bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Die Threading and Finishing Length in the Thread-Rolling Process Using Flat Dies: A Numerical Analysis
Authors: Giorleo L. , Cartapani M.
Published: October 2021

In this paper, a numerical analysis of the cold thread-rolling process using flat dies is presented as a function of the die geometry design. Five die geometries with different threading and finishing ratios were modelled to induce different screw deformation rates. An analytical method was proposed by the authors to design die geometries as a function of screw roll rotation. Screw geometry accuracy, induced stress, and die wear were selected to compare the tested geometries. The results showed that three screw rotations in the threading step were sufficient to guarantee good geometry accuracy. Moreover, the results highlighted that die wear is the most affected parameter among all the tested geometries. Finally, a new solution was proposed by the authors to obtain uniform wear and reduce the die length.
Hybrid design for sports data visualization using AI and big data analytics
Authors: Liu Aijun , Mahapatra Rajendra Prasad , Mayuri A. V. R.
Published: October 2021

In sports data analysis and visualization, understanding collective tactical behavior has become an integral part. Interactive and automatic data analysis is instrumental in making use of growing amounts of compound information. In professional team sports, gathering and analyzing sportsperson monitoring data are common practice, intending to evaluate fatigue and succeeding adaptation responses, analyze performance potential, and reduce injury and illness risk. Data visualization technology born in the era of big data analytics provides a good foundation for further developing fitness tools based on artificial intelligence (AI). Hence, this study proposed a video-based effective visualization framework (VEVF) based on artificial intelligence and big data analytics. This study uses the machine learning method to categorize the sports video by extracting both the videos' temporal and spatial features. Our system is based on convolutional neural networks united with temporal pooling layers. The experimental outcomes demonstrate that the recommended VEVF model enhances the accuracy ratio of 98.7%, recall ratio of 94.5%, F1-score ratio of 97.9%, the precision ratio of 96.7%, the error rate of 29.1%, the performance ratio of 95.2%, an efficiency ratio of 96.1% compared to other existing models.
Effectiveness of Facilitation, Arrangement of Task and Situation, (Non-)verbal Communication, and Counseling of Caregivers in Children with Neuromotor Disorders: a Systematic Review
Authors: Marsico Petra , Graser Judith V. , van Hedel Hubertus J. A.
Published: October 2021

Objectives

The techniques facilitation of activities, arrangement of task or situation, verbal and non-verbal communication, and counseling and empowerment of parents and caregivers are applied in different therapy approaches to improve motor function in children with neuromotor disorders. This review quantitatively examines the effectiveness of these four techniques allocated to pre-defined age groups and levels of disability.

Methods

We followed the systematic review methodology proposed by the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM). The search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, PEDro, OT Seeker, ERIC, and CINAHL. The main outcomes of the included articles were allocated to the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (body functions, activities, and participation).

Results

The search yielded eleven studies for facilitation, 22 for arrangement of task or situation, three for verbal and non-verbal communication, and three studies for counseling and empowerment. The effect sizes indicated strong evidence for body function and activity outcomes for the use of facilitation in newborns until the age of 2 years and the arrangement of tasks in children between 2 and 5 years with cerebral palsy.

Conclusions

Thus, while some evidence exist for facilitation and arrangement of task or situation, further research is needed on the effectiveness of verbal and non-verbal communication and counseling and empowerment of parents and caregivers to improve motor function, activities, and participation.

Systematic review registration.

PROSPERO CRD42017048583.
Beliefs von Schweizer Schülerinnen und Schülern zum konstruktivistischen und instruktivistischen Lernen im Mathematikunterricht der Sekundarstufe I – Ergebnisse eines Large-Scale-Assessments zur Überprüfung mathematischer Grundkompetenzen (ÜGK) 2016
Authors: Girnat Boris , Hascher Tina
Published: October 2021

Im Rahmen der ersten repräsentativen schweizweiten Überprüfung der mathematischen Grundkompetenzen am Ende der Sekundarstufe I (ÜGK 2016) wurden auch die Einstellungen bzw. Beliefs von 10.539 Schülerinnen und Schülern zum Mathematikunterricht erhoben. Es wurde zwischen Beliefs zum instruktivistischen Lernen und Beliefs zum konstruktivistischen Lernen – differenziert in drei Subdimensionen entdeckendes Lernen, soziales Lernen und realitätsbezogenes Lernen – unterschieden. Anders als es die theoretischen Erwartungen nahelegten, bilden die konstruktivistischen und instruktivistischen Einstellungen keine Gegensätze, sondern bestehen nebeneinander. Einstellungen zum entdeckenden und instruktivistischen Lernen korrelieren hoch miteinander und sind positive Prädiktoren für ein gutes Ergebnis im mathematischen Leistungstest, während Einstellungen zum sozialen und realitätsbezogenen Lernen negative Prädiktoren sind. Diese Befunde sind für Schülerinnen stärker ausgeprägt als für Schüler und steigen mit zunehmenden Schulniveau an. Von Schülerinnen und Schülern wahrgenommene Angebote zu einem kognitiv aktivierenden Mathematikunterricht werden ähnlich wie bei impliziten Theorien zur Intelligenz vollständig über ihre Einstellungen zum Lernen auf ihre mathematischen Testergebnisse mediiert, und zwar positiv über Einstellungen zum entdeckenden und instruktivistischen Lernen und negativ über Einstellungen zum realitätsbezogenen Lernen.
Addressing IT Capacity Management Concerns Using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Müller Hendrik , Kharitonov Andrey , Nahhas Abdulrahman , Bosse Sascha , Turowski Klaus
Published: October 2021

The digitization of various industries is emerging from and being supported by the Information Technology (IT) industry. However, bringing about the practical implementation of the fourth industrial revolution will require different fields of IT to undergo their own transformations. One of the research fields that draws a lot of attention nowadays is machine learning and its application in different areas. Therefore, in this paper, we present an analysis on the applicability of various machine learning techniques to address different problems in the field of capacity management for Commercial-off-the-shelf enterprise applications. Our investigation of the selected machine learning techniques is based on real monitoring data from over 18,000 SAP applications and database instances that are hosted on more than 16,000 different physical servers. These data are used to train various performance models, such as support vector machines with different kernels, random forests, and AdaBoost, for standard business functions. Boosted trees achieve sufficient accuracy to predict mean response times for ten frequently used transactions. To evaluate the suggested models, we applied them successfully to address different concerns in the context of capacity management. The evaluation includes multiple scenarios in the fields of server sizing, load testing, and server consolidation, with the objective to identify cost-effective designs. Based on the same monitoring data, we also present an anomaly detection scenario. In this scenario, we aim to demonstrate the use of machine learning techniques on historical data to detect possible performance anomalies for a suggested design or even predict possible anomalies in future scenarios. Results strongly emphasize the need to integrate monitoring data from standardized business applications to allow for novel and cost-effective capacity management service offerings.
States, Markets, and Foreign Aid
Authors: Dietrich Simone
Published: October 2021

Why do some donor governments pursue international development through recipient governments, while others bypass such local authorities? Weaving together scholarship in political economy, public administration and historical institutionalism, Simone Dietrich argues that the bureaucratic institutions of donor countries shape donor–recipient interactions differently despite similar international and recipient country conditions. Donor nations employ institutional constraints that authorize, enable and justify particular aid delivery tactics while precluding others. Offering quantitative and qualitative analyses of donor decision-making, the book illuminates how donors with neoliberally organized public sectors bypass recipient governments, while donors with more traditional public-sector-oriented institutions cooperate and engage recipient authorities on aid delivery. The book demonstrates how internal beliefs and practices about states and markets inform how donors see and set their objectives for foreign aid and international development itself. It informs debates about aid effectiveness and donor coordination and carries implications for the study of foreign policy, more broadly.
Colonizing Animals
Authors: Saha Jonathan
Published: October 2021

Animals were vital to the British colonization of Myanmar. In this pathbreaking history of British imperialism in Myanmar from the early nineteenth century to 1942, Jonathan Saha argues that animals were impacted and transformed by colonial subjugation. By examining the writings of Burmese nationalists and the experiences of subaltern groups, he also shows how animals were mobilized by Burmese anticolonial activists in opposition to imperial rule. In demonstrating how animals - such as elephants, crocodiles, and rats - were important actors never fully under the control of humans, Saha uncovers a history of how British colonialism transformed ecologies and fostered new relationships with animals in Myanmar. Colonizing Animals introduces the reader to an innovative historical methodology for exploring interspecies relationships in the imperial past, using innovative concepts for studying interspecies empires that draw on postcolonial theory and critical animal studies.
Effectiveness of price-reduced meals on purchases among university young adults
Authors: Roy Rajshri , Harrington Kate
Published: October 2021

University food environments influence dietary behaviours of attending young adults (aged 18–35 years). The present study aimed to determine if price-reduced meals are associated with high purchase volumes at food outlets (n 5) in a large urban university. The university food outlet customers: university staff and students (n 244) were surveyed about their food choice determinants and their awareness of a price-reduced meal initiative called ‘Budgie Meals’. Itemised sales of ‘Budgie Meals’ and other meals across 3 years were collected. The ‘Budgie Meals’ were nutritionally analyzed. The χ2 and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to analyze quantitative survey responses. An open-ended item was thematically analyzed. Itemised sales of ‘Budgie Meals’ were measured across 3 years and were analyzed using the analysis of variance. The ‘Budgie Meals’ were nutritionally analyzed and categorised as ‘green,’ ‘amber’ or ‘red’ using the National Healthy Food and Drink Policy. Price was considered the most significant barrier to healthy food purchases. The awareness of the ‘Budgie Meal’ initiative was poor. The ‘Budgie Meal’ had higher sales volumes at each outlet than other items, but the sales showed a downward trend across the years. Nutritional analyses revealed that ‘Budgie Meals’ could be improved. The researchers suggested nutritional improvements to food retailers. Further research is required to assess the viability of implementing such nutritional improvements across food outlets. Specifically, collaboration with retailers and customers is needed to establish the economic feasibility, any potential revenue losses and testing taste acceptability of recipe alterations to these price-reduced meals.
FIRST-ORDER AXIOMATISATIONS OF REPRESENTABLE RELATION ALGEBRAS NEED FORMULAS OF UNBOUNDED QUANTIFIER DEPTH
Authors: EGROT ROB , HIRSCH ROBIN
Published: October 2021

Using a variation of the rainbow construction and various pebble and colouring games, we prove that RRA, the class of all representable relation algebras, cannot be axiomatised by any first-order relation algebra theory of bounded quantifier depth. We also prove that the class At(RRA) of atom structures of representable, atomic relation algebras cannot be defined by any set of sentences in the language of RA atom structures that uses only a finite number of variables.
ALMOST DISJOINT AND MAD FAMILIES IN VECTOR SPACES AND CHOICE PRINCIPLES
Authors: TACHTSIS ELEFTHERIOS
Published: October 2021

In set theory without the Axiom of Choice (
$\mathsf {AC}$
), we investigate the open problem of the deductive strength of statements which concern the existence of almost disjoint and maximal almost disjoint (MAD) families of infinite-dimensional subspaces of a given infinite-dimensional vector space, as well as the extension of almost disjoint families in infinite-dimensional vector spaces to MAD families.
Unrepresentative Claims: Speaking for Oneself in a Social Movement
Authors: HAYAT SAMUEL
Published: October 2021

Sometimes, people engaged in politics actively refuse to speak for anyone but themselves. These unrepresentative claims multiply in social movements in times of crisis. During the French Yellow Vest movement of 2018–2019, such unrepresentative claims were routinely made by Yellow Vest leaders, to the point of being a condition for having a leadership position in the movement. By making these unrepresentative claims, they declined any representative mandate, asserting their freedom from any instituted influence. However, by claiming to speak only for themselves, they also selected the aspects of their identity they performed. This allowed them to embody the people sharing this identity, recalling the medieval repraesentatio identitatis, but in a way adjusted to today’s greater personalization of politics. Drawing on this movement and on other examples of unrepresentative claims, we can delineate three broad ideal-types of identities that may be put forward by unrepresentative claims: generality, particularity, and individuality.
Lightweight deep network-enabled real-time low-visibility enhancement for promoting vessel detection in maritime video surveillance
Authors: Guo Yu , Lu Yuxu , Liu Ryan Wen
Published: October 2021

Maritime video surveillance has become an essential part of the vessel traffic services system, intended to guarantee vessel traffic safety and security in maritime applications. To make maritime surveillance more feasible and practicable, many intelligent vision-empowered technologies have been developed to automatically detect moving vessels from maritime visual sensing data (i.e., maritime surveillance videos). However, when visual data is collected in a low-visibility environment, the essential optical information is often hidden in the dark, potentially resulting in decreased accuracy of vessel detection. To guarantee reliable vessel detection under low-visibility conditions, the paper proposes a low-visibility enhancement network (termed LVENet) based on Retinex theory to enhance imaging quality in maritime video surveillance. LVENet is a lightweight deep neural network incorporating a depthwise separable convolution. The synthetically-degraded image generation and hybrid loss function are further presented to enhance the robustness and generalisation capacities of LVENet. Both full-reference and no-reference evaluation experiments demonstrate that LVENet could yield comparable or even better visual qualities than other state-of-the-art methods. In addition, it takes LVENet just 0⋅0045 s to restore degraded images with size 1920 × 1080 pixels on an NVIDIA 2080Ti GPU, which can adequately meet real-time requirements. Using LVENet, vessel detection performance can be greatly improved with enhanced visibility under low-light imaging conditions.
Understanding and working with different worldviews to co-design cultural security in clinical mental health settings to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients
Authors: Wright Michael , Lin Ashleigh , O’Connell Margaret , Bullen Jonathan , Flavell Helen
Published: October 2021

Background:

Creating the conditions for meaningful relationships is essential to understanding Aboriginal worldviews and co-designing ways of working to achieve better health outcomes. Non-Aboriginal health professionals struggle to recognise the importance of social relationships to Aboriginal peoples and tensions emerge due to these different worldviews informed by different ontologies and epistemologies. This is more so in clinical settings where training and models of care are often inadequate for working with Aboriginal people. The impact of different understandings of relationships on the provision of health services to Aboriginal peoples remains under-researched. There is a critical need to reassess the way clinicians are supported by their organisations to engage with Aboriginal clients in competent and meaningfully ways.

Methods:

The paper provides key insights into an Aboriginal-led participatory action research project and the work of Aboriginal Elder co-researchers with non-Aboriginal mainstream service staff to better understand the importance of social relationships from an Aboriginal worldview. The paper critically engages literature on clinical service provision for Aboriginal peoples, along with an examination of the Australian Psychological Society Code of Conduct, to explore the tensions between professional training and the need to build relationships with Aboriginal clients.

Findings:

Through the Elders, non-Aboriginal service staff have expanded their understanding of Aboriginal culture, kinship and the importance of country to Aboriginal wellbeing. The Elders mentored staff to unpack the tensions between worldviews in clinical settings. The research resulted in a co-designed culturally safe framework for non-Aboriginal practitioners, which is building confidence, capacity and competence to work in partnership with Aboriginal peoples. The framework emphasis the need for culturally safe models of care. The Elders have supported non-Aboriginal staff to sit between the two worldviews to develop ways to work with Aboriginal clients and shift mainstream models of mental health care to improve the wellbeing of Aboriginal people.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Authors: Khemlani-Patel Sony , Neziroglu Fugen
Published: October 2021

Learn how to assess and treat body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)

Presents the best treatment practices
Instructions for novel and advanced treatment strategies
Tips for improving client engagement
Illustrated with case studies
Printable tools for clinical use

More about the book

This volume provides a user-friendly, evidence-based guide to the diagnosis, phenomenology, etiology, and treatment of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). New and seasoned clinicians can learn about the foundations of CBT for BDD as well as the rationale and instructions for modifying the approach to meet the differences in symptoms found in this client group. The book explores techniques for treatment engagement, including adjusting therapeutic style, appropriate utilization of behavioral and cognitive therapy, family involvement, and motivational interviewing techniques. Other issues associated with BDD are also highlighted: poor insight, comorbidity, concerning rates of suicidality, and ambivalence regarding treatment.

The authors outline step-by-step instructions for numerous novel and advanced treatment strategies, including perceptual re-training, attentional training, acceptance and commitment approaches, and ways to manage ongoing desire for cosmetic surgery. Detailed case examples are presented with corresponding treatment guidelines to highlight the variety in clinical presentation and corresponding treatment approaches. Printable tools in the appendices can be used in daily practice.
Chemical Nature of Hydrothermal Fluids Generated by Serpentinization and Carbonation of Komatiite: Implications for H2‐Rich Hydrothermal System and Ocean Chemistry in the Early Earth
Authors: Ueda Hisahiro , Shibuya Takazo , Sawaki Yusuke , Shozugawa Katsumi , Makabe Akiko , Takai Ken
Published: October 2021

H2‐rich ultramafic‐hosted hydrothermal systems are considered to be important places for the origin and early evolution of life. In this study, we conducted two hydrothermal serpentinization/carbonation experiments involving synthetic komatiite under CO2‐rich conditions to further understand the chemical nature of hydrothermal fluids in the komatiite‐hosted seafloor hydrothermal systems in the early Earth. The H2 concentration in fluid at 300°C is one order of magnitude lower than that under CO2‐free conditions, which revealed that the carbonation of komatiites suppressed H2 generation under CO2‐rich conditions. The steady‐state H2 concentrations in the fluid increased with increasing temperature, while the Fe content of carbonate minerals in the run products increased with decreasing temperature. This correlation suggested that Fe incorporation into the carbonate minerals would limit the H2 generation during the serpentinization of komatiites at each temperature. In addition, the pH of the fluid also depended on temperature. High‐temperature (>300°C) fluids became alkaline, whereas low‐temperature fluids became acidic. Thermodynamic calculations show that the acidic fluids were attributed to high water/rock ratio during the hydrothermal reactions. Consequently, H2‐poor and acidic fluids were likely generated at low temperatures. In contrast, the H2‐rich and alkaline hydrothermal fluids were generated at temperatures above 300°C, which suggests that high‐temperature seafloor hydrothermal systems may be more favorable than lower‐temperature systems for the emergence and early evolution of life in the Hadean ocean in terms of the formation of energy and electrochemical potentials between hydrothermal fluids and ambient seawater.
Global Impact of Lightning‐Produced Oxidants
Authors: Mao Jingqiu , Zhao Tianlang , Keller Christoph A. , Wang Xuan , McFarland Patrick J. , Jenkins Jena M. , Brune William H.
Published: October 2021

Lightning plays a major role in tropospheric oxidation, and its role on modulating tropospheric chemistry was thought to be emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx). Recent field and laboratory measurements demonstrate that lightning generates extremely large amounts of oxidants, including hydrogen oxides (HOx) and O3. Here, we implement these lightning‐produced oxidants in a global chemical transport model to examine its global impact on tropospheric composition. We find that lightning‐produced oxidants can increase global mass weighted OH by 0.3%–10% and affect CO, O3, and reactive nitrogen substantially, depending on the emission strength of oxidants from lightning. Our work highlights the importance and uncertainties of lightning‐produced oxidants, as well as the need for rethinking the role of lightning in tropospheric oxidation chemistry.
Topside Measurements at Jicamarca During the 2019–2020 Deep Solar Minimum
Authors: Derghazarian S. , Hysell D. L. , Varney R. H.
Published: October 2021

We present measurements of the equatorial topside ionosphere above Jicamarca made during extremely low solar flux conditions during the deep solar minimum of 2019–2020. Measurements were made in October, 2019, February, 2020, and September, 2020. The main features observed are a large and extended decrease in noontime temperatures unlike that seen in studies at moderate solar flux levels, predawn ionospheric heating as early as 0300 LT, large day‐to‐day variability in the O+/H+ transition height, and negligible helium ion concentration at all altitudes. Data from the Ion Velocity Meter (IVM) instrument onboard the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) and the Topside Ionospheric Plasma Monitor (SSIES) onboard the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites are used to assess agreement with ISR data and assist with the analysis of the predawn heating phenomena. We also analyze the data in light of the SAMI2‐PE model which shows less agreement with the data than at higher solar flux. The main areas of discrepancy with the data are outlined, such as the absence of significant predawn heating, less pronounced decreases in noontime temperatures, and much higher O+ fractions at high altitudes, particularly in September. Finally, a sensitivity analysis of the model to various forcing agents such as neutral winds, plasma drifts, solar flux, and heat flow is performed. A discussion is presented on bridging the discrepancies in future model runs. Novel techniques of clutter removal and noise power bias correction are introduced and described in the appendices.
Probabilistic Machine Learning Estimation of Ocean Mixed Layer Depth From Dense Satellite and Sparse In Situ Observations
Authors: Foster Dallas , Gagne David John , Whitt Daniel B.
Published: October 2021

The ocean mixed layer plays an important role in the coupling between the upper ocean and atmosphere across a wide range of time scales. Estimation of the variability of the ocean mixed layer is therefore important for atmosphere‐ocean prediction and analysis. The increasing coverage of in situ Argo profile data allows for an increasingly accurate analysis of the mixed layer depth (MLD) variability associated with deviations from the seasonal climatology. However, sampling rates are not sufficient to fully resolve subseasonal ( day) MLD variability. Yet, many multivariate observations‐based analyses include implicit modeled subseasonal MLD variability. One analysis method is optimal interpolation of in situ data, but the interior analysis can be improved by leveraging surface data with regression or variational approaches. Here, we demonstrate how machine learning methods and satellite sea surface temperature, salinity, and height facilitate MLD estimation in a pilot study of two regions: the mid‐latitude southern Indian and the eastern equatorial Pacific Oceans. We construct multiple machine learning architectures to produce weekly 1/2° gridded MLD anomaly fields (relative to a monthly climatology) with uncertainty estimates. We test multiple traditional and probabilistic machine learning techniques to compare both accuracy and probabilistic calibration. We validate our methodology by applying it to ocean model simulations. We find that incorporating sea surface data through a machine learning model improves the performance of spatiotemporal MLD variability estimation compared to optimal interpolation of Argo observations alone. These preliminary results are a promising first step for the application of machine learning to MLD prediction.
Brown adipose tissue prevents glucose intolerance and cardiac remodeling in high-fat-fed mice after a mild myocardial infarction
Authors: Peres Valgas da Silva Carmem , Shettigar Vikram K. , Baer Lisa A. , Abay Eaman , Madaris Kendra L. , Mehling Mikayla R. , Hernandez-Saavedra Diego , Pinckard Kelsey M. , Seculov Nickolai P. , Ziolo Mark T. , Stanford Kristin I.
Published: October 2021

Background

Obesity increases the risk of developing impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) after myocardial infarction (MI). Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is important to combat obesity and T2D, and increasing BAT mass by transplantation improves glucose metabolism and cardiac function. The objective of this study was to determine if BAT had a protective effect on glucose tolerance and cardiac function in high-fat diet (HFD) fed mice subjected to a mild MI.

Methods

Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a HFD for eight weeks and then divided into Sham (Sham-operated) and +BAT (mice receiving 0.1 g BAT into their visceral cavity). Sixteen weeks post-transplantation, mice were further subdivided into ±MI (Sham; Sham-MI; +BAT; +BAT-MI) and maintained on a HFD. Cardiac (echocardiography) and metabolic function (glucose and insulin tolerance tests, body composition and exercise tolerance) were assessed throughout 22 weeks post-MI. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was performed to determine the expression of genes related to metabolic function of perigonadal adipose tissue (pgWAT), subcutaneous white adipose tissue (scWAT), liver, heart, tibialis anterior skeletal muscle (TA); and BAT.

Results

+BAT prevented the increase in left ventricle mass (LVM) and exercise intolerance in response to MI. Similar to what is observed in humans, Sham-MI mice developed IGT post-MI, but this was negated in +BAT-MI mice. IGT was independent of changes in body composition. Genes involved in inflammation, insulin resistance, and metabolism were significantly altered in pgWAT, scWAT, and liver in Sham-MI mice compared to all other groups.

Conclusions

BAT transplantation prevents IGT, the increase in LVM, and exercise intolerance following MI. MI alters the expression of several metabolic-related genes in WAT and liver in Sham-MI mice, suggesting that these tissues may contribute to the impaired metabolic response. Increasing BAT may be an important intervention to prevent the development of IGT or T2D and cardiac remodeling in obese patients post-MI.
Obesity and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass drive changes in miR-31 and miR-215 expression in the human rectal mucosa
Authors: Breininger Stella Panagio , Sabater Laura , Malcomson Fiona Caroline , Afshar Sorena , Mann Jelena , Mathers John Cummings
Published: October 2021

Background/Objectives

Obesity increases colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. However, the effects of weight loss on CRC risk are unclear. Epigenetic mechanisms involving microRNAs that lead to dysregulated gene expression may mediate the effects of obesity and weight loss on CRC risk. We examined the effects of obesity and weight loss following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) on microRNA expression in the human rectal mucosa.

Subjects/Methods

We collected rectal mucosal biopsies from obese patients (n = 22) listed for RYGB and age- and sex-matched healthy non-obese Controls (n = 20), at baseline and six months post-surgery. We quantified microRNA expression in rectal mucosal biopsies using Next Generation Sequencing and bioinformatics analysis to investigate the likely functional consequences of these epigenetic changes.

Results

Compared with non-obese individuals, obese individuals showed differential expression of 112 microRNAs (p < 0.05). At six-months post-RYGB, when mean body mass had fallen by 27 kg, 60 microRNAs were differentially expressed, compared with baseline (p < 0.05). The expression of 36 microRNAs differed significantly between both i) obese and non-obese individuals and ii) obese individuals pre- and post-RYGB. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) demonstrated that expression of miR-31 and miR-215 was significantly (p < 0.05) higher, 143-fold and 15-fold respectively, in obese than in non-obese individuals. Weight loss, following RYGB, reduced expression of miR-31 and miR-215 to levels comparable with Controls. These differentially expressed microRNAs are implicated in pathways linked with inflammation, obesity and cancer.

Conclusion

Our findings show, for the first time, that obesity is associated with dysregulated microRNA expression in the human rectal mucosa. Further, surgically-induced weight loss may normalise microRNA expression in this tissue.
A human iPSC-astroglia neurodevelopmental model reveals divergent transcriptomic patterns in schizophrenia
Authors: Szabo Attila , Akkouh Ibrahim A. , Vandenberghe Matthieu , Osete Jordi Requena , Hughes Timothy , Heine Vivi , Smeland Olav B. , Glover Joel C. , Andreassen Ole A. , Djurovic Srdjan
Published: October 2021

While neurodevelopmental abnormalities have been associated with schizophrenia (SCZ), the role of astroglia in disease pathophysiology remains poorly understood. In the present study, we used a human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived astrocyte model to investigate the temporal patterns of astroglia differentiation during developmental stages critical for SCZ using RNA sequencing. The model generated astrocyte-specific gene expression patterns during differentiation that corresponded well to astroglia-specific expression signatures of in vivo cortical fetal development. Using this model we identified SCZ-specific expression dynamics, and found that SCZ-associated differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in the medial prefrontal cortex, striatum, and temporal lobe, targetingVWA5AandADAMTS19. In addition, SCZ astrocytes displayed alterations in calcium signaling, and significantly decreased glutamate uptake and metalloproteinase activity relative to controls. These results implicate novel transcriptional dynamics in astrocyte differentiation in SCZ together with functional changes that are potentially important biological components of SCZ pathology.
Survival of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia before and after the introduction of chemoimmunotherapy in Germany
Authors: Kajüter Hiltraud , Wellmann Ina , Khil Laura , Jöckel Karl-Heinz , Zhang Can , Fink Anna-Maria , Hallek Michael , Stang Andreas
Published: October 2021

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia of adults in western countries. Therapy is indicated in symptomatic and advanced stages and has changed fundamentally since 2010 when rituximab, an anti-CD20 antibody, has been approved for treatment of CLL. Until then therapy had been based on chemotherapy drugs. This study investigates whether survival in CLL patients improved at the population level after the introduction of combined chemoimmunotherapy. Data from the cancer registry North-Rhine Westphalia was used to calculate relative survival (RS) by applying period analyses. Age-standardized 5-year RS increased from 79% in 1998–2002 (75% in 2003–2007) to 81% in the calendar period 2008–2012 and 88% in 2013–2016 for men and continuously from 71% in 1998–2002 to 92% in 2013–2016 for women. In CLL patients aged 15–69 years 5-year RS increased from 83% to 90% for men and from 82% to 94% for women after adding an anti-CD20-antibody to chemotherapy while in the older age group of 70–79-year-old CLL patients an increase by 20 percentage points was observed. These findings show marked improvements in the survival of CLL patients at the population level subsequently to the approval of anti-CD 20 antibodies like rituximab, ofatumumab or obinutuzumab for CLL treatment.
Reciprocal regulation between ER stress and autophagy in renal tubular fibrosis and apoptosis
Authors: Shu Shaoqun , Wang Hui , Zhu Jiefu , Liu Zhiwen , Yang Danyi , Wu Wenwen , Cai Juan , Chen Anqun , Tang Chengyuan , Dong Zheng
Published: October 2021

Both endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and autophagy have been implicated in chronic kidney injury and renal fibrosis. However, the relationship and regulatory mechanisms between ER stress and autophagy under this condition remain largely unknown. In this study, we first established a mouse model of ER stress-induced chronic kidney injury by 2 weekly injections of a low dose of tunicamycin (TM), a classical ER stress inducer. This model showed the induction of ER stress, autophagy, fibrosis and apoptosis in kidney tissues. In vitro, TM also induced ER stress, autophagy, fibrosis and apoptosis in HK-2 human kidney proximal tubular cells and BUMPT-306 mouse kidney proximal tubular cells. In these cells, autophagy inhibitor suppressed TM-induced fibrotic changes and apoptosis, suggesting an involvement of autophagy in ER stress-associated chronic kidney injury. PERK inhibitor ameliorated autophagy, fibrotic protein expression and apoptosis in TM-treated cells, indicating a role of the PERK/eIF2α pathway in autophagy activation during ER stress. Similar results were shown in TGF-β1-treated HK-2 cells. Interestingly, in both TM- or TGF-β1-treated kidney proximal tubular cells, inhibition of autophagy exaggerated ER stress, suggesting that autophagy induced by ER stress provides a negative feedback mechanism to reduce the stress. Together, these results unveil a reciprocal regulation between ER stress and autophagy in chronic kidney injury and fibrosis.
DCAF1-targeting microRNA-3175 activates Nrf2 signaling and inhibits dexamethasone-induced oxidative injury in human osteoblasts
Authors: Chen Jing , Liang Jin-qian , Zhen Yun-Fang , Chang Lei , Zhou Zhen-tao , Shen Xiong-jie
Published: October 2021

Activation of nuclear-factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling can protect human osteoblasts from dexamethasone-induced oxidative injury. DDB1 and CUL4 associated factor 1 (DCAF1) is a novel ubiquitin E3 ligase for Nrf2 protein degradation. We identified a novel DCAF1-targeting miRNA, miR-3175. RNA pull-down, Argonaute 2 RNA-immunoprecipitation, and RNA fluorescent in situ hybridization results confirmed a direct binding between miR-3175 and DCAF1 mRNA in primary human osteoblasts. DCAF1 3′-untranslated region luciferase activity and its expression were significantly decreased after miR-3175 overexpression but were augmented with miR-3175 inhibition in human osteoblasts and hFOB1.19 osteoblastic cells. miR-3175 overexpression activated Nrf2 signaling, causing Nrf2 protein stabilization, antioxidant response (ARE) activity increase, and transcription activation of Nrf2-dependent genes in human osteoblasts and hFOB1.19 cells. Furthermore, dexamethasone-induced oxidative injury and apoptosis were largely attenuated by miR-3175 overexpression in human osteoblasts and hFOB1.19 cells. Importantly, shRNA-induced silencing or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Nrf2 knockout abolished miR-3175 overexpression-induced osteoblast cytoprotection against dexamethasone. Conversely, DFAC1 knockout, by the CRISPR/Cas9 method, activated the Nrf2 cascade and inhibited dexamethasone-induced cytotoxicity in hFOB1.19 cells. Importantly, miR-3175 expression was decreased in necrotic femoral head tissues of dexamethasone-taking patients, where DCAF1 mRNA was upregulated. Together, silencing DCAF1 by miR-3175 activated Nrf2 signaling to inhibit dexamethasone-induced oxidative injury and apoptosis in human osteoblasts.
Chromatin accessibility analysis identifies the transcription factor ETV5 as a suppressor of adipose tissue macrophage activation in obesity
Authors: Hu Ren-Dong , Zhang Wen , Li Liang , Zuo Zu-Qi , Ma Min , Ma Jin-Fen , Yin Ting-Ting , Gao Cai-Yue , Yang Shu-Han , Zhao Zhi-Bin , Li Zi-Jun , Qiao Gui-Bin , Lian Zhe-Xiong , Qu Kun
Published: October 2021

Activation of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) contributes to chronic inflammation and insulin resistance in obesity. However, the transcriptional regulatory machinery involved in ATM activation during the development of obesity is not fully understood. Here, we profiled the chromatin accessibility of blood monocytes and ATMs from obese and lean mice using assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (ATAC-seq). We found that monocytes and ATMs from obese and lean mice exhibited distinct chromatin accessibility status. There are distinct regulatory elements that are specifically associated with monocyte or ATM activation in obesity. We also discovered several transcription factors that may regulate monocyte and ATM activation in obese mice, specifically a predicted transcription factor named ETS translocation variant 5 (ETV5). The expression of ETV5 was significantly decreased in ATMs from obese mice and its downregulation was mediated by palmitate stimulation. The decrease in ETV5 expression resulted in macrophage activation. Our results also indicate that ETV5 suppresses endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and Il6 expression in macrophages. Our work delineates the changes in chromatin accessibility in monocytes and ATMs during obesity, and identifies ETV5 as a critical transcription factor suppressing ATM activation, suggesting its potential use as a therapeutic target in obesity-related chronic inflammation.
EIF4A3-induced circular RNA PRKAR1B promotes osteosarcoma progression by miR-361-3p-mediated induction of FZD4 expression
Authors: Feng Zhen-hua , Zheng Lin , Yao Teng , Tao Si-yue , Wei Xiao-an , Zheng Ze-yu , Zheng Bing-jie , Zhang Xu-yang , Huang Bao , Liu Jun-hui , Chen Yi-lei , Shan Zhi , Yuan Pu-tao , Wang Cheng-gui , Chen Jian , Shen Shu-ying , Zhao Feng-dong
Published: October 2021

Emerging evidence indicates that circRNAs are broadly expressed in osteosarcoma (OS) cells and play a crucial role in OS progression. Recently, cancer-specific circRNA circPRKAR1B has been identified by high-throughput sequencing and is recorded in publicly available databases. Nevertheless, the detailed functions and underlying mechanisms of circPRKAR1B in OS remains poorly understood. By functional experiments, we found that circPRKAR1B enhanced OS cell proliferation, migration, and promotes OS epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Mechanistic investigations suggested that circPRKAR1B promotes OS progression through sponging miR-361-3p to modulate the expression of FZD4. Subsequently, we identified that EIF4A3 promoted cirPRKAR1B formation through binding to the downstream target of circPRKAR1B on PRKAR1B mRNA. Further rescue study revealed that overexpression of the Wnt signalling could impair the onco-suppressor activities of the silencing of circPRKAR1B. Interestingly, further experiments indicated that circPRKAR1B is involved in the sensitivity of chemoresistance in OS. On the whole, our results demonstrated that circPRKAR1B exerted oncogenic roles in OS and suggested the circPRKAR1B/miR-361-3p/FZD4 axis plays an important role in OS progression and might be a potential therapeutic target.
PSMC2 knockdown suppressed tumor progression of skin cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Yang Yanwen , Qi Fazhi , Wei Chuanyuan , Liu Jiaqi , Zhang Yong , Luan Wenjie , Gu Jianying
Published: October 2021

Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) is the most lethal tumor among three of the major malignant cancers of the skin. The mechanism underlying the malignant biological behaviors of SKCM is not fully clear. Our study intended to verify the molecular mechanism of proteasome 26 S subunit ATPase 2 (PSMC2) in malignant biological behaviors of SKCM. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to analyze the expression of PSMC2 in SKCM and its impact on prognosis. PSMC2 expression in 105 paired SKCM tissues was investigated by immunohistochemistry (IHC), its functional roles were verified using a series of cell experiments, and the underlying pathway was detected by protein-chip technology and gene set enrichment analysis. We found that PSMC2 was significantly upregulated in SKCN patients from TCGA datasets and verified in clinical SKCM tissues. Moreover, high PSMC2 was shown to closely correlate with the pathological stages and lymphatic metastasis of SKCM patients. Functionally, knockdown of PSMC2 suppressed the progression of SKCM through inhibiting cell proliferation, migration, and DNA damage in vitro as well as cell growth in vivo, whereas inducing apoptosis, cycle arrest in G2 phase. Similarly, pharmaceutical inhibition of proteasome with MG132 mimicked the PSMC2 knockdown induced defects in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and proliferation, while overexpression of PSMC2 has the opposite effects. Mechanistically, the silence of PSMC2 remarkably elevated the pro-apoptotic proteins DR6, IGFBP-4, p21, and p53, while inhibited the anti-apoptosis protein TRAILR-3 and the proteins related to the Wnt signaling pathway. The present study revealed that PSMC2 participated in a positive regulation to promote the progression of SKCM through regulating the Wnt signaling pathway. Our findings may offer a new mechanism underlying the development and progression of SKCM, and a deeper understanding of PSMC2 may contribute to SKCM treatment.
Experimental realization of strain-induced room-temperature ferroelectricity in SrMnO3 films via selective oxygen annealing
Authors: An Hyunji , Choi Young-Gyun , Jo Yong-Ryun , Hong Hyo Jin , Kim Jeong-Kyu , Kwon Owoong , Kim Sangmo , Son Myungwoo , Yang Jiwoong , Park Jun-Cheol , Choi Hojoong , Lee Jongmin , Song Jaesun , Ham Moon-Ho , Ryu Sangwoo , Kim Yunseok , Bark Chung Wung , Ko Kyung-Tae , Kim Bong-Joong , Lee Sanghan
Published: October 2021

Antiferromagnetic-paraelectric SrMnO3 (SMO) has aroused interest because of the theoretical strong coupling between the ferroelectric and ferromagnetic states with increasing epitaxial strain. In strained SMO films, the <110> polarized state and polar distortions have been observed, although high leakage currents and air degradation have limited their experimental verification. We herein provide a conclusive demonstration of room-temperature ferroelectricity and a high dielectric constant (εr = 138.1) in tensile-strained SMO by securing samples with insulating properties and clean surfaces using selective oxygen annealing. Furthermore, a paraelectricity and low dielectric constant (εr = 6.7) in the strain-relaxed SMO film have been identified as properties of the bulk SMO, which directly proves that the ferroelectricity of the tensile-strained SMO film is due to strain-induced polarization. We believe that these findings not only provide a cornerstone for exploring the physical properties of multiferroic SMO but also inspire new directions for single-phase multiferroics.
Structuring total angular momentum of light along the propagation direction with polarization-controlled meta-optics
Authors: Dorrah Ahmed H. , Rubin Noah A. , Tamagnone Michele , Zaidi Aun , Capasso Federico
Published: October 2021

Recent advances in wavefront shaping have enabled complex classes of Structured Light which carry spin and orbital angular momentum, offering new tools for light-matter interaction, communications, and imaging. Controlling both components of angular momentum along the propagation direction can potentially extend such applications to 3D. However, beams of this kind have previously been realized using bench-top setups, requiring multiple interaction with light of a fixed input polarization, thus impeding their widespread applications. Here, we introduce two classes of metasurfaces that lift these constraints, namely: i) polarization-switchable plates that couple any pair of orthogonal polarizations to two vortices in which the magnitude and/or sense of vorticity vary locally with propagation, and ii) versatile plates that can structure both components of angular momentum, spin and orbital, independently, along the optical path while operating on incident light of any polarization. Compact and integrated devices of this type can advance light-matter interaction and imaging and may enable applications that are not accessible via other wavefront shaping tools.
Giant charge-to-spin conversion in ferromagnet via spin-orbit coupling
Authors: Hibino Yuki , Taniguchi Tomohiro , Yakushiji Kay , Fukushima Akio , Kubota Hitoshi , Yuasa Shinji
Published: October 2021

Converting charge current into spin current via the spin Hall effect enables efficient manipulation of magnetization by electrical current. However, its geometrical restriction is a serious obstacle to device applications because it prevents switching of perpendicular magnetization in the absence of an external field. To resolve this issue, ferromagnetic materials have attracted attentions because their time reversal asymmetry induces magnetic-dependent charge-to-spin conversion that removes this restriction. Here, we achieved a large enhancement of magnetic-dependent charge-to-spin conversion by clarifying its mechanism. Through layer thickness dependence of the conversion efficiency, we revealed a coexistence of interfacial and bulk contributions to the magnetic-dependent charge-to-spin conversion. Moreover, the interfacial contribution to charge-to-spin conversion is found to be dominant and can be controlled via interfacial band engineering. The efficiency of charge-to-spin conversion in ferromagnet was found to be an order larger than that of other materials with reduced symmetry.