bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Norepinephrine potentiates and serotonin depresses visual cortical responses by transforming eligibility traces
Authors: Hong Su Z. , Mesik Lukas , Grossman Cooper D. , Cohen Jeremiah Y. , Lee Boram , Severin Daniel , Lee Hey-Kyoung , Hell Johannes W. , Kirkwood Alfredo
Published: June 2022

Reinforcement allows organisms to learn which stimuli predict subsequent biological relevance. Hebbian mechanisms of synaptic plasticity are insufficient to account for reinforced learning because neuromodulators signaling biological relevance are delayed with respect to the neural activity associated with the stimulus. A theoretical solution is the concept of eligibility traces (eTraces), silent synaptic processes elicited by activity which upon arrival of a neuromodulator are converted into a lasting change in synaptic strength. Previously we demonstrated in visual cortical slices the Hebbian induction of eTraces and their conversion into LTP and LTD by the retroactive action of norepinephrine and serotonin Here we show in vivo in mouse V1 that the induction of eTraces and their conversion to LTP/D by norepinephrine and serotonin respectively potentiates and depresses visual responses. We also show that the integrity of this process is crucial for ocular dominance plasticity, a canonical model of experience-dependent plasticity.
Resilience of urban public electric vehicle charging infrastructure to flooding
Authors: Raman Gururaghav , Raman Gurupraanesh , Peng Jimmy Chih-Hsien
Published: June 2022

An adequate charging infrastructure is key to enabling high personal electric vehicle (EV) adoption rates. However, urban flooding—whose frequency and intensity are increasing due to climate change—may be an impediment. Here, we study how geographically-correlated outages due to floods impact public EV charging networks in Greater London. While we find no appreciable impact on the ability of battery EVs to serve typical urban driving behaviors, we observe disproportionate stresses on chargers both near, and surprisingly significantly farther from, the flooded regions. For instance, we find over 50% increase in charger utilization and 260% increase in the distance to the nearest available charger in parts of Greater London over 10 km away. Concerningly, the impact is most concentrated on already-stressed sections of the network, underscoring the infrastructure’s vulnerability. Finally, we develop and evaluate four strategies for city planners to enhance the flood resilience of cities’ public EV charging networks.
Structural Basis for pH-gating of the K+ channel TWIK1 at the selectivity filter
Authors: Turney Toby S. , Li Vivian , Brohawn Stephen G.
Published: June 2022

TWIK1 (K2P1.1, KCNK1) is a widely expressed pH-gated two-pore domain K+ channel (K2P) that contributes to cardiac rhythm generation and insulin release from pancreatic beta cells. TWIK1 displays unique properties among K2Ps including low basal activity and inhibition by extracellular protons through incompletely understood mechanisms. Here, we present cryo-EM structures of TWIK1 in lipid nanodiscs at high and low pH that reveal a previously undescribed gating mechanism at the K+ selectivity filter. At high pH, TWIK1 adopts an open conformation. At low pH, protonation of an extracellular histidine results in a cascade of conformational changes that close the channel by sealing the top of the selectivity filter, displacing the helical cap to block extracellular ion access pathways, and opening gaps for lipid block of the intracellular cavity. These data provide a mechanistic understanding for extracellular pH-gating of TWIK1 and illustrate how diverse mechanisms have evolved to gate the selectivity filter of K+ channels.
Synthesis of a donor–acceptor heterodimer via trifunctional completive self-sorting
Authors: Kumar Sunit , Maurya Yogesh Kumar , Lis Tadeusz , Stępień Marcin
Published: June 2022

Selective self-assembly of heterodimers consisting of two non-identical subunits plays important roles in Nature but is rarely encountered in synthetic supramolecular systems. Here we show that photocleavage of a donor–acceptor porphyrin complex produces an heterodimeric structure with surprising selectivity. The system forms via a multi-step sequence that starts with an oxidative ring opening, which produces an equimolar mixture of two isomeric degradation products (zinc(II) bilatrien-abc-ones, BTOs). These two isomers are susceptible to water addition, yielding the corresponding zinc(II) 15-hydroxybiladien-ab-ones (HBDOs). However, in the photocleavage experiment only one HBDO isomer is formed, and it quantitatively combines with the remaining BTO isomer. The resulting heterodimer is stabilized by a Zn–O coordination bond and extended dispersion interactions between the overlapping π-surfaces of the monomers. The observed selectivity can be seen as a case of completive self-sorting, simultaneously controlled by three types of complementary interactions.
Transformation of dolutegravir into an ultra-long-acting parenteral prodrug formulation
Authors: Deodhar Suyash , Sillman Brady , Bade Aditya N. , Avedissian Sean N. , Podany Anthony T. , McMillan JoEllyn M. , Gautam Nagsen , Hanson Brandon , Dyavar Shetty Bhagya L. , Szlachetka Adam , Johnston Morgan , Thurman Michellie , Munt Daniel J. , Dash Alekha K. , Markovic Milica , Dahan Arik , Alnouti Yazen , Yazdi Alborz , Kevadiya Bhavesh D. , Byrareddy Siddappa N. , Cohen Samuel M. , Edagwa Benson , Gendelman Howard E.
Published: June 2022

Ultra-long-acting integrase strand transfer inhibitors were created by screening a library of monomeric and dimeric dolutegravir (DTG) prodrug nanoformulations. This led to an 18-carbon chain modified ester prodrug nanocrystal (coined NM2DTG) with the potential to sustain yearly dosing. Here, we show that the physiochemical and pharmacokinetic (PK) formulation properties facilitate slow drug release from tissue macrophage depot stores at the muscle injection site and adjacent lymphoid tissues following single parenteral injection. Significant plasma drug levels are recorded up to a year following injection. Tissue sites for prodrug hydrolysis are dependent on nanocrystal dissolution and prodrug release, drug-depot volume, perfusion, and cell-tissue pH. Each affect an extended NM2DTG apparent half-life recorded by PK parameters. The NM2DTG product can impact therapeutic adherence, tolerability, and access of a widely used integrase inhibitor in both resource limited and rich settings to reduce HIV-1 transmission and achieve optimal treatment outcomes.
Robust and accurate estimation of paralog-specific copy number for duplicated genes using whole-genome sequencing
Authors: Prodanov Timofey , Bansal Vikas
Published: June 2022

The human genome contains hundreds of low-copy repeats (LCRs) that are challenging to analyze using short-read sequencing technologies due to extensive copy number variation and ambiguity in read mapping. Copy number and sequence variants in more than 150 duplicated genes that overlap LCRs have been implicated in monogenic and complex human diseases. We describe a computational tool, Parascopy, for estimating the aggregate and paralog-specific copy number of duplicated genes using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Parascopy is an efficient method that jointly analyzes reads mapped to different repeat copies without the need for global realignment. It leverages multiple samples to mitigate sequencing bias and to identify reliable paralogous sequence variants (PSVs) that differentiate repeat copies. Analysis of WGS data for 2504 individuals from diverse populations showed that Parascopy is robust to sequencing bias, has higher accuracy compared to existing methods and enables prioritization of pathogenic copy number changes in duplicated genes.
Ultra-sensitive polarization-resolved black phosphorus homojunction photodetector defined by ferroelectric domains
Authors: Wu Shuaiqin , Chen Yan , Wang Xudong , Jiao Hanxue , Zhao Qianru , Huang Xinning , Tai Xiaochi , Zhou Yong , Chen Hao , Wang Xingjun , Huang Shenyang , Yan Hugen , Lin Tie , Shen Hong , Hu Weida , Meng Xiangjian , Chu Junhao , Wang Jianlu
Published: June 2022

With the further miniaturization and integration of multi-dimensional optical information detection devices, polarization-sensitive photodetectors based on anisotropic low-dimension materials have attractive potential applications. However, the performance of these devices is restricted by intrinsic property of materials leading to a small polarization ratio of the detectors. Here, we construct a black phosphorus (BP) homojunction photodetector defined by ferroelectric domains with ultra-sensitive polarization photoresponse. With the modulation of ferroelectric field, the BP exhibits anisotropic dispersion changes, leading an increased photothermalelectric (PTE) current in the armchair (AC) direction. Moreover, the PN junction can promote the PTE current and accelerate carrier separation. As a result, the BP photodetector demonstrates an ultrahigh polarization ratio (PR) of 288 at 1450 nm incident light, a large photoresponsivity of 1.06 A/W, and a high detectivity of 1.27 × 1011cmHz1/2W−1at room temperature. This work reveals the great potential of BP in future polarized light detection.
Optical control of exciton spin dynamics in layered metal halide perovskites via polaronic state formation
Authors: Bourelle Sean A. , Camargo Franco V. A. , Ghosh Soumen , Neumann Timo , van de Goor Tim W. J. , Shivanna Ravichandran , Winkler Thomas , Cerullo Giulio , Deschler Felix
Published: June 2022

One of the open challenges of spintronics is to control the spin relaxation mechanisms. Layered metal-halide perovskites are an emerging class of semiconductors which possess a soft crystal lattice that strongly couples electronic and vibrational states and show promise for spintronic applications. Here, we investigate the impact of such strong coupling on the spin relaxation of excitons in the layered perovskite BA2FAPbI7 using a combination of cryogenic Faraday rotation and transient absorption spectroscopy. We report an unexpected increase of the spin lifetime by two orders of magnitude at 77 K under photoexcitation with photon energy in excess of the exciton absorption peak, and thus demonstrate optical control over the dominant spin relaxation mechanism. We attribute this control to strong coupling between excitons and optically excited phonons, which form polaronic states with reduced electron-hole wave function overlap that protect the exciton spin memory. Our insights highlight the special role of exciton-lattice interactions on the spin physics in the layered perovskites and provide a novel opportunity for optical spin control.
Malaria oocysts require circumsporozoite protein to evade mosquito immunity
Authors: Zhu Feng , Zheng Hong , Chen Suilin , Zhang Kun , Qin Xin , Zhang Jingru , liu Taiping , Fan Yongling , Wang Liting , Li Xiaoxu , Zhang Jian , Xu Wenyue
Published: June 2022

Malaria parasites are less vulnerable to mosquito immune responses once ookinetes transform into oocysts, facilitating parasite development in the mosquito. However, the underlying mechanisms of oocyst resistance to mosquito defenses remain unclear. Here, we show that circumsporozoite protein (CSP) is required for rodent malaria oocysts to avoid mosquito defenses. Mosquito infection with CSPmut parasites (mutation in the CSP pexel I/II domains) induces nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase 5 (NOX5)-mediated hemocyte nitration, thus activating Toll pathway and melanization of mature oocysts, upregulating hemocyte TEP1 expression, and causing defects in the release of sporozoites from oocysts. The pre-infection of mosquitoes with the CSPmut parasites reduces the burden of infection when re-challenged with CSPwt parasites by inducing hemocyte nitration. Thus, we demonstrate why oocysts are invisible to mosquito immunity and reveal an unknown role of CSP in the immune evasion of oocysts, indicating it as a potential target to block malaria transmission.
A single-cell transcriptomic atlas characterizes the silk-producing organ in the silkworm
Authors: Ma Yan , Zeng Wenhui , Ba Yongbing , Luo Qin , Ou Yao , Liu Rongpeng , Ma Jingwen , Tang Yiyun , Hu Jie , Wang Haomiao , Tang Xuan , Mu Yuanyuan , Li Qingjun , Chen Yuqin , Ran Yiting , Xiang Zhonghuai , Xu Hanfu
Published: June 2022

The silk gland of the domesticated silkworm Bombyx mori, is a remarkable organ that produces vast amounts of silk with exceptional properties. Little is known about which silk gland cells execute silk protein synthesis and its precise spatiotemporal control. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing to build a comprehensive cell atlas of the silkworm silk gland, consisting of 14,972 high-quality cells representing 10 distinct cell types, in three early developmental stages. We annotate all 10 cell types and determine their distributions in each region of the silk gland. Additionally, we decode the developmental trajectory and gene expression status of silk gland cells. Finally, we discover marker genes involved in the regulation of silk gland development and silk protein synthesis. Altogether, this work reveals the heterogeneity of silkworm silk gland cells and their gene expression dynamics, affording a deeper understanding of silk-producing organs at the single-cell level.
The role of references and the elusive nature of the chemical bond
Authors: Martín Pendás Ángel , Francisco Evelio
Published: June 2022

Chemical bonding theory is of utmost importance to chemistry, and a standard paradigm in which quantum mechanical interference drives the kinetic energy lowering of two approaching fragments has emerged. Here we report that both internal and external reference biases remain in this model, leaving plenty of unexplored territory. We show how the former biases affect the notion of wavefunction interference, which is purportedly recognized as the most basic bonding mechanism. The latter influence how bonding models are chosen. We demonstrate that the use of real space analyses are as reference-less as possible, advocating for their use. Delocalisation emerges as the reference-less equivalent to interference and the ultimate root of bonding. Atoms (or fragments) in molecules should be understood as a statistical mixture of components differing in electron number, spin, etc.
Compact light field photography towards versatile three-dimensional vision
Authors: Feng Xiaohua , Ma Yayao , Gao Liang
Published: June 2022

Inspired by natural living systems, modern cameras can attain three-dimensional vision via multi-view geometry like compound eyes in flies, or time-of-flight sensing like echolocation in bats. However, high-speed, accurate three-dimensional sensing capable of scaling over an extensive distance range and coping well with severe occlusions remains challenging. Here, we report compact light field photography for acquiring large-scale light fields with simple optics and a small number of sensors in arbitrary formats ranging from two-dimensional area to single-point detectors, culminating in a dense multi-view measurement with orders of magnitude lower dataload. We demonstrated compact light field photography for efficient multi-view acquisition of time-of-flight signals to enable snapshot three-dimensional imaging with an extended depth range and through severe scene occlusions. Moreover, we show how compact light field photography can exploit curved and disconnected surfaces for real-time non-line-of-sight 3D vision. Compact light field photography will broadly benefit high-speed 3D imaging and open up new avenues in various disciplines.
Newly engineered alumina quantum dot-based nanofluid in enhanced oil recovery at reservoir conditions
Authors: Izadi Nosrat , Nasernejad Bahram
Published: June 2022

In this work, a newly engineered alumina quantum dot-based nanofluid (α-AQDs; D ~ 4 nm; amorphous solid) and one commercial alumina nanoparticle-based nanofluid (γ-ANPs; D ~ 20 nm; crystalline type) with the capability of strong colloidal dispersion at reservoir conditions, such as, high salinity, divalent ions (Ca2+) and high temperature was compared. The main goal of this research was to study the crude oil displacement mechanisms of alumina suspensions as a function of variety in size and particle morphology in aged carbonate rocks. The strong interaction potential between the particles was achieved by the citric acid and a special composition of a carboxylate-sulfonate-based polyelectrolyte polymer as an effective dispersant compound on the surface, leading to a negative particle charges and an additional steric and electrostatic repulsion. Wettability alteration upon exposure to fluids using the contact angle and the Amott cell were performed on saturated carbonate plug samples and rock slices. While, dynamic core displacements were conducted to test the water/nanofluid/oil flow and nanoparticle retention behavior thorough typical pore throats underground the reservoir conditions. The stability results revealed that PE-polymer was able to create a long-term colloidal fluid during 30 days. It was found that mass concentration of nanofluid increased with decreasing in particle size. The optimal amount of particles in aqueous solution was obtained 0.05 wt% for ANPs, increased up to 0.1 wt% for AQDs. Analysis of experiments showed that wettability alteration was the main mechanism during nanofluid injection. Laboratory core-flooding data proved that the enhanced oil recovery due to a less concentration state by ANPs was consistent with AQDs at higher concentrations. In addition, permeability-impairment-behavior study was discussed in terms of possible mineral scale deposition and alumina release on the rock surface. Results showed that a large extent of permeability damage caused by mineral scale (55–59%). Alumina quantum dot-based nanofluids were found a minimum impairment (2–4%) and a significant reduction of ~ 10% in permeability was observed for ANPs-based nanofluid.
Howiesons Poort backed artifacts provide evidence for social connectivity across southern Africa during the Final Pleistocene
Authors: Way Amy M. , de la Peña Paloma , de la Peña Eduardo , Wadley Lyn
Published: June 2022

Examining why human populations used specific technologies in the Final Pleistocene is critical to understanding our evolutionary path. A key Final Pleistocene techno-tradition is the Howiesons Poort, which is marked by an increase in behavioral complexity and technological innovation. Central to this techno-tradition is the production of backed artifacts—small, sharp blades likely used as insets in composite tools. Although backed artifacts were manufactured for thousands of years before the Howiesons Poort, this period is marked by a phenomenal increase in their production. In this paper we test both social and environmental hypotheses to explain this phenomenon. We correlate environmental data with changing frequencies of backed artifact production at Sibudu and assess morphological similarity across seven sites in southern Africa. We find that these artifacts are made to a similar template across different regions and that their increased production correlates with multiple paleo-environmental proxies. When compared to an Australian outgroup, the backed artifacts from the seven southern African sites cluster within the larger shape space described by the Australian group. This leads us to argue that the observed standardized across southern Africa is related to cultural similarities and marks a strengthening of long-distance social ties during the MIS4.
Loneliness associates strongly with anxiety and depression during the COVID pandemic, especially in men and younger adults
Authors: Steen Olivier D. , Ori Anil P. S. , Wardenaar Klaas J. , van Loo Hanna M.
Published: June 2022

Loneliness is associated with major depressive disorder (MDD), and likely also with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It is unclear if these associations are moderated by age, sex, or genetic susceptibility for MDD. We included 75,279 individuals from the Lifelines COVID-19 study, a longitudinal study of a Dutch population-based cohort. Participants completed up to sixteen digital questionnaires between March 2020 and January 2021, yielding a total of 616,129 observations. Loneliness was assessed with the Three-Item Loneliness Scale, and MDD and GAD with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. We used generalized estimating equations to investigate the association between loneliness and MDD and GAD, and whether this association varied across time, age, sex and MDD polygenic risk. Loneliness was strongly associated with all MDD and GAD outcomes. Individuals with the highest loneliness scores were around 14 times more likely to have MDD, and 11 times more likely to have GAD, compared to individuals who reported the least loneliness. The association between loneliness and MDD symptoms was stronger in men, younger individuals, and increased across time. While MDD polygenic risk predicted MDD and GAD outcomes, we did not find an interaction effect with loneliness. Our study, which is the largest to date, confirms that loneliness is an important risk factor for MDD, GAD, depressive and anxiety symptoms, especially in men and younger individuals. Future studies should investigate the mechanisms of these associations and explore loneliness-based interventions to prevent and treat MDD and GAD.
Control efficiency and mechanism of spinetoram seed-pelleting against the striped flea beetle Phyllotreta striolata
Authors: Tengfei Xiong , Nanda Satyabrata , Fengliang Jin , Qingsheng Lin , Xia Feng
Published: June 2022

The striped flea beetle (SFB, Phyllotreta striolata) can cause serious harm to cruciferous crops in both the larval and adult stages. Presently, there are no other sustainable alternatives to the use of chemical pesticides for controlling SFB infestation. In this study, the use of a seed-pelletized coating of spinetoram effectively reduced the numbers of SFB and its feedings on the flowering cabbage seedlings, whereas, in combination with the insect-proof net, it controlled the SFB infestation throughout the cabbage growth period. The analysis of the pesticide residues in soil and different cabbage parts indicated the degradation dynamics of spinetoram. The concentration of spinetoram in cabbage parts decreased over time, while increased first and subsequently decreased in soil. Furthermore, estimation of the half-life of spinetoram revealed that via seed-palletized application spinetoram half-life was found to be 2.82 days in soil, 4.21 days in the root, 5.77 days in the stem, and 3.57 days in the leaf, respectively. Both the lower pesticide residues and the half-life of spinetoram in soil and cabbage parts suggested it to be a promising environment and food-safe pesticide in controlling SFB. Moreover, the seed-pelletized coating ensured a sustainable release of spinetoram that can reduce the pesticide application frequency and be cost-effective and pocket-friendly for the farmers.
Sex-specific bi‑directional association between osteoporosis and depression from the national representative data of South Korea
Authors: Shin Min Kyoung , Kim Hyejin , Choi Soo-Hee , Kim Beom-Jun , Kwon Obin
Published: June 2022

Both osteoporosis and depression are major health threats, but their interrelationship is not clear. This study elucidated the associations between osteoporosis and depression while considering the temporal sequence of the diagnoses. In this cross-sectional study, data were extracted from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2007–2009 and 2015–2019, n = 29,045). Osteoporosis and depression were defined by diagnoses thereof. The odds ratio (OR) of the incident osteoporosis among depression patients without a history of osteoporosis was calculated by multivariable logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. A reverse association was also assessed. Participants were additionally stratified by their sex and age. As a result, male depression patients aged under 50 years showed higher ORs for osteoporosis than those without depression (OR 9.16, 95% CI 1.78–47.18). Female osteoporosis patients showed lower ORs for depression than those without osteoporosis (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.58–0.88), especially in women aged 50 years and older. In the sensitivity analysis, the same results were obtained in women by their menopause status. Depression has a strong positive association with the occurrence of osteoporosis in young male adults, and osteoporosis has a negative association with the occurrence of depression in female adults.
A high-content neuron imaging assay demonstrates inhibition of prion disease-associated neurotoxicity by an anti-prion protein antibody
Authors: Reilly Madeleine , Benilova Iryna , Khalili-Shirazi Azadeh , Schmidt Christian , Ahmed Parvin , Yip Daniel , Jat Parmjit S. , Collinge John
Published: June 2022

There is an urgent need to develop disease-modifying therapies to treat neurodegenerative diseases which pose increasing challenges to global healthcare systems. Prion diseases, although rare, provide a paradigm to study neurodegenerative dementias as similar disease mechanisms involving propagation and spread of multichain assemblies of misfolded protein (“prion-like” mechanisms) are increasingly recognised in the commoner conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, studies of prion disease pathogenesis in mouse models showed that prion propagation and neurotoxicity can be mechanistically uncoupled and in vitro assays confirmed that highly purified prions are indeed not directly neurotoxic. To aid development of prion disease therapeutics we have therefore developed a cell-based assay for the specific neurotoxicity seen in prion diseases rather than to simply assess inhibition of prion propagation. We applied this assay to examine an anti-prion protein mouse monoclonal antibody (ICSM18) known to potently cure prion-infected cells and to delay onset of prion disease in prion-infected mice. We demonstrate that whilst ICSM18 itself lacks inherent neurotoxicity in this assay, it potently blocks prion disease-associated neurotoxicity.
The golden number seen in a mechanical oscillator
Authors: Pena Ramirez Jonatan , Espinoza Erick , Cuesta Ricardo
Published: June 2022

A seemingly ubiquitous irrational number often appearing in nature and in man-made things like structures, paintings, and physical systems, is the golden number. Here, we show that this astonishing number appears in the periodic solutions of an underactuated mass-spring oscillator driven by a nonlinear self-excitation. Specifically, by using the two-time scale perturbation method, it is analytically demonstrated that the golden number appears in the ratio of amplitudes, as well as in the oscillation frequency of the periodic solution, which is referred to as golden solution and, by applying the Poincaré method, it is demonstrated that this solution is asymptotically stable. Additionally, the analytic results are illustrated by means of numerical simulations and also, an experimental study is conducted.
New free radical-initiated peptide sequencing (FRIPS) mass spectrometry reagent with high conjugation efficiency enabling single-step peptide sequencing
Authors: Lee Sang Tak , Park Hyemi , Jang Inae , Lee Choong Sik , Moon Bongjin , Oh Han Bin
Published: June 2022

A newly designed TEMPO-FRIPS reagent, 4-(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl) methyl benzyl succinic acidN-hydroxysuccinimide ester orp-TEMPO–Bn–Sc–NHS, was synthesized to achieve single-step free radical-initiated peptide sequencing mass spectrometry (FRIPS MS) for a number of model peptides, including phosphopeptides. Thep-TEMPO–Bn–Sc–NHS reagent was conjugated to target peptides, and the resulting peptides were subjected to collisional activation. The peptide backbone dissociation behaviors of the MS/MS and MS3experiments were monitored in positive ion mode. Fragment ions were observed even at the single-step thermal activation of thep-TEMPO–Bn–Sc–peptides, showing mainlya-/x- andc-/z-type fragments and neutral loss ions. This confirms that radical-driven peptide backbone dissociations occurred with thep-TEMPO–Bn–Sc–peptides. Compared to the previous version of the TEMPO reagent,i.e.,o-TEMPO–Bz–C(O)–NHS, the newly designedp-TEMPO–Bn–Sc–NHS has better conjugation efficiency for the target peptides owing to its improved structural flexibility and solubility in the experimental reagents. An energetic interpretation using the survival fraction as a function of applied normalized collision energy (NCE) ascertained the difference in the thermal activation betweenp-TEMPO–Bn–Sc– ando-TEMPO–Bz–C(O)– radical initiators. This study clearly demonstrates that the application of thep-TEMPO–Bn–Sc– radical initiator can improve the duty cycle, and this FRIPS MS approach has the potential to be implemented in proteomics studies, including phosphoproteomics.
Effects of the presence of a cell phone and exposure to natural environments on remote associates task performance
Authors: Liu Wenjuan , Dempo Akihiko , Kimura Tsukasa , Kawashima Tomoya , Shinohara Kazumitsu
Published: June 2022

In today’s advanced information society, creativity in work is highly valued, and there is growing interest in the kinds of work environments that produce more creative outcomes. Recent researchers have demonstrated that when environmental factors change a worker’s attentional state to a diffused state, the worker has access to more information than usual, which can contribute to creativity. Here, we examined whether manipulating environmental factors (the presence of a cell phone and exposure to natural environment) that could affect such attention states would improve performance on the Remote Associates Task, a measure of creativity. Our results showed that the presence of a cell phone increased creative performance regardless of immersion in natural environment. In contrast, exposure to nature did not facilitate creative performance; instead, feelings of pleasure increased, and frustration decreased. These results suggest that the presence of a cell phone can enhance creativity by influencing workers’ attentional states. The current study provides a meaningful approach to enhancing creativity by modulating attentional states through environmental factors. It also highlights the essential features of environmental factors that can moderate creative abilities.
Attraction to conspecific social-calls in a migratory, solitary, foliage-roosting bat (Lasiurus cinereus)
Authors: Reyes Gabriel A. , Szewczak Joseph M.
Published: June 2022

As a migratory, cryptic, foliage-roosting bat with a mostly solitary roosting behavior we have an incomplete understanding of the social behavior of the hoary bat,Lasiurus cinereus. In this species most social interactions between conspecifics are thought to involve mating behavior or territorial disputes. Developing a more complete understanding of the social behavior of this species would provide critical insight to address conservation challenges including high fatality rates from wind turbines during the period of fall migration. We tested the response of hoary bats to conspecific social call playback during the spring and fall migration to: (1) test whether conspecific social call broadcasting attracts or repels individual bats; (2) examine whether there are seasonal differences in these responses; (3) describe the structure and variation of recorded social calls; and (4) test whether conspecific social call playback can increase capture success. Hoary bats were attracted to social call broadcasting during both the spring and fall migration. Hoary bats produced social calls during the spring and fall migration, and when only males were present, suggesting a social function not associated with mating. While calls were variable in frequency and length, social calls tended to be a consistent upsloping shape. Attraction to social calls suggests social interactions not associated with mating behavior in hoary bats, and this technique proved successful as an acoustic lure to aid in capture and study of this elusive species.
Correlated studies of photoluminescence, vibrational spectroscopy and mass spectrometry concerning the pantoprazole sodium photodegradation
Authors: Baibarac Mihaela , Paraschiv Mirela , Cercel Radu , Smaranda Ion , Bartha Cristina , Trandabat Alexandru
Published: June 2022

In this work, new optical evidences concerning the changes induced of the UV light on pantoprazole sodium (PS), in solid state and as aqueous solution, are reported by UV–VIS spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), Raman scattering and FTIR spectroscopy. New evidences concerning the products of the PS photodegradation pathways are reported by the correlated studies of thermogravimetry and mass spectrometry. The influence of the excipients and alkaline medium on the PS photodegradation is also studied. New aspects regarding the chemical mechanism of the PS photodegradation in the presence of the water vapor and oxygen form air and the alkaline medium are shown. Our results confirm that the PS photodegradation induced of the water vapors and oxygen from air leads to the generation of 5-difluoromethoxy-3H-benzimidazole-2-thione sodium, 5-difluoromethoxy-3H-benzimidazole sodium, 2-thiol methyl-3, 4-dimethoxypyridine and 2-hydroxymethyl-3, 4-dimethoxypyridine, while in the alkaline medium, compounds of the type of the 2-oxymethyl-3,4-dimethoxypyridine sodium salts are resulted.
Authorship identification using ensemble learning
Authors: Abbasi Ahmed , Javed Abdul Rehman , Iqbal Farkhund , Jalil Zunera , Gadekallu Thippa Reddy , Kryvinska Natalia
Published: June 2022

With time, textual data is proliferating, primarily through the publications of articles. With this rapid increase in textual data, anonymous content is also increasing. Researchers are searching for alternative strategies to identify the author of an unknown text. There is a need to develop a system to identify the actual author of unknown texts based on a given set of writing samples. This study presents a novel approach based on ensemble learning, DistilBERT, and conventional machine learning techniques for authorship identification. The proposed approach extracts the valuable characteristics of the author using a count vectorizer and bi-gram Term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF). An extensive and detailed dataset, “All the news” is used in this study for experimentation. The dataset is divided into three subsets (article1, article2, and article3). We limit the scope of the dataset and selected ten authors in the first scope and 20 authors in the second scope for experimentation. The experimental results of proposed ensemble learning and DistilBERT provide better performance for all the three subsets of the “All the news” dataset. In the first scope, the experimental results prove that the proposed ensemble learning approach from 10 authors provides a better accuracy gain of 3.14% and from DistilBERT 2.44% from the article1 dataset. Similarly, in the second scope from 20 authors, the proposed ensemble learning approach provides a better accuracy gain of 5.25% and from DistilBERT 7.17% from the article1 dataset, which is better than previous state-of-the-art studies.
Rapid multiple property determination from bulk materials libraries prepared from chemically synthesized powders
Authors: Tan Li Ping , Chaudhary V. , Tsakadze Z. , Ramanujan R. V.
Published: June 2022

A variety of high-performance materials are utilized in electrical, electronic, and mechanical systems. Such systems account for a significant fraction of the world’s electricity consumption. The next generation of such systems urgently require new material compositions which possess a better combination of both structural and functional properties. Only accelerated methodologies can rapidly determine the required multiple property set. Hence, a range of iron–cobalt–nickel ternary alloy composition powders were chemically synthesized. Compositionally graded bulk materials libraries were prepared by spark plasma sintering of these powders. A multiple property set of the crystal structure, magnetic, mechanical, and electrical properties were determined for a range of compositions. This property set revealed that a good combination of magnetic and mechanical properties can be obtained from Fe50Co40Ni10, high electrical resistivity from Fe54Co17Ni29and high saturation magnetization as well as high hardness from Fe57Co29Ni14. Thus, this multiple property library, developed by accelerated methodologies, can be utilized to identify new ternary compositions satisfying diverse property sets relevant to next generation systems.
The modulatory effect of adaptive task-switching training on resting-state neural network dynamics in younger and older adults
Authors: Nagy Boglárka , Protzner Andrea B. , van der Wijk Gwen , Wang Hongye , Cortese Filomeno , Czigler István , Gaál Zsófia Anna
Published: June 2022

With increasing life expectancy and active aging, it becomes crucial to investigate methods which could compensate for generally detected cognitive aging processes. A promising candidate is adaptive cognitive training, during which task difficulty is adjusted to the participants’ performance level to enhance the training and potential transfer effects. Measuring intrinsic brain activity is suitable for detecting possible distributed training-effects since resting-state dynamics are linked to the brain’s functional flexibility and the effectiveness of different cognitive processes. Therefore, we investigated if adaptive task-switching training could modulate resting-state neural dynamics in younger (18–25 years) and older (60–75 years) adults (79 people altogether). We examined spectral power density on resting-state EEG data for measuring oscillatory activity, and multiscale entropy for detecting intrinsic neural complexity. Decreased coarse timescale entropy and lower frequency band power as well as increased fine timescale entropy and higher frequency band power revealed a shift from more global to local information processing with aging before training. However, cognitive training modulated these age-group differences, as coarse timescale entropy and lower frequency band power increased from pre- to post-training in the old-training group. Overall, our results suggest that cognitive training can modulate neural dynamics even when measured outside of the trained task.
Effect of radiofrequency catheter ablation on left atrial structure and function in patients with different types of atrial fibrillation
Authors: Liu Yue , Liu Qian , Yang Ying , Zhang Chenfeng , Yin Hongning , Wu Jinglan , Yao Lixia , Jin Lili , Yang Jing , Feng Liang , Xie Ruiqin
Published: June 2022

Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is widely used to treat atrial fibrillation (AF), but its effect on left atrial (LA) remodeling in patients with AF is not completely clarified. Few studies have reported the changes in structure and function of the left atrium in patients with different types of AF after RFCA. To analyze the effect of RFCA on the LA structure and function in patients with nonvalvular paroxysmal AF, persistent AF and long-standing persistent AF (LSPAF). RFCA was performed in 180 patients with paroxysmal AF, persistent AF and LSPAF. The changes of LA structure and function in echocardiogram and speckle-tracking echocardiography findings were compared before the procedure, and at 1, 2, 3, 4 weeks, and 2, 3, 6, and 9–12 months after the procedure. There were 60 patients in the paroxysmal AF group, 60 in the persistent AF group and 60 patients in LSPAF group. The pre-procedure LA diameter and volume were smaller in the paroxysmal AF group than persistent AF and LSPAF group. There was no significant change of in the LA structure and function in the paroxysmal AF group within 1 year. In the persistent AF and LSPAF groups, LA structure (anteroposterior diameter, LA volume) significantly decreased, but remained larger than that in paroxysmal AF group. In persistent and LSPAF, function (LA ejection fraction, strain, strain rate) increased significantly within 1 week, then gradually increased. RFCA improved the LA structure and function and resulted in heart reverse remodeling, especially for persistent AF and LSPAF.
MicroRNAs and other small RNAs in Aedes aegypti saliva and salivary glands following chikungunya virus infection
Authors: Fiorillo Carmine , Yen Pei-Shi , Colantoni Alessio , Mariconti Marina , Azevedo Nayara , Lombardo Fabrizio , Failloux Anna-Bella , Arcà Bruno
Published: June 2022

Mosquito saliva facilitates blood feeding through the anti-haemostatic, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties of its proteins. However, the potential contribution of non-coding RNAs to host manipulation is still poorly understood. We analysed small RNAs from Aedes aegypti saliva and salivary glands and show here that chikungunya virus-infection triggers both the siRNA and piRNA antiviral pathways with limited effects on miRNA expression profiles. Saliva appears enriched in specific miRNA subsets and its miRNA content is well conserved among mosquitoes and ticks, clearly pointing to a non-random sorting and occurrence. Finally, we provide evidence that miRNAs from Ae. aegypti saliva may target human immune and inflammatory pathways, as indicated by prediction analysis and searching for experimentally validated targets of identical human miRNAs. Overall, we believe these observations convincingly support a scenario where both proteins and miRNAs from mosquito saliva are injected into vertebrates during blood feeding and contribute to the complex vector–host–pathogen interactions.
The integrative analysis of competitive endogenous RNA regulatory networks in osteoporosis
Authors: Li Hao , Wang Changyuan , Jin Yue , Cai Yuanqing , Sun Huijun , Liu Mozhen
Published: June 2022

Osteoporosis (OP) is a common bone disease of old age resulting from the imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation. CircRNAs are a class of endogenous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) involved in gene regulation and may play important roles in the development of OP. Here, we aimed to discover the OP‑related circRNA–miRNA–mRNA (ceRNA) network and the potential mechanisms. Six microarray datasets were obtained from the GEO database and the OP‑related differentially expressed genes (DEGs), circRNAs (DECs), and miRNAs (DEMs) were screened out from these datasets. Then, combined with the prediction of the relationships between DEGs, DEMs, and DECs, a ceRNA network containing 7 target circRNAs, 5 target miRNAs, and 38 target genes was constructed. Then the RNA-seq verification by using total RNAs isolated from the femurs of normal and ovariectomized Wistar rats indicated that MFAP5, CAMK2A, and RGS4 in the ceRNA network were closely associated with osteoporosis. Function enrichment analysis indicated that the target circRNAs, miRNAs, and genes were involved in the process of MAPK cascade, hormone stimulus, cadherin binding, rRNA methyltransferase, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and Vitamin digestion and absorption, etc. Then a circRNA–miRNA–hub gene subnetwork was constructed and the qRT-PCR analysis of human bone tissues from the femoral head was used to confirm that the transcription of hsa_circR_0028877, hsa_circR_0082916, DIRAS2, CAMK2A, and MAPK4 showed a significant correlation with osteogenic genes. Besides, the two axes of hsa_circR_0028877/hsa-miR-1273f/CAMK2A and hsa_circR_0028877/hsa-miR-1273f/DIRAS2 conformed to be closely associated with OP. Additionally, by constructing a drug-target gene network, RKI-1447, FRAX486, Hyaluronic, and Fostamatinib were identified as therapeutic options for OP. Our study revealed the potential links between circRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs in OP, suggesting that the ceRNA mechanism might contribute to the occurrence of OP.
AMAISE: a machine learning approach to index-free sequence enrichment
Authors: Krishnamoorthy Meera , Ranjan Piyush , Erb-Downward John R. , Dickson Robert P. , Wiens Jenna
Published: June 2022

Metagenomics holds potential to improve clinical diagnostics of infectious diseases, but DNA from clinical specimens is often dominated by host-derived sequences. To address this, researchers employ host-depletion methods. Laboratory-based host-depletion methods, however, are costly in terms of time and effort, while computational host-depletion methods rely on memory-intensive reference index databases and struggle to accurately classify noisy sequence data. To solve these challenges, we propose an index-free tool, AMAISE (A Machine Learning Approach to Index-Free Sequence Enrichment). Applied to the task of separating host from microbial reads, AMAISE achieves over 98% accuracy. Applied prior to metagenomic classification, AMAISE results in a 14–18% decrease in memory usage compared to using metagenomic classification alone. Our results show that a reference-independent machine learning approach to host depletion allows for accurate and efficient sequence detection.
TAS1553, a small molecule subunit interaction inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase, exhibits antitumor activity by causing DNA replication stress
Authors: Ueno Hiroyuki , Hoshino Takuya , Yano Wakako , Tsukioka Sayaka , Suzuki Takamasa , Hara Shoki , Ogino Yoshio , Chong Khoon Tee , Suzuki Tatsuya , Tsuji Shingo , Itadani Hikaru , Yamamiya Ikuo , Otsu Yoshihiro , Ito Satoshi , Yonekura Toshiya , Terasaka Miki , Tanaka Nozomu , Miyahara Seiji
Published: June 2022

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) is composed of two non-identical subunits, R1 and R2, and plays a crucial role in balancing the cellular dNTP pool, establishing it as an attractive cancer target. Herein, we report the discovery of a highly potent and selective small-molecule inhibitor, TAS1553, targeting protein-protein interaction between R1 and R2. TAS1553 is also expected to demonstrate superior selectivity because it does not directly target free radical or a substrate binding site. TAS1553 has shown antiproliferative activity in human cancer cell lines, dramatically reducing the intracellular dATP pool and causing DNA replication stress. Furthermore, we identified SLFN11 as a biomarker that predicts the cytotoxic effect of TAS1553. Oral administration of TAS1553 demonstrated robust antitumor efficacy against both hematological and solid cancer xenograft tumors and also provided a significant survival benefit in an acute myelogenous leukemia model. Our findings strongly support the evaluation of TAS1553 in clinical trials.
Dual nature of magnetic nanoparticle dispersions enables control over short-range attraction and long-range repulsion interactions
Authors: Al Harraq Ahmed , Hymel Aubry A. , Lin Emily , Truskett Thomas M. , Bharti Bhuvnesh
Published: June 2022

Competition between attractive and repulsive interactions drives the formation of complex phases in colloidal suspensions. A major experimental challenge lies in decoupling independent roles of attractive and repulsive forces in governing the equilibrium morphology and long-range spatial distribution of assemblies. Here, we uncover the ‘dual nature’ of magnetic nanoparticle dispersions, particulate and continuous, enabling control of the short-range attraction and long-range repulsion (SALR) between suspended microparticles. We show that non-magnetic microparticles suspended in an aqueous magnetic nanoparticle dispersion simultaneously experience a short-range depletion attraction due to the particulate nature of the fluid in competition with an in situ tunable long-range magnetic dipolar repulsion attributed to the continuous nature of the fluid. The study presents an experimental platform for achieving in situ control over SALR between colloids leading to the formation of reconfigurable structures of unusual morphologies, which are not obtained using external fields or depletion interactions alone.
Cell-derived extracellular vesicles for CRISPR/Cas9 delivery: engineering strategies for cargo packaging and loading
Authors: Liang Yujie , Iqbal Zoya , Wang Jianhong , Xu Limei , Xu Xiao , Ouyang Kan , Zhang Hao , Lu Jianping , Duan Li , Xia Jiang
Published: June 2022

This review summarizes the use of cell-derived vesicles, including EVs and exosomes for the delivery of CRISPR/Cas tools, with a focus on the state-of-the-art engineering strategies to realize efficient cargo packaging and loading.