bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Causes of the Unprecedented Month‐To‐Month Persistent Extreme Heat Event Over South China in Early Summer 2020: Role of Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies in the Tropical Indo‐Pacific Region
Authors: Gao Yanping , Fan Ke , Xu Zhiqing
Published: September 2023

An unprecedented month‐to‐month persistent extreme heat event attacked South China in early summer (May–July) 2020, with an extremely and persistently stronger‐than‐normal intensity and higher‐than‐normal number of extreme heat days. The underlying mechanisms were investigated from the month‐to‐month perspective using observations, reanalysis data, and numerical experiments. The results showed that a local anomalous anticyclone in the mid‐lower troposphere over South China and the South China Sea directly contributed to this persistent extreme heat event via anomalous warm advection heating and diabatic warming at near‐surface level. Further investigation revealed that the rapid transition from El Niño to La Niña with subsequent development in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, along with persistent warming in the tropical Indian Ocean in the early summer of 2020, were crucial to the maintenance and reinforcement of the local anomalous anticyclone, with greater importance of the latter. On the one hand, rapid cooling in the central and eastern tropical Pacific enhanced the Walker circulation and further triggered an abnormal local Hadley cell, leading to anomalous subsidence over South China and the South China Sea. On the other hand, the persistent warming in the tropical Indian Ocean resulted in an enhanced and westward‐extended western North Pacific subtropical high via eastward‐propagating Kelvin waves and an intensified and eastward‐extended South Asian high by heating the troposphere. These two aspects of atmospheric circulation configuration favored the maintenance and reinforcement of the local anomalous anticyclone in the mid‐lower troposphere over South China and the South China Sea.
Modeling Photoelectron and Auger Electron Emission From the Sunlit Lunar Surface: A Comparison With ARTEMIS Observations
Authors: Kato Masahisa , Harada Yuki , Xu Shaosui , Poppe Andrew R. , Halekas Jasper S. , Miyake Yohei , Usui Hideyuki , Nishino Masaki N. , Matsumoto Toru
Published: September 2023

Due to the lack of a dense atmosphere, the Moon directly interacts with ambient plasmas and solar radiation, leading to lunar surface charging. Solar X‐rays drive the emission of photoelectrons and Auger electrons from the lunar surface to space. The Auger electrons have characteristic energies intrinsic to the photo‐emitting atoms and were recently identified at the Moon by Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of the Moon's Interaction with the Sun (ARTEMIS) observations. In this study, we developed a numerical model of the energy spectrum of lunar photoelectrons and Auger electrons, thereby comparing the predicted and observed energy spectra. By adjusting a scaling factor, the model well reproduces the ARTEMIS observations obtained in the solar wind, where the energy spectra are minimally affected by surface charging. Meanwhile, the energy spectra obtained in the geomagnetic tail can be significantly altered by lunar surface potentials. We show that it is difficult to determine a unique combination of the scaling factor and the lunar surface potential with the ARTEMIS energy resolution because of a strong parameter degeneracy. Nevertheless, for a fixed scaling factor, a strong correlation is identified between the lunar surface potentials inferred from the shifts of the energy spectra and those from the upward photoelectron beam energies, providing a proof of concept for the use of the photo‐emitted electrons as a new remote sensing tool of the lunar surface potential. We advocate for future observations of lunar electrons with a high energy resolution.
Structural Collapse and Coating Composition Changes of Soot Particles During Long‐Range Transport
Authors: Zhang Jian , Li Weijun , Wang Yuanyuan , Teng Xiaomi , Zhang Yinxiao , Xu Liang , Yuan Qi , Wu Guangfen , Niu Hongya , Shao Longyi
Published: September 2023

Soot particles play an important role in warming the atmosphere, but their optical absorption is highly uncertain due to their variable morphology and mixing states. Compared to short‐range transport, soot particles during long‐range transport normally undergo complicated aging processes. Here, we investigated the changes in microphysical properties and mixing states of soot particles during their long‐range transport in Eastern China. The dominant mixing state of soot particles transformed from partly coated at 60% by number to embedded status at 67% when they were transported to a downwind region 1,000 km away under cold fronts. The fractal dimension (Df) increased from 1.79 ± 0.05 for partly coated soot and 1.86 ± 0.07 for embedded soot to 1.83 ± 0.06 and 1.93 ± 0.05 following their transportation, respectively. Our study shows that aging processes of soot particles with chain‐like morphology caused their structural collapse. Moreover, we found that coating materials of aged soot particles changed from secondary inorganic‐dominated to organic‐dominated species during their long‐range transport, which suggests the aqueous formation of secondary organic aerosols on soot‐containing particles. The thick organic coating formation in some particles further induced soot redistribution from the particle center into the coating. We highlight that the Df at 1.83–1.93 is appropriate for assessing radiative absorption of long‐range transported soot particles in Eastern China and propose that soot redistribution may offset ∼13% optical absorption enhancement for long‐range transported soot particles. The microscopic changes in aged soot particles should be considered to precisely evaluate their optical absorption in the large‐scale haze layer.
Exploring Suspended Sediment Dynamics Using a Novel Indexing Framework Based on X‐Ray Diffraction Spectral Fingerprinting
Authors: Das Arnab , Remesan Renji , Gupta Ashok Kumar
Published: September 2023

Understanding the origins and hotspots of suspended sediments is crucial for safeguarding the biotic communities and for management of water quality in river‐reservoir systems. This study is an attempt to develop a new analytical framework to deconvolve the suspended sediment sources contribution using a novel index (i.e., erosion susceptibility index, ESI). The ESI is computed using sediment fingerprinting information, sediment yield, and the areal coverage of the sediment sources (land use). We have used X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Partial least square regression (PLSR) based spectral fingerprinting technique to apportion the land use classes as sources of sediments in a representative catchment of Chotanagpur Plateau (CP), India (Konar reservoir catchment). PLSR model on the XRD spectra has performed well with R2 > 0.88 and identified agricultural areas as the major contributor of suspended sediments by delivering 28%–43%, varying seasonally (in the period of 2018–2019). However, based on the ESI values barren lands and human settlements were found to be the most crucial land use classes (with highest ESI value of 1.31 and 1.08 respectively) in terms of sediment generation (22%–29% and 14%–23% respectively) with only 14% and 12% areal coverage. The results have demonstrated that the state of critical conservation urgency of different land uses can be quantified more effectively when combining spectral tracers based knowledge with ESI.
Orthosteric ligand selectivity and allosteric probe dependence at Hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor HCAR2
Authors: Cheng Lin , Sun Suyue , Wang Heli , Zhao Chang , Tian Xiaowen , Liu Ying , Fu Ping , Shao Zhenhua , Chai Renjie , Yan Wei
Published: September 2023

Hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCAR2), a member of Class A G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, plays a pivotal role in anti-lipolytic and anti-inflammatory effects, establishing it as a significant therapeutic target for treating dyslipidemia and inflammatory diseases. However, the mechanism underlying the signaling of HCAR2 induced by various types of ligands remains elusive. In this study, we elucidate the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of Gi-coupled HCAR2 in complex with a selective agonist, MK-6892, resolved to a resolution of 2.60 Å. Our structural analysis reveals that MK-6892 occupies not only the orthosteric binding pocket (OBP) but also an extended binding pocket (EBP) within HCAR2. Pharmacological assays conducted in this study demonstrate that the OBP is a critical determinant for ligand selectivity among the HCARs subfamily. Moreover, we investigate the pharmacological properties of the allosteric modulator compound 9n, revealing its probe-dependent behavior on HCAR2 in response to varying orthosteric agonists. Collectively, our findings provide invaluable structural insights that contribute to a deeper understanding of the regulatory mechanisms governing HCAR2 signaling transduction mediated by both orthosteric and allosteric ligands.
THBS1-producing tumor-infiltrating monocyte-like cells contribute to immunosuppression and metastasis in colorectal cancer
Authors: Omatsu Mayuki , Nakanishi Yuki , Iwane Kosuke , Aoyama Naoki , Duran Angeles , Muta Yu , Martinez-Ordoñez Anxo , Han Qixiu , Agatsuma Nobukazu , Mizukoshi Kenta , Kawai Munenori , Yamakawa Go , Namikawa Mio , Hamada Kensuke , Fukunaga Yuichi , Utsumi Takahiro , Sono Makoto , Masuda Tomonori , Hata Akitaka , Araki Osamu , Nagao Munemasa , Yoshikawa Takaaki , Ogawa Satoshi , Hiramatsu Yukiko , Tsuda Motoyuki , Maruno Takahisa , Kogame Toshiaki , Kasashima Hiroaki , Kakiuchi Nobuyuki , Nakagawa Masahiro M. , Kawada Kenji , Yashiro Masakazu , Maeda Kiyoshi , Saito Yasuyuki , Matozaki Takashi , Fukuda Akihisa , Kabashima Kenji , Obama Kazutaka , Ogawa Seishi , Sheibani Nader , Diaz-Meco Maria T. , Moscat Jorge , Seno Hiroshi
Published: September 2023

Mesenchymal activation, characterized by dense stromal infiltration of immune and mesenchymal cells, fuels the aggressiveness of colorectal cancers (CRC), driving progression and metastasis. Targetable molecules in the tumor microenvironment (TME) need to be identified to improve the outcome in CRC patients with this aggressive phenotype. This study reports a positive link between high thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) expression and mesenchymal characteristics, immunosuppression, and unfavorable CRC prognosis. Bone marrow-derived monocyte-like cells recruited by CXCL12 are the primary source of THBS1, which contributes to the development of metastasis by inducing cytotoxic T-cell exhaustion and impairing vascularization. Furthermore, in orthotopically generated CRC models in male mice, THBS1 loss in the TME renders tumors partially sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-cancer drugs. Our study establishes THBS1 as a potential biomarker for identifying mesenchymal CRC and as a critical suppressor of antitumor immunity that contributes to the progression of this malignancy with a poor prognosis.
Targetable NOTCH1 rearrangements in reninoma
Authors: Treger Taryn D. , Lawrence John E. G. , Anderson Nathaniel D. , Coorens Tim H. H. , Letunovska Aleksandra , Abby Emilie , Lee-Six Henry , Oliver Thomas R. W. , Al-Saadi Reem , Tullus Kjell , Morcrette Guillaume , Hutchinson J. Ciaran , Rampling Dyanne , Sebire Neil , Pritchard-Jones Kathy , Young Matthew D. , Mitchell Thomas J. , Jones Philip H. , Tran Maxine , Behjati Sam , Chowdhury Tanzina
Published: September 2023

Reninomas are exceedingly rare renin-secreting kidney tumours that derive from juxtaglomerular cells, specialised smooth muscle cells that reside at the vascular inlet of glomeruli. They are the central component of the juxtaglomerular apparatus which controls systemic blood pressure through the secretion of renin. We assess somatic changes in reninoma and find structural variants that generate canonical activating rearrangements of, NOTCH1whilst removing its negative regulator,NRARP. Accordingly, in single reninoma nuclei we observe excessive renin and NOTCH1 signalling mRNAs, with a concomitant non-excess ofNRARP expression. Re-analysis of previously published reninoma bulk transcriptomes further corroborates our observation of dysregulated Notch pathway signalling in reninoma. Our findings revealNOTCH1 rearrangements in reninoma, therapeutically targetable through existing NOTCH1 inhibitors, and indicate that unscheduled Notch signalling may be a disease-defining feature of reninoma.
C. elegans germ granules sculpt both germline and somatic RNAome
Authors: Price Ian F. , Wagner Jillian A. , Pastore Benjamin , Hertz Hannah L. , Tang Wen
Published: September 2023

Germ granules are membrane-less organelles essential for small RNA biogenesis and germline development. Among the conserved properties of germ granules is their association with the nuclear membrane. Recent studies demonstrated that LOTUS domain proteins, EGGD-1 and EGGD-2 (also known as MIP-1 and MIP-2 respectively), promote the formation of perinuclear germ granules in C. elegans. This finding presents a unique opportunity to evaluate the significance of perinuclear localization of germ granules. Here we show that loss of eggd-1 causes the coalescence of germ granules and formation of abnormal cytoplasmic aggregates. Impairment of perinuclear granules affects certain germline classes of small RNAs including Piwi-interacting RNAs. Transcriptome profiling reveals overexpression of spermatogenic and cuticle-related genes in eggd-1 hermaphrodites. We further demonstrate that disruption of germ granules activates HLH-30-mediated transcriptional program in somatic tissues. Collectively, our findings underscore the essential role of EGGD-1 in germ granule organization and reveal an unexpected germ granule-to-soma communication.
On the visual analytic intelligence of neural networks
Authors: Woźniak Stanisław , Jónsson Hlynur , Cherubini Giovanni , Pantazi Angeliki , Eleftheriou Evangelos
Published: September 2023

Visual oddity task was conceived to study universal ethnic-independent analytic intelligence of humans from a perspective of comprehension of spatial concepts. Advancements in artificial intelligence led to important breakthroughs, yet excelling at such abstract tasks remains challenging. Current approaches typically resort to non-biologically-plausible architectures with ever-growing models consuming substantially more energy than the brain. Motivated by the brain’s efficiency and reasoning capabilities, we present a biologically inspired system that receives inputs from synthetic eye movements – reminiscent of saccades, and processes them with neuronal units incorporating dynamics of neocortical neurons. We introduce a procedurally generated visual oddity dataset to train an architecture extending conventional relational networks and our proposed system. We demonstrate that both approaches are capable of abstract problem-solving at high accuracy, and we uncover that both share the same essential underlying mechanism of reasoning in seemingly unrelated aspects of their architectures. Finally, we show that the biologically inspired network achieves superior accuracy, learns faster and requires fewer parameters than the conventional network.
Carbon intensity of global crude oil trading and market policy implications
Authors: Dixit Yash , El-Houjeiri Hassan , Monfort Jean-Christophe , Jing Liang , Zhang Yiqi , Littlefield James , Long Wennan , Falter Christoph , Badahdah Alhassan , Bergerson Joule , Speth Raymond L. , Barrett Steven R. H.
Published: September 2023

The energy mix transition has accelerated the need for more accurate emissions reporting throughout the petroleum supply chain. Despite increasing environmental regulations and pressure for emissions disclosure, the low resolution of existing carbon footprint assessment does not account for the complexity of crude oil trading. The lack of source crude traceability has led to poor visibility into the “well-to-refinery-entrance” carbon intensities at the level of granular pathways between producers and destination markets. Using high-fidelity datasets, optimization algorithms to facilitate supply chain traceability and bottom-up, physics-based emission estimators, we show that the variability in global “well-to-refinery-entrance” carbon intensities at the level of crude trade pathways is significant: 4.2–214.1 kg-CO2-equivalent/barrel with a volume-weighted average of 50.5 kg-CO2-equivalent/barrel. Coupled with oil supply forecasts under 1.5 °C scenarios up to 2050, this variability translates to additional CO2-equivalent savings of 1.5–6.1 Gigatons that could be realized solely by prioritizing low-carbon supply chain pathways without other capital-intensive mitigation measures.
An original potentiating mechanism revealed by the cryo-EM structures of the human α7 nicotinic receptor in complex with nanobodies
Authors: Prevost Marie S. , Barilone Nathalie , Dejean de la Bâtie Gabrielle , Pons Stéphanie , Ayme Gabriel , England Patrick , Gielen Marc , Bontems François , Pehau-Arnaudet Gérard , Maskos Uwe , Lafaye Pierre , Corringer Pierre-Jean
Published: September 2023

The human α7 nicotinic receptor is a pentameric channel mediating cellular and neuronal communication. It has attracted considerable interest in designing ligands for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders. To develop a novel class of α7 ligands, we recently generated two nanobodies named E3 and C4, acting as positive allosteric modulator and silent allosteric ligand, respectively. Here, we solved the cryo-electron microscopy structures of the nanobody-receptor complexes. E3 and C4 bind to a common epitope involving two subunits at the apex of the receptor. They form by themselves a symmetric pentameric assembly that extends the extracellular domain. Unlike C4, the binding of E3 drives an agonist-bound conformation of the extracellular domain in the absence of an orthosteric agonist, and mutational analysis shows a key contribution of an N-linked sugar moiety in mediating E3 potentiation. The nanobody E3, by remotely controlling the global allosteric conformation of the receptor, implements an original mechanism of regulation that opens new avenues for drug design.
A computationally designed antigen eliciting broad humoral responses against SARS-CoV-2 and related sarbecoviruses
Authors: Vishwanath Sneha , Carnell George William , Ferrari Matteo , Asbach Benedikt , Billmeier Martina , George Charlotte , Sans Maria Suau , Nadesalingam Angalee , Huang Chloe Qingzhou , Paloniemi Minna , Stewart Hazel , Chan Andrew , Wells David Arthur , Neckermann Patrick , Peterhoff David , Einhauser Sebastian , Cantoni Diego , Neto Martin Mayora , Jordan Ingo , Sandig Volker , Tonks Paul , Temperton Nigel , Frost Simon , Sohr Katharina , Ballesteros Maria Teresa Lluesma , Arbabi Farzad , Geiger Johannes , Dohmen Christian , Plank Christian , Kinsley Rebecca , Wagner Ralf , Heeney Jonathan Luke
Published: September 2023

The threat of spillovers of coronaviruses associated with the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) from animals to humans necessitates vaccines that offer broader protection from sarbecoviruses. By leveraging a viral-genome-informed computational method for selecting immune-optimized and structurally engineered antigens, here we show that a single antigen based on the receptor binding domain of the spike protein of sarbecoviruses elicits broad humoral responses against SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, WIV16 and RaTG13 in mice, rabbits and guinea pigs. When administered as a DNA immunogen or by a vector based on a modified vaccinia virus Ankara, the optimized antigen induced vaccine protection from the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 in mice genetically engineered to express angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and primed by a viral-vector vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2. A vaccine formulation incorporating mRNA coding for the optimized antigen further validated its broad immunogenicity. Vaccines that elicit broad immune responses across subgroups of coronaviruses may counteract the threat of zoonotic spillovers of betacoronaviruses.
Geometrically frustrated interactions drive structural complexity in amorphous calcium carbonate
Authors: Nicholas Thomas C. , Stones Adam Edward , Patel Adam , Michel F. Marc , Reeder Richard J. , Aarts Dirk G. A. L. , Deringer Volker L. , Goodwin Andrew L.
Published: September 2023

Amorphous calcium carbonate is an important precursor for biomineralization in marine organisms. Key outstanding problems include understanding the structure of amorphous calcium carbonate and rationalizing its metastability as an amorphous phase. Here we report high-quality atomistic models of amorphous calcium carbonate generated using state-of-the-art interatomic potentials to help guide fits to X-ray total scattering data. Exploiting a recently developed inversion approach, we extract from these models the effective Ca⋯Ca interaction potential governing the structure. This potential contains minima at two competing distances, corresponding to the two different ways that carbonate ions bridge Ca2+-ion pairs. We reveal an unexpected mapping to the Lennard-Jones–Gauss model normally studied in the context of computational soft matter. The empirical model parameters for amorphous calcium carbonate take values known to promote structural complexity. We thus show that both the complex structure and its resilience to crystallization are actually encoded in the geometrically frustrated effective interactions between Ca2+ ions.
Remote sensing and model analysis of biomass burning smoke transported across the Atlantic during the 2020 Western US wildfire season
Authors: Ceamanos Xavier , Coopman Quentin , George Maya , Riedi Jérôme , Parrington Mark , Clerbaux Cathy
Published: September 2023

Biomass burning is the main source of air pollution in several regions worldwide nowadays. This predominance is expected to increase in the upcoming years as a result of the rising number of devastating wildfires due to climate change. Harmful pollutants contained in the smoke emitted by fires can alter downwind air quality both locally and remotely as a consequence of the recurrent transport of biomass burning plumes across thousands of kilometers. Here, we demonstrate how observations of carbon monoxide and aerosol optical depth retrieved from polar orbiting and geostationary meteorological satellites can be used to study the long-range transport and evolution of smoke plumes. This is illustrated through the megafire events that occurred during summer 2020 in the Western United States and the transport of the emitted smoke across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. Analyses from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, which combine satellite observations with an atmospheric model, are used for comparison across the region of study and along simulated air parcel trajectories. Lidar observation from spaceborne and ground-based instruments are used to verify consistency of passive observations. Results show the potential of joint satellite-model analysis to understand the emission, transport, and processing of smoke across the world.
Role of gender in explaining metabolic syndrome risk factors in an Iranian rural population using structural equation modelling
Authors: Nouri-Keshtkar Marjan , Shojaei Shahrokhabadi Mohadeseh , Ghaheri Azadeh , Hosseini Roya , Ketabi Hassan , Farjam Mojtaba , Chen Ding-Geng , Rezaeian Mehdi , Homayounfar Reza , Tahamtani Yaser , Totonchi Mehdi
Published: September 2023

Many factors can lead to an increase in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in different populations. Using an advanced structural equation model (SEM), this study is aimed to determine the most important risk factors of MetS, as a continuous latent variable, using a large number of males and females. We also aimed to evaluate the interrelations among the associated factors involved in the development of MetS. This study used data derived from the Fasa PERSIAN cohort study, a branch of the PERSIAN cohort study, for participants aged 35 to 70 years with 10,138 males and females. SEM was used to evaluate the direct and indirect effects, as well as gender effects of influencing factors. Results from the SEM showed that in females most changes in MetS are described by waist circumference (WC), followed by hypertension (HP) and triglyceride (TG), while in males most changes in MetS are described by WC, followed by TG then fasting blood glucose (FBG). Results from the SEM confirmed the gender effects of social status on MetS, mediated by sleep and controlled by age, BMI, ethnicity and physical activity. This study also shows that the integration of TG and WC within genders could be useful as a screening criterion for MetS in our study population.
p70S6K/Akt dual inhibitor DIACC3010 is efficacious in preclinical models of gastric cancer alone and in combination with trastuzumab
Authors: Fukuoka Shota , Koga Yoshikatsu , Yamauchi Mayumi , Koganemaru Shigehiro , Yasunaga Masahiro , Shitara Kohei , Doi Toshihiko , Yoshino Takayuki , Kuronita Toshio , Elenbaas Brian , Wahra Pamela , Zhang Hong , Crowley Lindsey , Jenkins Molly H. , Clark Anderson , Kojima Takashi
Published: September 2023

The PI3K-Akt-mTOR (PAM) pathway is implicated in tumor progression in many tumor types, including metastatic gastric cancer (GC). The initial promise of PAM inhibitors has been unrealized in the clinic, presumably due, in part, to the up-regulation of Akt signaling that occurs when the pathway is inhibited. Here we present that DIACC3010 (formerly M2698), an inhibitor of two nodes in the PAM pathway, p70S6K and Akt 1/3, blocks the pathway in in vitro and in vivo preclinical models of GC while providing a mechanism that inhibits signaling from subsequent Akt up-regulation. Utilizing GC cell lines and xenograft models, we identified potential markers of DIACC3010-sensitivity in Her2-negative tumors, i.e., PIK3CA mutations, low basal pERK, and a group of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The combination of DIACC3010 and trastuzumab was evaluated in Her2-positive cell lines and models. Potential biomarkers for the synergistic efficacy of the combination of DIACC3010 + trastuzumab also included DEGs as well as a lack of up-regulation of pERK. Of 27 GC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models tested in BALB/c nu/nu mice, 59% were sensitive to DIACC3010 + trastuzumab. Of the 21 HER2-negative PDX models, DIACC3010 significantly inhibited the growth of 38%. Altogether, these results provide a path forward to validate the potential biomarkers of DIACC3010 sensitivity in GC and support clinical evaluation of DIACC3010 monotherapy and combination with trastuzumab in patients with HER2- negative and positive advanced GCs, respectively.
Thermal performance evaluation of bio-bricks and conventional bricks in residential buildings in Aswan city, Egypt
Authors: Abd El-Hady Rania Emad , Mohamed Abdelaziz Farouk A.
Published: September 2023

From raw material extraction to final product disposal, the construction industry is integrally involved in every stage of the greenhouse gas emissions life cycle. One of the main causes of the climate catastrophe is the increasing use of polluting energy sources to power our homes and businesses. This massive problem of global warming has now forced countries to act. To further address sustainability, they seek to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions by adopting more sustainable materials. The current trend in scientific research is to use waste resources to improve the properties of various materials to exacerbate the problems of climate change because of the use of traditional building materials. Therefore, one of the most environmentally friendly alternatives to the standard procedure is the use of agricultural residues to improve the quality of building materials. This improvement will modify the thermal properties of building materials such as bricks, which will lead to an improvement in energy efficiency inside buildings, especially residential buildings. As a result, the research focused solely on simulating several bio-brick alternatives that had been discovered in earlier studies in order to test their viability in terms of increasing the energy efficiency of residential buildings in one of the hot cities. The study demonstrated that using bio-building materials can lower energy usage. In addition to saving energy in residential constructions, rice straw cement bricks and sugarcane bricks have operating efficiency rates of roughly 7% and 12%, respectively. All these advancements over conventional brick reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon dioxide.
New onset diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular outcomes according to statin intensity in patients after drug-eluting stent implantation in Asian patients
Authors: Chung Jaehoon , Kim Hack-Lyoung , Lim Woo-Hyun , Seo Jae-Bing , Zo Joo-Heeg , Kim Myung-A , Kim Sang-Hyun
Published: September 2023

We investigated the effect of statin intensity on the development of new onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) in Korean patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 1013 consecutive patients without diabetes mellitus were retrospectively analyzed. All study patients received high- or moderate-intensity statin (high-intensity statin; 321 [31.7%], moderate-intensity statin; 692 [68.3%]). The primary endpoint was development of NODM, and the secondary one was the composite of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and any revascularization. In 264 pairs (528 patients) of propensity score-matched patient, NODM developed in 34 patients (6.4%) and composite cardiac events occurred in 73 patients (13.8%) during a median follow-up of 36.7 months. The incidence rate of NODM was significantly higher in patients with high-intensity statin than with moderate-intensity statin (8.3% vs. 4.5%, log-rank P = 0.026). The incidence rate of composite events was not significantly different between the two groups (12.5% vs.15.2%, log-rank P = 0.495). The use of high-intensity statins was associated with NODM after adjustment for multiple risk factors (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.18, 95% confidence interval 1.10‒4.51, P = 0.025). High-intensity statin therapy is associated with a higher incidence of NODM, but not with better cardiovascular outcomes, in Korean patients undergoing PCI. A new cholesterol lowering intensity-based approach rather than stain intensity-based approach to the high-risk patients without diabetes mellitus may be helpful in maximal treatment effect without safety concern of NODM in Asian patients.
Strong and aversive cold processing and pain facilitation in fibromyalgia patients relates to augmented thermal grill illusion
Authors: Bäumler Petra , Brenske Anna , Winkelmann Andreas , Irnich Dominik , Averbeck Beate
Published: September 2023

The thermal grill illusion (TGI) is assumed to result from crosstalk between the thermoreceptive and nociceptive pathways. To elucidate this further, we compared 40 female fibromyalgia patients to 20 healthy women in an exploratory cross-sectional study. Sensations (cold, warm/heat, unpleasantness, pain and burning) evoked by 20 °C, 40 °C and alternating 20 °C/40 °C (TGI) and somatosensory profiles according to standardized quantitative sensory testing (QST) were assessed on the palm of the dominant hand. Compared to healthy controls, fibromyalgia patients reported stronger thermal grill-evoked cold, warm, unpleasantness and pain as well as stronger and more aversive 20 °C- and 40 °C-evoked sensations. They showed a loss in warm, mechanical and vibration detection, a gain in thermal pain thresholds and higher temporal summation (TS). Among QST parameters higher TS in fibromyalgia patients was most consistently associated with an augmented TGI. Independently, an increased TGI was linked to cold (20 °C) but less to warm (40 °C) perception. In fibromyalgia patients all thermal grill-evoked sensations were positively related to a higher 20 °C-evoked cold sensation and/or 20 °C-evoked unpleasantness. In conclusion, the TGI appears to be driven mainly by the cold-input. Aversive cold processing and central pain facilitation in fibromyalgia patients seem to independently augment the activation of the pain pathway.
The color communication game
Authors: Brown Angela M. , Lindsey Delwin T.
Published: September 2023

There is clear diversity among speakers of a typical language in how colors are named. What is the impact of this diversity on the people’s ability to communicate about color? Is there a gap between a person’s general understanding of the color terms in their native language and how they understand a particular term that denotes a particular color sample? Seventy English-speaking dyads and 63 Somali-speaking dyads played the Color Communication Game, where the “sender” in each dyad named 30 color samples as they would in any color-naming study, then the “receiver” chose the sample they thought the sender intended to communicate. English speakers played again, under instructions to intentionally communicate color sample identity. Direct comparison of senders’ samples and receivers’ choices revealed categorical understanding of colors without considering color naming data. Although Somali-speaking senders provided fewer color terms, interpersonal Mutual Information (MI) calculated from color naming data was similarly below optimal for both groups, and English-speaking dyads’ MI did not improve with experience. Both groups revealed superior understanding of color terms because receivers showed better exactly-correct selection performance than was predicted by simulation from their senders’ color-naming data. This study highlights limitations on information-theoretic analyses of color naming data.
Impact of on-site pharmacists in residential aged care facilities on the quality of medicines use: a cluster randomised controlled trial (PiRACF study)
Authors: Haider Ibrahim , Kosari Sam , Naunton Mark , Niyonsenga Theo , Koerner Jane , Peterson Gregory , Davey Rachel
Published: September 2023

Residents of residential aged care facilities (RACFs) have a high prevalence of use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and resultant medicines-related harm. This study investigated the effect of an on-site pharmacist model on PIMs use and other medication outcomes for residents in RACFs. A multi-facility, non-blind, cluster randomised controlled trial, with randomisation at the facility level, was conducted. Fifteen facilities enrolled and participated in the study, 7 facilities (560 residents) were allocated to the intervention arm and 8 facilities (737 residents) were allocated to the control arm. Each facility in the intervention arm employed an on-site pharmacist for 12 months to perform medication management activities as part of an interdisciplinary care team. The primary outcome was the proportion of residents taking at least one PIM according to the 2019 Beers® Criteria. Using generalised linear mixed-effects models, accounting for confounders and clustering, there was a significant reduction in the proportion of residents prescribed at least one PIM (odds ratio 0.50, 95% confidence interval, 0.335–0.750; p = 0.001) in the intervention arm. There were also significant decreases in the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden scale and chlorpromazine equivalent daily dose of antipsychotics. The on-site pharmacist intervention significantly improved the appropriateness of medicines use in RACFs.
Characterization of a GH10 extremely thermophilic xylanase from the metagenome of hot spring for prebiotic production
Authors: Yin Yi-Rui , Li Xin-Wei , Long Chao-Hua , Li Lei , Hang Yu-Ying , Rao Meng-Di , Yan Xin , Liu Quan-Lin , Sang Peng , Li Wen-Jun , Yang Li-Quan
Published: September 2023

A xylanase gene (named xyngmqa) was identified from the metagenomic data of the Gumingquan hot spring (92.5 °C, pH 9.2) in Tengchong City, Yunnan Province, southwest China. It showed the highest amino acid sequence identity (82.70%) to endo-1,4-beta-xylanase from Thermotoga caldifontis. A constitutive expression plasmid (denominated pSHY211) and double-layer plate (DLP) method were constructed for cloning, expression, and identification of the XynGMQA gene. The XynGMQA gene was synthesized and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli DH5α. XynGMQA exhibited optimal activity at 90 °C and pH 4.6, being thermostable by maintaining 100% of its activity after 2 h incubated at 80 °C. Interestingly, its enzyme activity was enhanced by high temperatures (70 and 80 °C) and low pH (3.0–6.0). About 150% enzyme activity was detected after incubation at 70 °C for 20 to 60 min or 80 °C for 10 to 40 min, and more than 140% enzyme activity after incubation at pH 3.0 to 6.0 for 12 h. Hydrolytic products of beechwood xylan with XynGMQA were xylooligosaccharides, including xylobiose (X2), xylotriose (X3), and xylotetraose (X4). These properties suggest that XynGMQA as an extremely thermophilic xylanase, may be exploited for biofuel and prebiotic production from lignocellulosic biomass.
Deposition is a phosphorus source for Fallopia japonica during early-stage primary succession
Authors: Katayama Sae , Sawakami Koichiro , Tateno Masaki
Published: September 2023

Phosphorus is a key plant nutrient linked to plant growth during the early stages of primary succession in volcanic soils. Available phosphorus is thought to include soil and atmospheric phosphorus, but it is not well understood. Here, we focused on deposition as a potential phosphorus source. We evaluated the contribution of deposition to phosphorus uptake and growth in Fallopia japonica, a key pioneer species of primary succession. When we experimented with growing F. japonica under field conditions, F. japonica not covered by a roof absorbed more phosphorus than that covered by the roof, suggesting the influence of total (dry + wet) deposition. Furthermore, we tested the effects of deposition by treating F. japonica seedlings with wet deposition or distilled water in six volcanic soils. Plants that received the wet deposition treatment exhibited higher phosphorus contents and growth rates than those treated with distilled water. The phosphorus from wet deposition and the phosphorus from soil contributed nearly equally to F. japonica development. Our findings suggest that F. japonica grows during primary succession and builds up the phosphorus cycle by absorbing a trace amount of phosphorus from deposition and volcanic soils.
Influence of electric potential-induced by atmospheric pressure plasma on cell response
Authors: Okumura Takamasa , Chang Chia-Hsing , Koga Kazunori , Shiratani Masaharu , Sato Takehiko
Published: September 2023

Plasma irradiation leads not only active species, but also reactive chemical species, ultraviolet light, electric fields, magnetic fields, and shock waves. To date the effects of reactive chemical species have been mainly discussed. To understand the biological effect caused by an electric potential induced with an atmospheric-pressure plasma, the behavior of cell stimulated by electric potential was investigated using HeLa cell. The cell concentration assay revealed that less than 20% of cells inactivated by potential stimulation and the remained cells proliferate afterward. Fluorescent microscopic observation revealed that potential stimulation is appreciable to transport the molecules through membrane. These results show that potential stimulation induces intracellular and extracellular molecular transport, while the stimulation has a low lethal effect. A possible mechanism for this molecular transport by potential stimulation was also shown using numerical simulation based on an equivalent circuit of the experimental system including adhered HeLa cell. The potential formation caused by plasma generation is decisive in the contribution of plasma science to molecular biology and the elucidation of the mechanism underlying a biological response induction by plasma irradiation.
Man vs the machine in the struggle for effective text anonymisation in the age of large language models
Authors: Patsakis Constantinos , Lykousas Nikolaos
Published: September 2023

The collection and use of personal data are becoming more common in today’s data-driven culture. While there are many advantages to this, including better decision-making and service delivery, it also poses significant ethical issues around confidentiality and privacy. Text anonymisation tries to prune and/or mask identifiable information from a text while keeping the remaining content intact to alleviate privacy concerns. Text anonymisation is especially important in industries like healthcare, law, as well as research, where sensitive and personal information is collected, processed, and exchanged under high legal and ethical standards. Although text anonymisation is widely adopted in practice, it continues to face considerable challenges. The most significant challenge is striking a balance between removing information to protect individuals’ privacy while maintaining the text’s usability for future purposes. The question is whether these anonymisation methods sufficiently reduce the risk of re-identification, in which an individual can be identified based on the remaining information in the text. In this work, we challenge the effectiveness of these methods and how we perceive identifiers. We assess the efficacy of these methods against the elephant in the room, the use of AI over big data. While most of the research is focused on identifying and removing personal information, there is limited discussion on whether the remaining information is sufficient to deanonymise individuals and, more precisely, who can do it. To this end, we conduct an experiment using GPT over anonymised texts of famous people to determine whether such trained networks can deanonymise them. The latter allows us to revise these methods and introduce a novel methodology that employs Large Language Models to improve the anonymity of texts.
Generation of potent antibacterial compounds through enzymatic and chemical modifications of the trans-δ-viniferin scaffold
Authors: Huber Robin , Marcourt Laurence , Héritier Margaux , Luscher Alexandre , Guebey Laurie , Schnee Sylvain , Michellod Emilie , Guerrier Stéphane , Wolfender Jean-Luc , Scapozza Leonardo , Köhler Thilo , Gindro Katia , Queiroz Emerson Ferreira
Published: September 2023

Stilbene dimers are well-known for their diverse biological activities. In particular, previous studies have demonstrated the high antibacterial potential of a series of trans-δ-viniferin-related compounds against gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. The trans-δ-viniferin scaffold has multiple chemical functions and can therefore be modified in various ways to generate derivatives. Here we report the synthesis of 40 derivatives obtained by light isomerization, O-methylation, halogenation and dimerization of other stilbene monomers. The antibacterial activities of all generated trans-δ-viniferin derivatives were evaluated against S. aureus and information on their structure–activity relationships (SAR) was obtained using a linear regression model. Our results show how several parameters, such as the O-methylation pattern and the presence of halogen atoms at specific positions, can determine the antibacterial activity. Taken together, these results can serve as a starting point for further SAR investigations.
Xrn1-resistant RNA motifs are disseminated throughout the RNA virome and are able to block scanning ribosomes
Authors: Dilweg Ivar W. , Peer Jasper , Olsthoorn René C. L.
Published: September 2023

RNAs that are able to prevent degradation by the 5’–3’ exoribonuclease Xrn1 have emerged as crucial structures during infection by an increasing number of RNA viruses. Several plant viruses employ the so-called coremin motif, an Xrn1-resistant RNA that is usually located in 3’ untranslated regions. Investigation of its structural and sequence requirements has led to its identification in plant virus families beyond those in which the coremin motif was initially discovered. In this study, we identified coremin-like motifs that deviate from the original in the number of nucleotides present in the loop region of the 5’ proximal hairpin. They are present in a number of viral families that previously did not have an Xrn1-resistant RNA identified yet, including the double-stranded RNA virus families Hypoviridae and Chrysoviridae. Through systematic mutational analysis, we demonstrated that a coremin motif carrying a 6-nucleotide loop in the 5’ proximal hairpin generally requires a YGNNAD consensus for stalling Xrn1, similar to the previously determined YGAD consensus required for Xrn1 resistance of the original coremin motif. Furthermore, we determined the minimal requirements for the 3’ proximal hairpin. Since some putative coremin motifs were found in intergenic regions or coding sequences, we demonstrated their capacity for inhibiting translation through an in vitro ribosomal scanning inhibition assay. Consequently, this study provides a further expansion on the number of viral families with known Xrn1-resistant elements, while adding a novel, potentially regulatory function for this structure.
Psychological states affecting initial pupil size changes after olfactory stimulation in healthy participants
Authors: Hatsukawa Hiroatsu , Ishikawa Masaaki
Published: September 2023

Odor perception affects physiological and psychological states. Pupillary light reflex (PLR) parameters can be affected by olfactory stimulation and psychological states, although it remains unclear whether the olfactory stimulation-induced psychological changes can associate with PLR parameter changes. This study aimed to investigate effects of olfactory stimulation-induced psychological changes on PLR parameter changes with repeated measurements. We collected data on six mood subscales of the profile of mood states, and on five PLR parameter measurements from 28 healthy participants. Participants underwent a 10-min olfactory stimulation on different days with six odorants available with the T&T olfactometer. As obtained data were clustered, we used linear mixed-effects models for statistical analyses. The olfactory stimulation using the no-odor liquid did not affect mood states and the initial pupil size (INIT). The sweat odorant worsened all mood subscales including fatigue–inertia (Fatigue)/Vigor–Activity (Vigor), and decreased INIT compared to the no-odor liquid. When comparing INIT responses related to changes in mood subscales between the no-odor liquid and the sweat odorant, worsened states of Fatigue/Vigor were associated with decreased INIT in the sweat odorant. Fatigue/Vigor can be used as mental fatigue indicators. Thus, mental fatigue can be associated with decreased INIT in the olfactory stimulation.
The Warburg effect alters amino acid homeostasis in human retinal endothelial cells: implication for proliferative diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Gregory Andrew , Yumnamcha Thangal , Shawky Mohamed , Eltanani Shaimaa , Naghdi Armaan , Ross Bing X. , Lin Xihui , Ibrahim Ahmed S.
Published: September 2023

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) remains a leading cause of blindness despite progress in screening and treatment. Recently, the Warburg effect, a metabolic alteration affecting amino acid (AA) metabolism in proliferating cells, has drawn attention regarding its role in PDR. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the Warburg effect on AA metabolism in human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) subjected to PDR-associated risk factors and validate the findings in patients with PDR. In vitro experiments exposed HRECs to high glucose (HG) and/or hypoxia (Hyp), known inducers of the Warburg effect. The HG + Hyp group of HRECs exhibited significant differences in non-essential AAs with aliphatic non-polar side chains, mainly driven by elevated glycine concentrations. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed several glycine metabolism-related pathways significantly altered due to the Warburg effect induced by HG + Hyp. Crucially, vitreous humor samples from PDR patients displayed higher glycine levels compared to non-diabetic and diabetic patients without PDR. The odds ratio for PDR patients with glycine levels above the cut-off of 0.0836 µM was 28 (p = 0.03) compared to non-PDR controls. In conclusion, this study provides mechanistic insights into how a specific Warburg effect subtype contributes to glycine accumulation in PDR and supports glycine's potential as a biomarker for PDR pathogenesis.