bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LINC00092 Enhances LPP Expression to Repress Thyroid Cancer
Development via Sponging miR-542-3p
Authors: Wang Huan
Published: November 2023

LINC00092 is poorly expressed in Thyroid cancer (TC), while its role in TC
tumorigenesis is still elusive. This study aimed to reveal the role and
regulatory mechanism of LINC00092 in TC.

RNA immunoprecipitation and dual luciferase reporter assays were employed to
ascertain the relationships among lipoma preferred partner (LPP), miR-542-3p,
and LINC00092. qRT-PCR analysis was performed to detect their expression levels
in TC. LPP protein productions were evaluated via western blotting. CCK-8,
transwell, and colony formation assays were done to estimate TC cells’
biological functions. A murine xenograft model was built to observe tumor
formation in vivo.

LINC00092 overexpression decreased the expression levels of miR-542-3p, and LPP
was targeted by miR-542-3p. In TC cells and tissues, the elevation of
miR-542-3p, and low amounts of LINC00092 and LPP can be observed. Both LINC00092
and SPAG6 were considered as the antineoplastic factors in TC since their
overexpression dramatically repressed TC cells’ invasive and
proliferative potentials, while miR-542-3p exerted the opposite functions in TC.
The ectopic expression of LINC00092 also suppressed tumor growth in vivo. In
addition, it revealed that miR-542-3p upregulation reversed LINC00092
overexpression-mediated effects on TC cells. At the same time, the enhanced
influences of TC cells caused by miR-542-3p upregulation could be attenuated by
the enforced LPP.

This study innovatively reveals that LINC00092 acts as an antineoplastic lncRNA
to restrain the development of TC via regulating miR-542-3p/LPP. The
findings of this study may provide a prospective drug target on
LINC00092/miR-542-3p/LPP axis for the treatment of TC.
Intrathecal Therapy Options for Meningeal Carcinomatosis
Authors: Marowsky Madeleine , Müller Volkmar , Schmalfeldt Barbara , Riecke Kerstin , Witzel Isabell , Laakmann Elena
Published: November 2023

Around 5 percent of all patients with metastatic breast cancer go on to develop distant metastases in the meninges, also known as meningeal carcinomatosis. The median survival of these
patients is between 3.5 and 4.5 months. Current treatment approaches are based on radiotherapy, systemic and intrathecal therapy. Methotrexate, liposomal cytarabine and trastuzumab are the
most common substances used for intrathecal therapy. The aim of this review was to provide an overview of these intrathecal therapy options for meningeal carcinomatosis. A systematic search
of the literature was carried out in PubMed using the following search terms: “meningeal metastases”, “meningeal carcinomatosis”, “leptomeningeal metastasis”, “leptomeningeal
carcinomatosis”, “leptomeningeal disease”, “breast cancer”, “MTX”, “methotrexate”, “DepoCyte”, “liposomal cytarabine”, “trastuzumab” and “anti-HER2”. This search resulted in 75 potentially
relevant studies, 11 of which were included in this review after meeting the previously determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The studies differ considerably with regards to study
design, cohort size, and dosages of administered drugs. In principle, intrathecal therapy has a tolerable side-effects profile and offers promising results in terms of the median overall
survival following treatment with trastuzumab for HER2-positive primary tumors. The focus when treating meningeal carcinomatosis must be on providing a multimodal individual therapeutic
approach. However, comprehensive studies which compare the efficacy and side effects of individual pharmaceuticals are lacking. Because of the poor prognosis associated with meningeal
carcinomatosis, an approach which treats only the symptoms (best supportive care) should always be considered and discussed with affected patients.
Differences between hemispheres and in saccade latency regarding volleyball athletes and non-athletes during saccadic eye movements: an analysis using EEG
Authors: Vicente Renan , Bittencourt Juliana , Costa Élida , Nicoliche Eduardo , Gongora Mariana , Di Giacomo Jessé , Bastos Victor Hugo , Teixeira Silmar , Orsini Marco , Budde Henning , Cagy Mauricio , Velasques Bruna , Ribeiro Pedro
Published: November 2023

Background The saccadic eye movement is responsible for providing focus to a visual object of interest to the retina. In sports like volleyball, identifying relevant targets quickly is essential to a masterful performance. The training improves cortical regions underlying saccadic action, enabling more automated processing in athletes.

Objective We investigated changes in the latency during the saccadic eye movement and the absolute theta power on the frontal and prefrontal cortices during the execution of the saccadic eye movement task in volleyball athletes and non-athletes. We hypothesized that the saccade latency and theta power would be lower due to training and perceptual-cognitive enhancement in volleyball players.

Methods We recruited 30 healthy volunteers: 15 volleyball athletes (11 men and 4 women; mean age: 15.08 ± 1.06 years) and 15 non-athletes (5 men and 10 women; mean age: 18.00 ± 1.46 years). All tasks were performed simultaneously with electroencephalography signal recording.

Results The latency of the saccadic eye movement presented a significant difference between the groups; a shorter time was observed among the athletes, associated with the players' superiority in terms of attention level. During the experiment, the athletes observed a decrease in absolute theta power compared to non-athletes on the electrodes of each frontal and prefrontal area.

Conclusion In the present study, we observed the behavior of reaction time and absolute theta power in athletes and non-athletes during a saccadic movement task. Our findings corroborate the premise of cognitive improvement, mainly due to the reduction of saccadic latency and lower beta power, validating the neural efficiency hypothesis.
Correlation of Venous Blood Sugar Measured by Lab Method and Capillary Blood Sugar Measured by Glucometer in Neurosurgical Patients Receiving Dexamethasone
Authors: Sharma Jyoti , Bala Renu , Singh Seema
Published: November 2023

Background Brain is vulnerable to extreme blood glucose levels that may occur due to multiple factors in neurosurgical patients; perioperative use of dexamethasone is the most common. Thus, frequent monitoring of blood sugar levels is advocated. This study aimed to assess correlation between venous blood sugar measured by lab method and capillary blood sugar by glucometer at various time intervals.

Materials and Methods This prospective and observational study was conducted in 20 adult patients of either sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade I to III, scheduled to undergo brain tumor resection. The patients who were already on dexamethasone and received intraoperatively 8 mg dexamethasone were enrolled. Standard anesthesia technique and intraoperative monitoring were followed in all patients. Venous sample was withdrawn and blood sugar analyzed in laboratory, while at the same time capillary blood sugar was tested by glucometer. The sampling was done at baseline, 1 hourly after dexamethasone administration till 4 hours and then 8, 12, and 24 hours. The correlation between the two values was assessed.

Results During the study, 160 venous and 160 capillary blood sugar levels were analyzed. Though capillary blood sugar levels were slightly higher than venous sugar levels, there was strong correlation between the two (Pearson correlation coefficient) with p-value less than 0.05 except at 24 hours when two values were not correlated.

Conclusion Capillary blood sugar levels by glucometer have good correlation with venous sugar levels; therefore, this method may be adopted routinely for frequent blood sugar estimation as it is reliable, easy, and practical.
Rete Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysm: A Case Report and Systematic Review
Authors: Cavalcante-Neto Joaquim Francisco , Monteiro Gabriel de Almeida , Brandt Ariane Butke , Soares Giovanna Esmeraldo Paz , Solla Davi Jorge Fontoura , Leal Paulo Roberto Lacerda , Cristino-Filho Gerardo , da Ponte Keven Ferreira
Published: November 2023

Background Middle cerebral artery (MCA) anomalies are a rare finding and may be associated with vascular changes, such as intracranial aneurysms. Among them, the rete MCA aneurysm is very rare, with only 22 cases reported to date.

Case Description A 50-year-old woman presented with subarachnoid, intraventricular, and intracerebral hemorrhage secondary to a ruptured aneurysm of rete MCA from an anomalous collateral artery of the anterior cerebral artery, treated successfully by microsurgical clipping. She presented a good recovery after a 2-year follow-up.

Conclusion A systematic review of rete MCA aneurysms is presented, comparing aneurysms originating from twig-like MCA, with 16 reports, and twig-like networks of an anomalous collateral artery, with 6 reports including ours. Several factors influence the treatment decision-making, though microsurgical clipping is the main procedure. A wider use of coiling is requested for a better comparison of the treatment approaches.
Dilated optic nerve sheath by ultrasound predicts mortality among patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage
Authors: Dias Francisco Antunes , Zotin Maria Clara Zanon , Alessio-Alves Frederico Fernandes , Martins Filho Rui Kleber do Vale , Barreira Clara Monteiro Antunes , Vincenzi Otavio Costa , Venturelli Paula Muñoz , Boulouis Gregoire , Goldstein Joshua Norkin , Pontes-Neto Octavio Marques
Published: November 2023

Background Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a deadly disease and increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is associated with worse outcomes in this context.

Objective We evaluated whether dilated optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) depicted by optic nerve ultrasound (ONUS) at hospital admission has prognostic value as a predictor of mortality at 90 days.

Methods Prospective multicenter study of acute supratentorial primary ICH patients consecutively recruited from two tertiary stroke centers. Optic nerve ultrasound and cranial computed tomography (CT) scans were performed at hospital admission and blindly reviewed. The primary outcome was mortality at 90-days. Multivariate logistic regression, ROC curve, and C-statistics were used to identify independent predictors of mortality.

Results Between July 2014 and July 2016, 57 patients were evaluated. Among those, 13 were excluded and 44 were recruited into the trial. Their mean age was 62.3 ± 13.1 years and 12 (27.3%) were female. On univariate analysis, ICH volume on cranial CT scan, ICH ipsilateral ONSD, Glasgow coma scale, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and glucose on admission, and also diabetes mellitus and current nonsmoking were predictors of mortality. After multivariate analysis, ipsilateral ONSD (odds ratio [OR]: 6.24; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18–33.01; p = 0.03) was an independent predictor of mortality, even after adjustment for other relevant prognostic factors. The best ipsilateral ONSD cutoff was 5.6mm (sensitivity 72% and specificity 83%) with an AUC of 0.71 (p = 0.02) for predicting mortality at 90 days.

Conclusion Optic nerve ultrasound is a noninvasive, bedside, low-cost technique that can be used to identify increased ICP in acute supratentorial primary ICH patients. Among these patients, dilated ONSD is an independent predictor of mortality at 90 days.
Avulsion Fracture of the Extensor Carpi Ulnaris: A Report of Two Cases
Authors: Fang Evan , Choi Matthew , Cooper Michael J.
Published: November 2023

Background Avulsion fracture of the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) bony insertion at fifth metacarpal base is a rare injury that may preclude recognition on radiographs.

Case Description We report two cases of ECU avulsion fracture, both of which were successfully treated surgically by open reduction and fixation (ORIF).

Literature Review Only two cases of ECU avulsion fracture have previously been reported in the literature. Forced motion of the wrist into a position of hyperflexion and/or radial deviation appears to be a common mechanism.

Clinical Relevance Clinicians should be aware that ECU avulsion fractures can occur in isolation or in association with other fractures of the hand or wrist. ORIF is warranted due to the prospect of impaired wrist range of motion as well as persistent pain caused by the avulsed fragment.
A Case Series of Distal Radius and Ulna Nonunion Treated with Minimal Surgical Intervention
Authors: Cha Soo Min , Ga In Ho , Kim Yong Hwan , Kim Seung Won
Published: November 2023

Background We hypothesized a treatment guideline for ulna/radius nonunion after failed surgical treatment and propose to verify it in a prospective study. Herein, we report our preliminary findings and review the current trend.

Methods Six patients who met the criteria were retrospectively investigated, and we further categorized “nonunion of both the radius/ulna” into four subcategories. For hypertrophic nonunion of the radius, but with stability maintained by a plate, we only reinforced the mechanical stability of the ulna (osteosynthesis, treatment option 1). In oligo- or atrophic nonunion of the radius with stability maintained by a plate, we added cancellous or tricortical bone grafts to the radius after osteosynthesis of the ulna (treatment option 2). In the presence of definitive pseudomotion of the radius (no stability), we performed revision osteosynthesis for the radius only, without (treatment option 3) or with bone graft (treatment option 4).

Results Two, one, one, and two patients had corresponding treatment options of 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. At a mean postoperative time of 4.3 months, all radii and ulnas showed union. At the final follow-up, clinical outcomes in terms of the range of motion and VAS (visual analog scale)/DASH (disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand) scores were satisfactory. We are currently conducting a prospective trial to verify the hypothesized guidelines. For both types of radius/ulna nonunion, first, if the stability of the radius was good, we compared the final outcomes with or without revision osteosynthesis for the radius, in addition to osteosynthesis for the ulna. Second, if stability was absent in the radius, we compared the final outcomes with or without osteosynthesis of the ulna, in addition to revision osteosynthesis of the radius.

Conclusions The treatment guidelines for rare nonunion after failed surgical treatment of both the distal radius/ulna were suggested according to the “concept of stability” based on the principles of fracture treatment. This hypothesis could be used to guide prospective studies of revision surgery for nonunion of both the radius and ulna.

Level of Evidence Level IV, retrospective case series.
Triglyceride-glucose index as a predictor of obstructive sleep apnoea severity in the absence of traditional risk factors
Authors: Sökücü Sinem Nedime , Aydın Şenay , Satıcı Celal , Tural Önür Seda , Özdemir Cengiz
Published: November 2023

Objective We evaluated the association between the triglyceride–glucose (TG) index, a marker of insulin resistance, and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) severity in patients without diabetes mellitus, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

Methods This retrospective cohort study included 1,527 patients. We used univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the independent predictors associated with OSA.

Results Most patients were males (81.5%) with a mean age of 43.9 ± 11.1 (15–90) years. Based on the apnoea–hypopnea index (AHI), 353 (23.1%) patients were included in the control group, whereas 32.4%, 23.5%, and 21% had mild, moderate, and severe OSA, respectively. The TG index values demonstrated significant associations with OSA patients compared with the control group (p = 0.001). In addition, the mean values of the oxygen desaturation index (ODI), AHI, minimum oxygen saturation, and total sleep time percentage with saturation below 90% demonstrated statistically significant differences among the TG index groups (p: 0.001; p:0.001; p:0.001; p:0.003). The optimal TG index cutoff value to predict OSA was 8.615 (AUC = 0.638, 95% CI = 0.606–0.671, p = 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index, the TG index was independently associated with OSA patients.

Conclusion The TG index is independently associated with increased risk for OSA. This indicates that this index, a marker for disease severity, can be used to identify severe OSA patients on waiting lists for PSG.
Gesundheitsvorsorge: Lauterbach wertet Prävention auf
Authors: Heeser Alexandra
Published: November 2023

Der Minister plant ein neues Bundesinstitut für Prävention und Aufklärung in der Medizin (BIPAM). Es soll sich ab 2025 gezielt um die Vermeidung nicht übertragbarer Krankheiten wie Krebs oder Demenz kümmern. Ziel ist auch eine Entlastung des Robert-Koch-Instituts (RKI).
Notfallmedizin: Datenübertragung in Echtzeit
Authors: Blaschke Sabine
Published: November 2023

Im Verbundprojekt Connect_ED entsteht ein interaktives intelligentes Assistenzsystem für eine nahtlose Notfallversorgung zwischen Rettungsdienst und Zentraler Notaufnahme.
Intensivkontakt: Kommunikation auf neuem Level
Authors: Hollmig Luisa-Maria
Published: November 2023

Studien belegen den positiven Einfluss von Angehörigen auf Patienten während eines Klinikaufenthaltes. An diesem Punkt setzt IntensivKontakt an. Die Anwendung verbindet Angehörige, Patienten und Behandelnde auf einer zentralen Plattform. Daraus ergeben sich Vorteile für alle Beteiligte.
Hackerangriffe: Angreifer haben es eilig
Authors: Lang Michael
Published: November 2023

IT-Sicherheitsunternehmen haben die neuesten Trends bei den Angriffen auf Gesundheitseinrichtungen vorgestellt. Daten aus den USA lassen vermuten, dass Kriminelle nicht mehr warten wollen, bis ihre Opfer auf ihre manipulierten E-Mails hereinfallen. Stattdessen scannen sie zunehmend das Internet maschinell nach Schwachstellen in den Netzwerken.
Kurzfristige Liquiditätsplanung: Frühwarnsystem verringert Haftungsrisiken
Authors: Waldecker Marcel , Schürmann Claudia
Published: November 2023

Um frühzeitig eine drohende Klinikinsolvenz zu erkennen, sollten Krankenhausmanager ein Frühwarnsystem etablieren. Spätestens, wenn die Wirtschaftsplanung eine Liquiditätslücke in der Zukunft erwarten lässt, wird eine kurzfristige Liquiditätsplanung dringend notwendig.
DGIV-Bundeskongress 2023: Redet mit uns
Authors: Akhaladze Tamari , Kloepfer Albrecht
Published: November 2023

Die Ampel-Koalition brachte deutliche Wendepunkte in die deutsche Gesundheitspolitik. Noch sind die komplexen Herausforderungen im Gesundheitswesen nicht gelöst – und die Hälfte der Legislaturperiode ist um. Wie die gesundheitspolitische Zwischenbilanz der Ampel aussieht, wird am 29. November 2023 in Berlin Thema auf dem DGIV-Bundeskongress sein.
The coordination pattern of tourism efficiency and development level in Guangdong Province under high-quality development
Authors: Zhang Lijuan , Marzuki Azizan , Liao Zhenjie
Published: November 2023

Tourism efficiency is an important basis for measuring the quality of regional tourism economic operations. Promoting the high-quality and sustainable development of tourism is of great theoretical significance and practical value. Here, we measured the tourism development level of 21 cities in Guangdong Province from 2000 to 2020, introduced the DEA-MI model to measure and dissect tourism efficiency, and analyzed spatiotemporal data to explore the dynamic characteristics of regional tourism differences and spatial structures. Additionally, we constructed a coupled coordination degree model of tourism efficiency and development level and analyzed the coupling excellence and synergistic consistency of the two models. The results showed (1) evident spatial differences in the comprehensive tourism efficiency of 21 cities in Guangdong Province. (2) The local spatial structure of the tourism efficiency and development level fluctuates less and is more stable depending on the direction. (3) The local spatial structure of the tourism development level is more stable because the relative positions of municipal units are not readily changed. (4) The overall coupling degree of tourism efficiency, scale, and coupling coordination degree gradually improve with similar spatial and temporal divergence characteristics; the local evolution shows spatial heterogeneity and volatility.
Investigation of phase and structural states in nanocrystalline powders based on zirconium dioxide
Authors: Nerubatskyi V. P. , Vovk R. V. , Gevorkyan E. S. , Hordiienko D. A. , Nazyrov Z. F. , Komarova H. L.
Published: November 2023

The behavior of a polycrystalline body during sintering ZrO2 is determined not so much by the properties of individual particles but by the properties of aggregates, and the strength of the bonds between powder particles significantly affects the sintering process and the final properties of the ceramic composite materials. An increase in density and a uniform porosity distribution is achieved at such a pressure and sintering temperature when the process of intensive recrystallisation has not yet begun. Conventional sintering at a temperature of 1500 °C with a holding time of 1 h of ZrO2 and ZrO2–20 wt. % Al2O3 samples with an initial particle size of 120 nm and 40 nm, respectively, allowed us to obtain a material with a relative density of 81% (ZrO2) and 86% (ZrO2–20 wt. % Al2O3). The method of electroconsolidation was used to produce bulk samples of submicron ceramics of ZrO2–n wt. % Al2O3 (n = 10; 20; 30) compositions with a density of up to 99% of the theoretical one and a microstructure scale of about 270 nm. It was established that the addition of metastable Al2O3 nanopowders causes a shift in the onset of shrinkage of tetragonal YSZ to high temperatures and affects the reduction of the grain size of tetragonal YSZ to 170–200 nm.
Tri-gate junctionless transistors with electrostatically highly doped channel
Authors: Jeon Dae-Young
Published: November 2023

Multiple-gated junctionless transistors (JLTs) with an extremely simple structure and bulk-conduction-based operation could overcome fundamental problems with respect to short-channel effects for sub-3-nm technology nodes. In this paper, the performance of a tri-gate JLT with an electrostatically highly doped channel is demonstrated through numerical simulation. Unique characteristics previously reported in fabricated JLTs were exhibited by the tri-gate transistors with an additional bottom-gate bias (Vgb = 50 V), which induced an effectively highly doped state of the channel. The results of this study show the feasibility of producing impurity scattering-free JLTs for next-generation technology nodes.
Can seed banking assist in conserving the highly endemic New Zealand indigenous flora?
Authors: Wyse Sarah V. , Carlin Thomas F. , Etherington Thomas R. , Faruk Aisyah , Dickie John B. , Bellingham Peter J.
Published: November 2023

Context Globally, plant species are facing numerous threats; an issue particularly acute for island floras, which often exhibit high levels of endemism. Ex situ conservation in seed banks is an important tool for plant conservation. However not all species’ seeds can be stored in conventional seed banks. Data on seed storage behaviour are therefore vital for conservation decision making. Aims To review available seed storage information for the New Zealand (NZ) indigenous seed plant flora, 86% of which are endemic. Methods We compiled seed storage information for the NZ flora from databases and existing literature, and used boosted regression trees models to investigate predictors of seed storage behaviour for NZ woody plants. We used existing global models to predict the likely storage behaviour for the NZ woody flora where this was unknown, to examine the overall contribution that conventional seed banking could make towards NZ plant conservation. Key results Data were available for 412 of 1823 seed plants, of which 83% produced orthodox seeds that can be stored in a conventional seed bank. Of the woody flora, the incidence of non-orthodox seeds was positively correlated with seed mass, plant height, biotic dispersal, and habitat diurnal temperature range. Eighty-one percent of the woody flora are predicted to produce orthodox seeds. Conclusions and implications Conventional seed banking is likely to be suitable for a high proportion of the NZ flora. However, work is required to gain further seed storage behaviour data for NZ species, and to develop protocols for alternative ex situ conservation strategies for non-orthodox species, especially those facing in situ conservation threats.
Structure and function of theS. pombeIII–IV–cytcsupercomplex
Authors: Moe Agnes , Dimogkioka Anna-Roza , Rapaport Doron , Öjemyr Linda Näsvik , Brzezinski Peter
Published: November 2023

The respiratory chain in aerobic organisms is composed of a number of membrane-bound protein complexes that link electron transfer to proton translocation across the membrane. In mitochondria, the final electron acceptor, complex IV (CIV), receives electrons from dimeric complex III (CIII2), via a mobile electron carrier, cytochromec. In the present study, we isolated the CIII2CIV supercomplex from the fission yeastSchizosaccharomyces pombeand determined its structure with bound cyt.cusing single-particle electron cryomicroscopy. A respiratory supercomplex factor 2 was found to be bound at CIV distally positioned in the supercomplex. In addition to the redox-active metal sites, we found a metal ion, presumably Zn2+, coordinated in the CIII subunit Cor1, which is encoded by the same gene (qcr1) as the mitochondrial-processing peptidase subunit β. Our data show that the isolated CIII2CIV supercomplex displays proteolytic activity suggesting a dual role of CIII2inS. pombe. As in the supercomplex fromS. cerevisiae, subunit Cox5 of CIV faces towards one CIII monomer, but inS. pombe,the two complexes are rotated relative to each other by ~45°. This orientation yields equal distances between the cyt.cbinding sites at CIV and at each of the two CIII monomers. The structure shows cyt.cbound at four positions, but only along one of the two symmetrical branches. Overall, this combined structural and functional study reveals the integration of peptidase activity with the CIII2respiratory system and indicates a two-dimensional cyt.cdiffusion mechanism within the CIII2–CIV supercomplex.
Experimentally determined leaflet–leaflet phase diagram of an asymmetric lipid bilayer
Authors: Enoki Thais A. , Heberle Frederick A.
Published: November 2023

We have determined the partial leaflet–leaflet phase diagram of an asymmetric lipid bilayer at ambient temperature using asymmetric giant unilamellar vesicles (aGUVs). Symmetric GUVs with varying amounts of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and DOPC (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) were hemifused to a supported lipid bilayer (SLB) composed of DOPC, resulting in lipid exchange between their outer leaflets. The GUVs and SLB contained a red and green lipid fluorophore, respectively, thus enabling the use of confocal fluorescence imaging to determine both the extent of lipid exchange (quantified for individual vesicles by the loss of red intensity and gain of green intensity) and the presence or absence of phase separation in aGUVs. Consistent with previous reports, we found that hemifusion results in large variation in outer leaflet exchange for individual GUVs, which allowed us to interrogate the phase behavior at multiple points within the asymmetric composition space of the binary mixture. When initially symmetric GUVs showed coexisting gel and fluid domains, aGUVs with less than ~50% outer leaflet exchange were also phase-separated. In contrast, aGUVs with greater than 50% outer leaflet exchange were uniform and fluid. In some cases, we also observed three coexisting bilayer-spanning phases: two registered phases and an anti-registered phase. These results suggest that a relatively large unfavorable midplane interaction between ordered and disordered phases in opposing leaflets (i.e., a midplane surface tension) can overwhelm the driving force for lateral phase separation within one of the leaflets, resulting in an asymmetric bilayer with two uniformly mixed leaflets that is poised to phase-separate upon leaflet scrambling.
An exploratory randomised controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of different duration of canine-assisted interventions in higher education students
Authors: Manville Karen , Coulson Mark , Reynolds Gemma
Published: November 2023

The aim of this study was to explore whether different durations of canine-assisted intervention (CAI) influenced the beneficial effects of CAI on anxiety, stress, depression, and the well-being of higher education (HE) students. Eighty-eight participants took part in an exploratory randomised control trial (RCT) and were assigned to the 2, 5, and 10-min CAI groups who interacted with a canine, or a control group who watched an unrelated slideshow. Pre- and post-intervention anxiety, stress, depression, and well-being levels were measured. Additionally, the type of interaction between humans and canines was recorded as well as participants’ views of the canines’ neoteny (juvenile features) to explore whether interaction activity and canine features have an impact on the beneficial positive effects of CAI. The results showed no differences in the duration of CAI in reducing anxiety, stress, and depression, meaning a 2-min CAI session was as effective as a 10-min session. The results also found individual intervention activities between humans and canines did not predict a reduction in anxiety, stress, depression, or an increase in general well-being. Additionally, a negative correlation was found between the cuteness of the canine and anxiety, and between the cuddliness of the canine and stress, although these results should be interpreted with caution due to high canine trait scores. Overall, this study used a CAI and control group to explore the differences between a single 2, 5, and 10-min CAI sessions in HE students and demonstrated a 2-min CAI session was as effective as a longer 10-min CAI session in supporting the mental health of HE students, by reducing anxiety, stress, and depression levels in the treatment group.
Axion flux monodromy discharges relax the cosmological constant
Authors: Kaloper Nemanja
Published: November 2023

Linear axion monodromy models modulated with higher powers of fields naturally realize the
quantum-mechanical flux discharge mechanism for relaxing the cosmological constant toward
zero. Working with multiple copies of superposed linear and quadratic flux monodromies, each copy
spanned by a pair of fluxes, we show that when the axion is very massive and so effectively
decoupled, the membrane discharges relax the cosmological constant toward an attractor 0 < Λ/M
4
Pl ≪ 1. If we restrict the flux variations and the intermediate flux values to
never venture beyond a finite flux range, the terminal value of the cosmological constant will be
tiny but finite. We show how it can reproduce the observed scale of dark energy, and explain how
to incorporate matter sector phase transitions.
Constraints on dark matter-neutrino scattering from the Milky-Way satellites and subhalo modeling for dark acoustic oscillations
Authors: Akita Kensuke , Ando Shin'ichiro
Published: November 2023

The elastic scattering between dark matter (DM) and radiation can potentially explain
small-scale observations that the cold dark matter faces as a challenge, as damping density
fluctuations via dark acoustic oscillations in the early universe erases small-scale structure.
We study a semi-analytical subhalo model for interacting dark matter with radiation, based on the
extended Press-Schechter formalism and subhalos' tidal evolution prescription. We also test the
elastic scattering between DM and neutrinos using observations of Milky-Way satellites from the
Dark Energy Survey and PanSTARRS1. We conservatively impose strong constraints on the DM-neutrino
scattering cross section of σ
DM–ν,n ∝ En
ν
(n = 0,2,4) at 95%
confidence level (CL), σ
DM–ν,0 < 10-32 cm2 (m
DM/
GeV), σ
DM–ν,2 < 10-43 cm2 (m
DM/
GeV)(Eν
/Eν

0)2 and σ
DM–ν,4 < 10-54 cm2 (m
DM
/GeV)(Eν
/Eν

0)4, where Eν

0 is the neutrino energy and Eν

0 is the
average momentum of relic cosmic neutrinos today, Eν

0 ≃ 6.1 K. By imposing a
satellite forming condition, we obtain the strongest upper bounds on the DM-neutrino cross section
at 95% CL, σ
DM–ν,0 < 4 × 10-34 cm2 (m
DM/
GeV), σ
DM–ν,2 < 10-46 cm2 (m
DM/
GeV)(Eν
/Eν

0)2 and σ
DM–ν,4 < 7 × 10-59 
cm2 (m
DM/GeV)(Eν
/Eν

0)4.
Too small to fail: characterizing sub-solar mass black hole mergers with gravitational waves
Authors: Wolfe Noah E. , Vitale Salvatore , Talbot Colm
Published: November 2023

The detection of a sub-solar mass black hole could yield dramatic new insights into the
nature of dark matter and early-Universe physics, as such objects lack a traditional astrophysical
formation mechanism. Gravitational waves allow for the direct measurement of compact object
masses during binary mergers, and we expect the gravitational-wave signal from a low-mass
coalescence to remain within the LIGO frequency band for thousands of seconds. However, it is
unclear whether one can confidently measure the properties of a sub-solar mass compact object and
distinguish between a sub-solar mass black hole or other exotic objects. To this end, we perform
Bayesian parameter estimation on simulated gravitational-wave signals from sub-solar mass black
hole mergers to explore the measurability of their source properties. We find that the LIGO/Virgo
detectors during the O4 observing run would be able to confidently identify sub-solar component
masses at the threshold of detectability; these events would also be well-localized on the sky and
may reveal some information on their binary spin geometry. Further, next-generation detectors
such as Cosmic Explorer and the Einstein Telescope will allow for precision measurement of the
properties of sub-solar mass mergers and tighter constraints on their compact-object nature.
In-vivo verified anatomically aware deep learning for real-time electric field simulation
Authors: Ma Liang , Zhong Gangliang , Yang Zhengyi , Lu Xuefeng , Fan Lingzhong , Liu Hao , Chu Congying , Xiong Hui , Jiang Tianzi
Published: November 2023

Objective. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has emerged as a prominent non-invasive technique for modulating brain function and treating mental disorders. By generating a high-precision magnetically evoked electric field (E-field) using a TMS coil, it enables targeted stimulation of specific brain regions. However, current computational methods employed for E-field simulations necessitate extensive preprocessing and simulation time, limiting their fast applications in the determining the optimal coil placement. Approach. We present an attentional deep learning network to simulate E-fields. This network takes individual magnetic resonance images and coil configurations as inputs, firstly transforming the images into explicit brain tissues and subsequently generating the local E-field distribution near the target brain region. Main results. Relative to the previous deep-learning simulation method, the presented method reduced the mean relative error in simulated E-field strength of gray matter by 21.1%, and increased the correlation between regional E-field strengths and corresponding electrophysiological responses by 35.0% when applied into another dataset. In-vivo TMS experiments further revealed that the optimal coil placements derived from presented method exhibit comparable stimulation performance on motor evoked potentials to those obtained using computational methods. The simplified preprocessing and increased simulation efficiency result in a significant reduction in the overall time cost of traditional TMS coil placement optimization, from several hours to mere minutes. Significance. The precision and efficiency of presented simulation method hold promise for its application in determining individualized coil placements in clinical practice, paving the way for personalized TMS treatments.
Past and present biomass consumption by herbivores and fire across productivity gradients in North America
Authors: Wendt John A F , McWethy David B , Hempson Gareth P , Brookshire E N Jack , Fuhlendorf Samuel D
Published: November 2023

Herbivores and fire are important consumers of plant biomass that influence vegetation structure, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity globally. Departures from historic biomass consumption patterns due to wild herbivore losses, livestock proliferation, and altered fire regimes can have critical ecological consequences. We set out to (i) understand how consumer dominance and prevalence responded to spatial and temporal moisture gradients in Holocene North America and (ii) examine how past and present consumer dominance patterns in North America compare to less altered consumer regimes of modern Sub-Saharan Africa. We developed long-term records of bison abundance and biomass burning in Holocene midcontinent North America and compared these records to reconstructions of moisture availability and vegetation structure. We used these reconstructions to characterize bison and fire prevalence across associated moisture and vegetation gradients. We found that bison herbivory dominated biomass consumption in dry settings whereas fire dominated in wetter environments. Historical distributions of herbivory and burning in midcontinent North America resemble those of contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa, suggesting disturbance feedbacks and interactions regulate long-term consumer dynamics. Comparisons of consumer dynamics in contemporary North America with Holocene North America and Sub-Saharan Africa also reveal that fire is functionally absent from regions where it was once common, with profound ecological implications.
NOON state measurement probabilities and outcome fidelities: a Bethe ansatz approach
Authors: Bennett Lachlan , Isaac Phillip S , Links Jon
Published: November 2023

A recently proposed extended Bose–Hubbard model, one that is a quantum integrable model, provides a framework for a NOON state generation protocol. Here we derive a Bethe ansatz solution for the model. The form of the solution provides the means to obtain exact asymptotic expressions for the energies and eigenstates. These results are used to derive formulae for measurement probabilities and outcome fidelities. We benchmark these results against numerical calculations.
Bioprinting of scaled-up meniscal grafts by spatially patterning phenotypically distinct meniscus progenitor cells within melt electrowritten scaffolds
Authors: Barceló Xavier , Eichholz Kian , Gonçalves Inês , Kronemberger Gabriela S , Dufour Alexandre , Garcia Orquidea , Kelly Daniel J
Published: November 2023

Meniscus injuries are a common problem in orthopedic medicine and are associated with a significantly increased risk of developing osteoarthritis. While developments have been made in the field of meniscus regeneration, the engineering of cell-laden constructs that mimic the complex structure, composition and biomechanics of the native tissue remains a significant challenge. This can be linked to the use of cells that are not phenotypically representative of the different zones of the meniscus, and an inability to direct the spatial organization of engineered meniscal tissues. In this study we investigated the potential of zone-specific meniscus progenitor cells (MPCs) to generate functional meniscal tissue following their deposition into melt electrowritten (MEW) scaffolds. We first confirmed that fibronectin selected MPCs from the inner and outer regions of the meniscus maintain their differentiation capacity with prolonged monolayer expansion, opening their use within advanced biofabrication strategies. By depositing MPCs within MEW scaffolds with elongated pore shapes, which functioned as physical boundaries to direct cell growth and extracellular matrix production, we were able to bioprint anisotropic fibrocartilaginous tissues with preferentially aligned collagen networks. Furthermore, by using MPCs isolated from the inner (iMPCs) and outer (oMPCs) zone of the meniscus, we were able to bioprint phenotypically distinct constructs mimicking aspects of the native tissue. An iterative MEW process was then implemented to print scaffolds with a similar wedged-shaped profile to that of the native meniscus, into which we deposited iMPCs and oMPCs in a spatially controlled manner. This process allowed us to engineer sulfated glycosaminoglycan and collagen rich constructs mimicking the geometry of the meniscus, with MPCs generating a more fibrocartilage-like tissue compared to the mesenchymal stromal/stem cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate how the convergence of emerging biofabrication platforms with tissue-specific progenitor cells can enable the engineering of complex tissues such as the meniscus.
Formation and stability of Fe-rich terminations of the Fe3O4(001) surface
Authors: Gamba Oscar , Eder Moritz , Poglitsch Matthias , Pavelec Jiri , Sombut Panukorn , Meier Matthias , Diebold Ulrike , Schmid Michael , Parkinson Gareth S
Published: November 2023

Understanding how the structure of iron oxide surfaces varies with their environment is essential for rationalizing their role in (geo-)chemistry and optimizing their application in modern technologies. In this paper, we create Fe-rich terminations of Fe3O4(001) by depositing iron directly onto the ‘subsurface cation vacancy’-reconstructed surface, which is the most stable surface under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Scanning tunneling microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data reveal that the excess iron is initially accommodated as two-fold coordinated adatoms and later incorporates into the subsurface cation vacancies. As the coverage increases, small patches of the octahedral pair termination (also known as the ‘Fe dimer’ termination) nucleate, eventually covering the entire surface after the deposition of 2 iron atoms per (√2×√2)R45° unit cell. This conclusion effectively rules out some existing models for the termination and provides support for the model proposed by Rustad et al (Surface Science 432, L583-L588, 1999), highlighting the need for further theoretical work to complete the Fe3O4(001) surface phase diagram. The octahedral pair termination is found to be unstable above 523 K and upon exposure to molecular O2 because the excess iron atoms agglomerate to form small FeOx clusters.
Electrochemical performance study of nano-Fe3O4/C modified separator for lithium-sulfur batteries
Authors: Li Lei , Ma Long , Guo Xin , Li Xiaoming , Liu Tiejun
Published: November 2023

In order to solve the problems of low cathode conductivity, shuttle effect, and poor electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries, we designed a porous carbon/nano-sized ferric oxide (Fe3O4) composite modified membrane. This improved both conductivity and adsorption capacity of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) prepared with mesopores and high specific surface area C-Fe3O4@PE. The membrane can bind polysulfide via chemical and physical adsorption. Owing to these advantages, a Li-S battery based on C-Fe3O4@PE and with a separator exhibited excellent rate performance (965.9 mA h g–1 at 0.2 C and 437.5 mA h g–1 at 5 C), as well as a long cycle life (416.6 mA h g–1 after 300 cycles at 0.5 C, with a capacity retention rate of 50.5%).
Applied machine learning for stroke differentiation by electrical impedance tomography with realistic numerical models
Authors: Culpepper Jared , Lee Hannah , Santorelli Adam , Porter Emily
Published: November 2023

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) may have potential to overcome existing limitations in stroke differentiation, enabling low-cost, rapid, and mobile data collection. Combining bioimpedance measurement technologies such as EIT with machine learning classifiers to support decision-making can avoid commonly faced reconstruction challenges due to the nonlinear and ill-posed nature of EIT imaging. Therefore, in this work, we advance this field through a study integrating realistic head models with clinically relevant test scenarios, and a robust architecture consisting of nested cross-validation and principal component analysis. Specifically, realistic head models are designed which incorporate the highly conductive layers of cerebrospinal fluid in the subarachnoid space and ventricles. In total, 135 unique models are created to represent a large patient population, with normal, haemorrhagic, and ischemic brains. Simulated EIT voltage data generated from these models are used to assess the classification performance of support vector machines. Parameters explored include driving frequency, signal-to-noise ratio, kernel function, and composition of binary classes. Classifier accuracy at 60 dB signal-to-noise ratio, reported as mean and standard deviation, are (79.92% ± 10.82%) for lesion differentiation, (74.78% ± 3.79%) for lesion detection, (77.49% ± 15.90%) for bleed detection, and (60.31% ± 3.98%) for ischemia detection (after ruling out bleed). The results for each method were obtained with statistics from 3 independent runs with 17,280 observations, polynomial kernel functions, and feature reduction of 76% by PCA (from 208 to 50 features). While results of this study show promise for stroke differentiation using EIT data, our findings indicate that the achievable accuracy is highly dependent on the classification scenario and application-specific classifiers may be necessary to achieve acceptable accuracy.
Optical properties of charged defects in monolayer MoS2
Authors: Aghajanian Martik , Mostofi Arash A , Lischner Johannes
Published: November 2023

We present theoretical calculations of the optical spectrum of monolayer MoS2 with a charged defect. In particular, we solve the Bethe–Salpeter equation based on an atomistic tight-binding model of the MoS2 electronic structure which allows calculations for large supercells. The defect is modelled as a point charge whose potential is screened by the MoS2 electrons. We find that the defect gives rise to new peaks in the optical spectrum approximately 100–200 meV below the first free exciton peak. These peaks arise from transitions involving in-gap bound states induced by the charged defect. Our findings are in good agreement with experimental measurements.
Optimization of TIG welding process parameters on 304 austenitic stainless steel sheet metal using fuzzy logic based Taguchi method
Authors: Abebe Demeyesus Gizaw , Bogale Teshome Mulatie
Published: November 2023

TIG welding can be used to produce excellent weld quality and precise welding operation for sheet metals. The aim of this study was to get the best welding parameters for enhancing ultimate tensile strength, bending strength and Rockwell hardness of the butt-weld joint. The experimental work was used, and the experiment was carried out on 2 mm thickness of 304 austenitic-stainless steel sheet metal using the L9 orthogonal array of the Taguchi design. Automated TIG welding fixture was developed to control the welding speed accurately. The selected welding parameters were welding speed, current, voltage and gas flow rate with their three levels. Based on the fuzzy logic based Taguchi method, the best optimal levels of parameters were found at the values of 110 A of current, 13.86 cm/min of speed, 17.5 V of voltage and 7.5 L/min of gas flow rate. The analysis results of ANOVA showed that gas flow rate and current were found as the significant factors, and the contributions of the gas flow rate, current, speed and error were 47.63%, 34.34%, 16.49% and 1.54%, respectively. According to the confirmation tests, the multi response performance index mean value of the confirmatory test of 0.6068 was found between the 95% confidence interval of 0.5028 and 0.7314, and the maximum ultimate tensile strength, bending strength and Rockwell hardness were obtained 614.8 MPa, 765.32 MPa and 95.3 HRB, respectively.