bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of task on the human brain’s responses to, and representation of, visual regularity defined by reflection and rotation
Authors: Zamboni E , Makin A.D.J. , Bertamini M. , Morland A.B.
Published: November 2023

Identifying and segmenting objects in an image is generally achieved effortlessly and is facilitated by the presence of symmetry: a principle of perceptual organisation used to interpret sensory inputs from the retina into meaningful representations. However, while imaging studies show evidence of symmetry selective responses across extrastriate visual areas in the human brain, whether symmetry is processed automatically is still under debate. We used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to study the response to and representation of two types of symmetry: reflection and rotation. Dot pattern stimuli were presented to 15 human participants (10 female) under stimulus-relevant (symmetry) and stimulus-irrelevant (luminance) task conditions. Our results show that symmetry-selective responses emerge from area V3 and extend throughout extrastriate visual areas. This response is largely maintained when participants engage in the stimulus irrelevant task, suggesting an automaticity to processing visual symmetry. Our multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) results extend these findings by suggesting that not only spatial organisation of responses to symmetrical patterns can be distinguished from that of non-symmetrical (random) patterns, but also that representation of reflection and rotation symmetry can be differentiated in extrastriate and object-selective visual areas. Moreover, task demands did not affect the neural representation of the symmetry information. Intriguingly, our MVPA results show an interesting dissociation: representation of luminance (stimulus irrelevant feature) is maintained in visual cortex only when task relevant, while information of the spatial configuration of the stimuli is available across task conditions. This speaks in favour of the automaticity for processing perceptual organisation: extrastriate visual areas compute and represent global, spatial properties irrespective of the task at hand.

Key Points

Symmetry selective responses observed in extrastriate visual cortex but not V1 whether stimulus spatial configuration is task relevant or irrelevant.

Representation for reflection and rotation differ in extrastriate and object-selective areas, during both stimulus relevant and irrelevant tasks.

Representation of luminance information is available only when task relevant.
Physical exercise restores adult neurogenesis deficits induced by simulated microgravity
Authors: Gros Alexandra , Furlan Fandilla Marie , Rouglan Vanessa , Favereaux Alexandre , Bontempi Bruno , Morel Jean-Luc
Published: November 2023

Cognitive impairments have been reported in astronauts during spaceflights and documented in ground-based models of simulated microgravity (SMG) in animals. However, the neuronal causes of these behavioral effects remain largely unknown. We explored whether adult neurogenesis, known to be a crucial plasticity mechanism supporting memory processes, is altered by SMG. Adult male Long-Evans rats were submitted to the hindlimb unloading model of SMG. We studied the proliferation, survival and maturation of newborn cells in the following neurogenic niches: the subventricular zone (SVZ)/olfactory bulb (OB) and the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus, at different delays following various periods of SMG. SMG exposure for 7 days, but not shorter periods of 6 or 24 hours, resulted in a decrease of newborn cell proliferation restricted to the DG. SMG also induced a decrease in short-term (7 days), but not long-term (21 days), survival of newborn cells in the SVZ/OB and DG. Physical exercise, used as a countermeasure, was able to reverse the decrease in newborn cell survival observed in the SVZ and DG. In addition, depending on the duration of SMG periods, transcriptomic analysis revealed modifications in gene expression involved in neurogenesis. These findings highlight the sensitivity of adult neurogenesis to gravitational environmental factors during a transient period, suggesting that there is a period of adaptation of physiological systems to this new environment.
Neutrophil-derived complement factor P induces cytotoxicity in basal-like cells via caspase 3/7 activation in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Kishore Uday , Varghese Praveen M , Mangogna Alessandro , Klein Lukas , Tu Mengyu , Urbach Laura , Qiu Mengjie , Nicolle Remy , Murugaiah Valarmathy , Beirag Nazar , Roth Susanne , Pedersen Dennis , Sim Robert B. , Ellenrieder Volker , Andersen Gregers Rom , Bulla Roberta , Singh Shiv K.
Published: November 2023

Due to profound heterogeneity within stromal immune tumor microenvironment (TME), pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a hard to treat disease, with the lowest 5-year survival below 10%. Large-scale transcriptomic analysis has revealed two main, clinically relevant PDAC signatures: therapy responsive ‘Classical’ subtype with better prognosis, and poorly-differentiated Basal-like with poor prognosis. It has also become evident that the cellular and humoral components in the immune TME considerably influence the outcome of tumorigenesis. Complement system, a potent humoral innate immune mechanism, also forms a part of this immune TME. In addition to the regular production of various complement components in the liver, certain infiltrating immune cells such as macrophages, dendritic cells and neutrophils, can produce a few complement components locally at the site of infection and inflammation including TME, and modulate tumorigenic outcomes. Neutrophils are the most prevalent innate immune cells in the PDAC TME; however, its role has been attributed as either pro-tumorigenic or anti-tumorigenic. Neutrophils, when stimulated or under stress, are capable of releasing their secretory granules that also contain the only known up-regulator of the complement alternative pathway, Complement Factor P (CFP) or properdin. Properdin can not only facilitate alternative pathway activation by stabilising the C3 convertase, but also act as a pattern recognition receptor on its own and modify inflammatory response. Here, by combining multicenter transcriptome analysis of PDAC patient tumors, single-cell-RNA-seq analysis, preclinical mouse models and human PDAC specimens, we show that properdin expression and neutrophil surveillance are linked to better prognosis in PDAC patients. Furthermore, properdin expression is substantially higher in well-to-moderately differentiated Classical subtype compared to the highly aggressive basal-like PDAC tumours. Mechanistically, exogenous properdin binds to the cell membrane and activates caspase 3/7 to induce apoptosis in basal-like PDAC cells. Together, these findings suggest that the complement protein, properdin, could be a favorable prognostic factor and exhibit anti-tumorigenic functions in PDAC.
Excessive cortical beta oscillations are associated with slow-wave sleep dysfunction in mild parkinsonism
Authors: Verma Ajay K. , Nandakumar Bharadwaj , Acedillo Kit , Yu Ying , Marshall Ethan , Schneck David , Fiecas Mark , Wang Jing , MacKinnon Colum D. , Howell Michael J. , Vitek Jerrold L. , Johnson Luke A.
Published: November 2023

Increasing evidence associates slow-wave sleep (SWS) dysfunction with neurodegeneration. Using a within-subject design in the nonhuman primate model of Parkinson’s disease (PD), we found that reduced SWS quantity in mild parkinsonism was accompanied by elevated beta and reduced delta power during SWS in the motor cortex. Our findings support excessive beta oscillations as a mechanism for SWS dysfunction and will inform development of neuromodulation therapies for enhancing SWS in PD.
The saccade-induced temporal attentional gradient: Duration compression of the post-saccadic second event
Authors: Chen Lingyue , Grzeczkowski Lukasz , Müller Hermann J. , Shi Zhuanghua
Published: November 2023

Rapid eye movements can distort our perception of time, as evidenced by the phenomenon of Chronostasis, where the first event following a saccade appears to last longer than it actually does. Despite extensive research on this phenomenon, the effect of saccades on sequential post-saccadic events, beyond the first one, has never been investigated. To address this, in the present study we compared the subjective estimates of the time of first and second post-saccadic events (with fixation conditions as controls). We found saccadic eye movements not only to affect the perceived duration of the first post-saccadic event (Chronostasis), but also that of the second event. Specifically, when the second event immediately following the first event, it was subjectively compressed. When the second event was used as the (constant) reference interval, Chronostasis was enhanced. Remarkably, the compression effect persisted even when potential “attentional-blink”-induced processes, that might affect timing at the transition from the first to the second event, were eliminated. To explain our findings, we propose that saccades induce a transient temporal attentional gradient that results in an overestimation of the first and an underestimation of the second interval when the two intervals are temporally (near-) contiguous.
Evolution of sex-biased genes inDrosophilaspecies with neo-sex chromosomes: potential contribution to reducing sexual conflict
Authors: Minovic Anika , Nozawa Masafumi
Published: November 2023

An advantage of sex chromosomes is the potential to reduce sexual conflict because they provide a basis for selection to operate separately on females and males. However, evaluating the relationship between sex chromosomes and sexual conflict is challenging owing to the difficulty in measuring sexual conflict and substantial divergence between species with and without sex chromosomes. We therefore examined sex-biased gene expression as a proxy for sexual conflict in three sets ofDrosophilaspecies with and without young sex chromosomes, the so-called neo-sex chromosomes. In all sets, we detected more sex-biased genes in the species with neo-sex chromosomes than in the species without neo-sex chromosomes in larvae, pupae, and adult somatic tissues but not in gonads. In particular, many unbiased genes became either female- or male-biased after linkage to the neo-sex chromosomes in larvae, despite the low sexual dimorphism in larvae. However, sexual dimorphism at the adult stage can be a consequence of sexual conflict at the larval stage. For example, larval body size and rate of development are likely targets of sexually antagonistic selection (i.e., large size and rapid development are selected for in females but selected against in males). Indeed, genes involved in metabolism, a key determinant of the rate of development in many animals, were enriched in the genes that acquired sex-biased expression on the neo-sex chromosomes at the larval stage. These results indicate that acquiring neo-sex chromosomes may have contributed to a reduction in sexual conflict, particularly at the larval stage, inDrosophila. (247/250 words)
Perilipin membrane-integration determines lipid droplet heterogeneity in differentiating adipocytes
Authors: Majchrzak Mario , Stojanović Ozren , Ajjaji Dalila , M’barek Kalthoum Ben , Omrane Mohyeddine , Thiam Abdou Rachid , Klemm Robin W.
Published: November 2023

The storage of fat within lipid droplets (LDs) of adipocytes is critical for whole-body health. Acute fatty acid (FA) uptake by differentiating adipocytes leads to the formation of at least two LD-classes marked by distinct perilipins (PLINs). How this LD-heterogeneity arises is an important yet unresolved cell biological problem. Here, we show that an unconventional integral membrane-segment (iMS) targets the adipocyte specific LD-surface factor PLIN1 to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and facilitates high affinity binding to the first LD-class. The other PLINs remain largely excluded from these LDs until FA-influx recruits them to a second LD-population. Preventing ER-targeting turns PLIN1 into a soluble, cytoplasmic LD-protein, reduces its LD-affinity and switches its LD-class specificity. Conversely, moving the iMS to PLIN2 leads to ER-insertion and formation of a separate LD-class. Our results shed light on how differences in organelle targeting and disparities in lipid-affinity of LD-surface factors contribute to formation of LD-heterogeneity.

Highlights

PLIN1 is an integral membrane protein behaving as a class I LD protein.

An unconventional integral membrane segment (iMS) mediates ER insertion.

The iMS is required for LD-heterogeneity in differentiating adipocytes.

High affinity LD-targeting from the ER is likely a gated process.

eTOC blurb

Majchrzak et al. use biochemistry, imaging andin vitroexperiments to identify molecular features in PLIN1 that determine ER insertion and high lipid droplet affinity which are both important in the generation of LD-heterogeneity within differentiating adipocytes.
Body Mass Index Asian Populations category and stroke and heart disease in the adult population: A longitudinal study of The Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) 2007 and 2014
Authors: Latief Kamaluddin , Nurrika Dieta , Tsai Min-Kuang , Gao Wayne
Published: November 2023

Background

Stroke and heart disease are included in the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) concerns. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a modifiable risk factor for stroke and heart disease alike. Most studies classify BMI according to the WHO BMI cut-off point in stroke and heart disease studies. However, there is a limited understanding of the association between the BMI cut-off point in the Asian population category and stroke and heart disease. This study aimed to investigate the incidence rate ratio of stroke and heart disease by BMI categories for Asian population.

Methods

A 7-year prospective longitudinal study (2007-2014) was conducted on 6,688 adult Indonesian individuals (≥ 35 years) living in 13 different provinces in Indonesia during the survey periods. Data on BMI were collected in 2007. Information on stroke and heart disease was obtained in both 2007 and in 2014. A multivariate-adjusted Poisson regression model was used to estimate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of either stroke or heart disease or both stroke and heart disease by BMI.

Results

Out of 6,688 eligible participants, 334 (5%) were judged as stroke and heart disease in 2014. The IRR (95% CI) of stroke and heart disease for participants with obesity was 2.57 (1.64-4.04) compared with those within normal weight. This incidence rate ratio remained among middle-aged adults (<55 years) rather than the older adults (≥55 years); the IRR of stroke and heart disease among obese middle-aged adults was 4.18 (95% CI 2.10–8.31).

Conclusions

The association was observed between obesity and the risk of stroke and heart disease, especially in middle-aged adults. These findings suggest that lowering BMI through healthy dietary habits and increasing physical activity, especially among middle-aged adults with high education, who are employees, and who live in urban or rural areas may be beneficial for preventing stroke and heart disease.
Development of meta-prompts for Large Language Models to screen titles and abstracts for diagnostic test accuracy reviews
Authors: Kataoka Yuki , So Ryuhei , Banno Masahiro , Kumasawa Junji , Someko Hidehiro , Taito Shunsuke , Terasawa Teruhiko , Tsujimoto Yasushi , Tsutsumi Yusuke , Wada Yoshitaka , Furukawa Toshi A.
Published: November 2023

Systematic reviews (SRs) are a critical component of evidence-based medicine, but the process of screening titles and abstracts is time-consuming. This study aimed to develop and externally validate a method using large language models to classify abstracts for diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) systematic reviews, thereby reducing the human workload. We used a previously collected dataset for developing DTA abstract classifiers and applied prompt engineering. We developed an optimized meta-prompt for Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT)-3.5-turbo and GPT-4 to classify abstracts. In the external validation dataset 1, the prompt with GPT-3.5 turbo showed a sensitivity of 0.988, and a specificity of 0.298. GPT-4 showed a sensitivity of 0.982, and a specificity of 0.677. In the external validation dataset 2, GPT-3.5 turbo showed a sensitivity of 0.919, and a specificity of 0.434. GPT-4 showed a sensitivity of 0.806, and a specificity of 0.740. If we included eligible studies from among the references of the identified studies, GPT-3.5 turbo had no critical misses, while GPT-4 had some misses. Our study indicates that GPT-3.5 turbo can be effectively used to classify abstracts for DTA systematic reviews. Further studies using other dataset are warranted to confirm our results. Additionally, we encourage the use of our framework and publicly available dataset for further exploration of more effective classifiers using other LLMs and prompts (https://github.com/youkiti/ARE/).

Hightlights

What is already known

- Title and abstract screening in systematic reviews (SRs) consumes significant time.

- Several attempts using machine learning to reduce this process in diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) SRs exist, but they have not yielded positive results in external validation.

What is new

- We aimed to develop and externally validate optimized meta-prompt for GPT-3.5-turbo and GPT-4 to classify abstracts for DTA SRs.

- Through an iterative approach across three training datasets, an optimal meta-prompt capable of identifying DTA studies with remarkable sensitivity and specificity was developed.

- The accuracy reproduced in the external validation datasets.

Potential Impact for Readers

- The developed meta-prompt can lessen the need for humans to read abstracts for DTA SRs, saving significant time and resources.
Effectiveness of pain education on pain, disability, quality of life and self-efficacy in chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sidiq Mohammad , Muzaffar Tufail , Janakiraman Balamurugan , Masoodi Shariq , Vasanthi Rajkumar Krishnan , Ramachandran Arunachalam , Bansal Nitesh , Chahal Aksh , Kashoo Faizan Zaffar , Rivzi Moattar Raza , Sharma Ankita , Rai Richa Hirendra , Verma Rituraj , Sharma Monika , Alam Sajjad , Vajrala Krishna Reddy , Sharma Jyoti , Muthukrishnan Ramprasad
Published: November 2023

Background

Low back pain is one of the most common causes of pain-related disability worldwide. There are growing recommendations to use psychological approaches in the management of chronic low back pain. Pain education intervention is one such psychological approach aiming at re-conceptualizing pain beliefs and easing the pain threat value. This randomized controlled trial aimed to gain an understanding of the effectiveness of pain education on pain levels, disability, quality of life, and self-efficacy in individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Methods

A two-arm parallel randomized trial was conducted recruiting 92 participants with CLBP, who were randomly allocated to either standard physiotherapy care with the pain education program, or the control group, and both groups received 6 weeks of intervention. Pain intensity (using NPRS), disability (using RMDQ), self-efficacy (using general self-efficacy scale), and wellbeing (using WHO 5I) were assessed before, and 6 weeks after the study intervention.

Findings

The post-intervention scores comparison between the groups showed that the pain education intervention reduced disability compared to the usual standard care at 6 weeks (mean difference 8.2, p < 0.001, effect size η2 = 0.75), the pain intensity (mean difference 3.5, p < 0.001, effect size η2 = 0.82) and improved the wellbeing index (mean difference 13.7, p < 0.001, effect size η2 = 0.58).

Conclusion

The findings suggested that pain education program enhance the therapeutic benefits of usual standard physiotherapy care among participants with chronic LBP. We conclude that pain education seems to have clinical benefits when delivered along with standard care physiotherapy during the management of chronic low back pain.

CTRI registration code

CTRI/2021/08/035963
Clinical sarcopenia identification: Justification for increased sensitivity in SARC-F scores for probable sarcopenia
Authors: Propst David , Dornemann Tim , Biscardi Lauren
Published: November 2023

Background

The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) recommends the use of the 5-item SARC-F questionnaire by clinicians to screen for probable sarcopenia. The recommended threshold of ≥4 has low sensitivity and high specificity in identifying probable sarcopenia. While this high threshold is capable of excluding clients without probable sarcopenia, difficulty lies in using this screening tool to identify clients with low muscle strength.

Methods

204 community-dwelling older adults (117 male, 87 female) above the age of 65 were screened at their physician visits using the SARC-F. Probable sarcopenia was diagnosed using gender-specific grip strength criteria defined by the EWGSOP2 (≤ 27 kg for men, ≤ 16 kg for women). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine a SARC-F threshold that optimized the tradeoff between sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of probable sarcopenia.

Results

Probable sarcopenia was present in 11.8% of participants. There were no differences in age (73.9 ± 6.2 years) or BMI (29.5 ± 5.8 kg/m2) between genders. Males had greater grip strength (36.3 ± 8.1; 22.4 ± 5.5 kg) and lower SARC-F scores (0.92 ± 1.65, 1.88 ± 2.31) than females. The ROC curve identified a SARC-F score of ≥2 as an optimal cutoff between sensitivity and specificity (AUC = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.67 – 0.88, p < .05). Accuracy (0.77), false positive rate (0.22), positive predictive value (0.31), and negative predictive value (0.96) were also calculated.

Conclusions

A SARC-F threshold of ≥2 is recommended as an optimal tradeoff between sensitivity and specificity when identifying community-dwelling older adults with probable sarcopenia. This is lower than the currently accepted recommendation of ≥4. Our findings promote the recommended early detection and treatment by medical professionals by the EWGSOP2 by improving the ability to identify individuals with low muscle strength with this screening procedure.
Cardiovascular risk prediction using metabolomic biomarkers and polygenic risk scores: A cohort study and modelling analyses
Authors: Ritchie Scott C. , Jiang Xilin , Pennells Lisa , Xu Yu , Coffey Claire , Liu Yang , Surendran Praveen , Karthikeyan Savita , Lambert Samuel A. , Danesh John , Butterworth Adam S. , Wood Angela , Kaptoge Stephen , Angelantonio Emanuele Di , Inouye Michael
Published: November 2023

Metabolomic platforms using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy can now rapidly quantify many circulating metabolites which are potential biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Here, we analyse ∼170,000 UK Biobank participants (5,096 incident CVD cases) without a history of CVD and not on lipid-lowering treatments to evaluate the potential for improving 10-year CVD risk prediction using NMR biomarkers in addition to conventional risk factors and polygenic risk scores (PRSs). Using machine learning, we developed sex-specific NMR scores for coronary heart disease (CHD) and ischaemic stroke, then estimated their incremental improvement of 10-year CVD risk prediction when added to guideline-recommended risk prediction models (i.e., SCORE2) with and without PRSs. The risk discrimination provided by SCORE2 (Harrell’s C-index = 0.718) was similarly improved by addition of NMR scores (ΔC-index 0.011; 0.009, 0.014) and PRSs (ΔC-index 0.009; 95% CI: 0.007, 0.012), which offered largely orthogonal information. Addition of both NMR scores and PRSs yielded the largest improvement in C-index over SCORE2, from 0.718 to 0.737 (ΔC-index 0.019; 95% CI: 0.016, 0.022). Concomitant improvements in risk stratification were observed in categorical net reclassification index when using guidelines-recommended risk categorisation, with net case reclassification of 13.04% (95% CI: 11.67%, 14.41%) when adding both NMR scores and PRSs to SCORE2. Using population modelling, we estimated that targeted risk-reclassification with NMR scores and PRSs together could increase the number of CVD events prevented per 100,000 screened from 201 to 370 (ΔCVDprevented: 170; 95% CI: 158, 182) while essentially maintaining the number of statins prescribed per CVD event prevented. Overall, we show combining NMR scores and PRSs with SCORE2 moderately enhances prediction of first-onset CVD, and could have substantial population health benefit if applied at scale.
Effects of Gene Dosage and Development on Subcortical Nuclei Volumes in Individuals with 22q11.2 Copy Number Variations
Authors: Schleifer Charles H. , O’Hora Kathleen P. , Fung Hoki , Xu Jennifer , Robinson Taylor-Ann , Wu Angela S. , Kushan-Wells Leila , Lin Amy , Ching Christopher R. K. , Bearden Carrie E.
Published: November 2023

The 22q11.2 locus contains genes critical for brain development. Reciprocal Copy Number Variations (CNVs) at this locus impact risk for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Both 22q11.2 deletions (22qDel) and duplications (22qDup) are associated with autism, but 22qDel uniquely elevates schizophrenia risk. Understanding brain phenotypes associated with these highly penetrant CNVs can provide insights into genetic pathways underlying neuropsychiatric disorders. Human neuroimaging and animal models indicate subcortical brain alterations in 22qDel, yet little is known about developmental differences across specific nuclei between reciprocal 22q11.2 CNV carriers and typically developing (TD) controls. We conducted a longitudinal MRI study in 22qDel (n=96, 53.1% female), 22qDup (n=37, 45.9% female), and TD controls (n=80, 51.2% female), across a wide age range (5.5-49.5 years). Volumes of the thalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and anatomical subregions were estimated using FreeSurfer, and the effect of 22q11.2 gene dosage was examined using linear mixed models. Age-related changes were characterized with general additive mixed models (GAMMs). Positive gene dosage effects (22qDel < TD < 22qDup) were observed for total intracranial and whole hippocampus volumes, but not whole thalamus or amygdala volumes. Several amygdala subregions exhibited similar positive effects, with bi-directional effects found across thalamic nuclei. Distinct age- related trajectories were observed across the three groups. Notably, both 22qDel and 22qDup carriers exhibited flattened development of hippocampal CA2/3 subfields relative to TD controls. This study provides novel insights into the impact of 22q11.2 CNVs on subcortical brain structures and their developmental trajectories.
Executive function and underlying brain network distinctions for callous-unemotional traits and conduct problems in adolescents
Authors: Winters Drew E. , Dugré Jules R , Sakai Joseph T. , Carter R. McKell
Published: November 2023

The complexity of executive function (EF) impairments in youth antisocial phenotypes of callous-unemotional (CU) traits and conduct problems (CP) challenge identifying phenotypic specific EF deficits. We can redress these challenges by (1) accounting for EF measurement error and (2) testing distinct functional brain properties accounting for differences in EF. Thus, we employed a latent modeling approach for EFs (inhibition, shifting, fluency, common EF) and extracted connection density from matching contemporary EF brain models with a sample of 112 adolescents (ages 13-17, 42% female). Path analysis indicated CU traits associated with lower inhibition. Inhibition network density positively associated with inhibition, but this association was strengthened by CU and attenuated by CP. Common EF associated with three-way interactions between density*CP by CU for the inhibition and shifting networks. This suggests those higher in CU require their brain to work harder for lower inhibition, whereas those higher in CP have difficulty engaging inhibitory brain responses. Additionally, those with CP interacting with CU show distinct brain patterns for a more general EF capacity. Importantly, modeling cross-network connection density in contemporary EF models to test EF involvement in core impairments in CU and CP may accelerate our understanding of EF in these phenotypes.
Population level gene expression can repeatedly link genes to functions in maize
Authors: Torres-Rodríguez J. Vladimir , Li Delin , Turkus Jonathan , Newton Linsey , Davis Jensina , Lopez-Corona Lina , Ali Waqar , Sun Guangchao , Mural Ravi V. , Grzybowski Marcin W. , Thompson Addie M. , Schnable James C.
Published: November 2023

Transcriptome-Wide Association Studies (TWAS) can provide single gene resolution for candidate genes in plants, complementing Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) but efforts in plants have been met with, at best, mixed success. We generated expression data from 693 maize genotypes, measured in a common field experiment, sampled over a two-hour period to minimize diurnal and environmental effects, using full-length RNA-seq to maximize the accurate estimation of transcript abundance. TWAS could identify roughly ten times as many genes likely to play a role in flowering time regulation as GWAS conducted data from the same experiment. TWAS using mature leaf tissue identified known true positive flowering time genes known to act in the shoot apical meristem, and trait data from new environments enabled the identification of additional flowering time genes without the need for new expression data. eQTL analysis of TWAS-tagged genes identified at least one additional known maize flowering time gene throughtrans-eQTL interactions. Collectively these results suggest the gene expression resource described here can link genes to functions across different plant phenotypes expressed in a range of tissues and scored in different experiments.
Performance of A Point-of-care Fluorescence Immunoassay Test to measure anti Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 Spike, Receptor Binding Domain Antibody Level
Authors: Tiara Marita Restie , Djauhari Hofiya , Rachman Febi Ramdhani , Rettob Antonius Christianus , Utami Darmastuti , Pulungan Fahda Cintia Suci , Purwanta Heru , Wisaksana Rudi , Alisjahbana Bachti , Indrati Agnes Rengga
Published: November 2023

Quantitative determination of anti-SARSCoV2-S-RBD is necessary for the evaluation of vaccination effectiveness. Surrogate viral neutralization test (SVNT) is approved for measuring anti-SARSCoV2-S-RBD, but a point-of-care platform is needed to simplify anti-SARS-CoV-2-S-RBD measurement. We aimed to evaluate the performance of a rapid fluorescent immunoassay-based kit, FastBio-RBDtm, compared to SVNT. During April–September 2021, we enrolled two groups of subjects; convalescent subject and subject without COVID-19 history. Subjects were tested for anti-SARS-CoV2-S-RBD antibody using FastBio-RBDtmand GenScript-cPASStmSVNT. We measured the correlation coefficient and conducted ROC analysis to determine the best cut-off value of anti-SARSCoV2-S-RBD against SVNT percent inhibition levels of 30% and 60%. We included 109 subjects. Anti-SARS-CoV-2-S-RBD strongly correlated to SVNT %-inhibition with R value = 0,866 (p < 0,0001). ROC analysis showed that anti-SARS-CoV-2-S-RBD of 6,71 AU/mL had 95,7% sensitivity and 87,5% specificity to detect percentage inhibition of 30%. Anti-SARS-CoV-2-S-RBD of 59,76 AU/mL had a sensitivity of 88,1% and specificity of 97,0% to detect percentage inhibition of 60%. FastBio-RBDtmcan determine the presence and level of anti-SARS-CoV-2-S-RBD with good sensitivity and specificity. It has the potential to be deployed in health facilities with limited resources.
DELLA Proteins Recruit the Mediator Complex Subunit MED15 to Co-activate Transcription in Land Plants
Authors: Hernández-García Jorge , Serrano-Mislata Antonio , Lozano-Quiles María , Úrbez Cristina , Nohales María A , Blanco-Touriñán Noel , Peng Huadong , Ledesma-Amaro Rodrigo , Blázquez Miguel A
Published: November 2023

DELLA proteins are negative regulators of the gibberellin response pathway in angiosperms, acting as central hubs that interact with hundreds of transcription factors and regulators to modulate their activities. While the mechanism of transcription factor sequestration by DELLAs to prevent DNA binding to downstream targets has been extensively documented, the mechanism that allows them to act as co-activators remains to be understood. Here, we demonstrate that DELLAs directly recruit the Mediator complex to specific loci in Arabidopsis, facilitating transcription. This recruitment involves DELLA amino-terminal domain and the conserved MED15 KIX domain. Accordingly, partial loss of MED15 function mainly disrupted processes known to rely on DELLA co-activation capacity; including cytokinin-dependent regulation of meristem function and skotomorphogenic response, gibberellin metabolism feedback, and flavonol production. We have also found that the single DELLA protein in the liverwortMarchantia polymorphais capable of recruiting MpMED15 subunits, contributing to transcriptional co-activation. The conservation of Mediator-dependent transcriptional co-activation by DELLA between Arabidopsis and Marchantia implies that this mechanism is intrinsic to the emergence of DELLA in the last common ancestor of land plants.

Significance Statement

DELLA proteins are plant-specific transcriptional hubs integrating environmental signals with endogenous cues. In order to regulate downstream processes, DELLAs modulate the activity of hundreds of transcription factors and transcriptional regulators in various ways. Here, we describe the molecular mechanism underlying DELLA co-activator function. We show that DELLAs act as transcriptional activators in eukaryotic cells by interacting with the Mediator complex subunit MED15. Mediator function is necessary to regulate a subset of DELLA-regulated responses that are mediated by direct co-activation of DELLA-Transcription factors complexes. We further show that this mechanism is present in bryophyte DELLAs, and thus represents a conserved mechanism of DELLA function in land plants.
The pig pangenome provides insights into the roles of coding structural variations in genetic diversity and adaptation
Authors: Li Zhengcao , Liu Xiaohong , Wang Chen , Li Zhenyang , Jiang Bo , Zhang Ruifeng , Tong Lu , Qu Youping , He Sheng , Chen Haifan , Mao Yafei , Li Qingnan , Pook Torsten , Wu Yu , Zan Yanjun , Zhang Hui , Li Lu , Wen Keying , Chen Yaosheng
Published: November 2023

Structural variations have emerged as an important driving force for genome evolution and phenotypic variation in various organisms, yet their contributions to genetic diversity and adaptation in domesticated animals remain largely unknown. Here we constructed a pangenome based on 250 sequenced individuals from 32 pig breeds in Eurasia and systematically characterized coding sequence presence/absence variations (PAVs) within pigs. We identified 308.3-Mb nonreference sequences and 3438 novel genes absent from the current reference genome. Gene PAV analysis showed that 16.8% of the genes in the pangene catalog undergo PAV. A number of newly identified dispensable genes showed close associations with adaptation. For instance, several novel swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) genes discovered in nonreference sequences potentially participate in immune responses to productive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection. We delineated previously unidentified features of the pig mobilome that contained 490,480 transposable element insertion polymorphisms (TIPs) resulting from recent mobilization of 970 TE families, and investigated their population dynamics along with influences on population differentiation and gene expression. In addition, several candidate adaptive TE insertions were detected to be co-opted into genes responsible for responses to hypoxia, skeletal development, regulation of heart contraction, and neuronal cell development, likely contributing to local adaptation of Tibetan wild boars. These findings enhance our understanding on hidden layers of the genetic diversity in pigs and provide novel insights into the role of SVs in the evolutionary adaptation of mammals.
In Vitro Fertilization of the African Turquoise KillifishNothobranchius furzeri
Authors: Dolfi Luca , Suen Tsz Kin , Medelbekova Danel , Ripa Roberto , Symmons Orsolya , Antebi Adam
Published: November 2023

The ability to perform in vitro fertilization, together with sperm cryopreservation, greatly facilitates the long-term laboratory maintenance of wild-type and transgenic model organisms and helps prevent genetic drift. It is also useful in cases where reproduction may be compromised. In this protocol, we present a method for in vitro fertilization of the African Turquoise killifishNothobranchius furzerithat is compatible with the use of fresh or cryopreserved sperm.
An electrochemical method for characterizing the structure of double-layer capacity
Authors: Xiong Xilin , Zhang Na , Niu Tong , Wu Quan
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The relation between metal corrosion behavior and double-layer capacity remains unclear. This study aims to put forward a novel method to measure double-layer capacity.

Design/methodology/approach

A novel model based on generalized Frumkin–Butler–Volmer equation was put forward. Combining this model with potentiodynamic polarization test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, the structure of double-layer capacity can be characterized.

Findings

This study found that the corrosion rate of iron increased with NaCl solution concentration and temperature at the experimental range, but an essential difference existed. The capacity of the diffuse layer and Stern layer increased with temperature and decreased with NaCl solution concentration. The ratio of diffuse layer capacity and Stern layer capacity influences the corrosion rate directly, which can be regarded as one of the judging criteria for corrosion resistance of metal materials.

Originality/value

The convenient means of double-layer structure characterization is still blank. With this method, the corrosion behavior of metal materials can be further analyzed, especially in high-temperature and pressure environments.
A global review of the literature on and proxies of busy boards and audit committees
Authors: Tham Yeut Hong
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This study comprehensively reviews the global literature on busy boards and audit committees.

Design/methodology/approach

Six eight articles on busy boards and audit committees from prominent accounting journals are reviewed and analyzed under the “reputation” and “busyness” premise.

Findings

Most studies advocating the “reputation” hypothesis have the consensus that busy directors have their benefits (knowledge spillovers), particularly regarding sharing their in-depth knowledge, experiences and expertise. This phenomenon is pronounced for younger and IPO firms, which have high advising and financing needs. From the “busyness” perspective, busy directors are too overboard in carrying out their duty effectively and responsibly.

Practical implications

This study identifies future research avenues on busy boards/audit committees and suggests that policymakers and regulators should limit the number of board appointments.

Originality/value

This is the first study to extensively amalgamate research on busy directors and audit committees. It reveals the various proxies used to measure the busyness of board and audit committee members and the consequences of busyness.
Analyzing audiovisual data for understanding user's emotion in human−computer interaction environment
Authors: Yang Juan , Li Zhenkun , Du Xu
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Although numerous signal modalities are available for emotion recognition, audio and visual modalities are the most common and predominant forms for human beings to express their emotional states in daily communication. Therefore, how to achieve automatic and accurate audiovisual emotion recognition is significantly important for developing engaging and empathetic human–computer interaction environment. However, two major challenges exist in the field of audiovisual emotion recognition: (1) how to effectively capture representations of each single modality and eliminate redundant features and (2) how to efficiently integrate information from these two modalities to generate discriminative representations.

Design/methodology/approach

A novel key-frame extraction-based attention fusion network (KE-AFN) is proposed for audiovisual emotion recognition. KE-AFN attempts to integrate key-frame extraction with multimodal interaction and fusion to enhance audiovisual representations and reduce redundant computation, filling the research gaps of existing approaches. Specifically, the local maximum–based content analysis is designed to extract key-frames from videos for the purpose of eliminating data redundancy. Two modules, including “Multi-head Attention-based Intra-modality Interaction Module” and “Multi-head Attention-based Cross-modality Interaction Module”, are proposed to mine and capture intra- and cross-modality interactions for further reducing data redundancy and producing more powerful multimodal representations.

Findings

Extensive experiments on two benchmark datasets (i.e. RAVDESS and CMU-MOSEI) demonstrate the effectiveness and rationality of KE-AFN. Specifically, (1) KE-AFN is superior to state-of-the-art baselines for audiovisual emotion recognition. (2) Exploring the supplementary and complementary information of different modalities can provide more emotional clues for better emotion recognition. (3) The proposed key-frame extraction strategy can enhance the performance by more than 2.79 per cent on accuracy. (4) Both exploring intra- and cross-modality interactions and employing attention-based audiovisual fusion can lead to better prediction performance.

Originality/value

The proposed KE-AFN can support the development of engaging and empathetic human–computer interaction environment.
Effects of pre-shearing and pre-consolidation histories on liquefaction behaviour of saturated loose sand: DEM investigation
Authors: Zhu Minyi , Gong Guobin , Ding Xuehuiru , Wilkinson Stephen
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The study aims to investigate the effects of pre-loading histories (pre-shearing and pre-consolidation) on the liquefaction behaviour of saturated loose sand via discrete element method (DEM) simulations.

Design/methodology/approach

The pre-shearing history is mimicked under drained conditions (triaxial compression) with different pre-shearing strain levels ranging from 0% to 2%. The pre-consolidation history is mimicked by increasing the isotropic compression to different levels ranging from 100 kPa to 300 kPa. The macroscopic and microscopic behaviours are analysed and compared.

Findings

Temporary liquefaction, or quasi-steady state (QSS), is observed in most samples. A higher pre-shearing or pre-consolidation level can provide higher liquefaction resistance. The ultimate state line is found to be unique and independent of the pre-loading histories in stress space. The Lade instability line prematurely predicts the onset of liquefaction for all samples, both with and without pre-loading histories. The redundancy index is an effective microscopic indicator to monitor liquefaction, and the onset of the liquefaction corresponds to the phase transition state where the value of redundancy index is one, which is true for all cases irrespective of the proportions of sliding contacts.

Originality/value

The liquefaction behaviour of granular materials still remains elusive, especially concerning the effects of pre-loading histories on soils. Furthermore, the investigation of the effects of pre-consolidation histories on undrained behaviour and its comparison to pre-sheared samples is rarely reported in the DEM literature.
Enhancing health-care data integration via automated semantic mapping
Authors: Clunis Julaine
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to delve into the complexities of terminology mapping and annotation, particularly within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It underscores the criticality of harmonizing clinical knowledge organization systems (KOS) through a cohesive clinical knowledge representation approach. Central to the study is the pursuit of a novel method for integrating emerging COVID-19-specific vocabularies with existing systems, focusing on simplicity, adaptability and minimal human intervention.

Design/methodology/approach

A design science research (DSR) methodology is used to guide the development of a terminology mapping and annotation workflow. The KNIME data analytics platform is used to implement and test the mapping and annotation techniques, leveraging its powerful data processing and analytics capabilities. The study incorporates specific ontologies relevant to COVID-19, evaluates mapping accuracy and tests performance against a gold standard.

Findings

The study demonstrates the potential of the developed solution to map and annotate specific KOS efficiently. This method effectively addresses the limitations of previous approaches by providing a user-friendly interface and streamlined process that minimizes the need for human intervention. Additionally, the paper proposes a reusable workflow tool that can streamline the mapping process. It offers insights into semantic interoperability issues in health care as well as recommendations for work in this space.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in its use of the KNIME data analytics platform to address the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in terminology mapping and annotation. The novel workflow developed in this study addresses known challenges by combining mapping and annotation processes specifically for COVID-19-related vocabularies. The use of DSR methodology and relevant ontologies with the KNIME tool further contribute to the study’s originality, setting it apart from previous research in the terminology mapping and annotation field.
Analysis of strategic priorities of green building projects for the efficient energy consumption
Authors: Hoxha Visar , Dinçer Hasan , Yuksel Serhat
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the strategic priorities of green building projects and analyze energy consumption alternatives in green residence projects using two innovative methods.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses two methods, decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) to measure strategic priorities and golden-cut quantum spherical fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS) to analyze energy consumption alternatives.

Findings

The study reveals that sustainability and atmosphere are the most significant factors in determining the priorities of green residence projects, whereas innovation has a limited impact on addressing environmental challenges in the building sector. The ranking of energy use alternatives shows that sustainability issues and atmosphere quality of space heating and cooking are the top priorities, whereas other factors like white goods, water heating, lighting and space cooling are ranked lower.

Originality/value

This paper offers a significant contribution to the understanding of green buildings by introducing innovative methodological approaches. Theoretically, it uses the DEMATEL to enhance traditional analytical frameworks, marking a novel effort in understanding green residence projects. In addition, the golden-cut quantum spherical fuzzy TOPSIS method is introduced, offering a comprehensive decision-making framework for green projects, considering factors like energy consumption and economic feasibility. This combination of methodologies provides a holistic evaluation, emphasizing sustainability in green building construction. This study reveals untapped potential for environmental sustainability and energy efficiency, enriching the existing knowledge base.