julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Left neck and right biceps muscle vibrations have similar effects on perceived body orientation
2025-01-27

Abstract Vibrating muscles to manipulate proprioceptive input creates the sensation of an apparent change in body position. This study investigates whether vibrating the right biceps muscle has similar effects as vibrating the left posterior neck muscles. Based on previous observations, we hypothesized that both types of muscle vibration would shift the perception of healthy subjects’ subjective straight-ahead (SSA) orientation in the horizontal plane to the left. Such a finding would be extremely interesting for future treatment of spatial neglect, a disorder following right-sided stroke brain lesions. Twenty healthy participants (11 females, 9 males, aged 20–52) were tested under five conditions: baseline (no vibration), vibration of left neck muscles, vibration of right biceps with the arm fixed to the wall, vibration of right biceps with the arm lying on a table, and vibration of right triceps with the arm fixed to the wall. Participants had to align a laser pointer (by verbal instructions) with their perceived SSA position in complete darkness. ANOVA revealed significant SSA shifts with neck and biceps vibrations but not with triceps vibration. The largest leftward SSA shift occurred with right biceps vibration while the arm was lying on the table (-6.1°), followed by left neck muscle vibration (-6.0°), and right biceps vibration with the arm fixed to the wall (-5.4°). Post-hoc power analyses showed high power (&gt; 0.98) for the significant differences compared to the baseline condition. The finding that right biceps vibration affects SSA perception similarly to left neck muscle vibration offers potential for clinical applications in treating spatial neglect. Future research should explore the therapeutic efficacy of vibrating the right biceps in neurological patients with spatial neglect.
A Short Cognitive and Neuropsychiatric Assessment Scale for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
2025-01-27

Abstract Background Patients with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) suffer from several neuropsychological impairments. These mainly affect the frontal lobe and subcortical brain structures. However, a scale for the assessment of cognitive and neuropsychiatric disability in PSP is still missing. Objectives To create and validate a new scale for cognitive and neuropsychiatric impairment in PSP. Methods The Short Cognitive and Neuropsychiatric (ShoCo) scale was developed containing five items (bradyphrenia, apathy, aphasia, dysexecution and disinhibition). Each item can be categorized into 0 = no deficit, 1 = mild deficit, 2 = moderate deficit and 3 = severe deficit. The total score includes 15 points, 0 meaning no deficit and 15 severe deficits. Cross‐sectional and longitudinal data from 201 baseline and 71 follow up patients were analyzed. Results Baseline ShoCo scale results were 5.9 ± 2.9. No significant differences between patients with Richardson syndrome (PSP‐RS) and variants (vPSP) could be detected in the PSP‐ShoCo scale scores (PSP‐RS 6.1 ± 3.0, n = 160, vPSP 5.1 ± 2.6, n = 41, P = 0.057). The scale showed good correlation with established scores (eg, Montreal cognitive assessment r = −0.535, P = 0.001). The ShoCo scale showed significant annualized change within the PSP‐RS patients (baseline 6.2 ± 2.9, follow up 6.9 ± 3.1, annualized diff. 1.0 ± 3.1, n = 57, P = 0.022). Conclusions The ShoCo scale seems a promising and valid tool to measure specific neuropsychological disabilities of PSP patients in clinical routine and research.
Genotype and phenotype spectrum of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease due to mutations in SORD
2025-01-27

Abstract Biallelic loss-of-function mutations in the sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD) gene cause the most common recessive type of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), CMT-SORD. However, the full genotype-phenotype spectrum and progression of the disease remain to be defined. Notably, a multicentre phase 2/3 study to test the efficacy of govorestat (NCT05397665), a new aldose reductase inhibitor, is currently ongoing. Diagnosing CMT-SORD will become imperative when disease-modifying therapies become available. In this cross-sectional multicentre study, we identified 144 patients from 126 families, including 99 males (69%) and 45 females (31%). Patients represented multiple ancestries, including European, Hispanic, Chinese, Near Eastern and Northern African. We confirmed c.757delG (p.Ala253GlnfsTer27) as the most common pathogenic allele, followed by c.458C&amp;gt;A (p.Ala153Asp), while other variants were identified, mostly in single cases. The average sorbitol level in CMT-SORD patients was significantly higher compared to controls and heterozygous carriers, independently from serum storage duration, sex or variant type. Two-thirds of cases were diagnosed with CMT2 while one-third had distal hereditary motor neuropathy. Disease onset was usually in the second decade of life. Although foot dorsiflexion was the most affected muscle group, dorsal and plantar flexion had a similar degree of weakness in most cases (difference of Medical Research Council score ≤ 1). One-fourth of patients used ankle foot orthoses, usually in their 30s, but most patients maintained independent ambulation later in life. Nerve conduction studies were suggestive of a motor predominant axonal neuropathy, with reduced conduction velocities in the intermediate range in a quarter of the cases. Sensory conductions in the upper limbs appeared more frequently affected than in the lower limbs. Foot dorsiflexion and plantar flexion decreased significantly with age. Male sex was significantly associated with the severity of distal lower limb weakness (plantar flexion) and a larger change over time (dorsiflexion). In conclusion, CMT-SORD is a frequent recessive form of axonal, motor predominant CMT, with prominent foot dorsiflexion and plantar flexion involvement. Fasting serum sorbitol is a reliable biomarker of the condition that can be utilized for pathogenicity assessment of identified rare SORD variants.
Linking higher amyloid beta 1‐38 (Aβ(1‐38)) levels to reduced Alzheimer's disease progression risk
2025-01-27

Abstract INTRODUCTION The beneficial effects of amyloid beta 1‐38, or Aβ(1‐38), on Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression in humans in vivo remain controversial. We investigated AD patients' cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ(1‐38) and AD progression. METHODS Cognitive function and diagnostic change were assessed annually for 3 years in 177 Aβ‐positive participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) longitudinal cognitive impairment and dementia study (DELCODE) cohort using the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE), Preclinical Alzheimer's Cognitive Composite (PACC), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), and National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke–Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS‐ADRDA) criteria. Mixed linear and Cox regression analyses were conducted. CSF was collected at baseline. RESULTS Higher Aβ(1‐38) levels were associated with slower PACC ( p = 0.001) and slower CDR Sum of Boxes (CDR‐SB) ( p = 0.002) but not MMSE decline. Including Aβ(1‐40) beyond Aβ(1‐38) in the model confirmed an association of Aβ(1‐38) with slower PACC decline ( p = 0.005), but not with CDR‐SB or MMSE decline. In addition, higher Aβ(1‐38) baseline levels were associated with a reduced dementia conversion risk. DISCUSSION Further research is needed to understand the role of Aβ(1‐38) in AD and its potential for future therapeutic strategies. Highlights This study not only replicates but also extends the existing findings on the role of Aβ(1‐38) (amyloid beta 1‐38) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) in humans in vivo. Higher baseline Aβ(1‐38) levels were associated with a decreased risk of conversion to AD dementia in subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Different linear‐mixed regression models suggest an association between higher Aβ(1‐38) baseline levels and slower Preclinical Alzheimer's Cognitive Composite (PACC) and Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes (CDR‐SB) decline. Including Aβ(1‐40) beyond Aβ(1‐38) in the model confirmed a link between Aβ(1‐38) and PACC decline, but showed no association of Aβ(1‐38) on CDR‐SB and Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) decline. The impact of short Aβ isoforms in AD progression might have been under‐investigated These findings underscore the urgent need for additional research on the role of these shorter Aβ peptides in AD, as they may hold key insights for future therapeutic strategies.
A 6-Year Single Center Experience in Neonatal Aortic Arch Surgery with Whole-Body Perfusion: Showing the Perks by Strict Propensity Score Matching
2025-01-27

Objectives: Perfusion strategy is crucial for the outcome of neonatal aortic arch surgery. This study investigates Whole-Body Perfusion to potentially improve postoperative outcomes for neonates, addressing a significant gap in current research. Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted for neonates receiving aortic arch reconstruction in our institution: 33 patients were treated with Antegrade Cerebral Perfusion (ACP, 2014–2017) and 61 patients with Whole-Body Perfusion (WBP, 2017–2022). After strict Propensity Score Matching, 20 patients were analyzed in each group. WBP consists of ACP and Lower Body Perfusion (LBP), achieved through a femoral arterial sheath. Results: Patients with WBP had a shorter time on Cardiopulmonary Bypass (86.65 ± 25.47 vs. 172.95 ± 60.12 min) and Cross-Clamp time (46.70 ± 18.48 vs. 91.30 ± 40.10 min) (p ≤ 0.001). Lactate at the time of reperfusion and after 24 h was lower in the WBP group (1.73 ± 0.63 vs. 4.29 ± 1.61, p &lt; 0.001; 1.45 ± 0.57 vs. 2.09 ± 0.96 mmol/L, p = 0.026). Patients with WBP needed significantly fewer intraoperative transfusions of Red Blood Cells, Fresh Frozen Plasma and Platelets (p ≤ 0.001). WBP patients had a shorter time on ventilator (5.15 ± 4.05 vs. 10.00 ± 8.72 days, p = 0.01) and a higher urine output after 24 h (200.85 ± 100.87 vs. 118.10 ± 82.33 mL, p = 0.002). Conclusions: Patients treated with WBP received significantly fewer intraoperative transfusions and had a shorter time on extracorporeal circulation and ventilator. Furthermore, there was a trend for reduced multiorgan dysfunction.
Green quantification of amino(poly)phosphonates using ion chromatography coupled to integrated pulsed amperometric detection
2025-01-28

Abstract Aminopolyphosphonates (APPs) are widely used as chelating agents, and their increasing release into the environment has raised concerns due to their transformation into aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) and glyphosate, compounds of controversial environmental impact. This transformation highlights the urgent need for detailed studies under controlled conditions. Despite the availability of various methods for quantifying individual aminopolyphosphonates and aminomonophosphonates, a green, low-cost approach for the simultaneous quantification of APPs and their transformation products in laboratory experiments has been lacking. In this study, we present a novel analytical method utilizing ion chromatography (IC) coupled to integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) to simultaneously quantify the six aminophosphonates: AMPA, glyphosate, iminodi(methylene phosphonate) (IDMP), aminotrismethylene(phosphonates) (ATMP), ethylenediamine tetra(methylene phosphonate) (EDTMP), and diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonate) (DTPMP). This method achieves separation within a 35-min run time and method detection limits (MDLs) ranging from 0.014 μM for AMPA to 0.14 μM for DTPMP. The method’s applicability was successfully shown by monitoring DTPMP, IDMP, and AMPA during DTPMP transformation on manganese dioxide. A key advantage of this method is its environmental friendliness compared to existing aminophosphonate quantification techniques. Next to the simultaneous analysis, it avoids the use of derivatization agents and organic solvents and employs an energy-efficient detector. While the method’s limitations lie in the detector’s inherent non-specific nature, it offers a low-cost and sustainable alternative to existing methods. Graphical Abstract
Validation of a Pretransplant Risk Prediction Model for Early Allograft Dysfunction After Living-donor Liver Transplantation
2025-01-28

Background. Early allograft dysfunction (EAD) affects outcomes in liver transplantation (LT). Existing risk models developed for deceased-donor LT depend on posttransplant factors and fall short in living-donor LT (LDLT), where pretransplant evaluations are crucial for preventing EAD and justifying the donor’s risks. Methods. This retrospective study analyzed data from 2944 adult patients who underwent LDLT at 17 centers between 2016 and 2020. We developed a logistic regression model to predict EAD based on this development cohort. We used data from 1020 patients at the King Faisal Transplant Center for external validation. Results. In the development cohort, 321 patients (10.9%) experienced EAD. These patients had poorer health status, more liver decompensation, and higher requirements of hospitalization than those without EAD. Multivariable logistic regression identified independent pretransplant predictors of EAD: laboratory Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score (odds ratio [OR], 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.09), the necessity for hospitalization at the time of transplant (OR, 2.58; 95% CI, 2.00-3.30), and graft weight in kilogram (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.17-0.45). Using these predictors, we developed the model for EAD after LDLT, which demonstrated strong discriminative ability in the development cohort with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.71 (95% CI, 0.68-0.74). The model maintained high discrimination during internal validation (AUC, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.67-0.73) and showed a modest reduction in discriminative power in external validation (AUC, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.61-0.68). Conclusions. EAD post-LDLT is influenced by the recipient’s pretransplant health condition and the graft weight. Integrating the model for EAD after LDLT into the pretransplant process of pairing donors and recipients can enhance the safety and efficacy of LDLT.
Application of cryo-FIB-SEM for investigating ultrastructure in guard cells of higher plants
2025-01-28

Stomata are vital for CO<sub>2</sub> and water vapor exchange, with guard cells' aperture and ultrastructure highly responsive to environmental cues. However, traditional methods for studying guard cell ultrastructure, which rely on chemical fixation and embedding, often distort cell morphology and compromise membrane integrity. In contrast, plunge-freezing in liquid ethane rapidly preserves cells in a near-native vitreous state for cryogenic electron microscopy. Using this approach, we applied Cryo-Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopy (cryo-FIB-SEM) to study the guard cell ultrastructure of Vicia faba, a higher plant model chosen for its sensitivity to external factors and ease of epidermis isolation, advancing beyond previous cryo-FIB-SEM applications in lower plant algae. The results firstly introduced cryo-FIB-SEM volume imaging, enabling subcellular ultrastructure visualization of higher plants like V. faba in a vitrified, unaltered state. 3D models of organelles such as stromules, chloroplast protrusions, chloroplasts, starch granules, mitochondria, and vacuoles were reconstructed from cryo-FIB-SEM volumetric data, with their surface area and volume initially determined using manual segmentation. Future studies using this near-native volume imaging technique hold promise for investigating how environmental factors like drought or salinity influence stomatal behavior and the morphology of guard cells and their organelles.
Rearrangement Cascade Initiated by Nucleophilic Benzyne Attack on 3,6-Di(2-pyridyl)-1,2-diazines
2025-01-28

Aryne intermediates in synthetic organic chemistry offer versatile routes to complex heterocyclic structures that are valuable in pharmaceuticals and materials science. We present a one-step aryne-mediated reaction to synthesize pyrido[1,2-<i>a</i>]indoles interconnected through vinylene or 1,2-phenylene linkers to pyridotriazoles using 2-pyridyl-substituted pyridazines and phthalazines as confirmed via single-crystal X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy. This unexpected rearrangement proceeds under mild conditions. Considering that five bonds are broken and three new bonds are formed in the reaction between 3,6-di-2-pyridyl-1,2,4,5-tetrazine and benzyne, the yield of 16% is fair. Electron-rich substituents on aryne precursors destabilized the products, while electron-deficient substituents offered some stability improvements. DFT studies could reveal the mechanism of this rearrangement.
Viscous circumbinary protoplanetary discs – II. Disc effects on the binary orbit
2025-01-28

ABSTRACT More than half of all stars are part of binaries, and many form in a common circumbinary disc. The interaction with the binary shapes the disc to feature a large eccentric inner cavity and spirals in the inner disc. The shape of the cavities is linked to binary and disc properties such as viscosity and scale height, and the disc and cavity shape influence the orbital evolution of the binary stars. This is the second part of the study in which we use 2D hydrodynamic long-term simulations for a range of viscous parameters relevant to protoplanetary discs to understand the interaction between young stars and the circumbinary disc. The long-term simulations allow us to study how disc shape and exchange of mass, momentum, and energy between binary and disc depend on the precession angle between disc and binary orbit on time-scales of thousands of binary orbits. We find a considerable, periodic interaction between the precession of the disc and the binary eccentricity that can significantly exceed the precession-averaged change in eccentricity. We further confirm that thin discs ( ) lead to shrinking binary orbits, also in the regime of low viscosity, . In general, the disc can excite eccentricity in binaries with initial eccentricities in the range of . In most cases, the terms aiding shrinking or expansion and circularization or excitation are nearly balanced, and the evolution of the binary semimajor axis and eccentricity will be sensitive to the ratio of mass accretion between the secondary and primary components.
Does transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation alter pupil dilation? A living Bayesian meta-analysis
2025-01-29

Our meta-analysis highlights differential effects of conventional and pulsed taVNS protocols on pupil dilation. These findings underscore the relevance of taVNS protocols in optimizing its use for specific applications that may require modulation of tonic vs. phasic monoaminergic responses and might also help to gain mechanistic insights into potential therapeutic effects.
Carcinogenic and anticancer activities of microbiota-derived secondary bile acids
2025-01-29

Secondary bile acids (SBAs), which are metabolites produced by gut microbiota, have been implicated in both carcinogenic and anticancer processes. This review explores the dual role of SBAs, focusing on their molecular mechanisms and biological effects. The carcinogenic activities of SBAs include DNA damage, promotion of oxidative stress, and modulation of signaling pathways that drive tumorigenesis. Conversely, some SBAs exhibit anticancer properties by inducing apoptosis, inhibiting cell proliferation, and modulating immune responses. The article also discusses the complex interplay between SBAs and the host’s genetic and environmental factors, highlighting potential therapeutic implications and the need for targeted strategies to mitigate risks while harnessing beneficial effects. A comprehensive understanding of the delicate equilibrium between the deleterious and salutary impacts of SBAs has the potential to facilitate the development of innovative cancer prevention and treatment methodologies.
Fatuamide A, a Hybrid PKS/NRPS Metallophore from a Leptolyngbya sp. Marine Cyanobacterium Collected in American Samoa
2025-01-29

A structurally novel metabolite, fatuamide A (<b>1</b>), was discovered from a laboratory cultured strain of the marine cyanobacterium <i>Leptolyngbya</i> sp., collected from Faga'itua Bay, American Samoa. A bioassay-guided approach using NCI-H460 human lung cancer cells directed the isolation of fatuamide A, which was obtained from the most cytotoxic fraction. The planar structure of fatuamide A was elucidated by integrated NMR and MS/MS analysis, and a combination of bioinformatic and computational approaches was used to deduce the absolute configuration at its eight stereocenters. A putative hybrid PKS/NRPS biosynthetic gene cluster responsible for fatuamide A production was identified from the sequenced genomic DNA of the cultured cyanobacterium. The biosynthetic gene cluster possessed elements that suggested fatuamide A binds metals, and this metallophore property was demonstrated by native metabolomics and indicated a preference for binding copper. The producing strain was found to be highly resistant to toxicity from elevated copper concentrations in culture media.
The Ronne Ice Shelf survived the last interglacial
2025-01-29

Abstract The fate of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) 1 is the largest cause of uncertainty in long-term sea-level projections. In the last interglacial (LIG) around 125,000 years ago, data suggest that sea level was several metres higher than today 2–4 , and required a significant contribution from Antarctic ice loss, with WAIS usually implicated. Antarctica and the Southern Ocean were warmer than today 5–8 , by amounts comparable to those expected by 2100 under moderate to high future warming scenarios. However, direct evidence about the size of WAIS in the LIG is sparse. Here we use sea salt data from an ice core from Skytrain Ice Rise, adjacent to WAIS, to show that, during most of the LIG, the Ronne Ice Shelf was still in place, and close to its current extent. Water isotope data are consistent with a retreat of WAIS 9 , but seem inconsistent with more dramatic model realizations 10 in which both WAIS and the large Antarctic ice shelves were lost. This new constraint calls for a reappraisal of other elements of the LIG sea-level budget. It also weakens the observational basis that motivated model simulations projecting the highest end of projections for future rates of sea-level rise to 2300 and beyond.
Size-Dependent Reduction Kinetics of Iron Oxides in Single and Mixed Mineral Systems
2025-01-29

Iron(III) (oxyhydr)oxide minerals with varying particle sizes commonly coexist in natural environments and are susceptible to both chemical and microbial reduction, affecting the fate and mobility of trace elements, nutrients, and pollutants. The size-dependent reduction behavior of iron (oxyhydr)oxides in single and mixed mineral systems remains poorly understood. In this study, we used microbial and mediated electrochemical reduction approaches to investigate the reduction kinetics and extents of goethite and hematite. We found that small particles were preferentially reduced relative to their large counterparts in single and mixed mineral systems regardless of microbial or electrochemical treatments, which is attributed to the combined effect of higher thermodynamic favorability and greater surface availability. In mixed mineral systems, small particles were reduced slightly faster, whereas large particles were reduced notably slower and less extensively than solely predicted from single mineral systems. Specifically, when reduced alone, small particles showed Fe(III) reduction rate constants that were 1.5- to 3.6-fold higher than large particles, while when reduced together, the reduction rate constants for small particles were 6- to 21-fold higher than the rate constants for large particles. These collective findings provide new insights into the pivotal role of nanoparticulate iron (oxyhydr)oxides in environmental redox reactions.