bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Construction and characterisation of glycoprotein E and glycoprotein I deficient mutants of Australian strains of infectious laryngotracheitis virus using traditional and CRISPR/Cas9-assisted homologous recombination techniques
Authors: Armat Marzieh , Vaz Paola K. , Browning Glenn F. , Noormohammadi Amir H. , Hartley Carol A. , Devlin Joanne M.
Published: September 2022

In alphaherpesviruses, glycoproteins E and I (gE and gI, respectively) form a heterodimer that facilitates cell-to-cell spread of virus. Using traditional homologous recombination techniques, as well as CRISPR/Cas9-assisted homologous recombination, we separately deleted gE and gI coding sequences from an Australian field strain (CSW-1) and a vaccine strain (A20) of infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) and replaced each coding sequence with sequence encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP). Virus mutants in which gE and gI gene sequences had been replaced with GFP were identified by fluorescence microscopy but were unable to be propagated separately from the wildtype virus in either primary chicken cells or the LMH continuous chicken cell line. These findings build on findings from a previous study of CSW-1 ILTV in which a double deletion mutant of gE and gI could not be propagated separately from wildtype virus and produced an in vivo phenotype of single-infected cells with no cell-to-cell spread observed. Taken together these studies suggest that both the gE and gI genes have a significant role in cell-to-cell spread in both CSW-1 and A20 strains of ILTV. The CRISPR/Cas9-assisted deletion of genes from the ILTV genome described in this study adds this virus to a growing list of viruses to which this approach has been used to study viral gene function.
Mechanical Characterisation and Cohesive Law Calibration for a Nitrocellulose Based–Cyclotetramethylene Tetranitramine (HMX) Polymer Bonded Explosive
Authors: Iqbal M. , Zhang R. , Ryan P. , Lewis D. , Connors S. , Charalambides M. N.
Published: September 2022

Background

Mechanical characterisation of polymer bonded explosives (PBXs) is crucial for their safe handling during storage and transportation. At temperatures higher than the binder's glass transition temperature, fracture is caused predominantly by interface debonding between the binder and explosive crystals. Interfacial friction between debonded crystals can lead to accidental detonation of the PBX material, even under a very small external load. Cohesive zone laws can describe this interfacial debonding.

Objective

This study aims to experimentally calibrate the interfacial cohesive zone parameters of a nitrocellulose based–cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (HMX) PBX, a particulate composite with an 88% volume fraction of crystals.

Methods

Compact tension fracture tests, coupled with Digital Image Correlation (DIC) were used to capture the strain fields around the crack tip. The experimental data were used in conjunction with an extended Mori–Tanaka method considering the effect of interfacial debonding.

Results

The cohesive zone parameters were successfully calibrated and were found to be crosshead rate independent. The values of the critical traction $${\sigma }_{int}^{max}$$

σ

int

max

and interfacial energy release rate, $${\gamma }_{if}$$

γ

if

, dropped significantly with increasing temperature. The experimental method followed in this study is generic, and it can be employed to extract the cohesive zone parameters characterising the interface behaviour between the filler and matrix in other particulate filled, polymer composite materials.

Conclusions

Cohesive zone properties can be experimentally determined to provide inputs in micromechanical simulations linking the microstructure of the PBX composite to its macroscopic response as well as enabling the estimation of hot spot formation at debonded crystal interfaces.
Karriere mit Kind – Wie wirkt sich frühe Mutterschaft auf das Erreichen von Führungspositionen bei Akademikerinnen aus?
Authors: Brandt Gesche , Spangenberg Heike
Published: September 2022

Dieser Beitrag widmet sich im Anschluss an die Diskussion zur Entzerrung der „Rushhour des Lebens“ der Frage, ob es vorteilhaft für die berufliche Karriere von Akademikerinnen ist, wenn sie, anstatt nach dem Berufseinstieg, bereits vor dem Studienabschluss oder direkt im Anschluss daran Kinder bekommen. Während ein Aufschieben der Erstgeburt verschiedenen Studien zufolge durchaus positiv für den Karriereverlauf ist, ist der Zusammenhang zwischen einer frühen Familiengründung und dem Erreichen einer Führungsposition für Deutschland bislang kaum erforscht. Anhand von Absolventendaten des Deutschen Zentrums für Hochschul- und Wissenschaftsforschung (DZHW) wird mit logistischen Regressionsanalysen untersucht, wie wahrscheinlich das Erreichen einer Führungsposition für Mütter mit akademischem Abschluss in Abhängigkeit vom Geburtentiming ist. Die Befunde zeigen, dass Mütter, die bereits vor dem Berufseinstieg Kinder bekommen haben, zehn Jahre nach Studienabschluss mit höherer Wahrscheinlichkeit in Führungspositionen tätig sind als die Vergleichsgruppe der Mütter, die erst während des Erwerbsverlaufs eine Familie gegründet haben. Erstere weisen im Erwerbsverlauf weniger Vollzeitphasen, aber mehr Teilzeitphasen und weniger Unterbrechungsphasen auf. Die Ergebnisse stützen humankapital- und signaltheoretische Annahmen, wonach Akademikerinnen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt von einer Familiengründung vor dem Berufseinstieg profitieren, da längere Erwerbsunterbrechungen unwahrscheinlicher werden.
Emotionen in (professionellen) Beziehungsverhältnissen im Feld der Sozialpsychiatrie
Authors: Dörr Margret , May Michael
Published: September 2022

Der Beitrag leitet in den Schwerpunkt „Emotionen in (professionellen) Beziehungsverhältnissen im Feld der Sozialpsychiatrie“ ein, indem er Voraussetzungen, Konzepte, Erfahrungen und Schwierigkeiten im Umgang mit Emotionen in einer recoveryorientierten sozialpsychiatrischen Praxis skizziert und die Beiträge kurz vorstellt.
A clean and sustainable CO2 storage method in construction materials
Authors: Balinee B. , Ranjith P. G. , Huppert Herbert E.
Published: September 2022

Production of building materials emits 11% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emission. The greenhouse gas emission from the construction industry has been tried to mininmize from early 1980s; but after four decades of development, it is not fully sustainable. Cement is the second most consumed material in the world, after water and cement production contributes for 8% of global CO2 emission. We produced a greener cement from abundantly available waste: fly ash, blast furnace lag, and rice husk ash to significantly minimize the greenhouse gas emission. Discarded aluminium foil becomes one of most landfilling waste that has high potential for recycling. On other hand, cement carbonation is a curing method that stores significant amount of CO2 into cement with lesser cost and energy compared to commercial carbon sequestration. Therefore, we incorporate aluminium foil waste and CO2 waste from industry to improve the engineering and environmental performance of the cement. We compared changes in carbonation when using gaseous carbon dioxide (gCO2) and supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) and found that the scCO2 condition achieves higher compressive strength and yielded a stronger barrier against leaching. Hence, this carbon cured cement can be widely used in underground applications, where the heavy metal leaching is a critical issue. Projections show our greener cement reducing CO2 emission by 55% compared to Portland cement and reducing direct costs by 35%. Also, our cement ultimately reduces hydrogen gas demand by recycling aluminium, which releases pure hydrogen during the production process, and this effect reduces annual CO2 emission by 35 million tonnes from this hydrogen production alone. Adopted globally, the system would permanently store 72 million tonnes of CO2 in a stable composite annually. On whole, our cement production significantly reduces the energy requirement for cement manufacturing and releases future energy, hydrogen gas, as by product.
Investigation of the relationships between academic hardiness and passion for studies with undergraduates’ affect and happiness
Authors: Spiridon Kamtsios
Published: September 2022

Personality variables contribute to the development of passion for studies leading undergraduates to different affective experiences. Academic hardiness, an affective personality trait, may have effect on undergraduates’ passion for studies. The purpose of the study (which uses a quantitative methodological approach) was twofold: (a) to examine the psychometric properties of Passion scale in Greek undergraduates and (b) to investigate the role of Academic Hardiness 3Cs in the Harmonious (HP) and Obsessive (OP) passion. A convenience sample of 293 undergraduates completed the following scales: (a) Passion scale, (b) Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, (c) The Positive and Negative Affect schedule, and (d) The revised Academic Hardiness scale. Initially, results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provided support for the two-factor passion scale. Moreover, results from SEM analyses revealed that control and challenge were positively related to HP, whereas commitment was positively related to both HP and OP. A negative relationship was found between control and OP. OP was positively related with negative affect, which, in turn, was negatively related with undergraduates’ happiness. On the contrary, HP was positively related with positive affect, which, in turn, was positively related with happiness. Findings of the study are discussed, focusing on the adaptive nature of academic hardiness and harmonious passion in academic settings.
Novel application of live imaging to determine the functional cell biology of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) within a liver-on-a-chip platform
Authors: Whiteford James , Arokiasamy Samantha , Thompson Clare L. , Dufton Neil P.
Published: September 2022

Objective

Imaging endothelial cell behaviour under physiological conditions, particularly those associated with chronic fibrotic pathologies, is an incredibly challenging endeavour. While short-term assessments (hours) can be achieved with techniques such as intravital microscopy, vascular changes often occur over days and weeks which is unfeasible with current imaging techniques. These challenges are exemplified within the liver where liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) are known to undergo dramatic changes termed endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) during fibrotic liver disease. Despite the established presence of EndMT in liver disease, the inaccessibility of viable liver tissue, and simplicity of 2D culture techniques has meant, the role of EndMT during disease progression remains largely undetermined. This study describes the development of novel fluorescent EndMT reporters to identify, track, and characterise the migratory behaviour of EndMT cells. We show that liver-on-a-chip (LOAC) platforms provide a flexible, optically accessible, and physiologically relevant microenvironment to study the vascular dynamics of EndMT during liver disease.

Methods

Identification, creation, and application of an EndMT-specific fluorescent reporter construct (EndMT-Rep). Transduction of EC using lentiviral packaged CNN1-eGFP construct as an inducible EndMT-Rep (CNN1-Rep) to 2D, 3D, and 4D imaging techniques for fixed and live cell imaging. Combined application of live and fixed imaging technologies to measure EndMT using CNN1-Rep on LOAC platform under physiological conditions. Demonstration of the high-resolution single-cell EndMT tracking by live cell time-lapse microscopy and with post-acquisition processing to perform a comparative study of CNN1-Rep and healthy LSECs within a NASH-like LOAC microenvironment.

Conclusions

LOAC enables prolonged, multi-platform imaging of endothelial cell sub-populations such as those undergoing EndMT in 2D and 3D cultures. Our study highlights the application of EndMT reporters, such as CNN1-Rep, to provide high-resolution imaging of EndMT behaviour for the first time under physiologically relevant liver microenvironment. Overall, these methods reveal the adaptability and impact of live-cell imaging on uncovering vascular behaviours, such as EndMT, that are unattainable in viable tissue or conventional 2D in vitro experiments.
Identity construction among remotely acculturating non-migrant youths: Psychological and social implications
Authors: Asekun Wakil Ajibola
Published: September 2022

Background

Identity as a complex socio-historical concept can be negotiated by young adults if exposed to other cultures aside their own original culture and may thus bring about certain consequences that are hardly acknowledged.

Objective

The aim of the study was to examine how remote exposure to foreign cultures influences young adults in the major domains of their ethnic identity and also examine the extent to which the phenomenon influences the quality of interpersonal relationships as well as life satisfaction.

Method

A total number of 414 young men and women participated in the study. (Female = 57.48%; Male = 42.51%, age range is 16 and 35 years). The participants responded to questionnaires designed to measure: exposure to foreign culture, remote acculturation, ethnic identity, and two other validated scales. The data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Result

Findings indicate that remote exposure to foreign culture partially predicted remote acculturation. Results also indicate that Identity exploration was positively related to remote acculturation. The study also found that there was a relationship between identity affirmation and life satisfaction. Identity affirmation was also found to be positively associated with quality of interpersonal relationships. Finally, there was a significant difference in the identity resolution of remotely-acculturating and non acculturating participants.

Conclusion

The study offers evidence on the reality of remote acculturation among the youths in Nigeria and suggested that loss of an identity to a foreign one among young people could affect family relationships and undermine social harmony. Adolescents could be supported through identity development process to develop in a way that makes them culturally competent globally but locally relevant.
The A Priori Without Magic
Authors: Warren Jared
Published: September 2022

The distinction between the a priori and the a posteriori is an old and influential one. But both the distinction itself and the crucial notion of a priori knowledge face powerful philosophical challenges. Many philosophers worry that accepting the a priori is tantamount to accepting epistemic magic. In contrast, this Element argues that the a priori can be formulated clearly, made respectable, and used to do important epistemological work. The author's conception of the a priori and its role falls short of what some historical proponents of the notion may have hoped for, but it allows us to accept and use the notion without abandoning either naturalism or empiricism, broadly understood. This Element argues that we can accept and use the a priori without magic.
Glacier-wide seasonal and annual geodetic mass balances from Pléiades stereo images: application to the Glacier d'Argentière, French Alps
Authors: Beraud Luc , Cusicanqui Diego , Rabatel Antoine , Brun Fanny , Vincent Christian , Six Delphine
Published: September 2022

The increased availability of high-resolution and high-quality digital elevation models (DEMs) allows for the investigation of small-scale glaciological changes and improved precision in geodetic mass-balance estimates. However, high precision and careful methodological choices are required to retrieve glacier-wide mass changes at annual to seasonal time scales. Here, we used a 7-year time series of 12 DEMs of the Glacier d'Argentière, in the French Alps, derived from the Pléiades optical satellites to assess the ability of sub-metre stereoscopic satellite images to retrieve annual-to-seasonal mass balances. We found good agreement between the five annual and the four winter mass-balance values estimated using a geodetic method and those of in situ glaciological measurements: mean values via the geodetic method are −0.66 m w.e. and 1.47 m w.e. for annual and winter balances, respectively; mean absolute discrepancies are 0.25 m w.e. (annual) and 0.36 m w.e. (winter). Our study identified three main limitations of this methodology: (i) the intrinsic DEM precision; (ii) the lack of control over the satellite acquisition dates; and (iii) the density assumption. The consistency between the methods demonstrates the potential of short time-scale glacier mass-balance monitoring using very high-resolution satellite images.
Back to the Future. Sociological Perspectives on Expectations, Aspirations and Imagined Futures
Authors: Suckert Lisa
Published: September 2022

Since the 1990s sociology has rediscovered a theme already present in the discipline’s foundational theories: the salience of future perceptions for social action. This article provides an overview of “the sociology of imagined futures”, a diverse but still scattered research field explicitly engaged with expectations, aspirations and future orientations. A review of recent scholarship emphasizes how an imagined future perspective is related to a wide range of topics and allows for innovative vantage points on persisting sociological research concerns, such as inequality, social identities, agency, coordination, power or understanding innovation and change. By systematically highlighting these contributions, but also by pointing to promising lacunae and perspectives that merit further development, this article shows how a reorientation of sociological research “back to the future” seems a promising way forward.
Urban foodscape and its relationships with diet and health outcomes
Authors: Méjean Caroline , Recchia Daisy
Published: September 2022

Environmental features such as the ‘foodscape’ defined as the physical, sociocultural and economic space in which people encounter meals and foods, might be associated with dietary intake and health outcomes. This review focuses mainly on the spatial approach of the foodscape, i.e. all the local shops, markets, restaurants and sales outlets that provide food supplies in a given area. This review aims to explore the evidence on relationships of urban foodscape with diet and health outcomes and to highlight the limitations in studying these relationships as well as suggestions for future studies. Many systematic reviews on characteristics of the foodscape in relation to weight status outcomes emerged over the last decade and results are equivocal. There is not a direct association between the foodscape and weight status of the individual, rather any association is a distant one. Therefore, it is more appropriate to focus on associations between foodscape and intermediate, more proximal outcomes, such as dietary behaviours. Research on the role of the foodscape in promoting or hindering healthy dietary behaviours are also numerous, and results are again mixed. The diversity of methodologies might partly explain the heterogeneity of these results. Focusing on overall diet quality rather than fruit and vegetable consumption, taking into account multiple characteristics of the foodscape, as well as socioeconomic and contextual differences, might be part of the solution for more consistent results. Consequently, results of such studies could help shape foodscapes, which present a great opportunity for promoting healthier and eventually more sustainable diets.
Microalgae-derived sterols do not reduce the bioavailability of oral vitamin D3 in mice
Authors: Kühn Julia , Brandsch Corinna , Kiourtzidis Mikis , Nier Anika , Bieler Simone , Matthäus Bertrand , Griehl Carola , Stangl Gabriele I.
Published: September 2022

Abstract: Microalgae have drawn increasing attention as sustainable food sources, also because of their lipid-lowering phytosterols. As phytosterols are also discussed critically regarding their effect on the availability of fat-soluble vitamins, this study aimed to investigate microalgae-derived phytosterols and their effect on vitamin D status. GC–MS analysis showed large variations in the phytosterol profiles of microalgal species. The most frequent sterols were β-sitosterol and stigmasterol. To investigate their effects on vitamin D status, 40 mice were randomized to four groups and fed a vitamin D3-adequate (25 μg/kg) Western-style diet with 0% phytosterols (control) or 1% ergosterol (a fungal sterol not typical for microalgae), β-sitosterol or stigmasterol for four weeks. Contrary to the hypothesis that phytosterols adversely affect vitamin D uptake, mice fed β-sitosterol had significantly higher concentrations of vitamin D3 in plasma (3.15-fold, p<0.01), liver (3.15-fold, p<0.05), and skin (4.12-fold, p<0.005) than the control group. Small increases in vitamin D3 in plasma and skin were also observed in mice fed stigmasterol. In contrast, vitamin D3 levels in the ergosterol and control groups did not differ. The increased tissue levels of vitamin D3 in mice fed β-sitosterol and stigmasterol were not attributable to the observed reduction in liver triglycerides in these groups. The data rather suggest that changes in bile acid profiles were responsible for the beneficial effect of microalgae sterols on the bioavailability of vitamin D3. In conclusion, consumption of microalgae might not adversely affect vitamin D status.
Greater Flash Flood Risks From Hourly Precipitation Extremes Preconditioned by Heatwaves in the Yangtze River Valley
Authors: Chen Yang , Liao Zhen , Shi Yan , Li Puxi , Zhai Panmao
Published: September 2022

Compared to singular hot or wet extremes, their occurrence in close sequence might cause larger impacts, because the initial hazard either increases exposure/vulnerability of affected communities to the next or physically worsens the second hazard. Heatwave‐preconditioned hourly precipitation extremes in the Yangtze River Valley are typical of the latter situation. Fueled by soaring convective energy after heatwaves' passage, hourly precipitation extremes are heavier, intensifying faster, and more concentrated during afternoon to evening, compared to those not proceeded by heatwaves. Consequently, flash flood‐producing events (e.g., 50 mm/hr or stronger) account for larger fractions in preconditioned events than in the non‐preconditioned group, with the spectrum difference further exaggerated by warming. This drives the frequency increase in potentially high‐impact events several‐fold larger than expected from the widely‐adopted univariate perspective. These results point to heatwave‐preconditioned hourly precipitation extremes as an emerging hazard of climate change carrying greater flash flood risks.
Effects of Anthropogenic Forcings on Multidecadal Variability of the Sea Level Around the Japanese Coast Simulated by MRI‐ESM2.0 for CMIP6
Authors: Ushijima Yusuke , Tsujino Hiroyuki , Sakamoto Kei , Ishii Masayoshi , Koshiro Tsuyoshi , Oshima Naga
Published: September 2022

The observed sea level (SL) around the Japanese coast shows a peculiar multidecadal variation with the peak in the 1950s followed by the gradual fall until the 1970s and the rebound continuing to the present, making the recent SL rise less remarkable in the historical record. The multidecadal SL variability of an ensemble mean of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 historical simulations using the Meteorological Research Institute Earth System Model version 2.0 (MRI‐ESM2.0) compares well with the observation and is greater than the piControl one, implying the observed variability could be a forced one. The MRI‐ESM2.0 simulations for the Detection and Attribution Model Intercomparison Project suggest the increase in anthropogenic aerosols and greenhouse gases caused the fall and rise of the SL, respectively. Additional sensitivity runs indicate the surface heat loss in the North Pacific due to anthropogenic aerosols plays a dominant role in the SL fall.
MAVEN‐STATIC Observations of Ion Temperature and Initial Ion Acceleration in the Martian Ionosphere
Authors: Hanley K. G. , Fowler C. M. , McFadden J. P. , Mitchell D. L. , Curry S.
Published: September 2022

Though ion escape to space is an important mechanism for atmospheric loss at Mars, the processes that accelerate ions to escape velocity have not been fully identified and quantified. The lowest altitude where suprathermal planetary ions appear is an important source region for ion escape, where electromagnetic forces and waves begin to energize ions to escape velocity. We have conducted a statistical study of distribution functions measured by Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN SupraThermal And Thermal Ion Composition in order to identify the region where suprathermal tails appear. At all solar zenith angles, suprathermal ions appear just above the exobase region, where the mean free path between collisions exceeds the neutral gas scale height. temperature profiles are also presented. We also investigate the effects of crustal magnetism, finding that crustal fields protect planetary plasma on the dayside and enhance energization on the nightside.
Diurnal Variations in the Aphelion Cloud Belt as Observed by the Emirates Exploration Imager (EXI)
Authors: Wolff Michael J. , Fernando Anton , Smith Michael D. , Forget François , Millour Ehouarn , Atwood Samuel A. , Jones Andrew R. , Osterloo Mikki M. , Shuping Ralph , Al Shamsi Mariam , Jeppesen Christian , Fisher Charles
Published: September 2022

Observations by the Emirates eXploration Imager (EXI) on‐board the Emirates Mars Mission are used to characterize the diurnal, seasonal, and spatial behavior of aphelion cloud belt during Mars Year 36 LS ∼ 30°–190°. Building from previous work with the Mars Color Imager (MARCI) onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, we retrieve water ice extinction optical depth (τice) with an uncertainty ±0.0232 (excluding particle size effects). We connect EXI and MARCI using radiance and τice. Zonal and meridional diurnal trends are analyzed over 6–18 hr Local True Solar Time. The retrievals show large morning‐evening asymmetries about a minimum near 12 hr. The latitudinal distributions in early morning are extensive and particularly striking near mid‐summer. Comparisons to the Mars Planetary Climate Model show reasonable agreement with basic diurnal behavior, but noticeable departures include too much water ice in early morning, the general latitudinal extent, and behavior at smaller scales like the volcanoes and other topographically distinct features.
Midnight Sun to Polar Night: A Model of Seasonal Light in the Barents Sea
Authors: Connan‐McGinty Stacey , Banas Neil S. , Berge Jørgen , Cottier Finlo , Grant Stephen , Johnsen Geir , Kopec Tomasz P. , Porter Marie , McKee David
Published: September 2022

Arctic marine ecosystems are strongly influenced by the extreme seasonality of light in the region. Accurate determination of light is essential for building a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of animal and aquatic algae populations. Current approaches to underwater light field parameterisations rely upon shortwave radiation (300–3000 nm) estimates from satellites or surface radiometry measurements to populate full radiative transfer software. Due to the inaccessibility of many regions in the Arctic, measured data is not widely available. This study presents a model of spectrally resolved underwater light in ice‐free conditions in the Barents Sea. Given a location and time, the model accounts for downwelling spectral irradiance in the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 400–700 nm) range (ED PAR) at the ocean surface from solar, lunar, and galactic light sources, modulated by local cloud cover. We demonstrate the ability to extend over the full year into the period of Polar Night, validated in both broadband PAR and spectral domains. Using a bio‐optical model of diffuse attenuation developed for the Barents Sea, we show accurate calculations to depth for inhomogeneous water columns over a spatial‐temporal range, validated against time series irradiance data from the ArcLight observatory in Ny‐Ålesund, Svalbard and in‐situ irradiance sensors deployed in the Barents Sea. Finally, in comparison to state‐of‐the‐art radiative transfer models, averaged over the water column we demonstrate a typical mean absolute error of <1 μmol m−2 s−1 in ED PAR for overcast conditions (<6 μmol m−2 s−1 for clear‐sky) and reduced execution time of factor 20.
Radar—CubeSat Transionospheric HF Propagation Observations: Suomi 100 Satellite and EISCAT HF Facility
Authors: Kallio Esa , Kero Antti , Harri Ari‐Matti , Kestilä Antti , Aikio Anita , Fontell Mathias , Jarvinen Riku , Kauristie Kirsti , Knuuttila Olli , Koskimaa Petri , Loyala Jauaries , Lukkari Juha‐Matti , Modabberian Amin , Niittyniemi Joonas , Rynö Jouni , Vanhamäki Heikki , Varberg Erik
Published: September 2022

Radio waves provide a useful diagnostic tool to investigate the properties of the ionosphere because the ionosphere affects the transmission and properties of high frequency (HF) electromagnetic waves. We have conducted a transionospheric HF‐propagation research campaign with a nanosatellite on a low‐Earth polar orbit and the EISCAT HF transmitter facility in Tromsø, Norway, in December 2020. In the active measurement, the EISCAT HF facility transmitted sinusoidal 7.953 MHz signal which was received with the High frEquency rAdio spectRomEteR (HEARER) onboard 1 Unit (size: 10 × 10 × 10 cm) Suomi 100 space weather nanosatellite. Data analysis showed that the EISCAT HF signal was detected with the satellite's radio spectrometer when the satellite was the closest to the heater along its orbit. Part of the observed variations seen in the signal was identified to be related to the heater's antenna pattern and to the transmitted pulse shapes. Other observed variations can be related to the spatial and temporal variations of the ionosphere and its different responses to the used transmission frequencies and to the transmitted O‐ and X‐wave modes. Some trends in the observed signal may also be associated to changes in the properties of ionospheric plasma resulting from the heater's electromagnetic wave energy. This paper is, to authors' best knowledge, the first observation of this kind of “self‐absorption” measured from the transionospheric signal path from a powerful radio source on the ground to the satellite‐borne receiver.
Single-cell transcriptome reveals cellular hierarchies and guides p-EMT-targeted trial in skull base chordoma
Authors: Zhang Qilin , Fei Lijiang , Han Rui , Huang Ruofan , Wang Yongfei , Chen Hong , Yao Boyuan , Qiao Nidan , Wang Zhe , Ma Zengyi , Ye Zhao , Zhang Yichao , Wang Weiwei , Wang Ye , Kong Lin , Shou Xuefei , Cao Xiaoyun , Zhou Xiang , Shen Ming , Cheng Haixia , Yao Zhenwei , Zhang Chao , Guo Guoji , Zhao Yao
Published: September 2022

Skull base chordoma (SBC) is a bone cancer with a high recurrence rate, high radioresistance rate, and poorly understood mechanism. Here, we profiled the transcriptomes of 90,691 single cells, revealed the SBC cellular hierarchies, and explored novel treatment targets. We identified a cluster of stem-like SBC cells that tended to be distributed in the inferior part of the tumor. Combining radiated UM-Chor1 RNA-seq data and in vitro validation, we further found that this stem-like cell cluster is marked by cathepsin L (CTSL), a gene involved in the packaging of telomere ends, and may be responsible for radioresistance. Moreover, signatures related to partial epithelial–mesenchymal transition (p-EMT) were found to be significant in malignant cells and were related to the invasion and poor prognosis of SBC. Furthermore, YL-13027, a p-EMT inhibitor that acts through the TGF-β signaling pathway, demonstrated remarkable potency in inhibiting the invasiveness of SBC in preclinical models and was subsequently applied in a phase I clinical trial that enrolled three SBC patients. Encouragingly, YL-13027 attenuated the growth of SBC and achieved stable disease with no serious adverse events, underscoring the clinical potential for the precision treatment of SBC with this therapy. In summary, we conducted the first single-cell RNA sequencing of SBC and identified several targets that could be translated to the treatment of SBC.
Rate of speech decline in individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Eshghi Marziye , Yunusova Yana , Connaghan Kathryn P. , Perry Bridget J. , Maffei Marc F. , Berry James D. , Zinman Lorne , Kalra Sanjay , Korngut Lawrence , Genge Angela , Dionne Annie , Green Jordan R.
Published: September 2022

Although speech declines rapidly in some individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), longitudinal changes in speech have rarely been characterized. The study objectives were to model the rate of decline in speaking rate and speech intelligibility as a function of disease onset site, sex, and age at onset in 166 individuals with ALS; and estimate time to speech loss from symptom onset. We also examined the association between clinical (speaking rate/intelligibility) measures and patient-reported measures of ALS progression (ALSFRS-R). Speech measures declined faster in the bulbar-onset group than in the spinal-onset group. The rate of decline was not significantly affected by sex and age. Functional speech was still maintained at 60 months since disease onset for most patients with spinal onset. However, the time to speech loss was 23 months based on speaking rate < 120 (w/m) and 32 months based on speech intelligibility < 85% in individuals with ALS-bulbar onset. Speech measures were more responsive to functional decline than were the patient-reported measures. The findings of this study will inform future work directed toward improving speech prognosis in ALS, which is critical for determining the appropriate timing of interventions, providing appropriate counseling for patients, and evaluating functional changes during clinical trials.
Preliminary design for establishing compost maturity by using the spectral characteristics of five organic fertilizers
Authors: Lin Yi-Hong , Lin Yong-Zhang , Lin Yong-Hong
Published: September 2022

The maturity of compost is involved in the availability of nutrients to crops and improvement of soil properties after fertilization. In the past, the determination of composts maturity mostly required analysis in the laboratory previously and it must consume a lot of time and cost. This study was conducted to use Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and solid13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (13C NMR) spectroscopy to understand the mature characteristics of five type of common composts. The FTIR analysis showed that all composts contained aromatic groups. In addition, the surface of five composts contained the functional groups including hydroxyl group, carboxyl group, amino group etc. However, these functional groups changed along with maturity degree. It is recognized that the aliphatic group located at 2930 cm−1and 2850 cm−1showed a decreasing peak, and amino acid at 1385 cm−1was disappearing gradually due to the decomposition of organic matter by bacteria. There may be used to identify the maturity degree of composts. Increase of aromatic group at 1650 cm−1, carboxy (–COOH) and phenolic OH group at 1385 cm−1may prove the full maturity of composts.13C NMR analysis showed that five type of matured composts are mainly consisted with aliphatic groups and aromatic groups. The surfaces of the composts contained C–O bonds (ester, ethers, carbohydrate and other functional groups), COO−(carboxyl and ester carbons) and C=O bond (aldehydes and ketones). The strength of different absorptive characteristics of FTIR and13C NMR may be a clue to identify the maturity of composts for the design of detective instruments in the future.
Diagnostic accuracy and safety of CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy with a coaxial cutting needle for the diagnosis of lung cancer in patients with UIP pattern
Authors: Kim Da Young , Sun Joo Sung , Kim Eun Young , Park Kyung Joo , You Seulgi
Published: September 2022

This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy and safety of CT-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy (PCNB) with a coaxial needle for the diagnosis of lung cancer in patients with an usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern of interstitial lung disease. This study included 70 patients with UIP and suspected to have lung cancer. CT-guided PCNB was performed using a 20-gauge coaxial cutting needle. The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and percentage of nondiagnostic results for PCNB were determined in comparison with the final diagnosis. PCNB-related complications were evaluated. Additionally, the risk factors for nondiagnostic results and pneumothorax were analyzed. The overall diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 85.7%, 85.5%, and 87.5%, respectively. The percentage of nondiagnostic results was 18.6% (13/70). Two or less biopsy sampling was a risk factor for nondiagnostic results (p = 0.003). The overall complication rate was 35.7% (25/70), and pneumothorax developed in 22 patients (31.4%). A long transpulmonary needle path was a risk factor for the development of pneumothorax (p = 0.007). CT-guided PCNB using a coaxial needle is an effective method with reasonable accuracy and an acceptable complication rate for the diagnosis of lung cancer, even in patients with UIP.
Limited Mediterranean sea-level drop during the Messinian salinity crisis inferred from the buried Nile canyon
Authors: Gvirtzman Zohar , Heida Hanneke , Garcia-Castellanos Daniel , Bar Oded , Zucker Elchanan , Enzel Yehouda
Published: September 2022

The extreme Mediterranean sea-level drop during the Messinian salinity crisis has been known for >50 years, but its amplitude and duration remain a challenge. Here we estimate its amplitude by restoring the topography of the Messinian Nile canyon and the vertical position of the Messinian coastline by unloading of post-Messinian sediment and accounting for flexural isostasy and compaction. We estimate the original depth of the geomorphological base level of the Nile River at ~600 m below present sea level, implying a drawdown 2–4 times smaller than previously estimated from the Nile canyon and suggesting that salt precipitated under 1–3 km deep waters. This conclusion is at odds with the nearly-desiccated basin model (>2 km drawdown) dominating the scientific literature for 50 years. Yet, a 600 m drawdown is ca. five times larger than eustatic fluctuations and its impact on the Mediterranean continental margins is incomparable to any glacial sea-level fall.
Optimizing the Current Type 2 Diabetes Antidiabetics with Nanotechnologies: Where Do We Stand?
Authors: Abderrahmani Amar , Szunerits Sabine , Dalle Stephane , Boukherroub Rabah
Published: September 2022

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the most prominent form of diabetes worldwide. In the history of T2D, insulin resistance of liver, muscle and adipose tissue first develops with no apparent clinical signs. Hyperglycemia ensues when β-cells fail to release a sufficient insulin level into the bloodstream to compensate for insulin resistance. For lowering glycemia, the current therapeutic arsenal includes insulin sensitizers, insulin secretagogues, inhibitors of glucose absorption and reabsorption and ultimately insulin injection. The poor bioavailability and stability, as well as the mode of administration, reduce the long-term efficiency of these drugs, thereby contributing to the dramatic progression of the disease toward disabilities and early mortality risk. This chapter deals with the possible approaches offered by nanotechnology for improving the bioavailability, stability and delivery mode of the current antidiabetic drugs. Improvements provided by nanotechnology could hold promise for implementing a personalized diabetes medicine, as a key to halting the devastating damage caused by this disease.
Microfluidic and Organ-on-a-chip-based Technologies for Diabetes Therapy and Research
Authors: Morisseau Lisa , Messelmani Taha , Essaouiba Amal , Sakai Yasuyuki , Le Goff Anne , Legallais Cécile , Leclerc Eric , Jellali Rachid
Published: September 2022

Diabetes is a severe and complex disease with a high prevalence worldwide. Over the last few years, scientists have worked hard to understand the physiopathology of the disease, develop new treatments and diagnosis tools, and improve the quality of life of diabetic patients. Recently, there has been increased focus on using microfluidic technologies in biomedical applications, especially in diabetes research. In this chapter, we present an overview of the main microfluidic technologies related to diabetes research and how they can help solve several of the issues associated with this disease. We start by introducing diabetes, its characteristics, and its treatments. We continue with microfluidic concepts and the materials and manufacturing methods used to develop the microdevices. The main section of the chapter is dedicated to applications of microfluidic technologies in diabetes research, including sensors and diagnosis tools, pancreatic cell encapsulation for transplantation and the organ-on-chip approach. Finally, we conclude the chapter with the perspectives for potential future developments in microfluidic technologies for diabetes and metabolic syndrome research.
3D Bioprinting of Islets
Authors: Duin Sarah , Lode Anja , Ludwig Barbara , Gelinsky Michael
Published: September 2022

To avoid the long-term complications many patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 develop over the course of their life, it would be preferable to make islet transplantation available for a larger number of patients. Human islets for transplantation are sparse, but donor shortage could be solved through the use of xenogeneic islets. Especially for xenogeneic islets, separation from the host's immune system is crucial, yet supply with oxygen and nutrients as well as the ability to sense blood glucose should not be impaired, which requires short diffusion distances. For easy retrieval, macroencapsulation devices are preferable over microencapsulation of islets, yet the diffusion distances in these are large. A promising approach that enables the generation of macroporous structures of clinically relevant size is computer-aided additive manufacturing, which has also been used for the creation of constructs containing pancreatic islets. This chapter provides a brief summary of the published studies concerning cell-free 3D-printed structures retrospectively filled with islets, as well as bioprinted structures containing islets already during the printing process, and the main materials used for the bioprinting of islets.
In Vivo Imaging of the Pancreas and Gut Hormone Receptors
Authors: Eriksson Olof , Hulsart-Billström Gry , Mitran Bogdan , Puuvuori Emmi , Velikyan Irina
Published: September 2022

Biomedical imaging techniques like positron emission tomography (PET) have been implemented into the clinical diagnostic routine in many areas, such as oncology, neurology, and cardiology. However, their use in the clinical management of diabetes is not as advanced. Recent decades have seen progress in novel techniques for clinical molecular imaging of receptors and cell subtypes, including those crucial for pancreatic function in both health and disease. Advances include studying, e.g., the insulin-producing beta cells and the most common incretin and gut hormone receptors. Techniques for efficient functionalisation and radiolabelling of peptides and proteins have enabled PET imaging using the growing number of biological drugs or modified endogenous hormones. Importantly, the novel techniques are in or under clinical translation and approval, suggesting that they may become part of the routine assessment in diabetes diagnosis and management in the coming years. This chapter summarises recent developments and advances in the application of PET techniques for visualising processes in the pancreas that are crucial in diabetes pathology and treatment.
Invasive and Implantable Glucose Sensors: Perspective for the Artificial Pancreas
Authors: Diouri Omar , Renard Eric
Published: September 2022

The development of accurate, sensitive and sustainable glucose sensors for continuous glucose monitoring is key in the achievement of fully automated insulin delivery systems, a.k.a. an ‘artificial pancreas’. In this chapter, we present the latest in-development technologies that could upgrade continuous glucose monitoring in the next few years, and highlight the specific innovative features of the resulting devices that could help in implementing fully automated closed-loop systems. The current innovations in nanotechnologies have enabled the development of new materials and coatings for highly sensitive, painless and flexible microneedles. Miniaturization of fully implantable sensors is expected to promote an increased lifetime of the devices thanks to a reduced foreign body response, while also allowing a microvascularization around the sensor that reduces sensor lag time and increases its accuracy. Intraperitoneal space could allow even better performance, but the associated invasiveness of the implantation makes this option less acceptable in terms of costs–benefit unless a long duration of use is possible and is still less explored by academic and industrial research.
Artificial Intelligence for Diabetes-related Complications: The Eye as a Window to the Systemic Health
Authors: Yip Michelle , Wang Zhaoran , Gutierrez Laura , Foo Valencia , Lim Jane , Lim Gilbert , Gunasekaran Dinesh , Wong Tien Yin , Ting Daniel Shu Wei
Published: September 2022

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global pandemic that is one of the fastest growing chronic diseases and the top cause of blindness in the working population. The eye provides a direct visualization to the body's vasculature and systemic health, allowing it to be a minimally invasive tool to evaluate DM and its micro- and macrovascular complications, including diabetic retinopathy, corneal neuropathy, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and cerebrovascular disease. With the rapid rate of disease burden, there is an unmet public health need to identify these diseases at an early stage to implement timely management. Artificial intelligence (AI), in particular deep learning, has been widely explored for disease segmentation, classification, and prediction. Despite the advances in AI for optimizing the screening and management of DM, future work is warranted to address the issues such as interpretability, cost, and acceptance of AI systems by patients and healthcare workers.
Paper-based sample processing for the fast and direct MS analysis of multiple analytes from serum samples
Authors: Zhang Fu , Ji Bin , Yan Xiang-Hong , Lv Shuang , Fang Fang , Zhao Shuang , Guo Xiao-Lin , Wu Zhi-Yong
Published: September 2022

The direct MS detection of amino acids obtained from serum was successfully demonstrated via a paper-based fast electrokinetic sample clean-up method.
Photogenerated carrier dynamics at the B4C3/g-C3N4 interface
Authors: Yue Xianke , Liu Hong-Yao , Zheng Yujun , Yang Huan
Published: September 2022

The interface dynamics of charge carriers is investigated by the NAMD simulations, which provides guidance for photocatalytic water splitting and optoelectrical applications.
Tetra (C60) lanthanum phthalocyanine: design, synthesis and investigation of the third-order nonlinear optical properties
Authors: Zhu Min , Ding Jiale , Niu Sen , Zhang Yunhe , Wang Guibin
Published: September 2022

The enhanced NLO properties of tetra (C60)–LaPc are mainly attributed to a combination of different NLO performances of C60 and LaPc, but also to the contribution of the PET/ET process in a D–π–A molecular system.
E/Z photoisomerization pathway in pristine and fluorinated di(3-furyl)ethenes
Authors: Sudarkova Svetlana M. , Ioffe Ilya N.
Published: September 2022

Fluorination of di(3-furyl)ethene can suppress a common E/Z photoisomerization pathway by creating a new excited-state relaxation coordinate.