bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Hook Test Is Not Pathognomonic for Foveal Detachment of the Triangular Fibrocartilage
Authors: Ecker Jeff , Pavleski Karolina , Andrijich Courtney
Published: July 2023

Background The integrity of the foveal insertion of the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is currently assessed by inference using the hook test. Using dry arthroscopic techniques, the primary author observed that many patients with painful distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) instability and a positive hook test had an intact foveal insertion. This study was performed to determine whether a positive hook test is a reliable index of a tear of the foveal insertion.

Technique The hook test is performed using a probe to elevate the TFCC off the ulna head toward the articular surface of the lunate. In this study, the hook test was considered positive if the TFCC could be elevated to bridge more than 80% of the space between the TFCC and the articular surface of the lunate.

Patients and Methods A retrospective study was performed using the medical records and arthroscopic videos of 113 patients who had clinical signs of DRUJ instability and underwent arthroscopic surgery performed by the primary author in 2020. It was documented whether the hook test was positive or negative, whether the foveal insertion was intact, abnormal or absent, and whether there were peripheral (dorsal or volar) tears of the TFCC. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using arthroscopic findings as the reference standard.

Results The sensitivity of the hook test was found to be 100%, and the specificity was 7.0%. The positive predictive value for foveal pathology was found to be 12.3% and the negative predictive value 100%. The diagnostic accuracy of the hook test in determining the presence of foveal tears was found to be 17.7%. The diagnostic accuracy of the hook test in determining the presence of a TFCC abnormality was 99.1%.

Conclusions A positive hook test is indicative of a tear of the TFCC, but it is not anatomically specific for a tear of the foveal insertion. To reliably assess the foveal insertion, it must be visualized and probed using dry arthroscopic techniques.
The Diagnostic Approach to Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Torbicki Adam , Kurzyna Marcin
Published: July 2023

The clinical presentation of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is nonspecific, resulting in significant delays in its detection. In the majority of cases, PH is a marker of the severity of other cardiopulmonary diseases. Differential diagnosis aimed at the early identification of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) who do require specific and complex therapies is as important as PH detection itself. Despite all efforts aimed at the noninvasive assessment of pulmonary arterial pressure, the formal confirmation of PH still requires catheterization of the right heart and pulmonary artery. The current document will give an overview of strategies aimed at the early diagnosis of PAH and CTEPH, while avoiding their overdiagnosis. It is not intended to be a replica of the recently published European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Respiratory Society (ERS) Guidelines on Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension, freely available at the Web sites of both societies. While promoting guidelines' recommendations, including those on new definitions of PH, we will try to bring them closer to everyday clinical practice, benefiting from our personal experience in managing patients with suspected PH.
Perioperative Management in Pulmonary Endarterectomy
Authors: Jenkins David P. , Martinez Guillermo , Salaunkey Kiran , Reddy S. Ashwin , Pepke-Zaba Joanna
Published: July 2023

Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is the treatment of choice for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (PH), provided lesions are proximal enough in the pulmonary vasculature to be surgically accessible and the patient is well enough to benefit from the operation in the longer term. It is a major cardiothoracic operation, requiring specialized techniques and instruments developed over several decades to access and dissect out the intra-arterial fibrotic material. While in-hospital operative mortality is low (<5%), particularly in high-volume centers, careful perioperative management in the operating theater and intensive care is mandatory to balance ventricular performance, fluid balance, ventilation, and coagulation to avoid or treat complications. Reperfusion pulmonary edema, airway hemorrhage, and right ventricular failure are the most problematic complications, often requiring the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to bridge to recovery. Successful PEA has been shown to improve both morbidity and mortality in large registries, with survival >70% at 10 years. For patients not suitable for PEA or with residual PH after PEA, balloon pulmonary angioplasty and/or PH medical therapy may prove beneficial. Here, we describe the indications for PEA, specific surgical and perioperative strategies, postoperative monitoring and management, and approaches for managing residual PH in the long term.
Antibiofilm Activity of Different Washing Solutions against Biofilms in Cystic Fibrosis Patients' Nasal Cavities
Authors: Tüzemen Gökhan , Tüzemen Nazmiye Ülkü , Erkan Alkan Perihan , Özakın Cüneyt
Published: July 2023

Objective Bacterial biofilm formation is a multistep process involving bacterial adhesion to inorganic or mucosal surfaces. We aimed to identify Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains colonizing the respiratory tracts of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and to gauge the antibiofilm potential of streptomycin and ozone solutions against them.

Methods Bacteria were obtained from CF patients' sputum samples processed in our microbiology laboratory over 1 year (2021–2022). A total of 26 nonduplicate strains (13 S. aureus and 13 P. aeruginosa) were included in this study.

Results Both ozone and streptomycin solutions showed significant inhibitory activity. However, when faced with mature biofilm, the streptomycin solution had a significantly more substantial impact than the ozone solution. Furthermore, the ozone solution had no inhibitory effect on mature P. aeruginosa biofilm.

Conclusion Ozone and streptomycin solutions might be used as nasal irrigation to eliminate the biofilms in patients with CF in acute respiratory infections. However, our in vitro observations would need to be confirmed in vivo. In chronic inflammation, ozone solution cannot degrade the mature biofilm of P. aeruginosa, whereas streptomycin solution can degrade such biofilms. This result is promising in lessening the biofilms associated with these bacteria that colonize patients with CF.
Connectomic Networks and Their Impact on Clinical Outcomes in Glioma Treatment: A Review
Authors: Rawanduzy Cameron A. , Earl Emma R. , Brooks Jaden B. , Khan Majid , Dadario Nicholas B. , Sughrue Michael E. , Karsy Michael
Published: July 2023

The emerging field of connectomics has provided an improved understanding of the structural and functional organization of the human brain into large-scale brain networks. Recent studies have helped define the canonical neurological networks and outline how considering their presence may aid in surgical decision-making in brain tumor patients. Gliomas represent one of the most common types of brain tumor and often involve displacement and/or infiltration of neurological pathways, suggesting an opportunity to use connectomic maps to improve patient morbidity and mortality based on oncofunctional goals. This review aims to provide a working knowledge of important neurological networks, examine the use of networks in surgical planning, and describe the current literature discussing the impact of these networks on clinical outcomes in glioma resection.
Weekend versus Weekday Procedures for Total Hip Arthroplasties
Authors: Okpara Shawn , Ghali Abdullah , Momtaz David , Cushing Tucker , Kotzur Travis , Han Albert , Mitchell Parker , Pearl Adam , Bora Varun , Seifi Ali , Saleh Khaled J.
Published: July 2023

The “weekend effect” is the phenomenon that claims increased adverse outcomes for weekend procedures compared to weekday procedures. However, there is significant controversy regarding such disparities in elective orthopaedic surgeries. With the increasing demand for hip arthroplasty projected over the next 20 years, it is important to investigate a possible “weekend effect” to optimize outcomes and cost-effectiveness. In this study, we investigate the association between weekday versus weekend total hip arthroplasty (THA) and postoperative outcomes using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) data. We performed a retrospective analysis of the HCUP database between 2002 and 2020 comparing THAs done Monday to Friday versus THAs done Saturday to Sunday. Data collected included patient demographics and comorbidities, hospital length of stay, admission to procedure time, discharge disposition, mortality, and outcome data through postoperative day 30. THAs performed on weekends were associated with significantly increased length of stay, total charges, admission-to-procedure time, and mortality compared to those on weekdays. Our findings suggest that the development of nationwide programs to standardize care and weekend case management for THA patients can potentially help reduce health care costs, improve operative outcomes, and reduce the discrepancy between weekend and weekday surgeries.
Green bond issuance and corporate ESG performance: the perspective of internal attention and external supervision
Authors: Chen Jinyu , Yang Yan , Liu Ran , Geng Yuan , Ren Xiaohang
Published: July 2023

Based on the staggered difference-in-difference (DID) model, this paper uses Chinese listed firms between 2012 and 2020 to investigate the impact of green bond issuance on corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. We provide evidence that green bond issuance positively enhances corporate ESG performance. Green bond issuance mainly promotes corporate ESG performance through the internal attention effect and the external supervision effect. Moreover, the positive correlation between green bond issuance and corporate ESG performance is more prominent among companies with larger size, higher government subsidies and executives with environmental experience. The extended analysis shows that green bond issuance can promote the enhancement of firm valuation. This study provides theoretical guidance for the use of green financial systems to promote corporate ESG performance.
Triply differential cross sections for electron and positron impact on methane
Authors: Singh Prithvi , Bagul Vijay , Champion Christophe
Published: July 2023

We here report theoretical triply differential cross sections (TDCS) for 250 eV electron and positron impact ionization of the methane molecule calculated within the second-order distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA2) for various momentum transfer conditions. The experimental data taken from Işık et al. [J. Phys. B: At., Mol. Opt. Phys. 49, 065203 (2016)] will be compared with the current theoretical predictions as well as molecular three body distorted wave (M3DW) approximation and generalized Sturmian function (GSF) theoretical models in a non-coplanar geometry. In the low analyzer scattering plane, the results obtained within the DWBA2 theory show better agreement with the experimental results compared to the GSF results. The M3DW results also exhibit agreement with the experimental results, in particular in the perpendicular plane geometry. Furthermore, significant differences between electron and positron TDCS were observed.
Significantly reduced thermal conductivity and enhanced thermoelectric performance of twisted bilayer graphene
Authors: Kumar Naveen , Chaudhuri Abhirup , Arya Vinay , Bakli Chirodeep , Bera Chandan
Published: July 2023

Twisted bilayer graphene (tBLG) is an intriguing low-dimensional material due to the possible modulation of electronic and thermal properties and a subject of intense research, both for its fundamental physics as well as for its potential in technological applications. Here, the thermoelectric properties of bilayer graphene are investigated for twist angles of 0° and 20°. The thermoelectric properties are calculated using density functional theory, molecular dynamics, and Boltzmann transport theory. An increase in the power factor is observed for 20° tBLG due to an increase in the Seebeck coefficient by 2.2 times at 700 K. The thermal conductivity for 20° tBLG is reduced by 20% and 22% for 325 and 700 K, respectively, as compared to BLG. Consequently, an overall ∼3 times enhancement of a thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) for 20° tBLG compared to BLG at 700 K is obtained. A strong effect of boundary scattering on thermal transport is observed. However, for electron transport, it is negligible for 20° tBLG. Due to this combined effect, an increase of 194 times in ZT is obtained at a ribbon width of L=10 nm and T = 700 K for 20° tBLG. This indicates that 20° twisted bilayer graphene could be an efficient thermoelectric power generator and can be a suitable material for carbon-based technology and devices.
Magnetic self-assembly of 3D multicellular microscaffolds: A biomimetic brain tumor-on-a-chip for drug delivery and selectivity testing
Authors: Marino Attilio , Battaglini Matteo , Carmignani Alessio , Pignatelli Francesca , De Pasquale Daniele , Tricinci Omar , Ciofani Gianni
Published: July 2023

In recent years, the need for highly predictive brain cancer models to test new anticancer compounds and experimental therapeutic approaches has significantly increased. Realistic in vitro brain tumor-on-a-chip platforms would allow a more accurate selection of valid candidate drugs and nanomedicines, therefore alleviating the economic and ethical issues of unsuccessful studies in vivo. Here, we present a multi-functional self-assembled brain tumor-on-a-chip model characterized by 3D glioma cultures interfaced both to nonmalignant brain cells of the peritumoral niche and to a 3D-real-scale blood–brain barrier (BBB) microfluidic system. This platform allowed us to screen multiple features, such as BBB crossing capabilities, apoptotic efficacy against GBM cells, and side effects on nonmalignant brain cells of a promising anticancer drug, nutlin-3a, which is fundamental for the treatment of brain cancer.
Rainbow trapping for sound waves in one-dimensional topological insulator
Authors: Liu Chen , Zhang Zhiwang , Liao Danwei , Yue Zichong , Ma Chengrong , Cheng Ying , Liu Xiaojun
Published: July 2023

Over the recent decade, topological insulators, originating from the condensed matter physics, have resided at the frontier in the field of acoustics owing to their novel topological properties for manipulating robust wave propagation, which have also opened an intriguing landscape for potential applications. At the meantime, gradually slowing down acoustic waves with metamaterials allows temporary storage of sound, leading to the exploration of so-called trapped rainbow. However, most of the current studies are reported in a topological trivial context with complex structures, and it is hitherto still a challenge to obtain the high-efficient acoustic rainbow trapping effect in a straightforward setup. Here, we propose an acoustic gradient topological insulator in the one-dimensional system to realize a highly efficient rainbow trapping device. Based on the acoustic analogous Su–Schrieffer–Heeger model, we tune the eigenfrequencies of the topological interface states through modulating the neck widths of Helmholtz resonators. The experimentally measured pressure spectra clearly show that the proposed structure could tightly trap the broad-band sound waves at the target spatial positions. Our proposal may provide versatile possibilities for the design of topological acoustic devices.
Probing Griffiths phase like behavior and exchange bias phenomena in 6H Ba3Co0.5Mn0.5Ru2O9 by B-site doping
Authors: Kurian Mahima M. , Tan Zhenhong , Shimakawa Yuichi , Santhosh P. N.
Published: July 2023

Compositional tuning of magnetic properties to provide technologically useful results is in the forefront of research in complex oxides. Taking advantage of the highly sensitive nature of magnetism in 6H barium ruthenates (Ba3MRu2O9, M = transition metals or rare earth ions) to composition, we have carried out M-site dual doping by 50% each of Co and Mn. The high pressure and high temperature synthesized sample of 6H Ba3Co0.5Mn0.5Ru2O9 shows giant exchange bias (5.71 kOe at 5 K and 50 kOe cooling field) and huge coercivity (9.42 kOe at 5 K) at low temperature along with Griffiths phase like behavior in the 136 K < T < 260 K temperature range. The presence of ferromagnetic (FM) clusters in a non-collinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) background for temperature below 136 K is assumed. These FM clusters extend above 136 K to persist until 260 K, and the system finally reaches the paramagnetic (PM) state closer to room temperature. The exchange bias phenomena diminish above 20 K and this could be correlated with the peculiar nature of magnetic isotherms above and below this temperature. The transition at 136 K is regarded as AFM short-range ordering from ac and dc magnetization studies and heat capacity measurement. The presence of short-range interactions at temperatures until the PM region forms the basis of Griffiths phase like behavior in this sample.
Electron and Ar+ interaction with Mo(CO)6 at thermal energies; energetic limit on removal of 5 ligands from Mo(CO)6+
Authors: Miller Thomas M. , Lewis Tucker W. R. , Ard Shaun G. , Viggiano Albert A. , Shuman Nicholas S.
Published: July 2023

The rate constant for electron attachment to Mo(CO)6 was determined to be ka = 2.4 ± 0.6 × 10−7 cm3 s−1 at 297 K in a flowing-afterglow Langmuir-probe experiment. The sole anion product is Mo(CO)5−. A small decline in ka was observed up to 450 K, and decomposition was apparent at higher temperatures. The charge transfer reaction of Ar+ with Mo(CO)6 is exothermic by 7.59 ± 0.03 eV, which appears to be sufficient to remove the first 5 ligands from Mo(CO)6+.
Effects of intramolecular chain conformation on the hydration and miscibility of polyethylene glycol in water studied by means of polymer reference interaction site model theory
Authors: Yamaguchi Tsuyoshi , Chong Song-Ho , Yoshida Norio
Published: July 2023

To examine the conventional idea that the gauche conformation of the OCCO dihedral angle promotes the dissolution of polyethylene glycol (PEG) in water through strong hydration, the thermodynamic properties of liquid mixtures of PEG and water were studied by means of polymer reference interaction site model (PRISM) theory. The intramolecular correlation functions required as input for PRISM theory were calculated by the generator matrix method, accompanied by changes in the distribution of dihedral angles. In the infinite dilution limit, the increased probability of gauche conformation of the OCCO dihedral angles stabilizes the hydration of PEG through enhanced hydrogen bonding between the ether oxygen of PEG and water. The mixing Gibbs energies of the liquid mixtures were also calculated in the whole concentration range based on the Gibbs–Duhem equation, as per our recent proposal. A liquid–liquid phase separation was observed when all the dihedral angles of PEG were in the trans conformation; for the liquid mixture to be miscible in the whole concentration range, the introduction of the OCCO gauche conformation was found to be indispensable. The above theoretical results support the conventional idea that the OCCO gauche conformation is important for the high miscibility of PEG and water.
Photoconductivity, pyroconductivity, and pyroelectricity effects in photodetection of layer-structured CuInP2S6/MoS2 heterojunction
Authors: Qiu Dan , Hou Pengfei , Wang Jinbin , Ouyang Xiaoping
Published: July 2023

Layer-structured ferroelectric material-modulated heterojunctions are promising for use as photodetectors. However, the mechanism behind their photodetection performance, including photoconductivity, pyroconductivity, and pyroelectricity effects, has not yet been fully studied. Herein, we present a CuInP2S6/MoS2 heterojunction with a layered structure, in which the narrow bandgap of MoS2 extends the detection wavelength range with a specific detectivity (D*) of 108–1010 Jones. The pyroelectric effect, dominated by polarization, introduces significant current peaks and valleys when the light is turned on and off. A competitive mechanism is discovered among the photoconductivity, pyroconductivity, and pyroelectricity effects. At low optical power intensities, the pyroconductivity effect is dominant under 405 nm light, while the pyroelectricity effect dominates under 808 nm light. However, at high optical power intensities, both the photoconductivity and pyroconductivity effects become dominant, regardless of the light wavelength. The responsivity (R), external quantum efficiency (EQE), and D* of the CuInP2S6/MoS2 heterojunction are two orders of magnitude for 405 nm light compared to 808 nm light. These results not only demonstrate the coupling effect among the photoconductivity, pyroconductivity, and pyroelectricity effects in the photodetection of layer-structured CuInP2S6/MoS2 heterojunctions but also highlight the potential applications of these heterojunctions in multifunctional devices, provided that these effects can be clearly distinguished.
Analytical study of the Lorenz system: Existence of infinitely many periodic orbits and their topological characterization
Authors: Pinsky Tali
Published: July 2023

We consider the Lorenz equations, a system of three-dimensional ordinary differential equations modeling atmospheric convection. These equations are chaotic and hard to study even numerically, and so a simpler “geometric model” has been introduced in the seventies. One of the classical problems in dynamical systems is to relate the original equations to the geometric model. This has been achieved numerically by Tucker for the classical parameter values and remains open for general values. In this paper, we establish analytically a relation to the geometric model for a different set of parameter values that we prove must exist. This is facilitated by finding a way to apply topological tools developed for the study of surface dynamics to the more intricate case of three-dimensional flows.
Stable diverse food webs become more common when interactions are more biologically constrained
Authors: Gellner Gabriel , McCann Kevin , Hastings Alan
Published: July 2023

Ecologists have long sought to understand how diversity and structure mediate the stability of whole ecosystems. For high-diversity food webs, the interactions between species are typically represented using matrices with randomly chosen interaction strengths. Unfortunately, this procedure tends to produce ecological systems with no underlying equilibrium solution, and so ecological inferences from this approach may be biased by nonbiological outcomes. Using recent computationally efficient methodological advances from metabolic networks, we employ for the first time an inverse approach to diversity–stability research. We compare classical random interaction matrices of realistic food web topology (hereafter the classical model) to feasible, biologically constrained, webs produced using the inverse approach. We show that an energetically constrained feasible model yields a far higher proportion of stable high-diversity webs than the classical random matrix approach. When we examine the energetically constrained interaction strength distributions of these matrix models, we find that although these diverse webs have consistent negative self-regulation, they do not require strong self-regulation to persist. These energetically constrained diverse webs instead show an increasing preponderance of weak interactions that are known to increase local stability. Further examination shows that some of these weak interactions naturally appear to arise in the model food webs from a constraint-generated realistic generalist–specialist trade-off, whereby generalist predators have weaker interactions than more specialized species. Additionally, the inverse technique we present here has enormous promise for understanding the role of the biological structure behind stable high-diversity webs and for linking empirical data to the theory.
Fluctuotaxis: Nanoscale directional motion away from regions of fluctuation
Authors: Chen Yang , Zhu Fangyan , Leng Jiantao , Ying Tianquan , Jiang Jin-Wu , Zhou Quan , Chang Tienchong , Guo Wanlin , Gao Huajian
Published: July 2023

Regulating the motion of nanoscale objects on a solid surface is vital for a broad range of technologies such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, and mechanotechnology. In spite of impressive advances achieved in the field, there is still a lack of a robust mechanism which can operate under a wide range of situations and in a controllable manner. Here, we report a mechanism capable of controllably driving directed motion of any nanoobjects (e.g., nanoparticles, biomolecules, etc.) in both solid and liquid forms. We show via molecular dynamics simulations that a nanoobject would move preferentially away from the fluctuating region of an underlying substrate, a phenomenon termed fluctuotaxis—for which the driving force originates from the difference in atomic fluctuations of the substrate behind and ahead of the object. In particular, we find that the driving force can depend quadratically on both the amplitude and frequency of the substrate and can thus be tuned flexibly. The proposed driving mechanism provides a robust and controllable way for nanoscale mass delivery and has potential in various applications including nanomotors, molecular machines, etc.
HSP90β prevents aging-related cataract formation through regulation of the charged multivesicular body protein (CHMP4B) and p53
Authors: Fu Jia-Ling , Zheng Shu-Yu , Wang Yan , Hu Xue-Bin , Xiao Yuan , Wang Jing-Miao , Zhang Lan , Wang Ling , Nie Qian , Hou Min , Bai Yue-Yue , Gan Yu-Wen , Liang Xing-Miao , Xie Liu-Liu , Li David Wan-Cheng
Published: July 2023

Cataract is a leading ocular disease causing global blindness. The mechanism of cataractogenesis has not been well defined. Here, we demonstrate that the heat shock protein 90β (HSP90β) plays a fundamental role in suppressing cataractogenesis. HSP90β is the most dominant HSP in normal lens, and its constitutive high level of expression is largely derived from regulation by Sp1 family transcription factors. More importantly, HSP90β is significantly down-regulated in human cataract patients and in aging mouse lenses, whereas HSP90β silencing in zebrafish causes cataractogenesis, which can only be rescued by itself but not other HSP90 genes. Mechanistically, HSP90β can directly interact with CHMP4B, a newly-found client protein involved in control of cytokinesis. HSP90β silencing causes upregulation of CHMP4B and another client protein, the tumor suppressor p53. CHMP4B upregulation or overexpression induces excessive division of lens epithelial cells without proper differentiation. As a result, these cells were triggered to undergo apoptosis due to activation of the p53/Bak–Bim pathway, leading to cataractogenesis and microphthalmia. Silence of both HSP90β and CHMP4B restored normal phenotype of zebrafish eye. Together, our results reveal that HSP90β is a critical inhibitor of cataractogenesis through negative regulation of CHMP4B and the p53-Bak/Bim pathway.
Neuronal diversity of neuropeptide signaling, including galanin, in the mouse locus coeruleus
Authors: Caramia Martino , Romanov Roman A. , Sideromenos Spyridon , Hevesi Zsofia , Zhao Ming , Krasniakova Marharyta , Xu Zhi-Qing David , Harkany Tibor , Hökfelt Tomas G. M.
Published: July 2023

The locus coeruleus (LC) is a small nucleus in the pons from which ascending and descending projections innervate major parts of the central nervous system. Its major transmitter is norepinephrine (NE). This system is evolutionarily conserved, including in humans, and its functions are associated with wakefulness and related to disorders, such as depression. Here, we performed single-cell ribonucleic acid-sequencing (RNA-seq) to subdivide neurons in the LC (24 clusters in total) into 3 NE, 17 glutamate, and 5 γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) subtypes, and to chart their neuropeptide, cotransmitter, and receptor profiles. We found that NE neurons expressed at least 19 neuropeptide transcripts, notably galanin (
Gal
) but not
Npy
, and >30 neuropeptide receptors. Among the galanin receptors,
Galr1
was expressed in ~19% of NE neurons, as was also confirmed by in situ hybridization. Unexpectedly,
Galr1
was highly expressed in GABA neurons surrounding the NE ensemble. Patch-clamp electrophysiology and cell-type-specific Ca
2+
-imaging using GCaMP6s revealed that a GalR1 agonist inhibits up to ~35% of NE neurons. This effect is direct and does not rely on feed-forward GABA inhibition. Our results define a role for the galanin system in NE functions, and a conceptual framework for the action of many other peptides and their receptors.
Electrolytes with moderate lithium polysulfide solubility for high-performance long-calendar-life lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Gao Xin , Yu Zhiao , Wang Jingyang , Zheng Xueli , Ye Yusheng , Gong Huaxin , Xiao Xin , Yang Yufei , Chen Yuelang , Bone Sharon E. , Greenburg Louisa C. , Zhang Pu , Su Hance , Affeld Jordan , Bao Zhenan , Cui Yi
Published: July 2023

Lithium–sulfur (Li-S) batteries with high energy density and low cost are promising for next-generation energy storage. However, their cycling stability is plagued by the high solubility of lithium polysulfide (LiPS) intermediates, causing fast capacity decay and severe self-discharge. Exploring electrolytes with low LiPS solubility has shown promising results toward addressing these challenges. However, here, we report that electrolytes with moderate LiPS solubility are more effective for simultaneously limiting the shuttling effect and achieving good Li-S reaction kinetics. We explored a range of solubility from 37 to 1,100 mM (based on S atom, [S]) and found that a moderate solubility from 50 to 200 mM [S] performed the best. Using a series of electrolyte solvents with various degrees of fluorination, we formulated the
S
ingle-
S
olvent,
S
ingle-
S
alt,
S
tandard
S
alt concentration with
M
oderate L
i
PSs so
l
ubility
E
lectrolytes (termed

S
6
MILE

) for Li-S batteries. Among the designed electrolytes, Li-S cells using fluorinated-1,2-diethoxyethane S
6
MILE (F4DEE-S
6
MILE) showed the highest capacity of 1,160 mAh g
−1
at 0.05 C at room temperature. At 60 °C, fluorinated-1,4-dimethoxybutane S
6
MILE (F4DMB-S
6
MILE) gave the highest capacity of 1,526 mAh g
−1
at 0.05 C and an average CE of 99.89% for 150 cycles at 0.2 C under lean electrolyte conditions. This is a fivefold increase in cycle life compared with other conventional ether-based electrolytes. Moreover, we observed a long calendar aging life, with a capacity increase/recovery of 4.3% after resting for 30 d using F4DMB-S
6
MILE. Furthermore, the correlation between LiPS solubility, degree of fluorination of the electrolyte solvent, and battery performance was systematically investigated.
ER chaperone GRP78/BiP translocates to the nucleus under stress and acts as a transcriptional regulator
Authors: Liu Ze , Liu Guanlin , Ha Dat P. , Wang Justin , Xiong Min , Lee Amy S.
Published: July 2023

Cancer cells are commonly subjected to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. To gain survival advantage, cancer cells exploit the adaptive aspects of the unfolded protein response such as upregulation of the ER luminal chaperone GRP78. The finding that when overexpressed, GRP78 can escape to other cellular compartments to gain new functions regulating homeostasis and tumorigenesis represents a paradigm shift. Here, toward deciphering the mechanisms whereby GRP78 knockdown suppresses
EGFR
transcription, we find that nuclear GRP78 is prominent in cancer and stressed cells and uncover a nuclear localization signal critical for its translocation and nuclear activity. Furthermore, nuclear GRP78 can regulate expression of genes and pathways, notably those important for cell migration and invasion, by interacting with and inhibiting the activity of the transcriptional repressor ID2. Our study reveals a mechanism for cancer cells to respond to ER stress via transcriptional regulation mediated by nuclear GRP78 to adopt an invasive phenotype.
Predicting the effect of mutations to investigate recent events of selection across 60,472
Escherichia coli
strains
Authors: Vigué Lucile , Tenaillon Olivier
Published: July 2023

Microbial genomics studies focusing on the dynamics of selection have often used a small number of distant genomes. As a result, they could only analyze mutations that had become fixed during the divergence between species. However, thousands of genomes of some species are now available in public databases, thanks to high-throughput sequencing. These data provide a more complete picture of the polymorphisms segregating within a species, offering a unique insight into the processes that shape the recent evolution of a species. In this study, we present GLASS (Gene-Level Amino-acid Score Shift), a selection test that is based on the predicted effects of amino acid changes. By comparing the distribution of effects of mutations observed in a gene to the expectation in the absence of selection, GLASS can quantify the intensity of selection. We applied GLASS to a dataset of 60,472
Escherichia coli
strains and used this to reexamine the longstanding debate about the role of essentiality versus expression level in the rate of protein evolution. We found that selection has contrasting short-term and long-term dynamics, with essential genes being subject to strong purifying selection in the short term, while expression level determines the rate of gene evolution in the long term. GLASS also found an overrepresentation of inactivating mutations in specific transcription factors, such as efflux pump repressors, which is consistent with selection for antibiotic resistance. These gene-inactivating polymorphisms do not reach fixation, suggesting another contrast between short-term fitness gains and long-term counterselection.
Localizing a phone app
Authors: Warburton Kara , Lee Ka Wai , Harding Tyler
Published: July 2023

In this paper we describe the localization of a phone app that was completed by students enrolled in a university translation program. The app in question serves the university campus community. The experience related herein follows the earlier localization of a COVID-related app, described in Warburton and Krishnan (2021). The current project was larger in scope, covered more subject areas, included additional languages, leveraged different technologies (as a result of lessons learned), and repurposed more linguistic resources. We also reflect on phone apps as a genre and the impacts of their increasing role in society for the localization industry. We demonstrate that the Functionalist approach to translation is appropriate for app localization. However, challenges, both technical and linguistic, point to the need for better internationalization practices and localization tools. The localization of phone apps would benefit from further research of this genre in translation theory.
FAST Pulsar Database. I. Polarization Profiles of 682 Pulsars
Authors: Wang P. F. , Han J. L. , Xu J. , Wang C. , Yan Y. , Jing W. C. , Su W. Q. , Zhou D. J. , Wang T.
Published: July 2023

Pulsar polarization profiles form a very basic database for understanding the emission processes in a pulsar magnetosphere. After careful polarization calibration of the 19-beam L-band receiver and verification of beam-offset observation results, we obtain polarization profiles of 682 pulsars from observations by the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) during the Galactic Plane Pulsar Snapshot survey and other normal FAST projects. Among them, polarization profiles of about 460 pulsars are observed for the first time. The profiles exhibit diverse features. Some pulsars have a polarization position angle curve with a good S-shaped swing, some with orthogonal modes; some have components with highly linearly polarized components or strong circularly polarized components; some have a very wide profile, coming from an aligned rotator, and some have an interpulse from a perpendicular rotator; some wide profiles are caused by interstellar scattering. We derive geometric parameters for 190 pulsars from the S-shaped position angle curves or with orthogonal modes. We find that the linear and circular polarization or the widths of pulse profiles have various frequency dependencies. Pulsars with a large fraction of linear polarization are more likely to have a large Edot.
Signal quality indices evaluation for robust ECG signal quality assessment systems
Authors: Kuetche Fotsing , Alexendre Noura , Pascal Ntsama Eloundou , Colince Welba , Thierry Simo
Published: July 2023

As the current healthcare system faces problems of budget, staffing, and equipment, telemedicine through wearable devices gives a means of solving them. However, their adoption by physicians is hampered by the quality of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals recorded outside the hospital setting. Due to the dynamic nature of the ECG and the noise that can occur in real-world conditions, Signal Quality Assessment (SQA) systems must use robust signal quality indices (SQIs). The aim of this study is twofold: to assess the robustness of the most commonly used SQIs and to report on their complexity in terms of computational speed. A total of 39 SQIs were explored, of which 16 were statistical, 7 were non-linear, 9 were frequency-based and 7 were based on QRS detectors. With 6 databases, we manually constructed 2 datasets containing many rhythms. Each signal was labelled as ‘acceptable’ or ‘unacceptable’ (subcategories: ‘motion artefacts’, ‘electromyogram noise’, ‘additive white Gaussian noise’, or ‘power line interference’). Our results showed that the performance of an SQI in distinguishing a good signal from a bad one depends on the type of noise. Furthermore, 23 SQIs were found to be robust. The analysis of their extraction time on 10-second signals revealed that statistics-based and frequency domain-based SQIs are the least complex with an average computational time of (mean: 1.40 ms, standard deviation: 1.30 ms), and (mean: 4.31 ms, standard deviation: 4.50 ms), respectively. Then, our results provide a basis for choosing SQIs to develop more general and faster SQAs.
Evaluating similarity measure for multimodal 3D to 2D registration
Authors: kiran Usha , Ramakrishna Naik Roshan , Bhat Shyamasunder N , H Anitha
Published: July 2023

The 3D to 2D registration technique in spine surgery is vital to aid surgeons in avoiding the wrong site surgery by estimating the vertebral pose. The vertebral poses are estimated by generating the spatial correspondence relationship between pre-operative MR with intra-operative x-ray images, then evaluated using a similarity measure. Different similarity measures are used in 3D to 2D registration techniques to assess the spatial correspondence between the pre-operative and intra-operative images. However, to evaluate the registration performance of the similarity measures, the proposed framework employs three different similarity measures: Binary Image Matching, Dice Coefficients, and Normalized Cross-correlation technique to compare the images based on pixel positions. The registration accuracy of the proposed similarity measures is compared based on the mean Target Registration Error, mean Iteration Times, and success rate. In the absence of simulated test images, the experiment is conducted on the simulated AP and Lateral test images. The experiment conducted on the simulated test images shows that all three similarity measures work well for the feature based 3D to 2D registration in that BIM gives better results. The experiment also indicates high registration accuracy when the initial displacements are varied up to ±20 mm and ±100 of the translational and rotational parameters, respectively, for three similarity measures.
Coupled weather-biosphere model (WRF-VPRM) response to extreme land cover scenarios over Ganga basin: a cross-component analysis
Authors: Huggannavar Vinayak , Indu J
Published: July 2023

Deforestation can have both biophysical and biochemical effects. In our study we evaluate the impacts of extreme idealized land cover scenarios over Ganga basin, India using an online coupled weather-biosphere model. We present an analysis of the carbon stored, based on introduced afforestation (AFF) and deforestation (DEF) in the Ganga basin of India. WRF-VPRM model simulations were carried out at horizontal resolution of 20 km using optimized downscaling configuration. For DEF case, we found two-fold increase in surface temperatures whereas, AFF scenario exhibited cooling effect. The average carbon sequestration capability for AFF was 0.3 g C m−2 day−1 more than control run (CTL). The CTL simulations exhibited carbon sequestration capability of −0.15 g C m−2 day−1 which for a year accounts for around 59.3 Mt C yr−1. AFF scenario showed relative increase in net sequestration compared to DEF scenario. Most importantly, the model simulations showed that the croplandscan increase net carbon sequestration rather than just deciduous forest type. Our study highlights the possible effects of land use management practices on atmospheric CO2 variability.
Turtling: a time-aware neural topic model on NIH grant data
Authors: Zhang Ruiyi , Duan Ziheng , Lee CheYu , Riffle Dylan , Min Martin Renqiang , Zhang Jing
Published: July 2023

Motivation

Recent initiatives for federal grant transparency allow direct knowledge extraction from large volumes of grant texts, serving as a powerful alternative to traditional surveys. However, its computational modeling is challenging as grants are usually multifaceted with constantly evolving topics.

Results

We propose Turtling, a time-aware neural topic model with three unique characteristics. First, Turtling employs pretrained biomedical word embedding to extract research topics. Second, it leverages a probabilistic time-series model to allow smooth and coherent topic evolution. Lastly, Turtling leverages additional topic diversity loss and funding institute classification loss to improve topic quality and facilitate funding institute prediction. We apply Turtling on publicly available NIH grant text and show that it significantly outperforms other methods on topic quality metrics. We also demonstrate that Turtling can provide insights into research topic evolution by detecting topic trends across decades. In summary, Turtling may be a valuable tool for grant text analysis.

Availability and implementation

Turtling is freely available as an open-source software at https://github.com/aicb-ZhangLabs/Turtling.
CD9 negatively regulates collective electrotaxis of the epidermal monolayer by controlling and coordinating the polarization of leader cells
Authors: Liu Xiaoqiang , Yang Jinrui , Kong Meng , Jiang Min , Liu Luojia , Zhang Jinghong , Chen Ying , Chen Xu , Zhang Ze , Wu Chao , Jiang Xupin , Liu Jie , Zhang Jiaping
Published: July 2023

Background

Endogenous electric fields (EFs) play an essential role in guiding the coordinated collective migration of epidermal cells to the wound centre during wound healing. Although polarization of leadercells is essential for collective migration, the signal mechanisms responsible for the EF-induced polarization of leader cells under electrotactic collective migration remain unclear. This study aims to determine how the leader cells are polarized and coordinated during EF-guided collective migration of epidermal cell sheets.

Methods

Collective migration of the human epidermal monolayer (human immortalized keratinocytes HaCaT) under EFs was observed via time-lapse microscopy. The involvement of tetraspanin-29 (CD9) in EF-induced fibrous actin (F-actin) polarization of leader cells as well as electrotactic migration of the epidermal monolayer was evaluated by genetic manipulation. Blocking, rescue and co-culture experiments were conducted to explore the downstream signalling of CD9.

Results

EFs guided the coordinated collective migration of the epithelial monolayer to the anode, with dynamic formation of pseudopodia in leader cells at the front edge of the monolayer along the direction of migration. F-actin polarization, as expected, played an essential role in pseudopod formation in leader cells under EFs. By confocal microscopy, we found that CD9 was colocalized with F-actin on the cell surface and was particularly downregulated in leader cells by EFs. Interestingly, genetic overexpression of CD9 abolished EF-induced F-actin polarization in leader cells as well as collective migration in the epidermal monolayer. Mechanistically, CD9 determined the polarization of F-actin in leader cells by downregulating a disintegrin and metalloprotease 17/heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor/epidermal growth factor receptor (ADAM17/HB-EGF/EGFR) signalling. The abolished polarization of leader cells due to CD9 overexpression could be restored in a co-culture monolayer where normal cells and CD9-overexpressing cells were mixed; however, this restoration was eliminated again by the addition of the HB-EGF-neutralizing antibody.

Conclusion

CD9 functions as a key regulator in the EF-guided collective migration of the epidermal monolayer by controlling and coordinating the polarization of leader cells through ADAM17/HB-EGF/EGFR signalling.
Cultivating Trauma-Informed Educational Practices for Students with Refugee Backgrounds
Authors: Bailey Megan , Kim Wooksoo , Koury Samantha P , Green Susan A , Kim Isok
Published: July 2023

Schools provide spaces for academic knowledge while also addressing children’s social and emotional developmental needs. Because of the holistic development occurring within the education system, it is important to have an awareness of students’ experiences and challenges both inside and outside of the classroom. Students with refugee backgrounds represent diverse cultures, languages, and experiences but often share some common challenges and traumas. While trauma can impact students’ ability to learn and develop, classroom expectations, procedures, and rhythms can be adjusted to be trauma informed. Trauma-informed educational practices allow for a universal precautionary model for teachers and school staff to neutralize the environment for possible retraumatization, contributing to the creation of better educational experiences for students with refugee backgrounds as well as the rest of the student body. The aim of this article is to provide primary and secondary school staff—including teachers, administrators, and social workers—with practical information about trauma-informed educational practices to help them address the specific and unique needs of students with refugee backgrounds. Authors include examples of how school social workers, teachers, staff, and administrators can think about trauma-informed practices in the context of education and students with refugee backgrounds.