bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Does Religiosity Influence Gambling? A Cross-Cultural Study Between Portuguese and English Youth
Authors: Calado Filipa , Vernon Mike , Nuyens Filip , Alexandre Joana , Griffiths Mark D.
Published: December 2023

Research has shown that religion can play a protective role in diverse risky behaviors among young people. However, very little is known about the effect of religion in gambling, especially among young problem gamblers. A strong moral belief regarding gambling may prevent adolescents and young adults engaging in gambling and developing problems. Nevertheless, some evidence suggests that religion might have an influence on gambling cognitive distortions (i.e., some religious beliefs might influence the conceptions of chance and luck, which may contribute to an increase in gambling participation). The present study examined the different effects that religion can have on gambling behavior, in two different cultural contexts (i.e., Portugal and England), characterized by different religious affiliations. A sample (n = 725) comprising Portuguese (n = 312) and English (n = 413) adolescents and young adults completed an online survey. The findings indicated that Portuguese youth were more religious than their English counterparts. Moreover, religiosity was associated with lower gambling engagement among participants in both samples. Mediation analyses also showed that the cognitive distortion of illusion of control mediated the relationship between religiosity and problem gambling among the Portuguese participants, and the interpretative bias was a significant mediator in the English sample. The study’s findings suggest that religion can have a protective role on gambling behaviors. However, further research is needed to explore the interactive role of religion and cognitive distortions.
Curcumin loaded as prepared electrospun titania nanofibers for post breast cancer surgeries
Authors: Shaban Shaimaa , Elsaeid Aziza A. , Ekram Basma , Omar Areg E. , Gad Abdul Aziz M. , Abd El-Hady Bothaina M.
Published: December 2023

In the present study, curcumin-loaded titania nanofibers were synthesized by the conventional sol-gel method via the electrospinning technique using polyvinyl pyrrolidone and characterized via SEM, FTIR, and XRD. Moreover, their contact angle measurement, degradability, water uptake, and mechanical strength were investigated, besides their antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity, sustained drug release, and cytotoxicity against normal cells and breast cancer cell lines. It can be observed that as the concentration of curcumin increased, the mechanical characteristics of the samples were enhanced. The antibacterial results declared that the increase in curcumin concentration enhanced the inhibitory effect against the different pathogens. Moreover, the viability of cells of the normal cell line, seeded on the samples was in the range from 61.4 to 86.5% which indicated its safety on normal cells. However, the cell viability on the cancerous cell line was found to be 33.8, 19.7, 17.9 and 0% for 0, 1, 3, and 5% loaded TiO2/PVP respectively. This lethal effect of the prepared mats on breast cancer cells with nearly no cytotoxic effect on normal cells, favors the usage of the prepared 5% curcumin-loaded TiO2/PVP mat as anticancerous wound healing bandages for postoperative breast cancer surgeries.

Graphical Abstract
La separación de los esposos vista por la mujer en la literatura caballeresca germánica y romance de la Edad Media: un análisis comparado
Authors: Ayerbe Linares Miguel
Published: December 2023

Marriage and the relationship between husband and wife in medieval literature have often been analyzed from many different points of view. However, there is an aspect which remains unexplored and this is the analysis from a discursive perspective of the conversation between the knight and his lady before he departs in search of adventures, war or whatever other reason. This study aims to verify if there is any kind of coincidence or similarity in the arguments used by the lady in different texts, when she tries to stop her husband from leaving. Therefore, in the present study conversations concerning the departing of a knight from his lady shall be analyzed in Icelandic, German, French, Catalan and Spanish chivalric texts of the Middle Ages, taking into account the consequences of the knight’s departure for the lady, for the knight and for the marriage bond itself. A detailed analysis of the lady’s arguments intending to keep the knight by her side seems to lead to a hypothesis concerning the existence of similar arguments across literary texts in different languages.
Connexive Logic, Connexivity, and Connexivism: Remarks on Terminology
Authors: Wansing Heinrich , Omori Hitoshi
Published: December 2023

Over the past ten years, the community researching connexive logics is rapidly growing and a number of papers have been published. However, when it comes to the terminology used in connexive logic, it seems to be not without problems. In this introduction, we aim at making a contribution towards both unifying and reducing the terminology. We hope that this can help making it easier to survey and access the field from outside the community of connexive logicians. Along the way, we will make clear the context to which the papers in this special issue onFrontiers of Connexive Logicbelong and contribute.
Quineanism, Noneism and Metaphysical Equivalence
Authors: Jacinto Bruno , Belastegui Javier
Published: December 2023

In this paper we propose and defend the Synonymy account, a novel account of metaphysical equivalence which draws on the idea (Rayo in The Construction of Logical Space, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2013) that part of what it is to formulate a theory is to lay down a theoretical hypothesis concerning logical space. Roughly, two theories are synonymous—and so, in our view, equivalent—just in case (i) they take the same propositions to stand in the same entailment relations, and (ii) they are committed to the truth of the same propositions. Furthermore, we put our proposal to work by showing that it affords a better and more nuanced understanding of the debate between Quineans and noneists. Finally we show how the Synonymy account fares better than some of its competitors, specifically, McSweeney’s (Philosophical Perspectives 30(1):270–293, 2016) epistemic account and Miller’s (Philosophical Quarterly 67(269):772–793, 2017) hyperintensional account.
Learning-based keypoint registration for fetoscopic mosaicking
Authors: Casella Alessandro , Bano Sophia , Vasconcelos Francisco , David Anna L. , Paladini Dario , Deprest Jan , De Momi Elena , Mattos Leonardo S. , Moccia Sara , Stoyanov Danail
Published: December 2023

Purpose

In twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), abnormal vascular anastomoses in the monochorionic placenta can produce uneven blood flow between the two fetuses. In the current practice, TTTS is treated surgically by closing abnormal anastomoses using laser ablation. This surgery is minimally invasive and relies on fetoscopy. Limited field of view makes anastomosis identification a challenging task for the surgeon.

Methods

To tackle this challenge, we propose a learning-based framework for in vivo fetoscopy frame registration for field-of-view expansion. The novelties of this framework rely on a learning-based keypoint proposal network and an encoding strategy to filter (i) irrelevant keypoints based on fetoscopic semantic image segmentation and (ii) inconsistent homographies.

Results

We validate our framework on a dataset of six intraoperative sequences from six TTTS surgeries from six different women against the most recent state-of-the-art algorithm, which relies on the segmentation of placenta vessels.

Conclusion

The proposed framework achieves higher performance compared to the state of the art, paving the way for robust mosaicking to provide surgeons with context awareness during TTTS surgery.
In Vitro and In Vivo Antileishmanial Activity of Thioridazine
Authors: Sifontes-Rodríguez Sergio , Mollineda-Diogo Niurka , Monzote-Fidalgo Lianet , Escalona-Montaño Alma Reyna , Escario García-Trevijano José Antonio , Aguirre-García María Magdalena , Meneses-Marcel Alfredo
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease with high prevalence and incidence in tropical and subtropical areas. Existing drugs are limited due to cost, toxicity, declining efficacy and unavailability in endemic places. Drug repurposing has established as an efficient way for the discovery of drugs for a variety of diseases.

Purpose

The objective of the present work was testing the antileishmanial activity of thioridazine, an antipsychotic agent with demonstrated effect against other intracellular pathogens.

Methods

The cytotoxicity for mouse peritoneal macrophages as well as the activity against Leishmania amazonensis, Leishmania mexicana and Leishmania major promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes, as well as in a mouse model of cutaneous leishmaniasis, were assessed.

Results

Thioridazine inhibited the in vitro proliferation of promastigotes (50% inhibitory concentration—IC50—values in the range of 0.73 µM to 3.8 µM against L. amazonensis, L. mexicana and L. major) and intracellular amastigotes (IC50 values of 1.27 µM to 4.4 µM for the same species). In contrast, in mouse peritoneal macrophages, the 50% cytotoxic concentration was 24.0 ± 1.89 µM. Thioridazine inhibited the growth of cutaneous lesions and reduced the number of parasites in the infected tissue of mice. The dose of thioridazine that inhibited lesion development by 50% compared to controls was 23.3 ± 3.1 mg/kg and in terms of parasite load, it was 11.1 ± 0.97 mg/kg.

Conclusions

Thioridazine was effective against the promastigote and intracellular amastigote stages of three Leishmania species and in a mouse model of cutaneous leishmaniasis, supporting the potential repurposing of this drug as an antileishmanial agent.
Cauchy Formulae and Hardy Spaces in Discrete Octonionic Analysis
Authors: Kraußhar Rolf Sören , Legatiuk Dmitrii
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we continue the development of a fundament of discrete octonionic analysis that is associated to the discrete first order Cauchy–Riemann operator acting on octonions. In particular, we establish a discrete octonionic version of the Borel–Pompeiu formula and of Cauchy’s integral formula. The latter then is exploited to introduce a discrete monogenic octonionic Cauchy transform. This tool in hand allows us to introduce discrete octonionic Hardy spaces for upper and lower half-space together with Plemelj projection formulae.
Validation of prognostic and predictive value of total tumoral load after primary systemic therapy in breast cancer using OSNA assay
Authors: Bernet-Vegué Laia , Cantero-González Carolina , Sancho de Salas Magdalena , Parada David , Perin Tiziana , Quintero-Niño Zulma , Vieites Pérez-Quintela Begoña , Sánchez-Guzmán Douglas , Castelvetere Marina , Hardisson Hernaez David , Martín-Salvago María Dolores
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study aimed to validate the classification of breast cancer (BC) patients in progression risk groups based on total tumor load (TTL) value to predict lymph node (LN) affectation after neo-adjuvant systemic therapy (NAST) obtained in the NEOVATTL study.

Methods/patients

This was an observational, retrospective, international, multicenter study including patients with infiltrating BC who received NAST followed by sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) analyzed with one-step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA) from nine Spanish and two Italian hospitals. Patients were classified into three groups according to the progression risk, measured as disease-free survival (DFS), based on TTL values (> 250, 250–25,000, and > 25,000 copies/μL). The previous (NEOVATTL study) Cox regression model for prognosis was validated using prognostic index (PI) and Log ratio test (LRT) analyses; the value of TTL for axillary non-SLN affectation was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

Results

We included 263 patients with a mean age of 51.4 (± SD 10.5) years. Patients with TTL > 25,000 copies/μL had a shorter DFS (HR 3.561 [95% CI 1.693−7.489], p = 0.0008 vs. TTL ≤ 25,000). PI and LRT analyses showed no differences between the two cohorts (p = 0.2553 and p = 0.226, respectively). ROC analysis showed concordance between TTL and non-SLN involvement (area under the curve 0.828), with 95.7% sensitivity and 92.9% specificity at a TTL cut-off of > 15,000 copies/μL.

Conclusions

In BC patients who had received NAST and underwent SLNB analysis using OSNA, a TTL value of > 25,000 copies/μL was associated with a higher progression risk and > 15,000 copies/μL was predictive of non-SLN involvement.
Adrenocorticotropic hormone combined with magnesium sulfate therapy for infantile epileptic spasms syndrome: a real-world study
Authors: He Wen , Wang Qiu-Hong , Li Jiu-Wei , Wang Yang-Yang , Luo Xiao-Mei , Wan Lin , Wang Jing , Shi Xiu-Yu , Zhang Wei-Hua , Fang Fang , Zou Li-Ping
Published: December 2023

Background

Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) is a serious disease in infants, and it usually evolves to other epilepsy types or syndromes, especially refractory or super-refractory focal epilepsies. Although adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is one of the first-line and effective treatment plans for IESS, it has serious side effects and is not sufficiently effective.

Methods

A retrospective study of the clinical outcomes of ACTH combined with magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) therapy for IESS in two hospital centers was conducted. The major outcome of the single and combined treatment was evaluated by changes in seizure frequency and improvements in hypsarrhythmia electroencephalography (EEG). To reduce the confounding bias between the two groups, we used SPSS for the propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

Results

We initially recruited 1205 IESS patients from two Chinese hospitals and treated them with ACTH combined with MgSO4 and ACTH alone. Only 1005 patients were enrolled in the treatment (ACTH combined with MgSO4: 744, ACTH: 261), and both treatment plans had a more than 55% response rate. However, compared to patients treated with ACTH alone, those patients treated with ACTH combined with MgSO4 had better performance in terms of the seizure frequency and hypsarrhythmia EEG. After PSM, the two groups also showed significant differences in responder rate [70.8% (95% confidence interval, CI) = 66.7%–74.8%) vs. 53.8% (95% CI = 47.4%–60.2%), P < 0.001], seizure frequency (P < 0.001) and hypsarrhythmia EEG resolution (P < 0.001). Notably, multivariate analysis revealed that the lead time to treatment and the number of antiseizure medications taken before treatment were two factors that may affect the clinical outcome. Patients with less than 3 months of lead time responded to the treatment much better than those with > 3 months (P < 0.05). In addition, the overall incidence of adverse reactions in the ACTH combined with MgSO4 group was much lower than that in the ACTH group (31.4% vs. 63.1%, P < 0.001). During the treatment, only infection (P = 0.045) and hypertension (P = 0.025) were significantly different between the two groups, and no baby died.

Conclusion

Our findings support that ACTH combined with MgSO4 is a more effective short-term treatment protocol for patients with IESS than ACTH alone, especially for those patients with short lead times to treatment.
Epidemiology of congenital diaphragmatic hernia among 24 million Chinese births: a hospital-based surveillance study
Authors: Chen Zhi-Yu , Tao Jing , Xu Wen-Li , Gao Yu-Yang , Li Wen-Yan , Liu Zhen , Zhou Jia-Yuan , Dai Li
Published: December 2023

Background

The prevalence of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) varies across countries, with limited information available on its epidemiology in China. Our study aimed to investigate the prevalence, time trends, and perinatal outcomes of CDH in China, as well as its associated malformations and potential associations with maternal and infant characteristics.

Methods

This study included all birth and CDH cases from the Chinese Birth Defects Monitoring Network between 2007 and 2019, with CDH cases classified as either isolated or associated. We employed the joinpoint regression model to calculate the trends of prevalence and the annual percent change, with Poisson regression used for adjusted prevalence rate ratios. A P value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 4397 CDH cases were identified among 24,158,029 births in the study period, yielding prevalence rates of 1.82, 1.13 and 0.69 per 10,000 for overall, isolated, and associated CDH, respectively. The prevalence of each type of CDH increased over time. The prevalence of overall CDH varied significantly by infant sex (male vs. female, 1.91/10,000 vs. 1.63/10,000), maternal residence (urban vs. rural, 2.13/10,000 vs. 1.45/10,000), maternal age (< 20 years, 1.31/10,000; 20–24 years, 1.63/10,000; 25–29 years, 1.80/10,000; 30–34 years, 1.87/10,000; ≥ 35 years, 2.22/10,000), and geographic region (central, 1.64/10,000; east, 2.45/10,000; west, 1.37/10,000). Cardiovascular anomalies were the most common malformations associated with CDH. Infants with associated CDH had a higher risk of premature birth and perinatal death than those with isolated CDH.

Conclusion

The increasing prevalence and high perinatal mortality rate of CDH highlight the need for further etiological, epidemiological, and clinical studies among the Chinese population.
Identification of challenging gas-bearing reservoir based on machine learning (ML) and computed conversion-based AVO analysis: a study from Jaisalmer Sub-basin, India
Authors: Pradhan Nabanita , Datta Gupta Saurabh
Published: December 2023

Amplitude variation with offset (AVO) analysis is an important tool for identifying natural gas-bearing reservoirs. The changes in seismic amplitudes based on the variation of density and velocity of the rock matrix are captured through the AVO analysis. The current work was performed in the Ghotaru region of the Jaisalmer Sub-basin area, where limited and discrete hydrocarbon discoveries were observed from the Lower Goru Formation during the earlier various exploration campaigns. The discrete nature of the reservoir lithofacies developed challenging scenarios for the successful exploratory campaign. The campaign encountered more difficulties because of limited advanced datasets, which affected the study to capture the extension of hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir lithofacies and its characterization towards a successful exploration campaign. This study shows the way to overcome these challenges using an existing conventional dataset. The study shows the possibility of AVO analysis using a post-stack seismic dataset. A unique conversion method from post-stack to pre-stack seismic is introduced in this study based on the uses of the integrated velocity model. An integrated, robust velocity model was developed with consideration of anisotropy factors. Introducing a machine learning-based algorithm in the petrophysical study, including the conventional approach, provides a robust validation of this work. Intercept (A) and gradient (B) are the basic outcome of AVO analysis. The well-based study and AVO analysis based on intercept (A) and gradient (B) complement each other for finding hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir rock. Cross-plots and AVO analysis show the reservoir's lithofacies extension and fluids. The study reveals the potential of natural gas retained in the Lower Goru Formation, which is composed of patchy sandstone. Two AVO classes (Class I and Class III) of gas-bearing sandstone have been identified in this study. This study presents a unique method for identifying natural gas reservoirs with limited old conventional data.
Precarious livelihoods at the intersection of fishing and sand mining in Cambodia
Authors: Asif Furqan , Van Arragon Lukas
Published: December 2023

Fishing and sand mining in Cambodia may not appear to have much in common. However, digging deeper reveals important parallels. Both fishing and sand mining support livelihoods and are connected to a limited natural resource. Meanwhile, they are both typified by precarious livelihoods, on the one hand, and overexploitation, on the other. In bringing these two topics together, the paper combines empirical qualitative research from two separate studies conducted by the co-authors in Cambodia, one in coastal fishing villages and another in the sand mining industry along the Mekong River. We argue that the interplay between fishing and sand mining has paradoxical impacts on livelihoods, supporting one group while undermining another. Using a precarity analysis lens, we show how an unconventional, and largely invisible frontier of natural resource exploitation—sand mining—is intertwined with fisheries, and expands our understanding of the relationship between precarious labour, environmental change, and livelihoods.
Microstructure and adhesion force of dust on soil pavement in open-pit mine
Authors: Wang Jiuzhu , Du Cuifeng , Wang Yuan , Chen Zheng
Published: December 2023

The microstructure and adhesion force between dust particles determine the dust starting and migration to a certain extent. By use of scanning electron microscopy, the BET method, and the abruption technique, the microstructure and adhesion force of dust on the soil pavement of an open-pit mine were examined. The results indicate that the dust shape of soil pavement is mainly irregular quadrilateral, pentagonal and circular. The adhesion of dust particles in soil pavement reduces as particle size and temperature increase. When the particle size grows from 22 to 30 μm and the ambient temperature rises from 25 to 30 ℃, the adhesion force of dust particles in soil pavement drops dramatically. The adhesion force of dust particles in the soil pavement of open-pit mine increases as environmental humidity and pressure rise. When the environmental humidity exceeds 70% and pressure exceeds 24.79 kPa, the adhesion of dust particles increases dramatically. On the basis of the multiple regression method, a prediction model for the dust adhesion force of open-pit mines’ soil pavement has been developed. However, its accuracy needs to be further enhanced.
Dynamic WAAM: adaptive processes for equivalent contact surface (ECS) optimization
Authors: Kerber Ethan , Fahrendholz Jan Luca , Brell-Cokcan Sigrid , Dewald Peter , Sharma Rahul , Reisgen Uwe
Published: December 2023

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) integrates benefits of automation and mass customization to improve efficiency through near-net part production. While WAAM is well researched, there remain significant challenges as the complex relationship between robot, welder, and process parameters can lead to inaccuracy in geometry and variations in material properties. This research proposes a novel framework for quantifying the WAAM process and proposes dynamic adaptive strategies for improving production. This paper introduces the concept of an equivalent contact surface (ECS) for quantifying the additive welding process. Adaptive methods are then identified to optimize WAAM production. In conclusion, this paper provides an outlook on future research directions for continuing the development of this dynamic WAAM process.
Development of machine-learning-based models for identifying the sources of nitrate and fluoride in groundwater and predicting their human health risks
Authors: Mohammed M. A. A. , Mohamed A. , Szabó N. P. , Szűcs P.
Published: December 2023

This research aimed to identify the main sources of groundwater pollution and assess the non-carcinogenic human health risk resulting from nitrate and fluoride contamination. These goals were achieved by employing unsupervised and supervised machine algorithms, including principal component analysis (PCA) and multilayer perceptron artificial neural networks (MLP-ANN). Thirty-seven groundwater samples were analyzed for twelve physical and chemical parameters, including pH, EC, TDS, TH, Cl, F, SO4, NO3, Ca, Mg, Na, and HCO3, and the initial investigation indicated that except for Cl, F, Ca, and Mg, all the parameters are above the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). PCA indicated that mineral dissolution is the main source of F, while high NO3 concentration primarily resulted from agricultural operation due to extensive use of nitrogen and calcium-based fertilizers. Consequently, the non-carcinogenic human health risk (HHR) for children and adults is evaluated based on NO3 and F. The conventional approach for assessing HHR is time-consuming and often associated with errors in calculating hazard quotients (HQ) and hazard indices (HI). In this research, MLP-ANN is suggested to overcome these limitations. In the MLP-ANN modeling, the data were divided into two parts training (80%) and validation (20%), with NO3 and F concentration as inputs and HQ and HI as outputs. The performance of the resulting models was tested using root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2). The model provided a satisfactory result with a maximum RMSE of 4% and R2 higher than 97% for training and validation. As a result, obtained HIs suggested that 97.3% of the groundwater samples in the study area are suitable for human consumption. The non-carcinogenic HHR is successfully assessed using machine learning algorithms, and the results have led to the conclusion that this approach is highly recommended for effectively managing groundwater resources.
Machine Learning Algorithms for the Prediction of Language and Cognition Rehabilitation Outcomes of Post-stroke Patients: A Scoping Review
Authors: Apostolidis Kyriakos , Kokkotis Christos , Moustakidis Serafeim , Karakasis Evangelos , Sakellari Paraskevi , Koutra Christina , Tsiptsios Dimitrios , Karatzetzou Stella , Vadikolias Konstantinos , Aggelousis Nikolaos
Published: December 2023

Stroke is one of the leading causes of long-term disabilities in motor and cognition functionality. An early and accurate prediction of rehabilitation outcomes can lead to a tailor-made treatment that can significantly improve the post-stroke quality of life of a person. This scoping review aimed to summarize studies that use Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the prediction of language and cognition rehabilitation outcomes and the need to use AI in this domain. This study followed the PRISMA-ScR guidelines for two databases, Scopus and PubMed. The results, which are measured with several metrics depending on the task, regression, or classification, present encouraging outcomes as they can predict the cognitive functionality of post-stroke patients with relative precision. Among the results of the paper are the identification of the most effective Machine Learning (ML) algorithms, and the identification of the key factors that influence rehabilitation outcomes. The majority of studies focus on aphasia and present high performance achieving up to 97% recall and 91.4% precision. The main limitations of the studies were the small subject population and the lack of an external dataset. However, effective ML algorithms along with explainability are expected to become among the most prominent solutions for precision medicine due to their ability to overcome non-linearities on data and provide insights and transparent predictions that can help healthcare professionals make more informed and accurate decisions.
Affordable Robots Measure Soil Respiration
Authors: Dieckman Emily
Published: December 2023

Measuring soil carbon flux, also known as soil respiration, can be expensive or time-consuming. A set of affordable robots that gather these data autonomously could especially benefit the Global South.
Sinking Cities and Rising Waters
Authors: Dorsey Leigh
Published: December 2023

Climate-driven sea level rise combines with land subsidence in some of the world’s fastest-growing cities.
Jet Configurations Leading to Extreme Winter Temperatures Over Europe
Authors: García‐Burgos Marina , Ayarzagüena Blanca , Barriopedro David , García‐Herrera Ricardo
Published: December 2023

The North Atlantic eddy‐driven jet (EDJ) is the main driver of winter weather in Europe and has often been described by its latitude or strength. Here, we show that the influence of the EDJ on European winter temperature extremes can be better characterized by a multiparametric perspective that accounts for additional aspects of the EDJ structure (tilt, zonal elongation, etc.). We identify four regions where extreme temperatures are distinctly associated with the EDJ: Scandinavia, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Western Mediterranean (WMED). Overall, the anomalous horizontal advection induced by blockings during cold spells and enhanced westerlies during warm events is the main mechanism leading to extreme event occurrence. However, diabatic processes play an important role in WMED region. Both processes generate asymmetric effects in minimum and maximum temperatures contributing to higher intensities of cold than warm events. These extreme events are associated with different EDJ configurations, which typically involve perturbed EDJs during cold spells and strong tilted EDJs during warm events, but with important variations depending on the region. In almost every region, the combined effects of more than two EDJ parameters yield significant increases in the probability of cold and warm events, suggesting an oversimplification of traditional approaches based on a single EDJ parameter. We show, using logistic regression models, that, although important, latitude and intensity are often unable to discriminate unequivocally the region of extreme event occurrence, and in some regions, they do not drive the largest changes in the odds of extremes.
Palynofloral Change Through the Paleocene‐Eocene Thermal Maximum in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming
Authors: Korasidis Vera A. , Wing Scott L.
Published: December 2023

To better understand the effect of the Paleocene‐Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) on continental ecosystems, we studied 40 new palynological samples from the Bighorn Basin (BHB), northwestern Wyoming, USA. We see palm and fern abundances increase in the last 20–40 ka of the Paleocene, then dramatically with the onset of the carbon isotope excursion (CIE) defining the base of the PETM. Palynomorphs of plant groups with modern temperate climate distributions are absent from the CIE body, and this is when tropical plants are most diverse and abundant. During the CIE recovery, pollen of mesophytic/wetland plants become more common while tropical taxa persist. In the post‐CIE early Eocene tropical taxa are rare and temperate forms abundant, similar to the late but not latest Paleocene. Changes in the palynoflora are more easily detected if reworked palynomorphs are removed from analyses. We interpret palynofloral changes to indicate warming in the latest Paleocene, rapid warming and drying with the CIE onset, dry tropical climates through the CIE body, a return to wetter floodplains during a very warm CIE recovery, and cooler wet conditions in the post‐PETM early Eocene. These inferences are consistent with geochemical and paleobotanical proxies. Strikingly similar patterns in the palynoflora and megaflora suggest changes in vegetation were a basin‐wide phenomenon. These rapid, climatically forced changes in floral composition occurred without major extinction, perhaps indicating nearby refugia in which plants adapted to cooler and wetter climates persisted through the PETM.
Using digital phenotyping to capture depression symptom variability: detecting naturalistic variability in depression symptoms across one year using passively collected wearable movement and sleep data
Authors: Price George D. , Heinz Michael V. , Song Seo Ho , Nemesure Matthew D. , Jacobson Nicholas C.
Published: December 2023

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) presents considerable challenges to diagnosis and management due to symptom variability across time. Only recent work has highlighted the clinical implications for interrogating depression symptom variability. Thus, the present work investigates how sociodemographic, comorbidity, movement, and sleep data is associated with long-term depression symptom variability. Participant information included (N = 939) baseline sociodemographic and comorbidity data, longitudinal, passively collected wearable data, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores collected over 12 months. An ensemble machine learning approach was used to detect long-term depression symptom variability via: (i) a domain-driven feature selection approach and (ii) an exhaustive feature-inclusion approach. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) were used to interrogate variable importance and directionality. The composite domain-driven and exhaustive inclusion models were both capable of moderately detecting long-term depression symptom variability (r = 0.33 and r = 0.39, respectively). Our results indicate the incremental predictive validity of sociodemographic, comorbidity, and passively collected wearable movement and sleep data in detecting long-term depression symptom variability.
Peripheral immunity and risk of incident brain disorders: a prospective cohort study of 161,968 participants
Authors: Zhong Xiaoling , Qiang Yixuan , Wang Ling , Zhang Yaru , Li Jieqiong , Feng Jianfeng , Cheng Wei , Tan Lan , Yu Jintai
Published: December 2023

Whether peripheral immunity prospectively influences brain health remains controversial. This study aims to investigate the longitudinal associations between peripheral immunity markers with incident brain disorders. A total of 161,968 eligible participants from the UK Biobank were included. We investigated the linear and non-linear effects of peripheral immunity markers including differential leukocytes counts, their derived ratios and C-reactive protein (CRP) on the risk of dementia, Parkinson’s disease (PD), stroke, schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder (BPAD), major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety, using Cox proportional hazard models and restricted cubic spline models. Linear regression models were used to explore potential mechanisms driven by brain structures. During a median follow-up of 9.66 years, 16,241 participants developed brain disorders. Individuals with elevated innate immunity markers including neutrophils, monocytes, platelets, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) had an increased risk of brain disorders. Among these markers, neutrophils exhibited the most significant correlation with risk of dementia (hazard ratio 1.08, 95% confidence interval 1.04–1.12), stroke (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03–1.09), MDD (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.10–1.16) and anxiety (HR 1.07, 95% CI 1.04–1.10). Subgroup analysis revealed age-specific and sex-specific associations between innate immunity markers with risk of dementia and MDD. Neuroimaging analysis highlighted the associations between peripheral immunity markers and alterations in multiple cortical, subcortical regions and white matter tracts, typically implicated in dementia and psychiatric disorders. These findings support the hypothesis that neuroinflammation is important to the etiology of various brain disorders, offering new insights into their potential therapeutic approaches.
Impact of IDO activation and alterations in the kynurenine pathway on hyperserotonemia, NAD+ production, and AhR activation in autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Launay Jean-Marie , Delorme Richard , Pagan Cécile , Callebert Jacques , Leboyer Marion , Vodovar Nicolas
Published: December 2023

Hyperserotonemia is the most replicated biochemical anomaly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and has been reported in 35–46% of individuals with ASD. Serotonin is synthesised from the essential amino acid tryptophan (TRP). However, the main catabolic route of TRP is the kynurenine pathway (KP), which competes with serotonin synthesis when indoleamine dioxygenase (IDO) is activated. Using the same cohort of individuals with ASD, we used to report extensive studies of the serotonin/melatonin pathway, and found increased kynurenine (KYN), suggesting IDO activation in 58.7% of individuals with ASD (159/271), supported by a strong negative correlation between KYN/TRP ratio and miR-153-3p plasma levels, which negatively regulates IDO. IDO activation was associated with normoserotonemia, suggesting that IDO activation could mask hyperserotonemia which meant that hyperserotonemia, if not masked by IDO activation, could be present in ~94% of individuals with ASD. We also identified several KP alterations, independent of IDO status. We observed a decrease in the activity of 3-hydroxyanthranilate dioxygenase which translated into the accumulation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) selective ligand cinnabarinic acid, itself strongly positively correlated with the AhR target stanniocalcin 2. We also found a deficit in NAD+ production, the end-product of the KP, which was strongly correlated with plasma levels of oxytocin used as a stereotypical neuropeptide, indicating that regulated neuropeptide secretion could be limiting. These results strongly suggest that individuals with ASD exhibit low-grade chronic inflammation that is mediated in most cases by chronic AhR activation that could be associated with the highly prevalent gastrointestinal disorders observed in ASD, and explained IDO activation in ~58% of the cases. Taken together, these results extend biochemical anomalies of TRP catabolism to KP and posit TRP catabolism as a possible major component of ASD pathophysiology.
In vitro shear bond strength over zirconia and titanium alloy and degree of conversion of extraoral compared to intraoral self-adhesive resin cements
Authors: Fouquet Vincent , Dantagnan Claire-Adeline , Abdel-Gawad Sarah , Dursun Elisabeth , Attal Jean-Pierre , François Philippe
Published: December 2023

Objective

Evaluation of the Shear bond strength over zirconia and titanium alloy and degree of conversion of extraoral compared to intraoral self-adhesive resin cements.

Materials and methods

Nine bonding protocols were carried out on zirconia 4Y-TZP and titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V). Seven resin cement (one extraoral and six intraoral) were tested in the shear bond strength test and the degree of conversion measurements.

Results

The significantly highest value was obtained for Monobond Plus + Multilink Hybrid Abutment, the extraoral resin cement for both titanium alloy (35.1 MPa) and zirconia (32.9 MPa). For each resin, significantly higher DC values were obtained for the dual-cure mode compared with the self-cure mode. Regardless of the cure mode, Nexus Universal reached the highest DC (78.4%).

Discussion/Conclusions

In this study, the extraoral self-curing resin cement showed the higher bond strength values on zirconia and titanium alloy when associated with a universal primer. Some intraoral dual-cure resin cements showed closed performances when used with universal primers. There is no direct correlation between the degree of conversion of the resin cement and the shear bond strength obtained on the prosthetic materials tested.
Role of ADAM and ADAMTS proteases in pathological tissue remodeling
Authors: Wang Zhaoni , Li Wanshan , Chen Shixing , Tang Xiao Xiao
Published: December 2023

Pathological tissue remodeling is closely associated with the occurrence and aggravation of various diseases. A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinases (ADAM), as well as A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase with ThromboSpondin motifs (ADAMTS), belong to zinc-dependent metalloproteinase superfamily, are involved in a range of pathological states, including cancer metastasis, inflammatory disorders, respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Mounting studies suggest that ADAM and ADAMTS proteases contribute to the development of tissue remodeling in various diseases, mainly through the regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and extracellular matrix remodeling. This review focuses on the roles of ADAM and ADAMTS proteinases in diseases with pathological tissue remodeling, with particular emphasis on the molecular mechanisms through which ADAM and ADAMTS proteins mediate tissue remodeling. Some of these reported proteinases have defined protective or contributing roles in indicated diseases, while their underlying regulation is obscure. Future studies are warranted to better understand the catalytic and non-catalytic functions of ADAM and ADAMTS proteins, as well as to evaluate the efficacy of targeting these proteases in pathological tissue remodeling.
Green electrosynthesis of 3,3’-diamino-4,4’-azofurazan energetic materials coupled with energy-efficient hydrogen production over Pt-based catalysts
Authors: Li Jiachen , Ma Yuqiang , Zhang Cong , Zhang Chi , Ma Huijun , Guo Zhaoqi , Liu Ning , Xu Ming , Ma Haixia , Qiu Jieshan
Published: December 2023

The broad employment of clean hydrogen through water electrolysis is restricted by large voltage requirement and energy consumption because of the sluggish anodic oxygen evolution reaction. Here we demonstrate a novel alternative oxidation reaction of green electrosynthesis of valuable 3,3’-diamino-4,4’-azofurazan energetic materials and coupled with hydrogen production. Such a strategy could greatly decrease the hazard from the traditional synthetic condition of 3,3’-diamino-4,4’-azofurazan and achieve low-cell-voltage hydrogen production on WS2/Pt single-atom/nanoparticle catalyst. The assembled two-electrode electrolyzer could reach 10 and 100 mA cm–2 with ultralow cell voltages of 1.26 and 1.55 V and electricity consumption of only 3.01 and 3.70 kWh per m3 of H2 in contrast of the conventional water electrolysis (~5 kWh per m3). Density functional theory calculations combine with experimental design decipher the synergistic effect in WS2/Pt for promoting Volmer–Tafel kinetic rate during alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction, while the oxidative-coupling of starting materials driven by free radical could be the underlying mechanism during the synthesis of 3,3’-diamino-4,4’-azofurazan. This work provides a promising avenue for the concurrent electrosynthesis of energetic materials and low-energy-consumption hydrogen production.
Thermally-induced atropisomerism promotes metal-organic cage construction
Authors: Liang Jiaqi , Lu Shuai , Yang Yang , Shen Yun-Jia , Bai Jin-Ku , Sun Xin , Chen Xu-Lang , Cui Jie , Guan Ai-Jiao , Xiang Jun-Feng , Li Xiaopeng , Wang Heng , Yang Yu-Dong , Gong Han-Yuan
Published: December 2023

Molecular folding regulation with environmental stimuli is critical in living and artificial molecular machine systems. Herein, we described a macrocycle, cyclo[4] (1,3-(4,6-dimethyl)benzene)[4](1,3-(4,6-dimethyl)benzene)(4-pyridine). Under 298 K, it has three stable stiff atropisomers with names as1(Cssymmetry),2(Cssymmetry), and3(C4vsymmetry). At 393 K,1can reversibly transform into2, but at 473 K, it can irrevocably transform into3. At 338 K,3and (PhCN)2PdCl2complex to produce the metal-organic cage4. Only at 338 K does the combination of1or2and (PhCN)2PdCl2create a gel-like structure. Heating both gels to 473 K transforms them into4. In addition to offering a thermally accelerated method for modifying self-assembled systems using macrocyclic building blocks, this study also has the potential to develop the nanoscale transformation material with a thermal response.
RAAS-deficient organoids indicate delayed angiogenesis as a possible cause for autosomal recessive renal tubular dysgenesis
Authors: Pode-Shakked Naomi , Slack Megan , Sundaram Nambirajan , Schreiber Ruth , McCracken Kyle W. , Dekel Benjamin , Helmrath Michael , Kopan Raphael
Published: December 2023

Autosomal Recessive Renal Tubular Dysgenesis (AR-RTD) is a fatal genetic disorder characterized by complete absence or severe depletion of proximal tubules (PT) in patients harboring pathogenic variants in genes involved in the Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System. To uncover the pathomechanism of AR-RTD, differentiation of ACE-/- and AGTR1-/- induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and AR-RTD patient-derived iPSCs into kidney organoids is leveraged. Comprehensive marker analyses show that both mutant and control organoids generate indistinguishable PT in vitro under normoxic (21% O2) or hypoxic (2% O2) conditions. Fully differentiated (d24) AGTR1-/- and control organoids transplanted under the kidney capsule of immunodeficient mice engraft and mature well, as do renal vesicle stage (d14) control organoids. By contrast, d14 AGTR1-/- organoids fail to engraft due to insufficient pro-angiogenic VEGF-A expression. Notably, growth under hypoxic conditions induces VEGF-A expression and rescues engraftment of AGTR1-/- organoids at d14, as does ectopic expression of VEGF-A. We propose that PT dysgenesis in AR-RTD is primarily a non-autonomous consequence of delayed angiogenesis, starving PT at a critical time in their development.
vcfdist: accurately benchmarking phased small variant calls in human genomes
Authors: Dunn Tim , Narayanasamy Satish
Published: December 2023

Accurately benchmarking small variant calling accuracy is critical for the continued improvement of human whole genome sequencing. In this work, we show that current variant calling evaluations are biased towards certain variant representations and may misrepresent the relative performance of different variant calling pipelines. We propose solutions, first exploring the affine gap parameter design space for complex variant representation and suggesting a standard. Next, we present our tool vcfdist and demonstrate the importance of enforcing local phasing for evaluation accuracy. We then introduce the notion of partial credit for mostly-correct calls and present an algorithm for clustering dependent variants. Lastly, we motivate using alignment distance metrics to supplement precision-recall curves for understanding variant calling performance. We evaluate the performance of 64 phased Truth Challenge V2 submissions and show that vcfdist improves measured insertion and deletion performance consistency across variant representations from R2 = 0.97243 for baseline vcfeval to 0.99996 for vcfdist.
Resonant exciton transfer in mixed-dimensional heterostructures for overcoming dimensional restrictions in optical processes
Authors: Fang N. , Chang Y. R. , Yamashita D. , Fujii S. , Maruyama M. , Gao Y. , Fong C. F. , Otsuka K. , Nagashio K. , Okada S. , Kato Y. K.
Published: December 2023

Nanomaterials exhibit unique optical phenomena, in particular excitonic quantum processes occurring at room temperature. The low dimensionality, however, imposes strict requirements for conventional optical excitation, and an approach for bypassing such restrictions is desirable. Here we report on exciton transfer in carbon-nanotube/tungsten-diselenide heterostructures, where band alignment can be systematically varied. The mixed-dimensional heterostructures display a pronounced exciton reservoir effect where the longer-lifetime excitons within the two-dimensional semiconductor are funneled into carbon nanotubes through diffusion. This new excitation pathway presents several advantages, including larger absorption areas, broadband spectral response, and polarization-independent efficiency. When band alignment is resonant, we observe substantially more efficient excitation via tungsten diselenide compared to direct excitation of the nanotube. We further demonstrate simultaneous bright emission from an array of carbon nanotubes with varied chiralities and orientations. Our findings show the potential of mixed-dimensional heterostructures and band alignment engineering for energy harvesting and quantum applications through exciton manipulation.