bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Myositis‐specific/associated autoantibodies as diagnostic keys and disease drivers
Authors: Yamashita Satoshi
Published: November 2024

Background

Myositis‐specific autoantibodies (MSAs) and myositis‐associated autoantibodies (MAAs) have emerged as crucial biomarkers in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs).

Methods

This review synthesizes recent research on MSAs and MAAs in various IIM subtypes.

Results

Specific autoantibodies correlate with distinct clinical manifestations and pathological features. For example, anti‐MDA5 antibodies are linked to rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease, while anti‐TIF1‐γ antibodies are associated with increased malignancy risk in adult dermatomyositis. Animal models have demonstrated the pathogenic potential of certain antibodies, such as anti‐TIF1‐γ, anti‐SRP, and anti‐HMGCR, in inducing experimental myositis.

Conclusions

Understanding the roles of MSAs and MAAs is crucial for elucidating disease mechanisms, developing targeted therapies, and improving patient outcomes. Further research is needed to fully characterize their functional implications and explore their potential as biomarkers for disease activity, prognosis, and treatment response.
Assessing disturbances in surviving primary forests of Europe
Authors: Barredo José I. , Marí Rivero Inés , Janoušková Klára
Published: November 2024

Primary forests are of paramount importance for biodiversity conservation and the provision of ecosystem services. In Europe, these forests are scarce and threatened by human activities. However, a comprehensive assessment of the magnitude of disturbances in these forests is lacking, due in part to their incomplete mapping. We sought to provide a systematic assessment of disturbances in primary forests in Europe based on remotely sensed imagery from 1986 to 2020. We assessed the total area disturbed, rate of area disturbed, and disturbance severity, at the country, biogeographical, and continental level. Maps of potential primary forests were used to mitigate gaps in maps of documented primary forests. We found a widespread and significant increase in primary forest disturbance rates across Europe and heightened disturbance severity in many biogeographical regions. These findings are consistent with current evidence and associate the ongoing decline of primary forests in Europe with human activity in many jurisdictions. Considering the limited extent of primary forests in Europe and the high risk of their further loss, urgent and decisive measures are imperative to ensure the strict protection of remnants of these invaluable forests. This includes the establishment of protected areas around primary forests, expansion of old‐growth zones around small primary forest fragments, and rewilding efforts.
AgriFusion: A Low‐Carbon Sustainable Computing Approach for Precision Agriculture Through Probabilistic Ensemble Crop Recommendation
Authors: Mahesh T. R. , Thakur Arastu , Velmurugan A. K. , Khan Surbhi Bhatia , Gadekallu Thippa Reddy , Alzahrani Saeed , Alojail Mohammed
Published: November 2024

Optimizing crop production is essential for sustainable agriculture and food security. This study presents the AgriFusion Model, an advanced ensemble‐based machine learning framework designed to enhance precision agriculture by offering highly accurate and low‐carbon crop recommendations. By integrating Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, and LightGBM, the model combines their strengths to boost predictive accuracy, robustness, and energy efficiency. Trained on a comprehensive dataset of 2200 instances covering key parameters like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, temperature, humidity, pH, rainfall, and crop type, the model underwent rigorous preprocessing for data integrity. The RandomizedSearchCV method was employed to do hyperparameter tuning, namely improving the number of trees in the Random Forest algorithm and the learning rates in the Gradient Boosting algorithm. This ensemble approach achieves a remarkable accuracy rate of 99.48%, optimizes computer resources, lowers carbon footprint, and responds efficiently to a variety of agricultural situations. The model's performance is confirmed using metrics including cross‐validation, accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. This demonstrates how the model might improve agricultural decision‐making, make the most use of available resources, and promote ecologically responsible farming practices.
SDKT: Similar Domain Knowledge Transfer for Multivariate Time Series Classification Tasks
Authors: Wen Jiaye , Zhou Wenan
Published: November 2024

Multivariate time series data classification has a wide range of applications in reality. With rapid development of deep learning, convolutional networks are widely used in this task and have achieved the current best performance. However, due to high difficulty and cost of collecting this type of data, labeled data is still scarce. In some tasks, the model shows overfitting, resulting in relatively poor classification performance. In order to improve the classification performance under such situation, we proposed a novel classification method based on transfer learning—similar domain knowledge transfer (call SDKT for short). Firstly, we designed a multivariate time series domain distance calculation method (call MTSDDC for short), which helped selecting the source domain that is most similar to target domain; Secondly, we used ResNet as a pre‐trained classifier, transferred the parameters of the similar domain network to the target domain network and continue to fine‐tune the parameters. To verify our method, we conducted experiments on several public datasets. Our study has also shown that the transfer effect from the source domain to the target domain is highly negatively correlated with the distance between them, with an average Pearson coefficient of −0.78. For the transfer of most similar source domain, compared to the ResNet model without transfer and the current best model, the average accuracy improvements on the datasets we used are 4.01% and 1.46% respectively.
GABAergic signalling in the suprachiasmatic nucleus is required for coherent circadian rhythmicity
Authors: Klett Nathan , Gompf Heinrich S. , Allen Charles N. , Cravetchi Olga , Hablitz Lauren M. , Gunesch Ali N. , Irwin Robert P. , Todd William D. , Saper Clifford B. , Fuller Patrick M.
Published: November 2024

The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the circadian pacemaker of the mammalian brain. Suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons display synchronization of their firing frequency on a circadian timescale, which is required for the pacemaker function of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. However, the mechanisms by which suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons remain synchronized in vivo are poorly understood, although synaptic communication is considered indispensable. Suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons contain the neurotransmitter GABA and express GABA receptors. This has inspired the hypothesis that GABA signalling may play a central role in network synchronization, although this remains untested in vivo. Here, using local genetic deletion, we show that disruption of GABA synaptic transmission within the suprachiasmatic nucleus of adult mice results in the eventual deterioration of physiological and behavioural rhythmicity in vivo and concomitant cellular desynchrony in vitro. These findings suggest that intercellular GABA signalling is essential for behavioural rhythmicity and cellular synchrony of the suprachiasmatic nucleus neural network.
A preventive intervention promoting toddlers' self‐regulation improves parental resilience in the future
Authors: Park Ye Rang , Nix Robert L. , Francis Lori A. , Gill Sukhdeep , Feinberg Mark E. , Hostetler Michelle L. , Stifter Cynthia A.
Published: November 2024

Objective

The current study tested whether participating in a family‐focused preventive intervention designed to promote toddlers' self‐regulation improves parental resilience among families living in poverty.

Background

Family‐focused preventive interventions can help strengthen family functioning, but it is unclear how parents apply what they have learned to new child‐rearing challenges.

Method

Two hundred and forty‐two families with toddlers (37% White, 25% Black, 19% Latino, 17% multiracial, 2% Asian; median income = $1,555 per month) enrolled in Early Head Start were randomly assigned to the Recipe 4 Success preventive intervention or usual practice home visits. Parents reported on parental resilience, which included aspects of social problem‐solving, personal control, engagement coping, and self‐regulation, assessed 18 months after the end of the intervention.

Results

A structural equations model revealed that parents in the intervention group, compared to parents in the control group, reported greater parental resilience and used more competent strategies to address child‐rearing challenges (β = .33, p = .03). Subgroup analyses indicated that the intervention effects were similar across families with different demographic characteristics.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates how a family‐focused preventive intervention designed to improve parents' skills in one specific domain at one point in their toddlers' development can have positive ripple effects, enhancing parental resilience in the future.

Implications

These findings reinforce the potential widespread value of providing rigorous, evidence‐based family‐focused preventive interventions during early childhood.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: LAGGARD FIRMS, TECHNOLOGY DIFFUSION, AND ITS STRUCTURAL AND POLICY DETERMINANTS
Authors: Berlingieri Giuseppe , Calligaris Sara , Criscuolo Chiara , Verlhac Rudy
Published: November 2024

Using a unique microaggregated data set on firm‐level productivity in 13 countries from 1995 to 2014, this article provides new evidence on technology‐ and knowledge‐diffusion barriers for laggard firms. We show that, although the least productive firms benefit from a catch‐up effect, their speed of catchup is lower in digital‐ and skill‐intensive industries. This is especially true in countries with high skill mismatch, high financing frictions, and low absorptive capacity. These barriers to diffusion, combined with the rising importance of tacit knowledge and intangibles, could help explain the productivity growth slowdown observed in the last decades.
Photoplastic effect in II–VI semiconductors: The role of hole redistribution in dislocation glide
Authors: Shen Yidi , Li Mingqiang , Luo Kun , Zou Yu , An Qi
Published: November 2024

Photoplasticity in semiconductors, characterized by the modification of plastic deformation under light, has long been recognized but its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we integrated quantum mechanics (QM) simulations with nanoindentation experiments to investigate the impact of light‐induced electron‐hole pairs on the plastic deformation in two typical II–IV semiconductors: ZnS and CdTe. For ZnS, the QM simulations indicate an increase in the energy for breaking the Zn‐S bond within the S‐core dislocation in its glide process, due to the redistribution of excited holes. This enhancement in bond energy elevates the energy barrier for dislocation glide, eventually saturating at high electron‐hole concentrations and leading to reduced dislocation mobility in ZnS under light. These findings align well with the nanoindentation experiments, which demonstrate an increase followed by a plateau in the hardness of ZnS under light. In contrast, CdTe exhibits a reduced energy barrier for the glide of Te‐core dislocation due to the lack of hole redistribution, likely causing an enhanced dislocation mobility.
Outstanding pure green upconversion luminescence in LaZrTa3O11:Er3+/Yb3+ phosphors prepared by molten salt synthesis with B2O3 flux
Authors: Wang Xuekai , Cao Yongze , Yan Xianglan , Li Guojian , Li Xiangping , Zhang Jinshu , Chen Baojiu
Published: November 2024

Hexagonal Er3+/Yb3+ co‐doped LaZrTa3O11 (LZTO) phosphor was prepared by molten salt synthesis with B2O3 flux. Holding temperature, holding time, solute and solvent ratio were regulated. The green upconversion luminescence (UCL) integral intensity of the optimal sample can reach 29.2% of β‐NaYF4:Er3+/Yb3+ under 980 nm laser excitation. This outstanding pure green UCL is due to the low phonon energy, Er3+/Yb3+ monolayer (2D) distribution, asymmetry of Er3+/Yb3+ doped lattice sites, and low oxygen vacancy. The maximum relative temperature sensitivity attains 0.01221 K−1 at 303 K by employing luminescence intensity ratio (LIR) technique. LZTO:Er3+/Yb3+ phosphor can be used in temperature sensing.
Electrocardiographic Characteristics of Brugada Syndrome Type I During Exercise Stress Test
Authors: Miná Camila Pinto Cavalcante , Lima Neiberg de Alcantara , de Andrade Antonio Thomaz , Pérez‐Riera Andrés Ricardo , Rocha Eduardo Arrais
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Brugada syndrome (BS) is a genetic channelopathy characterized by an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the absence of structural heart disease. Prognostic stratification is necessary to determine which patients are candidates for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). The present study aims to evaluate EKG changes during exercise stress tests in patients with BS and to identify any poor prognosis variables.

Methods

This was an observational, case‐control study. Three comparison groups were created: patients with Type 1 BS with or without prior arrhythmic events (BE and BNoE subgroups) and age‐ and sex‐matched healthy individuals. Patients underwent EST and electrocardiographic variables were analyzed.

Results

The study recruited 36 patients with type 1 BS, 12 with prior Event (BE) and 24 without (BNoE). Patients in the BE group, in all postexercise recordings, had lower heart rates, notably in the first minute. A significant difference was also observed in the HR drop in the recovery phase, with a greater drop in relation to maximum HR in the first minute in the group of patients who had events.

Conclusion

BS patients with prior events had a lower capacity to increase heart rate at peak effort and a greater proportional drop in the recovery phase. No relationship was observed between the occurrence of arrhythmic events and ST‐segment elevation during the exercise test.
Five Criteria Predict Induction and Ablation of Supraventricular Tachycardia
Authors: McGarry Thomas J. , Jared Bunch T. , Ranjan Ravi , Stoddard Gregory J.
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Current guidelines recommend electrophysiological study (EPS) and ablation for primary treatment of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), but there is little information to guide patient selection for the procedure. The purpose of this study was to identify preoperative features that would predict whether patients with signs or symptoms of tachycardia were likely to have SVT induced and ablated at EPS.

Methods

We performed a retrospective chart review of 1089 patients referred for EPS and ablation of SVT at 2 high volume centers. The population consisted of a derivation cohort of 810 patients and a validation cohort of 279 patients. We evaluated various clinical, EKG, and monitor features to determine which ones correlated with SVT induction or ablation.

Results

Five preoperative findings predicted a high probability that SVT would be induced and ablated at EPS:

A characteristic EKG recording of SVT.

Termination of SVT with adenosine.

Termination of SVT or symptoms with vagal maneuvers.

An episode of SVT lasting ≥ 30 s on a monitor recording.

Pre‐excitation on the baseline EKG.

Patients exhibiting at least one of these features had a high probability of SVT induction and ablation, while those exhibiting none had a low probability (Induction, 76% vs. 19%, RR = 3.96 (2.76–5.69), p < .001; Ablation, 88% versus 26%, RR = 3.32 (2.48–4.46), p < .001). A point‐based score was derived and validated that can be used to estimate the probability of induction and ablation for individual patients.

Conclusion

Simple criteria classify patients as having a high or low probability of SVT induction and ablation at EPS. They can be used as a guide for clinical decision making when considering invasive testing for patients with symptoms of tachycardia.
CIRCEE, the CIRCular Energy Economy model: Bridging the gap between economic and industrial ecology concepts
Authors: Corbier Darius , Pettifor Hazel , Agnew Maureen , Drouet Laurent
Published: November 2024

Transitioning to a circular economy (CE) can contribute to the achievement of long‐term climate targets. A comprehensive evaluation of CE strategies requires a macro‐level approach that integrates environmental, social, and economic goals. Policy support, behavioral changes, innovation, and new business models play key roles in this transition. Additionally, understanding the potential synergies, benefits, and trade‐offs associated with these strategies is essential for their effective implementation. This paper proposes a novel approach, using macroeconomic modeling, industrial ecology, and behavioral concepts to evaluate the impacts of CE strategies on socioeconomic and climate systems. As an application, the paper investigates the environmental and economic effects in Japan of increasing the extended producer responsibility (EPR) fee on energy‐using durable goods. We show that increasing the fee makes households substitute conventional goods for circular services. Also, while increasing EPR fees for energy‐using durable goods may decrease the materials needed to produce and operate these goods, the overall impact on sustainability goals is rather low.
Image‐based prediction of residential building attributes with deep learning
Authors: Huang Weimin , Olson Alexander W. , Khalil Elias B. , Saxe Shoshanna
Published: November 2024

This study estimates building attributes—floor area and age—using image‐based machine learning. Building age and floor area are key inputs to the studies of urban metabolism, material stocks and flows, and embodied greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the built environment. However, these data are challenging to generate and maintain using traditional survey methods, their availability is uneven and often, even when available, very uncertain. Improving our understanding and future management of built environment resource flows and associated environmental impacts requires more complete access to building age and floor area data. The study formulates area prediction as a regression problem and age prediction as a classification problem over six historical periods, achieving a mean absolute percentage error of 19.42% for area prediction and an accuracy of 70.27% for age prediction in Toronto. These results are obtained using an EfficientNetV2 module for feature extraction from Google Street View images, followed by fully connected layers for estimating the two building attributes. The performance of the Toronto‐trained model in five other Canadian cities is also reported, highlighting the model's varying effectiveness in different urban contexts and the benefit of local training. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of using machine learning for building attribute estimation from street‐view images, offering a basis for future automated large‐scale material flow and stock analysis.
Diagnostic electron microscopy in human infectious diseases – Methods and applications
Authors: Laue Michael
Published: November 2024

Diagnostic electron microscopy (EM) is indispensable in all cases of infectious diseases which deserve or profit from the detection of the entire pathogen (i.e. the infectious unit). The focus of its application has shifted during the last decades from routine diagnostics to diagnostics of special cases, emergencies and the investigation of disease pathogenesis. While the focus of application has changed, the methods remain more or less the same. However, since the number of cases for diagnostic EM has declined as the number of laboratories that are able to perform such investigations, the preservation of the present knowledge is important. The aim of this article is to provide a review of the methods and strategies which are useful for diagnostic EM related to infectious diseases in our days. It also addresses weaknesses as well as useful variants or extensions of established methods. The main techniques, negative staining and thin section EM, are described in detail with links to suitable protocols and more recent improvements, such as thin section EM of small volume suspensions. Sample collection, transport and conservation/inactivation are discussed. Strategies of sample examination and requirements for a proper recognition of structures are outlined. Finally, some examples for the actual application of diagnostic EM related to infectious diseases are presented. The outlook section will discuss recent trends in microscopy, such as automated object recognition by machine learning, regarding their potential in supporting diagnostic EM.
Disseminated Lichtheimia sp. Infection in a Buff‐Headed Capuchin (Sapajus xanthosternos)
Authors: Rocha Fernanda C. , Pereira Asheley Henrique B. , Leal Davi S. , Moreira Silvia B. , Pissinatti Alcides , Maruyama Fernanda H. , Nakazato Luciano , Dutra Valéria , Ubiali Daniel G.
Published: November 2024

A clinicopathologic picture caused by Lichtheimia sp. in a 33‐year‐old male Sapajus xanthosternos kept in a conservationist center is described. Acute apathy, vomiting, fever, and polydipsia were associated with pneumonia, enteritis, and gastritis presenting fibrinoid vasculitis containing hyphae. The fungi were demonstrated molecularly, highlighting the spontaneous disease in primates.
Effectiveness of Massage Therapy for Cancer Pain, Quality of Life and Anxiety Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Win Myint Olivia , Yoong Si Qi , Toh Elyn , Lei Fang , Jiang Ying
Published: November 2024

Aim

To synthesise the effectiveness of massage therapy for cancer pain, quality of life and anxiety among patients with cancer.

Design

Systematic review and meta‐analysis.

Methods

This review was reported according to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies evaluating the effects of massage therapy on cancer pain, quality of life or anxiety in patients with cancer pain were eligible. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation were used to assess the quality of studies. Outcomes were pooled using standardised mean differences and narratively synthesised when meta‐analysis was not possible.

Data Sources

Pubmed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, CENTRAL, Google Scholar, ProQuest Theses and Dissertations were searched for English peer‐reviewed studies and grey literature published from inception to 8 January 2024.

Results

Thirty‐six RCTs involving 3671 participants were included. Massage therapy significantly improved pain (pooled SMD = −0.51, 95% CI −0.68 to −0.33), quality of life (pooled SMD = 0.48, 95% CI 0.19–0.78 when higher scores indicate better quality of life; pooled SMD = −0.52, 95% CI −0.88 to −0.16 when higher scores indicate poorer quality of life) and anxiety (pooled SMD = −0.38, 95% CI: −0.57 to −0.18) post‐intervention. All outcomes had very low certainty of evidence. Most studies had unclear or high risk of bias.

Conclusion

This review found that massage therapy is beneficial to patients with cancer in improving pain, quality of life and anxiety. Healthcare institutions and healthcare professionals should recognise the value of massage therapy to enhance the care of patients with cancer pain.

Reporting Method

PRISMA guidelines.

Patient or Public Contribution

No Patient or Public Contribution.

Registration

PROSPERO CRD42023407311.
Institutional corruption: Some issues
Authors: Patibandla Murali
Published: November 2024

Institutional corruption can be defined as a corrupt act by a public or private agent that is justifiable legally. This arises out of the degree of discretion of the constitutional framework, missing institutions, laws, and regulations. The ability of powerful agents to influence the making and implementation of laws and regulations is the source of institutional corruption. This article develops a conceptual framework of institutional corruption and applies some of the dimensions to the issue of privatization of nonrenewable natural resources in India. We analyze three case studies in oil and gas, coal blocks, and bauxite mining. We observe that it is important for developing economies to establish independent and autonomous regulatory institutions and the Supreme Court to minimize the costs of institutional corruption. In democracies, freedom of civic bodies and the media is also a necessary condition.
Doggerel Verse and Critical Recoil
Authors: Denny‐Brown Andrea
Published: November 2024

Early 20th‐century critics rediscovered a literary concept called “doggerel” in Geoffrey Chaucer's Sir Thopas and in John Lydgate's mid‐clash poetic line, using the term to help them categorize and periodize the shift in English literature from medieval to modern. A close look at this undertheorized term and its early iterations in Chaucer's poetry and Lydgate's verse makes clear that doggerel has been a crucial if underthought player not only in English metrical development, but also in the history of literary critique, as a versified counterstrategy that maps the contours of the unpoetic, challenges budding poetic norms, and works simultaneously to introduce and to upend traditional critical notions like the poet's ear.
Effect of Male Partner‐Targeted Breastfeeding Education and Support Interventions on Optimal Breastfeeding Practices in Central Ethiopia: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Abageda Mulatu , Jena Belayneh Hamdela , Belachew Tefera
Published: November 2024

A male partner or husband is the most influential person in the family, especially in Ethiopia. The role of a male partner or husband in promoting and supporting breastfeeding has hardly been investigated in low‐ and middle‐income countries, including Ethiopia. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of breastfeeding education and support interventions that focus on male partners, with the goal of promoting optimal breastfeeding practices in central Ethiopia. A two‐arm parallel design cluster randomized controlled trial was carried out among couples in a community setting in the Hadiya Zone, Central Ethiopia. Fathers and mothers in the intervention group received breastfeeding education and support via social events, home visits and using printed materials, while those in the control group received existing routine care. A total of 408 couples from 16 clusters were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 204) or the control group (n = 204). A Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) model was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions. At the end of the interventions, the proportion of optimal breastfeeding practice increased by 19.5% in the intervention group and by 2% in the control group. The differences‐in‐difference in optimal breastfeeding practice between the intervention and control groups was 17.5% [95% CI: 13.8%–21.2%; p = 0.001]. In the GEE model, babies born to mothers in the mother‐father pair group had a 38% higher likelihood [RR = 1.38, 95% CI (1.106, 1.723)] of being optimally breastfed at the sixth month compared with babies born to mothers who received standard care. Breastfeeding education and support interventions targeting male partners in low‐resource settings improve optimal breastfeeding practices, highlighting the need to give due emphasis to integrating breastfeeding promotion and counselling for male partners into existing maternal and child health services.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT05173454, First registered on 30/12/2021.
The Genomic Signature and Transcriptional Response of Metal Tolerance in Brown Trout Inhabiting Metal‐Polluted Rivers
Authors: Paris Josephine R. , King R. Andrew , Ferrer Obiol Joan , Shaw Sophie , Lange Anke , Bourret Vincent , Hamilton Patrick B. , Rowe Darren , Laing Lauren V. , Farbos Audrey , Moore Karen , Urbina Mauricio A. , van Aerle Ronny , Catchen Julian M. , Wilson Rod W. , Bury Nicolas R. , Santos Eduarda M. , Stevens Jamie R.
Published: November 2024

Industrial pollution is a major driver of ecosystem degradation, but it can also act as a driver of contemporary evolution. As a result of intense mining activity during the Industrial Revolution, several rivers across the southwest of England are polluted with high concentrations of metals. Despite the documented negative impacts of ongoing metal pollution, brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) survive and thrive in many of these metal‐impacted rivers. We used population genomics, transcriptomics, and metal burdens to investigate the genomic and transcriptomic signatures of potential metal tolerance. RADseq analysis of six populations (originating from three metal‐impacted and three control rivers) revealed strong genetic substructuring between impacted and control populations. We identified selection signatures at 122 loci, including genes related to metal homeostasis and oxidative stress. Trout sampled from metal‐impacted rivers exhibited significantly higher tissue concentrations of cadmium, copper, nickel and zinc, which remained elevated after 11 days in metal‐free water. After depuration, we used RNAseq to quantify gene expression differences between metal‐impacted and control trout, identifying 2042 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the gill, and 311 DEGs in the liver. Transcriptomic signatures in the gill were enriched for genes involved in ion transport processes, metal homeostasis, oxidative stress, hypoxia, and response to xenobiotics. Our findings reveal shared genomic and transcriptomic pathways involved in detoxification, oxidative stress responses and ion regulation. Overall, our results demonstrate the diverse effects of metal pollution in shaping both neutral and adaptive genetic variation, whilst also highlighting the potential role of constitutive gene expression in promoting metal tolerance.
Microglia induce an interferon‐stimulated gene expression profile in glioblastoma and increase glioblastoma resistance to temozolomide
Authors: Sørensen Mia Dahl , Olsen Rikke Frydendahl Sick , Burton Mark , Kavan Stephanie , Petterson Stine Asferg , Thomassen Mads , Kruse Torben Arvid , Meyer Morten , Kristensen Bjarne Winther
Published: November 2024

Aims

Glioblastoma is the most malignant primary brain tumour. Even with standard treatment comprising surgery followed by radiation and concomitant temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy, glioblastoma remains incurable. Almost all patients with glioblastoma relapse owing to various intrinsic and extrinsic resistance mechanisms of the tumour cells. Glioblastomas are densely infiltrated with tumour‐associated microglia and macrophages (TAMs). These immune cells affect the tumour cells in experimental studies and are associated with poor patient survival in clinical studies. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of microglia on glioblastoma chemo‐resistance.

Methods

We co‐cultured patient‐derived glioblastoma spheroids with microglia at different TMZ concentrations and analysed cell death. In addition, we used RNA sequencing to explore differentially expressed genes after co‐culture. Immunostaining was used for validation.

Results

Co‐culture experiments showed that microglia significantly increased TMZ resistance in glioblastoma cells. RNA sequencing revealed upregulation of a clear interferon‐stimulated gene (ISG) expression signature in the glioblastoma cells after co‐culture with microglia, including genes such as IFI6, IFI27, BST2, MX1 and STAT1. This ISG expression signature is linked to STAT1 signalling, which was confirmed by immunostaining. The ISG expression profile observed in glioblastoma cells with enhanced TMZ resistance corresponded to the interferon‐related DNA damage resistance signature (IRDS) described in different solid cancers.

Conclusions

Here, we show that the IRDS signature, linked to chemo‐resistance in other cancers, can be induced in glioblastoma by microglia. ISG genes and the microglia inducing the ISG expression could be promising novel therapeutic targets in glioblastoma.
Advanced framework for multilevel detection of digital video forgeries
Authors: Singh Upasana , Rathor Sandeep , Kumar Manoj
Published: November 2024

The rapid expansion of digital media has sparked significant concerns regarding the swift dissemination and potential misuse of forged video content. Existing forgery detection technologies primarily focus on simple forgeries and are still evolving, resulting in a critical gap in the detection of multilevel forgeries, where one forgery is layered over another. This paper presents an innovative framework designed to address this challenge by extracting intricate features from forged frames using attention‐augmented convolutional neural networks (AACNNs). A U‐Net‐based CycleGAN is employed to accurately localize forged regions, enabling a comprehensive analysis that identifies both two‐ and three‐level forgeries by leveraging AACNN's local and global attention mechanisms. To enhance robustness and accuracy, we integrate a model‐agnostic meta‐learning approach. Our meticulously curated custom dataset, which represents complex forgery scenarios, underpins the effectiveness of our framework. In a 10‐shot scenario, the AACNN backbone achieved an impressive accuracy of 98.2%, alongside a sensitivity of 96.3%, specificity of 97.6%, and an F1‐score of 96.8%. These results represent a significant advancement in the accuracy and reliability of sophisticated video forgery detection.
A Case of Very Early Lead Fracture in an Implantable Cardioverter‐Defibrillator: Management and Follow‐Up
Authors: Shawki Marwan , Mirzaee Sam , McCormack Cameron , Wynn Gareth J. , Lim Han S.
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) lead fractures are rare but serious complications, often leading to inappropriate shocks. The early occurrence of such fractures post‐implantation is exceptionally uncommon.

Methods and Results

We present a case of a 53‐year‐old male with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who experienced an inappropriate shock due to a lead fracture just 4 days after ICD implantation. The fractured lead was successfully extracted and replaced using a gooseneck snare passed through an oversized TightRail with no immediate complications.

Conclusion

Early lead fractures can occur shortly after ICD implantation, leading to inappropriate shocks. Successful management, including extraction and reimplantation, is possible even in these early cases. Clinicians should remain vigilant, and remote monitoring can play a crucial role in the timely detection of such complications.
Bioturbators as ecosystem engineers in space and time
Authors: Mángano M. Gabriela , Buatois Luis A. , Minter Nicholas J. , Gougeon Romain
Published: November 2024

Biogenic sedimentary structures offer a unique perspective for understanding the role of the biosphere in the interaction with other Earth subsystems and the building up of our planet. The record of their ancient equivalents provides a wealth of information for reconstructing the role of bioturbators as ecosystem engineers using multiple ichnological proxies and methods. In this study, we present an overview of how bioturbation has worked across a broad range of spatial and temporal scales from the perspective of ecosystem engineering. Comprehensive and systematic datasets allow analyses at regional and global spatial extents, and especially over long temporal scales where sampling intensity and rock record biases can be considered. Our results underscore the significance of the Cambrian Explosion in the establishment of modern‐style shallow marine ecosystems and of the Ordovician Radiation for their deep marine counterparts, as well as the continuous ecosystem impact of bioturbation during Palaeozoic terrestrialization. Comparable datasets for the rest of the Phanerozoic have not yet been compiled. However, preliminary information indicates that colonization of ultra‐deep tiers, the rise to prominence of regenerators, increased burrowing efficiency, and increased compartmentalization of the endobenthic ecospace, were products of the Mesozoic Marine Revolution. The trace‐fossil record offers hard data to evaluate bioturbation as a driving force in ecosystem re‐structuring and as a key factor in geobiological cycles. Models assessing these fundamental issues should be rooted empirically at different scales, from both autoecological and synecological to macroecological, making the best possible use of the rich and rapidly developing ichnological toolbox.
Same‐race bias in romantic attraction among young adults: Daters' race, gender, and racial ideologies
Authors: Brooks James E. , Hawkins Chandler K. , White Dionne A.
Published: November 2024

Race and attraction studies are gaining popularity as conceptual frameworks explore the associations between racism, color blindness, race, and attraction. This study investigates the association between race and attraction by examining the connection between racial ideologies and bias. Same‐race bias in attraction is well documented in existing literature. This study explores whether the strength of same‐race bias is associated with color‐blind racial ideology, multiculturalism, and racial group membership. A sample of 374 Black and White young adults rated the attractiveness of six dating profiles. The results indicated that some associations between same‐race attraction and racial ideologies are moderated by participant race. Among White participants, greater color‐blind racial ideology was associated with stronger attraction to same‐race targets. By contrast, among Black participants, an opposite trend existed as greater color‐blind racial ideology was associated with a decrease in same‐race bias. Additionally, multiculturalism was associated with a decrease in same‐race bias among White participants. Further findings indicate that Black women and White men reported lower attraction to other‐race targets than Black men and White women. This study offers new insights into understanding racial bias in romantic attraction.
Bright and long‐lasting aqueous peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence in cellulose microspheres
Authors: Cabello Maidileyvis C. , Bastos Erick L. , El Seoud Omar A. A. , Baader Wilhelm J.
Published: November 2024

Water decreases the brightness of the peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence partially due to the hydrolysis of the oxalate reagent. Here, we show that encapsulation of an oxalate ester and the fluorescent activator in microspheres of cellulose esters increases the emission intensity 30 times compared to the same reaction in water without encapsulation, whereas the emission intensity decay rate constants are considerably lower. Emission intensities, rate constants and chemiluminescence quantum yields increase with increasing hydrogen peroxide concentrations. These results expand the potential of application of chemiluminescence, contributing for the development of ultrasensitive analytical methods.
The impact of nickel on plant growth and oxidative balance
Authors: Kováčik Jozef , Vydra Marek
Published: November 2024

This review summarizes the impact of nickel (Ni) in hydroponics on the growth, basic biochemical parameters and oxidative balance in angiosperms using data from 66 papers (and 181 treatments). Generally, changes in biomass, pigments (chlorophylls and carotenoids) and proteins were negative when comparing concentration (≤100 and >100 μM) and time (≤14 and >14 days). However, we could deduce a higher tolerance to Ni excess in dicots than in monocots. Growth and basic metabolites were often significantly positively correlated. In contrast to proteins, amino acids were positively affected by Ni, indicating proline accumulation and/or protein catabolism. The increase in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content was stimulated by time and Ni concentration, and it is higher in dicots and usually negatively correlated with basic metabolites. An increase in Ni concentration stimulates the increase of thiols, but a longer exposure has a neutral or negative effect. On the contrary, the amount of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is positively influenced by the dose of Ni in roots and the duration of excess Ni in shoots, which points to dynamic changes of this antioxidant in individual organs. Soluble phenols were not as affected, but their importance appears especially in shoots during long‐term exposure to Ni with a simultaneous increase in H2O2 content, confirming their antioxidative role. We emphasize that due to the significant quantitative variability in the published studies, we analyze the presented parameters as a percentage change.
Enhanced neural sensitivity to brief changes of happy over angry facial expressions in preschoolers: A fast periodic visual stimulation study
Authors: Naumann Sandra , Bayer Mareike , Dziobek Isabel
Published: November 2024

Across childhood, emotion perception from facial expressions has traditionally been studied with event‐related potentials (ERP). Here, we explored the novel fast periodic visual stimulation (FPVS) electroencephalography (EEG) approach to provide information about how brief changes in facial expressions are processed implicitly in young children's brains. Utilizing two FPVS tasks for the first time in preschoolers, we examined brain responses to (1) the discrimination of brief changes in facial expressions at maximum intensity and (2) thresholds for discrimination of gradual increasing facial expression intensities. Within a stream of neutral faces at 6 Hz, happy and angry faces were embedded with a frequency of 1.2 Hz. Additionally, children performed an emotion recognition task (ERT). Data were collected in the context of a training study for socio‐emotional competencies with typically developing children (N = 74; 5.1[0.9] years; 34 females). FPVS data were collected post‐training, where training was included as a controlling factor. Across FPVS tasks, we detected robust expression change responses, particularly with larger responses for happy versus angry faces in the maximum intensity task. ERT results paralleled neural findings with faster reaction times and higher accuracy rates for happy versus angry faces. For gradual increases in emotional intensity, we found linear increases in responses across emotions. The majority of the sample showed a significant expression change at 60% intensity. With its implicit nature, short duration, and robustness of individual responses, our results highlight the potential of FPVS in comparison to classical ERP methods to study neural mechanisms of emotion perception in preschool samples.
Does it matter how we measure conspiracy beliefs? A test of three measurement approaches
Authors: Snagovsky Feodor , Stockemer Daniel
Published: November 2024

Objectives

In this article, we examine the extent to which respondents’ support for conspiratorial claims depends on question format. Measuring conspiracy theory beliefs in the general population is challenging, and properly capturing these beliefs is necessary if we are to understand them.

Methods

We conducted a preregistered vignette experiment of Canadian respondents (N = 3,518) in February 2024. In our experiment, we introduced survey respondents to conspiratorial claims in one of three ways: (1) by asking them whether they support a conspiratorial claim directly through a Likert scale with the response set from very likely to not likely at all, (2) by offering respondents a binary choice between a conspiratorial claim and an alternative claim, and (3) by offering respondents a trichotomous choice between a conspiratorial claim, an alternative claim, and an equally likely option.

Results

We find the trichotomous format produces the most conservative estimates of conspiracy endorsement, while the Likert format produces the most permissive estimates. In some cases, the percentage of respondents who endorsed conspiracy theories in the Likert questions was more than three times as high as in the trichotomous format, and in many cases was around twice as large.

Conclusion

Different question formats lead to substantially different estimates of conspiracy beliefs. While we believe that it is impossible to create completely bias‐free questions measuring conspiracy belief, researchers must acknowledge the likely biases (in particular, social desirability bias and acquiescence bias) that may be present in their survey designs.
Exploiting time in Green Visions for Thailand: How Green Finance Leverages Past Infrastructure for Future Returns
Authors: Dal Maso Giulia
Published: November 2024

The climate crisis calls for a reassessment of infrastructure's role in the energy transition. This urgency has catalysed an expanding green finance paradigm, which is reshaping the roles of states and private actors through the creation of green infrastructural projects. This article examines Thailand's northeast province, an emerging renewable energy hub, to explore how Cold War‐era geopolitical and military infrastructures are being repurposed as green assets. These upgrades, both technological and financial, align with reframing their historical political roles. The study reveals how infrastructure transformation involves shifts in the actors and mechanisms of financing. Once converted into green assets, these infrastructures serve as eco‐temporal fix, allowing the military junta to address political instability while promoting a green future. The article ultimately shows how speculative processes in transforming infrastructure enable financial capital accumulation and reinforce political legitimacy.
Regulation of lignin biosynthesis by GhCAD37 affects fiber quality and anther vitality in upland cotton
Authors: Li Haipeng , Guo Jinggong , Li Kun , Gao Yuwen , Li Hang , Long Lu , Chu Zongyan , Du Yubei , Zhao Xulong , Zhao Bing , Lan Chen , Botella José Ramón , Zhang Xuebin , Jia Kun‐Peng , Miao Yuchen
Published: November 2024

Cotton stands as a pillar in the textile industry due to its superior natural fibers. Lignin, a complex polymer synthesized from phenylalanine and deposited in mature cotton fibers, is believed to be essential for fiber quality, although the precise effects remain largely unclear. In this study, we characterized two ubiquitously expressed cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenases (CAD), GhCAD37A and GhCAD37D (GhCAD37A/D), in Gossypium hirsutum. GhCAD37A/D possess CAD enzymatic activities, to catalyze the generation of monolignol products during lignin biosynthesis. Analysis of transgenic cotton knockout and overexpressing plants revealed that GhCAD37A/D are important regulators of fiber quality, positively impacting breaking strength but negatively affecting fiber length and elongation percentage by modulating lignin biosynthesis in fiber cells. Moreover, GhCAD37A/D are shown to modulate anther vitality and affect stem lodging trait in cotton by influencing lignin biosynthesis in the vascular bundles of anther and stem, respectively. Additionally, our study revealed that Ghcad37A/D knockout plants displayed red stem xylem, likely due to the overaccumulation of aldehyde intermediates in the phenylpropanoid metabolism pathway, as indicated by metabolomics analysis. Thus, our work illustrates that GhCAD37A/D are two important enzymes of lignin biosynthesis in different cotton organs, influencing fiber quality, anther vitality, and stem lodging.