bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Digest: The detrimental effects of abrupt environmental stress on diversity and fitness
Authors: Dela Cruz Gio Randon , Talukdar Jishnu Pathak 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Does the rate of environmental deterioration influence diversity and fitness in a population? Zhou and Zhang 2024 found that, compared with gradual stress, abrupt stress led to a larger decrease in fitness and diversity in the bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens. These findings help explain the relationship between species evolution and antimicrobial resistance.
Impact of Residential Area Characteristics and Political Group Participation on Depression Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Results of an 11-Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Lin Yu-Chun , Yan Huang-Ting 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Background and Objectives
The claim that political group attendance is associated with poor mental health among older adults may be conditioned on geographic conditions. This study examined the geographical context in which political group participation may be associated with depression.

Research Design and Methods
The 11-year follow-up data from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging, covering 5,334 persons aged ≥50 years, were analyzed using random-effects panel logit models. Depression was assessed using 10 items on the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Participants were asked to indicate whether they belonged to different social groups. We modeled depression as a function of political group participation (the independent variable) and geographical region (moderators), adjusting for individual-level characteristics.

Results
Respondents in political groups were more likely to report depression than those in nonpolitical groups (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34–2.68). Between urban and rural settlements, there were no statistically significant differences in mental health outcomes among older adults engaged in political groups (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI = 0.81–3.67). For those who remained politically engaged, living in areas with lower levels of electoral competition was associated with a lower likelihood of depression (AOR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.86–0.98); this conditional effect was not prevalent among those who were solely engaged in nonpolitical groups (AOR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.99–1.03).

Discussion and Implications
Political group participation is associated with poor mental health among older adults living in politically competitive regions.
MMV_Im2Im: an open-source microscopy machine vision toolbox for image-to-image transformation
Authors: Sonneck Justin , Zhou Yu , Chen Jianxu 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Over the past decade, deep learning (DL) research in computer vision has been growing rapidly, with many advances in DL-based image analysis methods for biomedical problems. In this work, we introduce MMV_Im2Im, a new open-source Python package for image-to-image transformation in bioimaging applications. MMV_Im2Im is designed with a generic image-to-image transformation framework that can be used for a wide range of tasks, including semantic segmentation, instance segmentation, image restoration, image generation, and so on. Our implementation takes advantage of state-of-the-art machine learning engineering techniques, allowing researchers to focus on their research without worrying about engineering details. We demonstrate the effectiveness of MMV_Im2Im on more than 10 different biomedical problems, showcasing its general potentials and applicabilities. For computational biomedical researchers, MMV_Im2Im provides a starting point for developing new biomedical image analysis or machine learning algorithms, where they can either reuse the code in this package or fork and extend this package to facilitate the development of new methods. Experimental biomedical researchers can benefit from this work by gaining a comprehensive view of the image-to-image transformation concept through diversified examples and use cases. We hope this work can give the community inspirations on how DL-based image-to-image transformation can be integrated into the assay development process, enabling new biomedical studies that cannot be done only with traditional experimental assays. To help researchers get started, we have provided source code, documentation, and tutorials for MMV_Im2Im at [https://github.com/MMV-Lab/mmv_im2im] under MIT license.
Unveiling Colitis: A Journey through the Dextran Sodium Sulfate-induced Model
Authors: Yang Chunhua , Merlin Didier 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Animal models of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are valuable tools for investigating the factors involved in IBD pathogenesis and evaluating new therapeutic options. The dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced model of colitis is arguably the most widely used animal model for studying the pathogenesis of and potential treatments for ulcerative colitis (UC), which is a primary form of IBD. This model offers several advantages as a research tool: it is highly reproducible, relatively easy to generate and maintain, and mimics many critical features of human IBD. Recently, it has also been used to study the role of gut microbiota in the development and progression of IBD and to investigate the effects of other factors, such as diet and genetics, on colitis severity. However, although DSS-induced colitis is the most popular and flexible model for preclinical IBD research, it is not an exact replica of human colitis, and some results obtained from this model cannot be directly applied to humans. This review aims to comprehensively discuss different factors that may be involved in the pathogenesis of DSS-induced colitis and the issues that should be considered when using this model for translational purposes.
Emergent Normativity: Communities of Practice, Technology, and Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems
Authors: Bode Ingvild 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS) are the subject of considerable international debate turning around the extent to which humans remain in control over using force. But what is precisely at stake is less clear as stakeholders have different perspectives on the technologies that animate LAWS. Such differences matter because they shape the substance of the debate, which regulatory options are put on the table, and also normativity on LAWS in the sense of understandings of appropriateness. To understand this process, I draw on practice theories, science and technology studies (STS), and critical norm research. I argue that a constellation of communities of practice (CoPs) shapes the public debate about LAWS and focus on three of these CoPs: diplomats, weapon manufacturers, and journalists. Actors in these CoPs discursively perform practices of boundary-work, in the STS sense, to shape understandings of technologies at the heart of LAWS: automation, autonomy, and AI. I analyze these dynamics empirically in two steps: first, by offering a general-level analysis of practices of boundary-work performed by diplomats at the Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS from 2017 to 2022; and second, through examining such practices performed by weapon manufacturers and journalists in relation to the use of loitering munitions, a particular type of LAWS, in the Second Libyan Civil War (2014–2020).
Exploring Communities of Practice from an Informality Perspective: Insights from the AU, ECOWAS, and UN in West African Mediation Theaters
Authors: Tieku Thomas Kwasi , Yakohene Afua Boatemaa 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
The article explores how and why communities of practice (CoPs) of international organizations (IOs) work together effectively despite the rigid formal bureaucratic and institutional borders they inhabit. The manuscript explains how four informal mechanisms combined to enable CoPs embedded in the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the United Nations (UN) Organization to resolve political crises in Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, and Togo between 2016 and 2022. The informal mechanisms allowed CoPs to overcome their institutional limitations, cross rigid organizational borders, and work together to resolve different political crises in the six countries. Some of the informal mechanisms were cultivated by CoPs, while others emerged organically from activities and interactions of these like-minded professionals. The informal instruments that were developed and used to resolve the crises provide a telling illustration of how CoPs create global governance norms, practices, processes, rules, and structures from below. The enabling role that informality played in the six conflict theaters suggests that paying close attention to the informal dimensions of CoPs has enormous analytical benefits.
Constructions of quorum sensing signaling network for activated sludge microbial community
Authors: Jin Ying , Chen Wenkang , Hu Jie , Wang Jinfeng , Ren Hongqiang 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
In wastewater treatment systems, the interactions among various microbes based on chemical signals, namely quorum sensing (QS), play critical roles in influencing microbial structure and function. However, it is challenging to understand the QS-controlled behaviors and the underlying mechanisms in complex microbial communities. In this study, we constructed a QS signaling network, providing insights into the intra- and interspecies interactions of activated sludge microbial communities based on diverse QS signal molecules. Our research underscores the role of diffusible signal factors in both intra- and interspecies communication among activated sludge microorganisms, and signal molecules commonly considered to mediate intraspecies communication may also participate in interspecies communication. QS signaling molecules play an important role as communal resources among the entire microbial group. The communication network within the microbial community is highly redundant, significantly contributing to the stability of natural microbial systems. This work contributes to the establishment of QS signaling network for activated sludge microbial communities, which may complement metabolic exchanges in explaining activated sludge microbial community structure and may help with a variety of future applications, such as making the dynamics and resilience of highly complex ecosystems more predictable.
Acceptability Study of Emotional Expressions of In-Vehicle Virtual Assistant
Authors: Kim Youngsang , Yoo Hoonsik 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
We analyzed the differences in drivers’ preferences for emotional expressions from an in-vehicle virtual assistant based on data collected from 823 respondents in five countries categorized into three different cultural settings: collectivism (Korea, China and Brazil), individualism (USA) and a mixture of both (Russia). To quantify the degree of acceptance, we used a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree) on four emotion types categorized based on Thayer’s two-dimensional emotion model. Analysis revealed that respondents in all five countries preferred emotion type 1 (pleased, happy, excited) and emotion type 4 (calm, peaceful, relaxed), that is, positive emotions under Thayer’s two-dimensional emotion model expressions, and they showed low acceptance for emotion type 2 (nervous, angry, annoying) and emotion type 3 (sad, bored, sleepy), negative emotional expressions. In a cross-cultural comparative analysis, Brazil and China ranked highest in both positive emotion types (1 and 4), and Korea ranked highest in negative emotion types.
Effects of dietary xylanase supplementation on growth performance, intestinal health, and immune response of nursery pigs fed diets with reduced metabolizable energy
Authors: Baker Jonathan T , Duarte Marcos Elias , Kim Sung Woo 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of xylanase on growth performance and intestinal health of nursery pigs fed diets with reduced metabolizable energy (ME). One hundred ninety-two pigs at 8.7 kg ± 0.7 body weight (BW) after 7 d of weaning were allotted in a randomized complete block design with initial BW and sex as blocks. Eight dietary treatments consisted of 5 ME levels (3,400, 3,375, 3,350, 3,325, and 3,300 kcal ME/kg) below the NRC (2012) requirement and 4 levels of xylanase (0, 1,200, 2,400, and 3,600 XU/kg) to a diet with 3,300 kcal ME/kg. All pigs received their respective treatments for 35 d in 2 phases, pre-starter (14 d) and starter (21 d). On day 35, eight pigs in 3,400 kcal/kg (CON), 3,300 kcal/kg (LE), and 3,300 kcal/kg + 3,600 XU xylanase/kg (LEX) were euthanized to collect jejunal tissues and digesta for the evaluation of mucosa-associated microbiota, intestinal immune response, oxidative stress status, intestinal morphology, crypt cell proliferation, and digesta viscosity as well as ileal digesta to measure apparent ileal digestibility. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure on SAS 9.4. The LE increased (P &lt; 0.05) jejunal digesta viscosity, tended to have decreased (P = 0.053) relative abundance of Prevotella, and tended to increase (P = 0.055) Lactobacillus. The LE also increased (P &lt; 0.05) the concentration of protein carbonyl whereas malondialdehyde, villus height (VH), villus height to crypt depth ratio (VH:CD), apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients, and finally average daily feed intake were decreased (P &lt; 0.05). The LE did not affect average daily gain (ADG). The LEX decreased (P &lt; 0.05) digesta viscosity, increased (P &lt; 0.05) the relative abundance of Prevotella, decreased (P &lt; 0.05) Helicobacter, decreased (P &lt; 0.05) the concentration of protein carbonyl, tended to increase (P = 0.065) VH, and decreased (P &lt; 0.05) VH:CD and crypt cell proliferation. Moreover, LEX increased (P &lt; 0.05) the AID of dry matter and gross energy and tended to increase (P = 0.099; P = 0.076) AID of crude protein, and ether extract. The LEX did not affect ADG but did tend to decrease (P = 0.070) fecal score during the starter phase. Overall, reducing ME negatively affected intestinal health parameters and nutrient digestibility without affecting growth. Supplementation of xylanase mitigated some of the negative effects observed by ME reduction on intestinal health and digestibility of nutrients without affecting growth.
Chronic exposure to polytetrafluoroethylene microplastics caused sex-specific effects in the model insect, Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae)
Authors: Jin Hui , Xu Yifan , Kong Fanhao , Shen Jie 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have become a prominent environmental concern due to their ubiquity in various ecosystems and widespread distribution through multiple channels. In this study, the oral effects of 2,000 mesh polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) microplastics were tested against Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen), at concentrations of 0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 20. After exposure to a microplastic-containing medium for 20 days, energy metabolism, fecundity, spontaneous movement, and sleeping time were measured. The study results showed that glucose levels in male flies were significantly reduced after exposure to PTFE-MPs. Measurement of lipid and protein levels indicated an increase in males but decrease in females, whereas these changes were not statistically significant. Reduction in sleep time was also observed, especially in males at the concentration of 20 g/l. Our study indicates that chronic exposure of PTFE-MPs can change energy metabolism and the amount of sleep on D. melanogaster in a sex dependent and dose dependent way. The results of our study are hoped to contribute to a better understanding of the effects of microplastics as new pollutants on insects.
Exploring Institutional Barriers to Effective Human Rights-Based Climate Litigation in Latin American Courts—Lessons from Chile and Ecuador
Authors: Zenteno Villa Lorena 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe global climate crisis demands that all branches of government play a role in tackling climate change, including the judiciary. One important mechanism is climate litigation. In the adjudication of climate litigation, courts can advance the protection of human rights, promote environmental values, assist in developing climate change law and policy, and uphold the rule of law. However, some Latin American countries are facing several constitutional and legal barriers to adequately protecting environmental and human rights enshrined in their constitutions. Through analysis of the Chilean and Ecuadorian contexts, this note identifies obstacles and barriers that might prevent human rights’ protection in each jurisdiction when adjudicating climate cases and proposes reforms that may strengthen courts’ performance. Among the options are strengthening existing environmental and human rights provisions, developing new legal frameworks addressing climate change, and enhancing the capacity of courts to hear and decide climate change cases. Furthermore, these reforms must be accompanied by adequate resources, training, and support for the judiciary effectively to advance climate justice through human rights.
Traditional uses, hepatoprotective potential, and phytopharmacology of Tinospora cordifolia: a narrative review
Authors: Balkrishna Acharya , Kumar Ashwani , Rohela Akansha , Arya Vedpriya , Gautam Ajay Kumar , Sharma Hemant , Rai Priyanka , Kumari Amita , Amarowicz Ryszard 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Objectives
Despite significant advancements in modern medicine, effective hepatoprotective medication with minimal side effects is still lacking. In this context. Tinospora cordifolia, an Indian Ayurvedic liana, has attracted much attention.

Key findings
Traditionally, T. cordifolia has been found to be effective in the treatment of jaundice; according to the literature, T. cordifolia is a hepatoprotective agent, and the CCl4 model is the most frequently used to evaluate its potential. Its hepatoprotective effects might be attributed to alkaloids (berberine, palmatine, and jatrorrhizine) and sinapic acid. Berberine decreases inflammation by inhibiting the proinflammatory cascade triggered by TNF-α and reduces nitrosative stress by inhibiting iNOS. T. cordifolia also exhibits anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and other activities; it is safe at concentrations up to 2000 mg/kg. Its biological action can be attributed to polyphenols, alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, and glycosides. T. cordifolia has also been found to be an active ingredient in several polyherbal formulations used to treat chemical-mediated hepatotoxicity.

Conclusion
T. cordifolia’s hepatoprotective effects are mediated by the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, the management of oxidative stress, and other factors. T. cordifolia can be used to manage liver disorders and as a hepatoprotective supplement in the food industry. The bioprospecting of its alkaloids can lead to the development of novel formulations against hepatic ailments.
Intestinal intussusception—not just for kids
Authors: Lynch Paul , Feeney Gerard , Ali Nisar , Hussein Akthar , Cury Jorge 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Intussusception is a phenomenon commonly associated with the paediatric population. In adults, intussusception is frequently a result of a neoplastic process. We present the case of a 56-year-old gentleman who was diagnosed to the local Emergency Department with a 4-day history of worsening severe, left sided lower abdominal pain. The pain was colicky in nature. Computed tomography identified a long-segment intussusception involving distal small bowel, caecum, ascending colon, the entirety of transverse colon and its associated mesentery. The patient proceeded to theatre where a laparotomy and right hemicolectomy was performed. Histopathological analysis of the specimen identified an ileal myxoma as the lead-point of the intussusception. This report emphasises the value of prompt investigation in atypical clinical presentations.
ABA INSENSITIVE 2 promotes flowering by inhibiting OST1/ABI5-dependent FLOWERING LOCUS C transcription in Arabidopsis
Authors: Ali Akhtar , Zareen Shah , Park Junghoon , Khan Haris Ali , Lim Chae Jin , Bader Zein Eddin , Hussain Shah , Chung Woo Sik , Gechev Tsanko , Pardo Jose M , Yun Dae-Jin 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) is an important regulator of plant growth and development and plays a crucial role in both biotic and abiotic stress responses. ABA modulates flowering time, but the precise molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. Here we report that ABA INSENSITIVE 2 (ABI2) is the only phosphatase from the ABA-signaling core that positively regulates the transition to flowering in Arabidopsis. Loss-of-function abi2-2 mutant shows significantly delayed flowering both under long day and short day conditions. Expression of floral repressor genes such as FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) and CYCLING DOF FACTOR 1 (CDF1) was significantly up-regulated in abi2-2 plants while expression of the flowering promoting genes FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (SOC1) was down-regulated. Through genetic interactions we further found that ost1-3 and abi5-1 mutations are epistatic to abi2-2, as both of them individually rescued the late flowering phenotype of abi2-2. Interestingly, phosphorylation and protein stability of ABA INSENSITIVE 5 (ABI5) were enhanced in abi2-2 plants suggesting that ABI2 dephosphorylates ABI5, thereby reducing protein stability and the capacity to induce FLC expression. Our findings uncovered the unexpected role of ABI2 in promoting flowering by inhibiting ABI5-mediated FLC expression in Arabidopsis.
Functional characterization of calmodulin-like proteins, CML13 and CML14, as novel light chains of Arabidopsis class VIII myosins
Authors: Symonds Kyle , Teresinski Howard J , Hau Bryan , Dwivedi Vikas , Belausov Eduard , Bar-Sinai Sefi , Tominaga Motoki , Haraguchi Takeshi , Sadot Einat , Ito Kohji , Snedden Wayne A 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Myosins are important motor proteins that associate with the actin cytoskeleton. Structurally, myosins function as heteromeric complexes where smaller light chains, such as calmodulin (CaM), bind to isoleucine–glutamine (IQ) domains in the neck region to facilitate mechano-enzymatic activity. We recently identified Arabidopsis CaM-like (CML) proteins CML13 and CML14 as interactors of proteins containing multiple IQ domains, including a myosin VIII. Here, we demonstrate that CaM, CML13, and CML14 bind the neck region of all four Arabidopsis myosin VIII isoforms. Among CMLs tested for binding to myosins VIIIs, CaM, CML13, and CML14 gave the strongest signals using in planta split-luciferase protein interaction assays. In vitro, recombinant CaM, CML13, and CML14 showed specific, high-affinity, calcium-independent binding to the IQ domains of myosin VIIIs. CaM, CML13, and CML14 co-localized to plasma membrane-bound puncta when co-expressed with red fluorescent protein–myosin fusion proteins containing IQ and tail domains of myosin VIIIs. In vitro actin motility assays using recombinant myosin VIIIs demonstrated that CaM, CML13, and CML14 function as light chains. Suppression of CML13 or CML14 expression using RNA silencing resulted in a shortened-hypocotyl phenotype, similar to that observed in a quadruple myosin mutant, myosin viii4KO. Collectively, our data indicate that Arabidopsis CML13 and CML14 are novel myosin VIII light chains.