bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interdisziplinäre Aufarbeitung von kritischen
Notfällen in der Geburtshilfe
Authors: Kainer Franz
Published: June 2022

Ein Debriefing im Anschluss an einen Notfall trägt dazu bei, dass Fehler
sich nicht wiederholen, und verringert die Belastungsfolgen bei den
Teammitgliedern. Das folgende Fallbeispiel zeigt, wie sich ein solches
Debriefing im Klinikalltag durchführen lässt.
Nachhaltigkeit – ein Wegweiser der zukunftsorientierten
Hebammenarbeit
Authors: Frey Nele
Published: June 2022

Im Rahmen einer Bachelorarbeit im Fachbereich Hebammenkunde wurden mittels einer
qualitativen Herangehensweise Gründe für den Verbleib von
Kreißsaal-Hebammen im Beruf identifiziert. Arbeiten dieser und
ähnlicher Thematik bereichern die Nachhaltigkeitsdebatte im deutschen
Hebammenwesen und legen einen Grundstein für die zukunftsorientierte
Hebammenarbeit.
Metastatic Primary Neuroendocrine Tumor of Ovary—A Rare Presentation
Authors: Saha Sanghamitra , Ghosh Priya , Mukherjee Geetashree , Roy Arunava
Published: June 2022

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) occur more commonly in lungs, gastrointestinal tract, or pancreas. NETs in locations such as ovaries are rare, and they have been described mainly in case reports. Here we describe a patient with primary NET of ovary presenting with distant metastases to peritoneum, liver, lung, and mediastinal lymph nodes.
Involvement of Epigenomic Factors in Bile Duct Cancer
Authors: Rogalska-Taranta Magdalena , Andersen Jesper B.
Published: June 2022

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the second most common type of primary liver cancer. Due to its often-silent manifestation, sporadic nature, and typically late clinical presentation, it remains difficult to diagnose and lacks effective nonsurgical therapeutic options. Extensive research aiming in understanding the mechanisms underlying this disease have provided strong evidence for the significance of epigenetics contributing to its onset, progression, and dissemination. This dysregulation in a myriad of signaling pathways, leading to malignancy, spans altered deoxyribonucleic acid and histone methylation, histone acetylation, and chromatin remodeling, as well as genetic modifications in essential genes controlling these epigenetic processes. An advantage to epigenetic modifications is that they, compared with mutations, are reversible and can partially be controlled by inhibiting the responsible enzymatic machinery. This opens novel possibilities for developing new treatment modalities with benefit for CCA patients.

In this article, we have reviewed the current status of epigenome modifications described in CCA, including the role of posttranslational histone modifications and chromatin remodeling, as well as novel advances in treatment options.
Biomarker Development Using Liquid Biopsy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Grinspan Lauren Tal , Villanueva Augusto
Published: June 2022

Liver cancer incidence rate continues to increase and currently ranks third in the total number of annual deaths, behind only lung and colorectal cancer. Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are diagnosed at advanced stages, and they live for less than 2 years after diagnosis on average. This contrasts with those diagnosed at an early stage, who can be cured with surgery. However, even after curative resection, there remains a risk of up to 70% of postoperative HCC recurrence. There have been major changes in the management of HCC in the past 5 years, particularly for patients at advanced stages. Despite this multitude of new therapies, there is a lack of clear biomarkers to guide providers on the best approach to sequence therapies, which would maximize efficacy while minimizing toxicity. There are several areas in clinical management of HCC that are particularly challenging, and would benefit from development and implementation of new biomarkers to improve patient overall survival. Here, we review the major advances in liquid biopsy biomarkers for early detection of HCC, minimum residual disease, and predicting response to treatment.
Profiles of the Patients and Their Referral Patterns Visiting the Psychiatry Clinic of a General Hospital Setting Located in a Mental Health Resource Deficient Region of India: A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Gupta Snehil , Rozatkar Abhijit R. , Chaudhary Pooja , KK Adhil , Vullanki Sai Sreeja , Kachhawaha Gaurav
Published: June 2022

Objectives Treatment for mental health problems is determined by cultural, health infrastructure, and illness-related factors. Literature is sparse from India, particularly from the mental health resources-deficient regions of the country such as central India. Therefore, the current study is aimed at assessing the profile of the patients visiting the psychiatry outpatient facility (OPF) of a tertiary-care general hospital setting (GHS), their referral patterns, and their determinants.

Materials and Methods A retrospective chart review of the newly registered individuals (October 2019 to March 2020) in the psychiatry OPF of the GHS from Central India was used in the study. Data (sociodemographic profiles, illness characteristics, and referral patterns) were extracted as per the standard guidelines.

Statistical Analysis Descriptive statistics were used to represent sociodemographic, illness-, and past treatment-related characteristics of the participants. Chi-squared test was used to compare the referral characteristics of the two groups (self-referred patients vs. those referred by others, dependent variable) with regard to characteristics of the patients (independent variables).

Results A total of 418 individuals were registered in the clinic. Most individuals suffered from the neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform group of disorders (n = 231, 39.5%). More than halves were self-referred; most were referred from the internal medicine and allied departments. Being male, having at least graduate degree (χ2df(1) = 4.25 to 6.79, p < 0.05), suffering from organic mental-, psychotic-, and recurrent affective-disorders, and positive family history (χ2df(1) = 4.91 to 21.76, p < 0.05 to <0.001) along with first treatment attempt or previous treatment from the traditional healers, and absence of co-occurring medical illness were associated with self-referral (vs. referred by others) (χ2df(1) = 4.64 to 17.6, p < 0.05 to <0.001).

Conclusions GHS has a characteristic referral pattern. The referral patterns of the patients for various psychiatric problems are determined by their sociodemographic, illness, and cultural characteristics; particularly, poor mental health literacy (among the patients-caregivers), stigma related to mental disorders, and unavailability of the mental health services act as major determinants. Sensitizing the patients-caregivers and health-care professionals concerning this could facilitate an early engagement with the psychiatric treatment. Future research needs to explore this phenomenon in greater detail, maybe by qualitative methods.
18F-FDG PET-CT in Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome
Authors: Tan Teik Hin , Rajasuriar Jay Suriar
Published: June 2022

Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) has demonstrated its usefulness in evaluating nonspecific abdominal and inflammatory symptoms. We report a case of young woman with chronic right upper quadrant abdominal pain. Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET-CT showed subhepatic hypermetabolism. Subsequent diagnostic laparoscopy confirmed the uncommon diagnosis of Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome.
Steuersatz: Aktuelles zur Umsatzbesteuerung von Fertigarzneimitteln
Authors: Theisges Stefanie , Lisson Stefanie
Published: June 2022

Gesetzliche Krankenkassen erheben Rückforderungen auf wohlmöglich zu viel gezahlte Umsatzsteuer. Ein eindeutiger Erlass der Finanzverwaltung fehlt bisher.
Japan’s R&D capabilities have been decimated by reduced class hours for science and math subjects
Authors: Nishimura Kazuo , Miyamoto Dai , Yagi Tadashi
Published: June 2022

The number of published scientific papers and patent applications are indicators of a country’s research and development (R&D) capabilities. Since the 2010s, these indicators have declined in Japan. One important reason for this decline is the change in science and mathematics education provided in schools. Education in school can greatly impact the quality of future researchers in science. To examine the impact of the number of class hours in science and mathematics that researchers received in school over the past 50 years, this study analysed data from two surveys conducted in 2016 and 2020. The results show that there is a decline in the number of patents for the younger generation that cannot be explained by age differences, and it is highly correlated with a decline in the total number of hours of science and math in junior high school. Educational policies influence student attitudes towards learning. Changes should be implemented only after validating their effects from a long-term perspective because education policies may have unintended negative impacts on a country’s economic growth.
Adiabatic and isothermal configurations for Re4Si7 transverse thermoelectric power generators
Authors: Scudder Michael R. , Koster Karl G. , Heremans Joseph P. , Goldberger Joshua E.
Published: June 2022

Transverse thermoelectric generators (TTEGs) have the potential to overcome two challenging problems that limit the commercial application of classical thermoelectric generators (TEGs): the significant irreversible efficiency losses in the contacts and the thermal degradation of the contacts at the hot end. TTEGs are built from a single material that can generate a thermoelectric current in a direction that is orthogonal to a temperature gradient. They only require a single set of contacts that are displaced away from the hot end. Here, we experimentally explore the device design considerations for optimizing the performance of this far less explored class of thermal-to-electric generation devices. We fabricate Re4Si7 TTEGs and show that there is no measurable loss in efficiency with a single set of contacts that are midway between the hot and cold ends. We show that a new effect must be considered: the appearance of transverse thermal gradients that lead to significant differences between the performance of TTEGs implemented in isothermal and adiabatic geometries. The isothermal TTEG configuration leads to much higher device efficiencies. Overall, this work highlights how different the design of TTEGs is from that of conventional TEGs and the importance of controlling the device geometry for optimum waste heat recovery.
Fast imaging of laser ablation of cerium: Dependence of plasma plume dynamics and structure on native oxide growth
Authors: Auner A. W. , Crowhurst J. C. , Nagel L. A. , Weisz D. G. , Rousso A. C. , Knight K. B.
Published: June 2022

We have imaged the evolution of plasma following nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of cerium in air with sub-10 ns resolution. We find the ablated plasma plume expansion and shape to be strongly dependent on the time after mechanical polishing of the sample surface. After an initial shock front common to both new and aged samples (velocities up to 16 km s−1), we observe a second front that is relatively localized to the surface vicinity of newly polished samples, but in the case of older samples it moves outward at velocities of up to 4 km s−1. We attribute this behavior to the formation and growth of a native oxide layer on the order of hours after polishing. These results demonstrate that plasma imaging can be used to diagnose the presence of, and evaluate the extent of, thin surface oxides or other compounds that form soon after exposure to some atmosphere. These findings also highlight the need to explicitly consider the presence of such overlayers when modeling laser/metal interaction, when making measurements of vapor phase chemistry, and when analyzing the composition, phase, and morphology of solid particulates formed after the ablation of reactive metals.
Numerical simulation of temperature variation in water layer induced by thermal jet in weak stratified environment
Authors: Luo Feiyang , Shuai Changgeng , Du Yongcheng , Ma Jianguo
Published: June 2022

In order to explore the rising and diffusing path of an underwater thermal jet and the temperature variation of each water layer in the typical ocean thermohaline stratified environment, a three-dimensional mass-heat transport model of the thermal jet in a weak stratified environment was built by using the Detached-Eddy Simulation method and Volume of Fluid model to simulate the whole life evolution process of the thermal jet in different depths, temperature difference, and flow rate. A series of characteristic parameters were constructed to quantitatively evaluate the temperature change of the water layer caused by the thermal jet. The results show that the disturbance of the thermal jet on the environmental water body will lead to a change in the distribution of the isothermal layer. Under the combined influence of thermal conduction, thermal convection, and entrainment, thermal signals, cold–thermal mixing signals, or cold signals may appear in different water layers, and the boundary distribution and range of the water layer are decided by the jet parameters and the relative position between the jet and water surface.
Diet quality, liveweight change and responses to N supplements by cattle grazing
Authors: Dixon R. M. , Sullivan M. T. , O’Connor S. N. , Mayer R. J.
Published: June 2022

Experiments during 4 years examined the diets selected, growth, and responses to N supplements by Bos indicus-cross steers grazing summer-rainfall semi-arid C4 Astrebla spp. (Mitchell grass) rangelands at a site in north-western Queensland, Australia. Paddock groups of steers were not supplemented (T-NIL), or were fed a non-protein N (T-NPN) or a cottonseed meal (T-CSM) supplement. In Experiment 1, young and older steers were measured during the late dry season (LDS) and the rainy season (RS), while steers in Experiments 2–4 were measured through the annual cycle. Because of severe drought the measurements during Experiment 3 annual cycle were limited to T-NIL steers. Pasture availability and species composition were measured twice annually. Diet was measured at 1–2 week intervals using near infrared spectroscopy of faeces (F.NIRS). Annual rainfalls (1 July–30 June) were 42–68% of the long-term average (471 mm), and the seasonal break ranged from 17 December to 3 March. There was wide variation in pasture, diet (crude protein (CP), DM digestibility (DMD), the CP to metabolisable energy (CP/ME) ratio) and steer liveweight change (LWC) within and between annual cycles. High diet quality and steer liveweight (LW) gain during the RS declined progressively through the transition season (TS) and early dry season (EDS), and often the first part of the LDS. Steers commenced losing LW as the LDS progressed. In Experiments 1 and 2 where forbs comprised ≤15 g/kg of the pasture sward, steers selected strongly for forbs so that they comprised 117–236 g/kg of the diet. However, in Experiments 3 and 4 where forbs comprised substantial proportions of the pasture (173–397 g/kg), there were comparable proportions in the diet (300–396 g/kg). With appropriate stocking rates the annual steer LW gains were acceptable (121–220 kg) despite the low rainfall. The N supplements had no effect on steer LW during the TS and the EDS, but usually reduced steer LW loss by 20–30 kg during the LDS. Thus during low rainfall years in Mitchell grass pastures there were substantial LW responses by steers to N supplements towards the end of the dry season when the diet contained c. <58 g CP/kg or c. <7.0 g CP/MJ ME.
Posttranslational modifications optimize the ability of SARS-CoV-2 spike for effective interaction with host cell receptors
Authors: Kapoor Karan , Chen Tianle , Tajkhorshid Emad
Published: June 2022

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike glycoprotein is the prime target for vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutic antibodies against the virus. While anchored in the viral envelope, for effective virulence, the spike needs to maintain structural flexibility to recognize the host cell surface receptors and bind to them, a property that can heavily depend upon the dynamics of the unresolved domains, most prominently the stalk. Construction of the complete, membrane-bound spike model and the description of its dynamics are critical steps in understanding the inner working of this key element of the viral infection by SARS-CoV-2. Combining homology modeling, protein–protein docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we have developed a full spike structure in a native membrane. Multimicrosecond MD simulations of this model, the longest known single trajectory of the full spike, reveal conformational dynamics employed by the protein to explore the surface of the host cell. In agreement with cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), three flexible hinges in the stalk allow for global conformational heterogeneity of spike in the fully glycosylated system mediated by glycan–glycan and glycan–lipid interactions. The dynamical range of the spike is considerably reduced in its nonglycosylated form, confining the area explored by the spike on the host cell surface. Furthermore, palmitoylation of the membrane domain amplifies the local curvature that may prime the fusion. We show that the identified hinge regions are highly conserved in SARS coronaviruses, highlighting their functional importance in enhancing viral infection, and thereby, provide points for discovery of alternative therapeutics against the virus.
Mitochondrial calcium uniporter promotes phagocytosis-dependent activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome
Authors: Dong Hong , Zhao Bao , Chen Jianwen , Liu Zihao , Li Xinghui , Li Lupeng , Wen Haitao
Published: June 2022

Mitochondria, a highly metabolically active organelle, have been shown to play an essential role in regulating innate immune function. Mitochondrial Ca
2+
uptake via the mitochondrial Ca
2+
uniporter (MCU) is an essential process regulating mitochondrial metabolism by targeting key enzymes involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA). Accumulative evidence suggests MCU-dependent mitochondrial Ca
2+
signaling may bridge the metabolic reprogramming and regulation of immune cell function. However, the mechanism by which MCU regulates inflammation and its related disease remains elusive. Here we report a critical role of MCU in promoting phagocytosis-dependent activation of NLRP3 (nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat containing family, pyrin domain-containing 3) inflammasome by inhibiting phagolysosomal membrane repair. Myeloid deletion of MCU (

Mcu
Δmye

) resulted in an attenuated phagolysosomal rupture, leading to decreased caspase-1 cleavage and interleukin (IL)-1β release, in response to silica or alum challenge. In contrast, other inflammasome agonists such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), nigericin, poly(dA:dT), and flagellin induced normal IL-1β release in

Mcu
Δmye

macrophages. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that decreased NLRP3 inflammasome activation in

Mcu
Δmye

macrophages was caused by improved phagolysosomal membrane repair mediated by ESCRT (endosomal sorting complex required for transport)-III complex. Furthermore,

Mcu
Δmye

mice showed a pronounced decrease in immune cell recruitment and IL-1β production in alum-induced peritonitis, a typical IL-1–dependent inflammation model. In sum, our results identify a function of MCU in promoting phagocytosis-dependent NLRP3 inflammatory response via an ESCRT-mediated phagolysosomal membrane repair mechanism.
Single-cell transcriptome and accessible chromatin dynamics during endocrine pancreas development
Authors: Duvall Eliza , Benitez Cecil M. , Tellez Krissie , Enge Martin , Pauerstein Philip T. , Li Lingyu , Baek Songjoon , Quake Stephen R. , Smith Jason P. , Sheffield Nathan C. , Kim Seung K. , Arda H. Efsun
Published: June 2022

Delineating gene regulatory networks that orchestrate cell-type specification is a continuing challenge for developmental biologists. Single-cell analyses offer opportunities to address these challenges and accelerate discovery of rare cell lineage relationships and mechanisms underlying hierarchical lineage decisions. Here, we describe the molecular analysis of mouse pancreatic endocrine cell differentiation using single-cell transcriptomics, chromatin accessibility assays coupled to genetic labeling, and cytometry-based cell purification. We uncover transcription factor networks that delineate β-, α-, and δ-cell lineages. Through genomic footprint analysis, we identify transcription factor–regulatory DNA interactions governing pancreatic cell development at unprecedented resolution. Our analysis suggests that the transcription factor Neurog3 may act as a pioneer transcription factor to specify the pancreatic endocrine lineage. These findings could improve protocols to generate replacement endocrine cells from renewable sources, like stem cells, for diabetes therapy.
Language change among Kalhuri Kurdish speakers in Iran
Authors: Yarahmadi Javad
Published: June 2022

In the multicultural and multiethnic context of Iran, Farsi (Persian) is the only official and the most prestigious language employed by the people. This article investigates sociolinguistic factors fostering a radical language shift from Kurdish to Farsi among Kalhuri Kurdish speakers in Kermanshah, the biggest Kurdish city in Iran – a trend which has raised many social and cultural controversies within the Kurdish community. Data were gathered through a questionnaire focusing on the attitudinal, economic, and social factors affecting the shift. The participants of the study were 1,000 native Kurdish speakers in Kermanshah; the data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and item percentage. The analysis revealed that social, personal, and economic factors contributed to the shift, even though the economic concerns outweighed the others. The article discusses the implication of the findings in detail.
ASL negative incorporation as negative suppletion
Authors: Bembridge Gavin
Published: June 2022

While there are several analyses of negation in American Sign Language (ASL), the phenomenon of negative incorporation has been overlooked in the generative literature, except forSandler’s (1999)phonological analysis. The phonological approach makes several useful generalizations but is not without its drawbacks. We, therefore, situate our analysis in the Distributed Morphology framework and argue that negative incorporation is best analyzed as a case of negative suppletion. We motivate our approach based on the observations that (i) negative incorporation is sentential negation, (ii) negative incorporation blocks the occurrence of the canonical negation strategy for the affected verbs, and (iii) there is no verb-to-Neg movement in ASL. When taken together, these factors indicate that negative incorporation cannot be affixation. Suppletion, however, alleviates the problematic aspects of the phonological analysis while maintaining the relevant phonological generalizations.
Effect of various packaging materials for storing ground yellow corn of hybrid C-1 variety on water and amylum content
Authors: Munasik  , Nurbaety N , Hidayat N , Susanti E
Published: June 2022

This research aims to investigate the effect of various packaging materials (cotton sack and perforated plastic sack) and the storing time on ground corn quality that were assessed from water and amylum contents. The research method was experimental using Completely Randomized Design that consisted of: A (control), B (cotton sack, stored for 20 days), C (cotton sack, stored for 40 days), D (cotton sack, stored for 60 days), E (perforated plastic sack, stored for 20 days), F (perforated plastic sack, stored for 40 days), and G (perforated plastic sack, stored for 60 days). The treatments were replicated 3 times. The results showed that the longer storing time on cotton sack and perforated plastic sack resulted in higher water content and lower amylum content.
Android-based feasibility study transformation analysis case study of the RASI development in Cirendeu-Kampung Cimahi
Authors: Herawati H , Soemantri A S , Kamsiati E , Bachtiar M.
Published: June 2022

Development of rasi or rice made from cassava flour was developed in Cirendeu Village-Cimahi City. The activity requires a feasibility study analysis that is mobile and fast so that it can be implemented more easily in the field. Nowadays, information technology is developing very fast to support decision support systems that are mobile. Analysis of economic-based feasibility studies has been widely developed in the field, but often is still based on virtual laptops. The purpose of this research activity is to conduct a trial-based Android-based feasibility study for the development of constellations in Cirendeu Village, Cimahi City. The research activity method includes several stages including optimizing and developing constellation technology in the field, analyzing the laptop-based feasibility study, transforming the results of an Android-based feasibility study and testing the implementation of performance in the field. Based on the results of the analysis in the field, the results were obtained that the software was able to identify the feasibility and optimum capacity of the production business based on the results of input data for several parameters that had been identified based on the system. The feasibility of the constellation development efforts developed in Cirendeu Village-Cimahi City can be identified more easily by using android for further implementation at the field level. This technology can be used and replicated as a mobile software-based decision-making system approach.
Farmers’ perceptions of the performance of agricultural instructors in mangosteen farmers’ groups in Segati Village, Langgam District, Pelalawan Regency
Authors: Putri Asgami , Siswati Latifa , Yasid Hamdan
Published: June 2022

Implementation of agricultural extension operations in the form of Agricultural Extension Center (BPP) as an extension institution that fosters mangosteen farmer groups, especially in Segati Village with 1 (one) extension worker and 12 fostered Mangosteen Farmer Groups that have been formed by the government. things that greatly affect the welfare of existing farmer groups. This study aims to: determine farmers’ perceptions of the performance of extension workers. This research was conducted in Segati Village, Langgam District, Kab. Pelalawan. The samples taken were farmers from the mangosteen farmer group. The analysis used in this research is factor analysis. The results obtained from this study are from several indicators that are included which affect the performance of the instructor based on the perception of the farmer is to provide guidance (X18).
Comparative study of village community participation in peat restoration in the Peat Swamp Forest Management Unit (PSFMU) Tebing Tinggi Island, Indonesia
Authors: Malik H. , Purnama Ig. L. S. , Sudarmadji  , Santosa L. W. , Widyanarko U. , Naufal M.
Published: June 2022

Community participation greatly determines the success of a peatland restoration program because people are the core component of its implementation. This research was intended to compare levels of participation in the restoration program between communities in the villages where a governmental intervention program for a good village and peatland governance termed Desa Peduli Gambut had been introduced (DPG villages) and those in non-DPG villages. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data directly in the field using several relevant questions related to peatland restoration, then the responses to these questions were quantified to measure community participation. The results showed that the community participation in DPG villages had higher mean ranks than in non-DPG villages, indicating higher public awareness of program participation in the former than the latter. Further, the difference in participation level between the two villages was of high significance, which means that the government’s intervention through the DPG program is effective in raising public awareness of peatland restoration measures.
Research on Fault Diagnosis of Switchgear Based on Temperature Cloud Image Technology
Authors: Chen Zhiheng , Yuan Ting , Xu Mingfang , Yu Yang , Xie Zhen , Liu Yuchen
Published: June 2022

In the process of power system operation, contact aging, partial discharge and overcurrent faults are the main causes of switch cabinet faults. At the same time, it is difficult to install sensors inside the switch cabinet due to its closed operation. In this paper, in order to solve the over current problem of switchgear, according to the principle of high current heating, the thermal flow model of power switchgear is established, and the characteristics of heat flow inside the switchgear are studied. The infrared temperature detector is designed to collect the surface temperature cloud map of the switchgear. Combined with the internal heat flow law of the switchgear, the over current phenomenon in the switchgear is judged, so as to judge the operation state of the switchgear. In order to verify the correctness of the theory proposed in this paper, the operation state of the fault switch cabinet is designed for detection and comparative analysis. The test results show that the heat change caused by the over-current fault can be accurately fed back to the surface of the switch cabinet, which can be used as an effective means to diagnose the fault of the switch cabinet.
End-to-end capacities of imperfect-repeater quantum networks
Authors: Harney Cillian , Pirandola Stefano
Published: June 2022

The optimal performance of a communication network is limited not only by the quality of point-to-point channels, but by the efficacy of its constituent technologies. Understanding the limits of quantum networks requires an understanding of both the ultimate capacities of quantum channels and the efficiency of imperfect quantum repeaters. In this work, using a recently developed node-splitting technique which introduces internal losses and noise into repeater devices, we present achievable end-to-end rates for noisy-repeater quantum networks. These are obtained by extending the coherent and reverse coherent information (single channel capacity lower bounds) into end-to-end capacity lower bounds, both in the context of single-path and multi-path routing. These achievable rates are completely general, and apply to networks composed of arbitrary channels arranged in general topologies. Through this general formalism, we show how tight upper-bounds can also be derived by supplementing appropriate single-edge capacity bounds. As a result, we develop tools which provide tight performance bounds for quantum networks constituent of channels whose capacities are not exactly known, and reveal critical network properties which are necessary for high-rate quantum communications. This permits the investigation of pertinent classes of quantum networks with realistic technologies; qubit amplitude damping networks and bosonic thermal-loss networks.
Compact quantum kernel-based binary classifier
Authors: Blank Carsten , da Silva Adenilton J , de Albuquerque Lucas P , Petruccione Francesco , Park Daniel K
Published: June 2022

Quantum computing opens exciting opportunities for kernel-based machine learning methods, which have broad applications in data analysis. Recent works show that quantum computers can efficiently construct a model of a classifier by engineering the quantum interference effect to carry out the kernel evaluation in parallel. For practical applications of these quantum machine learning methods, an important issue is to minimize the size of quantum circuits. We present the simplest quantum circuit for constructing a kernel-based binary classifier. This is achieved by generalizing the interference circuit to encode data labels in the relative phases of the quantum state and by introducing compact amplitude encoding, which encodes two training data vectors into one quantum register. When compared to the simplest known quantum binary classifier, the number of qubits is reduced by two and the number of steps is reduced linearly with respect to the number of training data. The two-qubit measurement with post-selection required in the previous method is simplified to single-qubit measurement. Furthermore, the final quantum state has a smaller amount of entanglement than that of the previous method, which advocates the cost-effectiveness of our method. Our design also provides a straightforward way to handle an imbalanced data set, which is often encountered in many machine learning problems.
Statistical modeling of monthly maximum temperature in Senegal
Authors: N’dri Kouakou Innocent , Nadarajah Saralees
Published: June 2022

We provide the first statistical analysis of maximum temperature in Senegal. The data are from twelve stations spread across Senegal. The generalized extreme value distribution was fitted to maximum temperature by the method of maximum likelihood. Probability and quantile plots showed that the generalized extreme value distribution provided an adequate fit for all stations. The vast majority of stations did not exhibit significant trends in temperature. Three of the stations exhibited positive trends in temperature. Estimates of return levels are given.
Reflections on one million compounds in the open quantum materials database (OQMD)
Authors: Shen Jiahong , Griesemer Sean D , Gopakumar Abhijith , Baldassarri Bianca , Saal James E , Aykol Muratahan , Hegde Vinay I , Wolverton Chris
Published: June 2022

Density functional theory (DFT) has been widely applied in modern materials discovery and many materials databases, including the open quantum materials database (OQMD), contain large collections of calculated DFT properties of experimentally known crystal structures and hypothetical predicted compounds. Since the beginning of the OQMD in late 2010, over one million compounds have now been calculated and stored in the database, which is constantly used by worldwide researchers in advancing materials studies. The growth of the OQMD depends on project-based high-throughput DFT calculations, including structure-based projects, property-based projects, and most recently, machine-learning-based projects. Another major goal of the OQMD is to ensure the openness of its materials data to the public and the OQMD developers are constantly working with other materials databases to reach a universal querying protocol in support of the FAIR data principles.
Microstructure in patients with visual snow syndrome: an ultra-high field morphological and quantitative MRI study
Authors: Strik Myrte , Clough Meaghan , Solly Emma J , Glarin Rebecca , White Owen B , Kolbe Scott C , Fielding Joanne
Published: June 2022

Visual snow syndrome is a neurological condition characterized by continuous visual disturbance and a range of non-visual symptoms, including tinnitus and migraine. Little is known about the pathological mechanisms underlying visual snow syndrome. Here, we assessed brain morphometry and microstructure in visual snow syndrome patients using high-resolution structural and quantitative MRI. Forty visual snow syndrome patients (22 with migraine) and 43 controls underwent 7-Tesla MRI (MP2RAGE, 0.75 mm isotropic resolution). Volumetric and quantitative T1 values were extracted for white and grey matter regions and compared between groups. Where regions were significantly different between groups (false discovery rate corrected for multiple comparisons), post hoc comparisons were examined between patients with and without migraine. For visual snow syndrome patients, significant MRI variables were correlated with clinical severity (number of visual symptoms, perceived visual snow intensity, disruptiveness, fatigue and quality of life) and psychiatric symptoms prevalent in visual snow syndrome (depression, anxiety and depersonalization). Finally, cortical regions and individual thalamic nuclei were studied. Compared with controls, visual snow syndrome patients demonstrated a trend towards larger brain and white matter volumes and significantly lower T1 values for the entire cortex (P < 0.001), thalamus (P = 0.001) and pallidum (P = 0.001). For the patient group, thalamic T1 correlated with number of visual symptoms (P = 0.019, r = 0.390) and perceived disruptiveness of visual snow (P = 0.010, r = 0.424). These correlations did not survive multiple comparison corrections. As for specificity in visual snow syndrome group, T1 changes were most evident in caudal regions (occipital cortices) followed by parietal, temporal and prefrontal cortices. T1 values differed between groups for most individual thalamic nuclei. No differences were revealed between patients with and without migraine. In visual snow syndrome patients, we observed no changes in morphometry, instead widespread changes in grey matter microstructure, which followed a caudal-rostral pattern and affected the occipital cortices most profoundly. Migraine did not appear to independently affect these changes. Lower T1 values may potentially result from higher neurite density, myelination or increased iron levels in the visual snow syndrome brain. Further investigation of these changes may enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of visual snow syndrome, ultimately leading to new treatment strategies.
Malin restoration as proof of concept for gene therapy for Lafora disease
Authors: Varea Olga , Guinovart Joan J , Duran Jordi
Published: June 2022

Lafora disease is a fatal neurodegenerative childhood dementia caused by loss-of-function mutations in either the laforin or malin gene. The hallmark of the disease is the accumulation of abnormal glycogen aggregates known as Lafora bodies (LBs) in the brain and other tissues. These aggregates are responsible for the pathological features of the disease. As a monogenic disorder, Lafora disease is a good candidate for gene therapy-based approaches. However, most patients are diagnosed after the appearance of the first symptoms and thus when LBs are already present in the brain. In this context, it was not clear whether the restoration of a normal copy of the defective gene (either laforin or malin) would prove effective. Here we evaluated the effect of restoring malin in a malin-deficient mouse model of Lafora disease as a proof of concept for gene replacement therapy. To this end, we generated a malin-deficient mouse in which malin expression can be induced at a certain time. Our results reveal that malin restoration at an advanced stage of the disease arrests the accumulation of LBs in brain and muscle, induces the degradation of laforin and glycogen synthase bound to the aggregates, and ameliorates neuroinflammation. These results identify malin restoration as the first therapeutic strategy to show effectiveness when applied at advanced stages of Lafora disease.
Signatures of somatosensory cortical dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder
Authors: Casagrande Chloe C , Wiesman Alex I , Schantell Mikki , Johnson Hallie J , Wolfson Sara L , O’Neill Jennifer , Johnson Craig M , May Pamela E , Swindells Susan , Murman Daniel L , Wilson Tony W
Published: June 2022

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia in the general population, while HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder is the most common neurological comorbidity in those infected with HIV and affects between 40 and 70% of this population. Both conditions are associated with cognitive impairment and have been associated with aberrant functioning in sensory cortices, but far less is known about their disparate effects on neural activity. Identifying such disparate effects is important because it may provide critical data on the similarities and differences in the neuropathology underlying cognitive decline in each condition. In the current study, we utilized magnetoencephalography, extensive neuropsychological testing and a paired-pulse somatosensory gating paradigm to probe differences in somatosensory processing in participants from two ongoing magnetoencephalography studies. The resulting participant groups included 27 cognitively normal controls, 26 participants with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder and 21 amyloid biomarker-confirmed patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The data were imaged using a beamformer and voxel time series were extracted to identify the oscillatory dynamics serving somatosensory processing, as well as the amplitude of spontaneous cortical activity preceding stimulation onset. Our findings indicated that people with Alzheimer’s disease and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder exhibit normal somatosensory gating but have distinct aberrations in other elements of somatosensory cortical function. Essentially, those with Alzheimer’s disease exhibited accentuated neural responses to somatosensory stimulation, along with spontaneous gamma activity preceding stimulus onset. In contrast, those with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder exhibited normal responses to somatosensory stimulation but had sharply elevated spontaneous gamma activity prior to stimulus onset. These distinct aberrations may reflect the impact of different neuropathological mechanisms underlying each condition. Further, given the differential pattern of deficits in somatosensory cortical function, these measures may function as unique biomarkers in each condition and be useful in identifying persons with HIV who may go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Impact of correcting the 2D PISA method on the quantification of functional tricuspid regurgitation severity
Authors: Tomaselli Michele , Badano Luigi P , Menè Roberto , Gavazzoni Mara , Heilbron Francesca , Radu Noela , Caravita Sergio , Baratto Claudia , Oliverio Giorgio , Florescu Diana R. , Parati Gianfranco , Muraru Denisa
Published: June 2022

Aims

In functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) patients, tricuspid leaflet tethering and relatively low jet velocity could result in proximal flow geometry distortions that lead to underestimation of TR. Application of correction factors on two-dimensional (2D) proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) equation may increase its reliability. This study sought to evaluate the impact of the corrected 2D PISA method in quantifying FTR severity.

Methods and results

In 102 patients with FTR, we compared both conventional and corrected 2D PISA measurements of effective regurgitant orifice area [EROA vs. corrected (EROAc)] and regurgitant volume (RegVol vs. RegVolc) with those obtained by volumetric method (VM) using three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE), as reference. Both EROAc and RegVolc were larger than EROA (0.29 ± 0.26 vs. 0.22 ± 0.21 cm2; P < 0.001) and RegVol (24.5 ± 20 vs. 18.5 ± 14.25 mL; P < 0.001), respectively. Compared with VM, both EROAc and RegVolc resulted more accurate than EROA [bias = −0.04 cm2, limits of agreement (LOA) ± 0.02 cm2 vs. bias = −0.15 cm2, LOA ± 0.31 cm2] and RegVol (bias = −3.29 mL, LOA ± 2.19 mL vs. bias = −10.9 mL, LOA ± 13.5 mL). Using EROAc and RegVolc, 37% of patients were reclassified in higher grades of FTR severity. Corrected 2D PISA method led to a higher concordance of TR severity grade with the VM method (ĸ = 0.84 vs. ĸ = 0.33 for uncorrected PISA, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Compared with VM by 3DE, the conventional PISA underestimated FTR severity in about 50% of patients. Correction for TV leaflets tethering angle and lower velocity of FTR jet improved 2D PISA accuracy and reclassified more than one-third of the patients.
The arginine methyltransferaseCarm1is necessary for heart development
Authors: Jamet Sophie , Ha Seungshin , Ho Tzu-Hua , Houghtaling Scott , Timms Andrew , Yu Kai , Paquette Alison , Maga Ali Murat , Greene Nicholas D E , Beier David R
Published: June 2022

To discover genes implicated in human congenital disorders, we performed ENU mutagenesis in the mouse and screened for mutations affecting embryonic development. In this work, we report defects of heart development in mice homozygous for a mutation of coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (Carm1). While Carm1 has been extensively studied, it has never been previously associated with a role in heart development. Phenotype analysis combining histology and microcomputed tomography imaging shows a range of cardiac defects. Most notably, many affected midgestation embryos appear to have cardiac rupture and hemorrhaging in the thorax. Mice that survive to late gestation show a variety of cardiac defects, including ventricular septal defects, double outlet right ventricle, and persistent truncus arteriosus. Transcriptome analyses of the mutant embryos by mRNA-seq reveal the perturbation of several genes involved in cardiac morphogenesis and muscle development and function. In addition, we observe the mislocalization of cardiac neural crest cells at E12.5 in the outflow tract. The cardiac phenotype of Carm1 mutant embryos is similar to that of Pax3 null mutants, and PAX3 is a putative target of CARM1. However, our analysis does not support the hypothesis that developmental defects in Carm1 mutant embryos are primarily due to a functional defect of PAX3.
G1-Cyclin2 (Cln2) promotes chromosome hypercondensation in eco1/ctf7 rad61 null cells during hyperthermic stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Buskirk Sean , Skibbens Robert V
Published: June 2022

Eco1/Ctf7 is a highly conserved acetyltransferase that activates cohesin complexes and is critical for sister chromatid cohesion, chromosome condensation, DNA damage repair, nucleolar integrity, and gene transcription. Mutations in the human homolog of ECO1 (ESCO2/EFO2), or in genes that encode cohesin subunits, result in severe developmental abnormalities and intellectual disabilities referred to as Roberts syndrome and Cornelia de Lange syndrome, respectively. In yeast, deletion of ECO1 results in cell inviability. Codeletion of RAD61 (WAPL in humans), however, produces viable yeast cells. These eco1 rad61 double mutants, however, exhibit a severe temperature-sensitive growth defect, suggesting that Eco1 or cohesins respond to hyperthermic stress through a mechanism that occurs independent of Rad61. Here, we report that deletion of the G1 cyclin CLN2 rescues the temperature-sensitive lethality otherwise exhibited by eco1 rad61 mutant cells, such that the triple mutant cells exhibit robust growth over a broad range of temperatures. While Cln1, Cln2, and Cln3 are functionally redundant G1 cyclins, neither CLN1 nor CLN3 deletions rescue the temperature-sensitive growth defects otherwise exhibited by eco1 rad61 double mutants. We further provide evidence that CLN2 deletion rescues hyperthermic growth defects independent of START and impacts the state of chromosome condensation. These findings reveal novel roles for Cln2 that are unique among the G1 cyclin family and appear critical for cohesin regulation during hyperthermic stress.
How Can We Resolve Lewontin’s Paradox?
Authors: Charlesworth Brian , Jensen Jeffrey D
Published: June 2022

We discuss the genetic, demographic, and selective forces that are likely to be at play in restricting observed levels of DNA sequence variation in natural populations to a much smaller range of values than would be expected from the distribution of census population sizes alone—Lewontin’s Paradox. While several processes that have previously been strongly emphasized must be involved, including the effects of direct selection and genetic hitchhiking, it seems unlikely that they are sufficient to explain this observation without contributions from other factors. We highlight a potentially important role for the less-appreciated contribution of population size change; specifically, the likelihood that many species and populations may be quite far from reaching the relatively high equilibrium diversity values that would be expected given their current census sizes.