bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Greater radiologic evidence of hypothalamic gliosis predicts adiposity gain in children at risk for obesity
Authors: Sewaybricker Leticia E. , Kee Sarah , Melhorn Susan J. , Schur Ellen A.
Published: November 2021

Objective

This study investigated, in a large pediatric population, whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of mediobasal hypothalamic (MBH) gliosis is associated with baseline or change over 1 year in body adiposity.

Methods

Cross‐sectional and prospective cohort analyses were conducted within the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Study 1 included 169 children with usable baseline T2‐weighted MRI images and anthropometrics from baseline and 1‐year follow‐up study visits. Signal ratios compared T2 signal intensity in MBH and two reference regions (amygdala [AMY] and putamen) as a measure of MBH gliosis. Study 2 included a distinct group of 238 children with overweight or obesity to confirm initial findings in an independent sample.

Results

In Study 1, MBH/AMY signal ratio was positively associated with BMI z score (β = 4.27, p < 0.001). A significant interaction for the association of MBH/AMY signal ratio with change in BMI z score suggested that relationships differed by baseline weight status. Study 2 found that higher MBH/AMY signal ratios associated with an increase in BMI z score for children with overweight (β = 0.58, p = 0.01), but not those with obesity (β = 0.02, p = 0.91).

Conclusions

Greater evidence of hypothalamic gliosis by MRI is associated with baseline BMI z score and predicts adiposity gain in young children at risk of obesity.
A 2000‐year spatiotemporal pattern and relationship between cities and floods in the Yangtze River Basin, China
Authors: Wang Changsong , Zhang Ran , Zhang Shuai
Published: November 2021

The Yangtze River is one of the most important rivers in China, and its basin is the most populous urban area in China. The relationship between cities and floods in the Yangtze River Basin is of significance. In our analysis of 4,511 historical county‐level cities and 37,512 historical flood disasters, we used ARCGIS to conduct spatial analyses, including kernel density analysis, coldspot and hotspot analysis, and center of gravity analysis, to reveal the relationship between cities, population, and floods in the Yangtze River Basin in the past 2000 years. The results indicate that three relatively stable, dense urban areas are the Chengdu Plain; the border of the Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangsu Provinces and surrounding areas; and the central Guizhou Province and southwestern part of Hubei Province. The hotspot areas of floods were the main tributaries and lakes of the Yangtze River, whereas the coldspot areas were the Chengdu Plain and the surrounding areas. More importantly, cities are not far from flood regions, and this will cause serious flooding. Due to location advantages, cities tend to be close to rivers, lakes, and other water systems. This research provides historical details of urban development and ecological environment protection in the Yangtze River Basin in China.
Testing new graphene oxide‐coated glazing for papyrus manuscripts in museums: Part I
Authors: Deraz Randa , Fath El‐Bab Ahmed M. R. , Abdelmoneim Ahmed , Elnaggar Abdelrazek
Published: November 2021

The display of papyrus and paper (as cellulosic materials) in the Egyptian museums is always critical due to the traditional placement of display of sensitive materials between two plates of glass, acrylic, or other types of glazing materials. The sensitivity of the glazing materials to abrasion, ultraviolet rays, dust adhesion, and high light reflectivity are considered concerning issues to conservators, curators, and visitors. In this paper, thin protective coatings of graphene oxide (GO) were synthesized by modified Hummers' method and deposited on selected museums' glazing materials (glass and acrylic) using spin coating. Multi‐analytical techniques were employed to assess the applicability of GO‐coated glazing including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy (RS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), microhardness testing, NIR VIS, and UV spectrophotometer and static potential measurements. The results showed that the glass glazing hardness was increased by ~10% due to the deposition of the GO coating. Moreover, according to glazing type, the reflectance values of the GO‐coated glazing samples, compared with the uncoated samples, confirmed that the thin film of GO improved the UV rays blocking. As is evident in the GO‐coated glass where approximately 27% of UV rays have been blocked, likewise, 19% of UV rays were blocked in GO‐coated acrylic (TRU VUE). Considering VIS and NIR reflection spectra of GO‐coated plexiglass, a higher reflectance is presented by 29%. Furthermore, the static potential measurements showed an energy decline in GO‐coated glazing compared with the uncoated samples.
MARS: Detecting brain class/method code smell based on metric–attention mechanism and residual network
Authors: Zhang Yang , Dong Chunhao
Published: November 2021

Code smell is the structural design defect that makes programs difficult to understand, maintain, and evolve. Existing works of code smell detection mainly focus on prevalent code smells, such as feature envy, god class, and long method. Few works have been done on detecting brain class/method. Furthermore, existing deep‐learning‐based approaches leverage the CNN model to improve accuracy by barely increasing the number of layers, which may cause a problem of gradient degradation. To this end, this paper proposes a novel approach called MARS to detect brain class/method. MARS improves the gradient degradation by employing an improved residual network. It increases the weight value of those important code metrics to label smelly samples by introducing a metric–attention mechanism. To support the training of MARS, a dataset called BrainCode is generated by extracting more than 270,000 samples from 20 real‐world applications. MARS is evaluated on BrainCode and compared to other machine‐learning‐based and deep‐learning‐based approaches. The experimental results demonstrate that the average accuracy of MARS is 2.01 % higher than that of the existing approaches, which improves state‐of‐the‐art.
Environmental Exposures and Lung Aging: Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Improving Respiratory Health
Authors: Eckhardt Christina M. , Wu Haotian
Published: November 2021

Purpose of Review

Inhaled environmental exposures cause over 12 million deaths per year worldwide. Despite localized efforts to reduce environmental exposures, tobacco smoking and air pollution remain the urgent public health challenges that are contributing to the growing prevalence of respiratory diseases. The purpose of this review is to describe the mechanisms through which inhaled environmental exposures accelerate lung aging and cause overt lung disease.

Recent Findings

Environmental exposures related to fossil fuel and tobacco combustion and occupational exposures related to silica and coal mining generate oxidative stress and inflammation in the lungs. Sustained oxidative stress causes DNA damage, epigenetic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell cycle arrest in key progenitor cells in the lung. As a result, critical repair mechanisms are impaired, leading to premature destruction of the lung parenchyma.

Inhaled environmental exposures accelerate lung aging by injuring the lungs and damaging the cells responsible for wound healing. Interventions that minimize exposure to noxious antigens are critical to improve lung health, and novel research is required to expand our knowledge of therapies that may slow or prevent premature lung aging.
Vom Sinn und Geschmack fürs unendlich Endliche
Authors: Welbers Ulrich
Published: November 2021

Was ›Verstehen‹ als semantische Universalaufgabe des Menschen bedeutet, zeigt sich in einer das Unerhörte philologisch erkundenden Sprache der Interpretation. Der Beitrag geht exemplarisch auf Positionen ein, die diese Innenweltansicht von Text und Erfahrung stützten. Nur in mühevoller Unsicherheitsgewissheit erreicht Verstehen einen idealischen Deutungsort, der jede karge Reduktion auf Tatsachenbegriffe überwindet.
Research Activities of Nanodimensional Standards Using Atomic Force Microscopes, Transmission Electron Microscope, and Scanning Electron Microscope at the National Metrology Institute of Japan
Authors: Misumi Ichiko , Kizu Ryosuke , Itoh Hiroshi , Kumagai Kazuhiro , Kobayashi Keita , Sigehuzi Tomoo
Published: November 2021

With the progress in nanotechnology, the importance of nanodimensional standards is increasing. Realizing nanodimensional standards requires multiple types of high-precision microscopy techniques. The National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ), one of the research domains in the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), is developing nanodimensional standards using atomic force, transmission electron, and scanning electron microscopes. The current status of nanodimensional standards in NMIJ is introduced herein.
Phosphorus and sulphates removal from wastewater using copper smelter slag washed with acid
Authors: Letshwenyo Moatlhodi Wise , Mokokwe Gobusaone
Published: November 2021

In this study, we present the performance of acid washed copper smelter slag for the adsorption of phosphates and sulphates from wastewater. The aim of the study was to investigate the removal of phosphates and sulphates from wastewater using acid washed copper smelter slag at batch scale by exploring influences of different variables. The leachate concentrations of copper, iron, manganese and lead released from the adsorbent were 1.8, 128.2, 0.32 and 0.20 mg L−1, respectively at pH 2. The point of zero charge was at pH 6.04, Pseudo-Second Order kinetic model described the adsorption process better with an R2 value of 0.99. The experimental maximum adsorption capacities for phosphates and sulphates were 0.51 and 0.24 mg g−1 media, respectively, and 0.96 mg P g−1 media at pH 12 and 0.39 mg g−1 media for sulphates at pH 2, respectively. The process was endothermic with temperature having insignificant impact during adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacities for thermodynamic study were 0.103 ± 0.09 and 0.046 ± 0.004 mg g−1 media respectively, for PO43− P and SO42− at 60 °C. This study showed that acid washed copper smelter slag has an improved adsorption capacity for phosphate and sulphate ions but further investigations should be conducted to find ways of further improving the adsorbent performance.

Article highlights

There is increase in the adsorption capacity of acid washed copper smelter slag.

The adsorption capacity of phosphorus is high at pH 12 and for sulphate at pH 6.

The adsorption of phosphate and sulphate ions onto acid washed slag is an endothermic process.

Intraparticle diffusion was not the only rate controlling mechanisms.
Culture without copying or selection
Authors: Acerbi Alberto , Charbonneau Mathieu , Miton Helena , Scott-Phillips Thom
Published: November 2021

Typical examples of cultural phenomena all exhibit a degree of similarity across time and space at the level of the population. As such, a fundamental question for any science of culture is, what ensures this stability in the first place? Here we focus on the evolutionary and stabilising role of ‘convergent transformation’, in which one item causes the production of another item whose form tends to deviate from the original in a directed, non-random way. We present a series of stochastic models of cultural evolution investigating its effects. The results show that cultural stability can emerge and be maintained by virtue of convergent transformation alone, in the absence of any form of copying or selection process. We show how high-fidelity copying and convergent transformation need not be opposing forces, and can jointly contribute to cultural stability. We finally analyse how non-random transformation and high-fidelity copying can have different evolutionary signatures at population level, and hence how their distinct effects can be distinguished in empirical records. Collectively, these results supplement existing approaches to cultural evolution based on the Darwinian analogy, while also providing formal support for other frameworks – such as Cultural Attraction Theory – that entail its further loosening.

Social media summary:

Culture can be produced and maintained by convergent transformation, without copying or selection involved.
ON THE STRONG METRIC DIMENSION OF A TOTAL GRAPH OF NONZERO ANNIHILATING IDEALS
Authors: ABACHI N. , ADLIFARD M. , BAKHTYIARI M.
Published: November 2021

Let R be a commutative ring with identity which is not an integral domain. An ideal I of R is called an annihilating ideal if there exists
$r\in R- \{0\}$
such that
$Ir=(0)$
. The total graph of nonzero annihilating ideals of R is the graph
$\Omega (R)$
whose vertices are the nonzero annihilating ideals of R and two distinct vertices
$I,J$
are joined if and only if
$I+J$
is also an annihilating ideal of R. We study the strong metric dimension of
$\Omega (R)$
and evaluate it in several cases.
On minimal log discrepancies and kollár components
Authors: Moraga Joaquín
Published: November 2021

In this article, we prove a local implication of boundedness of Fano varieties. More precisely, we prove that$d$-dimensional$a$-log canonical singularities with standard coefficients, which admit an$\epsilon$-plt blow-up, have minimal log discrepancies belonging to a finite set which only depends on$d,\,a$and$\epsilon$. This result gives a natural geometric stratification of the possible mld's in a fixed dimension by finite sets. As an application, we prove the ascending chain condition for minimal log discrepancies of exceptional singularities. We also introduce an invariant for klt singularities related to the total discrepancy of Kollár components.
Prevalence of latent structural heart disease in Nepali schoolchildren
Authors: Shrestha Nikesh R. , Uranw Surendra , Karki Prahlad , Bastola Santosh , Mahato Rajan , Sherpa Kunjang , Dhungana Sahadeb , Gurung Keshar , Pandey Naveen , Agrawal Krishna , Bartkowiak Joanna , Shah Prashant , Rothenbühler Martina , Pilgrim Thomas
Published: November 2021

Background:

The present study aimed to quantify the burden of structural heart disease in Nepali children.

Methods:

We performed a school-based cross-sectional echocardiographic screening study with cluster random sampling among children 5–16 years of age.

Results:

Between December 2012 and January 2019, 6573 children (mean age 10.6 ± 2.9 years) from 41 randomly selected schools underwent echocardiographic screening. Structural heart disease was detected in 14.0 per 1000 children (95% CI 11.3–17.1) and was congenital in 3.3 per 1000 (95% CI 2.1–5.1) and rheumatic in 10.6 per 1000 (95% CI 8.3–13.4). Rates of rheumatic heart disease were higher among children attending public as compared to private schools (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.6–5.2, p = 0.0001).

Conclusion:

Rheumatic heart disease accounted for three out of four cases of structural heart disease and was more common among children attending public as compared to private schools.
Praktische Pflegeausbildung in der Generalistik
Authors: Altmann Kathrin , Braumandl Sandra , Meier Stephanie , Messerklinger Theresa , Roth Edeltraud
Published: November 2021

Zusammenfassung. Im Krankenhausverbund der Barmherzigen Brüder haben Pflegepädagoginnen aus der Praxis gemeinsam mit Lehrkräften der Berufsfachschule ein neuartiges Praxiscurriculum erarbeitet. Vorgeschrieben ist dieser gemeinsame Ansatz nicht – doch er bietet allen Beteiligten erhebliche Vorteile. Klar ist bereits heute: Die neuen strukturierten Lehr- und Lerninstrumente sind sinnvolle Bausteine einer praxisorientierten Pflegeausbildung, die einen hohen Theorie – Praxis – Transfer gewährleisten.
Identifying the World’s Most At-Risk River Basins
Authors: Cerf Emily
Published: November 2021

Major river basins around the world, including the Amazon, may be hot spots for ecological shifts as the planet warms.
In-situ abiogenic methane synthesis from diamond and graphite under geologically relevant conditions
Authors: Peña-Alvarez Miriam , Brovarone Alberto Vitale , Donnelly Mary-Ellen , Wang Mengnan , Dalladay-Simpson Philip , Howie Ross , Gregoryanz Eugene
Published: November 2021

Diamond and graphite are fundamental sources of carbon in the upper mantle, and their reactivity with H2-rich fluids present at these depths may represent the key to unravelling deep abiotic hydrocarbon formation. We demonstrate an unexpected high reactivity between carbons’ most common allotropes, diamond and graphite, with hydrogen at conditions comparable with those in the Earth’s upper mantle along subduction zone thermal gradients. Between 0.5-3 GPa and at temperatures as low as 300 °C, carbon reacts readily with H2 yielding methane (CH4), whilst at higher temperatures (500 °C and above), additional light hydrocarbons such as ethane (C2H6) emerge. These results suggest that the interaction between deep H2-rich fluids and reduced carbon minerals may be an efficient mechanism for producing abiotic hydrocarbons at the upper mantle.
Large-area flexible organic solar cells
Authors: Yang Fu , Huang Yuting , Li Yaowen , Li Yongfang
Published: November 2021

Two major challenges need to be overcome to bridge the efficiency gap between small-area rigid organic solar cells (OSCs) and large-area flexible devices: the first challenge lies in preparing high-quality flexible transparent electrodes with low resistance, high transparency, smooth surface, and superior mechanical properties. Second, the scalable fabrication of thickness-insensitive photoactive layers with low-cost materials is also an essential task. In this review, recent progress and challenges of flexible large-area OSCs are summarized and analyzed. Based on our analysis, strategies and opportunities are proposed to promote the development of stable and efficient flexible large-area OSCs.
Examining oxidation in β-NiAl and β-NiAl+Hf alloys by stochastic cellular automata simulations
Authors: Roy Indranil , Ray Pratik K. , Balasubramanian Ganesh
Published: November 2021

We present results from a stochastic cellular automata (CA) model developed and employed for examining the oxidation kinetics of NiAl and NiAl+Hf alloys. The rules of the CA model are grounded in diffusion probabilities and basic principles of alloy oxidation. Using this approach, we can model the oxide scale thickness and morphology, specific mass change and oxidation kinetics as well as an approximate estimate of the stress and strains in the oxide scale. Furthermore, we also incorporate Hf in the grain boundaries and observe the “reactive element effect”, where doping with Hf results in a drastic reduction in the oxidation kinetics concomitant with the formation of thin, planar oxide scales. Interestingly, although we find that grain boundaries result in rapid oxidation of the undoped NiAl, they result in a slower-growing oxide and a planar oxide/metal interface when doped with Hf.
Smart coating with dual-pH sensitive, inhibitor-loaded nanofibers for corrosion protection
Authors: Li Chao , Guo Xiaolei , Frankel Gerald S.
Published: November 2021

Smart coatings that provide corrosion protection on demand have received a lot of recent attention. In the present study, nanofibers containing a corrosion inhibitor were prepared by a coaxial electrospinning technique, which addresses the limitations of inhibitor-loaded microcapsules or nanocontainers. The as-prepared nanofibers have a core-shell structure with Ce(NO3)3 and the chitosan/polyacrylic acid polyelectrolyte coacervate as the core and shell materials, respectively. UV-vis spectroscopic analysis confirms that the nanofibers are pH-sensitive and able to release the enclosed Ce(NO3)3 at both low and high pH conditions, which are spontaneously generated during corrosion at local anodes and cathodes, respectively. A coating system consisting of such nanofibers within a polyvinyl butyral coating matrix exhibits improved corrosion protection of an AA2024-T3 substrate. Moreover, the embedded Ce(NO3)3-loaded nanofibers can persistently release Ce(NO3)3 to impede corrosion of AA2024-T3 when the artificially damaged coating sample is exposed to NaCl solution.
Cross-platform transcriptomic profiling of the response to recombinant human erythropoietin
Authors: Wang Guan , Kitaoka Traci , Crawford Ali , Mao Qian , Hesketh Andrew , Guppy Fergus M. , Ash Garrett I. , Liu Jason , Gerstein Mark B. , Pitsiladis Yannis P.
Published: November 2021

RNA-seq has matured and become an important tool for studying RNA biology. Here we compared two RNA-seq (MGI DNBSEQ and Illumina NextSeq 500) and two microarray platforms (GeneChip Human Transcriptome Array 2.0 and Illumina Expression BeadChip) in healthy individuals administered recombinant human erythropoietin for transcriptome-wide quantification of differential gene expression. The results show that total RNA DNB-seq generated a multitude of target genes compared to other platforms. Pathway enrichment analyses revealed genes correlate to not only erythropoiesis and oxygen transport but also a wide range of other functions, such as tissue protection and immune regulation. This study provides a knowledge base of genes relevant to EPO biology through cross-platform comparisons and validation.
Early social adversity modulates the relation between attention biases and socioemotional behaviour in juvenile macaques
Authors: Rayson Holly , Massera Alice , Belluardo Mauro , Ben Hamed Suliann , Ferrari Pier Francesco
Published: November 2021

Affect-biased attention may play a fundamental role in early socioemotional development, but factors influencing its emergence and associations with typical versus pathological outcomes remain unclear. Here, we adopted a nonhuman primate model of early social adversity (ESA) to: (1) establish whether juvenile, pre-adolescent macaques demonstrate attention biases to both threatening and reward-related dynamic facial gestures; (2) examine the effects of early social experience on such biases; and (3) investigate how this relation may be linked to socioemotional behaviour. Two groups of juvenile macaques (ESA exposed and non-ESA exposed) were presented with pairs of dynamic facial gestures comprising two conditions: neutral-threat and neutral-lipsmacking. Attention biases to threat and lipsmacking were calculated as the proportion of gaze to the affective versus neutral gesture. Measures of anxiety and social engagement were also acquired from videos of the subjects in their everyday social environment. Results revealed that while both groups demonstrated an attention bias towards threatening facial gestures, a greater bias linked to anxiety was demonstrated by the ESA group only. Only the non-ESA group demonstrated a significant attention bias towards lipsmacking, and the degree of this positive bias was related to duration and frequency of social engagement in this group. These findings offer important insights into the effects of early social experience on affect-biased attention and related socioemotional behaviour in nonhuman primates, and demonstrate the utility of this model for future investigations into the neural and learning mechanisms underlying this relationship across development.
Deep learning models for screening of high myopia using optical coherence tomography
Authors: Choi Kyung Jun , Choi Jung Eun , Roh Hyeon Cheol , Eun Jun Soo , Kim Jong Min , Shin Yong Kyun , Kang Min Chae , Chung Joon Kyo , Lee Chaeyeon , Lee Dongyoung , Kang Se Woong , Cho Baek Hwan , Kim Sang Jin
Published: November 2021

This study aimed to validate and evaluate deep learning (DL) models for screening of high myopia using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). This retrospective cross-sectional study included 690 eyes in 492 patients with OCT images and axial length measurement. Eyes were divided into three groups based on axial length: a “normal group,” a “high myopia group,” and an “other retinal disease” group. The researchers trained and validated three DL models to classify the three groups based on horizontal and vertical OCT images of the 600 eyes. For evaluation, OCT images of 90 eyes were used. Diagnostic agreements of human doctors and DL models were analyzed. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the three DL models was evaluated. Absolute agreement of retina specialists was 99.11% (range: 97.78–100%). Absolute agreement of the DL models with multiple-column model was 100.0% (ResNet 50), 90.0% (Inception V3), and 72.22% (VGG 16). Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of the DL models with multiple-column model were 0.99 (ResNet 50), 0.97 (Inception V3), and 0.86 (VGG 16). The DL model based on ResNet 50 showed comparable diagnostic performance with retinal specialists. The DL model using OCT images demonstrated reliable diagnostic performance to identify high myopia.
Novel colistin-EDTA combination for successful eradication of colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae catheter-related biofilm infections
Authors: Shein Aye Mya Sithu , Wannigama Dhammika Leshan , Higgins Paul G. , Hurst Cameron , Abe Shuichi , Hongsing Parichart , Chantaravisoot Naphat , Saethang Thammakorn , Luk-in Sirirat , Liao Tingting , Nilgate Sumanee , Rirerm Ubolrat , Kueakulpattana Naris , Laowansiri Matchima , Srisakul Sukrit , Muhummudaree Netchanok , Techawiwattanaboon Teerasit , Gan Lin , Xu Chenchen , Kupwiwat Rosalyn , Phattharapornjaroen Phatthranit , Rojanathanes Rojrit , Leelahavanichkul Asada , Chatsuwan Tanittha
Published: November 2021

Development of an effective therapy to overcome colistin resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae, a common pathogen causing catheter-related biofilm infections in vascular catheters, has become a serious therapeutic challenge that must be addressed urgently. Although colistin and EDTA have successful roles for eradicating biofilms, no in vitro and in vivo studies have investigated their efficacy in catheter-related biofilm infections of colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae. In this study, colistin resistance was significantly reversed in both planktonic and mature biofilms of colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae by a combination of colistin (0.25–1 µg/ml) with EDTA (12 mg/ml). This novel colistin-EDTA combination was also demonstrated to have potent efficacy in eradicating colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae catheter-related biofilm infections, and eliminating the risk of recurrence in vivo. Furthermore, this study revealed significant therapeutic efficacy of colistin-EDTA combination in reducing bacterial load in internal organs, lowering serum creatinine, and protecting treated mice from mortality. Altered in vivo expression of different virulence genes indicate bacterial adaptive responses to survive in hostile environments under different treatments. According to these data discovered in this study, a novel colistin-EDTA combination provides favorable efficacy and safety for successful eradication of colistin-resistant K. pneumonia catheter-related biofilm infections.
p-STAT3 is a PDC-E2 interacting partner in human cholangiocytes and hepatocytes with potential pathobiological implications
Authors: Kilanczyk Ewa , Banales Jesus M. , Jurewicz Ewelina , Milkiewicz Piotr , Milkiewicz Malgorzata
Published: November 2021

The E2 component of the mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) is the key autoantigen in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and STAT3 is an inflammatory modulator that participates in the pathogenesis of many liver diseases. This study investigated whether PDC-E2 interacts with STAT3 in human cholangiocytes (NHC) and hepatocytes (Hep-G2) under cholestatic conditions induced by glyco-chenodeoxycholic acid (GCDC). GCDC induced PDC-E2 expression in the cytoplasmic and nuclear fraction of NHC, whereas in Hep-G2 cells PDC-E2 expression was induced only in the cytoplasmic fraction. GCDC-treatment stimulated phosphorylation of STAT3 in the cytoplasmic fraction of NHC. siRNA-mediated gene silencing of PDC-E2 reduced the expression of pY-STAT3 in NHC but not in HepG2 cells. Immunoprecipitation and a proximity ligation assay clearly demonstrated that GCDC enhanced pY-STAT3 binding to PDC-E2 in the nuclear and cytoplasmic fraction of NHC cells. Staining with Mitotracker revealed mitochondrial co-localization of PDC-E2/pS-STAT3 complexes in NHC and Hep-G2 cells. In cirrhotic PBC livers the higher expression of both PDC-E2 and pY-STAT3 was observed. The immunoblot analysis demonstrated the occurrence of double bands of PDC-E2 protein in control livers, which was associated with a lower expression of pY-STAT3. Our data indicate the interaction between PDC-E2 and phosphorylated STAT3 under cholestatic conditions, which may play a role in the development of PBC.
Projecting the effects of land subsidence and sea level rise on storm surge flooding in Coastal North Carolina
Authors: Johnston Jeremy , Cassalho Felicio , Miesse Tyler , Ferreira Celso M.
Published: November 2021

Much of the United States Atlantic coastline continues to undergo subsidence due to post glacial settlement and ground water depletion. Combined with eustatic sea level rise (SLR), this contributes to an increased rate of relative SLR. In this work, we utilize the ADvanced CIRCulation model to project storm surges across coastal North Carolina. Recent hurricanes Irene and Matthew are simulated considering SLR and subsidence estimates for 2100. Relative to present day conditions, storm surge susceptible regions increase by 27% (Irene) to 40% (Matthew) due to subsidence. Combined with SLR (+ 74 cm), results suggest more than a doubling of areal flood extent for Irene and more than a three-fold increase for Hurricane Matthew. Considering current regional population distributions, this translates to an increase in at-risk populations of 18% to 61% due to subsidence. Even further, exposed populations are projected to swell relative to Matthew and Irene baseline simulations (8200 and 28,500) by more than 70,000 in all SLR scenarios (79,400 to 133,600). While increases in surge inundation are driven primarily by SLR in the region, there remains a substantial contribution due to vertical land movement. This outlines the importance of exploring spatially variable land movement in surge prediction, independent of SLR.
The relationship between energy expenditure and physical functions in patients hospitalised for stroke
Authors: Hobo Kota , Kurita Hideaki , Momose Kimito
Published: November 2021

We assessed the relationship between energy expenditure (EE) and Functional Independence Measure motor items (FIM-M) score, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) score, and comfortable walking speed (CWS) in patients hospitalised for stroke. The total EE per day (TEE), EE during rehabilitation (REE), and EE during activities other than rehabilitation (OEE) were measured using a single-axis acceleration sensor in 36 patients hospitalised for the first stroke episode. In addition, the relationships between each type of EE and FIM-M, BBS, and CWS were investigated. In these patients (mean age 66.2 ± 10.6 years), the median values of TEE, REE, and OEE were 41.8 kcal, 18.5 kcal, and 16.6 kcal, respectively. Correlations were observed between each EE type and all physical function indices. Following the stratification of patients into two groups (high and low) based on the level of physical function, a significant correlation between EE type and physical function was observed only in the low BBS group. EE was correlated with overall physical function indices, but the trend differed depending on physical ability. When patients were stratified based on ability, there were several groups with no significant correlation. Therefore, several patients were unable to achieve an appropriate EE for their level of physical function.
Prevalence and co-occurrence of lifestyle risk factors for non-communicable diseases according to sociodemographic characteristics among adults Chilean residents
Authors: Aburto María José , Romero Dayna , Rezende Leandro F. M. , Sanchez Zila M. , Bolados Cristian Cofre , Guzmán-Habinger Juan , Rios Mario , Suárez-Reyes Mónica , Marques Adilson , Drenowatz Clemens , Cristi-Montero Carlos , Ferrari Gerson
Published: November 2021

To examine the prevalence and co-occurrence of lifestyle risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) according to sociodemographic characteristics in Chilean residents. A cross-sectional study based on data from 5995 adults from the Chilean National Health Survey. The lifestyle risk factors included were physical inactivity, tobacco consumption, alcohol consumption, low fruits and vegetable consumption, and overweight/obesity. The most frequent risk factor was overweight/obesity (75.6%), followed by alcohol consumption (74.8%), low fruits and vegetable consumption (51.7%), physical inactivity (36.3%), and tobacco consumption (27.9%). Only 1.0% of the participants did not present any risk factor, while 9.6%, 30.4%, 34.0%, 20.3%, and 4.7% accumulated one, two, three, four, and five risk factors. Men (OR 1.56; 95% CI 1.18; 2.04), people who have secondary education (OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.20; 2.10), and those with lower household income (OR 1.39; 95% CI 1.09; 1.59) had higher odds of three or more risk factors. Associations were inverse for older adults (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.41; 0.79) and rural geographic areas (OR 0.77; 95% CI 0.67; 0.89). The prevalence of risk factors for NCDs is fairly high in Chilean residents. Interventions may need to target these co-occurrences rather than emphasizing individual risk factors for NCDs. Interventions could further consider these co-occurrences as a potential target for population stratification.
Extreme climate event promotes phenological mismatch between sexes in hibernating ground squirrels
Authors: Kucheravy Caila E. , Waterman Jane M. , dos Anjos Elaine A. C. , Hare James F. , Enright Chris , Berkvens Charlene N.
Published: November 2021

Hibernating ground squirrels rely on a short active period for breeding and mass accrual, and are thus vulnerable to extreme climate events that affect key periods in their annual cycle. Here, we document how a heatwave in March 2012 led to a phenological mismatch between sexes in Richardson’s ground squirrels (Urocitellus richardsonii). Females emerged from hibernation and commenced breeding earlier in 2012 relative to average female emergence. Although males had descended testes and pigmented scrota, it appeared that not all males were physiologically prepared to breed since 58.6% of males had non-motile sperm when breeding commenced. Body condition, relative testes size, and the relative size of accessory glands were significant predictors of sperm motility. Males with non-motile sperm had smaller accessory glands than males with motile sperm. There was no decrease in the number of juveniles that emerged in 2012 or female yearlings recruited in 2013, nor did juveniles emerge later than other years. The impact of this heatwave on male ground squirrels emphasizes the importance of assessing the consequences of climate change on the breeding success of hibernating species in both sexes, since the different sensitivity to external cues for emergence led to a mismatch in timing under this event.
Magnetic resonance T1w/T2w ratio and voxel-based morphometry in multiple system atrophy
Authors: Ponticorvo S. , Manara R. , Russillo M. C. , Erro R. , Picillo M. , Di Salle G. , Di Salle F. , Barone P. , Esposito F. , Pellecchia M. T.
Published: November 2021

Diagnosis of multiple system atrophy (MSA) may be improved by using multimodal imaging approaches. We investigated the use of T1-weighted/T2-weighted (T1w/T2w) images ratio combined with voxel-based morphometry to evaluate brain tissue integrity in MSA compared to Parkinson’s disease (PD) and healthy controls (HC). Twenty-six patients with MSA, 43 patients with PD and 56 HC were enrolled. Whole brain voxel-based and local regional analyses were performed to evaluate gray and white matter (GM and WM) tissue integrity and mean regional values were used for patients classification using logistic regression. Increased mean regional values of T1w/T2w in bilateral putamen were detected in MSA-P compared to PD and HC. The combined use of regional GM and T1w/T2w values in the right and left putamen showed the highest accuracy in discriminating MSA-P from PD and good accuracy in discriminating MSA from PD and HC. A good accuracy was also found in discriminating MSA from PD and HC by either combining regional GM and T1w/T2w values in the cerebellum or regional WM and T1w/T2w in the cerebellum and brainstem. The T1w/T2w image ratio alone or combined with validated MRI parameters can be further considered as a potential candidate biomarker for differential diagnosis of MSA.
Factors influencing the protective behavior of individuals during COVID-19: a transnational survey
Authors: Tang Chia-Chun , Chen Hsi , Wu Wei-Wen
Published: November 2021

To slow the spread of infectious disease, it is crucial to understand the engagement of protective behavior among individuals. The purpose of this study was to systematically examine individuals’ protective behaviors and the associated factors across countries during COVID-19. This causal-comparative study used a self-developed online survey to assess individuals’ level of engagement with six protective behaviors. Analysis of variance and McNemar’s test were employed for data analysis. Three hundred and eighty-four responses were analyzed. The majority of participants lived in three areas: Taiwan, Japan, and North America. Overall, the participants reported a high level of engagement in protective behaviors. However, engagement levels varied according to several demographic variables. Hand hygiene and cleaning/ventilation are two independent behaviors that differ from almost all other protective behaviors. There is a need to target the population at risk, which demonstrates low compliance. Different strategies are needed to promote specific protective behaviors.
Inferring predator–prey interaction in the subterranean environment: a case study from Dinaric caves
Authors: Premate Ester , Zagmajster Maja , Fišer Cene
Published: November 2021

Predator–prey interactions are among the most important biotic interactions shaping ecological communities and driving the evolution of defensive traits. These interactions and their effects on species received little attention in extreme and remote environments, where possibilities for direct observations and experimental manipulation of the animals are limited. In this paper, we study such type of environment, namely caves of the Dinarides (Europe), combining spatial and phylogenetic methods. We focused on several species ofNiphargusamphipods living in phreatic lakes, as some of them use the dorsal spines as putative morphological defensive traits. We predicted that these spines represent a defense strategy against the olm (Proteus anguinus), a top predator species in the subterranean waters. We tested for spatial overlap of the olm andNiphargusspecies and showed that spined species live in closer proximity to and co-occur more frequently with the olm than non-spined species. Modeling of the evolution of the spines ontoNiphargusphylogeny implies coevolution of this trait in the presence of olm. We conclude that these spines likely evolved as defensive traits in a predator–prey arms race. Combining multiple analyses, we provide an example for a methodological framework to assess predator–prey interactions when in-situ or laboratory observations are not possible.
Drivers behind the summer 2010 wave train leading to Russian heatwave and Pakistan flooding
Authors: Di Capua G. , Sparrow S. , Kornhuber K. , Rousi E. , Osprey S. , Wallom D. , van den Hurk B. , Coumou D.
Published: November 2021

Summer 2010 saw two simultaneous extremes linked by an atmospheric wave train: a record-breaking heatwave in Russia and severe floods in Pakistan. Here, we study this wave event using a large ensemble climate model experiment. First, we show that the circulation in 2010 reflected a recurrent wave train connecting the heatwave and flooding events. Second, we show that the occurrence of the wave train is favored by three drivers: (1) 2010 sea surface temperature anomalies increase the probability of this wave train by a factor 2-to-4 relative to the model’s climatology, (2) early-summer soil moisture deficit in Russia not only increases the probability of local heatwaves, but also enhances rainfall extremes over Pakistan by forcing an atmospheric wave response, and (3) high-latitude land warming favors wave-train occurrence and therefore rainfall and heat extremes. These findings highlight the complexity and synergistic interactions between different drivers, reconciling some seemingly contradictory results from previous studies.
Picroscope: low-cost system for simultaneous longitudinal biological imaging
Authors: Ly Victoria T. , Baudin Pierre V. , Pansodtee Pattawong , Jung Erik A. , Voitiuk Kateryna , Rosen Yohei M. , Willsey Helen Rankin , Mantalas Gary L. , Seiler Spencer T. , Selberg John A. , Cordero Sergio A. , Ross Jayden M. , Rolandi Marco , Pollen Alex A. , Nowakowski Tomasz J. , Haussler David , Mostajo-Radji Mohammed A. , Salama Sofie R. , Teodorescu Mircea
Published: November 2021

Simultaneous longitudinal imaging across multiple conditions and replicates has been crucial for scientific studies aiming to understand biological processes and disease. Yet, imaging systems capable of accomplishing these tasks are economically unattainable for most academic and teaching laboratories around the world. Here, we propose the Picroscope, which is the first low-cost system for simultaneous longitudinal biological imaging made primarily using off-the-shelf and 3D-printed materials. The Picroscope is compatible with standard 24-well cell culture plates and captures 3D z-stack image data. The Picroscope can be controlled remotely, allowing for automatic imaging with minimal intervention from the investigator. Here, we use this system in a range of applications. We gathered longitudinal whole organism image data for frogs, zebrafish, and planaria worms. We also gathered image data inside an incubator to observe 2D monolayers and 3D mammalian tissue culture models. Using this tool, we can measure the behavior of entire organisms or individual cells over long-time periods.
Heterogeneous origami-architected materials with variable stiffness
Authors: Miyazawa Yasuhiro , Yasuda Hiromi , Kim Hyungkyu , Lynch James H. , Tsujikawa Kosei , Kunimine Takahiro , Raney Jordan R. , Yang Jinkyu
Published: November 2021

Origami, the ancient art of paper folding, has shown its potential as a versatile platform to design various reconfigurable structures. The designs of most origami-inspired architected materials rely on a periodic arrangement of identical unit cells repeated throughout the whole system. It is challenging to alter the arrangement once the design is fixed, which may limit the reconfigurable nature of origami-based structures. Inspired by phase transformations in natural materials, here we study origami tessellations that can transform between homogeneous configurations and highly heterogeneous configurations composed of different phases of origami unit cells. We find that extremely localized and reprogrammable heterogeneity can be achieved in our origami tessellation, which enables the control of mechanical stiffness and in-situ tunable locking behavior. To analyze this high reconfigurability and variable stiffness systematically, we employ Shannon information entropy. Our design and analysis strategy can pave the way for designing new types of transformable mechanical devices.
DMAP molecule grafting on a carbon nitride heptazine ring for the better degradation of pollutants – the synergy of electron withdrawing and steric hindrance effects
Authors: Yuan Shaoteng , Zhang Minghui , Lan Xuefang , Shi Jinsheng
Published: November 2021

Graphitic carbon nitride (CN) is a promising candidate for use in photocatalytic pollutant degradation, but it only shows moderate activity because of its sluggish photocarrier transfer and insufficient light absorption.
Structural and electronic forms of doubly oxido/Pz and triply oxido/(Pz)2 bridged mixed valent and isovalent diruthenium complexes (Pz = pyrazolate)
Authors: Bera Sudip Kumar , Lahiri Goutam Kumar
Published: November 2021

Oxido/Pz and oxido/(Pz)2 bridged RuIII RuIV and RuIIRuIII mixed valent states in diastereomeric meso-1/rac-2 and 3+, respectively, exhibited a delocalised class III situation with calculated electronic coupling parameter (Vab) of ≈ 4000 cm−1.
Rich redox-activity and solvatochromism in a family of heteroleptic cobalt complexes
Authors: Nadurata Vincent L. , Hay Moya A. , Janetzki Jett T. , Gransbury Gemma K. , Boskovic Colette
Published: November 2021

Solvatochromic models of tunable charge transfer bands illuminate environmental interactions that are key to potential sensing or switching applications for a family of cobalt complexes.
High-temperature enantiomeric azobenzene-based photoisomerized piezoelectrics: 4-(phenyldiazenyl)anilinium) d- and l-tartrate
Authors: Mu Xin , Xu Lei , Xu Yi-Yi , Zhang Han-Yue , Xiong Ren-Gen
Published: November 2021

A pair of enantiomers, 4-(phenyldiazenyl)anilinium) d- and l-tartrate, have been designed, which are the first azobenzene-based high-temperature enantiomeric azobenzene-based photoisomerized piezoelectrics.
Fusogenic liposome-enhanced cytosolic delivery of magnetic nanoparticles
Authors: Chen Fang , Bian Minjuan , Nahmou Michael , Myung David , Goldberg Jeffrey L.
Published: November 2021

Fusogenic liposomes facilitate MNPs passage into the cytosol and enable direct contact between MNPs and organelles other than endosomes.
Newly synthesised oxime and lactone derivatives from Dipterocarpus alatus dipterocarpol as anti-diabetic inhibitors: experimental bioassay-based evidence and theoretical computation-based prediction
Authors: Phuong Thao Tran Thi , Bui Thanh Q. , Thi Thanh Hai Nguyen , Huynh Lam K. , Quy Phan Tu , Bao Nguyen Chi , Dung Nguyen Thi , Chi Nguyen Linh , Van Loc Tran , Smirnova Irina E. , Petrova Anastasiya V. , Ninh Pham Thi , Van Sung Tran , Nhung Nguyen Thi Ai
Published: November 2021

Dipterocarpus alatus-derived products are expected to exhibit anti-diabetes properties.
Efficient coupling of MnO2/TiN on carbon cloth positive electrode and Fe2O3/TiN on carbon cloth negative electrode for flexible ultra-fast hybrid supercapacitors
Authors: Li Mai , Zhu Kailan , Meng Zheyi , Hu Ruihua , Wang Jiale , Wang Chunrui , Chu Paul K.
Published: November 2021

MnO2 ultrathin nanosheet arrays and Fe2O3 nanoparticles are fabricated on carbon based TiN nanowires to produce binder-free and core–shell positive and negative electrodes for a flexible and ultra-fast hybrid supercapacitor.
Novel copper sulfide doped titania nanoparticles as a robust fiber coating for solid-phase microextraction for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Authors: Ma Mingguang , Wei Yunxia , Liu Fang
Published: November 2021

Immobilized TiO2 nanoparticles modified by nanoscale CuS (CuS@TiO2NPs) were successfully synthesized and used as fibers for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the determination of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water samples.
Enhanced adsorption-based atmospheric water harvesting using a photothermal cotton rod for freshwater production in cold climates
Authors: Zhang Wenchang , Xia Yu , Wen Zhaotong , Han Wenxia , Wang Shaofu , Cao Yiping , He Rong-Xiang , Liu Yumin , Chen Bolei
Published: November 2021

A photothermal cotton rod is designed for the enhanced atmospheric water absorption and solar evaporation for freshwater production in cold climates.
Microfluidic fabrication of hydrogel microparticles with MOF-armoured multi-enzymes for cascade biocatalytic reactions
Authors: Zhang Yan , Wang Bi-Cong , Wang Po , Ju Xiao-Jie , Zhang Mao-Jie , Xie Rui , Liu Zhuang , Wang Wei , Chu Liang-Yin
Published: November 2021

Uniform hydrogel microparticles with ZIF-8 nanoparticles for molecular co-confinement of cascade enzymes are developed by microfluidics to achieve enhanced stability and reusability under harsh conditions.