bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extraction of anthraquinone and salicylic acid from Aloe barbadensis miller
Authors: Luong T M V , Nguyen T P T , Nguyen L N T , Tran T T T , Nguyen N T P , Mai C H
Published: March 2023

The objective of the research was to identify suitable parameters for extraction of anthraquinone, and salicylic acid from Aloe (Aloe barbadensis Miller). The parameters were evaluated including ethanol concentration (99.5, 80.0, 50.0%), material/solvent ratio (50 g/50 mL, 50 g/100 mL, 50 g/150 mL, 50 g/200 mL), stirring speed (100, 200, 300, 400 rpm), temperature (40, 45, 50, 55°C), extraction time (10, 20, 30, 40 minutes). Optimum conditions for anthraquinone and salicylic acid extraction on a laboratory scale were the ratio of 1/2 (g/mL), 50°C, 20 minutes and 300 rpm for the ratio of material/solvent, extraction temperature, extraction time, stirring speed, respectively using ethanol 99.5% as solvent extraction. The maximum anthraquinone and salicylic acid content are 0.31 mg/mL and 2.03 mg/mL, respectively.
Optimisation of hydrolysis conditions for yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) heads using alcalase enzyme
Authors: Denis M , Pham H D , Nguyen M V
Published: March 2023

Fish protein hydrolysates contained small peptides and amino acids have many applications in food industry. The objective of the present study was to optimise the hydrolysis conditions (i.e., enzyme to substrate level, temperature and time) for preparing protein hydrolysates from yellowfin tuna heads using a complete composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM). The model equation was proposed with regard to the effects of enzyme to substrate level, temperature and time on the degree of hydrolysis (DH) and protein solubility (PS). The results indicated that all the hydrolysis conditions had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on both the DH and PS. An enzyme to substrate level of 0.82% (v/w), temperature of 55.0 °C and hydrolysing time of 7 h were found to be the optimum conditions to obtain the highest DH (28.0%) and PS (89.1%) using alcalase. The regression coefficients observed during both experimental and validation runs for DH and PS were 0.9381 and 0.9613, respectively, showing the validity of prediction models.
The changes in Gamma-aminobutyric acid and polyphenols in mung beans (Vigna radiata L.) during germination
Authors: Vu T A , Kha C T , Phan T H
Published: March 2023

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter, plays a role in regulating neuronal excitability. Polyphenols naturally occur in plants and help to prevent or reverse damage in cells caused by aging, the environment, and lifestyle. Edible sprouts such as mung beans are a valuable source that presents high content of bioactive compounds. These contents in raw mung beans are very low, but they increase significantly during germination. The objectives of this study were to determine the most appropriate germination conditions, including air relative humidity (80%, 90%, and 99%), salt concentrations (0, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%), and light conditions (dark, LED, and UV-C) during the soaking and incubation processes to maximize the content of GABA and polyphenols. The results showed that all investigated treatments (air relative humidity, salt, and light) increased GABA and polyphenol levels, but LED lighting and air relative humidity of 90% were the most effective. Under those conditions, the content of GABA and polyphenols in the germinated mung beans increased about 12 and 2 times, respectively. Furthermore, the changes in GABA and polyphenol contents were different under different soaking and incubation conditions. In conclusion, the nutritional quality of mung beans, in terms of GABA and polyphenols, could be improved by controlling light and air relative humidity during germination. It is also recommended that the germination conditions, including air relative humidity, soaking in water or salt, soaking time, and incubation time should be selected depending on the desired content of GABA or polyphenols.
The factors affecting milk production of dairy cows in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen T T , Phan T N T , Tran P H , Tran T M T
Published: March 2023

The objective of the study was to evaluate the factors affected the milk production including milk yield and quality on dairy cow farms in Ho Chi Minh City. The milk data were collected from December 2021 to March 2022 at two farms (Farm A in Binh Chanh district and Farm B in Cu Chi district). Farm A, the data were collected from AfiFarm management software and the quality contents of fatness, solids-not-fat (SNF), protein, and lactose of the milk were analyzed in farm lab. The data of Farm B were filtered from Epacific management software. The milk somatic cell count (SCC) was examined by using Coulter Milk Cell Counter analyzer. The results showed the milk yield was seen differently between Farm A and B (P < 0.01). Farm A’s milk yield average from 121 cows was 20.15 kg/day/cow, and the contents evaluated from 422 milk samples were fatness 3.20%, SNF 8.99%, protein 3.49%, lactose 4.84%, and SCC 285,000 cells/mL. The milk yield and contents were seen differently between months on Farm A (P < 0.01), and found the highest quality in December with 21.10 kg/day, 9.10% SNF, 3.53% protein, 4.90% lactose and SCC lowest at 231,000 cells/mL. However, the milk yield of Farm B was 12.55 kg/day/cow of 220 cows. The results indicated the parity, number of milking udders (3, 4 udders), HF crossbreeding of Lai Sind cows and Holstein-Friezian bulls with F1 (1/2 HF), F2 (3/4 HF), F3 (7/8 HF), period of lactation (0 - 60, 61 - 120, > 120 days of milking) and months of year affected the milk yield on Farm B (P < 0.01). Evaluation of the milk quality from 100 milk samples on Farm B showed SCC was seen differently at 3 levels of milk yield (<10, 10 - 15 and > 15 kg/day/cow) (P < 0.05). The interesting finding was the cows having milk yield less than 10 kg/day correlating the risk of the milk SCC and decreasing the milk quality.
Experimental study on self-healing and mechanical properties of sisal fiber-loaded microbial concrete
Authors: Guo Yuanchen , Xiang Kai , Wang Huasong , Liu Xinzhou , Ye Qing , Wang Xue
Published: March 2023

Microbial concrete can make cracks self-healing, but the high alkalinity in concrete is not conducive to the survival and reproduction of microorganisms. In this study, using the porosity of the sisal fiber surface, microorganisms were immobilized on the sisal fiber, and the effects of several other microbial incorporation methods on the performance of self-healing concrete were compared. The fiber-loaded microbial concrete had the best self-healing effect, with a maximum self-healing width of 1.32 mm at 28 days. Splitting tensile strength is 28.7% greater than normal concrete, while compressive strength is 21.8% greater. The water absorption of sisal fiber enhanced the chloride permeability by 25.7%. Via microscopic examination, it was revealed that sisal fibers loaded a significant number of microorganisms and formed a large amount of calcium carbonate precipitation on the surface. Fiber-loaded microbial concrete’s elastic modulus and vickers hardness were 13% and 6% higher than normal concrete, respectively.
Accelerated design of chalcogenide glasses through interpretable machine learning for composition–property relationships
Authors: Singla Sayam , Mannan Sajid , Zaki Mohd , Krishnan N M Anoop
Published: March 2023

Chalcogenide glasses (ChGs) possess various outstanding properties enabling essential applications, such as optical discs, infrared cameras, and thermal imaging systems. Despite their ubiquitous usage, these materials’ composition–property relationships remain poorly understood, impeding the pace of their discovery. Here, we use a large experimental dataset comprising ∼24 000 glass compositions made of 51 distinct elements from the periodic table to develop machine learning (ML) models for predicting 12 properties, namely, annealing point, bulk modulus, density, Vickers hardness, Littleton point, Young’s modulus, shear modulus, softening point, thermal expansion coefficient, glass transition temperature, liquidus temperature, and refractive index. These models are the largest regarding the compositional space and the number of properties covered for ChGs. Further, we use Shapley additive explanations, a game theory-based algorithm, to explain the properties’ compositional control by quantifying each element’s role toward model predictions. This work provides a powerful tool for interpreting the model’s prediction and designing new ChG compositions with targeted properties. Finally, using the trained ML models, we develop several glass-selection charts that can potentially aid in the rational design of novel ChGs for various applications.
Photon-noise: is a single-pixel camera better than point scanning? A signal-to-noise ratio analysis for Hadamard and Cosine positive modulation
Authors: Scotté Camille , Galland Frédéric , Rigneault Hervé
Published: March 2023

In a single-pixel camera, an unknown object is sequentially illuminated by intensity patterns. The total reflected or transmitted intensity is summed in a single-pixel detector from which the object is computationally reconstructed. In the situation where the measurements are limited by photon-noise, it is questionable whether a single-pixel camera performs better or worse than simply scanning the object with a focused intensity spot—a modality known as point raster scanning and employed in many laser scanning systems. Here, we solve this general question and report that positive intensity modulation based on Hadamard or Cosine patterns does not necessarily improve the single-to-noise ratio (SNR) of single-pixel cameras, as compared to point raster scanning (RS). Instead, we show that the SNR is only improved on object pixels at least k times brighter than the object mean signal

x
ˉ

, where k is a constant that depends on the modulation scheme (modulation matrix, number of detectors, etc). The constant k is derived for several widespread cases and has important consequences on the choice of the optical deign. This fundamental property is demonstrated theoretically, numerically, and is experimentally confirmed in the spatial domain (widefield fluorescence imaging) and in the spectral domain (spontaneous Raman spectral measurements). Finally, we provide user-oriented guidelines that help decide when and how multiplexing under photon-noise should be used instead of point RS.
Wearable upper limb robotics for pervasive health: a review
Authors: Ochieze Chukwuemeka , Zare Soroush , Sun Ye
Published: March 2023

Wearable robotics, also called exoskeletons, have been engineered for human-centered assistance for decades. They provide assistive technologies for maintaining and improving patients’ natural capabilities towards self-independence and also enable new therapy solutions for rehabilitation towards pervasive health. Upper limb exoskeletons can significantly enhance human manipulation with environments, which is crucial to patients’ independence, self-esteem, and quality of life. For long-term use in both in-hospital and at-home settings, there are still needs for new technologies with high comfort, biocompatibility, and operability. The recent progress in soft robotics has initiated soft exoskeletons (also called exosuits), which are based on controllable and compliant materials and structures. Remarkable literature reviews have been performed for rigid exoskeletons ranging from robot design to different practical applications. Due to the emerging state, few have been focused on soft upper limb exoskeletons. This paper aims to provide a systematic review of the recent progress in wearable upper limb robotics including both rigid and soft exoskeletons with a focus on their designs and applications in various pervasive healthcare settings. The technical needs for wearable robots are carefully reviewed and the assistance and rehabilitation that can be enhanced by wearable robotics are particularly discussed. The knowledge from rigid wearable robots may provide practical experience and inspire new ideas for soft exoskeleton designs. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities of wearable assistive robotics for pervasive health.
A review on mechanical and material characterisation through molecular dynamics using large-scale atomic/molecular massively parallel simulator (LAMMPS)
Authors: Gowthaman S
Published: March 2023

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation continues to be one of the most advanced tools in a wide range of fields and applications. The motion of atoms or molecules at various temperatures and pressures was analysed and visualised using the MD simulation through large-scale atomic/molecular massively parallel simulator (LAMMPS). This research focuses on a basic introduction to MD, as well as their determination and MD methods. LAMMPS works with a variety of external packages to determine the position of atoms and molecules over time. As the simulation has various procedures such as algorithm to step processing and results, the developers of MD are constantly pushing for the reduction of pre-steps. This classifies the performance competence that should be approached for increased portability of performance on a programmatic level, a key to implementing the solution for various problems that would come from inventors and possibly new research in programming languages.
Quantum Kerr learning
Authors: Liu Junyu , Zhong Changchun , Otten Matthew , Chandra Anirban , Cortes Cristian L , Ti Chaoyang , K Gray Stephen , Han Xu
Published: March 2023

Quantum machine learning is a rapidly evolving field of research that could facilitate important applications for quantum computing and also significantly impact data-driven sciences. In our work, based on various arguments from complexity theory and physics, we demonstrate that a single Kerr mode can provide some ‘quantum enhancements’ when dealing with kernel-based methods. Using kernel properties, neural tangent kernel theory, first-order perturbation theory of the Kerr non-linearity, and non-perturbative numerical simulations, we show that quantum enhancements could happen in terms of convergence time and generalization error. Furthermore, we make explicit indications on how higher-dimensional input data could be considered. Finally, we propose an experimental protocol, that we call quantum Kerr learning, based on circuit QED.
Damped and driven breathers and metastability
Authors: Caballero Daniel , Wayne C. Eugene
Published: March 2023

In this article we prove the existence of a new family of periodic solutions for discrete, nonlinear Schrödinger equations subject to spatially localized driving and damping. They provide an alternate description of the metastable behavior in such lattice systems which agrees with previous predictions for the evolution of metastable states while providing more accurate approximations to these states. We analyze the stability of these breathers, finding a very small positive eigenvalue whose eigenvector lies almost tangent to the surface of the cylinder formed by the family of breathers. This causes solutions to slide along the cylinder without leaving its neighborhood for very long times.
Vatican II: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Blanchard Shaun , Bullivant Stephen
Published: March 2023

The Second Vatican Council (1962–5), or Vatican II, is arguably the most significant event in the life of the Catholic Church since the age of the Reformation in the 1500s. The Council initiated, intentionally or not, profound changes not simply within Catholic theology, but in the religious, social, and moral lives of the world’s c.1 billion Catholics. It also reconfigured, intellectually and practically, the Church’s engagements with those outside it—most obviously with regard to the Jews and members of other Christian denominations. The 16 documents formally issued by Vatican II constitute some of the most influential, concretely impactful, and most-cited theological writings of the whole 20th century. Debates over their correct interpretation and authority are constant, but they remain an indispensable point of reference for all areas of Catholic life, from liturgy and sacraments to the Church’s vast network of charitable and educational endeavours the world over. In this Very Short Introduction, Shaun Blanchard and Stephen Bullivant present the backstory, event, and reception with freshness and dynamism. Vatican II is explored in light of the wider history of the Catholic Church and placed in the exciting and tumultuous context of the 1960s. The perfect introduction for academics and for undergrad or postgrad classrooms, this Very Short Introduction distils the best research on Vatican II, employing cartoons, the first-hand accounts of participants and observers, and the official proceedings of the Council to paint an exciting and rich picture of one of the most important events of the last century.
What is an ‘ecumenical council’?
Authors: Blanchard Shaun , Bullivant Stephen
Published: March 2023

Vatican II is the most important Catholic event of the past century, if not the past half-millennium. It also had, and has, ramifications far beyond the lives of the world’s billion-or-so Catholics. To understand why, this chapter introduces both the theological meaning of a ‘general ecumenical council’, and the critical historical context in which this specific one played out. Parallels are drawn to previous such events in the history of the Church, including the so-called ‘Council of Jerusalem’ (Acts 15), the formal ecumenical councils of Nicaea (ad 325), Trent (1545‒63), and Vatican I (1869‒70). It also highlights the wider religious, social, cultural, and political currents to which Vatican II was both reacting and, soon enough, actively contributing.
Liturgy
Authors: Blanchard Shaun , Bullivant Stephen
Published: March 2023

Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the liturgy, was the Council’s first document, and had the most immediate, visible, and far-reaching impact on the lives of ordinary Catholics. It ignited a period of sweeping (and often bitterly contentious) changes to how Catholics worship. More broadly, it also functions as a kind of manifesto for the Council’s own pastoral and reforming vision. This chapter considers the main hallmarks of Sacrosanctum Concilium’s teachings, e.g. regarding active participation, the use of the vernacular, different musical styles, the need to simplify (and make more explicitly biblical) liturgical texts and the calendar. Attention is also given to how the liturgical reforms were, in practice, rolled out and received in dioceses and parishes across the world, with very variable results.
Dei Verbum and divine revelation
Authors: Blanchard Shaun , Bullivant Stephen
Published: March 2023

Frequently cited among Vatican II’s greatest achievements is the new scriptural focus it engendered in all areas of Catholic life and thought, from the liturgy and personal devotion, to a reinvigoration of biblical criticism and theology. Hence this chapter explores the teaching and historical significance of Dei Verbum (Vatican II’s ‘Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation’). While the Constitution was not formally promulgated until the Council’s fourth and final session (8 December 1965), the key turning point in the Council’s first session was the conciliar majority’s rejection of a draft text (a ‘schema’) on Revelation which reflected the neo-scholastic theology and method of the day. The document that eventually replaced it, Dei Verbum, reflected the majority’s desire for ressourcement—a ‘return to the sources’: scriptural, patristic, and liturgical. This chapter also discusses how this ‘reformist orientation’ grounded in ressourcement set the tone for later debates. This discussion also sheds further light on the roots of Vatican II, since it is in the debate over Dei verbum that we see the triumph of the biblical and patristic movements which began to gain momentum earlier in the century. Additionally, the Council made a strong comment on the development of doctrine (Dei Verbum 8), the centrality of Jesus Christ, and the relationship between scripture and tradition. The chapter closes by briefly recounting how Dei Verbum stimulated biblical renewal among the laity, scholarly biblical criticism among Catholics, and, in the words of Joseph Ratzinger, a ‘new view of the phenomenon of tradition’.
HTRX: an R package for learning non-contiguous haplotypes associated with a phenotype
Authors: Yang Yaoling , Lawson Daniel John
Published: March 2023

Haplotype Trend Regression with eXtra flexibility (HTRX) is an R package to learn sets of interacting features that explain variance in a phenotype. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with complex traits and diseases, but finding the true causal signal from a high linkage disequilibrium block is challenging. We focus on the simpler task of quantifying the total variance explainable not just with main effects but also interactions and tagging, using haplotype-based associations. HTRX identifies haplotypes composed of non-contiguous SNPs associated with a phenotype and can naturally be performed on regions with a GWAS hit before or after fine-mapping. To reduce the space and computational complexity when investigating many features, we constrain the search by growing good feature sets using ‘Cumulative HTRX’, and limit the maximum complexity of a feature set. As the computational time scales linearly with the number of SNPs, HTRX has the potential to be applied to large chromosome regions.

Availability and implementation

HTRX is implemented in R and is available under GPL-3 licence from CRAN (https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/HTRX/readme/README.html). The development version is maintained on GitHub (https://github.com/YaolingYang/HTRX).

Contact

yaoling.yang@bristol.ac.uk

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics Advances online.
Computational speed-up of large-scale, single-cell model simulations via a fully integrated SBML-based format
Authors: Mutsuddy Arnab , Erdem Cemal , Huggins Jonah R , Salim Misha , Cook Daniel , Hobbs Nicole , Feltus F Alex , Birtwistle Marc R
Published: March 2023

Large-scale and whole-cell modeling has multiple challenges, including scalable model building and module communication bottlenecks (e.g. between metabolism, gene expression, signaling, etc.). We previously developed an open-source, scalable format for a large-scale mechanistic model of proliferation and death signaling dynamics, but communication bottlenecks between gene expression and protein biochemistry modules remained. Here, we developed two solutions to communication bottlenecks that speed-up simulation by ∼4-fold for hybrid stochastic-deterministic simulations and by over 100-fold for fully deterministic simulations. Fully deterministic speed-up facilitates model initialization, parameter estimation and sensitivity analysis tasks.

Availability and implementation

Source code is freely available at https://github.com/birtwistlelab/SPARCED/releases/tag/v1.3.0 implemented in python, and supported on Linux, Windows and MacOS (via Docker).
HiCube: interactive visualization of multiscale and multimodal Hi-C and 3D genome data
Authors: Ye Tiantian , Hu Yangyang , Pun Sydney , Ma Wenxiu
Published: March 2023

HiCube is a lightweight web application for interactive visualization and exploration of diverse types of genomics data at multiscale resolutions. Especially, HiCube displays synchronized views of Hi-C contact maps and 3D genome structures with user-friendly annotation and configuration tools, thereby facilitating the study of 3D genome organization and function.

Availability and implementation

HiCube is implemented in Javascript and can be installed via NPM. The source code is freely available at GitHub (https://github.com/wmalab/HiCube).
De novodrug design by iterative multiobjective deep reinforcement learning with graph-based molecular quality assessment
Authors: Fang Yi , Pan Xiaoyong , Shen Hong-Bin
Published: March 2023

Motivation

Generating molecules of high quality and drug-likeness in the vast chemical space is a big challenge in the drug discovery. Most existing molecule generative methods focus on diversity and novelty of molecules, but ignoring drug potentials of the generated molecules during the generation process.

Results

In this study, we present a novel de novo multiobjective quality assessment-based drug design approach (QADD), which integrates an iterative refinement framework with a novel graph-based molecular quality assessment model on drug potentials. QADD designs a multiobjective deep reinforcement learning pipeline to generate molecules with multiple desired properties iteratively, where a graph neural network-based model for accurate molecular quality assessment on drug potentials is introduced to guide molecule generation. Experimental results show that QADD can jointly optimize multiple molecular properties with a promising performance and the quality assessment module is capable of guiding the generated molecules with high drug potentials. Furthermore, applying QADD to generate novel molecules binding to a biological target protein DRD2 also demonstrates the algorithm’s efficacy.

Availability and implementation

QADD is freely available online for academic use at https://github.com/yifang000/QADD or http://www.csbio.sjtu.edu.cn/bioinf/QADD.
Diagnosis and treatment of lupus nephritis: a summary of the Consensus Document of the Spanish Group for the Study of Glomerular Diseases (GLOSEN)
Authors: Rojas-Rivera Jorge E , García-Carro Clara , Ávila Ana I , Espino Mar , Espinosa Mario , Fernández-Juárez Gema , Fulladosa Xavier , Goicoechea Marian , Macía Manuel , Morales Enrique , Quintana Luis F , Praga Manuel
Published: March 2023

Lupus nephritis (LN) is the most frequent serious manifestation of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Up to 60% of SLE patients develop LN, which has a significant impact on their quality of life and prognosis. Recent advances have improved the diagnostic approach to LN, and new drugs that block specific pathways and kidney damage progression have been developed. Several randomized and well-powered clinical trials have confirmed the efficacy of these agents in terms of proteinuria remission and preservation of kidney function in the medium and long term, with an acceptable safety profile and good tolerance. The combination of different therapies allows for reduction of the dose and duration of corticosteroids and other potentially toxic therapies and leads to an increase in the number of patients achieving complete remission of the disease. This consensus document carried out by the Spanish Group for the Study of Glomerular Diseases (GLOSEN) provides practical and updated recommendations, based on the best available evidence and clinical expertise of participating nephrologists.
VEGF-B hypertrophy predisposes to transition from diastolic to systolic heart failure in hypertensive rats
Authors: Samuelsson Anne-Maj , Bartolomaeus Theda Ulrike Patricia , Anandakumar Harithaa , Thowsen Irene , Nikpey Elham , Han Jianhua , Marko Lajos , Finne Kenneth , Tenstad Olav , Eckstein Johannes , Berndt Nikolaus , Kühne Titus , Kedziora Sarah , Sultan Ibrahim , Skogstrand Trude , Karlsen Tine V , Nurmi Harri , Forslund Sofia K , Bollano Entela , Alitalo Kari , Muller Dominik N , Wiig Helge
Published: March 2023

Aims

Cardiac energy metabolism is centrally involved in heart failure (HF), although the direction of the metabolic alterations is complex and likely dependent on the particular stage of HF progression. Vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF-B) has been shown to modulate metabolic processes and to induce physiological cardiac hypertrophy; thus, it could be cardioprotective in the failing myocardium. This study investigates the role of VEGF-B in cardiac proteomic and metabolic adaptation in HF during aldosterone and high-salt hypertensive challenges.

Methods and results

Male rats overexpressing the cardiac-specific VEGF-B transgene (VEGF-B TG) were treated for 3 or 6 weeks with deoxycorticosterone-acetate combined with a high-salt (HS) diet (DOCA + HS) to induce hypertension and cardiac damage. Extensive longitudinal echocardiographic studies of HF progression were conducted, starting at baseline. Sham-treated rats served as controls. To evaluate the metabolic alterations associated with HF, cardiac proteomics by mass spectrometry was performed. Hypertrophic non-treated VEGF-B TG hearts demonstrated high oxygen and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) demand with early onset of diastolic dysfunction. Administration of DOCA + HS to VEGF-B TG rats for 6 weeks amplified the progression from cardiac hypertrophy to HF, with a drastic drop in heart ATP concentration. Dobutamine stress echocardiographic analyses uncovered a significantly impaired systolic reserve. Mechanistically, the hallmark of the failing TG heart was an abnormal energy metabolism with decreased mitochondrial ATP, preceding the attenuated cardiac performance and leading to systolic HF.

Conclusions

This study shows that the VEGF-B TG accelerates metabolic maladaptation which precedes structural cardiomyopathy in experimental hypertension and ultimately leads to systolic HF.
Oncological and physiological impact of thoracic duct resection in esophageal cancer
Authors: Matsuda Satoru , Takeuchi Masashi , Kawakubo Hirofumi , Takeuchi Hiroya , Kitagawa Yuko
Published: March 2023

Despite advances in multidisciplinary treatment, esophagectomy remains the main curative treatment for esophageal cancer. The advantages and disadvantages of thoracic duct (TD) resection have been controversial for decades. We have herein reviewed relevant published literature regarding ‘thoracic duct,’ ‘esophageal cancer,’ and ‘esophagectomy’ describing the anatomy and function of the TD, and incidence of thoracic duct lymph nodes (TDLN) and TDLN metastases, as well as the oncological and physiological effects of TD resection. The presence of lymph nodes around the TD, referred to as TDLN, has been reported previously. The delineation of TDLNs is clearly defined by a thin fascial structure covering the TD and the surrounding adipose tissue. Previous studies have examined the number of TDLNs and the percentage of patients with TDLN metastasis and revealed that each patient had approximately two TDLNs. The percentage of patients with TDLN metastasis was reported to be 6–15%. Several studies have been conducted to compare the survival after TD resection with that after TD preservation. However, no consensus has been reached because all studies were retrospective, precluding firm conclusions. Although the issue of whether the risk of postoperative complications is affected by TD resection is still unclear, resecting the TD has been shown to have a long-term impact on nutritional status after surgery. In summary, TDLNs are quite common and present in most patients, while metastasis in the TDLNs occurs in a minority. However, the oncological value of TD resection in esophageal cancer surgery remains controversial due to varying findings and methodological limitations of previous comparative studies. Considering the potential but unproven oncological benefits and possible physiological drawbacks of TD resection, including postoperative fluid retention and disadvantages in the long-term nutritional outcome, clinical stage, and nutritional status should be considered before deciding whether to perform TD resection or not.
Smartwatch-derived heart rate variability: a head-to-head comparison with the gold standard in cardiovascular disease
Authors: Theurl Fabian , Schreinlechner Michael , Sappler Nikolay , Toifl Michael , Dolejsi Theresa , Hofer Florian , Massmann Celine , Steinbring Christian , Komarek Silvia , Mölgg Kurt , Dejakum Benjamin , Böhme Christian , Kirchmair Rudolf , Reinstadler Sebastian , Bauer Axel
Published: March 2023

Aims

We aimed to investigate the concordance between heart rate variability (HRV) derived from the photoplethysmographic (PPG) signal of a commercially available smartwatch compared with the gold-standard high-resolution electrocardiogram (ECG)-derived HRV in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Methods and results

We prospectively enrolled 104 survivors of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction, 129 patients after an ischaemic stroke, and 30 controls. All subjects underwent simultaneous recording of a smartwatch (Garmin vivoactive 4; Garmin Ltd, Olathe, KS, USA)-derived PPG signal and a high-resolution (1000 Hz) ECG for 30 min under standardized conditions. HRV measures in time and frequency domain, non-linear measures, as well as deceleration capacity (DC) were calculated according to previously published technologies from both signals. Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (ρc) between smartwatch-derived and ECG-based HRV markers was used as a measure of diagnostic accuracy. A very high concordance within the whole study cohort was observed for the mean heart rate (ρc = 0.9998), standard deviation of the averages of normal-to-normal (NN) intervals in all 5min segments (SDANN; ρc = 0.9617), and very low frequency power (VLF power; ρc = 0.9613). In contrast, detrended fluctuation analysis (DF-α1; ρc = 0.5919) and the square mean root of the sum of squares of adjacent NN-interval differences (rMSSD; ρc = 0.6617) showed only moderate concordance.

Conclusion

Smartwatch-derived HRV provides a practical alternative with excellent accuracy compared with ECG-based HRV for global markers and those characterizing lower frequency components. However, caution is warranted with HRV markers that predominantly assess short-term variability.
The Paris Peace Conference and Cultural Reparations after the First World War
Authors: Irish Tomás
Published: March 2023

The First World War was marked by cultural destruction that violated international law and outraged international audiences. This article examines the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 and the five post-war treaties (Versailles, Saint-Germain, Neuilly, Trianon and Sèvres) to explore how these issues were resolved in the post-war settlements. Rather than focusing solely on the substance of the treaties, the article examines the process through which they were negotiated, paying particular attention to the crucial role played by lobbyists such as museum directors, writers and politicians. It sets these negotiations in the wider context of the contemporary discourse about cultural destruction.

The article asserts that the cultural provisions of the post-war treaties sit at the intersection of two key issues in post-war peacemaking: self-determination and reparations. Many states presented claims for the return of cultural objects or compensation for cultural destruction as essential to their national restoration after the war. Cultural claims generally appeared in the treaties’ reparation clauses and their enactment was inherited by the post-war Inter-Allied Reparation Commission.

The article argues that the post-war treaties demonstrate the dominance of the cultural claims of Western allies over those of eastern Europe and colonial settings. They also demonstrate a tension between a belief in universal civilisation and the claims of nation states to ownership of cultural property, which was most apparent in cases involving the dissolution of the Habsburg and Ottoman empires. Fundamentally, the decisions reached were often arbitrary rather than being guided by consistent principles or norms.
Acute type A aortic dissection in adolescents and young adults under 30 years of age: demographics, aetiology and postoperative outcomes of 139 cases
Authors: Luehr Maximilian , Yildiz Murat , Ma Wei-Guo , Heck Roland , Polycarpou Andreas , Jassar Arminder , Kreibich Maximilian , Dohle Daniel-Sebastian , Weiss Gabriel , Hagl Christian , Rega Filip , Schachner Thomas , Martens Andreas , Della Corte Alessandro , Osada Hiroaki , Sun Li-Zhong , Tsagakis Konstantinos , Schoenhoff Florian
Published: March 2023

OBJECTIVES

The prevalence and aetiology of acute aortic dissection type A (AADA) in patients ≤30 years is unknown. The aims of this clinical study were to determine the prevalence and potential aetiology of AADA in surgically treated patients ≤30 years and to evaluate the respective postoperative outcomes in this selective group of patients in a large multicentre study.

METHODS

Retrospective data collection was performed at 16 participating international aortic institutions. All patients ≤30 years at the time of dissection onset were included. The postoperative results were analysed with regard to connective tissue disease (CTD).

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of AADA ≤30 years was 1.8% (139 out of 7914 patients), including 51 (36.7%) patients who were retrospectively diagnosed with CTD. Cumulative postoperative mortality was 8.6%, 2.2% and 1.4%. Actuarial survival was 80% at 10 years postoperatively. Non-CTD patients (n = 88) had a significantly higher incidence of arterial hypertension (46.6% vs 9.8%; P < 0.001) while AADA affected the aortic root (P < 0.001) and arch (P = 0.029) significantly more often in the CTD group. A positive family history of aortic disease was present in 9.4% of the study cohort (n = 13).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of AADA in surgically treated patients ≤30 years is <2% with CTD and arterial hypertension as the 2 most prevalent triggers of AADA. Open surgery may be performed with good early results and excellent mid- to long-term outcomes.
Effects of HMW-GS Dx2 absence on the protein aggregation characteristics and thermal stability of wheat flour during maturation
Authors: Zhao Liye , Song Lijun , Li Liqun , Li Xuejun
Published: March 2023

Background

Wheat flour maturation affects the aggregation and structural stability of proteins. The number of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GSs) differs in various wheat varieties. The effects of Dx2 absence on the protein aggregation characteristics and thermal stability of flour were investigated during 120 d of maturation using near-isogenic lines (NILs).

Results

The absence of Dx2 delayed and decreased the protein aggregation of flours during maturation, i.e. the maturation-induced increases were later and smaller for glutenin, glutenin macropolymer (GMP), glutenin/gliadin ratio, β-sheets, and β-sheet/α-helix ratio in HMW-D1a without Dx2 than in HMW-D1p with Dx2; these differences were ascribed to the weaker interactions between the sulfhydryl (-SH) groups, disulfide bonds (-S-S-), and hydrophobicity in the flours without Dx2. Flour maturation caused the dough microstructures to be more compact and denser, thereby increasing the flour thermal stability as observed by a higher denaturation peak temperature (Tp), enthalpy of thermal transition (ΔH), and degradation temperature (Td), These changes led to better dough properties such as dough development time, dough stability time, and protein weakening, but the optimal stage in HMW-D1a without Dx2 was reached later.

Conclusion

These findings deepen the understanding of how HMW-GS Dx2 modifies protein structures during flour maturation.
Combined metabolomics and tandem machine-learning models for wound age estimation: a novel analytical strategy
Authors: Cao Jie , An Guoshuai , Li Jian , Wang Liangliang , Ren Kang , Du Qiuxiang , Yun Keming , Wang Yingyuan , Sun Junhong
Published: March 2023

Wound age estimation is one of the most challenging and indispensable issues for forensic pathologists. Although many methods based on physical findings and biochemical tests can be used to estimate wound age, an objective and reliable method for inferring the time interval after injury remains difficult. In the present study, endogenous metabolites of contused skeletal muscle were investigated to estimate the time interval after injury. Animal model of skeletal muscle injury was established using Sprague–Dawley rat, and the contused muscles were sampled at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, and 48 h postcontusion (n = 9). Then, the samples were analysed using ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. A total of 43 differential metabolites in contused muscle were determined by metabolomics method. They were applied to construct a two-level tandem prediction model for wound age estimation based on multilayer perceptron algorithm. As a result, all muscle samples were eventually divided into the following subgroups: 4, 8, 12, 16–20, 24–32, 36–40, and 44–48 h. The tandem model exhibited a robust performance and achieved a prediction accuracy of 92.6%, which was much higher than that of the single model. In summary, the multilayer perceptron–multilayer perceptron tandem machine-learning model based on metabolomics data can be used as a novel strategy for wound age estimation in future forensic casework.

Key Points
Trotter and Gleser’s (1958) equations outperform Trotter and Gleser’s (1952) equations in stature estimation of the US White males
Authors: Jeong Yangseung , Taylor Rebecca J , Jung Yochun , Woo Eun Jin
Published: March 2023

Trotter and Gleser presented two sets of stature estimation equations for the US White males in their 1952 and 1958 studies. Following Trotter’s suggestion favouring the 1952 equations simply due to the smaller standard errors, the 1958 equations have been seldom used and have gone without additional systematic validation tests. This study aims to assess the performance of the Trotter and Gleser 1952, Trotter and Gleser 1958, and FORDISC equations for the White males in a quantitative and systematic way, particularly when applied to the WWII and Korean War casualties. In sum, 27 equations (7 from the 1952 study, 10 from the 1958 study, and 10 from FORDISC) were applied to the osteometric data of 240 accounted-for White male casualties of the WWII and Korean War. Then, the bias, accuracy, and Bayes factor for each set of stature estimates were calculated. The results show that, overall, Trotter and Gleser’s 1958 equations outperform the 1952 and FORDISC equations in terms of all three measures. Particularly, the equations with higher Bayes factors produced stature estimates where distributions were closer to that of the reported statures than those with lower Bayes factors. When considering Bayes factors, the best performing equation was the “Radius” equation from the 1958 study (BF = 15.34) followed by the “Humerus+Radius” equation from FORDISC (BF = 14.42) and the “Fibula” equation from the 1958 study (BF = 13.82). The results of this study will provide researchers and practitioners applying the Trotter and Gleser stature estimation method with a practical guide for equation selection.

Key Points
The (mis)uses of community: a critical analysis of public health communication for COVID-19 vaccination in the United States
Authors: Sastry Shaunak , Siegenthaler Bianca , Mukherjee Parameswari , Abdul Raheem Sabena , Basu Ambar
Published: March 2023

Community engagement is heralded as a panacea for the inherent political challenges of public health governance. For COVID-19 vaccination planning in the United States, appeals for community engagement emerged in response to the disproportionate mortality and morbidity burdens on marginalized groups and as a bulwark against a political climate of vaccine hesitancy, scientific disinformation, and mistrust of public health. In this article, we use a culture-centered analytical framework to critique the discursive construct of “community” within public health documents that discuss community engagement strategies for COVID-19 vaccination. Through a critical-abductive analysis of more than 400 state public health department documents, we recognized the diverse axes on which appeals to the community are framed. Our findings show that the construct of “community” refers to both a material/tangible space marked by discursive struggle and one containing a moral economy of responsibility. We discuss the challenges and opportunities of conceptualizing community in these ways.
Health promoting sports clubs: from theoretical model to logic model
Authors: Van Hoye Aurélie , Lane Aoife , Dowd Kieran , Seghers Jan , Donaldson Alex , Ooms Linda , Kokko Sami , Geidne Susanna
Published: March 2023

A recent literature review indicated that the settings-based approach, as it is applied to sports clubs, is poorly understood and not well implemented. The current study builds on the health promoting sports clubs (HPSC) theoretical model as a basis for a settings-based approach in the sports setting and proposes a logic model to develop and evaluate HPSC in practice. The logic model was established through qualitative, iterative methods in the form of six meetings with eight experts in the field. Qualitative thematic coding was conducted on notes taken and contributions during and between meetings. The results describe a best-practice logic model of HPSC, including inputs, activities, outcomes and impacts at each HPSC level, while case studies illustrate the interactions between levels. Results indicate that a HPSC can have an impact at each level, from individual health to social and community capital. For a sports club, the logic model helps to define how the club’s board or management committee can set the conditions for club managers and coaches to support members’ health. External stakeholders to clubs are also recognized for their key responsibility in providing different types of resources to support sports clubs to be health promoting. Future research should focus on monitoring and evaluating at each level, including empirical testing system interactions as a whole and interactions across levels.
Humoral and Cellular Immunity Induced by Adjuvanted and Standard Trivalent Influenza Vaccine in Older Nursing Home Residents
Authors: Smith Carson L , Bednarchik Beth , Aung Htin , Wilk Dennis J , Boxer Rebecca S , Daddato Andrea E , Wilson Brigid M , Gravenstein Stefan , Canaday David H
Published: March 2023

Background

Despite wide use of adjuvanted influenza vaccine in nursing home residents (NHR), little immunogenicity data exist for this population.

Methods

We collected blood from NHR (n = 85) living in nursing homes participating in a cluster randomized clinical trial comparing MF59-adjuvanted trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (aTIV) with nonadjuvanted vaccine (TIV) (parent trial, NCT02882100). NHR received either vaccine during the 2016–2017 influenza season. We assessed cellular and humoral immunity using flow cytometry and hemagglutinin inhibition, antineuraminidase (enzyme-linked lectin assay), and microneutralization assays.

Results

Both vaccines were similarly immunogenic and induced antigen-specific antibodies and T cells, but aTIV specifically induced significantly larger 28 days after vaccination (D28) titers against A/H3N2 neuraminidase than TIV.

Conclusions

NHRs respond immunologically to TIV and aTIV. From these data, the larger aTIV-induced antineuraminidase response at D28 may help explain the increased clinical protection observed in the parent clinical trial for aTIV over TIV in NHR during the A/H3N2-dominant 2016–2017 influenza season. Additionally, a decline back to prevaccination titers at 6 months after vaccination emphasizes the importance of annual vaccination against influenza.

Clinical Trials Registration

NCT02882100.