bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy as a Screening Tool for Osteosarcopenia in Community-Dwelling Older Women
Authors: Freitas Raysa Vanessa de Medeiros , de Freitas Daniel Lucas Dantas , de Oliveira Igor Rafael Damasceno , dos Santos Gomes Cristiano , Guerra Gerlane Coelho Bernardo , Dantas Paulo Moreira Silva , da Silva Tales Gomes , Duque Gustavo , de Lima Kassio Michell Gomes , Guerra Ricardo Oliveira
Published: March 2023

Osteosarcopenia is a complex geriatric syndrome characterized by the presence of both sarcopenia and osteopenia/osteoporosis. This condition increases rates of disability, falls, fractures, mortality, and mobility impairments in older adults. The purpose of this study was to analyze the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy diagnostic power for osteosarcopenia in community-dwelling older women (n = 64; 32 osteosarcopenic and 32 non-osteosarcopenia). FTIR is a fast and reproducible technique highly sensitive to biological tissues, and a mathematical model was created using multivariate classification techniques that denoted the graphic spectra of the molecular groups. Genetic algorithm and support vector machine regression (GA–SVM) was the most feasible model, achieving 80.0% of accuracy. GA–SVM identified 15 wave numbers responsible for class differentiation, in which several amino acids (responsible for the proper activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin) and hydroxyapatite (an inorganic bone component) were observed. Imaging tests and low availability of instruments that allow the observation of osteosarcopenia involve high health costs for patients and restrictive indications. Therefore, FTIR can be used to diagnose osteosarcopenia due to its efficiency and low cost and to enable early detection in geriatric services, contributing to advances in science and technology that are potential “conventional” methods in the future.
Association of Arts Event Attendance With Cognitive Function Among Older Adults Enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study
Authors: Ike John David , Choi Hwa Jung , Cho Tsai-Chin , Howell Joel D , Langa Kenneth M
Published: March 2023

Background and Objectives

Among the cognitively impaired, arts engagement is associated with improved neurocognitive symptoms. Less is known about arts engagement as a potentially modifiable lifestyle factor to prevent or slow cognitive decline. Our aim was to evaluate the association between arts event attendance and cognition.

Research Design and Methods

We used data from the 2014 and 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study to evaluate the association between arts event attendance and cognition using multivariable linear regressions. Arts event attendance in 2014 was our exposure of interest and included visiting an art museum or art gallery; attending an arts or crafts fair; attending a live performance (concert, play, or reading); and/or going to a movie theater. Cognitive function in 2016 measured on a 27-point scale by the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status was our main outcome of interest.

Results

Of the 1,149 participants included in the final analysis, 70.7% attended an arts event. The mean baseline cognitive score was higher among those who attended art events (16.8 [standard deviation {SD}, ±3.8] vs 13.8 [SD, ±5.0]; p < .001). In our multivariable regressions, those who attended arts events in 2014 exhibited higher cognitive scores in 2016 after controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, health, and baseline cognitive covariates (β, 1.07 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.50–1.64]; p < .001). This association was primarily observed in those with lower baseline cognitive function (β, 1.19 [95% CI, 0.33–2.06]; p = .008).

Discussion and Implications

Arts event attendance may be associated with better cognitive function. Given concerns for residual confounding and reverse causality, this association warrants further study.
End-of-life topic avoidance among gender-diverse young adults: the importance of normalizing gender-affirming end-of-life conversations
Authors: Whitestone Stephenson Brooks , Linz Daniel
Published: March 2023

This qualitative interview study examines the perceived challenges and obstructions that emerging transgender and gender-diverse adults (TGD, ages 18–30 years) face when considering end-of-life conversations (EOL) with their family members. While not yet normalized in the trans community, gender-affirming EOL conversations are critically important in a population where episodes of postmortem identity distortion have been observed. Data collected suggest that most of the participants have not engaged in such conversations and that many anticipate difficulty initiating a conversation that includes not one, but two, traditional communication taboos: death and queerness. Among the challenges to open discourse were group identity factors including the family’s religious beliefs, cultural norms, and political affiliations, as well as hesitancies to enter into discussions that might suggest an impending death or suicide. Results also showed that the anticipation of a more positive conversational outcome was consistent with a reduced desire to participate in avoidance behavior. For many, however, it was simply considered too “weird,” “awkward,” or “harsh” for a young adult to discuss their own death with their parents. This “awkwardness” is considered normative throughout U.S. culture, but repercussions for TGD individuals are significant. For those who exist outside the mainstream gender binary, the normalization of gender-affirming EOL is indicated in order to make such conversations more accessible, effective, and nonawkward.
An extension of advice response theory over time
Authors: Guntzviller Lisa M , Pulido Manuel D , Kelpinski Lindsay F , Makos Shana , Rollins Déjà D , Zenzola Nicole V , Babu Sara
Published: March 2023

We examined advice response theory’s (ART) propositions over time with mixed methods. College students (N = 122) received advice from a close other (predominantly White U.S. friends) and completed surveys preconversation, postconversation, and approximately 12 days postconversation, as well as essays 4 weeks postconversation. ART’s propositions about direct and indirect effects were partially supported: recipient preconversation evaluations of relational satisfaction indirectly predicted later implementation intentions and actual enactment via efficacy ratings. ART’s understudied moderation propositions were not supported when using ability and motivation as moderators, which we selected based on dual-processing logic. Qualitative analyses reinforced that participant views were predominantly favorable and unchanging. They also indicated that dual-processing might vary based on whether recipients remember the advice and factors such as problem and solution complexity, emotional reactions to advice, and ongoing discussions of complex problems in close relationships. We discuss implications for advice and interpersonal research.
Stress Induces Prolonged Pain Recovery After Surgery: Involvement of Glucocorticoid-Related Pathway
Authors: Sun Jing , Xu Wenhua , Ye Han , Tang Dingzhong , Jiang Yan , Kang Yuqing , Pan Jianchun , Zhu Junfeng , Zhou Min , Chen Ling
Published: March 2023

Background

Increasing evidence suggests that chronic stress increases pain sensitivity and exacerbates existing pain. However, whether and how chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) affects surgical pain is unclear.

Methods

A postsurgical pain model was performed by longitudinal incision from 0.3 cm of the proximal edge of the heel toward the toes. The skin was sutured, and the wound site was covered. Sham surgery groups underwent the same procedure without an incision. The short-term CUS procedure was conducted by exposure of mice to 2 different stressors each day for 7 days. The behavior tests were conducted between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm. Mice were killed on day 19, and the mouse bilateral L4/5 dorsal root ganglia, spinal cord, anterior cingulate and insular cortex, and amygdala were collected for immunoblot analyses.

Results

Presurgical exposure of mice to CUS every day for 1–7 days showed significant depression-like behavior as evidenced by reduced sucrose preference in the sucrose consumption test and prolonged immobility time in the forced swimming task. This short-term CUS procedure did not affect the basal nociceptive response to mechanical and cold stimuli in the Von Frey and acetone-induced allodynia tests, but it delayed pain recovery after surgery, as indicated by the prolonged hypersensitivity in mechanical and cold stimuli by 12 days. The subsequent studies demonstrated that this CUS caused an increase in adrenal gland index. The abnormalities in pain recovery and adrenal gland index after surgery were reversed by a glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist RU38486. Moreover, the prolonged pain recovery after surgery induced by CUS seemed to involve an increase in GR expression and decreases in cyclic adenosine monophosphate, phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in emotion-related brain regions, such as anterior cingulate and insular cortex, amygdala, dorsal horn, and dorsal root ganglion.

Conclusions

This finding indicates that stress-induced GR change may result in dysfunction of GR-related neuroprotective pathway.
Smile, YOU'RE Being Watched: Digital Privacy and Risk Perception Regarding Data Sharing on Social Networks
Authors: Arruda Filho Emílio José Montero , Gammarano Igor de Jesus Lobato Pompeu , Duarte Edmilson Marcelo Corrêa
Published: March 2023

This study analyzes how users perceive the risks associated with privacy loss on social networks and behave in response to these perceived risks. Specifically, it studies how privacy literacy influences privacy-related risk perceptions concerning the usage of personal information on social networks, and the relationship between the user's privacy concerns and their sharing behavior on social media. The privacy paradox concept is evaluated in this context with respect to the ambiguous values and perceptions that social network users have, wherein they experience concerns regarding their privacy in specific environments but continue to share their information and personal content via these channels regardless. The research adopts a qualitative exploratory approach using semi-structured interviews and content analysis, with Facebook as the focal social network. Four categorical headlines are identified, supporting specific findings that indicate that risk perceptions concerning privacy do impact users' privacy concerns, but do not influence individuals to reduce sharing data. Thus, although some users perceive risks involved in these practices, they continue to share data, ignoring the fact that this may be to their detriment and instead focusing on characteristics that support their sharing. The findings indicate that social interaction benefits obtained from social, hedonic and utilitarian elements provided via the social network lead users to take risks regarding online self-exposure based on their desires and social values.
Marie Neurath: Designing Bilston’s Housing Exhibition
Authors: Pedersen Pia
Published: March 2023

Marie Neurath was a pioneer in information design who co-developed the graphic approach Isotype and co-founded the Isotype Institute. This article elaborates on Marie’s creation of an educational exhibition in 1946 in Bilston, UK, advocating for a slum clearance project in a working-class neighborhood of Bilston. For over ten months, Marie carefully designed twelve charts that would help viewers understand the importance of the project for health and happiness. Despite being one of Isotype’s most visionary schemes for public education, Marie’s original contribution is unclear, in part because a new town clerk changed the housing exhibition at the last minute, bringing in “attractions” such as an ant farm and related cartoons. This article draws on correspondence, sketches, and notes from The Otto and Marie Neurath Isotype Collection at the University of Reading to show that Marie’s work should be recognized as a central contribution in the Bilston work.
The Professors’ Professor: The American Students of August Krogh
Authors: Lyngs Allan
Published: March 2023

This paper examines the creation and development of an international social network between physiologists in Denmark and the United States in the period 1907-1939. At the center of the network was the Danish physiologist and 1920 Nobel Laureate August Krogh and his Zoophysiological Laboratory at the University of Copenhagen. In total, sixteen Americans were visiting researchers at the Zoophysiological Laboratory until 1939, and more than half of them were at some point in their career affiliated with Harvard University. For many of them, their visit would be the start of a long-term connection with Krogh and the broader network. This paper shows how the American visitors, Krogh, and the Zoophysiological Laboratory benefitted from being part of this network of top researchers in physiology and medicine. The visits themselves provided the Zoophysiological Laboratory with intellectual stimulus and more manpower for its research, while the American visitors received training and developed research ideas. Beyond the visits, the network gave the members, especially the central figures such as August Krogh, access to advice, job offers, funding and travel opportunities.
NK cells in COVID-19—from disease to vaccination
Authors: Hammer Quirin , Cuapio Angelica , Bister Jonna , Björkström Niklas K , Ljunggren Hans-Gustaf
Published: March 2023

Natural killer cells participate in the host innate immune response to viral infection. Conversely, natural killer cell dysfunction and hyperactivation can contribute to tissue damage and immunopathology. Here, we review recent studies with respect to natural killer cell activity during infection with SARS-CoV-2. Discussed are initial reports of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, which revealed prompt natural killer cell activation during the acute disease state. Another hallmark of COVID-19, early on observed, was a decrease in numbers of natural killer cells in the circulation. Data from patients with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as from in vitro models demonstrated strong anti–SARS-CoV-2 activity by natural killer cells, likely through direct cytotoxicity as well as indirectly by secreting cytokines. Additionally, we describe the molecular mechanisms underlying natural killer cell recognition of SARS-CoV-2–infected cells, which involve triggering of multiple activating receptors, including NKG2D, as well as loss of inhibition through NKG2A. Discussed is also the ability of natural killer cells to respond to SARS-CoV-2 infection via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. With respect to natural killer cells in the pathogenesis of COVID-19, we review studies demonstrating how hyperactivation and misdirected NK cell responses could contribute to disease course. Finally, while knowledge is still rather limited, we discuss current insights suggesting a contribution of an early natural killer cell activation response in the generation of immunity against SARS-CoV-2 following vaccination with anti–SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines.
N-palmitoylethanolamide synergizes the antinociception of morphine and gabapentin in the formalin test in mice
Authors: Déciga-Campos Myrna , Jaramillo-Morales Osmar Antonio , Espinosa-Juárez Josué Vidal , Aguilera-Martínez María Elena , Ventura-Martínez Rosa , López-Muñoz Francisco Javier
Published: March 2023

Objective

The antinociceptive pharmacological interaction between N-palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and morphine (MOR), as well as gabapentin (GBP), was investigated to obtain synergistic antinociception at doses where side effects were minimal. In addition, the possible antinociceptive mechanism of PEA + MOR or PEA + GBP combinations was explored.

Methods

Individual dose-response curves (DRCs) of PEA, MOR and GBP were evaluated in female mice in which intraplantar nociception was induced with 2% formalin. Isobolographic method was used to detect the pharmacological interaction in the combination of PEA + MOR or PEA + GBP.

Key findings

The ED50 was calculated from the DRC; the order of potency was MOR > PEA > GBP. The isobolographic analysis was obtained at a 1:1 ratio to determine the pharmacological interaction. The experimental values of flinching (PEA + MOR, Zexp = 2.72 ± 0.2 μg/paw and PEA + GBP Zexp = 2.77 ± 0.19 μg/paw) were significantly lower than those calculated theoretically (PEA + MOR Zadd = 7.78 ± 1.07 and PEA + GBP Zadd = 24.05 ± 1.91 μg/paw), resulting in synergistic antinociception. Pretreatment with GW6471 and naloxone demonstrated that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and opioid receptors are involved in both interactions.

Conclusions

These results suggest that MOR and GBP synergistically enhance PEA-induced antinociception through PPARα and opioid receptor mechanisms. Furthermore, the results suggest that combinations containing PEA with MOR or GBP could be of interest in aiding the treatment of inflammatory pain.
Modelling Supra-Classical Logic in a Boltzmann Neural Network: II Incongruence
Authors: Blanchette Glenn , Robins Anthony
Published: March 2023

Information present in any training set of vectors for machine learning can be interpreted in two different ways, either as whole states or as individual atomic units. In this paper, we show that these alternative information distributions are often inherently incongruent within the training set. When learning with a Boltzmann machine, modifications in the network architecture can select one type of distributional information over the other; favouring the activation of either state exemplar or atomic characteristics.

This choice of distributional information is of relevance when considering the representation of knowledge in logic. Traditional logic only utilises preference that is the correlate of whole state exemplar frequency. We propose that knowledge representation derived from atomic characteristic activation frequencies is the correlate of compositional typicality, which currently has limited formal definition or application in logic. Further, we argue by counter-example, that any representation of typicality by ‘most preferred model semantics’ is inadequate. We provide a definition of typicality derived from the probability of characteristic features; based on neural network modelling.
Combining ultrafiltration and diffusive gradients in thin films techniques for speciation/fractionation of Cu and Zn in cytosol of liver of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Gemeiner Hendryk , Menegário Amauri Antonio , Eismann Carlos Eduardo , Elias Lucas Pellegrini , Pedrobom Jorge Henrique , Dourado Thiago de Araujo , Chang Hung Kiang , da Conceição Fabiano Tomazini , Moruzzi Rodrigo Braga
Published: March 2023

This work aims to evaluate the size and lability of Cu and Zn bound to proteins in the cytosol of fish liver of Oreochromis niloticus by employing solid-phase extraction (SPE), diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT), and ultrafiltration (UF). SPE was carried out using Chelex-100. DGT containing Chelex-100 as binding agent was employed. Analyte concentrations were determined by ICP-MS. Total Cu and Zn concentrations in cytosol (1 g of fish liver in 5 ml of Tris–HCl) ranged from 39.6 to 44.3 ng ml−1 and 1498 to 2106 ng ml−1, respectively. Data from UF (10–30 kDa) suggested that Cu and Zn in cytosol were associated with ∼70% and 95%, respectively, with high-molecular-weight proteins. Cu-metallothionein was not selectively detected (although 28% of Cu was associated with low-molecular-weight proteins). However, information about the specific proteins in the cytosol will require coupling UF with organic mass spectrometry. Data from SPE showed the presence of labile Cu species of ∼17%, while the fraction of labile Zn species was >55%. However, data from DGT suggested a fraction of labile Cu species only of 7% and a labile Zn fraction of 5%. This data, as compared with previous data from literature, suggests that the DGT technique gave a more plausible estimation of the labile pool of Zn and Cu in cytosol. The combination of results from UF and DGT is capable of contributing to the knowledge about the labile and low-molecular pool of Cu and Zn.
The hereditary N363K POLE exonuclease mutant extends PPAP tumor spectrum to glioblastomas by causing DNA damage and aneuploidy in addition to increased mismatch mutagenicity
Authors: Labrousse Guillaume , Vande Perre Pierre , Parra Genis , Jaffrelot Marion , Leroy Laura , Chibon Frederic , Escudie Frederic , Selves Janick , Hoffmann Jean-Sebastien , Guimbaud Rosine , Lutzmann Malik
Published: March 2023

The exonuclease domain of DNA polymerases epsilon's catalytic subunit (POLE) removes misincorporated nucleotides, called proofreading. POLE-exonuclease mutations cause colorectal- and endometrial cancers with an extreme burden of single nucleotide substitutions. We recently reported that particularly the hereditary POLE exonuclease mutation N363K predisposes in addition to aggressive giant cell glioblastomas. We knocked-in this mutation homozygously into human cell lines and compared its properties to knock-ins of the likewise hereditary POLE L424V mutation and to a complete proofreading-inactivating mutation (exo-null). We found that N363K cells have higher mutation rates as both L424V- or exo-null mutant cells. In contrast to L424V cells, N363K cells expose a growth defect, replication stress and DNA damage. In non-transformed cells, these burdens lead to aneuploidy but macroscopically normal nuclei. In contrast, transformed N363K cells phenocopy the enlarged and disorganized nuclei of giant cell glioblastomas. Taken together, our data characterize a POLE exonuclease domain mutant that not only causes single nucleotide hypermutation, but in addition DNA damage and chromosome instability, leading to an extended tumor spectrum. Our results expand the understanding of the polymerase exonuclease domain and suggest that an assessment of both the mutational potential and the genetic instability might refine classification and treatment of POLE-mutated tumors.
Meta-Analysis of 49 Roche Oncology Trials Comparing Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR) and Local Evaluation to Assess the Value of BICR
Authors: Lian Qinshu , Fredrickson Jill , Boudier Kamila , Rothkegel Christiane , Hilton Magalie , Hillebrecht Alexander , McDonald Andrew , Xu Na
Published: March 2023

Background

Blinded independent central review (BICR) of radiographic images is frequently conducted in oncology trials to address the potential bias of local evaluation (LE) of endpoints such as progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR). Given that BICR is a complex and costly process, we evaluated the agreement between LE- and BICR-based treatment effect results and the impact of BICR on regulatory decision-making.

Materials and Methods

Meta-analyses were performed using hazard ratios (HRs) for PFS and odds ratios (ORs) for ORR from all randomized Roche-supported oncology clinical trials during 2006-2020 that had both LE and BICR results (49 studies with a total of over 32 000 patients).

Results

Overall, the evaluation bias of LE overestimating the treatment effect compared with BICR based on PFS was numerically small and not clinically meaningful, especially for double-blind studies (HR ratio between BICR and LE: 1.044). A larger bias is more likely to occur in studies with open-label design, smaller sample sizes, or an unequal randomization ratio. The majority (87%) of the PFS comparisons led to the same statistical inference by BICR and LE. For ORR, a high degree of agreement between BICR and LE results was also observed (OR ratio of 1.065), although the agreement was slightly lower than for PFS.

Conclusion

BICR did not notably impact the study interpretation nor drive the sponsor’s regulatory submission decisions. Hence, if bias can be diminished by appropriate means, LE is deemed as reliable as BICR for certain study settings.
Emerging Trends in Immunotherapy for Adult Sarcomas
Authors: Husain Marium , Chen Luxi , Liebner David , Beane Joal , Rubinstein Mark , Pollock Raphael , Verschraegen Claire , Tinoco Gabriel
Published: March 2023

Soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) are a rare and heterogeneous group of malignant tumors that arise from the oncogenic transformation of mesenchymal tissue. There are over 100 distinct STS histological and molecular subtypes with unique clinical, therapeutic, and prognostic features with variable responses to therapy regimens. Given the quality-of-life concerns and limited efficacy with current regimens, including cytotoxic chemotherapy, there is a need for novel therapies and regimens to treat advanced STS. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated significant improvements in survival outcomes in other cancer types, there remains ambiguous data on the impact of immunotherapy in sarcoma. Biomarkers like PD-1/PD-L1 are not always predictive of outcomes. Therefore, researching emerging novel therapies, such as CAR-T and adoptive cell therapies, is critical to understanding STS biology, STS tumor immune microenvironment immunomodulatory strategies that improve immune response, and survival outcomes. We discuss the underlying biology of the STS tumor immune microenvironment, immunomodulatory strategies that augment pre-existing immune responses, and novel approaches to develop sarcoma-specific antigen-based therapies.
The translational landscape of bread wheat during grain development
Authors: Guo Yiwen , Chen Yongming , Wang Yongfa , Wu Xiaojia , Zhang Xiaoyu , Mao Weiwei , Yu Hongjian , Guo Kai , Xu Jin , Ma Liang , Guo Weilong , Hu Zhaorong , Xin Mingming , Yao Yingyin , Ni Zhongfu , Sun Qixin , Peng Huiru
Published: March 2023

The dynamics of gene expression in crop grains has typically been investigated at the transcriptional level. However, this approach neglects translational regulation, a widespread mechanism that rapidly modulates gene expression to increase the plasticity of organisms. Here, we performed ribosome profiling and polysome profiling to obtain a comprehensive translatome data set of developing bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) grains. We further investigated the genome-wide translational dynamics during grain development, revealing that the translation of many functional genes is modulated in a stage-specific manner. The unbalanced translation between subgenomes is pervasive, which increases the expression flexibility of allohexaploid wheat. In addition, we uncovered widespread previously unannotated translation events, including upstream open reading frames (uORFs), downstream open reading frames (dORFs), and open reading frames (ORFs) in long noncoding RNAs, and characterized the temporal expression dynamics of small ORFs. We demonstrated that uORFs act as cis-regulatory elements that can repress or even enhance the translation of mRNAs. Gene translation may be combinatorially modulated by uORFs, dORFs, and microRNAs. In summary, our study presents a translatomic resource that provides a comprehensive and detailed overview of the translational regulation in developing bread wheat grains. This resource will facilitate future crop improvements for optimal yield and quality.
The transcribed centromeric geneOsMRPL15is essential for pollen development in rice
Authors: Xie En , Chen Jiawei , Wang Bingxin , Shen Yi , Tang Ding , Du Guijie , Li Yafei , Cheng Zhukuan
Published: March 2023

Centromeres consist of highly repetitive sequences that are challenging to map, clone, and sequence. Active genes exist in centromeric regions, but their biological functions are difficult to explore owing to extreme suppression of recombination in these regions. In this study, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to knock out the transcribed gene Mitochondrial Ribosomal Protein L15 (OsMRPL15), located in the centromeric region of rice (Oryza sativa) chromosome 8, resulting in gametophyte sterility. Osmrpl15 pollen was completely sterile, with abnormalities appearing at the tricellular stage including the absence of starch granules and disrupted mitochondrial structure. Loss of OsMRPL15 caused abnormal accumulation of mitoribosomal proteins and large subunit rRNA in pollen mitochondria. Moreover, the biosynthesis of several proteins in mitochondria was defective, and expression of mitochondrial genes was upregulated at the mRNA level. Osmrpl15 pollen contained smaller amounts of intermediates related to starch metabolism than wild-type pollen, while biosynthesis of several amino acids was upregulated, possibly to compensate for defective mitochondrial protein biosynthesis and initiate consumption of carbohydrates necessary for starch biosynthesis. These results provide further insight into how defects in mitoribosome development cause gametophyte male sterility.
CRISPR-assisted transcription activation by phase-separation proteins
Authors: Liu Jiaqi , Chen Yuxi , Nong Baoting , Luo Xiao , Cui Kaixin , Li Zhan , Zhang Pengfei , Tan Wenqiong , Yang Yue , Ma Wenbin , Liang Puping , Songyang Zhou
Published: March 2023

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 system has been widely used for genome engineering and transcriptional regulation in many different organisms. Current CRISPR-activation (CRISPRa) platforms often require multiple components because of inefficient transcriptional activation. Here, we fused different phase-separation proteins to dCas9-VPR (dCas9-VP64-P65-RTA) and observed robust increases in transcriptional activation efficiency. Notably, human NUP98 (nucleoporin 98) and FUS (fused in sarcoma) IDR domains were best at enhancing dCas9-VPR activity, with dCas9-VPR-FUS IDR (VPRF) outperforming the other CRISPRa systems tested in this study in both activation efficiency and system simplicity. dCas9-VPRF overcomes the target strand bias and widens gRNA designing windows without affecting the off-target effect of dCas9-VPR. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of using phase-separation proteins to assist in the regulation of gene expression and support the broad appeal of the dCas9-VPRF system in basic and clinical applications.
A Tale of Two Cities: Mainland Chinese Buyers in the Hong Kong Housing Market
Authors: Fan Yi , Hu Maggie Rong , Wan Wayne Xinwei , Wang Zhenping
Published: March 2023

This article examines the impact of mainland Chinese buyers in the Hong Kong housing market, using complete transaction records between 2001 and 2017. We find that mainland buyers pay an average price premium of 1.4% compared with locals. The premiums are estimated to be 3.5% for large-sized luxury units and 1.6% for homes in central locations. The mechanisms that underlie the price premiums include a hedging effect, residential sorting, and information barriers, of which the hedging motive has the strongest impact. Mainland buyers’ price premiums rise significantly when the Chinese currency depreciates or China Economic Policy Uncertainty increases. Our study sheds light on the impact and mechanism of the ““China shock” on the global housing markets.
PUMA SE v NIKE INNOVATE C.V.
Authors:   Chancery Division
Published: March 2023

H1 Trade marks—Opposition proceedings—FOOTWARE—Registrability—Descriptiveness—Mis-spelling—Neologisms—Computer software—Cloud computing services—Telecommunications—Appeal to High Court
FACEBOOK IRELAND LTD v VOXER IP LLC
Authors:   Patents Court
Published: March 2023

H1 Patents — European patents — Telecommunications — Live broadcast features —Infringement — Validity—Skilled person — Common general knowledge — Proposed amendments — Construction — Clarity — Added matter — Infringement on normal construction — Equivalence — Formstein defences — Obviousness — Insufficiency — Enablement
Verification of the sampling procedure for radioactivity analysis of waste and industrial material
Authors: Rajačić Milica M , Todorović Dragana J , Andrić Velibor Đ , Nikolić Jelena K , Janković Marija M , Pantelić Gordana K , Vukanac Ivana S
Published: March 2023

In accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017, the testing laboratory needs to verify its ability to properly perform methods. For radiological testing, the sampling does not affect the results directly, but it has to ensure that sample adequately represents the tested material. To verify the procedure, a sampling of red mud and bauxite ore was conducted. All samples were measured in identical geometry by HPGe spectrometer. The counting rates per unit mass in the recorded spectra were compared. For each measurement series, the mean and standard deviations of respected peaks were calculated, as well as average and standard deviation of all series. The obtained results of each individual series were considered satisfactory, i.e. sampling procedure ensures the representativeness of the bulk material, if it is within ± two standard deviations of the average of the mean values.
Development of phantom for current modulation quality assurance test on computed tomography
Authors: de Camargo Gustavo E , Carneiro Glaube N , Real Jessica V , Doro Renato B , Malthez Anna L M C
Published: March 2023

Automatic tube current modulation (ATCM) in computed tomography (CT) is a powerful tool for reducing the dose delivery to the patient during the scan. A phantom is used to perform the ATCM quality control (QC) test, assessing how the CT system adapts the tube current as a function of object size. Considering quality assurance recommendations (Brazilian and international), we developed a dedicated phantom for the ATCM test. The phantom was built-in high-density polyethylene in a cylindric shape with three different sizes. To verify the applicability of this phantom, we tested it in two different CT scanners (Toshiba and Philips). The results demonstrated concordance between a discrete change in phantom size, and the corresponding change in the tube current, indicating that the CT system could adapt current when a discrete attenuation shift occurred. The developed phantom might be used in ATCM QC tests.
The first record of fossilized soft parts in ossified tendons and implications for the understanding of tendon mineralization
Authors: Surmik Dawid , Słowiak-Morkovina Justyna , Szczygielski Tomasz , Wojtyniak Marcin , Środek Dorota , Dulski Mateusz , Balin Katarzyna , Krzykawski Tomasz , Pawlicki Roman
Published: March 2023

Preservation of soft parts (collagen fibres, blood vessels and cells) in extinct vertebrates is rare and usually limited to fossilized bone and cartilage. Well-preserved coarse collagenous fibre bundles embedded in a mineralized matrix of tendons, as well as numerous hollow, tubular structures consistent morphologically with fibril bundles, blood vessels and associated cells, were identified in ossified tendons of Late Cretaceous ornithischians from North America and Central East Asia. Detailed, high-accuracy imaging, along with spectroscopic characterization of those fibrous structures and comparison with ossified tendons of modern-day turkeys, support the proposition that physiologically driven tendon ossification is common for avians and non-avian dinosaurs. The examined soft parts were preserved through the pathway of iron-induced crosslinking and alumino-silification, documenting a variety of pathways for the preservation of soft parts, depending on the burial environment. For the first time, the structure of dinosaur fossilized tendons is analysed in detail, revealing shared histogenetic principles with modern birds and the nature of preservation.
Use of prehospital reverse shock index times Glasgow Coma Scale to identify children who require the most immediate trauma care
Authors: Reppucci Marina L. , Cooper Emily , Nolan Margo M. , Lyttle Bailey D. , Gallagher Lauren T. , Jujare Swati , Stevens Jenny , Moulton Steven L. , Bensard Denis D. , Acker Shannon N.
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND

Appropriate prehospital trauma triage ensures transport of children to facilities that provide specialized trauma care. There are currently no objective and generalizable scoring tool for emergency medical services to facilitate such decisions. An abnormal reverse shock index times Glasgow Coma Scale (rSIG), which is calculated using readily available parameters, has been shown to be associated with severely injured children. This study sought to determine if rSIG could be used in the prehospital setting to identify injured children who require the highest levels of care.

METHODS

Patients (1–18 years old) transferred from the scene to a level 1 pediatric trauma center from 2010 to 2020 with complete prehospital and emergency department vital signs, and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores were included. Reverse shock index times GCS was calculated as previously described ((systolic blood pressure/heart rate) × GCS), and the following cutoffs were used: ≤13.1, ≤16.5, and ≤20.1 for 1- to 6-, 7- to 12-, and 13- to 18-year-old patients, respectively. Trauma activation level and clinical outcomes upon arrival to the pediatric trauma center were collected.

RESULTS

There were 247 patients included in the analysis; 66.0% (163) had an abnormal prehospital rSIG. Patients with an abnormal rSIG had a higher rate of highest-level trauma activation compared with those with a normal rSIG (38.7% vs. 20.2%, p = 0.013). Patients with an abnormal prehospital rSIG also had higher rates of intubation (28.8% vs. 9.52%, p < 0.001), intracranial pressure monitor (9.20 vs. 1.19%, p = 0.032), need for blood (19.6% vs. 8.33%, p = 0.034), laparotomy (7.98% vs. 1.19%, p = 0.039), and intensive care unit admission (54.6% vs. 40.5%, p = 0.049).

CONCLUSION

Reverse shock index times GCS may assist emergency medical service providers in early identification and triage of severely injured children. An abnormal rSIG in the emergency department is associated with higher rates of intubation, need for blood transfusion, intracranial pressure monitoring, laparotomy, and intensive care unit admission. Use of this metric may help to speed the identification, care, and treatment of any injured child.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level IV.
Uncovering the link between gut microbiome, highly processed food consumption and diet quality through bioinformatics methods
Authors: Molina Víctor Manuel López , Lacruz-Pleguezuelos Blanca , Carrillo de Santa Pau Enrique , Marcos-Zambrano Laura Judith
Published: March 2023

The consumption of highly processed foods, along with other dietary and lifestyle poor habits, has an impact on health by increasing the risk of several non-communicable pathologies, such as diabetes. Gut microbiome composition, in specific, can be modulated by nutrients, deriving in different metabolic outcomes that have an influence on this high disease susceptibility and making it a possible therapeutic target for these comorbidities. In this work, gut microbiome of 60 and 46 individuals from 2 different studies focused, among other aspects, on diet-microbiome interactions, was characterised. By means of differential abundance analyses and supervised machine learning techniques based on random forest, gradient boosting and support vector machines, a set of microbial genera that could be potential biomarkers for the differentiation of individuals with poorer dietary patterns was discovered, after comparing coincidences in these taxa among classifiers and testing them for significant differences. Among these,Dialister,PhoceaandPseudoflavonifractorwere suggested to have a role in the way highly processed foods affect health negatively, along withPrevotellaceae NK3B31 groupand an undetermined genus fromMuribaculaceaein the opposite sense. Furthermore, all the identified genera in this study had already been linked to type 2 diabetes, among whichBacteroidesandPseudoflavonifractorproved to be differentially abundant in groups of individuals with different levels of biomarkers for this disease. Nevertheless, further research via longitudinal studies and experimental validation of these genera should be carried out to confirm the association of these taxa with diet and diabetes.
Along-Tract Statistical Mapping of Microstructural Abnormalities in Bipolar Disorder: A Pilot Study
Authors: Nabulsi Leila , Chandio Bramsh Q. , Dhinagar Nikhil , Laltoo Emily , McPhilemy Genevieve , Martyn Fiona M. , Hallahan Brian , McDonald Colm , Thompson Paul M. , Cannon Dara M.
Published: March 2023

Investigating brain circuitry involved in bipolar disorder (BD) is key to discovering brain biomarkers for genetic and interventional studies of the disorder. Even so, prior research has not provided a fine-scale spatial mapping of brain microstructural differences in BD. In this pilot diffusion MRI dataset, we used BUndle ANalytics (BUAN), a recently developed analytic approach for tractography, to extract, map, and visualize the profile of microstructural abnormalities on a 3D model of fiber tracts in people with BD (N=38) and healthy controls (N=49), and investigate along-tract white matter (WM) microstructural differences between these groups. Using the BUAN pipeline, BD was associated with lower mean Fractional Anisotropy (FA) in fronto-limbic and interhemispheric pathways and higher mean FA in posterior bundles relative to controls. BUAN combines tractography and anatomical information to capture distinct along-tract effects on WM microstructure that may aid in classifying diseases based on anatomical differences.
Torch-eCpG: A fast and scalable eQTM mapper for thousands of molecular phenotypes with graphical processing units
Authors: Kober Kord M , Berger Liam G , Roy Ritu , Olshen Adam
Published: March 2023

Background: Gene expression may be regulated by the DNA methylation of regulatory elements in cis, distal, and trans regions. One method to evaluate the relationship between DNA methylation and gene expression is the mapping of expression quantitative trait methylation (eQTM) loci (also called expression associated CpG loci, eCpG). However, no open-source tools are available to provide eQTM mapping. In addition, eQTM mapping can involve a large number of comparisons which may prevent the analyses due to limitations of computational resources. Here, we describe Torch-eCpG, an open-source tool to perform eQTM mapping that includes an optimized implementation that can use the graphical processing unit (GPU) to reduce runtime. Results: We demonstrate the analyses using the tool are reproducible, up to 18x faster using the GPU, and scale linearly with increasing methylation loci. Conclusions: Torch-eCpG is a fast, reliable, and scalable tool to perform eQTM mapping. Source code for Torch-eCpG is available at https://github.com/kordk/torch-ecpg.
High light can alleviate chilling stress in maize
Authors: Cackett Lee , Burnett Angela C. , Royles Jessica , Hibberd Julian M. , Kromdijk Johannes
Published: March 2023

Chilling stress has the potential to significantly decrease growth and yield of sensitive crop plants such as maize. Based on previous work, high light during chilling may exacerbate stress via enhanced photoinhibition but may also aid acclimation responses to chilling. To further understand molecular processes behind responses to chilling with and without high light, two maize accessions with contrasting tolerance (B73 and F7) were exposed to three treatments: chilling, chilling combined with high light and high light alone. Transcriptome data indicated that the chilling treatment resulted in the largest stress response. Addition of high light to chilling stress had a mitigating, rather than additive effect on stress, as evident from alleviated repression of photosynthesis-related genes and less induction of stress-related pathways such as abscisic acid signalling and senescence compared with the response to chilling alone. Five transcription factors belonging to well-known stress-related transcription factor families were identified as candidates for driving the transcriptional changes behind the high-light induced mitigation of chilling stress. Physiological measurements of non-photochemical quenching and the maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II corroborated the transcriptome results, showing that the addition of high light alleviated photoinhibition and membrane damage caused by chilling. High light alone had little effect on the plant transcriptome or physiological response. Overall, this study overturns previous reports, offers a new outlook on the impact of high light during chilling stress and has the potential to provide clearer targets for crop engineering.
Effect of number of diffusion encoding directions in Neonatal Diffusion Tensor Imaging using Tract-Based Spatial Statistical analysis
Authors: Merisaari Harri , Karlsson Linnea , Scheinin Noora M. , Shulist Satu , Lewis John D. , Karlsson Hasse , Tuulari Jetro J.
Published: March 2023

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) has been used to study the developing brain in early childhood, infants andin uterostudies. In infants, number of used diffusion encoding directions has traditionally been smaller in earlier studies down to the minimum of 6 orthogonal directions. While the more recent studies often involve more directions, number of used directions remains an issue when acquisition time is optimized without compromising on data quality and in retrospective studies. Variability in the number of used directions may introduce bias and uncertainties to the DTI scalar estimates that affect cross-sectional and longitudinal study of the brain.

We analyzed DTI images of 133 neonates, each data having 54 directions after quality control, to evaluate the effect of number of diffusion weighting directions from 6 to 54 with interval of 6 to the DTI scalars with Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) analysis. The TBSS analysis was applied to DTI scalar maps, and the mean Region of Interest (ROI) values were extracted using JHU atlas.

We found significant bias in ROI mean values when only 6 directions were used (positive in FA, negative in MD, AD, RD), while when using 24 directions and above, the difference to scalar values calculated from 54 direction DTI was negligible.

Using DTI measurements from data with at least 24 directions may be used in comparisons with DTI measurements from data with higher numbers of directions.