bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statistical Optimization and Downstream Processing of C‐Phycocyanin from Phormidium valderianum
Authors: Nair Maya Suresh , Rajarathinam Ravikumar , Velmurugan Sivasubramanian , Sam Kevin Joseph , Arumugam Loganathan
Published: November 2022

C‐Phycocyanin (C‐PC), a blue pigment from cyanobacteria, is a promising replacement for harmful synthetic food colors. The cyanobacterium Phormidium valderianum is suggested as an alternative source for C‐PC to the frequently utilized Spirulina. The importance of harvest time is emphasized as a key variable in the optimization process. To increase the C‐PC concentration, the effects and optimal values of sonication time, harvesting time, and pH levels were evaluated using response surface methodology. C‐PC extracted by ultrasonication was adsorbed by activated charcoal and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane filtration to achieve food‐grade purity. The product now has a shelf life of more than nine months and better thermal stability of 75 ± 2 °C.
Simulation Multi‐Objective Particle Swarm Optimization of a Crude Oil Distillation Unit
Authors: Jumaah Ahmed Fadhil , Amooey Ali Akbar , Nabavi Seyed Reza
Published: November 2022

The crude distillation unit (CDU) plays a significant role in the petroleum refinery. Decision variables of this unit have an effect on the final product quality, quantity, and energy consumption. The aim of this work is to increase the profit of the refinery proportionally with reducing emissions by getting high distillate products through selection of the optimal conditions. Two goal functions in three cases, namely, profit, CO2 emission, energy cost, and total distillate are considered. Therefore, the multi‐objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm is implemented by using MATLAB to optimize the CDU unit and then linked to an ASPEN HYSYS simulator. The effect of the temperature of preheated crude is demonstrated in the Pareto front. Also, the influence of the other variables, i.e., reflux ratio, atmospheric stripper steam, and amount of fuel burnt, is investigated.
Recent achievements of free‐standing material and interface optimization in high‐energy‐density flexible lithium batteries
Authors: Zuo Lanlan , Lu Di , Yang Tianyan , Yue Dan , Li Weidong , Ma Qiang , Chen Yufang , Zheng Chunman , Wu Xiongwei
Published: November 2022

Lithium‐based batteries are the most potential state‐of‐the‐art energy storage device for flexible electronics. The flexible lithium batteries have the advantages of high energy density, robust mechanical durability, and stable power output even under dynamic deformation. Among them, the synergies of flexible free‐standing electrodes, solid electrolytes, and electrode–electrolyte interfaces are crucial to achieving the goal of high energy density and safety performance for flexible lithium batteries. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the interface formation mechanism and influencing factors is crucial for the design of flexible electrodes and solid electrolytes. In this review, the interface challenges in flexible lithium‐based batteries including interface formation, electrodes‐electrolyte interface, and interparticle interface characteristics are presented. Then, strategies of interface optimization are summarized and discussed. Following this, the interface of flexible lithium‐based batteries with novel architecture is introduced, including the interface between each component and unit of the battery. Finally, the perspectives for the future development of flexible lithium‐based batteries are also given.
Construction of Sandwich‐Like r‐Fe3O4/rGO@CN Anode Materials as Conductive Agent‐Free Anode for Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhou Hui , Zhou Ju , Wang Jitong , Ling Licheng , Qiao Wenming
Published: November 2022

Fe3O4 is a prospective anode material but faces challenges to develop high‐performance electrodes for lithium‐ion battery. In this paper, Fe3O4 nanorods wrapped with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as the conducting matrix and an amorphous nitrogen‐doped carbon (CN) as the protective coating were prepared using the hydrothermal method and freeze‐drying process. The obtained Fe3O4 nanorods are uniformly dispersed on the rGO nanosheet. The addition of rGO improves the electrical conductivity of the composite, while the amorphous carbon layer mitigates the volume expansion effect of Fe3O4 nanorods. Moreover, the in‐situ nitrogen doping accelerates the wetting effect of the electrolyte as well as reduces the diffusion and transfer resistance. Therefore, the obtained r‐Fe3O4/rGO@CN composite as conductive agent‐free anode exhibits outstanding performance and cycling stability at suitable nitrogen‐doped carbon coverage. The capacity could be maintained at 1020.7 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.5 A g−1. In addition, the capacity fading rate of per cycle is only 0.08% at a high current density of 2 A g−1. Our findings suggest that the prepared r‐Fe3O4/rGO@CN composite is a prospective candidate for utilization as an anode material in lithium‐ion batteries.
Tailoring Donor‐Acceptor Emitters to Minimise Localisation Induced Quenching of Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence
Authors: Penfold T. J. , Eng J.
Published: November 2022

By inverting the common structural motif of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials to a rigid donor core and multiple peripheral acceptors, it has been shown possible to achieve both a reverse intersystem crossing (rISC) rate
1×107 s−1 and a unity photoluminescence quantum yield [Dos Santos et al. Adv. Sci. 5 (2018) 1700989]. However, the rISC rate in this motif is quenched by localisation of the excited state electronic structure which causes in‐equivalence between the peripheral acceptors. In this paper, we explore a series of related molecular targets which seek to reduce the effect of localisation on the rISC rates. This includes structures that contain donors exhibiting three‐fold or four‐fold symmetry and different degrees of steric hindrance around the donor‐acceptor bond with the objective of using steric hindrance to exert finer conformational control of the excited state dynamics to enhance functional properties. We demonstrate that a triazatruxene central donor is most effective for TADF owing to the energetic position of the locally excited state, while cyano‐benzonitriles are the most effective acceptors for reducing the effect of localisation on the electronic structure. These also push the emission into the blue region of the spectrum, opening the possibilities for this to be a pathway to develop efficient blue TADF emitters.
Animal Models of Osteoarthritis Part 1–Preclinical Small Animal Models: Challenges and Opportunities for Drug Development
Authors: Rios Jaqueline Lourdes , Sapède Dora , Djouad Farida , Rapp Anna E. , Lang Annemarie , Larkin Jonathan , Ladel Christoph , Mobasheri Ali
Published: November 2022

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and a major source of pain and disability in the adult population. There is a significant unmet medical need for the development of effective pharmacological therapies for the treatment of OA. In addition to spontaneously occurring animal models of OA, many experimental animal models have been developed to provide insights into mechanisms of pathogenesis and progression. Many of these animal models are also being used in the drug development pipeline. Here, we provide an overview of commonly used and emerging preclinical small animal models of OA and highlight the strengths and limitations of small animal models in the context of translational drug development. There is limited information in the published literature regarding the technical reliability of these small animal models and their ability to accurately predict clinical drug development outcomes. The cost and complexity of the available models however is an important consideration for pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology startups, and contract research organizations wishing to incorporate preclinical models in target validation, discovery, and development pipelines. Further considerations relevant to industry include timelines, methods of induction, the key issue of reproducibility, and appropriate outcome measures needed to objectively assess outcomes of experimental therapeutics. Preclinical small animal models are indispensable tools that will shine some light on the pathogenesis of OA and its molecular endotypes in the context of drug development. This paper will focus on small animal models used in preclinical OA research. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Pattern and clinical phenotype of systemic lupus erythematosus among male patients: Hospital‐based study
Authors: Gutbi Hind Abbas , Elagib Elnour Mohammed , Essa Mohammed Elmujtba Adam , Ahmed Noha Ibrahim , Saadelnour Mohammed Ahmed Idrees
Published: November 2022

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease of unknown aetiology. SLE is mostly considered a disease of women, though men may also be affected, and this may lead to a delay in diagnosis in men. The result is a greater burden of inflammation and subsequent organ damage over time. This study aims to assess the pattern, clinical phenotype and organ damage in male patients with SLE.

Methods

A descriptive cross‐sectional study enrolled 30 male SLE patients in Omdurman Military Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan, during the period of December 2019 to May 2020. Data were collected by designated questioner containing demographics, age at diagnosis, clinical manifestations at onset and during the disease course and immunological assays. The data were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Studies Program.

Results

The mean age of 35.7 years ranged and the mean age at diagnosis was 32 years, and a third of the patients were found in the age group (30–39 years). The origin distribution showed that 50% of the patients were from central areas, and most of the patients were university graduates, the mean SLE duration was 5 years. Constitutional symptoms were the major manifestation at the onset of SLE in 56.7% of the patients. SLE manifestations during the course of the disease were mainly musculoskeletal manifestations in 87.7% of patients.

Conclusion

The mean duration of the disease is 5 years, and the mean age of the patients is in the middle of their thirties, the constitutional symptoms were the major manifestation and musculoskeletal manifestations came second to that and almost all of them have positive antinuclear antibodies and anti‐dsDNA.
microRNA‐124 regulates Notch and NeuroD1 to mediate transition states of neuronal development
Authors: Konrad Kalin D. , Song Jia L.
Published: November 2022

MicroRNAs regulate gene expression by destabilizing target mRNA and/or inhibiting translation in animal cells. The ability to mechanistically dissect miR‐124′s function during specification, differentiation, and maturation of neurons during development within a single system has not been accomplished. Using the sea urchin embryo, we take advantage of the manipulability of the embryo and its well‐documented gene regulatory networks (GRNs). We incorporated NeuroD1 as part of the sea urchin neuronal GRN and determined that miR‐124 inhibition resulted in aberrant gut contractions, swimming velocity, and neuronal development. Inhibition of miR‐124 resulted in an increased number of cells expressing transcription factors (TFs) associated with progenitor neurons and a concurrent decrease of mature and functional neurons. Results revealed that in the early blastula/gastrula stages, miR‐124 regulates undefined factors during neuronal specification and differentiation. In the late gastrula/larval stages, miR‐124 regulates Notch and NeuroD1 during the transition between neuronal differentiation and maturation. Overall, we have improved the neuronal GRN and identified miR‐124 to play a prolific role in regulating various transitions of neuronal development.
AICAr to SAICAr ratio can serve as additional marker of AICAr use
Authors: Sobolevsky Tim , Piper Thomas , Ahrens Brian , Thevis Mario
Published: November 2022

AICAr (5‐aminoimidazole‐4‐carboxamide‐1‐β‐D‐ribofuranoside, commonly referred to as AICAR) is an adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase agonist previously investigated for its therapeutic potential which has been shown to improve exercise performance in laboratory animals. For this reason, the World Anti‐Doping Agency prohibits the use of AICAr in sports. AICAr can easily be detected by means of liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, but being an endogenous metabolite, it cannot be discriminated from AICAr of a non‐natural origin. Population‐based concentration thresholds have been suggested as a means to identify suspicious samples that would require further analysis by carbon isotope ratio mass spectrometry (CIR); however, it remains at the discretion of the laboratory how to apply them. Here, the urinary ratio of AICAr to SAICA‐riboside (SAICAr) that is a closely related purine metabolite was investigated. In an athlete population of 5517 samples, this ratio was relatively narrowly distributed with median values and 99th percentiles of 3.3 and 9.3, and 4.2 and 14 in male and female athletes, respectively. Analysis of urine samples obtained from an AICAr administration study demonstrated that the AICAr/SAICAr ratio can serve in addition to AICAr concentration as a valuable diagnostic trigger for follow‐up analysis by CIR. Conceivably, this combination can offer better retrospectivity than AICAr concentration alone by allowing to decrease the AICAr concentration threshold without significantly increasing the number of suspicious samples.
Scientists' warning on climate change and insects
Authors: Harvey Jeffrey A. , Tougeron Kévin , Gols Rieta , Heinen Robin , Abarca Mariana , Abram Paul K. , Basset Yves , Berg Matty , Boggs Carol , Brodeur Jacques , Cardoso Pedro , de Boer Jetske G. , De Snoo Geert R. , Deacon Charl , Dell Jane E. , Desneux Nicolas , Dillon Michael E. , Duffy Grant A. , Dyer Lee A. , Ellers Jacintha , Espíndola Anahí , Fordyce James , Forister Matthew L. , Fukushima Caroline , Gage Matthew J. G. , García‐Robledo Carlos , Gely Claire , Gobbi Mauro , Hallmann Caspar , Hance Thierry , Harte John , Hochkirch Axel , Hof Christian , Hoffmann Ary A. , Kingsolver Joel G. , Lamarre Greg P. A. , Laurance William F. , Lavandero Blas , Leather Simon R. , Lehmann Philipp , Le Lann Cécile , López‐Uribe Margarita M. , Ma Chun‐Sen , Ma Gang , Moiroux Joffrey , Monticelli Lucie , Nice Chris , Ode Paul J. , Pincebourde Sylvain , Ripple William J. , Rowe Melissah , Samways Michael J. , Sentis Arnaud , Shah Alisha A. , Stork Nigel , Terblanche John S. , Thakur Madhav P. , Thomas Matthew B. , Tylianakis Jason M. , Van Baaren Joan , Van de Pol Martijn , Van der Putten Wim H. , Van Dyck Hans , Verberk Wilco C. E. P. , Wagner David L. , Weisser Wolfgang W. , Wetzel William C. , Woods H. Arthur , Wyckhuys Kris A. G. , Chown Steven L.
Published: November 2022

Climate warming is considered to be among the most serious of anthropogenic stresses to the environment, because it not only has direct effects on biodiversity, but it also exacerbates the harmful effects of other human‐mediated threats. The associated consequences are potentially severe, particularly in terms of threats to species preservation, as well as in the preservation of an array of ecosystem services provided by biodiversity. Among the most affected groups of animals are insects—central components of many ecosystems—for which climate change has pervasive effects from individuals to communities. In this contribution to the scientists' warning series, we summarize the effect of the gradual global surface temperature increase on insects, in terms of physiology, behavior, phenology, distribution, and species interactions, as well as the effect of increased frequency and duration of extreme events such as hot and cold spells, fires, droughts, and floods on these parameters. We warn that, if no action is taken to better understand and reduce the action of climate change on insects, we will drastically reduce our ability to build a sustainable future based on healthy, functional ecosystems. We discuss perspectives on relevant ways to conserve insects in the face of climate change, and we offer several key recommendations on management approaches that can be adopted, on policies that should be pursued, and on the involvement of the general public in the protection effort.
Plant defense synergies and antagonisms affect performance of specialist herbivores of common milkweed
Authors: Edwards Collin B. , Ellner Stephen P. , Agrawal Anurag A.
Published: November 2022

As a general rule, plants defend against herbivores with multiple traits. The defense synergy hypothesis posits that some traits are more effective when co‐expressed with others compared to their independent efficacy. However, this hypothesis has rarely been tested outside of phytochemical mixtures, and seldom under field conditions. We tested for synergies between multiple defense traits of common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) by assaying the performance of two specialist chewing herbivores on plants in natural populations. We employed regression and a novel application of random forests to identify synergies and antagonisms between defense traits. We found the first direct empirical evidence for two previously hypothesized defense synergies in milkweed (latex by secondary metabolites, latex by trichomes) and identified numerous other potential synergies and antagonisms. Our strongest evidence for a defense synergy was between leaf mass per area and low nitrogen content; given that these “leaf economic” traits typically covary in milkweed, a defense synergy could reinforce their co‐expression. We report that each of the plant defense traits showed context‐dependent effects on herbivores, and increased trait expression could well be beneficial to herbivores for some ranges of observed expression. The novel methods and findings presented here complement more mechanistic approaches to the study of plant defense diversity and provide some of the best evidence to date that multiple classes of plant defense synergize in their impact on insects. Plant defense synergies against highly specialized herbivores, as shown here, are consistent with ongoing reciprocal evolution between these antagonists.
Growth portfolios buffer climate‐linked environmental change in marine systems
Authors: Campana Steven E. , Smoliński Szymon , Black Bryan A. , Morrongiello John R. , Alexandroff Stella J. , Andersson Carin , Bogstad Bjarte , Butler Paul G. , Denechaud Côme , Frank David C. , Geffen Audrey J. , Godiksen Jane Aanestad , Grønkjær Peter , Hjörleifsson Einar , Jónsdóttir Ingibjörg G. , Meekan Mark , Mette Madelyn , Tanner Susanne E. , van der Sleen Peter , von Leesen Gotje
Published: November 2022

Large‐scale, climate‐induced synchrony in the productivity of fish populations is becoming more pronounced in the world's oceans. As synchrony increases, a population's “portfolio” of responses can be diminished, in turn reducing its resilience to strong perturbation. Here we argue that the costs and benefits of trait synchronization, such as the expression of growth rate, are context dependent. Contrary to prevailing views, synchrony among individuals could actually be beneficial for populations if growth synchrony increases during favorable conditions, and then declines under poor conditions when a broader portfolio of responses could be useful. Importantly, growth synchrony among individuals within populations has seldom been measured, despite well‐documented evidence of synchrony across populations. Here, we used century‐scale time series of annual otolith growth to test for changes in growth synchronization among individuals within multiple populations of a marine keystone species (Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua). On the basis of 74,662 annual growth increments recorded in 13,749 otoliths, we detected a rising conformity in long‐term growth rates within five northeast Atlantic cod populations in response to both favorable growth conditions and a large‐scale, multidecadal mode of climate variability similar to the East Atlantic Pattern. The within‐population synchrony was distinct from the across‐population synchrony commonly reported for large‐scale environmental drivers. Climate‐linked, among‐individual growth synchrony was also identified in other Northeast Atlantic pelagic, deep‐sea and bivalve species. We hypothesize that growth synchrony in good years and growth asynchrony in poorer years reflects adaptive trait optimization and bet hedging, respectively, that could confer an unexpected, but pervasive and stabilizing, impact on marine population productivity in response to large‐scale environmental change.
Multimodality assessments of wild‐type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis with no ventricular hypertrophy
Authors: Iwaya Takuma , Okada Atsushi , Tateishi Emi , Ohta Yasutoshi , Morita Yoshiaki , Ohta‐Ogo Keiko , Izumi Chisato
Published: November 2022

While patients with transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR‐CA) typically present with concentric or asymmetric hypertrophy, a small percentage of ATTR‐CA is known to present with ‘atypical’ cardiac morphologies such as eccentric hypertrophy or even no hypertrophy. However, detailed report of multimodality assessments of ATTR‐CA with no ventricular hypertrophy is lacking. Herein, we report detailed multimodality assessments of an 81‐year‐old Japanese woman with heart failure and history of carpal tunnel syndrome and lumbar canal stenosis, presenting no ventricular hypertrophy and negative 99mtechnetium‐pyrophosphate scintigraphy, who was eventually diagnosed as having wild‐type ATTR‐CA. Our case highlights the role of multimodality assessments for early diagnosis of ATTR‐CA in patients with atypical cardiac morphologies and also emphasizes the limitations of bone scintigraphy and the importance of considering ATTR‐CA in patients with non‐cardiac manifestations of ATTR amyloidosis.
Intersection of atrial fibrillation and heart failure with mildly reduced and preserved ejection fraction in >400 000 participants in the Get With The Guidelines‐Heart Failure Registry
Authors: Patel Ravi B. , Greene Stephen J. , Xu Haolin , Alhanti Brooke , Peterson Pamela , Yancy Clyde W. , Piccini Jonathan , Fonarow Gregg C. , Vaduganathan Muthiah
Published: November 2022

Aims

Although atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently coexists with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), few data are available evaluating AF‐specific care patterns and post‐discharge outcomes in patients hospitalized for HFpEF. We evaluated AF‐specific medical therapies and post‐discharge outcomes among patients hospitalized for heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) or HFpEF by AF history.

Methods and results

Trends in AF prevalence were evaluated among patients hospitalized for HFmrEF or HFpEF in the Get With The Guidelines‐Heart Failure Registry from 2014 to 2020. Among those with linked Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services post‐discharge data, we assessed associations of AF with 12‐month outcomes and determined trends in post‐discharge prescriptions. Among 429 464 patients (median age 76 years [interquartile range 65–85], 57% women), 216 486 (50%) had a history of AF. Over time, the proportion of patients with AF increased slightly. Among the 79 895 patients with post‐discharge data, AF was independently associated with higher risk of mortality and all‐cause readmissions at 12 months, with stronger associations in HFpEF than in HFmrEF (mortality hazard ratio [HR] 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09–1.16 vs. HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.97–1.10; pinteraction = 0.009). Anti‐arrhythmic drug use after heart failure hospitalization was low (18%) and increased modestly over time. Amiodarone accounted for 71% of total anti‐arrhythmic drug prescriptions. Overall use of anticoagulants after heart failure hospitalization has significantly increased from 52% in 2014 to 61% in 2019, but remained modest.

Conclusion

Prevalence of AF is rising among patients hospitalized with HFpEF. Those with comorbid AF face elevated post‐discharge risks of death and rehospitalization. Current use of pharmacological rhythm control is low.
Gaslighting: ALS, anti‐Blackness, and medicine
Authors: Carter Chelsey R.
Published: November 2022

Gaslighting has become a popular term to describe experiences of doubt and manipulation that make individuals or groups feel like their lived realities are not valid. Much of the theoretical work utilizing gaslighting as an analytic can be found in psychology literature or feminist domestic violence discussions. More recently, political scientists, philosophers, and sociologists have noted the structural, political, economic, and social processes that enable gaslighting to move beyond an interpersonal dynamic between women and their abusers. This essay extends these arguments through a Black feminist anthropological lens to examine how anti‐Black medical gaslighting functions structurally within medical systems, individually through implicit biases held by healthcare workers, and collectively through cultural norms. Despite Black patients’ learned mistrust of the medical system and often after multiple failed attempts to receive care or answers, ethnographic vignettes reveal that Black people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their caregivers continue to fight to be heard by the medical establishment despite being gaslit.
Delay in the diagnosis of dementia in urban India: Role of dementia subtype and age at onset
Authors: Ellajosyula Ratnavalli , Narayanan Jwala , Hegde Soumya , Kamath Vikram , Murgod Uday , Easwaran Vandhana , Seetharam Raghavendra , Srinivasan Murali , Watson Peter
Published: November 2022

Background

Early diagnosis of dementia is crucial for timely intervention. However, frequently, there is a substantial delay in diagnosis. Therefore, it is essential to recognise and address the barriers to early diagnosis. These have not been systematically studied in India. We at a specialist memory clinic in India investigated the time from symptom onset to diagnosis of dementia and factors contributing to the delay.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, consecutive patients with dementia (n = 855) seen at a private hospital underwent a standard clinical assessment and investigations. The primary outcome variable was time from symptom onset to diagnosis (TTD). The association of age, education, gender, dementia subtype, and age of onset on TTD were examined using a univariate analysis of covariance.

Results

The median TTD was 24 months; 43% were diagnosed after 24 months. There was a significant association between TTD and age at onset (young onset—median 36 months vs. late onset—24 months) and dementia subtype. Patients with vascular dementia were diagnosed significantly earlier as compared to patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) [median 18, 24, and 30 months, respectively]. There was no effect of gender or education on the TTD.

Conclusion

About 40% of patients with dementia were diagnosed more than 2 years after symptom onset, particularly young onset dementias and FTD. Our study findings highlight the gaps in diagnosing patients with dementia in urban India and have significant implications for developing and implementing multifaceted interventions to improve the early diagnosis of dementia.
Flow and heat transfer studies of multijet impingement cooling for different configurations: A review
Authors: Babji Gudla , Pujari Arun Kumar
Published: November 2022

Increasing the gas turbine engine's turbine intake temperature has long been a potential strategy for increasing the specific work output of the engine. However, the melting temperature of the turbine blades and vane material limits the maximum intake temperature. As a result, internal and external cooling techniques are commonly used to maintain the vane material in a safe condition. This study provided an overview of internal impingement cooling to highlight the significance of geometrical variations, such as flat plate, curve plate, and actual vanes. It was observed that flat and curved plate impingement heat transfer studies were reported extensively, whereas limited studies were found on the conjugate effects on airfoil surfaces. The importance of conjugate heat transfer studies and their impact has recently been described in the literature. In most of the literature, a wide range of instruments, such as Laser Doppler Velocimeter, Particle Image Velocimeter, liquid crystal sheets, and so forth, were used for experimental investigations. According to most studies, the local value of internal surface temperature and heat transfer coefficient are vital factors of local flow behavior. Jet‐to‐jet spacing, jet‐to‐plate spacing, jet hole diameter, and jet Reynolds numbers played a crucial role in both numerical and experimental analyses. Different geometric variations strongly influence flow behavior. Therefore, the usual method for determining interior temperature distributions and heat transfer coefficients by considering generalized geometries like the flat and curved plate may not produce accurate conjugate solutions. Most of the computational studies on the flat and curved plate indicate the usage of κ−ω shear stress transport and κ–ε realizable model to predict the heat transfer coefficient.
Interpolation of rainfall observations during extreme rainfall events in complex mountainous terrain
Authors: Page Trevor , Beven Keith J. , Hankin Barry , Chappell Nick A.
Published: November 2022

The representation of rainfall in space is important for hydrological modelling. Accurate estimation of rainfall is particularly challenging in mountainous regions where observations are often sparse relative to the spatial variability of rainfall. In these regions, orographic processes lead to complex patterns of rainfall enhancement and rain shadow depletion. This study testsNatural Neighbour Interpolation (NNI),ordinary kriging (OK)andordinary cokriging (CK), to determine ifCKimproves rainfall interpolation during three extreme rainfall events. Three different elevation indices were considered as secondary variables forCK. Preliminary analysis using long‐term annual average rainfall totals, including additional high elevation rainfall observations, showed thatCKwith an effective elevation index (a directionally smoothed elevation, corrected for degree of ‘orographic processing’ and shifted to account for ‘wind‐drift’ of rainfall) as a secondary variable performed better thanNNIandOKwith an overall improvement of around 40%. Using rainfall totals for long‐term wind direction and wind speed rainfall classes,CKperformance was variable but provided an improvement of approximately 15% for wind direction classeswithoutan easterly wind component. For 15‐min timesteps during extreme rainfall events, there were comparatively small differences (cross‐validation usingRMSE) between interpolation methods, partly attributed to having only relatively low elevation rainfall observations, providing weak constraint. Using cross‐validation andmean biasdid, however, show an improvement for both high and low elevation observation classes. Importantly, cross‐variogram estimation provided differing cross‐validation results when estimated for different rainfall accumulation periods: 15‐min, hourly, daily and long‐term. Variograms and cross variograms estimated at a 15‐min timestep frequency were robust for many timesteps, but were difficult to fit automatically for others. Variograms estimated from longer periods were more reliably estimated, but tended to have lower variance and cross‐variance and longer correlation ranges producing a smoother interpolated rainfall field. Given the weak cross‐validation constraint, care must be taken in identifying the most appropriate method and variogram estimation period.
Effects of gastrodin on the expression of brain aging‐related genes in SAM/P‐8 mice based on network pharmacology
Authors: Zhao Nan , Jiang Rui , Cheng Jun‐Jie , Xiao Qiu‐Xia
Published: November 2022

Background

Gastrodin can reduce neuronal damage through multiple targets and pathways, and can be useful in preventing and treating degenerative lesions of the central nervous system, but the specific mechanism has not been elucidated.

Methods

The aging‐related genes in the hippocampus and the frontal cortex were detected in adult and aged mice treated with gastrodin or not. In addition, we collected the target genes of gastrodin and aging from a network database, and a Venn diagram was created to obtain the intersection target genes of gastrodin and aging. Then, the String database was used to analyze the protein–protein interactions (PPIs) between aging‐related genes and the target genes of gastrodin and aging. The “drug–disease–target–pathway” network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.7.2 software, and the main mechanism and pathway of key genes were analyzed by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO). Finally, the reliability of these key genes was further verified by molecular docking technology.

Results

The results showed that 6 out of 10 genes related to brain aging were differentially expressed after gastrodin intervention. Moreover, there were 11 key genes between gastrodin and differentially expressed genes related to brain aging. GO and KEGG results suggested that material metabolism and carbohydrate digestion and absorption were associated with the pathological mechanism of gastrodin antiaging. Molecular docking results also confirmed the good binding activity of gastrodin to the key genes.

Conclusion

Gastrodin plays a potential role in antiaging by regulating substance metabolism and carbohydrate digestion and absorption.
Light microscopy‐based elastography for the mechanical characterization of zebrafish somitogenesis
Authors: Tomizawa Yuji , Daggett David F. , Zheng Guoan , Hoshino Kazunori
Published: November 2022

We evaluated the elasticity of live tissues of zebrafish embryos using label‐free optical elastography. We employed a pair of custom‐built elastic microcantilevers to gently compress a zebrafish embryo and used optical‐tracking analysis to obtain the induced internal strain. We then built a finite element method (FEM) model and matched the strain with the optical analysis. The elastic moduli were found by minimizing the root‐mean‐square errors between the optical and FEM analyses. We evaluated the average elastic moduli of a developing somite, the overlying ectoderm, and the underlying yolk of seven zebrafish embryos during the early somitogenesis stages. The estimation results showed that the average elastic modulus of the somite increased from 150 to 700 Pa between 4‐ and 8‐somite stages, while those of the ectoderm and the yolk stayed between 100 and 200 Pa, and they did not show significant changes. The result matches well with the developmental process of somitogenesis reported in the literature. This is among the first attempts to quantify spatially‐resolved elasticity of embryonic tissues from optical elastography.
Deciphering the map of METTL14‐mediated lncRNA m6A modification at the transcriptome‐wide level in breast cancer
Authors: Yi Dandan , Xu Fazhan , Wang Ru , Jiang Chaoyu , Qin Jiabo , Lee YiHsuan , Shi Xianbiao , Sang Jianfeng
Published: November 2022

Background

Emerging studies have demonstrated the critical role of RNA m6A methylation in tumor progression, whereas lncRNA m6A modification profiles in breast cancer remain largely unknown. Our previous study has shown that METTL14 accelerates breast cancer migration and invasion in an m6A‐dependent manner, making it critical to analyze METTL14‐mediated m6A modification at a transcriptome‐wide scale in breast cancer.

Methods

Here, we performed MeRIP‐seq analysis in METTL14 overexpressed and control MDA‐MB‐231 cells. Conjoint analysis of MeRIP‐seq and RNA‐seq data was used to select lncRNAs with m6A methylation and differential expression. Finally, the screened lncRNA was verified by MeRIP‐PCR and its function was studied via transwell assay.

Results

Our results determined that high expression of METLL14 results in 3996 hypermethylation peaks from 3107 transcripts, and 4100 hypomethylation peaks from 2918 transcripts. Furthermore, conjoint analysis of MeRIP‐seq and RNA‐seq data identified 25 lncRNAs with discrepant methylation and simultaneously discrepant expression, among which the top 10 differentially expressed LncRNAs were AC026401.3, CYTOR, LINC01943, AC084125.2, FLJ20021, LINC00472, and NORAD, MALAT1, AL161431.1, and LINC01764. Moreover, over‐expressed METTL14 stimulated the m6A modification of AC084125.2, while decreasing its expression. Compared to adjacent tissues, AC084125.2 was lowly expressed in tumors and could be used as a biomarker in the diagnosis of breast cancer. Meanwhile, AC084125.2 inhibited the migration and invasion of cancer cells.

Conclusion

In conclusion, METTL14‐mediated m6A modification of lncRNAs, which might provide reference for future intervention in tumor progression.
A qualitative study of stakeholder and researcher perspectives of community engagement practices for HIV vaccine clinical trials in South Africa
Authors: Dietrich Janan J. , Munoz Jessica , Tshabalala Gugulethu , Makhale Lerato M. , Hornschuh Stefanie , Rentas Francisco , Mulaudzi Mamakiri , Laher Fatima , Andrasik Michele P.
Published: November 2022

Community engagement increases community trust of research and improves trial participation. However, there is limited documented appraisal of community engagement practices. Several HIV vaccine efficacy trials have been conducted in South Africa, the country most affected by HIV, predominantly in collaboration with the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN). We explored stakeholder and researcher perspectives of the HVTN community engagement practices used in the Gauteng province of South Africa. In 2017, we conducted a qualitative study. Using semi‐structured interview guides, we facilitated two group discussions with Community Advisory Board (CAB) members (n = 13), and 14 in‐depth interviews with HVTN‐affiliated employees (n = 8 in South Africa and n = 6 in the USA). Group discussions and in‐depth interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated into English, and coded using NVIVO 12 Plus software for thematic data analysis. Overall, median age of study participants was 22 (interquartile range 32–54) years, and 74% (n = 20) were female. Three main themes about community engagement emerged: (i) community engagement as an ongoing iterative relationship between researchers and community; (ii) methods of community engagement, encompassing community education by linking with external stakeholders and through awareness campaigns by pamphlet distribution and mass events, working with communities to develop recruitment messages, and working with CAB as a link to communities; and (iii) strategies to improve community engagement, for example, using simple language, linking with religious leaders and traditional healers, and communicating via conventional (newspapers, television, and radio) and social (videos and listicles) media. Our data indicate ways for researchers to improve relationships with community by understanding local needs, strengthening collaborations, and tailoring communication strategies. In this regard, CABs signify critical linkages between researchers and communities. CABs can relay relevant health research needs, advise on the creation of suitable materials, and link researchers more effectively with community leaders and media.
Age‐related changes in gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) splice variants in mouse brain
Authors: Gautam Pooja , Ajit Kamal , Das Moitreyi , Taliyan Rajeev , Roy Ramaballav , Banerjee Arnab
Published: November 2022

Gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) is the primary regulator of the mammalian reproductive axis. We investigated the spatiotemporal expression of GnRH splice variants (V1, V2, and V3) and splicing factors (Srsf7, Srsf9, and Tra‐2) in the male mice brain. Further, using in silico tools, we predicted protein structure and the reason for the low translational efficiency of V2 and V3. Messenger RNA levels of GnRH variants and splicing factors were quantified using real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction at different age groups. Our data show that expression of almost all the variants alters with aging in all the brain regions studied; even in comparison to the hypothalamus, several brain areas were found to have higher expression of these variants. Hypothalamic expression of splicing factors such as Srsf7, Srsf9, and Tra‐2 also change with aging. Computational studies have translation repressors site on the V3, which probably reduces its translation efficiency. Also, V2 is an intrinsically disordered protein that might have a regulatory or signaling function. In conclusion, this study provides novel crucial information and multiple starting points for future analysis of GnRH splice variants in the brain.
The Relationship Between Quadriceps Femoris Muscle Function and MRI‐Derived Water Diffusion and Adipose Tissue Measurements in Young Healthy Males
Authors: Yamauchi Koun , Someya Keita , Kato Chisato , Kato Takayuki
Published: November 2022

Background

Water diffusion and adipose tissue in a muscle can be evaluated by MRI. However, determining which quadriceps femoris muscle (QM) characteristics independently predict peak knee extension torque during maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs), individual muscle activity during MVICs and sit‐to‐stand transitions is unknown.

Purpose

To determine which QM characteristics predict knee extension muscle strength and individual muscle activity.

Study Type

Prospective, cross‐sectional.

Subjects

A total of 20 healthy males (aged 22–40 years) with a physical activity level <1 hour/week.

Field Strength/Sequence

1.5‐T, diffusion‐weighted fast spin–echo echo‐planar imaging and T1‐weighted fast spin–echo sequences.

Assessment

The vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), and vastus intermedius were segmented in a single axial diffusion‐weighted image and T1‐weighted image at the right mid‐thigh region. λ1–3 and fractional anisotropy (FA), and the percentage of intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) were measured. The knee extension peak force during MVICs was measured by a dynamometer, and the torque was calculated at the peak force × length. The ratios of the individual muscle activity to the total muscle (VM, VL, and RF) during MVICs and sit‐to‐stand transitions were assessed using surface electromyography.

Statistical Tests

Regression analysis was conducted to identify the predictors of peak knee extension torque and of individual muscle activity ratios. A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The RF λ1 significantly predicted the peak knee extension torque (β = −0.51). The IMAT percentage of the VM significantly predicted the VM muscle activity ratio during the MVIC and sit‐to‐stand transition (β = −0.82 and β = −0.61, respectively), whereas the ratio of the VM λ1 to the whole QM λ1 significantly predicted the VM muscle activity ratio during the sit‐to‐stand transitions (β = 0.35 and β = 0.46, respectively).

Data Conclusion

The RF λ1 may allow to estimate peak knee extension muscle torque, and the VM IMAT and λ1 may predict muscle activity in youth.

Evidence Level

3.

Technical Efficacy

Stage 3.
Two types of cold waves affecting northeast China and the corresponding different key regions of precedent sea ice and sea surface temperature
Authors: Fang Yihe , Lin Yitong , Zhao Chunyu , Xu Shiqi , Lin Yi , Yu Yiqiu
Published: November 2022

Based on the daily minimum temperature data from 199 meteorological stations in northeast China (NEC), the cold wave (CW) processes in winter from 1980 to 2020 are identified. Then, by using the reanalysis 500‐hPa geopotential height data provided by the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the CWs are objectively classified into two types (abbreviated as Type 1 and Type 2) according to the corresponding atmospheric circulation through the hierarchical cluster algorithm (HCA). The relationships of the CWs with the Arctic sea sic (SIC) and sea surface temperature (SST) are revealed. For Type 1, the SIC in the north of the Barents Sea–Kara Sea is relatively less in the previous autumn, and a wave train propagating from the polar regions to Northeast Asia is stimulated under the ice–atmosphere interaction. This wave train further cooperates with the positive SST anomaly in the southern Indian Ocean to excite the low‐vortex circulation under the negative phase of Arctic Oscillation (AO) in winter, which is conducive to the occurrence of Type 1. However, the relatively low SST in the western Pacific warm pool in previous autumn stimulates a northward propagating wave train along the meridian, which increases the degree of meridionality of the atmospheric circulation over East Asia and thus indirectly causes the polar‐vortex‐splitting circulation under the positive AO phase, which favours the formation of Type 2. The numerical simulations can well reproduce the observational facts, further confirming the possible impact of the SIC and SST in the previous autumn on the two types of CW over the NEC.
Comparative study of the HP‐HTbehavior of a layered silicate apophyllite in water and paraffin oil
Authors: Likhacheva Anna Yu. , Goryainov Sergey V. , Ignatov Mark A. , Romanenko Alexandr V. , Seryotkin Yurii V.
Published: November 2022

The interaction of porous minerals with liquids, especially water, is involved in many technological and geochemical processes. Apophyllite (K,Na)Ca4[Si8O20](F,OH).8H2O, exhibiting mixed properties of layered and framework microporous silicates, is a promising object to model the interaction of a fluid with porous material. It was studied by the in situ Raman spectroscopy at simultaneously high pressure (HP) and high temperature (HT) up to 225°C and 9 GPa in order to clarify the effect of the composition of the pressure medium and the temperature on its HPbehavior. Penetrating (water) and nonpenetrating (paraffin oil) media were used. Independently of the compressing medium, at HT, the lattice vibrational modes of apophyllite demonstrate regular pressure shifts. Almost uniform shift rates imply little differentiation between the compression of silicate layers and interlayer ion‐molecular assemblage. Similar HPbehavior of apophyllite in penetrating and nonpenetrating media indicates no pressure‐induced overhydration within 1–9 GPa. Thereby, the significance of such structural factors, as a limited H2O mobility and relatively strong contacts between silicate layers, determining low structure tolerance towards the penetration of additional molecules, is emphasized. The elevated temperature does not affect the mobility of the interlayer H2O molecules to allow the pressure‐induced intercalation in apophyllite.
Effects of mass capture on survival of greater white‐fronted geese in Alaska
Authors: Dooley Joshua L. , Schmutz Joel A. , Fischer Julian B. , Marks Dennis K.
Published: November 2022

Mass capture of flightless geese during the summer is a common trapping technique to obtain large numbers of individuals for research and marking, but few studies have assessed the impacts of this method on the survival of after‐hatch‐year geese. We evaluated the effects of holding time and captured flock size on the survival of >26,000 subadult (second yr) and adult (≥third yr) greater white‐fronted geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) banded in Alaska, USA, 1999–2017. We constructed models with and without capture effects to analyze our band‐recovery data and used Akaike's Information Criterion to rank our model set. Models that included both capture‐related variables ranked highest. Longer individual holding times negatively affected survival during the first year after banding, and effects were greatest during the earliest years of our study when holding times were generally longer and protocols to minimize negative capture effects were less refined. There was a positive relationship between survival and captured flock size. We suggest practitioners reduce holding times of geese during mass captures to the extent practicable and continually evaluate and refine their methods to minimize negative capture effects.