bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Cysteinyl-tRNA Synthetase Mutation Causes Novel Autosomal-Dominant Inheritance of a Parkinsonism/Spinocerebellar-Ataxia Complex
Authors: Liu Han-Kui , Hao Hong-Lin , You Hui , Feng Feng , Qi Xiu-Hong , Huang Xiao-Yan , Hou Bo , Tian Chang-Geng , Wang Han , Yang Huan-Ming , Wang Jian , Wu Rui , Fang Hui , Zhou Jiang-Ning , Zhang Jian-Guo , Zhang Zhen-Xin 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis study aimed to identify possible pathogenic genes in a 90-member family with a rare combination of multiple neurodegenerative disease phenotypes, which has not been depicted by the known neurodegenerative disease. We performed physical and neurological examinations with International Rating Scales to assess signs of ataxia, Parkinsonism, and cognitive function, as well as brain magnetic resonance imaging scans with seven sequences. We searched for co-segregations of abnormal repeat-expansion loci, pathogenic variants in known spinocerebellar ataxia-related genes, and novel rare mutations via whole-genome sequencing and linkage analysis. A rare co-segregating missense mutation in the CARS gene was validated by Sanger sequencing and the aminoacylation activity of mutant CARS was measured by spectrophotometric assay. This pedigree presented novel late-onset core characteristics including cerebellar ataxia, Parkinsonism, and pyramidal signs in all nine affected members. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed cerebellar/pons atrophy, pontine-midline linear hyperintensity, decreased rCBF in the bilateral basal ganglia and cerebellar dentate nucleus, and hypo-intensities of the cerebellar dentate nuclei, basal ganglia, mesencephalic red nuclei, and substantia nigra, all of which suggested neurodegeneration. Whole-genome sequencing identified a novel pathogenic heterozygous mutation (E795V) in the CARS gene, meanwhile, exhibited none of the known repeat-expansions or point mutations in pathogenic genes. Remarkably, this CARS mutation causes a 20% decrease in aminoacylation activity to charge tRNACys with L-cysteine in protein synthesis compared with that of the wild type. All family members carrying a heterozygous mutation CARS (E795V) had the same clinical manifestations and neuropathological changes of Parkinsonism and spinocerebellar-ataxia. These findings identify novel pathogenesis of Parkinsonism-spinocerebellar ataxia and provide insights into its genetic architecture.
Analysing Children’s Responses from Multiple Modalities During Robot-Assisted Assessment of Mental Wellbeing
Authors: Abbasi Nida Itrat , Spitale Micol , Anderson Joanna , Ford Tamsin , Jones Peter B. , Gunes Hatice 
Published: June 2024

AbstractAccording to the World Health Organization, the early identification of mental wellbeing issues in children is extremely important for children’s growth and development. However, the available health services are not sufficient to address children’s needs in this area. Literature suggests that robots can provide the support needed to promote mental wellbeing in children, but how robots can help with the assessment of mental wellbeing is relatively unexplored. Hence, this work analyses multiple data modalities collected in an exploratory study involving 41 children (8–13 years old, 21 females and 20 males) who interacted with a Nao robot for about 30–45 min. During this session, the robot delivered four tasks: (1) happy and sad memory recall, (2) the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ), (3) the picture-based task inspired by the Children Appreciation Test (CAT), and (4) the Revised Children Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS). We clustered the participants into three groups based on their SMFQ scores as follows: low tertile (16 participants), med tertile (12 participants), and high tertile (13 participants). Then, we described and analysed the data collected from multiple sources (i.e., questionnaires responses, audio-visual recordings, and speech transcriptions) to gather multiple perspectives for understanding how children’s responses and behaviours differ across the three clusters (low, med, vs high) and their gender (boys vs girls) for robot-assisted assessment of mental wellbeing. Our results show that: (i) the robotised mode is the most effective in the identification of wellbeing-related concerns with respect to standardised modes of administration (self-report and parent-report); (ii) children less likely to have mental wellbeing concerns displayed more expressive responses than children who are more likely to have mental wellbeing concerns; and (iii) girls who are more likely to have mental wellbeing concerns displayed more expressive responses than boys, while boys who are less likely to have mental wellbeing concerns displayed more expressive responses than girls. Findings from this work are promising for paving the way towards automatic assessment of mental wellbeing in children via robot-assisted interactions.
Repurposing FDA-approved compounds to target JAK2 for colon cancer treatment
Authors: Chandrasekhar Bavya , Gor Ravi , Ramalingam Satish , Thiagarajan Anuradha , Sohn Honglae , Madhavan Thirumurthy 
Published: June 2024

AbstractColorectal cancer is one of the common cancers worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related death. The current treatment has the inherent drawbacks and there is a need of developing a new treatment. Interleukin-6 a pleiotropic cytokine involved in immune regulation and activation of JAK2/STAT3 pathway in colorectal cancer. JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway functions as a critical regulator of cell growth, differentiation, and immune expression. The abnormality in the JAK2/STAT3 pathway is involved in the tumorigenesis of colon cancer including apoptosis. In this study, we identified novel inhibitors for JAK2 protein by performing virtual screening against FDA-approved compounds. To address the selectivity issue, we implemented cross-docking method followed by DFT calculations to understand the chemical reactivity of the identified compounds. Additionally, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed for the top FDA compounds against JAK2 to understand the molecular interactions and structural stability of the complex over a period of 200 ns. Our results indicated that ergotamine, entrectinib, exatecan, dihydroergotamine, and paritaprevir can be used as alternative drugs for colon cancer. In addition, ergotamine was found to efficiently lower the cell viability with IC50 values of 100 µM on colon cancer cell lines. The long-term inhibitory effect of the ergotamine led to a decrease in colony size, and the toxicity properties were studied using hemolysis assay. Our study shows the potential of targeting JAK2 as a novel approach to colon cancer treatment, and demonstrate that ergotamine as a promising effects as an anti-cancer drug.
Graphical abstract
Water strategies and management: current paths to sustainable water use
Authors: Han Xuemei , Boota Muhammad Waseem , Soomro Shan-e-hyder , Ali Sher , Soomro Sufi Ghullam Hyder , Soomro Nishan-E-hyder , Soomro Mairaj Hyder Alias Aamir , Soomro Abdul Razzaque , Batool Sahar , Bai Yanqin , Shi Xiaotao , Guo Jiali , Li Yinghai , Hu Caihong , Tayyab Muhammad 
Published: June 2024

AbstractFreshwater is unquestionably the most crucial resource essential for the sustenance and advancement of humankind. This invaluable entity surpasses all societal, economic, and environmental domains, consequently rendering it a ubiquitous good. Globally, it has been estimated that the industrial sector employs approximately 20% of the available freshwater. The principal aim within the industrial domain is to maximize production efficiency, rather than prioritizing the enhancement of water conservation and efficiency. Research suggests that a favorable association exists between the monetary investments made in technological improvements for industrial water treatment and reuse and a profitable return on investment that is sustained over a prolonged duration. This could plausibly explain the dearth of willingness exhibited by some corporations in dedicating resources to this vital issue. The objective of this study is to explicate the notion of sustainability concerning water management that can be operationalized in the context of Pakistan, while delving into the latest advancements in the sphere of sustainable management practices. This research endeavor shall serve as an instructive source for executives, entrepreneurs, and vested parties in various industrial domains to propel their endeavors toward sustainable practices while simultaneously achieving optimization and surpassing the benchmarks set by national regulations and international establishments. This investigation has illuminated the imperative of executing an all-encompassing water management strategy that incorporates the ecological, financial, and societal dimensions as the essential constituents of viability in industrial water utilization. This work ought to possess a worldwide scope, bearing in mind the ubiquitous character of industrial practices in the epoch of globalization.
Narratives of high school teachers’ identity renewal through teaching a new intercultural curriculum subject
Authors: Browning David , Kriewaldt Jeana , McLeod Julie 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Contrary to popular myth, teachers do not simply deliver a ready-made curriculum. Rather, they interpret and make meaning of the curriculum. The introduction of a capabilities dimension in the formal curriculum in Australia invites a case study of curriculum innovation in action. Drawing on Clandinin and Connelly’s narrative inquiry approach, complemented by Aoki’s concept of curriculum-as-lived, we offer an analysis of the dilemmas three teachers confronted and the pedagogical decisions they made when implementing a new Intercultural Capabilities (IC) curriculum. We argue that one of the effects of negotiating the new curriculum was a destabilising of teachers’ professional identity. Through the process of re-storying classroom events, these early innovators were forced to confront their own cultural identity. Initially an unsettling or unmooring experience, it became a positive encounter. Teachers reported a sense of identity renewal in which they became more reflexive and flexible in their approach to IC pedagogy as a deliberate response to the unpredictable pedagogical challenges that emerged.
Effect of the phosphate and mineralogical composition on the movement and mineralization of glyphosate in clay soils
Authors: Dotor Robayo M. Y. , Martínez Cordón M. J. , Okada E. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractGlyphosate is one of the most used herbicides worldwide. In rice paddy fields, it is usually applied for weed control during the pre-planting stage. Phosphate fertilizers may enhance herbicide displacement in the soil matrix. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of monoamoniun phosphate and the mineralogical composition on the movement and mineralization of glyphosate in clay soils (CS1; CS2 and CS3) in Colombia. Glyphosate miscible displacement experiments were performed in disturbed soil columns, with and without the addition of phosphate after the application of a pulse of N-(phosphonomethyl-14C) glycine. Simultaneously, 14C-glyphosate mineralization was measured indirectly by quantifying the amount 14C–CO2 released daily. At the end of the experiment, the columns were divided into six horizontal sections and glyphosate-bound residues were determined in the soil. The addition of phosphate decreased glyphosate retention time (in CS1 and CS2) and increased the total leached amount only in CS1 soil. Overall, more than 95% of the applied glyphosate was retained in the soil columns. Glyphosate mineralization half-life adjusted to a bi-exponential model, implying that one fraction degrades rapidly due to being more bioavailable, and the other fraction presents a slow rate of degradation and, that although high contents of kaolinite clays are important in the adsorption and translocation of the herbicide, the presence of calcites and divalent cations modify this process, favoring the persistence of the molecule in the soil. Glyphosate partitions into an easily degradable fraction and a more recalcitrant fraction adsorbed to kaolinite clays, calcites, and divalent cations. This fraction is less available for biodegradation thus favoring glyphosate persistence in soil.
Do We Need More Structured MD Thesis Programs? A Propensity Score Matched Analysis of the Research Program at the Medical Faculty Dresden
Authors: Bereuter Jean-Paul , Geissler Mark Enrik , Klimova Anna , Geissler Rona , Oswald Corina , El-Armouche Ali , El-Armouche Katja , Günther Lydia , Deußen Andreas 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Introduction
Conducting a Medical Doctorate (MD) thesis is desired by the majority of medical students. However, the needed scientific competencies are not regularly implemented in medical education. To support students during their MD thesis, a graduate college was implemented. The present study aims to investigate the impact of this structured MD thesis program on the outcome of the MD thesis and the further scientific career.

Methods
An online survey covering 59 items was distributed to all current and former medical students who officially started their MD thesis from 2011 to 2022. The survey investigated the impact of the structured MD thesis program on the scientific development of participating students compared to students outside the structured program.

Results
Based on a total of 370 complete answers, the analysis indicated that participants of the structured program have a significantly better outcome of their MD thesis compared to the control cohort based on objective parameters such as the thesis grade, the number of first-author publications, attendance of congresses, and the number of rewards. Additionally, participation in the program led to a more sustainable integration of students into research measured by the participation or pursuit of clinician scientist programs. Propensity score matched analyses of 60 participants confirmed the results.

Conclusion
Participation in a structured MD thesis program significantly improved the outcome and may support sustainable integration into research. Therefore, the implementation of such programs should be further expanded to secure the education of scientifically trained MD graduates.
Work-life balance during the COVID-19 pandemic. A European perspective
Authors: Alfano Vincenzo , Mariotti Ilaria , Nappo Nunzia , Vecchione Gaetano 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe EU’s remote working landscape, marked by heterogeneity, underwent significant changes due to COVID-19. We use Eurofound’s longitudinal Living, Working and COVID-19 e-survey to explore work-life balance shifts among remote workers from spring 2020 to spring 2022. Quantitative analysis reveals heightened work-life balance challenges for married, female, parent, and university-educated remote workers. Employer work-life balance intensified post-pandemic, while self-employed workers faced consistent challenges. Countries with less of a history of remote work exhibited reduced remote worker satisfaction through all phases of the pandemic. While sectoral effects were not pronounced, this study underscores nuanced demographic and employment-related impacts of remote work on work-life balance. Its findings provide new insights to the study of EU remote work dynamics, offering implications for workforce well-being and management strategies.
Process Design for Direct Production of Battery Grade Nickel Sulfate
Authors: Kinnunen Päivi , Riihimäki Teppo , Kinnunen Kalle , Salo Marja , Heikola Tiina , Mäkinen Jarno 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe clean energy transition has increased the global demand of nickel sulfate used in the Li-ion batteries. A short-term solution is to refine the nickel sulfate product from nickel intermediates. In the long-term, new direct nickel sulfate production technologies are needed. This research focused on the modeling-based concept development of a novel direct hydrometallurgical nickel sulfate process consisting of chemical leaching, impurity removal by precipitation, solvent extraction, and crystallization as an alternative to the conventional nickel sulfate production route via a nickel matte intermediate. The conventional process route with the studied nickel concentrate had lower chemical consumption and waste production compared to direct hydrometallurgical process where approximately 60% of iron was leached consuming oxygen, and the following iron precipitation step consuming calcium carbonate resulted in a high amount of iron precipitate together with gypsum. However, hydrometallurgical alternatives are often suitable for lower ore grades or volumes and can recover copper as by-product metal. The biggest impacts on carbon footprint from chemical consumption in the direct hydrometallurgical process were generated in iron precipitation and oxygen use in leaching. With the studied nickel concentrate, pyrrhotite played a key role in both oxygen use and iron precipitation. In the leaching step, 68% of total oxygen consumption was related to pyrrhotite leaching, while in iron removal 73% of total iron originated from pyrrhotite. Thus, especially pyrrhotite removal prior to leaching needs to be developed to reduce the carbon dioxide footprint, when the pyrrhotite content in the material is high.
Graphical Abstract
Performance of different microfluidic devices in continuous liquid-liquid separation
Authors: Oldach Bastian , Chiang Ya-Yu , Ben-Achour Leon , Chen Tai-Jhen , Kockmann Norbert 
Published: June 2024

AbstractDroplet-based microfluidics exhibit numerous benefits leading to relevant innovations and many applications in various fields. The precise handling of droplets in capillaries, including droplet formation, manipulation, and separation, is essential for successful operation. Only a few reports are known concerning the separation of segmented flows, particularly the continuous separation of droplets, which is of high interest regarding the control of biochemical and chemical reactions or other applications where the contact time of the involved phases is crucial. Here, the separation must be flexible and adjusted to different flow parameters, such as the surface tension, the volumetric flow rates, and their ratios. This contribution presents two novel open-source approaches based on additive manufacturing and mechanical deforming for continuous liquid–liquid separation under various flow conditions. The Laplace pressure is the driving force for the separation, which is adjusted to the flow conditions by adapting the distance of pinning points provided by the design of the devices. Details of the device design and experimental setup are shown along with limitations to promote further development and to increase availability for researchers. With the right parameters, sophisticated separations can be realized by inexpensive laboratory equipment and simple control of them. It was found that the distance between the pinning points needs to enlarged for increasing volumetric flow rates and reduced for higher viscosities of the continuous phase respectively higher amounts of the dispersed phase. The open source approach of this article expands the exploration space in addition to commercially available phase separators only available to a selected group of people.
Graphical Abstract
Unveiling the potential of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in phytoremediation of heavy metal
Authors: Sahoo Ritwik , Sow Sumit , Ranjan Shivani , Dharminder  , Kumar Rajan , Roy Dhirendra Kumar , Kumar Sunil , Kumar Amrendra , Srivastava Rajeev Kumar , Prasad Rajendra , Padhan Smruti Ranjan , Nath Dibyajyoti 
Published: June 2024

AbstractRapid industrialization, modern farming practices, and other human activities are contributing significant amounts of harmful heavy metals to the environment. These metals can accumulate and magnify through food chains, posing substantial risks to human health. Recognizing the global environmental threat and its health implications, researchers have developed cutting-edge methods to address heavy metal contamination. Phytoremediation stands out as the foremost method, offering effectiveness and environmental suitability. Combining plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) with phytoremediation can be a viable option for minimizing contamination. PGPR enhances plant growth and aids in metal cleanup through chemical synthesis, the secretion of chelating agents, redox reactions, and acidification. This review conducted a comprehensive online search across peer-reviewed electronic databases using specific keywords related to PGPR in heavy metal phytoremediation. This review included 129 relevant articles out of the initially identified 187 articles and outcomes were represented with schematic sketches and in-depth tables. The articles selected were focused on the potential of PGPR in phytoremediation, with emphasis on the contribution of rhizo and endophytic bacteria in accelerating the benefits of phytoremediation. There is little information available about the mechanisms involved in plant-PGPR relationships for metal accumulation. The causes and effects of heavy metal toxicity in the environment were examined in this review, along with the usage of PGPR as a different biological strategy to reduce metal contamination and prevent metals from migrating into edible plant parts. Finally, these prospects will provide some perspectives for future studies on these bacteria in agriculture and offer the possibility of major breakthroughs through knowledge expansion and the allocation of trial sites for the transfer of phytoremediation technology to the farmers in a better way.
Research on seismic response of museum cultural relics for shock absorption and seismic isolation
Authors: Huo Yiran , Liu Dewen , Guo Zhongfa , Li Hui , Luo Xiaoxuan , Lei Min 
Published: June 2024

AbstractMuseum cultural relics are valuable heritages of the development and change of the Chinese Nation over thousands of years, so the research on the protection of cultural relics is of great significance. In this paper, for the research on double shockproof of museums and cultural relics showcases in the museum, finite element models of the base fixed structure, base isolated structure and viscous fluid damper structure of the museum are established, modal analysis and time-history analysis are carried out to compare the seismic effect of the three kinds of structures. At the same time, the fixed cultural relics showcase, isolated cultural relics showcase and viscous fluid damper cultural relics showcase are established, and the seismic response analysis is carried out by inputting seismic waves and floor waves of the museums to study the acceleration and displacement response of the showcase countertop. The results show that, compared with the base fixed structure and base isolated structure of the museum, the viscous fluid damper structure of the museum can better reduce the inter-story shear force, inter-story drift and the floor acceleration response of the structure, and more effectively consume the seismic energy input to the structure, with the most obvious effect of shock absorption and seismic isolation; relative to the base fixed structure and base isolated structure, under the action of floor waves of the viscous fluid damper structure of the museum, the isolated cultural relics showcase and viscous fluid damper cultural relics showcase for shock absorption and seismic isolation are very obvious, so the isolated cultural relics showcase and viscous fluid damper cultural relics showcase are placed in the viscous fluid damper structure of the museum, all can achieve the purpose of the double shockproof of the cultural relics.