bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The interpretation of reflexive pronouns in VP-ellipsis by L2 English learners with different proficiency
levels
Authors: Gallardo-del-Puerto Francisco , Gandón-Chapela Evelyn
Published: March 2024

English reflexive anaphora in cases of VP-ellipsis may allow for strict and sloppy readings. A few L2 studies
(Epoge, 2012; Park, 2016; Ying, 2005) have focused on determining the role that L2 proficiency may exert on
learners’ choices in bare, referential, and non-referential contexts. This paper provides data from 104 Spanish learners of
English (A2, B1, and B2 levels) and 32 native speakers of English. Results showed that participants tended to interpret reflexives
sloppily in bare and non-referential contexts, whereas strict readings prevailed in referential ones. There existed significant
differences in the interpretation of learners versus native speakers, whilst the differences among the three learner groups were
not so marked. However, the least proficient group differed most from native speakers. Findings partially confirm previous
research and discrepancies may be tentatively ascribed to extraneous variables (e.g., the learners’ L1, the range of the
proficiency levels, or the characteristics of the control groups).
Task complexity and task type
Authors: Entezari Mahnaz , Tadayonifar Mojtaba
Published: March 2024

In Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), there is clearly a need
for a balanced and flexible view of L1 use. Considering this, a matter of
concern in TBLT is that learners might overuse their first language (L1) while
performing complex tasks. To test this speculation, the present study
investigated the effects of manipulating task complexity along
resource-directing variables (+/− reasoning demands) of the Cognition Hypothesis
on L1 use and its functions. Further it aimed to test the impacts of task type
on L1 use and its functions. To do so, the interaction of 24 intermediate EFL
learners while completing two different task types with two levels of task
complexity was analyzed. The analysis of L1 words and turns indicated that both
task complexity and task type affected L1 use significantly. The results further
indicated that L1 was employed for a variety of purposes which were mainly
affected by task complexity.
An inside job: New roles for ApoE at the lipid droplet
Authors: Feringa Femke M. , van der Kant Rik
Published: March 2024

The secreted ApoE protein is a major regulator of lipid transport between brain cells. In this issue, Windham et al. (https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202305003) uncover a novel intracellular role for ApoE at the lipid droplet surface, where it regulates lipid droplet size and composition.
Coherent perfect absorption of light by undoped graphene monolayer
Authors: Ukhtary M Shoufie
Published: March 2024

We show theoretically that coherent perfect absorption (CPA) of light is possible by a graphene monolayer without doping. To achieve the CPA, undoped graphene is embedded inside a multilayer structure called mirror structure, which increases the effective impedance of the surrounding medium. The increased effective impedance allows the destructive interference of light outside the structure that induces an increased Joule heat generating perfect absorption of light by graphene. We find that the CPA is possible for any wavelength as long as the thickness of each layer of the structure is a quarter of the corresponding wavelength. By changing the incident wavelength, but keeping the thickness of each layer, we show that the optical absorption is sensitive to the change of the incident wavelength. Therefore, we can design a photo detector for a specific wavelength.
Plasma characteristics and de-icing of three-electrode double-sided pulsed surface dielectric barrier discharge
Authors: Wang Fangyuan , Peng Bangfa , Jiang Nan , Li Jie
Published: March 2024

Ice accumulation on aircraft can lead to aerodynamic performance degradation and even trigger security incidents. However, traditional surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) reactors cannot work while covered by glaze ice. In the present work, a novel three-electrode double-sided SDBD is proposed and employed for glaze ice deicing. Compared with traditional SDBD reactor, three-electrode double-sided SDBD introduces an additional discharge area and grounding electrode. On one hand, the heat generated in the additional discharge area can melt the glaze ice covered on the high-voltage electrode, providing a discharge gap for the subsequent discharge. On the other hand, the introduction of the additional grounding electrode can also dramatically enhance the upper discharge and thermal effect. As a result, compared with the three-electrode single-sided SDBD and two-electrode double-sided SDBD, the three-electrode double-sided SDBD has the highest deposited energy, maximal temperature, and deicing rate. To further optimize the structural design, the effect of air gap length below the dielectric on three-electrode double-sided SDBD is investigated. And it is found that the best deicing performance can be obtained at the air gap length of 1 mm.
Resonant-cavity-enhanced 4H-SiC thin film MSM UV photodetectors on SiO2/Si substrates
Authors: He Fuxiu , Jiao Jinlong , Li Zihao , Yao Liqiang , Ji Ruoyun , Wang Dan , Hu Yueping , Huang Wei , Li Cheng , Lin Guangyang , Wang Fuming , Zhang Feng , Chen Songyan
Published: March 2024

Heterogeneous integration of 4H-SiC film with Si substrate can produce ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors (PD) with higher performance and easier integration with silicon CMOS circuits than homogenous epitaxy of 4H-SiC on SiC substrates. In this study, 1.2 µm thick high-quality single crystalline 4H-SiC thin films were successfully bonded with SiO2/Si (100) substrates using the Smart-Cut technique, achieving bubble-free bonding interfaces and 6.03 MPa bonding strength. UV PDs of metal–semiconductor–metal type with a resonant cavity structure were fabricated for the first time using the heterogenous film sample. The device exhibits a low dark current of 1.6 × 10−13 A in reverse bias of 20 V and a maximum specific detectivity of about 5.2 × 1012 Jones at 280 nm, which is significant for a device with a resonance-enhanced structure. These results demonstrate a promising approach for the fabrication of 4H-SiC devices with silicon CMOS circuits.
Size-dependent bistability of magnetic states in soft magnetic cap arrays
Authors: Sam Shan Abraham , Seyd Johannes , Ullrich Aladin , Jung Florian , Groß Felix , Krupiński Michal , Albrecht Manfred , Thomas Senoy
Published: March 2024

We have investigated the size dependent energy barrier regarding the transition between magnetic vortex and collinear states in dense arrays of magnetic cap structures hosting magnetic vortices. The cap structures were formed by the deposition of soft magnetic thin films on top of large arrays of densely packed polystyrene spheres. The energy barrier associated with the magnetic field assisted switching from a collinear magnetic state to a non-uniform vortex state (or vice versa) was tuned by tailoring the diameter and thickness of the soft magnetic caps. At a sufficient temperature, known as the bifurcation temperature, the thermal energy overcomes this energy barrier and magnetic bistability with a hysteresis-free switching occurs between the two magnetic states. In magnetic caps with a fixed thickness, the bifurcation temperature decreases with increasing cap diameter. On the other hand, for a fixed diameter, the bifurcation temperature increases with an increase in film thickness of the cap structure. This study demonstrates that the bifurcation temperature can be easily tailored by changing the magnetostatic energy contribution which in turn affects the energy barrier and thus the magnetic bistability.
Study of synchronous RF pulsing in dual frequency capacitively coupled plasma
Authors: Verma Abhishek , Rauf Shahid , Bera Kallol , Sydorenko D , Khrabrov A , Kaganovich Igor
Published: March 2024

Low-pressure multi-frequency capacitively coupled plasmas (CCPs) are used for numerous etch and deposition applications in the semiconductor industry. Pulsing of the radio-frequency (RF) sources enables control of neutral and charged species in the plasma on a millisecond timescale. The synchronous (i.e. simultaneous, in-phase) pulsing of both power sources in a dual frequency CCP is examined in this article. Due to the low gas pressure, modeling has been done using the electrostatic particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision method. The objective of this work is to investigate the sensitivity of the plasma properties to small changes in timing during synchronous pulsing of the two RF sources. It is demonstrated that small deviations in the on and off times of the two RF sources can lead to major changes in the plasma characteristics. This high sensitivity is of concern for process repeatability but can be utilized to enable better control of the dynamics of plasma-surface interaction. In the simulations, the pulsing parameters (on and off times and ramp rates) are varied and the temporal evolution of plasma characteristics such as electron density (ne
), species current at the electrode, and electron temperature are examined. It is demonstrated that if the low-frequency (LF) source is turned off a few μs before (or after) the high-frequency source, ne
during the off-state is significantly higher (or lower) due to the frequency coupling effect. Similarly, turning on the LF source with a small delay results in a sharp increase in the plasma density when the RF sources are turned on.
Chaotic image encryption algorithm based on dynamic Hachimoji DNA coding and computing
Authors: Wu Ximei , Zhong Chen , Long Bofeng , Liu Tongzhe , He Chenchen , Wang Lujie
Published: March 2024

With the increasing awareness of privacy protection, people pay more and more attention to strengthening the security of image data transmitted over the network. Therefore, this paper designs a chaotic image encrypting algorithm based on dynamic Hachimoji DNA coding and computing to protect images. The Hachimoji DNA coding method provides richer coding rules to dynamically encode images than the traditional DNA coding method, improving the complexity and security of the encryption algorithm. First, the original image is rearranged and encoded with the dynamic Hachimoji DNA coding method according to the sorting and encoding controller sequence generated by a six-dimensional hyperchaotic system. Second, various DNA operations are performed on the encoded image. Among these operations, we not only use the common operations but also propose a new DNA operation called bitwise inversion. Finally, the DNA image is decoded using the dynamic decoding method to obtain the encrypted image. Experiments demonstrated that the image encryption algorithm has a good security effect and can effectively resist common attacks.
Highly birefringent photonic crystal fibers with near-zero flattened dispersion for polarization-maintaining terahertz transmission
Authors: Yang Huailin , Yang Jian , Xu Qibo , Shen Zhengyu , Yang Hua
Published: March 2024

In this work, we present a novel hexagonal lattice porous-core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) exhibiting high birefringence, low loss, and near-zero flattened dispersion in the terahertz regime. The core design incorporates asymmetric rectangular and triangular air holes to achieve enhanced birefringence performance. The background material, TOPAS, is carefully selected to minimize dispersion and transmission losses. Furthermore, by employing the finite element method, the guiding properties of the proposed PCF are comprehensively investigated. Our simulation results reveal a near-zero flattened dispersion value of

±
0
.2ps
⋅

THz

−
1

⋅

cm

−
1

within a broad frequency range of

0.8
−
1.6

THz
,

accompanied by an impressive birefringence value of

0.072
.

Additionally, the PCF demonstrates outstanding characteristics in terms of confinement loss, effective material loss, effective mode area, core power fraction, and bending loss. Considering its exceptional attributes, the proposed PCF holds significant promise for polarization-maintaining applications and terahertz communication systems.
Optimised and percolated nanocomposite of polyaniline/tungstic anhydride modified electrode implemented in Vanadium redox flow battery
Authors: U Reka , Vellakkat Mini , Mohan Sonima , Muralidhara H B
Published: March 2024

In order to make vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) economically viable on a large scale, it is crucial to create graphite-based electrode nanomaterials with an excellent performance. In this research work, we synthesized the various percentage nanocomposites of polyaniline (PANI)/nano-tungsten oxide (NTO) by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization method. The impact of crystal phases, elements present in nanocomposites, thermal stability, surface analysis, and morphological factors were studied. We investigated electrochemical behavior such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and Tafel studies for PANI and NTO and prepared nanocomposites (NPATO) with different proportions sprayed over graphite felt (GF). Characterization analysis was used to examine the impact of various NTO loading concentrations on the PANI, and an ideal best percolated sample NPATO20/GF (3 mg cm−2) was inserted as a positive electrode in the cell stack to examine the charge–discharge cycles. At 60 mA cm−2 current density, their coulombic (η
C), voltaic (η
V), and energy (η
E) efficiencies are outstanding. The concentration of 3 mg cm−2 nanoparticles on GF provided sufficient availability of active sites for electrochemical reactions, resulting in an increased electrochemical reaction. It has been proven that this work creates an affordable and efficient method for the forthcoming VRFBs.
A non-Newtonian magnetic curves in multiplicative Riemann manifolds
Authors: Has Aykut , Yılmaz Beyhan
Published: March 2024

The aim of this study is to rearrange magnetic curves and their main properties with the help of multiplicative calculi. Magnetic curves have been examined in many spaces with the tools of traditional (Newtonian) analysis and their characterizations have been obtained. The innovation brought by this study; magnetic curves and many other getometric and physical expressions were studied for the first time with non-Newtonian arguments in multiplicative space. In the study, the advantages of purely multiplicative operations and multiplicative calculation are used. Moreover, it unveils the distinctions (angle, norm, distance, line vb.) between the multiplicative Euclidean space and the conventional Euclidean space, offering a novel perspective on geometrically magnetic curves. As a result, the concept of multiplicative magnetic curves (t − magnetic, n − magnetic and b − magnetic) are introduced to the academic discourse, and the essential characterizations are established. The study also provides illustrative examples to facilitate a better is understood of the subject matter and employs Geogebra to generate visual representations of new concepts.
Evolution properties of partially coherent electromagnetic elliptical vortex beam propagating through atmospheric turbulence
Authors: Liu Wenli , Xu Yonggen , Xu Qian , Zhao Liang , Hu Xiarong
Published: March 2024

We obtained the analytical formulas of partially coherent electromagnetic elliptical vortex beam (PCEEVB) propagating through atmospheric turbulence with the help of the extended Huygens–Fresnel principle and explored the normalized average intensity distribution of PCEEVB in turbulence. It is worth noting that the PCEEVB appears new characteristics such as self-rotating, self-splitting, and self-healing in turbulence. It can be also found that the number of peaks caused by splitting of beams is relevant to the topological charge n. What’s more, reducing the ellipticity, magnifying the topological charge, and increasing the initial coherent length δ
0 can improve the anti-turbulence ability of PCEEVB in turbulence. The multi-phase screen simulation results are consistent with the theoretical results. Our results will have significant implications for laser communications, laser radar, and laser remote sensing.
The Stokes-Einstein-Debye relation in ortho-terphenyl liquid
Authors: Ren 任 Gan 淦
Published: March 2024

The Stokes–Einstein–Debye (SED) relation is proposed to be broken down in supercooled liquids by many studies. However, conclusions are usually drawn by testing some variants of the SED relation rather than its original formula. In this work, the rationality of the SED relation and its variants is examined by performing molecular dynamics simulations with the Lewis–Wahnstrom model of ortho-terphenyl (OTP). The results indicate the original SED relation is valid for OTP but the three variants are all broken down. The inconsistency between the SED relation and its variants is analyzed from the heterogeneous dynamics, the adopted assumptions and approximations as well as the interactions among molecules. Therefore, care should be taken when employing the variants to judge the validity of the SED relation in supercooled liquids.
Compensation temperatures and hysteresis behaviors of a graphene-like trilayer
Authors: An Ying , Liang Ji , Wang Wei , Du Mei-mei , Zhang Feng-ge
Published: March 2024

This work focuses on the ground-state phase diagram, the compensation temperatures and the critical behaviors of a ferrimagnetic graphene-like trilayer induced by crystal fields and exchange couplings. The simulation results show that a negative decrease in crystal field or an increase in exchange coupling can increase the critical temperature. More importantly, an M curve with double compensation temperatures can be observed, which is not predicted by the

N

e

́

el

theory. This remarkable compensation phenomenon has potential application value in the field of magnetic recording.
Exploring dielectric phenomena in sulflower-like nanostructures via Monte Carlo technique
Authors: Saber N , Fadil Z , Sabbah Hussein , Mhirech A , Kabouchi B , Bahmad L , Raorane Chaitany Jayprakash , Sana Siva Sankar , Fouad Hassan , Hashem Mohamed
Published: March 2024

This research focuses on the electric behavior of a mixed ferrielectric sulflower-like nanostructure. The structure includes a core with spin

S

i

Z

−
1

atoms and a shell with spin

σ

j

Z

−
5
/
2

atoms. The Blume–Capel model and the Monte Carlo technique (MCt) with the Metropolis algorithm are employed. Diagrams are established for absolute zero, investigating stable spin configurations correlated with various physical parameters. The MCt method explores phase transition behavior and electric hysteresis cycles under different physical parameters.
Bibliometric study with statistical patterns of industry 4.0 applied to process control
Authors: Cruzado-Yesquén K , Torres-Salazar E , Alvarez-Vasquez H , Saavedra-Ruíz J , Castañeda-Hipólito M , Gastiaburú-Morales S , Barandiarán-Gamarra J , Vásquez-Coronado M , Alviz-Meza A
Published: March 2024

Industries are interested in offering their products or services to the consumer using high standards in process control. Industry 4.0 has emerged as a series of technological tools that can be incorporated into various processes. This research aims to perform a bibliometric analysis of the application of Industry 4.0 in process control in different sectors from 2013 to 2022 through the Scopus and Web of Science databases. The data studied were extracted from the bibliographic information of citations, abstracts, and keywords published by the articles collected. These data were processed in RStudio. As a result, it was found that the most cited articles are deep and automatic learning. Both technologies aim to reduce anomalies, increasing product efficiency, reliability, and quality. The contribution of physics in this work is shown in data mining tools, such as Bibliometrix, whose foundation is given by mathematical and statistical models, to extract data useful for future scientific studies.
The fourth industrial revolution in South America: a bibliometric study with data mining tools
Authors: Castañeda-Hipólito M , Cruzado-Yesquén K , Gastiaburú-Morales S , Torres-Salazar E , Alvarez-Vasquez H , Barandiarán-Gamarra J , Vásquez-Coronado M , Alviz-Meza A
Published: March 2024

The fourth industrial revolution has boosted theory and technology up to the point of replicating human intelligence. Humankind generates enormous amounts of data that need to be stored, systematized, and applied to solve problems that improve daily life. This industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, meets said need through practical applications in numerous fields such as medicine, commerce, robotics, transportation, tourism, and others. This study used the methodology of bibliometric analysis by using the Scopus database, aiming to evaluate the use of Industry 4.0 in South American countries in the last decade and its contribution to physics through the application of data mining tools. RStudio’s Biblioshiny software and VOSviewer were used to categorize and evaluate the contributions of some authors and countries. As a result, the use of remote sensing and machine learning technologies was found to be the most relevant. This bibliometric study provides a recent vision of Industry 4.0 to encourage its use for future research in South American countries.
Bioinspiration and biomimetics in marine robotics: a review on current applications and future trends
Authors: Prakash Amal , Nair Arjun R , Arunav H , P R Rthuraj , Akhil V M , Tawk Charbel , Shankar Karthik V
Published: March 2024

Over the past few years, the research community has witnessed a burgeoning interest in biomimetics, particularly within the marine sector. The study of biomimicry as a revolutionary remedy for numerous commercial and research-based marine businesses has been spurred by the difficulties presented by the harsh maritime environment. Biomimetic marine robots are at the forefront of this innovation by imitating various structures and behaviors of marine life and utilizing the evolutionary advantages and adaptations these marine organisms have developed over millennia to thrive in harsh conditions. This thorough examination explores current developments and research efforts in biomimetic marine robots based on their propulsion mechanisms. By examining these biomimetic designs, the review aims to solve the mysteries buried in the natural world and provide vital information for marine improvements. In addition to illuminating the complexities of these bio-inspired mechanisms, the investigation helps to steer future research directions and possible obstacles, spurring additional advancements in the field of biomimetic marine robotics. Considering the revolutionary potential of using nature’s inventiveness to navigate and thrive in one of the most challenging environments on Earth, the current review’s conclusion urges a multidisciplinary approach by integrating robotics and biology. The field of biomimetic marine robotics not only represents a paradigm shift in our relationship with the oceans, but it also opens previously unimaginable possibilities for sustainable exploration and use of marine resources by understanding and imitating nature’s solutions.
Biological Aging and Population Structure of Midwest Mennonites
Authors: Crawford Michael H
Published: March 2024

In 1980, a study was initiated on the genetics of biological aging and the population structure of Mennonite populations (Anabaptist religious isolate) of the Midwestern United States. The National Institute of Aging–supported study sampled three Mennonite communities, Goessel, Meridian, and Henderson, with a total sample of 1,252 volunteers. Populations from Goessel, Kansas, and Henderson, Nebraska, are the descendants of 191 families that migrated from Crimea, Russia, in 1874. The second phase of this project was initiated in 2004 and sampled Lone Tree and Garden View communities derived from Meridian, a Halderman Mennonite community. An index of biological age, based on neuromuscular performance and pulmonary function, revealed that individuals who age at a faster rate die sooner than those who are slow agers. Based on DNA markers, Mennonite subpopulations have differentiated genetically due to founder effect and genetic drift.
Basque Origins and Genetic Structure
Authors: Crawford Michael H
Published: March 2024

The Basques are unique populations of Spain and France who speak a non-Indo-European language. Their geographic location and genetic uniqueness have been explained by three conflicting hypotheses: (1) Basques share common ancestry with populations of the Caucasus, from where they originated; (2) they are descendants of ancient Iberians who migrated from North Africa 4,000–8,000 years ago; (3) Basques are a remnant population and descendants of Paleolithic Europeans. These hypotheses were tested using DNA extracted from buccal swabs from 35 villages and 652 participants. The DNA was tested for markers: mtDNA, NRY, and autosomal short tandem repeats. The results show that the Basques are a European ethnic group that has experienced genetic drift and gene flow. No significant genetic heterogeneity was observed, when a locus-by-locus AMOVA was applied to HVS-1 DNA sequences, suggesting that the Basque expansion occurred in the Paleolithic, and there was not a complete demic diffusion during the Neolithic transition.
A review of fecal microbiota, live-jslm for the prevention of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection
Authors: Hunt Aaron , Drwiega Emily , Wang Yifan , Danziger Larry
Published: March 2024

Purpose

To review the composition, preparation, proposed mechanism of action, safety, efficacy, and current place in therapy of Rebyota (fecal microbiota, live-jslm).

As the first agent in a new class of drugs, live biotherapeutic products (LBPs), fecal microbiota, live-jslm offers another therapeutic approach for the prevention of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). LBPs are given following antibiotic therapy for C. difficile to reintroduce certain bacteria present in the normal microbiome, as a means to reconstitute the microbiome of infected individuals. This review provides a summary of phase 2 and 3 clinical trials, product information, discussion of data limitations, and recommendations for place in therapy. High efficacy rates compared to placebo with sustained response up to 24 months after administration have been reported. The majority of adverse events identified were mild to moderate without significant safety signals.

Conclusion

Fecal microbiota, live-jslm has consistently been shown in randomized trials to be safe and effective in reducing rCDI. Its approval marks the culmination of decades of work to identify, characterize, and refine the intestinal microbiome to create pharmaceutical products.
Semisupervised transfer learning for evaluation of model classification performance
Authors: Wang Linshanshan , Wang Xuan , Liao Katherine P , Cai Tianxi
Published: March 2024

In many modern machine learning applications, changes in covariate distributions and difficulty in acquiring outcome information have posed challenges to robust model training and evaluation. Numerous transfer learning methods have been developed to robustly adapt the model itself to some unlabeled target populations using existing labeled data in a source population. However, there is a paucity of literature on transferring performance metrics, especially receiver operating characteristic (ROC) parameters, of a trained model. In this paper, we aim to evaluate the performance of a trained binary classifier on unlabeled target population based on ROC analysis. We proposed Semisupervised Transfer lEarning of Accuracy Measures (STEAM), an efficient three-step estimation procedure that employs (1) double-index modeling to construct calibrated density ratio weights and (2) robust imputation to leverage the large amount of unlabeled data to improve estimation efficiency. We establish the consistency and asymptotic normality of the proposed estimator under the correct specification of either the density ratio model or the outcome model. We also correct for potential overfitting bias in the estimators in finite samples with cross-validation. We compare our proposed estimators to existing methods and show reductions in bias and gains in efficiency through simulations. We illustrate the practical utility of the proposed method on evaluating prediction performance of a phenotyping model for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on a temporally evolving EHR cohort.
Triterpenoid ursolic acid regulates the environmental carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene-driven epigenetic and metabolic alterations in SKH-1 hairless mice for skin cancer interception
Authors: Sarwar Md Shahid , Ramirez Christina N , Kuo Hsiao-Chen Dina , Chou Pochung , Wu Renyi , Sargsyan Davit , Yang Yuqing , Shannar Ahmad , Peter Rebecca Mary , Yin Ran , Wang Yujue , Su Xiaoyang , Kong Ah-Ng
Published: March 2024

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental carcinogens accountable to developing skin cancers. Recently, we reported that exposure to benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a common PAH, causes epigenetic and metabolic alterations in the initiation, promotion and progression of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). As a follow-up investigation, this study examines how dietary triterpenoid ursolic acid (UA) regulates B[a]P-driven epigenetic and metabolic pathways in SKH-1 hairless mice. Our results show UA intercepts against B[a]P-induced tumorigenesis at different stages of NMSC. Epigenomic cytosines followed by guanine residues (CpG) methyl-seq data showed UA diminished B[a]P-mediated differentially methylated regions (DMRs) profiles. Transcriptomic RNA-seq revealed UA revoked B[a]P-induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of skin cancer-related genes, such as leucine-rich repeat LGI family member 2 (Lgi2) and kallikrein-related peptidase 13 (Klk13), indicating UA plays a vital role in B[a]P-mediated gene regulation and its potential consequences in NMSC interception. Association analysis of DEGs and DMRs found that the mRNA expression of KLK13 gene was correlated with the promoter CpG methylation status in the early-stage comparison group, indicating UA could regulate the KLK13 by modulating its promoter methylation at an early stage of NMSC. The metabolomic study showed UA alters B[a]P-regulated cancer-associated metabolisms like thiamin metabolism, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism during the initiation phase; pyruvate, citrate and thiamin metabolism during the promotion phase; and beta-alanine and pathothenate coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis during the late progression phase. Taken together, UA reverses B[a]P-driven epigenetic, transcriptomic and metabolic reprogramming, potentially contributing to the overall cancer interception against B[a]P-mediated NMSC.
Alexithymia modulates emotion concept activation during facial expression processing
Authors: Yu Linwei , Wang Weihan , Li Zhiwei , Ren Yi , Liu Jiabin , Jiao Lan , Xu Qiang
Published: March 2024

Alexithymia is characterized by difficulties in emotional information processing. However, the underlying reasons for emotional processing deficits in alexithymia are not fully understood. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism underlying emotional deficits in alexithymia. Using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, we recruited college students with high alexithymia (n = 24) or low alexithymia (n = 24) in this study. Participants judged the emotional consistency of facial expressions and contextual sentences while recording their event-related potentials. Behaviorally, the high alexithymia group showed longer response times versus the low alexithymia group in processing facial expressions. The event-related potential results showed that the high alexithymia group had more negative-going N400 amplitudes compared with the low alexithymia group in the incongruent condition. More negative N400 amplitudes are also associated with slower responses to facial expressions. Furthermore, machine learning analyses based on N400 amplitudes could distinguish the high alexithymia group from the low alexithymia group in the incongruent condition. Overall, these findings suggest worse facial emotion perception for the high alexithymia group, potentially due to difficulty in spontaneously activating emotion concepts. Our findings have important implications for the affective science and clinical intervention of alexithymia-related affective disorders.
Functional and structural abnormalities of the speech disorders: a multimodal activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis
Authors: Cai Hao , Dong Jie , Mei Leilei , Feng Genyi , Li Lili , Wang Gang , Yan Hao
Published: March 2024

Speech disorders are associated with different degrees of functional and structural abnormalities. However, the abnormalities associated with specific disorders, and the common abnormalities shown by all disorders, remain unclear. Herein, a meta-analysis was conducted to integrate the results of 70 studies that compared 1843 speech disorder patients (dysarthria, dysphonia, stuttering, and aphasia) to 1950 healthy controls in terms of brain activity, functional connectivity, gray matter, and white matter fractional anisotropy. The analysis revealed that compared to controls, the dysarthria group showed higher activity in the left superior temporal gyrus and lower activity in the left postcentral gyrus. The dysphonia group had higher activity in the right precentral and postcentral gyrus. The stuttering group had higher activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus and lower activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus. The aphasia group showed lower activity in the bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus and left superior frontal gyrus. Across the four disorders, there were concurrent lower activity, gray matter, and fractional anisotropy in motor and auditory cortices, and stronger connectivity between the default mode network and frontoparietal network. These findings enhance our understanding of the neural basis of speech disorders, potentially aiding clinical diagnosis and intervention.
Neuroimaging genomics as a window into the evolution of human sulcal organization
Authors: Goltermann Ole , Alagöz Gökberk , Molz Barbara , Fisher Simon E
Published: March 2024

Primate brain evolution has involved prominent expansions of the cerebral cortex, with largest effects observed in the human lineage. Such expansions were accompanied by fine-grained anatomical alterations, including increased cortical folding. However, the molecular bases of evolutionary alterations in human sulcal organization are not yet well understood. Here, we integrated data from recently completed large-scale neuroimaging genetic analyses with annotations of the human genome relevant to various periods and events in our evolutionary history. These analyses identified single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) heritability enrichments in fetal brain human-gained enhancer (HGE) elements for a number of sulcal structures, including the central sulcus, which is implicated in human hand dexterity. We zeroed in on a genomic region that harbors DNA variants associated with left central sulcus shape, an HGE element, and genetic loci involved in neurogenesis including ZIC4, to illustrate the value of this approach for probing the complex factors contributing to human sulcal evolution.
Low blood concentration of alcohol enhances activity related to stopping failure in the right inferior frontal cortex
Authors: Shinozaki Jun , Matsumoto Hiroshi , Saito Hidekazu , Murahara Takashi , Nagahama Hiroshi , Sakurai Yuuki , Nagamine Takashi
Published: March 2024

This study investigated the effects of low doses of alcohol, which are acceptable for driving a car, on inhibitory control and neural processing using the stop-signal task (SST) in 17 healthy right-handed social drinkers. The study employed simultaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging and electromyography (EMG) recordings to assess behavioral and neural responses under conditions of low-dose alcohol (breath-alcohol concentration of 0.15 mg/L) and placebo. The results demonstrated that even a small amount of alcohol consumption prolonged Go reaction times in the SST and modified stopping behavior, as evidenced by a decrease in the frequency and magnitude of partial response EMG that did not result in button pressing during successful inhibitory control. Furthermore, alcohol intake enhanced neural activity during failed inhibitory responses in the right inferior frontal cortex, suggesting its potential role in behavioral adaptation following stop-signal failure. These findings suggest that even low levels of alcohol consumption within legal driving limits can greatly impact both the cognitive performance and brain activity involved in inhibiting responses. This research provides important evidence on the neurobehavioral effects of low-dose alcohol consumption, with implications for understanding the biological basis of impaired motor control and decision-making and potentially informing legal guidelines on alcohol consumption.
Prognostic implications of premature ventricular contractions and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia in light-chain cardiac amyloidosis
Authors: Chen Zhongli , Shi Anteng , Dong Hongbin , Laptseva Natallia , Chen Feng , Yang Jiandu , Guo Xiaogang , Duru Firat , Chen Keping , Chen Liang
Published: March 2024

Aims

Premature ventricular contractions (PVC) and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) are commonly observed in light chain cardiac amyloidosis (AL-CA), but their association with prognosis is still unclear. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of PVCs and NSVT in patients with moderate-to-advanced AL-CA.

Methods and results

We retrospectively included patients with AL-CA at modified 2004 Mayo stages II-IIIb between February 2014 and December 2020. Twenty-four-hour Holter recordings were assessed on admission. The outcomes included (i) new onset of adverse ventricular arrhythmia (VA) or sudden cardiac death (SCD) and (ii) cardiac death during follow-up. Of the 143 patients studied (60.41 ± 11.06 years, male 64.34%), 132 (92.31%) had presence of PVC, and 50 (34.97%) had NSVT on Holter. Twelve (8.4%) patients died in hospital and 131 patients were followed up (median 24.4 months), among whom 71 patients had cardiac death, and 15 underwent adverse VA/SCD. NSVT [hazard ratio (HR): 13.57, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.06–60.18, P < 0.001], log-transformed PVC counts (HR: 1.46, 95%CI: 1.15–1.86, P = 0.002) and PVC burden (HR: 1.43 95%CI:1.14–1.80, P = 0.002) were predictive of new onset of adverse VA/SCD. The highest tertile of PVC counts (HR: 2.33, 95%CI: 1.27–4.28, P = 0.006) and PVC burden (HR: 2.58, 95%CI: 1.42–4.69, P = 0.002), rather than NSVT (HR: 1.16, 95%CI: 0.67–1.98, P = 0.603), was associated with cardiac death. Higher PVC counts/burden provided incremental value on modified 2004 Mayo stage in predicting cardiac death, with C index increasing from 0.681 to 0.712 and 0.717, respectively (P values <0.05).

Conclusion

PVC count, burden, and NSVT significantly correlated with adverse VA/SCD during follow-up in patients with AL-CA. Higher PVC counts/burdens added incremental value for predicting cardiac death.
Efficacy of a novel multi-enzyme feed additive on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and gut microbiome of weanling pigs fed corn–wheat or wheat–barley-based diet
Authors: Aderibigbe Ayodeji S , Park Chan Sol , Johnson Timothy , Velayudhan Deepak E , Vinyeta Ester , Adeola Olayiwola
Published: March 2024

One-hundred-and-ninety-two weanling pigs (6.7 kg body weight) were used to evaluate the impact of a carbohydrases-protease enzyme complex (CPEC) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and gut microbiome. Pigs were assigned to one of the four dietary treatments for 42 d according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of diet type (low fiber [LF] or high fiber [HF]) and CPEC supplementation (0 or 170 mg/kg diet). The LF diet was prepared as corn–wheat-based diet while the HF diet was wheat–barley-based and contained wheat middlings and canola meal. Each dietary treatment consisted of 12 replicate pens (six replicates per gender) and four pigs per replicate pen. Over the 42-d period, there was no interaction between diet type and CPEC supplementation on growth performance indices of pigs. Dietary addition of CPEC improved (P < 0.05) the body weight of pigs at days 28 and 42 and the gain-to-feed ratio of pigs from days 0 to 14. During the entire experimental period, dietary CPEC supplementation improved (P < 0.05) the average daily gain and gain-to-feed ratio of pigs. There were interactions between diet type and CPEC supplementation on apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM; P < 0.01), gross energy (GE; P < 0.01), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF; P < 0.05) at d 42. Dietary CPEC addition improved (P < 0.05) ATTD of DM, GE, and NDF in the HF diets. At day 43, dietary CPEC addition resulted in improved (P < 0.05) apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of NDF and interactions (P < 0.05) between diet type and CPEC supplementation on AID of DM and crude fiber. Alpha diversity indices including phylogenetic diversity and observed amplicon sequence variants of fecal microbiome increased (P < 0.05) by the addition of CPEC to the HF diets on day 42. An interaction (P < 0.05) between diet type and CPEC addition on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index and Unweighted UniFrac distances was observed on day 42. In conclusion, CPEC improved weanling pig performance and feed efficiency, especially in wheat–barley diets, while dietary fiber composition had a more significant impact on fecal microbial communities than CPEC administration. The results of this study underscores carbohydrase’s potential to boost pig performance without major microbiome changes.
Eosinophil activation during immune responses: an ultrastructural view with an emphasis on viral diseases
Authors: Melo Rossana C N , Silva Thiago P
Published: March 2024

Eosinophils are cells of the innate immune system that orchestrate complex inflammatory responses. The study of the cell biology of eosinophils, particularly associated with cell activation, is of great interest to understand their immune responses. From a morphological perspective, activated eosinophils show ultrastructural signatures that have provided critical insights into the comprehension of their functional capabilities. Application of conventional transmission electron microscopy in combination with quantitative assessments (quantitative transmission electron microscopy), molecular imaging (immunoEM), and 3-dimensional electron tomography have generated important insights into mechanisms of eosinophil activation. This review explores a multitude of ultrastructural events taking place in eosinophils activated in vitro and in vivo as key players in allergic and inflammatory diseases, with an emphasis on viral infections. Recent progress in our understanding of biological processes underlying eosinophil activation, including in vivo mitochondrial remodeling, is discussed, and it can bring new thinking to the field.
The ecto-enzyme CD38 modulates CD4T cell immunometabolic responses and participates in HIV pathogenesis
Authors: Díaz-Basilio Fernando , Vergara-Mendoza Moisés , Romero-Rodríguez Jessica , Hernández-Rizo Sharik , Escobedo-Calvario Alejandro , Fuentes-Romero Luis-León , Pérez-Patrigeon Santiago , Murakami-Ogasawara Akio , Gomez-Palacio María , Reyes-Terán Gustavo , Jiang Wei , Vázquez-Pérez Joel-Armando , Marín-Hernández Álvaro , Romero-Rodríguez Dámaris-Priscila , Gutiérrez-Ruiz María-Concepción , Viveros-Rogel Mónica , Espinosa Enrique
Published: March 2024

Despite abundant evidence correlating T cell CD38 expression and HIV infection pathogenesis, its role as a CD4T cell immunometabolic regulator remains unclear. We find that CD38's extracellular glycohydrolase activity restricts metabolic reprogramming after T cell receptor (TCR)–engaging stimulation in Jurkat T CD4 cells, together with functional responses, while reducing intracellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and nicotinamide mononucleotide concentrations. Selective elimination of CD38's ectoenzyme function licenses them to decrease the oxygen consumption rate/extracellular acidification rate ratio upon TCR signaling and to increase cycling, proliferation, survival, and CD40L induction. Pharmacological inhibition of ecto-CD38 catalytic activity in TM cells from chronic HIV-infected patients rescued TCR-triggered responses, including differentiation and effector functions, while reverting abnormally increased basal glycolysis, cycling, and spontaneous proinflammatory cytokine production. Additionally, ecto-CD38 blockage normalized basal and TCR-induced mitochondrial morphofunctionality, while increasing respiratory capacity in cells from HIV+ patients and healthy individuals. Ectoenzyme CD38's immunometabolic restriction of TCR-involving stimulation is relevant to CD4T cell biology and to the deleterious effects of CD38 overexpression in HIV disease.
AMPK activator 991 specifically activates SnRK1 and thereby affects seed germination in rice
Authors: Hu Yuxiang , Lin Yan , Bai Jiaqi , Xu Xuemei , Wang Ziteng , Ding Chengqiang , Ding Yanfeng , Chen Lin
Published: March 2024

Sucrose non-fermenting-1-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) are highly conserved. Compound 991 is an AMPK activator in mammals. However, whether 991 also activates SnRK1 remains unknown. The addition of 991 significantly increased SnRK1 activity in desalted extracts from germinating rice seeds in vitro. To determine whether 991 has biological activity, rice seeds were treated with different concentrations of 991. Germination was promoted at low concentrations but inhibited at high concentrations. The effects of 991 on germination were similar to those of OsSnRK1a overexpression. To explore whether 991 affects germination by specifically affecting SnRK1, germination of an snrk1a mutant and the wild type under 1 μM 991 treatment was compared. The snrk1a mutant was insensitive to 991. Phosphoproteomic analysis showed that the differential phosphopeptides induced by 991 and OsSnRK1a overexpression largely overlapped. Furthermore, SnRK1 might regulate rice germination in a dosage-dependent manner by regulating the phosphorylation of three phosphosites, namely S285-PIP2;4, S1013-SOS1, and S110-ABI5. These results indicate that 991 is a specific SnRK1 activator in rice. The promotion and inhibition of germination by 991 also occurred in wheat seeds. Thus, 991 is useful for exploring SnRK1 function and the chemical regulation of growth and development in crops.
Single-cell transcriptomics reveals heterogeneity in plant responses to the environment: a focus on biotic and abiotic interactions
Authors: Tenorio Berrío Rubén , Dubois Marieke
Published: March 2024

Biotic and abiotic environmental cues are major factors influencing plant growth and productivity. Interactions with biotic (e.g. symbionts and pathogens) and abiotic (e.g. changes in temperature, water, or nutrient availability) factors trigger signaling and downstream transcriptome adjustments in plants. While bulk RNA-sequencing technologies have traditionally been used to profile these transcriptional changes, tissue homogenization may mask heterogeneity of responses resulting from the cellular complexity of organs. Thus, whether different cell types respond equally to environmental fluctuations, or whether subsets of the responses are cell-type specific, are long-lasting questions in plant biology. The recent breakthrough of single-cell transcriptomics in plant research offers an unprecedented view of cellular responses under changing environmental conditions. In this review, we discuss the contribution of single-cell transcriptomics to the understanding of cell-type-specific plant responses to biotic and abiotic environmental interactions. Besides major biological findings, we present some technical challenges coupled to single-cell studies of plant–environment interactions, proposing possible solutions and exciting paths for future research.