bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Optimal settings and advantages of drones as a tool for canopy arthropod collection
Authors: Madden Jamie C. , Brisson-Curadeau Émile , Gillung Jessica P. , Bird David M. , Elliott Kyle H. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractThe growing field of aeroecology is limited by difficulties associated with sampling in the air column. Aerial insects are particularly hard to sample, despite being the main prey in the air column, with some recent studies attempting to use drones as a collection method. We conducted a study to determine the optimal drone settings for collecting insects above the canopy, where drones are seldom used. By attaching a net to the body of a small, commercial drone, we tested yield from different height, speed, and net settings in wetlands, as well as compared insect diversity across different habitat canopies. Height was the most important setting; grazing the canopy yielded significantly more insects than flying one meter above it. Speed, drone type, and net size did not influence the number of insects caught per trial. Wetland canopies had higher abundance, diversity, and species richness in its arthropod populations compared to forest canopies or lakes. Compared to the yield of Lindgren funnels—a traditional sampling method in entomology—drones captured higher diversity and abundance of insects in a fraction of the time. This study confirms that drones are an efficient and accurate way to collect canopy arthropods.
Mg segregation at inclined facets of pyramidal inversion domains in GaN:Mg
Authors: Persson Axel R. , Papamichail Alexis , Darakchieva Vanya , Persson Per O. Å. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractStructural defects in Mg-doped GaN were analyzed using high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with electron energy loss spectroscopy. The defects, in the shape of inverted pyramids, appear at high concentrations of incorporated Mg, which also lead to a reduction in free-hole concentration in Mg doped GaN. Detailed analysis pinpoints the arrangement of atoms in and around the defects and verify the presence of a well-defined layer of Mg at all facets, including the inclined facets. Our observations have resulted in a model of the pyramid-shaped defect, including structural displacements and compositional replacements, which is verified by image simulations. Finally, the total concentration of Mg atoms bound to these defects were evaluated, enabling a correlation between inactive and defect-bound dopants.
Flexible embryonic shell allies large offspring size and anti-predatory protection in viviparous snails
Authors: Sulikowska-Drozd A. , Maltz T. K. , Janiszewska K. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractThe evolutionary conflicts between viviparous reproductive mode and skeleton shape may occur whenever the space available for embryo development or delivery is limited by hard inflexible structures of a parent (bones, shell, etc.). In tetrapods, offspring size is at odds with female locomotion efficiency, which results in obstetric selection. We suggest a similar relationship for viviparous gastropods, where spacious canal needed for embryo delivery may interfere with anti-predatory role of narrow and toothed shell aperture. We explored this hypothesis in the group of viviparous land snails (Clausiliidae, subfamily Phaedusinae), known for complex apertural barriers protecting the shell interior. Most of the shell structure modifications we recorded facilitate the delivery of embryos but simultaneously reduce the safeguard of a narrow shell opening. However, we also observed highly flexible embryonic shells that may withstand squeezing between apertural barriers during birth. We investigated the microstructure of these flexible embryonic shells, compared to the typical hard shells of clausiliid embryos, which are rigid and unpliable already in the genital tract of the parent. Our results suggest that the unusual flexibility, which is related to a low number of organomineral layers in the shell, evolved in two phylogenetically distant lineages of Phaedusinae. This adaptation reduces mechanical constraints for birth of the neonates but allows to maintain the protective function of the apertural barriers.
Small-scale (sub-organ and cellular level) alpha-particle dosimetry methods using an iQID digital autoradiography imaging system
Authors: Peter Robin , Sandmaier Brenda M. , Dion Michael P. , Frost Sofia H. L. , Santos Erlinda B. , Kenoyer Aimee , Hamlin Donald K. , Wilbur D. Scott , Stewart Robert D. , Fisher Darrell R. , Vetter Kai , Seo Youngho , Miller Brian W. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractTargeted radiopharmaceutical therapy with alpha-particle emitters (αRPT) is advantageous in cancer treatment because the short range and high local energy deposition of alpha particles enable precise radiation delivery and efficient tumor cell killing. However, these properties create sub-organ dose deposition effects that are not easily characterized by direct gamma-ray imaging (PET or SPECT). We present a computational procedure to determine the spatial distribution of absorbed dose from alpha-emitting radionuclides in tissues using digital autoradiography activity images from an ionizing-radiation quantum imaging detector (iQID). Data from 211At-radioimmunotherapy studies for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in a canine model were used to develop these methods. Nine healthy canines were treated with 16.9–30.9 MBq 211At/mg monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Lymph node biopsies from early (2–5 h) and late (19–20 h) time points (16 total) were obtained, with 10–20 consecutive 12-µm cryosections extracted from each and imaged with an iQID device. iQID spatial activity images were registered within a 3D volume for dose-point-kernel convolution, producing dose-rate maps. The accumulated absorbed doses for high- and low-rate regions were 9 ± 4 Gy and 1.2 ± 0.8 Gy from separate dose-rate curves, respectively. We further assess uptake uniformity, co-registration with histological pathology, and requisite slice numbers to improve microscale characterization of absorbed dose inhomogeneities in αRPT.
Membrane mediated phase separation of the bacterial nucleoid occlusion protein Noc
Authors: Babl Leon , Merino-Salomón Adrián , Kanwa Nishu , Schwille Petra 
Published: October 2022

AbstractLiquid–liquid phase separation is a fundamental biophysical process to organize eukaryotic and prokaryotic cytosols. While many biomolecular condensates are formed in the vicinity of, or even on lipid membranes, little is known about the interaction of protein condensates and lipid bilayers. In this study, we characterize the recently unknown phase behavior of the bacterial nucleoid occlusion protein Noc. We find that, similarly to other ParB-like proteins, CTP binding tightly regulates Noc’s propensity to phase separate. As CTP-binding and hydrolysis also allows Noc to bind and spread on membranes, we furthermore establish Noc condensates as model system to investigate how lipid membranes can influence protein condensation and vice versa. Last, we show that Noc condensates can recruit FtsZ to the membrane, while this does not happen in the non-phase separated state. These findings suggest a new model of Noc mediated nucleoid occlusion, with membrane-mediated liquid–liquid phase separation as underlying principle of complex formation and regulation thereof.
Promising SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitor ligand-binding modes evaluated using LB-PaCS-MD/FMO
Authors: Hengphasatporn Kowit , Harada Ryuhei , Wilasluck Patcharin , Deetanya Peerapon , Sukandar Edwin R. , Chavasiri Warinthorn , Suroengrit Aphinya , Boonyasuppayakorn Siwaporn , Rungrotmongkol Thanyada , Wangkanont Kittikhun , Shigeta Yasuteru 
Published: October 2022

AbstractParallel cascade selection molecular dynamics-based ligand binding-path sampling (LB-PaCS-MD) was combined with fragment molecular orbital (FMO) calculations to reveal the ligand path from an aqueous solution to the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) active site and to customise a ligand-binding pocket suitable for delivering a potent inhibitor. Rubraxanthone exhibited mixed-inhibition antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, relatively low cytotoxicity, and high cellular inhibition. However, the atomic inhibition mechanism remains ambiguous. LB-PaCS-MD/FMO is a hybrid ligand-binding evaluation method elucidating how rubraxanthone interacts with SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. In the first step, LB-PaCS-MD, which is regarded as a flexible docking, efficiently samples a set of ligand-binding pathways. After that, a reasonable docking pose of LB-PaCS-MD is evaluated by the FMO calculation to elucidate a set of protein–ligand interactions, enabling one to know the binding affinity of a specified ligand with respect to a target protein. A possible conformation was proposed for rubraxanthone binding to the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro active site, and allosteric inhibition was elucidated by combining blind docking with k-means clustering. The interaction profile, key binding residues, and considerable interaction were elucidated for rubraxanthone binding to both Mpro sites. Integrated LB-PaCS-MD/FMO provided a more reasonable complex structure for ligand binding at the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro active site, which is vital for discovering and designing antiviral drugs.
Efficacy, according to urodynamics, of OnabotulinumtoxinA compared with antimuscarinic drugs, for neurogenic detrusor overactivity: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Xu Rui , Yang Tong-Xin , Fang Ke-Wei , Wang Guang , Li Pei 
Published: October 2022

AbstractTo summarize the differences in urodynamic outcomes between oral antimuscarinic drugs and OnabotulinumtoxinA, and finding a therapy that maintains good urodynamics in neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO). We conducted a literature search of EMBASE and PubMed, with the language limited to English. In the analysis, all of the published randomized trials of OnabotulinumtoxinA or antimuscarinic drugs used to treat NDO were found and the results were finally obtained through Bayesian model analysis. A total of 12 RCTs and 2208 patients were included. OnabotulinumtoxinA 300U was superior to other drugs in terms of MCC, volume at IDC, and Pdetmax endpoints. OnabotulinumtoxinA 200U was more effective on the urodynamic endpoint of BC than other drugs or doses of OnabotulinumtoxinA. According to the MCC urodynamic results, oxybutynin, solifenacin 10 mg, and tolterodine 4 mg also had positive effects. OnabotulinumtoxinA 300U, 200U and 100U were better in improving the urodynamic results of NDO, and the current evidence also shows that selective injection of onabotulinumtoxinA can effectively improve the urodynamic results.
Gender inequality in source country modifies sex differences in stroke incidence in Canadian immigrants
Authors: Vyas Manav V. , Fang Jiming , Kapral Moira K. , Yu Amy Y. X. , Austin Peter C. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractResearch suggests that gender inequality, measured using the gender inequality index (GII), influences stroke mortality in women compared to men. We examine how source country GII modifies the rate of ischemic stroke in women compared to men after immigration to Canada, a country with low gender inequality. We used linked health data and immigration records of 452,089, stroke-free immigrants aged 40–69 year who migrated from 123 countries. Over 15 years of follow-up, 5991 (1.3%) had an incident ischemic stroke. We demonstrate (a) a lower adjusted rate of stroke in women compared to men (hazard ratio 0.64; 95% CI 0.61–0.67); (b) that sex differences in stroke incidence were modified by source country GII, as the hazard of stroke in women vs. men attenuated by a factor of 1.06 for every 0.1 increase in the GII of the source country (Psex*GII = 0.002); and (c) migration to a country with low GII attenuates the adverse effect of source country GII on sex differences in stroke incidence. Evaluating pathways through which source country gender inequality differentially influences stroke risk in immigrant women compared to men could help develop strategies to mitigate the effects of early-life gender inequality on stroke risk.
Impact of CaSO4-rich soil on Miocene surface preservation and Quaternary sinuous to meandering channel forms in the hyperarid Atacama Desert
Authors: Ritter Benedikt , Diederich-Leicher Julia L. , Binnie Steven A. , Stuart Finlay M. , Wennrich Volker , Bolten Andreas , Dunai Tibor J. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractThe Atacama Desert is the driest and oldest desert on Earth. Despite the abundance evidence for long-term landscape stability, there are subtle signs of localised fluvial erosion and deposition since the onset of hyperaridity in the rock record. In the dry core of the Atacama Desert, pluvial episodes allowed antecedent drainage to incise into uplifting fault scarps, which in turn generated sinuous to meandering channels. Incision of ancient alluvial fan surfaces occurred during intermittent fluvial periods, albeit without signs of surface erosion. Fluvial incision during predominantly hyperarid climate periods is evident from these channels in unconsolidated alluvium. The absence of dense vegetation to provide bank stability and strength led us to investigate the potential role of regionally ubiquitous CaSO4-rich surface cover. This has enabled the preservation of Miocene surfaces and we hypothesize that it provided the required bank stability by adding strength to the upper decimetre to meter of incised alluvium to allow high sinuosity of stream channels to form during pluvial episodes in the Quaternary.
A novel technique to overcome fluid flow influence in carbon quantum dots/paper-based analytical devices
Authors: Zoghi Sepideh , Rahmandoust Moones 
Published: October 2022

AbstractPaper-based analytical devices are promising choices for rapid tests and lab-on-chip detection techniques. Carbon quantum dots (CQDs), on the other hand, are biocompatible nanomaterials, which are industrially promising, due to their fast and cost-effective gram-scale synthesis techniques, as well as their significantly high and stable photoluminescence (PL) properties, which are durable and reliable over a year. However, there have been limitations in the entrapment of CQDs on cellulose papers in a way that their PL is not influenced by the flowing of the CQDs with the stream of analyte fluid, making the sensors less accurate at very low concentrations of liquid analytes. Therefore, in this investigation, a polyvinyl alcohol/alkaline-based method was systematically generated and developed to entrap CQDs inside a 3D crystalline matrix on paper, in a way that they can be used directly as probes for a simple drop-and-detect method. As a proof of concept, N/P-doped CQD on cellulose paper was used to make fluorescent paper-based analytical devices for identifying traces of Hg2+ of around 100 ppb. The designed sensor was tested over several months, to study its durability and functionality over long periods, for potential industrial applications.
Screening and characterization of vaginal fluid donations for vaginal microbiota transplantation
Authors: Yockey Laura J. , Hussain Fatima Aysha , Bergerat Agnes , Reissis Alexandra , Worrall Daniel , Xu Jiawu , Gomez Isabella , Bloom Seth M. , Mafunda Nomfuneko A. , Kelly Julia , Kwon Douglas S. , Mitchell Caroline M. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractBacterial vaginosis (BV), the overgrowth of diverse anaerobic bacteria in the vagina, is the most common cause of vaginal symptoms worldwide. BV frequently recurs after antibiotic therapy, and the best probiotic treatments only result in transient changes from BV-associated states to “optimal” communities dominated by a single species of Lactobacillus. Therefore, additional treatment strategies are needed to durably alter vaginal microbiota composition for patients with BV. Vaginal microbiota transplantation (VMT), the transfer of vaginal fluid from a healthy person with an optimal vaginal microbiota to a recipient with BV, has been proposed as one such alternative. However, VMT carries potential risks, necessitating strict safety precautions. Here, we present an FDA-approved donor screening protocol and detailed methodology for donation collection, storage, screening, and analysis of VMT material. We find that Lactobacillus viability is maintained for over six months in donated material stored at − 80 °C without glycerol or other cryoprotectants. We further show that species-specific quantitative PCR for L. crispatus and L. iners can be used as a rapid initial screening strategy to identify potential donors with optimal vaginal microbiomes. Together, this work lays the foundation for designing safe, reproducible trials of VMT as a treatment for BV.
Immunity-based Ebola optimization search algorithm for minimization of feature extraction with reduction in digital mammography using CNN models
Authors: Oyelade Olaide N. , Ezugwu Absalom E. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractFeature classification in digital medical images like mammography presents an optimization problem which researchers often neglect. The use of a convolutional neural network (CNN) in feature extraction and classification has been widely reported in the literature to have achieved outstanding performance and acceptance in the disease detection procedure. However, little emphasis is placed on ensuring that only discriminant features extracted by the convolutional operations are passed on to the classifier, to avoid bottlenecking the classification operation. Unfortunately, since this has been left unaddressed, a subtle performance impairment has resulted from this omission. Therefore, this study is devoted to addressing these drawbacks using a metaheuristic algorithm to optimize the number of features extracted by the CNN, so that suggestive features are applied for the classification process. To achieve this, a new variant of the Ebola-based optimization algorithm is proposed, based on the population immunity concept and the use of a chaos mapping initialization strategy. The resulting algorithm, called the immunity-based Ebola optimization search algorithm (IEOSA), is applied to the optimization problem addressed in the study. The optimized features represent the output from the IEOSA, which receives the noisy and unfiltered detected features from the convolutional process as input. An exhaustive evaluation of the IEOSA was carried out using classical and IEEE CEC benchmarked functions. A comparative analysis of the performance of IEOSA is presented, with some recent optimization algorithms. The experimental result showed that IEOSA performed well on all the tested benchmark functions. Furthermore, IEOSA was then applied to solve the feature enhancement and selection problem in CNN for better prediction of breast cancer in digital mammography. The classification accuracy returned by the IEOSA method showed that the new approach improved the classification process on detected features when using CNN models.
Intrinsic individual variation in daily activity onset and plastic responses on temporal but not spatial scales in female great tits
Authors: Meijdam Marjolein , Müller Wendt , Eens Marcel 
Published: October 2022

AbstractIn a variety of species, individuals appear to be consistent in the daily timing of their activity onset. Such consistent among-individual differences can result from both intrinsic factors, as individuals may e.g. differ genetically, and extrinsic factors, as the environment may vary on spatial and temporal scales. However, previous studies typically did not differentiate between their respective contributions on individual variation in the timing of activities. Here, we repeatedly measured the onset of activity in female great tits (Parus major) on consecutive days during the egg laying phase of the breeding season in four consecutive years. Subsequently, we used a variance partitioning analysis in order to determine which part of the total variation could be attributed to intrinsic (female identity) and extrinsic (nest box identity) factors. Overall, 27% of the total variation could be attributed to female identity. In addition, we found temporal variation in the activity onset, indicating that individuals can plastically adjust their timing. Yet despite their general ability to change the timing of activities over time, spatial environmental factors did not contribute significantly to the observed variation. Individuals may choose a habitat that matches the preferred timing of activities, or might not benefit from adjusting their timing to environmental factors that might vary on spatial scales.
Changes in the raffinose family oligosaccharides content in the lentil and common bean seeds during malting and mashing processes
Authors: Gasiński Alan , Kawa-Rygielska Joanna , Mikulski Dawid , Kłosowski Grzegorz 
Published: October 2022

AbstractRaffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) are sugars, which are considered anti-nutritional substances, which are not digestible by human gastric enzymes and can lead to flatulence. Legume seeds are often rich in these compounds, which can be cumbersome for many people, such as vegetarians or the population of developing countries, whose diets consists of large amounts of these food products. In this study, simple procedures used around the world in the brewing industry (malting and mashing) were used to determine, whether these processes could be applied to popular legume seeds (lentil and bean) to reduce the RFOs content. Acquired malts and worts were characterised by radically decreased concentration (up to 90%) of most ubiquitous RFOs, such as raffinose and stachyose.
miR-4653-3p overexpression is associated with a poor prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma via HIPK2 downregulation
Authors: Hirabayashi Kenichi , Miyazawa Masaki , Takanashi Yumi , Morimachi Masashi , Kawanishi Aya , Saika Tsubasa , Nakagohri Toshio , Nakamura Naoya 
Published: October 2022

AbstractPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignant tumor. Several upregulated and downregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) are associated with invasiveness, tumorigenesis, and prognosis of PDAC. Herein, using in situ hybridization, we evaluated miR-4653-3p expression and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and the association between miR-4653-3p expression and clinicopathological factors in PDAC patients. The miR-4653-3p target was also identified. Ninety PDAC cases, including 30 each with normal pancreatic ducts, low-grade PanINs, and high-grade PanINs, were evaluated. miR-4653-3p expression increased in the order—normal pancreatic duct, low-grade PanIN, high-grade PanIN, and PDAC—with no expression detected in normal pancreatic duct. High expression significantly correlated with advanced pathological T stage, lymph node metastasis, advanced Union for International Cancer Control stage, perineural invasion, venous involvement, and shorter overall and disease-specific survival. Homeodomain Interacting Protein Kinase 2 (HIPK2) was identified as a miR-4653-3p target based on mRNA microarray analysis and database screening. In MIA PaCa-2 cells, miR-4653-3p significantly downregulated HIPK2 expression. HIPK2 expression, unlike that of miR-4653-3p, decreased in the order—normal pancreatic duct, low-grade PanIN, high-grade PanIN, and PDAC. Low HIPK2 expression was associated with shorter overall and disease-specific survival in PDAC patients. Thus, miR-4653-3p associates with tumorigenesis and worse prognosis, partly by reducing HIPK2 expression.