bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A pachyderm perfume: odour encodes identity and group membership in African elephants
Authors: von Dürckheim Katharina E. M. , Hoffman Louwrens C. , Poblete-Echeverría Carlos , Bishop Jacqueline M. , Goodwin Thomas E. , Schulte Bruce A. , Leslie Alison 
Published: October 2022

AbstractGroup-living animals that live in complex social systems require effective modes of communication to maintain social cohesion, and several acoustic, olfactory and visual signaling systems have been described. Individuals need to discriminate between in- and out-group odour to both avoid inbreeding and to identify recipients for reciprocal behaviour. The presence of a unique group odour, identified in several social mammals, is a proposed mechanism whereby conspecifics can distinguish group from non-group members. African elephants (Loxodonta africana) live in stable, socially complex, multi-female, fission–fusion groups, characterized by female philopatry, male dispersal and linear dominance hierarchies. Elephant social behaviour suggests that individuals use odour to monitor the sex, reproductive status, location, health, identity and social status of conspecifics. To date, it is not clear what fixed or variable information is contained in African elephant secretions, and whether odour encodes kinship or group membership information. Here we use SPME GC–MS generated semiochemical profiles for temporal, buccal and genital secretions for 113 wild African elephants and test their relationship with measures of genetic relatedness. Our results reveal the existence of individual identity odour profiles in African elephants as well as a signature for age encoded in temporal gland and buccal secretions. Olfactory signatures for genetic relatedness were found in labial secretions of adult sisters. While group odour was not correlated with group genetic relatedness, our analysis identified “group membership” as a significant factor explaining chemical differences between social groups. Saturated and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), derived from key volatile compounds from bacterial fermentation, were identified in temporal, buccal and genital secretions suggesting that group odour in African elephants may be the result of bacterial elements of the gut microbiome. The frequent affiliative behavior of African elephants is posited as a likely mechanism for bacterial transmission. Our findings favour flexible group-specific bacterial odours, which have already been proposed for other social mammals and present a useful form of olfactory communication that promotes bond group cohesion among non-relatives in fission–fusion mammals.
Electrochemical characterization of leached steel-making sludge
Authors: Langová Šárka , Kostura Bruno , Raška Pavel , Matýsek Dalibor , Novák Vlastimil , Ritz Michal , Krčmář Jiří 
Published: October 2022

AbstractIn this work, the electrochemical properties of the leached sludge, magnetite and zinc ferrite were studied. Acetic acid was used as a leaching reagent because, in recent years, there has been a surge of interest in using zinc-containing materials as photocatalysts, with acetic acid finding application in their preparation. Various methodological approaches were used, but the best results were achieved with a combination of 1–3 h leaching in 0.01 M acetic acid with a solid/liquid ratio of 500. In this arrangement, zincite was almost completely removed from the sludge, while zinc ferrite and magnetite remained in the solid residue. Ex situ analyses of the main leaching products were performed by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry. The electrochemical behaviour of solid residue and model systems, that are micromagnetite and zinc ferrite, was studied in alkaline media by means of modified carbon paste electrodes, cyclic voltammetry, and chronocoulometry, with a suitable potential window ranging from 0 to 1.5 V. In summary, a linear dependence of the anodic and cathodic peak height on the square root of the scan rate was found. The position of the anodic and cathodic peaks shifted slightly with scan rate, only at low rates, up to 25 mV/s, the individual peaks coincided. The electrochemical response suggested a quasireversible process.
Disposable electrocatalytic sensor for whole blood NADH monitoring
Authors: Lee JuKyung , Suh Han Na , Ahn Saeyoung , Park Hye Bin , Lee Jeong Yoon , Kim Hyung Jin , Kim Sang Hee 
Published: October 2022

AbstractMonitoring nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is important because NADH is involved in cellular redox reactions and cellular energy production. Currently, few biosensors quantify NADH in whole blood. However, they still have limitations due to several defects, including poor repeatability, long analysis time, and their requirement of extra sample pretreatment. In this study, we developed electrocatalytic sensors using screen-printed electrodes with a redox-active monolayer 4′-mercapto-N-phenylquinone diamine formed by a self-assembled monolayer of a 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP). We exhibited their behavior as electrocatalysts toward the oxidation of NADH in whole blood. Finally, the electrocatalytic sensors maintained stability and exhibited 3.5 µM limit of detection, with 0.0076 ± 0.0006 µM/µA sensitivity in a mouse’s whole blood. As proof of concept, a polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate–treated mouse model was used to induce inflammatory and fibrotic responses, and NADH level was measured for 45 days. This work demonstrates the potential of electrocatalytic sensors to analyze NADH in whole blood and to be developed for extensive applications.
Torque generating properties of Tetrahymena ciliary three-headed outer-arm dynein
Authors: Yamaguchi Shin , Yamagishi Masahiko , Yajima Junichiro 
Published: October 2022

AbstractEukaryotic cilia/flagella are cellular bio-machines that drive the movement of microorganisms. Molecular motor axonemal dyneins in the axoneme, which consist of an 9 + 2 arrangement of microtubules, play an essential role in ciliary beating. Some axonemal dyneins have been shown to generate torque coupled with the longitudinal motility of microtubules across an array of dyneins fixed to the coverglass surface, resulting in a corkscrew-like translocation of microtubules. In this study, we performed three-dimensional tracking of a microbead coated with axonemal outer-arm dyneins on a freely suspended microtubule. We found that microbeads coated with multiple outer-arm dyneins exhibited continuous right-handed helical trajectories around the microtubule. This unidirectional helical motion differs from that of other types of cytoplasmic dyneins, which exhibit bidirectional helical motility. We also found that, in an in vitro microtubule gliding assay, gliding microtubules driven by outer-arm dyneins tend to turn to the left, causing a curved path, suggesting that the outer-arm dynein itself is able to rotate on its own axis. Two types of torque generated by the axonemal dyneins, corresponding to the forces used to rotate the microtubule unidirectionally with respect to the long and short axes, may regulate ciliary beating with complex waveforms.
A miniature fluorescence microscope for multi-plane imaging
Authors: Barbera Giovanni , Jun Rachel , Zhang Yan , Liang Bo , Li Yun , Lin Da-Ting 
Published: October 2022

AbstractMiniature fluorescence microscopes are becoming an increasingly established tool to investigate neural circuits in freely moving animals. In this work we present a lightweight one-photon microscope capable of imaging at different focal depths. The focal plane can be changed dynamically by modulating the pulse width of the control signal to a variable focus liquid lens, which is synchronized to the image sensor to enable changing focal plane between frames. The system was tested by imaging GCaMP7f expressing neurons in the mouse medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in vivo during open field test. Results showed that with the proposed design it is possible to image neurons across an axial scan of ~ 60 μm, resulting in a ~ 40% increase of total neurons imaged compared to single plane imaging.
Study on the geometry characteristics of soil primary mineral particles under cryogenic action
Authors: Zhai Jinbang , Zhang ShengRong , Zhang Ze , Melnikov Andrey , Li Hang 
Published: October 2022

AbstractRepeated freeze–thaw causes the fragmentation and aggregation of soil particles, which affect particle shape (aspect ratio, roundness, etc.), and this process is a cryogenic weathering process. Changes in soil particle morphology record information about freeze–thaw processes and have the unique characteristics of freeze–thaw traces. To prove this conjecture, four soil specimens were selected in the experiment, and each specimen was studied after 0, 5, 10, 50 and 100 freeze–thaw cycles. The test results show that: Freeze–thaw will change the aspect ratio of particles, and the aspect ratio of particles is mainly distributed between 1 and 4. The particles with aspect ratio of 1.26 are stable and not easy to fragment, and the particles with aspect ratio more than 4 are easy to fragment. The freeze–thaw effect leads to changes in particle roundness, with different manners of change for the four specimens, but all undergo repeated freeze–thaw fragmenting and rounding process. Repeated freezing and thawing can not only lead to fragmentation particle edges and increased particle roundness, but also to fragmentation large-size particles and reduced particle roundness. Compared with the roundness before freeze–thaw and after 100 cycles of freeze–thaw, the coarse sand grains increased the most in roundness, indicating that the large grain size grains showed the most rounding. This study helps to understand the geometric characteristics of soil primary mineral particles under the action of cryogenic environments, and also helps to discern whether the particles have experienced the action of cryogenic environments, which is important for the study of cryogenic soil in cold environments.
Identidication of novel biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer using machine learning
Authors: Wang Fangwei , Su Qisheng , Li Chaoqian 
Published: October 2022

AbstractLung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for a large proportion of lung cancer cases, with few diagnostic and therapeutic targets currently available for NSCLC. This study aimed to identify specific biomarkers for NSCLC. We obtained three gene-expression profiles from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GSE18842, GSE21933, and GSE32863) and screened for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between NSCLC and normal lung tissue. Enrichment analyses were performed using Gene Ontology, Disease Ontology, and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. Machine learning methods were used to identify the optimal diagnostic biomarkers for NSCLC using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression, and support vector machine recursive feature elimination. CIBERSORT was used to assess immune cell infiltration in NSCLC and the correlation between biomarkers and immune cells. Finally, using western blot, small interfering RNA, Cholecystokinin-8, and transwell assays, the biological functions of biomarkers with high predictive value were validated. A total of 371 DEGs (165 up-regulated genes and 206 down-regulated genes) were identified, and enrichment analysis revealed that these DEGs might be linked to the development and progression of NSCLC.ABCA8, ADAMTS8, ASPA, CEP55, FHL1, PYCR1, RAMP3, andTPX2genes were identified as novel diagnostic biomarkers for NSCLC. Monocytes were the most visible activated immune cells in NSCLC. The knockdown of theTPX2gene, a biomarker with a high predictive value, inhibited A549 cell proliferation and migration. This study identified eight potential diagnostic biomarkers for NSCLC. Further, theTPX2gene may be a therapeutic target for NSCLC.
Silvopastoral systems and remnant forests enhance carbon storage in livestock-dominated landscapes in Mexico
Authors: Aryal Deb Raj , Morales-Ruiz Danilo Enrique , López-Cruz Susana , Tondopó-Marroquín César Noe , Lara-Nucamendi Alejandra , Jiménez-Trujillo José Antonio , Pérez-Sánchez Edwin , Betanzos-Simon Juan Edduardo , Casasola-Coto Francisco , Martínez-Salinas Alejandra , Sepúlveda-López Claudia Janeth , Ramírez-Díaz Roselia , La O Arias Manuel Alejandro , Guevara-Hernández Francisco , Pinto-Ruiz René , Ibrahim Muhammad 
Published: October 2022

AbstractA large area of the terrestrial land surface is used for livestock grazing. Trees on grazing lands provide and can enhance multiple ecosystem services such as provisioning, cultural and regulating, that include carbon sequestration. In this study, we assessed the above- and belowground carbon stocks across six different land-uses in livestock-dominated landscapes of Mexico. We measured tree biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in fodder banks, live fences, pasturelands with dispersed trees, secondary forests, and primary forests from three different geographical regions and compared them with conventional open pasturelands respectively. We also calculated tree diversity indices for each land-use and their similarity with native primary forests. The aboveground woody biomass stocks differed significantly between land-uses and followed the gradient from less diverse conventional open pasturelands to silvopastoral systems and ecologically complex primary forests. The SOC stocks showed a differential response to the land-use gradient dependent on the study region. Multivariate analyses showed that woody biomass, fine root biomass, and SOC concentrations were positively related, while land-use history and soil bulk density showed an inverse relationship to these variables. Silvopastoral systems and forest remnants stored 27–163% more carbon compared to open pasturelands. Our results demonstrate the importance of promoting appropriate silvopastoral systems and conserving forest remnants within livestock-dominated landscapes as a land-based carbon mitigation strategy. Furthermore, our findings also have important implications to help better manage livestock-dominated landscapes and minimize pressures on natural protected areas and biodiversity in the hotspots of deforestation for grassland expansion.
Mechanical properties of murine hippocampal subregions investigated by atomic force microscopy and in vivo magnetic resonance elastography
Authors: Morr Anna S. , Nowicki Marcin , Bertalan Gergely , Vieira Silva Rafaela , Infante Duarte Carmen , Koch Stefan Paul , Boehm-Sturm Philipp , Krügel Ute , Braun Jürgen , Steiner Barbara , Käs Josef A. , Fuhs Thomas , Sack Ingolf 
Published: October 2022

AbstractThe hippocampus is a very heterogeneous brain structure with different mechanical properties reflecting its functional variety. In particular, adult neurogenesis in rodent hippocampus has been associated with specific viscoelastic properties in vivo and ex vivo. Here, we study the microscopic mechanical properties of hippocampal subregions using ex vivo atomic force microscopy (AFM) in correlation with the expression of GFP in presence of the nestin promoter, providing a marker of neurogenic activity. We further use magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) to investigate whether in vivo mechanical properties reveal similar spatial patterns, however, on a much coarser scale. AFM showed that tissue stiffness increases with increasing distance from the subgranular zone (p = 0.0069), and that stiffness is 39% lower in GFP than non-GFP regions (p = 0.0004). Consistently, MRE showed that dentate gyrus is, on average, softer than Ammon´s horn (shear wave speed = 3.2 ± 0.2 m/s versus 4.4 ± 0.3 m/s, p = 0.01) with another 3.4% decrease towards the subgranular zone (p = 0.0001). The marked reduction in stiffness measured by AFM in areas of high neurogenic activity is consistent with softer MRE values, indicating the sensitivity of macroscopic mechanical properties in vivo to micromechanical structures as formed by the neurogenic niche of the hippocampus.
Adaptability and sustainability of machine learning approaches to traffic signal control
Authors: Korecki Marcin 
Published: October 2022

AbstractThis study investigates how adaptable Machine Learning Traffic Signal control methods are to topological variability. We ask how well can these methods generalize to non-Manhattan-like networks with non-uniform distances between intersections. A Machine Learning method that is highly reliable in various topologies is proposed and compared with state-of-the-art alternatives. Lastly, we analyze the sustainability of different traffic signal control methods based on computational efforts required to achieve convergence and perform training and testing. We show that our method achieves an approximately seven-fold improvement in terms of CO$$_2$$2emitted in training over the second-best method.
Pore topology, volume expansion and pressure development in chemically-induced foam cements
Authors: Han WooJin , Park Junghee , Cha Wonjun , Lee Jong-Sub , Santamarina J. Carlos 
Published: October 2022

AbstractFoam cement is an engineered lightweight material relevant to a broad range of engineering applications. This study explores the effects of aluminum chips on cement-bentonite slurry expansion, pressure development, and the evolution of pore topology. The terminal volume expansion under free-boundary conditions or the pressure build up under volume-controlled conditions are a function of the aluminum mass ratio, bentonite mass ratio, and aluminum chip size. X-ray CT images show that finer aluminum chips create smaller pores but result in a larger volume expansion than when larger sized chips are used; on the other hand, large chip sizes result in unreacted residual aluminum. Time-lapse CT images clearly show the sequence of processes which lead to the development of foam cement: gas bubble nucleation, bubble growth, capillary-driven grain displacement enhanced by the presence of bentonite, coalescence, percolation, gas leakage and pore collapse. These results illustrate the potential to customize the mixture composition of chemically-induced gassy cement to control expansion and pressure build up, and to minimize percolating discontinuities and gas release.
Neuroinflammation and neuroprogression produced by oxidative stress in euthymic bipolar patients with different onset disease times
Authors: Lima Daniela Delwing-de , Cyrino Luiz Arthur Rangel , Ferreira Gabriela Kozuchovski , Magro Débora Delwing Dal , Calegari Claudia Regina , Cabral Heloisi , Cavichioli Natalia , Ramos Silvia Aparecida , Ullmann Oliver Matheus , Mayer Yasmin , Pscheidt Luana Carla , Schramm Maria Augusta , Tomasi Maria Cecília , Stammerjohann Felipe Luis Schmoller , Delmonego Larissa , Packer Maria Helena , Fiamoncini Heloiza 
Published: October 2022

AbstractBipolar disorder (BD) is associated with systemic toxicity, represented by changes in biomarkers associated with mood episodes, leading to neurological damage, which may reflect cognitive functions and functionality and the progression of the disease. We aimed to analyze the effect of four biomarkers, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBA-RS), related to oxidative stress in BD and to correlate them with cognitive functions and functionality. We studied 50 bipolar types I/II patients in the euthymic phase, which was divided into two subgroups with 25 patients each (≤ 3 years and ≥ 10 years of diagnosis, from the first episode of mania) and 25 control patients. To analyze frontal cognitive functions and functionality, we used the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST) tests, respectively. The scores of the FAST and FAB tests showed an increase and decrease respectively, in both bipolar groups, when compared to the control group, demonstrating impairment in cognitive functions and functionality since the disease onset. In addition, changes occurred in all six domains of the FAST test, and in four domains of the FAB test in bipolar patients when compared to the control group. Regarding oxidative stress biomarkers, we did not find changes in SOD and GSH-Px activities; however, a significant increase in CAT activity and lipid peroxidation was observed in both groups, although the patients were euthymic and medicated. These results allow us to raise the hypothesis that since the beginning of the disease, the euthymic bipolar patient has presented a level of oxidative stress, which gets worse with the evolution of the disease, promoting impairments in the frontal cognitive functions and functionality gradually.
Domestication of captive-bred masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou masou (Salmonidae) leads to a significant decrease in numbers of lateral line organs
Authors: Nakae Masanori , Hasegawa Koh , Miyamoto Kouta 
Published: October 2022

AbstractBecause captive-bred animals gradually adapt to artificial rearing environments due to evolving life history traits, such individuals sometimes show lessened performance in natural environments. The lateral line system, one of the principal sensory organs of fishes, varies according to habitat environments, sometimes differing even within the same species. A reduction in lateral line elements may also occur in successive generations of captive-bred fish. Such a reduction, involving neuromasts over the entire body, was examined for the first time in captive-bred masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou masou. The total number of neuromasts in captive-bred fish was ca. 10% lower than in wild-caught and F1 fishes, suggesting that the system in captive-bred fish had reduced in number due to domestication. Furthermore, differences in total neuromast numbers between captive-bred and wild fish were greater than between anadromous and fluvial populations of the species. The lower number of neuromasts could be one of the reasons behind the lower survival of captive-bred fish in natural environments.
Periodical propagation of torsion in polymer gels
Authors: Yamada Yuhei , Otsuka Yuji , Mao Zebing , Maeda Shingo 
Published: October 2022

AbstractGel actuators have potential in soft robotics. Although gel actuators can realize various motions like contraction, expansion, and bending, most require external inputs such as batteries and circuits. Herein we propose a periodical torsional motion hydrogel driven by chemical energy from the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. Our BZ gel system exhibits autonomous motion without a battery. The elastic moduli of the redox states of the BZ gel are investigated using stress–strain analysis. An experimental system, which integrates the BZ gel and two PDMS (dimethylpolysiloxane) rotators, is designed to evaluate torsion angles. The experimental pre-twist angle dependence of the rotary motion is compared with a theoretical rotation model. The results agree qualitatively. This study should contribute to the development of soft actuators without external components.