bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Increased body weight in mice with fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (Fmr1) gene mutation is associated with hypothalamic dysfunction
Authors: Ruggiero-Ruff Rebecca E. , Villa Pedro A. , Hijleh Sarah Abu , Avalos Bryant , DiPatrizio Nicholas V. , Haga-Yamanaka Sachiko , Coss Djurdjica 
Published: August 2023

AbstractMutations in the Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1) gene are linked to Fragile X Syndrome, the most common monogenic cause of intellectual disability and autism. People affected with mutations in FMR1 have higher incidence of obesity, but the mechanisms are largely unknown. In the current study, we determined that male Fmr1 knockout mice (KO, Fmr1−/y), but not female Fmr1−/−, exhibit increased weight when compared to wild-type controls, similarly to humans with FMR1 mutations. No differences in food or water intake were found between groups; however, male Fmr1−/y display lower locomotor activity, especially during their active phase. Moreover, Fmr1−/y have olfactory dysfunction determined by buried food test, although they exhibit increased compulsive behavior, determined by marble burying test. Since olfactory brain regions communicate with hypothalamic regions that regulate food intake, including POMC neurons that also regulate locomotion, we examined POMC neuron innervation and numbers in Fmr1−/y mice. POMC neurons express Fmrp, and POMC neurons in Fmr1−/y have higher inhibitory GABAergic synaptic inputs. Consistent with increased inhibitory innervation, POMC neurons in the Fmr1−/y mice exhibit lower activity, based on cFOS expression. Notably, Fmr1−/y mice have fewer POMC neurons than controls, specifically in the rostral arcuate nucleus, which could contribute to decreased locomotion and increased body weight. These results suggest a role for Fmr1 in the regulation of POMC neuron function and the etiology of Fmr1-linked obesity.
Variations in climate habitability parameters and their effect on Earth's biosphere during the Phanerozoic Eon
Authors: Vilović Iva , Schulze-Makuch Dirk , Heller René 
Published: August 2023

AbstractEssential insights on the characterization and quality of a detectable biosphere are gained by analyzing the effects of its environmental parameters. We compiled environmental and biological properties of the Phanerozoic Eon from various published data sets and conducted a correlation analysis to assess variations in parameters relevant to the habitability of Earth’s biosphere. We showed that environmental parameters such as oxygen, global average surface temperatures, runoff rates and carbon dioxide are interrelated and play a key role in the changes of biomass and biodiversity. We showed that there were several periods with a highly thriving biosphere, with one even surpassing present day biodiversity and biomass. Those periods were characterized by increased oxygen levels and global runoff rates, as well as moderate global average surface temperatures, as long as no large or rapid positive and/or negative temperature excursions occurred. High oxygen contents are diagnostic of biomass production by continental plant life. We find that exceptionally high oxygen levels can at least in one instance compensate for decreased relative humidities, providing an even more habitable environment compared to today. Beyond Earth, these results will help us to understand how environmental parameters affect biospheres on extrasolar planets and guide us in our search for extraterrestrial life.
Flexible topographical design of light-emitting diodes realizing electrically controllable multi-wavelength spectra
Authors: Matsuda Yoshinobu , Umemoto Ryunosuke , Funato Mitsuru , Kawakami Yoichi 
Published: August 2023

AbstractMulti-wavelength visible light emitters play a crucial role in current solid-state lighting. Although they can be realized by combining semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and phosphors or by assembling multiple LED chips with different wavelengths, these design approaches suffer from phosphor-related issues or complex assembly processes. These challenges are significant drawbacks for emerging applications such as visible light communication and micro-LED displays. Herein we present a platform for tailored emission wavelength integration on a single chip utilizing epitaxial growth on flexibly-designed three-dimensional topographies. This approach spontaneously arranges the local emission wavelengths of InGaN-based LED structures through the local In composition variations. As a result, we demonstrate monolithic integration of three different emission colors (violet, blue, and green) on a single chip. Furthermore, we achieve flexible spectral control via independent electrical control of each component. Our integration scheme opens the possibility for tailored spectral control in an arbitrary spectral range through monolithic multi-wavelength LEDs.
Machine-learning for the prediction of one-year seizure recurrence based on routine electroencephalography
Authors: Lemoine Émile , Toffa Denahin , Pelletier-Mc Duff Geneviève , Xu An Qi , Jemel Mezen , Tessier Jean-Daniel , Lesage Frédéric , Nguyen Dang K. , Bou Assi Elie 
Published: August 2023

AbstractPredicting seizure recurrence risk is critical to the diagnosis and management of epilepsy. Routine electroencephalography (EEG) is a cornerstone of the estimation of seizure recurrence risk. However, EEG interpretation relies on the visual identification of interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) by neurologists, with limited sensitivity. Automated processing of EEG could increase its diagnostic yield and accessibility. The main objective was to develop a prediction model based on automated EEG processing to predict one-year seizure recurrence in patients undergoing routine EEG. We retrospectively selected a consecutive cohort of 517 patients undergoing routine EEG at our institution (training set) and a separate, temporally shifted cohort of 261 patients (testing set). We developed an automated processing pipeline to extract linear and non-linear features from the EEGs. We trained machine learning algorithms on multichannel EEG segments to predict one-year seizure recurrence. We evaluated the impact of IEDs and clinical confounders on performances and validated the performances on the testing set. The receiver operating characteristic area-under-the-curve for seizure recurrence after EEG in the testing set was 0.63 (95% CI 0.55–0.71). Predictions were still significantly above chance in EEGs with no IEDs. Our findings suggest that there are changes other than IEDs in the EEG signal embodying seizure propensity.
Complexity of the COVID-19 pandemic in Maringá
Authors: Sunahara Andre S. , Pessa Arthur A. B. , Perc Matjaž , Ribeiro Haroldo V. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractWhile extensive literature exists on the COVID-19 pandemic at regional and national levels, understanding its dynamics and consequences at the city level remains limited. This study investigates the pandemic in Maringá, a medium-sized city in Brazil’s South Region, using data obtained by actively monitoring the disease from March 2020 to June 2022. Despite prompt and robust interventions, COVID-19 cases increased exponentially during the early spread of COVID-19, with a reproduction number lower than that observed during the initial outbreak in Wuhan. Our research demonstrates the remarkable impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions on both mobility and pandemic indicators, particularly during the onset and the most severe phases of the emergency. However, our results suggest that the city’s measures were primarily reactive rather than proactive. Maringá faced six waves of cases, with the third and fourth waves being the deadliest, responsible for over two-thirds of all deaths and overwhelming the local healthcare system. Excess mortality during this period exceeded deaths attributed to COVID-19, indicating that the burdened healthcare system may have contributed to increased mortality from other causes. By the end of the fourth wave, nearly three-quarters of the city’s population had received two vaccine doses, significantly decreasing deaths despite the surge caused by the Omicron variant. Finally, we compare these findings with the national context and other similarly sized cities, highlighting substantial heterogeneities in the spread and impact of the disease.
Machine learning discriminates P2X7-mediated intracellular calcium sparks in human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cells
Authors: Hanafusa Yuki , Shiraishi Akira , Hattori Fumiyuki 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAdenosine triphosphate (ATP) is an extracellular signaling molecule that mainly affects the pathophysiological situation in the body and can be sensed by purinergic receptors, including ionotropic P2X7. Neuronal stem cells (NSCs) remain in adult neuronal tissues and can contribute to physiological processes via activation by evoked pathophysiological situations. In this study, we revealed that human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived NSCs (iNSCs) have ATP-sensing ability primarily via the purinergic and ionotropic receptor P2X7. Next, to develop a machine learning (ML)-based screening system for food-derived neuronal effective substances and their effective doses, we collected ATP-triggered calcium responses of iNSCs pretreated with several substances and doses. Finally, we discovered that ML was performed using composite images, each containing nine waveform images, to achieve a better ML model (MLM) with higher precision. Our MLM can correctly sort subtle unidentified changes in waveforms produced by pretreated iNSCs with each substance and/or dose into the positive group, with common mRNA expression changes belonging to the gene ontology signatures.
Auditory brainstem mechanisms likely compensate for self-imposed peripheral inhibition
Authors: Boothalingam Sriram , Peterson Abigayle , Powell Lindsey , Easwar Vijayalakshmi 
Published: August 2023

AbstractFeedback networks in the brain regulate downstream auditory function as peripheral as the cochlea. However, the upstream neural consequences of this peripheral regulation are less understood. For instance, the medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) in the brainstem causes putative attenuation of responses generated in the cochlea and cortex, but those generated in the brainstem are perplexingly unaffected. Based on known neural circuitry, we hypothesized that the inhibition of peripheral input is compensated for by positive feedback in the brainstem over time. We predicted that the inhibition could be captured at the brainstem with shorter (1.5 s) than previously employed long duration (240 s) stimuli where this inhibition is likely compensated for. Results from 16 normal-hearing human listeners support our hypothesis in that when the MOCR is activated, there is a robust reduction of responses generated at the periphery, brainstem, and cortex for short-duration stimuli. Such inhibition at the brainstem, however, diminishes for long-duration stimuli suggesting some compensatory mechanisms at play. Our findings provide a novel non-invasive window into potential gain compensation mechanisms in the brainstem that may have implications for auditory disorders such as tinnitus. Our methodology will be useful in the evaluation of efferent function in individuals with hearing loss.
Endocrine, inflammatory and immune responses and individual differences in acute hypobaric hypoxia in lowlanders
Authors: Nishimura Takayuki , Motoi Midori , Toyoshima Hideo , Kishida Fumi , Shin Sora , Katsumura Takafumi , Nakayama Kazuhiro , Oota Hiroki , Higuchi Shigekazu , Watanuki Shigeki , Maeda Takafumi 
Published: August 2023

AbstractWhen lowlanders are exposed to environments inducing hypobaric hypoxia (HH) such as high mountains, hemodynamic changes occur to maintain oxygen levels in the body. However, changes to other physiological functions under such conditions have yet to be clarified. This study investigated changes in endocrine, inflammatory and immune parameters and individual differences during acute HH exposure using a climatic chamber (75 min of exposure to conditions mimicking 3500 m) in healthy lowlanders. Aldosterone and cortisol were significantly decreased and interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and white blood cell (WBC) counts were significantly increased after HH. Lower peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) was associated with higher IL-6 and WBC counts, and higher IL-8 was associated with higher cortisol. These findings suggest that endocrine, inflammatory and immune responses are evoked even with a short 75-min exposure to HH and individuals with lower SpO2 seemed to show more pronounced responses. Our results provide basic data for understanding the physiological responses and interactions of homeostatic systems during acute HH.
Cuticular property affects the insecticidal synergy of major constituents in thyme oil against houseflies, Musca domestica
Authors: Yoon Junho , Tak Jun-Hyung 
Published: August 2023

AbstractPlant essential oils are intricate blends comprising predominantly of monoterpenes and some sesquiterpenes. These oils display diverse bioactivities against targeted organisms, often arising from complex interactions among their constituents, which may demonstrate synergistic or antagonistic effects. Despite their wide use as botanical insecticides, the mechanisms behind these interactions and their effects on bioactivity are poorly understood. This study investigated the synergistic interaction of thymol and p-cymene, two major constituents of Thymus vulgaris essential oil, on the larvae and adults of the housefly, Musca domestica. The results showed that p-cymene synergized the insecticidal activity of thymol in adult houseflies, but not in larvae. GC–MS analyses and bioassays indicated the increased cuticular penetration of thymol by p-cymene was the mechanism of synergy, which was observed only in the adults. Two potential routes were proposed: the expansion of the wetting area, or the disruption of cuticular integrity through dissolving the wax layer. The sequential application and large-volume treatment bioassay results suggested that the former was the more likely mechanism. Also, the hydrophobicity of the cuticle seemed critical for this stage-specific synergy. Wax-devoid adults failed to show synergistic toxicity, whereas artificially wax-coated larvae gained a synergistic effect. Overall, the findings provide insights into the synergistic mechanism of insecticidal activity of plant essential oils and suggest potential applications in developing effective strategies using penetration-enhancing synergists.
Influence of Lexical Tone Similarity on Spoken Word Recognition in Mandarin Chinese: Evidence From Eye Tracking
Authors: Li Shuang , Tong Xiuhong , Shen Wei 
Published: August 2023

Purpose:
Using the visual world paradigm with the eye-tracking technique, this study examined the extent to which lexical tone similarity influences spoken word recognition.

Method:

In two experiments, participants were audibly presented with a target word and visually presented with the same target word, a tonal competitor, and two distractors, and they were required to identify the target word. In Experiment 1, the two tonal competitors shared either acoustically highly similar tones (e.g., target word: “阳台” /

yang
2
tai2

/, “
balcony
” vs. competitor: “养子” /

yang
3
zi3

/, “
adopted son
”) or acoustically lowly similar tones (e.g., target word: “阳台” /

yang
2
tai2

/, “
balcony
” vs. competitor: “样本” /

yang
4
ben3

/, “
sample
”). In Experiment 2, the acoustic similarity of the target words and the tonal competitors shared either acoustically highly similar tones or acoustically lowly similar tones or identical tones (e.g., target word: “阳台” /

yang
2
tai2

/, “
balcony
” vs. competitor:
“
羊毛” /

yang
2
mao2

/, “
wool
”).

Results:
The results of the two experiments consistently demonstrated a graded tonal competitor effect, in which acoustically highly similar tonal competitors attracted more visual attention than acoustically lowly similar tonal competitors.

Conclusion:
Tonal similarity plays a graded constraining role in spoken word recognition in Mandarin Chinese.
Bilingual Vocabulary Assessment: Examining Single-Language, Conceptual, and Total Scoring Approaches
Authors: Fitton Lisa , Goodrich J. Marc , Thayer Lauren , Pratt Amy , Luna Rose 
Published: August 2023

Purpose:This study explored approaches for measuring vocabulary among bilingual children with varying levels of proficiency in Spanish and English.Method:One hundred fifteen kindergarten and first-grade Spanish–English-speaking children completed measures of vocabulary and sentence repetition in Spanish and English. Scores were derived from their responses to the vocabulary measure: Spanish-only vocabulary, English-only vocabulary, conceptual vocabulary, and total vocabulary. Best language sentence repetition was also obtained. Using both visualization of data and statistical analysis, we tested for potential associations between children's relative language skills in Spanish and English and the scores they received on each of the vocabulary metrics.Results:Participants' single-language vocabulary scores were linearly associated with their relative language scores. Higher relative Spanish language skills corresponded with higher Spanish-only vocabulary scores, and higher English language skills corresponded with higher English-only vocabulary scores. A quadratic association between children's relative language and their conceptual vocabulary scores was observed. Children with more balanced skills in Spanish and English received lower scores for conceptual vocabulary. No association between total vocabulary and relative language was observed.Conclusions:Results revealed evidence of differential test bias for single-language vocabulary scores and conceptual vocabulary scores. Spanish-only vocabulary underestimated knowledge of participants with higher English proficiency, whereas English-only vocabulary underestimated knowledge of participants with higher Spanish proficiency. Conceptual scoring yielded lower values for participants with relatively balanced proficiency in Spanish and English. There is need for further consideration of score and test functioning across the full continuum of bilinguals with dynamic proficiencies in each of their languages.Supplemental Material:https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23796330
Visual privacy behaviour recognition for social robots based on an improved generative adversarial network
Authors: Yang Guanci , Lin Jiacheng , Su Zhidong , Li Yang 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAlthough social robots equipped with visual devices may leak user information, countermeasures for ensuring privacy are not readily available, making visual privacy protection problematic. In this article, a semi‐supervised learning algorithm is proposed for visual privacy behaviour recognition based on an improved generative adversarial network for social robots; it is called PBR‐GAN. A 9‐layer residual generator network enhances the data quality, and a 10‐layer discriminator network strengthens the feature extraction. A tailored objective function, loss function, and strategy are proposed to dynamically adjust the learning rate to guarantee high performance. A social robot platform and architecture for visual privacy recognition and protection are implemented. The recognition accuracy of the proposed PBR‐GAN is compared with Inception_v3, SS‐GAN, and SF‐GAN. The average recognition accuracy of the proposed PBR‐GAN is 85.91%, which is improved by 3.93%, 9.91%, and 1.73% compared with the performance of Inception_v3, SS‐GAN, and SF‐GAN respectively. Through a case study, seven situations are considered related to privacy at home, and develop training and test datasets with 8,720 and 1,280 images, respectively, are developed. The proposed PBR‐GAN recognises the designed visual privacy information with an average accuracy of 89.91%.
K‐band CMOS low‐noise amplifier with 180° phase shift function using cascode structure
Authors: Jang Seongjin , Lee Jaeyong , Park Changkun 
Published: August 2023

AbstractIn this study, a K‐band CMOS low‐noise amplifier (LNA) with a 180° phase shift function is presented to reduce the chip area of the beamforming system. The proposed LNA is composed of three stages, and the last stage is designed with a differential cascode structure for 180° phase shift function. The 180° phase shift function was implemented by dividing one cascode transistor into two transistors. As a result, it is possible to equip the 180° phase shift function without an additional chip area. The LNA was designed with a 65‐nm CMOS process to verify the feasibility of the proposed technique. The core size was 0.66 × 0.41 mm2. The measured phase difference between 0° and 180° phase shift modes was approximately 178° in the operating frequency of 22.0 GHz. The measured noise figure and gain were 3.8 and 12.7 dB, respectively.
Two algorithms of geodesic line length calculation considering elevation in eLoran systems
Authors: Chang Sisi , Ji Bing , Hu Qiongfang , Bian Shaofeng , Li Houpu , Li Wenkui , Liu Bei 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe existing LOng RAnge Naviating System stations are mostly used by marine users and are situated at offshore, low‐altitude locations. As a result, the impact of height on the system's positioning accuracy is usually ignored. However, the direct transplantation of low‐altitude calculation methods to high‐altitude areas will bring errors in the positioning results due to the lack of elevation consideration. In order to improve the accuracy of the new enhanced Loran system and reduce the error caused by the calculation of the geodetic line length without considering elevation in high altitude areas, this paper proposes two different algorithms to establish new reference ellipsoids to reduce the height‐caused error, namely the direct algorithm and the expansion ellipsoid algorithm. Experiments show that the error of the calculation results by direct algorithm is smaller, except that it is not applicable when the azimuth is 90° or 270°. The new ellipsoid created by expansion ellipsoid algorithm has smaller changes, and the elevation and geographical coordinates can be considered independent, which is more in line with the Loran system's application requirements.
The Role of Metabolic Syndrome Components in Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Adolescents: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Jalali Mir Mohammad , Dalili Setila , Koohmanaee Shahin , Rad Samira 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Introduction Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its associated components were reported as a possible cause of inner ear dysfunction. However, research about the influence of cardiovascular risk factors on hearing thresholds are conducted mainly in adult patients.
Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate auditory function in adolescents with MetS compared with healthy controls.
Methods One hundred adolescents with metabolic syndrome and 200 sex- and age-matched controls were recruited from a university pediatric endocrine clinic from May 2018 to July 2020. Hearing loss was defined as hearing level ≥ 15 dB at speech frequency (SFHL) or high frequency (HFHL) in one or both ears. A multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis examined the correlation between MetS components and several important demographic characteristics, and hearing loss.
Results A total of 165 (55.0%) boys and 135 (45.0%) girls participated in this study. The rates of SFHL and HFHL in adolescents with MetS were 32.0% and 51.0%, respectively. Those values for controls were 5.0% and 15.5%, respectively. The regression analysis showed high triglycerides as a significant predictor for SFHL (odds ratio 10.87; 95% confidence interval: 1.98, 59.74). Neither predictor of interest was significant for HFHL.
Conclusion Hypertriglyceridemia may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of SFHL. However, the strength of the association was not significant with a wide confidence interval. Also, we were unable to find an association between predictors and HFHL with the current sample size. Larger and prospective studies are recommended.