bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary potential and constraints in an aposematic species: genetic correlations between warning coloration and fitness components in wood tiger moths
Authors: Koch Eva L , Brien Melanie N , Galarza Juan A , Jiggins Chris D , Mappes Johanna 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Variability in warning signals is common but remains puzzling since deviations from the most common form should result in a higher number of predator attacks. One explanation may lie in constraints due to genetic correlations between warning color and other traits under selection. To explore the relationship between variation in warning color and different life-history traits, we used an extensive data set comprising 64,741 individuals from a Finnish and an Estonian population of the wood tiger moths, Arctia plantaginis, that have been maintained in captivity over 25 generations. This species exhibits variable warning coloration in larval and adult stages. Measuring these traits alongside several fitness components allowed us to set color variation into context and obtain a better understanding of selection and constraints. Complete pedigree information enabled us to estimate genetic variances and covariances, which revealed several complex interplays between fitness components: Selection for faster development led to a significantly reduced fecundity. Fecundity was also constrained by negative correlations between direct genetic and maternal effects. However, we found no evidence that genetic associations with life-history traits constrain the efficiency of warning colors.
The evolution of a placenta accelerates the evolution of postcopulatory reproductive isolation
Authors: Morrison Keenan R , Zúñiga-Vega J Jaime , Travis Joseph , Reznick David N 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
The evolution of placentation is predicted to intensify intergenomic conflicts between mothers and offspring over optimal levels of maternal investment by providing offspring opportunities to manipulate mothers into allocating more resources. Parent–offspring conflicts can result in the evolution of reproductive isolation among populations when conflicts resolve in different ways. Postzygotic reproductive isolation is hypothesized to evolve more rapidly following the evolution of placentation due to the predicted increase in conflict. We tested this hypothesis by performing interpopulation crosses within placental and nonplacental species of Poeciliopsis to determine if the relationship between genetic distance and measures of postzygotic reproductive success differed as function of reproductive mode. We did not observe any differences in offspring viability or sterility among crosses. Offspring size declined rapidly as a function of interpopulation genetic distance within the placental species, but not among our nonplacental species. The decrease in offspring size in the placental species was beyond normal variation, likely representing a major fitness cost, consistent with the prediction that negative epistatic interactions are evolving more quickly among populations in our placental species than the nonplacental species. We discuss how our results support the role parent–offspring conflicts play in the evolution of reproductive isolation and reproductive mode.
Recombinant design of the enzymatically active domain of phage Enc34 endolysin to improve its activity against Gram-negative bacteria
Authors: Kazaka Tatjana , Zrelovs Nikita , Akopjana Inara , Bogans Janis , Jansons Juris , Dislers Andris , Kazaks Andris 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Endolysins are bacteriophage-encoded peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes with potential applications for treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. While exogenously applied endolysins are active against Gram-positive bacteria in their native form, Gram-negative bacteria are protected from such activity of most native endolysins by an outer membrane. However, it was shown that recombinant endolysins can be designed to efficiently lyse Gram-negative bacteria from without as well. During our previous efforts, we purified and structurally characterized the enzymatically active domain (EAD) of phage Enc34 endolysin. In this work, we investigated the lytic potential of products resulting from different variants of fusions involving this EAD with a panel of selected antimicrobial peptides. A set of constructs was generated and expressed in Escherichia coli cells. While most such recombinant proteins accumulated intracellularly, some of them could lyse cells from within and appear in the expression medium. The fusion protein variants produced were purified and tested for their bactericidal activity against Gram-negative bacteria. The best candidate caused rapid degradation of E. coli XL1-Blue cells during the first minutes after addition, reducing the viable cell count more than three-fold. We believe that these results might be helpful in the design of new antibacterial tools.
Multidisciplinary methodologies used in the study of cable bacteria
Authors: Wawryk Michaela M H , Ley Philip , Vasquez-Cardenas Diana , Tabor Rico F , Cook Perran L M 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Cable bacteria are a unique type of filamentous microorganism that can grow up to centimetres long and are capable of long-distance electron transport over their entire lengths. Due to their unique metabolism and conductive capacities, the study of cable bacteria has required technical innovations, both in adapting existing techniques and developing entirely new ones. This review discusses the existing methods used to study eight distinct aspects of cable bacteria research, including the challenges of culturing them in laboratory conditions, performing physical and biochemical extractions, and analysing the conductive mechanism. As cable bacteria research requires an interdisciplinary approach, methods from a range of fields are discussed, such as biogeochemistry, genomics, materials science, and electrochemistry. A critical analysis of the current state of each approach is presented, highlighting the advantages and drawbacks of both commonly used and emerging methods.
Updating Victor Hugo for the Twenty-First Century: Addressing Entrenched Inequality, Discrimination and Police Violence in Ladj Ly’s Banlieue Film, Les Misérables (2019)
Authors: Tribout-Joseph Sarah 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
In the same time that it took France to win the 2018 World Cup final, Ladj Ly’s film, Les Misérables (2019), takes viewers from jubilant football crowd scenes to protest in the streets. Produced as a response to the 2005 riots in France, Ly takes an urgent look at inequality and police violence in the banlieue or impoverished suburbs. His aim is both to debunk the Republic’s claim to universalism and to contest the representation of the banlieue in mainstream media and banlieue film. I argue that in claiming heritage from Victor Hugo, Ly explores the effectiveness of various media platforms for challenging social exclusion in the high-rise estates on the margins of the city, with their large immigrant populations. I look firstly at Republican values and marginalization in the banlieue, before considering banlieue film and how Les Misérables moves from nineteenth-century literature to twenty-first century digital activism in order to embrace a more inclusive society.
Evolutionary signatures of the erosion of sexual reproduction genes in domesticated cassava (Manihot esculenta)
Authors: Long Evan M , Stitzer Michelle C , Monier Brandon , Schulz Aimee J , Romay Maria Cinta , Robbins Kelly R , Buckler Edward S 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Centuries of clonal propagation in cassava (Manihot esculenta) have reduced sexual recombination, leading to the accumulation of deleterious mutations. This has resulted in both inbreeding depression affecting yield and a significant decrease in reproductive performance, creating hurdles for contemporary breeding programs. Cassava is a member of the Euphorbiaceae family, including notable species such as rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) and poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). Expanding upon preliminary draft genomes, we annotated 7 long-read genome assemblies and aligned a total of 52 genomes, to analyze selection across the genome and the phylogeny. Through this comparative genomic approach, we identified 48 genes under relaxed selection in cassava. Notably, we discovered an overrepresentation of floral expressed genes, especially focused at 6 pollen-related genes. Our results indicate that domestication and a transition to clonal propagation have reduced selection pressures on sexually reproductive functions in cassava leading to an accumulation of mutations in pollen-related genes. This relaxed selection and the genome-wide deleterious mutations responsible for inbreeding depression are potential targets for improving cassava breeding, where the generation of new varieties relies on recombining favorable alleles through sexual reproduction.
18F-FAPI-42 PET/CT enhances the diagnostic efficacy for peritoneal metastasis of colorectal cancer and guides treatment decisions: an original retrospective study
Authors: Zhang Xuneng , Zhang Rongqin , Zheng Qingyang , He Zichuan , Lan Bing , Zhong Yun , Huang Zhichao , Fan Wei , Wang Hui , Yang Keli , Zhang Zhanwen , Wang Huaiming 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background
Colorectal cancer is the third-most common type of cancer. When peritoneal metastasis (PM) develops, diagnosing metastatic lesions is difficult and the prognosis is poor. This study aimed to compare the value of fluorine-18 fibroblast activation protein-specific inhibitor (18F-FAPI-42) and fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for detecting PM of colorectal cancer and to guide clinical decision-making.

Methods
Forty-eight patients with PM who underwent both 18F-FAPI-42 and 18F-FDG PET/CT examinations were studied. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max), tumor-to-background ratios (TBRs) and peritoneal cancer index (PCI) of the PM were compared between the two imaging techniques. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to compare the consistency between the PET/CT PCI score and the intraoperative PCI. A receiver-operating characteristic curve was used to predict the accuracy of CC-0 cytoreduction (complete cytoreduction with no visible disease).

Results
The sensitivity and accuracy of 18F-FAPI-42 PET/CT for detecting PM were higher than those of 18F-FDG PET/CT (82.1% vs 61.1%, P &lt; 0.01; 84.6% vs 74.5%, P &lt; 0.01). The median SUV max and TBR of PM was greater in 18F-FAPI-42 than in 18F-FDG PET/CT [4.8 (1.9–20.1) vs 4.7 (1.0–11.0), P = 0.02; 4.3 (1.4–14.6) vs 2.9 (0.6–8.0), P &lt; 0.01, respectively]. The median PCI of PM based on 18F-FAPI-42 PET/CT was greater than that based on 18F-FDG PET/CT (15 vs 9, P &lt; 0.01). The ICC for 18F-FAPI-42 PCI was greater than that for 18F-FDG PCI (0.915 vs 0.724, P &lt; 0.01). The cut-off values of the PCI of the PM for 18F-FAPI-42 and 18F-FDG PET/CT to predict CC-0 were &lt;18 and &lt;10, with areas under the curve of 0.80 and 0.79, respectively.

Conclusions
18F-FAPI-42 PET/CT has superior diagnostic efficacy for PM, particularly in the right upper epigastrium and small intestine. The PCI score of 18F-FAPI-42 PET/CT is very close to the intraoperative PCI score and has a high value for predicting CC-0. The individualized management of PM based on the 18F-FAPI-42 PET/CT PCI score is pivotal.
The Sustainability Spillover: Uncovering the Link between Informal Elder Care and Eco-Conscious Behaviors across the European Union
Authors: Tur-Sinai Aviad , Bentur Netta , Lamura Giovanni , Rodrigues Ricardo , Di Rosa Mirko , Socci Marco 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background and Objectives
This study explores the association between informal caregiving for older adults and environmentally sustainable behaviors across the 27 European Union countries, aiming to identify how the gendered and domestic nature of environmentalism relates to elder care.

Research Design and Methods
Data from 41,742 respondents aged 16–74 were analyzed from the Survey of Gender Gaps in Unpaid Care, Individual and Social Activities and conducted by a scientific consortium in 2022. Frequency of sustainable behaviors was measured across 10 indicators. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regressions examined associations between caregiving and sustainable behaviors, adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and attitudinal covariates.

Results
Informal caregivers engaged in eco-friendly actions significantly more frequently than non-caregivers across all 10 sustainable-behavior indicators (p&lt;0.001). The “caregiver effect” was strongest for sustainable-consumption choices like buying eco-friendly (β=0.16), fair-trade (β=0.15), and used products (β=0.17), and weaker for household practices such as recycling (β=0.05) and mindful resource consumption (β=0.06). Caregivers attained higher composite environmental behavior scores (33.93±8.23) than non-caregivers (31.88±8.00; p&lt;0.001). This association remained robust after adjusting for gender, age, education, employment, household size, attitudes, and other covariates. Caregiving had the strongest association with buying used items (β=0.20) and eco-friendly products (β=0.14). Country-level analyses revealed consistent caregiver vs. non-caregiver differences, with the largest gaps in Southern and Eastern Europe.

Discussion and Implications
This is the first large-scale cross-national study that demonstrates a consistent association between older-adult caregiving and a wide range of environmentally sustainable behaviors. Results suggest the experience of caring for a vulnerable family member is closely related to a broader sense of social and environmental responsibility. Caregivers’ heightened engagement in sustainable consumption positions them as potential early adopters and change makers. Findings highlight new avenues for environmental education and caregiver support initiatives that synergistically promote interpersonal and environmental care.
Development of a Complex Intervention for Promoting Participation in Resistance Exercise Among Community-Dwelling Frail Older Adults in China: A Multimethod Qualitative Study
Authors: Sun Xuemei , Liu Wenqi , Li Lingqi , Song Jinlu , Gao Yinyan , Zhang Weiru , Wu Irene X Y 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background and Objectives
Regular resistance exercise (RE) showed a promising effect in reducing frailty in older adults. However, the participation of RE among this population remains low. This study was, therefore, aimed at developing a complex intervention tailored to community-dwelling frail older adults in China to promote participation in RE and reduce frailty ultimately.

Research Design and Methods
Using a multimethods qualitative study design, this study included 2 parts: (1) a qualitative study was performed to explore barriers and facilitators for participation in RE among frail older adults through stakeholder interviews. The interview was guided by the comprehensive framework of implementation research; (2) two rounds of expert consultation, guided by the social cognitive theory, were conducted to identify the key barriers and facilitators, and corresponding implementation strategies for promoting participation in RE. A complex intervention was developed accordingly.

Results
Interviews were conducted with 16 frail older adults (mean age = 72.9) and 10 community workers (mean working years = 11.2). A total of 10 barriers and 16 facilitators were identified; safety concerns, decline in physical function, and lack of knowledge were frequently mentioned barriers, while health needs, social support, and professional guidance were common facilitators. Then 10 experts (mean working years = 20.9) were consulted to determine the main barriers and facilitators, and a list of corresponding implementation strategies was developed subsequently. Thus, a tailored complex intervention delivered by community workers in the community setting, including the core component of “group elastic-band RE,” and supplementary components of “community education, feedback, goal setting, and reinforcement guidance” was developed.

Discussion and Implications
This study constructed a list of key barriers and facilitators as well as corresponding implementation strategies for promoting participation in RE among community-dwelling frail older adults. A tailored complex intervention was developed accordingly, which will facilitate the management of frail older adults in the Chinese community setting.
Increasing Representation/Inclusivity Of Older Adults And Investigators From Minoritized Groups In Aging Research
Authors: Harden J Taylor , Heyn Patricia C , Hill Carl V , Oh Esther S , Perez G Adriana 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) plays a pivotal role in advancing scientific research, developing training and the science workforce, and promoting public health initiatives. However, the benefits of the NIA’s work have not been equally distributed among all older adult population groups, highlighting persistent disparities in chronic illness burden and access to healthcare and research. As the NIA commemorates its 50th anniversary, this milestone presents an opportunity to reflect on its consequential initiatives and accomplishments while also strategizing for the robust inclusion of underrepresented and minoritized populations and the future health of our Nation’s older adult population. Disparities in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias among four minoritized and racialized groups are highlighted, as well as the critical need to recruit and retain investigators from these populations. Three trans-NIA training, outreach, and pipeline initiatives are described as having elevated the profile of aging research across the nation, particularly among minoritized and ethnic groups, and have reached thousands of individuals interested in aging research. Leaders and healthcare advocates argue that efforts to reduce health disparities cannot be fully achieved without successfully addressing the underrepresentation of minoritized leaders in healthcare and research. Racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and separation deprive our nation and the scientific community of the breadth of talent, expertise, and perspectives needed to address racialized/minoritized health inequities. To all the staff at the NIA, past and present, may you continue to be proud of the work you do, the Institute you represent, and the difference you make. Happy 50th Anniversary!
Stigma, Stereotypes, and Self-Disclosure: Disability and Empowerment in Older Adults on the Autism Spectrum
Authors: Eliassen A Henry 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Older adults on the autism spectrum exhibit a broad array of strengths and limitations. Although exceptional abilities may be masked by difficulties in presentation and communication, hidden disabilities can lead to unmet needs for accommodation and support. Critical to the recognition of disabilities is subjects’ readiness to disclose potentially stigmatizing conditions or concerns—weighing the benefits of self-disclosure (e.g., for effective medical care) versus risks (exposure of weaknesses or vulnerabilities). Strategic self-disclosure, based on reading of immediate social contexts, can be problematic for autistic persons who have difficulty processing social cues demarcating situationally appropriate boundaries. Disclosure of autism by older patients in clinical settings can lead to troubled interactions that reinforce stereotypes of aging conflated with disability and reduce implicit biases regarding older patients and autistic persons. Future gerontological research and policy initiatives should be designed to empower older autistic adults (and others with lived experience of disability and marginalization) by including them as expert partners in the quest for needed societal change—challenging ableist assumptions embedded in traditional definitions of successful aging, promoting an open awareness context that normalizes the occurrence of disability, and fostering expectations of interdependence (as opposed to helpless dependency or complete independence).
Reconciling the irreconcilable: window-based versus stochastic declustering algorithms
Authors: Spassiani I , Gentili S , Console R , Murru M , Taroni M , Falcone G 
Published: December 2024

SUMMARY
Short-term earthquake clustering is one of the most essential features of seismicity. Clusters are identified using various techniques, generally deterministic and based on spatiotemporal windowing. Conversely, the leading approach in short-term earthquake forecasting has a probabilistic view of clustering, usually based on the epidemic type aftershock sequence (ETAS) models. The effectiveness of the deterministic techniques and whether or not to prefer a probabilistic approach is often debated in the literature: sharp cutoffs or randomness degree? In this study, we contribute to the debate by “measuring” (inferring) seismic clusters, identified by two different deterministic window-based techniques, in terms of the ETAS probabilities associated with any event in the clusters, to investigate the consistency between deterministic and probabilistic approaches. Inference is performed by considering, for each event in an identified cluster, the corresponding probability of being independent and the expected number of triggered events according to ETAS. Results show no substantial differences between the two deterministic cluster identification procedures, and an overall consistency between the identified clusters and the relative events’ ETAS probabilities. A consistency between probabilistic and deterministic declustering approaches is also important for seismic hazard analyses, where the latter approach is routinely used for its simplicity.
Estimation of source characteristics, site effects and path attenuation in the Sichuan Basin, China, using a non-parametric generalized inversion technique
Authors: Dang Pengfei , Cui Jie , Yang Hongfeng , Song Jian 
Published: December 2024

SUMMARY
A non-parametric generalized inversion technique for the S-wave amplitude spectrum on both the horizontal and vertical components was adopted to calculate the source parameters, site effects and path attenuations. In this scheme, 1647 three-component records corresponding to 78 earthquakes with Ms values of 2.9–6.0 recorded by 58 strong-motion stations in the Sichuan Basin were used. In the non-parametric generalized inversion technique, a reference station was adopted to remove the trade-off between the site and source terms. Then, the simple model R−0.5 was selected to describe the geometric spreading characteristics of the Sichuan Basin region. The frequency-related quality factor models for the horizontal and vertical components are estimated as Q(f) = 129.9872f 1.1119 and Q(f) = 132.54f 1.1236, respectively. In addition, the inverted source spectra are well matched with Brune's model, in which the stress drop values range between 0.3 and 3.5 MPa with a mean value of 1.36 MPa. In addition, a comparison between the site effects estimated from horizontal-to-vertical and non-parametric generalized inversion methods shows that the geological environment significantly amplifies the vertical component of ground motion. Finally, a residual related to distance and magnitude indicates that there is no obvious dependence of the scatter on distance or magnitude. The source, path and site parameters estimated in this inversion can be adopted in ground motion simulations, which could aid in the study of seismic disasters and risk assessment in the Sichuan Basin.