bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coping with abrasive food: diverging composition of radular teeth in two Porifera-consuming nudibranch species (Mollusca, Gastropoda)
Authors: Krings Wencke , Wägele Heike , Neumann Charlotte , Gorb Stanislav N.
Published: May 2023

Molluscs forage with their radula, a chitinous membrane with teeth. Adaptations to hard or abrasive ingesta were well studied in Polyplacophora and Patellogastropoda, but for other taxa there are large gaps in knowledge. Here, we investigated the nudibranch gastropods
Felimare picta
and
Doris pseudoargus
, both of which feed on Porifera. Tooth morphologies were documented by scanning electron microscopy, and mechanical properties were tested by nanoindentation. We found that these parameters are rather similar in both species, indicating that teeth are similar in their function. To study the composition, teeth were visualized using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), to determine the degree of tanning, and analysed with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, to test the elemental composition. The emitted autofluorescence signal and the inorganic content differed between the species. This was especially prominent when studying the inner and outer tooth surfaces (leading and trailing edges). In
F. picta
, we detected high proportions of Si, whereas teeth of
D. pseudoargus
contained high amounts of Ca, which influenced the autofluorescence signal in CLSM. Employing nanoindentation, we determined high Young's modulus and hardness values for the leading edges of teeth, which relate to the Si and Ca content. This highlights that teeth with a similar morphology and mechanical properties can be mechanically enhanced via different chemical pathways in Nudibranchia.
Commercial laying hens exhibit long-term consistent individual differences and behavioural syndromes in spatial traits
Authors: Montalcini Camille M. , Petelle Matthew B. , Toscano Michael J.
Published: May 2023

Past research has supported the importance of animal personalities for the productivity and welfare of farm animals. However, current assessments of personality traits are commonly conducted over short periods using standardized assays and may not reflect all important aspects of behaviours in commercial settings throughout the production period. This study aimed to evaluate consistent behavioural differences between 194 commercial laying hens within an aviary across most of the production period (eight months). We used five spatial behaviours related to various aspects of commercial hens' daily routine, including the sleeping, feeding, nesting, indoor movements and outdoor usage. All behaviours were repeatable over time and across contexts, with consistent differences between individuals explaining between 23% and 66% of the variation. These long-term consistencies revealed the potential applicability of the behaviours as personality traits of commercial hens. Moreover, we identified behavioural syndromes comprising all behaviours except the nesting-related behaviour, indicating two axes of spatial personalities that may be driven by different mechanisms. We discussed the significance of such individual differences in using personality traits to breed more resilient farm animals. Future research should evaluate associations of these behaviours with animal welfare and productivity to inform breeding efforts.
Social network inheritance and differentiation in wild baboons
Authors: Roatti Vittoria , Cowlishaw Guy , Huchard Elise , Carter Alecia
Published: May 2023

Immatures' social development may be fundamental to understand important biological processes, such as social information transmission through groups, that can vary with age and sex. Our aim was to determine how social networks change with age and differ between sexes in wild immature baboons, group-living primates that readily learn socially. Our results show that immature baboons inherited their mothers' networks and differentiated from them as they aged, increasing their association with partners of similar age and the same sex. Males were less bonded to their matriline and became more peripheral with age compared to females. Our results may pave the way to further studies testing a new hypothetical framework: in female-philopatric societies, social information transmission may be constrained at the matrilineal level by age- and sex-driven social clustering.
Directional speakers as a tool for animal vocal communication studies
Authors: Johnson-Ulrich Lily , Demartsev Vlad , Johnson Laurie , Brown Emma , Strandburg-Peshkin Ariana , Manser Marta B.
Published: May 2023

Audio playbacks are a common experimental tool in vocal communication research. However, low directionality of sound makes it hard to control the audience exposed to the stimuli. Parametric speakers offer a solution for transmitting directional audible signals by using ultrasonic carrier waves. The targeted transmission of vocal signals offers exciting opportunities for testing the diffusion of information in animal groups and mechanisms for resolving informational ambiguities. We have field tested the quality and directionality of a commercial parametric speaker, Soundlazer SL-01. Additionally, we assessed its usability for performing playback experiments by comparing behavioural responses of free-ranging meerkats (
Suricata suricatta
) with calls transmitted from conventional and parametric speakers. Our results show that the tested parametric speaker is highly directional. However, the acoustic structure of meerkat calls was strongly affected and low frequencies were not reliably reproduced by the parametric speaker. The playback trials elicited weakened behavioural responses probably due to the partial distortion of the signal but also indicating the potential importance of social facilitation for initiating mobbing events in meerkats. We conclude that parametric speakers can be useful tools for directed transmission of animals calls but after a careful assessment of signal fidelity.
Effect of stress on the dissolution/crystallization of apatite in aqueous solution: a thermochemical equilibrium study
Authors: Deymier Alix C. , Deymier Pierre A. , Latypov Marat , Muralidharan Krishna
Published: May 2023

Bone mineralization is critical to maintaining tissue mechanical function. The application of mechanical stress via exercise promotes bone mineralization via cellular mechanotransduction and increased fluid transport through the collagen matrix. However, due to its complex composition and ability to exchange ions with the surrounding body fluids, bone mineral composition and crystallization is also expected to respond to stress. Here, a combination of data from materials simulations, namely density functional theory and molecular dynamics, and experimental studies were input into an equilibrium thermodynamic model of bone apatite under stress in an aqueous solution based on the theory of thermochemical equilibrium of stressed solids. The model indicated that increasing uniaxial stress induced mineral crystallization. This was accompanied by a decrease in calcium and carbonate integration into the apatite solid. These results suggest that weight-bearing exercises can increase tissue mineralization via interactions between bone mineral and body fluid independent of cell and matrix behaviours, thus providing another mechanism by which exercise can improve bone health.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Supercomputing simulations of advanced materials’.
Molecular basis of conformational changes and mechanics of integrins
Authors: Gaikwad Hanmant K. , Jaswandkar Sharad V. , Katti Kalpana S. , Haage Amanda , Katti Dinesh R.
Published: May 2023

Integrin, as a mechanotransducer, establishes the mechanical reciprocity between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cells at integrin-mediated adhesion sites. This study used steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations to investigate the mechanical responses of integrin
α
v
β
3
with and without 10th type III fibronectin (FnIII
10
) binding for tensile, bending and torsional loading conditions. The ligand-binding integrin confirmed the integrin activation during equilibration and altered the integrin dynamics by changing the interface interaction between β-tail, hybrid and epidermal growth factor domains during initial tensile loading. The tensile deformation in integrin molecules indicated that fibronectin ligand binding modulates its mechanical responses in the folded and unfolded conformation states. The bending deformation responses of extended integrin models reveal the change in behaviour of integrin molecules in the presence of Mn
2+
ion and ligand based on the application of force in the folding and unfolding directions of integrin. Furthermore, these SMD simulation results were used to predict the mechanical properties of integrin underlying the mechanism of integrin-based adhesion. The evaluation of integrin mechanics provides new insights into understanding the mechanotransmission (force transmission) between cells and ECM and contributes to developing an accurate model for integrin-mediated adhesion.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Supercomputing simulations of advanced materials’.
Controlling crystallization: what liquid structure and dynamics reveal about crystal nucleation mechanisms
Authors: Rogal Jutta , Díaz Leines Grisell
Published: May 2023

Over recent years, molecular simulations have provided invaluable insights into the microscopic processes governing the initial stages of crystal nucleation and growth. A key aspect that has been observed in many different systems is the formation of precursors in the supercooled liquid that precedes the emergence of crystalline nuclei. The structural and dynamical properties of these precursors determine to a large extent the nucleation probability as well as the formation of specific polymorphs. This novel microscopic view on nucleation mechanisms has further implications for our understanding of the nucleating ability and polymorph selectivity of nucleating agents, as these appear to be strongly linked to their ability in modifying structural and dynamical characteristics of the supercooled liquid, namely liquid heterogeneity. In this perspective, we highlight recent progress in exploring the connection between liquid heterogeneity and crystallization, including the effects of templates, and the potential impact for controlling crystallization processes.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Supercomputing simulations of advanced materials’.
Atomic-scale modelling of organic matter in soil: adsorption of organic molecules and biopolymers on the hydroxylated α-Al
2
O
3
(0001) surface
Authors: Ahmad Aneesa , Martsinovich Natalia
Published: May 2023

Binding of organic molecules on oxide mineral surfaces is a key process which impacts the fertility and stability of soils. Aluminium oxide and hydroxide minerals are known to strongly bind organic matter. To understand the nature and strength of sorption of organic carbon in soil, we investigated the binding of small organic molecules and larger polysaccharide biomolecules on α-Al
2
O
3
(corundum). We modelled the hydroxylated α-Al
2
O
3
(0001) surface, since these minerals' surfaces are hydroxylated in the natural soil environment. Adsorption was modelled using density functional theory (DFT) with empirical dispersion correction. Small organic molecules (alcohol, amine, amide, ester and carboxylic acid) were found to adsorb on the hydroxylated surface by forming multiple hydrogen bonds with the surface, with carboxylic acid as the most favourable adsorbate. A possible route from hydrogen-bonded to covalently bonded adsorbates was demonstrated, through co-adsorption of the acid adsorbate and a hydroxyl group to a surface aluminium atom. Then we modelled the adsorption of biopolymers, fragments of polysaccharides which naturally occur in soil: cellulose, chitin, chitosan and pectin. These biopolymers were able to adopt a large variety of hydrogen-bonded adsorption configurations. Cellulose, pectin and chitosan could adsorb particularly strongly, and therefore are likely to be stable in soil.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Supercomputing simulations of advanced materials’.
Disclosure and Double Standards: A Mixed Methods Study of Self-Disclosure of Mental Illness or Addiction Among Medical Learners
Authors: Kassam Aliya , Antepim Benedicta , Sukhera Javeed
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Despite the proliferation of initiatives to address wellbeing and reduce burnout, mental illness and addiction stigma remains rooted within medical education and healthcare. One mechanism to address this stigma is self-disclosure. Given the paucity of literature on self-disclosure in medical learners, we sought to explore perceptions of self-disclosure in medical education.

Method

In a mixed method, convergent triangulation design, authors recruited medical learners from across Canada. Quantitative data included the Opening Minds Scale for Healthcare providers (OMS-HC), the Self Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (SSMIS), a wellbeing measure, and questions regarding substance use from Statistics Canada. Qualitative data included semi-structured interviews, which were collected and analyzed using a phenomenological approach. Data were collected simultaneously, analyzed separately, and then triangulated. Discrepancies were discussed until consensus was achieved.

Results

Overall, N= 125 medical learners (n= 67 medical students, n=58 resident physicians) responded to our survey, and N=13 participated in interviews (n = 10 medical students, n =3 resident physicians). OMS-HC scores showed resident physicians had more negative attitudes towards mental illness and disclosure (47.7 vs. 44.3,P= 0.02). Self-disclosure was modulated by the degree of intersectional vulnerability of the learner’s identity. When looking at self-disclosure, people who identified as men had more negative attitudes than people who identified as women (17.8 vs 16.1,P= 0.01). Racialized learners scored higher on self-stigma. Interview data suggested that disclosure was fraught with tensions, but perceived as having a positive outcome, including the perception that self-disclosure made learners better physicians and educators in the future.

Conclusion

The individual process of disclosure is complex and appeared to become more challenging over time due to the internalization of negative attitudes about mental illness. Intersectional vulnerability in medical learners warrants further consideration. Fear of disclosure is an important factor shaped by the learning environment.
An Adaptive Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial of Emergency Department Acupuncture for Acute Musculoskeletal Pain Management
Authors: Eucker Stephanie A. , Glass Oliver , Knisely Mitchell R. , O’Regan Amy , Gordee Alexander , Li Cindy , Klasson Christopher L. , TumSuden Olivia , Pauley Alena , Chen Harrison , Staton Catherine A. , Kuchibhatla Maggie , Chow Shein-Chung
Published: May 2023

Objective

Acute musculoskeletal pain in emergency department (ED) patients is frequently severe and challenging to treat with medications alone. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of adding ED acupuncture to treat acute episodes of musculoskeletal pain in the neck, back, and/or extremities.

Methods

In this pragmatic two-stage adaptive open-label randomized clinical trial, Stage 1 identified whether auricular acupuncture (AA; based on the Battlefield Acupuncture protocol), or peripheral acupuncture (PA; needles in head, neck and extremities only), was more feasible, acceptable and efficacious in the ED. Stage 2 assessed effectiveness of the selected acupuncture intervention(s) on pain reduction compared to usual care only (UC). Licensed acupuncturists delivered AA and PA. They saw and evaluated, but did not deliver acupuncture to, the UC group as an attention control. All participants received usual care from blinded ED providers. The primary outcome was 1-hour change in 11-point pain numeric rating scale.

Results

Stage 1 analysis found both acupuncture styles similar. Stage 2 continued all three arms. Among 236 participants randomized, demographics and baseline pain were comparable across groups. The diverse sample recruited was demographically reflective of the larger ED population. Estimated AA+UC (2.1; 95% CI: 1.6, 2.6) and PA+UC (1.6; 95% CI: 1.1, 2.1) 1-hour pain reductions were both significantly greater than UC (0.5; 95% CI: -0.1, 1.0), and participants in both treatment arms reported high satisfaction with acupuncture.

Conclusion

ED acupuncture is feasible, acceptable and can effectively reduce acute musculoskeletal pain better than usual care alone.
Hsa-miRNA-1278 is a Novel Predictor for the Hematoma Expansion of Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Li Na , Kang Kaijiang , Ji Zeqiang , Zhang Feng , Zhao Xingquan
Published: May 2023

Background and Purpose

Hematoma expansion has been identified as a crucial predictor for the progress and outcome of intracranial hemorrhage(ICH). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are associated with hematoma expansion and play important roles in regulating the mechanism of ICH. Here, we identified a miRNA, hsa-miR-1278, as a predictor of hematoma expansion and earlier estimation of ICH prognosis.

Methods

The participants who had been diagnosed with ICH by brain imaging were divided into hematoma enlargement(HE) group and non-HE group. A total of 10 samples from 2 groups were extracted and subjected to high-throughput sequencing. The differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) were identified by bioinformatics and quantitated by reverse transcription-polymerase quantitive chain reaction(RT-qPCR). To further validate the DEMs, We searched the Targescan database to find the target gene of the DEM and cultured the QSG7701 cells line and performed western blotting to validated the target miRNA. The Continuous variables were expressed as mean ± SD and analyzed by unpaired Student’s t-test; categorical variables were analyzed by chi-square test, and P values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

We performed miRNA sequencing of HE and non-HE in 10 patients with cerebral hemorrhage. We found 18 differentially expressed miRNAs in HE group. We then performed RT-qPCR verification and identified that hsa-miR-1278 was significantly increased in the HE group (P <0.05). By searching Targescan database and genes related to ICH, we selected IL22 and PF4 as the target genes of has-miR-1278. RT-qPCR showed that PF4 were decrease in HE, which was consistent with the increased of hsa-miR-1278.

Conclusions

The expression of hsa-miR-1278 was still significantly up-regulated in the hematoma expansion group, and therefore made the hsa-miR-1278 as a novel predictor of ICH prognosis.
Within-host SARS-CoV-2 viral kinetics informed by complex life course exposures reveals different intrinsic properties of Omicron and Delta variants
Authors: Russell Timothy W. , Townsley Hermaleigh , Abbott Sam , Hellewell Joel , Carr Edward J , Chapman Lloyd , Pung Rachael , Quilty Billy J. , Hodgson David , Fowler Ashley S , Adams Lorin , Bailey Christopher , Mears Harriet V , Harvey Ruth , Clayton Bobbi , O’Reilly Nicola , Ngai Yenting , Nicod Jerome , Gamblin Steve , Williams Bryan , Gandhi Sonia , Swanton Charles , Beale Rupert , Bauer David LV , Wall Emma C , Kucharski Adam
Published: May 2023

The emergence of successive SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) during 2020-22, each exhibiting increased epidemic growth relative to earlier circulating variants, has created a need to understand the drivers of such growth. However, both pathogen biology and changing host characteristics – such as varying levels of immunity – can combine to influence replication and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within and between hosts. Disentangling the role of variant and host in individual-level viral shedding of VOCs is essential to inform COVID-19 planning and response, and interpret past epidemic trends. Using data from a prospective observational cohort study of healthy adult volunteers undergoing weekly occupational health PCR screening, we developed a Bayesian hierarchical model to reconstruct individual-level viral kinetics and estimate how different factors shaped viral dynamics, measured by PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values over time. Jointly accounting for both inter-individual variation in Ct values and complex host characteristics – such as vaccination status, exposure history and age – we found that age and number of prior exposures had a strong influence on peak viral replication. Older individuals and those who had at least five prior antigen exposures to vaccination and/or infection typically had much lower levels of shedding. Moreover, we found evidence of a correlation between the speed of early shedding and duration of incubation period when comparing different VOCs and age groups. Our findings illustrate the value of linking information on participant characteristics, symptom profile and infecting variant with prospective PCR sampling, and the importance of accounting for increasingly complex population exposure landscapes when analysing the viral kinetics of VOCs.
Has recombination changed during the recent evolution of the guppy Y chromosome?
Authors: Charlesworth Deborah , Qiu Suo , Gardner Jim , Bergero Roberta , Keegan Karen , Hastings Abigail , Konczal Mateusz
Published: May 2023

Genome sequencing and genetic mapping of molecular markers has demonstrated Y-linkage across most of the guppy (Poecilia reticulata) XY chromosome pair. However, they also revealed exchanges with the X, consistent with classical genetic observations of occasional exchanges of factors controlling visible male-specific phenotypic traits. It remains unclear whether this fish species has an extensive sex-determining region without crossing over (whose suppressed recombination could have evolved under selection created by sexually antagonistic effects of male coloration factors), or whether the fully Y-linked region is very small, perhaps within a single gene. Population genomic data support cytogenetic results indicating that it is within the terminal 5 Mb of the 26.5 Mb chromosome 12, just proximal to a highly recombining pseudo-autosomal region, PAR1. Using molecular markers, we studied recombination, focusing on this region of the XY pair. Despite assembly errors in the small terminal PAR1, our mapping identifies very similar genetic PAR boundaries in sires from four populations, suggesting that their crossover patterns have not changed. Our results also confirmed occasional crossovers proximal to the male-determining region, defining a second pseudo-autosomal region, PAR2, recombining much more rarely than PAR1. The crossover positions suggest that the male-determining factor is within a repetitive region near 21 Mb in the female assembly. A sex-reversed XX male had few crossovers in PAR2, suggesting that this region’s low crossover rate depends on the phenotypic, not the genetic, sex. Thus rare sex changes, and/or occasional crossovers in males can explain the failure to detect fully Y-linked variants.
Genome-wide association study of John Henryism in the CARDIA Cohort suggests a molecular mechanism behind lower nicotine addiction rates
Authors: Chapleau Richard R
Published: May 2023

John Henryism (JH) is a stress response mechanism that enables individuals to cope with chronic psychological stressors. Originally identified in African American males, JH has since been associated with numerous negative health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease. Despite its relationship to diseases with known genetic risk factors, little work has been reported concerning the genetics of JH. In the current study, genome-wide microarray and the JH Active Coping scale data from the CARDIA Cohort study were used to identify genetic factors associated with JH levels. Principal component analysis accounted for population stratification and evaluated six inheritance models in plink software. We also performed network analyses on the resulting significant associations (P < 5×10−8) to identify molecular pathways to health outcomes. Our GWAS results revealed 25 significant genetic associations and two suggestive associations. One of the variants identified with a suggestive association (P < 5×10−6) to JH (rs11634680) reproduces the same suggestive association from a prior study of the same dataset with the similar odds ratios and P-values between the studies. In our pathway analysis, we found a variant associated with JH (rs12448959) decreases the amount of GABA transaminase and thereby reduces the nicotine reward through the GABAergic signaling pathway. Our work provides a molecular explanation to the observational data that individuals with high levels of JH active coping skills are less prone to using smoking as stress relief.
Latitudinal scaling of aggregation with abundance and its consequences for coexistence in species rich forests
Authors: Wiegand Thorsten , Wang Xugao , Fischer Samuel M. , Kraft Nathan J. B. , Bourg Norman A. , Brockelman Warren Y. , Cao Guanghong , Cao Min , Chanthorn Wirong , Chu Chengjin , Davies Stuart , Ediriweera Sisira , Gunatilleke C. V. S. , Gunatilleke I. A. U. N. , Hao Zhanqing , Howe Robert , Jiang Mingxi , Jin Guangze , Kress W. John , Li Buhang , Lian Juyu , Lin Luxiang , Liu Feng , Ma Keping , McShea William , Mi Xiangcheng , Myers Jonathan A. , Nathalang Anuttara , Orwig David A. , Shen Guochun , Su Sheng-Hsin , Sun I-Fang , Wang Xihua , Wolf Amy , Yan Enrong , Ye Wanhui , Zhu Yan , Huth Andreas
Published: May 2023

The search for simple principles underlying the complex spatial structure and dynamics of plant communities is a long-standing challenge in ecology1-6. In particular, the relationship between the spatial distribution of plants and species coexistence is challenging to resolve in species-rich communities7-9. Analysing the spatial patterns of tree species in 21 large forest plots, we find that rare species tend to be more spatially aggregated than common species, and a latitudinal gradient in the strength of this negative correlations that increases from tropical to temperate forests. Our analysis suggests that latitudinal gradients in animal seed dispersal10and mycorrhizal associations11,12,13may jointly generate this intriguing pattern. To assess the consequences of negative aggregation-abundance correlations for species coexistence, we present here a framework to incorporate the observed spatial patterns into population models8along with an analytical solution for the local extinction risk14of species invading from low abundances in dependence of spatial structure, demographic parameters, and immigration. For example, the stabilizing effect of the observed spatial patterns reduced the local extinction risk of species when rare almost by a factor of two. Our approach opens up new avenues for integrating observed spatial patterns into mathematical theory, and our findings demonstrate that spatial patterns, such as species aggregation and segregation, can contribute substantially to coexistence in species-rich communities. This underscores the need to understand the interactions between multiple ecological processes and spatial patterns in greater detail.
Mpox knowledge, behaviours and barriers to public health measures among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in the UK: A qualitative study to inform public health guidance and messaging
Authors: May Tom , Towler Lauren , Smith Louise E , Horwood Jeremy , Denford Sarah , James Rubin G , Hickman Matthew , Amlôt Richard , Oliver Isabel , Yardley Lucy
Published: May 2023

Background

The 2022-23 Mpox epidemic is the first-time sustained community transmission had been reported in countries without epidemiological links to endemic areas. During that period, the outbreak almost exclusively affected sexual networks of gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and people living with HIV. In efforts to control transmission, multiple public health measures were implemented, including vaccination, contact tracing and isolation. This study examines knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of Mpox among a sample of GBMSM during the 2022-23 outbreak in the UK, including facilitators for and barriers to the uptake of public health measures.

Methods

Interviews were conducted with 44 GBMSM between May and December 2022. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Positive and negative comments pertaining to public health measures were collated in a modified version of a ‘table of changes’ to inform optimisations to public health messages and guidance.

Results

Most interviewees were well informed about Mpox transmission mechanisms and were either willing to or currently adhering to public health measures, despite low perceptions of Mpox severity. Measures that aligned with existing sexual health practices and norms were considered most acceptable. Connections to GBMSM networks and social media channels were found to increase exposure to sexual health information and norms influencing protective behaviours. Those excluded or marginalized from these networks found some measures challenging to perform or adhere to. Although social media was a key mode of information sharing, there were preferences for timely information from official sources to dispel exaggerated or misleading information.

Conclusions

There are differential needs, preferences, and experiences of GBMSM that limit the acceptability of some mitigation and prevention measures. Future public health interventions and campaigns should be co-designed in consultation with key groups and communities to ensure greater acceptability and credibility in different contexts and communities.
Win-paired cues modulate the effect of dopamine neuron sensitization on decision making and cocaine self-administration: divergent effects across sex
Authors: Hynes Tristan J. , Chernoff Chloe S. , Hrelja Kelly M. , Tse Maric T.L. , Avramidis Dimitrios , Lysenko-Martin Melanie R. , Calderhead Lucas , Kaur Sukhbir , Floresco Stan B. , Winstanley Catharine A.
Published: May 2023

Psychostimulant use and engagement with probabilistic schedules of reward both sensitize the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system. Such behaviours may act synergistically to explain the high comorbidity between stimulant use and gambling disorder. The salient audiovisual stimuli of modern electronic gambling may exacerbate the situation. To probe these interactions, we sensitized ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons via chronic chemogenetic stimulation while rats learned the rat gambling task in the presence or absence of casino-like cues. The same rats then learned to self-administer cocaine. In a separate cohort, we confirmed that our chemogenetic methods sensitized the locomotor response to cocaine, and potentiated phasic excitability of VTA dopamine neurons through in vivo electrophysiological recordings. In the absence of cues, sensitization promoted risk-taking in both sexes. When rewards were cued, sensitization expedited the development of a risk-preferring phenotype in males, while attenuating cue-induced risk-taking in females. While these results provide further confirmation that VTA dopamine neurons critically modulate risky decision making, they also reveal stark sex differences in the decisional impact which dopaminergic signals exert when winning outcomes are cued. As previously observed, risky decision-making on the cued rGT increased as both males and females learned to self-administer cocaine. The combination of dopamine sensitization and win-paired cues while gambling lead to significantly greater cocaine-taking, but these rats did not show any increase in risky choice as a result. Cocaine and heavily-cued gambles may therefore partially substitute for each other once the dopamine system is rendered labile through sensitization, compounding addiction risk across modalities.
Periaqueductal gray activates antipredatory neural responses in the amygdala of foraging rats
Authors: Kim Eun Joo , Kong Mi-Seon , Park Sanggeon , Cho Jeiwon , Kim Jeansok J.
Published: May 2023

Pavlovian fear conditioning research suggests that the interaction between the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) acts as a prediction error mechanism in the formation of associative fear memories. However, their roles in responding to naturalistic predatory threats, characterized by less explicit cues and the absence of reiterative trial-and-error learning events, remain unexplored. In this study, we conducted single-unit recordings in rats during an ‘approach food-avoid predator’ task, focusing on the responsiveness of dPAG and BLA neurons to a rapidly approaching robot predator. Optogenetic stimulation of the dPAG triggered fleeing behaviors and increased BLA activity in naive rats. Notably, BLA neurons activated by dPAG stimulation displayed immediate responses to the robot, demonstrating heightened synchronous activity compared to BLA neurons that did not respond to dPAG stimulation. Additionally, the use of anterograde and retrograde tracer injections into the dPAG and BLA, respectively, coupled with c-Fos activation in response to predatory threats, indicates that the midline thalamus may play an intermediary role in innate antipredatory defensive functioning.
Thermal adaptation of soil microbial growth traits in response to chronic warming
Authors: Eng Ashley Y. , Narayanan Achala , Alster Charlotte J. , DeAngelis Kristen M.
Published: May 2023

Adaptation of soil microbes due to warming from climate change has been observed, but it remains unknown what microbial growth traits are adaptive to warming. We studied bacterial isolates from the Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research site, where field soils have been experimentally heated to 5°C above ambient temperature with unheated controls for thirty years. We hypothesized that Alphaproteobacteria from warmed plots have (1) less temperature sensitive growth rates; (2) higher optimum growth temperatures; and (3) higher maximum growth temperatures compared to isolates from control plots. We made high-throughput measurements of bacterial growth in liquid cultures over time and across temperatures from 22-37°C in 2-3°C increments. We estimated growth rates by fitting Gompertz models to the growth data. Temperature sensitivity of growth rate, optimum growth temperature, and maximum growth temperature were estimated by the Ratkowsky 1983 model and a modified Macromolecular Rate Theory (MMRT) model. To determine evidence of adaptation, we ran phylogenetic generalized least squares tests on isolates from warmed and control soils. Our results showed evidence of adaptation of higher optimum growth temperature of bacterial isolates from heated soils. However, we observed no evidence of adaptation of temperature sensitivity of growth and maximum growth temperature. Our project begins to capture the shape of the temperature response curves, but illustrates that the relationship between growth and temperature is complex and cannot be limited to a single point in the biokinetic range.

Importance

Soils are the largest terrestrial carbon sink and the foundation of our food, fiber, and fuel systems. Healthy soils are carbon sinks, storing more carbon than they release. This reduces the amount of carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere and buffers against climate change. Soil microbes drive biogeochemical cycling and contribute to soil health through organic matter breakdown, plant growth promotion, and nutrient distribution. In this study, we determined how soil microbial growth traits respond to long-term soil warming. We found that bacterial isolates from warmed plots showed evidence of adaptation of increased optimum growth temperature. This suggests that increased microbial biomass and growth relative to respiration in a warming world should result in greater carbon storage. As temperatures increase, greater microbial activity may help reduce the soil carbon feedback loop. Our results provide insight on how atmospheric carbon cycling and soil health may respond in a warming world.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with antiangiogenic drugs in the treatment of unresectable locally advanced / distant metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Lu Juanjuan , Li Honglin , Chang Sisi , YahuiZhu  , Gao Fuyan , Shao Shuai , Ma Chunzheng
Published: May 2023

Background and purpose

Esophageal cancer has the seventh highest incidence and sixth highest fatality rate of all malignant tumors. It’s a type of cancer that has a greater fatality rate than morbidity. In the treatment of advanced esophageal and squamous cell carcinoma, targeted and immune checkpoint inhibitors have showed promising outcomes in recent years. The aim of this research was to examine the effectiveness and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors in combination with antiangiogenic medicines in the treatment of unresectable patients with locally progressed / distant metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

Before April 15, 2022, randomized controlled trials of immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with anti-angiogenic drugs in the treatment of esophageal cancer will be searched on PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, WebofScience, China Knowledge Network, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and VIP. The two authors independently extracted the data, checked the data, and used the “bias risk” tool in the Cochrane intervention system evaluation manual to independently evaluate the bias included in the study. When the extracted data were similar enough, the Revman5.4 software was used for meta analysis. If the summary data could not be collected for meta analysis, the results would be summarized in a narrative way.

Discussion

This paper introduces in detail the systematic review and design method of immune checkpoint inhibitors mixture with antiangiogenic drugs in the treatment of unresectable locally advanced / distant metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Systematic review registration

The review protocol has been registered in PROSPERO CRD42022324666
Chemoenzymatic syntheses of fluorine-18-labeled disaccharides from [18F]FDG yield potent sensors of living bacteriain vivo
Authors: Sorlin Alexandre M. , López-Álvarez Marina , Rabbitt Sarah J. , Alanizi Aryn A. , Shuere Rebecca , Bobba Kondapa Naidu , Blecha Joseph , Sakhamuri Sasank , Evans Michael J. , Bayles Kenneth W. , Flavell Robert R. , Rosenberg Oren S. , Sriram Renuka , Desmet Tom , Nidetzky Bernd , Engel Joanne , Ohliger Michael A. , Fraser James S. , Wilson David M.
Published: May 2023

Chemoenzymatic techniques have been applied extensively to pharmaceutical development, most effectively when routine synthetic methods fail. The regioselective and stereoselective construction of structurally complex glycans is an elegant application of this approach, that is seldom applied to positron emission tomography (PET) tracers. We sought a method to dimerize 2-deoxy-[18F]-fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG), the most common tracer used in clinical imaging, to form [18F]-labeled disaccharides for detecting microorganismsin vivobased on their bacteria-specific glycan incorporation. When [18F]FDG was reacted with β-D-glucose-1-phosphate in the presence of maltose phosphorylase, both the α-1,4 and α-1,3-linked products 2-deoxy-[18F]-fluoro-maltose ([18F]FDM) and 2-deoxy-2-[18F]-fluoro-sakebiose ([18F]FSK) were obtained. This method was further extended with the use of trehalose (α,α-1,1), laminaribiose (β-1,3), and cellobiose (β-1,4) phosphorylases to synthesize 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-trehalose ([18F]FDT), 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-laminaribiose ([18F]FDL), and 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-cellobiose ([18F]FDC). We subsequently tested [18F]FDM and [18F]FSKin vitro,showing accumulation by several clinically relevant pathogens includingStaphylococcus aureusandAcinetobacter baumannii,and demonstrated their specific uptakein vivo.The lead sakebiose-derived tracer [18F]FSK was stable in human serum and showed high uptake in preclinical models of myositis and vertebral discitis-osteomyelitis. Both the synthetic ease, and high sensitivity of [18F]FSK toS. aureusincluding methicillin-resistant (MRSA) strains strongly justify clinical translation of this tracer to infected patients. Furthermore, this work suggests that chemoenzymatic radiosyntheses of complex [18F]FDG-derived oligomers will afford a wide array of PET radiotracers for infectious and oncologic applications.
Investigating antibody reactivity to the intestinal microbiome in severe myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
Authors: Seton Katharine A. , Defernez Marianne , Telatin Andrea , Tiwari Sumeet K. , Savva George M. , Hayhoe Antonietta , Noble Alistair , Carvalho Ana , James Steve , Bansal Amolak , Wileman Thomas , Carding Simon R.
Published: May 2023

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a multisystemic disease of unknown aetiology that is characterised by disabling chronic fatigue and involves both the immune and gastrointestinal (GI) systems. Patients display alterations in GI microbiome with a significant proportion experiencing GI discomfort and pain and elevated blood biomarkers for altered intestinal permeability compared with healthy individuals. To investigate a possible GI origin of ME/CFS we designed a feasibility study to test the hypothesis that ME/CFS pathogenesis is a consequence of increased intestinal permeability that results in microbial translocation and a breakdown in immune tolerance leading to generation of antibodies reactive to indigenous intestinal microbes. Secretory IgA and serum IgG levels and reactivity to intestinal microbes were assessed in five pairs of severe ME/CFS patients and matched same-household healthy controls. For profiling serum IgG we developed IgG-Seq which combines flow-cytometry based bacterial cell sorting and metagenomics to detect mucosal IgG reactivity to the microbiome. We uncovered evidence for immune dysfunction in severe ME/CFS patients that was characterised by reduced capacity and reactivity of serum IgG to stool microbes, irrespective of their source. This study provides the rationale for additional studies in larger cohorts of ME/CFS patients to further explore immune-microbiome interactions.
Effects of enriched biochar treatments on CO2release, soil nitrate and ammonium, and wheat growth parameters in saline soils
Authors: Moradi Salahedin , Rasouli-Sadaghiani Mirhassan , Sepehr Ebrahim , Khodaverdiloo Habib , Barin Mohsen , Vetukuri Ramesh Raju
Published: May 2023

The effects of treatment with simple and enriched biochar on microbial respiration, nitrate and ammonium concentrations, and wheat growth parameters in saline soils were investigated using a completely randomized factorial experimental design with three replications, three soil salinity levels (1.5, 4.5 and 9 dS.m-1), and five biochar treatments including control, 2% simple (SB) or enriched biochar (EB) amendment, and 4% SB or EB amendment. The basal respiration rate and the concentrations of ammonium, and nitrate were measured at multiple time points. Additionally, total soil nitrogen, organic carbon, and microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen, and microbial biomass phosphorus were measured together with the height and fresh and dry weight of wheat after a 100-day growth period and at the end of the experiment. Salinity significantly affected basal respiration, nitrate and ammonium concentrations, plant height, and wet and dry weight. Biochar amendment significantly affected pH, basal respiration, nitrate and ammonium concentrations, total soil nitrogen, soil organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen, and microbial biomass phosphorus in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil, as well as wheat height, and wet and dry weight. The interaction between salinity and biochar significantly affected nitrate and ammonium concentrations and also plant height and fresh and dry weight. Finally, the effects of different biochar amendments and salinity levels on the basal respiration rate and the concentrations of nitrate and ammonium varied significantly over time. Overall, the results obtained show that biochar amendment can significantly moderate the adverse effects of soil salinity, especially if enriched biochar is used.
Exploring Urban Street Green Perception from the Perspective of Combining GVI and NDVI: A Case Study of Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province
Authors: Su Lei , Chen Weifeng , Zhou Yan , Fan Lei , Li Junying
Published: May 2023

Urban street greening has a positive impact on the health of citizens and the urban environment. This study takes the representative streets in the main urban area of Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province as an example to explore urban street greening perception from the perspective of combining Green visual index (GVI) and Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). This study uses a deep learning based image semantic segmentation method to analyze Baidu Street View to calculate the GVI of the street, and uses GF-1 satellite data to calculate NDVI to compare and analyze the characteristics and correlation of GVI and NDVI of urban streets. The results show that: 1. The GVI of streets in the central urban area of Zhongshan varies from 8.06% to 36.00%, with Xingzhong Road in Shiqi District Street having the highest GVI; 2. The mean value of NDVI of each street shows different changes with the increase of buffer scale, and the mean value of NDVI has a strong scale sensitivity; 3. The highest Pearson correlation coefficient between GVI and 25m DNVI mean value was 0.862; 4. The GVI prediction model based on NDVI is: y=0.8249x+0.0181, R2=0.7433. On this basis, the shortcomings of street landscape are analyzed and optimization suggestions are given, providing reference for urban street landscape evaluation, spatial optimization, and landscape improvement.
Expression, activity, and consequences of biochemical inhibition of α- and β-glucosidases in different life stages ofCulex quinquefasciatus
Authors: Burgess Edwin R. , Sanscrainte Neil D. , Taylor Caitlin E. , Buss Lyle J. , Estep Alden S.
Published: May 2023

Mosquitoes utilize a plethora of digestive enzymes to meet the challenge of both requisite blood and sugar meals that enable them to survive and reproduce. Sugar meals, typically derived from plant sources, are critical to maintain energy in both male and female mosquitoes, whereas blood meals are taken only by females to complete oogenesis. Enzymes involved in sugar digestion have been the subject of study for decades but have been limited to a relatively narrow range of mosquito species. The southern house mosquito,Culex quinquefasciatus, is of public health importance and seldom considered in these types of studies outside of topics related toBacillus sphaericus, a biocontrol agent that requires interaction with a specific gut-associated α-glucosidase. Here we sought to describe the nature of α-glucosidases and the unexplored β-glucosidases that may aidCx. quinquefasciatuslarvae in acquiring nutrients from cellulosic sources in their aquatic environments. Consistent with our hypothesis, we found both α- and β-glucosidase activity in larvae. Interestingly, β-glucosidase activity all but disappeared at the pupal stage and remained low in adults, while α-glucosidase activity remained in the pupal stage and then exceeded larval activity by approximately 1.5-fold. Expression of the putative α- and β-glucosidase genes chosen did not generally follow the trends seen in enzyme activities. When the α-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose was administered to adults, mortality was seen especially in males but also in females after two days of exposure and key energetic storage molecules, glycogen and lipids, were significantly lower than controls. In contrast, administering the β-glucosidase inhibitor conduritol β-epoxide to larvae did not produce mortality even at the highest soluble concentration. Here we provide insights into the importance of α- and β-glucosidases on the survival ofCx. quinquefasciatusin their three mobile life stages.