bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
ZFP36 loss-mediated BARX1 stabilization promotes malignant phenotypes by transactivating master oncogenes in NSCLC
Authors: Zhang Tongjia , Qiu Lizhen , Cao Jiashun , Li Qiu , Zhang Lifan , An Guoshun , Ni Juhua , Jia Hongti , Li Shuyan , Li Kailong 
Published: August 2023

AbstractNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although the dysregulation of BARX1 expression has been shown to be associated with malignant cancers, including NSCLC, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we identified BARX1 as a common differentially expressed gene in lung squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Importantly, we uncovered a novel mechanism behind the regulation of BARX1, in which ZFP36 interacted with 3’UTR of BARX1 mRNA to mediate its destabilization. Loss of ZFP36 led to the upregulation of BARX1, which further promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. In addition, the knockdown of BARX1 inhibited tumorigenicity in mouse xenograft. We demonstrated that BARX1 promoted the malignant phenotypes by transactivating a set of master oncogenes involved in the cell cycle, DNA synthesis and metastasis. Overall, our study provides insights into the mechanism of BARX1 actions in NSCLC and aids a better understanding of NSCLC pathogenesis.
Visualization of π-hole in molecules by means of Kelvin probe force microscopy
Authors: Mallada B. , Ondráček M. , Lamanec M. , Gallardo A. , Jiménez-Martín A. , de la Torre B. , Hobza P. , Jelínek P. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractSubmolecular charge distribution significantly affects the physical-chemical properties of molecules and their mutual interaction. One example is the presence of a π-electron-deficient cavity in halogen-substituted polyaromatic hydrocarbon compounds, the so-called π-holes, the existence of which was predicted theoretically, but the direct experimental observation is still missing. Here we present the resolution of the π-hole on a single molecule using the Kelvin probe force microscopy, which supports the theoretical prediction of its existence. In addition, experimental measurements supported by theoretical calculations show the importance of π-holes in the process of adsorption of molecules on solid-state surfaces. This study expands our understanding of the π-hole systems and, at the same time, opens up possibilities for studying the influence of submolecular charge distribution on the chemical properties of molecules and their mutual interaction.
Circumventing the phonon bottleneck by multiphonon-mediated hot exciton cooling at the nanoscale
Authors: Jasrasaria Dipti , Rabani Eran 
Published: August 2023

AbstractNonradiative processes govern efficiencies of semiconductor nanocrystal (NC)-based devices. A central process is hot exciton cooling, or the nonradiative relaxation of a highly excited electron/hole pair to form a band-edge exciton. Due to quantum confinement effects, the timescale and mechanism of cooling are not well understood. A mismatch between electronic energy gaps and phonon frequencies has led to the hypothesis of a phonon bottleneck and extremely slow cooling, while enhanced electron-hole interactions have suggested ultrafast cooling. Experimental measurements of the cooling timescale range six orders of magnitude. Here, we develop an atomistic approach to describe phonon-mediated exciton dynamics and simulate cooling in NCs of experimentally relevant sizes. We find that cooling occurs on ~30 fs timescales in CdSe NCs, in agreement with the most recent measurements, and that the phonon bottleneck is circumvented through a cascade of multiphonon-mediated relaxation events. Furthermore, we identify NC handles for tuning the cooling timescale.
Effects of positive and negative social feedback on motivation, evaluative learning, and socio-emotional processing
Authors: Sobczak Alexandra , Bunzeck Nico 
Published: August 2023

AbstractSocial rewards and punishments are strong motivators. Since experimental work has focused on young adults using simplistic feedback, the effects of more naturalistic stimuli on motivation, evaluative learning, and socio-emotional processing with advanced age remain unclear. Therefore, we compared the effects of static (photos) vs dynamic (videos) social feedback in a social incentive delay (SID) task in young (18–35 years) and older adults (50–84 years) with neutral, positive, and negative feedback, on response times (RTs), and assessed the emotional valence of feedback cues and feedback videos. We found that anticipating positive and negative social feedback accelerated RTs regardless of age and without additional effects of video feedback. Furthermore, the results suggest a valence transfer from positive feedback videos to predictive cues in both groups (i.e., evaluative learning). Finally, older adults reported less pronounced negative affect for negative feedback videos, indicating age differences in socio-emotional processing. As such, our findings foster our understanding of the underlying cognitive and emotional aspects involved in the processing of social rewards and punishments.
The relevance of a right scale for sampling when studying high-resolution behavioral dynamics
Authors: Barberis L. , Simian C. , Marin R. H. , Kembro J. M. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractMany species used in behavioral studies are small vertebrates with high metabolic rates and potentially enhanced temporal resolution of perception. Nevertheless, the selection of an appropriate scales to evaluate behavioral dynamics has received little attention. Herein, we studied the temporal organization of behaviors at fine-grain (i.e. sampling interval ≤1s) to gain insight into dynamics and to rethink how behavioral events are defined. We statistically explored high-resolution Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) datasets encompassing 17 defined behaviors. We show that for the majority of these behaviors, events last predominately <300ms and can be shorter than 70ms. Insufficient sampling resolution, even in the order of 1s, of behaviors that involve spatial displacement (e.g. walking) yields distorted probability distributions of event durations and overestimation of event durations. Contrarily, behaviors without spatial displacement (e.g. vigilance) maintain non-Gaussian, power-law-type distributions indicative of long-term memory, independently of the sampling resolution evaluated. Since data probability distributions reflect underlying biological processes, our results highlight the importance of quantification of behavioral dynamics based on the temporal scale pertinent to the species, and data distribution. We propose a hierarchical model that links diverse types of behavioral definitions and distributions, and paves the way towards a statistical framework for defining behaviors.
Bird’s Eye View feature selection for high-dimensional data
Authors: Brahim Belhaouari Samir , Shakeel Mohammed Bilal , Erbad Aiman , Oflaz Zarina , Kassoul Khelil 
Published: August 2023

AbstractIn machine learning, an informative dataset is crucial for accurate predictions. However, high dimensional data often contains irrelevant features, outliers, and noise, which can negatively impact model performance and consume computational resources. To tackle this challenge, the Bird’s Eye View (BEV) feature selection technique is introduced. This approach is inspired by the natural world, where a bird searches for important features in a sparse dataset, similar to how a bird search for sustenance in a sprawling jungle. BEV incorporates elements of Evolutionary Algorithms with a Genetic Algorithm to maintain a population of top-performing agents, Dynamic Markov Chain to steer the movement of agents in the search space, and Reinforcement Learning to reward and penalize agents based on their progress. The proposed strategy in this paper leads to improved classification performance and a reduced number of features compared to conventional methods, as demonstrated by outperforming state-of-the-art feature selection techniques across multiple benchmark datasets.
Ecological, morpho-agronomical, and nutritional characteristics of Sulla flexuosa (L.) Medik. ecotypes
Authors: Boukrouh S. , Noutfia A. , Moula N. , Avril C. , Louvieaux J. , Hornick J. L. , Chentouf M. , Cabaraux J. F. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe present work was part of assessing wild genetic plant resources of forage interest in Northern Morocco and aimed to study the agro-morphology and nutritional value of Sulla flexuosa (L.) Medik. (Hedysarum flexuosum L.) ecotypes. The seeds of twenty-one wild S. flexuosa (L.) Medik. ecotypes were collected from 21 sites. The edaphic and climatic characteristics of the collection sites were studied and testified to the remarkable adaptability of S. flexuosa (L.) Medik. These 21 ecotypes were cultivated in three complete randomized blocks design for two consecutive years. Statistical analysis showed substantial variability between the collected ecotypes. Principal component analysis and heatmap analysis allowed to distinguish four groups of ecotypes mainly based on nutritional parameters (fiber content and digestibility), forage production (dry matter yield, number of leaves per plant, and total number of branches), and reproduction (number of inflorescences per plant and, weight of thousand seeds and seeds per plant). Furthermore, the present study pointed out the value of ecotype 1, which was dual purpose with its high productivity, nutritional value, and reproductive parameters. Ecotype 4 was also highlighted as having late flowering but intermediate productivity, which can be used mainly for haymaking as the drying period could coincide with the last rainfall in the region.
Identifying cellular markers of focal cortical dysplasia type II with cell-type deconvolution and single-cell signatures
Authors: Galvão Isabella C. , Kandratavicius Ludmyla , Messias Lauana A. , Athié Maria C. P. , Assis-Mendonça Guilherme R. , Alvim Marina K. M. , Ghizoni Enrico , Tedeschi Helder , Yasuda Clarissa L. , Cendes Fernando , Vieira André S. , Rogerio Fabio , Lopes-Cendes Iscia , Veiga Diogo F. T. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractFocal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a brain malformation that causes medically refractory epilepsy. FCD is classified into three categories based on structural and cellular abnormalities, with FCD type II being the most common and characterized by disrupted organization of the cortex and abnormal neuronal development. In this study, we employed cell-type deconvolution and single-cell signatures to analyze bulk RNA-seq from multiple transcriptomic studies, aiming to characterize the cellular composition of brain lesions in patients with FCD IIa and IIb subtypes. Our deconvolution analyses revealed specific cellular changes in FCD IIb, including neuronal loss and an increase in reactive astrocytes (astrogliosis) when compared to FCD IIa. Astrogliosis in FCD IIb was further supported by a gene signature analysis and histologically confirmed by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunostaining. Overall, our findings demonstrate that FCD II subtypes exhibit differential neuronal and glial compositions, with astrogliosis emerging as a hallmark of FCD IIb. These observations, validated in independent patient cohorts and confirmed using immunohistochemistry, offer novel insights into the involvement of glial cells in FCD type II pathophysiology and may contribute to the development of targeted therapies for this condition.
Effects of transition metal carbide dispersoids on helium bubble formation in dispersion-strengthened tungsten
Authors: Saefan Ashrakat , Liu Xingyu , Lang Eric , Higgins Levko , Wang Yongqiang , El-Atwani Osman , Allain Jean Paul , Wang Xing 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe formation of helium bubbles and subsequent property degradation poses a significant challenge to tungsten as a plasma-facing material in future long-pulse plasma-burning fusion reactors. In this study, we investigated helium bubble formation in dispersion-strengthened tungsten doped with transition metal carbides, including TaC, ZrC, and TiC. Of the three dispersoids, TaC exhibited the highest resistance to helium bubble formation, possibly due to the low vacancy mobility in the Group VB metal carbide and oxide phases. Under identical irradiation conditions, large helium bubbles formed at grain boundaries in tungsten, while no bubbles were observed at the interfaces between the carbide dispersoid and tungsten matrix. Moreover, our results showed the interfaces could suppress helium bubble formation in the nearby tungsten matrix, suggesting that the interfaces are more effective in trapping helium as tiny clusters. Our research provided new insights into optimizing the microstructure of dispersion-strengthened tungsten alloys to enhance their performance.
Efficacy and safety of inhaled heparin in asthmatic and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: a systematic review and a meta-analysis
Authors: Ashmawy Rasha , Zaki Adel , Baess Ayman , El Sayed Iman 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAsthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are prevalent chronic respiratory disorders that cause significant morbidity and mortality. Some studies evaluated the use of inhaled unfractionated heparin (UFH) in the treatment of asthma and COPD. We aimed to synthesize the available evidence for the efficacy and safety of inhaled heparin in improving lung functions among asthmatic and COPD patients. A comprehensive search was performed using Pubmed, Embase, EBSCO, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, WHO Clinical trials, clinicaltrials.gov, Iranian Clinical trials, Google Scholar, Research Gate, ProQuest Thesis, OVID, and medRxiv databases. Two independent reviewers included all pertinent articles according to PRISMA guidelines, and extract data independently. The two reviewers checked the quality of studies using the ROB2 tool. To determine the pooled effect estimate of the efficacy and safety of inhaled heparin, a meta-analysis was carried out using the R programming language. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger’s regression test. The heterogeneity was explained using a meta-regression, and the quality of evidence was assessed by the GRADE approach. Twenty-six studies with a total of 581 patients were included in the qualitative analysis and 16 in the meta-analysis. The primary outcome was treatment success (improvement of lung function) that was measured by standardized mean differences (SMD) of the forced expiratory volume per second (FEV1) either per ml or percentage. Heparin has a large effect on both FEV1% and FEV1 ml when compared to the control group (SMD 2.7, 95% CI 1.00; 4.39; GRADE high, SMD 2.12, 95% CI − 1.49; 5.72: GRADE moderate, respectively). Secondary outcomes are other lung functions improving parameters such as PC20 (SMD 0.91, 95% CI − 0.15; 1.96). Meta-regression and subgroup analysis show that heparin type, dose, year of publication, study design, and quality of studies had a substantial effect. Regarding safety, inhaled heparin showed a good coagulation profile and mild tolerable side effects. Inhaled heparin showed improvement in lung functions either alone or when added to standard care. More large parallel RCTs are needed including COPD patients, children, and other types, and stages of asthmatic patients.
Identification and validation of lactate metabolism-related genes in oxygen-induced retinopathy
Authors: Xu Jiawei , Zhang Yunpeng , Gan Rong , Liu Zhuoqi , Deng Yan 
Published: August 2023

AbstractRetinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a multifactorial disease characterized by abnormal retinal vascular growth in premature infants, which is one of the leading causes of childhood blindness. Lactic acid metabolism may play an imperative role in the development of ROP, but there are still few relevant studies. Our team use a dataset GSE158799 contained 284 genes in 3 P17_OIR mice and 3 P30_OIR mice to identify 41 potentially differentially expressed lactate metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) related to ROP. Then through bioinformatics analysis, we strive to reveal the interaction, the enriched pathways and the immune cell infiltration among these LMRGs, and predict their functions and internal mechanisms. These DEGs may regulate lactate metabolism, leading to the changes of metabolism and immunity, thereby inducing the development of ROP. Our results will expand our understanding of the intrinsic mechanism of ROP and may be helpful for the directions for treatment of ROP in the future.
Responses of different invasive and non-invasive ornamental plants to water stress during seed germination and vegetative growth
Authors: Mircea Diana M. , Calone Roberta , Estrelles Elena , Soriano Pilar , Sestras Radu E. , Boscaiu Monica , Sestras Adriana F. , Vicente Oscar 
Published: August 2023

AbstractBiological invasions represent a major threat to natural ecosystems. A primary source of invasive plants is ornamental horticulture, which selects traits related to invasiveness. This study evaluated the responses to water stress during germination and vegetative growth of six species used as ornamental or medicinal plants. Three of them are recognised as invasive weeds in many world areas. Seeds were exposed to increasing concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG) mimicking drought stress, and young plants in the vegetative growth stage were subjected to two levels of water stress. Results indicated that in the absence of stress in control conditions, the most competitive species were those reported as weeds, namely Bidens pilosa L., Oenothera biennis L., and Centaurea cyanus L., the last regarding germination velocity. Under stress, only two species, Limonium sinuatum (L.) Mill. and C. cyanus, maintained germination at –1 MPa osmotic potential, but in the recovery experiment, an osmopriming effect of PEG was observed. The most tolerant species during growth were two natives in the Mediterranean region, L. sinuatum and Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv., both accumulating the highest proline concentrations. The sixth species studied, Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench., proved to be more susceptible to stress in the two developmental stages. This study reveals that the most significant traits associated with invasiveness were related to germination, especially in the absence of stress.
Preserved perception-action integration in adolescents after a COVID-19 infection
Authors: Graf Katharina , Gustke Alena , Mösle Mariella , Armann Jakob , Schneider Josephine , Schumm Leonie , Roessner Veit , Beste Christian , Bluschke Annet 
Published: August 2023

AbstractEvidence is accumulating that the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can bring forth deficits in executive functioning via alterations in the dopaminergic system. Importantly, dopaminergic pathways have been shown to modulate how actions and perceptions are integrated within the brain. Such alterations in event file binding could thus underlie the cognitive deficits developing after a COVID-19 infection. We examined action-perception integration in a group of young people (11–19 years of age) that had been infected with COVID-19 before study participation (n = 34) and compared them to a group of uninfected healthy controls (n = 29) on the behavioral (i.e., task accuracy, reaction time) and neurophysiological (EEG) level using an established event file binding paradigm. Groups did not differ from each other regarding demographic variables or in reporting psychiatric symptoms. Overall, multiple lines of evidence (behavioral and neurophysiological) suggest that action-perception integration is preserved in adolescents who suffered from COVID-19 prior to study participation. Event file binding processes were intact in both groups on all levels. While cognitive impairments can occur following a COVID-19 infection, the study demonstrates that action-perception integration as one of the basic building blocks of cognition seems to be largely unaffected in adolescents with a rather mild course of the disease.
Micro- and nanochamber array system for single enzyme assays
Authors: Iijima Kazuki , Kaji Noritada , Tokeshi Manabu , Baba Yoshinobu 
Published: August 2023

AbstractArrays of small reaction containers, ranging from 624 femtoliters (10–15 L) to 270 attoliters (10–18 L), for capturing a single enzyme molecule and measuring the activity were developed along with a new reversible sealing system based on a pneumatic valve actuator made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The valve was actuated by PBS solution, effectively preventing evaporation of the solution from the micro- and nanochambers and allowing the assay to be performed over a long period of time. The hydrolysis rates of β-D-galactosidase (β-gal), kcat, were decreased according to the decrease of the chamber size, and the overall tendency seems to be symmetrically related to the specific surface area of the chambers even under the prevented condition of non-specific adsorption. The spatial localization of the protons in the chambers, which might could affect the dissociation state of the proteins, was also investigated to explain the decrease in the hydrolysis rate. The developed chamber system developed here may be useful for artificially reproducing the confined intracellular environment and molecular crowding conditions.
Comparing predictions among competing risks models with rare events: application to KNOW-CKD study—a multicentre cohort study of chronic kidney disease
Authors: Kim Jayoun , Lee Soohyeon , Kim Ji Hye , Im Dha Woon , Lee Donghwan , Oh Kook-Hwan 
Published: August 2023

AbstractA prognostic model to determine an association between survival outcomes and clinical risk factors, such as the Cox model, has been developed over the past decades in the medical field. Although the data size containing subjects’ information gradually increases, the number of events is often relatively low as medical technology develops. Accordingly, poor discrimination and low predicted ability may occur between low- and high-risk groups. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the predicted probabilities with three existing competing risks models in variation with censoring rates. Three methods were illustrated and compared in a longitudinal study of a nationwide prospective cohort of patients with chronic kidney disease in Korea. The prediction accuracy and discrimination ability of the three methods were compared in terms of the Concordance index (C-index), Integrated Brier Score (IBS), and Calibration slope. In addition, we find that these methods have different performances when the effects are linear or nonlinear under various censoring rates.
Salt mixtures in stone weathering
Authors: Godts Sebastiaan , Orr Scott Allan , Steiger Michael , Stahlbuhk Amelie , De Kock Tim , Desarnaud Julie , De Clercq Hilde , Cnudde Veerle 
Published: August 2023

AbstractSalt related weathering of stones has been attributed to pressures exerted by repeated cycles of crystallization within pores. Relative Humidity (RH) is a key driver for dissolution and crystallization processes. Despite the prevalence of salt mixtures in natural environments, most experimental work has focused on single salts. Thus, the identification of salt mixture composition and their behavior is necessary to understand weathering. Thermodynamic calculations are used to analyze several thousand realistic salt mixtures found in weathered stone. We identify two common mixture types and their behavior. From at least 85 salt species theoretically present, 14 common salts are identified that occur most frequently and their critical RH points are discussed. These findings have wide-reaching implications for understanding salt weathering processes and informing the design of experimental stone weathering research.