bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Too hot to handle? The impact of the 2023 marine heatwave on Florida Keys coral
Authors: Neely Karen L. , Nowicki Robert J. , Dobler Michelle A. , Chaparro Arelys A. , Miller Samantha M. , Toth Kathryn A. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe marine heatwave in the summer of 2023 was the most severe on record for Florida’s Coral Reef, with unprecedented water temperatures and cumulative thermal stress precipitating near 100% coral bleaching levels. An existing SCTLD coral fate-tracking program assessed over 4200 coral colonies across five offshore and four inshore reef sites approximately every two months, allowing for analyses of bleaching-related mortality and diseases during and after the marine heatwave. Across the vast majority of assessed corals, including multiple sites and species, there was no partial or full mortality as a result of the 2023 bleaching event. The two sites that did experience substantial bleaching-related mortality were those experiencing the highest levels of cumulative thermal stress. However, the substantial acute mortality at one of them occurred at relatively low levels of cumulative stress, suggesting death was the result of exceeding thermal maxima. At the two sites with notable mortality, 43% and 24% of all monitored corals died, but mortality varied among species. Brain corals fared worse than boulder corals, withPseudodiploria strigosathe most heavily impacted species. The health status of corals before the bleaching event had little impact on whether they experienced disease or bleaching-related mortality during the event. At three sites, we observed unusual lesions onOrbicella faveolatacolonies shortly after color returned to the corals; the lesions were only observed for a few months but on some colonies led to substantial tissue loss. Though not part of the coral monitoring program, we also observed substantial losses and local extinctions of Acroporid corals at most sites, as well as probable local extinctions of octocorals at three of the four inshore reefs. Though most reef-building corals came through the 2023 event with no mortality, continually rising temperatures are likely to make these temperature regimes more common and widespread. We encourage future research on what the unusualO. faveolatalesions are, and why the brain and boulder corals fared differently at highly-impacted sites. Our results also provide perspective on how restoration strategies, particularly those focused on species likely to die under current and future climate regimes, should consider shifting focus to species likely to survive. Finally, these results highlight the importance of this type of monitoring, with a focus on fate-tracking individuals through disturbance events, including a large number of individuals of multiple species across a geographic range and multiple habitats.
Single-cell immune survey identifies a novel pathogenic role for T cells in anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis
Authors: Kwok Andrew J. , Soleimani Babak , Sun Bo , Fower Andrew , Makuch Mateusz , Johnson Thomas , Knight Julian C. , Ko Ho , Lennox Belinda , Irani Sarosh , Handunnetthi Lahiru 
Published: September 2024

AbstractWe performed single-cell RNA and immune receptor repertoire sequencing of an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis (NMDARE) patient in relapse and remission states, as well as an autoimmune psychosis (AP) patient with anti-NMDAR antibodies. We leveraged publicly available cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) single-cell sequencing data from other neurological disorders to contextualise our findings. Results highlight a key role for T-cells in NMDARE pathogenesis with clonal expansion of both cytotoxic CD4+ and CD8+ effector memory cells in CSF. We further identified interferon responsive B-cells in the CSF during the acute phase of NMDARE and a higher proportion of mononuclear phagocytes in the CSF of AP. Collectively, our work sheds light into the immunobiology of anti-NMDAR antibody-mediated disease.
Mature larvae continue calling at night inVespa mandariniafrom laboratory observations
Authors: Fujioka Haruna , Saga Tatsuya 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTAnimals produce and perceive vibroacoustic signals.Vespahornet larvae produce a rhythmic ‘rasping’ sound by rubbing their mandibles against the cell wall of the nest. The call is thought to be a larval provisioning cue. However, detailed observations of larval calls have been limited to a few species, and it is not known whether the call can be influenced by the external environment, such as light and time of day, or by internal larval states, such as feeding. We conducted laboratory observations of larval calls under workerless conditions to investigate the effects of 1) larval stage, 2) daily variation, 3) light conditions, and 4) feeding treatment.Vespa mandarinialarvae produce sounds regardless of their situation, such as position, light condition, time of day, and worker absence. During mastication, the larvae stopped calling. A key finding of this research is the novel discovery that larvae produce sounds at night, which is a previously undocumented behaviour.
The size-weight illusion and beyond: a new model of perceived weight
Authors: Pisu Veronica , Graf Erich W. , Adams Wendy J. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractIn the size-weight illusion (SWI), the smaller of two same-weight, same apparent material objects is perceived as heavier. The SWI has proved difficult to explain via traditional Bayesian models, which predict the opposite effect: expected weight from size (smaller = lighter) should be integrated with felt weight, such that the smaller object should be perceptually lighter. Other authors have proposed that weight and density are combined according to Bayesian principles, or that Bayesian models incorporating efficient coding can predict the SWI via ‘likelihood repulsion’. These models, however, have been evaluated only under the narrow conditions of typical SWI stimuli. Here we establish a general model of perceived weight for pairs of objects that differ in weight and / or density and / or size by varying amounts. In a visuo-haptic task, participants (N = 30) grasped and lifted pairs of cubes, and reported their perceived heaviness. We report that the SWI occurs even at very small density differences, repudiating the idea that the illusion requires a significant conflict between expected and felt weight. Across all object pairs, perceived weight was well explained by a model (R2= .98) that includes a positive influence of both objects’ weights and the judged object’s density, but a negative influence of the other object’s density. Critically, the influence of both densities on perceived weight is strongly modulated by weight difference, being three times as large for zero / small weight differences than large differences. Thus, it is only under the unusual conditions of typical SWI studies that we confuse weight with density to a substantial extent. Unlike existing models, that are inconsistent with our more comprehensive dataset, our model provides a quantitative, accurate and generalised account of weight perception for pairs of objects across various weight and size conditions.Author summaryKnowing how heavy an object is allows us to grasp and lift it efficiently and without mishaps. Surprisingly, humans make systematic errors when judging the weight of objects of different size. For example, when two objects differ in size but have identical weight, the smaller object feels heavier. This is the ‘size-weight illusion’. The illusion is strong and reliable and occurs even when we know that the two objects actually have the same weight. The size-weight illusion demonstrates that the human perceptual system doesn’t work like a weighing scale, but instead takes into account other object features such as size or density, alongside weight. In this paper, we present a model that allows us to predict perceived weight in the size-weight illusion and across a wide range of objects of different weight / size / density, where previous models have failed.
Cancer Cell Removing Using a Reinforcement Learning Agent
Authors: Mousavi Fard Ali 
Published: September 2024

AbstractCancer cell is a deadly problem which is the main cause of global death. Unfortunately, the conventional therapies like chemo/radio therapy are not viable ways to remove all of the cancer cells. Although Robotic achievements have been increased in cancer therapy, these devices do not have the decision-making ability to grasp their environment like biologists. In this paper, a cancer cell removing method based on Artificial Intelligence techniques is introduced. The proposed idea adopts a combination of object detection and reinforcement model in order to detect the cancer cells and take some actions to remove them. To implement this idea, YOLOv9 is trained on a cancer cell image dataset to detect and segment the cancer cell and create a set point for RL model then in the next step, Soft Actor Critic (SAC) is considered as a RL model to grasp the desired environment and take some appropriate actions to reach the target. The experimental result of this model shows that the proposed model can be adopted in different cancer therapy robots like micro/wireless soft robots to boost their performance in terms of their decision-making ability.
Extinction potential from invasive alien species
Authors: Philippe-Lesaffre Martin , Arbieu Ugo , Bang Alok , Camacho Morelia , Cuthbert Ross N. , Genovesi Piero , Kumschick Sabrina , Pili Arman , Seebens Hanno , Wang Shengyu , Latombe Guillaume 
Published: September 2024

AbstractBiological invasions pose significant threats to biodiversity, while impacting ecosystem services, human health, and cultural heritage. Despite these far-ranging effects, their impacts are generally underappreciated by both the public and policymakers, resulting in insufficient management and inadequate conservation outcomes. Recognizing the gap in effective quantitative measurement tools, we introduce the Extinction Potential Metric (EPM) and its derivative, EPM for Unique species (EPM-U; adjusted for phylogenetic uniqueness) to quantify the ecological damage caused by invasive alien species (IAS). These metrics estimate the number of current and projected extinct species within a 50-year horizon under a business-as-usual scenario due to specific IAS.We applied EPM and EPM-U to assess threats to native terrestrial vertebrates from IAS, examining impacts on 2178 amphibians, 920 birds, 865 reptiles, and 473 mammals. The analysis identified that damage mostly stems from a limited number of IAS, notably two pathogenic fungi affecting amphibians (up to 380 equivalent extinct species) and primarily cats (139 equivalent extinct species) and rats (50 equivalent extinct species) impacting other groups, through mechanisms such as predation, disease, and reduced reproductive success in birds.The proposed metrics not only provide a standardised measure of ecological impacts but are sufficiently versatile to be tailored for specific spatial and temporal scales or taxonomic groups. Furthermore, EPM could serve as a model for developing unified indicators to monitor global biodiversity targets, such as those defined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), by assessing the ecological effects of various individual and combined anthropogenic stresses. Also, EPM and EPM-U could support the enforcement of Target 6 of the GBF, by establishing lists of IAS requiring urgent prevention and control. Thus, EPM and EPM-U offer critical tools for improving the management of biological invasions and enhancing global conservation strategies.
Improved method for detecting protein-protein interactions using proximity ligation assay
Authors: Tower Zach , Chang Hao 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTProximity ligation assay has been widely used to detect protein-protein interaction in cells and tissues. While with great sensitivity, its specificity was often neglected. Here, we report the existence of varying levels of false positives observed with this assay and provide suggestions to minimize false positives for more accurate detection of protein-protein interactions, especially for membrane proteins.
Climate change worry and the association with future depression and anxiety: cross-national analysis of 11 European countries
Authors: Collery A. , Niedzwiedz C.L. 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDClimate change is one of the biggest threats to global health and can affect people’s mental health directly and indirectly. This study focused on the implications of climate change worry for mental health.OBJECTIVETo determine the association between climate change worry and future risk of depression, anxiety and sleep disturbance across 11 European countries.METHODSThe study included 5,155 participants in the European Social Survey-10 (2020-22), which assessed climate change worry and subsequent follow-up CROss-National Online Survey 2 (CRONOS-2) wave 4, which measured symptoms of depression and anxiety (2022). Overall relationships between climate change worry and risk of depression, anxiety and sleep disturbance were explored using logistic regression models adjusting for potential confounders, then stratified by country.FINDINGSClimate change worry was associated with increased risk of anxiety (OR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.13-1.68), but not depression (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.94-1.29) or sleep disturbance (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.92-1.27), in pooled analyses across countries. When stratified by country, climate worry had differing associations with the outcomes, with the strongest relationships between climate worry and anxiety found in Slovenia and Italy.CONCLUSIONSClimate change worry may contribute to clinically significant anxiety in some countries, but less so for depression and sleep disturbance.CLINICAL IMPLICATIONSStrategies to cope with climate change anxiety are needed as it does not align with traditional mental health models. Further research is needed to design and evaluate interventions and policies to support mental health in the context of climate change.What is already known on this topicClimate anxiety is a growing concern as the implications of climate change become more evident. Few studies have assessed how climate worry is related to mental health problems and research in this area is limited by methodological concerns, such as non-representative samples and cross-sectional studies.What this study addsLevels of climate-related worry vary across Europe, with the highest levels observed in Portugal, Austria and Slovenia, and lowest in Sweden, Iceland and Italy. Overall, climate worry was associated with future risk of clinical levels of anxiety, but not depression or sleep problems. In stratified analyses, the strongest associations were found for anxiety in Slovenia and Italy.How this study might affect research, practice or policyThe mental health implications of climate change should be considered in both health and climate policies. Further research is required to assess country and regional-level factors which may affect the relationship between climate worry and mental health and potential causal effects investigated.
Determinants of self-treatment with antimalarials in Ndola district, Zambia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Susiku Namasiku Grace , Jacobs Choolwe , Zgambo Jessy , Kaonga Patrick , Sitali Lungowe 
Published: September 2024

AbstractAntimalarial drug resistance has been an obstacle in the fight against malaria over the years. Antimalarial self-medication is one of the factors associated with antimalarial resistance, and is on the rise globally and has become quite common among developing populations. Self-medication is when individuals choose and use medications to treat symptoms they perceive or diagnose themselves, without the guidance of a healthcare professional. This study aimed at investigating prevalence and determinants of antimalarial drug self-medication among adults in Ndola district, Zambia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among adults in Ndola district, Zambia in June 2023. Using multistage cluster sampling, 446 participants were randomly selected and interviewed through a mobile-based structured questionnaire administered by the researchers using Kobo collect/kobo toolbox. The head of household was the primary participant. Data was then exported to Microsoft Excel, cleaned and coded, and thereafter exported to STATA version 16.1 for analysis. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis was used to test associations between categorical variables and to estimate the odds of antimalarial drug self-medication associated with the explanatory variables. The prevalence of antimalarial drug self-medication was 20% in this study population and the factors significantly associated were; moderate to mild illness, bad experience with hospital care, lack of knowledge about antimalarial drug resistance, and the perception that antimalarial drug self-medication was not risky. The finding that antimalarial self-medication was common in this study population is suggestive of a poor state of the health-care delivery system possibly due to inadequate manpower, stock out of drugs in health facilities, and lack of awareness about the risks of self-medication. This further suggests that there is great need for regulatory authorities to strengthen drug regulations and update the list of over-the-counter and essential medicines to ensure the safety of public health. In addition, authorities should repackage malaria sensitization messages to strongly highlight the risks of antimalarial drug self-medication.
Mating strategy explains sex-biased infections in an emerging fungal disease
Authors: Kailing Macy J. , Hoyt Joseph R. , White J. Paul , Redell Jennifer A. , Kaarakka Heather M. , Langwig Kate E. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractMating dynamics can govern species impacts from rapid global change by influencing population rates of growth and adaptation, as well as individual traits that affect mortality risks from novel pressures.Here, we examined sex differences in mating phenology ofMyotis lucifugusto understand how reproductive strategies contribute to disease impacts as the mating season coincides with exposure to a lethal fungal pathogen,Pseudogymnoascus destructans. We expected differences in activity among sexes to modify seasonal disease dynamics asP. destructanscan replicate only at the cool temperatures at which bats hibernate.We used passive antenna systems installed at the entrances of hibernacula and PIT tags to characterize activity patterns of bats impacted by white-nose syndrome. We also measured pathogen loads on bats during autumn mating and early hibernation to assess how infection severity changed according to host phenology.We found that females spent fewer days active during autumn, arrived after males, and were primarily active on the warmest nights. Males remained highly active throughout the mating period and later in autumn than females. Importantly, these differences in mating phenology corresponded to more severe infections in females during early hibernation as male activity, and thus warm body temperatures, inhibit pathogen growth.Differences in activity between sexes and in the transition from swarm to hibernation likely reflects males maximizing their mating opportunities while females conserve energy to meet the cost of spring migration and reproduction. More broadly, our results show how mating phenology can contribute to sex-biased impacts of a novel disease and highlight the value of understanding species’ mating systems to anticipate the impacts of environmental change.
Wnt5a and Notum Influence the Temporal Dynamics of Cartilaginous Mesenchymal Condensations in Developing Trachea
Authors: Bottasso-Arias Natalia , Mohanakrishnan Megha , Trovillion Sarah , Burra Kaulini , Russell Nicholas X. , Wu Yixin , Xu Yan , Sinner Debora 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTThe trachea is essential for proper airflow to the lungs for gas exchange. Frequent congenital tracheal malformations affect the cartilage, causing the collapse of the central airway during the respiratory cycle. We have shown that Notum, a Wnt ligand de-acylase that attenuates the canonical branch of the Wnt signaling pathway, is necessary for cartilaginous mesenchymal condensations. In Notum deficient tracheas, chondrogenesis is delayed, and the tracheal lumen is narrowed. It is unknown if Notum attenuates non-canonical Wnt signaling. We observed premature tracheal chondrogenesis after mesenchymal deletion of the non-canonical Wnt5a ligand. We hypothesize that Notum and Wnt5a are required to mediate the timely formation of mesenchymal condensations, giving rise to the tracheal cartilage. Ex vivo culture of tracheal tissue shows that chemical inhibition of the Wnt non-canonical pathway promotes earlier condensations, while Notum inhibition presents delayed condensations. Furthermore, non- canonical Wnt induction prevents the formation of cartilaginous mesenchymal condensations. On the other hand, cell-cell interactions among chondroblasts increase in the absence of mesenchymal Wnt5a. By performing an unbiased analysis of the gene expression in Wnt5a and Notum deficient tracheas, we detect that by E11.5, mRNA of genes essential for chondrogenesis and extracellular matrix formation are upregulated in Wnt5a mutants. The expression profile supports the premature and delayed chondrogenesis observed in Wnt5a and Notum deficient tracheas, respectively. We conclude that Notum and Wnt5a are necessary for proper tracheal cartilage patterning by coordinating timely chondrogenesis. Thus, these studies shed light on molecular mechanisms underlying congenital anomalies of the trachea.
The Enhanced Activation of Innate Immunity inDrosophilaS2 Cells byMicrococcus luteusis Mediated by Relish
Authors: Kachaev Zaur M. , Ghassah Mona , Musabirov Anton A. , Shaposhnikov Alexander V. , Toropygin Ilya Y. , Polunina Yulia A. , Stepanov Nikita G. , Chmykhalo Victor K. , Shidlovskii Yulii V. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe IMD and Toll signaling pathways inDrosophila melanogastermediate the innate immune responses to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi, respectively. Here we studied the involvement of the NF-κB transcription factor Relish, which is a mediator of the IMD pathway, in the humoral immune response to the Gram-positive bacteriaMicrococcus luteusandBacillus subtilisand the entomopathogenic fungusMetarhizium anisopliae, usingD. melanogasterS2 cells as a model. Activation of Relish proteolysis was observed after S2 cell treatment with the control Gram-negative bacteriumEscherichia coli. We found thatM. luteushad also a noticeable effect on Relish activation, whileB. subtilisandM. anisopliaeeffects were modest. Activation patterns of the genes encoding predominantly the IMD-pathway-dependent antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs), as well as the levels of Relish recruitment to the promoters of the genes, were found to be very similar in S2 cells treated withE. coliorM. luteusbut were lower and differed in the case ofB. subtilisandM. anisopliae.A Relish knockdown (KD) decreased the induction levels observed for all AMP and some PGRP genes in response toM. luteustreatment and the induction levels observed for several AMP genes afterM. anisopliaeandB. subtilisexposures. Therefore, our findings suggest that Relish plays a critical role in inducing the humoral immune response inDrosophilaS2 cells, contributing primarily to the response againstM. luteusand, to a lesser extent, to the responses againstB. subtilisandM. anisopliae.