bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blood flow regulatesacvrl1transcription via ligand-dependent Alk1 activity
Authors: Anzell Anthony R. , Kunz Amy Biery , Donovan James P. , Tran Thanhlong G. , Lu Xinyan , Young Sarah , Roman Beth L.
Published: January 2024

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by the development of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) that can result in significant morbidity and mortality. HHT is caused primarily by mutations in bone morphogenetic protein receptorsACVRL1/ALK1, a signaling receptor, or endoglin (ENG), an accessory receptor. Because overexpression ofAcvrl1prevents AVM development in bothAcvrl1andEngnull mice, enhancingACVRL1expression may be a promising approach to development of targeted therapies for HHT. Therefore, we sought to understand the molecular mechanism ofACVRL1regulation. We previously demonstrated in zebrafish embryos thatacvrl1is predominantly expressed in arterial endothelial cells and that expression requires blood flow. Here, we document that flow dependence exhibits regional heterogeneity and thatacvrl1expression is rapidly restored after reinitiation of flow. Furthermore, we find thatacvrl1expression is significantly decreased in mutants that lack the circulating Alk1 ligand, Bmp10, and that BMP10 microinjection into the vasculature in the absence of flow enhancesacvrl1expression in an Alk1-dependent manner. Using a transgenicacvrl1:egfpreporter line, we find that flow and Bmp10 regulateacvrl1at the level of transcription. Finally, we observe similar ALK1 ligand-dependent increases inACVRL1in human endothelial cells subjected to shear stress. These data suggest that Bmp10 acts downstream of blood flow to maintain or enhanceacvrl1expression via a positive feedback mechanism, and that ALK1 activating therapeutics may have dual functionality by increasing both ALK1 signaling flux andACVRL1expression.
Anti-gene oligonucleotides targeting Friedreich’s ataxia expanded GAA•TTC repeats increase Frataxin expression
Authors: Mozafari Negin , Milagres Salomé , Rocha S. J. , Vargiu Claudia Marina , Freyberger Fiona , Saher Osama , Umek Tea , Blomberg Pontus , Jørgensen Per T. , Edvard Smith C. I. , Wengel Jesper , Zain Rula
Published: January 2024

Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) is a progressive, autosomal recessive ataxia caused, in the majority of cases, by homozygous expansion of GAA•TTC triplet-repeats in the first intron of thefrataxin(FXN) gene. GAA•TTC repeat expansion results in the formation of non-B DNA intramolecular triplex structure (H-DNA) as well as changes in the epigenetic landscape atFXNloci and heterochromatin formation. Expansion of intronic GAA•TTC repeats is associated with reduced levels ofFXNmRNA and protein resulting in disease development. Previously, we reported that DNA-binding anti-gene oligonucleotides (AGOs) targeting the GAA•TTC repeat expansion abolished H-DNA formation. Here, we demonstrate that targeting repeat-expanded chromosomal DNA using single-strand locked nucleic acid (LNA)-DNA mixmer AGOs increases FXN mRNA and protein expression in patient-derived cells. We examined numerous LNA-DNA AGOs and found that the design, length and their LNA composition have a high impact on the effectiveness of the treatment. Collectively, our results demonstrate the unique capability of specifically designed ONs targeting the GAA•TTC DNA repeats to upregulateFXNgene expression.
Broadly inhibitory antibodies against severe malaria virulence proteins
Authors: Reyes Raphael A. , Raghavan Sai Sundar Rajan , Hurlburt Nicholas K. , Introini Viola , Kana Ikhlaq Hussain , Jensen Rasmus W. , Martinez-Scholze Elizabeth , Gestal-Mato Maria , Bau Cristina Bancells , Fernández-Quintero Monica Lisa , Loeffler Johannes R. , Ferguson James Alexander , Lee Wen-Hsin , Martin Greg Michael , Theander Thor G. , Ssewanyana Isaac , Feeney Margaret E. , Greenhouse Bryan , Bol Sebastiaan , Ward Andrew B. , Bernabeu Maria , Pancera Marie , Turner Louise , Bunnik Evelien M. , Lavstsen Thomas
Published: January 2024

Plasmodium falciparumpathology is driven by the accumulation of parasite-infected erythrocytes in microvessels. This process is mediated by the parasite’s polymorphic erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) adhesion proteins. A subset of PfEMP1 variants that bind human endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) through their CIDRα1 domains is responsible for severe malaria pathogenesis. A longstanding question is whether individual antibodies can recognize the large repertoire of circulating PfEMP1 variants. Here, we describe two broadly reactive and binding-inhibitory human monoclonal antibodies against CIDRα1. The antibodies isolated from two different individuals exhibited a similar and consistent EPCR-binding inhibition of 34 CIDRα1 domains, representing five of the six subclasses of CIDRα1. Both antibodies inhibited EPCR binding of both recombinant full-length and native PfEMP1 proteins as well as parasite sequestration in bioengineered 3D brain microvessels under physiologically relevant flow conditions. Structural analyses of the two antibodies in complex with two different CIDRα1 antigen variants reveal similar binding mechanisms that depend on interactions with three highly conserved amino acid residues of the EPCR-binding site in CIDRα1. These broadly reactive antibodies likely represent a common mechanism of acquired immunity to severe malaria and offer novel insights for the design of a vaccine or treatment targeting severe malaria.
A method for separating bacterial cultures into single cells and defined size fractions of biofilm aggregates
Authors: Nielsen Regitze Lund , Bjarnsholt Thomas , Jakobsen Tim Holm , Lichtenberg Mads
Published: January 2024

In vitromicrobiological experiments that aim to describe differences between planktonic and biofilm aggregate populations are challenging since liquid batch cultures contain a mix of both. Here, we present a simple method for fractioning a bacterial liquid batch culture into aggregates and single cells.

Stackable cell strainers with mesh sizes of 30 μm and 10 μm were used to filtrate 6 day old batch cultures ofPseudomonas aeruginosato produce size fractions of 0-10μm and >30μm. By confocal laser scanning microscopy measurements, we show that 95.5% of the total biomass was <10 μm in the “0-10μm size fraction” and that 92.5% of the total biomass was >30μm in the “>30μm size fraction”.

Furthermore, the adjustment of bacterial concentration using CFU/ml was validated by quantifying the total DNA of viable bacteria in the two size fractions after DNase treatment to deplete eDNA and DNA from dead bacteria. Surprisingly, this showed that adjusting the bacterial concentration using CFU/ml was a valid method with no significant differences in total DNA from viable bacteria.
scMeFormer: a transformer-based deep learning model for imputing DNA methylation states in single cells enhances the detection of epigenetic alterations in schizophrenia
Authors: Zhou Jiyun , Luo Chongyuan , Liu Hanqing , Heffel Matthew G. , Straub Richard E. , Kleinman Joel E. , Hyde Thomas M. , Ecker Joseph R. , Weinberger Daniel R. , Han Shizhong
Published: January 2024

DNA methylation (DNAm), a crucial epigenetic mark, plays a key role in gene regulation, mammalian development, and various human diseases. Single-cell technologies enable the profiling of DNAm states at cytosines within the DNA sequence of individual cells, but they often suffer from limited coverage of CpG sites. In this study, we introduce scMeFormer, a transformer-based deep learning model designed to impute DNAm states for each CpG site in single cells. Through comprehensive evaluations, we demonstrate the superior performance of scMeFormer compared to alternative models across four single-nucleus DNAm datasets generated by distinct technologies. Remarkably, scMeFormer exhibits high-fidelity imputation, even when dealing with significantly reduced coverage, as low as 10% of the original CpG sites. Furthermore, we applied scMeFormer to a single-nucleus DNAm dataset generated from the prefrontal cortex of four schizophrenia patients and four neurotypical controls. This enabled the identification of thousands of differentially methylated regions associated with schizophrenia that would have remained undetectable without imputation and added granularity to our understanding of epigenetic alterations in schizophrenia within specific cell types. Our study highlights the power of deep learning in imputing DNAm states in single cells, and we expect scMeFormer to be a valuable tool for single-cell DNAm studies.
m6A-dependent circular RNA formation mediates tau-induced neurotoxicity
Authors: Atrian Farzaneh , Ramirez Paulino , De Mange Jasmine , Marquez Marissa , Gonzalez Elias M. , Minaya Miguel , Karch Celeste M. , Frost Bess
Published: January 2024

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), covalently closed RNA molecules that form due to back-splicing of RNA transcripts, have recently been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease and related tauopathies. circRNAs are regulated by N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation, can serve as “sponges” for proteins and RNAs, and can be translated into protein via a cap-independent mechanism. Mechanisms underlying circRNA dysregulation in tauopathies and causal relationships between circRNA and neurodegeneration are currently unknown. In the current study, we aimed to determine whether pathogenic forms of tau drive circRNA dysregulation and whether such dysregulation causally mediates neurodegeneration. We identify circRNAs that are differentially expressed in the brain of aDrosophilamodel of tauopathy and in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons carrying a tau mutation associated with autosomal dominant tauopathy. We leverageDrosophilato discover that depletion of circular forms ofmuscleblind(circMbl), a circRNA that is particularly abundant in brains of tau transgenicDrosophila, significantly suppresses tau neurotoxicity, suggesting that tau-inducedcircMblelevation is neurotoxic. We detect a general elevation of m6A RNA methylation and circRNA methylation in tau transgenicDrosophilaand find that tau-induced m6A methylation is a mechanistic driver ofcircMblformation. Interestingly, we find that circRNA and m6A RNA accumulate within nuclear envelope invaginations of tau transgenicDrosophilaand in iPSC-derived cerebral organoid models of tauopathy. Taken together, our studies add critical new insight into the mechanisms underlying circRNA dysregulation in tauopathy and identify m6A-modified circRNA as a causal factor contributing to neurodegeneration. These findings add to a growing literature implicating pathogenic forms of tau as drivers of altered RNA metabolism.
Degenerative and regenerative peripheral processes are associated with persistent painful chemotherapy-induced neuropathies in males and females
Authors: Naratadam George T. , Mecklenburg Jennifer , Shein Sergey A. , Zou Yi , Lai Zhao , Tumanov Alexei V. , Price Theodor J. , Akopian Armen N.
Published: January 2024

This study aimed to investigate the time course of gene expression changes during the progression of persistent painful neuropathy caused by paclitaxel (PTX) in male and female mouse hind paws and dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Bulk RNA-seq was used to investigate the gene expression changes in the paw and DRG collected at 1, 16, and 31 days post-PTX. At these time points, differentially expressed DEGs were predominantly related to reduction or increase in epithelial, skin, bone, and muscle development and to angiogenesis, myelination, axonogenesis, and neurogenesis. These processes were accompanied by regulation of DEGs related to cytoskeleton, extracellular matrix organization and cellular energy production. This gene plasticity during persistent painful neuropathy progression likely represents biological processes linked to tissue regeneration and degeneration. Unlike regeneration/degeneration, gene plasticity related to immune processes was minimal at 1–31 days post-PTX. It was also noted that despite similarities in biological processes and pain chronicity in males and females, specific DEGs showed dramatic sex-dependency. The main conclusions of this study are that gene expression plasticity in paws and DRG during PTX neuropathy progression relates to tissue regeneration and degeneration, minimally affects the immune system processes, and is heavily sex-dependent at the individual gene level.
Amplifying post-stimulation oscillatory dynamics by engaging synaptic plasticity with periodic stimulation: a modelling study
Authors: Lefebvre Jeremie , Pariz Aref
Published: January 2024

Periodic brain stimulation (PBS) techniques, either intracranial or non-invasive, electrical or magnetic, represent promising neuromodulatory tools for the treatment of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Through the modulation of endogenous oscillations, PBS may engage synaptic plasticity, hopefully leading to persistent lasting effects. However, stabilizing such effects represents an important challenge: the interaction between induced electromagnetic fields and neural circuits may yield highly variable responses due to heterogeneous neuronal and synaptic biophysical properties, limiting PBS clinical potential. In this study, we explored the conditions on which PBS leads to amplified post-stimulation oscillatory power, persisting once stimulation has been turned off. We specifically examined the effects of heterogeneity in neuron time scales on post-stimulation dynamics in a population of balanced leaky-integrated and fire (LIF) neurons that exhibit synchronous-irregular spiking activity. Our analysis reveals that such heterogeneity enables PBS to engage synaptic plasticity, amplifying post-stimulation power. Our results show that such post-stimulation aftereffects result from selective frequency- and cell-type-specific synaptic modifications. We evaluated the relative importance of stimulation-induced plasticity amongst and between excitatory and inhibitory populations. Our results indicate that heterogeneity in neurons’ time scales and synaptic plasticity are both essential for stimulation to support post-stimulation aftereffects, notably to amplify the power of endogenous rhythms.
Age dictates brain functional connectivity and axonal integrity following repetitive mild traumatic brain injuries
Authors: Criado-Marrero Marangelie , Ravi Sakthivel , Bhaskar Ekta , Barroso Daylin , Pizzi Michael A. , Williams Lakiesha , Wellington Cheryl L. , Febo Marcelo , Abisambra Jose Francisco
Published: January 2024

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) present a major public health challenge, demanding an in-depth understanding of age-specific signs and vulnerabilities. Aging not only significantly influences brain function and plasticity but also elevates the risk of hospitalizations and death following repetitive mild traumatic brain injuries (rmTBIs). In this study, we investigate the impact of age on brain network changes and white matter properties following rmTBI employing a multi-modal approach that integrates resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI), graph theory analysis, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI). Utilizing the CHIMERA model, we conducted rmTBIs or sham (control) procedures on young (2.5-3 months old) and aged (22-month-old) male and female mice to model high risk groups. Functional and structural imaging unveiled age-related reductions in communication efficiency between brain regions, while injuries induced opposing effects on the small-world index across age groups, influencing network segregation. Functional connectivity analysis also identified alterations in 79 out of 148 brain regions by age, treatment (sham vs. rmTBI), or their interaction. Injuries exerted pronounced effects on sensory integration areas, including insular and motor cortices. Age-related disruptions in white matter integrity were observed, indicating alterations in various diffusion directions (mean, radial, axial diffusivity, fractional anisotropy) and density neurite properties (dispersion index, intracellular and isotropic volume fraction). Inflammation, assessed through Iba-1 and GFAP markers, correlated with higher dispersion in the optic tract, suggesting a neuroinflammatory response in aged animals. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interplay between age, injuries, and brain connectivity, shedding light on the long-term consequences of rmTBIs.
Hippocampal reactive neural stem cells are able to phagocytose and have an immunological molecular signature
Authors: Abiega Oihane , Senovilla-Ganzo Rodrigo , El-Ouraoui Maroua , Muro-García Teresa , Ruiz-Clavijo Lorena , García-Moreno Fernando , Fitzsimons Carlos , Martín-Suárez Soraya , Encinas Juan M.
Published: January 2024

Hippocampal neural stem cells (NSCs) are the drivers of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) of most mammals including humans. During neuronal hyperactivity NSCs become reactive NSCs (react-NSCs), characterized by their activation, morphological changes, and symmetric division, abandoning their neurogenic programme and transforming into reactive astrocytes. Here, using different pathological models that induce react-NSCs in the DG, we looked for novel features of react-NSCs both histologically and by total RNA sequencing. We report that in two pathological models were react-NSCs emerge (mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) and traumatic brain injury (TBI)) react-NSCs are capable of phagocytosis of dead cells, a typical immunological function carried out mainly by microglia in the brain. Importantly, MTLE-induced react-NSCs show phagocytic function in tissue and a predominantly immunological molecular signature, with a broad upregulation of phagocytosis-related gene expression. Our results describe a new function of react-NSCs as phagocytic and immunologically active cells in the hippocampal neurogenic niche.
Optogenetic silencing hippocampal inputs to the retrosplenial cortex causes a prolonged disruption of spatial working memory
Authors: Pinto-Correia Bárbara , Caldeira-Bernardo Patricia , Remondes Miguel
Published: January 2024

Working memory allows us to keep information in memory for the time needed to perform a given task. Such fundamental cognitive ability relies on a neural circuit including the retrosplenial cortex (RSC), connected to several cortical areas, functionally and anatomically, namely primary visual areas, and higher cognitive areas such as the cingulate, midcingulate, and subicular cortices. RSC bears intimate anatomical and functional connections with the hippocampus, and has been implicated in integrating and translating spatial-temporal contextual information between ego- and allocentric reference frames, to compute predictions about goals in goal-directed behaviors. The relative contribution of the hippocampus and retrosplenial cortex in working memory-guided behaviors remains unclear due to the lack of studies reversibly interfering with synapses connecting the two regions during such behaviors. We here used eArch3.0, a hyperpolarizing proton pump, to silence hippocampal axon terminals in RSC while animals perform a standard delayed non-match to place task. We found that such manipulation impairs memory retrieval, significantly decreasing performance and hastening decision-making. Furthermore, we found that such impairment outlasts light-activation of the opsin, its effects being noticed up to 3 subsequent trials.
Unraveling femtosecond spin and charge dynamics with extreme ultraviolet transverse MOKE spectroscopy
Authors: Probst Henrike , Möller Christina , Schumacher Maren , Brede Thomas , Dewhurst John Kay , Reutzel Marcel , Steil Daniel , Sharma Sangeeta , Jansen G. S. Matthijs , Mathias Stefan
Published: January 2024

The magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) regime has helped to elucidate some of the key processes that lead to the manipulation of magnetism on ultrafast timescales. However, as we show in this paper, the recently introduced spectrally resolved analysis of such data can lead to surprising experimental observations, which might cause misinterpretations. Therefore, an extended analysis of the EUV magneto-optics is necessary. Via experimental determination of the dielectric tensor, we find here that the nonequilibrium excitation in an ultrafast magnetization experiment can cause a rotation of the off-diagonal element of the dielectric tensor in the complex plane. In direct consequence, the commonly analyzed magneto-optic asymmetry may show time-dependent behavior that is not directly connected to the magnetic properties of the sample. We showcase such critical observations for the case of ultrafast magnetization dynamics in Ni, and give guidelines for the future analysis of spectrally resolved magneto-optical data and its comparison with theory.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
A simple solution to the Rietveld refinement recipe problem
Authors: Toby B. H.
Published: January 2024

Rietveld refinements are widely used for many purposes in the physical sciences. Conducting a Rietveld refinement typically requires expert input because correct results may require that parameters be added to the fit in the proper order. This order will depend on the nature of the data and the initial parameter values. A mechanism for computing the next parameter to add to the refinement is shown. The fitting function is evaluated with the current parameter value set and each parameter incremented and decremented by a small offset. This provides the partial derivatives with respect to each parameter, along with information to discriminate meaningful values from numerical computational errors. The implementation of this mechanism in the open-source GSAS-II program is discussed. This new method is discussed as an important step towards the development of automated Rietveld refinement technology.
The curious case of proton migration under pressure in the malonic acid and 4,4′-bipyridine cocrystal
Authors: Patyk-Kaźmierczak Ewa , Izquierdo-Ruiz Fernando , Lobato Alvaro , Kaźmierczak Michał , Moszczyńska Ida , Olejniczak Anna , Recio J. Manuel
Published: January 2024

In the search for new active pharmaceutical ingredients, the precise control of the chemistry of cocrystals becomes essential. One crucial step within this chemistry is proton migration between cocrystal coformers to form a salt, usually anticipated by the empirical ΔpK
a rule. Due to the effective role it plays in modifying intermolecular distances and interactions, pressure adds a new dimension to the ΔpK
a rule. Still, this variable has been scarcely applied to induce proton-transfer reactions within these systems. In our study, high-pressure X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy experiments, supported by DFT calculations, reveal modifications to the protonation states of the 4,4′-bipyridine (BIPY) and malonic acid (MA) cocrystal (BIPYMA) that allow the conversion of the cocrystal phase into ionic salt polymorphs. On compression, neutral BIPYMA and monoprotonated (BIPYH+MA−) species coexist up to 3.1 GPa, where a phase transition to a structure of P21/c symmetry occurs, induced by a double proton-transfer reaction forming BIPYH2
2+MA2−. The low-pressure C2/c phase is recovered at 2.4 GPa on decompression, leading to a 0.7 GPa hysteresis pressure range. This is one of a few studies on proton transfer in multicomponent crystals that shows how susceptible the interconversion between differently charged species is to even slight pressure changes, and how the proton transfer can be a triggering factor leading to changes in the crystal symmetry. These new data, coupled with information from previous reports on proton-transfer reactions between coformers, extend the applicability of the ΔpK
a rule incorporating the pressure required to induce salt formation.
(4-Butyl-1-ethyl-1,2,4-triazol-5-ylidene)[(1,2,5,6-η)-cycloocta-1,5-diene](triphenylphosphane)rhodium(I) tetrafluoridoborate
Authors: Lerch Timothy G. , Gau Michael , Albert Daniel R. , Rajaseelan Edward
Published: January 2024

In the title triazole-based N-heterocyclic carbene rhodium(I) cationic complex with a tetrafluoridoborate counter-anion, [Rh(C8H12)(C8H15N3)(C18H15P)]BF4, which crystallizes with two cations and two anions in the asymmetric unit, the Rh center has a distorted square-planar coordination geometry with expected bond distances. Several nonclassical C—H...F hydrogen-bonding interactions help to consolidate the packing. Two of the F atoms of one of the anions are disordered over adjacent sites in a 0.814 (4):0.186 (4) ratio.
Corporate index: bridging the academic–practitioner gap
Authors: Mendis Trevor
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The academic–practitioner gap has been a widely discussed and well-established issue. Despite numerous studies conducted in this area, empirical evidence reveals that the gap is widening and also emphasizes the exigency to bridge this gap. Hence, the purpose of this study is to propose an acceptable solution that will fill this lacuna.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts the qualitative research methodology and was based on the system theory (ST) and the institutional theory (IT). Interviews, based on a semi-structured questionnaire, were conducted, focusing on three categories, namely individuals with solely academic experience, individuals with both academic and industrial exposure and business leaders. The unit of analysis was the individual.

Findings

The study, which unearthed some rich and challenging evidence from the respondents, reveals that gaining industrial exposure and working on continuous professional development are vital for academics to narrow or even close this gap. In addition, serving as apex members at board level or in professional bodies, serving global organizations as lead consultants and working on research collaborations are other important dimensions for academics.

Practical implications

This study introduces an emerging model named the “Pentagon Model” and develops a corporate index (C-index) for academics to earn, similar to the h-index. The study also explains the operationalization of the C-index based on the proposed algorithm. Hence, it is the envisaged that this study will change the landscape of the academic sphere in practical terms.

Originality/value

This study was carried out with the sole intention of bridging the gap between academics and practitioners. The proposed model and the index, which were developed by the author purely based on the outcome of this study, pave the way for many future research studies, not only to further improve the C-index but also to minimize disparities in transdisciplinary work between academics and practitioners.
Measuring the social impact of funded research over nonfunded: a case study of BRICS
Authors: Shueb Sheikh , Gul Sumeer , Kharadi Aabid Hussain , Nisa Nahida Tun , Gulzar Farzana
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The study showcases the social impact (online attention) of funded research compared to nonfunded for the BRICS nations. The key themes achieving online attention across the funded and nonfunded publications have also been identified.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 1,507,931 articles published across the BRICS nations for a period of three (03) years were downloaded from the Clarivate Analytics' InCites database of Web of Science (WoS). “Funding Acknowledgement Analysis (FAA)” was used to identify the funded and nonfunded publications. The altmetric score of the top highly cited (1%) publications was gauged from the largest altmetric data provider, “Altmetric.com”, using the DOI of each publication. One-way ANOVA test was used to know the impact of funding on the mentions (altmetrics) across different data sources covered by Altmetric.com. The highly predominant keywords (hotspots) have been mapped using bibliometric software, “VOSviewer”.

Findings

The mentions across all the altmetric sources for funded research are higher compared to nonfunded research for all nations. It indicates the altmetric advantage for funded research, as funded publications are more discussed, tweeted, shared and have more readers and citations; thus, acquiring more social impact/online attention compared to nonfunded publications. The difference in means for funded and nonfunded publications varies across various altmetric sources and nations. Further, the authors’ keyword analysis reveals the prominence of the respective nation names in publications of the BRICS.

Research limitations/implications

The study showcases the utility of indexing the funding information and whether research funding increases social impact return (online attention). It presents altmetrics as an important impact assessment and evaluation framework indicator, adding one more dimension to the research performance. The linking of funding information with the altmetric score can be used to assess the online attention and multi-flavoured impact of a particular funding programme and source/agency of a nation so that necessary strategies would be framed to improve the reach and impact of funded research. It identifies countries that achieve significant online attention for their funded publications compared to nonfunded ones, along with the key themes that can be utilised to frame research and investment plans.

Originality/value

The study represents the social impact of funded research compared to nonfunded across the BRICS nations.
The carbon footprint of different modes of birth in the UK and the Netherlands: An exploratory study using life cycle assessment
Authors: Spil Nienke A. , van Nieuwenhuizen Kim E. , Rowe Rachel , Thornton Jim G. , Murphy Elizabeth , Verheijen Evelyn , Shelton Clifford L. , Heazell Alexander E. P.
Published: January 2024

Objective

To compare the carbon footprint of caesarean and vaginal birth.

Design

Life cycle assessment (LCA).

Setting

Tertiary maternity units and home births in the UK and the Netherlands.

Population

Birthing women.

Methods

A cradle‐to‐grave LCA using openLCA software to model the carbon footprint of different modes of delivery in the UK and the Netherlands.

Main Outcome Measures

‘Carbon footprint’ (in kgCO2 equivalents [kgCO2e]).

Results

Excluding analgesia, the carbon footprint of a caesarean birth in the UK was 31.21 kgCO2e, compared with 12.47 kgCO2e for vaginal birth in hospital and 7.63 kgCO2e at home. In the Netherlands the carbon footprint of a caesarean was higher (32.96 kgCO2e), but lower for vaginal birth in hospital and home (10.74 and 6.27 kgCO2e, respectively). Emissions associated with analgesia for vaginal birth ranged from 0.08 kgCO2e (with opioid analgesia) to 237.33 kgCO2e (nitrous oxide with oxygen). Differences in analgesia use resulted in a lower average carbon footprint for vaginal birth in the Netherlands than the UK (11.64 versus 193.26 kgCO2e).

Conclusion

The carbon footprint of a caesarean is higher than for a vaginal birth if analgesia is excluded, but this is very sensitive to the analgesia used; use of nitrous oxide with oxygen multiplies the carbon footprint of vaginal birth 25‐fold. Alternative methods of pain relief or nitrous oxide destruction systems would lead to a substantial improvement in carbon footprint. Although clinical need and maternal choice are paramount, protocols should consider the environmental impact of different choices.
Trends in clinical characteristics, medication use, and glycemic control in insulin‐treated patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in Finland in 2012–2019: Nationwide real‐world evidence study
Authors: Niskanen Leo , Hannula Minna , Kysenius Kai , Kaijala Saara , Lassenius Mariann I. , Valle Timo T.
Published: January 2024

Aims

To describe the clinical characteristics and medication purchases of insulin‐treated adults in Finland at index (January 1, 2012 or first insulin purchase) and December 31, 2019. Additionally, to describe basal insulin (BI) treatment patterns and associated changes in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values.

Materials and Methods

In this descriptive study using nationwide registries, we included adults with at least two reimbursed insulin purchases within 12 months of the first purchase between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2019. We formed four study groups: type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D)‐diagnosed people who were further divided into prevalent or naïve users (start of insulin use before or after January 1, 2012). Insulin treatment patterns were estimated from medication purchase data and glycemic control from HbA1c results.

Results

Out of 145 020 people included, 34 359 had T1D and 110 661 T2D. By 2019, in parallel with the adaptation of new noninsulin medications, second‐generation basal insulin (BI) analogues were adopted by 45.9% and 21.1% of prevalent T1D and T2D users. At index, HbA1c target (≤53 mmol/mol) was reached by 17% and 35% of T2D naïve and prevalent users, respectively, and by 17% of T1D prevalent users. At study end, the target was reached respectively by 41%, 34%, and 22% of insulin users. Insulin initiation improved and discontinuation worsened glycemic control in T2D, with lesser effects seen after treatment gaps or switches between BIs.

Conclusions

Our study showed that glycemic control in insulin users has remained stable or improved between 2012 and 2019 despite aging population and in parallel with introduction of new treatment options, providing valuable insight into Finnish national diabetes care.

image
Analysing the behaviour change of brain regions of methamphetamine abusers using electroencephalogram signals: Hope to design a decision support system
Authors: Zolfaghari Sepideh , Sarbaz Yashar , Shafiee‐Kandjani Ali Reza
Published: January 2024

Long‐term use of methamphetamine (meth) causes cognitive and neuropsychological impairments. Analysing the impact of this substance on the human brain can aid prevention and treatment efforts. In this study, the electroencephalogram (EEG) signals of meth abusers in the abstinence period and healthy subjects were recorded during eyes‐closed and eyes‐opened states to distinguish the brain regions that meth can significantly influence. In addition, a decision support system (DSS) was introduced as a complementary method to recognize substance users accompanied by biochemical tests. According to these goals, the recorded EEG signals were pre‐processed and decomposed into frequency bands using the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) method. For each frequency band, energy, KS entropy, Higuchi and Katz fractal dimensions of signals were calculated. Then, statistical analysis was applied to select features whose channels contain a p‐value less than 0.05. These features between two groups were compared, and the location of channels containing more features was specified as discriminative brain areas. Due to evaluating the performance of features and distinguishing the two groups in each frequency band, features were fed into a k‐nearest neighbour (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), multilayer perceptron neural networks (MLP) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifiers. The results indicated that prolonged consumption of meth has a considerable impact on the brain areas responsible for working memory, motor function, attention, visual interpretation, and speech processing. Furthermore, the best classification accuracy, almost 95.8%, was attained in the gamma band during the eyes‐closed state.
Bodily confusion: Lower differentiation of emotional and physiological states in student alcohol users
Authors: Herman Aleksandra M. , Wypych Marek , Michałowski Jarosław , Marchewka Artur
Published: January 2024

Background

Alexithymia, difficulty in recognising and naming emotions, is common among people who use alcohol. There is also emerging evidence that people with alexithymia are unable to distinguish emotions from non‐emotional physiological states. The project aimed to test if alcohol use is related to the way student drinkers experience emotions and physiological states in the body.

Methods

We employed a novel method to study bodily sensations related to emotions and physiological states in the context of alcohol use: the emBODY tool, which allowed participants to mark areas of the body in which they experience various emotions and physiological states.

Results

Students who showed a hazardous pattern of alcohol use (alcohol use disorders identification test [AUDIT] score ≥ 7, N = 91), overall, presented higher alexithymia levels and coloured larger areas for emotions and physiological states (showed less specificity) than those who show low‐risk alcohol consumption (AUDIT ≤ 4, N = 90). Moreover, statistical classifiers distinguished feeling‐specific maps less accurately for hazardous drinkers than low‐risk drinkers [F(1,1998) = 441.16; p < 0.001], confirming that higher alcohol use is related to higher confusion of emotional and non‐emotional bodily feelings.

Conclusions

Plausibly, this increased bodily confusion drives alcohol consumption: alcohol may serve as a means of dealing with undifferentiated changes in psychophysiological arousal accompanying emotional states.
Navigating careers at sea: Career proactivity in extreme work contexts
Authors: Nayyeri Shahrzad , Roodbari Hamid , Shadnam Masoud
Published: January 2024

Extreme work contexts are characterized by highly demanding labor under intense, stressful, and risky conditions. The literature has to date been predominantly focused on operational, organizational, and institutional responses to these challenges. Consequently, scant attention has been paid to how individuals understand and respond to extreme work contexts when managing their careers. We conducted semi‐structured interviews with 33 Iranian merchant ship officers and developed a grounded theory model of career proactivity in extreme work contexts. Our model delineates two stages leading to proactive career behaviors: The first stage is sensemaking, where individuals wake up to the challenges of their extreme work context, engage in comparative elaboration, and arrive at a settled understanding of the extremity of their work context. The second stage is agency, where individuals engage in experimentation of when they can modify situations or adapt to them, which ultimately helps them choose one of the following proactive career behaviors: exit planning, job crafting, career drifting, and job embracing. To support the generalizability of our model, we interviewed nine firefighters, which confirmed the model's applicability to another extreme context. We discuss the theoretical and critical implications of our model for recent conversations in extreme context research and career research.
The role of ATP‐binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1) in Alzheimer's disease: A review of the mechanisms
Authors: Yazdi Mohsen Karbasi , Alavi Mohaddeseh Sadat , Roohbakhsh Ali
Published: January 2024

The maintenance of cholesterol homeostasis is essential for central nervous system function. Consequently, factors that affect cholesterol homeostasis are linked to neurological disorders and pathologies. Among them, ATP‐binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1) plays a significant role in atherosclerosis. However, its role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is unclear. There is inconsistent information regarding ABCG1's role in AD. It can increase or decrease amyloid β (Aβ) levels in animals' brains. Clinical studies show that ABCG1 is involved in AD patients' impairment of cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Lower Aβ levels in the CSF are correlated with ABCG1‐mediated CEC dysfunction. ABCG1 modulates α‐, β‐, and γ‐secretase activities in the plasma membrane and may affect Aβ production in the mitochondria‐associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane (MAM) cell compartment. Despite contradictory findings regarding ABCG1's role in AD, this review shows that ABCG1 has a role in Aβ generation via modulation of membrane secretases. It is, however, necessary to investigate the underlying mechanism(s). ABCG1 may also contribute to AD pathology through its role in apoptosis and oxidative stress. As a result, ABCG1 plays a role in AD and is a candidate for drug development.
Up‐front autologous stem cell transplant in peripheral T‐cell lymphoma patients achieving complete response after first‐line treatment: A multicentre real‐world analysis
Authors: Yang Peipei , Cai Mingci , Cao Yang , Fan Shuang , Tang Wei , Ji Mengmeng , Huang Liang , Wang Fengrong , Zhao Weili , Niu Ting , Mo Xiaodong
Published: January 2024

We conducted a retrospective, multicentre study to compare consolidation therapy with or without first‐line autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) for peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (PTCL) patients in a real‐world setting. We enrolled 347 PTCL patients who achieved complete response after first‐line treatment. Of these, 257 received consolidation chemotherapy (non‐ASCT group) and 90 received ASCT (ASCT group). Clinical outcomes were comparable between ASCT and non‐ASCT groups. After propensity score matching, the 2‐year cumulative incidence of treatment‐related mortality and relapse remained similar between groups (1.9% vs. 2.0%, p = 0.985; 24.7% vs. 47.1%, p = 0.021). However, significant differences emerged in progression‐free survival and overall survival probabilities. Within the T‐cell lymphoma subgroup, ASCT patients exhibited favourable outcomes compared to non‐ASCT patients: 2‐year progression‐free survival (73.4% vs. 50.8%, p = 0.024) and overall survival (92.1% vs. 73.5%, p = 0.021). Notably, no significant differences were observed for patients with NK/T‐cell lymphoma. These real‐world data suggest that up‐front ASCT is a safe and effective consolidation option for PTCL patients in remission, particularly those with T‐cell lymphoma.
Recalled body silhouette trajectories over the lifespan and oral conditions in adulthood: A cross‐sectional analysis of the Paris Prospective Study 3
Authors: Saade Yara , Deraz Omar , Chatzopoulou Eirini , Rangé Hélène , Boutouyrie Pierre , Perier Marie‐Cécile , Guibout Catherine , Thomas Frédérique , Danchin Nicolas , Jouven Xavier , Bouchard Philippe , Empana Jean‐Philippe
Published: January 2024

Objectives

To examine the association between life‐course body silhouette changes and oral conditions in adulthood.

Methods

At study recruitment (2008–2012), 5430 adults underwent a full‐mouth clinical examination and recalled their body silhouettes at ages 8, 15, 25, 35 and 45. Life‐course trajectories of body silhouettes were computed using group‐based trajectory modelling. Gingival inflammation, dental plaque, masticatory units, numbers of healthy, missing, decayed and filled teeth at study recruitment were clustered. The associations between body silhouette trajectories and clusters of oral conditions were assessed by multinomial logistic regression.

Results

The final analysis included 4472 participants. Five body silhouette trajectories were established: lean‐stable (30.0%), lean‐increased (19.3%), moderate stable (18.1%), lean‐marked increased (25.8%) and heavy stable (6.7%). Three clusters of oral conditions were identified: optimal oral health and preserved masticatory capacity (70.0%, cluster 1), moderate oral health and moderately impaired masticatory capacity (25.4%, cluster 2) and poor oral health and severely impaired masticatory capacity (4.7%, cluster 3). Participants with a lean‐increased trajectory were 58% more likely than those with a lean‐stable trajectory to be in cluster 3 (aOR 1.58 [95% CI 1.07; 2.35]) relative to cluster 1, independently of covariates measured at study recruitment and including age, sex, smoking, socioeconomic status, BMI, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cholesterol and triglycerides.

Conclusions

A life‐course lean‐increased body silhouette trajectory is associated with higher likelihood of poor oral health and severely impaired masticatory capacity in adulthood.
Surgical removal and autologous skin grafting as a successful treatment of primary cutaneous haemangiosarcoma in a horse
Authors: Donard Lou‐Anne , Vinardell Tatiana , Boussauw Bernard
Published: January 2024

This report describes the successful treatment of a cutaneous haemangiosarcoma in a 12‐year‐old horse presented for evaluation of a cutaneous mass on the left gluteal region. The horse was treated by complete large surgical excision of the neoplastic tissue. A good cosmetic outcome as well as a short recovery time was achieved with an autologous skin grafting split thickness modified Meek technique. A long‐term follow‐up of the patient showed no reoccurrence of the haemangiosarcoma and a successful return to athletic performance. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first equine primary cutaneous haemangiosarcoma treated with complete excision and subsequently autologous skin grafting with a long‐term follow‐up and good outcome despite the poor prognosis.
Enhanced text classification through an improved discrete laying chicken algorithm
Authors: Daneshfar Fatemeh , Aghajani Mohammad Javad
Published: January 2024

The exponential growth of digital text documents presents a significant challenge for text classification algorithms, as the vast number of words in each document can hinder their efficiency. Feature selection (FS) is a crucial technique that aims to eliminate irrelevant features and enhance classification accuracy. In this study, we propose an improved version of the discrete laying chicken algorithm (IDLCA) that utilizes noun‐based filtering to reduce the number of features and improve text classification performance. Although LCA is a newly proposed algorithm, it has not been systematically applied to discrete problems before. Our enhanced version of LCA employs different operators to improve both exploration and exploitation of this algorithm to find better solutions in discrete mode. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we compared it with some conventional nature‐inspired feature selection methods using various learning models such as decision trees (DT), K‐nearest neighbor (KNN), Naive Bayes (NB), and support vector machine (SVM) on five benchmark datasets with three different evaluation metrics. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in comparison to the existing one. The code is available at https://github.com/m0javad/Improved-Discrete-Laying-Chicken-Algorithm.
Immigration, poetry, and translation between Syria and Germany: Adel Karasholi
Authors: Berman Russell
Published: January 2024

The work of Syrian‐German poet Adel Karasholi exemplifies key vectors of literature in the context of migration, in particular the tension between nostalgia and assimilation. Karasholi's case is distinctive insofar as he lived between two dictatorships, Syria and the German Democratic Republic, and his poetry testifies to processes of ideological accommodation, integration into GDR literary networks, and identity‐political hybridization. A Brechtian aesthetic of engagement and a Marxist discourse of progress coexist with the problematics of immigration and cultural difference. In the early 1990s, Karasholi began to invoke previously rejected orientalist and mystic‐religious tropes as he entered the multicultural public sphere of unified Germany, but in his translations of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish (2004) he reverted to the secular modernization sensibility of his GDR years. One of these translations (“In Jerusalem”) is examined closely to reveal Karasholi's strategic choices and subtle differences from the Darwish original.