bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of pharyngeal packing on gastric volume in patients undergoing nasal surgery: a randomised, controlled trial
Authors: Altun Demet , Özkan-Seyhan Tülay , Canbaz Mert , Aydemir Levent , Altun Dilek , Gökduman Hürü Ceren , Çamcı Emre
Published: June 2023

Objective

To explore the effects of pharyngeal packing on antral cross-sectional area, gastric volume and post-operative complications.

Methods

In this prospective, randomised, controlled study, 180 patients were randomly assigned to a control group or a pharyngeal packing group. Gastric antral dimensions were measured with pre- and post-operative ultrasound scanning. Presence and severity of post-operative nausea and vomiting and sore throat were recorded.

Results

Post-operative antral cross-sectional area and gastric volume were significantly larger in the pharyngeal packing group compared to the control group. The incidence and severity of post-operative nausea and vomiting were significantly less in the pharyngeal packing group. More frequent and severe sore throat was observed in the control group within the ward. An increased Apfel simplified risk score and post-operative antral cross-sectional area were associated with post-operative nausea and vomiting during the first 2 hours, whereas septorhinoplasty and functional endoscopic sinus surgery, absent pharyngeal packing, and lower American Society of Anesthesiologists’ physical status were associated with post-operative nausea and vomiting within the ward.

Conclusion

Regardless of operation type, pharyngeal packing use resulted in smaller gastric volume, which was associated with reduced post-operative nausea and vomiting frequency and severity, and lower sore throat incidence.
When Is Something an Alternative? A General Account Applied to Animal-Free Alternatives to Animal Research
Authors: Kramer Koen
Published: June 2023

The first “R” from animal research ethics prescribes the replacement of animal experiments with animal-free alternatives. However, the question of when an animal-free method qualifies as an alternative to animal experiments remains unresolved.

Drawing lessons from another debate in which the word “alternative” is central, the ethical debate on alternatives to germline genome editing, this paper develops a general account of when something qualifies as an alternative to something. It proposes three ethically significant conditions that technique, method, or approach X must meet to qualify as an alternative to Y: (1) X must address the same problem as Y, under an appropriate description of that problem; (2) X must have a reasonable chance of success, compared to Y, in solving the problem; and (3) X must not be ethically unacceptable as a solution. If X meets all these conditions, its relative advantages and disadvantages determine whether it is preferable, indifferent, or dispreferable as an alternative to Y.

This account is then applied to the question of whether animal-free research methods qualify as alternatives to animal research. Doing so breaks down the debate around this question into more focused (ethical and other) issues and illustrates the potential of the account.
The Pediatric Serious Illness Conversation Program: Understanding challenges and experiences for clinicians after advance care planning training
Authors: Doherty Megan , Gujral Preet , Frenette Maryse , Lusney Nadine , van Breemen Camara
Published: June 2023

Objectives

To explore experiences of pediatric clinicians participating in a serious illness communication program (SICP) for advance care planning (ACP), examining how the SICP supports clinicians to improve their communication and the challenges of implementing new communication tools into clinical practice.

Methods

A qualitative description study using individual interviews with a diverse group of pediatric clinicians who participated in 2.5-hour SICP training workshops at pediatric tertiary hospitals. Discussions were transcribed, coded, and arranged into overarching themes. Thematic analysis was conducted using interpretive description methodology.

Results

Fourteen clinicians from 2 Canadian pediatric tertiary hospital settings were interviewed, including nurses (36%), physicians (36%), and social workers (29%), from the fields of neonatology (36%), palliative care (29%), oncology (21%), and other pediatric specialties (14%). Key themes included specific benefits of SICP, with subthemes of connecting with families, increased confidence in ACP discussions, providing tools to improve communication, and enhanced self-awareness and self-reflection. A second theme of perceived challenges emerged, which included subthemes of not having the conversation guide readily accessible, divergent team communication practices, and particular features of the clinical environment which limited the possibility of engaging in ACP discussions with parents.

Significance of results

A structured program to enhance serious illness communication supports clinicians to develop skills and tools to increase their confidence and comfort in conducting conversations about end-of-life issues. Addressing challenges of adopting the newly learned communication practices, by providing access to digital SICP tools and conducting SICP training for clinical teams may further support clinicians to engage in ACP.
Burial and Denudation Alter Microbial Life at the Bottom of the Hypo‐Critical Zone
Authors: McIntosh Jennifer , Kim Ji‐Hyun , Bailey Lydia , Osburn Magdalena , Drake Henrik , Martini Anna , Reiners Peter , Stevenson Bradley , Ferguson Grant
Published: June 2023

How subsurface microbial life changed at the bottom of the kilometers‐deep (hypo) Critical Zone in response to evolving surface conditions over geologic time is an open question. This study investigates the burial and exhumation, biodegradation, and fluid circulation history of hydrocarbon reservoirs across the Colorado Plateau as a window into the hypo‐Critical Zone. Hydrocarbon reservoirs, in the Paradox and Uinta basins, were deeply buried starting ca. 100 to 60 Ma, reaching temperatures >80–140°C, likely sterilizing microbial communities present since the deposition of sediments. High salinities associated with evaporites may have further limited microbial activity. Upward migration of hydrocarbons from shale source rocks into shallower reservoirs during maximum burial set the stage for microbial re‐introduction by creating organic‐rich “hot spots.” Denudation related to the incision of the Colorado River over the past few million years brought reservoirs closer to the surface under cooler temperatures, enhanced deep meteoric water circulation and flushing of saline fluids, and likely re‐inoculated more permeable sediments up to several km depth. Modern‐ to paleo‐hydrocarbon reservoirs show molecular and isotopic evidence of anaerobic oxidation of hydrocarbons coupled to bacterial sulfate reduction in areas with relatively high SO4‐fluxes. Anaerobic oil biodegradation rates are high enough to explain the removal of at least some portion of postulated “supergiant oil fields” across the Colorado Plateau by microbial activity over the past several million years. Results from this study help constrain the lower limits of the hypo‐Critical Zone and how it evolved over geologic time, in response to changing geologic, hydrologic, and biologic forcings.
Average Ionospheric Mid‐ and Low‐Latitude Currents From E‐ and F‐Region Altitudes, Derived by the Swarm Constellation
Authors: Zhou Yun‐Liang , Lühr Hermann
Published: June 2023

By utilizing magnetic field measurements from the Swarm constellation during the years 2014–2019, average characteristics of the height‐integrated ionospheric zonal and meridional currents at middle and low latitudes are investigated. We provide for the first time the detailed dependencies of these currents on location, local time, and season. The main results obtained are: (a) Large parts of the ionospheric currents flow in the F‐region, particularly on the nightside and in the winter hemisphere. (b) Clearly outstanding zonal current is the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) around noon, accompanied by currents in opposite direction at middle latitudes. At night, eastward currents are prevailing in the summer hemisphere, and westward in winter. During equinox the nighttime zonal currents show a lot of hemispheric similarity, with westward currents around pre‐midnight and eastward currents post‐midnight at mid latitudes. These features can be attributed to the meridional thermospheric wind effects. (c) The meridional currents are weak at night, exhibiting a preferred direction toward the summer hemisphere. At daytime the meridional currents flow toward equator in the pre‐noon sector and opposite current directions prevail in the afternoon, which is consistent with the closing of the EEJ current circuit. Large hemispheric differences in meridional currents are found during December solstice, suggesting that most of the EEJ current is closed through the winter, northern hemisphere. (d) The zonal and meridional currents at middle latitude exhibit clear signatures of solar tides at daytime. Most prominent are the non‐migrating tidal components DE3 in the zonal currents and SW5 in the meridional.
Enhanced Kinematic Inversion of 3‐D Displacements, Geometry, and Hydraulic Properties of a North‐South Slow‐Moving Landslide in Three Gorges Reservoir
Authors: Zheng Wanji , Hu Jun , Lu Zhong , Hu Xie , Sun Qian , Liu Jihong , Zhu Jianjun , Li Zhiwei
Published: June 2023

Complete three‐dimensional (3‐D) movements of slow‐moving landslides are critical to enhancing the understanding of the landslide mechanism. Multi‐source synthetic aperture radar (SAR) observations provide an opportunity to derive 3‐D movements. However, deriving the complete 3‐D movements faces potential challenges of incoherent phases and an ill‐posed inverse problem, which may result in incomplete and inaccurate results, especially for slopes facing north/south. Here, we propose a topography‐constrained strain model, which exploits the spatial relationship of 3‐D deformations between neighboring points as well as the assumption of the surface parallel flow of landslide, to derive complete 3‐D movements. Both synthetic and real datasets over the north‐south Xinpu landslide complex are utilized, to assess if the implemented method can overcome the ill‐posed condition and retrieve the complete 3‐D movement field. With the multi‐source SAR datasets, the performance of various datasets and the potential of NISAR in deriving time series and 3‐D movements are assessed. Based on the derived complete 3‐D movements and long‐term InSAR measurements, the landslide metrics, including elementary parameters of landslide geometry, spatial‐temporal patterns of movement, thickness, and hydraulic diffusivity, are derived to reveal that (a) the thickest landslide mass concentrates in the toe of the landslide, and (b) the effects of precipitation are more significant than those of the water level fluctuation in the Xinpu landslide complex, Three Gorges Reservoir areas.
Probing the Skill of Random Forest Emulators for Physical Parameterizations Via a Hierarchy of Simple CAM6 Configurations
Authors: Limon Garrett C. , Jablonowski Christiane
Published: June 2023

Machine learning approaches, such as random forests (RF), have been used to effectively emulate various aspects of climate and weather models in recent years. The limitations to these approaches are not yet known, particularly with regards to varying complexity of the underlying physical parameterization scheme within the climate model. Utilizing a hierarchy of model configurations, we explore the limits of random forest emulator skill using simplified model frameworks within NCAR's Community Atmosphere Model, version 6 (CAM6). These include a dry CAM6 configuration, a moist extension of the dry model, and an extension of the moist case that includes an additional convection scheme. Each model configuration is run with identical resolution and over the same time period. With unique RF being optimized for each tendency or precipitation rate across the hierarchy, we create a variety of “best case” emulators. The random forest emulators are then evaluated against the CAM6 output as well as a baseline neural network emulator for completeness. All emulators show significant skill when compared to the “truth” (CAM6), often in line with or exceeding similar approaches within the literature. In addition, as the CAM6 complexity is increased, the random forest skill noticeably decreases, regardless of the extensive tuning and training process each random forest goes through. This indicates a limit on the feasibility of RF to act as physics emulators in climate models and encourages further exploration in order to identify ideal uses in the context of state‐of‐the‐art climate model configurations.
Characterization and Correction of Evaporative Artifacts in Speleothem Fluid Inclusion Isotope Analyses as Applied to a Stalagmite From Borneo
Authors: Fernandez A. , Løland M. H. , Maccali J. , Krüger Y. , Vonhof H. B. , Sodemann H. , Meckler A. N.
Published: June 2023

Fluid inclusion water isotope measurements in speleothems have great potential for paleoclimate studies as they enable the reconstruction of precipitation dynamics and land temperatures. Several previous observations, however, suggest that inclusion waters do not always reflect the isotopic composition of surface precipitation. In such cases, dripwaters are thought to be modified by evaporation in the cave environment that results in more positive δ2H and δ18O values and shallow δ2H/δ18O slopes. Although evaporation can occur in cave systems, water can also be lost to evaporation during analysis but before water extraction. Here, we examine the likelihood of this possibility with a stalagmite from Borneo. We demonstrate that many samples lose water, and that water loss is controlled by the type and size of inclusions. With multiple replicate measurements of coeval samples, we calculate an evaporative δ2H/δ18O slope of 1.0 ± 0.6 (2SE). This value is consistent with model predictions of evaporative fractionation at high analytical temperature and low humidity. Finally, we propose a method to correct for this effect. We find that fluid–calcite δ18O paleotemperatures calculated with corrected δ18O data show excellent agreement with recent microthermometry temperature estimates for Borneo, supporting the validity of our approach and implying limited stalagmite δ18O disequilibrium variations. Corrected fluid inclusion δ18O and δ2H values follow the expected hydroclimate response of Borneo to periods of reduced Atlantic Ocean meridional overturning circulation. Our results suggest that careful petrographic examination and multiple replicate measurements are necessary for reliable paleoclimate reconstructions with speleothem fluid inclusion water isotopes.
The Explosive Activity of the 2021 Tajogaite Eruption (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain)
Authors: Taddeucci J. , Scarlato P. , Andronico D. , Ricci T. , Civico R. , Del Bello E. , Spina L. , D’Auria L. , Asensio‐Ramos M. , Calvo D. , Padrón E. , Hernández P. A. , Pérez N. M.
Published: June 2023

The explosive activity of the 2021 Tajogaite eruption eludes pigeonholing into well‐defined eruption styles, with a variety of pyroclast ejection modes occurring both alternately and simultaneously at multiple vents. Visually, we defined four endmembers of explosive activity, referred to as fountaining, spattering, ash‐poor jets and ash‐rich jets. To capture the physical parameters of these activities, we deployed a camera array including one high‐speed camera and three high‐definition cameras in two field campaigns. Transitions between and fluctuations within activity occurred at the time scale of minutes to hours, likely driven by the same shallow conduit and vent processes controlling Strombolian activity at other volcanoes, but at higher gas and magma fluxes. From a physical standpoint, mean pyroclast rise velocity ranged 5–50 m/s, maximum ejection velocity 10–220 m/s, and sub‐second mass flux of lapilli to bomb‐sized pyroclasts at the vent 0.2–200 × 103 kg/s. The largest mass flux occurred during fountaining, which contributed by far more than other activities to cone building. All explosive activity exhibited well‐defined pyroclast ejection pulses, and we found a positive correlation between the occurrence rate of ejection pulses and maximum pyroclast ejection velocity. Despite orders of magnitude variations, physical parameters shift gradually with no boundary from one activity endmember to another. As such, attributing this explosive activity specifically to any currently defined style variations is arbitrary and potentially misleading. The highly variable explosive activity of the Tajogaite eruption recalls previous definitions of violent Strombolian eruptions, an eruption style whose pyroclast ejection dynamics, however, were so far largely undefined.
Fundamental Causes of Model Inaccuracies in Predicting Wind‐Blown Sand Fluxes
Authors: Chamecki Marcelo , Kok Jasper F.
Published: June 2023

The wind‐blown flux of sand generates dunes, wind erosion, and mineral dust aerosols. Existing models predict sand flux using the wind friction velocity that characterizes near‐surface turbulent momentum fluxes. However, these models struggle to accurately predict sand fluxes. Here we analyze root causes of these model discrepancies using high‐frequency field measurements of winds and sand fluxes. We find that friction velocity is only predictive of sand fluxes on long timescales, when it correlates with horizontal wind speed. On shorter timescales, and for non‐ideal surface conditions, friction velocity is much less predictive, likely because the near‐surface wind momentum budget is dominated by other, less predictable terms. We furthermore find that variability in 30‐min averaged sand fluxes at a given friction velocity is not driven by changes in turbulence but by changes in surface conditions, raising a challenge for models. These findings can improve sand flux models and clarify their limitations.
Cook Ice Shelf and Ninnis Glacier Tongue Bathymetry From Inversion of Operation Ice Bridge Airborne Gravity Data
Authors: Constantino Renata R. , Tinto Kirsty J.
Published: June 2023

The seafloor depths under the Cook Ice Shelf and Ninnis Glacier Tongue have not been directly measured, despite their importance for understanding ocean circulation and ice shelf change. We model the bathymetry underneath the floating ice and surrounding ocean using airborne gravity data. Our model is constrained by few ship‐based seafloor measurements near the ice front and by ice‐base measurements over areas of grounded ice from radar data. Localized basins (∼1,400 m deep) are found beneath both ice shelves. The shallowest modeled bathymetry (∼200 m) represents the offshore extension of Cape Freshfield. Near the grounding line, seafloor depths are found to be deeper than the observed depth of the modified Circumpolar Deep water in the region (<350 m), key factor for basal melt analyses. From transit flight gravity anomalies, we suggest the relocation of the mapped edge of the continental shelf and a narrowing of the Cook Shelf Depression.
South Asian medical cohorts reveal strong founder effects and high rates of homozygosity
Authors: Wall Jeffrey D. , Sathirapongsasuti J. Fah , Gupta Ravi , Rasheed Asif , Venkatesan Radha , Belsare Saurabh , Menon Ramesh , Phalke Sameer , Mittal Anuradha , Fang John , Tanneeru Deepak , Deshmukh Manjari , Bassi Akshi , Robinson Jacqueline , Chaudhary Ruchi , Murugan Sakthivel , ul-Asar Zameer , Saleem Imran , Ishtiaq Unzila , Fatima Areej , Sheikh Saqib Shafi , Hameed Shahid , Ishaq Mohammad , Rasheed Syed Zahed , Memon Fazal-ur-Rehman , Jalal Anjum , Abbas Shahid , Frossard Philippe , Fuchsberger Christian , Forer Lukas , Schoenherr Sebastian , Bei Qixin , Bhangale Tushar , Tom Jennifer , Gadde Santosh Gopi Krishna , B V Priya , Naik Naveen Kumar , Wang Minxian , Kwok Pui-Yan , Khera Amit V. , Lakshmi B. R. , Butterworth Adam S. , Chowdhury Rajiv , Danesh John , di Angelantonio Emanuele , Naheed Aliya , Goyal Vinay , Kandadai Rukmini M. , Kumar Hrishikesh , Borgohain Rupam , Mukherjee Adreesh , Wadia Pettarusp M. , Yadav Ravi , Desai Soaham , Kumar Niraj , Biswas Atanu , Pal Pramod Kumar , Muthane Uday B. , Das Shymal K. , Ramprasad Vedam L. , Kukkle Prashanth L. , Seshagiri Somasekar , Kathiresan Sekar , Ghosh Arkasubhra , Mohan V. , Saleheen Danish , Stawiski Eric W. , Peterson Andrew S.
Published: June 2023

The benefits of large-scale genetic studies for healthcare of the populations studied are well documented, but these genetic studies have traditionally ignored people from some parts of the world, such as South Asia. Here we describe whole genome sequence (WGS) data from 4806 individuals recruited from the healthcare delivery systems of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, combined with WGS from 927 individuals from isolated South Asian populations. We characterize population structure in South Asia and describe a genotyping array (SARGAM) and imputation reference panel that are optimized for South Asian genomes. We find evidence for high rates of reproductive isolation, endogamy and consanguinity that vary across the subcontinent and that lead to levels of rare homozygotes that reach 100 times that seen in outbred populations. Founder effects increase the power to associate functional variants with disease processes and make South Asia a uniquely powerful place for population-scale genetic studies.
Manipulating local coordination of copper single atom catalyst enables efficient CO2-to-CH4 conversion
Authors: Dai Yizhou , Li Huan , Wang Chuanhao , Xue Weiqing , Zhang Menglu , Zhao Donghao , Xue Jing , Li Jiawei , Luo Laihao , Liu Chunxiao , Li Xu , Cui Peixin , Jiang Qiu , Zheng Tingting , Gu Songqi , Zhang Yao , Xiao Jianping , Xia Chuan , Zeng Jie
Published: June 2023

Electrochemical CO2 conversion to methane, powered by intermittent renewable electricity, provides an entrancing opportunity to both store renewable electric energy and utilize emitted CO2. Copper-based single atom catalysts are promising candidates to restrain C-C coupling, suggesting feasibility in further protonation of CO* to CHO* for methane production. In theoretical studies herein, we find that introducing boron atoms into the first coordination layer of Cu-N4 motif facilitates the binding of CO* and CHO* intermediates, which favors the generation of methane. Accordingly, we employ a co-doping strategy to fabricate B-doped Cu-Nx atomic configuration (Cu-NxBy), where Cu-N2B2 is resolved to be the dominant site. Compared with Cu-N4 motifs, as-synthesized B-doped Cu-Nx structure exhibits a superior performance towards methane production, showing a peak methane Faradaic efficiency of 73% at −1.46 V vs. RHE and a maximum methane partial current density of −462 mA cm−2 at −1.94 V vs. RHE. Extensional calculations utilizing two-dimensional reaction phase diagram analysis together with barrier calculation help to gain more insights into the reaction mechanism of Cu-N2B2 coordination structure.
Pore partition in two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks
Authors: Xu Xiaoyi , Wu Xinyu , Xu Kai , Xu Hong , Chen Hongzheng , Huang Ning
Published: June 2023

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as a kind of crystalline polymeric materials with high compositional and geometric tunability. Most COFs are currently designed and synthesized as mesoporous (2–50 nm) and microporous (1–2 nm) materials, while the development of ultramicroporous (<1 nm) COFs remains a daunting challenge. Here, we develop a pore partition strategy into COF chemistry, which allows for the segmentation of a mesopore into multiple uniform ultramicroporous domains. The pore partition is implemented by inserting an additional rigid building block with suitable symmetries and dimensions into a prebuilt parent framework, leading to the partitioning of one mesopore into six ultramicropores. The resulting framework features a wedge-shaped pore with a diameter down to 6.5 Å, which constitutes the smallest pore among COFs. The wedgy and ultramicroporous one-dimensional channels enable the COF to be highly efficient for the separation of five hexane isomers based on the sieving effect. The obtained average research octane number (RON) values of those isomer blends reach up to 99, which is among the highest records for zeolites and other porous materials. Therefore, this strategy constitutes an important step in the pore functional exploitation of COFs to implement pre-designed compositions, components, and functions.
Enantioselective synthesis of chiral quinohelicenes through sequential organocatalyzed Povarov reaction and oxidative aromatization
Authors: Li Chengwen , Shao Ying-Bo , Gao Xi , Ren Zhiyuan , Guo Chenhao , Li Meng , Li Xin
Published: June 2023

Heterohelicenes are of increasing importance in the fields of materials science, molecular recognition, and asymmetric catalysis. However, enantioselective construction of these molecules, especially by organocatalytic methods, is challenging, and few methods are available. In this study, we synthesize enantioenriched 1-(3-indol)-quino[n]helicenes through chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed Povarov reaction followed by oxidative aromatization. The method has a broad substrate scope and offers rapid access to an array of chiral quinohelicenes with enantioselectivities up to 99%. Additionally, the photochemical and electrochemical properties of selected quinohelicenes are explored.
Tisp40 prevents cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury through the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway in male mice
Authors: Zhang Xin , Hu Can , Ma Zhen-Guo , Hu Min , Yuan Xiao-Pin , Yuan Yu-Pei , Wang Sha-Sha , Kong Chun-Yan , Teng Teng , Tang Qi-Zhu
Published: June 2023

The hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) produces uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) to facilitate O-linked GlcNAc (O-GlcNAc) protein modifications, and subsequently enhance cell survival under lethal stresses. Transcript induced in spermiogenesis 40 (Tisp40) is an endoplasmic reticulum membrane-resident transcription factor and plays critical roles in cell homeostasis. Here, we show that Tisp40 expression, cleavage and nuclear accumulation are increased by cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Global Tisp40 deficiency exacerbates, whereas cardiomyocyte-restricted Tisp40 overexpression ameliorates I/R-induced oxidative stress, apoptosis and acute cardiac injury, and modulates cardiac remodeling and dysfunction following long-term observations in male mice. In addition, overexpression of nuclear Tisp40 is sufficient to attenuate cardiac I/R injury in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistic studies indicate that Tisp40 directly binds to a conserved unfolded protein response element (UPRE) of the glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 1 (GFPT1) promoter, and subsequently potentiates HBP flux and O-GlcNAc protein modifications. Moreover, we find that I/R-induced upregulation, cleavage and nuclear accumulation of Tisp40 in the heart are mediated by endoplasmic reticulum stress. Our findings identify Tisp40 as a cardiomyocyte-enriched UPR-associated transcription factor, and targeting Tisp40 may develop effective approaches to mitigate cardiac I/R injury.
Combining SNAPs with antibiotics shows enhanced synergistic efficacy against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa biofilms
Authors: Maset Ramón Garcia , Hapeshi Alexia , Lapage John , Harrington Niamh , Littler Jenny , Perrier Sébastien , Harrison Freya
Published: June 2023

Biofilm infections are associated with a high mortality risk for patients. Antibiotics perform poorly against biofilm communities, so high doses and prolonged treatments are often used in clinical settings. We investigated the pairwise interactions of two synthetic nano-engineered antimicrobial polymers (SNAPs). The g-D50 copolymer was synergistic with penicillin and silver sulfadiazine against planktonic Staphylococcus aureus USA300 in synthetic wound fluid. Furthermore, the combination of g-D50 and silver sulfadiazine showed a potent synergistic antibiofilm activity against S. aureus USA300 using in vitro and ex vivo wound biofilm models. The a-T50 copolymer was synergistic with colistin against planktonic Pseudomonas aeruginosa in synthetic cystic fibrosis medium, and this pair showed a potent synergistic antibiofilm activity against P. aeruginosa in an ex vivo cystic fibrosis lung model. SNAPs thus have the potential for increased antibiofilm performance in combination with certain antibiotics to shorten prolonged treatments and reduce dosages against biofilm infection.
Deep learning approach to genome of two-dimensional materials with flat electronic bands
Authors: Bhattacharya A. , Timokhin I. , Chatterjee R. , Yang Q. , Mishchenko A.
Published: June 2023

Electron-electron correlations play central role in condensed matter physics, governing phenomena from superconductivity to magnetism and numerous technological applications. Two-dimensional (2D) materials with flat electronic bands provide natural playground to explore interaction-driven physics, thanks to their highly localized electrons. The search for 2D flat band materials has attracted intensive efforts, especially now with open science databases encompassing thousands of materials with computed electronic bands. Here we automate the otherwise daunting task of materials search and classification by combining supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms. To this end, convolutional neural network was employed to identify 2D flat band materials, which were then subjected to symmetry-based analysis using a bilayer unsupervised learning algorithm. Such hybrid approach of exploring materials databases allowed us to construct a genome of 2D materials hosting flat bands and to reveal material classes outside the known flat band paradigms.
Operation of a programmable microfluidic organic analyzer under microgravity conditions simulating space flight environments
Authors: Estlack Zachary , Golozar Matin , Butterworth Anna L. , Mathies Richard A. , Kim Jungkyu
Published: June 2023

A programmable microfluidic organic analyzer was developed for detecting life signatures beyond Earth and clinical monitoring of astronaut health. Extensive environmental tests, including various gravitational environments, are required to confirm the functionality of this analyzer and advance its overall Technology Readiness Level. This work examines how the programmable microfluidic analyzer performed under simulated Lunar, Martian, zero, and hypergravity conditions during a parabolic flight. We confirmed that the functionality of the programmable microfluidic analyzer was minimally affected by the significant changes in the gravitational field, thus paving the way for its use in a variety of space mission opportunities.
Molecular structure and characteristics of phytoglycogen, glycogen and amylopectin subjected to mild acid hydrolysis
Authors: Pan Bo , Zhao Ningjing , Xie Qiuqi , Li Yungao , Hamaker Bruce R. , Miao Ming
Published: June 2023

The structure and properties of phytoglycogen and glycogen subjected to acid hydrolysis was investigated using amylopectin as a reference. The degradation took place in two stages and the degree of hydrolysis was in the following order: amylopectin > phytoglycogen > glycogen. Upon acid hydrolysis, the molar mass distribution of phytoglycogen or glycogen gradually shifted to the smaller and broadening distribution region, whereas the distribution of amyopectin changed from bimodal to monomodal shape. The kinetic rate constant for depolymerization of phytoglycogen, amylopectin, and glycogen were 3.45 × 10−5/s, 6.13 × 10−5/s, and 0.96 × 10−5/s, respectively. The acid-treated sample had the smaller particle radius, lower percentage of α-1,6 linkage as well as higher rapidly digestible starch fractions. The depolymerization models were built to interpret the structural differences of glucose polymer during acid treatment, which would provide guideline to improve the structure understanding and precise application of branched glucan with desired properties.
The influences of daily experiences of awe on stress, somatic health, and well-being: a longitudinal study during COVID-19
Authors: Monroy María , Uğurlu Özge , Zerwas Felicia , Corona Rebecca , Keltner Dacher , Eagle Jake , Amster Michael
Published: June 2023

In the present work, we used daily diary methodology to investigate the influence of awe on stress, somatic health (e.g., pain symptoms), and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. We recruited a sample of community adults (N = 269) and a sample of healthcare professionals (N = 145) in the United States. Across both samples, we found that awe and well-being increased, and stress and somatic health symptoms decreased over the 22-day diary period. In daily level analyses, we found that the more daily awe people experienced, the less stress, less somatic health symptoms, and greater well-being they felt. Daily experiences of awe can benefit individuals during times of acute and chronic stress—such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
The effects of trans fat diet intake on metabolic parameters and pancreatic tissue in offspring of prenatal bisphenol A exposed rats
Authors: Abulehia Hala , Mohd Nor Noor Shafina , Sheikh Abdul Kadir Siti Hamimah , Abdul Aziz Mardiana , Zulkifli Sarah
Published: June 2023

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a plasticiser used in the manufacturing of many products and its effects on human health remain controversial. Up till now, BPA involvement in metabolic syndrome risk and development is still not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of prenatal BPA exposure with postnatal trans-fat diet intake on metabolic parameters and pancreatic tissue histology. Eighteen pregnant rats were divided into control (CTL), vehicle tween 80 (VHC), and BPA (5 mg/kg/day) from gestational day (GD) 2 until GD 21, then their weaning rat’s offspring were fed with normal diet (ND) or trans-fat diet (TFD) from postnatal week (PNW) 3 until PNW 14. The rats were then sacrificed and the blood (biochemical analysis) and pancreatic tissues (histological analysis) were collected. Glucose, insulin, and lipid profile were measured. The study has shown that there was no significant difference between groups with regard to glucose, insulin, and lipid profiles (p > 0.05). All pancreatic tissues showed normal architecture with irregular islets of Langerhans in TFD intake groups compared to offspring that consumed ND. Furthermore, the pancreatic histomorphometry was also affected whereby the study findings revealed that there was a significant increase in the mean number of pancreatic islets in rats from BPA-TFD group (5.987 ± 0.3159 islets/field, p = 0.0022) compared to those fed with ND and BPA non-exposed. In addition, the results have found that prenatal BPA exposure resulted in a significant decrease in the pancreatic islets diameter of the BPA-ND group (183.3 ± 23.28 µm, p = 0.0022) compared to all other groups. In conclusion, prenatal BPA exposure with postnatal TFD in the offspring may affect glucose homeostasis and pancreatic islets in adulthood, and the effect may be more aggravated in late adulthood.
Right versus left eye asymmetry of microvasculature in diabetes revealed by optical coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Zhao Tong , Laotaweerungsawat Sawarin , Chen Yi , Liu Xiuyun , Liu Dongwei , Stewart Jay M.
Published: June 2023

In this study, we explored inter-ocular asymmetry (between the two eyes of the same patient) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) at different retinopathy stages. A total of 258 patients were divided into four groups: no DM, DM without diabetic retinopathy (DR), non-proliferative DR (NPDR), and proliferative DR (PDR). Superficial and deep vessel density (SVD, DVD), superficial and deep perfusion density (SPD, DPD), foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, perimeter and circularity were calculated, and asymmetry index (AI) was used to evaluate the asymmetry of two eyes of the same subject. AIs of SPD, SVD, FAZ area and FAZ perimeter in the PDR group were larger than all other 3 groups (all p < 0.05). The AIs of DPD, DVD, FAZ area and FAZ perimeter in males were larger than in females (p = 0.015, p = 0.023, p = 0.006 and p = 0.017). Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was positively correlated with AI of FAZ perimeter (p = 0.02) and circularity (p = 0.022). In conclusion, PDR patients’ eyes were significantly asymmetric in both vascular density and FAZ metrics. Male sex and HbA1c are risk factors that influenced symmetry. This study highlights that right-left asymmetry should be taken into account in DR-related studies, particularly those analyzing microvascular changes with OCTA.
Identifying the source populations supplying a vital economic marine species for the New Zealand aquaculture industry
Authors: Chaput Romain , Quigley Calvin N. , Weppe Simon B. , Jeffs Andrew G. , de Souza João M. A. C. , Gardner Jonathan P. A.
Published: June 2023

Aquaculture of New Zealand’s endemic green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) is an industry valued at NZ$ 336 M per annum and is ~ 80% reliant on the natural supply of wild mussel spat harvested at a single location—Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē—Ninety Mile Beach (NMB)—in northern New Zealand. Despite the economic and ecological importance of this spat supply, little is known about the population connectivity of green-lipped mussels in this region or the location of the source population(s). In this study, we used a biophysical model to simulate the two-stage dispersal process ofP. canaliculus. A combination of backward and forward tracking experiments was used to identify primary settlement areas and putative source populations. The model was then used to estimate the local connectivity, revealing two geographic regions of connectivity in northern New Zealand, with limited larval exchange between them. Although secondary dispersal can double the dispersal distance, our simulations show that spat collected at NMB originate from neighbouring mussel beds, with large contributions from beds located at Ahipara (southern end of NMB). These results provide information that may be used to help monitor and protect these important source populations to ensure the ongoing success of the New Zealand mussel aquaculture industry.
Evolution of NLR genes in genus Arachis reveals asymmetric expansion of NLRome in wild and domesticated tetraploid species
Authors: Rizwan Muhammad , Haider Syed Zeeshan , Bakar Abu , Rani Shamiza , Danial Muhammad , Sharma Vikas , Mubin Muhammad , Serfraz Ali , Shahnawaz-ur-Rehman Muhammad , Shakoor Sidra , Alkahtani Saad , Saleem Fozia , Mamoon-ur-Rehman Hafiz , Serfraz Saad
Published: June 2023

Arachis hypogaeais an allotetraploid crop widely grown in the world. Wild relatives of genusArachisare the rich source of genetic diversity and high levels of resistance to combat pathogens and climate change. The accurate identification and characterization of plant resistance gene, nucleotide binding site leucine rich repeat receptor (NLRs) substantially contribute to the repertoire of resistances and improve production. In the current study, we have studied the evolution of NLR genes in genusArachisand performed their comparative genomics among four diploids (A. duranensis,A. ipaensis,A. cardenasii,A. stenosperma) and two tetraploid (wild:A. monticolaand domesticated:A. hypogaea) species. In total 521, 354, 284, 794, 654, 290 NLR genes were identified fromA. cardenasii, A. stenospermaandA. duranensis,A. hypogaea, A. monticolaandA. ipaensisrespectively. Phylogenetic analysis and classification of NLRs revealed that they belong to 7 subgroups and specific subgroups have expanded in each genome leading towards divergent evolution. Gene gain and loss, duplication assay reveals that wild and domesticated tetraploids species have shown asymmetric expansion of NLRome in both sub-genome (AA and BB). A-subgenome ofA. monticolaexhibited significant contraction of NLRome while B-subgenome shows expansion and vice versa in case ofA. hypogaeaprobably due to distinct natural and artificial selection pressure. In addition, diploid speciesA. cardenasiirevealed the largest repertoire of NLR genes due to higher frequency of gene duplication and selection pressure.A. cardenasiiandA. monticolacan be regarded as putative resistance resources for peanut breeding program for introgression of novel resistance genes. Findings of this study also emphasize the application neo-diploids and polyploids due to higher quantitative expression of NLR genes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that studied the effect of domestication and polyploidy on the evolution of NLR genes in genusArachisto identify genomic resources for improving resistance of polyploid crop with global importance on economy and food security.
Moderate chlorophyll-a environments reduce coral bleaching during thermal stress in Yap, Micronesia
Authors: Keighan Rachael , van Woesik Robert , Yalon Anthony , Nam Joe , Houk Peter
Published: June 2023

Thermal-stress events on coral reefs lead to coral bleaching, mortality, and changes in species composition. The coral reefs of Yap, in the Federated States of Micronesia, however, remained largely unaffected by major thermal-stress events until 2020, when temperatures were elevated for three months. Twenty-nine study sites were examined around Yap to determine geographical and taxonomic patterns of coral abundance, bleaching susceptibility, and environmental predictors of bleaching susceptibility. Island-wide, 21% (± 14%) of the coral cover was bleached in 2020. Although inner reefs had a greater proportion of thermally-tolerant Porites corals, the prevalence of bleaching was consistently lower on inner reefs (10%) than on outer reefs (31%) for all coral taxa. Corals on both inner and outer reefs along the southwestern coast exhibited the lowest prevalence of coral bleaching and had consistently elevated chlorophyll-a concentrations. More broadly, we revealed a negative relationship between bleaching prevalence and (moderate) chlorophyll-a concentrations that may have facilitated resistance to thermal stress by reducing irradiance and providing a heterotrophic energy source to benefit some corals exposed to autotrophic stress. Southwestern reefs also supported a high but declining fish biomass, making these bleaching-resistant and productive reefs a potential climate-change refuge and a prime target for conservation.
Integrated control of non-motor and motor efforts during perceptual decision-making and action execution: a pilot study
Authors: Leroy Élise , Koun Éric , Thura David
Published: June 2023

Humans daily life is characterized by a succession of voluntary actions. Since energy resources are limited, the ability to invest the appropriate amount of effort for selecting and executing these actions is a hallmark of adapted behavior. Recent studies indicate that decisions and actions share important principles, including the optimization of their duration when the context requires it. In the present pilot study, we test the hypothesis that the management of effort-related energy resources is shared between decision and action too. Healthy human subjects performed a perceptual decision task where they had to choose between two levels of effort to invest in making the decision (i.e. two levels of perceptual difficulty), and report it with a reaching movement. Crucially, the movement accuracy requirement gradually increased from trial to trial depending on participants’ decision performance. Results indicate an overall moderate and non-significant impact of the increasing motor difficulty on the choice of the non-motor (decision) effort to invest in each trial and on decision performance. By contrast, motor performance strongly decreased depending on both the motor and decisional difficulties. Together, the results support the hypothesis of an integrated management of the effort-related energy resources between decision and action. They also suggest that in the present task, the mutualized resources are primarily allocated to the decision-making process to the detriment of movements.
Machine learning reveals sex-specific associations between cardiovascular risk factors and incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Authors: Kwak Soongu , Lee Hyun-Jung , Kim Seungyeon , Park Jun-Bean , Lee Seung-Pyo , Kim Hyung-Kwan , Kim Yong-Jin
Published: June 2023

We aimed to investigate sex-specific associations between cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk using machine learning. We studied 258,279 individuals (132,505 [51.3%] men and 125,774 [48.7%] women) without documented ASCVD who underwent national health screening. A random forest model was developed using 16 variables to predict the 10-year ASCVD in each sex. The association between cardiovascular risk factors and 10-year ASCVD probabilities was examined using partial dependency plots. During the 10-year follow-up, 12,319 (4.8%) individuals developed ASCVD, with a higher incidence in men than in women (5.3% vs. 4.2%, P < 0.001). The performance of the random forest model was similar to that of the pooled cohort equations (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, men: 0.733 vs. 0.727; women: 0.769 vs. 0.762). Age and body mass index were the two most important predictors in the random forest model for both sexes. In partial dependency plots, advanced age and increased waist circumference were more strongly associated with higher probabilities of ASCVD in women. In contrast, ASCVD probabilities increased more steeply with higher total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in men. These sex-specific associations were verified in the conventional Cox analyses. In conclusion, there were significant sex differences in the association between cardiovascular risk factors and ASCVD events. While higher total cholesterol or LDL cholesterol levels were more strongly associated with the risk of ASCVD in men, older age and increased waist circumference were more strongly associated with the risk of ASCVD in women.
Lessons on the COVID-19 pandemic: who are the most affected
Authors: Xie Jun , Piao Xiangdan , Managi Shunsuke
Published: June 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in work and lifestyle, impacting occupational mental health. This study examines the time and individual heterogeneity in the pandemic's effects on occupational mental health using panel data from job stress checks spanning 2018 to 2021. On average, there was an initial alleviation of high-stress risk in 2020, followed by a deterioration in 2021. Based on the job demand-resource theory, we identify the group of employees most affected by the pandemic. The findings highlight that employees in unfavorable workplace conditions are more likely to experience substantial adverse impacts. Adequate workplace support, including factors like interpersonal relationships, managerial support, job meaning, control, and work-life balance, is crucial for mitigating high-stress risk. Additionally, during the early phase of the pandemic, engaged employees experienced a slight decline in occupational mental health, while those lacking job resources at their worksite faced higher levels of occupational stress in the subsequent year. These findings offer practical suggestions for person-centered coping strategies to mitigate the pandemic's adverse impact.
Combining structural and coevolution information to unveil allosteric sites
Authors: La Sala Giuseppina , Pfleger Christopher , Käck Helena , Wissler Lisa , Nevin Philip , Böhm Kerstin , Janet Jon Paul , Schimpl Marianne , Stubbs Christopher J. , De Vivo Marco , Tyrchan Christian , Hogner Anders , Gohlke Holger , Frolov Andrey I.
Published: June 2023

Structure-based three-parameter model that integrates local binding site information, coevolutionary information, and information on dynamic allostery to identify potentially hidden allosteric sites in ensembles of protein structures.
Hypoxia-activated prodrugs of phenolic olaparib analogues for tumour-selective chemosensitisation
Authors: Wong Way W. , O'Brien-Gortner Sophia F. , Anderson Robert F. , Wilson William R. , Hay Michael P. , Dickson Benjamin D.
Published: June 2023

Hypoxia-activated prodrugs of phenolic olaparib analogues are deactivated in oxic cell culture and cytotoxicity is restored under hypoxia. Temozolomide combination studies suggest a feasible route to PARP inhibitor use beyond synthetic lethality.