bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Notes from the Field: Public Views on Bioplastics-Findings from Greece
Authors: Skouloudis Antonis , Malesios Chrysovalantis , Lekkas Demetris-Francis
Published: October 2023

In recent years, the growing popularity of plastic materials made from renewable biomass sources has prompted research on stakeholder views. This is because the circularity and decoupling credentials producing such materials can be substantial but also bring to the forefront pressing questions around public receptiveness and support. To this regard, primary research on public views towards this broad class of materials derived from bio-based sources remains sparse, highlighting a topic that requires further attention and examination across national terrains. In this research note, we focus on Greece and draw from semi-structured interviews with consumers and representatives of other key stakeholders to shed light on awareness, perceptions, attitudes, concerns and viewpoints on bioplastics. The preliminary findings indicate and further confirm issues that warrant the consideration of companies’ product development departments and offer insights in refining product presentation in the marketplace by informing marketing and communication activities. Likewise, these findings can feed into education or awareness-raising campaigns and programmes for the functional features, the terminology, the potential benefits and the proper disposal criteria of plastic products made from biogenic raw materials. Studies such as ours pave the way for a better understanding of how primary and secondary stakeholders perceive such bio-based interventions in the production system and shed light on evaluations, knowledge gaps and expectations affecting intentions to support relevant research-and-innovation outputs in the value chain. While we do not consider the study to be fully representative of the Greek population, insights drawn from the interviews do contribute to the body of knowledge encompassing stakeholders’ views which can inform the development of the industry.
Long-term historical trends in air pollutant emissions in South Korea (2000–2018)
Authors: Kim Jinseok , Park Junhee , Hu Hyejung , Crippa Monica , Guizzardi Diego , Chatani Satoru , Kurokawa Junichi , Morikawa Tazuko , Yeo Soyoung , Jin Hyungah , Woo Jung-Hun
Published: October 2023

This study aims to understand the impact of previous air quality improvement policies on historical emission changes by examining long-term emission trends in Korea. Annual emissions from 2000 to 2018 were estimated using Korea’s official emissions inventory, the Clean Air Policy Support System (CAPSS). To ensure a consistent comparison, standardization of the method for calculating emissions and unification of the reported emission sectors were conducted each year. Furthermore, Korea’s emissions history was compared with that of neighboring countries, such as China and Japan. The annual emissions of these countries were acquired from the HTAPv3 emissions inventory, an international long-term emission trend study. For comparison, the emission source classification of Korea was matched with that of HTAPv3. As a result of the analysis, NOx and SOx emissions in Korea have shown decreasing trends, whereas VOCs (volatile organic compounds) have indicated a gradual increasing trend since 2000. Compared to the previous period of implementing South Korea’s air quality improvement policy, changes in NOx and SOx emissions, which are combustion-related pollutants, showed a relationship with the policy’s timeline. However, non-combustion-related pollutants such as VOCs did not exhibit such a relationship. It was concluded that the related policies were not as effective in reducing VOCs as planned in the policy. By comparing the emission trends of Japan, Korea, and China, it was confirmed that Japan was the first country to experience a decrease in combustion-related pollutants emissions, followed by Korea and China. Additionally, combustion-related pollutants decreased in all three countries, whereas VOCs decreased only in Japan. VOC is a precursor material generating secondary PM2.5 and Ozone; considering that, if relevant policies are additionally implemented to control future PM2.5 concentrations, and to reduce emissions efficiently and effectively, Japan’s VOC reduction policies can be applied to Korea’s emission reduction policies. These results are expected to serve as important references when establishing future air quality improvement policies in Korea.
Quantum Theory
Authors: Anastopoulos Charis
Published: October 2023

The ideal text for a two-semester graduate course on quantum mechanics. Fresh, comprehensive, and clear, it strikes the optimal balance between covering traditional material and exploring contemporary topics. Focusing on the probabilistic structure of quantum mechanics and the central role of symmetries to unify principles, this textbook guides readers through the logical development of the theory. Students will also learn about the more exciting and controversial aspects of quantum theory, with discussions on past interpretations and the current debates on cutting-edge concepts such as quantum information and entanglement, open quantum systems, and quantum measurement theory. The book has two types of content: Type A material is more elementary and is fully self-contained, functioning like a separate book within the book, while Type B content is at the level of a graduate course. Requiring minimal physics background, this textbook is appropriate for mathematics and engineering students, in addition to physicists. Introducing cutting-edge topics in the field, the book features about 150 concept-checking questions, 300 homework problems and a solutions manual.
Sliding and merging of strongly sheared droplets
Authors: Ruyer-Quil C. , Bresch D. , Gisclon M. , Richard G.L. , Kessar M. , Cellier N.
Published: October 2023

A mathematical and numerical framework is proposed to compute the displacement and merging dynamics of sliding droplets under the action of a constant shear exerted by a gas flow. An augmented formulation is implemented to model surface tension including the full curvature of the free surface. A set of shallow-water evolution equations is obtained for the film thickness, the averaged velocity, an additional quantity (with dimension of a velocity) taking into account the capillary effects and a tensor called enstrophy. The enstrophy accounts for the deviation of the velocity profile from a constant velocity distribution. The formulation is consistent with the long-wave expansion of the basic equations with a conservative part and source terms including the effect of viscosity, in the form of a viscous friction and the effect of the shear stress. The model is hyperbolic with generalised diffusion terms due to capillarity. Finally, our model is completed with a disjoining pressure formulation that is able to account for the hysteresis of the static contact angle. In this formulation, the advancing or receding nature of the contact line is assessed by the accumulation or reduction of mass of the droplet at the contact line. Simulations of sliding water droplets are performed with periodic boundary conditions in a domain of limited size. Hysteresis of the static contact angle causes a slowdown of the drops and a delay in the sequence of coalescence of the drops.
The Mediation Framework in Botswana's Trade Disputes Act: A Unique Approach to Dispute Resolution
Authors: Mogapaesi Tshepo
Published: October 2023

Botswana's Trade Disputes Act was enacted to provide for a settlement of trade disputes by the Commissioner of Labour, mediators and arbitrators and for the establishment of the Industrial Court as a court of law and equity. Mediators therefore play a critical role in the resolution of trade disputes within Botswana's labour law framework, and while their role is facilitative, their contribution to the trajectory of resolving labour disputes is significant. This article analyses the form of mediation envisaged under the act, and the mediator's role and powers. It further considers circumstances under and the extent to which the Industrial Court may intervene in the decisions of mediators.
The meandering trajectories of financial innovations: commercial paper and its uses in sixteenth-century Lyon's trading networks
Authors: Matringe Nadia
Published: October 2023

This article explores the complex dynamics of financial innovation in early modern times, challenging linear models of temporal and spatial divisions that tend to shape our understanding of the evolution of financial systems. It supports the idea that innovation should be viewed as a non-linear and contextual process, involving diverse stakeholders and characterised by interactions and unexpected occurrences. The study focuses on the dissemination and trajectories of financial innovations, specifically the bill of exchange and its variation, the ricorsa, as well as the transferability and negotiability of commercial paper. It does so by investigating the interactions and exchanges between merchants and bankers from diverse backgrounds during the sixteenth-century Lyon fairs, using the archival records of one of the first Italian banks in Lyon (Salviati). The study reveals the mutual influence and acculturation among these agents and challenges the compartmentalisation of financial expertise. Through an analysis of transactions recorded in the Salviati bank's ledgers, the article highlights previously unknown uses of commercial paper by Southern merchant communities and discusses the factors that may have hindered the full-scale development of endorsement and discount in the Lyon trading networks, despite their potential benefits. The results provide insights into the intricate nature of financial innovation and the influence of structural and cultural factors on its development.
Wellbeing Wednesdays: a pilot trial of acceptance and commitment therapy embedded in a freshman seminar
Authors: Browning Morgan E. , Lloyd-Richardson Elizabeth E. , Trisal Akshay V. , Kelleher Victoria G. , Kayyal Mary H. , Schierberl Scherr Anna E.
Published: October 2023

University students face vast mental health challenges, and both attitudinal and structural barriers to seeking care. Embedding interventions in college courses is one solution. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an ideal candidate intervention given its emphasis on values, context, and skill building from a transdiagnostic perspective. This study embedded a brief ACT intervention in a required freshman seminar that was delivered by trained but unlicensed graduate students. In two class sessions of the freshman seminar taught by the same instructor, one session was randomly assigned to receive the course as usual, and one session received the ACT intervention. ACT content was delivered to all students in the intervention course on five consecutive weekly class periods. Students in both classes who chose to participate in the study completed assessments before and after the intervention and at follow-up. There were no significant changes with tests that were run, including non-parametric tests given the small sample sizes. Descriptively, the intervention group had slight improvements in wellbeing and mindfulness and decreases in distress, and the control group had worsened wellbeing, mindfulness and distress. A moderate portion of intervention group students enjoyed the intervention and indicated use of ACT skills, particularly mindfulness. Results suggest that this classroom-based intervention was feasible and acceptable, but further study should occur given small sample sizes. Future work should continue course-based ACT interventions, and should also explore potential applications of student training to deliver interventions given the shortage of mental health providers on college campuses.

Key learning aims

(1)

Can acceptance and commitment therapy content and skills be integrated into an existing freshman seminar curriculum?

(2)

Can acceptance and commitment therapy improve wellbeing and decrease distress amongst college students?

(3)

How will students engage with and practise acceptance and commitment therapy skills outside of the context of session delivery?
Celebrating Wins, Lamenting Losses in the Aftermath of Presidential	Elections
Authors: DuBosar Eliana , Hmielowski Jay D. , Hutchens Myiah J. , Beam Michael A.
Published: October 2023

Abstract: In this paper, we examine media use in the aftermath of the 2004, 2012, and 2020 presidential elections in the United States. Specifically, we test whether members of the party who won the election bask in reflected glory (BIRG; i.e., seek out pro-attitudinal media after preferred candidate wins) or whether members of the losing party cut off reflected failure (CORF; i.e., cut off ties with their party after a loss by decreasing their use of pro-attitudinal media). We also examine whether individuals whose candidate lost use pro-attitudinal media to repair their identity, or engage in information utility behaviors by seeking out counter-attitudinal information to learn about the opposing party following their win. Using two waves of survey data from the 2004, 2012, and 2020 US presidential elections, we find support for the BIRGing hypothesis. However, we did not find support for any of the hypotheses associated with losing the elections.
Plants Worldwide Reach a Stomata Stalemate
Authors: Shepherd Emily
Published: October 2023

Research unveiled a surprising plateau in plants’ ability to absorb carbon through stomata, which could mean more carbon left in the atmosphere.
SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific TFH cells exhibit unique responses in infected and vaccinated individuals
Authors: He Rongzhang , Zheng Xingyu , Zhang Jian , Liu Bo , Wang Qijie , Wu Qian , Liu Ziyan , Chang Fangfang , Hu Yabin , Xie Ting , Liu Yongchen , Chen Jun , Yang Jing , Teng Shishan , Lu Rui , Pan Dong , Wang You , Peng Liting , Huang Weijin , Terzieva Velislava , Liu Wenpei , Wang Youchun , Li Yi-Ping , Qu Xiaowang
Published: October 2023

Long-term humoral immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is essential for preventing reinfection. The production of neutralizing antibody (nAb) and B cell differentiation are tightly regulated by T follicular help (TFH) cells. However, the longevity and functional role of TFH cell subsets in COVID-19 convalescents and vaccine recipients remain poorly defined. Here, we show that SARS-CoV-2 infection and inactivated vaccine elicited both spike-specific CXCR3+ TFH cell and CXCR3− TFH cell responses, which showed distinct response patterns. Spike-specific CXCR3+ TFH cells exhibit a dominant and more durable response than CXCR3− TFH cells that positively correlated with antibody responses. A third booster dose preferentially expands the spike-specific CXCR3+ TFH cell subset induced by two doses of inactivated vaccine, contributing to antibody maturation and potency. Functionally, spike-specific CXCR3+ TFH cells have a greater ability to induce spike-specific antibody secreting cells (ASCs) differentiation compared to spike-specific CXCR3− TFH cells. In conclusion, the persistent and functional role of spike-specific CXCR3+ TFH cells following SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination may play an important role in antibody maintenance and recall response, thereby conferring long-term protection. The findings from this study will inform the development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines aiming to induce long-term protective immune memory.
Natural language processing for mental health interventions: a systematic review and research framework
Authors: Malgaroli Matteo , Hull Thomas D. , Zech James M. , Althoff Tim
Published: October 2023

Neuropsychiatric disorders pose a high societal cost, but their treatment is hindered by lack of objective outcomes and fidelity metrics. AI technologies and specifically Natural Language Processing (NLP) have emerged as tools to study mental health interventions (MHI) at the level of their constituent conversations. However, NLP’s potential to address clinical and research challenges remains unclear. We therefore conducted a pre-registered systematic review of NLP-MHI studies using PRISMA guidelines (osf.io/s52jh) to evaluate their models, clinical applications, and to identify biases and gaps. Candidate studies (n = 19,756), including peer-reviewed AI conference manuscripts, were collected up to January 2023 through PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ArXiv. A total of 102 articles were included to investigate their computational characteristics (NLP algorithms, audio features, machine learning pipelines, outcome metrics), clinical characteristics (clinical ground truths, study samples, clinical focus), and limitations. Results indicate a rapid growth of NLP MHI studies since 2019, characterized by increased sample sizes and use of large language models. Digital health platforms were the largest providers of MHI data. Ground truth for supervised learning models was based on clinician ratings (n = 31), patient self-report (n = 29) and annotations by raters (n = 26). Text-based features contributed more to model accuracy than audio markers. Patients’ clinical presentation (n = 34), response to intervention (n = 11), intervention monitoring (n = 20), providers’ characteristics (n = 12), relational dynamics (n = 14), and data preparation (n = 4) were commonly investigated clinical categories. Limitations of reviewed studies included lack of linguistic diversity, limited reproducibility, and population bias. A research framework is developed and validated (NLPxMHI) to assist computational and clinical researchers in addressing the remaining gaps in applying NLP to MHI, with the goal of improving clinical utility, data access, and fairness.
Melatonin alleviates depression-like behaviors and cognitive dysfunction in mice by regulating the circadian rhythm of AQP4 polarization
Authors: Yao Di , Li Rong , Hao Jiahuan , Huang Hongqing , Wang Xubiao , Ran Lusen , Fang Yuanyuan , He Yuqin , Wang Wei , Liu Xinghua , Wang Minghuan
Published: October 2023

Depression is a common chronic psychiatric illness, which is resistant to medical treatments. While melatonin may alleviate certain depression symptoms, evidence for its efficacy against core symptoms is lacking. Here, we tested a mechanism whereby melatonin rescues the behavioral outcomes of the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) mouse model of depression. CUMS mice showed depressive behaviors to tail suspension, open field behavior, and sucrose preference test, and cognitive dysfunction in the Morris water maze. Impairments in these measures were relieved by melatonin treatment. Moreover, CUMS mice had impaired glymphatic function across the sleep-wake cycle due to the astrocytic loss and disturbance of circadian regulation of the polarized expression of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels in perivascular astrocytes. EEG results in CUMS mice showed a reduced total sleep time and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, due to sleep fragmentation in the light phase. CUMS mice lost the normal rhythmic expressions of circadian proteins Per2, Cry2, Bmal1, Clock, and Per1. However, the melatonin treatment restored glymphatic system function and the polarization of AQP4, while improving sleep structure, and rectifying the abnormal expression of Per2, Bmal1, Clock, and Per1 in CUMS mice. Interestingly, Per2 expression correlated negatively with the polarization of AQP4. Further studies demonstrated that Per2 directed the location of AQP4 expression via interactions with the α-dystrobrevin (Dtna) subunit of AQP4 in primary cultured astrocytes. In conclusion, we report a new mechanism whereby melatonin improves depression outcomes by regulating the expression of the circadian protein Per2, maintaining the circadian rhythm of astrocytic AQP4 polarization, and restoring glymphatic function.
Activity-dependent organization of prefrontal hub-networks for associative learning and signal transformation
Authors: Agetsuma Masakazu , Sato Issei , Tanaka Yasuhiro R. , Carrillo-Reid Luis , Kasai Atsushi , Noritake Atsushi , Arai Yoshiyuki , Yoshitomo Miki , Inagaki Takashi , Yukawa Hiroshi , Hashimoto Hitoshi , Nabekura Junichi , Nagai Takeharu
Published: October 2023

Associative learning is crucial for adapting to environmental changes. Interactions among neuronal populations involving the dorso-medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) are proposed to regulate associative learning, but how these neuronal populations store and process information about the association remains unclear. Here we developed a pipeline for longitudinal two-photon imaging and computational dissection of neural population activities in male mouse dmPFC during fear-conditioning procedures, enabling us to detect learning-dependent changes in the dmPFC network topology. Using regularized regression methods and graphical modeling, we found that fear conditioning drove dmPFC reorganization to generate a neuronal ensemble encoding conditioned responses (CR) characterized by enhanced internal coactivity, functional connectivity, and association with conditioned stimuli (CS). Importantly, neurons strongly responding to unconditioned stimuli during conditioning subsequently became hubs of this novel associative network for the CS-to-CR transformation. Altogether, we demonstrate learning-dependent dynamic modulation of population coding structured on the activity-dependent formation of the hub network within the dmPFC.
A unified method to revoke the private data of patients in intelligent healthcare with audit to forget
Authors: Zhou Juexiao , Li Haoyang , Liao Xingyu , Zhang Bin , He Wenjia , Li Zhongxiao , Zhou Longxi , Gao Xin
Published: October 2023

Revoking personal private data is one of the basic human rights. However, such right is often overlooked or infringed upon due to the increasing collection and use of patient data for model training. In order to secure patients’ right to be forgotten, we proposed a solution by using auditing to guide the forgetting process, where auditing means determining whether a dataset has been used to train the model and forgetting requires the information of a query dataset to be forgotten from the target model. We unified these two tasks by introducing an approach called knowledge purification. To implement our solution, we developed an audit to forget software (AFS), which is able to evaluate and revoke patients’ private data from pre-trained deep learning models. Here, we show the usability of AFS and its application potential in real-world intelligent healthcare to enhance privacy protection and data revocation rights.
Temperature extremes of 2022 reduced carbon uptake by forests in Europe
Authors: van der Woude Auke M. , Peters Wouter , Joetzjer Emilie , Lafont Sébastien , Koren Gerbrand , Ciais Philippe , Ramonet Michel , Xu Yidi , Bastos Ana , Botía Santiago , Sitch Stephen , de Kok Remco , Kneuer Tobias , Kubistin Dagmar , Jacotot Adrien , Loubet Benjamin , Herig-Coimbra Pedro-Henrique , Loustau Denis , Luijkx Ingrid T.
Published: October 2023

The year 2022 saw record breaking temperatures in Europe during both summer and fall. Similar to the recent 2018 drought, close to 30% (3.0 million km2) of the European continent was under severe summer drought. In 2022, the drought was located in central and southeastern Europe, contrasting the Northern-centered 2018 drought. We show, using multiple sets of observations, a reduction of net biospheric carbon uptake in summer (56-62 TgC) over the drought area. Specific sites in France even showed a widespread summertime carbon release by forests, additional to wildfires. Partial compensation (32%) for the decreased carbon uptake due to drought was offered by a warm autumn with prolonged biospheric carbon uptake. The severity of this second drought event in 5 years suggests drought-induced reduced carbon uptake to no longer be exceptional, and important to factor into Europe’s developing plans for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions that rely on carbon uptake by forests.
Metal-free photoinduced C(sp3)–H/C(sp3)–H cross-coupling to access α‑tertiary amino acid derivatives
Authors: Li Yujun , Guo Shaopeng , Li Qing-Han , Zheng Ke
Published: October 2023

The cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reaction is the most direct and efficient method for constructing α-tertiary amino acids (ATAAs), which avoids the pre-activation of C(sp3)-H substrates. However, the use of transition metals and harsh reaction conditions are still significant challenges for these reactions that urgently require solutions. This paper presents a mild, metal-free CDC reaction for the construction of ATAAs, which is compatible with various benzyl C-H substrates, functionalized C-H substrates, and alkyl substrates, with good regioselectivity. Notably, our method exhibits excellent functional group tolerance and late-stage applicability. According to mechanistic studies, the one-step synthesized and bench-stable N-alkoxyphtalimide generates a highly electrophilic trifluoro ethoxy radical that serves as a key intermediate in the reaction process and acts as a hydrogen atom transfer reagent. Therefore, our metal-free and additive-free method offers a promising strategy for the synthesis of ATAAs under mild conditions.
A molecular staging model for accurately dating the endometrial biopsy
Authors: Teh W. T. , Chung J. , Holdsworth-Carson S. J. , Donoghue J. F. , Healey M. , Rees H. C. , Bittinger S. , Obers V. , Sloggett C. , Kendarsari R. , Fung J. N. , Mortlock S. , Montgomery G. W. , Girling J. E. , Rogers P. A. W.
Published: October 2023

Natural variability in menstrual cycle length, coupled with rapid changes in endometrial gene expression, makes it difficult to accurately define and compare different stages of the endometrial cycle. Here we develop and validate a method for precisely determining endometrial cycle stage based on global gene expression. Our ‘molecular staging model’ reveals significant and remarkably synchronised daily changes in expression for over 3400 endometrial genes throughout the cycle, with the most dramatic changes occurring during the secretory phase. Our study significantly extends existing data on the endometrial transcriptome, and for the first time enables identification of differentially expressed endometrial genes with increasing age and different ethnicities. It also allows reinterpretation of all endometrial RNA-seq and array data that has been published to date. Our molecular staging model will significantly advance understanding of endometrial-related disorders that affect nearly all women at some stage of their lives, such as heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, adenomyosis, and recurrent implantation failure.
YTHDF2 facilitates aggresome formation via UPF1 in an m6A-independent manner
Authors: Hwang Hyun Jung , Park Tae Lim , Kim Hyeong-In , Park Yeonkyoung , Kim Geunhee , Song Chiyeol , Cho Won-Ki , Kim Yoon Ki
Published: October 2023

YTHDF2 has been extensively studied and typified as an RNA-binding protein that specifically recognizes and destabilizes RNAs harboring N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most prevalent internal modification found in eukaryotic RNAs. In this study, we unravel the m6A-independent role of YTHDF2 in the formation of an aggresome, where cytoplasmic protein aggregates are selectively sequestered upon failure of protein homeostasis mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Downregulation of YTHDF2 in HeLa cells reduces the circularity of aggresomes and the rate of movement of misfolded polypeptides, inhibits aggresome formation, and thereby promotes cellular apoptosis. Mechanistically, YTHDF2 is recruited to a misfolded polypeptide-associated complex composed of UPF1, CTIF, eEF1A1, and DCTN1 through its interaction with UPF1. Subsequently, YTHDF2 increases the interaction between the dynein motor protein and the misfolded polypeptide-associated complex, facilitating the diffusion dynamics of the movement of misfolded polypeptides toward aggresomes. Therefore, our data reveal that YTHDF2 is a cellular factor involved in protein quality control.
Genomic analysis of advanced breast cancer tumors from talazoparib-treated gBRCA1/2mut carriers in the ABRAZO study
Authors: Turner Nicholas C. , Laird A. Douglas , Telli Melinda L. , Rugo Hope S. , Mailliez Audrey , Ettl Johannes , Grischke Eva-Maria , Mina Lida A. , Balmaña Judith , Fasching Peter A. , Hurvitz Sara A. , Hopkins Julia F. , Albacker Lee A. , Chelliserry Jijumon , Chen Ying , Conte Umberto , Wardley Andrew M. , Robson Mark E.
Published: October 2023

These analyses explore the impact of homologous recombination repair gene mutations, including BRCA1/2 mutations and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), on the efficacy of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor talazoparib in the open-label, two-cohort, Phase 2 ABRAZO trial in germline BRCA1/2-mutation carriers. In the evaluable intent-to-treat population (N = 60), 58 (97%) patients harbor ≥1 BRCA1/2 mutation(s) in tumor sequencing, with 95% (53/56) concordance between germline and tumor mutations, and 85% (40/47) of evaluable patients have BRCA locus loss of heterozygosity indicating HRD. The most prevalent non-BRCA tumor mutations are TP53 in patients with BRCA1 mutations and PIK3CA in patients with BRCA2 mutations. BRCA1- or BRCA2-mutated tumors show comparable clinical benefit within cohorts. While low patient numbers preclude correlations between HRD and efficacy, germline BRCA1/2 mutation detection from tumor-only sequencing shows high sensitivity and non-BRCA genetic/genomic events do not appear to influence talazoparib sensitivity in the ABRAZO trial.

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02034916.
Alloy synthesis and processing by semi-supervised text mining
Authors: Wang Weiren , Jiang Xue , Tian Shaohan , Liu Pei , Lookman Turab , Su Yanjing , Xie Jianxin
Published: October 2023

Alloy synthesis and processing determine the design of alloys with desired microstructure and properties. However, using data science to identify optimal synthesis-design routes from a specified set of starting materials has been limited by large-scale data acquisition. Text mining has made it possible to convert scientific text into structured data collections. Still, the complexity, diversity, and flexibility of synthesis and processing expressions, and the lack of annotated corpora with a gold standard severely hinder accurate and efficient extraction. Here we introduce a semi-supervised text mining method to extract the parameters corresponding to the sequence of actions of synthesis and processing. We automatically extract a total of 9853 superalloy synthesis and processing actions with chemical compositions from a corpus of 16,604 superalloy articles published up to 2022. These have then been used to capture an explicitly expressed synthesis factor for predicting γ′ phase coarsening. The synthesis factor derived from text mining significantly improves the performance of the data-driven γ′ size prediction model. The method thus complements the use of data-driven approaches in the search for relationships between synthesis and structures.
Quantifying innervation facilitated by deep learning in wound healing
Authors: Mehta Abijeet Singh , Teymoori Sam , Recendez Cynthia , Fregoso Daniel , Gallegos Anthony , Yang Hsin-Ya , Aslankoohi Elham , Rolandi Marco , Isseroff Roslyn Rivkah , Zhao Min , Gomez Marcella
Published: October 2023

The peripheral nerves (PNs) innervate the dermis and epidermis, and are suggested to play an important role in wound healing. Several methods to quantify skin innervation during wound healing have been reported. Those usually require multiple observers, are complex and labor-intensive, and the noise/background associated with the immunohistochemistry (IHC) images could cause quantification errors/user bias. In this study, we employed the state-of-the-art deep neural network, Denoising Convolutional Neural Network (DnCNN), to perform pre-processing and effectively reduce the noise in the IHC images. Additionally, we utilized an automated image analysis tool, assisted by Matlab, to accurately determine the extent of skin innervation during various stages of wound healing. The 8 mm wound is generated using a circular biopsy punch in the wild-type mouse. Skin samples were collected on days 3, 7, 10 and 15, and sections from paraffin-embedded tissues were stained against pan-neuronal marker- protein-gene-product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) antibody. On day 3 and day 7, negligible nerve fibers were present throughout the wound with few only on the lateral boundaries of the wound. On day 10, a slight increase in nerve fiber density appeared, which significantly increased on day 15. Importantly, we found a positive correlation (R2 = 0.926) between nerve fiber density and re-epithelization, suggesting an association between re-innervation and re-epithelization. These results established a quantitative time course of re-innervation in wound healing, and the automated image analysis method offers a novel and useful tool to facilitate the quantification of innervation in the skin and other tissues.
Systematic observations of enhanced oil recovery and associated changes at carbonate-brine and carbonate-petroleum interfaces
Authors: Qin Tianzhu , Fenter Paul , AlOtaibi Mohammed , Ayirala Subhash , Yousef Ali
Published: October 2023

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) from carbonates is obtained by injection of controlled ionic strength brines containing “active ions” (e.g., SO42−, Mg2+, Ca2+). It is generally believed that this occurs through the interaction of the active ions at the carbonate-brine interface (e.g., within a thin brine layer separating the petroleum and the carbonate phases). Here, in-situ observations show how one active ion, SO42−, alters behavior at the carbonate-petroleum interface. Displacement of petroleum from initially oil-wet carbonate rocks using brines with variable SO4 concentrations systematically changes oil recovery, in situ contact angles, and connectivity of the oil phase, confirming that the active ion alters interactions at the oil/brine/carbonate interface, as expected. Measurements of model calcite-fluid interfaces show that there is no measurable sorption of SO4 to carbonate-brine interfaces but reveals that the carbonate-petroleum interface is altered by previous exposure to SO4-containing brines. These results suggest that EOR in carbonates is controlled indirectly by active ions. We propose that this may be due to a reduced oleophilicity of the carbonate caused by chemical complexation between the active ion and petroleum’s acidic and basic functional groups. This mechanism explains how both anions and cations act as active ions for EOR in carbonates.
Effects of a lotion containing probiotic ferment lysate as the main functional ingredient on enhancing skin barrier: a randomized, self-control study
Authors: Cui Hongchang , Feng Congrui , Zhang Tao , Martínez-Ríos Verónica , Martorell Patricia , Tortajada Marta , Cheng Sidao , Cheng Shumin , Duan Zhi
Published: October 2023

There is an emergent need to develop functional cosmetic ingredients for the topical management of skin barrier function. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a lotion containing fermented lysates VHProbi® Mix R for enhancing the skin barrier. In vitro studies demonstrated that fermented cultures of both Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus VHProbi® E06 (E06) and L. paracasei VHProbi® E12 (E12) had antioxidant capacity, showing promising scavenging capability for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl. The antioxidant capacity of these strains was also demonstrated in the model of Caenorhabditis elegans. In addition, the fermented lysates of both E06 and E12 enhanced the proliferation of HaCaT cells and ameliorated the toxicity induced by Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, hydrogen peroxide, and ultraviolet B radiation in the HaCaT cell models, which simulated the irritants that facial sensitive skin is exposed to. Subsequently, the ingredient VHProbi® Mix R was formulated using four kinds of fermented lysates: E06, E12, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum VHProbi® E15, and Lactobacillus helveticus VHProbi® Y21. A clinical study was conducted to investigate whether a lotion containing VHProbi® Mix R would be beneficial for people to enhance skin barrier. The participants were asked to use the investigational product for 30 days. Several indicators, including transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin moisturization, and redness were measured at day 0 and day 30 using VISIA®-CR and CK®-MPA systems. Meanwhile, the burden of sensitive skin (BoSS) and self-assessment questionnaires were performed at baseline and endpoint of this study. The study data showed that at day 30, there was a significant decrease in TEWL (P < 0.01), redness measured by CK®-MPA (P < 0.01), and redness profile measured by VISIA®-CR compared with the baseline measurements. Skin moisturization had significantly increased after treatment with the lotion for 30 days. BoSS and self-assessment questionnaires also substantiated that the participants felt a markedly positive change in their sensitive skin. Hence, we hypothesize that applying the topical functional VHProbi® Mix R could confer effective benefits for people with sensitive skin and this represents a promising intervention for enhancing skin barrier.
Combination therapy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor sorafenib with the HSP90 inhibitor onalespib as a novel treatment regimen for thyroid cancer
Authors: Mortensen Anja Charlotte Lundgren , Berglund Hanna , Hariri Mehran , Papalanis Eleftherios , Malmberg Christer , Spiegelberg Diana
Published: October 2023

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, affecting nearly 600,000 new patients worldwide. Treatment with the BRAF inhibitor sorafenib partially prolongs progression-free survival in thyroid cancer patients, but fails to improve overall survival. This study examines enhancing sorafenib efficacy by combination therapy with the novel HSP90 inhibitor onalespib. In vitro efficacy of sorafenib and onalespib monotherapy as well as in combination was assessed in papillary (PTC) and anaplastic (ATC) thyroid cancer cells using cell viability and colony formation assays. Migration potential was studied in wound healing assays. The in vivo efficacy of sorafenib and onalespib therapy was evaluated in mice bearing BHT-101 xenografts. Sorafenib in combination with onalespib significantly inhibited PTC and ATC cell proliferation, decreased metabolic activity and cancer cell migration. In addition, the drug combination approach significantly inhibited tumor growth in the xenograft model and prolonged the median survival. Our results suggest that combination therapy with sorafenib and onalespib could be used as a new therapeutic approach in the treatment of thyroid cancer, significantly improving the results obtained with sorafenib as monotherapy. This approach has the potential to reduce treatment adaptation while at the same time providing therapeutic anti-cancer benefits such as reducing tumor growth and metastatic potential.
Modified electrode decorated with silver as a novel non-enzymatic sensor for the determination of ammonium in water
Authors: Altahan Mahmoud Fatehy , Ali Asmaa Galal , Hathoot Abla Ahmed , Azzem Magdi Abdel
Published: October 2023

Ammonium is an essential component of the nitrogen cycle, which is essential for nitrogen cycling in ecosystems. On the other hand, ammonium pollution in water poses a great threat to the ecosystem and human health. Accurate and timely determination of ammonium content is of great importance for environmental management and ensuring the safety of water supply. Here we report a highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for ammonium in water samples. The modified electrode is based on the incorporation of silver nitrate (AgNO3) into a carbon paste embedded with 1-aminoanthraquinone and supported by multi-walled carbon nanotubes, which are commercially available. A potential of 0.75 V is applied to the modified electrode, followed by activation in hydrochloric acid. The modified electrode was used for square wave voltammetry of ammonium in water in the potential range of − 0.4–0.2 V. The performance of ammonium analysis was determined in terms of square wave frequency, square wave amplitude and concentration of electrolyte solution (sodium sulphate). The calculation of the surface area according to the Randles–Sevcik equation resulted in the largest surface area for the Ag/pAAQ/MWCNTs/CPE. The modified electrode exhibited a linear range of 5–100 µM NH4+ in 0.1 M Na2SO4 with a detection limit of 0.03 µM NH4+ (3σ). In addition, the modified electrode showed high precision with an RSD value of 9.93% for 10 repeated measurements. No interfering effect was observed at twofold and tenfold additive concentrations of foreign ions. Good recoveries were obtained in the analysis of tap and mineral water after spiking with a concentration of ammonium ions.
Clinical implications of RAB13 expression in pan-cancer based on multi-databases integrative analysis
Authors: Zhang Xu-dong , Liu Zhong-yuan , Luo Kai , Wang Xiang-kun , Wang Mao-sen , Huang Shuai , Li Ren-feng
Published: October 2023

Worldwide, cancer is a huge burden, and each year sees an increase in its incidence. RAB (Ras-related in brain) 13 is crucial for a number of tumor types. But more research on RAB13's tumor-related mechanism is still required. This study's goal was to investigate RAB13's function in human pan-cancer, and we have also preliminarily explored the relevant mechanisms. To investigate the differential expression, survival prognosis, immunological checkpoints, and pathological stage of RAB13 in human pan-cancer, respectively, databases of TIMER2.0, GEPIA 2, and UALCAN were employed. CBioPortal database was used to analyze the mutation level, meanwhile, PPI network was constructed based on STRING website. The putative functions of RAB13 in immunological infiltration were investigated using single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). The mechanism of RAB13 in hepatocellular cancer was also briefly investigated by us using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). RAB13 was differentially expressed in a number of different cancers, including liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC), stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD), etc. Additionally, RAB13 overexpression in LGG and LIHC is associated with a worse prognosis, including overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Then, we observed that early in BLCA, BRAC, CHOL, ESCA, HNSC, KICH, KIRC, LIHC, LUAD, LUSC, and STAD, the level of RAB13 expression was raised. Next, we found that “amplification” was the most common mutation in RAB13. The expression of SLC39A1, JTB, SSR2, SNAPIN, and RHOC was strongly positively linked with RAB13, according to a correlation study. RAB13 favorably regulated B cell, CD8 + T cell, CD4 + T cell, macrophage, neutrophil, and dendritic cell in LIHC, according to immune infiltration analysis. Immune checkpoint study revealed a positive correlation between RAB13 expression and PD1, PDL1, and CTLA4 in LIHC. According to GSEA, RAB13 is involved in a number of processes in LIHC, including MTORC1 signaling, MYC targets v1, G2M checkpoint, MITOTIC spindle, DNA repair, P53 pathway, glycolysis, PI3K-AKT-MTOR signaling, etc. RAB13 is a possible therapeutic target in LIHC and can be used as a prognostic marker.
Performance enhancement in clustering cooperative spectrum sensing for cognitive radio network using metaheuristic algorithm
Authors: Srivastava Vikas , Singh Parulpreet , Mahajan Shubham , Pandit Amit Kant , Alshamrani Ahmad M. , Abouhawwash Mohamed
Published: October 2023

Spectrum sensing describes, whether the spectrum is occupied or empty. Main objective of cognitive radio network (CRN) is to increase probability of detection (Pd) and reduce probability of error (Pe) for energy consumption. To reduce energy consumption, probability of detection should be increased. In cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS), all secondary users (SU) transmit their data to fusion center (FC) for final measurement according to the status of primary user (PU). Cluster should be used to overcome this problem and improve performance. In the clustering technique, all SUs are grouped into clusters on the basis of their similarity. In cluster technique, SU transfers their data to cluster head (CH) and CH transfers their combined data to FC. This paper proposes the detection performance optimization of CRN with a machine learning-based metaheuristic algorithm using clustering CSS technique. This article presents a hybrid support vector machine (SVM) and Red Deer Algorithm (RDA) algorithm named Hybrid SVM–RDA to identify spectrum gaps. Algorithm proposed in this work outperforms the computational complexity, an issue reported with various conventional cluster techniques. The proposed algorithm increases the probability of detection (up to 99%) and decreases the probability of error (up to 1%) at different parameters.
The effect of circulating iron on barrier integrity of primary human endothelial cells
Authors: Madsen M. C. , Podieh F. , Overboom M. C. , Thijs A. , den Heijer M. , Hordijk P. L.
Published: October 2023

Iron is hypothesized to be one of the contributors to cardiovascular disease and its levels in the circulation may correlate with cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanisms that underlie the effects of iron on the barrier function of primary human endothelium. We used Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) to investigate the effects of Fe3+ using electric cell-substrate impedance sensing, microscopy, western blot and immunofluorescence microscopy. Exposure to Fe3+ caused EC elongation and upregulation of stress-induced proteins. Analysis of barrier function showed a dose-dependent drop in endothelial integrity, which was accompanied by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production and could partly be prevented by ROS scavengers. Inhibition of contractility by the ROCK inhibitor Y27632, showed even more effective rescue of barrier integrity. Using western blot, we detected an increase in expression of the small GTPase RhoB, an inducer of EC contraction, and a small decrease in VE-cadherin, suggestive for an iron-induced stress response. Co-stimulation by TNFα and iron, used to investigate the role of low-grade inflammation, revealed an additive, negative effect on barrier integrity, concomitant with an upregulation of pro-inflammatory markers ICAM-1 and RhoB. Iron induces a response in HUVEC that leads to endothelial activation and a pro-inflammatory state measured by loss of barrier integrity which can be reversed by ROS scavengers, combined with inhibition of contractility. These data suggest that ROS-mediated damage of the vascular endothelium could contribute to the increased cardiovascular risk which is associated with elevated levels of circulating iron.
Deconvolution reveals cell-type-specific transcriptomic changes in the aging mouse brain
Authors: Ren Yingxue , Wang Xue , Zhang Shuwen , Hu Hongru , Quicksall Zachary , Lee Sangderk , Morganti Josh M. , Johnson Lance A. , Asmann Yan W. , Zhao Na
Published: October 2023

Mounting evidence highlights the crucial role of aging in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We have previously explored human apoE-targeted replacement mice across different ages and identified distinct molecular pathways driven by aging. However, the specific contribution of different brain cell types to the gene modules underlying these pathways remained elusive. To bridge this knowledge gap, we employed a computational deconvolution approach to examine cell-type-specific gene expression profiles in major brain cell types, including astrocytes (AS), microglia (MG), oligodendroglia (OG), neurons (NEU), and vascular cells (VC). Our findings revealed that immune module genes were predominantly expressed in MG, OG, and VC. The lipid metabolism module genes were primarily expressed in AS, MG, and OG. The mitochondria module genes showed prominent expression in VC, and the synapse module genes were primarily expressed in NEU and VC. Furthermore, we identified intra- and inter-cell-type interactions among these module genes and validated their aging-associated expression changes using published single cell studies. Our study dissected bulk brain transcriptomics data at the cellular level, providing a closer examination of the cell-type contributions to the molecular pathways driven by aging.