bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transgression Severity, Forgiveness, Relationship Satisfaction, and Mental Health in Romantic Relationships
Authors: Behrens Carolin , Kröger Christoph
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Background: Based on interdependence theory, forgiveness could be a strategy for dealing with interpersonal transgressions in a romantic relationship. Objective: The present study examines the effects of transgression severity on relationship satisfaction and mental health along two forgiveness dimensions – resentment-avoidance and benevolence. Method: 351 opposite-gender couples (age M = 48.24 years, SD = 12.88; relationship duration M = 22.71 years, SD = 12.96) rated four self-report measures. We analyzed the cross-sectional data using an Actor–Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM). Results: There was a significant indirect effect of transgression severity through resentment-avoidance for the actor’s and the partner’s relationship satisfaction. The link through benevolence was significant only for the partner’s relationship satisfaction. Regarding mental health, the indirect effects of resentment-avoidance and benevolence were significant for the actor and the partner. Conclusions: The findings support the notion that forgiveness impacts both partners’ relational and individual well-being.
Distinct Mixing Regimes in Shallow Cumulus Clouds
Authors: Arieli Yael , Eytan Eshkol , Altaratz Orit , Khain Alexander , Koren Ilan
Published: January 2024

Understanding the nature of mixing between cloudy air and its surroundings is an important and yet, open question. In this research, we use high‐resolution (10 m) bin‐microphysics Large Eddy Simulation of a cumulus cloud, together with a Lagrangian passive tracer tracking method, to study mixing. We analyze the passive tracers as a function of their trajectories and the thermodynamic conditions they undergo inside and outside the cloud. Three main mixing regimes (core, periphery, and skin) are identified, each determining a subset of tracers with similar trajectories. These mixing regimes can be observed throughout the cloud's lifetime and they provide evidence for the presence of an undiluted core in shallow cumulus clouds. At the dissipation stage, a fourth regime is identified: cloud‐top entrainment followed by downdrafts.
Weakened Orographic Influence on Cool‐Season Precipitation in Simulations of Future Warming Over the Western US
Authors: Koszuta Matthew , Siler Nicholas , Leung L. Ruby , Wettstein Justin J.
Published: January 2024

High‐resolution regional climate model (RCM) simulations of global warming consistently predict larger percentage increases in precipitation in the lee of midlatitude mountain ranges than on their windward slopes, indicating a weakening of the orographic rain shadow. This redistribution of precipitation could have profound consequences for water resources and ecosystems, but its underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here we show that rain‐shadow weakening is just one manifestation of a more general decrease in the influence of orography on precipitation under global warming. We introduce a simple model of precipitation change based on this principle, and find that it agrees well with an ensemble of high‐resolution simulations performed over the western United States. We argue that diminished orographic influence can be explained by the unique vertical structure of orographically forced ascent, which tends to maximize in the lower atmosphere where condensation is thermodynamically less sensitive to warming.
Structural Restorations of the Complete Conjugate US‐Mexico Eastern Gulf of Mexico Margin
Authors: Curry Magdalena Ellis , Hudec Michael R. , Peel Frank J. , Fernandez Naiara , Apps Gillian , Snedden John W.
Published: January 2024

We present the first sequential structural restoration with flexural backstripping of the Gulf of Mexico US‐Mexico conjugate margin salt basin. We construct four large‐scale (100s of km) balanced, sequential structural restorations to investigate spatio‐temporal patterns of subsidence, geometry of the original salt basin, feedbacks between post‐salt structural and stratigraphic evolution, paleo‐bathymetry, and crustal configurations. The restorations are based on interpretations of 2D and 3D seismic data, and include sequential sedimentary decompaction, flexural isostatic backstripping, and thermal isostatic corrections. The spatially variable crustal thinning factor is directly measured from seismic data, and lithologic parameters are determined by well penetrations. We present a model for the original salt basin and discuss evidence for and implications of a deep water salt basin setting for the GoM. Our analysis suggests a salt basin that contained ∼1–2 km thick salt in a basin 175–390 km across with ∼1 km of bathymetry after salt deposition. The base of salt is mostly smooth with <1 km of local relief in the form of normal faults that disrupt a pre‐salt sedimentary section. We find that supra‐salt extension and shortening are not balanced, with measurable extension exceeding shortening by 18–30 km on each cross‐section. Our subsidence analysis reveals anomalous subsidence totaling 1–2 km during Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous times that may reflect dynamic topography or depth‐dependent thinning. We offer an interpretation of crustal breakup invoking pre‐salt clastic sedimentation, salt deposition in a deep water syn‐thinning basin, and post‐salt lower‐crustal exhumation.
Connectome dysfunction in patients at clinical high risk for psychosis and modulation by oxytocin
Authors: Davies Cathy , Martins Daniel , Dipasquale Ottavia , McCutcheon Robert A. , De Micheli Andrea , Ramella-Cravaro Valentina , Provenzani Umberto , Rutigliano Grazia , Cappucciati Marco , Oliver Dominic , Williams Steve , Zelaya Fernando , Allen Paul , Murguia Silvia , Taylor David , Shergill Sukhi , Morrison Paul , McGuire Philip , Paloyelis Yannis , Fusar-Poli Paolo
Published: January 2024

Abnormalities in functional brain networks (functional connectome) are increasingly implicated in people at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR-P). Intranasal oxytocin, a potential novel treatment for the CHR-P state, modulates network topology in healthy individuals. However, its connectomic effects in people at CHR-P remain unknown. Forty-seven men (30 CHR-P and 17 healthy controls) received acute challenges of both intranasal oxytocin 40 IU and placebo in two parallel randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over studies which had similar but not identical designs. Multi-echo resting-state fMRI data was acquired at approximately 1 h post-dosing. Using a graph theoretical approach, the effects of group (CHR-P vs healthy control), treatment (oxytocin vs placebo) and respective interactions were tested on graph metrics describing the topology of the functional connectome. Group effects were observed in 12 regions (all pFDR < 0.05) most localised to the frontoparietal network. Treatment effects were found in 7 regions (all pFDR < 0.05) predominantly within the ventral attention network. Our major finding was that many effects of oxytocin on network topology differ across CHR-P and healthy individuals, with significant interaction effects observed in numerous subcortical regions strongly implicated in psychosis onset, such as the thalamus, pallidum and nucleus accumbens, and cortical regions which localised primarily to the default mode network (12 regions, all pFDR < 0.05). Collectively, our findings provide new insights on aberrant functional brain network organisation associated with psychosis risk and demonstrate, for the first time, that oxytocin modulates network topology in brain regions implicated in the pathophysiology of psychosis in a clinical status (CHR-P vs healthy control) specific manner.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor from microglia regulates neuronal development in the medial prefrontal cortex and its associated social behavior
Authors: Komori Takashi , Okamura Kazuya , Ikehara Minobu , Yamamuro Kazuhiko , Endo Nozomi , Okumura Kazuki , Yamauchi Takahira , Ikawa Daisuke , Ouji-Sageshima Noriko , Toritsuka Michihiro , Takada Ryohei , Kayashima Yoshinori , Ishida Rio , Mori Yuki , Kamikawa Kohei , Noriyama Yuki , Nishi Yuki , Ito Toshihiro , Saito Yasuhiko , Nishi Mayumi , Kishimoto Toshifumi , Tanaka Kenji F. , Hiroi Noboru , Makinodan Manabu
Published: January 2024

Microglia and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are essential for the neuroplasticity that characterizes critical developmental periods. The experience-dependent development of social behaviors—associated with the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)—has a critical period during the juvenile period in mice. However, whether microglia and BDNF affect social development remains unclear. Herein, we aimed to elucidate the effects of microglia-derived BDNF on social behaviors and mPFC development. Mice that underwent social isolation during p21–p35 had increased Bdnf in the microglia accompanied by reduced adulthood sociability. Additionally, transgenic mice overexpressing microglial Bdnf—regulated using doxycycline at different time points—underwent behavioral, electrophysiological, and gene expression analyses. In these mice, long-term overexpression of microglial BDNF impaired sociability and excessive mPFC inhibitory neuronal circuit activity. However, administering doxycycline to normalize BDNF from p21 normalized sociability and electrophysiological function in the mPFC, whereas normalizing BDNF from later ages (p45–p50) did not normalize electrophysiological abnormalities in the mPFC, despite the improved sociability. To evaluate the possible role of BDNF in human sociability, we analyzed the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and BDNF expression in human macrophages, a possible proxy for microglia. Results show that adverse childhood experiences positively correlated with BDNF expression in M2 but not M1 macrophages. In summary, our study demonstrated the influence of microglial BDNF on the development of experience-dependent social behaviors in mice, emphasizing its specific impact on the maturation of mPFC function, particularly during the juvenile period. Furthermore, our results propose a translational implication by suggesting a potential link between BDNF secretion from macrophages and childhood experiences in humans.
Reliability of sucrose preference testing following short or no food and water deprivation—a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of rat models of chronic unpredictable stress
Authors: Berrio Jenny P. , Hestehave Sara , Kalliokoski Otto
Published: January 2024

The sucrose preference test is a popular test for anhedonia in the chronic unpredictable stress model of depression. Yet, the test does not always produce consistent results. Long food and water deprivation before the test, while often implemented, confounds the results by introducing unwanted drives in the form of hunger and thirst. We assessed the reliability of the test when only short or no fasting was used. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for studies in rats exposed to chronic unpredictable stress that used no more than 6 h of food and/or water deprivation before the test. Sweet consumptions, for stressed and control/antidepressant-treated animals, in 132 studies were pooled using random effects models. We found a decrease in sweet consumption in stressed rats, compared to controls, that was halved when a non-caloric sweetener was used and significantly reduced when sucrose consumption was corrected for body weight. What is more, the length of food and water deprivation was found to confound the effect. The effect was reversed when the stressed rats were treated with antidepressants. Methodological strategies meant to control for recognized sources of bias when conducting the test were often missing, and so was a clear and complete report of essential study information. Our results indicate that not only is food and water deprivation before the test unnecessary, but not recommended. Even in absence of long fasting, we found evidence of an additional effect on sweet consumption that is unrelated to anhedonia. Without properly controlling for non-hedonic drivers of consumption, the test is unreliable as a proxy measure of anhedonia. Strengthening the methodological rigor and addressing the confounding effect of metabolic factors in the sucrose preference test prevents misleading conclusions that harm the translatability of the associated research and perpetuates the use of animals for little gain.
COX6C expression driven by copy amplification of 8q22.2 regulates cell proliferation via mediation of mitosis by ROS-AMPK signaling in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Liu Shuanghui , Shao Fanggui , Wang Yourong , Zhang Yurui , Yu Hongjia , Zhang Ningxin , He Lan , Kong Qingran , Jiang Hao , Dong Zhixiong
Published: January 2024

Copy number variations (CNVs) play a vital role in regulating genes expression and tumorigenesis. We explored the copy number alterations in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma using high-throughput sequencing and nucleic acid flight mass spectrometry technology, and found that 8q22.1-22.2 is frequently amplified in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. COX6C localizes on the region and its expression is notably enhanced that driven by amplification in lung adenocarcinoma. Knockdown of COX6C significantly inhibits the cell proliferation, and induces S-G2/M cell cycle arrest, mitosis deficiency and apoptosis. Moreover, COX6C depletion causes a deficiency in mitochondrial fusion, and impairment of oxidative phosphorylation. Mechanistically, COX6C-induced mitochondrial deficiency stimulates ROS accumulation and activates AMPK pathway, then leading to abnormality in spindle formation and chromosome segregation, activating spindle assemble checkpoint, causing mitotic arrest, and ultimately inducing cell apoptosis. Collectively, we suggested that copy amplification-mediated COX6C upregulation might serves as a prospective biomarker for prognosis and targeting therapy in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.
Drought may exacerbate dryland soil inorganic carbon loss under warming climate conditions
Authors: Li Jinquan , Pei Junmin , Fang Changming , Li Bo , Nie Ming
Published: January 2024

Low moisture conditions result in substantially more soil inorganic carbon (SIC) than soil organic carbon (SOC) in drylands. However, whether and how changes in moisture affect the temperature response of SIC in drylands are poorly understood. Here, we report that the temperature sensitivity of SIC dissolution increases but that of SOC decomposition decreases with increasing natural aridity from 30 dryland sites along a 4,500 km aridity gradient in northern China. To directly test the effects of moisture changes alone, a soil moisture control experiment also revealed opposite moisture effects on the temperature sensitivities of SIC and SOC. Moreover, we found that the temperature sensitivity of SIC was primarily regulated by pH and base cations, whereas that of SOC was mainly regulated by physicochemical protection along the aridity gradient. Given the overall increases in aridity in a warming world, our findings highlight that drought may exacerbate dryland soil carbon loss from SIC under warming.
Direct bandgap emission from strain-doped germanium
Authors: Yuan Lin-Ding , Li Shu-Shen , Luo Jun-Wei
Published: January 2024

Germanium (Ge) is an attractive material for Silicon (Si) compatible optoelectronics, but the nature of its indirect bandgap renders it an inefficient light emitter. Drawing inspiration from the significant expansion of Ge volume upon lithiation as a Lithium (Li) ion battery anode, here, we propose incorporating Li atoms into the Ge to cause lattice expansion to achieve the desired tensile strain for a transition from an indirect to a direct bandgap. Our first-principles calculations show that a minimal amount of 3 at.% Li can convert Ge from an indirect to a direct bandgap to possess a dipole transition matrix element comparable to that of typical direct bandgap semiconductors. To enhance compatibility with Si Complementary-Metal-Oxide-Semiconductors (CMOS) technology, we additionally suggest implanting noble gas atoms instead of Li atoms. We also demonstrate the tunability of the direct-bandgap emission wavelength through the manipulation of dopant concentration, enabling coverage of the mid-infrared to far-infrared spectrum. This Ge-based light-emitting approach presents exciting prospects for surpassing the physical limitations of Si technology in the field of photonics and calls for experimental proof-of-concept studies.
Wind and structural loads data measured on parabolic trough solar collectors at an operational power plant
Authors: Egerer Ulrike , Dana Scott , Jager David , Xia Geng , Stanislawski Brooke J. , Yellapantula Shashank
Published: January 2024

Wind loading is a primary contributor to structural design costs of concentrating solar-thermal power collectors, such as heliostats and parabolic troughs. These structures must resist the mechanical forces generated by turbulent wind, while the reflector surfaces must maintain optimal optical performance. Studying wind-driven loads at a full-scale, operational concentrating solar-thermal power plant provides insights into the wind impact on the solar collector field beyond the capabilities of wind tunnel tests or state-of-the-art simulations. We conducted comprehensive field measurements of the atmospheric turbulent wind conditions and the resulting structural wind loads on parabolic troughs at the Nevada Solar One plant over a two-year period. The measurement setup included meteorological masts and structural load sensors on four trough rows. Additionally, a lidar scanned the horizontal plane above the trough field. In this study, we describe the high-resolution dataset characterizing the complex flow field and resulting structural loads. This first-of-its-kind dataset will enhance the understanding of wind loading on collector structures and will help in designing the next-generation solar collectors and photovoltaic trackers.
Annotated dataset for training deep learning models to detect astrocytes in human brain tissue
Authors: Olar Alex , Tyler Teadora , Hoppa Paulina , Frank Erzsébet , Csabai István , Adorjan Istvan , Pollner Péter
Published: January 2024

Astrocytes, a type of glial cell, significantly influence neuronal function, with variations in morphology and density linked to neurological disorders. Traditional methods for their accurate detection and density measurement are laborious and unsuited for large-scale operations. We introduce a dataset from human brain tissues stained with aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member L1 (ALDH1L1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). The digital whole slide images of these tissues were partitioned into 8730 patches of 500 × 500 pixels, comprising 2323 ALDH1L1 and 4714 GFAP patches at a pixel size of 0.5019/pixel, furthermore 1382 ADHD1L1 and 311 GFAP patches at 0.3557/pixel. Sourced from 16 slides and 8 patients our dataset promotes the development of tools for glial cell detection and quantification, offering insights into their density distribution in various brain areas, thereby broadening neuropathological study horizons. These samples hold value for automating detection methods, including deep learning. Derived from human samples, our dataset provides a platform for exploring astrocyte functionality, potentially guiding new diagnostic and treatment strategies for neurological disorders.
Adaptive suspension state estimation based on IMMAKF on variable vehicle speed, road roughness grade and sprung mass condition
Authors: Wu Xiao , Shi Wenku , Zhang Hong , Chen Zhiyong
Published: January 2024

Vehicle speed, road roughness grade and sprung mass are the three main factors to influence suspension control and state estimation. Aiming at the problem that fixed state observer cannot guarantee the estimation accuracy of suspension with driving scenario changes, a suspension state observer based on interactive multiple model adaptive Kalman filter (IMMAKF) is established. Firstly, an adaptive control suspension is proposed based on LQR algorithm and multi-objective optimization algorithm, which can automatically adjust the controller parameters according to the vehicle speed, road roughness grade and sprung acceleration parameters, so as to keep the optimal control effect of the suspension. Secondly, the theoretical model of IMMAKF is derived, and two kinds of IMMAKF suspension state observers and controllers are established. Finally, a simulation condition with the vehicle speed, road roughness grade and sprung mass changing simultaneously is established. The simulation results shows that: compared with ordinary IMMKF, AKF and KF observers, the estimation accuracy of IMMAKF5 is improved. Except for state observation, IMMAKF can be used to identify the road roughness grade and estimate the suspension sprung mass.
Predictive value of serum TBA for 2-year MACEs in ACS patients undergoing PCI: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Wen Wen , Li Qinze , She Jianqing , Bai Xiaofang , Zhang Lisha , Li Ruifeng , Wu Yan , Zhou Juan , Yuan Zuyi
Published: January 2024

Bile acids play important roles in lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis. Limited research exist on the association between serum total bile acid (TBA) levels and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), particularly those with comorbid type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study was conducted to examine the relationship between baseline serum TBA level and T2DM status in patients with ACS after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and to identify the predictive value of TBA levels for a 2-year risk of MACEs. 425 ACS patients underwent PCI were recruited and divided into three groups based on baseline serum TBA concentration. An analysis of the association between the T2DM status and baseline serum TBA levels was conducted using univariate linear regression and multivariate linear regression. The predictive relevance of serum TBA levels was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Cox regression. Kaplan–Meier curves were employed to analyze the differences among groups in predicting MACEs over a 2-year follow-up period. Baseline serum TBA levels were higher in ACS patients who were diagnosed with T2DM (the median 3.6 µmol/L) than those without T2DM (the median 3.0 µmol/L). T2DM status in ACS patients was positively correlated with baseline serum TBA concentrations (β: 1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3–3.0), particularly in the male (β: 2.0, 95% CI 0.3–3.6) and 50–69-year-old (β: 2.5, 95% CI 0.6–4.4) populations. The areas under the ROC curve of baseline serum TBA levels predicted MACEs in ACS and ACS-T2DM patients following PCI were 0.649 (95% CI 0.595–0.703) and 0.783 (95% CI 0.685–0.881), respectively. Furthermore, Cox regression analysis showed that baseline serum TBA level was associated with the occurrence of MACEs in patients with ACS after PCI over a 2-year follow-up period, especially in those diagnosed with T2DM, whose baseline TBA concentration was lower than 10.0 µmol/L. ACS Patients with T2DM had higher serum TBA levels. TBA level at baseline was an independent predictor of MACEs in ACS patients who underwent PCI, especially with comorbid T2DM.
Toenail and serum levels as biomarkers of iron status in pre- and postmenopausal women: correlations and stability over eight-year follow-up
Authors: Von Holle Ann , O’Brien Katie M. , Sandler Dale P. , Janicek Robert , Karagas Margaret R. , White Alexandra J. , Niehoff Nicole M. , Levine Keith E. , Jackson Brian P. , Weinberg Clarice R.
Published: January 2024

Iron status is often assessed in epidemiologic studies, and toenails offer a convenient alternative to serum because of ease of collection, transport, and storage, and the potential to reflect a longer exposure window. Very few studies have examined the correlation between serum and toenail levels for trace metals. Our aim was to compare iron measures using serum and toenails on both a cross-sectional and longitudinal basis. Using a subset of the US-wide prospective Sister Study cohort, we compared toenail iron measures to serum concentrations for iron, ferritin and percent transferrin saturation. Among 146 women who donated both blood and toenails at baseline, a subsample (59%, n = 86) provided specimens about 8 years later. Cross-sectional analyses included nonparametric Spearman’s rank correlations between toenail and serum biomarker levels. We assessed within-woman maintenance of rank across time for the toenail and serum measures and fit mixed effects models to measure change across time in relation to change in menopause status. Spearman correlations at baseline (follow-up) were 0.08 (0.09) for serum iron, 0.08 (0.07) for transferrin saturation, and − 0.09 (− 0.17) for ferritin. The within-woman Spearman correlation for toenail iron between the two time points was higher (0.47, 95% CI 0.30, 0.64) than for serum iron (0.30, 95% CI 0.09, 0.51) and transferrin saturation (0.34, 95% CI 0.15, 0.54), but lower than that for ferritin (0.58, 95% CI 0.43, 0.73). Serum ferritin increased over time while nail iron decreased over time for women who experienced menopause during the 8-years interval. Based on cross-sectional and repeated assessments, our evidence does not support an association between serum biomarkers and toenail iron levels. Toenail iron concentrations did appear to be moderately stable over time but cannot be taken as a proxy for serum iron biomarkers and they may reflect physiologically distinct fates for iron.
Drying as an effective method to store soil samples for DNA-based microbial community analyses: a comparative study
Authors: Smenderovac Emily , Emilson Caroline , Rheault Karelle , Brazeau Élodie , Morency Marie-Josée , Gagné Patrick , Venier Lisa , Martineau Christine
Published: January 2024

Soil sampling for environmental DNA in remote and semi-remote locations is often limited due to logistical constraints surrounding sample preservation, including no or limited access to a freezer. Freezing at − 20 °C is a common DNA preservation strategy, however, other methods such as desiccation, ethanol or commercial preservatives are available as potential alternative DNA preservation methods for room temperature storage. In this study, we assessed five preservation methods (CD1 solution, 95% Ethanol, Dry & Dry silica gel packs, RNAlater, LifeGuard) along with freezing at − 20 °C, against immediate extraction on organic and mineral soils for up to three weeks of preservation. We assessed direct effects on DNA concentration and quality, and used DNA metabarcoding to assess effects on bacterial and fungal communities. Drying with Dry & Dry led to no significant differences from immediate extraction. RNAlater led to lower DNA concentrations, but effects on community structures were comparable to freezing. CD1, LifeGuard and Ethanol either caused immediate significant shifts in community structure, degradation of DNA quality or changes in diversity metrics. Overall, our study supports the use of drying with silica gel packs as a cost-effective, and easily applied method for the short-term storage at room temperature for DNA-based microbial community analyses.
Tuning contact line dynamics on slippery silicone oil grafted surfaces for sessile droplet evaporation
Authors: Raynard Astrid , Abbas Anam , Armstrong Steven , Wells Gary G. , McHale Glen , Sefiane Khellil , Orejon Daniel
Published: January 2024

Controlling the dynamics of droplet evaporation is critical to numerous fundamental and industrial applications. The three main modes of evaporation so far reported on smooth surfaces are the constant contact radius (CCR), constant contact angle (CCA), and mixed mode. Previously reported methods for controlling droplet evaporation include chemical or physical modifications of the surfaces via surface coating. These often require complex multiple stage processing, which eventually enables similar droplet-surface interactions. By leveraging the change in the physicochemical properties of the outermost surface by different silicone oil grafting fabrication parameters, the evaporation dynamics and the duration of the different evaporation modes can be controlled. After grafting one layer of oil, the intrinsic hydrophilic silicon surface (contact angle (CA) ≈ 60°) is transformed into a hydrophobic surface (CA ≈ 108°) with low contact angle hysteresis (CAH). The CAH can be tuned between 1° and 20° depending on the fabrication parameters such as oil viscosity, volume, deposition method as well as the number of layers, which in turn control the duration of the different evaporation modes. In addition, the occurrence and strength of stick–slip behaviour during evaporation can be additionally controlled by the silicone oil grafting procedure adopted. These findings provide guidelines for controlling the droplet-surface interactions by either minimizing or maximising contact line initial pinning, stick–slip and/or constant contact angle modes of evaporation. We conclude that the simple and scalable silicone oil grafted coatings reported here provide similar functionalities to slippery liquid infused porous surfaces (SLIPSs), quasi-liquid surfaces (QLS), and/or slippery omniphobic covalently attached liquid (SOCAL) surfaces, by empowering pinning-free surfaces, and have great potential for use in self-cleaning surfaces or uniform particle deposition.
Alteration of actin cytoskeletal organisation in fetal akinesia deformation sequence
Authors: Jühlen Ramona , Grauer Lukas , Martinelli Valérie , Rencurel Chantal , Fahrenkrog Birthe
Published: January 2024

Fetal akinesia deformation sequence (FADS) represents the severest form of congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS), a diverse group of inherited disorders characterised by impaired neuromuscular transmission. Most CMS originate from defects in the muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, but the underlying molecular pathogenesis is only poorly understood. Here we show that RNAi-mediated silencing of FADS-related proteins rapsyn and NUP88 in foetal fibroblasts alters organisation of the actin cytoskeleton. We show that fibroblasts from two independent FADS individuals have enhanced and shorter actin stress fibre bundles, alongside with an increased number and size of focal adhesions, with an otherwise normal overall connectivity and integrity of the actin-myosin cytoskeleton network. By proximity ligation assays and bimolecular fluorescence complementation, we show that rapsyn and NUP88 localise nearby adhesion plaques and that they interact with the focal adhesion protein paxillin. Based on these findings we propose that a respective deficiency in rapsyn and NUP88 in FADS alters the regulation of actin dynamics at focal adhesions, and thereby may also plausibly dictate myofibril contraction in skeletal muscle of FADS individuals.
Stimulating effect of biogenic nanoparticles on the germination of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seeds
Authors: Sencan Aziz , Kilic Semra , Kaya Havva
Published: January 2024

Metal nanoparticles synthesized using various biosources are the subject of focus in many research areas thanks to their improved biological effects and increased bioavailability. Silver (Ag), zinc oxide (ZnO) and magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) were obtained by using low-cost, low-energy, environmentally friendly, non-toxic chemicals and easily accessible thyme leaves and lavender flowers. The effects of various concentrations of biosynthesized NPs on the germination and germination index of basil seeds were defined comparatively. Phytochemicals in lavender flower extract acted as reducing and capping agents in the biosynthesis of Ag-NPs, and phytochemicals in thyme leaves extract acted for the biosynthesis of ZnO-NPs ve Fe3O4-NPs. Relative root length was detected at 25 mg/L ZnO-NP, stem length at 50 mg/L ZnO-NP, and relative seed germination 100 mg/L Fe3O4-NP with the maximum value. However, germination percentage, germination index, germination vigor index and root length were found to be maximum compared to other NP applications at Ag-NPs at 200 mg/L. This research showed that the germination promoting effects of NPs, which may be essential microelements, are related to their size, surface area, morphology and concentration. Thus, it promoted early and rapid germination by breaking the NP's seed dormancy.
A comparative study of deep eutectic solvents based on fatty acids and the effect of water on their intermolecular interactions
Authors: Barani Pour Samaneh , Jahanbin Sardroodi Jaber , Rastkar Ebrahimzadeh Alireza , Pazuki Gholamreza , Hadigheh Rezvan Vahideh
Published: January 2024

In this work, intermolecular interactions among the species of fatty acids-based DESs with different hydrogen bond acceptors (HBA) in the adjacent water have been investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The results of this work provide deep insights into understanding the water stability of the DESs based on thymol and the eutectic mixtures of choline chloride and fatty acids at a temperature of 353.15 K and atmospheric pressure. Stability, hydrogen bond occupancy analysis, and the distribution of the HBA and HBD around each other were attributed to the alkyl chain length of FAs and the type of HBA. Assessed structural properties include the combined distribution functions (CDFs), the radial distribution functions (RDFs), the angular distribution functions (ADFs), and the Hydrogen bonding network between species and Spatial distribution functions (SDF). The reported results show the remarkable role of the strength of the hydrogen bond between THY molecules and fatty acids on the stability of DES in water. The transport properties of molecules in water–eutectic mixtures were analyzed by using the mean square displacement (MSD) of the centers of mass of the species, self-diffusion coefficients, vector reorientation dynamics (VRD) of bonds and the velocity autocorrelation function (VACF) for the center of the mass of species.
A miniaturized mode-of-action profiling platform enables high throughput characterization of the molecular and cellular dynamics of EZH2 inhibition
Authors: Falkenstern Lilia , Georgi Victoria , Bunse Stefanie , Badock Volker , Husemann Manfred , Roehn Ulrike , Stellfeld Timo , Fitzgerald Mark , Ferrara Steven , Stöckigt Detlef , Stresemann Carlo , Hartung Ingo V. , Fernández-Montalván Amaury
Published: January 2024

The market approval of Tazemetostat (TAZVERIK) for the treatment of follicular lymphoma and epithelioid sarcoma has established “enhancer of zeste homolog 2” (EZH2) as therapeutic target in oncology. Despite their structural similarities and common mode of inhibition, Tazemetostat and other EZH2 inhibitors display differentiated pharmacological profiles based on their target residence time. Here we established high throughput screening methods based on time-resolved fluorescence energy transfer, scintillation proximity and high content analysis microscopy to quantify the biochemical and cellular binding of a chemically diverse collection of EZH2 inhibitors. These assays allowed to further characterize the interplay between EZH2 allosteric modulation by methylated histone tails (H3K27me3) and inhibitor binding, and to evaluate the impact of EZH2’s clinically relevant mutant Y641N on drug target residence times. While all compounds in this study exhibited slower off-rates, those with clinical candidate status display significantly slower target residence times in wild type EZH2 and disease-related mutants. These inhibitors interact in a more entropy-driven fashion and show the most persistent effects in cellular washout and antiproliferative efficacy experiments. Our work provides mechanistic insights for the largest cohort of EZH2 inhibitors reported to date, demonstrating that—among several other binding parameters—target residence time is the best predictor of cellular efficacy.
Comparing the language style of heads of state in the US, UK, Germany and Switzerland during COVID-19
Authors: Dworakowski Olenka , Meier Tabea , Mehl Matthias R. , Pennebaker James W. , Boyd Ryan L. , Horn Andrea B.
Published: January 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic posed a global threat to nearly every society around the world. Individuals turned to their political leaders to safely guide them through this crisis. The most direct way political leaders communicated with their citizens was through official speeches and press conferences. In this report, we compare psychological language markers of four different heads of state during the early stage of the pandemic. Specifically, we collected all pandemic-related speeches and press conferences delivered by political leaders in the USA (Trump), UK (Johnson), Germany (Merkel), and Switzerland (Swiss Federal Council) between February 27th and August 31st, 2020. We used natural language analysis to examine language markers of expressed positive and negative emotions, references to the community (we-talk), analytical thinking, and authenticity and compare these language markers across the four nations. Level differences in the language markers between the leaders can be detected: Trump’s language was characterized by a high expression of positive emotion, Merkel’s by a strong communal focus, and Johnson’s and the Swiss Federal Council by a high level of analytical thinking. Overall, these findings mirror different strategies used by political leaders to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Toxicity of herbicides to the marine microalgae Tisochrysis lutea and Tetraselmis sp.
Authors: Flores Florita , Stapp Laura S. , van Dam Joost , Fisher Rebecca , Kaserzon Sarit , Negri Andrew P.
Published: January 2024

Pesticides are ubiquitous in the catchments of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and regularly discharge into the nearshore waters. Effective management of pesticides requires suitable water quality guideline values (WQGVs), and further ecotoxicological data for many pesticides are needed to improve the reliability of environmental risk assessments. To help address this issue, toxicity thresholds were determined to two species of tropical marine microalgae Tisochrysis lutea and Tetraselmis sp. for a suite of herbicides detected in the GBR. Photosystem II (PSII) herbicides significantly reduced growth with no effect concentration (NEC) and 10% effect concentration (EC10) values spanning two orders of magnitude from 0.60 µg L−1 for diuron to 60 µg L−1 for simazine across both species. However, growth was insensitive to the non-PSII herbicides. The NEC/EC10 thresholds for most herbicide-microalgae combinations were greater than recent WQGVs intended to protect 99% of species (PC99); however, metribuzin was toxic to T. lutea at concentrations lower than the current PC99 value, which may have to be revisited. The toxicity thresholds for alternative herbicides derived here further inform the development of national and GBR-specific WQGVs, but more toxicity data is needed to develop WQGVs for the > 50 additional pesticides detected in catchments of the GBR.
Tree foliage as a net accumulator of highly toxic methylmercury
Authors: Stinson Idus , Li Han-Han , Tsui Martin Tsz-Ki , Ku Peijia , Ulus Yener , Cheng Zhang , Lam Hon-Ming
Published: January 2024

Tree canopies are known to elevate atmospheric inputs of both mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg). While foliar uptake of gaseous Hg is well documented, little is known regarding the temporal dynamics and origins of MeHg in tree foliage, which represents typically less than 1% of total Hg in foliage. In this work, we examined the foliar total Hg and MeHg content by following the growth of five individual trees of American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) for one growing season (April–November, 2017) in North Carolina, USA. We show that similar to other studies foliar Hg content increased almost linearly over time, with daily accumulation rates ranging from 0.123 to 0.161 ng/g/day. However, not all trees showed linear increases of foliar MeHg content along the growing season; we found that 2 out of 5 trees showed elevated foliar MeHg content at the initial phase of the growing season but their MeHg content declined through early summer. However, foliar MeHg content among all 5 trees showed eventual increases through the end of the growing season, proving that foliage is a net accumulator of MeHg while foliar gain of biomass did not “dilute” MeHg content.
Prevalence and distribution of Varroa destructor and Nosema spp. in symptomatic honey bee colonies across the USA from 2015 to 2022
Authors: Abban Samuel , Smith Bart , Corona Miguel , Cook Steven C. , Evans Jay D. , Chen Yanping , Alburaki Mohamed
Published: January 2024

USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory received symptomatic honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) samples across the United States for disease diagnosis. Here, we present a retrospective study and cartography of ectoparasite Varroa destructor and intracellular microsporidia parasite Nosema spp. These two major parasites were identified in the diseased honey bee samples between 2015 and 2022. Varroa infestation level (VIL) was examined by a wash technique (Mites/100 bees) and calculated as a percentage, while Nosema infection was quantified by microscopical spore count (Million Spores/Bee). Data were analyzed by month, year, state, and by nine geographical climate regions described in the U.S. Of adult bee samples (n = 4039) that were analyzed for Varroa mite infestation, the overall VIL in the U.S. ranged between 0.4 and 30.85%, with an overall national VIL and Varroa prevalence of 8.21% and 85.14%, respectively. Overall monthly data showed VIL constantly exceeded the critical level of 4% except from June to September and reached a maximum of 15% in January and December. Nationwide, VIL significantly (p < 0.001) increased from 2015 to 2018 (1.1–4.7%), plateaued from 2018 to 2021 (4.7–4.5%), followed by a significant decrease in 2022 (3.6%). Significant VIL differences (p < 0.001) were recorded among climate regions, with the highest mite infestation levels in the Upper Midwest region (13.9%) and the lowest in the West region (5.1%). Of adult bee samples (n = 2,994) that were analyzed for Nosema infection, Nosema spore count ranged between (1–16.8) million spores per bee among states, with a national average of 6.8 and a prevalence of 99.7%. The lowest and highest Nosema loads were respectively recorded in the South region (3.1) and Upper Midwest (10.5), a significant difference (p < 0.001). No statistical differences were recorded among the six other climate regions. Overall, VIL and Nosema infection correlated significantly (p < 0.001) with a regression coefficient of (R2 = 0.6). Our data, which originated from ailing bee colonies, showed significantly higher rates of maladies compared to data from healthy colonies obtained by the USDA-APHIS National Honey Bee Survey, demonstrating the role of bee diseases caused by Varroa mite and Nosema in honey bee population declines.
Transcriptomic characterization of the human segmental endotoxin challenge model
Authors: Gress Christina , Litzenburger Tobias , Schmid Ramona , Xiao Ke , Heissig Florian , Muller Meike , Gupta Abhya , Hohlfeld Jens M.
Published: January 2024

Segmental instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by bronchoscopy safely induces transient airway inflammation in human lungs. This model enables investigation of pulmonary inflammatory mechanisms as well as pharmacodynamic analysis of investigational drugs. The aim of this work was to describe the transcriptomic profile of human segmental LPS challenge with contextualization to major respiratory diseases. Pre-challenge bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and biopsies were sampled from 28 smoking, healthy participants, followed by segmental instillation of LPS and saline as control. Twenty-four hours post instillation, BAL and biopsies were collected from challenged lung segments. Total RNA of cells from BAL and biopsy samples were sequenced and analysed for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). After challenge with LPS compared with saline, 6316 DEGs were upregulated and 241 were downregulated in BAL, but only one DEG was downregulated in biopsy samples. Upregulated DEGs in BAL were related to molecular functions such as “Inflammatory response” or “chemokine receptor activity”, and upregulated pro-inflammatory pathways such as “Wnt-"/“Ras-"/“JAK-STAT” “-signaling pathway”. Furthermore, the segmental LPS challenge model resembled aspects of the five most prevalent respiratory diseases chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis and lung cancer and featured similarities with acute exacerbations in COPD (AECOPD) and community-acquired pneumonia. Overall, our study provides extensive information about the transcriptomic profile from BAL cells and mucosal biopsies following LPS challenge in healthy smokers. It expands the knowledge about the LPS challenge model providing potential overlap with respiratory diseases in general and infection-triggered respiratory insults such as AECOPD in particular.
Public support for more stringent vaccine policies increases with vaccine effectiveness
Authors: Koenig Richard , Savani Manu Manthri , Lee-Whiting Blake , McAndrews John , Banerjee Sanchayan , Hunter Andrew , John Peter , Loewen Peter John , Nyhan Brendan
Published: January 2024

Under what conditions do citizens support coercive public policies? Although recent research suggests that people prefer policies that preserve freedom of choice, such as behavioural nudges, many citizens accepted stringent policy interventions like fines and mandates to promote vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic—a pattern that may be linked to the unusually high effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. We conducted a large online survey experiment (N = 42,417) in the Group of Seven (G-7) countries investigating the relationship between a policy’s effectiveness and public support for stringent policies. Our results indicate that public support for stringent vaccination policies increases as vaccine effectiveness increases, but at a modest scale. This relationship flattens at higher levels of vaccine effectiveness. These results suggest that intervention effectiveness can be a significant predictor of support for coercive policies but only up to some threshold of effectiveness.