bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bowel habits, faecal microbiota and faecal bile acid composition of healthy adults consuming fruit pomace fibres: two-arm, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trials
Authors: Alexander Celeste , Brauchla Mary , Sanoshy Kristen D. , Blonquist Traci M. , Maloney Grace N. , Mah Eunice , Kelley-Garvin Kathleen , Chen Oliver , Liska DeAnn J. , Shin Jin-E , Boileau Thomas W. , Swanson Kelly S.
Published: September 2022

Dietary fibre modulates gastrointestinal (GI) health and function, providing laxation, shifting microbiota, and altering bile acid (BA) metabolism. Fruit juice production removes the polyphenol- and fibre-rich pomace fraction. The effects of orange and apple pomaces on GI outcomes were investigated in healthy, free-living adults. Healthy adults were enrolled in two double-blinded, crossover trials, being randomised by baseline bowel movement (BM) frequency. In the first trial, subjects (n 91) received orange juice (OJ, 0 g fibre/d) or OJ + orange pomace (OJ + P, 10 g fibre/d) for 4 weeks, separated by a 3-week washout. Similarly, in the second trial, subjects (n 90) received apple juice (AJ, 0 g fibre/d) or AJ + apple pomace (AJ + P, 10 g fibre/d). Bowel habit diaries, GI tolerance surveys and 3-d diet records were collected throughout. Fresh faecal samples were collected from a participant subset for microbiota and BA analyses in each study. Neither pomace interventions influenced BM frequency. At Week 4, OJ + P tended to increase (P = 0·066) GI symptom occurrence compared with OJ, while AJ + P tended (P = 0·089) to increase flatulence compared with AJ. Faecalibacterium (P = 0·038) and Negativibacillus (P = 0·043) were differentially abundant between pre- and post-interventions in the apple trial but were no longer significant after false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Baseline fibre intake was independently associated with several microbial genera in both trials. Orange or apple pomace supplementation was insufficient to elicit changes in bowel habits, microbiota diversity or BA of free-living adults with healthy baseline BM. Future studies should consider baseline BM frequency and habitual fibre intake.
Competition policy, regulation and the institutional design of industry supervision
Authors: Aubert Cécile , Pouyet Jérôme
Published: September 2022

We study the welfare impact of enforcing a competitive behavior from an unregulated fringe competing with a regulated dominant operator, with imperfectly differentiated goods. The fringe is potentially collusive but may be supervised by a competition authority. We show that the complementarity/substitutability between regulation and competition policy strongly depends on the nature of the market interaction.

Forcing the fringe to adopt a competitive behavior always benefits consumers. However, it also affects the amount of subsidy that must be provided to the regulated firm for cost-reimbursement purposes, which has a social cost when public funds are costly. With complements, antitrust intervention is always welfare-improving. It is also preferable with weak substitutes, but is detrimental to welfare for strong substitutes.
The Use of Markets to Control Pollution
Authors: C. Bergstrom Théodore
Published: September 2022

The primary purpose of this paper is to study the extent to which prices and markets can be employed as means towards efficient control of pollution. The model which is examined is, however, sufficiently general to apply to any sort of externalities among producers and consumers, including classical public goods. In the first section we consider the problem of efficient means of achieving a specified standard of environmental quality. We then briefly discuss the more difficult problem of choosing the environmental quality standards themselves.
Temps psychologique, oubli et intérêt chez Maurice Allais
Authors: Prat Georges
Published: September 2022

L’approche d’Allais repose sur des concepts et postulats qui sont propres à son auteur et qui portent sur (i) le lien entre la mémoire du passé et l’anticipation du futur, (ii) le concept de temps psychologique, (iii) l’analogie entre l’oubli et l’intérêt, (iv) le concept de taux d’intérêt psychologique et ses relations avec les taux d’intérêt du marché, et (v) l’appréciation de la conjoncture économique par les agents. Ces idées ont été articulées entre elles dans le cadre de la théorie Héréditaire et Relativiste, pièce unique de la littérature. Bien que cette théorie n’ait été testée empiriquement que dans le domaine des taux d’intérêt et de la demande de monnaie, elle revêt en fait un caractère très général. Un résultat particulièrement séduisant est que certains phénomènes nous apparaissant comme variables dans le temps physique peuvent être constants dans le temps psychologique.
To what extent do social support and coping strategies mediate the relation between childhood maltreatment and major depressive disorder: A longitudinal community-based cohort
Authors: Li Muzi , O’Donnell Kieran J. , Caron Jean , Meaney Michael J. , Kobor Michael , D’Arcy Carl , Su Yingying , Liu Aihua , Meng Xiangfei
Published: September 2022

This study aimed to articulate the roles of social support and coping strategies in the relation between childhood maltreatment (CM) and subsequent major depressive disorder (MDD) with a comprehensive exploration of potential factors in a longitudinal community-based cohort. Parallel and serial mediation analyses were applied to estimate the direct effect (DE) (from CM to MDD) and indirect effects (from CM to MDD through social support and coping strategies, simultaneously and sequentially). Sociodemographic characteristics and genetic predispositions of MDD were considered in the modeling process. A total of 902 participants were included in the analyses. CM was significantly associated with MDD (DE coefficient (β) = 0.015, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.002∼0.028). This relation was partially mediated by social support (indirect β = 0.004, 95% CI = 0.0001∼0.008) and negative coping (indirect β = 0.013, 95% CI = 0.008∼0.020), respectively. Social support, positive coping, and negative coping also influenced each other and collectively mediated the association between CM and MDD. This study provides robust evidence that although CM has a detrimental effect on later-on MDD, social support and coping strategies could be viable solutions to minimize the risk of MDD. Intervention and prevention programs should primarily focus on weakening negative coping strategies, then strengthening social support and positive coping strategies.
Cognitive performance in older people after mild traumatic brain injury: Trauma effects and other risk factors
Authors: Hume Camilla , Mitra Biswadev , Wright Bradley , Kinsella Glynda Jane
Published: September 2022

Objective:

Cognitive symptoms are common in the initial weeks after mTBI, but recovery is generally expected within three months. However, there is limited information about recovery specifically in older age cohorts. Therefore, this study investigated cognitive outcome three months after mTBI in older adults (≥ 65 years) compared to trauma and community age-matched controls and explored risk factors for outcome after traumatic injury.

Methods:

Older mTBI patients (n = 40) and older adults with mild traumatic injury but without head injury (n = 66) were compared to a noninjured community control group (n = 47). Cognitive assessment included neuropsychological and computerized tests. Group differences were compared on individual tasks and overall cognitive performances using composite scores. Regression analyses identified predictors of outcome for trauma patients and moderator analyses explored possible interactions of mTBI severity with age and cognition.

Results:

As well as lower performances in processing speed and memory, both trauma groups had significantly lower performance on composite neuropsychological (d = .557 and .670) and computerized tasks (d = .783 and .824) compared to noninjured controls. Age, education, and history of depression were direct predictors of cognitive performance after mild traumatic injury (with or without head injury). Further moderation analysis demonstrated that mTBI severity (Glasgow Coma Scale < 15) moderated the impact of older age on computerized assessment (β = -.138).

Conclusions:

Three months after mild trauma (regardless of head injury), older people demonstrate lower cognition compared to noninjured peers. However, severity of mTBI (Glasgow Coma Scale < 15) can interact with older age to predict poorer cognitive outcomes.
ULF Modulations on Plasma Environment and Coherent Waves of Mercury's Magnetosphere: MESSENGER's Observation
Authors: Zhao J.‐T. , Zong Q.‐G. , Yue C. , Zhou X.‐Z. , Liu Z.‐Y. , Sun W.‐J. , Slavin J. A. , Raines J. M. , Zhu X.‐Y.
Published: September 2022

Ultra low frequency (ULF) waves are fundamental waves that can energize, transport, and scatter charged particles in planetary magnetospheres. With the measurements from MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER), we investigate the proton flux fluctuations and coherent waves associated with a series of ULF waves on the flanks of Mercury's magnetosphere. The ULF waves are mainly compressional with a frequency of ∼15 mHz and significantly modulate the intensity of proton flux. The coherent waves accompanied by the ULF waves correspond to a higher frequency (∼1 Hz). The wave power and compressibility of the coherent waves vary quasi‐periodically with the ∼15 mHz ULF waves. We conclude that the compressional ULF waves modulate the coherent waves with higher frequency. This modulation might result from the associated periodic proton flux changes and helps us understand the nature of the ∼1 Hz waves better.
Early Cretaceous to Cenozoic Growth of the Patagonian Andes as Revealed by Low‐Temperature Thermochronology
Authors: Ronda Gonzalo , Ghiglione Matías C. , Martinod Joseph , Barberón Vanesa , Ramos Miguel E. , Coutand Isabelle , Grujic Djordje , Kislitsyn Roman
Published: September 2022

The Southern Patagonian Andes at the latitude of the Chile Triple junction in Argentina and Chile (46°–47.5°S) are the object of an ongoing discussion regarding their orogenic evolution in terms of tectonic crustal thickening and exhumation. Recent works point to an Early Cretaceous onset of shortening according to observations in foreland sequences. The ensuing Cenozoic thermal history of the region was influenced by increased shortening, oceanic‐ridge collision and formation of asthenospheric windows in a dynamic subduction setting. Furthermore, the onset of Patagonian glaciations after 7 Ma added increased complexities to the analysis of the main drivers of crustal cooling in this region. We applied zircon (U‐Th)/He and apatite fission track thermochronometry, and inverse thermal modeling to unravel the thermal history throughout different structural domains of the Patagonian Andes. New thermochronological data and thermal models showed a previously unrecognized set of Cretaceous cooling ages (120‐80 Ma) toward the foreland, that we relate to the onset of contraction during initial tectonic inversion. Toward the hinterland, Cenozoic cooling ages predominate, and are related to Oligocene‐Miocene contraction in response to increased subduction velocities. Based on the regional distribution of thermochronological ages and on results from thermal modeling, a resetting of the zircon (U‐Th)/He and apatite fission track systems in response to crustal heating related to the formation of an asthenospheric window after 16 Ma appears unlikely. After 7 Ma cooling rates increased in response to enhanced glacial erosion.
The ATRX splicing variant c.21-1G>A is asymptomatic
Authors: Kojima Karin , Wada Takahito , Shimbo Hiroko , Ikeda Takahiro , Jimbo Eriko F. , Saitsu Hirotomo , Matsumoto Naomichi , Yamagata Takanori
Published: September 2022

The ATRX variant c.21-1G>A was detected by an exome analysis of a patient with Cockayne syndrome without alpha thalassemia X-linked intellectual disability syndrome (ATR-XS). In addition, variants in ERCC6 were detected. ATRX c.21-1G>A is localized at the splicing acceptor site of intron 1. This splicing event, NM_000489.6: c.21_133del p.S7Rfs*1, induces exon 2 deletion and early termination. The start codon in exon 3 of ATRX is presumed to produce a slightly shorter but functional ATRX protein.
Observation of Bose-Einstein condensates of excitons in a bulk semiconductor
Authors: Morita Yusuke , Yoshioka Kosuke , Kuwata-Gonokami Makoto
Published: September 2022

An unambiguous observation of the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of excitons in a photoexcited bulk semiconductor and elucidation of its inherent nature have been longstanding problems in condensed matter physics. Here, we observe the quantum phase transition and a Bose-Einstein condensate appearing in a trapped gas of 1s paraexcitons in bulk Cu2O below 400 mK, by directly visualizing the exciton cloud in real space using mid-infrared induced absorption imaging that we realized in a dilution refrigerator. Our study shows that the paraexciton condensate is undetectable by conventional luminescence spectroscopy. We find an unconventionally small condensate fraction of 0.016 with the spatial profile of the condensate well described by mean-field theory. Our discovery of this new type of BEC in the purely matter-like exciton system interacting with a cold phonon bath could pave the way for the classification of its long-range order, and for essential understanding of quantum statistical mechanics of non-equilibrium open systems.
Study on the corrosion behavior of NiTi shape memory alloys fabricated by electron beam melting
Authors: Zhang Lianmin , Ren Dechun , Ji Haibin , Ma Aili , Daniel Enobong Felix , Li Shujun , Jin Wei , Zheng Yugui
Published: September 2022

The poor processability of NiTi shape memory alloy with superior resistance to corrosion and wear is an important reason for hindering its extensive application. In this work, NiTi alloy was fabricated by electron beam melting (EBM) using different fabrication parameters including changed speed function and focus offset. Furthermore, the influence of these parameters on the corrosion behavior of EBM NiTi alloys was investigated. It was found that the variation in fabrication parameters caused different defect types and defect number, thus affecting the corrosion resistance of NiTi alloys. The alloy with a large number of cracks displayed the lowest corrosion resistance, while a superior corrosion resistance equivalent to the wrought alloy was observed when a few small pores were uniformly distributed in the alloys. Electrochemical results indicated that the EBM NiTi alloy with optimized fabrication parameters presented a low carrier density indicating good protective ability of the passive films.
Surface decoration of bis-aminosilane cross-linked multiwall carbon nanotube ultrafiltration membrane for fast and efficient heavy metal removal
Authors: Pandey Ravi P. , Ouda Mariam , Abdul Rasheed P. , Banat Fawzi , Hasan Shadi W.
Published: September 2022

Heavy metals (HMs) are highly toxic water pollutants abundant in industrial wastewater. Herein, a bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]amine (BTMSPA) cross-linked multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanomaterial (CQACNT) was synthesized by silanization of MWCNT-OH followed by grafting of positively charged quaternary ammonium groups (glycidyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (GTMAC)) by an epoxide ring-opening reaction. The composite membranes were prepared by the incorporation of CQACNT into the poly(ether sulfone) (PES) polymer matrix. The CQACNT-6 composite membrane exhibited a 3.5-fold increase in pure water permeability (PWP; 312.8 L m−2 h−1 bar−1) as compared to the pristine PES (CQACNT-0) membrane (89.6 L m−2 h−1 bar−1). Moreover, the CQACNT-6 composite membrane showed high HM removal rates (Pb: 89.53%; Ni: 90.42%; Cu: 91.43%; Zn: 91.86%) as compared to the CQACNT-0 membrane (Pb: 39.73%; Ni: 40.32%; Cu: 42.52%; and Zn: 43.91%). After 9 treatment cycles, the CQACNT-6 membrane retained up to 87%, and 94% of its initial PWP and initial Cu2+ rejection, respectively, compared to only 58%, and 54%, respectively for pristine CQACNT-0. The positively charged quaternary ammonium groups enhanced the surface features of PES and MWCNTS, resulting in competitive HM removal rates due to the electrostatic repulsion between the HM and the porous membranes, as well as high PWP.
SARS-CoV-2 can infect human embryos
Authors: Montano Mauricio , Victor Andrea R. , Griffin Darren K. , Duong Tommy , Bolduc Nathalie , Farmer Andrew , Garg Vidur , Hadjantonakis Anna-Katerina , Coates Alison , Barnes Frank L. , Zouves Christo G. , Greene Warner C. , Viotti Manuel
Published: September 2022

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 has led to a devastating pandemic, with infections resulting in a range of symptoms collectively known as COVID-19. The full repertoire of human tissues and organs susceptible to infection is an area of active investigation, and some studies have implicated the reproductive system. The effects of COVID-19 on human reproduction remain poorly understood, and particularly the impact on early embryogenesis and establishment of a pregnancy are not known. In this work, we explore the susceptibility of early human embryos to SARS-CoV-2 infection. By using RNA-seq and immunofluorescence, we note that ACE2 and TMPRSS2, two canonical cell entry factors for SARS-CoV-2, are co-expressed in cells of the trophectoderm in blastocyst-stage preimplantation embryos. For the purpose of viral entry studies, we used fluorescent reporter virions pseudotyped with Spike (S) glycoprotein from SARS-CoV-2, and we observe robust infection of trophectoderm cells. This permissiveness could be attenuated with blocking antibodies targeting S or ACE2. When exposing human blastocysts to the live, fully infectious SARS-CoV-2, we detected cases of infection that compromised embryo health. Therefore, we identify a new human target tissue for SARS-CoV-2 with potential medical implications for reproductive health during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
A pan-cancer analysis of the oncogenic role of dual-specificity tyrosine (Y)-phosphorylation- regulated kinase 2 (DYRK2) in human tumors
Authors: Qiu Xinyue , Shen Cheng , Zhao Wenjing , Zhang Xunlei , Zhao Dakun , Wu Xuming , Yang Lei
Published: September 2022

Although there have been studies correlating DYRK2 with a number of human cancers, there has been no pan-cancer analysis. Therefore, through the TCGA database, we conducted a related study on the expression of DYRK2 in cancers.The expression of DYRK2 is obviously increased in some cancers, while the opposite is true in others, and there is a clear association between its expression and the prognosis of cancer patients.The mutation of DYRK2 is also significantly correlated with patients’ prognosis in certain human tumors. In addition, phosphorylation and methylation levels of DYRK2 are different between tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues in various tumors. In the tumour microenvironment, the expression of DYRK2 correlates with cancer-associated fibroblast infiltration, such as BLCA or HNSC. In order to fully understand the role of DYRK2 in different tumors, we conducted a pan-cancer analysis.
Investigating molecular transport in the human brain from MRI with physics-informed neural networks
Authors: Zapf Bastian , Haubner Johannes , Kuchta Miroslav , Ringstad Geir , Eide Per Kristian , Mardal Kent-Andre
Published: September 2022

In recent years, a plethora of methods combining neural networks and partial differential equations have been developed. A widely known example are physics-informed neural networks, which solve problems involving partial differential equations by training a neural network. We apply physics-informed neural networks and the finite element method to estimate the diffusion coefficient governing the long term spread of molecules in the human brain from magnetic resonance images. Synthetic testcases are created to demonstrate that the standard formulation of the physics-informed neural network faces challenges with noisy measurements in our application. Our numerical results demonstrate that the residual of the partial differential equation after training needs to be small for accurate parameter recovery. To achieve this, we tune the weights and the norms used in the loss function and use residual based adaptive refinement of training points. We find that the diffusion coefficient estimated from magnetic resonance images with physics-informed neural networks becomes consistent with results from a finite element based approach when the residuum after training becomes small. The observations presented here are an important first step towards solving inverse problems on cohorts of patients in a semi-automated fashion with physics-informed neural networks.
ADSCs stimulated by resistin promote breast cancer cell malignancy via CXCL5 in a breast cancer coculture model
Authors: Wang Yen-Yun , Hung Amos C. , Wu Yi-Chia , Lo Steven , Chen Huan-Da , Chen Yuk-Kwan , Hsieh Ya-Ching , Hu Stephen Chu‐Sung , Hou Ming-Feng , Yuan Shyng-Shiou F.
Published: September 2022

The tumor microenvironment represents one of the main obstacles in breast cancer treatment owing to the presence of heterogeneous stromal cells, such as adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), that may interact with breast cancer cells and promote cancer development. Resistin is an adipocytokine associated with adverse breast cancer progression; however, its underlying mechanisms in the context of the breast tumor microenvironment remain largely unidentified. Here, we utilized a transwell co-culture model containing patient-derived ADSCs and breast cancer cell lines to investigate their potential interaction, and observed that breast cancer cells co-cultured with resistin-treated ADSCs (R-ADSCs) showed enhanced cancer cell growth and metastatic ability. Screening by proteome arrays revealed that C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5) was released in the conditioned medium of the co-culture system, and phosphorylated ERK was increased in breast cancer cells after co-culture with R-ADSCs. Breast cancer cells treated with the recombinant proteins of CXCL5 showed similarly enhanced cell migration and invasion ability as occurred in the co-culture model, whereas application of neutralizing antibodies against CXCL5 reversed these phenomena. The orthotopic xenograft in mice by breast cancer cells after co-culture with R-ADSCs had a larger tumor growth and more CXCL5 expression than control. In addition, clinical analysis revealed a positive correlation between the expression of resistin and CXCL5 in both tumor tissues and serum specimens of breast cancer patients. The current study suggests that resistin-stimulated ADSCs may interact with breast cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment via CXCL5 secretion, leading to breast cancer cell malignancy.
A LILRB1 variant with a decreased ability to phosphorylate SHP-1 leads to autoimmune diseases
Authors: Sinthuwiwat Thivaratana , Buranapraditkun Supranee , Kamolvisit Wuttichart , Tongkobpetch Siraprapa , Chetruengchai Wanna , Srichomthong Chalurmpon , Assawapitaksakul Adjima , Phokaew Chureerat , Kueanjinda Patipark , Palaga Tanapat , Boonpiyathad Tadech , Suphapeetiporn Kanya , Hirankarn Nattiya , Shotelersuk Vorasuk
Published: September 2022

Inborn errors of immunity are known to cause not only immunodeficiencies and allergies but also autoimmunity. Leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor B1 (LILRB1) is a receptor on leukocytes playing a role in regulating immune responses. No phenotypes have been reported to be caused by germline mutations in LILRB1. We aimed to identify the causative variant in a three-generation family with nine members suffering from one of the three autoimmune diseases—Graves’ disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, or systemic lupus erythematosus. Whole-genome linkage study revealed a locus on chromosome 19q13.4 with the maximum LOD score of 2.71. Whole-exome sequencing identified a heterozygous missense variant, c.479G > A (p. G160E) in LILRB1, located within the chromosomal-linked region, in all nine affected members. The variant has never been previously reported. Jurkat cells transfected with the mutant LILRB1, compared with those with the wild-type LILRB1, showed decreased phosphorylation of both LILRB1 and its downstream protein, SHP-1. Flow cytometry was used to study immunophenotype and revealed that LILRB1 was significantly lower on the surface of activated regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg) cells of patients. Single-cell RNA sequencing showed substantially increased M1-like monocytes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of affected individuals. This study, for the first time, implicates LILRB1 as a new disease gene for autoimmunity.
Social factors and behavioural reactions to radon test outcomes underlie differences in radiation exposure dose, independent of household radon level
Authors: Irvine Jesse L. , Simms Justin A. , Cholowsky Natasha L. , Pearson Dustin D. , Peters Cheryl E. , Carlson Linda E. , Goodarzi Aaron A.
Published: September 2022

Radioactive radon gas inhalation causes lung cancer, and public health strategies have responded by promoting testing and exposure reduction by individuals. However, a better understanding of how radon exposure disparities are driven by psychological and social variables is required. Here, we explored how behavioural factors modified residential radon-related radiation doses incurred by 2390 people who performed a radon test. The average time from first awareness to receiving a radon test outcome was 6.8–25.5 months, depending on behaviour and attitudes. 20.5% displayed radon test urgency that reduced irradiation between awareness and outcome to 1.8 mSv from a typical 3.5 mSv, while 14.8% (more likely to be men) displayed delaying behaviours that increased exposure to 8.0 mSv. Of those with low radon, 45.9% indicated no future testing intention, underscoring the importance of original tests to reliably establish risk. Among people finding high radon, 38% mitigated quickly, 29% reported economic impediments, and 33% displayed delaying behaviours. Economic barriers and delaying behaviours resulted in 8.4 mSv/year or 10.3 mSv/year long term excess exposure, respectively, increasing lifetime risk of lung cancer by ~ 30–40%. Excess radiation doses incurred from behaviour were independent of household radon level, highlighting the strong influence of psychological and socioeconomic factors on radon exposure and lung cancer risks.
Monobutyrin and monovalerin improve gut–blood–brain biomarkers and alter gut microbiota composition in high-fat fed apolipoprotein-E-knockout rats
Authors: Nguyen Thao Duy , Watanabe Ayako , Burleigh Stephen , Ghaffarzadegan Tannaz , Kanklai Jirapat , Prykhodko Olena , Hållenius Frida Fåk , Nyman Margareta
Published: September 2022

Monobutyrin (MB) and monovalerin (MV), glycerol esters of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), have been shown to positively influence lipid profile and biomarkers in the gut and brain. This study examined whether MB and MV in high-fat diets, affected microbiota composition and gut–blood–brain markers in apolipoprotein E deficient (ApoE-/-) rats, a model for studies of lipid-associated disorders, and neurodegenerative processes in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). ApoE-/- rats fed MB and MV increased Tenericutes and the brain neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), while the blood stress hormone corticosterone decreased compared to control rats. Only rats that received MB showed a significant increase in cholic acid and Adlercreutzia in the caecum. In rats fed MV, the decrease of Proteobacteria was associated with decreased corticosterone levels. Conclusively, dietary supplementation of SCFA glycerol esters can modulate gut–blood–brain markers and alter gut microbiota composition in ApoE-/- rats, suggesting that SCFAs also could counteract lipid disorders-related diseases.
Development and validation of a smartphone image-based app for dietary intake assessment among Palestinian undergraduates
Authors: Hattab Sarah , Badrasawi Manal , Anabtawi Ola , Zidan Souzan
Published: September 2022

Accurate dietary assessment is required in a variety of research fields and clinical settings. Image-based dietary assessment using smartphones applications offer the opportunity to reduce both researcher and participant burden compared to traditional dietary assessment methods. The current study, conducted in Palestine, aimed to design an image-based dietary assessment application, to assess the relative validity of the application as a dietary assessment tool for energy and macronutrient intake using the 3-Day Food Record (3-DFR) as a reference method, and to test its usability among a sample of Palestinian university students. The development of a smartphone application (Ghithaona) designed to assess energy and macronutrient intake is reported. The application validity was tested among a sample of Palestinian undergraduates from An-Najah National University. Participants recorded their dietary intake using the Ghithaona application over 2 consecutive days and 1 weekend day. Intake from the Ghithaona application were compared to intake collected from 3-DFR, taken on 2 consecutive weekdays and 1 weekend day, in the second week following the Ghithaona application. At the end of the study, participants completed an exit survey to test assess application usability and to identify barriers to its use. Mean differences in energy, and macronutrients intake were evaluated between the methods using paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Agreement between methods was ascertained using Pearson correlations and Bland–Altman plots. The Ghithaona application took 6 months to develop. The validation test was completed by 70 participants with a mean age of 21.0 ± 2.1 years. No significant differences were found between the two methods for mean intakes of energy or macronutrients (p > 0.05). Significant correlations between the two methods were observed for energy, and all macronutrients (r = 0.261–0.58,p ≤ 0.05). Bland–Altman plots confirmed wide limits of agreement between the methods with no systematic bias. According to the exit survey, it was found that majority of participants strongly agreed and agreed that the application saves time (94.2%), helps the participant to pay attention to their dietary habits (87.2%), and is easy to use (78.6%). The Ghithaona application showed relative validity for assessment of nutrient intake of Palestinian undergraduates.
Exploring the identification of multiple bacteria on stainless steel using multi-scale spectral imaging from microscopic to macroscopic
Authors: Xu Jun-Li , Herrero-Langreo Ana , Lamba Sakshi , Ferone Mariateresa , Swanson Anastasia , Caponigro Vicky , Scannell Amalia G. M. , Gowen Aoife A.
Published: September 2022

This work investigates non-contact reflectance spectral imaging techniques, i.e. microscopic Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) imaging, macroscopic visible-near infrared (VNIR), and shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectral imaging, for the identification of bacteria on stainless steel. Spectral images of two Gram-positive (GP) bacteria (Bacillus subtilis (BS) and Lactobacillus plantarum (LP)), and three Gram-negative (GN) bacteria (Escherichia coli (EC), Cronobacter sakazakii (CS), and Pseudomonas fluorescens (PF)), were collected from dried suspensions of bacterial cells dropped onto stainless steel surfaces. Through the use of multiple independent biological replicates for model validation and testing, FTIR reflectance spectral imaging was found to provide excellent GP/GN classification accuracy (> 96%), while the fused VNIR-SWIR data yielded classification accuracy exceeding 80% when applied to the independent test sets. However, classification within gram type was far less reliable, with lower accuracies for classification within the GP (< 75%) and GN (≤ 51%) species when calibration models were applied to the independent test sets, underlining the importance of independent model validation when dealing with samples of high biological variability.
Comparison of pre-treatment methods and heavy density liquids to optimize microplastic extraction from natural marine sediments
Authors: Mattsson Karin , Ekstrand Elisabet , Granberg Maria , Hassellöv Martin , Magnusson Kerstin
Published: September 2022

The ubiquitous occurrence of anthropogenic particles, including microplastics in the marine environment, has, over the last years, gained worldwide attention. As a result, many methods have been developed to estimate the amount and type of microplastics in the marine environment. However, there are still no standardized protocols for how different marine matrices should be sampled or how to extract and identify these particles, making meaningful data comparison hard. Buoyant microplastics are influenced by winds and currents, and concentrations could hence be expected to be highly variable over time. However, since both high density and most of the initially buoyant microplastics are known to eventually sink and settle on the seafloor, marine sediments are proposed as a suitable matrix for microplastics monitoring. Several principles, apparatuses, and protocols for extracting microplastics from marine sediments have been presented, but extensive comparison of the different steps in the protocols using real environmental samples is lacking. Thus, in this study, different pre-treatment and subsequent density separation protocols for extraction of microplastics from replicate samples of marine sediment were compared. Two pre-treatment methods, one using inorganic chemicals (NaClO + KOH + Na4P2O7) and one using porcine pancreatic enzymes, as well as one with no pre-treatment of the sediment, were compared in combination with two commonly used high-density saline solutions used for density separation, sodium chloride (NaCl) and zinc chloride (ZnCl2). Both pre-treatment methods effectively removed organic matter, and both saline solutions extracted lighter plastic particles such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). The most efficient combination, chemical pre-treatment and density separation with ZnCl2, was found to extract > 15 times more particles (≥ 100 µm) from the sediment than other treatment combinations, which could largely be explained by the high presence and efficient extraction of PVC particles.
Finite-time synchronization of different dimensional chaotic systems with uncertain parameters and external disturbances
Authors: Li Juan , Zheng Jiming
Published: September 2022

This paper proposes a new control scheme using two scaling matrices that realizes the finite-time synchronization of different-dimensional chaotic systems with parameter uncertainties and external disturbances. Firstly, based on Lyapunov stability theorem and finite-time stability theorem, the definition of finite-time synchronization of chaotic systems with different dimensions is introduced. Secondly, in the case of external disturbance and parameter uncertainty, an adaptive feedback hybrid controller and parameter adaptive laws are designed to synchronize different dimensional uncertain chaotic systems in finite-time. Then, according to the characteristics of the unknown parameters of the system, a transformation matrix is constructed to meet the needs of chaotic systems with different dimensions, and a simplified synchronization control scheme is designed. Finally, two numerical experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Cerebrocortical activation following unilateral labyrinthectomy in mice characterized by whole-brain clearing: implications for sensory reweighting
Authors: Kai Ryota , Takahashi Kuniyuki , Tainaka Kazuki , Iwakura Yuriko , Namba Hisaaki , Saito Nae , Sasaoka Toshikuni , Yamaguchi Shun , Nawa Hiroyuki , Horii Arata
Published: September 2022

Posture and gait are maintained by sensory inputs from the vestibular, visual, and somatosensory systems and motor outputs. Upon vestibular damage, the visual and/or somatosensory systems functionally substitute by cortical mechanisms called “sensory reweighting”. We investigated the cerebrocortical mechanisms underlying sensory reweighting after unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL) in mice. Arc-dVenus transgenic mice, in which the gene encoding the fluorescent protein dVenus is transcribed under the control of the promoter of the immediate early gene Arc, were used in combination with whole-brain three-dimensional (3D) imaging. Performance on the rotarod was measured as a behavioral correlate of sensory reweighting. Following left UL, all mice showed the head roll-tilt until UL10, indicating the vestibular periphery damage. The rotarod performance worsened in the UL mice from UL1 to UL3, which rapidly recovered. Whole-brain 3D imaging revealed that the number of activated neurons in S1, but not in V1, in UL7 was higher than that in sham-treated mice. At UL7, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and agranular insular cortex (AIC) activation was also observed. Therefore, sensory reweighting to the somatosensory system could compensate for vestibular dysfunction following UL; further, mPFC and AIC contribute to the integration of sensory and motor functions to restore balance.
Hypertriglyceridemic-waist phenotype is strongly associated with cardiovascular risk factor clustering in Chinese adolescents
Authors: Cai Rongrong , Zhou Jinyu , Bai Ling , Dong Yangyang , Ding Wenqing
Published: September 2022

The early identification of predictors related to cardiovascular risk factor clustering (CVRFC) in adolescents can help prevent Cardiovascular disease. The hypertriglyceridemic-waist circumference (HTW) phenotype is considered a simple and useful indicator to identify cardiovascular disease. However, there is limited research on the relationship between the HTW phenotype and (CVRFC) in adolescents. It is unclear whether the HTW phenotype can identify early the risk of developing CVRFC in adolescents. The study aimed to examine the association of the HTW phenotype with CVRFC in adolescents. A total of 1478 adolescents aged 12–18 years were classified into normal waist circumference (WC) and normal triglyceride (TG) (NWNT, 66.4%), normal WC and high TG (HTG, 5.5%), enlarged WC and normal TG (EW, 22.2%) and enlarged WC and high TG (HTW, 5.8%). High TG was defined as TG ≥ 1.47 mmol/L and enlarged WC ≥ 90th percentile by gender and age. CVRFs in this study included elevated blood pressure (BP), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), high total cholesterol (TC), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). CVRFC ≥ 2 or CVRFC ≥ 3 were defined as the presence of at least two or three cardiovascular risk factors. After adjustment for BMI, gender and age, the HTW phenotype increased the risk of CVRFC ≥ 2 and CVRFC ≥ 3 compared to the NTNW phenotype, OR and 95%CI were 2.40 (1.23–4.58) and 3.63 (1.49–8.86), respectively. After stratification by gender, similar results were found in boys, however, girls with the EW phenotype had a lower risk of CVRFC ≥ 2 and CVRFC ≥ 3 compared with the NTNW phenotype after adjustment for BMI and age. The area under the ROC curve was 0.698 (0.661–0.736) and 0.782 (0.725–0.840) when TG was combined with WC to detect cardiovascular risk factors clustering, which was better than BMI, WHtR, TG or WC alone. And similar results were obtained for both boys and girls when stratified by gender. These results revealed that different combinations of TG and WC levels are closely associated with cardiovascular risk factors clustering in both boys and girls, and TG combining WC performed better than BMI, WHtR, TG or WC alone in detecting cardiovascular risk factor clustering in adolescents.
Powered knee and ankle prostheses enable natural ambulation on level ground and stairs for individuals with bilateral above-knee amputation: a case study
Authors: Hood Sarah , Creveling Suzi , Gabert Lukas , Tran Minh , Lenzi Tommaso
Published: September 2022

Ambulation with existing prostheses is extremely difficult for individuals with bilateral above-knee amputations. Commonly prescribed prostheses are passive devices that cannot replace the biomechanical functions of the missing biological legs. As a result, most individuals with bilateral above-knee amputations can only walk for short distances, have a high risk of falling, and are unable to ascend stairs with a natural gait pattern. Powered prostheses have the potential to address this issue by replicating the movements of the biological leg. Previous studies with individuals with bilateral above-knee amputations have shown that walking with powered prostheses is possible. However, stair ambulation requires different kinematics, kinetics, and power than walking. Therefore, it is not known whether powered prostheses can restore natural ambulation on stairs for bilateral above knee individuals. Here we show a case study with an individual with bilateral above-knee amputations using a pair of lightweight powered knee and ankle prostheses for walking and stair ambulation. The kinematic analysis shows that powered prostheses can restore natural leg movements, enabling the individual to walk and climb stairs using different gait patterns, such as step-over-step or step-by-step, one step or two steps at a time. The kinetic analysis shows that the powered prostheses can restore natural ankle push-off in walking and positive knee power generation in stair ascent, which are fundamental biomechanical functions of the missing biological legs. This case study is a first step towards enhancing functional mobility and quality of life for individuals with bilateral above-knee amputations through powered knee and ankle prostheses.
Color changes and shear bond strength to simulated caries lesions treated with a novel solution of 20% silver nanoclusters in polymethacrylic acid
Authors: Molina Gustavo Fabián , Cabalén María Belén , Aranguren Juan Pablo , Palma Santiago Daniel , Pino Gustavo Ariel , Burrow Michael F.
Published: September 2022

The aims of the study were: (1) To compare the staining effect on demineralized dentin simulating caries between silver nanoclusters (AgNCls) synthesized using polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) and silver diammine fluoride (SDF), and (2) to measure the shear bond strength (SBS) of a glass ionomer cement (GIC) to simulated caries lesions with and without the application of AgNCls/PMAA or SDF. Dentine blocks 4 mm thick from twenty-four non-carious third molars were sectioned and coated with nail varnish (Revlon, New York, USA). Simulated caries lesions on occlusal dentin surfaces were created (66 h in 0.05 M acetate buffer 2.2 mM calcium/phosphate pH 5.0). Specimens were divided into groups and treated with (n = 8): (A) 20% AgNCls/PMAA; (B) SDF 38% (Fagamin, Tedequim, Córdoba, Argentina); or (C) without treatment. AgNCls/PMAA or SDF were applied on the exposed surfaces with a microbrush for 10 s. Samples were incubated for 24 h at 37 °C at 100% relative humidity. Surface color was measured according to the CIE-L*a*b* system before and after demineralization (R0 and R1), 24 h and one week after treatment (R2 and R3), using a spectrophotometer (CM-600D Konica Minolta Sesing Inc., Japan). Groups A and B received an extra application of AgNCls/PMAA or SDF before a conventional GIC (Fuji IX-Gold Label, GC Corp, Tokyo, Japan) was bonded using a mold, 4 mm diameter × 3 mm high. For SBS, a Universal Testing Machine (Digimess RS-8000-5, China)—crosshead speed of 1 mm/min—was used. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA, Student-t and Scheffe-test at a significance of p < 0.05. Group A presented a stable color p = 0.24 between R1-R2 and R1-R3 in contrast to significant color changes in Group B (p = 0.02). SBS was higher (p < 0.01) in Group A (10.4 ± 2.7 MPa) compared to Groups B (3.3 ± 1.3 MPa) and C (4.0 ± 0.4 MPa), where no differences between the latter groups were observed (p = 0.77). Results of this preliminary study demonstrated that 20% AgNCls/PMAA did not stain simulated carious dentin and improved SBS of the GIC. The relevance of this study relies on the development of a therapeutic system to potentially arrest caries lesions without staining.
Correlation analysis between the complex electrical permittivity and relaxation time of tissue mimicking phantoms in 7 T MRI
Authors: Hernandez Daniel , Kim Kyoung-Nam
Published: September 2022

Dielectric relaxation theory describes the complex permittivity of a material in an alternating field; in particular, Debye theory relates the time it takes for an applied field to achieve the maximum polarization and the electrical properties of the material. Although, Debye’s equations were proposed for electrical polarization, in this study, we investigate the correlation between the magnetic longitudinal relaxation time T1 and the complex electrical permittivity of tissue-mimicking phantoms using a 7 T magnetic resonance scanner. We created phantoms that mimicked several human tissues with specific electrical properties. The electrical properties of the phantoms were measured using bench-test equipment. T1 values were acquired from phantoms using MRI. The measured values were fitted with functions based on dielectric estimations, using relaxation times of electrical polarization, and the mixture theory for dielectrics. The results show that, T1 and the real permittivity are correlated; therefore, the correlation can be approximated with a rational function in the case of water-based phantoms. The correlation between index loss and T1 was determined using a fitting function based on the Debye equation and mixture theory equation, in which the fraction of the materials was taken into account. This phantom study and analysis provide an insight into the application relaxation times used for estimating dielectric properties. Currently, the measurement of electrical properties based on dielectric relaxation theory is based on an antenna, sometimes invasive, that irradiates an electric field into a small sample; thus, it is not possible to create a map of electrical properties for a complex structure such as the human body. This study could be further used to compute the electrical properties maps of tissues by scanning images and measuring T1 maps.
Selective single-bacteria extraction based on capture and release of microemulsion droplets
Authors: Li Jiyu , Hu Dinglong , Lim Chee Kent , Ren Jifeng , Yao Xin , Ma Chao , Marcos  , Chen Weiqiang , Lee Patrick K. H. , Lam Raymond H. W.
Published: September 2022

Human host-associated microbial communities in body sites can reflect health status based on the population distribution and specific microbial properties in the heterogeneous community. Bacteria identification at the single-cell level provides a reliable biomarker and pathological information for clinical diagnosis. Nevertheless, biosamples obtained from some body sites cannot offer sufficient sample volume and number of target cells as required by most of the existing single-cell isolation methods such as flow cytometry. Herein we report a novel integrated microfluidic system, which consists of a microemulsion module for single-bacteria encapsulation and a sequential microdroplet capture and release module for selectively extracting only the single-bacteria encapsulated in microdroplets. We optimize the system for a success rate of the single-cell extraction to be > 38%. We further verify applicability of the system with prepared cell mixtures (Methylorubrum extorquens AM1 and Methylomicrobium album BG8) and biosamples collected from human skin, to quantify the population distribution of multiple key species in a heterogeneous microbial community. Results indicate perfect viability of the single-cell extracts and compatibility with downstream analyses such as PCR. Together, this research demonstrates that the reported single-bacteria extraction system can be applied in microbiome and pathology research and clinical diagnosis as a clinical or point-of-care device.