bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rebound Intracranial Hypertension
Authors: Parikh Simy K.
Published: March 2024

Purpose of Review

Rebound intracranial hypertension (RIH) is a post-procedural treatment complication in patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) characterized by transient high-pressure headache symptoms. This article reviews the epidemiology, clinical features, risk factors, and treatment options for RIH.

Recent Findings

This article discusses how changes in underlying venous pressure and craniospinal elastance can explain symptoms of RIH, idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), and SIH.

The pathophysiology of RIH provides a clue for how high and low intracranial pressure disorders, such as IIH and SIH, are connected on a shared spectrum.
The Alpha-Synuclein Gene (SNCA) is a Genomic Target of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2)—Implications for Parkinson’s Disease and Rett Syndrome
Authors: Schmitt Ina , Evert Bernd O. , Sharma Amit , Khazneh Hassan , Murgatroyd Chris , Wüllner Ullrich
Published: March 2024

Mounting evidence suggests a prominent role for alpha-synuclein (a-syn) in neuronal cell function. Alterations in the levels of cellular a-syn have been hypothesized to play a critical role in the development of Parkinson’s disease (PD); however, mechanisms that control expression of the gene for a-syn (SNCA) in cis and trans as well as turnover of a-syn are not well understood. We analyzed whether methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2), a protein that specifically binds methylated DNA, thus regulating transcription, binds at predicted binding sites in intron 1 of the SNCA gene and regulates a-syn protein expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and electrophoretic mobility-shift assays (EMSA) were used to confirm binding of MeCP2 to regulatory regions of SNCA. Site-specific methylation and introduction of localized mutations by CRISPR/Cas9 were used to investigate the binding properties of MeCP2 in human SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells. The significance of MeCP2 for SNCA regulation was further investigated by overexpressing MeCP2 and mutated variants of MeCP2 in MeCP2 knockout cells. We found that methylation-dependent binding of MeCP2 at a restricted region of intron 1 of SNCA had a significant impact on the production of a-syn. A single nucleotide substitution near to CpG1 strongly increased the binding of MeCP2 to intron 1 of SNCA and decreased a-syn protein expression by 60%. In contrast, deletion of a single nucleotide closed to CpG2 led to reduced binding of MeCP2 and significantly increased a-syn levels. In accordance, knockout of MeCP2 in SK-N-SH cells resulted in a significant increase in a-syn production, demonstrating that SNCA is a genomic target for MeCP2 regulation. In addition, the expression of two mutated MeCP2 variants found in Rett syndrome (RTT) showed a loss of their ability to reduce a-syn expression. This study demonstrates that methylation of CpGs and binding of MeCP2 to intron 1 of the SNCA gene plays an important role in the control of a-syn expression. In addition, the changes in SNCA regulation found by expression of MeCP2 variants carrying mutations found in RTT patients may be of importance for the elucidation of a new molecular pathway in RTT, a rare neurological disorder caused by mutations in MECP2.
Cell-Permeable HSP70 Protects Neurons and Astrocytes Against Cell Death in the Rotenone-Induced and Familial Models of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Vinokurov Andrey Y. , Palalov Alexander A. , Kritskaya Kristina A. , Demyanenko Svetlana V. , Garbuz David G. , Evgen’ev Michael B. , Esteras Noemi , Abramov Andrey Y.
Published: March 2024

Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is activated under stress response. Its involvement in cell protection, including energy metabolism and quality control makes it a promising pharmacological target. A strategy to increase HSP70 levels inside the cells is the application of recombinant HSP70. However, cell permeability and functionality of these exogenously applied proteins inside the cells is still disputable. Here, using fluorescence- labeled HSP70, we have studied permeability and distribution of HSP70 inside primary neurons and astrocytes, and how exogenous HSP70 changes mitochondrial metabolism and mitophagy. We have found that exogenous recombinant HSP70 can penetrate the neurons and astrocytes and distributes in mitochondria, lysosomes and in lesser degree in the endoplasmic reticulum. HSP70 increases mitochondrial membrane potential in control neurons and astrocytes, and in fibroblasts of patients with familial Parkinson´s disease (PD) with PINK1 and LRRK2 mutations. Increased mitochondrial membrane potential was associated with higher mitochondrial ROS production and activation of mitophagy. Importantly, preincubation of the cells with HSP70 protected neurons and astrocytes against cell death in a toxic model of PD induced by rotenone, and in the PINK1 and LRRK2 PD human fibroblasts. Thus, exogenous recombinant HSP70 is cell permeable, and acts as endogenous HSP70 protecting cells in the case of toxic model and familial forms of Parkinson’s Disease.
Biomass Production of the Poplar Clone OP42 During the Second Rotation Plantation–The Effects of Four Thinning Treatments
Authors: Svystun Tetiana , Böhlenius Henrik
Published: March 2024

Poplar (Populus species and their hybrids) plantations can produce large amounts of biomass on agricultural land during the first rotation. However, there is limited knowledge regarding plantation re-establishment through re-sprouting (second rotation) after harvest, stand management options for such plantations, and biomass production during rotation length up to 20 years. In this study, we analysed biomass production responses to thinning treatments in an 18-year-old second rotation poplar plantation in Southern Sweden. The first rotation plantation was established with clone OP42 (Populus maximowiczii A. Henry × P. trichocarpa Torr. and Gray). The thinning experiment was conducted seven years after the first rotation harvest, comprising four treatments: unthinned – 6000 stems ha−1, light thinning – 3000 stems ha−1, medium thinning – 1100 stems ha−1, and heavy thinning – 550 stems ha−1. Eleven years after thinning, standing volume/biomass reached 484 m3 ha−1 (162 Mg DM ha−1) in the unthinned and medium thinning plots, 443 m3 ha−1 (148 Mg DM ha−1) in lightly and 338 m3 ha−1 (113 Mg DM ha−1) in heavily thinned plots. The mean annual increment was not different among the unthinned, light, and medium thinnings, 26 m3 ha−1 yr−1 (9 Mg DM ha−1 yr−1). The total production, including living, dead and removed trees, was highest following the medium thinning, 695 m3 ha−1 (233 Mg DM ha−1). Gradual self-thinning in the unthinned and lightly thinned plots was increased by a drought period. Overall, this study suggests that the second rotation of poplar plantations has high biomass production and provides an alternative to planting after harvest.
Comprehensive analysis of T cell exhaustion related signature for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy response in HNSCC
Authors: Zhang Wei , Qu Mei , Yin Chun , Jin Zhiliang , Hu Ya
Published: March 2024

Background

T cell exhaustion (TEX) signifies a condition of T cell disorder which implicate the therapeutic benefits and prognostic significance in patients with cancer. However, its role in the Head and Neck Squamous Carcinoma (HNSCC) remains incompletely understood.

Methods

The detailed data of HNSCC samples were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and two Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. We computed the expression scores of four TEX-related pathways and detected gene modules closely linked to these pathways, indicating prognostic significance. Following this, regression analyses were performed to select eight genes for the development of a predictive signature. The predictive capacity of this signature was evaluated. Additionally, we examined the relationships between TEX-related signature risk scores and the effectiveness of immunotherapy as well as drug sensitivity.

Results

A novel prognostic model, comprising eight TEX-related genes, was established for patients with HNSCC. The prognostic value was further confirmed using additional GEO datasets: GSE65858 and GSE27020. This signature enables the stratification of patients into high- and low- risk groups, each showing distinct survival outcomes and responsiveness to immunotherapy. The low-risk group demonstrated improved prognosis and enhanced efficacy of immunotherapy. In addition, AZD6482, TAF1, Ribociclib, LGK974, PF4708671 and other drugs showed increased sensitivity in the high-risk group based on drug sensitivity values, offering tailored therapeutic recommendations for individuals with various risks profiles.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we developed a novel T cell exhaustion-associated signature, which holds considerable predictive value for both the prognosis of patients with HNSCC and the effectiveness of tumor immunotherapy.
Technical, economic and ecological assessment of European sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) production
Authors: Dietrich R.-U. , Adelung S. , Habermeyer F. , Maier S. , Philippi P. , Raab M. , Weyand J.
Published: March 2024

Multiple options for sustainable alternatives to fossil kerosene have been assessed. The route using biomass gasification, hotgas cleaning, hydrogen addition (derived from water electrolysis using renewable power), Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and product upgrading towards ASTM D7566 certified SAF has technical, economic and environmental advantages to be discussed in detail. The technical assessment shows carbon resp. energy efficiency of fuel production at 61% resp. 55%. The economic assessment of brown-field installations in Finland predicts costs in the range of 1.00 €2019/l. For the evaluation of 200 MWth biomass plus 160.2 MWe grid power plant size, an electricity price and biomass price of 42 €2019/t and 51 €2019/MWh were assumed, respectively. The environmental assessment shows a global warming potential reduction of 91% (corresponds to 8.8 gCO2-eq./MJFuel,LHV) compared to fossil fuel using Finnish wind energy and biomass residues, far better than the required 65% GWP reduction of the European RED II regulation. Based on the techno-economic and environmental assessment of the preferred FT route, a European deployment potential between 10 and 60 Mt/a SAF seems achievable in early 2030 years. The authors propose to implement appropriate regulation with high urgency.
Preparation and characterization of Sorafenib nano-emulsion: impact on pharmacokinetics and toxicity; an in vitro and in vivo study
Authors: Zaafar Dalia , Khalil Heba M. A. , Elkhouly Gehad E. , Sedeky Abanoub Selim , Ahmed Yasmine H. , Khalil Mona G. , Abo-zeid Yasmin
Published: March 2024

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks as the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Current treatment strategies include surgical resection, liver transplantation, liver-directed therapy, and systemic therapy. Sorafenib (Sor) is the first systemic drug authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for HCC treatment. Nevertheless, the conventional oral administration of Sor presents several limitations: poor solubility, low bioavailability, drug resistance development, and off-target tissue accumulation, leading to numerous adverse effects. Nano-emulsion, a nano-delivery system, is a viable carrier for poorly water-soluble drugs. It aims to enhance drug bioavailability, target organ accumulation, and reduce off-target tissue exposure, thus improving therapeutic outcomes while minimizing side effects. This study formulated Sor nano-emulsion (Sor NanoEm) using the homogenization technique. The resultant nano-emulsion was characterized by particle size (121.75 ± 12 nm), polydispersity index (PDI; 0.310), zeta potential (-12.33 ± 1.34 mV), viscosity (34,776 ± 3276 CPs), and pH (4.38 ± 0.3). Transmission Electron Microscopy exhibited spherical nano-droplets with no aggregation signs indicating stability. Furthermore, the encapsulation of Sor within the nano-emulsion sustained its release, potentially reducing the frequency of therapeutic doses. Cytotoxicity assessments on the HepG2 cell line revealed that Sor NanoEm had a significantly (P < 0.05) more potent cytotoxic effect compared to Sor suspension. Subsequent tests highlighted superior pharmacokinetic parameters and reduced dosage requirements of Sor NanoEm in mice. It exhibited an enhanced safety profile, particularly in behavior, brain, and liver, compared to its suspended form. These findings underscore the enhanced pharmacological and toxicological attributes of Sor Nano-emulsion, suggesting its potential utility in HCC treatment.

Graphical abstract
Insulin Delivery to the Brain via the Nasal Route: Unraveling the Potential for Alzheimer's Disease Therapy
Authors: Wong Chun Yuen Jerry , Baldelli Alberto , Hoyos Camilla M. , Tietz Ole , Ong Hui Xin , Traini Daniela
Published: March 2024

This comprehensive review delves into the potential of intranasal insulin delivery for managing Alzheimer's Disease (AD) while exploring the connection between AD and diabetes mellitus (DM). Both conditions share features of insulin signalling dysregulation and oxidative stress that accelerate inflammatory response. Given the physiological barriers to brain drug delivery, including the blood-brain barrier, intranasal administration emerges as a non-invasive alternative. Notably, intranasal insulin has shown neuroprotective effects, impacting Aβ clearance, tau phosphorylation, and synaptic plasticity. In preclinical studies and clinical trials, intranasally administered insulin achieved rapid and extensive distribution throughout the brain, with optimal formulations exhibiting minimal systemic circulation. The detailed mechanism of insulin transport through the nose-to-brain pathway is elucidated in the review, emphasizing the role of olfactory and trigeminal nerves. Despite promising prospects, challenges in delivering protein drugs from the nasal cavity to the brain remain, including enzymes, tight junctions, mucociliary clearance, and precise drug deposition, which hinder its translation to clinical settings. The review encompasses a discussion of the strategies to enhance the intranasal delivery of therapeutic proteins, such as tight junction modulators, cell-penetrating peptides, and nano-drug carrier systems. Moreover, successful translation of nose-to-brain drug delivery necessitates a holistic understanding of drug transport mechanisms, brain anatomy, and nasal formulation optimization. To date, no intranasal insulin formulation has received regulatory approval for AD treatment. Future research should address challenges related to drug absorption, nasal deposition, and the long-term effects of intranasal insulin. In this context, the evaluation of administration devices for nose-to-brain drug delivery becomes crucial in ensuring precise drug deposition patterns and enhancing bioavailability.

Graphical Abstract

Drug transport mechanism through the nose-to-brain pathway using the olfactory and trigeminal nerves (major pathway) and from the bloodstream through BBB (minor pathway).
Effect of rosuvastatin on sortilin and fetuin-A in type 2 diabetic patients: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Werida Rehab H. , Elattar Ola Mohamed , Abdelghafour Reem Ahmed , Ghoneim Asser
Published: March 2024

Objective

Rosuvastatin is a drug used for decreasing the risk of cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. It is hypothesized that fetuin-A encourages lipid-induced insulin resistance and sortilin may increase the risk of atherosclerotic-related disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate the safety and efficacy of rosuvastatin co-treatment in T2DM patients and its effect on levels of sortilin and fetuin-A.

Methods

Seventy T2DM patients treated with glimepiride and metformin were randomly assigned to either co-treated with rosuvastatin 10 mg tablets (rosuvastatin group, n = 40), or placebo (placebo group, n = 30) daily for 3 months in a parallel, double-blind randomized controlled trial. Blood was collected for biochemical analysis. Serum sortilin and fetuin-A levels, glycemic and lipid profiles were measured before and 3 months after intervention.

Results

Fasting blood glucose (FBG, mg/dl) significantly decreased in placebo and rousvastatin groups from (104 ± 7.24 to 96.67 ± 7.14 vs 102.8 ± 6.43 to 93.0 ± 4.71), respectively, compared with baseline (p < 0.05). BMI and HbA1c decreased in placebo vs rosuvastatin group (29.20 ± 3.18 to 28.10 ± 3.08, p=0.08 vs 28.67 ± 3.56 to 27.66 ± 3.16, p = 0.27), and (6.59 ± 0.27 to 6.36 ± 0.27 vs 6.56 ± 0.26 to 6.29 ± 0.25), respectively, compared with baseline (p ≤ 0.001) with no significance difference between both groups (p = 0.58 and p = 0.25, respectively). Sortilin and fetuin-A levels significantly decreased in rosuvastatin vs placebo group from (1.77 ± 0.41 to 0.64 ± 0.37 vs 1.70 ± 0.36 to 1.65 ± 0.36) and from (295.33 ± 52.04 to 179.75 ± 60.22 vs 307.22 ± 50.11 to 288.94 ± 49.53), respectively, compared with baseline with significance difference between both groups (p < 0.001) compared with placebo. Significant positive correlation was found between sortilin with fetuin-A, low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and atherogenic index (p < 0.001). Significant positive correlation was observed between fetuin-A with FBG (p < 0.05) and atherogenic index (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Rosuvastatin co-treatment in T2DM patients improves glycemic control and aids in decreasing the atherogenic biomarkers sortilin and fetuin-A levels, so it can be considered tolerable and efficient in improving lipid profile and atherogenic index.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT03907423, (The registration date: April 9, 2019).
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03907423
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The Overlooked Association Between Nutrition and the Development of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia: A Scoping Review
Authors: Rezae Alex , Fakak Reem , Alexander Kyle G. , Constantinou Constantina
Published: March 2024

Purpose of Review

Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) constitutes a mere 1% of global cancer cases. This scoping review aims to investigate the association between nutrition and the development of AML, providing a foundation for future research in this field.

Recent Findings

A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, EBSCO, Taylor and Francis, Science Direct and Cochrane Library using specific keywords. Inclusion criteria comprised observational studies and clinical trials examining the association between nutrition and the development of AML. Articles selected for analysis were restricted to those published in English between 1990-2023, and available as full text articles. Among the twenty-five articles that were screened, only six met the criteria for data extraction. Four studies did not reveal statistically significant correlations between nutrition and the development of AML, while two studies provided evidence for significant associations. The findings indicated increased AML risk associated with (a) heightened caloric intake, consumption of white potatoes, and red meat (pork and beef) and (b) diminished consumption of vegetables, seafood, nuts, and seeds.

The scarcity of comprehensive studies exploring the connection between nutrition and AML, highlights the urgent need for additional research, encompassing pre-clinical studies. This imperative is critical for enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie the connection between diet and the aetiology of AML. Such knowledge is paramount in advancing effective strategies for both prevention and management of this significant disease.
AGF-Net: adaptive global feature fusion network for road extraction from remote-sensing images
Authors: Zhang Yajuan , Zhang Lan , Wang Yunhe , Xu Wenjia
Published: March 2024

Road extraction from remote-sensing images is of great significance for vehicle navigation and emergency insurance. However, the road information extracted in the remote-sensing image is discontinuous because the road in the image is often obscured by the shadows of trees or buildings. Moreover, due to the scale difference of roads in remote-sensing images, it remains a computational challenge to extract small-size roads from remote-sensing images. To address those problems, we propose a road extraction method based on adaptive global feature fusion (AGF-Net). First, a dilated convolution strip attention (DCSA) module is designed from the encoder–decoder structure. It consists of the dilated convolution and the strip attention module, which adaptively emphasizes relevant features in vertical and horizontal directions. Then, multiple global feature fusion modules (GFFM) in the skip connection are designed to supplement the decoder with road detail features, and we design a multi-scale strip convolution module (MSCM) to implement the GFFM module to obtain multi-scale road information. We compare AGF-Net to state-of-the-art methods and report their performance using standard evaluation metrics, including Intersection over Union (IoU), F1-score, precision, and recall. Our proposed AGF-Net achieves higher accuracy compared to other existing methods on the Massachusetts Road Dataset, DeepGlobe Road Dataset, CHN6-CUG Road Dataset, and BJRoad Dataset. The IoU obtained on these datasets are 0.679, 0.673, 0.567, and 0.637, respectively.
Geophysical characterization of groundwater aquifers in the Western Debrecen area, Hungary: insights from gravity, magnetotelluric, and electrical resistivity tomography
Authors: Mohammed Musaab A. A. , Szabó Norbert P. , Alao Joseph O. , Szűcs Péter
Published: March 2024

The recent study followed a multi-methodological approach integrating gravity, magnetotelluric (MT), and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to investigate the geometry and hydrological characteristics of the main hydrostratigraphical units in the Western Debrecen area, Eastern Hungary. The integration of these methods aims to delineate potential zones for groundwater development and guide effective extraction strategies. In the gravity investigation, the Bouguer anomaly map undergoes spectral analysis for the separation of shallow and deep features, offering a preliminary indication of basement rock depth. Subsequently, gravity data inversion is employed to map variations in basement rock topography, revealing a basin structure, with sediment thicknesses extending up to 2 km. On the other hand, the MT data are modeled using the 1D Occam inversion algorithm to validate the results of the gravity data analysis. This inversion, constrained with lithological logs is further utilized to delineate the main hydrostratigraphical units in the study area. Accordingly, four units are identified, including the Nagyalföld Aquifer, Algyő and Endrődi Aquitards, the Badenian Aquifer, and the Pre-Neogene Aquitard. Consequently, Dar Zarrouk parameters based transmissivity and the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer units are measured. The Nagyalföld aquifer showed a hydraulic conductivity that ranged between 7.9 and 11.9 m/day, while the Badenian aquifer showed an average hydraulic conductivity of 13.1 m/day. The ERT data are employed to map the spatial distribution of the depth to the water table. The shallow water table is observed in regions characterized by an elevated thickness of sedimentary rocks, attributed to their high specific capacity. Integrating these hydrogeophysical methods provided a comprehensive understanding of the subsurface hydrology and enabled better-informed decision-making for groundwater development.
Intriguing Occupations at Gran Dolina (Atapuerca, Spain): the Acheulean Subunits TD10.3 and TD10.4
Authors: Mosquera Marina , Ollé Andreu , Saladié Palmira , Arroyo Adrián , Asryan Lena , Bargalló Amèlia , de Lombera-Hermida Arturo , Fernández-Marchena Juan Luis , García-Medrano Paula , Lombao Diego , Rodríguez-Hidalgo Antonio , Soto María , Vallverdú Josep , Arteaga-Brieba Andion , Villalobos Javier , Yeşilova Görkem-Cenk , Carbonell Eudald
Published: March 2024

This paper presents the zooarchaeological, technological, use-wear, and spatial analyses of the earliest sedimentary subunits of TD10 (TD10.3 and TD10.4) of the Gran Dolina site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain), dated to c. 400 ka. Both units have yielded Acheulean technology, with occupational models characterized by the superimposition of multiple and independent events paired with short, sporadic occupations. Subunits TD10.3 and TD10.4 formed during a period in which the cave was largely reopened after a temporary closure. This period of reopening is evidenced by several blocks that fell from the ceiling and walls. Fifty-seven groups of refits and anthropic conjoins, of which 43 resulted from deliberate hominin activity, confirm the low disturbance of the deposits. Contrary to TD10.4, TD10.3 shows good preservation of faunal remains, although anthropogenic modifications are very scarce. Technologically, both deposits represent well-developed Acheulean assemblages, with high proportions of large-shaped tools and percussive material, which place this area among those that have yielded the most evidence of this type among all the excavated Atapuerca sites. The question of why these subunits contain so many hammerstones, manuports, and large tools associated with faunal remains that have been so scarcely modified is discussed based on data from spatial, technical, and use-wear analyses, which have identified butchery activities, and for the first time in the Pleistocene Atapuerca record, borer elements and possible thrusting stone spear tips. Furthermore, the occupational and technological characteristics of these subunits were compared with other western European archaeological sites, including the nearby site of Galería, with which a broad correlation can be made.
Jasmonates Improve Drought Tolerance of Hordeum vulgare L. After Biochar Treatment
Authors: Nasiri Sajjad , Andalibi Babak , Tavakoli Afshin , Delavar Mohammad Amir , El-Keblawy Ali , Mastinu Andrea
Published: March 2024

To investigate how and in what amounts biochar and methyl jasmonate can improve drought tolerance of barley. A two-year experimental study was conducted in a factorial randomized complete block design (n = 5) in the research greenhouse of Zanjan University, Iran, to investigate the possible effects of biochar and methyl jasmonate on some traits of winter barley under drought conditions. Two irrigation regimes, D0 (full irrigation in soil field capacity as control) and D1 (withholding irrigation immediately after flowering stage), three methyl jasmonate spray densities [0 (M0), 50 (M50), and 100 (M100) μM] and four levels of biochar in soil [0% (B0), 0.25% (B0.25), 0.5% (B0.5), 1% (B1) per soil weight] were used in this experiment. In this study, drought reduced two-year average leaf area (LA) by 96%, stomatal conductance (gs) by 84%, and photosynthetic water use efficiency (PWUE) by 64%. In addition, drought reduced chlorophyll-b by 1.5% and 81% and transpiration rate (Tr) by 2.5% and 78% in the first and second years, respectively. However, the application of biochar and methyl jasmonate improved all the traits studied in both D0 and D1 drought-treated plants. For most of the parameters studied, the optimal combination of biochar and methyl jasmonate that optimized water use efficiency and alleviated drought was 0.25% and 50 μM, respectively. The synergistic action of biochar and jasmonates improved the tolerance of barley to water stress.
Some new weighted weak-type iterated and bilinear modified Hardy inequalities
Authors: García García V. , Ortega Salvador P.
Published: March 2024

We characterize the good weights for some weighted weak-type iterated and bilinear modified Hardy inequalities to hold.
Blue light protection factor: a method to assess the protective efficacy of cosmetics against blue light-induced skin damage in the Chinese population
Authors: Zhang Rui , Pu Weilin , Zhang Xinyuan , Di Ye , Xu Jing , Zhu Meiyan , Tan Yimei , Liu Wei , Krutmann Jean , Wang Jiucun , Ma Yanyun
Published: March 2024

Background

Previous studies have shown that visible light (VL), especially blue light (BL), could cause significant skin damage. With the emergence of VL protection products, a harmonization of light protection methods has been proposed, but it has not been widely applied in the Chinese population.

Objective

Based on this framework, we propose an accurate and simplified method to evaluate the efficacy of BL photoprotection for the Chinese population.

Methods

All subjects (n = 30) were irradiated daily using a blue LED light for four consecutive days. Each irradiation dose was 3/4 MPPD (minimum persistent pigmentation darkening). The skin pigmentation parameters, including L*, M, and ITA°, were recorded. We proposed the blue light protection factor (BPF) metric based on the skin pigmentation parameters to evaluate the anti-blue light efficacies of different products.

Results

We found that the level of pigmentation rose progressively and linearly as blue light exposure increased. We proposed a metric, BPF, to reflect the anti-blue light efficacy of products based on the linear changes in skin pigment characteristics following daily BL exposure. Moreover, we discovered that the BPF metric could clearly distinguish the anti-blue light efficacies between two products and the control group, suggesting that BPF is an efficient and simple-to-use metric for anti-blue light evaluation.

Conclusion

Our study proposed an accurate and simplified method with an easy-to-use metric, BPF, to accurately characterize the anti-blue light efficacies of cosmetic products, providing support for further development of anti-blue light cosmetics.
Prediction of RNA Secondary Structure Using Butterfly Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Chatterjee Sajib , Debnath Rameswar , Biswas Sujit , Bairagi Anupam Kumar
Published: March 2024

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) structure is vital to its ability to function within the cell. The ability to predict RNA structure is essential to implementing new medications and understanding genetic illnesses. It is also important in synthetic and computational biology. All these functions are directly related to its secondary structure. Also prediction of RNA secondary structure process is the most significant step to determining the tertiary structure of RNA. On account of this, prediction of secondary structure of RNA is the crying topic in bioinformatics. In this research, we present the swarm-based metaheuristic Butterfly Optimization Algorithm (BOA) method for predicting the secondary structure of RNA. The main feather of the BOA is that it can conduct both local and global search simultaneously. According to the problem perspective, we have redesigned the operators of BOA to perform global and local search operations in different ways. We have followed a thermodynamic model for the selection of the stable secondary structure with minimum Gibbs free energy. Predicting the minimum free energy value we also developed an “Optimize” function to search the new optimize structure. This function increases the prediction efficiency, creating new stable structure and also decreases the time complexity of global searching procedure. We have used a public dataset to perform the prediction operation. To accuse our prediction efficiency, we have compared our outcomes to existing popular algorithms. The result shows that the proposed approach can predict secondary RNA structure better than other state-of-the-art algorithms.
Phonetics in the Brain
Authors: Söderström Pelle
Published: March 2024

Spoken language is a rapidly unfolding signal: a complex code that the listener must crack to understand what is being said. From the structures of the inner ear through to higher-order areas of the brain, a hierarchy of interlinked processes transforms the acoustic signal into a linguistic message within fractions of a second. This Element outlines how we perceive speech and explores what the auditory system needs to achieve to make this possible. It traces a path through the system and discusses the mechanisms that enable us to perceive speech as a coherent sequence of words. This is combined with a brief history of research into language and the brain beginning in the nineteenth century, as well as an overview of the state-of-the-art neuroimaging and analysis techniques that are used to investigate phonetics in the brain today. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Anglomanía
Authors: González Leticia Villamediana
Published: March 2024

A close reading of the cultural exchanges between England and Spain in the eighteenth century as seen in the periodical press.
Reducing Resolution Dependency of Dust Emission Modeling Using Albedo‐Based Wind Friction
Authors: Chappell Adrian , Hennen Mark , Schepanski Kerstin , Dhital Saroj , Tong Daniel
Published: March 2024

Numerical simulations of dust emission processes are essential for dust cycle modeling and dust‐atmosphere interactions. Models have coarse spatial resolutions which, without tackling sub‐grid scale heterogeneity, bias finely resolved dust emission. Soil surface wind friction velocity (us*) drives dust emission non‐linearly with increasing model resolution, due mainly to thresholds of sediment entrainment. Albedo is area‐integrated, scales linearly with resolution, is related to us* and hence represents its sub‐grid scale heterogeneity. Calibrated albedo‐based global dust emission estimates decreased by only 2 Tg y−1 (10.5%) upscaled from 0.5 to 111 km, largely independent of resolution. Without adjusting wind fields, this scaling uncertainty is within recent estimates of global dust emission model uncertainty (±14.9 Tg y−1). This intrinsic scaling capability of the albedo‐based approach offers considerable potential to reduce resolution dependency of dust cycle modeling and improve the representation of local dust emission in Earth system models and operational air quality forecasting.
Equation of State of Liquid Fe7C3 and Thermodynamic Modeling of the Liquidus Phase Relations in the Fe‐C System
Authors: Yokoo Shunpei , Umemoto Koichiro , Hirose Kei
Published: March 2024

We calculated the pressure‐volume relations of liquids Fe and Fe7C3 up to ∼360 GPa and 3000–8000 K based on the first‐principles molecular dynamics simulations. The results demonstrate that liquid Fe7C3 is similar in compressibility and thermal expansivity to liquid Fe at the Earth's core pressure range. We then obtained a thermodynamic model of the liquidus phase relations in the Fe‐C system at high pressures by using the thermal equation of state (EoS) of liquid Fe7C3 as well as that of liquid Fe3C estimated by interpolation between the volumes of Fe and Fe7C3 calculated in this study. The previously reported eutectic points in the Fe‐Fe3C system are reproduced with interaction parameters that are dependent on temperature but independent on pressure at >∼50 GPa. The melting curve of Fe7C3 should be close to that of Fe, which leads to a change in the eutectic system from Fe‐Fe3C to Fe‐Fe7C3 above 250 GPa as observed by previous experiments. The thermodynamic model also suggests that the solidus and liquidus of Fe3C are relatively low. The Fe‐Fe7C3 liquidus phase relations at the Earth's inner core boundary (ICB) pressure indicate the Fe7C3 inner core is unlikely. While the carbon content in the Earth's outer core may be small, the addition of 1 wt% C to liquid Fe drops the liquidus temperature to crystallize hcp‐Fe by ∼450 K, suggesting that the presence of carbon in the outer core is preferable for a relatively low core‐mantle boundary (CMB) temperature.
Lithospheric Structure and Melting Processes in Southeast Australia: New Constraints From Joint Probabilistic Inversions of 3D Magnetotelluric and Seismic Data
Authors: Manassero M. C. , Özaydın S. , Afonso J. C. , Shea J. J. , Ezad I. S. , Kirkby A. , Thiel S. , Fomin I. , Czarnota K.
Published: March 2024

The thermochemical structure of the lithosphere controls melting mechanisms in the mantle, as well as the location of volcanism and ore deposits. Obtaining reliable images of the lithosphere structure, and its complex interactions with the asthenosphere, requires the joint inversion of multiple data sets and their associated uncertainties. In particular, the combination of seismic velocity and electrical conductivity, along with proxies for bulk composition and elusive minor phases, represents a crucial step toward fully understanding large‐scale lithospheric structure and melting processes. We apply a novel probabilistic approach for joint inversions of 3D magnetotelluric and seismic data to image the lithosphere beneath southeast Australia. The results show a highly heterogeneous lithosphere with deep conductivity anomalies that correlate with the location of Cenozoic volcanism. In regions where the conductivities have been at odds with sub‐lithospheric temperatures and seismic velocities, we observe that the joint inversion provides conductivity values consistent with other observations. The results reveal a strong relationship between metasomatized regions in the mantle and (a) boundaries of geological provinces, elucidating the subduction‐accretion process in the region; (b) distribution of leucitite and basaltic magmatism; (c) independent geochemical data, and (d) a series of lithospheric steps which constitute areas prone to generating small‐scale instabilities in the asthenosphere. This scenario suggests that shear‐driven upwelling and edge‐driven convection are the primary mechanisms for melting in eastern Australia, contrary to the conventional notion of mantle plume activity. Our study presents an integrated lithospheric model for southeastern Australia and provides valuable insight into the mechanisms driving surface geological processes.
Hydrologic and Landscape Controls on Rock Weathering Along a Glacial Gradient in South Central Alaska, USA
Authors: Muñoz S. , Jenckes J. , Ramos E. J. , Munk L. A. , Ibarra D. E.
Published: March 2024

Rock weathering impacts atmospheric CO2 levels with silicate rock dissolution removing CO2, and carbonate dissolution, pyrite oxidation, and organic rock carbon oxidation producing CO2. Glacierization impacts the hydrology and geomorphology of catchments and glacier retreat due to warming can increase runoff and initiate landscape succession. To investigate the impact of these changes on catchment scale weathering CO2 balances, we report monthly samples of solute chemistry and continuous discharge records for a sequence of glacierized watersheds draining into Kachemak Bay, Alaska. We partition solute and acid sources and estimate inorganic weathering CO2 balances using an inverse geochemical mixing model. Furthermore, we investigated how solutes vary with discharge conditions utilizing a concentration‐runoff framework. We develop an analogous fraction‐runoff framework which allows us to investigate changes in weathering contributions at different flows. Fraction‐runoff relationships suggest kinetic limitations on all reactions in glacierized catchments, and only silicate weathering in less glacierized catchments. Using forest cover as a proxy for landscape age and stability, multiple linear regression shows that faster reactions (pyrite oxidation) contribute less to the solute load with increasing forest cover, whereas silicate weathering (slow reaction kinetics) contributes more. Overall, in glacierized catchments, we find elevated weathering fluxes at high runoff despite significant dilution effects. This makes flux estimates that account for dilution more important in glacierized catchments. Our findings quantify how glaciers modify the inorganic weathering CO2 balance of catchments through hydrologic and geomorphic forcings, and support the previous hypothesis that deglaciation will be accompanied by a shift in inorganic weathering CO2 balances.
Tectonic Evolution of the Condrey Mountain Schist: An Intact Record of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Franciscan Subduction and Underplating
Authors: Tewksbury‐Christle C. M. , Behr W. M. , Helper M. A. , Stockli D. F.
Published: March 2024

The Klamath Mountains in northern California and southern Oregon are thought to record 200+ m.y. of subduction and terrane accretion, whereas the outboard Franciscan Complex records ocean‐continent subduction along the North American margin. Unraveling the Klamath Mountains' Late Jurassic history could help constrain this transition in subduction style. Key is the Mesozoic Condrey Mountain Schist (CMS), comprising, in part, a subduction complex that occupies a structural window through older, overlying central Klamath thrust sheets but with otherwise uncertain relationships to more outboard Klamath or Franciscan terranes. The CMS consists of two units (upper and lower), which could be correlated with (a) other Klamath terranes, (b) the Franciscan, or (c) neither based on regional structures and limited extant age data. Upper CMS protolith and metamorphic dates overlap with other Klamath terranes, but the lower CMS remains enigmatic. We used multiple geochronometers to constrain the timing of lower CMS deposition and metamorphism. Maximum depositional ages (MDAs) derived from detrital zircon geochronology of metasedimentary rocks are 153–135 Ma. Metamorphic ages from white mica K‐Ar and Rb‐Sr multi‐mineral isochrons from intercalated and coherently deformed metamafic lenses are 133–116 Ma. Lower CMS MDAs (<153 Ma) predominantly postdate other Klamath terrane ages, but subduction metamorphism appears to start before the earliest coherent Franciscan underplating (ca. 123 Ma). The lower CMS thus occupies a spatial and temporal position between the Klamath Mountains and Franciscan and preserves a non‐retrogressed record of the Franciscan Complex's early history (>123 Ma), otherwise only partially preserved in retrogressed Franciscan high grade blocks.
Advances in single-cell omics and multiomics for high-resolution molecular profiling
Authors: Lim Jongsu , Park Chanho , Kim Minjae , Kim Hyukhee , Kim Junil , Lee Dong-Sung
Published: March 2024

Single-cell omics technologies have revolutionized molecular profiling by providing high-resolution insights into cellular heterogeneity and complexity. Traditional bulk omics approaches average signals from heterogeneous cell populations, thereby obscuring important cellular nuances. Single-cell omics studies enable the analysis of individual cells and reveal diverse cell types, dynamic cellular states, and rare cell populations. These techniques offer unprecedented resolution and sensitivity, enabling researchers to unravel the molecular landscape of individual cells. Furthermore, the integration of multimodal omics data within a single cell provides a comprehensive and holistic view of cellular processes. By combining multiple omics dimensions, multimodal omics approaches can facilitate the elucidation of complex cellular interactions, regulatory networks, and molecular mechanisms. This integrative approach enhances our understanding of cellular systems, from development to disease. This review provides an overview of the recent advances in single-cell and multimodal omics for high-resolution molecular profiling. We discuss the principles and methodologies for representatives of each omics method, highlighting the strengths and limitations of the different techniques. In addition, we present case studies demonstrating the applications of single-cell and multimodal omics in various fields, including developmental biology, neurobiology, cancer research, immunology, and precision medicine.
Effects of gene dosage and development on subcortical nuclei volumes in individuals with 22q11.2 copy number variations
Authors: Schleifer Charles H. , O’Hora Kathleen P. , Fung Hoki , Xu Jennifer , Robinson Taylor-Ann , Wu Angela S. , Kushan-Wells Leila , Lin Amy , Ching Christopher R. K. , Bearden Carrie E.
Published: March 2024

The 22q11.2 locus contains genes critical for brain development. Reciprocal Copy Number Variations (CNVs) at this locus impact risk for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Both 22q11.2 deletions (22qDel) and duplications (22qDup) are associated with autism, but 22qDel uniquely elevates schizophrenia risk. Understanding brain phenotypes associated with these highly penetrant CNVs can provide insights into genetic pathways underlying neuropsychiatric disorders. Human neuroimaging and animal models indicate subcortical brain alterations in 22qDel, yet little is known about developmental differences across specific nuclei between reciprocal 22q11.2 CNV carriers and typically developing (TD) controls. We conducted a longitudinal MRI study in a total of 385 scans from 22qDel (n = 96, scans = 191, 53.1% female), 22qDup (n = 37, scans = 64, 45.9% female), and TD controls (n = 80, scans = 130, 51.2% female), across a wide age range (5.5–49.5 years). Volumes of the thalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and anatomical subregions were estimated using FreeSurfer, and the linear effects of 22q11.2 gene dosage and non-linear effects of age were characterized with generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs). Positive gene dosage effects (volume increasing with copy number) were observed for total intracranial and whole hippocampus volumes, but not whole thalamus or amygdala volumes. Several amygdala subregions exhibited similar positive effects, with bi-directional effects found across thalamic nuclei. Distinct age-related trajectories were observed across the three groups. Notably, both 22qDel and 22qDup carriers exhibited flattened development of hippocampal CA2/3 subfields relative to TD controls. This study provides novel insights into the impact of 22q11.2 CNVs on subcortical brain structures and their developmental trajectories.
CircNUP54 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression via facilitating HuR cytoplasmic export and stabilizing BIRC3 mRNA
Authors: Tang Chenwei , Zhuang Hongkai , Wang Wentao , Wang Qingbin , Ma Xiaowu , Wang Bingkun , Zhang Ziyu , Jiang Jiahao , Xie Zhiqin , Tan Wenliang , Yang Lei , Liu Songyao , Hua Yonglin , Xiao Yuxin , Ding Baoshan , Chen Yajin , Shang Changzhen
Published: March 2024

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been implicated in tumorigenesis and progression of various cancers. However, the underlying mechanisms of circRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been fully elucidated. Herein, a new oncogenic circRNA, hsa_circ_0070039 (circNUP54), was identified to be significantly upregulated in HCC through circRNA sequencing. As verified in 68 HCC samples, circNUP54 overexpression was correlated with aggressive cancerous behaviors and poor outcomes. Moreover, the function experiments showed that knockdown of circNUP54 inhibited the malignant progression of HCC in vitro and in vivo, whereas overexpression of circNUP54 had the opposite role. Mechanistic investigations carried out by RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence revealed that circNUP54 interacted with the RNA-binding protein Hu-antigen R (HuR) and promoted its cytoplasmic export. The cytoplasmic accumulation of HuR stabilized the downstream BIRC3 mRNA through its binding to the 3′ UTR region. Consequently, the encoded protein of BIRC3, cellular inhibitor of apoptosis 2 (cIAP2), proceeded to activate the NF-κB signal pathway and ultimately contributed to HCC progression. In addition, depletion of BIRC3 rescued the pro-tumorigenic effect of circNUP54 on HCC cells. Overall, this study demonstrated that circNUP54 facilitates HCC progression via regulating the HuR/BIRC3/NF-κB axis, which may serve as a promising therapeutic target for HCC treatment.