bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson: A new threat to agriculture in Europe and the Mediterranean region
Authors: Matzrafi Maor , Scarabel Laura , Milani Andrea , Iamonico Duilio , Torra Joel , Recasens Jordi , Montull José María , Llenes Josep Maria , Gazoulis Ioannis , Tataridas Alexandros , Rubin Baruch , Pardo Gabriel , Cirujeda Alicia , Marí Ana Isabel , Mennan Husrev , Kanatas Panagiotis , Dogan Mehmet Nedim , Beffa Roland , Travlos Ilias
Published: October 2023

Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson is a dioecious broad‐leaved species characterised by rapid growth, high seed production, efficient resource use and adaptability to diverse environments and cropping systems. A. palmeri populations are spreading beyond their native range in south western United States, into the Mediterranean region and have been reported in several European and Mediterranean countries. First stands were located along roadsides, and later in nearby agricultural fields. Possible routes of introduction include contaminated animal feed and grain shipments for industrial processing. Some European A. palmeri populations appear to be already resistant to 5‐enolpyruvylshikimate‐3‐phosphate synthase and acetolactate synthase inhibitors when imported. Recent studies suggest that this trait may have evolved in the origin country before the introduction into southern Europe and the wider Mediterranean region. Effective, transboundary networks have to be established between farmers and researchers to raise agricultural community awareness and continuously monitor the invasiveness of A. palmeri in Europe. In this review, we first highlight botanical characteristics that allow accurate identification of A. palmeri from closely related Amaranthus species. Then, we summarise recent reports on the occurrence of A. palmeri in Europe and the Mediterranean region. We proceed to assess future invasion and spread across Europe according to climate and agricultural practices. In addition, we review measures to early detect A. palmeri and emphasised on feasible, chemical and non‐chemical weed control methods as components of integrated weed management to mitigate the impact of A. palmeri invasion on European agriculture.
A Method Proposed to Predict Particle Deposition Based on Critical Viscosity Model and Roughness Height Prediction in a Turbine Cascade
Authors: Wang Hong , He Peilin , Li Jialong , Lu Huawei
Published: October 2023

Particle deposition is a common phenomenon in a turbine cascade. It can change the surface condition, which influences the flow and heat transfer. It is very important to accurately predict particle deposition and surface condition changes. In this study, a combined particle deposition algorithm is proposed based on the critical viscosity deposition model and roughness height prediction. It couples the influence of surface roughness into the particle deposition. The combined model newly developed is employed for the particle deposition. Its effects in a turbine cascade with the combined model are discussed. The results show the deposition is mainly concentrated on the leading edge of the cascade and the pressure side. Small diameter particles are mainly deposited on the suction side and the large ones are mainly deposited on the pressure side due to inertial effect. The deposition number increases with the particle diameter. As time goes by, more particles deposit on the wall, which builds roughness height and shows a spreading characteristic. Heat transfer is enhanced by the surface roughness and flow characteristics including separation vortex and leakage vortex, in which flow pattern may dominate the effect. In addition, the separation vortex and leakage vortex have a significant effect on the deposition distribution, especially for small diameter particles.
Direct Numerical Simulation of Transitional and Turbulent Flows Over Multi-Scale Surface Roughness—Part I: Methodology and Challenges
Authors: Nardini Massimiliano , Kozul Melissa , Jelly Thomas O. , Sandberg Richard D.
Published: October 2023

High-fidelity simulation of transitional and turbulent flows over multi-scale surface roughness presents several challenges. For instance, the complex and irregular geometrical nature of surface roughness makes it impractical to employ conforming structured grids, commonly adopted in large-scale numerical simulations due to their high computational efficiency. One possible solution to overcome this problem is offered by immersed boundary methods, which allow wall boundary conditions to be enforced on grids that do not conform to the geometry of the solid boundary. To this end, a three-dimensional, second-order accurate boundary data immersion method (BDIM) is adopted. A novel mapping algorithm that can be applied to general three-dimensional surfaces is presented, together with a newly developed data-capturing methodology to extract and analyze on-surface flow quantities of interest. A rigorous procedure to compute gradient quantities such as the wall shear stress and the heat flux on complex non-conforming geometries is also introduced. The new framework is validated by performing a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of fully developed turbulent channel flow over sinusoidal egg-carton roughness in a minimal-span domain. For this canonical case, the averaged streamwise velocity profiles are compared against results from the literature obtained with a body-fitted grid. General guidelines on the BDIM resolution requirements for multi-scale roughness simulation are given. Momentum and energy balance methods are used to validate the calculation of the overall skin friction and heat transfer at the wall. The BDIM is then employed to investigate the effect of irregular homogeneous surface roughness on the performance of an LS-89 high-pressure turbine blade at engine-relevant conditions using DNS. This is the first application of the BDIM to realize multi-scale roughness for transitional flow in transonic conditions in the context of high-pressure turbines. The methodology adopted to generate the desired roughness distribution and to apply it to the reference blade geometry is introduced. The results are compared to the case of an equivalent smooth blade.
Ordered deficient perovskite La2/3TiO3 films grown via molecular beam epitaxy
Authors: Weng Joan , Shin Hyungki , Godin Simon , Oudah Mohamed , Sutarto Ronny , Pons Rebecca , Davidson Bruce A. , Zou Ke
Published: October 2023

As the parent compound of a promising solid electrolyte material Li3xLa2/3−xTiO3, the perovskite La2/3TiO3 has potential for advancing research on Li-intercalated ionic conductors. Epitaxial La2/3TiO3 films have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy using a growth process consisting of deposition and annealing cycles, with in situ monitoring by electron diffraction. X-ray absorption spectroscopy confirms the tetravalent state of Ti in La2/3TiO3, and the as-grown films are insulating. X-ray diffraction reveals the presence of half-order peaks, indicating a doubling of the pseudocubic perovskite unit cell due to the ordering of La vacancies in alternating A-site layers. These results demonstrate that single-phase, vacancy-ordered epitaxial films of La2/3TiO3 can be stabilized with excellent crystalline and electronic properties over wafer-sized areas, making possible Li-ion intercalation studies in films with well-defined domain boundary properties. Such boundaries are known to profoundly influence Li-ion conduction within the material. Understanding the effects of domain boundaries on Li-ion conduction could lead to improvements in solid-state battery technology and pave the way for the development of more efficient and safer energy storage devices.
Using artificial intelligence to assess personal qualities in college admissions
Authors: Lira Benjamin , Gardner Margo , Quirk Abigail , Stone Cathlyn , Rao Arjun , Ungar Lyle , Hutt Stephen , Hickman Louis , D’Mello Sidney K. , Duckworth Angela L.
Published: October 2023

Personal qualities like prosocial purpose and leadership predict important life outcomes, including college success. Unfortunately, the holistic assessment of personal qualities in college admissions is opaque and resource intensive. Can artificial intelligence (AI) advance the goals of holistic admissions? While cost-effective, AI has been criticized as a “black box” that may inadvertently penalize already disadvantaged subgroups when used in high-stakes settings. Here, we consider an AI approach to assessing personal qualities that aims to overcome these limitations. Research assistants and admissions officers first identified the presence/absence of seven personal qualities inn= 3131 applicant essays describing extracurricular and work experiences. Next, we fine-tuned pretrained language models with these ratings, which successfully reproduced human codes across demographic subgroups. Last, in a national sample (N= 309,594), computer-generated scores collectively demonstrated incremental validity for predicting 6-year college graduation. We discuss challenges and opportunities of AI for assessing personal qualities.
Shared ancestry of algal symbiosis and chloroplast sequestration in foraminifera
Authors: Pinko Doron , Abramovich Sigal , Rahav Eyal , Belkin Natalia , Rubin-Blum Maxim , Kucera Michal , Morard Raphaël , Holzmann Maria , Abdu Uri
Published: October 2023

Foraminifera are unicellular organisms that established the most diverse algal symbioses in the marine realm. Endosymbiosis repeatedly evolved in several lineages, while some engaged in the sequestration of chloroplasts, known as kleptoplasty. So far, kleptoplasty has been documented exclusively in the rotaliid clade. Here, we report the discovery of kleptoplasty in the species
Hauerina diversa
that belongs to the miliolid clade. The existence of kleptoplasty in the two main clades suggests that it is more widespread than previously documented. We observed chloroplasts in clustered structures within the foraminiferal cytoplasm and confirmed their functionality. Phylogenetic analysis of 18
S
ribosomal RNA gene sequences showed that
H. diversa
branches next to symbiont-bearing Alveolinidae. This finding represents evidence of of a relationship between kleptoplastic and symbiotic foraminifera.. Analysis of ribosomal genes and metagenomics revealed that alveolinid symbionts and kleptoplasts belong to the same clade, which suggests a common ancestry.
Electric field–assisted anion-π catalysis on carbon nanotubes in electrochemical microfluidic devices
Authors: Gutiérrez López M. Ángeles , Ali Rojan , Tan Mei-Ling , Sakai Naomi , Wirth Thomas , Matile Stefan
Published: October 2023

The vision to control the charges migrating during reactions with external electric fields is attractive because of the promise of general catalysis, emergent properties, and programmable devices. Here, we explore this idea with anion-π catalysis, that is the stabilization of anionic transition states on aromatic surfaces. Catalyst activation by polarization of the aromatic system is most effective. This polarization is induced by electric fields. The use of electrochemical microfluidic reactors to polarize multiwalled carbon nanotubes as anion-π catalysts emerges as essential. These reactors provide access to high fields at low enough voltage to prevent electron transfer, afford meaningful effective catalyst/substrate ratios, and avoid interference from additional electrolytes. Under these conditions, the rate of pyrene-interfaced epoxide-opening ether cyclizations is linearly voltage-dependent at positive voltages and negligible at negative voltages. While electromicrofluidics have been conceived for redox chemistry, our results indicate that their use for supramolecular organocatalysis has the potential to noncovalently electrify organic synthesis in the broadest sense.
A single-cell genomic atlas for maturation of the human cerebellum during early childhood
Authors: Ament Seth A. , Cortes-Gutierrez Marcia , Herb Brian R. , Mocci Evelina , Colantuoni Carlo , McCarthy Margaret M.
Published: October 2023

Inflammation early in life is a clinically established risk factor for autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, yet the impact of inflammation on human brain development is poorly understood. The cerebellum undergoes protracted postnatal maturation, making it especially susceptible to perturbations contributing to the risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, using single-cell genomics of postmortem cerebellar brain samples, we characterized the postnatal development of cerebellar neurons and glia in 1- to 5-year-old children, comparing individuals who had died while experiencing inflammation with those who had died as a result of an accident. Our analyses revealed that inflammation and postnatal cerebellar maturation are associated with extensive, overlapping transcriptional changes primarily in two subtypes of inhibitory neurons: Purkinje neurons and Golgi neurons. Immunohistochemical analysis of a subset of these postmortem cerebellar samples revealed no change to Purkinje neuron soma size but evidence for increased activation of microglia in those children who had experienced inflammation. Maturation-associated and inflammation-associated gene expression changes included genes implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. A gene regulatory network model integrating cell type–specific gene expression and chromatin accessibility identified seven temporally specific gene networks in Purkinje neurons and suggested that inflammation may be associated with the premature down-regulation of developmental gene expression programs.
A multicomponent propane monooxygenase catalyzes the initial degradation of methyl
tert
-butyl ether in
Mycobacterium vaccae
JOB5
Authors: Chen Yiyang , Ren Hao , Kong Xiangyu , Wu Hao , Lu Zhenmei
Published: October 2023

Methyl
tert
-butyl ether (MTBE) has been recognized as a groundwater contaminant due to its widespread distribution and potential threat to human health. The limited understanding of the enzymes catalyzing MTBE degradation restricts their application in MTBE bioremediation. In this study, an MTBE-degrading soluble di-iron monooxygenase that clusters phylogenetically with a known propane monooxygenase (PRM) encoded by the
prmABCD
gene cluster was identified and functionally characterized, revealing their role in MTBE metabolism by
Mycobacterium vaccae
JOB5. Transcriptome analysis demonstrated that the expression of
prmABCD
was upregulated when JOB5 was induced by MTBE.
Escherichia coli
Rosetta heterologously expressing
prmABCD
from JOB5 could transform MTBE, indicating that the PRM of JOB5 is capable of the initial degradation of MTBE. The loss of the gene encoding the oxygenase α-subunit or β-subunit, the coupling protein, or the reductase disrupted MTBE transformation by the recombinant
E. coli
Rosetta. In addition, the catalytic capacity of PRM is likely affected by residue G95 in the active site pocket and residues I84, P165, A269, and V270 in the substrate tunnel structure. Mutation of amino acids in the active site and substrate tunnel resulted in inefficiency or inactivation of MTBE degradation, and the activity in 1,4-dioxane (1,4-D) degradation was diminished less than that in MTBE degradation.

IMPORTANCE

Multicomponent monooxygenases catalyzing the initial hydroxylation of MTBE are important in MTBE biodegradation. Previous studies of MTBE degradation enzymes have focused on P450s, alkane monooxygenase and MTBE monooxygenase, but the vital role of soluble di-iron monooxygenases has rarely been reported. In this study, we deciphered the essential catalytic role of a PRM and revealed the key residues of the PRM in MTBE metabolism. Our findings provide new insight into the MTBE-degrading gene cluster and enzymes in bacteria. This characterization of the PRM associated with MTBE degradation expands our understanding of MTBE-degrading gene diversity and provides a novel candidate enzyme for the bioremediation of MTBE-contaminated sites.
Detailed β-(1→3)-D-glucan and mannan antigen kinetics in patients with candidemia
Authors: Träger Johannes , Dräger Sarah , Mihai Sidonia , Cipa Franziska , Busse Grawitz Andrea , Epting Thomas , Meyer Renate , Rappold Elfriede , Held Jürgen
Published: October 2023

Fungal antigens such as β-(1→3)-D-glucan (BDG) or mannan (Mn) are useful for detection of candidemia. However, detailed data on serum levels before diagnosis and during treatment are scarce. We conducted a prospective study at two German tertiary care centers for 36 months. Sera from adult patients with candidemia were tested for BDG (Fungitell assay) and Mn (Platelia
Candida
Ag-Plus assay). For each patient, the clinical course and biomarker kinetics were closely followed and compared. 1,243 sera from 131 candidemia episodes and 15 relapses were tested. In 35% of episodes, empirical therapy included an antifungal drug. Before blood culture sampling, BDG and Mn levels were elevated in 62.4% and 30.8% of patients, respectively. Sensitivity at blood culture sampling was 78.6% (BDG) and 35.1% (Mn). BDG levels of non-survivors were significantly higher than those of survivors. During follow-up, a therapeutic response was associated with decreasing BDG and Mn levels in 84.3% or 70.5% of episodes, respectively. A median increase of 513 pg BDG/mL and 390 pg Mn/mL indicated a relapse of candidemia with a sensitivity of 80% or 46.7%, respectively. In 72.9% and 46.8% of patients, increasing BDG or Mn levels were associated with a fatal outcome. Prior to discharge, BDG and Mn levels had dropped or normalized in 65.7% or 82.1% of patients, respectively. Summarising, in patients with candidemia, biomarker positivity usually precedes culture positivity. Relapses are mostly accompanied by secondary biomarker increases. Rising concentrations of BDG and Mn predict lethality, whereas decreasing levels suggest a favorable outcome in the majority of patients.
Aspergillus fumigatus
cytochrome c impacts conidial survival during sterilizing immunity
Authors: James Matthew R. , Aufiero Mariano A. , Vesely Elisa M. , Dhingra Sourabh , Liu Ko-Wei , Hohl Tobias M. , Cramer Robert A.
Published: October 2023

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a life-threatening infection caused by species in the ubiquitous fungal genus
Aspergillus
. While leukocyte-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) are critical for the clearance of fungal conidia from the lung and resistance to IPA, the processes that govern ROS-dependent fungal cell death remain poorly defined. Using a flow cytometric approach that monitors two independent cell death markers, an endogenous histone H2A:mRFP nuclear integrity reporter and SYTOX Blue (live/dead) stain, we observed that loss of
Aspergillus fumigatus
cytochrome c (
cycA
) results in reduced susceptibility to cell death from hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
) treatment. Consistent with these observations
in vitro
, loss of
cycA
confers resistance to both NADPH oxidase-dependent and -independent killing by host leukocytes. Fungal ROS resistance is partly mediated by Bir1, a homolog to survivin in humans, as Bir1 overexpression results in decreased ROS-induced conidial cell death and reduced killing by innate immune cells
in vivo
. We further report that overexpression of the Bir1 N-terminal BIR domain in
A. fumigatus
conidia results in altered expression of metabolic genes that functionally converge on mitochondrial function and cytochrome c (
cycA
) activity. Together, these studies demonstrate that
cycA
in
A. fumigatus
contributes to cell death responses that are induced by exogenous H
2
O
2
and by host leukocytes.

IMPORTANCE

Aspergillus fumigatus
can cause a life-threatening infection known as invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), which is marked by fungus-attributable mortality rates of 20%–30%. Individuals at risk for IPA harbor genetic mutations or incur pharmacologic defects that impair myeloid cell numbers and/or function, exemplified by bone marrow transplant recipients, patients that receive corticosteroid therapy, or patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). However, treatments for
Aspergillus
infections remain limited, and resistance to the few existing drug classes is emerging. Recently, the World Health Organization classified
A. fumigatus
as a critical priority fungal pathogen. Our cell death research identifies an important aspect of fungal biology that impacts susceptibility to leukocyte killing. Furthering our understanding of mechanisms that mediate the outcome of fungal-leukocyte interactions will increase our understanding of both the underlying fungal biology governing cell death and innate immune evasion strategies utilized during mammalian infection pathogenesis. Consequently, our studies are a critical step toward leveraging these mechanisms for novel therapeutic advances.
Capsular polysaccharide determines the serotyping of
Riemerella anatipestifer
Authors: Liu Yanling , Luo Shuxin , Yang Zhishuang , Wang Mingshu , Jia Renyong , Chen Shun , Liu Mafeng , Zhao Xinxin , Yang Qiao , Wu Ying , Zhang Shaqiu , Huang Juan , Ou Xumin , Mao Sai , Gao Qun , Sun Di , Tian Bin , Cheng Anchun , Zhu Dekang
Published: October 2023

Riemerella anatipestifer
(
R. anatipestifer
) is a Gram-negative pathogen that causes significant economic losses to the farming industry. The polysaccharides that determine serotype are well understood in other bacteria; they have not yet been fully characterized in
R. anatipestifer
. In this study, we unexpectedly discovered a strain, RCAD0392, that is capable of cross-agglutination. Whole genome sequencing revealed base mutations disrupting a gene on its capsular polysaccharide synthesis gene cluster. By constructing homologous gene deletion mutants in CH-2, we demonstrated that deletion of this gene leads to altered serological phenotypes. India ink and transmission electron microscopy experiments revealed the disappearance of capsule on the surface of the bacteria, indicating the association of the gene with capsule synthesis. In addition, agar-gel precipitin tests showed that lipopolysaccharide binds to antisera of multiple serotypes, while the capsular polysaccharide only binds to the corresponding antisera. This suggests that capsular polysaccharide is the specific antigen that determines the serotype of
R. anatipestifer
.

IMPORTANCE

Riemerella anatipestifer
(
R. anatipestifer
) is one of the most important veterinary pathogens with at least 21 serotypes. However, the exact polysaccharide(s) that determine
R. anatipestifer
serotype is still unknown. This study has provided a preliminary exploration of the relationship between capsular polysaccharides and serotyping in
R. anatipestifer
and suggests possible directions for further investigation of the genetic basis of serotypes in this bacterium.
Spin Diffusion and Oscillations of the Magnetization at High-Frequency Spin Injection
Authors: Bebenin N. G.
Published: October 2023

The frequency dependence of the nonequilibrium magnetization arising in an electron gas due to spin injection from a half-metallic ferromagnet into a nonmagnetic material is theoretically analyzed. It is shown that high-frequency spin injection gives rise to nonequilibrium magnetization waves, which decay at a length much smaller than the spin diffusion length. This reduces the efficiency of spin injection.
PT-Symmetric Microwave Photoconductivity in Heterostructures Based on the Hg1 − xCdxTe Topological Phase
Authors: Chmyr’ S. N. , Kazakov A. S. , Galeeva A. V. , Dolzhenko D. E. , Artamkin A. I. , Ikonnikov A. V. , Mikhailov N. N. , Dvoretsky S. A. , Bannikov M. I. , Ryabova L. I. , Khokhlov D. R.
Published: October 2023

The PT-symmetric photoconductivity has been detected for the first time in microwave-irradiated heterostructures based on thick Hg1 −xCdxTe films with the CdTe content x corresponding to the topological phase although the magnetic field symmetry (T symmetry) and the symmetry in the positions of potential contact pairs (P symmetry) are not conserved separately. The microwave photoconductivity in similar heterostructures based on the trivial Hg1 −xCdxTe phase is both P- and T-symmetric.
Evaluation of glomerular filtration rate estimation equations based on serum creatinine in healthy Chinese children and adolescents: a nationwide cross-sectional study
Authors: Yan Ruohua , Zhang Chao , Wang Chen , Sun Zimo , Peng Xiaoxia
Published: October 2023

Background

Several equations for glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimation based on serum creatinine (SCr) have been proposed for children, but most were developed among patients with kidney disease. The association between SCr and GFR may be distorted by kidney dysfunction and thus not applicable to healthy children. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of existing SCr-based GFR estimation equations in healthy Chinese children.

Methods

GFR estimation equations that developed in healthy children were mainly analysed, including the Flanders Metadata (FM), simple height-independent (Simple), full age spectrum (FAS) and FAS-height equations. The FM equation assumed that GFR is proportional to the ratio of height to SCr. The Simple, FAS and FAS-height equations assumed that the ratio of GFR to population mean is equal to the reciprocal ratio of SCr to population mean (denoted by Q). Estimated GFR were calculated using data of SCr, age, sex and height collected from 12 208 healthy Chinese children aged 3 months to <20 years. The performance of GFR estimation equations was evaluated by the sex and age distribution of the estimated GFR and the deviation from the measured GFR reported by other literatures.

Results

The FM and Simple equations performed well in their applicable age of 1 month to 14 years, but presented undesirable sex difference after adolescence. The FAS and FAS-height equations showed reasonable development trend of estimated GFR throughout childhood, and the FAS equation had higher consistency than the FAS-height equation compared with measured GFR in healthy children. The GFR estimated by the FAS equation increased with age before 2 years, and reached the adult level thereafter without important sex difference.

Conclusions

The FAS equation is applicable to healthy Chinese children.
Observational cohort study protocol: neutrophil function and energetics in adults with pneumonia and sepsis – Pneumonia Metabolism in Ageing (PUMA)
Authors: Grudzinska Frances S , Faniyi Aduragbemi A , Scott Aaron , Sapey Elizabeth , Thickett David R
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Community-acquired pneumonia has high mortality and is associated with significant healthcare costs. In older adults with community-acquired pneumonia neutrophil dysfunction has been identified and is associated with poor outcomes for patients. Immunometabolism is a rapidly developing field which links immune cell function to metabolism. This study aims to explore neutrophil metabolism in community-acquired pneumonia.

Methods and analysis

Pneumonia Metabolism in Ageing study is a prospective observational study recruiting older adults hospitalised with community-acquired pneumonia to examine neutrophil function and metabolic status. Controls will be older adults with no acute illness. The primary endpoint is neutrophil chemotaxis.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee Wales, reference 19/WA/0299. This study involves participants who may lack the capacity to consent to research involvement, in this situation, personal or professional assent will be sought. The results from this study will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated at local and international conferences.
Temporal course of cognitive and behavioural changes in motor neuron diseases
Authors: McHutchison Caroline A , Wuu Joanne , McMillan Corey T , Rademakers Rosa , Statland Jeffrey , Wu Gang , Rampersaud Evadnie , Myers Jason , Hernandez Jessica P , Abrahams Sharon , Benatar Michael
Published: October 2023

Background

Cognitive and behavioural dysfunction may occur in people with motor neuron disease (MND), with some studies suggesting an association with theC9ORF72repeat expansion. Their onset and progression, however, is poorly understood. We explored how cognition and behaviour change over time, and whether demographic, clinical and genetic factors impact these changes.

Methods

Participants with MND were recruited through the Phenotype-Genotype-Biomarker study. Every 3–6 months, the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) was used to assess amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) specific (executive functioning, verbal fluency, language) and ALS non-specific (memory, visuospatial) functions. Informants reported on behaviour symptoms via semi-structured interview.

Results

Participants with neuropsychological data at ≥3 visits were included (n=237, mean age=59, 60% male), of which 18 (8%) wereC9ORF72positive. Baseline cognitive impairment was apparent in 18 (8%), typically in ALS specific domains, and associated with lower education, but notC9ORF72status. Cognition, on average, remained stable over time, with two exceptions: (1)C9ORF72carriers declined in all ECAS domains, (2) 8%–9% of participants with baseline cognitive impairment further declined, primarily in the ALS non-specific domain, which was associated with less education. Behavioural symptoms were uncommon.

Conclusions

In this study, cognitive dysfunction was less common than previously reported and remained stable over time for most. However, cognition declines longitudinally in a small subset, which is not entirely related toC9ORF72status. Our findings raise questions about the timing of cognitive impairment in MND, and whether it arises during early clinically manifest disease or even prior to motor manifestations.
Fatal cerebral air embolism from atrio-oesophageal fistula following cardiac ablation
Authors: Keh Ryan Yann Shern , du Plessis Daniel , Potter Gillian M , Kobylecki Christopher , Cooper Paul
Published: October 2023

A young woman with Rogers syndrome (thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anaemia, diabetes mellitus and sensorineural deafness) presented with headache, recurrent supraventricular tachycardia and features of an upper gastrointestinal bleed, 1 month after radiofrequency cardiac ablation for supraventricular tachycardia. She deteriorated rapidly after endoscopy and subsequently died. Brain imaging during the acute deterioration showed diffuse intracranial air embolism and hypoxic–ischaemic injury. Postmortem examination showed an atrio-oesophageal fistula, a rare complication of cardiac ablation. Clinicians should suspect this condition in patients with acute neurological deterioration after cardiac ablation who have diffuse air embolism on imaging.
Stability analysis of heterogeneous infinite slopes under rainfall-infiltration by means of an improved Green–Ampt model
Authors: Jiang Shui-Hua , Liu Xian , Ma Guotao , Rezania Mohammad
Published: October 2023

Rainfall infiltration analysis has a great significance to the mitigation and risk assessment of rainfall-induced landslides. The original Green–Ampt (GA) model ignored the fact that a transitional layer exists in infiltration regions of soils under the rainfall permeation; moreover, it cannot effectively analyze the rainfall-infiltrated heterogeneous slope considering the spatial variability of saturated hydraulic conductivity ( ks ). In this study, an improved GA model is proposed for the rainfall-infiltration analysis of heterogeneous slopes. Four common slope cases are investigated to validate the effectiveness of the proposed model. An infinite slope model is taken as an illustrative example to investigate the distributions of volumetric water content and slope stability under the rainfall infiltration. The results show that the distributions of volumetric water content and factor of safety ( Fs) obtained from the proposed model are in very good agreement with the numerical results of the Richards' equation. In contrast, the modified GA model obtains biased distributions of volumetric water content and smaller Fs for the same cases. The results show that the proposed GA model can accurately identify the location of critical slip surface of the slope, and as such it provides an efficient method for risk analysis and control of slopes susceptible to landslide.
Reading Scene Text with Aggregated Temporal Convolutional Encoder
Authors: Ma Tianlong , Du Xiangcheng , Wu Xingjiao , Zhou Zhao , Zheng Yingbin , Jin Cheng
Published: October 2023

Reading scene text in the natural image is of fundamental importance in many real-world problems. Text recognition has a profound effect on information processing by enabling automated extraction and interpretation. Recent scene text recognition methods employ the encoder-decoder framework, which constructs the encoder by obtaining the visual representations based on the last layer of the backbone network and then feeding them into a sequence model. In this article, we propose a novel encoder structure that performs the feature extractor and the sequence modeling within a unified framework. The introduced Aggregated Temporal Convolutional Encoder (ATCE) first incorporates the temporal convolutional layers to consider the long-term temporal relationship in the encoder stage. The aggregation of these temporal convolution modules is designed to utilize visual features from different levels, by augmenting the standard architecture with deeper aggregation to better fuse information across modules. We also study the impact of different attention modules in convolutional blocks for learning accurate text representations. We conduct comparisons on several scene text recognition benchmarks for both Chinese and English; the experiments demonstrate the complementary ability with different decoder variants and the effectiveness of our proposed approach.
Potentiation of active force by cyclic strain in sheep carotid arterial smooth muscle
Authors: Wang Lu , Dong Shoujin , Chitano Pasquale , Seow Chun Y.
Published: October 2023

When subjected to mechanical strain, smooth muscle from large arteries has the ability to increase its force generation (force potentiation), which could be important in autoregulation of blood pressure. This phenomenon, however, does not involve a myogenic response, such as the one seen in small arteries and arterioles. Our work shows the involvement of ILK, PKC, and ROCK in the signal transduction pathway that mediates the force-potentiating effect of mechanical strain in large arteries.
Sex differences in the effects of inorganic nitrate supplementation on exercise economy and endurance capacity in healthy young adults
Authors: Ortiz de Zevallos Joaquin , Hogwood Austin C. , Kruse Ka’eo , De Guzman Jeison , Buckley Meredith , Weltman Arthur L. , Allen Jason D.
Published: October 2023

While inorganic nitrate (NO3−) supplementation has increased in popularity as an ergogenic aid to improve exercise performance, the role of sex in NO3− supplementation on exercise outcomes is lacking despite known physiological differences during exercise between sex. This study revealed that males, but not females, improved exercise economy during submaximal exercise and exercise capacity during exercise within the severe-intensity domain following NO3− supplementation.
No Difference in Short-Term Complications following Treatment of Closed Tibial Shaft Fractures with Intramedullary Nailing versus Plate Fixation
Authors: O’Neill Conor N. , Hooper Nicholas , Wait Jacob , Satalich James , Cinats David , Toney Clarence , Perdue Paul , Satpathy Jibanananda
Published: October 2023

Objectives. Tibial shaft fractures are treated with both intramedullary nailing (IMN) and plate fixation (ORIF). Using a large national database, we aimed to explore the differences in thirty-day complication rates between IMN and ORIF. Methods. Patients in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database who had undergone either tibial IMN or ORIF for closed fractures from 2010 to 2018 were identified using current procedural terminology (CPT) codes. After excluding all patients with open fractures, the propensity score was matching. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify risk factors associated with the thirty-day incidence of complications in the two cohorts. Results. A total of 5,400 patients were identified with 3,902 (72.3%) undergoing IMN and 1,498 (27.7%) ORIF. After excluding any ICD-10 diagnosis codes not pertaining to closed, traumatic tibial shaft fractures, 2,136 IMN and 621 ORIF cases remained. After matching, the baseline demographics were not significantly different between the cohorts. Following matching, the rate of any adverse event (aae) did not differ significantly between the IMN (7.08% (n = 44)) and ORIF (8.86% (n = 55)) cohorts (

p
=
0.13

). There was also no significant difference in operative time (IMN = 98.5 min, ORIF = 100 min;

p
=
0.3

) or length of stay (IMN = 3.7 days, ORIF = 3.3 days;

p
=
0.08

) between the cohorts. Conclusion. There were no significant differences in short-term complications between cohorts. These are important data for the surgeon when considering surgical management of closed tibial shaft fractures.
Dogs and Cats Are Less Susceptible to the Omicron Variant of Concern of SARS-CoV-2: A Field Study in Germany, 2021/2022
Authors: Klein Constantin , Michelitsch Anna , Allendorf Valerie , Conraths Franz Josef , Beer Martin , Denzin Nicolai , Wernike Kerstin
Published: October 2023

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused a pandemic of unprecedented extent. Besides humans, a number of animal species can be infected; however, in some species, differing susceptibilities were observed depending on the virus variant. Here, we serologically investigated cats and dogs living in households with human COVID-19 patients. The study was conducted during the transition period from delta as the dominating variant of concern (VOC) to omicron (BA.1/BA.2) to investigate the frequency of virus transmission of both VOCs from infected owners to their pets. The animal sera were tested by surrogate virus neutralization tests (sVNT) using either the original receptor-binding domain (RBD), enabling the detection of antibodies against the delta variant, or an omicron-specific RBD. Of the 290 canine samples, 20 tested positive by sVNT, but there were marked differences between the sampling time and, related thereto, the virus variants the dogs had contact to. While in November 2021, infected owners led to 50% seropositive dogs (18/36), only 0.8% (2/254) of animals with household contacts to SARS-CoV-2 between December 2021 and April 2022 tested positive. In all cases, the positive reaction was recorded against the original RBD. For cats, a similar pattern was seen, as in November 2021, 38.1% (16/42) tested positive, and between December 2021 and March 2022, only 5.0% (10/199). The markedly reduced ratio of seropositive animals during the period of omicron circulation suggests a considerably lower susceptibility of dogs and cats to this VOC. To examine the effect of further omicron subvariants, sera taken in the second and third quarter of 2022 from randomly selected cats were investigated. 2.3% (11/372) tested seropositive, and all of them showed a stronger reaction against the original RBD, further supporting the assumption of a lower susceptibility of companion animals to the omicron VOC.
Amphiregulin Induces iNOS and COX-2 Expression through NF-κB and MAPK Signaling in Hepatic Inflammation
Authors: Heo Yu Jung , Lee Nami , Choi Sung-E. , Jeon Ja Young , Han Seung Jin , Kim Dae Jung , Kang Yup , Lee Kwan Woo , Kim Hae Jin
Published: October 2023

Background. Inflammation is a major cause of hepatic tissue damage and accelerates the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Amphiregulin (AREG), an epidermal growth factor receptor ligand, is associated with human liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. We aimed to investigate the effects of AREG on hepatic inflammation during NAFLD progression, in vivo and in vitro. Methods. AREG gene expression was measured in the liver of mice fed a methionine choline-deficient (MCD) diet for 2 weeks. We evaluated inflammatory mediators and signaling pathways in HepG2 cells after stimulation with AREG. Nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting. Nuclear transcription factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, were analyzed using western blotting. Results. Proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and IL-8) and immune cell recruitment (as indicated by L3T4, F4/80, and ly6G mRNA expression) increased, and expression of AREG increased in the liver of mice fed the MCD diet. AREG significantly increased the expression of IL-6 and IL-1β and the production of NO, PGE2, and IL-8 in HepG2 cells. It also activated the protein expression of iNOS and COX-2. AREG-activated NF-κB and MAPKs signaling, and together with NF-κB and MAPKs inhibitors, AREG significantly reduced the protein expression of iNOS and COX-2. Conclusion. AREG plays a role in hepatic inflammation by increasing iNOS and COX-2 expression via NF-κB and MAPKs signaling.
A Bibliometric Review on Candida auris of the First Fifteen Years of Research (2009‐2023)
Authors: Villanueva-Lozano Hiram , Trejo-Castro Alejandro I. , Carrion-Alvarez Diego , Lozano-Díaz Sofía T. , Martinez-Torteya Antonio
Published: October 2023

Introduction. Candida auris is a relatively novel pathogen first described in 2009 in Japan. It has increased its presence worldwide, becoming a public health concern due to its innate resistance to antifungals and outbreak potential. Methods. We performed a query using the word “Candida auris” from the Scopus database, further performing a bibliometric analysis with the open‐source R package Bibliometrix. Results. 907 original articles were retrieved, allowing us to map the principal authors, papers, journals, and countries involved in this yeast research, as well as analyze current and future trends and the number of published articles. Conclusion. C. auris will continue to be a pivotal point in fungal resistance research, either for a better understanding of its resistance and pathogenic mechanisms or for developing novel drugs.
Angiopoietin-2 Is Associated with Aortic Stiffness in Diabetes Patients in Ghana: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Agyekum Jennifer A. , Yeboah Kwame
Published: October 2023

Objective. Impaired angiogenesis, measured as serum levels of angiogenic growth factors, may be among the mechanisms underlining aortic stiffness in diabetes patients. We studied the association between aortic stiffness and circulating angiogenic growth factors in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients without any organ damage. Methods. In a case-control design, aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx), and aortic blood pressures (BPs) were measured in 140 T2DM patients and 110 nondiabetic controls. Fasting blood samples were collected to measure the levels of angiopoietin- (Ang-) 1, Ang-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF). Results. Compared to nondiabetes participants, T2DM patients had increased PWV (

8.7
±
1.5

vs.

7.6
±
1.3

,

p
=
0.031

), aortic pulse BP (

58
±
20

vs.

49
±
17

,

p
=
0.011

), Ang-2 (838 (473–1241) vs. 597 (274–1005),

p
=
0.018

), and VEGF (72.2 (28–201.8) vs. 48.4 (17.4–110.1),

p
=
0.025

) but reduced levels of AIx (

21.7
±
13.8

vs.

34
±
12.9

,

p
<
0.001

) and Ang-1 (33.1 (24.7–42.1) vs. 41.1 (30–57.3),

p
=
0.01

). In all study participants, compared to those in the lower tertile, participants in the upper tertile of Ang-2 had increased odds of PWV (2.01 (1.17–3.84),

p
=
0.004

), aortic systolic BP (1.24 (1.04–1.97),

p
=
0.011

), and aortic pulse BP (1.19 (1.04–1.82),

p
=
0.041

) but reduced odds of AIx (0.84 (0.71–0.96),

p
=
0.014

) in multivariable-adjusted models. Conclusion. In our study population, increased circulating Ang-2 was associated with increased levels of aortic stiffness parameters.
Treatment and Resolution of an Implant Periapical Lesion (IPL) with Guided Bone Regeneration
Authors: Sgarbanti Carlo , Mauro Frank Armando
Published: October 2023

Background. Implant periapical lesion (IPL) is a rare condition that can affect dental implants. Several different approaches have been proposed for the treatment of this condition. Awareness and literature discussing this condition and possible treatment options have grown significantly in the last 25 years. Case Presentation. The present case report describes the treatment of an implant periapical lesion with a combined approach consisting of surgical lesion removal, mechanical instrumentation with titanium brush, detoxification with tetracycline, and guided bone regeneration (GBR) with demineralized allograft bone and cross-linked collagen membrane. The patient was followed up for 6 months postoperatively, showing complete resolution of the buccal fistula. No signs or symptoms of discomfort or pathology were reported. Conclusions. The case report presented a combined approach that can be successful in the surgical treatment of an IPL in which the implant stability is maintained.
Bats of the Safi-Essaouira Provinces (Morocco): New Inputs to the Knowledge of Bat Populations of the Atlantic Littoral
Authors: Dbiba Youssef , Dakki Mohamed , Mansouri Ismail , El Mouden El Hassan
Published: October 2023

In Morocco, investigations of bats are limited and fragmentary. The majority of studies were done in northern provinces close to the Mediterranean Sea and focused on the geographical distribution of bats. With the aim of overcoming these gaps, we used diurnal caves visits, hand nets and mist nets, and acoustic surveys to make an inventory of the Atlantic littoral of Safi-Essaouira provinces, which is considered one of the most neglected regions in the country. In total, five caves and nine foraging habitats were surveyed from 2020 to 2022. Our surveys highlighted the distribution of eleven bat species belonging to five families, of which Rhinolophus blasii and Tadarida teniotis species were newly recorded in the study area. Three caves, namely, Sbaa Fam, Haouya, and Sidi Benkrara were newly discovered and hosted medium-sized colonies of five species. They were important for bats during the daytime, hibernation, and breeding. In foraging habitats, 2650 passes of 10 species were recorded. Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Pipistrellus kuhlii were the most active, followed by Miniopterus schreibersii and Eptesicus isabellinus, while Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Hipposideros tephrus, Rhinolophus mehelyi, T. teniotis, Myotis punicus, and R. blasii were less active. Olive groves were the most diverse habitat with 8 species, followed by Safi pinewood and degraded Argane forest with 4 species each and Sidi Abderrahmane lake with 3 species. The other habitats hosted only two species each. This paper is the first to highlight data on bats in the coastal areas of Morocco and North Africa. Our results contribute to improve knowledge of the annual cycle of these bats and fill the gaps related to their distribution in the coastal area of the Safi-Essaouira provinces.
Blueberry Wine Aging: Influence of Bottle Storage Time on Color, Anthocyanin Monomers, and Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Varo M. Angeles , Martín-Gómez Juan , Merida Julieta , Serratosa Maria P.
Published: October 2023

In this paper, the influence of bottle storage time on different blueberry wines has been studied. Four blueberry wines with different fruit weight/sugar solution volume ratios and different fermentation times were stored. The storage was conducted for 12 months in darkness and at a constant temperature of 4°C. All the wines showed a similar behavior during the 12-month study period. The concentration of anthocyanins decreased significantly after the storage period. Wines obtained through partial fermentation showed a low concentration of anthocyanin monomers, and in the case of wines from total fermentation, no anthocyanin monomers could be identified. However, the wines at 12 months of storage exhibited a significant contribution to red color. The color intensity experienced a sharp decrease from 0 to 4 months, remaining unchanged until 12 months. Moreover, antioxidant activity increased during the storage process from 0 to 4 months and then remained relatively stable up to 12 months.