bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Separable Dorsal Raphe Dopamine Projections Mediate Sociability and Valence
Authors: Tye Kay , Matthews Gillian , Lemieux Mackenzie , Brewer Elizabeth , Miranda Raymundo , Borio Matilde , Peroni Enzo , Keyes Laurel , Pereira Grace , Moraga Alba López , Kimchi Eyal , Padilla-Coreano Nancy , Wichmann Romy , Palle Anna , Lee Christopher
Published: December 2021

Affiliative social connections facilitate well-being and survival in numerous species. Engaging in social interactions requires positive and negative motivational drive, elicited through coordinated activity across neural circuits. However, the identity, interconnectivity, and functional encoding of social information within these circuits remains poorly understood. Here, we focused on downstream projections of dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) dopamine neurons (DRNDAT), which we previously implicated in ‘negative drive’-induced social motivation. We show that three prominent DRNDAT projections – to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), central amygdala (CeA), and posterior basolateral amygdala (BLP) – play separable roles in behavior, despite substantial collateralization. Photoactivation of the DRNDAT-CeA projection promoted social behavior and photoactivation of the DRNDAT-BNST projection promoted exploratory behavior, while the DRNDAT-BLP projection supported place avoidance, suggesting a negative affective state. Downstream regions showed diverse, region-specific, receptor expression, poising DRNDAT neurons to act through dopamine, neuropeptide, and glutamate transmission. Furthermore, we show ex vivo that the effect of DRNDAT photostimulation on downstream neuron excitability was predicted by baseline cell properties, suggesting cell-type-specific modulation. Collectively, these data indicate that DRNDAT neurons may bias behavior via precise modulation of cellular activity in broadly-distributed target structures.
Unsupervised Learning Method for Events Identification in φ-OTDR
Authors: Zhang Jie , Zhao Xiaoting , Zhao Yiming , Zhong Xiang , Wang Yidan , Meng Fanchao , Ding Jinmin , Niu Yingli , Zhang Xinghua , Dong Liang , Liang Sheng
Published: December 2021

In this paper, an unsupervised-learning method for events-identification in φ-OTDR fiber-optic distributed vibration sensor is proposed. The different vibration-events including blowing, raining, direct and indirect hitting, and noise-induced false vibration are clustered by the k-means algorithm. The equivalent classification accuracy of 99.4% has been obtained, compared with the actual classes of vibration-events in the experiment. With the cluster-number of 3, the maximal Calinski-Harabaz index and Silhouette coefficient are obtained as 2653 and 0.7206, respectively. It is found that our clustering method is effective for the events-identification of φ-OTDR without any prior labels, which provides an interesting application of unsupervised-learning in self-classification of vibration-events for φ-OTDR.
Characterizing Groundwater Potential Using GIS-Based Machine Learning Model in Chihe River Basin, China
Authors: Wang Dejian , Qian Jiazhong , Ma Lei , Zhao Weidong , Gao Di , Hou Xiaoliang , Ma Haichun
Published: December 2021

Mapping of groundwater potential over space, built by synergizing environmental variables and machine learning models, was of great significance for regional water resources management. Taking the Chihe River basin in Anhui province as an example, thirteen influence factors were used to predict the spatial distribution of groundwater, including elevation, slope, aspect, plan curvature, profile curvature, topographic wetness index (TWI), drainage density, distance to rivers, distance to faults, lithology, soil type, land use, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The potential of groundwater resource in this region was predicted using GIS-based machine learning models, including logistic regression (LR), deep neural networks (DNN), and random forest (RF) model. Then, the accuracy of prediction results was evaluated by calculating the RMSE, MAE and R evaluation index. The results show that there is no collinearity among the 13 environmental impact factors, which can provide corresponding environmental variables for the evaluation of regional groundwater potential. Machine learning models show that groundwater potential is concentrated in moderate to high potential areas. Among them, the moderate to the high potential of this area accounted for 81.14% in the LR model, 90.36% and 87.55% in the DNN model and the RF model, respectively. According to the result of these evaluation indexes, the three models all have high prediction accuracy, among which the LR model performs more prominently. The good prediction capabilities of these machine learning technologies can provide a reliable scientific basis for spatial prediction of groundwater potential and management of water resources.
Origins of direction selectivity in the primate retina
Authors: Kim Yeon Jin , Peterson Beth , Crook Joanna , Joo Hannah , Wu Jiajia , Puller Christian , Robinson Farrel , Gamlin Paul , Yau King-Wai , Viana Felix , Troy John , Smith Robert , Packer Orin , Detwiler Peter , Dacey Dennis
Published: December 2021

From mouse to primate, there is a striking discontinuity in our current understanding of the neural coding of motion direction. In non-primate mammals, directionally selective cell types and circuits are a signature feature of the retina, situated at the earliest stage of the visual process1,2. In primates, by contrast, direction selectivity is a hallmark of motion processing areas in visual cortex3,4, but has not been found in the retina, despite significant effort5,6. Here we combined functional recordings of light-evoked responses and connectomic reconstruction to identify diverse direction-selective cell types in the macaque monkey retina with distinctive physiological properties and synaptic motifs. This circuitry includes an ON-OFF ganglion cell type, a spiking, ON-OFF poly-axonal amacrine cell and the starburst amacrine cell, all of which show direction selectivity. Moreover, we found unexpectedly that macaque starburst cells possess a strong, non-GABAergic, antagonistic surround mediated by input from excitatory bipolar cells that is critical for the generation of radial motion sensitivity in these cells. Our findings open a new door to investigation of a novel circuitry that computes motion direction in the primate visual system.
Research of simple medical service quality index system: Based on decision-making model
Authors: Zang Yingying , Li Peng , Lv Taotao , Yuan Jingyun , Wang Zhaoyang , Liu Qingguo
Published: December 2021

BackgroundThere are many private Chinese Medicine(CM) clinics in Europe, America and other countries to choose from, but for physicians and patients, the quality of the clinic's services is difficult to determine. Physicians provide access to CM therapies due to the increasing number of patients receiving treatment within the National Health System (NHS). However, it has become a challenge for both physicians and patients to determine the competence of those who provide CM therapies. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a simple and applicable evaluation list for assessing alternative providers.AimThrough the consensus of experts, a rapid decision-making scale for the quality of CM clinics is developed for use by physicians or patients.MethodsDonabedian evaluation framework was used to design the consultation questionnaire. The indicators were designed based on the evaluation ratings of CM and the opinions of acupuncture experts in China and overseas. Delphi Method was used to seek the opinions anonymously. A pairwise comparison matrix was constructed after two rounds of expert consultation, and the weight of each indicator was calculated.ResultsThe top three weightings in the secondary indicators were the doctor-patient relationship, the number of dominant diseases, and medical records. Besides, the three highest weightings in the technical level included the number of technical projects conducted in clinics, the number of dominant diseases, and the degree of perfection of medical records. The highest weighted items in the treatment ability included the treatment effect of general diseases and the efficiency of disease treatment and treatment of general diseases. In service quality, the incidence of hospital infection and adverse events were the highest weighted items.ConclusionIt is possible to focus on the choice of therapy providers for internists and patients based on the weightings of each entry. Technical skills, competence, and quality of service are the key factors to consider when choosing an therapy provider based on specific points in each item.
Selenium Alleviated Oxidative Stress-Mediated Complex Poisoning Mechanism in Lead-Treated Chicken Kidneys: Inflammation, Heat Shock Response, and Autophagy
Authors: Miao Zhiying , Yu Weikang , Wang Yueyang , Tang You , Teng Xiaohua
Published: December 2021

Lead (Pb) is a toxic environmental contaminant, and exerts renal toxicity. It is known that selenium (Se) performs antagonistic effect on Pb poisoning. However, biological events during the process were not well understood in chicken kidneys. The purpose of this research was to investigate mitigative mechanism of Se on Pb poisoning from point of view of oxidative stress, inflammation, heat shock response, and autophagy in chicken kidneys. One hundred and eighty male Hyline chickens (7-day-old) were randomly divided into the control group (offering standard diet and potable water), the Se group (offering Na2SeO3-added standard diet and potable water), the Pb group (offering standard diet and (CH3OO)2Pb-added potable water), and the Pb+Se group (offering Na2SeO3-added standard diet and (CH3OO)2Pb-added potable water). On 30th, 60th, and 90th days, kidneys were removed to perform the studies of histological structure, oxidative stress indicators, cytokines, heat shock proteins, and autophagy in the chicken kidneys. The experimental results indicated that Pb poisoning changed renal histological structure; decreased catalase, glutathione-s-transferase, and total antioxidative capacity activities; increased hydrogen peroxide content; induced mRNA and protein expression of heat shock proteins; inhibited interleukin (IL)-2 mRNA expression, and induced IL-4 and IL-12β mRNA expression; inhibited mammalian target of rapamycin mRNA and protein expression, and induced autophagy-related gene mRNA and protein expression in the chicken kidneys. Supplement of Se mitigated the above changes caused by Pb. In conclusion, Pb induced oxidative stress, inflammation, heat shock response, and autophagy and Se administration alleviated Pb poisoning through mitigating oxidative stress in the chicken kidneys.
Effect of Bio-Based Surfactant on Wettability of Low-Rank Coal Surface and Its Mechanism
Authors: Li Lin , Liu Mingpu , Lvu Jianqiao , Li Xiaoteng , Li Zhihao , Lin Mengyu , Ma Chuandong , He Meng , Wang Qingbiao , Yu Hao , you xiaofang
Published: December 2021

In this study, the effect of a bio-based environment-friendly surfactant, cardanol polyoxyethylene ether (BGF), on the wettability of the surface of low-rank coal (LRC) and its mechanism were studied. The adsorption experiment showed that the adsorption of the surfactant conformed to the Langmuir adsorption model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption was mainly affected by hydrogen bonding, and the adsorption rate was affected by intraparticle diffusion and liquid film diffusion. The wettability experiment showed that the influence of BGF on the wettability of the surface of LRC followed the given order: BGF-7 > BGF-10 > BGF-15. The investigation of adhesion work showed that the adhesion work and the stability of the coal–water system decreased after adsorption. Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses showed that after adsorption, the peak strength of vinyl ether, the content of elemental carbon, and the content of C-C/C-H groups increased.
Integrative Proteomic Characterization of Trace FFPE Samples in Early-Stage Gastrointestinal Cancer
Authors: Li Lingling , Liu Hui , Li Yan , Guo Chunmei , Wang Bing , Shen Dan , Zhang Qiao , Ding Chen
Published: December 2021

Background The surveillance and therapy of early-stage cancer would be better for patients’ prognosis. However, the extreme trace amount of tissue samples in different stages have limited in portraying the characterization of early-stage cancer. Therefore, we focused on and presented comprehensive proteomic and phosphoproproteomic profiling of the trace FFPE samples from early-stage gastrointestinal cancer, and then explored the potential biomarkers of early-stage gastrointestinal cancer. Methods In this study, a quantitative proteomic method with chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to analyse the proteomic difference between the trace early-stage esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (EESCC) and early-stage duodenum adenocarcinoma cancer (EDAC). Results We identified ~6,000 proteins and >10,000 phosphosites in single trace FFPE samples. The distinct separation of EESCC and EDAC illustrated the functions of cell cycle (RB1 T373, EGFR T693) in EESCC, and the positive impacts of apoptosis, metabolic processes (MTOR and MTOR S1261) in EDAC. Furthermore, we deconvoluted the immune infiltration of early-stage gastrointestinal cancer, in which higher immune cell signatures were detected in EDAC, and showed the specific cytokines in EESCC and EDAC. We performed kinases-substates relationship analysis and elucidated the specific proteomic kinase characterization of EESCC and EDAC, and proposed the medicative effects and corresponding drugs for EESCC and EDAC at the clinic.Conclusion We disclosed the specific immune characterization of the early-stage gastrointestinal cancer, and presented potential makers of EESCC (EGFR, PDGFRB, CDK4, WEE1) and EDAC (MTOR, MAP2K1, MAPK3). This study represents a major stepping stone towards investigating the carcinogenesis mechanism of gastrointestinal cancer, and providing a rich resource for medicative strategy in the clinic.
Quantifying Earth system interactions for sustainable food production: an expert elicitation
Authors: Chrysafi Anna , Virkki Vili , Jalava Mika , Sandström Vilma , Piipponen Johannes , Porkka Miina , Lade Steven , Mere Kelsey La , Wang-Erlandsson Lan , Scherer Laura , Andersen Lauren , Bennett Elena , Brauman Kate , Cooper Gregory , De Palma Adriana , Döll Petra , Downing Andrea , DuBois Timothy , Fetzer Ingo , Fulton Elizabeth , Gerten Dieter , Jaafar Hadi , Jaegermeyr Jonas , Jaramillo Fernando , Jung Martin , Kahiluoto Helena , Mackay Anson , Lassaletta Luis , Mason-D'Croz Daniel , Mekonnen Mesfin , Nash Kirsty , Pastor Amandine , Ramankutty Navin , Ridoutt Bradley , Siebert Stefan , Simmons Benno , Staal Arie , Sun Zhongxiao , Tobian Arne , Usubiaga-Liaño Arkaitz , Ent Ruud van der , Soesbergen Arnout van , Verburg Peter , Wada Yoshihide , Zipper Samuel , Kummu Matti
Published: December 2021

Several safe boundaries of critical Earth system processes have already been crossed by human perturbations. Recent research indicates that not accounting for the interactions between these processes may further narrow the safe operating space for humanity. Yet existing work accounts only for transgression of single boundaries and only a few studies take some of the boundary interactions into account. For future sustainability assessments, it is essential to understand boundary transgressions and their interactions more comprehensively. Here, we explore quantitatively how strongly seven variables, representing Earth system processes relevant to food production, interact with each other, using a structured expert knowledge elicitation. We identify Green water and Land system change as crucial interactive processes through their impacts on multiple relevant processes, while Biosphere integrity-land, freshwater and ocean components appear to be most affected by other Earth system processes, most notably Blue water and Biogeochemical flows. The elicitation also enabled us to map the complex network of mechanisms mediating interactions, to support integrated Earth system and planetary boundaries modelling and assessments. Finally, we created a prioritisation scheme for future research according to the interaction strengths and existing knowledge gaps. Our analysis improves our understanding of Earth system interactions, with clear implications for sustainable use of natural resources such as the biophysical limits for food production.
SARS-CoV-2 Cases Reported From Long-Term Residential Facilities (Care Homes) in South Africa: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Arendse Tracy , Cowper Beverley , Cohen Cheryl , Masha Maureen , Tempia Stefano , Legodu Civil , Singh Sandhya , Ratau Tebogo , Geffen Leon , Heymans Ansie , Coetzer Dane , Blumberg Lucille , Jassat Waasila
Published: December 2021

Background: Globally, long-term care facilities (LTCFs) experienced a large burden of deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to describe the temporal trends as well as the characteristics and risk factors for mortality among residents and staff who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in selected LTCFs across South Africa.Method: We analysed data reported to the DATCOV sentinel surveillance system by 45 LTCFs. Outbreaks in LTCFs were defined as large if more than one-third of residents and staff had been infected or there were more than 20 epidemiologically linked cases. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess risk factors for mortality amongst LTCF residents.Results: A total of 2,324 SARS-CoV-2 cases were reported from 5 March 2020 through 31 July 2021; 1,504 (65%) were residents and 820 (35%) staff. Among LTCFs, 6 reported sporadic cases and 39 experienced outbreaks. Of those reporting outbreaks, 10 (26%) reported one and 29 (74%) reported more than one outbreak. There were 48 (66.7%) small outbreaks and 24 (33.3%) large outbreaks reported. There were 30 outbreaks reported in the first wave, 21 in the second wave and 15 in the third wave, with 6 outbreaks reporting between waves. There were 1,259 cases during the first COVID-19 wave, 362 during the second wave, and 299 during the current third wave. The case fatality ratio was 9% (138/1,504) among residents and 0.5% (4/820) among staff. On multivariable analysis, factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 mortality among LTCF residents were age 40-59 years, 60-79 years and ≥80 years compared to <40 years and being a resident in a LTCF in Free State or Northern Cape compared to Western Cape. Compared to pre-wave 1, there was a decreased risk of mortality in wave 1, post-wave 1, wave 2, post-wave 2 and wave 3.Conclusion: The analysis of SARS-CoV-2 cases in sentinel LTCFs in South Africa points to an encouraging trend of decreasing numbers of outbreaks, cases and risk for mortality since the first wave. LTCFs are likely to have learnt from international experience and adopted national protocols, which include improved measures to limit transmission and administer early and appropriate clinical care.
Codon-specific Ramachandran plots show amino acid backbone conformation depends on identity of the translated codon.
Authors: Rosenberg Aviv , Marx Ailie , Bronstein Alex
Published: December 2021

Synonymous codons translate into chemically identical amino acids. Once considered inconsequential to the formation of the protein product, there is now significant evidence to suggest that codon usage affects co-translational protein folding and the final structure of the expressed protein. Here we develop a method for computing and comparing codon-specific Ramachandran plots and demonstrate that the backbone dihedral angle distributions of some synonymous codons are distinguishable with statistical significance for some secondary structures. This shows that there exists a dependence between codon identity and backbone torsion of the translated amino acid. Although these findings cannot pinpoint the causal direction of this dependence, we discuss the vast biological implications should coding be shown to directly shape protein conformation and demonstrate the usefulness of this method as a tool for probing associations between codon usage and protein structure. Finally, we urge for the inclusion of exact genetic information into structural databases.
Gamma-Tocotrienol, A Radiation Countermeasure, Reverses Proteomic Changes In Serum Following Total-Body Gamma Irradiation In Mice
Authors: Rosen Elliot , Fatanmi Oluseyi , Wise Stephen Y. , Rao V. Ashutosh , Singh Vijay K.
Published: December 2021

Radiological incidents or terrorist attacks would likely expose civilians and military personnel to high doses of ionizing radiation, leading to the development of acute radiation syndrome (ARS). While the effects and symptoms of high dose radiation exposure have been established, prophylactic treatments and methods for determining the extent of exposure remain limited. We examined the effectiveness of prophylactic administration of a developmental radiation countermeasure, g-tocotrienol (GT3), in a total-body irradiation (TBI) mouse model. CD2F1 mice received GT3 24 h prior to 11 Gy cobalt-60 gamma-irradiation, a supralethal dose for this strain. Two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis was followed by mass spectrometry and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Analysis revealed a change in expression of 18 proteins in response to TBI, and these changes were reversed with prophylactic treatment of GT3. IPA revealed a network of associated proteins involved in cellular movement, immune cell trafficking, and inflammatory response. Of particular interest, significant expression changes in beta-2-glycoprotein 1, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein 1, alpha-2-macroglobulin, complement C3, mannose-binding protein C, and major urinary protein 6 were noted after TBI and reversed with GT3 treatment. This study reports the network and specific serum proteins which could be translated as biomarkers of both radiation injury and protection by radiation countermeasures.
Epigenetic Silencing of OR and TAS2R Genes Expression in Human Orbitofrontal Cortex At Early Stages of Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Alves Victoria Cunha , Figueiro-Silva Joana , Ferrer Isidre , Carro Eva
Published: December 2021

Modulation of brain olfactory (OR) and taste receptors (TASR) expression was recently reported in neurological diseases. We explored the possible expression and regulation of selected OR and TASR genes in human orbitofrontal cortex of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and found that these are expressed and markedly downregulated at early stages. The expression pattern did not follow disease progression suggesting regulation through epigenetic mechanisms. We found an increase of global H3K9me3 levels and substantial enrichment of this repressive signature at ORs and TAS2Rs proximal promoter at early stages, ultimately lost at advanced stages. By mass spectrometry-based proteomic and further validation, we found that H3K9me3 interacts with MeCP2 at early stages and that this protein is increased in sporadic AD. Findings suggest MeCP2 might be implicated in OR and TAS2R genes expression regulation through interaction with H3K9me3, and as an early event, it may uncover a novel etiopathogenetic mechanism of sporadic AD.
CircZNF609 Promotes Bladder Cancer Progression and Inhibits Cisplatin Sensitivity via miR-1200/CDC25B Pathway
Authors: Feng Dexiang , Lv Jiancheng , Li Kai , Cao Qiang , Han Jie , Yu Hao , Cheng Yidong , Zhuang Juntao , Cai Lingkai , Yang Haiwei , Yang Xiao , Lu Qiang
Published: December 2021

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been extensively studied in tumor development and treatment. CircZNF609 has been shown to act as an oncogene in a variety of solid tumors and may serve as a novel biomarker for tumor diagnosis and treatment. However, the underlying role and mechanism of circZNF609 in bladder cancer (BCa) development and cisplatin chemosensitivity were unknown. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was applied to determine the expression of circZNF609, microRNA 1200 (miR-1200) and CDC25B in BCa cells and tissues. Western blot was used to detect the protein level of CDC25B. Functional assays in vitro and in vivo were conducted to investigate the effects of circZNF609 on tumor development and cisplatin chemosensitivity in BCa. RNA sequencing and online databases were used to predict the interactions among circZNF609, miR-1200 and CDC25B. Dual luciferase reporter assay, RNA pull-down assay and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were applied to confirm the mechanism. CircZNF609 expression was significantly up-regulated in BCa cell lines and tissues. Increased expression of circZNF609 was related to a worse survival in BCa patients. In vitro and in vivo, enforced-expression of circZNF609 enhanced BCa cells proliferation, migration and cisplatin chemoresistance. Mechanistically, circZNF609 alleviated the inhibition effect on target CDC25B expression by sponging miR-1200. CircZNF609 promoted tumor growth through novel circZNF609/miR-1200/CDC25B axis, implying that circZNF609 has significant potential to serve as a new diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for BCa patients.
The Pharmacokinetic Study of Progesterone and Allopregnanolone in Refractory Epilepsy : Phase II Study
Authors: Senngam Marisa , Suphanklang Juthathip , santimaleeworagun Wichai , Suwanpakdee Piradee , Mekhasingharrak Pornsawan , Dhapasita Chanittha , Sithinamsuwan Pasiri
Published: December 2021

Background: Progesterone belongs to a class of neurosteroids used for the reduction of seizure frequency in patients with refractory epilepsy. However, the pharmacokinetics of progesterone and its active derivative, allopregnanolone, have never been studied in these patients. Objectives: This study was aim to explore the pharmacokinetic parameters of progesterone 400 mg every 12 h, for 3 months, in patients with refractory epilepsy as an add-on therapy to control seizures. Phoenix® WinNonlin® was used to analyse the pharmacokinetic parameters. Results: Twelve patients were recruited. From a therapeutic drug monitoring, the serum progesterone and allopregnanolone levels after taking the first dose of progesterone were characterised by a time to maximum concentration (Tmax) median of 1 and 2.5 h, a maximum concentration (Cmax) median of 274.97 and 3.81 ng/mL, and a minimum concentration (Cmin) median of 56.93 and 1.06 ng/mL, respectively. The median values of the pharmacokinetic parameters of progesterone and allopregnanolone during the steady state were as follows: t1/2 of 2.4 and 2.0 h, Cmax of 964.35 and 8.92 ng/mL, and Cmin of 64.67 and 1.86 ng/mL, respectively. By examining the relationship between the progesterone or allopregnanolone concentrations with seizure-controlling ability, we could identify a responder patient group with 6- to 7-fold higher serum concentrations of progesterone and allopregnanolone than the non-responders. Conclusions: We could establish higher serum levels of both progesterone and allopregnanolone, which could consequently relate to lowering the seizure frequency in patients with refractory epilepsy. The suggested progesterone dose was 400 mg orally every 12 h against refractory epilepsy Trial registration: This study has been registered on the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (No. TCTR20200710005, 10 July 2020)
Dual-comb Photothermal Spectroscopy
Authors: Wang Qiang , Wang Zhen , Zhang Hui , Jiang Shoulin , Wang Yingying , Jin Wei , Ren Wei
Published: December 2021

Dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS) has revolutionized optical spectroscopy by providing broadband spectral measurements with unprecedent resolution and fast response. Photothermal spectroscopy (PTS) offers an ultrasensitive and background-free gas sensing method, which is normally performed using a single-wavelength pump laser. The merging of PTS with DCS may enable a new spectroscopic method by taking advantage of both technologies, which has never been studied yet. Here, we report dual-comb photothermal spectroscopy (DC-PTS) by passing dual combs and a probe laser through a gas-filled anti-resonant hollow-core fiber, where the generated multi-heterodyne modulation of the refractive index is sensitively detected by an in-line interferometer. As an example, we have measured photothermal spectra of acetylene over 1 THz, showing a good agreement with the spectral database. Our proposed DC-PTS provides new opportunities for broadband gas sensing with super-fine resolution and high sensitivity, as well as with a small sample volume and compact configuration.
Study on Emergency Evacuation and Intervention Behavior of Population with Spatial Knowledge Integrity
Authors: Wang Xuan , Mao Yan , Xiong Jing Jing , He Wu
Published: December 2021

The level of spatial knowledge integrity of a population is crucial for fire escape behavior. The use of appropriate interventions for people with different levels of spatial knowledge can effectively improve evacuation efficiency. However, different emergency situations also have different effects on evacuation behavior. In this paper, we combine spatial knowledge integrity, intervention behavior and emergency situations in a fire evacuation study. To complete this study, 128 participants were recruited using VR technology, classified into spatial knowledge completeness, and studied crowd evacuation through different intervention behaviors in different simulated emergency scenarios. The results of the study showed that participants with complete spatial knowledge had shorter evacuation distances and times. Secondly, leader interventions guided evacuation better for participants with incomplete spatial knowledge in low-hazard emergencies, while range interventions were better for participants with complete spatial knowledge. Thirdly, in high-risk emergencies, leader intervention was better than range intervention for evacuation, regardless of spatial knowledge completeness. Fourth, the interaction between spatial knowledge completeness and intervention behavior was significant, positively influencing the evacuation time and distance of participants.
Structural insight on the mechanism of an electron-bifurcating [FeFe] hydrogenase
Authors: Birrell James , Furlan Chris , Chongdar Nipa , Gupta Pooja , Lubitz Wolfgang , Ogata Hideaki , Blaza James
Published: December 2021

Electron-bifurcation is a fundamental energy conservation mechanism in nature. The electron-bifurcating [FeFe] hydrogenase from Thermotoga maritima (HydABC) requires both NADH and ferredoxin to reduce protons generating hydrogen. The mechanism of electron-bifurcation in HydABC remains enigmatic primarily due to the lack of structural information. Here, we present a 2.3 Å electron cryo-microscopy structure of HydABC. The structure is a heterododecamer composed of two independent ‘halves’ each made of two strongly interacting HydABC heterotrimers electrically connected via a [4Fe-4S] cluster. A central electron transfer pathway connects the active sites for NADH oxidation and proton reduction. Symmetry expansion identified two conformations of a flexible iron-sulfur cluster domain: a “closed bridge” and an “open bridge” conformation, where a Zn2+ site may act as a “hinge” allowing domain movement. Based on these structural revelations, we propose two new mechanisms of electron-bifurcation in HydABC.
Orphan Receptor GPR50 Improves Inflammation and Insulin Signaling in 3T3-L1 Preadipocyte
Authors: Yao Zhenyu , Liu Chang , Meng Jun , Long Jing , Li Long , Qiu Weicong , Li Cairong , Zhang Jian V. , Ren Pei-Gen
Published: December 2021

Purpose: The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of orphan G Protein-Coupled Receptor 50 (GPR50) receptor on inflammation and insulin signaling in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte.Subjects and Methods: A high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity-T2DM (Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus) mouse model was used in this research, and high expression of GPR50 in mouse adipose tissue was screened by microarray technology. Expression of GPR50 in 3T3-L1 cell line and obesity-T2DM mouse adipose tissue was confirmed. To gain more insight into the potential role of this new target in obesity-associated IR development, a GPR50 knockout cell line was constructed in 3T3-L1 cell line. Inflammatory cytokine levels and insulin signaling pathways in the GPR50 knockout 3T3-L1 cell line were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis and western blot.Results: GPR50 expression was significantly increased in adipose tissue of obesity-T2DM mice. GPR50 deficiency increased inflammation in 3T3-L1 cells. In addition, GPR50 deficiency induced the phosphorylation of AKT and insulin receptor substrate (IRS)1. Furthermore, GPR50 knockout 3T3-L1 cell line had suppressed PPAR-γ expression.Conclusions: These data demonstrated a novel target GPR50 can affect inflammation and insulin signaling in adipocytes. Furthermore, the effects are mediated through the regulation of insulin signaling and PPAR-γ expression.
A self-adaptive level-based learning artificial bee colony algorithm for feature selection on high-dimensional classification
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhang Yuanzi , Hong Minglin , He Haiyang , Huang Shiguo
Published: December 2021

Feature selection is an important data preprocessing method in data mining and machine learning, yet it faces the challenge of “curse of dimensionality” when dealing with high-dimensional data. In this paper, a self-adaptive level-based learning artificial bee colony (SLLABC) algorithm is proposed for high-dimensional feature selection problem. The SLLABC algorithm includes three new mechanisms: (1) A novel level-based learning mechanism is introduced to accelerate the convergence of the basic artificial bee colony algorithm, which divides the population into several levels and the individuals on each level learn from the individuals on higher levels, especially, the individuals on the highest level learn from each other. (2) A self-adaptive method is proposed to keep the balance between exploration and exploitation abilities, which takes the diversity of population into account to determine the number of levels. The lower the diversity is, the fewer the levels are divided. (3) A new update mechanism is proposed to reduce the number of selected features. In this mechanism, if the error rate of an offspring is higher than or is equal to that of its parent but selects more features, then the offspring is discarded and the parent is retained, otherwise, the offspring replaces its parent. Further, we discuss and analyze the contribution of these novelties to the diversity of population and the performance of classification. Finally, the results, compared with 8 state-of-the-art algorithms on 12 high-dimensional datasets, confirm the competitive performance of the proposed SLLABC on both classification accuracy and the size of the feature subset.
The Story of the Tulip That Went Wild: Tracing the History of Introduction of Tulipa Sylvestris in Sixteenth-Century Europe
Authors: Stefanaki Anastasia , Walter Tilmann , Andel Tinde van
Published: December 2021

Tulipa sylvestris, commonly called the “wild tulip”, was introduced from the Mediterranean to northern Europe in the sixteenth century and became widely naturalized. Research has focused on tulips that came from the Orient, but the introduction path of this native European, early ornamental tulip is unclear, and so is its taxonomic status: three subspecies are provisionally accepted, sometimes treated as species. Here we elucidate the history of introduction of T. sylvestris and discuss its taxonomy based on our historical findings. The first bulbs came from Bologna (northern Italy) and Montpellier (southern France) in the 1550s-1570s. Several renown botanists were involved in their introduction, namely Gessner, Wieland, Aldrovandi, De Lobel, Clusius, and Dodoens. There were various introduction routes, including one from Spain which was apparently unsuccessful. The strong sixteenth-century Flemish botanical network facilitated the introduction and naturalization of T. sylvestris across Europe. Based on the latest tulip taxonomy, the diploid subspecies australis is native in the Mediterranean, and the tetraploid sylvestris is naturalized over Europe, but our historical findings show that both sylvestris and australis were introduced. This underlines the need to reconsider the taxonomic status of T. sylvestris, highlighting the importance of botanical history in understanding the complex taxonomy of naturalized cultivated plants.
Comparative Assessment of Organic and Inorganic Tea Leaf Extract Feeding on Anxiety Behaviour Status of Colchicine Induced Rat Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Bagchi Ananya , Swain Dillip Kumar , Mitra Analava
Published: December 2021

Tea (Camellia sinensis) having anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and free radical scavenging properties, may be beneficial to prevent the symptoms of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this present study, field experiments using the productive tea clone (TV25) with four nutrient management treatments were conducted during 2015 to 2017 in the research farm of Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. The four nutrient management treatments were no application of fertilizer (control), organic fertilizer (OF), inorganic fertilizer (IF), and integration of OF and IF (IF+OF). The total phenolic content of tea leaves in terms of gallic acid equivalent (GAE) in control, OF, IF, IF+OF were 263±2.4 mg/g, 292±1.6mg/g, 203±2.43 mg/g ,288.6±2.11 mg/g, respectively. Tea leaf samples of these treatments were fed to the intracerebroventricular (ICV) colchicine administered rats. The animal study was double-blinded and randomized. Assessment of anxiety status was done for the rat model in an elevated open field with a novel object in two intervals (14-day and 21-day study). Anxiolytic behaviour with the lower corticosterone (CORT) level (82ng/ml) was observed in ICV colchicine administered rat models of AD. After feeding of organically and inorganically grown tea extract (20 mg/kg) for 14 days and 21days, it was found that the anxiolytic behaviour decreased with the increased concentration of serum CORT. However, organic tea showed greater increase in CORT level (216.1 ng/ml) as compared to inorganic tea (214 ng/ml). Thus, this study showed organic tea may act as a favourable agent or adjuvant in the improvement of the anxiolytic behaviour in rat model of AD.
The Microbiota of a Mite Prey-predator System on Different Host Plants Are Characterized by Functional Redundancy and Dysbiosis
Authors: Merlin Bruna Laís , Moraes Gilberto J , Cônsoli Fernando L
Published: December 2021

Microbiota have diverse roles in the life cycles of their hosts, affecting their growth, development, behavior, and reproduction. Changes in physiological conditions of the host can also impact the assemblage of host-associated microorganisms. However, little is known of the effects of host plant–prey–predatory mite interactions on mite microbiota. We compared the microbial communities of eggs and adult females of the two˗spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) and of adult females of the predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on four different host plants (cotton, maize, pinto bean, and tomato) by metabarcoding sequencing of the V3–V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (16S rRNA), using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Only the egg microbiota of T. urticae was affected by the host plant. The microbiota of the predatory mite N. californicus was very different from that of its prey, and the predator microbiota was unaffected by the different host plant–prey systems tested. Only the microbiota of the eggs of T. urticae carried Serratia as a high fidelity-biomarker. Biomarker bacteria were also detected in the microbiota of adult females of T. urticae and N. californicus, with different biomarkers in each host-plant species. The microbiota associated with eggs and adult females of T. urticae and adult females of N. californicus differed in their potential contributions to the host mite.
Rhizophora Mucronata Lam. (Mangrove) Bark Extract Prevents Ethanol-induced Liver Injury, Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Swiss Albino Mice
Authors: Jairaman Chitra , Matou-Nasri Sabine , Alehaideb Zeyad I , Yacoob Syed Ali Mohamed , Venkataraman Anuradha , Sivanesan Senthil Kumar , Vijayaraghavan Rajagopalan , Nagarajan Yogananth , Gnanadesigan Murugaesan , Packiasamy Ruban , Pari Shree Mukilan , Ramesh Saranya
Published: December 2021

The bark extract of Rhizophora mucronata (BERM) was recently reported for its prominent in vitro protective effects against liver cell line toxicity caused by various toxicants, including ethanol. Here, we aimed to verify the in vivo hepatoprotective effects of BERM against ethanol intoxication. An oral administration of different concentrations (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) of BERM prior to high-dose ethanol via intraperitoneal injection was performed in mice. On the 7th day, liver and kidney sections were dissected out for histopathological examination. The ethanol intoxication caused large areas of liver necrosis while the kidneys were not affected. Pre-BERM administration decreased ethanol-induced liver injury, as compared to the mice treated with ethanol alone. In addition, the pre-BERM administration resulted in a decrement in the level of ethanol-induced oxidative stress, revealed by a concomitant increase of GSH and a decrease of MDA hepatic levels. The BERM extract also reversed the ethanol-induced liver injury and hepatotoxicity, characterized by the low detection of TNF-α gene expression level and fragmented DNA, respectively. Altogether, BERM extract exerts antioxidative activities and present promising hepatoprotective effects against ethanol intoxication. The identification of the related bioactive compounds will be of interest for future use at physiological concentrations in ethanol-intoxicated individuals.
Tobacco consumption has interaction effect with protein coding genes to increase esophageal squamous cell Carcinoma risk: A case-control study in Chinese high-incidence region
Authors: Zhao Renjia , Yuan Huangbo , Liu Zhenqiu , Li Xiaoxiao , Chen Huiyao , Yang Xiaorong , Ye Weimin , Lu Ming , Jin Li , Zhang Tiejun , Chen Xingdong , Suo Chen
Published: December 2021

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has reported that smoking was a major risk factor. Genetic predisposition can partially explain the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer in alcohol drinkers. It would also be interesting to investigate the genetic basis underlying the significant disparities in ESCC risk in populations exposed to the same level of smoking. Methods: We recruited 1030 ESCC patients and 1783 healthy individuals in Taixing, China, and selected 101 ESCC-related SNPs for analysis. Logistic regression model was employed with an interaction term for smoking and individual SNPs. The level of smoking was categorized based on pack-years as never smokers, moderate smokers (≤30), and heavy smokers (>30). The relative excess risk of interaction (RERI) and the synergy index (S) were used to evaluate interaction on an additive scale. Genetic risk score was established to quantify gene risk. Results: The SNP HECTD4 rs11066280, CASP8 rs3769823 and ADH1B rs1042026 had an interaction effect with smoking on ESCC risk. Specifically, for rs11066280 T/A, the adjusted OR for moderate and heavy smokers was 1.43 (95% CI = 1.01-2.02) and 1.80 (95% CI = 1.28–2.53), ADH1B rs1042026 showed strong effect in both smoker and alcohol drinkers. GRS indicated that these three SNPs had unsignificant effect in non-smokers and a 2.92-fold risk (95%CI = 1.69-5.11) in smokers.Discussion and Conclusion: In this study, we provide new insights for disease prevention and control of ESCC based on smoking behavior and genetic predisposition.
Can Media Campaigns Empower Women Facing Gender-Based Violence amid COVID-19?
Authors: Christia Fotini , Larreguy Horacio , Muhab Norhan , Parker-Magyar Elizabeth
Published: December 2021

Women's exposure to gender-based and intimate partner violence (GBV and IPV) is particularly acute due to COVID-19, especially in the Global South. We test whether edutainment interventions that have been shown to successfully combat GBV and IPV when delivered in person can be effectively delivered using social (WhatsApp and Facebook) and traditional (TV) media. To do so, we randomized the mode of implementation of an intervention conducted by an Egyptian women’s rights non-governmental organization seeking to support women while accommodating social distancing amid COVID-19. We found WhatsApp to be a more effective way to deliver the intervention than Facebook, but no differences across outcomes between WhatsApp and TV dissemination. Our findings show that these media campaigns had no impact on women's attitudes toward gender or marital equality, or the justifiability of violence. However, the campaign did increase women's knowledge, hypothetical, and reported use of resources available to those exposed to GBV and IPV.
A proteomic atlas of ligand-receptor interactions at the ovine maternal-fetal interface reveals the role of histone lactylation in uterine remodeling
Authors: Yang Qianying , Liu Juan , Wang Yue , Zhao Wei , Wang Wenjing , Cui Jian , Yang Jiajun , Yue Yuan , Zhang Shuai , Chu Meiqiang , Lyu Qingji , Ma Lizhu , Tang Yawen , Hu Yupei , Miao Kai , Zhao Haichao , Tian Jianhui , An Lei
Published: December 2021

Well-orchestrated maternal-fetal crosstalk occurs via secreted ligands, interacting receptors, and coupled intracellular pathways between the conceptus and endometrium, and is essential for successful embryo implantation. However, previous studies mostly focus on either the conceptus or the endometrium in isolation. The lack of integrated analysis impedes our understanding of early maternal-fetal crosstalk. Herein, focusing on ligand–receptor complexes and coupled pathways at the maternal-fetal interface in sheep, we provide the first comprehensive proteomic map of ligand-receptor pathway cascades essential for embryo implantation. We demonstrate that these cascades are associated with cell adhesion and invasion, redox homeostasis, and the immune response. Candidate interactions and their physiological roles were further validated by functional experiments. We reveal the physical interaction of albumin and claudin 4 and their roles in facilitating embryo attachment to endometrium. We also demonstrate a novel function of enhanced conceptus glycolysis in remodeling uterine receptivity by inducing endometrial histone lactylation, a newly identified histone modification. Results from in vitro and in vivo models supported the essential role of lactate in inducing endometrial H3K18 lactylation and in regulating redox homeostasis and apoptotic balance to ensure successful implantation. By reconstructing a map of potential ligand-receptor pathway cascades at the maternal-fetal interface, our study presents new concepts for understanding molecular and cellular mechanisms that fine-tune conceptus-endometrium crosstalk during implantation. This provides more direct and accurate insights for developing potential clinical intervention strategies to improve pregnancy outcomes following both natural and assisted conception.