bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pelagic seabirds reduce risk by flying into the eye of the storm
Authors: Lempidakis Emmanouil , Shepard Emily L. C. , Ross Andrew N. , Matsumoto Sakiko , Koyama Shiho , Takeuchi Ichiro , Yoda Ken 
Published: April 2022

AbstractCyclones can cause mass mortality of seabirds, sometimes wrecking thousands of individuals. The few studies to track pelagic seabirds during cyclones show they tend to circumnavigate the strongest winds. We tracked adult shearwaters in the Sea of Japan over 11 years and find that the response to cyclones varied according to the wind speed and direction. In strong winds, birds that were sandwiched between the storm and mainland Japan flew away from land and towards the eye of the storm, flying within ≤ 30 km of the eye and tracking it for up to 8 hours. This exposed shearwaters to some of the highest wind speeds near the eye wall (≤ 21 m s-1), but enabled them to avoid strong onshore winds in the storm’s wake. Extreme winds may therefore become a threat when an inability to compensate for drift could lead to forced landings and collisions. Birds may need to know where land is in order to avoid it. This provides additional selective pressure for a map sense and could explain why juvenile shearwaters, which lack a map sense, instead navigating using a compass heading, are susceptible to being wrecked. We suggest that the ability to respond to storms is influenced by both flight and navigational capacities. This may become increasingly pertinent due to changes in extreme weather patterns.Significance StatementCyclones can cause billions of dollars of damage and loss of human life. They can also cause mass mortality and strandings in seabirds. We used GPS tracking data from streaked shearwaters breeding in the world’s most active cyclone basin to understand how seabirds respond to these systems. Birds varied their response according to the wind speed and direction, generally flying towards the eye of the cyclone in strong winds. This surprising strategy enables dynamic soaring birds to control their exposure to risky wind vectors that could drift them onshore. Nonetheless, birds may need to know where land is in order to avoid it. Juveniles lack this “map sense”, making them susceptible to wrecking in some scenarios.
Automated Deep Brain Stimulation programming based on electrode location – a randomized, cross-over trial using a data-driven algorithm
Authors: Roediger Jan , Achtzehn Johannes , Busch Johannes L. , Dembek Till A. , Krämer Anna-Pauline , Schneider Gerd-Helge , Krause Patricia , Horn Andreas , Kühn Andrea A. 
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACTBackgroundDeep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is highly effective in controlling motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). However, correct selection of stimulation parameters is pivotal to treatment success and currently follows a time-consuming and demanding trial-and-error process. We conducted a double-blind, ran-domized, cross-over, non-inferiority trial to assess treatment effects of stimulation parameters suggested by a recently published algorithm (StimFit) based on neuroimaging data.MethodsThe trial was carried out at Charité – Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany and enrolled 35 PD patients treated with directional octopolar electrodes targeted at the STN. All patients had undergone DBS programming according to our centers standard of care (SoC) treatment before study recruitment. Based on perioperative imaging data DBS electrodes were reconstructed and StimFit was applied to suggest optimal stimulation settings. Patients underwent motor assessments using MDS-UPDRS-III during OFF-medication and in OFF-and ON-stimulation states under both conditions, StimFit and SoC parameter settings that were double blinded and randomized in a 1:1 ratio. The primary endpoint of this study was the absolute mean difference between MDS-UPDRS-III scores under StimFit and SoC stimulation, with a non-inferiority margin of five points.FindingsSTN DBS resulted in mean MDS-UPDRS-III improvements of 48 % for SoC and 43 % with StimFit as compared to OFF-stimulation condition. The mean difference between MDS-UPDRS-III scores under StimFit and SoC stimulation was not significant (1.6 points), and non-inferiority was established. In six patients (17 %) initial programming of StimFit settings resulted in acute side-effects and amplitudes were reduced until side-effects disappeared.InterpretationAutomated data-driven algorithms can predict stimulation parameters which lead to motor symptom control comparable to standard of care treatment. This approach could significantly decrease the time necessary to obtain optimal treatment parameters thereby fostering the design of more complex DBS electrodes. Long-term data including effects on quality of life require further investigation.
Genetic and environmental factors underlying parallel changes in body mass index and alcohol consumption: a 36-year longitudinal study of adult twins
Authors: Drouard Gabin , Silventoinen Karri , Latvala Antti , Kaprio Jaakko 
Published: April 2022

AbstractBackgroundThe genetic and environmental underpinnings of simultaneous changes in weight and alcohol consumption are poorly known.ObjectiveWe sought to quantify the environmental and genetic components underlying parallel changes in weight and alcohol consumption, and to investigate potential covariations between them.MethodsThe analysis comprised 4461 adult participants (58% women) from the Finnish Twin Cohort. Four measures of alcohol consumption and body mass index (BMI) were available over a 36-year follow-up. Trajectories of each trait were described by growth factors, defined as intercepts (i.e., baseline) and slopes (i.e., change over follow-up), using Latent Growth Curve Modeling. Growth values were used for male (190 MZ pairs, 293 DZ pairs) and female (316 MZ pairs, 487 DZ pairs) same-sex complete twin pairs in multivariate twin modeling. The variance and covariance of growth factors were then decomposed into genetic and environmental components.ResultsThe baseline heritabilities were similar in men (BMI: h2=79%; alcohol consumption: h2=49%) and women (h2=77%; h2=45%). Heritabilities of BMI change were similar in men (h2=52%) and women (h2=57%), but higher in men for change in alcohol consumption (h2=45%) than in women (h2=31%). Significant genetic correlations between BMI at baseline and change in alcohol consumption were observed in both men (r =-0.17(95% Confidence Interval: -0.29,-0.04)) and women (r=-0.18(−0.31,-0.06)). The genetic components of baseline and longitudinal change were correlated for both BMI and alcohol consumption with sex differences. Non-shared environmental factors affecting changes in alcohol consumption and BMI were correlated in men (r=0.18(0.06,0.30)). Among women, non-shared environmental factors affecting baseline alcohol consumption and the change in BMI were correlated (r=-0.11(−0.20,-0.01)).ConclusionsWe provide evidence of genetic correlations between BMI and change in alcohol consumption. Independent of genetic effects, change in BMI and change in alcohol consumption covary.
Prevalence and correlates of urogenital schistosomiasis in school going children in Maramba compound of Livingstone District, Zambia
Authors: Kapanga Shike , Mulemena John Amos , Kamvuma Kingsley , Phiri Christopher Newton , Chanda Warren 
Published: April 2022

AbstractBackgroundSchistosomiasis is an acute and chronic parasitic disease that is caused by trematode worms (blood flukes) of the genus Schistosoma. Schistosoma haematobium (S. haematobium) is known to cause urogenital schistosomiasis. The disease is the second most common socio-economically devastating tropical parasitic disease after malaria in Africa. In Zambia, it affects over a million school going children, mostly in rural communities due to unsafe water and inadequate sanitation facilities. This study aimed to determine the presence of S. haematobium in urine specimens of school going children in Maramba compound of Livingstone and establish factors associated with the acquisition and spread of the parasite.MethodsA structured questionnaire was administered on all children with signed consent from their guardians/parents and afterward spot urine specimens were collected in sterile containers for macroscopically/microscopically examination by an independent laboratory technologist.ResultsA total of 173 school going children participated in the study. Parasitic eggs were detected in 6 specimens providing a prevalence of 3.47% (p<0.01) and this had a strong association with presence of microscopic red blood cells (p<0.01), dysuria (p=0.026), washing in a stream (p=0.01), and the perception on bilharzia acquisition (p<0.01).ConclusionThe prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis among school going children in Maramba compound was 3.47%, and the correlates of the infection included washing in a stream, older age and poor knowledge on schistosomiasis. Participants that had schistosomiasis often presented with hematuria and lacked knowledge on disease acquisition, health effects and preventive measures. This calls for more robust sensitization of school going children and periodic screening to curb the disease.
Phosphorylation of the novel mTOR substrate Unkempt regulates cellular morphogenesis
Authors: Baskaran Pranetha , Mihaylov Simeon R. , Vinsland Elin , Shah Kriti , Granat Lucy , Ultanir Sila K. , Tee Andrew R. , Murn Jernej , Bateman Joseph M. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractMechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a protein kinase that integrates multiple inputs to regulate anabolic cellular processes. mTOR complex I (mTORC1) has key functions in growth control, autophagy and metabolism. Much less is known about the signalling components that act downstream of mTORC1 that regulate cellular morphology, a vital determinant of cellular function. Here we show that the RNA-binding protein Unkempt, a key regulator of cellular morphogenesis, is a novel substrate mTORC1. We find that Unkempt phosphorylation is regulated by nutrient levels and growth factors via mTORC1. Furthermore, Unkempt physically interacts with and is directly phosphorylated by mTORC1 through binding to the regulatory-associated protein of mTOR, Raptor. Phosphorylation of Unkempt, which we find is mTORC1-dependent in cultured mammalian cell lines as well as in primary tissues, occurs largely within the highly serine-rich intrinsically disordered region of Unkempt. Importantly, mutation analysis of this region indicates that phosphorylation inhibits the ability of Unkempt to induce a bipolar morphology. Our findings reveal a novel molecular link between mTORC1 signalling and cellular morphogenesis.
Dissecting brain grey and white matter microstructure: a novel clinical diffusion MRI protocol
Authors: Schiavi Simona , Palombo Marco , Zacà Domenico , Tazza Francesco , Lapucci Caterina , Castellan Lucio , Costagli Mauro , Inglese Matilde 
Published: April 2022

AbstractSoma and Neurite Density Image (SANDI) is an advanced diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) signal model devised to probe in vivo microstructural information from both grey and white matter. However, this model requires multi-shell acquisitions that include b-values that are at least 6 times higher than those used in clinical practice. Here we present a 10-minute acquisition protocol that enables to acquire the necessary images for SANDI modelling on a clinical 3T scanner. We demonstrate the feasibility and assess the repeatability and reproducibility of our approach by computing microstructural metrics of SANDI and other state-of-the-art models on five healthy subjects and we present its potential clinical impact on five subjects affected by multiple sclerosis with relapsing-remitting course. Our results suggest that SANDI is a repeatable, reproducible, feasible, and practical method to characterize both white and grey matter tissues in both the healthy brain and in neurological diseases.
Probing the Drug Dynamics and Mode-of-Action of Chemotherapeutics Using Metasurface-Enhanced Infrared Reflection Spectroscopy of Live Cells
Authors: Shen Po-Ting , Huang Steven H. , Huang Zhouyang , Wilson Justin J. , Shvets Gennady 
Published: April 2022

AbstractInfrared spectroscopy has drawn considerable interests in biological applications, but the measurement of live cells is impeded by the attenuation of infrared light in water. Metasurfaceenhanced infrared reflection spectroscopy (MEIRS) had been shown to mitigate the problem, enhance the cellular infrared signal through surface-enhanced infrared absorption, and encode the cellular vibrational signatures in the reflectance spectrum at the same time. In this study, we used MEIRS to study the dynamic response of live cancer cells to a newly developed chemotherapeutic metal complex with distinct modes of action (MoAs): tricarbonyl rhenium isonitrile polypyridyl (TRIP). MEIRS measurements demonstrated that administering TRIP resulted in long-term (several hours) reduction in protein, lipid, and overall refractive index signals, and in short-term (tens of minutes) increase in these signals that was consistent with the induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress. The unique tricarbonyl IR signature of TRIP in the bio-orthogonal spectral window was monitored in real time, and was used as an infrared tag to detect the precise drug delivery time that was shown to be closely correlated with the onset of the phenotypic response. These results demonstrate that MEIRS is an effective label-free real-time cellular assay capable of detecting and interpreting the early phenotypic responses of cells to IR-tagged chemotherapeutics.
Drought selection onArabidopsispopulations and their microbiomes
Authors: Karasov Talia L. , Neumann Manuela , Shirsekar Gautam , Monroe Grey ,   PATHODOPSIS Team, Weigel Detlef , Schwab Rebecca 
Published: April 2022

SummaryMicrobes affect plant health, stress tolerance1and life history2. In different regions of the globe, plants are colonized by distinct pathogenic and commensal microbiomes, but the factors driving their geographic variation are largely unknown3. We identified and measured the core leaf microbiome ofArabidopsis thalianain its native range, from almost 300 populations across Europe. Comparing the distribution of the approximately 500 major bacterial phylotypes, we discovered marked, geography-dependent differences in microbiome composition withinA. thalianaand betweenA. thalianaand other Brassicaceae, with two distinct microbiome types segregating along a latitudinal gradient. The differences in microbiome composition mirror the spatial genetics ofA. thaliana, with 52-68% of variance in the first two principal coordinates of microbiome type explained by host genotype. Microbiome composition is best predicted by drought-associated metrics that are well known to be a major selective agent onA. thalianapopulations. The reproducible and predictable associations between specific microbes and water availability raise the possibility that drought not only directly shapes genetic variation inA. thaliana, but does so also indirectly through its effects on the leaf microbiome.
Growth limitation via chemically complex carbohydrates reduces sensitivity of synthetic human gut communities to perturbations
Authors: Loss Erin Ostrem , Thompson Jaron , Cheung Kevin Pak , Qian Yili , Venturelli Ophelia S. 
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACTDietary fiber affects the composition and functions of microbial communities that reside in the human gut. However, we lack a detailed and quantitative understanding of how these nutrients shape microbial community dynamics, interaction networks and systems-level properties. Using synthetic human gut communities coupled to computational modeling, we dissect the effects of varied fiber types or their constituent sugars on community assembly and sensitivity to perturbations. By quantifying carbohydrate chemical complexity, we demonstrate that microbial growth decreases as a function of complexity. We further demonstrate that the balance of species occupying distinct metabolic niches is altered by the presence of chemically complex carbohydrates. The frequency of negative inter-species interactions is reduced in the presence of complex carbohydrates. Communities grown in complex carbohydrates reproducibly assemble from a wide range of initial species abundances and display reduced sensitivity to invasion. Resource competition is identified as a key mechanism influencing the response of communities to perturbations. The strength of resource competition can promote sensitivity of community assembly to variations in initial species proportions and impact community resistance to invasion. By limiting microbial growth, complex carbohydrates promote the expansion of species occupying niches beyond carbohydrate utilization, shape the distribution of inter-species interactions, which in turn determines the community’s response to perturbations.
Use of a novel knock-in allele of Pkd1 identifies nicotinamide nucleotide dehydrogenase as a mitochondrial binding partner of polycystin-1
Authors: Lin Cheng-Chao , Menezes Luis F. , Pearson Elisabeth , Zhou Fang , Ishimoto Yu , Anderson D. Eric , Germino Gregory G. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe localization and function of Polycystin-1, the protein encoded by the gene most commonly mutated in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, remains controversial. We have recently reported that its C-terminus is cleaved and traffics to the mitochondria rather than to the nucleus as had been previously described, and we found that absence of PC1 resulted in fragmented mitochondrial networks and increased mitochondrial membrane potential. Direct visualization of PC1 in mitochondria was only possible, however, after over-expression of recombinant, fluorescently labeled-PC1 in a cell culture system. To resolve the issue, we generated a new mouse model with three copies of the HA epitope and eGFP knocked-in frame into the endogenous mouse Pkd1 gene by CRISPR/Cas9. We show that the modified allele is fully functional but the eGFP-tagged protein cannot be detected without antibody amplification methods. We were, however, able to use nanobody-coupled beads and large quantities of tissue to isolate a PC1 interactome and verify nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (Nnt) as a mitochondrial partner, linking PC1 to regulation of reactive oxygen species levels in the mitochondria. Loss of Nnt function had no significant effect on renal cystic disease in Pkd1 mutants but treatment of young mice with early onset cystic disease with n-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) provided modest benefit only in the Nnt+/+ genetic background. These studies suggest that new methods and brighter tags will be required to track endogenous PC1, but this new mouse model will be a valuable resource for characterizing the protein interactome of endogenous PC1. The data also support our prior findings that the PC1 C-terminus localizes to mitochondria and regulates their function.
A Leak K+Channel TWK-40 Regulates Rhythmic Motor Program inC. elegans
Authors: Yue Zhongpu , Li Yi , Yu Bin , Xu Yueqing , Chen Lili , Chitturi Jyothsna , Meng Jun , Hung Wesley , Tian Yuhang , Mouridi Sonia El , Zhang Cuntai , Boulin Thomas , Zhen Mei , Gao Shangbang 
Published: April 2022

AbstractLeak potassium (K+) currents, conducted by two-pore domain K+(K2P) channels, are critical for the stabilization of the membrane potential. The effect of K2Pchannels on motor rhythm remains enigmatic. We show here that the K2PTWK-40 regulates the rhythmic defecation motor program (DMP) inCaenorhabditis elegans. Disrupting TWK-40 suppresses the expulsion defects ofnlp-40andaex-2mutants. By contrast, a gain-of-function (gf) mutant oftwk-40significantly reduces the expulsion frequency per DMP cycle.In situwhole-cell patch clamping demonstrates that TWK-40 forms an outward current that hyperpolarize the resting membrane potential of DVB neuron. In addition, TWK-40 substantially contributes to the rhythmic activity of DVB. Specifically, DVB Ca2+oscillations exhibit obvious defects intwk-40mutants. Expression of TWK-40(gf) in DVB recapitulates the expulsion deficiency of thetwk-40(gf)mutant, and inhibits DVB Ca2+oscillations in both wild-type andtwk-40(lf)animals. Moreover, DVB innervated enteric muscles also exhibit rhythmic Ca2+defects. Taken together, these results demonstrate that TWK-40 is an essential neuronal inhibitor of DMP, thus revealing a cellular mechanism linking leak K2Pchannels with rhythmic motor activity.
Learning-related congruent and incongruent changes of excitation and inhibition in distinct cortical areas
Authors: Esmaeili Vahid , Oryshchuk Anastasiia , Asri Reza , Tamura Keita , Foustoukos Georgios , Liu Yanqi , Guiet Romain , Crochet Sylvain , Petersen Carl C.H. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractExcitatory and inhibitory neurons in diverse cortical regions are likely to contribute differentially to the transformation of sensory information into goal-directed motor plans. Here, we investigate the relative changes across mouse sensorimotor cortex in the activity of putative excitatory and inhibitory neurons - categorized as regular or fast spiking according to their action potential waveform - comparing before and after learning of a whisker detection task with delayed licking as perceptual report. Surprisingly, we found that the whisker-evoked activity of regular versus fast spiking neurons changed in opposite directions after learning in primary and secondary whisker motor cortices, while it changed similarly in primary and secondary orofacial motor cortices. Our results suggest that changes in the balance of excitation and inhibition in local circuits concurrent with changes in the long-range synaptic inputs in distinct cortical regions might contribute to performance of delayed sensory-to-motor transformation.
Alleviation of salt stress in winter wheat byPantoeaspp. endophytes isolated from spontaneous desert plants of the Sahara
Authors: Belaouni Hadj Ahmed , Bendaha Mohammed El Amine , Benattia Houcine , Medouh Maamer , Berini Khadra , Ahmed Said Ben , Zitouni Abdelghani 
Published: April 2022

AbstractTo develop bio-fertilizers for salt stress mitigation in winter wheat, 5Pantoeaspp. strains isolated from spontaneous plants of the Algerian Sahara were selected and identified based on the 16S rRNA gene, and distinguished at “strain” level by the IGS sequences. A plant test (greenhouse condition, non-sterile substrate) showed their effectiveness in promoting the growth of winter wheatcv. Gold Korn, under normal and saline conditions. An improvement of shoot length (no stress: up to +37.34% forPantoeasp. BS27; salt stress at 200 mM: up to +32.95% forPantoeasp. BS27) and dry weight (no stress: up to +23.89% forPantoeasp. OT18; salt stress at 100 mM: up to +56.42 % forPantoeasp. ME3; salt stress at 200 mM: up to 39.18% forPantoeasp. OT18) was recorded. We suggest thePantoeaspp. strains ME3, OT37, and OT18 as promising inocula for yield improvement in salt-impacted soils.