In the VATS segmentectomy group, the persistent air leakage rate was higher than in the VATS lobectomy group (7.1 vs. 1.1%, p = 0.003). Otherwise, postoperative outcomes were comparable between the two groups. VATS segmentectomy in children with CLM is a technically feasible alternative to VATS lobectomy with acceptable early and mid-term outcomes. However, the persistent air-leakage rate was higher in VATS segmentectomy.