bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploiting the aggregation propensity of beta-lactamases to design inhibitors that induce enzyme misfolding
Authors: Khodaparast Ladan , Khodaparast Laleh , Wu Guiqin , Michiels Emiel , Gallardo Rodrigo , Houben Bert , Garcia Teresa , De Vleeschouwer Matthias , Ramakers Meine , Wilkinson Hannah , Duran-Romaña Ramon , Van Eldere Johan , Rousseau Frederic , Schymkowitz Joost
Published: September 2023

There is an arms race between beta-lactam antibiotics development and co-evolving beta-lactamases, which provide resistance by breaking down beta-lactam rings. We have observed that certain beta-lactamases tend to aggregate, which persists throughout their evolution under the selective pressure of antibiotics on their active sites. Interestingly, we find that existing beta-lactamase active site inhibitors can act as molecular chaperones, promoting the proper folding of these resistance factors. Therefore, we have created Pept-Ins, synthetic peptides designed to exploit the structural weaknesses of beta-lactamases by causing them to misfold into intracellular inclusion bodies. This approach restores sensitivity to a wide range of beta-lactam antibiotics in resistant clinical isolates, including those with Extended Spectrum variants that pose significant challenges in medical practice. Our findings suggest that targeted aggregation of resistance factors could offer a strategy for identifying molecules that aid in addressing the global antibiotic resistance crisis.
ADuLT: An efficient and robust time-to-event GWAS
Authors: Pedersen Emil M. , Agerbo Esben , Plana-Ripoll Oleguer , Steinbach Jette , Krebs Morten D. , Hougaard David M. , Werge Thomas , Nordentoft Merete , Børglum Anders D. , Musliner Katherine L. , Ganna Andrea , Schork Andrew J. , Mortensen Preben B. , McGrath John J. , Privé Florian , Vilhjálmsson Bjarni J.
Published: September 2023

Proportional hazards models have been proposed to analyse time-to-event phenotypes in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). However, little is known about the ability of proportional hazards models to identify genetic associations under different generative models and when ascertainment is present. Here we propose the age-dependent liability threshold (ADuLT) model as an alternative to a Cox regression based GWAS, here represented by SPACox. We compare ADuLT, SPACox, and standard case-control GWAS in simulations under two generative models and with varying degrees of ascertainment as well as in the iPSYCH cohort. We find Cox regression GWAS to be underpowered when cases are strongly ascertained (cases are oversampled by a factor 5), regardless of the generative model used. ADuLT is robust to ascertainment in all simulated scenarios. Then, we analyse four psychiatric disorders in iPSYCH, ADHD, Autism, Depression, and Schizophrenia, with a strong case-ascertainment. Across these psychiatric disorders, ADuLT identifies 20 independent genome-wide significant associations, case-control GWAS finds 17, and SPACox finds 8, which is consistent with simulation results. As more genetic data are being linked to electronic health records, robust GWAS methods that can make use of age-of-onset information will help increase power in analyses for common health outcomes.
Synergistic correlated states and nontrivial topology in coupled graphene-insulator heterostructures
Authors: Lu Xin , Zhang Shihao , Wang Yaning , Gao Xiang , Yang Kaining , Guo Zhongqing , Gao Yuchen , Ye Yu , Han Zheng , Liu Jianpeng
Published: September 2023

Graphene has aroused great attention due to the intriguing properties associated with its low-energy Dirac Hamiltonian. When graphene is coupled with a correlated insulating substrate, electronic states that cannot be revealed in either individual layer may emerge in a synergistic manner. Here, we theoretically study the correlated and topological states in Coulomb-coupled and gate-tunable graphene-insulator heterostructures. By electrostatically aligning the electronic bands, charge carriers transferred between graphene and the insulator can yield a long-wavelength electronic crystal at the interface, exerting a superlattice Coulomb potential on graphene and generating topologically nontrivial subbands. This coupling can further boost electron-electron interaction effects in graphene, leading to a spontaneous bandgap formation at the Dirac point and interaction-enhanced Fermi velocity. Reciprocally, the electronic crystal at the interface is substantially stabilized with the help of cooperative interlayer Coulomb coupling. We propose a number of substrate candidates for graphene to experimentally demonstrate these effects.
Chemical-induced phase transition and global conformational reorganization of chromatin
Authors: Wang Tengfei , Shi Shuxiang , Shi Yuanyuan , Jiang Peipei , Hu Ganlu , Ye Qinying , Shi Zhan , Yu Kexin , Wang Chenguang , Fan Guoping , Zhao Suwen , Ma Hanhui , Chang Alex C. Y. , Li Zhi , Bian Qian , Lin Chao-Po
Published: September 2023

Chemicals or drugs can accumulate within biomolecular condensates formed through phase separation in cells. Here, we use super-resolution imaging to search for chemicals that induce phase transition within chromatin at the microscale. This microscopic screening approach reveals that adriamycin (doxorubicin) — a widely used anticancer drug that is known to interact with chromatin — specifically induces visible local condensation and global conformational change of chromatin in cancer and primary cells. Hi-C and ATAC-seq experiments systematically and quantitatively demonstrate that adriamycin-induced chromatin condensation is accompanied by weakened chromatin interaction within topologically associated domains, compartment A/B switching, lower chromatin accessibility, and corresponding transcriptomic changes. Mechanistically, adriamycin complexes with histone H1 and induces phase transition of H1, forming fibrous aggregates in vitro. These results reveal a phase separation-driven mechanism for a chemotherapeutic drug.
Scaling the tail beat frequency and swimming speed in underwater undulatory swimming
Authors: Sánchez-Rodríguez Jesús , Raufaste Christophe , Argentina Médéric
Published: September 2023

Undulatory swimming is the predominant form of locomotion in aquatic vertebrates. A myriad of animals of different species and sizes oscillate their bodies to propel themselves in aquatic environments with swimming speed scaling as the product of the animal length by the oscillation frequency. Although frequency tuning is the primary means by which a swimmer selects its speed, there is no consensus on the mechanisms involved. In this article, we propose scaling laws for undulatory swimmers that relate oscillation frequency to length by taking into account both the biological characteristics of the muscles and the interaction of the moving swimmer with its environment. Results are supported by an extensive literature review including approximately 1200 individuals of different species, sizes and swimming environments. We highlight a crossover in size around 0.5–1 m. Below this value, the frequency can be tuned between 2–20 Hz due to biological constraints and the interplay between slow and fast muscles. Above this value, the fluid-swimmer interaction must be taken into account and the frequency is inversely proportional to the length of the animal. This approach predicts a maximum swimming speed around 5–10 m.s−1 for large swimmers, consistent with the threshold to prevent bubble cavitation.
Metabolomics and transcriptomics based multi-omics integration reveals radiation-induced altered pathway networking and underlying mechanism
Authors: Maan Kiran , Baghel Ruchi , Dhariwal Seema , Sharma Apoorva , Bakhshi Radhika , Rana Poonam
Published: September 2023

Recent advancement in integrated multi-omics has significantly contributed to many areas of the biomedical field. Radiation research has also grasped uprising omics technologies in biomarker identification to aid in triage management. Herein, we have used a combinatorial multi-omics approach based on transcriptomics together with metabolomics and lipidomics of blood from murine exposed to 1 Gy (LD) and 7.5 Gy (HD) of total-body irradiation (TBI) for a comprehensive understanding of biological processes through integrated pathways and networking. Both omics displayed demarcation of HD group from controls using multivariate analysis. Dysregulated amino acids, various PC, PE and carnitine were observed along with many dysregulated genes (Nos2, Hmgcs2, Oxct2a, etc.). Joint-Pathway Analysis and STITCH interaction showed radiation exposure resulted in changes in amino acid, carbohydrate, lipid, nucleotide, and fatty acid metabolism. Elicited immune response was also observed by Gene Ontology. BioPAN has predicted Elovl5, Elovl6 and Fads2 for fatty acid pathways, only in HD group. Collectively, the combined omics approach facilitated a better understanding of processes uncovering metabolic pathways. Presumably, this is the first in radiation metabolomics that utilized an integrated omics approach following TBI in mice. Our work showed that omics integration could be a valuable tool for better comprehending the mechanism as well as molecular interactions.
Chromosome level genome assembly of colored calla lily (Zantedeschia elliottiana)
Authors: Wang Yi , Yang Tuo , Wang Di , Gou Rongxin , Jiang Yin , Zhang Guojun , Zheng Yuhong , Gao Dan , Chen Liyang , Zhang Xiuhai , Wei Zunzheng
Published: September 2023

The colored calla lily is an ornamental floral plant native to southern Africa, belonging to the Zantedeschia genus of the Araceae family. We generated a high-quality chromosome-level genome of the colored calla lily, with a size of 1,154 Mb and a contig N50 of 42 Mb. We anchored 98.5% of the contigs (1,137 Mb) into 16 pseudo-chromosomes, and identified 60.18% of the sequences (694 Mb) as repetitive sequences. Functional annotations were assigned to 95.1% of the predicted protein-coding genes (36,165). Additionally, we annotated 469 miRNAs, 1,652 tRNAs, 10,033 rRNAs, and 1,677 snRNAs. Furthermore, Gypsy-type LTR retrotransposons insertions in the genome are the primary factor causing significant genome size variation in Araceae species. This high-quality genome assembly provides valuable resources for understanding genome size differences within the Araceae family and advancing genomic research on colored calla lily.
Genetic evidence for plastic reproductive philopatry and matrotrophy in blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) of the Moorea Island (French Polynesia)
Authors: Eustache Kim B. , Boissin Émilie , Tardy Céline , Bouyoucos Ian A. , Rummer Jodie L. , Planes Serge
Published: September 2023

The exploitation of sharks and the degradation of their habitats elevate the urgency to understand the factors that influence offspring survival and ultimately shark reproductive success. We monitored and sampled blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) in nursery habitats of Moorea Island (French Polynesia), to improve knowledge on shark reproductive behavior and biology. We sampled fin clips and morphometrics from 230 young-of-the-year sharks and used microsatellite DNA markers to process parentage analysis to study the reproductive philopatric behavior in female sharks and the matrotrophy within litters. These traits are driving the success of the local replenishment influencing selection through birth site and maternal reserves transmitted to pups. Parentage analysis revealed that some female sharks changed their parturition areas (inter-seasonally) while other female sharks came back to the same site for parturition, providing evidence for a plastic philopatric behavior. Morphometrics showed that there was no significant relationship between body condition indices and nursery locations. However, similarities and differences in body condition were observed between individuals sharing the same mother, indicating that resource allocation within some shark litters might be unbalanced. Our findings further our understanding of the reproductive biology and behavior that shape shark populations with the aim to introduce these parameters into future conservation strategies.
A pre-protective objective in mining females social contents for identification of early signs of depression using soft computing deep framework
Authors: Karamti Hanen , Mahmoud Abeer M.
Published: September 2023

Currently, a noteworthy volume of information is available and shared every day through participation and communication of individuals on social media. These enormous contents with the right exploit and research leads to valuable discoveries. In this study, a deep framework of learning accurate detection of women’s depression is proposed. It is beneficially guided by social media content of individual posts and tweets and an essential support from psycho-linguistic for providing the indicator depression signs vocabulary that creates the embedding words necessary for building the applied approach. The presented model is validated using dual datasets extracted from Twitter: the first dataset is general data formed by 700 women from different countries; the second contains only 80 women from KSA. A third benchmark dataset CLPsych 2015 is used for comparative analysis purposes. The model proved its performance on the three datasets and the obtained and reported in this paper results shows its effectiveness.
A nomogram for predicting lymph node metastasis in early gastric signet ring cell carcinoma
Authors: You Hongwei , Chen Shengsen , Wang Shi
Published: September 2023

At present, the risk factors for lymph node metastasis in early gastric signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) remain unclear. However, it is worth noting that the LNM rate and prognosis of early gastric SRCC are superior to those of other undifferentiated cancers. With advancements in endoscopic technology, the 5-year survival rate following endoscopic treatment of early gastric cancer is comparable to traditional surgery while offering a better quality of life. The objective of this study was to develop a nomogram that can predict lymph node status in early gastric SRCC before surgery, aiding clinicians in selecting the optimal treatment strategy. A research cohort was established by retrospectively collecting data from 183 patients with early gastric SRCC who underwent radical gastrectomy with lymph node dissection at our hospital between January 2014 and June 2022. The predictors of early gastric signet ring cell carcinoma lymph node metastasis were identified in the study cohort using the least absolute selection and shrinkage operator (Lasso) and multivariate regression analysis, and a nomogram was developed. The discrimination, accuracy, and clinical practicability of the nomogram were assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, calibration curve analysis, and decision curve analysis. The incidence of lymph node metastasis was 21.9% (40/183) overall. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that tumor size and lymphovascular invasion (LVI) were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis. Lasso regression analysis demonstrated that tumor size, invasion depth, LVI, E-cadherin expression, dMMR, CA242, NLR, and macroscopic type were associated with lymph node metastasis. The integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) (P = 0.034) and net reclassification index (NRI) (P = 0.023) were significantly improved when dMMR was added to model 1. In addition, the area under curve (AUC) (P = 0.010), IDI (P = 0.001) and NRI (P < 0.001) of the model were significantly improved when type_1 was included. Therefore, we finally included tumor size, invasion depth, dMMR, and macroscopic type to establish a nomogram, which had good discrimination (AUC = 0.757, 95% CI 0.687–0.828) and calibration. Decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram had good clinical performance. We have developed a risk prediction model for early gastric signet ring cell carcinoma that accurately predicts lymph node involvement, providing clinicians with a valuable tool to aid in patient counseling and treatment decision-making.
Adapting the pre-trained convolutional neural networks to improve the anomaly detection and classification in mammographic images
Authors: Saber Abeer , Hussien Abdelazim G. , Awad Wael A. , Mahmoud Amena , Allakany Alaa
Published: September 2023

Mortality from breast cancer (BC) is among the top causes of cancer death in women. BC can be effectively treated when diagnosed early, improving the likelihood that a patient will survive. BC masses and calcification clusters must be identified by mammography in order to prevent disease effects and commence therapy at an early stage. A mammography misinterpretation may result in an unnecessary biopsy of the false-positive results, lowering the patient’s odds of survival. This study intends to improve breast mass detection and identification in order to provide better therapy and reduce mortality risk. A new deep-learning (DL) model based on a combination of transfer-learning (TL) and long short-term memory (LSTM) is proposed in this study to adequately facilitate the automatic detection and diagnosis of the BC suspicious region using the 80–20 method. Since DL designs are modelled to be problem-specific, TL applies the knowledge gained during the solution of one problem to another relevant problem. In the presented model, the learning features from the pre-trained networks such as the squeezeNet and DenseNet are extracted and transferred with the features that have been extracted from the INbreast dataset. To measure the proposed model performance, we selected accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and area under the ROC curve (AUC) as our metrics of choice. The classification of mammographic data using the suggested model yielded overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and AUC values of 99.236%, 98.8%, 99.1%, 96%, and 0.998, respectively, demonstrating the model’s efficacy in detecting breast tumors.
Anti-atopic dermatitis effect of fish collagen on house dust mite-induced mice and HaCaT keratinocytes
Authors: Kim Hye-Min , Jin Bo-Ram , Lee Jin-Sil , Jo Eun Heui , Park Min Cheol , An Hyo-Jin
Published: September 2023

Collagen, a major structural protein in mammalian tissues, is effective against skin wounds and osteoarthritis. Although bovine and porcine collagens have mainly been used, several potential risks of mammalian collagen have led to the use of fish collagen (FC) as an alternative. FC and its peptides are used as common cosmeceutical products because of their antihypertensive, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant activities. Despite the effects of FC on wrinkle reduction, UV-protection, and wound healing, the relationship between FC and atopic dermatitis (AD) has not yet been reported. Therefore, we investigated the anti-AD effects of FC against house dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae, HDM)-induced AD in NC/Nga mice and TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes. FC alleviated AD apparent symptoms, such as dermatitis score, transepidermal water loss, epidermal thickness, and mast cell infiltration upon declining pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators, IL-6, IL-5, IL-13, TSLP, and TNF-α. The skin barrier protein, filaggrin, was also recovered by FC administration in vivo and in vitro. Immune response and skin barrier dysfunction are both mitigated by three routes of FC administration: oral, topical, and both routes via the regulation of IκB, MAPKs, and STATs pathways. In summary, FC could be a potential therapeutic agent for AD by regulating immune balance and skin barrier function.
Cystic fibrosis-related mortality in the United States from 1999 to 2020: an observational analysis of time trends and disparities
Authors: Singh Harpreet , Jani Chinmay , Marshall Dominic C. , Franco Rose , Bhatt Padmanabh , Podder Shreya , Shalhoub Joseph , Kurman Jonathan S. , Nanchal Rahul , Uluer Ahmet Z. , Salciccioli Justin D.
Published: September 2023

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulators have revolutionized cystic fibrosis (CF) care in the past decade. This study explores the CF-related mortality trends in the US from 1999 to 2020. We extracted CF-related mortality data from the CDC WONDER database. CF age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) were identified by ICD-10 code E84 and were stratified by demographic and geographical variables. Temporal trends were analyzed using Joinpoint modeling. CF-related ASMRs decreased from 1.9 to 1.04 per million population (p = 0.013), with a greater reduction in recent years. This trend was replicated in both sexes. The median age of death increased from 24 to 37 years. CF mortality rates decreased across sex, white race, non-Hispanic ethnicity, census regions, and urbanization status. Incongruent trends were reported in non-white races and Hispanic ethnicity. A lower median age of death was observed in women, non-white races, and Hispanic ethnicity. SARS-CoV-2 infection was the primary cause of death in 1.7% of CF decedents in 2020. The national CF-related mortality rates declined and the median age of death among CF decedents increased significantly indicating better survival in the recent years. The changes were relatively slow during the earlier period of the study, followed by a greater decline lately. We observed patterns of sex, ethnic, racial, and geographical disparities associated with the worsening of the gap between ethnicities, narrowing of the gap between races and rural vs. urban counties, and closing of the gap between sexes over the study period.
Boundedly rational bidding decision for land auctions during the transformation of real estate markets
Authors: Liao Rujin , Zhang Jing , Tan Ruwen , Wu Yilin , Yu Minjiu
Published: September 2023

Real estate developers in China exhibit different boundedly rational behaviors when bidding in different land auction formats, resulting in deviation from fully rational bidding, and the transformation of China’s real estate industry has intensified this deviation. To address this problem, this study establishes a reference utility model and a subjective decision probability model under the framework of incomplete information game to characterize developers’ utility distortion and winning probability distortion in open-bid auctions and sealed-bid auctions for land, respectively. The results show that the deviation between bounded rational bidding and fully rational bidding increases as developer competition intensifies. The equilibrium bidding of cost-disadvantaged developers in the boundedly rational model deviates less from the standard model. Moreover, in sealed-bid auctions, the "hiding degree" of cost-advantaged developers is greater, showing size effects, while the bids in open-bid auctions are more complex and affected by market conditions and developers’ risk preferences. Thus, this study characterizes boundedly rational bidding in land auctions and interprets the deviation from fully rational bidding, which can provide a more real basis for land auction mechanism design.
Association between cardiovascular diseases and dementia among various age groups: a population-based cohort study in older adults
Authors: Boivin-Proulx Laurie-Anne , Brouillette Judith , Dorais Marc , Perreault Sylvie
Published: September 2023

The link between cardiovascular (CV) risk factors or diseases and dementia is documented. There is conflicting evidence whether age moderates the association. We need to study this gap so that research and clinical initiatives target appropriate age groups. A cohort of 320,630 adult patients without dementia was built using Quebec healthcare databases (1998–2010). The CV risk factors were hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia, while diseases included stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), chronic heart failure (HF), and atrial fibrillation (AF). Dementia risk and CV risk factors or diseases were assessed using incidence rate ratios and Cox regression across age groups. The cohort presented by mainly female sex (67.7%) and mean age of 74.1 years. Incident rate of dementia increased with age, ranging from 4.1 to 93.5 per 1000 person-years. Diabetes, stroke, HF and AF were significantly associated with dementia risk, hazard ratios ranged from 1.08 to 3.54. The strength of association decreased in advanced age for diabetes, stroke and HF. The results suggest that prevention of diabetes, stroke, HF and AF are crucial to mitigate dementia risk. The pathophysiology of dementia in younger and older populations seems to differ, with less impact of CV risk factors in advanced age.
Prognostic impacts of participation in prospective surgical clinical trials on surgical outcomes in gastric cancer patients
Authors: Song Jeong Ho , Shin Ho-Jung , Son Sang-Yong , Hur Hoon , Han Sang-Uk
Published: September 2023

Various prospective surgical trials have been conducted on treating patients with gastric cancer. In clinical practice, patients and surgeons may hesitate to participate in prospective surgical trials due to trial-related complications. In this study, we evaluated the effects of participation in prospective surgical trials on surgical outcomes after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. This study included 1689 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer between 2016 and 2020. The propensity score weighting (PSW) method was used to adjust for differences in baseline clinicopathological characteristics between patients who participated and those who did not participate in prospective surgical clinical trials. Perioperative outcomes and overall survival were compared between groups. Of the 1689 patients, 309 (18.3%) participated in surgical clinical trials (SCT group). Before PSW, the SCT group had a similar operation time, intraoperative blood loss, complications, major complications, and hospital stay as the non-SCT group but had superior overall survival. After PSW, overall survival and perioperative outcomes were not significantly different between the groups. The present study suggests that participation in prospective surgical trials was not associated with surgical outcomes. Patients and surgeons may participate in prospective surgical trials without fearing adverse effects on surgical outcomes.
Intelligent planning of controllers for improved resilience in multi-area system involving nuclear power
Authors: Kumar Prince , Kumar Kunal , Kumar Bohre Aashish , Adhikary Nabanita , Lakew Tesfaye Eshet
Published: September 2023

Increased innovation on finding new ways to generate energy from different sources to meet the growing demand of consumers has led to various challenges in controlling the power network when it faces different disruptions. To address these challenges, a new approach has been proposed in this research paper, which combines a controller with a soft computing technique called Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The study considers a power system with four units, where three different energy sources are utilized and distributed across two areas. Each area has two power sources, with one area having a combination of thermal and gas power plants, and the other area consisting of a nuclear power plant and a gas power plant. Transmitting power from the nuclear power plant is particularly complex due to its high sensitivity to disturbances. Therefore, an intelligent and efficient controller is needed to ensure robust control in this type of power network that includes nuclear power. The paper also conducts a thorough analysis of the harmful emissions associated with electricity generation from the different power plants considered. The goal is to reduce the carbon footprint associated with power generation. The proposed work and analysis in the paper are implemented using the MATLAB/SIMULINK environment.
Favipiravir treatment in non-severe COVID-19: promising results from multicenter propensity score-matched study (FAVICOV)
Authors: Siripongboonsitti Taweegrit , Muadchimkaew Marisa , Tawinprai Kriangkrai , Issaranon Ornisa , Meepholkij Wichuda , Arttawejkul Pureepat , Vararungzarit Apiradee , Thavornwattana Kaewklao , Mahanonda Nithi
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of favipiravir (FPV) in preventing the development of severe COVID-19 in patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms. The study evaluated 1037 COVID-19 patients treated with FPV or standard treatment between April and September 2021, analyzed by propensity score matching. 149 patients were included in each arm after propensity score matching. The clinical outcomes showed no deterioration of the WHO clinical progression scale in the FPV group compared to the standard treatment group on day 5 (83.2% vs. 69.1%, p < 0.001). The WHO clinical progression scale also showed improvements on day 14 in the FPV group compared to the standard treatment group (66.4% vs. 46.3%, p < 0.001). The rates of oxygen supplementation and hospitalization were significantly lower in the FPV group compared to the standard treatment group (0% vs. 12.1% and 0.7% vs. 17.4%, respectively, p < 0.001 for both). There were no differences in adverse events between the two groups. The study highlights the effectiveness of FPV in preventing severe COVID-19 and hospitalization in patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms. The findings emphasize the importance of personalized treatment plans for COVID-19 patients, starting FPV treatment early, and adjusting dosages based on ethnicity and body weight.
Design of a novel multiepitope vaccine against Chlamydia pneumoniae using the extracellular protein as a target
Authors: Guo Xiaomei , Pan Xiaohong , Sun Qiangming , Hu Yunzhang , Shi Jiandong
Published: September 2023

Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) infection in humans is universal and causes various respiratory infectious diseases, making a safe and effective preventive vaccine essential. In this study, a multi-epitope vaccine with CTLA-4 extracellular structure was constructed by an immunoinformatics approach. Since MOMP protein is the major extracellular protein in C. pneumoniae and has good immunogenicity and high conservation, we selected the MOMP protein of C. pneumoniae as the antigen target, predicted the T and B cell epitopes of the MOMP protein and then connected the CTLA-4 extracellular structure with the predicted dominant epitopes by various linkers to construct a multi-epitope vaccine. The biochemical characterization of the multi-epitope vaccine showed its immunogenicity and anti-allergic properties. The tertiary structure of this vaccine, along with molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and principal component analysis, showed that the multi-epitope vaccine structure interacted with B7 (B7-1, B7-2) and toll-like receptors (TLR-2, TLR-4). Ultimately, the vaccine was cloned and effectively expressed in silico on an insect baculovirus expression vector (pFastBac1). These analyses showed that the designed vaccine could potentially target antigen-presenting cells and was immune to C. pneumoniae, which provided novel strategies for developing the vaccine.
Association between pre- and postoperative rotational mismatches of the femorotibial components and bones in bi-cruciate retaining and posterior stabilized total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Tone Shine , Hasegawa Masahiro , Naito Yohei , Wakabayashi Hiroki , Sudo Akihiro
Published: September 2023

To clarify the association between pre- and postoperative rotational mismatches of the femorotibial components and bones for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with bi-cruciate retaining (BCR) design and with fixed bearing posterior stabilized (PS) design. This retrospective cohort study included 40 BCR TKAs and 50 PS TKAs. Pre- and postoperative rotational mismatches of the femorotibial components and bones were measured by three-dimensional assessment based on computed tomography imaging. The mean value and percentage within ± 5° of pre- and postoperative rotational mismatches were compared between BCR TKA and PS TKA. Correlations between pre- and postoperative rotational mismatches of the femorotibial components and bones were investigated in BCR TKA and PS TKA. There was no significant difference in mean preoperative rotational mismatch of femorotibial components and bones between BCR TKA and PS TKA. Mean postoperative rotational mismatch of femorotibial components and bones was significantly greater in BCR TKA than in PS TKA. Postoperative rotational mismatch of the femorotibial components was within ± 5° in 21 knees (52.5%) for BCR TKA and in 43 knees (86.0%) for PS TKA. The rate of postoperative rotational mismatch of the femorotibial components and bones within ± 5° was significantly lower for BCR TKA than for PS TKA. In BCR TKA, there was a positive correlation between pre- and postoperative rotational mismatches of the femorotibial components and of bones. We consider these results can be attributed to the retention of both cruciate ligaments, which may affect the reduction of rotational permittance of the components and bones.
Impact of urban agglomeration construction on urban air quality–empirical test based on PSM–DID model
Authors: Zhang Wanxiong , Cui Ruiyun , Li Changyuan , Ge Hailong , Zhang Zhuoya , Tang Xueqiong
Published: September 2023

Urban agglomerations have become a new trend in the development of urbanization and regionalization in the world today. The construction of urban agglomerations has brought rapid economic development as well as a series of ecological and environmental problems, especially the impact on urban air quality. How to understand and evaluate the impact of urban agglomeration construction on air quality is a key issue that requires attention. City cluster construction is equivalent to a "quasi-natural experiment". This study empirically examines the impact of urban agglomeration construction on air quality in southwest China by constructing a PSM–DID model. It is found that: (1) City cluster construction has significantly improved urban air quality in urban clusters with lagging and forward-looking effects on air quality. (2) In terms of influencing factors, the level of economic development considerably improves the air quality of urban cluster cities, the industrial structure severely deteriorates the air quality of these cities, and meteorological factors highly affect their air quality. Among them, average annual urban rainfall significantly reduces urban air pollutant concentrations in urban clusters, average annual temperature significantly increases urban air pollutant concentrations, and average annual wind speed can reduce urban air pollutant concentrations. (3) Urban agglomerations are spatially heterogeneous in their impact on air quality. In this context, the topographical conditions and the level of development of urban agglomerations have a non-negligible influence on pollutant concentrations. (4) The distribution pattern of air quality pollutant concentrations in each urban agglomeration is unstable, and there are large differences in these concentrations between different urban agglomerations.
Probing miniband structure and Hofstadter butterfly in gated graphene superlattices via magnetotransport
Authors: Mreńca-Kolasińska Alina , Chen Szu-Chao , Liu Ming-Hao
Published: September 2023

The presence of periodic modulation in graphene leads to a reconstruction of the band structure and formation of minibands. In an external uniform magnetic field, a fractal energy spectrum called Hofstadter butterfly is formed. Particularly interesting in this regard are superlattices with tunable modulation strength, such as electrostatically induced ones in graphene. We perform quantum transport modeling in gate-induced square two-dimensional superlattice in graphene and investigate the relation to the details of the band structure. At low magnetic field the dynamics of carriers reflects the semi-classical orbits which depend on the mini band structure. We theoretically model transverse magnetic focusing, a ballistic transport technique by means of which we investigate the minibands, their extent and carrier type. We find a good agreement between the focusing spectra and the mini band structures obtained from the continuum model, proving usefulness of this technique. At high magnetic field the calculated four-probe resistance fit the Hofstadter butterfly spectrum obtained for our superlattice. Our quantum transport modeling provides an insight into the mini band structures, and can be applied to other superlattice geometries.
Phase engineering of inorganic halide Cs–Pb–Br perovskites for advanced energy conversion
Authors: Yang Zhigang , Zhang Shuqin , Sheng Tianqing , Lv Xinran , Wei Xuguang , Qin Shengjian , Yi Shenghui , Zhao Jinjin
Published: September 2023

All-inorganic metal halide perovskites have been actively investigated as promising energy-converting materials for abundant applications owing to their excellent electronic and optical properties.
Throughput‐delay tradeoff for opportunistic spectrum access in cognitive radio networks
Authors: Zhang Jing , Liang Chu‐Long , Gao Hong‐Xu , Yan He , Zhu Hong‐Bo
Published: September 2023

The internet of things accelerates the wireless connections of massive devices to provide all kinds of new services, and thus intensifies the spectrum scarcity and access delay. Cognitive radio (CR) technology brings a solution for the issue. As a typical CR scheme, opportunistic spectrum access (OSA) has been addressed widely in the past decade. However, the tradeoff between two key indexes, the throughput of cognitive radio network (CRN) and the delay of secondary user (SU), is rarely mentioned so far, which ignites the authors’ work in this paper. Taking into account a channel handoff (CH) based multi‐channel OSA scenario, the authors first analyze the opportunistic transmission performance of SU, and model the throughput of CRN as well as the handoff delay of SU. Then, the authors build up a delay‐constraint throughput optimization problem, and thus formulate the throughput‐delay tradeoff for OSA. Finally, the optimal traffic rates of SU for a good throughput‐delay tradeoff are derived according to maximizing the throughput of CRN. Theoretical and simulated results show that to enhance the throughput and to reduce the delay do not conflict always. By well adjusting the traffic rates of SU according to the traffic rates of primary user, the throughput of CRN can be improved while the handoff delay can be kept under a given level.
An accelerated primal‐dual method for semi‐definite programming relaxation of optimal power flow
Authors: Shi Zhan , Wang Xinying , Yan Dong , Chen Sheng , Lin Zhenwei , Xia Jingfan , Deng Qi
Published: September 2023

The application of a semi‐definite programming (SDP) approach to the Alternating Current Optimal Power Flow problem has attracted significant attention in recent years. However, the SDP relaxation of optimal power flow (OPF) can be computationally intensive and lead to memory issues when dealing with large‐scale power systems. To overcome these challenges, we have developed APD–SDP, an optimisation solver based on a first‐order primal–dual algorithm. This framework incorporates various acceleration techniques, such as rescaling, step size decay and reset, adaptive line search, and restart, to improve efficiency. To further speed up computations, we have developed a customised eigenvalue decomposition component by exploiting the 3 × 3 block structure in the dual SDP formulation. Experimental results demonstrate that APD–SDP outperforms other commercial and open‐source SDP solvers on large‐scale and high‐dimensional PGLib‐OPF datasets.
KMT-2021-BLG-1547Lb: Giant microlensing planet detected through a signal deformed due to source binarity
Authors: Han Cheongho , Zang Weicheng , Jung Youn Kil , Bond Ian A. , Chung Sun-Ju , Albrow Michael D. , Gould Andrew , Hwang Kyu-Ha , Ryu Yoon-Hyun , Shin In-Gu , Shvartzvald Yossi , Yang Hongjing , Yee Jennifer C. , Cha Sang-Mok , Kim Doeon , Kim Dong-Jin , Kim Seung-Lee , Lee Chung-Uk , Lee Dong-Joo , Lee Yongseok , Park Byeong-Gon , Pogge Richard W. , Monard Berto , Qian Qiyue , Liu Zhuokai , Maoz Dan , Penny Matthew T. , Zhu Wei , Abe Fumio , Barry Richard , Bennett David P. , Bhattacharya Aparna , Fujii Hirosame , Fukui Akihiko , Hamada Ryusei , Hirao Yuki , Ishitani Silva Stela , Itow Yoshitaka , Kirikawa Rintaro , Kondo Iona , Koshimoto Naoki , Matsubara Yutaka , Miyazaki Shota , Muraki Yasushi , Olmschenk Greg , Ranc Clément , Rattenbury Nicholas J. , Satoh Yuki , Sumi Takahiro , Suzuki Daisuke , Tomoyoshi Mio , Tristram Paul J. , Vandorou Aikaterini , Yama Hibiki , Yamashita Kansuke
Published: September 2023

Aims. We investigate the previous microlensing data collected by the KMTNet survey in search of anomalous events for which no precise interpretations of the anomalies had been suggested. From this investigation, we find that the anomaly in the lensing light curve of the event KMT-2021-BLG-1547 is approximately described by a binary-lens (2L1S) model with a lens possessing a giant planet, but the model leaves unexplained residuals.

Methods. We investigated the origin of the residuals by testing more sophisticated models that include either an extra lens component (3L1S model) or an extra source star (2L2S model) on top of the 2L1S configuration of the lens system. From these analyses, we find that the residuals from the 2L1S model originate from the existence of a faint companion to the source. The 2L2S solution substantially reduces the residuals and improves the model fit by Δχ2 = 67.1 with respect to the 2L1S solution. The 3L1S solution also improves the fit, but its fit is worse than that of the 2L2S solution by Δχ2 = 24.7.

Results. According to the 2L2S solution, the lens of the event is a planetary system with planet and host masses (Mp/MJ, Mh/M⊙) = (1.47−0.77+0.64, 0.72−0.38+0.32) lying at a distance DL = 5.07−1.50+0.98 kpc, and the source is a binary composed of a subgiant primary of a late G or an early K spectral type and a main-sequence companion of a K spectral type. The event demonstrates the need for sophisticated modeling of unexplained anomalies if one wants to construct a complete microlensing planet sample.
The galaxy counterpart and environment of the dusty damped Lyman-αabsorber atz= 2.226 towards Q 1218+0832
Authors: Fynbo J. P. U. , Christensen L. , Geier S. J. , Heintz K. E. , Krogager J.-K. , Ledoux C. , Milvang-Jensen B. , Møller P. , Vejlgaard S. , Viuho J. , Östlin G.
Published: September 2023

We report on further observations of the field of the quasar Q 1218+0832. Geier et al. (2019, A&A, 625, L9) presented the discovery of the quasar resulting from a search for quasars reddened and dimmed by dust in foreground damped Lyman-αabsorbers (DLAs). The DLA is remarkable by having a very large H Icolumn density close to 1022cm−2. Its dust extinction curve shows the 2175 Å bump known from the Local Group. It also shows absorption from cold gas exemplified by C Iand CO molecules. For this paper, we present narrow-band observations of the field of Q 1218+0832 and also use an archivalHubbleSpace Telescope (HST) image to search for the galaxy counterpart of the DLA. No emission from the DLA galaxy is found in either the narrow-band imaging or in the HST image. In the HST image, we could probe down to an impact parameter of 0.3 arcsec and a 3-σdetection limit of 26.8 mag per arcsec2. In the narrow-band image, we probed down to a 0 arcsec impact parameter and detected nothing down to a 3-σdetection limit of about 3 × 10−17erg s−1cm−2. We did detect a bright Lyman-αemitter 59 arcsec south of Q 1218+0832 with a flux of 3 × 10−16erg s−1cm−2. We conclude that the DLA galaxy must be located at a very small impact parameter (< 0.3 arcsec, 2.5 kpc) or it is optically dark. Also, the DLA galaxy most likely is part of a galaxy group.
Bounds for Aα-eigenvalues
Authors: Domingos Gomes da Silva João , Oliveira Carla Silva , da Costa Liliana Manuela G.C.
Published: September 2023

Let G be a graph with adjacency matrix A(G) and degree diagonal matrix D(G). In 2017, Nikiforov (V. Nikiforov, Appl. Anal. Discret. Math. 11 (2017) 81–107.) defined the matrix Aα(G), as a convex combination of A(G) and D(G), the following way, Aα(G) = αA(G) + (1 − α)D(G) where α ∈ [0,1]. In this paper we present some new upper and lower bounds for the largest, second largest and the smallest eigenvalue of Aα-matrix. Moreover, extremal graphs attaining some of these bounds are characterized.
A 20-Year Experience with Tissue Expansion for Large Cervical Fascial Defects: An Algorithm Based on Different Clinical Flap Designs
Authors: Luo Si-Si , Yang Zhe , Ma Ning , Li Yang-Qun
Published: September 2023

Over the past 20 years, we have designed various types of expanded cervical flaps for large facial defects and achieved excellent tissue matching. This study was performed to propose a treatment strategy for flap selection for the reconstruction of different facial units. The authors retrospectively reviewed the application of cervical expanded flaps for facial rehabilitation in our department between January 2003 and January 2023. The study included 122 patients with unilateral (62.3%) and bilateral (37.7%) facial deformities ranging from the zygomatic arch to the chin. The median area of the tissue defect was 15.2 × 8.5 cm2 (ranging from 6 × 4 cm2 to 27 × 12 cm2). The expansion period ranged from 61 to 175 days (mean: 86.5 days). Maximum and minimum sizes of pre-expanded cervical flaps were 30 × 13 cm2 to 7 × 5 cm2. All the flaps could be summarized into type 1, an advanced expanded cervical flap; type 2, a wing-shaped expanded cervical flap with overlapping tissue expansion; and type 3, an expanded single-lobed transposition flap rotated based on the anterior neck. Cervical flaps reliably meet the reconstructive requirements for different facial units, especially for large cutaneous defects in the clinic. The selection of these flaps can be planned preoperatively according to the location and size of the defect or lesion.
Escape rate in ac SQUID on josephson junction based on single- and multi-band superconductors in thermal activation regime
Authors: Aydin A. , Askerzade I. N. , Askerbeyli R.
Published: September 2023

The escape rate of S→R switching (from superconducting S state to unstable resistive R state) in an ac SQUID with Josephson junction based on single- and multi-band superconductors is investigated by taking the frustration effects in a multi-band superconducting state into account. Using the effective critical current approach, it is shown that the escape rate in thermal activation regime can manifest qualitative features caused by the frustration effects in two- and three-band superconductors.
Spin-dependent resonant Andreev tunneling in hybrid ferromagnetic metal–magnetic quantum dot–superconductor nanostructures
Authors: Krivoruchko V. N. , Koshina E. A.
Published: September 2023

There exists a variety of theoretical proposals to transform states induced by magnetic nanoparticles inside a superconducting gap into Majorana fermion states. The main challenge in this route is a conclusive proof and undoubted distinguishing between topologically trivial subgap Andreev bound states and topologically nontrivial magnetically polarized Majorana bound states. This motivated us to investigate a nonequilibrium electrons tunneling through a ferromagnetic normal metal–magnetic quantum dot–s-wave superconductor (F-mQD-SC) nanostructure, where the mQD’s discrete levels are spin splitted. By using the Keldysh Green’s function method, the expressions for a tunnel current and probability of the Andreev reflection (AR) versus energy are derived and studied. We find that the system’s resonant ARs conductance exhibits different kinds of peaks depending on a spin splitting of the mQD levels, the spin polarization magnitude of the F-lead current, the gate voltage, and an external magnetic field magnitude. The nanostructure’s conductance versus a bias voltage exhibits extra peaks which at some combination of its parameters can mimic ones expected for Majorana modes in a topological superconducting state. The distinguishing transport characteristics of a F-mQD-SC nanoscale structure being in non-topological state are discussed. We suggest that the results obtained can provide helpful clarification for understanding recent experiments in superconductor–ferromagnet hybrid nanostructures with topologically protected excitations.