bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A «Push&Plug» Lifesaving Device to Prevent Exsanguination
Authors: Plass Andre , Babicki Josef , Emmert Maximilian
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

Severe bleeding from external wounds is a major reason for death. Immediate control of hemorrhage is of highest priority. We present the novel Acute Wound Occluder (AWO) which was developed for rapid and targeted wound occlusion. Here, we present the design, in-vitro testing, and in-vivo performance compared to QuikClot® using a clinically-relevant pig model.

Method:

AWO is made of an applicator with pushing function into which a self-expanding, Silicone coated Nitinol meshgraft is mounted to enable plugging into the wound-channel. In-vitro tests included biocompatibility, cytotoxicity, skin sensitization, and aging validation. Next, 12 pigs underwent standardized sized femoral-artery puncture to mimic life-threatening bleeding and were either treated with the AWO (n=6) or QuikClot® (control). Animals were followed-up for 4hrs, before device-removal macroscopic assessment.

Results:

The AWO successfully passed all in-vitro tests. The AWO could be delivered within 40±15 seconds to the wound to achieve instant bleeding control, and no additional manual compression needed. Quick Clot application was less convenient, with approximately four minutes (application 56±8ss, plus three minutes of manual compression) to achieve bleeding control. In all AWO treated pigs, exsanguination could be prevented immediately, no major blood-pressure drops occurred, with four pigs where bleeding could be completely stopped, and two pigs with irrelevant oozing which stopped within 75-150 seconds leading to minimal blood-loss of 12ml and 2ml. Tissue-analysis showed only small hematomas in five out of six animals. In contrast, QuickClot treated pigs showed significant bleeding and a blood-loss of 19ml. All six pigs showed substantial hematomas, two out of six showed very large hematomas. AWO application appeared to be safe with no peri-procedural adverse-events (AEs) or collateral damage to surrounding tissues.

Conclusion:

The AWO enables rapid and targeted control of life-threatening bleeding without any AEs. The AWO may represent a promising hemostatic device for bullet or knife-stab wounds.
Benefits of RFID Technology in the Provision of Medical Services at Mass Gathering Events
Authors: Munn Matthew , Hanrahan Page
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) is becoming a ubiquitous technology that provides methods of tracking and organizing complex processes, and has had previously described benefits when used in medical and clinical situations such as disaster and mass casualty incidents. However, the potential benefits of this technology have not yet been examined or applied to mass gathering events such as music festivals using the medical lens.

Method:

RFID at music festivals was observed and characterized at a Canadian multi-day festival through a combination of (1) observation of real world application of the use of RFID-enabled attendee wristbands and (2) the development of a proposed implementation framework using expert input in event medical care, public health, festival safety and event organization. Potential roles for RFID technology in enhancing attendee safety, facilitating event medical care and collaborating with other on-site services, and promoting research agendas for these unique events were explored.

Results:

Observed and theoretical roles for RFID fell into four main domains: (1) the presence of important encoded personal health data and contacts specific to individuals that would be accessible in case of an emergency, (2) the unique, anonymous identification of attendees who access (and re-access) medical as well as other services, including during handovers between these services, (3) support for any larger public health research projects aimed at understanding the behaviors and flow of attendees, including recreational substance use and related harm reduction efforts, and (4) the storage of festival-tailored data throughout the event on RFID-enabled wristbands (eg previous medical visit details, self-entered substance use history, etc).

Conclusion:

The use of RFID at music festivals has clear benefits. It allows for the dynamic access and retrieval of important data that can aid safety and support the provision of timely and tailored medical care. Security and privacy issues need consideration where attendee data is concerned.
Sudden Cardiac Arrests During the 2021 Taipei Marathon after COVID-19 Confinement in Taiwan
Authors: Chiu Yu-Hui , Chen Chun , Chien Ding-Kuo , Chang Kuo-Song
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

Large-scale mass-sporting events pose unique challenges for emergency health teams. Data is limited in athletes with sudden cardiac arrests (SCAs) and the emergency medical services (EMS) in major sporting events that took place after the coronavirus pandemic.

Method:

This retrospective observational study describes data from the Taipei Marathon event that took place on December 19, 2021, in Taiwan. The temperature was about 15.2–19.3°C. Four SCAs among 18,144 half-marathoners and the EMS were enrolled.

A medical command center was set up 100 meters from the finish line. Ten medical tents, one first-aid station, and nine event ambulances were distributed along the course, and one medical tent was placed near the baggage storage area. Each medical tent comprised: 1 doctor, 1–3 nurses, and 1–3 paramedics. The in-event EMS also comprised a mobile first-aid team. Thirty paramedics rode motorcycles and carried automated external defibrillators and emergency medical kits throughout the racecourse.

Results:

Among the 7,811 full- and 18,144 half-marathoners, the total number of SCAs was four male half-marathoners. Three runners (75%) stated that they decreased their weekly running volume during the pandemic restrictions’ period. Two runners (50%) experienced cardiac arrest in the final quarter of the race. The median interval of time between SCA occurrence and EMS arrival was 2.5 minutes (interquartile range, 0.5–4 minutes). Electric shocks were delivered to all the four runners (100%) experiencing ventricular fibrillation, and all of them were successfully resuscitated in the field. The median interval of cardiopulmonary resuscitation duration before return of spontaneous circulation was 8.5 minutes (interquartile range, 6–9.5 minutes).

Conclusion:

4/18144 is a significantly high number of SCA compared to data from the annual Taipei Half-Marathon between 2016 and 2020 and past half-marathons worldwide. The high prevalence rate of SCA (22 per 100,000) may be due to inadequate acclimation and training volumes.
Considerations for Pediatric Mass Shooting Triage Training: A Qualitative Analysis
Authors: Davis Morgan , Cayer Suzanne , Cicero Mark
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

Accurate triage is crucial for pediatric patients because their physiological differences make them more vulnerable to traumatic injury and mortality. However, pediatric trauma patients are challenging for EMS personnel for several reasons including infrequent clinical encounters and inadequate training. Despite the need for increased training, little is known about EMS readiness to perform triage and lifesaving interventions during pediatric mass casualty incidents (MCIs). Simulation skills assessment correlates with EMS performance in the field and can be used to determine MCI readiness.Pediatric patients are often omitted from MCI training and protocols. Feedback from EMS clinicians who participate in pediatric MCI simulations may be useful for educators seeking to optimize pediatric mass shooting triage training.

Method:

This was an observational study assessing EMS clinician accuracy in triaging eight children and two adults in a mass shooting simulation involving intimate partner violence (IPV) set at a private residence. Participating EMS clinicians were attendees of continuing education classes at Yale New Haven Health Centers for EMS. Participants worked in pairs, and triage decisions were documented during the simulation with an evaluation tool and video recording. After the simulation, pairs completed the demographic survey and completed a semi-structured debriefing. Facilitator prompts included correct triage level for each patient, the role IPV plays in mass shootings, and the participants feedback. Recordings of the debriefings were transcribed and analyzed using grounded theory. During the evaluation process, the major themes will be identified and coded. The transcriptions will be re-evaluated and any additional sub-themes will be identified and coded.

Results:

As of November 2022, eight paramedics have participated with more sessions scheduled for spring 2023. A preliminary review indicates potential themes will fall under the categories of simulation implementation and clinical approach to triage.

Conclusion:

These findings may assist EMS agencies with their pediatric MCI training and response.
Improving Hospital Preparedness for Pediatric Abductions
Authors: Pandya Jay , Guzman Jennifer , Roblin Patricia , Daniel Pia
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

In the United States, 840,000 children are reported missing annually. While no concise data is available on the incidence from healthcare facilities, infant and child abductions and elopement events pose a high risk to infants and hospital staff. Following an update on the missing child and missing infant policy at a tertiary care hospital in New York, the hospital’s emergency preparedness team conducted a full-scale hospital drill. The drill included input and participation from administration, nursing, hospital police, and the pediatric department.

Method:

New updates in the policy which had not been tested before were evaluated during this drill, including plain language verbiage to activate a code, the process of alerting hospital police of the missing pediatric patient, hospital police response, and the response of hospital staff in their work areas. Inpatient pediatric wards, the emergency department, and outpatient clinics were given teaching about the new policy and their responsibilities in the event of a missing child or infant. Evaluators were pre-selected and placed throughout the hospital. Afterward, controllers de-briefed with each of the evaluators as well as with hospital personnel in areas that did not receive teaching on the policy.

Results:

The areas that did not receive in-person training on the policy update wanted to assist but did not know how to respond and did not follow protocol for securing their areas. Furthermore, areas of the hospital were identified where the overhead paging system did not work as well as gaps in hospital police staffing to cover key hospital exit points.

Conclusion:

This drill revealed that all hospital personnel need dedicated and personalized training on policy updates highlighting their roles in response, communication lines need to be tested, and plans to address concurrent clinical emergencies need to be formulated.
Fire in the Hole: Modeling the Thermal Effects of a Nuclear Detonation in an Urban Environment
Authors: Taylor Morgan , Bell William , Harris Curt
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

In general, models for thermal effects of nuclear weapons are not as well developed as models for blast and radiation effects, yet casualties resulting from fires and burns in a nuclear detonation would significantly impact civil defense and emergency healthcare. Previous studies have conducted in-depth analysis of the various atmospheric conditions that affect the thermal radiation transmissivity. However, such models have yet to consider the role that buildings play in the urban environment to estimate the casualties from the thermal effect more accurately.

Method:

A three-dimensional model of the area within a three-mile radius of the detonation site in Atlanta, Georgia, USA was created in Blender. To represent the thermal energy resulting from a 15 kiloton, near-surface burst, a point light was created with a power of 96,725 gigawatts and a radius of 81 meters. Using the Cycles render engine, the resulting light/shadow was orthographically captured directly above the scene.

Results:

The rendered model demonstrated the attenuating effects of the built, urban environment. Nearly half (46.82%) of the pixels in the resulting raster were black, or regions that were not exposed to any thermal energy. Slightly less than a quarter (22.32%) of the pixels were white or light gray, or regions that received mostly direct thermal energy. The remaining regions (30.86% of the pixels) were dark gray, or regions that were initially in shadow from the thermal pulse but received thermal energy via reflection from nearby buildings.

Conclusion:

As the thermal pulse travels at the speed of light, it arrives at a location before the blast wave. As such, the built urban environment offers protection from the thermal energy released during a nuclear detonation. Future studies that incorporate this thermal model may more accurately determine the quantity and geospatial distribution of burn casualties in the aftermath of a nuclear detonation.
Screening for depression as part of annual diabetic review using PHQ-9 scores: a pilot study
Authors: Asim Rabeeah , Asim Muhammad , Reddy Rajah , Chepulis Lynne , Lawrenson Ross
Published: June 2023

Diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased risk of depression. Appropriate screening and treatment of depression may therefore support diabetes management in primary care. Study aim was to review the efficacy of using a Patient Health Questionnaire – (PHQ-9) tool to screen for depression in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in New Zealand.

It was a cross-sectional study that included 100 consecutive patients with T2DM from two urban practices in Hamilton, New Zealand. Patients were screened using PHQ-9 scores.

Using the PHQ-9, the overall prevalence of depression was 29% including 11 patients under active management/prescribing for depression and 18 undiagnosed patients. By ethnicity, depression affected 41.3%, 33.0%, 25.0% and 13.3% of NZ European, Māori, Pacific and other ethnicities, respectively. PHQ-9 scoring is an easy to administer tool that can be used to screen for unrecognized depression in patients with diabetes as a part of an annual diabetic review.
Creation Stories: What Were the First Resource Churches?
Authors: Shepherd Jack
Published: June 2023

This article builds on the first in the trilogy, ‘What’s in a Name? An Examination of Current Definitions of Resource Churches’, by evaluating narratives in current literature about the origins of resource churches. These will be assessed according to the criteria, highlighted through the perspective of Foucault and Arendt on origin stories, of believability in their depiction of historical events, application to the manifest properties of contemporary resource churches, teleological purpose, and attentiveness to conflict. The origin, or creation, stories to be examined particularly consider the formation and development of resource churches in relation to the first century and Anglo-Saxon England, as well as following the start of the parish system.
Causal mechanisms of common barriers to national adaptation policy processes and practical solutions in South Korea and the UK
Authors: Lee Seunghan , Paavola Jouni , Dessai Suraje
Published: June 2023

Non-technical Summary

As adaptation deficits become increasingly evident and widespread, barriers to adaptation draw more attention as a key reason. However, the current understanding of the barriers is limited, making it challenging to provide practical solutions for real-world adaptation policy processes. This study aims to identify the origins, influences, and relationships of common barriers to national adaptation policy processes, and to analyse their causal mechanisms. The findings present a barrier map that illustrates potential causal mechanisms of common barriers to national adaptation policy processes and, based on it, suggest a systematic approach for practical solutions.

Technical Summary

Despite progress in national adaptation policies in the last two decades, the adaptation deficit is getting wider and barriers to adaptation are regarded as a key reason for it. However, our understanding of barriers to adaptation does not help improve real adaptation processes. Based on South Korean and UK cases, this study identified 17 common barriers to national adaptation policy processes and placed them in four categories. It also identified the barriers' origins and influences, drew a common barrier map underlying national adaptation policy processes and identified causal mechanisms of the common barriers, which were limitedly addressed in the earlier literature. The results highlight that understanding the causal mechanisms of barriers to national adaptation policy processes is important to devise practical solutions to overcome barriers and improve the effectiveness of real adaptation processes. The findings also offer a practical understanding of common barriers to national adaptation policy, which can help adaptation policy stakeholders and practitioners to diagnose policy problems, analyse what barriers and origins are related to the problems, decide what should be addressed first to solve the problems, and ultimately make efforts to reduce the current adaptation deficit.

Social Media Summary

New study identifies causal mechanisms of 17 common barriers to national adaptation policy processes & suggests a systematic approach to overcome the barriers.
Well Advised
Authors: Perry Julia , Brose Julia , Radenbach Katrin
Published: June 2023

Abstract: Societal and scientific interest in the prediction and early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is growing. However, decisions regarding early diagnosis must be well-considered. The decision-making process requires specific counseling for concerned individuals, which is currently missing. In our project “Well Advised”, we investigate the needs and expectations of people concerned about their memory regarding counseling services in Germany. Using a mixed-methods approach, we analyze the evaluative interviews from telephone counseling ( n = 44) and one expert focus group with 4 participants. Our evaluation shows a great need for information; the low-threshold telephone counseling service is appreciated. The topics of interest of those seeking advice concern medical-ethical issues of autonomy, the right (not) to know, and risk-benefit considerations. From these findings, we developed a training module and counseling guideline.
The Dutch Version of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2 (BRIEF-2)
Authors: Huizinga Mariëtte , Smidts Diana P. , Baeyens Dieter , Kan Kees-Jan
Published: June 2023

Abstract. The BRIEF-2 ( Gioia et al., 2015 ) is a widely used questionnaire to measure daily behavior related to executive function behaviors in the home and school environment of children between 5 and 18 years old. The current study was conducted to investigate the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the BRIEF-2 in a representative Dutch-speaking norm sample. Using methods from classical test theory and network theory, we examined the reliability and validity of the BRIEF-2. The results indicated that the BRIEF-2 can be considered as a valid and reliable questionnaire that provides information on the role of executive function in the child’s and adolescent’s functioning in the home and school environment.
Forecasting Magnitude and Frequency of Seasonal Streamflow Extremes Using a Bayesian Hierarchical Framework
Authors: Ossandón Álvaro , Rajagopalan Balaji , Kleiber William
Published: June 2023

We develop a space‐time Bayesian hierarchical modeling (BHM) framework for two flood risk attributes—seasonal daily maximum flow and the number of events that exceed a threshold during a season (NEETM)—at a suite of gauge locations on a river network. The model uses generalized extreme value (GEV) and Poisson distributions as marginals for these flood attributes with non‐stationary parameters. The rate parameters of the Poisson distribution and location, scale, and shape parameters of the GEV are modeled as linear functions of suitable covariates. Gaussian copulas are applied to capture the spatial dependence. The best covariates are selected using the Watanabe‐Akaike information criterion (WAIC). The modeling framework results in the posterior distribution of the flood attributes at all the gauges and various lead times. We demonstrate the utility of this modeling framework to forecast the flood risk attributes during the summer peak monsoon season (July‐August) at five gauges in the Narmada River basin (NRB) of West‐Central India for several lead times (0–3 months). As potential covariates, we consider climate indices such as El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), and the Pacific Warm Pool Region (PWPR) from antecedent seasons, which have shown strong teleconnections with the Indian monsoon. We also include new indices related to the East Pacific and West Indian Ocean regions depending on the lead times. We show useful long lead skill from this modeling approach which has a strong potential to enable robust risk‐based flood mitigation and adaptation strategies 3 months before flood occurrences.
Variations in Global Soil Moisture During the Past Decades: Climate or Human Causes?
Authors: Liu Yangxiaoyue , Yang Yaping , Song Jia
Published: June 2023

As a sensitive climate change indicator, global multi‐depth soil moisture (SM) has undergone great variation due to warming trends during the past decades. Here, we investigate the evolutionary pattern of SM and then carry out an attribution analysis from climate and human perspectives. The results reveal an unbalanced surface and rootzone variation trend during 1980–2020. The surface soil had approximately equal proportions of drying and wetting. Nonetheless, the percentage of the wetting region is significantly higher than that of the drying region for rootzone soil. The significantly drying region is mainly distributed in habitable areas, while the remarkably wetting region is usually located in the harsh climate and tropical humid zones. According to the attribution analysis using the Feature Importance Index of the Random Forest model, Pearson correlation coefficient, Maximum information coefficient, Spearman rank correlation coefficient, and Granger causality with 99% statistical significance, both climatic and human factors presented significant impacts on SM. Specifically, air temperature and evaporation are thought to be the primary climatic factors affecting the seasonal and long‐term variability of SM, respectively. Irrigation water withdrawal is regarded as the dominant driving force of SM variation among six human water withdrawals, and domestic and electricity water withdrawals play indispensable roles in SM fluctuation. Additionally, SM also provides profound feedbacks on climatic factors and human water withdrawals. The global spatial‐temporal SM variation along with warming temperatures could seriously risk food security and sustainable development, which needs to be addressed.
Tbit/s line-rate satellite feeder links enabled by coherent modulation and full-adaptive optics
Authors: Horst Yannik , Bitachon Bertold Ian , Kulmer Laurenz , Brun Jannik , Blatter Tobias , Conan Jean-Marc , Montmerle-Bonnefois Aurélie , Montri Joseph , Sorrente Béatrice , Lim Caroline B. , Védrenne Nicolas , Matter Daniel , Pommarel Loann , Baeuerle Benedikt , Leuthold Juerg
Published: June 2023

Free-space optical (FSO) communication technologies constitute a solution to cope with the bandwidth demand of future satellite-ground networks. They may overcome the RF bottleneck and attain data rates in the order of Tbit/s with only a handful of ground stations. Here, we demonstrate single-carrier Tbit/s line-rate transmission over a free-space channel of 53.42 km between the Jungfraujoch mountain top (3700 m) in the Swiss Alps and the Zimmerwald Observatory (895 m) near the city of Bern, achieving net-rates of up to 0.94 Tbit/s. With this scenario a satellite-ground feeder link is mimicked under turbulent conditions. Despite adverse conditions high throughput was achieved by employing a full adaptive optics system to correct the distorted wavefront of the channel and by using polarization-multiplexed high-order complex modulation formats. It was found that adaptive optics does not distort the reception of coherent modulation formats. Also, we introduce constellation modulation – a new four-dimensional BPSK (4D-BPSK) modulation format as a technique to transmit high data rates under lowest SNR. This way we show 53 km FSO transmission of 13.3 Gbit/s and 210 Gbit/s with as little as 4.3 and 7.8 photons per bit, respectively, at a bit-error ratio of 1 ∙ 10−3. The experiments show that advanced coherent modulation coding in combination with full adaptive optical filtering are proper means to make next-generation Tbit/s satellite communications practical.
Global branches and local states of the human gut microbiome define associations with environmental and intrinsic factors
Authors: Tap Julien , Lejzerowicz Franck , Cotillard Aurélie , Pichaud Matthieu , McDonald Daniel , Song Se Jin , Knight Rob , Veiga Patrick , Derrien Muriel
Published: June 2023

The gut microbiome is important for human health, yet modulation requires more insight into inter-individual variation. Here, we explored latent structures of the human gut microbiome across the human lifespan, applying partitioning, pseudotime, and ordination approaches to >35,000 samples. Specifically, three major gut microbiome branches were identified, within which multiple partitions were observed in adulthood, with differential abundances of species along branches. Different compositions and metabolic functions characterized the branches’ tips, reflecting ecological differences. An unsupervised network analysis from longitudinal data from 745 individuals showed that partitions exhibited connected gut microbiome states rather than over-partitioning. Stability in the Bacteroides-enriched branch was associated with specific ratios of Faecalibacterium:Bacteroides. We also showed that associations with factors (intrinsic and extrinsic) could be generic, branch- or partition-specific. Our ecological framework for cross-sectional and longitudinal data allows a better understanding of overall variation in the human gut microbiome and disentangles factors associated with specific configurations.
Disentangling the impact of Atlantic Niño on sea-air CO2 flux
Authors: Koseki Shunya , Tjiputra Jerry , Fransner Filippa , Crespo Lander R. , Keenlyside Noel S.
Published: June 2023

Atlantic Niño is a major tropical interannual climate variability mode of the sea surface temperature (SST) that occurs during boreal summer and shares many similarities with the tropical Pacific El Niño. Although the tropical Atlantic is an important source of CO2 to the atmosphere, the impact of Atlantic Niño on the sea-air CO2 exchange is not well understood. Here we show that the Atlantic Niño enhances (weakens) CO2 outgassing in the central (western) tropical Atlantic. In the western basin, freshwater-induced changes in surface salinity, which considerably modulate the surface ocean CO2 partial pressure (pCO2), are the primary driver for the observed CO2 flux variations. In contrast, pCO2 anomalies in the central basin are dominated by the SST-driven solubility change. This multi-variable mechanism for pCO2 anomaly differs remarkably from the Pacific where the response is predominantly controlled by upwelling-induced dissolved inorganic carbon anomalies. The contrasting behavior is characterized by the high CO2 buffering capacity in the Atlantic, where the subsurface water mass contains higher alkalinity than in the Pacific.
Diploid and tetraploid genomes of Acorus and the evolution of monocots
Authors: Ma Liang , Liu Ke-Wei , Li Zhen , Hsiao Yu-Yun , Qi Yiying , Fu Tao , Tang Guang-Da , Zhang Diyang , Sun Wei-Hong , Liu Ding-Kun , Li Yuanyuan , Chen Gui-Zhen , Liu Xue-Die , Liao Xing-Yu , Jiang Yu-Ting , Yu Xia , Hao Yang , Huang Jie , Zhao Xue-Wei , Ke Shijie , Chen You-Yi , Wu Wan-Lin , Hsu Jui-Ling , Lin Yu-Fu , Huang Ming-Der , Li Chia-Ying , Huang Laiqiang , Wang Zhi-Wen , Zhao Xiang , Zhong Wen-Ying , Peng Dong-Hui , Ahmad Sagheer , Lan Siren , Zhang Ji-Sen , Tsai Wen-Chieh , Van de Peer Yves , Liu Zhong-Jian
Published: June 2023

Monocots are a major taxon within flowering plants, have unique morphological traits, and show an extraordinary diversity in lifestyle. To improve our understanding of monocot origin and evolution, we generate chromosome-level reference genomes of the diploid Acorus gramineus and the tetraploid Ac. calamus, the only two accepted species from the family Acoraceae, which form a sister lineage to all other monocots. Comparing the genomes of Ac. gramineus and Ac. calamus, we suggest that Ac. gramineus is not a potential diploid progenitor of Ac. calamus, and Ac. calamus is an allotetraploid with two subgenomes A, and B, presenting asymmetric evolution and B subgenome dominance. Both the diploid genome of Ac. gramineus and the subgenomes A and B of Ac. calamus show clear evidence of whole-genome duplication (WGD), but Acoraceae does not seem to share an older WGD that is shared by most other monocots. We reconstruct an ancestral monocot karyotype and gene toolkit, and discuss scenarios that explain the complex history of the Acorus genome. Our analyses show that the ancestors of monocots exhibit mosaic genomic features, likely important for that appeared in early monocot evolution, providing fundamental insights into the origin, evolution, and diversification of monocots.
Discovery of extended product structural space of the fungal dioxygenase AsqJ
Authors: Einsiedler Manuel , Gulder Tobias A. M.
Published: June 2023

The fungal dioxygenase AsqJ catalyses the conversion of benzo[1,4]diazepine-2,5-diones into quinolone antibiotics. A second, alternative reaction pathway leads to a different biomedically important product class, the quinazolinones. Within this work, we explore the catalytic promiscuity of AsqJ by screening its activity across a broad range of functionalized substrates made accessible by solid-/liquid-phase peptide synthetic routes. These systematic investigations map the substrate tolerance of AsqJ within its two established pathways, revealing significant promiscuity, especially in the quinolone pathway. Most importantly, two further reactivities leading to new AsqJ product classes are discovered, thus significantly expanding the structural space accessible by this biosynthetic enzyme. Switching AsqJ product selectivity is achieved by subtle structural changes on the substrate, revealing a remarkable substrate-controlled product selectivity in enzyme catalysis. Our work paves the way for the biocatalytic synthesis of diverse biomedically important heterocyclic structural frameworks.
Pan-cancer and cross-population genome-wide association studies dissect shared genetic backgrounds underlying carcinogenesis
Authors: Sato Go , Shirai Yuya , Namba Shinichi , Edahiro Ryuya , Sonehara Kyuto , Hata Tsuyoshi , Uemura Mamoru ,   the Biobank Japan Project, Yamanashi Yuji , Furukawa Yoichi , Morisaki Takayuki , Murakami Yoshinori , Kamatani Yoichiro , Muto Kaori , Nagai Akiko , Obara Wataru , Yamaji Ken , Takahashi Kazuhisa , Asai Satoshi , Takahashi Yasuo , Suzuki Takao , Sinozaki Nobuaki , Yamaguchi Hiroki , Minami Shiro , Murayama Shigeo , Yoshimori Kozo , Nagayama Satoshi , Obata Daisuke , Higashiyama Masahiko , Masumoto Akihide , Koretsune Yukihiro , Matsuda Koichi , Doki Yuichiro , Eguchi Hidetoshi , Okada Yukinori
Published: June 2023

Integrating genomic data of multiple cancers allows de novo cancer grouping and elucidating the shared genetic basis across cancers. Here, we conduct the pan-cancer and cross-population genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis and replication studies on 13 cancers including 250,015 East Asians (Biobank Japan) and 377,441 Europeans (UK Biobank). We identify ten cancer risk variants including five pleiotropic associations (e.g., rs2076295 at DSP on 6p24 associated with lung cancer and rs2525548 at TRIM4 on 7q22 nominally associated with six cancers). Quantifying shared heritability among the cancers detects positive genetic correlations between breast and prostate cancer across populations. Common genetic components increase the statistical power, and the large-scale meta-analysis of 277,896 breast/prostate cancer cases and 901,858 controls identifies 91 newly genome-wide significant loci. Enrichment analysis of pathways and cell types reveals shared genetic backgrounds across said cancers. Focusing on genetically correlated cancers can contribute to enhancing our insights into carcinogenesis.
Imputation of ancient human genomes
Authors: Sousa da Mota Bárbara , Rubinacci Simone , Cruz Dávalos Diana Ivette , G. Amorim Carlos Eduardo , Sikora Martin , Johannsen Niels N. , Szmyt Marzena H. , Włodarczak Piotr , Szczepanek Anita , Przybyła Marcin M. , Schroeder Hannes , Allentoft Morten E. , Willerslev Eske , Malaspinas Anna-Sapfo , Delaneau Olivier
Published: June 2023

Due to postmortem DNA degradation and microbial colonization, most ancient genomes have low depth of coverage, hindering genotype calling. Genotype imputation can improve genotyping accuracy for low-coverage genomes. However, it is unknown how accurate ancient DNA imputation is and whether imputation introduces bias to downstream analyses. Here we re-sequence an ancient trio (mother, father, son) and downsample and impute a total of 43 ancient genomes, including 42 high-coverage (above 10x) genomes. We assess imputation accuracy across ancestries, time, depth of coverage, and sequencing technology. We find that ancient and modern DNA imputation accuracies are comparable. When downsampled at 1x, 36 of the 42 genomes are imputed with low error rates (below 5%) while African genomes have higher error rates. We validate imputation and phasing results using the ancient trio data and an orthogonal approach based on Mendel’s rules of inheritance. We further compare the downstream analysis results between imputed and high-coverage genomes, notably principal component analysis, genetic clustering, and runs of homozygosity, observing similar results starting from 0.5x coverage, except for the African genomes. These results suggest that, for most populations and depths of coverage as low as 0.5x, imputation is a reliable method that can improve ancient DNA studies.
Trans-Golgi protein TVP23B regulates host-microbe interactions via Paneth cell homeostasis and Goblet cell glycosylation
Authors: Song Ran , McAlpine William , Fond Aaron M. , Nair-Gill Evan , Choi Jin Huk , Nyström Elisabeth E. L. , Arike Liisa , Field Sydney , Li Xiaohong , SoRelle Jeffrey A. , Moresco James J. , Moresco Eva Marie Y. , Yates John R. , Azadi Parastoo , Ni Josephine , Birchenough George M. H. , Beutler Bruce , Turer Emre E.
Published: June 2023

A key feature in intestinal immunity is the dynamic intestinal barrier, which separates the host from resident and pathogenic microbiota through a mucus gel impregnated with antimicrobial peptides. Using a forward genetic screen, we have found a mutation in Tvp23b, which conferred susceptibility to chemically induced and infectious colitis. Trans-Golgi apparatus membrane protein TVP23 homolog B (TVP23B) is a transmembrane protein conserved from yeast to humans. We found that TVP23B controls the homeostasis of Paneth cells and function of goblet cells, leading to a decrease in antimicrobial peptides and more penetrable mucus layer. TVP23B binds with another Golgi protein, YIPF6, which is similarly critical for intestinal homeostasis. The Golgi proteomes of YIPF6 and TVP23B-deficient colonocytes have a common deficiency of several critical glycosylation enzymes. TVP23B is necessary for the formation of the sterile mucin layer of the intestine and its absence disturbs the balance of host and microbe in vivo.
Gut microbiota Turicibacter strains differentially modify bile acids and host lipids
Authors: Lynch Jonathan B. , Gonzalez Erika L. , Choy Kayli , Faull Kym F. , Jewell Talia , Arellano Abelardo , Liang Jennifer , Yu Kristie B. , Paramo Jorge , Hsiao Elaine Y.
Published: June 2023

Bacteria from theTuricibactergenus are prominent members of the mammalian gut microbiota and correlate with alterations in dietary fat and body weight, but the specific connections between these symbionts and host physiology are poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we characterize a diverse set of mouse- and human-derivedTuricibacterisolates, and find they group into clades that differ in their transformations of specific bile acids. We identifyTuricibacterbile salt hydrolases that confer strain-specific differences in bile deconjugation. Using male and female gnotobiotic mice, we find colonization with individualTuricibacterstrains leads to changes in host bile acid profiles, generally aligning with those produced in vitro. Further, colonizing mice with another bacterium exogenously expressing bile-modifying genes fromTuricibacterstrains decreases serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and adipose tissue mass. This identifies genes that enableTuricibacterstrains to modify host bile acids and lipid metabolism, and positionsTuricibacterbacteria as modulators of host fat biology.
Antioxidant hepatic lipid metabolism can be promoted by orally administered inorganic nanoparticles
Authors: Cai Jie , Peng Jie , Feng Juan , Li Ruocheng , Ren Peng , Zang Xinwei , Wu Zezong , Lu Yi , Luo Lin , Hu Zhenzhen , Wang Jiaying , Dai Xiaomeng , Zhao Peng , Wang Juan , Yan Mi , Liu Jianxin , Deng Renren , Wang Diming
Published: June 2023

Accumulation of inorganic nanoparticles in living organisms can cause an increase in cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a dose-dependent manner. Low doses of nanoparticles have shown possibilities to induce moderate ROS increases and lead to adaptive responses of biological systems, but beneficial effects of such responses on metabolic health remain elusive. Here, we report that repeated oral administrations of various inorganic nanoparticles, including TiO2, Au, and NaYF4 nanoparticles at low doses, can promote lipid degradation and alleviate steatosis in the liver of male mice. We show that low-level uptake of nanoparticles evokes an unusual antioxidant response in hepatocytes by promoting Ces2h expression and consequently enhancing ester hydrolysis. This process can be implemented to treat specific hepatic metabolic disorders, such as fatty liver in both genetic and high-fat-diet obese mice without causing observed adverse effects. Our results demonstrate that low-dose nanoparticle administration may serve as a promising treatment for metabolic regulation.
Upconversion particle-assisted NIR polymerization enables microdomain gradient photopolymerization at inter-particulate length scale
Authors: Hu Peng , Xu Hang , Pan Yue , Sang Xinxin , Liu Ren
Published: June 2023

High crosslinking and low shrinkage stress are difficult to reconcile in the preparation of performance-enhancing photopolymer materials. Here we report the unique mechanism of upconversion particles-assisted NIR polymerization (UCAP) in reducing shrinkage stress and enhancing mechanical properties of cured materials. The excited upconversion particle emit UV-vis light with gradient intensity to the surroundings, forming a domain-limited gradient photopolymerization centered on the particle, and the photopolymer grows within this domain. The curing system remains fluid until the percolated photopolymer network is formed and starts gelation at high functional group conversion, with most of the shrinkage stresses generated by the crosslinking reaction having been released prior to gelation. Longer exposures after gelation contribute to a homogeneous solidification of cured material, and polymer materials cured by UCAP exhibit high gel point conversion, low shrinkage stress and strong mechanical properties than those cured by conventional UV polymerization techniques.
Adaptation of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to grape-skin environment
Authors: Watanabe Daisuke , Hashimoto Wataru
Published: June 2023

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, an essential player in alcoholic fermentation during winemaking, is rarely found in intact grapes. Although grape-skin environment is unsuitable for S. cerevisiae’s stable residence, Saccharomycetaceae-family fermentative yeasts can increase population on grape berries after colonization during raisin production. Here, we addressed adaptation of S. cerevisiae to grape-skin ecosystem. The yeast-like fungus Aureobasidium pullulans, a major grape-skin resident, exhibited broad spectrum assimilation of plant-derived carbon sources, including ω-hydroxy fatty acid, arising from degradation of plant cuticles. In fact, A. pullulans encoded and secreted possible cutinase-like esterase for cuticle degradation. When intact grape berries were used as a sole carbon source, such grape-skin associated fungi increased the accessibility to fermentable sugars by degrading and assimilating the plant cell wall and cuticle compounds. Their ability seems also helpful for S. cerevisiae to obtain energy through alcoholic fermentation. Thus, degradation and utilization of grape-skin materials by resident microbiota may account for their residence on grape-skin and S. cerevisiae’s possible commensal behaviors. Conclusively, this study focused on the symbiosis between grape-skin microbiota and S. cerevisiae from the perspective of winemaking origin. Such plant–microbe symbiotic interaction may be a prerequisite for triggering spontaneous food fermentation.
Effects of velocity on N2 and CO2 foam flow with in-situ capillary pressure measurements in a high-permeability homogeneous sandpack
Authors: Vavra Eric , Bai Chutian , Puerto Maura , Ma Kun , Mateen Khalid , Hirasaki George J. , Biswal Sibani Lisa
Published: June 2023

The effects of velocity and gas type on foam flow through porous media have yet to be completely elucidated. Pressure drop and capillary pressure measurements were made at ambient conditions during a series of foam quality scan experiments in a homogenous sandpack while foam texture was simultaneously visualized. New insights into foam-flow behavior in porous media were discovered. Previously accepted “limiting” capillary pressure theory is challenged by the findings in this work, and the “limiting” terminology is replaced with the word “plateau” to reflect these novel observations. Plateau capillary pressure $${(P}_{c})$$

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and transition foam quality were found to increase with velocity. Transition foam quality was found to depend mostly on liquid velocity rather than gas velocity and is physically linked to foam type (continuous vs. discontinuous) and texture (fine vs. coarse). Distinct rheological behaviors also arose in the low- and high-quality foam regimes as a function of velocity. Foam flow was found to be strongly shear thinning in the low-quality regime where foam texture was fine and discontinuous. In the high-quality regime, the rheology was weakly shear thinning to Newtonian for coarsely textured foam and continuous-gas flow respectively. When all other variables were held constant, at ambient conditions, CO2 foam was found to be weaker with also lower capillary pressures than N2 foam and the differences in gas solubility is a likely explanation.
Automated player identification and indexing using two-stage deep learning network
Authors: Liu Hongshan , Adreon Colin , Wagnon Noah , Bamba Abdul Latif , Li Xueshen , Liu Huapu , MacCall Steven , Gan Yu
Published: June 2023

American football games attract significant worldwide attention every year. Identifying players from videos in each play is also essential for the indexing of player participation. Processing football game video presents great challenges such as crowded settings, distorted objects, and imbalanced data for identifying players, especially jersey numbers. In this work, we propose a deep learning-based player tracking system to automatically track players and index their participation per play in American football games. It is a two-stage network design to highlight areas of interest and identify jersey number information with high accuracy. First, we utilize an object detection network, a detection transformer, to tackle the player detection problem in a crowded context. Second, we identify players using jersey number recognition with a secondary convolutional neural network, then synchronize it with a game clock subsystem. Finally, the system outputs a complete log in a database for play indexing. We demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of player tracking system by analyzing the qualitative and quantitative results on football videos. The proposed system shows great potential for implementation in and analysis of football broadcast video.
CHI3L1 induces autophagy through the JNK pathway in lung cancer cells
Authors: Hong Da Eun , Yu Ji Eun , Yoo Seung Sik , Yeo In Jun , Son Dong Ju , Yun Jaesuk , Han Sang-Bae , Hong Jin Tae
Published: June 2023

CHI3L1 is closely related to the molecular mechanisms of cancer cell migration, growth, and death. According to recent research, autophagy regulates tumor growth during various stages of cancer development. This study examined the association between CHI3L1 and autophagy in human lung cancer cells. In CHI3L1-overexpressing lung cancer cells, the expression of LC3, an autophagosome marker, and the accumulation of LC3 puncta increased. In contrast, CHI3L1 depletion in lung cancer cells decreased the formation of autophagosomes. Additionally, CHI3L1 overexpression promoted the formation of autophagosomes in various cancer cell lines: it also increased the co-localization of LC3 and the lysosome marker protein LAMP-1, indicating an increase in the production of autolysosomes. In mechanism study, CHI3L1 promotes autophagy via activation of JNK signaling. JNK may be crucial for CHI3L1-induced autophagy since pretreatment with the JNK inhibitor reduced the autophagic effect. Consistent with the in vitro model, the expression of autophagy-related proteins was downregulated in the tumor tissues of CHI3L1-knockout mice. Furthermore, the expression of autophagy-related proteins and CHI3L1 increased in lung cancer tissues compared with normal lung tissues. These findings show that CHI3L1-induced autophagy is triggered by JNK signals and that CHI3L1-induced autophagy could be a novel therapeutic approach to lung cancer.
Greater intramuscular adipose tissue of the quadriceps in older inpatients at post-acute hospital admission is more strongly related to a low rate of home discharge than a loss of muscle mass
Authors: Akazawa Naoki , Funai Keita , Hino Toshikazu , Tsuji Ryota , Tamura Wataru , Tamura Kimiyuki , Hioka Akemi , Moriyama Hideki
Published: June 2023

This study aimed to examine the relationships between intramuscular adipose tissue and muscle mass of the quadriceps at post-acute hospital admission and the low rate of home discharge. This prospective study included 389 inpatients aged ≥ 65 years. Patients were divided into two groups according to the destination: home discharge (n = 279) and no-home discharge (n = 110) groups. The primary outcome was hospital discharge destination (home discharge or not). Intramuscular adipose tissue and muscle mass of the quadriceps were assessed at post-acute hospital admission using echo intensity and muscle thickness on ultrasound images, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used for determining whether quadriceps echo intensity is related to home discharge. Quadriceps echo intensity was significantly and independently associated with home discharge (odds ratio [per 1 SD increase] = 1.43,p = 0.045). Quadriceps thickness was not associated with home discharge (odds ratio [per 1 SD increase] = 1.00,p = 0.998). Our study indicates that greater intramuscular adipose tissue of the quadriceps in older inpatients at post-acute hospital admission is more strongly related to a low rate of home discharge than a loss of muscle mass.