bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Projecting maximum potential demand for nirsevimab to protect eligible US infants and young children against respiratory syncytial virus in the 2024/2025 season
Authors: Olesen Scott W. , Holmdahl Inga , Ortega-Sanchez Ismael R. , Biggerstaff Matthew , Jones Jefferson M. , McMorrow Meredith L. , Fleming-Dutra Katherine E.
Published: January 2025

Nirsevimab is a long-acting monoclonal antibody that protects infants and young children against severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease. Children are eligible for one 50 mg dose, one 100 mg dose, or two 100 mg doses of nirsevimab based on age, weight, time of year, maternal vaccination, and risk of severe disease. In winter 2023/2024, we developed a model to project the number of nirsevimab doses needed to immunize all eligible U.S. children during the 2024/2025 season. We grouped all births from March 2023 through March 2025 into weekly cohorts, partitioned those cohorts based on eligibility criteria, and computed eligibility for each partition. In the absence of maternal RSV vaccination, we estimated U.S. children would be eligible to receive 4.3 million nirsevimab doses in 2024/2025, of which 48% would be 100 mg doses. Projections of total eligibility can be used to inform production goals and avoid shortages of nirsevimab.
One-carbon metabolism-related compounds are associated with epigenetic aging biomarkers: Results from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002
Authors: Bozack Anne , Khodasevich Dennis , Nwanaji-Enwerem Jamaji C. , Gladish Nicole , Shen Hanyang , Daredia Saher , Gamble Mary , Needham Belinda L. , Rehkopf David H. , Cardenas Andres
Published: January 2025

Background

One-carbon metabolism (OCM), a biochemical pathway dependent on micronutrients including folate and vitamin B12, plays an essential role in aging-related physiological processes. DNA methylation-based aging biomarkers may be influenced by OCM.

Objective

This study investigated associations of OCM-related biomarkers with epigenetic aging biomarkers in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Methods

Blood DNA methylation was measured in adults aged ≥50 years in the 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 cycles of NHANES. The following epigenetic aging biomarkers were included: Horvath1, Horvath2, Hannum, PhenoAge, GrimAge2, DunedinPoAm, and DNA methylation telomere length (DNAmTL). We tested for associations of serum folate, red blood cell (RBC) folate, vitamin B12, homocysteine, and methylmalonic acid concentrations with epigenetic age deviation (EAD) among 2,346 participants with epigenetic and nutritional status biomarkers using survey weighted general linear regression models adjusting for sociodemographics, BMI, and behavioral factors.

Results

A doubling of serum folate concentration was associated with −0.82 years (95% confidence interval (CI) = −1.40, −0.23) lower GrimAge EAD, −0.13 SDs (−0.22, −0.03) lower DunedinPoAm, and 0.02 kb (0.00, 0.04) greater DNAmTL EAD. Associations were attenuated after adjusting for smoking status and alcohol intake, folate antagonists. Conversely, a doubling in homocysteine concentration was associated with 1.05 years (0.06, 2.04) greater PhenoAge EAD, 1.93 years (1.16, 2.71) greater GrimAge2 EAD, and 0.26 SDs (0.10, 0.41) greater DunedinPoAm. Associations with GrimAge2 EAD and DunedinPoAm were robust to alcohol and smoking adjustment.

Conclusions

In a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, greater folate, a carbon donor, was associated with lower EAD, and greater homocysteine, an indicator of OCM deficiencies, was associated with greater EAD; however, some associations were influenced by smoking status. Future research should focus on high-risk populations. Randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up are also needed to established causality and investigate the clinical relevance of changes in EAD.
Endocannabinoids facilitate transitory reward engagement through retrograde gain-control
Authors: Marcus David J. , English Anthony E. , Chun Gunn , Seth Emmaline F. , Oomen Rachel , Hwang Sabrina , Wells Bailey , Piantadosi Sean C. , Suko Azra , Li Yulong , Zweifel Larry S. , Land Benjamin B. , Stella Nephi , Bruchas Michael R.
Published: January 2025

Neuromodulatory signaling is poised to serve as a neural mechanism for gain control, acting as a crucial tuning factor to influence neuronal activity by dynamically shaping excitatory and inhibitory fast neurotransmission. The endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling system, the most widely expressed neuromodulatory system in the mammalian brain, is known to filter excitatory and inhibitory inputs through retrograde, pre-synaptic action. However, whether eCBs exert retrograde gain control to ultimately facilitate reward-seeking behaviors in freely moving mammals is not established. Using a suite of in vivo physiological, imaging, genetic and machine learning-based approaches, we report a fundamental role for eCBs in controlling behavioral engagement in reward-seeking behavior through a defined thalamo-striatal circuit.
DNA topological regulation by topoisomerase IIβ-DNA-PK interaction is important for controlled hypoxia-inducible gene expression
Authors: Bunch Heeyoun , Park Jihye , Seu Min-Seok , Farmakes Jasmin K. , Lee Jeongho , Yoo Ji-Seung , Lu Huiming , Yoon Young-Ran , Jeon Jae-Han , Schellenberg Matthew J. , Kang Keunsoo , Calderwood Stuart K. , Davis Anthony J.
Published: January 2025

Hypoxic stress responses are crucial for cellular and organismal survival and provoke gene regulation in diverse biological pathways including cell cycle progression and energy metabolism. Here, we show that topoisomerase IIβ (TOP2B) regulates DNA topology and transcription in hypoxia-inducible genes (HIGs) in a DNA-PK-dependent manner. Cellular, mutational, and genomic analyses showed an antagonistic relationship between TOP2B and DNA-PK activities. TOP2B associates with HIGs and represses transcription by suppressing negative supercoiling formation under normoxic conditions. Under hypoxia, TOP2B is released, while DNA-PK and HIF1α are recruited to and activate HIGs. Intriguingly, DNA-PK is responsible for TOP2B to function repressively because DNA-PK knockout overturns both TOP2B release and activity and increases the expression of a number of HIGs. Mutational and genomic analyses confirmed that DNA-PK phosphorylates TOP2B at T1403 to stimulate TOP2B catalysis to suppress the open DNA conformation, which is important for controlled HIG transcription. Collectively, our findings suggest a novel role for TOP2B and DNA-PK-mediated TOP2B regulation as important transcriptional elements in HIG expression. We propose that TOP2B catalysis modulated by protein phosphorylation is coordinated with transcriptional states and determines DNA topology to regulate Pol II transcription.
An improved rapid and sensitive long amplicon method for nanopore-based RSV whole genome sequencing
Authors: Dong Xiaomin , Edwards Steven , Deng Yi-Mo , Dapat Clyde , Hirankitti Arada , Wordsworth Rachel , Whitney Paul , Baird Rob , Freeman Kevin , Daley Andrew J , Barr Ian G.
Published: January 2025

Background

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) provides critical insights into the Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) transmission and any emerging mutations that could impair the efficacy of monoclonal antibodies or vaccines that have been recently licenced for clinical use worldwide. However, the ability to sequence RSV genomes at large scale is limited by expensive and time-consuming sequencing methods. Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) offers significant improvements in next generation sequencing (NGS) both in turnaround time and cost, compared to other platforms for viral WGS.

Methods

We have developed and modified an RSV long amplicon-based WGS protocol for the ONT platform using a one-step multiplex RT-PCR assay and the rapid library barcoding kit. 135 RSV positive Australian clinical specimens (91 RSV-A and 44 RSV-B) sampled in 2023 with Cycle threshold (Ct) values between 14 to 35 were tested in this study. This ONT workflow was compared with other recent RSV WGS amplification assays based on short amplicons.

Results

A PCR amplicon clean-up step prior to library preparation significantly improved WGS result for samples with poor amplicon generation, but it is not necessary or beneficial for ones that generated high concentrations of amplicons. Overall, a success rate of 85.9% was achieved for WGS. This method performed as well as the more complex short amplicon methods in terms of genome coverage and sequencing depth.

Conclusions

The workflow described here was highly successful in generating RSV WGS on ONT platform and had improved turnaround times and excellent results with RSV clinical samples with Ct values up to 30.
Delineating JunB’s Crucial Function in Mature Th17 Cells through Inducible Targeted Protein Degradation
Authors: Whitaker Charles , Sasaki Daiki , Miyagi Mio , Hirota Masato , Tamai Miho , Wang Ke , Chien Hsiao-Chiao , Sarkar Shukla , Toma Takeshi , Taira Naoyuki , Ishikawa Hiroki
Published: January 2025

The AP-1 transcription factor JunB is essential for the differentiation of pathogenic T helper 17 (Th17) cells, which are key mediators of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and colitis. While the importance of JunB during Th17 polarization is known, its role in mature Th17 cells—critical therapeutic targets in these diseases—remains unclear. In this study, we employed the dTAG system, a targeted protein degradation approach, to deplete JunB in Th17 cells generated bothin vitroandin vivo. During pathogenic Th17 cell differentiation, JunB degradation replicated known effects of JunB deficiency, including reduced expression of interleukin (IL)-17A and the genes encoding RORγt (Rorc) and the IL-23 receptor (Il23r). In contrast, in mature pathogenic Th17 cells, JunB degradation downregulatedIl23rwithout affecting IL-17A orRorcexpression. Furthermore, JunB degradation compromised the viability of mature pathogenic Th17 cells. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that JunB regulates distinct gene sets during Th17 polarization compared to mature Th17 cells. The geneInhba, which encodes activin A, was identified as a JunB target in both stages. Supplementation with activin A restored IL-17A andRorcexpression during pathogenic Th17 cell differentiation. These findings demonstrate that JunB maintains mature pathogenic Th17 cell phenotypes, including IL-23 receptor expression, and supports pathogenic Th17 cell survival. As IL-23 signaling is crucial for sustaining pathogenic Th17 cells, targeting JunB may offer a therapeutic strategy to limit Th17-driven autoimmune inflammation.
Recent breeding experience improves egg ejection behaviour
Authors: Mari Lisandrina , Hughes Anna E. , Troscianko Jolyon , Tomášek Oldřich , Albrecht Tomáš , Jelínek Václav , Šulc Michal
Published: January 2025

Recognizing one’s own eggs is crucial for birds, especially for hosts of brood parasites that must identify and reject different-looking parasitic eggs. While birds seem to possess a ‘template image’ of their eggs, whether it is innate or learnt remains unclear. We addressed this question by experimentally inserting either artificial mimetic eggs (ME) or non-mimetic eggs (NME) into the nests of barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) during pre-laying stage. Our individually marked population allowed a unique comparison between naïve first-time breeders and experienced females, as well as females with ‘old’ (from a previous season) and ‘recent’ (from the previous breeding attempt within the same season) experience allowing to investigate the role of memory. We found that both naïve and experienced females ejected ME and NME at similar rates, indicating that the template image is neither innate nor learnt and does not play a primary role in egg recognition. Instead, our findings suggest that awareness of own egg-laying is the crucial mechanism at play, and may facilitate nest sanitation behaviour. Finally, we provide the first evidence that this mechanism improves with recent breeding experience. Future studies should investigate the role of non-visual factors that may modulate nest sanitation, such as endocrine regulation.
Modeling mucociliary mixing and transport at tissue scale
Authors: Xu Ling , Senaei Pejman , Jiang Yi
Published: January 2025

Mucociliary clearance is the primary defense mechanism in our respiratory system against aerosol pathogens and allergens. The rhythmic movement of cilia on airway-lining cells propels mucus flow, driving the movement of trapped particles. We want harmful particles, e.g., pathogens and allergens to be transported rapidly out of the airway and beneficial particles, e.g. vaccines and medicine, to stay and disperse. However, the impact of cilia density and distribution on mucociliary mixing and transport at the tissue scale remains poorly understood. We present three-dimensional (3D) simulations of mucociliary mixing and transport at the tissue scale. We investigate the influence of ciliary cluster spacing, metachronal wave, and ciliary density on mucus mixing and transport. Our findings reveal that: (i) cilia clusters produce swirls of mucus flow, their size scales with ciliary density; (ii) a single cilia cluster generates horizontal and upward transport with horizontal mixing; (iii) for three aligned cilia clusters, an optimal cluster spacing exists for achieving maximum horizontal transport; (iv) asynchronous beating among clusters enhances mixing but hinders transport; and (v) the diffusion of particles exhibits spatial inhomogeneity, leading to particle aggregation into discrete groups over time. These discoveries have implications for understanding particle distributions in the airway and contribute to drug delivery design considerations.

Author summary

Our airways are exposed to various foreign particles, including allergens, pathogens, and aerosolized vaccines or medications. The mucus coating the airway surface traps these particles, and the beating cilia extending from the ciliated epithelial cells play a crucial role in propelling the flow of mucus to transport the particles out of the airway. This mucociliary clearance process is closely associated with the initiation and progression of airway tissue response, such as allergic responses, infections, and treatment effects. Changes in ciliated cell density or mucus production can significantly impact this process. Conversely, achieving a homogeneous distribution of aerosol drug particles within the airway is essential for optimizing treatment outcomes. We simulate cilia-mucus coupled flow to examine how the motion of cilia influences the transport and mixing of particles in the mucus. Our key findings suggest that an optimal spacing for ciliated cell clusters that enhances directional transport. Intriguingly, while the metachronal wave promotes mixing, it also tends to hinder the overall transport of particles.
Identification of receptor-binding domains of Bacteroidales antibacterial pore-forming toxins
Authors: Borgini Sofia , Iorga Bogdan , Vertommen Didier , Collet Jean-François , Lauber Frédéric
Published: January 2025

Bacteroidales are abundant Gram-negative bacteria present in the gut microbiota of most animals, including humans, where they carry out vital functions for host health. To thrive in this competitive environment, Bacteroidales use sophisticated weapons to outmatch competitors. Among these, BSAPs (Bacteroidales Secreted Antimicrobial Proteins) represent a novel class of bactericidal pore-forming toxins that are highly specific to their receptor, typically targeting only a single membrane protein or lipopolysaccharide. The molecular determinants conferring this high selectivity remain unknown. In this study, we therefore investigated the model protein BSAP-1 and determined which of its domains is involved in providing receptor specificity. We clearly demonstrate that receptor recognition is entirely driven by the C-terminal domain (CTD) of BSAP-1 using a combination ofin vivocompetition assays andin vitroprotein binding studies. Specifically, we show that deletion of the CTD abrogates BSAP-1 bactericidal activity by preventing receptor binding, while grafting the CTD to unrelated carrier proteins enables CTD-driven interaction with the BSAP-1 receptor. Building upon this discovery, we show that BSAPs can be categorized according to the structure of their CTD and that BSAPs within the same cluster are likely to target the same type of receptor. Additionally, we show that the CTD of BSAP-1 can be repurposed to generate probes for fluorescent labelling of membrane proteins in live cells. In summary, our research demonstrates that BSAP receptor recognition is driven by their CTD and that these can be engineered to develop novel tools for the investigation of Bacteroidales biology.
Mutation experiments with AcrB and MexB D408A mutants indicate the efflux liability of antibiotics
Authors: Ciusa Maria Laura , Ricci Vito , Piddock Laura JV
Published: January 2025

Background

We showed that exposure of an AcrB D408A mutant to efflux inhibitors applied evolutionary pressure to select bacteria with the wild typeacrBsequence. This suggested that reversion to wild type can differentiate between efflux inhibitors. Thus, we hypothesized that this experiment could identify inhibitors of the primary RND pump, AcrB or its homologues in other species.

Objectives

To construct three mutants,Escherichia coliAcrB D408A,Klebsiella pneumoniaeAcrB D408A andPseudomonas aeruginosaMexB D408A and expose the mutants to substrates and non-substrates of AcrB and/or MexB and determine the rate of reversion to wildtypeacrB/mexBsequence.

Methods

MutantEscherichia coliAcrB D408A,Klebsiella pneumoniaeAcrB D408A andPseudomonas aeruginosaMexB D408A were constructed with site-directed mutagenesis of the relevant nucleotide in theacrB/mexBgene. Mutants were exposed on agar to substrates and the mutation frequency and mutation rate determined. The MIC of antibiotics and the presence/absence of the D408A substitution was determined for mutants.

Results

Exposure to the AcrB substrates chlorpromazine and minocycline reverted the D408A genotypes to wild type in a species-dependent manner. Exposure to a non-AcrB substrate, spectinomycin, did not select wild typeacrB. Chlorpromazine selected for wild typeacrB K. pneumoniaeas it had forS. Typhimurium, whereas minocycline selected for wild typeE. coli acrB. None of the antibiotics selected wild typemexB, including the tested MexB substrates.

Conclusions

Evolutionary paths depend upon the genetic background of the species and availability of alternative routes/genetic pathways that can confer resistance/decreased susceptibility to antibiotics.
The combination of GS-441524 (remdesivir) and ribavirin results in a potent antiviral effect against human parainfluenza virus 3 infection in human airway epithelial cell cultures and in a mouse infection model
Authors: Lin Yuxia , Weynand Birgit , Zhang Xin , Laporte Manon , Jochmans Dirk , Neyts Johan
Published: January 2025

Human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV-3) can cause severe respiratory diseases, particularly in young children, the elderly and immunocompromised. There are no approved antiviral drugs against this virus. We report that the combination of ribavirin with either remdesivir or its parent nucleoside GS-441524 results in a pronounced antiviral effect against HPIV-3 in LLC-MK2 cells and in human airway epithelial cells grown at the air-liquid interface. In AG129 mice intranasally inoculated with HPIV-3, the combined treatment of ribavirin and GS-441524 decreases infectious viral lung titers by >2.5 log10to undetectable levels in 4 out of 11 mice and by 1.6 log10in the remaining 7 mice as compared with vehicle. The lungs of all mice that received the combined treatment appear histologically normal or virtually normal, whereas 8 of 11 vehicle-treated mice present with bronchopneumonia. By contrast, ribavirin alone does not result in a reduction of infectious viral lung titers; GS-441524 alone reduces infectious viral lung titers by 1.2 log10. Moreover, several mice in the single-treatment groups exhibit severe lung pathology. These findings may warrant exploring this combination in patients with severe HPIV-3 infections and possibly also against infections with other viruses that arein vitrosusceptible to these two drugs.
Maturation of striatal dopamine supports the development of habitual behavior through adolescence
Authors: Petrie Daniel J. , Parr Ashley C. , Sydnor Valerie , Ojha Amar , Foran Will , Tervo-Clemmens Brenden , Calabro Finnegan , Luna Beatriz
Published: January 2025

Developmental trajectories during the transition from adolescence to adulthood contribute to the establishment of stable, adult forms of operation. Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying this transition is crucial for identifying variability in normal development and the onset of psychiatric disorders, which typically emerge during this time. Habitual behaviors can serve as a model for understanding brain mechanisms underlying the stabilization of adult behavior, while also conferring risk for psychopathologies. Dopaminergic (DA) processes in the basal ganglia are thought to facilitate the formation of habits; however, developmental trajectories of habits and the brain systems supporting them have not been characterizedin vivoin developing humans. The current study examined trajectories of habitual behavior from adolescence to adulthood and sought to understand how the maturing striatal DA system may act as a potential mechanism in the process of habit formation. We used data from two longitudinal studies (combinedn= 217, 10 – 32 years of age, 1-3 visits each, 320 total sessions) to characterize normative developmental trajectories of basal ganglia tissue iron concentration (a proxy for DA-related neurophysiology) and goal-direct and habitual control behaviors in a two-stage decision-making task. Tissue iron concentrations across the basal ganglia and habitual responding during the two-stage sequential decision-making task both increased with age (allp< 0.001). Importantly, habitual responding was associated with tissue iron concentrations in the putamen (F= 4.34,p= 0.014), such that increases in habitual responding were supported by increases in putamen tissue iron concentration during childhood through late adolescence. Exploratory analyses of further subdivisions of anatomical regions found that this association was specific to the posterior putamen. These results provide novel evidence in humans that habitual behavior continues to mature into adulthood and may be supported by increased specialization of reward systems.
Psilocybin induces sex- and context-specific recruitment of the stress axis
Authors: Cook Sarah Gibson , Lee Stephanie , Ference Emma , Shi Yuecheng , Rojas-Carvajal Mijail , Hen Rene , Bains Jaideep S. , Füzesi Tamás , Turi Gergely F.
Published: January 2025

Psychedelics have reemerged as potential treatments for mental health disorders, yet their impact on stress-related brain regions remains poorly understood. Here, we provide the first real-time,in vivoevidence of psilocybin-induced neuronal activation, specifically in hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons. Notably, psilocybin elicited more pronounced responses in female mice and produced context-related alterations in threat assessment. Our findings provide valuable insight into the impact of psychedelics on a key stress center in the brain.
Structure and catalytic mechanism of methylisocitrate lyase, a potential drug target against Coxiella burnetii
Authors: Stuart William S. , Jenkins Christopher H. , Ireland Philip M. , Isupov Michail N. , Norville Isobel H. , Harmer Nicholas J.
Published: January 2025

We present a comprehensive investigation into the catalytic mechanism of methylisocitrate lyase, a potential drug target candidate against the zoonotic pathogenCoxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever and a federal select agent. Current treatment regimens are prolonged, often with incomplete clearance of the pathogen. We utilised a structure-based bioinformatics pipeline to identify methylisocitrate lyase as a candidate therapeutic target againstC. burnetiifrom a list of essential genes. Wild-typeC. burnetiimethylisocitrate lyase has akcatof 32,000 s-1(compared to 105 s-1forSalmonella enterica) and isocitrate inhibits with aKIof 6 mM. We have determined the previously uncharacterised substrate-bound structure of this enzyme family, alongside product and inhibitor-bound structures. These structures of wild-type enzyme reveal that in the active state the catalytic C118 is positioned 2.98 Å from O5 of methylisocitrate and Arg152 moves towards the substrate relative to the inhibitor bound structure. Analysis of structure-based mutants reveals that Arg152 and Glu110 are both essential for catalysis. We suggest that Arg152 acts as the catalytic base that initiates the methylisocitrate lyase reaction. These results deepen our understanding of the catalytic mechanism of methylisocitrate lyase and could aid the development of new therapeutics againstC. burnetii.
WormID-Benchmark: Extracting Whole-Brain Neural Dynamics ofC. elegansAt the Neuron Resolution
Authors: Adhinarta Jason , Dong Jizheng , He Tianxiao , Huang Junxiang , Sprague Daniel , Wan Jia , Lee Hyun Jee , Yu Zikai , Lu Hang , Yemini Eviatar , Kato Saul , Varol Erdem , Wei Donglai
Published: January 2025

The nematode C. elegans is a well-studied model organism for characterizing the structure, connectivity, and function of a complete nervous system. Recent technical breakthroughs in 3D light microscopy and fluorescent protein tagging of individual neurons have brought us closer to capturing the neural dynamics of the worm at whole-brain resolution. Nevertheless, capturing a complete map of neural dynamics using these high-resolution recordings requires solving three specific challenges: i) detection of individual neurons in fluorescence videos, ii) identification of these neurons according to their anatomically defined classes, and iii) tracking of neural positions over time. Successfully addressing these challenges with high sensitivity, specificity, and throughput can enable us to analyze a large population sample, providing unprecedented insights into the structure and function of an entire brain at single-neuron resolution—a feat previously unaccomplished in any organism. To facilitate this scientific goal, we have curated publicly available annotated datasets from 118 worms across five distinct laboratories and established systematic benchmarks, decomposing the overarching objective into three well-defined tasks: i) neural detection, ii) identification, and iii) spatiotemporal tracking. Our preliminary analysis has revealed considerable room for improvement in existing state-of-the-art computational methods. Consequently, we envision that our WormID-Benchmarkcan catalyze efforts by a broad audience specializing in computer vision to develop robust and accurate methods that significantly enhance the throughput of generating annotated whole-brain neural dynamics datasets. We make our benchmark results reproducible; our code is publicly available athttps://github.com/focolab/WormND.
Mapping Early Brain Maturation: Anatomical Substrates of Cortical Connectivity Shifts in Neonates
Authors: Li Deying , Wang Yufan , Cheng Luqi , Eickhoff Simon B , Chu Congying , Fan Lingzhong
Published: January 2025

Understanding the early development of brain connectivity is essential for unraveling the mechanisms of brain maturation. In this study, we utilized diffusion MRI data from 242 term neonates to chart the developmental trajectory of cortical connectivity in infants. We quantified interareal variations in connectivity and identified three distinct global connectopies (GCs) along the rostrocaudal, dorsoventral, and mediolateral axes by using gradient mapping techniques. A pivotal age-dependent shift between the dorsoventral and mediolateral GCs occurred at 40 postmenstrual weeks. This shift was diminished by virtual thalamic fiber lesions, underscoring the critical role of thalamic projections. A longitudinal analysis disclosed a delayed structural connectivity pattern development in preterm infants who failed to exhibit the anticipated shift. This research helps to clarify the topographic principles that shape infant brain organization and emphasizes the influence of thalamic connectivity on early brain development. Our findings elucidate the anatomical underpinnings of early brain development, providing critical insights into the formation of cortical hierarchies and highlighting the influence of thalamic connectivity on developmental trajectories. These findings are essential for understanding typical brain growth and the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Attentional cueing effects are reversed during locomotion
Authors: Djebbara Zakaria , Chau Dylan , Koselevs Aleksandrs , Chen Yiru , Fich Lars Brorson , Gramann Klaus
Published: January 2025

Everyday human cognition and behaviour evolved in dynamic and ever-changing environments, but static paradigms still dominate experimental research despite concerns about generalisability of the results. In the case of attention, traditional stationary studies show that pre-orienting attention with spatial cues leads to faster, more accurate responses. However, how movement and environmental features shape such attentional processes in everyday behaviour remains unknown. Here we show that active movement through curved corridors reverses the typical spatial attention effect, with faster response times and higher accuracy for stimuli incongruent to implicit spatial cues provided by the movement direction, contradicting previous findings from static settings. We found that early (N1) and late (P3) attention-related electrophysiological responses were modulated by environmental features and motor demands. The posterior N1-component, reflecting visuo-spatial attention, showed decreasing amplitudes as turning angles and motor-control demands increased for congruent stimuli appearing on the side of the turning direction. Similarly, the P3-complex varied with motor and visual processing demands for congruent stimuli, showing decreased amplitudes as motor-control demands increased. We propose that congruent stimuli, displayed against a dynamically changing visual context, increase pulvino-cortical processing load and slowing early visual processing that affect behavioural responses. Incongruent stimuli, however, are displayed against a predictable context allowing faster target processing. These findings challenge attentional mechanisms’ assumed consistency across static and dynamic settings, revealing instead their dependence on behavioural and environmental context. We advocate for naturalistic paradigms, arguing that moving beyond static experiments could reshape core views on cognition and behaviour.
Dorsal hippocampus mediates light-tone sensory preconditioning task in mice
Authors: Pinho Julia S. , Ramon-Duaso Carla , Manzanares-Sierra Irene , Busquets-García Arnau
Published: January 2025

Daily choices are often influenced by environmental cues that are not directly linked to reinforcers. This process is known as higher-order conditioning and can be measured using sensory preconditioning tasks in rodents. This behavioral paradigm requires the repeated and simultaneous presentation of two low-salience stimuli, such as a light and a tone, followed by a devaluation phase where one stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus, such as a mild footshock. The outcome is a conditioned response (i.e. freezing response) to both the conditioned stimulus (direct learning) and the non-conditioned stimulus (mediated learning). In our study, we set up a successful light-tone sensory preconditioning task in male and female mice. Sex differences were seen on the number of conditioning sessions required to acquire mediated learning and in the behavioral responses observed in certain control experimental groups. We usedin vivocalcium imaging to characterize the activity of hippocampal neurons in the dorsal and ventral subregions of the hippocampus when associations between low-salience stimuli and reinforcers occur. Finally, we combined our sensory preconditioning task with chemogenetic approaches to assess the role of these two hippocampal subregions in mediated learning. Our results indicate that dorsal, but not ventral, CaMKII-positive cells mediate the encoding of low-salience stimuli during the preconditioning phase. Overall, we implemented a novel light-tone sensory preconditioning protocol in mice that allowed us to detect sex differences and to further elucidate the role of particular hippocampal subregions and cell types in regulating these complex cognitive processes.
Human sleep spindles track experimentally excited brain circuits
Authors: Thom Jude L. , Staresina Bernhard P.
Published: January 2025

Spindles are hallmark oscillations during non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep. Together with slow oscillations (SOs), they are thought to play a mechanistic role in the consolidation of learned information. The quantity and spatial distribution of spindles has been linked to brain activity during learning before sleep and to memory performance after sleep. If spindles are drawn to cortical areas excited through pre-sleep learning tasks, this begs the question whether the spatial distribution of spindles is flexible, and whether their regional expression can also be manipulated with experimental brain stimulation. We used excitatory transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to stimulate the left and right motor cortex in a repeated-measures experimental design. After stimulation, we recorded high-density electroencephalography (EEG) during sleep to test how local stimulation modulated the regional expression of sleep spindles. Indeed, we show that excitatory tDCS of local cortical sites before sleep biases the expression of spindles to the excited locations during subsequent sleep. No effects of localised tDCS excitation were seen for SOs. These results demonstrate that the spatial topography of sleep spindles is neither hard-wired nor random, with spindles being flexibly directed to exogenously excited cortical circuits.Graphical Abstract

Statement of Significance

Spindles are signatures of NREM sleep linked to memory consolidation, intelligence, and neurological disorders. Recent work shows the spatial distribution of spindles mirrors cortical activation patterns during learning. If spindles are preferentially expressed at cortical sites engaged during prior waking, the question arises whether spindles can be directed by inducing excitation exogenously with non-invasive brain stimulation. Here, we applied anodal-tDCS to either left or right motor areas before a nap. Indeed, we found that spindle (and not SO) rates are greater at cortical sites excited by tDCS. This result suggests the spatial distribution of spindles is flexible and is sensitive to experimental excitatory stimulation. This has implications for targeted rehabilitation of specific cortical areas and for developing sleep-based brain-computer interfaces.
Loss of Elp3 impairs the maturation tempo of brain ependymal cells
Authors: Tielens S. , Boutin C. , Huysseune S. , Thelen N. , Charlet-Briart M. , Reyskens C. , Oskera L. , Boutsen A. , Mateo-Sanchez S. , Delacroix L. , Labedan P. , Thiry M. , Malgrange B. , Chariot A. , Tissir F. , Creppe C. , Seuntjens E. , Laguesse S. , Nguyen L
Published: January 2025

Conditional deletion ofElp3in the mouse forebrain leads to microcephaly at birth. In this study, we demonstrate that these mice also develop postnatal hydrocephalus, associated with an enlargement of the brain ventricles. In wild-type mice, ependymal motile cilia are properly aligned to facilitate the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the ventricles. Our findings reveal thatElp3loss induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and upregulation of ATF4 expression in ependymal cell progenitors, which compromises Notch signaling and accelerates their maturation. This is accompanied by a disruption in the establishment of rotational and translational polarities of the motile cilia of maturing ependymal cells, resulting in disorganized cilia bundles. Collectively, these molecular abnormalities lead to the premature and abnormal development of ependymal cells, culminating in cilia beating dysfunction, impaired CSF clearance, and the development of hydrocephalus.
Ambipolar doping of a charge-transfer insulator in the Emery model
Authors: Sordi G. , Reaney G. L. , Kowalski N. , Sémon P. , Tremblay A.-M. S.
Published: January 2025

Understanding the similarities and differences between adding or removing electrons from a charge-transfer insulator may provide insights about the origin of the electron-hole asymmetry found in cuprates. Here we study with cellular dynamical mean-field theory the Emery model set in the charge-transfer insulator regime, and dope it with either electrons or holes. We consider the normal state only and focus on the doping evolution of the orbital character of the dopants and on the nature of the doping-driven transition. Regarding the orbital character of the dopants, we found an electron-hole asymmetry: doped electrons mostly enter the copper orbitals, whereas doped holes mostly enter the oxygen orbitals. Regarding the nature of the doping-driven transition, we found no qualitative electron-hole asymmetry: On either electron or hole doping, there is a two-stage transition from a charge-transfer insulator to a strongly correlated pseudogap and then to a metal. This shows that a strongly correlated pseudogap is an emergent feature of doped correlated insulators in two dimensions, in qualitative agreement with recent experiments on ambipolar Sr1−xLaxCuO2+y cuprate films. Our results indicate that merely doping with holes or electrons a charge-transfer insulator is not sufficient for explaining the electron-hole asymmetry observed in the normal state phase diagram of cuprates. Our work reinforces the view that actual hole-doped cuprates are more correlated than their electron-doped counterparts.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
(η6-Benzene)chlorido[2-(pyridin-2-yl)quinoline-κ2
N,N′]ruthenium(II) tetrafluoridoborate
Authors: Varadhan Manikandan , Passi Ibanpynhunlang , Chinnathangavel Thangaraja , Rajendiran Venugopal
Published: January 2025

The title compound, [RuCl(C6H6)(C14H10N2)]BF4 or [Ru(η6-benzene)(L)Cl]+BF4
− [where L denotes the 2-(pyridin-2-yl)quinoline ligand], crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c. The coordination environment around RuII is best described as pseudo-octahedral, resembling the familiar half-sandwich ‘three-legged piano-stool’ shape. In the coordination sphere, the η6-binding benzene ligand coordinates with the central RuII atom occupying the ‘seat’ of the stool with a metal-to-centroid distance of 1.695 (17) Å, while the chelate ligand L coordinates with its N atoms and, together with the Cl ligand, defines the ‘legs’ of the stool. Apart from Coulombic forces, C—H...F and C—H...Cl hydrogen-bonding interactions consolidate the crystal packing.
Di-tert-butyldiisothiocyanatotin(IV)
Authors: Kamrowski Anne , Reuter Hans
Published: January 2025

The title compound, [Sn(C4H9)2(NCS)2], which crystallizes with one and a half molecules in the asymmetric unit, represents a new structure type for intermolecular sulfur...tin interactions, which is characterized by an antiparallel (A) arrangement of the dipole moments of the individual molecules. In the resulting zigzag chains, the molecules are related to each other by mirror planes (m) and twofold rotation axes (2), both perpendicular to the propagation plane, while translation is realized via a glide plane in direction of the crystallographic c axis, a combination of symmetry elements unique in the structural chemistry of diorganotin(IV) dihalides and pseudohalides, R
2SnX
2 with X = Hal or NCS. Its characteristics are subsumed in the term Am2c for this kind of intermolecular association pattern. The tilting of the NSnN-planes in relation to the propagation plane is described in terms of spherical coordinates.
Match or mismatch: how emoji use shapes consumers’ perception of online reviews
Authors: Cai Zhenchuan , Chen Kaili , Zhao Haichuan
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to explore how text-emoji mismatch impacts consumers’ perceptions of authenticity and helpfulness in online reviews, examining the mediating effect of processing fluency and the moderating effects of response type and social distance.

Design/methodology/approach

Three between-subject experiments were conducted on Credamo and Wenjuanxing to test the hypotheses proposed in this research. The primary data analysis methods used were ANOVA and bootstrap analysis.

Findings

Study 1 found that consumers’ perceived helpfulness and authenticity of online reviews decline when the text and emojis do not match, with processing fluency mediating this effect. Study 2 revealed that humorous responses from firms to reviews with text-emoji mismatches enhance consumers’ perceived authenticity and helpfulness. Study 3 demonstrated that when potential consumers perceive a greater social distance from the reviewers, the negative impact of text-emoji mismatch is mitigated.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the fields of consumer reviews and emoji usage by examining how the relationship between emojis and text in online reviews (match vs. mismatch) affects consumers’ perceived authenticity and helpfulness. We also propose strategies for how firms can mitigate the negative impact of text-emoji mismatch.
The causes of electronic word of mouth on food sharing platforms: the perspective of knowledge sharing motivations
Authors: Leong Han-Yee , Chao Ren-Fang , Wu Tzu-Ching
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study explores how egoism and altruism as knowledge sharing motivations influence consumers’ electronic word of mouth (eWOM) intentions on food platforms. It also investigates the interaction effect of egoism and altruism on eWOM intentions through attitude toward use (ATU).

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted with 523 consumers who posted reviews on Taiwan’s two leading food platforms. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling to examine the relationships between knowledge sharing motivations, ATU, and eWOM intentions.

Findings

Egoism and altruism influence eWOM intentions through ATU, with altruism having a more substantial impact. Their interaction further enhances the positive relationship between ATU and eWOM intentions.

Originality/value

This study fills the empirical gap by demonstrating the interaction effect of egoism and altruism on eWOM intentions. It highlights the role of intrinsic motivations in shaping consumer behavior on digital platforms and offers insights for businesses aiming to foster consumer engagement.
Exploring the landscape of libraries on smart devices: a systematic literature review using PRISMA
Authors: Margam Madhusudhan , Pandey Parbati
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The systematic literature review aims to highlight the transformative influence of mobile technology in reshaping library services for Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals and users.

Design/methodology/approach

The selection of relevant literature utilized the PRISMA-20 guidelines and a systematic literature review, wherein 39 articles were meticulously examined from a pool of 198. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to articles retrieved from the Scopus database and Google Scholar, focusing on data from 2018 to 2023 and excluding all the literature except journal articles.

Findings

The results demonstrate a significant awareness among LIS professionals and users regarding adopting mobile-based library services. Nonetheless, the adoption of mobile technology in libraries faces impediments from internal and external factors. These challenges encompass the need for coherent policies and practical issues such as insufficient financial resources, limitations in infrastructure, unpredictable electricity and Internet connectivity. The study also highlights concerns related to data security, the digital divide, a shortage of IT experts and inadequate staffing. The findings suggest that libraries must navigate this evolving landscape to provide improved and more accessible services to their users.

Practical implications

This study addresses a gap in the existing research by contributing to the literature on using mobile technology for accessing library services and resources. The findings aim to assist LIS professionals in developing plans, policies and strategies for implementing mobile-based library services.

Originality/value

The results of this study contribute to improving and expanding current mobile-based services in libraries, ensuring that information and resources are universally accessible “on the go environment.”
Women’s career and imposter syndrome: moderating effects of female role model and diversity management in the hospitality and tourism sector
Authors: Forson Mavis Adjoa , Hao Fei , Cheung Catherine
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study aims to examine the influence of imposter syndrome on women’s careers in the hospitality and tourism industry drawing on the role congruity theory of prejudice.

Design/methodology/approach

Employing cross-sectional design, this research analyzed quantitative data from 574 women at various managerial levels using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique.

Findings

The results show that imposter syndrome significantly impacts women employees’ engagement and organizational commitment. The study found that higher levels of diversity management and female role models have a stronger moderating effect on the relationship between imposter syndrome, career expectations, work-family balance, employee engagement, career advancement and organizational commitment whilst lower levels of diversity management and female role models have a weaker moderating effect on these relationships.

Research limitations/implications

This study presents a new theoretical perspective on female employees’ challenges to career advancement. It expands the knowledge of imposter phenomenon and role congruity theory of prejudice, illustrating how imposter syndrome can be influenced not only by individual traits but also by institutional, situational or stereotypical factors.

Practical implications

This work provides valuable insights for hotel policymakers and managers to implement policies that alleviate imposter syndrome and contribute to women’s career development and gender equality in workplaces.

Originality/value

This study can serve to raise awareness of women’s issues in the workplace and offer insightful guidance to organizations to promote diversity and women’s leadership. These pertain to how realistic human resources policies can be used to promote the well-being of hospitality and tourism women employees.