bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of provincial forest ecological security and analysis of the driving factors in China via the GWR model
Authors: Ma Longbo , Yang Binyu , Feng Yan , Ju Liyu 
Published: June 2024

AbstractEconomic and social factors pose an enormous threat to forest ecological security, which in turn affects the development of ecological civilization. This paper applies a geographically weighted regression model to study the impact of urbanization, industrial structure, and foreign direct investment on forest ecological security of 30 provinces in 2013 and 2018 and reveals the spatial differences of various influencing factors in different provinces. First, the overall forest ecological security in China is at an average level, with slight improvement. Second, urbanization has the greatest impact on forest ecological security in all provinces, which shows a rising trend. Third, the positive impact of industrial structure on forest ecological security has improved. Fourth, in 2013, FDI (foreign direct investment) had a negative correlation with forest ecological security. In 2018, FDI had a positive impact on the forest ecological security index of 16 provinces, while it had a negative correlation in other provinces. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate a coordinated security improvement plan for neighboring provinces. The government should promote rural revitalization, plan the layout of cities rationally, increase the proportion of tertiary industry, appropriately raise access barriers to foreign investment and strengthen environmental supervision over existing foreign-invested enterprises.
Properties, quantile regression, and application of bounded exponentiated Weibull distribution to COVID-19 data of mortality and survival rates
Authors: Bashir Shakila , Masood Bushra , Al-Essa Laila A. , Sanaullah Aamir , Saleem Iram 
Published: June 2024

AbstractWell-known continuous distributions such as Beta and Kumaraswamy distribution are useful for modeling the datasets which are based on unit interval [0,1]. But every distribution is not always useful for all types of data sets, rather it depends on the shapes of data as well. In this research, a three-parameter new distribution named bounded exponentiated Weibull (BEW) distribution is defined to model the data set with the support of unit interval [0,1]. Some fundamental distributional properties for the BEW distribution have been investigated. For modeling dependence between measures in a dataset, a bivariate extension of the BEW distribution is developed, and graphical shapes for the bivariate BEW distribution have been shown. Several estimation methods have been discussed to estimate the parameters of the BEW distribution and to check the performance of the estimator, a Monte Carlo simulation study has been done. Afterward, the applications of the BEW distribution are illustrated using COVID-19 data sets. The proposed distribution shows a better fit than many well-known distributions. Lastly, a quantile regression model from bounded exponentiated Weibull distribution is developed, and its graphical shapes for the probability density function (PDF) and hazard function have been shown.
A side-by-side comparison of different capacitation media in developing mouse sperm fertilizing ability
Authors: González Lucas N. , Giaccagli María M. , Herzfeld Jael D. , Cuasnicú Patricia S. , Da Ros Vanina G. , Cohen Débora J. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractTo acquire the ability to fertilize the egg, mammalian spermatozoa must undergo a series of changes occurring within the highly synchronized and specialized environment of the female reproductive tract, collectively known as capacitation. In an attempt to replicate this process in vitro, various culture media for mouse sperm were formulated over the past decades, sharing a similar overall composition but differing mainly in ion concentrations and metabolic substrates. The widespread use of the different media to study the mechanisms of capacitation might hinder a comprehensive understanding of this process, as the medium could become a confounding variable in the analysis. In this context, the present side-by-side study compares the influence of four commonly used culture media (FD, HTF and two TYH versions) on mouse sperm capacitation. We evaluated the induction of protein kinase A phosphorylation pathway, motility, hyperactivation and acrosome reaction. Additionally, in vitro fertilization and embryo development were also assessed. By analyzing these outcomes in two mouse colonies with different reproductive performance, our study provides critical insights to improve the global understanding of sperm function. The results obtained highlight the importance of considering variations in medium composition, and their potential implications for the future interpretation of results.
Urea regulates soil nematode population by enhancing the nematode-trapping ability of nematode-trapping fungi
Authors: Fa Zhang , Shuaiyi Huang , Boonmee Saranyaphat , Wen Xiao , Xiaoyan Yang 
Published: June 2024

AbstractAs the most abundant animal in the soil, nematodes are directly or indirectly involved in almost all soil ecological processes. Studying soil nematode population regulation is essential to understanding soil ecological processes. This study found urea combines nematode-trapping fungi to regulate the population of soil nematodes. In soil, compared with no urea, adding 0.2 mg/mL urea after applying Arthrobotrys oligospora and Dactylellina ellipsospora reduced the number of nematodes by 34.7% and 31.7%. Further, the mechanism of urea couple nematode-trapping fungi to regulate the nematode population was explored in the medium environment. The results showed that the addition of 0.2 mg/ml urea accelerated the trap formation of A. oligospora and D. ellipsosporas by 50% and 46.5%, and increased the yield of traps of A. oligospora and D. ellipsosporas by 39.5% and 40.6%, thus, the predatory efficiency of A. oligospora and D. ellipsospora on nematodes was increased by 34.2% and 32.7%. In conclusion, urea regulates the predation ability of A. oligospora and D. ellipsosporas to regulate the soil nematode population. This study deepens the understanding of the regulatory pathways of the soil nematodes but also provides a potential new strategy for harmful nematode bio-control.
The changes in ocular torsion after unilateral lateral rectus recession-medial rectus resection for intermittent exotropia
Authors: Liu Changyang , Liu Jiasu , Zhu Huailin , Zhang Lan , Gao Mingjun , Zhang Siqi , Zhao Qi 
Published: June 2024

AbstractWe aim to explore the alterations of objective ocular torsion after unilateral lateral rectus recession-medial rectus resection (R&R) for intermittent exotropia (IXT). Seventy-two IXT patients undergoing R&R between March and June 2023 were enrolled. Ophthalmological examinations were performed before surgery and at 1 week and 1 month after surgery, mainly including prism and alternate cover test and optical coherence tomography. The mean disc-foveal angle of eyes showing intorsion significantly increased from − 1.5 ± 0.9° preoperatively to 2.0 ± 2.0° at 1 week (P = 0.0227) and 2.2 ± 1.6° at 1 month postoperatively (P = 0.0054). The mean disc-foveal angle of eyes exhibiting extorsion significantly reduced from 12.8 ± 1.9° preoperatively to 9.8 ± 3.1° at 1 week (P < 0.0001) and 9.7 ± 2.7° at 1 month postoperatively (P < 0.0001). The improvement of ocular extorsion at postoperative 1 month was more pronounced in patients with extorsion in operative eye compared to those with extorsion in inoperative eye (P = 0.0101). The improvement of ocular torsion was observed following R&R for IXT, with a greater effect noted in cases where the surgery was performed on the eye exhibiting extorsion.
Effects of percutaneous endovascular angioplasty for severe stenosis or occlusion of subclavian artery
Authors: Zhao Tong-Yuan , Xu Gang-Qin , Xue Jiang-Yu , Cai Dong-Yang , Yang Bo-Wen , Ba Yue-Yang , Feng Chen-Yi , Li Tian-Xiao , Gao Bu-Lang , Chen Zhong-Can 
Published: June 2024

AbstractTo investigate the effect and safety of percutaneous endovascular angioplasty (PEA) with optional stenting for the treatment of severe stenosis or occlusion of subclavian artery, patients with severe stenosis ≥ 70% or occlusion of subclavian artery treated with PEA were retrospectively enrolled. The clinical data were analyzed. A total of 222 patients were retrospectively enrolled, including 151 males (68.0%) and 71 females (32.0%) aged 48–86 (mean 63.9 ± 9.0) years. Forty-seven (21.2%) patients had comorbidities. Subclavian artery stenosis ≥ 70% was present in 201 (90.5%) patients and complete subclavian occlusion in 21 (9.5%) cases. Angioplasty was successfully performed in all (100%) patients. Balloon-expandable stents were used in 190 (85.6%) cases, and self-expandable stents in 20 (9.0%) cases. Only 12 (5.4%) cases were treated with balloon dilation only. Among 210 patients treated with stent angioplasty, 71 (33.8% or 71/210) cases underwent balloon pre-dilation, 139 (66.2% or 139/210) had direct deployment of balloon-expandable stents, and 2 (1.0% or 2/210) experienced balloon post-dilation. Distal embolization protection devices were used in 5 (2.3% or 5/222) cases. Periprocedural complications occurred in 3 (1.4%) patients, including aortic dissection in 2 (0.9%) cases and right middle cerebral artery embolism in 1 (0.5%). No hemorrhage occurred. Among 182 (82.0%) patients with 6-month follow-up, restenosis > 70% occurred in 1 (0.5%) patient, and among 68 (30.6%) patients with 12-month follow-up, restenosis > 70% took place in 11 (16.2%) patients. Percutaneous endovascular angioplasty can be safely and efficiently performed for the treatment of severe stenosis ≥ 70% or occlusion of subclavian artery.
Inhibition of the protective effects of preconditioning in ischemia–reperfusion injury by chronic methadone: the role of pAkt and pSTAT3
Authors: Yeganeh-Hajahmadi Mahboobeh , Kordestani Zeinab , Moosavi-Saeed Yasmin , Rostamzadeh Farzaneh 
Published: June 2024

AbstractCardiac ischemic preconditioning (Pre) reduces cardiac ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) by stimulating opioid receptors. Chronic use of opioids can alter the signaling pathways. We investigated the effects of chronic methadone use on IRI and Pre. The experiments were performed on isolated hearts of male Wistar rats in four groups: IRI, Methadone + IRI (M-IRI), Pre + IRI (Pre-IRI), Methadone + Pre + IRI (M-Pre-IRI). The infarct size (IS) in the Pre-IRI group was smaller than the IRI group (26.8% vs. 47.8%, P < 0.05). In the M-IRI and M-Pre-IRI groups, the infarct size was similar to the IRI group. Akt (Ak strain transforming) phosphorylation in the Pre-IRI, M-IRI, and M-Pre-IRI groups was significantly higher than in the IRI group (0.56 ± 0.15, 0.63 ± 0.20, and 0.93 ± 0.18 vs 0.28 ± 0.17 respectively). STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) phosphorylation in the Pre-IRI and M-Pre-IRI groups (1.38 ± 0.14 and 1.46 ± 0.33) was significantly higher than the IRI and M-IRI groups (0.99 ± 0.1 and 0.98 ± 0.2). Thus, chronic use of methadone not only has no protective effect against IRI but also destroys the protective effects of ischemic preconditioning. This may be due to the hyperactivation of Akt and changes in signaling pathways.
Dosimetric analysis of six whole-breast irradiation techniques in supine and prone positions
Authors: Kim Dong Wook , Hong Chae-Seon , Son Junyoung , Kim Se Young , Park Ye-In , Chung Mijoo , Chung Weon Kuu , Han Min Cheol , Kim Jihun , Kim Hojin , Kim Jin Sung 
Published: June 2024

AbstractIn breast cancer radiation therapy, minimizing radiation-related risks and toxicity is vital for improving life expectancy. Tailoring radiotherapy techniques and treatment positions can reduce radiation doses to normal organs and mitigate treatment-related toxicity. This study entailed a dosimetric comparison of six different external beam whole-breast irradiation techniques in both supine and prone positions. We selected fourteen breast cancer patients, generating six treatment plans in both positions per patient. We assessed target coverage and organs at risk (OAR) doses to evaluate the impact of treatment techniques and positions. Excess absolute risk was calculated to estimate potential secondary cancer risk in the contralateral breast, ipsilateral lung, and contralateral lung. Additionally, we analyzed the distance between the target volume and OARs (heart and ipsilateral lung) while considering the treatment position. The results indicate that prone positioning lowers lung exposure in X-ray radiotherapy. However, particle beam therapies (PBTs) significantly reduce the dose to the heart and ipsilateral lung regardless of the patient’s position. Notably, negligible differences were observed between arc-delivery and static-delivery PBTs in terms of target conformity and OAR sparing. This study provides critical dosimetric evidence to facilitate informed decision-making regarding treatment techniques and positions.
IL-37d suppresses Rheb-mTORC1 axis independently of TCS2 to alleviate alcoholic liver disease
Authors: Chen Nuo , Wang Xiaoyu , Guo Yaxin , Zhao Ming , Cao Baihui , Zhan Bing , Li Yubin , Zhou Tian , Zhu Faliang , Guo Chun , Shi Yongyu , Wang Qun , Zhang Lining , Li Yan 
Published: June 2024

AbstractTuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) crucially suppresses Rheb activity to prevent mTORC1 activation. However, mutations in TSC genes lead to mTORC1 overactivation, thereby causing various developmental disorders and cancer. Therefore, the discovery of novel Rheb inhibitors is vital to prevent mTOR overactivation. Here, we reveals that the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-37d can bind to lysosomal Rheb and suppress its activity independent of TSC2, thereby preventing mTORC1 activation. The binding of IL-37d to Rheb switch-II subregion destabilizes the Rheb-mTOR and mTOR-S6K interactions, further halting mTORC1 signaling. Unlike TSC2, IL-37d is reduced under ethanol stimulation, which results in mitigating the suppression of lysosomal Rheb-mTORC1 activity. Consequently, the recombinant human IL-37d protein (rh-IL-37d) with a TAT peptide greatly improves alcohol-induced liver disorders by hindering Rheb-mTORC1 axis overactivation in a TSC2- independent manner. Together, IL-37d emerges as a novel Rheb suppressor independent of TSC2 to terminate mTORC1 activation and improve abnormal lipid metabolism in the liver.
Controlling the TE-TM splitting of topological photonic interface states by precise incident angle adjustment
Authors: Li Pan , Guo Yuan , Xi Yingjie , Xiang Ying , Gao Wei , Zhang Xin , Zhao Degang 
Published: June 2024

AbstractTopological phases in photonic systems have garnered significant attention, often relying on precise structural design for generating non-trivial topological phases. However, this dependency on fixed structures limits their adaptability. This study systematically explores incident angle-induced topological phase transitions in a one-dimensional photonic crystal (PC). Both TE and TM polarized modes undergo topological phase transitions at the same critical transition angles. Additionally, the TM-polarized mode undergoes a unique topological phase transition at the Brewster angle. When these two kinds of transition angles coincide, even if the band structure of the TM-polarized mode undergoes an open-close-reopen process, the topological properties of the corresponding bandgap remain unchanged. Based on theoretical analysis, we design the composite PCs comprising two interfaced PCs having common bandgaps but different topological properties. By tuning the incident angle, we theoretically and experimentally achieve TE-TM splitting of topological interface states in the visible region, which may have potential applications in optical communications, optical switching, photonic integrated circuits, and so on.
Insect-inspired breathing interfaces: investigating robustness of coating-free gas entrapping microtextured surfaces under pressure cycles
Authors: Arunachalam Sankara , Sadullah Muhammad Subkhi , Mishra Himanshu 
Published: June 2024

AbstractNumerous natural and engineering scenarios necessitate the entrapment of air pockets or bubbles on submerged surfaces. Current technologies for bubble entrapment rely on perfluorocarbon coatings, limiting their sustainability. Herein, we investigated the efficacy of doubly reentrant cavity architecture towards realizing gas-entrapping microtextured surfaces under static and dynamic pressure cycling. The effects of positive (>1 atm), negative (<1 atm), and positive–negative cycles on the stability the gas entrapment inside individual doubly reentrant cavities were studied across a range of pressures, ramp rates, intercycle intervals, and water-column heights. Remarkably, the fate of the trapped air under pressure cycling fell into either of the following regimes: the bubble (i) monotonically depleted (unstable), (ii) remained indefinitely stable (stable), or (iii) started growing (bubble growth). This hitherto unrealized richness of underwater bubble dynamics should guide the development of coating-free technologies and help us understand the curious lives of air-breathing aquatic and marine insects.
Dynamin 1xA interacts with Endophilin A1 via its spliced long C-terminus for ultrafast endocytosis
Authors: Imoto Yuuta , Xue Jing , Luo Lin , Raychaudhuri Sumana , Itoh Kie , Ma Ye , Craft George E , Kwan Ann H , Ogunmowo Tyler H , Ho Annie , Mackay Joel P , Ha Taekjip , Watanabe Shigeki , Robinson Phillip J 
Published: June 2024

AbstractDynamin 1 mediates fission of endocytic synaptic vesicles in the brain and has two major splice variants, Dyn1xA and Dyn1xB, which are nearly identical apart from the extended C-terminal region of Dyn1xA. Despite a similar set of binding partners, only Dyn1xA is enriched at endocytic zones and accelerates vesicle fission during ultrafast endocytosis. Here, we report that Dyn1xA achieves this localization by preferentially binding to Endophilin A1 through a newly defined binding site within its long C-terminal tail extension. Endophilin A1 binds this site at higher affinity than the previously reported site, and the affinity is determined by amino acids within the Dyn1xA tail but outside the binding site. This interaction is regulated by the phosphorylation state of two serine residues specific to the Dyn1xA variant. Dyn1xA and Endophilin A1 colocalize in patches near the active zone, and mutations disrupting Endophilin A binding to the long tail cause Dyn1xA mislocalization and stalled endocytic pits on the plasma membrane during ultrafast endocytosis. Together, these data suggest that the specificity for ultrafast endocytosis is defined by the phosphorylation-regulated interaction of Endophilin A1 with the C-terminal extension of Dyn1xA.
Lactate supports cell-autonomous ECM production to sustain metastatic behavior in prostate cancer
Authors: Ippolito Luigi , Duatti Assia , Iozzo Marta , Comito Giuseppina , Pardella Elisa , Lorito Nicla , Bacci Marina , Pranzini Erica , Santi Alice , Sandrini Giada , Catapano Carlo V , Serni Sergio , Spatafora Pietro , Morandi Andrea , Giannoni Elisa , Chiarugi Paola 
Published: June 2024

AbstractExtracellular matrix (ECM) is a major component of the tumor environment, promoting the establishment of a pro-invasive behavior. Such environment is supported by both tumor- and stromal-derived metabolites, particularly lactate. In prostate cancer (PCa), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are major contributors of secreted lactate, able to impact on metabolic and transcriptional regulation in cancer cells. Here, we describe a mechanism by which CAF-secreted lactate promotes in PCa cells the expression of genes coding for the collagen family. Lactate-exploiting PCa cells rely on increased α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) which activates the α-KG-dependent collagen prolyl-4-hydroxylase (P4HA1) to support collagen hydroxylation. De novo synthetized collagen plays a signaling role by activating discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1), supporting stem-like and invasive features of PCa cells. Inhibition of lactate-induced collagen hydroxylation and DDR1 activation reduces the metastatic colonization of PCa cells. Overall, these results provide a new understanding of the link between collagen remodeling/signaling and the nutrient environment exploited by PCa.
Biochemical Society support in action: experiences from our community
Authors: Ollett Lucy 
Published: June 2024

Throughout the year, the Biochemical Society offers a programme of grants for all career stages supporting research, attendance at scientific conferences and the sponsorship of events. So far this year, we have awarded over £200,000 towards conference participation, summer vacation studentships, international collaboration and the organization of independent seminars and postgraduate days. In this article, we are delighted to share a few insights from our community that highlight the variety of projects and opportunities made possible by our funding.
For more information about our funding opportunities and the application process, please visit our website.
Screening of active components of Ganoderma lucidum and decipher its molecular mechanism to improve learning and memory disorders
Authors: Zhang Xiao-tian , Ji Chun-lei , Fu Yu-juan , Yang Yue , Xu Guang-yu 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Learning and memory impairment (LMI), a common degenerative central nervous system disease. Recently, more and more studies have shown that Ganoderma lucidum (GL) can improve the symptoms of LMI. The active ingredients in GL and their corresponding targets were screened through TCMSP (Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform) and BATMAN-TCM (Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine) databases, and the potential LMI targets were searched for through GeneCard (GeneCards Human Gene Database) and DrugBank. Then, we construct a ‘main active ingredient-target’ network and a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network diagram.The GO (Gene Ontology) functional enrichment analysis and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway annotation analysis were performed on the common targets through DAVID (Database for Annotation Visualization and Integrated Discovery) to clarify the potential molecular mechanism of action of active ingredients in GL. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) protein was verified by Western blot; Twenty one active ingredients in GL and 142 corresponding targets were screened out, including 59 targets shared with LMI. The 448 biological processes shown by the GO functional annotation results and 55 signal pathways shown by KEGG enrichment analysis were related to the improvement of LMI by GL, among which the correlation of Alzheimer’s disease pathway is the highest, and TNF was the most important protein; TNF can improve LMI. GL can improve LMI mainly by 10 active ingredients in it, and they may play a role by regulating Alzheimer’s disease pathway and TNF protein.