bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tumor Microenvironment and Its Clinicopathologic and Prognostic Association in Cutaneous and Noncutaneous Angiosarcomas
Authors: Machado Isidro , Requena Celia , López-Reig Raquel , Fernández-Serra Antonio , Giner Francisco , Cruz Julia , Traves Victor , Lavernia Javier , Claramunt Reyes , Llombart Beatriz , López-Guerrero José Antonio , Llombart-Bosch Antonio
Published: March 2023

Objectives

We explored features of the angiosarcoma (AS) tumor microenvironment to discover subtypes that may respond to immunotherapy.

Methods

Thirty-two ASs were included. Tumors were studied by histology, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and gene expression profile using the HTG EdgeSeq Precision Immuno-Oncology Assay.

Results

Comparing cutaneous and noncutaneous ASs, the second group showed 155 deregulated genes, and unsupervised hierarchical clustering (UHC) delineated two groups: the first mostly cutaneous AS and the second mainly noncutaneous AS. Cutaneous ASs showed a significantly higher proportion of T cells, natural killer cells, and naive B cells. ASs without MYC amplification revealed a higher immunoscore in comparison with ASs with MYC amplification. PD-L1 was significantly overexpressed in ASs without MYC amplification. UHC showed 135 deregulated genes differentially expressed when comparing ASs from the non–head and neck area with patients who had AS in the head and neck area. ASs from the head and neck area showed high immunoscore. PD1/PD-L1 content was significantly more highly expressed in ASs from the head and neck area. IHC and HTG gene expression profiling revealed a significant correlation between PD1, CD8, and CD20 protein expression but not PD-L1.

Conclusions

Our HTG analyses confirmed a high degree of tumor and microenvironment heterogeneity. Cutaneous ASs, ASs without MYC amplification, and ASs located in the head and neck area seem to be the most immunogenic subtypes in our series.
More eyes on the prize: open-source data, software and hardware for advancing plant science through collaboration
Authors: Coleman Guy R Y , Salter William T
Published: March 2023

Automating the analysis of plants using image processing would help remove barriers to phenotyping and large-scale precision agricultural technologies, such as site-specific weed control. The combination of accessible hardware and high-performance deep learning (DL) tools for plant analysis is becoming widely recognised as a path forward for both plant science and applied precision agricultural purposes. Yet, a lack of collaboration in image analysis for plant science, despite the open-source origins of much of the technology, is hindering development. Here, we show how tools developed for specific attributes of phenotyping or weed recognition for precision weed control have substantial overlapping data structure, software/hardware requirements and outputs. An open-source approach to these tools facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration, avoiding unnecessary repetition and allowing research groups in both basic and applied sciences to capitalise on advancements and resolve respective bottlenecks. The approach mimics that of machine learning in its nascence. Three areas of collaboration are identified as critical for improving efficiency, (1) standardized, open-source, annotated dataset development with consistent metadata reporting; (2) establishment of accessible and reliable training and testing platforms for DL algorithms; and (3) sharing of all source code used in the research process. The complexity of imaging plants and cost of annotating image datasets means that collaboration from typically distinct fields will be necessary to capitalize on the benefits of DL for both applied and basic science purposes.
IMperm: a fast and comprehensive IMmune Paired-End Reads Merger for sequencing data
Authors: Zhang Wei , Ju Jia , Zhou Yong , Xiong Teng , Wang Mengyao , Li Chaohui , Lu Shixin , Lu Zefeng , Lin Liya , Liu Xiao , Li Shuai Cheng
Published: March 2023

The adaptive immune receptor repertoire (AIRR), consisting of T- and B-cell receptors, is the core component of the immune system. The AIRR sequencing is commonly used in cancer immunotherapy and minimal residual disease (MRD) detection of leukemia and lymphoma. The AIRR is captured by primers and sequenced to yield paired-end (PE) reads. The PE reads could be merged into one sequence by the overlapped region between them. However, the wide range of AIRR data raises the difficulty, so a special tool is required. We developed a software package for IMmune PE reads merger of sequencing data, named IMperm. We used the k-mer-and-vote strategy to pin down the overlapped region rapidly. IMperm could handle all types of PE reads, eliminate adapter contamination and successfully merge low-quality and minor/non-overlapping reads. Compared with existing tools, IMperm performed better in both simulated and sequencing data. Notably, IMperm was well suited to processing the data of MRD detection in leukemia and lymphoma and detected 19 novel MRD clones in 14 patients with leukemia from previously published data. Additionally, IMperm can handle PE reads from other sources, and we demonstrated its effectiveness on two genomic and one cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid datasets. IMperm is implemented in the C programming language and consumes little runtime and memory. It is freely available at https://github.com/zhangwei2015/IMperm.
ExamPle: explainable deep learning framework for the prediction of plant small secreted peptides
Authors: Li Zhongshen , Jin Junru , Wang Yu , Long Wentao , Ding Yuanhao , Hu Haiyan , Wei Leyi
Published: March 2023

Motivation

Plant Small Secreted Peptides (SSPs) play an important role in plant growth, development, and plant–microbe interactions. Therefore, the identification of SSPs is essential for revealing the functional mechanisms. Over the last few decades, machine learning-based methods have been developed, accelerating the discovery of SSPs to some extent. However, existing methods highly depend on handcrafted feature engineering, which easily ignores the latent feature representations and impacts the predictive performance.

Results

Here, we propose ExamPle, a novel deep learning model using Siamese network and multi-view representation for the explainable prediction of the plant SSPs. Benchmarking comparison results show that our ExamPle performs significantly better than existing methods in the prediction of plant SSPs. Also, our model shows excellent feature extraction ability. Importantly, by utilizing in silicomutagenesis experiment, ExamPle can discover sequential characteristics and identify the contribution of each amino acid for the predictions. The key novel principle learned by our model is that the head region of the peptide and some specific sequential patterns are strongly associated with the SSPs’ functions. Thus, ExamPle is expected to be a useful tool for predicting plant SSPs and designing effective plant SSPs.

Availability and implementation

Our codes and datasets are available at https://github.com/Johnsunnn/ExamPle.
Coverage-preserving sparsification of overlap graphs for long-read assembly
Authors: Jain Chirag
Published: March 2023

Motivation

Read-overlap-based graph data structures play a central role in computing de novo genome assembly. Most long-read assemblers use Myers’s string graph model to sparsify overlap graphs. Graph sparsification improves assembly contiguity by removing spurious and redundant connections. However, a graph model must be coverage-preserving, i.e. it must ensure that there exist walks in the graph that spell all chromosomes, given sufficient sequencing coverage. This property becomes even more important for diploid genomes, polyploid genomes, and metagenomes where there is a risk of losing haplotype-specific information.

Results

We develop a novel theoretical framework under which the coverage-preserving properties of a graph model can be analyzed. We first prove that de Bruijn graph and overlap graph models are guaranteed to be coverage-preserving. We next show that the standard string graph model lacks this guarantee. The latter result is consistent with prior work suggesting that removal of contained reads, i.e. the reads that are substrings of other reads, can lead to coverage gaps during string graph construction. Our experiments done using simulated long reads from HG002 human diploid genome show that 50 coverage gaps are introduced on average by ignoring contained reads from nanopore datasets. To remedy this, we propose practical heuristics that are well-supported by our theoretical results and are useful to decide which contained reads should be retained to avoid coverage gaps. Our method retains a small fraction of contained reads (1–2%) and closes majority of the coverage gaps.

Availability and implementation

Source code is available through GitHub (https://github.com/at-cg/ContainX) and Zenodo with doi: 10.5281/zenodo.7687543.
Efficacy and safety of roflumilast cream for chronic plaque psoriasis with facial/neck and intertriginous area involvement: a post hoc analysis from a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Draelos Zoe D , Adam David N , Hong H Chih-ho , Lebwohl Mark G , Lynde Charles W , Nahm Walter K , Papp Kim A , Pariser David M , Stein Gold Linda , Stewart Daniel , Higham Robert C , Berk David R , Krupa David , Burnett Patrick
Published: March 2023

This post hoc analysis evaluated efficacy and safety of roflumilast cream in patients with psoriasis involving the face/neck or intertriginous areas from a phase IIb trial. Of 331 patients enrolled in the phase IIb trial, 160 had psoriasis involving the face/neck and/or intertriginous areas. Once-daily roflumilast cream was well tolerated with efficacy across multiple endpoints in these patients.
Quality of life after open versus laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy: long-term results from a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Johansen Karin , Lindhoff Larsson Anna , Lundgren Linda , Gasslander Thomas , Hjalmarsson Claes , Sandström Per , Björnsson Bergthor
Published: March 2023

Background

Pancreatic surgery is rapidly transitioning towards minimally invasive methods. Positive results have been published regarding the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy, but postoperative quality of life after operation remains relatively unexplored. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term quality of life after open versus laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy.

Methods

A long-term analysis of quality-of-life data after laparoscopic and open distal pancreatectomy based on the LAPOP trial (a single-centre, superiority, parallel, open-label, RCT in which patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy were randomized 1 : 1 to either the open or laparoscopic approach). Patients received the quality-of-life questionnaires QLQ-C30 and PAN26 before surgery and at 5–6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months after surgery.

Results

Between September 2015 and February 2019, a total of 60 patients were randomized, and 54 patients (26 in the open group and 28 in the laparoscopic group) were included in the quality-of-life analysis. A significant difference was observed in six domains in the mixed model analysis, with better results among patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery. At the 2-year measurement, a statistically significant difference between groups was seen in three domains, and a clinically relevant difference of 10 or more was seen in 16 domains, with better results among the patients who underwent laparoscopic resection.

Conclusion

Considerable differences were shown in postoperative quality of life after laparoscopic compared with open distal pancreatectomy, with better results among the patients who had undergone laparoscopic resection. Of note, some of these differences persisted up to 2 years after surgery. These results strengthen the ongoing transition from open to minimally invasive pancreatic surgery for distal pancreatectomy. Registration number: ISRCTN26912858 (http://www.controlled-trials.com).
Applying Three Different Horizons to Understand Sibling Experiences When the Brother or Sister Dies for a Drug-related Reason
Authors: Perrin Julie
Published: March 2023

Sibling bereavement is a life-changing event with implications for the individual and family. In a study guided by Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics focused on sibling bereavement when the brother or sister dies for a drug-related reason, a critical realisation became apparent; it is possible to understand one person’s story from multiple standpoints. This is directly relevant to social work practice as different viewpoints make it possible to illuminate other aspects of the person’s experience keeping us open to hearing more, reflecting and willing to learn something new. A summary of the literature on the three subject areas is presented, as are the identified gaps that helped refine the research questions. A synopsis of what it means to conduct research underpinned by Gadamer’s philosophy is outlined and then elucidated through application to one participant’s interview. The article serves a dual purpose of presenting information on subject areas relating to drug and alcohol, thanatology and family therapy theory, promoting understanding in these horizons. The primary aim is to focus on one of the participants, Karen, from the larger study to show how different horizons bring different understandings to the fore. The article calls for social workers to expand their horizons of understanding.
Trends in mortality and morbidity in patients with bullous pemphigoid before and after approval of intravenous immunoglobulin in Japan: an interrupted time-series analysis
Authors: Miyachi Hideaki , Konishi Takaaki , Hashimoto Yohei , Matsui Hiroki , Fushimi Kiyohide , Inozume Takashi , Matsue Hiroyuki , Yasunaga Hideo
Published: March 2023

Background

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been reported to be an effective treatment for bullous pemphigoid. However, the impact of IVIg approval on real-world outcomes remains unclear.

Objectives

To investigate the effect of IVIg approval on patients with bullous pemphigoid using a national inpatient database.

Methods

Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we identified 14 229 patients admitted to hospital for bullous pemphigoid and treated with systemic corticosteroids between July 2010 and March 2020. We conducted an interrupted time-series analysis to compare in-hospital mortality and morbidity between the patients admitted before and after the approval of reimbursement of IVIg for bullous pemphigoid in the Japanese universal health insurance system in November 2015.

Results

In-hospital mortality was 5.5% before and 4.5% after the approval of IVIg reimbursement. After the IVIg approval, 18% of the patients were treated with IVIg. Based on the interrupted time-series analysis, in-hospital mortality significantly decreased at the time of approval [–1.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI) –2.0 to –0.3, P = 0.009] and a downward trend was observed after the approval (–0.4% annual rate, 95% CI –0.7 to –0.1, P = 0.005). In-hospital morbidity also demonstrated a downward trend after the approval.

Conclusions

IVIg approval is associated with lower in-hospital mortality and morbidity in inpatients with bullous pemphigoid.
Veterans with multiple risk factors for Barrett’s esophagus are infrequently evaluated with upper endoscopy
Authors: Crowe Brooks R , Krigel Anna , Li Tian , Haile Rozina , Al-Ani Firas , Lebwohl Benjamin , Abrams Julian A , Araujo James L
Published: March 2023

Recent guidelines recommend screening for patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease who have three or more additional risk factors for Barrett’s esophagus (BE). Failure to screen high-risk individuals represents a missed opportunity in esophageal adenocarcinoma prevention and early detection. We aimed to determine the frequency of upper endoscopy and prevalence of BE and esophageal cancer in a cohort of United States veterans who possessed four or more risk factors for BE. All patients at VA New York Harbor Healthcare System with at least four risk factors for BE between 2012 and 2017 were identified. Procedure records were reviewed for upper endoscopies performed between January 2012 and December 2019. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine risk factors associated with undergoing endoscopy and factors associated with BE and esophageal cancer. 4505 patients with at least four risk factors for BE were included. 828 patients (18.4%) underwent upper endoscopy, of which 42 (5.1%) were diagnosed with BE and 11 (1.3%) with esophageal cancer (10 adenocarcinoma; 1 squamous cell carcinoma). Among individuals who underwent upper endoscopy, risk factors associated with undergoing endoscopy included obesity (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.41–2.30; P < 0.001) and chronic reflux (OR, 3.86; 95% CI, 3.04–4.90; P < 0.001). There were no individual risk factors associated with BE or BE/esophageal cancer. In this retrospective analysis of patients with 4 or more risk factors for BE, fewer than one-fifth of patients underwent upper endoscopy, supporting the need for efforts aimed at improving BE screening rates.
Eliminating transseptal sheath exchange for pulsed field ablation procedures using a direct over-the-needle transseptal access with the Faradrive sheath
Authors: Kueffer Thomas , Madaffari Antonio , Thalmann Gregor , Mühl Aline , Galuszka Oskar , Baldinger Samuel , Seiler Jens , Tanner Hildegard , Kobza Richard , Roten Laurent , Berte Benjamin , Reichlin Tobias
Published: March 2023

Aims

Pulsed field ablation (PFA) for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) combines the benefits of high procedural efficacy and safety. Transseptal puncture (TSP) to obtain left atrial (LA) access during PVI remains an important source of complications during LA procedures. For PFA procedures, TSP is generally performed using a standard transseptal sheath that is then exchanged over the wire for a dedicated PFA sheath, which might be a potential source for air embolism. We aimed to prospectively evaluate the feasibility and safety of a simplified workflow using the PFA sheath (Faradrive, Boston Scientific) directly for TSP.

Methods and Results

We prospectively enrolled 100 patients undergoing PVI using PFA at two centres. TSP was performed using the PFA sheath and a standard 98 cm transseptal needle under fluoroscopic guidance. TSP via the PFA sheath was successfully performed in all patients and no complications occurred. The median time from the first groin puncture to the completed LA access was 12 min (IQR 8–16 min).

Conclusion

An over-the-needle TSP directly with the PFA sheath proved feasible and safe in our study. This simplified workflow has the potential to reduce the risk of air embolism, to shorten procedure time, and to reduce cost.
Effect of different forms of selenium in osteoporosis rat model induced by retinoic acid
Authors: Li Haitao , Guo Yan , Chen Xiaoyan , Man Zhengyin , Zhang Xiaotao
Published: March 2023

Osteoporosis is a typical physiological disease, the main symptoms of which are brittle fracture, bone pain and easily deformed. As an individual ages, the prevalence of osteoporosis increases year by year. In the present study, selenium with antioxidant, immunomodulatory and anti-tumor effects was used to prevent osteoporosis induced by retinoic acid. The serum calcium contents in the selenium-treated groups (sodium selenite and selenomethionine) were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those in the model group in both the prevention and treatment studies. After prevention, glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase transaminase (GOT), glutamate transaminase (GPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) levels were significantly (P<0.05) decreased. In the treatment study, the serum calcium and phosphorus contents of the rats increased after selenium treatment. There was no significant change (P>0.05) in the activity of GOT and GPT. The content of ALP decreased obviously and the TRACP enzyme activity increased. Overall, these results showed that different forms of selenium compounds have great potential in preventing and treating osteoporosis.
Geodetic imaging of ground deformation and reservoir parameters at the Yangbajing Geothermal Field, Tibet, China
Authors: Zhang Yinpeng , Xiang Wei , Liu Guoxiang , Wang Xiaowen , Zhang Rui , Zhang Xue , Tong Jinzhao , Yuan Hailun , Zhang Can
Published: March 2023

Monitoring and modeling ground surface deformation are crucial for the dynamic assessment of geothermal resources and sustainable exploitation in a geothermal field. In this study, we extract the deformation in the Yangbajing geothermal field by the small baseline-synthetic aperture radar interferometry (SBAS-InSAR) method using 141 Sentinel-1A images collected between March 2017 and November 2021. The InSAR result indicates both uplift and subsidence in the geothermal field. Subsequently, we use a dual-source model combining a dipping ellipsoid and a rectangular surface to model the shallow reservoir that contracted to cause the complex subsidence field in the north of the geothermal field. The shallow reservoir that expanded to cause the uplift in the south is modeled by an ellipsoid source. The parameters inversion is processed by the nonlinear Bayesian inversion method which has been applied to search the optimal parameters setting in a priori space and evaluate the uncertainties by the confidence intervals. To validate our inversion results, we collect the data from 31 wells including extraction and injection wells, detailed tectonic survey data and geothermal isotherms of the Yangbajing geothermal field. The modeled shallow reservoir in the north is within a 140 °C ground isotherm and a 160 °C underground isotherm. The thickness and depth of the reservoir slightly exceed the data from producing wells, probably due to the structural subsidence of the reservoir. The geometric structure is consistent with the channel faults that control the formation and development of the shallow reservoirs. The modeled reservoir under the rebound area in the south is also validated by comparing the data. Furthermore, we estimate the volume loss and recovery of the contracting and expanding reservoirs. We analyse the deformation mechanisms by considering the tectonic formation, the reservoir structure, and the extraction and rechargeability of the reservoirs. This research suggests the deformation pattern of shallow porous reservoirs that have similar layer composition and tectonic structure elsewhere in the world. Moreover, it provides a theoretical model to explore the parameters and volume change of geothermal reservoirs in plateau-embedded basins around the world. Our work is significant for the conservation and development of geothermal energy in geothermal fields that experience deformation, both subsidence and uplift.
Reflection and transmission of plane harmonicPwave at planar interface between elastic medium and frozen poroelastic medium
Authors: Ma Qiang , Jiang Huipeng , Zhou Fengxi
Published: March 2023

Based on the propagation theory of elastic waves in three-phase frozen poroelastic media and single-phase elastic media, the energy transmission problem of a plane harmonic P-wave incident at the planar interface between elastic medium and frozen poroelastic medium is studied. According to the boundary conditions at the planar interface, the analytical expressions of the transmission and reflection coefficients and energy ratios of the transmitted and reflected waves are derived. The relationship between the energy of plane harmonic P-wave incident on the planar interface between elastic medium and frozen poroelastic medium and the incident angle, frequency of incident wave, cementation parameters, porosity, saturation and contact parameters are investigated. The results show that the incident angle significantly affects the reflection and transmission energy ratios; the incidence frequency only has a large effect on the transmission energy ratios of the transmitted P2, P3 and S2 waves; the contact parameters have a relatively large effect on the reflected S wave and the transmitted P2, P3, S1 and S2 waves, but have a smaller effect on the reflected P wave and the transmitted P1 wave; cementing parameters, porosity, saturation has a great influence on the energy ratios.
Government Reporting on Significant Developments in Environmental Legislation around the World: The Challenges of Symbolic Legislation
Authors: Pontin Ben , Stokes Elen , Hayward Zack , Xenophontos George
Published: March 2023

The UK Environment Act 2021 imposes a duty on the Secretary of State to report on ‘significant’ developments in environmental legislation from around the world. The analysis explores this in the context of legislation which is significant by virtue of its symbolism, rather than (or in addition to) enforceable legal content. ‘Symbolic legislation’ has a long history in the field of the environment, and it remains highly pertinent to today. Whilst acknowledging the constitutional dangers of symbolic legislation, the authors argue that there is something particularly compelling about the use of legislation to achieve something different from, or additional to, the enforcement of enacted rules of behaviour in environmental law. The idea that legislation can or should serve as a vehicle for the expression of values, and/or embody important moral aspirations, has traction in environmental law contexts where there is both normative and epistemic uncertainty and problems are characteristically ‘hot’.
Enhanced TLR5-dependent migration and activation of antigen-loaded airway dendritic cells by flagellin
Authors: Li Xu , Cao Yuan , Mou Man , Li Jianlun , Huang Sijian , Zhang Ejuan , Yan Huimin , Yang Jingyi , Zhong Maohua
Published: March 2023

TLR5 agonist flagellin is an effective mucosal adjuvant via intranasal administration. Previous studies demonstrated that the mucosal adjuvanticity of flagellin depends on TLR5 signaling of airway epithelial cells. Since dendritic cells play a central role in antigen sensitization and the initiation of primary immune responses, we wondered how dendritic cells were modulated by the intranasally administrated flagellin. In this study, a mouse model of intranasal immunization with ovalbumin, a model antigen, in the presence or absence of flagellin was utilized. We found that nasal administration of flagellin enhanced the coadministered antigen-specific antibody responses and T-cell clonal expansion in a TLR5-dependent manner. However, neither the entering of flagellin to nasal lamina propria nor the uptake of coadministered antigen by nasal resident dendritic cells was associated with TLR5 signaling. In contrast, migration of antigen-loaded dendritic cells from the nasal cavity to the cervical lymph nodes and activation of dendritic cells in the cervical lymph nodes were both enhanced through TLR5 signaling. Furthermore, for the dendritic cells, flagellin enhanced the expression of CCR7, which was pivotal for dendritic cells in the priming site migrating to draining lymph nodes. Interestingly, the migration, activation, and chemokine receptor expression levels of antigen-loaded dendritic cells were all significantly higher than that of bystander dendritic cells. In conclusion, intranasally administrated flagellin enhanced TLR5-dependent antigen-loaded dendritic cells’ migration and activation but not antigen uptake.
Giant circumflex artery with bilobed saccular aneurysm and right atrial fistula mimicking a bi-atrial hydatid cyst: a case report
Authors: Soufiani Aida , Chraibi Hamza , El-Mhadi Samah , Agoumy Zineb , Fassi Fehri Zineb , Fellat Rokya , Bensouda Adil , Bendagha Nesma , Moughil Said
Published: March 2023

Coronary artery fistulas (CAF) are rare anomalies that pose a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Most of them originate from the right coronary artery and are congenital. They are often associated with coronary aneurysms. We report the case of a 38-year-old Black man who presented with exertion dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiography found what was thought to be a bi-atrial hydatid cyst, alongside a right atrial shunt. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed a cystic lesion hypointense on T1 and T2 sequences, located next to the left atrium as well as an aneurysmal circumflex artery shunting in the right atrium. Coronary angiography and computed tomography angiography confirmed the bilobed circumflex saccular aneurysm and CAF. The patient underwent a successful surgery, which consisted of closure of the fistula using two patches. He was discharged after an uneventful postoperative course. Our case report illustrates the diagnostic difficulty of CAF and the importance of multimodal imaging.
The path from the Chinese and Japanese observations of supernova 1181 AD, to a Type Iax supernova, to the merger of CO and ONe white dwarfs
Authors: Schaefer Bradley E
Published: March 2023

In 1181 ad, Chinese and Japanese observers reported an unmoving bright ‘Guest Star’ in the constellation Chuanshe, visible for 185 d. In 2013, D. Patchick discovered what turned out to be a unique nebula surrounding a unique star, with the structure named ‘Pa 30’, while subsequent workers made connections to mergers of white dwarfs, to the supernova subclass of low-luminosity Type Iax, and to the 1181 transient. Here, I provide a wide range of new observational pieces of evidence: First, detailed analysis of the original Chinese and Japanese reports places the ‘Guest Star’ of 1181 into a small region with the only interesting source being Pa 30. Second, the ancient records confidently place the peak magnitude as 0.0 > Vpeak > −1.4, and hence peak absolute magnitude −14.5 >MV, peak>−16.0 mag. Third, the Pa 30 central star is fading from B = 14.9 in 1889, to B = 16.20 in 1950, to B = 16.58 in 2022. Fourth, recent light curves show typical variability with full amplitude of 0.24 mag on time-scales of 1 d and longer, critically with no coherent modulations for periods from 0.00046–10 d to strict limits. Fifth, the spectral energy distribution from the far-infrared to the ultraviolet is a nearly perfect power law with Fν ∝ ν0.99 ± 0.07, observed luminosity 128 ± 24 L⊙, and absolute magnitude MV = +1.07. I collect my new pieces of evidence with literature results to make a confident case to connect the East-Asian observations to a supernova, then to Pa 30, then to a low-luminosity Type Iax SN, then to the only possible explosion mechanism as a merger between CO and ONe white dwarfs.
First results of the glitching pulsar monitoring programme at the Argentine Institute of Radioastronomy
Authors: Zubieta Ezequiel , Missel Ryan , Sosa Fiscella Valentina , Lousto Carlos O , del Palacio Santiago , López Armengol Federico G , García Federico , Combi Jorge A , Wang Linwei , Combi Luciano , Gancio Guillermo , Negrelli Carolina , Gutiérrez Eduardo M
Published: March 2023

We report here on the first results of a systematic monitoring of southern glitching pulsars at the Argentine Institute of Radioastronomy that started in the year 2019. We detected a major glitch in the Vela pulsar (PSR J0835 − 4510) and two small glitches in PSR J1048 − 5832. For each glitch, we present the measurement of glitch parameters by fitting timing residuals. We then make an individual pulse study of Vela in observations before and after the glitch. We selected 6 days of observations around the major glitch on 2021 July 22 and study their statistical properties with machine learning techniques. We use variational autoencoder (VAE) reconstruction of the pulses to separate them clearly from the noise. We perform a study with self-organizing map (SOM) clustering techniques to search for unusual behaviour of the clusters during the days around the glitch not finding notable qualitative changes. We have also detected and confirmed recent glitches in PSR J0742 − 2822 and PSR J1740 − 3015.
Is the Harrison-Zel’dovich spectrum coming back? ACT preference forns∼ 1 and its discordance with Planck
Authors: Giarè William , Renzi Fabrizio , Mena Olga , Di Valentino Eleonora , Melchiorri Alessandro
Published: March 2023

The Data Release 4 of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) shows an agreement with an Harrison-Zel’dovich primordial spectrum (ns = 1.009 ± 0.015), introducing a tension with a significance of 99.3  per cent Confidence Level (CL) with the results from the Planck satellite. The discrepancy on the value of the scalar spectral index is neither alleviated with the addition of large scale structure information nor with the low multipole polarization data. We discuss possible avenues to alleviate the tension relying on either neglecting polarization measurements from ACT or in extending different sectors of the theory.
DAHe white dwarfs from the DESI Survey
Authors: Manser Christopher J , Gänsicke Boris T , Inight Keith , Robert Akshay , Ahlen S , Allende Prieto C , Brooks D , Cooper A P , de la Macorra A , Font-Ribera A , Honscheid K , Kisner T , Landriau M , Meisner Aaron M , Miquel R , Nie Jundan , Poppett C , Tarlé Gregory , Zhou Zhimin
Published: March 2023

A new class of white dwarfs, dubbed DAHe, that present Zeeman-split Balmer lines in emission has recently emerged. However, the physical origin of these emission lines remains unclear. We present here a sample of 21 newly identified DAHe systems and determine magnetic field strengths and (for a subset) periods that span the ranges of ≃6.5–147 MG and ≃0.4–36 h, respectively. All but four of these systems were identified from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument survey sample of more than 47 000 white dwarf candidates observed during its first year of observations. We present detailed analysis of the new DAHe WD J161634.36+541011.51 with a spin period of 95.3 min, which exhibits an anticorrelation between broad-band flux and Balmer line strength that is typically observed for this class of systems. All DAHe systems cluster closely on the Gaia Hertzsprung–Russell diagram where they represent ≃1 per cent of white dwarfs within that region. This grouping further solidifies their unexplained emergence at relatively late cooling times and we discuss this in context of current formation theories. Nine of the new DAHe systems are identifiable from Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectra of white dwarfs that had been previously classified as featureless DC-type systems. We suggest high-S/N (signal-to-noise ratios), unbiased observations of DCs as a possible route for discovering additional DAHe systems.
The appearance of a merging binary black hole very close to a spinning supermassive black hole
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyue , Chen Xian
Published: March 2023

The mass and distance of a binary black hole (BBH) are fundamental parameters to measure in gravitational wave (GW) astronomy. It is well-known that the measurement is affected by cosmological redshift, and recent works also showed that Doppler and gravitational redshifts could further affect the result if the BBH coalesces close to a supermassive black hole (SMBH). Here we consider the additional lensing effect induced by the nearby SMBH on the measurement. We compute the null geodesics originating within 10 gravitational radii of a Kerr SMBH to determine the redshift and magnification of the GWs emitted by the BBH. We find a positive correlation between redshift and demagnification, which results in a positive correlation between the mass and distance of the BBH in the detector frame. More importantly, we find a higher probability for the signal to appear redshifted and demagnified to a distant observer, rather than blueshifted and magnified. Based on these results, we show that a binary at a cosmological redshift of zcos = (10−2–10−1) and composed of BHs of $(10\!-\!20)\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ could masquerade as a BBH at a redshift of zcos ∼ 1 and containing BHs as large as $(44\!-\!110)\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$. In the case of extreme demagnification, we also find that the same BBH could appear to be at zcos > 10 and contain subsolar-mass BHs. Such an effect, if not accounted for, could bias our understanding of the origin of the BHs detected via GWs.
Increased Nicotine Consumption in Australia During the First Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Thai Phong K , Tscharke Benjamin J , O’Brien Jake , Gartner Coral , Bade Richard , Gerber Cobus , White Jason M , Zheng Qiuda , Wang Zhe , Thomas Kevin V , Mueller Jochen F
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Mixed findings have been reported about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on smoking behavior in different populations.

Aims and Methods

In this study, we aimed to quantify changes in smoking prevalence through the proxy of nicotine consumption in the Australian population from 2017 to 2020 inclusive. Estimates of nicotine consumption between 2017 and 2020 were retrieved from a national wastewater monitoring program that covers up to 50% of the Australian population. National sales data for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products from 2017 to 2020 were also acquired. Linear regression and pairwise comparison were conducted to identify data trends and to test differences between time periods.

Results

The average consumption of nicotine in Australia decreased between 2017 and 2019 but increased in 2020. Estimated consumption in the first half of 2020 was significantly higher (~30%) than the previous period. Sales of NRT products increased gradually from 2017 to 2020 although sales in the first half of the year were consistently lower than in the second half.

Conclusion

Total nicotine consumption increased in Australia during the early stage of the pandemic in 2020. Increased nicotine consumption may be due to people managing higher stress levels, such as from loneliness due to control measures, and also greater opportunities to smoke/vape while working from home and during lockdowns in the early stage of the pandemic.

Implications

Tobacco and nicotine consumption have been decreasing in Australia but the COVID-19 pandemic may have temporarily disrupted this trend. In 2020, the higher impacts of lockdowns and working from home arrangements may have led to a temporary reversal of the previous downward trend in smoking during the early stage of the pandemic.
Axonemal regulation by curvature explains sperm flagellar waveform modulation
Authors: Gallagher Meurig T , Kirkman-Brown Jackson C , Smith David J
Published: March 2023

Flagellar motility is critical to natural and many forms of assisted reproduction. Rhythmic beating and wave propagation by the flagellum propels sperm through fluid and enables modulation between penetrative progressive motion, activated side-to-side yaw and hyperactivated motility associated with detachment from epithelial binding. These motility changes occur in response to the properties of the surrounding fluid environment, biochemical activation state, and physiological ligands, however, a parsimonious mechanistic explanation of flagellar beat generation that can explain motility modulation is lacking. In this paper, we present the Axonemal Regulation of Curvature, Hysteretic model, a curvature control-type theory based on switching of active moment by local curvature, embedded within a geometrically nonlinear elastic model of the flagellum exhibiting planar flagellar beats, together with nonlocal viscous fluid dynamics. The biophysical system is parameterized completely by four dimensionless parameter groupings. The effect of parameter variation is explored through computational simulation, revealing beat patterns that are qualitatively representative of penetrative (straight progressive), activated (highly yawing) and hyperactivated (nonprogressive) modes. Analysis of the flagellar limit cycles and associated swimming velocity reveals a cusp catastrophe between progressive and nonprogressive modes, and hysteresis in the response to changes in critical curvature parameter. Quantitative comparison to experimental data on human sperm exhibiting typical penetrative, activated and hyperactivated beats shows a good fit to the time-average absolute curvature profile along the flagellum, providing evidence that the model is capable of providing a framework for quantitative interpretation of imaging data.
Feasibility study of 3D gamma imaging for improving radiological protection at Sizewell B nuclear power plant
Authors: Hopkins Megan , Fawkes Ross
Published: March 2023

Nuclear power plants are continuously looking to optimise their radiological monitoring and visualization techniques. At Sizewell B nuclear power plant in the UK, a trial was carried out to judge the feasibility of a gamma imaging system to provide accurate visual representation and characterisation of source terms on an operational pressurized water reactor. Data was collected through a series of scans taken in two rooms within a radiological controlled area at Sizewell B and used to generate radiation “heat maps”. This survey type supports As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) (UK equivalent to ALARA) working in areas with high general area dose rate by gathering radiometric data and generating intuitive visual characterisation of work area source terms.
Exosome-Based Regimen Rescues Endometrial Fibrosis in Intrauterine Adhesions Via Targeting Clinical Fibrosis Biomarkers
Authors: Lin Yifeng , Li Yaoshen , Chen Panpan , Zhang Yanye , Sun Jiwei , Sun Xiao , Li Jiaqun , Jin Jiani , Xue Jinglei , Zheng Junyan , Jiang Xin-Chi , Chen Chuan , Li Xiaoqing , Wu Yiqing , Zhao Wei , Liu Juan , Ye Xiaohang , Zhang Runju , Gao Jianqing , Zhang Dan
Published: March 2023

Intrauterine adhesions (IUA), which is characterized by endometrial fibrosis, continue to be the most common cause of uterine infertility globally. Our work revealed that 3 fibrotic progression markers (Vimentin, COL5A2, and COL1A1) were significantly increased in the endometrium of IUA patients. Mesenchymal stem cell–derived exosomes (EXOs) have been recently revealed as a cell-free therapy for fibrosis diseases. Nevertheless, the application of EXOs is restricted by the short residency duration in the target tissue. To overcome this limitation, herein, we reported an exosome–based regimen (EXOs-HP) that thermosensitive poloxamer hydrogel possessed the ability to efficiently promote the residency duration of EXOs in the uterine cavity. By downregulating fibrotic progression markers (Vimentin, COL5A2, and COL1A1), EXOs-HP could significantly restore the function and structure of the injured endometrium in the IUA model. Our work provides the theoretical and experimental foundation of EXOs-HP in treating IUA, highlighting the clinical potential of topical EXOs-HP delivery system in IUA patients.
A Method for Quantifying Phytophthora Oospore Viability Using Fluorescent Dyes and Automated Image Analysis
Authors: Fairhurst Michael J. , Vink Jochem N. A. , Deslippe Julie R. , Gerth Monica L.
Published: March 2023

Phytophthora are eukaryotic microbes that cause disease in a wide range of agriculturally and ecologically important plants. During the Phytophthora disease cycle, thick-walled oospores can be produced via homothallic or heterothallic reproduction. These resting spores can survive in the soil for several years in the absence of a host plant, thus providing a long-term inoculum for disease. The ability to quantitatively evaluate oospore viability is an important part of many phytopathology studies. Here, we tested six fluorescent viability dyes for their ability to differentially stain Phytophthora agathidicida oospores: SYTO 9, FUN-1, fluorescein diacetate (FDA), 5-carboxyfluorescein diacetate (CFDA), propidium iodide, and TOTO-3 iodide. Each dye was first tested individually with untreated or heat-treated oospores as proxies for viable and nonviable oospores, respectively. SYTO9, FUN-1, CFDA and propidium iodide stained untreated and heat-treated oospores indiscriminately. In contrast, FDA (a green-fluorescent viable cell stain) and TOTO-3 (a red-fluorescent nonviable cell stain) differentially stained untreated or heat-treated oospores with no cross-fluorescence. We then tested the efficacy of dual-viability staining in conjunction with a pipeline for automated image analysis. To validate the method, untreated and heat-treated oospores were mixed at specific ratios, dual-stained, and analyzed using the pipeline. Linear regression of the resulting data showed a clear correlation between the expected and measured oospore ratios ( dy/dx = 0.95, R2 = 0.88). Overall, the combination of dual-fluorescence staining and automated image analysis provides a high-throughput method for quantitatively assessing oospore viability and therefore can facilitate further studies on this key part of the Phytophthora disease cycle.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Neuroanesthesiology Quality Improvement Reporting Patterns: A Tertiary Medical Center Experience
Authors: Slade Ian R. , Yang Jen-Ting , Wright David R. , James Adrienne , Sharma Deepak
Published: March 2023

Background:

Understanding quality improvement (QI) reporting patterns is important for practice-based improvement and for prioritizing QI initiatives. The aim of this project was to identify major domains of neuroanesthesiology QI reports at a single academic institution with 2 hospital-based practice sites.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed institutional QI databases to identify reports from neuroanesthesia cases between 2013 and 2021. Each report was categorized into one of the 16 primary predefined QI domains; the QI report domains were ranked by frequency. Descriptive statistics are used to present the analysis.

Results:

Seven hundred three QI reports (3.2% of all cases) were submitted for the 22,248 neurosurgical and neuroradiology procedures during the study period. Most of the QI reports across the institution were in the domain of communication/documentation (28.4%). Both hospitals shared the same 6 top QI report domains, although the relative frequency of each domain differed between the 2 hospitals. Drug error was the top QI report domain at one hospital, representing 19.3% of that site’s neuroanesthesia QI reports. Communication/documentation was the top domain at the other hospital, representing 34.7% of that site’s reports. The other 4 shared top domains were equipment/device failure, oropharyngeal injury, skin injury, and vascular catheter dislodgement.

Conclusions:

The majority of neuroanesthesiology QI reports fell into 6 domains: drug error, communication/documentation, equipment/device failure, oropharyngeal injury, skin injury, and vascular catheter dislodgement. Similar analyses from other centers can guide generalizability and potential utility of using QI reporting domains to inform the development of neuroanesthesiology quality measures and reporting frameworks.