bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transfer of blocker-based qPCR reactions for DNA methylation analysis into a microfluidic LoC system using thermal modeling
Authors: Kärcher Janik , Schulze Britta , Dörr Aaron , Tierling Sascha , Walter Jörn
Published: December 2022

Changes in the DNA methylation landscape are associated with many diseases like cancer. Therefore, DNA methylation analysis is of great interest for molecular diagnostics and can be applied, e.g., for minimally invasive diagnostics in liquid biopsy samples like blood plasma. Sensitive detection of local de novo methylation, which occurs in various cancer types, can be achieved with quantitative HeavyMethyl-PCR using oligonucleotides that block the amplification of unmethylated DNA. A transfer of these quantitative PCRs (qPCRs) into point-of-care (PoC) devices like microfluidic Lab-on-Chip (LoC) cartridges can be challenging as LoC systems show significantly different thermal properties than qPCR cyclers. We demonstrate how an adequate thermal model of the specific LoC system can help us to identify a suitable thermal profile, even for complex HeavyMethyl qPCRs, with reduced experimental effort. Using a simulation-based approach, we demonstrate a proof-of-principle for the successful LoC transfer of colorectal SEPT9/ACTB-qPCR from Epi Procolon® colorectal carcinoma test, by avoidance of oligonucleotide interactions.
Plateau-like magnetoresistance and topological Hall effect in Kagome magnets TbCo2 and DyCo2
Authors: Huang Dan , Li Hang , Ding Bei , Xi Xuekui , Gao Jianrong , Lau Yong-Chang , Wang Wenhong
Published: December 2022

Magnetoresistance (MR) and Hall resistivity of TbCo2 and DyCo2 with a Co Kagome lattice were investigated. Apart from giant negative magnetoresistance (MR) at TC, plateau-like MR and a topological Hall effect (THE) are observed at a low magnetic field for each compound below respective TC. The plateau-like MR is attributed to a compensation of negative MR with a ferromagnetically ordered structure of Tb atoms by positive MR with a noncoplanar spin structure of the Co Kagome lattice. The THE is attributed to the noncoplanar spin structure of the Co Kagome lattice only. The MR and the Hall resistivity of each compound are reduced dramatically and undergo a reversal of its sign during cooling. The reversal phenomenon at the low temperature can be related to the freezing of spins of Co atoms. The transport in DyCo2 is more sensitive to magnetic fields than that in TbCo2 which is consistent with a stronger 4f–3d interaction. Observations of these transport phenomena make RCo2 compounds promising for functional applications in spintronic devices.
A novel method of hybrid plasma injection driven by the pulsed discharge of a metal–polytetrafluoroethylene-stacked capillary in high-pressure SF6
Authors: Li Xiaoang , Zhang Ningbo , Jiang Pan , Xu Haitao , Li Zhibing , Zhang Ran , Zhao Ke , Zhang Qiaogen
Published: December 2022

A reliable and repeatable triggering technology for a megavolt gap switch with a low working coefficient η is an urgent need and a research focus. In this study, a novel method of hybrid plasma injection (HPI) driven by pulsed discharge inside a capillary was first proposed. The HPI actuator adopted a metal–polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-stacked capillary, in which severe ablation could generate a hybrid plasma containing gas and metal vapor ionized component ejected outward from the nozzle. The HPI actuator could perform repeatedly with an extremely strong plasma injection and triggering ability and, thus, provided a solution for megavolt ultrafast bypass switches (UFBPSs). The evolution and the trigger properties of the HPI actuator were investigated, and the influence of the stacked material (Al, Zn, and Sn) and its proportion (3/15, 7/15, and 10/15) was studied, followed by the performance degradation in multi-shot. It was found that stacking chemically active and low-ionization-energy aluminum in a proportion of 7/15 strongly enhanced the HPI, with an initial velocity of 1200 m/s and a maximum height of 7.5 cm in 0.5 MPa SF6. In repeated operations, the HPI actuator performance degraded obviously due to capillary expansion and deformation, and the lifetime was tens of magnitude. Finally, the optimized HPI actuator was used to trigger a 7 cm–0.5 MPa SF6 gap, with a breakdown voltage of ∼1.5 MV. When a 100 kV DC voltage was applied (η < 7%), the gap was successfully and continuously triggered for 27 shots with the trigger delay ranging from 301 to 670 µs, indicating that the HPI actuator could effectively and repeatedly trigger megavolt-magnitude SF6 gaps at a very low η and was a good solution for megavolt UFBPSs.
The thermodynamic limit of an ideal Bose gas by asymptotic expansions and spectral ζ-functions
Authors: Weiss Daniel Alexander
Published: December 2022

We analyze the thermodynamic limit—modeled as the open-trap limit of an isotropic harmonic potential—of an ideal, non-relativistic Bose gas with a special emphasis on the phenomenon of Bose–Einstein condensation. This is accomplished by the use of an asymptotic expansion of the grand potential, which is derived by ζ-regularization techniques. Herewith, we can show that the singularity structure of this expansion is directly interwoven with the phase structure of the system: In the non-condensation phase, the expansion has a form that resembles usual heat kernel expansions. By this, thermodynamic observables are directly calculable. In contrast, the expansion exhibits a singularity of infinite order above a critical density, and a renormalization of the chemical potential is needed to ensure well-defined thermodynamic observables. Furthermore, the renormalization procedure forces the system to exhibit condensation. In addition, we show that characteristic features of the thermodynamic limit, such as the critical density or the internal energy, are entirely encoded in the coefficients of the asymptotic expansion.
Sensitivity-enhanced magnetometry using nitrogen-vacancy ensembles via adaptively complete transitions overlapping
Authors: Chen Bao , Chen Bing , Zhu Xinyi , Fan Jingwei , Yu Zhifei , Qian Peng , Xu Nanyang
Published: December 2022

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond are suitable sensors of high-sensitivity magnetometry, which have attracted much interest in recent years. Here, we demonstrate sensitivity-enhanced ensemble magnetometry via adaptively complete transitions overlapping with a bias magnetic field equally projecting onto all existing NV orientations. Under such conditions, the spin transitions corresponding to different NV orientations are completely overlapped, which will bring about an obviously improved photoluminescence contrast. We, furthermore, introduce particle swarm optimization into the calibration process, to generate this bias magnetic field automatically and adaptively using computer-controlled Helmholtz coils. By applying this technique, we realize an ∼1.5 times enhancement and obtain a magnetic field sensitivity of 855pT/Hz by utilizing a group of completely overlapped transitions, compared to the 1.33nT/Hz obtained utilizing a single transition in continuous-wave magnetometry. Our approach can be conveniently applied in direction-fixed magnetic sensing and to obtain the potentially maximum sensitivity of ensemble-NV magnetometry.
Maximal absorption in ultrathin TiN films for microbolometer applications
Authors: Luk Ting S. , Xu Guangping , Ross Willard , Nogan John N. , Scott Ethan A. , Ivanov Sergei , Niculescu Oana , Mitrofanov Oleg , Harris C. Thomas
Published: December 2022

Ultrathin light absorbers present a viable route toward improving the specific detectivity and response time of microbolometers. However, for an ultrathin film to absorb light efficiently, the dielectric function of the film and its thickness must satisfy strict requirements. We experimentally demonstrate an average absorptance of 48% ± 2.5% in the 8–13 μm (769–1250 cm−1) spectral range for 10 nm thick titanium nitride (TiN), a value bordering on the 50% fundamental absorptance limit for a suspended thin film. The heat capacity per unit area of this absorber is only 1.2 × 10−6 J/K/cm2, which is beneficial for improving the response time of a microfabricated bolometer. We also show that a sufficient condition for reaching maximal absorption in an ultrathin film is that ε″ ≫ |ε′|.
Estimation of the error factors in irradiance measurements of electromagnetic sources inside disinfection cabinets
Authors: Faramawy Samaa. M.
Published: December 2022

Periodically testing the performance of any biological safety cabinet or other sterilization chambers is mandatory; hence, the importance of evaluating the effects of error factors on this performance arises. Until now, despite the necessity of disinfection against many microorganisms, particularly protection against the current pandemic, international standards for the manufacturing and evaluation of safety cabinets did not recommend testing the ultraviolet C performance inside these safety cabinets. The main aim of this paper is to use the sensitivity coefficient as one of the essential terms in uncertainty evaluation, to study the effect of different distances and tilt angles on the irradiance and, hence, the uniformity inside the cabinet or chamber. It was found that the homogeneity of the distribution of irradiance levels along the irradiated area was significantly affected by the distance and angle. The results obtained utilizing the sensitivity coefficient indicated that a simple increase in distance will result in a considerable loss in the irradiance value reaching around 30%. Every 5° increment in the tilt angle causes a decrement in the irradiance value by about 14% compared to the original value (0°); hence, the uniformity decreased significantly by around 45%. These effects may reflect on the sterilization performance of the cabinet as an essential process. At the end of this paper, due to the importance of considering these measurements and the effect of the two parameters on irradiance and, hence, the uniformity, the author recommends that these measurements be added to international standards for safety cabinets manufacturing and evaluation. The recommendation may help to focus more on evaluating the ultraviolet C homogeneity performance inside biosafety cabinets.
Nanoindentation in finite thickness viscoelastic materials
Authors: Costa D. F. S. , de Araújo J. L. B. , Oliveira C. L. N. , de Sousa J. S.
Published: December 2022

In this work, we present an analytical model to describe atomic force microscopy force curves of standard linear solid and power-law viscoelastic materials by taking indenter geometry and finite thickness effects into account. We show that conical/pyramidal cantilevers are less susceptible to finite thickness effects than other shapes, such as spherical and flat punch indenters. This is confirmed by finite element modeling of the stress field distribution within the sample. We also perform a systematic error analysis for the cases where finite thickness samples are analyzed with an infinite thickness force model. In particular, we show that for spherical indenters and indentation depth up to 20% of sample thickness, the mechanical response of viscoelastic materials will wrongly mimic a purely elastic behavior even within timescales where viscoelastic relaxation should appear.
Effect of heterogeneity on interphase heat transfer for gas–solid flow: A particle-resolved direct numerical simulation
Authors: Fu Jianhong , Chen Sheng , Zhou Xiaochen
Published: December 2022

Particle-resolved direct numerical simulation (PR-DNS) of flow past a particle cluster is conducted to analyze the influence of heterogeneous particle distribution on the gas–solid heat transfer calculation. Then, the heat transfer rates calculated using Gunn's correlation are systematically compared with the DNS results for virtual computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method (CFD-DEM) grids with different levels of heterogeneity. The results show that, for a grid located at the interface between the dense cluster region and dilute region, Gunn's correlation significantly overestimates the heat transfer rate, especially at small Reynolds numbers. This is caused by the large temperature difference between the dense and dilute regions in the heterogeneous CFD-DEM grid. The value calculated by Gunn's correlation can be up to ten times the DNS result. For a homogeneous grid inside a dense region, the conventional Nusselt correlation fails to capture the rapid increase in the fluid temperature gradient around the near-interface particles when the grid approaches the cluster–fluid interface. Furthermore, even if the size of the CFD-DEM grid is reduced to twice the particle diameter, the heterogeneous particle distribution still leads to a remarkable error in the heat transfer calculation. Finally, modifications to Gunn's correlation are proposed for three typical cross-interface cases, which can well reflect the influence of the heterogeneous distribution of particles and yield a heat transfer rate close to the PR-DNS results. The mean relative deviations of the three fitted correlations are 5.8%, 14.3%, and 22.4%, respectively.
Relationships between soils and plant community composition and structure in a Neotropical savanna mosaic
Authors: Lenza Eddie , Abadia Ana Clara , Veríssimo Arthur , Almada Hellen Kezia , Gonçalves Lorrayne Aparecida , Carrijo Daielle
Published: December 2022

Context How woody flora richness and composition in different vegetation communities in a Neotropical savanna are explained by chemical and physical soil properties? Objective Determinate the relationships between the topsoil properties, richness, and composition of woody flora in the following six vegetation communities of the Brazilian Cerrado: four non-waterlogged, one seasonally waterlogged and one permanently waterlogged. Methods We used rarefaction analysis to compare richness among vegetation communities and Canonical Redundancy Analysis to evaluate the relationships between soil and floristic composition. Key results We showed clear edaphic differences between Palm Swamps (higher organic matter), Gallery Forest (less fertile), Woodland Cerrado (finer soils texture) and Dense Cerrado, Typical Cerrado and Murundu Field (more fertile and coarser soils texture). The species richness was highest in the Gallery Forest and Typical Cerrado and lowest in Palm Swamps. The low species richness in Palm Swamps was caused by waterlogging, inferred by the high organic-matter content of the soil. The differences and similarities in species composition among vegetation communities were explained by waterlogging, fertility and texture of soils. Conclusions Changes in soil properties and woody species composition among vegetation communities can be abrupt, such as those among Palm Swamps, Gallery Forest and other vegetation communities, or gradual as those among Woodland Cerrado, Dense Cerrado, Typical Cerrado and Murundu Field. Implications The high local richness (alfa diversity) and clear species turnover between some vegetation communities (beta diversity) with difference in soil properties justify the necessity of conserving the complex vegetation mosaic in the studied region, once it is located on the Brazil’s agricultural frontier.
A discourse-pragmatic functional study of Chinese epistemic markers haoxiang “seem” and
keneng “probably”
Authors: Wang Yan
Published: December 2022

This study investigates the discourse-pragmatic functions of the epistemic markers haoxiang
“seem” and keneng “probably” in natural conversations of Mandarin Chinese. By examining 107 cases of
haoxiang and 152 cases of keneng in sequential contexts, it demonstrates that both
haoxiang and keneng are hedge expressions showing the speaker’s attitude of lack of
commitment to the truthfulness of their own utterance, which is often driven by an intersubjective motivation.

As epistemic markers, haoxiang tends to mitigate informational certainty that is based on the
speaker’s personal but vague experience, while keneng is often used to mitigate the assertiveness of the
speaker’s personal speculation deduced from background knowledge, general knowledge or commonly accepted logic.

Further, this study claims that both haoxiang and keneng often serve as
politeness devices to mitigate various Face Threatening Acts (FTAs) such as disconfirmation, disagreement or negative assessment.
In either case, haoxiang and keneng are not merely epistemic markers revealing the speaker’s
subjective uncertainty, but also serve as politeness markers for the purpose of intersubjectivity, and their multiple
discourse-pragmatic usages are rooted in their semantic meanings, respectively.
Written narratives of adolescents with developmental language disorder compared with typically developing adolescents
and adults
Authors: Kraljević Jelena Kuvač , Matić Škorić Ana , Tomazin Marina Olujić
Published: December 2022

Children who struggle with acquisition of oral language are likely to become less proficient writers later on. The
current study aimed to compare written texts of adolescents with developmental language disorder (DLD) and their typically
developing (TD) peers in terms of length, content, cohesion, coherence and errors. Additionally, texts of TD adolescents were
compared with the texts of TD adults. Accordingly, three participant groups were included in this study: 21 DLD adolescents, 21 TD
adolescents and 22 TD adults, all native speakers of Croatian. The comparison of narrative texts written by DLD and TD adolescents
suggests that the former write shorter and less cohesive texts and produce more errors. These results indicate that individuals
with DLD have writing profiles similar to those obtained in other studies. Comparison of texts written by TD adolescents and
adults shows that both groups write largely similar texts which differ only in the use of sophisticated vocabulary.
How much does sleep deprivation impair endurance performance? A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Lopes Thiago Ribeiro , Pereira Hugo Maxwell , Bittencourt Lia Rita Azeredo , Silva Bruno Moreira
Published: December 2022

We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis to investigate the effect of sleep deprivation on endurance performance, as well as possible effect‐modifying factors. Searches were done in Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus on 12 July 2022. We additionally searched the bibliographic references and citations on Google Scholar of the papers whose full text was analyzed. Eligible studies were randomized and non‐randomized controlled trials that compared sleep deprivation and habitual‐sleep night effects on endurance performance in healthy humans. The studies’ quality was examined by the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. We calculated the pooled standardized mean differences (pooled SMD) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) by a random‐effects model. A mixed‐effects model analyzed subgroups. Thirty‐one studies were analyzed (n = 478), generating 38 effect sizes in full. The overall risk of bias was low in 8% of the studies, unclear in 74%, and high in 18%. Sleep deprivation in general had a moderate negative effect on endurance performance (polled SMD [95%CI] = −0.52 [−0.67; −0.38]). Training status, sleep deprivation magnitude, assessment time, exercise mode, and endpoint type did not influence the sleep deprivation effect, whereas longer exercises (>30 min) were more affected by sleep deprivation than shorter ones (P = 0.035). Therefore, the available evidence supports that sleep deprivation's deleterious effect on endurance performance is of moderate size and depends on exercise duration. This information can be useful to estimate the performance decrement of endurance exercise practitioners under sleep deprivation in training routines and competitions.

PROSPERO registration number CRD42021229717.
CSF-to-dura gateways
Authors: Thomas Jean-Leon , Benveniste Helene
Published: December 2022

Postmortem microstructural studies together with in vivo magnetic resonance imaging show that human arachnoid granulations are porous channels that serve as transient filtration conduits for cerebrospinal fluid to flow directly into dural interstitial tissue, but not into venous sinuses (Shah et al. 2022. J. Exp. Med.https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20220618).
Totally ramified rational maps
Authors: Cui Weiwei , Hu Jun
Published: December 2022

Totally ramified rational maps and regularly ramified rational maps are defined and studied in this paper. We first give a complete classification of regularly ramified rational maps and show that our definition of a regularly ramified rational map is equivalent to a much stronger definition of a map of this kind given by Milnor [Dynamics in one complex variable, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2006]. Then we show that (1) any totally ramified rational map of degree

d
≤
6

d\leq 6

must be regularly ramified; (2) for any integer

d
>
6

d>6

, there exists a totally ramified rational map of degree

d
d

which is not regularly ramified. Furthermore, we count totally ramified rational maps up to degree

10
10

. Finally, we present explicit formulas for all totally but not regularly ramified rational maps of degree

7
7

or

8
8

, up to pre- and post-composition by Möbius transformations.
Perioperative Outcomes and Risk Profile of 4730 Cosmetic Breast Surgery Cases in Academic Institutions: An ACS-NSQIP Analysis
Authors: Knoedler Samuel , Kauke-Navarro Martin , Haug Valentin , Broer P Niclas , Pomahac Bohdan , Knoedler Leonard , Panayi Adriana C
Published: December 2022

Background

Cosmetic breast surgery (CBS) can be subdivided into augmentation, mastopexy, reduction, and reconstruction.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze a multi-institutional national database to investigate the outcomes of CBS and identify clinical patterns to optimize care.

Methods

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (2008-2020) was reviewed to identify female patients who underwent CBS. Postoperative outcomes (30-day surgical and medical complications, reoperation, readmission, and mortality) and risk factors for complications were assessed.

Results

In total, 4733 patients were identified (mean age, 40 [13] years; mean BMI, 24 [4.5] kg/m2) with augmentation accounting for 54% of cases. There were complications in 2.0% of cases. Age >65 years (P = .002), obesity (P < .0001), setting (P < .0001), and diabetes (P = .04) were risk factors for any complication. Age >65 years (P = .02), obesity (P = .03), diabetes (P = .01), history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (P = .002) and congestive heart failure (P < .0001), smoking in the past year (P = .003), setting (P = .007), and increased American Society of Anesthesiology score (P < .0001) were predictors of surgical complications such as dehiscence and infection. Multivariable analysis confirmed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obesity Class 1 and 3, and inpatient status were independent risk factors for occurrence of any complication (P = .0005, .0003, < .0001 and <.0001, respectively). Additionally, multiple procedures (P = .02) and smoking (P = .005) were found to be risk factors for surgical complications.

Conclusions

This study confirms the positive safety profile of CBS. Healthy BMI is a protective factor, while complications were more likely among inpatient procedures. A correlation between multiple procedures and increased surgical complications was identified. Awareness of these risk factors can assist surgeons to further refine their perioperative protocols.
Outcomes of laparoscopic versus robotic-assisted resection of T4 rectal cancer: propensity score-matched analysis of a national cancer database
Authors: Emile Sameh Hany , Horesh Nir , Freund Michael R , Garoufalia Zoe , Gefen Rachel , Silva-Alvarenga Emanuela , Dasilva Giovanna , Wexner Steven D
Published: December 2022

Background

T4 rectal cancer is a challenging condition owing to the highly invasive nature of the tumour that may compromise R0 resection. The present study aimed to assess the outcomes of laparoscopic versus robotic-assisted resection of non-metastatic T4 rectal adenocarcinoma.

Methods

This was a retrospective propensity score-matched analysis using the National Cancer Database between 2010 and 2019. Patients with pathological T4 non-metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent laparoscopic or robotic-assisted resection were compared and a propensity score-matched analysis was performed in a 1:1 manner. The main outcome measures were conversion to open surgery, mortality, readmission, resection margins, and overall survival.

Results

After propensity score matching, 235 patients were included in each group. There were 260 (55.3 per cent) men and 210 (44.7 per cent) women, with a mean (s.d.) age of 61 (13.2) years. Patients in the robotic group had a statistically significantly lower conversion rate (8.9 per cent versus 17.9 per cent; P = 0.006), shorter median duration of hospital stay (5 versus 6 days; P = 0.007), higher overall survival rate (56.2 per cent versus 43.4 per cent; P = 0.007), and a longer median survival (60.8 versus 43.2; P = 0.025). There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to positive resection margins, examined lymph nodes, 30-day and 90-day mortality rates, and 30-day readmission rate.

Conclusions

Robotic resections of T4 rectal cancer were associated with a significantly lower conversion rate and shorter duration of hospital stay than laparoscopic resections. The two approaches were comparable with regard to positive resection margins, short-term mortality, and readmission.
Modulation of ventromedial orbitofrontal cortical glutamatergic activity affects the explore-exploit balance and influences value-based decision-making
Authors: Barnes Samuel A , Dillon Daniel G , Young Jared W , Thomas Michael L , Faget Lauren , Yoo Ji Hoon , Der-Avakian Andre , Hnasko Thomas S , Geyer Mark A , Ramanathan Dhakshin S
Published: December 2022

The balance between exploration and exploitation is essential for decision-making. The present study investigated the role of ventromedial orbitofrontal cortex (vmOFC) glutamate neurons in mediating value-based decision-making by first using optogenetics to manipulate vmOFC glutamate activity in rats during a probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task. Rats that received vmOFC activation during informative feedback completed fewer reversals and exhibited reduced reward sensitivity relative to rats. Analysis with a Q-learning computational model revealed that increased vmOFC activity did not affect the learning rate but instead promoted maladaptive exploration. By contrast, vmOFC inhibition increased the number of completed reversals and increased exploitative behavior. In a separate group of animals, calcium activity of vmOFC glutamate neurons was recorded using fiber photometry. Complementing our results above, we found that suppression of vmOFC activity during the latter part of rewarded trials was associated with improved PRL performance, greater win-stay responding and selecting the correct choice on the next trial. These data demonstrate that excessive vmOFC activity during reward feedback disrupted value-based decision-making by increasing the maladaptive exploration of lower-valued options. Our findings support the premise that pharmacological interventions that normalize aberrant vmOFC glutamate activity during reward feedback processing may attenuate deficits in value-based decision-making.
Characterization of Timau National Observatory using limited in situ measurements
Authors: Priyatikanto R , Mumpuni E S , Hidayat T , Saputra M B , Murti M D , Rachman A , Yatini C Y
Published: December 2022

A new astronomical observatory in south-eastern Indonesia is currently under construction. This Timau National Observatory will host a 3.8-m telescope for optical and near-infrared observations. To support the operation and planning, the characterization of the site needs to be appropriately performed. However, limited resources and access to the site hindered the deployment of instruments for comprehensive site testing. Fortunately, in situ sky brightness data from the Sky Quality Meter (SQM) have been available for almost 2 yr. Based on the data acquired in 470 nights, we obtain a background sky brightness of μ0 = 21.86 ± 0.38 mag arcsec−2. Additionally, we evaluate the moonlit sky brightness to estimate the atmospheric extinction coefficient (k) and level of scattering on site. We find an elevated value of k = 0.48 ± 0.04, associated with a high atmospheric aerosol content. It is considered regular for an equatorial area situated at a low altitude (∼1300 masl). By analysing the fluctuation of the sky brightness and infrared images from Himawari-8 satellite, we estimate the available observing time (AOT) of at least 5.3 h/night and the yearly average percentage of usable nights of $66{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. The monthly average AOT from SQM and satellite data analysis correlate with R = 0.82. In terms of the monthly percentage of usable nights, the correlation coefficient is R = 0.78. During the wet season (November–April), the results from SQM and satellite data analysis deviate more significantly, mainly due to the limited capability of Himawari-8 in detecting fragmented low-altitude clouds. According to these results, we expect Timau to complement other observatories greatly.
Broad-band mHz QPOs and spectral study of LMC X-4 with AstroSat
Authors: Sharma Rahul , Jain Chetana , Rikame Ketan , Paul Biswajit
Published: December 2022

We report the results of broad-band timing and spectral analysis of data from an AstroSat observation of the high-mass X-ray binary LMC X-4. The Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC) and Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) instruments onboard the AstroSatobserved the source in 2016 August. A complete X-ray eclipse was detected with the LAXPC. The 3–40 keV power density spectrum showed the presence of coherent pulsations along with a ∼26 mHz quasi-periodic oscillation feature. The spectral properties of LMC X-4 were derived from a joint analysis of the SXT and LAXPC spectral data. The 0.5–25 keV persistent spectrum comprised of an absorbed high-energy cut-off power law with photon index of Γ ∼ 0.8 and cut-off at ∼16 keV, a soft thermal component with kTBB ∼ 0.14 keV, and Gaussian components corresponding to Fe Kα, Ne ix, and Ne x emission lines. Assuming a source distance of 50 kpc, we determined 0.5–25 keV luminosity to be ∼2 × 1038 erg s−1.
Producing fast and active Rubisco in tobacco to enhance photosynthesis
Authors: Chen Taiyu , Riaz Saba , Davey Philip , Zhao Ziyu , Sun Yaqi , Dykes Gregory F , Zhou Fei , Hartwell James , Lawson Tracy , Nixon Peter J , Lin Yongjun , Liu Lu-Ning
Published: December 2022

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) performs most of the carbon fixation on Earth. However, plant Rubisco is an intrinsically inefficient enzyme given its low carboxylation rate, representing a major limitation to photosynthesis. Replacing endogenous plant Rubisco with a faster Rubisco is anticipated to enhance crop photosynthesis and productivity. However, the requirement of chaperones for Rubisco expression and assembly has obstructed the efficient production of functional foreign Rubisco in chloroplasts. Here, we report the engineering of a Form 1A Rubisco from the proteobacterium Halothiobacillus neapolitanus in Escherichia coli and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) chloroplasts without any cognate chaperones. The native tobacco gene encoding Rubisco large subunit was genetically replaced with H. neapolitanus Rubisco (HnRubisco) large and small subunit genes. We show that HnRubisco subunits can form functional L8S8 hexadecamers in tobacco chloroplasts at high efficiency, accounting for ∼40% of the wild-type tobacco Rubisco content. The chloroplast-expressed HnRubisco displayed a ∼2-fold greater carboxylation rate and supported a similar autotrophic growth rate of transgenic plants to that of wild-type in air supplemented with 1% CO2. This study represents a step toward the engineering of a fast and highly active Rubisco in chloroplasts to improve crop photosynthesis and growth.
Development of a Novel Real-Time Quantitative PCR Method for Detection of Ilyonectria robusta, the Predominant Species Causing Ginseng Rusty Root Rot
Authors: Jiang Yilin , Jin Hui , Li Xiang , Yan Dong , Zhang Yalin , Li Mengtao , Gao Jie , Lu Baohui , Chen Changqing , Jiang Yun
Published: December 2022

Rusty root rot is the most destructive soilborne disease of ginseng caused by pathogenic Ilyonectria spp., predominantly Ilyonectria robusta, in China. However, there remains no effective strategy to control the disease. Current control of the disease requires that soil and ginseng seeds and seedlings infected with I. robusta are avoided during planting. Therefore, rapid and accurate detection of I. robusta would be indispensable in disease control programs. A one-step polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay was developed to detect I. robusta in ginseng seeds, roots, and soil. The species-specific primers HIS H3-F and HIS H3-R, designed based on a partial histone gene sequence of I. robusta, yielded a 268-bp product using the optimized PCR and qPCR protocol. DNA of I. robusta was detected by qPCR in all diseased soil and ginseng roots and seeds resulting from artificial inoculation and sampled from natural fields. I. robusta was detected at an abundance of 1.42 fg/μl at 12 h postinoculation and 191.31 fg/μl at 7 days postinoculation in ginseng roots that showed disease symptoms. In naturally infected soil sampled from ginseng fields, pathogen abundances ranging from 13.23 to 503.39 fg/μl were detected, which were 2.04 to 11.01 times higher than those in ginseng roots. The pathogen was first detected and was more abundant on the surface of the ginseng seed coat compared with that in the seed kernel. This study provides a high-efficiency detection technique for early diagnosis of I. robusta and real-time disease prevention and control strategies.
Universal Postpartum Naloxone Provision: A Harm Reduction Quality Improvement Project
Authors: Naliboff Jay A. , Tharpe Nell
Published: December 2022

Objective

The aim of the study is to demonstrate the feasibility of combining implicit bias and harm reduction education for birthing unit providers and staff with the provision of a naloxone-containing home first aid kit for all postpartum people.

Methods

A quality improvement project was pilot tested at a small rural hospital in Maine. Birthing unit providers and staff were educated regarding implicit bias and harm reduction activities. All postpartum people were offered a take-home first aid kit containing first aid supplies, local recovery resources, naloxone administration instructions, and a 2-dose nasal naloxone pack. Data were collected over the course of 1 year from May 1, 2021, to April 30, 2022. Data included the number and percentage of staff completing the education modules, number of postpartum discharges, number and percentage of postpartum people who received harm reduction education, and number and percentage of postpartum people who accepted the take-home first aid kits with or without naloxone.

Results

Fourteen of 17 (83%) providers and staff completed the education modules. One hundred ninety-seven postpartum people were discharged during the pilot project. One hundred ninety-two of 197 (97%) postpartum people received education from nursing staff on opioid overdose recognition and treatment. One hundred eighty-six of 197 (94%) postpartum people accepted the kits, and 150 of 197 (76%) also accepted the naloxone.

Conclusions

Educating birthing unit staff and providers on implicit bias and harm reduction activities support universal postpartum overdose education and acceptance of a naloxone-containing home first aid kit.
Burrowing as an index of inflammatory pain in male vs. female rats
Authors: Craft Rebecca M.
Published: December 2022

The study objective was to determine whether burrowing behavior is useful as a functional index of pain in both male and female rats, and whether a ‘no-training’ protocol can be used to increase testing efficiency. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were injected in one or both hindpaws with oil vehicle or complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA); starting the next day, the amount of gravel each rat burrowed out of a tube in 1 h was measured daily for ≤7 days. Without preliminary training on the burrowing procedure, CFA reliably suppressed burrowing for 2–3 days compared to controls, in both sexes. However, whereas unilateral CFA completely suppressed burrowing 1-day post-CFA in nearly all males, bilateral CFA was required to do so in females. When administered 30 min before testing, once daily for 5 days post-CFA, the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ketoprofen (0.01–3.2 mg/kg) and the opioid morphine (0.1–3.2 mg/kg) significantly increased CFA-suppressed burrowing, whereas the purported cannabinoid analgesic Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (0.01–2.0 mg/kg) did not. The benzodiazepine chlordiazepoxide (1.25–10 mg/kg), included as a ‘true negative’ control, also did not restore CFA-suppressed burrowing in either sex. However, in CFA-treated males only, chlordiazepoxide decreased burrowing, suggesting that anxiety may contribute to burrowing in males but not females that are in pain. Overall these results suggest that burrowing is a valid, functional index of inflammatory pain in both sexes, and training on the burrowing procedure is not necessary. However, females are more avid burrowers than males, which should be considered when both sexes are used in inflammatory pain testing.
Developing a Model to Predict High Health Care Utilization Among Patients in a New York City Safety Net System
Authors: Li Zeyu , Gogia Spriha , Tatem Kathleen S. , Cooke Caroline , Singer Jesse , Chokshi Dave A. , Newton-Dame Remle
Published: December 2022

Background:

Health care facilities use predictive models to identify patients at risk of high future health care utilization who may benefit from tailored interventions. Previous predictive models that have focused solely on inpatient readmission risk, relied on commercial insurance claims data, or failed to incorporate social determinants of health may not be generalizable to safety net hospital populations. To address these limitations, we developed a payer-agnostic risk model for patients receiving care at the largest US safety net hospital system.

Methods:

We transformed electronic health record and administrative data from 833,969 adult patients who received care during July 2016–July 2017 into demographic, utilization, diagnosis, medication, and social determinant variables (including homelessness and incarceration history) to predict health care utilization during the following year.

We selected the final model by developing and validating multiple classification and regression models predicting 10+ acute days, 5+ acute days, or continuous acute days. We compared a portfolio of performance metrics while prioritizing positive predictive value for patients whose predicted utilization was among the top 1% to maximize clinical utility.

Results:

The final model predicted continuous number of acute days and included 17 variables. For the top 1% of high acute care utilizers, the model had a positive predictive value of 47.6% and sensitivity of 17.3%. Previous health care utilization and psychosocial factors were the strongest predictors of future high acute care utilization.

Conclusions:

We demonstrated a feasible approach to predictive high acute care utilization in a safety net hospital using electronic health record data while incorporating social risk factors.
Comparison of 68Ga-FAPI-04 and fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/computed tomography in the detection of ovarian malignancies
Authors: Zheng Wenlu , Liu Lin , Feng Yue , Wang Li , Chen Yue
Published: December 2022

Background

Currently, fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) is the most frequently used diagnostical radiotracer for PET/computed tomography (PET/CT) in ovarian malignancies. However, 18F-FDG has some limitations. The fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) previously demonstrated highly promising results in studies on various tumor entities and 68Ga-labeled FAPI presents a promising alternative to 18F-FDG. This study aimed to compare the performance of 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT for imaging of ovarian malignancies.

Methods

A total of 27 patients were included in this retrospective study conducted at the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University between June 2020 and February 2022. The 18F-FDG and 68Ga-FAPI uptakes of tumors, lymph nodes, and distant metastases were quantified using the maximum standardized uptake values, and the tumor-to-background ratios were also evaluated and calculated by using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Results

Twenty-one patients with suspected (n = 11) and previously treated ovarian malignancies (n = 10) were in statistical analysis finally. For detecting tumors, 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT was more sensitive than 18F-FDG PET/CT [14 of 14 (100%) vs. 11 of 14 (78%)], lymph node metastases [75 of 75 (100%) vs. 60 of 75 (80%)] and superior to 18F-FDG PET/CT in terms of the peritoneal and pleural metastases [9 of 9 (100%) vs. 5 of 9 (56%)]. For four of the newly diagnosed patients (n = 11), 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT upstaged the clinical stage compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Conclusion

68Ga-FAPI PET/CT has superior potential in the detection of ovarian cancers, especially in peritoneal carcinomatosis. 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT may be a promising supplement for staging and follow-up of ovarian malignancies.
Building Blocks of Biofilms – an engaging and hands-on microbiology outreach activity for school children and the general public
Authors: Pincott Hayley , Hughes Megan , Cummins Thomas , Morse Daniel James
Published: December 2022

Biofilms are naturally occurring communities of microorganisms, attached to a surface and often embedded in a matrix of self-produced polymeric substances. Biofilms are widely implicated in human infections, particularly on prostheses and medical implants. Such biofilms are difficult to eradicate, often leading to replacement of the prosthesis and resulting in a significant burden to healthcare. 
Here we present a fun and engaging interactive activity targeted toward primary school/early secondary school children, introducing the concept of natural and healthcare-associated biofilms, using dental plaque as an archetypal example. Dental plaque forms as a result of poor oral/dental hygiene, and develops according to a typical series of defined stages: attachment and adherence to the surface, followed by colonisation and maturation of the biofilm structure, and eventually, dispersal. This activity uses dental disclosing tablets to visualise real biofilms (plaque) on the participants teeth, and uses interlocking building-blocks to represent microorganisms, where children build three-dimensional ‘biofilms’ of varying shapes and structural integrities. Each of the stages of development are discussed in detail, and after building the biofilms, balls of different shapes, sizes and weights can be used as ‘antimicrobials’ to disrupt the biofilm structure.
The outcomes of the activity are to enhance knowledge and general understanding of biofilms; their ubiquitous presence in the natural environment, development, implications in healthcare, and challenges of treatment. The various ‘antimicrobial’ balls also provide a basis to introduce and discuss drug selection for infections, and the importance of using the correct antimicrobial for different infections to avoid development of resistance.
Communication attributes modify the anxiety risk associated with social media addiction: a prospective diary method study
Authors: Weng Chenziheng Allen , Bulgin Jahshara , Diaz Savannah , Zhang Jiafang , Tan Runzi , Li Le , Armstrong-Hough Mari
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Social media use in younger people has shown mixed associations with mental health. We hypothesized that communication types during social media use might alter the relationship between social media dependence and anxiety over time. We aimed to identify how four dimensions of communication influence the link between social media addiction (SMA) and anxiety.

Methods

We recruited a cohort of undergraduate students aged 18-26 to participate in daily surveys over two weeks using a diary method to assess daily social media use, SMA, anxiety symptoms, and the four dimensions of communication: Consumption, Broadness, Online Exclusivity, and Parasociality. Lagged logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations evaluated the influence of daily SMA and communication type on subsequent anxiety levels.

Results

Out of 79 participants, 1009 daily records were analyzed. SMA positively correlated with anxiety (Kendall rank correlation τ=.30). Interaction analysis indicated that levels of parasociality and consumption moderated the association between SMA components and anxiety outcomes. In young adults with high levels of consumption or parasociality, a 1-standard-deviation rise in SMA’s social conflict component led to an 11%-13% increase in next-day anxiety scores. This association was absent for those with low to moderate levels of parasociality and consumption.

Discussion

Elevated levels of passive consumption and one-sided interactions amplify the anxiety risk associated with social media dependence. Further longitudinal evidence can elucidate the connections between communication types, social media exposure, and anxiety, guiding the development of a model for healthy social media use.

Implications and Contribution

Problematic social media use among youth necessitates targeted interventions. This study demonstrates that passive consumption and one-sided social interactions significantly heighten the anxiety risks tied to social media addiction. The findings highlight the importance of considering communication types in developing interventions aimed at reducing social media-induced mental health issues.

Highlights

We examined four dimensions of social media communication via a daily diary method.

Consumption and parasociality moderated the SMA-anxiety link, amplifying its effects.

High consumption and parasociality predicted increased next-day anxiety scores.

Communication attributes are important in understanding social media use