bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Do predators prefer toxic animals? A case of chemical discrimination by an Asian snake that sequesters firefly toxins
Authors: Fukuda Masaya , Ujiie Rinako , Inoue Takato , Chen Qin , Cao Chengquan , Ding Li , Mori Naoki , Mori Akira 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Several Asian natricine snakes of the genus Rhabdophis feed on toads and sequester steroidal cardiac toxins known as bufadienolides (BDs) from them. A recent study revealed that species of the Rhabdophis nuchalis Group ingest lampyrine fireflies to sequester BDs. Although several species of fireflies are distributed in the habitat of the R. nuchalis Group, only lampyrine fireflies, which have BDs, are included in the diet of these snakes. Thus, we hypothesized that the R. nuchalis Group chemically distinguishes fireflies that have BDs from those that do not have BDs. We also predicted that the R. nuchalis Group detects BDs as the chemical cue of toxin source. To test these predictions, we conducted 3 behavioral experiments using Rhabdophis chiwen, which belongs to the R. nuchalis Group. In the first experiment, R. chiwen showed a moderate tongue flicking response to cinobufagin, a compound of BDs. On the other hand, the snake showed a higher response to the chemical stimuli of lampyrine fireflies (BD fireflies) than those of lucioline fireflies (non-BD fireflies). In the second experiment, in which we provided live BD and non-BD fireflies, the snake voluntarily consumed only the former. In the third, a Y-maze experiment, the snake tended to select the chemical trail of BD fireflies more frequently than that of non-BD fireflies. These results demonstrated that R. chiwen discriminates BD fireflies from non-BD fireflies, but the prediction that BDs are involved in this discrimination was not fully supported. To identify the proximate mechanisms of the recognition of novel toxic prey in the R. nuchalis Group, further investigation is necessary.
PSL-LCCL: a resource for subcellular protein localization in liver cancer cell line SK_HEP1
Authors: Huang Fang , Tang Xia , Ye Bo , Wu Songfeng , Ding Keyue 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
The characterization of subcellular protein localization provides a basis for further understanding cellular behaviors. A delineation of subcellular localization of proteins on cytosolic membrane-bound organelles in human liver cancer cell lines (hLCCLs) has yet to be performed. To obtain its proteome-wide view, we isolated and enriched six cytosolic membrane-bound organelles in one of the hLCCLs (SK_HEP1) and quantified their proteins using mass spectrometry. The vigorous selection of marker proteins and a machine-learning-based algorithm were implemented to localize proteins at cluster and neighborhood levels. We validated the performance of the proposed method by comparing the predicted subcellular protein localization with publicly available resources. The profiles enabled investigating the correlation of protein domains with their subcellular localization and colocalization of protein complex members. A subcellular proteome database for SK_HEP1, including (i) the subcellular protein localization and (ii) the subcellular locations of protein complex members and their interactions, was constructed. Our research provides resources for further research on hLCCLs proteomics.
Database URL: http://www.igenetics.org.cn/project/PSL-LCCL/
A novel contact-free atrial fibrillation monitor: a pilot study
Authors: Sadeh Ben , Merdler Ilan , Sadon Sapir , Lupu Lior , Borohovitz Ariel , Ghantous Eihab , Taieb Philippe , Granot Yoav , Goldstein Orit , Soriano Jonathan Calderón , Rubio-Oliver Ricardo , Ruiz-Rivas Joaquin , Zalevsky Zeev , Garcia-Monreal Javier , Shatsky Maxim , Polani Sagi , Arbel Yaron 
Published: December 2021

Abstract

Aims
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Current guidelines support performing electrocardiogram (ECG) screenings to spot AF in high-risk patients. The purpose of this study was to validate a new algorithm aimed to identify AF in patients measured with a recent FDA-cleared contact-free optical device.

Methods and results
Study participants were measured simultaneously using two devices: a contact-free optical system that measures chest motion vibrations (investigational device, ‘Gili’) and a standard reference bed-side ECG monitor (Mindray®). Each reference ECG was evaluated by two board certified cardiologists that defined each trace as: regular rhythm, AF, other irregular rhythm or indecipherable/missing. A total of 3582, 30-s intervals, pertaining to 444 patients (41.9% with a history of AF) were made available for analysis. Distribution of patients with active AF, other irregular rhythm, and regular rhythm was 16.9%, 29.5%, and 53.6% respectively. Following application of cross-validated machine learning approach, the observed sensitivity and specificity were 0.92 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.91–0.93] and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.95–0.96), respectively.

Conclusion
This study demonstrates for the first time the efficacy of a contact-free optical device for detecting AF.
Source model for buried thrust-dominated earthquakes using partial InSAR displacements: the 2018 Lombok, Indonesia, earthquake sequence
Authors: Wang Xiaohang , Xu Caijun , Xiao Zhuohui , Peng Ying 
Published: December 2021

SUMMARY
A remarkable earthquake sequence struck the island of Lombok in Indonesia during the period from 2018 July 28 to August 19. In this study, we use Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2 radar images to investigate the deformation related to these events. The co-seismic surface deformation was pre-dominated by uplift without surface rupture. It is worth noting that some of the rupture of the Lombok sequence is offshore. For the thrust-dominated island earthquakes, whether the incomplete onshore deformation obtained by InSAR observation can well constrain the geometry of the underground faults is a question worthy of attention. Considering the positional relationship between the deformation and the island, we assumed two types of deformation distribution mode. Through simulation experiments, we found that when the major deformation for the second mode is less than about half, the nonlinear inversion results will be unstable. According to source models of each event, the Lombok sequence may have ruptured the Flores thrust. The peak magnitudes of slip for three events are 1.59, 1.93 and 2.87 m. The large magmatic plumbing systems of Rinjani volcano play a critical role during the cascading fault rupture of the Lombok event. Stress changing map indicates that the earlier events promote the later events. There is an obvious seismic gap in the northern part of the Sumbawa region and this region has the potential to form some moderate earthquakes in the future.
Circulating proteins and risk of pancreatic cancer: a case-subcohort study among Chinese adults
Authors: Kartsonaki Christiana , Pang Yuanjie , Millwood Iona , Yang Ling , Guo Yu , Walters Robin , Lv Jun , Hill Michael , Yu Canqing , Chen Yiping , Chen Xiaofang , O’Neill Eric , Chen Junshi , Travis Ruth C , Clarke Robert , Li Liming , Chen Zhengming , Holmes Michael V 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundPancreatic cancer has a very poor prognosis. Biomarkers that may help predict or diagnose pancreatic cancer may lead to earlier diagnosis and improved survival.MethodsThe prospective China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) recruited 512 891 adults aged 30–79 years during 2004–08, recording 702 incident cases of pancreatic cancer during 9 years of follow-up. We conducted a case-subcohort study measuring 92 proteins in 610 cases and a subcohort of 623 individuals, using the OLINK immuno-oncology panel in stored baseline plasma samples. Cox regression with the Prentice pseudo-partial likelihood was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for risk of pancreatic cancer by protein levels.ResultsAmong 1233 individuals (including 610 cases), several chemokines, interleukins, growth factors and membrane proteins were associated with risk of pancreatic cancer, with adjusted HRs per 1 standard deviation (SD) of 0.86 to 1.86, including monocyte chemotactic protein 3 (MCP3/CCL7) {1.29 [95% CI (confidence interval) (1.10, 1.51)]}, angiopoietin-2 (ANGPT2) [1.27 (1.10, 1.48)], interleukin-18 (IL18) [1.24 (1.07, 1.43)] and interleukin-6 (IL6) [1.21 (1.06, 1.38)]. Associations between some proteins [e.g. matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP7), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 9 [TNFRSF9)] and risk of pancreatic cancer were time-varying, with higher levels associated with higher short-term risk. Within the first year, the discriminatory ability of a model with known risk factors (age, age squared, sex, region, smoking, alcohol, education, diabetes and family history of cancer) was increased when several proteins were incorporated (weighted C-statistic changed from 0.85 to 0.99; P for difference = 4.5 × 10–5), although only a small increase in discrimination (0.77 to 0.79, P = 0.04) was achieved for long-term risk.ConclusionsSeveral plasma proteins were associated with subsequent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. The potential clinical utility of these biomarkers warrants further investigation.
Delamanid or pretomanid? A Solomonic judgement!
Authors: Mudde Saskia E. , Upton Anna M. , Lenaerts Anne , Bax Hannelore I. , De Steenwinkel Jurriaan E. M. 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Given the low treatment success rates of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), novel TB drugs are urgently needed. The landscape of TB treatment has changed considerably over the last decade with the approval of three new compounds: bedaquiline, delamanid and pretomanid. Of these, delamanid and pretomanid belong to the same class of drugs, the nitroimidazoles. In order to close the knowledge gap on how delamanid and pretomanid compare with each other, we summarize the main findings from preclinical research on these two compounds. We discuss the compound identification, mechanism of action, drug resistance, in vitro activity, in vivo pharmacokinetic profiles, and preclinical in vivo activity and efficacy. Although delamanid and pretomanid share many similarities, several differences could be identified. One finding of particular interest is that certain Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates have been described that are resistant to either delamanid or pretomanid, but with preserved susceptibility to the other compound. This might imply that delamanid and pretomanid could replace one another in certain regimens. Regarding bactericidal activity, based on in vitro and preclinical in vivo activity, delamanid has lower MICs and higher mycobacterial load reductions at lower drug concentrations and doses compared with pretomanid. However, when comparing in vivo preclinical bactericidal activity at dose levels equivalent to currently approved clinical doses based on drug exposure, this difference in activity between the two compounds fades. However, it is important to interpret these comparative results with caution knowing the variability inherent in preclinical in vitro and in vivo models.
Mungbean: A Preview of Disease Management Challenges for an Alternative U.S. Cash Crop
Authors: Batzer J C , Singh A , Rairdin A , Chiteri K , Mueller D S 
Published: December 2021

AbstractMungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) products and other plant-based protein sources exceeded $1 billion in U.S. sales during 2020. Nearly all of the mungbean consumed in the U.S. is imported, but it has considerable potential as a domestic crop. Its tolerance of drought and high temperatures gives U.S. farmers additional options for crop rotation. Mungbean is a short-season crop (60 to 90 d). It fits the current infrastructure of equipment, chemical, inputs, and storage for soybean and has a developed market. Similar to other crops, vulnerability to diseases can be a constraint for mungbean production. This manuscript reviews mungbean diseases causing significant yield losses in current production regions and current control options. This information will provide a useful guide to breeders and farmers to develop and produce a profitable crop, and will also equip university extension personnel with essential information to assist mungbean farmers with disease management.
Borrelia burgdorferi (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae) Infection Prevalence and Host Associations of Ticks Found on Peromyscus spp. in Maryland
Authors: Poje Julia E , Azevedo Jose F , Nair Nisha , Mahachi Kurayi , Frank Lexi E , Sherpa Phurchhoki , Krizek Rachel S , Baccam Tyler , Gomes-Solecki Maria , Petersen Christine A 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and most commonly transmitted by Ixodes scapularis Say (Ixodida: Ixodidae), is the most common tick-borne disease in Maryland. Because B. burgdorferi s.s. is maintained in enzootic cycles among wild mice (Peromyscus spp) and Ixodes spp ticks, differing patterns of parasitism of ticks on mice could impact the infection prevalence with B. burgdorferi. We determined the infection prevalence of Peromyscus spp as well as questing and partially engorged nymphal ticks collected at six sites on private land in five counties in Maryland from May to August 2020. Questing nymph infection prevalence (NIP) was 14%. We trapped 1258 mice and collected 554 ticks and 413 ear tissue samples. The prevalence of infested Peromyscus spp varied based on host age and sex, with older and male mice more likely to be infested. We detected a significant difference amongst the proportion of attached Ixodes and the location of trapping. Similarly, the prevalence of B. burgdorferi infected Peromyscus spp mice varied between locations (average mouse infection prevalence was 40%), with the highest prevalence in locations where Ixodes were the most commonly found ticks. The B. burgdorferi infection prevalence in partially engorged I. scapularis nymphs retrieved from Peromyscus spp was ~36% which lends further support to the host infection prevalence. Local differences in distribution of infected vectors and reservoirs are important factors to consider when planning interventions to reduce Lyme disease risk.
The generation and transformation of polarization signals in molecular lines through collective anisotropic resonant scattering
Authors: Houde M , Lankhaar B , Rajabi F , Chamma M A 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTWe discuss the existence of elliptical polarization in rotational spectral lines of CO and other molecules within the context of the Anisotropic Resonant Scattering (ARS) model. We show that the effect of ARS on the radiation field can lead to not only the previously predicted transformation of background linear polarization into circular polarization (i.e. Faraday conversion) but also the occurrence of Faraday rotation and the generation of elliptically polarized signals in an otherwise initially unpolarized radiation field. This is due to a collective behaviour between the large number of molecules acting as a diffraction ensemble that strongly favours forward scattering over any other mode. Our application to astronomical data demonstrates the dependency of the Stokes parameters on the strength and orientation of the ambient magnetic field, and suggests that ARS will manifest itself for a wide range of molecular species and transitions.
Rigid Ideal Sheaves and Modular Forms
Authors: Gyenge Ádám 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Let X be a complex smooth quasi-projective surface acted upon by a finite group G such that the quotient $X/G$ has singularities only of ADE type. We obtain an explicit expression for the generating series of the Euler characteristics of the zero-dimensional components in the moduli space of zero-dimensional subschemes of X invariant under the action of G. We show that this generating series (up to a suitable rational power of the formal variable) is a holomorphic modular form.
The Precarity of Self-Employment among Low- and Moderate-Income Households
Authors: Auguste Daniel , Roll Stephen , Despard Mathieu 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Many people in the United States have achieved economic stability through self-employment and are often seen as embracing the entrepreneurial spirit and seizing opportunity. Yet, research also suggests that self-employment may be precarious for many people in the lower socioeconomic strata. Drawing on a unique dataset that combines longitudinal survey data with administrative tax data for a sample of low- and moderate-income (LMI) workers, we bring new evidence to bear on this debate by examining the link between self-employment and economic insecurity. Overall, our results show that self-employment is associated with greater economic insecurity among LMI workers compared with wage-and-salary employment. For instance, compared with their wage-and-salary counterparts, the self-employed have 78, 168, and 287 percent greater odds of having an income below basic expenses, and experiencing an unexpected income decline and high levels of income volatility, respectively. We also find that differences in financial endowment and access to health insurance are key drivers in explaining the relationship between employment type and economic insecurity, as being able to access $2,000 in an emergency greatly lowers the odds of budgetary constraint, whereas lack of health insurance increases those odds. These findings suggest that formal work arrangements with wages and benefits offered by an employer promotes greater economic stability among LMI workers compared with informal work arrangements via self-employment. We discuss implications of these results for future research and policy initiatives seeking to promote economic wellbeing through entrepreneurship.
Tracking mutational semantics of SARS-CoV-2 genomes
Authors: Singh Rohan , Nagpal Sunil , Pinna Nishal K. , Mande Sharmila S. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractGenomes have an inherent context dictated by the order in which the nucleotides and higher order genomic elements are arranged in the DNA/RNA. Learning this context is a daunting task, governed by the combinatorial complexity of interactions possible between ordered elements of genomes. Can natural language processing be employed on these orderly, complex and also evolving datatypes (genomic sequences) to reveal the latent patterns or context of genomic elements (e.g Mutations)? Here we present an approach to understand the mutational landscape of Covid-19 by treating the temporally changing (continuously mutating) SARS-CoV-2 genomes as documents. We demonstrate how the analogous interpretation of evolving genomes to temporal literature corpora provides an opportunity to use dynamic topic modeling (DTM) and temporal Word2Vec models to delineate mutation signatures corresponding to different Variants-of-Concerns and tracking the semantic drift of Mutations-of-Concern (MoC). We identified and studied characteristic mutations affiliated to Covid-infection severity and tracked their relationship with MoCs. Our ground work on utility of such temporal NLP models in genomics could supplement ongoing efforts in not only understanding the Covid pandemic but also provide alternative strategies in studying dynamic phenomenon in biological sciences through data science (especially NLP, AI/ML).
Mathematical modelling of COVID-19 vaccination strategies in Kyrgyzstan
Authors: Moldokmatova Ainura , Dooronbekova Aizhan , Zhumalieva Chynarkul , Mukambetov Aibek , Kubatova Aisuluu , Usenbaev Nurbolot , Kutmanova Ainura , Osmonov Aman , Ibragimov Shamil , Abdyldaev Talant , Freitas Luzia , White Lisa J 
Published: December 2021

AbstractObjectivesIn December 2020, an unprecedented vaccination programme to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic was initiated worldwide. However, the vaccine provision is currently insufficient for most countries to vaccinate their entire eligible population, so it is essential to develop the most efficient vaccination strategies. COVID-19 disease severity and mortality vary by age, therefore age-dependent vaccination strategies must be developed.Study design/MethodsHere, we use an age-dependent SIERS (susceptible–infected–exposed–recovered–susceptible) deterministic model to compare four hypothetical age-dependent vaccination strategies and their potential impact on the COVID-19 epidemic in Kyrgyzstan.ResultsOver the short-term (until March 2022), a vaccination rollout strategy focussed on high-risk groups (aged >50 years) with some vaccination among high-incidence groups (aged 20–49 years) may decrease symptomatic cases and COVID-19-attributable deaths. However, there will be limited impact on the estimated overall number of COVID-19 cases with the relatively low coverage of high-incidence groups (15–25% based on current vaccine availability). Vaccination plus non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), such as mask wearing and social distancing, will further decrease COVID-19 incidence and mortality and may have an indirect impact on all-cause mortality.ConclusionsOur results and other evidence suggest that vaccination is most effective in flattening the epidemic curve and reducing mortality if supported by NPIs. In the short-term, focussing on high-risk groups may reduce the burden on the health system and result in fewer deaths. However, the herd effect from delaying another peak may only be achieved by greater vaccination coverage in high-incidence groups.
General Anxiety Disorder-7 Questionnaire as a marker of low socioeconomic status and inequity
Authors: Nunes Julio C. , Carroll Megan K. , Mahaffey Kenneth W. , Califf Robert M. , Doraiswamy P. Murali , Short Sarah , Shah Svati H. , Swope Susan , Williams Donna , Hernandez Adrian F. , Hong David S. 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire is a standard tool used for screening and follow-up of patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Although it is generally accepted that anxiety correlates with clinical and psychosocial stressors, precise quantitative data is limited on the relations among GAD-7, traditional biomarkers, and other measures of health. Even less is known about how GAD-7 relates to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES).We determined how multiple demographic and socioeconomic data correlate with the participants’ GAD-7 results when compared with laboratory, physical function, clinical, and other biological markers.MethodsThe Project Baseline Health Study (BHS) is a prospective cohort of adults representing several populations in the USA. We analyzed a deeply phenotyped group of 2502 participants from that study. Measures of interest included: clinical markers or history of medical diagnoses; physical function markers including gait, grip strength, balance time, daily steps, and echocardiographic parameters; psychometric measurements; activities of daily living; socioeconomic characteristics; and laboratory results.ResultsHigher GAD-7 scores were associated with female sex, younger age, and Hispanic ethnicity. Measures of low SES were also associated with higher scores, including unemployment, income ≤$25,000, and ≤12 years of education. After adjustment for 166 demographic, clinical, laboratory, and symptom characteristics, unemployment and overall higher SES risk scores were highly correlated with anxiety scores. Protective factors included Black race and older age.LimitationsCorrelations identified in this cross-sectional study cannot be used to infer causal relationships; further, we were not able to account for possible use of anxiety treatments by study participants.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the importance of understanding anxiety as a biopsychosocial entity. Clinicians and provider organizations need to consider both the physical manifestations of the disorder and their patients’ social determinants of health when considering treatment pathways and designing interventions.