bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Colonic bacterial community responding to selenium-enriched yeast supplementation associated with improved gut mucus function in finishing pigs
Authors: Su Lingling , Yi Hongbo , Xu E , Xiao Mingfei , Gao Yanhua
Published: May 2024

The effects of supplementing finishing pigs with different levels of SeY on intestinal morphology, epithelial mucus production, antioxidant activity and colonic bacterial community were evaluated. A total of thirty 90-day-old Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire finishing pigs (with an average body weight of 54.37±2.13 kg) were randomly assigned to five treatment groups. The control group (CON) was fed a basal diet, while the other four groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with SeY at 0.3, 1, 3, and 5 mg/kg, respectively, for an 80-day of feeding trial. Intestinal morphology results showed that the addition of SeY at 0.3 mg/kg increased villus height, villus height/crypt ratio, and mucus production (as revealed by increased mucosal goblet cell number, mucus thickness, and the mRNA expression of MUC-1, claudin-1, occludin and ZO-1 gene) in the ileum compared with the control group (P<0.05), while high-dose selenium at 5 mg/kg was detrimental to the mucosal histology. Ileal antioxidant activity of SOD and GSH-Px, and jejunal mRNA expression of GPX-1 and GPX-4, were significantly higher in response to Se supplementation (P<0.05). Faecal Se excretion increased significantly in SeY supplemented groups in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). SeY supplementation resulted in a significant difference in beta diversity between treatment groups, as determined by Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance based on Bray-Curtis distance (PERMANOVA, F=2.472, P=0.002) Additionally, colonic fermentation metabolites, including acetate, propionate, butyrate, valerate, isobutyrate, and isovalerate, showed a linear decreasing trend with increasing doses of SeY (P < 0.05). Acetate, propionate, butyrate, and total short-chain fatty acids were positively correlated with the biomarker genera Agathobacter (SeY at 0.3mg/kg), while isobutyrate and isovalerate were negatively correlated with biomarker genera Lactobacillus (SeY at 0.3mg/kg) (P < 0.05). Faecalaccumulation of Se was positively correlated with the biomarker genera Alloprevotella (SeY at 3mg/kg) and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 (SeY at 5mg/kg) and was negatively correlated with biomarker genera Agathobacter (SeY at 0.3mg/kg), Bacteroides (CON), and Faecalibacterium (CON) (P < 0.05). In conclusion, SeY doses of 0.3 mg/kg have beneficial effects on intestinal health, whereas prolonged SeY doses up to 5 mg/kg may compromise the intestinal function in finishing pigs.
Rapidly evolving ocean pH in the early Earth: Insights from global carbon cycle coupled with ocean chemistry
Authors: Guo Meng , Korenaga Jun
Published: May 2024

The ocean pH is a fundamental property that regulates various aspects of Earth system evolution. However, the early ocean pH remains controversial, with estimates ranging from strongly acidic to alkaline. Here we show that, by coupling global carbon cycle with ocean charge balance, and by using Earth interior processes to specify the history of volatile distribution and ocean chemistry, a rapid increase in ocean pH is likely during the Hadean to early Archean, with the pH evolving from 5 to neutral by ~ 4.0 Ga. This rapid pH evolution is attributed primarily to the elevated rates of both seafloor and continental weathering during the Hadean, which in turn result from high surface temperatures, efficient CO2 supply, rapid formation and destruction of both continental and oceanic crusts, and elevated levels of divalent cations in the crust. Earth likely transformed from a hostile state to a habitable one by the end of Hadean, which has important implications for planetary habitability and the origin of life.
A model for eliminating aggregate and specification bias in multivariate fine-scale urban scenarios
Authors: Salehi Afshin , Beni Farkhondeh Ahmadi , Halabian AmirHossein , AminiNejad Ramin , Ganjali Jafar
Published: May 2024

The spatial relationships between predictors and responses are influenced by their frequency and spatial distribution. Ecological bias in regression models can occur due to the aggregate frequency and clustering of independent variables, leading to false, over-, or underestimations. This can be exacerbated by an increase in data resolution, complexity, and variable count, as is often the case in urban research scenarios. To address this issue, a new relationship-estimation model called the Ecologically Corrected Spatial Relationship Estimator (ECSRE) was proposed and compared to Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). The results showed that ECSRE outperformed GWR by correctly revealing pre-planned relationships in simulated data, presenting a lower influence of aggregate frequencies on the outcome, better suppression of specification errors, higher R2 scores, and better randomness of residuals.
Pd@HQBI-SPION as an Efficient Palladium-Immobilized Catalyst for Facile Synthesis of Novel Phenanthroline-Dimedone Derivatives
Authors: Sayahi Mohammad Hosein , Serajian Azam , Bahadorikhalili Saeed , Mahdavi Mohammad
Published: May 2024

This paper presents the synthesis and application of a novel catalyst for carbon-carbon bond formations, comprising palladium immobilized on 2-(5-hydroxyquinolin-8-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-5-carboxylic acid modified superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Pd@HQBI-SPION). The synthesis involved the attachment of HQBI ligands to SPION using APTES, followed by the immobilization of palladium. Characterization techniques, including FTIR, XRD, TEM, and magnetic measurements, confirmed the successful synthesis and structural integrity of Pd@HQBI-SPION. The catalytic activity of Pd@HQBI-SPION was evaluated in various carbon-carbon bond formation reactions, demonstrating high efficiency and reusability. The catalyst exhibited excellent performance in one-pot synthesis of phenanthroline-dimedone polycyclic derivatives via C-alkylation followed by intramolecular O-alkylation of phenanthroline with dimedone. The products are obtained in high to excellent yields is described. This protocol presents a highly selective synthetic method for the construction of polycyclic aromatic compounds containing nitrogen and oxygen atoms.
Exploration of common genomic signatures of Systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and Kawasaki disease
Authors: Zhong Shiling , Wu Ling , Li Yunyan , Chen Yuanling , shen Mengjiao
Published: May 2024

To investigate the common genetic patterns and possible molecular processes involved in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) and Kawasaki disease (KD). The methodology involved the retrieval and analysis of microarray data for SJIA and KD from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The researchers employed the ExpressAnalystR software to ascertain the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were shared, and subsequently identified genes associated with extracellular proteins within this set. Transcription factors (TFs) and their corresponding target genes in single-domain encoding genes (SDEGs) were acquired by a comparative analysis of databases such as HumanTFDB and hTFtarget. Subsequently, the gene sets that had been previously identified underwent functional enrichment analysis using the metascape program. Ultimately, the analysis of immune infiltration was conducted using CIBERSORT. The study revealed a total of 204 up-regulated and 35 down-regulated SDEGs. Through the construction of a network targeting transcription factors (TFs), 4 specific TFs (EGR1, BCL6, FOS, and NFE2) were identified and further screened. Functional enrichment analysis and immune infiltration findings indicate that both the adaptive and innate immune systems play significant roles in the development of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) and Kawasaki disease (KD). Signaling pathways, such as NF-kB, are crucial in the pathogenesis of these conditions, along with biological processes like tumor necrosis factor (TNF) functions and neutrophil degranulation. The findings of our investigation provided comprehensive evidence regarding the intricate and adaptable nature of the immune system abnormalities associated with SJIA and KD. The same pathogenic mechanism may involve the actions of TNF, neutrophil degranulation, and the NF-kB pathway. Furthermore, it is imperative to carry out a more comprehensive investigation of the regulatory functions of EGR1, BCL6, FOS, and NFE2 within this network.
Application of Box-Behnken design for optimization of betulinic acid, ursolic acid and phenolics extraction from endemic Rosa psiformis subsp. pisiformis in relation to its cytotoxic activities
Authors: Demiray Hatice , Dibek Mesut Emir , Özel Onur
Published: May 2024

Although it has important pharmacological bioactivities, betulinic acid is still obtained by extraction from wood heart and bark and by transformation synthetically. With these methods, less than 3% efficiency is obtained. Our endemic rose species, Rosa pisiformis (Christ.) D. Sosn., which is a new alternative source of betulinic acid and traditionally used for its medicinal properties, was collected from the province of Gümüşhane, its natural distribution, and organs of the plant such as root, stem, leaf and fruit were air diried and pulverizated. The drugs are extracted separately with three solvents (methanol, dichloromethane and hexane) with Box-Behnken optimized extraction method and the amounts of quercetin, rutin, catechin and betulinic, ursolic and oleanolic acids in roots, stems, leaves and fruits are determined with standard substances using HPLC-DAD techniques. According to the Box-Benchen method optimisation data was obtained as 65% ratio of solvent and 5 times maceration with 75 ml of solvents. By the way the highest amount of catechin was found in the leaf (DCM) as 15.61 µg/ml; stem was found to be rich in rutin (28.96 µg/ml) and quercetin (39.90 µg/ml). The amount of betulinic acid in stem (hexane) (11.84 µg/ml) and root (9.32 µg/ml) has been determined for the first time, and their cytotoxic activities were determined mostly in stem also leaves and roots followed this subsequently against prostate and lung carcinoma cells by ABTS-assay.
Derivation of human primary prostate epithelial cell lines by differentially targeting the CDKN2A locus along with expression of hTERT
Authors: Wasserman Jason S. , Fowle Holly , Hashmi Rumesa , Atar Diba , Patel Kishan , Yarmahmoodi Amir , Macfarlane Alexander W. , Tan Yinfei , Cukierman Edna , Gligorijevic Bojana , Karami Adam , Whelan Kelly A. , Campbell Kerry S. , Graña Xavier
Published: May 2024

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer diagnosed in men worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in US males in 2022. Prostate cancer also represents the second highest cancer mortality disparity between non-Hispanic blacks and whites. However, there is a relatively small number of prostate normal and cancer cell lines compared to other cancers. To identify the molecular basis of PCa progression, it is important to have prostate epithelial cell (PrEC) lines as karyotypically normal as possible. Our lab recently developed a novel methodology for the rapid and efficient immortalization of normal human PrEC that combines simultaneous CRISPR-directed inactivation of CDKN2A exon 2 (which directs expression of p16INK4A and p14ARF) and ectopic expression of an hTERT transgene. To optimize this methodology to generate immortalized lines with minimal genetic alterations, we sought to target exon 1α of the CDKN2A locus so that p16INK4A expression is ablated while p14ARF expression remains unaltered. Here we describe the establishment of two cell lines: one with the above-mentioned p16INK4A only loss, and a second line targeting both products in the CDKN2A locus. We characterize the potential lineage origin of these new cell lines along with our previously obtained clones, revealing distinct gene expression signatures. Based on the analyses of protein markers and RNA expression signatures, these cell lines are most closely related to a subpopulation of basal prostatic cells. Given the simplicity of this one-step methodology and the fact that it uses only the minimal genetic alterations necessary for immortalization, it should also be suitable for the establishment of cell lines from primary prostate tumor samples, an urgent need given the limited number of available prostate cancer cell lines.
The relationship between short-term and long-term effects of air pollution on stroke morbidity in Arak, Iran: time series zero-inflated negative binomial regression
Authors: Poorsaadat Leila , Almasi-Hashiani Amir , Amini Payam , Koolivand Ali , Nasrollahi Maede , Mirhoseini Seyed Hamed
Published: May 2024

Backgrounds
Stroke, caused by artery occlusion, stenosis, or rupture is characterized by acute cerebral blood circulation disorder. The risk factors of stroke are generally classified into two main parts including non-modifiable and modifiable (e.g., air pollution). Air pollution has become an important environmental issue in Arak, Iran due mainly to the rapid industrialization and urbanization over the recent decades. The aims of this study were to examine the association between short and long-term exposures to air pollutants including PM10, PM2.5, O3, SO2, and NO2 with incidence of stroke in Arak, Iran, during 2019– 2022.
Methods
This study is a prospective cohort study in which all patients diagnosed with stroke were enrolled. The information of these patients was extracted from the registration program of stroke patients established in city of Arak, Iran, from 2019 to 2022. In this study, the relationship between the occurrence of stroke and 6 pollutants including PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, and SO2 has been investigated. Both the short-term (1week, 1month, three months and six months) and long-term effects (9, 12, 18, and 24 months) of pollutants on the stroke incidence were evaluated by time series zero-inflated negative binomial regression model.
Results
In this study, based on the evaluation of two models a significant positive association was found between increase risk of stroke incidence and short-term three-month exposure to NO2, O3 and, SO2. However, a statistically significant negative association was found between the short-term one-week exposure to these pollutants and the increased incidence of stroke.
Conclusion
The findings of the study suggest that reducing long-term exposure to these pollutants could significantly benefit the health of individuals, especially those who are more susceptible to cerebrovascular disease. The further studies recommended to investigate the relationship between the type of stroke, territory of stroke and severity of cerebrovascular accident and air pollution
Enhancement of BMP-2-Induced Osteogenic Differentiation of MC3T3-E1 Cells by Dexamethasone through the Smad Signaling Pathway
Authors: Xu Yaoxiang , Li Yali , Liu Yanshan , Chen Liqiang , Sun Ming , Li Li , Gao Xiaohan , Xu Zexian , Sun Jian
Published: May 2024

Tissue-engineered bone is a promising approach for repairing defects in the jawbone caused by tumors, infections, trauma, and congenital malformations, with BMP-2 playing a key role. Clinically, to achieve favorable therapeutic outcomes, the doses of BMP-2 used far exceed the physiological levels found in natural bone, leading to various side effects.To investigate the effectiveness and molecular mechanisms of the synergistic osteogenic action of dexamethasone (DEX) and BMP-2, and to explore effective methods to reduce the dosage of BMP-2 used. The effects of low concentration DEX (10− 8 M) and/or BMP-2 (100 ng/mL) on the morphology and activity of MC3T3-E1 cells were examined in various combinations. The efficacy of their combined use was verified through the detection of alkaline phosphatase, alizarin red staining, and the expression of osteogenesis-related genes. The molecular mechanism of their synergistic action was explored by detecting the expression of proteins in the Smad and p38 signaling pathways. The combined use of low concentration DEX and BMP-2 had no significant impact on the morphology and activity of MC3T3-E1 cells. Compared to the use of DEX or BMP-2 alone, their combined use enhanced the expression of alkaline phosphatase, increased calcium deposition, and significantly elevated the expression of osteogenesis-related genes such as ALP, RUNX2, OCN, and Col-1. Western blot analysis showed that the combined use of DEX and BMP-2 significantly increased the expression of Smad1/3/5, while p38 expression did not show a significant increase. The combined use of low concentration DEX and BMP-2 has a synergistic effect on osteogenic differentiation in MC3T3-E1 cells, acting through the BMPs-Smads signaling pathway rather than the p38-MAPK pathway. The results of this study are expected to reduce the dosage and dosage-related side effects of BMP-2 in jawbone repair, offering new strategies for the use of dosage and mode of growth factors in tissue-engineered bone.
Counting Polyominoes, Revisited
Authors: Barequet Gill , Ben-Shachar Gil
Published: May 2024

A polyomino is an edge-connected set of squares on the square lattice.
In this paper, we improve Jensen's algorithm for counting polyominoes
by considering bounding boxes on the square lattice rotated by 45o
instead of on the regular unrotated lattice.
This allows us to extend significantly the count of polyominoes from 56
to 70 terms.
Tissue-specific alternative splicing and the functional differentiation of LmLPMO15-1 in Locusta migratoria
Authors: Kong Lin , Hu Huiying , Li Pengfei , Qu Mingbo
Published: May 2024

Insect lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMO15s) are newly discovered copper-dependent enzymes that promote chitin degradation through oxidative cleavage of glycosidic bonds. They are potential pesticide targets due to their critical role for chitin turnover in the integument, trachea, and peritrophic matrix of the midgut during insect molting. However, the knowledge about whether and how LPMOs participate in the chitin turnover in other tissues is still insufficient. Here, using the orthopteran pest Locusta migratoria as a model, a novel alternative splicing site of LmLPMO15-1 was discovered and it produces two variants, LmLPMO15-1a and LmLPMO15-1b. The transcripts of LmLPMO15-1a and LmLPMO15-1b were specifically expressed in the trachea and foregut, respectively. RNAi targeting LmLPMO15-1 (a common fragment shared by both LmLPMO15-1a and LmLPMO15-1b), a specific region of LmLPMO15-1a or LmLPMO15-1b all significantly reduced survival rate of nymphs and induced lethal phenotypes with developmental stasis or molt failure. Ultrastructure analysis demonstrated that LmLPMO15-1b was specifically involved in foregut old cuticle degradation, while LmLPMO15-1a was exclusively responsible for the degradation of the tracheal old cuticle. This study revealed the LmLPMO15-1 achieved tissue-specific functional differentiation through alternative splicing, and proved the significance of the spliced variants during insect growth and development. It provides new strategies for pest control targeting LPMO15-1.
Cystatin M/E ameliorates bone resorption through increasing osteoclastic cell estrogen influx
Authors: Chen Jin-Ran , Gai Dongzheng , Caviness Perry , Lazarenko Oxana , Chen Jennifer , Randolph Christopher , Zhang Zijun , Cheng Yan , Sun Fumou , Xu Hongwei , Blackburn Michael , Tricot Guido , Shaughnessy John , Zhan Fenghuang
Published: May 2024

In multiple myeloma (MM), increased osteoclast differentiation leads to the formation of osteolytic lesions in most MM patients. Bisphosphonates, such as zoledronic acid (ZA), are used to ameliorate bone resorption, but due to risk of serious side effects as well as the lack of repair of existing lesions, novel anti-bone resorption agents are required. Previously, the absence of osteolytic lesions in MM was strongly associated with elevated levels of cystatin M/E (CST6), a cysteine protease inhibitor, secreted by MM cells. In this study, both MM- and ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporotic mouse models were used to compare the effects of recombinant mouse CST6 (rmCst6) and ZA on preventing bone loss. µCT showed that rmCst6 and ZA had similar effects on improving percent bone volume, and inhibited differentiation of non-adherent bone marrow cells into mature osteoclasts. Single-cell RNA sequencing showed that rmCst6 and not ZA treatment reduced bone marrow macrophage percentage in the MM mouse model compared to controls. Protein and mRNA arrays showed that both rmCst6 and ZA significantly inhibit OVX-induced expression of inflammatory cytokines. For OVX mice, ERα protein expression in bone was brought to sham surgery level by only rmCst6 treatments. rmCst6 significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of ERα and significantly increased total intracellular estrogen concentrations for ex vivo osteoclast precursor cell cultures. Based on these results, we conclude that CST6 improves MM or OVX bone loss models by increasing the expression of estrogen receptors as well as the intracellular estrogen concentration in osteoclast precursors, inhibiting their maturation.
Associations of 2,922 genetically predicted plasma protein levels with mental illness and response to treatment
Authors: Zhang Kaijia , Chidiac Benjamin , Zhao Vivian , Noordeen Suleyman , Warrier Varun , Butterworth Adam , Perry Benjamin I. , Murray Graham K. , Osimo Emanuele F.
Published: May 2024

There is growing evidence that mental disorders are associated with altered levels of plasma proteins, potentially indicating molecular targets for drug development or repurposing, but determining which associations are due to confounding and which are causal for illness onset or course is challenging. We used two-sample Mendelian randomisation, which can examine associations free from the effects of confounding between genetically predicted levels of the blood proteome and multiple psychiatric traits. We used the UK Biobank’s largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 2,922 plasma proteins, selecting lead cis-quantitative trait loci variants as genetic instruments. We report 337 false discovery rate (FDR) corrected associations of plasma proteins involved in immunity, cytoskeletal integrity, and vesicular trafficking with psychiatric traits: 188 with schizophrenia, 86 with bipolar disorder, 32 with opioid use disorder, 30 with major depressive disorder, and one with treatment resistance in depression. Immune-metabolic protein BTN2A1 associated with depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. We did not find strong evidence for obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, treatment resistance in schizophrenia, or the depression trait antidepressant response rate of improvement. Colocalisation analyses were applied to the above results and provided evidence for 33 associations that are less likely to be due to horizontal pleiotropy. Our results can help to inform efforts toward identifying potential aetiological pathways of mental disorders and assist in drug development or repurposing.
Exploring Computational Methods to Identify Inhibitors for CDK2 Kinase
Authors: Bijral Rajneet Kaur , Singh Inderpal , Manhas Jatinder , Sharma Varun , Sharma Vinod
Published: May 2024

Deregulation of Cyclin-Dependent kinase 2 is one of the main causes of lung cancer and is considered as a potential target for cancer therapy. Discovery of the inhibitors against the kinase using traditional methods is costly and time consuming. This issue can be easily dealt with by the usage of potential computational methods. Molecular Dynamic simulation has the ability to offer scientists an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of biomolecules at an atomic level. In the present study the molecular dynamic simulation of Cyclin Dependent kinase is carried out for one microsecond. T-sne and Isomap dimensionality reduction techniques are used followed by different clustering algorithms; Hierarchical, K-means, PAM, Hierarchical K-means and Clara. Subsequently, an optimal number of clusters was generated by using the validation index; Average Silhouette Width (ASW), Dunn Index and Davies Bouldin Index. Further, the cluster representative for each cluster is virtually screened with 52,000 drug-like molecules taken from May bridge library. Based on docking score the top 6 drugs like molecules are selected. Finally, the ADMET properties of the top compounds are evaluated using the Swiss ADMET tool. The strong binding energies and ADMET properties suggest that these molecules are considered to be valuable inhibitors and play a vital role in drug discovery.
Wolffia globosa, a novel crop species for protein production in space agriculture
Authors: Romano Leone Ermes , Loon Jack J.W.A. , Vincent-Bonnieu Sébastien , Aronne Giovanna
Published: May 2024

Space agriculture, pivotal for sustainable extraterrestrial missions, requires plants that can adapt to altered gravitational conditions. This study delves into the adaptive responses to altered gravity of Wolffia globosa, an aquatic plant known for its rapid growth and high nutritional value. The research aimed to analyse the effect of simulated microgravity and hypergravity on relative growth rate (RGR), morphological characteristics, protein content, and the correlation between plant size and growth rate of Wolffia globosa. The study highlighted the responses of the species to altered gravity, uncovering inherent variability among seven different clones of Wolffia globosa. Results show a base variability among clones in terms of RGR, size and protein content. Furthermore, some clones are affected by simulated microgravity, showing a decrease in RGR. Differently, under hypergravity, clones showed RGR higher than in 1 g control, therefore revealing a novel plant response to hypergravity. Morphological adaptations to gravity alterations were also evident. Among the studied clones, significant morphological changes were observed, further underlining the peculiar adaptation to the hypergravity environment. Differently, under simulated microgravity, morphology was generally stable across clones, indicating resilience to real microgravity. A key finding of the study was the significant negative correlation between RGR and the physical dimensions of the plants: the fastest growth was associated with the smallest dimensions of the plants. This correlation might have practical implications in selecting clones for space cultivation, that leads to compact yet highly productive clones. The analysis of the protein content of all the clones revealed mostly no significant changes under hypergravity. Otherwise, a general decrease in protein content was observed under simulated microgravity. Overall, the study confirms the suitability of Wolffia globosa for space agriculture and provides new insights into the perspective of using Wolffia globosa as an alternative crop species for protein production for manned Space missions. Furthermore, it underscores the need for focusing on the clones and the selection of the Wolffia globosa plants that are best adapted to the environmental conditions of space; therefore, selecting those with the best combination of biomass production (by means of growth rate, size), and protein content.
Shifts in benthic megafauna communities after glacial retreat in an Antarctic fjord
Authors: Khim Jong Seong , Kim Dong-U , Ahn In-Young , Noh Junsung , Lee Changkeun
Published: May 2024

Underwater imagery survey was conducted to address changes in Antarctic benthic megafauna communities by recent glacial retreat in Marian Cove, where the distance from the glacier was proportional to retreat period. Benthic megafauna communities showed lesser variation due to frequent ice-scouring at 10 m than deeper seabed. At deep seabed, where glacier impacts decreased, benthic megafauna was scarce right in front of the glacier, but near the glacier (~ 10 years after seabed exposure), the density peaked (116 ind. m− 2) with pioneer species. At the outermost site, pioneer species were extremely limited (9 ind. m− 2) and late-successional species were abundant (21 ind. m− 2). Taxonomic and functional diversities peaked near the glacier and outermost site, respectively, indicating different mechanisms of structural and functional change after glacial retreat. This study showed a four-step successional process of benthic megafauna communities after glacial retreat in Antarctic nearshore: high disturbance, colonization, transition, and maturing stages.
Single-hit genome editing in B cells to redirect their specificity toward tumor antigens
Authors: Cogne Michel , UEDA Natsuko , CAHEN Marine , Leonard Jenny , Deleurme Laurent , DREANO Stephane , Sirac Christophe , Galy Anne , Moreaux Jérome , Danger Yannic
Published: May 2024

T-cell-based adoptive immunotherapy is a new pillar of cancer care. Despite recent breakthroughs, B cells remain a challenging target in terms of survival after in vitro manipulation and functional expression of rewired immunoglobulin (Ig) genes. To address these limitations, we designed a single-chain Ig-encoding cassette (“scFull-Ig”) that, when inserted at a single genomic position, redirects antigen specificity but preserves all the Ig functional domains and the intrinsic regulatory mechanisms that modulate Ig expression in activated cells from the IgM B-cell receptor (BCR) expression to Ig secretion and/or class switching. Single-locus editing may then provide an efficient and safe strategy to both disrupt endogenous Ig expression and encode a new Ig paratope. As a proof of concept, the functionality of scFull BCR and/or secreted Ig was validated against two different classical tumor antigens, HER2 and hCD20. Once validated in cell lines, the strategy was extended to primary B cells, and successful engineering of BCR and Ig expression was confirmed, as the ability of scFull-Ig to undergo further class switching was confirmed. These results pave the way for future B-cell-based adoptive immunotherapy and strategies to express a therapeutic mAb with a variety of switched H-chains that provide complementary functions.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Open Cast Mining Activity in Asansol-Durgapur-Development Authority: A Geospatial Review
Authors: Dey Debduti , Salui Chalantika Laha , Gupta Srimanta , Biswas Biplab
Published: May 2024

In recent times rapid urban growth has resulted into fast transformation of LULC patterns, which in turn significantly affects the surface temperature and air quality. This study has been executed in Asansol Durgapur Development Authority (ADDA) region in West Bengal, analyzing the impact of Open Cast Mines on the environmental issues, especially the increasing Land Surface Temperature (LST) and air-suspended particles causing air pollution Apart from monitoring of the spatial extension of open cast mines (1999–2022) in ADDA region this study also examine the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) by using Dark Target (DT) and Deep Blue (DB) algorithms and single channel algorithm respectively. The results of LST and land use categories are validated with the field information. Outcome of the research reveals a significant positive correlation between the open cast mines and the spatial distribution of LST (R2 = 0.87) and AOD (R2 = 0.96) respectively. Positive relationship between PM10 and AOD for winter season is also noticed. Contribution of industries on PM10 is also considerable as seen with a decreased level during COVID-19 lockdown period which further suggests that the opencast mining activity acts as a major contributor to the prevalence of the respiratory diseases in the study area.
Bounding the probability of causality under ordinal outcomes
Authors: Sun Hanmei , Shi Chengfeng , Zhao Qiang
Published: May 2024

The probability of causation (PC) is often used in liability assessments. In a legal context, for example, where a patient suffered the side effect after taking a medication and sued the pharmaceutical company as a result, the value of the PC can be used to measure how likely it is that the side effect can be attributed to the taking of the medication, i.e., how likely it is that the patient will win the case. Beyond the issue of legal disputes, the PC plays an equally large role when one wants to go about explaining causal relationships between events that have already occurred in other areas. This article first reviews the definitions and bounds for the probability of causality under binary outcomes, then generalizes them to ordinal outcomes and shows that taking into account additional mediator variable information in a complete mediation analysis yields an improved bound compared to the simple case where only exposure and outcome variables are considered.
Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matter in the Huai River (Bengbu Section) during Wet and Dry Seasons
Authors: Song Han , Kai Xiaoli , Gao Liangmin , Xia Jieyu , Shu Xin , Zhu Limei , Zhang Kai , Wu Lin , Pang Zhendong
Published: May 2024

This study investigates the different characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Huai River in China (Bengbu section) during wet and dry seasons, using a combination of three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy (EEMs) with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and self-organizing map (SOM). Results indicate that the degree levels of humification and the relative molecular weight of DOM in the Huai River are significantly higher during the wet season compared to the dry season (P<0.01). The PARAFAC model resolves three chemical components for both wet and dry seasons: C1 (UVC-like fulvic acid), C2 (humic acid-like), and C3 (tyrosine-like). Humic substances are the main fluorescent components of the Huai River water. During the dry season, the lower rate of water flow leads to an increase in protein-like components due to the slowing of biodegradation rates. The SOM model shows that representative neurons 1 (wet season) and 12 (dry season) are UV-like humic substances, influenced by exogenous inputs and agricultural activities. PCA results show the effects of seasonal variations on dissolved oxygen (DO) and the size of DOM molecules. Organic acids and alkaline functional groups in humic substances buffer the pH value of the water, slowing down its variation. Overall, these results demonstrate dynamic changes of DOM in the Huai River during wet and dry seasons, with terrestrial inputs increasing the level of humification, while also promoting the influence of autochthonous sources in the water.
Effects of static stretching and specific warm-up on the performance in upper- and lower-limb exercises in resistance-trained older women
Authors: Lisboa Felipe , Kassiano Witalo , Stavinski Natã , Costa Bruna , Kunevaliki Gabriel , Francsuel Jarlisson , Tricoli Ian , Prado Aline , Cyrino Leticia T. , Carneiro Marcelo AS , Alves Luis , Castro-E-Souza Pâmela , Cavalcante Edilaine , Achour Abdallah , Cyrino Edilson S.
Published: May 2024

Preparation methods are used to improve performance within the resistance training session, however there is still no consensus in the scientific literature on the best form of preparation for the older adults. We compared the effects of preparation by specific warm-up (SW) and static stretching (SS) and control condition (CC) on the total number of repetitions in four exercises: leg extension, triceps pushdown, seated leg curl, preacher curl. Fifty-seven older women (60 > years) performed the experimental protocols and the control condition in a cross-balanced and counterbalanced design. Following the preparation protocol, the exercises were performed in two sets until volitional concentric failure, with a two-minute interval between sets and 2–3 minutes between exercises. The main outcome was the total number of repetitions. SS improved performance in total number of repetitions when compared to the other experimental conditions in lower limb exercises, while the SW impaired when compared to the other experimental conditions in upper limb exercise. The short-term static stretching can be used to increase performance in the leg extension and seated leg curl, while the specific warm-up should not be used as a form of preparation for the exercises in the triceps pushdown and preacher curl.
TPLIF microscopic safe operating area – based on CT imaging studies
Authors: Wang Wei , Cui Yukai , Cui Xilong , Yin Wen , Jiao Wei
Published: May 2024

Background
Endoscopic spine lumbar interbody fusion (Endo-LIF) is well-regarded within the academic community. However, it presents challenges such as intraoperative disorientation, high rates of nerve damage, a steep learning curve, and prolonged surgical times, often during the creation of the operative channel. Researchers have developed new techniques to enhance the efficiency of establishing the operative channel. However, these often lack robust anatomical data support. Furthermore, the undefined safe operational zones under endoscopy continue to pose risks to surgical safety.
Objective
This study analyzes the anatomical data of Kambin’s triangle via CT imaging to define the parameters of the safe operating area for Transforaminal Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TPLIF), providing crucial insights for clinical practice.
Methods
Identify the clearest coronal plane at the L4-L5 intervertebral space for examining the exiting and traversing nerve roots, and observe Kambin’s triangle along with the inscribed circle. Record the position of point “J” on the adjacent facet joint as the center “O” of the circle shifts by angle “β”. Measure the diameter of the inscribed circle “d” (mm), the abduction angle “β” (°), and the distances “L1” and “L2” (mm) from the trephine’s edge to the exiting and traversing nerve roots, respectively.
Results
In a dataset of 40 cases, the diameter of the inscribed circle 'd' measured 11.62 mm (11.35, 12.04), significantly exceeding the 8 mm diameter of the visible trephine (P < 0.001). The angle 'β' was 32.02° (± 0.90). The 'J' point, acting as the safe center, was consistently located in the outer upper quadrant of the demarcated facet joint (P < 0.001). Safe distances 'L1' and 'L2' measured 1.40 mm (1.34, 1.43) and 2.30 mm (2.14, 2.34), respectively, indicating that using an 8 mm diameter visible trephine would not damage the exiting or traversing nerve roots.
Conclusions
CT imaging studies conducted by the author's team have defined the safe operational area for TPLIF, offering effective clinical references. This is expected to reduce the learning curve, decrease surgery durations, and improve surgical safety.
Modeling and predicting meat yield and growth performance using morphological features of narrow-clawed crayfish with machine learning techniques
Authors: Gültepe Yasemin , Berber Selçuk , Gültepe Nejdet
Published: May 2024

In this study, predictions of length-weight relationships and meat productivity were generated by machine learning models using measurement data of male and female crayfish in the narrow-clawed crayfish population living in Apolyont Lake. The data set was created using the growth performance and morphometric characters obtained from 1416 crayfish in different years to determine the length-weight relationship and length-meat yield. Statistical methods, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are used due to the difficulty of constructing mathematical models in multi-parameter and multivariate problems. In recent studies, artificial intelligence and machine learning methods give higher accuracy than other prediction methods in large data sets with complex structures. No previous studies have been conducted on such population parameters. The analysis results show that most of the models designed as an alternative to traditional estimation methods in future planning studies in sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, and natural sources management are valid for machine learning and artificial intelligence. Seven different machine learning algorithms were applied to the data set and the length-weight relationships and length-meat yields were evaluated for both male and female individuals. Support Vector Regression (SVR) has achieved the best prediction performance accuracy with 0.996 and 0.992 values for the length-weight of males and females, with 0.996 and 0.995 values for the length-meat yield of males and females. The results showed that the SVR outperforms the others for all scenarios regarding the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity metrics.
Identification of Semiochemical Candidates Involved in Glossina Palpalis Gambiensis Larviposition Site Selection and Behavioural Responses of Adult Gravid Females
Authors: Gimonneau Geoffrey , BUATOIS BRUNO , LAPEYRE BENOIT , SALOU ERNEST WENDEMANEGDE , SANON NADEGE , RANAIVOARISOA ANNICK , ROUX OLIVIER , DORMONT LAURENT
Published: May 2024

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are the cyclical vectors of human and animal trypanosomes. This viviparous insect develops and produces a single larva at 10-day intervals deposited in specific sites. In some species aggregation of larvae has been shown and seems to be mediated by both physical factors and volatile semiochemicals of larval origin. In this context, this study aims to identify chemicals emitted during the pupariation process in Glossina palpalis gambiensis. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted by larvae were identified using static headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. Electrophysiology and behavioural assays were performed on gravid females to confirm VOCs behavioural activity and attractiveness. GC–MS results revealed ten chemicals emitted during the pupariation process of G. p. gambiensis larvae. Among these chemicals, gravid females were shown to detect nine of them during coupled gas chromatography - electroantennographic detection tests. Behavioural assays highlighted two compounds were as attractive as pupae and one compound and a blend of four compounds were more attractive than pupae. Although the larval origin of some of them needs to be confirmed as they may also likely produced by micro-organisms, these compounds induced significant behavioural responses in the laboratory. Further experiments have to explore the biological activity and competitiveness of these compounds in the field. This work opens interesting opportunities for behavioural manipulation and control of tsetse flies.
Developing the quality of life in pregnancy scale (PREG-QOL)
Authors: ÖZER Esra , GUVENC Gulten
Published: May 2024

Aim
This study aims to develop the Quality of Life in Pregnancy Scale (PREG-QOL) as a new instrument to evaluate the quality of life during pregnancy and test its psychometric properties.
Design
This study is an instrument development study.
Methods
The study was conducted in three stages: 1) creating the an item pool, 2) preliminary evaluation of items, and 3) refining the scale and evaluating psychometric properties. Instrument development guidelines were used to evaluate content validity, construct validity, internal consistency and stability of the instrument over time. Data to evaluate psychometric properties of the PREG-QOL were collected between April and August 2021.
Results
Items were developed using in-depth interviews with pregnant women and extensive literature review. Scale-content validity index was 0.98. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 26-item instrument with 6 factors, which explained % 56.2 of variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed that factors 3 and 5 should be combined into the factor of physical domain since they included items about the same theme. Fit indices obtained by CFA were at sufficient levels. Parallel test method was employed to evaluate the correlation of the PREG-QOL with the SF-36. The findings indicated that the PREG-QOL had high internal inconsistency and stability over time.
Conclusion
The PREG-QOL is a valid and reliable instrument in terms of its psychometric characteristics. The 26-item instrument was composed of the five factors of perception of general satisfaction, emotional domain, physical domain, health support systems and social domain.
Impact
Displaying good psychometric properties, the PREG-QOL may be used to evaluate multiple dimensions of the quality of life during pregnancy.
Modeling roughness effects using the DANS/DEM approach
Authors: Chedevergne François , Yang Jiasheng , Stroh Alexander , Forooghi Pourya
Published: May 2024

The DANS/DEM (Double Averaged Navier Stokes / Discrete Element Method) model, dedicated to the prediction of roughness effects [Chedevergne20,Chedevergne21,Chedevergne23], is tested against a DNS database [Yang22] of channel flows with rough walls that notably emphasizes the influence of the Skewness of the roughness elevation map. An in-depth analysis of the DNS database proved that the separation zones occurring in the vicinity of the wall play a non-negligible role as the Skewness becomes negative. To try to account for the influence of these zones, the pressure gradient imposed in the simulated channel is made variable with the wall distance in the roughness sublayer. However, for roughness distribution with negative Skewness, an increase of the turbulent mixing is also observed in the DNS, that may be accounted for in the DANS/DEM model by modifying the source term involved in the transport equations of the turbulent scalars.
Mapping Decidualization Resistance in Former Severe Preeclampsia Patients at Multi-Omic Levels
Authors: Garrido-Gómez Tamara , Muñoz-Blat Irene , Pérez-Moraga Raul , Marco Nerea Castillo , Cordero Teresa , Ochando Ana , Ortega Sheila , Parras Marcos , Monfort Rogelio , Satorres-Perez Elena , Novillo Blanca , Perales Alfredo , Gormley Matthew , Roson Beatriz , Fisher Susan , Simon Carlos
Published: May 2024

Endometrial decidualization resistance (DR) is implicated in various gynaecological and obstetric conditions. Employing a multi-omic strategy, we unraveled the cellular and molecular characteristics of DR in patients that have suffered severe preeclampsia (sPE). Morphological analysis unveiled significant glandular anatomical abnormalities, confirmed histologically. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of endometrial samples from sPE cases (n=11) and controls (n=12) revealed sPE-associated shifts in cell composition, manifesting as a stromal mosaic state characterized by proliferative stromal cells (MMP11, SFRP1+) alongside IGFBP1+ decidualized cells, with concurrent epithelial mosaicism and a dearth of epithelial-stromal transition associated with decidualization. Cell-cell communication network mapping underscored aberrant crosstalk among specific cell types, implicating crucial pathways such as endoglin and WNT. Spatial transcriptomics in a replication cohort validated DR-associated features. Laser capture microdissection/mass spectrometry in a second replication cohort corroborated several scRNA-seq findings, notably the absence of stromal to epithelial transition at a pathway level, indicating disrupted response to steroid hormones, particularly estrogens. These insights shed light on potential molecular mechanisms underpinning DR pathogenesis in the context of sPE.