bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple Quantitative Trait Loci Modify Cochlear Hair Cell Degeneration in the Beethoven (Tmc1Bth) Mouse Model of Progressive Hearing Loss DFNA36
Authors: Noguchi Yoshihiro , Kurima Kiyoto , Makishima Tomoko , de Angelis Martin Hrabé , Fuchs Helmut , Frolenkov Gregory , Kitamura Ken , Griffith Andrew J
Published: April 2006

Dominant mutations of transmembrane channel-like gene 1 (TMC1) cause progressive sensorineural hearing loss in humans and Beethoven (Tmc1Bth/+) mice. Here we show that Tmc1Bth/+ mice on a C3HeB/FeJ strain background have selective degeneration of inner hair cells while outer hair cells remain structurally and functionally intact. Inner hair cells primarily function as afferent sensory cells, whereas outer hair cells are electromotile amplifiers of auditory stimuli that can be functionally assessed by distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) analysis. When C3H-Tmc1Bth/Bth is crossed with either C57BL/6J or DBA/2J wild-type mice, F1 hybrid Tmc1Bth/+ progeny have increased hearing loss associated with increased degeneration of outer hair cells and diminution of DPOAE amplitudes but no difference in degeneration of inner hair cells. We mapped at least one quantitative trait locus (QTL), Tmc1m1, for DPOAE amplitude on chromosome 2 in [(C/B)F1 × C]N2-Tmc1Bth/+ backcross progeny, and three other QTL on chromosomes 11 (Tmc1m2), 12 (Tmc1m3), and 5 (Tmc1m4) in [(C/D)F1 × C]N2-Tmc1Bth/+ progeny. The polygenic basis of outer hair cell degeneration in Beethoven mice provides a model system for the dissection of common, complex hearing loss phenotypes, such as presbycusis, that involve outer hair cell degeneration in humans.
Evolution and Expression of Homeologous Loci in Tragopogon miscellus (Asteraceae), a Recent and Reciprocally Formed Allopolyploid
Authors: Tate Jennifer A , Ni Zhongfu , Scheen Anne-Cathrine , Koh Jin , Gilbert Candace A , Lefkowitz David , Chen Z Jeffrey , Soltis Pamela S , Soltis Douglas E
Published: April 2006

On both recent and ancient time scales, polyploidy (genome doubling) has been a significant evolutionary force in plants. Here, we examined multiple individuals from reciprocally formed populations of Tragopogon miscellus, an allotetraploid that formed repeatedly within the last 80 years from the diploids T. dubius and T. pratensis. Using cDNA–AFLPs followed by genomic and cDNA cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) analyses, we found differences in the evolution and expression of homeologous loci in T. miscellus. Fragment variation within T. miscellus, possibly attributable to reciprocal formation, comprised 0.6% of the cDNA–AFLP bands. Genomic and cDNA CAPS analyses of 10 candidate genes revealed that only one “transcript-derived fragment” (TDF44) showed differential expression of parental homeologs in T. miscellus; the T. pratensis homeolog was preferentially expressed by most polyploids in both populations. Most of the cDNA–AFLP polymorphisms apparently resulted from loss of parental fragments in the polyploids. Importantly, changes at the genomic level have occurred stochastically among individuals within the independently formed populations. Synthetic F1 hybrids between putative diploid progenitors are additive of their parental genomes, suggesting that polyploidization rather than hybridization induces genomic changes in Tragopogon.
Networked Control Systems
Authors: Liu Kun , Selivanov Anton , Fridman Emilia
Published: March 2024

Networked control systems (NCSs) are spatially distributed systems in which the sensors, actuators, and controllers are connected through a shared communication network. The advantages of the network architectures include reduced system wiring, plug and play devices, increased system agility, and ease of system diagnosis and maintenance. Meanwhile, the presence of a communication network in a control loop induces many imperfections. Therefore, the analysis and synthesis of NCSs have received considerable attention in the last two decades. In this article, we review fundamental communication imperfections in NCSs and the main approaches to the modeling of NCSs. Then, recent results on time‐delay approach to event‐triggered control are recalled. The article highlights time‐delay approach developed to modeling, analysis and synthesis of NCSs, under communication constraints, with a particular focus on Round‐Robin, Try‐once‐discard, and stochastic protocols. The time‐delay approach allows communication delays to be larger than the sampling intervals in the presence of scheduling protocols. Moreover, some results on networked control of distributed parameter systems are introduced. Finally, some open problems are briefly addressed.
Histatin 5‐Inspired Short‐Chain Peptides Selectively Combating Pathogenic Fungi with Multifaceted Mechanisms
Authors: Lu Guojun , Ju Xiaoyan , Zhu Meng , Ou Jinzhao , Xu Dandan , Li Kejia , Jiang Wei , Wan Chenxiao , Tian Ye , Niu Zhongwei
Published: March 2024

Short‐chain antifungal peptides (AFPs) inspired by histatin 5 have been designed to address the problem of antifungal drug resistance. These AFPs demonstrate remarkable antifungal activity, with a minimal inhibitory concentration as low as 2 µg mL−1. Notably, these AFPs display a strong preference for targeting fungi rather than bacteria and mammalian cells. This is achieved by binding the histidine‐rich domains of the AFPs to the Ssa1/2 proteins in the fungal cell wall, as well as the reduced membrane‐disrupting activity due to their low amphiphilicity. These peptides disrupt the nucleus and mitochondria once inside the cells, leading to reactive oxygen species production and cell damage. In a mouse model of vulvovaginal candidiasis, the AFPs demonstrate not only antifungal activity, but also promote the growth of beneficial Lactobacillus spp. This research provides valuable insights for the development of fungus‐specific AFPs and offers a promising strategy for the treatment of fungal infectious diseases.
Reversal of Chemoresistance via Staged Liberation of Chemodrug and siRNA in Hierarchical Response to ROS Gradient
Authors: Dang Juanjuan , Li Yongjuan , Yan Jing , Wu Jianhua , Cai Kaimin , Yin Lichen , Zhou Zhuchao
Published: March 2024

P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp)‐mediated multidrug resistance (MDR) often leads to the failure of antitumor chemotherapy, and codelivery of chemodrug with P‐gp siRNA (siP‐gp) represents a promising approach for treating chemoresistant tumors. To maximize the antitumor efficacy, it is desired that the chemodrug be latently released upon completion of siP‐gp‐mediated gene silencing, which however, largely remains an unmet demand. Herein, core–shell nanocomplexes (NCs) are developed to overcome MDR via staged liberation of siP‐gp and chemodrug (doxorubicin, Dox) in hierarchical response to reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration gradients. The NCs are constructed from mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) surface‐decorated with cRGD‐modified, PEGylated, ditellurium‐crosslinked polyethylenimine (RPPT), wherein thioketal‐linked dimeric doxorubicin (TK‐Dox2) and photosensitizer are coencapsulated inside MSNs while siP‐gp is embedded in the RPPT polymeric layer. RPPT with ultrahigh ROS‐sensitivity can be efficiently degraded by the low‐concentration ROS inside cancer cells to trigger siP‐gp release. Upon siP‐gp‐mediated gene silencing and MDR reversal, light irradiation is performed to generate high‐concentration, lethal amount of ROS, which cleaves thioketal with low ROS‐sensitivity to liberate the monomeric Dox. Such a latent release profile greatly enhances Dox accumulation in Dox‐resistant cancer cells (MCF‐7/ADR) in vitro and in vivo, which cooperates with the generated ROS to efficiently eradicate MCF‐7/ADR xenograft tumors.
Single‐Atom Cu Nanozyme‐Loaded Bone Scaffolds for Ferroptosis‐Synergized Mild Photothermal Therapy in Osteosarcoma Treatment
Authors: Yan Zuyun , Wu Xin , Tan Wei , Yan Jinpeng , Zhou Jun , Chen Shijie , Miao Jinglei , Cheng Jun , Shuai Cijun , Deng Youwen
Published: March 2024

The rapid multiplication of residual tumor cells and poor reconstruction quality of new bone are considered the major challenges in the postoperative treatment of osteosarcoma. It is a promising candidate for composite bone scaffold which combines photothermal therapy (PTT) and bone regeneration induction for the local treatment of osteosarcoma. However, it is inevitable to damage the normal tissues around the tumor due to the hyperthermia of PTT, while mild heat therapy shows a limited effect on antitumor treatment as the damage can be easily repaired by stress‐induced heat shock proteins (HSP). This study reports a new type of single‐atom Cu nanozyme‐loaded bone scaffolds, which exhibit exceptional photothermal conversion properties as well as peroxidase and glutathione oxidase mimicking activities in vitro experiments. This leads to lipid peroxidation (LPO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) upregulation, ultimately causing ferroptosis. The accumulation of LPO and ROS also contributes to HSP70 inactivation, maximizing PTT efficiency against tumors at an appropriate therapeutic temperature and minimizing the damage to surrounding normal tissues. Further, the bone scaffold promotes bone regeneration via a continuous release of bioactive ions (Ca2+, P5+, Si4+, and Cu2+). The results of in vivo experiments reveal that scaffolds inhibit tumor growth and promote bone repair.
Broadband Diffractive Neural Networks Enabling Classification of Visible Wavelengths
Authors: Cheong Ying Zhi , Thekkekara Litty , Bhaskaran Madhu , del Rosal Blanca , Sriram Sharath
Published: March 2024

Diffractive neural networks (DNNs) are emerging as a new machine learning hardware based on optical diffraction with parallel and high‐throughput information processing. The optical inputs to DNNs are spatially modulated by propagating through passive diffractive layers that work in succession to achieve an inference. Herein, visible wavelength classification using single‐ and two‐layer DNNs fabricated using direct laser writing is demonstrated. The proposed DNN approach accepts the point spread function of two different wavelengths modeled after a microscope objective as the input and modulates the input field toward the target detector for classification. Of the three models trained to classify different wavelength pairs, the highest performance observed is for the classification of 561 and 785 nm, achieving over 90% accuracy. This work demonstrates the potential of all‐optical artificial neural networks for applications requiring visible wavelengths, from visible light beam shaping to spectral analysis and optical imaging.
Rare predicted deleterious FEZF2 variants are associated with a neurodevelopmental phenotype
Authors: Garber Alison , Weingarten Lisa S. , Abreu Nicolas J. , Elloumi Houda Zghal , Haack Tobias , Hildebrant Clara , Martínez‐Gil Núria , Mathews Jennifer , Müller Amelie Johanna , Valenzuela Palafoll Irene , Steigerwald Connolly , Chung Wendy K.
Published: March 2024

FEZF2 encodes a transcription factor critical to neurodevelopment that regulates other neurodevelopment genes. Rare variants in FEZF2 have previously been suggested to play a role in autism, and cases of 3p14 microdeletions that include FEZF2 share a neurodevelopmental phenotype including mild dysmorphic features and intellectual disability. We identified seven heterozygous predicted deleterious variants in FEZF2 (three frameshifts, one recurrent missense in two independent cases, one nonsense, and one complete gene deletion) in unrelated individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders including developmental delay/intellectual disability, autism, and/or attention‐deficit/hyperactivity. Variants were confirmed to be de novo in five of seven cases and paternally inherited from an affected father in one. Predicted deleterious variants in FEZF2 may affect the expression of genes that are involved in fate choice pathways in developing neurons, and thus contribute to the neurodevelopmental phenotype. Future studies are needed to clarify the mechanism by which FEZF2 leads to this neurodevelopmental disorder.
Phosphorescence Properties of Boron/Bismuth Hybrid Conjugated Materials
Authors: Adachi Yohei , Terao Shota , Kanematsu Yusuke , Ohshita Joji
Published: March 2024

By introducing main–group elements such as boron and bismuth to π‐conjugated systems, it is possible to modify the optical properties of π‐conjugated materials through orbital interactions between the orbital on the elements and π/π*‐orbitals, and the heavy atom effect. Moreover, bismuth, which is the heaviest stable element, induces a significant heavy atom effect, making organobismuth compounds promising for applications as phosphorescent materials. In this study, we synthesized new room–temperature phosphorescent materials by incorporating bismuth into thiophene units. The phosphorescence properties of these materials, such as emission lifetime and wavelength, could be further controlled by combining tricoordinate boron with the thienylbismuth structures. The synthesized bismuth‐ and boron–containing thiophene compounds exhibited phosphorescence at room temperature in both solution and solid states. Furthermore, the introduction of boron raised the energy of the triplet state in the π‐conjugated system, resulting in a blue shift of the phosphorescence wavelength. The analysis of photoluminescence properties and TD‐DFT calculations revealed that the introduction of bismuth enhances phosphorescence properties, whereas the introduction of boron further promotes intersystem crossing.
Optimal design and performance analysis of secure estimator for cyber‐physical systems against deception attacks
Authors: Han Zhichen , Zhang Shengbing , Jin Zengwang , Hu Yanyan
Published: March 2024

Cyber‐physical systems (CPSs) are increasingly vulnerable to the threat from malicious adversaries owing to the deep integration of networks and facilities; therefore, CPSs' security against cyber attacks has attracted extensive attention. The deception attack is one of the typical cyber attacks targeting CPSs, and a deception attack mode is established to describe the simultaneous occurrence of actuator and sensor attacks in this paper. Compared with single‐target deception attacks with constant value, the designed attack mode that can describe deception attacks against multiple components and embedded random characteristics has higher applicability in practical engineering processes. To counter such attack behavior, a secure estimator is proposed based on the ideology of augmented state to achieve the optimal design of secure state estimation and deception attack identification. Taking the energy shortage problem of CPSs into account, a novel event‐triggered communication mechanism is introduced on the basis of measurement residuals to improve resource efficiency by reducing low‐value information transmission. The communication scheme and the augmented state estimator are co‐designed by adopting the implicit information of the event‐triggered mechanism. Then, the performance of the co‐designed estimator is analyzed by the upper bound of the estimation error covariance matrix. Besides, the reconciliation between estimation performance and communication energy consumption is achieved by the derivation of Pareto equilibrium. Finally, applications of our approaches to a 3D target tracking system are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Reclassified the phenotypes of cancer types and construct a nomogram for predicting bone metastasis risk: A pan‐cancer analysis
Authors: Li Ming , Yu Wenqian , Zhang Chao , Li Huiyang , Li Xiuchuan , Song Fengju , Li Shiyi , Jiang Guoheng , Li Hongyu , Mao Min , Wang Xin
Published: March 2024

Background

Numerous of models have been developed to predict the bone metastasis (BM) risk; however, due to the variety of cancer types, it is difficult for clinicians to use these models efficiently. We aimed to perform the pan‐cancer analysis to create the cancer classification system for BM, and construct the nomogram for predicting the BM risk.

Methods

Cancer patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2018 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were included. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis was performed to create the BM prevalence‐based cancer classification system (BM‐CCS). Multivariable logistic regression was applied to investigate the possible associated factors for BM and construct a nomogram for BM risk prediction. The patients diagnosed between 2017 and 2018 were selected for validating the performance of the BM‐CCS and the nomogram, respectively.

Results

A total of 50 cancer types with 2,438,680 patients were included in the construction model. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis classified the 50 cancer types into three main phenotypes, namely, categories A, B, and C. The pooled BM prevalence in category A (17.7%; 95% CI: 17.5%–17.8%) was significantly higher than that in category B (5.0%; 95% CI: 4.5%–5.6%), and category C (1.2%; 95% CI: 1.1%–1.4%) (p < 0.001). Advanced age, male gender, race, poorly differentiated grade, higher T, N stage, and brain, lung, liver metastasis were significantly associated with BM risk, but the results were not consistent across all cancers. Based on these factors and BM‐CCS, we constructed a nomogram for predicting the BM risk. The nomogram showed good calibration and discrimination ability (AUC in validation cohort = 88%,95% CI: 87.4%–88.5%; AUC in construction cohort = 86.9%,95% CI: 86.8%–87.1%). The decision curve analysis also demonstrated the clinical usefulness.

Conclusion

The classification system and prediction nomogram may guide the cancer management and individualized BM screening, thus allocating the medical resources to cancer patients. Moreover, it may also have important implications for studying the etiology of BM.
Occurrence and Biological Activities of Seco‐Iridoids from Jasminum L.
Authors: Frezza Claudio , Nicolosi Roberta Maria , Brasili Elisa , Mura Francesco , De Vita Daniela
Published: March 2024

In this paper, the first complete review on the seco‐iridoids from the genus Jasminum L. was presented. In particular, their occurrence in the genus was detailed together with their biological activities. The literature survey has clearly pointed out that only a few Jasminum species have been studied for their seco‐iridoid content evidencing oleoside derivatives as main compounds. In addition, the biological studies performed on them are very scarce focusing mainly on antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory assays with modest effectiveness. All these results greatly underline the need for further in‐depth analyses on these compounds under both the aspects.
Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Anti‐Glycation, and Anti‐Tyrosinase Compounds from the Leaves of Uvaria Siamensis
Authors: Wongwad Eakkaluk , Jadsadajerm Supachai , Mungmai Lapatrada , Wisetsai Awat
Published: March 2024

A new oxidized heptene, 7‐benzoyloxy‐4‐hydroxy‐1‐ethoxy‐2E,4Z‐heptadiene‐1,6‐dione, namely siamheptene A (1), together with eight known compounds (2–9), were isolated from the leaves of Uvaria siamensis. Their structures were elucidated by detailed analysis of spectroscopic (IR, 1D and 2D NMR) and mass spectrometric data. Compound 9 is reported for the first time from Uvaria genus. Siamheptene A was evaluated for cytotoxicity against HeLa (cervical cancer cells), A549 (lung cancer cells), and Vero cells using the MTT assay and screened for antibacterial activities. In addition, the isolated compounds (1–7, and 9) were investigated for their antioxidant (DPPH, FRAP and ABTS+ assays), anti‐glycation, and anti‐tyrosinase properties. Based on our results, compound 1 had mild cytotoxicity against Hela and A549 cancer cell lines, with IC50 ranging from 31.09 to 31.67 μg/mL. Compound 1 also showed antioxidant activities in all tasted assays. However, it showed no detectable activity (>128 μg/mL) against various bacterial strains, and it has no inhibitory effects on tyrosinase enzymes. Among of all tested compounds, chrysin (5), showcased highest anti‐glycation and anti‐tyrosinase activities. This comprehensive analysis provides highlighting the potential of 1 as a lead compound for further structural modification and development of cytotoxic or antioxidant agents.
A Chiral [2+3] Covalent Organic Cage Based on 1,1’‐Bi‐2‐naphthol (BINOL) Units
Authors: Mohan Midhun , Pham David‐Jérôme , Fluck Audrey , Chapuis Simon , Chaumont Alain , Kauffmann Brice , Barloy Laurent , Mobian Pierre
Published: March 2024

A [2+3] chiral covalent organic cage is produced through a dynamic covalent chemistry approach by mixing two readily available building units, viz. an enantiopure 3,3’‐diformyl 2,2’‐BINOL compound (A) with a triamino spacer (B). The two enantiomeric (R,R,R) and (S,S,S) forms of the cage C are formed nearly quantitatively thanks to the reversibility of the imine linkage. The X‐ray diffraction analysis of cage (S,S,S)‐C highlights that the six OH functions of the BINOL fragments are positioned inside the cage cavity. Upon reduction of the imine bonds of cage C, the amine cage D is obtained. The ability of the cage D to host the 1‐phenylethylammonium cation (EH+) as a guest is evaluated through UV, CD and DOSY NMR studies. A higher binding constant for (R)‐EH+ cation (Ka=1.7 106±10 % M−1) related to (S)‐EH+ (Ka=0.9 106±10 % M−1) is determined in the presence of the (R,R,R)‐D cage. This enantiopreference is in close agreement with molecular dynamics simulation.
Abnormal state prediction of flotation process based on dual attention mechanism and multivariate information fusion
Authors: Wang Shu , Fu Yu , Zhang Lin , Li Xinghua
Published: March 2024

Predicting abnormal conditions in flotation processes is vital for safety, efficiency, and product quality. However, existing studies lack predictions of abnormal working conditions in flotation processes and neglect temporal information in data. To address this, this paper proposes a novel approach for predicting abnormal work conditions in flotation processes. It utilizes a dual attention mechanism and multivariate information fusion. Features are extracted from froth images using the Xception model, a pre‐trained convolutional neural network. These features are combined with flotation process monitoring variables, creating fused data. An encoder and decoder time feature seq2seq (EDTF‐seq2seq) model with time and feature attention modules enables end‐to‐end information fusion and work condition prediction. The attention modules assign weights to each feature point, capturing the time–feature relationship and improving prediction accuracy. Four sets of experiments using real flotation process data validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, achieving favourable prediction accuracy.
Temperature‐dependent augmentation of ciliary motility by the TRP2 channel in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Fueki Shunta , Kaneko Taro , Matsuki Haruka , Hashimoto Yuki , Yoshida Megumi , Isu Atsuko , Wakabayashi Ken‐ichi , Yoshimura Kenjiro
Published: March 2024

Temperature is a critical factor for living organisms. Many microorganisms migrate toward preferable temperatures, and this behavior is called thermotaxis. In this study, the molecular and physiological bases for thermotaxis are examined in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. A mutant with knockout of a transient receptor potential (TRP) channel, trp2‐3, showed defective thermotaxis. The swimming velocity and ciliary beat frequency of wild‐type Chlamydomonas increase with temperature; however, this temperature‐dependent enhancement of motility was almost absent in the trp2‐3 mutant. Wild‐type Chlamydomonas showed negative thermotaxis, but mutants deficient in the outer or inner dynein arm showed positive thermotaxis and a defect in temperature‐dependent increase in swimming velocity, suggesting involvement of both dynein arms in thermotaxis.
Thermal Equation of State of Cubic Silicon Carbide at High Pressures
Authors: Chanyshev Artem , Martirosyan Naira , Wang Lin , Chakraborti Amrita , Purevjav Narangoo , Wang Fei , Kim Eun Jeong , Tang Hu , Fedotenko Timofey , Bhat Shrikant , Farla Robert , Katsura Tomoo
Published: March 2024

We have performed in situ X‐ray diffraction measurements of cubic silicon carbide (SiC) with a zinc‐blende crystal structure (B3) at high pressures and temperatures using multi‐anvil apparatus. The ambient volume inferred from the compression curves is smaller than that of the starting material. Using the 3rd‐order Birch‐Murnaghan equation of state and the Mie‐Grüneisen‐Debye model, we have determined the thermoelastic parameters of the B3‐SiC to be K0=228±3 GPa, K0’,=4.4±0.4, q=0.27±0.37, where K0, K0’ and q are the isothermal bulk modulus, its pressure derivative and logarithmic volume dependence of the Grüneisen parameter, respectively. Using the 3rd‐order Birch‐Murnaghan EOS with the thermal expansion coefficient, the thermoelastic parameters have been found as K0=221±3 GPa, K0’,=5.2±0.4, α0=0.90±0.02 ⋅ 10−5 ⋅ K−1, where α0 is the thermal expansion coefficient at room pressure and temperature. We have determined that paired B3‐SiC – MgO calibrants can be used to estimate pressure and temperature simultaneously in ultrahigh‐pressure experiments up to 60 GPa.
Incidence of young‐onset dementia in Italy: The Brescia register study
Authors: Borroni Barbara , Libri Ilenia , Rota Matteo , Binetti Giuliano , Benussi Luisa , Ghidoni Roberta , Cotelli Maria Sofia , Fostinelli Silvia , Guerini Fabio , Boffelli Stefano , Magni Eugenio , Pengo Marta , Gennuso Michele , Bianchi Marta , Cossu Beatrice , Palomba Vincenzo , Crucitti Andrea , Bianchetti Angelo , Logroscino Giancarlo , Padovani Alessandro
Published: March 2024

INTRODUCTION

The goal of the present work was to assess the incidence of dementia with onset before the age of 65 years (i.e., young‐onset dementia [YOD]) and define the frequencies of young‐onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) in the general population.

METHODS

The study was conducted from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 in Brescia province (population: 1,268,455). During the study period, all new YOD cases (incident YOD) were counted, and all patients’ records reviewed. The incidence was standardized to the Italian general population in 2019.

RESULTS

A total of 29 YOD patients were diagnosed. The age‐sex standardized incidence rate was 4.58 (95% confidence interval, 3.07–6.58) per 100,000 person‐years. No difference in incidence rate between YOD due to AD or FTLD (P = 0.83) and between sexes (P = 0.81) was observed. YOD incidence increased with age, reaching its peak after 60 years.

DISCUSSION

Presenting neurodegenerative YOD phenotypes encompasses both AD and FTLD. Improved knowledge on YOD epidemiology is essential to adequately plan and organize health services.
Recolonization of secondary forests by a locally extinct Caribbean anole through the lens of range expansion theory
Authors: Acevedo Miguel A. , Fankhauser Carly , González Luis , Quigg Marné , Gonzalez Bella , Papa Riccardo
Published: March 2024

Disturbance and recovery dynamics are characteristic features of many ecosystems. Disturbance dynamics are widely studied in ecology and conservation biology. Still, we know less about the ecological processes that drive ecosystem recovery. The ecological processes that mediate ecosystem recovery stand at the intersection of many theoretical frameworks. Range expansion theory is one of these complementary frameworks that can provide unique insights into the population‐level processes that mediate ecosystem recovery, particularly fauna recolonization. Although the biodiversity patterns that follow the fauna recolonization of recovering forests have been well described in the literature, the ecological processes at the population level that drive these patterns remain conspicuously unknown. In this study, we tested three fundamental predictions of range expansion theory during the recolonization of recovering forests in Puerto Rico by a shade specialist anole, Anolis gundlachi. Range expansion theory predicts that individuals at the early stages of recolonization (i.e., younger forests) would have a high prevalence of dispersive traits, experience less density dependence, and suffer less parasitism. To test these predictions, we conducted a chronosequence study applying space‐for‐time substitution where we compared phenotypic traits (i.e., body size, body condition, and relative limb size), population density, population growth rates, and Plasmodium parasitism rates among lizard populations living in young (<30 years), mid (~40–70 years), and old‐growth forests (>75 years). Lizard populations in younger forests had lower densities, higher population growth rates, and lower rates of Plasmodium parasitism compared with old‐growth forests. Still, while we found that individuals had larger body sizes, and longer forelimbs in young forests in one site, this result was not consistent among sites. This suggests a potential trade‐off between the traits that provide a dispersal advantage during the initial stages of recolonization and those that are advantageous to establish in novel environmental conditions. Overall, our study emphasizes the suitability of range expansion theory to describe fauna recolonization but also highlights that the ecological processes that drive recolonization are time‐dependent, complex, and nuanced.
Patterns in bird and pollinator occupancy and richness in a mosaic of urban office parks across scales and seasons
Authors: Iknayan Kelly J. , Heath Sacha K. , Terrill Scott B. , Wenny Daniel G. , Panlasigui Stephanie , Wang Yiwei , Beller Erin E. , Spotswood Erica N.
Published: March 2024

Urbanization is a leading cause of global biodiversity loss, yet cities can provide resources required by many species throughout the year. In recognition of this, cities around the world are adopting strategies to increase biodiversity. These efforts would benefit from a robust understanding of how natural and enhanced features in urbanized areas influence various taxa. We explored seasonal and spatial patterns in occupancy and taxonomic richness of birds and pollinators among office parks in Santa Clara County, California, USA, where natural features and commercial landscaping have generated variation in conditions across scales. We surveyed birds and insect pollinators, estimated multi‐species occupancy and species richness, and found that spatial scale (local, neighborhood, and landscape scale), season, and urban sensitivity were all important for understanding how communities occupied sites. Features at the landscape (distance to streams or baylands) and local scale (tree canopy, shrub, or impervious cover) were the strongest predictors of avian occupancy in all seasons. Pollinator richness was influenced by local tree canopy and impervious cover in spring, and distance to baylands in early and late summer. We then predicted the relative contributions of different spatial scales to annual bird species richness by simulating “good” and “poor” quality sites based on influential covariates returned by the previous models. Shifting from poor to good quality conditions locally increased annual avian richness by up to 6.8 species with no predicted effect on the quality of the neighborhood. Conversely, sites of poor local and neighborhood scale quality in good‐quality landscapes were predicted to harbor 11.5 more species than sites of good local‐ and neighborhood‐scale quality in poor‐quality landscapes. Finally, more urban‐sensitive bird species were gained at good quality sites relative to urban tolerant species, suggesting that urban natural features at the local and landscape scales disproportionately benefited them.
Constitutive expression of the Type VI Secretion System carries no measurable fitness cost in Vibrio cholerae
Authors: Zhang Christopher , Datta Sayantan , Ratcliff William C. , Hammer Brian K.
Published: March 2024

The Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) is a widespread and highly effective mechanism of microbial warfare; it confers the ability to efficiently kill susceptible cells within close proximity. Due to its large physical size, complexity, and ballistic basis for intoxication, it has widely been assumed to incur significant growth costs in the absence of improved competitive outcomes. In this study, we precisely examine the fitness costs of constitutive T6SS firing in the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. We find that, contrary to expectations, constitutive expression of the T6SS has a negligible impact on growth, reducing growth fitness by 0.025 ± 0.5% (95% CI) relative to a T6SS− control. Mathematical modeling of microbial populations demonstrates that, due to clonal interference, constitutive expression of the T6SS will often be neutral, with little impact on evolutionary outcomes. Our findings underscore the importance of precisely measuring the fitness costs of microbial social behaviors and help explain the prevalence of the T6SS across Gram‐negative bacteria.
Impact of vector richness on the risk of vector‐borne disease: The role of vector competence
Authors: Chen Lifan , Tan Zhiying , Kong Ping , Zhou Yanli , Zhou Liang
Published: March 2024

A central goal of disease ecology is to identify the factors that drive the spread of infectious diseases. Changes in vector richness can have complex effects on disease risk, but little is known about the role of vector competence in the relationship between vector richness and disease risk. In this study, we firstly investigated the combined effects of vector competence, interspecific competition, and feeding interference on disease risk through a two‐vector, one‐host SIR‐SI model, and obtained threshold conditions for the occurrence of dilution and amplification effects. Secondly, we extended the above model to the case of N vectors and assumed that all vectors were homogeneous to obtain analytic expressions for disease risk. It was found that in the two‐vector model, disease risk declined more rapidly as interspecific competition of the high‐competence vector increased. When vector richness increases, the positive effects of adding a high‐competence vector species on disease transmission may outweigh the negative effects of feeding interference due to increased vector richness, making an amplification effect more likely to occur. While the addition of a highly competitive vector species may exacerbate the negative effects of feeding interference, making a dilution effect more likely to occur. In the N‐vector model, the effect of increased vector richness on disease risk was fully driven by the strength of feeding interference and interspecific competition, and changes in vector competence only quantitatively but not qualitatively altered the vector richness–disease risk relationship. This work clarifies the role of vector competence in the relationship between vector richness and disease risk and provides a new perspective for studying the diversity–disease relationship. It also provides theoretical guidance for vector management and disease prevention strategies.
Restoring spatiotemporal variability to enhance the capacity for dispersal‐limited species to track climate change
Authors: Backus Gregory A. , Clements Christopher F. , Baskett Marissa L.
Published: March 2024

Climate refugia are areas where species can persist through climate change with little to no movement. Among the factors associated with climate refugia are high spatial heterogeneity, such that there is only a short distance between current and future optimal climates, as well as biotic or abiotic environmental factors that buffer against variability in time. However, these types of climate refugia may be declining due to anthropogenic homogenization of environments and degradation of environmental buffers. To quantify the potential for restoration of refugia‐like environmental conditions to increase population persistence under climate change, we simulated a population's capacity to track their temperature over space and time given different levels of spatial and temporal variability in temperature. To determine how species traits affected the efficacy of restoring heterogeneity, we explored an array of values for species' dispersal ability, thermal tolerance, and fecundity. We found that species were more likely to persist in environments with higher spatial heterogeneity and lower environmental stochasticity. When simulating a management action that increased the spatial heterogeneity of a previously homogenized environment, species were more likely to persist through climate change, and population sizes were generally higher, but there was little effect with mild temperature change. The benefits of heterogeneity restoration were greatest for species with limited dispersal ability. In contrast, species with longer dispersal but lower fecundity were more likely to benefit from a reduction in environmental stochasticity than an increase in spatial heterogeneity. Our results suggest that restoring environments to refugia‐like conditions could promote species' persistence under the influence of climate change in addition to conservation strategies such as assisted migration, corridors, and increased protection.
Remaining Useful Life Prediction of Lithium‐Ion Batteries Based on a Combination of Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition and Deep Belief Network–Long Short‐Term Memory
Authors: Wu Tiezhou , Cheng Kangjie , Kang Jian , Liu Ruanyang
Published: March 2024

The prediction of remaining useful life (RUL) for lithium‐ion batteries is a critical component of electric vehicle battery management systems. However, during the aging process, batteries exhibit an overall declining trend in capacity curves, coupled with capacity regeneration and localized fluctuations. Directly modeling this degradation trend based on the original capacity curve proves challenging, leading to reduced accuracy in RUL prediction. This article introduces a hybrid method to enhance the precision of battery RUL prediction. Utilizing the ensemble empirical mode decomposition technique, the battery's capacity degradation sequence is decomposed into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) with varying degrees of fluctuations, along with a residue that characterizes the battery's overall declining trend. Subsequently, deep belief networks and long short‐term memory networks are established to predict the residue and IMFs separately. The combined results from these models yield the final battery RUL prediction. Finally, the effectiveness of this approach is validated on the NASA battery dataset, with diverse training periods and prediction time steps. Experimental results demonstrate that the root mean square error of predictions for all four batteries remains below 2%.
Various arrangements of pharyngeal flap in soft palate reconstruction after cancer treatment
Authors: Matsumoto Hiroshi , Ota Tomoyuki , Kato Motoi , Makino Takuma , Makihara Seiichiro , Ando Mizuo , Kimata Yoshihiro
Published: March 2024

Background

The pharyngeal flap (PF) is useful for reconstruction of soft palate defects, but effective arrangements of PF for various types of soft palate defects are controversial. Here, we classify three types of soft palate defects and discuss the arrangements of PF and their functional prognosis.

Methods

Reconstruction was performed based on the classification of the defects. Clinical details were collected, and postoperative function was analyzed.

Results

Eight patients were included in the study. The defect sizes ranged from 25 (width) × 40 (depth) to 40 × 60 mm. Six patients underwent pharyngeal flap reconstruction with free‐flap reconstruction, and two underwent pharyngeal flap reconstruction. The pharyngeal flap was harvested at the maximum width of the posterior pharyngeal wall, ranging from 25 to 40 mm in length. Eating and speaking functions were maintained in all patients.

Conclusions

Good postoperative function can be maintained by narrowing the velopharyngeal space with a pharyngeal flap.
Enhancing euthanasia protocols in practice: a compassionate approach for companion animals
Authors: Manktelow Paul
Published: March 2024

This article focuses on the complex aspects of veterinary euthanasia and aims to highlight the emotional, ethical and logistical challenges of euthanasia in veterinary practice. It advocates for compassionate and consistent euthanasia protocols to improve experiences for pets, owners and veterinary teams, and stresses the importance of understanding and respecting the diverse views within veterinary teams regarding euthanasia. This article also details the considerations in selecting and administering euthanasia protocols for a stress‐free and painless procedure and addresses the need for aftercare and support for both pet owners and veterinary teams after euthanasia, including external grief support resources.
Cooperative coparenting and the associations with adolescent behavioral problems and delinquency in unmarried families
Authors: Wang Dan , Choi Jeong‐Kyun , Jiang Qingyu
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Coparenting in unmarried families is a protective factor for positive adolescent adjustment. Although the relations between coparenting and adolescent outcomes have been investigated, it remains unclear whether the specific patterns of maternal and paternal coparenting are associated with adolescent behavioral outcomes.

Methods

The present study includs a longitudinal cohort of 1143 triads of unmarried parents and their adolescents to examine the associations between different patterns of coparenting and adolescent behavioral problems and delinquency. The data were drawn from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study in the United States. Our study used six waves of publicly available data at children's birth, ages 1, 3, 5, 9, and 15.

Results

The latent profile analyses identified four coparenting profiles of maternal and paternal coparenting perceived by the other unmarried parent. Comparing average levels of coparenting between mothers and fathers, the profiles were entitled Low Mom‐Low Dad, High Mom‐Medium Dad, Low Mom‐Medium Dad, and High Mom‐High Dad. Parents characteristics, such as cohabitation and marital status, predicted the likelihood of being in cooperative coparenting profiles. Furthermore, all the identified coparenting profiles predicted adolescent externalizing behavioral problems; only the high mom cooperative coparenting profiles predicted adolescent internalizing behavioral problems; none of the coparenting profiles predicted adolescent delinquency.

Conclusions

Our study adds empirical evidence for coparenting research by revealing that coparenting patterns vary in unmarried families and that cooperative coparenting benefits child behavioral outcomes. The findings encourage introducing different coparenting training programs targeting unmarried parents' diverse needs, thus promoting positive adolescent adjustment.
Methanol excretion by Methylomonas methanica is induced by the supernatant of a methanotrophic consortium
Authors: Avila‐Nuñez Geovanni , Saldivar Alexis , Ruiz‐Ruiz Patricia , Revah Sergio
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND

Methanotrophs play an important role in mitigating methane (CH4) emissions in ecosystems. They closely interact with other microorganisms forming communities where the cross‐feeding of metabolites, presumably methanol (MeOH), is essential for the growth and activity of non‐methanotrophs. The experiments in this study were focused on investigating the effect of adding the supernatant from a methanotrophic consortium to pure cultures of Methylomonas methanica.

RESULTS

Methanol dehydrogenase inhibition caused the accumulation of MeOH, which resulted in a significant production after 3 h, with 1.99 mmol L−1 CH3OH. The addition of the supernatant was associated with the excretion of MeOH by M. methanica and enhancement of the CH4 consumption rate, despite a reduction in growth. The maximum MeOH concentrations were between 0.7 and 1.5 mmol L−1 CH3OH.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that MeOH excretion may indeed be linked to a metabolic imbalance, which could potentially be compensated through the cross‐feeding of metabolites within the methanotrophic community. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Influence of reinforcement and its omission on trial‐by‐trial changes of response bias in perceptual decision making
Authors: Stüttgen Maik C. , Dietl Andrea , Stoilova Eckert Vanya V. , de la Cuesta‐Ferrer Luis , Blanke Jan‐Hendrik , Koß Christina , Jäkel Frank
Published: March 2024

Discrimination performance in perceptual choice tasks is known to reflect both sensory discriminability and nonsensory response bias. In the framework of signal detection theory, these aspects of discrimination performance are quantified through separate measures, sensitivity (d′) for sensory discriminability and decision criterion (c) for response bias. However, it is unknown how response bias (i.e., criterion) changes at the single‐trial level as a consequence of reinforcement history. We subjected rats to a two‐stimulus two‐response conditional discrimination task with auditory stimuli and induced response bias through unequal reinforcement probabilities for the two responses. We compared three signal‐detection‐theory‐based criterion learning models with respect to their ability to fit experimentally observed fluctuations of response bias on a trial‐by‐trial level. These models shift the criterion by a fixed step (1) after each reinforced response or (2) after each nonreinforced response or (3) after both. We find that all three models fail to capture essential aspects of the data. Prompted by the observation that steady‐state criterion values conformed well to a behavioral model of signal detection based on the generalized matching law, we constructed a trial‐based version of this model and find that it provides a superior account of response bias fluctuations under changing reinforcement contingencies.
Fraping: A computational tool for detecting slight differences in fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) data for actin polymerization analysis
Authors: Medina‐Ruíz Gabriela Itzetl , Medina‐Ruiz Arturo Itzcóatl , Morán Julio
Published: March 2024

Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a laser method of light microscopy to evaluate the rapid movement of fluorescent molecules. To have a more reliable approach to analyze data from FRAP, we designed Fraping, a free access R library to data analysis obtained from FRAP. Unlike other programs, Fraping has a new form of analyzing curves of FRAP using statistical analysis based on the average curve difference. To evaluate our library, we analyzed the differences of actin polymerization in real time between dendrites and secondary neurites of cultured neuron transfected with LifeAct to track F‐actin changes of neurites. We found that Fraping provided greater sensitivity than the conventional model using mobile fraction analysis. Likewise, this approach allowed us to normalize the fluorescence to the size area of interest and adjust data curves choosing the best parametric model. In addition, this library was supplemented with data simulation to have a more significant enrichment for the analysis behavior. We concluded that Fraping is a method that reduces bias when analyzing two data groups as compared with the conventional methods. This method also allows the users to choose a more suitable analysis approach according to their requirements.

Research Highlights

Fraping is a new programming tool to analyze FRAP data to normalize fluorescence recovery curves.

The conventional method uses one‐point analysis, and the new one compares all the points to define the similarity of the fluorescence recovery.