bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Incidental pinnipeds at high latitudes of the Vestfold Hills, Prydz Bay, East Antarctica
Authors: van den Hoff John 
Published: January 2024

AbstractSpecies distributions are predicted to change with future climate-associated ecosystem changes such that so-called ‘vagrant’ individuals may become established or re-establish in areas currently thought to be beyond their principle ranges. Survey data were collated for occurrences of pinniped (seal) species at very high latitudes of the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. Aside from Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) and southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), which aggregate annually at the Vestfold Hills to breed and/or moult, three other pinniped species were observed with the recession of the fast-ice edge. Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) occurrences increased with an increase in a seasonally abundant prey resource, and crabeater seals (Lobodon carcinophaga) were seen at a time that coincides with their moult period. Occurrences of sub-adult male Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) increase the known southward range for this species and may reflect population increases at source populations in the Kerguelen Plateau area. Although there were no direct sightings of Ross seals (Ommatophoca rossii), their presence close to the Vestfold Hills was detected by underwater passive acoustic monitoring. Sightings of obligate drift-ice species and sub-Antarctic fur seals may change at the Vestfold Hills with climate-mediated changes in sea-ice conditions.
The Circularity Assessment Protocol in Cities to Reduce Plastic Pollution
Authors: Jambeck J. R. , Maddalene T. , Youngblood K. , Oposa A. , Perello H. , Werner M. , Himelboim I. , Romness K. , Mathis J. , Keisling C. , Brooks A. L. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe circular economy has been promoted as a solution to plastic pollution, but cities and communities bear the brunt of plastic pollution. The Circularity Assessment Protocol (CAP) is a systems method of collaborative and open data collection for communities to use for decision‐ and policy‐making. The CAP has been utilized in 51 cities in 14 countries and is illustrated here in Metro Manila. Results include identifying manufacturing and parent companies to bring to the table; documenting most (77%) products are in single‐use multi‐layer film packaging; a small, but growing formal refill and reuse system; 10% of to‐go food containers composed of paper‐based alternatives, and a snap‐shot leakage concentration of plastics to the environment that is 1.8%–2.7% of current waste generation. Community narratives emerged from a collaborative workshop and are threaded throughout opportunities identified by the CAP process to inform circularity, future actions, and policy, as a scalable way to create systems change for plastic pollution from the ground up.
Influence of Hydrodynamics on the Composition and Reactivity of Particulate Organic Matter in a Large River Influenced Ocean Margin
Authors: Guo Jinqiang , Zhou Bu , Achterberg Eric P. , Song Jinming , Duan Liqin , Li Xuegang , Yuan Huamao 
Published: January 2024

AbstractMarginal seas influenced by large rivers are characterized by complex hydrodynamic and organic matter cycling processes. However, the impacts of hydrodynamics on the composition and reactivity of particulate organic matter (POM) remain unclear. Here we conducted a comprehensive study on the bulk, molecular and biological properties of suspended POM in the Changjiang Estuary and adjacent area subjected to strong currents, eddies as well as typhoons during spring and autumn. D/L‐enantiomers of particulate amino acids (PAA) were analyzed to evaluate the bioreactivity of POM and quantify bacterial‐derived organic carbon. We found that POM bioavailability as indicated by carbon‐normalized yields of PAA (PAA‐C%) reflected the ecosystem productivity. Relatively high PAA‐C% values (20−35%) were observed in productive areas influenced by Changjiang River plume, cyclonic eddies and typhoons, likely related to the enhanced nutrient availability arising from hydrodynamic processes. In contrast, the oligotrophic Taiwan Warm Current‐influenced regions featured relatively low POM bioavailability (PAA‐C% < 10%) despite typhoons facilitating water mixing. The PAA‐C% values showed a significant positive correlation with extracellular enzyme activity, indicating that bioavailable POM can rapidly stimulate heterotrophic transformation. Hot spots of elevated bioavailable POM showed high contributions of bacterial organic carbon. A large portion (∼2/3) of bacterial organic carbon was present in the form of bacterial detritus, suggesting that patches of these biological hot spots represent important sites of carbon sequestration. Together, our findings indicate that fresh POM production is largely controlled by nutrient supply driven by hydrodynamic processes, with important implications for carbon sequestration in the dynamic ocean margins.
Impact of the Sea Surface Temperature in the North‐Eastern Tropical Atlantic on Precipitation Over Senegal
Authors: Thiam Mamadou , Oruba Ludivine , de Coetlogon Gaelle , Wade Malick , Diop Bouya , Farota Abdou Karim 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis study examines 40 years of monthly precipitation data in Senegal (1979–2018) using Climatic Research Unit observations and ERA5 reanalyzes, aiming to understand the influence of oceanic and atmospheric factors on Senegal's precipitation in July, August and September (JAS). The variability of Senegal's precipitation is first compared with that of the broader Sahel region: although they share a significant portion of their variance, Senegal appears more closely related to the Northeastern Tropical Atlantic (NETA) Sea Surface Temperature (SST). A detailed examination of this region reveals that Senegal's increased precipitation is linked to the northward shift of the InterTropical Convergence Zone, consistent with numerous previous studies. Over the continent, this shift corresponds to a northward shift of the African Easterly Jet (AEJ) and, consequently, the mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) responsible for most precipitation. It seems primarily driven by the northward shift of the Heat Low. Over the ocean just west of Senegal, there is a comparable shift of the AEJ, accompanied by an increase in low‐level moisture transport convergence within the West African Westerly Jet (WAWJ) which explains the majority of the increase in JAS precipitation in Senegal. This phenomenon is triggered by a negative pressure anomaly in the NETA, located above a positive SST anomaly: we suggest that the latter is the origin of the former, forming a feedback mechanism that potentially significantly influences Senegal's precipitation. The mechanism involves a geostrophic adjustment of the WAWJ to the southern gradients of the SST anomaly.
Geologic History of Deuteronilus Cavus in the Ismenius Lacus Region, Mars
Authors: Wueller Lukas , Iqbal Wajiha , Hiesinger Harald , Head James W. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe Ismenius Lacus region of Mars has a diverse geological history, and we present the first high‐resolution map of Deuteronilus Cavus (36.2°N; 14.0°E, ∼120 km diameter) in the fretted terrain south of the dichotomy boundary. Strong evidence suggests a volcanic origin of the regional plains, based on the ∼50 m thick volcanic bed underlying 180–300 m of sublimation residue associated with Amazonian plateau glaciation. Pervasive external volcanic flooding, internal erosional modification, and enlargement of a pre‐existing crater by up to 175%–200% resulted in the cavus' present shape. The phyllosilicates detected within Deuteronilus Cavus could be primary materials associated with the surficial aqueous activity, subsurface alteration products excavated by impacts, or a combination of both. We observe branching fluvial channels that are more recent than the traditional valley networks and may be related to fretted terrain resurfacing during the waning period of a high‐obliquity glaciation phase. This is consistent with our interpretation of the ∼600 m thick lobate and lineated deposits, which are remnants of receding glaciers. The glacial ice, protected by a 15–20 m insulating layer of debris cover, is of significant interest for future landing missions because of its potential to preserve biological and climatological signatures, to provide a critical test of Amazonian plateau glaciation, and to be used for in situ resource utilization. With our detailed geological mapping, we improved our understanding of the geological evolution and climatic conditions in the enigmatic fretted terrain near the dichotomy boundary.
The Impact of Radiative Transfer at Reduced Spectral Resolution in Large‐Eddy Simulations of Convective Clouds
Authors: Veerman M. A. , Pincus R. , Mlawer E. J. , van Heerwaarden C. C. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractMany radiative transfer schemes approximate the spectral integration over ∼105 to ∼106 wavelengths with correlated k‐distributions methods that typically require only 101–102 spectral integration points (g‐points). The exact number of g‐points is then chosen as an optimal balance between computational costs and accuracy, normally assessed in terms of a number of radiative quantities. How this radiative accuracy propagates to simulation accuracy, however, is not straightforward. In this study, we therefore explore the sensitivity of cloud properties in large‐eddy simulations (LES) to the accuracy of radiative fluxes and heating rates. We first generate smaller sets of g‐points from existing k‐distributions by repeatedly combining adjacent g‐points while maintaining the highest possible accuracy on a chosen set of radiative metrics. Next, we perform three sets of LES with varying cloud—radiation coupling pathways, and therefore different requirements for the accuracy of the radiative transfer computations, to investigate how these smaller and thus less accurate k‐distributions affect simulation characteristics. The decrease in radiative accuracy with 3–4 times smaller k‐distributions results in biases in cloud properties that are relative small compared to their temporal fluctuations. These results show potential for speeding up radiative transfer computations in cloud‐resolving models by reducing the resolved spectral detail. However, more statistically converged simulations and a wider set of case studies is required to fully assess the robustness of our results.
Genetic constraints in genes exhibiting splicing plasticity in facultative diapause
Authors: Steward Rachel A. , Pruisscher Peter , Roberts Kevin T. , Wheat Christopher W. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractPhenotypic plasticity is produced and maintained by processes regulating the transcriptome. While differential gene expression is among the most important of these processes, relatively little is known about other sources of transcriptional variation. Previous work suggests that alternative splicing plays an extensive and functionally unique role in transcriptional plasticity, though plastically spliced genes may be more constrained than the remainder of expressed genes. In this study, we explore the relationship between expression and splicing plasticity, along with the genetic diversity in those genes, in an ecologically consequential polyphenism: facultative diapause. Using 96 samples spread over two tissues and 10 timepoints, we compare the extent of differential splicing and expression between diapausing and direct developing pupae of the butterfly Pieris napi. Splicing differs strongly between diapausing and direct developing trajectories but alters a smaller and functionally unique set of genes compared to differential expression. We further test the hypothesis that among these expressed loci, plastically spliced genes are likely to experience the strongest purifying selection to maintain seasonally plastic phenotypes. Genes with unique transcriptional changes through diapause consistently had the lowest nucleotide diversity, and this effect was consistently stronger among genes that were differentially spliced compared to those with just differential expression through diapause. Further, the strength of negative selection was higher in the population expressing diapause every generation. Our results suggest that maintenance of the molecular mechanisms involved in diapause progression, including post-transcriptional modifications, are highly conserved and likely to experience genetic constraints, especially in northern populations of P. napi.
Cell-type-specific CAG repeat expansions and toxicity of mutant Huntingtin in human striatum and cerebellum
Authors: Mätlik Kert , Baffuto Matthew , Kus Laura , Deshmukh Amit Laxmikant , Davis David A. , Paul Matthew R. , Carroll Thomas S. , Caron Marie-Christine , Masson Jean-Yves , Pearson Christopher E. , Heintz Nathaniel 
Published: January 2024

AbstractBrain region-specific degeneration and somatic expansions of the mutant Huntingtin (mHTT) CAG tract are key features of Huntington’s disease (HD). However, the relationships among CAG expansions, death of specific cell types and molecular events associated with these processes are not established. Here, we used fluorescence-activated nuclear sorting (FANS) and deep molecular profiling to gain insight into the properties of cell types of the human striatum and cerebellum in HD and control donors. CAG expansions arise at mHTT in striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs), cholinergic interneurons and cerebellar Purkinje neurons, and at mutant ATXN3 in MSNs from SCA3 donors. CAG expansions in MSNs are associated with higher levels of MSH2 and MSH3 (forming MutSβ), which can inhibit nucleolytic excision of CAG slip-outs by FAN1. Our data support a model in which CAG expansions are necessary but may not be sufficient for cell death and identify transcriptional changes associated with somatic CAG expansions and striatal toxicity.
Effects of the WHO Labour Care Guide on cesarean section in India: a pragmatic, stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized pilot trial
Authors: Vogel Joshua P. , Pujar Yeshita , Vernekar Sunil S. , Armari Elizabeth , Pingray Veronica , Althabe Fernando , Gibbons Luz , Berrueta Mabel , Somannavar Manjunath , Ciganda Alvaro , Rodriguez Rocio , Bendigeri Savitri , Kumar Jayashree Ashok , Patil Shruti Bhavi , Karinagannanavar Aravind , Anteen Raveendra R. , Mallappa Ramachandrappa Pavithra , Shetty Shukla , Bommanal Latha , Haralahalli Mallesh Megha , Gaddi Suman S. , Chikkagowdra Shaila , Raghavendra Bellara , Homer Caroline S. E. , Lavender Tina , Kushtagi Pralhad , Hofmeyr G. Justus , Derman Richard , Goudar Shivaprasad 
Published: January 2024

AbstractCesarean section rates worldwide are rising, driven by medically unnecessary cesarean use. The new World Health Organization Labour Care Guide (LCG) aims to improve the quality of care for women during labor and childbirth. Using the LCG might reduce overuse of cesarean; however, its effects have not been evaluated in randomized trials. We conducted a stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized pilot trial in four hospitals in India to evaluate the implementation of an LCG strategy intervention, compared with routine care. We performed this trial to pilot the intervention and obtain preliminary effectiveness data, informing future research. Eligible clusters were four hospitals with >4,000 births annually and cesarean rates ≥30%. Eligible women were those giving birth at ≥20 weeks’ gestation. One hospital transitioned to intervention every 2 months, according to a random sequence. The primary outcome was the cesarean rate among women in Robson Group 1 (that is, those who were nulliparous and gave birth to a singleton, term pregnancy in cephalic presentation and in spontaneous labor). A total of 26,331 participants gave birth. A 5.5% crude absolute reduction in the primary outcome was observed (45.2% versus 39.7%; relative risk 0.85, 95% confidence interval 0.54–1.33). Maternal process-of-care outcomes were not significantly different, though labor augmentation with oxytocin was 18.0% lower with the LCG strategy. No differences were observed for other health outcomes or women’s birth experiences. These findings can guide future definitive effectiveness trials, particularly in settings where urgent reversal of rising cesarean section rates is needed. Clinical Trials Registry India number: CTRI/2021/01/030695.
Differential peripheral immune signatures elicited by vegan versus ketogenic diets in humans
Authors: Link Verena M. , Subramanian Poorani , Cheung Foo , Han Kyu Lee , Stacy Apollo , Chi Liang , Sellers Brian A. , Koroleva Galina , Courville Amber B. , Mistry Shreni , Burns Andrew , Apps Richard , Hall Kevin D. , Belkaid Yasmine 
Published: January 2024

AbstractNutrition has broad impacts on all physiological processes. However, how nutrition affects human immunity remains largely unknown. Here we explored the impact of a dietary intervention on both immunity and the microbiota by performing a post hoc analysis of a clinical trial in which each of the 20 participants sequentially consumed vegan or ketogenic diets for 2 weeks (NCT03878108). Using a multiomics approach including multidimensional flow cytometry, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic and metagenomic datasets, we assessed the impact of each diet, and dietary switch, on host immunity and the microbiota. Our data revealed that overall, a ketogenic diet was associated with a significant upregulation of pathways and enrichment in cells associated with the adaptive immune system. In contrast, a vegan diet had a significant impact on the innate immune system, including upregulation of pathways associated with antiviral immunity. Both diets significantly and differentially impacted the microbiome and host-associated amino acid metabolism, with a strong downregulation of most microbial pathways following ketogenic diet compared with baseline and vegan diet. Despite the diversity of participants, we also observed a tightly connected network between datasets driven by compounds associated with amino acids, lipids and the immune system. Collectively, this work demonstrates that in diverse participants 2 weeks of controlled dietary intervention is sufficient to significantly and divergently impact host immunity, which could have implications for precision nutritional interventions. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03878108.
G-quadruplexes in MTOR and induction of autophagy
Authors: Majumder Piyali , Shukla Chinmayee , Arya Arjun , Sharma Shubham , Datta Bhaskar 
Published: January 2024

AbstractG-quadruplex (G4) structures have emerged as singular therapeutic targets for cancer and neurodegeneration. Autophagy, a crucial homeostatic mechanism of the cell, is often dysregulated in neurodegenerative diseases and cancers. We used QGRS mapper to identify 470 G4 sequences in MTOR, a key negative regulator of autophagy. We sought to identify a functional context by leveraging the effect of G4-targeting ligands on MTOR G4 sequences. The effect of Bis-4,3, a G4 selective dimeric carbocyanine dye, was compared with the known G4-stabilizing activity of the porphyrin, TMPyP4 in HeLa and SHSY-5Y cells. Our results show that treatment with G4-selective ligands downregulates MTOR RNA and mTOR protein expression levels. This is the first report describing G4 motifs in MTOR. This study indicates a possible role of G4 stabilizing ligands in induction of autophagy by downregulation of mTOR levels, albeit not precluding MTOR independent pathways.
Stability-indicating UPLC assay coupled with mass spectrometry for the analysis of vilanterol degradation products in human urine
Authors: Tarek Mohamed , Wagdy Hebatallah A. , Hegazy Maha A. , Ghoniem Nermine S. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractVilanterol is a once-daily dose inhaler prescribed for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This study involved an investigation of vilanterol stability under acidic, basic, oxidative, thermal, and photolytic stress conditions. UPLC method was developed and validated for the analysis of vilanterol with its degradants. The drug was stable under photolytic and thermal stress conditions and degraded under acidic, basic, and oxidative stress conditions. Degradation kinetics was performed for acidic, basic and oxidative stress conditions. Kinetics parameters, K, half-life time (t1/2) and shelf-life time (t90) were assessed, and the degradation followed first order reaction. The method was linear from 0.10 to 100.00 µg mL−1 with accuracy, inter-day and intra-day precision from 99.45 to 100.02%, 0.391–0.694 and 0.041–0.345, respectively. Mass spectrometry was employed to elucidate the structure of the degradants, and the results revealed that certain degradation products were comparable to vilanterol metabolites. The World Anti-Doping Agency has prohibited the presence of vilanterol and its metabolites in athletes’ urine except for exercise bronchoconstriction with limited dose. So, quantification of vilanterol in the presence of its degradants was performed in human urine. The results revealed that the method was linear in range of 1.00 to 100.00 µg mL−1. Samples collection and experimental protocol was performed according to the guidelines of the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Pharmacy, the British University in Egypt with approval No. CH-2305.
Exciplex-forming cohost systems with 2,7-dicyanofluorene acceptors for high efficiency red and deep-red OLEDs
Authors: Chen Yi-Sheng , Lin I-Hung , Huang Hsin-Yuan , Liu Shun-Wei , Hung Wen-Yi , Wong Ken-Tsung 
Published: January 2024

AbstractTwo 2,7-dicyaonfluorene-based molecules 27-DCN and 27-tDCN are utilized as acceptors (A) to combine with hexaphenylbenzene-centered donors (D) TATT and DDT-HPB for probing the exciplex formation. The photophysical characteristics reveal that the steric hindered 27-tDCN not only can increase the distance of D and A, resulting in a hypsochromic emission, but also dilute the concentration of triplet excitons to suppress non-radiative process. The 27-tDCN-based exciplex-forming blends exhibit better photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) as compared to those of 27-DCN-based pairs. In consequence, among these D:A blends, the device employing DDT-HPB:27-tDCN blend as the emissiom layer (EML) exhibits the best EQE of 3.0% with electroluminescence (EL) λmax of 542 nm. To further utilize the exciton electrically generated in exciplex-forming system, two D–A–D-configurated fluorescence emitter DTPNT and DTPNBT are doped into the DDT-HPB:27-tDCN blend. The nice spectral overlap ensures fast and efficient Förster energy transfer (FRET) process between the exciplex-forming host and the fluorescent quests. The red device adopting DDT-HPB:27-tDCN:10 wt% DTPNT as the EML gives EL λmax of 660 nm and maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 5.8%, while EL λmax of 685 nm and EQE of 5.0% for the EML of DDT-HPB:27-tDCN:10 wt% DTPNBT. This work manifests a potential strategy to achieve high efficiency red and deep red OLED devices by incorporating the highly fluorescent emitters to extract the excitons generated by the exciplex-forming blend with bulky acceptor for suppressing non-radiative process.