bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wildfire detection in large-scale environments using force-based control for swarms of UAVs
Authors: Tzoumas Georgios , Pitonakova Lenka , Salinas Lucio , Scales Charles , Richardson Thomas , Hauert Sabine
Published: November 2022

Wildfires affect countries worldwide as global warming increases the probability of their appearance. Monitoring vast areas of forests can be challenging due to the lack of resources and information. Additionally, early detection of wildfires can be beneficial for their mitigation. To this end, we explore in simulation the use of swarms of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) with long autonomy that can cover large areas the size of California to detect early stage wildfires. Four decentralised control algorithms are tested: (1) random walking, (2) dispersion, (3) pheromone avoidance and (4) dynamic space partition. The first three adaptations are known from literature, whereas the last one is newly developed. The algorithms are tested with swarms of different sizes to test the spatial coverage of the system in 24 h of simulation time. Best results are achieved using a version of the dynamic space partition algorithm (DSP) which can detect 82% of the fires using only 20 UAVs. When the swarm consists of 40 or more aircraft 100% coverage can also be achieved. Further tests of DSP show robustness when agents fail and when new fires are generated in the area.
Genetic Variations of ferroportin-1(FPN1-8CG), TMPRSS6 (rs855791) and Hemojuvelin (I222N and G320V) Among a Cohort of Egyptian β-Thalassemia Major Patients
Authors: El-Gharbawi Nesrine , Shaheen Iman , Hamdy Mona , Elgawhary Somaya , Samir Mohamed , Hanna Baher Matta , Ali Eman Yousief , Youssef Eman Ahmed
Published: November 2022

Iron overload remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among β-thalassemia major (β-TM) patients. Iron regulatory proteins and their genetic variants together with changes in hepcidin levels in thalassemic patients could affect the disease manifestations. This work aimed to study genetic variations of ferroportin-1 (FPN1-8CG), Transmembrane Serine Protease 6 (TMPRSS6 rs855791) and hemojuvelin (HJV I222N and G320V) genes within a cohort of 97 β-TM Egyptian patients by Polymerase chain reaction Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in comparison to fifty normal control subjects. Among β-TM patients; the CG variant of FPN1 was significantly higher, while the TT and TC variants of TMPRSS6 were significantly lower in comparison to controls. Liver Iron Concentration (LIC) was significantly higher among β-TM patients harboring the FPN1 (GG) genotype and we found that FPN1gene mutation acts as independent predictor of MRI LIC (p = 0.011), Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) was significantly higher in patients harboring the mutant FPN1 (GG and CG) genotypes (p value 0.04). β-TM patients having the HJV I222N (AA) genotype were having significantly higher cardiac iron overload (p value = 0.026). The studied genetic variants of iron regulatory proteins could alter the manifestations of iron overload thus resulting in different clinical phenotypes of thalassemic patients, these findings need to be confirmed by larger cohorts of patients with longer follow-up periods.
Opkomst en neergang van ziekten in Nederland
Authors: Mackenbach Johan P.
Published: November 2022

Samenvatting

De toename van de levensverwachting bij de geboorte is het resultaat van de op- en neergang van sterfte aan een groot aantal afzonderlijke ziekten. Dat zoveel ziekten een patroon van opkomst en neergang vertonen, berust op het feit dat zowel opkomst als neergang veelal een direct of indirect gevolg zijn van sociaaleconomische ontwikkelingen. Deze leiden enerzijds tot blootstelling aan nieuwe gezondheidsrisico’s, anderzijds tot meer mogelijkheden om gezondheidsrisico’s te bestrijden, in de vorm van publieke gezondheidszorg of medische zorg. Dit paradoxale verschijnsel wordt geïllustreerd aan de hand van historische Europese voorbeelden, waarbij vervolgens de vraag aan de orde komt hoe de Nederlandse ervaringen op dit vlak zich verhouden tot die van andere landen, in het bijzonder Zweden, dat al gedurende lange tijd een van de meest succesvolle landen is op het gebied van preventief gezondheidsbeleid. Alleen rond het midden van de twintigste eeuw streefde Nederland Zweden voorbij, in het bijzonder wat betreft het verlagen van de zuigelingensterfte, maar sindsdien is Nederland weer teruggezakt in een Europese ‘subtop’, onder meer door een weinig doortastend antirookbeleid. Dit wijst erop dat de publieke gezondheidszorg in Nederland beter moet kunnen door op zoek te gaan naar een succesformule die past bij de gezondheidsproblemen van de eenentwintigste eeuw.
Connecting rights and inequality in education: openings for change
Authors: Windle Joel Austin , Fensham Peter J.
Published: November 2022

This paper examines the openings for educational change enabled by framing inequality through the concept of rights, considering how variations of this framing have emerged historically and in current debates. Taking as our starting point the 1970 publication Rights and Inequality in Australian Education, we suggest that it is important to pay attention to the ways in which rights gain force within social action and through demands made by differently constituted publics. In the 1960s and 1970s, a right to educational equality garnered greater recognition, prompting moves towards needs-based funding and curriculum diversification, led by the Commonwealth Schools Commission. These moves were responsive to social movements that helped to shape new publics. In a second and more politically conservative moment, rights and inequality were increasingly separated in policies influenced by neoliberalism. We argue that the strategies currently adopted by Indigenous scholar-activists are promoting a return to a rights-based perspective, which is distinctive in casting inequality as ontological and epistemic violence.
Addressing Obesity in Preconception, Pregnancy, and Postpartum: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Lim Siew , Harrison Cheryce , Callander Emily , Walker Ruth , Teede Helena , Moran Lisa
Published: November 2022

Purpose of Review

Reproductive-aged women (aged 19 to 50 years) are a key population warranting focused research for the prevention of overweight and obesity. This review highlights the importance of addressing weight before, during and after pregnancy.

Recent Findings

Obesity decreases fertility during the preconception period; increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes including gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and caesarean section and postpartum weight retention; and increases the long-term health risks for both the mother and offspring. Despite overwhelming efficacy evidence on solutions, there are significant implementation gaps in translating this evidence into pragmatic models of care and real-world solutions. Interventions during preconception, pregnancy and postpartum are likely to be cost-effective or cost-saving, with future investigation needed in the preconception and postpartum period.

Summary

International clinical guidelines and public health policies are needed for a concerted effort to prevent unhealthy weight gain in these life stages and to reverse the significant adverse health outcomes for women and the next generation.
A Comparative Analysis of the Motivations of Youth Political Participation across Different Types of Activism
Authors: Paschou Maria , Durán Mogollón Lía
Published: November 2022

During their early political socialization young people start to recognize their agency as political actors and to develop their political identity. This article presents the findings of a comparative study across different types of youth activism in two cities, Athens and Cologne, which differ in their youth cultures of participation and the opportunities they provide to mobilize. Our data derive from in-depth qualitative interviewing, which is considered to be most fruitful for the exploration of the reasons behind activists' trajectories. We identified three groups of influences: micro-, meso- and macro-level influences, with micro-level influences being most visible in the path of social movement-related activism, meso-level influences being dominant in the path of partisan activism, and macro-level influences prevailing in grassroots activism. Finally, the implications of the differential impact of the studied socio-spatial contexts are critically discussed.
“Language and the Periphery” Response to Book Forum on Insurgent Imaginations: World Literature and the Periphery
Authors: Majumder Auritro
Published: November 2022

Auritro Majumder is Associate Professor of English at University of Houston. He is the author of Insurgent Imaginations: World Literature and the Periphery (Cambridge University Press, 2021) and currently chair of the South Asian and Diasporic Languages, Literatures and Cultures forum of the Modern Language Association.
The Politics of Breastfeeding in Northeast Indian Literature
Authors: Dietz Morgan Richardson
Published: November 2022

Breastfeeding, both in its literal consequences on a woman’s body and its symbolic associations with attachment, highlights the simultaneously powerful yet servile position of the maternal figure. I trace this ambivalence in Mahasweta Devi’s story “Breast-Giver,” exploring women’s literal and metaphorical hungers, as well as the hunger their children experience, arguing that breastfeeding often serves as a means of showcasing a woman’s physical limitation based on her familial status as “feeder.” However, I also argue for a profoundly embodied version of the breastfeeding trope, one that negates prior conceptions of breastfeeding as a “taking” and establishes it as a “giving” that not only nourishes one’s family, but also one’s self, as mothers circumvent hierarchical systems of cooking and food preparation. Ultimately, I both lay bare the interconnection between a woman’s body and food-based labor systems and reveal literary methods for their extrication, through narrative instances of breastfeeding.
Review essay on African Ecomedia and Teaching Postcolonial Environmental Literature
Authors: Hlongwane Gugu
Published: November 2022

Cajetan Iheka’s African Ecomedia: Network Forms, Planetary Politics (2021) and his edited collection, Teaching Postcolonial Environmental Literature and Media (2022), importantly privilege—indeed celebrate—non-Western epistemologies at the very forefront of ecocriticism. In the former book, Africa is not “lagging” behind but is modeling sustainability for the future. This is a resourceful continent even in the face of “nonrenewable infrastructures dotting the continent’s environment” (11). Iheka offers a meticulous historical contextualization of Africa’s present economic demise while beautifully answering the question, “Why can’t we be seen?” (African Ecomedia 105). Kisilu Musya, a famer in Julia Dahr’s climate change film Thank You For the Rain (2017), makes this query, which cannot be ignored in a book rich in both its theoretical frameworks and interventions in fields such as African and media studies as well as the energy and environmental humanities. Teaching Postcolonial Environmental Literature and Media advances Iheka’s agenda to make the invisible visible. Ultimately, the various ecomedia employed in Iheka’s works suggest an Anthropocene implicated in global degradation. As users of smartphones and paper, we are the problem as well as the solution to more ethical, postcolonial ecologies.
Rubens's Skepticism
Authors: Pilgrim James
Published: November 2022

Peter Paul Rubens's Rockox Triptych is generally thought to represent the incredulity of Saint Thomas, even though the side wound that presented Christ's famously distrustful disciple with proof of the resurrection is nowhere to be seen. This article explores the significance of the missing side wound. Drawing attention to the circulation of skeptical philosophy within the artist's milieu, it argues that he conceived of the painting as an epistemic dilemma that would both elicit doubt and suggest how it might be set aside.
Capital Commitment and Performance: The Role of Mutual Fund Charges
Authors: Gómez Juan-Pedro , Prado Melissa Porras , Zambrana Rafael
Published: November 2022

We study how the scarcity of committed capital affects the equilibrium distribution of net alphas in the asset management industry. We propose a model of active portfolio management with different sales fee structures where committed capital is in short supply. In the model, a portfolio’s excess return is not fully appropriated by the money manager but shared with long-term investors. Empirically, we show that capital commitment allows funds to hold shares longer and take advantage of slow-moving arbitrage opportunities. Consistent with the model, funds with more committed capital generate higher value added, which, net of fees, accrues to long-term investors.
An update on the management of thyroid nodules: rationalising the guidelines
Authors: Li L Q , Hilmi O , England J , Tolley N
Published: November 2022

Background

Guidance for the management of thyroid nodules has evolved over time, from initial evaluation based predominantly on clinical grounds to now including the established role of ultrasound and fine needle aspiration cytology in their assessment. There is, however, significant variation in the management of thyroid nodules depending on which national guidelines are followed. In addition, there are certain clinical situations such as pregnancy and paediatric thyroid nodules that have differing evaluation priorities.

Objectives

This review aimed to provide an overview of currently accepted practices for the initial investigation and subsequent management of patients with thyroid nodules for the non-specialist. The review also addresses areas of variance between the systems in common clinical use, as well as newer, evolving technologies, including molecular testing in the evaluation of malignancy in thyroid nodules.
Introduction to special issue: Prosecuting and Policing Rap
Authors: Quinn Eithne , White Joy , Street John
Published: November 2022

The state's coercive engagement with Black youth expressive culture, and rap music in particular, is a topic of mounting public and scholarly concern. Rap lyrics and videos made by defendants and codefendants are regularly used as evidence in court cases in ways that incite bias against young people in the dock. At the same time, the performance and circulation of rap music are increasingly monitored and constrained by the police and other bodies. Thus, as this special issue explores, the prosecuting and policing of rap music serves as a double-punch against Black youth: the state both showcases rap music as criminal evidence in the courtroom to lock down prosecutions and, at the same time, surveils rappers and suppresses the music's creation and dissemination and, in so doing, the income streams of those who make it.
Variations in Monthly Maximum Gust Speed at St Mary's, Isles of Scilly (UK)
Authors: Masina Marinella , D’Ayala Dina , Antonini Alessandro
Published: November 2022

Long‐term variations in maximum gust speeds have been analyzed using wind measurements recorded at St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, UK, and possible drivers of recent changes have been investigated. A rigorous homogenization procedure has been applied to the wind records to remove discontinuities mainly caused by non‐climatic changes. Trends in magnitude of the homogenized annual and monthly maximum gust speeds have been subsequently estimated. A significant (p < 0.10) decreasing trend of −0.102 m s−1/10 years is exhibited by the annual maximum gust speeds over the period 1928–2011, while a non‐significant (p > 0.10) positive trend characterizes the entire period 1928–2020 of wind measurements. A turning point has been detected in the monthly maximum gust speed series in 2012, followed by a trend reversal. Distinctive differences in the gust trend pattern have been observed among the seasons, with increasing trend in summer, and winter gust speeds exhibiting decline in 1969–2011 and strengthening since 2012. Variations in the monthly maximum gust speeds appear closely related to changes in air temperature and latitudinal pressure gradients. Furthermore, the monthly maximum gust speeds show significant correlation with the main oceanic‐atmospheric circulation patterns in the North Atlantic region. A synergistic effect among the phases of the dominant patterns of climate variability appears to explain the observed decline and recovery trends in winter gusts. Summer gust speeds show a positive correlation with the global land‐ocean temperature deviations from the corresponding 1951–1980 base period mean.
Weakened Submesoscale Eddies in the Equatorial Pacific Under Greenhouse Warming
Authors: Wang Shengpeng , Jing Zhao , Wu Lixin , Cai Wenju , Geng Tao , Chang Ping , Danabasoglu Gohkan , Wang Hong , Wang Chengcheng , Chen Zhaohui , Ma Xiaohui , Gan Bolan , Yang Haiyuan
Published: November 2022

Submesoscale eddies in the equatorial Pacific induce a pronounced upward heat flux from the subsurface to the surface ocean. Yet their response to greenhouse warming and feedback on the mean‐state change remain unknown. Using a long‐term high‐resolution climate simulation under a high carbon emission scenario, we show that submesoscale eddies in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific weaken, leading to an ∼50% reduction in their upward heat flux at the end of the 21st century, compared to its mid‐20th century level. This reduction is caused by an intensified stratification and a weakened cold tongue thermal front associated with a projected El Niño‐like warming pattern. The reduced vertical submesoscale eddy heat flux plays an important role in the anomalous heat budget of the surface layer over the central and eastern equatorial Pacific under greenhouse warming, acting as negative feedback on the El Niño‐like warming pattern.
Episodic Slow Slip Hosted by Talc‐Bearing Metasomatic Rocks: High Strain Rates and Stress Amplification in a Chemically Reacting Shear Zone
Authors: Hoover W. F. , Condit C. B. , Lindquist P. C. , Moser A. C. , Guevara V. E.
Published: November 2022

Episodic tremor and slow slip (ETS) downdip of the subduction seismogenic zone are poorly understood slip behaviors of the seismic cycle. Talc, a common metasomatic mineral at the subduction interface, is suggested to host slow slip but this hypothesis has not been tested in the rock record. We investigate actinolite microstructures from talc‐bearing and talc‐free rocks exhumed from the depths of modern ETS (Pimu'nga/Santa Catalina Island, California). Actinolite deformed by dissolution‐reprecipitation creep in the talc‐free rock and dislocation creep ± cataclasis in the talc‐bearing rock. This contrast results from stress amplification in the talc‐bearing rock produced by high strain rates in surrounding weak talc. We hypothesize that higher strain rates in the talc‐bearing sample represent episodic slow slip, while lower strain rates in the talc‐free sample represent intervening aseismic creep. This work highlights the need to consider fluid‐mediated chemical change in studies of subduction zone deformation and seismicity.
Constraining Early Mars Glacial Conditions From Paleodischarge Estimates of Intracrater Inverted Channels
Authors: Boatwright Benjamin D. , Head James W.
Published: November 2022

Inverted fluvial channels are widespread on Mars, and along with valley networks, they provide evidence of flowing liquid water in the early period of the planet's geologic history. We previously described tributary ridge networks within a closed‐source drainage basin crater in the southern highlands, which we interpreted as inverted fluvial channels that were fed by meltwater from the surface of cold‐based glaciers located in crater wall alcoves. Here, we estimate both the paleodischarge within the inverted channels and the necessary melting rates for discharge sources in glacial alcoves. We find that paleodischarges of up to ∼7,000 m3/s were possible with melting rates exceeding 2,000 mm/hr in an extreme warming scenario, with lower rates potentially representing more gradual glacial ice loss. These end‐member estimates can provide key constraints for further early Mars climate and landform evolution modeling.
On the Use of High‐Resolution and Deep‐Learning Seismic Catalogs for Short‐Term Earthquake Forecasts: Potential Benefits and Current Limitations
Authors: Mancini S. , Segou M. , Werner M. J. , Parsons T. , Beroza G. , Chiaraluce L.
Published: November 2022

Enhanced earthquake catalogs provide detailed images of evolving seismic sequences. Currently, these data sets take some time to be released but will soon become available in real time. Here, we explore whether and how enhanced seismic catalogs feeding into established short‐term earthquake forecasting protocols may result in higher predictive skill. We consider three enhanced catalogs for the 2016–2017 Central Italy sequence, featuring a bulk completeness lower by at least two magnitude units compared to the real‐time catalog and an improved hypocentral resolution. We use them to inform a set of physical Coulomb Rate‐and‐State (CRS) and statistical Epidemic‐Type Aftershock Sequence (ETAS) models to forecast the space‐time occurrence of M3+ events during the first 6 months of the sequence. We track model performance using standard likelihood‐based metrics and compare their skill against the best‐performing CRS and ETAS models among those developed with the real‐time catalog. We find that while the incorporation of the triggering contributions from new small magnitude detections of the enhanced catalogs is beneficial for both types of forecasts, these models do not significantly outperform their respective near real‐time benchmarks. To explore the reasons behind this result, we perform targeted sensitivity tests that show how (a) the typical spatial discretizations of forecast experiments (2 km) hamper the ability of models to capture highly localized secondary triggering patterns and (b) differences in earthquake parameters (i.e., magnitude and hypocenters) reported in different catalogs can affect forecast evaluation. These findings will contribute toward improving forecast model design and evaluation strategies for next‐generation seismic catalogs.
Portable comprehensive two-dimensional micro-gas chromatography using an integrated flow-restricted pneumatic modulator
Authors: Huang Xiaheng , Li Maxwell Wei-hao , Zang Wenzhe , Huang Xiaolu , Sivakumar Anjali Devi , Sharma Ruchi , Fan Xudong
Published: November 2022

Two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatography (GC) provides enhanced vapor separation capabilities in contrast to conventional one-dimensional GC and is useful for the analysis of highly complex chemical samples. We developed a microfabricated flow-restricted pneumatic modulator (FRPM) for portable comprehensive 2D micro-GC (μGC), which enables rapid 2D injection and separation without compromising the 1D separation speed and eluent peak profiles. 2D injection characteristics such as injection peak width and peak height were fully characterized by using flow-through micro-photoionization detectors (μPIDs) at the FRPM inlet and outlet. A 2D injection peak width of ~25 ms could be achieved with a 2D/1D flow rate ratio over 10. The FRPM was further integrated with a 0.5-m long 2D μcolumn on the same chip, and its performance was characterized. Finally, we developed an automated portable comprehensive 2D μGC consisting of a 10 m OV-1 1D μcolumn, an integrated FRPM with a built-in 0.5 m polyethylene glycol 2D μcolumn, and two μPIDs. Rapid separation of 40 volatile organic compounds in ~5 min was demonstrated. A hybrid 2D contour plot was constructed by using both 1D and 2D chromatograms obtained with the two μPIDs at the end of the 1D and 2D μcolumns, which was enabled by the presence of the flow resistor in the FRPM.
Effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor on toxicities after CAR T cell therapy for lymphoma and myeloma
Authors: Miller Kevin Charles , Johnson Patrick Connor , Abramson Jeremy S. , Soumerai Jacob D. , Yee Andrew J. , Branagan Andrew R. , O’Donnell Elizabeth K. , Saucier Anna , Jacobson Caron A. , Frigault Matthew J. , Raje Noopur S.
Published: November 2022

Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR T) are groundbreaking therapies but may cause significant toxicities including cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), and cytopenias. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is often used to mitigate neutropenia after CAR T, but there is no consensus recommended strategy due to hypothesized, but largely unknown risks of exacerbating toxicities. To investigate the impact of G-CSF, we retrospectively analyzed 197 patients treated with anti-CD19 CAR T for lymphoma and 47 patients treated with anti-BCMA CAR T for multiple myeloma. In lymphoma, 140 patients (71%) received prophylactic G-CSF before CAR T (mostly pegylated G-CSF) and were compared with 57 patients (29%) treated with G-CSF after CAR T or not exposed. Prophylactic G-CSF was associated with faster neutrophil recovery (3 vs. 4 days, P < 0.01) but did not reduce recurrent neutropenia later. Prophylactic G-CSF was associated with increased grade ≥2 CRS (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.11–4.18, P = 0.02), but not ICANS. In multiple myeloma, prophylactic G-CSF was not used; patients were stratified by early G-CSF exposure (≤2 days vs. ≥3 days after CAR T or no exposure), with no significant difference in toxicities. Future trials should clarify the optimal G-CSF strategy to improve outcomes after CAR T.
The snoRNA-like lncRNA LNC-SNO49AB drives leukemia by activating the RNA-editing enzyme ADAR1
Authors: Huang Wei , Sun Yu-Meng , Pan Qi , Fang Ke , Chen Xiao-Tong , Zeng Zhan-Cheng , Chen Tian-Qi , Zhu Shun-Xin , Huang Li-Bin , Luo Xue-Qun , Wang Wen-Tao , Chen Yue-Qin
Published: November 2022

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are usually 5′ capped and 3′ polyadenylated, similar to most typical mRNAs. However, recent studies revealed a type of snoRNA-related lncRNA with unique structures, leading to questions on how they are processed and how they work. Here, we identify a novel snoRNA-related lncRNA named LNC-SNO49AB containing two C/D box snoRNA sequences, SNORD49A and SNORD49B; and show that LNC-SNO49AB represents an unreported type of lncRNA with a 5′-end m7G and a 3′-end snoRNA structure. LNC-SNO49AB was found highly expressed in leukemia patient samples, and silencing LNC-SNO49AB dramatically suppressed leukemia progression in vitro and in vivo. Subcellular location indicated that the LNC-SNO49AB is mainly located in nucleolus and interacted with the nucleolar protein fibrillarin. However, we found that LNC-SNO49AB does not play a role in 2′-O-methylation regulation, a classical function of snoRNA; instead, its snoRNA structure affected the lncRNA stability. We further demonstrated that LNC-SNO49AB could directly bind to the adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1(ADAR1) and promoted its homodimerization followed by a high RNA A-to-I editing activity. Transcriptome profiling shows that LNC-SNO49AB and ADAR1 knockdown respectively share very similar patterns of RNA modification change in downstream signaling pathways, especially in cell cycle pathways. These findings suggest a previously unknown class of snoRNA-related lncRNAs, which function via a manner in nucleolus independently on snoRNA-guide rRNA modification. This is the first report that a lncRNA regulates genome-wide RNA A-to-I editing by enhancing ADAR1 dimerization to facilitate hematopoietic malignancy, suggesting that LNC-SNO49AB may be a novel target in therapy directed to leukemia.
Host-microbiome interactions: Gut-Liver axis and its connection with other organs
Authors: Anand Swadha , Mande Sharmila S.
Published: November 2022

An understanding of connections between gut microbiome and liver has provided important insights into the pathophysiology of liver diseases. Since gut microbial dysbiosis increases gut permeability, the metabolites biosynthesized by them can reach the liver through portal circulation and affect hepatic immunity and inflammation. The immune cells activated by these metabolites can also reach liver through lymphatic circulation. Liver influences immunity and metabolism in multiple organs in the body, including gut. It releases bile acids and other metabolites into biliary tract from where they enter the systemic circulation. In this review, the bidirectional communication between the gut and the liver and the molecular cross talk between the host and the microbiome has been discussed. This review also provides details into the intricate level of communication and the role of microbiome in Gut-Liver-Brain, Gut-Liver-Kidney, Gut-Liver-Lung, and Gut-Liver-Heart axes. These observations indicate a complex network of interactions between host organs influenced by gut microbiome.
Nonreciprocal charge transport in topological kagome superconductor CsV3Sb5
Authors: Wu Yueshen , Wang Qi , Zhou Xiang , Wang Jinghui , Dong Peng , He Jiadian , Ding Yifan , Teng Bolun , Zhang Yiwen , Li Yifei , Zhao Chenglong , Zhang Hongti , Liu Jianpeng , Qi Yanpeng , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Li Jun
Published: November 2022

Nonreciprocal charge transport phenomena are widely studied in two-dimensional superconductors, which demonstrate unidirectional-anisotropy magnetoresistances as a result of symmetry breaking. Here, we report a strong nonreciprocal transport phenomenon in superconducting CsV3Sb5 thin flakes. The second harmonic voltages, mainly originating from the rectification effect of vortex motion, are unambiguously developed with in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic fields, and their magnitudes are comparable to those in noncentrosymmetric superconductors. The second harmonic magnetoresistances split into several peaks and some of them reverse their signs by ramping the magnetic field or the current within the superconducting transition. The nonreciprocity suggests a strong asymmetry in CsV3Sb5. The centrosymmetric structure and symmetric electronic phases in CsV3Sb5 can hardly induce the distinct nonreciprocal transport phenomenon, which could be correlated to a symmetry breaking from an unconventional superconducting order parameter symmetry.
DYNAMIC cohort study evaluating metabolic predictors of influenza vaccine immune response in older adults
Authors: Sadarangani Sapna P. , Young Barnaby E. , Lian Weixiang , Phua Hwee Pin , Chen Mark I.-C. , Barr Ian , Yeo Tsin Wen , Dalan Rinkoo , Chow Angela
Published: November 2022

Immunosenescence (age-related immune dysfunction) and inflamm-aging contribute to suboptimal immune responses in older adults to standard-dose influenza vaccines, which may be exacerbated in those with metabolic co-morbidities. We sought to investigate metabolic factors/predictors of influenza vaccine immune response in an older adult (age ≥65 years) cohort in Singapore, where influenza typically circulates year-round. The primary outcome for the DYNAMIC prospective cohort study was haemagglutination-inhibition titer (HAI) response to each of the trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine strains at day 28 (D28) compared to baseline (D0), as assessed by seroconversion and D28/D0 log2 HAI fold rise. Baseline blood samples were tested for total Vitamin D (25-(OH) D) levels. We enrolled 234 participants in June–Dec 2017. Two hundred twenty completed all study visits. The median age was 71 [IQR 68–75] years, 67 (30.5%) had diabetes mellitus (DM), and the median BMI was 24.9 [IQR 22.2–27.8] kg/m2. Median baseline totals 25-(OH) D was 29 [IQR: 21–29] ng/ml. Age, DM, obesity, and baseline 25-(OH) D were not associated with HAI fold rise in multivariable analysis. More recent prior influenza vaccination and higher baseline HAI titers were associated with lower HAI fold rise for influenza A/HK/H3N2. Physical activity was associated with a higher HAI fold rise for influenza A/HK/H3N2 in a dose-response relationship (p-test for trend = 0.015). Older adults with well-controlled metabolic co-morbidities retain HAI response to the influenza vaccine, and physical activity had a beneficial effect on immune response, particularly for influenza A/HK/H3N2.
Exploring the mechanism of andrographolide in the treatment of gastric cancer through network pharmacology and molecular docking
Authors: Yadav Ravi Prakash , Sadhukhan Susanta , Saha Makhan Lal , Ghosh Sudakshina , Das Madhusudan
Published: November 2022

Gastric cancer has emerged as a key challenge in oncology research as a malignant tumour with advanced stage detection. Apart from surgical management, a pharmacotherapeutic approach to stomach cancer treatment is an appealing option to consider. Andrographolide has been shown to have anticancer and chemosensitizer properties in a variety of solid tumors, including stomach cancer but the exact molecular mechanism is skeptical. In this study, we identified and validated pharmacological mechanism involved in the treatment of GC with integrated approach of network pharmacology and molecular docking. The targets of andrographolide and GC were obtained from databases. The intersected targets between andrographolide and GC-related genes were used to construct protein–protein interaction (PPI) network. Furthermore, mechanism of action of the targets was predicted by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. Finally, these results were validated by molecular docking experiments, mRNA and protein expression level. A total of 197 targets were obtained for andrographolide treating GC. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the target genes were exerted promising therapeutic effects on GC by HIF-1 and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The possible mechanism of action is by inactivation of HIF-1 signaling pathway which is dependent on the inhibition of upstream PI3K-AKT pathway. The PPI network identified SRC, AKT1, TP53, STAT3, PIK3CA, MAPK1, MAPK3, VEGFA, JUN and HSP90AA1 as potential hub targets. In addition, these results were further validated with molecular docking experiments. Survival analysis indicated that the expression levels of the hub genes were significantly associated with the clinical prognosis of GC. This study provided a novel approach to reveal the therapeutic mechanisms of andrographolide on GC, making future clinical application of andrographolide in the treatment of GC.
Explainable analytics: understanding causes, correcting errors, and achieving increasingly perfect accuracy from the nature of distinguishable patterns
Authors: Pai Hao-Ting , Hsu Chung-Chian
Published: November 2022

In addition to pursuing accurate analytics, it is invaluable to clarify how and why inaccuracy exists. We propose a transparent classification (TC) method. In training, data consist of positive and negative observations. To obtain positive patterns, we find the intersection between each of the two positive observations. The negative patterns are obtained in the same manner. Next, pure positive and pure negative patterns are established by selecting patterns that appear in only one type. In testing, such pure positive and pure negative patterns are used for scoring observations. Next, an observation is classified as positive if its positive score is not zero or if both its positive and negative scores are zero; otherwise, it is classified as negative. By experiment, TC can identify all positive (e.g., malignant) observations at low ratios of training to testing data, e.g., 1:9 using the Breast Cancer Wisconsin (Original) and 3:7 using the Contraceptive Method Choice. Without fine-tuned parameters and random selection, the uncertainty of the methodology is eliminated when using TC. TC can visualize causes, and therefore, prediction errors in a network are traceable and can be corrected. Furthermore, TC shows potential in identifying whether the ground truth is incorrect (e.g., identifying diagnostic errors).
Slope stability analysis considering the strength anisotropy of c-φ soil
Authors: He Yi , Li Zhi , Wang Wenfa , Yuan Ran , Zhao Xiaoyan , Nikitas Nikolaos
Published: November 2022

In traditional slope stability analyses, soil is usually approximated as isotropic. However, naturally cohesive soil deposits are inherently anisotropic, primarily due to the directional arrangement of soil particles during their deposition process. In this paper, a generalized anisotropic constitutive model forc–φsoil is introduced to evaluate the influence of varying shear strength on slope stability. In this model, the initial strength anisotropy is defined by the variety of friction angles to the direction of the principle stress. This model is utilized by two approaches to estimate the slope stability. Firstly, the upper bound limit analysis solution for slope stability is developed, and the safety factor of the slopes is studied. Secondly, this model is coupled with the finite element method to get insight of the influence of anisotropy on slope stability. One typical slope case of slope is studied by numerical analyses. It is found that the slope stability is largely overestimated when the strength anisotropy is ignored, and the overestimation, in terms of safety factors, can reach up to 32.9%. The complex interrelations between the degree of anisotropy and evolution of the ensuing safety factor are revealed by a series of parametric studies in terms of different degrees of anisotropy.
HIV-1 Rev-RRE functional activity in primary isolates is highly dependent on minimal context-dependent changes in Rev
Authors: Dzhivhuho Godfrey , Holsey Jordan , Honeycutt Ethan , O’Farrell Heather , Rekosh David , Hammarskjold Marie-Louise , Jackson Patrick E. H.
Published: November 2022

During HIV infection, intron-containing viral mRNAs are exported from the cell nucleus to the cytoplasm to complete the replication cycle. Cellular restrictions on the export of incompletely spliced transcripts are overcome by a viral protein, Rev, and an RNA structure found in all unspliced and incompletely spliced viral mRNAs, the Rev Response Element (RRE). Primary HIV isolates display substantial variation in the sequence and functional activity of Rev proteins. We analyzed Rev from two primary isolates with disparate activity that resulted in differences in in vitro fitness of replication-competent viral constructs. The results showed that amino acid differences within the oligomerization domain, but not the arginine-rich motif or the nuclear export signal, determined the level of Rev activity. Two specific amino acid substitutions were sufficient to alter the low-activity Rev to a high-activity phenotype. Other mutations in Rev sequences had unpredictable effects on activity that differed between the two Rev backbones. The sensitivity of Rev function level to small sequence changes likely permits modulation of Rev-RRE activity during HIV infection, which may play a role in pathogenesis. The functional consequences of Rev mutations differed between primary isolates, highlighting the challenge of generalizing studies of Rev conducted using laboratory HIV strains.
A two-step pre-processing tool to remove Gaussian and ectopic noise for heart rate variability analysis
Authors: Saleem Shiza , Khandoker Ahsan H. , Alkhodari Mohanad , Hadjileontiadis Leontios J. , Jelinek Herbert F.
Published: November 2022

Artifacts in the Electrocardiogram (ECG) degrade the quality of the recorded signal and are not conducive to heart rate variability (HRV) analysis. The two types of noise most often found in ECG recordings are technical and physiological artifacts. Current preprocessing methods primarily attend to ectopic beats but do not consider technical issues that affect the ECG. A secondary aim of this study was to investigate the effect of increasing increments of artifacts on 24 of the most used HRV measures. A two-step preprocessing approach for denoising HRV is introduced which targets each type of noise separately. First, the technical artifacts in the ECG are eliminated by applying complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise. The second step removes physiological artifacts from the HRV signal using a combination filter of single dependent rank order mean and an adaptive filtering algorithm. The performance of the two-step pre-processing tool showed a high correlation coefficient of 0.846 and RMSE value of 7.69 × 10–5for 6% of added ectopic beats and 6 dB Gaussian noise. All HRV measures studied except HF peak and LF peak are significantly affected by both types of noise. Frequency measures of Total power, HF power, and LF power and fragmentation measures; PAS, PIP, and PSS are the most sensitive to both types of noise.
Testis-expressed gene 11 inhibits cisplatin-induced DNA damage and contributes to chemoresistance in testicular germ cell tumor
Authors: Kitayama Sachi , Ikeda Kazuhiro , Sato Wataru , Takeshita Hideki , Kawakami Satoru , Inoue Satoshi , Horie Kuniko
Published: November 2022

Testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) is a rare cancer but the most common tumor among adolescent and young adult males. Patients with advanced TGCT often exhibit a worse prognosis due to the acquisition of therapeutic resistance. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is a standard treatment for advanced TGCTs initially sensitive to cisplatin, as exemplified by embryonal carcinoma. The acquisition of cisplatin resistance, however, could be a fatal obstacle for TGCT management. To identify cisplatin resistance-related genes, we performed transcriptome analysis for cisplatin-resistant TGCT cells compared to parental cells. In two types of cisplatin-resistant TGCT cell models that we established from patient-derived TGCT cells, and from the NEC8 cell line, we found that mRNA levels of the high-mobility-group nucleosome-binding gene HMGN5 and meiosis-related gene TEX11 were remarkably upregulated compared to those in the corresponding parental cells. We showed that either HMGN5 or TEX11 knockdown substantially reduced the viability of cisplatin-resistant TGCT cells in the presence of cisplatin. Notably, TEX11 silencing in cisplatin-resistant TGCT cells increased the level of cleaved PARP1 protein, and the percentage of double-strand break marker γH2AX-positive cells. We further demonstrated the therapeutic efficiency of TEX11-specific siRNA on in vivo xenograft models derived from cisplatin-resistant patient-derived TGCT cells. Taken together, the present study provides a potential insight into a mechanism of cisplatin resistance via TEX11-dependent pathways that inhibit apoptosis and DNA damage. We expect that our findings can be applied to the improvement of cisplatin-based chemotherapy for TGCT, particularly for TEX11-overexpressing tumor.
Selective conversion of methane to cyclohexane and hydrogen via efficient hydrogen transfer catalyzed by GaN supported platinum clusters
Authors: Tan Lida , Su Hui , Han Jingtan , Liu Mingxin , Li Chao-Jun
Published: November 2022

Non-oxidative liquefaction of methane at room temperature and ambient pressure has long been a scientific “holy grail” of chemical research. Herein, we exploit an unprecedented catalytic transformation of methane exclusively to cyclohexane and hydrogen evolution through effective surface-hydrogen-transfer (SHT) at the heterojunctions boundary consisting of electron-rich platinum cluster (Pt) loaded on methane-activating gallium nitride (GaN) host. The experimental analysis demonstrates that the interface-induced overall reaction starts with methane aromatization to benzene and surface-bound hydrogen initiated by the Ga–N pairs, followed by the hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexane with surface-bound hydrogen. The in-situ activated hydrogen at electron-rich metal Pt cluster is crucial for the hydrogenation and enables an outstanding selectivity (up to 92%) and productivity (41 μmol g−1) towards cyclohexane and hydrogen evolution concurrently at 300 °C, which is well-delivered after 5 recycling runs.
Predicting walking-to-work using street-level imagery and deep learning in seven Canadian cities
Authors: Doiron Dany , Setton Eleanor M. , Brook Jeffrey R. , Kestens Yan , McCormack Gavin R. , Winters Meghan , Shooshtari Mahdi , Azami Sajjad , Fuller Daniel
Published: November 2022

New ‘big data’ streams such as street-level imagery are offering unprecedented possibilities for developing health-relevant data on the urban environment. Urban environmental features derived from street-level imagery have been used to assess pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood design and to predict active commuting, but few such studies have been conducted in Canada. Using 1.15 million Google Street View (GSV) images in seven Canadian cities, we applied image segmentation and object detection computer vision methods to extract data on persons, bicycles, buildings, sidewalks, open sky (without trees or buildings), and vegetation at postal codes. The associations between urban features and walk-to-work rates obtained from the Canadian Census were assessed. We also assessed how GSV-derived urban features perform in predicting walk-to-work rates relative to more widely used walkability measures. Results showed that features derived from street-level images are better able to predict the percent of people walking to work as their primary mode of transportation compared to data derived from traditional walkability metrics. Given the increasing coverage of street-level imagery around the world, there is considerable potential for machine learning and computer vision to help researchers study patterns of active transportation and other health-related behaviours and exposures.
IL-1 β gene (+3954 C/T, exon 5, rs1143634) and NOS2 (exon 22) polymorphisms associate with early aseptic loosening of arthroplasties
Authors: López-Anglada Esteban , Collazos Julio , Montes A. Hugo , Pérez-Is Laura , Pérez-Hevia Imanol , Jiménez-Tostado Sergio , Suárez-Zarracina Tomás , Alvarez Victoria , Valle-Garay Eulalia , Asensi Víctor
Published: November 2022

Aseptic prosthetic loosening (APL) and prosthetic joint infections (PJI) are frequent complications of hip and knee implants. Polymorphisms of cytokines and nitric oxide (NO), key inflammatory molecules in APL and PJI pathogenesis, could explain individual susceptibility to these complications. Three cytokines (IL-1-a, IL-1-β, TNF-α) and two nitric oxide synthase (NOS2, NOS3) genes polymorphisms were genotyped in 77 APL and 117 PJI patients and 145 controls with aseptic hip or knee implants that were implanted for > 16 years. Plasma cytokines and nitrate-nitrite (NOx) levels also were measured. The TT genotype and T allele of (+3954 C/T, exon 5, rs1143634) IL-1β polymorphism were more frequent in APL patients compared to controls (P = 0.03 and P = 0.02, respectively). No genotypic associations in PJI patients were observed. Plasma IL-6, TNF-α and NOx were significantly different between APL and controls (P < 0.0001). Plasma IL-1β and IL-6 were significantly higher in APL T allele carriers vs. non-carriers (P < 0.03). Knee implant (HR 2.488, 95% CI 1.307–4.739, P = 0.005), male gender (HR 2.252, 95% CI 1.121–4.525, P = 0.023), carriages of the TT genotype of the (+3954 C/T) IL-1β polymorphism (HR 3.704, 95% CI 1.274–10.753, P = 0.016) and AA genotype of the (exon 22) NOS2 polymorphism (HR 3.509, 95% CI 1.266–9.709, P = 0.016) were independently associated with a shorter implant survival by Cox regression. No genotypic associations in PJI patients were observed. Genotyping of IL-1β (+3954 C/T, exon 5, rs1143634) and NOS2 (exon 22) polymorphisms could be useful as predictors of early hip or knee APL.