bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a method for evaluating skin dullness: A mathematical model explaining dullness by the color, optical properties, and microtopography of the skin
Authors: Nurani Alif Meem , Kikuchi Kumiko , Iino Masato , Shirasugi Yutaka , Sonoki Aska , Fujimura Takako , Hasegawa Kiyotaka , Shibata Takako
Published: July 2023

Background

Skin dullness has long been a major concern of Japanese women. It is usually evaluated and judged visually by experts. Although several factors are recognized to play a role, it is unclear to what extent such physiological characteristics contribute to skin dullness. The purpose of this study is to establish an objective method for evaluation, which will assist in developing cosmetics products targeting skin dullness.

Methods

We conducted a skin measurement study on 50 Japanese women in their 30–50s, where skin dullness was visually assessed by a group of experts to obtain an average dullness score, and several skin parameters were obtained. We then developed a regression model that explains the visual assessment score using these physiological parameters.

Results

The results of partial least squares analysis of the dullness perception and physiological characteristics showed that skin dullness can be defined by colorimetric, optical, and skin surface microtopography parameters. Additionally, the contribution of each parameter to the model was determined. Our results suggest that dullness perception is highly affected by the melanin content and yellowness of the skin, followed by skin reddishness, roughness, and translucency score, whereas glossiness has less effect. Strikingly, the contribution ratio of each parameter varied among age groups. Furthermore, we confirmed that the predicted value of skin dullness increases with age.

Conclusion

Our results will help the design of cosmetics targeting factors specific to age groups in developing effective solutions for skin dullness.
Is China Making the Rent Gap Theory Untrue? Lessons from Nanjing
Authors: Liu Cheng , Song Weixuan , Zhang Yunpeng
Published: July 2023

In the past decade, the Chinese state seems to have moved away from its previously dominant urban development characterized by dispossession and displacement. It now appears less unscrupulous in exploiting rent gaps and seemingly attaches greater importance to extra‐growth goals in urban development such as de‐commodification, use value creation and equality. This article examines two such state‐led interventions: micro‐regeneration practices that renovate dilapidated neighbourhoods while avoiding displacement en masse and initiatives to minimize education‐based gentrification. Using examples from Nanjing, the article shows how both were limited and partial. Although local governments were enthusiastic about micro‐regeneration, their practices largely depended on public subsidies. Efforts to counter education‐led gentrification, on the other hand, were undermined by a lack of political will to unsettle vested power structures and contradictory policies. Therefore, China is not making the rent theory untrue.
Distinct functional domains of the epsin‐related Ent5p, a cargo adaptor for the SNARE Tlg2p in transport between endosomes and Golgi
Authors: Petersen Lara , Bachmann Rimma , Meinerz Sven , Tanz Anne , Fischer von Mollard Gabriele
Published: July 2023

The epsin‐related adaptor proteins Ent3p and Ent5p participate in budding of clathrin coated vesicles in transport between trans‐Golgi network and endosomes in yeast. Transport of the arginine permease Can1p was analyzed, which recycles between plasma membrane and endosomes and can be targeted to the vacuole for degradation. ent3∆ cells accumulate Can1p‐GFP in endosomes. Can1p‐GFP is transported faster to the vacuole upon induction of degradation in ent5∆ cells than in wild type cells. The C‐terminal domain of Ent5p was sufficient to restore recycling of the secretory SNARE GFP‐Snc1p between plasma membrane and TGN in ent3∆ ent5∆ cells. The SNARE Tlg2p was identified as interaction partner of the Ent5p ENTH domain by in vitro binding assays and the interaction site on Ent5p was mapped. Tlg2p functions in transport from early endosomes to the trans‐Golgi network and in homotypic fusion of these organelles. Tlg2p is partially shifted to denser fractions in sucrose density gradients of organelles from ent5∆ cells while distribution of Kex2p is unaffected demonstrating that Ent5p acts as cargo adaptor for Tlg2p in vivo. Taken together we show that Ent3p and Ent5p have different roles in transport and function as cargo adaptors for distinct SNAREs.
Trade in times of uncertainty
Authors: Matzner Anna , Meyer Birgit , Oberhofer Harald
Published: July 2023

This paper studies the direct and indirect trade volume and trade cost effects of uncertainty on international trade and economic welfare using a structural gravity framework for a panel of 97 developed and developing countries from 2000 to 2018. We find that the sign and magnitude of the effect depend on whether uncertainty originates from the importing or exporting country. Moreover, applying a cross‐sectional gravity model, we show that an uncertainty shock directly reduces cross‐border trade flows. The paper illustrates the suitability of the proposed modelling approach by means of two counterfactual scenario analyses in which we calculate the general equilibrium trade and welfare effects of uncertainty induced by the unexpected outcome of the Brexit referendum in 2016 and the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020.
Preliminary evaluation of hepatitis A virus cell receptor 1/kidney injury molecule 1 in healthy horses treated with phenylbutazone
Authors: Costa Lais R. R. , Swiderski Cyprianna , Palm Carrie , Aleman Monica
Published: July 2023

Objectives

To investigate if hepatitis A virus cell receptor 1/kidney injury molecule 1 (HAVCR1/KIM1) in urine is detectable concurrently with increases in serum creatinine concentrations in horses receiving a recommended dose of phenylbutazone (PBZ) for 7 days.

Design

Preliminary study.

Methods

Ten clinically healthy horses with normal physical examination and laboratory work were randomly assigned to PBZ or placebo groups (5 each). The PBZ group received PBZ at 4.4 mg/kg mixed with corn syrup orally every 12 hours. The placebo group received corn syrup orally every 12 hours. Both groups were treated for 7 days. Kidney ultrasonography was performed, and venous blood and urine samples were collected prior to commencement and at the end of treatment. Samples from 1 additional healthy horse, 3 horses with acute kidney failure, and 1 horse with chronic kidney failure were also evaluated.

Results

None of the 10 horses had detectable HAVCR1/KIM1 in urine at baseline. Serum creatinine concentrations in placebo group did not increase, and HAVCR1/KIM1 was undetectable in urine. At the end of treatment, 3 of 5 horses receiving PBZ developed increases in serum creatinine of >26.5 μmol/L (>0.3 mg/dL), and HAVCR1/KIM1 was detectable in urine, despite normal findings on kidney ultrasonography in all horses.

Conclusions

HAVCR1/KIM1 is detectable in urine and is associated with increases in serum creatinine concentrations of >26.5 μmol/L in horses following treatment with PBZ for 7 consecutive days. Thus, HAVCR1/KIM1 might aid in the early detection of acute kidney injury in horses.
Curriculum frameworks and educational programs in artificial intelligence for medical students, residents, and practicing physicians: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Tolentino Raymond , Baradaran Ashkan , Gore Genevieve , Pluye Pierre , Abbasgholizadeh-Rahimi Samira
Published: July 2023

Objective:

The aim of this scoping review is to synthesize knowledge from the literature on curriculum frameworks and current educational programs that focus on the teaching and learning of artificial intelligence (AI) for medical students, residents, and practicing physicians.

Introduction:

To advance the implementation of AI in clinical practice, physicians need to have a better understanding of AI and how to use it within clinical practice. Consequently, medical education must introduce AI topics and concepts into the curriculum. Curriculum frameworks are educational road maps to teaching and learning. Therefore, any existing AI curriculum frameworks must be reviewed and, if none exist, such a framework must be developed.

Inclusion criteria:

This review will include articles that describe curriculum frameworks for teaching and learning AI in medicine, irrespective of country. All types of articles and study designs will be included, except conference abstracts and protocols.

Methods:

This review will follow the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. Keywords will first be identified from relevant articles. Another search will then be conducted using the identified keywords and index terms. The following databases will be searched: MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), and Scopus. Gray literature will also be searched. Articles will be limited to the English and French languages, commencing from the year 2000. The reference lists of all included articles will be screened for additional articles. Data will then be extracted from included articles and the results will be presented in a table.
Olfactory‐driven beta band entrainment of limbic circuitry during neonatal development
Authors: Kostka Johanna K. , Hanganu‐Opatz Ileana L.
Published: July 2023

Cognitive processing relies on the functional refinement of the limbic circuitry during the first two weeks of life. During this developmental period, when the auditory, somatosensory and visual systems are still largely immature, the sense of olfaction acts as ‘door to the world’, providing an important source of environmental inputs. However, it is unknown whether early olfactory processing shapes the activity in the limbic circuitry during neonatal development. Here, we address this question by combining simultaneous in vivo recordings from the olfactory bulb (OB), lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC), hippocampus (HP) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) with olfactory stimulation as well as opto‐ and chemogenetic manipulations of mitral/tufted cells in the OB of non‐anaesthetized neonatal mice of both sexes. We show that the neonatal OB synchronizes the limbic circuity in the beta frequency range. Moreover, it drives neuronal and network activity in LEC, as well as subsequently, HP and PFC via long‐range projections from mitral cells to HP‐projecting LEC neurons. Thus, OB activity shapes the communication within limbic circuits during neonatal development.

image

Key points

During early postnatal development, oscillatory activity in the olfactory bulb synchronizes the limbic circuit.

Olfactory stimulation boosts firing and beta synchronization along the olfactory bulb–lateral entorhinal cortex–hippocampal–prefrontal pathway.

Mitral cells drive neuronal and network activity in the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC), as well as subsequently, the hippocampus (HP) and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) via long‐range projections from mitral cells to HP‐projecting LEC neurons.

Inhibition of vesicle release on LEC targeting mitral cell axons reveals direct involvement of LEC in the olfactory bulb‐driven oscillatory entrainment of the limbic circuitry.
Ações de educação interprofissional desenvolvidas no contexto dos cursos de graduação em saúde
Authors: Cardoso dos Santos Lucas , Gabriel Cassola Gabriel , Andrade Juliane , Da Silva Domingos Thiago , Carla Spiri Wilza
Published: July 2023

Introdução: um grande esforço no âmbito das graduações na área da saúde tem sido feito para reorientar a formação profissional de modo a atender às reais necessidades de saúde da população com vistas a alcançar uma formação mais humanizada e desenvolvida com a inclusão de diferentes métodos de ensino-aprendizagem. Objetivo: identificar na literatura científica as ações de educação interprofissional no contexto dos cursos de graduação em saúde desenvolvidas no Brasil. Método: trata-se de uma revisão integrativa de literatura constituída a partir de uma busca realizada em sete recursos informacionais e que resultou numa amostra total de 20 artigos analisados de forma descritiva e a partir da Análise de Conteúdo. Resultados: as informações extraídas dos artigos analisados puderam ser organizados em três temas: os benefícios da integração das disciplinas e diferentes profissões; a operacionalização de estratégias pedagógicas voltadas a consecução da interprofissionalidade; desafios para a integração dos cursos e profissões. Considerações finais: identificou-se que a educação interprofissional permite a transformação do ensino na área da saúde, gerando rompimento dos paradigmas tradicionais que permeiam os campos da saúde e da educação, oportunizando a integração entre os saberes e os campos de formação.
Metáforas y modismos en la educación inicial y primaria: un tesoro para aprovechar en el aula
Authors: Marulanda Páez Elena , Reina Gómez Laura Natalia
Published: July 2023

El presente trabajo forma parte de los productos de investigación derivados del proyecto: Aprendizaje de dos usos figurados en la primera infancia. Retos e implicaciones para la educación. La investigación se llevó a cabo entre las Facultades de Educación y Filosofía de la PUJ, gracias a la convocatoria de Proyectos Interdisciplinarios de la Vicerrectoría de Investigaciones de la PUJ celebrada en el año 2015. Inició el 1 de noviembre de 2015 y concluyó el 1 de septiembre de 2020 (código de la propuesta: 00006915 y código presupuestal del proyecto: 120118G0401200). La primera autora fue la investigadora principal y la segunda fue asistente de investigación.
¿Todos los medios dicen lo mismo sobre la COVID-19? Agenda setting en la prensa impresa provincial cubana.
Authors: Muñiz Zúñiga Viviana , Lageyre López Sheyla
Published: July 2023

La pandemia de COVID-19 ha impactado significativamente las prácticas periodísticas a nivel internacional, mostrando la necesidad de acercar más los contenidos a las audiencias sin llegar a provocar fatigas informativas. En el caso cubano se desconoce el tratamiento a la pandemia y el comportamiento en sentido general de las agendas mediáticas. Para ello se realizó un trabajo de tipo longitudinal en el cual se analizaron las agendas mediáticas de seis periódicos provinciales cubanos y la presencia de 28 objetos durante el mes de abril de los años 2020 y 2021. El estudio revela elementos que pueden indicar el carácter cíclico de los temas en las agendas, así como la falta de creatividad expresada a través del uso de valores noticia estandarizados y la realización de trabajos poco originales; reiteración en temas y subtemas, escasa variedad de fuentes de información y géneros periodísticos.
Aspergilosis broncopulmonar alérgica en un paciente pediátrico con fibrosis quística: a propósito de un caso
Authors: Lancheros Reina Natalia Andrea , García Nicole , Restrepo Gualteros Sonia María , Calderón Andres Felipe
Published: July 2023

En fibrosis quística, las infecciones respiratorias representan la principal causa de deterioro de la función pulmonar, principalmente de etiología bacteriana por Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae y Pseudomonas aeruginosa, que sigue en frecuencia las infecciones por hongos filamentosos, como el Aspergillus fumigatus. Aunque el riesgo de desarrollar aspergilosis broncopulmonar alérgica es mayor en estos pacientes, en ocasiones su diagnóstico puede ser todo un reto, por lo que cuando se presenta deterioro pulmonar y exacerbaciones frecuentes, son necesarios la sospecha clínica y un abordaje clínico, imagenológico e inmunológico, teniendo en cuenta que su tratamiento oportuno disminuye el riesgo de complicaciones asociadas. Objetivo: Revisar, por medio de un caso clínico, los aspectos más importantes de esta condición en la población pediátrica, para su respectivo análisis, considerando su impacto en desenlaces clínicos y en progresión de la enfermedad. Caso clínico: Se presenta caso de aspergilosis broncopulmonar alérgica en un paciente pediátrico de 17 años con antecedente de fibrosis quística. Conclusiones: El reconocimiento precoz es fundamental para prevenir el deterioro de la función pulmonar, utilizando las herramientas diagnósticas y tratamientos disponibles que disminuyen a corto y largo plazo la carga de la enfermedad.
Carga de enfermedad cardiovascular en enfermedad reumatológica autoinmune: “el corazón en lupus y la artritis reumatoide”
Authors: Corrales Nicole , Mayor Barrera Viviana , Montealegre Arturo Jorge Steven
Published: July 2023

Las patologías reumatológicas, como el lupus y la artritis reumatoidea, tienen mayor riesgo cardiovascular. Las manifestaciones más frecuentes de la enfermedad vascular incluyen pericarditis, miocarditis, afectación valvular, trastornos electrocardiográficos, entre otros. El riesgo cardiovascular mayor se atribuye a la prevalencia de factores de riesgo tradicionales, como hipertensión arterial, tabaquismo y dislipidemia, factores de riesgo característicos de la enfermedad como la actividad, inflamación y los fármacos utilizados para el tratamiento de la artritis reumatoidea y el lupus. Para mitigar la carga que suponen las enfermedades cardiovasculares, se requiere manejar los factores de riesgo tradicionales y el factor de riesgo intrínseco de la artritis reumatoidea y el lupus.
How to Plot Heatlines?
Authors: Mukherjee Chandan , Mukhopadhyay Sudipto
Published: July 2023

In non-isothermal flows, heatlines are used to depict the energy flow from hot surface to cold surface and help in visualizing the strength of the convective heat transfer as compared to the conductive heat transfer. Traditionally, researchers have plotted heatlines by solving heat-function equation in their solvers during the runtime. However, this requires access to the solver code and is time-consuming to implement. Further, the literature available so far only concerns simple geometric shapes. This work aims to document out-of-the-box methods for the visualization of heatlines which can be done as a post-processing exercise. A comparison of streamlines and heatlines, is at first presented to enhance the understanding of the application of heatlines in heat transfer problems and use the same technique in post-processing computer programs for visualizing heatlines. The procedures to plot heatlines using commercial (tecplot and cfd-post) and open-source (paraview) tools are presented. Illustrative examples of different computational geometries from past literature are validated to establish the efficacy of the method. Further, the method can be also applied to plot heatlines for complex geometries which is not feasible with the traditional approaches.
Experimental Investigation of Effusion Film Cooling on a Cylindrical Leading Edge Model
Authors: Huang I-Cheng , Lin Kuan-Hsueh , Huang Chih-Yung , Liu Yao-Hsien
Published: July 2023

Effusion film cooling is effective for cooling high-temperature turbine blades because it requires less coolant and produces a more uniform temperature distribution than conventional film cooling. Effusion cooling for a cylindrical model representing the leading edge of a gas turbine blade was investigated. The experiment was performed in a low-speed wind tunnel at a Reynolds number of 100,000. Pressure-sensitive paint was used to measure the adiabatic film cooling effectiveness. Additive manufacturing was used to fabricate a porous structure on the test cylinder for effusion cooling. Both simple and compound angles were used for cooling injection. The effects of streamwise and spanwise hole spacings, turbulence intensities (1% and 8.7%), and blowing ratios (0.075, 0.15, 0.3, and 0.6) were studied at a fixed density ratio of 1. The effusion hole diameter was 0.1 cm, and the spanwise hole pitch-to-diameter ratio was either 2 or 4. Compared with conventional film cooing, effusion cooling achieved a higher cooling effectiveness and produced a better coolant coverage. Increasing the streamwise spacing noticeably reduced the cooling effectiveness for the simple-angle design due to film lift-off; the compound-angle designs thus achieved higher effectiveness. The simple-angle holes were more sensitive to changes in the mainstream turbulence intensity; increases in the turbulence intensity promoted the mixing of the coolant with the mainstream. Moreover, effusion cooling was more resistant to coolant lift-off at high blowing ratios.
Simulation studies of floating field plate in β-Ga2O3 power devices and modules
Authors: Han Zhao , Xu Guangwei , Xiang Xueqiang , Hao Weibing , Li Yuanbiao , Zhou Xuanze , Yan Xiaobing , Long Shibing
Published: July 2023

In this work, we present the floating field plate (FFP) that a novel structure modulates the electric field in beta gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) power devices and integrated circuit modules. By reducing the peak electric field during reverse high-voltage operation, the FFP improves the device's performance while maintaining its forward characteristics. Compared with the traditional field plate structure, the FFP increases the power figure of merit by 34.9% with the same device parameters and reduces the dielectric material requirement by 52% as the same device blocking voltage. We also establish a relationship between different dielectric materials (SiO2, Al2O3, Si3N4, etc.) and the optimal structure size through simulation. More importantly, the FFP can be applied to β-Ga2O3 power modules and optimize the electric field distribution regionally, thereby improving the system’s robustness. This study provides a new solution for enhancing the performance of β-Ga2O3 devices and advancing β-Ga2O3 power modules.
Design of a custom vapor transport co-deposition system for scalable production of perovskite solar cells
Authors: Wassweiler Ella , Panda Anurag , Kadosh Tamar , Nguyen Thienan , Hsu Wan-Ju , Pettit Emma , Holmes Russell J. , Tuller Harry , Bulovic Vladimir
Published: July 2023

Vacuum-deposited perovskites provide a more direct path to manufacturing large area solar cells because of ready compatibility with multilayered architectures and historic use in the electronics industry. However, vacuum compatible co-deposition of organic-inorganic perovskites remains difficult due to issues of precisely controlling the organic precursor flux. Here, we demonstrate a manufacturing prototype specifically designed for co-depositing organic-inorganic perovskites and evaluate it with respect to the influence of process parameters on film growth. Through depositing and characterizing methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) perovskite films, we highlight the necessary design requirements while measuring the influence of film growth parameters on deposition rate and perovskite phases.
Voice onset time and vowel formant measures in online testing and laboratory-based testing with(out) surgical face masks
Authors: Stoehr Antje , Souganidis Christoforos , Thomas Trisha B. , Jacobsen Jessi , Martin Clara D.
Published: July 2023

Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, conducting experiments online is increasingly common, and face masks are often used in everyday life. It remains unclear whether phonetic detail in speech production is captured adequately when speech is recorded in internet-based experiments or in experiments conducted with face masks. We tested 55 Spanish–Basque–English trilinguals in picture naming tasks in three conditions: online, laboratory-based with surgical face masks, and laboratory-based without face masks (control). We measured plosive voice onset time (VOT) in each language, the formants and duration of English vowels /iː/ and /ɪ/, and the Spanish/Basque vowel space. Across conditions, there were differences between English and Spanish/Basque VOT and in formants and duration between English /iː/–/ɪ/; between conditions, small differences emerged. Relative to the control condition, the Spanish/Basque vowel space was larger in online testing and smaller in the face mask condition. We conclude that testing online or with face masks is suitable for investigating phonetic detail in within-participant designs although the precise measurements may differ from those in traditional laboratory-based research.
Vibration and sound radiation of an acoustic black hole plate immersed in heavy fluid
Authors: Ma Li , Cheng Li
Published: July 2023

Vibrational acoustic black holes (ABHs) have shown great promise for reducing structural vibrations and sound radiation in light fluids. However, it is still unknown whether the acoustic black hole (ABH) effect can be materialized in heavy fluids. This paper discusses this issue by developing a semi-analytical model on a simply supported ABH plate that vibrates and radiates sound into water. The proposed model is validated by finite element models and used to investigate the vibration and sound radiation properties of the ABH plate in different frequency ranges. The results show that the ABH effect can be systematically manifested in heavy fluids, as reflected by a significant increase in structural damping and a decrease in vibration and sound radiation. Numerical analysis of the radiation damping and mass loading effects shows that the radiation damping has little effect on the vibration reduction of the water-loaded plate. However, the mass loading effect mitigates the low-frequency drawback of conventional ABH structures in air, resulting in a broadband reduction in structural vibration and sound radiation from the water-loaded ABH plate.
The Effect of Gender Stereotype Threat and Conceptions of Ability on Motor Learning and Working Memory
Authors: Nahidi Narges , Saemi Esmaeel , Doustan Mohammadreza , Aronson Joshua , Laurin Raphaël
Published: July 2023

The present study explored the effects of gender stereotype threat and conceptions of ability on motor learning and working memory in novice female learners. Sixty participants (Mage = 21.92 years, SDage = 1.74) were randomly assigned into a gender stereotype threat and a control group (neutral; without stereotype threat). Each group was, in turn, randomly divided into two subgroups: inherent ability and acquired skill. The tasks assigned to the participants included soccer dribbling and the n-back test. In the pretest, the individuals only performed one dribbling trial, whereas in the practice phase, the individuals performed 12 blocks of five trials based on their respective test conditions. During retention and transfer under pressure (48 hr after practice for both tests), the participants carried out one block of five trials. The participants also completed the n-back test in the pretest, posttest, and retention phases. In both motor performance and learning, the findings suggested that both gender stereotype threat and inherent ability variables can negatively influence the soccer dribbling skill (p < .05). However, regarding working memory, the results could not show any significant difference between the groups (p > .05). How these variables affect or do not affect motor learning as well as working memory and how the results are applied in the motor domain are discussed.
IGFBP2 secretion by mammary adipocytes limits breast cancer invasion
Authors: Conway James R. W. , Dinç Defne D. , Follain Gautier , Paavolainen Oona , Kaivola Jasmin , Boström Pia , Hartiala Pauliina , Peuhu Emilia , Ivaska Johanna
Published: July 2023

The progression of noninvasive ductal carcinoma in situ to invasive ductal carcinoma for patients with breast cancer results in a significantly poorer prognosis and is the precursor to metastatic disease. In this work, we have identified insulin-like growth factor–binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) as a potent adipocrine factor secreted by healthy breast adipocytes that acts as a barrier against invasive progression. In line with this role, adipocytes differentiated from patient-derived stromal cells were found to secrete IGFBP2, which significantly inhibited breast cancer invasion. This occurred through binding and sequestration of cancer-derived IGF-II. Moreover, depletion of IGF-II in invading cancer cells using small interfering RNAs or an IGF-II–neutralizing antibody ablated breast cancer invasion, highlighting the importance of IGF-II autocrine signaling for breast cancer invasive progression. Given the abundance of adipocytes in the healthy breast, this work exposes the important role they play in suppressing cancer progression and may help expound upon the link between increased mammary density and poorer prognosis.
Unemployment and underemployment are causes of suicide
Authors: Skinner Adam , Osgood Nathaniel D. , Occhipinti Jo-An , Song Yun Ju Christine , Hickie Ian B.
Published: July 2023

Epidemiological studies indicate that labor underutilization and suicide are associated, yet it remains unclear whether this association is causal. We applied convergent cross mapping to test for causal effects of unemployment and underemployment on suicidal behavior, using monthly data on labor underutilization and suicide rates in Australia for the period 2004–2016. Our analyses provide evidence that rates of unemployment and underemployment were significant drivers of suicide mortality in Australia over the 13-year study period. Predictive modeling indicates that 19.9% of the ~32,000 suicides reported between 2004 and 2016 resulted directly from labor underutilization, including 3295 suicides attributable to unemployment and 3131 suicides attributable to underemployment. We conclude that economic policies prioritizing full employment should be considered integral to any comprehensive national suicide prevention strategy.
Mercury telluride colloidal quantum-dot focal plane array with planar p-n junctions enabled by in situ electric field–activated doping
Authors: Qin Tianling , Mu Ge , Zhao Pengfei , Tan Yimei , Liu Yanfei , Zhang Shuo , Luo Yuning , Hao Qun , Chen Menglu , Tang Xin
Published: July 2023

Colloidal quantum dot (CQD)–based photodetectors are promising alternatives to bulk semiconductor-based detectors to be monolithically integrated with complementary metal-oxide semiconductor readout integrated circuits avoiding high-cost epitaxial growth methods and complicated flip-bonding processes. To date, photovoltaic (PV) single-pixel detectors have led to the best performance with background-limit infrared photodetection performance. However, the nonuniform and uncontrollable doping methods and complex device configuration restrict the focal plane array (FPA) imagers to operate in PV mode. Here, we propose a controllable in situ electric field–activated doping method to construct lateral p-n junctions in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) mercury telluride (HgTe) CQD–based photodetectors with a simple planar configuration. The planar p-n junction FPA imagers with 640 × 512 pixels (15-μm pixel pitch) are fabricated and exhibit substantially improved performance compared with photoconductor imagers before activation. High-resolution SWIR infrared imaging is demonstrated with great potential for various applications including semiconductor inspection, food safety, and chemical analysis.
Community detection in large hypergraphs
Authors: Ruggeri Nicolò , Contisciani Martina , Battiston Federico , De Bacco Caterina
Published: July 2023

Hypergraphs, describing networks where interactions take place among any number of units, are a natural tool to model many real-world social and biological systems. Here, we propose a principled framework to model the organization of higher-order data. Our approach recovers community structure with accuracy exceeding that of currently available state-of-the-art algorithms, as tested in synthetic benchmarks with both hard and overlapping ground-truth partitions. Our model is flexible and allows capturing both assortative and disassortative community structures. Moreover, our method scales orders of magnitude faster than competing algorithms, making it suitable for the analysis of very large hypergraphs, containing millions of nodes and interactions among thousands of nodes. Our work constitutes a practical and general tool for hypergraph analysis, broadening our understanding of the organization of real-world higher-order systems.
PTEN deficiency facilitates gemcitabine efficacy in cancer by modulating the phosphorylation of PP2Ac and DCK
Authors: Jiang Tian-Yi , Cui Xiao-Wen , Zeng Tian-Mei , Pan Yu-Fei , Lin Yun-Kai , Feng Xiao-fan , Tan Ye-Xiong , Yuan Zhen-gang , Dong Li-Wei , Wang Hong-Yang
Published: July 2023

Gemcitabine is a nucleoside analog that has been successfully used in the treatment of multiple cancers. However, intrinsic or acquired resistance reduces the chemotherapeutic potential of gemcitabine. Here, we revealed a previously unappreciated mechanism by which phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), one of the most frequently mutated genes in human cancers, dominates the decision-making process that is central to the regulation of gemcitabine efficacy in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). By investigating a gemcitabine-treated CCA cohort, we found that PTEN deficiency was correlated with the improved efficacy of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy. Using cell-based drug sensitivity assays, cell line–derived xenograft, and patient-derived xenograft models, we further confirmed that PTEN deficiency or genetic-engineering down-regulation of PTEN facilitated gemcitabine efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, PTEN directly binds to and dephosphorylates the C terminus of the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2Ac) to increase its enzymatic activity, which further dephosphorylates deoxycytidine kinase (DCK) at Ser
74
to diminish gemcitabine efficacy. Therefore, PTEN deficiency and high phosphorylation of DCK predict a better response to gemcitabine-based chemotherapy in CCA. We speculate that the combination of PP2A inhibitor and gemcitabine in PTEN-positive tumors could avoid the resistance of gemcitabine, which would benefit a large population of patients with cancer receiving gemcitabine or other nucleoside analogs.
Insights into dengue immunity from vaccine trials
Authors: Ooi Eng Eong , Kalimuddin Shirin
Published: July 2023

The quest for an effective dengue vaccine has culminated in two approved vaccines and another that has completed phase 3 clinical trials. However, shortcomings exist in each, suggesting that the knowledge on dengue immunity used to develop these vaccines was incomplete. Vaccine trial findings could refine our understanding of dengue immunity, because these are experimentally derived, placebo-controlled data. Results from these trials suggest that neutralizing antibody titers alone are insufficient to inform protection against symptomatic infection, implicating a role for cellular immunity in protection. These findings have relevance for both future dengue vaccine development and application of current vaccines for maximal public health benefit.
Less Is More: When to Repeat Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing
Authors: Sarink Maarten J. , Bode Lonneke G. M. , Croughs Peter , de Steenwinkel Jurriaan E. M. , Verkaik Nelianne J. , van Westreenen Mireille , Vogel Marius , Yusuf Erlangga
Published: July 2023

This study investigated the frequency of change of the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern when the same isolate was found in the same patient in various situations. We used laboratory data collected over a period of 8 years (January 2014 to December 2021) at the clinical microbiology laboratory of a tertiary hospital for
Escherichia coli
,
Klebsiella pneumoniae
,
Enterobacter
spp.,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, and
Staphylococcus aureus
.
Leaf side determines the relative importance of dispersal versus host filtering in the phyllosphere microbiome
Authors: Smets Wenke , Chock Mason K. , Walsh Corinne M. , Vanderburgh Caihong Qiu , Kau Ethan , Lindow Steven E. , Fierer Noah , Koskella Britt
Published: July 2023

Leaves harbor distinct microbial communities that can have an important impact on plant health and microbial ecosystems worldwide. Nevertheless, the ecological processes that shape the composition of leaf microbial communities remain unclear, with previous studies reporting contradictory results regarding the importance of bacterial dispersal versus host selection. This discrepancy could be driven in part because leaf microbiome studies typically consider the upper and lower leaf surfaces as a single entity despite these habitats possessing considerable anatomical differences. We characterized the composition of bacterial phyllosphere communities from the upper and lower leaf surfaces across 24 plant species. Leaf surface pH and stomatal density were found to shape phyllosphere community composition, and the underside of leaves had lower richness and higher abundances of core community members than upper leaf surfaces. We found fewer endemic bacteria on the upper leaf surfaces, suggesting that dispersal is more important in shaping these communities, with host selection being a more important force in microbiome assembly on lower leaf surfaces. Our study illustrates how changing the scale in which we observe microbial communities can impact our ability to resolve and predict microbial community assembly patterns on leaf surfaces.

IMPORTANCE

Leaves can harbor hundreds of different bacterial species that form unique communities for every plant species. Bacterial communities on leaves are really important because they can, for example, protect their host against plant diseases. Usually, bacteria from the whole leaf are considered when trying to understand these communities; however, this study shows that the upper and lower sides of a leaf have a very different impact on how these communities are shaped. It seems that the bacteria on the lower leaf side are more closely associated with the plant host, and communities on the upper leaf side are more impacted by immigrating bacteria. This can be really important when we want to treat, for example, crops in the field with beneficial bacteria or when trying to understand host-microbe interactions on the leaves.
Characterization of Hsp17, a Novel Small Heat Shock Protein, in Sphingomonas melonis TY under Heat Stress
Authors: Wang Yihan , Wang Xiaoyu , Wu Hao , Wang Lvjing , Wang Haixia , Lu Zhenmei
Published: July 2023

Temperature is generally considered the most important factor affecting metabolic functions and the survival of microbes. As molecular chaperones, small heat shock proteins can prevent damaged protein aggregation during abiotic stress, especially heat stress.
Sphingomonas
species are widely distributed in nature, and they can frequently be found in various extreme environments.
Surface exposure constraints on the mantle water budget
Authors: Chotalia K. , Brodholt J. , Lithgow-Bertelloni C.
Published: July 2023

Mantle water content estimates range from 0.5 to 15 oceans of water. Its evolution is even more unclear. Rapid degassing during mantle solidification likely released much of the water to the surface, initially flooding Earth. However, evidence for subaerial land from at least 3.5 Ga means that much of this water must have been rapidly cycled back into the mantle. Here, we used a parameterized convection model and hypsometric curve to assess how much water could have been taken into the mantle and still satisfy evidence for subaerial land. Even if only the highest peaks were exposed, the initial ocean must have been less than 1.5 current oceans to explain subaerial exposure throughout most of Earth history. Today, this implies any water in the mantle >0.5 oceans must be primordial and has been isolated from the convecting mantle for most of Earth’s history.
Large-scale rare-metal pegmatite deposit formation driven by supercontinent assembly
Authors: Tang Gong-Jian , Wyman Derek. A. , Wang Qiang , Dan Wei , Ma Lin , Yang Ya-Nan
Published: July 2023

Triassic rare-metal pegmatite deposits are widespread in East Asia; e.g., the western Kunlun and Songpan-Ganze belt in northern Tibet and the Altai belt in the heart of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. However, rare-metal enrichment processes and deposit formation mechanisms are enigmatic. Most rare-metal pegmatites in East Asia formed at ca. 220–200 Ma in the Late Triassic and are genetically related to S-type granites. Whole-rock and zircon Li and Cs contents indicate that sedimentary rocks represent a fertile rare-metal source for the pegmatite deposits and that long-term chemical weathering plays a key role in the enrichment of rare metals. The formation of these widespread deposits in East Asia was associated with lithospheric extension induced by slab retreat along the periphery of the supercontinent during Pangea assembly.
Concurrent NMDAR and GFAP Antibody Encephalitis During Pregnancy
Authors: Zengin Erkam , Kharisova Irina , Emechebe Dokpe , Anziska Yaacov
Published: July 2023

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is an autoimmune antibody encephalitis, commonly affecting young women with comorbid ovarian teratoma. It typically presents with alteration of consciousness, psychosis, movement disorders eventually deteriorating with seizures, dysautonomia and central hypoventilation requiring critical level of care that may last weeks to months. Removal of teratoma and immunosuppressant therapy support can led to a dramatic recovery.

To our knowledge, this is the first illustrated case in the literature of a pregnant woman presenting with concurrent autoimmune NMDAR and anti-glial gibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) antibody encephalitis in the setting of an ovarian teratoma. Despite the teratoma removal and receiving various forms of immunosuppressant therapy, a meaningful neurological improvement was observed following the delivery. After a prolonged hospitalisation and recovery period, the patient and her offspring made an excellent recovery highlighting the significance of early diagnosis and management.
Midgut volvulus in a pediatric patient with chronic constipation, congenital intestinal malrotation and internal transmesocolic hernia
Authors: Brezler Emily , Sico Rita , Seifarth Federico G
Published: July 2023

Congenital intestinal malrotation occurs in 1 of 500 newborns and can predispose patients to intestinal volvulus and internal herniation, putting patients at risk for intestinal ischaemia. A male patient in early childhood with a history of severe constipation presented with acute abdominal pain, progressing rapidly to compensated shock. CT scan was suspicious for small bowel ischaemia and superior mesenteric artery compression. He underwent emergency exploratory laparotomy. Intraoperative findings were significant for partial intestinal malrotation with mobile ascending colon and high-riding caecum, and internal herniation with midgut volvulus of the ascending colon through a mesenteric defect in the proximal transverse colon. Derotation of the volvulus, reduction of the internal hernia, resection of necrotic segments of the bowel and a modified Ladd’s procedure were performed. Postoperatively, the patient is total parenteral nutrition (TPN) dependent due to short bowel syndrome. A high index of suspicion with prompt imaging is paramount for paediatric patients with symptoms indicating intestinal obstruction.
Impact of concomitant oral glucose-lowering medications on the success of basal insulin titration in insulin-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic analysis
Authors: Wollenhaupt Dominik , Wolters Jannik , Abd El Aziz Mirna , Nauck Michael A
Published: July 2023

Basal insulin treatment for type 2 diabetes is usually initiated on a background of oral glucose-lowering medications (OGLM). We wanted to examine the influence of various OGLMs on fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c) values achieved after titration. A PubMed literature search retrieved 42 publications (clinical trials introducing basal insulin in 17 433 insulin-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes on a defined background of OGLM) and reporting FPG, HbA1c, target achievement, hypoglycemic events, and insulin doses. 60 individual study arms were grouped by OGLM (combinations) allowed during the titration process: (a) metformin only; (b) sulfonylureas only; (c) metformin and sulfonylureas; or (d) metformin and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. For all OGLM categories, weighted means and SD were calculated for baseline and end-of-treatment FPG, HbA1c, target achievement, incidence of hypoglycemic events, and insulin doses. Primary end point was a difference in FPG after titration between OGLM categories. Statistics: analysis of variance and post hoc comparisons. Sulfonylureas, alone or in combination with metformin, impair the titration of basal insulin (insulin doses 30%–40% lower, more hypoglycemic episodes), thus leading to poorer final glycemic control (p<0.05 for FPG and HbA1cafter titration). Conversely, adding a DPP-4 inhibitor to metformin is superior to metformin alone (p<0.05 for FPG and HbA1cachieved) in patients with type 2 diabetes initiating basal insulin therapy. In conclusion, OGLM are a major determinant of the success of basal insulin therapy. Sulfonylureas impair, while DPP-4 inhibitors (added to metformin) may facilitate the achievement of ambitious fasting glucose targets. PROSPERO registration number CRD42019134821.
The potential impact of novel tuberculosis vaccines on health equity and financial protection in low-income and middle-income countries
Authors: Portnoy Allison , Clark Rebecca A , Weerasuriya Chathika K , Mukandavire Christinah , Quaife Matthew , Bakker Roel , Garcia Baena Inés , Gebreselassie Nebiat , Zignol Matteo , Jit Mark , White Richard G , Menzies Nicolas A
Published: July 2023

Introduction

One in two patients developing tuberculosis (TB) in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) faces catastrophic household costs. We assessed the potential financial risk protection from introducing novel TB vaccines, and how health and economic benefits would be distributed across income quintiles.

Methods

We modelled the impact of introducing TB vaccines meeting the World Health Organization preferred product characteristics in 105 LMICs. For each country, we assessed the distribution of health gains, patient costs and household financial vulnerability following introduction of an infant vaccine and separately for an adolescent/adult vaccine, compared with a ‘no-new-vaccine’ counterfactual. Patient-incurred direct and indirect costs of TB disease exceeding 20% of annual household income were defined as catastrophic.

Results

Over 2028–2050, the health gains resulting from vaccine introduction were greatest in lower income quintiles, with the poorest 2 quintiles in each country accounting for 56% of total LMIC TB cases averted. Over this period, the infant vaccine was estimated to avert US$5.9 (95% uncertainty interval: US$5.3–6.5) billion in patient-incurred total costs, and the adolescent/adult vaccine was estimated to avert US$38.9 (US$36.6–41.5) billion. Additionally, 3.7 (3.3–4.1) million fewer households were projected to face catastrophic costs with the infant vaccine and 22.9 (21.4–24.5) million with the adolescent/adult vaccine, with 66% of gains accruing in the poorest 2 income quintiles.

Conclusion

Under a range of assumptions, introducing novel TB vaccines would reduce income-based inequalities in the health and household economic outcomes of TB in LMICs.