bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NLRP3 Inflammasome-Mediated Neuroinflammation and Related Mitochondrial Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Han Qiu-Qin , Le Weidong
Published: February 2023

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder caused by the loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra and the formation of Lewy bodies, which are mainly composed of alpha-synuclein fibrils. Alpha-synuclein plays a vital role in the neuroinflammation mediated by the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-, leucine-rich repeat-, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in PD. A better understanding of the NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated neuroinflammation and the related mitochondrial impairment during PD progression may facilitate the development of promising therapies for PD. This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying NLRP3 inflammasome activation, comprising priming and protein complex assembly, as well as the role of mitochondrial impairment and its subsequent inflammatory effects on the progression of neurodegeneration in PD. In addition, the therapeutic strategies targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome for PD treatment are discussed, including the inhibitors of NLRP3 inflammatory pathways, mitochondria-focused treatments, microRNAs, and other therapeutic compounds.
Continuous non-invasive estimates of cerebral blood flow using electrocardiography signals: a feasibility study
Authors: van Bohemen Samuel J. , Rogers Jeffrey M. , Boughton Philip C. , Clarke Jillian L. , Valderrama Joaquin T. , Kyme Andre Z.
Published: February 2023

This paper describes a potential method to detect changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) using electrocardiography (ECG) signals, measured across scalp electrodes with reference to the same signal across the chest—a metric we term the Electrocardiography Brain Perfusion index (EBPi). We investigated the feasibility of EBPi to monitor CBF changes in response to specific tasks. Twenty healthy volunteers wore a head-mounted device to monitor EBPi and electroencephalography (EEG) during tasks known to alter CBF. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound measurements provided ground-truth estimates of CBF. Statistical analyses were applied to EBPi, TCD right middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (rMCAv) and EEG relative Alpha (rAlpha) data to detect significant task-induced changes and correlations. Breath-holding and aerobic exercise induced highly significant increases in EBPi and TCD rMCAv (p < 0.01). Verbal fluency also increased both measures, however the increase was only significant for EBPi (p < 0.05). Hyperventilation induced a highly significant decrease in TCD rMCAv (p < 0.01) but EBPi was unchanged. Combining all tasks, EBPi exhibited a highly significant, weak positive correlation with TCD rMCAv (r = 0.27, p < 0.01) and the Pearson coefficient between EBPi and rAlpha was r = − 0.09 (p = 0.05). EBPi appears to be responsive to dynamic changes in CBF and, can enable practical, continuous monitoring. CBF is a key parameter of brain health and function but is not easily measured in a practical, continuous, non-invasive fashion. EBPi may have important clinical implications in this context for stroke monitoring and management. Additional studies are required to support this claim.
Use of Physical Activity Measures in Rehabilitation Interventions Following Lower Extremity Amputation
Authors: Murray L. , McGinty G.
Published: February 2023

Purpose of Review

This systematic review aims to evaluate physical performance outcome tools that are used most frequently to assess rehabilitation interventions. The scope of this paper focused on outcomes used with established lower limb amputees when assessing interventions such as exercise programs or changes in prescription published in the last 5 years.

Recent Findings

The most recorded outcome measures used across all the papers were timed walk tests and the Activity Balance Confidence Scale. Many outcomes did not produce statistically significant results with established amputee cohorts. Understanding the minimal important clinical difference is key.

The use of outcome measures is essential. Training and education are likely to increase the use of outcome measures. Quality of life measures are important in conjunction with physical outcomes. Simple timed walk tests are commonly used. These are in general easy to administer requiring a small space, limited equipment, and a short time frame.
Patients’ perspectives on screening for disordered eating among adolescents with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Abild Caroline Bruun , Jensen Annesofie Lunde , Lassen Rikke Bjerre , Vestergaard Esben Thyssen , Bruun Jens Meldgaard , Kristensen Kurt , Støving Rene Klinkby , Clausen Loa
Published: February 2023

Purpose

People with type 1 diabetes have an increased risk of disordered eating (DE) and eating disorders (ED). Screening is recommended however little is known about patients’ perspectives on screening questionnaires. This paper reports qualitative analyses of patients’ perspectives on the questionnaire Diabetes Eating Problem Survey Revised (DEPS-R), including acceptability, attitudes, and cognitive understanding.

Research design and methods

15 adolescents with type 1 diabetes between 11 and 18 years, were interviewed. A semi-structured format and a qualitative Interpretive Descriptive (ID) methodology was chosen.

Results

The analyses identified four themes: (1) The Questionnaire, (2) Reframing Diabetes Visits, (3) This is (not) for me, and (4) Out in the Open. The DEPS-R was completed with-in 5–10 min. with no technical difficulties. The questionnaire altered the diabetes visit for some, creating a new dialog, and time for self-reflection. Adolescents appreciated the direct approach in the questionnaire, and showed willingness to complete the questionnaire, when presented to them by a health care professional (HCP). One item in the DEPS-R proved difficult to understand for some participants.

Conclusion

The study highlights DEPS-R as a clinically relevant screening questionnaire. Completing DEPS-R prior to a consultation opens the door to a consultation that invites the adolescent to address matters of eating behavior. Our findings suggest that systematic screening of DE/ED using the DEPS-R is both accepted and welcomed by adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Future research should focus on a potential update of selected items in DEPS-R.

Level of evidence

V – qualitative study.
RBUE: a ReLU-based uncertainty estimation method for convolutional neural networks
Authors: Xia Yufeng , Zhang Jun , Gong Zhiqiang , Jiang Tingsong , Yao Wen
Published: February 2023

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have successfully demonstrated their powerful predictive performance in a variety of tasks. However, it remains a challenge to estimate the uncertainty of these predictions simply and accurately. Deep Ensemble is widely considered the state-of-the-art method which can estimate the uncertainty accurately, but it is expensive to train and test. MC-Dropout is another popular method that is less costly but lacks the diversity of predictions resulting in less accurate uncertainty estimates. To combine the benefits of both, we introduce a ReLU-Based Uncertainty Estimation (RBUE) method. Instead of using the randomness of the Dropout module during the test phase (MC-Dropout) or using the randomness of the initial weights of CNNs (Deep Ensemble), RBUE uses the randomness of activation function to obtain diverse outputs in the testing phase to estimate uncertainty. Under the method, we propose strategy MC-DropReLU and develop strategy MC-RReLU. The uniform distribution of the activation function’s position in CNNs allows the randomness to be well transferred to the output results and gives a more diverse output, thus improving the accuracy of the uncertainty estimation. Moreover, our method is simple to implement and does not need to modify the existing model. We experimentally validate the RBUE on three widely used datasets, CIFAR10, CIFAR100, and TinyImageNet. The experiments demonstrate that our method has competitive performance but is more favorable in training time.
Exponential sampling with a multiplier
Authors: Bardaro Carlo , Mantellini Ilaria , Schmeisser Gerhard
Published: February 2023

The exponential sampling formula has some limitations. By incorporating a Mellin bandlimited multiplier, we extend it to a wider class of functions with a series that converges faster. This series is a generalized exponential sampling series with some interesting properties. Moreover, under a side condition, any generalized exponential sampling series that is interpolating can be generated by a Mellin bandlimited multiplier. For an error analysis, we consider a truncated series with $$2N+1$$

2
N
+
1

terms and look for a highest speed of convergence as $$N\rightarrow \infty $$

N
→
∞

. We show by using a certain non-bandlimited multiplier, which introduces in addition an aliasing error, that we can achieve a higher rate of convergence to the function, namely $$\mathcal {O}(e^{-\alpha N})$$

O
(

e

-
α
N

)

with $$\alpha >0$$

α
>
0

, than with the truncated series of an exact formula. The results are illustrated by three examples.
On the relation of the frame-related operators of fusion frame systems
Authors: Köhldorfer Lukas , Balazs Peter
Published: February 2023

Frames have been investigated frequently over the last few decades due to their valuable properties, which are desirable for various applications as well as interesting for theory. Some applications additionally require distributed processing techniques, which naturally leads to the concept of fusion frames and fusion frame systems. The latter consists of a system of subspaces, equipped with local frames on each of them, and a global frame. In this paper, we investigate the relations of the associated frame-related operators on all those three levels. For that we provide a detailed investigation on bounded block diagonal operators between Hilbert direct sums. We give the relation of the frame-related operators of the fusion frame and the corresponding frame systems in terms of operator identities. By applying these identities we prove further properties of fusion frame systems.
Improvement of recovery yield of macro-organismal environmental DNA from seawater samples
Authors: Wu Qianqian , Minamoto Toshifumi
Published: February 2023

In recent years, environmental DNA (eDNA) technology has been used in a variety of water environments. Environmental DNA concentrations in marine samples tend to be lower than those in freshwater samples, and few studies have explored methods to improve the recovery yields of eDNA from seawater samples. In this study, we compared different seawater preservation solutions (RNAlater or ATL) to improve eDNA yields. The eDNA concentrations of vertebrate and invertebrate species were compared using species-specific eDNA assays, and the number of detected fish and their compositions were compared using metabarcoding analysis. ATL treatment resulted in significantly higher eDNA yields for both vertebrate and invertebrate species than RNAlater treatment. Metabarcoding analysis revealed non-significant effects of preservation on the number of detected species and species composition. These results suggest that ATL treatment improves DNA yields without changing the species composition compared with the commonly used RNAlater treatment. The findings of this study will reduce false-negative outcomes and provide highly reliable results in future biological surveys.

Graphical abstract
Grammar for English Language Teachers
Authors: Parrott Martin
Published: February 2023

Grammar for English Language Teachers provides invaluable support to teachers in training and those with more experience. As well as clearly explaining and illustrating the grammar, it examines difficulties learners often encounter, and provides help and advice in planning lessons. It explores the complexity of grammatical choices in an accessible way, and raises awareness of how these differ from the 'rules of thumb' often presented to learners.

This edition contains new material which reflects the latest developments in linguistics and language teaching, including a chapter on 'Combining words', informed by lexico-grammar. It also includes insights and examples of language use from the Cambridge International Corpus. Increased cross-referencing and an extended index mean that the book can be easily used as a quick reference tool, as well as to explore major topics in depth.

Winner of the Duke of Edinburgh English Language Award 2000 (first edition).
High-power femtosecond laser generation from an all-fiber linearly polarized chirped pulse amplifier
Authors: Wang Tao , Li Can , Ren Bo , Guo Kun , Wu Jian , Leng Jinyong , Zhou Pu
Published: February 2023

An all-fiber high-power linearly polarized chirped pulse amplification (CPA) system is experimentally demonstrated. Through stretching the pulse duration to a full width of approximately 2 ns with two cascaded chirped fiber Bragg gratings (CFBGs), a maximum average output power of 612 W is achieved from a high-gain Yb-doped fiber that has a core diameter of 20 μm with a slope efficiency of approximately 68% at the repetition rate of 80 MHz. At the maximum output power, the polarization degree is 92.5% and the M2 factor of the output beam quality is approximately 1.29; the slight performance degradations are attributed to the thermal effects in the main amplifier. By optimizing the B-integral of the amplifier and finely adjusting the higher-order dispersion of one of the CFBGs, the pulse width is compressed to 863 fs at the highest power with a compression efficiency of 72%, corresponding to a maximum compressed average power of 440.6 W, single pulse energy of 5.5 μJ and peak power of about 4.67 MW. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average power of a femtosecond laser directly generated from an all-fiber linearly polarized CPA system.
A novel multi-shot target platform for laser-driven laboratory astrophysics experiments
Authors: Perez-Martin Pablo , Prencipe Irene , Sobiella Manfred , Donat Fabian , Kang Ning , He Zhiyu , Liu Huiya , Ren Lei , Xie Zhiyong , Xiong Jun , Zhang Yan , Brack Florian-Emanuel , Červenák Michal , Gajdoš Pavel , Hronová Lenka , Kaniz Kakolee , Kozlová Michaela , Kroll Florian , Pan Xiayun , Schaumann Gabriel , Singh Sushil , Šmíd Michal , Suzuki-Vidal Francisco , Zhang Panzheng , Sun Jinren , Zhu Jianqiang , Krůs Miroslav , Falk Katerina
Published: February 2023

A new approach to target development for laboratory astrophysics experiments at high-power laser facilities is presented. With the dawn of high-power lasers, laboratory astrophysics has emerged as a field, bringing insight into physical processes in astrophysical objects, such as the formation of stars. An important factor for success in these experiments is targetry. To date, targets have mainly relied on expensive and challenging microfabrication methods. The design presented incorporates replaceable machined parts that assemble into a structure that defines the experimental geometry. This can make targets cheaper and faster to manufacture, while maintaining robustness and reproducibility. The platform is intended for experiments on plasma flows, but it is flexible and may be adapted to the constraints of other experimental setups. Examples of targets used in experimental campaigns are shown, including a design for insertion in a high magnetic field coil. Experimental results are included, demonstrating the performance of the targets.
Direct numerical simulation of particle-laden flow in an open channel at
Authors: Gao Wei , Samtaney Ravi , Richter David H.
Published: February 2023

We perform two-way coupled direct numerical simulation of particle-laden flow in an open channel at a friction Reynolds number (

$Re_{\tau }$

) of 5186, which exhibits many characteristics of high-Reynolds-number wall-bounded turbulence, such as the distinct separation of scales in the inner and outer layers. Three representative cases, an unladen case and low- and high-Stokes-number particle-laden cases, are performed to investigate the turbulent modification by particles. To this end, we compare several statistical quantities to understand the particle effect on momentum exchange and interphasial energy transfer. The modulation of large-scale motions (LSMs) and very-large-scale motions (VLSMs) are analysed using spectral information, and we find that the LSMs and VLSMs are generally weakened in the inner and outer layers, which is qualitatively different from similar simulations at lower Reynolds numbers (

$Re_{\tau } \approx 500$

). The spatial structures are investigated with correlation analysis, and inclined VLSMs are observed in the near-wall region, with decreased inclination angles by particles. The particles tend to widen and shorten the spanwise and streamwise extent of coherent structures, respectively. Furthermore, we find that the vorticity vector displays a preferential alignment with the eigenvector corresponding to the intermediate eigenvalue of the strain-rate tensor, independent of the particle Stokes number.
Morse theory of Bestvina–Brady type for posets and matchings
Authors: Minian Elías Gabriel
Published: February 2023

We introduce a Morse theory for posets of Bestvina–Brady type combining matchings and height functions. This theory generalizes Forman's discrete Morse theory for regular CW-complexes and extends previous results on Morse theory for $h$-regular posets to all finite posets. We also develop a relative version of Morse theory which allows us to compare the topology of a poset with that of a given subposet.
A NOTE ON REGULAR SETS IN CAYLEY GRAPHS
Authors: ZHANG JUNYANG , ZHU YANHONG
Published: February 2023

A subset R of the vertex set of a graph
$\Gamma $
is said to be
$(\kappa ,\tau )$
-regular if R induces a
$\kappa $
-regular subgraph and every vertex outside R is adjacent to exactly
$\tau $
vertices in R. In particular, if R is a
$(\kappa ,\tau )$
-regular set of some Cayley graph on a finite group G, then R is called a
$(\kappa ,\tau )$
-regular set of G. Let H be a nontrivial normal subgroup of G, and
$\kappa $
and
$\tau $
a pair of integers satisfying
$0\leq \kappa \leq |H|-1$
,
$1\leq \tau \leq |H|$
and
$\gcd (2,|H|-1)\mid \kappa $
. It is proved that (i) if
$\tau $
is even, then H is a
$(\kappa ,\tau )$
-regular set of G; (ii) if
$\tau $
is odd, then H is a
$(\kappa ,\tau )$
-regular set of G if and only if it is a
$(0,1)$
-regular set of G.
Stronger coupling of emotional instability with reward processing in borderline personality disorder is predicted by schema modes
Authors: Csukly Gábor , Farkas Kinga , Fodor Tímea , Unoka Zsolt , Polner Bertalan
Published: February 2023

Background

Mood instability and risk-taking are hallmarks of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Schema modes are combinations of self-reflective evaluations, negative emotional states, and destructive coping strategies common in BPD. When activated, they can push patients with BPD into emotional turmoil and a dissociative state of mind. Our knowledge of the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms driving these changes is incomplete. We hypothesized that in patients with BPD, affective instability is more influenced by reward expectation, outcomes, and reward prediction errors (RPEs) during risky decision-making than in healthy controls. Additionally, we expected that these alterations would be related to schema modes.

Methods

Thirty-two patients with BPD and thirty-one healthy controls were recruited. We used an established behavioral paradigm to measure mood fluctuations during risky decision-making. The impact of expectations and RPEs on momentary mood was quantified by a computational model, and its parameters were estimated with hierarchical Bayesian analysis. Model parameters were compared using High-Density Intervals.

Results

We found that model parameters capturing the influence of RPE and Certain Rewards on mood were significantly higher in patients with BPD than in controls. These model parameters correlated significantly with schema modes, but not with depression severity.

Conclusions

BPD is coupled with altered associations between mood fluctuation and reward processing under uncertainty. Our findings seem to be BPD-specific, as they stand in contrast with the correlates of depressive symptoms. Future studies should establish the clinical utility of these alterations, such as predicting or assessing therapeutic response in BPD.
No Longer ‘Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards’? Advances in Local State-Voluntary and Community Sector Relationships During Covid-19
Authors: Cook Joanne , Thiery Harriet , Burchell Jon
Published: February 2023

Despite the significant influence of localism on policy discourses in the UK in recent decades, there has been limited evidence of any fundamental changes in state-civil society relationships. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 created a new context for cross-sectoral collaboration, as the local Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) and local communities moved to the forefront of the crisis response. This paper draws upon 49 semi-structured interviews with local authorities (LAs) and VCS organisations across England, Scotland and Wales, to explore how the pandemic has reshaped LA-VCS collaboration. Examining the evolution of a range of local collaborative frameworks during the Covid-19 crisis, the article examines what enabled these collaborations to develop, how they operated and what insights can be derived regarding both the conditions for collaboration to flourish and the capacity to sustain this going forward. The findings offer insights into what more progressive forms of collaboration might look like during the transition from crisis and into recovery. It contributes to broader debates about whether the models deployed during Covid-19 represent a pathway to more consensus-based collaboration after a decade of antagonism between civil society and the state.
Efficacy of technology-based personalised feedback on diet quality in young Australian adults: results for the advice, ideas and motivation for my eating (Aim4Me) randomised controlled trial
Authors: Haslam Rebecca L , Baldwin Jennifer N , Pezdirc Kristine , Truby Helen , Attia John , Hutchesson Melinda J , Burrows Tracy , Callister Robin , Hides Leanne , Bonevski Billie , Kerr Deborah A , Kirkpatrick Sharon I , Rollo Megan E , McCaffrey Tracy A , Collins Clare E
Published: February 2023

Objective:

Web-based dietary interventions could support healthy eating. The Advice, Ideas and Motivation for My Eating (Aim4Me) trial investigated the impact of three levels of personalised web-based dietary feedback on diet quality in young adults. Secondary aims were to investigate participant retention, engagement and satisfaction.

Design:

Randomised controlled trial.

Setting:

Web-based intervention for young adults living in Australia.

Participants:

18–24-year-olds recruited across Australia were randomised to Group 1 (control: brief diet quality feedback), Group 2 (comprehensive feedback on nutritional adequacy + website nutrition resources) or Group 3 (30-min dietitian consultation + Group 2 elements). Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS) was the primary outcome. The ARFS subscales and percentage energy from nutrient-rich foods (secondary outcomes) were analysed at 3, 6 and 12 months using generalised linear mixed models. Engagement was measured with usage statistics and satisfaction with a process evaluation questionnaire.

Results:

Participants (n 1005, 85 % female, mean age 21·7 ± 2·0 years) were randomised to Group 1 (n 343), Group 2 (n 325) and Group 3 (n 337). Overall, 32 (3 %), 88 (9 %) and 141 (14 %) participants were retained at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. Only fifty-two participants (15 % of Group 3) completed the dietitian consultation. No significant group-by-time interactions were observed (P > 0·05). The proportion of participants who visited the thirteen website pages ranged from 0·6 % to 75 %. Half (Group 2 = 53 %, Group 3 = 52 %) of participants who completed the process evaluation (Group 2, n 111; Group 3, n 90) were satisfied with the programme.

Conclusion:

Recruiting and retaining young adults in web-based dietary interventions are challenging. Future research should consider ways to optimise these interventions, including co-design methods.
Multiplicative, additive, and interactive associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with lung and prostate cancer
Authors: Voutilainen Ari , Virtanen Jyrki K. , Hantunen Sari , Nurmi Tarja , Kokko Petra , Tuomainen Tomi-Pekka
Published: February 2023

Abstract: Results regarding the epidemiological association of vitamin D with lung (LCA) and prostate cancer (PCA) are controversial. This study tested whether serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations have interactive epidemiological associations with smoking, the number-one risk factor for LCA, and age, the number-one risk factor for PCA. Also, this study investigated whether the associations of 25(OH)D, smoking, age, alcohol consumption, body mass index, diet (the healthy Nordic diet score), and physical activity with incident LCA and PCA are multiplicative or additive. The study of association types makes it easier to select appropriate statistical methods. The Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study provided the data of 2578 men with 112 LCA and 300 PCA cases over 35 years by the end of 2019. Serum 25(OH)D did not associate with LCA and PCA or interact with smoking and age. The association of smoking with LCA was additive; 13 extra cases per 1000 men every 10 years. Age and alcohol consumption multiplicatively increased the hazard of LCA (hazard ratio, 95% confidence interval for age >50: 3.56, 1.82–6.17; drink per week: 1.01, 1.00–1.03), whereas adherence to healthy Nordic diet decreased it (per score point: 0.95, 0.89–1.00). The association of age >50 with PCA was additive; 2.5 extra cases per 1000 men every 10 years. To conclude, there was no epidemiological relationship of pre-diagnostic 25(OH)D concentrations with the incidence of LCA and PCA. The respective associations of smoking and age >50 with LCA and PCA were additive rather than multiplicative.
Mapping 21st Century Global Coastal Land Reclamation
Authors: Sengupta Dhritiraj , Choi Young Rae , Tian Bo , Brown Sally , Meadows Michael , Hackney Christopher R. , Banerjee Abhishek , Li Yingjie , Chen Ruishan , Zhou Yunxuan
Published: February 2023

Increasing population size and economic dependence on the coastal zone, coupled with the growing need for residential, agricultural, industrial, commercial and green space infrastructure, are key drivers of land reclamation. Until now, there has been no comprehensive assessment of the global distribution of land use on reclaimed space at the coast. Here, we analyze Landsat satellite imagery from 2000 to 2020 to quantify the spatial extent, scale, and land use of urban coastal reclamation for 135 cities with populations in excess of 1 million. Findings indicate that 78% (106/135) of these major coastal cities have resorted to reclamation as a source of new ground, contributing a total 253,000 ha of additional land to the Earth's surface in the 21st century, equivalent to an area the size of Luxembourg. Reclamation is especially prominent in East Asia, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, followed by Western Europe and West Africa. The most common land uses on reclaimed spaces are port extension (>70 cities), followed by residential/commercial (30 cities) and industrial (19 cities). While increased global trade and the rapid urbanization have driven these uses, we argue that a city's prestigious place‐making effort to gain global reputation is emerging as another major driver underlying recent reclamation projects to create tourist and green spaces Meanwhile, the study suggests that 70% of recent reclamation has occurred in areas identified as potentially exposed to extreme sea level rise (SLR) by 2100 and this presents a significant challenge to sustainable development at the coast.
The Effect of Energetic Ion Dispersionless Injections on the Ring Current Dynamics
Authors: Zhuang Yan , Yue Chao , Zong Qiu‐Gang , Zhou Xu‐Zhi , Fu Haobo , Mitchell Donald G. , Gkioulidou M. , Cooper Matthew
Published: February 2023

Energetic particle injections, usually observed as sudden flux enhancements of charged particles from tens to hundreds of keV, are one of the main mechanisms for ring current enhancement. In this study, we statistically analyzed the influence of dispersionless injections on Earth's ring current based on the measurements of radiation belt storm probes ion composition experiment onboard Van Allen Probes from 2013 to 2019. We identified 813 dispersionless proton injection events, which are mainly in the pre‐midnight sector. With a greater SuperMAG electrojet index (SME), the observed injections extend to lower L shells. Meanwhile, Helium (He+) and oxygen (O+) ions experience almost simultaneous injections with protons. Superposed epoch results show that ion energy densities enhance significantly after injections. As SMEmax increases, the ring current energy densities of all three species are increasing, and the magnitude of the enhancements, defined as the ratio of the energy densities after and before the injection, hardly changes for protons (∼2.0) and He+ ions (∼2.0) but increases for O+ ions (2.6 and 3.0 for SMEmax < 1,000 nT and SMEmax ≥ 1,000 nT, respectively), suggesting the contribution of O+ ions to ring current becomes more significant during super substorms. With proton injections, the dawn‐dusk electric field is enhanced sharply to twice as large as before. Simultaneously, there is a dip followed by gradual dipolarization of the magnetic fields. Moreover, particle anisotropies increase following ion injections, which may generate electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves. These statistical results indicate that ion injections during substorms contribute significantly to the ring current.
Upscaling Permeability Using Multiscale X‐Ray‐CT Images With Digital Rock Modeling and Deep Learning Techniques
Authors: Jiang Fei , Guo Yaotian , Tsuji Takeshi , Kato Yoshitake , Shimokawara Mai , Esteban Lionel , Seyyedi Mojtaba , Pervukhina Marina , Lebedev Maxim , Kitamura Ryuta
Published: February 2023

This study presents a workflow to predict the upscaled absolute permeability of the rock core direct from CT images whose resolution is not sufficient to allow direct pore‐scale permeability computation. This workflow exploits the deep learning technique with the data of raw CT images of rocks and their corresponding permeability value obtained by performing flow simulation on high‐resolution CT images. The permeability map of a much larger region in the rock core is predicted by the trained neural network. Finally, the upscaled permeability of the entire rock core is calculated by the Darcy flow solver, and the results showed a good agreement with the experiment data. This proposed deep learning based upscaling method allows estimating the permeability of large‐scale core samples while preserving the effects of fine‐scale pore structure variations due to the local heterogeneity.
CFH-CFHR1 hybrid genes in two cases of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome
Authors: Sugawara Yuka , Kato Hideki , Nagasaki Masao , Yoshida Yoko , Fujisawa Madoka , Minegishi Naoko , Yamamoto Masayuki , Nangaku Masaomi
Published: February 2023

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare complement-mediated disease that manifests as the triad of thrombotic microangiopathy. We identified two aHUS patients with neither anti-complement factor H (CFH) antibodies nor causative variants of seven aHUS-related genes (CFH, CFI, CFB, C3, MCP, THBD, and DGKE); however, their plasma showed increased levels of hemolysis by hemolytic assay, which strongly suggests CFH-related abnormalities. Using a copy number variation (CNV) analysis of the CFH/CFHR gene cluster, we identified CFH-CFHR1 hybrid genes in these patients. We verified the absence of aHUS-related abnormal CNVs of the CFH gene in control genomes of 2036 individuals in the general population, which suggests that pathogenicity is related to these hybrid genes. Our study emphasizes that, for patients suspected of having aHUS, it is important to perform an integrated analysis based on a clinical examination, functional analysis, and detailed genetic investigation.
Clinical and economic burden associated with graft-versus-host disease following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in France
Authors: Michonneau David , Quignot Nadia , Jiang Heng , Reichenbach Dawn , Kelly Maebh , Burrell Anita , Zhang Xiang , Thiruvillakkat Kris , Mohty Mohamad
Published: February 2023

The real-world clinical and economic burden of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has not been comprehensively studied in France. Clinical outcomes, healthcare resource utilization and costs associated with acute GVHD (aGVHD), chronic GVHD (cGVHD), acute plus chronic GVHD (a+cGVHD) versus no GVHD were compared using French administrative claims data. After propensity score matching, 1934, 408, and 1268 matched pairs were retained for the aGVHD, cGVHD, and a+cGVHD cohorts, respectively. Compared with patients with no GVHD, odds of developing severe infection were greater in patients with aGVHD (odds ratio: 1.7 [95% confidence interval: 1.4, 2.1]). Compared with patients with no GVHD, mortality rates were higher in patients with aGVHD (rate ratio (RR): 1.6 [1.4, 1.7]) and with a+cGVHD (RR: 1.1 [1.0, 1.2]) but similar in patients with cGVHD (RR: 0.9 [0.7, 1.1]). Mean overnight hospital admission rates per patient-year were significantly higher in patients with aGVHD and a+cGVHD compared with no GVHD. Total direct costs (range €174,482–332,557) were 1.2, 1.5, and 1.9 times higher for patients with aGVHD, cGVHD, and a+cGVHD, respectively, versus patients with no GVHD. These results highlight the significant unmet need for effective treatments of patients who experience GVHD.
Head and neck cancer patient-derived tumouroid cultures: opportunities and challenges
Authors: Basnayake B. W. M. Thilini J. , Leo Paul , Rao Sudha , Vasani Sarju , Kenny Lizbeth , Haass Nikolas K. , Punyadeera Chamindie
Published: February 2023

Head and neck cancers (HNC) are the seventh most prevalent cancer type globally. Despite their common categorisation, HNCs are a heterogeneous group of malignancies arising in various anatomical sites within the head and neck region. These cancers exhibit different clinical and biological manifestations, and this heterogeneity also contributes to the high rates of treatment failure and mortality. To evaluate patients who will respond to a particular treatment, there is a need to develop in vitro model systems that replicate in vivo tumour status. Among the methods developed, patient-derived cancer organoids, also known as tumouroids, recapitulate in vivo tumour characteristics including tumour architecture. Tumouroids have been used for general disease modelling and genetic instability studies in pan-cancer research. However, a limited number of studies have thus far been conducted using tumouroid-based drug screening. Studies have concluded that tumouroids can play an essential role in bringing precision medicine for highly heterogenous cancer types such as HNC.
Pyroptosis and degenerative diseases of the elderly
Authors: Zhou Jiamin , Qiu Jingjing , Song Yuwan , Liang Tiantian , Liu Sha , Ren Chao , Song Xicheng , Cui Limei , Sun Yan
Published: February 2023

Pyroptosis is a recently described mechanism of programmed cell death mediated by proteins of the gasdermin family. Widely recognized signaling cascades include the classical, non-classical, caspase-3-dependent gasdermin E and caspase-8-dependent gasdermin D pathways. Additional pyroptotic pathways have been subsequently reported. With the rising prevalence of advanced age, the role of pyroptosis in the degenerative diseases of the elderly has attracted increased research attention. This article reviews the primary mechanisms of pyroptosis and summarizes progress in the research of degenerative diseases of the elderly such as presbycusis, age-related macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, intervertebral disc degeneration, and osteoarthritis.
Direct synthesis of sila-benzoazoles through hydrosilylation and rearrangement cascade reaction of benzoazoles and silanes
Authors: Liu Tianwei , Yang Mo , He Jianghua , Li Shuhua , Zhang Yuetao
Published: February 2023

Sila-isosteres have attracted increasing attention due to their potential application in a variety of fields and their different properties compared to their carbon-containing analogs. However, the preparation of these silicon-containing compound remains challenging and thus the development of alternative synthetic methodologies is desirable. Here, we employ B(C6F5)3 as catalyst to enable the synthesis of highly functionalized sila-benzoazoles via hydrosilylation and rearrangement cascade reaction of benzoazoles and commercially available silanes. This strategy also exhibits remarkable features such as 100% atom-economy, good functional group tolerance, broad substrate scope, easy scale-up and good catalytic performance, demonstrating its potential application in sila-isostere synthesis.
Hadronic uncertainties versus new physics for the W boson mass and Muon g − 2 anomalies
Authors: Athron Peter , Fowlie Andrew , Lu Chih-Ting , Wu Lei , Wu Yongcheng , Zhu Bin
Published: February 2023

There are now two single measurements of precision observables that have major anomalies in the Standard Model: the recent CDF measurement of the W mass shows a 7σ deviation and the Muon g − 2 experiment at FNAL confirmed a long-standing anomaly, implying a 4.2σ deviation. Doubts regarding new physics interpretations of these anomalies could stem from uncertainties in the common hadronic contributions. We demonstrate that these two anomalies pull the hadronic contributions in opposite directions by performing electroweak fits in which the hadronic contribution was allowed to float. The fits show that including the g − 2 measurement worsens the tension with the CDF measurement and conversely that adjustments that alleviate the CDF tension worsen the g − 2 tension beyond 5σ. This means that if we adopt the CDF W mass measurement, the case for new physics in either the W mass or muon g − 2 is inescapable regardless of the size of the SM hadronic contributions. Lastly, we demonstrate that a mixed scalar leptoquark extension of the Standard Model could explain both anomalies simultaneously.
TRIM40 is a pathogenic driver of inflammatory bowel disease subverting intestinal barrier integrity
Authors: Kang Sujin , Kim Jaekyung , Park Areum , Koh Minsoo , Shin Wonji , Park Gayoung , Lee Taeyun A. , Kim Hyung Jin , Han Heonjong , Kim Yongbo , Choi Myung Kyung , Park Jae Hyung , Lee Eunhye , Cho Hyun-Soo , Park Hyun Woo , Cheon Jae Hee , Lee Sungwook , Park Boyoun
Published: February 2023

The cortical actin cytoskeleton plays a critical role in maintaining intestinal epithelial integrity, and the loss of this architecture leads to chronic inflammation, as seen in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the exact mechanisms underlying aberrant actin remodeling in pathological states remain largely unknown. Here, we show that a subset of patients with IBD exhibits substantially higher levels of tripartite motif-containing protein 40 (TRIM40), a gene that is hardly detectable in healthy individuals. TRIM40 is an E3 ligase that directly targets Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1), an essential kinase involved in promoting cell-cell junctions, markedly decreasing the phosphorylation of key signaling factors critical for cortical actin formation and stabilization. This causes failure of the epithelial barrier function, thereby promoting a long-lived inflammatory response. A mutant TRIM40 lacking the RING, B-box, or C-terminal domains has impaired ability to accelerate ROCK1 degradation-driven cortical actin disruption. Accordingly, Trim40-deficient male mice are highly resistant to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Our findings highlight that aberrant upregulation of TRIM40, which is epigenetically silenced under healthy conditions, drives IBD by subverting cortical actin formation and exacerbating epithelial barrier dysfunction.
Genome-wide association study using whole-genome sequencing identifies risk loci for Parkinson’s disease in Chinese population
Authors: Pan Hongxu , Liu Zhenhua , Ma Jinghong , Li Yuanyuan , Zhao Yuwen , Zhou Xiaoxia , Xiang Yaqin , Wang Yige , Zhou Xun , He Runcheng , Xie Yali , Zhou Qiao , Yuan Kai , Xu Qian , Sun Qiying , Wang Junling , Yan Xinxiang , Zhang Hainan , Wang Chunyu , Lei Lifang , Liu Weiguo , Wang Xuejing , Ding Xuebing , Wang Tao , Xue Zheng , Zhang Zhentao , Chen Ling , Wang Qing , Liu Yonghong , Tang Jiayu , Zhang Xuewei , Peng Shifang , Wang Chaodong , Ding Jianqing , Liu Chunfeng , Wang Lijuan , Chen Haibo , Shen Lu , Jiang Hong , Wu Xinyin , Tan Hongzhuan , Luo Dan , Xiao Shuiyuan , Chen Xiang , Tan Jieqiong , Hu Zhengmao , Chen Chao , Xia Kun , Zhang Zhuohua , Foo Jia Nee , Blauwendraat Cornelis , Nalls Mike A. , Singleton Andrew B. , Liu Jun , Chan Piu , Zheng Houfeng , Li Jinchen , Guo Jifeng , Yang Jian , Tang Beisha ,   the Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders Multicenter Database and Collaborative Network in China (PD-MDCNC), Liu Zhenhua , Jiang Hong , Chan Piu , Li Jinchen , Guo Jifeng , Tang Beisha
Published: February 2023

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified numerous susceptibility loci for Parkinson’s disease (PD), but its genetic architecture remains underexplored in populations of non-European ancestry. To identify genetic variants associated with PD in the Chinese population, we performed a GWAS using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in 1,972 cases and 2,478 controls, and a replication study in a total of 8209 cases and 9454 controls. We identified one new risk variant rs61204179 (Pcombined = 1.47 × 10−9) with low allele frequency, four previously reported risk variants (NUCKS1/RAB29-rs11557080,SNCA-rs356182,FYN-rs997368, andVPS13C-rs2251086), as well as three risk variants inLRRK2coding region (A419V, R1628P, and G2385R) with genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10−8) for PD in Chinese population. Moreover, of the reported genome-wide significant risk variants found mostly in European ancestry populations, the correlation coefficient (rb) of effect size accounting for sampling errors was 0.91 between datasets and 63.6% attainedP < 0.05 in Chinese population. Accordingly, we estimated a heritability of 0.14–0.18 for PD, and a moderate genetic correlation between European ancestry and Chinese populations (rg = 0.47, se = 0.21). Polygenic risk score (PRS) analysis revealed that individuals with PRS values in the highest quartile had a 3.9-fold higher risk of developing PD than the lowest quartile. In conclusion, the present GWAS identified PD-associated variants in Chinese population, as well as genetic factors shared among distant populations. Our findings shed light on the genetic homogeneity and heterogeneity of PD in different ethnic groups and suggested WGS might continue to improve our understanding of the genetic architecture of PD.
Data Archive for the BRAIN Initiative (DABI)
Authors: Duncan Dominique , Garner Rachael , Brinkerhoff Sarah , Walker Harrison C. , Pouratian Nader , Toga Arthur W.
Published: February 2023

Data sharing is becoming ubiquitous and can be advantageous for most biomedical research. However, some data are inherently more amenable to sharing than others. For example, human intracranial neurophysiology recordings and associated multimodal data have unique features that warrant special considerations. The associated data are heterogeneous, difficult to compare, highly specific, and collected from small cohorts with treatment resistant conditions, posing additional complications when attempting to perform generalizable analyses across projects. We present the Data Archive for the BRAIN Initiative (DABI) and describe features of the platform that are designed to overcome these and other challenges. DABI is a data repository and portal for BRAIN Initiative projects that collect human and animal intracranial recordings, and it allows users to search, visualize, and analyze multimodal data from these projects. The data providers maintain full control of data sharing privileges and can organize and manage their data with a user-friendly and intuitive interface. We discuss data privacy and security concerns, example analyses from two DABI datasets, and future goals for DABI.
Mortality among acute myocardial infarction patients admitted to hospitals on weekends as compared with weekdays in Taiwan
Authors: Liu Sheng-Fu , Lai Chao-Lun , Kuo Raymond Nien-Chen , Wang Ting-Chuan , Lin Ting-Tse , Chan K. Arnold
Published: February 2023

Weekend effect has been considered to be associated with poorer quality of care and patient’s survival. For acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients, the question of whether patients admitted during off-hours have worse outcomes as compared with patients admitted during on-hours is still inconclusive. We conducted this study to explore the weekend effect in AMI patients, using a nationwide insurance database in Taiwan. Using Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) claims database, we designed a retrospective cohort study, and extracted 184,769 incident cases of AMI through the NHI claims database between January 2006 and December 2014. We divided the patients into weekend admission group and weekday admission group. Patients were stratified as ST elevation/non-ST elevation AMI and receiving/not receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We used a logistic regression model to examine the relative risk of in-hospital mortality and 1-year mortality which were obtained from the Taiwan National Death Registry between study groups. We found no difference between weekend group and weekday group for risk of in-hospital mortality (15.8% vs 16.2%, standardized difference 0.0118) and risk of 1-year mortality (30.2% vs 30.9%, standardized difference 0.0164). There was no statistically significant difference among all the comparisons through the multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for all the covariates and stratifying by the subtypes of AMI and whether or not executing PCI during hospitalization. As for AMI patients in Taiwan, admission on weekends or weekdays did not have a significant impact on either in-hospital mortality or 1-year cumulative mortality.
Prescient diagnostic analysis for boron nutritional status in soy crops
Authors: Traspadini Edilaine Istéfani Franklin , Wadt Paulo Guilherme Salvador , de Mello Prado Renato , Roque Cassiano Garcia , Wassolowski Carlos Roberto
Published: February 2023

Boron is the most limiting micronutrient for soybean yield; therefore, accurate identification of its nutritional status is important for adequate fertilization management and maximize soybean yield potential. Currently, tools for nutritional status interpretation of B, such as the CND and DRIS are used; however, their efficacy is not considered to identify the true nutritional status of B. In this research, we investigated the efficacy of these methods to identify the nutritional status of B in 140 commercial soybean crops to obtain nutritional standards for the DRIS and CND methods. In addition, an experiment of B dose calibration (0, 300, 600, 1200 and 1800 g ha−1) was installed to assess the quality of nutritional diagnoses using the PDA. The experimental approach tested the limits of 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 for the NRr and values of 1%, 5%, or 10% for YR. The DRIS method was more effective, and, on average, its variations increased yield by 27% compared to CND, with the best performance of DRIS when NRr = 1.00 was adopted with 10% for YR. This study highlights the need for reliable and accurate diagnostic methods with global implications for crop sustainability by improving the efficacy of B fertilization programs and crop yield.