bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ultrathin skin-conformable electrodes with high water vapor permeability and stretchability characteristics composed of single-walled carbon nanotube networks assembled on elastomeric films
Authors: Horii Tatsuhiro , Yamashita Kai , Ito Marimo , Okada Kei , Fujie Toshinori 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Herein, we report on conductive ultrathin films (nanosheets) with the characteristics of stretchability and water vapor permeability for skin-conformable bioelectrodes. The films are fabricated by combining conductive fibrous networks of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene) (SBS) nanosheets (i.e., SWCNT-SBS nanosheets). An increase in the number of SWCNT coatings increases both the thicknesses and densities of the SWCNT bundles. The SBS nanosheets coated with three layers of SWCNTs (i.e., SWCNT 3rd-SBS nanosheets) show comparable sheet resistance to the SBS nanosheets coated with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxithiophene) doped with poly(4-styrenesulfonate acid) (PEDOT:PSS) containing 5 wt.% butylene glycol (i.e., PEDOT:PSS/BG5-SBS nanosheets). In addition, the SWCNT 3rd-SBS nanosheets exhibit significantly reduced elastic moduli and increased elongations at break compared to the PEDOT:PSS/BG5-SBS nanosheets. Furthermore, the calculated water vapor transmission ratio of the 210-nm-thick SBS nanosheets (268,172 g m−2 (2 h)−1) is greater than that of the filter paper (6345 g m−2 (2 h)−1). The SWCNT 3rd-SBS nanosheets attached to model skin show high tolerances to bending and artificial sweat at different pH values (i.e., the electrical resistance changes ~1.1 times). Finally, the SWCNT 3rd-SBS nanosheet is applied to detect the surface electromyogram from the forearm of a subject. This nanosheet displays a signal-to-noise ratio similar to that of the PEDOT:PSS/BG5-SBS nanosheet.
Gliovascular transcriptional perturbations in Alzheimer’s disease reveal molecular mechanisms of blood brain barrier dysfunction
Authors: İş Özkan , Wang Xue , Reddy Joseph S. , Min Yuhao , Yilmaz Elanur , Bhattarai Prabesh , Patel Tulsi , Bergman Jeremiah , Quicksall Zachary , Heckman Michael G. , Tutor-New Frederick Q. , Can Demirdogen Birsen , White Launia , Koga Shunsuke , Krause Vincent , Inoue Yasuteru , Kanekiyo Takahisa , Cosacak Mehmet Ilyas , Nelson Nastasia , Lee Annie J. , Vardarajan Badri , Mayeux Richard , Kouri Naomi , Deniz Kaancan , Carnwath Troy , Oatman Stephanie R. , Lewis-Tuffin Laura J. , Nguyen Thuy ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Carrasquillo Minerva M. , Graff-Radford Jonathan , Petersen Ronald C. , Jr Jack Clifford R. , Kantarci Kejal , Murray Melissa E. , Nho Kwangsik , Saykin Andrew J. , Dickson Dennis W. , Kizil Caghan , Allen Mariet , Ertekin-Taner Nilüfer 
Published: June 2024

AbstractTo uncover molecular changes underlying blood-brain-barrier dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease, we performed single nucleus RNA sequencing in 24 Alzheimer’s disease and control brains and focused on vascular and astrocyte clusters as main cell types of blood-brain-barrier gliovascular-unit. The majority of the vascular transcriptional changes were in pericytes. Of the vascular molecular targets predicted to interact with astrocytic ligands, SMAD3, upregulated in Alzheimer’s disease pericytes, has the highest number of ligands including VEGFA, downregulated in Alzheimer’s disease astrocytes. We validated these findings with external datasets comprising 4,730 pericyte and 150,664 astrocyte nuclei. Blood SMAD3 levels are associated with Alzheimer’s disease-related neuroimaging outcomes. We determined inverse relationships between pericytic SMAD3 and astrocytic VEGFA in human iPSC and zebrafish models. Here, we detect vast transcriptome changes in Alzheimer’s disease at the gliovascular-unit, prioritize perturbed pericytic SMAD3-astrocytic VEGFA interactions, and validate these in cross-species models to provide a molecular mechanism of blood-brain-barrier disintegrity in Alzheimer’s disease.
Unequal distributions of crowdsourced weather data in England and Wales
Authors: Brousse Oscar , Simpson Charles H. , Poorthuis Ate , Heaviside Clare 
Published: June 2024

AbstractPersonal weather stations (PWS) can provide useful data on urban climates by densifying the number of weather measurements across major cities. They do so at a lower cost than official weather stations by national meteorological services. Despite the increasing use of PWS data, little attention has yet been paid to the underlying socio-economic and environmental inequalities in PWS coverage. Using social deprivation, demographic, and environmental indicators in England and Wales, we characterize existing inequalities in the current coverage of PWS. We find that there are fewer PWS in more deprived areas which also observe higher proportions of ethnic minorities, lower vegetation coverage, higher building height and building surface fraction, and lower proportions of inhabitants under 65 years old. This implies that data on urban climate may be less reliable or more uncertain in particular areas, which may limit the potential for climate adaptation and empowerment in those communities.
Chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation of alkenyl aza-heteroarenes using hydrogen peroxide
Authors: Wen Hao-Chen , Chen Wei , Li Meng , Ma Chen , Wang Jian-Fei , Fu Aiping , Xu Shi-Qi , Zhou Yi-Feng , Ni Shao-Fei , Mao Bin 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe synthesis of chiral α-azaheteroaryl oxiranes via enantioselective catalysis is a formidable challenge due to the required complex stereoselectivity and diverse N-heterocyclic structures. These compounds play a crucial role in developing bioactive molecules, where precise chirality significantly influences biological activity. Here we show that using chiral phosphoric acid as a catalyst, our method efficiently addresses these challenges. This technique not only achieves high enantio- and diastereoselectivity but also demonstrates superior chemo- and stereocontrol during the epoxidation of alkenyl aza-heteroarenes. Our approach leverages a synergistic blend of electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions, enabling the effective activation of both substrates and hydrogen peroxide. The resulting chiral oxiranes exhibit enhanced diversity and functionality, aiding the construction of complex chiral azaaryl compounds with contiguous stereocenters. Kinetic and density functional theory studies elucidate the mechanism, highlighting chiral phosphoric acid’s pivotal role in this intricate enantioselective process.
CD8+ T cell-derived Fgl2 regulates immunity in a cell-autonomous manner via ligation of FcγRIIB
Authors: Bennion Kelsey B. , Liu Danya , Dawood Abdelhameed S. , Wyatt Megan M. , Alexander Katie L. , Abdel-Hakeem Mohamed S. , Paulos Chrystal M. , Ford Mandy L. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe regulatory circuits dictating CD8+ T cell responsiveness versus exhaustion during anti-tumor immunity are incompletely understood. Here we report that tumor-infiltrating antigen-specific PD-1+ TCF-1− CD8+ T cells express the immunosuppressive cytokine Fgl2. Conditional deletion of Fgl2 specifically in mouse antigen-specific CD8+ T cells prolongs CD8+ T cell persistence, suppresses phenotypic and transcriptomic signatures of T cell exhaustion, and improves control of the tumor. In a mouse model of chronic viral infection, PD-1+ CD8+ T cell-derived Fgl2 also negatively regulates virus-specific T cell responses. In humans, CD8+ T cell-derived Fgl2 is associated with poorer survival in patients with melanoma. Mechanistically, the dampened responsiveness of WT Fgl2-expressing CD8+ T cells, when compared to Fgl2-deficient CD8+ T cells, is underpinned by the cell-intrinsic interaction of Fgl2 with CD8+ T cell-expressed FcγRIIB and concomitant caspase 3/7-mediated apoptosis. Our results thus illuminate a cell-autonomous regulatory axis by which PD-1+ CD8+ T cells both express the receptor and secrete its ligand in order to mediate suppression of anti-tumor and anti-viral immunity.
Optimizing 5’UTRs for mRNA-delivered gene editing using deep learning
Authors: Castillo-Hair Sebastian , Fedak Stephen , Wang Ban , Linder Johannes , Havens Kyle , Certo Michael , Seelig Georg 
Published: June 2024

AbstractmRNA therapeutics are revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry, but methods to optimize the primary sequence for increased expression are still lacking. Here, we design 5’UTRs for efficient mRNA translation using deep learning. We perform polysome profiling of fully or partially randomized 5’UTR libraries in three cell types and find that UTR performance is highly correlated across cell types. We train models on our datasets and use them to guide the design of high-performing 5’UTRs using gradient descent and generative neural networks. We experimentally test designed 5’UTRs with mRNA encoding megaTALTMgene editing enzymes for two different gene targets and in two different cell lines. We find that the designed 5’UTRs support strong gene editing activity. Editing efficiency is correlated between cell types and gene targets, although the best performing UTR was specific to one cargo and cell type. Our results highlight the potential of model-based sequence design for mRNA therapeutics.
A non-B DNA binding peptidomimetic channel alters cellular functions
Authors: Paul Raj , Dutta Debasish , Mukhopadhyay Titas Kumar , Müller Diana , Lala Binayak , Datta Ayan , Schwalbe Harald , Dash Jyotirmayee 
Published: June 2024

AbstractDNA binding transcription factors possess the ability to interact with lipid membranes to construct ion-permeable pathways. Herein, we present a thiazole-based DNA binding peptide mimic TBP2, which forms transmembrane ion channels, impacting cellular ion concentration and consequently stabilizing G-quadruplex DNA structures. TBP2 self-assembles into nanostructures, e.g., vesicles and nanofibers and facilitates the transportation of Na+ and K+ across lipid membranes with high conductance (~0.6 nS). Moreover, TBP2 exhibits increased fluorescence when incorporated into the membrane or in cellular nuclei. Monomeric TBP2 can enter the lipid membrane and localize to the nuclei of cancer cells. The coordinated process of time-dependent membrane or nuclear localization of TBP2, combined with elevated intracellular cation levels and direct G-quadruplex (G4) interaction, synergistically promotes formation and stability of G4 structures, triggering cancer cell death. This study introduces a platform to mimic and control intricate biological functions, leading to the discovery of innovative therapeutic approaches.
Environmental, economic, and social sustainability in aquaculture: the aquaculture performance indicators
Authors: Garlock Taryn M. , Asche Frank , Anderson James L. , Eggert Håkan , Anderson Thomas M. , Che Bin , Chávez Carlos A. , Chu Jingjie , Chukwuone Nnaemeka , Dey Madan M. , Fitzsimmons Kevin , Flores Jimely , Guillen Jordi , Kumar Ganesh , Liu Lijun , Llorente Ignacio , Nguyen Ly , Nielsen Rasmus , Pincinato Ruth B. M. , Sudhakaran Pratheesh O. , Tibesigwa Byela , Tveteras Ragnar 
Published: June 2024

AbstractAquaculture is a rapidly growing food production technology, but there are significant concerns related to its environmental impact and adverse social effects. We examine aquaculture outcomes in a three pillars of sustainability framework by analyzing data collected using the Aquaculture Performance Indicators. Using this approach, comparable data has been collected for 57 aquaculture systems worldwide on 88 metrics that measure social, economic, or environmental outcomes. We first examine the relationships among the three pillars of sustainability and then analyze performance in the three pillars by technology and species. The results show that economic, social, and environmental outcomes are, on average, mutually reinforced in global aquaculture systems. However, the analysis also shows significant variation in the degree of sustainability in different aquaculture systems, and weak performance of some production systems in some dimensions provides opportunity for innovative policy measures and investment to further align sustainability objectives.
Calcifediol boosts efficacy of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine by upregulating genes promoting memory T cell responses
Authors: Saroha Himanshu Singh , Bhat Swati , Das Liza , Dutta Pinaki , Holick Michael F. , Sachdeva Naresh , Marwaha Raman Kumar 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (COVISHIELD) vaccine has emerged as a pivotal tool in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. In our previous study eligible subjects were supplemented with calcifediol, a direct precursor to the biologically active form of vitamin D, calcitriol with an objective to enhance the immunogenicity of the COVISHIELD vaccine. Herein we investigated the effects of calcifediol supplementation on gene expression profiles in individuals who received the COVISHIELD vaccine. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from vaccinated individuals with and without calcifediol supplementation at baseline, 3rd and 6th month, and the gene expression profiles were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. The results revealed distinct patterns of gene expression associated with calcifediol supplementation, suggesting potential molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of calcifediol in improving the efficacy of COVISHIELD vaccine via augmentation of T cell activation, proliferation and T cell memory responses. Additionally, there was upregulation of NOD like receptor, JAK/STAT and TGF beta signaling pathways. Calcifediol supplementation in vaccinated individuals also downregulated the pathways related to the Coronavirus disease. Taken together, our findings provide valuable insights into the interplay between vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling and vaccine-induced immune responses and offer another approach in improving vaccination induced antiviral responses.
Proteomic analysis reveals dynamic changes in cloacal fluid composition during the reproductive season in a sexually promiscuous passerine
Authors: Míčková Kristýna , Jelínek Václav , Tomášek Oldřich , Stopková Romana , Stopka Pavel , Albrecht Tomáš 
Published: June 2024

AbstractCryptic female choice (CFC) is a component of postcopulatory sexual selection that allows females to influence the fertilization success of sperm from different males. While its precise mechanisms remain unclear, they may involve the influence of the protein composition of the female reproductive fluids on sperm functionality. This study maps the protein composition of the cloacal fluid across different phases of female reproductive cycle in a sexually promiscuous passerine, the barn swallow. Similar to mammals, the protein composition in the female reproductive tract differed between receptive (when females copulate) and nonreceptive phases. With the change in the protein background, the enriched gene ontology terms also shifted. Within the receptive phase, distinctions were observed between proteomes sampled just before and during egg laying. However, three proteins exhibited increased abundance during the entire receptive phase compared to nonreceptive phases. These proteins are candidates in cryptic female choice, as all of them can influence the functionality of sperm or sperm-egg interaction. Our study demonstrates dynamic changes in the cloacal environment throughout the avian breeding cycle, emphasizing the importance of considering these fluctuations in studies of cryptic female choice.
The sociodemographic correlates of conspiracism
Authors: Enders Adam , Klofstad Casey , Diekman Amanda , Drochon Hugo , Rogers de Waal Joel , Littrell Shane , Premaratne Kamal , Verdear Daniel , Wuchty Stefan , Uscinski Joseph 
Published: June 2024

AbstractDespite hundreds of studies examining belief in conspiracy theories, it is still unclear who—demographically—is most likely to believe such theories. To remedy this knowledge gap, we examine survey data containing various operationalizations of conspiracism across diverse sociopolitical contexts. Study 1 employs a 2021 U.S. survey (n = 2021) to examine associations between sociodemographic characteristics and beliefs in 39 conspiracy theories. Study 2 similarly employs a survey of 20 countries (n = 26,416) and 11 conspiracy theory beliefs. Study 3 reports results from a 2020 U.S. survey (n = 2015) measuring perceptions about which groups are engaging in conspiracies. Study 4 interrogates data from nine U.S. surveys (2012–2022; n = 14,334) to examine the relationships between sociodemographic characteristics and generalized conspiracy thinking. Study 5 synchronizes studies 1–4 to provide an intersectional analysis of conspiracy theory belief. Across studies, we observe remarkably consistent patterns: education, income, age (older), and White identification are negatively related to conspiracism, while Black identification is positively related. We conclude by discussing why conspiracy theories may appeal most to historically marginalized groups and how our findings can inform efforts to mitigate the negative effects of conspiracy theories.
Explainable text-tabular models for predicting mortality risk in companion animals
Authors: Burton James , Farrell Sean , Mäntylä Noble Peter-John , Al Moubayed Noura 
Published: June 2024

AbstractAs interest in using machine learning models to support clinical decision-making increases, explainability is an unequivocal priority for clinicians, researchers and regulators to comprehend and trust their results. With many clinical datasets containing a range of modalities, from the free-text of clinician notes to structured tabular data entries, there is a need for frameworks capable of providing comprehensive explanation values across diverse modalities. Here, we present a multimodal masking framework to extend the reach of SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to text and tabular datasets to identify risk factors for companion animal mortality in first-opinion veterinary electronic health records (EHRs) from across the United Kingdom. The framework is designed to treat each modality consistently, ensuring uniform and consistent treatment of features and thereby fostering predictability in unimodal and multimodal contexts. We present five multimodality approaches, with the best-performing method utilising PetBERT, a language model pre-trained on a veterinary dataset. Utilising our framework, we shed light for the first time on the reasons each model makes its decision and identify the inclination of PetBERT towards a more pronounced engagement with free-text narratives compared to BERT-base’s predominant emphasis on tabular data. The investigation also explores the important features on a more granular level, identifying distinct words and phrases that substantially influenced an animal’s life status prediction. PetBERT showcased a heightened ability to grasp phrases associated with veterinary clinical nomenclature, signalling the productivity of additional pre-training of language models.
Deep learning for predicting 16S rRNA gene copy number
Authors: Miao Jiazheng , Chen Tianlai , Misir Mustafa , Lin Yajuan 
Published: June 2024

AbstractCulture-independent 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding is a commonly used method for microbiome profiling. To achieve more quantitative cell fraction estimates, it is important to account for the 16S rRNA gene copy number (hereafter 16S GCN) of different community members. Currently, there are several bioinformatic tools available to estimate the 16S GCN values, either based on taxonomy assignment or phylogeny. Here we present a novel approach ANNA16, Artificial Neural Network Approximator for 16S rRNA gene copy number, a deep learning-based method that estimates the 16S GCN values directly from the 16S gene sequence strings. Based on 27,579 16S rRNA gene sequences and gene copy number data from the rrnDB database, we show that ANNA16 outperforms the commonly used 16S GCN prediction algorithms. Interestingly, Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) shows that ANNA16 can identify unexpected informative positions in 16S rRNA gene sequences without any prior phylogenetic knowledge, which suggests potential applications beyond 16S GCN prediction.
Comparison of tacrolimus with or without prednisone therapy in primary membranous nephropathy: a retrospective clinical study
Authors: Zhang Xinyue , Dou Jingyu , Gao Ge , Sheng Xiaoxiao , Shen Ya , Feng Yuhua , Wu Xueying , Zhang Zhen , Cheng Genyang 
Published: June 2024

AbstractPrevious studies showed tacrolimus monotherapy and dual therapy with tacrolimus and prednisone as effective treatment modalities in managing membranous nephropathy. However, few studies have compared these therapeutic regimens. The patients were divided into two groups based on the treatment regimen: (1) tacrolimus and prednisone dual therapy (T + P group, n = 67) treatment group; and (2) tacrolimus monotherapy (T group, n = 65) or the control group. Propensity matching method and subgroup analysis to eliminate the bias in the relationship between the treatment regimen and the outcomes. The mean remission times were 20.33 ± 2.75 weeks at T group and 9.50 ± 1.81 weeks at T + P group. The T group had a remission rates of 73.33, 76.66 and 66.66% at 12weeks, 24weeks and 48weeks, while the T + P group had a remission rate of 81.66, 86.66, 91.66%; At the follow-up of 48 weeks, the relapse rate for the T group was 21.66%, and that for the T + P group was 5%. The anti-PLA2R ab is positive and therapy may be the independent risk factors for predicting remission. Tacrolimus and low-dose prednisone dual therapy is efficacious in managing MN and lowers the recurrence rate in clinical practice.
Glucose transporter-2 regulation of VMN GABA neuron metabolic sensor and transmitter gene expression
Authors: Roy Sagor C. , Sapkota Subash , Pasula Madhu Babu , Katakam Sushma , Shrestha Rami , Briski Karen P. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractGlucose transporter-2 (GLUT2) monitors cellular glucose uptake. Astrocyte GLUT2 controls glucose counterregulatory hormone secretion. In vivo gene silencing and laser-catapult-microdissection tools were used here to investigate whether ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMN) GLUT2 may regulate dorsomedial (VMNdm) and/or ventrolateral (VMNvl) γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission to control this endocrine outflow in female rats. VMN GLUT2 gene knockdown suppressed or stimulated hypoglycemia-associated glutamate decarboxylase (GAD)1 and GAD2 mRNA expression in VMNdm versus VMNvl GABAergic neurons, respectively. GLUT2 siRNA pretreatment also modified co-expressed transmitter marker gene profiles in each cell population. VMNdm GABA neurons exhibited GLUT2 knockdown-sensitive up-regulated 5’-AMP-activated protein kinase-alpha1 (AMPKα1) and -alpha2 (AMPKα2) transcripts during hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemic augmentation of VMNvl GABA neuron AMPKα2 was refractory to GLUT2 siRNA. GLUT2 siRNA blunted (VMNdm) or exacerbated (VMNvl) hypoglycemic stimulation of GABAergic neuron steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) mRNA. Results infer that VMNdm and VMNvl GABA neurons may exhibit divergent, GLUT2-dependent GABA neurotransmission patterns in the hypoglycemic female rat. Data also document differential GLUT2 regulation of VMNdm versus VMNvl GABA nerve cell SF-1 gene expression. Evidence for intensification of hypoglycemic hypercorticosteronemia and -glucagonemia by GLUT2 siRNA infers that VMN GLUT2 function imposes an inhibitory tone on these hormone profiles in this sex.