bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Widespread synchrony in phosphorus concentrations in northern lakes linked to winter temperature and summer precipitation
Authors: Isles Peter D. F. , Creed Irena F. , Hessen Dag O. , Kortelainen Pirkko , Paterson Michael , Pomati Francesco , Rusak James A. , Vuorenmaa Jussi , Bergström Ann‐Kristin
Published: March 2023

In recent years, unexplained declines in lake total phosphorus (TP) concentrations have been observed at northern latitudes (> 42°N latitude) where most of the world's lakes are found. We compiled data from 389 lakes in Fennoscandia and eastern North America to investigate the effects of climate on lake TP concentrations. Synchrony in year‐to‐year variability is an indicator of climatic influences on lake TP, because other major influences on nutrients (e.g., land use change) are not likely to affect all lakes in the same year. We identified significant synchrony in lake TP both within and among different geographic regions. Using a bootstrapped random forest analysis, we identified winter temperature as the most important factor controlling annual TP, followed by summer precipitation. In Fennoscandia, TP was negatively correlated with the winter East Atlantic Pattern, which is associated with regionally warmer winters. Our results suggest that, in the absence of other overriding factors, lake TP and productivity may decline with continued winter warming in northern lakes.
Injectable Polyzwitterionic Lubricant for Complete Prevention of Cardiac Adhesion
Authors: Wang Yi , Zhai Weijie , Zhang Hongyu , Cheng Shujie , Li Jinghua
Published: March 2023

After cardiac surgery, tissue damage to the heart may cause adhesion between heart and its surrounding tissues. Post‐operative cardiac adhesion may lead to limited normal cardiac function, decreased quality of cardiac surgery, and increased risk of major bleeding during reoperation. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an effective anti‐adhesion therapy to overcome cardiac adhesion. An injectable polyzwitterionic lubricant is developed to prevent adhesion between the heart and surrounding tissues and to maintain normal pumping function of the heart. This lubricant is evaluated in a rat heart adhesion model. Poly (2‐methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (i.e., PMPC) polymers are successfully prepared via free radical polymerization of monomer MPC, and the optimal lubricating performance, biocompatibility both in vitro and in vivo is demonstrated. Besides, a rat heart adhesion model is conducted to evaluate the bio‐functionality of lubricated PMPC. The results prove that PMPC is a promising lubricant for complete adhesion‐prevention. The injectable polyzwitterionic lubricant shows excellent lubricating properties and biocompatibility and can effectively prevent cardiac adhesion.
α‐Synuclein Seed Amplification Assays in the Diagnosis of Synucleinopathies Using Cerebrospinal Fluid—A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Grossauer Anna , Hemicker Greta , Krismer Florian , Peball Marina , Djamshidian Atbin , Poewe Werner , Seppi Klaus , Heim Beatrice
Published: March 2023

Background

Real‐time quaking‐induced conversion (RT‐QuIC) and protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) have been developed to detect minute amounts of amyloidogenic proteins via amplification techniques and have been used to detect misfolded α‐synuclein (αSyn) aggregates in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and other source materials of patients with Parkinson's Disease and other synucleinopathies.

Objectives

The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of αSyn seed amplification assays (αSyn‐SAAs), including RT‐QuIC and PMCA, using CSF as source material to differentiate synucleinopathies from controls.

Methods

The electronic MEDLINE database PubMed was searched for relevant articles published until June 30, 2022. Study quality assessment was performed using the QUADAS‐2 toolbox. A random effects bivariate model was exploited for data synthesis.

Results

Our systematic review identified 27 eligible studies according to the predefined inclusion criteria, of which 22 were included in the final analysis. Overall, 1855 patients with synucleinopathies and 1378 non‐synucleinopathies as control subjects were included in the meta‐analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity to differentiate synucleinopathies from controls with αSyn‐SAA were 0.88 (95% CI, 0.82–0.93) and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.92–0.97), respectively. Evaluating the diagnostic performance of RT‐QuIC in a subgroup analysis for the detection of patients with multiple system atrophy the pooled sensitivity decreased to 0.30 (95% CI, 0.11–0.59).

Conclusions

While our study clearly demonstrated a high diagnostic performance of RT‐QuIC and PMCA for differentiating synucleinopathies with Lewy bodies from controls, results for the diagnosis of multiple system atrophy were less robust.
The Rush Video‐Based Tic Rating Scale‐Revised: A Practice‐Oriented Revision
Authors: Riechmann Rica , Jakubovski Ewgeni , Essing Jana , Haas Martina , Goetz Christopher G. , Stebbins Glenn T. , Müller‐Vahl Kirsten R.
Published: March 2023

Background

The Modified Rush Video‐Based Tic Rating Scale (MRVS) is the most widely used video‐based scale for assessing tic severity in patients with Tourette syndrome (TS). However, shortcomings of the MRVS, including a lack of clear instructions, a time‐consuming recording procedure, and weak correlations with the gold standard for tic assessment, the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale‐Total Tic Score (YGTSS‐TTS), limits its use in research settings, although video assessments are generally considered objective, reliable, and time‐saving measurements.

Objectives

We aimed to revise the MRVS (MRVS‐R) to simplify and standardize the assessment procedure and improve the correlation with the YGTSS‐TTS.

Methods

We used 102 videos of patients with TS or persistent motor tic disorder filmed according to the MRVS. We compared the tic frequency assessed by MRVS with frequencies according to MRVS‐R based on a 5‐min (instead of a 10‐min) video to investigate whether reducing the recording time leads to significant changes. In addition, we adapted the MRVS to the YGTSS and defined new anchor values for motor and phonic tic frequency based on frequency distributions as assessed in our sample. Finally, we compared the MRVS‐R and MRVS regarding psychometric properties and correlation with the YGTSS‐TTS.

Results

Cutting video recording time in half did not significantly affect assessments of motor and phonic tic frequencies. Psychometric properties were acceptable. Most important, proposed revisions of the MRVS improved correlation with the YGTSS‐TTS.

Conclusions

The MRVS‐R is a simplified version of the MRVS with comparable psychometric qualities, but higher correlations with the YGTSS‐TTS.
Reconsidering “low‐dose”—Impacts of oral estrogen exposure during preimplantation embryo development
Authors: Schmidhauser Meret , Hankele Anna‐Katharina , Ulbrich Susanne E.
Published: March 2023

Perturbations of estrogen signaling during developmental stages of high plasticity may lead to adverse effects later in life. Endocrine‐disrupting chemicals (EDC) are compounds that interfere with the endocrine system by particularly mimicking the action of endogenous estrogens as functional agonists or antagonists. EDCs compose synthetic and naturally occurring compounds discharged into the environment, which may be taken up via skin contact, inhalation, orally due to contaminated food or water, or via the placenta during in utero development. Although estrogens are efficiently metabolized by the liver, the role of circulating glucuro‐ and/or sulpho‐conjugated estrogen metabolites in the body has not been fully addressed to date. Particularly, the role of intracellular cleavage to free functional estrogens could explain the hitherto unknown mode of action of adverse effects of EDC at very low concentrations currently considered safe. We summarize and discuss findings on estrogenic EDC with a focus on early embryonic development to highlight the need for reconsidering low dose effects of EDC.
Role of intraluteal and intrauterine prostaglandin signaling in LH‐induced luteolysis in pregnant rats
Authors: Vashistha Akshi , Khan Habibur Rahaman
Published: March 2023

Luteal dysfunctions lead to fertility disorders and pregnancy complications. Normal luteal function is regulated by many factors, including luteinizing hormone (LH). The luteotropic roles of LH have been widely investigated but its role in the process of luteolysis has received little attention. LH has been shown to have luteolytic effects during pregnancy in rats and the role of intraluteal prostaglandins (PGs) in LH‐mediated luteolysis has been demonstrated by others. However, the status of PG signaling in the uterus during LH‐mediated luteolysis remains unexplored. In this study, we utilized the repeated LH administration (4×LH) model for luteolysis induction. We have examined the effect of LH‐mediated luteolysis on the expression of genes involved in luteal/uterine PG synthesis, luteal PGF2α signaling, and uterine activation during different stages (mid and late) of pregnancy. Further, we analyzed the effect of overall PG synthesis machinery blockage on LH‐mediated luteolysis during late pregnancy. Unlike the midstage of pregnancy, the expression of genes involved in PG synthesis, PGF2α signaling, and uterine activation in late‐stage pregnant rats' luteal and uterine tissue increase 4×LH. Since the cAMP/PKA pathway mediates LH‐mediated luteolysis, we analyzed the effect of inhibition of endogenous PG synthesis on the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway, followed by the analysis of the expression of markers of luteolysis. Inhibition of endogenous PG synthesis did not affect the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway. However, in the absence of endogenous PGs, luteolysis could not be activated to the full extent. Our results suggest that endogenous PGs may contribute to LH‐mediated luteolysis, but this dependency on endogenous PGs is pregnancy‐stage dependent. These findings advance our understanding of the molecular pathways that regulate luteolysis.
Influence of saturation effects on biexponential liver intravoxel incoherent motion
Authors: Loh Martin , Führes Tobit , Stuprich Christoph , Uder Michael , Saake Marc , Laun Frederik Bernd
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Studies on intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging in the liver have been carried out with different acquisition protocols. The number of acquired slices and the distances between slices can influence IVIM measurements due to saturation effects, but these effects have often been disregarded. This study investigated differences in biexponential IVIM parameters between two slice settings.

Methods

Fifteen healthy volunteers (21–30 years) were examined at a field strength of 3 T. Diffusion‐weighted images of the abdomen were acquired with 16 b values (0–800 s/mm2), with four slices for the few slices setting and 24–27 slices for the many slices setting. Regions of interest were manually drawn in the liver. The data were fitted with a monoexponential signal curve and a biexponential IVIM curve, and biexponential IVIM parameters were determined. The dependence on the slice setting was assessed with Student's t test for paired samples (normally distributed IVIM parameters) and the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test (non‐normally distributed parameters).

Results

None of the parameters were significantly different between the settings. For few slices and many slices, respectively, the mean values (SDs) for
were

() and

(); for

they were 29.7% (6.2%) and 27.7% (3.6%); and for

they were

() and

().

Conclusion

Biexponential IVIM parameters in the liver are comparable among IVIM studies that use different slice settings, with mostly negligible saturation effects. However, this may not hold for studies that use much shorter TR.
Clinical reasoning in managing chronic hip pain: One in two Australian and New Zealand physiotherapists diagnosed a case vignette with clinical criteria for hip OA as hip OA. A cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Haber Travis , Hinman Rana S. , Dobson Fiona , Vicenzino Bill , Darlow Ben , Kayll Sam , Hall Michelle
Published: March 2023

Objectives

Using a case vignette of an adult (George) presenting with hip pain consistent with hip OA, this study aimed to describe: (a) whether physiotherapists make diagnoses and identify bodily structures using either patient history and/or physical examination findings; (b) which diagnoses and bodily structures physiotherapists attribute to the hip pain; (c) how confident physiotherapists were in their clinical reasoning using patient history and physical examination findings; (d) what treatments physiotherapists would offer to George.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional online survey of physiotherapists in Australia and New Zealand. We used descriptive statistics to analyse closed questions and content analysis for open‐text responses.

Results

Two hundred and twenty physiotherapists completed the survey (39% response‐rate). After receiving the patient history, 64% diagnosed George's pain and 49% of these as hip OA; 95% attributed George's pain to a bodily structure(s). After receiving the physical examination, 81% diagnosed George's hip pain and 52% of these as hip OA; 96% attributed George's hip pain to a bodily structure(s). Ninety‐six percent of respondents were at least somewhat confident in their diagnosis after the patient history, and 95% were similarly confident after the physical examination. Most respondents offered advice (98%) and exercise (99%), but fewer offered treatments for weight loss (31%), medication (11%), and psychosocial factors (<15%).

Discussion

About half of the physiotherapists that diagnosed George's hip pain made a diagnosis of hip OA, despite the case vignette including clinical criteria for a diagnosis of OA. Physiotherapists offered exercise and education, but many physiotherapists did not offer other clinically indicated and recommended treatments, such as weight loss and sleep advice.
Effects of Livestock Exclusion on Stream Habitat and Aquatic Biota: A Review and Recommendations for Implementation and Monitoring
Authors: Krall Michelle , Roni Philip
Published: March 2023

To inform riparian restoration, research, and monitoring and to provide management recommendations, we reviewed published studies evaluating the physical and biological effectiveness of livestock exclusion and grazing reduction on various metrics in riparian and aquatic areas. We identified 95 North American studies that reported the effects of livestock grazing reduction on physical habitat (channel morphology, mesohabitats, substrate, and bank stability), biological assemblages (riparian vegetation, macroinvertebrates, fish, and birds), and water quality metrics (temperature, nitrates, phosphorus, and turbidity). Most studies reported that methods to reduce or exclude livestock decreased channel width, width-to-depth ratio, bank erosion, soil bulk density, bare ground, water temperature, nitrogen, and phosphorus and increased riparian vegetation (cover, height, productivity, biomass, and abundance), riparian bird abundance, and young-of-the-year fishes. Results for channel depth, instream substrate, mesohabitats, water depth, juvenile and adult fishes, and macroinvertebrates showed no consistent response to exclusion. Project success was influenced by the time since exclusion; whether there was complete exclusion or continued grazing; and local climate, geology, and soils. Apart from bank erosion and stability, most of the physical and biological metrics took more than a decade to respond to livestock exclusion. However, coupling exclusion with planting and other restoration measures decreased the recovery time. Complete exclusion of livestock produced more consistent improvements in riparian condition and other metrics than rest–rotation or other grazing management strategies. Understanding how physical and biological metrics respond to livestock exclusion will require (1) focused, long-term studies using before–after or before–after, control–impact designs; and (2) monitoring of metrics that most consistently respond to exclusion. Ultimately, the design of exclusions should be driven by local climate, geology, biophysical conditions, and management history. Our results highlight the need for watershed-scale approaches to excluding livestock from broad areas and the need for implementation monitoring to ensure that fencing and other exclusion measures continue to exclude livestock and produce the desired responses.
The Risk of Meningitis After Cochlear Implantation: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Gowrishankar Shravan V. , Fleet Alex , Tomasoni Michele , Durham Rory , Umeria Rishi , Merchant Serena A. , Shah Syed F.H. , Muzaffar Jameel , Mohammed Hassan , Kuhn Isla , Tysome James , Smith Matthew E. , Donnelly Neil , Axon Patrick , Bance Manohar , Borsetto Daniele
Published: March 2023

Objective

This study aims to estimate the rate of postoperative meningitis (both immediate and long‐term) in patients following cochlear implants (CIs). It aims to do so through a systematic review and meta‐analysis of published studies tracking complications after CIs.

Data Sources

MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library.

Review Methods

This review was performed in line with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines. Studies tracking complications following CIs in patients were included. Exclusion criteria included non‐English language studies and case series reporting <10 patients. Bias risk was evaluated using the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale. Meta‐analysis was performed through DerSimonian and Laird random‐effects models.

Results

A total of 116/1931 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta‐analysis. Overall, there were 112 cases of meningitis in 58,940 patients after CIs. Meta‐analysis estimated an overall rate of postoperative meningitis of 0.07% (95% confidence interval [CIs], 0.03%‐0.1%; I2 = 55%). Subgroup meta‐analysis showed this rate had 95% CIs crossing 0% in implanted patients who received the pneumococcal vaccine, antibiotic prophylaxis, those with postoperative acute otitis media (AOM), and those implanted less than 5 years.

Conclusion

Meningitis is a rare complication following CIs. Our estimated rates of meningitis after CIs appear lower than prior estimates based on epidemiological studies in the early 2000s. However, the rate still appears higher than the baseline rate in the general population. The risk was very low in implanted patients who received the pneumococcal vaccine, antibiotic prophylaxis, received unilateral or bilateral implantations, developed AOM, those implanted with a round window or cochleostomy techniques, and those under 5 years.
Attitudes toward COVID‐19 vaccine among pediatric patients with sickle cell disease and their caregivers
Authors: Persaud Yogindra , Mandrell Belinda N. , Sharma Akshay , Carroll Yvonne , Irvine Mary , Olufadi Yunusa , Kang Guolian , Hijano Diego R. , Rai Parul , Hankins Jane S. , Johnson Liza‐Marie
Published: March 2023

Objective

To evaluate attitudes toward vaccination and vaccine uptake regarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) among pediatric patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and their caregivers.

Procedure

Adolescent patients and caregivers of children with SCD were surveyed during routine clinic visits; we then conducted a logistic regression analysis to understand differences in vaccine status, while qualitative responses were coded thematically.

Results

Among respondents, the overall vaccination rate among adolescents and caregivers was 49% and 52%, respectively. Among the unvaccinated, 60% and 68% of adolescents and caregivers, respectively, preferred to remain unvaccinated, most commonly due to lack of perceived personal benefit from vaccination or mistrust in the vaccine. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that child's age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0–1.2, p < .01) and caregiver education (measured by the Economic Hardship Index [EHI] score, OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.74–0.78, p < .05) were independent predictors of getting vaccinated.

Conclusion

Despite the increased risk of severe illness due to COVID‐19 in patients with SCD, vaccine hesitancy remains high in this population of families whose children have SCD. Fortunately, the reasons cited for deferring vaccination among those who are unvaccinated were largely due to barriers that may be overcome with quality communication around the utility of the vaccine and information about vaccine safety.
Trifluoromethylpyridine piperazine derivatives: synthesis and anti‐plant virus activity
Authors: Zhang Wei , Guo Shengxin , Wang Ya , Wu Yikun , Yu Lijiao , Wu Jian
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND

The cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is well‐known for its expansive host range and distribution, resulting in a detrimental effect on agricultural production, thus making it imperative to implement measures for its control.

RESULTS

Novel compounds S1‐S28 were synthesized by connecting trifluoromethyl pyridine, amide and piperazine scaffolds. Bioassays indicated that most of the synthesized compounds exhibited good curative effects against CMV, with half maximal effective concentration (EC50) values of compounds S1, S2, S7, S8, S10, S11, S15, and S28 being 119.6, 168.9, 197.6, 169.1, 97.9, 73.9, 224.4, and 125.2 μg mL−1, respectively, which were lower than the EC50 of ningnanmycin (314.7 μg mL−1). Compounds S5 and S8 exhibited protective activities with EC50 of 170.8 and 95.0 μg mL−1, respectively, which were lower than ningnanmycin at 171.4 μg mL−1. The inactivation activities of S6 and S8 at 500 μg mL−1 were remarkably high at 66.1% and 78.3%, respectively, surpassing that of ningnanmycin (63.5%). Additionally, their EC50 values were more favorable at 22.2 and 18.1 μg mL−1, respectively, than ningnanmycin (38.4 μg mL−1). And molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation showed compound S8 had better binding with CMV‐coat protein, providing a possible explanation for the anti‐CMV activity of compound S8.

CONCLUSIONS

Compound S8 showed a strong binding affinity to CMV‐coat protein and impacted the self‐assemble of CMV particles. Compound S8 could be a potential lead compound for discovering a new anti‐plant virus candidate. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Target gene selection for RNAi‐based biopesticides against the hawthorn spider mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis (Acari: Tetranychidae)
Authors: Yang Jing , Zhang Yuying , Zhao Jin , Gao Yue , Liu Zhongfang , Zhang Pengjiu , Fan Renjun , Xing Shuping , Zhou Xuguo
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND

Recently, RNA interference (RNAi)‐based biopesticide, a species‐specific pest control alternative, has been deregulated and commercialized in the US and Canada. The hawthorn spider mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis Zacher, is a major pest for rosaceous plants, which has been controlled primarily by synthetic pesticides. To address the emerging resistance issues in A. viennensis, we initiated a project to develop RNAi‐based biopesticides.

RESULTS

In this study, we (i) developed a dietary RNAi system for A. viennensis using leaf disc, (ii) assessed the suitability of multiple control genes to distinguish sequence‐specific silencing from non‐specific effects within this RNAi system, and (iii) screened for the target gene candidates. As a result, β‐Glucuronidase (GUS), an enzyme derived from E. coli and a broadly used reporter for plants is the appropriate control for A. viennensis RNAi, while green fluorescent protein (GFP), is not suitable due to its significantly higher mortality than the other controls. For target gene screening, suppression was confirmed for all the candidates, including two housekeeping genes (Vacuolar‐type H + ‐ATPase subunit A (V‐ATPase A) and Glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase, (GAPDH)), and three genes associated with development (ATP‐dependent RNA Helicase DDX3Y (Belle), CREB‐binding protein (CBP), and Farnesoic acid O‐methyltransferase (FaMet)). Knocking down of V‐ATPase A resulted in the highest mortality (~ 90%) and reduced fecundity (over 90%) than other candidates. As for the genes associated with development, suppression of Belle and CBP, led to approximately 65% mortality, as well as 86% and 40% reduction in fecundity, respectively. Silencing of FaMet, however, had negligible biological impacts on A. viennensis.

CONCLUSION

The combined efforts not only establish an effective dsRNA delivery method, but also provide potential target genes for RNAi‐based biopesticides against A. viennensis, a devastating invasive pest for fruit trees and woody ornamental plants throughout Asia and Europe. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalyzed by Ni/NiO Nanoparticles Produced by Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquid Environment
Authors: Iacono Valentina , Mirabella Salvatore , Ruffino Francesco
Published: March 2023

Electrochemical water‐splitting, sustained by renewable energy, is aimed at green H2 production. Efficient and sustainable electrocatalysts are required for a proper energy transition. Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolyte can be pursued by using earth‐abundant elements‐based catalysts, such as Ni oxyhydroxides. A proper optimization of intrinsic properties and synthesis procedure is still needed. Herein, the synthesis of Ni/NiO nanoparticles (NPs) through a physical and green technique, pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL), is presented. Ablating a Ni target in deionized water, at different ablation times, leads to NP dispersions used for realization of OER electrode onto graphene paper. Ion‐beam analysis of catalysts amount and homogeneity of NP‐based electrode is performed for the electrode optimization in terms of electrochemical performances. An overpotential at 10 mA cm−2 of 306 mV is achieved for 40 μg cm−2 of catalyst, while lowering the catalyst amount to 8 μg cm−2, unprecedented turnover frequency of 0.20 s−1 and mass activity of ≈1.3 A mg−1 are reached. These data show that Ni/NiO NPs produced by PLAL are highly effective for OER in alkaline media and encourage the use of PLAL as a green and efficient technique for electrocatalyst production.
Compact High‐Gain Volumetric Phased Array Antenna with Genetically Designed Interelement Resonances for 5G Applications
Authors: Burtsev Vladimir Denisovich , Vosheva Tatyana S. , Bulatov Nikita O. , Khudykin Anton A. , Ginzburg Pavel , Filonov Dmitry S.
Published: March 2023

High‐gain directive antennas are used to support point‐to‐point long‐range wireless communication channels. In typical designs, the array factor plays the key role, while individual elements’ layout is simplified. Herein, a four‐element phased array is demonstrated, where a volumetric form factor of each element is taken as an advantage to elevate the antenna gain while keeping the device footprint small. The two‐step design process, encompassing a genetic topology optimization and finite tuning with a particle swarm algorithm, is applied and subsequently demonstrated. This shows that exploring the third dimension allows obtaining more than 25 dB isolation between adjacent radiating elements and, at the same time, grants them highly directive radiation patterns. This operation principle is verified by demonstrating a large number of resonating multipoles constructively interfering to create a directional beam. The antenna with aπλ2aperture demonstrates more than 13 dB gain around 3 GHz frequency range. Antenna elements are 3D printed in resin and then metallize electrochemically. Additive manufacturing of complex volumetric architectures with a small interelement spacing allows implementing new devices, encompassing the advantages of resonant approaches and arrays factors. Miniaturized 3D antenna array devices can be used in wireless communications where controllable beam properties are demanded.
Destruction of the cellular antioxidant pool contributes to resveratrol‐induced senescence and apoptosis in lung cancer
Authors: Liang Chunhua , Yi Kefan , Zhou Xu , Li Xiaoting , Zhong Caiyun , Cao Hui , Xie Chunfeng , Zhu Jianyun
Published: March 2023

Resveratrol (RES) has various pharmacological bioactivities and its anticancer effects in lung cancer have been proven. However, the underlying mechanisms of action of RES in lung cancer remain unclear. This study focused on Nrf2‐mediated antioxidant systems in RES‐treated lung cancer cells. A549 and H1299 cells were treated with various concentrations of RES at different times. RES decreased cell viability, inhibited cell proliferation, and increased the number of senescent and apoptotic cells in a concentration‐ and time‐dependent manner. Moreover, RES‐induced lung cancer cell arrest at the G1 phase was accompanied by changes in apoptotic proteins (Bax, Bcl‐2, and cleaved caspase 3). Furthermore, RES induced a senescent phenotype along with changes in senescence‐related markers (senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase activity, p21, and p‐γH2AX). More importantly, with prolonged exposure time and increased exposure concentration, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) continuously accumulated, resulting in a decrease in Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant response elements, including CAT, HO‐1, NQO1, and SOD1. Meanwhile, RES‐induced ROS accumulation and cell apoptosis were reversed by N‐acetyl‐l‐cysteine treatment. Taken together, these results suggest that RES disturb lung cancer cellular homeostasis by destroying the intracellular antioxidant pool to increase ROS production. Our findings provide a new perspective on RES intervention in lung cancer.
Ultrasound Molecular Imaging of Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition for Evaluating Tumor Metastatic Potential via Targeted Biosynthetic Gas Vesicles
Authors: Hao Yongsheng , Li Zhenzhou , Luo Jingna , Li Lingling , Yan Fei
Published: March 2023

Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tumor cells is recognized as the main driver to promote metastasis. Extensive researches suggest that gradually decreased E‐cadherin (E‐cad) and increased N‐cadherin (N‐cad) exist in the tumor cells during the EMT process. However, there still lacks suitable imaging methods to monitor the status of EMT for evaluating tumor metastatic potentials. Herein, the E‐cad‐targeted and N‐cad‐targeted gas vesicles (GVs) are developed as the acoustic probes to monitor the EMT status in tumor. The resulting probes have ≈200 nm particle size and good tumor cell targeting performance. Upon systemic administration, E‐cad‐GVs and N‐cad‐GVs can traverse through blood vessels and bind to the tumor cells, producing strong contrast imaging signals in comparison with the nontargeted GVs. The contrast imaging signals correlate well with the expression levels of E‐cad and N‐cad and tumor metastatic ability. This study provides a new strategy to noninvasively monitor the EMT status and help to evaluate tumor metastatic potential in vivo.
Architecting FeNx on High Graphitization Carbon for High‐Performance Oxygen Reduction by Regulating d‐Band Center
Authors: Li Lingfeng , Wen Yandi , Han Guokang , Kong Fanpeng , Du Lei , Ma Yulin , Zuo Pengjian , Du Chunyu , Yin Geping
Published: March 2023

Fe single atoms and N co‐doped carbon nanomaterials (Fe‐N‐C) are the most promising oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts to replace platinum group metals. However, high‐activity Fe single‐atom catalysts suffer from poor stability owing to the low graphitization degree. Here, an effective phase‐transition strategy is reported to enhance the stability of Fe‐N‐C catalysts by inducing increased degree of graphitization and incorporation of Fe nanoparticles encapsulated by graphitic carbon layer without sacrificing activity. Remarkably, the resulted Fe@Fe‐N‐C catalysts achieved excellent ORR activity (E1/2 = 0.829 V) and stability (19 mV loss after 30K cycles) in acid media. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations agree with experimental phenomena that additional Fe nanoparticles not only favor to the activation of O2 by tailoring d‐band center position but also inhibit the demetallization of Fe active center from FeN4 sites. This work provides a new insight into the rational design of highly efficient and durable Fe‐N‐C catalysts for ORR.
Perforated Carbon Nanotube Film Assisted Growth of Uniform Monolayer MoS2
Authors: Guo Jing , Peng Ruixuan , Zhang Xiaolong , Xin Zeqin , Wang Enze , Wu Yonghuang , Li Chenyu , Fan Shoushan , Shi Run , Liu Kai
Published: March 2023

Scaling up the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) is in high demand for practical applications. However, for CVD‐grown TMDCs on a large scale, there are many existing factors that result in their poor uniformity. In particular, gas flow, which usually leads to inhomogeneous distributions of precursor concentrations, has yet to be well controlled. In this work, the growth of uniform monolayer MoS2 on a large scale by the delicate control of gas flows of precursors, which is realized by vertically aligning a well‐designed perforated carbon nanotube (p‐CNT) film face‐to‐face with the substrate in a horizontal tube furnace, is achieved. The p‐CNT film releases gaseous Mo precursor from the solid part and allows S vapor to pass through the hollow part, resulting in uniform distributions of both gas flow rate and precursor concentrations near the substrate. Simulation results further verify that the well‐designed p‐CNT film guarantees a steady gas flow and a uniform spatial distribution of precursors. Consequently, the as‐grown monolayer MoS2 shows quite good uniformity in geometry, density, structure, and electrical properties. This work provides a universal pathway for the synthesis of large‐scale uniform monolayer TMDCs, and will advance their applications in high‐performance electronic devices.
Sonographic localisation and description of inguinofemoral lymph nodes in patients with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Fenech Michelle
Published: March 2023

Sonographic imaging of the inguinofemoral lymph nodes can be performed in patients with vulvar cancer to discriminate between normal (benign and reactive) and malignant appearing lymph nodes. A systematic sonographic protocol for imaging inguinofemoral lymph nodes is not commonly used, but could aid in homogenising the reporting of lymph node location and status. This paper unpacks the relative anatomy of the inguinofemoral lymph nodes. A protocol outlining the sonographic assessment of inguinofemoral lymph nodes and the criteria to use to guide the reporting of their size, shape, echogenicity and vascular architecture is discussed.
Double aortic arch: implications of antenatal diagnosis, differential growth of arches during pregnancy, associated abnormalities and postnatal outcome
Authors: Bartsota M. , Jowett V. , Manuel D. , Mortensen K. , Wolfenden J. , Marek J. , Carvalho J. S.
Published: March 2023

Objectives

To evaluate the prenatal characteristics of double aortic arch (DAA), assess the relative size of the arches and their growth during pregnancy, describe associated cardiac, extracardiac and chromosomal/genetic abnormalities and review postnatal presentation and clinical outcome.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study of all fetuses with a confirmed diagnosis of DAA seen in five specialized referral centers in London, UK, between October 2012 and November 2019. Cases were identified from the hospitals' fetal databases. Fetal echocardiographic findings, intracardiac and extracardiac abnormalities, genetic defects, computed tomography (CT) findings and postnatal clinical presentation and outcome were evaluated.

Results

A total of 79 fetuses with DAA were included. Of those assessed postnatally, 48.6% had an atretic left aortic arch (LAA), while 5.1% had an atretic LAA at the first fetal scan and were misdiagnosed antenatally with right aortic arch (RAA). The LAA was atretic in 55.8% of those who underwent CT. DAA was an isolated abnormality in 91.1% of cases; 8.9% of patients had an additional intracardiac abnormality and 2.5% had both intra‐ and extracardiac abnormalities. Among the 52 cases that underwent genetic testing, 11.5% had genetic abnormalities and, specifically, the 22q11 microdeletion was identified in 3.8% of patients. At a median follow‐up of 993.5 days, 42.5% of patients had developed symptoms of tracheoesophageal compression (5.5% during the first month after birth) and 56.2% had undergone intervention. Statistical analysis using the χ‐square test showed no significant relationship between morphology of DAA (patency of both aortic arches vs atretic LAA) and the need for intervention (P = 0.134), development of vascular ring symptoms (P = 0.350) or evidence of airway compression on CT (P = 0.193).

Conclusions

Most cases of DAA can be diagnosed easily at midgestation, as typically both arches are patent with a dominant RAA at this stage. However, we found that the LAA had become atretic in approximately half of the cases postnatally, supporting the theory of differential growth of the arches during pregnancy. DAA is usually an isolated abnormality; however, thorough assessment is required to exclude associated intra‐ and extracardiac anomalies and to determine the need for invasive prenatal genetic testing. Postnatally, early clinical assessment is needed and CT scan should be considered, irrespective of the presence of symptoms. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
The Societal Impacts of Autonomous Ships: The Norwegian Perspective
Authors: Rødseth Ørnulf Jan , Nesheim Dag Atle , Rialland Agathe , Holte Even Ambros
Published: March 2023

It is often assumed that the driving force behind autonomous ship discussions is reduction in crew cost or societal concerns like improved maritime safety due to reduction in human errors, better working conditions for crew in land-based control centers, or sustainability goals achieved through higher efficiency and lower emissions. But in assessing actual projects that are underway other factors also stand out. For the container ship Yara Birkeland, for example, the major drivers were reduction in local truck transport through urban areas and the realizing of a completely green electric transport. For ASKO cargo ferries, improved reliability of their inter-warehouse transport was a significant additional factor. This chapter will discuss possible societal benefits and potential drawbacks of autonomous ships, as presented in literature as well as from our own research particularly from the European Union (EU) projects Advanced, Efficient and Green Intermodal Systems (AEGIS) and Autonomous Shipping Initiative for European Waters (AUTOSHIP), and the Norwegian project “Smartere Transport”. The focus is on cargo transport, but some concerns for passenger transport will also be explored. The analysis is mostly qualitative, but some quantitative key performance indicators (KPI) will be proposed. The perspective is mainly Norwegian, a society with a high living standard and a sparsely populated nation, where advanced ship technology is a necessary part of life and in general positively regarded. Nevertheless, many of the observations are deemed highly applicable to other countries and regions.
Bridging the Gap: Community Conservancies in Namibia and Zimbabwe
Authors: Huntley Brian John
Published: March 2023

The emergence of community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) approaches to wildlife conservation in southern Africa heralded great optimism towards the bridging of the gap between ‘fortress conservation’ and the welfare of local communities living adjacent to protected areas. This chapter describes the evolution of the concept and practice of CBNRM in the arid ecosystems of Namibia and Zimbabwe, from early initiatives in the 1980s through to the present. This chapter synthesises the lessons learned from the CBNRM programmes of Namibia and Zimbabwe, describing successes achieved even under extremely difficult circumstances.
Correction to: Expanding Environmental Awareness in Education Through the Arts
Authors: Fredriksen Biljana C. , Groth Camilla
Published: March 2023

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Chiral spectrum of the universal tuned (SU(3) × SU(2) × U(1))/ℤ6 4D F-theory model
Authors: Jefferson Patrick , Taylor Washington , Turner Andrew P.
Published: March 2023

Abstract

We use the recently developed methods of arXiv:2108.07810 to analyze vertical flux backgrounds and associated chiral matter spectra in the 4D universal (SU(3) × SU(2) × U(1))/ℤ6 model introduced in arXiv:1912.10991, which is believed to describe the most generic family of F-theory vacua with tuned (SU(3) × SU(2) × U(1))/ℤ6 gauge symmetry. Our analysis focuses on a resolution of a particular presentation of the (SU(3) × SU(2) × U(1))/ℤ6 model in which the elliptic fiber is realized as a cubic in ℙ2 fibered over an arbitrary smooth threefold base. We show that vertical fluxes can produce nonzero multiplicities for all chiral matter families that satisfy 4D anomaly cancellation, which include as a special case the chiral matter families of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model.
UV and IR effects on Hawking radiation
Authors: Ho Pei-Ming , Kawai Hikaru
Published: March 2023

Abstract

We study the time-dependence of Hawking radiation for a black hole in the Unruh vacuum, and find that it is not robust against certain UV and IR effects. If there is a UV cutoff at the Planck scale, Hawking radiation is turned off after the scrambling time. In the absence of a UV cutoff, Hawking radiation is sensitive to the IR cutoff through a UV/IR connection due to higher-derivative interactions in the effective theory. Furthermore, higher-derivative interactions with the background contribute to a large amplitude of particle creation that changes Hawking radiation. This unexpected large effect is related to a peculiar feature of the Hawking particle wave packets.
Mixture-of-Theories training: can we find new physics and anomalies better by mixing physical theories?
Authors: Caron Sascha , Ruiz de Austri Roberto , Zhang Zhongyi
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Model-independent search strategies have been increasingly proposed in recent years because on the one hand there has been no clear signal for new physics and on the other hand there is a lack of a highly probable and parameter-free extension of the standard model. For these reasons, there is no simple search target so far. In this work, we try to take a new direction and ask the question: bearing in mind that we have a large number of new physics theories that go beyond the Standard Model and may contain a grain of truth, can we improve our search strategy for unknown signals by using them “in combination”? In particular, we show that a signal hypothesis based on a large, intermingled set of many different theoretical signal models can be a superior approach to find an unknown BSM signal. Applied to a recent data challenge, we show that “mixture-of-theories training” outperforms strategies that optimize signal regions with a single BSM model as well as most unsupervised strategies. Applications of this work include anomaly detection and the definition of signal regions in the search for signals of new physics.
Quantum codes, CFTs, and defects
Authors: Buican Matthew , Dymarsky Anatoly , Radhakrishnan Rajath
Published: March 2023

Abstract

We give a general construction relating Narain rational conformal field theories (RCFTs) and associated 3d Chern-Simons (CS) theories to quantum stabilizer codes. Starting from an abelian CS theory with a fusion group consisting of n even-order factors, we map a boundary RCFT to an n-qubit quantum code. When the relevant ’t Hooft anomalies vanish, we can orbifold our RCFTs and describe this gauging at the level of the code. Along the way, we give CFT interpretations of the code subspace and the Hilbert space of qubits while mapping error operations to CFT defect fields.
Deformation conjecture: deforming lower dimensional integrable systems to higher dimensional ones by using conservation laws
Authors: Lou S. Y. , Hao Xia-zhi , Jia Man
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Utilizing some conservation laws of (1+1)-dimensional integrable local evolution systems, it is conjectured that higher dimensional integrable equations may be regularly constructed by a deformation algorithm. The algorithm can be applied to Lax pairs and higher order flows. In other words, if the original lower dimensional model is Lax integrable (possesses Lax pairs) and symmetry integrable (possesses infinitely many higher order symmetries and/or infinitely many conservation laws), then the deformed higher order systems are also Lax integrable and symmetry integrable. For concreteness, the deformation algorithm is applied to the usual (1 + 1)-dimensional Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation and the (1 + 1)-dimensional Ablowitz-Kaup-Newell-Segur (AKNS) system (including nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation as a special example). It is interesting that the deformed (3+1)-dimensional KdV equation is also an extension of the (1 + 1)-dimensional Harry-Dym (HD) type equations which are reciprocal links of the (1+1)-dimensional KdV equation. The Lax pairs of the (3 + 1)-dimensional KdV-HD system and the (2 + 1)-dimensional AKNS system are explicitly given. The higher order symmetries, i.e., the whole (3 + 1)-dimensional KdV-HD hierarchy, are also explicitly obtained via the deformation algorithm. The single soliton solution of the (3 + 1)-dimensional KdV-HD equation is implicitly given. Because of the effects of the deformation, the symmetric soliton shape of the usual KdV equation is no longer conserved and deformed to be asymmetric and/or multi-valued. The deformation conjecture holds for all the known (1 +1)-dimensional integrable local evolution systems that have been checked, and we have not yet found any counter-example so far. The introduction of a large number of (D + 1)-dimensional integrable systems of this paper explores a serious challenge to all mathematicians and theoretical physicists because the traditional methods are no longer directly valid to solve these integrable equations.
Gravitational wave signals from finite size effects in spinning binary inspirals including parity violating constituents
Authors: Modrekiladze Beka
Published: March 2023

Abstract

We generalize the world line EFT formalism to account for parity violating finite size effects. Results are presented for potentials and radiating moments of a binary inspiral for the parity conserving sector, and agreement is found with, previous calculations. Furthermore, we generate new results in this sector, calculating the current quadrupole moment induced by finite size gravitomagnetic effects. We also present novel results for parity violating sources, which might be due to beyond standard model physics, and show that they generate GW signals with the unique signature that the current-moment appears at 0.5PN order earlier relative to the mass-moment in the PN expansion. Parity violation also induces a new type of potential, which is proportional to the S ∙ r. Finally, we present new results for the dissipative force for parity violating constituents, which leads to the curious signature of a force normal to the orbit.