bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of cerebellar inflammation and neurodegeneration in a novel spinocerebellar ataxia type 13 mouse model
Authors: Yin Junxiang , White Jennifer , Khare Swati , Wu Michael , Zuberi Aamir R. , Gao Ming , Nick Jerelyn A. , Lutz Cathleen M. , Allen Kyle D. , Nick Harry S. , Waters Michael F.
Published: October 2024

Background

Neuroinflammation is a recognized pathological characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases. Spinocerebellar ataxia 13 (SCA13) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with no effective treatments. Our previous studies reported human mutations inKCNC3gene are causative for SCA13. Human R423H allelic mutation induces early-onset neurodegeneration and aberrant intracellular retention of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) in drosophila. However, the neurodegeneration and inflammatory response induced by the R424H allele are unknown in a mammalian model of disease.

Method

In this study, a singleKcnc3R424H mutation (Analogous to the human SCA13 R423H isoform) transgenic mice were created using CRISPR/Cas 9 technique. Motor function (gait, tremor, coordination and balance) and cerebellar volume (scanned and imaged with 7T MRI) of the R424H transgenic mice were evaluated at multiple timepoints. Neurodegeneration (Purkinje cells loss) as well as cerebellar (astroglia, microglia and macrophage activation) and peripheral (plasma cytokines levels) inflammatory responses were examined and analyzed.

Result

The R424H transgenic mice showed marked neurological motor dysfunction with high-frequency tremor, aberrant gait, and short latency to fall in Rotarod testing at 3 and 6 months of age. Abnormal spontaneous firing was recorded in electrophysiology of Purkinje cells. Pathological changes in our R424H transgenic mice included progressive Purkinje cell degeneration and cerebellar atrophy. Over-active microglia, astrocytes, and macrophages were observed in the cerebella of transgenic mice. Pearson correlation analyses indicated that the number of Calbindin positive cells, a Purkinje cell marker, showed a strong inverse correlation with the positive cell number of EGFR, phosphorylated EGFR (pEGFR), and CD68. The expression of EGFR/pEGFR was positively correlated with CD68 and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein.

Conclusion

Transgenic R424H mice provide a novel SCA13 model showing significant motor deficits, Purkinje cells loss, cerebellar inflammation, and atrophy. Our study suggests that the activation of inflammatory immune cells (astroglia, microglia and macrophages) and strong expression of EGFR/ pEGFR signal in these immune cells are associated with Purkinje cell loss in the cerebellum. This abnormal neuroinflammation may play a significant role in the aggressive procession of neurodegeneration.
Sensitivity of Cerebellar Reaching Ataxia to Kinematic and Dynamic Demands
Authors: Oh Kyunggeune , Cao Di , Cowan Noah J. , Bastian Amy J.
Published: October 2024

Individuals with cerebellar ataxia face significant challenges in controlling reaching, especially when multi-joint movements are involved. This study investigated the effects of kinematic and dynamic demands on reaching using a virtual reality task. Participants with and without cerebellar ataxia reached to target locations designed to elicit a range of coordination strategies between shoulder and elbow joint movements. Compared with control subjects, cerebellar subjects presented greater initial reaching direction errors, larger hand trajectory curvatures, and more variability. Kinematic simulations indicated that early hand movement errors were sensitive to the required onset times and rates of joint movements and were most impaired when opposite direction joint movements were required (e.g., elbow extension with shoulder flexion). Dynamic analysis revealed that cerebellar participants’ movements were more impaired in reaching directions where interaction torques would normally assist the desired elbow and shoulder movements. These reach directions were also those that required joint movements in opposite directions. Overall, our data suggest that reaching deficits in cerebellar ataxia result from 1) the early-phase motion planning deficits that are exacerbated by stringent timing coordination requirements and 2) the inability to compensate for interaction torques, particularly when they assist the intended movement.
Consolidation of behavioral synchronization with the developmental clock is impaired by the degeneration of a mechanosensory circuit inC. elegans
Authors: Laufer Lior , Inberg Sharon , Nir Eshkar , Sufrin Adi , Stern Shay
Published: October 2024

Animals generate predictable patterns of behavior that are robustly synchronized with the developmental clock. However, the dynamics of the long-term establishment of synchronized behaviors across the entire developmental trajectory, and the neuronal circuits that control this developmental synchronization, remain underexplored. Here, we show that inC. elegansindividuals, developmental synchronization of behavior continuously consolidates throughout development time, and that this consolidation is controlled by multiple neuronal pathways. In particular, we found that the degeneration of a specific mechanosensory circuit early in development strongly impairs the developmental synchronization of behavior. Furthermore, early neuronal activity patterns in downstream motor neurons are altered following the mechanosensory circuit degeneration. Interestingly, we show that either pharmacological or genetic neuroprotection of the mechanosensory circuit from degeneration restores normal modes of developmentally synchronized behaviors. These results imply the control of time-locked behaviors across the developmental trajectory by a localized sensory circuit within the nervous system.
Analysis of Burkina Faso’s institutional framework and budget allocations for NCDs control and monitoring
Authors: Ouedraogo Moussa , Sanou Dia , Goubgou Mahamadé , Bambara Estelle Aissa , Tirogo Souleymane , Savadogo Aly
Published: October 2024

Diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are today a major public health problem and a global development challenge. Yet governance responses to these diseases are still in their infancy in most low-income countries like Burkina Faso. How Burkina Faso organizes itself institutionally and financially to respond adequately to NCDs is unknown to the scientific community. The aim was to analyze Burkina Faso’s institutional framework and budget allocations. This was a cross-sectional survey based on mixed (qualitative and quantitative) data collection. The analysis revealed a number of difficulties in the institutional framework hindering the performance of the fight against NCDs in Burkina Faso, including (i) the absence of a multi-sectoral policy or strategic plan involving all stakeholders, (ii) the absence of a multi-sectoral coordinating body and (iii) the lack of sufficient financial resources. A total of twentynine (29) budget lines related to the prevention and/or management of NCDs were identified, with a total budget of 17.33 billion FCFA ($29.8 million), or an average of $2.72 million per year. This represents only 1.55% of the total budget of the Ministry of Health over the same period. We recommend, among other things, the development of a national multi-sectoral policy with a clear definition of the roles and responsibilities of each player, the creation of a coordinating body, improved funding, and greater attention to NCDs in the provision of primary healthcare services.
Phylogenetic mapping of sleep loss in wild-caught cavefish
Authors: North Owen , Maza-Castañeda Lourdes Citlalli , Manning Aubrey E. , Rastogi Aakriti , Gluesenkamp Andrew , Gluesenkamp Leah , Swanson Nathan , Hernández-Lozano Jorge , Garduño-Sánchez Marco , Díaz-Cruz Jesús Alberto , Kowalko Johanna E. , McGaugh Suzanne E. , Keene Alex C. , Ornelas-García Claudia Patricia
Published: October 2024

Sleep is an evolutionarily ancient and nearly universal behavior throughout the animal kingdom. Multiple cave-dwelling populations of the Mexican tetra,Astyanax mexicanus, have converged on sleep loss compared to river dwelling surface fish. However, the extent to which sleep has been lost across cave populations, and whether sleep loss occurs in wild fish, is poorly understood. We have measured sleep and locomotor activity in 15 distinct populations ofA. mexicanusrepresenting multiple lineages that are broadly representative of the 34 cavefish populations identified to date. Strikingly, sleep was largely lost in all cave and hybrid populations that were tested. Hybrid populations retained intermediate eye and pigmentation phenotypes, suggesting sleep loss precedes cave-associated morphological changes. Mapping behavioral changes onto the phylogeny ofA. mexicanuspopulations revealed that independent loss of sleep and elevated locomotor activity has occurred at least three times. Analysis of sleep in the wild confirms that the sleep loss phenotype observed in lab-reared fish is also present in the natural environment. Together, these findings reveal deep evolutionary convergence on sleep loss in cavefish and provide evidence for sleep loss as a primary trait contributing to cave adaptation.
Trading Place for Space: Increasing Location Resolution Reduces Contextual Capacity in Hippocampal Codes
Authors: Rooke Spencer , Wang Zhaoze , Di Tullio Ronald W. , Balasubramanian Vijay
Published: October 2024

Many animals learn cognitive maps of their environment - a simultaneous representation of context, experience, and position. Place cells in the hippocampus, named for their explicit encoding of position, are believed to be a neural substrate of these maps, with place cell “remapping” explaining how this system can represent different contexts. Briefly, place cells alter their firing properties, or “remap”, in response to changes in experiential or sensory cues. Substantial sensory changes, produced, e.g., by moving between environments, cause large subpopulations of place cells to change their tuning entirely. While many studies have looked at the physiological basis of remapping, we lack explicit calculations of how the contextual capacity of the place cell system changes as a function of place field firing properties. Here, we propose a geometric approach to understanding population level activity of place cells. Using known firing field statistics, we investigate how changes to place cell firing properties affect the distances between representations of different environments within firing rate space. Using this approach, we find that the number of contexts storable by the hippocampus grows exponentially with the number of place cells, and calculate this exponent for environments of different sizes. We identify a fundamental trade-off between high resolution encoding of position and the number of storable contexts. This trade-off is tuned by place cell width, which might explain the change in firing field scale along the dorsal-ventral axis of the hippocampus. We demonstrate that clustering of place cells near likely points of confusion, such as boundaries, increases the contextual capacity of the place system within our framework and conclude by discussing how our geometric approach could be extended to include other cell types and abstract spaces.
Somatomotor disconnection links sleep duration with socioeconomic context, screen time, cognition, and psychopathology
Authors: Michael Cleanthis , Taxali Aman , Angstadt Mike , McCurry Katherine L. , Weigard Alexander , Kardan Omid , Molloy M. Fiona , Toda-Thorne Katherine , Burchell Lily , Dziubinski Maria , Choi Jason , Vandersluis Melanie , Hyde Luke W. , Heitzeg Mary M. , Sripada Chandra
Published: October 2024

Background

Sleep is critical for healthy brain development and emotional wellbeing, especially during adolescence when sleep, behavior, and neurobiology are rapidly evolving. Theoretical reviews and empirical research have historically focused on how sleep influences mental health through its impact onhigher-orderbrain systems. No studies have leveraged data-driven network neuroscience methods to uncover interpretable, brain-wide signatures of sleep duration in adolescence, their socio-environmental origins, or their consequences for cognition and mental health.

Methods

Here, we implement graph theory and component-based predictive modeling to examine how a multimodal index of sleep duration is associated with intrinsic brain architecture in 3,173 youth (11-12 years) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSMStudy.

Results

We demonstrate that network integration/segregation exhibit a strong, generalizable multivariate association with sleep duration. We next identify a single component of brain architecture centered on a single network as the dominant contributor of this relationship. This component is characterized by increasing disconnection of alower-ordersystem - the somatomotor network - from other systems, with shorter sleep duration. Finally, greater somatomotor disconnection is associated with lower socioeconomic resources, longer screen times, reduced cognitive/academic performance, and elevated externalizing problems.

Conclusions

These findings reveal a novel neural signature of shorter sleep in adolescence that is intertwined with environmental risk, cognition, and psychopathology. By robustly elucidating the key involvement of an understudied brain system in sleep, cognition, and psychopathology, this study can inform theoretical and translational research directions on sleep to promote neurobehavioral development and mental health during the adolescent transition.
Learning to infer transitively: serial ordering on a mental line in premotor cortex
Authors: Raglio Sofia , Di Antonio Gabriele , Brunamonti Emiliano , Ferraina Stefano , Mattia Maurizio
Published: October 2024

Transitive inference (TI) is a form of deductive reasoning that allows to infer unknown relationships among premises. It is hypothesized that this cognitive task is accomplished by mapping stimuli onto a linear workspace, referred to as the ‘mental line,’ based on their arbitrarily assigned ranks. However, open questions remain: does this mental line have a neural correlate, and if so, where and how is it represented and learned in the brain? In this study, we investigate the role of monkeys’ dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) in encoding the hypothesized mental line during the acquisition of item relationships. Our findings provide evidence that the TI task can be solved through a linear transformation of the neural representations of arbitrarily ranked items. We show that PMd multi-unit activity organizes along a theoretically informed direction, implementing a geometrical solution that effectively explains animal behavior. Our results suggest that the premotor cortex plays a crucial role in integrating item representations into a ‘geometric mental line,’ where the symbolic distance (i.e., rank difference) between items influences the related motor decisions. Furthermore, we observe an ongoing learning process characterized by a rotation of this mental line, which aligns to the linear manifold where motor plan unfolds. This elucidates a cortical optimization strategy based on the statistical structure of the task.
Estimating historical impacts of vaccination against influenza B/Yamagata in the United States to inform possible risks of re-emergence in the absence of vaccination
Authors: Morris Sinead E. , Mathis Sarabeth M. , Chung Jessie R. , Flannery Brendan , O’Halloran Alissa , Bozio Catherine H. , Lu Peng-Jun , Santibanez Tammy A. , Daly Peter , Merced-Morales Angiezel , Kniss Krista , Budd Alicia , Grohskopf Lisa A. , Reed Carrie , Biggerstaff Matthew , Iuliano A. Danielle
Published: October 2024

Influenza B/Yamagata viruses have not been detected globally since 2020 and will be removed from U.S. 2024/25 seasonal influenza vaccines. We inferred impacts of vaccination against B/Yamagata from 2016/17–2019/20 by combining B/Yamagata prevalence data with model-based estimates of disease burden prevented by vaccination against all influenza B viruses. B/Yamagata comprised approximately 16–22% of positive virus specimens in 2016/17 and 2017/18, compared to 1% in 2018/19 and 2019/20. Across all seasons, we estimated that vaccination against B/Yamagata prevented 4.15 million illnesses, 58,500 hospitalizations, and 4,070 deaths, and that 22.9 million B/Yamagata-associated illnesses, 340,000 hospitalizations, and 25,100 deaths would have occurred without vaccination. Vaccination prevented the most B/Yamagata hospitalizations among adults ≥65 years but prevented the greatest percentage of B/Yamagata hospitalizations among children 6 months–4 years. Our results may help assess the potential impact if B/Yamagata were to recirculate in the absence of vaccination.
Foliar Spray Treatment for Exogenous Application of Hormones in Maize
Authors: Pola-Sánchez Enrique , Muñoz-Javier Rodrigo , Guzmán-López José Alfredo , Abraham-Juárez María Jazmín
Published: October 2024

Exogenous application of hormones in plants is a valuable technique for studying and manipulating plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stimuli. The foliar spray method is one of the most common approaches for the exogenous application of hormones in plants due to its ease of use on aerial organs (such as leaves and inflorescences) and the rapid absorption of the treated tissue, facilitating subsequent analyses. Here, we provide a protocol to implement this method in maize. The approach consists of preparing dilutions of the hormones or plant growth regulators (PGRs) of interest, usually in an aqueous solution and at low concentrations, followed by application by foliar spraying using a defined treatment regimen. Users can then evaluate effects by measuring different parameters, such as stem size, flowering time, seed production, or others. The foliar spray method can easily be scaled up and automated in greenhouse and field settings, and can be used to treat plants at all developmental stages.
The Rolled Towel Method for Hormone Response Assays in Maize
Authors: Gonzales Clarice F. , Cowling Craig L , Kelley Dior R.
Published: October 2024

The rolled towel assay (RTA) is a soil-free method to evaluate juvenile phenotypes in crops such as maize and soybean. Here, we provide an updated RTA-based protocol to phenotype maize seedling responses to chemicals of interest. We exemplify the protocol with two synthetic auxin herbicides (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and picloram), an auxin precursor (indole-3-butyric acid), and an auxin inhibitor (N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid), but the method can be used with other hormones or plant growth regulators that are soluble in growth media. We also include instructions on how to annotate root traits and analyze primary root length trait data. The protocol can be scaled up for use in genetic screens, preparing tissue for gene expression analyses, carrying out genome-wide association studies (GWASs), and quantitative trait locus (QTL) identification.
Fate of the Mollow triplet in strongly coupled atomic arrays
Authors: Scarlatella Orazio , Cooper Nigel R.
Published: October 2024

Subwavelength arrays of quantum two-level emitters have emerged as an interesting platform displaying prominent collective effects that can be harnessed for applications. Here, we study such arrays under strong coherent driving, realizing an open quantum many-body problem in a strongly nonlinear regime. For this we introduce an approach to this problem in terms of a dynamical mean-field theory, paving the way for further studies. We show that the spectrum of scattered light, characterized by the famous Mollow triplet for a single atom, develops a characteristic line shape with flat sidebands determined by dipolar interactions and relevant for experiments. Remarkably, this is to some extent independent of the specific geometry, but is sensitive to the ordered arrangement of the atoms. This line shape therefore characterizes atomic arrays and distinguishes them from disordered ensembles and noninteracting emitters.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Predicting hidden bottom molecular tetraquarks with a complex scaling method
Authors: Song Qing-Fu , Lü Qi-Fang , Chen Dian-Yong , Dong Yu-Bing
Published: October 2024

In the present work, we perform a coupled-channel analysis of B(s)(*)B¯(s)(*) systems with the one-boson-exchange potentials. We first study the I(JPC)=1(1+−) BB¯*/B*B¯* system to describe the Zb(10610) and Zb(10650) particles as molecular states and determine the reasonable range of cutoff parameter Λ. Then, other B(s)(*)B¯(s)(*) combinations with different quantum numbers are systematically investigated. Some bound states and resonances appear in the isoscalar systems, while only several shallow bound states exist for isovector systems. Far away from the excited conventional P-wave bottomium, these predicted states can be easily identified as exotic particles both theoretically and experimentally. Moreover, the ηb(nS)/ϒ(nS) plus light mesons are the excellent final states to search for the bound states, while the BB¯*+H.c. and B*B¯* channels are suitable for the resonances. We highly recommend that the LHCb and Belle II Collaborations hunt for these bottomoniumlike states in the future.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
λ
and
ρ
Regge trajectories for hidden bottom and charm tetraquarks
(Qq)(Q¯q¯′)
Authors: Xie Jia-Qi , Song He , Feng Xia , Chen Jiao-Kai
Published: October 2024

We propose the Regge trajectory relations for the heavy tetraquarks (Qq)(Q¯q¯′) (Q=b,c;q,q′=u,d,s) with hidden bottom and charm. By employing the new relations, both the

λ

-trajectories and the ρ-trajectories for the tetraquarks (Qq)(Q¯q¯′) can be discussed. The masses of the λ-mode excited states and the ρ-mode excited states are estimated, and they agree with other theoretical predictions. We show that the behaviors of the ρ-trajectories are different from those of the λ-trajectories. The ρ-trajectories behave as M∼xρ1/2 (xρ=nr,l) while the λ-trajectories behave as M∼xλ2/3 (xλ=Nr,L). Moreover, the Regge trajectory behaviors for other types of tetraquarks are investigated based on the spinless Salpeter equation. We show that both the λ-trajectories and the ρ-trajectories are concave downward in the (M2,x) plane. The Regge trajectories for the tetraquarks containing the light diquark and/or the light antidiquark also are concave in the (M2,x) plane when the masses of the light constituents are included and the confining potential is linear.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Observable gravitational waves and
ΔNeff
with global lepton number symmetry and dark matter
Authors: Borah Debasish , Das Nayan , Roshan Rishav
Published: October 2024

We study the possibility of testing a dark matter (DM) scenario embedded in a global lepton number symmetry U(1)L via gravitational waves (GWs) and cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations. The spontaneous breaking of U(1)L symmetry generates the seesaw scale as well as DM mass dynamically. The (pseudo-)Nambu-Goldstone boson, known as a Majoron, acquires nonzero mass due to soft symmetry-breaking terms of quadratic type in the scalar potential, which eventually breaks U(1)L to its Z2 subgroup. The spontaneous symmetry breaking, which effectively breaks Z2, leads to the formation of domain walls (DWs), posing a threat to successful cosmology, if allowed to dominate. As gravity does not respect any global symmetries, we consider higher-dimensional operators suppressed by the scale of quantum gravity (QG), namely, ΛQG, which introduces the required bias leading to DW annihilation and emission of stochastic GWs observable at near future experiments. The same operators also lead to decay of DM bringing interesting indirect detection aspects. While DM is produced nonthermally via scalar portal interactions, light Majorons can give rise to additional ΔNeff within reach of future CMB experiments.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Entanglement – nonstabilizerness separation in hybrid quantum circuits
Authors: Fux Gerald E. , Tirrito Emanuele , Dalmonte Marcello , Fazio Rosario
Published: October 2024

Nonstabilizerness describes the distance of a quantum state to its closest stabilizer state. It is—like entanglement—a necessary resource for a quantum advantage over classical computing. We study nonstabilizerness, quantified by stabilizer entropy, in a hybrid quantum circuit with projective measurements and a controlled injection of non-Clifford resources. We discover a phase transition between a power law and constant scaling of nonstabilizerness with system size controlled by the rate of measurements. The same circuit also exhibits a phase transition in entanglement that appears, however, at a different critical measurement rate. This mechanism shows how, from the viewpoint of a quantum advantage, hybrid circuits can host multiple distinct transitions where not only entanglement, but also other nonlinear properties of the density matrix come into play.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Optimization of Ultrafast Singlet Fission in One-Dimensional Rings Towards Unit Efficiency
Authors: Campaioli Francesco , Pagano Alice , Jaschke Daniel , Montangero Simone
Published: October 2024

Singlet fission (SF) is an electronic transition that in the last decade has been under the spotlight for its applications in optoelectronics, from photovoltaics to spintronics. Despite considerable experimental and theoretical advancements, optimizing SF in materials like multichromophoric systems and molecular crystals remains a challenge, due to the complexity of its analysis beyond perturbative methods. Here, we tackle the case of one-dimensional rings, aiming to promote singlet fission and prevent its backreaction. We study ultrafast SF nonperturbatively, by numerically solving a spin-boson model, via exact propagation and tensor network methods. By optimizing over a parameter space relevant to organic molecular materials, we identify two classes of solutions that can take SF efficiency beyond 85% in the nondissipative (coherent) regime, and to 99% when exciton-phonon interactions can be tuned. After discussing the experimental feasibility of the optimized solutions, we conclude by proposing that this approach can be extended to a wider class of optoelectronic optimization problems.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
VMXm – A sub-micron focus macromolecular crystallography beamline at Diamond Light Source
Authors: Warren Anna J. , Trincao Jose , Crawshaw Adam D. , Beale Emma V. , Duller Graham , Stallwood Andrew , Lunnon Mark , Littlewood Richard , Prescott Adam , Foster Andrew , Smith Neil , Rehm Guenther , Gayadeen Sandira , Bloomer Christopher , Alianelli Lucia , Laundy David , Sutter John , Cahill Leo , Evans Gwyndaf
Published: October 2024

VMXm joins the suite of operational macromolecular crystallography beamlines at Diamond Light Source. It has been designed to optimize rotation data collections from protein crystals less than 10 µm and down to below 1 µm in size. The beamline has a fully focused beam of 0.3 × 2.3 µm (vertical × horizontal) with a tuneable energy range (6–28 keV) and high flux (1.6 × 1012 photons s−1 at 12.5 keV). The crystals are housed within a vacuum chamber to minimize background scatter from air. Crystals are plunge-cooled on cryo-electron microscopy grids, allowing much of the liquid surrounding the crystals to be removed. These factors improve the signal-to-noise during data collection and the lifetime of the microcrystals can be prolonged by exploiting photoelectron escape. A novel in vacuo sample environment has been designed which also houses a scanning electron microscope to aid with sample visualization. This combination of features at VMXm allows measurements at the physical limits of X-ray crystallography on biomacromolecules to be explored and exploited.
Information literate students are more engaged and successful: role of information literacy in higher education
Authors: Mughari Shahzeb , Naveed Muhammad Asif , Rafique Ghulam Murtaza
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This research examined the effect of information literacy (IL) on academic engagement (AE), cognitive engagement (CE) and academic performance among business students in Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data from business students, recruited through a proportionate stratified convenient sampling technique, of the top 13 business institutions in Pakistan. The questionnaire was personally administered by visiting each institution with permission for data collection. A total of 554 responses were received and analyzed using the partial least squire-structural equation modeling approach.

Findings

The results exhibited that these business students perceived themselves as information literate. Furthermore, IL of business students appeared to predict positively their AE, CE and academic performance.

Research limitations/implications

These results provided empirical and pragmatic insights for business educators, business librarians and accreditation bodies about IL effectiveness in academia. These findings may also inform policy and practice for IL instruction programs being carried out in business-related educational institutions not only in Pakistan but also in other countries of South Asia as they share similar characteristics.

Originality/value

This research would be a great contribution to the existing literature on IL, especially in the academic context as the interrelationship between IL, AE, CE and academic performance has not been investigated so far.
Habitat dimensionality and feeding strategies but not temperature as determinants of body size‐trophic structure relationship in a marine food web
Authors: Leoni Valentina , Franco‐Trecu Valentina , Scarabino Fabrizio , Sampognaro Lia , Rodríguez‐Graña Laura , Segura Angel Manuel
Published: October 2024

Disentangling the determinants of trophic structure is central to ecology. The capacity to capture subjugate and consume a prey (i.e. gape limitation) is a relevant limitation to acquire energy for most organisms, especially those in smaller size ranges. This generates a size hierarchy of trophic positions in which large organisms consume small ones. Body size is tightly correlated to gape limitation and explains a large fraction of variance in the body size‐trophic position relationship. However, a considerable fraction of variance still remains to be explained. Consumer search space dimensionality (2D or 3D) and feeding strategies, temperature and the size structure of primary producers can alter the trophic structure, but tests based on information from natural food webs are scarce.

We generated specific predictions about the body size trophic position relationship and evaluated them using information from a subtropical South Atlantic coastal marine ecosystem: benthic realm (2D, rocky shore and sandy beach) and the pelagic realm (3D). We characterized this marine coastal food web based on stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen from 256 samples from primary producers (macroalgae and phytoplankton) to large predators (sand shark) in summer and winter. Consumer body size encompassed six orders of magnitude in weight from 10−2 to 6 × 104 g.

Isotopic signal corresponded to an integration of carbon sources from basal consumers to top predators. The body size‐trophic position relationship showed a linear positive association with different slopes for the benthic and pelagic environments. This implies a smaller predator prey size ratio for pelagic (3D) with respect to benthic consumers (2D) as theoretically expected. No seasonal differences were found in slopes and most of the overall variance in benthic environments was largely explained by feeding strategies of the different taxonomic groups.

We provide an integrated evaluation on the role of body size, consumer search space and feeding strategy to understand the determinants of trophic position.

Results demonstrate that integrating gape limitation hypothesis, the dimensionality of consumer search space and feeding strategies into a formal robust framework to understand trophic structure is feasible even in complex natural ecosystems.
Acting on three arenas: A multidimensional approach to understanding ministerial turnover
Authors: Nielsen Peter Heyn , Hansen Martin Ejnar
Published: October 2024

Understanding why cabinet ministers are terminated early is still underexplored. Most existing studies focus on performance on one arena. We argue that ministers operate in many different arenas and to fully understand the complex nature of ministerial termination we need to consider ministers' performance in several arenas and their relation to one another. We focus ministers' performance in three arenas; the public/electoral, the parliamentary and the cabinet. We test our argument on over 40 years of ministerial turnover in Denmark. Our results show that ministers' performance in all three arenas each have an effect on ministerial turnover (mostly the parliamentary). Moreover, adding interaction terms in our statistical models between ministers' performance in these different arenas affect the impact hereof on ministerial turnover. Our findings show the need to engage more with the competing arenas in which ministers perform to increase our understanding of ministerial turnover.
Handling finding counts in handwriting analysis – Avoiding the overrepresentation of unusual writing scenarios
Authors: Berty Rolf
Published: October 2024

In forensic handwriting analysis, it is crucial to understand the relative frequencies of findings relevant to the specific author, especially when using statistical methods. These are factored into the likelihoods used to determine the probabilities for the different authorship hypotheses. However, if ad hoc writings are included in the comparison materials, the representation of a comparison writer's habits can be distorted. An overrepresentation of certain creation time points can be avoided by treating ad hoc series of comparison writing samples as internally homogeneous agglomerates, incorporating only a single value per series into the average relative frequency of a given finding for a comparison writer. Additionally, the proposed approach produces finding counts largely independent of the length of the handwriting sample, which has a positive impact on the efficiency and cost‐effectiveness of the expert evaluation.
Nondestructive freshness prediction of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) using computer vision and machine learning techniques based on pupil color
Authors: Wu Xudong , Zhang Qingxiang , Wang Zhiqiang , Wang Zongmin , Yan Hongbo , Zhu Lanlan , Chang Jie
Published: October 2024

Conventional methods for evaluating of fish freshness based on physiological and biochemical methods are often destructive, complicated, and costly. This study aimed to predict the freshness of large yellow croaker which was sampled every second day in 9 consecutive days at 4°C, using computer vision technology combined with pupil color parameters and different machine learning algorithms (back propagation neural network, BPNN; radial basis function neural network; support vector regression; and random forest regression, RFR). In the process of model building, the RFR model provided the most accurate prediction for the value of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N), with the R‐square of the test set () of 0.993. The BPNN model exhibited the best fit for predicting the value of thiobarbituric acid (TBA), with of 0.959. Additionally, the RFR model was the most effective in forecasting total viable count (TVC), with of 0.935. After validation, the root mean square error values of the RFR model for predicting TVB‐N value, TBA value, and TVC value were the lowest, which were 0.764, 0.067, and 0.219, respectively. It demonstrated the applicability and good predictive performance of the RFR model for predicting biochemical and microbiological indicators. These findings also demonstrated that monitoring the changes in pupil color could successfully predict the freshness of chilled fish.

Practical Application

Quality inspectors detect changes in the freshness of large yellow croaker in real time from the beginning of distribution to the selling site.
The Chromosome‐Scale Genome of Magnolia sieboldii K. Koch Provides Insight Into the Evolutionary Position of Magnoliids and Seed Germination
Authors: Lu Xiujun , Mei Mei , Liu Lin , Xu Xin , Ai Wanfeng
Published: October 2024

Magnolia sieboldii K. Koch (M. sieboldii) stands as an elegant tree species within the Magnoliaceae family, esteemed for its exquisite beauty, cultural significance and economic advantages. The species faces challenges in seed germination under natural conditions, primarily attributed to morphological dormancy. Despite its significance, the molecular mechanisms governing M. sieboldii seed germination remain elusive, compounded by the absence of genomic resources specific to this species. In this study, we present the first chromosome‐scale genome assembly of M. sieboldii, with a total genome size of 2.01 Gb, including 1096 scaffolds assigned to 19 chromosomes (N50 = 102.4 Mb). Phylogenetic analyses, incorporating 13 plant species, illuminate the evolutionary independence of Magnoliids from monocots and eudicots, positioning them as a sister clade. Through RNA‐seq analysis, we identify pivotal genes and pathways contributing to seed dormancy and germination. In addition, our investigation delves into the the far‐red‐impaired response (FAR1) transcription factor gene family, revealing their enrichment throughout evolution and their involvement in the intricate process of seed germination. This comprehensive genome sequencing initiative offers invaluable insights into the biological attributes of M. sieboldii, with a specific emphasis on unravelling the complexities of seed dormancy and germination.
Evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine tea bag TBDESJS in patients with Sjögren's syndrome and dry eye syndrome: A phase II pilot study
Authors: Yen Chien‐Ming , Lin Hong‐Chun , Chen Wei‐Sheng , Hsu Chih‐Chien , Liaw Chia‐Ching , Kung Yen‐Ying , Ma Chung‐Pei , Chen Hsin‐Yuan , Su Yu‐Ting , Chang Ching‐Mao
Published: October 2024

Ethnopharmacological Relevance

Sjögren's syndrome (SJS) and dry eye syndrome (DES) are characterized by ocular dryness from inadequate tear production or excessive evaporation. To evaluate the effectiveness of TBDESJS (Chun‐Yu‐Ching‐Hua‐Yin, CYCHY), a TCM tea bag, in treating SJS and DES patients compared with healthy controls (NHC).

Materials and Methods

This phase II pilot study included 100 participants (60 SJS, 30 DES, 10 NHC) across 8 weeks, assessing changes in Schirmer's test, OSDI, ESSPRI, PSQI, FIRST, and artificial tear usage, using repeated measurement ANOVA and Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) for analysis.

Results

Total 97 subjects completed the trial, for the left eye (OS) of Schirmer's test, significant improvements at 4, and 8 weeks were observed in SJS (0.13 ± 0.43–5.77 ± 2.87, and 7.60 ± 4.84 mm) and DES (0.21 ± 0.41–6.21 ± 2.97, and 7.86 ± 3.47 mm) (all p < .001). For the right eye (OD), significant improvements were observed in SJS (0.13 ± 0.39–6.77 ± 4.53, and 8.79 ± 5.92 mm) and DES (0.34 ± 0.55–6.59 ± 2.50, and 8.24 ± 3.42 mm) (all p < .001). Secondary outcomes showed reduced the dryness of ESSPRI scores in SJS (6.37 ± 1.97–5.57 ± 1.79, p < .001) and DES (6.10 ± 1.97–5.28 ± 2.23, p < .05). PSQI global scores improved significantly in all groups at 8 weeks (p < .05). Artificial tear usage decreased in SJS (4.93 ± 2.45–1.00 ± 0.82 times/day), DES (4.47 ± 1.99–0.66 ± 0.67 times/day) (all p < .001). No serious adverse events in this study.

Conclusion

TBDESJS significantly improved tear production, ocular dryness, and sleep quality, indicating potential neural regulation, anti‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory benefits. These findings advocate for TBDESJS (Chun‐Yu‐Ching‐Hua‐Yin, CYCHY)'s comprehensive therapeutic value in SJS and DES treatment, emphasizing the need for further research to understand long‐term effects and mechanisms.
Discretionary dissemination on Twitter
Authors: Crowley Richard M. , Huang Wenli , Lu Hai
Published: October 2024

The study provides large‐scale descriptive evidence on the timing and nature of corporate financial tweeting. Using an unsupervised machine learning approach to analyze 24 million tweets posted by S&P 1500 firms from 2012 to 2020, we find that firms are more likely to tweet financial information around significantly negative or positive news events, such as earnings announcements and the filing of financial statements. This convex U‐shaped relation between the likelihood of posting financial tweets and the materiality of accounting events becomes stronger over time. Whereas research based on early samples concludes that firms are less likely to disseminate financial information on Twitter when the news is bad and material, the symmetric dissemination behavior we find suggests that these conclusions should be revised. We also show that a machine learning algorithm (Twitter‐Latent Dirichlet Allocation) is superior to a dictionary approach in classifying short messages like tweets.
EAACI guidelines on the management of IgE‐mediated food allergy
Authors: Santos Alexandra F. , Riggioni Carmen , Agache Ioana , Akdis Cezmi A. , Akdis Mubeccel , Alvarez‐Perea Alberto , Alvaro‐Lozano Montserrat , Ballmer‐Weber Barbara , Barni Simona , Beyer Kirsten , Bindslev‐Jensen Carsten , Brough Helen A. , Buyuktiryaki Betul , Chu Derek , Del Giacco Stefano , Dunn‐Galvin Audrey , Eberlein Bernadette , Ebisawa Motohiro , Eigenmann Philippe , Eiwegger Thomas , Feeney Mary , Fernandez‐Rivas Montserrat , Fiocchi Alessandro , Fisher Helen R. , Fleischer David M. , Giovannini Mattia , Gray Claudia , Hoffmann‐Sommergruber Karin , Halken Susanne , O'B Hourihane Jonathan , Jones Christina J. , Jutel Marek , Knol Edward F. , Konstantinou George N. , Lack Gideon , Lau Susanne , Mejias Andreina Marques , Marchisotto Mary Jane , Meyer Rosan , Mortz Charlotte G. , Moya Beatriz , Muraro Antonella , Nilsson Caroline , de Oliveira Lucila Camargo Lopes , O'Mahony Liam , Papadopoulos Nikolaos G. , Perrett Kirsten P. , Peters Rachel , Podesta Marcia , Poulsen Lars K. , Roberts Graham , Sampson Hugh , Schwarze Jürgen , Smith Peter , Tham Elizabeth , Untersmayr Eva , Van Ree Ronald , Venter Carina , Vickery Brian , Vlieg‐Boerstra Berber , Werfel Thomas , Worm Margitta , Du Toit George , Skypala Isabel
Published: October 2024

This European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) guideline provides recommendations for the management of IgE‐mediated food allergy and was developed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. Following the confirmation of IgE‐mediated food allergy diagnosis, allergen avoidance and dietary advice (with support of a specialised dietitian, if possible) together with the provision of a written treatment plan, education on the recognition of allergic symptoms and prescription of medication including adrenaline using an auto‐injector are essential. Patients with significant anxiety and requirement for coping strategies may benefit from support from a clinical psychologist. As immunomodulatory interventions, omalizumab is suggested for treatment of IgE‐mediated food allergy in children from the age of 1 and adults; and oral allergen‐specific immunotherapy is recommended for children and adolescents with peanut allergy and suggested for milk and egg allergies (generally after 4 years of age for milk and egg). Sublingual and epicutaneous immunotherapy are suggested for peanut allergy but are not yet available at the point of care. Future research into disease modifying treatments for IgE‐mediated food allergy are highly needed, with standardised and patient‐focused protocols and outcomes.
Accuracy is inaccurate: Why a focus on diagnostic accuracy for medical chatbot AIs will not lead to improved health outcomes
Authors: Milford Stephen R.
Published: October 2024

Since its launch in November 2022, ChatGPT has become a global phenomenon, sparking widespread public interest in chatbot artificial intelligences (AIs) generally. While not approved for medical use, it is capable of passing all three United States medical licensing exams and offers diagnostic accuracy comparable to a human doctor. It seems inevitable that it, and tools like it, are and will be used by the general public to provide medical diagnostic information or treatment plans. Before we are taken in by the promise of a golden age for chatbot medical AIs, it would be wise to consider the implications of using these tools as either supplements to, or substitutes for, human doctors. With the rise of publicly available chatbot AIs, there has been a keen focus on research into the diagnostic accuracy of these tools. This, however, has left a notable gap in our understanding of the implications for health outcomes of these tools. Diagnosis accuracy is only part of good health care. For example, crucial to positive health outcomes is the doctor–patient relationship. This paper challenges the recent focus on diagnostic accuracy by drawing attention to the causal relationship between doctor–patient relationships and health outcomes arguing that chatbot AIs may even hinder outcomes in numerous ways including subtracting the elements of perception and observation that are crucial to clinical consultations. The paper offers brief suggestions to improve chatbot medical AIs so as to positively impact health outcomes.
Gallic acid enhances GVL effects of T cells without exacerbating GVHD after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Huang Qianqian , Jiang Xinya , Wang Bixia , Wu Zhigui , Zhang Fangqing , Huang Xiao‐Jun , Guo Huidong
Published: October 2024

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) is an effective therapy for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), predominantly due to its potent graft‐versus‐leukaemia (GVL) effect. However, leukaemia relapse remains a major obstacle to the success of allo‐HSCT. In this study, we demonstrated that gallic acid (GA), a natural dietary compound, can enhance T‐cell‐mediated GVL effects both in vitro and in vivo. GA‐treated T cells exhibited increased activation and elevated secretion of cytotoxic cytokines, leading to the apoptosis of AML cells in co‐culture systems in vitro. In a non‐irradiated leukaemia mouse model, we showed that GA treatment prolonged the survival of leukaemic mice and reduced leukaemia cell infiltration. Further analysis revealed that GA treatment increased T‐cell activation and tumour necrosis factor‐α secretion. Moreover, integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses indicated that GA augments T‐cell‐mediated GVL effects through the activation of the MAPK and NF‐κB pathways. Blocking these pathways individually diminished the protective effect of GA in AML model mice. Importantly, GA administration did not accelerate graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) progression in a mouse model. In conclusion, our study revealed that GA can enhance the GVL effects of T cells without exacerbating GVHD, offering insights into its potential to improve outcomes for patients after HSCT.