bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Co-evolving N-Fe redox processes controlled iron minerals in banded iron formation
Authors: Jiang Hongchen , Huang Liuqin , Dong Yanlong , Li Linxin , Nie Nicole , Wu Geng , Yang Jian , Ma Li , Dong Hailiang 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Biogeochemical cycles in the Precambrian ocean responded to the co-evolution of biosphere (microorganisms) and the physicochemical structure (e.g., redox, temperature) of the ocean, which closely link to the enigma of banded iron formations (BIFs) that primarily triggered by massive Fe(II) oxidation under anoxic-hypoxic condition for two-billon years (~3.8-1.8 Ga). The current Fe(II) oxidation models, however, rarely consider the effects of the evolution of coupled biogeochemical cycles on secular succession (shifting from magnetite to hematite) of dominant iron minerals in BIFs. Here, we investigated the evolution of coupled Fe-N redox processes under the simulated Precambrian ocean conditions, and propose a dynamic model for the origin of iron mineral succession in BIFs: During the early-mid Archean, NO2- was mainly produced by nitrification in the oceans of warm-hot temperatures (>50-60 oC), which favored the primary precipitation of Fe(II)-Fe(III) oxides (magnetite) and silicates (cronstedtite) in the early BIFs. Subsequently, the cooling and oxygenation of paleo-ocean near the GOE promoted the input of both NO2- and NO3-, resulting in co-precipitation of an increasing amount of Fe(III) minerals (goethite and lepidocrocite as precursors of hematite). This dynamic N-Fe coupling model explains the observed secular transition of iron mineral phases in BIF deposition.
Adherence to low back pain clinical guidelines in Australian hospital emergency departments: a public and private comparison
Authors: Samanna Claire Louise , Buntine Paul , Belavy Daniel L , Sultana Ron V , Miller Clint T , Nimorakiotakis Vasilios (Bill) , Owen Patrick J 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background
Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Managing LBP via clinical practice guidelines in healthcare settings is recommended, yet burgeoning evidence suggests adherence is suboptimal in the emergency department (ED) setting. Whether adherence differs between public and private settings is unknown. This study compared adherence to LBP clinical guidelines between a private and public Australian hospital ED.
Methods
A retrospective audit of 86 private patients were matched to 86 public patients by age (± 5 years), sex (male/female) and LBP duration (first time/history of LBP). Patient charts were reviewed according to the Australian clinical guidelines for the management of LBP. Guidelines were considered individually and via a collective guideline adherence score (GAS).
Results
Management GAS was lower in private patients compared to public patients (d [95%CI]: -0.67 [-0.98, -0.36], P < 0.001). Public patients were more likely to have documentation of guideline-based advice (OR [95%CI]: 4.4 [2.4, 8.4], P < 0.001) and less likely to be sent for imaging (OR [95%CI]: 5.0 [2.6, 9.4], P < 0.001). Private patients were more likely to have documented screening for psychosocial risk factors (OR [95%CI]: 21.8 [9.1, 52.1], P < 0.001) and more likely to receive guideline-based medication prescriptions at patient discharge (OR [95%CI]: 2.2 [1.2, 4.2], P = 0.013).
Conclusion
Findings suggest that differences exist in public and private hospital ED guideline adherence. Exploring barriers and facilitators underpinning differences in guideline implementation will assist in guiding future implementation science approaches.
Gender income differences among general practitioners with compulsory services in early career stage in underdeveloped areas: evidence from a prospective cohort study in China
Authors: Tang Haoqing , Li Mingyue , Zheng Huixian , Zhang Xiaotian , Liu Xiaoyun 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Gender equality and the gender income gap in medicine are long-standing global problems. Although gender-related differences have been widely studied in developed countries, they remain unclear in underdeveloped regions. In 2010, China initiated a national compulsory service program (CSP) to train qualified general practitioners in rural and remote areas. This study aimed to evaluate gender income differences for early career CSP and non-CSP (NCSP) graduates in underdeveloped areas. A cohort study was conducted with 3620 CSP and NCSP graduates from four medical universities in Central and Western China. Baseline surveys and six follow-up surveys were conducted between 2015 and 2022. Incomes, including monthly mean income and proportion of performance-based income, were measured as the key outcome variables. Multivariate linear regression models were used to identify the gender income gap. NCSP graduates had higher average monthly incomes than CSP graduates. In the seventh year after graduation, the average monthly income for NCSP graduates was 7859 CNY while was 5379 CNY for CSP graduates. After controlling for demographic characteristics, the gender monthly income gap for CSP graduates was expanded from the fourth year (3.0%) to the sixth year (5.9%) after graduation, and that for NCSP graduates was expanded from the fifth year (11.9%) to the seventh year (16.3%) after graduation. Regarding performance-based income, it was 58.9% for NCSP graduates and 45.8% for CSP graduates in the seventh year after graduation. After controlling for performance-based income proportion, the gender income gap was reduced from 5.9% to 4.0% in the sixth year after graduation for CSP graduates, and from 16.3% to 14.4% for NCSP graduates in the seventh year after graduation. An extensive and ever-increasing gender income gap exists among young doctors in the early stages of their careers in underdeveloped areas of China. The high proportion of performance-based income among men is one of the main explanations for the observed difference. A more explicit compensation system must be established to enhance support for female health workers.
Differences in childhood stress between Neanderthals and early modern humans as reflected by dental enamel growth disruptions
Authors: Limmer Laura S. , Santon Matteo , McGrath Kate , Harvati Katerina , Zaatari Sireen El 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Neanderthals’ lives historically portrayed as highly stressful, shaped by constant pressures to survive in harsh ecological conditions, thus potentially contributing to their extinction. Recent work has challenged this interpretation, leaving the issue of stress among Paleolithic populations highly contested and warranting in-depth examination. Here, we analyze the frequency of dental enamel hypoplasia, a physiological stress induced pathology, in the largest sample of Neanderthal and Upper Paleolithic dentitions investigated to date. To track potential species-specific patterns in the ontogenetic distribution of childhood stress, we present the first comprehensive Bayesian modelling of the likelihood of occurrence of individual and matched enamel growth disruptions throughout ontogeny. Our findings support similar overall stress levels in both groups but reveal species-specific patterns in its ontogenetic distribution. While Neanderthal children faced increasing stress starting with the weaning process and culminating in intensity post-weaning, physiological stress in Upper Paleolithic children was found to be limited to the period of weaning and substantially dropping right after its completion. These results might, at least in part, reflect differences in childcare or other behavioral strategies between the two taxa, including those that were advantageous for modern humans’ long-term survival.
Thermoregulatory integration in hand prosthesis and humanoid robots through blood vessel simulation
Authors: Ju Sanghyun , Jeong Sang-Mi , Yang Jonguk , Kang Youngsoo , Seo Hee Sung , Seo Keumyoung , Lim Taekyung 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce a new approach to give robotic faces a thermal signature similar to that of humans and equip prosthetic or robotic hands with a lifelike temperature. This enhances their detection by infrared cameras and promotes more natural interactions between humans and robots. This method integrates a temperature regulation system into artificial skin, drawing inspiration from the human body's natural temperature control via blood flow. Central to this technique is a fiber network simulating blood vessels within the artificial skin. Water flows through these fibers under specific temperature and flow conditions, forming a controlled heat release system. The heat emission can be adjusted by changing the dilation of these fibers, primarily by modulating the frequency of circulation. Our findings indicate that this approach can replicate the varied thermal characteristics of different human face and hand areas. Consequently, robotic faces appear more human-like in infrared images, aiding their identification by infrared cameras. At the same time, prosthetic hands achieve a more natural temperature, reducing the typical discomfort felt in direct contact with synthetic limbs. This study sought to address the challenges faced by the users of prosthetic hands. It also heralds a promising direction in humanoid robotics, fostering improved tactile interactions and redefining human–robot relationships. The innovative technique paves the way for further advancements, blurring the lines between artificial aids and natural biological systems.
Active droplets through enzyme-free, dynamic phosphorylation
Authors: Boekhoven Job , Poprawa Simone , Stasi Michele , Wenisch Monika , Kriebisch Brigitte , Sastre Judit 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Life continuously transduces energy to perform critical functions using energy stored in reactive molecules like ATP or NADH. ATP dynamically phosphorylates active sites on proteins and thereby regulates their function. Inspired by such machinery, regulating supramolecular functions using energy stored in reactive molecules has gained traction. Enzyme-free, synthetic systems that use dynamic phosphorylation to regulate supramolecular processes do not exist. We present an enzyme-free reaction cycle that consumes phosphorylating agents by transiently phosphorylating amino acids. The phosphorylated amino acids are labile and deactivate through hydrolysis. The cycle exhibits versatility and tunability, allowing for the dynamic phosphorylation of multiple precursors with a tunable half-life. Notably, we show the resulting phosphorylated products can regulate the peptide’s phase separation, leading to active droplets that require the continuous conversion of fuel to sustain. Our new reaction cycle will be valuable as a model for biological phosphorylation but can also offer insights into protocell formation.
Meteorological gaps in audits of pedestrian environments: a scoping review
Authors: Drapeau Hayley Florence , Singh Pratima , Benyaminov Faina , Wright Kelsey , Spence John C , Nuzhat Saba , Walsh Amy , Islam Kausarul , Azarm Zahra , Lee Karen K 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Background
Weather and season are determinants of physical activity. Therefore, it is important to ensure built environments are designed to mitigate negative impacts of weather and season on pedestrians to prevent these losses. This scoping review aims to identify built environment audits of pedestrian environments developed for use during a specific weather condition or season. Secondly, this review aims to investigate gaps in the inclusion of relevant weather mitigating built environment features in pedestrian environment audit tools.
Methods
Following a standard protocol, a systematic search was executed in CINAHL, Medline and Web of Science to identify built environment audit tools of pedestrian spaces. Studies were screened, and data were extracted from selected documents by two independent reviewers (e.g., psychometric properties and audit items included). Audit items were screened for the inclusion of weather mitigating built environment features, and the tool’s capacity to measure temperature, precipitation, seasonal and sustainability impacts on pedestrians was calculated.
Results
The search returned 2823 documents. After screening and full text review, 27 articles were included. No tool was found that was developed specifically for use during a specific weather condition or season. Additionally, gaps in the inclusion of weather mitigating items were found for all review dimensions (temperature, precipitation, seasonal, and sustainability items). Poorly covered items were: (1) temperature related (arctic entry presence, materials, textures, and colours of buildings, roads, sidewalk and furniture, and green design features); (2) precipitation related (drain presence, ditch presence, hazards, and snow removal features); (3) seasonal features (amenities, pedestrian scale lighting, and winter destinations and aesthetics); and (4) sustainability features (electric vehicle charging stations, renewable energy, car share, and bike share facilities).
Conclusions
Current built environment audit tools do not adequately include weather / season mitigating items. This is a limitation as it is important to investigate if the inclusion of these items in pedestrian spaces can promote physical activity during adverse weather conditions. Because climate change is causing increased extreme weather events, a need exists for the development of a new built environment audit tool that includes relevant weather mitigating features.
Analysis of lower respiratory flora in patients with stable bronchiectasis in north and south China
Authors: bingrui gao , Cong Feng , Shanshan Huang , Haiyan Chen , Manrui Wang , Yinghua Guo , Lixin Xie 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Objective: To compare microbiome in the lower respiratory tract of patients with bronchiectasis in North and South China.
Methods: Demographic and Sequencing data were collected from patients who underwent bronchoalveolar lavage fluid macro-genomic sequencing testing between September 2021 and September 2022 at Hainan Hospital of the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army (Sanya, Hainan, South) and the Eighth Medical Center of the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army (Haidian, Beijing, North). Sequencing data were analyzed, and patients were divided into subgroups according to their test results to compare microecological difference.
Results: We enrolled 75 patients, 42 in the North and 33 in the South. The number of smokers in the Northern group was higher than that in the Southern group and the FEV1/FVC(%) value was lower than that in the Southern group; otherwise, the groups had no significant differences. The most abundance bacteria in the lower respiratory tract of the Northern group were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Nocardia wilsonii, while the Southern group had H. influenzae, P. aeruginosa, and Nocardia Gelsenkirchen. There were differences in the abundance of lower respiratory tract microbiome between patients with bronchiectasis in the Northern and Southern regions, depending on the severity of bronchiectasis.
Conclusion: The lower respiratory tract microbiome of our patients with stable bronchiectasis differed significantly between the North and South. The bacterial flora of the Southern group was closer to that reported in the international literature, while the core taxa of the Northern group was significantly different. P. aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae were most abundant in the Northern group, while H. influenzae and P. aeruginosa were most abundant in the Southern group, These findings can guide antibiotic treatment of exacerbations.
Oblique Line Scan Illumination Enables Expansive, Accurate and Sensitive Single Protein Measurements in Solution and in Living Cells
Authors: Anderson Daniel , Driouchi Amine , Bretan Mason , Davis Brynmor , Heckert Alec , Seeger Markus , Silva Maité Bradley , Forrest William , Hsiung Jessica , Tan Jiongyi , Yang Hongli , McSwiggen David , Song Linda , Sule Akshay , Abaie Behnam , Conroy Brianna , Elliott Liam , Gonzalez Eric , Ilkov Fedor , Isaacs Joshua , Labaria George , Lagana Michelle , Larsen DeLaine , Margolin Brian , Nguyen Mai , Rine Jeremy , Tang Yangzhong , Vana Martin , Wilkey Andrew , Zhang Zhengjian , Basham Stephen , Ho Jaclyn , Johnson Stephanie , Klammer Aaron , Lin Kevin , Darzacq Xavier , Betzig Eric , Berman Russell 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) techniques, such as single-molecule tracking (SMT), enable in situ measurements in cells from which data-rich metrics can be extracted. SMT has been successfully applied to a variety of biological questions and model systems, aiming to unravel the spatiotemporal regulation of molecular mechanisms that govern protein function, downstream pathway effects, and cellular function. While powerful, SMLM often suffers from low throughput and illumination inhomogeneity, along with microscope and user-induced technical biases. Due to technical limitations in scaling SMLM techniques, a tradeoff between spatiotemporal resolution and throughput has been made historically, restricting broad application of these technologies. Here we address these limitations using Oblique Line Scan (OLS), a robust single-objective light-sheet based illumination and detection modality that achieves nanoscale spatial resolution and sub-millisecond temporal resolution across a 250 x 190 µm field of view. We demonstrate OLS-enabled SMT on Halo-Tagged proteins in living cells capturing protein motion up to 14 µm2 /s. By exploiting the adaptability of the acquisition frame rate and the improved rejection of out of focus light, we extend the utility of OLS beyond cellular compartments with in-solution SMT (isSMT) for single-molecule measurement of ligand-protein interactions and disruption of protein-protein interactions (PPI). We illustrate the versatility of OLS by showcasing two-color SMT, STORM, and single molecule fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). OLS expands the range of SMLM applications and paves the way for robust, high-throughput single-molecule investigations of protein dynamics required for drug screening and systems biology studies, both in cells and in solution.
Biomechanical evaluation of the effect of a stem cell enhancer on bone implant connection of titanium implants
Authors: Yilmaz-Bozoglan M. , Bozoglan A. , Sunar O. , Polat O. , Tekin B. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background
This study aimed to conduct a biomechanical investigation of the effects of stem cell enhancer (SCE) application on osseointegration of titanium implants in rat tibias.
Methods
After surgical implantation of titanium implants in the metaphyseal part of the tibiae of rats, the rats were randomly divided into three equal groups (n = 10): control group, SCE Dosage group 1 (SCE1), and SCE Dosage group 2 (SCE2). Each group consisted of 10 rats. The rats in the SCE1 and SCE2 groups were administered 6 mg and 12 mg SCE (Stemregen®), respectively, every day during the four-week of experimental period after surgery. Implants and surrounding bone tissues were collected for biomechanical bone-implant connection analysis at the end of the experimental procedures. One-way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis.
Results
There was no significant difference in the biomechanical osseointegration values of the groups; however, the osseointegration of the SCE group was better than that of the control group.
Conclusions
Stem cell enhancers have the potential to improve the biomechanical bone-implant interface.
Ground deformation in and around Jigokudani valley, Tateyama volcano, Japan, during the period of 2021-2022 revealed from combined data of leveling surveys and GPS observations
Authors: Hotta Kohei 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Ground deformation in and around Jigokudani valley during the period from September 2021 through September 2022 detected from leveling surveys and GPS observations was modeled to interpret what occurred beneath the Jigokudani valley accompanied by volcanic activities. Most leveling benchmarks showed uplift of up to 0.9 cm during the one-year period. Some benchmarks located west part of Jigokudani valley showed subsidence. Two GPS stations in the valley also showed uplift up to 1.4 cm. These two GPS stations showed horizontal displacements up to 1.6 cm. The GPS station locates out of fumarolic areas of the valley showed very small displacement. A dislocation source was applied to the deformation. Assuming a Poisson’s ratio of 0.45, the optimal parameters were searched using Adam. A crack with a length of 348 m, a width of 1.4 m and a dip of 86.7° is located at a depth of 6.8 m near Koya jigoku and the new fumarolic area, which has recently become highly activated. The strike of the crack is N239°E. The opening of the crack of 36.2 cm yields a volume increase of 173 m3. The obtained crack is considered to correspond to the shallow aquifer, and the aquifer pushed out by hot volcanic gas and generated water vapor. Further investigation, such as seismic prospecting, is needed to confirm the result and interpretation of the present study. Although overall deformation can be broadly explained by opening of the crack, there is some differences between observation and calculation probably because actual shape of the crack is more complex. In addition, it is necessary to construct a unified model, combining not only geodetic data but also other data such as seismic prospecting as raised above.
Heterogeneous shell growth of the neustonic goose barnacle Lepas anserifera:Its potential application for tracking floating materials
Authors: Watanabe Hiromi Kayama , Nagai Yukiko , Sakai Saburo , Kobayashi Genki , Yamamori Luna , Tada Noriko , Kuwatani Tatsu , Nishikawa Haruka , Horigome Takuto , Uehara Haruka , Yusa Yoichi 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Floating materials of both natural and anthropogenic origin can affect marine ecosystems and human economic activities. Although the tracking and forecasting of floating materials are important, these processes are difficult to trace back after the events of origins, such as tsunamis and underwater volcanic eruptions. The goose barnacle Lepas anserifera, a rapid colonizer in pelagic environments, is a potential “natural logger” of floating materials. In this study, we performed temperature-controlled culture experiments and growth line identification in the laboratory to quantify the growth increments of individual shells consisting of the capitulum of L. anserifera and to examine the effects of the temperature on their growth. Following calcein staining, the growth line of L. anserifera was visualized under a fluorescent microscope, and gross (capitular length and width) and individual (scutum and tergum) shell growth were compared. Shells grew in twice as much in the CL direction than in the CW direction owing to the larger growth increases in the scutum than in the tergum. Growth increments were unaffected by temperatures from 20°C to 30°C, although growth appeared somewhat limited after August. The stable oxygen isotope composition (δ18O) of the shells represented the water temperature as previously known, and the present results showed that the scutum had heavier δ18O than the tergum in most cases. Further understanding for the biomineralization process of barnacles is required for the precise application of environmental proxies in barnacle shells.