bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Human Group Size Puzzle: Why It Is Odd That We Live in Large Societies
Authors: David-Barrett Tamas 
Published: February 2022

AbstractHuman groups tend to be much larger than those of non-human primates. This is a puzzle. When ecological factors do not limit primate group size, the problem of coordination creates an upper threshold even when cooperation is guaranteed. This paper offers a simple model of group coordination towards behavioural synchrony to spell out the mechanics of group size limits, and thus show why it is odd that humans live in large societies. The findings suggest that many of our species’ evolved social behaviours and culturally-maintained social technologies emerged as a solution to this problem.
Association of Workload and Practice of Respectful Maternity Care Among the Healthcare Providers, Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Western Nepal: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Pokharel Alpha , Kiriya Junko , Shibanuma Akira , Silwal Ram , Jimba Masamine 
Published: February 2022

AbstractIntroductionRespectful maternity care is an approach that involves respecting women’s belief, choices, emotions, and dignity during the childbirth process. As the workload among maternity care workforce affects intrapartum quality care, respectful maternity care might have also been affected, particularly during the pandemic. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the association between workload among healthcare providers and their practice of respectful maternity care, before and during the pandemic.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in South Western Nepal. A total of 267 healthcare providers from 78 birthing centers were included. Data collection was done through telephone interviews. The exposure variable was workload among the healthcare providers, and the outcome variable was respectful maternity care practice before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multilevel mixed-effect linear regression was used to examine the association.ResultsThe median client-provider ratio before and during the pandemic was 21.7 and 13.0, respectively. The mean score of respectful maternity care practice was 44.5 (SD 3.8) before the pandemic, which was decreased to 43.6 (SD 4.5) during the pandemic. Client-provider ratio was negatively associated with respectful maternity care practice for both times; before (Coef. −5.16; 95% CI −8.41 to −1.91) and during (Coef. −7.47; 95% CI −12.72 to −2.23) the pandemic.ConclusionsWhile a higher client-provider was associated with a lower respectful maternity care practice score both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the coefficient was larger during the pandemic. Therefore, workload among the healthcare providers should be considered before the implementation of respectful maternity care, and more attention should be given during the pandemic.
Adaptations for bipedal walking: Musculoskeletal structure and three-dimensional joint mechanics of humans and bipedal chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
Authors: O’Neill Matthew C. , Demes Brigitte , Thompson Nathan E. , Larson Susan G. , Stern Jack T. , Umberger Brian R. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractHumans are unique among apes and other primates in the musculoskeletal design of their lower back, pelvis and lower limbs. Here, we describe the three-dimensional ground reaction forces and lower/hind limb joint mechanics of human and bipedal chimpanzee walking over a full stride and test whether: 1) the estimated limb joint work and power during stance phase, especially the single-support period, is lower in humans than bipedal chimpanzees, 2) the limb joint work and power required for limb swing is lower in humans than in bipedal chimpanzees, and 3) the estimated total mechanical power during walking, accounting for the storage of passive elastic strain energy in humans, is lower in humans than in bipedal chimpanzees. Humans and bipedal chimpanzees were compared at matched dimensionless and dimensional velocities. Our results indicate that humans walk with significantly less work and power output in the first double-support period and the single-support period of stance, but markedly exceed chimpanzees in the second-double support period (i.e., push-off). Humans generate less work and power in limb swing, although the species difference in limb swing power was not statistically significant. We estimated that total mechanical positive ‘muscle fiber’ work and power were 46.9% and 35.8% lower, respectively, in humans than bipedal chimpanzees at matched dimensionless speeds. This is due in part to mechanisms for the storage and release of elastic energy at the ankle and hip in humans. Further, these results indicate distinct heel strike and lateral balance mechanics in humans and bipedal chimpanzees, and suggest a greater dissipation of mechanical energy through soft tissue deformations in humans. Together, our results document important differences between human and bipedal chimpanzee walking mechanics over a full stride, permitting a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanics and energetics of chimpanzee bipedalism and the evolution of hominin walking.
Serological screening in wild ruminants in Germany, 2021/22: No evidence of SARS-CoV-2, bluetongue virus or pestivirus spread but high seroprevalences against Schmallenberg virus
Authors: Wernike Kerstin , Fischer Luisa , Holsteg Mark , Aebischer Andrea , Petrov Anja , Marquart Katharina , Schotte Ulrich , Schön Jacob , Hoffmann Donata , Hechinger Silke , Neubauer-Juric Antonie , Blicke Julia , Mettenleiter Thomas C. , Beer Martin 
Published: February 2022

AbstractWildlife animals may be susceptible for multiple infectious agents of public health or veterinary relevance, thereby potentially forming a reservoir that bears the constant risk of re-introduction into the human or livestock population. Here, we serologically investigated 493 wild ruminant samples collected in the 2021/22 hunting season in Germany for the presence of antibodies against the severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and four viruses pathogenic for domestic ruminants, namely the orthobunyavirus Schmallenberg virus (SBV), the reovirus bluetongue virus (BTV) and ruminant pestiviruses like bovine viral diarrhoea virus or border disease virus. The animal species comprised fallow deer, red deer, roe deer, mouflon and wisent. For coronavirus serology, additional 307 fallow, roe and red deer samples collected between 2017 and 2020 at three military training areas were included. While antibodies against SBV could be detected in about 13.6% of the samples collected in 2021/22, only one fallow deer of unknown age tested positive for anti-BTV antibodies and all samples reacted negative for antibodies against ruminant pestiviruses. In an ELISA based on the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2, 25 out of 493 (5.1%) samples collected in autumn and winter 2021/22 scored positive. This sero-reactivity could not be confirmed by the highly specific virus neutralization test, occurred also in 2017, 2018 and 2019, i.e. prior to the human SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and was likewise observed against the RBD of the related SARS-CoV-1. Therefore, the SARS-CoV-2-seroreactivity was most likely induced by another, hitherto unknown deer virus belonging to the subgenus Sarbecovirus of betacoronaviruses.
Effect of an amyloidogenic SARS-COV-2 protein fragment on α-synuclein monomers and fibrils
Authors: Jana Asis K. , Lander Chance W. , Chesney Andrew D. , Hansmann Ulrich H. E. 
Published: February 2022

ABSTRACTUsing molecular dynamic simulations we study whether amyloidogenic regions in viral proteins can initiate and modulate formation of α-synuclein aggregates, thought to be the disease-causing agent in Parkinson’s Disease. As an example we choose the nine-residue fragment SFYVYSRVK (SK9), located on the C-terminal of the Envelope protein of SARS-COV-2. We probe how the presence of SK9 affects the conformational ensemble of α-synuclein monomers and the stability of two resolved fibril polymorphs. We find that the viral protein fragment SK9 may alter α-synuclein amyloid formation by shifting the ensemble toward aggregation-prone and preferentially rod-like fibril seeding conformations. However, SK9 has only little effect of the stability of pre-existing or newly-formed fibrils.
Abdominal Imaging Associates Body Composition with COVID-19 Severity
Authors: Basty Nicolas , Sorokin Elena P. , Thanaj Marjola , Srinivasan Ramprakash , Whitcher Brandon , Bell Jimmy D. , Cule Madeleine , Thomas E. Louise 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe main drivers of COVID-19 disease severity and the impact of COVID-19 on long-term health after recovery are yet to be fully understood. Medical imaging studies investigating COVID-19 to date have mostly been limited to small datasets and post-hoc analyses of severe cases. The UK Biobank recruited recovered SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals (n=967) and matched controls (n=913) who were extensively imaged prior to the pandemic and underwent follow-up scanning. In this study, we investigated longitudinal changes in body composition, as well as the associations of pre-pandemic image-derived phenotypes with COVID-19 severity. Our longitudinal analysis, in a population of mostly mild cases, associated a decrease in lung volume with SARS-CoV-2 positivity. We also observed that increased visceral adipose tissue and liver fat, and reduced muscle volume, prior to COVID-19, were associated with COVID-19 disease severity. Finally, we trained a machine classifier with demographic, anthropometric and imaging traits, and showed that visceral fat, liver fat and muscle volume have prognostic value for COVID-19 disease severity beyond the standard demographic and anthropometric measurements. This combination of image-derived phenotypes from abdominal MRI scans and ensemble learning to predict risk may have future clinical utility in identifying populations at-risk for a severe COVID-19 outcome.
Three-month follow-up of heterologous vs homologous third vaccination in kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Heinzel Andreas , Schretzenmeier Eva , Regele Florina , Hu Karin , Raab Lukas , Eder Michael , Aigner Christof , Jabbour Rhea , Aschauer Constantin , Stefanski Ana-Luisa , Dörner Thomas , Budde Klemens , Reindl-Schwaighofer Roman , Oberbauer Rainer 
Published: February 2022

AbstractImportanceResponse to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in kidney transplant recipients (KTR) is severely reduced. Heterologous 3rd vaccination combining mRNA and vector vaccines did not increase seroconversion at four weeks after vaccination but evolution of antibody levels beyond the first month remain unknown.ObjectiveTo assess changes in antibody response following a 3rd vaccination with mRNA or vector vaccine in KTR from month one to month three after vaccination.Design, Setting and ParticipantsThree-month follow-up (pre-specified secondary endpoint) of a single-center, single-blinded, 1:1 randomized, controlled trial on 3rd vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in 201 KTR who did not develop SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibodies following two doses of an mRNA vaccine.Intervention(s)mRNA (BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273) or vector (Ad26COVS1) as 3rd SARS-CoV-2 vaccineMain Outcomes and MeasuresMain outcome was seroconversion at the second follow-up between 60-120 days after the 3rd vaccination. Subsequently, higher cut-off levels associated with neutralizing capacity and protective immunity were applied (i.e. >15, >100, >141 and >264 BAU/mL). In addition, trajectories of antibody levels from month one to month three were analyzed. Finally, SARS-CoV-2 specific CD4 and CD8 T-cells at four weeks were compared among the 18 top responders in both groups.ResultsA total of 169 patients were available for the three-month follow-up. Overall, seroconversion at three months was similar between both groups (45% versus 50% for mRNA and vector group, respectively; OR=1.24, 95%CI=[0.65, 2.37], p=0.539). However, when applying higher cut-off levels, a significantly larger number of individual in the vector group reached antibody levels > 141 and > 264 BAU/mL at the three-month follow-up (141 BAU/mL: 4% vs. 15% OR=4.96, 95%CI=[1.29, 28.21], p=0.009 and 264 BAU/mL: 1% vs. 10% OR=8.75, 95%CI=[1.13, 396.17], p=0.018 for mRNA vs. vector vaccine group, respectively). In line, antibody levels in seroconverted patients further increased from month one to month three in the vector group while remaining unchanged in the mRNA group (median increase: mRNA= 1.35 U/mL and vector = 27.6 U/mL, p = 0.004). Of particular note, there was no difference in the CD4 and CD8 T-cell response between the mRNA and vector vaccine group at month one.Conclusions and RelevanceDespite a similar overall seroconversion rate at three months following 3rd vaccination in KTR, a heterologous 3rd booster vaccination with Ad26COVS1 resulted in significantly higher antibody levels in responders.Trial RegistrationEurdraCT: 2021-002927-39
Evaluating seasonal variations in human contact patterns and their impact on the transmission of respiratory infectious diseases
Authors: Kummer Allisandra G. , Zhang Juanjuan , Jiang Chenyan , Litvinova Maria , Ventura Paulo C. , Garcia Marc A. , Vespignani Alessandro , Wu Huanyu , Yu Hongjie , Ajelli Marco 
Published: February 2022

AbstractConsiderable uncertainty surrounds the seasonality of respiratory infectious diseases. To which extent the observed seasonality is associated with biological reasons (e.g., virus survival rates, host immune dynamics) or human behavior remains unclear. Here, we investigate the association between temperature and human contact patterns using data collected through a contact diary-based survey between December 24, 2017, and May 30, 2018, in Shanghai, China. We identified a significant inverse relationship between the number of contacts and both the seasonal temperature trend (p=0.003) and daily temperature variation (p=0.009). The average number of contacts increased from 18.9 (95% CI: 14.5-21.6) in December to 20.9 (95% CI: 15.4-26.5) in January before decreasing to 11.6 (95% CI: 8.7-14.8) in May. This seasonal trend in the number of contacts translates into a seasonal trend in the reproduction number – the mean number of secondary cases generated by a typical infector. We developed a compartment model of influenza transmission informed by the derived seasonal trends in the number of contact patterns and validated against A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza data for the focus location and study period. We found that the model shows an excellent agreement with the estimated influenza dynamics providing support to the hypothesis that the seasonality in contact patterns shapes influenza transmission dynamics. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the epidemiology of respiratory infectious diseases and could potentially inform improved preparedness planning.
Gestational SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with placental expression of immune and trophoblast genes
Authors: Lesseur Corina , Jessel Rebecca H. , Ohrn Sophie , Ma Yula , Li Qian , Dekio Fumiko , Brody Rachel I. , Wetmur James G. , Gigase Frederieke A.J. , Lieber Molly , Lieb Whitney , Lynch Jezelle , Afzal Omara , Ibroci Erona , Rommel Anna-Sophie , Janevic Teresa , Stone Joanne , Howell Elizabeth A. , Galang Romeo R. , Dolan Siobhan M. , Bergink Veerle , De Witte Lotje D. , Chen Jia 
Published: February 2022

AbstractIntroductionMaternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and can have effects on the placenta, even in the absence of severe disease or vertical transmission to the fetus. This study aimed to evaluate histopathologic and molecular effects in the placenta after SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy.MethodsWe performed a study of 45 pregnant participants from the Generation C prospective cohort study at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. We compared histologic features and the expression of 48 immune and trophoblast genes in placentas delivered from 15 SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody positive and 30 IgG SARS-CoV-2 antibody negative mothers. Statistical analyses were performed using Fisher’s exact tests, Spearman correlations and linear regression models.ResultsThe median gestational age at the time of SARS-CoV-2 IgG serology test was 35 weeks. Two of the IgG positive participants also had a positive RT-PCR nasal swab at delivery. 82.2% of the infants were delivered at term (≥37 weeks), and gestational age at delivery did not differ between the SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive and negative groups. No significant differences were detected between the groups in placental histopathology features. Differential expression analyses revealed decreased expression of two trophoblast genes (PSG3 and CGB3) and increased expression of three immune genes (CXCL10, TLR3 and DDX58) in placentas delivered from SARS-CoV-2 IgG positive participants.DiscussionSARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy is associated with gene expression changes of immune and trophoblast genes in the placenta at birth which could potentially contribute to long-term health effects in the offspring.
Thermodynamic limitations of metabolic strategies for PHB production from formate and fructose in Cupriavidus necator
Authors: Janasch Markus , Crang Nick , Bruch Manuel , Asplund-Samuelsson Johannes , Gynnå Arvid , Jahn Michael , Hudson Elton P. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe chemolithotroph Cupriavidus necator H16 is known as a natural producer of the bioplastic-polymer PHB, as well as for its metabolic versatility to utilize different substrates, including formate as the sole carbon and energy source. Depending on the entry point of the substrate, this versatility requires adjustment of the thermodynamic landscape to maintain sufficiently high driving forces for biological processes. Here we employed a model of the core metabolism of C. necator H16 to analyze the thermodynamic driving forces and PHB yields of different metabolic engineering strategies. For this, we enumerated elementary flux modes (EFMs) of the network and evaluated their PHB yields as well as thermodynamics via Max-min driving force (MDF) analysis and random sampling of driving forces. A heterologous ATP:citrate lyase reaction was predicted to increase driving force for producing acetyl-CoA. A heterologous phosphoketolase reaction was predicted to increase maximal PHB yields as well as driving forces. These enzymes were verified experimentally to enhance PHB titers between 60 and 300% in select conditions. The EFM analysis also revealed that metabolic strategies for PHB production from formate may be limited by low driving forces through citrate lyase and aconitase, as well as cofactor balancing, and identified reactions of the core metabolism associated with low and high PHB yield. The findings of this study aid in understanding metabolic adaptation. Furthemore, the outlined approach will be useful in designing metabolic engineering strategies in other non-model bacteria.HighlightsElementary flux modes of C. necator for PHB synthesis from fructose and formate.Metabolite sampling identified common reactions among EFMs with low driving force.PHB from formate shows low driving forces for aconitase, citrate lyase, NADPH synthesis.Phosphoketolase and ATP citrate lyase increased driving forces and PHB production.
Efficacy and sex differences in the effects on rat brain microglia of the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor-PLX5622
Authors: Sharon Aviv , Erez Hadas , Spira Micha E. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractMicroglia play pivotal roles in central nervous system development, homeostasis, responses to trauma, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders with significant sex-bias in their symptoms and prevalence. The discovery that the survival of microglia in adult brains depends on the expression of the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R), along with the development of the effective brain permeant CSF1R inhibitors PLX5622, has boosted the investigation of the role of microglia in health, disease and in relations to sex-bias. The effectiveness of PLX5622 in examining the role of microglia has mainly been demonstrated in mice. Surprisingly, despite the critical importance of rat models in brain research, there are only 4 publications in which PLX5622 was used to investigate the roles of microglia in adult rats. This has been attributed to the “impression” that PLX5622 is “ineffective in rats”. In view of the importance and interest in the role of microglia, the indispensability of rats for in vivo electrophysiological brain studies and behavioral research and the high efficacy of PLX5622-chow in eliminating microglia from adult mice brains, we examined the effects of PLX5622-chow on the elimination of the microglia in adult female and male rats. We found significant differences in microglia elimination by ad libitum PLX5622 feeding in male and female rats in different brain regions with significantly greater effectivity in female brains. Our pragmatic study provides practical information on the use and design of PLX5622 in gender-related and rat brain preclinical microglia research.
The structure of insulin granule core determines secretory capacity being reduced in type-2 diabetes
Authors: Barghouth Mohammad , Jiang Xiaoping , Nagao Mototsugu , Chen Ning , Yang Daowei , Ye Yingying , Luan Cheng , Gomez Maria F. , Blom Anna M. , Wollheim Claes B , Eliasson Lena , Renström Erik , Zhang Enming 
Published: February 2022

AbstractExocytosis in excitable cells is essential for their physiological functions. Although the exocytotic machinery controlling cellular secretion has been well investigated, the function of the vesicular cargo, i.e. secretory granular content remains obscure. Here we combine dSTORM imaging and single-domain insulin antibody, to dissect the in situ structure of insulin granule cores (IGCs) at nano level. We demonstrate that the size and shape of the IGCs can be regulated by the juxta-granular molecules Nucleobindin-2 and Enolase-1, that further contribute to the stimulated insulin secretion. IGCs located at the plasma membrane are larger than those in the cytosol. The IGCs size is decreased by ∼20% after glucose stimulation due to the release of the peripheral part of IGCs through incomplete granule fusion. Importantly, the reduction of the IGCs size is also observed in non-stimulatory pancreatic β-cells from diabetic db/db mice, Akita (Ins2+/-) mice and human Type-2 diabetic donors, in accordance with impaired secretion. These findings overall highlight the structure of exocytotic insulin cores as a novel modality amenable to targeting in the stimulated exocytosis in β-cells with impaired insulin secretion.
Neural Kernels for Recursive Support Vector Regression as a Model for Episodic Memory
Authors: Leibold Christian 
Published: February 2022

AbstractRetrieval of episodic memories requires intrinsic reactivation of neuronal activity patterns. The content of the memories are thereby assumed to be stored in synaptic connections. This paper proposes a theory in which these are the synaptic connections that specifically convey the temporal order information contained in the sequences of a neuronal reservoir to the sensory-motor cortical areas that give rise to the subjective impression of retrieval of sensory motor events. The theory is based on a novel recursive version of support vector regression that allows for efficient continuous learning that is only limited by the representational capacity of the reservoir. The paper argues that hippocampal theta sequences are a potential neural substrate underlying this reservoir.The theory is consistent with confabulations and post-hoc alterations of existing memories.