bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicted Sea‐Level Rise‐Driven Biogeomorphological Changes on Fire Island, New York: Implications for People and Plovers
Authors: Zeigler S. L. , Gutierrez B. T. , Lentz E. E. , Plant N. G. , Sturdivant E. J. , Doran K. S.
Published: March 2022

Forecasting biogeomorphological conditions for barrier islands is critical for informing sea‐level rise (SLR) planning, including management of coastal development and ecosystems. We combined five probabilistic models to predict SLR‐driven changes and their implications on Fire Island, New York, by 2050. We predicted barrier island biogeomorphological conditions, dynamic landcover response, piping plover (Charadrius melodus) habitat availability, and probability of storm overwash under three scenarios of shoreline change (SLC) and compared results to observed 2014/2015 conditions. Scenarios assumed increasing rates of mean SLC from 0 to 4.71 m erosion per year. We observed uncertainty in several morphological predictions (e.g., beach width, dune height), suggesting decreasing confidence that Fire Island will evolve in response to SLR as it has in the past. Where most likely conditions could be determined, models predicted that Fire Island would become flatter, narrower, and more overwash‐prone with increasing rates of SLC. Beach ecosystems were predicted to respond dynamically to SLR and migrate with the shoreline, while marshes lost the most area of any landcover type compared to 2014/2015 conditions. Such morphological changes may lead to increased flooding or breaching with coastal storms. However—although modest declines in piping plover habitat were observed with SLC—the dynamic response of beaches, flatter topography, and increased likelihood of overwash suggest storms could promote suitable conditions for nesting piping plovers above what our geomorphology models predict. Therefore, Fire Island may offer a conservation opportunity for coastal species that rely on early successional beach environments if natural overwash processes are encouraged.
miR-550a-3p is a prognostic biomarker and exerts tumor-suppressive functions by targeting HSP90AA1 in diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma
Authors: El Bezawy Rihan , Percio Stefano , Ciniselli Chiara Maura , De Cesare Michelandrea , Colella Gennaro , Dugo Matteo , Veneroni Silvia , Doldi Valentina , Martini Silvia , Baratti Dario , Kusamura Shigeki , Verderio Paolo , Deraco Marcello , Gandellini Paolo , Zaffaroni Nadia , Zuco Valentina
Published: March 2022

Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM) is a rare and rapidly lethal tumor, poorly responsive to conventional treatments. In this regards, the identification of molecular alterations underlying DMPM onset and progression might be exploited to develop novel therapeutic strategies. Here, we focused onmiR-550a-3p, which we found downregulated in 45 DMPM clinical samples compared to normal tissues and whose expression levels were associated with patient outcome. Through a gain-of-function approach using miRNA mimics in 3 DMPM cell lines, we demonstrated the tumor-suppressive role ofmiR-550a-3p. Specifically, miRNA ectopic expression impaired cell proliferation and invasiveness, enhanced the apoptotic response, and reduced the growth of DMPM xenografts in mice. Antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects were also observed in prostate and ovarian cancer cell lines followingmiR-550a-3pectopic expression.miR-550a-3peffects were mediated, at least in part, by the direct inhibition ofHSP90AA1and the consequent downregulation of its target proteins, the levels of which were rescued upon disruption of miRNA-HSP90AA1mRNA pairing, partially abrogatingmiR-550a-3p-induced cellular effects. Our results show thatmiR-550a-3preconstitution affects several tumor traits, thus suggesting this approach as a potential novel therapeutic strategy for DMPM.
No effect of nitrate-rich beetroot juice on microvascular function and blood pressure in younger and older individuals: a randomised, placebo-controlled double-blind pilot study
Authors: Rogerson David , Aguilar Mora Fabio Alejandro , Young Jamie Stuart , Klonizakis Markos
Published: March 2022

Background/Objectives

To compare the effects of supplemental inorganic nitrate (NO3) on microvascular endothelial function and blood pressure in younger vs. older participants.

Subjects/Methods

25 individuals participated in a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled crossover pilot study. Participants were stratified by age (18–35 and ≥55 years) and consumed a single dose beetroot juice (providing 6.4 mmol NO3) or NO3-depleted beetroot juice. Blood pressure, microvascular function (via Laser Doppler Flowmetry; LDF) and urinary NO3 were assessed, and the effects of NO3 supplementation on cardiovascular parameters were compared between participants and conditions using mixed-design ANOVA.

Results

Treatments and methods were well tolerated, and no adverse events were reported. Urinary NO3 increased 3 h following ingestion in both groups, (P = 0.02). Levels remained elevated at 24 h post consumption in younger participants only (P = 0.02). Beetroot juice had no effect on blood pressure in either group nor on microcirculatory endothelial function.

Conclusions

Beetroot juice had no effect on blood pressure or microvascular endothelial function in young and older individuals. Dosage and timing regimens for supplemental beetroot juice should be avenues for further inquiry.
Multimodal thrombectomy device for treatment of acute deep venous thrombosis
Authors: Ismail Usama , Rowe Roger A. , Cashin John , Genin Guy M. , Zayed Mohamed A.
Published: March 2022

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a potentially deadly medical condition that is costly to treat and impacts thousands of Americans every year. DVT is characterized by the formation of blood clots within the deep venous system of the body. If a DVT dislodges it can lead to venous thromboembolism (VTE) and pulmonary embolism (PE), both of which can lead to significant morbidity or death. Current treatment options for DVT are limited in both effectiveness and safety, in part because the treatment of the DVT cannot be confined to a defined sequestered treatment zone. We therefore developed and tested a novel thrombectomy device that enables the sequesteration of a DVT to a defined treatment zone during fragmentation and evacuation. We observed that, compared to a predicate thrombectomy device, the sequestered approach reduced distal DVT embolization during ex vivo thrombectomy. The sequestered approach also facilitated isovolumetric infusion and suction that enabled clearance of the sequestered treatment zone without significantly impacting vein wall diameter. Results suggest that our novel device using sequestered therapy holds promise for the treatment of high risk large-volume DVTs.
Increased angiogenic factors in the aqueous and vitreous humors after disinsertion of extraocular muscle and the effects of triamcinolone acetate injection
Authors: Suk-Gyu Ha , Kang Boram , Song Jong Suk
Published: March 2022

The four extraocular rectus muscles in the rabbits were disinserted for induction of anterior segment ischemia (ASI) and the changes in the concentrations of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1α), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the aqueous and vitreous humor were evaluated. Disinsertion of four rectus muscles in rabbits was performed in the right eyes of rabbits (ASI group). The concentrations of PGE2, HIF-1α, and VEGF in the aqueous and vitreous humor were measured at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h by ELISA. The concentrations were compared with those of the fellow eyes (contralateral group) and normal healthy eyes (control group). Subconjunctival injection of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) was administered and three cytokine concentrations in the aqueous humor and vitreous humor were measured at 12 h after TA injection. A total of 48 eyes from 28 rabbits were included. The concentrations of PGE2, HIF-1α, and VEGF in the aqueous humor in the ASI and contralateral groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05, all). The aqueous and vitreous humor concentrations of VEGF in eyes with simultaneous TA injection were significantly lower than were those in the ASI group (p = 0.02, all). The concentration of PGE2, HIF-1α, and VEGF in the aqueous humor was increased after induction of ASI and TA injection seems to be effective in inhibiting VEGF elevation in ASI.
Flow adaptive aerodynamic probe for turbomachinery flows
Authors: Lenherr Christian , Oschwald Martin , Kalfas Anestis I. , Abhari Reza S.
Published: March 2022

In order to enable turbomachinery research to obtain data highly resolved in space and time, a novel flow adaptive aerodynamic probe concept has been developed and presented in this paper. The algorithm selects the measurement positions of the probe automatically and therefore provides higher measurement fidelity compared to traditional methods. The development of the adaptive algorithm has been done in several steps. First an automatic 1Dtraversing algorithm has been developed. The following steps dealt with the subject of a 2D adaptive flow concept development, whereas primarily visual programming language-computer package simulations of the new 2D algorithm have been done based on data from previous test series at the Turbomachinery Laboratory. The new 2D traversing algorithm is fully selfcontrolled and requires minimal input such as blade count and hub and tip diameters. Furthermore, areas of interest (e.g. secondary flows, wake) are detected automatically and higher measuring point resolutions are ensured in these regions. After the successful simulations, the intelligent 2D algorithm has been adapted to an object oriented programming environment used for automated data acquisition and reduction. An evaluation of the flow adaptive aerodynamic flow concept has been done on a pressure turbine facility by means of a steady pneumatic probe. The measurement results show that the new 2D algorithm has the potential to detect new flow phenomena. In contrast to traditional algorithms, which in case of a possible enhancement demand a knowledge of the position of interesting areas such as the wake and vortical structures before starting the measurement, the new algorithm detects the right areas and enhances the resolution fully self controlled in these areas. Furthermore, the new 2D flow adaptive probe concept shows a significant improvement regarding the needed time for one measurement.
Measurement of Unsteady Aerodynamic Data in Turbomachi-nery Periodic Flows
Authors: Lepicovsky Jan , Šimurda David
Published: March 2022

The objective of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility and advantage of an alternative approach to aerodynamic data acquisition in high-speed highly-loaded turbine engine rotating components. Two methodologies of data acquisition using fast sensing pressure probes are described here. The conventional approach is based on using separate probes for detection of unsteady total and static pressures and the flow direction. This method is labor intensive, requiring either multiple access ports on the investigated engine or repetitive test runs for each individual probe if only one access port is available. An alternative method, using only one Pitot-cylinder probe, can be used to acquire total pressure and flow direction data. The Pitot-cylinder probe basically functions like a controlled flow direction follower. The data reduction procedure for this probe relies on strict periodicity of the investigated flow during a test run. A detailed explanation of data reduction procedure and examples of achieved results are presented.
Interpretation of stall precursor signatures-stable instabilities
Authors: Brandstetter Christoph , Ottavy Xavier , Stapelfeldt Sina
Published: March 2022

A specific phenomenon that has been observed in many experimental studies on turbomachinery compressors and fans is discussed under the term “rotating instabilities”. It is associated to a local aerodynamic phenomenon, typically occurring in the tip region at highly loaded near stall conditions and often linked to blade vibrations. Even though the effect has been discussed over more than two decades, a very ambiguous interpretation still prevails. A particular problem is that certain signatures in measurement data are often considered to characterize the phenomenon despite possible misinterpretations. The present paper illustrates that a specific image of a pulsating disturbance that has been established in the 1990s needs to be reconsidered. At the example of a recent investigation on a composite fan the difficulties concerning sensor placement and post-processing techniques is discussed with a focus on spectral averaging, isolation of non-synchronous phenomena and multi-sensor cross-correlation methods.
Blade oscillation mechanism for aerodynamic damping measurements at high reduced frequencies
Authors: Glodic Nenad , Tavera Guerrero Carlos , Gutierrez Salas Mauricio
Published: March 2022

Accurate prediction of aerodynamic damping is essential for flutter and forced response analysis of turbomachinery components. Reaching a high level of confidence in numerical simulations requires that the models have been validated against the experiments. Even though a number of test cases have been established over the past decades, there is still a lack of suitable detailed test data that can be used for validation purposes in particular when it comes to aero damping at high reduced frequencies which is more relevant in the context of forced response analysis. A new transonic cascade test rig, currently undergoing commissioning at KTH, has been designed with the goal to provide detailed blade surface unsteady pressure data for compressor blades profiles oscillating at high reduced frequencies. The paper provides an overview of the blade actuation system employed in the test rig and presents the result of a series of bench tests characterizing the blade vibration amplitudes achieved with this actuation system.
Assessing the persistence of chalcogen bonds in solution with neural network potentials
Authors: Jurásková Veronika , Célerse Frederic , Laplaza Ruben , Corminboeuf Clemence
Published: March 2022

Non-covalent bonding patterns are commonly harvested as a design principle in the field of catalysis, supramolecular chemistry, and functional materials to name a few. Yet, their computational description generally neglects finite temperature and environment effects, which promote competing interactions and alter their static gas-phase properties. Recently, neural network potentials (NNPs) trained on density functional theory (DFT) data have become increasingly popular to simulate molecular phenomena in condensed phase with an accuracy comparable to ab initio methods. To date, most applications have centered on solid-state materials or fairly simple molecules made of a limited number of elements. Herein, we focus on the persistence and strength of chalcogen bonds involving a benzotelluradiazole in condensed phase. While the tellurium-containing heteroaromatic molecules are known to exhibit pronounced interactions with anions and lone pairs of different atoms, the relevance of competing intermolecular interactions, notably with the solvent, is complicated to monitor experimentally but also challenging to model at an accurate electronic structure level. Here, we train direct and baselined NNPs to reproduce hybrid DFT energies and forces in order to identify what the most prevalent non-covalent interactions occurring in a solute-Cl−–THF mixture are. The simulations in explicit solvent highlight the clear competition with chalcogen bonds formed with the solvent and the short-range directionality of the interaction with direct consequences for the molecular properties in the solution. The comparison with other potentials (e.g., AMOEBA, direct NNP, and continuum solvent model) also demonstrates that baselined NNPs offer a reliable picture of the non-covalent interaction interplay occurring in solution.
Probing iron adsorption on the internal and external wall of pristine and N-doped carbon nanotube
Authors: Zhang Ying , Zhang Guohua
Published: March 2022

Herein, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to compare the interaction pattern of iron atoms on the internal and external wall of pristine and nitrogen-doped (6, 6) single walled carbon nanotubes. Among the four investigated cases, the interaction strength of Fe in ascending order follows 3Fe@CNT, 4Fe@N-CNT, 5Fe/CNT and 4Fe/N-CNT, where “/” and “@” indicate adsorption on the external and internal wall of CNT, respectively. The enhancement of N-doped surface can be ascribed to the activated carbon atoms neighbouring the dopant. The distortion analysis shows that both 3Fe@CNT and 4Fe@N-CNT adsorption system cause less structural distortion on the internal surface of the nanotube, while 4Fe/N-CNT system presents the largest distortion. Density of state analysis predicts that the metal atom inside and outside demonstrates distinct electronic properties and the internal metal particle shows a more dispersed bonding pattern with the carbon surface due to the concave nature of internal surface. The calculated dispersion energy for different adsorption systems provides more evidence for the delocalised interaction pattern, and 4Fe@N-CNT exhibits the largest dispersion interaction.
Ly49E separates liver ILC1s into embryo-derived and postnatal subsets with different functions
Authors: Chen Yawen , Wang Xianwei , Hao Xiaolei , Li Bin , Tao Wanyin , Zhu Shu , Qu Kun , Wei Haiming , Sun Rui , Peng Hui , Tian Zhigang
Published: March 2022

Type 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC1s) represent the predominant population of liver ILCs and function as important effectors and regulators of immune responses, but the cellular heterogeneity of ILC1s is not fully understood. Here, single-cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that liver ILC1s could be dissected into Ly49E+ and Ly49E− populations with unique transcriptional and phenotypic features. Genetic fate-mapping analysis revealed that liver Ly49E+ ILC1s with strong cytotoxicity originated from embryonic non–bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs), persisted locally during postnatal life, and mediated protective immunity against cytomegalovirus infection in newborn mice. However, Ly49E− ILC1s developed from BM and extramedullary HPCs after birth, gradually replaced Ly49E+ ILC1s in the livers with age, and contained the memory subset in recall response to hapten challenge. Thus, our study shows that Ly49E dissects liver ILC1s into two unique subpopulations, with distinct origins and a bias toward neonatal innate or adult immune memory responses.
Analysis of the boundary integral equation for the growth of a parabolic/paraboloidal dendrite with convection
Authors: Titova E A , Alexandrov D V
Published: March 2022

The growth of a parabolic/paraboloidal dendrite streamlined by viscous and potential flows in an undercooled one-component melt is analyzed using the boundary integral equation. The total melt undercooling is found as a function of the Péclet, Reynolds, and Prandtl numbers in two- and three-dimensional cases. The solution obtained coincides with the modified Ivantsov solution known from previous theories of crystal growth. Varying Péclet and Reynolds numbers we show that the melt undercooling practically coincides in cases of viscous and potential flows for a small Prandtl number, which is typical for metals. In cases of water solutions and non-metallic alloys, the Prandtl number is not small enough and the melt undercooling is substantially different for viscous and potential flows. In other words, a simpler potential flow hydrodynamic model can be used instead of a more complicated viscous flow model when studying the solidification of undercooled metals with convection.
Multiview Wasserstein generative adversarial network for imbalanced pearl classification
Authors: Gao Shuang , Dai Yun , Li Yingjie , Liu Kaixin , Chen Kun , Liu Yi
Published: March 2022

This work described in this paper aims to enhance the level of automation of industrial pearl classification through deep learning methods. To better extract the features of different classes and improve classification accuracy, balanced training datasets are usually needed for machine learning methods. However, the pearl datasets obtained in practice are often imbalanced; in particular, the acquisition cost of some classes is high. An enhanced generative adversarial network, named the multiview Wasserstein generative adversarial network (MVWGAN), is proposed for the imbalanced pearl classification problem. For the minority classes in the training datasets, the MVWGAN method can generate high-quality multiview images simultaneously to balance the original imbalanced datasets. The augmented balanced datasets are used to train a multistream convolution neural network (MS-CNN) for pearl classification. The experimental results show that MVWGAN can overcome the imbalanced learning problem and improve the classification performance of MS-CNN effectively. Moreover, feature visualization is implemented to intuitively explain the effectiveness of MVWGAN.
Partial Hadamard encoded synthetic transmit aperture for high frame rate imaging with minimal l
2-norm least squares method
Authors: Zhang Jingke , Liu Jing , Fan Wei , Qiu Weibao , Luo Jianwen
Published: March 2022

Objective. Synthetic transmit aperture (STA) ultrasound imaging is well known for ideal focusing in the full field of view. However, it suffers from low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and low frame rate, because each transducer element must be activated individually. In our previous study, we encoded all the transducer elements with partial Hadamard matrix and reconstructed the complete STA dataset with compressed sensing (CS) algorithm (CS-STA). As all the elements are activated in each transmission and the number of transmissions is smaller than that of STA, this method can achieve higher SNR and higher frame rate. Its main drawback is the time-consuming CS reconstruction (∼hours). In this study, we propose to accelerate the complete STA dataset reconstruction with minimal l
2-norm least squares method. Approach. Partial Hadamard apodized plane wave (PW) transmissions were performed to acquire the PW dataset. Thereafter, the complete STA dataset can be reconstructed from the PW dataset with minimal l
2-norm least squares method. Due to the orthogonality of partial Hadamard matrix, the minimal l
2-norm least squares solution can be easily calculated. Main results. The proposed method is tested with simulation data and experimental phantom and in-vivo data. The results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves ∼5 × 103 times faster reconstruction speed than CS algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method is capable of achieving the same accuracy as the conventional CS-STA method for the STA dataset reconstruction. The simulations, phantom and in-vivo experiments show that the proposed method is capable of improving the generalized contrast-to-noise ratio (gCNR) and SNR with maintained spatial resolution and fewer transmissions, compared with STA. Significance. In conclusion, the improved image quality and reduced computational time of LS-STA pave the way for its real-time applications in the clinics.
Two-dimensional hole gases in SiGeSn alloys
Authors: Oehme Michael , Kasper Erich , Weißhaupt David , Sigle Eric , Hersperger Tim , Wanitzek Maurice , Schwarz Daniel
Published: March 2022

Two-dimensional hole gases are demonstrated in modulation doped Si
x
Ge1−x−y
Sn
y
quantum wells (QWs), which are embedded in Si0.2Ge0.8 barrier layers. The modulation doped QW structures are fabricated with molecular beam epitaxy on a thin (100 nm) virtual SiGe substrate on a (001) oriented Si substrate. The virtual substrate (VS) concept utilizes the Si diffusion into an as- grown thin, strain relaxed Ge layer during a following annealing step. The lateral lattice spacing of the SiGe-VS could be varied by the annealing temperature in the range between 830 °C and 860 °C. Half-hour anneal at 848 °C results in nearly strain free growth for the following Si0.2Ge0.8 barrier layer. Boron doping above an undoped 10 nm spacer on top of the 15 nm QW provides a reservoir for hole transfer from the barrier to the well. Electrical conductivity, sheet hole density ps and mobility are measured as function of temperature. In all investigated Si
x
Ge1−x−y
Sn
y
channels the Hall measurements show the typical freeze out of holes outside the QW. Alloy scattering dominates the low-temperature mobility by adding Sn or Si to the Ge reference well. A linear relationship for the charge transfer from the modulation doping into the undoped Si
x
Ge1−x−y
Sn
y
channel as function of the lattice mismatch between the channel material and the matrix material could be found at low-temperatures (8 K). An analytical model for this charge transfer confirms the nearly linear relationship by considering the triangular shape of the potential in modulation doped QW structures.
Toward ferromagnetic semimetal ground state with multiple Weyl nodes in van der Waals crystal MnSb4Te7
Authors: Lin Jia-Yi , Chen Zhong-Jia , Xie Wen-Qiang , Yang Xiao-Bao , Zhao Yu-Jun
Published: March 2022

The magnetic topological van der Waals materials family MnBi2Te4/(Bi2Te3)
n
have drawn markedly attention due to their novel multiple topological phases in different magnetic configurations. Recently, their close relative, the MnSb4Te7, was firstly synthesized in experiments (2021 Phys. Rev. Lett.
126 246601). To further explore the emergent properties of MnSb4Te7, we have systematically investigated the magnetic and topological characters under compressive strain and charge doping using first-principles calculations. We predict that MnSb4Te7 transits from an interlayer antiferromagnetic ground state to a ferromagnetic semimetal ground state with multiple Weyl points when compressive strained along c axis above 8% or charge doping before 0.1 hole/formula concentration. Notable anomalous Hall conductivity is also predicted. Meanwhile, the magnetic easy axis can be reoriented from out-of-plane to in-plane orientation when strain or electron doping is applied. The underlying magnetic exchange mechanism is also analyzed from our calculation results. Our work thus provides a feasible way to realize applications of the highly tunable magnetic-topological nature and a comprehensive theoretical understanding of this magnetic topological material.
Geriatric conditions and healthcare utilisation in older adults living with HIV
Authors: Greene Meredith , Shi Ying , Boscardin John , Sudore Rebecca , Gandhi Monica , Covinsky Kenneth
Published: March 2022

Background

older HIV-positive adults experience a significant burden of geriatric conditions. However, little is known about the association between geriatric conditions and healthcare utilisation in this population.

Setting

outpatient safety-net HIV clinic in San Francisco.

Methods

in 2013, HIV-positive adults ≥50 years of age underwent geriatric assessment including functional impairment, fall(s)in past year, cognitive impairment (MOCA <26) and low social support (Lubben social network scale ≤12). We reviewed medical records from 2013 through 2017 to capture healthcare utilisation (emergency room (ER) visits and hospitalisations) and used Poisson models to examine the association between geriatric conditions and utilisation events over 4 years.

Results

among 192 participants, 81% were male, 51% were white, the median age was 56 (range 50–74), and the median CD4 count was 508 (IQR 338–688) cells/mm3. Sixteen percent of participants had ≥1 activities of daily living (ADL) dependency, 58% had ≥1 instrumental activities of daily living IADL dependency, 43% reported ≥1 falls, 31% had cognitive impairment, and 58% had low social support. Over 4 years, 90 participants (46%) had ≥1 ER visit (total of 289 ER visits), 39 (20%) had ≥1 hospitalisation (total of 68 hospitalisations), and 15 (8%) died. In unadjusted and adjusted analyses, IADL dependency and falls were associated with healthcare utilisation (adjusted incidence rate ratios IADL (95%CI): 1.73 (1.33–2.25); falls: 1.51 (1.21–1.87)).

Conclusion

IADL dependency and history of falls were associated with healthcare utilisation among older HIV-positive adults. Although our results are limited by sample size, improved understanding of the association between geriatric conditions and healthcare utilisation could build support for geriatric HIV care models.
Taste perception of cyclic oligosaccharides: α, β, and γ cyclodextrins
Authors: Martin Laura E , Lim Juyun
Published: March 2022

Oligosaccharides, a subclass of complex carbohydrates, occur both naturally in foods and as a result of oral starch digestion. We have previously shown that humans can taste maltooligosaccharides (MOS) and that their detection is independent of the canonical sweet taste receptor. While MOSs most commonly occur in a linear form, they can also exist in cyclic structures, referred to as cyclodextrins (CD). The aim of this study was to investigate how the structure of the MOS backbone (i.e. cyclic form) and the size (i.e. degree of polymerization; DP) affect their taste perception. We tested taste detection of cyclodextrins with DP of 6, 7, and 8 (i.e. α-, β-, and γ-CD, respectively) in the presence and absence of lactisole, a sweet receptor antagonist. We found that subjects could detect the taste of cyclodextrins in aqueous solutions at a significant level (P < 0.05), but were not able to detect them in the presence of lactisole (P > 0.05). These findings suggest that the cyclodextrins, unlike their linear analogs, are ligands of the human sweet taste receptor, hT1R2/hT1R3. Study findings are discussed in terms of how chemical structures may contribute to tastes of saccharides.
Partial Compactification of Metabelian Lie Groups with Prescribed Varieties of Minimal Rational Tangents
Authors: Hwang Jun-Muk
Published: March 2022

We study minimal rational curves on a complex manifold that are tangent to a distribution. In this setting, the variety of minimal rational tangents (VMRTs) has to be isotropic with respect to the Levi tensor of the distribution. Our main result is a converse of this: any smooth projective variety isotropic with respect to a vector-valued anti-symmetric form can be realized as VMRT of minimal rational curves tangent to a distribution on a complex manifold. The complex manifold is constructed as a partial equivariant compactification of a metabelian group, which is a result of independent interest.
ATTED-II v11: A Plant Gene Coexpression Database Using a Sample Balancing Technique by Subagging of Principal Components
Authors: Obayashi Takeshi , Hibara Himiko , Kagaya Yuki , Aoki Yuichi , Kinoshita Kengo
Published: March 2022

ATTED-II (https://atted.jp) is a gene coexpression database for nine plant species based on publicly available RNAseq and microarray data. One of the challenges in constructing condition-independent coexpression data based on publicly available gene expression data is managing the inherent sampling bias. Here, we report ATTED-II version 11, wherein we adopted a coexpression calculation methodology to balance the samples using principal component analysis and ensemble calculation. This approach has two advantages. First, omitting principal components with low contribution rates reduces the main contributors of noise. Second, balancing large differences in contribution rates enables considering various sample conditions entirely. In addition, based on RNAseq- and microarray-based coexpression data, we provide species-representative, integrated coexpression information to enhance the efficiency of interspecies comparison of the coexpression data. These coexpression data are provided as a standardized z-score to facilitate integrated analysis with different data sources. We believe that with these improvements, ATTED-II is more valuable and powerful for supporting interspecies comparative studies and integrated analyses using heterogeneous data.
Alkaline α-galactosidase 2 (CsAGA2) plays a pivotal role in mediating source–sink communication in cucumber
Authors: Liu Huan , Liu Xin , Zhao Yalong , Nie Jing , Yao Xuehui , Lv Lijun , Yang Junwei , Ma Ning , Guo Yicong , Li Yaxin , Yang Xueyong , Lin Tao , Sui Xiaolei
Published: March 2022

Sugars are necessary for plant growth and fruit development. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) transports sugars, mainly raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs), in the vascular bundle. As the dominant sugars in cucumber fruit, glucose and fructose are derived from sucrose, which is the product of RFO hydrolysis by α-galactosidase (α-Gal). Here, we characterized the cucumber alkaline α-galactosidase 2 (CsAGA2) gene and found that CsAGA2 has undergone human selection during cucumber domestication. Further experiments showed that the expression of CsAGA2 increases gradually during fruit development, especially in fruit vasculature. In CsAGA2-RNA interference (RNAi) lines, fruit growth was delayed because of lower hexose production in the peduncle and fruit main vascular bundle (MVB). In contrast, CsAGA2-overexpressing (OE) plants displayed bigger fruits. Functional enrichment analysis of transcriptional data indicated that genes related to sugar metabolism, cell wall metabolism, and hormone signaling were significantly downregulated in the peduncle and fruit MVBs of CsAGA2-RNAi plants. Moreover, downregulation of CsAGA2 also caused negative feedback regulation on source leaves, which was shown by reduced photosynthetic efficiency, fewer plasmodesmata at the surface between mesophyll cell and intermediary cell (IC) or between IC and sieve element, and downregulated gene expression and enzyme activities related to phloem loading, as well as decreased sugar production and exportation from leaves and petioles. The opposite trend was observed in CsAGA2-OE lines. Overall, we conclude that CsAGA2 is essential for cucumber fruit set and development through mediation of sugar communication between sink strength and source activity.
Frequent Eye Examinations Urged for Children with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Rosenberg Karen
Published: March 2022

According to this study:

Children who had type 2 diabetes developed vision-threatening retinopathy after a shorter duration of diabetes and at a higher rate than children who had type 1 diabetes.

Children who have type 2 diabetes may need eye examinations as frequently or more frequently than those who have type 1 diabetes.
Have You a Hobby?
Authors: Todd Betsy
Published: March 2022

Editor's note: From its first issue in 1900 through to the present day, AJN has unparalleled archives detailing nurses' work and lives over more than a century. These articles not only chronicle nursing's growth as a profession within the context of the events of the day, but also reveal prevailing societal attitudes about women, health care, and human rights. Today's nursing school curricula rarely include nursing's history, but it's a history worth knowing. To this end, From the AJN Archives highlights articles selected to fit today's topics and times.

In the first half of the 20th century, AJN readers were regularly reminded about the importance of hobbies. As Frances Pedersen remarked in this April 1931 article, “We owe it to ourselves and to our work to regularly seek refreshment of mind and body.”

In those early decades, the journal devoted a surprising amount of time to this particular nonclinical topic. A variety of authors enthusiastically shared ideas for hobbies, such as collecting hospital postcards, or, as in Pedersen's article, gardening. Some argued that people with hobbies were more well rounded and therefore made better nurses. And some saw hobbies as essential relaxation. For our April issue, with Earth Day and spring in mind, and for those of us who spend our fast-paced workdays dealing with COVID-19 and other serious issues, we thought gardening was a particularly good hobby to cover.—Betsy Todd, MPH, RN
Establishing a process to improve the collection of family health history
Authors: Andrusko Danielle , Paradiso Catherine
Published: March 2022

Knowledge of a person's potential to inherit certain diseases has rapidly become a valuable part of the discussion between provider and patient. Knowing the risk of hereditary disorders allows providers to include screening and diagnostic tests in a timely way. The family heath history is an easy and important tool for identification of risk for genetic diseases, including cancers. A project, which incorporated patient education and technology, was developed to improve the collection of family health history and identify high-risk patients for genetic cancers and/or diseases.
Trends in Food Allergy Research, Regulations and Patient Care
Authors: Saab Imad Neal , Jones Wendelyn
Published: March 2022

This review provides an overview of food allergies, their impact on affected individuals and caregivers, regulatory activities, and current research efforts to improve allergen management and patient care. Food allergies have been reported to affect up to 32 million Americans, including approximately 6 million children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that food allergies in children have clearly increased by 50% between 1997 and 2011. Recent years have seen significant advances in the understanding of responses to food allergens such as the development of response thresholds that hold promise for developing more informative labels on food packaging. Staying current on advances in food allergy research will allow healthcare and nutrition practitioners to provide evidence-based guidance to individuals they serve.
The Quantified Caveman
Authors: Øvretveit Karsten
Published: March 2022

This is a detailed study of nutritional and lifestyle data on a single individual who adhered to the Paleolithic diet (PD) for a full year. The dietary intake was compared with evidence-based guidelines and various PD iterations from the research literature and popular diet books. Although the subject's diet aligned with PD book recommendations, several nutrients differed markedly from estimations in the scientific literature, highlighting the importance of relying on evidence-based dietary advice. These findings provide insight into a contemporary PD in practice, the feasibility of nutrition tracking, and how self-tracked dietary data can inform health behavior.
Successful treatment of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal infection of an external ventricular drain with 2 weeks of intravenous linezolid
Authors: Cearns Michael D. , McLintock Bruce T. , Suttner Nigel , Khalsa Kamaljit
Published: March 2022

Hydrocephalus is a common condition worldwide, and is frequently managed by diversion of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), either externally with a drain or internally with a shunt. An external ventricular drain (EVD) can be an essential treatment modality, but is associated with a risk of infection, most commonly caused by Staphylococcal species, which can result in meningitis or ventriculitis and a delay in the definitive management of the hydrocephalus. Here, we report the case of a patient who required an EVD to manage post-operative hydrocephalus following a craniotomy and microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia. He subsequently developed EVD-associated infection with a vancomycin-resistant

Enterococcus faecium

(VRE), which was treated successfully with a 2-week course of intravenous linezolid monotherapy. The authors believe this to be the only described case of successful treatment within this time frame of a CSF VRE infection associated with indwelling foreign material.
Hymenobacter siberiensis sp. nov., isolated from a marine sediment of the East Siberian Sea and Hymenobacter psoromatis sp. nov., isolated from an Antarctic lichen
Authors: Park Yerin , Noh Hyun-Ju , Hwang Chung Yeon , Shin Seung Chul , Hong Soon Gyu , Jin Young Keun , Lee Hyoungseok , Lee Yung Mi
Published: March 2022

Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, red-pink-coloured, rod-shaped and non-motile bacterial strains PAMC 29290, PAMC 29294T and PAMC 29296 were isolated from marine surface sediment sampled in the East Siberian Sea and strains PAMC 26553 and PAMC 26554T were obtained from an Antarctic lichen. Strains PAMC 29290, PAMC 29294T and PAMC 29296 were closely related to

Hymenobacter artigasi

(98.8 % 16S rRNA gene similarity),

Hymenobacter antarcticus

(97.3 %) and

Hymenobacter glaciei

(96.9 %), and PAMC 26553 and PAMC 26554T showed high similarity to

Hymenobacter ginsengisoli

(97.0 %),

Hymenobacter rivuli

(96.1 %) and

Hymenobacter setariae

(95.9 %). Genomic relatedness analyses showed that strains PAMC 29290, PAMC 29294T and PAMC 29296 could be distinguished from

H. artigasi

by average nucleotide identity (ANI; 93.1–93.2 %) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH; 50.3–51.0 %) values. Strains PAMC 26553 and PAMC 26554T could be clearly distinguished from

H. ginsengisoli

with ANI values <79.8 % and dDDH values <23.3 %. The major fatty acids of strains PAMC 29290, PAMC 29294T and PAMC 29296 were C15 : 0 iso (21.0–26.0 %), summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c; 17.4–18.2 %), C15 : 0 anteiso (12.7–19.1 %) and summed feature 4 (C17 : 1 iso I and/or anteiso B; 8.6–16.1 %) and those of strains PAMC 26553 and PAMC 26554T were summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c; 20.7–22.2 %), C15 : 0 anteiso (17.5–19.7 %) and summed feature 4 (C17 : 1 iso I and/or anteiso B; 15.5–18.1 %). The major respiratory quinone was MK-7. The genomic DNA G+C contents were 60.6–60.8 mol%. The polar lipids of PAMC 29294T were found to consist of phosphatidylethanolamine, four unidentified aminolipids, an unidentified aminophospholipid and five unidentified lipids; those of PAMC 26554T were phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified aminolipids, four unidentified aminophospholipid and two unidentified lipids. The distinct phylogenetic position and some physiological characteristics distinguished the novel strains from closely related type strains in the genus

Hymenobacter

. Thus, two novel species are proposed, with the names Hymenobacter siberiensis sp. nov. (type strain, PAMC 29294T=KCTC 82466T=JCM 34574T) and Hymenobacter psoromatis sp. nov. (type strain, PAMC 26554T=KCTC 82464T=JCM 34572T), respectively.
Zebrafish cornea formation and homeostasis reflect robustness in camera-type eye biology, regardless of its environment
Authors: Ikkala Kaisa , Raatikainen Sini , Michon Frederic
Published: March 2022

The cornea is the transparent tissue covering the camera-type eyes. This position makes this tissue prone to environmental aggressions, and physical alteration can have a drastic negative impact on sight. The current knowledge on zebrafish corneal physiology is too scarce to get an understanding on its strategy to maintain a clear sight in aquatic environment. In this study, we focus on corneal formation and maturation in zebrafish. After describing the morphological changes taking place from 3 days post fertilization to adulthood, we analyzed cell proliferation. We show that label retaining cells appear just before 1 month of age. Our cell proliferation study, combined to the study of Pax6a and krtt1c19e expression, demonstrate a long maturation process. This process ends with a solid patterning of corneal innervation. Finally, corneal abrasion wound healing process recapitulates the maturation process, via a plasticity period. Altogether, our study decipher the maturation steps of an aquatic cornea. These findings will facilitate the use of zebrafish as model of corneal physiology studies.
Newly developing methodologies to investigate health hazards posed by ionizing radiation to human space missions
Authors: Ferrari Franco , Szuszkiewicz Ewa
Published: March 2022

Ionizing radiation is one of the main threats to human space exploration beyond low Earth orbit (BLEO). It is thus of primary importance to determine safe career dose limits for astronauts involved in BLEO missions. In the first part of this work it is shown how the methods of physics and statistics can contribute to its solution. The average equivalent doses received by a hypothetical human crew are established using the data of several robotic missions to the Moon and to Mars. The probabilities of the occurrence of deterministic effects due to radiation that could impair the success of a mission or lower the life expectancy of astronauts are evaluated with the help of a statistical analysis. In the last part of this work it is argued that the use of the so-called 3D models or organoids combined with the methods of precision oncology and molecular medicine could be a good candidate of a strategy in order to predict the insurgence of stochastic effects in humans. On one side, organoids recapitulate several features of the real human organs and their in vivo surroundings. On the other side, we argue with a case study that precision oncology and molecular medicine are able to provide a deeper insight of the onset of cancer following irradiation in space.
The impact of green supply chain management on enterprise environmental performance: a meta-analysis
Authors: Fu Lei , Yang Daojian , Liu Suxia , Mei Qiang
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to systematically analyze the relationships between green supply chain management (GSCM), enterprise environmental performance (EEP) and the moderating role of the market environment, regional culture, sampling area and industry type.

Design/methodology/approach

This study constructed a comprehensive theoretical model and used a meta-analysis of 65 independent samples (total sample size: 14,196) to examine the relationships between GSCM and EEP.

Findings

The results show that GSCM has a moderate positive impact on EEP. Moreover, all dimensions of GSCM positively influence EEP, and internal environmental management has the most significant effect. Additionally, these two relationships can be moderated by the market environment, regional culture, sampling area and industry type.

Originality/value

This study reveals that GSCM can help improve EEP and draw more general and regular conclusions. This study expands the application of meta-analysis methods in GSCM, partly avoiding the limitations of traditional empirical research methods. In addition, the conclusion of this study explains the reasons for the differences in different research results: some scholars did not incorporate market environment, regional culture, sampling area and industry type as moderators in the research process, thus leading to divergent conclusions in the relationship between GSCM and EEP. Therefore, the research conclusion enriches the theoretical research boundary of GSCM.