bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling‐Facilitated Field Survey Discovers of a New Population of the Annamite Striped Rabbit in Kon Tum Province, Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Anh Tuan , Le Minh
Published: December 2024

The Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi) is an Endangered lagomorph endemic to the Annamite Mountain Range in Vietnam and Laos, with much unknown about its distribution range. In this study, we used previously known records of the Annamite striped rabbit to construct distribution models using Maxent, a modeling approach that has been proven to be robust in identifying potential areas of undiscovered populations of targeted species. Using the optimal model results as a guideline to select the field site, we conducted a systematic camera trap survey in Dak Long Protection Forest, Kon Tum Province, Vietnam. We recorded the species in five events at two locations of the study site, and to the best of our knowledge this finding represents a new population of the rabbit in this region. Our discovery significantly expands the known range of the striped rabbit, and we discuss the implications of this finding for N. timminsi conservation. We also suggest several protected areas in the South of our discovery site that, according to our optimal model results, may harbor unknown populations of the Annamite striped rabbit, and hence they should be prioritized for future field surveys. Our finding also highlights the importance of modeling tools in biodiversity surveys, especially for elusive and poorly studied species.
The Most Attractive Is Not Always the Preferred: Lessons From Necrophagous Dung Beetle Assemblages in a Region of the Central Amazon
Authors: Costa Mirella Lima , Salomão Renato Portela , Rodrigues Alencar Janderson Batista , de Albuquerque Correa César Murilo , Iannuzzi Luciana
Published: December 2024

Resource attractiveness and preference is determinant to assess how biodiversity is structured in different ecosystems. Necrophagy is the alternative or complementary dietary habit of dung beetles, but a few studies have focused on evaluating how different carrion types attract different species. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of carrion type on attractiveness and preference of dung beetle taxonomic diversity in a region of Central Amazon. Pitfall traps baited with bovine spleen, chicken liver, and fish (freshwater sardine) were installed. Bait attractiveness was estimated through a sampling design that kept exclusively one food type in the field, while bait preference comprised a sampling design with more than one food type offered simultaneously in a concentrated area. We collected 3151 individuals from 24 dung beetle species. Bovine spleen was the most attractive bait in both food preference and food attractiveness experiments, being the only carrion type in which species demonstrated preference. Each carrion type attracted distinct dung beetle assemblages. This study demonstrates that Amazonian dung beetles prefer specific carrion types, which serves as a basis for future studies related to dung beetle diet.
Metabolomic and morphological trait diversity display contrasting patterns in temperate forest tree communities
Authors: Henn Jonathan J. , Sedio Brian E. , Catano Christopher P. , Dewald‐Wang Emily , Vela Díaz Dilys , Lutz James A. , McMahon Sean M. , Parker Geoffrey , Myers Jonathan A. , Spasojevic Marko J.
Published: December 2024

Studies of community assembly often explore the role of niche selection in limiting the diversity of functional traits (underdispersion) or increasing the diversity of functional traits (overdispersion) within local communities. While these patterns have primarily been explored with morphological functional traits related to environmental tolerances and resource acquisition, plant metabolomics may provide an additional functional dimension of community assembly to expand our understanding of how niche selection changes along environmental gradients. Here, we examine how the functional diversity of leaf secondary metabolites and traditional morphological plant traits changes along local environmental gradients in three temperate forest ecosystems across North America. Specifically, we asked whether co‐occurring tree species exhibit local‐scale over‐ or underdispersion of metabolomic and morphological traits, and whether differences in trait dispersion among local communities are associated with environmental gradients of soil resources and topography. Across tree species, we find that most metabolomic traits are not correlated with morphological traits, adding a unique dimension to functional trait space. Within forest plots, metabolomic traits tended to be overdispersed while morphological traits tended to be underdispersed. Additionally, local environmental gradients had site‐specific effects on metabolomic and morphological trait dispersion patterns. Taken together, these results show that different suites of traits can result in contrasting patterns of functional diversity along environmental gradients and suggest that multiple community assembly mechanisms operate simultaneously to structure functional diversity in temperate forest ecosystems.
Ubiquitin‐Conjugating Enzyme Ubc13 in Macrophages Suppresses Lung Tumor Progression Through Inhibiting PD‐L1 Expression
Authors: Sun Siying , Ni Jun , Liu Jiamin , Tan Juofang , Jin Runsen , Li Hecheng , Wu Xuefeng
Published: December 2024

Tumor cell‐intrinsic ubiquitin‐conjugating enzyme Ubc13 promotes tumorigenesis, yet how Ubc13 in immune cell compartments regulates tumor progression remains elusive. Here, we show that myeloid‐specific deletion of Ubc13 (Ubc13fl/flLyz2Cre) leads to accelerated transplanted lung tumor growth in mice. Compared with their littermate controls, tumor‐bearing Ubc13fl/flLyz2Cre mice had lower proliferation and effector function of CD8+ T lymphocytes, accompanied by increased infiltration of myeloid‐derived suppressor cells within the tumor microenvironment. Mechanistically, Ubc13 deficiency leads to upregulation of Arg1 and PD‐L1, the latter is modulated by reduced Ubc13‐mediated K63‐linked polyubiquitination and increasing activation of Akt, thereby inducing skewness to protumoral polarization and immunosuppressive manifestation. Taken together, we reveal that macrophage‐intrinsic Ubc13 restrains lung tumor progression, indicating that activating Ubc13 in macrophages could be an effective immunotherapeutic regimen for lung cancer.
Organosilylated Cage Germoxanes Encapsulating Fluoride Ions for Creating Functional Nanomaterials
Authors: Hayashi Taiki , Kuroda Kazuyuki , Shimojima Atsushi
Published: December 2024

Recent advances in the design and synthesis of functionalized cage germoxanes that encapsulate fluoride ions to create various nanomaterials are presented. Organosilylation of the Ge−OH groups at the vertices of the cage is a versatile method for conferring solubility in organic solvents and chemical reactivity for grafting and cross‐linking. Organosilylated cage germoxanes can be used to prepare nanoporous solids with tunable pore characteristics, self‐healing silicone‐based elastomers, and a new class of inorganic‐organic hybrid ionic liquids. The unique properties of these nanomaterials arising from the Ge−O−Ge framework, fluoride anions encapsulated within the framework, counter cations outside the framework, and organosilyl groups at the vertices of the cage are described.
Recent Advances in Chalcogenation of α‐Amino Acids/Peptides: Synthetic and Mechanistic Aspects
Authors: Bag Raghunath , Kar Malobika , Sharma Nagendra K.
Published: December 2024

Natural α‐amino acids are building blocks of biomacromolecules proteins and peptides, which are essential for living organisms. Recently, structurally modified amino acids and their peptides have received high demand for the development of various types of biomaterials, including therapeutic drug candidates. For example, the chalcogenated amino acids and their peptides serve as privileged structural scaffolds, derived from native amino acids. Given the widespread utility of sulfur/selenium‐containing compounds in biological, pharmaceutical, and medicinal chemistry, efficient chalcogenation protocol has been accomplished through various catalytic methods such as transition‐metal, metal‐free, and photocatalytic strategies. Among them, transition‐metal based strategies through C−H activation have been extensively explored for the chalcogenation of amino acids and peptides. Concurrently, metal‐free and photocatalytic strategies offer sustainable and step‐economically viable pathways for achieving successful chalcogenation. In this review, we have focused on the recent achievements of both C(sp2)−H and C(sp3)−H chalcogenation of α‐amino acids and peptides with chalcogenides along with their substrate scopes, mechanisms, advantages, and limitations.
Trimethylsilyl Polyphosphate Promoted Efficient Synthesis of 4(3H)‐Quinazolinones from Methyl Anthranilate
Authors: Gruber Nadia , Burin Emiliano E. , Kilimciler Natalia B. , Cambiaso Mariana L. , Orelli Liliana R. , Díaz Jimena E.
Published: December 2024

A trimethylsilyl polyphosphate (PPSE) promoted synthesis of 4(3H)‐quinazolinones, a heterocycle with wide biological potential, from methyl anthranilate and secondary amides is described. The procedure is general, involves very easily available starting materials, shows functional group tolerance and leads to good to excellent yields. The method proved to be suitable for scaling‐up. A one‐pot approach was also explored. This step‐economic modification reduces the time, waste and environmental impact of the synthesis and leads to satisfactory global yields that include 2 or 3 single steps. Finally, a possible reaction mechanism that involves a nitrilium cation intermediate is proposed.
An Efficient Synthetic Methodology for the Preparation of Glycosyl β‐diketones
Authors: Barri Ivan A. , Le Pors Macarena S. , Colinas Pedro A.
Published: December 2024

In this study, we present a synthetic methodology for preparing glycosyl β‐diketones from the corresponding allyl ethers. The process involves three steps: nitrile oxide cycloadditions, reduction of the glycosyl isoxazolines, and oxidation of β‐hydroxyketones. This route is suitable for acid‐ and base‐sensitive protecting groups, and the reactions were conducted with retention of the anomeric configuration. The resulting glycosyl β‐diketones were then utilized in the synthesis of the corresponding pyrazoles.
Friendship With Immigrants and Inclusive Policies Correspond to More Positive Perceptions of Immigrants: A Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis Across North America and Europe
Authors: Kende Judit , Feher Luca , Tropp Linda R. , Green Eva G. T. , Jacobs Dirk , Klein Olivier
Published: December 2024

Relational and societal exclusion of immigrants in Western countries fuels negative perceptions of immigrants among non‐migrants. We investigated how relational and societal inclusion in the form of friendship and immigrant integration policies jointly relate to perceptions of immigrants. We conducted a longitudinal multilevel analysis drawing on probability samples of non‐migrants from the Transatlantic Trends Survey (N = 27,513) in nine North American and European countries over 5 years. Extending prior scholarship, we provide longitudinal evidence that more inclusive immigrant integration policies correspond to greater numbers of immigrant friends. Greater friendships with immigrants, in turn, corresponded to more positive perceptions of immigrants. Furthermore, we found that exclusive policies predict negative perceptions of immigrants but only among non‐migrants who have few immigrant friends. Instead, when non‐migrants report more immigrant friends, their perceptions of immigrants are positive regardless of policies. Thus, societal inclusion is related to stronger relational inclusion, but once intergroup friendships are established, societal exclusion is less consequential.
Study on the Full‐Cycle Stress Evolution Law and Reasonable Size of Isolated Coal Pillar
Authors: Wei Xiao‐Xiang , Yun Qing‐Long , Wu Jing , Wang Xiao‐He , Wang Yin‐Wei
Published: December 2024

To study the stress distribution law under different mining times and spaces of the protected coal pillar in the isolated working face, this paper takes a coal mine in Shanxi as the engineering background and adopts numerical simulation and theoretical analysis to obtain the stress distribution law of protecting coal pillar in the isolated working face during the tunneling period and the mining period of the working face, and proves the reasonable size of protecting coal pillar. The results show that the vertical stress and maximum principal stress increase correspondingly with the decrease of the protective coal pillar size under both stages, and the minimum value of the minimum principal stress occurs on the 8 m protective coal pillar; The values of the principal stress ratio and the principal stress deflection angle do not differ greatly in the protection of the coal pillar, and the fluctuation of the values is mainly concentrated in the vicinity of the back‐mining roadway; The second invariant of bias stress (J2) is mainly concentrated in the protective coal pillar near the side of the extraction zone, when the size of the protective coal pillar is reduced to 10 m, the J2 on the side of the extraction zone and the J2 on the side of the roadway are connected, and the whole protective coal pillar is under the influence of J2, which is basically the same as the damage pattern of the plastic zone; Based on the formula of limit balance theory to calculate the elastic core width of different sizes of protective coal pillars, and combined with the results of numerical simulation analysis, it finally concluded that the reasonable size of the protective coal pillar of this isolated island working face is 15 m.
Study on Hydraulic Fracture Propagation of Strong Heterogeneous Shale Based on Stress‐Seepage Damage Coupling Model
Authors: Liu Wei , Xiao Lei , Ke Yunbin , Zhi Yang , Dong Kangxing
Published: December 2024

The developed laminar structure of shale makes it possess obvious anisotropic characteristics, and these anisotropic characteristics are one of the important factors leading to the strong and weak heterogeneous properties of shale. Additionally, there is a common phenomenon where the propagation of hydraulic fracture heights is limited in the hydraulic fracturing process of strongly heterogeneous shale reservoirs. To clarify the reasons for the limited height propagation of hydraulic fractures in strongly heterogeneous shale reservoirs, numerical simulation methods were used to study the propagation patterns of hydraulic fractures in shale reservoirs under different levels of anisotropy, flow rate, viscosity, and stress differences. The results show that as the anisotropy value increases and the heterogeneity becomes stronger, it becomes more difficult for hydraulic fractures to expand along the fracture height direction, and the fracture width at the fracture opening becomes larger. For strongly heterogeneous shale reservoir, the hydraulic fracture height can be increased within a certain range by increasing the flow rate, viscosity, and stress difference. When the upper limit value is exceeded, the hydraulic fracture height of the strong heterogeneous shale reservoir gradually becomes stable, and the increasing trend is no longer obvious. The strong or weak heterogeneity caused by the inherent anisotropic characteristics of shale reservoirs affects the development and transformation effectiveness of shale reservoirs. The research in this article will provide some reference material and guidance for the efficient development of shale reservoirs.
Integrated Modeling and Optimal Operation Strategy of Building Cooling System Combining the Standardized Thermal Resistance and Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Tian Liang , Lai Bohong , Yang Tianzhen , Wang Xingce , Hao Junhong , Liu Kaicheng
Published: December 2024

Integrated modeling and operation optimization of building energy systems is significant for improving the energy utilization efficiency and reducing carbon emission. This paper introduces the standardized thermal resistance to construct an overall heat current model of the building cooling system with coupled heat transfer, mass transfer, and energy conversion processes. Based on the heat current model, we derive the holistic thermal energy transfer and conversion constraints on the system level and reduce the intermediate parameters of the system model. Moreover, the genetic algorithm is introduced to optimize the system operation conditions under the given system structure parameters. The optimization results provide the optimal mass flow distribution of cooling water, return water, and ambient air and meanwhile show that the compressor power consumption can reach 76.5% of the total system power consumption. The change of user behavior by raising the room temperature to 4°C can reduce the total system power consumption by 20%. The results are in line with the theoretical reality and prove the feasibility and effectiveness of the method proposed in this paper, which provides a practical reference for the energy‐saving operation of the building cooling system.
Comprehensive Study of PAN‐NaBF4 Solid Polymer Electrolytes: Insights Into Optical, Structural, Thermal, Electrical, and Electrochemical Properties for Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Venkanna Mekala , Singh Pramod K. , Rasheed Hussein K. H. , Kareem Aseel A. , Song Shufeng , Savilov Serguei V. , Polu Anji Reddy
Published: December 2024

This research explores the use of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) as a conductive medium for sodium ions in sodium‐ion batteries, presenting a possible alternative to traditional lithium‐ion battery technology. The researchers prepare SPEs with varying molecular weight ratios of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and sodium tetrafluoroborate (NaBF4) using a solution casting method with dimethyl formamide as the solvent. Through optical absorbance measurements, we identified the PAN:NaBF4 (80:20) SPE composition as having the lowest energy band gap value (4.48 eV). This composition also exhibits high thermal stability based on thermogravimetric analysis results. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveals an ionic conductivity of 1.02 × 10−4 S cm−1 for the PAN:NaBF4 (80:20) blend at ambient temperature. Additionally, linear sweep voltammetry demonstrates its good electrochemical stability up to 3.22 V. We assemble a primary sodium‐ion battery using the optimal SPE composition (Na/(PAN + NaBF4)/(I2 + C + electrolyte)). This battery achieves an open‐circuit voltage of 2.83 V and displays promising discharge performance.
FL‐IDPP: A Federated Learning Based Intrusion Detection Approach With Privacy Preservation
Authors: Mazid Abdul , Kirmani Sheeraz , Manaullah  , Yadav Mohit
Published: December 2024

The growing adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) devices has led to a rising concern about the security of these networks. This paper proposes a proactive intrusion recognition method, FL‐IDPP, ensuring privacy preservation for IoT networks using federated learning (FL). The proposed approach employs bidirectional recurrent neural network (RNN) models to detect anomalies and identify potential intrusions. The proposed approach ensures data privacy and efficiency in the network by storing data locally on the IoT devices and only sharing the learned model weights with the central server for FL. A high accuracy of the global machine learning (ML) model is attained by incorporating a voting ensemble process for combining updates from multiple sources. The experimental results strongly advocate for the effectiveness of the proposed approach in recognizing potential intrusions in IoT networks with enhanced accuracy and data privacy.
Participation of Civil Society in Security and Defense Foresight Exercises
Authors: Vicente‐Oliva Silvia
Published: December 2024

In democratic countries, citizens are informed about economic policies, health systems, and public education, as well as the policy actions addressing these areas. However, the public often only notices security and defense policies when they are lacking. Security and defense foresight exercises are typically seen as the domain of military personnel, technology experts, and politicians, due to their experience with strategic assets and classified information. Although citizens are represented by elected politicians, security and defense issues frequently remain in the political background, overshadowed by more immediate concerns like energy availability and pricing. To increase meaningful citizen participation in security and defense issues, a well‐informed citizenry is essential. This requires knowledge of threats, civil rights, technological developments, and international affairs. The multidisciplinary nature of these topics makes selecting suitable participants for foresight exercises complex. While informed citizens can contribute to discussions on future developments and threats, such as artificial intelligence, fake news, and electoral processes, the question remains: how can citizens participate in security and defense foresight exercises? This study, based on the Spanish case, reveals that experts agree on the need for greater citizen participation in defense and security politics. However, they did not offer specific ideas or suggestions for achieving this. Consequently, a review of participatory foresight instruments was conducted, resulting in a proposed workflow for future exercises and recommendations for practice.
Novel Natural Candidates for Replacing Synthetic Additives in Nutraceutical and Pharmaceutical Areas: Two Senna Species (S. alata (L.) Roxb. and S. occidentalis (L.) Link)
Authors: Yagi Sakina , Cetiz Mehmet Veysi , Zengin Gokhan , Bakar Kassim , Himidi Azali Ahamada , Mohamed Andilyat , Skorić Marijana , Glamočlija Jasmina , Gašić Uroš
Published: December 2024

Senna alata (L.) Roxb. and Senna occidentalis (L.) Link (family Fabaceae) are commonly used in different systems of traditional medicine to treat ailments. The present study was designed to determine the phytoconstituents, antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and antimicrobial activities of the methanolic extract from the leaves of these two Senna species. A total of 75 phenolic compounds belonging to dihydroxybenzoic acids, dihydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoid C‐glycosides, flavonoid O‐glycosides, flavonoid aglycones, anthraquinone glycosides, and anthraquinone aglycones were identified. Flavonoid C‐glycosides were only found in S. occidentalis while sennosides A, B, and C were only detected in S. alata. In line with its higher total phenolic and flavonoids contents, S. alata exerted significantly (p < 0.05) higher antiradical (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazy (DPPH) = 58.36 mg trolox equivalent (TE)/g; 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid (ABTS) = 118.86 mg TE/g), ions reducing (cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) = 93.85 mg TE/g; ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) = 50.42 mg TE/g), and total antioxidant (1.39 mmol TE/g) activities than S. occidentalis. S. alata revealed significantly (p < 0.05) higher inhibitory effect against butyrylcholinesterase (1.67 mg galantamine equivalent (GALAE)/g), tyrosinase (45.07 mg KAE/g) 45.07 mg kojic acid equivalent (KAE)/g), α‐glucosidase (0.73 mmol acarbose equivalent (ACAE)/g), and α‐amylase (2.95 mmol ACAE/g) enzymes. Both species showed high antibacterial and antifungal activities with remarkable antifungal activity exerted by S. alata against Trichoderma viride (minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) 1 mg/mL), similar to that of Ketoconazole. The study utilized molecular docking, molecular mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA) free energy calculations, and molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate the binding interactions between anthraquinone glycosides and various bacterial enzymes, including targets from Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The findings suggest that compounds like sennoside A, sennoside B, and chrysophanol exhibit strong binding affinities, stable interactions, and potential as antimicrobial inhibitors, especially against vital bacterial proteins such as MurE and 30S ribosome S3. In conclusion, our findings underscore the biopharmaceutical potential of these two Senna species, suggesting their significance as sources of bioactive agents for health‐related applications.
Comparative Investigation of the Nutritional Profiling and Antipyretic Activity of Moringa oleifera Leaves, Bark, and Root From Different Sites of Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Jamil Shaista , Turabi Tanveer Hussain , Ahmad Saeed , Riaz Muhammad , Wariss Hafiz Muhammad , Akter Quzi Sharmin
Published: December 2024

The utilization of various Moringa oleifera plant sections as a medicinal and nutritional source for humans and animals has been the subject of significant research in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the nutritional profiling through proximate analysis and the antipyretic activity of M. oleifera leaves, bark, and root in methanolic extract from different sites of Punjab, Pakistan. Methanolic extract of leaves, bark, and root from sites i to e of Southern Punjab, Central Punjab, and Northwest Punjab as S1, S2, and S3, respectively, at doses of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg bw showed statistically significant results as compared to the positive and negative controls. The S1 leaves showed marvelous proximate compositions and antipyretic activity as a result of significantly lowering temperature as compared to the other methanolic leaves, bark, and root extracts of M. oleifera plant sample collected from other sites. The antipyretic activity of M. oleifera leaves, bark, and root was investigated using the standard reference drug paracetamol (200 mg/kg). The antipyretic activity was evaluated using baker's yeast‐induced pyrexia. Obtained data were analyzed using one‐way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test and p < 0.05 was considered significant. The study showed that the methanolic extract of M. oleifera leaves possesses highest antipyretic activities as compared to bark and root which justifies its use as nutritional and traditional medicine in the treatment of fever.
Efficacy and Oncologic Outcomes of Thermal Ablation Techniques in the Treatment of Primary Low‐Risk Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Network Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Nguyen Van Cuong , Park Jeong Seon , Song Chang Myeon , Ji Yong Bae , Jeong Jin Hyeok , Tae Kyung
Published: December 2024

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and oncologic outcomes of thermal ablation techniques, including radiofrequency, laser, and microwave ablation, in treating primary thyroid cancer compared with surgical resection.

Method

We conducted a systematic review and network meta‐analysis, which included 21 comparative studies and 40 noncomparative studies.

Results

The three thermal ablation techniques showed significant superiority over surgical resection in terms of operative time, pain, cost, quality of life, and complications. Three years after the procedure, the tumor volume reduction and complete disappearance rates for the three thermal ablation techniques were similar, at approximately 99% and 93%–95%, respectively. The recurrence rate remained comparable (approximately 2%–3%) among the three thermal ablation techniques and surgical resection during a follow‐up period exceeding 3 years.

Conclusions

The safety, efficacy, and oncologic outcomes of thermal ablation techniques may be acceptable and comparable to surgical resection for selected cases of primary thyroid cancer.
Abnormal Astrocyte Heterogeneity in the Dentate Gyrus of Rats Prone to Audiogenic Seizures Can Be Corrected by the Nootropic Drug Piracetam
Authors: Grigorieva Yulia S. , Naumova Alexandra A. , Nikolaeva Svetlana D. , Ivlev Andrey P. , Chernigovskaya Elena V. , Glazova Margarita V.
Published: December 2024

Accumulating evidence indicates that inherited astrocyte dysfunction can be a primary trigger for epilepsy development; however, the available data are rather limited. In addition, astrocytes are considered as a perspective target for the design of novel and improvement of the existing antiepileptic therapy. Piracetam and related nootropic drugs are widely used in the therapy of various epileptic disorders, but detailed mechanisms of racetams action and, in particular, their effects on glial functions are poorly understood. In this study, we explored the functional state of astrocytes in the dentate gyrus (DG) of Krushinsky–Molodkina (KM) rats genetically prone to audiogenic seizures and compared the action of piracetam on the DG astrocytes in KM and normal Wistar rats. Wistar and naïve KM rats which received injections of saline (control) or piracetam (100 mg/kg) for 21 days were recruited in our studies. Comparative analysis of control Wistar and KM rats revealed genetically determined abnormalities in DG astrocytes of KM rats including an increased expression of NFIA but a decreased GFAP, ALDH1L1, EAATs, and glutamine synthetase (GS). Piracetam treatment normalized the expression of all studied markers, except NFIA, in KM rats, while in Wistar rats, it potentiated only GS and NFIA. The results suggested that the nootropic and antiepileptic effects of piracetam may be, at least partially, mediated by the modulation of astroglia functions. In addition, analysis of NFIA and GS colocalization revealed the novel pattern of astrocyte heterogeneity in the DG which was significantly altered in epileptic rats but corrected by piracetam.
NMR Investigation of Lanthanoid (III) Complexes of bbppn (H2bbppn: N,N’‐bis(2‐hydroxybenzyl)‐N,N’‐bis(2‐methylpyridyl)propylene‐1,2‐diamine)
Authors: Matt Annika , Prescimone Alessandro , Häussinger Daniel
Published: December 2024

Pseudocontact shift NMR spectroscopy is a powerful tool in integrative structural biology. Conformationally rigid, enantiopure chelators with extremely high affinity to lanthanoids play a crucial role for this technique. In this context, we have synthesized enantiopure complexes of Y, Eu, Dy, Tm and Lu of (S)‐H2bbppn (H2bbppn: N,N’‐bis(2‐hydroxybenzyl)‐N,N’‐bis(2‐methylpyridyl)propylene‐1,2‐diamine) and investigated their NMR properties. Strongly paramagnetic 1H‐NMR spectra showing extremely large chemical shift ranges were obtained for Dy (2280 ppm), Tm (380 ppm) and Eu (68 ppm) and the anisotropy of the magnetic susceptibility was determined in all cases. The axial components of the susceptibility tensors for the (S)‐bbppn complexes were determined as 225, −32 and 6×10−32 m3 for Dy, Tm and Eu. For (S)‐[Y(bbppn)Cl], a single crystal structure was obtained providing atom coordinates for the isostructural series of lanthanoid compounds. It was demonstrated that in all cases rigid, enantiopure lanthanoid complexes were formed, providing an attractive new scaffold for potential conjugatable lanthanoid chelating tags.
Human disease‐causing missense genetic variants are enriched in the evolutionarily ancient domains of the cytosolic aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetase proteins
Authors: Turvey Alexandra K. , Cavalcanti André R. O.
Published: December 2024

All life depends on accurate and efficient protein synthesis. The aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are a family of proteins that play an essential role in protein translation, as they catalyze the esterification reaction that charges a transfer RNA (tRNA) with its cognate amino acid. However, new domains added to the aaRSs over the course of evolution in eukaryotes confer novel functions unrelated to protein translation. To date, damaging variants that affect aaRS‐encoding genes have been linked to over 50 human diseases. In this study, we leverage the evolutionary history of the aaRS proteins to better understand the distribution of disease‐causing missense variants in human cytosolic aaRSs. We hypothesized that disease‐causing missense variants in human aaRSs were more likely to be located in the ancient domains of the aaRS, essential for the aminoacylation reaction, rather than in the evolutionarily more recent domains found in eukaryotes. We determined the locations of the modern and ancient domains in each aaRS protein found in humans. We then statistically assessed the positional conservation across each domain and examined the distribution of pathogenic and benign/unknown missense human genetic variants across these domains. We establish that pathogenic missense variants in the human aaRS proteins are enriched in the evolutionarily ancient domains while benign/unknown missense variants are enriched in the modern domains. In addition to defining the evolutionary history of human aaRS proteins through domain identification, we anticipate that this work will improve the ability to diagnose patients affected by damaging genetic variants in the aaRS protein family.
I‐JAMM (II)—Therapeutic Apheresis Practices in Preconditioning of ABO‐Incompatible Kidney and Liver Transplants in India
Authors: Pandey Prashant , Marik Arghyadeep , Tiwari Aseem , Das Sudipta Shekhar , Shastry Shamee , Kute Vivek , Chowdhry Mohit , Kumari Supriya , Setya Divya
Published: December 2024

ABO‐incompatible transplantations are increasingly gaining relevance with advancements in therapeutic modalities, thus allowing patients to receive timely solid organ transplants. Therapeutic apheresis (TA) procedures remain instrumental as a preconditioning measure to enable such transplants. This survey was undertaken to find out current trends and practices of TA across major transplant centers in India. The survey was drafted by a working group of transfusion and transplant immunology specialists from six different centers in India. Data were obtained via the use of an online questionnaire. Results were categorized into eight categories: hospital information, range of titers for preconditioning, considerations prior to starting TA, TA procedure details, role of pharmacotherapy in TA, policy for reuse of columns, risk of rebound, and the role of transfusion medicine specialists. The survey highlighted the modalities as well as the methodologies of various TA procedures used across different major transplant centers in India. With the increase in ABO‐incompatible kidney and liver transplants across the country, the role of transfusion medicine and transplant immunology specialists have become vital in preconditioning regimes enabling the viability and success of such transplants. This was a unique survey that provided us a snapshot of current trends and practices of TA in preconditioning of patients for ABO‐incompatible transplants in India.
Identification and Characterization of the Y‐Organ of Orange Mud Crab Scylla Olivacea
Authors: Achdiat Muhammad , Fujaya Yushinta , Fazhan Hanafiah , Rozaimi Rusydi , Chung J. Sook , Wang Youji , Tan KianAnn , Shu‐Chien Alexander Chong , Maulidiani M. , Waiho Khor
Published: December 2024

The Y‐organs (YOs) synthesize and secrete molting hormones, and thus regulate crustacean growth and reproduction. However, the YOs of the orange mud crab Scylla olivacea is yet to be described due to its minute size and ambiguous feature. This study describes the location, morphological characteristics, histology, and the changes of YOs at different molt stages, and examines in vitro ecdysteroid secreted by the YOs of S. olivacea. Mature male crabs (> 90 mm carapace width, CW) were used to identify the location of the YOs while male juveniles (50–65 mm CW) at three molt stages (intermoult, premoult, postmoult) were dissected for the characterization of 20‐Hydroxyecdysone (20E) levels. The yellowish‐white, compact, and oval‐shaped YOs are located in pairs at the anterior cephalothorax region, beneath the mandibular external adductor muscle, anterior to the branchial chamber space, and around the end of the nerve tract. The YOs index and YO's cell diameter increased from postmoult to premoult; YO's diameter increased only during premoult stage. Under electron microscopy, the YO's surface morphology is rough, bumpy, network‐like, and porous, with several lacunar system tubules. High concentrations of haemolymph 20E during premoult correlated with the changes in the characteristics of YOs at this stage. The presence of ecdysteroid in YOs was confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The characteristics of the YOs of S. olivacea are similar to the YO descriptions of other brachyurans. The successful identification and characterization of YOs will spearhead future research on understanding its role in molt regulation of mud crabs, consequently contributing to the development and progress of crab culture and soft‐shell crab industries.
The safety and feasibility of robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy: A multicenter retrospective assessment of 425 patients in Japan
Authors: Nakamura So , Nakata Kohei , Nagakawa Yuichi , Kozono Shingo , Wakabayashi Go , Wakabayashi Taiga , Uyama Ichiro , Takahara Takeshi , Takeda Yutaka , Ohmura Yoshiaki , Ko Saiho , Nishioka Ayumi , Kiritani Sho , Inoue Yosuke , Adachi Tomohiko , Eguchi Susumu , Morimoto Mamoru , Matsuo Yoichi , Kurahara Hiroshi , Ohtsuka Takao , Nakamura Masafumi
Published: December 2024

Background/Purpose

The Japanese public health insurance system has recently covered robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD). This study aimed to review the results of RPD during the introductory period and elucidate its safety and feasibility in Japan.

Methods

Consecutive data of 425 patients who underwent RPD were retrospectively collected from 10 high‐volume centers in Japan between April 2020 and September 2022. The primary endpoints were the rates of conversion to open surgery and completion of minimally invasive surgery (MIS), defined as the use of a totally robotic operation or combined robotic and laparoscopic procedures. Secondary endpoints were operative time, blood loss, complication rate, and 30‐ and 90‐day mortality rates.

Results

Study comprised 222 males and 203 females, with a median age of 70 (p10–p90; 50–81) years. The conversion to open surgery and completion rates of MIS were 3.8% (16 patients) and 91.1% (387 patients), respectively. The median operative time was 617 min (p10–p90; 456–834 min), and the median volume of blood loss was 160 g (p10–p90; 30–558 g). The complication rate (Clavien‐Dindo classification grade ≥ IIIa) was 20.5%. The 30‐ and 90‐day mortality rates were 0.2% and 0.5%, respectively.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that RPD can be introduced successfully and is a promising approach for pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Emotional intelligence evaluation tools used in allied health students: A scoping review
Authors: Lee Debra , Burrows Tracy , James Daphne , Wilkinson Ross , Surjan Yolanda
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Emotional intelligence (EI) is described as the ability to recognise and understand one's own emotions and the emotions of others, and empathically manage emotional responses. While historically not emphasised in undergraduate allied health sciences training, it is increasingly considered an essential graduate trait. This scoping review synthesises existing research on EI outcomes, specifically in undergraduate allied health professions students.

Method

Four databases were searched in February 2024 using keywords relating to EI and empathy to identify studies published in English from 1990. Eligible studies needed to include assessment and reported outcomes using validated EI tools in health professions students.

Results

A total of 163 papers met the inclusion criteria. Many studies employed a cross‐sectional design (n = 115). Most studies (n = 135) focused on undergraduate students studying medicine (n = 62), nursing (n = 80) and dentistry (n = 13), with some studies (n = 21) evaluating more than one discipline. Many studies investigated one discipline only (n = 64 for nursing, n = 50 for medicine) using no comparator undergraduate degree. The most common EI models evaluated from this review were ability‐based (n = 77), followed by trait‐based models (n = 36) and mixed social–emotional competence (n = 35). Ability model evaluations of EI most commonly utilised the Schutte Self‐Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) (n = 44) and the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) (n = 24).

Conclusion

Research on EI among undergraduate allied health fields is limited. Existing literature reveals there is some consensus on the importance of EI in healthcare education, but there is considerable variability in how EI is measured. Studies suggest higher levels of EI may correlate with improved student professional skill development in clinical reasoning, empathy and stress management.
A Novel Circular Delta‐XBB.1.5 RBD Dimeric Protein Subunit Vaccine Mediated by Split Intein Elicits an Immune Response and Protection Against Multiple SARS‐CoV‐2 Variants in Mice
Authors: Li Kangyin , Wu Yan , Zhang Hongqing , Chen Shaohong , Wu Bihao , Li Tingting , Li Entao , Luo Feiyang , Jin Aishun , Zhang Bo , Zhang Yanan , Gong Rui , Zhang Huajun , Chiu Sandra
Published: December 2024

SARS‐CoV‐2 continues to mutate, leading to breakthrough infections. The development of new vaccine strategies to combat various strains is crucial. Protein cyclization can enhance thermal stability and may improve immunogenicity. Here, we designed a cyclic tandem dimeric receptor‐binding domain protein (cirRBD2) via the split intein Cth‐Ter. Cyclization does not affect the antigen epitopes of RBD but results in better thermal stability than that of its linear counterpart (linRBD2). Compared with the mice immunized with linRBD2, those immunized with two doses of 5 μg of cirRBD2 produced significantly greater levels of broad‐spectrum neutralizing antibodies, and generated a considerable cellular immune response. In the VEEV‐VRP‐hACE2‐transduced mouse model, two doses of 5 μg of cirRBD2 provided protection against infection with BA.5, XBB.1.9, and partial protection against EG.5 which has more mutations. This study developed a novel circular RBD dimer subunit vaccine for SARS‐CoV‐2 that exhibits broad‐spectrum neutralizing activity against various variants. A similar strategy can be applied to develop vaccines for other pathogens, especially for thermally stable vaccines.
Oligodendrocytes in Huntington's Disease: A Review of Oligodendrocyte Pathology and Current Cell Reprogramming Approaches for Oligodendrocyte Modelling of Huntington's Disease
Authors: Back Amelie Marie , Connor Bronwen , McCaughey‐Chapman Amy
Published: December 2024

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder traditionally characterized by the selective loss of medium spiny neurons in the basal ganglia. However, it has become apparent that white matter injury and oligodendrocyte dysfunction precede the degeneration of medium spiny neurons, garnering interest as a key pathogenic mechanism of HD. Oligodendrocytes are glial cells found within the central nervous system involved in the production of myelin and the myelination of axons. Myelin is a lipid‐rich sheath that wraps around axons, facilitating signal conduction and neuronal viability. The degeneration of myelin hinders effective communication and leaves neurons vulnerable to external damage and subsequent degeneration. Abnormalities in oligodendrocyte maturation have been established in the HD human brain, however, investigations into the underlying dysfunction of human oligodendrocytes in HD are limited. This review will detail the involvement of oligodendrocytes and white matter damage in HD. Recent developments in modeling human‐specific oligodendrocyte pathology in HD will be discussed, with a particular focus on emerging somatic cell reprogramming approaches.
Leader Regulatory Goal Setting and Employee Creativity
Authors: Janssen Onne , Vriend Tim , Said Ramzi , Nijstad Bernard
Published: December 2024

Recent research suggests that leaders can influence employee creativity by shaping their followers' regulatory focus (promotion or prevention). We propose that this work has overlooked the nature of the regulatory goals (maximal or minimal) that leaders set for their followers. We performed two studies to test this: a vignette‐based experiment with 297 participants and a time‐lagged, multisource field survey involving 335 leader‐employee pairs across various Dutch organizations. Across the two studies, findings reveal that leaders who set maximal goals—emphasizing gains, advancement, and aspirations—significantly enhance their followers' creativity by boosting their promotion focus and intrinsic motivation for creativity. However, leaders who set minimal goals—emphasizing loss avoidance, security, and duty fulfillment—tend to suppress creativity among their followers due to an increased prevention focus and a propensity to conform to the leader's directives. Our novel concept of leader regulatory goal setting demonstrates incremental predictive validity beyond the effects of conventional transformational and transactional leadership styles. Our findings enrich the comprehension of the motivational interplay in leader‐follower exchanges and their creative consequences. Furthermore, this research offers valuable strategies for crafting leadership interventions that effectively stimulate employee creativity.
Tea grading, blending, and matching based on computer vision and deep learning
Authors: Guo Jilong , Zhang Kexin , Adade Selorm Yao‐Say Solomon , Lin Jinsu , Lin Hao , Chen Quansheng
Published: December 2024

BACKGROUND

Accurate tea blending assessment and sample matching are critical in the tea production process. Traditional methods face efficiency and accuracy challenges, which can be addressed by advances in computer vision and deep learning. This study developed an efficient and non‐destructive method for fast tea grading classification, blending ratio evaluation, and sample matching. The method trained a Residual Network (ResNet) model on an enhanced dataset of tea images and used Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) to improve the model's feature‐extraction ability.

RESULTS

The enhanced grade classification model achieved 95.05% accuracy for oolong tea and 99.13% accuracy for black tea, outperforming other deep‐learning models such as EfficientNet, MobileNet, and VGG16. For oolong tea blends, the model demonstrated greater efficiency than manual evaluation with an average absolute error of 2.26%. In black tea sample matching, the model achieved an average error of 3.34%.

CONCLUSION

These results highlight the importance of attention mechanisms in improving the analysis of images with intricate textures. The integration of deep learning and attention modules enhanced the accuracy and efficiency of tea quality evaluation processes effectively. This study underscores the transformative potential of intelligent classification and analysis methods in modernizing tea production, ensuring higher standards of consistency and quality. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.