bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Classifying Mild Cognitive Impairment from Normal Cognition: fMRI Complexity Matches Tau PET Performance
Authors: Jann Kay , Park Gilsoon , Kim Hosung ,   the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundTau protein accumulation is closely linked to synaptic and neuronal loss in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), resulting in progressive cognitive decline. Although tau-PET imaging is a direct biomarker of tau pathology, it is costly, carries radiation risks, and is not widely accessible. Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) complexity—an entropy-based measure of BOLD signal variation—has been proposed as a non-invasive surrogate biomarker of early neuronal dysfunction associated with tau pathology.ObjectivesTo determine whether fMRI-based brain complexity (sample entropy and multiscale entropy) can match or exceed tau-PET in classifying cognitively normal (CN) versus cognitively impaired (MCI/AD) individuals. And to investigate and compare the most influential network regions-of-interest (ROIs) for classification between fMRI complexity and tau-PET, thereby identifying key neuroanatomical correlates of AD-related changes.DesignA cross-sectional study employing 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) classification with five-fold cross-validation and leave-one-network-out analysis.SettingData from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database.ParticipantsOne hundred forty-seven older adults (age 72.5 ± 7.5 years), including 95 CN, 45 MCI, and 7 AD.MeasurementsWe created whole-brain complexity maps from rs-fMRI and standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) maps from tau-PET. Each modality was separately fed into CNN classifiers. Region-based analyses (leave-one-network-out) were performed to identify critical ROIs for classification.ResultsfMRI complexity showed classification accuracy comparable to tau-PET yet surpassed it in F1-score (0.64 vs. 0.61) and area under the curve (AUC; 0.73 vs. 0.67). Salience and dorsal attention networks contributed most to fMRI-based classification, and a dorsal attention network contributed most to tau-PET-based classification.ConclusionsfMRI complexity performs similarly to tau-PET in detecting cognitive impairment related to AD and identifies partially distinct critical ROIs, suggesting an alternative, radiation- free imaging biomarker for earlier detection and broader clinical application.
Effects of age in the strategic control of recollected content as reflected by modulation of scene reinstatement
Authors: de Chastelaine Marianne , Srokova Sabina , Monier Sarah , Olivier Joshua M. , Rugg Michael D. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractA previous study employing fMRI measures of retrieval-related cortical reinstatement reported that young, but not older, adults employ ‘retrieval gating’ to attenuate aspects of an episodic memory that are irrelevant to the retrieval goal. We examined whether the weak memories of the older adults in that study rendered goal-irrelevant memories insufficiently intrusive to motivate retrieval gating. Young and older participants studied words superimposed on rural or urban scenes, or on pixelated backgrounds. To strengthen memory for background information, word-image pairs were studied twice, initially centrally, and then in one of three locations. During scanning, one retrieval test probed memory for the test words’ studied backgrounds and another test assessed memory for their location. Background memory performance was markedly higher than in the prior study. Retrieval gating was examined in two scene-selective regions of interest, the parahippocampal place area (PPA) and the medial place area (MPA). In the background task, robust retrieval-related scene reinstatement effects were identified in both age groups. These effects were attenuated (‘gated’) in the location task in the young age group only, replicating the prior finding. The results did not differ when the two groups were sub-sampled to match strength of scene reinstatement when scene information was goal relevant. The findings indicate that older adults’ failure to gate goal-irrelevant scene information does not reflect age differences in memory strength and may instead reflect an age-related decline in top-down inhibitory control.
Compromised 2-start zigzag chromatin folding in immature mouse retina cells driven by irregularly spaced nucleosomes with short DNA linkers
Authors: Kable Brianna , Portillo-Ledesma Stephanie , Popova Evgenya Y. , Jentink Nathan , Swulius Matthew , Li Zilong , Schlick Tamar , Grigoryev Sergei A. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThe formation of condensed heterochromatin is critical for establishing cell-specific transcriptional programs. To reveal structural transitions underlying heterochromatin formation in maturing mouse rod photoreceptors, we apply cryo-EM tomography, AI-assisted deep denoising, and molecular modeling. We find that chromatin isolated from immature retina cells contains many closely apposed nucleosomes with extremely short or absent nucleosome linkers, which are inconsistent with the typical two-start zigzag chromatin folding. In mature retina cells, the fraction of short-linker nucleosomes is much lower, supporting stronger chromatin compaction. By Cryo-EM-assisted nucleosome interaction capture we observe that chromatin in immature retina is enriched with i±1 interactions while chromatin in mature retina contains predominantly i±2 interactions typical of the two-start zigzag. By mesoscale modeling and computational simulation, we clarify that the unusually short linkers typical of immature retina are sufficient to inhibit the two-start zigzag and chromatin compaction by the interference of very short linkers with linker DNA stems. We propose that this short linker composition renders nucleosome arrays more open in immature retina and that, as the linker DNA length increases in mature retina, chromatin fibers become globally condensed via tight zigzag folding. This mechanism may be broadly utilized to introduce higher chromatin folding entropy for epigenomic plasticity.
Development of conditional-siRNA programmable riboswitch for targeting adverse cardiac remodeling
Authors: Gokulnath Priyanka , Salvador Ane M. , Graham Caleb , Han Si-ping , Li Guoping , Kannappan Ramaswamy , Azzam Christopher , Spanos Michail , Scherer Lisa , Sethu Palaniappan , Rossi John , Goddard William A. , Das Saumya 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTHeart Failure (HF) remains a global epidemic and a significant healthcare burden, with an unmet need for novel therapies to target the preceding pathological hypertrophy in vulnerable patients. Here we report the development of novel conditional-siRNA (Cond-siRNA) constructs that are selectively activated by disease-specific RNA biomarkers to enable cell-specific inhibition of a target disease-causing RNA. We designed aCond-siRNA that can be activated bynppamRNA, upregulated specifically in CMs under pathological stress, to silence the key pro-hypertrophic gene calcineurin by the effector siRNA. In cellular models including neonatal rat ventricular myocyte (NRVM) and rat cardiomyocyte cell-line (H9C2),Cond-siRNA exhibited low baseline activity in the absence of the disease biomarker but achieved targeted calcineurin silencing uponnppamRNA induction by phenylephrine (PE)-induced stress in a two-dimensional (2D) cell culture system and pressure overload in three-dimensional (3D) heart-on a chip system. NRVM transfection with theCond-siRNA resulted in a decreased expression of calcineurin mRNA specifically after PE or pressure-overload treatment, but not after vehicle treatment, provingnppamRNA-specific activation of the effector siRNA against calcineurin. Specificity was confirmed asCond-siRNA did not significantly silence calcineurin in cardiac fibroblasts and T cells, lackingnppaexpression. Reduced calcineurin protein levels and NFATc1 nuclear translocation correlated with decreased NRVM hypertrophy after PE treatment, confirmingCond-siRNA’s efficacy. This study offers proof-of-concept forCond-siRNA as a targeted therapy to mitigate hypertrophic progression, paving the way for novel HF treatments.One sentence summaryConditional-siRNA targeting adverse cardiac remodelingGRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Reciprocal roles of crowding and serial dependence on visual perception
Authors: Cass John , Jertberg Robert , Van der Burg Erik 
Published: January 2025

SummaryVisual perception arises from the interplay between current and prior sensory inputs. Two perceptual phenomena-serial dependence and visual crowding-result from the mandatory integration of retinal information across time and space, respectively. This study investigated, for the first time, their functional relationship for orientation and brightness discrimination tasks. Participants performed orientation and brightness discrimination tasks (blocked) on peripheral targets surrounded by distractors of varying color, orientation, and proximity. Both serial dependence (the influence of prior stimuli on current judgments) and visual crowding (impaired peripheral recognition caused by nearby distractors) were observed. Similar double dissociations in task and stimulus specificity emerged for both phenomena, suggesting functional links mediated by distinct processing mechanisms for brightness and orientation judgments. Additionally, the two effects interacted: crowding reduced serial dependence on subsequent trials, indicating that spatial information is prioritized over temporal information when spatial redundancy is high. Conversely, serial dependence increased crowding for orientation judgments, while for brightness judgments, serial dependence operated additively without affecting crowding. These interactions were spatially specific, occurring only when targets appeared in the same location across consecutive trials. Notably, a positive correlation between crowding and serial dependence was found exclusively for orientation judgments and only when targets appeared at the same location across trials. The reciprocal interaction and positive correlation between serial dependence and crowding observed for orientation judgments indicate that that these processes are intrinsically linked, possibly via a common neural mechanism. In contrast, for brightness judgments, the unilateral effect of crowding on serial dependence—along with the absence of correlation-indicates distinct neural mechanisms. Here, brightness crowding likely precedes serial dependence, reflecting a prioritization of spatial redundancy minimization over temporal stabilization. These findings suggest that the brain strategically integrates spatial and temporal information through distinct yet overlapping mechanisms, balancing spatial precision with temporal stability based on task demands and stimulus characteristics.
Determining the variability associated with measuring visual acuity and refractive error measurements: a systematic review
Authors: Van der Zee C , Muijzer MB , Claessens JLJ , Wisse RPL 
Published: January 2025

AbstractTopicThis systematic review examines variability regarding measuring visual acuity (VA) and refractive error (RE).Clinical RelevanceVA and RE are key factors that determine visual function, and although accurately measuring VA and RE is fundamental to clinical practice, no scientific consensus has been reached with respect to variability. This lack of consensus affects our ability to establish a limit of agreement (LoA) for clinically accepted variability and may subsequently affect the clinical decision-making process, regulations, and research in the field of ophthalmology.MethodsThis systematic review was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and was registered at PROSPERO (ID: CRD42024554663). We searched the Medline, PubMed, and Embase databases. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) tool was then used to assess the risk of bias (RoB). We included studies that directly compared the accuracy of VA or RE and reported the LoA and mean difference expressed in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) for VA and diopters (D) for refraction. We then report the summarized mean LoA values with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsAfter applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, our analysis included 13 and 6 studies that reported VA and RE measurements, respectively. From these 19 studies, only 6 (32%) scored a low RoB in at least three out of four QUADAS-2 domains. In 27 out of 38 subgroups (71%), LoA exceeded the generally accepted ranges for VA or RE (namely, ±0.15 LogMAR and ±0.5D, respectively). Based on our analysis, the summarized mean LoA values were ±0.20 LogMAR (95% CI: 0.17, 0.23) and ±0.70D (95% CI: 0.50, 0.89) for VA and RE measurements, respectively.ConclusionsWe found that both VA and RE measurements have relatively high variability, exceeding currently accepted limits. Thus, the currently accepted limits of this variability are either unrealistic or reflect studies with methodological weaknesses. Rigorous studies are therefore needed in order to more accurately estimate the acceptable limits of variability for both VA and RE measurements. For now, we propose using the mean LoA values obtained in our study as a provisional frame of reference. In addition, we discuss several aspects of understanding the variability that exists when measuring VA and RE, particularly with respect to comparing studies.
Cost-effectiveness of alternative cascade screening strategies for familial hypercholesterolemia with realistic cascade screening acceptance rates and use of high-cost drugs
Authors: Lou Jing , Chong Kok Joon , Ting Pek Sharon Li , Bylstra Yasmin , Drum Chester Lee , Lim Weng Khong , Wang Yi , Yeo Khung Keong , Tavintharan Subramaniam , Wee Hwee-Lin 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundCascade screening (CS) for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is cost-effective in many countries. However, most existing economic evaluation studies (i) ignored or overstated first-degree relative (FDR) participation rate (as 60-100%), (ii) did not consider novel and expensive therapies, e.g. PCSK9 inhibitors (PCSK9i), (iii) were conducted outside of Asia. In Singapore, FDR participation rate is about 25% among probands who have known pathogenic variants.AimsTo evaluate and identify drivers of cost-effectiveness of CS protocols for FHMethodsFour CS protocols, which vary in the application of genetic testing, were examined using a hybrid decision tree-Markov model. Sensitivity analysis and scenario analyses were conducted to identify drivers of cost-effectiveness.ResultsAll CS protocols are likely to be cost-effective (probabilities of being cost-effective: 85%-95% when no access to PCSK9i; 73%-99% when PCSK9i are provided). The most cost-effective protocol differs depending on whether PCSK9i are provided. Cascade acceptance rates are key drivers of cost-effectiveness. Other drivers include timeliness of starting treatment post-screening, age of proband, health-related quality of life loss with cardiovascular disease, prevalence of FH mutation among probands, conventional treatment effect and cost of PCSK9i.ConclusionCS for FH is cost-effective across most scenarios and assumptions. For better cost-effectiveness, health systems need to look for ways to improve proband’s willingness to share contact of their relatives and relatives’ willingness to be screened. Other ways to improve cost-effectiveness include to select age groups for proband screening, improve screening detection rate among probands, and start timely treatment post-screening.
Magnetic properties of a staggered
S=1
chain with an alternating single-ion anisotropy direction
Authors: Vaidya S. , Curley S. P. M. , Manuel P. , Stewart J. Ross , Le M. Duc , Balz C. , Shiroka T. , Blundell S. J. , Wheeler K. A. , Calderon-Lin I. , Manson Z. E. , Manson J. L. , Singleton J. , Lancaster T. , Johnson R. D. , Goddard P. A. 
Published: January 2025

Materials composed of spin-1 antiferromagnetic (AFM) chains are known to adopt complex ground states that are sensitive to the single-ion-anisotropy (SIA) energy (D), and intrachain (J0) and interchain (J1,2′) exchange energy scales. While theoretical and experimental studies have extended this model to include various other energy scales, the effect of the lack of a common SIA axis is not well explored. Here we investigate the magnetic properties of Ni(pyrimidine)(H2O)2(NO3)2, a chain compound where the tilting of Ni octahedra leads to a twofold alternation of the easy-axis directions along the chain. Muon-spin relaxation measurements indicate a transition to long-range order at TN=2.3K and the magnetic structure is initially determined to be antiferromagnetic and collinear using elastic neutron diffraction experiments. Inelastic neutron scattering measurements were used to find J0=5.107(7)K, D=2.79(1)K,J1′=0.00(5)K, J2′=0.18(3)K, and a rhombic anisotropy energy E=0.19(9)K. Mean-field modeling reveals that the ground state structure hosts spin canting of ϕ≈6.5∘, which is not detectable above the noise floor of the elastic neutron diffraction data. Monte Carlo simulation of the powder-averaged magnetization, M(H), is then used to confirm these Hamiltonian parameters, while single-crystal M(H) simulations provide insight into features observed in the data.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Sustainability development in vocational education: a case study in Indonesia
Authors: Suharno Suharno , Ihsan Fatihul , Himawanto Dwi Aris , Pambudi Nugroho Agung , Rizkiana Reza 
Published: January 2025

Purpose The study aimed to measure the perception of prospective vocational education (VE) students in Indonesia toward the sustainable development of VE. Additionally, it sought to evaluate the implications of these perceptions for improving the quality of VE and preparing superior human resources to meet future demands.Design/methodology/approach This research employed a quantitative approach, utilizing descriptive statistical analysis, Top Two Boxes (T2B) and independent sample t-tests. Data were collected via an online questionnaire distributed through Google Forms to 394 prospective VE students from 23 provinces across Indonesia. The gender distribution of the respondents was 61% male and 39% female.Findings The analysis revealed that prospective VE students had a high perception of the sustainable development of VE, with a T2B value of 92.2%. This perception was significantly influenced by the presence of appropriate government regulations. Furthermore, the study noted an increase in the community’s trust in VE, as reflected in the growing ratio of vocational to general education, which shifted from 30%:70% in 2008 to 52%:48% in 2023.Practical implications Despite the positive perceptions, challenges persist in recruiting vocational teachers proportionally. Currently, only 5% of vocational teachers are appointed as government employees, which may affect the quality and relevance of vocational school graduates. To address this issue, the government must allocate adequate budgetary resources for recruiting and appointing vocational teachers. This step is essential to ensure sustainable growth and further enhance public trust in VE.Originality/value This research provides valuable insights into the perceptions of prospective VE students in Indonesia regarding the sustainable development of VE. By identifying key factors influencing these perceptions, such as government regulations, and highlighting existing challenges, the study contributes to the ongoing discourse on improving VE quality and aligning it with future demands.
The longitudinal interplay between father–child and mother–child home literacy activities and Children's learning English as a second language in Hong Kong
Authors: Liu Catrina Cuina , Chung Kevin Kien Hoa 
Published: January 2025

BackgroundThe associations between the characteristics of the home literacy environment (HLE) and children's language and literacy skills have been established in first languages. This study investigated the longitudinal interplay between the father–child and mother–child HLE and children's English language skills as L2.MethodsIn this study, 176 second‐year kindergarten children (Mean = 55.06 months, SD = 4.30; 96 boys, 54.5%) were followed into their third year and were assessed on their English vocabulary and word reading. The child's father and mother completed a questionnaire on their independent HLE with their child.ResultsThe cross‐lagged panel analysis showed that previous father–child formal HLE predicted subsequent activity levels of mother–child and father–child informal HLE. The mother–child formal HLE positively predicted the development of English word reading. A child's prior English vocabulary was positively associated with subsequent father–child informal HLE.ConclusionsThe crossover effects between the father–child and mother–child HLE emphasize that the behaviours of one parent's HLE could influence one another. Family‐based interventions could consider promoting both fathers' and mothers' roles in fostering children's language learning and reading development in a positive home learning environment. The implications for the effectiveness of the HLE in supporting children's English language learning as L2 are discussed.
Direct Evidence of Microbial Sunscreen Production by Scum‐Forming Cyanobacteria in the Baltic Sea
Authors: Vuori Inkeri , Gaiani Greta , Arsın Sıla , Delbaje Endrews , Järn Julia , Snårbacka Robert , Couëdelo Annaël , Murukesan Gayathri , Wahlsten Matti , Jokela Jouni , Shishido Tânia Keiko , Fewer David P. 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTMycosporine‐like amino acids are water‐soluble secondary metabolites that protect photosynthetic microorganisms from ultraviolet radiation. Here, we present direct evidence for the production of these compounds in surface scums of cyanobacteria along the Baltic Sea coast. We collected 59 environmental samples from the southern coast of Finland during the summers of 2021 and 2022 and analysed them using high‐resolution liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry. Our results revealed the presence of microbial sunscreens in nearly all surface scum samples. Mycosporine‐like amino acids are synthesised through the coordinated action of four biosynthetic enzymes encoded in a compact biosynthetic pathway. Bioinformatics analysis of the mysB biosynthetic gene from a surface scum indicated that the cyanobacteria responsible for production belonged to the Anabaena/Dolichospermum/Aphanizomenon species complex. We mapped the distribution of biosynthetic enzymes onto a phylogenomic tree, utilising 120 bacterial single‐copy conserved genes from 101 draft or complete genomes within the species complex. This analysis showed that 48% of identified species possess the ability to produce these compounds, with biosynthetic pathways being most common in Dolichospermum and Aphanizomenon strains. We detected the production of porphyra‐334 and shinorine, two widely reported family members, in Dolichospermum strains isolated from the Gulf of Finland's surface layer. The estimated content of porphyra‐334 in Dolichospermum sp. UHCC 0684 was 7.4 mg per gram dry weight. Our results suggest that bloom‐forming cyanobacteria could be a potential source of these compounds for cosmetic and biotechnological applications and may play a significant role in cyanobacterial bloom formation.