bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Amyloid beta 1‐40 and 1‐42 fibril ratios and maturation level cause conformational differences with minimal impact on autophagy and cytotoxicity
Authors: Johansson Lovisa , Sandberg Alexander , Nyström Sofie , Hammarström Per , Hallbeck Martin 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe amyloid β (Aβ) peptide has a central role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. The peptide length can vary between 37 and 49 amino acids, with Aβ1‐42 being considered the most disease‐related length. However, Aβ1‐40 is also found in Aβ plaques and has shown to form intertwined fibrils with Aβ1‐42. The peptides have previously also shown to form different fibril conformations, proposed to be related to disease phenotype. To conduct more representative in vitro experiments, it is vital to uncover the impact of different fibril conformations on neurons. Hence, we fibrillized different Aβ1‐40:42 ratios in concentrations of 100:0, 90:10, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 10:90 and 0:100 for either 24 h (early fibrils) or 7 days (aged fibrils). These were then characterized based on fibril width, LCO‐staining and antibody‐staining. We further challenged differentiated neuronal‐like SH‐SY5Y human cells with the different fibrils and measured Aβ content, cytotoxicity and autophagy function at three different time‐points: 3, 24, and 72 h. Our results revealed that both Aβ1‐40:42 ratio and fibril maturation affect conformation of fibrils. We further show the impact of these conformation changes on the affinity to commonly used Aβ antibodies, primarily affecting Aβ1‐40 rich aggregates. In addition, we demonstrate uptake of the aggregates by neuronally differentiated human cells, where aggregates with higher Aβ1‐42 ratios generally caused higher cellular levels of Aβ. These differences in Aβ abundance did not cause changes in cytotoxicity nor in autophagy activation. Our results show the importance to consider conformational differences of Aβ fibrils, as this can have fundamental impact on Aβ antibody detection. Overall, these insights underline the need for further exploration of the impact of conformationally different fibrils and the need to reliably produce disease relevant Aβ aggregates.image
Abiotic stressors in poultry production: A comprehensive review
Authors: Ncho Chris Major , Berdos Janine I. , Gupta Vaishali , Rahman Attaur , Mekonnen Kefala Taye , Bakhsh Allah 
Published: August 2024

AbstractIn modern animal husbandry, stress can be viewed as an automatic response triggered by exposure to adverse environmental conditions. This response can range from mild discomfort to severe consequences, including mortality. The poultry industry, which significantly contributes to human nutrition, is not exempt from this issue. Although genetic selection has been employed for several decades to enhance production output, it has also resulted in poor stress resilience. Stress is manifested through a series of physiological reactions, such as the identification of the stressful stimulus, activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal medulla, and subsequent hormonal cascades. While brief periods of stress can be tolerated, prolonged exposure can have more severe consequences. For instance, extreme fluctuations in environmental temperature can lead to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, impairment of reproductive performance, and reduced immunity. In addition, excessive noise in poultry slaughterhouses has been linked to altered bird behaviour and decreased production efficiency. Mechanical vibrations have also been shown to negatively impact the meat quality of broilers during transport as well as the egg quality and hatchability in hatcheries. Lastly, egg production is heavily influenced by light intensity and regimens, and inadequate light management can result in deficiencies, including visual anomalies, skeletal deformities, and circulatory problems. Although there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the impact of environmental stressors on poultry physiology, there is a disproportionate representation of stressors in research. Recent studies have been focused on chronic heat stress, reflecting the current interest of the scientific community in climate change. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the major abiotic stressors in poultry production and elucidate their underlying mechanisms, addressing the need for a more comprehensive understanding of stress in diverse environmental contexts.
An Approach to Assessing the Impact of Hurricane Matthew on Meiofaunal Communities in Sandy Beach Environments
Authors: Giraldo Daniel , Lagos Ana Milena , Quiroga Sigmer Y. , Leon M. Victoria , Colorado Angie 
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACTHurricanes are natural periodic events that disrupt marine ecosystems along their path, altering the distribution and abundance of organisms. In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew struck the Santa Marta region (Colombia) and impacted its coastal zone, yet there have been insufficient studies to measure its effects. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of Hurricane Matthew on the meiofaunal community in the region. To achieve this, sediment samples were collected from the intertidal zone of three beaches 5 days after the hurricane had passed. The results were compared with previous data collected in October 2014, on the abundance and diversity of taxonomic groups of intertidal meiofauna, as well as physicochemical variables such as granulometry, organic matter in sediments, salinity, and water temperature. Following Hurricane Matthew, the physicochemical variables showed changes due to the effect of the cyclonic surge in the coastal zone. The average organism abundance not only experienced a decline in both abundance and richness but also underwent changes in composition. Nematoda, originally the fourth most abundant group in 2014, became the most dominant taxon post‐hurricane. Conversely, the relative abundance of Copepoda decreased. The total number of recorded taxa was 13, which is close to the 15 previously reported. The ANOSIM and PERMANOVA tests confirmed differences in the meiofaunal community before and after Hurricane Matthew, with Tardigrada, Cnidaria, Ostracoda and Mollusca, being the main groups that contributed the most to the dissimilarity between periods. The environmental variables of organic matter and temperature best explained the structure of the meiofaunal community after the natural phenomenon. This study highlights the importance of meiofauna as a monitoring tool for beaches and the effects of environmental disturbances such as hurricanes, which are expected to become more common in coastal areas due to climate change.
Evidence‐based review and frontiers of migraine therapy
Authors: Greene Kaitlin A. , Gelfand Amy A. , Larry Charleston  
Published: August 2024

AbstractBackgroundCyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is identified as one of the “episodic syndromes that may be associated with migraine,” along with benign paroxysmal torticollis, benign paroxysmal vertigo, and abdominal migraine. It has been proposed that CVS and migraine may share pathophysiologic mechanisms of hypothalamic activation and altered dopaminergic signaling, and impaired sensorimotor intrinsic connectivity. The past decade has brought groundbreaking advances in the treatment of migraine and other headache disorders. While many of these therapies have yet to be studied in episodic syndromes associated with migraine including CVS and abdominal migraine, the potential shared pathophysiology among these conditions suggests that use of migraine‐specific treatments may have a beneficial role even in those for whom headache is not the primary symptom.PurposeThis manuscript highlights newer therapies in migraine. Calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) and its relation to migraine pathophysiology and the therapies that target the CGRP pathway, as well as a 5HT1F receptor agonist and neuromodulation devices used to treat migraine are briefly discussed as they may potentially prove to be useful in the future treatment of CVS.
Effect of ageing on attended visual stimuli in the presence of cognitive mental load
Authors: Mahjoob Monireh , Anderson Andrew J. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractPurposeThis study was designed to compare the effects of mental load, caused by concurrent auditory tasks, on attended and non‐attended visual stimuli in older and younger adults.MethodsParticipants performed a visual orientation discrimination task involving two spatially separated Gabor patches of 4 cycles/degree and 55% contrast. Participants received either a valid‐cue, invalid‐cue or a neutral‐cue for the patch whose orientation they were required to determine. An auditory n‐back task was performed simultaneously to impose mental load. Repeated‐measures ANOVA was used for investigation of main effects and interactions of ageing, mental load and attention condition on orientation discrimination.ResultsA total of 27 younger (mean age ± SD, 22.6 ± 1.3 years) and 23 older adults (54.7 ± 4.3 years) participated in the study. There was a significant effect of age (p = 0.01) and mental load (p < 0.001) on the proportion of correct orientation discrimination responses. Attentional condition significantly affected the proportion of correct responses (p = 0.02), but there was no significant interaction between attention, mental load and age group (p = 0.85). There was no overall difference in the proportion of no responses (the proportion of trials in which the participants failed to respond) between the two age groups (p = 0.53) nor on the overall effect of attention on the proportion of no responses (p = 0.25). There was, however, a significant effect of mental load on the proportion of no responses (p = 0.002).ConclusionAlthough mental load reduced performance equally for both age groups and for all attentional conditions, older adults had poorer overall performance. Therefore, a given mental load is more likely to drive older observers to unacceptable levels of task performance.
How to give a spider a heart attack: Evaluating cardiac stress reactions of Trichonephila and Argiope spiders
Authors: Davis Andrew K. , Vu Christina 
Published: August 2024

AbstractAll animal species, from arthropods to vertebrates, must deal with occasional stressors in their lives, though most research on this has been focused on vertebrates. Meanwhile, our understanding of stress reactions in arthropod species like spiders is nascent. In the United States, a non‐native orb‐weaving spider, Trichonephila clavata (‘jorō’ spider), is spreading as is its already‐established cousin in the United States, T. clavipes (golden silk spider). Prior study has revealed how these two species have a unique behavioural reaction to physical stressors, whereby they remain in a thanatosis state for a prolonged period compared with other species. Here, we investigate the physiological stress reactions of these Trichonephila spiders by evaluating how each species' dorsal vessel contractions (heart rates) become elevated after being subjected to a non‐lethal stressor. For comparison, we also evaluate two similarly‐sized orb weavers, Argiope aurantia (garden spider) and A. trifasciata (banded garden spider). We record baseline heart rates of inactive, resting, spiders in our lab, then restrain them under an electronic, ‘optocardiographic’, sensor for 10 min, to record their ‘stressed’ heart rates. Argiope aurantia has a pronounced heart rate elevation, for reasons unknown. We observe that all spider heart rates increase during restraint, though each has a species‐specific pattern of elevation over time under restraint. Notably, heart rates of both Trichonephila spiders are less variable under stress, since they tend not to struggle during restraint. Meanwhile, both Argiope spiders frequently struggle, leading to marked fluctuations in cardiac output. The stress reactions of Trichonephila spiders could be characterized as ‘even‐tempered’, which may factor into their ability to live in habitats with frequent disturbances.
Moral equality and social hierarchy
Authors: van Wietmarschen Han 
Published: August 2024

AbstractSocial egalitarianism holds that justice requires that people relate to one another as equals. To explain the content of this requirement, social egalitarians often appeal to the moral equality of persons. This leads to two very different interpretations of social egalitarianism. The first involves the specification of a conception of the moral equality of persons that is distinctive of the social egalitarian view. Social (or relational) egalitarianism can then claim that for people to relate as equals is for the relations between them to conform to this conception of their moral equality. I will argue against this type of view. Instead, I will argue that social egalitarianism should propose a distinctive conception of social equality as a purely sociological phenomenon. I will show how this conception allows us to formulate the types of normative claims social egalitarianism should make. On this picture, social egalitarianism, instead of identifying social hierarchy as a distinctive kind of wrong, makes standard normative claims about a distinctive kind of social phenomenon.
Inferior spikelet filling is affected by T6P/SnRK1‐mediated NSC remobilization in large‐panicle rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Lin Yan , Xia Yongqing , Hu Yuxiang , Wang Ziteng , Ding Yanfeng , Chen Lin 
Published: August 2024

AbstractPoor grain filling in inferior spikelets (IS), which is influenced by the remobilization of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) stored in the sheath and internode of rice plants, limits the expected high yield of large‐panicle rice. NSC remobilization from the sheath to the panicle is regulated by the T6P/SnRK1 pathway. However, in large‐panicle rice, it is unclear whether IS grain filling is related to the NSC remobilization mediated by T6P/SnRK1 signaling. In this study, two large‐panicle cultivars—W1844 and CJ03—with distinct differences in IS grain filling were used to explore the physiological mechanism mediating IS development. Compared to W1844, CJ03 IS showed lower expression of the genes related to sucrose uploading, later sucrose peaking, and delayed starch accumulation. In the CJ03, low OsSUTs expression and NSC output, transport rate, and contribution rate were detected in the sheaths and internodes. These results suggest that poor NSC remobilization results in insufficient assimilate supply for the IS, and consequently, poor IS grain filling. Furthermore, poor NSC remobilization coincided with the increased T6P content and decreased SnRK1 activity during grain filling in CJ03 IS. The expression levels of genes related to T6P metabolism and those encoding the catalytic subunit of SnRK1 were consistent with the observed T6P content and SnRK1 activity in the sheaths and internodes. Therefore, IS grain filling is potentially affected by T6P/SnRK1 signaling‐mediated NSC remobilization in large‐panicle rice.
OsUVR8b, rather than OsUVR8a, plays a predominant role in rice UVR8‐mediated UV‐B response
Authors: Chen Yu‐long , Zhong You‐bin , Leung David W. M. , Yan Xiao‐Yu , Ouyang Meng‐ni , Ye Yu‐zhen , Li Shi‐mei , Peng Xin‐xiang , Liu E‐e 
Published: August 2024

AbstractUV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 (UVR8) has been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana as the receptor mediating responses to UV‐B radiation. However, UVR8‐mediated UV‐B signaling pathways in rice, which possesses two proteins (UVR8a and UVR8b) with high identities to AtUVR8, remain largely unknown. Here, UVR8a/b were found to be predominantly expressed in rice leaves and leaf sheaths, while the levels of UVR8b transcript and UVR8b protein were both higher than those of UVR8a. Compared to wild‐type (WT) plants, uvr8b and uvr8a uvr8b rice mutants exposed to UV‐B showed reduced UV‐B‐induced growth inhibition and upregulation of CHS and HY5 transcripts alongside UV‐B acclimation. However, uvr8a mutant was similar to WT plants and exhibited changes comparable with WT. Overexpressing OsUVR8a/b enhanced UV‐B‐induced growth inhibition and acclimation to UV‐B. UV‐B was able to enhance the interaction between E3 ubiquitin ligase OsCOP1 and OsUVR8a/b, whereas the interaction of the homologous protein of Arabidopsis REPRESSOR OF UV‐B PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS2 (AtRUP2) in rice with OsUVR8a/b was independent of UV‐B. Additionally, OsUVR8a/b proteins were also found in the nucleus and cytoplasm even in the absence of UV‐B. The abundance of OsUVR8 monomer showed an invisible change in the leaves of rice seedlings transferred from white light to that supplemented with UV‐B, even though UV‐B was able to weaken the interactions between OsUVR8a and OsUVR8b homo and heterodimers. Therefore, both OsUVR8a and OsUVR8b, which have different localization and response patterns compared with AtUVR8, function in the response of rice to UV‐B radiation, whereas OsUVR8b plays a predominant role in this process.
Measuring climate change perception in China using mental images: A nationwide open‐ended survey
Authors: Yang Jianxun , He Wei , Xia Ziqian , Wu Kehan , Fang Wen , Ma Zongwei , Liu Miaomiao , Bi Jun 
Published: August 2024

AbstractCurrent knowledge about public climate change perception mainly covers belief, concern, and attitudes. However, how this discourse is interpreted using individuals’ own frame of reference remains largely unknown, particularly in many large emitters from non‐Annex I countries such as China. This study, for the first time, performs a nationwide open‐ended survey covering 4,037 respondents and collected 12,100 textual answers. Using a semiautomated coding method, we find seven mental images that exclusively represent the Chinese interpretation of the climate change issue, including global warming, distant icons, natural disasters, environmental degradation, cause, solution, and weather. Analysis of influencing factors shows that females, those with lower education levels, lower income, and older individuals tend to connect climate change with natural weather phenomena. Younger and well‐educated residents in developed cities are more aware of various consequences and anthropogenic causes of climate change. People with stronger climate change beliefs, policy support, and personal experience of extreme weather are more likely to mention disastrous impacts, carbon emission as causes, and potential solutions. Employing the multilevel regression and post‐stratification technique, we map the prevalence of mental images in China at the prefecture‐city level. The results reveal significant geographical heterogeneity, with estimated national means ranging from a high of 55% (weather) to a low of 11% (solution). Our findings reveal diverse perspectives and a widespread misconception of climate change in China, suggesting the need for tailored clarification strategies to gain public consent.
Media representation of ethnic minorities in Pakistani newspapers
Authors: Habes Mohammed , Elareshi Mokhtar , Ali Sana 
Published: August 2024

AbstractPakistani is a diverse society, and media are vital in highlighting their identity, presence, and contributions. Newspapers play a pivotal role in shaping perceptions of ethnic minorities, highlighting the need for impartial and responsible journalism. This study examines the role of newspapers in this context, focusing on the portrayal of ethnic minorities through a content analysis of 84 news articles from leading Pakistani Urdu‐language newspapers (Daily Jang, Daily Express and Daily Khabrain) to scrutinise the portrayal of ethnic minorities. The study aims to uncover the patterns and themes in the portrayal of these communities. Findings reveal that patterns in coverage allocation, with Christians dominating news coverage compared to other religious groups. The portrayal of non‐Muslim groups is predominantly positive, yet the articles featured anti‐Ahmadi content, reflecting complexity. The findings emphasise the well‐being of minorities, showcasing a positive trend. The news articles accentuated the positive contributions of non‐Muslims, and a significant majority (85.7%) covered religious events of minority groups. Positive representation aligns with societal discourse acknowledging diverse contributions and cultural expressions. Critical inquiry is prompted by editorial decisions, journalistic priorities, and societal dynamics shaping media narratives.
NtMYB27 acts downstream of NtBES1 to modulate flavonoids accumulation in response to UV‐B radiation in tobacco
Authors: Wang Zhong , Luo Zhaopeng , Li Zefeng , Liu Pingping , He Shun , Yu Shizhou , Zhao Huina , Yang Jinchu , Zhang Zhan , Cao Peijian , Jin Shuangxia , Yang Yongfeng , Yang Jun 
Published: August 2024

SUMMARYUV‐B radiation can induce the accumulation of many secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, in plants to protect them from oxidative damage. BRI1‐EMS‐SUPPRESSOR1 (BES1) has been shown to mediate the biosynthesis of flavonoids in response to UV‐B. However, the detailed mechanism by which it acts still needs to be further elucidated. Here, we revealed that UV‐B significantly inhibited the transcription of multiple transcription factor genes in tobacco, including NtMYB27, which was subsequently shown to be a repressor of flavonoids synthesis in tobacco. We further demonstrated that NtBES1 directly binds to the E‐box motifs present in the promoter of NtMYB27 to mediate its transcriptional repression upon UV‐B exposure. The UV‐B‐repressed NtMYB27 could bind to the ACCT‐containing element (ACE) in the promoters of Nt4CL and NtCHS and served as a modulator that promoted the biosynthesis of lignin and chlorogenic acid (CGA) but inhibited the accumulation of flavonoids in tobacco. The expression of NtMYB27 was also significantly repressed by heat stress, suggesting its putative roles in regulating heat‐induced flavonoids accumulation. Taken together, our results revealed the role of NtBES1 and NtMYB27 in regulating the synthesis of flavonoids during the plant response to UV‐B radiation in tobacco.
Treatment of moderate‐to‐severe canine atopic dermatitis with modified‐release mycophenolate (OKV‐1001): A pilot open‐label, single‐arm multicentric clinical trial
Authors: Klotsman Michael , Anderson Wayne H. , Wyatt Danielle , Lewis Tom , Theus Natalie , Santoro Domenico 
Published: August 2024

AbstractBackgroundMycophenolate is an immunomodulating agent successfully used for the treatment of moderate‐to‐severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in people. Mycophenolate is an effective steroid‐sparing treatment option for use in dogs with inflammatory skin diseases.ObjectiveTo evaluate whether once‐daily modified‐release mycophenolate (OKV‐1001) is safe and effective for treating moderate‐to‐severe canine AD.AnimalsClient‐owned atopic dogs (n = 9) were enrolled.Materials and MethodsIn an open‐label multicentre pilot study, OKV‐1001 (30 mg/kg every 24 h) was given orally for ≤84 days. Concomitant tapering doses of glucocorticoids were administered up to Day (D)28. Clinicians assessed Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index, 4th iteration (CADESI‐04) on D0, D14, D28, D56 and D84. Body weight and clinical pathological parameters were measured at baseline and at the end of the study.ResultsTreatment with OKV‐1001 combined with glucocorticoids significantly reduced the severity of AD within two weeks in seven of nine (77.8%) dogs. The mean percentage change from baseline in the CADESI‐04 score was 29% (p = 0.009) at D14 (n = 9), 39% (p = 0.008) at D28 (n = 9) and 49% (p = 0.03) at D56 (n = 7) at which point glucocorticoids had been withdrawn. In two dogs the improvement in CADESI‐04 was 62% and 23% (respectively) on D84. No significant adverse events including clinical pathological findings were reported.Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceModified‐release mycophenolate (OKV‐1001) may represent a promising alternative treatment option for dogs with moderate‐to‐severe AD. The safety and efficacy profile of OKV‐1001 will need to be established in larger, placebo‐controlled clinical trials.