bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterisation of aphid antixenosis in aphid‐resistant ancestor wheat, Triticum monococcum
Authors: Borg Alexander N. , Vuts József , Caulfield John C. , Withall David M. , Foulkes M. John , Birkett Michael A
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND

Due to the increasing presence of insecticide resistance across cereal aphid populations, new aphid management strategies, including the engineering of host resistance to aphids into commercial wheat varieties, are required. Previous studies have identified ancestor wheat, Triticum monococcum accessions MDR045 and MDR049, with resistance against the grain aphid, Sitobion avenae. To test the hypothesis that resistance can be accounted for by antixenosis (reduced attractiveness of host plants) via the release of repellent volatile organic compounds (VOCs), we explored the response of S. avenae to MDR045 and MDR049 following S. avenae herbivory, using behaviour and electrophysiology experiments.

RESULTS

In four‐arm olfactometry assays, alate S. avenae showed aphid density‐dependent reduced preference to VOC extracts from T. monococcum MDR045 and MDR049. By contrast, alate S. avenae showed aphid density‐dependent increased preference to extracts from aphid‐susceptible hexaploid wheat, Triticum aestivum var. Solstice and T. monococcum MDR037. Coupled gas chromatography‐electroantennography (GC‐EAG), using the antennae of alate S. avenae, located 24 electrophysiologically active compounds across all tested accessions. Synthetic blends created from 21 identified EAG‐active compounds confirmed bioactivity of corresponding VOC extracts in four‐arm olfactometry assays against alate S. avenae.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that resistance of T. monococcum MDR045 and MDR049 to S. avenae can be at least partially accounted for by antixenosis through antennal perception of specific repellent VOC blends induced by S. avenae feeding behaviour. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Determining microbial metabolic limitation under the influence of moss patch size from soil extracellular enzyme stoichiometry
Authors: Huang Yun‐jie , Li Yong‐gang , Yang Zi‐yue , Zhou Xiao‐bing , Yin Ben‐feng , Zhang Yuan‐ming
Published: August 2024

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are crucial elements of desert ecosystems, exhibiting patchy distribution patterns across the soil surface and significantly impacting surface soil nutrient dynamics. However, the influence of biocrust patch units, serving as fundamental functional entities, on microbial nutrient restriction remains underexplored. This study conducted measurements on moss crust patches of varying sizes and subcrust soils. Stoichiometric analysis of extracellular enzyme activities (EEAs) related to carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus was performed, along with vector and redundancy analyses to evaluate microbial nutrient limitation and key influencing factors. The findings reveal that both patch size and soil layer of biocrusts collectively influence soil nutrients and enzyme dynamics, with heightened enzyme activity observed in the crust layer. Vector analysis based on EEA stoichiometry indicates that moss crust patch size insignificantly impacts microbial nutrient restriction within the crust layer. However, microbial nitrogen restriction in the subcrust layer demonstrates a “single‐peak” trend, initially increasing before gradually declining. This suggests that microorganisms in medium‐sized crust patches exhibit peak activity, intensifying nutrient competition. This research underscores the pivotal role of biocrust patch units as fundamental functional entities, offering comprehensive insights into microbial metabolic constraints under crust cover. The findings underscore the significant implications of enzyme stoichiometric characteristics for desert land management and conservation.
Experimental and numerical study on seismic behavior of shear wall with cast‐in situ concrete infilled walls
Authors: Zhou Bo , Si Qi , Li Bing , Zong Liang , Li Songlin
Published: August 2024

The shear wall system with cast‐in situ concrete infilled walls has been widely used in high‐rise buildings due to its significant advantages in construction. In this paper, quasi‐static tests were conducted on the shear walls with and without cast‐in situ concrete infilled walls to analyze their failure modes, load‐bearing capacity, stiffness, energy dissipation capacity, and ductility. A simplified model of the shear wall with cast‐in situ concrete infilled walls was proposed based on the fiber element model in OpenSees. The test results showed that the shear wall specimens with cast‐in situ concrete infilled walls exhibited full‐section compression or tension failure, and the cast‐in situ concrete infilled walls did not show obvious damage. Compared with the shear wall without infilled walls, the overall stiffness, load bearing capacity, and energy dissipation capacity of the shear wall specimens with cast‐in situ concrete infilled walls improved, indicating better seismic performance than those without infilled walls. Comparison between the hysteresis and skeleton curves derived from the tests and those simulated by the proposed simplified model revealed errors within 15% for stiffness, yield bearing capacity, and ultimate bearing capacity for shear walls with cast‐in situ concrete infill walls, affirming the effectiveness and accuracy of the model.
Biosafe, rapid, and ultrahigh‐capacity endotoxin purification in blood by a sustainable and recyclable MOF‐functionalized chitin microsphere adsorbent
Authors: Liu Anxiong , Chen Lu , Qi Luhe , Huang Jing , Zou Yongkang , Hu Zhiwen , Yu Le , Zhong Zibiao , Ye Qifa , Chen Chaoji
Published: August 2024

Sepsis is responsible for approximately 5.3 million deaths globally each year. Here, we constructed hierarchical chitin microspheres loaded with MOF‐919 (Ch/metal–organic frameworks [MOFs]) for the rapid and efficient removal of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in complex blood environments. Furthermore, abundant active sites on MOF‐919(Sc) also enable a record‐high adsorption capacity of 9.56 mg/g in biomass‐based adsorbents due to the coordination interactions between endotoxin and MOF‐919(Sc). The LPS level of sepsis rabbits was less than 2 EU/mL (clearance rate >95%) after 90‐min hemoperfusion, showing no adverse effect on the rabbit organs. Additionally, compared to the commonly used LPS scrubber Toraymyxin (polymethyl methacrylate), the chitin adsorbent is significantly more cost‐effective and environmentally friendly. The preparation strategy for hierarchical porous microspheres offers notable advantages in designability, recyclability, and renewability, providing a new approach to sepsis treatment and promising prospects for the biomedical application of sustainable biomass materials.
Nasal exudate for diagnosis of stroke: fundamental studies through iron fractionation, total iron, and targeted protein determinations
Authors: Marina-Latorre Marta , Lobo Lara , García-Cabo Carmen , Benavente-Fernández Lorena , Calleja-Puerta Sergio , Fernández-Abedul M. Teresa , González-Iglesias Héctor , Pereiro Rosario
Published: August 2024

During the last years, there has been an increasing research interest in the analysis of biological fluids requiring non-invasive sampling for biomedical and clinical applications. In this work, we have focused on the nasal exudate with the aim of investigating the potential use of this fluid to know the role of iron in stroke and also for diagnosis. Potential differences in the nasal exudate, collected in swabs, from diagnosed hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, and control groups were investigated with regard to total iron by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, iron fractionation studies by size exclusion chromatography together with post-column isotope dilution analysis, and four proteins containing iron (ferritin, transferrin, lactoferrin, and ferroportin) with ELISA kits. All these analyses represent an analytical challenge, considering the rather limited amount of sample (10–40 mg) available, being the nasal exudate extracted from the swab with 300 µL 10 mM Tris/HCl, pH = 7.4. Studies to obtain reliable analytical information, such as the blank contribution of the sampling step, evaluation of the extraction efficiency of the nasal exudate from the swab, and normalization strategies for data treatment, have been carried out. Results showed that despite the limited number of investigated samples, fractionation studies as well as the concentrations of ferritin and ferroportin obtained with ELISA kits showed a differential behavior between the different cohorts.
Silver-based bimetallic nanozyme fabrics with peroxidase-mimic activity for urinary glucose detection
Authors: Naveen Prasad Sanjana , Mahasivam Sanje , Ramanathan Rajesh , Bansal Vipul
Published: August 2024

The enhanced catalytic properties of bimetallic nanoparticles have been extensively investigated. In this study, bimetallic Ag-M (M = Au, Pt, or Pd) cotton fabrics were fabricated using a combination of electroless deposition and galvanic replacement reactions, and improvement in their peroxidase-mimicking catalytic activity compared to that of the parent Ag fabric was studied. The Ag-Pt bimetallic nanozyme fabric, which showed the highest catalytic activity and ability to simultaneously generate hydroxyl (•OH) and superoxide (O2•−) radicals, was assessed as a urine glucose sensor. This nanozyme fabric sensor could directly detect urinary glucose in the pathophysiologically relevant high millimolar range without requiring sample predilution. The sensor could achieve performance on par with that of the current clinical gold standard assay. These features of the Ag-Pt nanozyme sensor, particularly its ability to avoid interference effects from complex urinary matrices, position it as a viable candidate for point-of-care urinary glucose monitoring.

Graphical Abstract
Near-Optimal Auctions on Independence Systems
Authors: Ammann Sabrina C. L. , Stiller Sebastian
Published: August 2024

A classical result by Myerson (Math. Oper. Res. 6(1), 58-73, 1981) gives a characterization of an optimal auction for any given distribution of valuations of the bidders. We consider the situation where the distribution is not explicitly given but can be observed in a sample of auction results from the same distribution. A seminal paper by Morgenstern and Roughgarden (Adv.Neural Inf. Process. Syst. 28, 2015) proposes to learn a near-optimal auction from the hypothesis class of t-level auctions. They prove a bound on the sample complexity, i.e., the function $$f(\varepsilon , \delta )$$

f
(
ε
,
δ
)

of required samples to guarantee a certain level of precision $$(1-\varepsilon )$$

(
1
-
ε
)

with a probability of at least $$(1-\delta )$$

(
1
-
δ
)

, for the general single-parameter case and a tighter bound for the very restricted matroid case. We show a new bound for the case of independence systems, that widely generalizes matroids and contains several important combinatorial optimization problems. This bound of $$\tilde{O}\left( \nicefrac {H^2n^4}{\varepsilon ^3}\right) $$

O
~

H
2

n
4

ε
3

falls neatly between those known for the general and the matroid case. The class of independence systems contains several well known NP-hard problems such as knapsack. Therefore, the allocation itself might in practice be limited to $$\alpha $$
α
-approximate solutions. In a second result we show that an approximation algorithm can be used without compromising the sample complexity. Also, the precision is affected only mildly, resulting in a factor of $$\alpha \cdot (1-\varepsilon )$$

α
·
(
1
-
ε
)

.
Adam19 Deficiency Impacts Pulmonary Function: Human GWAS Follow-up in a Mouse Knockout Model
Authors: Li Huiling , House John S. , Nichols Cody E. , Gruzdev Artiom , Ward James M. , Li Jian-Liang , Wyss Annah B. , Haque Ezazul , Edin Matthew L. , Elmore Susan A. , Mahler Beth W. , Degraff Laura M. , Shi Min , Zeldin Darryl C. , London Stephanie J.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Over 550 loci have been associated with human pulmonary function in genome-wide association studies (GWAS); however, the causal role of most remains uncertain. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in a disintegrin and metalloprotease domain 19 (ADAM19) are consistently related to pulmonary function in GWAS. Thus, we used a mouse model to investigate the causal link between Adam19 and pulmonary function.

Methods

We created an Adam19 knockout (KO) mouse model and validated the gene targeting using RNA-Seq and RT-qPCR. Mouse body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Mouse lung function was measured using flexiVent.

Results

Contrary to prior publications, the KO was not neonatal lethal. KO mice had lower body weight and shorter tibial length than wild-type (WT) mice. Their body composition revealed lower soft weight, fat weight, and bone mineral content. Adam19 KO had decreased baseline respiratory system elastance, minute work of breathing, tissue damping, tissue elastance, and forced expiratory flow at 50% forced vital capacity but higher FEV0.1 and FVC. Adam19 KO had attenuated tissue damping and tissue elastance in response to methacholine following LPS exposure. Adam19 KO also exhibited attenuated neutrophil extravasation into the airway after LPS administration compared to WT. RNA-Seq analysis of KO and WT lungs identified several differentially expressed genes (Cd300lg, Kpna2, and Pttg1) implicated in lung biology and pathogenesis. Gene set enrichment analysis identified negative enrichment for TNF pathways.

Conclusion

Our murine findings support a causal role of ADAM19, implicated in human GWAS, in regulating pulmonary function.
What factors influence cellular pathologists’ confidence in case reporting?
Authors: Evans Harriet , Kimani Peter K. , Hiller Louise , Tsang Yee Wah , Sah Shatrughan , Gopalakrishnan Kishore , Boyd Clinton , Loughrey Maurice B. , Kelly Paul J. , Boyle David P. , Clark David , Ellis Ian O. , Ilyas Mohammad , Rakha Emad , Bickers Adam , Roberts Ian S. D. , Soares Maria F. , Neil Desley A. H. , Dunn Janet A. , Azam Ayesha , Snead David
Published: August 2024

Histopathology is a challenging interpretive discipline, and the level of confidence a pathologist has in their diagnosis is known to vary, which is conveyed descriptively in pathology reports. There has been little study to accurately quantify pathologists’ diagnostic confidence or the factors that influence it. In this study involving sixteen pathologists from six NHS trusts, we assessed diagnostic confidence across multiple variables and four specialties. Each case was reported by four pathologists, with each pathologist reporting each case twice (on light microscopy (LM) and digital pathology (DP)). For each diagnosis, pathologists recorded their confidence on a 7-point Likert scale. This provided 16,187 diagnoses and associated confidence scores for analysis. All variables investigated were found to be significantly predictive of diagnostic confidence, except level of pathologist experience. Confidence was lower for difficult to report cases, cases where there was inter- and intra-pathologist variation in the diagnosis, and cases where the pathologist made an incorrect diagnosis. Confidence was higher, although nominally, for LM diagnoses than DP (rate ratio 1.09 (95% CI 1.01–1.18), p = 0.035), although results indicate pathologists are confident to report on DP. Lowest confidence scores were seen in areas of known diagnostic complexity and cases with quality issues. High confidence in incorrect diagnoses were almost invariably attributed to interpretive diagnostic differences which occurred across both rare and common lesions. The results highlight the value of external quality control schemes and the benefits of selective peer review when reporting.
Efficacy and Safety of “Vacuum Swallowing” Based on a Strong Negative Esophageal Pressure in Healthy Individuals
Authors: Kunieda Kenjiro , Suzuki Saori , Naganuma Satoe , Okamoto Keishi , Ohno Tomohisa , Shigematsu Takashi , Yagi Naomi , Oku Yoshitaka , Fujishima Ichiro
Published: August 2024

Vacuum swallowing is a unique method for improving the pharyngeal passage of a bolus by creating subatmospheric negative pressure in the esophagus. However, whether healthy individuals and other patients with dysphagia can reproduce vacuum swallowing remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to assess whether healthy individuals verified using high-resolution manometry (HRM) could reproduce vacuum swallowing and evaluate its safety using a swallowing and breathing monitoring system (SBMS). Two healthy individuals who mastered vacuum swallowing taught this method to 12 healthy individuals, who performed normal and vacuum swallowing with 5 mL of water five times each. The minimum esophageal pressure and the maximum pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) were evaluated during each swallow using the HRM. Additionally, respiratory-swallowing coordination was evaluated using the SBMS. Ten individuals reproduced vacuum swallowing, and a total of 50 vacuum swallows were analyzed. The minimum esophageal pressure (-15.0 ± 4.9 vs. -46.6 ± 16.7 mmHg; P < 0.001) was significantly lower, and the maximum pressure of the LES (25.4 ± 37.7 vs. 159.5 ± 83.6 mmHg; P < 0.001) was significantly higher during vacuum swallowing. The frequencies of the I-SW and SW-I patterns in vacuum swallowing were 38.9% and 0%, respectively, using the SBMS. Vacuum swallowing could be reproduced safely in healthy participants with instruction. Therefore, instructing exhalation before and after vacuum swallowing is recommended to prevent aspiration.
Effects of resistance training on quality of life, fatigue, physical function, and muscular strength during chemotherapy treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Metcalfe James W. , Orange Samuel T. , Madden Leigh A. , Marshall Phil , Vince Rebecca V.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

To systematically review and meta-analyse the efficacy of resistance training on quality of life (QOL), fatigue, physical function, and muscular strength in people diagnosed with cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Methods

Electronic databases PubMed, Cochrane Central, CINAHL, SCOPUS and Web of Science were systematically searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the effects of resistance training to control on QOL, fatigue, physical function, and lower-body and upper-body muscular strength in adults undergoing chemotherapy. Standardised mean differences (SMDs) were pooled using a random effects model. Risk of bias was assess using the risk of bias tool for randomised trials (RoB 2).

Results

Seven RCTs encompassing 561 participants were included. The pooled results of seven RCTs showed that resistance training during chemotherapy significantly improved lower-body strength (n = 555, SMD 0.33, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.53, moderate-quality evidence, I2 = 23%) compared to control. There was no evidence for an effect of resistance training on QOL (n = 373, SMD 0.13, 95% CI -0.15 to 0.42, low-quality evidence, I2 = 0%), fatigue (n = 373, SMD -0.08, 95% CI -0.37 to 0.22, low-quality evidence, I2 = 20%), physical function (n = 198, SMD 0.61, 95% CI -0.73 to 1.95, very low-quality evidence, I2 = 83%), or upper-body strength (n = 413, SMD 0.37, 95% CI -0.07 to 0.80, very low-quality evidence, I2 = 69%).

Conclusions

Resistance training may improve lower-body strength in patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment compared to control.
Physical Modelling in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering
Authors: Einstein Herbert
Published: August 2024

The paper presented at the International Congress and this extended version are intended to pay homage to Professor Leopold Müller who was a leading developer and user of physical models. This will be done by first reviewing physical models of stone-built artificial structures from ancient times till now being used to investigate the flow of forces and the effect of material properties. The same issues affect rock mechanics and engineering. Consequently, physical Querymodels of fundamental material behavior, geologic mechanisms, and especially jointed rock will then be described. On this basis complex models of geologic processes and of structures on and in rock masses will be discussed. Finally, critical aspects, namely, the issues of scaling and of possible obsolescence because of powerful simulation models, will be addressed leading to the outlook where physical models can and should be used.
Intergenerational transmission of psychopathology across three generations: the role of social support
Authors: Xerxa Yllza , Hillegers Manon H. J. , Mesman Esther , Tiemeier Henning , Jansen Pauline W.
Published: August 2024

Psychopathology runs in families and affects functioning of individuals and their family members. This study assessed the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology risk across three generations, and the extent to which social support factors may protect against this transmission from parents to their offspring. This study was embedded in Generation R, a multi-ethnic population-based cohort from fetal life onwards. Lifetime psychiatric disorders of grandparents were assessed with the Family Informant Schedule Criteria- updated for DSM-IV. Parental psychopathology was repeatedly measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory. Offspring psychopathology (ages 10 and 14) was assessed with the Brief Problem Monitor. Maternal and child social factors were assessed using questionnaire measures and a computerized peer nomination assessment. Our results show that the estimated additive interaction effect for the risk transmission of grandparental and pre- and postnatal parental psychopathology to offspring psychopathology was 23% (95% CI 19; 27). The joint effect of grandparental and parental psychopathology combined with maternal and child social support factors was 13% (95% CI 08; 17)], suggesting that social support factors diminished the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology from (grand)parents (G1 and G2) to offspring (G3). Transmission of psychopathology risk may have long-lasting developmental effects across generations. Social support factors reduced the vulnerability to the effects of psychopathology risk, underscoring the importance of the identification of buffering factors associated with good mental health in adolescents who are at high familial risk.
A retrospective study of prognostic factors and prostate-specific antigen dynamics in Japanese patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer who received combined androgen blockade therapy with bicalutamide
Authors: Tashiro Yu , Akamatsu Shusuke , Ueno Kentaro , Kamoto Toshiyuki , Terada Naoki , Hida Takuya , Kurahashi Ryoma , Kamba Tomomi , Saito Atsushi , Lee Takumi , Morita Satoshi , Kobayashi Takashi
Published: August 2024

Background

This retrospective observational study explored the therapeutic potential of combined androgen blockade (CAB) with bicalutamide (Bic-CAB) as an initial treatment for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) in Japan.

Methods

The electronic health records of 159 patients with mHSPC from three Japanese institutions who received initial treatment with Bic-CAB between 2007 and 2017 were analyzed. The time to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression, duration of Bic-CAB treatment, and overall survival (OS), with various definitions for PSA progression, were assessed. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was constructed using clinical parameters to predict time to the end of Bic-CAB treatment and OS.

Results

The median observation period was 46.4 months, and the median age of patients at diagnosis was 71 years. A total of 46.5% patients experienced PSA progression with a median survival duration of 29 months (according to Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Working Group 3 criteria), and 49.1% patients achieved a PSA nadir < 0.2 ng/mL in a median time of 4.7 months. When stratified by PSA nadir and PSA change, patients at low risk for disease progression with a small PSA change due to low initial PSA had a 5-year OS of 100% and a 10-year OS of 75%. The OS during the observation period was 72.9 months.

Conclusion

These findings highlight the potential effect of Bic-CAB in patients with mHSPC who were at low risk for disease progression. Initial treatment with Bic-CAB and adjusting treatment early based on PSA dynamics may be a reasonable treatment plan for these patients.
Meta-analysis of Pregnancy Events in Biomedical HIV Prevention Trials in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for Gender Transformative Trials
Authors: Lorenzetti Lara , Dinh Nhi , Whitcomb Cason , Martinez Andres , Chatani Manju , Lievense Breanne , Nhamo Definate , Slack Catherine , Eley Natalie , MacQueen Kathleen
Published: August 2024

Historically, pregnant and lactating populations (PLP) have been excluded or disenrolled from biomedical HIV prevention trials, despite being more likely to acquire HIV during pregnancy and the post-partum period. We conducted a meta-analysis of pregnancy events in biomedical HIV prevention trials in sub-Saharan Africa to support trialists moving toward more inclusive clinical and implementation studies. We searched peer-reviewed literature reporting pregnancy events and contraceptive requirements in HIV prevention trials between 2001 and 2022. We hypothesized four variables to explain variation: contraceptive requirements, study start year, study product, and sub-region. We fit a meta-analytic model to estimate individual effect sizes and sampling variances, then conducted sub-group analyses to assess moderating effects. We identified 38 references for inclusion, across which the proportion of pregnancy events was 8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6–10%) with high heterogeneity (I2 = 99%). Studies not requiring contraceptives (21%, 95%CI: 7–48%) reported a significantly higher proportion of pregnancy events than studies requiring two methods (5%, 95%CI: 2–10%). Studies launched between 2001 and 2007 (11%, 95%CI: 8–16%), microbicide gel trials (12%, 95%CI: 8–18%), and studies conducted in Western Africa (28%, 95%CI: 13–51%) reported higher proportions of pregnancy events than reference groups. Together, these variables have a moderating effect on pregnancy events (p < 0.0001), explaining 63% of heterogeneity in trials. Results describe how, over time, more stringent contraceptive requirements reduced pregnancy events, which ensured necessary statistical power but limited reproductive choice by participants. With the move toward continuing PLP on experimental products, trialists can utilize estimated pregnancy events reported here to inform strategies that accommodate participants’ changing fertility preferences.
Do Children with High Callous-Unemotional Traits Have Attentional Deficits to Emotional Stimuli? Evidence from a Multi-Method and Multi-Informant Study
Authors: Ivanova-Serokhvostova Anastasiya , Fanti Kostas , Bonillo Albert , Supèr Hans , Corrales Montserrat , Pérez-Bonaventura Iris , Pamias Montserrat , Ramos-Quiroga Antoni J. , Torrubia Rafael , Nadal Roser , Frick Paul J. , Molinuevo Beatriz
Published: August 2024

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits in children and adolescents are linked to severe and persistent antisocial behavior. Based on past empirical research, several theoretical models have suggested that CU traits may be partly explained by difficulties in correctly identifying others’ emotional states as well as their reduced attention to others’ eyes, which could be important for both causal theory and treatment. This study tested the relationships among CU traits, emotion recognition of facial expressions and visual behavior in a sample of 52 boys referred to a clinic for conduct problems (Mage = 10.29 years; SD = 2.06). We conducted a multi-method and multi-informant assessment of CU traits through the Child Problematic Traits Inventory (CPTI), the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional (ICU), and the Clinical Assessment of Prosocial Emotions-Version 1.1 (CAPE). The primary goal of the study was to compare the utility of these methods for forming subgroups of youth that differ in their emotional processing abilities. An emotion recognition task assessed recognition accuracy (percentage of mistakes) and absolute dwell time on the eyes or mouth region for each emotion. Results from repeated measures ANOVAs revealed that low and high CU groups did not differ in emotion recognition accuracy, irrespective of the method of assessing CU traits. However, the high CU group showed reduced attention to the eyes of fearful and sad facial expressions (using the CPTI) or to all emotions (using the CAPE). The high CU group also showed a general increase in attention to the mouth area, but only when assessed by the CAPE. These findings provide evidence to support abnormalities in how those elevated on CU traits process emotional stimuli, especially when assessed by a clinical interview, which could guide appropriate assessment and more successful interventions for this group of youth.
Time-travelling in philosophy of mathematics courses: From classroom to newsroom
Authors: Koyuncu Mehmet Kasım
Published: August 2024

This article presents a new teaching method that embraces media production as a principle in education, aimed at effectively conveying the philosophy of mathematics. Based upon this premise, the content of the philosophy of mathematics course was reimagined as a digital newspaper, reminiscent of past printed editions. This transformation was carried out collaboratively with participants, shaping the course delivery accordingly. The effect of this method on the participants’ technological pedagogical content knowledge was investigated using a mixed methodological approach with a sample of forty pre-service mathematics teachers. By digitally recreating historical contexts, participants had the opportunity to explore the philosophers and scientists of the relevant period, along with the social conditions they experienced. Adopting this method helped participants overcome the anachronistic epistemology fallacy, allowing them to develop their imagination and perception of the past compared to the traditional approach. It also highlights how the method transformed the class into a more engaging and entertaining part of the curriculum. Research findings reveal that creating a newspaper not only encourages the technological pedagogical development inherent in the teaching profession but also contributes to the development of the roles expected from the individual in the educational environment in the technology age. Therefore, this method may serve as a source of inspiration for teacher educators, especially those teaching courses in related contexts.
PAC statistical model checking of mean payoff in discrete- and continuous-time MDP
Authors: Agarwal Chaitanya , Guha Shibashis , Křetínský Jan , Pazhamalai M.
Published: August 2024

Markov decision processes (MDPs) and continuous-time MDP (CTMDPs) are the fundamental models for non-deterministic systems with probabilistic uncertainty. Mean payoff (a.k.a. long-run average reward) is one of the most classic objectives considered in their context. We provide the first practical algorithm to compute mean payoff probably approximately correctly in unknown MDPs. Our algorithm is anytime in the sense that if terminated prematurely, it returns an approximate value with the required confidence. Further, we extend it to unknown CTMDPs. We do not require any knowledge of the state or number of successors of a state, but only a lower bound on the minimum transition probability, which has been advocated in literature. Our algorithm learns the unknown MDP/CTMDP through repeated, directed sampling; thus spending less time on learning components with smaller impact on the mean payoff. In addition to providing probably approximately correct (PAC) bounds for our algorithm, we also demonstrate its practical nature by running experiments on standard benchmarks.
Hydrological connectivity and environment characteristics explain spatial variation in fish assemblages in a wet–dry tropical river
Authors: O’Mara Kaitlyn , Venarsky Michael , Stewart-Koster Ben , McGregor Glenn B. , Schulz Cameron , Marshall Jonathan , Bunn Stuart E.
Published: August 2024

Hydrological connectivity in river systems facilitates the movement of animals across riverine landscapes and influences fish habitat but is threatened by climate change and water resource developments. We studied fish assemblages across a large wet–dry tropical river system in northern Australia that is under consideration for new agricultural and water resource developments, which are expected to alter hydrological connectivity. We explored relationships between the environment and several biotic variables; fish taxonomic composition, species turnover, and species trait presence, quantifying how they were related to hydrological connectivity. Environmental dissimilarity of sites was influenced by hydrological connectivity variables, including flow, elevation, and river distance. Environment characteristics and hydrological connectivity together were important predictors of fish taxonomic composition. Fish species turnover was highest in headwater sites, and species presence absence was related to feeding and reproductive traits. Our results suggest that habitat specialists and species with reproductive traits that depend on hydrological connectivity, such as diadromous species, are most vulnerable to declines in relative abundance following a reduction in connectivity, which would lead to range contractions within catchments. Maintaining habitats that support taxonomically and functionally unique fish assemblages, such as wetlands and headwater streams, is important for maintaining biodiversity.
Salience and feasibility of enacting rough draft math: Teachers’ voices about productive and powerful variations
Authors: Jansen Amanda , Silla Elena M. , Collier Crystal L.
Published: August 2024

Rough draft math [RDM] (Jansen, 2020a) occurs when a teacher invites students to share their in-progress thinking and provides opportunities for students to revise their thinking. RDM could be viewed as an approach to ambitious teaching because it is a practice when teachers elicit and respond to students’ thinking to support their learning, which is productive, and their positive identity development, which is powerful. The purpose of this study was to identify salient and feasible enactments of rough draft math, as described by teachers after they have learned about RDM through a book study and/or professional development. We interviewed 32 teachers in eight states in the USA, and we identified variations among the two most feasible and salient enactments of RDM: (1) inviting students to revise and (2) purposeful task selection and implementation. Variations in revising enactments included providing students with structured or unstructured revision opportunities and different ways teachers incorporated revising into their assessment practices (either test corrections or student self-assessment). Variations in task selection included modifying curricular tasks or using instructional routines intentionally. Variations in task implementation included implementing tasks to reinforce content or develop new understandings. We developed conjectures about the ways in which these variations could provide powerful or productive opportunities for students.
Profound T Lymphocyte and DNA Repair Defect Characterizes Schimke Immuno-Osseous Dysplasia
Authors: Vladyka Ondřej , Zieg Jakub , Pátek Ondřej , Bloomfield Markéta , Paračková Zuzana , Šedivá Anna , Klocperk Adam
Published: August 2024

Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia is a rare multisystemic disorder caused by biallelic loss of function of the SMARCAL1 gene that plays a pivotal role in replication fork stabilization and thus DNA repair. Individuals affected from this disease suffer from disproportionate growth failure, steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome leading to renal failure and primary immunodeficiency mediated by T cell lymphopenia. With infectious complications being the leading cause of death in this disease, researching the nature of the immunodeficiency is crucial, particularly as the state is exacerbated by loss of antibodies due to nephrotic syndrome or immunosuppressive treatment. Building on previous findings that identified the loss of IL-7 receptor expression as a possible cause of the immunodeficiency and increased sensitivity to radiation-induced damage, we have employed spectral cytometry and multiplex RNA-sequencing to assess the phenotype and function of T cells ex-vivo and to study changes induced by in-vitro UV irradiation and reaction of cells to the presence of IL-7. Our findings highlight the mature phenotype of T cells with proinflammatory Th1 skew and signs of exhaustion and lack of response to IL-7. UV light irradiation caused a severe increase in the apoptosis of T cells, however the expression of the genes related to immune response and regulation remained surprisingly similar to healthy cells. Due to the disease’s rarity, more studies will be necessary for complete understanding of this unique immunodeficiency.
Humidity-induced curing and anti-corrosion properties of GPTMS-modified polyorganosilazane functionalized silica coating on AA2024-T3 aluminum alloy
Authors: Aruchamy Udhaya Kumar , Merino Emilia , Durán Alicia , Pálková Helena , Galusek Dušan , Castro Yolanda
Published: August 2024

Relative humidity (RH) is one of the key parameters that significantly affect the curing kinetics and final properties of polysilazane-based coatings. Thus, the paper discusses the effect of relative humidity during the curing process and the anti-corrosion properties of (3-glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (GPTMS)-modified polyorganosilazane (OPSZ) functionalized silica coatings on AA2024-T3. Modified polyorganosilazane sol was prepared and then deposited on AA2024-T3 substrates varying the curing conditions. After the deposition, the coated aluminum substrates were exposed to different RH levels; 15%, 40% and 80%, and then cured at 120 °C for 2 h. Transparent and crack-free GPTMS-modified polyorganosilazane coatings with a thickness of around 15–17 μm were obtained. The exposure to the relative humidity increased the crosslinking and hydrolysis-condensation reactions of the OPSZ and GPTMS molecules, showing more Si-O-Si bonds. The incorporation of GPTMS affected the crosslinking structure, enhancing the corrosion protection properties of the coating. GPTMS-modified polyorganosilazane coatings cured at 40%RH had the best anti-corrosive properties after immersion in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. The impedance modulus of ∼109 Ω.cm2 at a low frequency was obtained, which was five orders of magnitude higher than that for the AA2024-T3 alloy.

Graphical Abstract
One R or the other – an experimental bioethics approach to 3R dilemmas in animal research
Authors: Rodriguez Perez Christian , Shaw David M. , Earp Brian D. , Elger Bernice S. , Persson Kirsten
Published: August 2024

Sacrificial dilemmas such as the trolley problem play an important role in experimental philosophy (x-phi). But it is increasingly argued that, since we are not likely to encounter runaway trolleys in our daily life, the usefulness of such thought experiments for understanding moral judgments in more ecologically valid contexts may be limited. However, similar sacrificial dilemmas are experienced in real life by animal research decision makers. As part of their job, they must make decisions about the suffering, and often the death, of many non-human animals. For this reason, a context-specific investigation of so-called “3R dilemmas” (i.e., dilemmas where there is a conflict between the principles of replacement, reduction, and refinement of the use of animals in research) is essential to improve the situation of both non-human animals and human stakeholders. An approach well suited for such investigation is experimental philosophical bioethics (“bioxphi”), which draws on methods similar to x-phi to probe more realistic, practical scenarios with an eye to informing normative debates and ethical policy. In this article, we argue for a need to investigate 3R dilemmas among professional decision-makers using the tools of bioxphi. In a first step, we define 3R dilemmas and discuss previous investigations of professionals’ attitudes in such cases. In a second step, we show how bioxphi is a promising method to investigate the whys and hows of professional decision-making in 3R dilemmas. In a last step, we provide a bioxphi template for 3R dilemmas, give recommendations on its use, explore the normative relevance of data collected by such means, and discuss important limitations.
Navigating glioblastoma complexity: the interplay of neurotransmitters and chromatin
Authors: Romero-Reyes Jessica , Vázquez-Martínez Edgar Ricardo , Silva Carlos-Camilo , Molina-Hernández Anayansi , Díaz Néstor Fabián , Camacho-Arroyo Ignacio
Published: August 2024

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive brain cancer with an unfavorable prognosis for patient survival. Glioma stem cells, a subpopulation of cancer cells, drive tumor initiation, self-renewal, and resistance to therapy and, together with the microenvironment, play a crucial role in glioblastoma maintenance and progression. Neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin have contrasting effects on glioblastoma development, stimulating or inhibiting its progression depending on the cellular context and through their action on glioma stem cells, perhaps changing the epigenetic landscape. Recent studies have revealed that serotonin and dopamine induce chromatin modifications related to transcriptional plasticity in the mammalian brain and possibly in glioblastoma; however, this topic still needs to be explored because of its potential implications for glioblastoma treatment. Also, it is essential to consider that neurotransmitters’ effects depend on the tumor’s microenvironment since it can significantly influence the response and behavior of cancer cells. This review examines the possible role of neurotransmitters as regulators of glioblastoma development, focusing on their impact on the chromatin of glioma stem cells.
Multi-objective Bayesian shape optimization of an industrial hydrodynamic separator using unsteady Eulerian-Lagrangian simulations
Authors: Roberts A. P. , Rahat A. A. M. , Jarman D. S. , Fieldsend J. E. , Tabor G. R.
Published: August 2024

The shape of a hydrodynamic particle separator has been optimized using a parallelized and robust formulation of Bayesian optimization, with data from an unsteady Eulerian flow field coupled with Lagrangian particle tracking. The uncertainty due to the mesh, initial conditions, and stochastic dispersion in the Eulerian-Lagrangian simulations was minimized and quantified. This was then translated across to the error term in the Gaussian process model and the minimum probability of improvement infill criterion. An existing parallelization strategy was modified for the infill criterion and customized to prefer exploitation in the decision space. In addition, a new strategy was developed for hidden constraints using Voronoi penalization. In the approximate Pareto Front, an absolute improvement over the base design of

$$14\%$$

14
%

in the underflow collection efficiency and

$$10\%$$

10
%

in the total collection efficiency was achieved, which resulted in the filing of a patent.* The corresponding designs were attributed to the effective distribution of residence time between the trays via the removal of a vertical plume. The plume also reduced both efficiencies by creating a flow path in a direction that acted against effective settling. The concave down and offset tray shapes demonstrated the value of Bayesian optimization in producing useful and non-intuitive designs.

Graphic abstract
Associations between attention and threat in dental settings
Authors: Behlau Isabelle , Behlau Alexander , Renner Karl-Heinz
Published: August 2024

Dental fear still causes health risks and high costs for health insurances due to the common avoidance of dental visits by dentally fearful patients. Selective attention may be a potential trigger of dental fear. The aim of the present studies was to investigate the influence of threatening dental stimuli in image combinations on the performance in a visual search task. In three studies, we compared the influence of dental stimuli with pictures of weapons or accidents and different distractors, i.e., cutlery, animals, landscapes. In the first two studies, participants had to decide if a target is available in a 3 × 3 matrix or not. In the third experiment, participants had to decide if a threatening or a neutral stimulus was the target. In all three studies we could replicate the finding that there is a threat-superiority-effect as well as a disengagement-effect for dental stimuli in visual search tasks. Dental stimuli were not only detected faster than deciding that no dental stimulus is available with different distractors, but dental stimuli also decreased search performance within the 3 × 3 matrices when presented as distractors. This is the first paper that demonstrates that dental stimuli that are associated with a negative threatening valence attract attention very quickly in the context of non-threatening stimuli. Future studies should investigate if a distraction from these threatening stimuli or a habituation to these threatening stimuli could reduce dental fear.
Immunobiological effects of lipopolysaccharide derived from Helicobacter pylori and influence of a proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes
Authors: Koshibu Yoji , Ubagai Tsuneyuki , Yoshino Yusuke , Ono Yasuo
Published: August 2024

Helicobacterpylori colonizes the human gastric mucosa of more than half of the human population and has a unique lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure. LPS is the most dominant and suitable pathogen-associated molecular pattern that is detected via pattern recognition receptors. Although the priming effect of H. pylori LPS on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production of PMNs is lower than that of Escherichia coli O111:B4 LPS, LPS released from H. pylori associated with antibiotics eradication therapy may activate PMNs and increase ROS production. In addition, we describe the effects of H. pylori and E. coli O111:B4 LPSs on gene expression and the anti-inflammatory effect of lansoprazole (LPZ) in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. LPS isolated from H. pylori and E. coli O111:B4 alters toll-like receptor 2 (TLR) and TLR4 expressions similarly. However, LPS from E. coli O111:B4 and H. pylori caused a 1.8-fold and 1.5-fold increase, respectively, in CD14 expression. All LPS subtypes upregulated TNFα and IL6 expression in a concentration-dependent manner. Although E. coli O111:B4 LPS upregulated IL8R mRNA levels, H. pylori LPS did not (≦ 100 ng/mL). Gene expression levels of ITGAM demonstrated no significant change on using both LPSs. These different effects on the gene expression in PMNs may depend on variations in LPS structural modifications related to the acquired immunomodulatory properties of H. pylori LPS. Proton pump inhibitors, i.e., LPZ, are used in combination with antibiotics for the eradication therapy of H. pylori. LPZ and its acid-activated sulphenamide form AG-2000 suppress ROS production of PMNs in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that LPZ combination with antibiotics for H. pylori eradication reduces gastric inflammation by suppressing ROS release from PMNs.