bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of titin in vertebrate striated muscle
Authors: Tskhovrebova L. , Trinick J.
Published: July 2002

Titin is a giant muscle protein with a molecular weight in the megaDalton range and a contour length of more than 1 μm. Its size and location within the sarcomere structure determine its important role in the mechanism of muscle elasticity. According to the current consensus, elasticity stems directly from more than one type of spring–like behaviour of the I–band portion of the molecule. Starting from slack length, extension of the sarcomere first causes straightening of the molecule. Further extension then induces local unfolding of a unique sequence, the PEVK region, which is named due to the preponderance of these amino–acid residues. High speeds of extension and/or high forces are likely to lead to unfolding of the β–sandwich domains from which the molecule is mainly constructed. A release of tension leads to refolding and recoiling of the polypeptide. Here, we review the literature and present new experimental material related to the role of titin in muscle elasticity. In particular, we analyse the possible influence of the arrangement and environment of titin within the sarcomere structure on its extensible behaviour. We suggest that, due to the limited conformational space, elongation and compression of the molecule within the sarcomere occur in a more ordered way or with higher viscosity and higher forces than are observed in solution studies of the isolated protein.
Abundance, Distribution, and Transcriptional Activity of Repetitive Elements in the Maize Genome
Authors: Meyers Blake C. , Tingey Scott V. , Morgante Michele
Published: July 2002

Long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons have been shown to make up much of the maize genome. Although these elements are known to be prevalent in plant genomes of a middle-to-large size, little information is available on the relative proportions composed by specific families of elements in a single genome. We sequenced a library of randomly sheared genomic DNA from maize to characterize this genome. BLAST analysis of these sequences demonstrated that the maize genome is composed of diverse sequences that represent numerous families of retrotransposons. The largest families contain the previously described elements Huck, Ji, and Opie. Approximately 5% of the sequences are predicted to encode proteins. The genomic abundance of 16 families of elements was estimated by hybridization to an array of 10,752 maize bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones. Comparisons of the number of elements present on individual BACs indicated that retrotransposons are in general randomly distributed across the maize genome. A second library was constructed that was selected to contain sequences hypomethylated in the maize genome. Sequence analysis of this library indicated that retroelements abundant in the genome are poorly represented in hypomethylated regions. Fifty-six retroelement sequences corresponding to the integrase and reverse transcriptase domains were isolated from ∼407,000 maize expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Phylogenetic analysis of these and the genomic retroelement sequences indicated that elements most abundant in the genome are less abundant at the transcript level than are more rare retrotransposons. Additional phylogenies also demonstrated that rice and maize retrotransposon families are frequently more closely related to each other than to families within the same species. An analysis of the GC content of the maize genomic library and that of maize ESTs did not support recently published data that the gene space in maize is found within a narrow GC range, but does indicate that genic sequences have a higher GC content than intergenic sequences (52% vs. 47% GC).
The structure of spider toxin huwentoxin‐II with unique disulfide linkage: Evidence for structural evolution
Authors: Shu Qin , Lu Shan‐Yun , Gu Xiao‐Cheng , Liang Song‐Ping
Published: July 2002

The three‐dimensional structure of huwentoxin‐II (HWTX‐II), an insecticidal peptide purified from the venom of spider Selenocosmia huwena with a unique disulfide bond linkage as I‐III, II‐V, and IV‐VI, has been determined using 2D 1H‐NMR. The resulting structure of HWTX‐II contains two β‐turns (C4‐S7 and K24‐W27) and a double‐stranded antiparallel β‐sheet (W27‐C29 and C34‐K36). Although the C‐terminal double‐stranded β‐sheet cross‐linked by two disulfide bonds (II‐V and IV‐VI in HWTX‐II, II‐V and III‐VI in the ICK molecules) is conserved both in HWTX‐II and the ICK molecules, the structure of HWTX‐II is unexpected absence of the cystine knot because of its unique disulfide linkage. It suggests that HWTX‐II adopts a novel scaffold different from the ICK motif that is adopted by all other spider toxin structures elucidated thus far. Furthermore, the structure of HWTX‐II, which conforms to the disulfide‐directed β‐hairpin (DDH) motif, not only supports the hypothesis that the ICK is a minor elaboration of the more ancestral DDH motif but also suggests that HWTX‐II may have evolved from the same structural ancestor.
The interdigitated β‐helix domain of the P22 tailspike protein acts as a molecular clamp in trimer stabilization
Authors: Kreisberg Jason F. , Betts Scott D. , Haase‐Pettingell Cameron , King Jonathan
Published: July 2002

The P22 tailspike adhesin is an elongated thermostable trimer resistant to protease digestion and to denaturation in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Monomeric, dimeric, and protrimeric folding and assembly intermediates lack this stability and are thermolabile. In the native trimer, three right‐handed parallel β‐helices (residues 143–540), pack side‐by‐side around the three‐fold axis. After residue 540, these single chain β‐helices terminate and residues 541–567 of the three polypeptide chains wrap around each other to form a three‐stranded interdigitated β‐helix. Three mutants located in this region — G546D, R563Q, and A575T — blocked formation of native tailspike trimers, and accumulated soluble forms of the mutant polypeptide chains within cells. The substitutions R563Q and A575T appeared to prevent stable association of partially folded monomers. G546D, in the interdigitated region of the chain, blocked tailspike folding at the transition from the partially‐folded protrimer to the native trimer. The protrimer‐like species accumulating in the G546D mutant melted out at 42°C and was trypsin and SDS sensitive. The G546D defect was not corrected by introduction of global suppressor mutations, which correct kinetic defects in β‐helix folding. The simplest interpretation of these results is that the very high thermostability (Tm = 88°C), protease and detergent resistance of the native tailspike acquired in the protrimer‐to‐trimer transition, depends on the formation of the three‐stranded interdigitated region. This interdigitated β‐helix appears to function as a molecular clamp insuring thermostable subunit association in the native trimer.
Contributions of folding cores to the thermostabilities of two ribonucleases H
Authors: Robic Srebrenka , Berger James M. , Marqusee Susan
Published: July 2002

To investigate the contribution of the folding cores to the thermodynamic stability of RNases H, we used rational design to create two chimeras composed of parts of a thermophilic and a mesophilic RNase H. Each chimera combines the folding core from one parent protein and the remaining parts of the other. Both chimeras form active, well‐folded RNases H. Stability curves, based on CD‐monitored chemical denaturations, show that the chimera with the thermophilic core is more stable, has a higher midpoint of thermal denaturation, and a lower change in heat capacity (ΔCp) upon unfolding than the chimera with the mesophilic core. A possible explanation for the low ΔCp of both the parent thermophilic RNase H and the chimera with the thermophilic core is the residual structure in the denatured state. On the basis of the studied parameters, the chimera with the thermophilic core resembles a true thermophilic protein. Our results suggest that the folding core plays an essential role in conferring thermodynamic parameters to RNases H.
Molecular mimicry of substrate oxygen atoms by water molecules in the β‐amylase active site
Authors: Pujadas Gerard , Palau Jaume
Published: July 2002

Soybean β‐amylase (EC 3.2.1.2) has been crystallized both free and complexed with a variety of ligands. Four water molecules in the free‐enzyme catalytic cleft form a multihydrogen‐bond network with eight strategic residues involved in enzyme‐ligand hydrogen bonds. We show here that the positions of these four water molecules are coincident with the positions of four potential oxygen atoms of the ligands within the complex. Some of these waters are displaced from the active site when the ligands bind to the enzyme. How many are displaced depends on the shape of the ligand. This means that when one of the four positions is not occupied by a ligand oxygen atom, the corresponding water remains. We studied the functional/structural role of these four waters and conclude that their presence means that the conformation of the eight side chains is fixed in all situations (free or complexed enzyme) and preserved from unwanted or forbidden conformational changes that could hamper the catalytic mechanism. The water structure at the active pocket of β‐amylase is therefore essential for providing the ligand recognition process with plasticity. It does not affect the protein active‐site geometry and preserves the overall hydrogen‐bonding network, irrespective of which ligand is bound to the enzyme. We also investigated whether other enzymes showed a similar role for water. Finally, we discuss the potential use of these results for predicting whether water molecules can mimic ligand atoms in the active center.
A two‐stage microwave image reconstruction procedure for improved internal feature extraction
Authors: Meaney Paul M. , Demidenko Eugene , Yagnamurthy Navin K. , Li Dun , Fanning Margaret W. , Paulsen Keith D.
Published: July 2002

We have developed a two‐stage Gauss–Newton reconstruction process with an automatic procedure for determining the regularization parameter. The combination is utilized by our microwave imaging system and has facilitated recovery of quantitatively improved images. The first stage employs a Levenberg–Marquardt regularization along with a spatial filtering technique for a few iterations to produce an intermediate image. In effect, the first set of iterative image reconstruction steps synthesizes a priori information from the measurement data versus actually requiring physical prior information on the interrogated object. Because of the interaction of the Levenberg–Marquardt regularization and spatial filtering at each iteration, the intermediate image produced from the first reconstruction stage represents an improvement in terms of the least squared error over the initial uniform guess; however, it has not completely converged in a least squared sense. The second stage involves using this distribution as a priori information in an iteratively regularized Gauss–Newton reconstruction with a weighted Euclidean distance penalty term. The penalized term restricts the final image to a vicinity (determined by the scale of the weighting parameter) about the intermediate image while allowing more flexibility in extracting internal object structures. The second stage makes use of an empirical Bayesian/random effects model that enables an optimal determination of the weighting parameter of the penalized term. The new approach demonstrates quantifiably improved images in simulation, phantom and in vivo experiments with particularly striking improvements with respect to the recovery of heterogeneities internal to large, high contrast scatterers such as encountered when imaging the human breast in a water‐coupled configuration.
Comparison of high‐energy photon and electron dosimetry for various dosimetry protocols
Authors: Araki Fujio , Kubo H. Dale
Published: July 2002

The American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group 51 (TG‐51) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published a new high‐energy photon and electron dosimetry protocol, in 1999 and 2000, respectively. These protocols are based on the use of an ion chamber having an absorbed‐dose to water calibration factor with a beam. These are different from the predecessors, the TG‐21 and IAEA TRS‐277 protocols, which require a exposure or air‐kerma calibration factor. The purpose of this work is to present the dose comparison between various dosimetry protocols and the AAPM TG‐51 protocol for clinical reference dosimetry of high‐energy photon and electron beams. The absorbed‐dose to water calculated according to the Japanese Association of Radiological Physics (JARP), International Atomic Energy Agency Technical Report Series No. 277 (IAEA TRS‐277) and No. 398 (IAEA TRS‐398) protocols is compared to that calculated using the TG‐51 protocol. For various Farmer‐type chambers in photon beams, TG‐51 is found to predict 0.6–2.1% higher dose than JARP. Similarly, TG‐51 is found to be higher by 0.7–1.7% than TRS‐277. For electron beams TG‐51 is higher than JARP by 1.5–3.8% and TRS‐277 by 0.2–1.9%. The reasons for these differences are presented in terms of the cavity‐gas calibration factor, and a dose conversion factor, which converts the absorbed‐dose to air in the chamber to the absorbed‐dose to water. The ratio of cavity‐gas calibration factors based on absorbed‐dose to water calibration factors, in TG‐51 and cavity‐gas calibration factors which are equivalent to absorbed‐dose to air chamber factors, based on the IAEA TRS‐381 protocol is 1.008 on average. However, the estimated uncertainty of the ratio between the two cavity‐gas calibration factors is 0.9% (1 s.d.) and consequently, the observed difference of 0.8% is not significant. The absorbed‐dose to water and exposure or air‐kerma calibration factors are based on standards traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In contrast, the absorbed‐dose to water determined with TRS‐398 is in good agreement with TG‐51 within about 0.5% for photon and electron beams.
Proton nuclear magnetic resonance measurement of p‐boronophenylalanine (BPA): A therapeutic agent for boron neutron capture therapy
Authors: Zuo C. S. , Prasad P. V. , Busse Paul , Tang L. , Zamenhof R. G.
Published: July 2002

Noninvasive in vivo quantitation of boron is necessary for obtaining pharmacokinetic data on candidate boronated delivery agents developed for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Such data, in turn, would facilitate the optimization of the temporal sequence of boronated drug infusion and neutron irradiation. Current approaches to obtaining such pharmacokinetic data include: positron emission tomography employing F‐18 labeled boronated delivery agents (e.g., p‐boronophenylalanine), ex vivo neutron activation analysis of blood (and very occasionally tissue) samples, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. In general, NMR approaches have been hindered by very poor signal to noise achieved due to the large quadrupole moments of B‐10 and B‐11 and (in the case of B‐10) very low gyromagnetic ratio, combined with low physiological concentrations of these isotopes under clinical conditions. This preliminary study examines the feasibility of proton NMR spectroscopy for such applications. We have utilized proton NMR spectroscopy to investigate the detectability of p‐boronophenylalanine fructose (BPA‐f) at typical physiological concentrations encountered in BNCT. BPA‐f is one of the two boron delivery agents currently undergoing clinical phase‐I/II trials in the U.S., Japan, and Europe. This study includes high‐resolution spectroscopic characterization of BPA‐f to identify useful spectral features for purposes of detection and quantification. The study examines potential interferences, demonstrates a linear NMR signal response with concentration, and presents BPA NMR spectra in ex vivo blood samples and in vivo brain tissues.
Optical measurement of the speed of sound in air over the temperature range 300–650 K
Authors: Hart Roger C. , Balla R. Jeffrey , Herring G. C.
Published: July 2002

Using laser-induced thermal acoustics (LITA), the speed of sound in room air (1 atm) is measured over the temperature range 300–650 K. Since the LITA apparatus maintains a fixed sound wavelength as temperature is varied, this temperature range simultaneously corresponds to a sound frequency range of 10–15 MHz. The data are compared to a published model and typically agree within 0.1%–0.4% at each of 21 temperatures.
Reply to Frizzell et al.’s comment to our comment
Authors: Apfel Robert E.
Published: July 2002

This is a reply to the preceding letter [Frizzell et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 110, 1738–1739 (2001)].
Acoustical helicoidal waves and Laguerre–Gaussian beams: Applications to scattering and to angular momentum transport
Authors: Hefner Brian T. , Marston Philip L.
Published: July 2002

Traveling waves having helicoidal wavefronts are cylindrically symmetric except for an azimuthal angular dependence of exp(imφ−iωt), where m is an integer. The amplitude vanishes at the screw-phase dislocation [J. F. Nye and M. V. Berry, Proc. R. Soc. London Ser. A 336, 165–190 (1974)] on the z propagation axis. Examples of paraxial helicoidal waves are the Laguerre–Gaussian beam solutions of the parabolic wave equation. Some potentially useful properties of acoustical helicoidal waves are analyzed. Just as for linearly polarized optical Laguerre–Gaussian beams [L. Allen et al., Phys. Rev. A 45, 8185–8189 (1992)], the ratio of the axial angular momentum flux to the acoustical beam power is found to be m/ω so that axial radiation torques are generated when the acoustical energy is absorbed. Helicoidal waves are predicted to backscatter in a way which reveals the axisymmetry of the scatterer when combined with a helicoidal mode-selective detector. Some strategies for acoustical helicoidal wave generation and detection will also be described. [Work supported by the Office of Naval Research.]
Lessons from the Ocean Seismic Network Pilot Experiment
Authors: Collins John A. , Peal Ken R. , Stephen Ralph A. , Vernon Frank L. , Orcutt John A. , Hildebrand John A. , Spiess Fred N.
Published: July 2002

The basic goal of the Ocean Seismic Network Pilot Experiment (OSNPE) was to learn how to make reliable broadband (0.001–10 Hz) seismic measurements in the deep ocean. This objective addresses both the requirement for long-term, observatory-based measurements at a small number of carefully selected sites (i.e., the Ocean Seismic Network), and for portable arrays of broadband seismographs that can be deployed for about one year to study specific geological features. The OSNPE ran from February to June 1998. The site of the experiment was ODP Hole 843B (site OSN-1) located about 225 km southwest of Oahu, Hawaii. At the OSN-1 site, three broadband seismographs were deployed within 300 m of each other. The seismometers were (i) a Teledyne GeoTech KS54000 deployed in a borehole 240 m beneath the seafloor; (ii) a Guralp CMG-3T deployed on the seafloor; and (iii) a Guralp CMG-3T buried just beneath the seafloor. The latter two systems also carried long-period pressure sensors. Meteorological and oceanographic data were also recorded continuously throughout the experiment. The magnitude and direction of seafloor currents were recorded at the experiment site itself. Four NOAA/NDBC buoys in the vicinity of OSN-1 recorded wind speed, wave-height, and wave-direction. [Work supported by NSF.]
Evaluation of teleseismic waveforms and detection thresholds from the OSN pilot experiment
Authors: Vernon Frank L. , Orcutt John A. , Laske Gabi , Spiess Fred N. , Collins John A. , Peal Ken R. , Stephen Ralph A. , Wolfe Cecily J.
Published: July 2002

The first Ocean Seismic Network Pilot Experiment (OSNPE) took place from January to June of 1998. The site of the experiment was located about 225 km southwest of Oahu, Hawaii, where three broadband seismographs were deployed within 300 m of each other, (i) deployed in a borehole 240-m beneath the seafloor; (ii) on the seafloor; (iii) buried just beneath the seafloor. Each of the seafloor broadband seismograph stations also carried a Cox-Webb long-period, differential pressure gauge (DPG). The OSNPE ran concurrently with PELENET, a temporary deployment of five island broadband stations and SWELL, a temporary deployment of eight DPGs. Over 50 teleseismic earthquakes were observed. The broadband seismograms recorded during the OSNPE are coherent in the frequency band 0.01–0.1 Hz. At higher frequencies (0.1–3 Hz), there is considerably more variation between the borehole, buried, seafloor, and island sites. Careful examination of the waveforms shows significant differences in the frequencies above 0.1 Hz between the buried/surface broadband ocean bottom seismographs and the borehole seismograph. These variations appear to be associated with shear-wave reverberations and/or Stonely wave propagation within the sediment section. The teleseismic earthquakes permit a preliminary evaluation of the long period (0.01–0.07 Hz) detection thresholds.
Geometry, kinematics, and acoustics of Tamil liquid consonants
Authors: Narayanan Shrikanth , Byrd Dani , Kaun Abigail
Published: July 2002

Tamil is unusual among the world’s languages in that some of its dialects have five contrasting liquids. This paper focuses on the characterization of these sounds in terms of articulatory geometry and kinematics, as well as their articulatory-acoustic relations. This study illustrates the use of multiple techniques—static palatography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetometry (EMMA)—for investigating both static and dynamic articulatory characteristics using a single native speaker of Tamil. Dialectal merger and neutralization phenomena exhibited by the liquids of Tamil are discussed. Comparisons of English /ɹ/ and /l/ with Tamil provide evidence for generality in underlying mechanisms of rhotic and lateral production. The articulatory data justify the postulation of a class of rhotics and a class of laterals in Tamil, but do not provide evidence in favor of a larger class of liquids. Such a superclass appears to have largely an acoustic basis.
Estimation of coherent detection performance for spread scattering in reverberation-noise mixtures
Authors: Ricker D. W. , Cutezo A. J.
Published: July 2002

Narrow-band matched filter processing gain is estimated for medium- and high-frequency active sonars for which the random backscattering processes are assumed to be wide sense stationary in time frequency and uncorrelated in delay-Doppler wide sense stationary and uncorrelated scattering [WSSUS conditions]. Echo and reverberation processes that are WSSUS are described by two-dimensional scattering functions defined in the delay-Doppler plane. The average receiver responses are estimated from the convolution of the appropriate scattering function with the waveform ambiguity function. Estimates of matched filter processing gain are derived for continuous wave (CW) linear frequency modulation (LFM), and discrete frequency shift keyed (FSK) (hop code) waveforms reflected from point and uniform delay spread scatterers masked by reverberation. These bound matched filter performance for a particular waveform and interference distribution since most delay spread scattering falls somewhere between these extremes. The scattering and ambiguity functions are modeled by bounded constant amplitude functions in delay-Doppler that permit the convolutions to be approximated by overlapping area calculations. The results are presented in tabular form as simple formulas that are functions of the reverberation, noise, and waveform parameters. The estimates are shown to be consistent with processing gain measurements made from multiple realizations of synthesized and in-water data.
Broad spectrum diffusion model for room acoustics ray-tracing algorithms
Authors: Embrechts J. J.
Published: July 2002

Geometrical acoustics methods have already been transformed to account for diffusely reflecting boundaries. In randomized ray-tracing algorithms, the sound rays are either specularly reflected or scattered, according to the value of a random number which is compared with the diffusion factor. However, this method becomes inefficient if this factor depends on frequency, since the process must then be repeated for each frequency band. A method is proposed in this paper to compute all frequency components simultaneously in a single pass. The diffuse reflection model is based on the definition of a new concept: the “splitting coefficient,” which can differ from the diffusion factor. First, the randomized ray-tracing method is described and the diffusion model is applied to a single diffusing surface in free field. It is shown that the results computed by the program are in accordance with theoretical results. Then, the method is shown to work properly when it is applied to more realistic enclosures: This is proved in theory and illustrated by some examples. A particular problem is the increase of the statistical error which has been solved by an appropriate control of the splitting coefficient.
Decay of large underwater bubble oscillations
Authors: McDonald B. Edward , Holland Charles
Published: July 2002

Pressure–time series from breathing-mode oscillation of large (centimeter scale or larger) underwater bubbles reveal much higher decay rates than can be explained using viscous, thermal, or radiative mechanisms which apply to microbubbles. It is shown that if one assumes energy transfer to shape oscillations (surface capillary waves) of large amplitude in subharmonic resonance with the breathing mode [M. S. Longuet-Higgins, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 91, 1414 (1992)], then the shape oscillations can drive fluid motions outside the bubble capable of exciting turbulent instabilities. Application of an appropriate eddy viscosity from mixing-length theory to the viscous decay mechanism appears to offer a credible explanation for the observed large decay rates. An analysis is given to show that energy is transferred from the breathing mode to surface capillaries fast enough to make the proposed decay mechanism viable.
The Flow Behavior of Semirigid and Rigid Poly(vinyl Chloride) Formations
Authors: Utracki L. A. , Bakerdjian Z. , Kamal Musa R.
Published: July 2002

Industrial semirigid and rigid formulations of poly(vinyl chloride) were tested using the cone-and-plate Weissenberg Rheogoniometer in the steady shearing mode and the Instron Capillary Rheometer. The viscosity dependence on shear rate showed a discontinuity at a critical shear stress, σ12,cr, given by log σ12,cr=4.9±0.2 where the shear stress is in dynes/cm2. Both parts of the viscosity-shear rate curve could be superimposed on master curves according to the theory proposed by Graessley and Segal.
Shear-induced particle migration in a polydisperse concentrated suspension
Authors: Shauly Anat , Wachs Amir , Nir Avinoam
Published: July 2002

The shear-induced particle migration in a polydisperse concentrated suspension is described using migration potentials for the various particle size fractions. The model is applied to solve the flow patterns and the particle concentration distributions in bidisperse suspensions in various viscometric flows. For the case of a continuous particle size distribution a formulation of this model in terms of concentration distribution moments is presented. The model predicts the total migration of the particles in the various flow devices and the size segregation of the various fractions. The calculations capture well the few experimental observations reported so far. It is found that in all calculated cases the total energy dissipation rate and, therefore, the power required to drive the flow were diminished considerably at steady state.
Screening for Genital Herpes
Authors: Jin Jill
Published: February 2023

This JAMA Patient Page summarizes the US Preventive Services Task Force’s recent recommendations on screening for genital herpes infection.
Early vs Deferred Non–Messenger RNA COVID-19 Vaccination Among Chinese Patients With a History of Inactive Uveitis
Authors: Zhong Zhenyu , Wu Qiuying , Lai Yuxian , Dai Lingyu , Gao Yu , Liao Weiting , Su Guannan , Wang Yao , Zhou Chunjiang , Yang Peizeng
Published: February 2023

Importance

Improper host response to COVID-19 vaccines could trigger immune-mediated adverse events. The question remains whether COVID-19 vaccination should be postponed until complete remission in patients with uveitis, a preexisting immune-related condition.

Objective

To compare recommendations for early and deferred COVID-19 vaccination with respect to uveitis outcomes.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This open-label, randomized clinical trial at a large, specialized teaching center for uveitis care in China enrolled unvaccinated patients with inactive uveitis between August 10, 2021, and February 22, 2022, with follow-up to June 6, 2022.

Interventions

Participants were randomly assigned to receive recommendation for early or deferred COVID-19 vaccination after complete remission of uveitis. Non–messenger RNA (non-mRNA) COVID-19 vaccines were available in China during the trial.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was the time to symptomatic uveitis worsening during 3 months of follow-up. Secondary outcomes included uveitis activity and best-corrected visual acuity at 3 months.

Results

Of the 543 participants (304 women [56.0%]; median age, 35 [IQR, 26-49] years), 262 were recommended for early vaccination and 281 for deferred vaccination. By month 3, 109 patients (41.6%) in the early group had been vaccinated compared with 14 (5.0%) in the deferred recommendation group. In the intention-to-treat population, the time to symptomatic uveitis worsening was shorter in the early group than in the deferred group (hazard ratio, 1.68 [95% CI, 1.09-2.59]; P = .01 by log-rank test). Changes in anterior chamber cells, vitreous haze, and best-corrected visual acuity from baseline to month 3 appeared similar in the 2 groups in the evaluable population after the month 3 in-person visit.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this randomized clinical trial of patients with inactive uveitis, recommendation for early non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccination resulted in a higher incidence of self-reported symptomatic uveitis worsening with possible reporting bias compared with recommendation for deferred vaccination, but no adverse effects were observed in disease and visual prognosis at 3 months. These findings would be useful to guide the individual timing choices of non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in this clinically vulnerable population.

Trial Registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2100049467
Strategic offloading: How the value of to‐be‐remembered information influences offloading decision‐making
Authors: Murphy Dillon H.
Published: February 2023

We examined potentially selective offloading decisions when the external store has a limited capacity and how the surprising unavailability of offloaded information influences subsequent offloading decision‐making and memory. In three experiments, learners were presented with to‐be‐remembered words paired with point values counting towards their scores if recalled and were allowed to offload some words. Experiment 1 included only positively valued words, Experiment 2 included some negatively valued words, and Experiment 3 included only positively valued words but some extremely high‐value words. Learners selectively offloaded high‐value words (an ideal strategy if the external store is more reliable than memory) but were also selective in their memory for not‐offloaded words. However, when offloaded words were surprisingly unavailable, learners frequently forgot high‐value words, illustrating the potential dangers of offloading. Thus, offloading decisions should depend on the reliability of the external store, memory abilities, and the variability of the value of to‐be‐remembered information.
Identifying and Managing Nociplastic Pain in Individuals With Rheumatic Diseases: A Narrative Review
Authors: Murphy Anne E. , Minhas Deeba , Clauw Daniel J. , Lee Yvonne C.
Published: February 2023

Chronic pain is a burdensome and prevalent symptom in individuals with rheumatic disease. The International Association for the Study of Pain classifies pain into 3 descriptive categories: nociceptive, neuropathic, and nociplastic. These categories are intended to provide information about the mechanisms underlying the pain, which can then serve as targets for drug or non‐drug treatments. This review describes the 3 types of pain as they relate to patients seen by rheumatology health care providers. The focus is on identifying individuals with nociplastic pain, which can either occur in isolation as in fibromyalgia, or as a comorbidity in individuals with primary autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Practical information about how rheumatology health care providers can approach and manage chronic pain is also provided.
Catalytically Induced Robust Inorganic‐Rich Cathode Electrolyte Interphase for 4.5 V Li||NCM622 Batteries
Authors: Wang Zhongsheng , Zhu Chunlei , Liu Jiandong , Hu Xinhong , Yang Yulu , Qi Shihan , Wang Huaping , Wu Daxiong , Huang Junda , He Pengbin , Ma Jianmin
Published: February 2023

Tailoring inorganic components of cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) and solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is critical to improving the cycling performance of lithium metal batteries. However, it is challenging due to complicated electrolyte reactions on cathode/anode surfaces. Herein, the species and inorganic component content of the CEI/SEI is enriched with an objectively gradient distribution through employing pentafluorophenyl 4‐nitrobenzenesulfonate (PFBNBS) as electrolyte additive guided by engineering bond order with functional groups. In addition, a catalytic effect of LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 (NCM622) cathode is proposed on the decomposition of PFBNBS. PFBNBS with lower highest occupied molecular orbital can be preferentially oxidized on the NCM622 surface with the help of the catalytic effect to induce an inorganic‐rich CEI for superior electrochemical performance at high voltage. Moreover, PFBNBS can be reduced on the Li surface due to its lower lowest unoccupied molecular orbital , increasing inorganic moieties in SEI for inhibiting Li dendrite generation. Thus, 4.5 V Li||NCM622 batteries with such electrolyte can retain 70.4% of initial capacity after 500 cycles at 0.2 C, which is attributed to the protective effect of the excellent CEI on NCM622 and the inhibitory effect of its derived CEI/SEI on continuous electrolyte decomposition.
Enhanced Fill Factor and Power Conversion Efficiency of Single Oxide Ferroelectric Photovoltaic Devices with Designed Nanostructures
Authors: Gao Chang , Li Weili , Jing Lu , Wang Zhao , Shi Lei , Sheng Jie , Wang Lidong , Zhao Yu , Fei Weidong
Published: February 2023

The ferroelectric photovoltaic effect has promising potential for the next generation of solar cells. However, due to disadvantages such as wide bandgap and low fill factor (FF), the power conversion efficiency (PCE) values reported in ferroelectric photovoltaic devices remain considerably below expectations. Herein, enhanced photovoltaic effect in the films with the nanostructure of ferroelectric nanocrystalline particles embedded in the amorphous or poor crystalline matrix is investigated. The nanostructures are realized by controlled crystallization and doping in Zn0.92‐xCux(Fe0.04Li0.04)O (ZCFLO) films. Benefiting from the improved carrier dynamic regulation in ferroelectric/boundary nanostructures and narrowed bandgap, the designed ZCFLO photoferroelectrics films exhibit high efficiency photovoltaic effect under AM 1.5G light, manifesting above‐bandgap photovoltage, markedly improved FF (83.4%), switchable photoresponse (50.3 mA W−1), and high PCE (14.4%). Meanwhile, the simple method presented in this work is fully compatible with large‐scale manufacturing processes and may find applications in cost‐efficiency optoelectronic devices.
High‐Efficiency Organic Solar Cells Enabled by Chalcogen Containing Branched Chain Engineering: Balancing Short‐Circuit Current and Open‐Circuit Voltage, Enhancing Fill Factor
Authors: Hai Jiefeng , Song Yuanxia , Li Ling , Liu Xin , Shi Xiaoyu , Huang Zhuoyue , Qian Guangming , Lu Zhenhuan , Yu Jiangsheng , Hu Huawei , Chen Shangshang
Published: February 2023

The elaborate balance between the open‐circuit voltage (VOC) and the short‐circuit current density (JSC) is critical to ensure efficient organic solar cells (OSCs). Herein, the chalcogen containing branched chain engineering is employed to address this dilemma. Three novel nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs), named BTP‐2O, BTP‐O‐S, and BTP‐2S, featuring different peripheral chalcogen containing branched chains are synthesized. Compared with symmetric BTP‐2O and BTP‐2S grafting two alkoxy or alkylthio branched chains, the asymmetric BTP‐O‐S grafting one alkoxy and one alkylthio branched chains shows mediate absorption range, applicable miscibility, and favorable crystallinity. Benefiting from the enhanced π–π stacking and charge transport, an optimal power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.3% is obtained for the PM6:BTP‐O‐S‐based devices, with a good balance between VOC (0.912 V) and JSC (24.5 mA cm−2), and a high fill factor (FF) of 0.775, which is much higher than those of BTP‐2O (16.1%) and BTP‐2S‐based (16.4%) devices. Such a result represents one of the highest efficiencies among the binary OSCs with VOC surpassing 0.9 V. Moreover, the BTP‐O‐S‐based devices fabricated by using green solvent yield a satisfactory PCE of 17.1%. This work highlights the synergistic effect of alkoxy and alkylthio branched chains for high‐performance OSCs by alleviating voltage loss and enhancing FF.
Prioritizing Hetero‐Metallic Interfaces via Thermodynamics Inertia and Kinetics Zincophilia Metrics for Tough Zn‐Based Aqueous Batteries
Authors: Zhao Ruizheng , Dong Xusheng , Liang Pei , Li Hongpeng , Zhang Tengsheng , Zhou Wanhai , Wang Boya , Yang Zhoudong , Wang Xia , Wang Lipeng , Sun Zhihao , Bu Fanxing , Zhao Zaiwang , Li Wei , Zhao Dongyuan , Chao Dongliang
Published: February 2023

Poor thermodynamic stability and sluggish electrochemical kinetics of metallic Zn anode in aqueous solution greatly hamper its practical application. To solve such problems, to date, various zincophilic surface modification strategies are developed, which can facilitate reversible Zn plating/stripping behavior. However, there is still a lack of systematic and fundamental understanding regarding the metrics of thermodynamics inertia and kinetics zincophilia in selecting zincophilic sites. Herein, hetero‐metallic interfaces are prioritized for the first time via optimizing different hetero metals (Fe, Co, Ni, Sn, Bi, Cu, Zn, etc.) and synthetic solvents (ethanol, ethylene glycol, n‐propanol, etc.). Specifically, both theoretical simulations and experimental results suggest that this Bi@Zn interface can exhibit high efficiency owing to the thermodynamics inertia and kinetics zincophilia. A best practice for prioritizing zincophilic sites in a more practical metric is also proposed. As a proof of concept, the Bi@Zn anode delivers ultralow overpotential of ≈55 mV at a high rate of 10 mA cm−2 and stable cycle life over 4700 cycles. The elaborated “thermodynamics inertia and kinetics metalphilia” metrics for hetero‐metallic interfaces can benchmark the success of other metal‐based batteries.
Tetramode Metamaterials as Phonon Polarizers
Authors: Groß Michael Fidelis , Schneider Jonathan Ludwig Günter , Wei Yu , Chen Yi , Kalt Sebastian , Kadic Muamer , Liu Xiaoning , Hu Genkai , Wegener Martin
Published: February 2023

In classical Cauchy elasticity, 3D materials exhibit six eigenmodes of deformation. Following the 1995 work of Milton and Cherkaev, extremal elastic materials can be classified by the number of eigenmodes, N, out of these six that are “easy”. Using Greek number words, this leads to hexamode (N = 6), pentamode (N = 5), tetramode (N = 4), trimode (N = 3), dimode (N = 2), and monomode (N = 1) materials. While hexamode materials are unstable in all regards, the possibility of pentamode metamaterials (“meta‐fluids”) has attracted considerable attention throughout the last decade. Here, inspired by the 2021 theoretical work of Wei, Liu, and Hu, microstructured 3D polymer‐based tetramode metamaterials are designed and characterized by numerical band‐structure calculations, fabricated by laser printing, characterized by ultrasound experiments, and compared to the theoretical ideal. An application in terms of a compact and broadband polarizer for acoustical phonons at ultrasound frequencies is demonstrated.
3D In Vitro Blood‐Brain‐Barrier Model for Investigating Barrier Insults
Authors: Wei Wei , Cardes Fernando , Hierlemann Andreas , Modena Mario M.
Published: February 2023

Blood‐brain‐barrier (BBB) disruption has been associated with a variety of central‐nervous‐system diseases. In vitro BBB models enable to investigate how the barrier reacts to external injury events, commonly referred to as insults. Here, a human‐cell‐based BBB platform with integrated, transparent electrodes to monitor barrier tightness in real time at high resolution is presented. The BBB model includes human cerebral endothelial cells and primary pericytes and astrocytes in a 3D arrangement within a pump‐free, open‐microfluidic platform. With this platform, this study demonstrates that oxygen‐glucose deprivation (OGD), which mimics the characteristics of an ischemic insult, induces a rapid remodeling of the cellular actin structures and subsequent morphological changes in the endothelial cells. High‐resolution live imaging shows the formation of large actin stress‐fiber bundles in the endothelial layer during OGD application, which ultimately leads to cell shrinkage and barrier breakage. Simultaneous electrical measurements evidence a rapid decrease of the barrier electrical resistance before the appearance of stress fibers, which indicates that the barrier function is compromised already before the appearance of drastic morphological changes. The results demonstrate that the BBB platform recapitulates the main barrier functions in vitro and can be used to investigate rapid reorganization of the BBB upon application of external stimuli.
CDKAL1 Drives the Maintenance of Cancer Stem‐Like Cells by Assembling the eIF4F Translation Initiation Complex
Authors: Huang Rongsheng , Yamamoto Takahiro , Nakata Eiji , Ozaki Toshifumi , Kurozumi Kazuhiko , Wei Fanyan , Tomizawa Kazuhito , Fujimura Atsushi
Published: February 2023

Cancer stem‐like cells (CSCs) have a unique translation mode, but little is understood about the process of elongation, especially the contribution of tRNA modifications to the maintenance of CSCs properties. Here, it is reported that, contrary to the initial aim, a tRNA‐modifying methylthiotransferase CDKAL1 promotes CSC‐factor SALL2 synthesis by assembling the eIF4F translation initiation complex. CDKAL1 expression is upregulated in patients with worse prognoses and is essential for maintaining CSCs in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) and common cancers. Translatome analysis reveals that a group of mRNAs whose translation is CDKAL1‐dependent contains cytosine‐rich sequences in the 5’ untranslated region (5’UTR). Mechanistically, CDKAL1 promotes the translation of such mRNAs by organizing the eIF4F translation initiation complex. This complex formation does not require the enzyme activity of CDKAL1 but requires only the NH2‐terminus domain of CDKAL1. Furthermore, sites in CDKAL1 essential for forming the eIF4F complex are identified and discovered candidate inhibitors of CDKAL1‐dependent translation.
Multicomponent Selective Thioetherification of KSAc: Easy Access to Symmetrical/Unsymmetrical 4‐Alkylthio‐3‐halo‐2(5H)‐furanones
Authors: Zhou Yong‐Jun , Fang Yong‐Gan , Yang Kai , Yu Shi‐Wei , Chen Zu‐Jia , Wang Bi‐Cheng , Zhan Hai‐Ying , Wang Zhao‐Yang
Published: February 2023

An easy two‐/three‐component selective thioetherification of KSAc for the synthesis of a series of symmetrical/unsymmetrical 4‐alkylthio‐3‐halo‐2(5H)‐furanones has been described. The reaction without any metal catalyst or additive is carried out in air atmosphere at room temperature for 5 h, only using potassium thioacetate as an odourless sulfur source and a base simultaneously. The broad substrate scope and high yield make it important for the studies on both constructing C−S bond based on non‐aryl Csp2−X bond and synthesizing new 2(5H)‐furanone functional molecules.
Aktivitätssteigerung von Hydrogenase zur photokatalytischen Wasserstofferzeugung an Luft mittels Lösemitteltuning
Authors: Allan Michael G. , Pichon Thomas , McCune Jade A. , Cavazza Christine , Le Goff Alan , Kühnel Moritz F.
Published: February 2023

Diese Arbeit untersucht die Aktivität der [NiFeSe]‐Hydrogenase aus Desulfomicrobium Baculatum zur solargetriebenen Wasserstofferzeugung in organischen stark eutektischen Lösemitteln. Obwohl Hydrogenasen bekanntermaßen empfindlich gegenüber Luft und organischen Lösemitteln sind, zeigt die hier untersuchte Hydrogenase eine beachtliche Aktivität in aerober Atmosphäre, wenn sie in stark eutektischen Lösemitteln mit TiO2 als Photokatalysator kombiniert wird. Die Feinabstimmung des Wassergehalts im Lösemittel ermöglicht eine weitere Steigerung der Wasserstoffentwicklung zu einer TOF von 60±3 s−1 und einer Quantenausbeute von 2,3±0,4 % an Luft, während die TOF in rein wässriger Lösung an Luft lediglich 4 s−1 beträgt. Entgegen der weitverbreiteten Meinung zeigt diese Arbeit somit, dass natürliche Hydrogenasen in unnatürlichen Umgebungen eine höhere Leistung erzielen können. Diese Erkenntnis ebnet den Weg für vollständige Wasserspaltung mithilfe von Hydrogenasen.
A Hydrolyzable Supra‐amphiphile as a Marangoni Self‐Propulsion Fuel for Efficient Macroscopic Supramolecular Self‐Assembly
Authors: Lu Guoxin , Zhu Guiqiang , Zhang Qian , Tian Pan , Cheng Mengjiao , Shi Feng
Published: February 2023

Self‐assembly of μm‐to‐mm components is important for achieving all‐scale ordering with requirements of extra energy for motion and interaction of components. Marangoni flows caused by surfactants on water provide appropriate energy but have limited lifetimes because of the inevitable interfacial aggregation and difficult decomposition of aggregated covalent surfactants that inactivate Marangoni effects. Here we have synthesized a supra‐amphiphile Marangoni “fuel”—sodium‐4‐(benzylideneamino) benzenesulfonate (SBBS)—that can be hydrolyzed in a timely manner to a species without surface activity to extend the motion time by 10‐fold. The motion was optimized at pH=2 by a fine equilibrium between the releasing and removal of interfacial SBBS, leading to the self‐assembly of millimeter‐scaled ordered dimers. The underlying mechanism was interpreted by motion analyses and simulation. This strategy provides an active solution to self‐assembly at the μm‐to‐mm scale, as well as interactive ideas between miniaturized chemical robots.
Chiral Calix[3]pyrrole Derivatives: Synthesis, Racemization Kinetics, and Ring Expansion to Calix[9]‐ and Calix[12]pyrrole Analogues
Authors: Inaba Yuya , Yang Jian , Kakibayashi Yu , Yoneda Tomoki , Ide Yuki , Hijikata Yuh , Pirillo Jenny , Saha Ranajit , Sessler Jonathan L. , Inokuma Yasuhide
Published: February 2023

Chiral pyrrolic macrocycles continue to attract interest. However, their molecular design remains challenging. Here, we report a calixpyrrole‐based chiral macrocyclic system, calix[1]furan[1]pyrrole[1]thiophene (1), synthesized from an oligoketone. Macrocycle 1 adopts a partial cone conformation in the solid state, and undergoes racemization via ring inversion. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that inversion of the thiophene is the rate determining step. Pyrrole N‐methylation suppressed racemization and permitted chiral resolution. Enantioselective N‐methylation also occurred in the presence of a chiral ammonium salt, although the stereoselectivity is modest. A unique feature of 1 is that it acts as a useful synthetic precursor to yield several calix[n]furan[n]pyrrole[n]thiophene products (n=2–4), including a calix[12]pyrrole analogue that to our knowledge constitutes the largest calix[n]pyrrole‐like species to be structurally characterized.