bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
CD8+ T cell epitope conservation in emerging H5N1 viruses suggests global protection
Authors: Grant Emma J , Gras Stephanie 
Published: November 2024

AbstractObjectivesThe recent H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in the USA has sparked fresh fears of avian viruses causing the next pandemic. To date, the H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) outbreak in cattle has spread across several states in the USA, with several humans infected following exposure to cows. This H5N1 clade is also reportedly circulating across Europe, Africa and South America. H5N1 was also detected in a child returning to Australia following travel in India where H5N1 (clade 2.3.2.1a) is also reported to be circulating. There are no licenced vaccines against H5N1 avian influenza viruses for humans. Current vaccines aim to protect against seasonal H1N1 and H3N2 variants are unlikely to provide much protection against the different H5, or other avian viruses. CD8+ T cells are known to provide protection against influenza infection, enhancing viral control and decreasing disease severity.MethodsWe recently compiled and published a list of the known immunogenic influenza‐derived CD8+ T cell epitopes restricted to the most prevalent 10 HLA‐A, ‐B and ‐C molecules worldwide. We assessed the conservation of a curated list of these influenza A virus‐derived CD8+ T cell epitopes in H5N1 viruses' sequences at the heart of the outbreak.ResultsWe identified that > 64% of the CD8+ T cell epitopes are highly conserved (> 90% sequence identity) in the H5N1 viruses, with 60% (18/30) of the most prevalent HLA‐I molecules have at least one immunogenic CD8+ T cell epitope conserved in H5N1 viruses. Together these HLA‐I molecules with conserved epitopes have a cumulative total of > 100% global coverage. Epitopes derived from the NP, M1, PB2, NS1 and PB1 proteins displayed the highest level of conservation.ConclusionsTogether, this analysis highlights that globally there is the potential for T cell cross‐recognition against the H5N1 viruses that may provide some protection in humans towards the current avian flu outbreak.
Archimedes Chicken Swarm Optimization‐Based Routing for Internet of Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: N Suriya , M Palanivelan 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTUnderwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) are employed in various applications ranging from observing the underwater environment to military applications, which leads to attaining interest for many investigators in the UWSNs area. They experience more problematic issues because they are deployed underwater. Some of the common difficulties involve the assessment of battery, installation, energy consumption, and long delay. To overcome this bridge, an effectual scheme is developed for the internet of UWSNs named Archimedes Chicken Swarm Optimization (ACSO). Here, ACSO is obtained by the fusion of Archimedes Optimization Algorithm (AOA) and Chicken Swarm Optimization (CSO). The underwater sensor network IoT module (IoUT) nodes are simulated and the energy model and mobility model are considered for the following progress. The energy prediction is achieved by employing a Deep Recurrent Neural Network (DRNN), which is trained by the proposed ACSO. The Cluster Head (CH) selection is performed utilizing the Energy Efficient Clustering Protocol. Lastly, the routing is carried out by the ACSO algorithm, where the best route is determined based on various parameters namely, energy, distance, delay, throughput, and Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR).
Ecosystem service indicators on military‐managed drylands in the Western United States
Authors: Jordan Samuel E. , Smith William K. , Sala Osvaldo E. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractLands devoted to military use are globally important for the production of ecosystem services and for the conservation of biodiversity. The United States has one of the largest military land estates in the world, and most of these areas occur in water‐limited landscapes. Despite many of these areas receiving intense or sustained disturbance from military training activities, the structure and function of ecosystems contained within their boundaries continue to provide critical benefits to people across spatial scales. The land owned and managed by the Department of Defense is subject to regulation across local, state, and federal governing bodies, constraining and shaping both how land management is conducted and how ecosystem services are prioritized. Here, we explored the supply of ecosystem services from military lands in dryland areas of the United States using key indicators of ecosystem services: biodiversity estimates derived from range maps, ecosystem productivity estimates from satellite observations, and spatially explicit, hierarchical ecosystem classifications. Additionally, we utilized content analysis of the environmental management plans of these areas to describe the unique set of demands and regulatory constraints on these areas. We found that the US military land estate in drylands contains many types of ecosystems and provides a large and diverse supply of ecosystem services, comparable to the sum of services from public lands in these areas. Additionally, the degree to which the ecosystem services concept is captured in environmental management plans is strongly shaped by the language of the governing legislation that mandated the use of environmental management plans in these areas, although these plans do not explicitly address land management using the concept of ecosystem services. Collectively, our findings suggest that military use and management of land represents an important source of ecosystem services, that military land use can be considered a cultural ecosystem service unto itself, and that top‐down regulation can affect how these services are identified and valued. Our work highlights the need for the research and conservation communities to quantify ecosystem services from individual military installations so that both services and biodiversity can be safeguarded in an era of military conflict across the globe.
Genomic Introgression in the Hybrid zones at the Margins of the Species' Range Between Ecologically Distinct Rubus Species
Authors: Mimura Makiko , Tang Zhenxing , Shigenobu Shuji , Yamaguchi Katsushi , Yahara Tetsukazu 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTPopulations in extreme environments at the margins of a species' range are often the most vulnerable to climate change, but they may also experience novel evolutionary processes, such as secondary contact and hybridization with their relatives. The range overlap resulting from secondary contact with related species that have adapted to different climatic zones may act as corridors for adaptive introgression. To test this hypothesis, we examined the hybrid zones along the altitude of two closely related Rubus species, one temperate and the other subtropical species, at their southern and northern limits on Yakushima Island, Japan. Genomic cline analysis revealed non‐neutral introgression throughout the genome in both directions in the two species. Some of these genomic regions involve gene ontology terms related to the regulation of several biological processes. Our niche modeling suggests that, assuming niche conservatism, the temperate species are likely to lose their suitable habitat, and the backcrossed hybrids with the subtropical species are already expanding upslope on the island. Adaptive introgression through the hybrid zone may contribute to the persistence and expansion of the species in the southernmost and northernmost populations.
What Determines the Probability of Discovering a Species? A Study of the Completeness of Bryophyte Inventories in Tianmushan National Nature Reserve (Zhejiang, China)
Authors: Yao Xue , Dai Zun , Wang Yiran , Zhang Jian , Wang Jian 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTKnowing the total number of species in a region has been a question of great interest motivated by the need to provide a reference point for current and future losses of biodiversity. Unfortunately, obtaining an accurate number is constrained by the fact that most species remain to be discovered, due to the imperfect detection of species in the field collection or because of temporal turnover in species composition. Here, to understand the inventory completeness at the local scale, we studied the temporal dynamics in the species richness and composition of bryophytes in Tianmushan National Nature Reserve. We used β‐diversity to measure the temporal variation and analyzed the species attributes of newly discovered species collected this time. Furthermore, we evaluated our sampling strategy to measure sampling effect and estimated the species that remain to be discovered. We found that total β‐diversity was largely driven by turnover. The analysis of species attributes showed that epiphytic species dominate the newly recorded species in both the narrow and wide elevational range species. Further, if only one of the methods was adopted, 26%–29% of the newly discovered species would be missed, and we inferred that there are likely are 185 bryophytes yet to be discovered. Our results indicate that when the same effort was made, an appropriate sampling methodology is crucial to accelerate newly recorded species discovery. Further, the results of our study highlight that species temporal turnover should be considered when assessing the completeness of species inventories at the local scale.
Family Associations in a Breeding Colony of Critically Endangered Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) in the Lowveld of South Africa
Authors: Le Roux Rynhardt , Thompson Lindy J. , van Vuuren Bettine Jansen , Willows‐Munro Sandi 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTNumbers of Critically Endangered Hooded Vultures (Necrosyrtes monachus Temminck 1823) are declining across their distribution. The range‐edge population in South Africa is one of the smallest populations with only 100–200 mature individuals. In South Africa, Hooded Vultures nest solitarily in loose colonies (mean distance between nests 0.76 km) along water courses. Basic ecological information, such as breeding behaviour, is still lacking for the species. In this study, we examine the relatedness and nest turnover of nesting individuals along the Olifants River and other locations in the Lowveld of South Africa by sampling nests over five consecutive years. A key hypothesis tested is whether communal roosting sites function as information‐sharing hubs, a phenomenon that has been seen in Cape Vultures (Gyps coprotheres) and other cliff‐nesting vultures. Theory suggests that information sharing occurs more frequently between closely related individuals. If true, we expect distance between nests and genetic relatedness to be positively correlated and individuals to use the same nests over multiple years. Naturally moulted feathers (n = 108) were collected below nests over five consecutive years, and 14 microsatellite loci markers were used to measure genetic relatedness. Mantel tests performed correlating distance between nests to relatedness coefficient estimators TrioML (r = 0.032, R2 = 0.001, p = 0.224) and LynchRD (r = 0.007, R2 = 0.00005, p = 0.403), found no statistical correlation. The Mantel test performed using Nei's genetic distance and distance between nests did show a negative correlation (r = −0.108, R2 = 0.0117, p‐value = 0.012), indicating that individuals that were more closely related tended to breed further away. No nest reuse was found in this study. We thus believe that these loose colonies do not act as food‐finding hubs, but rather that the Olifants River is an important breeding site for these birds.
Publication‐driven consistency in food web structures: Implications for comparative ecology
Authors: Brimacombe Chris , Bodner Korryn , Gravel Dominique , Leroux Shawn J. , Poisot Timothée , Fortin Marie‐Josée 
Published: November 2024

AbstractLarge collections of freely available food webs are commonly reused by researchers to infer how biological or environmental factors influence the structure of ecological communities. Although reusing food webs expands sample sizes for community analysis, this practice also has significant drawbacks. As food webs are meticulously crafted by researchers for their own specific research endeavors and resulting publications (i.e., books and scientific articles), the structure of these webs inherently reflects the unique methodologies and protocols of their source publications. Consequently, combining food webs sourced from different publications without accounting for discrepancies that influence network structure may be problematic. Here, we investigate the determinants of structure in freely available food webs sourced from different publications, examining potential disparities that could hinder their effective comparison. Specifically, we quantify structural similarity across 274 commonly reused webs sourced from 105 publications using a subgraph technique. Surprisingly, we found no increased structural similarity between webs from the same ecosystem nor webs built using similar network construction methodologies. Yet, webs sourced from the same publication were very structurally similar with this degree of similarity increasing over time. As webs sourced from the same publication are typically sampled, constructed, and/or exposed to similar biological and environmental factors, publications likely holistically drive their own webs' structure to be similar. Our findings demonstrate the large effect that publications have on the structure of their own webs, which stymies inference when comparing the structure of webs sourced from different publications. We conclude by proposing different approaches that may be useful for reducing these publication‐related structural issues.
Filling the Gap within 10‐Membered Heteroenediynes: Thiaenediyne – An Experimental and Theoretical Study
Authors: Danilkina Natalia A. , Khmelevskaya Ekaterina A. , Shtyrov Andrey A. , Ryazantsev Mikhail N. , Khlebnikov Alexander F. , Tupikina Elena Yu. , Rumyantsev Andrey M. , D'yachenko Alexander S. , Balova Irina A. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThe heteroatom nature in 10‐membered enediynes plays a crucial role in tuning of their reactivity in the Bergman cyclization, which is a decisive factor for the biological activity of enediynes. Although benzothiophene‐fused O‐ and N‐enediynes have been identified as promising biological objects, the corresponding thiaenediyne remains unknown. To fill this gap, we synthesized the thiaanalog and studied it in both practical and theoretical terms. While the Nicholas reaction has proven to be an effective cyclization technique for the preparation of heteroenediynes, in the case of thiaenediyne it was accompanied by an unusual acid‐promoted intramolecular cyclization, forming a thiepinium salt. The S‐enediyne has reduced reactivity in the Bergman cyclization relative to the N‐ and O‐enediynes, attributed to the diminished alkyne bending and extended cd‐distance. The NBO analysis of the entire series, namely the evaluation of πin/out(C2‐CC)→σ*(C−X) hyperconjugation, revealed that the S atom in S‐enediyne provides stronger stabilization of the initial compound than the N atom in N‐enediyne, while exhibiting the weakest stabilization of the Bergman cyclization transition state. NICS values were employed to examine the change in aromaticity along the Bergman cyclization coordinate. This approach, in conjunction with the NBO analysis, provides a foundation for further rational design of unnatural enediynes.
Synthesis, Structures, and Physical Properties of ExTTF Substituted with Aryl Groups through Sulfur Bridges and the Electron Transfers with C60
Authors: Ma Longfei , Wu Lingxi , Lu Xiaofeng 
Published: November 2024

AbstractExTTF derivatives (1–4) bearing aryl groups attached through sulfur bridges have been synthesized. The peripheral aryl groups have a certain influence on both the electronic and crystallographic properties of the exTTFs. Compounds 1–4 show two bands typical of exTTF derivatives near 360 and 430 nm. Compound 1 and 4 exhibit the characteristic electrochemical exTTF behavior, with one reversible two‐electron process ranging depending on their substitution the electron‐withdrawing ability. But 2 and 3 exhibit a similar single two‐electron oxidation wave but electrochemically irreversible redox with peak‐to‐peak potential separation. And 3 has a low redox potential, which is significantly inconsistent with the electron absorption of pyridine substituents. The crystal structures of 1–4 exhibit the characteristic butterfly shape. Moreover, the peripheral aryl groups exhibit multiple alignment modes with respect to the central exTTF core, caused by their rotation about the two C−S bonds of the sulfur bridges. Under the interaction of multiple molecules, exTTF shows different molecular packing structures. Compounds 1–4 have charge transfer with C60 due to their good electron‐donating ability, butterfly configuration, and free rotation of peripheral aryl groups. These results indicate that 1–4 organic electronic materials have potential applications in the field of supramolecular assembly.
Abating cationic dye in wastewater using natural coagulants
Authors: Varala Sayanasri , Kumari Alka , Buruga Kezia , Bhargava Suresh K. , Parthasarathy Rajarathinam 
Published: November 2024

AbstractNatural coagulants are a biodegradable and potential alternative to chemical coagulants. Cassia fistula seeds and Cactus opuntia f‐indica are employed herein to reduce the concentration of methylene blue dye in aqueous solutions. Maximum removal efficiency was obtained by optimizing the process parameters by the Taguchi method in the design of experiments (DOE). At optimum conditions, the removal efficiencies of C. fistula seeds and Cactus opuntia f‐indica were 98.27% and 92.75%, respectively. The adsorption kinetics data were fitted to pseudo‐first‐order, pseudo‐second‐order, Elovich, intra‐particle diffusion, and Boyd kinetic models. Accordingly, intra‐particle diffusion and pseudo‐second‐order kinetics suggested the coagulation process to be an adsorption process controlled by the solid‐phase sorption with intra‐particle diffusion as the rate‐limiting step. A comparative study was also conducted using alum to determine its effectiveness in reducing dye concentration. Results suggested biocoagulants are appropriate alternatives for reducing dye concentrations in wastewater and treating textile and dye industrial effluents.
IDHNet: Ultra‐Short‐Term Wind Power Forecasting With IVMD–DCInformer–HSSA Network
Authors: Li Wei , Gao Lu , Zhang Fei , Ren XiaoYing , Qin Ling 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTThe variability and unpredictability of wind power generation present significant challenges for grid management and planning. Enhancing the accuracy of wind power forecasting is crucial for improving the reliability of renewable energy systems. To enhance the accuracy of temporal wind power predictions, the IVMD–DCInformer–HSSA framework has been introduced. Initially, the original wind power data is decomposed into multiple intrinsic mode function (IMF) components using the improved variational mode decomposition (IVMD) technique. Subsequently, the Sparrow search algorithm (HSSA) is employed to optimize the parameters of the enhanced Informer deep neural network, which are then integrated into the improved Informer model. The predictions of each IMF component resulting from the IVMD decomposition are then combined to generate the final prediction outcome. The experimental results show that the R‐squared value of the proposed combined model is increased to 0.9903, and the accuracy is increased by 1%–3% compared with other models, which has a good prediction effect.
Impact of Deprivation and Preferential Usage on Functional Connectivity Between Early Visual Cortex and Category‐Selective Visual Regions
Authors: Fleming Leland L. , Defenderfer Matthew K. , Demirayak Pinar , Stewart Paul , Decarlo Dawn K. , Visscher Kristina M. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTHuman behavior can be remarkably shaped by experience, such as the removal of sensory input. Many studies of conditions such as stroke, limb amputation, and vision loss have examined how removal of input changes brain function. However, an important question yet to be answered is: when input is lost, does the brain change its connectivity to preferentially use some remaining inputs over others? In individuals with healthy vision, the central portion of the retina is preferentially used for everyday visual tasks, due to its ability to discriminate fine details. When central vision is lost in conditions like macular degeneration, peripheral vision must be relied upon for those everyday tasks, with some portions receiving “preferential” usage over others. Using resting‐state fMRI collected during total darkness, we examined how deprivation and preferential usage influence the intrinsic functional connectivity of sensory cortex by studying individuals with selective vision loss due to late stages of macular degeneration. Specifically, we examined functional connectivity between category‐selective visual areas and the cortical representation of three areas of the retina: the lesioned area, a preferentially used region of the intact retina, and a non‐preferentially used region. We found that cortical regions representing spared portions of the peripheral retina, regardless of whether they are preferentially used, exhibit plasticity of intrinsic functional connectivity in macular degeneration. Cortical representations of spared peripheral retinal locations showed stronger connectivity to MT, a region involved in processing motion. These results suggest that the long‐term loss of central vision can produce widespread effects throughout spared representations in early visual cortex, regardless of whether those representations are preferentially used. These findings support the idea that connections to visual cortex maintain the capacity for change well after critical periods of visual development.
Development and Preliminary Testing of the Staffordshire Questionnaire for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (SQ‐AIS): Content and Face Validity
Authors: Leone Enza , Chockalingam Nachiappan , Needham Robert , Healy Aoife , Eddison Nicola , Jevtic Nikola , Jasani Vinay 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTIntroductionAdolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is a structural spinal deformity with implications for health‐related quality of life (HR‐QoL). The Scoliosis Research Society‐22 revised (SRS‐22r) questionnaire is the standard for HR‐QoL assessment. However, studies have identified limitations with the SRS‐22r, including content and face validity issues, reliability concerns, and language appropriateness. This study aimed to develop and validate a patient‐reported questionnaire, the Staffordshire Questionnaire for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (SQ‐AIS), to assess the impact of AIS on HR‐QoL.MethodsThe SQ‐AIS comprises six domains: general health, pain, function/activity, self‐image/appearance, mental health, and intervention. Individuals with AIS aged 10–19 years and clinicians from a range of countries with expertise in AIS contributed to the testing process. Face validity and clinical applicability were assessed using Likert scales, while content validity was evaluated through a categorical binary variable (yes/no).ResultsInvolving 8 AIS patients and 43 clinicians, face validity scores demonstrated an acceptable level of understanding (≥ 4/5) for both individuals with AIS and clinicians. Most individuals with AIS (85.71%) and clinicians (80.95%) affirmed that the questionnaire sufficiently covers various aspects of scoliosis, indicating a satisfactory level of content validity. Ratings for applicability to clinical practice indicated an acceptable level of practical relevance (≥ 4/5).Discussion and ConclusionThe SQ‐AIS emerges as a valid and promising tool to overcome existing challenges in AIS‐related outcome assessment. Pending further validation studies, the favorable reception from the international community of clinicians suggests its potential as a new benchmark for evaluating AIS impact on HR‐QoL and monitoring scoliosis management.