bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Presentation, treatment, and outcome of renovascular hypertension below 2 years of age
Authors: Kurt-Sukur Eda Didem , Brennan Eileen , Davis Meryl , Forman Colin , Hamilton George , Kessaris Nicos , Marks Stephen D. , McLaren Clare A. , Minhas Kishore , Patel Premal A. , Roebuck Derek J. , Stojanovic Jelena , Stuart Sam , Tullus Kjell
Published: July 2022

Renovascular hypertension in most cases requires endovascular treatment and/or surgery. This is technically much more difficult in small children and there is very limited published knowledge in this age group. We here present treatment and outcome of young children with renovascular hypertension at our institution. Children below 2 years of age, with renovascular hypertension between January 1998 and March 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographics and treatment modalities were noted. Primary outcome was blood pressure within a week after the procedures and at last available visit. Sixty-six angiographies were performed in 34 patients. Median age at time of first angiography was 1.03 (interquartile range (IQR) 0.4–1.4) years and systolic blood pressure at presentation 130 (IQR 130–150) mm Hg. Thirty-eight percent (13/34) of children were incidentally diagnosed and 18% (6/34) presented with heart failure. Twenty-six (76%) children had main renal artery stenosis and 17 (50%) mid-aortic syndrome. Seventeen (50%) children showed intrarenal, six (18%) mesenteric, and three (9%) cerebrovascular involvement. Twenty patients underwent 45 percutaneous transluminal angioplasty procedures and seven children surgeries. In 44% of the 16 patients who underwent only percutaneous transluminal angioplasty blood pressure was normalized, 38% had improvement on same or decreased treatment and 19% showed no improvement. Complications were seen in 7.5% (5/66) of angiographies. In four of the seven (57%) children who underwent surgery blood pressure was normalized, two had improved (29%) and one unchanged (14%) blood pressure.

Conclusion: In small children with renovascular hypertension below the age of 2 years, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty caused significant improvement in blood pressure with low complication profile. Surgery can be recommended where percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and medical treatments failed.

What is Known:• Renovascular hypertension is diagnosed in all age groups from a few weeks of life until adulthood.• Both angioplasty and surgery are significantly more difficult to perform in small children and the published information on short and long-term outcome in these children is very scarce.

What is New:• Children below the age of two years can safely and successfully undergo selective renal angiography and also safely be treated with angioplasty.• We here present a large group of babies and infants where angioplasty and in some cases surgery effectively and safely improved their blood pressure.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal root colonization depends on the spatial distribution of the host plants
Authors: Grünfeld Leonie , Skias Georgios , Rillig Matthias C. , Veresoglou Stavros D.
Published: July 2022

Despite their ubiquity in terrestrial ecosystems, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) experience dispersion constraints and thus depend on the spatial distribution of the plant hosts. Our understanding of fungal-plant interactions with respect to their spatial distributions and implications for the functioning of the symbiosis remain limited. We here manipulated the location of habitat patches of Medicago lupulina in two experiments to explore the responses of AMF root colonization and extraradical hyphae. We tested the specific hypothesis that AMF-plant habitats high in connectance would stimulate root colonization and induce denser functional root colonization (colonization rate of arbuscules plus coils) because of higher propagule availability between nearby host plant patches (experiment 1). In experiment 2, we anticipated similar responses in mixed habitats of different soil fertility, namely phosphorus-fertilized or unfertilized soil, and anticipated a higher density of extraradical hyphae in the soil connecting the habitats with increased functional root colonization. In agreement with our hypothesis, we found the highest total and functional root colonization in unfragmented micro-landscapes, describing landscapes that occur within a spatial scale of a few centimeters with the AMF-plant habitats positioned adjacent to each other. In the second experiment, overdispersed micro-landscapes promoted functional root colonization. This study provides experimental evidence that the spatial distribution of habitats can determine AMF abundance at the microscale.
A framework for now-casting and forecasting in augmented asset management
Authors: Kumari Jaya , Karim Ramin , Thaduri Adithya , Dersin Pierre
Published: July 2022

Asset Management of a complex technical system-of-systems needs cross-organizational operation and maintenance, asset data management and context-aware analytics. Emerging technologies such as AI and digitalisation can facilitate the augmentation of asset management (AAM), by providing data-driven and model-driven approaches to analytics, i.e., now-casting and forecasting. However, implementing context-aware now-casting and forecasting analytics in an operational environment with varying contexts such as for fleets and distributed infrastructure is challenging. The number of algorithms in such an implementation can be vast due to the large number of assets and operational contexts for the fleet. To reduce the complexity of the analytics, it is required to optimize the number of algorithms. This can be done by optimizing the number of operational contexts through a generalization and specialization approach based on both fleet behaviour and individual behaviour for improved analytics. This paper proposes a framework for context-aware now-casting and forecasting analytics for AAM based on a top-down, i.e., Fleet2Individual and bottom-up, i.e., Individual2Fleet approach. The proposed framework has been described and verified by applying it to the context of railway rolling stock in Sweden. The benefits of the proposed framework is to provide industries with a tool that can be used to simplify the implementation of AI and digital technologies in now-casting and forecasting.
Numerical Simulations of Liquid-Solid Flows in A Vertical Pipe by MPS-DEM Coupling Method
Authors: Xie Feng-ze , Meng Qing-jie , Wan De-cheng
Published: July 2022

In the process of deep-sea mining, the liquid-solid flows in the vertical transportation pipeline are very complex. In the present work, an in-house solver MPSDEM-SJTU based on the improved MPS and DEM is developed for the simulation of hydraulic conveying. Firstly, three examples including the multilayer cylinder collapse, the Poiseuille flow and two-phase dam-break are used to validate the precision of the DEM model, the pipe flow model and MPS-DEM coupling model, respectively. Then, the hydraulic conveying with coarse particles in a vertical pipe is simulated. The solid particle distribution is presented and investigated in detail. Finally, the coupling method is successfully applied for the simulation of the liquid-solid flows in a vertical pipe with rotating blades, which shows the stability of the solver under rotating boundary conditions. This fully Lagrangian model is expected to be a new approach for analyzing hydraulic conveying.
Second Language Pragmatics
Authors: Ren Wei
Published: July 2022

This Element introduces the areas that second language (L2) pragmatics research has investigated. It begins with a theme-based review of the field with respect to L2 pragmatics learning, teaching, and assessing. The section on pragmatics learning examines studies on learners' pragmatic production and perception, and analyzes research modalities in this field. The section on pragmatics teaching examines the effects of and different approaches to L2 pragmatics instruction; and the section on pragmatics assessing examines the aspects involved in testing learners' pragmatic competence, and studies on issues related to validity and rating in pragmatics assessing. The Element then analyzes studies exploring learners' cognitive processes during pragmatic performance, and case studies are provided to showcase two ongoing projects, one investigating advanced learners' self-praise on social media and the other investigating lingua franca pragmatics among children. Finally, the Element offers some topics and questions for future research in L2 pragmatics.
Can we grow a building and why would we want to?
Authors: Dade-Robertson Martyn
Published: July 2022

Biological materials have been used in construction for as long as we have used wood and limestone; however, biotechnologies seem to offer the potential to grow materials to our specifications and even to allow complex structures to be self-assembled through biological processes. Several promising materials have been identified, including microbially induced calcium carbonate as a cement or mycelium grown on waste materials, which has potential as a structural or insulation material. These developments run parallel to a speculative design discourse – in which features future cities are grown, kept living and self-adapt – as well as research into engineered living materials (ELMs), at the cutting edge of material science and synthetic biology research into ELMs. This question invites a wide range of research contributions in which we identify, evaluate and speculate on the role that grown materials and structures will have on the future of construction. We invite not only experimental work on the latest method in this area but also critique and reflection beyond the ‘hype’ of these, potentially transformative, technologies and approaches.
Limit laws for large th-nearest neighbor balls
Authors: Chenavier Nicolas , Henze Norbert , Otto Moritz
Published: July 2022

Let
$X_1,X_2, \ldots, X_n$
be a sequence of independent random points in
$\mathbb{R}^d$
with common Lebesgue density f. Under some conditions on f, we obtain a Poisson limit theorem, as
$n \to \infty$
, for the number of large probability kth-nearest neighbor balls of
$X_1,\ldots, X_n$
. Our result generalizes Theorem 2.2 of [11], which refers to the special case
$k=1$
. Our proof is completely different since it employs the Chen–Stein method instead of the method of moments. Moreover, we obtain a rate of convergence for the Poisson approximation.
Exterior vs. interior in early Maghribi mosques
Authors: Bloom Jonathan M.
Published: July 2022

Early Islamic religious architecture in North Africa displays a marked change from earlier Classical and Christian buildings in their general neglect of exteriors in favour of interior (i.e., courtyard) façades. This feature may be due partly to the nature of Islamic worship, as it was common to virtually all early mosques, yet builders in the central and eastern lands of Islam soon began to adopt such exteriorizing features as domes, towers, and colourful decoration. Maghribi builders, however, maintained their preference for modest exteriors for many centuries, mostly focusing decoration on interior façades and spaces, and differentiating it from much Islamic architecture elsewhere.
Protein intake, physical activity and grip strength in European and North American community-dwelling older adults: a pooled analysis of individual participant data from four longitudinal ageing cohorts
Authors: Mendonça Nuno M. P. , Hengeveld Linda M. , Presse Nancy , Canhão Helena , Simonsick Eleanor , Kritchevsky Stephen B. , Farsijani Samaneh , Gaudreau Pierrette , Jagger Carol , Visser Marjolein
Published: July 2022

Higher dietary protein, alone or in combination with physical activity (PA), may slow the loss of age-related muscle strength in older adults. We investigated the longitudinal relationship between protein intake and grip strength, and the interaction between protein intake and PA, using four longitudinal ageing cohorts. Individual participant data from 5584 older adults (52 % women; median: 75 years, IQR: 71·6, 79·0) followed for up to 8·5 years (mean: 4·9 years, SD: 2·3) from the Health ABC, NuAge, LASA and Newcastle 85+ cohorts were pooled. Baseline protein intake was assessed with food frequency questionnaires and 24-h recalls and categorized into < 0·8, 0·8–<1·0, 1·0–<1·2 and ≥ 1·2 g/kg adjusted body weight (aBW)/d. The prospective association between protein intake, its interaction with PA, and grip strength (sex- and cohort-specific) was determined using joint models (hierarchical linear mixed effects and a link function for Cox proportional hazards models). Grip strength declined on average by 0·018 SD (95 % CI: –0·026, –0·006) every year. No associations were found between protein intake, measured at baseline, and grip strength, measured prospectively, or rate of decline of grip strength in models adjusted for sociodemographic, anthropometric, lifestyle and health variables (e.g., protein intake ≥ 1·2 v· < 0·8 g/kg aBW/d: β = –0·003, 95 % CI: –0·014, 0·005 SD per year). There also was no evidence of an interaction between protein intake and PA. We failed to find evidence in this study to support the hypothesis that higher protein intake, alone or in combination with higher PA, slowed the rate of grip strength decline in older adults.
Development of portable robotic orthosis and biomechanical validation in people with limited upper limb function after stroke
Authors: Ferreira Fernanda Márcia Rodrigues Martins , de Paula Rúbio Guilherme , Dutra Rina Mariane Alves , Van Petten Adriana Maria Valladão Novais , Vimieiro Claysson Bruno Santos
Published: July 2022

Stroke has a considerable incidence in the world population and would cause sequelae in the upper limbs. One way to increase the efficiency in the rehabilitation process of patients with these sequelae is through robot-assisted therapy. The present study developed a portable robotic orthosis called Pinotti Portable Robotic Exoskeleton (PPRE) and validated its functioning in clinical tests. The static and dynamic parts of the device modules are described. Design issues, such as heavyweight and engine positioning, have been optimized. The implementation of control was through a smartphone application that communicates with a microcontroller to perform desired movements. Four individuals with motor impairment of the upper limbs due to stroke performed clinical tests to validate the device. Participants did not mention pain, discomfort, tingling, and paresthesia. The robotic device showed the ability to perform the flexion and extension movements of the fingers and elbow. The PPRE was confirmed to be adequate and functional at different levels of motor impairment assessed. The orthosis presented advantages over the currently existing devices, concerning its biomechanical functioning, portability, comfort, and versatility. Thus, the apparatus has the great innovative potential to become a device for home use, serving as an aid to the therapist and facilitating the rehabilitation of patients after an injury. In a larger sample, future studies are needed to assess the effect of a robotic orthosis on the level of rehabilitation in individuals with upper limb impairment.
New perspectives on the Sertorian War in northeastern Hispania: archaeological surveys of the Roman camps of the lower River Ebro
Authors: Noguera Jaume , Valdés Pau , Ble Eduard
Published: July 2022

In recent decades, conflict archaeology has renewed study of the Roman Republican military, with Hispania as one of the most prolific areas of research. Following this trend, since 2006 the University of Barcelona has conducted archaeological investigations at several sites in the lower Ebro basin. When no structures or archaeological layers remained in situ, surface survey became a key methodology. Based on the artifacts retrieved during surface survey, this article identifies four new military establishments dated to the first half of the 1st c. BCE and reinterprets the campaigns of the Sertorian War in northeastern Spain.
Financial Exclusion in the UK: Evidence on Ethnicity
Authors: Adami Roberta
Published: July 2022

Promoting access to suitable and affordable financial products and tackling financial exclusion has become a prominent feature of the political agenda in the UK, as the second annual ‘Financial Inclusion Report’ was published in November 2020 by the Department for Work and Pensions. This study provides an empirical analysis on financial exclusion and its association with ethnicity, using data from the UK’s Family Resources Survey. The analysis offers important new evidence on the significance of ethnicity, and it further identifies gender, family type and income as other key factors associated with access to financial products. The findings provide a valuable, new empirical dimension to our current understanding of financial exclusion and its links to ethnicity, inform the relevant political debate, and offer key evidence in support of policy initiatives targeted at enhancing financial security and well-being.
Decreasing Trends in the Western US Dust Intensity With Rareness of Heavy Dust Events
Authors: Aryal Yog , Evans Stuart
Published: July 2022

Dust in the Western US (WUS) has impacts on many natural and human systems in the region. This study examines the temporal trends in dust event frequency and intensity and their correlations with local meteorology over the WUS. We use the observed daily near‐surface dust concentration during 2001–2020 from the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments network. Low‐ and high‐concentration dust events are analyzed separately, and linear regression is used to estimate the trends and the correlations. Results show a significant decreasing trend in the occurrence frequency of spring and summer high‐concentration dust events, while the frequency of low‐concentration dust events shows significant increasing trends over the WUS. We examine weak and strong intensity categories and find that weak dust events generally have positive trends in their frequency of occurrence, and strong dust events have negative trends. The intensity of spring dust events has negative trends for both high‐concentration and low‐concentration dust events. Spring dust events are correlated with precipitation, and soil moisture over the Rockies and Southwest, while in the Great Plains (GP), dust events are correlated with precipitation. In the GP, the dust events are not correlated with soil moisture and the correlations with precipitation and wind speed are weak likely due to the anthropogenic dust sources. Compared to the spring, the trends in summer dust events and their correlations with meteorology are generally weak and inconsistent overall four regions. These results improve our understanding of current variability and the future of dust in the WUS.
Widespread Very Low Frequency Earthquakes (VLFEs) Activity Offshore Cascadia
Authors: Chaudhuri Kuntal , Ghosh Abhijit
Published: July 2022

A significant amount of stress in the Cascadia subduction zone (CSZ) is released by different forms of slow earthquakes including tremors, low‐frequency earthquakes, and very low‐frequency earthquakes (VLFEs)—all occurring onshore at the deeper part of the transition zone. Their activity offshore, however, remains elusive. We discover widespread occurrence of discrete VLFEs offshore Cascadia using ocean‐bottom seismometers. Barring occasional regular fast earthquakes, VLFEs are the only seismic stress indicators offshore. Using centroid moment tensor inversion and matched filtering, we detect sequences of 12 distinct families of VLFEs. The VLFEs in northern CSZ have focal mechanisms consistent with the area's subduction zone deformation. Interestingly, the VLFEs in the southern part of CSZ show strike‐slip faulting, attributed to offshore faults, sediment consolidation, subduction bending, and transpressional regimes created by complex plate tectonics. It challenges a canonical view of the seismogenic zone in Cascadia characterized by a frictionally homogeneous fault segment producing only regular fast earthquakes.
Effect of Salinity in Alpine Lakes on the Southern Tibetan Plateau on Greenhouse Gas Diffusive Fluxes
Authors: Xun Fan , Li Biao , Chen He , Zhou Yongqiang , Gao Peixin , Xing Peng
Published: July 2022

Inland waters play an important role in the global carbon cycle and are potential hotspots of greenhouse gas (GHG) production and emission. However, considerable uncertainty exists in GHG estimations from lakes on the Tibetan Plateau due, in part, to the lack of direct in situ observations and key predictor analyses. Considering that salinity is an important factor regulating lake GHGs, diffusive methane flux (FCH4) and carbon dioxide flux (FCO2) and concentrations of dissolved CH4 (dCH4) and CO2 (dCO2) were measured in 16 freshwater and brackish Tibetan lakes in Shigatse. The results demonstrated that FCH4 at the water–air interface in freshwater lakes (45.14 ± 58.86 μmol·m−2·s−1) was 15 times higher than that in brackish lakes (2.92 ± 3.85 μmol·m−2·s−1). There was a significant decrease in FCH4 from the littoral zone to the pelagic area in these lakes. The FCO2 in freshwater lakes (−0.18 ± 0.39 μmol·m−2·s−1) was significantly lower than that in brackish lakes (0.38 ± 0.22 μmol·m−2·s−1). Therefore, freshwater lakes were regarded as CO2 sinks, while brackish lakes were regarded as CO2 sources. According to the comprehensive CO2 equivalent diffusive fluxes (FCO2eq, 0.66 ± 0.97 μmol·m−2·s−1), the 16 lakes were a carbon source to the atmosphere during the sampling period. FCO2 enhancement could be compensated by the decrease in FCH4 at the water–air interface as a result of salinity gradients across lakes. Under the scenarios of climate warming and drying in southern Tibet from 2020 to 2035, lake FCO2eq tended to decrease in this area.
Tectonic Control of Groundwater Recharge and Flow in Faulted Volcanic Aquifers
Authors: Olaka L. A. , Kasemann S. A. , Sültenfuß J. , Wilke F. D. H. , Olago D. O. , Mulch A. , Musolff A.
Published: July 2022

Groundwater dynamics in continental rift zone settings remain poorly understood because of the spatial heterogeneity in flow, storage, and recharge dynamics. The Central Kenya Rift is an excellent example where, though groundwater is important for domestic, irrigation, and geothermal energy exploitation, its hydrogeological properties remain largely unknown. Existing conceptual groundwater models assume flow from the high‐elevation, humid rift flanks to the low‐elevation, semiarid rift floor, but the role of the faults that fracture the aquifers is commonly unaccounted for. We applied geochemical, isotopic (δ18O, δD, 87Sr/86Sr, 3H‐3He), multivariate statistical methods, and knowledge of geological structures to determine recharge sources, flow, and residence times to revise the conceptual flow model. Results show that groundwater is primarily recharged by meteoric waters, river input, and Lake recharge. The faults impart a control on the groundwater flow within four sub‐compartments. Major differences in flow patterns exist between the eastern and western rift flanks: surface and groundwater transfer from the eastern flanks to the rift floor occurs via relay ramp structures, and flow on the west side takes place laterally from the high escarpment. Although 3H‐3He dating shows that the age of groundwater ranges from a few to >>50 years, most of the groundwater in the rift‐floor area is free of 3H and was recharged before the 1960s. Hence, we propose that these areas receive episodic recharge and represent the most sensitive groundwater resources in the rift. To inform sustainable groundwater development, a robust monitoring network is required to capture the heterogeneous groundwater dynamics.
Roles and mechanisms of ankyrin-G in neuropsychiatric disorders
Authors: Yoon Sehyoun , Piguel Nicolas H. , Penzes Peter
Published: July 2022

Ankyrin proteins act as molecular scaffolds and play an essential role in regulating cellular functions. Recent evidence has implicated the ANK3 gene, encoding ankyrin-G, in bipolar disorder (BD), schizophrenia (SZ), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Within neurons, ankyrin-G plays an important role in localizing proteins to the axon initial segment and nodes of Ranvier or to the dendritic shaft and spines. In this review, we describe the expression patterns of ankyrin-G isoforms, which vary according to the stage of brain development, and consider their functional differences. Furthermore, we discuss how posttranslational modifications of ankyrin-G affect its protein expression, interactions, and subcellular localization. Understanding these mechanisms leads us to elucidate potential pathways of pathogenesis in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, including BD, SZ, and ASD, which are caused by rare pathogenic mutations or changes in the expression levels of ankyrin-G in the brain.
Comparison of chromatin accessibility landscapes during early development of prefrontal cortex between rhesus macaque and human
Authors: Yao Xuelong , Lu Zongyang , Feng Zhanying , Gao Lei , Zhou Xin , Li Min , Zhong Suijuan , Wu Qian , Liu Zhenbo , Zhang Haofeng , Liu Zeyuan , Yi Lizhi , Zhou Tao , Zhao Xudong , Zhang Jun , Wang Yong , Huang Xingxu , Wang Xiaoqun , Liu Jiang
Published: July 2022

Epigenetic information regulates gene expression and development. However, our understanding of the evolution of epigenetic regulation on brain development in primates is limited. Here, we compared chromatin accessibility landscapes and transcriptomes during fetal prefrontal cortex (PFC) development between rhesus macaques and humans. A total of 304,761 divergent DNase I-hypersensitive sites (DHSs) are identified between rhesus macaques and humans, although many of these sites share conserved DNA sequences. Interestingly, most of the cis-elements linked to orthologous genes with dynamic expression are divergent DHSs. Orthologous genes expressed at earlier stages tend to have conserved cis-elements, whereas orthologous genes specifically expressed at later stages seldom have conserved cis-elements. These genes are enriched in synapse organization, learning and memory. Notably, DHSs in the PFC at early stages are linked to human educational attainment and cognitive performance. Collectively, the comparison of the chromatin epigenetic landscape between rhesus macaques and humans suggests a potential role for regulatory elements in the evolution of differences in cognitive ability between non-human primates and humans.
Molecular-level insight into photocatalytic CO2 reduction with H2O over Au nanoparticles by interband transitions
Authors: Shangguan Wenchao , Liu Qing , Wang Ying , Sun Ning , Liu Yu , Zhao Rui , Li Yingxuan , Wang Chuanyi , Zhao Jincai
Published: July 2022

Achieving CO2reduction with H2O on metal photocatalysts and understanding the corresponding mechanisms at the molecular level are challenging. Herein, we report that quantum-sized Au nanoparticles can photocatalytically reduce CO2to CO with the help of H2O by electron-hole pairs mainly originating from interband transitions. Notably, the Au photocatalyst shows a CO production rate of 4.73 mmol g−1h−1(~100% selectivity), ~2.5 times the rate during CO2reduction with H2under the same experimental conditions, under low-intensity irradiation at 420 nm. Theoretical and experimental studies reveal that the increased activity is induced by surface Au–O species formed from H2O decomposition, which synchronously optimizes the rate-determining steps in the CO2reduction and H2O oxidation reactions, lowers the energy barriers for the *CO desorption and *OOH formation, and facilitates CO and O2production. Our findings provide an in-depth mechanistic understanding for designing active metal photocatalysts for efficient CO2reduction with H2O.
Photo-thermo-induced room-temperature phosphorescence through solid-state molecular motion
Authors: Liu Xing Wang , Zhao Weijun , Wu Yue , Meng Zhengong , He Zikai , Qi Xin , Ren Yiran , Yu Zhen-Qiang , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: July 2022

The development of smart-responsive materials, in particular those with non-invasive, rapid responsive phosphorescence, is highly desirable but has rarely been described. Herein, we designed and prepared a series of molecular rotors containing a triazine core and three bromobiphenyl units: o-Br-TRZ, m-Br-TRZ, and p-Br-TRZ. The bromine and triazine moieties serve as room temperature phosphorescence-active units, and the bromobiphenyl units serve as rotors to drive intramolecular rotation. When irradiated with strong ultraviolet photoirradiation, intramolecular rotations of o-Br-TRZ, m-Br-TRZ, and p-Br-TRZ increase, successively resulting in a photothermal effect via molecular motions. Impressively, the photothermal temperature attained by p-Br-TRZ is as high as 102 °C, and synchronously triggers its phosphorescence due to the ordered molecular arrangement after molecular motion. The thermal effect is expected to be important for triggering efficient phosphorescence, and the photon input for providing a precise and non-invasive stimulus. Such sequential photo-thermo-phosphorescence conversion is anticipated to unlock a new stimulus-responsive phosphorescence material without chemicals invasion.
Population genomics of ancient and modern Trichuris trichiura
Authors: Doyle Stephen R. , Søe Martin Jensen , Nejsum Peter , Betson Martha , Cooper Philip J. , Peng Lifei , Zhu Xing-Quan , Sanchez Ana , Matamoros Gabriela , Sandoval Gustavo Adolfo Fontecha , Cutillas Cristina , Tchuenté Louis-Albert Tchuem , Mekonnen Zeleke , Ame Shaali M. , Namwanje Harriet , Levecke Bruno , Berriman Matthew , Fredensborg Brian Lund , Kapel Christian Moliin Outzen
Published: July 2022

The neglected tropical disease trichuriasis is caused by the whipwormTrichuris trichiura, a soil-transmitted helminth that has infected humans for millennia. Today,T. trichiurainfects as many as 500 million people, predominantly in communities with poor sanitary infrastructure enabling sustained faecal-oral transmission. Using whole-genome sequencing of geographically distributed worms collected from human and other primate hosts, together with ancient samples preserved in archaeologically-defined latrines and deposits dated up to one thousand years old, we present the first population genomics study ofT. trichiura. We describe the continent-scale genetic structure between whipworms infecting humans and baboons relative to those infecting other primates. Admixture and population demographic analyses support a stepwise distribution of genetic variation that is highest in Uganda, consistent with an African origin and subsequent translocation with human migration. Finally, genome-wide analyses between human samples and between human and non-human primate samples reveal local regions of genetic differentiation between geographically distinct populations. These data provide insight into zoonotic reservoirs of human-infectiveT. trichiuraand will support future efforts toward the implementation of genomic epidemiology of this globally important helminth.
Estuarine plastisphere as an overlooked source of N2O production
Authors: Su Xiaoxuan , Yang Leyang , Yang Kai , Tang Yijia , Wen Teng , Wang Yingmu , Rillig Matthias C. , Rohe Lena , Pan Junliang , Li Hu , Zhu Yong-guan
Published: July 2022

“Plastisphere”, microbial communities colonizing plastic debris, has sparked global concern for marine ecosystems. Microbiome inhabiting this novel human-made niche has been increasingly characterized; however, whether the plastisphere holds crucial roles in biogeochemical cycling remains largely unknown. Here we evaluate the potential of plastisphere in biotic and abiotic denitrification and nitrous oxide (N2O) production in estuaries. Biofilm formation provides anoxic conditions favoring denitrifiers. Comparing with surrounding bulk water, plastisphere exhibits a higher denitrifying activity and N2O production, suggesting an overlooked N2O source. Regardless of plastisphere and bulk water, bacterial and fungal denitrifications are the main regulators for N2O production instead of chemodenitrification. However, the contributions of bacteria and fungi in the plastisphere are different from those in bulk water, indicating a distinct N2O production pattern in the plastisphere. These findings pinpoint plastisphere as a N2O source, and provide insights into roles of the new biotope in biogeochemical cycling in the Anthropocene.
Atypical cyclic di-AMP signaling is essential for Porphyromonas gingivalis growth and regulation of cell envelope homeostasis and virulence
Authors: Moradali M. Fata , Ghods Shirin , Bähre Heike , Lamont Richard J. , Scott David A. , Seifert Roland
Published: July 2022

Microbial pathogens employ signaling systems through cyclic (di-) nucleotide monophosphates serving as second messengers to increase fitness during pathogenesis. However, signaling schemes via second messengers in Porphyromonas gingivalis, a key Gram-negative anaerobic oral pathogen, remain unknown. Here, we report that among various ubiquitous second messengers, P. gingivalis strains predominantly synthesize bis-(3′,5′)-cyclic di-adenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP), which is essential for their growth and survival. Our findings demonstrate an unusual regulation of c-di-AMP synthesis in P. gingivalis. P. gingivalis c-di-AMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) gene (pdepg) positively regulates c-di-AMP synthesis and impedes a decrease in c-di-AMP concentration despite encoding conserved amino acid motifs for phosphodiesterase activity. Instead, the predicted regulator gene cdaR, unrelated to the c-di-AMP PDE genes, serves as a potent negative regulator of c-di-AMP synthesis in this anaerobe. Further, our findings reveal that pdepg and cdaR are required to regulate the incorporation of ATP into c-di-AMP upon pyruvate utilization, leading to enhanced biofilm formation. We show that shifts in c-di-AMP signaling change the integrity and homeostasis of cell envelope, importantly, the structure and immunoreactivity of the lipopolysaccharide layer. Additionally, microbe–microbe interactions and the virulence potential of P. gingivalis were modulated by c-di-AMP. These studies provide the first glimpse into the scheme of second messenger signaling in P. gingivalis and perhaps other Bacteroidetes. Further, our findings indicate that c-di-AMP signaling promotes the fitness of the residents of the oral cavity and the development of a pathogenic community.
Comparative analysis of human immune responses following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, or Ad26.COV2.S
Authors: Barbeau Dominique J. , Martin Judith M. , Carney Emily , Dougherty Emily , Doyle Joshua D. , Dermody Terence S. , Hoberman Alejandro , Williams John V. , Michaels Marian G. , Alcorn John F. , Paul Duprex W. , McElroy Anita K.
Published: July 2022

SARS-CoV-2 vaccines BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, and Ad26.COV2.S received emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2020/2021. Individuals being vaccinated were invited to participate in a prospective longitudinal comparative study of immune responses elicited by the three vaccines. In this observational cohort study, immune responses were evaluated using a SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain ELISA, SARS-CoV-2 virus neutralization assays and an IFN- γ ELISPOT assay at various times over six months following initial vaccination. mRNA-based vaccines elicited higher magnitude humoral responses than Ad26.COV2.S; mRNA-1273 elicited the most durable humoral response, and all humoral responses waned over time. Neutralizing antibodies against the Delta variant were of lower magnitude than the wild-type strain for all three vaccines. mRNA-1273 initially elicited the greatest magnitude of T cell response, but this declined by 6 months. Declining immunity over time supports the use of booster dosing, especially in the setting of emerging variants.
A convolutional neural network based tool for predicting protein AMPylation sites from binary profile representation
Authors: Azim Sayed Mehedi , Sharma Alok , Noshadi Iman , Shatabda Swakkhar , Dehzangi Iman
Published: July 2022

AMPylation is an emerging post-translational modification that occurs on the hydroxyl group of threonine, serine, or tyrosine via a phosphodiester bond. AMPylators catalyze this process as covalent attachment of adenosine monophosphate to the amino acid side chain of a peptide. Recent studies have shown that this post-translational modification is directly responsible for the regulation of neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration and is also involved in many physiological processes. Despite the importance of this post-translational modification, there is no peptide sequence dataset available for conducting computation analysis. Therefore, so far, no computational approach has been proposed for predicting AMPylation. In this study, we introduce a new dataset of this distinct post-translational modification and develop a new machine learning tool using a deep convolutional neural network called DeepAmp to predict AMPylation sites in proteins. DeepAmp achieves 77.7%, 79.1%, 76.8%, 0.55, and 0.85 in terms of Accuracy, Sensitivity, Specificity, Matthews Correlation Coefficient, and Area Under Curve for AMPylation site prediction task, respectively. As the first machine learning model, DeepAmp demonstrate promising results which highlight its potential to solve this problem. Our presented dataset and DeepAmp as a standalone predictor are publicly available at https://github.com/MehediAzim/DeepAmp.
Clinical pharmacist interventions in ambulatory psychogeriatric patients with excessive polypharmacy
Authors: Stuhec Matej , Zorjan Kaja
Published: July 2022

Psychogeriatric primary care patients are frequently treated with excessive polypharmacy (≥ 10 medications), leading to complications and increased costs. Such cases are rarely included in treatment guidelines and randomized controlled trials. This paper evaluates the impact of clinical pharmacist medication reviews on the quality of pharmacotherapy in primary care psychogeriatric patients with excessive polypharmacy. The retrospective observational multicentric pre-post study included patients (aged 65 or above) treated with at least one psychotropic and ten or more medications. Clinical pharmacists’ recommendations were retrieved from medication review forms for the period 2012⁠–⁠2014. The study outcome measures were the number of medications, potentially inappropriate medications in the elderly (PIMs), potential drug-drug interactions which should be avoided (pXDDIs), and adherence to treatment guidelines. The study included 246 patients receiving 3294 medications, of which 14.6% were psychotropics. The clinical pharmacists proposed 374 interventions in psychopharmacotherapy. The general practitioners accepted 45.2% of them (169). Accepting clinical pharmacist recommendations reduced the total number of medications by 7.5% from 13.4 to 12.4 per patient (p < 0.05), the total number of prescribed PIMs by 21.8% from 312 to 244 (p < 0.05), the number of pXDDIs by 54.9% from 71 to 31 (p < 0.05) and also improved treatment guidelines adherence for antidepressants and antipsychotics (p < 0.05). Clinical pharmacist interventions significantly improved the quality of psychopharmacotherapy by reducing the total number of medications, PIMs, and pXDDIs. Accepting clinical pharmacist interventions led to better treatment guidelines adherence.
In vitro bacteriological effect of tri-beveled needle electrolysis against Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: García-Vidal José Antonio , Salinas Jesús , Ortega Nieves , Escolar-Reina Pilar , Camacho-Alonso Fabio , Medina-Mirapeix Francesc
Published: July 2022

Percutaneous needle electrolysis using tri-beveled needles with a specific protocol (5 mA applied for 25 s) has demonstrated to provoke a clinical reduction of recurrent bacterial infections in mammary fistulas. However, the bactericidal effect of needle electrolysis in this pathology remains theoretical. This in vitro study evaluated the bactericidal effect of this protocol and whether it changed when introducing small variations. Staphylococcus aureus were generated in saline solution (9 Log10 CFU/mL) and treated in three different experiments including the main protocol and introducing variations in needle gauge, intensity, and total dosage, respectively. After 24 h, the viable cell count showed that the protocol had an average reduction of 5 log10 CFU/ml compared to the control group. While variations in needle gauge did not modify this effect, variations in current intensity or dosage did. This study demonstrated that the bacterial effect was greater by increasing either current intensity or total dosage, and it decreased with substantial reductions of these parameters.
Multivariate analysis methods improve the selection of strawberry genotypes with low cold requirement
Authors: Barth Eneide , de Resende Juliano Tadeu Vilela , Mariguele Keny Henrique , de Resende Marcos Deon Vilela , da Silva André Luiz Biscaia Ribeiro , Ru Sushan
Published: July 2022

Methods of multivariate analysis is a powerful approach to assist the initial stages of crops genetic improvement, particularly, because it allows many traits to be evaluated simultaneously. In this study, heat-tolerant genotypes have been selected by analyzing phenotypic diversity, direct and indirect relationships among traits were identified, and four selection indices compared. Diversity was estimated using K-means clustering with the number of clusters determined by the Elbow method, and the relationship among traits was quantified by path analysis. Parametric and non-parametric indices were applied to selected genotypes using the magnitude of genotypic variance, heritability, genotypic coefficient of variance, and assigned economic weight as selection criteria. The variability among materials led to the formation of two non-overlapping clusters containing 40 and 154 genotypes. Strong to moderate correlations were found between traits with direct effect of the number of commercial fruit on the mass of commercial fruit. The Smith and Hazel index showed the greatest total gains for all criteria; however, concerning the biochemical traits, the Mulamba and Mock index showed the highest magnitudes of predicted gains. Overall, the K-means clustering, correlation analysis, and path analysis complement the use of selection indices, allowing for selection of genotypes with better balance among the assessed traits.
Retraction: Single gold nanostars with multiple branches as multispectral orientation probes in single-particle rotational tracking
Authors: Kim Geun Wan , Ha Ji Won
Published: July 2022

Retraction of ‘Single gold nanostars with multiple branches as multispectral orientation probes in single-particle rotational tracking’ by Geun Wan Kim et al., Chem. Commun., 2021, 57, 3263–3266, https://doi.org/10.1039/D1CC00731A.
Nano-sized H-ZSM-5 zeolite catalyzes aldol condensation reaction to prepare methyl acrylate and acrylic acid
Authors: Xie Mingguan , Ni Youming , Fang Xudong , Liu Hongchao , Chen Zhiyang , Ding Xiangnong , Wang Linying , Zhu Wenliang
Published: July 2022

An efficient and long-term stable nano-sized N-H-ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst for the one-step aldol condensation reaction of formaldehyde and MAc to produce MA and AA is reported. Its total lifetime reaches up to 226 h by three regeneration runs.
Silica nanoparticles induce hepatocyte ferroptosis and liver injury via ferritinophagy
Authors: Liang Qingqing , Ma Yuexiao , Wang Fenghong , Sun Mengqi , Lin Lisen , Li Tianyu , Sun Zhiwei , Duan Junchao
Published: July 2022

Short-term SiNPs exposure activated ferritinophagy in hepatocytes, which was responsible for subsequent ferroptosis and ultimately liver injury.
Vibrational anatomy of C90, C96, and C100 fullertubes: probing Frankenstein's skeletal structures of fullerene head endcaps and nanotube belt midsection
Authors: Schiemenz Sandra , Koenig Ryan M. , Stevenson Steven , Avdoshenko Stanislav M. , Popov Alexey A.
Published: July 2022

IR and Raman spectra of fullertubes are thoroughly analyzed, and relations between vibrations of fullerene-like caps, nanotube-like belts and those of C60 and (5, 5) nanotube are established.
Effect of anions on the phase transition temperature of two structurally isomeric polymers: poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline)
Authors: Chung Taehun , Han Jihoon , Kim Young Jae , Jeong Kyeong-Jun , Koo Jun Mo , Lee Jemin , Park Hyung Gyu , Joo Taiha , Kim Youn Soo
Published: July 2022

In chaotropic solution, the different lower critical solution temperature (LCST) increments of two structural isomers, namely, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) (PiPOx), is studied.
Arterial Thrombotic Events in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Short Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Candeloro Matteo , Schulman Sam
Published: July 2022

It is well established that the risk of venous thromboembolism is high in coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). The frequency of arterial thromboembolic events (ATEs) in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is unclear, as is the magnitude of these events in comparison with other infections. We searched MEDLINE from February 2020 to February 2022 for prospective or retrospective cohort studies and randomized clinical trials that reported the number of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), acute ischemic stroke (AIS), acute limb ischemia (ALI), or other ATE as defined by the original authors in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The pooled frequencies were calculated through meta-analysis using random effects model with logit transformation and presented with relative 95% prediction intervals (95% PI). We retrieved a total of 4,547 studies, 36 of which (28 retrospective cohorts, five prospective cohorts and three randomized trials) were finally included in our analysis. The resulting cohort counted 100,949 patients, 2,641 (2.6%) of whom experienced ATE. The pooled ATE frequency was 2.0% (95% PI, 0.4–9.6%). The pooled ATE frequency for AMI, AIS, ALI, and other ATE was 0.8% (95% PI, 0.1–8.1%), 0.9% (95% PI, 0.3–2.9%), 0.2% (95% PI, 0.0–4.2%), and 0.5% (95% PI, 0.1–3.0%), respectively. In comparison with the ATE incidence reported in three studies on non-COVID viral pneumonia, we did not detect a significant difference from the results in our analysis. In conclusion, we found a non-negligible proportion of ATE in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Our results are similar to those found in hospitalized patients with influenza or with non-COVID viral pneumonia.
Lab-scale chemical vapor deposition onto powders
Authors: Wang Jun , Obrovac M. N.
Published: July 2022

In this paper, a laboratory chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor is described, which features an opposing screw rotating fluidized bed. The reactor efficiently concentrates powdered reactants in the reaction zone while maintaining fluidization independent of powder properties. This allows for lab-scale CVD processing of many small powder samples at high yields and without the need for re-adjustment of fluidization parameters for different samples. Alumina and graphite were carbon-coated and characterized in lithium batteries. The deposited carbon layer had a density of 1.84 g/ml and a capacity of 225 mA h/g when cycled between 7 mV and 0.9 V in lithium cells. Carbon coatings applied by this CVD reactor onto graphite particles were found to be effective at reducing surface reactions during cycling in lithium cells. We suggest that utilization of this opposing screw rotating fluidized bed reactor can effectively apply CVD coatings to small laboratory powder samples, with particular utility for Li-ion battery materials.