bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tameness selection pressure affects gut virome diversity in mice
Authors: Biswa Bhim B. , Fujiwara Kazumichi , Toyoda Atsushi , Koide Tsuyoshi
Published: August 2024

The gut microbiome, a complex ecosystem comprising bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi, and other microorganisms, plays a pivotal role in host health, immunity, and behaviour. Among its components, bacteriophages and viruses that infect bacteria significantly influence microbial community dynamics by affecting bacterial diversity, function, and evolution. Despite extensive research on bacterial components, the viral metagenome (virome) remains relatively unexplored. This study investigated the effect of selective breeding for tameness on the gut virome of wild heterogeneous stock (WHS) mice. WHS mice were selectively bred for active tameness, resulting in four groups: S1 and S2 (selected for tameness), and C1 and C2 (non-selected). In previous study, we observed an increased abundance ofLimosilactobacillus reuteriin tame groups compared to non-selected groups, as well as a tameness-promoting effect ofL. reuteriwith long-term administration. Given the regulatory role of phages in bacterial populations, this study focused on analysing the gut virome using shotgun metagenome sequencing data. From the 84 samples, we generated 6078 non-redundant viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) and identified the hosts of 3,065 of these vOTUs. Significant differences in gut virome beta diversity were observed between the selectively bred and control groups, suggesting that tameness selection exerts distinct pressure on the virome. Additionally, phage-host interaction analysis revealed strong correlations between specific phages and their bacterial hosts, indicating a co-occurrence that influences host behaviour. Overall, this study provides novel insights into the role of the gut virome in shaping host behaviour and highlights the broader implications of microbial contributions to domestication and selective breeding outcomes.
An exploration of unusual antimicrobial resistance phenotypes inSalmonellaTyphi from Blantyre, Malawi reveals the ongoing role of IncHI1 plasmids
Authors: Zuza Allan , Wailan Alexander M , Anscombe Catherine , Feasey Nicholas A , Heinz Eva
Published: August 2024

Typhoid fever is a significant public health problem endemic in Southeast Asia and Sub- Saharan Africa. Antimicrobial treatment of typhoid is however threatened by the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistant (AMR)S.Typhi, especially in the globally successful lineage (4.3.1) which has rapidly spread in East and Southern Africa. AMR elements can be found either on plasmids or in one of the three chromosomal integration sites, and there is variability of this across the lineage. Several previous studies with Malawian isolates indicated a clonal, locally spreading lineage with chromosomally integrated resistance genes. In a recent study however we noted three isolates with unusual predicted resistance profiles, and we here present the resolved genomes of these isolates using long- and short-read sequencing. Our work shows that these isolates are potentially imported cases, most closely related to the recently described sub-lineage 4.3.1.EA1, and encode IncHI1 plasmids with reduced resistance profiles compared to the major reference sequence of these plasmids spreading in East Africa. Similar reduced resistance plasmids were reported in a recent large-scale study in five isolates from Tanzania, highlighting the urgency for better coverage of the African continent in genome studies to better understand the dynamics of these potentially co-circulating plasmids.
Estimates of the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Middle East and North Africa Region: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Akomolafe Aishat F. , Abdallah Bushra M. , Mahmood Fathima R. , Elshoeibi Amgad M. , Al-Khulaifi Aisha Abdulla , Mahmoud Elhassan , Dweidri Yara , Darwish Nour , Yousif Duaa , Khalid Hafsa , Al-Theyab Majed , Azeem Muhammad Waqar , Shahwar Durre , Kamal Madeeha , Alabdulla Majid , Khaled Salma M. , Chivese Tawanda
Published: August 2024

Background and Objective

Estimates of the prevalence of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are not readily available, amid a lack of recent evidence. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of ASD in the MENA region by synthesising evidence from published studies in the region.

Methods

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and CINAHL databases for studies which assessed ASD prevalence in the MENA region. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa scale. A bias-adjusted inverse variance heterogeneity meta-analysis model was used to pool prevalence estimates from included studies. Cochran’s Q statistic and the I2statistic were used to assess heterogeneity, and publication bias assessed using funnel and Doi plots.

Results

A total of 3075 studies were identified, 16 studies of which met the inclusion criteria and involved 3,727,731 individuals. The studies were published during the period 2007-2022, and included individuals from Iran, Oman, Libya, Egypt, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Lebanon, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Qatar. Estimates of ASD prevalence ranged from 0.01% in Oman during the period June 2009-December 2009, to a high of 2.51% in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the period December 2017-March 2018. The pooled prevalence of ASD was 0.13% (95% CI: 0.01% – 0.33%), with significant heterogeneity (I2= 99.8%). For Iran, the only country with multiple analysable studies, an overall prevalence of 0.06% (95% CI: 0.00 – 0.19, I2=97.5%, n= 6 studies) was found. A review of data from countries with repeated studies suggested that the prevalence of ASD is increasing.

Conclusion

Estimates of the prevalence of ASD vary widely across the MENA region, from 0.01% in Oman to 2.51% in Saudi, with an overall prevalence of 0.13%. Existing data suggests a trend towards increasing prevalence in the region. More and better-quality research is needed to provide up to date ASD prevalence estimates.

Registration

The protocol for this systematic review and meta-analysis was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with registration ID CRD42024499837.
Neuropathologic and proteomic analysis of human hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuron sublayers in human Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Reyes Isabel , Kanshin Evgeny , Tian Chengju , Faustin Arline , Ueberheide Beatrix M. , Masurkar Arjun V.
Published: August 2024

Hippocampal area CA1 is vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology, but if and how CA1 pyramidal neuron (PN) subpopulations are impacted is unclear. Specifically, CA1 PNs can be divided into a superficial (sPN) and deep (dPN) layer that have distinct molecular and functional properties. Understanding AD pathophysiology at the level of these CA1 PN subpopulations may inform on mechanisms of vulnerability and cognitive dysfunction. We first quantified amyloid plaque and tau pathology in Braak stage V-VI human AD cases, revealing that the sPN layer shows much higher levels of AD pathology compared to the dPN layer. We then performed quantitative localized proteomics of sPN and dPN layers in Braak stage VI human AD cases, which revealed that the two layers show disease- and function-related molecular differences that support relative hyperexcitability of sPNs and markers of delayed neurodegeneration in dPNs. In sum, these findings support that sPNs are differentially vulnerable in human AD.
Flanker task parameters are related to the strength of association between the ERN and anxiety: a meta-analysis
Authors: Buzzell George A. , Niu Yanbin , Machado Emily , Dickinson Renata , Moser Jason S. , Morales Santiago , Troller-Renfree Sonya V.
Published: August 2024

The error-related negativity (ERN)—an index of error monitoring—is associated with anxiety symptomatology. Although recent work suggests associations between the ERN and anxiety are relatively modest, little attention has been paid to how variation in task parameters may influence the strength of ERN-anxiety associations. To close this gap, the current meta-analysis assesses the possible influence of task parameter variation in the Flanker task—the most commonly used task to elicit the ERN—on observed ERN-anxiety associations. Here, we leveraged an existing open database of published/unpublished ERN-anxiety effect sizes, supplementing this database by further coding for variation in stimulus type (letter vs. arrow), response type (one-handed vs. two-handed), and block-level feedback (with vs. without). We then performed meta-regression analyses to assess whether variation in these Flanker task parameters moderated the effect size of ERN-anxiety associations. No evidence for an effect of stimulus type was identified. However, both response type and block-level feedback significantly moderated the magnitude of ERN-anxiety associations. Specifically, studies employing either a two-handed (vs. one-handed) task, or those with (vs. without) block-level feedback exhibited more than a two-fold increase in the estimated ERN-anxiety effect size. Thus, accounting for common variation in task parameters may at least partially explain apparent inconsistencies in the literature regarding the magnitude of ERN-anxiety associations. At a practical level, these data can inform the design of studies seeking to maximize ERN-anxiety associations. At a theoretical level, the results also inform testable hypotheses regarding the exact nature of the association between the ERN and anxiety.
Marine spatial planning to enhance coral adaptive potential
Authors: Forrest Daniel L. , McManus Lisa C. , Tekwa Eden W. , Schindler Daniel E. , Colton Madhavi A. , Webster Michael M. , Fox Helen E. , Essington Timothy E. , Palumbi Stephen R. , Mumby Peter J. , DeFilippo Lukas , Schill Steven R. , Pollock F. Joseph , Pinsky Malin L.
Published: August 2024

Ocean warming interacts with local stressors to negatively affect coral reefs. The adaptive capacity of reefs to survive these stressors is driven by ecological and evolutionary processes occurring at multiple spatial scales. Marine protected area (MPA) networks are one solution that can address both local and regional threats, yet the impacts of MPA network design on adaptive processes remains unclear. In this paper, we used an eco-evolutionary model to simulate hypothetical MPA configurations in the Caribbean, Southwest Pacific and Coral Triangle under projected warming. We found that protecting thermal refugia (i.e., cooler reefs) largely benefited corals inside the refugia while other reefs declined. In contrast, protecting a diverse habitat portfolio led to increased coral cover both inside and outside of the MPA network. We then quantified the thermal habitat and connectivity representations of reefs both inside and outside existing MPA networks across each region. Most strikingly, reefs in current MPA networks in the Southwest Pacific and Coral Triangle are approximately 2 °C cooler than reefs outside the MPA networks, while the Caribbean’s MPA network is approximately 1 °C warmer than reefs outside the network, based on mean temperatures from 2008-2018. These results suggest that the Caribbean MPA network is poised to protect sources of warm-adapted larvae but not destinations, and the opposite is true of the Southwest Pacific and Coral Triangle. Our results suggest that 1) by protecting sites with particular temperature and connectivity characteristics, marine spatial planning may alter eco-evolutionary processes to enhance or inhibit the adaptive capacity of a reef network and 2) the distribution, extent, and effectiveness of local interventions have the potential to affect regional distributions of coral cover beyond what would be expected from local benefits alone, due to the potentially wide-reaching effects of larval dispersal and gene flow.
Distribution and Temporal Changes of Autoantibody-Mediated Pathogenic Mechanisms Among Acetylcholine Receptor-Positive Myasthenia Gravis Patients
Authors: Khani-Habibabadi Fatemeh , Roy Bhaskar , Pham Minh C , Obaid Abeer H , Filipek Beata , Nowak Richard J , O’Connor Kevin C
Published: August 2024

Objective

Given that acetylcholine receptor-positive (AChR+) myasthenia gravis (MG) is mediated by AChR- specific autoantibodies, the emergence of new therapeutics underscores the importance of investigating AChR-specific autoantibody repertoire. This study aimed to assess the distribution of AChR-specific autoantibody isotypes, IgG subclasses, and the pathogenic mechanisms they mediate in AChR+ MG patients. Furthermore, we investigated longitudinal changes in autoantibody repertoire and the associated pathogenic mechanisms.

Methods

Serum samples (N=210) from 50 AChR+ generalized MG patients collected longitudinally over two years as part of the B-Cell Targeted Treatment in MG (BeatMG) study were evaluated using a set of cell-based assays.

Results

In cross-sectional samples, IgA and IgM AChR-specific autoantibodies were observed in the co-occurrence of IgG in 10% and 12% of patients, respectively. Among them, 4% had all three isotypes. AChR-IgG1 was found in 67.4%, followed by IgG3 (21.7%) and IgG2 (17.4%). Complement was active in 84.8%, followed by AChR internalization (63%) and blocking (30.4%). Complement and AChR internalization were simultaneously active in 45.6%, complement and blocking were active in 10.8%, and all three pathomechanisms were active in 17.4%. Blocking alone was active in only 2.1%; AChR internalization alone was not found. Temporal fluctuations of autoantibody isotypes/ IgG subclasses and the associated pathogenic mechanisms were observed.

Interpretation

These results demonstrate that a subset of patients have autoantibodies that can mediate pathogenic mechanisms and include isotypes/IgG subclasses that current therapeutics may not effectively target. Accordingly, defining individual patient AChR-specific autoantibody profiles may afford more accurate application of therapeutics designed to target specific autoantibody-mediated mechanisms.
A Rapid Assessment of Mortality Surveillance in Uganda
Authors: Zalwango Marie Gorreti , Kyozira Caroline , Nambuya Mariam , Bulamu Martin , Muruta Allan
Published: August 2024

Background

Mortality surveillance aids in identifying and addressing their causes allowing health systems to adapt and respond effectively. This rapid assessment aimed to create awareness on the state of mortality surveillance in Uganda, highlight existing gaps and provide recommendations required for an improved mortality system hence the eventual improvement of public health in the country.

Methods

An assessment of mortality surveillance in Uganda was conducted from November 2023 to June 2024 through data reviews and plenary discussions engaging various stakeholders in Uganda. Eight (8) workshops/meetings were conducted over a period of eight months to generate information on mortality data sources, processes of data generation and challenges affecting the system. Reports generated from the meetings and workshops were summarized and presented as descriptive narratives. Data from DHIS2 was analyzed using excel and presented using charts and tables.

Results

The rapid assessment of mortality surveillance in Uganda highlighted opportunities for improved mortality surveillance through the existence of various sources of data. It was highlighted that 66.9% of the death occur in communities, however, there is a major data completeness gaps where suboptimal data from the community is feed into the national health statistics database (DHIS2) to enable stakeholder analysis and utilization. Furthermore, a number of data quality issues were identified in the health facility generated data where 33% of the deaths occur. These include: data completeness where the national referral specialized health institutes do not feed their data into the national data base, late reporting and the lack of coordination and standardisation of reporting among the various partners.

Conclusion

The existence of structures to conduct mortality surveillance in Uganda presents an opportunity for improved mortality surveillance despite the highlighted gaps and challenges. Adoption of strategies aimed to enable the successful implementation of an efficient mortality surveillance program like: strengthening governance and operations of death reporting activities, establishing a clear definition of institutional roles and responsibilities, raising awareness and advocacy at all levels, building technical capacities, improving allocation of resources, and leveraging on shared interests by both implementing and development partners could improve mortality surveillance and the health of the population through utilisation of the generated data.
Antidepressant efficacy of administering repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) concurrently with psychological tasks or interventions: a scoping review and meta-analysis
Authors: Giron Cristian G. , Tang Alvin H.P. , Jin Minxia , Kranz Georg S.
Published: August 2024

Current approaches to optimize the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for depressive symptoms focus on personalizing targets and parameters. But what should occur during these three-to-forty-minute sessions remains under-investigated. Specific concerns include evidence suggesting brain state modulates the brain’s response to stimulation, and the potential to boost antidepressant efficacy by administering rTMS concurrently with psychological methods. Thus, conducted a scoping review and meta-analysis, per PRISMA-ScR guidelines, to pool studies that administered rTMS during psychological tasks or interventions. PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to 10 July 2024. Inclusion criteria: neuropsychiatric patients underwent rTMS; studies assessed depressive symptom severity; psychological tasks or interventions were administered during rTMS, or intentionally did not include a wash-out period. Of 8442 hits, 20 studies combined rTMS with aerobic exercise, bright light therapy, cognitive training or reactivation, psychotherapy, sleep deprivation, or a psychophysical task. Meta-analyses with random effects models pooled the efficacy of these combinations, based on change scores on depressive severity scales. The effect size was large and therapeutic for uncontrolled pretest-posttest comparisons (17 studies, 20 datasets, g=-1.91, SE=0.45, 95%CI= −2.80 to −1.03, p<0.01); medium when studies compared active combinations with sham rTMS plus active psychological methods (8 studies, g=-0.55, SE=0.14, 95%CI= −0.82 to −0.28, p<0.01); and non-significant when active combinations were compared with active rTMS plus sham psychological methods (4 studies, p= 0.96). These findings suggest that the antidepressant efficacy of combining rTMS with psychological methods is promising, but not an improvement over rTMS alone.
SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance in US Wastewater: Leading Indicators and Data Variability Analysis in the 2023-2024 Season
Authors: Schenk Hannes , Rauch Wolfgang , Zulli Alessandro , Boehm Alexandria B.
Published: August 2024

Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) has become a powerful tool for assessing disease occurrence in communities. This study investigates the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in the United States during the 2023-2024 season using wastewater data from 189 wastewater treatment plants in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and pepper-mild mottle virus normalized SARS-CoV-2 concentration data were compared with COVID-19 hospitalization admission data at both national and state levels. We further investigate temporal features in wastewater viral abundance, with peak timing and cross-correlation lag analyses indicating that wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations precede hospitalization admissions by 2 to 12 days. Lastly, we demonstrate that wastewater treatment plant size, assessed by number of population served, has a significant effect on the variability of measured SARS-CoV-2 concentrations. This study highlights the effectiveness of WBE as a non-invasive, timely and resource-efficient disease monitoring strategy, especially in the context of declining COVID-19 clinical reporting.
Selective autophagy of ribosomes balances a tradeoff between starvation survival and growth resumption
Authors: Tuomaala Joel , Sankar Devanarayanan Siva , Perey Julie , Psalmon Sacha , Stroustrup Nicholas , Dengjel Joern , Towbin Benjamin D.
Published: August 2024

In environments with fluctuating nutrient abundance, organisms must survive periods of starvation, yet quickly resume growth upon food encounter. A tradeoff between these objectives is well-documented in microbes, where it is caused by the need to partition the total cellular protein content between growth- and survival-enhancing proteins. However, the molecular mechanisms of growth-survival tradeoffs in multicellular animals remain largely unknown. Here, we addressed this mechanism forC. elegansby measuring the dynamic changes of its proteome during starvation using live imaging and proteomics. We found that starved animals catabolize ribosomal proteins through autophagy, which provides essential energy for survival while preserving organismal integrity. However, the resulting decline in ribosomes delayed growth resumption upon refeeding until pre-starvation ribosome levels were restored. Genetic inhibition of ribosomal autophagy had a dual effect: although it accelerated growth after short starvation, it compromised survival during prolonged starvation. These findings reveal the rate of ribosomal catabolism as a key determinant of a tradeoff between starvation survival and rapid growth resumption whose tuning may adapt animals to different starvation durations. Our research shows how the need to balance protein allocation between growth and survival constrains animal physiology, highlighting the mechanistic role of proteome resource limitation in whole-organism tradeoffs.
Postural demands modulate tactile perception in the lower limb in young and older adults
Authors: Wachsmann Fabian Dominik , Fiehler Katja , Voudouris Dimitris
Published: August 2024

Balance control requires constant integration of feedforward and feedback signals. In healthy aging, the quality of feedback signals decreases while feedforward control is upweighted; but it is unclear how tactile perception is modulated when balance control is challenged and how this interacts with age-related changes in sensorimotor processes. We therefore examined tactile perception in standing when confronted with different postural demands in young and older adults. To this end, we measured tactile sensitivity on the calf during sitting (baseline), standing on solid ground, and standing on unstable ground (foam). We also measured the center of pressure during standing using a force plate and calculated a 95% confidence ellipse area and the center of pressure length. Tactile sensitivity was assessed by fitting a psychometric function to verbal responses for detecting vibrotactile probes, calculating the detection threshold at 50% detection, and normalizing the two standing conditions to baseline. We examined the effect of age and postural demands on the center of pressure kinematics and detection thresholds. We found higher sway and poorer tactile sensitivity when standing on foam irrespective of age. The increase of postural demands seems to reduce the reliance on tactile feedback signals from the lower limbs in both young and older adults. Our results suggest that postural demands challenge healthy agers as young adults, probably leading to a down-weighting of tactile feedback processing.
Identification of a new ORF3a-E fusion subgenomic RNA of SARS-CoV-2 and its biological features in the infection process
Authors: Zhang Yifan , Zheng Huiwen , Li Jing , Zhang Xinglong , Zhang Xin , Li Jiali , Li Heng , Zhao Xin , Zhang Zihan , Li Yingyan , Chen Keqi , Peng Shasha , Zhang Ying , Shi Haijing , Liu Longding
Published: August 2024

Subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs) are discontinuous transcription products of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that are involved in viral gene expression and replication, but their exact functions are still being studied. Here, we report the identification of a new type of sgRNA, the fusion ORF3a-E-sgRNA, involved in the infection process of SARS-CoV-2. This sgRNA codes both ORF3a and E and can be detected throughout the viral life cycle in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells with high copy numbers. ORF3a-E-sgRNA guides more ORF3a translation and promotes the expression of cellular ribosomal protein S3 (RPS3) and the binding of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E). Single-cell sequencing of a SARS-CoV-2-infected human bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE) revealed that maintenance of this stable translational environment by ORF3a-E-sgRNA is important for the SARS-CoV-2 assembly and release capabilities and is also beneficial for viral evasion of host innate immunity. More importantly, the transcription level of ORF3a-E-sgRNA contributes to differences in infection processes between the Wuhan strain and XBB strain of SARS-CoV-2.
PICASO: Profiling Integrative Communities of Aggregated Single-cell Omics data
Authors: Joppich Markus , Kramann Rafael , Hayat Sikander
Published: August 2024

Various single-cell modalities covering transcriptomics, epigenetic and spatio-temporal changes in health and disease phenotypes are used in an exploratory way to understand biological systems at single-cell resolution. However, the vast amount of such single-cell data is not systematically linked to existing biomedical data. Networks have previously been used to represent harmonized biomedical data. Integrating various resources of biomedical data in networks has recently received increasing attention. These aggregated networks can provide additional insight into the biology of complex human diseases at cell-type level, however, lack inclusion of single cell expression data. Here, we present the PICASO framework, which incorporates single-cell gene expression data as an additional layer to represent associations between cell types, disease phenotypes, drugs and genes. The PICASO network includes several standardized biomedical databases such as STRING, Uniprot, GeneOntology, Reactome, OmniPath and OpenTargets. Using multiple cell type-specific instances of the framework, each annotated and scored with their respective expression data, comparisons between disease states can be made by computing respective sub-networks and comparing the expression scores between conditions. Ultimately, these group-specific networks will allow the identification of relevant genes, processes and potentially druggable targets, as well as the comparison of different measured groups and thus the identification of group-specific communities and interactions.
Dietary zinc limitation dictates lifespan and reproduction trade-offs ofDrosophilamothers
Authors: Sarmah Sweta , Truong Hannah Thi-Hong Hanh , McColl Gawain , Burke Richard , Mirth Christen K , Piper Matthew DW
Published: August 2024

Dietary metal ions significantly influence the lifespan and reproduction ofDrosophilafemales. In this study, we show that while the depletion of all metal ions from the diet adversely affects reproduction and lifespan, the absence of Zn alone negatively impacts reproduction without adversely altering maternal lifespan, indicating it can dictate resource reallocation between key fitness traits. Although our data show that flies sense varying dietary Zn levels, they apparently do not alter their feeding preferences to optimise egg production when faced with a choice between Zn- depleted or Zn- sufficient food, but they can choose to preferentially oviposit on Zn containing food, perhaps indicating a strategy to assure offspring survival. We also uncovered a role for thewhitegene in sustaining high levels of egg viability when Zn is diluted in the diet. These insights into the role of dietary metal ions, particularly Zn, point to a central role for these dietary micronutrients to indicate environmental quality and so govern trade-offs between lifespan and reproduction in flies.
A systematic review and modelling insights of factors impacting measles vaccine effectiveness
Authors: Ghosh Samiran , Kappara Divya , Majumder Nabanita , Nath-Sain Suchita , Roy Arup Deb , Mukhopadhyay Siuli
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT Introduction: Outbreaks of measles have been frequently reported despite the availability of an effective vaccine. In this systematic review we examine the potential factors that could impact the effectiveness of the measles vaccine (MV) in children. Methods: We conducted a literature search using PubMed and Google Scholar for primary articles published between January 2014 and July 2024. Articles reporting the effectiveness or immunogenicity of MV in children aged 0-15 years were included. Additionally, we use regression analysis on data available from few cohort studies in India and epidemiological modelling simulations to assess the effect of factors on vaccine effectiveness (VE). Results: Overall, 34 primary articles involving 151888 children who had received the MV were included in the analysis. Key factors that may affect VE were malnutrition, genetic variants, chemotherapy and gender. Through statistical modelling we identified an inverse relationship between malnutrition and measles VE and estimated the possible percentage decrease in VE due to malnutrition across different states of India. Additionally, simulations from a Susceptible-Infected type model showed the effect of varying VE on the modelling outcomes and measles elimination targets. Conclusions: We identified a few key factors including malnutrition, genetic variants, chemotherapy and gender that impact measles VE. Therefore, in addition to maintaining WHO recommended vaccine coverages, addressing the problems related to VE is crucial for achieving measles elimination targets. Keywords: epidemiological modelling, malnutrition, measles, modelling, systematic review, vaccine effectiveness
HIRA defines early replication initiation zones independently of their genome compartment
Authors: Karagyozova T. , Gatto A. , Forest A. , Quivy J.-P. , Marti-Renom M. , Mirny L. , Almouzni G.
Published: August 2024

Chromatin states and 3D architecture have been used as proxy to identify replication initiation zones (IZs) in mammalian cells. While they do often correlate, their functional interconnections remain a puzzle. Here, we dissect these relationships by focusing on the histone H3.3 chaperone HIRA, which plays a role in both early initiation zone (IZ) definition and higher-order organisation of active chromatin. We monitored in parallel early replication initiation, chromatin accessibility, histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) and 3D organisation in wild-type cells, HIRA knock-out cells and HIRA knock-out cells complemented with HIRA. In the absence of HIRA, impaired early firing at HIRA-dependent IZs does not correspond to changes in chromatin accessibility or patterns of histone H3 PTMs. With respect to 3D organisation, a small subset of early IZs initially in compartment A switched to B and lost early initiation in the absence of HIRA. Critically, HIRA complementation restores these early IZ (and H3.3 variant enrichment) without substantial compartment reversal. Thus, our work reveals that regulation of early replication initiation by HIRA can be uncoupled from accessibility, histone mark patterns and compartment organisation.
X-ray spectroscopic investigation of crystal fields in
Ce2Rh1−xIrxIn8
heavy fermions
Authors: Christovam D. S. , Marino A. , Falke J. , Liu C.-E. , Chang C.-F. , Kuo C.-Y. , Stockert O. , Wirth S. , Haverkort M. W. , Zwicknagl G. , Severing A. , Rosa P. F. S. , Caffer A. M. , Carvalho M. H. , Pagliuso P. G.
Published: August 2024

The higher dimensionality in the crystal fields of the Ce2MIn8 (M=Rh,Ir) compounds and its interplay with hybridization and disorder are key ingredients to understand the complex phase diagrams by this family, which have been explored extensively by macroscopic techniques. Here, we present an investigation of the crystal-electric field schemes of Ce2Rh1−xIrxIn8 using x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Our full multiplet calculations for the 4f1 configuration of Ce3+ to describe the temperature-dependent linear dichroism in Ce2MIn8 are consistent with a Γ71=1−α2·|∓32〉−|α|·|±52〉 ground state containing a predominant |±3/2〉 contribution that increases further with x. This enhancement is believed to favor superconductivity in Ce-based heavy fermion materials, observed in previous results in the CeMIn5 family. Our recent observations shed light on the unexpected emergence of the ambient-pressure superconducting dome in the center of the composition phase diagram and its subsequent suppression on the Ir-rich side due to the early onset of fluctuations associated with the structurally more disordered state, inferred from previous neutron magnetic diffraction experiments.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Anomaly detection with flow-based fast calorimeter simulators
Authors: Krause Claudius , Nachman Benjamin , Pang Ian , Shih David , Zhu Yunhao
Published: August 2024

Recently, several normalizing flow-based deep generative models have been proposed to accelerate the simulation of calorimeter showers. Using alolow as an example, we show that these models can simultaneously perform unsupervised anomaly detection with no additional training cost. As a demonstration, we consider electromagnetic showers initiated by one (background) or multiple (signal) photons. The alolow model is designed to generate single-photon showers, but it also provides access to the shower likelihood. We use this likelihood as an anomaly score and study the showers tagged as being unlikely. As expected, the tagger struggles when the signal photons are nearly collinear but is otherwise effective. This approach is complementary to a supervised classifier trained on only specific signal models using the same low-level calorimeter inputs. While the supervised classifier is also highly effective at unseen signal models, the unsupervised method is more sensitive in certain regions, and, thus, we expect that the ultimate performance will require a combination of these approaches.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Two-photon production of
f0
and
a0
resonances as hadronic molecules composed of two vector mesons
Authors: Yang Li-Ke , Wang Zheng-Li , Wu Jia-Jun , Zou Bing-Song
Published: August 2024

Ascribed as ρρ and K*K¯* molecular states, respectively, isoscalar f0(1500) and f0(1710) states are expected to have isovector partners, potentially identified as a0(1450) and a0(1710). The predicted dominant decay modes for these two a0 resonances are a0(1450)→ωππ and a0(1710)→ωππ,ϕππ. We estimate cross sections for two-photon production of these four resonances within hadronic molecular picture, and demonstrate that SuperKEKB’s luminosity is sufficient for their observation and more precise parameter measurements.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Enantioselective One-Photon Excitation of Formic Acid
Authors: Tsitsonis D. , Trinter F. , Williams J. B. , Fehre K. , Demekhin Ph. V. , Jahnke T. , Dörner R. , Schöffler M. S.
Published: August 2024

We use one-photon excitation to promote K-shell electrons of formic acid (which has a planar equilibrium structure) to an antibonding π* orbital. The excited molecule is known to have a (chiral) pyramidal equilibrium structure. In our experiment, we determine the handedness of the excited molecule by imaging the momenta of charged fragments, which occur after its Coulomb explosion triggered by Auger-Meitner decay cascades succeeding the excitation. We find that the handedness of the excited molecule depends on its spatial orientation with respect to the propagation (or polarization) direction of the exciting photon. The effect is largely independent of the exact polarization properties of the light driving the 1s→π* excitation.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Quantum Spin Dynamics Due to Strong Kitaev Interactions in the Triangular-Lattice Antiferromagnet
CsCeSe2
Authors: Xie Tao , Gozel S. , Xing Jie , Zhao N. , Avdoshenko S. M. , Wu L. , Sefat Athena S. , Chernyshev A. L. , Läuchli A. M. , Podlesnyak A. , Nikitin S. E.
Published: August 2024

The extraordinary properties of the Kitaev model have motivated an intense search for new physics in materials that combine geometrical and bond frustration. In this Letter, we employ inelastic neutron scattering, spin wave theory, and exact diagonalization to study the spin dynamics in the perfect triangular-lattice antiferromagnet (TLAF) CsCeSe2. This material orders into a stripe phase, which is demonstrated to arise as a consequence of the off-diagonal bond-dependent terms in the spin Hamiltonian. By studying the spin dynamics at intermediate fields, we identify an interaction between the single-magnon state and the two-magnon continuum that causes decay of coherent magnon excitations, level repulsion, and transfer of spectral weight to the continuum that are controlled by the strength of the magnetic field. Our results provide a microscopic mechanism for the stabilization of the stripe phase in TLAF and show how complex many-body physics can be present in the spin dynamics in a magnet with strong Kitaev coupling even in an ordered ground state.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Structural stability hypothesis of dual unitary quantum chaos
Authors: Riddell Jonathon , von Keyserlingk Curt , Prosen Tomaž , Bertini Bruno
Published: August 2024

Having spectral correlations that, over small enough energy scales, are described by random matrix theory is regarded as the most general defining feature of quantum chaotic systems as it applies in the many-body setting and away from any semiclassical limit. Although this property is extremely difficult to prove analytically for generic many-body systems, a rigorous proof has been achieved for dual-unitary circuits—a special class of local quantum circuits that remain unitary upon swapping space and time. Here we consider the fate of this property when moving from dual-unitary to generic quantum circuits focusing on the , i.e., the Fourier transform of the two-point correlation. We begin with a numerical survey that, in agreement with previous studies, suggests that there exists a finite region in parameter space where dual-unitary physics is stable and spectral correlations are still described by random matrix theory, although up to a maximal quasienergy scale. To explain these findings, we develop a perturbative expansion: it recovers the random matrix theory predictions, provided the terms occurring in perturbation theory obey a relatively simple set of assumptions. We then provide numerical evidence and a heuristic analytical argument supporting these assumptions.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Weyl nodes in
Ce3Bi4Pd3
revealed by dynamical mean-field theory
Authors: Braß Martin , Tomczak Jan M. , Held Karsten
Published: August 2024

Experimental studies have found unusual transport properties in Ce3Bi4Pd3 which are potentially a consequence of the interplay between band-structure topology and electronic correlations. Based on these measurements, the existence of Weyl points in strongly renormalized, flat quasiparticle bands has been postulated. However, so far there has been neither a direct spectroscopic observation of these nor a calculation from first principles that would confirm their existence close to the Fermi energy. Here we present density functional theory and dynamical mean-field theory calculations and study the low-energy excitations and their topological properties. We find that the Kondo effect promotes two out of the six angular momentum J=5/2 states, with the other four pushed to higher energies. Further, we find Weyl nodes close to the Fermi energy as previously suggested for explaining the observed giant spontaneous Hall effect in Ce3Bi4Pd3 as well as nodal lines.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Multi-step commodity forecasts using deep learning
Authors: Bora Siddhartha S. , Katchova Ani L.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Long-term forecasts about commodity market indicators play an important role in informing policy and investment decisions by governments and market participants. Our study examines whether the accuracy of the multi-step forecasts can be improved using deep learning methods.

Design/methodology/approach

We first formulate a supervised learning problem and set benchmarks for forecast accuracy using traditional econometric models. We then train a set of deep neural networks and measure their performance against the benchmark.

Findings

We find that while the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) baseline projections perform better for shorter forecast horizons, the performance of the deep neural networks improves for longer horizons. The findings may inform future revisions of the forecasting process.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates an application of deep learning methods to multi-horizon forecasts of agri-cultural commodities, which is a departure from the current methods used in producing these types of forecasts.
Looking beyond transactions: decoding the role of service innovation, relationship commitment and fairness in driving customer satisfaction in retail banking
Authors: Biswas Abhijeet , Kant Rishi , Jaiswal Deepak
Published: August 2024

Purpose

A significant increase in the number of private sector banks has intensified the level of competition in the Indian banking industry (IBI). This increase in the number of banks has a considerable impact on the existing players, which calls for prioritizing customer satisfaction (CS) and enhancing bank reputation (BR). Our study seeks to investigate the enablers of CS and BR in the IBI.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a cross-sectional design for gathering responses from retail bank customers across the selected banks through a structured questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to evaluate direct and indirect linkages among the identified constructs by examining mediating and moderating effects.

Findings

The study puts forward crucial antecedents of CS and BR. The findings exhibit that perceived trust (PT) and relationship commitment (RC) magnify CS and BR, respectively, while CS amplifies repurchase intention (RI). The study advances that BR and CS partially mediate between the underlying constructs. In addition, fairness and risk exhibit moderating effects between CS and customer repurchase intention (CRI) and BR and CRI.

Research limitations/implications

The study illustrates the crucial enablers of BR, CS and CRI that may assist banking professionals in enriching customer experience and holding on to their customers.

Originality/value

There is a shortage of research on RC, service innovation (SI) and BR in the IBI. Accordingly, our study builds on the prior studies by considering these constructs using a comprehensive conceptual framework by extending the application of signaling theory (ST) in the banking domain and scrutinizing the dual moderating effects of fairness and risk.
Voluntary overqualification: conceptualization, scale development and validation
Authors: Li Yi , Yan Menghan , Fang Jianfeng , Wei Feng
Published: August 2024

Purpose

With the diversification of professional values, an increasing number of individuals voluntarily choose positions that demand less than their personal knowledge, skills and educational background, a phenomenon known as voluntary overqualification. This study aims to explore the reasons for discerning the motivations driving voluntary overqualification, define its conceptual content and develop the measurement scale for voluntary overqualification.

Design/methodology/approach

Through five phases, and using both qualitative and quantitative approaches, the authors constructed a scale comprising three dimensions: earnings-oriented, life-oriented and meaning-oriented to measure voluntary overqualification. Following the steps of scale development, the conceptual connotation and structural dimensions of voluntary overqualification were systematically coded and mined based on grounded theory. The scale’s reliability and validity were measured through exploratory and validation factor analyses. Finally, the validity of the voluntary overqualification scale was verified through the selection of professional identity and subjective well-being.

Findings

This study defined connotations and structural dimensions of voluntary overqualification based on grounded theory, resulting in a measurement scale with three dimensions and 13 items. These dimensions include earnings-, life- and meaning-oriented voluntary overqualification. Empirical testing of predictive validity used professional identity and subjective well-being as outcome variables.

Originality/value

This study provides a theoretical foundation and an effective measurement tool for subsequent research in voluntary overqualification by focusing on a new type of voluntary overqualification, defining its connotations and developing a complete set of scales.
Conceptualising project management capabilities for offsite construction
Authors: Ginigaddara Buddhini , Ershadi Mahmoud , Jefferies Marcus , Perera Srinath
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Recent research advocates that there are plenty of opportunities for key players in the offsite construction (OSC) sector to harness the full potential of advanced project management techniques. While previous research mainly focuses on transformations related to digital and advanced technologies driven by industry 4.0 principles, a research gap still exists on the intersection of project management capabilities and OSC. This study attempts to bridge this gap by capturing the homogeneity of different capabilities and integrating them into an overarching framework.

Design/methodology/approach

A scientometric analysis is conducted to provide an overview of the co-occurrence network of keywords in the representative studies. A systematic literature review (SLR) of articles published between 2010 and 2022, followed by a subsequent full-text examination of 63 selected articles, revealed 34 interrelated capabilities to be categorised under three exhaustive planning-oriented, design-oriented and delivery-oriented groups.

Findings

This review revealed an upward trend of publication on project management capabilities for OSC with a specific interest in optimisation of resources allocated to offsite operations. The top five capabilities discussed more frequently in the literature include (1) artificial intelligence for design error detection, (2) enhanced resource productivity, (3) cost saving in offsite production, (4) real-time traceability of modules and (5) applying lean agile production principles to OSC, which imply the critical role of quality, cost saving, traceability and agility in OSC.

Originality/value

This study elicits core capabilities and develops a new offsite project management framework for the first time. The authors provide directions for researchers and practitioners to apply capabilities for obtaining better outcomes and higher value out of offsite operations.