bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical training and high‐protein diet improved muscle strength, parent‐reported fatigue, and physical quality of life in children with Pompe disease
Authors: Scheffers L. E. , Somers O. C. , Dulfer K. , Dieleman G. C. , Walet S. , van der Giessen L. J. , van der Ploeg A. T. , van den Hout J. M. P. , van den Berg L. E. ,   the exercise team
Published: April 2023

Exercise has proven to be an effective adjuvant treatment to enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in mildly affected adult Pompe patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a 12‐week tailored lifestyle intervention, consisting of physical training and a high protein diet (2 grams/kg), in children with Pompe disease. This randomized controlled semi‐crossover trial investigated the effects of a lifestyle intervention on the primary outcome: exercise capacity. Secondary outcomes were: muscle strength, core stability, motor function, physical activity levels, quality of life, fatigue, fear of exercise, caloric intake, energy balance, body composition, and safety. Fourteen Pompe patients with a median age of 10.6 [IQR: 7.2–14.5], of whom six classic infantile patients, participated in the lifestyle intervention. At baseline, patients had a lower exercise capacity compared to healthy peers (median 70.3% [IQR: 54.8%–98.6%] of predicted). After the intervention, absolute Peak VO2 improved significantly (1279 mL/min [1012.5–2006] vs. 1352 mL/min [1101.5–2069], p = 0.039), but not compared to the control period. Muscle strength of the hip flexors, hip abductors, elbow extensors, neck extensors, knee extensors, and core stability improved significantly compared to the control period. Children reported a significant increase on the change in health domain of quality of life, parents reported significantly better scores on the quality of life domains: physical functioning, change in health, family cohesion, and fatigue. A 12‐week tailored lifestyle intervention for children with Pompe disease seemed safe and led to improvements in muscle strength, core stability, quality of life, and parent‐reported fatigue. Pompe patients with a stable disease trajectory seemed to benefit the most from the intervention.
Regional abnormalities of spontaneous brain activity in migraine: A coordinate‐based meta‐analysis
Authors: Wen Jian‐Jie , Gao Yan‐Yan , Li Meng‐Ting , Hu Su , Zhao Meng‐Qi , Su Chang , Wang Qing , Xi Hong‐Yu , Zhan Lin‐Lin , Lv Ya‐Ting , Antwi Collins Opoku , Ren Jun , Jia Xi‐Ze
Published: April 2023

Many resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs‐fMRI) studies have explored abnormal regional spontaneous brain activity in migraine. However, these results are inconsistent. To identify the consistent regions with abnormal neural activity, we meta‐analyzed these studies. We gathered whole‐brain rs‐fMRI studies measuring differences in the amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuations (ALFF), fractional ALFF (fALFF), or regional homogeneity (ReHo) methods. Then, we performed a voxel‐wise meta‐analysis to identify consistent abnormal neural activity in migraine by anisotropic effect size seed‐based d mapping (AES‐SDM). To confirm the AES‐SDM meta‐analysis results, we conducted two meta‐analyses: activation likelihood estimation (ALE) and multi‐level kernel density analysis (MKDA). We found that migraine showed increased regional neural activities in the bilateral postcentral gyrus (PoCG), left hippocampus (HIP.L), right pons, left superior frontal gyrus (SFG.L), triangular part of right inferior frontal gyrus (IFGtriang.R), right middle frontal gyrus (MFG.R), and left precentral gyrus (PreCG.L) and decreased regional intrinsic brain activities were exhibited in the right angular gyrus (ANG.R), left superior occipital gyrus (SOG.L), right lingual gyrus (LING.R). Moreover, the meta‐analysis of ALE further validated the abnormal neural activities in the PoCG, right pons, ANG.R, and HIP. Meta‐regression demonstrated that headache intensity was positively associated with the abnormal activities in the HIP.L, ANG.R, and LING.R. These findings suggest that migraine is associated with abnormal spontaneous brain activities of some pain‐related regions, which may contribute to a deeper understanding of the neural mechanism of migraine.
High frequency monitoring of feeding activity in benthic suspension feeders
Authors: Agüera Antonio , Strohmeier Tore , Krogness Cathinka , Strand Øivind
Published: April 2023

Suspension feeders ecosystem role and services are mainly driven by their efficiency in clearing particles from the water column. As such there is an interest on suspension feeders feeding activity and how they interact with the ecosystem. Advancing research on feeding response requires experimental designs where individuals can be exposed to continuously changing environments and where feeding activity can be monitored at a high frequency and at different time scales. However, interindividual variability or temporal dynamics in feeding behaviors cannot be investigated properly by the methods commonly used. There are several methods to monitor feeding activity of suspension feeders. Among them, the flow‐through method allows individuals to be exposed to changing conditions. As with the other existing methods, the flow‐through method is labor intensive limiting both the number of individuals that could be observed simultaneously and the time resolution of observations. The flow‐through method is constrained by the need to measure the flow rate through the chambers and to take samples to determine particle concentration in the water. In this work, we automated the standard flow‐through method using microcontroller based prototyping. The result is a methodological approach that continuously monitor feeding at high frequency and on a larger number of individuals while reducing handling and measurement errors. As such, this method brings a solution to the current limitations when studying suspension feeders feeding behaviors. This work provides the description and assessment of the automated set‐up, which is an end to end solution that can readily assembled and configured.
Innovation performance feedback and patent acquisition from the market: A behavioral perspective
Authors: Lee Jongseon , Kim Nami
Published: April 2023

Firms can facilitate external technology sourcing through transactions from the market. This study focuses on determinants of demand‐side motivation to join the technology transactions market. Drawing on the behavioral theory of the firm, we suggest that one of such determinants is the desire of a firm, whose innovation performance is below its aspiration level, to find a technology that will help improve its performance. Furthermore, we suggest that inconsistent feedback on its multiple goals and the type of R&D structure as moderating factors that can influence a firm's acquisition of technology in response to its poor performance.
Revised residual power series method in Laplacian space for space‐time fractional PDEs with proportional delayed arguments
Authors: Singh Brajesh Kumar , Agrawal Saloni , Singh Neetu
Published: April 2023

This paper developed a new hybrid residual power series (RPS) method in the space of Laplace transform (in brief,
) for the study of the nonlinear space‐time fractional model of partial differential equations with proportional delayed arguments (STF‐PDEDAs). The main objective of this technique is to convert the target nonlinear STF‐PDEDAs into the algebraic equation in the
space. The newly transformed equation is solved by utilizing the revised RPS method to achieve series approximations, and refer to this technique as
RPSM. Different kinds of attractive applications of STF‐PDEDAs are discussed utilizing proposed
RPSM to reveal its efficiency, effectiveness, and adaptability for constructing series solutions to the referred STF‐PDEDAs. The numerical experiments and graphical findings have been computed for different fractional parameter values to analyze the behavior of
RPSM solutions and to test the authenticity and applicability of the present method in comparison to other existing results obtained by some rigorous techniques. The outcomes conclude that proposed
RPSM is easy to understand and straightforward to provide results converging to its exact solution.
Galangin Targets HSP90β to Alleviate Ulcerative Colitis by Controlling Fatty Acid Synthesis and Subsequent NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation
Authors: Yang Ling , Ma Xing‐yu , Mu Ke‐xin , Dai Yue , Xia Yu‐feng , Wei Zhi‐feng
Published: April 2023

Scope

The purpose of this research is to investigate the specific role of HSP90 paralogs in ulcerative colitis (UC), and to explore the mechanisms behind the inhibitory effects of galangin (Gal) on UC by inhibiting HSP90β in vivo.

Methods and results

In order to achieve this, publicly available gene expression data and molecular biology techniques are used. The results show that the expression of HSP90β is significantly increased in the mucosal biopsies of UC patients and in the colons of colitis mice, and that there is a significant correlation between HSP90β levels and disease severity. Then, Gal is found to bind directly to HSP90β and downregulates the level of p‐AKT, as well as the stability and oligomerization of HSP90β, indicating Gal as an HSP90β inhibitor. Moreover, the findings reveal that HSP90β plays a critical role in controlling UC, and that Gal can alleviate colitis by inhibiting HSP90β and perturbing fatty acid synthesis‐mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Conclusion

These results not only provide insight into the potential therapeutic use of Gal in the treatment of UC, but also offer new perspectives on the role of HSP90β in this disease.
Investigation on the bending behaviors of reinforced thermoplastic pipes using a strain energy equivalence method and a continuum damage numerical model
Authors: Ding Xindong , Liu Wencheng , Wang Shuqing , Bu Jiarun
Published: April 2023

This paper investigates the bending stiffness and progressive failure of reinforced thermoplastic pipes (RTPs) under bending loads, in which a theoretical method based on the strain energy equivalence of multi‐layered anisotropic cylinders, is proposed. The bending stiffness and stress field was derived from the equilibrium between the work done by bending moments and the strain energy. This new method could consider the hybrid of isotropic and anisotropic materials and improve computation efficiency significantly. To verify the theoretical method, Abaqus/Explicit quasi‐static analysis on 3D composite elements was performed, in which the progressive failure was considered by using a VUMAT subroutine. The degradation of composites was implemented by a nonlinear stiffness degradation model based on the Hashin‐Yeh failure criterion. The comparison showed that the theoretical results are slightly conservative as the theoretical method neglects the contribution of interlayer interactions. Meanwhile, it can accurately predict the dominant stresses of each composite lamina. According to numerical simulations, the fiber tensile failure, the matrix tensile and compressive failure are the dominant failure modes of RTPs under bending loads. Furthermore, the effects of the winding angles of fibers on damage propagation and the effects of the initial ovality on the bending stiffness are also discussed.
Influence of alkali treatment on the interfacial shear strength of Agave lechuguilla fiber and its significance as a reinforcing material in polymer composites for mechanical applications
Authors: Majhi Sudhakar , Pradhan Subhrajit , Prakash Ved , Acharya Samir Kumar
Published: April 2023

The aim of the research work was to fabricate the short Agave lechuguilla (AL) fiber‐reinforced epoxy composite and to improve its mechanical strengths. In order to do that, a single fiber pullout test was conducted to evaluate the critical length of the AL fiber and its interfacial shear strength (IFSS) in epoxy resin. To improve the IFSS, AL fibers were treated with varying concentrations (5%, 10%, and 15%) of NaOH, and it was found that 5% NaOH treatment exhibits excellent tensile strength and IFSS. Fibers treated with 5% NaOH and untreated fibers were used separately as reinforcement materials varying between 10% and 40% with a 10 wt% step in composites fabrication. The tensile strength, flexural strength, and modulus of the composites were evaluated as per ASTM standards. The results reveal that the composites reinforced with 30 wt% of untreated AL fibers give maximum tensile and flexural strength. When 5% NaOH‐treated fibers were used as reinforcement instead of untreated fibers, their tensile and flexural strength improved by 8.14% and 7.88%, respectively. To investigate the fracture mechanism of the tested samples, the specimen's fractured surfaces were analyzed using scanning electron microscope and reported in this paper.
Front Cover Image
Authors: Spalthoff Christian , Salgado Vincent L. , Balu Narayanan , David Michael D. , Hehlert Philip , Huang Huazhang , Jones John E. , Kandasamy Ramani , Knudsen Gabriel A. , Lelito Katherine R. , Machamer James B. , Nesterov Alexandre , Tomalski Michael , Wahl Gregory D. , Wedel Barbara J. , Göpfert Martin C.
Published: April 2023

The cover image is based on the Research Article The novel pyridazine pyrazolecarboxamide insecticide dimpropyridaz inhibits chordotonal organ function upstream of TRPV channels by Christian Spalthoff et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.7352

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Proteomic profiling demonstrates inflammatory and endotheliopathy signatures associated with impaired cardiopulmonary exercise hemodynamic profile in Post Acute Sequelae of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection (PASC) syndrome
Authors: Singh Inderjit , Leitner Brooks P. , Wang Yiwei , Zhang Hanming , Joseph Phillip , Lutchmansingh Denyse D. , Gulati Mridu , Possick Jennifer D. , Damsky William , Hwa John , Heerdt Paul M. , Chun Hyung J.
Published: April 2023

Approximately 50% of patients who recover from the acute SARS‐CoV‐2 experience Post Acute Sequelae of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection (PASC) syndrome. The pathophysiological hallmark of PASC is characterized by impaired system oxygen extraction (EO2) on invasive cardiopulmonary exercise test (iCPET). However, the mechanistic insights into impaired EO2 remain unclear. We studied 21 consecutive iCPET in PASC patients with unexplained exertional intolerance. PASC patients were dichotomized into mildly reduced (EO2peak‐mild) and severely reduced (EO2peak‐severe) EO2 groups according to the median peak EO2 value. Proteomic profiling was performed on mixed venous blood plasma obtained at peak exercise during iCPET. PASC patients as a group exhibited depressed peak exercise aerobic capacity (peak VO2; 85 ± 18 vs. 131 ± 45% predicted; p = 0.0002) with normal systemic oxygen delivery, DO2 (37 ± 9 vs. 42 ± 15 mL/kg/min; p = 0.43) and reduced EO2 (0.4 ± 0.1 vs. 0.8 ± 0.1; p < 0.0001). PASC patients with EO2peak‐mild exhibited greater DO2 compared to those with EO2peak‐severe [42.9 (34.2–41.2) vs. 32.1 (26.8–38.0) mL/kg/min; p = 0.01]. The proteins with increased expression in the EO2peak‐severe group were involved in inflammatory and fibrotic processes. In the EO2peak‐mild group, proteins associated with oxidative phosphorylation and glycogen metabolism were elevated. In PASC patients with impaired EO2, there exist a spectrum of PASC phenotype related to differential aberrant protein expression and cardio‐pulmonary physiologic response. PASC patients with EO2peak‐severe exhibit a maladaptive physiologic and proteomic signature consistent with persistent inflammatory state and endothelial dysfunction, while in the EO2peak‐mild group, there is enhanced expression of proteins involved in oxidative phosphorylation‐mediated ATP synthesis along with an enhanced cardiopulmonary physiological response.
Impact of l‐citrulline on nitric oxide signaling and arginase activity in hypoxic human pulmonary artery endothelial cells
Authors: Douglass Matthew S. , Kaplowitz Mark R. , Zhang Yongmei , Fike Candice D.
Published: April 2023

Impaired nitric oxide (NO) signaling contributes to the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH). The l‐arginine precursor, l‐citrulline, improves NO signaling and has therapeutic potential in PH. However, there is evidence that l‐citrulline might increase arginase activity, which in turn, has been shown to contribute to PH. Our major purpose was to determine if l‐citrulline increases arginase activity in hypoxic human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs). In addition, to avoid potential adverse effects from high dose l‐citrulline monotherapy, we evaluated whether the effect on NO signaling is greater using co‐treatment with l‐citrulline and another agent that improves NO signaling, folic acid, than either alone. Arginase activity was measured in human PAECs cultured under hypoxic conditions in the presence of l‐citrulline (0–1 mM). NO production and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) coupling, as assessed by eNOS dimer‐to‐monomer ratios, were measured in PAECs treated with l‐citrulline and/or folic acid (0.2 μM). Arginase activity increased in hypoxic PAECs treated with 1 mM but not with either 0.05 or 0.1 mM l‐citrulline. Co‐treatment with folic acid and 0.1 mM l‐citrulline increased NO production and eNOS dimer‐to‐monomer ratios more than treatment with either alone. The potential to increase arginase activity suggests that there might be plasma l‐citrulline concentrations that should not be exceeded when using l‐citrulline to treat PH. Rather than progressively increasing the dose of l‐citrulline as a monotherapy, co‐therapy with l‐citrulline and folic acid merits consideration, due to the possibility of achieving efficacy at lower doses and minimizing side effects.
Computational procedures for quality assessment of latent concepts
Authors: Grimaccia Elena , Naccarato Alessia , Solari Fabrizio
Published: April 2023

The estimation of a latent construct is a crucial issue when a phenomenon is a consequence of the joint occurrence of multiple features. Several techniques for estimating latent phenomena are proposed in literature, but since the variable under study is unobservable, and the law by which the features combine together is unknown, comparison of results obtained with different methods is achieved through simulation‐based analyses. The latent construct is measured by a multidimensional index (MI), which determines a ranking among the observations. It is therefore relevant to assess the reliability of the methods by which such rankings are produced. In this paper, we propose two procedures evaluating the assessment of latent constructs and the corresponding rankings. The first one is a simulation‐based mean square error, which evaluates the MI accuracy, while the second one uses a simulation average split ranking index, which assesses its reliability. Both methodologies are illustrated with an application to the assessment of the urban sustainability, and three methodologies of building MIs are compared: the first one based on structural equation models; the second one based on principal component analysis; and the third one that uses an equal weight method.
Inclusive production of J/ψ, ψ(2S), and Υ states in pNRQCD
Authors: Brambilla Nora , Chung Hee Sok , Vairo Antonio , Wang Xiang-Peng
Published: April 2023

Abstract

Under some assumptions on the hierarchy of relevant energy scales, we compute the nonrelativistic QCD (NRQCD) long-distance matrix elements (LDMEs) for inclusive production of J/ψ, ψ(2S), and Υ states based on the potential NRQCD (pNRQCD) effective field theory. Based on the pNRQCD formalism, we obtain expressions for the LDMEs in terms of the quarkonium wavefunctions at the origin and universal gluonic correlators, which do not depend on the heavy quark flavor or the radial excitation. This greatly reduces the number of nonperturbative unknowns and substantially enhances the predictive power of the nonrelativistic effective field theory formalism. We obtain improved determinations of the LDMEs for J/ψ, ψ(2S), and Υ states thanks to the universality of the gluonic correlators, and obtain phenomenological results for cross sections and polarizations at large transverse momentum that agree well with measurements at the LHC.
Revolutionising dual language learning for young learners with the RILCA app: a mobile-assisted approach
Authors: Wiboolyasarin Watcharapol , Jinowat Nattawut
Published: April 2023

The rising popularity of mobile technologies has led to an increase in mobile-assisted language learning, in which students can independently learn any language at any time they choose. However, research into the efficacy of such studies for dual-language learning has been restricted, notably in regard to a researcher-created mobile learning application (app). This paper reports on a study that examined the dual-language development of 146 young Thai pupils from three different primary schools who participated in a fifteen-week language instruction experiment through the use of the RILCA app. They were assigned to either an experimental group (mobile-supported class) with RILCA-based activity or a control group (conventional class) that performed traditional activity. At the conclusion of the experiment, a dual-language vocabulary, sentence, and grammatical achievement test was conducted to see whether this mobile app increased the course's learning outcomes. The findings of the vocabulary, sentence, and grammatical comprehension tests reveal that the experimental group outperformed the control group. Implications for deploying the RILCA app to boost dual language learning in elementary schools are also discussed.
Estimating Arctic Ocean Acoustic Travel Times Using an Earth System Model
Authors: Niklasson S. M. , Veneziani M. , Rowe C. A. , Worcester P. F. , Dzieciuch M. A. , Bilek S. L. , Price S. F. , Roberts A. F.
Published: April 2023

The hydroacoustic environment of a rapidly warming Arctic Ocean will be impacted by interconnected changes in the physical environment and increased human activity. Previous acoustic calculations will need to be updated to reflect current and future conditions. Earth System Models are important tools for making projections of changes in a wide range of physical processes under future climates. We present a comparison of Arctic acoustic travel times based on output from the Department of Energy's Energy Exascale Earth System Model with measured travel times from the 2016–2017 Canada Basin Acoustic Propagation Experiment and with travel times predicted by empirical temperature and salinity observations. This comparison allows us to test the impact of changes in Arctic sound speed profiles on acoustic travel times and connects Arctic hydroacoustics with the changing Arctic environment as described by a climate model.
Heavy Southern China Spring Rainfall Promoted by Multi‐Year El Niño Events
Authors: Zhong Wenxiu , Wu Yuting , Yang Song , Ma Tianjiao , Cai Qingyu , Liu Qian
Published: April 2023

Southern China spring rainfall (SCSR) is significant for agricultural sowing and soil moisture accumulation before the rainy summer. A better prediction of the rainfall improves our ability to risk response to natural disasters. It is found that the SCSR can be promoted by multi‐year El Niño events through the high‐latitude pathway (HP) and low‐latitude pathway (LP). The long‐lasting El Niño warming heats the tropical troposphere persistently until the decaying spring, which strengthens the Arctic polar vortex and the mid‐latitude blockings. This HP is in favor of more southward transport of Rossby wave energy and cold air, resulting in strong ascending motions over southern China (SC) in spring. The multi‐year El Niño also induces an enhanced western North Pacific anticyclone and a secondary circulation transporting moisture to SC through the LP. The HP is more important in the early spring, while the LP dominates the heavy SCSR in the late spring.
DNA compaction enhances the sensitivity of fluorescence-based nucleic acid assays: a game changer in point of care sensors?
Authors: Sudarsan Sujesh , Prabhu Anusha , Prasad Dinesh , Mani Naresh Kumar
Published: April 2023

Enhancement in the fluorescence signal through compaction by the cationic surfactant CTAB and neutral polymer PEG 8000 in bulk and paper-based assays.
Tuning of MgO's base characteristics by blending it with amphoteric ZnO facilitating the selective glucose isomerization to fructose for bioenergy development
Authors: Mahala Sangeeta , Arumugam Senthil M. , Kumar Sandeep , Devi Bhawana , Elumalai Sasikumar
Published: April 2023

The novel MgO implanted ZnO offering a higher number of favorable weak basic sites improved fructose productivity and exhibited durability.
Cu-catalysed three-component C–H trifluoroalkylation of glycine derivatives: access to diverse CF3-containing amino acids
Authors: Li Yadong , Lu Dengfu , Gong Yuefa
Published: April 2023

A Cu-catalysed and ligand-controlled glycine ligation method is developed for the modular and selective synthesis of diverse CF3-containing amino acids and dipeptides.
Total synthesis of (−)-scabrolide A and (−)-yonarolide
Authors: Hafeman Nicholas J. , Loskot Steven A. , Reimann Christopher E. , Pritchett Beau P. , Virgil Scott C. , Stoltz Brian M.
Published: April 2023

A complete account of the total syntheses of scabrolide A and yonarolide is disclosed. Early approaches that failed due to unexpected reactivity are described, which informed the evolution of a successful strategy toward these two natural products.
Loss analysis of magnetization annealed amorphous alloy replacement stator teeth
Authors: Hu Haiyang , Wang Jiabao , Huang Shoushuai , Tian Baozhi , Wang Lihui , Pei Ruilin
Published: April 2023

With the development of electric motors, high speed and high efficiency have become the new development trend. Therefore, reducing the iron loss of motors has become the focus of academia and industry. Amorphous alloys are gradually being used in high speed motors by virtue of their low loss characteristics at high frequencies. Amorphous alloys generate large internal stresses during the manufacturing process, and annealing is usually required to eliminate the effect of internal stresses on magnetism. Amorphous transformer cores are usually annealed by applying a magnetic field in the direction of the magnetic circuit to improve the magnetic domain state, increase the saturation density in that direction, and reduce iron loss. Since the magnetic field of the motor stator teeth is pulsating, and amorphous annealed under longitudinal magnetic field (AALM) has the most performance along the direction of the annealed magnetic field. Therefore, in this paper, the magnetic properties of AALM, annealed amorphous (AA), and unannealed amorphous (UA) are tested to prove the advantages of the material, and then AALM is spliced as the tooth of the motor. The advantages of this material in the motor species are further demonstrated by designing a comparative simulation scheme in the longitudinal direction (same material with different structure) and in the transverse direction (same structure with different material).
Despite unknowns, NNSA plunges ahead on plutonium pits
Authors: Kramer David
Published: April 2023

The National Nuclear Security Administration has delayed by several years the date by which it will comply with a congressional mandate to build 80 pits per year.
The complexities of the human placenta
Authors: Clark Alys R. , Chernyavsky Igor L. , Jensen Oliver E.
Published: April 2023

The flow and transport of solute molecules in the intricate structure of the placenta make the organ a fetal life-support system.
An e-Coin Based Construction for Unlinkable Priced Oblivious Transfer
Authors: Borges Ricard , Sebé Francesc
Published: April 2023

A ‘1-out-of-n’ oblivious transfer (OT) protocol involves two participants: a sender, who provides a set of items as input, and a receiver. The protocol guarantees that the receiver gets exactly one of the items of the input set, while the sender is unable to determine which. Priced OT (POT) protocols further allow each item of the input set to be assigned a price in such a way that, after a proper execution of the protocol, the receiver gets the requested item if and only if the corresponding sum of money has been paid. In this paper, we present a construction which takes a ‘1-out-of-n’ OT protocol and transform it into a POT one. Moreover, the resulting system is unlinkable in the sense that the sender is unable to determine whether two executions of the protocol were run by the same receiver or not. When compared to existing unlinkable POT protocols, our construction offers a lower conceptual complexity as it does not involve the use of zero-knowledge proofs.
Characterization, molecular identification, and antimicrobial activity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from selected fermented foods and beverages in Malaysia
Authors: Haryani Yuli , Halid Nadrah Abd , Guat Goh Sur , Nor-Khaizura M A R , Hatta Asyraf , Sabri Suriana , Radu Son , Hasan Hanan
Published: April 2023

The present work investigated the profile and biodiversity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from selected manufactured and homemade fermented foods in Malaysia. A total of 55 LAB were isolated from 20 samples, and identified based on the sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. The LAB isolates were identified as Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (34.5%), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (20%), Limosilactobacillus fermentum (20%), Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (12.7%), Lacticaseibacillus casei (3.6%), Lactobacillus sp. (1.8%), Enterococcus faecalis (3.6%), Enterococcus faecium (1.8%), and Enterococcus durans (1.8%). Majority (94%) of the LAB isolates exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against selected foodborne pathogens, and four isolates (L. fermentum SC1001, L. paracasei K2003, and L. rhamnosus KF1002 and MK2003) could produce bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance (BLIS). Lacticaseibacillus paracasei M1001 (homemade mozzarella) exhibited high-temperature tolerance and acid resistance, was homofermentative, and generated good antimicrobial activity, which strongly implied its potential for industrial applications. The present work results would potentially widen our knowledge of LAB diversity in Malaysian fermented foods and provide a potential for their applications in the food industry or other purposes.
Examining the impact of a leisure time intervention on participation in organized out-of-school activities among adolescents: a quasi-experimental study in Franklin County, KY, USA
Authors: Meyers C C A , Mann M J , Thorisdottir I E , Berry A , Sigfusson J , Sigfusdottir I D , Eggertsson G A , Kristjansson A L
Published: April 2023

Guided by the Icelandic Prevention Model, a community-led coalition in Franklin County, KY, aimed to subsidize costs for participation in supervised organized leisure time programs among its youth via adaptation of the Reykjavik City Leisure Card program, locally known as the ‘YES Card’ voucher program. This study examined whether the proportion of students participating in supervised out-of-school activities and sports was higher in the YES Card intervention group compared to a similar group of youth who did not receive the voucher across two time points. Two waves of survey data were collected in one intervention middle school and two geographically and demographically similar comparison schools in 2020 (n for intervention = 112, n for comparison = 723) and 2021 (n for intervention = 134, n for comparison = 873). The expected age of students ranged between 12 and 15 years. Analyses were conducted using logistic regression. The YES Card receivers were two-and-a-half times more likely to participate in nonsport organized recreational activities [odds ratio, OR, 2.43 (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.07–5.52)] and almost twice as likely to participate in sports [OR: 1.91 (95%CI: 1.08–3.38)] over the 1-year study period, compared to non-YES Card youth. We conclude that Franklin County in KY in the USA has successfully adapted the Reykjavik City Leisure time voucher program.
Seasonal distribution and activity patterns of mesopredators and their prey in Southwest China
Authors: Bu Hongliang , Hopkins John B , Li Sheng , Wang Dajun
Published: April 2023

Mesopredators play an important role in shaping communities, especially when apex predators are no longer present. To persist, mesopredators must confront competition by developing different coexistence strategies. In this study, we used detection and activity data derived from remote cameras to investigate the seasonal coexistence of mesopredators and their interactions with prey in a region of Southwest China where apex predators have been extirpated. We found that Siberian weasels (Mustela sibirica) occupied the entire study area, whereas masked palm civets (Paguma larvata) were restricted to <1,900 m in fall, and expanded their ranges up by about 600 m in spring to likely prey on small mammals. We detected weasels at almost all locations where civets were present, but detection rates and activity patterns for both species suggested avoidance of larger-bodied civets by weasels. We found that weasels were active at all hours and overlapped with all prey both spatially and temporally, whereas civets were nocturnal and crepuscular, which only overlapped with murid rodents. Although we did not directly observe intraguild or predator–prey interactions, evidence suggested that masked palm civets and Siberian weasels seem to coexist due to different seasonal dietary preferences, hunting strategies, and activity patterns.
Antibodies against Histoplasma capsulatum and Aspergillus fumigatus among chronic TB patients in Indonesia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Dewi Intan M W , Fauziah Nisa , Ekawardhani Savira , Andriyoko Basti , Adawiyah Robiatul , Hartantri Yovita , Soeroto Arto Yuwono , Alisjahbana Bachti , Denning David W , Wahyuningsih Retno
Published: April 2023

Chronic pulmonary fungal infections may occur in patients with previous history of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), and are often clinically misclassified as TB, especially when bacteriological confirmation for Mycobacterium tuberculosis is absent. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of antibody against Histoplasma capsulatum and Aspergillus fumigatus in patients with confirmed and clinically chronic TB.

Antibodies against H. capsulatum and A. fumigatus were measured from serum samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The presence M. tuberculosis in sputum was confirmed using smear microscopy, GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay, or culture.

Antibodies against H. capsulatum and A. fumigatus were elevated in 16.9% and 26.9% of bacteriologically confirmed chronic TB patients, and 12.1% and 18.2% in those without bacteriological confirmation, respectively. Approximately one-third of patients who had positive anti-Histoplasma antibody also had elevated levels of antibody against Aspergillus fumigatus (P < .001). Our study highlights the importance of chronic pulmonary fungal infection in post-TB patients with recurrent respiratory symptoms.
Planet formation via pebble accretion in externally photoevaporating discs
Authors: Qiao Lin , Coleman Gavin A L , Haworth Thomas J
Published: April 2023

We demonstrate that planet formation via pebble accretion is sensitive to external photoevaporation of the outer disc. In pebble accretion, planets grow by accreting from a flux of solids (pebbles) that radially drift inwards from the pebble production front. If external photoevaporation truncates the outer disc fast enough, it can shorten the time before the pebble production front reaches the disc outer edge, cutting off the supply of pebble flux for accretion, hence limiting the pebble mass reservoir for planet growth. Conversely, cloud shielding can protect the disc from strong external photoevaporation and preserve the pebble reservoir. Because grain growth and drift can occur quickly, shielding even on a short time-scale (<1 Myr) can have a non-linear impact on the properties of planets growing by pebble accretion. For example, a $10^{-3}\, \mathrm{ M}_{\oplus }$ planetary seed at 25 au stays at 25 au with a lunar mass if the disc is immediately irradiated by a 103 G0 field, but grows and migrates to be approximately Earth-like in both mass and orbital radius if the disc is shielded for just 1 Myr. In NGC 2024, external photoevaporation is thought to happen to discs that are <0.5 Myr old, which coupled with the results here suggests that the exact planetary parameters can be very sensitive to the star-forming environment. Universal shielding for time-scales of at least ${\sim} 1.5\,$ Myr would be required to completely nullify the environmental impact on planetary architectures.
Plant extracellular self-DNA inhibits growth and induces immunity via the jasmonate signaling pathway
Authors: Zhou Xingang , Gao Huan , Zhang Xianhong , Khashi u Rahman Muhammad , Mazzoleni Stefano , Du Minmin , Wu Fengzhi
Published: April 2023

Plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to detect various forms of danger. Damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are endogenous danger molecules that are released from damaged cells and activate the innate immunity. Recent evidence suggests that plant extracellular self-DNA (esDNA) can serve as a DAMP molecule. However, the mechanisms by which esDNA functions are largely unknown. In this study, we confirmed that esDNA inhibits root growth and triggers reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in a concentration- and species-specific manner in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Furthermore, by combining RNA sequencing, hormone measurement, and genetic analysis, we found that esDNA-mediated growth inhibition and ROS production are achieved through the jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathway. Specifically, esDNA induces JA production and the expression of JA-responsive genes. The esDNA-mediated growth inhibition, ROS production, and gene expression are impaired in the JA-related mutants. Finally, we found that the JA signaling pathway is required for the esDNA-elicited resistance against the pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. This finding highlights the importance of JA signaling in esDNA-mediated biological effects, thereby providing insight into how esDNA functions as a DAMP.
Actin cytoskeleton in the control of vesicle transport, cytoplasmic organization, and pollen tube tip growth
Authors: Zhang Ruihui , Xu Yanan , Yi Ran , Shen Jiangfeng , Huang Shanjin
Published: April 2023

Pollen tubes extend rapidly via tip growth. This process depends on a dynamic actin cytoskeleton, which has been implicated in controlling organelle movements, cytoplasmic streaming, vesicle trafficking, and cytoplasm organization in pollen tubes. In this update review, we describe the progress in understanding the organization and regulation of the actin cytoskeleton and the function of the actin cytoskeleton in controlling vesicle traffic and cytoplasmic organization in pollen tubes. We also discuss the interplay between ion gradients and the actin cytoskeleton that regulates the spatial arrangement and dynamics of actin filaments and the organization of the cytoplasm in pollen tubes. Finally, we describe several signaling components that regulate actin dynamics in pollen tubes.
Sleep deprivation in obesogenic setting alters lipidome and microbiome toward suboptimal inflammation in acute heart failure
Authors: Halade Ganesh V. , Mat Yusuf , Gowda Siddabasave Gowda B. , Jain Shalini , Hui Shu‐Ping , Yadav Hariom , Kain Vasundhara
Published: April 2023

Sleep is a fundamental medicine for cardiac homeostasis, and sleep‐deprived individuals are prone to higher incidences of heart attack. The lipid‐dense diet (obesogenic diet‐OBD) is a cumulative risk factor for chronic inflammation in cardiovascular disease; thus, understanding how sleep fragmentation (SF) in an obesity setting impacts immune and cardiac health is an unmet medical need. We hypothesized whether the co‐existence of SF with OBD dysregulates gut homeostasis and leukocyte‐derived reparative/resolution mediators, thereby impairing cardiac repair. Two‐month‐old male C57BL/6J mice were randomized first into two groups, then four groups; Control, control + SF, OBD, and OBD + SF mice subjected to myocardial infarction (MI). OBD mice had higher levels of plasma linolenic acid with a decrease in eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid. The OBD mice had lower Lactobacillus johnsonii indicating a loss of probiotic microbiota. SF in OBD mice increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio indicative of a detrimental change in SF‐directed microbiome. OBD + SF group increased in the neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio suggestive of suboptimal inflammation. As a result of SF, resolution mediators (RvD2, RvD3, RvD5, LXA4, PD1, and MaR1) decreased and inflammatory mediators (PGD2, PGE2, PGF2a, 6k‐PGF1a) were increased in OBD mice post‐MI. At the site of infarction, the proinflammatory cytokines Ccl2, IL1β, and IL‐6 were amplified in OBD + SF indicating a robust proinflammatory milieu post‐MI. Also, brain circadian genes (Bmal1, Clock) were downregulated in SF‐subjected control mice, but remained elevated in OBD mice post‐MI. SF superimposed on obesity dysregulated physiological inflammation and disrupted resolving response thereby impaired cardiac repair and signs of pathological inflammation.
Emotional states affect walking performance
Authors: Homagain Abhishesh , Ehgoetz Martens Kaylena A.
Published: April 2023

Gait is a large component and indicator of health in both young and older adults. Many factors affect gait including age, disease, and even mood disorders. Few studies have looked at the influence of emotional states on gait. This study aimed to investigate the influence of emotional states on walking performance to understand whether an emotional state may be an important factor to consider when evaluating gait. Thirty-six young adults were recruited (23F, 13M) and performed a neutral baseline condition of walking which included six passes of walking across an 8m walkway (a total of 48m of walking). Participants then completed 6 pseudo-randomized emotional state induction conditions while immersive 360-degree videos were used to induce the following emotional state conditions: happiness, excitement, sadness, fear, and anger. Participants viewed the emotion elicitation videos using a virtual reality head-mounted display (HMD), then rated their emotional state using self-assessment manikins and walked (without the HMD) over a pressure sensor walkway. One-way repeated measures ANOVA and pairwise comparisons were used to examine differences in gait parameters across the emotional conditions. Participants walked with significantly reduced step length and speed during the sadness condition compared to the other emotion conditions and the neutral condition. Furthermore, participants adjusted the timing of their walking during the sadness condition and walked with significantly increased step, stance, and swing times compared to other emotion conditions, but not the neutral condition. Step time was significantly reduced during the conditions of excitement and fear compared to the neutral condition. These findings show that in young healthy adults, emotions may impact variety of gait parameters involving pace and rhythm, however have little influence on gait variability and postural control. These results indicate that perhaps the emotions of sadness and excitement should be taken into account as potential confounds for future gait analysis.
pan-ECM: live brain extracellular matrix imaging with protein-reactive dye
Authors: Ge Xiaoqian , Xu Xueqi , Cai Qi , Xiong Hejian , Chen Xie , Hong Yi , Gao Xiaofei , Yao Yao , Bachoo Robert , Qin Zhenpeng
Published: April 2023

The brain extracellular matrix (ECM), consisting of proteins and glycosaminoglycans, is a critical scaffold in the development, homeostasis, and disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) and undergoes remodeling in response to environmental cues. Live imaging of brain ECM structure represents a native view of the brain ECM but, until now, remains challenging due to the lack of a robust fluorescent labeling approach. Here, we developed a pan-ECM method for labeling the entire (Greek: pan) brain ECM network by screening and delivering a protein-reactive dye into the brain. pan-ECM enables imaging of ECM compartments in live brain tissue, including the interstitial matrix, basement membrane (BM), and perineuronal nets (PNNs), and even the ECM in glioblastoma and stroke mouse brains. This approach provides access to the structure and dynamics of the ECM and enhances our understanding of the complexities of the brain ECM and its contribution to brain health and disease.
Robust neural tracking of linguistic speech representations using a convolutional neural network
Authors: Puffay Corentin , Vanthornhout Jonas , Gillis Marlies , Accou Bernd , Van hamme Hugo , Francart Tom
Published: April 2023

Objective

When listening to continuous speech, populations of neurons in the brain track different features of the signal. Neural tracking can be measured by relating the electroencephalography (EEG) and the speech signal. Recent studies have shown a significant contribution of linguistic features over acoustic neural tracking using linear models. However, linear models cannot model the nonlinear dynamics of the brain. To overcome this, we use a convolutional neural network (CNN) that relates EEG to linguistic features using phoneme or word onsets as a control and has the capacity to model non-linear relations.

Approach

We integrate phoneme- and word-based linguistic features (phoneme surprisal, cohort entropy, word surprisal and word frequency) in our nonlinear CNN model and investigate if they carry additional information on top of lexical features (phoneme and word onsets). We then compare the performance of our nonlinear CNN with that of a linear encoder and a linearized CNN.

Main results

For the non-linear CNN, we found a significant contribution of cohort entropy over phoneme onsets and of word surprisal and word frequency over word onsets. Moreover, the non-linear CNN outperformed the linear baselines.

Significance

Measuring coding of linguistic features in the brain is important for auditory neuroscience research and applications that involve objectively measuring speech understanding. With linear models, this is measurable, but the effects are very small. The proposed non-linear CNN model yields larger differences between linguistic and lexical models and, therefore, could show effects that would otherwise be unmeasurable and may, in the future, lead to improved within-subject measures and shorter recordings.

Index Terms

EEG decoding, speech processing, CNN, linguistics.
Transient gamma events delineate somatosensory modality in S1
Authors: Black Christopher J. , Saab Carl Y. , Borton David A.
Published: April 2023

Gamma band activity localized to the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) in humans and animals is implicated in the higher order neural processing of painful and tactile stimuli. However, it is unclear if gamma band activity differs between these distinct somatosensory modalities. Here, we coupled a novel behavioral approach with chronic extracellular electrophysiology to investigate differences in S1 gamma band activity elicited by noxious and innocuous hind paw stimulation in transgenic mice. Like prior studies, we found that trial-averaged gamma power in S1 increased following both noxious and innocuous stimuli. However, on individual trials, we noticed that evoked gamma band activity was not a continuous oscillatory signal but a series of transient spectral events. Upon further analysis we found that there was a significantly higher incidence of these gamma band events following noxious stimulation than innocuous stimulation. These findings suggest that somatosensory stimuli may be represented by specific features of gamma band activity at the single trial level, which may provide insight to mechanisms underlying acute pain.