bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparing dormancy in two distantly related tunicates reveals morphological, molecular, and ecological convergences and repeated co-option
Authors: Hiebert Laurel S. , Scelzo Marta , Alié Alexandre , De Tomaso Anthony W. , Brown Federico D. , Tiozzo Stefano 
Published: July 2022

AbstractMany asexually-propagating marine invertebrates can survive extreme environmental conditions by developing dormant structures, i.e., morphologically simplified bodies that retain the capacity to completely regenerate a functional adult when conditions return to normal. Here, we examine the environmental, morphological, and molecular characteristics of dormancy in two distantly related clonal tunicate species: Polyandrocarpa zorritensis and Clavelina lepadiformis. In both species, we report that the dormant structures are able to withstand harsher temperature and salinity conditions compared to the adults. The dormant structures are the dominant forms these species employ to survive adverse conditions when the zooids themselves cannot survive. While previous work shows C. lepadiformis dormant stage is present in winters in the Atlantic Ocean and summers in the Mediterranean, this study is the first to show a year-round presence of P. zorritensis dormant forms in NW Italy, even in the late winter when all zooids have disappeared. By finely controlling the entry and exit of dormancy in laboratory-reared individuals, we were able to select and characterize the morphology of dormant structures associated with their transcriptome dynamics. In both species, we identified putative stem and nutritive cells in structures that resemble the earliest stages of asexual propagation. By characterizing gene expression during dormancy and regeneration into the adult body plan (i.e., germination), we observed that genes which control dormancy and environmental sensing in other metazoans, notably HIF-α and insulin signaling genes, are also expressed in tunicate dormancy. Germination-related genes in these two species, such as the retinoic acid pathway, are also found in other unrelated clonal tunicates during asexual development. These results are suggestive of repeated co-option of conserved eco-physiological and regeneration programs for the origin of novel dormancy-germination processes across distantly related animal taxa.
Use-dependent increase in attention to the prosthetic foot in patients with lower limb amputation
Authors: Aizu Naoki , Oouchida Yutaka , Yamada Kouji , Nishii Kazuhiro , Izumi Shin-Ichi 
Published: July 2022

AbstractPatients with lower limb amputation experience “embodiment” while using a prosthesis, perceiving it as part of their body. Humans control their biological body parts and receive appropriate information by directing attention toward them, which is called body-specific attention. This study investigated whether patients with lower limb amputation similarly direct attention to prosthetic limbs. The participants were 11 patients with lower limb amputation who started training to walk with a prosthesis. Attention to the prosthetic foot was measured longitudinally by a visual detection task. In the initial stage of walking rehabilitation, the index of attention to the prosthetic foot was lower than that to the healthy foot. In the final stage, however, there was no significant difference between the two indexes of attention. Correlation analysis revealed that the longer the duration of prosthetic foot use, the greater the attention directed toward it. These findings indicate that using a prosthesis focuses attention akin to that of an individual’s biological limb. Moreover, they expressed that the prosthesis felt like a part of their body when they could walk independently. These findings suggest that the use of prostheses causes integration of visual information and movement about the prosthesis, resulting in its subjective embodiment.
Associations between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cognitive impairment and the effect modification of inflammation
Authors: Kang Sunghyuk , Kim Eosu , Cho Hanna , Kim Dae Jung , Kim Hyeon Chang , Jung Sun Jae 
Published: July 2022

AbstractThis study aimed to evaluate the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cognitive impairment and explore the effect modification by the inflammatory status. A total of 4400 community-based participants aged 50–64 years from the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Etiology Research Center were included in this cross-sectional study. NAFLD was identified as the Fatty Liver Index 30 or higher in the absence of excessive alcohol consumption. Cognitive impairment was defined as the total score of the Mini-Mental State Examination (cutoff 24). The inflammatory status was evaluated using white blood cell (WBC) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Stratified analyses by the WBC count (the highest quartile) and the hsCRP level (≥ 1.0 mg/dL vs. < 1.0 mg/dL) were conducted. Participants with NAFLD showed an increased prevalence of cognitive impairment (odds ratio [OR] = 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04–1.52) compared with the non-NAFLD population. In women, this association was significantly stronger in the highest quartile WBC group than in lower WBC group (OR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.19–2.74 vs. OR = 1.02; 95% CI = 0.78–1.33, p-interaction = 0.05). NAFLD was positively associated with a higher proportion of cognitive impairment, and this association was stronger in women with higher inflammatory status.
A functional spreadable canola and milk proteins oleogels as a healthy system for candy gummies
Authors: Salama Heba H. , Hashim Ayat F. 
Published: July 2022

AbstractRecently, interest and demand for healthy and useful food products have become a global requirement. Thus, the production of functional foods with high polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants is very challenging. In this study, four functional spreadable oleogels based on canola oil and milk proteins were developed. These spreadable oleogels were used as an innovative model for the preparation of candy gummies. The chemical composition, oxidative stability, and effects of storage conditions were studied. The results showed that the fat content in spreadable oleogels and gummies ranged from 35 to 47 and 2.40–4.15%, respectively. The protein content in spreadable doum and carrot was 7.41%, while it was 6.15% in the spreadable plain and ranged from 10.25 to 12.78% in gummies. The hardness of spreadable oleogels and gummies ranged from 0.3 to 0.9 and 6.22–16.30 N, respectively. Spreadable carrot and spreadable doum had peroxide values greater than 8 meqO2/kg after storage, whereas spreadable plain and spreadable canola oleogel had better oxidative stability. The antioxidant activity of spreadable oleogels and gummies ranged from 66.98–46.83% to 51.44–40.37%, respectively. In addition, transmission electron microscopy and polarized light microscopy micrographs showed the presence of a coherent entangled network between oleogels and nutritional polymers. The oil binding capacity of spreadable carrot oleogel had a maximum value of 97.89%, while formed gummies were higher than 99%. This study showed a promising way to make functional spreadable oleogels as a model for food products that are good for health and nutrition.
Human iPSC co-culture model to investigate the interaction between microglia and motor neurons
Authors: Vahsen Björn F. , Gray Elizabeth , Candalija Ana , Cramb Kaitlyn M. L. , Scaber Jakub , Dafinca Ruxandra , Katsikoudi Antigoni , Xu Yinyan , Farrimond Lucy , Wade-Martins Richard , James William S. , Turner Martin R. , Cowley Sally A. , Talbot Kevin 
Published: July 2022

AbstractMotor neuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are primarily characterized by motor neuron degeneration with additional involvement of non-neuronal cells, in particular, microglia. In previous work, we have established protocols for the differentiation of iPSC-derived spinal motor neurons and microglia. Here, we combine both cell lineages and establish a novel co-culture of iPSC-derived spinal motor neurons and microglia, which is compatible with motor neuron identity and function. Co-cultured microglia express key identity markers and transcriptomically resemble primary human microglia, have highly dynamic ramifications, are phagocytically competent, release relevant cytokines and respond to stimulation. Further, they express key amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated genes and release disease-relevant biomarkers. This novel and authentic human model system facilitates the study of physiological motor neuron-microglia crosstalk and will allow the investigation of non-cell-autonomous phenotypes in motor neuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for detection of the New Guinea fruit fly Bactrocera trivialis (Drew) (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: Starkie Melissa L. , Fowler Elizabeth V. , Zhu Xiaocheng , Agarwal Arati , Rako Lea , Schneider Isarena C. , Schutze Mark K. , Royer Jane E. , Gopurenko David , Gillespie Peter , Blacket Mark J. 
Published: July 2022

AbstractThe cue-lure-responding New Guinea fruit fly, Bactroceratrivialis, poses a biosecurity risk to neighbouring countries, e.g., Australia. In trapping programs, lure caught flies are usually morphologically discriminated from non-target species; however, DNA barcoding can be used to confirm similar species where morphology is inconclusive, e.g., Bactrocerabreviaculeus and B.rufofuscula. This can take days—and a laboratory—to resolve. A quicker, simpler, molecular diagnostic assay would facilitate a more rapid detection and potential incursion response. We developed LAMP assays targeting cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 3 Subunit L (EIF3L); both assays detected B.trivialis within 25 min. The BtrivCOI and BtrivEIF3L assay anneal derivatives were 82.7 ± 0.8 °C and 83.3 ± 1.3 °C, respectively, detecting down to 1 × 101 copies/µL and 1 × 103 copies/µL, respectively. Each assay amplified some non-targets from our test panel; however notably, BtrivCOI eliminated all morphologically similar non-targets, and combined, the assays eliminated all non-targets. Double-stranded DNA gBlocks were developed as positive controls; anneal derivatives for the COI and EIF3L gBlocks were 84.1 ± 0.7 °C and 85.8 ± 0.2 °C, respectively. We recommend the BtrivCOI assay for confirmation of suspect cue-lure-trapped B.trivialis, with BtrivEIF3L used for secondary confirmation when required.
Frankincense extract protects against testicular damage through augmentation of antioxidant defense mechanisms and modulation of apoptotic genes expression
Authors: Alharbi Samir Abdulkarim , Asad Mohammed , Abdelsalam Kamal Eldin Ahmed , Chandy Sunil , Ibrahim Monjid Ahmed 
Published: July 2022

AbstractFrankincense (Boswellia sacra Fluck.,) is traditionally used in the treatment of altered male fertile potential in several countries. This study evaluated the cytoprotective action of B. sacra oleo gum resin extract against cyclophosphamide (CP) induced testicular toxicity in rats (in-vivo) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced cytotoxicity in human Leydig cells (in-vitro). The methanolic extract of B. sacra was standardized for the presence of different boswellic acids using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and volatile constituents in the extract were detected by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Two doses of B. sacra extract were used in the in-vivo study. The HPLC analysis showed that extract contains about 36% w/w of total boswellic acids and GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of another 71 different constituents. Administration of B. sacra extract to rats increased serum testosterone levels, antioxidant enzyme activities, and sperm count with improved sperm quality in a dose-dependent manner, when compared to CP treated animals. Boswellia sacra extract also protected the human Leydig cells against LPS-induced damage and increased the expression of the Bcl-2 gene along with a decrease in caspase-3 gene expression. The results of this study show that B. sacra extract has a protective effect on the male reproductive system.
A phase‐shift modulated series resonant converter achieving zero‐voltage and zero‐current switching for wide output voltage range battery charging applications
Authors: Liang Yanke , Liu Xu , Lyu Shixuan 
Published: July 2022

AbstractIn this article, a phase‐shift modulated zero‐voltage and zero‐current switching (ZVZCS) series resonant converter (SRC) was proposed for constant current (CC) and constant voltage (CV) charging operating at the series resonant frequency. Wide output voltage range is achieved by adjusting the duty cycle of the primary inverter for CC charging and unity gain is for CV charging at full duty cycle. By tuning resonant tank parameters, discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) and boundary conduction mode (BCM) are obtained in CC charging and CV charging, respectively, which ensures zero‐current switching (ZCS) of rectifier diodes and nearly ZCS of leading leg in whole charging profile. Meanwhile, a constant triangular current provided by a novel auxiliary circuit is used to implement zero‐voltage switching (ZVS) for all primary MOSFETs with a reduced conduction loss. The auxiliary current is independent of duty cycle and load variation. Compared with the conventional ZVZCS phase‐shift full‐bridge converter with capacitive output filter, smaller conduction loss and turn‐off loss can be obtained in battery charging profile. Detailed circuit operation principles and model analysis are presented. A 100 kHz/1 kW prototype is built to verify the performance.
An FPGA‐based JPEG preprocessing accelerator for image classification
Authors: Li Tian‐Yang , Zhang Fan , Guo Wei , Shen Jian‐Liang , Sun Ming‐Qian 
Published: July 2022

AbstractThe FPGA‐based image classification accelerator has achieved success in many practical applications. However, most accelerators focus on solving the problem of convolution computation efficiency. End‐to‐end image classification involves many non‐convolutional operations, which can also become performance bottlenecks. Therefore, the authors propose an FPGA‐based JPEG preprocessing accelerator, which can accelerate non‐convolution operations of JPEG before feature extraction. To improve throughput and energy efficiency, four hardware structures are adopted in the design: 1) adaptive image block; 2) fast IDCT; 3) image block buffer; and 4) image block self‐location. The proposed design is evaluated on Xilinx XCZU7EV. The authors compare it with the optimized implementation of CPU and GPU, and the energy efficiency is improved by 23.07 times and 4.21 times, respectively. The throughput is 2.52 times better than the CPU implementation. And the authors demonstrate its practicality through a case study of image classification. These experimental results demonstrate its superior performance in terms of throughput and energy efficiency.
Stirring the base of the solar wind: On heat transfer and vortex formation
Authors: Finley A. J. , Brun A. S. , Carlsson M. , Szydlarski M. , Hansteen V. , Shoda M. 
Published: July 2022

Context.Current models of the solar wind must approximate (or ignore) the small-scale dynamics within the solar atmosphere; however, these are likely important in shaping the emerging wave-turbulence spectrum that ultimately heats and accelerates the coronal plasma.Aims.This study strives to make connections between small-scale vortex motions at the base of the solar wind and the resulting heating and acceleration of the coronal plasma.Methods.TheBifrostcode produces realistic simulations of the solar atmosphere which facilitate the analysis of spatial and temporal scales which are currently at, or beyond, the limit of modern solar telescopes. For this study, theBifrostsimulation is configured to represent the solar atmosphere in a coronal hole region, from which the fast solar wind emerges. The simulation extends from the upper-convection zone (2.5 Mm below the photosphere) to the low corona (14.5 Mm above the photosphere), with a horizontal extent of 24 Mm × 24 Mm. The network of magnetic funnels in the computational domain influence the movement of plasma, as well as the propagation of magnetohydrodynamic waves into the low corona.Results.The twisting of the coronal magnetic field by photospheric flows efficiently injects energy into the low corona. Poynting fluxes of up to 2 − 4 kWm−2are commonly observed inside twisted magnetic structures with diameters in the low corona of 1–5 Mm. Torsional Alfvén waves are favourably transmitted along these structures, and subsequently escape into the solar wind. However, reflections of these waves from the upper boundary condition make it difficult to unambiguously quantify the emerging Alfvén wave-energy flux.Conclusions.This study represents a first step in quantifying the conditions at the base of the solar wind usingBifrostsimulations. It is shown that the coronal magnetic field is readily braided and twisted by photospheric flows. Temperature and density contrasts form between regions with active stirring motions and those without. Stronger whirlpool-like flows in the convection, concurrent with magnetic concentrations, launch torsional Alfvén waves up through the magnetic funnel network, which are expected to enhance the turbulent generation of magnetic switchbacks in the solar wind.
Population synthesis of pulsar wind nebulae and pulsar halos in the Milky Way
Authors: Martin Pierrick , Tibaldo Luigi , Marcowith Alexandre , Abdollahi Soheila 
Published: July 2022

Context.The discovery of extended gamma-ray emission toward a number of middle-aged pulsars suggests the possibility of long-lived particle confinement beyond the classical pulsar wind nebula (PWN) stage. How this emerging source class can be extrapolated to a Galactic population remains unclear.Aims.We aim to evaluate how pulsar halos fit in existing TeV observations, under the assumption that all middle-aged pulsars develop halos similar to those observed toward the J0633+1746 or B0656+14 pulsars.Methods.We modeled the populations of supernova remnants, PWNe, and pulsar halos in the Milky Way. The PWN-halo evolutionary sequence is described in a simple yet coherent framework, and both kinds of objects are assumed to share the same particle injection properties. We then assessed the contribution of the different source classes to the very-high-energy emission from the Galaxy.Results.The synthetic population can be made consistent with the flux distribution of all known objects, including unidentified objects, for a reasonable set of parameters. The fraction of the populations predicted to be detectable in surveys of the Galactic plane with HESS and HAWC is then found to be in good agreement with their actual outcome, with a number of detectable halos ranging from 30 to 80% of the number of detectable PWNe. Prospects for CTA involve the detection of 250 − 300 sources in the Galactic Plane Survey, including 170 PWNe and up to 100 halos. The extent of diffusion suppression in halos has a limited impact on such prospects but its magnitude has a strong influence. The level of diffuse emission from unresolved populations in each survey is found to be dominated by halos and comparable to large-scale interstellar radiation powered by cosmic rays above 0.1–1 TeV.Conclusions.Pulsar halos are shown to be viable counterparts to a fraction of the currently unidentified sources if they develop around most middle-aged pulsars. Yet, if the phenomenon is rare, with an occurrence rate of 5 − 10% as suggested in a previous work from the local positron flux constraint, the total number of currently known TeV sources including unidentified ones cannot be accounted for in our model from young PWNe only. This calls for continued efforts to model pulsar-powered emission along the full evolutionary path, including the late stages past the young nebula phase.
Structural variation and spatial polysaccharide profiling of intervessel pit membranes in grapevine
Authors: Sun Qiang 
Published: July 2022

Abstract

Background and Aims
Intervessel pit membranes (PMs) are important cell wall structures in the vessel system that may impact a plant’s water transport and its susceptibility to vascular diseases. Functional roles of intervessel PMs largely depend on their structure and polysaccharide composition, which are the targets of this study.

Methods
With grapevine used as a model plant, this study applied an immunogold-scanning electron microscopy technique to simultaneously analyse at high resolution intervessel PM structures and major pectic and hemicellulosic polysaccharides that make up intervessel PMs.

Key Results
Intervessel PMs in functional xylem showed significant structural variation, with about 90 % of them being structurally intact with smooth or relatively smooth surfaces and the remaining 10 % with progressively degraded structures. The results also elucidated details of the removal process of cell wall materials from the intervessel PM surface toward its depth during its natural degradation. Four groups of pectic and hemicellulosic polysaccharides were immunolocalized in intervessel PMs and differed in their spatial distribution and abundance. Weakly methyl-esterified homogalacturonans (WMe-HGs, detected by JIM5) were abundant in the surface layer, heavily methyl-esterified homogalacturonans (HMe-HGs, detected by JIM7) and xylans detected by CCRC-M140 were mostly found in deeper layers, and fucosylated xyloglucans (F-XyGs, detected by CCRC-M1) were more uniformly distributed at different depths of the intervessel PM.

Conclusions
Intervessel PMs displayed diverse structural variations in grapevine. They contained certain major groups of pectic and hemicellulosic polysaccharides with different spatial distributions and abundance. This information is crucial to reveal the polysaccharide profiling of the primary cell wall and to understand the roles of intervessel PMs in the regulation of water transport as well as in a plant’s susceptibility to vascular diseases.
The Western Australia Olfactory Memory Test: Reliability and Validity in a Sample of Older Adults
Authors: Seneviratne Rasangi , Weinborn Michael , Badcock David R , Gavett Brandon E , Laws Manuela , Taddei Kevin , Martins Ralph N , Sohrabi Hamid R 
Published: July 2022

Abstract

Objective
The Western Australia Olfactory Memory Test (WAOMT) is a newly developed test designed to meet a need for a comprehensive measure of olfactory episodic memory (OEM) for clinical and research applications.

Method
This study aimed to establish the psychometric properties of the WAOMT in a sample of 209 community-dwelling older adults. An independent sample of 27 test-naïve participants were recruited to assess test retest reliability (between 7 and 28 days). Scale psychometric properties were examined using item response theory methods, combined samples (final N = 241). Convergent validity was assessed by comparing performance on the WAOMT with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery of domains (verbal and visual episodic memory, and odor identification), as well as other neuropsychological skills. Based on previous literature, it was predicted that the WAOMT would be positively correlated with conceptually similar cognitive domains.

Results
The WAOMT is a psychometrically sound test with adequate reliability properties and demonstrated convergent validity with tests of verbal and episodic memory and smell identification. Patterns of performance highlight learning and memory characteristics unique to OEM (e.g., learning curves, cued and free recall).

Conclusion
Clinical and research implications include streamlining future versions of the WAOMT to ease patient and administrative burden, and the potential to reliably detect early neuropathological changes in healthy older adults with nonimpaired OEM abilities.