bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The debris disc of HD 131488: bringing together thermal emission and scattered light
Authors: Pawellek Nicole , Moór Attila , Kirchschlager Florian , Milli Julien , Kóspál Ágnes , Ábrahám Péter , Marino Sebastian , Wyatt Mark , Rebollido Isabel , Hughes A Meredith , Cantalloube Faustine , Henning Thomas 
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT
We show the first SPHERE/IRDIS and IFS data of the CO-rich debris disc around HD 131488. We use N-body simulations to model both the scattered light images and the spectral energy distribution of the disc in a self-consistent way. We apply the Henyey–Greenstein approximation, Mie theory, and the Discrete Dipole Approximation to model the emission of individual dust grains. Our study shows that only when gas drag is taken into account can we find a model that is consistent with scattered light as well as thermal emission data of the disc. The models suggest a gas surface density of 2 × 10−5 M⊕ au−2 which is in agreement with estimates from ALMA observations. Thus, our modelling procedure allows us to roughly constrain the expected amount of gas in a debris disc without actual gas measurements. We also show that the shallow size distribution of the dust leads to a significant contribution of large particles to the overall amount of scattered light. The scattering phase function indicates a dust porosity of ∼0.2…0.6 which is in agreement with a pebble pile scenario for planetesimal growth.
Mitigating the effect of 1/f noise on the detection of the H i intensity mapping power spectrum from single-dish measurements
Authors: Irfan Melis O , Li Yichao , Santos Mario G , Bull Philip , Gu Junhua , Cunnington Steven , Grainge Keith , Wang Jingying 
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT
We present and compare several methods to mitigate time-correlated (1/f) noise within the H i  intensity mapping component of the MeerKAT Large Area Synoptic Survey (MeerKLASS). By simulating scan strategies, the H i signal, foreground emissions, white and correlated noise, we assess the ability of various data-processing pipelines to recover the power spectrum of H i  brightness temperature fluctuations. We use MeerKAT pilot data to assess the level of 1/f noise expected for the MeerKLASS survey and use these measurements to create realistic levels of time-correlated noise for our simulations. We find the time-correlated noise component within the pilot data to be between 10 and 20 times higher than the white noise level at the scale of $k = 0.04 \, {\rm {Mpc}}^{-1}$. Having determined that the MeerKAT 1/f noise is partially correlated across all the frequency channels, we employ Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) as a technique to remove both the 1/f noise and Galactic foregrounds but find that over-cleaning results in the removal of H i power at large (angular and radial) scales; a power loss of 40 per cent is seen for a 3-mode SVD clean at the scale of $k = 0.04 \, {\rm {Mpc}}^{-1}$. We compare the impact of map-making using weighting by the full noise covariance (i.e. including a 1/f component), as opposed to just a simple unweighted binning, finding that including the time-correlated noise information reduces the excess power added by 1/f noise by up to 30 per cent.
ANCA-associated vasculitis—treatment standard
Authors: Chalkia Aglaia , Jayne David 
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT
Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides (AAV) are characterized by small-vessel necrotizing inflammation, and prior to the advent of immunosuppressive therapy frequently had a fatal outcome. Treatment has transformed AAV into a relapsing/remitting disease with increased drug-related toxicities and organ damage. The use of glucocorticoids, cyclophosphamide and immunosuppressives (including azathioprine, mycophenolate and methotrexate) was optimized through a sequence of clinical trials establishing a standard of care against which subsequent targeted therapies could be developed. Improved understanding of pathophysiology has supported the development of B-cell depletion and complement inhibition in granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis, and interleukin 5 inhibition for eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, leading to the approval of newer agents for these conditions. There has been an increased attention on minimizing the adverse effects of treatment and on understanding the epidemiology of comorbidities in AAV. This review will focus on recent evidence from clinical trials, especially with respect to glucocorticoids, avacopan, plasma exchange, rituximab and mepolizumab, and their interpretation in the 2022 management recommendations by the European League of Associations of Rheumatology.
Adult Consequences of Repeated Nicotine Vapor Inhalation in Adolescent Rats
Authors: Gutierrez Arnold , Nguyen Jacques D , Creehan Kevin M , Grant Yanabel , Taffe Michael A 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Introduction
There has been a resurgence in nicotine inhalation in adolescents due to the popularity and availability of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS). Almost five times as many US high-school seniors inhale nicotine vapor daily compared with those who smoke tobacco. This study was conducted to determine the impact of repeated adolescent vapor inhalation of nicotine on behavior in adulthood.

Methods
Male and female Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to 30-minute sessions of ENDS vapor inhalation, twice daily, from post-natal day (PND) 31–40. Conditions included vapor from the propylene glycol (PG) vehicle or nicotine (30 mg/mL in the PG). Animals were assessed for effects of nicotine on open field (PND 74–105) and wheel activity (PND 126–180) and for volitional exposure to nicotine vapor (PND 285–395). Plasma nicotine and cotinine were assessed in separate groups of male and female Wistar and Sprague–Dawley rats after a single nicotine inhalation session.

Results
Group mean plasma nicotine ranged from 39 to 59 ng/mL post-session with minimal strain differences detected. Adolescent nicotine exposure enhanced sensitivity to the locomotor stimulating effects of nicotine (0.1–0.8 mg/kg, s.c.) in an open field in female rats, but didn’t change the effects of nicotine on wheel activity. Female rats exposed to nicotine (30 mg/mL) vapor as adolescents responded more vigorously than PG-exposed females to nicotine vapor in a fixed ratio 5 challenge.

Conclusions
Repeated adolescent nicotine vapor inhalation leads to enhanced liability for volitional exposure to nicotine vapor in adulthood in female rats, but minimal change in spontaneous locomotor behavior.

Implications
These results show that adolescent vaping of nicotine can lead to lasting sensitization to the effects of nicotine in adulthood, including volitional responding for nicotine vapor. Demonstration of this in a controlled animal model establishes causality in a manner not possible from longitudinal evidence in human populations. These findings further highlight the importance of decreasing adolescent nicotine exposure to e-cigarettes to reduce consumption in adulthood.
A Patchy Prohibition: Product and Flavor Substitution After the Food and Drug Administration’s Prioritized Enforcement Policy on Flavored E-cigarettes
Authors: Borowiecki Mateusz , Kim Yoonsang , Emery Sherry 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Introduction
E-cigarettes have rapidly grown in use among U.S. adolescents; in response, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) engaged in an “enforcement policy on banned e-cigarette flavors” (“enforcement action”) for pod-based e-cigarettes in January 2020, which accounted for most U.S. e-cigarette sales. No literature has yet examined long-term changes in e-cigarette sales patterns changed in relation to the FDA enforcement action.

Aims and Methods
We analyzed U.S. e-cigarette sales using Nielsen retail scanner data between March 2017 and December 2021, describing e-cigarette sales trends overall, by device type, and by flavor category. We also performed joinpoint regression analysis on the sales trends to detect significant changes in the rate of change of sales over time.

Results
The FDA enforcement action was associated with a sharp initial decrease in prefilled pod dollar sales, followed by a steady increase from April 2020 through the end of 2021, growing beyond the previous maximum in August 2019. We also observed a dramatic change in the composition of flavors sold: A large decline in mint-flavored pod sales was offset by a similar increase in menthol-flavored sales. Simultaneously, disposable product sales increased nearly ten-fold from July 2019 to July 2020 before stabilizing, dominated by fruit-flavored products.

Conclusions
Our findings suggest rapid product substitution without a long-term decline in e-cigarette sales in association with the enforcement action, along with a growing dominance of youth-friendly flavors, contrasting against FDA policy goals. Our study revealed the weakness of the “patchy” enforcement action, raising concern about its unintended consequences as consumption simply shifted to other e-cigarette products.

Implications
This is the first detailed longitudinal study on e-cigarette sales trends in the United States following the FDA flavor enforcement action, with novel findings on flavor trends and their relation to policy events. We report sales overall, by product type, and by flavor category, and highlight several important trends following the action, such as the rise and persistence of disposable e-cigarettes increasingly and overwhelmingly dominated by youth-friendly flavors, and likely substitution of prefilled e-cigarette flavors without any long-term decline in sales. Our results highlight the weaknesses of “patchy” regulation and suggest the need for a more comprehensive approach to flavor regulation.
Long-term occupational exposures on disability-free survival and mortality in older adults
Authors: Alif S M , Benke G P , Kromhout H , Vermeulen R , Tran C , Ronaldson K , Walker-Bone K , Woods R , Beilin L , Tonkin A , Owen A J , McNeil J J 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Background
The impact of long-term occupational exposures on health in older adults is increasingly relevant as populations age. To date, no studies have reported their impact on survival free of disability in older adults.

Aims
We aimed to investigate the association between long-term occupational exposure and disability-free survival (DFS), all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality in initially healthy older adults.

Methods
We analysed data from 12 215 healthy participants in the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) study whose mean age was 75 years. Their work history was collated with the ‘ALOHA-plus JEM’ (Job Exposure Matrix) to assign occupational exposures. The primary endpoint, DFS, was a composite measure of death, dementia or persistent physical disability. The secondary endpoint, mortality, was classified according to the underlying cause. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals, adjusted for confounders.

Results
A total of 1835 individuals reached the DFS endpoint during the median 4.7 years follow-up period. Both ever-high and cumulative exposure to all dusts and all pesticides during a person’s working years were associated with reduced DFS. Compared to no exposure, men with high exposure to dusts and pesticides had a reduced DFS. Neither of these exposures were significantly associated with all-cause mortality. Men with high occupational exposure to solvents and women exposed to dusts experienced higher all-cause and cancer-related mortality.

Conclusions
Long-term occupational exposure to all dusts and pesticides was associated with a reduced DFS and increased mortality in community-dwelling healthy older adults.
A challenge to the evidence behind noise guidelines for UK hospitals
Authors: Hampton T , Everett S , Goldsmith E , Lee P J 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Background
Teams assessing hospital noise against international guidelines regularly find that noise exceeds perceived safe levels in clinical settings. The care of sick people may be inherently noisy but recent efforts to tackle the problem propose a wider scope to identify sources and qualities of noise as well as more precision with noise recording.

Aims
We sought to challenge the scientific evidence cited in the four major documents pertaining to hospital noise in the UK to clarify if evidence of harm from noise included in guidelines is available, contemporary and of high quality.

Methods
Our team of hearing-health clinicians, acoustic scientists and acoustic engineers have conducted a narrative scoping review focused on critically appraising four of the most cited guidelines against which noise is measured in healthcare settings in the UK.

Results
There is a lack of high-quality evidence for commonly accepted consequences of noise cited in current guidelines.

Conclusions
The current evidence base for noise guidelines in a healthcare setting is largely based on subjective heterogeneous and inconclusive research. Whilst reduced noise is not disputed as potentially beneficial for patient care, further hypothesis-driven research and interventions assessing the benefits or outcomes of any such intervention should be sought to produce high-quality evidence of relevance on the clinical coalface.
Women’s Education, Autonomy, and Reproductive Behaviour: Experience from Developing Countries
Authors: Jejeebhoy Shireen J 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Women's access to education has been recognized as a fundamental right. At the national level, educating women results in improved productivity, income, and economic development, as well as a better quality of life, notably a healthier and better nourished population. It is important for all kinds of demographic behaviour, affecting mortality, health, fertility, and contraception, The personal benefits that women attach to education vary widely according to region, culture, and level of devlopment, but it is clear that educaiton empowers women, providing them with increased autonomy and resulting in almost every context in fewer children. Beyond these few general assertions, however, there is little consensus on such issues as how much education is required before changes in autonomy or reproductive behaviour occur; whether the education-autonomy relationship exists in all cultural contexts, at all times, and at all levels of development; and which aspects of autonomy are important in the relationship between education and fertility. It is in the need to address these fundamental issues that this book took shape. The author reviews the considerable evidence about education and fertility in the developing world that has emerged over the last twenty years, and then passes beyond the limits of previous studies to address three major questions: BL Does increased education always lead to a decrease in the number of children, or is there a threshold level of education that a woman must achieve before this inverse relationship becomes apparent? BL What are the critical pathways influencing the relationship of women's education to fertility? Is fertility affected because education leads to changes in the duration of breast-feeding? Because it raises the age at marriage? Because it increases the practice of contraception? Or because education reduces women's preferences for large numbers of children? BL Do improvements in education empower women in other areas of life, such as their improving exposure to information, decision-making, control of resources, or confidence in dealing with family and the outside world? Supported by full documentation of the available survey data, this study concludes that such contextual factors as the overall level of socio-economic development and the situation of women in traditional kinship structures complicate the general assumptions about the interrelationships between education, fertility, and female autonomy. It lays out the policy implications of these findings and fruitful directions for future research.
Anthriscus sylvestris Deoxypodophyllotoxin Synthase Involved in the Podophyllotoxin Biosynthesis
Authors: Kobayashi Keisuke , Yamamura Masaomi , Mikami Bunzo , Shiraishi Akira , Kumatani Masato , Satake Honoo , Ono Eiichiro , Umezawa Toshiaki 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Tetrahydrofuran ring formation from dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans is a key step in the biosynthesis of aryltetralin lignans including deoxypodophyllotoxin and podophyllotoxin. Previously, Fe(II)- and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (2-ODD) from Podophyllum hexandrum (Himalayan mayapple, Berberidaceae) was found to catalyze the cyclization of a dibenzylbutyrolactone lignan, yatein, to give deoxypodophyllotoxin and designated as deoxypodophyllotoxin synthase (DPS). Recently, we reported that the biosynthesis of deoxypodophyllotoxin and podophyllotoxin evolved in a lineage-specific manner in phylogenetically unrelated plant species such as P. hexandrum and Anthriscus sylvestris (cow parsley, Apiaceae). Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of DPSs that catalyze the cyclization of yatein to deoxypodophyllotoxin in various plant species is important. However, for plant species other than P. hexandrum, the isolation of the DPS enzyme gene and the type of the enzyme, e.g. whether it is 2-ODD or another type of enzyme such as cytochrome P-450, have not been reported. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of A. sylvestris DPS (AsDPS). Phylogenetic analysis showed that AsDPS belonged to the 2-ODD superfamily and shared moderate amino acid sequence identity (40.8%) with P. hexandrum deoxypodophyllotoxin synthase (PhDPS). Recombinant protein assay indicated that AsDPS and PhDPS differ in terms of the selectivity of substrate enantiomers. Protein modeling using AlphaFold2 and site-directed mutagenesis indicated that the Tyr305 residue of AsDPS probably contributes to substrate recognition. This study advances our understanding of the podophyllotoxin biosynthetic pathway in A. sylvestris and provides new insight into 2-ODD involved in plant secondary (specialized) metabolism.
Arabidopsis CML13 and CML14 Have Essential and Overlapping Roles in Plant Development
Authors: Symonds Kyle , Teresinski Howard , Hau Bryan , Chiasson David , Benidickson Kirsten , Plaxton William , Snedden Wayne A 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Calmodulin (CaM)-like proteins (CMLs) are the largest family of calcium-binding proteins in plants, yet the functions of most CMLs are unknown. Arabidopsis CML13 and CML14 are closely related paralogs that interact with the isoleucine–glutamine (IQ) domains of myosins, IQ-domain proteins and CaM-binding transcription activators (CAMTAs). Here, we explored the physiological roles of CML13 and CML14 during development by using dexamethasone (Dex)-inducible RNA silencing to suppress either CML13 or CML14 transcript levels. In the absence of inducible suppression, CML13- and CML14-RNA-interference lines were indistinguishable from wild-type (WT) plants throughout development. In contrast, induction of silencing treatment led to rapid increases in RNA-hairpin production that correlated with a targeted reduction in CML13 or CML14 transcript levels and a range of developmental and morphological effects. RNA-suppression treatment did not impair the germination of CML13- or 14-RNA-interference lines, but these seedlings were chlorotic, displayed high mortality and failed to achieve seedling establishment. Under Dex treatment, seeds of CML13- and CML14-RNA-interference lines exhibited differential sensitivity to exogenous ABA compared to WT seeds. Induced RNA suppression of mature plants led to reduced silique length, shorter roots and rapid leaf senescence in CML13- and 14-RNA-interference plants, which correlated with increased gene expression of the senescence marker Senescence-Associated Gene13 (SAG13). Plants induced for RNA suppression at 2 weeks post-germination exhibited a much stronger phenotype than treatment of 3-, 4- or 5-week-old plants. Collectively, our data indicate that both CML13 and CML14 are essential for normal development and function across a broad range of tissues and developmental stages.
A Carbonic Anhydrase, ZmCA4, Contributes to Photosynthetic Efficiency and Modulates CO2 Signaling Gene Expression by Interacting with Aquaporin ZmPIP2;6 in Maize
Authors: Zhou Lian , Xiang Xiaoqin , Ji Dongpu , Chen Qiulan , Ma Tengfei , Wang Jiuguang , Liu Chaoxian 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Carbonic anhydrase (CA) catalyzes the reversible CO2 hydration reaction that produces bicarbonate for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC). This is the initial step for transmitting the CO2 signal in C4 photosynthesis. However, it remains unknown whether the maize (Zea mays L.) CA gene, ZmCA4, plays a role in the maize photosynthesis process. In our study, we found that ZmCA4 was relatively highly expressed in leaves and localized in the chloroplast and the plasma membrane of mesophyll protoplasts. Knock-out of ZmCA4 reduced CA activity, while overexpression of ZmCA4 increased rubisco activity, as well as the quantum yield and relative electron transport rate in photosystem II. Overexpression of ZmCA4 enhanced maize yield–related traits. Moreover, ZmCA4 interacted with aquaporin ZmPIP2;6 in bimolecular fluorescence complementation and co-immunoprecipitation experiments. The double-knock-out mutant for ZmPIP2;6 and ZmCA4 genes showed reductions in its growth, CA and PEPC activities, assimilation rate and photosystem activity. RNA-Seq analysis revealed that the expression of other ZmCAs, ZmPIPs, as well as CO2 signaling pathway homologous genes, and photosynthetic-related genes was all altered in the double-knock-out mutant compared with the wild type. Altogether, our study’s findings point to a critical role of ZmCA4 in determining photosynthetic capacity and modulating CO2 signaling regulation via its interaction with ZmPIP2;6, thus providing insight into the potential genetic value of ZmCA4 for maize yield improvement.
A meta-analysis of distance measurements to M87
Authors: Ramakrishnan Gunasekar , Desai Shantanu 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
We obtain the median-, the arithmetic mean–, and the weighted mean–based central estimates for the distance to M87 using all the measurements collated in literature. We then reconstruct the error distribution for the residuals of the combined measurements and also split them based on the tracers used. We then check for consistency with a Gaussian distribution and other symmetric distributions such as Cauchy, Laplacian, and Student’s-t distributions. We find that when we analyze the combined data, the weighted mean–based estimates show a poor agreement with the Gaussian distribution, indicating that there are unaccounted systematic errors in some of the measurements. Therefore, the median-based estimate for the distance to M87 would be the most robust. This median-based distance modulus to M87 is given by 31.08 ± 0.09 mag and 31.07 ± 0.09 mag, with and without considering measurements categorized as “averages,” respectively.