bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Materials Used in Space Shuttle: Evolution, Challenges, and Future Prospects - An Overview
Authors: Wani Irfan Nazir , Aggarwal Kanika , Bishnoi Swati , Shukla Pushpendra , Harursampath Dineshkumar , Garg Ashish
Published: February 2024

The space shuttle, a revolutionary spacecraft that has played a significant role in human space exploration, was composed of various advanced materials that were carefully selected to meet the extreme demands of spaceflight. This review paper provides a comprehensive examination of the materials historically employed in the construction of space shuttles and explores the latest trends shaping the field. The evolution of space shuttle materials is traced from the inception of the space program to contemporary missions, highlighting key milestones, challenges, and breakthroughs. Emphasis is placed on the critical role that materials play in the overall performance, safety, and sustainability of space shuttles. The paper begins by elucidating the diverse requirements that materials must fulfill in the harsh and complex environment of space, encompassing extreme temperatures, radiation exposure, and mechanical stresses. A detailed analysis of the materials utilized in the fabrication of various shuttle components, such as thermal protection systems, structural elements, and propulsion systems, is presented. Special attention is given to the challenges posed by re-entry and the strategies employed to mitigate heat-related issues. Furthermore, the review explores recent innovations and emerging materials that are reshaping the landscape of space shuttle design. Advancements in nanotechnology, composite materials, and additive manufacturing are discussed in the context of their potential applications for enhancing shuttle performance and reducing mission costs. The paper also addresses the importance of sustainability in space exploration, exploring materials with lower environmental impact and improved recyclability. The review concludes with a forward-looking perspective on the future of materials, considering ongoing research, development, and the potential incorporation of cutting-edge technologies. Insights are provided into how the evolving landscape of materials science may influence the design and manufacturing processes of the next generation of space vehicles. This paper provides an overview of the materials used in the construction of the space shuttle, including their properties, applications, and challenges. The materials used in the space shuttle are critical in ensuring the safety, performance, and longevity of the spacecraft, and understanding their characteristics and performance in space is crucial for the advancement of aerospace engineering.
Particle size Measurement and Detection of Bound Proteins of non-Porous/Mesoporous Silica Microspheres by Single-Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Miyashita Shin-ichi , Ogura Toshihiko , Matsuura Shun-ichi , Fukuda Eriko
Published: February 2024

Single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) has been used for particle size measurement of diverse types of individual nanoparticles and micrometer-sized carbon-based particles, such as microplastics. However, its applicability to the measurement of micrometer-sized non-carbon-based particles such as silica (SiO2) is unclear. In this study, the applicability of spICP-MS to particle size measurement of non-porous/mesoporous SiO2 micro-spheres with a nominal diameter of 5.0 µm or smaller was investigated. Particle sizes of these microspheres were measured using both spICP-MS based on a conventional calibration approach using an ion standard solution and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as a reference technique and the results were compared. The particle size distributions obtained using both techniques were in agreement within analytical uncertainty. The applicability of this technique to the detection of metal-containing protein-binding mesoporous SiO2 microspheres was also investigated. Bound iron (Fe)-containing proteins (i.e., lactoferrin and transferrin) of mesoporous SiO2 microspheres were detected using Fe as a presence marker for the proteins. Thus, spICP-MS is applicable to the particle size measurement of large-sized and non-porous/mesoporous SiO2 microspheres; it has considerable potential for element-based detection and qualification of bound proteins of mes-oporous SiO2 microspheres in a variety of applications.
Modeling Volcanic Ash Dispersion from the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai Eruption Using WRF-Chem and Meteorological FASDAS Data Assimilation
Authors: Snoun Hosni , Al Harbi Mohammad , Nikfal Amirhossein , Arif Abderrazak , Hatheway William , A. Alamro Meznah , Mihoub Alaeddine , Krichen Moez
Published: February 2024

Since late December 2021, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai underwater volcano has been erupting in a series of large explosions. On Friday, January 15th, 2022, a particularly significant explosion sent a massive ash cloud high into the atmosphere. This study depicts the modeling of the volcanic ash dispersion from the event while incorporating meteorological data assimilation within the inline Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with chemistry (WRF-Chem). Two forecast scenarios: one with only meteorology and no chemistry (OMET) and one with gas, aerosol chemistry, and no assimilation (NODA) were undertaken and compared to the third forecast impacting data assimilation to distinguish the Flux Adjusting Surface Data Assimilation System (FASDAS)'s effects. Data assimilation, a process that combines real-time observations with numerical models, plays a pivotal role in enhancing the accuracy of various scientific simulations and predictions.Analysis of different scenarios reveals that the FASDAS result in lessening of planetary boundary layer height (PBLH), downward surface shortwave flux, and 2m temperature by up to 800m, 250 W.m-2 and 6°C on the land portion, respectively, while the opposite is observed nearby the eruption site. Model validation against the observations shows that the inclusion of FASDAS nudging in WRF-Chem significantly enhances the model performance in retrieving meteorological variables. The simulations also revealed significant biases in the concentration of volcanic ash around the ash cloud. Additionally, data analysis from the Copernicus TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument Sentinel-5 Precursor (TROPOMI-S5P) indicates that total SO2 emissions traveled west. This work demonstrates the significant contribution of data assimilation on the results of operational air quality predictions during violent volcanic eruption events.
On the Conjecture over Dimensions of Associated Lie Algebra to the Isolated Singularities
Authors: Hussain Naveed , Al-Kenani Ahmad N. , Asif Muhammad
Published: February 2024

Lie algebra plays an important role in the study of singularity theory and other field of sciences. Finding numerous invariants linked with isolated singularities is always a main interest in the classification theory of isolated singularities.
Any Lie algebra that characterizes simple singularity produces a natural question. The study of properties such as to find the dimensions of newly defined algebra is a remarkable work.
Hussain, Yau and Zuo \cite{HYZ10} have been found a new class of Lie algebra \texorpdfstring{ $ \mathcal{L}_ k (V)$}{LG}, \texorpdfstring{$k\geq 1$}{LG} i.e., Der ($M_{k}(V), M_{k}(V)$) and purposed a conjecture over its dimension $\delta_{k}(V)$ for $k\geq0$. Later they proved it true for $k$ up to $k=1,2,3,4,5$. In this work, the main concern is whether it's true for a higher value of $k$. According to this, we calculate first, the dimension of Lie algebra \texorpdfstring{$\mathcal{L}_ k (V)$}{LG} for $k=6$ and then compute the upper estimate conjecture of fewnomial isolated singularities. Along with, we also justify the inequality conjecture: \texorpdfstring{$\delta_{k+1}(V) < \delta_{k}(V)$}{LG} for $k=6$. Our calculated results are innovative and a new addition to the study of singularity theory.
Integrated Photonic Sensors with Enhanced Evanescent Field: Unveiling the Dynamic Interaction with the Ambient Medium
Authors: Butt Muhammad A.
Published: February 2024

Keywords: Evanescent field; photonic sensor; optical waveguide; light-matter interaction; absorption; mid-infrared.
A Multifunctionalized Potyvirus-Derived Nanoparticle That Targets and Internalizes into Cancer Cells
Authors: Truchado Daniel A. , Juárez-Molina María , Rincón Sara , Zurita Lucía , Tomé-Amat Jaime , Lorz Corina , Ponz Fernando
Published: February 2024

Plant viral nanoparticles (VNPs) are attractive to researchers in nanomedicine due to their safety, easy production, resistance, and straightforward functionalization. In this paper, we developed and successfully purified a VNP derived from turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), a well-known plant pathogen, that exhibits high affinity for immunoglobulins G (IgG) thanks to its functionalization with the Z domain from staphylococcal protein A via gene fusion. We selected cetuximab as a model IgG to prove the versatility of this novel TuMV VNP by developing a fluorescent nanoplatform to mark tumoral cells of the line Cal33, from tongue squamous cell carcinoma. We observed that the fluorescent VNP-cetuximab bound selectively to Cal33 and were internalized by confocal microscopy, revealing the potential of this nanotool in cancer research.
Effect of AI Gender on Trust and Grounding
Authors: Jeon Joo-Eon
Published: February 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) agents are widely used in the retail and distribution industry, often in-corporating human-like elements such as possessing names and genders. This paper examines the influence of AI agent gender and brand concepts on trust and grounding within virtual brand spaces; exploring the correlation between user identification with AI agents and subsequent brand recommendations. The study revealed that in virtual brand spaces centered around a functional concept, male AI agents generated higher levels of trust than female AI agents, whereas, when focused on an experiential concept, female AI agents induced higher levels of grounding than male AI agents. Furthermore, this research indicates that the association between customers’ iden-tification with AI agents and recommendations for actual brand purchases is mediated by trust and grounding. These findings support the idea that users who strongly identify with AI agents are more inclined to recommend brand products after engaging in conversations within the virtu-al brand space.
Divergences in Antiviral Therapy for Diabetic Patients with COVID-19
Authors: Fitero Andreea , Negrut Nicoleta , Nistor-Cseppento Carmen Delia , Tit Delia Mirela , Negru Paul Andrei , Bustea Cristian , Radu Andrei-Flavius , Bungau Simona Gabriela
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Background: Patients with diabetes are particularly susceptible to COVID-19 infection, which can result in severe respiratory illness. Methods: This study conducted a comparative as-sessment of the impact of antiviral therapy using molnupiravir and favipiravir in COVID-19 pa-tients with underlying diabetes. A cohort of one hundred individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2, diagnosed with diabetes, and consecutively admitted, was included in the present study. These patients were treated with antivirals according to local guidelines: Group F (51 cases) was treated with favipiravir – 10 days and Group M (49 cases) was treated with molnupiravir – 5 days. Re-sults: In Group F, the average hospitalization was higher than in Group M (11.29±2.27 vs. 7.14±3.16, p
Dynamic Optimization for Petrophysical Property Estimation in Unsteady-State Coreflooding Using Pyomo
Authors: Kalule Ramanzani , Abderrahmane Hamid A. , Ahmed Shehzad , AlAmeri Waleed , Sassi Mohamed
Published: February 2024

This paper deals with a mathematical modeling and optimization-based approach for estimating relative permeability and capillary pressure from average water saturation data collected during unsteady-state waterflooding experiments. Assuming the Lomeland-Ebeltoft-Thomas (LET) model for the variation of the relative permeability with saturation, the appropriate governing equations, boundary, and initial conditions were solved within the Pyomo framework. Using interior point optimization (IPOPT) with a least-squares objective function, the six parameters of the LET model that ensure the history matching between the measured and calculated average saturation are determined. Additionally, we inferred the capillary pressure function and performed a Sobol sensitivity analysis on the LET model parameters. The results showcase the reliability and robustness of our proposed approach, as it estimates the crucial parameters driving the variation of oil-water flow relative permeability across several cases and effectively predicts the capillary pressure trend. The proposed approach can be seen as an alternative to experimental and numerical simulation-based techniques for predicting relative permeability and capillary pressure curves.
Explainable Active Learning for Preference Elicitation
Authors: Cantürk Furkan , Aydoğan Reyhan
Published: February 2024

Gaining insights into the preferences of new users and subsequently personaliz-ing recommendations necessitate managing user interactions intelligently, namely, posing pertinent questions to elicit valuable information effectively. In this study, our focus is on a specific scenario of the cold-start problem, where the recom-mendation system lacks adequate user presence or access to other users’ data is restricted, obstructing employing user profiling methods utilizing existing data in the system. We employ Active Learning (AL) to solve the addressed problem with the objective of maximizing information acquisition with minimal user effort. AL operates for selecting informative data from a large unlabeled set to inquire an oracle to label them and eventually updating a machine learning (ML) model. We operate AL in an integrated process of unsupervised, semi-supervised, and super-vised ML within an explanatory preference elicitation process. It harvests user feedback (given for the system’s explanations on the presented items) over infor-mative samples to update an underlying ML model estimating user preferences. The designed user interaction facilitates personalizing the system by incorporat-ing user feedback into the ML model and also enhances user trust by refining the system’s explanations on recommendations. We implement the proposed pref-erence elicitation methodology for food recommendation. We conducted human experiments to assess its efficacy in the short term and also experimented with several AL strategies over synthetic user profiles that we created for two food datasets, aiming for long-term performance analysis. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed preference elicitation with limited user-labeled data while also promoting transparency of recommendations through accurate explanations.
Natural History of Sphingosine Phosphate Lyase Insufficiency Syndrome: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study of 76 Patients
Authors: Keller Nancy , Midgley Julian , Khalid Ehtesham , Lesmana Harry , Mathew Georgie , Mincham Christine , Teig Norbert , Khan Zubair , Khosla Indu , Mehr Sam , Guran Tulay , Buder Kathrin , Xu Hong , Alhasan Khalid , Buyukyilmaz Gonul , Weaver Nicole , Saba Julie D.
Published: February 2024

Background
Sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase insufficiency syndrome (SPLIS) is a recently recognized metabolic disorder associated with kidney, endocrine, immunological, neurological, and skin manifestations. SPLIS is caused by inactivating mutations in SGPL1, encoding the enzyme sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase, which catalyzes the final step of sphingolipid metabolism. Targeted therapies for SPLIS are in preclinical development. In anticipation of clinical trials, it will be essential to characterize the full spectrum and natural history of SPLIS. We performed a retrospective analysis of 76 SPLIS patients about whom sufficient data were available for comparison of factors influencing survival.
Results
Overall survival at last report was 50%. Major influences on survival included: (1) age and organ involvement at first presentation; (2) receiving a kidney transplant, and (3) SGPL1 genotype. Among 42 SPLIS patients with SPLIS nephropathy who had not received a transplant, two clinical subgroups were distinguished. Children diagnosed with SPLIS nephropathy before age one exhibited 78% mortality by age of last report. All remaining SPLIS nephropathy patients exhibited 27% mortality. Kidney transplantation afforded a significant benefit over dialysis or palliative care in SPLIS patients with nephropathy. SPLIS patients homozygous for the SPLR222Q variant survived longer compared to patients with other genotypes.
Conclusion
Our results demonstrate that SPLIS is a phenotypically heterogeneous condition, and that patients diagnosed with SPLIS nephropathy in the first year of life represent a high-risk subgroup.
Cruise Control Chronicles: The Fuel Consumption Saga Continues
Authors: Moawad Ayman , Han Jihun , Zebiak Matthew , Karbowski Dominik , Zhang Yaozhong , Rousseau Aymeric
Published: February 2024

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the impact of adaptive cruise control (ACC) on energy consumption in real-world driving conditions based on a natural experiment: a large-scale observational dataset of driving data from a diverse fleet of vehicles and drivers. The analysis is conducted at two different fidelity levels: (1) a macroscopic trip-level ACC benefit estimate that compares trips with and without ACC in a counterfactual way using statistical methods, and (2) a situation-based comparison achieved through the segmentation of trips into distinct driving situations such as acceleration, braking, cruising, and other maneuvers.

The results of this research show that the effect of ACC on energy consumption varies across different driving situations and levels of analysis. In a macroscopic trip-level analysis, ACC engagement is associated with a slight increase in fuel consumption across the fleet. As revealed later by the situation-based analysis, this result can be attributed to the negative impact of ACC on energy consumption in cruising mode, which is the most common driving situation. However, the situation-based comparison demonstrates that ACC can provide fuel consumption benefits in situations involving acceleration and braking, particularly when a preceding vehicle is present. The study also emphasizes the importance of controlling for various factors that can influence both fuel consumption and the likelihood of ACC engagement to properly evaluate ACC effects.
Analyzing the effect of land use patterns on cooling energy demand for residential buildings in Montreal: A Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model approach
Authors: ERREBAI Farid BOUDALI , STREBEL Dominik , CARMELIET Jan , DEROME Dominique
Published: February 2024

The relationship between Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon and cooling energy use in buildings has been widely observed and studied. In this paper, the effect of land use (river, urbanization, and vegetation) is investigated to examine how vegetation and river can dampen the effect of the UHI in various locations and its influence on the cooling energy demand of Montreal residential buildings. The climatic data for the period of interest from May 15th to June 29th, 2020 covering two heatwave periods are simulated by Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) modeling, and validated by data against weather observing stations (WOS). The results show that the average reduction in the cooling energy demand (CED) of the urbanization scenario compared to the river scenario is: 7% for the suburban location, 10.8% for locations facing the river, 1.2% for the rural location, and ranges from 3.4–7.6% for the urban locations, whereas compared to the vegetation scenario, the reduction in the CED is less compared to the river scenario except for locations facing the river. The daily average of CED during the heatwave period is almost twice as high compared to that of the remaining summer period. This study provides insights in the potential of cooling mitigation solutions.
Activity-Induced Annealing leads to Ductile-to-Brittle Transition in Amorphous Solids
Authors: Karmakar Samarajit , Sharma Rishabh
Published: February 2024

Active glasses are dense and disordered systems consisting of motile particles, capturing the phenomenology observed in many biological systems. We investigate motility-driven annealing and fluidization in these systems, offering new perspectives on cellular ageing and maturation. Our study establishes a correspondence between the yielding behavior of glassy systems under active dynamics and their yielding under oscillatory shear, revealing strikingly similar phase diagrams with areas of annealing and fluidization. The yielded region of the phase diagram may correlate with tissue fluidization, while the annealing region may explain age-related maturation and stiffening. This suggests that some mechanical changes observed in ageing tissues may partially stem from processes analogous to enhanced ageing observed in active glasses. Furthermore, by studying the mechanical response to tension in such systems, we establish that the degree of annealing alone cannot elicit a brittle response; the sample's geometry, particularly its ability to accommodate a shear band, is crucial. Thus, one must consider the embedding geometry for a complete picture of yielding and mechanical response in biological matter. Additionally, we explore the interplay between imposed and internal time scales in active glasses, shedding light on their complex mechanical responses.
WITHDRAWN: Crossing-borders: Experience with International ECMO transports
Authors: Burgos Carmen Mesas , Frenckner Björn , Broman Lars Mikael
Published: February 2024

The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn, as it was submitted in error. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference. Questions should be directed to the corresponding author.
Fourier perspectives on Gegenbauer polynomial smoothing
Authors: Wang Yue , Healy John
Published: February 2024

Gibbs ringing is an artifact that occurs physically in many signal and image acquisition modalities. Gegenbauer reconstruction is an approach to reducing Gibbs artifacts based on polynomial smoothing of continuous regions of the signal using Gegenbauer polynomials. In this work, we systematically explain Gegenbauer reconstruction in the signal processing context. We investigate how the parameters, lambda and m, impact the behavior of Gegenbauer reconstruction. We make a quantitative comparison between Gegenbauer reconstruction and other Gibbs suppression methods. Gegenbauer reconstruction assumes that the locations of the discontinuities are known, so we examined how faulty edge detection results could impact Gegenbauer reconstruction. Our results question the standing of Gegenbauer reconstruction in the literature as an exceptionally high performing method of Gibbs ringing reduction.
First-in-human comparison of second- versus third-generation L1CAM-specific CAR T cells in patients with primary refractory or relapsed neuroblastoma
Authors: Pinto Navin , Künkele Annette , Albert Catherine , Taylor Mallory , Ullom Heidi , Wilson Ashley , Huang Wenjun , Wendler Jason , Seidel Kristy , Brown Christopher , Gustafson Joshua , Rawlings-Rhea Stephanie , Beebe Adam , Mgebroff Stephanie , Gardner Rebecca , Jensen Michael , Park Julie
Published: February 2024

Outcomes for children with relapsed and refractory neuroblastoma are dismal. ENCIT-01 is our first-in-human experience in patients with relapsed and refractory neuroblastoma using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells targeting L1-CAM, an adhesion molecule that is overexpressed in neuroblastoma with limited normal tissue expression. This trial evaluated three different CAR constructs: a short spacer second-generation 4-1BB CAR (Arm A), a short spacer third-generation 4-1BB+CD28 CAR (Arm B) and a long spacer second-generation 4-1BB CAR (Arm C). Thirty-six patients were enrolled and 22 were treated (Arm A n=11, Arm B n=8 and Arm C n=3). Cytokine-release syndrome, skin rash and dose-limiting hyponatremia were recurrently encountered toxicities. Patterns of toxicity appeared at lower dose levels on Arm B and Arm C compared to Arm A, suggesting enhanced potency of the third generation and long spacer products. No objective responses were seen. Correlative analyses demonstrated CAR T cells infiltration into tumor and skin, with evidence of macrophage tumor infiltration. In addition, enhanced CD107a production in the third-generation products when compared to patient matched second generation product, potentially explaining the observation of toxicities at lower dose levels. While feasible to manufacture in a heavily pretreated population, additional engineering safety of L1CAM CAR T cells and/or strategies to target the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment may be needed to prevent toxicity and provide durable anti-tumor effects.
Characteristics That Affect the Long-term Clinical Outcome and Stroke Recurrence in Ischaemic Stroke Patients With Basilar Artery Atherosclerosis
Authors: dinç yasemin , ozpar rifat , MESUT Gizem , hojjati farid , gokce serhat , sigirli deniz , oguz-akarsu emel , saridas furkan , bakar mustafa , hakyemez bahattin
Published: February 2024

İntroduction: Posterior circulation stroke differs from anterior circulation stroke in etiopathogenesis. Studies have shown that the most common stroke aetiology in posterior circulation stroke is ischemic stroke due to large vessel atherosclerosis. However, even under aggressive medical treatment, the risk of recurrent ischemic stroke in ischemic stroke due to intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis remains high. This study aims to obtain the rate of atherosclerotic disease of the BA in our ischemic stroke population, to determine its symptomatology, and to determine the factors affecting clinical outcome and ischaemic stroke recurrence in the symptomatic group. Material method: we included 107 patients who were diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke with basilar artery stenosis. Results According to the results of our study, the degree of stenosis in atherosclerotic stenosis of the symptomatic BA was found to be an independent risk factor for stroke recurrence. Independent risk factors for unfavourable clinical outcomes in these patients were determined as female gender, stenosis being in the proximal segment, stroke mechanism being from artery to artery embolism, and congestive heart failure. Discussion The most striking result of our study is that clinical outcome was found to be closely related to the female gender, the stroke mechanism being artery-to-artery embolism, and the stenosis is in the proximal segment. If stroke mechanisms were evaluated more clearly, it would likely help provide individualized treatments.
An intestinal DHA-PA-PG axis promotes digestive organ expansion by mediating usage of maternally-deposited yolk lipids
Authors: Sun Yonghua , Chen Zhengfang , He Mudan , Wang Houpang , Li Xuehui , Qin Ruirui , Ye Ding , Zhai Xue , Zhu Junwen , Zhang Quanqing , Hu Peng , Shui Guanghou
Published: February 2024

Although the metabolism of yolk lipids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is known to play important roles in embryonic development, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here we found that the zebrafish hsd17b12a, which encodes an intestinal epithelial-specific enzyme, is crucial for the biosynthesis of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) in primitive intestine of larval fish. The deficiency of hsd17b12a leads to severe developmental defects in the primitive intestine and exocrine pancreas. Mechanically, hsd17b12a deficiency interrupts DHA synthesis from essential fatty acids (EFAs) derived from yolk-deposited triglycerides (TAGs), and consequently disrupts an intestinal DHA-phosphatidic acid (PA)-phosphatidylglycerol (PG) axis. This ultimately results in developmental defects of digestive organs, primarily driven by ferroptosis. Our findings indicate that the DHA-PA-PG axis in the primitive intestine facilitates the uptake of yolk lipids and promotes the expansion of digestive organs, thereby uncovering a novel mechanism through which DHA regulates embryonic development.
Evolutionarily conserved fMRI network dynamics in the mouse, macaque and human brain
Authors: Gozzi Alessandro , Gutierrez-Barragan daniel , Ramirez Julian , Panzeri Stefano , Xu Ting
Published: February 2024

Evolutionarily relevant networks have been previously described in several mammalian species using time-averaged analyses of fMRI time-series. However, fMRI network activity is highly dynamic and continually evolves over timescales of seconds. Whether the dynamic organization of resting-state fMRI network activity is conserved across mammalian species remains unclear. Using frame-wise clustering of fMRI time-series, we find that intrinsic fMRI network dynamics in awake macaques and humans is characterized by recurrent transitions between a set of 4 dominant, neuroanatomically homologous fMRI coactivation modes (C-modes), three of which are also plausibly represented in the rodent brain. Importantly, in all species C-modes exhibit species-invariant dynamic features, including preferred occurrence at specific phases of fMRI global signal fluctuations, and a state transition structure compatible with infraslow coupled oscillator dynamics. Moreover, dominant C-mode occurrence reconstitutes the static organization of the fMRI connectome in all species, and is predictive of ranking of corresponding fMRI connectivity gradients. These results reveal a set of species-invariant principles underlying the dynamic organization of fMRI networks in mammalian species, and offer novel opportunities to relate fMRI network findings across the phylogenetic tree.
Epidemiological, multidisciplinary analysis using molecular, morphological, and immunological approaches in the Diplostomasis infections in Oreochromis niloticus
Authors: Mahdy Olfat A. , Attia Marwa A. , Salem Mai A. , Mahdy Olfat A.
Published: February 2024

We aim to describe the epidemiological, multidisciplinary analysis using molecular, morphological, and immunological approaches in the Diplostomasis infections on Oreochromis niloticus in different localities in Egypt. This was a descriptive retrospective study that collected 470 Nile tilapia samples from 4 governorates, in Egypt during the period from January 2022 and December 2023. The variables studied were epidemiological, molecular, morphological, and immunological approaches. For the isolates D. ardeaeand D. spathaecum, entirely sequences of the ITS2 region genes and partial sequences of the cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (Cox1) "barcode" area was amplified. Cox1 partial sequences were utilized to analyze the haplotype diversity and potential host-associated structures of the most prevalent parasite species, as well as for the genetic determination of isolates. New primers were designed for the amplification of the investigated genes. Therefore, this study aimed to detect various pro-inflammatory cytokines in fish infected with Diplostomum MCs using an immunological approach. (IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, & TNF-β) in the infected muscles contain Diplostomum sp. using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). In addition, histopathological alterations of EMCs induced Zenkers necrosis and mononuclear inflammatory cells of fish muscle bundles response with muscular inflammation of infected fishes. In Egypt, an epidemiological study of two Diplostomid trematodes either metacercarial (D. spathaceum) in the eye and encysted metacercarial (D.ardeae) infections in the muscles of O. niloticus fish from four geographically different areas. The first genetic characterizations and immunological approach of two Diplostomum spp.; D. spathaceum and D.ardeae were all deposited in GenBank under the accession numbers (OR763842.1) and (OR755782.1).
Development and psychometric properties of a perceived social support scale for nurses returning to work after childbirth
Authors: Li Suya , Fan Junyao , Liu Yu , Yu Mingfeng , Jiang Yaqian
Published: February 2024

Background:There has been an increase in the number of nurses returning to work after childbirth (NRWCs) in Chinese hospital. Social support is important for NRWCs.
Objective: To develop and validate a perceived social support scale for NRWCs in China.
Method: The original items were based on a literature review, the social support theory, and semi-structured interviews. The Delphi technique was used to adjust further and screen the scale entries to form an initial draft of the scale. From February to October 2023, we recruited 627 NRWCs from hospitals in 12 provinces of China. The psychometric attributes of the scale were examined by construct validity, content validity, test–retest reliability, and internal consistency reliability. The STROBE checklist was used to guide the submission.
Results: 4 dimensions and 22 items compose the initial scale. Exploratory factor analysis verified a four-factor scale structure. The confirmatory factor analysis results showed that the four-factor structure model fitted well. The resulting scale contains 4 dimensions with 18 items. The item-level content validity index ranged from 0.83 to 1.00. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of four dimensionsand total scale were respectively 0.957, 0.899, 0.870, 0.945, 0.967. The reliability of the scale over time was further verified, with a coefficient of 0.809 for the overall scale and a range from 0.682 to 0.718for each domain.
Conclusion: Theperceived social support scale for NRWCs is a reliable and valid instrument. The application of the Perceived Social Support Scale for NRWCs would improve the assessment of social support among NRWCs.
Phase-precession-like Effects in the Anterior Insula Cortex during Reward Expectancy
Authors: Yang Linglin , Lehongre Katia , Ye Hongyi , Yu XinFeng , Navarro Vincent , Cheng Sen , Lin Zheng , Axmacher Nikolai , Wang Shuang , Zhang Hui
Published: February 2024

Reward expectancy shapes behavioral performance by coordinating the allocation of cognitive resources, which incorporates the involvement of the anterior insular cortex (AIC). To investigate AIC’s electrophysiological mechanisms during reward expectancy, we collected intracranial electroencephalographic data from epilepsy patients implanted for clinical purposes. During recording, they navigated a virtual T-maze where they encountered rewards at three predetermined locations. We focused on the time window proximal to entering the reward zone, defined as the expectancy stage. During this stage, a robust phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) between theta oscillation and gamma activity was found within the AIC. This PAC exhibited a specific temporal structure, with peak gamma activity progressively coupling to an earlier theta phase before each reward onset. These phase shift phenomena mirrored the phase precession effect, termed phase-precession-like effects (PPLEs). Meanwhile, the reward-specific neural patterns were pre-activated during the expectancy stage of rewards, coinciding with peak gamma activities across trials. Additionally, subjects exhibiting PPLEs in the AIC presented reduced variability and a more pronounced enhancement in response latency across trials. These results revealed potential electrophysiological mechanisms of the AIC underlying reward expectancy.
Neutrophil adhesion to vessel walls impairs pulmonary circulation in COVID-19 pathology
Authors: Kawaoka Yoshihiro , Ueki Hiroshi , Wang I-Hsuan , Kiso Maki , Horie Kenta , Iida Shun , Mine Sohtaro , Ujie Michiko , Hsu Hung-Wei , Henry Chen-Hui , Imai Masaki , Suzuki Tadaki , Kamitani Wataru , Kawakami Eiryo
Published: February 2024

Microthrombus formation is associated with COVID-19 severity; however, the detailed mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we investigated mouse models with severe pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection by using our in vivo two-photon imaging system. In the lungs of SARS-CoV-2-infected mice, increased expression of adhesion molecules in intravascular neutrophils prolonged adhesion time to the vessel wall, resulting in platelet aggregation and impaired lung perfusion. Re-analysis of scRNA-seq data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from COVID-19 cases revealed increased expression levels of CD44 and SELL in neutrophils in severe COVID-19 cases compared to a healthy group, consistent with our observations in the mouse model. These findings suggest that pulmonary perfusion defects caused by neutrophil adhesion to pulmonary vessels contribute to COVID-19 severity.
Rosiglitazone promotes oligodendrocyte development and myelin formation of repeated neonatal sevoflurane exposure via PPARγ signaling
Authors: Cao Tianyu , Jiang Sufang , Wang Xueji , Huang Peiying , Zhou Lijie , Di Lichao , Han Shuang , Huang Lining
Published: February 2024

One of the most prevalent general anesthetics for kids and infants is sevoflurane. According to recent research, repeated exposure to sevoflurane in neonates induces cognitive and motor deficits. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) agonists have drawn plenty of attention recently as possible therapies for a variety of neurological conditions. In this research, we evaluated whether pretreatment with rosiglitazone in neonatal mice can repair myelination defects, cognitive impairment, and motor dysfunction via PPARγ. The mice were treated with 3% sevoflurane for two hours on postnatal days 6–8. The behavioral tests were conducted from P29 to P34. Additionally, we evaluated morphological and functional symptoms related to myelin.Our results showed that rosiglitazone pretreatment significantly ameliorated the cognitive and motor impairments of repeated neonatal sevoflurane exposure. Meanwhile, rosiglitazone pretreatment promoted oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPCs) differentiation and myelination.This suggests that rosiglitazone may be used in clinical settings to increase the security of neonatal sevoflurane exposure. Furthermore, PPARγ and FASN may be mediators of rosiglitazone, which alleviates myelination defects, cognitive impairment, and motor dysfunction.
Efficient plant regeneration through callus culture in Hedychium spicatum Buch.Ham. ex. D. Don using response surface methodology
Authors: Dhyani Vibhash , Bhatt Indra D , Pandey Veena
Published: February 2024

Hedychium spicatum(Family-Zingiberaceae), commonly known as Kapoor Kachri is widely known for its medicinal properties and high market demand. The species is harvested mainly from the wild to meet the raw material requirements for the pharmaceutical and cosmaceutical industries; therefore, it needs urgent attention for its conservation and mass production. The present study developed an efficient in vitro propagation protocol for large-scale species production. The central composite design- response surface methodology (CCD-RSM) experiment was designed to optimize the plant growth regulators (PGRs) concentration for maximum callus production, shoot regeneration and rooting. Seed radicle was used as explants in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different concentrations of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA; 2.5-5.0 µM) in combination with thidiazuron (TDZ; 2.5-5.0 µM) for callus induction. TDZ (5µM) with NAA (2.5µM) showed maximum callus induction (98%) after 6 weeks of incubation. Callus pieces were transferred to MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of TDZ, NAA and Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) for shoot regeneration. The highest regeneration frequency (100 %) was observed on MS medium enriched with 2.5 µM TDZ and 3.5 µM NAA that showed a maximum number of shoots/explants (16.19 no.). Regenerated shoots were rooted better (average number of roots/shoot - 11.71) on MS medium supplemented with 2 µM NAA and 1.5 µM IBA in combination. After subsequent acclimatization and hardening process in the greenhouse, the plantlets were planted in the experimental field with a survival rate of 83% after 4 months. The protocol established in the present study has prospects to meet the challenges of quality planting material for large-scale cultivation and raw material sources for industrial utilization.
The Evaluation of risk factors and prognostic impact of glucocorticoid therapy among non-HIV patients with Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia (PCP) Running title：Glucocorticoid therapy among non-HIV patients with PCP
Authors: Li Jun , Mu Xiangdong , Li Haichao , Liu Xinmin
Published: February 2024

Background
Glucocorticoids have been shown to be very effective in the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) associated Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia (PCP). However, risk factors and the impact on prognosis in non-HIV-PCP patients remain unclear. Our study aimed to early identification risk factors and prognostic impact of glucocorticoids therapy in non-HIV-PCP patients to decrease patients’ mortality.
Methods
A retrospective study was conducted on adult (≥ 18 years old) patients diagnosed with non-HIV-PCP in Peking University First Hospital from April 2007 to October 2022. A total of 269 patients with non-HIV-PCP were hospitalized during the period, and 200 patients were eventually included. Demographic data and related clinical data were collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the relationship between variables and poor prognosis.
Results
A total of 200 non-HIV-PCP patients were included. 29% (58/200) patients died during admission. Univariate analysis showed that age, history of chemotherapy, history of glucocorticoid, autoimmune disease, organ transplantation, respiratory failure, platelet count, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, highly sensitive C-reactive protein, albumin, lactic dehydrogenase, d-dimer, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF)-neutrophil percentage, BALF-lymphocyte percentage, hospital-acquired pneumonia associated pathogen infection, pneumothorax, mediastinal emphysema, caspofungin therapy and high dose (≥ 1mg/(kg· d)) glucocorticoids therapy have a risk of death due to PCP patients. Multivariate analysis showed that age (OR = 1.062, 95%CI 1.021–1.104, P = 0.003), hospital-acquired pneumonia associated pathogen infection (OR = 4.170, 95%CI 1.407–12.357, P = 0.010) and high dose glucocorticoid therapy (OR = 7.047, 95%CI 2.482–20.006, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for in-hospital death in non-HIV-PCP patients.
Conclusions
Considering the rapid course of the disease in non-HIV-infected immunocompromised patients. Early identification of high-risk PCP patients is critical to reduce morbidity and mortality. Our study found that non-HIV-PCP patients treated with high doses of glucocorticoids, old age, history of chemotherapy and hospital-acquired pneumonia associated pathogen infection had worse outcomes during hospitalization.
Fibroblast growth factor 2 promotes osteo/odontogenic differentiation in stem cells from the apical papilla by inhibiting PI3K/AKT pathway
Authors: Wang Zijie , Chen Chuying , Sun Liying , He Mei , Huang Ting , Zheng Jiji , Wu Jiayuan
Published: February 2024

Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) is a crucial factor in odontoblast differentiation and dentin matrix deposition, which facilitates pulpodentin repair and regeneration. Nevertheless, the specific biological function of FGF2 in odontoblastic differentiation remains unclear because it is controlled by complex signalling pathways. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism underlying the effect of FGF2 on osteo/odontogenic differentiation of stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAP). SCAP were pretreated with conditioned media containing FGF2 for one week, followed by culturing in induced differentiation medium for another week. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) combined with quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to evaluate the pathways affected by FGF2 in SCAP. Osteo/odontogenic differentiation of SCAP was determined using Alizarin red S staining, alkaline phosphatase staining, RT-qPCR, and western blotting. Pretreatment with FGF2 for one week increased the osteo/odontogenic differentiation ability of SCAP. RNA-seq and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses revealed that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signalling is involved in the osteogenic function of FGF2. RT-qPCR results indicated that SCAP expressed FGF receptors, and western blotting showed that p-AKT was reduced in FGF2-pretreated SCAP. The activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway partially reversed the stimulatory effect of FGF2 on osteo/odontogenic differentiation of SCAP. Our findings suggest that pretreatment with FGF2 enhances the osteo/odontogenic differentiation ability of SCAP by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway.
A luminous, fast blue optical transient from a stellar tidal
disruption event by an intermediate-mass black hole
Authors: Gutiérrez Claudia , Mattila Seppo , Lundqvist Peter , Dessart Luc , González-Gaitán Santiago , Jonker Peter , Dong Subo , Coppejans Deanne , Chen Ping , Charalampopoulos Panagiotis , Elias-Rosa Nancy , Reynolds Tom , Kochanek Christopher , Fraser Morgan , Pastorello Andrea , Gromadzki Mariusz , Neustadt Jack , Benetti Stefano , Kankare Erkki , Kangas Tuomas , Kotak Rubina , Stritzinger Maximilian , Wevers Thomas , Zhang Bing , Bersier David , Bose Subhash , Buckley David , Dastidar Raya , Gangopadhyay Anjasha , Hamanowicz Aleksandra , Kollmeier Juna , Mao Jirong , Potter Stephen , Romero-Colmenero Encarni , Singh Mridweeka , Somero Auni , Terreran Giacomo , Vaisanen Petri , Wyrzykowski Lukasz
Published: February 2024

Intermediate-mass black holes (BHs) bridging the gap between stellar mass (MBH ≤ 100 M⊙) and supermassive BHs (M_BH ≥ 106 M⊙) are still elusive [1]. Recent James Webb Space Telescope discoveries of supermassive BHs in the early Universe (z ∼ 7-10) call for new pathways for their formation [2, 3] when the Universe was less than a billion years old, requiring intermediate-mass BHs as their seeds [4]. Here, we report the observations of a remarkable optical transient event CRTS-CSS161010 J045834-081803 (CSS161010 hereafter) 0.4” from the centre of a dwarf galaxy with a stellar mass log(M∗/M⊙)= 8.135+0.087 −0.079 M⊙. The bright and extremely fast-evolving light curves of CSS161010 share many similarities with those of the rare, luminous, fast blue optical transients. Spectroscopically, its evolution is unprecedented. The spectra show blueshifted, broad hydrogen emission lines indicating velocities of up to 10% of the speed of light. We show that CSS161010’s observed properties can naturally be explained by the tidal disruption of a star by an intermediate-mass BH with M BH = 10 3.6±0.1 M⊙. Further observations of events similar to CSS161010 can pinpoint quiescent intermediate-mass BHs in low-redshift galaxies and constrain their masses, shedding light on the formation of massive BHs in the early Universe.
M. orygis hypervirulence provides new insights into tuberculosis pathogenesis
Authors: Behr Marcel , Danchuk Sarah , Duffy Shannon , Sullivan Jaryd , Rufai Syed Beenish , McIntosh Fiona , Lupien Andreanne , Taylor Lorne , Joubert Philippe , Mortensen Rasmus , Kapur Vivek
Published: February 2024

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) includes M. tuberculosis (M. tb), the cause of human tuberculosis, and the animal pathogens, M. bovis and M. orygis, causes of tuberculosis in a broad range of mammalian hosts, including humans. Since the late 1800s, M. tb and M. bovis have shown distinct differences in clinical presentation and virulence following experimental infection. However, the pathogenicity of M. orygis has yet to be subject to experimental investigation. Despite possessing the smallest genome of the three, M. orygis is hypervirulent in C57BL/6 mice, comparable to M. bovis, but markedly different from M. tb. Proteomic comparisons, gene disruptions and infection studies reinforced the importance of the canonical virulence factor, ESAT-6, and identified MPT70 as a non-canonical virulence factor. The demonstration of differential virulence among these MTBC lineages necessitates a reconsideration of M. tb as the default organism for pathogenesis studies and has fundamental and translational implications for tuberculosis research.