bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DL4-μbeads induce T cell lineage differentiation from stem cells in a stromal cell-free system
Authors: Trotman-Grant Ashton C. , Mohtashami Mahmood , De Sousa Casal Joshua , Martinez Elisa C. , Lee Dylan , Teichman Sintia , Brauer Patrick M. , Han Jianxun , Anderson Michele K. , Zúñiga-Pflücker Juan Carlos
Published: August 2021

T cells are pivotal effectors of the immune system and can be harnessed as therapeutics for regenerative medicine and cancer immunotherapy. An unmet challenge in the field is the development of a clinically relevant system that is readily scalable to generate large numbers of T-lineage cells from hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). Here, we report a stromal cell-free, microbead-based approach that supports the efficient in vitro development of both human progenitor T (proT) cells and T-lineage cells from CD34+cells sourced from cord blood, GCSF-mobilized peripheral blood, and pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). DL4-μbeads, along with lymphopoietic cytokines, induce an ordered sequence of differentiation from CD34+cells to CD34+CD7+CD5+proT cells to CD3+αβ T cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing of human PSC-derived proT cells reveals a transcriptional profile similar to the earliest thymocytes found in the embryonic and fetal thymus. Furthermore, the adoptive transfer of CD34+CD7+proT cells into immunodeficient mice demonstrates efficient thymic engraftment and functional maturation of peripheral T cells. DL4-μbeads provide a simple and robust platform to both study human T cell development and facilitate the development of engineered T cell therapies from renewable sources.
Ionitronic manipulation of current-induced domain wall motion in synthetic antiferromagnets
Authors: Guan Yicheng , Zhou Xilin , Li Fan , Ma Tianping , Yang See-Hun , Parkin Stuart S. P.
Published: August 2021

The current induced motion of domain walls forms the basis of several advanced spintronic technologies. The most efficient domain wall motion is found in synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structures that are composed of an upper and a lower ferromagnetic layer coupled antiferromagnetically via a thin ruthenium layer. The antiferromagnetic coupling gives rise to a giant exchange torque with which current moves domain walls at maximum velocities when the magnetic moments of the two layers are matched. Here we show that the velocity of domain walls in SAF nanowires can be reversibly tuned by several hundred m/s in a non-volatile manner by ionic liquid gating. Ionic liquid gating results in reversible changes in oxidation of the upper magnetic layer in the SAF over a wide gate-voltage window. This changes the delicate balance in the magnetic properties of the SAF and, thereby, results in large changes in the exchange coupling torque and the current-induced domain wall velocity. Furthermore, we demonstrate an example of an ionitronic-based spintronic switch as a component of a potential logic technology towards energy-efficient, all electrical, memory-in-logic.
Superior photo-carrier diffusion dynamics in organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites revealed by spatiotemporal conductivity imaging
Authors: Ma Xuejian , Zhang Fei , Chu Zhaodong , Hao Ji , Chen Xihan , Quan Jiamin , Huang Zhiyuan , Wang Xiaoming , Li Xiaoqin , Yan Yanfa , Zhu Kai , Lai Keji
Published: August 2021

The outstanding performance of organic-inorganic metal trihalide solar cells benefits from the exceptional photo-physical properties of both electrons and holes in the material. Here, we directly probe the free-carrier dynamics in Cs-doped FAPbI3 thin films by spatiotemporal photoconductivity imaging. Using charge transport layers to selectively quench one type of carriers, we show that the two relaxation times on the order of 1 μs and 10 μs correspond to the lifetimes of electrons and holes in FACsPbI3, respectively. Strikingly, the diffusion mapping indicates that the difference in electron/hole lifetimes is largely compensated by their disparate mobility. Consequently, the long diffusion lengths (3~5 μm) of both carriers are comparable to each other, a feature closely related to the unique charge trapping and de-trapping processes in hybrid trihalide perovskites. Our results unveil the origin of superior diffusion dynamics in this material, crucially important for solar-cell applications.
Improving fragment-based ab initio protein structure assembly using low-accuracy contact-map predictions
Authors: Mortuza S. M. , Zheng Wei , Zhang Chengxin , Li Yang , Pearce Robin , Zhang Yang
Published: August 2021

Sequence-based contact prediction has shown considerable promise in assisting non-homologous structure modeling, but it often requires many homologous sequences and a sufficient number of correct contacts to achieve correct folds. Here, we developed a method, C-QUARK, that integrates multiple deep-learning and coevolution-based contact-maps to guide the replica-exchange Monte Carlo fragment assembly simulations. The method was tested on 247 non-redundant proteins, where C-QUARK could fold 75% of the cases with TM-scores (template-modeling scores) ≥0.5, which was 2.6 times more than that achieved by QUARK. For the 59 cases that had either low contact accuracy or few homologous sequences, C-QUARK correctly folded 6 times more proteins than other contact-based folding methods. C-QUARK was also tested on 64 free-modeling targets from the 13th CASP (critical assessment of protein structure prediction) experiment and had an average GDT_TS (global distance test) score that was 5% higher than the best CASP predictors. These data demonstrate, in a robust manner, the progress in modeling non-homologous protein structures using low-accuracy and sparse contact-map predictions.
α-Synuclein-induced dysregulation of neuronal activity contributes to murine dopamine neuron vulnerability
Authors: Dagra Abeer , Miller Douglas R. , Lin Min , Gopinath Adithya , Shaerzadeh Fatemeh , Harris Sharonda , Sorrentino Zachary A. , Støier Jonatan Fullerton , Velasco Sophia , Azar Janelle , Alonge Adetola R. , Lebowitz Joseph J. , Ulm Brittany , Bu Mengfei , Hansen Carissa A. , Urs Nikhil , Giasson Benoit I. , Khoshbouei Habibeh
Published: August 2021

Pathophysiological damages and loss of function of dopamine neurons precede their demise and contribute to the early phases of Parkinson’s disease. The presence of aberrant intracellular pathological inclusions of the protein α-synuclein within ventral midbrain dopaminergic neurons is one of the cardinal features of Parkinson’s disease. We employed molecular biology, electrophysiology, and live-cell imaging to investigate how excessive α-synuclein expression alters multiple characteristics of dopaminergic neuronal dynamics and dopamine transmission in cultured dopamine neurons conditionally expressing GCaMP6f. We found that overexpression of α-synuclein in mouse (male and female) dopaminergic neurons altered neuronal firing properties, calcium dynamics, dopamine release, protein expression, and morphology. Moreover, prolonged exposure to the D2 receptor agonist, quinpirole, rescues many of the alterations induced by α-synuclein overexpression. These studies demonstrate that α-synuclein dysregulation of neuronal activity contributes to the vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons and that modulation of D2 receptor activity can ameliorate the pathophysiology. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the insidious changes in dopaminergic neuronal activity and neuronal loss that characterize Parkinson’s disease progression with significant therapeutic implications.
Robots facilitate human language production
Authors: Wudarczyk Olga A. , Kirtay Murat , Pischedda Doris , Hafner Verena V. , Haynes John-Dylan , Kuhlen Anna K. , Abdel Rahman Rasha
Published: August 2021

Despite recent developments in integrating autonomous and human-like robots into many aspects of everyday life, social interactions with robots are still a challenge. Here, we focus on a central tool for social interaction: verbal communication. We assess the extent to which humans co-represent (simulate and predict) a robot’s verbal actions. During a joint picture naming task, participants took turns in naming objects together with a social robot (Pepper, Softbank Robotics). Previous findings using this task with human partners revealed internal simulations on behalf of the partner down to the level of selecting words from the mental lexicon, reflected in partner-elicited inhibitory effects on subsequent naming. Here, with the robot, the partner-elicited inhibitory effects were not observed. Instead, naming was facilitated, as revealed by faster naming of word categories co-named with the robot. This facilitation suggests that robots, unlike humans, are not simulated down to the level of lexical selection. Instead, a robot’s speaking appears to be simulated at the initial level of language production where the meaning of the verbal message is generated, resulting in facilitated language production due to conceptual priming. We conclude that robots facilitate core conceptualization processes when humans transform thoughts to language during speaking.
Evidence of new intragenic HBB haplotypes model for the prediction of beta-thalassemia in the Malaysian population
Authors: Aziz Nur-Aisyah , Taib Wan-Rohani Wan , Kharolazaman Nur-Khairunnisa , Ismail Imilia , Al-Jamal Hamid Ali Nagi , Jamil Nadiah Wan-Arfah Wan Abdul , Esa Ezalia , Ibrahim Hishamshah
Published: August 2021

This study sought to determine the potential role of HBB haplotypes to predict beta-thalassemia in the Malaysian population. A total of 543 archived samples were selected for this study. Five tagging SNPs in the beta-globin gene (HBB; NG_000007.3) were analyzed for SNP-based and haplotype association using SHEsis online software. Single-SNP-based association analysis showed three SNPs have a statistically significant association with beta-thalassemia. When Bonferroni correction was applied, four SNPs were found statistically significant with beta-thalassemia; IVS2-74T>G (padj = 0.047), IVS2-16G>C (padj = 0.017), IVS2-666C>T (padj = 0.017) and 3’UTR + 314G>A (padj = 0.002). However, 3'UTR + 233G>C did not yield a significant association with padj value = 0.076. Further investigation using combined five SNPs for haplotype association analysis revealed three susceptible haplotypes with significant p values of which, haplotypes 1-2-2-1-1 (p = 6.49 × 10−7, OR = 10.371 [3.345–32.148]), 1-2-1-1-1 (p = 0.009, OR = 1.423 [1.095–1.850] and 1-1-1-1-1 (p = 1.39 × 10−4, OR = 10.221 [2.345–44.555]). Three haplotypes showed protective effect with significant p value of which, 2-2-1-1-1 (p = 0.006, OR = 0.668 [0.500–0.893]), 1-1-2-2-1 (p = 0.013, OR = 0.357 [0.153–0.830]) and 1-1-2-1-1 (p = 0.033, OR = 0.745 [0.567–0.977]). This study has identified the potential use of intragenic polymorphic markers in the HBB gene, which were significantly associated with beta-thalassemia. Combining these five SNPs defined a new haplotype model for beta-thalassemia and further evaluation for predicting severity in beta-thalassemia.
Highly restricted dispersal in habitat-forming seaweed may impede natural recovery of disturbed populations
Authors: Riquet Florentine , De Kuyper Christiane-Arnilda , Fauvelot Cécile , Airoldi Laura , Planes Serge , Fraschetti Simonetta , Mačić Vesna , Milchakova Nataliya , Mangialajo Luisa , Bottin Lorraine
Published: August 2021

Cystoseirasensu lato (Class Phaeophyceae, Order Fucales, Family Sargassaceae) forests play a central role in marine Mediterranean ecosystems. Over the last decades,Cystoseiras.l. suffered from a severe loss as a result of multiple anthropogenic stressors. In particular,Gongolaria barbatahas faced multiple human-induced threats, and, despite its ecological importance in structuring rocky communities and hosting a large number of species, the natural recovery ofG. barbatadepleted populations is uncertain. Here, we used nine microsatellite loci specifically developed forG. barbatato assess the genetic diversity of this species and its genetic connectivity among fifteen sites located in the Ionian, the Adriatic and the Black Seas. In line with strong and significant heterozygosity deficiencies across loci, likely explained by Wahlund effect, high genetic structure was observed among the three seas (ENA corrected FST = 0.355, IC = [0.283, 0.440]), with an estimated dispersal distance per generation smaller than 600 m, both in the Adriatic and Black Sea. This strong genetic structure likely results from restricted gene flow driven by geographic distances and limited dispersal abilities, along with genetic drift within isolated populations. The presence of genetically disconnected populations at small spatial scales (< 10 km) has important implications for the identification of relevant conservation and management measures forG. barbata: each population should be considered as separated evolutionary units with dedicated conservation efforts.
The effect of norepinephrine on common carotid artery blood flow in septic shock patients
Authors: Kim Seok Goo , Jo Ik Joon , Kang Soo Yeon , Yoo Jonghoon , Lee Guntak , Park Jong Eun , Kim Taerim , Hwang Sung Yeon , Cha Won Chul , Shin Tae Gun , Han Heewon , Yoon Hee
Published: August 2021

This study was designed to evaluate the hemodynamic effect of norepinephrine (NE) on the peak systolic velocity (PSV), diameter, and blood flow of the common carotid artery (CCA) using the point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in patients with septic shock. The study involved patients above 18 years old with septic shock. Arterial monitoring, carotid ultrasonography, and transthoracic echocardiography were performed before NE administration (T0). When the mean arterial pressure exceeded 65 mmHg after NE administration (T1), the measurement was repeated. Twenty-four patients (median age 67 [interquartile range: 54–77] years; 42% female) with septic shock were examined in this study. Before (T0) and after (T1) NE administration, the PSV (mean, standard deviation [SD]) changed from 85.3 (21.1) cm/s to 83.5 (23.5) cm/s (p = 0.417); this change was not significant. However, the diameter and blood flow of the CCA increased significantly from 0.6 (0.09) cm and 0.75 (0.27) L/min to 0.66 (0.09) cm and 0.85 (0.27) L/min, respectively (p < 0.001). The diameter of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) remained unchanged, but the velocity time integral of the LVOT increased significantly from 21.7 (4.39) cm to 23.6 (5.14) cm. There was no significant correlation between changes in blood flow of the CCA and changes in cardiac output (coefficient −0.365, p = 0.079). In conclusion, NE increased the diameter and blood flow of the CCA significantly, without changing the PSV in patients with septic shock.
Higher VO2max is associated with thicker cortex and lower grey matter blood flow in older adults
Authors: Olivo Gaia , Nilsson Jonna , Garzón Benjamín , Lebedev Alexander , Wåhlin Anders , Tarassova Olga , Ekblom Maria M. , Lövdén Martin
Published: August 2021

VO2max (maximal oxygen consumption), a validated measure of aerobic fitness, has been associated with better cerebral artery compliance and measures of brain morphology, such as higher cortical thickness (CT) in frontal, temporal and cingular cortices, and larger grey matter volume (GMV) of the middle temporal gyrus, hippocampus, orbitofrontal cortex and cingulate cortex. Single sessions of physical exercise can promptly enhance cognitive performance and brain activity during executive tasks. However, the immediate effects of exercise on macro-scale properties of the brain’s grey matter remain unclear. We investigated the impact of one session of moderate-intensity physical exercise, compared with rest, on grey matter volume, cortical thickness, working memory performance, and task-related brain activity in older adults. Cross-sectional associations between brain measures and VO2max were also tested. Exercise did not induce statistically significant changes in brain activity, grey matter volume, or cortical thickness. Cardiovascular fitness, measured by VO2max, was associated with lower grey matter blood flow in the left hippocampus and thicker cortex in the left superior temporal gyrus. Cortical thickness was reduced at post-test independent of exercise/rest. Our findings support that (1) fitter individuals may need lower grey matter blood flow to meet metabolic oxygen demand, and (2) have thicker cortex.
Green nanotechnology of MGF-AuNPs for immunomodulatory intervention in prostate cancer therapy
Authors: Khoobchandani Menka , Khan Aslam , Katti Kavita K. , Thipe Velaphi C. , Al-Yasiri Amal Y. , MohanDoss Darsha K. D. , Nicholl Michael B. , Lugão Ademar B. , Hans Chetan P. , Katti Kattesh V.
Published: August 2021

Men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) face poor prognosis and increased risk of treatment-incurred adverse effects resulting in one of the highest mortalities among patient population globally. Immune cells act as double-edged sword depending on the tumor microenvironment, which leads to increased infiltration of pro-tumor (M2) macrophages. Development of new immunomodulatory therapeutic agents capable of targeting the tumor microenvironment, and hence orchestrating the transformation of pro-tumor M2 macrophages to anti-tumor M1, would substantially improve treatment outcomes of CRPC patients. We report, herein, Mangiferin functionalized gold nanoparticulate agent (MGF-AuNPs) and its immunomodulatory characteristics in treating prostate cancer. We provide evidence of immunomodulatory intervention of MGF-AuNPs in prostate cancers through observations of enhanced levels of anti-tumor cytokines (IL-12 and TNF-α) with concomitant reductions in the levels of pro-tumor cytokines (IL-10 and IL-6). In the MGF-AuNPs treated groups, IL-12 was elevated to ten-fold while TNF-α was elevated to about 50-fold, while IL-10 and IL-6 were reduced by two-fold. Ability of MGF-AuNPs to target splenic macrophages is invoked via targeting of NF-kB signaling pathway. Finally, therapeutic efficacy of MGF-AuNPs, in treating prostate cancer in vivo in tumor bearing mice, is described taking into consideration various immunomodulatory interventions triggered by this green nanotechnology-based nanomedicine agent.
Spatial variability of nitrate pollution and its sources in a hilly basin of the Yangtze River based on clustering
Authors: Cui Yuhuan , Wang Jie , Hao Shuang
Published: August 2021

Nitrate (NO3−) pollution is a serious global problem, and the quantitative analysis of its sources contributions is essential for devising effective water-related environmental-protection policies. The Shengjin Lake basin, located in the middle to lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China was selected as the research area in our study. We first grouped 29 surface water samples and 33 groundwater samples using cluster analysis, and then analyzed potential nitrate sources for each dataset of δ15N–NO3− and δ18O–NO3− isotope values by applying a Bayesian isotope-mixing model. Our results show that the nitrogen pollution in the surface-ground water in the study area seriously exceeded to class V of the Environmental Quality Standard of Surface Water of China. The NO3− in surface water from the mid-upper reaches of the drainage basin mainly originates from soil nitrogen (SN) and chemical fertilizer (CF), with contribution rates of 48% and 32%, respectively, and the NO3− in downstream areas mainly originates from CF and manure and sewage (MS), with contribution rates of 48% and 33%, respectively. For the groundwater samples, NO3− mainly originates from MS, CF, and SN in the mid-upper reaches of the drainage basin and the northside of Dadukou near the Yangtze River, with contribution rates of 34%, 31%, and 29%, respectively, whereas NO3− in the lower reaches and the middle part of Dadukou mainly originates from MS, with a contribution rate of 83%. The nitrogen conversion of surface water in lakes and in the mid-upper reaches is mainly affected by water mixing, while the groundwater and surface water in the lower plains are mainly affected by denitrification. The method proposed in this study can expand the ideas for tracking nitrate pollution in areas with complex terrain, and the relevant conclusions can provide a theoretical basis for surface and groundwater pollution control in the hilly basin of Yangtze River.
Dietary carbohydrates interact with AMY1 polymorphisms to influence the incidence of type 2 diabetes in Korean adults
Authors: Shin Dayeon , Lee Kyung Won
Published: August 2021

The relationship betweenAMY1single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), dietary carbohydrates, and the risk of type 2 diabetes is unclear. We aimed to evaluate this association using an ongoing large-scale prospective study, namely the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. We selected six genetic variants ofthe AMY1gene: rs10881197, rs4244372, rs6696797, rs1566154, rs1930212, and rs1999478. Baseline dietary data were obtained using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Type 2 diabetes was defined according to the criteria of the World Health Organization and American Diabetes Association. During an average follow-up period of 12 years (651,780 person-years), 1082 out of 4552 (23.8%) patients had type 2 diabetes. ThreeAMY1SNPs were significantly associated with diabetes incidence among patients with carbohydrate intake > 65% of total energy: rs6696797, rs4244372, and rs10881197. In multivariable Cox models, Korean women with the rs6696797 AG or AA genotype had 28% higher incidence of type 2 diabetes (hazard ratio 1.28, 95% confidence interval 1.06–1.55) than Korean women with the rs6696797 GG genotype. We did not observe significant associations betweenAMY1SNPs, dietary carbohydrates, and diabetes incidence in Korean men. We conclude thatAMY1genetic variants and dietary carbohydrate intake influence the incidence of type 2 diabetes in Korean women only. Korean women who are minor carriers of theAMY1rs6696797, rs4244372, and rs10881197 genotypes may benefit from a low-carbohydrate diet to prevent the future risk of type 2 diabetes.
Late Pleistocene human paleoecology in the highland savanna ecosystem of mainland Southeast Asia
Authors: Suraprasit Kantapon , Shoocongdej Rasmi , Chintakanon Kanoknart , Bocherens Hervé
Published: August 2021

The late Pleistocene settlement of highland settings in mainland Southeast Asia by Homo sapiens has challenged our species’s ability to occupy mountainous landscapes that acted as physical barriers to the expansion into lower-latitude Sunda islands during sea-level lowstands. Tham Lod Rockshelter in highland Pang Mapha (northwestern Thailand), dated between 34,000 and 12,000 years ago, has yielded evidence of Hoabinhian lithic assemblages and natural resource use by hunter-gatherer societies. To understand the process of early settlements of highland areas, we measured stable carbon and oxygen isotope compositions of Tham Lod human and faunal tooth enamel. Our assessment of the stable carbon isotope results suggests long-term opportunistic behavior among hunter-gatherers in foraging on a variety of food items in a mosaic environment and/or inhabiting an open forest edge during the terminal Pleistocene. This study reinforces the higher-latitude and -altitude extension of a forest-grassland mosaic ecosystem or savanna corridor (farther north into northwestern Thailand), which facilitated the dispersal of hunter-gatherers across mountainous areas and possibly allowed for consistency in a human subsistence strategy and Hoabinhian technology in the highlands of mainland Southeast Asia over a 20,000-year span near the end of the Pleistocene.
Impact of conduction disturbances on left ventricular mass regression and geometry change following transcatheter aortic valve replacement
Authors: Ko Tsung-Yu , Kao Hsien-Li , Liu Ying-Ju , Yeh Chih-Fan , Huang Ching-Chang , Chen Ying-Hsien , Hung Chi-Sheng , Chan Chih-Yang , Lin Lung-Chun , Chen Yih-Sharng , Lin Mao-Shin
Published: August 2021

Our study aimed to compare the difference of LV mass regression and remodeling in regard of conduction disturbances (CD) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). A prospective analysis of 152 consecutive TAVR patients was performed. 53 patients (34.9%) had CD following TAVR, including 30 (19.7%) permanent pacemaker implantation and 23 (15.2%) new left bundle branch block. In 123 patients with 1-year follow-up, significant improvement of LV ejection fraction (LVEF) (baseline vs 12-month: 65.1 ± 13.2 vs 68.7 ± 9.1, P = 0.017) and reduced LV end-systolic volume (LVESV) (39.8 ± 25.8 vs 34.3 ± 17.1, P = 0.011) was found in non-CD group (N = 85), but not in CD group (N = 38). Both groups had significant decrease in LV mass index (baseline vs 12-month: 148.6 ± 36.9 vs. 136.4 ± 34.7 in CD group, p = 0.023; 153.0 ± 50.5 vs. 125.6 ± 35.1 in non-CD group, p < 0.0001). In 46 patients with 3-year follow-up, only non-CD patients (N = 28) had statistically significant decrease in LV mass index (Baseline vs 36-month: 180.8 ± 58.8 vs 129.8 ± 39.1, p = 0.0001). Our study showed the improvement of LV systolic function, reduced LVESV and LV mass regression at 1 year could be observed in patients without CD after TAVR. Sustained LV mass regression within 3-year was found only in patients without CD.
The prevalence of inorganic mercury in human cells increases during aging but decreases in the very old
Authors: Pamphlett Roger
Published: August 2021

Successful aging is likely to involve both genetic and environmental factors, but environmental toxicants that accelerate aging are not known. Human exposure to mercury is common, and mercury has genotoxic, autoimmune, and free radical effects which could contribute to age-related disorders. The presence of inorganic mercury was therefore assessed in the organs of 170 people aged 1–104 years to determine the prevalence of mercury in human tissues at different ages. Mercury was found commonly in cells of the brain, kidney, thyroid, anterior pituitary, adrenal medulla and pancreas. The prevalence of mercury in these organs increased during aging but decreased in people aged over 80 years. People with mercury in one organ usually also had mercury in several others. In conclusion, the prevalence of inorganic mercury in human organs increases with age. The relative lack of tissue mercury in the very old could account for the flattened mortality rate and reduced incidence of cancer in this advanced age group. Since mercury may accelerate aging, efforts to reduce atmospheric mercury pollution could improve the chances of future successful aging.
Recognition capability of one’s own skilled movement is dissociated from acquisition of motor skill memory
Authors: Mizuguchi Nobuaki , Tsuchimoto Shohei , Fujii Hirofumi , Kato Kouki , Nagami Tomoyuki , Kanosue Kazuyuki
Published: August 2021

When we have rehearsed a movement using an object, we can reproduce the movement without holding the object. However, the reproduced movement sometimes differs from the movement holding a real object, likely because movement recognition is inaccurate. In the present study, we tested whether the recognition capability was dissociated from the acquisition of motor skill memory. Twelve novices were asked to rotate two balls with their right hand as quickly as possible; they practiced the task for 29 days. To evaluate recognition capability, we calculated the difference in coordination pattern of all five digits between the ball-rotation movement and the reproduced movement without holding balls. The recognition capability did not change within the first day, but improved after one week of practice. On the other hand, performance of the ball rotation significantly improved within the first day. Since improvement of performance is likely associated with acquisition of motor skill memory, we suggest that recognition capability, which reflects the capability to cognitively access motor skill memory, was dissociated from the acquisition of motor skill memory. Therefore, recognition of one’s own skilled movement would rely on a hierarchical structure of acquisition of motor skill memory and cognitive access to that memory.
Factors affecting the prevalence of idiopathic scoliosis among children aged 8–15 years in Prishtina, Kosovo
Authors: Tahirbegolli Bernard , Obertinca Rilind , Bytyqi Albina , Kryeziu Blerta , Hyseni Blerte , Taganoviq Besarta , Shabani Bujar
Published: August 2021

Prospective study, Level of evidence II. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of scoliosis among children aged 8–15 years old and to identify the impact of schoolbag weight in developing adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). AIS is a common disease whose prevalence varies between countries and gender, with an increased rate among females compared to males. Screening children in primary school settings for idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is an important public health issue and is crucial for early detection, prevention of further deformity, and healthy child growth. Our sample was composed of 1619 pupils from the municipality of Prishtina, surveyed from March to April 2019. Measurements were made with a scoliometer on the basis of the Adams test process. Three measurements were taken for each of the participants. Additionally, all the pupils were subjected to bare-foot height and weight measurements with and without school bags. The mean ± standard deviation age of pupils was 11.67 ± 2.00 years old and 49% were females. The prevalence of the angle of trunk rotation (ATR) ≥ 5 ° was 26.1%, females had 1.49 higher odds (95%CI 1.19–1.86) to develop an ATR of ≥ 5° compared to males. The highest rate of ATR of ≥ 5° was seen among the ninth-grade students (31.3%). 56.5% of 4th grade students carry a schoolbag weighing over 12.5% of body weight. Relatively high prevalence of idiopathic scoliosis was found in primary schools in Prishtina. The highest prevalence was found in students attending the ninth grade, while females gender dominated.
Sensitive detection of p53 DNA based on spatially confined fluorescence resonance energy transfer and multivalent assembly of branched DNA
Authors: Liu Yeling , Sun Xia , Yuan Hui , Liu Bingxin , Zhou Bingqian , Chen Xuening , Li Xia , Xue Qingwang
Published: August 2021

We present a spatially confined FRET (SC-FRET) probe with a stable structure and strong signal output, consisting of multivalent FRET pairs labeled with FAM or TAMRA.
Injectable shear-thinning polylysine hydrogels for localized immunotherapy of gastric cancer through repolarization of tumor-associated macrophages
Authors: Yang Yan , Yang Yang , Chen Meili , Chen Jianquan , Wang Jinyan , Ma Yajun , Qian Hanqing
Published: August 2021

Injectable shear-thinning hydrogel for enhancing localized immunotherapy of gastric cancer through repolarization of tumor-associated macrophages.
Solvation energetics of proteins and their aggregates analyzed by all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and the energy-representation theory of solvation
Authors: Matubayasi Nobuyuki
Published: August 2021

Solvation energetics is addressed with all-atom MD simulation and the energy-representation theory of solvation for the fluctuations and cosolvent-induced changes of protein structures and the aggregation equilibrium of a peptide molecule.
Hierarchical molybdenum-doped NiCoP@carbon microspheres: a highly-efficient electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Liu Changhai , Yao Yanhua , Sun Lei , Luo Linlin , Wang Wenchang , Chen Zhidong
Published: August 2021

Hierarchical Mo-doped NiCoP@carbon (MNiCoP@C) hollow microspheres are designed and prepared via hydrothermal synthesis and subsequent thermal treatment.
The electromagnetic performance of transition metal-substituted monolayer black arsenic-phosphorus
Authors: Zheng Changdong , Jiang Ke , Yao Kailun , Zhu Sicong , Wu Kaiming
Published: August 2021

Two-dimensional black arsenic-phosphorus (bAsP) doped with Ni atoms exhibits half-metallic properties. The device based on doped bAsP shows a perfect spin effect, and its tunnel magnetoresistance is up to 4 × 105%.
The unified quantum mechanical structure of tubular molecular rotors with multiple equivalent global minimum structures: the 18*C2h → D9d case of La-[B2@B18]-La
Authors: Lu Xiao-Qin , Man Yuan , Ruß Vincent , Xu Yonghong , Yang Yonggang , Li Si-Dian
Published: August 2021

From 18 equivalent global minimum structures of a tubular rotor with a low symmetry (C2h) to a unified quantum structure with a high symmetry (D9d).
Theoretical assessment of Raman spectra on MXene Ti2C: from monolayer to bilayer
Authors: Huang Haiming , Wang Weiliang , Zhang Shaolin
Published: August 2021

Monolayer and bilayer Ti2C systems exhibit different Raman spectra, and Raman-active modes are categorized as a guide for experimental characterization.
Emerging heterogeneous catalysts for biomass conversion: studies of the reaction mechanism
Authors: Lin Longfei , Han Xue , Han Buxing , Yang Sihai
Published: August 2021

This review analyses the reaction mechanisms for the conversion of biomass and derivatives studied by inelastic neutron scattering, synchrotron X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, NMR, isotope-labelling and computational techniques.
Constructing a hierarchically structured KNi0.67Co0.33PO4·H2O-graphene hydrogel/Ni foam electrode for superior all-solid-state supercapacitor
Authors: Ma Xueying , Feng Hanfang , Yan Tianxiang , Zhang Li , Liu Xuying , Cao Shaokui
Published: August 2021

A supercapacitor electrode of a KNi0.67Co0.33PO4·H2O-graphene composite hydrogel supported on Ni foam is prepared by one-step hydrothermal method, which achieves great improvement in the electrode surface area and mass-loading of active material.
Protein powder derived nitrogen-doped carbon supported atomically dispersed iron sites for selective oxidation of ethylbenzene
Authors: Cheng Yujie , Sun Qingdi , Huang Liyun , He Qian , Zhang Hao , Wang Pengbo , Zhang Ying , Shi Shaolin , Zhang Xingcong , Gan Tao , He Xiaohui , Ji Hongbing
Published: August 2021

A single atom catalyst Fe1/NC, synthesized by ball milling with protein powder as the nitrogen source, exhibited superb performance for selective oxidation of ethylbenzene.
Dipole fluctuation and structural phase transition in hydrogen-bonding molecular assemblies of mononuclear CuII complexes with polar fluorobenzoate ligands
Authors: Takahashi Kiyonori , Miyazaki Yuji , Noro Shin-ichiro , Nakano Motohiro , Nakamura Takayoshi , Akutagawa Tomoyuki
Published: August 2021

An effective approach to construct dynamic motional space in molecular crystals is accomplished by combining hydrogen-bonding chains with dipole–dipole interactions in mononuclear CuII complexes.
Preparation, characterization, and evaluation of HP-β-CD inclusion complex with alcohol extractives from star anise
Authors: Guan Tianzhu , Zhang Guangjie , Sun Yantong , Zhang Jie , Ren Li
Published: August 2021

SAAE/HP-β-CD inclusion complexes were prepared as a strategy to overcome the poor solubility and stability of active compounds in SAAE. This study demonstrates the potential of SAAE/HP-β-CD inclusion complexes in the food industry.
Bioinformatic insights into the biochemical efficacy of a fungal metabolite: asperyellone
Authors: Santhakumaran Iswarya , Narayanaswamy Radhakrishnan , Arumugam Gnanamani
Published: August 2021

In silicomultifunctional attributes of Asperyellone.
Correction: One-pot reductive amination of aldehydes with nitroarenes using formic acid as the hydrogen donor and mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride supported AgPd alloy nanoparticles as the heterogeneous catalyst
Authors: Ergen Seda , Nişancı Bilal , Metin Önder
Published: August 2021

Correction for ‘One-pot reductive amination of aldehydes with nitroarenes using formic acid as the hydrogen donor and mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride supported AgPd alloy nanoparticles as the heterogeneous catalyst’ by Seda Ergen et al., New J. Chem., 2018, 42, 10000–10006, DOI: 10.1039/C8NJ01569D
The confluence of big data and evolutionary genome mining for the discovery of natural products
Authors: Chevrette Marc G. , Gavrilidou Athina , Mantri Shrikant , Selem-Mojica Nelly , Ziemert Nadine , Barona-Gómez Francisco
Published: August 2021

The development and application of evolutionary genome mining tools and databases has propelled natural products research into the modern age of Big Data.
Unprecedented formation of sterically stabilized phospholipid liposomes of cuboidal morphology
Authors: Bakardzhiev Pavel , Forys Aleksander , Trzebicka Barbara , Andreeva Tonya , Rangelov Stanislav
Published: August 2021

Attractive forces in the polyglycidol sublayers of sterically stabilized phospholipid liposomes are optimized in flattening of the bilayers in the geometrical structure of a cube.
MoS2 stacking matters: 3R polytype significantly outperforms 2H MoS2 for the hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Luxa Jan , Spejchalová Lucie , Jakubec Ivo , Sofer Zdeněk
Published: August 2021

Sodium naphthalenide exfoliated 3R polytype of MoS2 outperforms the 2H polytype due to much higher conversion to the metallic 1T phase.
A novel nanosphere-in-nanotube iron phosphide Li-ion battery anode displaying a long cycle life, recoverable rate-performance, and temperature tolerance
Authors: Liu Jinyun , Zhou Ting , Wang Yan , Han Tianli , Hu Chaoquan , Zhang Huigang
Published: August 2021

A novel nanosphere-confined one-dimensional yolk–shell anode is developed for Li-ion batteries.
Process intensification of ozonolysis reactions using dedicated microstructured reactors
Authors: Polterauer Dominik , Roberge Dominique M. , Hanselmann Paul , Elsner Petteri , Hone Christopher A. , Kappe C. Oliver
Published: August 2021

A dedicated microreactor system ensures exquisite control over mass and heat transfer for performing very fast ozonolysis.
Chemical synthesis of linear ADP-ribose oligomers up to pentamer and their binding to the oncogenic helicase ALC1
Authors: Liu Qiang , Knobloch Gunnar , Voorneveld Jim , Meeuwenoord Nico J. , Overkleeft Herman S. , van der Marel Gijsbert A. , Ladurner Andreas G. , Filippov Dmitri V.
Published: August 2021

We report the synthesis of linear ADPr oligomers of defined length up to a pentamer using an improved solid phase method. Binding study with human oncogenic helicase ALC1 shows that ADPr oligomers bind to ALC1 in a length-dependent manner.
Atomic origins of the strong metal–support interaction in silica supported catalysts
Authors: Yang Feng , Zhao Haofei , Wang Wu , Wang Lei , Zhang Lei , Liu Tianhui , Sheng Jian , Zhu Sheng , He Dongsheng , Lin Lili , He Jiaqing , Wang Rongming , Li Yan
Published: August 2021

This work tracked at the atomic scale the interfacial reaction induced strong metal–support interaction between SiO2 and metal catalysts and evolution under reactive conditions by aberration-corrected environmental transmission electron microscopy.
Revisiting molecular adsorption: unconventional uptake of polymer chains from solution into sub-nanoporous media
Authors: Oe Noriyoshi , Hosono Nobuhiko , Uemura Takashi
Published: August 2021

Self-entangled large polymeric coils in solution can go into sub-nanometer pores by spontaneous uncoiling, which has been considered unfavorable in conventional molecular adsorption models.
Nitride protonation and NH3 binding versus N–H bond cleavage in uranium nitrides
Authors: Keener Megan , Scopelliti Rosario , Mazzanti Marinella
Published: August 2021

Ancillary ligands alter the reactivity of U-nitrides with H+, relevant to N2 conversion to NH3. The amides lead to complete ligand loss and NH3 activation, while for siloxides, the nitride is protonated to NH3 leaving the ancillary ligands intact.
Rapid ionic conductivity of ternary composite electrolytes for superior solid-state batteries with high-rate performance and long cycle life operated at room temperature
Authors: Xiong Wei , Huang Tao , Feng Yuqing , Ye Xue , Li Xiaoyan , Liang Jianneng , Ye Shenghua , Ren Xiangzhong , Li Yongliang , Zhang Qianling , Liu Jianhong
Published: August 2021

A ternary composite solid-state electrolyte of PVDF-HFP, LATP and flower-like CeO2 with rich oxygen vacancies is developed for the first time, and it presents enhanced ionic conductivity, high transference number and excellent electrochemical performance at room temperature.
Organic crystalline monolayers for ideal behaviours in organic field-effect transistors
Authors: Xiao Mingchao , Zhang Xi , Liu Jie , Gao Xike , Liu Chuan , Liu Zitong , Wang Shuai , Jiang Lang
Published: August 2021

In this work, ideal OFETs have been obtained by a facile and effective method, i.e. phase-separation between polymer and small molecules, and the generated monolayer crystals are beneficial for reducing contact resistance and interfacial trap density.
Conserved L464 in p97 D1–D2 linker is critical for p97 cofactor regulated ATPase activity
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyi , Gui Lin , Li Shan , Nandi Purbasha , Columbres Rod Carlo , Wong Daniel E. , Moen Derek R. , Lin Henry J. , Chiu Po-Lin , Chou Tsui-Fen
Published: August 2021

p97 protein is a highly conserved, abundant, functionally diverse, structurally dynamic homohexameric AAA enzyme-containing N, D1, and D2 domains. A truncated p97 protein containing the N and D1 domains and the D1–D2 linker (ND1L) exhibits 79% of wild-type (WT) ATPase activity whereas the ND1 domain alone without the linker only has 2% of WT activity. To investigate the relationship between the D1–D2 linker and the D1 domain, we produced p97 ND1L mutants and demonstrated that this 22-residue linker region is essential for D1 ATPase activity. The conserved amino acid leucine 464 (L464) is critical for regulating D1 and D2 ATPase activity by p97 cofactors p37, p47, and Npl4–Ufd1 (NU). Changing leucine to alanine, proline, or glutamate increased the maximum rate of ATP turnover (kcat) of p47-regulated ATPase activities for these mutants, but not for WT. p37 and p47 increased the kcat of the proline substituted linker, suggesting that they induced linker conformations facilitating ATP hydrolysis. NU inhibited D1 ATPase activities of WT and mutant ND1L proteins, but activated D2 ATPase activity of full-length p97. To further understand the mutant mechanism, we used single-particle cryo-EM to visualize the full-length p97L464P and revealed the conformational change of the D1–D2 linker, resulting in a movement of the helix-turn-helix motif (543–569). Taken together with the biochemical and structural results we conclude that the linker helps maintain D1 in a competent conformation and relays the communication to/from the N-domain to the D1 and D2 ATPase domains, which are ∼50 Å away.
CDKN2A is a prognostic biomarker and correlated with immune infiltrates in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Luo Jun-peng , Wang Jing , Huang Jin-hua
Published: August 2021

Cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) is an essential regulator of immune cell functionality, but the mechanisms whereby it drives immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. In the present study, we studied the association with CDKN2A expression and immune invasion with the risk of developing HCC. A totally of 2207 different genes were found between HCC and adjacent liver tissues from TCGA and GEO databases. CDKN2A was highly expressed in HCC and associated with poorer overall survival and disease-free survival. Notably, CDKN2A expression was positively correlated with infiltrating levels into purity, B cell, CD+8 T cell, CD+4 T cell, macrophage, neutrophil, and dendritic cells in HCC. CDKN2A expression showed strong correlations between diverse immune marker sets in HCC. These findings suggest that CDKN2A expression potentially contributes to regulation of tumor-associated macrophages and can be used as a prognostic biomarker for determining prognosis and immune infiltration in HCC.
Distributed event‐triggered cooperative H∞ load frequency control for interconnected networked power systems
Authors: Huo Zhihong , Xu Chang
Published: August 2021

Interconnected communication time‐varying delays between subsystems for large scale distributed networked power systems (DNPSs) are studied in this work. Distributed event‐triggered mechanisms‐based interconnected DNPSs and their cooperative stability control strategy are proposed for load frequency control in multi‐area interconnected power systems. Considering the distributed interconnected DNPSs, the subsystems have their own state time‐delay, and there are time‐varying delays and package dropout in subsystems interconnection; in order to reduce the amount of transmitted signals and improve the efficiency of the network communication resource, a distributed event‐triggered mechanisms‐based system model and a novel design method for networked cooperative control strategy are proposed. Based on the Lyapunov stability analysis method, a suitable Lyapunov Krasovskii function is constructed, and the distributed controller design scheme is derived based on the feasible solution of linear matrix inequality (LMI). The sufficient conditions for the system asymptotical stability is given. Finally, a four‐area networked interconnected hybrid power system is considered and the system performance under networked load fluctuations is analysed; the simulation results show that the proposed scheme is feasible and effective.
A highly efficient framework for outlier detection in urban traffic flow
Authors: Wang Xing , Zeng Ruihao , Zou Fumin , Huang Faliang , Jin Biao
Published: August 2021

The outliers in traffic flow represent the anomalies or emergencies in the road. The detection and research of outliers will help to reveal the mechanism of such events. Aiming at the problem of outlier detection in urban traffic flow, this paper innovatively proposes a highly efficient traffic outlier detection framework based on the study of road traffic flow patterns. The main research works are as follows: (1) data pre‐processing, the road traffic flow matrix of the roads is calculated based on the collected GPS data, the non‐negative matrix factorisation algorithm is chosen to reduce the dimension of the matrix. (2) Road traffic flow pattern extraction, the fuzzy C‐means clustering algorithm with the Optimal k‐cluster centre (K‐FCM) is adopted to cluster the roads with the same road traffic flow pattern. (3) Outlier detection model training and evaluation, kernel density estimation is introduced to fit the probability density of roads traffic flow matrices which are used to train the back propagation neural network based on particle swarm optimisation to obtain the outlier detection and evaluation model, and a threshold is introduced to optimise the precision and recall of the model. The experimental results show that: the average precision and recall of the proposed method in this paper are 95.38% and 96.23%, respectively, and the average detection time is 28.4 seconds. The method has high accuracy, high efficiency and good practical significance.
Chirp pseudo‐noise signal and its receiving scheme for LEO enhanced GNSS
Authors: Zhao Xin , Huang Xinming , Tang Xiaomei , Feng Xiaochao , Sun Guangfu
Published: August 2021

Low earth orbit (LEO) constellations for enhancing global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) have been investigated and studied due to their higher floor power and rapid geometric changes. Compared with GNSS based on medium orbit (MEO) and geostationary (GEO) satellites, the higher Doppler frequency is one of the problems faced by the LEO enhanced GNSS. For the traditional BPSK signal, the complexity has been greatly improved in acquisition, especially in the cold start state, which means more requests on the signal design. The periodic chirp signal modulated by the pseudo‐noise code (chirp‐PC) is proposed as the ranging signal of LEO enhanced GNSS. The coupling characteristic of Doppler and delay in chirp‐PC can make the search frequency grid less than the traditional BPSK signal with the same acquisition performance, which can greatly reduce the complexity. However, the delay estimation obtained by the acquisition is biased. A tracking loop based on the chirp phase locked loop (CPLL) was proposed for removing the coupling of Doppler and time delay. The simulations show that the tracking loop can track chirp‐PC signals stably and unbiasedly, and the tracking accuracy is similar to that of the corresponding BPSK signal. Therefore, the chirp‐PC signal is a new choice for LEO enhanced GNSS with low acquisition complexity and equivalent tracking accuracy to BPSK.