bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Musiktherapie und chronischer nicht-maligner Schmerz
Authors: Wormit Alexander F.
Published: March 2024

Je länger Schmerzzustände andauern und sich dabei chronifizieren, umso höher steigt die emotionale Belastung von Patient*innen. Dieser Beitrag zeigt, dass der aktive therapeutische Einsatz von Musik zur Schmerzreduktion beitragen kann, indem das Erleben und der Umgang mit Gefühlen im Fokus der Behandlung stehen.
Firm-level political uncertainty, corporate lobbying and risk-taking
Authors: Timbate Lukas , Kim Dongil , Asrat Dereje , Sungjun Hwang
Published: March 2024

Prior research shows that political uncertainty affects general economic and firm-related outcomes. However, little is known about how firm-specific political uncertainty is related to corporate risk-taking. Taking advantage of a recent construct and using a large sample of non-financial U.S. firms covering the period between 2002 and 2021, we find compelling evidence that firm-specific political uncertainty is positively related to corporate risk-taking, especially for larger firms. On average, a one standard deviation rise in the level of political risk at the firm-level results in a 2.53% increase in risk-taking. Further analysis shows that the impact of firm-level political uncertainty on corporate risk-taking is more pronounced for firms that spend more on corporate lobbying. Our results are significant and robust to alternative risk-taking measures and endogeneity tests.
Levelized costs and potential production of green hydrogen with wind and solar power in different provinces of mainland China
Authors: Man Jinping , Ma Tieju , Yu Yadong , Ren Hongtao
Published: March 2024

Green hydrogen produced from renewable sources such as wind and photovoltaic (PV) power is expected to be pivotal in China's carbon neutrality target by 2060. This study assessed the potential production, levelized costs of hydrogen (LCOH), and the cost structure in diverse mainland Chinese provinces from 2020 to 2060. It considered various combinations of electrolysis technologies, specifically alkaline electrolysis (AE) and proton exchange membrane (PEM), in conjunction with green electricity sources. The analysis considers the technological learning effects of wind power, PV power, AE, and PEM. This study's primary conclusions and policy recommendations are as follows: (1) PV power would be the predominant energy for green hydrogen production in nearly all of mainland China, providing a potential 2.25–28 642.19 kt/yr hydrogen production in different provinces. (2) AE exhibits cost (with LCOH around 3.18–8.74 USD/kg) competitiveness than PEM (with LCOH around 3.33–10.24 USD/kg) for hydrogen production. Thus, policymakers are advised to focus on the PV power combined with the AE pathway for large-scale hydrogen production. PEM is suggested to be mainly used in cases with high power fluctuations and end devices. (3) The provinces (especially Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Gansu Province) in the Northwest of China show the greatest potential (about 74.35%) and have the lowest LCOH (with around 3.18–4.78 USD/kg). However, these provinces are quite distant from existing energy demand hubs. Thus, decision-makers are advised to focus on developing long-distance transmission/transportation infrastructure for either green electricity or green hydrogen.
Structural study of nickelate based heterostructures
Authors: Varbaro Lucia , Mundet Bernat , Bandyopadhyay Subhadeep , Domínguez Claribel , Fowlie Jennifer , Korosec Lukas , Hsu Chih-Ying , Alexander Duncan T. L. , Ghosez Philippe , Triscone Jean-Marc
Published: March 2024

Heterostructures consisting of SmNiO3 and NdNiO3 alternating layers with additional LaAlO3 spacer layers were grown and fully characterized by means of x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. A change in the orientation of the orthorhombic long-axis of the nickelate layers is observed when a single unit cell of LaAlO3 is inserted between SmNiO3 and NdNiO3, in agreement with density functional theory calculations. At the same time, the structure of the ultra-thin rhombohedral LaAlO3 layers is affected by their proximity to orthorhombic nickelate layers, with both scanning transmission electron microscopy studies and density functional theory calculations revealing a weak antipolar motion of the La-cation in the LaAlO3 layers that is not present in the bulk rhombohedral structure of this compound.
Topological signatures of Mo2TiC2O2
Authors: Parajuli D. , Samatha K.
Published: March 2024

Mo2TiC2 is the Ordered Double Transitional Metal Layered Carbides (ODTMLC) derived from its parent MAX phases Mo2TiAlC2 by a wet chemical etching. Its oxidation was done by a new ablated plasma thrust method in which the MXenes were at 750 °C under an oxygen background in the pulsed laser deposition chamber. The reflective high electron energy diffraction technique assures the oxidation at the ambient gas pressure p = 0.1 mbar, which was described in the previous paper. The obtained Mo2TiC2O2 was transferred for their topological test under angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, circular dichroism test, and Chemical Potential (CP) analysis. An indirect energy bandgap of 125 meV was obtained. The sine function of α along with period π and β with period 2π shows that there is a possibility of helical spin textures in both α (electron-like pocket around Γ̄) and β (elliptical electron-like pocket around M̄). The CP analysis shows the possibility of at least 100 meV bandgap creation on a single surface so that the surface charges will flow without any effect of bulk. The Mo2TiC2O2 can be used as topological insulating material.
Porosity and specific surface area dependence of shock-induced plasticity and melting in open-cell nanoporous Cu
Authors: Shang Min , Tian Ze’an , Wang Liang
Published: March 2024

We systematically study the plasticity and melting behavior in shock loading, as well as their dependence on porosity (ϕ) and specific surface area (γ) for nanoporous copper (NPC), by conducting large-scale non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. During shock compression, the plasticity (i.e., dislocation slips) is dominant at lower impact velocities, while melting is governing at higher impact velocities. With increasing ϕ, both the plasticity and melting undergo the transitions from “heterogeneity” to “homogeneity” along the transverse directions. The increase in γ prompts an apparent heat release and gives rise to the transition from local plasticity to uniform solid disordering at lower impact velocities, while accelerates the melting at higher impact velocities, by converting more surface energy into internal energy. Upon impact, shock-induced pores collapse accelerates the consolidation of NPCs and is controlled by two mechanisms, i.e., the shearing ligament, prompted by plasticity, under low-velocity impact, and the internal micro-jetting facilitated by melting under high-velocity impact.
High-mobility spin-polarized quasi-two-dimensional electron gas and large low-field magnetoresistance at the interface of EuTiO3/SrTiO3 (110) heterostructures
Authors: Wang Zhao-Cai , Li Zheng-Nan , Ye Mao , Zhao Weiyao , Zheng Ren-Kui
Published: March 2024

High-mobility spin-polarized two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the interfaces of complex oxide heterostructures provide great potential for spintronic device applications. Unfortunately, the interfacial ferromagnetism and its associated spin polarization of mobile electrons and negative magnetoresistance (MR) are too weak. As of now, obtaining enhanced interfacial ferromagnetism and MR and strong spin-polarized 2DEG is still a great challenge. In this paper, we report on the realization of strong spin-polarized 2DEG at the interface of EuTiO3/SrTiO3 (110) heterostructures, which were prepared by directly depositing 39-nm EuTiO3 films onto as-received SrTiO3 (110) substrates. Hall and Kondo effects, low-field MR, Shubnikov–de Haas (SdH) oscillation, and magnetic hysteresis loop measurements demonstrate that high mobility electrons (1.4 × 104 cm2 V−1 s−1) accumulate at the interface of the heterostructures, which are not only highly conducting and show SdH oscillations with a non-zero Berry phase but also show a large out-of-plane and in-plane butterfly-like negative low-field MR whose magnitude is unprecedentedly large (46%–59% at 500 Oe and 1.8 K), approximately one to two orders higher than those of previously reported spin-polarized 2DEG systems. The strong spin polarization of the interfacial 2DEG is attributed to the presence of interfacial Eu2+ 4f (3.6–4 μB/f.u.) and Ti3+ 3d moments. Our results may provide guidance for exploring strong spin-polarized 2DEG at the interface of rare-earth titanate–strontium titanate heterostructures.
Genetic variability of maize (Zea mays) germplasm from Iran: genotyping with a maize 600K SNP array and genome-wide scanning for selection signatures
Authors: Arzhang Sorour , Darvishzadeh Reza , Alipour Hadi , Hatami Maleki Hamid , Dezhsetan Sara
Published: March 2024

Context Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most economically important plants of the cereal family; it has value as human food, livestock feed, and as a component of industrial products. Aims This study focused on genetic diversity and existence of genetic divergence among promising maize inbred lines in Iran. Methods A commercial maize 600K SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) array was used to inspect genetic variability among 93 maize inbred lines. Key results The rate of transition mutation was twice as high as transversion mutation, and the density of detected SNPs was greater close to telomere regions of maize chromosomes. Considering the fluctuation of observed, expected and total heterozygosity and fixation index values across maize chromosomes, as well as polymorphism information content values, there is a high level of genetic variability among the studied maize panel. In addition, discriminant analysis of the principal components revealed four subpopulations in which the subpopulation ‘Line’ was distinct from other subpopulations and had no genomic overlap with them. Selection signature analysis revealed 177 regions harbouring 75 genes that differentiate among subgroups. Detected genes had a role in the mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathway, spliceosome, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, and hormone signal transduction. Conclusions We conclude that remarkable genetic diversity and differentiation exists among the studied maize subpopulations. The most differentiated SNPs among the subpopulations were associated with important biological processing genes and pathways. Implications The findings provide valuable insights for future maize breeding programs through exploitation of heterosis, as well as marker-assisted selection.
Reciprocal communication between FAPs and muscle cells via distinct extracellular vesicle miRNAs in muscle regeneration
Authors: Yu Yingying , Su Yang , Wang Guoxiao , Lan Miaomiao , Liu Jin , Garcia Martin Ruben , Brandao Bruna Brasil , Lino Marsel , Li Lei , Liu Chang , Kahn C. Ronald , Meng Qingyong
Published: March 2024

Muscle regeneration is a complex process relying on precise teamwork between multiple cell types, including muscle stem cells (MuSCs) and fibroadipogenic progenitors (FAPs). FAPs are also the main source of intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT). Muscles without FAPs exhibit decreased IMAT infiltration but also deficient muscle regeneration, indicating the importance of FAPs in the repair process. Here, we demonstrate the presence of bidirectional crosstalk between FAPs and MuSCs via their secretion of extracellular vesicles (EVs) containing distinct clusters of miRNAs that is crucial for normal muscle regeneration. Thus, after acute muscle injury, there is activation of FAPs leading to a transient rise in IMAT. These FAPs also release EVs enriched with a selected group of miRNAs, a number of which come from an imprinted region on chromosome 12. The most abundant of these is miR-127-3p, which targets the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor
S1pr3
and activates myogenesis. Indeed, intramuscular injection of EVs from immortalized FAPs speeds regeneration of injured muscle. In late stages of muscle repair, in a feedback loop, MuSCs and their derived myoblasts/myotubes secrete EVs enriched in miR-206-3p and miR-27a/b-3p. The miRNAs repress FAP adipogenesis, allowing full muscle regeneration. Together, the reciprocal communication between FAPs and muscle cells via miRNAs in their secreted EVs plays a critical role in limiting IMAT infiltration while stimulating muscle regeneration, hence providing an important mechanism for skeletal muscle repair and homeostasis.
Fatty acid oxidation fuels natural killer cell responses against infection and cancer
Authors: Sheppard Sam , Srpan Katja , Lin Wendy , Lee Mariah , Delconte Rebecca B. , Owyong Mark , Carmeliet Peter , Davis Daniel M. , Xavier Joao B. , Hsu Katharine C. , Sun Joseph C.
Published: March 2024

Natural killer (NK) cells are a vital part of the innate immune system capable of rapidly clearing mutated or infected cells from the body and promoting an immune response. Here, we find that NK cells activated by viral infection or tumor challenge increase uptake of fatty acids and their expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT1A), a critical enzyme for long-chain fatty acid oxidation. Using a mouse model with an NK cell–specific deletion of CPT1A, combined with stable
13
C isotope tracing, we observe reduced mitochondrial function and fatty acid–derived aspartate production in CPT1A-deficient NK cells. Furthermore, CPT1A-deficient NK cells show reduced proliferation after viral infection and diminished protection against cancer due to impaired actin cytoskeleton rearrangement. Together, our findings highlight that fatty acid oxidation promotes NK cell metabolic resilience, processes that can be optimized in NK cell–based immunotherapies.
The structure of PSI-LHCI from
Cyanidium caldarium
provides evolutionary insights into conservation and diversity of red-lineage LHCs
Authors: Kato Koji , Hamaguchi Tasuku , Kumazawa Minoru , Nakajima Yoshiki , Ifuku Kentaro , Hirooka Shunsuke , Hirose Yuu , Miyagishima Shin-ya , Suzuki Takehiro , Kawakami Keisuke , Dohmae Naoshi , Yonekura Koji , Shen Jian-Ren , Nagao Ryo
Published: March 2024

Light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) are diversified among photosynthetic organisms, and the structure of the photosystem I-LHC (PSI-LHCI) supercomplex has been shown to be variable depending on the species of organisms. However, the structural and evolutionary correlations of red-lineage LHCs are unknown. Here, we determined a 1.92-Å resolution cryoelectron microscopic structure of a PSI-LHCI supercomplex isolated from the red alga
Cyanidium caldarium
RK-1 (NIES-2137), which is an important taxon in the Cyanidiophyceae. We subsequently investigated the correlations of PSI-LHCIs from different organisms through structural comparisons and phylogenetic analysis. The PSI-LHCI structure obtained shows five LHCI subunits surrounding a PSI-monomer core. The five LHCIs are composed of two Lhcr1s, two Lhcr2s, and one Lhcr3. Phylogenetic analysis of LHCs bound to PSI in the red-lineage algae showed clear orthology of LHCs between
C. caldarium
and
Cyanidioschyzon merolae
, whereas no orthologous relationships were found between
C. caldarium
Lhcr1–3 and LHCs in other red-lineage PSI-LHCI structures. These findings provide evolutionary insights into conservation and diversity of red-lineage LHCs associated with PSI.
Monomial warm inflation revisited
Authors: Ballesteros Guillermo , Pérez Rodríguez Alejandro , Pierre Mathias
Published: March 2024

We revisit the idea that the inflaton may have dissipated part of its energy into a
thermal bath during inflation, considering monomial inflationary potentials and three different
forms of dissipation rate. Using a numerical Fokker-Planck approach to describe the stochastic
dynamics of inflationary fluctuations, we confront this scenario with current bounds on the
spectrum of curvature fluctuations and primordial gravitational waves. We also obtain purely
analytical approximations that improve over previously used ones in the small dissipation regime
for the amplitude of the spectrum and its tilt. We show that only our numerical Fokker-Planck
method is accurate, fast and precise enough to test these models against current data. We advocate
its use in future studies of warm inflation. We also apply the stochastic inflation formalism to
this scenario, finding that the resulting spectrum is the same as the one obtained with standard
perturbation theory. We discuss the origin and convenience of using a commonly implemented large
thermal correction to the primordial spectrum and the implications of such a term for a specific
scenario. Improved bounds on the scalar spectral index will further constrain warm inflation in
the near future.
Pipeline thickness estimation using the dispersion of higher-order SH guided waves
Authors: Dai 代 Zhengchen 政辰 , Liu 刘 Jinxia 金霞 , Long 龙 Yunfei 云飞 , Zhang 张 Jianhai 建海 , Kundu Tribikram , Cui 崔 Zhiwen 志文
Published: March 2024

Thickness measurement plays an important role in the monitoring of pipeline corrosion damage. However, the requirement for prior knowledge of the shear wave velocity in the pipeline material for popular ultrasonic thickness measurement limits its widespread application. This paper proposes a method that utilizes cylindrical shear horizontal (SH) guided waves to estimate pipeline thickness without prior knowledge of shear wave velocity. The inversion formulas are derived from the dispersion of higher-order modes with the high-frequency approximation. The waveform of the example problems is simulated using the real-axis integral method. The data points on the dispersion curves are processed in the frequency domain using the wave-number method. These extracted data are then substituted into the derived formulas. The results verify that employing higher-order SH guided waves for the evaluation of thickness and shear wave velocity yields less than 1% error. This method can be applied to both metallic and non-metallic pipelines, thus opening new possibilities for health monitoring of pipeline structures.
The Montreal Cognitive Assessment: Norms and Reliable Change Indices for Standard and MoCA-22 Administrations
Authors: Ratcliffe Lauren N , Hale Andrew C , McDonald Taylor , Hewitt Kelsey C , Nguyen Christopher M , Spencer Robert J , Loring David W
Published: March 2024

Objective

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is among the most frequently administered cognitive screening tests, yet demographically diverse normative data are needed for repeated administrations.

Method

Data were obtained from 18,410 participants using the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set. We developed regression-based norms using Tobit regression to account for ceiling effects, explored test–retest reliability of total scores and by domain stratified by age and diagnosis with Cronbach’s alpha, and reported the cumulative change frequencies for individuals with serial MoCA administrations to gage expected change.

Results

Strong ceiling effects and negative skew were observed at the total score, domain, and item levels for the cognitively normal group, and performances became more normally distributed as the degree of cognitive impairment increased. In regression models, years of education was associated with higher MoCA scores, whereas older age, male sex, Black and American Indian or Alaska Native race, and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with lower predicted scores. Temporal stability was adequate and good at the total score level for the cognitively normal and cognitive disorders groups, respectively, but fell short of reliability standards at the domain level.

Conclusions

MoCA total scores are adequately reproducible among those with cognitive diagnoses, but domain scores are unstable. Robust regression-based norms should be used to adjust for demographic performance differences, and the limited reliability, along with the ceiling effects and negative skew, should be considered when interpreting MoCA scores.
BERMAD: batch effect removal for single-cell RNA-seq data using a multi-layer adaptation autoencoder with dual-channel framework
Authors: Zhan Xiangxin , Yin Yanbin , Zhang Han
Published: March 2024

Motivation

Removal of batch effect between multiple datasets from different experimental platforms has become an urgent problem, since single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) techniques developed rapidly. Although there have been some methods for this problem, most of them still face the challenge of under-correction or over-correction. Specifically, handling batch effect in highly nonlinear scRNA-seq data requires a more powerful model to address under-correction. In the meantime, some previous methods focus too much on removing difference between batches, which may disturb the biological signal heterogeneity of datasets generated from different experiments, thereby leading to over-correction.

Results

In this article, we propose a novel multi-layer adaptation autoencoder with dual-channel framework to address the under-correction and over-correction problems in batch effect removal, which is called BERMAD and can achieve better results of scRNA-seq data integration and joint analysis. First, we design a multi-layer adaptation architecture to model distribution difference between batches from different feature granularities. The distribution matching on various layers of autoencoder with different feature dimensions can result in more accurate batch correction outcome. Second, we propose a dual-channel framework, where the deep autoencoder processing each single dataset is independently trained. Hence, the heterogeneous information that is not shared between different batches can be retained more completely, which can alleviate over-correction. Comprehensive experiments on multiple scRNA-seq datasets demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of our method over the state-of-the-art methods.

Availability and implementation

The code implemented in Python and the data used for experiments have been released on GitHub (https://github.com/zhanglabNKU/BERMAD) and Zenodo (https://zenodo.org/records/10695073) with detailed instructions.
An improved method for measuring catalase activity in biological samples
Authors: Hadwan Mahmoud Hussein , Hussein Marwah Jaber , Mohammed Rawa M , Hadwan Asad M , Saad Al-Kawaz Hawraa , Al-Obaidy Saba S M , Al Talebi Zainab Abbas
Published: March 2024

Catalase (CAT) is an important enzyme that protects biomolecules against oxidative damage by breaking down hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into water and oxygen. CAT is present in all aerobic microbes, animals, and plants. It is, however, absent from normal human urine but can be detected in pathological urine. CAT testing can thus help to detect such urine. This study presents a novel spectrophotometric method for determining CAT activity characterized by its simplicity, sensitivity, specificity, and rapidity. The method involves incubating enzyme-containing samples with a carefully chosen concentration of H2O2 for a specified incubation period. Subsequently, a solution containing ferrous ammonium sulfate (FAS) and sulfosalicylic acid (SSA) is added to terminate the enzyme activity. A distinctive maroon-colored ferrisulfosalicylate complex is formed. The formation of this complex is a direct result of the reaction between FAS and any residual peroxide present. This leads to the generation of ferric ions when coordinated with SSA. The complex has a maximum absorbance of 490 nm. This advanced method eliminates the need for concentrated acids to stop CAT activity, making it safer and easier to handle. A comparative analysis against the standard ferrithiocyanate method showed a correlation coefficient of 0.99, demonstrating the new method’s comparable effectiveness and reliability. In conclusion, a simple and reliable protocol for assessing CAT activity, which utilizes a cuvette or microplate, has been demonstrated in this study. This interference-free protocol can easily be used in research and clinical analysis with considerable accuracy and precision.
‘Mind the Gap’: Extending Outcome Measurement for Accountability and Meaningful Innovation
Authors: Johnson Rebecca E , Kerridge Gary , Alderson Hayley , Currie Graeme , Friel Seana , Harrop Carrie , Lynch Amy , Mcgovern Ruth , Munro Emily R , Newlands Fiona , Smart Deborah
Published: March 2024

We examine the outcome measurement landscape in care leaver innovation, where many innovations to support transitions of young people leaving care fail to sustain beyond a fixed-term pilot, and fewer impact wider transition policies. Our empirical qualitative study comprises interviews with 31 senior UK children’s social care policy and practice professionals, 103 interviews across five innovation-focused case studies within England with a range of public and private providers. We consider these data in relation to evaluations from a nationally diffused social care innovation. We identified three measurement landscape challenges. First, we highlight the limits of the economically oriented measurement and identify an overlooked outcome measurement demand. Second, we emphasise a need to stratify care leaver population outcomes to better reflect individuals transition through different domains of life and trajectory. Third, we identify areas of precarity around the intended use of care leaver experience. We conclude that tensions exist between the pull towards a unified approach to outcome measurement and the reality of decoupled outcome requirements and legitimacy-seeking priorities which differ according to stakeholder. These tensions entrench stagnant innovation. Recognition of roles and legitimacies that exist across the process of care leaver innovation is warranted. Opportunities for action are discussed.
Where do the symptoms come from in depression? Topography and dynamics matter
Authors: Çatal Yasir , Northoff Georg
Published: March 2024

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Brain dynamics predictive of response to psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression’, by Vohryzek et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcae049)
Nocardia rubra cell-wall skeleton mitigates whole abdominal irradiation-induced intestinal injury via regulating macrophage function
Authors: Wu Lingling , Chen Long , Li Huijuan , Wang Yawei , Xu Kexin , Chen Wanchao , Zhang Aihua , Wang Yu , Shi Chunmeng
Published: March 2024

Background

Ionizing radiation (IR)-induced intestinal injury is a major side effect and dose-limiting toxicity in patients receiving radiotherapy. There is an urgent need to identify an effective and safe radioprotectant to reduce radiation-induced intestinal injury. Immunoregulation is considered an effective strategy against IR-induced injury. The purpose of this article was to investigate the protective effect of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (Nr-CWS), an immunomodulator, on radiation-induced intestinal damage and to explore its potential mechanism.

Methods

C57BL/6 J male mice exposed to 12 Gy whole abdominal irradiation (WAI) were examined for survival rate, morphology and function of the intestine and spleen, as well as the gut microbiota, to comprehensively evaluate the therapeutic effects of Nr-CWS on radiation-induced intestinal and splenetic injury. To further elucidate the underlying mechanisms of Nr-CWS-mediated intestinal protection, macrophages were depleted by clodronate liposomes to determine whether Nr-CWS-induced radioprotection is macrophage dependent, and the function of peritoneal macrophages stimulated by Nr-CWS was detected in vitro.

Results

Our data showed that Nr-CWS promoted the recovery of intestinal barrier function, enhanced leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5+ intestinal stem cell survival and the regeneration of intestinal epithelial cells, maintained intestinal flora homeostasis, protected spleen morphology and function, and improved the outcome of mice exposed to 12 Gy WAI. Mechanistic studies indicated that Nr-CWS recruited macrophages to reduce WAI-induced intestinal damage. Moreover, macrophage depletion by clodronate liposomes blocked Nr-CWS-induced radioprotection. In vitro, we found that Nr-CWS activated the nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway and promoted the phagocytosis and migration ability of peritoneal macrophages.

Conclusions

Our study suggests the therapeutic effect of Nr-CWS on radiation-induced intestinal injury, and provides possible therapeutic strategy and potential preventive and therapeutic drugs to alleviate it.
Non-invasive pressure–volume loops using the elastance model and CMR: a porcine validation at transient pre-loads
Authors: Seemann Felicia , Heiberg Einar , Bruce Christopher G , Khan Jaffar M , Potersnak Amanda , Ramasawmy Rajiv , Carlsson Marcus , Arheden Håkan , Lederman Robert J , Campbell-Washburn Adrienne E
Published: March 2024

Aims

Pressure–volume (PV) loops have utility in the evaluation of cardiac pathophysiology but require invasive measurements. Recently, a time-varying elastance model to derive PV loops non-invasively was proposed, using left ventricular (LV) volume by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and brachial cuff pressure as inputs. Validation was performed using CMR and pressure measurements acquired on the same day, but not simultaneously, and without varying pre-loads. This study validates the non-invasive elastance model used to estimate PV loops at varying pre-loads, compared with simultaneous measurements of invasive pressure and volume from real-time CMR, acquired concurrent to an inferior vena cava (IVC) occlusion.

Methods and results

We performed dynamic PV loop experiments under CMR guidance in 15 pigs (n = 7 naïve, n = 8 with ischaemic cardiomyopathy). Pre-load was altered by IVC occlusion, while simultaneously acquiring invasive LV pressures and volumes from real-time CMR. Pairing pressure and volume signals yielded invasive PV loops, and model-based PV loops were derived using real-time LV volumes. Haemodynamic parameters derived from invasive and model-based PV loops were compared. Across 15 pigs, 297 PV loops were recorded. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) agreement was excellent between model-based and invasive parameters: stroke work (bias = 0.007 ± 0.03 J, ICC = 0.98), potential energy (bias = 0.02 ± 0.03 J, ICC = 0.99), ventricular energy efficiency (bias = −0.7 ± 2.7%, ICC = 0.98), contractility (bias = 0.04 ± 0.1 mmHg/mL, ICC = 0.97), and ventriculoarterial coupling (bias = 0.07 ± 0.15, ICC = 0.99). All haemodynamic parameters differed between naïve and cardiomyopathy animals (P < 0.05). The invasive vs. model-based PV loop dice similarity coefficient was 0.88 ± 0.04.

Conclusion

An elastance model–based estimation of PV loops and associated haemodynamic parameters provided accurate measurements at transient loading conditions compared with invasive PV loops.
The Shale Revolution and the Dynamics of the Oil Market
Authors: Balke Nathan S , Jin Xin , Yücel Mine
Published: March 2024

We build and estimate a dynamic, structural model of the world oil market to quantify the impact of the shale revolution. We model the shale revolution as a decrease in shale production costs and find that the resultant increase in shale production lowers oil prices by 24% in the short run and 48% once the shale oil transition is complete. Current oil price volatility is lowered by 8% to 23% depending on the horizon. We also find that OPEC core acts to keep its market share constant in the face of the dramatic increase in shale production.
Outcomes after lung transplantation from selected donors older than 70 years in a single centre: time to close the debate?
Authors: Romero Román Alejandra , Gil Barturen Mariana , Crowley Carrasco Silvana , Hoyos Mejía Lucas , Naranjo Gómez Jose Manuel , Córdoba Peláez Mar , Pérez Redondo Marina , Royuela Vicente Ana , García Fadul Christian , Gómez de Antonio David , Novoa Nuria María , Campo-Cañaveral de la Cruz Jose Luis
Published: March 2024

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of lung transplantations using grafts from donors aged over 70 years against those performed using younger donors.

METHODS

This retrospective single-centre analysis includes lung transplants conducted at our institution from January 2014 to June 2022. Lung recipients were classified into 2 groups based on donor age (group A <70 years; group B ≥70 years). Variables regarding demographics, peri and postoperative outcomes and survival were included. The statistical analysis approach included univariable analysis, propensity score matching to address imbalances in donor variables (smoking status), recipient characteristics (sex, age, diagnosis and lung allocation score) and calendar period and survival analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 353 lung transplants were performed in this period, 47 (13.3%) using grafts from donors aged over 70 years. Donors in group B were more frequently women (70.2% vs 51.6%, P = 0.017), with less smoking history (22% vs 43%, P = 0.002) and longer mechanical ventilation time (3 vs 2 days, P = 0.025). Recipients in group B had a higher lung allocation score (37.5 vs 35, P = 0.035). Postoperative variables were comparable between both groups, except for pulmonary function tests. Group B demonstrated lower forced expiratory volume 1 s levels (2070 vs 2580 ml, P = 0.001). The propensity score matching showed a lower chance of chronic lung allograft dysfunction by 12% for group B. One-, three- and five-year survival was equal between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of selected expanded-criteria donors aged over 70 years did not result in increased postoperative morbidity, early mortality or survival in this study.
Outcomes of not using tracheoplasty in asymptomatic tracheal stenosis found during open-heart surgery
Authors: Bae Seon Yong , Lee Jae Hong , Kwon Hye Won , Cho Sungkyu , Kwon Chiheon , Kim Woong-Han , Kwak Jae Gun
Published: March 2024

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to review the outcomes of treating incidentally encountered asymptomatic airway stenosis during open-heart surgery conservatively without the use of tracheoplasty.

METHODS

Between January 2002 and October 2022, 25 patients were incidentally diagnosed with tracheal stenosis during open-heart surgery. Intraoperative bronchoscopy and/or laryngoscopy revealed tracheal stenosis; however, this was not consistent with the findings of the preoperative computed tomography. Patients who were diagnosed with a pulmonary artery or vascular sling or had moderate-to-severe respiratory symptoms before open-heart surgery were excluded.

RESULTS

The median age and weight of the patients at operation were 3.0 months and 5.1 kg, respectively. They were categorized as those having tracheal stenosis on preoperative computed tomography (n = 12) or not having tracheal stenosis (n = 13). The narrowest diameter was significantly smaller in the former group (3.0 vs 5.8 mm, P < 0.05). The rates of reintubation and the tracheostomy, and intubation days tended to be higher in former group without statistical significance. Stenotic degree improved 2 months and 1 year or more after the operation (39.3% at operation, 28.4% at 2 months, 12.5% after 1 year). All patients were Ross class 1 or 2 at follow-up (mean, 7.1 years).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with tracheal stenosis showed tolerable long-term outcomes without using tracheoplasty. Accordingly, if tracheal stenosis, that would cause intubation difficulty, was incidentally revealed, concomitant tracheoplasty may not be required during open-heart surgery if the stenosis did not cause considerable symptoms or signs preoperatively.
Results of an exploratory survey within ESTS membership in 2022 on current trend of robotic-assisted thoracic surgery and its training perspectives
Authors: Gandhi Shilpa , Novoa Valentin Nuria Maria , Brunelli Alessandro , Schmitt-Opitz Isabelle , Lugaresi Marialuisa , Daddi Niccolò , Decaluwe Herbert , Batirel Hasan , Veronesi Giulia , Baste Jean-Marc , Lyberis Paraskevas , Dunning Joel ,   ESTS Robotic Working Group, Novoa Nuria Maria , Brunelli Alessandro , Opitz Isabelle , Daddi Niccolò , Decaluwe Herbert , Batirel Hasan , Veronesi Giulia , Baste Jean-Marc , Lyberis Paraskevas
Published: March 2024

OBJECTIVES

Robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) is increasingly used in our specialty. We surveyed European Society of Thoracic Surgeons membership with the objective to determine current status of robotic thoracic surgery practice including training perspectives.

METHODS

A survey of 17 questions was rolled out with 1 surgeon per unit responses considered as acceptable.

RESULTS

A total of 174 responses were obtained; 56% (97) were board-certified thoracic surgeons; 28% (49) were unit heads. Most responses came from Italy (20); 22% (38) had no robot in their institutions, 31% (54) had limited access and only 17% (30) had full access including proctoring. Da Vinci Xi was the commonest system in 56% (96) centres, 25% (41) of them had dual console in all systems, whereas RATS simulator was available only in half (51.18% or 87). Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) was the most commonly adopted surgical approach in 81% of centres (139), followed by thoracotomy in 67% (115) and RATS in 36% (62); 39% spent their training time on robotic simulator for training, 51% on robotic wet/dry lab, which being no significantly different to 46–59% who had training on VATS platform. There was indeed huge overlap between simulator models or varieties usage; 52% (90) reported of robotic surgery not a part of training curriculum with no plans to introduce it in future. Overall, 51.5% (89) responded of VATS experience being helpful in robotic training in view of familiarity with minimally invasive surgery anatomical views and dissection; 71% (124) reported that future thoracic surgeons should be proficient in both VATS and RATS. Half of the respondents found no difference in earlier chest drain removal with either approach (90), 35% (60) reported no difference in postoperative pain and 49% (84) found no difference in hospital stay; 52% (90) observed better lymph node harvest by RATS.

CONCLUSIONS

Survey concluded on a positive response with at least 71% (123) surgeons recommending to adopt robotics in future.
Lithium-ion battery-pumped storage control strategy for smoothing wind-photovoltaic power fluctuation
Authors: Wu Lile , Wang Huanran , Cheng Zutian , Bai Lei , Li Helei
Published: March 2024

Wind, as well as photovoltaic (PV), is widely used. Like loads, its power cannot be predicted, which results in the grid having to bear the power imbalance between wind-PV and loads, and substantial power fluctuations are not tolerated. Hybrid energy storage systems (HESS) containing multiple storage methods are considered effective solutions. In this paper, pumped storage and lithium-ion battery storage are fully considered, as they are supposed to have excellent performance and are highly complementary. We categorize the power imbalance into low, medium, and high according to the magnitude of the power imbalance. When the power fluctuation is low, the battery dominates. In contrast, the pumped storage dominates when the power fluctuation is high. Most importantly, when the power fluctuation is medium, we utilize an optimized first-order low-pass filter to allocate the power between the pumped storage and the lithium-ion battery. We change the filtering time in real-time according to the battery’s state of charge (SOC) to reasonably allocate the power between the pumped storage and the lithium-ion battery and ensure the SOC fluctuates within a reasonable range. This paper confirms the feasibility of the proposed strategy, where the pumped storage power fluctuates very little, in contrast, the battery power fluctuates significantly, and the SOC is always within the set reasonable range. Most importantly, the strategy proposed in this paper is straightforward to implement, which is crucial for engineering applications.
Bounds for Rational Points on Algebraic Curves, Optimal in the Degree, and Dimension Growth
Authors: Binyamini Gal , Cluckers Raf , Novikov Dmitry
Published: March 2024

Bounding the number of rational points of height at most $H$ on irreducible algebraic plane curves of degree $d$ has been an intense topic of investigation since the work by Bombieri and Pila. In this paper we establish optimal dependence on $d$ by showing the upper bound $C d^{2} H^{2/d} (\log H)^{\kappa }$ with some absolute constants $C$ and $\kappa $. This bound is optimal with respect to both $d$ and $H$, except for the constants $C$ and $\kappa $. This answers a question raised by Salberger, leading to a simplified proof of his results on the uniform dimension growth conjectures of Heath-Brown and Serre, and where at the same time we replace the $H^{\varepsilon }$ factor by a power of $\log H$. The main strength of our approach comes from the combination of a new, efficient form of smooth parametrizations of algebraic curves with a century-old criterion of Pólya, which allows us to save one extra power of $d$ compared with the standard approach using Bézout’s theorem.
Ferrihydrite-mediated methanotrophic nitrogen fixation in paddy soil under hypoxia
Authors: Yu Linpeng , Jia Rong , Liu Shiqi , Li Shuan , Zhong Sining , Liu Guohong , Zeng Raymond Jianxiong , Rensing Christopher , Zhou Shungui
Published: March 2024

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by methanotrophic bacteria has been shown to play an important role in maintaining fertility. However, this process is still limited to aerobic methane oxidation with sufficient oxygen. It has remained unknown whether and how methanotrophic BNF proceeds in hypoxic environments. Herein, we incubated paddy soils with a ferrihydrite-containing mineral salt medium to enrich methanotrophic bacteria in the presence of methane (20%, v/v) under oxygen constraints (0.27%, v/v). The resulting microcosms showed that ferrihydrite-dependent aerobic methane oxidation significantly contributed (81%) to total BNF, increasing the 15N fixation rate by 13-fold from 0.02 to 0.28 μmol 15N2 (g dry weight soil) -1 d−1. BNF was reduced by 97% when ferrihydrite was omitted, demonstrating the involvement of ferrihydrite in methanotrophic BNF. DNA stable-isotope probing indicated that Methylocystis, Methylophilaceae, and Methylomicrobium were the dominant methanotrophs/methylotrophs that assimilated labeled isotopes (13C or 15N) into biomass. Metagenomic binning combined with electrochemical analysis suggested that Methylocystis and Methylophilaceae had the potential to perform methane-induced BNF and likely utilized riboflavin and c-type cytochromes as electron carriers for ferrihydrite reduction. It was concluded that ferrihydrite mediated methanotrophic BNF by methanotrophs/methylotrophs solely or in conjunction with iron-reducing bacteria. Overall, this study revealed a previously overlooked yet pronounced coupling of iron-dependent aerobic methane oxidation to BNF and improves our understanding of methanotrophic BNF in hypoxic zones.
Impact of airborne algicidal bacteria on marine phytoplankton blooms
Authors: Lang-Yona Naama , Flores J Michel , Nir-Zadock Tal Sharon , Nussbaum Inbal , Koren Ilan , Vardi Assaf
Published: March 2024

Ocean microbes are involved in global processes such as nutrient and carbon cycling. Recent studies indicated diverse modes of algal–bacterial interactions, including mutualism and pathogenicity, which have a substantial impact on ecology and oceanic carbon sequestration, and hence, on climate. However, the airborne dispersal and pathogenicity of bacteria in the marine ecosystem remained elusive. Here, we isolated an airborne algicidal bacterium, Roseovarius nubinhibens, emitted to the atmosphere as primary marine aerosol (referred also as sea spray aerosols) and collected above a coccolithophore bloom in the North Atlantic Ocean. The aerosolized bacteria retained infective properties and induced lysis of Gephyrocapsa huxleyi cultures.This suggests that the transport of marine bacteria through the atmosphere can effectively spread infection agents over vast oceanic regions, highlighting its significance in regulating the cell fate in algal blooms.
Explaining the Selection Dilemma in Human Rights INGOs
Authors: Gildea Ross James
Published: March 2024

Why do human rights INGOs choose to work on some issues and not others? This article contends that, since the 1990s, the proliferation of issues within the remit of human rights INGOs has increased the moral opportunity costs of selection decisions. Growth in the number and diversity of issues has led to a “selection dilemma” where decision-makers face onerous ethical choices among a significant menu of options. To explain how decision-makers deal with this dilemma, the article builds on existing theoretical work on INGOs, primarily by constructivists, proposing that heuristic-led judgment on the part of key decision-makers is a central determinant in the (non-)adoption of issues. This explanation is examined empirically using a within-case paired analysis of decision-making in Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The article’s findings provide preliminary evidence that heuristics shape selection outcomes in INGOs, adding further weight to IR scholarship, which stresses the influence of psychology and leaders in organizational and group decision-making.
Large language models and generative AI in telehealth: a responsible use lens
Authors: Pool Javad , Indulska Marta , Sadiq Shazia
Published: March 2024

Objective

This scoping review aims to assess the current research landscape of the application and use of large language models (LLMs) and generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), through tools such as ChatGPT in telehealth. Additionally, the review seeks to identify key areas for future research, with a particular focus on AI ethics considerations for responsible use and ensuring trustworthy AI.

Materials and Methods

Following the scoping review methodological framework, a search strategy was conducted across 6 databases. To structure our review, we employed AI ethics guidelines and principles, constructing a concept matrix for investigating the responsible use of AI in telehealth. Using the concept matrix in our review enabled the identification of gaps in the literature and informed future research directions.

Results

Twenty studies were included in the review. Among the included studies, 5 were empirical, and 15 were reviews and perspectives focusing on different telehealth applications and healthcare contexts. Benefit and reliability concepts were frequently discussed in these studies. Privacy, security, and accountability were peripheral themes, with transparency, explainability, human agency, and contestability lacking conceptual or empirical exploration.

Conclusion

The findings emphasized the potential of LLMs, especially ChatGPT, in telehealth. They provide insights into understanding the use of LLMs, enhancing telehealth services, and taking ethical considerations into account. By proposing three future research directions with a focus on responsible use, this review further contributes to the advancement of this emerging phenomenon of healthcare AI.