bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hue selectivity from recurrent circuitry in Drosophila
Authors: Christenson Matthias P. , Sanz Diez Alvaro , Heath Sarah L. , Saavedra-Weisenhaus Maia , Adachi Atsuko , Nern Aljoscha , Abbott L. F. , Behnia Rudy 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIn the perception of color, wavelengths of light reflected off objects are transformed into the derived quantities of brightness, saturation and hue. Neurons responding selectively to hue have been reported in primate cortex, but it is unknown how their narrow tuning in color space is produced by upstream circuit mechanisms. We report the discovery of neurons in the Drosophila optic lobe with hue-selective properties, which enables circuit-level analysis of color processing. From our analysis of an electron microscopy volume of a whole Drosophila brain, we construct a connectomics-constrained circuit model that accounts for this hue selectivity. Our model predicts that recurrent connections in the circuit are critical for generating hue selectivity. Experiments using genetic manipulations to perturb recurrence in adult flies confirm this prediction. Our findings reveal a circuit basis for hue selectivity in color vision.
Effect of humic substances on the fraction of heavy metal and microbial response
Authors: Wang Mengmeng , Song Gangfu , Zheng Zhihong , Song Zhixin , Mi Xiao , Hua Jiajun , Wang Zihang 
Published: May 2024

AbstractContamination of soils by Molybdenum (Mo) has raised increasing concern worldwide. Both fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA) possess numerous positive properties, such as large specific surface areas and microporous structure that facilitates the immobilization of the heavy metal in soils. Despite these characteristics, there have been few studies on the microbiology effects of FA and HA. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the Mo immobilization effects of FA and HA, as well as the associated changes in microbial community in Mo-contaminated soils (with application rates of 0%, 0.5% and 1.0%). The result of the incubation demonstrated a decrease in soil pH (from 8.23 ~ 8.94 to 8.05 ~ 8.77). Importantly, both FA and HA reduced the exchangeable fraction and reducible fraction of Mo in the soil, thereby transforming Mo into a more stable form. Furthermore, the application of FA and HA led to an increase in the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota and Firmicutes, resulting in alterations to the microbial community structure. However, it is worth noting that due to the differing structures and properties of FA and HA, these outcomes were not entirely consistent. In summary, the aging of FA and HA in soil enhanced their capacity to immobilization Mo as a soil amendment. This suggests that they have the potential to serve as effective amendments for the remediation of Mo-contaminated soils.
Inulin supplementation exhibits increased muscle mass via gut-muscle axis in children with obesity: double evidence from clinical and in vitro studies
Authors: Visuthranukul Chonnikant , Leelahavanichkul Asada , Tepaamorndech Surapun , Chamni Supakarn , Mekangkul Eakkarin , Chomtho Sirinuch 
Published: May 2024

AbstractGut microbiota manipulation may reverse metabolic abnormalities in obesity. Our previous studies demonstrated that inulin supplementation significantly promoted Bifidobacterium and fat-free mass in obese children. We aimed to study gut-muscle axis from inulin supplementation in these children. In clinical phase, the plasma samples from 46 participants aged 7–15 years, were analyzed for muscle biomarkers before and after 6-month inulin supplementation. In parallel, the plausible mechanism of muscle production via gut-muscle axis was examined using macrophage cell line. Bifidobacterium was cultured in semi-refined medium with inulin used in the clinical phase. Cell-free supernatant was collected and used in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage cell line to determine inflammatory and anti-inflammatory gene expression. In clinical phase, IL-15 and creatinine/cystatin C ratio significantly increased from baseline to the 6th month. In vitro study showed that metabolites derived from Bifidobacterium capable of utilizing inulin contained the abundance of SCFAs. In the presence of LPS, treatment from Bifidobacterium + inulin downregulated TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and iNOS, but upregulated FIZZ-1 and TGF-β expression. Inulin supplementation promoted the muscle biomarkers in agreement with fat-free mass gain, elucidating by Bifidobacterium metabolites derived from inulin digestion showed in vitro anti-inflammatory activity and decreased systemic pro-inflammation, thus promoting muscle production via gut-muscle axis response.Clinical Trial Registry number: NCT03968003.
Annual phenology and migration routes to breeding grounds in western-central North Pacific sei whales
Authors: Konishi Kenji , Minamikawa Shingo , Kleivane Lars , Takahashi Megumi 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) is an important species among baleen whales in the North Pacific and plays a significant role in the ecosystem. Despite the importance of this species, information regarding its migration patterns and breeding locations remains limited. To enhance the understanding of the phenology of North Pacific sei whales, we deployed satellite-monitored tags on these whales in the western and central North Pacific from 2017 to 2023. We fitted 55 sei whale tracks to a state-space model to describe the whales’ seasonal movements at feeding grounds and their migratory behavior. The whales typically leave their feeding grounds between November and December, with migration pathways extending from off Japan to the west of the Hawaiian Islands. These southward transits converge in the waters of the Marshall Islands and north of Micronesia between 20° N and 7° N, which appear to be breeding grounds. After a brief stay at these breeding grounds, the whales migrate northward from January to February, reaching their feeding grounds around 30°N by March. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to present the phenology of feeding and breeding seasons and the migration pattern of North Pacific sei whales.
Microtubule dependent sorting of actin-binding proteins in mitosis
Authors: Prassler Jana , Ecke Mary , Gerisch Günther 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe patterns of Formin B and of the Arp2/3 complex formed during mitosis were studied in a mutant of Dictyostelium discoideum that produces multinucleate cells, which divide by the ingression of unilateral cleavage furrows. During cytokinesis the cells of this mutant remain spread on a glass surface where they generate a planar pattern based on the sorting-out of actin-binding proteins. During anaphase, Formin B and Arp2/3 became localized to the regions of microtubule asters around the centrosomes; Formin B in particular in the form of round, quite uniformly covered areas. These areas have been shown to be depleted of myosin II and the actin-filament crosslinker cortexillin, and to be avoided by cleavage furrows on their path into the cell.
Positive pathogens in stool could predict the clinical outcomes of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury in critical ill patient
Authors: Cao Yaoyuan , Deng Fuxing 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIn this study, we sought to evaluate the influence of positive pathogens in stool (PPS) on clinical outcomes in critical ill patients with Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (S-AKI) from intensive care unit. Our sample consisted of 7338 patients, of whom 752 (10.25%) had PPS. We found that the presence of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) and protists in stool samples was correlated with survival during hospitalization, as well as 30-day and 90-day survival. Interestingly, there was no significant difference in overall survival and 30-day in-hospital survival between the PPS group and the negative pathogens in stool (NPS) control group. However, the cumulative incidence of 90-day infection-related mortality was significantly higher in the PPS group (53 vs. 48%, P = 0.022), particularly in patients with C. difficile in their stool specimens. After adjusting for propensity scores, the results also have statistical significance. These findings suggest that PPS may affect the 90-days survival outcomes of S-AKI, particularly in patients with C. difficile and protists in their stool samples. Further research is warranted to further explore these associations.
Tissue distribution and retention drives efficacy of rapidly clearing VHL-based PROTACs
Authors: Zhang Donglu , Ma Bin , Dragovich Peter S. , Ma Li , Chen Shu , Chen Eugene C. , Ye Xiaofen , Liu Joyce , Pizzano Jennifer , Bortolon Elizabeth , Chan Emily , Zhang Xing , Chen Yi-Chen , Levy Elizabeth S. , Yauch Robert L. , Khojasteh S. Cyrus , Hop Cornelis E. C. A. 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Background
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are being developed for therapeutic use. However, they have poor pharmacokinetic profiles and their tissue distribution kinetics are not known.

Methods
A typical von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor (VHL)—PROTAC 14C-A947 (BRM degrader)—was synthesized and its tissue distribution kinetics was studied by quantitative whole-body autoradiography (QWBA) and tissue excision in rats following IV dosing. Bile duct-cannulated (BDC) rats allowed the elucidation of in vivo clearance pathways. Distribution kinetics was evaluated in the tissues and tumors of mice to support PK-PD correlation. In vitro studies enabled the evaluation of cell uptake mechanisms and cell retention properties.

Results
Here, we show that A947 quickly distributes into rat tissues after IV dosing, where it accumulates and is retained in tissues such as the lung and liver although it undergoes fast clearance from circulation. Similar uptake/retention kinetics enable tumor growth inhibition over 2–3 weeks in a lung cancer model. A947 quickly excretes in the bile of rats. Solute carrier (SLC) transporters are involved in hepatocyte uptake of PROTACs. Sustained BRM protein degradation is seen after extensive washout that supports prolonged cell retention of A947 in NCI-H1944 cells. A947 tissue exposure and pharmacodynamics are inversely correlated in tumors.

Conclusions
Plasma sampling for VHL-PROTAC does not represent the tissue concentrations necessary for efficacy. Understanding of tissue uptake and retention could enable less frequent IV administration to be used for therapeutic dosing.
Olive oil tyrosols reduce α-synuclein aggregation in vitro and in vivo after ingestion in a Caenorhabditis elegans Parkinson's model
Authors: Hernández-García Samanta , García-Cano Beatriz , Martínez-Rodríguez Pedro , Henarejos-Escudero Paula , Gandía-Herrero Fernando 
Published: May 2024

Olive polyphenols effect in Caenorhabditis elegans Parkinson's disease model.
Do Acoustic Characteristics of Dysarthria in People With Parkinson's Disease Differ Across Languages?
Authors: Pinto Serge , Cardoso Rita , Atkinson-Clement Cyril , Guimarães Isabel , Sadat Jasmin , Santos Helena , Mercier Céline , Carvalho Joana , Cuartero Marie-Charlotte , Oliveira Pedro , Welby Pauline , Frota Sónia , Cavazzini Emilie , Vigário Marina , Letanneux Alban , Cruz Marisa , Brulefert Coralie , Desmoulins Morgane , Martins Isabel Pavão , Rothe-Neves Rui , Viallet François , Ferreira Joaquim J. 
Published: May 2024

Purpose:
Cross-language studies suggest more similarities than differences in how dysarthria affects the speech of people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD) who speak different languages. In this study, we aimed to identify the relative contribution of acoustic variables to distinguish PwPD from controls who spoke varieties of two Romance languages, French and Portuguese.

Method:

This bi-national, cross-sectional, and case-controlled study included 129 PwPD and 124 healthy controls who spoke French or Portuguese. All participants underwent the same clinical examinations, voice/speech recordings, and self-assessment questionnaires. PwPD were evaluated
off
and
on
optimal medication. Inferential analyses included Disease (controls vs. PwPD) and Language (French vs. Portuguese) as factors, and random decision forest algorithms identified relevant acoustic variables able to distinguish participants: (a) by language (French vs. Portuguese) and (b) by clinical status (PwPD
on
and
off
medication vs. controls).

Results:

French-speaking and Portuguese-speaking individuals were distinguished from each other with over 90% accuracy by five acoustic variables (the mean

fundamental frequency and the shimmer of the sustained vowel /a/ production, the oral diadochokinesis performance index, the relative sound level pressure and the relative sound pressure level standard deviation

of the text reading). A distinct set of parameters discriminated between controls and PwPD: for men, maximum phonation time and the oral diadochokinesis speech proportion were the most significant variables; for women, variables calculated from the oral diadochokinesis were the most discriminative.

Conclusions:
Acoustic variables related to phonation and voice quality distinguished between speakers of the two languages. Variables related to pneumophonic coordination and articulation rate were the more effective in distinguishing PwPD from controls. Thus, our research findings support that respiration and diadochokinesis tasks appear to be the most appropriate to pinpoint signs of dysarthria, which are largely homogeneous and language-universal. In contrast, identifying language-specific variables with the speech tasks and acoustic variables studied was less conclusive.
Coordinated reactive power control for hybrid cascaded high‐voltage direct‐current links in weak AC grids
Authors: Fan Xiaojie , Chi Yongning , Wang Zhibing 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe hybrid cascaded high‐voltage direct‐current (HC‐HVDC) links are recently introduced for ultra‐high voltage bulky power transmissions. However, as wind power becomes more prevalent, the grid is gradually weakened and will face voltage stability issues. This paper proposes a coordinated reactive power control strategy for HC‐HVDC links to enhance the voltage stability of AC bus. Firstly, the impact of HC‐HVDC on the static voltage stability of the AC bus is studied by the voltage sensitivity coefficient. Then, the limitation of reactive power capability of modular multilevel converter in the HC structure is identified. Based on the analysis results, a coordinated reactive power control strategy based on adaptive voltage droop is proposed. In the strategy, the DC voltage ratio is regulated according to the fluctuation degree of the AC bus voltage to adjust the reactive power of HC‐HVDC, which realized the dynamic voltage support for the AC bus. Finally, electromagnetic simulations in power systems computer aided design (PSCAD)/electromagnetic transients including DC (EMTDC) are performed, and the results validate the theoretical findings and the effectiveness of the control strategy.
Spatial sensitivity synthesis based on alternate projection for the machine‐learning‐based coding digital receiving array
Authors: Xiao Lei , Han Yubing , Zhang Shurui 
Published: May 2024

AbstractRecently, a novel low‐cost coding digital receiving array based on machine learning (ML‐CDRA) has been proposed to reduce the required radio frequency channels in modern wireless systems. The spatial sensitivity of ML‐CDRA is studied which describes the spatial accumulation gain in different directions. It is demonstrated that the spatial sensitivity is determined by the encoding network, decoding network, and beamforming criterion. To obtain the desired spatial sensitivity, a spatial sensitivity synthesis method is proposed based on the alternate projection by optimising the encoding network with the constraint of amplitude‐phase quantisation. Simulation results show that the proposed method can significantly improve the spatial sensitivity of ML‐CDRA. Furthermore, in the directions of interest, the spatial accumulation gain of ML‐CDRA can exceed the full‐channel digital receiving array.
Paclitaxel – a Product of Fungal Secondary Metabolism or an Artefact?#
Authors: Gärditz Klaus Ferdinand , Czesnick Hjördis 
Published: May 2024

AbstractTaxol (common name: paclitaxel) is an extremely important component of drugs for the treatment of various cancers. Thirty years after the discovery of its effectiveness, a metabolic precursor of Taxol (10-deacetylbaccatin III) is still primarily extracted from needles of European yew trees. In order to meet the considerable demand, hopes were pinned on the possibilities of biotechnological production from the very beginning. In 1993, as if by chance, Taxol was supposedly discovered in fungi that grow endobiotically in yew trees. This finding aroused hopes of biotechnological use to produce fungal Taxol in large quantities in fermenters. It never came to that. Instead, a confusing flood of publications emerged that claimed to have detected Taxol in more and more eukaryotic and even prokaryotic species. However, researchers never reproduced these rather puzzling results, and they could certainly not be applied on an industrial scale. This paper will show that some of the
misguided approaches were apparently based on a seemingly careless handling of sparse evidence and on at least questionable publications. Apparently, the desired gold rush of commercial exploitation was seductive. Scientific skepticism as an indispensable core of good scientific practice was often neglected, and the peer review process has not exerted its corrective effect. Self-critical reflection and more healthy skepticism could help to reduce the risk of such aberrations in drug development. This article uses this case study as a striking example to show what can be learned from the Taxol case in terms of research ethics and the avoidance of questionable research practices.
Generation of Carbamoyl Radicals and 3,4-Dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-ones Enabled by Iron Photoredox Catalysis
Authors: Cai Tao , Feng Gaofeng , Fu Yanhua , Zhang Chao 
Published: May 2024

AbstractA new protocol for accessing 3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-ones was established through a sequence of iron-catalyzed photoredox generation of carbamoyl radicals from oxamic acids, addition of the carbamoyl radicals to electron-deficient alkenes, intramolecular cyclization, and aromatization. The process is compatible with a variety of N-phenyloxamic acids and monosubstituted, 1,1-disubstituted, and trisubstituted electron-deficient alkenes. Employing cheap, readily available, and environmentally benign iron as the catalyst, the protocol provides an excellent alternative for synthesis of 3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-ones.
‘Mr Rules’: Keir Starmer and the juridification of politics
Authors: Johnson Jamie M. , Thomas Owen D. , Basham Victoria M. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractKeir Starmer’s moniker of ‘Mr Rules’ captures his deep investment in a rules-based form of politics that seeks to uphold established standards of probity and competency in public office. Rather than a mere tactic of opposition politics, we argue that it is symptomatic of the juridification of politics. By this we mean the ceding of the terrain of politics to the seemingly superior and separate domains of law and administration. Drawing upon and extending existing analyses of depoliticisation and unpolitics, the juridification of politics marks the abandonment of consciously values-based politics in favour of a reliance upon legal and quasi-legal (i.e. rules, norms, conventions, procedures) means to address substantive matters of public policy. Crucially, we locate this trend as a consequence of the neoliberal way of politics in which the task of governing in a post-ideological age is reduced to administration. This is significant, we conclude, because such an approach is incapable of responding to the intersecting crises confronting national and international politics.
Experimental study on impact icing of the superhydrophobic surfaces with cruciferous bionic structure
Authors: Zhou Jiahui , Zheng Haikun , Chen Xiaosong , Han Xu , Zhao Zhengqiang , Sheng Wei , Zhang Xinmin 
Published: May 2024

Superhydrophobic surfaces have been extensively utilized due to their high hydrophobicity and anti-icing properties. Inspired by the shape of a cross flower, research has utilized circular arc curves and Bessel curves to design a cross flower structure model. Using 3D modeling software for modeling and 3D printing technology to prepare biomimetic microstructures in structural design. The structural shape of the microstructure before and after spray coating was detected using ultra depth of field and laser confocal microscopy. Using Ultra-Ever Dry as a low surface energy substance to alter the wettability of microstructure surfaces. Through surface wettability tests, droplet freezing, and droplet impact tests, the cross shaped biomimetic structure designed by the Bessel curve has a maximum droplet freezing time of 4193 s and a minimum droplet impact time of 9.81 ms. The experimental results indicate that the cross shaped biomimetic structure has good hydrophobicity and broad application prospects.
Extended analysis of solid cancer incidence among nuclear industry workers in the UK 1955–2011: comparison of workers first hired in earlier and later periods
Authors: Hunter Nezahat , Haylock Richard 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
To address points arising from the recent study of nuclear workers in the USA and the International Nuclear Workers Study (INWORKS), concerning the difference in solid cancer risk estimates between those first hired in earlier and later calendar years, subsidiary analyses were conducted on a cohort of 172 452 workers in the National Registry for Radiation Workers (NRRW) from the UK. A total of 18 310 incident first primary solid cancer cases were registered in the period from 1955 until 2011 in the NRRW cohort and workers accrued 5.25 million person-years of follow-up. Incidences rates of all solid cancers combined, lung cancer and solid cancer excluding lung cancer were examined in terms of external radiation doses in the full cohort and in a sub-cohort of workers who had no record of internal exposure monitoring and were defined by the periods of first hire before and after the beginning of the years 1960, 1965 and 1970. All analyses were carried out using Poisson Regression. These analyses demonstrated that only for lung cancer between the pre-1965 and post-1964 periods is there strong evidence for a difference in the risks using the NRRW full cohort. In the other calendar period breakdowns and for the other cancer groups, there is no clear evidence of differences in the risks. The NRRW estimation of risks between recent and early workers is not generally consistent with the US workers cohort or the INWORKS evaluations that later hired workers are at much higher solid cancer risk than earlier hired workers, although INWORKS contains a significant part of the latest updated NRRW cohort as well as the US data. The conclusion that the INWORKS and US study data demonstrate a real difference in excess solid cancer risk from external radiation exposure between earlier and later workers is premature. The results presented here should also be treated with caution because of the limited corroborating evidence from other published studies. Information on internal doses, neutron doses as well as non-radiation factors such as smoking and asbestos exposure would be needed to make definitive inferences.