bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Factors Contributing to Bariatric Success After Laparoscopic Redo Bariatric Procedures: Results from Multicenter Polish Revision Obesity Surgery Study (PROSS)
Authors: Łabul Michał , Wysocki Michał , Bartosiak Katarzyna , Orłowski Michał , Katkowski Bartosz , Jaworski Paweł , Małczak Piotr , Major Piotr ,   PROSS–Collaborative Study Group, Major Piotr , Pędziwiatr Michał , Rymarowicz Justyna , Zarzycki Piotr , Stefura Tomasz , Ciszek Karol , Małczak Piotr , Myśliwiec Piotr , Hady Hady Razak , Głuszyńska Paulina , Proczko-Stepaniak Monika , Szymański Michał , Walędziak Maciej , Janik Michał , Kwiatkowski Andrzej , Materlak Magdalena , Bartosiak Katarzyna , Czyżykowski Łukasz , Mawlichanów Maciej , Kowalewski Piotr , Szeliga Jacek , Kupczyk Wojciech , Dowgiałło-Gornowicz Natalia , Lech Paweł , Harań Anna , Kowalski Grzegorz , Mulek Rafał , Krefft Michał , Wysocki Michał , Orłowski Michał , Franczak Paula , Binda Artur , Tarnowski Wiesław , Jaworski Paweł , Kamiński Mateusz , Pastuszka Maciej , Lisik Wojciech , Szymański Paweł , Katkowski Bartosz , Leśniak Michał , Łabul Michał
Published: October 2022

Introduction

With continuously growing number of redo bariatric surgeries (RBS), it is necessary to look for factors determining success of redo-surgeries.

Patients and methods

A retrospective cohort study analyzed consecutive patients who underwent RBS in 12 referral bariatric centers in Poland from 2010 to 2020. The study included 529 patients. The efficacy endpoints were percentage of excessive weight loss (%EWL) and remission of hypertension (HT) and/or type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Results

Group 1: weight regain

Two hundred thirty-eight of 352 patients (67.6%) exceeded 50% EWL after RBS. The difference in body mass index (BMI) pre-RBS and lowest after primary procedure < 10.6 kg/m2 (OR 2.33, 95% CI: 1.43–3.80, p = 0.001) was independent factor contributing to bariatric success after RBS, i.e., > 50% EWL.

Group 2: insufficient weight loss

One hundred thirty of 177 patients (73.4%) exceeded 50% EWL after RBS. The difference in BMI pre-RBS and lowest after primary procedure (OR 0.76, 95% CI: 0.64–0.89, p = 0.001) was independent factors lowering odds for bariatric success.

Group 3: insufficient control of obesity-related diseases

Forty-three of 87 patients (49.4%) achieved remission of hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes. One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB) as RBS was independent factor contributing to bariatric success (OR 7.23, 95% CI: 1.67–31.33, p = 0.008), i.e., complete remission of HT and/or T2D.

Conclusions

RBS is an effective method of treatment for obesity-related morbidity. Greater weight regain before RBS was minimizing odds for bariatric success in patients operated due to weight regain or insufficient weight loss. OAGB was associated with greater chance of complete remission of hypertension and/or diabetes.

Graphical abstract
Investigation of the manufacturability of a copper coil for use in space components by means of the fused filament fabrication process
Authors: Uffelmann S. , Pestotnik S.
Published: October 2022

Metal-filled polymers can serve as the starting material to produce complex metal structures using the cost-effective additive manufacturing process Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). In this process, the filaments consisting of polymer binders (e.g., polylactic acid (PLA)) and micropowder of highly conductive metals (e.g., copper) are extruded through a nozzle to build up the desired geometry layer by layer. The manufacturability of a complex copper coil for use in satellite actuators with two commercially available filaments (Electrifi and Filamet Copper) using FFF was investigated and the electrical conductivity of the printed material was determined. A design of experiment with variation of extruder temperature and printing speed was used to evaluate different parameter sets. The selected parameter set was then used to produce cuboids to determine the electrical conductivity and an exemplary coil geometry. While the coil could be printed in two sizes (original and enlarged by a factor of two) with one of the investigated filaments, this was not possible with the other filament because the printed material was not dimensionally stable with the selected process parameter set. For the Electrifi filament, that is electrically conductive without post processing, the material achieved a maximum electrical conductivity of $$5.59 \cdot 10^{ - 3} {\text{\% IACS }}\left( {0.033{ }\Omega {\text{cm}}} \right)$$

5.59
·

10

-
3

\% IACS

0.033

Ω
cm

. This was in alignment with other published results for this filament. The other filament Filamet Copper is not conductive in the as-built state. After debinding and sintering, the material achieved a maximum electrical conductivity of $$45.84{\text{\% IACS}} \left( {3.77 \cdot 10^{ - 6} { }\Omega {\text{cm}}} \right)$$

45.84

\% IACS

3.77
·

10

-
6

Ω
cm

.
Gravimetric Complexometric Titration Method to Determine Mass Fraction of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid Disodium Salt Dihydrate in Candidate-Certified Reference Materials
Authors: Paredes Cristhian , Ahumada Diego , Ágreda Jesús
Published: October 2022

Titrations are a group of techniques that have contributed considerably to developing the chemical industry and chemistry itself. Currently, the Consultative Committee for Amount of Substance has recognized titration as one of the primary methods for determining the amount of substance. In this context, an accurate gravimetric complexometric titration method was implemented to determine the purity of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) disodium salt dihydrate using a lead nitrate-certified reference material (CRM). The titration reaction was followed potentiometrically using a lead ion-selective electrode. The equivalence point was found by the inflection of a non-parametric regression line that fits the experimental data. The titrations were made in diluted ammonium hydroxide media and sodium tartrate was added to avoid the lead hydroxide precipitation that occurs at high pH. The effect of both concentrations, ammonium hydroxide and sodium tartrate, were evaluated by a Box-Behnken experimental design. A complete uncertainty statement for the measurement method is presented in terms of the International System of Units (SI). The combined relative standard uncertainty of the measurement results is 0.034 % for the purity of the EDTA disodium salt. The atomic weight of the lead that applies to the lead nitrate CRM was determined with mass spectrometry to decrease the uncertainty budget contribution of this parameter which, otherwise, would have been the most important. The main sources of uncertainty were the mass of the EDTA solution for titration blanks, the purity of the lead nitrate CRM, and the precision of the equivalence point determination. The method was evaluated using an EDTA disodium salt dihydrate CRM and no significant bias was found. Finally, the results indicated that the developed method could be used for the value assignment of the mass fraction of EDTA disodium salt dihydrate to produce CRMs.
Groups with almost Frattini closed subgroups
Authors: Mari Fausto De
Published: October 2022

A subgroup H of a group G is said to be Frattini closed in G if either $$H=G$$

H
=
G

or H is the intersection of all maximal subgroups of G containing H. The structure of a soluble group in which every subgroup is Frattini closed is known. In this paper, the behavior of a (generalized) soluble group G in which every subgroup is Frattini closed in a subgroup of finite index of G is studied. Among other results, it is proved that if G is a (generalized) soluble group and there exists a positive integer k such that every subgroup of G is Frattini closed in a subgroup of index at most k in G, then G contains a normal subgroup of finite index in which all subgroups are Frattini closed.
Coffee pulp characterization and treatment as adsorbent material for heavy metal removal from landfill leachates
Authors: Carvajal-Flórez E. , Oakley S. M.
Published: October 2022

To add value to wastes from the coffee crop, this research physically and chemically characterized the coffee pulp waste from an organic farm crop located in Santa Bárbara (Antioquia-Colombia), specifically analyzing whether or not this material has promise for heavy metal removal from wastewater, such as landfill leachate. The coffee pulp was chemically and thermally modified to improve its physical and chemical condition and improve the sorption capacities. Sorption was characterized before and after modification thus point of zero charge, surface area, functional groups, elemental and morphological analysis, and its lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose content. Sorption tests Cu and Pb for the coffee pulp removal capacity were also carried out in batches for determining chemical kinetics using leachates from Neal Road Landfill, in Butte County, Northern California, USA. Results showed that this material has a high potential for liquid-effluent treatment because the removal rate achieved was around 70% and 90% for the copper and lead, especially when there are simultaneously in the solution (leachate). Also, it can be concluded that in these experimental conditions, the biosorption by coffee pulp will allow the legally established permissible limits for landfill leachates to be satisfactorily fulfilled.
Ratio of Two Independent Lindley Random Variables
Authors: Shakil Mohammad , Khadim Aneeqa , Saghir Aamir , Ahsanullah Mohammad , Golam Kibria B. M. , Ishaq Bhatti M.
Published: October 2022

The distribution of the ratio of two independently distributed Lindley random variables$$X$$Xand$$Y$$Y, with different parameters, is derived. The associated distributional properties are provided. Furthermore, the proposed ratio distribution is fitted to two applications data (COVID-19 and Bladder Cancer Data), and compared it with some well-known right-skewed variations of Lindley distribution, namely; Lindley distribution, new generalized Lindley distribution, new quasi Lindley distribution and a three parameter Lindley distribution. The numerical result of the study reveals that the proposed distribution of two independent Lindley random variables fits better to the above said data sets than the compared distribution.
Lake Sediments Record North Carolina’s Coal Legacy
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: October 2022

Coal ash–polluted lakes are in residential and recreational areas, invoking concern for the health of local residents and ecosystems.
Importance of Minor‐Looking Treatments in Global Climate Models
Authors: Kawai Hideaki , Yoshida Kohei , Koshiro Tsuyoshi , Yukimoto Seiji
Published: October 2022

It is very well known that parameter tuning can have a major impact on the performance of Global Climate Models. However, parameter tuning is not the only implementation detail that can drastically affect model performance and the representation of various phenomena in models. “Minor‐looking treatments” often exert a critical control on model performance; they include lower and upper limits of physical variables, thresholds of variables that control the enabling or disabling of a specific process, whether two schemes can work together or only one scheme works exclusively, and numerical methods including the order of calling various physics schemes. The impacts of such minor‐looking treatments are sometimes comparable to or even larger than those obtained by introducing advanced parameterizations based on theory and observation. Because the importance of these treatments is often overlooked and not discussed in the literature, we comprehensively summarize examples of various minor‐looking treatments that can considerably affect model performance.
Interactive relationships of Type 2 diabetes and bipolar disorder with cognition: evidence of putative premature cognitive ageing in the UK Biobank Cohort
Authors: Ringin Elysha , Dunstan David W. , McIntyre Roger S. , Berk Michael , Owen Neville , Rossell Susan L. , Van Rheenen Tamsyn E.
Published: October 2022

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is disproportionately prevalent in bipolar disorder (BD) and is associated with cognitive deficits in psychiatrically healthy cohorts. Whether there is an interaction effect between T2D and BD on cognition remains unclear. Using the UK Biobank, we explored interactions between T2D, BD and cognition during mid and later life; and examined age-related cognitive performance effects in BD as a function of T2D. Data were available for 1511 participants with BD (85 T2D), and 81,162 psychiatrically healthy comparisons (HC) (3430 T2D). BD and T2D status were determined by validated measures created specifically for the UK Biobank. Diagnostic and age-related associations between T2D status and cognition were tested using analyses of covariance or logistic regression. There was a negative association of T2D with visuospatial memory that was specific to BD. Processing speed and prospective memory performance were negatively associated with T2D, irrespective of BD diagnosis. Cognitive deficits were evident in BD patients with T2D compared to those without, with scores either remaining the same (processing speed) or improving (visuospatial memory) as a function of participant age. In contrast, cognitive performance in BD patients without T2D was worse as participant age increased, although the age-related trajectory remained broadly equivalent to the HC group. BD and T2D associated with cognitive performance deficits across the mid-life period; indicating comorbid T2D as a potential risk factor for cognitive dysfunction in BD. In comparison to BD participants without T2D and HCs, age-independent cognitive impairments in BD participants with comorbid T2D suggest a potential premature deterioration of cognitive functioning compared to what would normally be expected.
Do genetics contribute to TNF inhibitor response prediction in Psoriatic Arthritis?
Authors: Curry Philippa D. K. , Morris Andrew P. , Barton Anne , Bluett James
Published: October 2022

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a heterogeneous chronic musculoskeletal disease, affecting up to 30% of people with psoriasis. Research into PsA pathogenesis has led to the development of targeted therapies, including Tumor Necrosis Factor inhibitors (TNF-i). Good response is only achieved by ~60% of patients leading to ‘trial and error’ drug management approaches, adverse reactions and increasing healthcare costs. Robust and well-validated biomarker identification, and subsequent development of sensitive and specific assays, would facilitate the implementation of a stratified approach into clinical care. This review will summarise potential genetic biomarkers for TNF-i (adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab) response that have been reported to date. It will also comment upon the importance of managing clinical confounders when understanding drug response prediction. Variants in multiple gene regions includingTNF-A, FCGR2A, TNFAIP3, TNFR1/TNFR1A/TNFRSF1A, TRAIL-R1/TNFRSF10A, FCGR3Ahave been reported to correlate with TNF-i response at various levels of statistical significance in patients with PsA. However, results were often from heterogenous and underpowered cohorts and none are currently implemented into clinical practice. External validation of genetic biomarkers in large, well-documented cohorts is required, and assessment of the predictive value of combining multiple genetic biomarkers with clinical measures is essential to clinically embed pharmacogenomics into PsA drug management.
Identification of a high-risk immunogenic prostate cancer patient subset as candidates for T-cell engager immunotherapy and the introduction of a novel albumin-fused anti-CD3 × anti-PSMA bispecific design
Authors: Glud Eske N. , Rasmussen Martin , Zhang Yonghui , Mandrup Ole A. , Salachan Paul Vinu , Borre Michael , Sørensen Karina Dalsgaard , Howard Kenneth A.
Published: October 2022

Background

Cancer immunotherapies such as bispecific T-cell engagers have seen limited adoption in prostate cancer (PC), possibly due to differing levels of cancer receptor expression and effector T-cell infiltration between patients and inherent defects in T-cell engager design.

Methods

CD8+T-cell infiltration and PSMA expression were determined by RNA sequencing of primary PC tissue samples from 126 patients with localised PC and 17 patients with metastatic PC. Prognostic value was assessed through clinical parameters, including CAPRA-S risk score. A panel of albumin-fused anti-CD3 ×  anti-PSMA T-cell engagers with different neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) affinity were characterised by flow cytometry, Bio-Layer Interferometry and functional cellular assays.

Results

A subset of patients with localised (30/126 = 24%) and metastatic (10/17 = 59%) PC showed both high PSMA expression and high CD8+T-cell enrichment. The High/High phenotype in localised PC associated with a clinically high-risk cancer subtype, confirmed in an external patient cohort (n = 550, PRAD/TCGA). The T-cell engagers exhibited tunable FcRn-driven cellular recycling, CD3 and PSMA cellular engagement, T-cell activation and PSMA level-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.

Conclusion

This work presents an albumin-fused bispecific T-cell engager with programmable FcRn engagement and identifies a high-risk PC patient subset as candidates for treatment with the T-cell engager class of immuno-oncology biologics.
Self-restricted circular RNA circSOX2 suppressed the malignant progression in SOX2-amplified LUSC
Authors: Liang Yingkuan , Wang Nan , Zhang Yijian , Jiang Wei , Fang Chen , Feng Yu , Ma Haitao , Jiang Feng , Dong Gaochao
Published: October 2022

Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is a histological subtype of non-small cell lung cancer with the worse progression. SRY-Box Transcription Factor 2 (SOX2) copy number amplification (CNA) is the oncogenic driver in ~60% of patients diagnosed with LUSC. Thus, SOX2 represents an effective therapeutic target in SOX2-amplified LUSC. However, SOX2 protein was considered undruggable. Here, we report the expression of a circular RNA, cicSOX2 in SOX2-amplified LUSC. Patients with SOX2-CAN LUSC expressing circSOX2 manifested increased survival outcomes. CircSOX2 suppressed the proliferation, metastasis, and sphere formation in SOX2-amplified LUSC in vitro and in vivo. CircSOX2 originates in the reverse strand of the SOX2 gene and its sequence was reverse complement to partial 3’UTR of SOX2-coding transcript (mSOX2). CircSOX2 bound to AUF1 and occupied in the 3’UTR of mSOX2, inducing the degradation of mSOX2. In general, circSOX2 is an endogenous self-restricted circRNA in SOX2-amplified LUSC. CircSOX2 might be an effective and stable nucleic acid drug candidate in SOX2-amplified LUSC with low immunogenicity.
The Cancermuts software package for the prioritization of missense cancer variants: a case study of AMBRA1 in melanoma
Authors: Tiberti Matteo , Di Leo Luca , Vistesen Mette Vixø , Kuhre Rikke Sofie , Cecconi Francesco , De Zio Daniela , Papaleo Elena
Published: October 2022

Cancer genomics and cancer mutation databases have made an available wealth of information about missense mutations found in cancer patient samples. Contextualizing by means of annotation and predicting the effect of amino acid change help identify which ones are more likely to have a pathogenic impact. Those can be validated by means of experimental approaches that assess the impact of protein mutations on the cellular functions or their tumorigenic potential. Here, we propose the integrative bioinformatic approach Cancermuts, implemented as a Python package. Cancermuts is able to gather known missense cancer mutations from databases such as cBioPortal and COSMIC, and annotate them with the pathogenicity score REVEL as well as information on their source. It is also able to add annotations about the protein context these mutations are found in, such as post-translational modification sites, structured/unstructured regions, presence of short linear motifs, and more. We applied Cancermuts to the intrinsically disordered protein AMBRA1, a key regulator of many cellular processes frequently deregulated in cancer. By these means, we classified mutations of AMBRA1 in melanoma, where AMBRA1 is highly mutated and displays a tumor-suppressive role. Next, based on REVEL score, position along the sequence, and their local context, we applied cellular and molecular approaches to validate the predicted pathogenicity of a subset of mutations in an in vitro melanoma model. By doing so, we have identified two AMBRA1 mutations which show enhanced tumorigenic potential and are worth further investigation, highlighting the usefulness of the tool. Cancermuts can be used on any protein targets starting from minimal information, and it is available at https://www.github.com/ELELAB/cancermuts as free software.
Detecting the ultra low dimensionality of real networks
Authors: Almagro Pedro , Boguñá Marián , Serrano M. Ángeles
Published: October 2022

Reducing dimension redundancy to find simplifying patterns in high-dimensional datasets and complex networks has become a major endeavor in many scientific fields. However, detecting the dimensionality of their latent space is challenging but necessary to generate efficient embeddings to be used in a multitude of downstream tasks. Here, we propose a method to infer the dimensionality of networks without the need for any a priori spatial embedding. Due to the ability of hyperbolic geometry to capture the complex connectivity of real networks, we detect ultra low dimensionality far below values reported using other approaches. We applied our method to real networks from different domains and found unexpected regularities, including: tissue-specific biomolecular networks being extremely low dimensional; brain connectomes being close to the three dimensions of their anatomical embedding; and social networks and the Internet requiring slightly higher dimensionality. Beyond paving the way towards an ultra efficient dimensional reduction, our findings help address fundamental issues that hinge on dimensionality, such as universality in critical behavior.
Single-molecule tracking of Nodal and Lefty in live zebrafish embryos supports hindered diffusion model
Authors: Kuhn Timo , Landge Amit N. , Mörsdorf David , Coßmann Jonas , Gerstenecker Johanna , Čapek Daniel , Müller Patrick , Gebhardt J. Christof M.
Published: October 2022

The hindered diffusion model postulates that the movement of a signaling molecule through an embryo is affected by tissue geometry and binding-mediated hindrance, but these effects have not been directly demonstrated in vivo. Here, we visualize extracellular movement and binding of individual molecules of the activator-inhibitor signaling pair Nodal and Lefty in live developing zebrafish embryos using reflected light-sheet microscopy. We observe that diffusion coefficients of molecules are high in extracellular cavities, whereas mobility is reduced and bound fractions are high within cell-cell interfaces. Counterintuitively, molecules nevertheless accumulate in cavities, which we attribute to the geometry of the extracellular space by agent-based simulations. We further find that Nodal has a larger bound fraction than Lefty and shows a binding time of tens of seconds. Together, our measurements and simulations provide direct support for the hindered diffusion model and yield insights into the nanometer-to-micrometer-scale mechanisms that lead to macroscopic signal dispersal.
Phase I trial of the TNF-α inhibitor certolizumab plus chemotherapy in stage IV lung adenocarcinomas
Authors: Paik Paul K. , Luo Jia , Ai Ni , Kim Rachel , Ahn Linda , Biswas Anup , Coker Courtney , Ma Wanchao , Wong Phillip , Buonocore Darren J. , Lai W. Victoria , Chaft Jamie E. , Acharyya Swarnali , Massagué Joan , Kris Mark G.
Published: October 2022

We previously identified a chemotherapy-induced paracrine inflammatory loop that paradoxically mitigates the anti-tumor effect of chemotherapy and triggers metastatic propagation in breast and lung cancer models. Therefore, we sought to further validate and translate these findings into patient care by coupling the anti-TNF-α drug certolizumab pegol with standard cisplatin doublet chemotherapy. Here we first validate the anti-metastatic effect of certolizumab in a liver-metastatic Lewis Lung Carcinoma model. We then evaluate the safety, efficacy, and pharmacodynamic effects of certolizumab with cisplatin and pemetrexed in an open label Phase 1 clinical trial (NCT02120807) of eighteen adult patients with stage IV lung adenocarcinomas. The primary outcome is maximum tolerated dose. Secondary outcomes are response rate and progression-free survival (PFS); pharmacodynamic changes in blood and tumor are evaluated as a correlative outcome. There were nine partial responses among 16 patients evaluable (56%, 95% CI 30 to 80%). The median duration of response was 9.0 months (range 5.9 to 42.6 months) and median PFS was 7.1 months (95% CI 6.3 to NR). The standard 400 mg dose of certolizumab, added to cisplatin and pemetrexed, is well-tolerated and, as a correlative endpoint, demonstrates potent pharmacodynamic inhibition of peripheral cytokines associated with the paracrine inflammatory loop.
Promoting nickel oxidation state transitions in single-layer NiFeB hydroxide nanosheets for efficient oxygen evolution
Authors: Bai Yuke , Wu Yu , Zhou Xichen , Ye Yifan , Nie Kaiqi , Wang Jiaou , Xie Miao , Zhang Zhixue , Liu Zhaojun , Cheng Tao , Gao Chuanbo
Published: October 2022

Promoting the formation of high-oxidation-state transition metal species in a hydroxide catalyst may improve its catalytic activity in the oxygen evolution reaction, which remains difficult to achieve with current synthetic strategies. Herein, we present a synthesis of single-layer NiFeB hydroxide nanosheets and demonstrate the efficacy of electron-deficient boron in promoting the formation of high-oxidation-state Ni for improved oxygen evolution activity. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and electrochemical analyses show that incorporation of B into a NiFe hydroxide causes a cathodic shift of the Ni2+(OH)2 → Ni3+δOOH transition potential. Density functional theory calculations suggest an elevated oxidation state for Ni and decreased energy barriers for the reaction with the NiFeB hydroxide catalyst. Consequently, a current density of 100 mA cm–2 was achieved in 1 M KOH at an overpotential of 252 mV, placing it among the best Ni-based catalysts for this reaction. This work opens new opportunities in electronic engineering of metal hydroxides (or oxides) for efficient oxygen evolution in water-splitting applications.
Genetic variants associated with psychiatric disorders are enriched at epigenetically active sites in lymphoid cells
Authors: Lynall Mary-Ellen , Soskic Blagoje , Hayhurst James , Schwartzentruber Jeremy , Levey Daniel F. , Pathak Gita A. , Polimanti Renato , Gelernter Joel , Stein Murray B. , Trynka Gosia , Clatworthy Menna R. , Bullmore Ed
Published: October 2022

Multiple psychiatric disorders have been associated with abnormalities in both the innate and adaptive immune systems. The role of these abnormalities in pathogenesis, and whether they are driven by psychiatric risk variants, remains unclear. We test for enrichment of GWAS variants associated with multiple psychiatric disorders (cross-disorder or trans-diagnostic risk), or 5 specific disorders (cis-diagnostic risk), in regulatory elements in immune cells. We use three independent epigenetic datasets representing multiple organ systems and immune cell subsets. Trans-diagnostic and cis-diagnostic risk variants (for schizophrenia and depression) are enriched at epigenetically active sites in brain tissues and in lymphoid cells, especially stimulated CD4+ T cells. There is no evidence for enrichment of either trans-risk or cis-risk variants for schizophrenia or depression in myeloid cells. This suggests a possible model where environmental stimuli activate T cells to unmask the effects of psychiatric risk variants, contributing to the pathogenesis of mental health disorders.
Discriminating cross-reactivity in polyclonal IgG1 responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern
Authors: van Rijswijck Danique M. H. , Bondt Albert , Hoek Max , van der Straten Karlijn , Caniels Tom G. , Poniman Meliawati , Eggink Dirk , Reusken Chantal , de Bree Godelieve J. , Sanders Rogier W. , van Gils Marit J. , Heck Albert J. R.
Published: October 2022

Existing assays to measure antibody cross-reactivity against different SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein variants lack the discriminatory power to provide insights at the level of individual clones. Using a mass spectrometry-based approach we are able to monitor individual donors’ IgG1 clonal responses following a SARS-CoV-2 infection. We monitor the plasma clonal IgG1 profiles of 8 donors who had experienced an infection by either the wild type Wuhan Hu-1 virus or one of 3 VOCs (Alpha, Beta and Gamma). In these donors we chart the full plasma IgG1 repertoires as well as the IgG1 repertoires targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein trimer VOC antigens. The plasma of each donor contains numerous anti-spike IgG1 antibodies, accounting for <0.1% up to almost 10% of all IgG1s. Some of these antibodies are VOC-specific whereas others do recognize multiple or even all VOCs. We show that in these polyclonal responses, each clone exhibits a distinct cross-reactivity and also distinct virus neutralization capacity. These observations support the need for a more personalized look at the antibody clonal responses to infectious diseases.
An ultra-high gain single-photon transistor in the microwave regime
Authors: Wang Zhiling , Bao Zenghui , Li Yan , Wu Yukai , Cai Weizhou , Wang Weiting , Han Xiyue , Wang Jiahui , Song Yipu , Sun Luyan , Zhang Hongyi , Duan Luming
Published: October 2022

A photonic transistor that can switch or amplify an optical signal with a single gate photon requires strong non-linear interaction at the single-photon level. Circuit quantum electrodynamics provides great flexibility to generate such an interaction, and thus could serve as an effective platform to realize a high-performance single-photon transistor. Here we demonstrate such a photonic transistor in the microwave regime. Our device consists of two microwave cavities dispersively coupled to a superconducting qubit. A single gate photon imprints a phase shift on the qubit state through one cavity, and further shifts the resonance frequency of the other cavity. In this way, we realize a gain of the transistor up to 53.4 dB, with an extinction ratio better than 20 dB. Our device outperforms previous devices in the optical regime by several orders in terms of optical gain, which indicates a great potential for application in the field of microwave quantum photonics and quantum information processing.
Spray-coated perovskite hemispherical photodetector featuring narrow-band and wide-angle imaging
Authors: Feng Xiaopeng , He Yuhong , Qu Wei , Song Jinmei , Pan Wanting , Tan Mingrui , Yang Bai , Wei Haotong
Published: October 2022

Sphere imagers featuring specific wavelength recognition and wide-angle imaging are required to meet the fast development of modern technology. However, it is still challenging to deposit high-quality photosensitive layers on sphere substrates from low-cost solution processes. Here we report spray-coated quasi-two-dimensional phenylethylammonium/formamidinium lead halide (PEA2FAn-1PbnX3n+1) perovskite hemispherical photodetectors. The crystallization speed is manipulated by perovskite compositions, and the film thickness can be controlled by spray-coating cycles and solution concentration from tens of nanometers to hundreds of micrometers with a fast velocity of 1.28 × 10−4 cm3 s−1. The lens-free hemispherical photodetectors allow light response at a wide incident angle of 180°. Simultaneously, the wavelength selective response from visible to the near-infrared range is achieved with full width at half maximums (FWHMs) of ~20 nm, comparable to single-crystal devices. Wide-angle and wavelength-selective imaging are also demonstrated, which can find potential applications in intelligent recognition and intraoperative navigated surgery.
The gut microbiome-metabolome dataset collection: a curated resource for integrative meta-analysis
Authors: Muller Efrat , Algavi Yadid M. , Borenstein Elhanan
Published: October 2022

Integrative analysis of microbiome and metabolome data obtained from human fecal samples is a promising avenue for better understanding the interplay between bacteria and metabolites in the human gut, in both health and disease. However, acquiring, processing, and unifying such datasets from multiple sources is a daunting and challenging task. Here we present a publicly available, simple-to-use, curated dataset collection of paired fecal microbiome-metabolome data from multiple cohorts. This data resource allows researchers to easily obtain multiple fully processed and integrated microbiome-metabolome datasets, facilitating the discovery of universal microbe-metabolite links, benchmark various microbiome-metabolome integration tools, and compare newly identified microbe-metabolite findings to other published datasets.
Experimental demonstration of entanglement delivery using a quantum network stack
Authors: Pompili M. , Delle Donne C. , te Raa I. , van der Vecht B. , Skrzypczyk M. , Ferreira G. , de Kluijver L. , Stolk A. J. , Hermans S. L. N. , Pawełczak P. , Kozlowski W. , Hanson R. , Wehner S.
Published: October 2022

Scaling current quantum communication demonstrations to a large-scale quantum network will require not only advancements in quantum hardware capabilities, but also robust control of such devices to bridge the gap in user demand. Moreover, the abstraction of tasks and services offered by the quantum network should enable platform-independent applications to be executed without the knowledge of the underlying physical implementation. Here we experimentally demonstrate, using remote solid-state quantum network nodes, a link layer, and a physical layer protocol for entanglement-based quantum networks. The link layer abstracts the physical-layer entanglement attempts into a robust, platform-independent entanglement delivery service. The system is used to run full state tomography of the delivered entangled states, as well as preparation of a remote qubit state on a server by its client. Our results mark a clear transition from physics experiments to quantum communication systems, which will enable the development and testing of components of future quantum networks.
Versatility of live-attenuated measles viruses as platform technology for recombinant vaccines
Authors: Ebenig Aileen , Lange Mona V. , Mühlebach Michael D.
Published: October 2022

Live-attenuated measles virus (MeV) has been extraordinarily effective in preventing measles infections and their often deadly sequelae, accompanied by remarkable safety and stability since their first licensing in 1963. The advent of recombinant DNA technologies, combined with systems to generate infectious negative-strand RNA viruses on the basis of viral genomes encoded on plasmid DNA in the 1990s, paved the way to generate recombinant, vaccine strain-derived MeVs. These live-attenuated vaccine constructs can encode and express additional foreign antigens during transient virus replication following immunization. Effective humoral and cellular immune responses are induced not only against the MeV vector, but also against the foreign antigen cargo in immunized individuals, which can protect against the associated pathogen. This review aims to present an overview of the versatility of this vaccine vector as platform technology to target various diseases, as well as current research and developmental stages, with one vaccine candidate ready to enter phase III clinical trials to gain marketing authorization, MV-CHIK.
Integrated database for economic complexity
Authors: Patelli Aurelio , Pietronero Luciano , Zaccaria Andrea
Published: October 2022

We present an integrated database suitable for the investigation of the economic development of countries by using the Economic Fitness and Complexity framework. Firstly, we implement machine learning techniques to reconstruct the export flow of services and we combine them to the export flow of the physical goods, generating a complete view of the international market, denoted the Integrated database. Successively, we support the technical quality of the database by computing the main metrics of the Economic Fitness and Complexity framework: (i) we build a statistically validated network of economic activities, where preferred paths of development and clusters of High-Tech industries naturally emerge; (ii) we evaluate the Economic Fitness, an algorithmic assessment of the competitiveness of countries, removing the unexpected misbehaviour of economies under-represented by the sole consideration of the export of the physical goods.
Synthesizing realistic high-resolution retina image by style-based generative adversarial network and its utilization
Authors: Kim Mingyu , Kim You Na , Jang Miso , Hwang Jeongeun , Kim Hong-Kyu , Yoon Sang Chul , Kim Yoon Jeon , Kim Namkug
Published: October 2022

Realistic image synthesis based on deep learning is an invaluable technique for developing high-performance computer aided diagnosis systems while protecting patient privacy. However, training a generative adversarial network (GAN) for image synthesis remains challenging because of the large amounts of data required for training various kinds of image features. This study aims to synthesize retinal images indistinguishable from real images and evaluate the efficacy of the synthesized images having a specific disease for augmenting class imbalanced datasets. The synthesized images were validated via image Turing tests, qualitative analysis by retinal specialists, and quantitative analyses on amounts and signal-to-noise ratios of vessels. The efficacy of synthesized images was verified by deep learning-based classification performance. Turing test shows that accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 54.0 ± 12.3%, 71.1 ± 18.8%, and 36.9 ± 25.5%, respectively. Here, sensitivity represents correctness to find real images among real datasets. Vessel amounts and average SNR comparisons show 0.43% and 1.5% difference between real and synthesized images. The classification performance after augmenting synthesized images outperforms every ratio of imbalanced real datasets. Our study shows the realistic retina images were successfully generated with insignificant differences between the real and synthesized images and shows great potential for practical applications.
An efficiency strategy for cobalt recovery from simulated wastewater by biphasic system with polyethylene glycol and ammonium sulfate
Authors: Amjad Razieh Sobhi , Asadollahzadeh Mehdi , Torkaman Rezvan , Torab-Mostaedi Meisam
Published: October 2022

Today, biphasic aqueous systems have received more attention than conventional separation methods due to their advantages, such as biocompatibility, low cost, and easy operation. The extraction of cobalt ions from the aqueous phase with the absence and the presence of other ions was investigated using polyethylene glycol, and ammonium sulfate salt without using an extractant. The efficiency was evaluated using operating parameters such as aqueous pH, salt and polymer concentrations, phase volume ratio, and initial metal concentration. The higher temperature, and the lower aqueous pH showed a maximum transfer rate for cobalt ions into the PEG1000 phase. Extraction efficiency under optimal conditions equal to 50% (w/w) polyethylene glycol 1000, 4 M ammonium sulfate, aqueous pH = 2, and 15 min extraction time was over 98%. Results from infrared spectroscopy, and thermo-gravimetric analysis illustrated the presence of the PEG-cobalt ion complex. The observation demonstrated that the biphasic system is the proper technology for wastewater purification.
Effects of a catechins-enriched diet associated with moderate physical exercise in the prevention of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats
Authors: Del Seppia Cristina , Federighi Giuseppe , Lapi Dosminga , Gerosolimo Federico , Scuri Rossana
Published: October 2022

Hypertension represents the main risk factor for the onset of cardiovascular diseases. Pharmacological treatments to control hypertension have been associated with new treatments involving physical activity and/or the intake of natural components (nutraceuticals). We here report the effects produced by a combination of a natural component (catechins) and a moderate exercise program on the development of hypertension in spontaneous hypertensive rats compared with those of each individual treatment. Arterial blood pressure and heart rate were measured with a non-invasive method in 28 rats randomly assigned to four groups: rats subjected to moderate physical exercise; rats with a catechins-enriched diet; rats subjected to moderate physical exercise combined with a catechins-enriched diet; control, untreated-rats left to age. All treatments were applied for 6 weeks. The statistical analysis revealed that the three treatments significantly reduced the weekly increase in arterial blood pressure observed in control rats (SBP, P < 0.0001; DBP, P = 0.005). However, the reduction of arterial blood pressure induced by combined treatments was not higher than that induced by the single treatment, but more prolonged. All treatments showed strong antioxidative properties. Our data show that physical activity and a diet enriched with catechins individually have an important hypotensive effect, while the association did not produce a higher hypotensive effect than the single treatment, even if it was able to decrease blood pressure for a longer time. These findings have important implications for developing a protocol to apply in novel hypertension prevention procedures.
Marine heatwaves of different magnitudes have contrasting effects on herbivore behaviour
Authors: Joyce Patrick W. S. , Tang Wing Yee , Falkenberg Laura J.
Published: October 2022

Global climate change is leading to shifts in abiotic conditions. Short-term temperature stresses induced by marine heatwaves (MHWs) can affect organisms both during and after the events. However, the recovery capacity of organisms is likely dependent on the magnitude of the initial stress event. Here, we experimentally assessed the effect of MHW magnitude on behavioural and physiological responses of a common marine gastropod, Lunella granulata, both during and after the MHW. Self-righting behaviours tended to become faster under moderate MHWs, whereas there was a trend toward these behaviours slowing under extreme MHWs. After a recovery period at ambient temperatures, individuals that experienced extreme MHWs showed persistent small, but not significant, negative effects. Survival and oxygen consumption rates were unaffected by MHW magnitude both during and after the event. While extreme MHWs may have negative behavioural consequences for tropical marine gastropods, their physiological responses may allow continued survival.
Lateral confined growth of cells activates Lef1 dependent pathways to regulate cell-state transitions
Authors: Yuan Luezhen , Roy Bibhas , Ratna Prasuna , Uhler Caroline , Shivashankar G. V.
Published: October 2022

Long-term sustained mechano-chemical signals in tissue microenvironment regulate cell-state transitions. In recent work, we showed that laterally confined growth of fibroblasts induce dedifferentiation programs. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying such mechanically induced cell-state transitions are poorly understood. In this paper, we identify Lef1 as a critical somatic transcription factor for the mechanical regulation of de-differentiation pathways. Network optimization methods applied to time-lapse RNA-seq data identify Lef1 dependent signaling as potential regulators of such cell-state transitions. We show that Lef1 knockdown results in the down-regulation of fibroblast de-differentiation and that Lef1 directly interacts with the promoter regions of downstream reprogramming factors. We also evaluate the potential upstream activation pathways of Lef1, including the Smad4, Atf2, NFkB and Beta-catenin pathways, thereby identifying that Smad4 and Atf2 may be critical for Lef1 activation. Collectively, we describe an important mechanotransduction pathway, including Lef1, which upon activation, through progressive lateral cell confinement, results in fibroblast de-differentiation.
Quantification of diaphragmatic dynamic dysfunction in septic patients by bedside ultrasound
Authors: Chen Yunqiu , Liu Yujia , Han Mingxin , Zhao Shuai , Tan Ya , Hao Liying , Liu Wenjuan , Zhang Wenyan , Song Wei , Pan Mengmeng , Jiao Guangyu
Published: October 2022

Although diaphragmatic dysfunction is an important indicator of severity of illness and poor prognosis in ICU patients, there is no convenient and practical method to monitor diaphragmatic function. This study was designed to analyze diaphragmatic dynamic dysfunction by bedside ultrasound in septic patients and provide quantitative evidence to assess diaphragm function systematically. This prospective observational study was conducted from October 2019 to January 2021 in the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 74 patients suffered from sepsis were recruited and divided into two groups, sepsis group 1 (2 ≤ SOFA ≤ 5, n = 41) and sepsis group 2 (SOFA > 5, n = 33). 107 healthy volunteers were randomly recruited as the control group. In all participants, the diaphragmatic thickness and excursion were measured directly and the dynamic parameters including thickening fraction (TF), EQB/EDB, Contractile velocity, and area under diaphragmatic movement curve (AUDMC) were calculated by bedside ultrasound during quiet breathing (QB) and deep breathing (DB). Each parameter among three groups was analyzed separately by covariance analysis, which was adjusted by age, sex, body mass index, MAP, hypertension, and diabetes. First, contractile dysfunction occurred before diaphragmatic atrophy both in sepsis group 1 and sepsis group 2. Second, compared with the control group, the dynamic parameters showed significant decrease in sepsis group 1 and more obvious change in sepsis group 2, including TF, EQB/EDB. Third, the maximum contractile velocity decreased in sepsis group 1, reflecting the damage of intrinsic contraction efficiency accurately. Finally, per breathing AUDMC in two septic groups were lower than those in control group. However, per minute AUDMC was compensated by increasing respiratory rate in sepsis group 1, whereas it failed to be compensated which indicated gradual failure of diaphragm in sepsis group 2. Diaphragmatic ultrasound can be used to quantitatively evaluate the severity of sepsis patients whose contractile dysfunction occurred before diaphragmatic atrophy. As dynamic parameters, TF and EQB/EDB are early indicator associated with diaphragmatic injury. Furthermore, maximum contractile velocity can reflect intrinsic contraction efficiency accurately. AUDMC can evaluate diaphragmatic breathing effort and endurance to overcome resistance loads effectively.