bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cryo-EM structure of the respiratory I + III2 supercomplex from Arabidopsis thaliana at 2 Å resolution
Authors: Klusch Niklas , Dreimann Maximilian , Senkler Jennifer , Rugen Nils , Kühlbrandt Werner , Braun Hans-Peter
Published: December 2022

Protein complexes of the mitochondrial respiratory chain assemble into respiratory supercomplexes. Here we present the high-resolution electron cryo-microscopy structure of the Arabidopsis respiratory supercomplex consisting of complex I and a complex III dimer, with a total of 68 protein subunits and numerous bound cofactors. A complex I-ferredoxin, subunit B14.7 and P9, a newly defined subunit of plant complex I, mediate supercomplex formation. The component complexes stabilize one another, enabling new detailed insights into their structure. We describe (1) an interrupted aqueous passage for proton translocation in the membrane arm of complex I; (2) a new coenzyme A within the carbonic anhydrase module of plant complex I defining a second catalytic centre; and (3) the water structure at the proton exit pathway of complex III2 with a co-purified ubiquinone in the QO site. We propose that the main role of the plant supercomplex is to stabilize its components in the membrane.
Negative Poisson’s ratio polyethylene matrix and 0.5Ba(Zr0.2 Ti0.8) O3–0.5(Ba0.7 Ca0.3)TiO3 based piezocomposite for sensing and energy harvesting applications
Authors: Karmakar Saptarshi , Kiran Raj , Bowen Chris , Vaish Rahul , Chauhan Vishal Singh , Elqahtani Zainab Mufarreh , Ahmed Samia Ben , Al-Buriahi M. S. , Kumar Anuruddh , Sung Tae Hyun
Published: December 2022

Finite element studies were conducted on 0.5Ba(Zr0.2 Ti0.8) O3–0.5(Ba0.7 Ca0.3)TiO3 (BCZT) piezoelectric particles embedded in polyethylene matrix to create a piezocomposite having a positive and negative Poisson's ratio of −0.32 and 0.2. Polyethylene with a positive Poisson's ratio is referred to as non-auxetic while those with negative Poisson's ratio are referred to as auxetic or inherently auxetic. The effective elastic and piezoelectric properties were calculated at volume fractions of (4%, 8% to 24%) to study their sensing and harvesting performance. This study compared lead-free auxetic 0–3 piezocomposite for sensing and energy harvesting with non-auxetic one. Inherently auxetic piezocomposites have been studied for their elastic and piezoelectric properties and improved mechanical coupling, but their sensing and energy harvesting capabilities and behavior patterns have not been explored in previous literatures. The effect of Poisson's ratio ranging between −0.9 to 0.4 on the sensing and energy harvesting performance of an inherently auxetic lead free piezocomposite composite with BCZT inclusions has also not been studied before, motivating the author to conduct the present study. Auxetic piezocomposite demonstrated an overall improvement in performance in terms of higher sensing voltage and harvested power. The study was repeated at a constant volume fraction of 24% for a range of Poisson's ratio varied between −0.9 to 0.4. Enhanced performance was observed at the extreme negative end of the Poisson's ratio spectrum. This paper demonstrates the potential improvements by exploiting auxetic matrices in future piezocomposite sensors and energy harvesters.
Modulating mental state recognition by anodal tDCS over the cerebellum
Authors: Clausi Silvia , Lupo Michela , Funghi Giulia , Mammone Alessia , Leggio Maria
Published: December 2022

Increasing evidence from neuroimaging and clinical studies has demonstrated cerebellar involvement in social cognition components, including the mentalizing process. The aim of this study was to apply transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to modulate cerebellar excitability to investigate the role the cerebellum plays in mental state recognition. Forty-eight healthy subjects were randomly assigned to different groups in which anodal, cathodal, or sham tDCS (2 mA for 20 min) was delivered centering the electrode on the vermis to stimulate the posterior portion of the cerebellum. The ability to attribute mental states to others was tested before and after tDCS using a digital version of the 'Reading the Mind in the Eyes test', which includes visual perceptive and motor stimuli as control conditions. Correct response and reaction times (RTs) were recorded. The results revealed a significant reduction in RTs between the baseline and post-stimulation sessions after cerebellar anodal tDCS only for mental state stimuli (Wilcoxon test p = 0.00055), whereas no significant effect was found in the cathodal or sham conditions or for visual perceptive and motor stimuli. Overall, our study suggests that cerebellar anodal tDCS might selectively improve mental state recognition and constitute an effective strategy to positively modulate the mentalizing process.
Impact of COVID-19 on antibiotic prescriptions for Brazilian children
Authors: Del Fiol Fernando de Sá , Pereira Andrade Isaltino
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 brought a new model of sanitary behavior (social distancing, etc.) that may have reduced the transmissibility of respiratory diseases, reflecting in the number of antibiotic prescriptions. This study evaluated antibiotic prescriptions for children throughout Brazil, between 2014 and 2021. An interrupted time series was conducted to assess variations in antibiotic consumption by the 1–12-year-old children. Joinpoint regression was used to assess the monthly variations. 86 million prescriptions were evaluated. On average, there was a 54% reduction in prescriptions during the pandemic. Amoxicillin showed a reduction of 65%. Joinpoint regression showed that the pandemic altered the prescription growth curve, changing the trend to a 22% drop per month. The new sanitary behavior showed us that it is possible, decreasing the use of antibiotics, to control the children’s respiratory health.
Smartphone-based holographic measurement of polydisperse suspended particulate matter with various mass concentration ratios
Authors: Kim Jihwan , Kim Youngdo , Howard Kyler J. , Lee Sang Joon
Published: December 2022

Real-time monitoring of suspended particulate matter (PM) has become essential in daily life due to the adverse effects of long-term exposure to PMs on human health and ecosystems. However, conventional techniques for measuring micro-scale particulates commonly require expensive instruments. In this study, a smartphone-based device is developed for real-time monitoring of suspended PMs by integrating a smartphone-based digital holographic microscopy (S-DHM) and deep learning algorithms. The proposed S-DHM-based PM monitoring device is composed of affordable commercial optical components and a smartphone. Overall procedures including digital image processing, deep learning training, and correction process are optimized to minimize the prediction error and computational cost. The proposed device can rapidly measure the mass concentrations of coarse and fine PMs from holographic speckle patterns of suspended polydisperse PMs in water with measurement errors of 22.8 ± 18.1% and 13.5 ± 9.8%, respectively. With further advances in data acquisition and deep learning training, this study would contribute to the development of hand-held devices for monitoring polydisperse non-spherical pollutants suspended in various media.
Effect of hormonal therapy on the otoconial changes caused by estrogen deficiency
Authors: Nakata Takahiro , Okada Masahiro , Nishihara Eriko , Ikedo Aoi , Asoh Sawa , Takagi Taro , Tokunaga Naohito , Hato Naohito , Imai Yuuki
Published: December 2022

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is associated with menopause and/or osteopenia. Morphological changes in the otoconial layer have been reported after ovariectomy (OVX). Moreover, hormone replacement therapy decreases BPPV risk. However, knowledge concerning the effect of hormonal therapy on the otoconial changes caused by estrogen deficiency is limited. We aimed to examine the effect of hormonal therapy on otoconial changes caused by estrogen deficiency. We hypothesized that hormonal therapy could reduce otoconial changes caused by OVX. Eight-week-old C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups: sham operation with implantation of vehicle (sham + v), OVX with implantation of vehicle (OVX + v), OVX with implantation of estradiol (E2) (OVX + E2), and OVX with implantation of raloxifene (RAL) (OVX + RAL) groups. Otoconial layer volume was measured by micro-CT at 4 weeks after OVX or the sham operation. The otic bullae were removed; immunohistochemistry was performed for estrogen receptor alpha and 4-hydroxynonenal. Otoconial layer volume was significantly higher in the OVX + v than in the sham + v group. E2 and RAL significantly reduced these changes in the endometrial layer. The staining of estrogen receptor alpha and 4-hydroxynonenal were stronger in the OVX + v than in the sham + v group but equal in the sham + v, OVX + E2, and OVX + RAL groups. These results indicate that E2 and RAL are effective against morphological changes of the otoconial layer caused by estrogen deficiency via oxidative stress reduction.
Novel 1,2,3-triazolyl phosphine with a pyridyl functionality: synthesis, coinage metal complexes, photophysical studies and Cu(i) catalyzed C–O coupling of phenols with aryl bromides
Authors: Sheokand Sonu , Mondal Dipanjan , Kote Basvaraj S. , Radhakrishna Latchupatula , Balakrishna Maravanji S.
Published: December 2022

This paper describes the synthesis of a novel pyridine embedded 1,2,3-triazolylphosphine and its group 11 metal chemistry.
Correlation between hysteresis dynamics and inductance in hybrid perovskite solar cells: studying the dependency on ETL/perovskite interfaces
Authors: Yekani Rana , Chiu Hsien-chieh , Strandell Dallas , Wang Zhuoran , Bessette Stéphanie , Gauvin Raynald , Kambhampati Patanjali , Demopoulos George P.
Published: December 2022

A correlation between band alignment at an electron transport layer/perovskite interface and the locus of hysteresis in perovskite solar cells is proposed.
Direct CO2 photoreduction from flue gas by synergistic catalysis of a nickel metal–organic framework and a ruthenium polypyridyl complex
Authors: Dong Man , Tian Yu , Gu Jian-Xia , Wang Xiao-Hui , Wang Lin-Xin , Hou Bao-Shan , Yousuf Afifa , Sun Chun-Yi , Wu Jie , Kang Zhen-Hui , Wang Xin-Long , Su Zhong-Min
Published: December 2022

A CO2 bridged photocatalytic interface between a nickel metal–organic framework and ruthenium pyridine for high-efficiency photoreduction of diluted CO2.
In situmonitoring of protein aggregationviaclusteroluminescence
Authors: Zhang Zhiming , Zhu Longchen , Feng Jiahui , Zhang Haoke , Zhang Xin , Sun Jing Zhi , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: December 2022

The protein aggregation is successfully monitored using the intrinsic abnormal visible emission at the clustering state, namely clusteroluminescence (CL).
Adaptive compensation control for nonlinear stochastic multi‐agent systems: An event‐triggered mechanism
Authors: Han Li‐Min , Su Wei , Niu Ben , Wang Xiao‐Mei , Liu Xiao‐Mei
Published: December 2022

This paper proposes an adaptive compensation control algorithm for solving the actuator failures problem of nonlinear stochastic multi‐agent systems (MASs) under the directed communication topology. It should be emphasized that the coexistence of unknown nonlinearities, stochastic perturbations and actuator failures makes the implementation of control protocol very difficult and extremely challenging. To achieve the control objective, fuzzy logic systems (FLSs) are first employed to deal with the unknown nonlinearities of each agent. Then, the threshold‐based event‐triggered mechanism is further considered to reduce the communication burden of the system in the case of limited communication resources. Moreover, the issue of “explosion of complexity” is solved by using dynamic surface control (DSC) technique in the process of backstepping design. With these efforts, the actuator failures are circumvented and the outputs of the followers converge to the convex hull spanned by the multiple leaders' outputs. Finally, the simulation results of multiple single‐link robots show the validity of the proposed design scheme.
FPC‐Net: Learning to detect face forgery by adaptive feature fusion of patch correlation with CG‐Loss
Authors: Wu Bin , Su Lichao , Chen Dan , Cheng Yongli
Published: December 2022

With the rapid development of manipulation technologies, the generation of Deep Fake videos is more accessible than ever. As a result, face forgery detection becomes a challenging task, attracting a significant amount of attention from researchers worldwide. However, most previous work, consisting of convolutional neural networks (CNN), is not sufficiently discriminative and cannot fully utilise subtle clues and similar textures during the process of facial forgery detection. Moreover, these methods cannot simultaneously consider accuracy and time efficiency. To address such problems, we propose a novel framework named FPC‐Net to extract some meaningful and unnatural expressions in local regions. This framework utilises CNN, long short‐term memory (LSTM), channel groups loss (CG‐Loss) and adaptive feature fusion to detect face forgery videos. First, the proposed method exploits spatial features by CNN, and a channel‐wise attention mechanism is employed to separate channels. Specifically, with the help of channel groups loss, the channels are divided into two groups, each representing a specific class. Second, LSTM is applied to learn the correlation of spatial features. Finally, the correlation of features is mapped into other latent spaces. Through a lot of experiments, the results are that the detection speed of the proposed method reaches 420 FPS and the auc scores achieve best performance of 99.7%, 99.9%, 94.7%, and 82.0% on Raw Celeb‐DF, Raw Face Forensics++, F2F and NT datasets respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed framework has great time efficiency performance while improving the detection performance compared with other frame‐level methods in most cases.
A high step‐up DC‐DC converter based on three‐winding coupled inductor and voltage multiplier for renewable energy applications
Authors: Luo Peng , He Jie , Ji Huansheng , Li Fuwei , Jiang Haoyu , Shi Limei , Chen Guanghao
Published: December 2022

A high step‐up DC‐DC converter for renewable energy applications is proposed. Based on a three‐winding coupled inductor and two voltage multiplier cells, the proposed converter obtains a high voltage conversion ratio. Through the passive clamp circuit, the voltage stress of the main switch is suppressed and the leakage energy of the coupled inductor is recycled. This leads to utilize a low on‐state power resistance and low voltage‐rating power switch that decreases the conduction losses. Meanwhile, the current stress of the diodes is minimized and the reverse recovery problem is alleviated. Thus, high efficiency can be achieved. Under continuous conduction mode (CCM) and discontinuous conduction mode (DCM), different operating principles and the mathematical derivations of the proposed converter are described in detail. To validate the feasibility of the proposed converter, a 320 W prototype with 25–38 V input voltage and 400 V output voltage is implemented. The measured maximum and full load efficiencies are 95.83 % and 94.96 %, respectively.
Development of Monte‐Carlo‐based stochastic scenarios to improve uncertainty modelling for optimal energy management of a renewable energy hub
Authors: Tavakoli Alireza , Karimi Ali
Published: December 2022

The Monte‐Carlo (MC) method for generating stochastic scenarios to model uncertainty has a special role in research related to energy systems, but most studies have not provided a specific criterion for choosing an appropriate probability distribution function for using MC. This paper develops a new process for applying MC to improve uncertainty modelling based on Anderson‐Darling (AD), Kolmogorov‐Smirnov (KS), and Chi‐Square (CS) tests statistical. Moreover, three clustering algorithms of K‐means, Fuzzy c‐means, and Kantorovich distance matrix have been applied to reduce the generated scenarios. To evaluate the performance of the proposed process, a renewable energy hub involving electricity, heat, cooling, natural gas, and biomass fuel carriers, is used employing valid data. The results of numerical studies show that the quality of the scenarios in the proposed process based on statistical tests is much higher than the conventional method. Also, MC‐CS has been superior to the other two proposed methods in various seasons, so that, for example, in summer, its operating cost has decreased by 3% and 4% compared to MC‐KS and MC‐AD, respectively.
Attention‐enhanced Alexnet for improved radar micro‐Doppler signature classification
Authors: Vishwakarma Shelly , Li Wenda , Tang Chong , Woodbridge Karl , Adve Ravi Raj , Chetty Kevin
Published: December 2022

This work introduces an attention mechanism that can be integrated into any standard convolution neural network to improve model sensitivity and prediction accuracy with minimal computational overhead. The attention mechanism is introduced in a lightweight network – Alexnet and its classification performance for human micro‐Doppler signatures is evaluated. The Alexnet model trained with an attention module can implicitly highlight the salient regions in the radar signatures while suppressing the irrelevant background regions and consistently improving network predictions. Network visualizations are provided through class activation mapping, providing better insights into how the predictions are made. The visualizations demonstrate how the attention mechanism focusses on the region of interest in the radar signatures.
A Proposal for an Ultrasound/Sound Holographic Microscope
Using Entangled Mobile Phone Inductors
Authors: Fioranelli Massimo , Beesham Aroonkumar , Sepehri Alireza
Published: December 2022

In this study we propose a model for building a holographic ultrasound
microscope. In this model two mobile phones are first connected by waves and
techniques like the WhatsApp waves. If the mobile phones are close to each
other, their inductors and speakers become entangled, they exchange
electromagnetic and sound waves, and they vibrate many times with each other.
Objects placed between two mobile phones change the sound waves and
electromagnetic waves and appear as holographic images within the inductors and
also on the plastic of the speakers. To see these images, a hologram machine is
built from a room of plastic, one or two magnets, iron particles, and sound
producers. Holographic waves change the magnetic field within the hologram
machine and move the plastic and iron particles. These objects take the shape of
waves and produce holographic images. To see microbes, one can send a weak
current to a container of microbes and then connect it to an amplifier. The weak
current takes the shape of the microbes and is amplified by one strong
amplifier. Then this current goes to the mobile phone and sound card and, after
passing some stages, is sent to the second mobile phone. In the second mobile
phone, the sound wave is amplified by speakers and transmitted to the hologram
machine. Consequently, particles within this machine move and produce big
holographic images of the microbes.
The Same Day Discharges following Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Single Surgeon, Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Analysis
Authors: Klemt Christian , Cohen-Levy Wayne Brian , Pattavina Meghan H. , Oliveira Bruna M. Castro De , Uzosike Akachimere Cosmas , Kwon Young-Min
Published: December 2022

This is a retrospective study. As new surgical techniques and improved perioperative care approaches have become available, the same-day discharge in selected total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients was introduced to decrease health care costs without compromising outcomes. This study aimed to compare clinical and functional outcomes between same-day discharge TKA patients and inpatient-discharge TKA patients. A retrospective review of 100 consecutive patients with same-day discharge matched to a cohort of 300 patients with inpatient discharge that underwent TKA by a single surgeon at a tertiary referral center was conducted. Propensity-score matching was performed to adjust for baseline differences in preoperative patient demographics, medical comorbidities, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) between both cohorts. All patients had a minimum of 1-year follow-up (range: 1.2–2.8 years). In terms of clinical outcomes for the propensity score-matched cohorts, there was no significant difference in terms of revision rates (1.0 vs. 1.3%, p = 0.76), 90-day emergency department visits (3.0 vs. 3.3%, p = 0.35), 30-day readmission rates (1.0 vs. 1.3%, p = 0.45), and 90-day readmission rates (3.0 vs. 3.6%, p = 0.69). Patients with same-day discharge demonstrated significantly higher postoperative PROM scores, at both 3-month and 1-year follow-up, for PROMIS-10 Physical Score (50 vs. 46, p = 0.028), PROMIS-10 Mental Score (56 vs. 53, p = 0.039), and Physical SF10A (57 vs. 52, p = 0.013). This study showed that patients with same-day discharge had similar clinical outcomes and superior functional outcomes, when compared with patients that had a standard inpatient protocol. This suggests that same-day discharge following TKA may be a safe, viable option in selected total knee joint arthroplasty patients.
Unstimulated Gluteus Maximus Sphincteroplasty for Bowel Incontinence
Authors: Balakrishnan Thalaivirithan Margabandu , Yanamadala Snigdha , Janardhanam Jaganmohan
Published: December 2022

Background Gluteus maximus, by virtue of its continued adjunct contraction with the anal sphincter, has many characteristics and histomorphological features mimicking type I musculature. Hence, anal sphincter replacement therapy with gluteus maximus has all avenues for lasting successful results. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of unstimulated gluteus maximus sphincteroplasty for anal incontinence reconstruction and neosphincter reconstruction in perineal colostomy cases.

Methods From March 2015 to March 2020, the records of patients who underwent gluteus maximus sphincteroplasty for fecal incontinence were analyzed in this retrospective cohort study. The mean age was 31.55 years. Eleven patients (females = 4, males = 7) underwent anal incontinence reconstruction. All these cases were followed up for an average period of 28.46 months.

Results Good continence was observed in all patients with an average Cleveland Clinic Florida Faecal Incontinence Score of 3.18 (p = 0.0035). At the end of the follow-up period, the average median resting pressure found via manometry was 44.64 mm Hg, and the average median squeeze pressure was 103.55mm Hg. The mean of the average continence contraction time at the end of the follow-up period was found to be 3.64 minutes. None of our patients had complete continence failure. None of our patients used perineal pads or made any lifestyle alterations at the end of the follow-up period. Most of the patients expressed satisfactory continence.

Conclusion Despite being untrained with implantable electrodes, the gluteus maximus muscle produced very good continence results with our way of construct. In addition, with its good lumen occluding effect, it achieves good resting and squeeze anal pressure around the anal canal/bowel with trivial reeducation. Hence, it has become our institution's procedure of choice for anal sphincter reconstruction.
Modification of Technique of Temporalis Transfer for Lagophthalmos and Lip Animation
Authors: Krishnamurthy Sridhar , Kathappan Indumathi
Published: December 2022

The aim of this case report is to describe a modification of the technique of temporalis transfer for patients with paralysis of the facial neve. Primary fixation of fascia lata strips to the medial canthus, angle of mouth, lips, and ala of nose, and later executing the orthodromic transfer of a relevant segment of the muscle are the modifications to be described. Symmetry of the face, mouth, eye closure, and smooth elevation of angle of mouth were the measured outcomes by the surgeon. Our refinement of the technique is easy to perform with good results.
Reflections on the Application of Chinese Medicine During the Epidemic of COVID-19
Authors: Geng Shaohui , Shi Hanlin , Yang Shuangqing , Li Yaoyang , Jiang Haixu , Xu Heng , Wang Hesong , Li Zhiming , Yang Liping
Published: December 2022

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has played an important role in the prevention and control of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has received considerable attention from all sectors of society. In the current situation of the global outbreak, it is crucial to promote the global application of TCM. However, the pandemic has also exposed various problems affecting the widespread acceptance of TCM. In this review, we summarize efforts to prevent and control COVID-19 by TCM and provide strategic guidance on how to promote its practice in the context of public health emergencies by (1) completing the system for evaluating the clinical efficacy of TCM; (2) transforming decoctions into Chinese patent medicines; (3) encouraging low-threshold traditional rehabilitation therapy; (4) strengthening communication and cooperation with the media. The aim of these approaches is to improve the rigor of TCM research and its dissemination, sharing the antiepidemic experience of TCM to the world, as well as increase the engagement of and acceptance by the masses. In this manner, TCM will not only aid in preventing and controlling COVID-19 but can also provide tools for coping with future public health emergencies.
Re-analysis on Heidan Disease (Black Jaundice) in Synopsis of Golden Chamber (Jin Gui Yao Lue)
Authors: Lin Tzi Chiang , Yuan Xiaolin , Wei Gang , Jin Shi
Published: December 2022

Abstracts

Heidan disease (black jaundice) is a kind of jaundice, which is caused by lingering and chronic jaundice, often with blood stasis and damp-heat, etc. The clinical symptoms of Heidan disease (black jaundice) are similar to those of cirrhosis caused by multiple chronic liver diseases in Western medicine. Heidan disease (black jaundice) generally belongs to yin jaundice type, and the pathogenesis is mostly related to blood stasis and dampness stagnation, often with damp-heat residue. According to Zhongjing Zhang, the prescription Xiaoshi Fanshi powder for the treatment of Heidan disease (black jaundice) is based on the understanding that the nature of Heidan disease (black jaundice) is inseparable from the two key pathological factors of dampness and blood stasis. The treatment of jaundice should be based on removing blood stasis and dampness, supplemented by soothing the liver and promoting the transportation function of spleen, removing blood stasis and harmonizing the collaterals, and promoting diuresis and reducing jaundice. In the treatment of jaundice, removing blood stasis and purging turbidity should be stressed, and powerful tonification should be used with caution. Since blood stasis and turbidity are always intermingling and often complicated with damp heat, the method of warm drying should be used with caution. For promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, and dredging the liver-biliary collaterals, drastic medicine should be used with caution.
Coronavirus Disease 2019-Associated Cerebral Mucormycosis in an Immunocompetent Child
Authors: Nagabushana Divya , Samaga Vishal Vishnuram , Shenoy Sangeetha , Girishan Shabari , V. Reddy Hamsa , AR Somashekhar
Published: December 2022

Mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic fungal infection observed in immunocompromised individuals or in those with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been a steep increase in the incidence of mucormycosis among adults. However, the infection is extremely rare in the pediatric population, and its occurrence post-COVID-19 infection has been reported in very few cases. We present a case of cerebral mucormycosis in a 6-year-old immunocompetent girl that was histopathologically confirmed by stereotactic brain biopsy. The fungal infection occurred following asymptomatic COVID-19 infection. This report describes the diagnostic journey and management. It highlights the unusual presentation of cerebral mucormycosis in our case and the role of posaconazole in the successful treatment.
Revisiting the effect of team passion displayed during national anthems on subsequent success: A replication and extension
Authors: Manley Harry , Savejnarong Trin , Pornsukjantra Pattramon , Bunditanukul Mintra , Sasipongsakorn Naravut
Published: December 2022

Slater et al. (2018. Singing it for “us”: Team passion displayed during national anthems is associated with subsequent success. European Journal of Sport Science, 18(4), 541–549. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2018.1431311) found that the perceived level of team passion displayed during (pre‐match) national anthems at UEFA Euro 2016 predicted team performance during the match. Teams that displayed greater passion conceded fewer goals and team passion predicted the likelihood of victory during the knockout (but not group) stages. Here, we replicate Slater et al. using a larger sample of matches from the FIFA World Cup (n = 415), and apply more appropriate analyses, and control for potential confounds. We also extend the original study to consider additional performance‐related outcome variables (fouls, bookings, and possession). We find no evidence that anthem passion was a reliable predictor of performance outcomes (i.e. match outcome, goals scored/conceded, fouls, bookings, possession) in competitive international soccer matches.
Engineering an inhibitor-resistant human CSF1R variant for microglia replacement
Authors: Chadarevian Jean Paul , Lombroso Sonia I. , Peet Graham C. , Hasselmann Jonathan , Tu Christina , Marzan Dave E. , Capocchi Joia , Purnell Freddy S. , Nemec Kelsey M. , Lahian Alina , Escobar Adrian , England Whitney , Chaluvadi Sai , O’Brien Carleigh A. , Yaqoob Fazeela , Aisenberg William H. , Porras-Paniagua Matias , Bennett Mariko L. , Davtyan Hayk , Spitale Robert C. , Blurton-Jones Mathew , Bennett F. Chris
Published: December 2022

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can replace endogenous microglia with circulation-derived macrophages but has high mortality. To mitigate the risks of HSCT and expand the potential for microglia replacement, we engineered an inhibitor-resistant CSF1R that enables robust microglia replacement. A glycine to alanine substitution at position 795 of human CSF1R (G795A) confers resistance to multiple CSF1R inhibitors, including PLX3397 and PLX5622. Biochemical and cell-based assays show no discernable gain or loss of function. G795A- but not wildtype-CSF1R expressing macrophages efficiently engraft the brain of PLX3397-treated mice and persist after cessation of inhibitor treatment. To gauge translational potential, we CRISPR engineered human-induced pluripotent stem cell–derived microglia (iMG) to express G795A. Xenotransplantation studies demonstrate that G795A-iMG exhibit nearly identical gene expression to wildtype iMG, respond to inflammatory stimuli, and progressively expand in the presence of PLX3397, replacing endogenous microglia to fully occupy the brain. In sum, we engineered a human CSF1R variant that enables nontoxic, cell type, and tissue-specific replacement of microglia.
Exploring Explicit Coarse-Grained Structure in Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Yang Xi-Ci , Xie Z. Y. , Yang Xiao-Tao
Published: December 2022

We propose to employ a hierarchical coarse-grained structure in artificial neural networks explicitly to improve the interpretability without degrading performance. The idea has been applied in two situations. One is a neural network called TaylorNet, which aims to approximate the general mapping from input data to output result in terms of Taylor series directly, without resorting to any magic nonlinear activations. The other is a new setup for data distillation, which can perform multi-level abstraction of the input dataset and generate new data that possesses the relevant features of the original dataset and can be used as references for classification. In both the cases, the coarse-grained structure plays an important role in simplifying the network and improving both the interpretability and efficiency. The validity has been demonstrated on MNIST and CIFAR-10 datasets. Further improvement and some open questions related are also discussed.
Effects of silicon dioxide as the polar dielectric on the infrared absorption spectrum of the metal-insulator-metal metasurface
Authors: Jafari Ahmad K , Gaddy Matthew , Ahmad Imtiaz , Kachiraju Satya R , Mia M D Borhan , Ahmed Ishtiaque , Nikishin Sergey , Kim Myoung-Hwan , Bernussi Ayrton A
Published: December 2022

Metal-insulator-metal metasurfaces have been widely used as high-performance absorbers in almost all electromagnetic spectral ranges. Their absorption spectra can be engineered by making variations in the geometry of the unit cells and/or by embedding materials with specific optical constants. Including a polar dielectric in their structure is another approach for manipulating their absorption spectra. In this research, we have numerically and experimentally investigated the effect of using silicon dioxide (SiO
2) as a polar dielectric on the absorption spectrum of a metal-insulator-metal metasurface composed of a tri-layer of Ni-SiO
2
-Ni. Our results have shown the presence of absorption peaks in the mid-infrared which are attributed to the excitation of the optical phonons in the SiO
2 spacer layer. Particularly, the excitation of the Berreman mode in the SiO
2 spacer layer was observed and its effect on the total absorption spectrum is studied. The parametric effects of the top patterned Ni layer, the incident angle, and the polarization are also investigated. This study can provide engineering capabilities for the mid-infrared absorbers and reflection filters.
A bi-level optimal scheduling model for new-type power systems integrating large-scale renewable energy
Authors: Zhao Huiru , Zhang Chao , Zhao Yihang
Published: December 2022

The construction of a new type of power system is a key way to achieve the goal of ‘carbon peaking and carbon neutrality’. In the process of developing renewable energy, large-scale wind and photovoltaic power systems replace conventional units, which will have an impact on the stability of the power grid. To eliminate these concerns, this paper proposes a bi-level optimal scheduling model for new-type power systems. The upper level aims to minimize fluctuation of net load, with the consideration of demand response, to smooth the load curve. The lower level takes the minimum operating cost of the new-type power system as the objective function and the most economical scheduling strategy is established. To deal with the uncertainty of renewable energy integrated within the system, the lower model is transformed into a two-stage robust optimization model and solved by applying a column-and-constraint generation method. Finally, a regional power system is selected to conduct a case study comprising 760 MW thermal power, 50 MW·h energy storage, 200 MW wind turbine and 150 MW photovoltaic power. The results show that the constructed two-stage robust optimization model is conducive to establishing the most economical scheduling scheme of the system with an uncertain budget and the minimum operation cost is $45,9031. In addition, demand response and energy storage can reduce peak-to-valley differences in the power system.
QuantiFERON Supernatant-Based Host Biomarkers Predicting Progression to Active Tuberculosis Disease Among Household Contacts of Tuberculosis Patients
Authors: Daniel Evangeline Ann , Thiruvengadam Kannan , Rajamanickam Anuradha , Chandrasekaran Padmapriyadarsini , Pattabiraman Sathyamurthi , Bhanu Brindha , Sivaprakasam Amsaveni , Paradkar Mandar , Kulkarni Vandana , Karyakarte Rajesh , Shivakumar Shri Vijay Bala Yogendra , Mave Vidya , Gupta Amita , Babu Subash , Hanna Luke Elizabeth
Published: December 2022

Background

The positive predictive value of tuberculin skin test and current generation interferon gamma release assays are very low leading to high numbers needed to treat. Therefore, it is critical to identify new biomarkers with high predictive accuracy to identify individuals bearing high risk of progression to active tuberculosis (TB).

Methods

We used stored QuantiFERON supernatants from 14 household contacts of index TB patients who developed incident active TB during a 2-year follow-up and 20 age and sex-matched non-progressors. The supernatants were tested for an expanded panel of 45 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors using the Luminex Multiplex Array kit.

Results

We found significant differences in the levels of TB-antigen induced production of several analytes between progressors and non-progressors. Dominance analysis identified 15 key predictive biomarkers based on relative percentage importance. Principal component analysis revealed that these biomarkers could robustly distinguish between the 2 groups. Receiver operating characteristic analysis identified interferon-γ inducible protein (IP)-10, chemokine ligand (CCL)19, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-1ra, CCL3, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as the most promising predictive markers, with area under the curve (AUC) ≥90. IP-10/CCL19 ratio exhibited maximum sensitivity and specificity (100%) for predicting progression. Through Classification and Regression Tree analysis, a cutoff of 0.24 for IP-10/CCL19 ratio was found to be ideal for predicting short-term risk of progression to TB disease with a positive predictive value of 100 (95% confidence interval [CI] 85.8–100).

Conclusions

The biomarkers identified in this study will pave way for the development of a more accurate test that can identify individuals at high risk for immediate progression to TB disease for targeted intervention.
Validation of Self-Reported Cancer Diagnoses by Respondent Cognitive Status in the U.S. Health and Retirement Study
Authors: Mullins Megan A , Kabeto Mohammed , Wallner Lauren P , Kobayashi Lindsay C
Published: December 2022

Background

Cancer and dementia are becoming increasingly common co-occurring conditions among older adults. Yet, the influence of participant cognitive status on the validity of self-reported data among older adults in population-based cohorts is unknown. We thus compared self-reported cancer diagnoses in the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (HRS) against claims from linked Medicare records to ascertain the validity of self-reported diagnoses by participant cognitive and proxy interview status.

Methods

Using data from HRS participants aged ≥67 who had at least 90% continuous enrollment in fee-for-service Medicare, we examined the validity of self-reported first incident cancer diagnoses from biennial HRS interviews against diagnostic claim records in linked Medicare data (reference standard) for interviews from 2000 to 2016. Cognitive status was classified as normal, cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND), or dementia using the Langa–Weir method. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, and κ for cancer diagnosis.

Results

Of the 8 280 included participants, 23.6% had cognitive impairment without dementia (CIND) or dementia, and 10.7% had a proxy respondent due to an impairment. Self-reports of first incident cancer diagnoses for participants with normal cognition had 70.2% sensitivity and 99.8% specificity (κ = 0.79). Sensitivity declined substantially with cognitive impairment and proxy response (56.7% for CIND, 53.0% for dementia, 60.0% for proxy respondents), indicating poor validity for study participants with CIND, dementia, or a proxy respondent.

Conclusions

Self-reported cancer diagnoses in the U.S. HRS have poor validity for participants with cognitive impairment, dementia, or a proxy respondent. Population-based cancer research among older adults will be strengthened with linkage to Medicare claims.
Ginkgo biloba extracts protect human retinal Müller glial cells from t-BHP induced oxidative damage by activating the AMPK-Nrf2-NQO-1 axis
Authors: Li Yue , Wang Ke , Zhu Xue , Cheng Zhengqi , Zhu Ling , Murray Michael , Zhou Fanfan
Published: December 2022

Objectives

Retinal Müller glial cell loss is almost involved in all retinal diseases, especially diabetic retinopathy (DR). Oxidative stress significantly contributes to the development of Müller glial cell loss. Ginkgo biloba extracts (GBE) have been reported to possess antioxidant property, beneficial in treating human retinal diseases. However, little is known about its role in Müller glial cells. This study investigated the protective effect of GBE (prepared from ginkgo biloba dropping pills) in human Müller glial cells against tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced oxidative stress and its underlying molecular mechanism.

Methods

MIO-M1 cells were pretreated with or without GBE prior to the exposure to t-BHP-induced oxidative stress. Cell viability, cell death profile and lipid peroxidation were subsequently assessed. Protein expression of the key anti-oxidative signalling factors were investigated.

Key findings

We showed that GBE can effectively protect human MIO-M1 cells from t-BHP-induced oxidative injury by improving cell viability, reducing intracellular ROS accumulation and suppressing lipid peroxidation, which effect is likely mediated through activating AMPK-Nrf2-NQO-1 antioxidant respondent axis.

Conclusions

Our study is the first to reveal the great potentials of GBE in protecting human retinal Müller glial cell loss against oxidative stress. GBE might be used to prevent human retinal diseases particularly DR.
A multidimensional and digital humanistic analysis of style in Amy Tan’s novels
Authors: Tian Junwu , Liu Shuyue
Published: December 2022

The recent decades have witnessed substantial progress in stylistic research within digital humanities. Among others, Douglas Biber’s multidimensional model considers the full set of core lexico-grammatical features and counts as an efficient tool for identifying stylistic variations. As the representative of Chinese American literature, Amy Tan’s novels have been thoroughly explored as regards their representation of ethnic and cultural issues, while there is a scarcity of academic discussion on their stylistic uniqueness. In this context, the present study reflects on the stylistic differences among Tan’s six novels across Biber’s textual dimensions with the aid of MAT and R. The aim of this incorporation of data statistics and text analysis is two-fold. First, to delineate the stylistic variations among Tan’s novels along six main dimensions defined by Biber. Secondly, to determine whether there is a statistically significant correlation between any two dimensions in Tan’s novels. Previous multidimensional analysis-based stylistic research primarily starts and ends with the first step, while this study further investigates the possible correlations to better reveal Tan’s stylistic distinctions and avoid the loss of valuable information. This qualitative and quantitative comparison of stylistic variations demonstrates that computer-assisted methods can identify significant linguistic characteristics which literary critics might have ignored and eventually provide a more detailed interpretation of Tan’s works.
The Effects of Body Composition, Physical Fitness on Time of Useful Consciousness in Hypobaric Hypoxia
Authors: Kim Keunsoo , Choi Jean , Lee On , Lim Jungjun , Kim Jungwoon
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Several previous studies have reported that hypoxia accidents of fighter pilots are rarer than gravity-induced loss of consciousness and spatial disorientation; however, the risk is greater. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical fitness and body composition on time of useful consciousness (TUC) in hypobaric hypoxia.

Materials and Methods

Body composition and physical fitness testing on human participants were performed; subsequently, they were exposed to hypobaric hypoxia at a simulated altitude of 25,000 ft. Cognitive testing of the participants was accomplished by having them perform arithmetic task tables until they stopped writing for a period exceeding 5 seconds, at which point, they were placed on 100% oxygen. TUC was measured from the time the participants removed their oxygen masks to the time when the oxygen masks were placed back on them. Pearson’s correlation was used to determine the relationship between TUC and other variables, and multiple regression was performed to determine the independent variables that best explain the TUC.

Results

TUC was positively correlated with the maximum oxygen uptake, stroke volume, arteriovenous oxygen difference, and endurance (sit-up and push-up). The maximum heart rate on the ground, high altitude, body fat mass, and percent body fat were negatively correlated with TUC. A regression analysis showed that 84.5% of the TUC can be explained by body composition and physical fitness.

Conclusions

Our results revealed that increased cardiorespiratory fitness and decreased body fat mass could significantly impact the TUC. Therefore, for Air Force pilots who are frequently at high altitudes and at risk for exposure to hypoxia, aerobic exercise is significant to hypoxia tolerance.
Characterization and acceleration of genome shuffling and ploidy reduction in synthetic allopolyploids by genome sequencing and editing
Authors: Zhang Xiaohui , Zhang Shuangshuang , Liu Zhongping , Zhao Wei , Zhang Xiaoxue , Song Jiangping , Jia Huixia , Yang Wenlong , Ma Yang , Wang Yang , Xie Kabin , Budahn Holger , Wang Haiping
Published: December 2022

Polyploidy and the subsequent ploidy reduction and genome shuffling are the major driving forces of genome evolution. Here, we revealed short-term allopolyploid genome evolution by sequencing a synthetic intergeneric hybrid (Raphanobrassica, RRCC). In this allotetraploid, the genome deletion was quick, while rearrangement was slow. The core and high-frequency genes tended to be retained while the specific and low-frequency genes tended to be deleted in the hybrid. The large-fragment deletions were enriched in the heterochromatin region and probably derived from chromosome breaks. The intergeneric translocations were primarily of short fragments dependent on homoeology, indicating a gene conversion origin. To accelerate genome shuffling, we developed an efficient genome editing platform for Raphanobrassica. By editing Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group M (FANCM) genes, homoeologous recombination, chromosome deletion and secondary meiosis with additional ploidy reduction were accelerated. FANCM was shown to be a checkpoint of meiosis and controller of ploidy stability. By simultaneously editing FLIP genes, gene conversion was precisely introduced, and mosaic genes were produced around the target site. This intergeneric hybrid and genome editing platform not only provides models that facilitate experimental evolution research by speeding up genome shuffling and conversion but also accelerates plant breeding by enhancing intergeneric genetic exchange and creating new genes.