bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Summer atmospheric circulation over Greenland in response to Arctic amplification and diminished spring snow cover
Authors: Preece Jonathon R. , Mote Thomas L. , Cohen Judah , Wachowicz Lori J. , Knox John A. , Tedesco Marco , Kooperman Gabriel J.
Published: June 2023

The exceptional atmospheric conditions that have accelerated Greenland Ice Sheet mass loss in recent decades have been repeatedly recognized as a possible dynamical response to Arctic amplification. Here, we present evidence of two potentially synergistic mechanisms linking high-latitude warming to the observed increase in Greenland blocking. Consistent with a prominent hypothesis associating Arctic amplification and persistent weather extremes, we show that the summer atmospheric circulation over the North Atlantic has become wavier and link this wavier flow to more prevalent Greenland blocking. While a concomitant decline in terrestrial snow cover has likely contributed to this mechanism by further amplifying warming at high latitudes, we also show that there is a direct stationary Rossby wave response to low spring North American snow cover that enforces an anomalous anticyclone over Greenland, thus helping to anchor the ridge over Greenland in this wavier atmospheric state.
DOCU-CLIM: A global documentary climate dataset for climate reconstructions
Authors: Burgdorf Angela-Maria , Brönnimann Stefan , Adamson George , Amano Tatsuya , Aono Yasuyuki , Barriopedro David , Bullón Teresa , Camenisch Chantal , Camuffo Dario , Daux Valérie , del Rosario Prieto María , Dobrovolný Petr , Gallego David , García-Herrera Ricardo , Gergis Joelle , Grab Stefan , Hannaford Matthew J. , Holopainen Jari , Kelso Clare , Kern Zoltán , Kiss Andrea , Kuan-Hui Lin Elaine , Loader Neil J. , Možný Martin , Nash David , Nicholson Sharon E. , Pfister Christian , Rodrigo Fernando S. , Rutishauser This , Sharma Sapna , Takács Katalin , Vargas Ernesto T. , Vega Inmaculada
Published: June 2023

Documentary climate data describe evidence of past climate arising from predominantly written historical documents such as diaries, chronicles, newspapers, or logbooks. Over the past decades, historians and climatologists have generated numerous document-based time series of local and regional climates. However, a global dataset of documentary climate time series has never been compiled, and documentary data are rarely used in large-scale climate reconstructions. Here, we present the first global multi-variable collection of documentary climate records. The dataset DOCU-CLIM comprises 621 time series (both published and hitherto unpublished) providing information on historical variations in temperature, precipitation, and wind regime. The series are evaluated by formulating proxy forward models (i.e., predicting the documentary observations from climate fields) in an overlapping period. Results show strong correlations, particularly for the temperature-sensitive series. Correlations are somewhat lower for precipitation-sensitive series. Overall, we ascribe considerable potential to documentary records as climate data, especially in regions and seasons not well represented by early instrumental data and palaeoclimate proxies.
Sea ice drift tracks from autonomous buoys in the MOSAiC Distributed Network
Authors: Bliss Angela C. , Hutchings Jennifer K. , Watkins Daniel M.
Published: June 2023

A network of autonomous, ice-tethered buoys was deployed around the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) experiment in late September 2019 for a year-long drift in the Arctic Transpolar Drift Stream. The buoys were deployed as part of the MOSAiC distributed network (DN) which included 12 multi-instrumented ice stations and an additional 116 GPS buoys distributed primarily within a 40 km radius of the MOSAiC Central Observatory. Buoy coverage within the DN was maintained with additional deployments throughout the year-long drift allowing for collection of data over a full sea ice growth and melt cycle. All GPS position data from buoys deployed within the DN have been assembled and processed into the collection of 216 quality-controlled buoy drift tracks presented in this dataset covering the period 26 September 2019 – 23 May 2021. The drift tracks in this collection are ideal for studies of dynamic sea ice motion around the MOSAiC experiment at cascading spatial scales ranging from 100s of meters to 100s of km.
An automated framework for evaluation of deep learning models for splice site predictions
Authors: Zabardast Amin , Tamer Elif Güney , Son Yeşim Aydın , Yılmaz Arif
Published: June 2023

A novel framework for the automated evaluation of various deep learning-based splice site detectors is presented. The framework eliminates time-consuming development and experimenting activities for different codebases, architectures, and configurations to obtain the best models for a given RNA splice site dataset. RNA splicing is a cellular process in which pre-mRNAs are processed into mature mRNAs and used to produce multiple mRNA transcripts from a single gene sequence. Since the advancement of sequencing technologies, many splice site variants have been identified and associated with the diseases. So, RNA splice site prediction is essential for gene finding, genome annotation, disease-causing variants, and identification of potential biomarkers. Recently, deep learning models performed highly accurately for classifying genomic signals. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and its bidirectional version (BLSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), and its bidirectional version (BGRU) are promising models. During genomic data analysis, CNN’s locality feature helps where each nucleotide correlates with other bases in its vicinity. In contrast, BLSTM can be trained bidirectionally, allowing sequential data to be processed from forward and reverse directions. Therefore, it can process 1-D encoded genomic data effectively. Even though both methods have been used in the literature, a performance comparison was missing. To compare selected models under similar conditions, we have created a blueprint for a series of networks with five different levels. As a case study, we compared CNN and BLSTM models’ learning capabilities as building blocks for RNA splice site prediction in two different datasets. Overall, CNN performed better with$$92\%$$92%accuracy ($$6\%$$6%improvement),$$89\%$$89%F1 score ($$8\%$$8%improvement), and$$96\%$$96%AUC-PR ($$4\%$$4%improvement) in human splice site prediction. Likewise, an outperforming performance with$$96\%$$96%accuracy ($$11\%$$11%improvement),$$94\%$$94%F1 score ($$16\%$$16%improvement), and$$99\%$$99%AUC-PR ($$7\%$$7%improvement) is achieved inC. eleganssplice site prediction. Overall, our results showed that CNN learns faster than BLSTM and BGRU. Moreover, CNN performs better at extracting sequence patterns than BLSTM and BGRU. To our knowledge, no other framework is developed explicitly for evaluating splice detection models to decide the best possible model in an automated manner. So, the proposed framework and the blueprint would help selecting different deep learning models, such as CNN vs. BLSTM and BGRU, for splice site analysis or similar classification tasks and in different problems.
Impact of community-based interventions on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Simmons Kayla M. , McIsaac Sarah M. , Ohle Robert
Published: June 2023

Survival following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains low, typically less than 10%. Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and bystander-AED use have been shown to improve survival by up to fourfold in individual studies. Numerous community-based interventions have been implemented worldwide in an effort to enhance rates of bystander-CPR, bystander-AED use, and improve OHCA survival. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effect of such interventions on OHCA outcomes. Medline and Embase were systematically searched from inception through July 2021 for studies describing the implementation and effect of one or more community-based interventions targeting OHCA outcomes. Two reviewers screened articles, extracted data, and evaluated study quality using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. For each outcome, data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Of the 2481 studies identified, 16 met inclusion criteria. All included studies were observational. They reported a total of 1,081,040 OHCAs across 11 countries. The most common interventions included community-based CPR training (n = 12), community-based AED training (n = 9), and dispatcher-assisted CPR (n = 8). Health system interventions (hospital or paramedical services) were also described in 11 of the included studies. Evidence certainty among all outcomes was low or very low according to GRADE criteria. On meta-analysis, community-based interventions with and without health system interventions were consistently associated with improved OCHA outcomes: rates of bystander-CPR, bystander-AED use, survival, and survival with a favorable neurological outcome. Bystander CPR—14 studies showed a significant increase in post-intervention bystander-CPR rates (n = 285 752; OR 2.26 [1.74, 2.94]; I2 = 99%, and bystander AED use (n = 37 882; OR 2.08 [1.44, 3.01]; I2 = 54%) and durvival—10 studies, pooling survival to hospital discharge and survival to 30 days (n = 79 206; OR 1.59 [1.20, 2.10]; I2 = 95%. The results provide foundational support for the efficacy of community-based interventions in enhancing OHCA outcomes. These findings inform our recommendation that communities, regions, and countries should implement community-based interventions in their pre-hospital strategy for OHCA. Further research is needed to identify which specific intervention types are most effective.
Longitudinal investigation of changes in resting-state co-activation patterns and their predictive ability in the zQ175 DN mouse model of Huntington’s disease
Authors: Adhikari Mohit H. , Vasilkovska Tamara , Cachope Roger , Tang Haiying , Liu Longbin , Keliris Georgios A. , Munoz-Sanjuan Ignacio , Pustina Dorian , Van der Linden Annemie , Verhoye Marleen
Published: June 2023

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by expanded (≥ 40) glutamine-encoding CAG repeats in the huntingtin gene, which leads to dysfunction and death of predominantly striatal and cortical neurons. While the genetic profile and clinical signs and symptoms of the disease are better known, changes in the functional architecture of the brain, especially before the clinical expression becomes apparent, are not fully and consistently characterized. In this study, we sought to uncover functional changes in the brain in the heterozygous (HET) zQ175 delta-neo (DN) mouse model at 3, 6, and 10 months of age, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI). This mouse model shows molecular, cellular and circuitry alterations that worsen through age. Motor function disturbances are manifested in this model at 6 and 10 months of age. Specifically, we investigated, longitudinally, changes in co-activation patterns (CAPs) that are the transient states of brain activity constituting the resting-state networks (RSNs). Most robust changes in the temporal properties of CAPs occurred at the 10-months time point; the durations of two anti-correlated CAPs, characterized by simultaneous co-activation of default-mode like network (DMLN) and co-deactivation of lateral-cortical network (LCN) and vice-versa, were reduced in the zQ175 DN HET animals compared to the wild-type mice. Changes in the spatial properties, measured in terms of activation levels of different brain regions, during CAPs were found at all three ages and became progressively more pronounced at 6-, and 10 months of age. We then assessed the cross-validated predictive power of CAP metrics to distinguish HET animals from controls. Spatial properties of CAPs performed significantly better than the chance level at all three ages with 80% classification accuracy at 6 and 10 months of age.
GATS tag system is compatible with biotin labelling methods for protein analysis
Authors: Yamada Kohdai , Soga Fumiya , Tokunaga Soh , Nagaoka Hikaru , Ozawa Tatsuhiko , Kishi Hiroyuki , Takashima Eizo , Sawasaki Tatsuya
Published: June 2023

Polypeptide tags and biotin labelling technologies are widely used for protein analyses in biochemistry and cell biology. However, many peptide tag epitopes contain lysine residues (or amino acids) that are masked after biotinylation. Here, we propose the GATS tag system without a lysine residue and with high sensitivity and low non-specific binding using a rabbit monoclonal antibody against Plasmodium falciparum glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored micronemal antigen (PfGAMA). From 14 monoclonal clones, an Ra3 clone was selected as it recognized an epitope—TLSVGVQNTF—without a lysine residue; this antibody and epitope tag set was called the GATS tag system. Surface plasmon resonance analysis showed that the tag system had a high affinity of 8.71 × 10–9 M. GATS tag indicated a very low background with remarkably high sensitivity and specificity in immunoblotting using the lysates of mammalian cells. It also showed a high sensitivity for immunoprecipitation and immunostaining of cultured human cells. The tag system was highly sensitive in both biotin labelling methods for proteins using NHS-Sulfo-biotin and BioID (proximity-dependent biotin identification) in the human cells, as opposed to a commercially available tag system having lysine residues, which showed reduced sensitivity. These results showed that the GATS tag system is suitable for methods such as BioID involving labelling lysine residues.
Elastic, optoelectronic and photocatalytic properties of semiconducting CsNbO3: first principles insights
Authors: Monira M. , Helal M. A. , Liton M. N. H. , Kamruzzaman M. , Kojima S.
Published: June 2023

The cubic phase of CsNbO3 (CNO) perovskite has been hypothesized to investigate the elastic, electronic, photocatalytic, and optical properties for various technological applications using first-principles method. The pressure dependent structural stability has been confirmed from computed elastic constants. Relatively high value of elastic moduli, large hardness and toughness suggested that CNO would be applicable to design industrial machineries. The ductile to brittle transition is noticed at 20 GPa. The indirect bandgap of CNO proclaims its suitability for photovoltaic and IR photodetector applications. The total and partial density of states are calculated to show in evidence the contribution of individual atomic orbitals in the formation of bands. The pressure changes orbitals hybridization which can be substantiated by the change in the bandgap. Strong covalency of the Nb–O bond and antibonding character of Cs–O have been anticipated by the Mulliken population analysis and by the contour maps of electron charge density. The low carrier effective mass and high mobility carriers predict the good electrical conductivity of the material. The calculated values of conduction and valance band edge potential illustrate the excellent water-splitting and environmental pollutants degradation properties of CNO.
A newly identified small tRNA fragment reveals the regulation of different wool types and oxidative stress in lambs
Authors: Wang Jiankui , Hua Guoying , Yang Xue , Zhang Letian , Ma Yuhao , Ma Qing , Li Rui , Wu Keliang , Zhao Yaofeng , Deng Xuemei
Published: June 2023

Novel small RNAs derived from tRNAs are continuously identified, however, their biological functions are rarely reported. Here, we accidentally found the reads peak at 32nt during statistical analysis on the miRNA-seq data of lamb skin tissue, and found that it was related to the wool type of lambs. This 32nt peak was composed of small tRNA fragments. The main component sequence of this peak was a novel small tRNA derived from Glycyl tRNA (tRNAGly), the expression level of tRNAGly-derived tRNA fragments (tRFGly) was 5.77 folds higher in the coarse wool lambs than that in the fine wool lambs. However, in contrast, the expression of tRNAGly in the skin of fine wool lambs is 6.28 folds more than that in coarse wool lambs. tRNAGly promoted the synthesis of high glycine protein including KAP6 in fine wool lamb skin. These proteins were reported as the major genes for fine curly wool. Integrative analysis of target gene prediction, proteomics and metabolomics results revealed that tRFGly reduced the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the skin of coarse wool lambs by targeted inhibition of the Metabolic signal and the corresponding Glutathione metabolic pathway, on the contrary, the level of oxidative stress in the skin of fine wool lambs was significantly higher. This study revealed for the first time the relationship between tRNAGly and its derived tRFGly and animal traits. tRFGly has the function of targeting and regulating protein synthesis. At the same time, tRFGly can reduce the expression of its resource complete tRNA, thereby reducing its ability to transport specific amino acid and affecting the expression of corresponding proteins.
Spatial distribution of elements during osteoarthritis disease progression using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy
Authors: Fan Xiwei , Lee Kah Meng , Jones Michael W. M. , Howard Daryl , Sun Antonia Rujia , Crawford Ross , Prasadam Indira
Published: June 2023

The osteochondral interface is a thin layer that connects hyaline cartilage to subchondral bone. Subcellular elemental distribution can be visualised using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy (SR-XFM) (1 μm). This study aims to determine the relationship between elemental distribution and osteoarthritis (OA) progression based on disease severity. Using modified Mankin scores, we collected tibia plates from 9 knee OA patients who underwent knee replacement surgery and graded them as intact cartilage (non-OA) or degraded cartilage (OA). We used a tape-assisted system with a silicon nitride sandwich structure to collect fresh-frozen osteochondral sections, and changes in the osteochondral unit were defined using quantified SR-XFM elemental mapping at the Australian synchrotron's XFM beamline. Non-OA osteochondral samples were found to have significantly different zinc (Zn) and calcium (Ca) compositions than OA samples. The tidemark separating noncalcified and calcified cartilage was rich in zinc. Zn levels in OA samples were lower than in non-OA samples (P = 0.0072). In OA samples, the tidemark had less Ca than the calcified cartilage zone and subchondral bone plate (P < 0.0001). The Zn–strontium (Sr) colocalisation index was higher in OA samples than in non-OA samples. The lead, potassium, phosphate, sulphur, and chloride distributions were not significantly different (P > 0.05). In conclusion, SR-XFM analysis revealed spatial elemental distribution at the subcellular level during OA development.
A comparative study of femtosecond pulsed laser ablation of meloxicam in distilled water and in air
Authors: Nagy Eszter , Kopniczky Judit , Smausz Tamás , Náfrádi Máté , Alapi Tünde , Bohus János , Pajer Viktor , Szabó-Révész Piroska , Ambrus Rita , Hopp Béla
Published: June 2023

The increasing prevalence of water insoluble or poorly soluble drugs calls for the development of new formulation methods. Common approaches include the reduction of particle size and degree of crystallinity. Pulsed laser ablation is a clean technique for producing sub-micrometre sized drug particles and has the potential to induce amorphization. We studied the effect of femtosecond pulsed laser ablation (ELI ALPS THz pump laser system: λc = 781 nm, τ = 135 fs) on meloxicam in distilled water and in air. The ablated particles were characterized chemically, morphologically and in terms of crystallinity. We demonstrated that femtosecond laser ablation can induce partial amorphization of the particles in addition to a reduction in particle size. In the case of femtosecond pulsed laser ablation in air, the formation of pure meloxicam spheres showed that this technique can produce amorphous meloxicam without the use of excipients, which is a unique result. We also aimed to describe the ablation processes in both investigated media.
Cathodoluminescence as a tracing technique for quartz precipitation in low velocity shear experiments
Authors: Hamers Maartje F. , Niemeijer André R. , Drury Martyn R.
Published: June 2023

Two simulated gouges (a pure quartz and a quartz-muscovite mixture) were experimentally deformed in a ring shear apparatus at a constant low velocity under hydrothermal conditions favourable for dissolution–precipitation processes. Microstructural analysis using scanning electron microscope cathodoluminescence imaging and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy combined with chemical analysis showed that quartz dissolution and precipitation occurred in both experiments. The starting materials and deformation conditions were chosen so that dissolution–precipitation microstructures could be unambiguously identified from their cathodoluminescence signal. Precipitated quartz was observed as blue luminescent fracture fills and overgrowths with increased Al content relative to the original quartz. In the pure quartz gouge, most of the shear deformation was localized on a boundary-parallel slip surface. Sealing of fractures in a pulverized zone directly adjacent to the slip surface may have helped keeping the deformation localized. In the quartz-muscovite mixture, some evidence was observed of shear-accommodating precipitation of quartz in strain shadows, but predominantly in fractures, elongating the original grains. Precipitation of quartz in fractures implies that the length scale of diffusive mass transfer in frictional-viscous flow is shorter than the length of the quartz domains. Additionally, fracturing might play a more important role than generally assumed. Our results show that cathodoluminescence, especially combined with chemical analysis, is a powerful tool in microstructural analyses of experimentally deformed quartz-bearing material and visualizing quartz precipitation.
Quantification of tramadol and serotonin by cobalt nickel tungstate in real biological samples to evaluate the effect of analgesic drugs on neurotransmitters
Authors: Zafar Komal , Wasim Muhammad , Fatima Batool , Hussain Dilshad , Mehmood Rubaida , Najam-ul-Haq Muhammad
Published: June 2023

In this work, CoNiWO4 nanocomposite was used as an electrochemical sensor for the simultaneous electrochemical detection of tramadol and serotonin. The nanocomposite was synthesized using a hydrothermal method and characterized via XRD, SEM, TGA, Zeta, UV, and FTIR. The sensor was developed by depositing CoNiWO4-NPs onto the glassy carbon electrode surface. Tramadol and serotonin were detected by employing cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and chronoamperometry. Analytes were detected at different pH, concentrations, and scan rates. The prepared sensor showed a 0–60 µM linear range, with a LOD of 0.71 µM and 4.29 µM and LOQ of 14.3 µM and 2.3 µM for serotonin and tramadol, respectively. Finally, the modified electrode (CoNiWO4–GCE) was applied to determine tramadol and serotonin in biological samples.
Preparation of novel Zn–Al layered double hydroxide composite as adsorbent for removal of organophosphorus insecticides from water
Authors: Ghanbari Nastaran , Ghafuri Hossein
Published: June 2023

In this work, a new and efficient composite LDH with high adsorption power using layered double hydroxide (LDH), 2,4-toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane (THAM) was designed and prepared, which was used as an adsorbent to adsorb diazinon from contaminated water. The chemical composition and morphology of the adsorbent were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) techniques. Also, the optimal conditions for adsorption of diazinon from water were determined by LDH@TDI@THAM composite. Various parameters like the effect of adsorbent dosage, pH, concentration and contact time of diazinon were studied to determine the optimal adsorption conditions. Then, different isotherm models and kinetic adsorption were used to describe the equilibrium data and kinetic. Also, the maximum adsorption capacity is obtained when the pH of the solution is 7. The maximum adsorption capacity for LDH@TDI@THAM composite was 1000 mg/g at 65 °C and the negative values of ΔG indicate that the adsorption process is spontaneous. After that, studying the reusability of LDH@TDI@THAM composite showed that the removal of diazinon by LDH@TDI@THAM was possible for up to four periods without a significant decrease in performance.
Imaging conformations of holo- and apo-transferrin on the single-molecule level by low-energy electron holography
Authors: Ochner Hannah , Szilagyi Sven , Edte Moritz , Esser Tim K. , Rauschenbach Stephan , Malavolti Luigi , Kern Klaus
Published: June 2023

Conformational changes play a key role in the biological function of many proteins, thereby sustaining a multitude of processes essential to life. Thus, the imaging of the conformational space of proteins exhibiting such conformational changes is of great interest. Low-energy electron holography (LEEH) in combination with native electrospray ion beam deposition (ES-IBD) has recently been demonstrated to be capable of exploring the conformational space of conformationally highly variable proteins on the single-molecule level. While the previously studied conformations were induced by changes in environment, it is of relevance to assess the performance of this imaging method when applied to protein conformations inherently tied to a function-related conformational change. We show that LEEH imaging can distinguish different conformations of transferrin, the major iron transport protein in many organisms, by resolving a nanometer-scale cleft in the structure of the iron-free molecule (apo-transferrin) resulting from the conformational change associated with the iron binding/release process. This, along with a statistical analysis of the data, which evidences a degree of flexibility of the molecules, indicates that LEEH is a viable technique for imaging function-related conformational changes in individual proteins.
Induced alpha and beta electroencephalographic rhythms covary with single-trial speech intelligibility in competition
Authors: Viswanathan Vibha , Bharadwaj Hari M. , Heinz Michael G. , Shinn-Cunningham Barbara G.
Published: June 2023

Neurophysiological studies suggest that intrinsic brain oscillations influence sensory processing, especially of rhythmic stimuli like speech. Prior work suggests that brain rhythms may mediate perceptual grouping and selective attention to speech amidst competing sound, as well as more linguistic aspects of speech processing like predictive coding. However, we know of no prior studies that have directly tested, at the single-trial level, whether brain oscillations relate to speech-in-noise outcomes. Here, we combined electroencephalography while simultaneously measuring intelligibility of spoken sentences amidst two different interfering sounds: multi-talker babble or speech-shaped noise. We find that induced parieto-occipital alpha (7–15 Hz; thought to modulate attentional focus) and frontal beta (13–30 Hz; associated with maintenance of the current sensorimotor state and predictive coding) oscillations covary with trial-wise percent-correct scores; importantly, alpha and beta power provide significant independent contributions to predicting single-trial behavioral outcomes. These results can inform models of speech processing and guide noninvasive measures to index different neural processes that together support complex listening.
Distinctions between the Koizumi and Zea Longa methods for middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model: a systematic review and meta-analysis of rodent data
Authors: Li Yong , Tan Li , Yang Caixia , He Liying , Liu Lin , Deng Bowen , Liu Sijing , Guo Jinlin
Published: June 2023

Ischemic stroke in rodents is usually induced by intraluminal middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) via the common carotid artery plugging filament invented by Koizumi et al. (MCAO-KM), or the external carotid artery plugging filament created by Zea Longa et al. (MCAO-LG). A systematic review of the distinctions between them is currently lacking. Here, we performed a meta-analysis in terms of model establishment, cerebral blood flow (CBF), and cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury (CIRI) between them, Weighted Mean Differences and Standardized Mean Difference were used to analyze the combined effects, Cochrane's Q test and the I2 statistic were applied to determine heterogeneity, sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis were performed to explore the source of heterogeneity. Literature mining suggests that MCAO-KM brings shorter operation time (p = 0.007), higher probability of plugging filament (p < 0.001) and molding establishment (p = 0.006), lower possibility of subarachnoid hemorrhage (p = 0.02), larger infarct volume (p = 0.003), severer brain edema (p = 0.002), and neurological deficits (p = 0.03). Nevertheless, MCAO-LG shows a more adequate CBF after ischemia–reperfusion (p < 0.001), a higher model survival rate (p = 0.02), and a greater infarct rate (p = 0.007). In conclusion, the MCAO-KM method is simple to operate with a high modeling success rate, and is suitable for the study of brain edema under long-term hypoperfusion, while the MCAO-LG method is highly challenging for novices, and is suitable for the study of CIRI caused by complete ischemia–reperfusion. These findings are expected to benefit the selection of intraluminal filament MCAO models before undertaking ischemic stroke preclinical effectiveness trials.
A framework for smart construction contracts using BIM and blockchain
Authors: Kamel Mohamed A. , Bakhoum Emad S. , Marzouk Mohamed M.
Published: June 2023

Poor payment practices are perceived as one of the biggest challenges facing the construction industry. Since payments are issued according to project contract terms, the project’s cash flow is inherently affected by the contract and how parties fulfill their obligations. This research proposes a framework for payment automation in construction projects to achieve smart construction contracts. Payments are automatically issued upon satisfying contract conditions using blockchain. Cryptocurrency is proposed to be utilized in the framework to execute the contract terms with no need for a third party to process project payments. 5D BIM is used to model the geometry of buildings and visualize project progress together with payment status using Autodesk Revit, Navisworks, and Primavera P6. The developed framework has the potential to reduce the consequences of poor payments. An actual case study for a construction project in Cairo, Egypt is worked out to demonstrate the main features of the proposed framework. The results of the case study reveal that project cash flow is secured and payments are instantly issued. Moreover, electronic records of payments are kept on the blockchain.
No evidence that sociosexual orientation moderates effects of conception probability on women’s preferences for male facial masculinity
Authors: Lee Anthony J. , Jones Benedict C. , Zietsch Brendan P. , Jern Patrick , Connolly Henry , Marcinkowska Urszula M.
Published: June 2023

Although many researchers have proposed that women will show stronger preferences for male facial masculinity when conception probability is high, empirical tests of this hypothesis have produced mixed results. One possible explanation for these inconsistent findings is that effects of conception probability on women’s preferences for facial masculinity are moderated by additional factors not typically considered in these empirical tests. One such potential moderator is individual differences in women’s openness to uncommitted sexual relationships (i.e., individual differences in women’s sociosexual orientation); women who are more open to uncommitted sexual relationships might show stronger positive effects of conception probability on masculinity preferences, as their sexuality is more overt and sexual attitudes and behaviours are more diversified. Consequently, we analysed data from three independent samples (N = 2304, N = 483, and N = 339) to assess whether sociosexual orientation moderates the hypothesised positive effect of conception probability on women’s facial masculinity preferences. Analyses showed no evidence that higher conception probability increased preferences for facial masculinity or that sociosexual orientation moderated the effect of conception probability on women’s preferences for facial masculinity. While it remains possible that factors other than sociosexual orientation moderate effects of conception probability on masculinity preferences, our null results suggest that the mixed results for the effects of conception probability on facial masculinity preferences in previous studies are unlikely to be a consequence of failing to consider the moderating role of sociosexual orientation.
Effects of aerobic training and vitamin D supplementation on glycemic indices and adipose tissue gene expression in type 2 diabetic rats
Authors: Khaledi Kimya , Hoseini Rastegar , Gharzi Ahmad
Published: June 2023

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a progressive metabolic disorder mainly caused by overweight and obesity that accumulates pro-inflammatory factors in adipose tissue. Studies have confirmed the efficacy of exercise and vitamin D supplementation in preventing, controlling, and treating diabetes. While, reduced physical activity and vitamin D deficiency are related to increased adiposity, blood glucose level, insulin concentration, and insulin resistance. This study purposed to investigate the effect of 8-week aerobic training with vitamin D supplementation on the expression of AMPK, PGC-1α, and UCP-1 genes expression in the visceral adipose tissue of obese rats with T2DM. In this experimental study, fifty male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups (n = 10): aerobic training and vitamin D supplementation (AT + Vit D), aerobic training (5 days/week for 8 weeks; AT), vitamin D supplementation (Vit D), diabetic control (C) and NC (Non-Diabetic Control). AT + Vit D and AT groups practiced an 8-week aerobic training, 5 days a week. Vit D and AT + Vit D groups receive 5000 IU of vitamin D by injection once a week while AT and C received sesame oil. After blood sampling, visceral fat was taken to measure AMPK, PGC-1α, and UCP1 gene expression. Data were statistically analyzed by One-way ANOVA and paired sample t-test at a significance level of p < 0.05. Based on our results BW, BMI, WC, visceral fat, insulin, glucose, and HOMA-IR were significantly lower in the AT + Vit D, AT, and Vit D groups compared with the C group (p < 0.01). Furthermore, AT + Vit D, AT, and Vit D upregulated AMPK, PGC-1α, and UCP1 gene expression compared to the C. Based on the results compared to AT and Vit D, AT + Vit D significantly upregulated AMPK (p = 0.004; p = 0.001), PGC-1α (p = 0.010; p = 0.001), and UCP1 (p = 0.032; p = 0.001) gene expression, respectively. Also, AT induced more significant upregulations in the AMPK (p = 0.001), PGC-1α (p = 0.001), and UCP1 gene expression (p = 0.001) than Vit D. Vitamin D supplementation enhanced the beneficial effects of aerobic training on BW, BMI, WC, visceral fat, insulin, glucose, and HOMA-IR in diabetic rats. We also observed that separate AT or Vit D upregulated the gene expression of AMPK, PGC-1α, and UCP1 however, combined AT + Vit D upregulated AMPK, PGC-1α, and UCP1 more significantly. These results suggested that combining aerobic training and vitamin D supplementation exerted incremental effects on the gene expressions related to adipose tissue in animal models of diabetes.
Latent class analysis-derived classification improves the cancer-specific death stratification of molecular subtyping in colorectal cancer
Authors: Zhou Wen , He Ming-Ming , Wang Feng , Xu Rui-Hua , Wang Fang , Zhao Qi
Published: June 2023

The molecular subtypes of colorectal cancer (CRC) represent a comprehensive dissection of CRC heterogeneity. However, molecular feature-based classification systems have limitations in accurately prognosticating stratification due to the inability to distinguish cancer-specific deaths. This study aims to establish a classification system that bridges clinical characteristics, cause-specific deaths, and molecular features. We adopted latent class analysis (LCA) on 491,107 first primary CRC patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to reveal hidden profiles of CRC. The LCA-derived classification scheme was further applied to The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to assess its effectiveness in improving the accurate stratification of molecular-based subtypes of CRC. Four classes were identified based on latent class analysis integrating demographic and clinicopathological information of CRC patients. The LCA-derived Class 1 (LCAC1) and the LCAC2 showed a high risk of dying from non-CRC, while patients in LCAC3 had a risk of dying from CRC 1.41 times that of LCAC1 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.39–1.43). LCAC4 had the lowest probability to die from non-CRC (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.21–0.24) compared with LCAC1. Since the LCA-derived classification can identify patients susceptible to CRC-specific death, adjusting for this classification allows molecular-based subtypes to achieve more accurate survival stratification. We provided a classification system capable of distinguish CRC-specific death, which will improve the accuracy of consensus molecular subtypes for CRC patients’ survival stratification. Further studies are warranted to confirm the molecular features of LCA-derived classification to inform potential therapeutic strategies and treatment recommendations.
Cortical recurrence supports resilience to sensory variance in the primary visual cortex
Authors: Ladret Hugo J. , Cortes Nelson , Ikan Lamyae , Chavane Frédéric , Casanova Christian , Perrinet Laurent U.
Published: June 2023

Our daily endeavors occur in a complex visual environment, whose intrinsic variability challenges the way we integrate information to make decisions. By processing myriads of parallel sensory inputs, our brain is theoretically able to compute the variance of its environment, a cue known to guide our behavior. Yet, the neurobiological and computational basis of such variance computations are still poorly understood. Here, we quantify the dynamics of sensory variance modulations of cat primary visual cortex neurons. We report two archetypal neuronal responses, one of which is resilient to changes in variance and co-encodes the sensory feature and its variance, improving the population encoding of orientation. The existence of these variance-specific responses can be accounted for by a model of intracortical recurrent connectivity. We thus propose that local recurrent circuits process uncertainty as a generic computation, advancing our understanding of how the brain handles naturalistic inputs.
Alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors signaling boosts cell-cell interactions in macrophages effecting anti-inflammatory and organ protection
Authors: Nakamura Yasuna , Matsumoto Hirotaka , Wu Chia-Hsien , Fukaya Daichi , Uni Rie , Hirakawa Yosuke , Katagiri Mikako , Yamada Shintaro , Ko Toshiyuki , Nomura Seitaro , Wada Youichiro , Komuro Issei , Nangaku Masaomi , Inagi Reiko , Inoue Tsuyoshi
Published: June 2023

Activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) via vagus nerve stimulation has been shown to improve acute kidney injury in rodent models. While alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) positive macrophages are thought to play a crucial role in this pathway, their in vivo significance has not been fully understood. In this study, we used macrophage-specific α7nAChR-deficient mice to confirm the direct activation of α7nAChRs in macrophages. Our findings indicate that the administration of GTS-21, an α7nAChR-specific agonist, protects injured kidneys in wild-type mice but not in macrophage-specific α7nAChR-deficient mice. To investigate the signal changes or cell reconstructions induced by α7nAChR activation in splenocytes, we conducted single-cell RNA-sequencing of the spleen. Ligand-receptor analysis revealed an increase in macrophage-macrophage interactions. Using macrophage-derived cell lines, we demonstrated that GTS-21 increases cell contact, and that the contact between macrophages receiving α7nAChR signals leads to a reduction in TNF-α. Our results suggest that α7nAChR signaling increases macrophage-macrophage interactions in the spleen and has a protective effect on the kidneys.
Molecular screening for solid–solid phase transitions by machine learning
Authors: Takagi Daisuke , Ishizaki Kazuki , Asahi Toru , Taniguchi Takuya
Published: June 2023

The solid–solid phase transition in molecular solids can be predicted by positive-unlabeled learning using molecular descriptors.
New ruthenium(ii) complexes with cyclic thio- and semicarbazone: evaluation of cytotoxicity and effects on cell migration and apoptosis of lung cancer cells
Authors: Gonçalves Yasmim G. , Becceneri Amanda B. , Graminha Angelica E. , Miranda Victor M. , Rios Rafaella R. , Rinaldi-Neto Francisco , Costa Mônica S. , Gonçalves Ana C. R. , Deflon Victor M. , Yoneyama Kelly A. G. , Maia Pedro I. S. , Franca Eduardo F. , Cominetti Márcia R. , Silva Roberto S. , Von Poelhsitz Gustavo
Published: June 2023

New ruthenium(ii) complex with phosphine and cyclic thio- and semicarbazone classes of ligands presents a high selectivity index, anti-migration properties and induces apoptosis cell death mechanism against lung cancer cells.
Adiabatic limit collapse and local interaction effects in non-linear active microrheology molecular simulations of two-dimensional fluids
Authors: Munguía-Valadez J. , Ledesma-Durán A. , Moreno-Razo J. A. , Santamaría-Holek I.
Published: June 2023

MD simulations of high-density fluids show that strong external and confining forces induce a correlation between velocity and position coordinates and the modification of the fluctuation–dissipation theorem through an effective temperature.
Massive pre-main-sequence stars in M17
Authors: Poorta J. , Ramírez-Tannus M. C. , de Koter A. , Backs F. , Derkink A. , Bik A. , Kaper L.
Published: June 2023

Context. Recently much progress has been made in probing the embedded stages of massive star formation, pointing to formation scenarios that are reminiscent of a scaled-up version of low-mass star formation. However, the latest stages of massive-star formation have rarely been observed, as young massive stars are assumed to reveal their photospheres only when they are fully formed.

Aims. Using first and second overtone CO bandhead emission and near- to mid-infrared photometry, we aim to characterize the remnant formation disks around five unique pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars with masses 6–12 M⊙ that have constrained stellar parameters thanks to their detectable photospheres. We seek to understand this emission and the disks from which it originates in the context of the evolutionary stage of the studied sources.

Methods. We used an analytic disk model, and adopted local thermodynamical equilibrium, to fit the CO bandhead and the dust emission, assumed to originate in different disk regions. For the first time, we modeled the second overtone emission, which helped us to put tighter constraints on the density of the CO gas. Furthermore, we fit continuum normalized bandheads, using models for stellar and dust continuum, and show the importance of this in constraining the emission region. We also included 13CO in our models as an additional probe of the young nature of the studied objects.

Results. We find that the CO emission originates in a narrow region close to the star (<1 AU) and under very similar disk conditions (temperatures and densities) for the different objects. This is consistent with previous modeling of this emission in a diverse range of young stellar objects and identifies CO emission as an indicator of the presence of a gaseous inner disk reaching close to the stellar surface. From constraining the location of the inner edge of the dust emission, we find that all but one of the objects have undisrupted inner dust disks.

Conclusions. We discuss these results in the context of the positions of these PMS stars in the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram and the CO emission’s association with an early age and high accretion rates in (massive) young stellar objects. We conclude, considering their mass range and the fact that their photospheres are detected, that the M17 PMS stars are observed in a relatively early formation stage. They are therefore excellent candidates for longer wavelength studies to further constrain the end stages of massive star formation.
The role of grain size in active galactic nuclei torus dust models
Authors: González-Martín Omaira , Ramos Almeida Cristina , Fritz Jacopo , Alonso-Herrero Almudena , Hönig Sebastian F. , Roche Patrick F. , Esparza-Arredondo Donaji , García-Bernete Ismael , García-Burillo Santiago , Osorio-Clavijo Natalia , Reyes-Amador Ulises , Stalevski Marko , Victoria-Ceballos César
Published: June 2023

Context. Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are surrounded by dust within the central parsecs. The dusty circumnuclear structures, referred to as the torus, are mainly heated by radiation from the AGN and emitted at infrared wavelengths, producing the emergent dust continuum and silicate features. Fits to the infrared spectra from the nuclear regions of AGN can place constraints on the dust properties, distribution, and geometry by comparison with models. However, none of the currently available models fully describe the observations of AGN currently available.

Aims. Among the aspects least explored, here we focus on the role of dust grain size. We offer the community a new spectral energy distribution (SED) library which is based on the two-phase torus model developed before with the inclusion of the grain size as a model parameter, parameterized by the maximum grain size Psize or equivalently the mass-weighted average grain size ⟨P⟩.

Methods. We created 691 200 SEDs using the SKIRT code, where the maximum grain size can vary within the range Psize = 0.01 − 10.0 μm (⟨P⟩ = 0.007 − 3.41 μm). We fit this new library and several existing libraries to a sample of 68 nearby and luminous AGN with Spitzer/IRS spectra dominated by AGN-heated dust.

Results. We find that the GoMar23 model can adequately reproduce up to ∼85–88% of the spectra. The dust grain size parameter significantly improves the final fit in up to 90% of these spectra. Statistical tests indicate that the grain size is the third most important parameter in the fitting procedure (after the size and half opening angle of the torus). The requirement of a foreground extinction by our model is lower compared to purely clumpy models. We find that ∼41% of our sample requires that the maximum dust grain size is as large as Psize ∼ 10 μm (⟨P⟩∼3.41 μm). Nonetheless, we also remark that disk+wind and clumpy torus models are still required to reproduce the spectra of a nonnegligible fraction of objects, suggesting the need for several dust geometries to explain the infrared continuum of AGN.

Conclusions. This work provides tentative evidence for dust grain growth in the proximity of the AGN.