bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Medial positioning of the hippocampus and hippocampal fissure volume in developmental topographical disorientation
Authors: Fragueiro Agustina , Cury Claire , Santacroce Federica , Burles Ford , Iaria Giuseppe , Committeri Giorgia 
Published: January 2024

AbstractDevelopmental topographical disorientation (DTD) refers to the lifelong inability to orient by means of cognitive maps in familiar surroundings despite otherwise well‐preserved general cognitive functions, and the absence of any acquired brain injury or neurological condition. While reduced functional connectivity between the hippocampus and other brain regions has been reported in DTD individuals, no structural differences in gray matter tissue for the whole brain neither for the hippocampus were detected. Considering that the human hippocampus is the main structure associated with cognitive map‐based navigation, here, we investigated differences in morphological and morphometric hippocampal features between individuals affected by DTD (N = 20) and healthy controls (N = 238). Specifically, we focused on a developmental anomaly of the hippocampus that is characterized by the incomplete infolding of hippocampal subfields during fetal development, giving the hippocampus a more round or pyramidal shape, called incomplete hippocampal inversion (IHI). We rated IHI according to standard criteria and extracted hippocampal subfield volumes after FreeSurfer's automatic segmentation. We observed similar IHI prevalence in the group of individuals with DTD with respect to the control population. Neither differences in whole hippocampal nor major hippocampal subfield volumes have been observed between groups. However, when assessing the IHI independent criteria, we observed that the hippocampus in the DTD group is more medially positioned comparing to the control group. In addition, we observed bigger hippocampal fissure volume for the DTD comparing to the control group. Both of these findings were stronger for the right hippocampus comparing to the left. Our results provide new insights regarding the hippocampal morphology of individuals affected by DTD, highlighting the role of structural anomalies during early prenatal development in line with the developmental nature of the spatial disorientation deficit.
UTX inhibition suppresses proliferation and promotes apoptosis in patient‐derived glioblastoma stem cells by modulating periostin expression
Authors: Luan Yan , Zhang Hanyue , Liu Yingfei , Xue Jingwen , Wang Ke , Ma Bo , Ma Kaige , Lu Haixia , Chen Xinlin , Liu Yong , Zhang Zhichao 
Published: January 2024

AbstractGlioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) exert a crucial influence on glioblastoma (GBM) development, progression, resistance to therapy, and recurrence, making them an attractive target for drug discovery. UTX, a histone H3K27 demethylase, participates in regulating multiple cancer types. However, its functional role in GSCs remains insufficiently explored. This study aims to investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of UTX on GSCs. Analysis of TCGA data revealed heightened UTX expression in glioma, inversely correlating with overall survival. Inhibiting UTX suppressed GBM cell growth and induced apoptosis. Subsequently, we cultured primary GSCs from three patients, observing that UTX inhibition suppressed cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. RNA‐seq was performed to analyze the gene expression changes after silencing UTX in GSCs. The results indicated that UTX‐mediated genes were strongly correlated with GBM progression and regulatory tumor microenvironment. The transwell co‐cultured experiment showed that silencing UTX in the transwell chamber GSCs inhibited the well plate cell proliferation. Protein–protein interaction analysis revealed that periostin (POSTN) played a role in the UTX‐mediated transcriptional regulatory network. Replenishing POSTN reversed the effects of UTX inhibition on GSC proliferation and apoptosis. Our study demonstrated that UTX inhibition hindered POSTN expression by enhancing the H3K27me2/3 level, eventually resulting in inhibiting proliferation and promoting apoptosis of patient‐derived GSCs. Our findings may provide a novel and effective strategy for the treatment of GBM.
Can natural undisturbed revegetation restores soil organic carbon to levels under native climax vegetation under tropical semiarid climate?
Authors: Tomaz Aline Roma , de Oliveira Ferreira Ademir , Lal Rattan , Amado Telmo Jorge Carneiro , da Silva Belchior Oliveira Trigueiro , da Silva William Ramos , Fracetto Felipe José Cury , Inagaki Thiago Massao , Freire Maria Betânia Galvão dos Santos , Nunes Elves Obede dos Santos 
Published: January 2024

AbstractLand‐use change has driven soil carbon stock losses in ecosystems worldwide. Implementing agricultural crops and exploiting forest resources trigger the breakdown of soil aggregates, thus exposing organic matter to microbial decomposition and enhancing carbon dioxide emissions, especially in biomes more susceptible to climate extremes as in the tropical semiarid regions. This study was based on the hypothesis that the undisturbed soil from the dry forest (Caatinga biome under natural revegetation in Brazilian semiarid) would have an improvement in the mass of macroaggregates and recover more than 50% of the soil C stock within 10 years. Thus, a field experiment was conducted to investigate soils from the Caatinga biome under native vegetation, “cowpea cropping” for over 30 years, and soil under natural revegetation for over 10 years, after conventional soil cultivation of maize and cowpea, to determine soil and soil‐aggregates carbon stocks and to estimate the recovery rate of these stocks. The proportional mass of aggregates of different sizes and the total stock of particulate organic carbon (POC) were also quantified. The results showed that soil under preserved native vegetation of dry forest Caatinga biome had higher total soil C stock (50.9 Mg ha−1) than that under cowpea cropping (23.2 Mg ha−1) and natural revegetation (45.1 Mg ha−1). The proportional mass of large macroaggregates was higher in soil under native vegetation for all depths. However, soil under cowpea cropping had lower C stocks in macroaggregates, and recovered roughly 63% of the original C stocks, while revegetation recovered 78% of the stock in 10 years. Although the conventional management system for cowpea monoculture aggravated losses in soil carbon stock by more than 50% of the original C stocks, dry forest under natural revegetation recovered 79% of this stock and almost 100% of POC stock in 10 years (~12 Mg ha−1). Furthermore, soil under undisturbed Caatinga dry forest achieved C stock levels equivalent to that of the global average range for semiarid tropical environments. The high recovery rate of C stock in forest soil under natural revegetation indicates the resilience potential of organisms responsible for structural protection of aggregates and the encapsulated soil organic matter content.
Study of Injectable Hydrogel Based on ALN/nHA Promoting Osteogenesis and Inhibiting Osteoclasts in Osteoporotic Bone Defects Repair
Authors: Yang Lu , Chen Xingyu , Chen Long , Li Siyu , Li Jing , Li Zhiqiang , Sun Tong , Li Jianshu , Weng Jie 
Published: January 2024

AbstractOsteoporotic bone defects cannot withstand surgery with more significant trauma due to bone fragility, while systemic drug therapy has formidable adverse effects. Consequently, the present study introduces an innovatively devised injectable double‐crosslinked hydrogel, as a potential therapeutic avenue for addressing varied shapes of osteoporotic bone defects via a minimally invasive approach. The injectable hydrogel is formed by the formation of Schiff base bonds between oxidized sodium alginate (OSA) and carboxymethyl chitosan, and the polymerization of gelatin methacrylate by UV light crosslinking. Additionally, alendronate sodium (ALN) is loaded into the hydrogel through Schiff base formation with OSA, and nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) is incorporated into the hydrogel via blending. The hydrogel demonstrates excellent injectability, and the nHA improves the mechanical properties of hydrogel and can promote bone formation. In addition, the hydrogel can sustain the release of ALN, which has the effect of inhibiting osteoclasts. Cell studies indicate that the hydrogel can promote the differentiation of osteoblasts and inhibit the activity of osteoclast, so as to obtain better osteogenic effect. Therefore, the injectable hydrogel can be used to repair osteoporotic bone defects through a minimally invasive, simple treatment modality.
Mutation profiling in South African patients with Cornelia de Lange syndrome phenotype
Authors: Seymour Heather , Feben Candice , Nevondwe Patracia , Kerr Robyn , Spencer Careni , Mudau Maria , Honey Engela , Lombard Zane , Krause Amanda , Carstens Nadia 
Published: January 2024

AbstractBackgroundCornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) presents with a variable multi‐systemic phenotype and pathogenic variants have been identified in five main genes. This condition has been understudied in African populations with little phenotypic and molecular information available.Methods and ResultsWe present a cohort of 14 patients with clinical features suggestive of CdLS. Clinical phenotyping was carried out and cases were classified according to the international consensus criteria. According to this criteria, nine patients had classical CdLS, one had non‐classical CdLS and four presented with a phenotype that suggested molecular testing for CdLS. Each patient underwent mutation profiling using a targeted next generation sequencing panel of 18 genes comprising known and suspected CdLS causal genes. Of the 14 patients tested, pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants were identified in nine: eight variants in the NIPBL gene and one in the STAG1 gene.ConclusionsWe present the first molecular data for a cohort of South African patients with CdLS. Eight of the nine variants identified were in the NIPBL gene, the most commonly involved gene in cases of CdLS. This is also the first report of a patient of African ancestry presenting with STAG1‐related CdLS.
Preparation of green high‐performance biomass‐derived hard carbon materials from bamboo powder waste
Authors: Yin Tianqi , Zhang Zhengli , Xu Lizhi , Li Chuang , Han Dongdong 
Published: January 2024

AbstractEfficient energy storage systems are crucial for the optimal utilization of renewable energy. Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are considered potential substitutes for next‐generation low‐cost energy storage systems due to the low cost and abundance of sodium resources. However, the industrialization of SIBs faces a great challenge in terms of the anode. Hard carbon could be a promising anode material due to its high capacity and low cost which originates from biomass. This study used pre‐treatment and template carbonization methods to extract a hard carbon material from a large amount of discarded biomass in bamboo powder waste. This material has a good initial Coulombic efficiency of 78.6 % and good cycling stability when applied to sodium ion batteries.Typically, the optimal hard carbon material is used as the anode to prepare sodium ion battery prototypes to demonstrate their potential applications. The anode exhibited excellent sodium storage performance with a reversible capacity of 303 mAh ⋅ g−1 at 1 C rate and good cycling performance, retaining 92.0 % of its capacity after 100 cycles. These results demonstrate that BPPHC is a promising candidate for anode material in sodium‐ion batteries. This work suggests that bamboo powder could be a low‐cost anode material for SIBs.
Molecular mechanism study and potential active ingredients prediction of Danhe granules in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia via TICE
Authors: Shibo Cong , Tong Yu , Sili Wang , Shuxiao Gu , Yanfang Qiao , Susu Liu , Pan Gao , Jingke Meng , Xinlou Chai 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis study aims to explore the molecular mechanism and potential active ingredients of Danhe granules in improving the blood lipid level of hypercholesterolemia by intestinal TICE (transintestinal cholesterol excretion) through in vivo experimental research, network pharmacology methods, and molecular docking. The diet‐induced hypercholesterolemia rat model evaluated the effects of Danhe granules on fecal cholesterol levels and intestinal TICE‐related protein expression in rats. Based on the experimental results, the network pharmacology method was used to predict the potential active ingredients, and the binding strength between the potential active ingredients and key targets was further confirmed by molecular docking. Danhe granules increased LDLR, ABCG5, ABCB1, and LXRα which can promote the uptake of cholesterol by intestinal cells and the excretion of cholesterol into the intestine, and then reduce the levels of serum LDL‐C and TC and increase the level of fecal TC, so as to achieve the effect of treating hypercholesterolemia. The results of network pharmacology and molecular docking showed that 19 active ingredients had good binding activity with the targets. These may be the active ingredients of Danhe granules for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. This study revealed the molecular mechanism of Danhe granules in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia via TICE, and preliminarily clarified the potential effective ingredients. It provides new ideas for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and the development of new drugs.
White‐button mushroom storage in trays with layerings of chitosan and turmeric
Authors: de Oliveira Mariano Pilger Maria Lidia , da Silva Suse Botelho , Radunz Lauri Lourenço , Bender Renar João 
Published: January 2024

AbstractWhite‐button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) are short‐lived commodities and preserving freshness and quality poses significant challenges. Considering active packaging as a possibility to extend mushroom shelf life, in the present work two alternative systems were evaluated for their after harvest effects on quality and control of microbiological contamination. Chitosan films, with or without turmeric, were used to layer polystyrene trays for mushroom storage at a temperature of 7°C ± 1.5°C for up to 17 days. At retrieval from storage, quality parameters, respiration rates, total polyphenols and psychrotrophic bacteria counts were determined. Chitosan layers resulted in significantly lower microbiological contamination and the inclusion of turmeric reduced in approximately 2 log CFU g−1 microbial counts compared to the usual storage procedure. Chitosan and chitosan plus turmeric layers enhanced fresh mass losses, though quality traits, polyphenols and respiratory patterns were not influenced by any of the film layering's in the polystyrene trays. These findings suggest that storage trays layered with chitosan and turmeric effectively mitigate microbial contamination on white‐button mushrooms without compromising overall quality characteristics.
From the single‐structure to the multipath approaches: The reactions of the 2‐pentanone with H radical
Authors: Passos Maiara Oliveira , Alves Tiago Vinicius 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis work accurately estimates the thermal rate constants for hydrogen abstraction reactions from 2‐pentanone by H radical. Different kinetic models that include dynamical (recrossing) and non‐dynamical (quantum tunneling) effects were used to estimate rate coefficients and product distributions for the title reactions. The influence of the multiple structures and transition states was analyzed through the multistructural and multipath variational transition state theory. Torsional anharmonicity was also estimated and included in the rate constants. The best description of our work indicates that product formation by the hydrogen abstraction from the ‐carbon is predominant.
Exploring δ13C data compatibility in a broad δ13C range: Reassembling δ13C values obtained for NIST CO2 RMs 8562–8564 at different laboratories
Authors: Assonov Sergey 
Published: January 2024

RationaleStable isotope datasets obtained in different laboratories over years must be compared and combined. The strict compatibility in δ13C at ±0.01‰ and ±0.02‰, k = 1, respectively, is required for observations of greenhouse gases CO2 and methane. That implies the long‐term compatibility of calibrations realized at different laboratories. Thus far, this level of compatibility has not been demonstrated for pure CO2 in a broad δ13C range and over years.MethodsWe reassemble the δ13C obtained in different laboratories for NIST CO2 RMs 8562–8564, which are pure CO2 gases. If the measurements are based on independent calibrations and reported on the same 17O correction framework, δ13C of all three RMs can be used to estimate the long‐term δ13C data compatibility.Resultsδ13C values obtained in different laboratories for NIST CO2 RMs 8562–8564 (a range of δ13C from ~ −3.7‰ to ~ −41.6‰) from 1998 to 2020 agree within their uncertainties. Two NIST studies (1999 and 2004) have combined data from several laboratories using different Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) methods and somewhat different approaches. Three single‐laboratory studies (2003, 2008, and 2020) have used the same type of IRMS and similar approaches. The δ13C values from these laboratories agree within ±0.01‰, k = 1, over the entire δ13C range and have uncertainties about two times lower than those obtained at NIST by combining data from several laboratories.ConclusionThe δ13C values for NIST CO2 RMs 8562–8564 obtained in three laboratories using the same IRMS (2003, 2008, and 2020) agree within ±0.01‰, k = 1. First, this confirms the long‐term stability in δ13C of RMs 8562–8564. Second, this example of compatibility in δ13C calibrations on pure CO2, from −3.7‰ to −41.6‰, is relevant to stable isotope measurements of greenhouse gases CO2 and methane. Third, this confirms the high accuracy of the δ13C(air–CO2) calibrations performed in 2003 and 2008 for the project Civil Aircraft for the Regular Investigation of the atmosphere Based on an Instrumented Container (CARIBIC).
Synthesis and Sorption Profiles of Graphene‐Decorated Silane‐Modified Layered Clays for As(V) Removal: A Quantitative Assessment and Mechanistic Insights
Authors: Mahesh S. Suma , Pavitha P. A. , Sumi V. S. , Rijith S. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractA novel adsorbent material, graphene decorated silane modified layered clays enriched with Fe(III) (TEOS‐g‐LDH−Fe/rGO) was prepared via emulsion polymerization followed by in situ precipitation and its physicochemical characterization carried out by FTIR, XRD, SEM‐EDS, HRTEM, TG‐ DTG, XPS and Raman analysis. The TEOS‐g‐LDH−Fe/rGO composite utilized for the effective removal of As(V) from aqueous system and the process followed via inner‐sphere surface complexation through ligand exchange between hydroxyl groups in TEOS‐g‐LDH−Fe/rGO and As(V) species. The equilibrium data fitted well with Langmuir model and kinetic data with mixed batch model showed remarkable adsorption capacity of 103.91 mg/g at pH 5.5. The synergistic effects associated with precursors in the composite profoundly improved the removal efficiency of As(V). The optimal conditions for As(V) removal was evaluated by RSM coupled with central composite design(CCD) considering pH(3–6), dose(0.5–2.5) and time (1–80 min) at temperature 30 °C. The sorption efficacy of TEOS‐g‐LDH−Fe/rGO was found to be about four times greater than its precursors. In simulated water matrix, the TEOS‐g‐LDH−Fe/rGO exhibit a retention of sorption performance (90 %) from 98.8 % of its initial sorption capacity for As(V) removal during regeneration. This work proves TEOS‐g‐LDHFe/rGO as a promising candidate for addressing grievous environmental threats from arsenic contamination.
An Injectable Puerarin Depot Can Potentiate Chimeric Antigen Receptor Natural Killer Cell Immunotherapy Against Targeted Solid Tumors by Reversing Tumor Immunosuppression
Authors: Liu Yan , Hao Yu , Chen Jiahui , Chen Minming , Tian Jia , Lv Xiang , Zhang Yefei , Ma Xinxing , Zhou Yehui , Feng Liangzhu 
Published: January 2024

AbstractChimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR‐NK) cell therapy represents a potent approach to suppressing tumor growth because it has simultaneously inherited the specificity of CAR and the intrinsic generality of NK cells in recognizing cancer cells. However, its therapeutic potency against solid tumors is still restricted by insufficient tumor infiltration, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments, and many other biological barriers. Motivated by the high potency of puerarin, a traditional Chinese medicine extract, in dilating tumor blood vessels, an injectable puerarin depot based on a hydrogen peroxide‐responsive hydrogel comprising poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate and ferrous chloride is concisely developed. Upon intratumoral fixation, the as‐prepared puerarin depot (abbreviated as puerarin@PEGel) can activate nitrogen oxide production inside endothelial cells and thus dilate tumor blood vessels to relieve tumor hypoxia and reverse tumor immunosuppression. Such treatment can thus promote tumor infiltration, survival, and effector functions of customized epidermal growth factor receptor (HER1)‐targeted HER1‐CAR‐NK cells after intravenous administration. Consequently, such puerarin@PEGel‐assisted HER1‐CAR‐NK cell treatment exhibits superior tumor suppression efficacy toward both HER1‐overexpressing MDA‐MB‐468 and NCI‐H23 human tumor xenografts in mice without inducing obvious side effects. This study highlights a potent strategy to activate CAR‐NK cells for augmented treatment of targeted solid tumors through reprogramming tumor immunosuppression.
Structural Antagonism‐Aided Conformational Regulation Enables an Aptamer‐Loop G‐Quadruplex Modular Sensor of β‐Lactoglobulin
Authors: Wang Xinxin , Xu Ning , Zhu Longjiao , Yang He , Li Chen , Tian Hongtao , Xu Wentao 
Published: January 2024

AbstractA simple, reliable method for identifying β‐lactoglobulin (β‐LG) in dairy products is needed to protect those with β‐LG allergies. A common, practical strategy for target detection is designing simplified nucleic acid nanodevices by integrating functional components. This work presents a label‐free modular β‐LG aptasensor consisting of an aptamer‐loop G‐quadruplex (G4), the working conformation of which is regulated by conformational antagonism to ensure respective module functionality and the related signal transduction. The polymorphic conformations of the module‐fused sequence are systematically characterized, and the cause is revealed as shifting antagonistic equilibrium. Combined with conformational folding dynamics, this helped regulate functional conformations by fine‐tuning the sequences. Furthermore, the principle of specific β‐LG detection by parallel G4 topology is examined as binding on the G4 aptamer loop by β‐LG to reinforce the G4 topology and fluorescence. Finally, a label‐free, assembly‐free, succinct, and turn‐on fluorescent aptasensor is established, achieving excellent sensitivity across five orders of magnitude, rapidly detecting β‐LG within 22‐min. This study provides a generalizable approach for the conformational regulation of module‐fused G4 sequences and a reference model for creating simplified sensing devices for a variety of targets.