bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bacterial community function increases leaf growth in a pitcher plant experimental system
Authors: Bernardin Jessica R. , Young Erica B. , Gray Sarah M. , Bittleston Leonora S. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Across diverse ecosystems, bacteria and their hosts engage in complex relationships having negative, neutral, or positive interactions. However, the specific effects of leaf-associated bacterial community functions on plant growth are poorly understood. Although microbes can promote plant growth through various biochemical mechanisms, investigating the community’s functional contributions to plant growth remains to be explored. To address this gap, we characterized the relationships between bacterial community function and host plant growth in the purple pitcher plant (
Sarracenia purpurea
). The main aim of our research was to investigate how different bacterial community functions affect the growth and nutrient content in the plant. Previous research has suggested that microbial communities aid in prey decomposition and subsequent nutrient acquisition in carnivorous plants, including
S. purpurea
. However, the specific functional roles of bacterial communities in plant growth and nutrient uptake are not well known. In this study, sterile, freshly opened pitchers were inoculated with three functionally distinct, pre-assembled bacterial communities. Bacterial community composition and function were measured over 8 weeks using physiological assays, metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics. Distinct community functions affected plant traits; a bacterial community enriched in decomposition was associated with larger leaves with almost double the biomass of control pitchers. Physiological differences in bacterial communities were supported by metatranscriptomics; for example, the bacterial community with the highest chitinase activity had greater expression of transcripts associated with chitinase enzymes. The relationship between bacterial community function and plant growth observed here indicates potential mechanisms, such as chitinase activity, for host-associated bacterial functions to support pitcher plant growth.

IMPORTANCE
This study addresses a gap in understanding the relationships between bacterial community function and plant growth. We inoculated sterile, freshly opened pitcher plant leaves with three functionally distinct bacterial communities to uncover potential mechanisms through which bacterial functions support plant health and growth. Our findings demonstrate that distinct community functions significantly influence plant traits, with some bacterial communities supporting more plant growth than in control pitchers. These results highlight the ecological roles of microbial communities in plants and thus ecosystems and suggest that nutrient cycling is an important pathway through which microbes support host plant health. This research provides valuable insights into plant-microbe interactions and the effects of diverse microbial community functions.
Overflying nilpotent horizons
Authors: Figueroa José , Giribet Gaston , Neira-Gallegos Anibal , Oliva Julio , Oyarzo Marcelo 
Published: November 2024

AbstractWe study solutions of Einstein equations with negative cosmological constant in five dimensions that describe black holes whose event horizons are homogeneous, anisotropic spaces. We focus on the case where the constant-time slices of the horizon are the Nil geometry, the Thurston geometry associated to the Heisenberg group. For such spaces, we analyze the symmetries both in the asymptotic region and in the near horizon region. We compute the associated conserved charges, which turn out to be finite and admit a sensible physical interpretation. We analyze the thermodynamics of the Nil black hole, and we present a stationary spinning generalization of it in the slowly rotating approximation.
The geodesic structure of BPS one-branes in five dimensions
Authors: Dabash Tahia F , Emam Moataz H 
Published: November 2024

AbstractIn this paper, we continue previous work where one-brane spacetimes coupled to the $${\mathcal {N}}=2$$

N
=
2

ungauged five dimensional hypermultiplets were found. We explore their symmetries as well as study their full geodesic structure. The one-branes are characterized by a coupling constant that distinguishes the behavior of the geodesics from smooth and causally connected in the positive case to singular and repulsive in the negative case.
Nonlinear effects in quantum field theory: Applications of the Pochhammer–Chree equation
Authors: Khater Mostafa M. A. 
Published: November 2024

This study aims to solve the nonlinear Pochhammer–Chree ([Formula: see text]) equation to understand its physical implications and establish connections with other nonlinear evolution equations, particularly in plasma dynamics. By using the Khater II ([Formula: see text]hat. II) method for analytical solutions and validating these solutions numerically with the variational iteration method, this study offers a detailed understanding of the equation’s behavior. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of these methods in accurately modeling the system, highlighting the importance of combining analytical and numerical approaches for reliable solutions. This research significantly advances the field of nonlinear dynamics, especially in plasma physics, by employing multidisciplinary methods to tackle complex physical processes. Moreover, the [Formula: see text] equation is relevant in various physical contexts beyond plasma dynamics such as optical and quantum fields. In optics, it models the propagation of nonlinear waves in fiber optics, where similar nonlinear evolution equations describe wave interactions. In quantum field theory, the [Formula: see text] equation helps in understanding the behavior of quantum particles and fields under nonlinear effects, making it a versatile tool for studying complex phenomena across different domains of physics.
Association Between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Pancreatic Cancer in a Retrospective Case‐Control Study
Authors: Chung Pei-Ying , Liao Kuan-Fu , Kuo Yu-Hung , Lai Shih-Wei 
Published: November 2024

Objective: To assess the association between polycystic ovary syndrome and pancreatic cancer in Taiwan.Methods: We used the 2013–2020 claims data of Taiwan National Health Insurance Program. A case‐control study was performed, including female subjects 20 years or older with and without pancreatic cancer. Cases comprised female subjects diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, identified based on diagnosis codes. Controls were selected from female subjects without pancreatic cancer and matched to cases on age and comorbidities. Polycystic ovary syndrome was identified through diagnosis codes. A conditional logistic regression model was used to assess the association between polycystic ovary syndrome and pancreatic cancer, with results presented as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).Results: This case‐control study included 12,466 cases with pancreatic cancer and 49,864 matched controls. The proportions of polycystic ovary syndrome were 2.6% among cases with pancreatic cancer and 1.4% among controls without pancreatic cancer (p < 0.001). After controlling for confounding factors, the conditional logistical regression model revealed a statistically significant association between polycystic ovary syndrome and pancreatic cancer, with an OR of 1.38 (95% CI = 1.21–1.59, p < 0.001).Conclusion: This case‐control study reveals that there is a statistically significant association between polycystic ovary syndrome and pancreatic cancer. More studies are needed to provide robust evidence.
Hyperthermic Intrathoracic Chemotherapy Modulates the Immune Microenvironment of Pleural Mesothelioma and Improves the Impact of Dual Immune Checkpoint Inhibition
Authors: Hao Yameng , Gkasti Aspasia , Managh Amy J. , Dagher Julien , Sifis Alexandros , Tiron Luca , Chriqui Louis-Emmanuel , Marie Damien N. , De Souza Silva Olga , Christodoulou Michel , Peters Solange , Joyce Johanna A. , Krueger Thorsten , Gonzalez Michel , Abdelnour-Berchtold Etienne , Sempoux Christine , Clerc Daniel , Teixeira-Farinha Hugo , Hübner Martin , Meylan Etienne , Dyson Paul J. , Cavin Sabrina , Perentes Jean Y. 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Pleural mesothelioma is a fatal disease with limited treatment options. Recently, pleural mesothelioma management has improved with the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). In first-line therapy, dual PD-1 and CTLA-4 blockade enhances tumor control and patient survival compared with chemotherapy. Unfortunately, only a fraction of patients is responsive to immunotherapy, and approaches to reshape the tumor immune microenvironment and make ICIs more effective are urgently required. In this study, we evaluated the effect of hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITOC), a treatment that combines fever-range hyperthermia with local intrapleural cisplatin chemotherapy, on the tumor immune microenvironment and response to ICIs. To do this, we developed a murine pleural mesothelioma model of HITOC. We found that HITOC significantly improved tumor control and animal survival through a mechanism involving the development of a cytotoxic immune response. Additionally, HITOC enhanced immune checkpoint expression by T lymphocytes and synergized with dual PD-1 and CTLA-4 inhibition, leading to further improvement in animal survival. Finally, the analysis of peritoneal mesothelioma patient samples treated by pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy revealed a similar immunomodulation. In conclusion, HITOC remodels the tumor immune microenvironment of pleural mesothelioma by promoting T-cell infiltration into the tumor and could be considered in combination with ICIs in the context of a clinical trial.
Association Between Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Risks of Early and Recurrent Admissions Among Patients With Newly Diagnosed Heart Failure
Authors: Dhingra Radha , Xu Hanzhang , Hammill Bradley G. , Lynch Scott M. , West Jessica S. , Green Michael D. , Peterson Eric D. , Curtis Lesley H. , Dupre Matthew E. 
Published: November 2024

BACKGROUND:
Socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with greater risks of hospital readmission and mortality among patients with heart failure (HF). However, it is less clear whether socioeconomic disadvantage has an immediate and lasting impact on the risk of admissions after the diagnosis of HF.

METHODS:
We used electronic health record data of patients aged 65 years and older with newly diagnosed HF between January 2015 and July 2018 in the Duke University Health System, with up to 8 years of follow-up. We assessed the association between neighborhood-level disadvantage, measured by the area deprivation index (lower, moderate, or higher) and hospital admissions within 30, 90, and 180 days after HF diagnosis using multivariable logistic regression models. We also assessed the risk of recurrent admissions over follow-up using Prentice, Williams, and Peterson models with total time.

RESULTS:

In our cohort of 5889 patients (mean [SD] age, 75 (6) years; 51% women; 67% non-Hispanic White), 71% of patients had at least one admission, and ≈50% of patients died over a median follow-up of 5.6 years. Unadjusted models showed that patients residing in higher disadvantaged neighborhoods had incrementally increasing risks for admissions within 30 days (odds ratio [OR], 1.17 [95% CI, 0.99–1.38]), 90 days (OR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.03–1.35]), and 180 days (OR, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.08–1.40]) after diagnosis compared with patients in lower disadvantaged areas. These risks were no longer significant after adjusting for patients’ clinical and nonclinical characteristics at 30 days (OR, 1.09 [95% CI, 0.90–1.31]), 90 days (OR, 1.07 [95% CI, 0.92–1.25]), and 180 days (OR, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.96–1.27]). However, patients living in higher disadvantaged areas had significantly greater risks of recurrent admissions over follow-up (hazard ratio, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.05–1.16];
P
<0.001) compared with patients in lower disadvantaged areas.

CONCLUSIONS:
Our findings suggest that patients with HF residing in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage are at higher risk for recurrent admissions and thus should be considered for targeted intervention strategies.
Home Blood Pressure Measurements Are Not Performed According to Guidelines and Standardized Education Is Urgently Needed
Authors: Clapham Eleanor , Picone Dean S. , Carmichael Samuel , Stergiou George S. , Campbell Norm R.C. , Stevens John , Batt Carol , Schutte Aletta E. , Chapman Niamh 
Published: November 2024

BACKGROUND:
Patient education is needed to perform home blood pressure measurement (HBPM) according to blood pressure (BP) guidelines. It is not known how BP is measured at home and what education is provided, which was the aim of the study.

METHODS:
Mixed-methods study among Australian adults who perform HBPM (June to December 2023). Participants completed a 30-item online survey on whether they followed guideline recommendations and the education they received for HBPM. Phone interviews were conducted among a purposive sample to further explore survey topics.

RESULTS:
Participants (n=350) were middle-aged (58±16 years; 54% women), and most (n=250, 71%) had hypertension. Guideline recommendations for HBPM were not always followed by survey participants. Most participants measured BP seated (n=316, 90%) with the cuff fitted to a bare arm (n=269, 77%). Only 15% measured BP in the morning and evening (n=54) and 26% averaged the BP readings over 7 days (n=90). Interview participants (n=34) described measuring BP at “different times of the day after doing different things.” One-third of participants (n=112, 37%) received education for HBPM, which interview participants described as vague verbal instructions from health care practitioners. Participants who received education did not perform high-quality HBPM. Participants who did not receive education mimicked BP measurement methods of health care practitioners, “I do it the way I’ve seen them do it.”

CONCLUSIONS:
HBPM is not performed according to guideline recommendations, and adults who received ad hoc education did not perform high-quality HBPM. These findings highlight a need for effective education to support HBPM for clinical decision-making.
Patterns and predictors of orbitofrontal sulcogyral morphology in a nonclinical population
Authors: Patti Marisa A. , Beiler Donielle , Snyder Will , Kozick Shane , Troiani Vanessa 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Less common orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) sucogyral patterns are observed at higher rates among those witth psychopathology. Previous work has assumed demographic characteristics have no influence on OFC sulcogyral patterns. However, the influence of sociodemographic and health-related characteristics on OFC patterns within a neurotypical population has not been formally evaluated. We used structural brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from a cohort from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) with existing OFC sulcogyral characterizations (n = 238); none of the participants had psychiatric diagnoses. We evaluated distributions of participant demographics (i.e., age), socioeconomic factors (i.e., employment), and health history-related factors (i.e., smoking history) by OFC sulcogyral pattern within each hemisphere. We then used logistic regression to estimate the odds of OFC sulcogyral pattern by participant characteristics. Distributions of study sample characteristics did not vary substantially by OFC sulcogyral pattern type within either hemisphere. Findings from logistic regression analyses suggest no association between OFC sulcogyral pattern and any of the demographic or socioeconomic characteristics. Two health history-related characteristics, body mass index (BMI) and smoking history, were associated with increased odds of having specific OFC pattern types. For example, individuals with obesity had 2.65 increased odds (95% CI: 1.17, 6.65) of having OFC sulcogyral pattern Type II, III, or IV, compared with Type I in the left hemisphere with normal BMIs. We did not observe substantial influence of demographic or socioeconomic characteristics on OFC sulcogyral patterns. These results confirm assumptions made in previous work that demographic and socioeconomic characteristics do not seem to impact OFC patterns. We do show some evidence for an influence of health history-related factors (obesity and smoking history); future work should evaluate whether these and other phenotypic risk factors interact to modify the relationship between psychiatric diagnoses and OFC sulcogyral patterns.
Approximation of bone mineral density and subcutaneous adiposity using T1-weighted images of the human head
Authors: Kalc Polona , Hoffstaedter Felix , Luders Eileen , Gaser Christian , Dahnke Robert 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Bones and brain are intricately connected and scientific interest in their interaction is growing. This has become particularly evident in the framework of clinical applications for various medical conditions, such as obesity and osteoporosis. The adverse effects of obesity on brain health have long been recognised, but few brain imaging studies provide sophisticated body composition measures. Here, we propose to extract the following bone- and adiposity-related measures from T1-weighted MR images of the head: an approximation of skull bone mineral density (BMD), skull bone thickness, and two approximations of subcutaneous fat (i.e., the intensity and thickness of soft non-brain head tissue). The reliability and validity of these four distinct measures were tested in two large-scale databases, the UK Biobank and OASIS-3. The measures pertaining to skull BMD, skull bone thickness, and intensity-based adiposity proxy proved to be reliable (ICC = .95/.83/.66, p &lt; .001) and valid, with high correlations to DXA-derived head BMD values (rho = .70, p &lt; .001) and MRI-derived abdominal subcutaneous adipose volume (rho = .62, p &lt; .001). Thickness-based adiposity proxy had only a low retest reliability (ICC = .53, p &lt; .001). The outcomes of this study constitute an important step towards extracting relevant non-brain features from available brain scans.
When the brain says “No!”: An MRI study on the neural correlates of resistance to immoral orders
Authors: Tricoche L. , Rovai A. , Caspar Emilie 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Milgram’s studies explored psychological and contextual factors influencing (dis)obedience to immoral orders, but the mechanisms preventing individuals from being coerced into causing pain to others remained largely unknown. Our fMRI study investigated the neural correlates of disobedience to such orders, focusing on three phases of the decision-making process: order processing (predecision), action (decision), and outcome and effect processing (postdecision). Within these phases we targeted three sociocognitive (cognitive conflict, sense of agency—SoA, and theory of mind—ToM) and two socioaffective (empathy and guilt) processes. Our findings revealed that participants who engaged the angular gyrus and temporoparietal junction, particularly in the left hemisphere, as well as median prefrontal areas before obeying the command to send a shock—possibly to mitigate cognitive conflict between self and other and to enhance their SoA—were more likely to disobey the experimenter’s instructions to administer a shock to a victim. Additionally, we found involvement of social brain regions during the postdecision phase (encompassing ToM, empathy, and guilt areas), especially in response to shock events, to process the victim’s pain. Higher activity in these regions when obeying orders was associated with a higher rate of prosocial disobedience. This study sheds light on the mechanisms that lead individuals to resist immoral actions under authoritative pressure in an experimental context.
Bilateral Economies of Scope
Authors: Li Yao Amber , Xu Sichuang , Yeaple Stephen R. , Zhao Tengyu 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
International transactions are costly because they require investments in logistics, contracts, and the acquisition of local institutional knowledge. We posit that a portion of the fixed cost of entering a specific export market can be used toward covering the cost of acquiring imported inputs from that same market, and vice versa. Using dis-aggregated transactions data for Chinese firms from 2000 to 2015, we document firm-level trading patterns suggesting such bilateral economies of scope. Through a structural model, we estimate that the simultaneous export and import in a given country reduce export and import fixed costs by around 42 and 35 percent, respectively.
Tracking and Fault-Tolerant Controller Design for Uncertain Steer-by-Wire Systems Using Model Predictive Control
Authors: Zhang Han , Jiang Wentao , Zhao Wanzhong , Li Yuanhao 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThis study presents a tracking and fault-tolerant controller architecture for uncertain steer-by-wire (SbW) systems using model predictive control in the presence of actuator malfunction and the nonlinear properties of tire lateral stiffness coefficients. By changing the internal model, the model predictive control (MPC) technique was used to achieve optimal tracking performance under the actuator output limitation variation problem and uncertain system parameters. System parameters and state estimates were simultaneously provided by the fault detection and isolation modules to detect actuator failure using the coupling estimation approach. The estimation accuracy was further improved by considering the replacement errors as virtual noise, which was also estimated during the estimation process. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed fault-tolerant control technique can identify motor faults and conduct fault-tolerant control based on fault identification, showing good front-wheel steering angle tracking performance under both normal and fault conditions.
Genome-wide association study identifies key quantitative trait loci (QTL) for fruit morphometric traits in avocado (Persea spp.)
Authors: Li Jin , Eltaher Shamseldeen , Freeman Barbie , Singh Sukhwinder , Ali Gul Shad 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Background
Avocado, a fruit crop renowned for its high nutritional value, has seen a steadily increasing market demand. However, breeding efforts for avocados have lagged those for other commercial fruits due to limited genomic research and germplasm resources. To address this shortfall, a genome-wide association study was conducted on 122 avocado accessions from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Subtropical Horticultural Research Station (SHRS) germplasm collection. The study aimed to identify genetic markers and regions associated with various morphometric traits in avocado fruits, including fruit weight, length, width, diameter, seed weight, seed length, seed width, fruit seed ratio (FSR), and fruit shape index (FSI).

Results
Leveraging 4,226 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers obtained from genotyping arrays, fifteen markers were identified with strong associations with these traits, utilizing Bayesian-information and Linkage-disequilibrium Iteratively Nested Keyway (BLINK) and Fixed and random model Circulating Probability Unification (FarmCPU) models. Gene annotation analyses within a 200-kb window in the vicinity of significant SNPs revealed several genes associated with various metabolic pathways suggesting that some of them likely determine these fruit quality traits, which needs to be verified and validated. Our results, which were conducted at one location, provide directions for conducting future studies using high-resolution genotyping and long-term multi-year and multi-location trait evaluations for precisely identifying the causal SNP(s) and genes associated with these traits.

Conclusions
These markers reported in this manuscript provide valuable tools for applying marker-assisted selection (MAS) in avocado breeding programs aimed at enhancing fruit quality and value.