bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceived Parental Care and Next-Generation Family Members’ Succession Intentions: The Sequential-Mediating Role of General Self-Efficacy and Perceived Person-Job Fit
Authors: Zhu Fei , Zhou Haibo
Published: November 2021

Whereas the existing literature on the relationship between parental behavior and family business succession mainly focuses on parental behavior in the business domain, we highlight the importance of parental behavior in the family domain. Integrating attachment theory, the family business succession literature, and person-job fit literature, our study proposes a theoretical framework hypothesizing that general self-efficacy and perceived person-job fit mediate the association between perceived parental care (an underrepresented family-domain-specific parental behavior) and next-generation family members’ succession intentions. This framework is tested by data from two surveys and further verified by qualitative interviews of next-generation family members. Multivariate analysis results suggest that next-generation family members’ general self-efficacy and perceived person-job fit played a sequential-mediating role in the relationship between perceived parental care and next-generation family members’ succession intentions. Our interviews not only confirm these results but also reveal new insights, particularly into the specific Chinese context in the study of family business succession.
Complex faces and naïve machines
Authors: Spisak Brian R.
Published: November 2021

Abstract

Tasks driven by artificial intelligence (AI), such as evaluating video job interviews, rely on facial recognition systems for decision-making. Therefore, it is extremely important that the science behind this technology is continually advancing. If not, visual stereotypes, such as those associated with facial age and gender, will lead to dangerous misapplications of AI.
The Long Shadow of Agrarian Conflict: Agrarian Inequality and Voting in Spain
Authors: Domènech Jordi , Sánchez-Cuenca Ignacio
Published: November 2021

This article studies the persistent effects of past agrarian inequality on contemporary voting preferences. Although Western European countries became industrial (and later post-industrial) economies, the political effects of the agrarian cleavage are still visible in those countries in which the agrarian issue was dominant in the interwar period (the industrial laggards). Looking at the spatial variation in voting patterns in the fifteen elections held in Spain since 1977, we show through mediation analysis that areas with high historical agrarian inequality have higher levels of leftist vote. We examine two transmission channels: one economic (related to backwardness); the other political (related to family transmission of political allegiances). A survey analysis provides evidence in favour of family transmission. A brief exploration of other cases confirms the general argument: a similar effect is found in Italy (an industrial laggard), but not in England (an early industrializer).
Erosional Cyclic Steps Governed by Plunge Pool Erosion: A Parametric Study Based on Field, Laboratory, and Model Data
Authors: Zeng Xin , Blom Astrid , Czapiga Matthew J. , An Chenge , Parker Gary , Fu Xudong
Published: November 2021

For upland ephemeral gullies, gully erosion is strongly related to the formation and migration of cyclic steps. It is necessary to provide insight into the process of cyclic step development to accurately predict the pace of landscape evolution and soil loss. Information on the geometry of cyclic steps in subaerial environments is limited, and, to our knowledge, no model of cyclic step development considers plunge pool erosion. In this study, we analyze the geometric features and controlling factors of erosional cyclic steps through meta‐analysis of measured data including new measurements in the Loess Plateau, China. We focus on cyclic step dynamics of fluvial beds controlled by bed shear stress and local plunge pool erosion. We develop a new theory to incorporate plunge pool erosion through adapting existing cyclic step and plunge pool models. Our method agrees with measured data, showing that a larger flow rate leads to larger step length Ld and height Hd and increasing erodibility increases step aspect ratio Ld/Hd. The method is also able to predict how the step length, height, and aspect ratio change with the average channel slope. Our results indicate that plunge pool erosion is an important mechanism of cyclic step evolution. However, plunge pool development alone is not sufficient to explain the wide range of Ld/Hd in the measured data. The posed theory relates to equilibrium conditions and thus cannot consider temporal adjustments in step geometry.
Seasonality of Tropical Photosynthesis: A Pantropical Map of Correlations With Precipitation and Radiation and Comparison to Model Outputs
Authors: Uribe M. R. , Sierra C. A. , Dukes J. S.
Published: November 2021

Tropical ecosystems strongly influence Earth's climate and weather patterns. Most tropical ecosystems remain warm year‐round; nonetheless, their plants undergo seasonal cycles of carbon and water exchange. Previous research has shown the importance of precipitation and radiation as drivers of the seasonality of photosynthetic activity in the tropics. Although data are scarce, field‐based studies have found that seasonal cycles at a handful of tropical sites do not match those in the land surface model (LSM) simulations. A comprehensive understanding and model comparison of how seasonal variations in tropical photosynthetic activity relate to climate is lacking. Here, we identify the relationships of precipitation and radiation with satellite‐based proxies for photosynthetic activity (e.g., GOME‐2 SIF, MAIAC EVI) for the pantropical region. Three dominant and spatially distinct seasonal relationships emerge: photosynthetic activity that is positively correlated with both drivers (36% of tropical pixels), activity that increases following rain but decreases with radiation (28%), and activity that increases following bright seasons but decreases with rain (14%). We compare distributions of these observed relationships with those from LSMs. In general, compared to satellite‐based proxies of photosynthetic activity, model simulations of gross primary productivity (GPP) overestimate the extent of positive correlations of photosynthetic activity with water and underestimate positive correlations with radiation. The largest discrepancies between simulations and observations are in the representation of regions where photosynthetic activity increases with radiation and decreases with rain. Our clear scheme for representing the relationship between climate and photosynthetic activity can be used to benchmark tropical seasonality of GPP in LSMs.
Modeling the Hydrodynamics, Sediment Transport, and Valley Incision of Outlet‐Forming Floods From Martian Crater Lakes
Authors: Fassett Caleb I. , Goudge Timothy A.
Published: November 2021

Open‐basin lakes that have outlets, formed where the stored water breached the basin‐confining topography (e.g., crater rims), have been recognized on Mars for decades. However, the mechanics involved in formation of these outlets has not been studied in detail. Here, we study this outlet formation process through a series of numerical experiments accomplished by adding erosion and sediment transport routines to an existing hydrodynamic simulation, ANUGA. These experiments are consistent with outlets being carved in single flood events, at least if sediment was available throughout outlet formation as in a transport‐limited regime. Peak discharges from these open‐basin lakes, including from Jezero crater, were 104 to 106 m3/s, and the outlet‐forming floods lasted for days to weeks, depending on lake size. Moreover, we find that sediment transport by suspension was likely important during these floods—outlets could not have reached their observed sizes if flow was limited to bedload transport alone. This in turn may explain why small open‐basin lakes are less commonly recognized on Mars, as small lakes had less inherent capacity to transport sediment in suspension and thus incise confining topography catastrophically. Geometry, topographic setting, and earlier fluvial valley development may have played a significant role in influencing the magnitude of outlet‐forming floods and resulting outlet canyon incision.
Hotspots for rockfishes, structural corals, and large-bodied sponges along the central coast of Pacific Canada
Authors: Frid Alejandro , McGreer Madeleine , Wilson Kyle L. , Du Preez Cherisse , Blaine Tristan , Norgard Tammy
Published: November 2021

Biological hotspots are places with outstanding biodiversity features, and their delineation is essential to the design of marine protected areas (MPAs). For the Central Coast of Canada’s Northern Shelf Bioregion, where an MPA network is being developed, we identified hotspots for structural corals and large-bodied sponges, which are foundation species vulnerable to bottom contact fisheries, and for Sebastidae, a fish family which includes species that are long-lived (> 100 years), overexploited, evolutionary distinctive, and at high trophic levels. Using 11 years of survey data that spanned from inland fjords to oceanic waters, we derived hotspot indices that accounted for species characteristics and abundances and examined hotspot distribution across depths and oceanographic subregions. The results highlight previously undocumented hotspot distributions, thereby informing the placement of MPAs for which high levels of protection are warranted. Given the vulnerability of the taxa that we examined to cumulative fishery impacts, prospective MPAs derived from our data should be considered for interim protection measures during the protracted period between final network design and the enactment of MPA legislations. These recommendations reflect our scientific data, which are only one way of understanding the seascape. Our surveys did not cover many locations known to Indigenous peoples as biologically important. Consequently, Indigenous knowledge should also contribute substantially to the design of the MPA network.
ISL1 promotes enzalutamide resistance in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) through epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT)
Authors: Choi Jae Duck , Kim Tae Jin , Jeong Byong Chang , Jeon Hwang Gyun , Jeon Seong Soo , Kang Min Yong , Yeom Seon Yong , Seo Seong Il
Published: November 2021

Abnormal expression of insulin gene enhancer-binding protein 1 (ISL1) has been demonstrated to be closely associated with cancer development and progression in several cancers. However, little is known about ISL1 expression in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). ISL1 has also been recognized as a positive modulator of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). In this study, we focused on ISL1 which showed maximum upregulation at the mRNA level in the enzalutamide-resistant cell line. Accordingly, we found that ISL1 was overexpressed in enzalutamide-resistant C4-2B cells and its expression was significantly related to EMT. Our findings reveal the important role of ISL1 in androgen receptor (AR)-dependent prostate cancer cell growth; ISL1 knockdown reduced the AR activity and cell growth. ISL1 knockdown using small-interfering RNA inhibited AR, PSA, and EMT-related protein expression in C4-2B ENZR cells. In addition, knock-down ISL1 reduced the levels of AKT and p65 phosphorylation in C4-2B ENZR cells and these suggest that knock-down ISL1 suppresses EMT in part by targeting the AKT/NF-κB pathway. Further, ISL1 downregulation could effectively inhibit tumor growth in a human CRPC xenograft model. Together, the present study shows that downregulation of ISL1 expression is necessary for overcoming enzalutamide resistance and improving the survival of CRPC patients.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms within HLA region are associated with the outcomes of unrelated cord blood transplantation
Authors: Chen Ding-Ping , Chang Su-Wei , Jaing Tang-Her , Wang Wei-Ting , Hsu Fang-Ping , Tseng Ching-Ping
Published: November 2021

Cord blood transplantation (CBT) provides a treatment scheme for hematologic diseases and leukemia in both children and adults. However, adverse reactions and transplantation-related death may still occur in patients receiving CBT even when donor and recipient have fully matched HLA in high-resolution HLA typing analysis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of HLA-related and unrelated genes are known to associate with disease status of patients with unrelated stem cell transplantation. In this study, the genomic regions ranging from 500 base pairs upstream to 500 base pairs downstream of the eight SNPs that were reported as transplantation determinants by Petersdorf et al. were analyzed to evaluate whether genetic variants were associated with the survival status of patients, and the risk for severe (grades 3–4) graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) or cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection/reactivation. The analyses were performed in the mode of recipient genotype, donor genotype, and recipient-donor mismatching, respectively. By analysis of sixty-five patients and their HLA-matched unrelated donors, we found that five SNPs were associated with patient survival which included the recipient genotype with SNPs of rs107822 in the RING1 gene, and rs2070120, rs17220087 and rs17213693 in the HLA-DOB gene; and the recipient-donor mismatching with SNPs of rs9282369 in HLA-DOA gene, and rs2070120, rs17220087 and rs17213693 in the HLA-DOB gene. Five SNPs were associated with the risk for severe GVHD which included the donor genotype with SNPs of rs213210 and rs2523675; the recipient genotype with SNPs of rs9281491 in the HCP5 gene; and the recipient-donor mismatching with SNPs of rs209130 in the TRIM27 gene, and rs986522 in the COL11A2 gene. Six SNPs were related to the risk for CMV infection/reactivation which included the donor genotype with SNPs of rs435766, rs380924, and rs2523957; and the recipient-donor mismatching with SNPs of rs2070120, rs17220087, and rs17213693 in the HLA-DOB gene; and rs435766 and rs380924 in the MICD gene. This study provides the basis for larger analyses and if the results are confirmed, a way of selecting better unrelated CBT candidate donors.
Elevated fecal and serum calprotectin in COVID-19 are not consistent with gastrointestinal symptoms
Authors: Shokri-Afra Hajar , Alikhani Ahmad , Moradipoodeh Bahman , Noorbakhsh Farshid , Fakheri Hafez , Moradi-Sardareh Hemen
Published: November 2021

Intestinal epithelial cell damage caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection was thought to be associated with gastrointestinal symptoms and decreased fecal consistency. The association of the gastrointestinal symptoms with the COVID-19-mediated inflammatory response triggered by the gastrointestinal immune system was investigated in this paper. Intestinal inflammation marker fecal calprotectin along with serum calprotectin and other inflammatory markers were measured in COVID-19 cases with and without GI manifestations as well as healthy individuals. Analyses were performed to compare COVID-19 patient subgroups and healthy controls and examine the relationship between fecal and serum calprotectin levels with gastrointestinal symptoms and disease severity. COVID-19 patients (n = 70) were found to have markedly elevated median levels of fecal (124.3 vs. 25.0 µg/g; P < 0/0001) and serum calprotectin (3500 vs. 1060 ng/mL; P < 0/0001) compared with uninfected controls. Fecal and serum calprotectin levels were not significantly different between COVID-19 patients who displayed GI symptoms and those who did not. Compared with other acute phase markers, both fecal and serum calprotectin were superior in identifying COVID-19 patients who progressed to severe illness. Although the progression of COVID-19 disease is marked by an elevation of fecal and serum calprotectin, gastrointestinal symptoms or diarrhea were not correlated with calprotectin increase level.
An integrated computational framework to design a multi-epitopes vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Albutti Aqel
Published: November 2021

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly contagious disease that mostly affects the lungs and is caused by a bacterial pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The associated mortality rate of TB is much higher compared to any other disease and the situation is more worrisome by the rapid emergence of drug resistant strains. Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) is the only licensed attenuated vaccine available for use in humans however, many countries have stopped its use as it fails to confer protective immunity. Therefore, urgent efforts are required to identify new and safe vaccine candidates that are not only provide high immune protection but also have broad spectrum applicability. Considering this, herein, I performed an extensive computational vaccine analysis to investigate 200 complete sequenced genomes of M. tuberculosis to identify core vaccine candidates that harbor safe, antigenic, non-toxic, and non-allergic epitopes. To overcome literature reported limitations of epitope-based vaccines, I carried out additional analysis by designing a multi-epitopes vaccine to achieve maximum protective immunity as well as to make experimental follow up studies easy by selecting a vaccine that can be easily analyzed because of its favorable physiochemical profile. Based on these analyses, I identified two potential vaccine proteins that fulfill all required vaccine properties. These two vaccine proteins are diacylglycerol acyltransferase and ESAT-6-like protein. Epitopes: DSGGYNANS from diacylglycerol acyltransferase and AGVQYSRAD, ADEEQQQAL, and VSRADEEQQ from ESAT-6-like protein were found to cover all necessary parameters and thus used in a multi-epitope vaccine construct. The designed vaccine is depicting a high binding affinity for different immune receptors and shows stable dynamics and rigorous van der Waals and electrostatic binding energies. The vaccine also simulates profound primary, secondary, tertiary immunoglobulin production as well as high interleukins and interferons count. In summary, the designed vaccine is ideal to be evaluated experimentally to decipher its real biological efficacy in controlling drug resistant infections of M. tuberculosis.
Mechanically excellent nacre-inspired protective steel-concrete composite against hypervelocity impacts
Authors: Mei Yong , Liu Jinming , Cui Yuan , Li Feng , Tang Xuke , Sun Miao , Chi Ruiqiang , Zhang Yongbo , Zhang Ao , Chen Ke
Published: November 2021

Steel–concrete (SC) composite widely used in military defensive project is due to its impressive mechanical properties, long-lived service, and low cost. However, the growing use of hypervelocity kinetic weapons in the present war puts forward higher requirements for the anti-explosion and penetration performance of military protection engineering. Here, inspired by the special ‘brick-and-mortar’ (BM) structural feature of natural nacre, we successfully construct a nacre-inspired steel–concrete (NISC) engineering composite with 2510 kg/m3, possessing nacre-like lamellar architecture via a bottom-up assembling technique. The NISC engineering composite exhibits nacreous BM structural similarity, high compressive strength of 68.5 MPa, compress modulus of 42.0 GPa, Mohs hardness of 5.5, Young’s modulus of 41.5 GPa, and shear modulus of 18.4 GPa, higher than pure concrete. More interestingly, the hypervelocity impact tests reveal the penetration capability of our NISC target material is obviously stronger than that of pure concrete, enhanced up to about 46.8% at the striking velocity of 1 km/s and approximately 30.9% at the striking velocity of 2 km/s, respectively, by examining the damages of targets, the trajectories, penetration depths, and residual projectiles. This mechanically integrated enhancement can be attributed to the nacre-like BM structural architecture derived from assembling the special steel-bar array frame-reinforced concrete platelets. This study highlights a key role of nacre-like structure design in promoting the enhanced hypervelocity impact resistance of steel–concrete composites.
On the design and performance analysis of wristband MIMO/diversity antenna for smart wearable communication applications
Authors: Govindan Thennarasi , Palaniswamy Sandeep Kumar , Kanagasabai Malathi , Rao Thipparaju Rama , Alsath M. Gulam Nabi , Kumar Sachin , Velan Sangeetha , Marey Mohamed , Aggarwal Apeksha
Published: November 2021

The design of a silicone rubber-based wristband wearable antenna exploiting pattern diversity is presented in this paper. The wristband diversity antenna consists of four identical antenna elements with an inter-element spacing of 0.68λ0, where λ0 is the lower cut-off wavelength. A modified trapezoidal-shaped radiator with a rectangular ground structure is used to achieve ultra-wide bandwidth. The proposed multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO)/diversity antenna covers a frequency range of 2.75–12 GHz. The antenna element offers a radiation efficiency of 89.3% and a gain of 3.41 dBi. The size of the wristband diversity antenna is 1.1λ0 × 18.4λ0 × 0.18λ0. The diversity performance characteristics of the prototype antenna are examined, with the envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) < 0.18, apparent diversity gain (ADG) > 9.5, effective diversity gain (EDG) > 9.5, mean effective gain (MEG) < 1 dB, total active reflection coefficient (TARC) < − 10 dB, and channel capacity loss (CCL) < 0.1  bits/s/Hz over the entire operating band. The specific absorption rate (SAR) of the proposed wristband antenna is analyzed to determine its radiation exposure on the human body, and the results show that the values are less than 0.02 W/kg.
Plasma extracellular vesicles in people living with HIV and type 2 diabetes are related to microbial translocation and cardiovascular risk
Authors: Vestad Beate , Nyman Tuula A. , Hove-Skovsgaard Malene , Stensland Maria , Hoel Hedda , Trøseid Anne-Marie Siebke , Aspelin Trude , Aass Hans Christian D. , Puhka Maija , Hov Johannes R. , Nielsen Susanne Dam , Øvstebø Reidun , Trøseid Marius
Published: November 2021

HIV and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are both associated with gut microbiota alterations, low-grade endotoxemia and increased cardiovascular risk. We investigated the potential role of plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) in relation to these processes. Plasma EVs were isolated by size exclusion chromatography in fasting individuals with HIV and T2D (n = 16), T2D only (n = 14), HIV only (n = 20) or healthy controls (n = 19), and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, western blot, nanoparticle tracking analysis and quantitative proteomics. The findings were compared to gut microbiota alterations, lipopolysaccharide levels and cardiovascular risk profile. Individuals with concomitant HIV and T2D had higher plasma EV concentration, which correlated closely with plasma lipopolysaccharides, triglycerides and Framingham score, but not with gut microbiota alterations. Proteomic analyses identified 558 human proteins, largely related to cardiometabolic disease genes and upstream regulation of inflammatory pathways, including IL-6 and IL-1β, as well as 30 bacterial proteins, mostly from lipopolysaccharide-producing Proteobacteria. Our study supports that EVs are related to microbial translocation processes in individuals with HIV and T2D. Their proteomic content suggests a contributing role in low-grade inflammation and cardiovascular risk development. The present approach for exploring gut-host crosstalk can potentially identify novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
A dry immersion model of microgravity modulates platelet phenotype, miRNA signature, and circulating plasma protein biomarker profile
Authors: Twomey Laura , Navasiolava Nastassia , Robin Adrien , Bareille Marie-Pierre , Gauquelin-Koch Guillemette , Beck Arnaud , Larcher Françoise , Meade-Murphy Gerardene , Sheridan Sinead , Maguire Patricia B. , Harrison Michael , Degryse Bernard , Moyna Niall M. , Gharib Claude , Custaud Marc-Antoine , Murphy Ronan P.
Published: November 2021

Ground based research modalities of microgravity have been proposed as innovative methods to investigate the aetiology of chronic age-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease. Dry Immersion (DI), has been effectively used to interrogate the sequelae of physical inactivity (PI) and microgravity on multiple physiological systems. Herein we look at the causa et effectus of 3-day DI on platelet phenotype, and correlate with both miRomic and circulating biomarker expression. The miRomic profile of platelets is reflective of phenotype, which itself is sensitive and malleable to the exposome, undergoing responsive transitions in order to fulfil platelets role in thrombosis and haemostasis. Heterogeneous platelet subpopulations circulate at any given time, with varying degrees of sensitivity to activation. Employing a DI model, we investigate the effect of acute PI on platelet function in 12 healthy males. 3-day DI resulted in a significant increase in platelet count, plateletcrit, platelet adhesion, aggregation, and a modest elevation of platelet reactivity index (PRI). We identified 15 protein biomarkers and 22 miRNA whose expression levels were altered after DI. A 3-day DI model of microgravity/physical inactivity induced a prothrombotic platelet phenotype with an unique platelet miRNA signature, increased platelet count and plateletcrit. This correlated with a unique circulating protein biomarker signature. Taken together, these findings highlight platelets as sensitive adaptive sentinels and functional biomarkers of epigenetic drift within the cardiovascular compartment.
Coordination during group departures and progressions in the tolerant multi-level society of wild Guinea baboons (Papio papio)
Authors: Montanari Davide , O’Hearn William J. , Hambuckers Julien , Fischer Julia , Zinner Dietmar
Published: November 2021

Collective movement of social groups requires coordination between individuals. When cohesion is imperative, consensus must be reached, and specific individuals may exert disproportionate influence during decision-making. Animals living in multi-level societies, however, often split into consistent social subunits during travel, which may impact group coordination processes. We studied collective movement in the socially tolerant multi-level society of Guinea baboons (Papio papio). Using 146 group departures and 100 group progressions from 131 Guinea baboons ranging in Senegal’s Niokolo-Koba National Park, we examined individual success at initiating group departures and position within progressions. Two-thirds of attempted departures were initiated by adult males and one third by adult females. Both sexes were equally successful at initiating departures (> 80% of initiations). During group progressions, bachelor males were predominantly found in front, while reproductively active ‘primary’ males and females were observed with similar frequency across the whole group. The pattern of collective movement in Guinea baboons was more similar to those described for baboons living in uni-level societies than to hamadryas baboons, the only other multi-level baboon species, where males initiate and decide almost all group departures. Social organization alone therefore does not determine which category of individuals influence group coordination.
The condition of the oral cavity at the time of diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease in pediatric patients
Authors: Klichowska-Palonka Małgorzata , Komsta Aneta , Pac-Kożuchowska Elżbieta
Published: November 2021

Changes in the oral mucosa can appear in the course of inflammatory bowel disease in both children and adults. They often precede the appearance of gastrointestinal symptoms. The aim of the study was to determine the nature of changes in the oral cavity at the time of diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease in children compared to children without systemic diseases. 49 children diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease and 60 children without systemic diseases were examined. The prevalence of the aphthae stomatitis and angular cheilitis was 24.5% in the examined group and 10% in the control group (p = 0.0772). Changes in the oral mucosa occurred more frequently in children with Crohn's disease 35.3% than with ulcerative colitis 18.7%. In children with Crohn's disease, the most frequently observed lesion was aphthous stomatitis 23.5%, and in ulcerative colitis, angular cheilitis 12.5%. Changes in the oral mucosa are a therapeutic problem requiring in general diseases patients both local and systemic treatment and interdisciplinary cooperation between dentists, paediatricians and gastroenterologists. The finding of repeated changes in the oral mucosa during a dental examination should be the reason for referring the patient to a paediatrician for the foreclosure or make a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel diseases.
An unusual elateroid lineage from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (Coleoptera: Elateroidea)
Authors: Li Yan-Da , Kundrata Robin , Packova Gabriela , Huang Di-Ying , Cai Chen-Yang
Published: November 2021

We here report a new elateroid, Anoeuma lawrencei Li, Kundrata and Cai gen. et sp. nov., from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. Though superficially similar to some soft-bodied archostematans, Anoeuma could be firmly placed in the polyphagan superfamily Elateroidea based on the hind wing venation. Detailed morphological comparisons between extant elateroids and the Cretaceous fossils suggest that the unique character combination does not fit with confidence into any existing soft-bodied elateroid group, although some characters indicate possible relationships between Anoeuma and Omalisinae. Our discovery of this new lineage further demonstrates the past diversity and morphological disparity of soft-bodied elateroids.
Differences in the setting of acetabular component alignment guides between the supine and lateral positions for total hip arthroplasty
Authors: Minoda Yukihide , Sugama Ryo , Ohta Yoichi , Takemura Susumu , Yamamoto Nobuo , Nakatsuchi Tamotsu , Nakamura Hiroaki
Published: November 2021

The acetabular component orientation in total hip arthroplasty is of critical importance to clinical results. Although navigation systems and surgical robots have been introduced, most surgeons still use acetabular component alignment guides. This study aimed to compare the accuracy between modern acetabular component alignment guides for the lateral position and those for the supine position. Thirteen alignment guides for the lateral position and 10 for the supine position were investigated. All the lateral position alignment guides indicated cup alignment in operative definition, and the supine position alignment guides indicated cup alignment in radiographic definition. For lateral position alignment guides, the anteversion actually indicated by the alignment guide itself was smaller than that indicated by the manufacturer by a mean of 6° (maximum, 9°), and the inclination actually indicated by alignment guides themselves was larger than that by the manufacturer (p < 0.01) by a mean of 2° (maximum, 4°). For supine position alignment guides, the inclination and anteversion indicated by the alignment guide itself were identical with those indicated by the manufacturer. The current study showed that the angles actually indicated and those stated by manufacturers were not identical for lateral position alignment guides.
Adiabatic quantum linear regression
Authors: Date Prasanna , Potok Thomas
Published: November 2021

A major challenge in machine learning is the computational expense of training these models. Model training can be viewed as a form of optimization used to fit a machine learning model to a set of data, which can take up significant amount of time on classical computers. Adiabatic quantum computers have been shown to excel at solving optimization problems, and therefore, we believe, present a promising alternative to improve machine learning training times. In this paper, we present an adiabatic quantum computing approach for training a linear regression model. In order to do this, we formulate the regression problem as a quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problem. We analyze our quantum approach theoretically, test it on the D-Wave adiabatic quantum computer and compare its performance to a classical approach that uses the Scikit-learn library in Python. Our analysis shows that the quantum approach attains up to $${2.8 \times }$$

2.8
×

speedup over the classical approach on larger datasets, and performs at par with the classical approach on the regression error metric. The quantum approach used the D-Wave 2000Q adiabatic quantum computer, whereas the classical approach used a desktop workstation with an 8-core Intel i9 processor. As such, the results obtained in this work must be interpreted within the context of the specific hardware and software implementations of these machines.
The effects of exosomes derived from trabecular meshwork cells on Schlemm’s canal endothelial cells
Authors: Takahashi Eri , Saruwatari Junji , Fujimoto Tomokazu , Tanoue Yuki , Fukuda Takaichi , Inoue Toshihiro
Published: November 2021

Trabecular meshwork (TM) and Schlemm’s canal (SC) are the main structures within the conventional outflow pathway, and TM cells and SC endothelial (SCE) cells are essential for controlling intraocular pressure. To examine the interaction between TM cells and SCE cells, we investigated whether exosomes contribute to intercellular communication. Additionally, TM cells in glaucoma acquire mesenchymal characteristics in response to transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2 and extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen type 1 (Col-1); these changes result in increased resistance of aqueous outflow. In this study, we stimulated TM cells with TGF-β2 and Col-1 and characterized the exosomal miRNAs (exomiRs) released in response to each stimulus. Isolated exosomes were rich in miRNAs, with downregulated miR-23a-5p and upregulated miR-3942-5p and miR-7515 levels following Col-1 or TGF-β2 stimulation. Next, a miRNA-mRNA network under TGF-β2 stimulation was constructed. There were no connections among the 3 miRNAs and predicted genes under Col-1 stimulation. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that the identified miRNAs were associated with various signaling pathways, including the inflammatory response. Interestingly, SCE cells treated with miR-7515 mimic showed increased VEGFA, VEGFR2, PECAM, and Tie2 expression. Ultrastructures typical of exosomes and positive staining for exosomal markers were observed in human TM cells. Our data showed that TM cells may communicate with SCE cells via exomiRs and that miR-7515 may be important for SCE cell reprogramming.
A novel spatially resolved interactance spectroscopy system to estimate degree of red coloration in red-fleshed apple
Authors: Ye Xujun , Doi Tamaki , Arakawa Osamu , Zhang Shuhuai
Published: November 2021

Reliable information about degree of red coloration in fruit flesh is essential for grading and sorting of red-fleshed apples. We propose a spatially resolved interactance spectroscopy approach as a new rapid and non-destructive technique to estimate degree of red coloration in the flesh of a red-fleshed apple cultivar ‘Kurenainoyume’. A novel measurement system was developed to obtain spatially resolved interactance spectra (190–1070 nm) for apple fruits at eight different light source-detector separation (SDS) distances on fruit surface. Anthocyanins in apple were extracted using a solvent extraction technique, and their contents were quantified with a spectrophotometer. Partial least squares (PLS) regression analyses were performed to develop estimation models for anthocyanin content from spatially resolved interactance spectra. Results showed that the PLS models based on interactance spectra obtained at different SDS distances achieved different predictive accuracy. Further, the system demonstrated the possibility to detect the degree of red coloration in the flesh at specific depths by identifying an optimal SDS distance. This might contribute to provide a detailed profile of the red coloration (anthocyanins) that is unevenly distributed among different depths of the flesh. This new approach may be potentially applied to grading and sorting systems for red-fleshed apples in fruit industry.
Strain driven phase transition and mechanism for Fe/Ir(111) films
Authors: Hsieh Chen-Yuan , Jiang Pei-Cheng , Chen Wei-Hsiang , Tsay Jyh-Shen
Published: November 2021

By way of introducing heterogeneous interfaces, the stabilization of crystallographic phases is critical to a viable strategy for developing materials with novel characteristics, such as occurrence of new structure phase, anomalous enhancement in magnetic moment, enhancement of efficiency as nanoportals. Because of the different lattice structures at the interface, heterogeneous interfaces serve as a platform for controlling pseudomorphic growth, nanostructure evolution and formation of strained clusters. However, our knowledge related to the strain accumulation phenomenon in ultrathin Fe layers on face-centered cubic (fcc) substrates remains limited. For Fe deposited on Ir(111), here we found the existence of strain accumulation at the interface and demonstrate a strain driven phase transition in which fcc-Fe is transformed to a bcc phase. By substituting the bulk modulus and the shear modulus and the experimental results of lattice parameters in cubic geometry, we obtain the strain energy density for different Fe thicknesses. A limited distortion mechanism is proposed for correlating the increasing interfacial strain energy, the surface energy, and a critical thickness. The calculation shows that the strained layers undergo a phase transition to the bulk structure above the critical thickness. The results are well consistent with experimental measurements. The strain driven phase transition and mechanism presented herein provide a fundamental understanding of strain accumulation at the bcc/fcc interface.
Histology of neovascular myopic macular degeneration
Authors: Jonas Shefali B. , Panda-Jonas Songhomitra , Jonas Jost B. , Jonas Rahul A.
Published: November 2021

To assess the histological correlate of neovascular or exudative myopic macular degeneration (nMMD) in highly myopic human eyes, we examined histomorphometrically histologic sections of enucleated eyes of Caucasian patients. The study included 284 eyes (age: 61.9 ± 13.7 years; range: 24–89 years; axial length: 25.5 ± 3.1 mm; range: 20–37 mm). An nMMD was detected in 5 eyes (axial length: 29.6 ± 2.6 mm; range: 26.0–31.0 mm). All these eyes showed within or close to the nMMD a macular Bruch’s membrane (BM) defect, fibrous tissue with erythrocyte-filled blood vessels, and proliferations of irregularly pigmented and irregularly piled-up retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells each of which was connected with a curled-up, PAS (Periodic-Acid-Shiff)-positive membrane. The nMMD lesions were covered by proliferated RPE cells. RPE cells were not detected within the retina. In binary regression analysis, a higher nMMD prevalence was associated with a higher prevalence of macular BM defects (odds ratio: > 1000; P < 0.001), while the association with axial length was not significant (P = 0.43) in that model. After adjustment for the presence of macular BM defects, the nMMD prevalence was not associated with BM thickness (measured at the posterior pole, equator-posterior pole midpoint, equator and shortly posterior to the ora serrata) (P = 0.10; P = 0.87; P = 0.40; and P = 0.36, respectively), RPE cell layer thickness (P = 0.83; P = 0.79; P = 0.31; P = 0.38, resp.), RPE cell density (P = 0.56; P = 0.91; P = 0.47; P = 0.87, resp.), choriocapillaris thickness (P = 0.47; P = 0.93; P = 0.41; P = 0.75, resp.), and choriocapillaris density (P = 0.99; P = 0.94; P = 0.17; P = 0.97, resp.). The results suggest that nMMD is characterized by a fibrous pseudo-metaplasia of the RPE and is strongly associated with macular BM defects, without other detected histomorphometric differences in thickness or density of the RPE, BM, and choriocapillaris.
Incidence and predictors of serious bleeding during long-term follow-up after acute coronary syndrome in a population-based cohort study
Authors: Graipe Anna , Ulvenstam Anders , Irevall Anna-Lotta , Söderström Lars , Mooe Thomas
Published: November 2021

Progress in decreasing ischemic complications in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has come at the expense of increased bleeding risk. We estimated the long-term, post-discharge incidence of serious bleeding, characterized bleeding type, and identified predictors of bleeding and its impact on mortality in an unselected cohort of patients with ACS. In this population-based study, we included 1379 patients identified with an ACS, 2010–2014. Serious bleeding was defined as intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), bleeding requiring hospital admission, or bleeding requiring transfusion or surgery. During a median 4.6-year follow-up, 85 patients had ≥ 1 serious bleed (cumulative incidence, 8.6%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 8.3–8.9). A subgroup of 557 patients, aged ≥ 75 years had a higher incidence (13.4%) than younger patients (6.0%). The most common bleeding site was gastrointestinal (51%), followed by ICH (27%). Sixteen percent had a recurrence. Risk factors for serious bleeding were age ≥ 75 years, lower baseline hemoglobin (Hb) value, previous hypertension or heart failure. Serious bleeding was associated with increased mortality. Bleeding after ACS was fairly frequent and the most common bleeding site was gastrointestinal. Older age, lower baseline Hb value, hypertension and heart failure predicted bleeding. Bleeding did independently predict mortality.
Three dimensional microelectrodes enable high signal and spatial resolution for neural seizure recordings in brain slices and freely behaving animals
Authors: Wijdenes P. , Haider K. , Gavrilovici C. , Gunning B. , Wolff M. D. , Lijnse T. , Armstrong R. , Teskey G. C. , Rho J. M. , Dalton C. , Syed Naweed I.
Published: November 2021

Neural recordings made to date through various approaches—both in-vitro or in-vivo—lack high spatial resolution and a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) required for detailed understanding of brain function, synaptic plasticity, and dysfunction. These shortcomings in turn deter the ability to further design diagnostic, therapeutic strategies and the fabrication of neuro-modulatory devices with various feedback loop systems. We report here on the simulation and fabrication of fully configurable neural micro-electrodes that can be used for both in vitro and in vivo applications, with three-dimensional semi-insulated structures patterned onto custom, fine-pitch, high density arrays. These microelectrodes were interfaced with isolated brain slices as well as implanted in brains of freely behaving rats to demonstrate their ability to maintain a high SNR. Moreover, the electrodes enabled the detection of epileptiform events and high frequency oscillations in an epilepsy model thus offering a diagnostic potential for neurological disorders such as epilepsy. These microelectrodes provide unique opportunities to study brain activity under normal and various pathological conditions, both in-vivo and in in-vitro, thus furthering the ability to develop drug screening and neuromodulation systems that could accurately record and map the activity of large neural networks over an extended time period.
Integration of transcriptome and targeted metabolome profiling reveals hormone related genes involved in the growth of Bletilla striata
Authors: Zou Hengwei , Jiang Hanxiao , Li Liangbo , Huang Rongshao
Published: November 2021

Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. (BS) is a traditional Chinese medicine with numerous beneficial effects. In our previous study, Aspergillus flavus was isolated from B. striata. To explore the physiological and molecular mechanisms of Aspergillus flavus elicitor (1-G4) that promoted Bletilla striata growth, in this study, we performed the determination of growth indexes and transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis under 5% and 10% 1-G4 conditions. Results showed that 1-G4 elicitor could significantly promote the growth and development of B. striata. With the increasing concentration of 1-G4 elicitor, the contents of SA, ICAld, and ME-IAA significantly increased while the IP and ACC contents decreased dramatically. A total of 1657 DEGs (763 up-regulated and 894 down-regulated) between the control (CK) and 5% elicitor (CK vs G5) and 2415 DEGs (1208 up-regulated and 1207 down-regulated) between the control and 10% elicitor (CK vs G10) were identified. Further, we found that 22, 38, and 2 unigenes were involved in ME-IAA, IP, and ACC, respectively. It was indicated that these unigenes might be involved in B. striata growth. Overall, the current study laid a theoretical foundation for the effective utilization of endophytic fungi and the optimization of germplasm resources of B. striata.
Green synthesis and characterization of Fe3O4 nanoparticles using Chlorella-K01 extract for potential enhancement of plant growth stimulating and antifungal activity
Authors: Win Theint Theint , Khan Sikandar , Bo Bo , Zada Shah , Fu PengCheng
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this research was to determine the efficacy of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs) using microalgal products as a plant growth stimulant and antifungal agent. The work was conducted with the phyco-synthesis and characterization of Fe3O4-NPs using 0.1 M ferric/ferrous chloride solution (2:1 ratio; 65 °C) with aqueous extract of the green microalga Chlorella K01. Protein, carbohydrate and polyphenol contents of Chlorella K01 extract were measured. The synthesized microalgal Fe3O4-NPs made a significant contribution to the germination and vigor index of rice, maize, mustard, green grams, and watermelons. Fe3O4-NPs also exhibited antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium tricinctum, Fusarium maniliforme, Rhizoctonia solani, and Phythium sp. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), particle size analysers (PSA), and zeta potential (ZP) measurements were used to characterize these green fabricated magnetite NPs. FTIR analysis showed that the synergy of microalgal proteins, carbohydrtates and polyphenols is responsible for the biofabrication of iron nanoparticles. A spheroid dispersion of biosynthesized Fe3O4-NPs with an average diameter of 76.5 nm was produced in the synthetic process.
Anisotropic optical responses of layered thallium arsenic sulfosalt gillulyite
Authors: Tripathi Ravi P. N. , Gao Jie , Yang Xiaodong
Published: November 2021

Multi-element two-dimensional (2D) materials hold great promise in the context of tailoring the physical and chemical properties of the materials via stoichiometric engineering. However, the rational and controllable synthesis of complex 2D materials remains a challenge. Herein, we demonstrate the preparation of large-area thin quaternary 2D material flakes via mechanical exfoliation from a naturally occurring bulk crystal named gillulyite. Furthermore, the anisotropic linear and nonlinear optical properties including anisotropic Raman scattering, linear dichroism, and anisotropic third-harmonic generation (THG) of the exfoliated gillulyite flakes are investigated. The observed highly anisotropic optical properties originate from the reduced in-plane crystal symmetry. Additionally, the third-order nonlinear susceptibility of gillulyite crystal is retrieved from the measured thickness-dependent THG emission. We anticipate that the demonstrated strong anisotropic linear and nonlinear optical responses of gillulyite crystal will facilitate the better understanding of light-matter interaction in quaternary 2D materials and its implications in technological innovations such as photodetectors, frequency modulators, nonlinear optical signal processors, and solar cell applications.
A new paradigm for a new simple chemical: butyrate & immune regulation
Authors: Dang Guoqi , Wu Weida , Zhang Hongfu , Everaert Nadia
Published: November 2021

Butyrate has attracted a lot of attention on host immunity. It promotes anti-inflammatory response by interacting with receptors, immune cells and suppressing histone deacetylase activity.