bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rg3 regulates myocardial pyruvate metabolism via P300-mediated dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation in TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy
Authors: Ni Jingyu , Zhang Hao , Wang Xiaodan , Liu Zhihao , Nie Tong , Li Lan , Su Jing , Zhu Yan , Ma Chuanrui , Huang Yuting , Mao Jingyuan , Gao Xiumei , Fan Guanwei
Published: December 2022

The failing heart is characterized by an increase in glucose uptake and glycolytic rates that is not accompanied by a concomitant increase in glucose oxidation. Lower coupling of glucose oxidation to glycolysis possibly owes to unchanged or reduced pyruvate oxidation in mitochondria. Therefore, increasing pyruvate oxidation may lead to new therapies for heart disease. Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (DLD) is a component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDH). DLD mutations or defects are closely associated with metabolic diseases. However, few studies explore the effects of DLD mutants or acylation status on PDH activity and pyruvate metabolism. P300 is protein 2-hydroxyisobutyryltransferases in cells, and P300-dependent lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation of glycolytic enzymes affects glucose metabolism. However, there are no relevant reports on the effect of 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation on the energy metabolism of heart failure, and it is worth further in-depth study. In this study, we showed that 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation is an essential protein translational modification (PTM) that regulates the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHc). In a mouse model of transverse aortic constriction (TAC)-induced cardiac hypertrophy, the 2-hydroxyisobutylation of DLD was significantly increased, related to the decrease in PDH activity. In addition, our data provide clear evidence that DLD is a direct substrate of P300. As one of the main active ingredients of ginseng, ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) can reduce the 2-hydroxyisobutylation levels of DLD and restore the PDH activity by inhibiting the acyltransferase activity of P300, thereby producing beneficial effects whenever the heart is injured. Therefore, this study suggests a novel strategy for reversing myocardial hypertrophy.
Physical deep learning with biologically inspired training method: gradient-free approach for physical hardware
Authors: Nakajima Mitsumasa , Inoue Katsuma , Tanaka Kenji , Kuniyoshi Yasuo , Hashimoto Toshikazu , Nakajima Kohei
Published: December 2022

Ever-growing demand for artificial intelligence has motivated research on unconventional computation based on physical devices. While such computation devices mimic brain-inspired analog information processing, the learning procedures still rely on methods optimized for digital processing such as backpropagation, which is not suitable for physical implementation. Here, we present physical deep learning by extending a biologically inspired training algorithm called direct feedback alignment. Unlike the original algorithm, the proposed method is based on random projection with alternative nonlinear activation. Thus, we can train a physical neural network without knowledge about the physical system and its gradient. In addition, we can emulate the computation for this training on scalable physical hardware. We demonstrate the proof-of-concept using an optoelectronic recurrent neural network called deep reservoir computer. We confirmed the potential for accelerated computation with competitive performance on benchmarks. Our results provide practical solutions for the training and acceleration of neuromorphic computation.
Implantable niche with local immunosuppression for islet allotransplantation achieves type 1 diabetes reversal in rats
Authors: Paez-Mayorga Jesus , Campa-Carranza Jocelyn Nikita , Capuani Simone , Hernandez Nathanael , Liu Hsuan-Chen , Chua Corrine Ying Xuan , Pons-Faudoa Fernanda Paola , Malgir Gulsah , Alvarez Bella , Niles Jean A. , Argueta Lissenya B. , Shelton Kathryn A. , Kezar Sarah , Nehete Pramod N. , Berman Dora M. , Willman Melissa A. , Li Xian C. , Ricordi Camillo , Nichols Joan E. , Gaber A. Osama , Kenyon Norma S. , Grattoni Alessandro
Published: December 2022

Pancreatic islet transplantation efficacy for type 1 diabetes (T1D) management is limited by hypoxia-related graft attrition and need for systemic immunosuppression. To overcome these challenges, we developed the Neovascularized Implantable Cell Homing and Encapsulation (NICHE) device, which integrates direct vascularization for facile mass transfer and localized immunosuppressant delivery for islet rejection prophylaxis. Here, we investigated NICHE efficacy for allogeneic islet transplantation and long-term diabetes reversal in an immunocompetent, male rat model. We demonstrated that allogeneic islets transplanted within pre-vascularized NICHE were engrafted, revascularized, and functional, reverting diabetes in rats for over 150 days. Notably, we confirmed that localized immunosuppression prevented islet rejection without inducing toxicity or systemic immunosuppression. Moreover, for translatability efforts, we showed NICHE biocompatibility and feasibility of deployment as well as short-term allogeneic islet engraftment in an MHC-mismatched nonhuman primate model. In sum, the NICHE holds promise as a viable approach for safe and effective islet transplantation and long-term T1D management.
Flexible micro-LED display and its application in Gbps multi-channel visible light communication
Authors: Hu Luhing , Choi Jaeyong , Hwangbo Sumin , Kwon Do-Hoon , Jang Bongkyun , Ji Seunghyeon , Kim Jae-Hyun , Han Sang-Kook , Ahn Jong-Hyun
Published: December 2022

A flexible full-color micro-LED display with high mechanical robustness was fabricated by printing quantum dots (QDs) on a blue micro-LED array using standard photolithography. The red and green colors yielded from QDs exhibit a better color gamut than conventional color filters. The light conversion efficiency was enhanced by adding TiO2 nanoparticles to the QD-photoresist composite. This full-color micro-LED display was successfully mounted on various unusual substrates such as curved glass, fabrics, and human skin, enabling diverse optoelectronic applications. In addition, wireless multi-channel visible light communication (VLC) based on the wavelength-division-multiplexing orthogonal-frequency-division-multiplexing (WDM-OFDM) technique was demonstrated using a QD-based color micro-LED panel. A high data transmission rate of 1.9 Gbps was successfully obtained owing to the high electrical–optical modulation bandwidth of the QD-based micro-LED panel.
Factors influencing long-term persistence of anti-HBs after hepatitis B vaccination
Authors: Fonzo Marco , Bertoncello Chiara , Trevisan Andrea
Published: December 2022

Long-term immunity after HBV vaccination is still debated. When assessing immune persistence, several variables must be considered, the clear definition of which is crucial. Our aim was to assess protection 10–20 years after primary vaccination and to estimate the effect of age at first dose, sex and time elapsed between doses on long-term protection. We conducted a retrospective cohort study between January 2004 and December 2020. Antibody titres above 10 IU/L were considered protective. Geometric mean titres (GMT) were calculated. The effect of the above variables on long-term protection was assessed by logistic regression analysis. Included participants were 9459. Among those vaccinated during infancy, GMT gradually increased from 11 IU/L (first dose in 1st trimester of life) to 68 IU/L (4th trimester), while the proportion of individuals <10 IU/L remained stable between 1st and 2nd trimester (51%) and it decreased substantially in 3rd (28%) and even more so in the 4th (18%). A one-month delay in first and third dose administration was correlated with a −16% (AOR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.78–0.91) and a −11% (AOR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.85–0.94) risk of a titre <10 IU/L, respectively, ~20 years after immunisation. In contrast, similar changes do not comparably affect vaccination in adolescence. The start of vaccination at the third month of age is a compromise between the development of acceptable immunogenicity and the need to protect the infant as early as possible. However, the chance of slightly delaying the vaccine administration within the first year of life may be considered given the impact on long-term persistence of anti-HBs.
Degradation of bisphenol A in an oxidation system constructed from Mo2C MXene and peroxymonosulfate
Authors: Chen Xuwen , Gudda Fredrick Owino , Hu Xiaojie , Waigi Michael Gatheru , Gao Yanzheng
Published: December 2022

The etched Mo2C MXene with a layered structure was characterized as an environmentally friendly catalyst in the bisphenol A (BPA) removal by advanced oxidation. 99.75% of BPA was degraded in the oxidation system constructed using Mo2C MXene and peroxymonosulfate (PMS). The Mo2C MXene was recyclable, with a high removal percentage (89.29%) of BPA after even four cycles. The catalysis of Mo2C MXene on PMS was due to the Mo-deficit vacancy defects. The electron paramagnetic resonance technique and density functional theory (DFT)-based density of states calculations verified defect signals. In addition, the defective Mo2C MXene and PMS have strong binding and electron transfer capabilities. The reactive oxygen species (ROS, including O2•−, 1O2, SO4•−, and •OH) produced by Mo2C MXene activates PMS, leading to BPA degradation. The condensed Fukui function predicted the active sites of the BPA molecule and found that the O1, O2, C3, C4, C6, C12, C15, and C16 sites have higher electrophilic reactivity. The C, C–C bonds, or C4/C16 sites in the isopropyl group connecting the two phenolic rings were attacked first, then further transformed BPA into non-toxic or low toxic small molecule degradation products through a series of reactions such as bond-breaking, addition, hydroxylation, and ring-opening. Moreover, the Mo2C MXene/PMS system has strong applicability in actual water bodies. The study provides valuable insights into PMS activation by two-dimensional MXenes to remove toxic organic pollutants in an aqueous matrix.
IDSEM, an invoices database of the Spanish electricity market
Authors: Sánchez Javier , Salgado Agustín , García Alejandro , Monzón Nelson
Published: December 2022

This article describes a new database of electricity bills related to energy consumption in Spanish households. The dataset includes individual invoices containing information about the consumption and billing of each supply point. These documents include additional data about the customer, the contract, and the electricity company. We propose a pipeline for the creation of bill contents through a simulation process based on regulations and statistics from official bodies and electricity companies. This makes it possible to generate many documents with synthetic data. The simulation is based on 86 different labels, which are necessary to create realistic invoices. The dataset has 75 000 documents in PDF format with their corresponding labels in JSON files. It is useful for training machine learning algorithms and, in particular, for developing methods to automatically extract information from the bills. It is also interesting to design new algorithms for analyzing the behavior of electricity markets from different perspectives.
A Python library to check the level of anonymity of a dataset
Authors: Sáinz-Pardo Díaz Judith , López García Álvaro
Published: December 2022

Openly sharing data with sensitive attributes and privacy restrictions is a challenging task. In this document we present the implementation of pyCANON, a Python library and command line interface (CLI) to check and assess the level of anonymity of a dataset through some of the most common anonymization techniques: k-anonymity, (α,k)-anonymity, ℓ-diversity, entropy ℓ-diversity, recursive (c,ℓ)-diversity, t-closeness, basic β-likeness, enhanced β-likeness and δ-disclosure privacy. For the case of more than one sensitive attribute, two approaches are proposed for evaluating these techniques. The main strength of this library is to obtain a full report of the parameters that are fulfilled for each of the techniques mentioned above, with the unique requirement of the set of quasi-identifiers and sensitive attributes. The methods implemented are presented together with the attacks they prevent, the description of the library, examples of the different functions’ usage, as well as the impact and the possible applications that can be developed. Finally, some possible aspects to be incorporated in future updates are proposed.
Caputo–Fabrizio fractional model of MHD second grade fluid with Newtonian heating and heat generation
Authors: Sehra  , Iftikhar Wajeeha , Haq Sami Ul , Jan Saeed Ullah , Khan Ilyas , Mohamed Abdullah
Published: December 2022

In this research article the heat transfer of generalized second grade fluid is investigated with heat generation. The fluid flow is analyzed under the effects of Magneto hydrodynamics over an infinite vertical flat plate. The Newtonian heating phenomenon has been adopted at the boundary. For this purpose the problem is divided into two compartments i.e. momentum equation and energy equations. Some specific dimensionless parameters are defined to convert the model equations into dimensionless system of equations. The solutions for dimensionless energy and momentum equations are obtained by using the Laplace transform technique. From obtained results by neglecting magneto hydrodynamic effects and heat source some special case are achieved which are already published in literature. The case for which the fractional parameter approaches to the classical order is also discussed and it has been observed that it is convergent. Finally, the influences of different physical parameters are sketched graphically. It has been observed that for increasing values of Prandtl number the velocity and temperature decreases, for increasing values of Grashof number the velocity of the fluid increases. Also it has been investigated that for increasing values of fractional parameter the velocity and temperature of the fluid increases.
Multi-homed abnormal behavior detection algorithm based on fuzzy particle swarm cluster in user and entity behavior analytics
Authors: Cui Jingyang , Zhang Guanghua , Chen Zhenguo , Yu Naiwen
Published: December 2022

User and entity behavior analytics (UEBA) is an anomaly detection technique that identifies potential threat events in the enterprise's internal threat analysis and external intrusion detection. One limitation of existing methods in UEBA is that many algorithms use deterministic algorithms only for one category labeling and only compare with other samples within this category. In order to improve the efficiency of potential threat identification, we propose a model to detect multi-homed abnormal behavior based on fuzzy particle swarm clustering. Using the behavior frequency-inverse entities frequency (BF-IEF) technology, the method of measuring the similarity of entity and user behavior is optimized. To improve the iterative speed of the fuzzy clustering algorithm, the particle swarm is introduced into the search process of the category centroid. The entity's nearest neighbor relative anomaly factor (NNRAF) in multiple fuzzy categories is calculated according to the category membership matrix, and it is combined with boxplot to detect outliers. Our model solves the problem that the sample in UEBA is evaluated only in one certain class, and the characteristics of the particle swarm optimization algorithm can avoid clustering results falling into local optimal. The results show that compared with the traditional UEBA approach, the abnormal behavior detection ability of the new method is significantly improved, which can improve the ability of information systems to resist unknown threats in practical applications. In the experiment, the accuracy rate, accuracy rate, recall rate, and F1 score of the new method reach 0.92, 0.96, 0.90, and 0.93 respectively, which is significantly better than the traditional abnormal detections.
Self-supervised and semi-supervised learning for road condition estimation from distributed road-side cameras
Authors: Garcea Fabio , Blanco Giacomo , Croci Alberto , Lamberti Fabrizio , Mamone Riccardo , Ricupero Ruben , Morra Lia , Allamano Paola
Published: December 2022

Monitoring road conditions, e.g., water build-up due to intense rainfall, plays a fundamental role in ensuring road safety while increasing resilience to the effects of climate change. Distributed cameras provide an easy and affordable alternative to instrumented weather stations, enabling diffused and capillary road monitoring. Here, we propose a deep learning-based solution to automatically detect wet road events in continuous video streams acquired by road-side surveillance cameras. Our contribution is two-fold: first, we employ a convolutional Long Short-Term Memory model (convLSTM) to detect subtle changes in the road appearance, introducing a novel temporally consistent data augmentation to increase robustness to outdoor illumination conditions. Second, we present a contrastive self-supervised framework that is uniquely tailored to surveillance camera networks. The proposed technique was validated on a large-scale dataset comprising roughly 2000 full day sequences (roughly 400K video frames, of which 300K unlabelled), acquired from several road-side cameras over a span of two years. Experimental results show the effectiveness of self-supervised and semi-supervised learning, increasing the frame classification performance (measured by the Area under the ROC curve) from 0.86 to 0.92. From the standpoint of event detection, we show that incorporating temporal features through a convLSTM model both improves the detection rate of wet road events (+ 10%) and reduces false positive alarms ($$-$$- 45%). The proposed techniques could benefit also other tasks related to weather analysis from road-side and vehicle-mounted cameras.
Assessing nitrogen dynamics model and the role of artificial lagoon in effluent loading of shrimp farms in Gomishan wetland, southern Caspian Sea
Authors: Ghodrati Fateme , Ghorbani Rasoul , Agh Naser , Hedayati Aliakbar , Naddafi Rahmat , Jalali Ali , Shiroudmirzaei Fakhrie
Published: December 2022

Shrimp farming increases the nutrients, especially nitrogen in the water resources reducing water quality. This study was conducted to evaluate the nitrogen dynamics in white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farms and the role of artificial lagoon (24 ha) in reducing nitrogen levels in Gomishan coastal wetland, the eastern Caspian Sea. The results indicated that at the end of the 4-month breeding period, the amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus introduced into Gomishan wetland were calculated as to 220.157 and 39 tons, respectively in a breeding area covering 830 hectares. Nitrogen values (based on nitrate) calculated based on the relationship between the basin and the discharge of the outlet channel of the site at the time of complete emptying of the farms, were calculated to be approximately 121.8 tons per breeding time that it had an important role in eliminating about 45% of nutrient pollution and reducing the concentration of dissolved nitrogen. Moreover, nitrogen isotopic trace was observed in shrimp samples, in similar levels in the samples of both shrimp pond and lagoon, which emphasizes the role of feeding from natural food, especially benthic fauna. Overall, due to the decline of Caspian Sea water level, Gomishan coastal wetland is drying, and the output of shrimp farms is currenly the only source supplying water for the wetland. Hence, appropriate management strategies could minimize the amounts of nutrients into the natural water whilst aiding wetland’s survaival.
Improved algorithm for determining cable saddle pre-offsets considering the coupling effect of tower and splay saddles
Authors: Deng Xiaokang , Zhao Huiru
Published: December 2022

By analysing the mechanical and geometrical relations between the main cable, tower, and splay saddles, and considering the coupling effect of the tower and splay saddles, an improved algorithm is proposed to determine the cable saddles pre-offsets of suspension bridges. The equilibrium relationship of the cable saddles, the compatible deformation condition, and the basic equation of the main cable shape are considered to establish several coupled non-linear equations up to 19, and the tower and splay saddle pre-offsets are obtained by solving the above equations with the Newton–Raphson method. This paper presents the initial value selection principle and the constraint conditions for solving the cable saddle pre-offsets of the plane cable suspension bridge and the calculation process ensures convergence. The calculation example demonstrates that the improved algorithm without an exact initial value can achieve excellent convergence.
A reverse phase protein array based phospho-antibody characterization approach and its applicability for clinical derived tissue specimens
Authors: Wang Nan , Zhang Li , Ying Qi , Song Zhentao , Lu Aiping , Treumann Achim , Liu Zhaojian , Sun Tao , Ding Zhiyong
Published: December 2022

Systematic quantification of phosphoprotein within cell signaling networks in solid tissues remains challenging and precise quantification in large scale samples has great potential for biomarker identification and validation. We developed a reverse phase protein array (RPPA) based phosphor-antibody characterization approach by taking advantage of the lysis buffer compatible with alkaline phosphatase (AP) treatment that differs from the conventional RPPA antibody validation procedure and applied it onto fresh frozen (FF) and formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE) to test its applicability. By screening 106 phospho-antibodies using RPPA, we demonstrated that AP treatment could serve as an independent factor to be adopted for rapid phospho-antibody selection. We also showed desirable reproducibility and specificity in clincical specimens indicating its potential for tissue-based phospho-protein profiling. Of further clinical significance, using the same approach, based on melanoma and lung cancer FFPE samples, we showed great interexperimental reproducibility and significant correlation with pathological markers in both tissues generating meaningful data that match clinical features. Our findings set a benchmark of an efficient workflow for phospho-antibody characterization that is compatible with high-plex clinical proteomics in precison oncology.
Comparisons of outcomes and complications of immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery and unilateral cataract surgery in a tertiary hospital in South Korea
Authors: Hong Suji , Park Wonkyung , Eom Youngsub , Kim Hyo Myung , Song Jong Suk
Published: December 2022

We investigated the proportions of immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS) and unilateral cataract surgery during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and compared visual outcomes between the two groups in a tertiary hospital in South Korea. We reviewed 441 cataract surgeries performed between March 1, 2021, and October 31, 2021, at Korea University Guro Hospital by a single surgeon (J.S.S). Medical records of demographics, preoperative visual acuity, corneal astigmatism, axial length, preoperative spherical equivalent, preoperative target (using Barrett’s Universal 2 formula), postoperative visual acuity, postoperative refractive error, and postoperative complications were evaluated. Among all patients, 322 (73.0%) eyes underwent ISBCS, and 119 (27.0%) eyes underwent unilateral cataract surgery. The preoperative corrective distance visual acuity (CDVA) was lower in the unilateral cataract surgery group (0.40 ± 0.45 logMAR) than the ISBCS group (0.28 ± 0.16 logMAR, P = 0.008), whereas there was no significant difference in postoperative CDVA between the two groups (0.06 ± 0.10 logMAR vs. 0.07 ± 0.16 logMAR, P = 0.63). There was also no difference in the absolute refractive error between the two groups (0.46 ± 0.37 diopters [D] vs. 0.42 ± 0.38 D, P = 0.63). The preoperative CDVA (P = 0.000) was the significant factor influencing absolute refractive error (r = 0.191, P < 0.001). There was no difference in complications between the two groups, although two patients in the ISBCS group complained of postoperative strabismus.
Eco-friendly salt/alkali-free exhaustion dyeing of cotton fabric with reactive dyes
Authors: Aysha Tarek S. , Ahmed Nahed S. , El-Sedik Mervat S. , Youssef Yehya A. , El-Shishtawy Reda M.
Published: December 2022

The textile-wet process enormously consumes a large volume of water and chemicals, and thus awareness of cleaner production has been growing to protect the environment from the industrial effluents. In this context, reactive dyeing of cellulosic materials such as cotton fabrics is a major sector of textile coloration that necessitates the use of a large amount of sodium sulfate or sodium chloride and alkali to exhaust and fix the dye molecules with cellulosic macromolecules, respectively. However, the remaining salt and alkali in the effluent badly affect the environment. For this purpose, the use of trisodium nitrilotriacetate (TNA) in reactive dyeing of cotton fabrics was hypothesized to have a double benefit, one as an exhausting agent (organic salt) and the second as a fixing agent (organic base). Thus, the exhaust dyeing characteristics of cotton fabrics using C.I. Reactive Yellow 145 (RY145) was optimized under different conditions of TNA concentration, alkali concentration, temperature, and dyeing time. The color strength and the primary and secondary exhaustion values were also investigated with an eye on those values obtained using the conventional dyeing method. The characterization of effluent samples with RY 145 taken after dyeing using TNA compared with conventional dyeing indicated an efficient reduction of COD, BOD, and TDS values by 99, 97, and 97%, respectively. The new dyeing method was implemented using C.I. Reactive Black 5 (RB5), C.I. Reactive Blue 160 (RB160), and C.I. Reactive Red 24 (RR24) to reveal good dyeability and fastness properties comparable with those obtained using the conventional method. The overall results obtained suggest the suitability of TNA as an environmentally friendly agent suitable as an exhausting and fixing agent of cellulosic fabrics.
Validation of SNP markers for thermotolerance adaptation in Ovis aries adapted to different climatic regions using KASP-PCR technique
Authors: Astuti Putri Kusuma , Ilie Daniela Elena , Gavojdian Dinu , Wanjala George , Badaoui Bouabid , Ohran Husein , Pasic-Juhas Eva , Bagi Zoltán , Jávor András , Kusza Szilvia
Published: December 2022

A study on 51 SNPs belonging to 29 genes related to heat stress was carried out in 720 sheep from 17 different breeds adapted to different climates from Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Morocco and Romania, using Kompetitive Allele-Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction. Genotype frequency and the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium were calculated, followed by a clustering using the Principal Component Analysis. We analyzed the polymorphisms in the following genes analyzed: HSPA12A,HSP90AA1,IL33,DIO2,BTNL2,CSN2,ABCG1,CSN1S1,GHR,HSPA8,STAT3, and HCRT. We emphasized on HSPA12A and HSPA8 genes as they were successfully genotyped in all studied flocks in which genotype frequency patterns were identified. Contrary to previous findings, the A allele for HSPA8 SNP was not observed in the heat tolerant breeds, being found exclusively in cold-tolerant breeds. The principal component analysis could not clearly differentiate the breeds, while plot concentration was slightly varied among the three groups, with HSP90AA1 and IL33 SNPs’ loading values significantly contributing to PC1 and PC2. We confirmed previous works that the HSPA12A,HSPA8,HSP90AA1 and IL33 SNPs are potential candidate markers for thermotolerance adaptation in sheep. This research contributes to the genetic variability of SNPs for thermotolerance adaptability in sheep.
Gas sensing response of ion beam irradiated Ga-doped ZnO thin films
Authors: Ramola R. C. , Negi Sandhya , Singh Ravi Chand , Singh Fouran
Published: December 2022

The ion beam induced modified gallium doped ZnO thin films are studied for their gas sensing applications. The Ag9+ and Si6+ irradiated gallium doped zinc oxide thin films were exposed to various concentrations of ethanol and acetone gas for gas sensing applications. The Ag9+ ion irradiated Ga-doped ZnO thin was optimized at different operating temperature. It was observed that gas sensing response for both ethanol and acetone gas increases with increasing Ag9+ ion fluence. This indicates that the swift heavy ions have improved the sensitivity of Ga-doled ZnO thin film by reducing the particle size. The Si6+ ion irradiated Ga-doped ZnO thin films were also exposed to ethanol and acetone gas for gas sensing applications. In comparison to Ag9+ ion irradiated thin film, the film irradiated with Si6+ ion beam exhibits a greater sensing response to both ethanol and acetone gas.
Validation of a novel iPhone application for evaluating near functional visual acuity
Authors: Hanyuda Akiko , Kubota Miyuki , Kubota Shunsuke , Masui Sachiko , Yuki Kenya , Tsubota Kazuo , Negishi Kazuno
Published: December 2022

Monitoring dynamic changes in near vision is important for early detection of presbyopia. This study assessed the accuracy and reliability of a new smartphone-based application, the Smart Vision Check (SVC), compared with those of a conventional device (AS-28; Kowa, Aichi, Japan), for measuring near functional visual acuity (NFVA). We enrolled 115 healthy volunteers aged ≥ 20 years with bilateral best-corrected visual acuity of ≥ 20/25. The SVC was designed for use on an Apple iPhone SE2 to measure NFVA by tapping on the orientation icon manually. Conventional FVA was measured using the AS-28 with − 2.50 D added to the best distance correction at baseline. There was no significant difference in NFVA-related measurements between the AS-28 and SVC (P > 0.05). The Spearman correlation coefficients of NFVA measurements between the two devices were over 0.60 (P < 0.001). The Bland–Altman plot indicated minimal bias with limits of agreements of ± 0.34 logMAR for NFVA with habitual correction when comparing the AS-28 and SVC. The intraclass correlation coefficient of the repeated SVC-measured NFVA was 0.915 (95% CI 0.800–0.969). In summary, the SVC has the potential to evaluate NFVA in a relatively easy manner. Applied clinically, the SVC can be useful for presbyopia screening.
A large language model for electronic health records
Authors: Yang Xi , Chen Aokun , PourNejatian Nima , Shin Hoo Chang , Smith Kaleb E. , Parisien Christopher , Compas Colin , Martin Cheryl , Costa Anthony B. , Flores Mona G. , Zhang Ying , Magoc Tanja , Harle Christopher A. , Lipori Gloria , Mitchell Duane A. , Hogan William R. , Shenkman Elizabeth A. , Bian Jiang , Wu Yonghui
Published: December 2022

There is an increasing interest in developing artificial intelligence (AI) systems to process and interpret electronic health records (EHRs). Natural language processing (NLP) powered by pretrained language models is the key technology for medical AI systems utilizing clinical narratives. However, there are few clinical language models, the largest of which trained in the clinical domain is comparatively small at 110 million parameters (compared with billions of parameters in the general domain). It is not clear how large clinical language models with billions of parameters can help medical AI systems utilize unstructured EHRs. In this study, we develop from scratch a large clinical language model—GatorTron—using >90 billion words of text (including >82 billion words of de-identified clinical text) and systematically evaluate it on five clinical NLP tasks including clinical concept extraction, medical relation extraction, semantic textual similarity, natural language inference (NLI), and medical question answering (MQA). We examine how (1) scaling up the number of parameters and (2) scaling up the size of the training data could benefit these NLP tasks. GatorTron models scale up the clinical language model from 110 million to 8.9 billion parameters and improve five clinical NLP tasks (e.g., 9.6% and 9.5% improvement in accuracy for NLI and MQA), which can be applied to medical AI systems to improve healthcare delivery. The GatorTron models are publicly available at:https://catalog.ngc.nvidia.com/orgs/nvidia/teams/clara/models/gatortron_og.
Single-cell transcriptomics of the goldfish retina reveals genetic divergence in the asymmetrically evolved subgenomes after allotetraploidization
Authors: Kon Tetsuo , Fukuta Kentaro , Chen Zelin , Kon-Nanjo Koto , Suzuki Kota , Ishikawa Masakazu , Tanaka Hikari , Burgess Shawn M. , Noguchi Hideki , Toyoda Atsushi , Omori Yoshihiro
Published: December 2022

The recent whole-genome duplication (WGD) in goldfish (Carassius auratus) approximately 14 million years ago makes it a valuable model for studying gene evolution during the early stages after WGD. We analyzed the transcriptome of the goldfish retina at the level of single-cell (scRNA-seq) and open chromatin regions (scATAC-seq). We identified a group of genes that have undergone dosage selection, accounting for 5% of the total 11,444 ohnolog pairs. We also identified 306 putative sub/neo-functionalized ohnolog pairs that are likely to be under cell-type-specific genetic variation at single-cell resolution. Diversification in the expression patterns of several ohnolog pairs was observed in the retinal cell subpopulations. The single-cell level transcriptome analysis in this study uncovered the early stages of evolution in retinal cell of goldfish after WGD. Our results provide clues for understanding the relationship between the early stages of gene evolution after WGD and the evolution of diverse vertebrate retinal functions.
Effect of bacterial DNA enrichment on detection and quantification of bacteria in an infected tissue model by metagenomic next-generation sequencing
Authors: Lazarevic Vladimir , Gaïa Nadia , Girard Myriam , Mauffrey Florian , Ruppé Etienne , Schrenzel Jacques
Published: December 2022

Before implementing metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in the routine diagnostic laboratory, several challenges need to be resolved. To address strengths and limitations of mNGS in bacterial detection and quantification in samples with overwhelming host DNA abundance, we used the pig muscle tissue spiked with a home-made bacterial mock community, consisting of four species from different phyla. From the spiked tissue, we extracted DNA using: (i) a procedure based on mechanical/chemical lysis (no bacterial DNA enrichment); (ii) the Ultra-Deep Microbiome Prep (Molzym) kit for bacterial DNA enrichment; and (iii) the same enrichment kit but replacing the original proteinase K treatment for tissue solubilization by a collagenases/thermolysin digestion and cell filtration. Following mNGS, we determined bacterial: ‘host’ read ratios and taxonomic abundance profiles. We calculated the load of each mock-community member by combining its read counts with read counts and microscopically-determined cell counts of other co-spiked bacteria. In unenriched samples, bacterial quantification and taxonomic profiling were fairly accurate but at the expense of the sensitivity of detection. The removal of ‘host’ DNA by the modified enrichment protocol substantially improved bacterial detection in comparison to the other two extraction procedures and generated less distorted taxonomic profiles as compared to the original enrichment protocol.
Surface plasmon resonance detection of UV irradiation-induced DNA damage and photoenzymatic repair processes through specific interaction between consensus double-stranded DNA and p53 protein
Authors: He Yuhan , Chen Sijia , Xie Guoyang , Yi Xinyao , Wang Jianxiu
Published: December 2022

Real-time monitoring of DNA damage and repair processes through DNA–p53 protein interaction was conducted by surface plasmon resonance (SPR).
Cyclometalated Ru(ii)–NHC complexes with phenanthroline ligands induce apoptosis mediated by mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum stress in cancer cells
Authors: Chen Chao , Lv He , Xu Hao , Zhu Dancheng , Shen Chao
Published: December 2022

Four cyclometalated Ru(ii) complexes with pyridine-functionalized NHC ligands were synthesized and characterized. The anticancer study showed that Ru3 and Ru4 caused the dual action modes and finally induced apoptosis of HeLa cells.
Near-white light emission from single crystals of cationic dinuclear gold(i) complexes with bridged diphosphine ligands
Authors: Osawa Masahisa , Soma Sakie , Kobayashi Hiroyuki , Tanaka Yuya , Hoshino Mikio
Published: December 2022

Cationic dinuclear gold(i) complexes with bridged diphosphine ligands display near-white phosphorescence in the crystalline state at room temperature.
Homo-valent diruthenium(ii,ii) carbonates Na4[Ru2(CO3)4]·10H2O: synthesis, structure, properties, and calculation
Authors: Li Jing-Yu , Zhang Pei , Yang Jian-Hui , Liu Bin
Published: December 2022

The synthesis, characterization, and molecular structure of non-carboxylate O,O-donor ligands CO32−that chelate and bridge the Ru24+center forming a stabilized compound are presented.
Frictional behaviour of plant proteins in soft contacts: unveiling nanoscale mechanisms
Authors: Liamas Evangelos , Connell Simon D. , Sarkar Anwesha
Published: December 2022

Nanoscale friction of protein involves a subtle interplay between adhesion to the surface, protein hydration, load and affinity towards the surface.
Synthesis of Ce–Ni/sepiolite with excellent adsorption and catalytic oxidation performance toward dyes
Authors: Chen Menglin , Wang Lianying , Feng Jinyu , Sun Jiayue , Lin Xiangfeng , Gao Shu , Huang Zhi , Su Chengyuan , Wang Liang
Published: December 2022

A novel and highly efficient wastewater treatment process for the removal of industrial dyes was proposed in this study.
The xanthate route to tetralones, tetralins, and naphthalenes. A brief account
Authors: Quiclet-Sire Béatrice , Zard Samir Z.
Published: December 2022

The radical chemistry of xanthates allows numerous approaches to tetralones, tetralins, and naphthalenes.
Performance improvement strategies of a cobalt-based electrode for the electrooxidation of sodium borohydride
Authors: Li Ya , Sun Tong , Liu Youzhi , Jiao Weizhou , Gao Jing , Zhang Dongming
Published: December 2022

The NaBH4 electrooxidation performance of Co is improved by adjusting the component and structure of the electrode material, and a novel device (CRB) is applied for the reaction.
Determining the elasto-adhesion length by void collapse in ultra-soft materials
Authors: Fu Hongbo , Crosby Alfred J.
Published: December 2022

The elasto-adhesion length (lEA) is a materials property that describes the size scale where the relative importance of adhesion and elastic forces transitions for defined structures and functions.
Improved photocatalytic activity of ZnO-[10%]BiOI and ZnO-[10%]WO3 heterostructure in the destruction of 2-chlorobiphenyl
Authors: Ashiegbu Darlington C. , Moloto Nosipho , Potgieter Herman
Published: December 2022

There are currently no studies on the synthesis and fabrication of ZnO-BiOI and ZnO-WO3 heterojunctions for the photocatalytic destruction of 2-chlorobiphenyl.
Progress on 2D–2D heterostructured hybrid materials for efficient electrocatalysis
Authors: Long Xia , Zhang Lihua , Tan Zheng , Zhou Bowei
Published: December 2022

2D–2D hybrids have large heterointerfaces and strong interactions between the two components, leading to strong coupling effects that influence the electronic structure of active sites and benefit charge transfer during energy conversion reactions.
Synthesis of 1,1-Disubstituted Allenylic Silyl Ethers through Iron-Catalyzed Regioselective C(sp2)–H Functionalization of Allenes
Authors: Wang Yi-Ming , Ding Ruiqi , Wang Yidong
Published: December 2022

We report a synthesis of allenylic silyl ethers through iron-catalyzed functionalization of the C(sp2)–H bonds of monosubstituted alkylallenes. In the presence of a cyclopentadienyliron dicarbonyl based catalyst and triisopropylsilyl triflate as a silylation agent, a variety of aryl aldehydes were suitable coupling partners in this transformation, furnishing a collection of 1,1-disubstituted allenylic triisopropylsilyl ethers as products in moderate to excellent yields as a single regioisomer. Lithium bistriflimide was identified as a critical additive in this transformation. The optimized protocol was scalable, and the products were amenable to further transformation to give a number of unsaturated, polyfunctional derivatives.
Diagnostic Value of Connective Tissue Disease Related CT Signs in Usual Interstitial Pneumonia Pattern of Interstitial Lung Disease
Authors: Augustine Antony , Robinson Vimala Leena , Irodi Aparna , Mathew John , Pakkal Mini
Published: December 2022

Purpose Usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern of interstitial lung disease (ILD) can have varied etiology, with connective tissue disease (CTD) being a common known cause. The anterior upper lobe (AUL) sign, exuberant honeycombing (EHC), and straight edge (SE) sign are recently described computed tomography (CT) signs in CTD-related UIP. We test the diagnostic value of these CT signs for CTD in patients with UIP and compare the incidence of these signs between CTD-related UIP and non–CTD-related UIP. We also evaluated the interobserver agreement in detection of these CT signs.

Methods Retrospective study of all patients who had UIP pattern of ILD on CT thorax done from January 1, 2016 to January 31, 2019, was grouped into two: non–CTD-related UIP or CTD-related UIP. CT thorax was reviewed for the presence of these signs—AUL, SE, and EHC. The diagnostic values of these signs in diagnosing CTD-related UIP was assessed. For assessment of interobserver agreement, another radiologist reviewed a subset of 30 randomly selected cases and looked for the presence of these signs.

Results Of the 156 patients included, 76 had CTD. The incidence of CT signs were significantly higher in CTD-related UIP. The specificities of AUL, EHC, and SE were 82.5, 75, and 85%, respectively. The EHC sign had highest sensitivity of 48.7%. Inclusion of more than one sign increased the specificity of diagnosis of CTD-related UIP; however, the sensitivity decreases. There was excellent interobserver agreement (0.81–0.87) for each of these signs.

Conclusion The presence of SE, AUL, and EHC signs in cases with UIP pattern are specific imaging markers to diagnose underlying CTD; however, due to its low sensitivity, the absence of these signs cannot exclude the same. Because of its excellent interobserver agreement, these signs are reliable in the evaluation of CTD-related ILD.
Utilization of Virtual Consultations in Facial Plastic Surgery during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Sunkara Pranit R. , Abboud Michel M. , Chung Michael T. , Johnson Jared , Hojjat Houmehr , DeJoseph Louis M.
Published: December 2022

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic affected many aspects of medical practice, particularly surgical fields. The American College of Surgery initially recommended the cancellation of all elective procedures. As a result, virtual consultations (VCs; a form of telemedicine), became widely used in the field of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. With more facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons (FPRS) conducting both in-person and virtual visits, it is imperative to understand how VCs are utilized in practice.

Methods An electronic, anonymous survey was distributed to 1,282 electronic mail addresses in the 2018 American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery directory. The survey collected responses on various topics including demographic information and past, current, and future use of VCs.

Results The survey yielded 84 responses. Most surgeons (66.7%) were 11+ years out of fellowship. There was a significant increase in the percentage of VCs scheduled after the pandemic than before (p = 0.03). FPRS most frequently responded that VCs should always be followed by an in-person visit (48.6%). A majority of FPRS (66.2%) believe that VCs have improved the delivery of health care in at least some cases. Almost all FPRS (86.5%) plan on using VCs after the pandemic.

Conclusion Since the pandemic, VCs are more frequently used by surgeons and are mostly utilized as an initial patient visit. A majority of FPRS believe that VCs have improved health care in at least some cases, and plan on using VCs after the pandemic.
Process Study on the Enzyme-Catalyzed Preparation of Key Chiral Intermediates for Saxagliptin
Authors: Li Shan-Shan , Huang Zong-Qing , Hua Hao-Ju , Lu Jian-Guang , Zhao Wen-Jie , Feng Jun
Published: December 2022

Saxagliptin is a therapeutic drug for diabetes. The key synthesis process of the drug involves catalyzing 2-(3-hydroxy-1-adamantyl)-2-oxoacetic acid (A) into (S)-3-hydroxyadamantane glycine (B), during which enzymes phenylalanine dehydrogenase mutant from Thermoactinomyces intermedius (TiPDHm) and formate dehydrogenase (FDH) were most often used for biocatalysis. However, the process was limited due to difficulty in enzyme preparation and a low conversion rate. This study focuses on co-expression of TiPDHm and FDH in recombinant Escherichia coli, cell homogenate clarification, enzyme concentration as well as the optimized conditions of enzyme-catalyzed reaction. Our data showed that the wet weight density of bacteria reached 300 g/L, and the yields of TiPDHm and FDH were 7674.24 and 2042.52 U/L, respectively. The combination of ammonium formate and polyethyleneimine favors the clarification of the bacteria homogenate. The clarified enzyme solution obtained can be concentrated by ultrafiltration and directly used in a reductive amination reaction in a high concentration of keto acid A. The reaction time was only 12 hours and the conversion rate reached 95%. Therefore, this process could provide a reference for enzyme-catalyzed preparation of saxagliptin on an industrial scale.
Effectiveness of the First Trimester Samrakshan Protocol for the Identification of Pregnant Women at High Risk for Preterm Pre-eclampsia
Authors: Choorakuttil Rijo Mathew , Rajalingam Bavaharan , Satarkar Shilpa R. , Sharma Lalit K. , Gupta Anjali , Baghel Akanksha , Jain Neelam , Dhankar Sandhya , Aneja Kavita , Chhajer Gulab , Dwivedi Somya , Patekar Tejashree Y. , Rajput Eesha , Nirmalan Praveen K.
Published: December 2022

Aim To determine the effectiveness of the first trimester Samrakshan protocol for the identification of pregnant women at high risk for preterm pre-eclampsia (PE).

Methods Samrakshan uses a protocol that integrates routine first-trimester ultrasound assessment at 11 to 14 gestation weeks with the measurement of mean arterial blood pressure and mean uterine artery pulsatility index assessment to determine a customized risk for preterm PE and fetal growth restriction. Based on the risk assessment, pregnant women are classified as high or low risk.

Results The protocol had a high specificity (90.4%, 95% CI: 89.4%, 91.2%) and negative predictive value (98.1%, 95% CI: 97.6%, 99%) for preterm PE. The odds ratio and positive likelihood ratio for preterm PE were 16.7 (95% CI: 12.3, 22.6) and 6.64 (95% CI: 5.77, 7.63), respectively.

Conclusions The positive likelihood ratio and odds ratios indicate that pregnant women identified as high risk for preterm PE using the first-trimester protocol of Samrakshan are significantly more likely to develop preterm PE than low-risk women.
Neonatal Cerebral Sinovenous Thrombosis Post–Therapeutic Hypothermia in Perinatal Asphyxia: A Case Report
Authors: SB Kirthana , Goyal Medha , Mascarenhas Dwayne , Haribalakrishna Anitha
Published: December 2022

Cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) is an uncommon condition in neonates and often leads to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. A high index of suspicion for CSVT is mandated for asphyxiated infants, especially following therapeutic hypothermia (TH). Magnetic resonance venography can assist in the early detection of CSVT in suspected cases. Timely initiation of anticoagulation therapy prevents thrombus propagation and allows recanalization at around 6 to 12 weeks. Long-term follow-up is essential as cognitive impairment, motor dysfunctions, and epilepsy are common complications. Herein, we describe the clinical course of a term infant who developed CSVT in the first week of life following TH for perinatal asphyxia, its management strategies, and short-term follow-up till infancy.