Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Bo Zhao, Yunsheng Wang, Weile Li, Lijun Su, Jiayan Lu, Lu Zeng, Xiang Li
Summary: On November 18, 2017, an earthquake in Nyingchi, China triggered at least 1816 landslides and 3 dammed lakes, covering an area of approximately 527 square kilometers. Most geohazards occurred in the southeast section of the epicenter, with the inner section having significantly more landslides than the outer section, showing an exponential distribution.
Article
Biology
Katharine Sherratt, Sam Abbott, Sophie R. Meakin, Joel Hellewell, James D. Munday, Nikos Bosse, Mark Jit, Sebastian Funk
Summary: This study examined the sensitivity of R-t estimates to different data sources for COVID-19 in England and explored how this sensitivity could track epidemic dynamics in population subgroups. The findings showed variations in transmission potential estimates from different data sources, potentially linked to biased representations of subpopulations in each source. It was highlighted that policymakers could better target interventions by considering the source populations of R-t estimates.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ke He, Ying Zhu, Shang-Chen Yang, Qing Ye, Sheng-Guo Fang, Qiu-Hong Wan
Summary: The study on the MHC gene structure of the Chinese alligator reveals the presence of Class I and Class II subregions, a unique CD1 subregion, multiple groups of MHC class I and class II duplicated loci, and a mechanism for polymorphism in antigen presentation.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Economics
Thang T. Vo, Truong Thiet Ha
Summary: This study investigates the determinants of female participation in Vietnamese enterprises from 2011 to 2015, finding that factors such as export activity, human capital investment, industry characteristics have positive effects on female participation, while labor remuneration and capital per worker show a negative correlation. Gender discrimination explains a significant portion of the difference in female workers' proportion.
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND POLICY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Jennifer S. Lord, Michael B. Bonsall
Summary: The study of vector competence is crucial for understanding mosquito-borne virus transmission and developing control tools. This research develops a mechanistic model to study virus dynamics within mosquitoes and demonstrates the impact of intrinsic stochasticity on the infection process.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ramin Abdoli, Tarikul Huda Mazumder, Shahla Nematollahian, Reza Sourati Zanjani, Rahim Abdollahi Mesbah, Arif Uddin
Summary: This study compared the mitochondrial genomes of different types of silkworms and found relationships between codon usage bias, genetic similarity, and phylogenetics. Results showed that the genomes had higher AT content than GC content and codons with A or T endings were over-represented. The codon usage bias of mitochondrial genes was influenced by both natural selection and mutation pressure, with natural selection playing a larger role. In addition, the mitochondrial genomes of Bombyx mori and Bombyx mandarina were most similar, while the COX1, COX2, and COX3 genes showed the most differences.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Ana G. Abril, Monica Carrera, Vicente Notario, Angeles Sanchez-Perez, Tomas G. Villa
Summary: Phages exhibit certain features that make them ideal candidates for various beneficial applications in human or animal health, industry, food science, food safety, and agriculture. Identifying and characterizing phage-produced proteins is crucial for utilizing these viruses in bacterial detection, drug delivery, vaccine development, and combating multidrug resistant bacterial infections. Furthermore, phages can be utilized in the design of affordable and stable sensors, as well as diagnostic assays for the specific identification of compounds and bacteria.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Wenshuai Li, Xiao-Ming Liu, Kun Wang, James McManus, Brian A. Haley, Yoshio Takahashi, Mohsen Shakouri, Yongfeng Hu
Summary: This study investigates the importance of potassium budgets and isotope compositions in marine sedimentary rocks for the global potassium cycling, highlighting the interplay between continental weathering and marine sedimentary diagenesis, which influences the distribution of potassium in seawater through the mineral phases, origins, and isotopic compositions in rocks.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
George E. C. Thomas, Angeliki Zarkali, Mina Ryten, Karin Shmueli, Ana Luisa Gil-Martinez, Louise-Ann Leyland, Peter McColgan, Julio Acosta-Cabronero, Andrew J. Lees, Rimona S. Weil
Summary: This study investigated the mechanisms underlying the selective vulnerability of specific neuronal populations in Parkinson's disease, focusing on the role of iron accumulation. By analyzing the gene expression profiles associated with cortical iron deposition, the study revealed enrichment for biological processes related to heavy metal detoxification, synaptic function, and nervous system development, predominantly expressed in astrocytes and glutamatergic neurons. Additionally, the study found that genes differentially expressed in Parkinson's disease are associated with the cortical expression pattern identified in the study.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elena Genova, Marianna Lucafo, Marco Pelin, Veronica Di Paolo, Luigi Quintieri, Giuliana Decorti, Gabriele Stocco
Summary: Thiopurines are commonly used in the treatment of chronic autoimmune conditions and leukemia, but may cause gastrointestinal toxicity. This study investigated the metabolite concentrations of thiopurines in intestinal cells, finding associations between metabolite concentrations and cytotoxicity. The findings suggest that short growth times before treatment should be used to study the association between thiopurine metabolite concentrations and cytotoxicity activity in vitro.
CHEMICO-BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Hongwei Liu, Jun He, Zehong Yuan, Kunhong Xie, Zongze He, Xiang Zhou, Man Wang, Jian He
Summary: This study investigated the growth performance, plasma indexes, carcass traits, and meat quality characteristics of the Chuanzang black pig (CB) and conventional DLY pig breeds. The results showed that the CB pigs had improved meat quality compared to the DLY pigs. Additionally, the metabolomics analysis identified key metabolites related to meat quality.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Podbielska, Joan O'Keeffe, Anna Pokryszko-Dragan
Summary: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system disease characterized by immune-mediated inflammatory demyelination and progressive degeneration. Lipids are believed to play a key role in the immunopathogenesis of MS and are a promising area for investigation. Understanding lipid-related mechanisms may offer potential utility in predicting or monitoring the course of MS.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Management
Mike Thelwall, Kayvan Kousha, Emma Stuart, Meiko Makita, Mahshid Abdoli, Paul Wilson, Jonathan Levitt
Summary: This article evaluates the biases introduced by bibliometrics when supporting or replacing peer review in the systematic evaluations of publicly funded research. Comparing three mechanisms for scoring research articles, the results suggest that bibliometric scoring can disadvantage high quality departments, except for chemistry. It slightly advantages women compared to men, varies by field, and benefits interdisciplinary research. The most serious bias is the tendency for bibliometric scores to work against high quality departments, concealing their full extent of quality advantages.
Article
Plant Sciences
Deng-Feng Xie, Chuan Xie, Ting Ren, Bo-Ni Song, Song-Dong Zhou, Xing-Jin He
Summary: Apiales members are monophyletic and radiated in the Late Cretaceous. Fruit morphologies are critical for Apiales evolution, and negative selection and mutation pressure play important roles in environmental adaptation. However, phylogenetic relationships, origin, divergence, and adaptive evolution of Apiales are still poorly understood. In this study, the phylogeny of Apiales was reconstructed based on plastid genomes, revealing monophyletic families and providing insights into the origin, divergence, and adaptive evolution of this order and its members. Coalescent phylogenetic analysis and gene trees cluster also identified genes that can be used for species distinction among families. Molecular dating indicated the mid-Cretaceous origin of Apiales and radiation in the Late Cretaceous, with higher differentiation observed in the Apiaceae species. Ancestral trait reconstruction suggested a relationship between fruit morphological evolution and plant types and distribution areas. Codon bias and positive selection analyses further highlighted the role of negative selection and mutation pressure in the environmental adaptation of Apiales members.
Article
Biology
Hongwei Shan, Yinquan Liu, Junbo Luan, Shusheng Liu
Summary: Endosymbiont Rickettsia is transmitted to the next generation of insect hosts through eggs, with a dynamic distribution pattern in the ovaries and eggs of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. The bacteria infect host ovarioles during early developmental stages via two routes and survive in mature eggs to proliferate during embryogenesis for high-fidelity transmission to the next generation. This study provides novel insights into the maternal transmission mechanisms of insect symbionts.
SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Editorial Material
Clinical Neurology
R. J. E. Armstrong, J. Downer, N. Evans, P. Anslow, G. C. Ebers
Article
Psychiatry
Defne Saatci, Adrienne van Nieuwenhuizen, Lahiru Handunnetthi
Summary: Maternal infection during gestation is associated with an increased risk of non-affective psychosis, especially schizophrenia. Risk is higher for infections during the second trimester compared to the first and third trimesters.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
A. Dessa Sadovnick, Irene M. Yee, Maria Criscuoli, Gabriele C. DeLuca
Summary: The study evaluated the impact of temporal increase of female to male sex ratio on the familial risk for individuals with multiple sclerosis. Genetic sharing and environmental factors were found to both play important roles in determining familial risk. An increase in MS risk due to environmental factors was observed over time, particularly for sisters/brothers of female probands.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Kristen M. Krysko, Annika Anderson, Jessica Singh, Kira McPolin, Alice Rutatangwa, William Rowles, A. Dessa Sadovnick, Maria K. Houtchens, Riley Bove
Summary: The prevalence of peripartum depression in women with multiple sclerosis appears to be similar to the general population, with factors such as older age, primiparity, pre-pregnancy depression, sleep disturbance, and breastfeeding difficulty associated with higher risk. Prospective studies are needed to further explore the impact of peripartum depression on self-management in multiple sclerosis and offspring development.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS JOURNAL
(2022)
Correction
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martina Patone, Lahiru Handunnetthi, Defne Saatci, Jiafeng Pan, Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi, Saif Razvi, David Hunt, Xue W. Mei, Sharon Dixon, Francesco Zaccardi, Kamlesh Khunti, Peter Watkinson, Carol A. C. Coupland, James Doidge, David A. Harrison, Rommel Ravanan, Aziz Sheikh, Chris Robertson, Julia Hippisley-Cox
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martina Patone, Lahiru Handunnetthi, Defne Saatci, Jiafeng Pan, Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi, Saif Razvi, David Hunt, Xue W. Mei, Sharon Dixon, Francesco Zaccardi, Kamlesh Khunti, Peter Watkinson, Carol A. C. Coupland, James Doidge, David A. Harrison, Rommel Ravanan, Aziz Sheikh, Chris Robertson, Julia Hippisley-Cox
Summary: Emerging reports of rare neurological complications associated with COVID-19 infection and vaccinations are leading to concerns in regulatory, clinical, and public health sectors. A self-controlled case series study in England showed an increased risk of rare neurological complications following COVID-19 vaccination and infection. The study highlighted a higher risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome after ChAdOx1nCoV-19 vaccination.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martina Patone, Xue W. Mei, Lahiru Handunnetthi, Sharon Dixon, Francesco Zaccardi, Manu Shankar-Hari, Peter Watkinson, Kamlesh Khunti, Anthony Harnden, Carol A. C. Coupland, Keith M. Channon, Nicholas L. Mills, Aziz Sheikh, Julia Hippisley-Cox
Summary: The study found that there is an increased risk of myocarditis associated with the first dose of ChAdOx1 and BNT162b2 vaccines, as well as the first and second doses of the mRNA-1273 vaccine in the 1-28 days post-vaccination period. Additionally, individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection also face a greater risk of myocarditis, pericarditis, and cardiac arrhythmia.
Article
Immunology
Tomokazu S. Sumida, Shai Dulberg, Jonas Schupp, Matthew Lincoln, Helen A. Stillwell, Pierre-Paul Axisa, Michela Comi, Avraham Unterman, Naftali Kaminski, Asaf Madi, Vijay K. Kuchroo, David A. Hafler
Summary: This study demonstrates the regulation of coinhibitory receptor expression on human T cells by type 1 interferon (IFN-I) and reveals the dynamic regulatory networks involved. The key transcription factor SP140 is highlighted as one of the regulators that differentiate LAG-3 and TIGIT expression. The study also shows that the in vitro IFN-I response closely mirrors T cell features in acute SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Martina Patone, Xue W. Mei, Lahiru Handunnetthi, Sharon Dixon, Francesco Zaccardi, Manu Shankar-Hari, Peter Watkinson, Kamlesh Khunti, Anthony Harnden, Carol A. C. Coupland, Keith M. Channon, Nicholas L. Mills, Aziz Sheikh, Julia Hippisley-Cox
Summary: Myocarditis is more common after SARS-CoV-2 infection than after COVID-19 vaccination. The risk of myocarditis is higher in younger men, especially after the second dose of mRNA-1273 vaccine.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Dessa Sadovnick, Maria Criscuoli, Irene Yee, Robert Carruthers, Alice Schabas, Virginia Devonshire, Penelope Smyth
Summary: This study found that women with multiple sclerosis (MS) do not have a higher risk of first-trimester miscarriages compared to the general population.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Pierre-Paul Axisa, Tomomi M. Yoshida, Liliana E. Lucca, Herbert G. Kasler, Matthew R. Lincoln, Giang H. Pham, Dante Del Priore, Jean-Marie Carpier, Carrie L. Lucas, Eric Verdin, Tomokazu S. Sumida, David A. Hafler
Summary: Genome-wide association studies have identified numerous susceptibility loci for autoimmune diseases, particularly in genes active in immune cells. In this study, the authors focused on a specific variant of the histone deacetylase 7 (HDAC7) gene and found that it plays a protective role in immune regulation. The findings provide insights into the functional characterization of genetic susceptibility loci and offer potential targets for therapeutic interventions.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Elle Levit, Janice Leon, Matthew R. Lincoln
Summary: A 36-year-old man with recurring fever, headache, mental status changes, and focal neurologic deficits was found to have extensive white matter lesions on MRI. Complement factor abnormalities, including persistently low C3 and factor B, and absence of alternative complement pathway activity were detected. Biopsy results showed neutrophilic vasculitis. Genetic testing revealed a pathogenic homozygous variant in complement factor I (CFI). Treatment with IL-1β inhibition has resulted in the patient's stability. Complement factor I deficiency is a rare disorder that should be considered in patients with atypical relapsing neurologic disease associated with neutrophilic pleocytosis.
Article
Immunology
Edward Drydale, Phalguni Rath, Katie Holden, Gregory Holt, Laurissa Havins, Thomas Johnson, James Bancroft, Lahiru Handunnetthi
Summary: This study created a novel three-dimensional neurosphere assay using induced pluripotent stem cell differentiation and live cell imaging techniques to investigate the effect of a simulated viral infection on cortical development. The findings demonstrated that the infection led to reduced radial glial growth and neural migration.
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2024)
Article
Immunology
Defne Saatci, Thomas Johnson, Madeleine Smee, Adrienne van Nieuwenhuizen, Lahiru Handunnetthi
Summary: This study found a higher number of schizophrenia births in December, January, and February. There was no association between latitude and daylight, but a significant negative correlation between monthly severe enterovirus cases and schizophrenia births.
BRAIN, BEHAVIOR, & IMMUNITY - HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Bridget LaMonica Ostrem, Annika Anderson, Sarah Conway, Brian C. Healy, Jiwon Oh, Dina Jacobs, Ruth Dobson, Edith Larmon Graham, A. Dessa Sadovnick, Vanessa Zimmerman, Yanqing Liu, Riley Bove, Maria Houtchens
Summary: Moderately to severely disabled women with MS have a lower risk of relapse during pregnancy, but a significant increase postpartum. Women with higher preconception EDSS have a greater risk of relapses and disability worsening postpartum.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS JOURNAL-EXPERIMENTAL TRANSLATIONAL AND CLINICAL
(2022)
