julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Ecologically-mediated collective action in commons with tipping elements
2024-02-28

Collective, cooperative action is critical to sustaining the commons safely away from dangerous tipping elements. Previous work has found a variety of mechanisms for the emergence of cooperation through social interactions. Yet, they cannot always work. Here, we present a theory of ecologically-mediated collective action in commons with tipping elements. We show that even without any direct social interactions, commons with tipping elements can result in a plurality of social incentive regimes, some beneficial for collective conservation, others detrimental. We underpin all incentive regimes with dynamic and boundedly rational collective reinforcement learning. We highlight how our theory can be applied to an ecologically-mediated governance of the commons. Our theory predicts the existence of social tipping points at which collective cooperation becomes self-enforcing and self-sustaining, enabled only by the actors' environmental embeddedness.
Stochastic cell-intrinsic stem cell decisions control colony growth in planarians
2024-02-28

Abstract Stem cells contribute to organismal homeostasis by balancing division, self-renewal and differentiation. Elucidating the strategies by which stem cells achieve this balance is critical for understanding homeostasis, and for addressing pathogenesis associated with the disruption of this balance (e.g., cancer). Planarians, highly regenerative flatworms, use pluripotent stem cells called neoblasts to maintain and regrow organs. A single neoblast can rescue an entire animal depleted from stem cells and regenerate all cell lineages. How neoblast differentiation and clonal expansion are governed to produce all the required cell types is unclear. Here, we integrated experimental and computational approaches to develop a quantitative model revealing basic principles of clonal growth of individual neoblasts. By experimentally suppressing differentiation to major lineages, we elucidated the interplay between colony growth and lineage decisions. Our findings suggest that neoblasts select their progenitor lineage based on a cell-intrinsic fate distribution. Arresting differentiation into specific lineages disrupts neoblast proliferative capacity without inducing compensatory expression of other lineages. Our analysis of neoblast colonies is consistent with a cell-intrinsic decision model that can operate without memory or communication between neoblasts. This simple cell fate decision process breaks down in homeostasis, likely because of the activity of feedback mechanisms. Our findings uncover essential principles of stem cell regulation in planarians, which are distinct from those observed in many vertebrate models. These mechanisms enable robust production of diverse cell types and facilitate regeneration of missing tissues.
When can we and when do we adapt? Evidence that conflict adaptation can transcend contexts early in childhood.
2024-02-28

*This manuscript is not yet published* Developing the ability to focus on relevant information and ignore irrelevant information is crucial for navigating an ever-changing environment. This skill, cognitive control, can be studied using conflict tasks in which the relevant and irrelevant information in a trial either align or compete (congruency). Performance in these tasks can be affected not only by the current trial’s congruency but also by the previous trial’s congruency. In adults, this conflict adaptation has been reported to occur between trials of the same task and different tasks. The goal of this study was to study the development and flexibility of cognitive control by assessing conflict adaptation across different age groups and contexts. Two groups of children (aged 6 and 9 years) and one group of adults processed adaptations of the Stroop and Simon tasks and the resulting mouse-tracking variables (total movement time, initiation time, maximum absolute deviation values) were analysed. Across three experiments different context similarities were created depending on which tasks were combined. The results indicate that within-task conflict adaptation does not change qualitatively between 6-year-olds and adults. In contrast, across-task conflict adaptation does. Of note, transfer effects across very different contexts were observed in the youngest group of children, suggesting remarkable flexibility of cognitive control even early in development.
Statistical learning of incidental perceptual regularities induces sensory conditioned cortical responses
2024-02-28

ABSTRACT Statistical learning of sensory patterns can lead to predictive neural processes enhancing stimulus perception and enabling fast deviancy detection. Predictive processes have been extensively demonstrated when environmental statistical regularities are relevant to task execution. Preliminary evidence indicates that statistical learning can even occur independently of task relevance and top-down attention, although the temporal profile and neural mechanisms underlying sensory predictions and error signals induced by statistical learning of incidental sensory regularities remain unclear. In our study, we adopted an implicit sensory conditioning paradigm that elicited the generation of specific perceptual priors in relation to task-irrelevant audio-visual associations, while recording Electroencephalography (EEG). Our results showed that learning of non-relevant but statistically interrelated neutral audio-visual stimuli resulted in early neural responses to predictive auditory stimuli conveying anticipatory signals of expected visual stimulus presence or absence, and in specific modulation of cortical responses to probabilistic visual stimulus presentation or omission. Pattern similarity analysis indicated that predictive auditory stimuli tended to resemble the response to expected visual stimulus presence or absence. Remarkably, Hierarchical Gaussian filter modeling estimating dynamic changes of prediction error signals in relation to differential probabilistic occurrences of audio-visual stimuli further demonstrated instantiation of predictive neural signals by showing distinct neural processing of prediction error in relation to violation of expected visual stimulus presence or absence. Overall, our findings indicated that statistical learning of non-salient and task-irrelevant perceptual regularities can induce the generation of neural priors at the time of predictive stimulus presentation, possibly conveying sensory-specific information of the predicted consecutive stimulus.
Bayesian study of quark models in view of recent astrophysical constraints
2024-02-29

In this work, we perform a comparative analysis between the density-dependent quark model and the vector MIT bag model using Bayesian analysis. We use the equations of state generated by these two models to describe quark stars. We impose four recent observational astrophysical constraints on both models to determine their model-dependent parameters in an optimized manner assuming that the compact objects observed are composed entirely of self-bound quarks. The restrictions are aimed at producing stars with maximum masses and a mass-radii diagram compatible with the observed pulsars PSR , PSR J0952-0607, and PSR and the compact object XMMU J173203.3-344518. With this analysis, the parameter dependence of the nuclear equation of state of both models is restricted.
Skull osteology, neuroanatomy, and jaw‐related myology of the pig‐nosed turtle Carettochelys insculpta (Cryptodira, Trionychia)
2024-02-29

Abstract The osteology, neuroanatomy, and musculature are known for most primary clades of turtles (i.e., “families”), but knowledge is still lacking for one particular clade, the Carettochelyidae . Carettochelyids are represented by only one living taxon, the pig‐nosed turtle Carettochelys insculpta . Here, we use micro‐computed tomography of osteological and contrast‐enhanced stained specimens to describe the cranial osteology, neuroanatomy, circulatory system, and jaw musculature of Carettochelys insculpta . The jaw‐related myology is described in detail for the first time for this taxon, including m. zygomaticomandibularis, a muscular unit only found in trionychians. We also document a unique arterial pattern for the internal carotid artery and its subordinate branches and provide an extensive list of osteological ontogenetic differences. The present work provides new insights into the craniomandibular anatomy of turtles and will allow a better understanding of the evolutionary history of the circulatory system of trionychians and intraspecific variation among turtles.
Development of Selective Pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7(8H)-one-Based Mammalian STE20-Like (MST3/4) Kinase Inhibitors
2024-02-29

Mammalian STE20-like (MST) kinases 1-4 play key roles in regulating the Hippo and autophagy pathways, and their dysregulation has been implicated in cancer development. In contrast to the well-studied MST1/2, the roles of MST3/4 are less clear, in part due to the lack of potent and selective inhibitors. Here, we re-evaluated literature compounds, and used structure-guided design to optimize the p21-activated kinase (PAK) inhibitor G-5555 (<b>8</b>) to selectively target MST3/4. These efforts resulted in the development of MR24 (<b>24</b>) and MR30 (<b>27</b>) with good kinome-wide selectivity and high cellular potency. The distinct cellular functions of closely related MST kinases can now be elucidated with subfamily-selective chemical tool compounds using a combination of the MST1/2 inhibitor PF-06447475 (<b>2</b>) and the two MST3/4 inhibitors developed. We found that MST3/4-selective inhibition caused a cell-cycle arrest in the G1 phase, whereas MST1/2 inhibition resulted in accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase.
Ecospace occupancy and disparity in Pleistocene large carnivorans of Europe and implications for hominin dispersal and ecological role
2024-02-29

The evolution of large mammal faunas during the Pleistocene of Europe has been widely investigated using taxonomical and/or ecological-functional categories, with special emphasis on the implications for reconstructing hominin dispersal and ecological role. Here, an ecospace modelling approach is for the first time applied to Pleistocene carnivorans of Europe. Examining ecospace occupancy and disparity through time effectively conveys major aspects of faunal dynamics, while offering new insights into species relationships from a trait-space-explicit perspective. Several replacements occurred within-family and concerned species of similar functional role, but between-family competition was also important, especially for hyaenids. When hominins first dispersed into Europe during the Early Pleistocene, carnivorans of middle size that are deemed either highly social active hunters or primarily scavengers were both lacking, a substantial ecospace vacuum that could have been filled by the newcomers. Hominins then became widespread since the Middle Pleistocene, when a decrease of ecospace density is documented. This suggests that adaptability, mainly behavioural for hominins, ecomorphological for other species, might have been key for survival, especially in the more unstable conditions encountered since the latest Early Pleistocene. The uncertainty in categorising the ecology of extinct species is a limitation shared with previous studies, but reducing this multidimensional problem to one ecospace facilitates addressing the main pattern and future assessment.
A closer look to the timing of orchidopexy in undescended testes and adherence to the AWMF-guideline
2024-02-29

Abstract Background To lower the risk of testicular malignancies and subfertility, international guidelines recommend orchidopexy for undescended testis (UDT) before the age of 12–18 months. Previous studies reported low rates of 5–15% of timely surgery. Most of these studies are based on DRG and OPS code-based data from healthcare system institutions that do not distinguish between congenital and acquired UDT. Methods In a retrospective study data of all boys who underwent orchidopexy in a university hospital and two outpatient surgical departments from 2009 to 2022 were analyzed. The data differentiates congenital from acquired UDT. Results Out of 2694 patients, 1843 (68.4%) had congenital and 851 (31.6%) had acquired UDT. In 24.9% of congenital cases surgery was performed before the age of 12 months. The median age at surgery for congenital UDT was 16 months (range 7–202). Over the years there was an increased rate of boys operated on before the age of 2 (40% in 2009, 60% in 2022). The median age fluctuated over the years between 21 and 11 months without a trend to younger ages.. The covid pandemic did not lead to an increase of the median age at surgery. The median time between referral and surgery was 46 days (range 1–1836). Reasons for surgery after 12 months of age were a delayed referral to pediatric surgeries (51.2%), followed by relevant comorbidities (28.2%). Conclusion Compared to recent literature, out data show that a closer look at details enables a more realistic approach. Still, there is no trend towards the recommended age for surgical treatment observable, but the rate of timely operated boys with congenital UDT is significantly higher than stated in literature.
Small-Scale Diffusion Dryer on an Optical Particle Counter for High-Humidity Aerosol Measurements with an Uncrewed Aircraft System
2024-02-29

Abstract The negative effects of relative humidity to measurements of particulate matter (PM) due to hygroscopic growth are often not inherently handled by low-cost optical particle counters (OPCs). This study presents a new approach in constructing a miniaturized diffusion dryer, for use with an OPC mounted on an uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), namely, the DJI S900 (weight of 7.5 kg and flight endurance of 20 min) for short-term measurements under humid conditions. In this work, an OPC of type N3 (Alphasense) was employed alongside the dryer, with experiments both in the laboratory and outdoors. Evaluation of the dryer’s performance in a fog tank showed effective drying from almost saturated air to 41% relative humidity for 35 min, which is longer than the endurance of the UAS, and therefore sufficient. Changes in the flow rate through the OPC-N3 with the dryer showed a 17% reduction compared to an absent dryer, but the measured PM values remained unaffected. Airborne measurements were taken from four hovering flights near a governmental air pollution station (Mannheim-Nord, Germany) under humid conditions (88%–93%) where the system gave agreeable concentrations when the dryer was in place, but significantly overestimated all PM types without it. At a rural area near the Boundary Layer Field Site Falkenberg (Lindenberg, Germany), operated by the German Meteorological Service (DWD), vertical profiles inside a low-altitude cloud showed sharp increase in concentrations when the UAS entered the cloud layer, demonstrating its capability to accurately detect the layer base.
Structural basis of the allosteric regulation of cyanobacterial glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase by the redox sensor OpcA
2024-02-29

The oxidative pentose phosphate (OPP) pathway is a fundamental carbon catabolic route for generating reducing power and metabolic intermediates for biosynthetic processes. In addition, its first two reactions form the OPP shunt, which replenishes the Calvin-Bassham cycle under certain conditions. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) catalyzes the first and rate-limiting reaction of this metabolic route. In photosynthetic organisms, G6PDH is redox-regulated to allow fine-tuning and to prevent futile cycles while carbon is being fixed. In cyanobacteria, regulation of G6PDH requires the redox protein OpcA, but the underlying molecular mechanisms behind this allosteric activation remain elusive. Here, we used enzymatic assays and in vivo interaction analyses to show that OpcA binds G6PDH under different environmental conditions. However, complex formation enhances G6PDH activity when OpcA is oxidized and inhibits it when OpcA is reduced. To understand the molecular basis of this regulation, we used cryogenic electron microscopy to determine the structure of cyanobacterial G6PDH and the G6PDH-OpcA complex. OpcA binds the G6PDH tetramer and induces conformational changes in the active site of G6PDH. The redox sensitivity of OpcA is achieved by intramolecular disulfide bridge formation, which influences the allosteric regulation of G6PDH. In vitro assays reveal that the level of G6PDH activation depends on the number of bound OpcA molecules, which implies that this mechanism allows delicate fine-tuning. Our findings unveil a novel and unique molecular mechanism governing the regulation of the OPP pathway in cyanobacteria.
Polychlorides─A Safe and Convenient Alternative for Elemental Chlorine in Demonstration Experiments
2024-02-29

Demonstration experiments involving chlorine are often impressive and can help to understand the reactivity of halogens. However, practical and safety concerns render handling of chlorine difficult in educational settings, particularly in high schools. Recent chemical research has demonstrated the potential of trichloride salts as a much safer and more affordable alternative to chlorine gas. Triethylmethylammonium trichloride, [NEt3Me][Cl3], is a stable and safe ionic liquid that is easy to use and handle. Upon addition of water, chlorine gas is released in a controlled manner. This process presents a convenient method for conducting chlorine demonstration experiments. Experimental procedures are presented for the production of chlorine gas, the chlorine-initiated formation and subsequent luminescence of singlet oxygen, the synthesis of iron chloride and sodium chloride, and the electrophilic addition to lycopene.
Separating facilitation and interference in backward crosstalk.
2024-02-29

When two speeded tasks have spatially overlapping responses, preactivated Task 2 (T2) response information influences Task 1 (T1) response selection, a phenomenon known as the backward crosstalk effect (BCE). Current models of the BCE implicitly assume that T2 response information is equally present in trials requiring compatible or incompatible responses, such that T1 performance improves when T2 requires a compatible response and deteriorates when T2 requires an incompatible response. Thus, T2 response information should have a facilitatory and an interfering effect on T1. Interestingly, this hypothesis has never been tested, and the present study (conducted between 2021 and 2023) attempts to fill this gap by using neutral trials in which T2 responses did not spatially overlap with those in T1. The results suggest that the BCE (in T1) reflects both facilitation and interference effects of comparable magnitude, thus corroborating current conceptualizations of the BCE. We also observed an unexpected pattern of effects for T2, with only an interference effect, but no facilitation effect. Additional experiments led us to conclude that the T2 result was sensitive to the specific task characteristics. Conclusions about how the crosstalk transfers from T1 to T2 when switching tasks are therefore not possible. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
Retigabine and gabapentin restore channel function and neuronal firing in a cellular model of an epilepsy-associated dominant-negative KCNQ5 variant
2024-02-29

KCNQ5 encodes the voltage-gated potassium channel K<sub>V</sub>7.5, a member of the K<sub>V</sub>7 channel family, which conducts the M-current. This current is a potent regulator of neuronal excitability by regulating membrane potential in the subthreshold range of action potentials and mediating the medium and slow afterhyperpolarization. Recently, we have identified five loss-of-function variants in KCNQ5 in patients with genetic generalized epilepsy. Using the most severe dominant-negative variant (R359C), we set out to investigate pharmacological therapeutic intervention by K<sub>V</sub>7 channel openers on channel function and neuronal firing. Retigabine and gabapentin increased R359C-derived M-current amplitudes in HEK cells expressing homomeric or heteromeric mutant K<sub>V</sub>7.5 channels. Retigabine was most effective in restoring K<sup>+</sup> currents. Ten μM retigabine was sufficient to reach the level of WT currents without retigabine, whereas 100 μM of gabapentin showed less than half of this effect and application of 50 μM ZnCl<sub>2</sub> only significantly increased M-current amplitude in heteromeric channels. Overexpression of K<sub>V</sub>7.5-WT potently inhibited neuronal firing by increasing the M-current, whereas R359C overexpression had the opposite effect and additionally decreased the medium afterhyperpolarization current. Both aforementioned drugs and Zn<sup>2+</sup> reversed the effect of R359C expression by reducing firing to nearly normal levels at high current injections. Our study shows that a dominant-negative variant with a complete loss-of-function in K<sub>V</sub>7.5 leads to largely increased neuronal firing which may explain a neuronal hyperexcitability in patients. K<sub>V</sub>7 channel openers, such as retigabine or gabapentin, could be treatment options for patients currently displaying pharmacoresistant epilepsy and carrying loss-of-function variants in KCNQ5.
Rare predicted deleterious FEZF2 variants are associated with a neurodevelopmental phenotype
2024-02-29

Abstract FEZF2 encodes a transcription factor critical to neurodevelopment that regulates other neurodevelopment genes. Rare variants in FEZF2 have previously been suggested to play a role in autism, and cases of 3p14 microdeletions that include FEZF2 share a neurodevelopmental phenotype including mild dysmorphic features and intellectual disability. We identified seven heterozygous predicted deleterious variants in FEZF2 (three frameshifts, one recurrent missense in two independent cases, one nonsense, and one complete gene deletion) in unrelated individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders including developmental delay/intellectual disability, autism, and/or attention‐deficit/hyperactivity. Variants were confirmed to be de novo in five of seven cases and paternally inherited from an affected father in one. Predicted deleterious variants in FEZF2 may affect the expression of genes that are involved in fate choice pathways in developing neurons, and thus contribute to the neurodevelopmental phenotype. Future studies are needed to clarify the mechanism by which FEZF2 leads to this neurodevelopmental disorder.
Impact of electronic patient-reported outcome measures on patients’ perception of the physician - the randomized ePREFERENCE study
2024-02-29

The ePREFERENCE trial shows that the implementation of ePROMs in clinic visits during radiotherapy treatment positively impacts the patients' perception of the physician's compassion. ePROMs can therefore not only be considered a useful tool to improve workflows but are also broadly accepted by patients.