bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Colombian Caribbean Sea: a tropical habitat for the Vulnerable sperm whalePhyseter macrocephalus?
Authors: Avila Isabel Cristina , Farías-Curtidor Nohelia , Castellanos-Mora Luisa , do Amaral Karina Bohrer , Barragán-Barrera Dalia C. , Orozco Carlos Andrés , León Jorge , Puentes Vladimir
Published: April 2022

We studied the sperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusin the Colombian Caribbean by combining data from our offshore surveys of behaviour, encounter rate, group structure and density with data from the literature. We describe for the first time the potential distribution of sperm whales in the Colombian Caribbean, using sighting and acoustic data obtained during our surveys, published information, and opportunistic encounters during 1988–2020. We conducted surveys on seismic vessels over 703 days during 2011–2016, covering an area of 68,904 km2. We recorded 98 individuals in a total of 50 groups, a density of 1.42 individuals per 1,000 km2. To determine the potential distribution of the species, we builtMaxentmodels with uncorrelated environmental variables at five depths (from the surface to c. 2,000 m). The model for 1,000 m depth had the best performance, with areas of high probability of occurrence of sperm whales in the south and north-east Colombian Caribbean over the shelf break to waters up to c. 3,000 m deep, at a median distance of 107 km from the coast, and near the Archipelago of San Andrés, Old Providence and Saint Catherine in the north-west. This area may be an important tropical habitat for sperm whales, in which they socialize, rest, breed and feed. Our study underlines the importance of monitoring marine mammals offshore and describes the potential distribution of sperm whales in the Colombian Caribbean, supporting conservation actions for this Vulnerable species, which is currently facing several threats in this region.
Food and Power in Early Medieval England: Rethinking Feorm
Authors: Lambert Tom , Leggett Sam
Published: April 2022

It has long been accepted that royal households in the pre-Viking period subsisted on annual renders of food, sometimes termed feorm, from the free peasantry. This model of royal support is historiographically fundamental, in the sense that it is built into the foundations of much current thinking not just on the economics of kingship, but on its origins, and on the process of ‘manorialization’. This article argues that the texts which are conventionally read as references to these general-purpose food supplies are in fact concerned with feasts. This is apparent when we scrutinize both the content of food lists – which are so dominated by animal protein as to be inconsistent with the stable isotope evidence for elite diet examined in our companion article – and the contexts of documentary references to feorm and (in Latin) pastus. The article concludes with a review of the potentially far-reaching implications of this finding.
Locating the Impolitical in American Theatre: Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Schechner’s Dionysus in 69
Authors: Pinder John Yves
Published: April 2022

This article examines the meaning of the ‘impolitical’ regarding cases of impolitical theatre and associated critical discourse, with reference to Rodolfo Usigli and Raymond Williams, among others. It is argued that ‘impolitical’ theatre represents social relations from the standpoint of the ideal of culture. The analysis starts with Richard Schechner’s critique of the original Broadway production of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and discusses this play, segueing into The Performance Group’s Dionysus in 69. The author indicates the differences of theatre practice between the examples chosen, and shows that these theatres nevertheless participate in the same form of theatrical representation as they broach similar social questions of moment in the Unites States in the 1960s. John Yves Pinder has recently received his PhD from the University of Leeds. He is currently teaching at Leuphana University of Lüneberg.
COINTEGRATION AND REPRESENTATION OF COINTEGRATED AUTOREGRESSIVE PROCESSES IN BANACH SPACES
Authors: Seo Won-Ki
Published: April 2022

We extend the notion of cointegration for time series taking values in a potentially infinite dimensional Banach space. Examples of such time series include stochastic processes in$C[0,1]$equipped with the supremum distance and those in a finite dimensional vector space equipped with a non-Euclidean distance. We then develop versions of the Granger–Johansen representation theorems for I(1) and I(2) autoregressive (AR) processes taking values in such a space. To achieve this goal, we first note that an AR(p) law of motion can be characterized by a linear operator pencil (an operator-valued map with certain properties) via the companion form representation, and then study the spectral properties of a linear operator pencil to obtain a necessary and sufficient condition for a given AR(p) law of motion to admit I(1) or I(2) solutions. These operator-theoretic results form a fundamental basis for our representation theorems. Furthermore, it is shown that our operator-theoretic approach is in fact a closely related extension of the conventional approach taken in a Euclidean space setting. Our theoretical results may be especially relevant in a recently growing literature on functional time series analysis in Banach spaces.
Update Ösophagusdivertikel
Authors: Gutschow Christian
Published: April 2022

Zusammenfassung. Speiseröhrendivertikel sind seltene, pathophysiologisch typischerweise mit ösophagealen Motilitätsstörungen assoziierte Erkrankungen. Die häufigste Lokalisation (etwa 80%) ist pharyngo-ösophageal. Die Therapie muss der Lokalisation, der Grösse, der Symptomatik und auch dem individuellen perioperativen Risiko der Patienten angepasst werden. In diesem Zusammenhang lässt sich in Anlehnung an Herbella et al. [1] zusammenfassen, dass a) asymptomatische Divertikel keiner Therapie bedürfen; b) kleine (< 1cm) Divertikel in der Regel nicht reseziert werden müssen; c) mittelgrosse (1–3cm) und grosse (> 4cm) Divertikel entweder durch Resektion, Pexie, Invagination oder (beim Zenker-Divertikel) durch eine transorale Divertikulo-Ösophagostomie behandelt werden sollten und d) immer eine simultane Myotomie durchgeführt werden sollte. Aufgrund der Seltenheit von Speiseröhrendivertikeln und aufgrund des breiten Spektrums therapeutischer Optionen ist die für ein individuelles Therapiekonzept erforderliche Expertise auch in grösseren Kliniken häufig nicht vorhanden, weshalb wir die Behandlung in einem Referenzzentrum empfehlen. Die Beratung und Therapie von Patienten mit Speiseröhrendivertikeln durch ein erfahrenes interdisziplinäres Team mit allen Möglichkeiten der heute etablierten endoskopischen und chirurgischen Verfahren ist nach unserer Auffassung die Voraussetzung für ein komplikationsarmes Management dieses ungewöhnlichen Krankheitsbildes.
GERD und Barrett
Authors: Berlth Felix , Lorenz Florian , Kleinert Robert , Langhammer Nils , Hadzijusufovic Edin , Chon Seung-Hun
Published: April 2022

Zusammenfassung. Die gastroösophageale Refluxerkrankung (GERD) ist eine häufige Erkrankung, die sich durch unterschiedliche orozervikale, thorakale und abdominelle Beschwerden bemerkbar macht. Die Erkrankung ist definiert durch pathologisches Aufsteigen von Magensäure in die Speiseröhre, wo sie zu mukosalen Schädigung im Sinne einer Refluxösophagitis führt. Das häufigste Symptom besteht im klassischen Sodbrennen, allerdings kann GERD mit einer ganzen Reihe an mannigfaltigen Beschwerden assoziiert sein, was bei der Diagnostik und Therapie beachtet werden muss. Neben der Endoskopie stehen routinemässig Röntgenbildgebung (Ösophagogramm), eine 24-Stunden-pH-Messung sowie eine Ösophagusmanometrie zur Diagnostik von GERD zur Verfügung. Zur Therapie gehören die Kontrolle von Diät und Lifestyle-Faktoren sowie die medikamentöse Säureblockade mit Protonenpumpeninhibitoren (PPI). Als Bedarfsmedikation stehen Antazida zur Verfügung. Im Effekt gleichwertig zur PPI-Therapie ist die Antirefluxoperation, die minimalinvasiv als Fundoplikatio oder Magnetaugmentation des unteren Ösopsophagussphinkters durchgeführt wird. Bevorzugt werden operative Verfahren bei grosser Hiatushernie oder Volumenreflux angewendet. Ein Therapieerfolg ist dann gegeben, wenn die Säureexposition der Speiseröhre reduziert wird, was sich durch Abklingen der Ösophagitis äussert oder pH-metrisch belegt werden kann. Zusätzlich steht die Verbesserung der Lebensqualität bei der Behandlung von GERD Patienten stets Vordergrund, was zu einer sorgfältigen Abwägung jedes therapeutischen Schrittes führt. Eine Sonderform der GERD stellt der Barrett-Ösophagus dar, der in westlichen Ländern eine steigende Inzidenz aufweist. Die frühe Detektion dieser fakultativen Präkanzerose und die risikoadaptierte Surveillance-Strategie sind von entscheidender Bedeutung zur Vermeidung von Folgeschäden wie Dysplasie oder Karzinom. Patienten mit bestätigter low-grade Dysplasie, high-grade Dysplasie oder einem Barrett-Frühkarzinom sollten einer endoskopischen Therapie zugeführt werden. In Zukunft kann Diagnostik und Therapie des Barrett-Ösophagus mithilfe der Verwendung einer künstlichen Intelligenz möglicherweise noch weiter verbessert werden.
Endoskopisch interventionelle Behandlung von Malignitätsvorstufen und des Frühkarzinomes des Ösophagus
Authors: Poos Hendrik , Sorleto Michele , Fetzner Ulrich Klaus , Begum Nehara , Gerdes Berthold , Gartung Carsten
Published: April 2022

Zusammenfassung. Frühkarzinome des Ösophagus können unter sehr streng formulierten Voraussetzungen sicher endoskopisch interventionell reseziert werden (ER). Im Gegensatz zu den ablativen Verfahren (Radiofrequenzablation, Kryoablation, Argon-Plasma-Koagulation, photodynamische Therapie), welche nur bei Barrett oder low-grade Dysplasien empfohlen werden können, erhält man durch die ER – welche als EMR (endoskopische Mukosa-Resektion beim Adenokarzinom) oder tiefergreifende ESD (endoskopische Submukosa-Dissektion beim Plattenepithelkarzinom) durchgeführt wird – ein definiertes, histologisch untersuchbares Präparat. Dies ist ab der high-grade Dysplasie zu fordern, da 50% der Patienten mit bioptisch gesicherter high-grade Dysplasie nach ER im Präparat bereits ein invasives Karzinom aufweisen. Diese diagnostische Lücke wird somit auch mit einer ER interventionell geschlossen. Die ER kommt folglich in Frage für high-grade Dysplasien bei Barrett, Carcinoma in situ (Cis) und bedingt bei T1a (Adeno- und Plattenepithelkarzinom) und frühen T1b Tumoren (Adenokarzinom).
Kurative Therapie des Ösophaguskarzinomes
Authors: Fetzner Ulrich Klaus , Bekturov Zhanat , Szczerbinska Malgorzata , Dimopoulos Ioannis , Boseila Ahmad , Stavrakas Eva , Begum Nehara , Uekermann Lutz , Haß Thomas , Ahmadi Sina , Langhammer Nils , Ismayilov Eldar , Othmann Katharina , Laniewski Jerzy , Gerdes Berthold
Published: April 2022

Zusammenfassung. Beim nicht metastasiertem Karzinom des unteren und mittleren Drittels der Speiseröhre bleibt die chirurgische Resektion der Goldstandard. Lokal fortgeschrittene Tumore (T3) werden hierbei neoadjuvant (Radiochemotherapie) oder perioperativ (Chemotherapie) vorbehandelt. Einem differenzierten Primärstaging und einer interdisziplinären Fallvorstellung kommen heute essenzielle Bedeutung zu. Dabei spielt die individuelle Risikobewertung, die Prähabilitation und die individualisierte Behandlung eine grosse Rolle. Die Zugangsminimierung – durch laparoskopische/thorakoskopische und roboterassistierte Verfahren – und die damit verbundene Reduktion des Zugangstraumas, sowie die Versorgung dieser Entität in geeigneten Zentren sind die aktuell dominierenden klinisch-chirurgischen Themen. Für zervikale Karzinome stellt die definitive Radiotherapie sowohl aus tumorbiologischen Gründen als auch aus Gründen der Komplikationsanstieges bei Operationen oft die bessere Alternative dar.
Perakute Erkrankungen des Ösophagus
Authors: Gerdes Christoph , Maasoumy Benjamin , Paquet Nicolas , Orozco Francisco Cuan , Kröger Jan Robert , Fetzner Ulrich Klaus
Published: April 2022

Zusammenfassung. Aufgrund eines dauerhaft erhöhten portalvenösen Druckes – meist aufgrund von infektiös oder ethyltoxisch bedingter Leberzirrhose – können sich in der unteren Speiseröhre durch Erweiterung der submukösen Venenplexus Varizen ausbilden. Eine akute Blutung aus den Speiseröhrenvarizen stellt eine lebensbedrohende Situation dar. In der Therapie unterscheidet man die Primärprophylaxe der Blutung, die Kontrolle der akuten Blutung und die Prävention einer rezidivierenden Blutung. Neben den nicht-selektiven Betablockern spielt heute der transjuguläre intrahepatische portosystemische Shunt (TIPS), welcher interventionell radiologisch eingebracht wird, eine entscheidende Rolle, vor allem in der Prophylaxe einer Rezidivblutung. Chirurgische Shuntverfahren sind von Spezialindikationen abgesehen nur noch von historischem Wert. Bei Leberzirrhose steht als kausale Behandlung der Grunderkrankung und dauerhaften Heilung der Ösophagusvarizen die Lebertransplantation zur Verfügung.
Crater Ejecta Across Maxwell Montes, Venus, and Possible Effects on Future Rock Type Measurements
Authors: Campbell Bruce A. , Whitten Jennifer L.
Published: April 2022

Venus highlands such as Maxwell Montes are an exploration target in the search for a past water‐rich environment. We combine Magellan and Arecibo radar data to characterize surface properties across Maxwell for orbital or landed investigations. Arecibo data reveal a region surrounding and west of the 90‐km crater Cleopatra with lower radar echoes and circular polarization ratio despite increased surface reflectivity. Modeling of microwave emissivity shows that the surface undergoes step‐like reflectivity shifts at ∼6056.2 km and ∼6,061 km radius, such that the changes in radar echo between these altitudes are not due solely to dielectric effects. We propose that fine‐grained Cleopatra ejecta mantles much of Maxwell Montes, consistent with Venus distal crater ejecta patterns and the longevity of mantling debris in the highlands. Future orbital or landed studies must consider the thickness of ejecta, source material, and effects of shock or melting on ejecta mineralogy.
Enhanced Diapycnal Mixing in the Deep Ocean Around the Island of Taiwan
Authors: Tang Qunshu , Jing Zhiyou , Li Jiabiao , Sun Jie
Published: April 2022

The deep ocean to the east and south of Taiwan Island‒including the Okinawa Trough, Ryukyu Arc, Philippine Sea, Luzon Strait, and the northeast South China Sea‒is one of the most prominent mixing hotspots of the global ocean. The high‐resolution seismic reflection technique can provide detailed views of the water's finestructure and near‐transient turbulent mixing therein. Using legacy data from two seismic cruises, we present the finestructure and quantify turbulent mixing within the thermocline and sub‐thermocline (100–1,000 m depths) to the east and south offshore Taiwan. We derive dissipation rate ε and diapycnal diffusivity Kρ by analyzing the inertial convective turbulence regime of horizontal slope spectra from the seismically auto‐tracked wave‐fields. Dissipation and diffusivities are locally enhanced close to the topography exceeding 10−6 W⋅kg−1 and 10−2 m2⋅s−1, and gradually decrease to 10−9 W⋅kg−1 and 10−4‒10−5 m2⋅s−1 beyond tens of kilometers. The mean diffusivity distribution pattern suggests that a large fraction of the energy dissipates close to the topography and a significant fraction is radiated into the open ocean. Both the tides and west boundary current drive the significantly enhanced mixing close to the topography of ridges, isolated islands and continental slopes. Kuroshio and eddy activities are responsible for the local anomalously enhanced mixing patches far away from the topography. Comparisons among seismic results, numerical simulations and eddy analyses suggest that the energy cascades downward from large‐scale motions to small‐scale turbulence via multiple mechanisms of tide‐topography interaction, flow‐topography interaction, and frontal instability around the island of Taiwan.
Wind Fetch and Direction Effects on Langmuir Turbulence in a Coastal Ocean
Authors: Wang Xingchi , Kukulka Tobias , Plueddemann Albert J.
Published: April 2022

Mixing processes in the upper ocean play a key role in transferring heat, momentum, and matter in the ocean. These mixing processes are significantly enhanced by wave‐driven Langmuir turbulence (LT). Based on a paired analysis of observations and simulations, this study investigates wind fetch and direction effects on LT at a coastal site south of the island Martha’s Vineyard (MA, USA). Our results demonstrate that LT is strongly influenced by wind fetch and direction in coastal oceans, both of which contribute to controlling turbulent coastal transport processes. For northerly offshore winds, land limits the wind fetch and wave development, whereas southerly winds are associated with practically infinite fetch. Observed and simulated two‐dimensional wave height spectra reveal persistent southerly swell and substantially more developed wind‐driven waves from the south. For oblique offshore winds, waves develop more strongly in the alongshore direction with less limited fetch, resulting in significant wind and wave misalignments. Observations of coherent near‐surface crosswind velocities indicate that LT is only present for sufficiently developed waves. The fetch‐limited northerly winds inhibit wave developments and the formation of LT. In addition to limited fetch, strong wind–wave misalignments prevent LT development. Although energetic and persistent, swell waves do not substantially influence LT activity during the observation period because these relatively long swell waves are associated with small Stokes drift shear. These observational results agree well with turbulence‐resolving large eddy simulations (LESs) based on the wave‐averaged Navier–Stokes equation, validating the LES approach to coastal LT in the complex wind and wave conditions.
Endangered Rivers Plagued by Pollution, Climate Change, and Outdated Management
Authors: Schmidt Jennifer
Published: April 2022

The annual list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers includes practical calls to action to turn the tide on threatened U.S. waterways.
Nitrogen Cycling Across a Salinity Gradient From the Pearl River Estuary to Offshore: Insight From Nitrate Dual Isotopes
Authors: Chen Fajin , Deng Ziyun , Lao Qibin , Bian Peiwang , Jin Guangzhe , Zhu Qingmei , Zhou Xin , Chen Chunqing
Published: April 2022

Dual isotope measurements were performed on nitrate (δ15N‐NO3− and δ18O‐NO3−) in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) and the adjacent northern South China Sea (NSCS) to investigate nitrate sources and its biogeochemical processes during rainy season. Our results indicated that in the PRE, high nitrate levels were associated with the intense human activities in PRE delta, the sources of which included the reduced nitrogen (N) fertilizer (29%), SN (nitrate derived from soil N) (18%), manure and sewage (10%), and atmospheric deposition (7%). In the nearshore area, nitrate was characterized by relatively high δ15N‐NO3− and δ18O‐NO3− values suggestive of incomplete nitrate assimilation. Besides, nitrification might be significant in the intermediate and bottom waters due to ammonia release from remineralization of sinking and sedimented organic matter (OM). In the offshore area, nitrate was depleted due to nearly complete utilization, and δ15N‐NO3− and δ18O‐NO3− showed moderate values. In addition, δ18O‐NO3− exhibited a clear vertical gradient with a decrease from the surface to the bottom. A coupled nitrification‐denitrification process in sediment porewater was supposed, which left isotope imprints in bottom waters of the offshore area. In surface waters from the nearshore to the offshore area, although assimilation was the prominent process, the δ15N‐NO3− and δ18O‐NO3− relationship deviated from the 1:1 line, suggesting significant contribution of atmospheric deposition that increased offshore. Our study suggests the external source of nitrate shifts from anthropogenic nitrogen to atmospheric source in the continuous river–estuary–ocean system, and nitrification‐denitrification become more active as it goes seaward.
Coral holobiont cues prime Endozoicomonas for a symbiotic lifestyle
Authors: Pogoreutz Claudia , Oakley Clinton A , Rädecker Nils , Cárdenas Anny , Perna Gabriela , Xiang Nan , Peng Lifeng , Davy Simon K , Ngugi David K , Voolstra Christian R
Published: April 2022

Endozoicomonas are prevalent, abundant bacterial associates of marine animals, including corals. Their role in holobiont health and functioning, however, remains poorly understood. To identify potential interactions within the coral holobiont, we characterized the novel isolate Endozoicomonas marisrubri sp. nov. 6c and assessed its transcriptomic and proteomic response to tissue extracts of its native host, the Red Sea coral Acropora humilis. We show that coral tissue extracts stimulated differential expression of genes putatively involved in symbiosis establishment via the modulation of the host immune response by E. marisrubri 6c, such as genes for flagellar assembly, ankyrins, ephrins, and serpins. Proteome analyses revealed that E. marisrubri 6c upregulated vitamin B1 and B6 biosynthesis and glycolytic processes in response to holobiont cues. Our results suggest that the priming of Endozoicomonas for a symbiotic lifestyle involves the modulation of host immunity and the exchange of essential metabolites with other holobiont members. Consequently, Endozoicomonas may play an important role in holobiont nutrient cycling and may therefore contribute to coral health, acclimatization, and adaptation.
Stability improvement mechanism due to less charge accumulation in ternary polymer solar cells
Authors: Xue Dong , Saito Masahiko , Osaka Itaru , Marumoto Kazuhiro
Published: April 2022

Ternary polymer solar cells based on a thiazolothiazole-based polymer donor (PTzBT) and a fullerene acceptor (PC61BM) have attracted attention because they show high efficiency and stability by addition of a non-fullerene acceptor (ITIC). However, the performance improvement mechanism is not completely elucidated. Here, we show the stability improvement mechanism due to less charge accumulation in the PTzBT cells with ITIC using operando electron spin resonance from a microscopic viewpoint. We observed two correlations between device performance and number of spins (Nspin) under solar irradiation. One correlation is the decrease in short-circuit current and the Nspin increase in electrons on PC61BM and holes in PTzBT, where the ITIC addition causes the less these Nspin. The other correlation is the increase in open-circuit voltage and the Nspin decrease in holes in ZnO. These findings explain the stability improvement mechanism, showing the correlation between less charge accumulation and higher stability, which is valuable for the development of further efficient and stable polymer solar cells.
Gender gap in deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Jost Stefanie T. , Strobel Lena , Rizos Alexandra , Loehrer Philipp A. , Ashkan Keyoumars , Evans Julian , Rosenkranz Franz , Barbe Michael T. , Fink Gereon R. , Franklin Jeremy , Sauerbier Anna , Nimsky Christopher , Sattari Afsar , Ray Chaudhuri K. , Antonini Angelo , Timmermann Lars , Martinez-Martin Pablo , Silverdale Monty , Kalbe Elke , Visser-Vandewalle Veerle , Dafsari Haidar S. ,   EUROPAR and the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society Non-Motor Parkinson’s Disease Study Group
Published: April 2022

Previous studies have shown less access to deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s disease (PD) in women compared to men raising concerns about a potential gender gap resulting from nonclinical factors or gender differences in clinical efficacy for postoperative quality of life (QoL), motor, and nonmotor symptoms (NMS) outcomes. This was a cross-sectional and a longitudinal, prospective, observational, controlled, quasi-experimental, international multicenter study. A total sample size of 505 consisted of 316 consecutively referred patients for DBS indication evaluation at the University Hospital Cologne (01/2015–09/2020) and 189 consecutively treated patients at DBS centers in the University Hospitals Cologne and Marburg, Salford’s Royal Hospital Manchester, and King’s College Hospital London. In the cross-sectional cohort, we examined gender proportions at referral, indication evaluations, and DBS surgery. In the longitudinal cohort, clinical assessments at preoperative baseline and 6-month follow-up after surgery included the PD Questionnaire-8, NMSScale, Scales for Outcomes in PD-motor scale, and levodopa-equivalent daily dose. Propensity score matching resulted in a pseudo-randomized sub-cohort balancing baseline demographic and clinical characteristics between women with PD and male controls. 316 patients were referred for DBS. 219 indication evaluations were positive (women n = 102, respectively n = 82). Women with PD were disproportionally underrepresented in referrals compared to the general PD population (relative risk [RR], 0.72; 95%CI, 0.56–0.91; P = 0.002), but more likely to be approved for DBS than men (RR, 1.17; 95%CI, 1.03–1.34; P = 0.029). Nonetheless, their total relative risk of undergoing DBS treatment was 0.74 (95%CI, 0.48–1.12) compared to men with PD. At baseline, women had longer disease duration and worse dyskinesia. Exploring QoL domains, women reported worse mobility and bodily discomfort. At follow-up, all main outcomes improved equally in both genders. Our study provides evidence of a gender gap in DBS for PD. Women and men with PD have distinct preoperative nonmotor and motor profiles. We advocate that more focus should be directed toward the implementation of gender equity as both genders benefit from DBS with equal clinical efficacy. This study provides Class II evidence of beneficial effects of DBS in women with PD compared to male controls.
A quantum processor based on coherent transport of entangled atom arrays
Authors: Bluvstein Dolev , Levine Harry , Semeghini Giulia , Wang Tout T. , Ebadi Sepehr , Kalinowski Marcin , Keesling Alexander , Maskara Nishad , Pichler Hannes , Greiner Markus , Vuletić Vladan , Lukin Mikhail D.
Published: April 2022

The ability to engineer parallel, programmable operations between desired qubits within a quantum processor is key for building scalable quantum information systems1,2. In most state-of-the-art approaches, qubits interact locally, constrained by the connectivity associated with their fixed spatial layout. Here we demonstrate a quantum processor with dynamic, non-local connectivity, in which entangled qubits are coherently transported in a highly parallel manner across two spatial dimensions, between layers of single- and two-qubit operations. Our approach makes use of neutral atom arrays trapped and transported by optical tweezers; hyperfine states are used for robust quantum information storage, and excitation into Rydberg states is used for entanglement generation3–5. We use this architecture to realize programmable generation of entangled graph states, such as cluster states and a seven-qubit Steane code state6,7. Furthermore, we shuttle entangled ancilla arrays to realize a surface code state with thirteen data and six ancillary qubits8and a toric code state on a torus with sixteen data and eight ancillary qubits9. Finally, we use this architecture to realize a hybrid analogue–digital evolution2and use it for measuring entanglement entropy in quantum simulations10–12, experimentally observing non-monotonic entanglement dynamics associated with quantum many-body scars13,14. Realizing a long-standing goal, these results provide a route towards scalable quantum processing and enable applications ranging from simulation to metrology.
Pterosaur melanosomes support signalling functions for early feathers
Authors: Cincotta Aude , Nicolaï Michaël , Campos Hebert Bruno Nascimento , McNamara Maria , D’Alba Liliana , Shawkey Matthew D. , Kischlat Edio-Ernst , Yans Johan , Carleer Robert , Escuillié François , Godefroit Pascal
Published: April 2022

Remarkably well-preserved soft tissues in Mesozoic fossils have yielded substantial insights into the evolution of feathers1. New evidence of branched feathers in pterosaurs suggests that feathers originated in the avemetatarsalian ancestor of pterosaurs and dinosaurs in the Early Triassic2, but the homology of these pterosaur structures with feathers is controversial3,4. Reports of pterosaur feathers with homogeneous ovoid melanosome geometries2,5suggest that they exhibited limited variation in colour, supporting hypotheses that early feathers functioned primarily in thermoregulation6. Here we report the presence of diverse melanosome geometries in the skin and simple and branched feathers of a tapejarid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous found in Brazil. The melanosomes form distinct populations in different feather types and the skin, a feature previously known only in theropod dinosaurs, including birds. These tissue-specific melanosome geometries in pterosaurs indicate that manipulation of feather colour—and thus functions of feathers in visual communication—has deep evolutionary origins. These features show that genetic regulation of melanosome chemistry and shape7–9was active early in feather evolution.
Smart pooling: AI-powered COVID-19 informative group testing
Authors: Escobar María , Jeanneret Guillaume , Bravo-Sánchez Laura , Castillo Angela , Gómez Catalina , Valderrama Diego , Roa Mafe , Martínez Julián , Madrid-Wolff Jorge , Cepeda Martha , Guevara-Suarez Marcela , Sarmiento Olga L. , Medaglia Andrés L. , Forero-Shelton Manu , Velasco Mauricio , Pedraza Juan M. , Laajaj Rachid , Restrepo Silvia , Arbelaez Pablo
Published: April 2022

Massive molecular testing for COVID-19 has been pointed out as fundamental to moderate the spread of the pandemic. Pooling methods can enhance testing efficiency, but they are viable only at low incidences of the disease. We propose Smart Pooling, a machine learning method that uses clinical and sociodemographic data from patients to increase the efficiency of informed Dorfman testing for COVID-19 by arranging samples into all-negative pools. To do this, we ran an automated method to train numerous machine learning models on a retrospective dataset from more than 8000 patients tested for SARS-CoV-2 from April to July 2020 in Bogotá, Colombia. We estimated the efficiency gains of using the predictor to support Dorfman testing by simulating the outcome of tests. We also computed the attainable efficiency gains of non-adaptive pooling schemes mathematically. Moreover, we measured the false-negative error rates in detecting the ORF1ab and N genes of the virus in RT-qPCR dilutions. Finally, we presented the efficiency gains of using our proposed pooling scheme on proof-of-concept pooled tests. We believe Smart Pooling will be efficient for optimizing massive testing of SARS-CoV-2.
Acoustic discrimination in the grey bamboo shark Chiloscyllium griseum
Authors: Poppelier Tamar , Bonsberger Jana , Berkhout Boris Woody , Pollmanns Reneé , Schluessel Vera
Published: April 2022

Cognitive abilities of sharks are well developed and comparable to teleosts and other vertebrates. Most studies exploring elasmobranch cognitive abilities have used visual stimuli, assessing a wide range of discrimination tasks, memory retention and spatial learning abilities. Some studies using acoustic stimuli in a cognitive context have been conducted, but a basic understanding of sound induced behavioural changes and the underlying mechanisms involved are still lacking. This study explored the acoustic discrimination abilities of seven juvenile grey bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium griseum) using a Go/No-Go method, which so far had never been tested in sharks before. After this, the smallest frequency difference leading to a change in behaviour in the sharks was studied using a series of transfer tests. Our results show that grey bamboo sharks can learn a Go/No-Go task using both visual and acoustic stimuli. Transfer tests elucidated that, when both stimulus types were presented, both were used. Within the tested range of 90–210 Hz, a frequency difference of 20–30 Hz is sufficient to discriminate the two sounds, which is comparable to results previously collected for sharks and teleosts. Currently, there is still a substantial lack of knowledge concerning the acoustic abilities and sound induced behaviours of sharks while anthropogenic noise is constantly on the rise. New insights into shark sound recognition, detection and use are therefore of the utmost importance and will aid in management and conservation efforts of sharks.
Scavenging of nitric oxide up-regulates photosynthesis under drought in Festuca arundinacea and F. glaucescens but reduces their drought tolerance
Authors: Perlikowski Dawid , Lechowicz Katarzyna , Pawłowicz Izabela , Arasimowicz-Jelonek Magdalena , Kosmala Arkadiusz
Published: April 2022

Nitric oxide (NO) has been proven to be involved in the regulation of many physiological processes in plants. Though the contribution of NO in plant response to drought has been demonstrated in numerous studies, this phenomenon remains still not fully recognized. The research presented here was performed to decipher the role of NO metabolism in drought tolerance and the ability to recover after stress cessation in two closely related species of forage grasses, important for agriculture in European temperate regions: Festuca arundinacea and F. glaucescens. In both species, two genotypes with distinct levels of drought tolerance were selected to compare their physiological reactions to simulated water deficit and further re-watering, combined with a simultaneous application of NO scavenger, 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (PTIO). The results clearly indicated a strong relationship between scavenging of NO in leaves and physiological response of both analyzed grass species to water deficit and re-watering. It was revealed that NO generated under drought was mainly located in mesophyll cells. In plants with reduced NO level a higher photosynthetic capacity and delay in stomatal closure under drought, were observed. Moreover, NO scavenging resulted also in the increased membrane permeability and higher accumulation of ROS in cells of analyzed plants both under drought and re-watering. This phenomena indicate that lower NO level might reduce drought tolerance and the ability of F. arundinacea and F. glaucescens to recover after stress cessation.
Organocatalyst treatment improves variant calling and mutant detection in archival clinical samples
Authors: Wehmas Leah C. , Wood Charles E. , Guan Ping , Gosink Mark , Hester Susan D.
Published: April 2022

Formalin fixation of biological specimens damages nucleic acids and limits their use in genomic analyses. Previously, we showed that RNA isolation with an organocatalyst (2-amino-5-methylphenyl phosphonic acid, used to speed up reversal of formalin-induced adducts) and extended heated incubation (ORGΔ) improved RNA-sequencing data from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate whether ORGΔ treatment improves DNA-sequencing data from clinical FFPE samples. We isolated RNA and DNA ± ORGΔ from paired FFPE and frozen human renal and ovarian carcinoma specimens collected as part of the National Cancer Institute Biospecimen Pre-analytical Variables program. Tumor types were microscopically confirmed from adjacent tissue sections. Following extraction, DNA was fragmented and sequenced and differences were compared between frozen and FFPE sample pairs. Treatment with ORGΔ improved concurrent SNP calls in FFPE DNA compared to non-ORGΔ FFPE samples and enhanced confidence in SNP calls for all FFPE DNA samples, beyond that of matched frozen samples. In general, the concordant SNPs identified in paired frozen and FFPE DNA samples agreed for both genotype and homozygosity vs. heterozygosity of calls regardless of ORGΔ treatment. The increased confidence in ORGΔ FFPE DNA variant calls relative to the matched frozen DNA suggests a novel application of this method. With further optimization, this method may improve quality of DNA-sequencing data in FFPE as well as frozen tissue samples.
Home range size and habitat quality affect breeding success but not parental investment in barn owl males
Authors: Séchaud Robin , Schalcher Kim , Almasi Bettina , Bühler Roman , Safi Kamran , Romano Andrea , Roulin Alexandre
Published: April 2022

Life-history theory predicts that parents should balance their limited resources to maximize lifetime fitness, limiting their investment in current reproduction when the fitness value of current progeny is lower than that gained by producing offspring in the future. Here, we examined whether male barn owls (Tyto alba) breeding in low-quality habitats increased their parental effort to successfully complete offspring rearing or limited their investment by paying a fitness cost while saving energy for the future. We equipped 128 males with GPS devices between 2016 and 2020 to collect information on home range size, habitat composition, food provisioning rate to the brood and nightly distances covered. We also recorded nestlings’ growth and survival, as well as males’ body mass variation and future reproductive success. Males living in lower-quality habitats exploited bigger home ranges compared to individuals whose nests were settled in prey-rich habitats. They fed their brood less frequently, while covering longer nightly distance, resulting in a slower growth of late-hatched nestlings and ultimately in a lower fledging success. As males did not differ in body mass variation or future reproductive success our findings suggest that males hunting in home ranges with less prey-rich structures do not jeopardize future reproduction by investing disproportionately larger resources to compensate for their current low home range quality.
Numerical mesoscale tissue model of electrochemotherapy in liver based on histological findings
Authors: Cindric Helena , Gasljevic Gorana , Edhemovic Ibrahim , Brecelj Erik , Zmuc Jan , Cemazar Maja , Seliskar Alenka , Miklavcic Damijan , Kos Bor
Published: April 2022

Electrochemotherapy (ECT) and irreversible electroporation (IRE) are being investigated for treatment of hepatic tumours. The liver is a highly heterogeneous organ, permeated with a network of macro- and microvasculature, biliary tracts and connective tissue. The success of ECT and IRE depends on sufficient electric field established in whole target tissue; therefore, tissue heterogeneity may affect the treatment outcome. In this study, we investigate electroporation in the liver using a numerical mesoscale tissue model. We numerically reconstructed four ECT experiments in healthy porcine liver and computed the electric field distribution using our treatment planning framework. We compared the computed results with histopathological changes identified on microscopic images after treatment. The mean electric field threshold that best fitted the zone of coagulation necrosis was 1225 V/cm, while the mean threshold that best fitted the zone of partially damaged liver parenchyma attributed to IRE was 805 V/cm. We evaluated how the liver macro- and microstructures affect the electric field distribution. Our results show that the liver microstructure does not significantly affect the electric field distribution on the level needed for treatment planning. However, major hepatic vessels and portal spaces significantly affect the electric field distribution, and should be considered when planning treatments.
Amygdalin potentiates the anti-cancer effect of Sorafenib on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma and ameliorates the associated liver damage
Authors: Attia Attia Ahmed , Salama Afrah Fatthi , Eldiasty Jayda G. , Mosallam Sahar Abd El-Razik , El-Naggar Sabry Ali , El-Magd Mohammed Abu , Nasser Hebatala M. , Elmetwalli Alaa
Published: April 2022

The burden of cancer diseases is increasing every year, therefore, the demands to figure out novel drugs that can retain antitumor properties have been raised. This study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor properties of amygdalin (Amy) against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) bearing mice and its protective properties against liver damage. Amy and the standard anticancer drug Sorafenib (Sor) were given alone or in combination to Swiss albino female mice that had been injected with EAC cells. Biochemical parameters of liver function (AST, ALT, GGT, total protein, albumin), tumor volume, oxidative stress [malondialdehyde, (MDA)] and antioxidative [superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reduced glutathione (GSH)] markers were measured. The hepatic expression of the antioxidant-related gene [nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)], the migration-related gene [matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP9)], and the angiogenesis-related gene [vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)] were evaluated by qPCR. The results revealed that EAC-bearing mice treated with Amy and/or Sor showed a decrease in the tumor burden and hepatic damage as evidenced by (1) decreased tumor volume, number of viable tumor cells; (2) increased number of dead tumor cells; (3) restored the liver function parameters; (4) reduced hepatic MDA levels; (5) enhanced hepatic GSH and SOD levels; (6) upregulated expression of Nrf2; (7) downregulated expression of MMP9 and VEGF, and (8) improved hepatic structure. Among all treatments, mice co-treated with Amy (orally) and Sor (intraperitoneally) showed the best effect. With these results, we concluded that the Amy improved the antitumor effect of Sor and had a protective role on liver damage induced by EAC in mice.
Short-term effects of COVID-19 on the risk of traumatic fractures in China cities
Authors: Lv Hongzhi , Zhang Xiaolin , Wang Juan , Hou Zhiyong , Wang Haicheng , Li Chao , Wang Wenjuan , Chen Wei , Zhang Yingze
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to investigate the association between COVID-19 and fracture risk and provide a targeted reference for the world through China’s experience. A nationally representative sample of COVID-19 prevalence areas selected using stratified random sampling was retrospectively analyzed. Age, sex, fracture site, mechanism of injury, and concurrent fractures of traumatic fracture patients in selected hospitals were collected from 10 January to 10 July 2020. The epidemiologic characteristics of traumatic fractures and the association between COVID-19 and fracture risk were explored using descriptive epidemiological methods and a distributed lag nonlinear model. A total of 67,249 patients (52.3% males, 49.4 ± 19.4 years old) with 68,989 fractures were included. The highest proportion of fractures were in the tibia and fibula (14.9%), followed by the femur (13.6%) and ulna and radius (12.5%). Low-energy fractures accounted for 23.3%. With the increase in newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, fracture risk decreased for children, young and middle-aged adults, elderly men, high-energy fractures, and residents in regions with < 1000 cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases. Fracture risk decreased sharply in all residents except elderly women, for low-energy fractures, and in regions with > 1000 cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases when newly confirmed COVID-19 cases increased in China. Primary (home) prevention measures are emphasized to prevent traumatic fractures.
Investigation of a UK biobank cohort reveals causal associations of self-reported walking pace with telomere length
Authors: Dempsey Paddy C. , Musicha Crispin , Rowlands Alex V. , Davies Melanie , Khunti Kamlesh , Razieh Cameron , Timmins Iain , Zaccardi Francesco , Codd Veryan , Nelson Christopher P. , Yates Tom , Samani Nilesh J.
Published: April 2022

Walking pace is a simple and functional form of movement and a strong predictor of health status, but the nature of its association with leucocyte telomere length (LTL) is unclear. Here we investigate whether walking pace is associated with LTL, which is causally associated with several chronic diseases and has been proposed as a marker of biological age. Analyses were conducted in 405,981 UK Biobank participants. We show that steady/average and brisk walkers had significantly longer LTL compared with slow walkers, with accelerometer-assessed measures of physical activity further supporting this through an association between LTL and habitual activity intensity, but not with total amount of activity. Bi-directional mendelian randomisation analyses suggest a causal link between walking pace and LTL, but not the other way around. A faster walking pace may be causally associated with longer LTL, which could help explain some of the beneficial effects of brisk walking on health status. Given its simple measurement and low heritability, self-reported walking pace may be a pragmatic target for interventions.
Deletion of neural estrogen receptor alpha induces sex differential effects on reproductive behavior in mice
Authors: Trouillet Anne-Charlotte , Ducroq Suzanne , Naulé Lydie , Capela Daphné , Parmentier Caroline , Radovick Sally , Hardin-Pouzet Hélène , Mhaouty-Kodja Sakina
Published: April 2022

Estrogen receptor (ER) α is involved in several estrogen-modulated neural and peripheral functions. To determine its role in the expression of female and male reproductive behavior, a mouse line lacking the ERα in the nervous system was generated. Mutant females did not exhibit sexual behavior despite normal olfactory preference, and had a reduced number of progesterone receptor-immunoreactive neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus. Mutant males displayed a moderately impaired sexual behavior and unaffected fertility, despite evidences of altered organization of sexually dimorphic populations in the preoptic area. In comparison, males deleted for both neural ERα and androgen receptor (AR) displayed greater sexual deficiencies. Thus, these data highlight a predominant role for neural ERα in females and a complementary role with the AR in males in the regulation of sexual behavior, and provide a solid background for future analyses of neuronal versus glial implication of these signaling pathways in both sexes.
Recent trends in covalent functionalization of 2D materials
Authors: Jeong Jae Hwan , Kang Sojung , Kim Namwon , Joshi Rakesh , Lee Gwan-Hyoung
Published: April 2022

Covalent functionalization of the surface is crucial in 2D materials because of their atomic thinness, large surface-to-volume ratio, and uniform surface chemical potential.
Assembling metal–organic cages as porous materials
Authors: Sánchez-González Elí , Tsang Min Ying , Troyano Javier , Craig Gavin A. , Furukawa Shuhei
Published: April 2022

Metal–organic cages are processable porous molecules that can be assembled into a range of macroscopic porous materials.
Docosahexaenoic acid-acylated curcumin diester alleviates cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury by regulating the effect of gut microbiota on the lipopolysaccharide- and trimethylamine-N-oxide-mediated PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway in mice
Authors: Shi Hao-Hao , Chen Li-Pin , Wang Cheng-Cheng , Zhao Ying-Cai , Wang Yu-Ming , Xue Chang-Hu , Zhang Tian-Tian
Published: April 2022

The possible underlying mechanism involved in the alleviation of acute kidney injury after dietary supplementation with DHA-acylated curcumin diester.
Novel optical amorphous phosphate materials with a low melting temperature
Authors: Kaser Simon , Guérineau Théo , Strutynski Clément , Zaki Reda , Dussauze Marc , Durand Etienne , Messaddeq Sandra H. , Danto Sylvain , Messaddeq Younès , Cardinal Thierry
Published: April 2022

Transparent hydrated phosphate glasses were prepared at 300 °C. Because it contains up to 40 mol% of water, the phosphate glass network is heavily modified and the glass transition temperature is lowered below 100 °C.
Multi-layered composites using polyurethane-based foams and 3D-printed structures to curb electromagnetic pollution
Authors: Sushmita Kumari , Maiti Subhasish , Bose Suryasarathi
Published: April 2022

Herein, a comparative study of the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance of multi-layered architectures fabricated using different strategies (i.e., polyurethane (PU)-based film, foam, and 3D printed structures) has been evaluated.