bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A cross-sectional study examining Nigerian footballers’ knowledge and attitudes towards sport-related concussion and associated contextual factors
Authors: Olanrewaju Oluwaseyi , Rashid Haroon , Dobbin Nick
Published: January 2023

Objective:

To examine Nigerian footballers’ knowledge and attitudes towards sport-related concussion (SRC) and associated contextual factors.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study design was used with an online questionnaire distributed to Nigerian footballers affiliated with a registered team. The questionnaire included demographic information and the Rosenbaum Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes Survey (RoCKAS-ST). The concussion knowledge index (CKI, 0–25) and attitude index (CAI, 15–75) were calculated. The association between various contextual factors with “high” knowledge and attitude were determined.

Results:

A total of 331 participants completed the questionnaire from 10 football clubs. Mean CKI and CAI scores were 14.0 ± 3.0 (56.2 ± 13.2%) and 54.5 ± 9.4 (72.6 ± 12.5%), respectively, and the association between scores was considered large (r = 0.530; 28%). A small proportion (n = 25; 7.6%) of participants reported a previous diagnosis of an SRC, with a further 40 (12.1%) suspecting they have suffered SRC. Thirty-five participants (10.6%) reported sustaining a SRC but did not seek medical help. Results indicated that men were at 4.8 times greater odds of having a “high[er]” CKI than women, and that those with 5–10 years playing experience had lower odds of a “high” CKI than those with >10 years’ experience. Men had 7 times greater odds of having a “high” CAI than women.

Conclusion:

The results of this study suggest that Nigerian footballers have a moderate level of SRC knowledge, satisfactory symptom recognition, and high SRC attitudes. Those working with Nigerian football may consider these findings when seeking strategies to improve concussion knowledge, potentially by improving attitudes and considering sex and playing experience.
A unified understanding of scale-resolving simulations and near-wall modelling of turbulent flows using optimal finite-element projections
Authors: Pradhan Aniruddhe , Duraisamy Karthik
Published: January 2023

The main objective of this work is to develop a unified framework that can be used as a lens to quantitatively assess and augment a wide range of coarse-grained models of turbulence, namely large eddy simulations (LES), hybrid Reynolds-averaged/LES methods and wall-modelled (WM)LES. Taking a turbulent channel flow as an example, optimality is assessed in the wall-resolved limit, the hybrid RANS–LES limit and the WMLES limit, via projections at different resolutions suitable for these approaches. These optimal a priori estimates are shown to have similar characteristics to existing a posteriori solutions reported in the literature. Consistent accuracy metrics are developed for scale-resolving methods using the optimal solution as a reference, and evaluations are performed. We further characterise the slip velocity in WMLES in terms of the near-wall under-resolution and develop a universal scaling relationship. Insights from the a priori tests are used to augment existing slip-based wall models. Various a posteriori tests reveal superior performance over the dynamic slip wall model. Guidance for the development of improved slip-wall models is provided, including a target for the dynamic procedure.
The near-field shape and stability of a porous plume
Authors: Benham Graham P.
Published: January 2023

When a fluid is injected into a porous medium saturated with an ambient fluid of a greater density, the injected fluid forms a plume that rises upwards due to buoyancy. In the near field of the injection point, the plume adjusts its speed to match the buoyancy velocity of the porous medium, either thinning or thickening to conserve mass. These adjustments are the dominant controls on the near-field plume shape, rather than mixing with the ambient fluid, which occurs over larger vertical distances. In this study, we focus on the plume behaviour in the near field, demonstrating that for moderate injection rates, the plume will reach a steady state, whereby it matches the buoyancy velocity over a few plume width scales from the injection point. However, for very small injection rates, an instability occurs in which the steady plume breaks apart due to the insurmountable density contrast with the surrounding fluid. The steady shape of the plume in the near field depends only on a single dimensionless parameter, which is the ratio between the inlet velocity and the buoyancy velocity. A linear stability analysis is performed, indicating that for small velocity ratios, an infinitesimal perturbation can be constructed that becomes unstable, whilst for moderate velocity ratios, the shape is shown to be stable. Finally, we comment on the application of such flows to the context of CO

$_2$

sequestration in porous geological reservoirs.
Interpretable deep learning for prediction of Prandtl number effect in turbulent heat transfer
Authors: Kim Hyojin , Kim Junhyuk , Lee Changhoon
Published: January 2023

We propose an interpretable deep learning (DL) model that extracts physical features from turbulence data. Based on a conditional generative adversarial network combined with a new decomposition algorithm for the Prandtl number effect, we developed a DL model that is capable of predicting the local surface heat flux very accurately using only the wall-shear stress information and Prandtl number as inputs in channel turbulence. The considered range of Prandtl number is

$Pr = 0.001 \sim 7$

, with a focus on the subrange of

$Pr = 0.1 \sim 7$

. Through an investigation of the gradient maps of the trained prediction model, we were able to identify the nonlinear physical relationship between the wall-shear stresses and heat flux, which is quite diverse depending on the Prandtl number. Furthermore, the decomposition algorithm, which is used to separate the Prandtl number dependent field from the common field of the surface heat flux, helps not only in learning for good prediction of an arbitrary Prandtl number but also in analysing the effect of the Prandtl number on the determination of the heat flux for the given turbulent flow fields. We demonstrate that a physical interpretation of a trained network is possible.
A New German ‘We’? Everyday Perspectives on Germanness and its Boundaries
Authors: Nedelsky Nadya Ruth
Published: January 2023

This study employs the “everyday nationhood” approach to explore how ordinary, ethnically diverse, native-born Germans in Berlin, Dresden, and Leipzig understand what it means to be German and whether outsiders can join that group. It puts findings from qualitative interviews conducted in Berlin in fall 2015 and in Dresden and Leipzig in April 2016 into conversation with two large-scale surveys conducted at about the same time. The interviews complicate the surveys’ finding that Germanness is now based primarily on language skills, citizenship, and workforce participation, as the respondents indicated that phenotype, ethnicity, and religion act as daily barriers to membership. This highlights the utility of the everyday nationhood approach for identifying how social categories are both understood and enacted through everyday practices of social inclusion and exclusion.
‘Finally, I could breathe’: the utility and impact of a diagnosis of obsessive compulsive disorder
Authors: Hughes Finn , Kinderman Peter
Published: January 2023

Background:

The diagnosis of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterised by intrusive thoughts leading to compulsions to alleviate anxiety. However, research is lacking on impact post-diagnosis. Some research suggests diagnosis may benefit treatment access, but potentially leads to higher levels of stigma and altered self-identity.

Aims:

The present study assessed the utility (treatment access and problem identification) and impact (stigma, personal wellbeing or social identity) of receiving a diagnosis of OCD.

Method:

Semi-structured interviews with 12 individuals who had received a diagnosis of OCD were conducted between February and April 2020, then transcribed and analysed using theoretical thematic analysis.

Results:

Participants reported positive impacts of diagnosis on both ‘utility’ and ‘impact’.

Conclusions:

The diagnosis of OCD was helpful for participants in making their symptoms tangible, providing relief and hope for recovery. Non-diagnostic or alternative frameworks should aim to meet this need. Future research may wish to identify how this understanding of disorders vary between different diagnoses, especially in terms of stigma and personal wellbeing.
Unpacking the Gendered Consequences of Protest-Driven Crises
Authors: Reyes-Housholder Catherine , Suárez-Cao Julieta , Le Foulon Carmen
Published: January 2023

Citizen protests are common political phenomena, ranging in size, kind, and impact. This essay focuses on a unique kind of citizen protest that reaches a crisis threshold: massive uprisings accompanied by violence and system-level critiques, expressed in phrases such as “It is not 30 cents, it is 30 years,” used by protesters in Chile in 2019–20. Crises meeting this definition have occurred in countries as diverse as Iceland in 2009, Hong Kong in 2019, Chile, and Colombia in 2019–21. In contrast with economic crises (Strolovitch 2013), protesters—not necessarily elites—perform the discursive work of (re)interpreting material and political conditions. Protesters’ framing of their grievances may overwhelm elite attempts to reinterpret these crises for their benefit. We argue that protest-driven crises can alter gendered opportunity structures, but outcomes are likely multifaceted and potentially contradictory.
Crisis and Gender in Legislative-Executive Relations
Authors: Kroeber Corinna , Dingler Sarah C.
Published: January 2023

The interaction of the legislative and executive is gendered in nature. Gender shapes what actors in these two institutions demand from each other. This pattern is visible, for instance, in the distinct policy priorities of women and men in parliament (e.g., Allen and Childs 2019; Bäck and Debus 2019; Lowande, Ritchie, and Lauterbach 2019) and in the ways that women engage and oversee related government initiatives. At the same time, gender influences the strengths and weaknesses that actors in the legislature and executive ascribe to each other and, hence, their mutual assessment. Members of parliament (MPs) and party gatekeepers, for instance, tend to favor men for the most influential and well-resourced portfolios, since they believe that masculine traits are necessary or suitable to succeed in governmental positions, and membership in men-dominated political networks remains an important route to qualify for ministerial office (see, e.g., Annesley, Beckwith, and Franceschet 2019; Krook and O’Brien 2012). Change in these dynamics is scarce or occurs only gradually, meaning that the ways in which executive-legislative interactions are gendered are usually stable.
Akzeptanz und Wirksamkeit eines Tablet-basierten Orthografietrainings mit Grundschulkindern
Authors: Mühlpforte Nicole , Hwang Tong-Hun , Heldmann Marcus , Münte Thomas F. , Schmitz Gerd , Effenberg Alfred O.
Published: January 2023

Zusammenfassung. Hintergrund: Besondere Schwierigkeiten im Rechtschreiben weisen ohne geeignete Intervention oftmals eine hohe Stabilität und langfristige Persistenz auf. Digitale Trainingsprogramme bieten vielfältige Übungsmöglichkeiten, wobei die Texteingabe in der Regel über Tastatur erfolgt. Studien verweisen auf die positive Rolle der Handschrift beim Orthografieerwerb. Im Rahmen eines vom BMBF geförderten Forschungsprojektes wurde daher ein Tablet-basiertes Rechtschreibtrainingsprogramm mit handschriftlicher Eingabemöglichkeit und direktem Feedback über die Wortkorrektheit entwickelt und angewendet. Methoden: Nach einer erfolgreichen Machbarkeitsstudie 2015/2016 im häuslichen Umfeld (n = 9, zweite bis fünfte Klasse) wurde das weiterentwickelte Programm in der Hauptstudie 2019/2020 mit rechtschreibschwachen Kindern (Prozentrang PR >≤ 16 im DERET) der dritten und vierten Jahrgangsstufe im schulischen sowie häuslichem Kontext eingesetzt (Covid19-bedingter Ortswechsel). Ergebnisse: Bei Kindern mit einer sehr niedrigen Rechtschreibausgangsleistung (Prozentrang >≤ 16) zeigte sich eine signifikante Verbesserung der Rechtschreibfertigkeiten in der Trainings- (n = 14) im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe (n = 27) – bei hoher Programmakzeptanz. Diskussion: Die Kombination von digitalem Medium und handschriftlicher Eingabemöglichkeit mit direktem Fehlschreibungs-Feedback ermöglicht rechtschreibschwachen Kindern eine effektive und gut in den schulischen bzw. häuslichen Alltag integrierbare Unterstützung beim Orthografieerwerb.
Continent‐Continent Collision Between the South and North China Plates Revealed by Seismic Refraction and Reflection at the Southern Segment of the Tanlu Fault Zone
Authors: Li Haipeng , Li Junlun , Luo Song , Bem Terhemba Shadrach , Yao Huajian , Huang Xianliang
Published: January 2023

The Tanlu Fault Zone (TFZ) is considered as a suture of the intra‐continental collision between the South and North China plates, and it has attracted considerable geological, geochemistry, and geophysical investigations. However, its deep structures still lack clear delineation and the related tectonic processes are still debated without a clear consensus. To better characterize the TFZ as a plate boundary in east China, a 2‐D land seismic survey extending 87 km was conducted across its southern segment to investigate the underlying complex structures. Acoustic full‐waveform inversion (FWI) is applied to the early arrivals of the land seismic data to reconstruct the high‐resolution P‐wave velocity model of the upper crust (above ∼3.5 km). Structures of the crust and the uppermost mantle are further constrained through deep seismic profiling (DSP). The integrated geological interpretation from the FWI and DSP results suggests massive magma upwelling activities, characterized by the reflection‐free zone revealed by DSP and the high‐velocity anomaly recovered by FWI. The TFZ in the study area is found to be a deeply seated fault system with a positive flower structure at its shallow part, which suggests it has undergone a transpression regime. Also, the DSP result provides evidence for the subduction of the South China plate under the North China plate. Finally, a three‐stage model including the compression, transpression, and extension stages is proposed based on the new seismic results to better constrain the tectonic evolution of the southern segment of the TFZ.
Pyrocumulonimbus Events Over British Columbia in 2017: An Ensemble Model Study of Parameter Sensitivities and Climate Impacts of Wildfire Smoke in the Stratosphere
Authors: Lee Hsiang‐He , Lundquist Katherine A. , Tang Qi
Published: January 2023

The Pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) events over British Columbia in 2017 were observed in the lower stratosphere for about 8–10 months after the smoke injections. Several previous studies used global climate models to investigate the physical parameters for the 2017 pyroCb events, but the conclusions show strong model dependency. In this study, we use the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) and complete an ensemble of runs exploring three injection parameters: smoke aerosol mass, the percentage of black carbon within the smoke aerosols, and plume injection height. Additionally, we consider the heterogeneous reaction of ozone and primary organic matter. According to the satellite daily observed aerosol optical depth (AOD), we find that the best ensemble member is the simulation with 0.4 Tg of smoke, 3% of which is black carbon, a 13.5 km smoke injection height, and a 10−5 probability factor of the heterogeneous reaction. Besides AOD, we examine the ensemble score based on the metrics used in previous studies: the metrics of the extinction coefficient at 18 km altitude and the maximum plume height. The conclusion of the best estimate of the injection parameters for 2017 pyroCb events shows strong not only model but also evaluation metric dependency. We use the Random Forest machine learning technique to quantify the relative importance of each parameter in accurately simulating the 2017 pyroCb events and find that the injection height is the most critical feature, no matter which metric is used to score the ensemble members.
Storm Surge Modeling as an Application of Local Time‐Stepping in MPAS‐Ocean
Authors: Lilly Jeremy R. , Capodaglio Giacomo , Petersen Mark R. , Brus Steven R. , Engwirda Darren , Higdon Robert L.
Published: January 2023

This paper presents the first practical application of local time‐stepping (LTS) schemes in the Model for Prediction Across Scales‐Ocean (MPAS‐O). We use LTS schemes in a single‐layer, global ocean model that predicts the storm surge around the eastern coast of the United States during Hurricane Sandy. The variable‐resolution meshes used are of unprecedentedly high resolution in MPAS‐O, containing cells as small as 125 m wide in Delaware Bay. It is shown that a particular, third‐order LTS scheme (LTS3) produces sea‐surface height solutions that are of comparable quality to solutions produced by the classical four‐stage, fourth‐order Runge‐Kutta method (RK4) with a uniform time step on the same meshes. Furthermore, LTS3 is up to 35% faster in the best cases considered, where the number of cells using the coarse time‐step relative to those using the fine time‐step is as low as 1:1. This shows that LTS schemes are viable for use in MPAS‐O with the added benefit of substantially less computational cost. The results of these performance experiments inform us of the requirements for efficient mesh design and configuration of LTS regions for LTS schemes. In particular, we see that for LTS to be efficient on a given mesh, it is important to have enough cells using the coarse time‐step relative to those using the fine time‐step, typically at least 1:5 to see an increase in performance.
Porphyromonas gingivalis bacteremia increases the permeability of the blood-brain barrier via the Mfsd2a/Caveolin-1 mediated transcytosis pathway
Authors: Lei Shuang , Li Jian , Yu Jingjun , Li Fulong , Pan Yaping , Chen Xu , Ma Chunliang , Zhao Weidong , Tang Xiaolin
Published: January 2023

Bacteremia induced by periodontal infection is an important factor for periodontitis to threaten general health. P. gingivalis DNA/virulence factors have been found in the brain tissues from patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is essential for keeping toxic substances from entering brain tissues. However, the effect of P. gingivalis bacteremia on BBB permeability and its underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, rats were injected by tail vein with P. gingivalis three times a week for eight weeks to induce bacteremia. An in vitro BBB model infected with P. gingivalis was also established. We found that the infiltration of Evans blue dye and Albumin protein deposition in the rat brain tissues were increased in the rat brain tissues with P. gingivalis bacteremia and P. gingivalis could pass through the in vitro BBB model. Caveolae were detected after P. gingivalis infection in BMECs both in vivo and in vitro. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) expression was enhanced after P. gingivalis infection. Downregulation of Cav-1 rescued P. gingivalis-enhanced BMECs permeability. We further found P. gingivalis-gingipain could be colocalized with Cav-1 and the strong hydrogen bonding between Cav-1 and arg-specific-gingipain (RgpA) were detected. Moreover, P. gingivalis significantly inhibited the major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2a (Mfsd2a) expression. Mfsd2a overexpression reversed P. gingivalis-increased BMECs permeability and Cav-1 expression. These results revealed that Mfsd2a/Cav-1 mediated transcytosis is a key pathway governing BBB BMECs permeability induced by P. gingivalis, which may contribute to P. gingivalis/virulence factors entrance and the subsequent neurological impairments.
The histone demethylase KDM5C functions as a tumor suppressor in AML by repression of bivalently marked immature genes
Authors: Trempenau Mette Louise , Schuster Mikkel Bruhn , Pundhir Sachin , Pereira Mafalda Araujo , Kalvisa Adrija , Tapia Marta , Su Jinyu , Ge Ying , de Boer Bauke , Balhuizen Alexander , Bagger Frederik Otzen , Shliaha Pavel , Sroczynska Patrycja , Walfridsson Julian , Grønbæk Kirsten , Theilgaard-Mönch Kim , Jensen Ole N. , Helin Kristian , Porse Bo T.
Published: January 2023

Epigenetic regulators are frequently mutated in hematological malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Thus, the identification and characterization of novel epigenetic drivers affecting AML biology holds potential to improve our basic understanding of AML and to uncover novel options for therapeutic intervention. To identify novel tumor suppressive epigenetic regulators in AML, we performed an in vivo short hairpin RNA (shRNA) screen in the context of CEBPA mutant AML. This identified the Histone 3 Lysine 4 (H3K4) demethylase KDM5C as a tumor suppressor, and we show that reduced Kdm5c/KDM5C expression results in accelerated growth both in human and murine AML cell lines, as well as in vivo in Cebpa mutant and inv(16) AML mouse models. Mechanistically, we show that KDM5C act as a transcriptional repressor through its demethylase activity at promoters. Specifically, KDM5C knockdown results in globally increased H3K4me3 levels associated with up-regulation of bivalently marked immature genes. This is accompanied by a de-differentiation phenotype that could be reversed by modulating levels of several direct and indirect downstream mediators. Finally, the association of KDM5C levels with long-term disease-free survival of female AML patients emphasizes the clinical relevance of our findings and identifies KDM5C as a novel female-biased tumor suppressor in AML.
A paradigm shift in translational psychiatry through rodent neuroethology
Authors: Shemesh Yair , Chen Alon
Published: January 2023

Mental disorders are a significant cause of disability worldwide. They profoundly affect individuals’ well-being and impose a substantial financial burden on societies and governments. However, despite decades of extensive research, the effectiveness of current therapeutics for mental disorders is often not satisfactory or well tolerated by the patient. Moreover, most novel therapeutic candidates fail in clinical testing during the most expensive phases (II and III), which results in the withdrawal of pharma companies from investing in the field. It also brings into question the effectiveness of using animal models in preclinical studies to discover new therapeutic agents and predict their potential for treating mental illnesses in humans. Here, we focus on rodents as animal models and propose that they are essential for preclinical investigations of candidate therapeutic agents’ mechanisms of action and for testing their safety and efficiency. Nevertheless, we argue that there is a need for a paradigm shift in the methodologies used to measure animal behavior in laboratory settings. Specifically, behavioral readouts obtained from short, highly controlled tests in impoverished environments and social contexts as proxies for complex human behavioral disorders might be of limited face validity. Conversely, animal models that are monitored in more naturalistic environments over long periods display complex and ethologically relevant behaviors that reflect evolutionarily conserved endophenotypes of translational value. We present how semi-natural setups in which groups of mice are individually tagged, and video recorded continuously can be attainable and affordable. Moreover, novel open-source machine-learning techniques for pose estimation enable continuous and automatic tracking of individual body parts in groups of rodents over long periods. The trajectories of each individual animal can further be subjected to supervised machine learning algorithms for automatic detection of specific behaviors (e.g., chasing, biting, or fleeing) or unsupervised automatic detection of behavioral motifs (e.g., stereotypical movements that might be harder to name or label manually). Compared to studies of animals in the wild, semi-natural environments are more compatible with neural and genetic manipulation techniques. As such, they can be used to study the neurobiological mechanisms underlying naturalistic behavior. Hence, we suggest that such a paradigm possesses the best out of classical ethology and the reductive behaviorist approach and may provide a breakthrough in discovering new efficient therapies for mental illnesses.
Serum complement proteins rather than inflammatory factors is effective in predicting psychosis in individuals at clinical high risk
Authors: Zhang TianHong , Zeng JiaHui , Ye JiaYi , Gao YuQing , Hu YeGang , Xu LiHua , Wei YanYan , Tang XiaoChen , Liu HaiChun , Chen Tao , Li ChunBo , Wan ChunLing , Wang JiJun
Published: January 2023

Immunological/inflammatory factors are implicated in the development of psychosis. Complement is a key driver of inflammation; however, it remains unknown which factor is better at predicting the onset of psychosis. This study aimed to compare the alteration and predictive performance of inflammation and complement in individuals at clinical high risk (CHR). We enrolled 49 individuals at CHR and 26 healthy controls (HCs). Twenty-five patients at CHR had converted to psychosis (converter) by the 3-year follow-up. Inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, 6, 8, 10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), macrophage colony-stimulating factor levels, and complement proteins (C1q, C2, C3, C3b, C4, C4b, C5, C5a, factor B, D, I, H) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at baseline. Except for TNF- alpha, none of the inflammatory cytokines reached a significant level in either the comparison of CHR individuals and HC or between CHR-converters and non-converters. The C5, C3, D, I, and H levels were significantly lower (C5, p = 0.006; C3, p = 0.009; D, p = 0.026; I, p = 0.016; H, p = 0.019) in the CHR group than in the HC group. Compared to non-converters, converters had significantly lower levels of C5 (p = 0.012) and C5a (p = 0.007). None of the inflammatory factors, but many complement factors, showed significant correlations with changes in general function and symptoms. None of the inflammatory markers, except for C5a and C5, were significant in the discrimination of conversion outcomes in CHR individuals. Our results suggest that altered complement levels in the CHR population are more associated with conversion to psychosis than inflammatory factors. Therefore, an activated complement system may precede the first-episode of psychosis and contribute to neurological pathogenesis at the CHR stage.
Effects of tuberculosis and/or HIV-1 infection on COVID-19 presentation and immune response in Africa
Authors: du Bruyn Elsa , Stek Cari , Daroowala Remi , Said-Hartley Qonita , Hsiao Marvin , Schafer Georgia , Goliath Rene T. , Abrahams Fatima , Jackson Amanda , Wasserman Sean , Allwood Brian W. , Davis Angharad G. , Lai Rachel P.-J. , Coussens Anna K. , Wilkinson Katalin A. , de Vries Jantina , Tiffin Nicki , Cerrone Maddalena , Ntusi Ntobeko A. B. ,   HIATUS consortium, Abrahams Fatimah , Allwood Brian , Aziz Saalikha , Bangani Nonzwakazi , Black John , Blumenthal Melissa , Bremer Marise , Burgers Wendy , Ciko Zandile , Coussens Anna K. , Daroowala Remy , du Bruyn Elsa , Esmail Hanif G. , Gordon Siamon , Harley Yolande X. R. , Hsiao Marvin , Lai Rachel P.-J. , Lakay Francisco , Martinez-Estrada Fernando-Oneissi , Meintjes Graeme , Mendelson Marc S. , Ntusi Ntobeko , Papavarnavas Tari , Proust Alize , Ruzive Sheena , Schafer Georgia , Serole Keboile , Whitaker Claire , Wilkinson Katalin A. , Wilkinson Robert J. , Zvinairo Kennedy , Riou Catherine , Wilkinson Robert J.
Published: January 2023

Few studies from Africa have described the clinical impact of co-infections on SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we investigate the presentation and outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection in an African setting of high HIV-1 and tuberculosis prevalence by an observational case cohort of SARS-CoV-2 patients. A comparator group of non SARS-CoV-2 participants is included. The study includes 104 adults with SARS-CoV-2 infection of whom 29.8% are HIV-1 co-infected. Two or more co-morbidities are present in 57.7% of participants, including HIV-1 (30%) and active tuberculosis (14%). Amongst patients dually infected by tuberculosis and SARS-CoV-2, clinical features can be typical of either SARS-CoV-2 or tuberculosis: lymphopenia is exacerbated, and some markers of inflammation (D-dimer and ferritin) are further elevated (p < 0.05). Amongst HIV-1 co-infected participants those with low CD4 percentage strata exhibit reduced total, but not neutralising, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. SARS-CoV-2 specific CD8 T cell responses are present in 35.8% participants overall but undetectable in combined HIV-1 and tuberculosis. Death occurred in 30/104 (29%) of all COVID-19 patients and in 6/15 (40%) of patients with coincident SARS-CoV-2 and tuberculosis. This shows that in a high incidence setting, tuberculosis is a common co-morbidity in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. The immune response to SARS-CoV-2 is adversely affected by co-existent HIV-1 and tuberculosis.
kHz-precision wavemeter based on reconfigurable microsoliton
Authors: Niu Rui , Li Ming , Wan Shuai , Sun Yu Robert , Hu Shui-Ming , Zou Chang-Ling , Guo Guang-Can , Dong Chun-Hua
Published: January 2023

The mode-locked microcomb offers a unique and compact solution for photonics applications, ranging from the optical communications, the optical clock, optical ranging, the precision spectroscopy, novel quantum light source, to photonic artificial intelligence. However, the photonic micro-structures are suffering from the perturbations arising from environment thermal noises and also laser-induced nonlinear effects, leading to the frequency instability of the generated comb. Here, a universal mechanism for fully stabilizing the microcomb is proposed and experimentally verified. By incorporating two global tuning approaches and the autonomous thermal locking mechanism, the pump laser frequency and repetition rate of the microcomb can be controlled independently in real-time without interrupting the microcomb generation. The high stability and controllability of the microcomb frequency enables its application in wavelength measurement with a precision of about 1 kHz. The approach for the full control of comb frequency could be applied in various microcomb platforms, and improve their performances in timing, spectroscopy, and sensing.
Quantifying propagation of DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation with iDEMS
Authors: Stewart-Morgan Kathleen R. , Requena Cristina E. , Flury Valentin , Du Qian , Heckhausen Zoe , Hajkova Petra , Groth Anja
Published: January 2023

DNA methylation is a critical epigenetic mark in mammalian cells. Many aspects of DNA methylation maintenance have been characterized; however, the exact kinetics of post-replicative methylation maintenance remain a subject of debate. Here we develop isolation of DNA by 5-ethynyl-deoxyuridine labelling for mass spectrometry (iDEMS), a highly sensitive, quantitative mass spectrometry-based method for measuring DNA modifications on metabolically labelled DNA. iDEMS reveals an unexpectedly hemi-methylated landscape on nascent DNA. Combining iDEMS with metabolic labelling reveals that methylation maintenance is outpaced by cell division in mouse embryonic stem cells. Our approach shows that hydroxymethylation is perpetually asymmetric between sister strands in favour of the parental, template strand. iDEMS can be coupled with immunoprecipitation of chromatin proteins, revealing features of DNA methylation–histone modification crosstalk and suggesting a model for interplay between methylation and nucleosome assembly. iDEMS therefore elucidates long-standing questions about DNA modification propagation and provides an important orthogonal technology to understanding this process in dynamic cellular contexts.
Liquid crystal defect structures with Möbius strip topology
Authors: Zhao Hanqing , Tai Jung-Shen B. , Wu Jin-Sheng , Smalyukh Ivan I.
Published: January 2023

Topological solitons commonly appear as energy-minimizing field configurations, but examples of stable, spatially localized objects with coexisting solitonic structures and singular defects are rare. Here we use a nonpolar chiral liquid crystal system to show how twist domain walls can co-self-assemble with vortices to form spatially localized topological objects with spontaneous folding. These soliton–vortex assemblies, which we call ‘möbiusons’, have a topology of the molecular alignment field resembling that of the Möbius strip’s surface and package localized field excitations into folded structures within a confinement-frustrated uniform far-field background. Upon supplying energy in the form of electric pulses, möbiusons with different overall symmetries of structure exhibit folding-dependent rotational and translational motions, as well as topological cargo-carrying abilities that can be controlled by tuning the amplitude and frequency of the applied fields. We demonstrate on-demand transformations between various möbiusons and show examples of encoding information by manipulating folds in such structures. A model based on the energetics of solitons and vortices provides insights into the origins of the folding instability, whereas minimization of the Landau–de Gennes free energy closely reproduces details of their internal structure. Our findings may provide a route towards topology-enabled light-steering designs.
Primates facing climate crisis in a tropical forest hotspot will lose climatic suitable geographical range
Authors: Pinto Míriam Plaza , Beltrão-Mendes Raone , Talebi Maurício , de Lima Adriana Almeida
Published: January 2023

Global climate changes affect biodiversity and cause species distribution shifts, contractions, and expansions. Climate change and disease are emerging threats to primates, and approximately one-quarter of primates’ ranges have temperatures over historical ones. How will climate changes influence Atlantic Forest primate ranges? We used habitat suitability models and measured potential changes in area and distributions shifts. Climate change expected in 2100 may change the distribution area of Atlantic Forest primates. Fourteen species (74%) are predicted to lose more than 50% of their distribution, and nine species (47%) are predicted to lose more than 75% of their distribution. The balance was negative, indicating a potential future loss, and the strength of the reduction in the distribution is related to the severity of climate change (SSP scenarios). Directional shifts were detected to the south. The projected mean centroid latitudinal shift is ~ 51 km to the south for 2100 SSP5-8.5 scenario. The possibility of dispersal will depend on suitable routes and landscape configuration. Greenhouse gas emissions should be urgently reduced. Our results also emphasize that no more forest loss is acceptable in Atlantic Forest, and restoration, canopy bridges, friendly agroecosystems, and monitoring of infrastructure projects are urgent to enable dealing with climate change.
The effect of the 7R allele at the DRD4 locus on risk tolerance is independent of background risk in Senegalese fishermen
Authors: Clochard Gwen-Jirō , Mbengue Aby , Mettling Clément , Diouf Birane , Faurie Charlotte , Sene Omar , Chancerel Emilie , Guichoux Erwan , Hollard Guillaume , Raymond Michel , Willinger Marc
Published: January 2023

It has been shown that living in risky environments, as well as having a risky occupation, can moderate risk-tolerance. Despite the involvement of dopamine in the expectation of reward described by neurobiologists, a GWAS study was not able to demonstrate a genetic contribution of genes involved in the dopaminergic pathway in risk attitudes and gene candidate studies gave contrasting results. We test the possibility that a genetic effect of the DRD4-7R allele in risk-taking behavior could be modulated by environmental factors. We show that the increase in risk-tolerance due to the 7R allele is independent of the environmental risk in two populations in Northern Senegal, one of which is exposed to a very high risk due to dangerous fishing.
In silico and in vitro studies confirm Ondansetron as a novel acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitor
Authors: Gholami Asma , Minai-Tehrani Dariush , Eriksson Leif A.
Published: January 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is growing rapidly among the elderly population around the world. Studies show that a lack of acetylcholine and butyrylcholine due to the overexpression of enzymes Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) may lead to reduced communication between neuron cells. As a result, seeking novel inhibitors targeting these enzymes might be vital for the future treatment of AD. Ondansetron is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy or radiation treatments and is herein shown to be a potent inhibitor of cholinesterase. Comparison is made between Ondansetron and FDA-approved cholinesterase inhibitors Rivastigmine and Tacrine. Molecular docking demonstrates that interactions between the studied ligand and aromatic residues in the peripheral region of the active site are important in binding. Molecular dynamics simulations and binding pose metadynamics show that Ondansetron is highly potent against both enzymes and far better than Rivastigmine. Inhibitor activities evaluated by in vitro studies confirm that the drug inhibits AChE and BChE by non-competitive and mixed inhibition, respectively, with IC50 values 33 µM (AChE) and 2.5 µM (BChE). Based on the findings, we propose that Ondansetron may have therapeutic applications in inhibiting cholinesterase, especially for BChE.
Clinical characteristics of Campylobacter bacteremia: a multicenter retrospective study
Authors: Otsuka Yuki , Hagiya Hideharu , Takahashi Misa , Fukushima Shinnosuke , Maeda Ruri , Sunada Naruhiko , Yamada Haruto , Kishida Masayuki , Fujita Koji , Otsuka Fumio
Published: January 2023

Campylobacter species are the pathogens of the intestinal tract, which infrequently cause bacteremia. To reveal the clinical characteristics of Campylobacter bacteremia, we performed a retrospective, multicenter study. Patients diagnosed with Campylobacter bacteremia in three general hospitals in western Japan between 2011 and 2021 were included in the study. Clinical, microbiological, and prognostic data of the patients were obtained from medical records. We stratified the cases into the gastroenteritis (GE) and fever predominant (FP) types by focusing on the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms. Thirty-nine patients (24 men and 15 women) were included, with a median age of 57 years and bimodal distribution between those in their 20 s and the elderly. The proportion of GE and FP types were 21 (53.8%) and 18 (46.2%), respectively. Comparing these two groups, there was no significant difference in patient backgrounds in terms of sex, age, and underlying diseases. Campylobacter jejuni was exclusively identified in the GE type (19 cases, 90.5%), although other species such as Campylobacter fetus and Campylobacter coli were isolated in the FP type as well. Patients with the FP type underwent intravenous antibiotic therapy more frequently (47.6% vs. 88.9%), and their treatment (median: 5 days vs. 13 days) and hospitalization (median: 7 days vs. 21 days) periods were significantly longer. None of the patients died during the hospitalization. In summary, we found that nearly half of the patients with Campylobacter bacteremia presented with fever as a predominant manifestation without gastroenteritis symptoms.
Identification of diagnostic biomarkers for idiopathic pulmonary hypertension with metabolic syndrome by bioinformatics and machine learning
Authors: Lu Wenzhang , Huang Jinbo , Shen Qin , Sun Fei , Li Jun
Published: January 2023

Idiopathic pulmonary hypertension (IPAH) is a condition that affects various tissues and organs and the metabolic and inflammatory systems. The most prevalent metabolic condition is metabolic syndrome (MS), which involves insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and obesity. There may be a connection between IPAH and MS, based on a plethora of studies, although the underlying pathogenesis remains unclear. Through various bioinformatics analyses and machine learning algorithms, we identified 11 immune- and metabolism-related potential diagnostic genes (EVI5L, RNASE2, PARP10, TMEM131, TNFRSF1B, BSDC1, ACOT2, SAC3D1, SLA2, P4HB, and PHF1) for the diagnosis of IPAH and MS, and we herein supply a nomogram for the diagnosis of IPAH in MS patients. Additionally, we discovered IPAH's aberrant immune cells and discuss them here.
Developing a carpet cloak operating for a wide range of incident angles using a deep neural network and PSO algorithm
Authors: Fallah Amirhossein , Kalhor Ahmad , Yousefi Leila
Published: January 2023

Designing invisibility cloaks has always been one of the most fascinating fields of research; in this regard, metasurface-based carpet cloaks have drawn researchers' attention due to their inherent tenuousness, resulting in a lower loss and easier fabrication. However, their performances are dependent on the incident angle of the coming wave; as a result, designing a carpet cloak capable of rendering objects under it invisible for a wide range of angles requires advanced methods. In this paper, using the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm, along with a trained neural network, a metasurface-based carpet cloak is developed capable to operate for a wide range of incident angles. The deep neural network is trained and used in order to accelerate the process of calculation of reflection phases provided by different unit cell designs. The resultant carpet cloak is numerically analyzed, and its response is presented and discussed. Both near-field and far-field results show that the designed carpet cloak operates very well for all incident angles in the range of 0 to 65 degrees.
Effects of nitrate and ammonium on assimilation of nitric oxide by Heterosigma akashiwo
Authors: Healey Emily M. , Flood Stacie , Bock Patience K. , Fulweiler Robinson W. , York Joanna K. , Coyne Kathryn J.
Published: January 2023

The harmful algaHeterosigma akashiwopossesses a hybrid nitrate reductase (NR) enzyme, NR2-2/2HbN, which has the potential to convert NO to nitrate for assimilation into biomass. In previous research,NRtranscription inH. akashiwowas induced by nitrate while NR activity was inhibited by ammonium. Here, the capacity ofH. akashiwoto use NO in the presence of nitrate and/or ammonium was investigated to understand the regulation of NO assimilation. Continuous cultures ofH. akashiwowere acclimated to growth on nitrate, ammonium, or a mixture of both. Aliquots from these cultures were spiked with15N-labeled NO. The expression of genes involved in nitrogen assimilation was evaluated, as well as nitrate reductase activity and assimilation of15N-labeled nitrogen into algal biomass. Results showed that NO induced expression and activity of NR, and upregulated expression ofGOGATregardless of the presence of other inorganic nitrogen sources, whileGSexpression decreased over time. Furthermore,15NO uptake and assimilation was significantly higher in cultures acclimated for growth on ammonium compared to cultures acclimated for growth on nitrate alone. Assimilation of NO may provideH. akashiwowith a competitive advantage in N-poor environments or areas with elevated NO.
Song preferences predict the quality of vocal learning in zebra finches
Authors: Rodríguez-Saltos Carlos Antonio , Bhise Aditya , Karur Prasanna , Khan Ramsha Nabihah , Lee Sumin , Ramsay Gordon , Maney Donna L.
Published: January 2023

In songbirds, learning to sing is a highly social process that likely involves social reward. Here, we tested the hypothesis that during song learning, the reward value of hearing a particular song predicts the degree to which that song will ultimately be learned. We measured the early song preferences of young male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) in an operant key-pressing assay; each of two keys was associated with a higher likelihood of playing the song of the father or that of another familiar adult (“neighbor”). To minimize the effects of exposure on learning, we implemented a novel reinforcement schedule that allowed us to detect preferences while balancing exposure to each song. On average, the juveniles significantly preferred the father’s song early during song learning, before actual singing occurs in this species. When they reached adulthood, all the birds copied the father’s song. The accuracy with which the father’s song was imitated was positively correlated with the peak strength of the preference for the father’s song during the sensitive period of song learning. Our results show that preference for the song of a chosen tutor, in this case the father, predicted vocal learning during development.
Joint distribution properties of fully conditional specification under the normal linear model with normal inverse-gamma priors
Authors: Cai Mingyang , van Buuren Stef , Vink Gerko
Published: January 2023

Fully conditional specification (FCS) is a convenient and flexible multiple imputation approach. It specifies a sequence of simple regression models instead of a potential complex joint density for missing variables. However, FCS may not converge to a stationary distribution. Many authors have studied the convergence properties of FCS when priors of conditional models are non-informative. We extend to the case of informative priors. This paper evaluates the convergence properties of the normal linear model with normal-inverse gamma priors. The theoretical and simulation results prove the convergence of FCS and show the equivalence of prior specification under the joint model and a set of conditional models when the analysis model is a linear regression with normal inverse-gamma priors.
Closer view of antennal sensory organs of two Leptoglossus species (Insecta, Hemiptera, Coreidae)
Authors: Taszakowski Artur , Masłowski Adrian , Daane Kent M. , Brożek Jolanta
Published: January 2023

Detailed description of antennal sensory organs of Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae) and a comparison with L. zonatus (Dallas, 1852) are presented. A novel approach that combines the advantages of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to detail micromorphological structures. A simplified classification system for sensilla that eliminates the subjective aspects of morphology, such as their shape, is proposed. Fourteen sensory organs have been classified into three main groups: (a) aporous sensilla with a flexible socket, (b) porous sensilla with a flexible socket and (c) porous sensilla with an inflexible socket. A large variety of sensory organs (nine types) with olfactory functions are described. The antennal sensory organs have been recognized as one of the factors responsible for the evolutionary success of Leptoglossus spp. and their status as important pests and invasive species.