bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Composition of gaseous organic carbon during ECOCEM in Beirut, Lebanon: new observational constraints for VOC anthropogenic emission evaluation in the Middle East
Authors: Salameh Thérèse , Borbon Agnès , Afif Charbel , Sauvage Stéphane , Leonardis Thierry , Gaimoz Cécile , Locoge Nadine
Published: August 2016

Abstract. The relative importance of Eastern Mediterranean emissions is suspected to be largely underestimated compared to other regions worldwide. Here we use detailed speciated measurements of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) to evaluate the spatial heterogeneity of VOC urban emission composition and the consistency of regional and global emission inventories downscaled to Lebanon (EMEP, ACCMIP, and MACCity). The assessment was conducted through the comparison of the emission ratios extracted from the emission inventories to the ones obtained from the hourly observations collected at a sub-urban site in Beirut, Lebanon during summertime and wintertime ECOCEM campaigns. The observed ERs were calculated by two independent methods. ER values from both methods agree very well (difference up to 10 %) and are comparable to the ones of the road transport sector from near-field measurements for more than 80 % of the species. There is no significant seasonality in ER for more than 90 % of the species unlike the seasonality usually observed in other cities worldwide. Regardless of the season, ERs agree within a factor of 2 between Beirut and other representative worldwide cities except for the unburned fuel fraction and ethane. ERs of aromatics (benzene excepted) are higher in Beirut compared to northern post-industrialized countries and even the Middle Eastern city Mecca. The comparison of the observed ER relative to CO and to acetylene as well as the ratios of every NMVOC to each of the other NMVOCs (NMVOCi) to the ones extracted from ACCMIP and MACCity global emission inventories suggests that the overall speciation of anthropogenic sources for major hydrocarbons that act as ozone and SOA precursors in ACCMIP is reasonably represented. The comparison of the specific road transport ER relative to acetylene derived from near-field measurements to ER from ACCMIP and EMEP emission inventories for road transport sector showed that ER from the road transport sector are usually consistent within a factor of 2 with the regional emission inventory EMEP while xylenes and toluene are underestimated over a factor of 2 by ACCMIP. The observed heterogeneity of anthropogenic VOC emission composition between Middle Eastern cities can be significant for reactive VOC but is not depicted by global emission inventories. This suggests that systematic and detailed measurements are needed in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin in order to better constrain emission inventory.
North American regional climate reconstruction from Ground Surface Temperature Histories
Authors: Jaume-Santero Fernando , Pickler Carolyne , Beltrami Hugo , Mareschal Jean-Claude
Published: August 2016

Abstract. Within the framework of the PAGES NAm2k project, 510 North American borehole temperature-depth profiles were analyzed to infer recent climate changes. To facilitate comparisons and to study the same time period, the profiles were truncated at 300 meters. Ground surface temperature histories for the last 500 years were obtained for a model describing the temporal ground surface temperature changes. The model consists of a series of 10 time-intervals of variable duration. The evaluation of the model is done by inversion of the transient temperature perturbations using singular value decomposition. The long-term surface temperature (T0) and thermal gradient (Γ0) were retrieved by linear regression for the bottommost 100 meters. In addition, a Monte-Carlo approach was used to find the range of solutions within an acceptable error difference between the forward-modelled history and the data. The results within 95 % confidence interval suggest a warming between 1.0 °C to 2.5 °C during the last two centuries. A regional analysis of mean temperature changes over the last 500 years show that all regions experienced warming, but this warming is not spatially uniform and is more marked in northern regions.
Restoring Native Plant Species in Crested Wheatgrass Rangelands Using Glyphosate and No-Till Reseeding
Authors: Johnson Janel , Cash S. Dennis , Yeager Todd , Roberts Fred , Sowell Bok
Published: August 2016

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of spring application of glyphosate (1.1 kg/ha) on 1) crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn) phytomass, 2) seedling establishment of native grasses and forbs using no-till reseeding and 3) non-target plant species responses. Field trials were conducted at five sites in central and eastern Montana in 2002 and 2003. Each site contained sixteen 36x36 m plots to test four treatments. The treatments included control, glyphosate only, glyphosate plus cool season plants no-till seeded in the fall, and glyphosate plus spring no-till seeding of cool season plants in 2002. In 2003, one half of the plots were sprayed a second time with glyphosate to control crested wheatgrass growth. Five 0.25 m2 quadrats per plot sampled in August were used to estimate crested wheatgrass, seeding and non-target phytomass. Split plot error was the testing term for glyphosate treatment differences, and the whole plot error was the testing term for planting treatments. Data that was not normally distributed was rank-transformed. Data was analyzed by site due to site by treatment interactions. Application of glyphosate for two consecutive years reduced crested wheatgrass phytomass 91% compared to controls. Application for one year reduced phytomass 56% across all sites but two sites showed no reduction in phytomass one year after application. No-till seeding failed on four of five sites due to lack of adequate moisture and did not influence seedling phytomass a year after planting. Non-target plant species biomass was increased by glyphosate application on four of five sites. Application of glyphosate did not increase seedling establishment planted under low moisture conditions, but it increased biomass of non-seeded plants.
An interactive animation for learning sorting algorithms
Authors: Végh Ladislav , Stoffová Veronika
Published: August 2016

Learning programming and understanding algorithms is one of the hardest tasks for novice computer science students. One of the basic algorithms they learn during the introductory programming and algorithms courses are the sorting algorithms. Students like learning these and other algorithms by animations and didactic games, however, these animations are not educationally useful in every case. In this article, we present our educational sorting game, which can be used to introduce the topic of sorting algorithms. The didactic game can be used later too, as a demonstrative tool for explaining the more efficient, quicksort algorithm. We conducted a pedagogical experiment, in which we examined the process of development of sorting algorithms by students while they used the mentioned didactic game. The results showed that students were able to create an algorithm to solve the sorting problem, and they improved its effectiveness by reducing the number of comparisons in the algorithm. They were also able to understand the importance of the efficiency of algorithms when we demonstrated them the quicksort algorithm using the same tool after the experiment.
Improving Understanding about Social Influences on Food Choices in College Students: A Pilot Study
Authors: Basch Corey H. , Grodner Michele , Prewitt Lindsay
Published: August 2016

The impact of social influences on food choices in college settings is of great importance because students are vulnerable to new forming identities at this time. The purpose of this pilot study is to determine the degree to which social influences impact food choices in a sample of college students. A 22-item survey instrument was created to determine the extent to which students have experienced being influenced by others when making food related purchasing decisions. A total of 257 out of a 323 students invited (80% response rate) in 11 sections of a personal health course responded to the survey. The overwhelming majority of respondents were reportedly comfortable ordering whatever they wanted when in the presence of their friends (n=249; 97%). Students were more likely to feel pressure to make a healthy choice than an unhealthy choice if everyone else was (45.1% vs. 31.5%), but fewer felt this way when asked specifically if their friends were ordering (28.4% vs. 21%). Social influences surrounding food choices are a topic that has gained momentum recently, however more research needs to be conducted to determine the reasons why social influences affect certain college students especially in comparing healthy versus unhealthy food choices.
Assessment of the Effect of Photodynamic Therapy on Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Periodontitis; a Randomized Clinical Trial Study
Authors: Amoian Babak , Mirzaee Aida , Hosseini Seyed Mostafa
Published: August 2016

BACKGROUND & AIM: Photodynamic therapy is a localized non-invasive treatment modality for the periodontal disease. Some evidences have shown that this technique is effective in improving the treatment outcome. This study compared the effects of photodynamic therapy with and without scaling and root planing and scaling and root planing alone on the clinical parameters of the chronic periodontitis.

MATERIALS & METHODS: In this single-blind, randomized clinical trial, 30 chronic periodontitis patients (10 for each modality) were selected and three different methods; photodynamic therapy alone (Group1) by FotoSan 630 system, scaling and root planning (SRP) alone (Group2), scaling and root planing combined with photodynamic therapy (Group3) were done for them randomly. Clinical parameters of probing pocket depth (PPD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were measured at the baseline and 3, 6 and 12 weeks later. One-sided analysis of variance test was used to analyze PPD and CAL among the treatment groups in each time interval while the paired comparisons were carried out by employment of Dunnett’s test. The treatment groups were statically analyzed by the chi-square test regarding BOP.

RESULTS: Before the treatment; no significant differences observed among treatment modalities regarding clinical parameters; while the differences were significant at three weeks (p<0.0001 for PPD and CAL; p<0.001 for BOP); six weeks (p<0.0001 for PPD and CAL, p<0.002 for BOP); and 12 weeks after the treatment (all: p<0.0001). The least PPD and CAL values and the most frequency of non-bleeding on probing status were measured for PDT+SRP modality at three, six, and twelve weeks after the treatment.

CONCLUSION: Photodynamic therapy supported the clinical parameters of periodontitis similar to SRP; however, PDT combined with SRP demonstrated a better result than that of SRP alone. Therefore, PDT combined with SRP can be used to improve outcomes of clinical parameters of periodontitis as compared to SRP alone in the short-term.
The Relationship between Life Satisfaction and Happiness: The Mediating Role of Resiliency
Authors: Nemati Shahrooz , Maralani Farnaz Mehdipour
Published: August 2016

The present research investigates the mediating role of resiliency in the relationship to life satisfaction and happiness. The study uses correlation and the research population consisted of 241 female students from the University of Tehran who were chosen with the simple random sampling method to answer the questionnaires. To measure the variables of the research, the scale of life satisfaction proposed by Diener et al. (1985), the resiliency of Conner and Davidson (2003), and Oxford happiness (1989) were utilized. The results which were attained using the method of structural equation modeling demonstrated that the exogenous variable of life satisfaction has a significant direct effect on happiness. In addition, according to the results, the relationship between life satisfaction and happiness is mediated by resiliency. In this pattern, all the regression weights were significant from a statistical perspective, and in general, the results show that life satisfaction affects happiness directly and via the mediation of resiliency.
Analytical Eco-Scale for Assessing the Greenness of a Developed RP-HPLC Method Used for Simultaneous Analysis of Combined Antihypertensive Medications
Authors: Mohamed Heba M , Lamie Nesrine T
Published: August 2016

In the past few decades the analytical community has been focused on eliminating or reducing the usage of hazardous chemicals and solvents, in different analytical methodologies, that have been ascertained to be extremely dangerous to human health and environment. In this context, environmentally friendly, green, or clean practices have been implemented in different research areas. This study presents a greener alternative of conventional RP-HPLC methods for the simultaneous determination and quantitative analysis of a pharmaceutical ternary mixture composed of telmisartan, hydrochlorothiazide, and amlodipine besylate, using an ecofriendly mobile phase and short run time with the least amount of waste production. This solvent-replacement approach was feasible without compromising method performance criteria, such as separation efficiency, peak symmetry, and chromatographic retention. The greenness profile of the proposed method was assessed and compared with reported conventional methods using the analytical Eco-Scale as an assessment tool. The proposed method was found to be greener in terms of usage of hazardous chemicals and solvents, energy consumption, and production of waste. The proposed method can be safely used for the routine analysis of the studied pharmaceutical ternary mixture with a minimal detrimental impact on human health and the environment.
La práctica gimnástica y el deporte, la cultura física y el cuerpo bello en la historia de las mujeres. Argentina 1900-1930
Authors: Kaczan Gisela Paola
Published: August 2016

This article reflects on the relationship between physical culture and the female body during the first decades of the 20th century in Argentina. The objective is to show how different feminine sensitivities intersect in favor of the beautiful body, through the practices of gymnastics and sports. For this purpose, it explores the representations constructed through texts and iconography in the illustrated press regarding the experience of exercise among women. It concludes that the proposed relationship turns out to be a complex site of symbolic constructions in which medical-scientific visions intersect with habits and behaviors, rites of morality and virtue, aesthetic canons, imaginaries and social representations revolving around women.
La discusión cívica y moralizadora en el discurso anticomunista de la derecha conservadora chilena, 1932-1938
Authors: Burgos Pinto Raúl
Published: August 2016

The article proposes to analyze how the conservative right grounded its anticommunist discourse between the end of the Socialist Republic (1932) and the triumph of the Popular Front (1938) in Chile, a period characterized by political organization of the left. It explains the way in which the conservatives employed the political strategy of fear in order to develop the main axes of their political discourse. After analyzing political documents and press items of a conservative tendency, it deduces four aspects that were present in the construction of the anticommunist discourse of the conservatives: 1) the crisis and the defense of the historical project; 2) the defense of authority and discipline for institutional stability; 3) the moral recomposition of the citizens; and 4) the defense of the hierarchy, liberty and the unequal nature of the citizens.
Tipos de identificación partidaria. América Latina en perspectiva comparada, 2004-2012
Authors: Morales Quiroga Mauricio
Published: August 2016

Identification with political parties in Latin America is analyzed in two dimensions: volume and composition. In general, the literature focuses on the analysis of volume, as measured by the percentage of citizens identified with parties. However, two countries with identical volume of party identification do not necessarily share identical institutional contexts or party systems. Identification can be reproduced in different environments. It can even be cultivated in systems of unstable and only barely programmatic parties, which leads one to think of the existence of different types of identification. Two of them are proposed here: i.e., identification through conviction and identification through transaction. To show the predominance of each type of identification, the series of results of Latinobarómetro (1995-2003) and LAPOP (2006-2012) were used in designing multi-nominal logistic models for each country.
Occupational Therapy: Autonomy, Governmentality and Subjectification
Authors: Gutiérrez Monclus Pamela , Tarrès Joan Pujol
Published: August 2016

This paper explores Occupational Therapy (OT) interventions using a dialogical perspective with therapists and people with functional diversity.[1] Framing the dialogue between the discourses that participate in the therapeutic process, the paper reflexively explores the interferences in the forms of subjectivity that the discipline promotes under the governmental umbrella. The research uses ethnographic and narrative material as the basis of its methodology. The material suggests that OT, like other health disciplines, constitutes a governmental mechanism of bodily regulation that produces subjectification through certain procedures: distributing persons in space, regulating their use of time, and perfecting their performance of activities. The reflection allows us to reconsider the construction of the “patient” in OT interventions considering the rights of persons with functional diversity.
Espectadores del dolor ajeno: una imagen no vale más que mil palabras
Authors: Zubero Beascoechea Imanol
Published: August 2016

This work is intended to be an updated review of one of the most debated issues in the field of the sociology of communication: the relationship between mediated knowledge and social action. Taking the apparent evolution of the thought of Susan Sontag on this matter as its axis, the article reflects on the limits and the potentialities of images, particularly those transmitted by the mass media, to put us in the place of the other. It proposes a trans-disciplinary approach, turning to analyses and proposals drawn from sociology, communication sciences, artistic creation, etc. The article ends by vindicating the value of the image as a rupture of normality and, therefore, as a mobilizer of ethical sentiment.
El tiempo de las mujeres en Chile: repensar la agencia
Authors: Yopo Díaz Martina
Published: August 2016

In contemporary societies, a set of social and cultural transformations has made the use and distribution of time in the everyday life of women problematic. In Chile, studies of time have contributed to making visible the problems that women face in managing time in their daily lives, but have relegated the relevance of agency for temporal experience to a position of secondary importance. This article introduces the concept of temporal work to show empirically the strategies that Chilean women deploy in the configuration of their experience of time in everyday life. It concludes that, despite the relevance of agency for women’s experience of the temporal in Chile, it will continue to be widely determined by the inequalities and asymmetries of the social organization of time and its contradictions in terms of relationships, institutions and structures.
Enhanced exercise and regenerative capacity in a mouse model that violates size constraints of oxidative muscle fibres
Authors: Omairi Saleh , Matsakas Antonios , Degens Hans , Kretz Oliver , Hansson Kenth-Arne , Solbrå Andreas Våvang , Bruusgaard Jo C , Joch Barbara , Sartori Roberta , Giallourou Natasa , Mitchell Robert , Collins-Hooper Henry , Foster Keith , Pasternack Arja , Ritvos Olli , Sandri Marco , Narkar Vihang , Swann Jonathan R , Huber Tobias B , Patel Ketan
Published: August 2016

A central tenet of skeletal muscle biology is the existence of an inverse relationship between the oxidative fibre capacity and its size. However, robustness of this relationship is unknown. We show that superimposition of Estrogen-related receptor gamma (Errγ) on the myostatin (Mtn) mouse null background (Mtn-/-/ErrγTg/+) results in hypertrophic muscle with a high oxidative capacity thus violating the inverse relationship between fibre size and oxidative capacity. We also examined the canonical view that oxidative muscle phenotype positively correlate with Satellite cell number, the resident stem cells of skeletal muscle. Surprisingly, hypertrophic fibres from Mtn-/-/ErrγTg/+ mouse showed satellite cell deficit which unexpectedly did not affect muscle regeneration. These observations 1) challenge the concept of a constraint between fibre size and oxidative capacity and 2) indicate the important role of the microcirculation in the regenerative capacity of a muscle even when satellite cell numbers are reduced.
Drosophila larval to pupal switch under nutrient stress requires IP3R/Ca2+ signalling in glutamatergic interneurons
Authors: Jayakumar Siddharth , Richhariya Shlesha , Reddy O Venkateswara , Texada Michael J , Hasan Gaiti
Published: August 2016

Neuronal circuits are known to integrate nutritional information, but the identity of the circuit components is not completely understood. Amino acids are a class of nutrients that are vital for the growth and function of an organism. Here, we report a neuronal circuit that allows Drosophila larvae to overcome amino acid deprivation and pupariate. We find that nutrient stress is sensed by the class IV multidendritic cholinergic neurons. Through live calcium imaging experiments, we show that these cholinergic stimuli are conveyed to glutamatergic neurons in the ventral ganglion through mAChR. We further show that IP3R-dependent calcium transients in the glutamatergic neurons convey this signal to downstream medial neurosecretory cells (mNSCs). The circuit ultimately converges at the ring gland and regulates expression of ecdysteroid biosynthetic genes. Activity in this circuit is thus likely to be an adaptation that provides a layer of regulation to help surpass nutritional stress during development.
Is Brachial Artery Blood Flow Measured by Sonography During Early Postoperative Periods Predictive of Arteriovenous Fistula Failure in Hemodialysis Patients?
Authors: Zhu Yu-li , Ding Hong , Fan Pei-li , Gu Qi-lan , Teng Jie , Wang Wen-ping
Published: August 2016

Objectives

The aim of our study was to determine a brachial artery blood flow level measured by sonography during early postoperative periods that is predictive of arteriovenous fistula failure in hemodialysis patients.

Methods

Doppler sonography was used to estimate the blood flow in the brachial artery of 103 patients at 1 and 14 days after arteriovenous fistula creation. The performance of brachial artery blood flow during early postoperative periods for predicting fistula failure was evaluated, and optimal cutoff values were determined.

Results

During a 6‐month follow‐up, 85 fistulas were classified as mature, and 18 were classified as failures. The reproducibility of blood flow measurements in the brachial artery was good (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.912). The blood flow in the failure group was significantly lower than that in the mature group at both 1 and 14 days after fistula creation (P < .05). During the first 2 postoperative weeks, the blood flow increased by 40.7% in the failure group versus 78.3% in the mature group. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of brachial artery blood flow for predicting failure were 0.77 (95% confidence interval, 0.66–0.87; optimal cutoff value, 310 mL/min)at 1 day and 0.91 (95% confidence interval, 0.83–0.99; 413 mL/min) at 14 days after fistula creation.

Conclusions

Brachial artery blood flow measured by sonography during early postoperative periods may be predictive of forearm fistula failure. Blood flow of less than 310 mL/min at 1 day and 413 mL/min at 14 days after fistula creation may indicate a risk of failure to mature.
Three‐Dimensional Color/Power Doppler Sonography and HD live Silhouette Mode for Diagnosis of Molar Pregnancy
Authors: AboEllail Mohamed Ahmed Mostafa , Ishimura Mari , Sajapala Suraphan , Yamamoto Kenta , Tanaka Tamaki , Nitta Emiko , Kanenishi Kenji , Hata Toshiyuki
Published: August 2016

We present our experience of using new 3‐dimensional color/power Doppler sonography (HDliveFlow; GE Healthcare Japan, Tokyo, Japan) with the HD live silhouette mode for diagnosing complete molar pregnancy in the first trimester and differentiating it from missed abortion with hydropic degeneration. In the case of a complete mole, color Doppler sonography showed numerous vesicles without blood vessels, whereas HDliveFlow with the HD live silhouette mode clearly depicted these vesicles forming a mass with the clear demarcation of its edges and showed no blood flow inside the mass. In contrast to the hydropic abortion, which appeared as some vesicles with many blood vessels around them on color Doppler sonography, HDliveFlow with the HD live silhouette mode showed some vesicles embedded within the abundant blood vessels. The spatial relationship between the vesicles and surrounding highly vascularized uterus could be shown on HDliveFlow with the HD live silhouette mode. This technique might be beneficial as an additional diagnostic tool along with conventional color/power Doppler sonography, and it facilitates the early discrimination of these cases in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Patient Self-Guided Interventions to Reduce Sedative Use and Improve Sleep
Authors: Gardner David M. , Turner Justin P. , Magalhaes Sandra , Rajda Malgorzata , Murphy Andrea L.
Published: September 2024

Importance

Direct-to-patient interventions enabling transitions from long-term benzodiazepine receptor agonist (BZRA) use to cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) by older adults has the potential to reduce BZRA use and related harms while improving sleep outcomes without requiring prearranged clinician involvement.

Objective

To compare 2 direct-to-patient behavior change interventions with treatment as usual (TAU) on BZRA use, sleep, and other health outcomes, and uptake of CBTI techniques.

Design, Setting, and Participants

The Your Answers When Needing Sleep in New Brunswick (YAWNS NB) study was a 3-arm, pragmatic, open-label, minimum-contact, randomized clinical trial. The study began November 2020 and ended June 2022. Participants were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 groups, including 2 different mailed behavior change interventions or no intervention (TAU). Participants were from communities across the province of New Brunswick, Canada, and included adults 65 years and older living independently with long-term use of BZRAs and current or past insomnia.

Interventions

The Sleepwell package (YAWNS-1) consisted of a cover letter and 2 booklets (“How to Stop Sleeping Pills” and “How to Get Your Sleep Back”). The other package (YAWNS-2) included updated versions of the 2 booklets (“You May Be at Risk” and “How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep Without Medication”) used in the Eliminating Medications Through Patient Ownership of End Results (EMPOWER) study.

Main Outcomes and Measures

BZRA use at 6 months was the primary measure. Secondary measures included CBTI use, sleep, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, safety, anxiety, frailty, and quality of life.

Results

A total of 1295 individuals expressed interest in the study, and 565 (43.6%) completed a baseline assessment. Participants had a mean (SD) age of 72.1 (5.7) years, a mean (SD) BZRA use duration of 11.4 (9.1) years, and 362 (64.1%) were female. Discontinuations and dose reductions of 25% or greater were highest with YAWNS-1 (50 of 191 [26.2%]; 39 of 191 [20.4%]; total, 46.6%) compared with YAWNS-2 (38 of 187 [20.3%]; 27 of 187 [14.4%]; total, 34.8%, P = .02) and TAU (14 of 187 [7.5%]; 24 of 187 [12.8%]; total, 20.3%, P < .001). YAWNS-1 also demonstrated better uptake of CBTI techniques and sleep outcomes compared with YAWNS-2 (new CBTI techniques: 3.1 vs 2.4; P =.03; sleep efficiency change: 4.1% vs −1.7%; P =.001) and reduced insomnia severity and daytime sleepiness compared with TAU (insomnia severity index change: −2.0 vs 0.3; P <.001; Epworth Sleepiness Scale change: −0.8 vs 0.3; P =.001).

Conclusions and Relevance

Results of the YAWNS NB randomized clinical trial show that, as a simple, scalable, direct-to-patient intervention, YAWNS-1 substantially reduced BZRA use and improved sleep outcomes. It could be implemented to transform insomnia care for older adults at the population level.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04406103
α‐Synuclein species in plasma neuron‐derived extracellular vesicles as biomarkers for iRBD
Authors: Wang Xuemei , Zheng Yuanchu , Cai Huihui , Kou Wenyi , Yang Chen , Li Siming , Zhu Bingxu , Wu Jiayi , Zhang Ning , Feng Tao , Li Xiaohong , Xiao Fulong , Yu Zhenwei
Published: September 2024

Objective

Isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) is considered as the strongest predictor of Parkinson's disease (PD). Reliable and accurate biomarkers for iRBD detection and the prediction of phenoconversion are in urgent need. This study aimed to investigate whether α‐Synuclein (α‐Syn) species in plasma neuron‐derived extracellular vesicles (NDEVs) could differentiate between iRBD patients and healthy controls (HCs).

Methods

Nanoscale flow cytometry was used to detect α‐Syn‐containing NDEVs in plasma.

Results

A total of 54 iRBD patients and 53 HCs were recruited. The concentrations of total α‐Syn, α‐Syn aggregates, and phosphorylated α‐Syn at Ser129 (pS129)‐containing NDEVs in plasma of iRBD individuals were significantly higher than those in HCs (p < 0.0001 for all). In distinguishing between iRBD and HCs, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for an integrative model incorporating the levels of α‐Syn, pS129, and α‐Syn aggregate‐containing NDEVs in plasma was 0.965. This model achieved a sensitivity of 94.3% and a specificity of 88.9%. In iRBD group, the concentrations of α‐Syn aggregate‐containing NDEVs exhibited a negative correlation with Sniffin’ Sticks olfactory scores (r = −0.351, p = 0.039). Smokers with iRBD exhibited lower levels of α‐Syn aggregates and pS129‐containing NDEVs in plasma compared to nonsmokers (pα‐Syn aggregates = 0.014; ppS129 = 0.003).

Interpretation

The current study demonstrated that the levels of total α‐Syn, α‐Syn aggregates, and pS129‐containing NDEVs in the plasma of individuals with iRBD were significantly higher compared to HCs. The levels of α‐Syn species‐containing NDEVs in plasma may serve as biomarkers for iRBD.
“Internal Trouble and Outside Aggression” Strategy: Energy Deprivation Synergized With cGAS‐STING Pathway Activation for Stimuli‐Responsive Photodynamic‐Metal‐Metabolic Immunotherapy
Authors: Qian Yanrong , Xie Yulin , Zhu Guoqing , Wang Man , Wang Junrong , Sun Qianqian , Lin Jun , Li Chunxia
Published: September 2024

The aberrant metabolic activities of tumor cells not only facilitate tumor proliferation but also impair immune cell function and cause an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Thus, reshaping the metabolic TME while activating innate immunity is highly desirable but challenging. Herein, a multifunctional immunomodulator is engineered for near‐infrared light (NIR)‐triggered photodynamic‐metal‐metabolic immunotherapy via the “internal trouble and outside aggression” strategy. Specifically, an endogenous and exogenous stimuli‐responsive nanoagent is prepared consisting of photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) modified dense silica‐coated rare earth‐doped nanoparticles (ReNPs@SiO2(Ce6)), with in situ grown ZIF‐8 on the surface for loading glucose transporter‐1 (GLUT‐1) inhibitor Fasentin and glutaminase‐1 inhibitor bis‐2‐(5‐phenylacetamido‐1,3,4‐thiadiazol‐2‐yl)ethyl sulfide (BPTES). The as‐obtained final product is denoted as ReSZ(FB). ReSZ(FB) induces‐ mitochondrial damage and releases mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) via NIR‐mediated PDT. Subsequently, Zn2+ from ZIF‐8 collaborates with mtDNA to activate the cGAS‐STING pathway, initiating a robust tumor‐specific immune response. Concurrently, Fasentin and BPTES triggeres energy deprivation by blocking glucose uptake and inhibiting glutamine decomposition, thereby reprogramming the metabolic TME, and alleviating immunosuppression. Tumor cells are damaged and trapped into “internal trouble” by combining PDT and energy deprivation, while the sharply enhanced immune cell lethality exposes cancer cells to “outside aggression”. Overall, this photodynamic‐metal‐metabolic immunotherapy provides a promising paradigm for cancer therapy.
Multi‐Chambered Core/Shell Supraparticles for Real‐Time, Full‐Time Diagnosis and Treatment Integration of Tumors
Authors: Kong Degang , Zheng Xiaotong , Ding Kai , Zhong Run , Zhang Zhao , Wang Qingyi , Dong Chunxiu , Zheng Zhiwen , Li Xiaohong , Weng Jie , Zhou Shaobing
Published: September 2024

To a certain extent, theranostic nanoplatforms promote tumor treatment efficiency. However, timely monitoring of the critical stages and signal sustainability of the entire process is challenging. In this study, multi‐chambered core/shell magnetic nanoparticles (MC‐MNPs) as drug and imaging agent multi‐loaded nanocarriers with a synergistic release function are reported. Supraparticles with stable chambers are formed by the supercooling self‐assembly of several core/shell magnetic nanoparticles composed of amphiphilic copolymers as the core and hydrophilic magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as the shell. Desalinized doxorubicin and coumarin 6 are stored in different cavities of nanocarriers, and chitosan is used as an outer encapsulation layer. Based on their construction properties, MC‐MNPs can exhibit gradient‐degraded and steady‐released controllability in the tumor environment. Furthermore, real‐time accumulation situations and full‐time diagnostic signals of nanocarriers are thoroughly demonstrated using fluorescence imaging and T2‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging before and after magnetic hyperthermia in targeted tumors under an alternating magnetic field. Thus, MC‐MNPs as theranostic nanocarriers exhibit great potential for the timely monitoring and full‐time guidance of tumor treatment.
Evaporated Copper‐Based Perovskite Dynamic Memristors for Reservoir Computing Systems
Authors: Wang Ruiheng , Shao He , Ming Jianyu , Yang Wei , Sun Jintao , Liu Benxin , Wu Siqi , Ling Haifeng
Published: September 2024

Dynamic memristors are considered as the optimal hardware devices for reservoir computing (RC) enabled by their nonlinear conductance variations. This significantly reduces the extensive training workload typically required by traditional neural networks. Lead halide perovskites, with their tunable band structure and active ion migration properties, have emerged as highly promising materials for developing dynamic memristors. However, large‐scale and consistently stable production remains a challenge for perovskite functional films, while lead elements' toxicity and environmental impact also partly restrict their practical device utilization. In this work, lead‐free copper‐based perovskite (i.e., CsCu2I3) films are prepared by thermal evaporation for constructing dynamic memristors. The effective conductivity modulation of CsCu2I3‐based memristor can be utilized in artificial neural networks, achieving a high handwritten digit recognition accuracy of 91.2%. In addition, the RC system is also constructed based on the dynamic behavior of the devices, by which a letter recognition accuracy of 98.2% with simple training is achieved. This technology provides a feasible pathway to construct copper‐based perovskite dynamic memristors for future neural network information processing.
Long‐Lasting Simultaneous Epidermal and Dermal Microneedle‐Enabled Drug Delivery
Authors: Sarabi Misagh Rezapour , Farshi Sara Soltanabadi , Saltik Zeynep , Khosbakht Saba , Buyukbabani Nesimi , Agcaoglu Orhan , Vural Secil , Sitti Metin , Tasoglu Savas
Published: September 2024

Different skin diseases, such as cancers, inflammatory conditions, and bacterial infections, manifest at distinct skin depths. Microneedle arrays, recognized for their painless and minimally invasive drug administration, can be customized to penetrate these layers simultaneously. Here, the design of the microneedles (MNs) in nonlinear ways with diverse needle heights on the array enabling concurrent drug delivery to various skin layers is engineered. Additionally, varying the base diameter of the needles in the array facilitates prolonged or intermittent drug release, depending on the biodegradation kinetics of these needles. MNs, microfabricated with a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, are validated by skin administration. The nonlinear design of the MNs on the array introduces a novel perspective on addressing skin diseases at varying depths of the skin.
A Lithium‐Oxygen Battery Exploiting Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene and Gold Catalyst
Authors: Levchenko Stanislav , Valente Giacomo , Hassoun Jusef
Published: September 2024

Lithium‐oxygen (Li‐O2) battery is considered a high‐energy alternative to Li‐ion one due its characteristic electrochemical conversion process, with the additional advantage of lower cost and environmental impact. However, this emerging battery still requires an enhancement of stability and lifespan to allow its use as a practical energy storage system. In this work we investigate an electrode material benefitting of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), few layer graphene (FLG), and gold nano‐powder catalyst to improve the Li‐O2 battery performances in terms of energy efficiency, cycle life and stability. Morphological, structural, and electrochemical tests indicate that the composite electrode can actually boost the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and enhance the Li‐O2 process reversibility, with a capacity of 1000 mAh g−1 over 70 cycles. On the other hand, the tests reveal the role of the gold in decreasing the polarization and increasing the cell life. Therefore, the results suggest the combination of carbons with various morphologies as a suitable architecture for hosting the Li‐O2 reaction products and allowing their reversible reaction. On the other hand, the results highlight the necessity for a better tuning the noble metal characteristics to further enhance the cell performances.
siRNA/CS‐PLGA Nanoparticle System Targeting Knockdown Intestinal SOAT2 Reduced Intestinal Lipid Uptake and Alleviated Obesity
Authors: Liang Jingjia , Shao Wentao , Ni Pu , Liu Qian , Kong Weirui , Shen Weiyi , Wang Qihan , Huang Anhua , Zhang Guixin , Yang Yulong , Xin Hongliang , Jiang Zhaoyan , Gu Aihua
Published: September 2024

Effective inhibition of intestinal lipid uptake is an efficient strategy for the treatment of disorders related to lipid metabolism. Sterol O‐acyltransferase 2 (SOAT2) is responsible for the esterification of free cholesterol and fatty acids into cholesteryl esters. We found that intestine‐specific SOAT2 knockout (Soat2I‐KO) mice was capable to prevent the development of dietary induced obesity due to reduced intestinal lipid absorption. Soat2 siRNA/CS‐PLGA nanoparticle system was constructed to enable intestinal delivery and inhibition of Soat2. This nanoparticle system was composed of PLGA‐block‐PEG and chitosan specifically delivering Soat2 siRNAs into small intestines in mice, effectively inhibit intestinal lipid uptake and resolving obesity. In revealing the underlying mechanism by which intestinal SOAT2 regulating fatty acid uptake, enhanced CD36 ubiquitination degradation was found in enterocytes upon SOAT2 inhibition. Insufficient free cholesterol esterification promoted endoplasmic reticulum stress and recruitment of E3 ligase RNF5 to activate CD36 ubiquitination in SOAT2 knockdown enterocytes. This work demonstrates a potential modulatory function of intestinal SOAT2 on lipid uptake highlighting the therapeutic effect on obesity by targeting intestinal SOAT2, exhibiting promising translational relevance in the siRNA therapeutic–based treatment for obesity.
PARN Maintains RNA Stability to Regulate Insulin Maturation and GSIS in Pancreatic β Cells
Authors: Xie Xiaomei , Chen Xuexue , Wang Chaofan , Sun Longjie , Yu Weiru , Lv Zheng , Tian Shuang , Yao Xiaohong , Wang Fengchao , Ding Deqiang , Chen Juan , Liu Jiali
Published: September 2024

Diabetes, a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia, underscores the importance of normal pancreatic β‐cell development and function in maintaining glucose homeostasis. Poly(A)‐specific ribonuclease (PARN) serves as the principal regulator of messenger RNA (mRNA) stability, yet its specific role in pancreatic β cells remains unclear. This study utilizes mice with targeted PARN deficiency in β cells to elucidate this role. Notably, Parn conditional knockout mice present unaltered β‐cell development and insulin sensitivity but reduced glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). The observed outcomes are corroborated in NIT‐1 cells. Furthermore, transcriptomic analyses reveal aberrant mRNA expression of genes crucial for insulin secretion in PARN‐deficient β cells. Insights from linear amplification of complementary DNA ends and sequencing and coimmunoprecipitation experiments reveal an interaction between PARN and polypyrimidine tract‐binding protein 1 (PTBP1), regulating the RNA stability of solute carrier family 30, member 8 (Slc30a8) and carbohydrate sulfotransferase 3 (Chst3). Interference with either PARN or PTBP1 disrupts this stability. These data indicate that PARN deficiency hampers GSIS and insulin maturation by destabilizing Slc30a8 and Chst3 RNAs. These findings provide compelling evidence indicating that PARN is a potential therapeutic target for enhancing insulin maturation and secretion.
Photoswitchable AIE‐Active Supramolecular Self‐Assemblies for Biosensing and Bioimaging
Authors: Zhu Fengfan , Hou Xiao‐Fang , Wang Juping , Bi Lei , Zhou Jiancheng , Chen Xu‐Man
Published: September 2024

Photoswitchable fluorescent self‐assemblies exhibiting aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) properties have garnered widespread attention. Due to their great adaptiveness and responsiveness towards different wavelengths required by photoreaction, photo‐isomerization, and photoluminescence excitation, these fluorescent self‐assemblies show diverse emission behavior in a spatial, temporal, and polychromatic manner. Integrating organic photoswitches and AIE fluorophores, these photoluminescent nano‐assemblies have been proven to be an effective approach, allowing the development of sophisticated systems for drug release and cell regulation that can be precisely manipulated through light or other stimuli. This review systematically encapsulates recent advances in photoswitchable fluorescent self‐assemblies under multi‐scenario biological applications. The construction of photoswitchable AIE fluorophores through covalent and non‐covalent interactions and their multimodal regulation are detailed, along with their biological applications in biosensing, bioimaging, and drug therapy.
Laser Ablation of Periventricular Nodular Heterotopia for Medically Refractory Epilepsy
Authors: McCormack Ryan M. , Chandran Arjun S. , Lhatoo Samden D. , Pati Sandipan , Li Zhouxuan , Harris Katherine , Lacuey Nuria , Kalamangalam Giridhar , Thompson Stephen , Tandon Nitin
Published: September 2024

Objective

Periventricular nodular heterotopia (PVNH) is the most common neuronal heterotopia, frequently resulting in pharmaco‐resistant epilepsy. Here, we characterize variables that predict good epilepsy outcomes following surgical intervention using stereo‐electroencephalography (SEEG) ‐informed magnetic resonance‐guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT).

Methods

A retrospective review of consecutive cases from a single high‐volume epilepsy referral center identified patients who underwent SEEG evaluation for PVNH to characterize the intervention and outcomes.

Results

Thirty‐nine patients underwent SEEG‐guided MRgLITT of the seizure onset zone (SoZ) in PVNH and associated epileptic tissue. PVNH and polymicrogyria (PMG) were densely sampled with a mean of 16.5 (SD = 2)/209.4 (SD = 36.9) SEEG probes/recording contacts per patient. Ablation principally targeted just the PVNH and cortex that was abnormal on imaging was ablated (5 patients) only if implicated in the SoZ. Volumetric analyses revealed a high percentage of PVNH SoZ ablation (96.6%, SD = 5.3%) in unilateral and bilateral (92.9%, SD = 7.2%) cases. Mean follow‐up duration was 31.4 months (SD = 20.9). Seizure freedom (ILAE 1) was excellent: unilateral PVNH without other imaging abnormalities, 80%; PVNH with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) or PMG, 63%; bilateral PVNH, 50%. SoZ ablation percentage significantly impacted surgical outcomes (p < 0.001).

Interpretation

PVNH plays a central role in seizure genesis as revealed by dense recordings and selective targeting by LITT. MRgLITT represents a transformative technological advance in PVNH‐associated epilepsy with seizure control outcomes consistent with those seen in focal lesional epilepsies. In localized unilateral cases and otherwise normal imaging, PVNH ablation without invasive recordings may be considered, and this approach deserves to be explored further. ANN NEUROL 2024;96:1174–1184
All‐Atom Protein Sequence Design Based on Geometric Deep Learning
Authors: Liu Jiale , Guo Zheng , You Hantian , Zhang Changsheng , Lai Luhua
Published: September 2024

Designing sequences for specific protein backbones is a key step in creating new functional proteins. Here, we introduce GeoSeqBuilder, a deep learning framework that integrates protein sequence generation with side chain conformation prediction to produce the complete all‐atom structures for designed sequences. GeoSeqBuilder uses spatial geometric features from protein backbones and explicitly includes three‐body interactions of neighboring residues. GeoSeqBuilder achieves native residue type recovery rate of 51.6 %, comparable to ProteinMPNN and other leading methods, while accurately predicting side chain conformations. We first used GeoSeqBuilder to design sequences for thioredoxin and a hallucinated three‐helical bundle protein. All the 15 tested sequences expressed as soluble monomeric proteins with high thermal stability, and the 2 high‐resolution crystal structures solved closely match the designed models. The generated protein sequences exhibit low similarity (minimum 23 %) to the original sequences, with significantly altered hydrophobic cores. We further redesigned the hydrophobic core of glutathione peroxidase 4, and 3 of the 5 designs showed improved enzyme activity. Although further testing is needed, the high experimental success rate in our testing demonstrates that GeoSeqBuilder is a powerful tool for designing novel sequences for predefined protein structures with atomic details. GeoSeqBuilder is available at https://github.com/PKUliujl/GeoSeqBuilder.