bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparing Performance and Reliability of Collocated Enhanced Children’s MicroPEM (ECM) on Gravimetric and Nephelometric PM2.5 Personal Exposure Samples in Field Measurements in Rural Guatemala
Authors: Mollinedo Erick , McCracken John P. , Johnson Michael , Piedrahita Ricardo , Pillarisetti Ajay , Waller Lance A. , Wang Jiantong , Thompson Lisa M. , Diaz-Artiga Anaite , de Leon Oscar , Ramirez Alexander , Polanco Alejandro , Campbell Devan , Kearns Katherine A. , Kremer Jacob , Nicolaou Laura , Clark Maggie L. , Balakrishnan Kalpana , Rosa Ghislaine , Peel Jennifer L. , Checkley William , Clasen Thomas F. , Naeher Luke P. 
Published: January 2025

Traditional gravimetric instruments used for personal air pollution exposure measurements are often cumbersome and noisy and do not offer real‐time assessment capability. The Enhanced Children’s MicroPEM (ECM) is a comparatively lightweight and quiet instrument designed to capture both integrated filter‐based gravimetric samples and real‐time continuous (nephelometric) particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) concentrations. We assessed the performance and reliability of collocated ECMs in a subset of pregnant women participating in a randomized controlled trial in Guatemala to test a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cookstove (intervention) versus biomass (control) for cooking. We compared average daily (24 h) PM2.5 concentrations for the paired gravimetric (n = 219) and paired adjusted nephelometric (n = 221) samples using Spearman correlation and Bland–Altman agreement; we also assessed reliability based on the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and root mean square error (RMSE). Median PM2.5 gravimetric concentrations were 93.5 μg/m3 (interquartile range (IQR) = 52.6–160.5) and 21.4 μg/m3 (IQR = 12.0–32.0) in the control and LPG intervention groups, respectively; the median adjusted nephelometric concentrations were 83.7 μg/m3 (IQR = 47.6–148.9) and 22.6 μg/m3 (IQR = 17.5–29.7) in the control and LPG groups, respectively. Spearman correlations were higher in the control arm (0.91) than in the LPG intervention arm (0.67) in the gravimetric comparisons. The same trend was observed for adjusted nephelometric measurements in the control (0.92) and intervention arms (0.75). ICC values were high in both gravimetric (0.93) and nephelometric (0.95) collocations. Small differences in RMSE were observed for the gravimetric (26.69 μg/m3) and nephelometric collocations (31.76 μg/m3). Our findings demonstrate strong reliability between collocated ECMs for both gravimetric and adjusted nephelometric PM2.5 personal exposure samples in rural Guatemala.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02944682
MICAL2 Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Growth and Metastasis
Authors: Garg Bharti , Khan Sohini , Courelli Asimina S. , Panneerpandian Ponmathi , Sheik Pran Babu Deepa , Mose Evangeline S. , Gulay Kevin Christian Montecillo. , Sharma Shweta , Sood Divya , Wenzel Alexander T. , Martsinkovskiy Alexei , Rajbhandari Nirakar , Patel Jay , Jaquish Dawn , Esparza Edgar , Jaque Katelin , Aggarwal Neetu , Lambies Guillem , D’Ippolito Anthony , Austgen Kathryn , Johnston Brian , Orlando David A. , Jang Gun Ho , Gallinger Steven , Goodfellow Elliot , Brodt Pnina , Commisso Cosimo , Tamayo Pablo , Mesirov Jill P. , Tiriac Hervé , Lowy Andrew M. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the deadliest solid cancers; thus, identifying more effective therapies is a major unmet need. In this study, we characterized the super enhancer (SE) landscape of human PDAC to identify drivers of the disease that might be targetable. This analysis revealed MICAL2 as a super enhancer-associated gene in human PDAC, which encodes the flavin monooxygenase MICAL2 that induces actin depolymerization and indirectly promotes SRF transcription by modulating the availability of serum response factor coactivators myocardin-related transcription factors (MRTF-A and MRTF-B). MICAL2 was overexpressed in PDAC, and high MICAL2 expression correlated with poor patient prognosis. Transcriptional analysis revealed that MICAL2 upregulates KRAS and EMT signaling pathways, contributing to tumor growth and metastasis. In loss and gain of function experiments in human and mouse PDAC cells, MICAL2 promoted both ERK1/2 and AKT activation. Consistent with its role in actin depolymerization and KRAS signaling, loss of MICAL2 also inhibited macropinocytosis. MICAL2, MRTF-A, and MRTF-B influenced PDAC cell proliferation and migration and promoted cell cycle progression in vitro. Importantly, MICAL2 supported in vivo tumor growth and metastasis. Interestingly, MRTF-B, but not MRTF-A, phenocopied MICAL2-driven phenotypes in vivo. This study highlights the multiple ways in which MICAL2 impacts PDAC biology and provides a foundation for future investigations into the potential of targeting MICAL2 for therapeutic intervention.
Lung cancer–intrinsic SOX2 expression mediates resistance to checkpoint blockade therapy by inducing Treg cell–dependent CD8+ T-cell exclusion
Authors: Torres-Mejia Elen , Weng Sally , Whittaker Charles A. , Nguyen Kim B. , Duong Ellen , Yim Leon , Spranger Stefani 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Tumor cell–intrinsic signaling pathways can drastically affect the tumor immune microenvironment, promoting tumor progression and resistance to immunotherapy by excluding immune-cell populations from the tumor. Several tumor cell–intrinsic pathways have been reported to modulate myeloid-cell and T-cell infiltration creating “cold” tumors. However, clinical evidence suggests that excluding cytotoxic T cells from the tumor core also mediates immune evasion. Here, we find that tumor cell–intrinsic SOX2 signaling in non-small cell lung cancer induces the exclusion of cytotoxic T cells from the tumor core and promotes resistance to checkpoint blockade therapy. Mechanistically, tumor cell–intrinsic SOX2 expression upregulates CCL2 in tumor cells, resulting in increased recruitment of regulatory T cells. CD8+ T-cell exclusion depended on regulatory T cell–mediated suppression of tumor vasculature. Depleting tumor-infiltrating regulatory T cells via Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related protein (GITR) restored CD8+ T-cell infiltration and, when combined with checkpoint blockade therapy, reduced tumor growth. These results show that tumor cell–intrinsic SOX2 expression in lung cancer serves as a mechanism of immunotherapy resistance and provide evidence to support future studies investigating whether NSCLC patients with SOX2-dependent CD8+ T-cell exclusion would benefit from the depletion of GITR+ Tregs.
Machine Learning Predictions of Recovery in Bilingual Poststroke Aphasia: Aligning Insights With Clinical Evidence
Authors: Marte Manuel Jose , Carpenter Erin , Scimeca Michael , Russell-Meill Marissa , Peñaloza Claudia , Grasemann Uli , Miikkulainen Risto , Kiran Swathi 
Published: January 2025

BACKGROUND:
Predicting treated language improvement (TLI) and transfer to the untreated language (cross-language generalization, CLG) after speech-language therapy in bilingual individuals with poststroke aphasia is crucial for personalized treatment planning. This study evaluated machine learning models to predict TLI and CLG and identified the key predictive features (eg, patient severity, demographics, and treatment variables) aligning with clinical evidence.

METHODS:
Forty-eight Spanish-English bilingual individuals with poststroke aphasia received 20 sessions of semantic feature-based naming treatment in either their first or second language. Comprehensive language, cognitive, and background bilingual experience assessments were administered pre- and post-treatment. Sixteen curated features spanning demographics, language abilities, cognition, and bilingual experience were used as inputs to 6 machine learning algorithms to predict treatment responders versus nonresponders and CLG vs no CLG.

RESULTS:
The top 2 machine learning models achieved F1 scores of 0.767±0.153 for TLI and 0.790±0.172 for CLG. Interpretability analyses revealed that aphasia severity in the trained language, education, and cognitive performance were key predictors of TLI. Aphasia severity in the untreated language and cognitive performance emerged as influential features of CLG. These aligned with expectations based on prior literature.

CONCLUSIONS:
For the first time, machine learning models reveal that factors such as patient severity and demographics predict TLI and CLG after therapy in Spanish-English bilingual individuals with poststroke aphasia. Consideration of both treated and untreated language severity, as well as cognitive assessment performance, when forecasting treatment outcomes in an underserved population such Spanish-English stroke survivors, can meaningfully impact their short-term and long-term clinical care.
Evidence for a compensatory relationship between left- and right-lateralized brain networks
Authors: Peterson Madeline , Braga Rodrigo M. , Floris Dorothea L. , Nielsen Jared A. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
The two hemispheres of the human brain are functionally asymmetric. At the network level, the language network exhibits left-hemisphere lateralization. While this asymmetry is widely replicated, the extent to which other functional networks demonstrate lateralization remains a subject of investigation. Additionally, it is unknown how the lateralization of one functional network may affect the lateralization of other networks within individuals. We quantified lateralization for each of 17 networks by computing the relative surface area on the left and right cerebral hemispheres. After examining the ecological, convergent, and external validity and test–retest reliability of this surface area-based measure of lateralization, we addressed two hypotheses across multiple datasets (Human Connectome Project = 553, Human Connectome Project-Development = 343, Natural Scenes Dataset = 8). First, we hypothesized that networks associated with language, visuospatial attention, and executive control would show the greatest lateralization. Second, we hypothesized that relationships between lateralized networks would follow a dependent relationship such that greater left lateralization of a network would be associated with greater right lateralization of a different network within individuals, and that this pattern would be systematic across individuals. A language network was among the three networks identified as being significantly left lateralized, and attention and executive control networks were among the five networks identified as being significantly right lateralized. Next, correlation matrices, an exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the second hypothesis and examine the organization of lateralized networks. We found general support for a dependent relationship between highly left- and right-lateralized networks, meaning that across subjects, greater left lateralization of a given network (such as a language network) was linked to greater right lateralization of another network (such as a ventral attention/salience network) and vice versa. These results further our understanding of brain organization at the macro-scale network level in individuals, carrying specific relevance for neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by disruptions in lateralization such as autism and schizophrenia.
Effective connectivity predicts distributed neural coding of perceptual decision confidence, uncertainty, and speed
Authors: Asadpour Abdoreza , Wong-Lin KongFatt 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Decision making is often accompanied by a level of confidence regarding the accuracy of one’s decision. Previous studies have indicated neural activity associated with perceptual decision confidence during sensory stimulus presentation. Choice-based reaction time (RT) has been suggested as an indirect but more objective measure of decision confidence—generally faster RT for higher confidence. However, it is unclear whether choice confidence and RT are mediated by distinct neural pathways, and whether their neural correlates are encoded nonlinearly. Within a perceptual decision-making task, we applied functional magnetic resonance imaging-informed electroencephalography-based effective connectivity analysis via dynamic causal modelling (DCM) on event-related potentials and found the frontoparietal network for fast-vs-slow RT condition to be different from that of high-vs-low confidence rating condition. Furthermore, trial-by-trial DCM analysis predicted cortical layer-based, distributed, and nonlinear coding of RT, confidence or uncertainty. Collectively, our study suggests that decision confidence and speed are instantiated by different dynamical networks distributed across cortical layers.
Transient Climate Sensitivity Shaped by Low Cloud Changes Remotely Driven by Southern Ocean Processes
Authors: Ford Robert R. , Rose Brian E. J. , Rencurrel M. Cameron 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Transient climate sensitivity is strongly shaped by geographical patterns of ocean heat uptake (OHU). To isolate the effects of uncertainties associated with OHU, a single slab ocean model is forced with doubled CO2 and an ensemble of OHU patterns diagnosed from transient warming scenarios in 12 fully coupled models. The single-model ensemble produces a wide range of Southern Ocean (SO) sea surface temperature (SST) and Antarctic sea ice responses, which are in turn associated with a 1.1–2.0-K range of transient climate response (TCR). Feedback analysis attributes the TCR spread primarily to shortwave effects of low clouds in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) midlatitudes. These cloud changes are strongly positively correlated with storm-track eddy kinetic energy. It is argued that midlatitude clouds (and thus planetary albedo) are remotely driven by SO SST and Antarctic sea ice, mediated by large-scale changes in SH baroclinicity and lower-tropospheric stability. The robustness of this atmospheric teleconnection between SO SST, Antarctic sea ice, and global feedback through midlatitude clouds is supported through additional simulations that explore more extreme SST and sea ice perturbations. These results highlight the importance of understanding physical relationships between SST, sea ice, circulation, and cloud changes in the SH as a pathway to better constraining transient climate sensitivity.

Significance Statement
Although it is well known that Earth’s global-mean surface temperature increases with increasing atmospheric CO2, there are still significant uncertainties in the temperature and sea ice trends over the Southern Ocean region. Using a climate model, we find that Southern Ocean temperature and Antarctic sea ice changes can result in substantial cloud cover changes over the Southern Hemisphere, which play a primary role in determining the amount of warming in our experiments. We suggest that, in order to reduce uncertainty in future climate change, more work is needed to understand how the climate of the southern polar region can affect the circulation and clouds of the midlatitudes.
Examining Intraethnic Disparities in Tornado Hazard Understanding, Reception, and Response in Latinx/e Communities in the Southeast United States
Authors: First Jennifer M. , Castillo Andrea , Galvez Eliza , Lee Sangwon , Held Mary Lehman , Ellis Kelsey 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
The Southeast region in the United States has a high risk for tornadoes and tornado-related losses (e.g., fatalities, injuries, damages). For the public in tornado-vulnerable areas, receiving warning information is essential for seeking protective action during a tornado event. However, for Latinx/e households in the Southeast, social, cultural, and political factors pertaining to language barriers, cultural differences, and trust in public officials often inhibit the effectiveness of warning communication strategies. The current study utilized a survey among 820 Latinx/e adults across 11 states in the U.S. Southeast. Using the Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney (WMW) test, we examined if language, nativity, and immigration status impacted how Latinx/e populations receive, understand, and act upon severe weather information in the Southeast region. Results found intraethnic disparities related to tornado hazard understanding, reception, and response among Latinx/e adults based on language, nativity, and U.S. citizenship status. These findings suggest that NWS and its partners work with Latinx/e communities to adjust their communication strategies to consider ethnic heterogeneity in future hazard research, alert systems, and targeted outreach campaigns.

Significance Statement
We sought to determine if Latinx/e populations in the Southeast United States face distinct social and systematic challenges and exhibit varying levels of preparedness and awareness in the face of tornado hazards. We analyzed tornado warning comprehension, weather information sources, and barriers to protective actions among 820 Latinx/e participants, along with intraethnic disparities or vulnerabilities that may impact an individual’s or community’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and adapt to tornado hazards. These findings are important for forecasters, broadcasters, emergency managers, and others responsible for alerting the public during severe weather situations in the Southeast. Understanding differences in human vulnerability in the face of tornado threats can help inform better disaster planning and response for vulnerable and underrepresented populations.
Associations of treatment with hypnotics with suicide and attempted suicide: A nationwide cohort study
Authors: Kjær Høier Nikolaj , Madsen Trine , Spira Adam P , Hawton Keith , Jennum Poul , Nordentoft Merete , Erlangsen Annette 
Published: January 2025

Background: Hypnotics have been linked to suicidal behaviors. While existing evidence has established findings of associations, more knowledge is needed regarding benzodiazepine (BZD) and non-benzodiazepine (n-BZD) hypnotics. Aim: To examine whether individuals in treatment with hypnotics had higher rates of suicide and suicide attempts than those not in treatment. Methods: A longitudinal nationwide cohort design was applied to individual-level register data, including all individuals aged 15+ years who lived in Denmark from 1995 to 2021. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) for suicide and suicide attempts were estimated using Poisson regression models. Using the National Prescription Registry, individuals who redeemed prescriptions for hypnotics at pharmacies were identified. Death by suicide was identified in the Cause of Death Register. Results: A total of 7,311,630 individuals were observed over 122,681,369 person-years. In all, 678 males and 553 females died by suicide while in treatment with BZD, resulting in respective adjusted IRRs of 2.1 (95% CI: 1.9–2.4) and 2.6 (95% CI: 2.3–3.0), when compared to those not in treatment. A total of 1774 males and 1212 females died by suicide while in treatment with n-BZD and the adjusted IRRs were 3.4 (95% CI: 3.1–3.7) and 3.6 (95% CI: 3.4–3.9), respectively. Conclusions: While confounding by indication is likely to be a major contributor, the fact that individuals in treatment with BZD or n-BZDs had higher rates of suicide and suicide attempts when compared to those not in treatment emphasizes the need to carefully monitor their mental state.
Undergraduate Students’ Experiences of a Community-Engaged Learning Course: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Maxwell Abby , Yates Julia , Pfingstgraef Kate , Mantler Tara 
Published: January 2025

Background Undergraduate student engagement increases the quality of education. Community-engaged learning (CEL) courses are one way to promote engagement and involve students collaborating with community partners to achieve a common goal by applying course knowledge to real-world issues. Purpose This study evaluated: (a) the relationship between CEL-related student learning outcomes (SLOs) and attitudes toward CEL courses before taking one; (b) CEL-related SLOs among undergraduate students before versus after taking a CEL course; and (c) the lived experiences of students who participated in their first CEL course. Methodology Pre- and post-course surveys and focus group data were collected. Survey data were analyzed via correlations and dependent groups t-tests, while inductive content analysis was employed to analyze focus group data. Findings Findings revealed a significant correlation between students’ opinions toward the benefits of taking a CEL course and their CEL-related SLOs and a statistically significant positive difference between student growth and achievement before compared to after completing a CEL course ( t = 2.6778, p = .0123). Students also expressed the benefits of taking CEL courses, including community impacts, conduciveness to learning preferences, and skill development. Implications CEL courses are a means to improve students’ motivation, achievement, and skill acquisition for future career preparedness.
New Classification System for Proximal Fifth Metatarsal Fractures: Intraobserver and Interobserver Reliability Assessment
Authors: Fernández-Rojas Enrique , Araya-Bonilla Víctor , Barra-Dinamarca Emilio , Pastor-Villablanca Juan , Mortada-Mahmoud Ahmed , Alvarado-Livacic Cristóbal , Vilá-Rico Jesús 
Published: January 2025

Background: The most commonly used classification for proximal fifth metatarsal fractures has not shown good reproducibility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intraobserver and interobserver agreement of a new classification system for such fractures. Methods: The study involved the development of a novel classification system that categorized these fractures into 2 main types and 2 subtypes. This cross-sectional study included a total of 52 cases that were retrospectively collected to assess the reliability of this system. These cases were then evaluated by 3 independent foot and ankle surgeons who classified the fractures based on the newly established classification system. After 10 months, the same evaluators classified the fractures again. The level of agreement among the evaluators, both internally and externally, was assessed using the kappa coefficient, following the criteria established by Landis and Koch. This framework categorizes agreement levels as slight (0.00-0.20), fair (0.21-0.40), moderate (0.41-0.60), substantial (0.61-0.80), or almost perfect (0.81-1.00). Results: Fifty-two fractures were detected, and 312 evaluations were carried out. The interobserver agreement was substantial when assessing the 2 main types, with a κ value of 0.73, and remained substantial even when considering the subtypes, with a κ value of 0.67. Similarly, the intraobserver agreement demonstrated substantial outcomes when evaluating the 2 main types, with a κ value 0.79. It maintained its significance when including the subtypes, with a κ value 0.77. Conclusion: Lawrence and Botte’s classification identifies 3 primary zones and exhibits moderate interobserver agreement. In contrast, the newly proposed system focuses on only 2 main zones and shows better interobserver agreement. The present study introduces a more precise and reproducible framework that reveals consistency among various observers, including the same observer. This framework may be beneficial for biomedical research as it enhances the ability to compare results across different studies.