bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A multi‐modal clustering method for traditional Chinese medicine clinical data via media convergence
Authors: Si Jingna , Tian Ziwei , Li Dongmei , Zhang Lei , Yao Lei , Jiang Wenjuan , Liu Jia , Zhang Runshun , Zhang Xiaoping
Published: May 2023

Media convergence is a media change led by technological innovation. Applying media convergence technology to the study of clustering in Chinese medicine can significantly exploit the advantages of media fusion. Obtaining consistent and complementary information among multiple modalities through media convergence can provide technical support for clustering. This article presents an approach based on Media Convergence and Graph convolution Encoder Clustering (MCGEC) for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical data. It feeds modal information and graph structure from media information into a multi‐modal graph convolution encoder to obtain the media feature representation learnt from multiple modalities. MCGEC captures latent information from various modalities by fusion and optimises the feature representations and network architecture with learnt clustering labels. The experiment is conducted on real‐world multi‐modal TCM clinical data, including information like images and text. MCGEC has improved clustering results compared to the generic single‐modal clustering methods and the current more advanced multi‐modal clustering methods. MCGEC applied to TCM clinical datasets can achieve better results. Integrating multimedia features into clustering algorithms offers significant benefits compared to single‐modal clustering approaches that simply concatenate features from different modalities. It provides practical technical support for multi‐modal clustering in the TCM field incorporating multimedia features.
Testing decaying dark matter models as a solution to theS8tension with the thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect
Authors: Tanimura Hideki , Douspis Marian , Aghanim Nabila , Kuruvilla Joseph
Published: May 2023

Considering possible solutions to theS8tension between thePlanckcosmic microwave background (CMB) measurement and low-redshift probes, we extended the standard ΛCDM cosmological model by including decay of dark matter (DDM). We first tested the DDM model in which dark matter decays into a form of noninteracting dark radiation. Under this DDM model, we investigated the impacts of DDM on the Sunyaev Zel’dovich (SZ) effect by varying the decay lifetime, Γ−1, including the background evolution in cosmology and the nonlinear prescription in the halo mass function. We performed a cosmological analysis under the assumption of this extended cosmological model by combining the latest high-redshiftPlanckCMB measurement and low-redshift measurements of the SZ power spectrum as well as the baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO) and luminosity distances to type Ia supernovae (SNIa). Our result shows a preference for Γ−1 ∼ 220 Gyr with a lower bound on the decay lifetime of ∼38 Gyr at 95% confidence level. Additionally, we tested the other DDM model in which dark matter decays into warm dark matter and dark radiation. This model supports Γ−1 ∼ 137 Gyr to resolve theS8tension with a lower bound on the decay lifetime of ∼24 Gyr at 95% confidence level. Comparing these two models, we find that the second leads to slightly better reconciliation of theS8tension.
A hidden population of white dwarfs with atmospheric carbon traces in the Gaia bifurcation
Authors: Camisassa Maria , Torres Santiago , Hollands Mark , Koester Detlev , Raddi Roberto , Althaus Leandro G. , Rebassa-Mansergas Alberto
Published: May 2023

Context. The high-quality photometric and astrometric capabilities of the ESA Gaia space mission have revealed a bifurcation of the white dwarf sequence on the color magnitude diagram with two branches: A and B. While the A branch consists mostly of white dwarfs with hydrogen(H)-rich atmospheres, the B branch is not completely understood. Although it has been proposed that the B branch is populated mainly by helium (He)-rich white dwarfs, this branch overlaps with a ∼0.8 M⊙ evolutionary track with a pure He envelope, which would imply an unexpected peak in the white dwarf mass distribution.

Aims. In cold He-rich white dwarfs, it is expected that the outer convective zone penetrates into deep carbon (C) -rich layers, leading to a slight C contamination in their surfaces at ∼10 000 K. In this paper we aim to study the Gaia bifurcation as the natural consequence of C dredge-up by convection in cold He-dominated white dwarfs.

Methods. Relying on accurate atmosphere models, we provide a new set of evolutionary models for He-rich white dwarfs, which employ different prescriptions for the C enrichment. On the basis of these models, we carried out a population synthesis study of the Gaia 100 pc white dwarf sample to constrain the models that best fit the bifurcation.

Results. Our study shows that He-rich white dwarf models with a slight C contamination below the optical detection limit can accurately reproduce the Gaia bifurcation. We refer to these stars as “stealth DQ” white dwarfs because they do not exhibit detectable C signatures in their optical spectra, but the presence of C in their atmosphere produces a continuum absorption favoring the emission in bluer wavelengths, thereby creating the B branch of the bifurcation. Furthermore, our study shows that the white dwarf mass distribution obtained when a stealth C contamination is taken into account presents a peak at ∼0.6 M⊙, which is consistent with the mass distribution for H-rich white dwarfs and with the standard evolutionary channels for their formation.

Conclusions. We conclude that stealth DQ white dwarfs can account for the lower branch in the Gaia bifurcation. The C signatures of these stars could be detectable in ultraviolet (UV) spectra.
Oleander torimaki für Tier und Mensch – zur
Behandlung bei Mikrowellenbelastung
Authors: Sonnenschmidt Rosina
Published: May 2023

Die tagtägliche Mikrowellenbelastung, der wir
durch den Gebrauch von Handys, WLan und
anderer technischer Geräte ausgesetzt sind, führt
zu einer Reihe neuartiger Erkrankungen bei Tier
und Mensch. So führt die strahlungsbedingte
Öffnung der Blut-Hirn-Schranke zu einer erhöhten
intrazellulären Parasitenlast mit Auswirkungen auf
kognitive Leistungen wie auch zu einer Zunahme
von Tumor- und Krebserkrankungen im Gehirn. Die
Selbstheilungskräfte des strahlungsresistenten
japanischen Oleanders eröffnen jedoch interessante
homöopathische Behandlungsoptionen.
Pädiatrische Atemwegschirurgie: Indikationen und Techniken
Authors: Schweiger Thomas , Evermann Matthias , Roesner Imme , Denk-Linnert Doris-Maria , Klepetko Walter , Hoetzenecker Konrad
Published: May 2023

In der pädiatrischen Atemwegschirurgie sind zahlreiche anatomische Besonderheiten, spezifische Krankheitsbilder sowie spezielle Operationstechniken zu beachten. Auch an spezialisierten Zentren sind diese Eingriffe bei pädiatrischen Patienten eher selten. Ätiologisch handelt es sich meist um erworbene Stenosen als Folge von Frühgeburtlichkeit, Langzeitintubation oder -tracheotomie, welche typischerweise in Kindern mit zahlreichen Komorbiditäten auftreten. Kongenitale Fehlbildungen der Atemwege gehen häufig mit weiteren Malformationen einher, welche die erfolgreiche Behandlung zusätzlich erschweren. Voraussetzung zur Behandlung dieser Kinder sollte daher ein multidisziplinäres Team sein. An erfahrenen Zentren mit entsprechender Infrastruktur kann die chirurgische Behandlung dieser Kinder mit sehr guten Ergebnissen durchgeführt werden. So wird bei den meisten Patienten nach chirurgischer Behandlung eine sehr gute Lebensqualität ohne Notwendigkeit einer Langzeittracheostomie erreicht. Diese Übersichtsarbeit fasst die wichtigsten Indikationen, sowie die häufigsten Operationstechniken in der pädiatrischen Atemwegschirurgie zusammen.
Praxisporträt: Dr. Elvira Frfr. v. Schenck –
Wildtierärztin im Wildpark Eekholt in Schleswig-Holstein
Authors: Torp Christian
Published: May 2023

Im Zuge meiner Ausbildung kam ich zu der Erkenntnis, dass der Heiler nicht heilt,
sondern dem Patienten nur einen Impuls zur Selbstheilung geben kann, der den
Patienten wieder in seine Mitte bringt und ihn so an sein Energiefeld
anschließt.
HNF4α in Hepatocyte Health and Disease
Authors: Kotulkar Manasi , Robarts Dakota R. , Apte Udayan
Published: May 2023

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 α (HNF4α) is a highly conserved member of the nuclear receptor superfamily expressed at high levels in the liver, kidney, pancreas, and gut. In the liver, HNF4α is exclusively expressed in hepatocytes, where it is indispensable for embryonic and postnatal liver development and for normal liver function in adults. It is considered a master regulator of hepatic differentiation because it regulates a significant number of genes involved in hepatocyte-specific functions. Loss of HNF4α expression and function is associated with the progression of chronic liver disease. Further, HNF4α is a target of chemical-induced liver injury. In this review, we discuss the role of HNF4α in liver pathophysiology and highlight its potential use as a therapeutic target for liver diseases.
Microstructural Changes in Normal-Appearing White Matter in Pediatric X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study
Authors: Cebeci Hakan , Rykken Jeffrey , Ott Frederick , Folkertsma Mark , Koksel Yasemin , Gencturk Mehmet
Published: May 2023

Objective Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that provides quantitative diffusion data of water molecules in tissue. Usage of DTI in pediatric X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) may adjunct earlier detection of brain involvement. This study aimed to analyze the normal-appearing white matter in pediatric patients with X-ALD using DTI.

Materials and Methods A retrospective database search was performed. Children with genetically diagnosed X-ALDs with a reportedly normal brain MRI between January 2010 and September 2021 were included. Fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), axial diffusivity (AD), and apparent diffusion coefficient were serially measured in 8 regions of the brain, and these measurements were compared with those in control patients.

Results The study group included 21 X-ALD patients and 11 control patients. The mean age was 6.64 ± 5.14 years. FA values of the genu and body of the corpus callosum were significantly lower in the ALD group than controls. There was also a statistically significant difference in FA, AD, and RD values of cerebellar white matter in the two groups.

Conclusion There is evidence of white matter damage on DTI in X-ALD patients with the normal-appearing white matter on conventional MRI sequences. The inclusion of DTI in routine MRI examinations of X-ALD patients may provide additional insight into possible white matter damage in that population.
COVID-19 and Cerebrovascular Disease
Authors: Catherine Christina , Veitinger Julia , Chou Sherry H-Y.
Published: May 2023

COVID-19 has been associated with numerous neurological complications, with acute cerebrovascular disease being one of the most devastating complications. Ischemic stroke is the most common cerebrovascular complication of COVID-19, affecting between 1 and 6% of all patients. Underlying mechanisms for COVID-related ischemic strokes are thought to be due to vasculopathy, endotheliopathy, direct invasion of the arterial wall, and platelet activation. Other COVID-19-associated cerebrovascular complications include hemorrhagic stroke, cerebral microbleeds, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. This article discusses the incidence of these cerebrovascular complications, risk factors, management strategies, prognosis and future research directions, as well as considerations in pregnancy-related cerebrovascular events in the setting of COVID-19.
Modulation of edge defects on dual-spin filtering in zigzag β-SiC7 nanoribbons
Authors: He Jing-Jing , Guo Fang-Wen , Ni Hui-Min , Dong Jia-Bei , Cui Wen-Dou , Lu Tian-Yi , Yuan Jia-Ren , Guo Yan-Dong , Yan Xiao-Hong
Published: May 2023

The unique edge states of the zigzag β-SiC7 nanoribbons aroused our attention, and therefore, based on first-principles calculations, we investigated their spin-dependent electronic transport properties by constructing controllable defects to modulate these special edge states. Interestingly, by introducing rectangular edge defects in the SiSi and SiC edge-terminated systems, not only the spin-unpolarized is successfully converted to completely spin-polarized, but also the direction of polarization can be switched, thus enabling a dual spin filter. The analyses further reveal that the two transmission channels with opposite spins are spatially separated and that the transmission eigenstates are highly concentrated at the relative edges. The specific edge defect introduced only suppresses the transmission channel at the same edge but reserves the transmission channel at the other edge. In addition, for the CSi and CC edge-terminated systems, an additional spin-down band exists due to spin splitting in the spin-up band at EF, so that besides the original spatially separated two spin-opposite channels, an extra spin channel is distributed at the upper edge, resulting in unidirectional fully spin-polarized transport. The peculiar spatially separated edge states and excellent spin filtering properties could open up further possibilities for β-SiC7-based electronic devices in spintronics applications.
Modeling of carbon and tungsten transient dust influx in tokamak edge plasma
Authors: Smirnov R. D. , Krasheninnikov S. I.
Published: May 2023

The paper presents computer simulation studies of burst injection of carbon and tungsten dust particles in DIII-D-like edge plasmas. The injection causes a large transient influx of the low- and high-Z impurities associated with the dust ablation in the plasmas. The dust transport and the effects of the ablated impurities on the edge plasma dynamics in a modern mid-size tokamak geometry are investigated for low- and high-power plasma discharge conditions. The core plasma contamination with dust-ablated impurities and the factors affecting it are evaluated.
Preliminary design and techno-economic assessment of a trigeneration system integrated with compressed air and chemical energy storage
Authors: Yao Erren , Zhong Like , Li Ruixiong , Xi Guang , Zou Hansen , Wang Huanran
Published: May 2023

The advantages of compressed air energy storage (CAES) have been demonstrated by the trigeneration system with the characteristic of high penetration of renewable energy. However, since the irreversible loss of compression heat occurs during the overall operation processes of CAES, the development of CAES with high energy efficiency has been hindered by the conventional conversion pathway of compression heat. Therefore, a trigeneration system integrated with compressed air and chemical energy storage is proposed in this study to improve energy utilization efficiency. The compression heat is converted into H2 and CO via the endothermic methanol decomposition reaction to improve its energy level during the charging process, and then the syngas production can be used for air preheating during the discharging process. The parametric analysis is first performed to investigate the technical and economic feasibility of the system. Subsequently, the multi-objective optimization is conducted to identify the tradeoffs in the thermo-economic performance of the system and acquire the optimal values of operating parameters. Notably, the proposed system with a computed exergy efficiency of 43.31% and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of 97.53 $/MWh is selected as the most compromise solution by the decision maker of Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution among the Pareto optimum fronts, which are 8.47% higher than the exergy efficiency and 7.39 $/MWh lower than the LCOE under the design conditions.
Deep ensembles vs committees for uncertainty estimation in neural-network force fields: Comparison and application to active learning
Authors: Carrete Jesús , Montes-Campos Hadrián , Wanzenböck Ralf , Heid Esther , Madsen Georg K. H.
Published: May 2023

A reliable uncertainty estimator is a key ingredient in the successful use of machine-learning force fields for predictive calculations. Important considerations are correlation with error, overhead during training and inference, and efficient workflows to systematically improve the force field. However, in the case of neural-network force fields, simple committees are often the only option considered due to their easy implementation. Here, we present a generalization of the deep-ensemble design based on multiheaded neural networks and a heteroscedastic loss. It can efficiently deal with uncertainties in both energy and forces and take sources of aleatoric uncertainty affecting the training data into account. We compare uncertainty metrics based on deep ensembles, committees, and bootstrap-aggregation ensembles using data for an ionic liquid and a perovskite surface. We demonstrate an adversarial approach to active learning to efficiently and progressively refine the force fields. That active learning workflow is realistically possible thanks to exceptionally fast training enabled by residual learning and a nonlinear learned optimizer.
Deficiency, kinetic invertibility, and catalysis in stochastic chemical reaction networks
Authors: Marehalli Srinivas Shesha Gopal , Polettini Matteo , Esposito Massimiliano , Avanzini Francesco
Published: May 2023

Stochastic chemical processes are described by the chemical master equation satisfying the law of mass-action. We first ask whether the dual master equation, which has the same steady state as the chemical master equation, but with inverted reaction currents, satisfies the law of mass-action and, hence, still describes a chemical process. We prove that the answer depends on the topological property of the underlying chemical reaction network known as deficiency. The answer is yes only for deficiency-zero networks. It is no for all other networks, implying that their steady-state currents cannot be inverted by controlling the kinetic constants of the reactions. Hence, the network deficiency imposes a form of non-invertibility to the chemical dynamics. We then ask whether catalytic chemical networks are deficiency-zero. We prove that the answer is no when they are driven out of equilibrium due to the exchange of some species with the environment.
Reaction-induced iodine adsorption on Cu surfaces facilitates electrocatalytic CO2 reduction
Authors: Wang Xinyue , Guo Chenyan , Zhu Bowen , Xiao Daizhen , Gao Dunfeng , Liu Zhi , Yang Fan
Published: May 2023

The electrolyte effect has been key to the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) and has received extensive attention in recent years. Here we combined atomic force microscopy, quasi-in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and in situ attenuated total reflection surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS) to study the effect of iodine anions on Cu-catalyzed CO2RR in the absence or presence of KI in the KHCO3 solution. Our results suggested that iodine adsorption caused coarsening of the Cu surface and altered its intrinsic activity for CO2RR. As the potential of the Cu catalyst became more negative, there was an increase in surface iodine anion concentration ([I−]), which could be connected to the reaction-enhanced adsorption of I− ions accompanying the increase in CO2RR activity. A linear relationship was observed between [I−] and current density. SEIRAS results further suggested that the presence of KI in the electrolyte strengthened the Cu–CO bond and facilitated the hydrogenation process, enhancing the production of CH4. Our results have thus provided insight into the role of halogen anions and aided in the design of an efficient CO2RR process.
Focusing of jet from synthetic jet array using non-linear phase delay
Authors: Pasa Jangyadatta , Panda Samarendra , Arumuru Venugopal
Published: May 2023

In the present investigation, a novel focusing technique is proposed and demonstrated to enhance the strength of a synthetic jet array (SJ array). Here, for the same geometric and operating parameters, focusing of the SJ array is achieved by providing a non-linear phase delay (∅) between the actuators. An open-source software, OpenFOAM, is used to study the influence of the Strouhal number (St=0.028, 0.086, and 0.13) and ∅ s (range: 0°−180°) on the focusing behavior of the SJ array for fixed Reynolds number Re=300. Irrespective of ∅s, due to strong suction effect, focusing is not achieved for the SJ array operated at low St=0.028. However, maximum focusing is achieved for intermediate St=0.086 and ∅=90°, which shows an increment of ∼52% in the time-averaged streamwise velocity (Vavg) measured at y=20d compared to ∅=0°. Similarly, the Vavg is enhanced by ∼37% for high St=0.13 with ∅=120°. Also, the variation of Vavg along the jet centerline shows a decrease in the slope of the decay profiles due to focusing. Most importantly, the temporal evolution of the pumping power shows that no additional energy is required for enhancing the strength of SJ array. The proper orthogonal decomposition analysis illustrates that maximum focusing (St=0.086 and ∅=90°) conserves ∼ 43% of total kinetic energy, which was lost due to destructive interaction between the vortices in the case of ∅=0°. Hence, for effective implementation in flow control, electronic cooling, and other applications, it is recommended to focus the SJ array by operating it at intermediate St with a moderate non-linear phase delay (∅=60° and 90°).
Solving independent set problems with photonic quantum circuits
Authors: Yin Xu-Fei , Yao Xing-Can , Wu Biao , Fei Yue-Yang , Mao Yingqiu , Zhang Rui , Liu Li-Zheng , Wang Zhenduo , Li Li , Liu Nai-Le , Wilczek Frank , Chen Yu-Ao , Pan Jian-Wei
Published: May 2023

An independent set (IS) is a set of vertices in a graph such that no edge connects any two vertices. In adiabatic quantum computation [E. Farhi,
et al
., Science 292, 472–475 (2001); A. Das, B. K. Chakrabarti, Rev. Mod. Phys. 80, 1061–1081 (2008)], a given graph
G
(
V
,
E
) can be naturally mapped onto a many-body Hamiltonian

H

IS

G
(
V
,
E
)

, with edges

E

being the two-body interactions between adjacent vertices

V

. Thus, solving the IS problem is equivalent to finding all the computational basis ground states of

H

IS

G
(
V
,
E
)

. Very recently, non-Abelian adiabatic mixing (NAAM) has been proposed to address this task, exploiting an emergent non-Abelian gauge symmetry of

H

IS

G
(
V
,
E
)

[B. Wu, H. Yu, F. Wilczek, Phys. Rev. A 101, 012318 (2020)]. Here, we solve a representative IS problem

G
(
8
,
7
)

by simulating the NAAM digitally using a linear optical quantum network, consisting of three C-Phase gates, four deterministic two-qubit gate arrays (DGA), and ten single rotation gates. The maximum IS has been successfully identified with sufficient Trotterization steps and a carefully chosen evolution path. Remarkably, we find IS with a total probability of 0.875(16), among which the nontrivial ones have a considerable weight of about 31.4%. Our experiment demonstrates the potential advantage of NAAM for solving IS-equivalent problems.
Single-molecule force spectroscopy reveals binding and bridging dynamics of PARP1 and PARP2 at DNA double-strand breaks
Authors: Bell Nicholas A. W. , Molloy Justin E.
Published: May 2023

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) play key roles in DNA damage repair pathways in eukaryotic cells. Human PARPs 1 and 2 are catalytically activated by damage in the form of both double-strand and single-strand DNA breaks. Recent structural work indicates that PARP2 can also bridge two DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), revealing a potential role in stabilizing broken DNA ends. In this paper, we have developed a magnetic tweezers–based assay in order to measure the mechanical stability and interaction kinetics of proteins bridging across the two ends of a DNA DSB. We find that PARP2 forms a remarkably stable mechanical link (rupture force ~85 pN) across blunt-end 5′-phosphorylated DSBs and restores torsional continuity allowing DNA supercoiling. We characterize the rupture force for different overhang types and show that PARP2 switches between bridging and end-binding modes depending on whether the break is blunt-ended or has a short 5′ or 3′ overhang. In contrast, PARP1 was not observed to form a bridging interaction across blunt or short overhang DSBs and competed away PARP2 bridge formation, indicating that it binds stably but without linking together the two broken DNA ends. Our work gives insights into the fundamental mechanisms of PARP1 and PARP2 interactions at double-strand DNA breaks and presents a unique experimental approach to studying DNA DSB repair pathways.
Teachers recruit mentalizing regions to represent learners’ beliefs
Authors: Vélez Natalia , Chen Alicia M. , Burke Taylor , Cushman Fiery A. , Gershman Samuel J.
Published: May 2023

Teaching enables humans to impart vast stores of culturally specific knowledge and skills. However, little is known about the neural computations that guide teachers’ decisions about what information to communicate. Participants (N = 28) played the role of teachers while being scanned using fMRI; their task was to select examples that would teach learners how to answer abstract multiple-choice questions. Participants’ examples were best described by a model that selects evidence that maximizes the learner’s belief in the correct answer. Consistent with this idea, participants’ predictions about how well learners would do closely tracked the performance of an independent sample of learners (N = 140) who were tested on the examples they had provided. In addition, regions that play specialized roles in processing social information, namely the bilateral temporoparietal junction and middle and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, tracked learners’ posterior belief in the correct answer. Our results shed light on the computational and neural architectures that support our extraordinary abilities as teachers.
The KEAP1–NRF2 pathway regulates TFEB/TFE3-dependent lysosomal biogenesis
Authors: Ong Athena Jessica S. , Bladen Cerys E. , Tigani Tara A. , Karamalakis Anthony P. , Evason Kimberley J. , Brown Kristin K. , Cox Andrew G.
Published: May 2023

The maintenance of redox and metabolic homeostasis is integral to embryonic development. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is a stress-induced transcription factor that plays a central role in the regulation of redox balance and cellular metabolism. Under homeostatic conditions, NRF2 is repressed by Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1). Here, we demonstrate that Keap1 deficiency induces Nrf2 activation and postdevelopmental lethality. Loss of viability is preceded by severe liver abnormalities characterized by an accumulation of lysosomes. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that loss of Keap1 promotes aberrant activation of transcription factor EB (TFEB)/transcription factor binding to IGHM Enhancer 3 (TFE3)-dependent lysosomal biogenesis. Importantly, we find that NRF2-dependent regulation of lysosomal biogenesis is cell autonomous and evolutionarily conserved. These studies identify a role for the KEAP1–NRF2 pathway in the regulation of lysosomal biogenesis and suggest that maintenance of lysosomal homeostasis is required during embryonic development.
Human and chimpanzee shared and divergent neurobiological systems for general and specific cognitive brain functions
Authors: van den Heuvel Martijn P. , Ardesch Dirk Jan , Scholtens Lianne H. , de Lange Siemon C. , van Haren Neeltje E. M. , Sommer Iris E. C. , Dannlowski Udo , Repple Jonathan , Preuss Todd M. , Hopkins William D. , Rilling James K.
Published: May 2023

A long-standing topic of interest in human neurosciences is the understanding of the neurobiology underlying human cognition. Less commonly considered is to what extent such systems may be shared with other species. We examined individual variation in brain connectivity in the context of cognitive abilities in chimpanzees (
n
= 45) and humans in search of a conserved link between cognition and brain connectivity across the two species. Cognitive scores were assessed on a variety of behavioral tasks using chimpanzee- and human-specific cognitive test batteries, measuring aspects of cognition related to relational reasoning, processing speed, and problem solving in both species. We show that chimpanzees scoring higher on such cognitive skills display relatively strong connectivity among brain networks also associated with comparable cognitive abilities in the human group. We also identified divergence in brain networks that serve specialized functions across humans and chimpanzees, such as stronger language connectivity in humans and relatively more prominent connectivity between regions related to spatial working memory in chimpanzees. Our findings suggest that core neural systems of cognition may have evolved before the divergence of chimpanzees and humans, along with potential differential investments in other brain networks relating to specific functional specializations between the two species.
Probing differences among Aβ oligomers with two triangular trimers derived from Aβ
Authors: Kreutzer Adam G. , Guaglianone Gretchen , Yoo Stan , Parrocha Chelsea Marie T. , Ruttenberg Sarah M. , Malonis Ryan J. , Tong Karen , Lin Yu-Fu , Nguyen Jennifer T. , Howitz William J. , Diab Michelle N. , Hamza Imane L. , Lai Jonathan R. , Wysocki Vicki H. , Nowick James S.
Published: May 2023

The assembly of the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) to form oligomers and fibrils is closely associated with the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Aβ is a shape-shifting peptide capable of adopting many conformations and folds within the multitude of oligomers and fibrils the peptide forms. These properties have precluded detailed structural elucidation and biological characterization of homogeneous, well-defined Aβ oligomers. In this paper, we compare the structural, biophysical, and biological characteristics of two different covalently stabilized isomorphic trimers derived from the central and
C
-terminal regions Aβ. X-ray crystallography reveals the structures of the trimers and shows that each trimer forms a ball-shaped dodecamer. Solution-phase and cell-based studies demonstrate that the two trimers exhibit markedly different assembly and biological properties. One trimer forms small soluble oligomers that enter cells through endocytosis and activate capase-3/7-mediated apoptosis, while the other trimer forms large insoluble aggregates that accumulate on the outer plasma membrane and elicit cellular toxicity through an apoptosis-independent mechanism. The two trimers also exhibit different effects on the aggregation, toxicity, and cellular interaction of full-length Aβ, with one trimer showing a greater propensity to interact with Aβ than the other. The studies described in this paper indicate that the two trimers share structural, biophysical, and biological characteristics with oligomers of full-length Aβ. The varying structural, assembly, and biological characteristics of the two trimers provide a working model for how different Aβ trimers can assemble and lead to different biological effects, which may help shed light on the differences among Aβ oligomers.
Discovery of phosphorylated lantibiotics with proimmune activity that regulate the oral microbiome
Authors: Barbour Abdelahhad , Smith Leif , Oveisi Morvarid , Williams McKinley , Huang Ruo Chen , Marks Cara , Fine Noah , Sun Chunxiang , Younesi Fereshteh , Zargaran Sina , Orugunty Ravi , Horvath Thomas D. , Haidacher Sigmund J. , Haag Anthony M. , Sabharwal Amarpreet , Hinz Boris , Glogauer Michael
Published: May 2023

Lantibiotics are ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs) that are produced by bacteria. Interest in this group of natural products is increasing rapidly as alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Some human microbiome–derived commensals produce lantibiotics to impair pathogens’ colonization and promote healthy microbiomes.
Streptococcus salivarius
is one of the first commensal microbes to colonize the human oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract, and its biosynthesis of RiPPs, called salivaricins, has been shown to inhibit the growth of oral pathogens. Herein, we report on a phosphorylated class of three related RiPPs, collectively referred to as salivaricin 10, that exhibit proimmune activity and targeted antimicrobial properties against known oral pathogens and multispecies biofilms. Strikingly, the immunomodulatory activities observed include upregulation of neutrophil-mediated phagocytosis, promotion of antiinflammatory M2 macrophage polarization, and stimulation of neutrophil chemotaxis—these activities have been attributed to the phosphorylation site identified on the N-terminal region of the peptides. Salivaricin 10 peptides were determined to be produced by
S. salivarius
strains found in healthy human subjects, and their dual bactericidal/antibiofilm and immunoregulatory activity may provide new means to effectively target infectious pathogens while maintaining important oral microbiota.
The autism-associated loss of δ-catenin functions disrupts social behavior
Authors: Mendez-Vazquez Hadassah , Roach Regan L. , Nip Kaila , Chanda Soham , Sathler Matheus F. , Garver Tyler , Danzman Rosaline A. , Moseley Madeleine C. , Roberts Jessica P. , Koch Olivia N. , Steger Ava A. , Lee Rahmi , Arikkath Jyothi , Kim Seonil
Published: May 2023

δ-catenin is expressed in excitatory synapses and functions as an anchor for the glutamatergic AMPA receptor (AMPAR) GluA2 subunit in the postsynaptic density. The glycine 34 to serine (G34S) mutation in theδ-cateningene has been found in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients and results in loss of δ-catenin functions at excitatory synapses, which is presumed to underlie ASD pathogenesis in humans. However, how the G34S mutation causes loss of δ-catenin functions to induce ASD remains unclear. Here, using neuroblastoma cells, we identify that the G34S mutation increases glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β)-dependent δ-catenin degradation to reduce δ-catenin levels, which likely contributes to the loss of δ-catenin functions. Synaptic δ-catenin and GluA2 levels in the cortex are significantly decreased in mice harboring the δ-catenin G34S mutation. The G34S mutation increases glutamatergic activity in cortical excitatory neurons while it is decreased in inhibitory interneurons, indicating changes in cellular excitation and inhibition. δ-catenin G34S mutant mice also exhibit social dysfunction, a common feature of ASD. Most importantly, pharmacological inhibition of GSK3β activity reverses the G34S-induced loss of δ-catenin function effects in cells and mice. Finally, using δ-catenin knockout mice, we confirm that δ-catenin is required for GSK3β inhibition-induced restoration of normal social behavior in δ-catenin G34S mutant animals. Taken together, we reveal that the loss of δ-catenin functions arising from the ASD-associated G34S mutation induces social dysfunction via alterations in glutamatergic activity and that GSK3β inhibition can reverse δ-catenin G34S-induced synaptic and behavioral deficits.
Lung aerosol particle emission increases with age at rest and during exercise
Authors: Schumm Benedikt , Bremer Stephanie , Knödlseder Katharina , Schönfelder Martin , Hain Rainer , Semmler Luisa , Lorenz Elke , Jörres Rudolf , Wackerhage Henning , Kähler Christian J.
Published: May 2023

Airborne respiratory aerosol particle transmission of pathogens such as severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza, or rhinoviruses plays a major role in the spread of infectious diseases. The infection risk is increased during indoor exercise, as aerosol particle emission can increase by more than 100-fold from rest to maximal exercise. Earlier studies have investigated the effect of factors such as age, sex, and body mass index (BMI), but only at rest and without taking ventilation into account. Here, we report that during both rest and exercise, subjects aged 60 to 76 y emit on average more than twice as many aerosol particles per minute than subjects aged 20 to 39 y. In terms of volume, older subjects emit on average five times as much dry volume (i.e., the residue of dried aerosol particles) than younger subjects. There was no statistically significant effect of sex or BMI within the test group. Together, this suggests that aging of the lung and respiratory tract is associated with an increased generation of aerosol particles irrespective of ventilation. Our findings demonstrate that age and exercise increase aerosol particle emission. In contrast, sex or BMI only have minor effects.
The leader and the people
Authors: Fanoulis Evangelos , Cappelletti Alessandra
Published: May 2023

This paper examines the shifting boundaries in populist discourses in China, with a focus on how the political
leader’s discourse socially constructs the people. By combining critical and post-structuralist discourse analysis, we argue
firstly that prevalent Western-centric approaches to the study of populism only partially capture the notion of the people in
contemporary China, the study of which requires a mixture of elements from these approaches. Secondly, that the image of a Chinese
people embracing the Chinese Dream and the promise for a New China, is narrated in a context where the Chinese Communist Party
infuses all levels of society with messages of development, prosperity, peace and freedom. And thirdly, that while previous
leaders would normally address the people in a formal and detached way, the distance between leadership and the people has been
reduced in the Xi Jinping era.
Highly sensitive methane gas sensor based on Au/UVCFS films coated D-shaped photonic crystal fiber
Authors: Li Yuxin , Chen Hailiang , Li Hongwei , Gao Zhigang , Fan Xiaoya , Chen Qiang
Published: May 2023

In recent years, the proportion of methane explosion accidents in coal mine production accidents is increasing. The important measure to avoid methane explosion accident is to do well in methane leakage detection. Some of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) have been proposed to achieve the methane gas sensing. However, it is difficult to fill methane gas into the inner air holes in PCFs. In order to address this issue, a D-shaped PCF methane gas sensor based on SPR was proposed and investigated based on the finite element method in this paper. A side polished air hole in the D-shaped PCF was utilized as the substrates for depositing the gold film and methane gas sensitive film. The sensing area is in direct contact with the outside methane gas. Simulation results showed that the measurement sensitivity of methane gas reached 9.88 nm/% at the methane concentration of 0%–3.5% with a linearity of 99.8%. The influence of optical structure parameters on sensor performances were also discussed. The designed sensor is expected to be a candidate for methane gas leakage detection for its simplicity and feasibility.
First-principles design of ferromagnetic monolayer MnO2 at the complex interface
Authors: Wang Rui-Qi , Lei Tian-Min , Fang Yue-Wen
Published: May 2023

Rapidly increasing interest in low-dimensional materials is driven by the emerging requirement to develop nanoscale solid-state devices with novel functional properties that are not available in three-dimensional bulk phases. Among the well-known low-dimensional systems, complex transition metal oxide interface holds promise for broad applications in electronic and spintronics devices. Herein, intriguing metal-insulator and ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic transitions are achieved in monolayer MnO2 that is sandwiched into SrTiO3-based heterointerface systems through interface engineering. By using first-principles calculations, we modeled three types of SrTiO3-based heterointerface systems with different interface terminations and performed a comparative study on the spin-dependent magnetic and electronic properties that are established in the confined MnO2 monolayer. First-principles study predicts that metal-insulator transition and magnetic transition in the monolayer MnO2 are independent on the thickness of capping layers. Moreover, 100% spin-polarized two-dimensional electron gases accompanied by robust room temperature magnetism are uncovered in the monolayer MnO2. Not only is the buried MnO2 monolayer a new interface phase of fundamental physical interest, but it is also a promising candidate material for nanoscale spintronics applications. Our study suggests interface engineering at complex oxide interfaces is an alternative approach to designing high-performance two-dimensional materials.
A C-band widely tunable and switchable erbium-doped fiber laser based on a Sagnac-like loop embedded in Lyot filter
Authors: Zhou Junpeng , Tong Zhengrong , Zhang Weihua , Wang Xue , Gao Xiang , Jiang Qiuhao , Yan Gangxiao
Published: May 2023

In this paper, a new type of widely tunable and switchable multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser based on a Sagnac-like loop embedded in Lyot filter is proposed. The nonlinear polarization rotation effect is obtained by adjusting two polarization controllers (PCs). The polarization-dependent isolator and the Sagnac-like loop are used as the basic structure to realize the wide tuning and wavelength switching in C-band. Compared with the traditional Lyot filter, the Sagnac-like loop is used to replace the segment of polarization-maintaining fiber, and a more uniform comb spectrum can be obtained by this filter. The tunable and switchable wavelengths can be achieved by adjusting the PCs based on the nonlinear effect of the loop. The laser can emit single-, dual-, triple-, quad- and quintuple-wavelengths. The optical signal-to-noise ratios all exceed 43 dB. It can also be adjusted to partial wavelength intervals for quad-wavelength and quintuple-wavelength. The tuning range can reach the full range of the C-band, and the laser efficiency can reach the practical application standard. It can be applied to some precision instruments and equipment.
Q-switched fiber laser operating at 1560 nm modulated by Cr3C2 film
Authors: Zhao J X , Zhu L , Cheng T L , Qu Y H , Wang F
Published: May 2023

Chromium carbide (Cr3C2), as a kind of transition metal carbides, has exhibited extraordinary optoelectronic properties and aroused enormous attention. However, few reports have been focused on the nonlinear properties and relevant devices. In this study, we first demonstrated a novel Cr3C2 saturable absorber (SA). Cr3C2 with an average size of 200 nm was prepared through a low temperature salt flux synthetic method. The Cr3C2-film SA exhibited high robustness and strong linear and nonlinear saturable absorption response at 1560 nm. As the Cr3C2 SA was inserted into the Er3+-doped fiber laser cavity, Q-switched pulses were generated with a central wavelength of 1560 nm. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first report on the optical nonlinearity of Cr3C2 as a Q-switcher for the near-infrared fiber laser. Our experimental results verified that the integrated Cr3C2-based device possessed great potential as a nonlinear optical medium for high-performance optical applications.
Passively Q-switched ytterbium doped fiber laser based on a weak-photothermal saturable absorber
Authors: Kang Zhe , Liu Mingyi , Jia Zhixu , Qin Weiping , Qin Guanshi
Published: May 2023

Recently, plasmonic nanocrystals (NCs) have attracted much attention due to their wide applications in bioimaging, photothermal therapy and photonics devices. Compared to other metal NCs, copper NCs show a weak photo-thermal effect, which shows that the copper NCs are a good candidate for nonlinear optical materials. In this paper, we demonstrated a Q-switched fiber laser at 1 μm wavelength by using Cu1.8S NCs as a saturable absorber (SA). By incorporating the Cu1.8S SA into an ytterbium doped fiber laser cavity pumped by a 980 nm laser diode, stable passive Q-switching at 1038 nm was obtained for a threshold pump power of 63 mW. On gradually increasing the pump power from 64 mW to 160 mW, the repetition rate of a Q-switched laser increases from 25.7 kHz to 54.5 kHz and the pulse duration decreases from 6.7 μs to 2.33 μs. Our results showed that Cu1.8S NCs is an effective SA for constructing pulsed lasers with a broadband operating wavelength.
Neglected implications of land-use and land-cover changes on the climate-health nexus
Authors: Orlov Anton , Aunan Kristin , Mistry Malcolm N , Lejeune Quentin , Pongratz Julia , Thiery Wim , Gasparrini Antonio , Reed Eilif Ursin , Schleussner Carl-Friedrich
Published: May 2023

Climate change can substantially affect temperature-related mortality and morbidity, especially under high greenhouse gas emission pathways. Achieving the Paris Agreement goals require not only drastic reductions in fossil fuel-based emissions but also land-use and land-cover changes (LULCC), such as reforestation and afforestation. LULCC has been mainly analysed in the context of land-based mitigation and food security. However, growing scientific evidence shows that LULCC can also substantially alter climate through biogeophysical effects. Little is known about the consequential impacts on human health. LULCC-related impact research should broaden its scope by including the human health impacts. LULCC are relevant to several global agendas (i.e. Sustainable Development Goals). Thus, collaboration across research communities and stronger stakeholder engagement are required to address this knowledge gap.
Vascularized adipose tissue engineering: moving towards soft tissue reconstruction
Authors: Peirsman Arne , Nguyen Huu Tuan , Van Waeyenberge Michiel , Ceballos Carlos , Bolivar Johana , Kawakita Satoru , Vanlauwe Florian , Tirpáková Zuzana , Van Dorpe Sofie , Van Damme Lana , Mecwan Marvin , Ermis Menekse , Maity Surjendu , Mandal Kalpana , Herculano Rondinelli , Depypere Bernard , Budiharto Lore , Van Vlierberghe Sandra , De Wever Olivier , Blondeel Phillip , Jucaud Vadim , Dokmeci Mehmet Remzi , Khademhosseini Ali
Published: May 2023

Soft tissue defects are a common clinical challenge mostly caused by trauma, congenital anomalies and oncological surgery. Current soft tissue reconstruction options include synthetic materials (fillers and implants) and autologous adipose tissue transplantation through flap surgery and/or lipotransfer. Both reconstructive options hold important disadvantages to which vascularized adipose tissue engineering (VATE) strategies could offer solutions. In this review, we first summarized pivotal characteristics of functional adipose tissue such as the structure, function, cell types, development and extracellular matrix (ECM). Next, we discussed relevant cell sources and how they are applied in different state-of-the-art VATE techniques. Herein, biomaterial scaffolds and hydrogels, ECMs, spheroids, organoids, cell sheets, three dimensional printing and microfluidics are overviewed. Also, we included extracellular vesicles and emphasized their potential role in VATE. Lastly, current challenges and future perspectives in VATE are pointed out to help to pave the road towards clinical applications.