bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of potential increase in photosynthetic efficiency of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) plants exposed to elevated carbon dioxide
Authors: Ravi V. , Raju Saravanan , More Sanket J.
Published: May 2024

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), an important tropical crop, is affected by extreme climatic events, including rising CO2 levels. We evaluated the short-term effect of elevated CO2 concentration (ECO2) (600, 800 and 1000 ppm) on the photosynthetic efficiency of 14 cassava genotypes. ECO2 significantly altered gaseous exchange parameters (net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), intercellular CO2 (Ci) and transpiration (E)) in cassava leaves. There were significant but varying interactive effects between ECO2 and varieties on these physiological characteristics. ECO2 at 600 and 800 ppm increased the Pn rate in the range of 13–24% in comparison to 400 ppm (ambient CO2), followed by acclimation at the highest concentration of 1000 ppm. A similar trend was observed in gs and E. Conversely, Ci increased significantly and linearly across increasing CO2 concentration. Along with Ci, a steady increase in water use efficiency [WUEintrinsic (Pn/gs) and WUEinstantaneous (Pn/E)] across various CO2 concentrations corresponded with the central role of restricted stomatal activity, a common response under ECO2. Furthermore, Pn had a significant quadratic relationship with the ECO2 (R2 = 0.489) and a significant and linear relationship with Ci (R2 = 0.227). Relative humidity and vapour pressure deficit during the time of measurements remained at 70–85% and ~0.9–1.31 kPa, respectively, at 26 ± 2°C leaf temperature. Notably, not a single variety exhibited constant performance for any of the parameters across CO2 concentrations. Our results indicate that the potential photosynthesis can be increased up to 800 ppm cassava varieties with high sink capacity can be cultivated under protected cultivation to attain higher productivity.
Impact of exogenous melatonin foliar application on physiology and fruit quality of wine grapes (Vitis vinifera) under salt stress
Authors: Li Yuanyuan , Zhang Congcong , Lu Xu , Yan Haokai , Nai Guojie , Gong Meishuang , Lai Ying , Pu Zhihui , Wei Li , Ma Shaoying , Li Sheng
Published: May 2024

Soil salinisation is an important abiotic stress faced in grape cultivating, leading to weakened plant vigour and reduced fruit quality. Melatonin as a novel hormone has shown positive exogenous application value. Therefore, this study used wine grape (Vitis vinifera) ‘Pinot Noir’ as a test material to investigate the changes of foliar spraying with different concentrations of melatonin on the physiology and fruit quality of wine grapes in a field under simulated salt stress (200 mmol L−1 NaCl). The results showed that foliar spraying of melatonin significantly increased the intercellular CO2 concentration, maximum photochemical quantum yield of PSII, relative chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content of the leaves, as well as the single spike weight, 100-grain weight, transverse and longitudinal diameters, malic acid, α-amino nitrogen and ammonia content of fruits, and decreased the initial fluorescence value of leaves, ascorbate peroxidase activity, glutathione content, fruit transverse to longitudinal ratio and tartaric acid content of plants under salt stress. Results of the comprehensive evaluation of the affiliation function indicated that 100 μmol L−1 melatonin treatment had the best effect on reducing salt stress in grapes. In summary, melatonin application could enhance the salt tolerance of grapes by improving the photosynthetic capacity of grape plants under salt stress and promoting fruit development and quality formation, and these results provide new insights into the involvement of melatonin in the improvement of salt tolerance in crop, as well as some theoretical basis for the development and industrialisation of stress-resistant cultivation techniques for wine grapes.
Identification and characterization of a nonbiological small-molecular mimic of a Zika virus conformational neutralizing epitope
Authors: Castanha Priscila M. S. , McEnaney Patrick J. , Park Yongseok , Bouwer Anthea , Chaves Elton J. F. , Lins Roberto D. , Paciaroni Nicholas G. , Dickson Paige , Carlson Graham , Cordeiro Marli T. , Magalhaes Tereza , Craigo Jodi , Marques Ernesto T. A. , Kodadek Thomas , Burke Donald S.
Published: May 2024

Antigenic similarities between Zika virus (ZIKV) and other flaviviruses pose challenges to the development of virus-specific diagnostic tools and effective vaccines. Starting with a DNA-encoded one-bead-one-compound combinatorial library of 508,032 synthetic, non-natural oligomers, we selected and characterized small molecules that mimic ZIKV epitopes. High-throughput fluorescence-activated cell sorter-based bead screening was used to select molecules that bound IgG from ZIKV-immune but not from dengue-immune sera. Deep sequencing of the DNA from the “Zika-only” beads identified 40 candidate molecular structures. A lead candidate small molecule “CZV1-1” was selected that correctly identifies serum specimens from Zika-experienced patients with good sensitivity and specificity (85.3% and 98.4%, respectively). Binding competition studies of purified anti-CZV1-1 IgG against known ZIKV-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) showed that CZV1-1 mimics a nonlinear, neutralizing conformational epitope in the domain III of the ZIKV envelope. Purified anti-CZV1-1 IgG neutralized infection of ZIKV in cell cultures with potencies comparable to highly specific ZIKV-neutralizing mAbs. This study demonstrates an innovative approach for identification of synthetic non-natural molecular mimics of conformational virus epitopes. Such molecular mimics may have value in the development of accurate diagnostic assays for Zika, as well as for other viruses.
Microbes vary strategically in their metalation of mononuclear enzymes
Authors: Rohaun Sanjay Kumar , Sethu Ramakrishnan , Imlay James A.
Published: May 2024

Studies have determined that nonredox enzymes that are cofactored with Fe(II) are the most oxidant-sensitive targets inside
Escherichia coli
. These enzymes use Fe(II) cofactors to bind and activate substrates. Because of their solvent exposure, the metal can be accessed and oxidized by reactive oxygen species, thereby inactivating the enzyme. Because these enzymes participate in key physiological processes, the consequences of stress can be severe. Accordingly, when
E. coli
senses elevated levels of H
2
O
2
, it induces both a miniferritin and a manganese importer, enabling the replacement of the iron atom in these enzymes with manganese. Manganese does not react with H
2
O
2
and thereby preserves enzyme activity. In this study, we examined several diverse microbes to identify the metal that they customarily integrate into ribulose-5-phosphate 3-epimerase, a representative of this enzyme family. The anaerobe
Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron
, like
E. coli
, uses iron. In contrast,
Bacillus subtilis
and
Lactococcus lactis
use manganese, and
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
uses zinc. The latter organisms are therefore well suited to the oxidizing environments in which they dwell. Similar results were obtained with peptide deformylase, another essential enzyme of the mononuclear class. Strikingly, heterologous expression experiments show that it is the metal pool within the organism, rather than features of the protein itself, that determine which metal is incorporated. Further, regardless of the source organism, each enzyme exhibits highest turnover with iron and lowest turnover with zinc. We infer that the intrinsic catalytic properties of the metal cannot easily be retuned by evolution of the polypeptide.
Genome-wide CRISPR screens in spheroid culture reveal that the tumor suppressor LKB1 inhibits growth via the PIKFYVE lipid kinase
Authors: Ferrarone John R. , Thomas Jerin , Unni Arun M. , Zheng Yuxiang , Nagiec Michal J. , Gardner Eric E. , Mashadova Oksana , Li Kate , Koundouros Nikos , Montalbano Antonino , Mustafa Meer , Cantley Lewis C. , Blenis John , Sanjana Neville E. , Varmus Harold
Published: May 2024

The tumor suppressor LKB1 is a serine/threonine protein kinase that is frequently mutated in human lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). LKB1 regulates a complex signaling network that is known to control cell polarity and metabolism; however, the pathways that mediate the tumor-suppressive activity of LKB1 are incompletely defined. To identify mechanisms of LKB1-mediated growth suppression, we developed a spheroid-based cell culture assay to study LKB1-dependent growth. We then performed genome-wide CRISPR screens in spheroidal culture and found that LKB1 suppresses growth, in part, by activating the PIKFYVE lipid kinase. Finally, we used chemical inhibitors and a pH-sensitive reporter to determine that LKB1 impairs growth by promoting the internalization of wild-type EGFR in a PIKFYVE-dependent manner.
Metaphors to describe sanctions against Iran in American and Iranian newspapers
Authors: Mohammad Hosseinpur Rasoul , Mansouri Mahdi
Published: May 2024

Since Iran’s 1979 revolution, Sanctions Against Iran (SAI) has been one of the most crucial issues concerning Iran
and the US’ relationships, and both parties employ different metaphors to depict the situation in line with their own ideologies.
This study explored the conceptual metaphors (CM) concerning the sanctions against Iran in two corpora of the editorials and news
extracted from an international American newspaper (New York Times) and a local Iranian English press
(Iran Daily). Following Charteris-Black’s (2004) framework for
Critical Metaphor Analysis, sixty editorial news texts (thirty for each), since 2013 until 2021, were scrutinized for the CMs in
the two corpora. The findings revealed that although both newspapers took advantage of the metaphors in description of the
sanctions against Iran, there were significant differences between them in the employment of the CMs. The American newspaper
enjoyed more frequent and diverse metaphors to represent the sanctions compared to the Iranian newspaper, and “SAI is a
pain/illness” (22.7%) was the most frequent conceptual metaphor in the New York Times whereas “SAI is a human”
(32.4%) and “SAI is a journey” (18.9%) were the common metaphors in Iran Daily. The results suggest how language
could be manipulated to serve different purposes.
A relevance-theoretic analysis of Colloquial Singapore English hor
Authors: Lee Junwen
Published: May 2024

The Colloquial Singapore English or Singlish particle hor has been observed to convey different
pragmatic effects when pronounced with either a rising or falling intonation contour. In this paper, I propose, using a
relevance-theoretic framework, that hor encodes the procedural content that the proposition it marks is
accessible to the addressee, i.e. it can be readily recalled by the addressee. Pronouncing hor with a rising or
falling intonational contour then indicates that this procedural content should be interpreted as a question or directive
respectively – a rising contour indicates a check on whether the hor-marked proposition is accessible to the
addressee, while a falling contour indicates an instruction to the addressee to make the hor-marked proposition
accessible. This analysis also accounts for hor’s unacceptability with directives that seek to impose a new
obligation on the addressee that requires immediate action, which has not been previously observed in the literature.
Acceleration inside an aircraft in parabolic flight
Authors: Teixeira J J , Gonçalves M , Soares A A
Published: May 2024

This paper aims to present and analyse the acceleration data inside an aircraft during a parabolic flight. The data used were obtained during the flight from the automatic recordings of the aircraft and from a portable data logger with a built-in 3-axis accelerometer connected to a graphic calculator. There is good agreement between the accelerations obtained by the two methods. Based on the altitude data collected during each parabolic manoeuvre performed by the aircraft, it was possible to estimate the gravity of Mars and the Moon, as well as the values of the acceleration of gravity during the moments of microgravity. The analysis presented can also help to improve the understanding of the concepts of inertial forces and the equivalence between gravity and acceleration.
Properties of classical evanescent waves obtained by using the linear independence concept
Authors: Morales-Mori Alejandro , Morones-Ibarra J Rubén , Montemayor-Aldrete Jorge A
Published: May 2024

Normally, the properties of evanescent optical waves are obtained by developing the Fresnel equations that are expressed in the complex numbers field when the incident angle exceeds the critical angle. Instead of using complex numbers, here we use real functions and the mathematical concept of linear independence to obtain all the properties of the evanescent waves.
Experimental analysis of propeller thrust in an undergraduate physics laboratory
Authors: Gómez-Tejedor José Antonio , Blasco-Pérez Eduard , Riera Jaime
Published: May 2024

As propulsive systems are challenging for undergraduates to understand, it is essential to design experiments that can help their visualization and testing. The development of digital technology (high-speed cameras, digital tracking software, or 3D printers) facilitates the implementation of such designs. We proposed to study the thrust produced by a propeller, whose operating principles are based on the conservation of linear momentum. The study was carried out on an air track to avoid frictional forces. Several system characteristics were established, such as the propellor’s rotation speed and angle of attack and different magnitudes were determined, including the dynamic thrust and static force values. 3D CAD software was used to design the propellers for the experiments, and 3D printers to produce them.
Suppressed conductive loss of flower-like NiCo2O4-wrapped flaky FeSiAl for excellent low-frequency microwave absorption
Authors: Fu Guangming , He Jun , Yan Shuoqing , He Longhui , Shan Dongyong
Published: May 2024

Flaky FeSiAl is a high potential absorbent for low-frequency microwave applications. However, impedance mismatching due to its excessively high complex permittivity presents a challenge. Herein, inspired by the surface modification strategy, flaky FeSiAl wrapped with flower-like NiCo2O4 (NiCo2O4@flaky FeSiAl) was developed via a hydrothermal method. The introduction of a surface NiCo2O4 insulating layer was expected to reduce the complex permittivity and increase the high complex permeability in the NiCo2O4@flaky FeSiAl composite. Subsequently, an excellent low-frequency microwave absorption performance was achieved. The designed NiCo2O4@flaky FeSiAl displayed a robust minimum refection loss (RL
min) of −33.41 dB at 6.32 GHz and increased the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, RL < −10 dB) to 4.08 GHz when the matching thickness was 1.6 mm. The enhanced low-frequency microwave absorption performance was mainly attributed to the improvement in impedance matching, which originated from the collaborative regulation of electromagnetic parameters. This study provides a promising approach for designing flaky FeSiAl-based composites and high-performance low-frequency microwave absorbents.
Simulation of ageing and wear effect on graphene THz passive components using finite element method
Authors: La Mura Monica , Lamberti Patrizia , Kuzhir Polina
Published: May 2024

In the growing scenario of 2D material-based metamaterials and metasurfaces for Terahertz (THz) applications, assessing the impact of ageing and wear due to environmental stressors on the components’ performance is becoming mandatory to understand the long-term reliability of novel technologies. This paper introduces approaches to assess the ageing and wear effects on THz passive components through numerical simulations. For this purpose, common techniques for introducing 2D materials and thin metal layers in numerical models are discussed. As a case study, this work explores the effects of graphene degradation and reflective metal ageing on the electromagnetic response of a graphene-enhanced reflective grating for THz absorption and modulation by finite element (FE) analysis. The developed FE model is validated against experimental data obtained through THz Time-Domain Spectroscopy. By computing the device’s transmission, reflection, and absorption spectra for degrading graphene and metal conductive properties, this work provides insights into the influence of ageing and wear on THz passive components.
Statistical evaluation of individual external exposure dose of outdoor worker and ambient dose rate at evacuation ordered zones after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident
Authors: Saisu Motofumi , Ando Tadahiko , Uchiyama Keizo , Ueno Toshihiro , Takizawa Koichi , Endo Yuji , Yoshimura Kazuya , Sanada Yukihisa
Published: May 2024

Following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, evacuation orders were issued for the surrounding communities. In order to lift the evacuation order, it is necessary to determine individual external doses in the evacuated areas. The purpose of this study was to determine the quantitative relationship between individual external doses and ambient dose rates per hour as conversion coefficients. More specifically, individual external doses of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings employees in difficult-to-return zone were measured broadly over a long period (fiscal year 2020 to fiscal year 2022). To obtain highly accurate estimates, we used not only ambient dose rates based on airborne radiological monitoring data, but also Integrated dose rate map data that had been statistically corrected to correspond to local ambient dose rate gradients on the ground. As a result, the conversion coefficients based on the ambient dose rate map measured by airborne radiological monitoring were 0.42 for the Evacuation-Order Lifted Zones (ELZs), 0.37 for the Special Zones for Reconstruction and Rehabilitation (SZRRs), and 0.47 for the Difficult-to-Return Zones without SZRRs (DRZs). On the other hand, the conversion coefficients based on the Integrated dose rate map which is a highly accurate dose rate map based on statistical analysis of various types of monitoring that have been studied in government projects in recent years, were 0.78 for the ELZs, 0.72 for the SZRRs and 0.82 for the DRZs. Using these conversion coefficients, the individual external dose can be estimated from two representative ambient dose rate maps provided by the government.
Three-dimensional measurement based on equal spacing binary fringe coding
Authors: Yan Fei , Wu Peiyue , Sun Cheng , Liu Yinping , Liu Jia
Published: May 2024

Binary fringe projection technology can effectively avoid the measurement error caused by nonlinearity in structured light three-dimensional measurement system. In this paper, a binary fringe projection coding based on equal spacing is proposed firstly, the image sequence projected by binary fringes with equal spacing is corresponding to the sinusoidal intensity values in the same period one by one, and then the sinusoidal fringes are generated by weighted superposition. The experimental results show that, compared with the traditional four-step and 12-step phase shifting methods, the mean square error of the synthesized sinusoidal pattern is reduced by 36.74% and 18.24% respectively, and the mean square error of the distance between the obtained spherical point cloud of the standard sphere and the center of the fitting standard sphere is reduced by 89.36% and 77.27% respectively.
Properties of radiation-induced point defects in austenitic steels: a molecular dynamics study
Authors: Guo Wei , Liang Yanxiang , Wan Qiang
Published: May 2024

Austenitic steels are recognized as excellent structural materials for pressurized water reactors due to their outstanding mechanical properties and radiation resistance. However, compared to the widely studied FeCrNi series of steels, little is known about the radiation resistance of FeCrNiMn steel. In this study, the generation and evolution of radiation-induced defects in FeCrNiMn steel were investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. The results showed that more defect atoms were produced in the thermal spike stage, but fewer defects survived at the end of the cascades in FeCrNiMn compared to pure Fe. Point defect properties were analyzed by molecular statics, and the formation energies of defects in FeCrNiMn were lower than those of pure Fe, while the migration energies were higher. Compared to FeCrNi, FeCrNiMn had smaller migration energies and a larger overlap of vacancy and interstitial migration energies. The low vacancy formation energies and widely overlapping migration energies suggested that the number of point defects in the thermal spike stage was higher, but the possibility of recombination was greater. Additionally, Mn exhibited the smallest interstitial formation energies and migration energies. The difference in defect migration energies revealed that vacancy and interstitial defects migrate through different alloy constituent elements. This study revealed the underlying mechanism for the excellent irradiation resistance of FeCrNiMn.
Cardiac MRI segmentation using shifted-window multilayer perceptron mixer networks
Authors: Abouei Elham , Pan Shaoyan , Hu Mingzhe , Kesarwala Aparna H , Qiu Richard L J , Zhou Jun , Roper Justin , Yang Xiaofeng
Published: May 2024

Objectives. In this work, we proposed a deep-learning segmentation algorithm for cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to aid in contouring of the left ventricle, right ventricle, and Myocardium (Myo). Approach. We proposed a shifted window multilayer perceptron (Swin-MLP) mixer network which is built upon a 3D U-shaped symmetric encoder-decoder structure. We evaluated our proposed network using public data from 100 individuals. The network performance was quantitatively evaluated using 3D volume similarity between the ground truth contours and the predictions using Dice score coefficient, sensitivity, and precision as well as 2D surface similarity using Hausdorff distance (HD), mean surface distance (MSD) and residual mean square distance (RMSD). We benchmarked the performance against two other current leading edge networks known as Dynamic UNet and Swin-UNetr on the same public dataset. Results. The proposed network achieved the following volume similarity metrics when averaged over three cardiac segments: Dice = 0.952 ± 0.017, precision = 0.948 ± 0.016, sensitivity = 0.956 ± 0.022. The average surface similarities were HD = 1.521 ± 0.121 mm, MSD = 0.266 ± 0.075 mm, and RMSD = 0.668 ± 0.288 mm. The network shows statistically significant improvement in comparison to the Dynamic UNet and Swin-UNetr algorithms for most volumetric and surface metrics with p-value less than 0.05. Overall, the proposed Swin-MLP mixer network demonstrates better or comparable performance than competing methods. Significance. The proposed Swin-MLP mixer network demonstrates more accurate segmentation performance compared to current leading edge methods. This robust method demonstrates the potential to streamline clinical workflows for multiple applications.
Parity-spin superconducting qubit based on topological insulators
Authors: Guo Guo-Liang , Leng Han-Bing , Liu Xin
Published: May 2024

We propose to utilize two parity-protected qubits which are built based on superconductor/topological-insulator/superconductor (SC/TI/SC) Josephson junction to implement a parity-spin superconducting qubit. The SC/TI/SC Josephson junctions have identical Josephson potential, which is robust against fabrication variations and guarantees the reliable

cos
⁡
2
ϕ

energy-phase relation for implementing a parity-protected qubit. By viewing the even and odd parity ground states of a single parity-protected qubit as spin-

1
2

states, we construct the logic qubit states using the total parity odd subspace of two parity-protected qubits, refereed to parity-spin qubit. This parity-spin qubit exhibits robustness against charge noise, similar to a singlet-triplet (S-T) qubit’s immunity to global magnetic field fluctuations. Meanwhile, the flux noise cannot directly couple two states with the same total parity and is significantly suppressed. Benefiting from the simultaneous protection from charge and flux noise, we demonstrate an enhancement of both T
1 and T
2 coherence times. Our work presents a TI-based approach to engineer symmetry-protected superconducting qubits.
𝒫𝒯-symmetric couplings of dual pairs
Authors: Derkach Volodymyr , Trunk Carsten
Published: May 2024

We apply the boundary triple technique to construct a coupling

(
A
,
B
)

(A,B)

of two dual pairs

(

A
+

,

B
+

)

(A_+,B_+)

and

(

A
−

,

B
−

)

(A_-,B_-)

relative to some boundary triples. The notion of a real dual pair with respect to the time reversal operator

\cT is introduced and it is shown that the coupling of two real dual pairs corresponding to real boundary triples is also real. If the operator

\cP \cT intertwines the dual pairs

(

A
+

,

B
+

)

(A_+,B_+)

and

(

A
−

,

B
−

)

(A_-,B_-)

for some parity operator

\cP , then it is shown that there exists a coupling

(
A
,
B
)

(A,B)

of two dual pairs

(

A
+

,

B
+

)

(A_+,B_+)

and

(

A
−

,

B
−

)

(A_-,B_-)

such that the operator

A
A

is

\cP \cT -symmetric and

\cP -symmetric in the Krein space

(\sH ,<\cdot ,\cdot <) with the fundamental symmetry

\cP . As the main result we describe proper extensions of

A
A

which are

\cP \cT -symmetric and

\cP -selfadjoint.

We apply this result to interpret the

\cP \cT -symmetric Hamiltonian considered in Bender & Boettcher (1998) as a member of a family of

\cP \cT -symmetric and

\cP -selfadjoint extensions of the corresponding minimal operator.

Keywords: dual pair; boundary triple; coupling;

\cP \cT -symmetric operator; non-Hermitian Hamiltonian
Villadsen Idempotents
Authors: Ivanescu Cristian , Kucerovsky Dan
Published: May 2024

C*-algebras are rings, sometimes nonunital, obeying certain axioms that ensure a very well-behaved representation theory upon Hilbert space. Moreover, there are some well-known features of the representation theory leading to subtle questions about norms on tensor products of C*-algebras, and thus to the subclass of nuclear C*-algebras. The question whether all separable nuclear C*-algebras satisfy the Universal Coefficient Theorem (UCT) remains one of the most important open problems in the structure and classification theory of such algebras. One of the ways to test the UCT conjecture depends on finding C*-algebras that behave as idempotents under the tensor product, and satisfy certain additional properties. Briefly put, if there exists a simple, separable, and nuclear C*-algebra that is an idempotent under the tensor product, satisfies a certain technical property, and is not one of the already known such elements

{

O
∞

,

O
2

,

UHF
∞

,
J
,
Z
,

C

,

K

}

\left \{ O_\infty , O_2, \operatorname {UHF}_\infty , J, Z, \mathbb {C}, \mathcal {K}\right \}

then the UCT fails. Although we do not disprove the UCT in this publication, we do find new idempotents in the class of Villadsen algebras.
A Plethora of Cluster Structures on 𝐺𝐿_{𝑛}
Authors: Gekhtman M. , Shapiro M. , Vainshtein A.
Published: May 2024

We continue the study of multiple cluster structures in the rings of regular functions on

G

L
n

GL_n

,

S

L
n

SL_n

and

M
a

t
n

Mat_n

that are compatible with Poisson–Lie and Poisson-homogeneous structures. According to our initial conjecture, each class in the Belavin–Drinfeld classification of Poisson–Lie structures on a semisimple complex group

G

\mathcal {G}

corresponds to a cluster structure in

O

(

G

)

\mathcal {O}(\mathcal {G})

. Here we prove this conjecture for a large subset of Belavin–Drinfeld (BD) data of

A
n

A_n

type, which includes all the previously known examples. Namely, we subdivide all possible

A
n

A_n

type BD data into oriented and non-oriented kinds. We further single out BD data satisfying a certain combinatorial condition that we call aperiodicity and prove that for any oriented BD data of this kind there exists a regular cluster structure compatible with the corresponding Poisson–Lie bracket. In fact, we extend the aperiodicity condition to pairs of oriented BD data and prove a more general result that establishes an existence of a regular cluster structure on

S

L
n

SL_n

compatible with a Poisson bracket homogeneous with respect to the right and left action of two copies of

S

L
n

SL_n

equipped with two different Poisson-Lie brackets. Similar results hold for aperiodic non-oriented BD data, but the analysis of the corresponding regular cluster structure is more involved and not given here. If the aperiodicity condition is not satisfied, a compatible cluster structure has to be replaced with a generalized cluster structure. We will address these situations in future publications.
Edge of Catastrophe
Authors: Frie Roger
Published: May 2024

The prominent 20th-century public intellectual and psychoanalyst Erich Fromm is recognized for his courageous stand against fascism and human destructiveness. Until now, however, little has been known about the extent to which Fromm’s personal experience of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust shaped his outlook. This book introduces for the first time the unpublished Holocaust correspondence in Fromm’s family. The letters shed light on Fromm’s life as a German Jewish refugee and the effect of Nazi Germany’s racial terror on Fromm’s family, a catastrophe that was repeated countless times. In the aftermath of the genocide, Fromm returned again and again to the themes of racism, responsibility, and human solidarity, yet without revealing his own experience. Above all, Fromm argued for the importance of courage and compassion in the face of cruelty and destructiveness. Fromm’s social, political, and psychological writings take on new meaning in light of the traumas and tragedies that he and his family experienced. The image of Fromm that emerges from this book enriches an understanding of what it means to be both a social critic and practicing psychologist. In light of the racial hatred and antisemitism seen today, author Roger Frie demonstrates that a politics of engagement and a psychology of well-being go hand in hand. He argues that there is much to be learned from the urgency in Fromm’s writings when seeking to respond to the social crises and the renewed threat of fascism in the present age.
The Holocaust Correspondence
Authors: Frie Roger
Published: May 2024

This chapter documents for the first time the extent of the trauma and tragedy experienced by Erich Fromm’s German Jewish family members and his many unsuccessful attempts to save them. It begins with a brief biographical overview of Fromm’s early life in Germany before presenting the unpublished letters. It divides the family correspondence into three parts: the first section presents the plight of Heinz Brandt, a Communist Party activist and cousin of Fromm’s who was sent first to a prison and then to a concentration camp; the second section presents the correspondence of Gertrud Brandt, Heinz’s mother, whose letters were written from the ghetto of Ostrow-Lubelski in southeast Poland; and the third section presents the letters of Fromm’s aunt in Berlin, Sophie Engländer. The letters reveal the powerful emotions of suffering, loss, and longing experienced by Fromm’s family members and give us a glimpse into what their daily lives were like up until their deportations and deaths. They also detail the tremendous strength and courage shown by Fromm’s aunts and shed light on the experience of German Jewish women in the unfolding catastrophe.
How Is This Possible?
Authors: Frie Roger
Published: May 2024

In order to grasp how Fromm responded to the rise of the Nazis, this chapter examines Fromm’s life in Germany before 1933. It examines his personal and professional development amid the social crises that shook Weimar Germany and fed Hitler’s rise to power. The chapter draws on the German expressionist artist Käthe Kollwitz, whose work sheds light on the terrible effects of World War I and captures the emotional and psychological turbulence of the early Weimar years. In the aftermath of World War I, Fromm sought to grasp the social and psychological origins of violence and began to formulate his theory of compassion and solidarity. Fromm and Kollwitz both spent their careers struggling with the horrors of World War I, not daring to imagine that the cumulative deaths of that war would be surmounted by another. By the time that Hitler and the Nazi Party were elected into power, Fromm was familiar with the human proclivity for destruction and hatred, but nothing could prepare him for what was to come, or for how personally painful these tragedies would be.
Current use of estrogen-containing oral contraceptives or hormone therapy and risk of COVID-19 infection and hospitalization: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Harrington Laura B , Powers J David , Bayliss Elizabeth A , Fortmann Stephen P , Shortreed Susan M , Walker Rod L , Floyd James S , Kuntz Jennifer , Fuller Sharon , Alberston-Junkans Ladia , Lee Mi H , Temposky Lisa A , Dublin Sascha
Published: May 2024

The association between current use of oral contraceptives (OCs) among women younger than 50 years (n = 306 541), and hormone therapy (HT) among women aged 50 years or older (n = 323 203), and coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection and hospitalization was evaluated in this population-based cohort. Current OC/HT use was recorded monthly using prescription dispensing data. COVID-19 infections were identified from March 2020 through February 2021. COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations were identified through diagnosis codes and laboratory tests. We used weighted generalized estimating equations models to estimate multivariable adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for COVID-19 infection associated with time-varying OC/HT use. Among women with COVID-19, logistic regression models were used to evaluate OC/HT use and COVID-19 hospitalization. Over 12 months, 11 727 (3.8%) women younger than 50 years and 8661 (2.7%) women aged 50 years or older experienced COVID-19 infections. There was no evidence of an association between OC use and infection (aOR = 1.05; 95% CI, 0.97-1.12). There was a modest association between HT use and infection (aOR = 1.19; 95% CI, 1.03-1.38). Women using OCs had a 39% lower risk of hospitalization (aOR = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.38-1.00), but there was no association of HT use with hospitalization (aOR = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.51-1.53). These findings do not suggest a meaningfully greater risk of COVID-19 infection associated with OC or HT use. OC use may be associated with lower COVID-19 hospitalization risk.
PRIEST: predicting viral mutations with immune escape capability of SARS-CoV-2 using temporal evolutionary information
Authors: Saha Gourab , Sawmya Shashata , Saha Arpita , Akil Md Ajwad , Tasnim Sadia , Rahman Md Saifur , Rahman M Sohel
Published: May 2024

The dynamic evolution of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus is primarily driven by mutations in its genetic sequence, culminating in the emergence of variants with increased capability to evade host immune responses. Accurate prediction of such mutations is fundamental in mitigating pandemic spread and developing effective control measures. This study introduces a robust and interpretable deep-learning approach called PRIEST. This innovative model leverages time-series viral sequences to foresee potential viral mutations. Our comprehensive experimental evaluations underscore PRIEST’s proficiency in accurately predicting immune-evading mutations. Our work represents a substantial step in utilizing deep-learning methodologies for anticipatory viral mutation analysis and pandemic response.
Influence of hospital-level and surgeon factors on the outcomes after ileo-anal pouch surgery for inflammatory bowel disease: systematic review
Authors: Giddings Hugh L , Yang Phillip F , Steffens Daniel , Solomon Michael J , Ng Kheng-Seong
Published: May 2024

Background

Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (‘pouch surgery’) provides a chance to avoid permanent ileostomy after proctocolectomy, but can be associated with poor outcomes. The relationship between hospital-level/surgeon factors (including volume) and outcomes after pouch surgery is of increasing interest given arguments for increasing centralization of these complex procedures. The aim of this systematic review was to appraise the literature describing the influence of hospital-level and surgeon factors on outcomes after pouch surgery for inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods

A systematic review was performed of studies reporting outcomes after pouch surgery for inflammatory bowel disease. The MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched (1978–2022). Data on outcomes, including mortality, morbidity, readmission, operative approach, reconstruction, postoperative parameters, and pouch-specific outcomes (failure), were extracted. Associations between hospital-level/surgeon factors and these outcomes were summarized. This systematic review was prospectively registered in PROSPERO, the international prospective register of systematic reviews (CRD42022352851).

Results

A total of 29 studies, describing 41 344 patients who underwent a pouch procedure, were included; 3 studies demonstrated higher rates of pouch failure in lower-volume centres, 4 studies demonstrated higher reconstruction rates in higher-volume centres, 2 studies reported an inverse association between annual hospital pouch volume and readmission rates, and 4 studies reported a significant association between complication rates and surgeon experience.

Conclusion

This review summarizes the growing body of evidence that supports centralization of pouch surgery to specialist high-volume inflammatory bowel disease units. Centralization of this technically demanding surgery that requires dedicated perioperative medical and nursing support should facilitate improved patient outcomes and help train the next generation of pouch surgeons.
Single-value brain activity scores reflect both severity and risk across the Alzheimer’s continuum
Authors: Soch Joram , Richter Anni , Kizilirmak Jasmin M , Schütze Hartmut , Ziegler Gabriel , Altenstein Slawek , Brosseron Frederic , Dechent Peter , Fliessbach Klaus , Freiesleben Silka Dawn , Glanz Wenzel , Gref Daria , Heneka Michael T , Hetzer Stefan , Incesoy Enise I , Kilimann Ingo , Kimmich Okka , Kleineidam Luca , Kuhn Elizabeth , Laske Christoph , Lohse Andrea , Lüsebrink Falk , Munk Matthias H , Peters Oliver , Preis Lukas , Priller Josef , Ramirez Alfredo , Roeske Sandra , Rostamzadeh Ayda , Roy-Kluth Nina , Scheffler Klaus , Schmid Matthias , Schneider Anja , Spottke Annika , Spruth Eike Jakob , Teipel Stefan , Wiltfang Jens , Jessen Frank , Wagner Michael , Düzel Emrah , Schott Björn H
Published: May 2024

Single-value scores reflecting the deviation from (FADE score) or similarity with (SAME score) prototypical novelty-related and memory-related functional MRI activation patterns in young adults have been proposed as imaging biomarkers of healthy neurocognitive ageing. Here, we tested the utility of these scores as potential diagnostic and prognostic markers in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and risk states like mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or subjective cognitive decline (SCD).

To this end, we analysed subsequent memory functional MRI data from individuals with SCD, MCI and AD dementia as well as healthy controls and first-degree relatives of AD dementia patients (AD-rel) who participated in the multi-centre DELCODE study (n = 468). Based on the individual participants’ whole-brain functional MRI novelty and subsequent memory responses, we calculated the FADE and SAME scores and assessed their association with AD risk stage, neuropsychological test scores, CSF amyloid positivity and APOE genotype.

Memory-based FADE and SAME scores showed a considerably larger deviation from a reference sample of young adults in the MCI and AD dementia groups compared to healthy controls, SCD and AD-rel. In addition, novelty-based scores significantly differed between the MCI and AD dementia groups. Across the entire sample, single-value scores correlated with neuropsychological test performance. The novelty-based SAME score further differed between Aβ-positive and Aβ-negative individuals in SCD and AD-rel, and between ApoE ɛ4 carriers and non-carriers in AD-rel.

Hence, FADE and SAME scores are associated with both cognitive performance and individual risk factors for AD. Their potential utility as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers warrants further exploration, particularly in individuals with SCD and healthy relatives of AD dementia patients.
A mutation in the PRKAR1B gene drives pathological mechanisms of neurodegeneration across species
Authors: Benjamin-Zukerman Tal , Shimon Gilat , Gaine Marie E , Dakwar Anwar , Peled Netta , Aboraya Mohammad , Masri-Ismail Ashar , Safadi-Safa Rania , Solomon Meir , Lev-Ram Varda , Rissman Robert A , Mayrhofer Johanna E , Raffeiner Andrea , Mol Merel O , Argue Benney M R , McCool Shaylah , Doan Binh , van Swieten John , Stefan Eduard , Abel Ted , Ilouz Ronit
Published: May 2024

Protein kinase A (PKA) neuronal function is controlled by the interaction of a regulatory (R) subunit dimer with two catalytic subunits. Recently, the L50R variant in the gene encoding the RIβ subunit was identified in individuals with a novel neurodegenerative disease. However, the mechanisms driving the disease phenotype remained unknown.

In this study, we generated a mouse model carrying the RIβ-L50R mutation to replicate the human disease phenotype and study its progression with age. We examined post-mortem brains of affected individuals as well as live cell cultures. Employing biochemical assays, immunohistochemistry and behavioural assessments, we investigated the impact of the mutation on PKA complex assembly, protein aggregation and neuronal degeneration.

We reveal that RIβ is an aggregation-prone protein that progressively accumulates in wildtype and Alzheimer’s mouse models with age, while aggregation is accelerated in the RIβ-L50R mouse model. We define RIβ-L50R as a causal mutation driving an age-dependent behavioural and disease phenotype in human and mouse models. Mechanistically, this mutation disrupts RIβ dimerization, leading to aggregation of its monomers. Intriguingly, interaction with the catalytic subunit protects the RIβ-L50R from self-aggregating, in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, cAMP signaling induces RIβ-L50R aggregation.

The pathophysiological mechanism elucidated here for a newly recognized neurodegenerative disease, in which protein aggregation is the result of disrupted homodimerization, sheds light on a remarkably under-appreciated but potentially common mechanism across several neurodegenerative diseases.
Statistical shape analysis of the lentiform nucleus of children of different age groups: a retrospective study
Authors: Vatansever Alper , Ocakoğlu Gökhan , Taşkapılıoğlu Özgür
Published: May 2024

The basal nuclei are important during infancy because of the significant development of motor skills. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the shape differences of the lentiform nucleus between different age and gender groups. A total of 126 children’s axial magnetic resonance image series were included in the presented study. These images were grouped between 1 and 5 yr old. Right and left lentiform nuclei are marked with selected landmarks using TPSDIG v2.04. Statistical shape analyses were examined by a Generalized Procrustes Analysis. Our results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in lentiform nucleus shape between genders. However, there was a difference between the shapes of the right and left lentiform nuclei between the 1-yr and 5-yr age groups. These results demonstrated the shape changes in the lentiform nucleus during the first 5 yr of life. Further clinical studies based on our results may be used to gather more detailed information about movement disorders and neuronal development.
Influence of Antibiotic Exposure Intensity on the Risk of Clostridioides difficile Infection
Authors: Ray Michael J , Strnad Luke C , Tucker Kendall J , Furuno Jon P , Lofgren Eric T , McCracken Caitlin M , Park Hiro , Gerber Jeffrey S , McGregor Jessina C
Published: May 2024

Background

Antibiotics are a strong risk factor for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), and CDI incidence is often measured as an important outcome metric for antimicrobial stewardship interventions aiming to reduce antibiotic use. However, risk of CDI from antibiotics varies by agent and dependent on the intensity (ie, spectrum and duration) of antibiotic therapy. Thus, the impact of stewardship interventions on CDI incidence is variable, and understanding this risk requires a more granular measure of intensity of therapy than traditionally used measures like days of therapy (DOT).

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study to measure the independent association between intensity of antibiotic therapy, as measured by the antibiotic spectrum index (ASI), and hospital-associated CDI (HA-CDI) at a large academic medical center between January 2018 and March 2020. We constructed a marginal Poisson regression model to generate adjusted relative risks for a unit increase in ASI per antibiotic day.

Results

We included 35 457 inpatient encounters in our cohort. Sixty-eight percent of patients received at least 1 antibiotic. We identified 128 HA-CDI cases, which corresponds to an incidence rate of 4.1 cases per 10 000 patient-days. After adjusting for known confounders, each additional unit increase in ASI per antibiotic day was associated with 1.09 times the risk of HA-CDI (relative risk = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.06–1.13).

Conclusions

The ASI was strongly associated with HA-CDI and could be a useful tool in evaluating the impact of antibiotic stewardship on HA-CDI rates, providing more granular information than the more commonly used DOT.
Underlying reasons for sex difference in survival following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a mediation analysis
Authors: Miedel Charlotte , Jonsson Martin , Dragas Mariana , Djärv Therese , Nordberg Per , Rawshani Araz , Claesson Andreas , Forsberg Sune , Nord Anette , Herlitz Johan , Riva Gabriel
Published: May 2024

Aims

Previous studies have indicated a poorer survival among women following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), but the mechanisms explaining this difference remain largely uncertain.

This study aimed to assess the survival after OHCA among women and men and explore the role of potential mediators, such as resuscitation characteristics, prior comorbidity, and socioeconomic factors.

Methods and results

This was a population-based cohort study including emergency medical service-treated OHCA reported to the Swedish Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in 2010–2020, linked to nationwide Swedish healthcare registries. The relative risks (RR) of 30-day survival were compared among women and men, and a mediation analysis was performed to investigate the importance of potential mediators. Total of 43 226 OHCAs were included, of which 14 249 (33.0%) were women. Women were older and had a lower proportion of shockable initial rhythm. The crude 30-day survival among women was 6.2% compared to 10.7% for men [RR 0.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.54–0.62]. Stepwise adjustment for shockable initial rhythm attenuated the association to RR 0.85 (95% CI = 0.79–0.91). Further adjustments for age and resuscitation factors attenuated the survival difference to null (RR 0.98; 95% CI = 0.92–1.05). Mediation analysis showed that shockable initial rhythm explained ∼50% of the negative association of female sex on survival. Older age and lower disposable income were the second and third most important variables, respectively.

Conclusion

Women have a lower crude 30-day survival following OHCA compared to men. The poor prognosis is largely explained by a lower proportion of shockable initial rhythm, older age at presentation, and lower income.