bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Physically‐Based Reverse‐Stage Routing Model Considering Lateral Flow for Establishing Normal Rating Curves at Ungauged Upstream River Sections
Authors: Pati Ashutosh , Sahoo Bhabagrahi , Perumal Muthiah
Published: July 2023

Many of the world‐rivers are often ungauged or poorly gauged due to inadequate streamflow monitoring networks. Even with the limited available monitoring stations, only a few of them monitor both stage and discharge data. But when there is a need for estimation of discharges at a gauging station, where only stage data is monitored, one may employ a reverse routing technique using the stage data monitored at a nearby downstream gauging station. This study develops a novel single‐parameter reverse‐stage routing (RSR) model based on the second‐order approximate water surface gradient governing equation to estimate stage and discharge at any scantily‐gauged upstream river section using the known stage information available at the downstream section. A novel criterion is also developed for checking the applicability of the RSR model. Reverse routing experiments, carried out by the RSR model using different hypothetical downstream stage hydrographs in a number of hypothetical trapezoidal and rectangular channel reaches to reproduce the benchmark upstream stage and discharge hydrographs, demonstrate the good performance of the RSR model with the Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency >98%, absolute volume conservation error <1.5%, and an absolute error in peak ≤1%. Subsequently, the RSR model was tested for three real‐river case studies in India and Italy with good reproduction performances, and along with the development of the corresponding normal rating curves at the upstream river sections. The study results reveal that the parsimonious RSR model has good potential for solving reverse routing problems with stable numerical solutions for rivers under ungauged and scantily‐gauged scenarios.
Slab Tearing Underneath the Bransfield Strait, Antarctica
Authors: Parera‐Portell J. A. , Mancilla F. D. L. , Almendros J. , Morales J. , Stich D.
Published: July 2023

We conduct a P‐wave receiver function analysis of the Bransfield Strait (West Antarctica) to determine the lithospheric structure of this back‐arc basin, thanks to 31 temporary and permanent stations. Our main finding is a 15 km tear of the Phoenix slab, coinciding with the location of the 2020–2021 Orca earthquake swarm's epicenters. Teleseismic wave modeling reveals that the two major earthquakes occurred at the base of the crust, suggesting that the swarm could have been triggered by active underplating driven by mantle flow through the slab tear. There is evidence for such an underplating layer at least under Deception Island and for a widespread low velocity zone in the mantle wedge probably undergoing partial melting. We found average crustal thickness (30.5 ± 1.0 km) and Vp/Vs (1.81 ± 0.04) values close to average extended continental crust, although results in the South Shetland Islands are significantly more heterogeneous than in the Antarctic Peninsula.
Magnetic Proxy of Eurasian Loess Revealing Enhanced Physical Erosion Since the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition
Authors: Ning Wenxiao , Zan Jinbo , Heller Friedrich , Fang Xiaomin , Zhang Yuao , Zhang Weilin , Kang Jian , Shen Miaomiao
Published: July 2023

Eolian loess deposits contain valuable information about past climate changes and erosion history in dust source regions. In contrast to the extensive investigations of paleoclimatic implications of Eurasian loess, continental erosion information in the loess deposits has received less attention, particularly on the global or hemispheric scales. The present study combines citrate‐bicarbonate‐dithionite (CBD) magnetic mineral extraction procedures and linear regression of magnetic parameters to analyze Eurasian loess. We find that lithogenic susceptibility of Quaternary loess deposits in Central Asia, Europe and the Chinese Loess Plateau shows synchronous long‐term increases since ∼0.6–0.5 Ma, suggesting intensive glacial erosion and/or river incision to have occurred in the surrounding mountains of dust source regions after the mid‐Pleistocene climate Transition. The dramatic increase in lithogenic susceptibility of Eurasian loess provides new insights into the close relationships between global climate changes and dust source erosion since the late Cenozoic.
Uncertainty of Low‐Degree Space Gravimetry Observations: Surface Processes Versus Earth's Core Signal
Authors: Lecomte Hugo , Rosat Séverine , Mandea Mioara , Boy Jean‐Paul , Pfeffer Julia
Published: July 2023

Space gravity measurements have been mainly used to study the temporal mass variations at the Earth's surface and within the mantle. Nevertheless, mass variations due to the Earth's core might be observable in the gravity field variations as measured by Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE Follow‐On satellites. Earth's core dynamical processes inferred from geomagnetic field measurements are characterized by large‐scale patterns associated with low spherical harmonic degrees of the potential fields. To study these processes, the use of large spatial and inter‐annual temporal filters is needed. To access gravity variations related to the Earth's core, surface effects must be corrected, including hydrological, oceanic or atmospheric loading (Newtonian attraction and mass redistribution). However, these corrections for surface processes add errors to the estimates of the residual gravity field variations enclosing deep Earth's signals. As our goal is to evaluate the possibility to detect signals of core origin embedded in the residual gravity field variations, a quantification of the uncertainty associated with gravity field products and geophysical models used to minimize the surface process signatures is necessary. Here, we estimate the dispersion for GRACE solutions as about 0.34 cm of equivalent water height (EWH) or 20% of the total signal. Uncertainty for hydrological models is as large as 0.89–2.10 cm of EWH. We provide estimates of Earth's core signals whose amplitudes are compared with GRACE gravity field residuals and uncertainties. The results presented here underline how challenging is to get new information about the dynamics of the Earth's core via high‐resolution, high‐accuracy gravity data.
Anomalous Nutricline Drives Marked Biogeochemical Contrasts During the Kuroshio Large Meander
Authors: Hayashida Hakase , Kiss Andrew E. , Miyama Toru , Miyazawa Yasumasa , Yasunaka Sayaka
Published: July 2023

The large meander (LM) of the Kuroshio western boundary current is well known to influence the local climate, fisheries, and aquaculture by greatly modulating regional heat transport, but its impact on biogeochemical processes remains unclear. Using a high‐resolution numerical ocean model and long‐term observational datasets, we show that the path of the Kuroshio south of Japan determines the extent of the shallow nutricline region, where winter convective mixing replenishes nutrient availability for subsequent blooms of phytoplankton during spring. During the LM phase, this mechanism triggers offshore phytoplankton blooms that can be twice as strong as those during the non‐large meander phase. In contrast, spring blooms are weaker in the nearshore region where the nutricline depth is deeper, which reduces the nutrient supply by winter convective mixing during the LM. The LM also modulates the spatial distributions of primary production, air‐sea carbon flux, and export production. Hence, the Kuroshio path variability has broader implications for marine ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles. The biogeochemical impacts of the Kuroshio LM exert bottom‐up control on regional marine ecosystems that may be disproportionate to its thermal effect, and therefore need to be assessed to understand the LM's overall impacts on fisheries and aquaculture.
Associations between diet composition, dietary pattern, and weight outcomes after bariatric surgery: a systematic review
Authors: Cheung H. C. , Strodl E. , Musial J. , MacLaughlin H. L. , Byrnes A. , Lewis C-A. , Ross L. J.
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Literature describing the impact of dietary intake on weight outcomes after bariatric surgery has not been synthesized. This study aimed to synthesize the evidence regarding any association between diet composition and weight outcomes post-bariatric surgery.

Methods

CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase, MEDLINE and Scopus were searched for adult studies up to June 2021 that assessed any association between dietary intakes (≥1-macronutrient, food group, or dietary pattern) and weight outcomes at 12-months or longer after bariatric surgery. Risk of bias and quality assessments were conducted using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network checklists and the NHMRC’s Level of Evidence and Grades for Recommendations. Study findings were presented according to the time of post-surgery dietary intake assessment (≤12months, between 12 and 24 months, ≥24months).

Results

5923 articles were identified, 260 were retrieved for full text screening, and 36 were eligible for inclusion (9 interventional including five randomized-controlled trials, and 27 observational cohort studies; sample sizes: 20–1610; total sample: 5065; follow-up periods: 1 year–12 years; level of evidence: II to IV, risk of bias: low to high). Findings on the association between long-term weight outcomes and dietary composition up to 24-months were mixed. After 24-months, studies consistently suggested no significant associations between weight loss and macronutrient composition or core food group patterns, or between carbohydrate, protein or food group patterns and weight recurrence. A single cohort study reported a weak association between diet quality score and weight-recurrence after 24-months.

Conclusion

There was no strong evidence to support significant associations between diet composition and weight outcomes post-bariatric surgery. The heterogeneity in study design and quality may reduce generalizability to external populations. Individualized dietary recommendations may be useful to support long-term post-surgery weight outcomes. More studies are needed to define and measure diet quality in this patient cohort.

Registration

PROSPERO (CRD42021264120)
Metalens and microtaper spectrometers on a fingertip
Authors: Zheng Peixia , Zhang Xuan , Liu Hong-Chao
Published: July 2023

A multi-foci metalens and a leaky-mode microtaper provide innovative platforms to achieve high-resolution, wideband light spectra in millimeter-sized devices, thereby paving new ways for the commercialization of on-fingertip spectrometers.
Age-related vulnerability of the human brain connectome
Authors: Filippi Massimo , Cividini Camilla , Basaia Silvia , Spinelli Edoardo G. , Castelnovo Veronica , Leocadi Michela , Canu Elisa , Agosta Federica
Published: July 2023

Multifactorial models integrating brain variables at multiple scales are warranted to investigate aging and its relationship with neurodegeneration. Our aim was to evaluate how aging affects functional connectivity of pivotal regions of the human brain connectome (i.e., hubs), which represent potential vulnerability ‘stations’ to aging, and whether such effects influence the functional and structural changes of the whole brain. We combined the information of the functional connectome vulnerability, studied through an innovative graph-analysis approach (stepwise functional connectivity), with brain cortical thinning in aging. Using data from 128 cognitively normal participants (aged 20–85 years), we firstly investigated the topological functional network organization in the optimal healthy condition (i.e., young adults) and observed that fronto-temporo-parietal hubs showed a highly direct functional connectivity with themselves and among each other, while occipital hubs showed a direct functional connectivity within occipital regions and sensorimotor areas. Subsequently, we modeled cortical thickness changes over lifespan, revealing that fronto-temporo-parietal hubs were among the brain regions that changed the most, whereas occipital hubs showed a quite spared cortical thickness across ages. Finally, we found that cortical regions highly functionally linked to the fronto-temporo-parietal hubs in healthy adults were characterized by the greatest cortical thinning along the lifespan, demonstrating that the topology and geometry of hub functional connectome govern the region-specific structural alterations of the brain regions.
Neural mechanisms of emotional health in traumatic brain injury patients undergoing rTMS treatment
Authors: Sultana Tajwar , Hasan Muhammad Abul , Kang Xiaojian , Liou-Johnson Victoria , Adamson Maheen Mausoof , Razi Adeel
Published: July 2023

Emotional dysregulation such as that seen in depression, are a long-term consequence of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), that can be improved by using neuromodulation treatments such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Previous studies provide insights into the changes in functional connectivity related to general emotional health after the application of rTMS procedures in patients with TBI. However, these studies provide little understanding of the underlying neuronal mechanisms that drive the improvement of the emotional health in these patients. The current study focuses on inferring the effective (causal) connectivity changes and their association with emotional health, after rTMS treatment of cognitive problems in TBI patients (N = 32). Specifically, we used resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) together with spectral dynamic causal model (spDCM) to investigate changes in brain effective connectivity, before and after the application of high frequency (10 Hz) rTMS over left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We investigated the effective connectivity of the cortico-limbic network comprised of 11 regions of interest (ROIs) which are part of the default mode, salience, and executive control networks, known to be implicated in emotional processing. The results indicate that overall, among extrinsic connections, the strength of excitatory connections decreased while that of inhibitory connections increased after the neuromodulation. The cardinal region in the analysis was dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) which is considered to be the most influenced during emotional health disorders. Our findings implicate the altered connectivity of dACC with left anterior insula and medial prefrontal cortex, after the application of rTMS, as a potential neural mechanism underlying improvement of emotional health. Our investigation highlights the importance of these brain regions as treatment targets in emotional processing in TBI.
Incubator-based active noise control device: comparison to ear covers and noise reduction zone quantification
Authors: Hutchinson George M. , Wilson Preston S. , Sommerfeldt Scott , Ahmad Kaashif
Published: July 2023

Background

Noise exposure in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is consistently higher than current recommendations. This may adversely affect neonatal sleep, weight gain, and overall health. We sought to evaluate the effect of a novel active noise control (ANC) system.

Methods

An ANC device’s noise reduction performance was compared to that of adhesively affixed foam ear covers in response to alarm and voice sounds in a simulated NICU environment. The zone of noise reduction of the ANC device was quantified with the same set of alarm and voice sounds.

Results

The ANC device provided greater noise reduction than the ear covers in seven of the eight sound sequences tested in which a noise reduction greater than the just noticeable difference was achieved. For noise in the 500 Hz octave band, the ANC device exhibited consistent noise reduction throughout expected patient positions. It provided better performance for noise below 1000 Hz than above 1000 Hz.

Conclusions

The ANC device provided generally superior noise reduction to the ear covers and provided a zone of noise reduction throughout the range where an infant would be placed within an incubator. Implications for patient sleep and weight gain are discussed.

Impact

Active noise control device can effectively reduce noise inside an infant incubator due to bedside device alarms.

This is the first analysis of an incubator-based active noise control device and comparison to adhesively affixed silicone ear covers.

A non-contact noise reduction device may be an appropriate means of reducing noise exposure of the hospitalized preterm infant.
Early maturation and hyperexcitability is a shared phenotype of cortical neurons derived from different ASD-associated mutations
Authors: Hussein Yara , Tripathi Utkarsh , Choudhary Ashwani , Nayak Ritu , Peles David , Rosh Idan , Rabinski Tatiana , Djamus Jose , Vatine Gad David , Spiegel Ronen , Garin-Shkolnik Tali , Stern Shani
Published: July 2023

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized mainly by social and sensory-motor abnormal and repetitive behavior patterns. Over hundreds of genes and thousands of genetic variants were reported to be highly penetrant and causative of ASD. Many of these mutations cause comorbidities such as epilepsy and intellectual disabilities (ID). In this study, we measured cortical neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of patients with four mutations in the genesGRIN2B,SHANK3,UBTF, as well as chromosomal duplication in the 7q11.23 region and compared them to neurons derived from a first-degree relative without the mutation. Using a whole-cell patch-clamp, we observed that the mutant cortical neurons demonstrated hyperexcitability and early maturation compared to control lines. These changes were characterized by increased sodium currents, increased amplitude and rate of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs), and more evoked action potentials in response to current stimulation in early-stage cell development (3–5 weeks post differentiation). These changes that appeared in all the different mutant lines, together with previously reported data, indicate that an early maturation and hyperexcitability may be a convergent phenotype of ASD cortical neurons.
A human leukocyte antigen imputation study uncovers possible genetic interplay between gut inflammatory processes and autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Lombardi Laura , Le Clerc Sigrid , Wu Ching-Lien , Bouassida Jihène , Boukouaci Wahid , Sugusabesan Sobika , Richard Jean-Romain , Lajnef Mohamed , Tison Maxime , Le Corvoisier Philippe , Barau Caroline , Banaschewski Tobias , Holt Rosemary , Durston Sarah , Persico Antonio M. , Oakley Bethany , Loth Eva , Buitelaar Jan , Murphy Declan , Leboyer Marion , Zagury Jean-François , Tamouza Ryad
Published: July 2023

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental conditions that are for subsets of individuals, underpinned by dysregulated immune processes, including inflammation, autoimmunity, and dysbiosis. Consequently, the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-hosted human leukocyte antigen (HLA) has been implicated in ASD risk, although seldom investigated. By utilizing a GWAS performed by the EU-AIMS consortium (LEAP cohort), we compared HLA and MHC genetic variants, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), and haplotypes in ASD individuals, versus typically developing controls. We uncovered six SNPs, namely rs9268528, rs9268542, rs9268556, rs14004, rs9268557, and rs8084 that crossed the Bonferroni threshold, which form the underpinnings of 3 independent genetic pathways/blocks that differentially associate with ASD. Block 1 (rs9268528-G, rs9268542-G, rs9268556-C, and rs14004-A) afforded protection against ASD development, whilst the two remaining blocks, namely rs9268557-T, and rs8084-A, associated with heightened risk. rs8084 and rs14004 mapped to the HLA‐DRA gene, whilst the four other SNPs located in the BTNL2 locus. Different combinations amongst BTNL2 SNPs and HLA amino acid variants or classical alleles were found either to afford protection from or contribute to ASD risk, indicating a genetic interplay between BTNL2 and HLA. Interestingly, the detected variants had transcriptional and/or quantitative traits loci implications. As BTNL2 modulates gastrointestinal homeostasis and the identified HLA alleles regulate the gastrointestinal tract in celiac disease, it is proposed that the data on ASD risk may be linked to genetically regulated gut inflammatory processes. These findings might have implications for the prevention and treatment of ASD, via the targeting of gut-related processes.
Sexual health and serotonin 4 receptor brain binding in unmedicated patients with depression—a NeuroPharm study
Authors: Rasmussen Annika Læbo , Larsen Søren Vinther , Ozenne Brice , Köhler-Forsberg Kristin , Stenbæk Dea Siggaard , Jørgensen Martin Balslev , Giraldi Annamaria , Frokjaer Vibe G.
Published: July 2023

Sexual dysfunction is prominent in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and affects women with depression more than men. Patients with MDD relative to healthy controls have lower brain levels of the serotonin 4 receptor (5-HT4R), which is expressed with high density in the striatum, i.e. a key hub of the reward system. Reduced sexual desire is putatively related to disturbed reward processing and may index anhedonia in MDD. Here, we aim to illuminate plausible underlying neurobiology of sexual dysfunction in unmedicated patients with MDD. We map associations between 5-HT4R binding, as imaged with [11C]SB207145 PET, in the striatum, and self-reported sexual function. We also evaluate if pre-treatment sexual desire score predicts 8-week treatment outcome in women. From the NeuroPharm study, we include 85 untreated MDD patients (71% women) who underwent eight weeks of antidepressant drug treatment. In the mixed sex group, we find no difference in 5-HT4R binding between patients with sexual dysfunction vs normal sexual function. However, in women we find lower 5-HT4R binding in the sexual dysfunctional group compared to women with normal sexual function (β = −0.36, 95%CI[−0.62:−0.09], p = 0.009) as well as a positive association between sexual desire and 5-HT4R binding (β = 0.07, 95%CI [0.02:0.13], p = 0.012). Sexual desire at baseline do not predict treatment outcome (ROC curve AUC = 52%[36%:67%]) in women. Taken together, we find evidence for a positive association between sexual desire and striatal 5-HT4R availability in women with depression. Interestingly, this raises the question if direct 5-HT4R agonism can target reduced sexual desire or anhedonia in MDD.
Effect of silver diamine fluoride/potassium iodide treatment on the prevention of dental erosion in primary teeth: an in vitro study
Authors: Gadallah Lamia Khairy , Safwat Engie Mohamed , Saleh Reham Sayed , Azab Shereen Musa , Azab Maha Moussa
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Dental erosion has a great effect on oral health, when diagnosed it is irreversible, this sets the importance of different preventive measures being investigated against dental erosion.

Aim

This in vitro study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of silver diamine fluoride and Potassium iodide (SDF-KI) in comparison to casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate fluoride (CPP-ACPF) varnish, sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish, silver diamine fluoride (SDF) alone and deionized water as a control group in the prevention of dental erosion in primary teeth and assessing its staining effect.

Materials and methods

Forty deciduous teeth enamel specimens were randomly allocated into the five study groups. Tested materials were applied. An erosive challenge was done by immersing the specimens in a citric acid-containing soft drink with pH 2.85, for 5 min, 4 times/day, for 5 days. Changes in surface microhardness, mineral loss, and color change were evaluated besides recording of the surface topography and surface roughness for selected specimens.

Results

The highest decrease in surface microhardness was recorded in the control group (−85.21 ± 10.60%), with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.002). SDF-KI group (−61.49 ± 21.08%) showed no statistically significant difference when compared to CPP-ACPF, NaF, and SDF groups. For calcium and phosphorous loss, control group was statistically significantly higher compared to the treatment groups (p = 0.003) and (p < 0.001) respectively, while there was no statistically significant difference between the tested treatment groups. The highest mean value for color change was recorded in SDF group (26.26 ± 10.31), followed by SDF-KI group (21.22 ± 12.87) with no statistically significant difference between groups.

Conclusions

SDF-KI is as effective as CPP-ACPF, NaF varnishes and SDF in the prevention of dental erosion in primary teeth, there was no statistically significant difference regarding its staining potential.
Diacylglycerol lipase alpha promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and induces lenvatinib resistance by enhancing YAP activity
Authors: Yan Yu-Chuan , Meng Guang-Xiao , Yang Chun-Cheng , Yang Ya-Fei , Tan Si-Yu , Yan Lun-Jie , Ding Zi-Niu , Ma Yun-Long , Dong Zhao-Ru , Li Tao
Published: July 2023

As an important hydrolytic enzyme that yields 2-AG and free fatty acids, diacylglycerol lipase alpha (DAGLA) is involved in exacerbating malignant phenotypes and cancer progression, but the role of the DAGLA/2-AG axis in HCC progression remains unclear. Here, we found that the upregulation of components of the DAGLA/2-AG axis in HCC samples is correlated with tumour stage and patient prognosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the DAGLA/2-AG axis promoted HCC progression by regulating cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Mechanistically, the DAGLA/2AG axis significantly inhibited LATS1 and YAP phosphorylation, promoted YAP nuclear translocation and activity, and ultimately led to TEAD2 upregulation and increased PHLDA2 expression, which could be enhanced by DAGLA/2AG-induced activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. More importantly, DAGLA induced resistance to lenvatinib therapy during HCC treatment. Our study demonstrates that inhibiting the DAGLA/2-AG axis could be a novel therapeutic strategy to inhibit HCC progression and enhance the therapeutic effects of TKIs, which warrant further clinical studies.
Effectiveness and safety of XEN45 implant over 12 months of follow-up: data from the XEN-Glaucoma Treatment Registry
Authors: Oddone Francesco , Roberti Gloria , Giammaria Sara , Posarelli Chiara , Ghirelli Giorgio , Mastropasqua Leonardo , Agnifili Luca , Micelli Ferrari Tommaso , Pace Vincenzo , Nucci Paolo , Sacchi Matteo , Monsellato Gianluca , Altafini Romeo , Scuderi Gianluca , Perdicchi Andrea , Uva Maurizio , Carnevale Carmela , Covello Giuseppe , Maglionico Maria Novella , Fea Antonio , Figus Michele
Published: July 2023

Objectives

To evaluate the 1-year effectiveness and safety of the XEN45, either alone or in combination with phacoemulsification, in glaucoma patients.

Methods

This multicentre, prospective, observational study included consecutive eyes of glaucoma patients from the Italian XEN-Glaucoma Treatment Registry (XEN-GTR) who underwent XEN45 alone or in combination with phacoemulsification, with at least 1 year of follow-up. Surgical success was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) < 18 mmHg and ≥20% reduction from preoperative IOP, over 1 year of follow-up.

Results

Two hundred thirty-nine eyes (239 patients) were analyzed, 144 (60.2%) eyes in the XEN-solo and 95 (39.8%) eyes in the XEN+Phaco groups. One hundred-sixty-eight (70.3%) eyes achieved overall success, without statistically significant differences between study groups (p = 0.07). Preoperative IOP dropped from a median (IQR) of 23.0 (20.0–26.0) mmHg to 14.0 (12.0–16.0) mmHg at month 12 (p < 0.001), with overall 39.9 ± 18.3% IOP reduction. The mean number of preoperative ocular hypotensive medications (OHM) was significantly reduced from 2.7 ± 0.9 to 0.5 ± 0.9 at month 12 (p < 0.001). Preoperative IOP < 15 mmHg (HR: 6.63; 95%CI: 2.61–16.84, p < 0.001) and temporal position of the surgeon (HR: 4.25; 95%CI: 2.62–6.88, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with surgery failure. One hundred-forty-six (61.1%) eyes had no intraoperative complications, whereas 91 (38.1%) and 56 (23.4%) eyes experienced at least one complication, respectively early (< month 1) and late (≥ month 1), all self-limiting or successfully treated without sequelae. Needling occurred in 55 (23.0%) eyes at least once during follow-up.

Conclusion

Over 1-year follow-up, XEN45 alone or in combination with phacoemulsification, had comparable success rates and effectively and safely lowered IOP and the need for OHM.
A mid-Cambrian tunicate and the deep origin of the ascidiacean body plan
Authors: Nanglu Karma , Lerosey-Aubril Rudy , Weaver James C. , Ortega-Hernández Javier
Published: July 2023

Tunicates are an evolutionarily significant subphylum of marine chordates, with their phylogenetic position as the sister-group to Vertebrata making them key to unraveling our own deep time origin. Tunicates greatly vary with regards to morphology, ecology, and life cycle, but little is known about the early evolution of the group, e.g. whether their last common ancestor lived freely in the water column or attached to the seafloor. Additionally, tunicates have a poor fossil record, which includes only one taxon with preserved soft-tissues. Here we describe Megasiphon thylakos nov., a 500-million-year-old tunicate from the Marjum Formation of Utah, which features a barrel-shaped body with two long siphons and prominent longitudinal muscles. The ascidiacean-like body of this new species suggests two alternative hypotheses for early tunicate evolution. The most likely scenario posits M. thylakos belongs to stem-group Tunicata, suggesting that a biphasic life cycle, with a planktonic larva and a sessile epibenthic adult, is ancestral for this entire subphylum. Alternatively, a position within the crown-group indicates that the divergence between appendicularians and all other tunicates occurred 50 million years earlier than currently estimated based on molecular clocks. Ultimately, M. thylakos demonstrates that fundamental components of the modern tunicate body plan were already established shortly after the Cambrian Explosion.
Important role of endogenous microbial symbionts of fish gills in the challenging but highly biodiverse Amazonian blackwaters
Authors: François-Étienne Sylvain , Nicolas Leroux , Eric Normandeau , Jaqueline Custodio , Pierre-Luc Mercier , Sidki Bouslama , Aleicia Holland , Danilo Barroso , Luis Val Adalberto , Nicolas Derome
Published: July 2023

Amazonian blackwaters are extremely biodiverse systems containing some of Earth’s most naturally acidic, dissolved organic carbon -rich and ion‐poor waters. Physiological adaptations of fish facing these ionoregulatory challenges are unresolved but could involve microbially-mediated processes. Here, we characterize the physiological response of 964 fish-microbe systems from four blackwater Teleost species along a natural hydrochemical gradient, using dual RNA-Seq and 16 S rRNA of gill samples. We find that host transcriptional responses to blackwaters are species-specific, but occasionally include the overexpression of Toll-receptors and integrins associated to interkingdom communication. Blackwater gill microbiomes are characterized by a transcriptionally-active betaproteobacterial cluster potentially interfering with epithelial permeability. We explore further blackwater fish-microbe interactions by analyzing transcriptomes of axenic zebrafish larvae exposed to sterile, non-sterile and inverted (non-native bacterioplankton) blackwater. We find that axenic zebrafish survive poorly when exposed to sterile/inverted blackwater. Overall, our results suggest a critical role for endogenous symbionts in blackwater fish physiology.
Ultrasensitive mechanical/thermal response of a P(VDF-TrFE) sensor with a tailored network interconnection interface
Authors: Li Bo , Cai Chuanyang , Liu Yang , Wang Fang , Yang Bin , Li Qikai , Zhang Pengxiang , Deng Biao , Hou Pengfei , Liu Weishu
Published: July 2023

Ferroelectric polymers have great potential applications in mechanical/thermal sensing, but their sensitivity and detection limit are still not outstanding. We propose interface engineering to improve the charge collection in a ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) copolymer (P(VDF-TrFE)) thin film via cross-linking with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) layer. The as-fabricated P(VDF-TrFE)/PEDOT:PSS composite film exhibits an ultrasensitive and linear mechanical/thermal response, showing sensitivities of 2.2 V kPa−1 in the pressure range of 0.025–100 kPa and 6.4 V K−1 in the temperature change range of 0.05–10 K. A corresponding piezoelectric coefficient of −86 pC N−1 and a pyroelectric coefficient of 95 μC m−2 K−1 are achieved because more charge is collected by the network interconnection interface between PEDOT:PSS and P(VDF-TrFE), related to the increase in the dielectric properties. Our work shines a light on a device-level technique route for boosting the sensitivity of ferroelectric polymer sensors through electrode interface engineering.
A spatio-temporal analysis investigating completeness and inequalities of global urban building data in OpenStreetMap
Authors: Herfort Benjamin , Lautenbach Sven , Porto de Albuquerque João , Anderson Jennings , Zipf Alexander
Published: July 2023

OpenStreetMap (OSM) has evolved as a popular dataset for global urban analyses, such as assessing progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. However, many analyses do not account for the uneven spatial coverage of existing data. We employ a machine-learning model to infer the completeness of OSM building stock data for 13,189 urban agglomerations worldwide. For 1,848 urban centres (16% of the urban population), OSM building footprint data exceeds 80% completeness, but completeness remains lower than 20% for 9,163 cities (48% of the urban population). Although OSM data inequalities have recently receded, partially as a result of humanitarian mapping efforts, a complex unequal pattern of spatial biases remains, which vary across various human development index groups, population sizes and geographic regions. Based on these results, we provide recommendations for data producers and urban analysts to manage the uneven coverage of OSM data, as well as a framework to support the assessment of completeness biases.
Multiomics analysis of naturally efficacious lipid nanoparticle coronas reveals high-density lipoprotein is necessary for their function
Authors: Liu Kai , Nilsson Ralf , Lázaro-Ibáñez Elisa , Duàn Hanna , Miliotis Tasso , Strimfors Marie , Lerche Michael , Salgado Ribeiro Ana Rita , Ulander Johan , Lindén Daniel , Salvati Anna , Sabirsh Alan
Published: July 2023

In terms of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) engineering, the relationship between particle composition, delivery efficacy, and the composition of the biocoronas that form around LNPs, is poorly understood. To explore this we analyze naturally efficacious biocorona compositions using an unbiased screening workflow. First, LNPs are complexed with plasma samples, from individual lean or obese male rats, and then functionally evaluated in vitro. Then, a fast, automated, and miniaturized method retrieves the LNPs with intact biocoronas, and multiomics analysis of the LNP-corona complexes reveals the particle corona content arising from each individual plasma sample. We find that the most efficacious LNP-corona complexes were enriched with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and, compared to the commonly used corona-biomarker Apolipoprotein E, corona HDL content was a superior predictor of in-vivo activity. Using technically challenging and clinically relevant lipid nanoparticles, these methods reveal a previously unreported role for HDL as a source of ApoE and, form a framework for improving LNP therapeutic efficacy by controlling corona composition.
A deep learning approach for morphological feature extraction based on variational auto-encoder: an application to mandible shape
Authors: Tsutsumi Masato , Saito Nen , Koyabu Daisuke , Furusawa Chikara
Published: July 2023

Shape measurements are crucial for evolutionary and developmental biology; however, they present difficulties in the objective and automatic quantification of arbitrary shapes. Conventional approaches are based on anatomically prominent landmarks, which require manual annotations by experts. Here, we develop a machine-learning approach by presenting morphological regulated variational AutoEncoder (Morpho-VAE), an image-based deep learning framework, to conduct landmark-free shape analysis. The proposed architecture combines the unsupervised and supervised learning models to reduce dimensionality by focusing on morphological features that distinguish data with different labels. We applied the method to primate mandible image data. The extracted morphological features reflected the characteristics of the families to which the organisms belonged, despite the absence of correlation between the extracted morphological features and phylogenetic distance. Furthermore, we demonstrated the reconstruction of missing segments from incomplete images. The proposed method provides a flexible and promising tool for analyzing a wide variety of image data of biological shapes even those with missing segments.
Interstitial-fluid shear stresses induced by vertically oscillating head motion lower blood pressure in hypertensive rats and humans
Authors: Murase Shuhei , Sakitani Naoyoshi , Maekawa Takahiro , Yoshino Daisuke , Takano Kouji , Konno Ayumu , Hirai Hirokazu , Saito Taku , Tanaka Sakae , Shinohara Keisuke , Kishi Takuya , Yoshikawa Yuki , Sakai Takamasa , Ayaori Makoto , Inanami Hirohiko , Tomiyasu Koji , Takashima Atsushi , Ogata Toru , Tsuchimochi Hirotsugu , Sato Shinya , Saito Shigeyoshi , Yoshino Kohzoh , Matsuura Yuiko , Funamoto Kenichi , Ochi Hiroki , Shinohara Masahiro , Nagao Motoshi , Sawada Yasuhiro
Published: July 2023

The mechanisms by which physical exercise benefits brain functions are not fully understood. Here, we show that vertically oscillating head motions mimicking mechanical accelerations experienced during fast walking, light jogging or treadmill running at a moderate velocity reduce the blood pressure of rats and human adults with hypertension. In hypertensive rats, shear stresses of less than 1 Pa resulting from interstitial-fluid flow induced by such passive head motions reduced the expression of the angiotensin II type-1 receptor in astrocytes in the rostral ventrolateral medulla, and the resulting antihypertensive effects were abrogated by hydrogel introduction that inhibited interstitial-fluid movement in the medulla. Our findings suggest that oscillatory mechanical interventions could be used to elicit antihypertensive effects.
Dynamic de novo heterochromatin assembly and disassembly at replication forks ensures fork stability
Authors: Gaggioli Vincent , Lo Calvin S. Y. , Reverón-Gómez Nazaret , Jasencakova Zuzana , Domenech Heura , Nguyen Hong , Sidoli Simone , Tvardovskiy Andrey , Uruci Sidrit , Slotman Johan A. , Chai Yi , Gonçalves João G. S. C. Souto , Manolika Eleni Maria , Jensen Ole N. , Wheeler David , Sridharan Sriram , Chakrabarty Sanjiban , Demmers Jeroen , Kanaar Roland , Groth Anja , Taneja Nitika
Published: July 2023

Chromatin is dynamically reorganized when DNA replication forks are challenged. However, the process of epigenetic reorganization and its implication for fork stability is poorly understood. Here we discover a checkpoint-regulated cascade of chromatin signalling that activates the histone methyltransferase EHMT2/G9a to catalyse heterochromatin assembly at stressed replication forks. Using biochemical and single molecule chromatin fibre approaches, we show that G9a together with SUV39h1 induces chromatin compaction by accumulating the repressive modifications, H3K9me1/me2/me3, in the vicinity of stressed replication forks. This closed conformation is also favoured by the G9a-dependent exclusion of the H3K9-demethylase JMJD1A/KDM3A, which facilitates heterochromatin disassembly upon fork restart. Untimely heterochromatin disassembly from stressed forks by KDM3A enables PRIMPOL access, triggering single-stranded DNA gap formation and sensitizing cells towards chemotherapeutic drugs. These findings may help in explaining chemotherapy resistance and poor prognosis observed in patients with cancer displaying elevated levels of G9a/H3K9me3.
Class 3 PI3K coactivates the circadian clock to promote rhythmic de novo purine synthesis
Authors: Alkhoury Chantal , Henneman Nathaniel F. , Petrenko Volodymyr , Shibayama Yui , Segaloni Arianna , Gadault Alexis , Nemazanyy Ivan , Le Guillou Edouard , Wolide Amare Desalegn , Antoniadou Konstantina , Tong Xin , Tamaru Teruya , Ozawa Takeaki , Girard Muriel , Hnia Karim , Lutter Dominik , Dibner Charna , Panasyuk Ganna
Published: July 2023

Metabolic demands fluctuate rhythmically and rely on coordination between the circadian clock and nutrient-sensing signalling pathways, yet mechanisms of their interaction remain not fully understood. Surprisingly, we find that class 3 phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), known best for its essential role as a lipid kinase in endocytosis and lysosomal degradation by autophagy, has an overlooked nuclear function in gene transcription as a coactivator of the heterodimeric transcription factor and circadian driver Bmal1–Clock. Canonical pro-catabolic functions of class 3 PI3K in trafficking rely on the indispensable complex between the lipid kinase Vps34 and regulatory subunit Vps15. We demonstrate that although both subunits of class 3 PI3K interact with RNA polymerase II and co-localize with active transcription sites, exclusive loss of Vps15 in cells blunts the transcriptional activity of Bmal1–Clock. Thus, we establish non-redundancy between nuclear Vps34 and Vps15, reflected by the persistent nuclear pool of Vps15 in Vps34-depleted cells and the ability of Vps15 to coactivate Bmal1–Clock independently of its complex with Vps34. In physiology we find that Vps15 is required for metabolic rhythmicity in liver and, unexpectedly, it promotes pro-anabolic de novo purine nucleotide synthesis. We show that Vps15 activates the transcription of Ppat, a key enzyme for the production of inosine monophosphate, a central metabolic intermediate for purine synthesis. Finally, we demonstrate that in fasting, which represses clock transcriptional activity, Vps15 levels are decreased on the promoters of Bmal1 targets, Nr1d1 and Ppat. Our findings open avenues for establishing the complexity for nuclear class 3 PI3K signalling for temporal regulation of energy homeostasis.
De novo detection of somatic mutations in high-throughput single-cell profiling data sets
Authors: Muyas Francesc , Sauer Carolin M. , Valle-Inclán Jose Espejo , Li Ruoyan , Rahbari Raheleh , Mitchell Thomas J. , Hormoz Sahand , Cortés-Ciriano Isidro
Published: July 2023

Characterization of somatic mutations at single-cell resolution is essential to study cancer evolution, clonal mosaicism and cell plasticity. Here, we describe SComatic, an algorithm designed for the detection of somatic mutations in single-cell transcriptomic and ATAC-seq (assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequence) data sets directly without requiring matched bulk or single-cell DNA sequencing data. SComatic distinguishes somatic mutations from polymorphisms, RNA-editing events and artefacts using filters and statistical tests parameterized on non-neoplastic samples. Using >2.6 million single cells from 688 single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) and single-cell ATAC-seq (scATAC-seq) data sets spanning cancer and non-neoplastic samples, we show that SComatic detects mutations in single cells accurately, even in differentiated cells from polyclonal tissues that are not amenable to mutation detection using existing methods. Validated against matched genome sequencing and scRNA-seq data, SComatic achieves F1 scores between 0.6 and 0.7 across diverse data sets, in comparison to 0.2–0.4 for the second-best performing method. In summary, SComatic permits de novo mutational signature analysis, and the study of clonal heterogeneity and mutational burdens at single-cell resolution.
A prognostic risk score for development and spread of chronic pain
Authors: Tanguay-Sabourin Christophe , Fillingim Matt , Guglietti Gianluca V. , Zare Azin , Parisien Marc , Norman Jax , Sweatman Hilary , Da-ano Ronrick , Heikkala Eveliina ,   PREVENT-AD Research Group, Breitner John C. S. , Menes Julien , Poirier Judes , Tremblay-Mercier Jennifer , Perez Jordi , Karppinen Jaro , Villeneuve Sylvia , Thompson Scott J. , Martel Marc O. , Roy Mathieu , Diatchenko Luda , Vachon-Presseau Etienne
Published: July 2023

Chronic pain is a complex condition influenced by a combination of biological, psychological and social factors. Using data from the UK Biobank (n = 493,211), we showed that pain spreads from proximal to distal sites and developed a biopsychosocial model that predicted the number of coexisting pain sites. This data-driven model was used to identify a risk score that classified various chronic pain conditions (area under the curve (AUC) 0.70–0.88) and pain-related medical conditions (AUC 0.67–0.86). In longitudinal analyses, the risk score predicted the development of widespread chronic pain, the spreading of chronic pain across body sites and high-impact pain about 9 years later (AUC 0.68–0.78). Key risk factors included sleeplessness, feeling ‘fed-up’, tiredness, stressful life events and a body mass index >30. A simplified version of this score, named the risk of pain spreading, obtained similar predictive performance based on six simple questions with binarized answers. The risk of pain spreading was then validated in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort (n = 5,525) and the PREVENT-AD cohort (n = 178), obtaining comparable predictive performance. Our findings show that chronic pain conditions can be predicted from a common set of biopsychosocial factors, which can aid in tailoring research protocols, optimizing patient randomization in clinical trials and improving pain management.
Dataset of annual metal scrap circularity of titanium industry in China from 2005 to 2020
Authors: Wang Wenhao , Wu Fuzhong
Published: July 2023

Titanium products, regarded as a strategic metal by many national governments, play important and irreplaceable roles in national defence and military applications. China has built a large-scale titanium industrial chain, and its status and development pathways will greatly affect the global market. Several researchers contributed a set of reliable statistical data to bridge the knowledge gap in evaluating the industrial layout and the entire structure of China’s titanium industry with little literature information regarding the management of metal scrap in the manufacturers of titanium products. To bridge this data gap, we present a dataset of annual metal scrap circularity to uncover China’s evolution of the titanium industry today, which contains off-grade titanium sponge, low-grade titanium scrap, and recycled high-grade titanium swarf with the relevant circularity of the titanium industry in China at the national level from 2005 to 2020.