bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Robustness of working memory to prefrontal cortex microstimulation
Authors: Soldado-Magraner Joana , Minai Yuki , Yu Byron M. , Smith Matthew A. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractDelay period activity in the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) has been linked to the maintenance and control of sensory information in working memory. The stability of working memory related signals found in such delay period activity is believed to support robust memory-guided behavior during sensory perturbations, such as distractors. Here, we directly probed dlPFC’s delay period activity with a diverse set of activity perturbations, and measured their consequences on neural activity and behavior. We applied patterned microstimulation to the dlPFC of monkeys implanted with multi-electrode arrays by electrically stimulating different electrodes in the array while the monkeys performed a memory-guided saccade task. We found that the microstimulation perturbations affected spatial working memory-related signals in individual dlPFC neurons. However, task performance remained largely unaffected. These apparently contradictory observations could be understood by examining different dimensions of the dlPFC population activity. In dimensions where working memory related signals naturally evolved over time, microstimulation impacted neural activity. In contrast, in dimensions containing working memory related signals that were stable over time, microstimulation minimally impacted neural activity. This dissociation explained how working memory-related information could be stably maintained in dlPFC despite the activity changes induced by microstimulation. Thus, working memory processes are robust to a variety of activity perturbations in the dlPFC.Significance statementMemory-guided behavior is remarkably robust to sensory perturbations such as distractions. The dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is believed to underlie this robustness, given that it stably maintains working memory-related information in the presence of distractors. Here, we sought to understand the extent to which dlPFC circuits can robustly maintain working memory information during memory-guided behavior. We found that behavior was robust to microstimulation perturbations in dlPFC, and that working memory signals were stably maintained in dlPFC despite widespread changes in the neural activity caused by the perturbations. Our findings indicate that working memory is robust to direct activity perturbations in the dlPFC, an ability that may be due to the processes that mediate similar robustness in the face of distraction.
Recombinant production inEscherichia coliof functionally active α-hemolysin from the human pathogenStaphylococcus aureus
Authors: Díaz-Varela Jaime L. , Sabia Vittoria , Heras-Márquez Diego , Laxalde-Fernández Diego , Martínez-del-Pozo Álvaro , García-Linares Sara 
Published: January 2025

AbstractStaphylococcus aureusis a human opportunistic pathogen capable of causing multiple infections in both humans and animals. It secretes a group of exotoxins, known as hemolysins, which are released to enhance its pathogenicity. All of them exhibit cytolytic activity on a variety of host cell types, but α-hemolysin stands out for being the most thoroughly studied variant. In this work, we show the production and purification ofS. aureusα-hemolysin following a straightforward protocol and in sufficient quantity to consider it as a potential procedure for future biotechnological approaches. Functional and structural characterization has indeed revealed that the protein is fully functional, confirming the key role of cholesterol in the necessary protein-lipid interaction. Furthermore, it has also been shown that the purified toxin can be assembled into single-particle individual pores within soluble lipid platforms in the form of cholesterol-containing nanodiscs.
A Propidium Iodide-basedIn VitroScreen of the “Bug Box” AgainstBabesia duncaniReveals Potent Inhibitors
Authors: Dews Emmett A. , Teixeira José E. , Huston Christopher D. , Meyers Marvin J. , Hyson Peter R. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractIncidence and endemic range of human babesiosis are expanding. Standard therapy for human babesiosis consists of antimicrobials developed for other indications. While these treatments are adequate in immunocompetent hosts, infections in the immunocompromised can be severe, relapsing, and drug-resistant despite use of multi-drug regimens. Existing drugs are ineffective because they cannot safely achieve and maintain adequate serum concentrations to inhibit Babesia. Discovery of improved agents against Babesia spp. is of growing importance and efficient techniques for high throughput compound screening can assist in this effort.We developed a high throughputin vitrodrug screening assay forBabesia duncanithat is conducted in 384 well plates and makes use of the fluorescent DNA stain propidium iodide (PI) with relative fluorescence measured by a microplate reader. A Z’ factor of >0.81 was calculated which suggests an excellent ability to detect inhibitory compounds. A screen of the 41-compound library Structural Genomics Consortium Bug Box was conducted yielding five hits: trimethoprim, atovaquone, SDDC M7, diphenyleneiodonium chloride, and panobinostat. Panobinostat, a histone deacetylase complex (HDAC) inhibitor, was selected for further evaluation given that its target had not been previously explored inB. duncani.Follow up dose-response testing of structurally related compounds revealed multiple potential leads including nanatinostat and quisinostat, both of which were potent at the nanomolar level and showed favorable selectivity index in cytotoxicity studies. High throughput screening using PI and 384 well plates is an advance in drug discovery for babesiosis and HDAC inhibitors show promise as lead compounds worthy of further investigation.
Exploring the Suitability of Piecewise-Linear Dynamical System Models for Cognitive Neural Dynamics
Authors: Wu Jiemin , Asamoah Boateng , Kong Zhaodan , Ditterich Jochen 
Published: January 2025

AbstractDynamical system models have proven useful for decoding the current brain state from neural activity. So far, neuroscience has largely relied on either linear models or nonlinear models based on artificial neural networks. Piecewise linear approximations of nonlinear dynamics have proven useful in other technical applications, providing a clear advantage over network-based models, when the dynamical system is not only supposed to be observed, but also controlled. Here we explore whether piecewise-linear dynamical system models (recurrent Switching Linear Dynamical System or rSLDS models) could be useful for modeling brain dynamics, in particular in the context of cognitive tasks. We first generate artificial neural data based on a nonlinear computational model of perceptual decision-making and demonstrate that piecewise-linear dynamics can be successfully recovered from these observations. We then demonstrate that the piecewise-linear model outperforms a linear model in terms of predicting future states of the system and associated neural activity. Finally, we apply our approach to a publicly available dataset recorded from monkeys performing perceptual decisions. Much to our surprise, the piecewise-linear model did not provide a significant advantage over a linear model for these particular data, although linear models that were estimated from different trial epochs showed qualitatively different dynamics. In summary, we present a dynamical system modeling approach that could prove useful in situations, where the brain state needs to be controlled in a closed-loop fashion, for example, in new neuromodulation applications for treating cognitive deficits. Future work will have to show under what conditions the brain dynamics are sufficiently nonlinear to warrant the use of a piecewise-linear model over a linear one.
Visuospatial computations vary by category and stream and continue to develop in adolescence
Authors: Yao Jewelia K. , Choo Justin , Finzi Dawn , Grill-Spector Kalanit 
Published: January 2025

AbstractReading, face recognition, and navigation are supported by visuospatial computations in category-selective regions across ventral, lateral, and dorsal visual streams. However, the nature of visuospatial computations across streams and their development in adolescence remain unknown. Using fMRI and population receptive field (pRF) modeling in adolescents and adults, we estimate pRFs in high-level visual cortex and determine their development. Results reveal that pRF location, size, and visual field coverage vary across category, stream, and hemisphere in both adolescents and adults. While pRF location is mature by adolescence, pRF size and visual field coverage continue to develop – increasing in face-selective and decreasing in place-selective regions – alongside similar development of category selectivity. These findings provide a timeline for differential development of visual functions and suggest that visuospatial computations in high-level visual cortex continue to be optimized to accommodate both category and stream demands through adolescence.
Neurite density but not myelination of specific fiber tracts links polygenic scores to general intelligence
Authors: Stammen Christina , Penate Javier Schneider , Metzen Dorothea , Hönscher Maurice J. , Fraenz Christoph , Schlüter Caroline , Güntürkün Onur , Kumsta Robert , Genç Erhan 
Published: January 2025

AbstractWhite matter is fundamental for efficient and accurate information transfer throughout the human brain and thus crucial for intelligence. Previous studies often demonstrated associations between fractional anisotropy (FA) as a metric of white matter “microstructural integrity” and intelligence, but it is still unclear, whether this relation is due to greater axon density, parallel, homogenous fiber orientation distributions, or greater myelination since all of these measures influence FA. Using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) and myelin water fraction (MWF) imaging data, we analyzed the microstructural architecture of intelligence in more detail in a sample of 500 healthy young adults. Furthermore, we were interested whether specific white matter microstructural indices play intermediary roles in the pathway that links genetic disposition for intelligence to phenotype. Thus, we conducted for the first time mediation analyses investigating whether neurite density (NDI), orientation dispersion (ODI), and MWF of 64 white matter fiber tracts mediate the effects of polygenic scores for intelligence (PGSGI) on general intelligence. By doing so, we showed that NDI, but not ODI or MWF of white matter fiber tracts was significantly associated with general intelligence and that the NDI of six fiber tracts mediated the relation between genetic variability andg. These findings are a crucial step forward in decoding the neurogenetic underpinnings of general intelligence, as they identify that neurite density of specific fiber tracts relates polygenic variation tog, whereas orientation dispersion and myelination did not.
Mediating role of attitudes toward nutrigenomics in the relationship between genetics knowledge and perceptions toward nutrigenomics among health science students
Authors: Ng Yie Enn , Tan Seok Tyug , Tan Seok Shin , Hariyono Hariyono , Tsai Meng Che , Tan Chin Xuan 
Published: January 2025

Purpose
This study aims to investigate the association between genetics knowledge and perceptions toward nutrigenomics and to examine whether this relationship was mediated by attitudes toward nutrigenomics.

Design/methodology/approach
An online cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire comprised of four sections: sociodemographic information, genetics knowledge, attitudes toward nutrigenomics and perceptions toward nutrigenomics. A total of 423 health science students participated in this study.

Findings
Students enrolled in dietetics and biomedical science programs possessed significantly higher (p < 0.05) genetic knowledge compared to Chinese medicine students. Additionally, students in their second and third years of study exhibited significantly greater (p < 0.05) genetic knowledge than first-year students. Genetics knowledge was found to be positively associated (p < 0.05) with attitudes and perceptions toward nutrigenomics. Attitudes toward nutrigenomics partially mediated the relationship between genetics knowledge and perceptions toward nutrigenomics.

Practical implications
This study underscores the need for a well-rounded and progressively structured genetics curriculum across all health science programs. Enhancing genetics knowledge could potentially serve as a strategy to improve attitudes and perceptions toward nutrigenomics.

Originality/value
Nutrigenomics is an evolving field that forms a junction between diet, genomics and health. Health science students are the future health-care professionals, and their current attitudes and perceptions toward nutrigenomics are crucial for predicting its applications in the future. This study contributes novel insights by revealing that attitudes toward nutrigenomics serve as a partial mediator in the association between genetics knowledge and perceptions toward nutrigenomics.
School health promotion: a professional practice in an institutional context
Authors: Elsayed Hadil 
Published: January 2025

PurposeThis study aims to explore school health promotion (HP) as a set of institutionally embedded professional practices.Design/methodology/approachThis is a qualitative study using data from nineteen interviews with school professionals in Sweden. Data analysis was informed by practice theory and an institutional logic perspective.FindingsSchool professionals constructed practical understandings of HP at the intersection between institutional directives and professional values. Professionals were challenged by multiple and occasionally ambiguous policy directives as well as by multiple tiers of governance. Professional understandings of institutional directives were mediated by a bureaucratic logic and three instantiations of a professional logic (competence, pragmatic and entrepreneurial). School leadership was perceived as a crucial link between institutional directives and professional practices.Practical implicationsThe findings draw attention to the need for policy revision and disambiguation as well as the need for establishing dynamic institutional dialogues across levels of governance. These measures can foster sage leadership and fruitful interprofessional collaboration within school HP.Originality/valueThe findings provide a multi-perspective view of school HP and link professional values to institutional ones. The study sheds light on the explanatory relevance of human cognition in practice contexts.
The role of the second non-vanishing terms in the material failure curve on APL 5L steel
Authors: Mouna Amara , Khedim Fatima Zahra , Didouh Hadjer , Tati Hayet , Sidamar Lamsadfa , Hadj Meliani Mohammed , Suleiman Rami K. 
Published: January 2025

PurposeIt is now well-known in the fracture-mechanics community that a single fracture parameter alone may not be adequate to describe crack-tip condition. To address this problem, there has been a recent surge of interest in crack-growth behaviour under conditions of low crack-tip stress triaxiality. This paper exploited the K-A3 crack approach, which was derived from a rigorous asymptotic solution and has been developed for a two-parameter fracture.Design/methodology/approachThe material failure curve or master curve, has been established as a result of the notched specimen tests. It was shown that the notch fracture toughness is a linear decreasing function of the stress. The use of the material failure curve to predict fracture conditions was demonstrated on gas pipes with the longitudinal surface notch.FindingsNo finding.Originality/valueThis approach requires that the constraint in the test specimen approximate that of the structure to provide an “effective” toughness for use in a structural integrity assessment. The appropriate constraint is achieved by matching thickness and crack depth between the specimen and structure.
Strengthening Lebanese health care: exploring the impact of organizational culture on employee loyalty through trust and job satisfaction
Authors: Chaanine Johnny 
Published: January 2025

Purpose
This study aims to examine the relationships between organizational culture, employee loyalty, trust and job satisfaction within the Lebanese health-care sector. It addresses the critical need to improve employee retention and organizational performance in a context marked by economic instability and political uncertainty. By analyzing data from 270 health-care professionals, the study aims to explore how different aspects of organizational culture – such as transparency, supportiveness and ethical leadership – affect employee trust and satisfaction. These factors, in turn, play a significant role in enhancing employee loyalty, which is crucial for reducing turnover and ensuring the stability of health-care services.

Design/methodology/approach
The research used a quantitative methodology, gathering data from 270 health-care professionals across various private health-care institutions in Lebanon. A structured survey was used, and responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the proposed hypotheses. The SEM approach was chosen for its ability to evaluate both measurement and structural models, ensuring robust validation of the theoretical framework. Partial least squares (PLS-SEM) was specifically applied, given its suitability for smaller sample sizes and complex models. After screening and cleaning the data, the final sample size was 270, ensuring a representative and accurate analysis.

Findings
The research findings reveal that a strong organizational culture significantly enhances employee loyalty, mediated by higher levels of trust and job satisfaction. Cultures characterized by transparency, supportiveness and ethical leadership are shown to build trust among employees, which directly contributes to greater job satisfaction. This satisfaction, in turn, plays a crucial role in strengthening employee loyalty, helping to reduce turnover rates and maintain organizational stability. The study underscores the importance of fostering a positive corporate culture as a strategic tool in health-care settings, particularly in challenging environments like Lebanon, to improve both employee engagement and overall performance.

Originality/value
This study offers originality by focusing on the underexplored Lebanese health-care sector, particularly in the context of organizational culture’s impact on employee loyalty, trust and job satisfaction. While much research has been conducted in more stable economies, this study addresses the unique socio-economic challenges faced by health-care institutions in Lebanon, including political instability and economic volatility. By using SEM, the research provides new insights into the critical role of transparent, supportive and ethically driven organizational cultures in enhancing employee engagement and retention. These findings offer both theoretical contributions and practical applications for similar sectors globally.
Exploring itch in hidradenitis suppurativa with lessons from atopic dermatitis and psoriasis
Authors: Trupiano Nicole , Young Kelly , Echuri Harika , Maghfour Jalal , Orenstein Lauren A. V. , Hamzavi Iltefat 
Published: January 2025

AbstractItch is a prominent symptom in many cutaneous disorders, including atopic dermatitis (AD), prurigo nodularis, and psoriasis. Itch is also a common but overlooked concern in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Currently, the mechanisms underlying itch in HS remain unclear. To gain a better understanding, we reviewed the literature on pruritus in HS and other itch‐predominant disorders, AD, and psoriasis. In HS, psoriasis, and AD, we found that itch often co‐localized with pain and occurred more frequently at night. Furthermore, itch was found to negatively affect sleep and increase the risk for comorbid psychiatric disorders in HS, psoriasis, and AD. However, HS‐, psoriasis‐, and AD‐related itch differ in temporality. Itch in AD is often described as chronic, while itch in HS and psoriasis is often described as episodic. HS‐associated itch is likely multifactorial, and several mechanisms have been proposed including peripheral sensitization, central sensitization, and neuroinflammation. Prior studies in HS highlight enhanced IgE production and a dense infiltration of mast cells, along with a variety of cytokines and chemokines. Furthermore, alterations in the skin microbiome may contribute to itch in HS. To date, few therapies have been studied to treat itch in HS. Given the efficacy of several biologics and small molecules in treating itch in AD and psoriasis, similar agents may be explored in future HS studies. Alternative therapies to target neurological and psychiatric contributions to itch may include anticonvulsants, cannabinoids, and nonpharmacological treatments. In conclusion, pathomechanisms of itch in HS remain to be fully elucidated. However, we can draw on lessons from other pruritic disorders to begin addressing the symptom of it and identify important questions for future study.
Diagnostic Markers of Severe COVID‐19 and Community‐Acquired Pneumonia in Children From Southern India
Authors: Damodar Tina , Lodha Lonika , Suran Sourabh , Prabhu Namratha , Jose Maria , Kinhal Uddhav , Basavaraja G. V. , Gowda Vykuntaraju K. , Mani Reeta S. 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTCOVID‐19 severely impacts children in India, with many developing severe pneumonia or multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS‐C). Concurrently, non‐COVID‐19 respiratory viruses causing community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP) have resurged. These conditions present similarly, challenging accurate diagnosis. This study aims to compare inflammatory markers and clinical parameters in children with severe COVID‐19 pneumonia, non‐COVID‐19 CAP, and COVID‐associated MIS‐C. We assessed 12 mediators in serum from 14 children with severe COVID‐19 pneumonia, 16 with severe non‐COVID‐19 CAP, and 9 with MIS‐C. Clinical characteristics and routine laboratory findings at admission were recorded. Children with MIS‐C had significantly higher levels of IL‐1RA, IL‐8, and TNF compared with those with severe COVID‐19 pneumonia; and higher levels of CCL2, HGF, M‐CSF, and IL‐8 compared with severe non‐COVID‐19 CAP. GROα levels tended to be higher in severe COVID‐19 pneumonia. Clinical presentations were similar, but MIS‐C patients had distinct laboratory findings, including lower platelet counts and albumin levels, and higher creatinine and liver enzyme levels. MIS‐C exhibited a unique inflammatory profile. IL‐8 emerged as a potential biomarker for MIS‐C, while increased GROα levels in severe COVID‐19 pneumonia merit further exploration. Combining inflammatory markers with routine laboratory parameters may improve the diagnosis and differentiation of these conditions, enhancing patient management.