bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A possible role for river restoration enhancing biodiversity through interaction with wildfire
Authors: Pugh Brittany E. , Colley Megan , Dugdale Stephen J. , Edwards Patrick , Flitcroft Rebecca , Holz Andrés , Johnson Matthew , Mariani Michela , Means‐Brous Mickey , Meyer Kate , Moffett Kevan B. , Renan Lisa , Schrodt Franziska , Thorne Colin , Valman Samuel , Wijayratne Upekala , Field Richard
Published: June 2022

Background

Historically, wildfire regimes produced important landscape‐scale disturbances in many regions globally. The “pyrodiversity begets biodiversity” hypothesis suggests that wildfires that generate temporally and spatially heterogeneous mosaics of wildfire severity and post‐burn recovery enhance biodiversity at landscape scales. However, river management has often led to channel incision that disconnects rivers from their floodplains, desiccating floodplain habitats and depleting groundwater. In conjunction with predicted increases in frequency, intensity and extent of wildfires under climate change, this increases the likelihood of deep, uniform burns that reduce biodiversity.

Predicted synergy of river restoration and biodiversity increase

Recent focus on floodplain re‐wetting and restoration of successional floodplain habitat mosaics, developed for river management and flood prevention, could reduce wildfire intensity in restored floodplains and make the burns less uniform, increasing climate‐change resilience; an important synergy. According to theory, this would also enhance biodiversity. However, this possibility is yet to be tested empirically. We suggest potential research avenues.

Illustration and future directions

We illustrate the interaction between wildfire and river restoration using a restoration project in Oregon, USA. A project to reconnect the South Fork McKenzie River and its floodplain suffered a major burn (“Holiday Farm” wildfire, 2020), offering a rare opportunity to study the interaction between this type of river restoration and wildfire; specifically, the predicted increases in pyrodiversity and biodiversity. Given the importance of river and wetland ecosystems for biodiversity globally, a research priority should be to increase our understanding of potential mechanisms for a “triple win” of flood reduction, wildfire alleviation and biodiversity promotion.
High toughness transparent glass‐ceramics with petalite and β‐spodumene solid solution as two major crystal phases
Authors: Luo Ye , Qu Conghang , Mauro John C.
Published: June 2022

Lithium aluminosilicate glass‐ceramics are well known for good transparency, high fracture toughness, low thermal expansion, and good ion exchange ability. In this study, new transparent Li2O‐Al2O3‐SiO2 (LAS) glass‐ceramics with petalite and β‐spodumene solid solution as the major crystalline phases were invented for favorable mechanical properties and potential for application in the hollowware, tableware, container, and plate glass industries. Crystal phases are mainly influenced by the ratio of Al2O3 to SiO2 concentrations. The concentration of SiO2 required to form specific crystalline phases in the glass‐ceramics is higher than that inferred from the ternary phase diagram. Al2O3 content is required to be sufficiently high for the formation of crystals, instead of balancing excess amounts of Li2O in the glass. The average transmittances of 2.0 ± 0.1 mm thickness samples in visible light regions (400–700 nm) can reach more than 80% with crystal sizes of 20–40 nm. Transmittance is significantly decreased for heat treatments around 710°C, due to the high growth rate of β‐spodumene solid solution crystals. Vickers hardness, indentation toughness, and crack probabilities of transparent LAS glass‐ceramics are significantly improved compared with standard soda lime silicate glass, due to the crack bridging and deflection of crystal grains.
Modeling nonequilibrium thermoviscoelastic material behaviors of glass in nonisothermal glass molding
Authors: Vu Anh Tuan , Avila Hernandez Rocio de los Angeles , Grunwald Tim , Bergs Thomas
Published: June 2022

Nonisothermal glass molding (NGM) is developed aiming to satisfy the fabrication of complex and precision optical elements at high production volumes. The technology, however, was encountered by the high form deviation of manufactured glass optics. During the nonisothermal compression molding, glass undergoes a rapid temperature change making it a transition from equilibrium to nonequilibrium nature of matter. Owing to this characteristic, viscoelastic material behaviors of glass depend on not only temperature but also thermal history. Understanding the nature of nonequilibrium thermoviscoelasticity, the central importance to control the final shape and optical characteristics of the manufactured glass optics is the focus of this research. First, this study presents preliminary experimental investigations indicating the difference in viscoelastic deformation responses under the equilibrated and nonequilibrated glass specimens. In the following, modeling the temperature‐dependent viscoelasticity over a wide temperature range in glass transition region is described, where temperature is directly coupled in each parameter of a rheological constitutive model. This concept allows us to bypass the thermorheologically simple assumption used to tolerate the description of thermoviscoelastic responses in most of the earlier works. Finally, we propose a modeling method that incorporates temperature and thermal history into the rheological model parameters, each of which is described by employing the Mauro–Allan–Potuzak viscosity equation. Viscoelastic experiments were carried out to validate the model. The results show that the time‐dependent responses varying with temperature are well predicted in both equilibrium and nonequilibrium regimes of glass‐forming systems. The benefit of this research is that a unique material model is entirely applicable for numerical studies of various hot forming processes such as annealing when glass undergoes pure thermal loads, as well as precision glass molding and NGM when glass is deformed by fully coupled thermal–mechanical loads under either its equilibrium or nonequilibrium state of materials, respectively.
Development and evaluation of real-time recombinase polymerase amplification assay for rapid and sensitive detection of Vibro mimicus in human plasma samples
Authors: Zhu Peng , Huang Zuoan , Xiong Zi , Guo Shiyu , Zhang Shun , Cai Ting
Published: June 2022

Aim

We aimed at developing a fast and accurate method to detect Vibrio mimicus using real-time recombinase polymerase amplification assay.

Methods and Results

Specific primers and probe were designed to target V. mimicus haemolysin (vmh) gene. Target DNA was successfully amplified at 41°C within 20 min. The method exhibited a high level of specificity and the sensitivity was 2.1 × 102 copies/25 μl or 8.4 copies/μl, which is in line with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The calibration curve plotted by the second-order polynomial regression showed better than the linear curve, as the correlation coefficient was raised to 0.9907, which suggested that the second-order polynomial regressions might be considered to apply to the quantification of real-time recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). The limit of detection (LOD) was predicted to be 77 copies/25 μl or 3 copies/μl by a probit model. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was calculated to be 28 copies /25 μl or 1 copies/μl by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, which firstly make LOQ could be available to real-time RPA. For the performance of the real-time RPA in plasma samples, the detection sensitivity of real-time RPA was as good as the real-time PCR. For pretreatment of plasma samples, the boiling method was better than using kits, as it further shortened the time of the real-time RPA in detecting V. mimicus.

Conclusions

The real-time RPA assay developed in our study shows multiple advantages over currently available DNA diagnostic method, including a quicker time-to-result for a single sample, requiring minimal infrastructure and technical support and being tolerant to inhibitors in plasma samples.

Significance and Impact of the Study

The real-time RPA assay developed here is a potentially valuable tool for point-of-care (POC) diagnosis of V. mimicus infection in endemic field, especially in the resources-limited settings, as combined with portable devices.
Variation in glucose metabolism under acidified sodium nitrite mediated nitrosative stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Sengupta Swarnab , Nath Rohan , Bhuyan Rajabrata , Bhattacharjee Arindam
Published: June 2022

Aims

The work aimed to understand the important changes during glucose metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae under acidified sodium nitrite (ac.NaNO2) mediated nitrosative stress.

Methods and Results

Confocal microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis were performed to investigate the generation of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species, and redox homeostasis under nitrosative stress was also characterized. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the expression of ADH genes was upregulated under such condition, whereas the ACO2 gene was downregulated. Some of the enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle were partially inhibited, whereas malate metabolism and alcoholic fermentation were increased under nitrosative stress. Kinetics of ethanol production was also characterized. A network analysis was conducted to validate our findings. In the presence of ac.NaNO2, in vitro protein tyrosine nitration formation was checked by western blotting using pure alcohol dehydrogenase and aconitase.

Conclusions

Alcoholic fermentation rate was increased under stress condition and this altered metabolism might be conjoined with the defence machinery to overcome the nitrosative stress.

Significance and Impact of the Study

This is the first work of this kind where the role of metabolism under nitrosative stress has been characterized in S. cerevisiae and it will provide a base to develop an alternative method of industrial ethanol production.
The effect of carbamazepine on bone structure and strength in control and osteogenesis imperfecta (Col1a2+/p.G610C) mice
Authors: Blank Martha , McGregor Narelle E. , Rowley Lynn , Kung Louise H. W. , Crimeen‐Irwin Blessing , Poulton Ingrid J. , Walker Emma C. , Gooi Jonathan H. , Lamandé Shireen R. , Sims Natalie A. , Bateman John F.
Published: June 2022

The inherited brittle bone disease osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is commonly caused byCOL1A1andCOL1A2mutations that disrupt the collagen I triple helix. This causes intracellular endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention of the misfolded collagen and can result in a pathological ER stress response. A therapeutic approach to reduce this toxic mutant load could be to stimulate mutant collagen degradation by manipulating autophagy and/or ER‐associated degradation. Since carbamazepine (CBZ) both stimulates autophagy of misfolded collagen X and improves skeletal pathology in a metaphyseal chondrodysplasia model, we tested the effect of CBZ on bone structure and strength in 3‐week‐old male OICol1a2+/p.G610Cand control mice. Treatment for 3 or 6 weeks with CBZ, at the dose effective in metaphyseal chondrodysplasia, provided no therapeutic benefit toCol1a2+/p.G610Cmouse bone structure, strength or composition, measured by micro‐computed tomography, three point bending tests and Fourier‐transform infrared microspectroscopy. In control mice, however, CBZ treatment for 6 weeks impaired femur growth and led to lower femoral cortical and trabecular bone mass. These data, showing the negative impact of CBZ treatment on the developing mouse bones, raise important issues which must be considered in any human clinical applications of CBZ in growing individuals.
Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes in Beijing, China
Authors: Ding Shan , Zhang Puhong , Wang Li , Wang Du , Sun Kaige , Ma Yahui , Wang Hongbing , Xu Chun , Zhang Rui , Zhang Xianbo , Wang Hongyu , Zhao Fang , Li Xian , Ji Linong , Guo Lixin
Published: June 2022

Aims/Introduction

To estimate the prevalence, and patient clinical and demographic profile, as well as risk factors associated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Beijing, China.

Materials and Methods

Hospitalized adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were consecutively screened and invited for an overnight polysomnography from four hospitals in Beijing, China, from May 2016 to February 2017. We used the American Academy of Sleep Medicine 2012 polysomnography recording techniques and scoring criteria to identify the type of apnea and the severity of OSAS. The χ2‐test was used to evaluate differences between groups regarding the prevalence, and demographic and other clinical parameters.

Results

A total of 735 patients were found eligible for the study, of whom 309 patients completed the overnight polysomnography. The mean age of the patients was 58.2 ± 10.9 years, and most (67.3%) were men. The prevalence of overall (apnea hypopnea index ≥5/h), moderate‐to‐severe (apnea hypopnea index ≥15/h) and severe (apnea hypopnea index ≥30/h) OSAS was 66.3% (95% confidence interval 60.8–71.6%), 35.6% (95% confidence interval 30.3–41.2%) and 16.5% (95% confidence interval 12.5–21.1%), respectively. Central and mixed apnea contributed 12% to all sleep‐disordered breathing. With the aggravation of OSAS, the combined prevalence for central, mixed and obstructive apnea increased from 57% to 70%. We found OSAS to be associated with older age, obesity, self‐reported snoring and apnea, and diabetes complications.

Conclusions

Guidelines on screening and treatment of OSAS among hospitalized patients with diabetes are needed to direct the routine practice for diabetes endocrinologists for optimal clinical care of such patients.
Understanding complexity in psychological services: A modified Delphi study
Authors: Strachan Jenny , Halliday Greg , Caldwell Ellie
Published: June 2022

Rationale, Aims and Objectives

The concept of patient or case complexity is relevant—and widely used—at all levels and stages of mental health service provision, but there have been few methodologically robust attempts to define this term. This study aimed to establish a consensus on factors contributing to patient complexity in adult psychological services using Delphi methodology.

Method

Applied psychologists in a single urban/suburban UK National Health Service setting took part in a three‐round modified Delphi study. Twenty‐eight respondents in Round 1 gave qualitative data on factors they considered when assessing complexity, which was subject to thematic analysis. Twenty‐five respondents in Round 2 rated how central/peripheral each theme was to their judgement using Likert scales. In a third round, 20 respondents addressed discrepancies and possible utilities of the emerging framework.

Results

Thirteen factors contributing to patient/case complexity (active severe/enduring mental health, current coping/functioning, engagement, forensic history, iatrogenic factors, interpersonal functioning, neurocognitive functioning, physical health, problematic substance use, risk, severity/chronicity of presenting problems, systemic and socioeconomic factors and trauma) were identified with a high degree of consensus. All were rated as central to complexity.

Conclusions

We conclude that applied psychologists do have a shared understanding of complexity and make recommendations for further research validating, developing and applying this empirically derived framework.
The converging paradigms of holism and complexity: An exploration of naturopathic clinical case management using complexity science principles
Authors: Graham Kim D. , Steel Amie , Wardle Jon
Published: June 2022

Rationale

Traditional whole systems of medicine, such as naturopathy, are founded upon holism; a philosophical paradigm consistent with contemporary complexity science. Naturopathic case management is predicated upon the understanding of an intimately interconnected internal physiological and external context of the human organism—potentially indicating a worldview aligned with a complexity perspective. In this study we investigate naturopathic clinical reasoning using a complexity lens with the aim of ascertaining the extent of correspondence between the two.

Method

Mind maps depicting case presentations were sought from Australian degree qualified naturopaths. A network mapping was undertaken, which was then analysed in accordance with a complexity science framework using exploratory data analysis and network analysis processes and tools.

Results

Naturopathic case schematics, in the form of mind maps (n = 70), were collected, network mapped, and analysed. A total of 739 unique elements and 2724 links were identified across the network. Integral elements across the network were: stress, fatigue, general anxiety, systemic inflammation, gut dysbiosis, and diet. A modularity algorithm detected 11 communities, the primary ones of these representing the nervous system and mood; the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and nutrition; immune function and the immune system; and diet and nutrients.

Conclusions

Naturopathic case management is holistic and based on a perspective of an integrated physiology and external context of the human organism. The traditional concept of holism, when subjected to a complexity lens, leads to the emergence of a contemporary holistic paradigm cognisant of the human organism being a complex system. The application of complexity science to investigate naturopathic case management as employed in this study, demonstrates that it is possible to investigate traditional philosophies and principles in a scientific and critical manner. A complexity science research approach may offer a suitable scientific paradigm to develop our understanding of traditional whole systems of medicine.
Green tea grades identification via Fourier transform near‐infrared spectroscopy and weighted global fuzzy uncorrelated discriminant transform
Authors: He Fei , Wu Xiaohong , Wu Bin , Zeng Shupeng , Zhu Xingchen
Published: June 2022

The extraction of near‐infrared (NIR) spectral discrimination information is important for the NIR spectral classification task. Some discriminant information extraction algorithms such as linear discriminant analysis (LDA), uncorrelated discriminant transform (UDT), and fuzzy uncorrelated discriminant transform (FUDT) use the sample mean to calculate the total scattering matrix. However, the calculation of the sample mean will be affected by abnormal samples, which will affect the extraction of discriminant information. To solve this problem, this article proposes an improved discriminant information extraction algorithm called weighted global fuzzy uncorrelated discriminant transform (WGFUDT). The algorithm uses the Euclidean distance between the training samples to weight the training samples and assigns a smaller weight to the abnormal data to reduce its effect on the sample mean. The algorithm was used for the grade identification of two green teas (Huangshan Maofeng tea and Mee tea). The results show that the classification accuracies of WGFUDT on Mee tea and Huangshan Maofeng tea are 97.22% and 99.07%, respectively. Compared with LDA, UDT and FUDT, WGFUDT can obtain more spectral discriminant information and has higher accuracy in grade identification of Huangshan Maofeng tea and Mee tea.

Practical Applications

Some traditional discriminant information extraction algorithms sometimes cannot extract enough discriminant information, which will affect the recognition rate of tea grades. WGFUDT can extract more discriminant information in the face of green tea spectral information and achieve higher accuracy. WGFUDT for green tea grade identification is fast and effective.
Cultural influences on infant and toddler feeding among low‐income Latinx mothers
Authors: MacMillan Uribe Alexandra L. , Rudt Hannah G. , Leak Tashara M.
Published: June 2022

Latinx infants and toddlers experience higher obesity rates than their black or white counterparts, increasing chronic disease risk later in life. Infant and toddler feeding (ITF) interventions are shown to improve dietary behaviours, but few studies target Latinx populations. Culturally tailoring such interventions is imperative, but cultural influences on Latinx ITF practices remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to characterize how culture influences ITF practices among Latinx mothers of low income. A brief survey and semistructured interview informed by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) were conducted on Zoom with New York City‐based Latinx mothers of children 4 to 24 months old. A directed content analysis approach was used to identify themes using TPB theoretical codes and inductive codes. Transcripts were coded independently by two researchers using NVivo 12. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in Excel. Participants (n = 19) were of Dominican, Mexican and Central and South American origin, had low acculturation scores and mean child age was 16.7 months (range: 5–24 months old). The central theme identified was that participants balanced cultural information with evidence‐based health information to determine which ITF practices were most beneficial to infant/toddler health. This resulted in the adoption of evidence‐based ITF recommendations, adoption of cultural practices that aligned with evidence‐based recommendations and dismissal or postponement of cultural ITF practices that contradicted evidence‐based recommendations. The present results can be applied to culturally relevant ITF education as follows: emphasizing the benefits of desirable ITF practices on children's health and promoting healthy cultural ITF practices.
Comparison of surveillance trapping methods to monitorCulicoidesbiting midge activity in Trinidad, West Indies
Authors: Brown‐Joseph Tamiko , Oura Christopher A. L. , Carrington Christine V. F. , Harrup Lara E.
Published: June 2022

Culicoidesbiting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are biting nuisances and arbovirus vectors of both public health and veterinary significance in Trinidad. We compared sampling methods to define the behaviour and bionomics of adultCulicoidespopulations at a commercial dairy goat farm. Three static trap designs were compared: (a) Centre for Disease Control (CDC) downdraft UV trap; (b) CDC trap with an incandescent bulb and (c) CDC trap with semiochemical lure consisting of R‐(−)‐1‐octen‐3‐ol and CO2(no bulb). Sweep netting was used to define diel periodicity. A total of 30,701 biting midges were collected using static traps, dominated by femaleCulicoides furens(>70% of trap collections across all three designs). There was no significant difference in the Margalef's index between the three traps; however, trap designs A and C collected a significantly greater number of individuals than trap B, and trap C gained highest species richness. The greatest species richness and abundance ofCulicoidescollected by sweep net was observed between 6:00 and 6:15pmand notable differences in the crepuscular activity pattern of several species were identified. Comparative data onCulicoidesspecies richness, abundance, sex and reproductive status is discussed and can be used to improve surveillance strategies, research designs and risk management.
Recent and ancient evolutionary events shaped plant elemental composition of edaphic endemics: a phylogeny‐wide analysis of Iberian gypsum plants
Authors: Palacio Sara , Cera Andreu , Escudero Adrián , Luzuriaga Arantzazu L. , Sánchez Ana M. , Mota Juan Francisco , Pérez‐Serrano Serrano María , Merlo M. Encarnación , Martínez‐Hernández Fabián , Salmerón‐Sánchez Esteban , Mendoza‐Fernández Antonio Jesús , Pérez‐García Francisco J. , Montserrat‐Martí Gabriel , Tejero Pablo
Published: June 2022

The analysis of plant elemental composition and the underlying factors affecting its variation are a current hot topic in ecology. Ecological adaptation to atypical soils may shift plant elemental composition. However, no previous studies have evaluated its relevance against other factors such as phylogeny, climate or individual soil conditions.

We evaluated the effect of the phylogeny, environment (climate, soil), and affinity to gypsum soils on the elemental composition of 83 taxa typical of Iberian gypsum ecosystems. We used a new statistical procedure (multiple phylogenetic variance decomposition, MPVD) to decompose total explained variance by different factors across all nodes in the phylogenetic tree of target species (covering 120 million years of Angiosperm evolution).

Our results highlight the relevance of phylogeny on the elemental composition of plants both at early (with the development of key preadaptive traits) and recent divergence times (diversification of the Iberian gypsum flora concurrent with Iberian gypsum deposit accumulation). Despite the predominant phylogenetic effect, plant adaptation to gypsum soils had a strong impact on the elemental composition of plants, particularly on sulphur concentrations, while climate and soil effects were smaller.

Accordingly, we detected a convergent evolution of gypsum specialists from different lineages on increased sulphur and magnesium foliar concentrations.
Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic and the restrictions on pediatric appendicitis in Turkey: A single‐center experience
Authors: Sener Okur Dicle , Memetoglu Mehmet Erdal , Edirne Yesim
Published: June 2022

Background

In this study we investigated how the incidence and course of acute appendicitis (AA) changed in children during the pandemic.

Methods

Children diagnosed with AA during the 1‐year pandemic period after the first COVID‐19 case in Turkey and the previous 1 year were included in the study. Children were divided into two groups: those hospitalized during the pandemic (group A) and those hospitalized in the year before the pandemic (group B). Furthermore, we compared the findings obtained for COVID‐19‐positive and COVID‐19‐negative children in the whole study group and within group A.

Results

A significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of gender, the rate of vomiting and the number of days of vomiting. Complicated AA was more frequent in group B than in group A. In addition, the hospital stay was significantly longer, the mean number of days with fever was significantly higher, and mean body temperature was significantly higher in COVID‐19‐positive patients in the whole study group and within group A.

Conclusions

Contrary to most studies in the literature, in the present study the patients in the pre‐pandemic period were admitted to hospital later, and this may have been associated with the higher frequency of complicated AA in these patients. During the pandemic, however, the arrangements and warnings of health authorities might have reduced the anxiety and the hesitancy of families to go to the hospital, and hence this may have been associated with the lower rate of complicated AA in this period.
Genom‐wide analysis identifies single nucleotide polymorphism variations and altered pathways associated with poor semen quality in breeding bulls
Authors: Ebenezer Samuel King John Peter , Kumaresan Arumugam , Talluri Thirumala Rao , Sinha Manish Kumar , Raval Kathan , Nag Pradeep , Karuthadurai Thirumalaisamy , Aranganathan Veeramani
Published: June 2022

The reason for poor semen quality among the breeding bulls is not well understood. In the present study, we performed high‐throughput RNAseq analysis of spermatozoa to identify the SNPs present in good and poor‐quality semen‐producing Holstein Friesian breeding bulls. A total of 21,360 and 44,650 SNPs were identified in good and poor‐quality semen with a minimum read depth of 20, among which 4780 and 8710 novel variants were observed in good and poor‐quality semen, respectively. Greater SNPs and indels variations were observed in poor compared to good‐quality semen. In poor‐quality semen, SNP variations were observed in ZNF280B, SLC26A2, DMXL1, OR52A1, MACROD2 and REV1 genes, which are associated with regulation of spermatogenesis, post‐testicular maturation, Cl− channel activity, V‐ATPase‐mediated intracellular vesicle acidification, a mono‐ADP‐ribosyl hydrolase and ATR‐Chk1 checkpoint activation. GO analysis of filtered genes with significant variations between good and poor‐quality semen showed enrichment in important pathways related to semen quality such as MAPK signalling pathway, Akt signalling pathway, focal adhesion, cAMP signalling pathway, and Rap1 signalling pathway. Network analysis of filtered genes in poor‐quality semen showed variations in pathways of purine metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, prolactin signalling pathway and RNA cap‐binding complex. It is inferred that SNP in genes involved in maintaining sperm functions could be the reason for poor‐quality semen production in bulls, and the identified SNPs hold potential to be used as biomarkers for semen quality in bulls.
Megaviruses contain various genes encoding for eukaryotic vesicle trafficking factors
Authors: Khalifeh Dany , Neveu Emilie , Fasshauer Dirk
Published: June 2022

Many intracellular pathogens, such as bacteria and large viruses, enter eukaryotic cells via phagocytosis, then replicate and proliferate inside the host. To avoid degradation in the phagosomes, they have developed strategies to modify vesicle trafficking. Although several strategies of bacteria have been characterized, it is not clear whether viruses also interfere with the vesicle trafficking of the host. Recently, we came across SNARE proteins encoded in the genomes of several bacteria of the order Legionellales. These pathogenic bacteria may use SNAREs to interfere with vesicle trafficking, since SNARE proteins are the core machinery for vesicle fusion during transport. They assemble into membrane‐bridging SNARE complexes that bring membranes together. We now have also discovered SNARE proteins in the genomes of diverse giant viruses. Our biochemical experiments showed that these proteins are able to form SNARE complexes. We also found other key trafficking factors that work together with SNAREs such as NSF, SM, and Rab proteins encoded in the genomes of giant viruses, suggesting that viruses can make use of a large genetic repertoire of trafficking factors. Most giant viruses possess different collections, suggesting that these factors entered the viral genome multiple times. In the future, the molecular role of these factors during viral infection need to be studied.
Supply spillovers during the pandemic: Evidence from high‐frequency shipping data
Authors: Cerdeiro Diego A. , Komaromi Andras
Published: June 2022

World trade contracted dramatically during the global economic crisis induced by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Disruptions in international supply chains were widely reported as governments imposed containment measures (lockdowns) to halt the spread of the disease. At the same time, demand declined as households and firms scaled back spending. This paper attempts to disentangle the supply and demand channels in trade by quantifying the causal effect of supply spillovers from lockdowns. We utilise a novel dataset of daily bilateral seaborne trade and design a shift‐share identification strategy that leverages geography‐induced cargo delivery lags to track the transmission of supply disruptions across space. We find strong but short‐lived supply spillovers of lockdowns through international trade. Moreover, the evidence is suggestive of the downstream propagation of countries' lockdowns through global supply chains. The short‐lived nature of the disruptions despite the unprecedented scale of the shock caution against any blunt use of trade and tax policies to create costly redundancies in global supply chains.
The epicentre model and American influence on Bahamian Englishes
Authors: Hackert Stephanie
Published: June 2022

Americanization has been described as one of the major sociocultural processes of language change currently affecting varieties of English worldwide; it is generally linked to the post‐World War II rise of the United States to global superpower status in political, military, economic, and cultural terms. Owing to their immediate geographical proximity, the Bahamas always had closer demographic, cultural, and institutional links with the North American mainland than other British colonies. The present paper applies the notion of epicentral influence, in the sense of a regionally dominant model influencing developments in neighboring areas, to Bahamian‐American linguistic relations and attempts to disentangle global from epicentral American influence. It considers not just standard Bahamian English but also Bahamian Creole, all levels of language, diachronic and synchronic data, and corpus findings as well as attitudinal studies and discusses the theoretical and methodological implications of the Bahamian data for the epicentre idea.
An improved acoustic imaging algorithm combining object detection and beamforming for acoustic camera
Authors: Ning Fangli , Meng Di , Wei Juan
Published: June 2022

High computational cost and interference with sidelobes and other mainlobes are the main problems of acoustic imaging algorithms for acoustic cameras. An improved acoustic imaging algorithm that deeply integrates object detection and a beamforming algorithm is proposed to solve the above problems. The YOLO-Fastest algorithm is employed to obtain the area of the specified equipment to reduce the imaging area of the beamforming algorithm. Experimental results show that an acoustic camera that runs the proposed method can reduce sidelobe interference and obtain acoustic images for specified equipment in real-time.
Autonomous push button–controlled rapid insulin release from a piezoelectrically activated subcutaneous cell implant
Authors: Zhao Haijie , Xue Shuai , Hussherr Marie-Didiée , Teixeira Ana Palma , Fussenegger Martin
Published: June 2022

Traceless physical cues are desirable for remote control of the in situ production and real-time dosing of biopharmaceuticals in cell-based therapies. However, current optogenetic, magnetogenetic, or electrogenetic devices require sophisticated electronics, complex artificial intelligence–assisted software, and external energy supplies for power and control. Here, we describe a self-sufficient subcutaneous push button–controlled cellular implant powered simply by repeated gentle finger pressure exerted on the overlying skin. Pushing the button causes transient percutaneous deformation of the implant’s embedded piezoelectric membrane, which produces sufficient low-voltage energy inside a semi-permeable platinum-coated cell chamber to mediate rapid release of a biopharmaceutical from engineered electro-sensitive human cells. Release is fine-tuned by varying the frequency and duration of finger-pressing stimulation. As proof of concept, we show that finger-pressure activation of the subcutaneous implant can restore normoglycemia in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes. Self-sufficient push-button devices may provide a new level of convenience for patients to control their cell-based therapies.
Tet2 coordinates with Foxo1 and Runx1 to balance T follicular helper cell and T helper 1 cell differentiation
Authors: Baessler Andrew , Novis Camille L. , Shen Zuolian , Perovanovic Jelena , Wadsworth Mark , Thiede Kendall A. , Sircy Linda M. , Harrison-Chau Malia , Nguyen Nguyen X. , Varley Katherine E. , Tantin Dean , Hale J. Scott
Published: June 2022

In response to various types of infection, naïve CD4
+
T cells differentiate into diverse helper T cell subsets; however, the epigenetic programs that regulate differentiation in response to viral infection remain poorly understood. Demethylation of CpG dinucleotides by Tet methylcytosine dioxygenases is a key component of epigenetic programing that promotes specific gene expression, cellular differentiation, and function. We report that following viral infection, Tet2-deficient CD4
+
T cells preferentially differentiate into highly functional germinal center T follicular helper (T
FH
) cells that provide enhanced help for B cells. Using genome-wide DNA methylation and transcription factor binding analyses, we find that Tet2 coordinates with multiple transcription factors, including Foxo1 and Runx1, to mediate the demethylation and expression of target genes, including genes encoding repressors of T
FH
differentiation. Our findings establish Tet2 as an important regulator of T
FH
cell differentiation and reveal pathways that could be targeted to enhance immune responses against infectious disease.
Neuroligin-3 confines AMPA receptors into nanoclusters, thereby controlling synaptic strength at the calyx of Held synapses
Authors: Han Ying , Cao Ran , Qin Liming , Chen Lulu Y. , Tang Ai-Hui , Südhof Thomas C. , Zhang Bo
Published: June 2022

The subsynaptic organization of postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptors into nanoclusters that are aligned with presynaptic release sites is essential for the high fidelity of synaptic transmission. However, the mechanisms controlling the nanoscale organization of neurotransmitter receptors in vivo remain incompletely understood. Here, we deconstructed the role of neuroligin-3 (Nlgn3), a postsynaptic adhesion molecule linked to autism, in organizing AMPA-type glutamate receptors in the calyx of Held synapse. Deletion of
Nlgn3
lowered the amplitude and slowed the kinetics of AMPA receptor–mediated synaptic responses. Super-resolution microscopy revealed that, unexpectedly, these impairments in synaptic transmission were associated with an increase in the size of postsynaptic PSD-95 and AMPA receptor nanoclusters but a decrease of the densities in these clusters. Modeling showed that a dilution of AMPA receptors into larger nanocluster volumes decreases synaptic strength. Nlgn3, likely by binding to presynaptic neurexins, thus is a key organizer of AMPA receptor nanoclusters that likely acts via PSD-95 adaptors to optimize the fidelity of synaptic transmission.
Wide-range robust wireless power transfer using heterogeneously coupled and flippable neutrals in parity-time symmetry
Authors: Kim Hyunwoo , Yoo Seungwon , Joo Hyunwoo , Lee Jongheon , An Donggeun , Nam Seonghyeon , Han Hyungu , Kim Dae-Hyeong , Kim Sanghoek
Published: June 2022

Recently, stationary wireless power transfer (WPT) has been widely adopted in commercial devices. However, the current WPT configuration is limited in its operational area and susceptible to operating condition changes, impeding its applications for dynamic environments. To overcome the limitations, we propose a WPT system with laterally aligned neutral elements in parity-time (PT) symmetry, which can widen the operational area with the number of neutrals
N
. Compared to the conventional multiple-input–single-output WPT, the dimension of system complexity is substantially reduced from
R
×

C
N

to
R

N+
1

because the neutral amplitudes are simply controlled by coupling capacitors. The operational frequency is automatically adjusted to a real eigenvalue of the PT-symmetric system to achieve high voltage gain and efficiency, making the system robust. The performance of the system calculated by the coupled-mode theory was experimentally verified with rigid and flexible types of receivers, confirming its potential in both industrial and biomedical electronics.
Enantiosensitive steering of free-induction decay
Authors: Khokhlova Margarita , Pisanty Emilio , Patchkovskii Serguei , Smirnova Olga , Ivanov Misha
Published: June 2022

Chiral discrimination, a problem of vital importance, has recently become an emerging frontier in ultrafast physics, with remarkable progress achieved in multiphoton and strong-field regimes. Rydberg excitations, unavoidable in the strong-field regime and intentional for few-photon processes, arise in all these approaches. Here, we show how to harness this ubiquitous feature by introducing a new phenomenon, enantiosensitive free-induction decay, steered by a tricolor chiral field at a gentle intensity, structured in space and time. We demonstrate theoretically that an excited chiral molecule accumulates an enantiosensitive phase due to perturbative interactions with the tricolor chiral field, resulting in a spatial phase gradient steering the free-induction decay in opposite directions for opposite enantiomers. Our work introduces a general, extremely sensitive, all-optical enantiosensitive detection technique that avoids strong fields and takes full advantage of recent advances in structuring light.
Neuromorphic computing chip with spatiotemporal elasticity for multi-intelligent-tasking robots
Authors: Ma Songchen , Pei Jing , Zhang Weihao , Wang Guanrui , Feng Dahu , Yu Fangwen , Song Chenhang , Qu Huanyu , Ma Cheng , Lu Mingsheng , Liu Faqiang , Zhou Wenhao , Wu Yujie , Lin Yihan , Li Hongyi , Wang Taoyi , Song Jiuru , Liu Xue , Li Guoqi , Zhao Rong , Shi Luping
Published: June 2022

Recent advances in artificial intelligence have enhanced the abilities of mobile robots in dealing with complex and dynamic scenarios. However, to enable computationally intensive algorithms to be executed locally in multitask robots with low latency and high efficiency, innovations in computing hardware are required. Here, we report TianjicX, a neuromorphic computing hardware that can support true concurrent execution of multiple cross-computing-paradigm neural network (NN) models with various coordination manners for robotics. With spatiotemporal elasticity, TianjicX can support adaptive allocation of computing resources and scheduling of execution time for each task. Key to this approach is a high-level model, “Rivulet,” which bridges the gap between robotic-level requirements and hardware implementations. It abstracts the execution of NN tasks through distribution of static data and streaming of dynamic data to form the basic activity context, adopts time and space slices to achieve elastic resource allocation for each activity, and performs configurable hybrid synchronous-asynchronous grouping. Thereby, Rivulet is capable of supporting independent and interactive execution. Building on Rivulet with hardware design for realizing spatiotemporal elasticity, a 28-nanometer TianjicX neuromorphic chip with event-driven, high parallelism, low latency, and low power was developed. Using a single TianjicX chip and a specially developed compiler stack, we built a multi-intelligent-tasking mobile robot, Tianjicat, to perform a cat-and-mouse game. Multiple tasks, including sound recognition and tracking, object recognition, obstacle avoidance, and decision-making, can be concurrently executed. Compared with NVIDIA Jetson TX2, latency is substantially reduced by 79.09 times, and dynamic power is reduced by 50.66%.
Complete Genome Sequence of Salmonella Phage vB_SenA_SM5, Active against Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi Isolates
Authors: Chaudhary Naveen , Singh Dharminder , Maurya Ravi Kumar , Mohan Balvinder , Taneja Neelam
Published: June 2022

Phage vB_SenA_SM5, active against multiple isolates of multidrug-resistant
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhi, was isolated from the sewage water of a tertiary-care referral hospital in Chandigarh, India. It has a 154.4-kb-long double-stranded DNA genome, belongs to the family
Ackermannviridae
, and is closest to
Salmonella
phage Chennai, which was isolated in southern India.
Sentinel Cards Provide Practical SARS-CoV-2 Monitoring in School Settings
Authors: Cantú Victor J. , Sanders Karenina , Belda-Ferre Pedro , Salido Rodolfo A. , Tsai Rebecca , Austin Brett , Jordan William , Asudani Menka , Walster Amanda , Magallanes Celestine G. , Valentine Holly , Manjoonian Araz , Wijaya Carrissa , Omaleki Vinton , Aigner Stefan , Baer Nathan A. , Betty Maryann , Castro-Martínez Anelizze , Cheung Willi , De Hoff Peter , Eisner Emily , Hakim Abbas , Lastrella Alma L. , Lawrence Elijah S. , Ngo Toan T. , Ostrander Tyler , Plascencia Ashley , Sathe Shashank , Smoot Elizabeth W. , Carlin Aaron F. , Yeo Gene W. , Laurent Louise C. , Manlutac Anna Liza , Fielding-Miller Rebecca , Knight Rob
Published: June 2022

Because SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, persists on surfaces, testing swabs taken from surfaces is useful as a monitoring tool. This approach is especially valuable in school settings, where there are cost and privacy concerns that are eliminated by taking a single sample from a classroom.
Penicillin plus Ceftriaxone versus Ampicillin plus Ceftriaxone Synergistic Potential against Clinical Enterococcus faecalis Blood Isolates
Authors: Cusumano Jaclyn A. , Khan Ruhma , Shah Zeel , Philogene Cassie , Harrichand Amrita , Huang Vanthida
Published: June 2022

Penicillin plus ceftriaxone demonstrates similar synergistic activity against
Enterococcus faecalis
to ampicillin plus ceftriaxone. Isolates with a penicillin MIC of 4 mg/L and a ceftriaxone MIC of 512 or higher, lack penicillin plus ceftriaxone synergy despite the penicillin susceptibility MIC breakpoint of 8 mg/L.
Early-onset sepsis in very preterm neonates in Australia and New Zealand, 2007–2018
Authors: Duggan Husharn L , Chow Sharon S W , Austin Nicola C , Shah Prakeshkumar S , Lui Kei , Tan Kenneth
Published: June 2022

Objective

To evaluate the epidemiology and population trends of early-onset sepsis in very preterm neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Australia and New Zealand.

Design

Retrospective observational cohort study using a dual-nation registry database.

Setting

29 NICUs that have contributed to the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network.

Participants

Neonates born at <32 weeks’ gestation born between 2007 and 2018 and then admitted to a NICU.

Main outcome measures

Microorganism profiles, incidence, mortality and morbidity.

Results

Over the 12-year period, 614 early-onset sepsis cases from 43 178 very preterm admissions (14.2/1000 admissions) were identified. The trends of early-onset sepsis incidence remained stable, varying between 9.8 and 19.4/1000 admissions (linear trend, p=0.56). The leading causative organisms wereEscherichia coli(E. coli) (33.7%) followed by group BStreptococcus(GBS) (16.1%). The incidence ofE. coliincreased between 2007 (3.2/1000 admissions) and 2018 (8.3/1000 admissions; p=0.02). Neonates withE. colihad higher odds of mortality compared with those withGBS(OR=2.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 6.1). Mortality due toGBSdecreased over the same period (2007: 0.6/1000 admissions, 2018: 0.0/1000 admissions; p=0.01). Early-onset sepsis tripled the odds of mortality (OR=3.0, 95% CI 2.4 to 3.7) and halved the odds of survival without morbidity (OR=0.5, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.6).

Conclusion

Early-onset sepsis remains an important condition among very preterm populations. Furthermore,E. coliis a dominant microorganism of very preterm early-onset sepsis in Australia and New Zealand. Rates ofE. colihave been increasing in recent years, whileGBS-associated mortality has decreased.