bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effectiveness of gender-based violence prevention among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in Southeast Asia: A systematic review
Authors: Nguyen Hoa H. , To Kien G. , Hoang Van TH. , Gram Lu , Yount Kathryn M. 
Published: February 2025

AbstractBackgroundGender-based violence (GBV) is a major public health problem with wide-ranging negative physical and mental health consequences for survivors. The global economic costs of GBV are estimated at US$1.5 trillion. Adolescence is a period of high risk for GBV. The evidence-based GBV prevention programs among adolescents in Southeast Asia are not well understood. This paper synthesizes GBV prevention intervention studies in this region’s adolescents aged 10-19 years.MethodsA systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO were used to search for potential articles published until 3rdSeptember 2024. We screened identified articles following consistent inclusion and exclusion criteria. We assessed the risk of bias using the ROBINS-I tool for observational and quasi-experimental studies and the RoB 2 tool for randomized controlled trials.ResultsEight of 1689 identified articles were included in the review (five quasi-experimental designs, two pre-test and post-test designs, and one cluster randomized controlled trial). Most studies (7/8) focused on school-based educational programs. The risk of bias in the cluster randomized controlled trial was “some concern” level, compared with the moderate to serious level of the non-randomized studies. One pre-and post-test study directly measured GBV behaviour and found that children reported fewer experiences of physical assault (mean difference: 1.1; 95% CI: 0.6, 1.6) and psychological aggression (1.5; 0.8, 2.3) after the intervention. The remaining studies evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of participants as primary outcomes in sexual violence prevention programs. Three of four studies that assessed changes in knowledge showed significant improvements. Inconsistent findings were found in association with attitudes and skills of GBV intervention prevention programs.ConclusionsGBV intervention studies among adolescents in Southeast Asia are rare and evidence of effectiveness is generally weak. Rigorous RCTs that assess program impacts on GBV behaviour, as well as knowledge, attitudes, and skills, are needed. Programs that incorporate classroom activities and online learning with Facebook/Zalo/Instagram assignments and games may show promise for rigorous evaluation in Southeast Asia.RegistrationThis systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023476059).
Evidence for abstract codes in parietal cortex guiding prospective working memory
Authors: Lee Jongmin , De Vito David , Miller Jacob A. , Nee Derek Evan 
Published: February 2025

AbstractThe recent past helps us predict and prepare for the near future. Such preparation relies on working memory (WM) which actively maintains and manipulates information providing a temporal bridge. Numerous studies have shown that recently presented visual stimuli can be decoded from fMRI signals in visual cortex (VC) and the intra-parietal sulcus (IPS) suggesting that these areas sustain the recent past. Yet, decoding concrete, sensory signals leaves open how past information is transformed into the abstract codes critical for guiding future cognition. Here, human participants used WM to maintain a separate spatial location in each hemifield wherein locations were embedded in a star-shaped sequence. On each trial, participants made a sequence-match decision to a spatial probe and then updated their WM with the probe. The same abstract star-shaped sequence guided judgments in each hemifield allowing us to separately track concrete spatial locations (hemifield-specific) and abstract sequence positions (hemifield-general), while also tracking representation of the past (last location/position) and future (next location/position). Consistent with previous reports, concrete past locations could be decoded from VC and IPS. Moreover, in anticipation of the probe, representations shifted from past to future locations in both areas. Critically, we observed abstract coding of future sequence positions in the IPS whose magnitude related to speeded performance. These data suggest that the IPS sustains abstract codes to facilitate future preparation and reveal the transformation of the sensory past into the abstract future.
A large expert-annotated single-cell peripheral blood dataset for hematological disease diagnostics
Authors: Shetab Boushehri Sayedali , Gruber Armin , Kazeminia Salome , Matek Christian , Spiekermann Karsten , Pohlkamp Christian , Haferlach Torsten , Marr Carsten 
Published: February 2025

AbstractDistinguishing cell types in peripheral blood smears is critical for diagnosing blood diseases, such as leukemia subtypes. Artificial intelligence can assist in automating cell classification. For training robust machine learning algorithms, however, large and well-annotated single-cell datasets are pivotal.Here, we introduce a large, publicly available, annotated peripheral blood dataset comprising >40,000 single-cell images classified into 18 classes by cytomorphology experts from the Munich Leukemia Laboratory, the largest European laboratory for blood disease diagnostics. By making our dataset publicly available, we provide a valuable resource for medical and machine learning researchers and support the development of reliable and clinically relevant diagnostic tools for diagnosing hematological diseases.
Associations between residential segregation, ambient air pollution, and hippocampal features in recent trauma survivors
Authors: Liang Sophia S. , Roeckner Alyssa R. , Ely Timothy D. , Lebois Lauren A M. , van Rooij Sanne J H. , Bruce Steven E. , Jovanovic Tanja , House Stacey L. , Beaudoin Francesca L. , An Xinming , Neylan Thomas C. , Clifford Gari D. , Linnstaedt Sarah D. , Germine Laura T. , Rauch Scott L. , Haran John P. , Storrow Alan B. , Lewandowski Christopher , Musey Paul I. , Hendry Phyllis L. , Sheikh Sophia , Pascual Jose L. , Seamon Mark J. , Harris Erica , Pearson Claire , Peak David A. , Merchant Roland C. , Domeier Robert M. , Rathlev Niels K. , O’Neil Brian J. , Sergot Paulina , Sanchez Leon D. , Sheridan John F. , Harte Steven E. , Kessler Ronald C. , Koenen Karestan C. , McLean Samuel A. , Ressler Kerry J. , Stevens Jennifer S. , Webb E. Kate , Harnett Nathaniel G. 
Published: February 2025

AbstractBackgroundResidential segregation is associated with differential exposure to air pollution. Hippocampus structure and function are highly susceptible to pollutants and associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) development. Therefore, we investigated associations between residential segregation, air pollutants, hippocampal neurobiology, and PTSD in recent trauma survivors.MethodsParticipants (N= 278; 34% non-Hispanic white, 46% Non-Hispanic Black, 16% Hispanic) completed multimodal neuroimaging two weeks after trauma. Yearly averages of air pollutants (PM2.5and NO2) and racial/economic segregation (Index of Concentration at the Extremes) were derived from each participant’s address. Linear models assessed if air pollutants mediated associations between segregation and hippocampal volume, threat reactivity, or parahippocampal cingulum fractional anisotropy (FA) after covarying for age, sex, income, and 2-week PTSD symptoms. Further models evaluated if pollutants or segregation prospectively predicted PTSD symptoms six months post-trauma.ResultsNon-Hispanic Black participants lived in neighborhoods with significantly greater segregation and air pollution compared to Hispanic and non-Hispanic white participants (ps<.001). There was a significant indirect effect of NO2between segregation and FA values (β = 0.08, 95% CI[0.01, 0.15]), and an indirect effect of PM2.5between segregation and threat reactivity (β = -0.08, 95% CI[-0.14, -0.01]). There was no direct effect of segregation on hippocampal features. Pollutants and segregation were not associated with PTSD symptoms.ConclusionResidential segregation is associated with greater air pollution exposure, which is in turn associated with variability in hippocampal features among recent trauma survivors. Further research is needed to assess relationships between other environmental factors and trauma and stress-related disorders.
Disassembly of theEscherichia coliAcrABZ-TolC efflux pump by ligand-mediated disruption of TolC-AcrA interfacial contacts
Authors: Szal Tania , Petsolari Emmanouela , Veliks Janis , Cruz Cristina D. , Paunina Laura , Madre Marina , Rachad Fatima-Zahra , Lewe Philipp , Witt Susanne , Tammela Päivi , Jirgensons Aigars , Luisi Ben F. , Windshügel Björn 
Published: February 2025

AbstractThe outer membrane factor TolC is an essential component of various efflux pump complexes inE. coliand represents a potential target for antibiotic adjuvants. By means of a virtual screen for TolC-binding compounds, we identified the kinase inhibitor CEP- 37440 to shift the minimum inhibitory concentration of antibiotics piperacillin and levofloxacin inE. coli. To determine the substructure relevant for TolC binding, a hit deconstruction approach was applied, resulting in a fragment-like compound with low affinity for TolC and AcrB (LP-115). Dynamic light scattering revealed LP-115 to reduce the hydrodynamic radius of AcrABZ-TolC, indicating a disassembly of the efflux pump complex. A cryo-EM structure demonstrated LP-115 to bind at the TolC-AcrA interface within the AcrABZ-TolC complex, thereby disordering the interface and inducing a closed conformation of TolC. Our results suggest that ligand-mediated TolC-AcrA interface disruption represents a novel mechanism of efflux pump inhibition.
An antisense RNA regulates production of DnaA and affects sporulation inBacillus subtilis
Authors: Sedivy Emma L. , Smith Janet L. , Grossman Alan D. 
Published: February 2025

AbstractDnaA is the replication initiator and a transcription factor in virtually all bacteria. Although the synthesis and activity of DnaA are highly regulated, the mechanisms of regulation vary between organisms. We found that production of DnaA inBacillus subtilisis regulated by an antisense RNA that overlaps with the 5’ untranslated region upstream of thednaAopen reading frame. We initially observed this RNA in in vitro transcription experiments and found that its production was inhibited by DnaA. This RNA, now called ArrA forantisenseRNArepressor ofdnaA, is made in vivo. We identified thearrApromoter and made a mutation that greatly reduced (or eliminated) production of ArrA RNA in vitro and in vivo. In vivo, thisarrApromoter mutation caused an increase in the amount of mRNA and protein fromdnaAanddnaN, indicating thatarrAexpression normally inhibits expression of thednaA-dnaNoperon. ThearrAmutation also caused a delay in sporulation that was alleviated by loss ofsda, a sporulation-inhibitory gene that is directly activated by DnaA.arrAappears to be conserved in some members of theBacillusgenus, indicating thatarrAhas evolved in at least some endospore-forming bacteria to modulate production of DnaA and enable timely and robust sporulation.Author summaryDnaA is the highly conserved replication initiator and transcription factor found in virtually all bacteria. The synthesis and activity of DnaA are highly regulated, and different types of bacteria use different mechanisms to control this key protein. We found that DnaA production inBacillus subtilisis inhibited by an antisense RNA that overlaps with the 5’ untranslated region of thednaAmRNA. In the absence of this antisense RNA, there was an increase in the amount ofdnaAmRNA and protein. There was also a delay in sporulation that depends onsda, a sporulation-inhibitory gene that is directly activated by DnaA.arrAappears to be conserved in several members of theBacillusgenus, indicating that it has evolved to temper production DnaA and enable robust sporulation in these species.
A novelLeishmania infantumreference strain for gene editing and the study of visceral leishmaniasis
Authors: Thiam Rokhaya , Ceballos Maria Santana , Beneke Tom , Kuk Nada , Pasquier Grégoire , Crobu Lucien , Jeffares Daniel C , Vergnes Baptiste , Barckmann Bridlin , Sterkers Yvon 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTParasites of theLeishmania donovanicomplex are responsible for visceral leishmaniasis, a vector-borne disease transmitted through the bite of female phlebotomine sand flies. As well as the human hosts, these parasites infect many mammals which can serve as reservoirs. Dogs are particularly important reservoirs in Europe. Transmission is widespread across Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Mediterranean basin, including South of France. Visceral leishmaniasis poses a fatal threat if left untreated. Research into the pathophysiology of this neglected disease is of prime importance, as is the development of new drugs. In this study, we evaluated the growth, differentiation, and macrophage infectivity of fourL. donovanicomplex strains and identifiedL. infantumS9F1 (MHOM/MA/67/ITMAP263, clone S9F1) as a well-adapted strain for genetic engineering studies. We present here the genome sequence and annotation ofL infantumS9F1 T7 Cas9, providing the scientific community with easy access to its genomic information. The data has been integrated into the LeishGEdit online resource to support primer design for CRISPR-Cas9 experiments. We now aim to make this strain widely available to foster pathogenesis studies of visceral leishmaniasis.AUTHOR SUMMARYVisceral leishmaniasis is a disease caused by parasites of theLeishmania donovanicomplex. These parasites are spread to humans and animals through the bites of sand flies, and this disease affects millions of people worldwide, particularly in regions such as the Americas, Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean basin. If left untreated, it can be fatal. Researchers need to study the biology of the parasite that causes the disease to better understand how it develops and progresses. In this study, we identified aL. infantumstrain that is amenable to genetic modification in the laboratory and may serve as a representative model of the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis. We tested two CRISPR-Cas9 strategies on this strain, re-sequenced and annotated its genome, and made the data available on the LeishGEdit website. By sharing this strain with the research community, we aim to support further studies on the pathogenesis of visceral leishmaniasis.
The small GTPase Rab5 inhibits actin polymerization mediated by theLegionella pneumophilaeffector VipA
Authors: Saraiva Joana , Bugalhão Joana N. , Carvalho Teresa , Hensel Zach , Crevenna Alvaro , Mota L. Jaime , Franco Irina S. 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTLegionella pneumophilais a facultative intracellular Gram-negative bacterium that causes Legionnaires’ disease, one of the most severe manifestations of atypical pneumonia.L. pneumophilanaturally thrives within protozoan hosts in aquatic environments, which serve as reservoirs for bacterial replication and transmission. Inhalation of contaminated aerosols deliversL. pneumophilato the lungs where it is able to infect human alveolar macrophages and multiply intracellularly inside a membrane-bound compartment, theLegionella-containing vacuole (LCV). The main virulence factor of the bacteria is the Icm/Dot type IVb secretion system, responsible for the translocation of over 300 bacterial effector proteins into host cells. These effectors allow the remodelation of the LCV into a replication-competent compartment that seggregates from the phagolysosomal pathway.After being translocated into host cells,L. pneumophilaeffector VipA associates with early endosomes and F-actin. VipA increases the polymerization of actin filamentsin vitroby promoting the nucleation step without the requirement of additional partners, and impairs vesicle trafficking inSaccharomyces cerevisiae. In this work, we sought the interacting partners of VipA in early endosomes and explored the effects of this association. We found that VipA interacts directly to two key components of these organelles, the membrane lipid PI3P and the small GTPase Rab5. Binding to Rab5 requires the N-terminal region of VipA but not the C-terminal/actin-binding region. Furthermore, binding to Rab5 inhibits VipA-mediated actin polymerization by preventingde novoactin filament formation. These findings offer new insights into VipA’s mode of action and underscore the intricate interactions betweenL. pneumophilaeffectors and their host cell targets, namely the endocytic pathway.
Chronic social defeat causes dysregulation of systemic glucose metabolism via the cerebellar fastigial nucleus
Authors: Ishimoto Taiga , Abe Takashi , Nakamura Yuko , Tsuyama Tomonori , Kondoh Kunio , Kajitani Naoto , Yoshida Kaede , Takeuchi Yuichi , Kato Kan X. , Xu Shucheng , Koduki Maru , Ichimura Momoka , Itoi Takito , Shimba Kenta , Yamaguchi Yoshifumi , Minami Masabumi , Koike Shinsuke , Kasai Kiyoto , Ye Jessica J , Takebayashi Minoru , Yamagata Kazuya , Toda Chitoku 
Published: February 2025

AbstractChronic psychological stress leads to hyperglycemia through the endocrine and sympathetic nervous systems, which contributes to the development of type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Higher plasma corticosteroids after stress is one well-established driver of insulin resistance in peripheral tissues. However, previous studies have indicated that only a fraction of patients with depression and post-traumatic disorder (PTSD) who develop T2DM exhibit hypocortisolism, so corticosteroids do not fully explain psychological stress-induced T2DM. Here, we find that chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) in mice enhances gluconeogenesis, which is accompanied by a decrease in plasma insulin, an increase in plasma catecholamines, and a drop in plasma corticosterone levels. We further reveal that these metabolic and endocrinological changes are mediated by the activation of neurons projecting from the cerebellar fastigial nucleus (FN) to the medullary parasolitary nucleus (PSol). These neurons are crucial in shifting the body’s primary energy source from glucose to lipids. Additionally, data from patients with depression reveal correlations between the presence of cerebellar abnormalities and both worsening depressive symptoms and elevated HbA1c levels. These findings highlight a previously unappreciated role of the cerebellum in metabolic regulation and its importance as a potential therapeutic target in depression, PTSD, and similar psychological disorders.
Altered auditory feature discrimination in a rat model of Fragile X Syndrome
Authors: Walker Gauthier D. , James Noelle , Auerbach Benjamin D. 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTAtypical sensory processing, particularly in the auditory domain, is one of the most common and quality-of-life affecting symptoms seen in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is the leading inherited cause of ASD and a majority of FXS individuals present with auditory processing alterations. While auditory hypersensitivity is a common phenotype observed in FXS andFmr1KO rodent models, it is important to consider other auditory coding impairments that could contribute to sound processing difficulties and disrupted language comprehension in FXS. We have shown previously that aFmr1knockout (KO) rat model of FXS exhibits heightened sound sensitivity that coincided with abnormal perceptual integration of sound bandwidth, indicative of altered spectral processing. Frequency discrimination is a fundamental aspect of sound encoding that is important for a range of auditory processes, such as source segregation and speech comprehension, and disrupted frequency coding could thus contribute to a range of auditory issues in FXS and ASD. Here we explicitly characterized spectral processing deficits in maleFmr1KO rats using an operant conditioning tone discrimination assay andin vivoelectrophysiology recordings from the auditory cortex and inferior colliculus. We found thatFmr1KO rats exhibited poorer frequency resolution, which corresponded with neuronal hyperactivity and broader frequency tuning in auditory cortical but not collicular neurons. Using an experimentally informed population model, we show that these cortical physiological differences can recapitulate the observed behavior discrimination deficits, with decoder performance being tightly linked to differences in cortical tuning width and signal-to-noise ratios. These findings suggest that cortical hyperexcitability may account for a range of auditory behavioral phenotypes in FXS, providing a potential locus for development of novel biomarkers and treatment strategies that could extend to other forms of ASD.
A single-cell transcriptomic atlas of developing inhibitory neurons reveals expanding and contracting modes of diversification
Authors: Micoli Elia , Ferrero Restelli Facundo , Barbiera Giulia , Moors Rani , Nouboers Evelien , Du Jessica Xinyun , Bertels Hannah , Liu Minhui , Konstantopoulos Dimitris , Takeoka Aya , Lippi Giordiano , Lim Lynette 
Published: February 2025

AbstractThe cerebral cortex relies on vastly different types of inhibitory neurons to compute. How this diversity emerges during development remains an open question. The rarity of individual inhibitory neuron types often leads to their underrepresentation in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) datasets, limiting insights into their developmental trajectories. To address this problem, we developed a computational pipeline to enrich and integrate rare cell types across multiple datasets. Applying this approach to somatostatin-expressing (SST+) inhibitory neurons—the most diverse inhibitory cell class in the cortex—we constructed the Dev-SST-Atlas, a comprehensive resource containing mouse transcriptomic data of over 51,000 SST+ neurons. We identify three principal groups—Martinotti cells (MCs), non-Martinotti cells (nMCs), and long-range projecting neurons (LRPs)—each following distinct diversification trajectories. MCs commit early, with distinct embryonic and neonatal clusters that map directly to adult counterparts. In contrast, nMCs diversify gradually, with each developmental cluster giving rise to multiple adult cell types. LRPs follow a unique ‘contracting’ mode. Initially, two clusters are present until postnatal day 5 (P5), but by P7, one type is eliminated through programmed cell death, leaving a single surviving population. This transient LRP type is also found in the fetal human cortex, revealing an evolutionarily conserved feature of cortical development. Together, these findings highlight three distinct modes of SST+ neuron diversification—invariant, expanding, and contracting—offering a new framework to understand how the large repertoire of inhibitory neurons emerges during development.