bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nigral ATP13A2 depletion induces Parkinson’s disease-related neurodegeneration in a pilot study in non-human primates
Authors: Sikora Joanna , Dovero Sandra , Kinet Rémi , Arotcarena Marie-Laure , Bohic Sylvain , Bezard Erwan , Fernagut Pierre-Olivier , Dehay Benjamin 
Published: August 2024

AbstractLysosomal impairment is strongly implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Among the several PD-linked genes, the ATP13A2 gene, associated with the PARK9 locus, encodes a transmembrane lysosomal P5-type ATPase. Mutations in the ATP13A2 gene were primarily identified as the cause of Kufor-Rakeb syndrome (KRS), a juvenile-onset form of PD. Subsequently, an increasing list of several mutations has been described. These mutations result in truncation of the ATP13A2 protein, leading to a loss of function but surprisingly causing heterogeneity and variability in the clinical symptoms associated with different brain pathologies. In vitro studies show that its loss compromises lysosomal function, contributing to cell death. To understand the role of ATP13A2 dysfunction in disease, we disrupted its expression through a viral vector-based approach in nonhuman primates. Here, in this pilot study, we injected bilaterally into the substantia nigra of macaques, a lentiviral vector expressing an ATP13A2 small hairpin RNA. Animals were terminated five months later, and brains were harvested and compared with historical non-injected control brains to evaluate cerebral pathological markers known to be affected in KRS and PD. We characterised the pattern of dopaminergic loss in the striatum and the substantia nigra, the regional distribution of α-synuclein immunoreactivity in several brain structures, and its pathological status (i.e., S129 phosphorylation), the accumulation of heavy metals in nigral sections and occurrence of lysosomal dysfunction. This proof-of-concept experiment highlights the potential value of lentivirus-mediated ATP13A2 silencing to induce significant and ongoing degeneration in the nigrostriatal pathway, α-synuclein pathology, and iron accumulation in nonhuman primates.
Modulation of naïve mesenchymal stromal cells by extracellular vesicles derived from insulin-producing cells: an in vitro study
Authors: Gabr Mahmoud M. , El-Halawani Sawsan M. , Refaie Ayman F. , Khater Sherry M. , Ismail Amani M. , Karras Mary S. , Magar Raghda W. , Sayed Shorouk El , Kloc Malgorzata , Uosef Ahmed , Sabek Omaima M. , Ghoneim Mohamed A. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThis study was to determine whether extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from insulin-producing cells (IPCs) can modulate naïve mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to become insulin-secreting. MSCs were isolated from human adipose tissue. The cells were then differentiated to generate IPCs by achemical-based induction protocol. EVs were retrieved from the conditioned media of undifferentiated (naïve) MSCs (uneducated EVs) and from that of MSC-derived IPCs (educated EVs) by sequential ultracentrifugation. The obtained EVs were co-cultured with naïve MSCs.The cocultured cells were evaluated by immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, C-peptide nanogold silver-enhanced immunostaining, relative gene expression and their response to a glucose challenge.Immunostaining for naïve MSCs cocultured with educated EVs was positive for insulin, C-peptide, and GAD65. By flow cytometry, the median percentages of insulin-andC-peptide-positive cells were 16.1% and 14.2% respectively. C-peptide nanogoldimmunostaining providedevidence for the intrinsic synthesis of C-peptide. These cells released increasing amounts of insulin and C-peptide in response to increasing glucose concentrations. Gene expression of relevant pancreatic endocrine genes, except for insulin, was modest. In contrast, the results of naïve MSCs co-cultured with uneducated exosomes were negative for insulin, C-peptide, and GAD65. These findings suggest that this approach may overcome the limitations of cell therapy.
The interaction of genetics and physical activity in the pathogenesis of metabolic dysfunction associated liver disease
Authors: Frostdahl Hanna , Ahmad Nouman , Hammar Ulf , Mora Andrés Martínez , Langner Taro , Fall Tove , Kullberg Joel , Ahlström Håkan , Brooke Hannah L. , Ahmad Shafqat 
Published: August 2024

AbstractGenetic variants associated with increased liver fat and volume have been reported, but whether physical activity (PA) can attenuate the impact of genetic susceptibility to these traits is poorly understood. We aimed to investigate whether higher PA modify genetic impact on liver-related traits in the UK Biobank cohort. PA was self-reported, while magnetic resonance images were used to estimate liver fat (n = 27,243) and liver volume (n = 24,752). Metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease (MASLD) and chronic liver disease (CLD) were diagnosed using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Ten liver fat and eleven liver volume-associated genetic variants were selected and unweighted genetic-risk scores for liver fat (GRSLF) and liver volume (GRSLV) were computed. Linear regression analyses were performed to explore interactions between GRSLF/ GRSLV and PA in relation to liver-related traits. Association between GRSLF and liver fat was not different among lower (β = 0.063, 95% CI 0.041–0.084) versus higher PA individuals (β = 0.065, 95% CI 0.054–0.077, pinteraction = 0.62). The association between the GRSLV and liver volume was not different across different PA groups (pinteraction = 0.71). Similarly, PA did not modify the effect of GRSLF and GRSLV on MASLD or CLD. Our findings show that physical activity and genetic susceptibility to liver-related phenotypes seem to act independently, benefiting all individuals regardless of genetic risk.
The role of thickness on the structural and luminescence properties of Y2O3:Ho3+, Yb3+ upconversion films
Authors: Makumbane Vhahangwele , Kroon Robin E. , Yagoub Mubarak Y. A. , Erasmus Lucas J. B. , Coetsee E. , Swart Hendrik C. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe structural, surface, and upconversion (UC) luminescence properties of Y2O3:Ho3+,Yb3+ films grown by pulsed laser deposition, for different numbers of laser pulses, were studied. The crystallinity, surface, and UC luminescence properties of the thin films were found to be highly dependent on the number of laser pulses. The X-ray powder diffraction analysis revealed that Y2O3:Ho3+,Yb3+ films were formed in a cubic structure phase with an Ia $$\overline{3 }$$

3
¯

space group. The thicknesses of the films were estimated by using cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy, depth profiles using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the Swanepoel method. The high-resolution XPS was used to determine the chemical composition and oxidation states of the prepared films. The UC emissions were observed at 538, 550, 666, and 756 nm, assigned to the 5F4 → 5I8, 5S2 → 5I8, 5F5 → 5I8, and 5S2 → 5I7 transitions of the Ho3+ ions. The power dependence measurements confirmed the involvement of a two-photon process in the UC process. The color purity estimated from the Commission International de I’Eclairage coordinates confirmed strong green UC emission. The results suggested that the Y2O3:Ho3+,Yb3+ UC transparent films are good candidates for various applications, including solar cell applications.
Compact inertial sensors for measuring external disturbances of physics experiments
Authors: Carter Jonathan J. , Birckigt Pascal , Gerberding Oliver , Koehlenbeck Sina M. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractCompact, high-precision inertial sensors are needed in the control schemes of many modern physics experiments to isolate them from disturbances caused by seismic motion. We present an inertial sensor whose mechanical oscillator fits on a one-inch diameter optic. The oscillators achieve a mechanical Quality factor of a fundamental oscillation mode of 600,000 and a resonance frequency of 50 Hz, giving them a suspension thermal noise floor lower than all commercially available inertial sensors. The motion of this fundamental mode is suitable to encode inertial motion into the sensor readout. The oscillator is combined with an optical resonator readout scheme that achieves a displacement noise of 100 fm/$$\sqrt{\text{Hz}}$$

Hz

above 0.2 Hz. We validate the sensors’ noise floor using a huddle test. Below 20 Hz, the sensor offers comparable performance to the best inertial sensors available today while being a fraction of the size. Above 20 Hz, the sensor is, to the author’s knowledge, the best demonstrated in the literature to date for such a sensor, with a self-noise floor of 0.1 ng/$$\sqrt{\text{Hz}}$$

Hz

. The excellent performance of the sensors across seismically relevant frequencies, vacuum compatibility, and compact size make it a prime candidate for integration into sophisticated seismic isolation schemes, such as those used by gravitational wave detectors.
Engineering a GPCR-based yeast biosensor for a highly sensitive melatonin detection from fermented beverages
Authors: Bisquert Ricardo , Guillén Alba , Muñiz-Calvo Sara , Guillamón José M. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractMelatonin is a multifunctional molecule with diverse biological roles that holds great value as a health-promoting bioactive molecule in any food product and yeast’s ability to produce it has been extensively demonstrated in the last decade. However, its quantification presents costly analytical challenges due to the usual low concentrations found as the result of yeast metabolism. This study addresses these analytical challenges by optimizing a yeast biosensor based on G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) for melatonin detection and quantitation. Strategic genetic modifications were employed to significantly enhance its sensitivity and fluorescent signal output, making it suitable for detection of yeast-produced melatonin. The optimized biosensor demonstrated significantly improved sensitivity and fluorescence, enabling the screening of 101 yeast strains and the detection of melatonin in various wine samples. This biosensor’s efficacy in quantifying melatonin in yeast growth media underscores its utility in exploring melatonin production dynamics and potential applications in functional food development. This study provides a new analytical approach that allows a rapid and cost-effective melatonin analysis to reach deeper insights into the bioactivity of melatonin in fermented products and its implications for human health. These findings highlight the broader potential of biosensor technology in streamlining analytical processes in fermentation science.
Correcting directional dark field x-ray imaging artefacts using position dependent image deblurring and attenuation removal
Authors: Croughan Michelle K. , Paganin David M. , Alloo Samantha J. , Ahlers Jannis N. , How Ying Ying , Harker Stephanie A. , Morgan Kaye S. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractIn recent years, a novel x-ray imaging modality has emerged that reveals unresolved sample microstructure via a “dark-field image”, which provides complementary information to conventional “bright-field” images, such as attenuation and phase-contrast modalities. This x-ray dark-field signal is produced by unresolved microstructures scattering the x-ray beam resulting in localised image blur. Dark-field retrieval techniques extract this blur to reconstruct a dark-field image. Unfortunately, the presence of non-dark-field blur such as source-size blur or the detector point-spread-function can affect the dark-field retrieval as they also blur the experimental image. In addition, dark-field images can be degraded by the artefacts induced by large intensity gradients from attenuation and propagation-based phase contrast, particularly around sample edges. By measuring any non-dark-field blurring across the image plane and removing it from experimental images, as well as removing attenuation and propagation-based phase contrast, we show that a directional dark-field image can be retrieved with fewer artefacts and more consistent quantitative measures. We present the details of these corrections and provide “before and after” directional dark-field images of samples imaged at a synchrotron source. This paper utilises single-grid directional dark-field imaging, but these corrections have the potential to be broadly applied to other x-ray imaging techniques.
The role of general cognitive skills in integrating visual and linguistic information during sentence comprehension: individual differences across the lifespan
Authors: Hintz Florian , Voeten Cesko C. , Dobó Dorottya , Lukics Krisztina Sára , Lukács Ágnes 
Published: August 2024

AbstractIndividuals exhibit massive variability in general cognitive skills that affect language processing. This variability is partly developmental. Here, we recruited a large sample of participants (N = 487), ranging from 9 to 90 years of age, and examined the involvement of nonverbal processing speed (assessed using visual and auditory reaction time tasks) and working memory (assessed using forward and backward Digit Span tasks) in a visual world task. Participants saw two objects on the screen and heard a sentence that referred to one of them. In half of the sentences, the target object could be predicted based on verb-selectional restrictions. We observed evidence for anticipatory processing on predictable compared to non-predictable trials. Visual and auditory processing speed had main effects on sentence comprehension and facilitated predictive processing, as evidenced by an interaction. We observed only weak evidence for the involvement of working memory in predictive sentence comprehension. Age had a nonlinear main effect (younger adults responded faster than children and older adults), but it did not differentially modulate predictive and non-predictive processing, nor did it modulate the involvement of processing speed and working memory. Our results contribute to delineating the cognitive skills that are involved in language-vision interactions.
Designing athermal disordered solids with automatic differentiation
Authors: Zu Mengjie , Goodrich Carl P. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe ability to control forces between sub-micron-scale building blocks offers significant potential for designing new materials through self-assembly. Traditionally, this involves identifying a crystal structure with a desired property and then designing building-block interactions so that it assembles spontaneously. However, this paradigm fails for structurally disordered solids, which lack a well-defined structure. Here, we show that disordered solids can still be treated from an inverse self-assembly perspective by bypassing structure and directly targeting material properties. Using the Poisson’s ratio as a primary example, we demonstrate how differentiable programming links interaction parameters with emergent behavior, enabling iterative training to achieve the desired Poisson’s ratio. We also tune other properties, including pressure and local 8-fold structural order, and can even control multiple properties simultaneously. This robust, transferable, and scalable approach can handle a wide variety of systems and properties, demonstrating the utility of disordered solids as a practical avenue for self-assembly platforms.
Garden design can reduce wildfire risk and drive more sustainable co-existence with wildfire
Authors: Ondei Stefania , Price Owen F. , Bowman David M.J.S. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractDestructive wildfire disasters are escalating globally, challenging existing fire management paradigms. The establishment of defensible space around homes in wildland and rural urban interfaces can help to reduce the risk of house loss and provide a safe area for residents and firefighters to defend the property from wildfire. Although defensible space is a well-established concept in fire management, it has received surprisingly limited scientific discussion. Here we reviewed guidelines on the creation of defensible space from Africa, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania. We developed a conceptual model of defensible space framed around the key recommended approaches to mitigate fire attack mechanisms, which address fuel types, amount, and spatial distribution. We found that zonation within the defensible space is commonly recommended; reduction (or removal) of all fuels, and particularly dead plant material, is usually suggested in close ( < 1.5 m; Fuel-free zone) proximity to a house. Conversely, in an intermediate space (1.5–10 m; Open zone), guidelines focus predominantly on minimizing fuel horizontal and vertical connectivity. Finally, in the outer part of the garden (10–30 m; Tree zone) trees can provide canopy shielding from ember attack and radiant energy, but management of on-ground fuel is still recommended. Evidence from the scientific literature broadly supported these defensible space design elements, although many studies were highly localised. Further empirical and modelling research is required to identify optimal zonation surrounding houses, and to better understand how garden structure, species composition and moisture status affects risk of ignition from embers, radiant heat, and flames.
Seismic signature of an extreme hydro-meteorological event in Italy
Authors: Coviello Velio , Palo Mauro , Adirosi Elisa , Picozzi Matteo 
Published: August 2024

AbstractFlash floods are a major threat for Mediterranean countries and their frequency is expected to increase in the next years due to the climatic change. Civil protection agencies are called to deal with increasing hydrological risk, but existing hydro-meteorological monitoring networks might not be enough for detecting, tracking, and characterizing rapidly evolving floods produced by severe convective storms. Nowadays, hydro-meteorological information in several watersheds particularly in small and mid-size in orographically complex regions or in third-world countries, is still not available or insufficient. To improve our observational capability of these events, we propose to exploit the seismic recordings, which act as opportunistic signals and can complement well-established procedures to early detect the occurrence of flash floods at regional scale. Here, we investigate the hydro-meteorological event that hit central Italy in September 2022 and resulted in a devastating flash flood. We compare seismic data from a national monitoring network with raingauges and hydrometer data. Our evidence suggests that the main stages of the hydro-meteorological events can be tracked by the spatio-temporal evolution of the seismic noise confirming the capability of this multi-sensor approach in detecting and characterizing such kind of events.
Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biochemistry: Structure and Mechanism
Authors: Sinnott Michael 
Published: August 2024

This fully updated and expanded second edition of a highly popular text book focuses on the structure and mechanism in carbohydrate chemistry and biochemistry.
Carbohydrates play important roles in biological systems as energy sources, as structural materials, and as informational structures (when they are often attached to proteins or lipids). Their chemical reactivity and conformational behaviour is governed by mechanistic and stereochemical rules, which apply as much to enzymic as to non-enzymic reactivity. The same principles of reactivity and conformation govern changes brought about in the process industries, such as pulp, paper and food.
Extensively referenced with citations and a detailed index, the book contains everything the reader needs to know to start a carbohydrate research project with one of the real strengths being the treatment and integration of the important physical-chemical principles and methods (though lead references only are given to the finer points of carbohydrate synthesis).
The book is suitable for both researchers who are new to the subject and those more established as well as a readership from diverse backgrounds and interests, including chemists, biochemists, food scientists and technologists involved with the processing of polysaccharides in the paper, textile, cosmetics, biofuels and other industries.
Imbalanced classification in faulty turbine data: New proximal policy optimisation
Authors: Modirrousta Mohammad Hossein , Aliyari Shoorehdeli Mahdi , Yari Mostafa 
Published: August 2024

AbstractIn industrial and real‐world systems, recognising errors and adopting the best approaches are gaining relevance. The authors’ goal is to identify artificial intelligence apps that provide the most reliable and valuable data‐based fault detection techniques. A system for fault identification is presented based on reinforcement learning and proximal policy optimisation (PPO). Due to the lack of fault data, one of the key issues with the standard policy is its inability to recognise fault classes; this issue was resolved by modifying the cost equation. Using improved PPO, the authors can improve performance, address data imbalances, and forecast possible failures more accurately. The approach utilises policy‐based optimisation, which offers several advantages. Firstly, it directly optimises the advantage quantity, and secondly, it ensures the stability of function approximation. The authors have studied two different turbines in Iran and collected data from them separately when a fault occurred. To demonstrate the efficiency of our algorithm, the authors have included the third and fourth datasets as cyber attack benchmarks. When the authors’ proposed policy is adopted, all evaluation metrics will improve by 3%–4% as compared to the previous policy in the first benchmark, between 20% and 55% in the second benchmark, between 6% and 14% in the third benchmark, and between 4% and 5% in the fourth benchmark, with improved results and prediction times compared to existing studies.
Künstliche Intelligenz in der Kopf-Hals-Chirurgie: Potenziale und ethische Überlegungen
Authors: Fiedler Lukas S. , Meyer Tobias , Hüttemann Stefanie 
Published: August 2024

Zusammenfassung
Hintergrund KI-Technologien haben das Potenzial, die Art und Weise, wie Ärzte und Patienten interagieren, grundlegend zu verändern. Hier müssen sowohl positive als auch möglicherweise negative Auswirkungen berücksichtigt werden.Die vorliegende Arbeit soll Einblicke in die aktuelle Nutzung und Wahrnehmung künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) in der Kopf-Hals-Chirurgie in Deutschland geben.
Material und Methoden Über SurveyMonkey konnte ein Fragebogen an 288 Adressaten zur aktuellen Nutzung von KI-Systemen, potenziellen Anwendungsbereichen, erwarteten Vorteilen, ethischen Bedenken und Maßnahmen zur Sicherung ethischer Aspekte versandt werden. Die Rücklaufquote betrug 10,06%.
Ergebnisse Aktuell sind KI-Systeme in der klinischen Praxis noch kaum in Anwendung (3,45%). Bei potenziellen Anwendungsbereichen kann sowohl die Diagnosestellung (82,76%) als auch die chirurgische Planung (72,41%) profitieren. Erwartet wird eine Verbesserung der Patientenversorgung (75,86%). Ethik und Datenschutz waren zentrale Anliegen, wobei Fehlkalkulationen der KI (75,00%) und der Schutz der Patientendaten (64,29%) als Hauptbedenken in der Befragung auffielen.KI ist auch in der Kopf-Hals-Chirurgie noch nicht weit verbreitet, bietet aber ein hohes Potenzial für Verbesserungen. Ethik und Datenschutz spielen eine zentrale Rolle in der Diskussion um die Implementierung von KI-Technologien in die chirurgische Praxis. Die Notwendigkeit der ärztlichen Kontrolle (79,31%) und gesetzliche Kontrollinstanzen (51,72%) sind unabdingbare Sicherungsinstrumente.
Schlussfolgerung Die Notwendigkeit ethischer Richtlinien und einer Behandler-zentrierten Kontrolle wird deutlich, jedoch besteht Bedarf an gezielter Information und Schulung der Praktizierenden im Umgang mit KI-Technologien.