bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of cardiovascular diagnostics and treatments on fall risk in older adults: a scoping review and evidence map
Authors: Pronk Anouschka C. , Wang Liping , van Poelgeest Eveline P. , Leeflang Mariska M. G. , Daams Joost G. , Hoekstra Alfons G. , van der Velde Nathalie
Published: October 2023

Background

We aimed to summarize the published evidence on the fall risk reducing potential of cardiovascular diagnostics and treatments in older adults.

Methods

Design: scoping review and evidence map. Data sources: Medline and Embase. Eligibility criteria: all available published evidence; Key search concepts: “older adults,” “cardiovascular evaluation,” “cardiovascular intervention,” and “falls.” Studies reporting on fall risk reducing effect of the diagnostic/treatment were included in the evidence map. Studies that investigated cardiovascular diagnostics or treatments within the context of falls, but without reporting a fall-related outcome, were included in the scoping review for qualitative synthesis.

Results

Two articles on cardiovascular diagnostics and eight articles on cardiovascular treatments were included in the evidence map. Six out of ten studies concerned pacemaker intervention of which one meta-analyses that included randomized controlled trials with contradictory results. A combined cardiovascular assessment/evaluation (one study) and pharmacotherapy in orthostatic hypotension (one study) showed fall reducing potential. The scoping review contained 40 articles on cardiovascular diagnostics and one on cardiovascular treatments. It provides an extensive overview of several diagnostics (e.g., orthostatic blood pressure measurements, heart rhythm assessment) useful in fall prevention. Also, diagnostics were identified, that could potentially provide added value in fall prevention (e.g., blood pressure variability and head turning).

Conclusion

Although the majority of studies showed a reduction in falls after the intervention, the total amount of evidence regarding the effect of cardiovascular diagnostics/treatments on falls is small. Our findings can be used to optimize fall prevention strategies and develop an evidence-based fall prevention care pathway. Adhering to the World guidelines on fall prevention recommendations, it is crucial to undertake a standardized assessment of cardiovascular risk factors, followed by supplementary testing and corresponding interventions, as effective components of fall prevention strategies. In addition, accompanying diagnostics such as blood pressure variability and head turning can be of added value.
Reflections on Perspectives of Transhumanism, Buddhist Transhumanism, and Buddhist Modernism on the Self
Authors: Borrmann Vera
Published: October 2023

A claim made by Buddhist or Buddhism-affine scholars such as Michael LaTorra and James Hughes is that transhumanism, neuroscience, and the teachings of Buddhism are compatible because they aim to alleviate suffering and pain and attain a stable state of happiness. This claim can be challenged. At first glance, the approach seems valid, because since the 1980s there have been dialogues and scientific collaborations with representatives of Tibetan Buddhism and scientists on the topics of neuroscience, consciousness, ethics and technology, and in this context new interpretations of Buddhist thought have emerged such as ‘Buddhist modernism’ (E. Thompson). In this discussion note, however, two main arguments are advanced as to why the claim and terminology of Buddhist transhumanism are difficult to reconcile with Buddhist terminology, values, and methods: (1) the difference between the use of such methods as meditation and contemplation and the application of so-called human enhancement technologies (2) and differences concerning self-understanding in Western science and Buddhism.
Polymorphism of anhydrous iron(II) oxalate
Authors: Heger Vítězslav , Kopp Josef , Procházka Vít , Novák Petr
Published: October 2023

Recently, iron(II) oxalate has experienced a renewed interest due to their newly found application in lithium-ion batteries. Lithium is expected to be embedded between the oxalate sheets, dramatically increasing the need to understand the oxalate structure. Despite being known for decades, the discrepancies still exist regarding the anhydrous iron(II) oxalate. In this work, we explore the dehydration process of both α-FeC2O4·2H2O and β-FeC2O4·2H2O polymorphs at different heating rates and calcination temperatures by X-ray powder diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. After dehydration, iron(II) oxalates formed two polymorphs with different XRD patterns: α-FeC2O4 with sharp and narrow diffraction lines and β-FeC2O4 with very broadened lines, which were attributed to the monoclinic structure with space group P21/n.
Active and Intelligent Four-Layer Films Based on Chitosan, Gelatin, Furcellaran and Active Ingredients—Preparation, Characterisation and Application on Salmon
Authors: Nowak Nikola , Tkaczewska Joanna , Grzebieniarz Wiktoria , Juszczak Lesław , Mazur Tomasz , Szuwarzyński Michał , Guzik Paulina , Jamróz Ewelina
Published: October 2023

Innovatively, four-layer, active biopolymer films based on furcellaran, chitosan and gelatin as well as active compounds (curcumin, capsaicin, AgNPs, montmorillonite and gelatin hydrolysate) were obtained. The films showed strong antioxidant effects. Adding active ingredients caused increased enthalpy change value (ΔH) and thermal stability. The potential application of the film was analysed by storing Atlantic salmon fillets in the material. The films showed an active effect. This effect was the strongest during the first 3 days of storage. Compared to the synthetic LDPE film, the active film showed a total 0.81 log/CFU lower microbial count on the 12th day of storage. Lipid oxidation was not delayed in the salmon. Nonetheless, the results indicate high applicative potential of the composites.
Transplantation of MiR-28-5p-Modified BMSCs Promotes Functional Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Li Zhen , Su Haitao , Lin Guandai , Wang Kai , Huang Yongming , Wen Yaqian , Luo Dan , Hou Yu , Cao Xuewei , Weng Jiaxian , Lin Dingkun , Wang Le , Li Xing
Published: October 2023

Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a prevalent central nervous system condition that imposes a significant burden on both families and society, affecting more than 2 million people worldwide. Recently, there has been increasing interest in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation as a promising treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI) due to their accessibility and low immunogenicity. However, the mere transplantation of BMSCs has limited capacity to directly participate in the repair of host spinal cord nerve function. MiR-28-5p, identified as a key differentially expressed miRNA in spinal cord ischemia–reperfusion injury, exhibits differential expression and regulation in various neurological diseases. Nevertheless, its involvement in this process and its specific regulatory mechanisms in SCI remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms through which miR-28-5p promotes the neuronal differentiation of BMSCs both in vivo and in vitro. Our results indicate that miR-28-5p may directly target Notch1, thereby facilitating the neuronal differentiation of BMSCs in vitro. Furthermore, the transplantation of lentivirus-mediated miR-28-5p-overexpressed BMSCs into SCI rats effectively improved footprint tests and Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scores, ameliorated histological morphology (hematoxylin–eosin [HE] and Nissl staining), promoted axonal regeneration (MAP2 and growth-associated protein 43 [GAP43]), and facilitated axonal remyelination (myelin basic protein [MBP]). These findings may suggest that miR-28-5p-modified BMSCs could serve as a therapeutic target to enhance the behavioral and neurological recovery of SCI rats.
Be Here Now: Dispositional Mindfulness Enhances Fading Affect Bias
Authors: Crawford Matthew T. , Marsh Claire , Clegg Joel
Published: October 2023

Objectives

The current study examined the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and fading affect bias, where the affect associated with negative events fades more quickly and fully than affect associated with positive events. Although much of the previous work has focused on conditions that hinder fading affect bias (e.g., depression, anxiety), few studies have examined individual difference variables that could enhance the asymmetric fading of positive and negative affect associated with autobiographical events.

Methods

Participants (n = 241) recalled and described positive and negative life events and rated the initial and current emotional intensity of those events. Events were also rated on importance, memorability, and how often they had been thought about. Participants also completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) to assess dispositional mindfulness.

Results

Fading affect bias emerged in the study and the strength of the effect was predicted by dispositional mindfulness. The relationship was driven by the observing and describing subscales of the FFMQ. The data fit a model where increased thinking about positive events, but not negative events, mediated the relationship between the observing subscale and fading affect bias.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that an ability to be centred in the present moment—as measured by dispositional mindfulness—enhances one’s capacity to move on from past events. Specifically, the ability to both observe and describe internal states and the external world enhances the beneficial asymmetric fade of affect associated with negative and positive life events.

Preregistration

This study is not preregistered.
How the right evolved partners in Cycads and Legumes drive enhanced growth in a harsh environment
Authors: Motsomane Nqobile , Suinyuy Terence N. , Pérez-Fernández María A. , Magadlela Anathi
Published: October 2023

Cycads are ancient plants that establish symbiotic associations with plant growth-promoting (PGP) microbes. These ancient associations are rarely contrasted with more recent associations involving PGP microbes and legumes. This study investigated if Vigna unguiculata growing in Encephalartos villosus rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils shares similar symbionts with E. villosus and if there is any sanction by plants towards certain soil bacteria. Also, the biomass accumulation and plant nutrition of V. unguiculata growing in these soils was investigated. Vigna unguiculata seeds were grown in E. villosus rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils. Thereafter, growth characteristics and plant nutrition were analyzed. Vigna unguiculata plants grown in E. villosus rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils were nodulated by Paenibacillus, Bacillus, Peribacillus, Brevibacillus, Alkalihalobacillus, and Lysinibacillus species identified in E. villosus coralloid roots. Bacteria isolated from nodules and coralloid roots were phylogenetically close, regardless of the soil from which these bacteria came. That supports the filter theory by which specific environmental conditions select certain microbial groups to establish symbiotic interactions with plants. No significant differences were observed in the total plant biomass, however, V. unguiculata plants grown in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils invested significantly more resources in belowground biomass that could be related to the extra nitrogen coming from the biological nitrogen fixation that is devoted to roots. This study shows that V. unguiculata and E. villosus growing in similar soil conditions may share the same symbionts promoting plant nutrient assimilation and growth, this opens an idea of a common evolution of the two species and their symbionts.
Infiltration ability in the area of land use change, Bogor, West Java
Authors: Rahma Ayu Dyah , Rosidi Muhammad , Zapariza Rudi , Sulaeman Eman , Ridwan Iwan
Published: October 2023

The upstream of the Cisadane Watershed is included in the Mount Halimun Salak National Park area as the water catchment area. Water resource conservation is important because of land use change. Rainfall analysis was carried out to determine the rain intensity amount. Then, infiltration observations were also carried out in Ecosystem Restoration (ER) areas. ER is an area in the rehabilitation zone that requires improvement, especially in biophysical improvement. Several ER areas are in Cibunian Village and Purwabakti Village. The analysis determined the infiltration rates in the ER areas. Field surveys carried out data collection on infiltration sample measurements. Sample points were selected using Stratified Random Sampling. The results show the average rainfall in the study area is around 3950 mm/year. The results show the infiltration ability in the ER area is relatively slow. However, there are still results of rapid infiltration at several sample points. Due to limited water absorption capacity, soil characteristics with clay texture influence slow infiltration conditions. Even though the rainfall is high, surface water runoff is quickly formed. The rainfall in the Cisadane watershed should be stored to reserve water supply, especially during the dry season. In detail, water storage can be an infiltration pit, artificial water storage tanks, reservoirs, or ponds. The limited availability of water resources challenges water uses in the Cisadane Watershed. This research is essential as an initial study to find out more about the watershed hydrological system and the water demand level.
SWI/SNF-Deficient Sinonasal Carcinomas: Multidisciplinary Research Perspectives
Authors: Danti Serena , Ricci Claudio , Macchi Teresa , Dallan Iacopo , Berrettini Stefano , Franchi Alessandro
Published: October 2023

Purpose of Review

An emerging subset of dismal sinonasal cancers are those characterized by the loss of a SWItch/Sucrose Non-Fermentable (SWI/SNF) complex unit, such as the SWI/SNF-related Matrix-associated Actin-dependent Regulator of Chromatin (SMARC), which includes two main subtypes: SMARCB1- and SMARCA4-deficient sinonasal carcinomas, ultimately leading to four distinct SWI/SNF-deficient sinonasal tumors. These cancers are rare entities and low treatment responsive malignancies. In fact, they are poorly differentiated and usually detected at a late stage, when invasion of facial and cranial regions had already occurred.

Recent Findings

From a histological standpoint, SWI/SNF-deficient sinonasal carcinomas belong to the group of sinonasal undifferentiated carcinomas (SNUC); however, their distinctive features disclose a special category for these cancers. The identification of biomarkers and signaling pathways has led to the development of emerging therapies, such as immunotherapy and personalized treatments. Finally, we report preliminary findings on 3D in vitro models of sinonasal cancers, as a multidisciplinary tool that could empower the understanding of SWI/SNF-deficient cancer biology.

Here, we review the current knowledge about histological and molecular features of SWI/SNF-deficient sinonasal cancers, with a focus on treatment options and multidisciplinary research perspectives. The possibility of studying SWI/SNF-deficient sinonasal tumors in-depth would be fostered by the establishment of tumor cell lines.
Cognitive performance in hospitalized patients with severe or extreme anorexia nervosa
Authors: Hemmingsen Simone Daugaard , Lichtenstein Mia Beck , Sjögren Magnus , Gudex Claire , Larsen Pia Veldt , Støving René Klinkby
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Severe malnourishment may reduce cognitive performance in anorexia nervosa (AN). We studied cognitive functioning during intensive nutritional and medical stabilization in patients with severe or extreme AN and investigated associations between weight gain and cognitive improvement.

Methods

A few days after admission to a specialized hospital unit, 33 patients with severe or extreme AN, aged 16–42 years, completed assessments of memory, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, and attention. Mean hospitalization was 6 weeks. Patients completed the same assessments at discharge (n = 22) following somatic stabilization and follow-up up to 6 months after discharge (n = 18).

Results

The patients displayed normal cognitive performance at admission compared to normative data. During nutritional stabilization, body weight increased (mean: 11.3%; range 2.6–22.2%) and memory, attention, and processing speed improved (pvalues: ≤ 0.0002). No relationship between weight gain and cognitive improvement was observed at discharge or follow-up.

Conclusions

Cognitive performance at hospital admission was normal in patients with severe or extreme AN and improved during treatment although without association to weight gain. Based on these results, which are in line with previous studies, patients with severe or extreme AN need not be excluded from cognitively demanding tasks, possibly including psychotherapy. As patients may have other symptoms that interfere with psychotherapy, future research could investigate cognitive functioning in everyday life in patients with severe AN.

Trial registration number:The study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02502617).

Level of evidence

Level III, cohort study.
A-pruning: a lightweight pineapple flower counting network based on filter pruning
Authors: Yu Guoyan , Cai Ruilin , Luo Yingtong , Hou Mingxin , Deng Ruoling
Published: October 2023

During pineapple cultivation, detecting and counting the number of pineapple flowers in real time and estimating the yield are essential. Deep learning methods are more efficient in real-time performance than traditional manual detection. However, existing deep learning models are characterized by low detection speeds and cannot be applied in real time on mobile devices. This paper presents a lightweight model in which filter pruning compresses the YOLOv5 network. An adaptive batch normalization layer evaluation mechanism is introduced to the pruning process to evaluate the performance of the subnetwork. With this approach, the network with the best performance can be found quickly after pruning. Then, an efficient channel attention mechanism is added for the pruned network to constitute a new YOLOv5_E network. Our findings demonstrate that the proposed YOLOv5_E network attains an accuracy of 71.7% with a mere 1.7 M parameters, a model size of 3.8 MB, and an impressive running speed of 178 frames per second. Compared to the original YOLOv5, YOLOv5_E shows a 0.9% marginal decrease in accuracy; while, the number of parameters and the model size are reduced by 75.8% and 73.8%, respectively. Moreover, the running speed of YOLOv5_E is nearly twice that of the original. Among the ten networks evaluated, YOLOv5_E boasts the fastest detection speed and ranks second in detection accuracy. Furthermore, YOLOv5_E can be integrated with StrongSORT for real-time detection and counting on mobile devices. We validated this on the NVIDIA Jetson Xavier NX development board, where it achieved an average detection speed of 24 frames per second. The proposed YOLOv5_E network can be effectively used on agricultural equipment such as unmanned aerial vehicles, providing technical support for the detection and counting of crops on mobile devices.
Development and application of hobbing-cone hybrid PDC bit
Authors: Chen Lian , Cao Qiang , Qi Qingliang , Niu Shiwei , Yang Yingxin , Chen Xu , Zhao Zhijie , Wu Bin
Published: October 2023

In order to solve the problems of low ROP and short service life of the bit drilling in deep and hard formation, a new technology of hobbing-cone hybrid PDC bit which has combined the advantages of conventional PDC bit and the hobbing-cone is proposed in this paper. The bit is developed and applied on basis of the structure design and the contrast experiment between the hobbing-cone bit and the conventional roller-cone hybrid PDC bit. The indoor drilling experiments show that the hobbing-cone hybrid PDC bit can form groove-shaped crushing pits in the bottom-hole. The teeth on the roller have high circumferential coverage on bottom-hole rock and an obvious pre-fracture effect on the rock. The experiment result shows that ROP of the hobbing-cone hybrid PDC bit is 20–30% lower in soft rock but 15–20% higher in hard rock, indicating that the bit is more suitable for hard rock drilling. Moreover, in the field application, average ROP of the hobbing-cone hybrid PDC bit is 126.1% higher and the footage is 89.6% longer than the comparisons, while wear status of the bit after drilling is quite good. Field application results show that the hobbing-cone hybrid PDC bit has good drilling effect in directional and hard formations, which can be well adapted to the drilling of applied wells (blocks) and directional sections with good steering performance, making it an optimization to improve the working performance in complex and hard-to-drill formations.
Discussion: “An Upper Palaeolithic Proto-writing System and Phenological Calendar” by Bennett Bacon et al. (2023)
Authors: García-Bustos Miguel , Rivero Olivia , Sauvet Georges , Bustos Paula García
Published: October 2023

A recent work by Bacon et al. (2023) proposes to interpret a large part of Palaeolithic art as an ethological calendar. They argue that by studying the association of certain signs (dots, lines, and Y-shapes) with an animal, it is possible to infer vital episodes such as reproduction, birth, and migration of the represented species. However, in the present article, we discuss some methodological errors made by the authors. For instance, they use a tracing to demonstrate the association between a mammoth and a series of lines at El Pindal, although this tracing is not faithful to the actual arrangement of the pictorial motifs in the cave. In Pair-non-Pair, Sotarriza, and Atxurra caves, the signs considered do not really exist. And in other cases, such as Altxerri, Covaciella, or Tito Bustillo, the signs have been misinterpreted. Important problems such as the lack of definition of “association” and various apriorisms and presentisms adopted by the authors are also exposed and discussed. In conclusion, this proposal lacks methodological support and it is not possible to conclude that an ethological calendar was present in Palaeolithic art.
Is participation enough? Impact of simulation curriculum structure on performance of basic surgical skills
Authors: Zhou Connie J. , Edwards Anya L. , Brian Riley , O’Sullivan Patricia S. , Shui Amy M. , Cortella Aly , Alseidi Adnan , Rapp Joseph H. , Chern Hueylan , Syed Shareef M.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The optimal strategy for curricular construction and feedback implementation, both critical for skill acquisition, is unknown in the simulation curricula setting. To address this gap, we examined the impact of individual components of our basic surgical skills curriculum on intern performance.

Methods

The basic surgical skills curriculum consists of skills lab sessions, self-recorded “homework” exercises graded with a score and narrative feedback, and a scored final assessment. Using linear regression, we assessed the association between assessment performance (scores) and four other curricular components (skills lab attendance, homework submission, homework scores, and receipt of feedback on homework). Narrative feedback quality was graded by three raters for relevance, valence, and specificity. Pearson’s r was used to calculate the association of each feedback variable with the assessment score.

Results

Among the 71 (73%) surgical interns who completed the curriculum, for each additional homework assignment that received structured feedback, assessment score increased by 0.54% (p < 0.001; effect size 0.16). For each percentage point increase in homework score, assessment score increased by 0.21% (p = 0.02; effect size 0.07). Pearson’s r revealed significant correlations between assessment score and relevant feedback (r = 0.26, p = 0.02), relevant feedback and corrective feedback (r = 0.70, p < 0.001), and between relevant and specific feedback (r = 0.74, p < 0.001). Relevant feedback comments were not correlated with reinforcing feedback (r = 0.01, p = 0.47).

Conclusions

Our findings reiterate the value of practice when accompanied by relevant feedback. We identified a default to providing lower-quality reinforcing feedback and higher-quality corrective feedback. Future feedback training may yield positive results.
Crowdsourced Science Pulls Off a Daring WWII Data Rescue
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: October 2023

Newly declassified documents are making wartime weather observations in the Pacific Theater more robust, and could improve climate models today.
Rainfall from Tropical Storms Might Be on the Downswing
Authors: Kornei Katherine
Published: October 2023

Two decades’ worth of satellite data suggest that the rainfall rates of tropical cyclones might be decreasing relative to background levels.
Anthropogenic Aerosols Weaken Land–Atmosphere Coupling Over North China
Authors: Wei Jiangfeng , Lu Boyan , Song Yuanyuan , Chen Haishan , Weng Zhimei
Published: October 2023

North China, characterized by its strong land–atmosphere coupling, also has a high concentration of atmospheric aerosols from anthropogenic emissions. However, the impact of aerosols on land–atmosphere coupling in this region remains partially unclear. Here, we use Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF‐Chem) experiments to show that the aerosol radiative effect weakens land–atmosphere coupling in North China. This weakening occurs across all five indexes used to measure different aspects of land–atmosphere coupling. Notably, the weakening is more pronounced for indexes that describe surface coupling compared to the index that characterizes the coupling between the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and clouds. The mechanisms underlying the aerosol influence can be primarily attributed to the reduction of land surface fluxes and their sensitivities to soil moisture, while the weakened entrainment of moisture at the upper boundary of the PBL may also contribute to the effects.
Mesoscale and Synoptic Scale Analysis of Narrow Cold Frontal Rainband During a Landfalling Atmospheric River in California During January 2021
Authors: Zou Xun , Cordeira Jason M. , Bartlett Samuel M. , Kawzenuk Brian , Roj Shawn , Castellano Christopher , Hecht Chad , Ralph F. Martin
Published: October 2023

Narrow cold‐frontal rain bands (NCFR) often produce short‐duration and high‐intensity precipitation that can lead to flooding and debris flow in California (CA). On 27 January 2021, an atmospheric river (AR) associated with an intense surface cyclone made landfall over coastal northern CA, which featured a prominent NCFR. This study uses high‐resolution West Weather Research and Forecasting simulations to accurately resolve the gap and core structure of the NCFR and provide reliable precipitation estimations, compensating for limitations of radar and satellite observations. This NCFR was supported by robust synoptic‐scale quasi‐geostrophic (QG) forcing for ascent and frontogenesis. It propagated southward from Cape Mendocino to Big Sur in 12 hr before stalling and rotating counter‐clockwise in central/southern CA due to upstream Rossby wave breaking and an amplifying upper‐tropospheric trough. With the lower to middle tropospheric flow backed considerably to the south‐southwest over the NCFR, the increase of the vertical wind shear caused the transition from parallel to trailing stratiform precipitation. The stall and pivot of the AR and NCFR led to intense rainfall with a 2‐day precipitation accumulation greater than 300 mm over central CA. In addition, under the potential instability and frontogenesis, a moist absolutely unstable layer between 850 and 700 hPa was captured at the leading edge of the NCFR, which indicated slantwise deep layer lifting and high precipitation efficiency. This study reveals synoptic‐scale and mesoscale drivers of rainfall outside orographic lifting and reaffirms the importance of high‐resolution numerical modeling for the prediction of extreme precipitation and related natural hazards.
Cloud Properties Derived From Airborne Cloud Radar Observations Collected in Three Climatic Regions
Authors: Romatschke Ulrike
Published: October 2023

Clouds observed by the airborne High‐Performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER) Cloud Radar (HCR) were classified into twelve categories, based on their convective/stratiform nature. Dimensional and convective cloud properties were analyzed in three climatic regions: The subtropical easterlies off the coast of California, the Southern Ocean, and the tropics surrounding Central America. The convective properties of the stratocumulus clouds in the subtropical easterlies are closely related to the degree of boundary layer decoupling. In regions of strong boundary layer coupling, convectivity and updrafts in the clouds are weak and precipitation is light. In regions where the boundary layer is more decoupled, convective properties increase together with cloud top altitudes and cloud depth. Cloud properties of stratocumulus and cumulus clouds over the Southern Ocean show similarities to those observed in the subtropics, but overall they are less convective, indicating a strongly coupled boundary layer. Sea surface temperatures are much lower and the development of clouds is driven by transient synoptic conditions rather than zonal ocean temperature gradients. Clouds observed over the tropical oceans are much more convective in nature. As in the two other regions, they are mostly shallow, but clouds in regions with high sea surface temperatures have high convectivity and reflectivity values and stronger updrafts. Some of them grow to extreme depths (>14 km) and widths (>500 km). They have strong and large updraft regions and are heavily precipitating throughout their life cycle as they transition from the convective to the stratiform stage.
Dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the substantia nigra is associated with olfactory dysfunction in mice models of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Yuan Yu , Ma Xizhen , Mi Xiaoqing , Qu Le , Liang Meiyu , Li Mengyu , Wang Youcui , Song Ning , Xie Junxia
Published: October 2023

Olfactory dysfunction represents a prodromal stage in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the mechanisms underlying hyposmia are not specified yet. In this study, we first observed an early olfactory dysfunction in mice with intragastric rotenone administration, consistent with dopaminergic neurons loss and α-synuclein pathology in the olfactory bulb. However, a much severer olfactory dysfunction was observed without severer pathology in olfactory bulb when the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra occurred. Then, we established the mice models by intrastriatal α-synuclein preformed fibrils injection and demonstrated the performance in the olfactory discrimination test was correlated to the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, without any changes in the olfactory bulb analyzed by RNA-sequence. In mice with intranasal ferric ammonium citrate administration, we observed olfactory dysfunction when dopaminergic neurodegeneration in substantia nigra occurred and was restored when dopaminergic neurons were rescued. Finally we demonstrated that chemogenetic inhibition of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra was sufficient to cause hyposmia and motor incoordination. Taken together, this study shows a direct relationship between nigral dopaminergic neurodegeneration and olfactory dysfunction in PD models and put forward the understandings that olfactory dysfunction represents the early stage of neurodegeneration in PD progression.
Impact of slab selection on the relationship between choriocapillaris flow deficits and enlargement rate of geographic atrophy
Authors: Alagorie Ahmed Roshdy , Corradetti Giulia , Byon Iksoo , Tiosano Liran , Ji Yongsok , Nittala Muneeswar , Velaga Swetha , Nassisi Marco , Verma Aditya , Sadda Srinivas R.
Published: October 2023

Objective

To evaluate the effect of changing slab position on the correlation between choriocapillaris (CC) flow deficits (FD) in eyes with geographic atrophy (GA) and yearly enlargement rate (yER) of GA.

Methods

OCT and OCTA images obtained on Cirrus HD-OCT device were collected from patients with GA. Each patient underwent OCTA scan at baseline and two OCT scans, one at baseline and one after at least 12 months. GA was delineated on en-face fundus image to calculate yER. OCTA images were generated from three 10 µm thick slabs 11, 21 and 31 µm posterior to RPE-fit line. 100 µm-wide concentric rings were generated around GA to calculate FD% in each ring which was correlated with yER.

Results

For the 11–21 µm slab, FD% was not significantly correlated with yER for any of the rings (p > 0.05). For the 21–31 and 31–41 µm slab, FD% of rings located in the 600 µm region around GA was significantly correlated with yER (p < 0.05). However, in all slab locations, there was no significant correlation between yER and CC FD% of rings located beyond the 600 µm region (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Slab selection for quantification of CC FD% may have a significant impact on quantitative results in eyes with GA.
An innate granuloma eradicates an environmental pathogen using Gsdmd and Nos2
Authors: Harvest Carissa K. , Abele Taylor J. , Yu Chen , Beatty Cole J. , Amason Megan E. , Billman Zachary P. , DePrizio Morgan A. , Souza Fernando W. , Lacey Carolyn A. , Maltez Vivien I. , Larson Heather N. , McGlaughon Benjamin D. , Saban Daniel R. , Montgomery Stephanie A. , Miao Edward A.
Published: October 2023

Granulomas often form around pathogens that cause chronic infections. Here, we discover an innate granuloma model in mice with an environmental bacterium called Chromobacterium violaceum. Granuloma formation not only successfully walls off, but also clears, the infection. The infected lesion can arise from a single bacterium that replicates despite the presence of a neutrophil swarm. Bacterial replication ceases when macrophages organize around the infection and form a granuloma. This granuloma response is accomplished independently of adaptive immunity that is typically required to organize granulomas. The C. violaceum-induced granuloma requires at least two separate defense pathways, gasdermin D and iNOS, to maintain the integrity of the granuloma architecture. This innate granuloma successfully eradicates C. violaceum infection. Therefore, this C. violaceum-induced granuloma model demonstrates that innate immune cells successfully organize a granuloma and thereby resolve infection by an environmental pathogen.
All-dielectric scale invariant waveguide
Authors: Rodrigues Janderson R. , Dave Utsav D. , Mohanty Aseema , Ji Xingchen , Datta Ipshita , Chaitanya Shriddha , Shim Euijae , Gutierrez-Jauregui Ricardo , Almeida Vilson R. , Asenjo-Garcia Ana , Lipson Michal
Published: October 2023

Total internal reflection (TIR) governs the guiding mechanisms of almost all dielectric waveguides and therefore constrains most of the light in the material with the highest refractive index. The few options available to access the properties of lower-index materials include designs that are either lossy, periodic, exhibit limited optical bandwidth or are restricted to subwavelength modal volumes. Here, we propose and demonstrate a guiding mechanism that leverages symmetry in multilayer dielectric waveguides as well as evanescent fields to strongly confine light in low-index materials. The proposed waveguide structures exhibit unusual light properties, such as uniform field distribution with a non-Gaussian spatial profile and scale invariance of the optical mode. This guiding mechanism is general and can be further extended to various optical structures, employed for different polarizations, and in different spectral regions. Therefore, our results can have huge implications for integrated photonics and related technologies.
Defying decomposition: the curious case of choline chloride
Authors: van den Bruinhorst Adriaan , Avila Jocasta , Rosenthal Martin , Pellegrino Ange , Burghammer Manfred , Costa Gomes Margarida
Published: October 2023

Chemists aim to meet modern sustainability, health, and safety requirements by replacing conventional solvents with deep eutectic solvents (DESs). Through large melting point depressions, DESs may incorporate renewable solids in task-specific liquids. Yet, DES design is complicated by complex molecular interactions and a lack of comprehensive property databases. Even measuring pure component melting properties can be challenging, due to decomposition before melting. Here we overcame the decomposition of the quintessential DES constituent, choline chloride (ChCl). We measured its enthalpy of fusion (13.8 ± 3.0 kJ ⋅ mol) and melting point (687 ± 9 K) by fast scanning calorimetry combined with micro-XRD and high-speed optical microscopy. Our thermodynamically coherent fusion properties identify ChCl as an ionic plastic crystal and demonstrate negative deviations from ideal mixing for ChCl—contradicting previous assumptions. We hypothesise that the plastic crystal nature of ammonium salts governs their resilience to melting; pure or mixed. We show that DESs based on ionic plastic crystals can profit from (1) a low enthalpy of fusion and (2) favourable mixing. Both depress the melting point and can be altered through ion selection. Ionic plastic crystal-based DESs thus offer a platform for task-specific liquids at a broad range of temperatures and compositions.
Spin skyrmion gaps as signatures of strong-coupling insulators in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene
Authors: Yu Jiachen , Foutty Benjamin A. , Kwan Yves H. , Barber Mark E. , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Shen Zhi-Xun , Parameswaran Siddharth A. , Feldman Benjamin E.
Published: October 2023

The flat electronic bands in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBG) host a variety of correlated insulating ground states, many of which are predicted to support charged excitations with topologically non-trivial spin and/or valley skyrmion textures. However, it has remained challenging to experimentally address their ground state order and excitations, both because some of the proposed states do not couple directly to experimental probes, and because they are highly sensitive to spatial inhomogeneities in real samples. Here, using a scanning single-electron transistor, we observe thermodynamic gaps at even integer moiré filling factors at low magnetic fields. We find evidence of a field-tuned crossover from charged spin skyrmions to bare particle-like excitations, suggesting that the underlying ground state belongs to the manifold of strong-coupling insulators. From the spatial dependence of these states and the chemical potential variation within the flat bands, we infer a link between the stability of the correlated ground states and local twist angle and strain. Our work advances the microscopic understanding of the correlated insulators in MATBG and their unconventional excitations.
Repurposing conformational changes in ANL superfamily enzymes to rapidly generate biosensors for organic and amino acids
Authors: Wang Jin , Xue Ning , Pan Wenjia , Tu Ran , Li Shixin , Zhang Yue , Mao Yufeng , Liu Ye , Cheng Haijiao , Guo Yanmei , Yuan Wei , Ni Xiaomeng , Wang Meng
Published: October 2023

Biosensors are powerful tools for detecting, real-time imaging, and quantifying molecules, but rapidly constructing diverse genetically encoded biosensors remains challenging. Here, we report a method to rapidly convert enzymes into genetically encoded circularly permuted fluorescent protein-based indicators to detect organic acids (GECFINDER). ANL superfamily enzymes undergo hinge-mediated ligand-coupling domain movement during catalysis. We introduce a circularly permuted fluorescent protein into enzymes hinges, converting ligand-induced conformational changes into significant fluorescence signal changes. We obtain 11 GECFINDERs for detecting phenylalanine, glutamic acid and other acids. GECFINDER-Phe3 and GECFINDER-Glu can efficiently and accurately quantify target molecules in biological samples in vitro. This method simplifies amino acid quantification without requiring complex equipment, potentially serving as point-of-care testing tools for clinical applications in low-resource environments. We also develop a GECFINDER-enabled droplet-based microfluidic high-throughput screening method for obtaining high-yield industrial strains. Our method provides a foundation for using enzymes as untapped blueprint resources for biosensor design, creation, and application.
Continuous multiplexed population representations of task context in the mouse primary visual cortex
Authors: Hajnal Márton Albert , Tran Duy , Einstein Michael , Martelo Mauricio Vallejo , Safaryan Karen , Polack Pierre-Olivier , Golshani Peyman , Orbán Gergő
Published: October 2023

Effective task execution requires the representation of multiple task-related variables that determine how stimuli lead to correct responses. Even the primary visual cortex (V1) represents other task-related variables such as expectations, choice, and context. However, it is unclear how V1 can flexibly accommodate these variables without interfering with visual representations. We trained mice on a context-switching cross-modal decision task, where performance depends on inferring task context. We found that the context signal that emerged in V1 was behaviorally relevant as it strongly covaried with performance, independent from movement. Importantly, this signal was integrated into V1 representation by multiplexing visual and context signals into orthogonal subspaces. In addition, auditory and choice signals were also multiplexed as these signals were orthogonal to the context representation. Thus, multiplexing allows V1 to integrate visual inputs with other sensory modalities and cognitive variables to avoid interference with the visual representation while ensuring the maintenance of task-relevant variables.
Benchmarking organic active materials for aqueous redox flow batteries in terms of lifetime and cost
Authors: Emmel Dominik , Kunz Simon , Blume Nick , Kwon Yongchai , Turek Thomas , Minke Christine , Schröder Daniel
Published: October 2023

Flow batteries are one option for future, low-cost stationary energy storage. We present a perspective overview of the potential cost of organic active materials for aqueous flow batteries based on a comprehensive mathematical model. The battery capital costs for 38 different organic active materials, as well as the state-of-the-art vanadium system are elucidated. We reveal that only a small number of organic molecules would result in costs close to the vanadium reference system. We identify the most promising candidate as the phenazine 3,3′-(phenazine-1,6-diylbis(azanediyl))dipropionic acid) [1,6-DPAP], suggesting costs even below that of the vanadium reference. Additional cost-saving potential can be expected by mass production of these active materials; major benefits lie in the reduced electrolyte costs as well as power costs, although plant maintenance is a major challenge when applying organic materials. Moreover, this work is designed to be expandable. The developed calculation tool (ReFlowLab) accompanying this publication is open for updates with new data.
Intelligent surgical workflow recognition for endoscopic submucosal dissection with real-time animal study
Authors: Cao Jianfeng , Yip Hon-Chi , Chen Yueyao , Scheppach Markus , Luo Xiaobei , Yang Hongzheng , Cheng Ming Kit , Long Yonghao , Jin Yueming , Chiu Philip Wai-Yan , Yam Yeung , Meng Helen Mei-Ling , Dou Qi
Published: October 2023

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence have witnessed human-level performance; however, AI-enabled cognitive assistance for therapeutic procedures has not been fully explored nor pre-clinically validated. Here we propose AI-Endo, an intelligent surgical workflow recognition suit, for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Our AI-Endo is trained on high-quality ESD cases from an expert endoscopist, covering a decade time expansion and consisting of 201,026 labeled frames. The learned model demonstrates outstanding performance on validation data, including cases from relatively junior endoscopists with various skill levels, procedures conducted with different endoscopy systems and therapeutic skills, and cohorts from international multi-centers. Furthermore, we integrate our AI-Endo with the Olympus endoscopic system and validate the AI-enabled cognitive assistance system with animal studies in live ESD training sessions. Dedicated data analysis from surgical phase recognition results is summarized in an automatically generated report for skill assessment.
3D chromatin interactions involving Drosophila insulators are infrequent but preferential and arise before TADs and transcription
Authors: Messina Olivier , Raynal Flavien , Gurgo Julian , Fiche Jean-Bernard , Pancaldi Vera , Nollmann Marcelo
Published: October 2023

In mammals, insulators contribute to the regulation of loop extrusion to organize chromatin into topologically associating domains. In Drosophila the role of insulators in 3D genome organization is, however, under current debate. Here, we addressed this question by combining bioinformatics analysis and multiplexed chromatin imaging. We describe a class of Drosophila insulators enriched at regions forming preferential chromatin interactions genome-wide. Notably, most of these 3D interactions do not involve TAD borders. Multiplexed imaging shows that these interactions occur infrequently, and only rarely involve multiple genomic regions coalescing together in space in single cells. Finally, we show that non-border preferential 3D interactions enriched in this class of insulators are present before TADs and transcription during Drosophila development. Our results are inconsistent with insulators forming stable hubs in single cells, and instead suggest that they fine-tune existing 3D chromatin interactions, providing an additional regulatory layer for transcriptional regulation.
Oxidation kinetic behavior and microstructure mechanism of GH3536 alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion
Authors: Min S. L. , Zhang H. W. , Liu H. , He L. H. , Qiu S. Y. , Chu F. Z. , Huang S. S. , Wang Y. Q. , Zhang K. , Liang J. J. , Hou J.
Published: October 2023

This study comprehensively investigates the oxidation kinetics of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processed GH3536 superalloy at 950 °C. The oxidation kinetics and oxide film microstructure characteristics are analyzed and the underlying mechanism is discussed, by comparing with the conventionally manufactured wrought GH3536 samples under the exactly same test condition. The oxidation rate of LPBF samples is faster at initial stage and then tends to flatten out with increase of heating duration time. The finer and equiaxed chromia crystals formed in LPBF GH3536 surface can effectively improve the oxidation resistance comparing to the columnar structure chromia in wrought GH3536. The oxide film with excellent protection in LPBF GH3536 provides an important contribution to the application of GH3536 at high temperature.