julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Biological soil crusts stabilize degraded soils of the Brazilian Pampa affected by sandization
2024-03-11

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are a main factor in the protection of arid and semiarid ecosystems. They are key contributors to soil stabilization and erosion control through the aggregation of particles and the provision of a continuous surface cover. In the Brazilian Pampa, vegetation disturbance and soil degradation led to an expansion of sandization areas. These areas are quickly covered by biocrusts, which show the same soil-stabilizing effects as in other geographic regions but have not been investigated in this biome before.The present study aims to expand our knowledge on the occurrence of biocrusts in sandization areas of the Brazilian Pampa and to analyse their distribution patterns related to the local topography. We focused on two research sites, where the presence of biocrusts seemed essential for soil protection. At these sites, first, the different biocrust types were assessed and a taxonomic survey was conducted. Second, UAV-based imagery was created to classify the communities. A random forest approach was applied to understand the relation between biocrust abundance and topography.We observed that biocrusts are widespread in areas prone to sandization, with a coverage of approximately 25% of the surface area. They are mostly dominated by cyanobacteria, but also bryophytes play a key role. In this study, the cyanobacterial genus Stigonema was predominant at both study sites, while Campylopus pilifer was the dominating moss species. The mapping confirmed all major biocrust types including rolling, pinnacled, rugose, and smooth crusts. The biocrust distribution was influenced by local topography, but also the establishment of vascular plants. Slope and aspect had a strong influence on biocrust development, but the presence of protective topographic positions against atmospheric influences most prominently facilitated their occurrence.This pilot study proved that biocrusts can play a key role as ecosystem engineers in the Brazilian Pampa with a positive effect on general vegetation growth and soil stabilization. Despite their significant impact in sandization areas, biocrusts are not in the focus of research, yet, and should be further studied to constrain future soil degradation.
Extracting socioeconomic information with the help of urban structure types indata-scarce environments
2024-03-11

Linking socio-economic and spatial structural data is a key research gap in the assessment of urban climate risk. Urban populations are increasingly exposed to adverse effects of climate change, particularly in coastal urban areas in the Global South, where information is scarce. Researchers often rely on survey results, which deliver highly detailed micro-level point data but those are costly and lack spatial coverage. Conversely, Earth observation(EO) data offers greater spatial coverage but provides limited insights into socio-economic factors. Hence, there is a gap in integrating urban morphology data derived from EO and micro-scale survey data. We aim to address this gap by linking socio-economic and morphological data using a novel machine learning-based approach and testing whether and to what extent urban structure types (UST) can function as spatial predictors forsocio-economic profiles.To do so, we implement a two-stage process based on k-means and random forest (RF) algorithms in two case studies. First, we employ a k-means clustering algorithm to delineate socio-economic profiles based on household survey variables relating to education, household size and composition, and asset ownership. We then used an RF classification algorithm that used USTs as predictors to extend the survey socio-economic profiles intomorphologically similar areas in two case study cities: Mumbai (India) and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam). In Mumbai, current socio-economic data is severely outdated (i.e., the last census was in 2011), while in Ho Chi Minh City it is only available in coarse spatial units (i.e., at the commune level). These conditions hinder research on assessing flooding vulnerability, as population growth and the mismatch between administrative units and flood hotspots introduce severe bias and uncertainty in the available data. To overcome this situation, we implemented household surveys (n=1240 and 751, respectively) in flood hotspots that cover a variety of urban structure types (e.g., compact low-rise, open mid-rise, or lightweight low-rise).In our study, morphological information functions as a proxy for socio-economic profiles, thus providing a cost-effective and spatially explicit novel approach to assessing social vulnerability in data-scarce conditions. By starting from the household-level survey data, we avoid the most critical problems from reductionist approaches (e.g., social determinism) and recognize the limitations of data triangulation. To this end, we measure the uncertainty of the association in each step and validate the assumptions and results with local stakeholders. Our novel approach aims to use the available EO data to improve the identification of high-vulnerability areas. Albeit experimental, the spatially explicit identification provided inthis study provides crucial insights for targeted climate adaptation policy and research. By studying two rapidly evolving coastal cities, we provide a comprehensive and reproducible method to assess the challenges urban populations face under climate change.
Choosing What You Like or Liking What You Chose? Sampling’s Impact on Evaluation and the Role of Idiosyncratic Reactions to Valent Stimuli
2024-03-11

Recent work incorporating autonomy into an evaluative conditioning procedure provided evidence of a sampling decision effect in which high-autonomy participants positively shifted their evaluations of frequently sampled conditioned stimuli (CSs), regardless of whether they were consistently paired with positive or negative unconditioned stimuli (USs). The current work modified this paradigm by also measuring participants’ evaluations of the sampled USs. Two experiments replicate the sampling decision effect for neutral CSs in a new variant of the paradigm while ruling out the alternative possibility that the effect is driven by idiosyncratic variance in participants’ reactions to the USs. In addition, Experiment 2 suggests that the sampling decision effect does not extend to the paired, valent stimuli. Together, these results further suggest that it is the act of sampling a stimulus more frequently that predicts a positive evaluative shift toward it.
Wall teichoic acid substitution with glucose governs phage susceptibility of Staphylococcus epidermidis
2024-03-12

ABSTRACT The species- and clone-specific susceptibility of Staphylococcus cells for bacteriophages is governed by the structures and glycosylation patterns of wall teichoic acid (WTA) glycopolymers. The glycosylation-dependent phage-WTA interactions in the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus epidermidis and in other coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) have remained unknown. We report a new S. epidermidis WTA glycosyltransferase TagE whose deletion confers resistance to siphoviruses such as ΦE72 but enables binding of otherwise unbound podoviruses. S. epidermidis glycerolphosphate WTA was found to be modified with glucose in a tagE -dependent manner. TagE is encoded together with the enzymes PgcA and GtaB providing uridine diphosphate-activated glucose. ΦE72 transduced several other CoNS species encoding TagE homologs, suggesting that WTA glycosylation via TagE is a frequent trait among CoNS that permits interspecies horizontal gene transfer. Our study unravels a crucial mechanism of phage- Staphylococcus interaction and horizontal gene transfer, and it will help in the design of anti-staphylococcal phage therapies. IMPORTANCE Phages are highly specific for certain bacterial hosts, and some can transduce DNA even across species boundaries. How phages recognize cognate host cells remains incompletely understood. Phages infecting members of the genus Staphylococcus bind to wall teichoic acid (WTA) glycopolymers with highly variable structures and glycosylation patterns. How WTA is glycosylated in the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus epidermidis and in other coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) species has remained unknown. We describe that S. epidermidis glycosylates its WTA backbone with glucose, and we identify a cluster of three genes responsible for glucose activation and transfer to WTA. Their inactivation strongly alters phage susceptibility patterns, yielding resistance to siphoviruses but susceptibility to podoviruses. Many different CoNS species with related glycosylation genes can exchange DNA via siphovirus ΦE72, suggesting that glucose-modified WTA is crucial for interspecies horizontal gene transfer. Our finding will help to develop antibacterial phage therapies and unravel routes of genetic exchange.
MASLD is related to impaired alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity and elevated blood ethanol levels: Role of TNFα and JNK
2024-03-12

Elevated fasting ethanol levels in peripheral blood frequently found in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASLD) patients even in the absence of alcohol consumption are discussed to contribute to disease development. To test the hypothesis that besides an enhanced gastrointestinal synthesis a diminished alcohol elimination through alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) may also be critical herein, we determined fasting ethanol levels and ADH activity in livers and blood of MASLD patients and in wild-type ± anti-TNFα antibody (infliximab) treated and TNFα<sup>-/-</sup> mice fed a MASLD-inducing diet. Blood ethanol levels were significantly higher in patients and wild-type mice with MASLD while relative ADH activity in blood and liver tissue was significantly lower compared to controls. Both alterations were significantly attenuated in MASLD diet-fed TNFα<sup>-/-</sup> mice and wild-type mice treated with infliximab. Moreover, alcohol elimination was significantly impaired in mice with MASLD. In in vitro models, TNFα but not IL-1β or IL-6 significantly decreased ADH activity. Our data suggest that elevated ethanol levels in MASLD patients are related to TNFα-dependent impairments of ADH activity.
Intra‐scan RF power amplifier drift correction
2024-03-12

Abstract Purpose The drift in radiofrequency (RF) power amplifiers (RFPAs) is assessed and several contributing factors are investigated. Two approaches for prospective correction of drift are proposed and their effectiveness is evaluated. Methods RFPA drift assessment encompasses both intra‐pulse and inter‐pulse drift analyses. Scan protocols with varying flip angle (FA), RF length, and pulse repetition time (TR) are used to gauge the influence of these parameters on drift. Directional couplers (DICOs) monitor the forward waveforms of the RFPA outputs. DICOs data is stored for evaluation, allowing calculation of correction factors to adjust RFPAs' transmit voltage. Two correction methods, predictive and run‐time, are employed: predictive correction necessitates a calibration scan, while run‐time correction calculates factors during the ongoing scan. Results RFPA drift is indeed influenced by the RF duty‐cycle, and in the cases examined with a maximum duty‐cycle of 66%, the potential drift is approximately 41% or 15%, depending on the specific RFPA revision. Notably, in low transmit voltage scenarios, FA has minimal impact on RFPA drift. The application of predictive and run‐time drift correction techniques effectively reduces the average drift from 10.0% to less than 1%, resulting in enhanced MR signal stability. Conclusion Utilizing DICO recordings and implementing a feedback mechanism enable the prospective correction of RFPA drift. Having a calibration scan, predictive correction can be utilized with fewer complexity; for enhanced performance, a run‐time approach can be employed.
Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV Type Distribution in Penile Samples in Young Men in Denmark: Results 10 Years After Implementation of a Girls-Only HPV Vaccination Program
2024-03-12

Abstract Background In Denmark, a girls-only human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program was initiated in 2008–2009. The study aim was to assess the HPV prevalence and type distribution in younger men prior to HPV vaccination in men. Methods The study population was younger men who attended information days regarding military service. At random days (2019–2020), 280 men were included. We collected questionnaire data regarding risk factors for HPV infection and a penile swab for HPV testing. We compared results in this study with those from a previous study of young men (2006–2007). Results The majority of participants (94%) were 18–20 years old. The median number of lifetime sexual partners was 4. Altogether, 130 men (46.4%) were HPV positive. No infections with HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, and 45 were detected. The most frequent type was HPV-51 (detected in 11.1%). Comparison showed that the odds of high-risk HPV type infection were higher in 2019–2020 (prevalence odds ratio [POR], 1.7 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.1–2.7]) compared with 2006–2007. In contrast, the odds were lower (POR, 0.3 [95% CI, .1–.6]) for HPV types targeted by the 9-valent HPV vaccine. Conclusions The multicohort girls-only vaccination program has to a large degree protected young men against the HPV types included in the licensed vaccines. This does not speak against gender-neutral vaccination as the HPV prevalence is still high, although consisting largely of less carcinogenic HPV types.
Glyphosate contamination in European rivers not from herbicide application?
2024-03-12

<title>Abstract</title> The most widely used herbicide glyphosate contaminates surface waters around the globe. Being toxic to aquatic organisms and a possible carcinogenic, mitigation strategies attempt to reduce river contamination, but their impact is not evaluated. Investigating long-term time series, we discovered that – in contrast to the USA – glyphosate river water concentration patterns in Europe contradict a dominant input from herbicide application. Our large meta-analysis clearly shows that for decades, the main source of glyphosate has been municipal wastewater, visible in the close correlation to concentration patterns of, <italic>e.g.</italic>, pharmaceuticals, rather high and constant loads all over the year and failure of mitigation strategies. We suspect that glyphosate enters European rivers as a transformation product of aminopolyphosphonates, which are used in European but not U.S. detergents.
The Effects of Assumed AI vs. Human Authorship on the Perception of a GPT-generated Text
2024-03-12

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has demonstrated its ability to undertake writing tasks, including automated journalism. Prior studies suggest no differences between human and AI authors regarding message credibility. However, research on people’s perceptions of AI authorship on complex topics is lacking. In a between-groups experiment (N = 734), we examined the effect of labeled authorship on credibility perceptions of a GPT-written science journalism article. The results of an equivalence test showed that labeling a text as AI-written vs. human-written reduced perceived message credibility (d = 0.36). Moreover, AI authorship decreased perceived source credibility (d = 0.24), anthropomorphism (d = 0.67), and intelligence (d = 0.41). The findings are discussed against the backdrop of a growing availability of AI-generated content and a greater awareness of AI authorship.
Beliefs of German Prospective Physical Education Teachers: A Qualitative Examination Through the Lens of Teaching Quality
2024-03-12

Purpose : Prospective physical education teachers (PPETs) acquire beliefs during acculturation, which is the time before teacher education begins. Beliefs are based on shared experiences and influential in PPETs’ professional development. We examined German PPETs’ shared beliefs through the lens of teaching quality, comprising classroom management, student support, and cognitive activation. Method : Three focus group discussions were conducted, in which 13 German PPETs were instructed to work on shared lesson planning. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings : The PPETs believed that physical education should enable students’ participation in sports. Therefore, classroom management was reflected as “managing a physical education class as a prerequisite for the complexity of teaching.” Student support was reflected as “providing easy access to sports for all students.” Cognitive activation was reflected as “disregarding cognitive activation in favor of transmissive teaching.” The PPETs drew on their own physical education experiences as former students. Conclusion : Longitudinal studies focusing on cognitive activation are recommended.
GABAergic amacrine cells balance biased chromatic information in the mouse retina
2024-03-12

The retina extracts chromatic information present in an animal’s environment. In the mouse, the feed-forward, excitatory pathway through the retina is dominated by a chromatic gradient, with green and UV signals primarily processed in the dorsal and ventral retina, respectively. However, at the output of the retina, chromatic tuning is more mixed, suggesting that amacrine cells alter spectral tuning. We genetically targeted the population of 40+ GABAergic amacrine cell types and used two-photon calcium imaging to systematically survey chromatic responses in their dendritic processes. We found that amacrine cells show diverse chromatic responses in different spatial regions of their receptive fields and across the dorso-ventral axis of the retina. Compared to their excitatory inputs from bipolar cells, amacrine cells are less chromatically tuned and less likely to be colour-opponent. We identified 25 functional amacrine cell types that, in addition to their chromatic properties, exhibit distinctive achromatic receptive field properties. A combination of pharmacological interventions and a biologically-inspired deep learning model revealed how lateral inhibition and recurrent excitatory inputs shape chromatic properties of amacrine cells. Our data suggest that amacrine cells balance the strongly biased spectral tuning of excitation in the mouse retina and thereby support increased diversity in chromatic information of the retinal output.
Microsaccadic suppression of peripheral perceptual detection performance as a function of foveated visual image appearance
2024-03-12

Abstract Microsaccades are known to be associated with a deficit in perceptual detection performance for brief probe flashes presented in their temporal vicinity. However, it is still not clear how such a deficit might depend on the visual environment across which microsaccades are generated. Here, and motivated by studies demonstrating an interaction between visual background image appearance and perceptual suppression strength associated with large saccades, we probed peripheral perceptual detection performance of human subjects while they generated microsaccades over three different visual backgrounds. Subjects fixated near the center of a low spatial frequency grating, a high spatial frequency grating, or a small white fixation spot over an otherwise gray background. When a computer process detected a microsaccade, it presented a brief peripheral probe flash at one of four locations (over a uniform gray background), and at different times. After collecting full psychometric curves, we found that both perceptual detection thresholds and slopes of psychometric curves were impaired for peripheral flashes in the immediate temporal vicinity of microsaccades, and they recovered with later flash times. Importantly, the threshold elevations, but not the psychometric slope reductions, were stronger for the white fixation spot than for either of the two gratings. Thus, like with larger saccades, microsaccadic suppression strength can show a certain degree of image-dependence. However, unlike with larger saccades, stronger microsaccadic suppression did not occur with low spatial frequency textures. This observation might reflect the different spatio-temporal retinal transients associated with the small microsaccades in our study versus larger saccades.
Brain State-dependent Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Motor Stroke Rehabilitation: A Proof of Concept Randomized Controlled Trial
2024-03-12

Abstract Background In healthy subjects, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeting the primary motor cortex (M1) demonstrated plasticity effects contingent on electroencephalography (EEG)-derived excitability states, defined by the phase of the ongoing sensorimotor μ-oscillation. The therapeutic potential of brain state-dependent rTMS in the rehabilitation of upper limb motor impairment post-stroke remains unexplored. Objective Proof-of-concept trial to assess the efficacy of rTMS, synchronized to the sensorimotor μ-oscillation, in improving motor function and reducing upper-limb spasticity in stroke patients. Methods We conducted a parallel group, randomized double-blind controlled trial in 30 chronic stroke patients. The experimental intervention group received EEG-triggered rTMS of the ipsilesional M1 (1,200 pulses; 0.33 Hz; 90% of the resting motor threshold (RMT)), while the control group received low-frequency rTMS of the contralesional motor cortex (1,200 pulses; 1 Hz, 115% RMT), i.e., an established treatment protocol. Both groups received 12 rTMS sessions (20 min, 3x per week, 4 weeks) followed by 50 min of physiotherapy. The primary outcome measure was the change in upper-extremity Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA-UE) scores between baseline, immediately post-treatment and 3 months’ follow-up. Results Both groups showed significant FMA-UE improvement and spasticity reduction (clinical and objective measures). There were no significant differences between the groups in any of the outcome measures. Conclusions The application of brain state-dependent rTMS for rehabilitation in chronic stroke patients is feasible. This pilot study demonstrated that the brain oscillation-synchronized rTMS protocol produced beneficial effects on motor disability and spasticity that were comparable to those observed with an established therapeutic rTMS protocol.
A consensus motif inASH1and further transcripts unifies several RNA motifs required for interaction with the She2p/She3p transport machinery and mRNA localization in yeast
2024-03-12

Abstract Asymmetric localization of the ASH1 transcript is a central step in the regulation of mating type switching in Saccharomyces cerevisae and a paradigm for localized mRNAs specifically recognized by the She2p/3p transport machinery. Four RNA elements in ASH1 are known to mediate bud localization, but it remained unclear what a consensus motif of all four She2p/3p recognition sites (SRS) might look like. In this study, we derive the SRS consensus motif, which is characterized by an L-shaped, double-stranded RNA conformation with two cytosine-containing sequence motifs at conserved positions and a central asymmetric bulge. It is noteworthy that the spatial arrangement of these features can be retained, despite their altered order within the nucleotide sequence. We termed these variations “configurations” and confirmed in biochemical studies that SRS function in ASH1 elements is preserved when changing configurations. We tested other known and predicted SRS elements in target transcripts of She2p/3p by biochemical and biophysical studies and confirmed the conserved SRS function even in switched configuration. Consistently, we present the SRS instance collection , which includes further predictions of SRS instances of transcript targets of the She2p/3p translocation pathway.