bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combining surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy and paper spray mass spectrometry for the identification and confirmation of psychotropic substances in alcoholic beverages
Authors: Jurisch Marina , Fantini Cristiano , Augusti Rodinei , Almeida Mariana Ramos
Published: December 2023

Criminal practices in which an individual becomes vulnerable and prone to sexual assault after ingesting drinks spiked with doping substances have become a social concern globally. As forensic protocols require a multi‐tiered strategy for chemical evidentiary analysis, the backlog of evidence has become a significant problem in the community. Herein, a fast, sensible, and complementary dual analytical methodology was developed using a single commercial paper substrate for surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and paper spray mass spectrometry (PS‐MS) analysis to identify psychotropic substances added to alcoholic beverages irrefutably. To study and investigate this criminal practice, pharmaceutical formulations containing distinct psychotropic substances (zolpidem, clonazepam, diazepam, and ketamine) were added to drinks typically consumed at parties and festivals (Pilsen beer, açaí Catuaba®, gin tonic, and vodka mixed with Coca‐Cola Zero®). A simple liquid–liquid extraction with a low‐temperature partitioning (LLE‐LTP) procedure was applied to the drinks and effectively minimized matrix effects. As a preliminary analysis, SERS spectra combined with Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA) provided sufficient information to investigate the samples further. The presence of the protonated species for the psychotropic substances in the spiked drinks was readily verified in the mass spectra and confirmed by tandem mass spectrometry. Finally, the results demonstrate the potential of this methodology to be easily implemented into the routine of forensic laboratories and to be further employed at harm reduction tends at parties and festivals to detect contaminated beverages promptly and irrefutably as an efficient tool to prevent such crimes.
Consensus on the definition and assessment of external validity of randomized controlled trials: A Delphi study
Authors: Jung Andres , Braun Tobias , Armijo‐Olivo Susan , Challoumas Dimitris , Luedtke Kerstin
Published: December 2023

External validity is an important parameter that needs to be considered for decision making in health research, but no widely accepted measurement tool for the assessment of external validity of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exists. One of the most limiting factors for creating such a tool is probably the substantial heterogeneity and lack of consensus in this field. The objective of this study was to reach consensus on a definition of external validity and on criteria to assess the external validity of RCTs included in systematic reviews. A three‐round online Delphi study was conducted. The development of the Delphi survey was based on findings from a previous systematic review. Potential panelists were identified through a comprehensive web search. Consensus was reached when at least 67% of the panelists agreed to a proposal. Eighty‐four panelists from different countries and various disciplines participated in at least one round of this study. Consensus was reached on the definition of external validity (“External validity is the extent to which results of trials provide an acceptable basis for generalization to other circumstances such as variations in populations, settings, interventions, outcomes, or other relevant contextual factors”), and on 14 criteria to assess the external validity of RCTs in systematic reviews. The results of this Delphi study provide a consensus‐based reference standard for future tool development. Future research should focus on adapting, pilot testing, and validating these criteria to develop measurement tools for the assessment of external validity.
Report of novel treatment of segmental vitiligo using combined microneedling and topical ruxolitinib
Authors: Abdin Rama , Kaiser Michael , Issa Naiem T.
Published: December 2023

Vitiligo is a chronic disease which manifests as patchy loss of skin pigmentation. It can be classified into two main types: segmental and nonsegmental. The condition can result in significant negative psychosocial effects, especially in skin of colour patients. These implications are particularly important in the social development of children and adolescents. As such, rapid‐acting, effective therapeutic options should be pursued when treating these patients. Topical ruxolitinib is the only approved drug for the treatment of vitiligo. Other procedural therapeutic options have also been explored including microneedling both alone and in conjunction with topical agents. Microneedling is thought to stimulate repigmentation through the induction of cytokines and growth factors which activate melanocytes and their precursors as well as through the creation of microchannels which allow for enhanced topical drug delivery. Its efficacy has been described in nonsegmental vitiligo cases, but its utility in segmental vitiligo has not been consistently characterised in the literature. We describe the first case of segmental vitiligo treated with combined microneedling and topical ruxolitinib in a skin of colour adolescent patient and review the purported mechanism of action of treatment.
Sometimes (often?) responses to multiple stressors can be predicted from single-stressor effects: A case study using an agent-based population model of croaker in the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Rose Kenneth A.
Published: December 2023

Objective

Rapid changes in the world's oceans make assessment of fish population responses to multiple stressors, especially on scales relevant to management, increasingly important. I used an existing agent-based, spatially explicit model of Atlantic Croaker Micropogonias undulatus in the northern Gulf of Mexico to examine how temperature, hypoxia, and ocean acidification, singly and in combinations, affect long-term population dynamics.

Methods

I performed a factorial simulation experiment with each stressor at three levels and analyzed various treatment combinations to assess the additivity and multiplicity of interactions. The response variables were long-term equilibrium (final year) values of spawning stock biomass (SSB), recruitment, weight at age, and two measures of stock productivity (recruits per SSB and maximum recruitment) derived from the spawner–recruit relationship fitted to model output. I used the single-stressor effects from the experiment to predict how the response variables would change when all three stressors were changed. Single-stressor effects were combined as the sum of the fractional changes (additive scale) and the product of ratios of changes (multiplicative scale) and compared to the responses in simulations with all stressors imposed.

Result

Analyzing the factorial design for two-way and three-way interactions showed that there were many interactions on the additive scale but very few on the multiplicative scale. Thus, the responses to multiple stressors were well predicted from single stressor effects when combined as multiplicative effects.

Conclusion

I discuss how the lack of strong interactions could be due to model assumptions, the structure of the model, or oversimplified representation of stressor effects. Alternatively, the model and analysis may be sufficiently realistic and weak interactions on the multiplicative scale may be common. This would reduce a complicated multi-factor situation to a series of more tractable single-factor effects. A critical next step is to determine how we can a priori identify situations of low interactions (i.e., predictable from single-stressor effects) without having to already know the multi-stressor response.
How Does Postural Control in Patients with Functional Motor Disorders Adapt to Multitasking‐Based Immersive Virtual Reality?
Authors: Gandolfi Marialuisa , Sandri Angela , Menaspà Zoe , Avanzino Laura , Pelosin Elisa , Geroin Christian , Vidale Denis , Fiorio Mirta , Tinazzi Michele
Published: December 2023

Background

Motor symptoms in functional motor disorders (FMDs) refer to involuntary, but learned, altered movement patterns associated with aberrant self‐focus, sense of agency, and belief/expectations. These conditions commonly lead to impaired posture control, raising the likelihood of falls and disability. Utilizing visual and cognitive tasks to manipulate attentional focus, virtual reality (VR) integrated with posturography is a promising tool for exploring postural control disorders.

Objectives

To investigate whether postural control can be adapted by manipulating attentional focus in a 3D immersive VR environment.

Methods

We compared postural parameters in 17 FMDs patients and 19 age‐matched healthy controls over a single session under four increasingly more complex and attention‐demanding conditions: simple fixation task (1) in the real room and (2) in 3D VR room‐like condition; complex fixation task in a 3D VR city‐like condition (3) avoiding distractors and (4) counting them. Dual‐task effect (DTE) measured the relative change in performance induced by the different attention‐demanding conditions on postural parameters.

Results

Patients reduced sway area and mediolateral center of pressure displacement velocity DTE compared to controls (all, P < 0.049), but only under condition 4. They also showed a significant reduction in the sway area DTE under condition 4 compared to condition 3 (P = 0.025).

Conclusions

This study provides novel preliminary evidence for the value of a 3D immersive VR environment combined with different attention‐demanding conditions in adapting postural control in patients with FMDs. As supported by quantitative and objective posturographic measures, our findings may inform interventions to explore FMDs pathophysiology.
The diversity and ecological significance of microbial traits potentially involved in B12 biosynthesis in the global ocean
Authors: Zhou Jiayin , Qin Wei , Lu Xinda , Yang Yunfeng , Stahl David , Jiao Nianzhi , Zhou Jizhong , Liu Jihua , Tu Qichao
Published: December 2023

Cobalamin (B12), an essential nutrient and growth cofactor for many living organisms on Earth, can be fully synthesized only by selected prokaryotes in nature. Therefore, microbial communities related to B12 biosynthesis could serve as an example subsystem to disentangle the underlying ecological mechanisms balancing the function and taxonomic make‐up of complex functional assemblages. By anchoring microbial traits potentially involved in B12 biosynthesis, we depict the biogeographic patterns of B12 biosynthesis genes and the taxa harboring them in the global ocean, despite the limitations of detecting de novo B12 synthesizers via metagenomes alone. Both the taxonomic and functional composition of B12 biosynthesis genes were strongly shaped by depth, differentiating the epipelagic zones from the mesopelagic layers. Functional genes related to B12 biosynthesis were relatively stably distributed across different oceans, but the taxa harboring them varied considerably, showing clear functional redundancy among microbial systems. Microbial taxa carrying B12 biosynthesis genes in the surface water were influenced by environmental factors such as temperature, oxygen, and nitrate. However, the composition of functional genes was only weakly associated with these environmental factors. Null model analyses demonstrated that determinism governed the variations in B12 biosynthesis genes, whereas a higher degree of stochasticity was associated with taxonomic variations. Significant associations were observed between the chlorophyll a concentration and B12 biosynthesis, confirming its importance in primary production in the global ocean. The results of this study reveal an essential ecological mechanism governing the assembly of microbes in nature: the environment selects for function rather than taxonomy; functional redundancy underlies stochastic community assembly.
The construction and optimization of engineered yeast chassis for efficient biosynthesis of 8‐hydroxygeraniol
Authors: Zhang Yu , Yuan Mengdi , Wu Xinxin , Zhang Qiuhui , Wang Yuzhu , Zheng Liming , Chiu Tsan‐Yu , Zhang Huiming , Lan Lei , Wang Feng , Liao Ying , Gong Xuemei , Yan Shirui , Wang Yun , Shen Yue , Fu Xian
Published: December 2023

Microbial production of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs) provides a sustainable and eco‐friendly means to obtain compounds with high pharmaceutical values. However, efficient biosynthesis of MIAs in heterologous microorganisms is hindered due to low supply of key precursors such as geraniol and its derivative 8‐hydroxygeraniol catalyzed by geraniol 8‐hydroxylase (G8H). In this study, we developed a facile evolution platform to screen strains with improved yield of geraniol by using the SCRaMbLE system embedded in the Sc2.0 synthetic yeast and confirmed the causal role of relevant genomic targets. Through genome mining, we identified several G8H enzymes that perform much better than the commonly used CrG8H for 8‐hydroxygeraniol production in vivo. We further showed that the N‐terminus of these G8H enzymes plays an important role in cellular activity by swapping experiments. Finally, the combination of the engineered chassis, optimized biosynthesis pathway, and utilization of G8H led to the final strain with more than 30‐fold improvement in producing 8‐hydroxygeraniol compared with the starting strain. Overall, this study will provide insights into the construction and optimization of yeast cells for efficient biosynthesis of 8‐hydroxygeraniol and its derivatives.
Effect of temperature on tensile and vibration properties of bilayer boron nitride
Authors: Zhao Demin , Fang Kexin
Published: December 2023

Hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) is a semiconductor material with a wide band gap, holding promising potential for applications in thermal conductivity devices and nanoresonators in the field of microelectronics. Here, molecular dynamics is simulated to investigate the tensile and vibrational behaviors of bilayer h‐BN under five different stacking modes across varying temperatures. The mechanical properties of five different stacking modes of h‐BN at various temperatures are focused on, including Young's modulus, the ultimate stress, and the ultimate strain. Results indicate that bilayer h‐BN nanosheets exhibit anisotropic characteristics, with their tensile properties decreasing as temperature increases. Additionally, we explore the influence of temperature on the natural frequency of bilayer h‐BN under five different stacking modes. These results establish a fundamental understanding of the mechanical and vibrational characteristics of bilayer h‐BN nanosheets under different stacking modes, contributing to their potential applications in advanced nanodevices operating in extremely high‐temperature environments.
The association between sarcopenia, defined by a simplified screening tool, and long‐term outcomes
Authors: Yuyen Thassayu , Muangpaisan Weerasak , Pramyothin Pornpoj , Thanakiattiwibun Chayanan , Chaiwat Onuma
Published: December 2023

Background

Sarcopenia and frailty are frequently observed in older adult patients and linked to unfavorable postoperative outcomes. Identifying low muscle mass and function is primary for diagnosing sarcopenia. The simpler screening, which excludes muscle mass measurement, exhibited strong predictive capabilities in identifying sarcopenia. This research explored the association between sarcopenia, as defined by the C3 formula, and long‐term outcomes in older adult cancer patients who underwent surgery.

Methods

Surgical cancer patients aged 60 and older were enrolled. Sarcopenia was identified using the C3 formula, assessing muscle strength through handgrip strength, physical performance via a 6‐m walk test, and nutrition status via the Mini Nutritional Assessment–Short Form. Long‐term outcomes were evaluated with the Barthel Index for activities of daily living (B‐ADL) at 3 months, as well as 1‐year mortality rates.

Results

The study enrolled 251 patients, with 130 classified as sarcopenic according to the C3 formula. Compared with nonsarcopenic patients, patients with sarcopenia exhibited a higher frequency of moderate to severe disability (B‐ADL ≤70) 3 months postdischarge (19.5% vs 5.2%; P = 0.001) and elevated 1‐year mortality rates (29.5% vs 14.9%; P = 0.006). No significant differences were observed in infection rates, hospital stay duration, or in‐hospital mortality. Distant organ metastasis (HR = 3.99; 95% CI = 2.25–7.07) and sarcopenia defined by the C3 formula (HR = 1.78; 95% CI = 1.01–3.15) were identified as independent risk factors for 1‐year mortality.

Conclusion

The simplified sarcopenia screening tool was associated with increased rates of moderate to severe disability 3 months postdischarge and higher 1‐year mortality rates compared with nonsarcopenic patients.
Math‐based reinforcement learning for the adaptive budgeted influence maximization problem
Authors: Fadda Edoardo , Corso Evelina Di , Brusco Davide , Aelenei Vlad Stefan , Rares Alexandru Balan
Published: December 2023

In social networks, the influence maximization problem requires selecting an initial set of nodes to influence so that the spread of influence can reach its maximum under certain diffusion models. Usually, the problem is formulated in a two‐stage un‐budgeted fashion: The decision maker selects a given number of nodes to influence and observes the results. In the adaptive version of the problem, it is possible to select the nodes at each time step of a given time interval. This allows the decision‐maker to exploit the observation of the propagation and to make better decisions. This paper considers the adaptive budgeted influence maximization problem, that is, the adaptive problem in which the decision maker has a finite budget to influence the nodes, and each node requires a cost to be influenced. We present two solution techniques: The first is an approximated value iteration leveraging mixed integer linear problems while the second exploits new concepts from graph neural networks. Extensive numerical experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.
Experimental investigation of temperature effects on the tensile behavior of composite‐aluminum four‐nail bolted joints
Authors: Liu Xiaodong , Zhang Li , Huang Kai , Huang Jinzhao , Li Zhixing , Zhou Jindi , Dong Erqin , Guo Licheng
Published: December 2023

The bolted joint is widely used to connect different composite structures in the aerospace field, and the joint is usually the weakest part, and its performance is widely influenced by temperature. This paper aims to investigate the static tensile behavior of the composite‐aluminum four‐nailed joint structure at different temperatures. Carbon fiber epoxy resin matrix composites with a layup of [(0/45)2s]2 are selected to fabricate specimens, and the test temperatures are room temperature (RT, 25 °C), 60 °C, 100 °C, and 150 °C, respectively. The surface strain field and damage evolution inside the specimens are monitored at different stages of the loading process by combining the digital image correlation (DIC) and X‐ray computed tomography (CT) techniques. During the loading process at RT, a sudden drop in load occurs after structural yielding, and the following secondary bearing is observed; however, at higher temperatures, the load continuously decreases until final failure after it reaches the peak value. Moreover, the rearrangement of stress distribution around the bolts at higher temperatures relieves the asymmetric secondary bending of the joint. The experimental findings in this study provide valuable guidance for the structural design and safety assessment for composite‐aluminum bolted joints at different temperatures.

Highlights

The loading process shows five stages at RT and four stages at higher temperatures.

Extrusion damage led by shear cracks appears earlier at higher temperatures.

Load on the upper and lower bolts is closer as the temperature increases.

Higher temperatures relieve the asymmetric secondary bending of the joint.
Advantages and limitations of active phase silanization in PVDF composites: Focus on electrical properties and energy harvesting potential
Authors: Petrovic M. Vijatovic , Craciun F. , Cordero F. , Mercadelli E. , Ilic N. , Despotovic Z. , Bobic J. , Dzunuzovic A. , Galassi C. , Stagnaro P. , Canu G. , Buscaglia M. T. , Brunengo E.
Published: December 2023

In order to further improve the performance of 0.94[(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3]‐0.06BaTiO3/polyvinylidene fluoride (NBT‐BT/PVDF) flexible composite films prepared by the hot‐pressing method, the effect of surface modification of the NBT‐BT particles on the structure and properties of the films was investigated. Two coupling agents, namely, (3‐aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) and dodecyl triethoxysilane (DDTES) were added to enhance dispersion and interfacial adhesion of the active phase powder with the polymer matrix. The highest amount of the electroactive PVDF β‐phase was formed in APTES‐modified samples while in DDTES samples mainly γ‐phase was formed as shown by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements indicated that the addition of filler particles reduced the total crystallinity degree of the PVDF. Dielectric permittivity values as well as dielectric losses decreased for silanized samples due to reduced tension at the interface between particles and polymer. Strong intermolecular interaction between the PVDF chains and the APTES‐modified particles led to enhanced breakdown strength of these samples. The highest level of agglomeration in the DDTES‐modified samples induced the deterioration of ferroelectric properties. The highest voltage output of ~15 V and 225 μW of power was obtained for the APTES‐modified harvester, evidencing their potential for energy harvesting applications.

Highlights

Surface of NBT‐BT particles was successfully modified by the silanization method.

NBT‐BT‐PVDF flexible lead‐free composite films were prepared by hot pressing.

APTES coupling agent enabled the transformation of PVDF α‐phase into electro‐active β.

APTES‐modified samples showed the highest breakdown strength.

Notable properties for energy harvesting application found, up to 225 μW of generated power.
Construction of sandwich‐layered polyimide hybrid films containing double core–shell structured fillers for high energy storage density
Authors: Cao Xianwu , Zhang Nahong , Zhao Lu , Lu Chonghao , Bi Chunhui , He Guangjian , Wu Wei
Published: December 2023

The inherent low dielectric constant of polyimide (PI) dielectrics restricts their applications to become a component of high energy density film capacitors. In this work, double core–shell structured barium titanate@magnesium oxide@polydopamine (BaTiO3@MgO@PDA) nanoparticles were synthesized successfully and utilized as high dielectric constant functional fillers for PIs, in which the insulating MgO layer meliorated dielectric constant difference between BaTiO3 and PI matrix, and the organic PDA layer improved the compatibility between the inorganic fillers and PI matrices. Then, a series of sandwich‐structured PI‐based hybrid films was prepared through a layer‐by‐layer solution casting method. The middle layer of pure PI with excellent insulating properties effectively suppressed charge injection. With the combination of sandwich structure and the BaTiO3@MgO@PDA nanoparticles, the PI hybrid film containing 15 wt% fillers in the outer layers achieved the maximum breakdown strength of 425.68 kV/mm and the maximum energy density of 5.132 J/cm3, which was 68.3% and 413% higher than those of pure PI film, respectively, meanwhile maintained a low dielectric loss value of 0.0083 at 1 kHz. The introduction of BaTiO3@MgO@PDA enhanced the interfacial polarization due to the high barrier energy between adjacent layers preventing the transfer of electrons and weakening the leakage current in the sandwich‐structured composite film. This work demonstrates that an appropriate combination of high dielectric hybrid fillers and multilayer structure can effectively increase the energy storage density of PI substrate for high‐temperature energy storage applications.

Highlights

The double core–shell structured BaTiO3@MgO@PDA was synthesized successfully.

The sandwich‐structured hybrid films were prepared by layer‐by‐layer method.

The energy density of hybrid films reached a high value of 5.132 J/cm3.
Citizen science boosts fundamental and applied research for sustainable soybean cultivation in North‐Western Europe
Authors: Vlaminck Lena , Vanden Berghen Birgit , Mertens Stien , Wuyts Jurgen , Aerts Liesbeth , Van Dingenen Judith , Bekaert Sofie , Maere Steven , Vranken Liesbet , Goormachtig Sofie
Published: December 2023

Societal Impact Statement

To help save our planet, we need to shift to plant‐based protein food and enhance sustainable agricultural practices. Cultivation of legumes, including soybean, will be key because they produce protein‐rich beans without high applied fertilizer input. This complex challenge involves many stakeholders beyond the agricultural sector. In the ‘Soy in 1000 Gardens’ project, we engaged more than thousand citizens in a 6‐month gardening project aiming at facilitating sustainable soybean cultivation in Belgium. Our work shows that with the right approach, citizen science can provide insights to develop more sustainable agri‐food systems when integrated with fundamental and applied science.

The global food system faces numerous challenges in its pursuit of sustainability. Shifting to more plant‐based protein sources as well as transitioning to self‐reliant agri‐food systems is one way to meet these challenges. This transition requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders beyond the agricultural sector such as the citizens themselves.

In this study, we employed a citizen science approach through the ‘Soy in 1000 Gardens’ project, which engaged more than 1000 citizen scientists in a 6‐month gardening project during which citizens not only observed plant growth but also executed plant growth measurements that meet scientific standards. We aimed at increasing the awareness about the power of soybean and its symbionts for sustainable plant protein production and at isolating efficient nitrogen‐fixing rhizobia to be used by local farmers to produce protein‐rich soybeans.

The results suggest that the success of citizen science projects depends on the level of engagement and the provision of adequate support, among other factors.

This study thus highlights the potential of citizen science to address complex challenges and contribute to more sustainable agri‐food systems when properly integrated. Unique in its scope, the project provided important insights into the drivers of participation, attrition and data quality.
Analgosedation for less‐invasive surfactant administration: Variations in practice
Authors: Muehlbacher Tobias , Boos Vinzenz , Geiger Leonie‐Beatrice , Rüegger Christoph M. , Grass Beate
Published: December 2023

Background

Less‐invasive surfactant administration (LISA) is widely used for surfactant delivery to spontaneously breathing preterm infants on nasal CPAP. However, the use of analgesia and/or sedation for the LISA procedure remains controversial.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional survey of all tertiary neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland to assess current practices of analgosedation for LISA in preterm infants.

Results

Eighty‐eight of 172 (51.2%) NICUs responded to the survey, of which 83 (94.3%) perform LISA. Analgosedation for LISA is used in 60 (72.3%) NICUs. Twenty‐eight of those (46.7%) have unit protocols to guide analgosedation while 32 (53.3%) administer medication at the discretion of the attending physician. Ketamine (45.0% of NICUs), propofol (41.7%), fentanyl (21.7%), morphine (20.0%), and midazolam (20.0%) were most frequently used for analgosedation for LISA. Nine (10.7%) NICUs reported the use of pain or distress scores during LISA.

Conclusion

LISA is well established among tertiary NICUs in the German‐speaking countries. However, there are considerable variations regarding the use of analgosedation. More evidence is required to guide clinicians seeking to safely and effectively deliver surfactant via a thin catheter to spontaneously breathing preterm infants.
Dynamic proximity interaction profiling suggests that YPEL2 is involved in cellular stress surveillance
Authors: Turan Gizem , Olgun Çağla Ece , Ayten Hazal , Toker Pelin , Ashyralyyev Annageldi , Savaş Büşra , Karaca Ezgi , Muyan Mesut
Published: December 2023

YPEL2 is a member of the evolutionarily conserved YPEL family involved in cellular proliferation, mobility, differentiation, senescence, and death. However, the mechanism by which YPEL2, or YPEL proteins, mediates its effects is largely unknown. Proteins perform their functions in a network of proteins whose identities, amounts, and compositions change spatiotemporally in a lineage‐specific manner in response to internal and external stimuli. Here, we explored interaction partners of YPEL2 by using dynamic TurboID‐coupled mass spectrometry analyses to infer a function for the protein. Our results using inducible transgene expressions in COS7 cells indicate that proximity interaction partners of YPEL2 are mainly involved in RNA and mRNA metabolic processes, ribonucleoprotein complex biogenesis, regulation of gene silencing by miRNA, and cellular responses to stress. We showed that YPEL2 interacts with the RNA‐binding protein ELAVL1 and the selective autophagy receptor SQSTM1. We also found that YPEL2 localizes stress granules in response to sodium arsenite, an oxidative stress inducer, which suggests that YPEL2 participates in stress granule‐related processes. Establishing a point of departure in the delineation of structural/functional features of YPEL2, our results suggest that YPEL2 may be involved in stress surveillance mechanisms.
Self‐assembly of temperature‐responsive di‐block polypeptides functionalized with unnatural amino acids
Authors: Azulay Rotem , Strugach Daniela S. , Amiram Miriam
Published: December 2023

The incorporation of unnatural amino acids (uAAs) into protein‐based polymers has emerged as a powerful methodology to expand their chemical repertoire. Recently, we demonstrated that incorporating uAAs into two temperature‐responsive protein‐based polymers—namely resilin‐ and elastin‐like polypeptides (RLPs and ELPs, respectively)—can alter their properties. In this study, we incorporated aromatic uAAs into the protein sequence of RLP–ELP diblocks to yield new and diverse assemblies from a single DNA template. Specifically, we show that incorporating aromatic uAAs can modulate the phase‐transition behaviors and self‐assembly of the diblocks into various morphologies, including spherical and cylindrical micelles and single‐ and double‐layered vesicles, with some constructs also demonstrating a temperature‐responsive shape‐shifting behavior. Next, we evaluated the ability of the RLP–ELP assemblies to encapsulate a chemotherapeutic drug, doxorubicin, and show how the identity of the incorporated uAAs and the morphology of the nanostructure affect the encapsulation efficiency. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the multi‐site incorporation of uAAs into temperature‐responsive, amphiphilic protein‐based diblock copolymers is a promising approach for the functionalization and tuning of self‐assembled nanostructures.
Is mowing effective in reducing rodent damage to forest plantations?
Authors: Borowski Zbigniew , Bartoń Kamil , Staniszewski Jarosław
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Forest trees, particularly at a young age in afforestation, are susceptible to bark gnawing by herbivorous rodents such as voles. Few preventive measures for vole damage exist, although mowing to control herbaceous vegetation is often suggested. However, no empirical evidence supports the claim that mowing prevents or inhibits rodent damage to seedlings in a forest ecosystem. We examined the effects of single mowing applications on rodent population dynamics and the amount of damage they cause. The study was conducted at 34 randomly selected European beech forest plantations in Poland, with half manually mowed in late summer. In each plantation, we monitored the population dynamics of small rodents every 2 months from December 2019 to April 2021, and/or measured the level of damage to tree saplings monthly.

RESULTS

The amount of damage followed a clear seasonal pattern with peaks in late autumn ranging from 0 to 40% of saplings per plantation. Mowing did not alter the pattern of population dynamics of small rodents (including voles and mice) on the plantations, nor did it reduce sapling damage caused by rodents. Additionally, herbaceous vegetation cover had no significant effect on the damage intensity.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that mowing is ineffective in preventing tree damage by small rodents in forest plantations; therefore, we do not recommend it as a forestry practice. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
An integrated Bayesian framework for multi‐omics prediction and classification
Authors: Mallick Himel , Porwal Anupreet , Saha Satabdi , Basak Piyali , Svetnik Vladimir , Paul Erina
Published: December 2023

With the growing commonality of multi‐omics datasets, there is now increasing evidence that integrated omics profiles lead to more efficient discovery of clinically actionable biomarkers that enable better disease outcome prediction and patient stratification. Several methods exist to perform host phenotype prediction from cross‐sectional, single‐omics data modalities but decentralized frameworks that jointly analyze multiple time‐dependent omics data to highlight the integrative and dynamic impact of repeatedly measured biomarkers are currently limited. In this article, we propose a novel Bayesian ensemble method to consolidate prediction by combining information across several longitudinal and cross‐sectional omics data layers. Unlike existing frequentist paradigms, our approach enables uncertainty quantification in prediction as well as interval estimation for a variety of quantities of interest based on posterior summaries. We apply our method to four published multi‐omics datasets and demonstrate that it recapitulates known biology in addition to providing novel insights while also outperforming existing methods in estimation, prediction, and uncertainty quantification. Our open‐source software is publicly available at
https://github.com/himelmallick/IntegratedLearner.
Effect of temperature on growth, survival, and chronic stress responses of Arctic Grayling juveniles
Authors: Carrillo-Longoria Javier-Alonso , Gaylord Gibson , Andrews Lukas , Powell Madison
Published: December 2023

Objective

Arctic Grayling Thymallus arcticus are Holarctically distributed, with a single native population in the conterminous United States occurring in the Big Hole River, Montana, where water temperatures can fluctuate throughout the year from 8°C to 18°C. A gradual increase in mean water temperature has been reported in this river over the past 20 years due to riparian habitat changes and climate change effects. We hypothesized that exposing Arctic Grayling to higher temperatures would result in lower survival, decreased growth, and increased stress responses.

Methods

Over a 144-day trial, Arctic Grayling juveniles were subjected to water temperatures ranging from 8°C to 26°C to measure the effects on growth, survival, gene expression, and antioxidant enzyme activity.

Result

Fish growth increased with increasing water temperature up to 18°C, beyond which survival was reduced. Fish did not survive at temperatures above 22°C. In response to temperatures above 16°C, 3.0-fold and 1.5-fold increases in gene expression were observed for superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), respectively, but no changes were seen in the gene expression ratio of heat shock protein 70 to heat shock protein 90. Activities of the SOD and GPx enzymes also rose at temperatures above 16°C, indicating heightened oxidative stress. Catalase gene expression and enzyme activity decreased with rising temperatures, suggesting a preference for the GPx pathway, as GPx could also be providing help with lipid peroxidation. An increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances was also recorded, which corresponded with rising temperatures.

Conclusion

Our findings thus underscore the vulnerability of Arctic Grayling to minor changes in water temperature. Further increases in mean water temperature could significantly compromise the survival of Arctic Grayling in the Big Hole River.
Learner Corpora in Corpus‐Informed Instruction: Moving Toward an Asset‐ and Genre‐Based Model
Authors: Staples Shelley , Dang Anh , Wang Hui
Published: December 2023

Learner corpora have been used extensively in corpus research to identify gaps and errors within learner writing but have rarely been directly used in corpus‐informed instruction (CII). Importantly, scholars in CII have pointed out that “it is as important to see what learners can do as well as what they can't” when using learner corpora (Boulton & Thomas, 2012; p. 13). Learner corpora can also offer greater alignment with the genres students are writing (Seidlhofer, 2002). In our Brief Report, we take up Lu, Casal, and Liu's (2021) call for greater synergy of genre and corpus pedagogy by examining the impact of using a learner corpus to enhance students' language awareness and genre‐specific knowledge within an English as an Additional Language (EAL) first‐year writing classroom. We also move beyond error analysis to encourage an asset‐based model to learner CII (Staples, 2022).
Exploring Contradiction‐Driven Language Teacher Identity Transformation During Curriculum Reforms: A Chinese Tale
Authors: Wang Kailun , Yuan Rui , Lee Icy
Published: December 2023

The existing literature in TESOL has revealed the multilayered, dynamic, and situated nature of teacher identity, but how language teachers construct their identities during curriculum reforms receives relatively limited attention, particularly in the context of teaching English for specific purposes (ESP). Theoretically anchored by the notion of contradiction in activity theory, this study investigates an ESP teacher's identity transformation in a Chinese university. Drawing on data from semi‐structured interviews, classroom observations, and artifacts (policy documents and course materials), the findings reveal that the participant constructed her identities including “a skiff drifting in the dark,” “an optimistic warrior,” and “a nonconformist” through the teaching reform mediated by the corporatized culture and accountability system in higher education. The process of identity transformation was accompanied by her identity‐driven efforts to resolve various contradictions and seek the delicate equilibrium between her agency and object‐oriented reform. The study offers practical recommendations on teacher development and curriculum reforms for both language teachers and other stakeholders (e.g., teacher educators and school leaders) in different educational contexts.
Effects of improved water retention by increased soil organic matter on the water balance of arable soils: A numerical analysis
Authors: Feifel Mario , Durner Wolfgang , Hohenbrink Tobias L. , Peters Andre
Published: December 2023

Climate change will lead to prolonged droughts in various regions of the world, which may significantly affect agricultural production. This is particularly problematic for soils with low water retention capacity, which cannot store sufficient water for crops. In this paper, we investigate how a change in the water‐holding capacity of the soil material, as could be achieved by increasing the soil organic carbon (SOC) amount, affects the components of the soil water balance (evaporation, transpiration, and groundwater recharge). Specifically, we state the hypothesis that an increased water‐holding capacity in a shallow soil layer, as it is achieved through SOC enrichment at the soil surface, will result in more water being stored near the soil surface and lost to unproductive evaporation, thereby reducing the amount of water available to plants and groundwater recharge. The hypothesis was tested by numerical simulations, employing the Hydrus‐1D program package to model the water balance in a soil–plant–atmosphere system for an arable crop in hydrologically contrasting years. The study considered soils with varying textures and different depths of a soil layer with increased SOC content. The soil hydraulic properties (SHP) of the soil material, including the effect of SOC on the SHP, were determined using a recently developed pedotransfer model based on data from over 500 samples. We showed that both the improved water retention by SOC and its vertical distribution affect the soil water balance in a complex manner. In sandy soils, increasing the water‐holding capacity in shallow layers up to 0.1 m led to enhanced evaporation and thus a decrease in water availability for crops. However, deeper incorporated SOC could ameliorate these negative effects. Our findings suggest that not only the amount but also the vertical SOC distribution should be considered if enrichment of SOC shall be applied to mitigate the effect of droughts.
Challenges in the attribution of river flood events
Authors: Scussolini Paolo , Luu Linh Nhat , Philip Sjoukje , Berghuijs Wouter R. , Eilander Dirk , Aerts Jeroen C. J. H. , Kew Sarah F. , van Oldenborgh Geert Jan , Toonen Willem H. J. , Volkholz Jan , Coumou Dim
Published: December 2023

Advances in the field of extreme event attribution allow to estimate how anthropogenic global warming affects the odds of individual climate disasters, such as river floods. Extreme event attribution typically uses precipitation as proxy for flooding. However, hydrological processes and antecedent conditions make the relation between precipitation and floods highly nonlinear. In addition, hydrology acknowledges that changes in floods can be strongly driven by changes in land‐cover and by other human interventions in the hydrological system, such as irrigation and construction of dams. These drivers can either amplify, dampen or outweigh the effect of climate change on local flood occurrence. Neglecting these processes and drivers can lead to incorrect flood attribution. Including flooding explicitly, that is, using data and models of hydrology and hydrodynamics that can represent the relevant hydrological processes, will lead to more robust event attribution, and will account for the role of other drivers beyond climate change. Existing attempts are incomplete. We argue that the existing probabilistic framework for extreme event attribution can be extended to explicitly include floods for near‐natural cases, where flood occurrence was unlikely to be influenced by land‐cover change and human hydrological interventions. However, for the many cases where this assumption is not valid, a multi‐driver framework for conditional event attribution needs to be established. Explicit flood attribution will have to grapple with uncertainties from lack of observations and compounding from the many processes involved. Further, it requires collaboration between climatologists and hydrologists, and promises to better address the needs of flood risk management.

This article is categorized under:

Paleoclimates and Current Trends > Modern Climate Change

Paleoclimates and Current Trends > Detection and Attribution

Assessing Impacts of Climate Change > Observed Impacts of Climate Change
Schizosaccharomyces versatilis represents a distinct evolutionary lineage of fission yeast
Authors: Etherington Graham J. , Gil Elisa Gomez , Haerty Wilfried , Oliferenko Snezhana , Nieduszynski Conrad A.
Published: December 2023

The fission yeast species Schizosaccharomyces japonicus is currently divided into two varieties—S. japonicus var. japonicus and S. japonicus var. versatilis. Here we examine the var. versatilis isolate CBS5679. The CBS5679 genome shows 88% identity to the reference genome of S. japonicus var. japonicus at the coding sequence level, with phylogenetic analyses suggesting that it has split from the S. japonicus lineage 25 million years ago. The CBS5679 genome contains a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 1 and 2, together with several large inversions. The products of genes linked to the major translocation are associated with ‘metabolism’ and ‘cellular assembly’ ontology terms. We further show that CBS5679 does not generate viable progeny with the reference strain of S. japonicus. Although CBS5679 shares closer similarity to the ‘type’ strain of var. versatilis as compared to S. japonicus, it is not identical to the type strain, suggesting population structure within var. versatilis. We recommend that the taxonomic status of S. japonicus var. versatilis is raised, with it being treated as a separate species, Schizosaccharomyces versatilis.
Nakazawaea atacamensis f.a., sp. nov. a novel nonconventional fermentative ascomycetous yeast species from the Atacama Desert
Authors: Araya Macarena , Villarreal Pablo , Moyano Tomás , Santos Ana R. O. , Díaz Francisca P. , Bustos‐Jarufe Andrea , Urbina Kamila , del Pino Javier E. , Groenewald Marizeth , Gutiérrez Rodrigo A. , Rosa Carlos A. , Cubillos Francisco A.
Published: December 2023

In this study, we describe Nakazawaea atacamensis f. a., sp. nov., a novel species obtained from Neltuma chilensis plant samples in Chile's hyperarid Atacama Desert. In total, three strains of N. atacamensis were obtained from independent N. chilensis samples (synonym Prosopis chilensis, Algarrobo). Two strains were obtained from bark samples, while the third strain was obtained from bark‐exuded gum from another tree. The novel species was defined using molecular characteristics and subsequently characterized with respect to morphological, physiological, and biochemical properties. A neighbor‐joining analysis using the sequences of the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene revealed that N. atacamensis clustered with Nakazawaea pomicola. The sequence of N. atacamensis differed from closely related species by 1.3%–5.2% in the D1/D2 domains. A phylogenomic analysis based on single‐nucleotide polymorphism's data confirms that the novel species belongs to the genus Nakazawaea, where N. atacamensis clustered with N. peltata. Phenotypic comparisons demonstrated that N. atacamensis exhibited distinct carbon assimilation patterns compared to its related species. Genome sequencing of the strain ATA‐11A‐BT revealed a genome size of approximately 12.4 Mbp, similar to other Nakazawaea species, with 5116 protein‐coding genes annotated using InterProScan. In addition, N. atacamensis exhibited the capacity to ferment synthetic wine must, representing a potential new yeast for mono or co‐culture wine fermentations. This comprehensive study expands our understanding of the genus Nakazawaea and highlights the ecological and industrial potential of N. atacamensis in fermentation processes. The holotype of N. atacamensis sp. nov. is CBS 18375T. The Mycobank number is MB 849680.