bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Intestinal pathogens detected in cockroach species within different food-related environment in Pudong, China
Authors: Liu Jun , Yuan Yongting , Feng Lei , Lin Chen , Ye Chuchu , Liu Jingyi , Li Huihui , Hao Lipeng , Liu Hanzhao 
Published: January 2024

AbstractCockroaches are considered mechanical transmitters of infectious diseases, posing a threat to human health. This study assessed the potential of cockroaches in food-related environments to mechanically transmit intestinal pathogens. Cockroaches captured with traps were placed together into a low temperature refrigerator at − 80° for 2 h. Standard taxonomic keys and Fluorescent quantitative PCR techniques were applied for species identification and digestive tract etiological examination. A total of 360 cockroach traps were placed, with a positive rate of 20.8%, and 266 cockroaches were captured. In general, compared with other places and areas, the degree of infestation of cockroaches was more serious in catering places and kitchens. Blattella germanica were most found in catering places (40.2%), followed by Periplaneta fuliginosa in schools (22.2%). According to the life stage, among the 128 cockroach samples, 23 were positive for nymphs and 13 were positive for adults. There were statistically significant differences in the intestinal pathogen detection rates between nymphs and adults (P < 0.05). A total of eight intestinal pathogens were detected, and enterovirus infections were the main ones, with sapovirus being the most detected in Blattella germanica or nymph. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) was the most frequently isolated bacterium. Blastocystis hominis had the highest isolation rate. In contrast, 12 diarrhoeal disease pathogens were isolated, and the viruses and bacteria with the highest frequencies were norovirus and E. coli, respectively; no parasites were found. Blattella germanica and Periplaneta fuliginosa in food-related environments can act as potential vectors for the spread of intestinal pathogens and may pose a significant threat to public health.
Prenatal cocaine exposure and its influence on pediatric epigenetic clocks and epigenetic scores in humans
Authors: Viola Thiago Wendt , Danzer Christina , Mardini Victor , Szobot Claudia , Chrusciel João Henrique , Stertz Laura , Schmitz Joy M. , Walss-Bass Consuelo , Fries Gabriel R. , Grassi-Oliveira Rodrigo 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe investigation of the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) on offspring has been inconsistent, with few studies investigating biological outcomes in humans. We profiled genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) of umbilical cord blood (UCB) from newborns with (n = 35) and without (n = 47) PCE. We used DNAm data to (1) assess pediatric epigenetic clocks at birth and (2) to estimate epigenetic scores (ES) for lifetime disorders. We generated gestational epigenetic age estimates (DNAmGA) based on Knight and Bohlin epigenetic clocks. We also investigated the association between DNAmGA and UCB serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Considering the large-scale DNAm data availability and existing evidence regarding PCE as a risk for health problems later in life, we generated ES for tobacco smoking, psychosis, autism, diabetes, and obesity. A gene ontology (GO) analysis on the CpGs included in the ES with group differences was performed. PCE was associated with lower DNAmGA in newborns, and this effect remained significant when controlling for potential confounders, such as blood cell type composition predicted by DNAm and obstetric data. DNAmGA was negatively correlated with BDNF levels in the serum of UCB. Higher tobacco smoking, psychosis, and diabetes ES were found in the PCE group. The GO analysis revealed GABAergic synapses as a potential pathway altered by PCE. Our findings of decelerated DNAmGA and ES for adverse phenotypes associated with PCE, suggest that the effects of gestational cocaine exposure on the epigenetic landscape of human newborns are detectable at birth.
Identification and prioritisation of potential vaccine candidates using subtractive proteomics and designing of a multi-epitope vaccine against Wuchereria bancrofti
Authors: Aarthy Murali , Pandiyan G. Navaneetha , Paramasivan R. , Kumar Ashwani , Gupta Bhavna 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis study employed subtractive proteomics and immunoinformatics to analyze theWuchereria bancroftiproteome and identify potential therapeutic targets, with a focus on designing a vaccine against the parasite species. A comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of the parasite's proteome identified 51 probable therapeutic targets, among which "Kunitz/bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor domain-containing protein" was identified as the most promising vaccine candidate. The candidate protein was used to design a multi-epitope vaccine, incorporating B-cell and T-cell epitopes identified through various tools. The vaccine construct underwent extensive analysis of its antigenic, physical, and chemical features, including the determination of secondary and tertiary structures. Docking and molecular dynamics simulations were performed with HLA alleles, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and TLR3 to assess its potential to elicit the human immune response. Immune simulation analysis confirmed the predicted vaccine’s strong binding affinity with immunoglobulins, indicating its potential efficacy in generating an immune response. However, experimental validation and testing of this multi-epitope vaccine construct would be needed to assess its potential againstW. bancroftiand even for a broader range of lymphatic filarial infections given the similarities betweenW. bancroftiandBrugia.
Phytochemical characterization of forest leaves extracts and application to control apple postharvest diseases
Authors: Hajji-Hedfi Lobna , Rhouma Abdelhak , Hlaoua Wassila , Dmitry Kucher E. , Jaouadi Ryma , Zaouali Yosr , Rebouh Nazih Y. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe study investigated the antifungal and phytochemical properties of three forest plants (Eucalyptus globulus, Pistacia lentiscus, and Juniperus phoenicea) against apple diseases caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Alternaria alternata. The determination of the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents in the three aqueous extracts of studied plants showed that E. globulus exhibited the highest contents than those of P. lentiscus and J. phoenicea. Furthermore, the three studied extracts showed very appreciable antioxidant activity with decreasing order: E. globulus, P. lentiscus, and J. phoenicea. The phytochemical analysis showed different common phenolic acids in the three studied plants namely: quinic acid, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and caffeoylquinic acid as well as other flavonoids mainly quercetin and catechin. The results of the current study demonstrated that the fungistatic activity of E. globulus EO (4 and 2 µl/ml) seemed to be the most effective under laboratory conditions with an inhibition zone diameter above 16 mm. However, the poisoned food technique indicated that the aqueous extract (80%) and the essential oil (4 µl/ml) of E. globulus exhibited the highest mycelial growth (> 67%) and spore germination (> 99%) inhibition. Preventive treatments with essential oils (4 µl/ml) and aqueous extracts (80%) applied to apple fruits inoculated with A. alternata and C. gloeosporioides resulted in the lowest lesion diameter (< 6.80 mm) and disease severity index (< 15%) and the most favorable inhibitory growth (> 85.45%) and protective potentials (> 84.92%). The results suggest that E. globulus has a brilliant future in the management of anthracnose and Alternaria rot of apple and provide a basis for further studies on its effects under field conditions.
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars physiological, biochemical performance and yield parameters response to acid mine water irrigation and soil physiochemical properties
Authors: Munyai Rabelani , Modise David M. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis paper aimed to analyse the potato cultivar’s response to physiological, biochemical performance, yield parameters and soil physiochemical properties when subjected to quicklime (un)treated acid mine drainage (AMD) irrigation. A randomized design experiment was conducted with five water treatment levels: TW1; TW2; TW3; TW4 to TW5 replicated four times. The results showed that the quicklime treatment increased the pH of the AMD water, reduced the concentration of EC, NO3−, SO42− and ameliorated heavy metals. However, unsafe levels of heavy metals above the maximum permissible (WHO/FAO) levels were found in Pb, Mg and Mo for water (TW4 and TW5), while As, Cd and Cr for soils (ST4 and ST5) respectively. For potato tubers (TT4 and TT5) concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, and Pb were above the maximum levels. Stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content and yield parameters responded positively by increasing significantly on TW4 and TW5 treatments, but negatively (reduced) towards TW2 and TW3 treatments. A higher bioaccumulation factor was obtained for Zn ˃ Cu ˃ Mg ˃ Pb ˃ Mn, which was an indication of the contamination status of soil, with Zn being more concentrated than other metals. The findings indicate that quicklime-treated AMD is usable for potato irrigation with regular monitoring of heavy metal levels and strict observation of water reuse protocols. The use of this large source of ameliorated (AMD) water will go a long way in improving food security in South Africa and/or in countries where agriculture production is around mining areas.
Millennial-scale variability of Greenland dust provenance during the last glacial maximum as determined by single particle analysis
Authors: Ro Seokhyun , Park Jonghyeon , Yoo Hanjin , Han Changhee , Lee Ahhyung , Lee Yoojin , Kim Minjeong , Han Yeongcheol , Svensson Anders , Shin Jinhwa , Ro Chul-Un , Hong Sungmin 
Published: January 2024

AbstractGreenland ice core records exhibited 100-fold higher dust concentrations during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) than during the Holocene, and dust input temporal variability corresponded to different climate states in the LGM. While East Asian deserts, the Sahara, and European loess have been suggested as the potential source areas (PSAs) for Greenland LGM dust, millennial-scale variability in their relative contributions within the LGM remains poorly constrained. Here, we present the morphological, mineralogical, and geochemical characteristics of insoluble microparticles to constrain the provenance of dust in Greenland NEEM ice core samples covering cold Greenland Stadials (GS)-2.1a to GS-3 (~ 14.7 to 27.1 kyr ago) in the LGM. The analysis was conducted on individual particles in microdroplet samples by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Raman microspectroscopy. We found that the kaolinite-to-chlorite (K/C) ratios and chemical index of alteration (CIA) values were substantially higher (K/C: 1.4 ± 0.7, CIA: 74.7 ± 2.9) during GS-2.1a to 2.1c than during GS-3 (K/C: 0.5 ± 0.1, CIA: 65.8 ± 2.8). Our records revealed a significant increase in Saharan dust contributions from GS-2.1a to GS-2.1c and that the Gobi Desert and/or European loess were potential source(s) during GS-3. This conclusion is further supported by distinctly different carbon contents in particles corresponding to GS-2.1 and GS-3. These results are consistent with previous estimates of proportional dust source contributions obtained using a mixing model based on Pb and Sr isotopic compositions in NEEM LGM ice and indicate millennial-scale changes in Greenland dust provenance that are probably linked to large-scale atmospheric circulation variabilities during the LGM.
Verbal fluency patterns associated with the amnestic conversion from mild cognitive impairment to dementia
Authors: Cintoli Simona , Favilli Laura , Morganti Riccardo , Siciliano Gabriele , Ceravolo Roberto , Tognoni Gloria 
Published: January 2024

AbstractPatients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are at a higher risk of converting to Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this study was to examine the potential use of Verbal Fluency (VF) measures as markers for predicting the conversion to dementia. At baseline, 61 aMCI, aged 65 to 80 years, underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, including phonemic (PVF) and semantic verbal fluency (SVF) tasks. After 18 months, 14 individuals with aMCI had progressed to a diagnosis of dementia. The findings revealed that aMCI-converter group had lower Mini Mental State Examination and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Task scores than aMCI-no converter and produced fewer clusters in both VF tasks and a lower number of switches in PVF at baseline (p < 0.05). According to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the number of clusters in PVF had the highest predictive value (AUC = 0.80) with a threshold of 5.510 for identifying aMCI-converter at baseline. Additionally, participants with higher levels of education exhibited more clusters and switches in VF tasks (p < 0.05). These results suggest that qualitative measures of VF could serve as neuropsychological markers for predicting cognitive decline in individuals with aMCI. Furthermore, the study highlights the potential influence of the education level on cognitive performance in neuropsychological tasks.
Study on boiling heat transfer characteristics of R410A outside horizontal tube under swaying condition
Authors: Fei Suyu , Jiang Haitao , Hua Dan 
Published: January 2024

AbstractTo investigate the boiling characteristics of flow outside the R410A tube under swaying conditions, this article conducts numerical simulation and experimental research on the flow boiling heat transfer of R410A outside a horizontal tube. The results show that when the swing frequency increased from 0.2 to 2 Hz, the sway amplitude is 0.03 m, the heat flux on the inner wall of the runner remains unchanged, and the mass flow rate increases from 85 to 170 kg/(m2·s), which makes the heat transfer coefficient of the working fluid in the annular area increases significantly. Keeping the inlet mass flow rate unchanged, the heat flux on the inner wall of the flow channel increases from 25 to 35 kW/m2, the heat transfer coefficient of the working fluid in the annular area has also improved, but under high heat flux conditions, the working fluid is evaporated and dried, its heat transfer coefficient increases less than in low heat flux conditions. When the sway amplitude increases from 0.02 to 0.07 m, the sway frequency is 0.2 Hz and 2 Hz respectively, and the heat transfer coefficient of the working fluid shows a downward trend as a whole. The studies provide a reference for heat exchanger design suitable for offshore swaying conditions.
Record-shattering 2023 Spring heatwave in western Mediterranean amplified by long-term drought
Authors: Lemus-Canovas Marc , Insua-Costa Damián , Trigo Ricardo M. , Miralles Diego G. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe western Mediterranean region experienced an exceptional and unprecedented early heatwave in April 2023. By shattering historical temperature records, especially in the Iberian Peninsula and northwestern Africa, this extreme offers a stark illustration of a drought–heatwave compound event. Here, we investigate the soil moisture–temperature interactions that underpinned this event, using the most up-to-date observations and a robust statistical analysis. Our results reveal that soil moisture deficit preconditions, concurring with a strong subtropical ridge as a synoptic driver, had a key contribution to the amplification and duration of this record-breaking heatwave. Specifically, we estimate that the most extreme temperature records would have been 4.53 times less likely and 2.19 °C lower had the soils been wet. These findings indicate that soil moisture content may be a crucial variable for seasonal forecasting of early HW in this region and in other Mediterranean climate regimes that are already suffering an increment in the frequency of compound drought–heatwave events.
Enhancing the quality of panel-based tumor mutation burden assessment: a comprehensive study of real-world and in-silico outcomes
Authors: Zhang Yuanfeng , Wang Duo , Zhao Zihong , Peng Rongxue , Han Yanxi , Li Jinming , Zhang Rui 
Published: January 2024

AbstractTargeted panel-based tumor mutation burden (TMB) assays are widely employed to guide immunotherapy for patients with solid tumors. However, the accuracy and consistency of this method can be compromised due to the variability in technical details across different laboratories, particularly in terms of panel size, somatic mutation detection and TMB calculation rules. Currently, systematic evaluations of the impact of these technical factors on existing assays and best practice recommendations remain lacking. We assessed the performance of 50 participating panel-based TMB assays involving 38 unique methods using cell line samples. In silico experiments utilizing TCGA MC3 datasets were performed to further dissect the impact of technical factors. Here we show that the panel sizes beyond 1.04 Mb and 389 genes are necessary for the basic discrete accuracy, as determined by over 40,000 synthetic panels. The somatic mutation detection should maintain a reciprocal gap of recall and precision less than 0.179 for reliable psTMB calculation results. The inclusion of synonymous, nonsense and hotspot mutations could enhance the accuracy of panel-based TMB assay. A 5% variant allele frequency cut-off is suitable for TMB assays using tumor samples with at least 20% tumor purity. In conclusion, this multicenter study elucidates the major technical factors as sources of variability in panel-based TMB assays and proposed comprehensive recommendations for the enhancement of accuracy and consistency. These findings will assist clinical laboratories in optimizing the methodological details through bioinformatic experiments to enhance the reliability of panel-based methods.
Identification of weather patterns and transitions likely to cause power outages in the United Kingdom
Authors: Souto Laiz , Neal Robert , Pope James O. , Gonzalez Paula L. M. , Wilkinson Jonathan , Taylor Philip C. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractLightning strikes, snow, and wind are common causes of power system failures. Their frequency of occurrence varies depending on weather patterns and seasons. Here, we analyse the occurrence of thirty pre-defined daily weather patterns along with nearly 70,000 power system failures in the United Kingdom between 2010 and 2019 to investigate the predictability of weather-induced power outages. We identify high-risk weather patterns and pattern transitions for all seasons. Winter weather patterns characterized by high wind speeds and high precipitation volumes are responsible for many instances of power outages caused by wind, gale, and lightning strikes. Weather patterns with moderate to high snowfall are often linked to power outages caused by snow and ice. Because high-risk weather patterns can be forecast reliably with valuable lead time, clear links between specific patterns and transitions can significantly improve the preparedness of the United Kingdom and broader European distribution network operators for adverse weather conditions.
Communities creating climate solutions for a healthy planet and healthy people
Authors: Rossmann Sonja , Gebrewold Belachew 
Published: January 2024

AbstractWhile on a global level, the implementation of climate solutions is slow, numerous local initiatives such as ecovillages are actively working towards establishing a harmonious and sustainable relationship with nature, fostering improvements in both planetary and human well-being. Research on the health co-benefits of global climate action has increased in recent years, while less research has been done on the impacts at the local level. This article explores the connection between climate action and health through a literature review and a case study on climate practices of an ecovillage. Three climate action tracks are presented that have the biggest potential to create health co-benefits on a global level: air quality, urban planning, and food systems. Implemented specific climate practices at the ecovillage show an individually perceived impact on the health of the residents due to physical activity, healthy nutrition, and mental health. The authors argue that the implementation of small-scale collective climate practices within ecovillages can play a significant role in addressing the climate crisis, while simultaneously promoting health. These practices provide valuable insights into evaluating and implementing tangible climate solutions. This article shows the importance of small-scale initiatives for global change. Given the limited existing literature and research on this particular topic, this article holds significant value as it contributes to a growing research field at the interface of climate action, ecovillage, and health studies.
Artificial intelligence-powered discovery of small molecules inhibiting CTLA-4 in cancer
Authors: Sobhani Navid , Tardiel-Cyril Dana Rae , Chai Dafei , Generali Daniele , Li Jian-Rong , Vazquez-Perez Jonathan , Lim Jing Ming , Morris Rachel , Bullock Zaniqua N. , Davtyan Aram , Cheng Chao , Decker William K. , Li Yong 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background/Objectives
Checkpoint inhibitors, which generate durable responses in many cancer patients, have revolutionized cancer immunotherapy. However, their therapeutic efficacy is limited, and immune-related adverse events are severe, especially for monoclonal antibody treatment directed against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), which plays a pivotal role in preventing autoimmunity and fostering anticancer immunity by interacting with the B7 proteins CD80 and CD86. Small molecules impairing the CTLA-4/CD80 interaction have been developed; however, they directly target CD80, not CTLA-4.

Subjects/Methods
In this study, we performed artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual screening of approximately ten million compounds to identify those targeting CTLA-4. We validated the hits molecules with biochemical, biophysical, immunological, and experimental animal assays.

Results
The primary hits obtained from the virtual screening were successfully validated in vitro and in vivo. We then optimized lead compounds and obtained inhibitors (inhibitory concentration, 1 micromole) that disrupted the CTLA-4/CD80 interaction without degrading CTLA-4.

Conclusions
Several compounds inhibited tumor development prophylactically and therapeutically in syngeneic and CTLA–4–humanized mice. Our findings support using AI-based frameworks to design small molecules targeting immune checkpoints for cancer therapy.