bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Awareness and attitude toward cardio‐oncology among Japanese gynecologic oncologists in managing patients with endometrial cancer: The Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group (JGOG) questionnaire surveys
Authors: Kobayashi Yoichi , Asai‐Sato Mikiko , Kuji Shiho , Sakai Hitomi , Yamaguchi Ken , Suzuki Nao , Yoshida Yoshio
Published: February 2025

Aim

This study aimed to assess the awareness of the concept of “cardio‐oncology” and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with endometrial cancer (EC) among the Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group members.

Methods

An online anonymous survey, which consisted of questions about respondent attributes and cardio‐oncology, was conducted twice, in 2022 and 2024. During these surveys, guidelines for the treatment of uterine body neoplasm were published in July 2023.

Results

In 2022, significantly numerous physicians were unaware of cardio‐oncology or the increased risk of developing CVD in patients with EC, and 25.3% of them answered that they had no idea about cardio‐oncology at all. However, in 2024, the percentage significantly dropped to 8.7%. The number of physicians who were aware that CVD is more common as the cause of death in patients with low‐grade EC than the cancer itself was significantly higher in 2024 than in 2022. Similarly, the number of physicians who were aware that the usage of platinum agents could become a risk factor for CVD was significantly higher in 2024. Furthermore, this study reported challenges in the collaboration between oncologists and primary care physicians in the region and in the provision of guidance for preventing metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion

Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group members' awareness of cardio‐oncology was inadequate, but it seemed to be improving, especially after publishing the guideline for the treatment of uterine body neoplasm. Thus, raising awareness of cardio‐oncology and managing CVD risk in patients with EC are necessary to improve long‐term survival after cancer diagnosis.
Factors influencing seafood sales in US retail markets
Authors: Sun Lianqun , Kumar Ganesh , Engle Carole
Published: February 2025

US seafood retail markets are highly competitive and have evolved rapidly to supply an increased diversity of seafood products. Retail scanner data collected from grocery outlets using Universal Product Codes (UPC) reveals realistic market trends and provides deeper understanding of consumer trends. Using weekly store‐based scanner data (NielsenIQ ScanTrack data) from September 2016 to August 2021, this study analyzed the product characteristics that influence seafood consumption in retail markets for general seafood as well as specific seafood categories such as finfish, crustacea, and mollusks. Explanatory variables included: price of seafood, whether the product was farm‐raised, promotional share, product form (frozen or refrigerated seafood, entrée, or others), value‐addition, labeling characteristics, seasons, regions, and the effect of the pandemic period. Price had a significantly inverse relationship with the quantity of general and specific seafood products sold. Being farm‐raised had a positive impact on the quantity of seafood products sold in retail markets. Promotional practices also had positive effects on retail seafood sales, however with diminishing marginal returns. Among seasons, the spring season had significantly higher sales in the retail market for general seafood and finfish, but significantly lower sales for crustacean and mollusk products. Sales in the Southern region had a consistently positive effect on overall retail seafood sales. Results also indicated that retail market seafood sales were significantly higher during the COVID‐19 pandemic period. Private labeling (store brands) exhibited a positive influence on seafood quantity, the same with products without any labeling information compared to products with company labels. The study highlights key market trends in US retail outlets and suggests specific marketing strategies that could be useful for seafood products.
Macroalgal Biofilm Harbours a Wide Diversity of Parasitic Protists With Distinct Temporal Dynamics
Authors: Alacid Elisabet , Reñé Albert , Timoneda Natàlia , Garcés Esther
Published: February 2025

Marine macroalgae surfaces create a nutrient‐rich environment that promotes the formation of epiphyte biofilms. Biofilms are complex systems that facilitate ecological interactions within the community, yet parasitism remains largely unexplored. This study describes the diversity and temporal dynamics of the microeukaryotic community in the biofilm of Mediterranean macroalgae during summer, focusing on parasitic groups. Protist diversity was assessed using metabarcoding sequencing of the V4 region of the 18S rDNA gene using primers biased against metazoans. The macroalgal biofilm exhibited dynamic shifts in the microeukaryotic community structure associated to three phases of biofilm formation. Each phase was characterised by the dominance of specific eukaryotic and parasitic groups with clear successions between them. Our study revealed a high diversity of parasitic protists from different lineages in the macroalgal biofilm. These parasites can infect a wide variety of hosts, including the basibiont, species within the biofilm (micro‐ and macrocolonizers), nearby marine hosts and terrestrial organisms. The highest diversity and abundance of parasites were found in the mature phase of the biofilm, where the complexity and stability of the system seem to favour parasitism. The parasite assemblage was dominated by Apicomplexa, with many corresponding to unknown diversity, demonstrating that biofilms are a hotspot of unknown parasitic interactions. These parasites could potentially affect the dynamics of these communities and facilitate ecological interactions between the biofilm and surrounding organisms, suggesting that parasitism play a key, but still unexplored role, in shaping complex marine biofilms network.
Automated corrosion surface quantification in steel transmission towers using UAV photogrammetry and deep convolutional neural networks
Authors: Savino Pierclaudio , Graglia Fabio , Scozza Gabriele , Di Pietra Vincenzo
Published: February 2025

Corrosion in steel transmission towers poses a challenge to structural integrity and safety, requiring efficient detection methods. Traditional visual inspections are unsustainable due to the complexity and volume of structures. Their manual, qualitative, and subjective nature often leads to inconsistencies in maintenance planning. This study proposes a deep learning‐based approach for semantic segmentation of corroded areas on steel towers. Using the DeepLabv3+ model, the network was trained and validated on 999 field photographs. MobileNetV2, serving as the feature extractor, was chosen for its optimal balance between accuracy and computational efficiency, achieving a validation accuracy of 90.8% and a loss of 0.23. The trained network was applied to real‐world inspections using orthomosaics derived from photogrammetric reconstructions of the South‐East tower at the Torino Eremo broadcasting center. These photogrammetric products not only enabled precise segmentation of corroded areas but also provided the foundation for corrosion quantification with metrical accuracy, a critical advantage for maintenance planning. Unlike traditional image segmentation methods, which lack a spatial reference and precise scaling, the photogrammetric approach ensures that the corrosion extent and distribution are quantified in exact physical dimensions, enhancing the reliability of the analysis. The results show that deep learning‐based inspections can automate detection, providing reliable data and reducing reliance on manual inspections, enhancing efficiency, safety, and accuracy.
Can Ambivalent Heritage Embody a Nation? The Meaning‐Making of Japanese Colonial Legacies in Contemporary Taiwan
Authors: Yao Ming‐li
Published: February 2025

This study explores how state and nonstate actors endorsed and utilised heritage from the Japanese colonial era to redevelop the cultural discourse supporting Taiwanese nationalism. Grounded in the methodological approach to social constructionism, this study examines how these actors created and recreated the meanings of ‘ambivalent’ heritage places to embody Taiwan as one ‘imagined community’. The results suggest that the state invented and reinvented the meaning of colonial‐era heritage to be associated with the political discourse of multiculturalism, social evolution and political modernisation, reinforcing its legitimacy. Following and even transcending the official narrative, nonstate actors elicited a meaning of the colonial‐era heritage as intertextually associated with rituals, happy memories, everyday environment and individual experiences, revealing who served as the nationalists reconstructing the ‘national’ culture in a social context.
Portion Estimation, Satiety Perception and Energy Intake Following Different Breakfast Portion Sizes in Healthy Adults
Authors: Kwiecien Kinga , Santos‐Merx Lourdes , Sahota Tarsem , Coulthard Helen , Da Boit Mariasole
Published: February 2025

Expected satiety is a key element in predicting meal portion size and food consumption; however, how this can be affected by different breakfast portion sizes is unknown. The study examined the impact of different breakfast portions on satiety, portion size, and energy intake and comprised an online survey and an experimental intervention. Sixteen adults (9 women, BMI: 24.9 ± 4.3 kg/m2) rated images of three portion sizes (small, standard, large) of the same breakfast using an ordinal scale. Subsequently, they were asked to self‐prepare and consume ad libitum the three breakfast portions in a randomised order on different days and to complete a food diary. Satiety and portion size perception were re‐measured upon consumption of each breakfast. For both the visual image and breakfast consumption, the small breakfast portion was rated as the smallest and least filling, while the large portion was rated as the largest and most filling (p < 0.05). When consuming the small breakfast, participants reported being hungrier and less full between breakfast and lunch (p < 0.05) and had a higher energy intake from lunch onward, due to more snacking (p < 0.05). However, the total daily energy intake was not different among the three breakfast portion sizes. Individuals seemed accustomed to predicting satiety and portion size from images. The consumption of the small breakfast was judged as not filling enough and was accompanied by a higher energy intake via energy‐dense snacks. Based on these preliminary findings, breakfast size reduction may lead to unhealthy compensatory energy intake by snacking on energy‐dense foods.
Paced Breathing Associated With Pupil Diameter Oscillations at the Same Rate and Reduced Lapses in Attention
Authors: Andrews Ralph , Melnychuk Michael , Moran Sarah , Walsh Teigan , Boylan Sophie , Dockree Paul
Published: February 2025

A dynamical systems model proposes that respiratory, locus coeruleus—noradrenaline (LC‐NA), and cortical attentional systems interact, producing emergent states of attention. We tested a prediction that fixing respiratory pace (versus spontaneous respiration) stabilizes oscillations in pupil diameter (LC‐NA proxy) and attentional state. Primary comparisons were between ‘Instructed Breath’ (IB) and ‘No Instructed Breath’ (NIB) groups. Secondarily, we investigated the effects of shifting respiratory frequency in the IB group from 0.15 to 0.1–0.15 Hz in Experiment 1 (n = 55) and 0.15–0.1 Hz only in Experiment 2 (n = 48) (replication). In the Paced Auditory Cue Entrainment (PACE) task, participants heard two auditory tones, alternating higher and lower pitches, cycling continuously. Tones acted as a breath guide for IB and an attention monitor for both groups. Participants gave rhythmic mouse responses to the transition points between tones (left for high‐to‐low, right for low‐to‐high). We derived accuracy of mouse click timing (RTm), variability in click timing (RTVL), and counts of erroneously inverting the left/right rhythm (IRs and Switches). Despite no differences between groups in RTm or RTVL, IB committed significantly fewer IRs and switches, indicating less lapses in attention during paced breathing. Differences in behavioral metrics were present across tone cycle frequencies but not exclusive to IB, so breath frequency did not appear to have a specific effect. Pupil diameter oscillations in IB closely tracked the frequency of the instructed breathing, implicating LC‐NA activity as being entrained by the breath intervention. We conclude that pacing respiratory frequency did stabilize attention, possibly through stabilizing fluctuations in LC‐NA.
Restoring Halodule uninervis: evaluating planting methods and biodiversity
Authors: Cossa Damboia , Cossa Minda , Nhaca Jeremias , Timba Ilário , Chunguane Yudmila , Vetina Alvaro , Macia Adriano , Gullström Martin , Infantes Eduardo
Published: February 2025

Seagrass provides a crucial habitat for numerous marine species and serves as a vital food source for endangered species, like dugongs. While extensive research on restoration has been conducted on certain temperate and slow‐growing climax seagrass species, limited attention has been given to tropical pioneer species. This study aimed to assess and compare two restoration methods for the pioneer seagrass Halodule uninervis and evaluate their potential for biodiversity recovery after planting. We conducted a field experiment at subtropical Inhaca Island, southern Mozambique, testing the efficiency of two planting methods (plugs and single shoots) and two planting densities (~100 and ~300 shoots/m2). We monitored seagrass shoot density in two sites for 16 months, and benthic macrofauna density for 12 months. Results demonstrated that seagrass could grow in all combinations of planting methods and densities in both sites. Specifically, the single shoot method at the high‐density treatment proved the most effective, resulting in approximately 1000 shoots/m2 within a year. Faunal densities, primarily dominated by polychaetes followed by malacostraca, bivalves, and gastropods, indicated rapid colonization of the planted areas, especially in the high‐density treatments. Our findings suggest that restoring H. uninervis is feasible using the two tested planting methods. This is particularly significant because H. uninervis is a preferred dugong food source, and its decline due to anthropogenic activities could be reversed through restoration efforts. Nonetheless, conserving existing seagrass should be the primary focus, and restoration approaches should be employed as a valuable tool for managing coastal areas.
Rare‐Earth Mineralization in Dong Pao Deposit, Laichau Province, Vietnam
Authors: Bui Tinh Thanh , Watanabe Yasushi , Tupaz Carmela Alen J. , Echigo Takuya , Aoki Shogo , Hoshino Mihoko
Published: February 2025

The Dong Pao deposit in northern Vietnam is associated with the Paleogene Dong Pao Syenite Complex, which intruded into the limestone of the Triassic age. Although the Dong Pao deposit has been attracting exploration for decades as a promising rare earth deposit, it has not been well studied in terms of mineralization style and formation process until recently. We describe the occurrence of the orebodies of the deposit and the mineralogy of collected samples to discuss the mineralization style and process that formed the huge rare earth resource at Dong Pao. The deposit is composed of 60 orebodies, which occur where the syenite of the Eocene Dong Pao Complex contacts with the limestone of the Dong Giao Formation. Most of the orebodies exhibit a lenticular shape, situated at the boundary between the syenite and limestone along the margin of the complex, with the exception of the F3 orebody, where carbonatite is located. The F3 carbonatite consists mainly of calcite, which has carbon and oxygen isotope ratios slightly to moderately deviated from primary igneous carbonatites, due possibly to the assimilation of limestone. Two distinct styles of rare earth mineralization, metasomatized carbonatite and metasomatized limestone, are observed. The F3 metasomatized carbonatite is characterized by the replacement of calcite by synchysite‐(Ce) and parisite‐(Ce) in addition to fluorite, barite, celestine, and sulfides. The metasomatic limestone orebodies contain dolomite overprinted by the assemblage of barite, fluorite, bastnäsite‐(Ce), parisite‐(Ce), quartz, and sulfides. The metasomatic limestone zone at the F9 orebody is intruded by hydrothermal veins, which contain similar mineral assemblage to the metasomtatic zone, although HREE‐enriched minerals such as xenotime and synchysite‐(Y) are present. The REE mineralization in these metasomatized rocks is interpreted to have formed by the reaction of carbonate‐rich metasomatic fluids with carbonatite at F3 and fluorine‐rich fluids at the other orebodies with limestone. Such different fluids possibly exsolved from carbonatite magma and syenite magma, respectively. The Dong Pao deposit is an analogue of skarn deposits, although instead of calc‐silicate minerals, the metasomatic rocks at Dong Pao contain fluorite, barite, and REE‐bearing flourcarbonate minerals, because of the scarcity of silica and alumina in the hydrothermal fluids and host rocks. A large tonnage of the resource (> 4.7 Mt. of REO) is estimated at Dong Pao because of many orebodies scattered around the complex. In addition, the present semi‐tropical climate of northern Vietnam accelerates surface weathering of orebodies, upgrading the REE ores.
Multi‐omic analyses unveil contrasting composition and spatial distribution of specialized metabolites in seeds of Camelina sativa and other Brassicaceae
Authors: Barreda Léa , Brosse Céline , Boutet Stéphanie , Klewko Nicolas , De Vos Delphine , Francois Tracy , Collet Boris , Grain Damaris , Boulard Céline , Totozafy Jean Chrisologue , Bernay Benoît , Perreau François , Lepiniec Loïc , Rajjou Loïc , Corso Massimiliano
Published: February 2025

Seeds of Brassicaceae produce a large diversity of beneficial and antinutritional specialized metabolites (SMs) that influence their quality and provide resistance to stresses. While SM distribution has been described in leaves and root tissues, limited information is available about their spatiotemporal accumulation in seeds. Camelina sativa (camelina) is an oilseed Brassicaceae cultivated for human and animal nutrition and for industrial uses. While we previously explored SM diversity and plasticity, no information is available about SM distribution and expression of related proteins and genes in camelina seeds. In this study, we used a multi‐omic approach, integrating untargeted metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics to investigate the synthesis, modification, and degradation of SMs accumulated in camelina seed tissues (seed coat, endosperm, embryo) at six developmental and two germination stages. Metabolomic results showed distinct patterns of SMs and their related pathways, highlighting significant contrasts in seed composition and spatial distribution for the defense‐related and antinutritional glucosinolate (GSL) compounds among camelina, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Brassica napus, three closely related Brassicaceae species. Notably, thanks to metabolomic and proteomic/transcriptomic techniques the variation in GSL spatial distributions was primarily driven by differences in their structure (metabolomics data) and transport (transcriptomic and proteomic data) mechanisms. Long‐chain C8–C11 methylsulfinylalkyl GSLs were predominantly accumulated in the seed coat and endosperm, while mid‐ and short‐chain C3–C7 methylsulfinylalkyl GSLs were accumulated in the embryo. Characterizing the spatial dynamics of seed SMs provides valuable insights that can guide the development of crops with optimized distribution of beneficial and toxic metabolites, improving seed nutritional profiles.
Comparison of whole blood versus red blood cells and plasma to correct trauma‐induced coagulopathy ex vivo
Authors: Rossetto Andrea , Vulliamy Paul , Huish Sian , Cardigan Rebecca , Green Laura , Davenport Ross
Published: February 2025

Background

Early resuscitation is based on platelet‐poor components such as red blood cells and plasma (RBC + P), contributing to platelet dilution and worsening of trauma‐induced coagulopathy (TIC). We aimed to compare the ability of cold‐stored whole blood (WB) versus RBC + P as a single component to correct TIC.

Study Design and Methods

Blood samples were collected on admission from trauma patients who required activation of the major hemorrhage protocol at a single UK major trauma center in 2021/2022. Samples were spiked ex vivo with volumes equivalent to two, four, or eight units of WB or RBC + P stored for a maximum of 2 weeks. Thromboelastometry, platelet counting, and multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA) were performed.

Results

Samples from 20 adult trauma patients were analyzed. Median age was 32 years (27–42), 89% were male, 70% had platelet dysfunction (tissue factor–activated ROTEM [EXTEM]–tissue factor–activated ROTEM with cytochalasin D [FIBTEM] clot amplitude at 5 min [A5] ≤ 30 mm), 65% were coagulopathic (EXTEM A5 ≤ 40 mm), and 42% died. EXTEM–FIBTEM A5 was higher following spiking with WB than RBC + P (33 mm, 26–33, vs. 27 mm, 24–30, p < .001). WB‐spiking corrected platelet dysfunction in 2 patient samples out of 20, whereas RBC + P increased the frequency of platelet dysfunction (1/20 sample) and TIC (4/20 samples). RBC + P was associated with a dose‐dependent deterioration in rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) clot strength and dynamics, platelet count, and aggregation in response to multiple agonists compared with WB‐spiking, which maintained or partially corrected these abnormalities.

Conclusion

Compared with RBC + P, WB better preserves ex vivo platelet‐related ROTEM parameters, platelet count, and aggregation, but does not fully correct these common derangements of TIC.
The Use of CT Scan as a Diagnostic Tool in Pet Rabbits Presenting With Signs of Ophthalmic Disease
Authors: Goossens Lauren‐Tess , Boroffka Susanne A. E. B. , Gumpenberger Michaela , Schoemaker Nico J. , Slenter Inge J. M. , Sanchez Rick F.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

To describe the findings of computed tomography (CT) used to investigate signs of ophthalmic disease in pet rabbits.

Methods

Retrospective review of records of patients with signs of ophthalmic disease that underwent CT scans in three referral centers between 2001 and 2022. Signalment, presenting ophthalmic and nonophthalmic complaints, CT findings, and restrain modality were recorded.

Results

There were 85 rabbits representing 14 breeds including 28/85 (32.9%) crossbreed/unknown and 25/85 (29.4%) Dwarf rabbits. The top presenting ophthalmic complaints were ocular discharge (48/85, 56.5%), exophthalmos (34/85, 40%), and epiphora (14/85, 16.5%), while 38/85 (44.7%) rabbits also had nonophthalmic complaints. Anesthetic complications forced 1/85 (1.18%) CTs to be stopped. There were ophthalmic abnormalities in the remaining 81/84 (96.4%) CTs with exophthalmos and/or nasolacrimal duct disease affecting 76/81 (93.8%) rabbits and 68/81 (84%) also showing nonophthalmic abnormalities. Ophthalmic abnormalities were seen with nonophthalmic disease in 64/81 (79%) rabbits with dental disease being the most common (52/64, 81.3%) although only 20/52 (38.5%) had presented with dental complaints. No association was found between the presence of exophthalmos and/or NLD disease and dental disease. There were no obvious image artifacts in the 4/84 (4.8%) physically restrained patients.

Conclusion

Examination with CT in the present study mainly supported the investigation of ocular discharge, exophthalmos, and epiphora, and of possible local and systemic involvement in one eye with intraocular neoplasia. Adnexal disease was often seen with previously unknown, nonophthalmic pathology, which warrants prospective, controlled studies. Image quality studies in a large number of physically restrained patients are also warranted.
Efficacy of communication interventions for promoting blood donation in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review
Authors: Appiah Bernard , Asamoah‐Akuoko Lucy , Ahmed Md Koushik , Tancred Tara , Dei‐Adomakoh Yvonne , Singh Gursimar , Reilly Cavan , Olayemi Edeghonghon , Delaney Meghan , France Christopher R. , Benneh‐Akwasi Kuma Amma , Yawson Alfred Edwin , Telke Susan , Asiedu‐Danso Michelle , Dei Emmanuel Nene , Adongo Philip , Bates Imelda
Published: February 2025

Background and Objectives

In low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs), information on the efficacy of communication interventions promoting blood donation is very scarce. The present review aimed to identify specific communication interventions and their efficacy for increasing blood donation in LMICs.

Materials and Methods

The databases searched were PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, ProQuest, AJOL and CAB Abstracts. Grey literature sources included the websites of African Society of Blood Transfusion, International Society of Blood Transfusion and World Health Organization. The outcomes of interest were donation attempt or actual blood donations.

Results

A total of 16 studies including nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the review. The communication interventions included social media and mass media, such as radio and television, as platforms for promoting blood donation, and newspaper articles or advertisements as an incentive for donor recruitment. Mobile text messages were used either alone or in combination with phone calls, and other interventions such as meetings and brochures. Only three of the 16 studies specifically targeted behavioural science theories, and none of the 16 studies used any implementation science framework. For some communication interventions, there was evidence of statistically significant increases in donations, but the quality of the studies was weak.

Conclusion

The efficacy of communication interventions for promoting blood donations in LMICs remains limited due to few rigorous studies. More rigorous, theory‐based studies on the use of communication interventions to increase blood donation in LMICs, especially in sub‐Saharan Africa where no prior RCT were identified, are needed.
CaMKII at the crossroads: calcium dysregulation, and post‐translational modifications driving cell death
Authors: Mattiazzi Alicia , Jaquenod De Giusti Carolina , Valverde Carlos A.
Published: February 2025

The multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) regulates numerous proteins involved in excitation–contraction–relaxation coupling and cardiac excitability. However, its overactivation induces severe Ca2+/handling alterations, playing a significant role in the pathogenesis of diseases such as hypertrophy, arrhythmias and cell death, which can ultimately lead to heart failure. Being a suitable target for various aberrant signals that characterize several diseases, such as Ca2+ overload, oxidative stress or excessive glycosylation, CaMKII shifts under these conditions from a physiological regulator to a pathological molecule. In this review, we explore the evolution of knowledge regarding the role of CaMKII activation on cell death across different pathological contexts, focusing on the converging mechanisms that transform the enzyme from an ally into a villain.

image
Description and operation characteristics of SPECS EnviroESCA
Authors: Dietrich Paul M. , Baer Don R. , Mirabella Francesca , Thissen Andreas
Published: February 2025

This paper provides the characteristics and operating modes of the SPECS EnviroESCA in sufficient detail that they can be referenced by authors using such instruments and to provide readers with a level of instrumental detail often lacking in research papers. The EnviroESCA is a commercial version of a laboratory near ambient pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy instrument designed to allow samples to be analyzed in gaseous and even liquid environments at higher pressures than are possible for typical XPS instruments. An instrument overview including a description of components and geometries and a table of relevant parameters are provided. Details related to charge compensation, instrument control and analysis software, and different modes of operation are included. Data from a silver sample provide examples of instrument performance and the effect of analyst-controlled variables such as pass energy and gas pressure on the type of data that can be collected.
Arabidopsis
KNL1 recruits type one protein phosphatase to kinetochores to silence the spindle assembly checkpoint
Authors: He Ying , Tang Xiaoya , Fu Hao , Tang Yihang , Lin Honghui , Deng Xingguang
Published: February 2025

Proper chromosome segregation during cell division is essential for genomic integrity and organismal development. This process is monitored by the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), which delays anaphase onset until all chromosomes are properly attached to the mitotic spindle. The kinetochore protein KNL1 plays a critical role in recruiting SAC proteins. Here, we reveal that
Arabidopsis
KNL1 regulates SAC silencing through the direct recruitment of type one protein phosphatase (TOPP) to kinetochores. We show that KNL1 interacts with all nine TOPPs via a conserved RVSF motif in its N terminus, and this interaction is required for the proper localization of TOPPs to kinetochores during mitosis. Disrupting KNL1-TOPP interaction leads to persistent SAC activation, resulting in a severe metaphase arrest and defects in plant growth and development. Our findings highlight the evolutionary conservation of KNL1 in coordinating kinetochore-localized phosphatase to ensure timely SAC silencing and faithful chromosome segregation in
Arabidopsis
.
Trichome development of systemic developing leaves is regulated by a nutrient sensor–relay mechanism within mature leaves
Authors: Wei Yu-ting , Bao Qin-Xin , Shi Ya-Na , Mu Xin-Rong , Wang Yi-Bo , Jiang Ji-Hong , Yu Fu-Huan , Meng Lai-Sheng
Published: February 2025

Trichome initiation and development is regulated by a diverse range of environmental signals. However, how leaf carbohydrate status determines the trichome initiation and development of systemic developing leaves remains unclear. Here, we found that a specific organ (such as a mature leaf) could function as a nutrient sensor, subsequently promoting or suppressing nonautonomous regulation of trichome initiation and development in response to alternations in nutrient levels. This physical phenomenon was regulated by a sucrose ⟶ ACS7 ⟶ ethylene ⟶ EIN3 ⟶ SUC4 ⟶ sucrose pathway in mature leaves, with a remote control of trichome production in newly developing leaves via a sucrose ⟶ ACS7 ⟶ ethylene ⟶ EIN3 ⟶ TTG1 pathway. These data provide insights into how mature leaves function as nutrient sensors that control trichome formation within distant developing leaves through a nutrient sensor–relay mechanism. Our findings uncover both a previously unidentified, nutrient sensing–regulatory mechanism and the cognate underpinning molecular architecture.
Enrichment of moderately volatile elements in first-generation planetesimals of the inner Solar System
Authors: Grewal Damanveer S. , Bhattacharjee Surjyendu , Zhang Bidong , Nie Nicole X. , Miyazaki Yoshinori
Published: February 2025

The depletion of moderately volatile elements (MVEs) in terrestrial planets remains poorly understood, with explanations including partial nebular condensation and MVE loss during planetesimal differentiation or collisions. In this study, we use magmatic iron meteorites to reconstruct the MVE inventory of the earliest inner [noncarbonaceous (NC)] and outer [carbonaceous (CC)] Solar System planetesimals. We show that several NC and CC iron meteorite parent bodies (IMPBs) exhibit chondrite-like MVE abundances, indicating that “first-generation” inner Solar System planetesimals were remarkably MVE rich. Consistent with isotopic signatures of MVEs in Earth and Mars, these planetesimals made a substantial contribution to the MVE inventories of terrestrial planets. Variations in MVE abundances among IMPBs, particularly the two volatile-depleted NC and CC IMPBs (IVA and IVB), reflect secondary volatile loss after disruption of their parent bodies. Consequently, MVE depletion in terrestrial planets is more closely linked to the protracted history of MVE loss during planetesimal collisions rather than incomplete condensation or MVE loss during planetesimal differentiation.
Selection and prioritization of candidate combination regimens for the treatment of tuberculosis
Authors: Strydom Natasha , van Wijk Rob C. , Wang Qianwen , Ernest Jacqueline P. , Chaba Linda , Li Ziran , Nuermberger Eric L. , Savic Radojka M.
Published: February 2025

Accelerated tuberculosis drug discovery has increased the number of plausible multidrug regimens. Testing every drug combination in vivo is impractical, and varied experimental conditions make it challenging to compare results between experiments. Using published treatment efficacy data from a mouse tuberculosis model treated with candidate combination regimens, we trained and externally validated integrative mathematical models to predict relapse in mice and to rank both previously experimentally studied and unstudied regimens by their sterilization potential. We generated 18 datasets of 18 candidate regimens (comprising 11 drugs of six classes, including fluoroquinolone, nitroimidazole, diarylquinolines, and oxazolidinones), with 2965 relapse and 1544 colony-forming unit (CFU) observations for analysis. Statistical and machine learning techniques were applied to predict the probability of relapse in mice. The locked down mathematical model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.910 and showed that bacterial kill measured by longitudinal CFU cannot account for relapse alone and that sterilization is drug dependent. The diarylquinolines had the highest predicted sterilizing activity in the mouse model, and the addition of pyrazinamide to drug regimens provided the shortest estimated tuberculosis treatment duration to cure in mice. The mathematical model predicted the effect of treatment combinations, and these predictions were validated by conducting 11 experiments on previously unstudied regimens, achieving an AUROC of 0.829. We surmise that the next generation of tuberculosis drugs are highly effective at treatment shortening and suggest that there are several promising three- and four-drug regimens that should be advanced to clinical trials.
Complete genome sequences of two verona integron-encoded metallo-ß-lactamase (VIM)-producing enterobacterales isolated from dogs in the United States
Authors: Desai Dhruv , Cole Stephen D.
Published: February 2025

This announcement reports the complete genome sequences, created by combined Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing, of two carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (
Escherichia coli
[LaAc-1–20] and
Enterobacter hormaechei
, strain 19632–21) isolated from dogs in the United States. Both isolates harbor a blaVIM-4 gene found on a 47 kb plasmid and on the bacterial chromosome, respectively.
16S rRNA sequencing reveals relationships among enrichment of oral microbiota in the lower respiratory tract and pulmonary nodules malignant progression
Authors: Guo Jing , Han Jierong , Li Fang , Ma Qiong , He Jiawei , You Fengming , Ren Yifeng , Fu Xi
Published: February 2025

Micro-aspiration of oral microorganisms results in considerable enrichment within the lower respiratory tract (LRT), constituting an early event in lung cancer pathogenesis. To explore the correlation between malignant risk of pulmonary nodules (PNs) and oral commensals enrichment in LRT, oral saliva and bronchial alveolar lavage fluid samples from 22 low-risk PN patients, 17 intermediate-risk PN patients, and 11 high-risk PN patients were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Alpha and beta diversity analyses reveal minimal variation in oral microbial diversity and abundance among patients with different risks of PN. In contrast, a significant reduction in the diversity of LRT microbiota is observed in patients at high risk of PN. Based on multigroup comparative analysis of species differences and the linear discriminant analysis effect size method,
Synergistes
and
Tannerella
were identified as the dominant bacterial genera in the oral and LRT of high-risk PN patients, respectively. The study found that the LRT microbiota of PN patients seemed to originate from the oral, and the high enrichment of oral microbiota in the lower respiratory tract was most common in high-risk PN patients. The predominant bacterial genera present in the oral cavity and LRT of patients with PN were identified through abundance variance analysis. Eight key microbial genera were found in both the oral cavity and LRT:
Streptococcus
,
Granulicatella
,
Porphyromonas
,
Bacillus
,
Neisseria
,
Alloprevotella
,
Prevotella
, and
Leptotrichia
. Notably, receiver operating characteristic analysis identified
Streptococcus
,
Granulicatella
, and
Leptotrichia
as reliable biomarkers to differentiate high-risk PN. Spearman correlation analysis confirmed that the accumulation of oral microorganisms in the LRT played an important role in the process of PN cancerization. The co-occurrence network showed that the coexistence of
Veillonella
and
Streptococcus
in the oral and LRT may be involved in the occurrence of PN, while the LRT cluster of
Rothia
occurred in high-risk PN patients. Correlation analysis among species identified microbial communities predominantly composed of
Veillonella
, which may facilitate pulmonary carcinogenesis.

IMPORTANCE

This study is the first to elucidate the composition and interrelationships of oral and lower respiratory tract (LRT) microbiota in patients with pulmonary nodule (PN) across varying malignancy risk levels. We conducted an analysis to investigate the correlation between the malignant potential of PNs and the enrichment of oral microbiota within the LRT. Additionally, we explored the feasibility of utilizing oral-lower respiratory commensal microbiota as biomarkers to assess the benign and malignant nature of pulmonary nodules. This study aims to provide evidence supporting early diagnosis and intervention strategies for lung cancer.
Characterization of sulopenem antimicrobial activity using
in vitro
time-kill kinetics, synergy, post-antibiotic effect, and sub-inhibitory MIC effect methods against
Escherichia coli
and
Klebsiella pneumoniae
isolates
Authors: Maher Joshua M. , Huband Michael D. , Lindley Jill M. , Rhomberg Paul R. , Aronin Steven I. , Puttagunta Sailaja , Castanheira Mariana
Published: February 2025

Sulopenem is an oral and intravenous penem antibiotic in clinical development for treatment of urinary tract and intra-abdominal infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens. This study evaluated
in vitro
antimicrobial activity of sulopenem by post-antibiotic effect (PAE), sub-inhibitory minimal inhibitory concentration PAE effect (PAE-SME), checkerboard testing, and time-kill testing. Testing sulopenem at 1×, 5×, or 10× the baseline MIC resulted in a PAE interval of 0.0–0.7 hours. When exposed to 0.5× the sulopenem MIC following 5× MIC, all isolate/agent combinations had PAE-SME values of >4.8 hours. Checkerboard testing revealed no instances of antagonism between sulopenem and comparator agents—indifference was observed in most sulopenem checkerboard combinations. Sulopenem demonstrated bactericidal activity (≥3 log
10
[99.9%] reduction in viable organism counts) in all time-kill assays following 24 hours of incubation at 8× the baseline MIC (6/6), 5/6 displaying this activity within 8 hours. The present antimicrobial parameters seen at concentrations surrounding the MIC support optimization of sulopenem dosing and further development. The oral dosing regimen of sulopenem etzadroxil/probenecid 500 mg/500 mg administered every 12 hours was recently evaluated in two phase 3 clinical trials where sulopenem demonstrated efficacy against amoxicillin-clavulanate in uncomplicated urinary tract infection (uUTI) and against ciprofloxacin in fluoroquinolone-resistant uUTI.

IMPORTANCE

Sulopenem is an oral and intravenous penem antibiotic in clinical development for treatment of urinary tract and intra-abdominal infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens. This study evaluated sulopenem via broth microdilution susceptibility testing, PAE, sub-inhibitory MIC PAE effect, checkerboard testing, and time-kill testing. The results of this study—interpreted along with recent pharmacodynamic
in vitro
one-compartment and hollow-fiber infection model work—provide insight into the
in vitro
activity of sulopenem.
Aseismic creep and strain partitioning accommodating the Nubia-Eurasia oblique convergence in northern Africa from InSAR analysis
Authors: Viltres Renier , Doubre Cécile , Doin Marie-Pierre , Masson Frédéric
Published: February 2025

The northern Africa region faces significant seismic and tsunami hazards, driven by the ongoing convergence between the Nubian and Eurasian plates. Using radar interferometry (interferometric synthetic aperture radar, InSAR) analysis, we provide constraints on the interseismic behavior of tectonic structures within the region between ∼2°W and ∼11°E using the first InSAR-derived regional-scale maps of east-west and vertical velocity components. Despite the unresolved N-S−oriented motions due to inherent limitations to the InSAR technique, our millimeter-per-year level velocity maps reveal three distinct domains of strain accommodation along the plate boundary. In Western Tell, both onshore and offshore folds and thrusts accommodate frontal collision, regularly generating large reverse earthquakes, such as the Ms 7.3 El Asnam earthquake of 1981. In the Eastern Tell, deformation is widely distributed from the Saharan Platform to the northern coastlines. In the Central Tell, we identify the predominantly aseismic behavior of the 500-km-long Ghardimaou-North-Constantine fault, marked by a shallow locking depth (<5.1 ± 0.5 km) and standing out as one of the slowest (<2.5 mm/yr) continental strike-slip faults ever detected with geodetic data. Strain partitioning diverts most of the shear component of the oblique convergence into this major inland structure, thereby making the offshore thrusts and folds the principal sources of seismic hazard.
Feasibility and usefulness of Gini coefficients of primary care visits as a measure of service inequality: preliminary findings from a cross-sectional study using region-wide electronic medical records in Anhui, China
Authors: Yang Ningjing , Li Guocheng , Xu Jia , Yang Xin , Chai Jing , Cheng Jing , Lu Manman , Liu Rong , Wang Debin , Shen Xingrong
Published: February 2025

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate inequalities in primary healthcare visits by using the Gini coefficients of primary healthcare visits (GPVs) as derived from large-scale and region-wide electronic records and to explore estimation and utility of GPV.

Design

The study used a cross-sectional study design. It first extracted a random sample of 7.09 million primary care records from 1 October 2019 to 31 December 2021. Then it developed logarithmic models of GPVs using different months of records and performed descriptive and generalised linear mixed-effects regression analyses of the GPVs for all-cause diseases. The study also produced topographic maps of the GPVs for nine selected diseases.

Setting

All primary healthcare facilities within the 105 townships or communities randomly selected from Anhui province, China.

Participants

All practising doctors working with and all patients presenting to the above sampled facilities during the 27-month study period.

Results

The overall rate of primary healthcare visits during the 27-month period was estimated at 147.78%, with intra-regional variation coefficients by all-cause and system-specific disease ranging from 49.02% to 68.96%, and women were more likely than men to seek primary healthcare. The observed GPVs for all-cause and system-specific diseases all fitted very well with logarithmic equations and the goodness of fit increased rapidly when the months of EMRs were extended for the first few months, being over 78.92%, 91.17% and 94.78% for the first 3 months, 6 months and 12 months, respectively. These logarithmic models predicted at least high disparity (GPV>0.4) for all the system-specific diseases when the time period reached 6 months to 8 years. The observed GPVs for system-specific diseases, as estimated using the 27-month electronic medical records, ranged from 0.341 for skin-immune disease to 0.514 for cardiovascular disease. While the observed GPVs for all causes witnessed: great inter-region variations, with the highest GPV being 4.38 times the lowest; a general decreasing trend over the 9-quarter period, being reduced by 18.48% on average; and atypical J-shaped trajectories along age groups for both sexes. The multivariate modelling revealed statistically significant associations between the all-cause-GPV and 10 out of 14 commonly available community-level variables studied.

Conclusions

GPVs can be accurately estimated using a limited number of months of EMRs and, guided by the relevant framework, analysis of GPVs can unveil useful clues in addressing unequal primary healthcare utilisation.
Length of hospital stay and its factor associated among neonates with perinatal asphyxia in the Northwest Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia 2023: a multicentre retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Gedefaw Gezahagn Demsu , Abate Asnake Tadesse , Worku Degalem Tilahun , Ayenew Mulugeta Endalamaw , Daka Dawit Tesfaye
Published: February 2025

Objective

To determine the length of hospital stay and related factors in newborns with perinatal asphyxia in comprehensive specialised hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia.

Design

A multicentre institutional-based cross-sectional study.

Setting

Tertiary hospitals in Northwest Amhara Regional State, Northwest Ethiopia, from 1 to 30 December 2023.

Participants

A total of 609 neonates with perinatal asphyxia were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of selected public hospitals in Northwest Amhara from September 2018 to October 2023.

Outcome measures

Length of hospital stay and associated factors in newborns with perinatal asphyxia were noted.

Results

A total of 609 newborns with perinatal asphyxia were included in this study. The mean hospital stay for the newborns was 13.9 days (coef=13.9, 95% CI 13.43 to 14.38), with minimum and maximum hospital stays of 4–28 days, respectively. Neonatal sepsis, AKI, hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, fetal macrosomia and prolonged labour were significantly associated with a longer hospital stay in neonates with perinatal asphyxia.

Conclusions

The current study indicated that the mean length of hospital stay in newborns with perinatal asphyxia was 13.9 days. Contributing factors to prolonged hospital stays include neonates with neonatal sepsis, prolonged second-stage labour, acute neonatal kidney injury stages 2 and 3 hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy and fetal macrosomia. The length of hospital stay for neonates with perinatal asphyxia can be reduced by implementing appropriate standards of care.