bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Morphological description based on DUS characters and molecular characterization of ‘Sikkim Primitive’ maize: an endangered unique genetic resource
Authors: Kapoor Chandan , Singh Shweta , Avasthe R. K. , Raj Chandramani , Singh Matber , Lepcha Hissay L.
Published: May 2022

‘Sikkim Primitive’ (SP) maize locally known as ‘murali makkai’ in Sikkim is a unique genetic resource exhibiting prolificacy and excellent popping capacity. Status of SP has reached extinction level due to its very small population size and neglected conservation efforts in-situ. In an initial effort to conserve and revive this landrace, characterization and documentation was carried out with 31 morphologically assayed traits recorded at different growth stages along with molecular characterization with simple-sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Plants exhibited prolificacy (5–6 cobs/plant) and excellent popping capacity along with other distinct traits. Plants were tall with thin stem, loose drooping tassel with anthocyanin coloration present at the base of glumes and in brace roots. Cobs were medium sized carrying small seeds with low test weight (87.90 g). A total of 22 SSR markers show amplification in murali makkai with markers bnlg1083, umc1353, umc1128, bnlg1017, bnlg2077, umc2298 and umc2373 amplified unique amplicons ranging from 100 to 800 bp. The characterized set of traits and molecular characterization for murali makkai will facilitate in utilization for genetic improvement and maintenance of genetic purity.
In Government We Trust: Implicit Political Trust and Regime Support in China
Authors: Huang Haifeng , Intawan Chanita , Nicholson Stephen P.
Published: May 2022

High levels of self-reported trust in government found in China has invited skepticism about the authenticity of survey results. To address this question, we examine implicit political trust, an automatic, intuitive orientation toward government. Using the Single-Target Implicit Association Test, we found that the Chinese public holds an implicit trust in government that is unrelated to self-reported, explicit trust. Whereas early political socialization processes, represented by education and urban residency, increase implicit trust they also decrease explicit trust suggesting that agents of socialization have differential effects. Furthermore, performance evaluations, income, and social desirability affect explicit trust but have no effect on implicit trust. Controlling for explicit trust, we found that implicit trust matters for understanding various types of regime support including system justification, the social credit system, and government’s ability to handle crises. Our results have important implications for understanding regime support in the world’s largest authoritarian country.
Weed control and rice response from clomazone applied at different timings in a water-seeded system
Authors: Becerra-Alvarez Aaron , Ceseski Alex R , Al-Khatib Kassim
Published: May 2022

Clomazone is a widely used herbicide in California water-seeded rice for control of bearded sprangletop and watergrass. Generally, clomazone is applied to a flooded rice field at day of rice seeding. However, interest exists among growers to delay the clomazone application. Weather variability may encourage growers to practice Leathers’ method. Leathers’ method is the practice of draining the field 1 to 2 d after air seeding to encourage better and more uniform seedling establishment, then reflooding back to a 10- to 15-cm flood 4 to 7 d later. Therefore the objective of this study was to evaluate grass weed control and rice response at four rates of clomazone, applied at two timings: at day of seeding (DOS) in a continuous 10-cm flood and after Leathers’ method. This study was conducted in 2019 and 2020 at the Rice Experiment Station in Biggs, CA. In 2019, there were no difference across clomazone rates on control of bearded sprangletop independent of application timing used; however, in 2020, bearded sprangletop control with clomazone applied after Leathers’ method was 70% to 71% across clomazone rate by 60 d after treatment (DAT), compared to 92% to 97% in the DOS applications. Watergrass control was 100% in 2019 across clomazone rate and application timing. However, in 2020, watergrass control was greater at the DOS application at 54% to 71%. Clomazone applied at the 0.7 kg ha−1 Leathers’ method resulted in 84% bleaching by 14 DAT and was similar across all Leathers’ method clomazone applications and the 0.7 kg ha−1 DOS application. There was no rice grain yield difference among all clomazone-treated plots, with the exception of the 0.7 kg ha−1 Leathers’ method interaction with the DOS applications.
The Influence of the Hypergravity Field During Bubble Ripening in Porous Media
Authors: Chen R. , Chen Y. , Xu W. , Hu Y. , Zhan L. , Li J. , Zhuang D. , Li K.
Published: May 2022

With the development of carbon dioxide geological storage, the Ostwald ripening process in pores has attracted the attention of researchers due to its application to storage stability problems. However, this process is difficult to reproduce accurately in the laboratory due to the large mass transfer time scale. This article utilizes two theoretical models of gravity‐induced ripening to analyze the influence of the hypergravity field on the process. It is concluded that a decades‐long mass transfer process can be shortened to 10 days if the acceleration of gravity is increased by 1,000 times. Moreover, if the scaling laws are considered, a scaled hypergravity model can be used to reproduce long‐term and large‐scale geological phenomena in a short period, facilitating future research on the Ostwald ripening process in hypergravity centrifuges.
Characteristics and Removal of Continuous Topographic Scattering in Dense Array Receiver Function Imaging
Authors: Zhang Siyuan , Ge Zengxi , Guo Zhen
Published: May 2022

With dense nodal seismic arrays growing rapidly, receiver function (RF) imaging has revealed unprecedented small‐scale features. However, whether these fine signals represent real intra‐crustal structures needs to be verified. In this study, we take the RF profiles recorded by a dense array in Ruoergai basin in northeastern Tibet as an example and demonstrate that continuous dipping phases in receiver functions (RFs) could be generated from the interference between the incoming P‐wave and dramatic topographic variations. Full‐waveform modeling illustrates that when an incident P‐wave encounters a topographic peak, it can induce scattered P‐ and Rayleigh waves that propagate in backward and forward directions, consistent with the observations. The scattered Rayleigh waves exhibit a cosine radiation pattern in R‐components, which explains the azimuthal‐dependent observation of dipping phases in RF profiles. We then propose a two‐step separation method to suppress the continuous topographic scattered phases in RF imaging, which involves a time‐domain adaptive matched filtering and a curvelet‐based separation. The resulting common conversion point (CCP) images show that the method can effectively suppress the continuous scattered phases induced by topography. CCP images exhibit flat intra‐crustal layers, suggesting a decoupled deformation style in the upper and lower crust in NE Tibet. The upper crustal layer may represent the basement of the décollement layer, and the intermittent lower crustal interfaces are likely to indicate the partial melt within the crustal channel flow. The separation method is applicable for dense nodal array RF imaging to reveal reliable, detailed intra‐crustal structures in tectonically active regions that developed dramatic topography.
Evolution of Jupiter‐Style Critical Latitudes: Initial Laboratory Altimetry Results
Authors: Afanasyev Y. D. , Dowling T. E.
Published: May 2022

This is a laboratory zonal‐jet study using a rotating water tank. The bottom topography has a tent‐shaped radial cross section designed to generate two critical latitudes, that is, two positions whereβe, the radial gradient of the potential vorticity (PV), changes sign. This configuration is motivated by observations indicating that Jupiter and Saturn have not only multiple zonal jets, but multiple stable critical latitudes. It is known that “supersonic” critical latitudes (with respect to Rossby waves) are stable, whereas “subsonic” critical latitudes are posited to be unstable. Because Rossby waves are unidirectional, “supersonic” critical latitudes come in two varieties: Rossby Mach numberMR > 1 and < 0, where the latter holds when the waves are directed downstream. Experiments focus on: (a) how do zonal jets emerge from localized forcing in a system with alternating PV gradients? and (b) what differences are there between the evolution of various types of critical latitudes? The water is forced by mass injection along one radius. Laboratory altimetry provides accurate, unobtrusive records of the circulations that reveal the emergence of counter‐propagatingβ‐plumes (Rossby‐wave envelopes), which expand into tank‐encircling zonal jets. The tank's negativeβezone (annulus) is characterized byMR∼ 1. The weaker critical latitude adjusts its position by about 4% of the tank radius and maintainsMR∼ 1, similar to the state surmised for Jupiter and Saturn, whereas the stronger critical latitude vacillates while maintaining |MR| ≪ 1 and may be relevant to steep oceanic seamounts.
A Spectrum of Convective Self‐Aggregation Based on Background Rotation
Authors: Carstens Jacob D. , Wing Allison A.
Published: May 2022

High‐resolution modeling reveals a tendency for deep convection to spontaneously self‐aggregate from radiative‐convective equilibrium. Self‐aggregated convection takes different forms in nonrotating versus rotating environments, including tropical cyclones (TCs) in the latter. This suggests that self‐aggregation (SA), and the relative roles of the mechanisms that cause it, may undergo a gradual regime shift as the ambient rotation changes. We address this hypothesis using 31 cloud‐resolving model simulations on f‐planes corresponding to latitudes between 0.1° and 20°, spanning a range of weakly rotating environments largely unexplored in prior literature. Simulations are classified into three groups. The first (low‐f, 0.1°–5°) is characterized by the growth of several dry patches. Surface enthalpy flux feedbacks dominate in this initial growth phase, followed by radiative (primarily cloud longwave) effects. Eventually, convection takes the form of either a nonrotating band or a quasi‐circular cluster. In contrast, the 9°–20° (high‐f) group dries less rapidly in early stages, though enhanced surface flux effects form a moist anomaly that undergoes TC genesis. The TC then acts to dry the remainder of the domain. Finally, a set of 6°–8° (medium‐f) simulations fails to fully self‐aggregate, producing convection across most of the domain through the full 100‐day simulation. The combination of relatively weak diabatic feedbacks and a negative advective feedback prevents SA from completing in this group. The advective feedback becomes more negative with increasing rotation, but high‐f simulations compensate by having sufficiently strong surface flux feedbacks to support TC genesis.
Reduction of Mutual Coupling and Cross‐Polarization of Microstrip MIMO Antenna Using Electromagnetic Soft Surface (EMSS)
Authors: Bhattacharjee Swati , Mandal Santimoy , Ghosh Chandan Kumar , Banerjee Soumen
Published: May 2022

Mutual coupling, in case of closely spaced microstrip antenna elements, is an inevitable phenomenon degrading antenna performances like gain, radiation pattern, return loss, radiation efficiency, etc. In this paper, an approach toward the suppression of mutual coupling between two closely spaced microstrip radiators is presented for the proposed Multiple‐Input‐Multiple‐Output (MIMO) antennas. The same has been materialized through an insertion of a properly designed Electromagnetic Soft Surface structure between the radiating elements, which acts as an electrical wall between two rectangular patches and reduces the mutual coupling up to 50 dB at resonant frequency of 4.35 GHz. An attempt toward reduction of cross‐polarization by 12.5 dB is also achieved with a gain of 5.4 dBi for the proposed antenna. The center‐to‐center spacing between the antenna elements is kept at 22.1 mm (0.32λ). The proposed MIMO antenna structure will be useful in case of radar‐ and satellite‐based communication systems.
Machine Learning‐Based Surrogate Modeling for Urban Water Networks: Review and Future Research Directions
Authors: Garzón A. , Kapelan Z. , Langeveld J. , Taormina R.
Published: May 2022

Surrogate models replace computationally expensive simulations of physically‐based models to obtain accurate results at a fraction of the time. These surrogate models, also known as metamodels, have been employed for analysis, control, and optimization of water distribution and urban drainage systems. With the advent of machine learning (ML), water engineers have increasingly resorted to these data‐driven techniques to develop metamodels of urban water networks (UWNs). In this article, we review 31 recent articles on ML‐based metamodeling of UWNs to outline the state‐of‐the‐art of the field, identify outstanding gaps, and propose future research directions. For each article, we critically examined the purpose of the metamodel, the metamodel characteristics, and the applied case study. The review shows that current metamodels suffer several drawbacks, including (a) the curse of dimensionality, hindering implementation for large case studies; (b) black‐box deterministic nature, limiting explainability and applicability; and (c) rigid architecture, preventing generalization across multiple case studies. We argue that researchers should tackle these issues by resorting to recent advancements in ML concerning inductive biases, robustness, and transferability. Recently developed neural network architectures, which extend deep learning methods to graph data structures, are preferred candidates for advancing surrogate modeling in UWNs. Furthermore, we foresee increasing efforts for complex applications where metamodels may play a fundamental role, such as uncertainty analysis and multi‐objective optimization. Lastly, the development and comparison of ML‐based metamodels can benefit from the availability of new benchmark datasets for urban drainage systems and realistic complex networks.
Geologic Context of the Bright MARSIS Reflectors in Ultimi Scopuli, South Polar Layered Deposits, Mars
Authors: Landis M. E. , Whitten J. L.
Published: May 2022

Radar‐bright basal reflectors have been detected below the South Polar Layered Deposits (SPLD), using Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) data and have an exciting but controversial interpretation: liquid water from subglacial lakes. We mapped the surface of the SPLD immediately above and surrounding the putative lakes (1:2M map scale) in order to provide a geologic context for the interpretation of bright basal reflectors. We use Thermal Emission Imaging System daytime IR (100 m/pixel), Context Camera (6 m/pixel), and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (25 cm/pixel) data to characterize geologic units and typical surface roughness. We find evidence for multiple geologic units with features due to CO2 and aeolian‐related processes. We do not find evidence for surface modification linked to postulated lake locations. This is not consistent with the interpretation of the MARSIS basal radar reflector as subglacial lakes.
InSight Constraints on the Global Character of the Martian Crust
Authors: Wieczorek Mark A. , Broquet Adrien , McLennan Scott M. , Rivoldini Attilio , Golombek Matthew , Antonangeli Daniele , Beghein Caroline , Giardini Domenico , Gudkova Tamara , Gyalay Szilárd , Johnson Catherine L. , Joshi Rakshit , Kim Doyeon , King Scott D. , Knapmeyer‐Endrun Brigitte , Lognonné Philippe , Michaut Chloé , Mittelholz Anna , Nimmo Francis , Ojha Lujendra , Panning Mark P. , Plesa Ana‐Catalina , Siegler Matthew A. , Smrekar Suzanne E. , Spohn Tilman , Banerdt W. Bruce
Published: May 2022

Analyses of seismic data from the InSight mission have provided the first in situ constraints on the thickness of the crust of Mars. These crustal thickness constraints are currently limited to beneath the lander that is located in the northern lowlands, and we use gravity and topography data to construct global crustal thickness models that satisfy the seismic data. These models consider a range of possible mantle and core density profiles, a range of crustal densities, a low‐density surface layer, and the possibility that the crustal density of the northern lowlands is greater than that of the southern highlands. Using the preferred InSight three‐layer seismic model of the crust, the average crustal thickness of the planet is found to lie between 30 and 72 km. Depending on the choice of the upper mantle density, the maximum permissible density of the northern lowlands and southern highlands crust is constrained to be between 2,850 and 3,100 kg m−3. These crustal densities are lower than typical Martian basaltic materials and are consistent with a crust that is on average more felsic than the materials found at the surface. We argue that a substantial portion of the crust of Mars is a primary crust that formed during the initial differentiation of the planet. Various hypotheses for the origin of the observed intracrustal seisimic layers are assessed, with our preferred interpretation including thick volcanic deposits, ejecta from the Utopia basin, porosity closure, and differentiation products of a Borealis impact melt sheet.
Deficient prefrontal-amygdalar connectivity underlies inefficient face processing in adolescent major depressive disorder
Authors: Willinger David , Karipidis Iliana I. , Häberling Isabelle , Berger Gregor , Walitza Susanne , Brem Silvia
Published: May 2022

Adolescence represents a critical developmental period where the prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) increases. Aberrant emotion processing is a core feature of adolescent MDD that has been associated with functional alterations within the prefrontal-amygdala circuitry. In this study, we tested cognitive and neural mechanisms of emotional face processing in adolescents with MDD utilizing a combination of computational modeling and neuroimaging. Thirty adolescents with MDD (age: M = 16.1 SD = 1.4, 20 females) and 33 healthy controls (age: M = 16.2 SD = 1.9, 20 females) performed a dynamic face- and shape-matching task. A linear ballistic accumulator model was fit to the behavioral data to study differences in evidence accumulation. We used dynamic causal modeling (DCM) to study effective connectivity in the prefrontal-amygdala network to reveal the neural underpinnings of cognitive impairments while performing the task. Face processing efficiency was reduced in the MDD group and most pronounced for ambiguous faces with neutral emotional expressions. Critically, this reduction was related to increased deactivation of the subgenual anterior cingulate (sgACC). Connectivity analysis showed that MDD exhibited altered functional coupling in a distributed network spanning the fusiform face area–lateral prefrontal cortex–sgACC and the sgACC–amygdala pathway. Our results suggest that MDD is related to impairments of processing nuanced facial expressions. Distributed dysfunctional coupling in the face processing network might result in inefficient evidence sampling and inappropriate emotional responses contributing to depressive symptomatology. Our study provides novel insights in the characterization of brain function in adolescents with MDD that strongly emphasize the critical role of aberrant prefrontal-amygdala interactions during emotional face processing.
Loss of RBMS1 promotes anti-tumor immunity through enabling PD-L1 checkpoint blockade in triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Zhang Jinrui , Zhang Ge , Zhang Wenjing , Bai Lu , Wang Luning , Li Tiantian , Yan Li , Xu Yang , Chen Dan , Gao Wenting , Gao Chuanzhou , Chen Chaoqun , Ren Menglin , Jiao Yuexia , Qin Hongqiang , Sun Yu , Zhi Lili , Qi Yangfan , Zhao Jinyao , Liu Quentin , Liu Han , Wang Yang
Published: May 2022

Immunotherapy has been widely utilized in multiple tumors, however, its efficacy in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) is still being challenged. Meanwhile, functions and mechanisms of RNA binding proteins in regulating immunotherapy for TNBC remain largely elusive. Here we reported that the RNA binding protein RBMS1 is prevalent among immune-cold TNBC. Through a systematic shRNA-mediated screen, we found depletion of RBMS1 significantly reduced the level of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in TNBC. Clinically, RBMS1 was increased in breast cancer and its level was positively correlated to that of PD-L1. RBMS1 ablation stimulated cytotoxic T cell mediated anti-tumor immunity. Mechanistically, RBMS1 regulated the mRNA stability of B4GALT1, a newly identified glycosyltransferase of PD-L1. Depletion of RBMS1 destabilized the mRNA of B4GALT1, inhibited the glycosylation of PD-L1 and promoted the ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of PD-L1. Importantly, combination of RBMS1 depletion with CTLA4 immune checkpoint blockade or CAR-T treatment enhanced anti-tumor T-cell immunity both in vitro and in vivo. Together, our findings provided a new immunotherapeutic strategy against TNBC by targeting the immunosuppressive RBMS1.
CircFBXW7 inhibits the tumorigenesis of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia through modulating miR-494-3p/SOX1 axis
Authors: Luo Cong , Li Jun-Jun , Wen Feng , Cao Yi-Xiong , Luo Ze-Yu , Long Xing-Xing
Published: May 2022

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a type of leukemia with high malignant behaviors, which seriously threatens the health of people. It has been reported that circFBXW7 is downregulated in lymphoblastic leukemia. Nevertheless, the exact role of circFBXW7 in T-ALL remains elusive. MTT assay was used to assess the cell viability. Cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. In addition, mRNA expressions were assessed by RT-qPCR, and a western blot was applied to investigate the protein levels. Meanwhile, the correlation among circFBXW7, miR-494-3p, and SOX1 was explored by RNA pull-down and dual-luciferase reporter assays. Furthermore, a xenograft mice model was conducted to verify the function of circFBXW7 in T-ALL in vivo. CircFBXW7 was significantly downregulated in T-ALL, of which overexpression inhibited the cell viability and induced the apoptosis of Jurkat cells. Moreover, miR-494-3p was identified to be a functional downstream effector to be involved in circFBXW7-mediated T-ALL cell proliferation. Besides, SOX1 was a direct target of miR-494-3p, and the impact of miR-494-3p mimics on T-ALL cell growth was inhibited in the presence of SOX1 overexpression. Furthermore, overexpression of circFBXW7 dramatically inhibited T-ALL tumor growth. In summary, circFBXW7 attenuated the tumorigenesis of T-ALL through the mediation of the miR-494-3p/SOX1 axis, which might be novel targets for T-ALL treatment.
Decoding the pathogenesis of Diamond–Blackfan anemia using single-cell RNA-seq
Authors: Wang Bingrui , Wang Chenchen , Wan Yang , Gao Jie , Ma Yige , Zhang Yingnan , Tong Jingyuan , Zhang Yingchi , Liu Jinhua , Chang Lixian , Xu Changlu , Shen Biao , Chen Yumei , Jiang Erlie , Kurita Ryo , Nakamura Yukio , Lim Kim-Chew , Engel James Douglas , Zhou Jiaxi , Cheng Tao , Zhu Xiaofan , Zhu Ping , Shi Lihong
Published: May 2022

Ribosomal protein dysfunction causes diverse human diseases, including Diamond–Blackfan anemia (DBA). Despite the universal need for ribosomes in all cell types, the mechanisms underlying ribosomopathies, which are characterized by tissue-specific defects, are still poorly understood. In the present study, we analyzed the transcriptomes of single purified erythroid progenitors isolated from the bone marrow of DBA patients. These patients were categorized into untreated, glucocorticoid (GC)-responsive and GC-non-responsive groups. We found that erythroid progenitors from untreated DBA patients entered S-phase of the cell cycle under considerable duress, resulting in replication stress and the activation of P53 signaling. In contrast, cell cycle progression was inhibited through induction of the type 1 interferon pathway in treated, GC-responsive patients, but not in GC-non-responsive patients. Notably, a low dose of interferon alpha treatment stimulated the production of erythrocytes derived from DBA patients. By linking the innately shorter cell cycle of erythroid progenitors to DBA pathogenesis, we demonstrated that interferon-mediated cell cycle control underlies the clinical efficacy of glucocorticoids. Our study suggests that interferon administration may constitute a new alternative therapeutic strategy for the treatment of DBA. The trial was registered at www.chictr.org.cn as ChiCTR2000038510.
Magnetic Bloch oscillations and domain wall dynamics in a near-Ising ferromagnetic chain
Authors: Hansen Ursula B. , Syljuåsen Olav F. , Jensen Jens , Schäffer Turi K. , Andersen Christopher R. , Boehm Martin , Rodriguez-Rivera Jose A. , Christensen Niels B. , Lefmann Kim
Published: May 2022

When charged particles in periodic lattices are subjected to a constant electric field, they respond by oscillating. Here we demonstrate that the magnetic analogue of these Bloch oscillations are realised in a ferromagnetic easy axis chain. In this case, the “particles” undergoing oscillatory motion in the presence of a magnetic field are domain walls. Inelastic neutron scattering reveals three distinct components of the low energy spin-dynamics including a signature Bloch oscillation mode. Using parameter-free theoretical calculations, we are able to account for all features in the excitation spectrum, thus providing detailed insights into the complex dynamics in spin-anisotropic chains.
Marginal speed confinement resolves the conflict between correlation and control in collective behaviour
Authors: Cavagna Andrea , Culla Antonio , Feng Xiao , Giardina Irene , Grigera Tomas S. , Kion-Crosby Willow , Melillo Stefania , Pisegna Giulia , Postiglione Lorena , Villegas Pablo
Published: May 2022

Speed fluctuations of individual birds in natural flocks are moderate, due to the aerodynamic and biomechanical constraints of flight. Yet the spatial correlations of such fluctuations are scale-free, namely they have a range as wide as the entire group, a property linked to the capacity of the system to collectively respond to external perturbations. Scale-free correlations and moderate fluctuations set conflicting constraints on the mechanism controlling the speed of each agent, as the factors boosting correlation amplify fluctuations, and vice versa. Here, using a statistical field theory approach, we suggest that a marginal speed confinement that ignores small deviations from the natural reference value while ferociously suppressing larger speed fluctuations, is able to reconcile scale-free correlations with biologically acceptable group’s speed. We validate our theoretical predictions by comparing them with field experimental data on starling flocks with group sizes spanning an unprecedented interval of over two orders of magnitude.
A randomized controlled trial for response of microbiome network to exercise and diet intervention in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Cheng Runtan , Wang Lu , Le Shenglong , Yang Yifan , Zhao Can , Zhang Xiangqi , Yang Xin , Xu Ting , Xu Leiting , Wiklund Petri , Ge Jun , Lu Dajiang , Zhang Chenhong , Chen Luonan , Cheng Sulin
Published: May 2022

Exercise and diet are treatments for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and prediabetes, however, how exercise and diet interventions impact gut microbiota in patients is incompletely understood. We previously reported a 8.6-month, four-arm (Aerobic exercise, n = 29; Diet, n = 28; Aerobic exercise + Diet, n = 29; No intervention, n = 29) randomized, singe blinded (for researchers), and controlled intervention in patients with NAFLD and prediabetes to assess the effect of interventions on the primary outcomes of liver fat content and glucose metabolism. Here we report the third primary outcome of the trial—gut microbiota composition—in participants who completed the trial (22 in Aerobic exercise, 22 in Diet, 23 in Aerobic exercise + Diet, 18 in No Intervention). We show that combined aerobic exercise and diet intervention are associated with diversified and stabilized keystone taxa, while exercise and diet interventions alone increase network connectivity and robustness between taxa. No adverse effects were observed with the interventions. In addition, in exploratory ad-hoc analyses we find that not all subjects responded to the intervention in a similar manner, when using differentially altered gut microbe amplicon sequence variants abundance to classify the responders and low/non-responders. A personalized gut microbial network at baseline could predict the individual responses in liver fat to exercise intervention. Our findings suggest an avenue for developing personalized intervention strategies for treatment of NAFLD based on host-gut microbiome ecosystem interactions, however, future studies with large sample size are needed to validate these discoveries. The Trial Registration Number is ISRCTN 42622771.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness and perinatal outcomes of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy
Authors: Prasad Smriti , Kalafat Erkan , Blakeway Helena , Townsend Rosemary , O’Brien Pat , Morris Edward , Draycott Tim , Thangaratinam Shakila , Le Doare Kirsty , Ladhani Shamez , von Dadelszen Peter , Magee Laura A. , Heath Paul , Khalil Asma
Published: May 2022

Safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy is a particular concern affecting vaccination uptake by this vulnerable group. Here we evaluated evidence from 23 studies including 117,552 COVID-19 vaccinated pregnant people, almost exclusively with mRNA vaccines. We show that the effectiveness of mRNA vaccination against RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection 7 days after second dose was 89·5% (95% CI 69·0-96·4%, 18,828 vaccinated pregnant people, I2 = 73·9%). The risk of stillbirth was significantly lower in the vaccinated cohort by 15% (pooled OR 0·85; 95% CI 0·73–0·99, 66,067 vaccinated vs. 424,624 unvaccinated, I2 = 93·9%). There was no evidence of a higher risk of adverse outcomes including miscarriage, earlier gestation at birth, placental abruption, pulmonary embolism, postpartum haemorrhage, maternal death, intensive care unit admission, lower birthweight Z-score, or neonatal intensive care unit admission (p > 0.05 for all). COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in pregnancy appears to be safe and is associated with a reduction in stillbirth.
A genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screen identifies essential and growth-restricting genes in human trophoblast stem cells
Authors: Dong Chen , Fu Shuhua , Karvas Rowan M. , Chew Brian , Fischer Laura A. , Xing Xiaoyun , Harrison Jessica K. , Popli Pooja , Kommagani Ramakrishna , Wang Ting , Zhang Bo , Theunissen Thorold W.
Published: May 2022

The recent derivation of human trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs) provides a scalable in vitro model system of human placental development, but the molecular regulators of hTSC identity have not been systematically explored thus far. Here, we utilize a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screen to comprehensively identify essential and growth-restricting genes in hTSCs. By cross-referencing our data to those from similar genetic screens performed in other cell types, as well as gene expression data from early human embryos, we define hTSC-specific and -enriched regulators. These include both well-established and previously uncharacterized trophoblast regulators, such as ARID3A, GATA2, and TEAD1 (essential), and GCM1, PTPN14, and TET2 (growth-restricting). Integrated analysis of chromatin accessibility, gene expression, and genome-wide location data reveals that the transcription factor TEAD1 regulates the expression of many trophoblast regulators in hTSCs. In the absence of TEAD1, hTSCs fail to complete faithful differentiation into extravillous trophoblast (EVT) cells and instead show a bias towards syncytiotrophoblast (STB) differentiation, thus indicating that this transcription factor safeguards the bipotent lineage potential of hTSCs. Overall, our study provides a valuable resource for dissecting the molecular regulation of human placental development and diseases.
Environmental cues from neural crest derivatives act as metastatic triggers in an embryonic neuroblastoma model
Authors: Ben Amar Dounia , Thoinet Karine , Villalard Benjamin , Imbaud Olivier , Costechareyre Clélia , Jarrosson Loraine , Reynaud Florie , Novion Ducassou Julia , Couté Yohann , Brunet Jean-François , Combaret Valérie , Corradini Nadège , Delloye-Bourgeois Céline , Castellani Valérie
Published: May 2022

Embryonic malignant transformation is concomitant to organogenesis, often affecting multipotent and migratory progenitors. While lineage relationships between malignant cells and their physiological counterparts are extensively investigated, the contribution of exogenous embryonic signals is not fully known. Neuroblastoma (NB) is a childhood malignancy of the peripheral nervous system arising from the embryonic trunk neural crest (NC) and characterized by heterogeneous and interconvertible tumor cell identities. Here, using experimental models mimicking the embryonic context coupled to proteomic and transcriptomic analyses, we show that signals released by embryonic sympathetic ganglia, including Olfactomedin-1, induce NB cells to shift from a noradrenergic to mesenchymal identity, and to activate a gene program promoting NB metastatic onset and dissemination. From this gene program, we extract a core signature specifically shared by metastatic cancers with NC origin. This reveals non-cell autonomous embryonic contributions regulating the plasticity of NB identities and setting pro-dissemination gene programs common to NC-derived cancers.
Investigating the presence of adsorbed species on Pt steps at low potentials
Authors: Rizo Rubén , Fernández-Vidal Julia , Hardwick Laurence J. , Attard Gary A. , Vidal-Iglesias Francisco J. , Climent Victor , Herrero Enrique , Feliu Juan M.
Published: May 2022

The study of the OH adsorption process on Pt single crystals is of paramount importance since this adsorbed species is considered the main intermediate in many electrochemical reactions of interest, in particular, those oxidation reactions that require a source of oxygen. So far, it is frequently assumed that the OH adsorption on Pt only takes place at potentials higher than 0.55 V (versus the reversible hydrogen electrode), regardless of the Pt surface structure. However, by CO displacement experiments, alternating current voltammetry, and Raman spectroscopy, we demonstrate here that OH is adsorbed at more negative potentials on the low coordinated Pt atoms, the Pt steps. This finding opens a new door in the mechanistic study of many relevant electrochemical reactions, leading to a better understanding that, ultimately, can be essential to reach the final goal of obtaining improved catalysts for electrochemical applications of technological interest.
Multivalent 9-O-Acetylated-sialic acid glycoclusters as potent inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Petitjean Simon J. L. , Chen Wenzhang , Koehler Melanie , Jimmidi Ravikumar , Yang Jinsung , Mohammed Danahe , Juniku Blinera , Stanifer Megan L. , Boulant Steeve , Vincent Stéphane P. , Alsteens David
Published: May 2022

The recent emergence of highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants illustrates the urgent need to better understand the molecular details of the virus binding to its host cell and to develop anti-viral strategies. While many studies focused on the role of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor in the infection, others suggest the important role of cell attachment factors such as glycans. Here, we use atomic force microscopy to study these early binding events with the focus on the role of sialic acids (SA). We show that SARS-CoV-2 binds specifically to 9-O-acetylated-SA with a moderate affinity, supporting its role as an attachment factor during virus landing to cell host surfaces. For therapeutic purposes and based on this finding, we have designed novel blocking molecules with various topologies and carrying a controlled number of SA residues, enhancing affinity through a multivalent effect. Inhibition assays show that the AcSA-derived glycoclusters are potent inhibitors of cell binding and infectivity, offering new perspectives in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Twisted oxide lateral homostructures with conjunction tunability
Authors: Wu Ping-Chun , Wei Chia-Chun , Zhong Qilan , Ho Sheng-Zhu , Liou Yi-De , Liu Yu-Chen , Chiu Chun-Chien , Tzeng Wen-Yen , Chang Kuo-En , Chang Yao-Wen , Zheng Junding , Chang Chun-Fu , Tu Chien-Ming , Chen Tse-Ming , Luo Chih-Wei , Huang Rong , Duan Chun-Gang , Chen Yi-Chun , Kuo Chang-Yang , Yang Jan-Chi
Published: May 2022

Epitaxial growth is of significant importance over the past decades, given it has been the key process of modern technology for delivering high-quality thin films. For conventional heteroepitaxy, the selection of proper single crystal substrates not only facilitates the integration of different materials but also fulfills interface and strain engineering upon a wide spectrum of functionalities. Nevertheless, the lattice structure, regularity and crystalline orientation are determined once a specific substrate is chosen. Here, we reveal the growth of twisted oxide lateral homostructure with controllable in-plane conjunctions. The twisted lateral homostructures with atomically sharp interfaces can be composed of epitaxial “blocks” with different crystalline orientations, ferroic orders and phases. We further demonstrate that this approach is universal for fabricating various complex systems, in which the unconventional physical properties can be artificially manipulated. Our results establish an efficient pathway towards twisted lateral homostructures, adding additional degrees of freedom to design epitaxial films.
Deterministic control of ferroelectric polarization by ultrafast laser pulses
Authors: Chen Peng , Paillard Charles , Zhao Hong Jian , Íñiguez Jorge , Bellaiche Laurent
Published: May 2022

Ultrafast light-matter interactions present a promising route to control ferroelectric polarization at room temperature, which is an exciting idea for designing novel ferroelectric-based devices. One emergent light-induced technique for controlling polarization consists in anharmonically driving a high-frequency phonon mode through its coupling to the polarization. A step towards such control has been recently accomplished, but the polarization has been reported to be only partially reversed and for a short lapse of time. Such transient partial reversal is not currently understood, and it is presently unclear if full control of polarization, by, e.g., fully reversing it or even making it adopt different directions (thus inducing structural phase transitions), can be achieved by activating the high-frequency phonon mode via terahertz pulse stimuli. Here, by means of realistic simulations of a prototypical ferroelectric, we reveal and explain (1) why a transient partial reversal has been observed, and (2) how to deterministically control the ferroelectric polarization thanks to these stimuli. Such results can provide guidance for realizing original ultrafast optoferroic devices.
Photovoltage memory effect in a portable Faradaic junction solar rechargeable device
Authors: Wang Pin , Xue Mengfan , Jiang Dongjian , Yang Yanliang , Zhang Junzhe , Dong Hongzheng , Sun Gengzhi , Yao Yingfang , Luo Wenjun , Zou Zhigang
Published: May 2022

Two-electrode solar rechargeable device is one of the promising technologies to address the problem of solar energy storage in large scale. However, the mechanism of dark output voltage remains unclear and the low volumetric energy density also limits its practical applications. Herein, we report that a Si/CoOx/KBi(aq)/MnOx Faradaic junction device exhibits a photovoltage memory effect, that is, the dark output voltage can precisely record the value of the photovoltage in the device. To investigate the mechanism of the effect, we develop an open circuit potential method to real-time monitor the photo charge and dark discharge processes in the Faradaic junction device. This effect leads to minimized interface energy loss in the Faradaic junction device, which achieves much higher performances than the devices without the effect. Moreover, we realize a portable device with a record value of the dark volumetric energy density (∼1.89 mJ cm−3) among all reported two-electrode solar rechargeable devices. These results offer guidance to improve the performance of a solar rechargeable device and design other photoelectric devices for new applications.
Identification of biomarkers of response to preoperative talazoparib monotherapy in treatment naïve gBRCA+ breast cancers
Authors: Liu Xuan , Ge Zhongqi , Yang Fei , Contreras Alejandro , Lee Sanghoon , White Jason B. , Lu Yiling , Labrie Marilyne , Arun Banu K. , Moulder Stacy L. , Mills Gordon B. , Piwnica-Worms Helen , Litton Jennifer K. , Chang Jeffrey T.
Published: May 2022

Germline mutations inBRCA1orBRCA2exist in ~2–7% of breast cancer patients, which has led to the approval of PARP inhibitors in the advanced setting. We have previously reported a phase II neoadjuvant trial of single agent talazoparib for patients with germlineBRCApathogenic variants with a pathologic complete response (pCR) rate of 53%. As nearly half of the patients treated did not have pCR, better strategies are needed to overcome treatment resistance. To this end, we conducted multi-omic analysis of 13 treatment naïve breast cancer tumors from patients that went on to receive single-agent neoadjuvant talazoparib. We looked for biomarkers that were predictive of response (assessed by residual cancer burden) after 6 months of therapy. We found that all resistant tumors exhibited either the loss of SHLD2, expression of a hypoxia signature, or expression of a stem cell signature. These results indicate that the deep analysis of pre-treatment tumors can identify biomarkers that are predictive of response to talazoparib and potentially other PARP inhibitors, and provides a framework that will allow for better selection of patients for treatment, as well as a roadmap for the development of novel combination therapies to prevent emergence of resistance.
Impact of the valley orbit coupling on exchange gate for spin qubits in silicon
Authors: Tariq Bilal , Hu Xuedong
Published: May 2022

The mixing of conduction band valleys plays a critical role in determining electronic spectrum and dynamics in a silicon nanostructure. Here, we investigate theoretically how valley–orbit coupling affects the exchange interaction in a silicon double quantum dot. We find that exchange splitting can be strongly suppressed at finite valley phase differences between the dots because of the valley-phase-dependent dressing of the ground states and Coulomb exchange integrals, and a small valley splitting can render the exchange Hamiltonian incomplete in describing low-energy dynamics due to nearby excited valley states. The higher orbital states are also vital in calculating the exchange splitting, which is crucial for applications such as exchange gates for spin qubits.
Dissecting schizophrenia phenotypic variation: the contribution of genetic variation, environmental exposures, and gene–environment interactions
Authors: Zhang Hanxin , Khan Atif , Kushner Steven A. , Rzhetsky Andrey
Published: May 2022

Schizophrenia is among the leading causes of disability worldwide. Prior studies have conclusively demonstrated that the etiology of schizophrenia contains a strong genetic component. However, the understanding of environmental contributions and gene–environment interactions have remained less well understood. Here, we estimated the genetic and environmental contributions to schizophrenia risk using a unique combination of data sources and mathematical models. We used the administrative health records of 481,657 U.S. individuals organized into 128,989 families. In addition, we employed rich geographically specific measures of air, water, and land quality across the United States. Using models of progressively increasing complexity, we examined both linear and non-linear contributions of genetic variation and environmental exposures to schizophrenia risk. Our results demonstrate that heritability estimates differ significantly when gene–environment interactions are included in the models, dropping from 79% for the simplest model, to 46% in the best-fit model which included the full set of linear and non-linear parameters. Taken together, these findings suggest that environmental factors are an important source of explanatory variance underlying schizophrenia risk. Future studies are warranted to further explore linear and non-linear environmental contributions to schizophrenia risk and investigate the causality of these associations.
Comprehensive 16S rRNA and metagenomic data from the gut microbiome of aging and rejuvenation mouse models
Authors: Shin Jongoh , Noh Jung-Ran , Choe Donghui , Lee Namil , Song Yoseb , Cho Suhyung , Kang Eun-Jung , Go Min-Jeong , Ha Seok Kyun , Kim Jae-Hoon , Kim Yong-Hoon , Kim Kyoung-Shim , Kim Byoung-Chan , Lee Chul-Ho , Cho Byung-Kwan
Published: May 2022

The gut microbiota is associated with the health and longevity of the host. A few methods, such as fecal microbiota transplantation and oral administration of probiotics, have been applied to alter the gut microbiome and promote healthy aging. The changes in host microbiomes still remain poorly understood. Here, we characterized both the changes in gut microbial communities and their functional potential derived from colon samples in mouse models during aging. We achieved this through four procedures including co-housing, serum injection, parabiosis, and oral administration of Akkermansia muciniphila as probiotics using bacterial 16 S rRNA sequencing and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. The dataset comprised 16 S rRNA sequencing (36,249,200 paired-end reads, 107 sequencing data) and metagenomic sequencing data (307,194,369 paired-end reads, 109 sequencing data), characterizing the taxonomy of bacterial communities and their functional potential during aging and rejuvenation. The generated data expand the resources of the gut microbiome related to aging and rejuvenation and provide a useful dataset for research on developing therapeutic strategies to achieve healthy active aging.