bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Crithmum maritimum Extract Restores Lipid Homeostasis and Metabolic Profile of Liver Cancer Cells to a Normal Phenotype
Authors: Gnocchi Davide , Nikolic Dragana , Paparella Rosa Rita , Sabbà Carlo , Mazzocca Antonio 
Published: May 2024

AbstractHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an alarming epidemiological clinical problem worldwide. Pharmacological approaches currently available do not provide adequate responses due to poor effectiveness, high toxicity, and serious side effects. Our previous studies have shown that the wild edible plant Crithmum maritimum L. inhibits the growth of liver cancer cells and promotes liver cell differentiation by reducing lactic acid fermentation (Warburg effect). Here, we aimed to further characterise the effects of C. maritimum on lipid metabolism and markers of cellular metabolic health, such as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), and Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), as well as the insulin signalling pathway. To better mimic the biological spectrum of HCC, we employed four HCC cell lines with different degrees of tumorigenicity and lactic acid fermentation/Warburg phenotype. Lipid accumulation was assessed by Oil Red O (ORO) staining, while gene expression was measured by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The activation of AMPK and insulin signalling pathways was determined by Western blotting. Results indicate that C. maritimum prevents lipid accumulation, downregulates lipid and cholesterol biosynthesis, and modulates markers of metabolic health, such as AMPK, SIRT1 and SIRT3. This modulation is different amongst HCC cell lines, revealing an important functional versatility of C. maritimum. Taken together, our findings corroborate the importance of C. maritimum as a valuable nutraceutical, reinforcing its role for the improvement of metabolic health.
The Effect of the Countercyclical Capital Buffer on the Stability of the Housing Market
Authors: Braun Julia , Burghof Hans-Peter , Sommervoll Dag Einar 
Published: May 2024

AbstractAfter the great turmoil of the latest financial crisis, the criticism of the regulatory frameworks became increasingly stronger. The rules that banks needed to comply with are presumed to be procyclical and unable to prevent and mitigate the extent of strong financial and economic cycles. As a result, Basel III introduced a set of macroprudential tools to overcome these regulatory shortfalls. One tool that strives to counteract the issue of procyclicality is the countercyclical capital buffer ($$CCyB$$

CCyB

). This paper introduces a heterogeneous agent-based model that investigates the implication of the new regulatory measure. We develop a housing and a financial market where economic agents trade residential property that is financed by financial institutions. To examine the macroeconomic performance of the $$CCyB$$

CCyB

, we evaluate the dynamics of key stability indicators of the housing and the financial market under four different market conditions: in an undisturbed market and in times of three different structural shocks. Computational experiments reveal that the $$CCyB$$

CCyB

is effective in stabilizing the housing and the financial market in all market settings. The new macroprudential tool helps to mitigate economic fluctuations and to stabilize market conditions, especially in the aftermath of a crisis. It is not able to prevent any of the crises tested. However, the extent of the stabilizing effect varies according to market conditions. In the shock scenarios, the $$CCyB$$

CCyB

performs better in dampening market fluctuations and increasing banking soundness than in the base scenario.
The Effect of Lubricity of Calcium Sulfonate on ZnDTP and MoDTC
Authors: Hayashi Yumi , Sato Kaisei , Sasaki Shinya 
Published: May 2024

AbstractReduction of friction and wear by lubrication is necessary to improve the efficiency and prolong the lifespan of industrial machinery. However, several aspects regarding the lubrication effects in additive-combined oil are still unresolved. This study focuses on the effects of combining zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZnDTP), molybdenum dithiocarbamate (MoDTC), and Ca sulfonate on the frictional behavior of poly-α-olefin 4 (PAO4) lubricant oils. Ball-on-disk friction tests demonstrated that the exclusive addition of high-base Ca sulfonate solution reduced friction and wear of the lubricating oil. When combined with ZnDTP and MoDTC, the friction coefficients of PAO with high-base and low-base Ca sulfonate are affected by competitive reactions on the sliding surface. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring measurements suggests that high-base Ca sulfonate forms a stronger adsorption film than low-base Ca sulfonate. Atomic force microscope observations confirmed that the addition of low-base Ca sulfonate reduced friction and wear, whereas high-base Ca sulfonate induced competitive reactions with ZnDTP and MoDTC. This study provides valuable insights into the effects of the combination of additives on the lubricity of PAO and their impact on friction and wear characteristics, which are valuable for the design of suitable lubricants for industrial machinery.
Earnouts in mergers and acquisitions: a systematic literature review of a contingent payment mechanism
Authors: Dahlen Niklas 
Published: May 2024

AbstractDefining the deal value in mergers and acquisitions is inherently complex and often constitutes an inflection point for the parties involved. By paying part of the deal value at a later stage according to predefined goals, earnouts are intended to alleviate information asymmetries and help bridge valuation differences. Despite their wide application in practice, research on earnouts remains fragmented. This study presents the first systematic literature review of earnouts, mapping the scattered research landscape by analyzing 64 papers published between 1970 and 2023. The review categorizes the body of earnout research into three distinct streams: the motives for employing earnouts, their implications, and the nuances of their contractual arrangements. Based on this synthesis, research gaps are identified that present a comprehensive road map for future research. This study enables investors to employ earnouts more successfully and guides scholars to pursue further earnout research based on its holistic overview.
Potential effects of the discharge of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents in benthic communities: evidence from three distinct WWTP systems
Authors: Silva Carlos , Santos Joana Isabel , Vidal Tânia , Silva Susana , Almeida Salomé Fernandes Pinheiro , Gonçalves Fernando José Mendes , Abrantes Nelson , Pereira Joana Luísa 
Published: May 2024

AbstractWastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents can be sources of environmental contamination. In this study, we aimed to understand whether effluents of three different WWTPs may have ecological effects in riverine recipient ecosystems. To achieve this, we assessed benthic phytobenthos and macroinvertebrate communities at three different locations relative to the effluent discharge: immediately upstream, immediately downstream and 500-m downstream the effluent discharge. Two approaches were employed: the ecological status classification as defined in the Water Framework Directive (WFD) based on biological indicators; constrained multivariate analysis to disentangle the environmental drivers (physicochemical variables and contaminants, namely metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products) of ecological changes across the study sites. The results showed inconsistencies between the WFD approach and the multivariate approach, as well as between the responses of macroinvertebrates and diatoms. The WWTP effluents impacted benthic communities in a single case: macroinvertebrates were negatively affected by one of the WWTP effluents, likely by the transported pharmaceuticals (other stressors are essentially homogeneous among sites). Given the findings and the scarcity of consistent evidence on ecological impacts that WWTP effluents may have in recipient ecosystems, further research is needed towards more sustainable regulation and linked environmental protection measures.
Investigation of 200 anthropogenic activities in a representative alpine peatland in the Altay Mountains, northwestern China
Authors: Luo Nana , Yu Rui , Wen Bolong , Li Xiaoyu , Zhang Qilin , Li Xiujun 
Published: May 2024

AbstractPeatlands records can be used to reconstruct and understand the history of environmental evolution, as well as a more accurate reflection of human activities. The black carbon (BC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ideal natural archives of anthropogenic activities. To identify the information of anthropogenic activities recorded by peatlands in the middle and high latitudes of the alpine mountains in the arid and semi-arid regions of China. this study analyzed the concentrations of BC, δ13C ratios of BC, PAHs, and molecular diagnostic ratios of PHAs (including Benzo(a) anthracene (BaA), Chrysene (Chr), fluoranthene (Flt), anthracene (Ant), phenanthrene (Phe), Benzo(a) pyrene (BaP), and pyrene (Pyr) in a 30-cm peat profile from the Altay Mountain, northwestern China. Our results revealed concentrations of BC from 11.71 to 67.5 mg·g−1, and PAHs from 168.09 to 263.53 ng·g−1. The δ13CBC value ranged from − 31.37 to − 26.27‰, with an average of − 29.54‰, indicating that the BC mainly comes from biomass combustion. The ratios of BaA/(BaA + Chr), Flt/(Flt + Pyr), and Ant/(Ant + Phe) exceeded 0.35, 0.5, and 0.1, respectively, revealing that the PAHs pollutants mainly originated from the combustion of biomass and fossil fuel burning. Furthermore, based on these findings and our knowledge of social development in Altay, industrial transport and tourism have influenced the emission, transport, and deposition of BC and PAH in peatlands in the Altay mountains since the 1980s. After 1980, pollutant concentrations decreased with the implementation of environmental policies. The results not only reveal the influence of anthropogenic activities on the sedimentary characteristics of peatlands in the Altay Mountains, but also provide an important theoretical basis for the conservation of fragile mountain peatlands.
Data augmentation for generating synthetic electrogastrogram time series
Authors: Miljković Nadica , Milenić Nikola , Popović Nenad B. , Sodnik Jaka 
Published: May 2024

AbstractTo address an emerging need for large number of diverse datasets for rigor evaluation of signal processing techniques, we developed and evaluated a new method for generating synthetic electrogastrogram time series. We used electrogastrography (EGG) data from an open database to set model parameters and statistical tests to evaluate synthesized data. Additionally, we illustrated method customization for generating artificial EGG time series alterations caused by the simulator sickness. Proposed data augmentation method generates synthetic EGG data with specified duration, sampling frequency, recording state (postprandial or fasting state), overall noise and breathing artifact injection, and pauses in the gastric rhythm (arrhythmia occurrence) with statistically significant difference between postprandial and fasting states in > 70% cases while not accounting for individual differences. Features obtained from the synthetic EGG signal resembling simulator sickness occurrence displayed expected trends. The code for generation of synthetic EGG time series is not only freely available and can be further customized to assess signal processing algorithms but also may be used to increase data diversity for training artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. The proposed approach is customized for EGG data synthesis but can be easily utilized for other biosignals with similar nature such as electroencephalogram.
Graphical abstract
CT findings as predictive factors for treatment failure in Mycobacterium abscessus complex lung disease: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Chiang Pin-Yi , Huang Yu-Sen , Huang Yu-Cheng , Lee Ming-Yann , Kang Victor Jing-Wei , Shu Chin-Chung , Chang Yeun-Chung 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABC) commonly causes lung disease (LD) and has a high treatment failure rate of around 50%. In this study, our objective is to investigate specific CT patterns for predicting treatment prognosis and monitoring treatment response, thus providing valuable insights for clinical physicians in the management of MABC-LD treatment.

Methods
We retrospectively assessed 34 patients with MABC-LD treated between January 2015 and December 2020. CT scores for bronchiectasis, cellular bronchiolitis, consolidation, cavities, and nodules were measured at initiation and after treatment. The ability of the CT scores to predict treatment outcomes was analyzed in logistic regression analyses.

Results
The CT scoring system had excellent inter-reader agreement (all intraclass correlation coefficients, > 0.82). The treatment failure (TF) group (17/34; 50%) had higher cavitation diameter (p = 0.049) and extension (p = 0.041) at initial CT and higher cavitation diameter (p = 0.049) and extension (p =0 .045), consolidation (p = 0.022), and total (p = 0.013) scores at follow-up CT than the treatment success (TS) group. The changes of total score and consolidation score (p = 0.049 and 0.024, respectively) increased in the TF group more than the TS group between the initial and follow-up CT. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed initial cavitation extension, follow-up consolidation extension, and change in consolidation extension (adjusted odds ratio: 2.512, 2.495, and 9.094, respectively, per 1-point increase; all p < 0.05) were significant predictors of treatment failure.

Conclusions
A high pre-treatment cavitation extension score and an increase in the consolidation extension score during treatment on CT could be alarm signs of treatment failure requiring tailor the treatment of MABC-LD carefully.
Emotion regulation of sustainability professionals facing adversity
Authors: Johannessen Vilde , Giæver Fay , Efstathiou Sophia , Russell Sally 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIn this Group. Interaction. Organizations. (GIO) article, we view Norwegian regenerative farmers as sustainability professionals and explore their emotions and emotion regulation strategies as they face adversity at work. Working with sustainability is intense work as it implies addressing economic, sustainability, and social needs. Regenerative farmers experience heightened stress and strains due to limited resources in farming. We did a qualitative study based on participant observation and interviews and found that regenerative farmers reported emotions such as guilt, pride, frustration, joy, sadness, and loneliness in their work. They regulated their emotions by a) redefining and accepting problems as challenges; b) creating meaning from their work; c) seeking community through exchange of knowledge and care; and d) protecting their philosophy and practice. This study identifies how sustainability professionals might regulate their emotions over transitions to more sustainable practices. We found that it is essential to facilitate social connections between sustainability professionals for their wellbeing, and mental health.
(Selbst‑)Coachingprogramm für Long Covid-Betroffene
Authors: Nüßlein Stefanie 
Published: May 2024

ZusammenfassungDas von der Autorin entwickelte (Selbst‑)Coachingprogramm richtet sich speziell an Personen, die unter den anhaltenden Symptomen von Long Covid leiden. Basierend auf aktuellen Leitlinienempfehlungen und wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen zur Krankheitsbewältigung, begleitet das 8‑Schritte-Programm Betroffene durch verschiedene Phasen ihrer Erkrankung. Das übergeordnete Ziel ist die Förderung des Selbstmanagements im Umgang mit der Erkrankung sowie die Verbesserung der Lebensqualität der Betroffenen. Angesichts der Herausforderungen in der Versorgung von Long Covid-Patient:innen stellt das Programm sowohl für Betroffene als auch für professionelle Coaches im Rahmen von Gesundheitscoachings einen niederschwelligen Zugang zu evidenzbasierten Interventionen dar. Positive Erfahrungsberichte unterstreichen den Nutzen des vorliegenden (Selbst-﻿)Coachingprogramms.
Degrowth scenarios for biodiversity? Key methodological steps and a call for collaboration
Authors: Otero Iago , Rigal Stanislas , Pereira Laura , Kim HyeJin , Gamboa Gonzalo , Tello Enric , Grêt-Regamey Adrienne 
Published: May 2024

AbstractStudies show that economic growth contributes to biodiversity loss and that, after a certain threshold, it does not contribute to wellbeing. Thus, when developing biodiversity scenarios, considering societal futures where economic growth is not a pre-condition deserves special attention. However, to date, degrowth scenarios have not been explored for biodiversity conservation and human wellbeing. In this paper, we explain how the Nature Futures Framework (NFF) and other approaches could be used to generate degrowth scenarios for biodiversity, nature’s contributions to people (NCP) and good quality of life (GQL) based on multiple societal values. We present key methodological steps of such an endeavour, including: (i) producing degrowth visions for high-income countries; (ii) identifying leverage points and imagining degrowth pathways; (iii) identifying key social–ecological interactions; and (iv) modelling biodiversity, NCP, and GQL along degrowth scenarios. Our proposal is framed within current theoretical, empirical, and modelling work as well as within efforts to improve scenario development across the biodiversity and climate communities. To develop degrowth scenarios for biodiversity, NCP, and GQL, we call for collaboration across natural and social sciences, quantitative and qualitative approaches, and northern and southern perspectives. This collaboration could lead to a community of practice that tests and improves the degrowth scenarios in national and international science–policy interfaces as they set out to achieve the Convention on Biological Diversity’s 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature.
Memory retrieval effects as a function of differences in phenomenal experience
Authors: Schmidt Austin H. , Kirwan C. Brock 
Published: May 2024

AbstractConscious experience and perception are restricted to a single perspective. Although evidence to suggest differences in phenomenal experience can produce observable differences in behavior, it is not well understood how these differences might influence memory. We used fMRI to scan n = 49 participants while they encoded and performed a recognition memory test for faces and words. We calculated a cognitive bias score reflecting individual participants’ propensity toward either Visual Imagery or Internal Verbalization based on their responses to the Internal Representations Questionnaire (IRQ). Neither visual imagery nor internal verbalization scores were significantly correlated with memory performance. In the fMRI data, there were typical patterns of activation differences between words and faces during both encoding and retrieval. There was no effect of internal representation bias on fMRI activation during encoding. At retrieval, however, a bias toward visualization was positively correlated with memory-related activation for both words and faces in inferior occipital gyri. Further, there was a crossover interaction in a network of brain regions such that visualization bias was associated with greater activation for words and verbalization bias was associated with greater activation for faces, consistent with increased effort for non-preferred stimulus retrieval. These findings suggest that individual differences in cognitive representations affect neural activation across different types of stimuli, potentially affecting memory retrieval performance.
Radical innovation breakthroughs of biodegradation of plastics by insects: history, present and future perspectives
Authors: Yang Shan-Shan , Wu Wei-Min , Bertocchini Federica , Benbow Mark Eric , Devipriya Suja P. , Cha Hyung Joon , Peng Bo-Yu , Ding Meng-Qi , He Lei , Li Mei-Xi , Cui Chen-Hao , Shi Shao-Nan , Sun Han-Jun , Pang Ji-Wei , He Defu , Zhang Yalei , Yang Jun , Hou Deyi , Xing De-Feng , Ren Nan-Qi , Ding Jie , Criddle Craig S. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractInsects damaging and penetrating plastic packaged materials has been reported since the 1950s. Radical innovation breakthroughs of plastic biodegradation have been initiated since the discovery of biodegradation of plastics by Tenebrio molitor larvae in 2015 followed by Galleria mellonella in 2017. Here we review updated studies on the insect-mediated biodegradation of plastics. Plastic biodegradation by insect larvae, mainly by some species of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) and pyralid moths (Pyralidae) is currently a highly active and potentially transformative area of research. Over the past eight years, publications have increased explosively, including discoveries of the ability of different insect species to biodegrade plastics, biodegradation performance, and the contribution of host and microbiomes, impacts of polymer types and their physic-chemical properties, and responsible enzymes secreted by the host and gut microbes. To date, almost all major plastics including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyurethane (PUR), and polystyrene (PS) can be biodegraded by T. molitor and ten other insect species representing the Tenebrionidae and Pyralidae families. The biodegradation processes are symbiotic reactions or performed by synergistic efforts of both host and gut-microbes to rapidly depolymerize and biodegrade plastics with hourly half-lives. The digestive ezymens and bioreagents screted by the insects play an essential role in plasatic biodegradation in certain species of Tenebrionidae and Pyralidae families. New research on the insect itself, gut microbiomes, transcriptomes, proteomes and metabolomes has evaluated the mechanisms of plastic biodegradation in insects. We conclude this review by discussing future research perspectives on insect-mediated biodegradation of plastics.
Past, Present, and Future Therapeutic Strategies for NF-1-Associated Tumors
Authors: Na Brian , Shah Shilp R. , Vasudevan Harish N. 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Purpose of Review
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) is a cancer predisposition syndrome caused by mutations in the NF1 tumor suppressor gene that encodes the neurofibromin protein, which functions as a negative regulator of Ras signaling. We review the past, current, and future state of therapeutic strategies for tumors associated with NF-1.

Recent Findings
Therapeutic efforts for NF-1-associated tumors have centered around inhibiting Ras output, leading to the clinical success of downstream MEK inhibition for plexiform neurofibromas and low-grade gliomas. However, MEK inhibition and similar molecular monotherapy approaches that block Ras signaling do not work for all patients and show limited efficacy for more aggressive cancers such as malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors and high-grade gliomas, motivating novel treatment approaches.

Summary
We highlight the current therapeutic landscape for NF-1-associated tumors, broadly categorizing treatment into past strategies for serial Ras pathway blockade, current approaches targeting parallel oncogenic and tumor suppressor pathways, and future avenues of investigation leveraging biologic and technical innovations in immunotherapy, pharmacology, and gene delivery.