bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Stabilizers in the Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles and Methylene Blue Oxidation
Authors: Amir Dzilal , Nasaruddin Ricca Rahman , Engliman Nurul Sakinah , Sulaiman Sarina , Mastuli Mohd Sufri
Published: November 2021

Metal nanocatalysts have received increasing attention in catalysis due to their higher reactivity and surface area-to-volume ratio at nano-size. Silver nanoparticle (AgNP) is among metal nanocatalysts that have been studied in various catalytic reactions (e.g., hydrogenation and oxidation). However, the high reactivity of AgNPs at nano-size caused instability and aggregation. Therefore, stabilizing molecules (or stabilizers) are always applied to maintain the nano size of AgNPs and prevent aggregation. Herein, the effects of different types and molar ratio of stabilizers-to-Ag precursor, to the synthesized AgNPs (i.e, size and concentration) were investigated. Two types of stabilizers, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and citrate were used in this study. The roles of stabilizers to the catalytic performance of synthesized AgNPs were then elucidated by using methylene blue oxidation as the model reaction. The UV-Vis absorption analyses showed that both stabilizers produced slightly different size and concentration of AgNPs based on the different wavelength and absorption intensity of the peak. We also found that the molar ratio of stabilizers-to-Ag precursor that produced better yield of AgNPs was 1:1 and 1:3 for PVP and citrate, respectively. Then, AgNPs stabilized by citrate was found having slightly higher catalytic activity in the methylene blue oxidation than AgNPs stabilized by PVP. This study provides insights to the roles of stabilizers for the synthesis of stable AgNPs with efficient catalytic reaction and can be used as guideline to other metal nanocatalysts.
Evaluating the potential of chitin extracted from shrimp shell wastes as support material of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) for catalysis
Authors: Zakaria Nabila Azirah , Nasaruddin Ricca Rahman , Wan Nawawi Wan Mohd Fazli
Published: November 2021

Thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) have been intensively studied due to their appealing physicochemical properties that can be used in various applications, especially catalysis. However, thiolate-protected AuNCs in a free suspension form, tend to aggregate during catalytic reaction due to the high surface reactivity of its ultrasmall size, hence, reducing the rate of their catalytic reaction. Their recovery and reusability are also difficult. Therefore, several support materials have been studied to immobilize the thiolate-protected AuNCs for a better recovery, reusability and stability in solution and during a catalytic reaction. Herein, chitin extracted from shrimp shell waste was used as support material for the immobilization of the AuNCs protected by p-mercaptobenzoic acid ligands, using deposition-precipitation method. The free chitin and chitin immobilized with thiolate-protected AuNCs (abbreviated as AuNCs/Chitin) were characterized using FTIR. The catalytic properties of the AuNCs/Chitin were then evaluated in the hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol in solution as the model reaction. It was found that the chitin extracted from SSW has a good potential to be support materials of thiolate-protected AuNCs because the shorter reaction time it took (12 minutes) as compared to the reaction without catalyst (60 minutes) and it can be recovered and reused twice.
Nonlinear regression for analysis of the uptake of KMnO4 from aqueous solutions onto natural marl
Authors: Bouzeghaia E A , Hafsi S , Gherraf N
Published: November 2021

The present work aims to evaluate the performance of raw marl collected from the region of Oum El Bouaghi on the elimination of KMnO4 from aqueous solution. The adsorption capacities were studied using the batch technique as a function of pH, initial concentration and temperature. The maximum adsorption for KMnO4 was found to be 83.517% at pH 3.0. When the pH is low (pH<3.0), the uptake of KMnO4 occurs with an electrostatic attraction between the MnO4-ions and the surface proton groups, while at pH ≥3.0-8.0, the formation of complexes with the surface functional groups during the adsorption process and/or cation exchange are responsible for retention of Mn(II) ions onto marl. Experimental adsorption data were modeled with different nonlinear isotherms and kinetic models. Furthermore, statistical errors (SSE, SD, ARE, χ
2, R2 and R2
adj) were calculated to choose the suitable model. Langmuir isotherm was found to be best for fitting the experimental data. The calculated thermodynamic parameters indicated that adsorption process was physical, spontaneous and endothermic in nature. From this work, it was concluded that the natural marl can be used for effective elimination of KMnO4 from aqueous solution and wastewater.
Chemiresistive sensors based on Dodecyl benzene Sulfonic acid doped Polypyrrole and Reduced Graphene Oxide for nitrogen oxides
Authors: Guettiche Djamil , Mekki Ahmed , Zohra Tighilt Fatma , Ramdani Noureddine , Mahmoud Rachid
Published: November 2021

A new series of polypyrrole doped with n-dodecylbenzene sulphonic acid/reduced graphene oxide (PPy-DBSA/rGO) nanocomposite was electrodeposited on Indium tin oxide coated Polyethylene terephthalate (ITO/PET) flexible substrate by electrochemical route using the chronoamperometric technique. As-prepared for testing of chemiresistive properties against the detection of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) vapors at room temperature. The sensitivity and reactivity of the composite toward NO2 was evaluated. The recorded morphological and structural data confirmed that the PPy-DBSA/rGO forms a homogeneous nanocomposite. The optimal NO2 sensing properties have been revealed by the PPy-DBSA/rGO in terms of response (43%), response time (30.25 s), the detection limit (1ppm), and reproducibility. Furthermore, Results showed that the doped by sulfonic acid improved both the sensitivity and the reactivity of our produced nanocomposite toward NO2. Due to the strong interactions between the NO2 gas molecules and the rGO was dramatically enhanced the electronic properties of these nanocomposites. These striking characteristics of the newly developed nanocomposites make them very suitable to be used as NO2 gas sensor.
The trend towards a warmer and wetter climate observed in arid and semi-arid areas of northwest China from 1959 to 2019
Authors: Zheng Shijun , Zhang Bing , Peng Dailiang , Yu Le , Lin Binbin , Pan Yuhao , Xie Qiaoyun
Published: November 2021

The observed trend towards a warmer and wetter climate in northwest China is a controversial issue lacking sufficient scientific research. Based on monthly meteorological data from 201 weather stations in northwest China and surrounding regions from 1959 to 2019, we calculated potential evapotranspiration using Penman-Monteith (PM) equation. By analyzing the spatial–temporal variations in temperature and precipitation and by studying changing drought trends, we systematically explored the climate trends in northwest China over the past 60 years. Our findings include: (1) From 1959 to 2019, during the growing season, there was a significant upward trend in temperature across northwest China. The most obvious trend, ranged between 0.4 °C–0.6 °C per decade, was observed in northern Qinghai and northeastern Xinjiang. On a per-month basis, the average temperature increased in all months, with April showing a maximum rate of 0.41 °C per decade. (2) The amount of precipitation in the growing season increased in most regions, especially in western Xinjiang and Qinghai. The areas of reduced precipitation were mainly concentrated in the south of Gansu and Ningxia, the west of Shaanxi and the northeast of Xinjiang. The average precipitation also increased in all months, with June showing a maximum change rate of 1.8 mm per decade. (3) There were obvious spatial differences in the climate trends in northwest China with the warming shifting from areas of bare land to grassland and the trend towards increased rainfall shifting from grassland to bare land. These effects were most obvious in Xinjiang’s Tarim Basin. (4) From 1959 to 2019, the degree of drought in northwest China significantly decreased in most areas. The areas where drought decreased and precipitation increased were fairly consistent, which produced a strong spatial correlation between them.
Beyond-dipole van der Waals contributions within the many-body dispersion framework
Authors: Massa Dario , Ambrosetti Alberto , Silvestrelli Pier Luigi
Published: November 2021

By introducing a suitable range-separation of the Coulomb coupling in analogy to Ambrosetti et al (2014 J. Chem. Phys.
140 18A508), here we extend the many-body dispersion approach to include beyond-dipole van der Waals (vdW) interactions at a full many-body level, in combination with semi-local density functional theory. A reciprocal-space implementation is further introduced in order to efficiently treat periodic systems. Consistent reliability is found from molecular dimers to large supramolecular complexes and two-dimensional systems. The large weight of both many-body effects and multipolar terms illustrates how a correct description of vdW forces in large-scale systems requires full account of both contributions, beyond standard pairwise dipolar approaches.
A brief review on the recent evolution in piezoelectric linear ultrasonic motors
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Shalini , Behera Basudeba , Kumar Jayendra
Published: November 2021

This article represents the various recent advancements in the field of Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Motors, especially in linear type. The construction and operation principles evolving time to time. We have accumulated and presented a brief discussion on the linear ultrasonic motor including its working principles, initial designs, and recent advancements in this article. These motors have had increasing applications in recent years and have been developing rapidly due to their simplicity of construction and good performance. The potential applications are expanding lately to various areas such as medical devices, precise positioning systems, astronautical devices, tactile feedback systems, and many more. Owing to the wide range of applications, simple and compact design, rapidly increasing miniaturization, and the several advantages of the linear ultrasonic motor, it has been a vastly researched area in the last few decades. Continuous effort is being put into creating smaller and efficient designs, structures, and materials of the device, with stable and upgraded output performance, an acceptable range of frictional wear enabling prolonged usage.
Resolving Pseudohyponatremia: Validation of Plasma Sodium on Radiometer ABL800 Blood Gas Analyzers for Immediate Reflex Testing
Authors: Vera Michael A , Sutphin Angela , Hansen Lisa , El-Khoury Joe M
Published: November 2021

Objective

To perform validation of plasma sodium on blood gas analyzers to reflexively correct erroneous measurements by ion-selective electrodes (ISEs).

Methods

We compared remnant specimens of whole blood and plasma collected by lithium heparin vacutainer with normal protein concentrations and no lipemia. Whole-blood specimens were tested for sodium concentration on the ABL800 Flex blood gas analyzer, followed by centrifugation for plasma separation, and repeat sodium determination on an aliquot of the plasma only. Also, plasma specimens were analyzed by indirect ISE on the Cobas 8000 series and by direct ISE on the ABL800 Flex for instrument comparison.

Results

Plasma aliquots yielded comparable results to the parent whole-blood specimen, with an average change of −1.33 mmol/L (R2 = 0.9727). Comparison of indirect ISE to direct ISE similarly yielded comparable results, with an average change of + 0.8 mmol/L (R2 = 0.9016).

Conclusion

Plasma is a valid specimen matrix for use on blood gas analyzers for sodium determination, eliminating the need for re-collection of whole-blood specimens from patients with pseudohyponatremia.
Noise analysis in the European Pulsar Timing Array data release 2 and its implications on the gravitational-wave background search
Authors: Chalumeau A , Babak S , Petiteau A , Chen S , Samajdar A , Caballero R N , Theureau G , Guillemot L , Desvignes G , Parthasarathy A , Liu K , Shaifullah G , Hu H , van der Wateren E , Antoniadis J , Bak Nielsen A-S , Bassa C G , Berthereau A , Burgay M , Champion D J , Cognard I , Falxa M , Ferdman R D , Freire P C C , Gair J R , Graikou E , Guo Y J , Jang J , Janssen G H , Karuppusamy R , Keith M J , Kramer M , Lee K J , Liu X J , Lyne A G , Main R A , McKee J W , Mickaliger M B , Perera B B P , Perrodin D , Porayko N K , Possenti A , Sanidas S A , Sesana A , Speri L , Stappers B W , Tiburzi C , Vecchio A , Verbiest J P W , Wang J , Wang L , Xu H
Published: November 2021

The European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA) collaboration has recently released an extended data set for six pulsars (DR2) and reported evidence for a common red noise signal. Here we present a noise analysis for each of the six pulsars. We consider several types of noise: (i) radio frequency independent, ‘achromatic’, and time-correlated red noise; (ii) variations of dispersion measure and scattering; (iii) system and band noise; and (iv) deterministic signals (other than gravitational waves) that could be present in the PTA data. We perform Bayesian model selection to find the optimal combination of noise components for each pulsar. Using these custom models we revisit the presence of the common uncorrelated red noise signal previously reported in the EPTA DR2 and show that the data still supports it with a high statistical significance. Next, we confirm that there is no preference for or against the Hellings–Downs spatial correlations expected for the stochastic gravitational-wave background. The main conclusion of the EPTA DR2 paper remains unchanged despite a very significant change in the noise model of each pulsar. However, modelling the noise is essential for the robust detection of gravitational waves and its impact could be significant when analysing the next EPTA data release, which will include a larger number of pulsars and more precise measurements.
Collisional properties of cm-sized high-porosity ice and dust aggregates and their applications to early planet formation
Authors: Schräpler Rainer R , Landeck Wolf A , Blum Jürgen
Published: November 2021

In dead zones of protoplanetary discs, it is assumed that micrometre-sized particles grow Brownian, sediment to the mid-plane and drift radially inward. When collisional compaction sets in, the aggregates collect slower and therefore dynamically smaller particles. This sedimentation and growth phase of highly porous ice and dust aggregates is simulated with laboratory experiments in which we obtained mm- to cm-sized ice aggregates with a porosity of 90 per cent as well as cm-sized dust agglomerates with a porosity of 85 per cent. We modelled the growth process during sedimentation in an analytical calculation to compute the agglomerate sizes when they reach the mid-plane of the disc. In the mid-plane, the dust particles form a thin dense layer and gain relative velocities by, e.g. the streaming instability or the onset of shear turbulence. To investigate these collisions, we performed additional laboratory drop tower experiments with the high-porosity aggregates formed in the sedimentary-growth experiments and determined their mechanical parameters, including their sticking threshold velocity, which is important for their further collisional evolution on their way to form planetesimals. Finally, we developed a method to calculate the packing-density-dependent fundamental properties of our dust and ice agglomerates, the Young’s modulus, the Poisson ratio, the shear viscosity, and the bulk viscosity from compression measurements. With these parameters, it was possible to derive the coefficient of restitution which fits our measurements. In order to physically describe these outcomes, we applied a collision model. With this model, predictions about general dust-aggregate collisions are possible.
Synthetic CO emission and the XCO factor of young molecular clouds: a convergence study
Authors: Borchert E M A , Walch S , Seifried D , Clarke S D , Franeck A , Nürnberger P C
Published: November 2021

The properties of synthetic CO emission from 3D simulations of forming molecular clouds are studied within the SILCC-Zoom project. Since the time-scales of cloud evolution and molecule formation are comparable, the simulations include a live chemical network. Two sets of simulations with an increasing spatial resolution (dx = 3.9 pc to dx = 0.06 pc) are used to investigate the convergence of the synthetic CO emission, which is computed by post-processing the simulation data with the radmc-3d radiative transfer code. To determine the excitation conditions, it is necessary to include atomic hydrogen and helium alongside H2, which increases the resulting CO emission by ∼7–26 per cent. Combining the brightness temperature of 12CO and 13CO, we compare different methods to estimate the excitation temperature, the optical depth of the CO line and hence, the CO column density. An intensity-weighted average excitation temperature results in the most accurate estimate of the total CO mass. When the pixel-based excitation temperature is used to calculate the CO mass, it is over-/underestimated at low/high CO column densities where the assumption that 12CO is optically thick while 13CO is optically thin is not valid. Further, in order to obtain a converged total CO luminosity and hence 〈XCO〉 factor, the 3D simulation must have dx ≲ 0.1 pc. The 〈XCO〉 evolves over time and differs for the two clouds; yet pronounced differences with numerical resolution are found. Since high column density regions with a visual extinction larger than 3 mag are not resolved for dx ≳ 1 pc, in this case the H2 mass and CO luminosity both differ significantly from the higher resolution results and the local XCO is subject to strong noise. Our calculations suggest that synthetic CO emission maps are only converged for simulations with dx ≲ 0.1 pc.
On the nature of the single eclipse per 80d orbit of the H-rich luminous WN star WR22
Authors: Lenoir-Craig G , Antokhin I I , Antokhina E A , St-Louis N , Moffat A F J
Published: November 2021

WR22 = HD 92740 is a bright (V  = 6.4 mag), intrinsically luminous, double-line WN7h  + O9III-V binary exhibiting one sharp 8 per cent deep eclipse near periastron in its elliptical (e  = 0.6) 80-day orbit, when the WR-star passes in front of the O star, with no secondary eclipse. We apply two models (L96, A13) to probe the optical space-based light curves from BRITE-Constellation, including three separate, complete eclipses, that show increased (o-c) scatter compared to the rest of the observations outside the eclipses, likely due to O-star light encountering WR wind-clumps. L96 is a simple atmospheric-eclipse model, often applied to close WR + O binaries, where the O-star is considered a point-source. A13 considers a finite-disk O-star and allows for atmospheric, photospheric and reflection components to the eclipse, permitting a better characterization of its shape through a more physically realistic description of the structures for both stars in WR22. Nevertheless, A13 is still susceptible to uncertainties in the luminosity of the O-star before unique values for the orbital inclination and WR mass-loss rate can be estimated. We present solutions for the two extremes of the O-star, O9V and O9III. As photometry alone cannot allow us to discriminate between these, we compared our results to the spectral models found in the literature and determined the correct solution to be O9V. Our best-fitting A13 Model 1 gives i = 83.5 ± 0.4°, with $\dot{M}_{\rm WR} = (1.86 \pm 0.2) \times 10^{-5} \dot{M}_{\odot }/yr$. The flux ratio in the red BRITE band in this model is FO/FWR = 0.064 ± 0.002.
MeerKAT discovery of radio emission from the Vela X-1 bow shock
Authors: van den Eijnden J , Heywood I , Fender R , Mohamed S , Sivakoff G R , Saikia P , Russell T D , Motta S , Miller-Jones J C A , Woudt P A
Published: November 2021

Vela X-1 is a runaway X-ray binary system hosting a massive donor star, whose strong stellar wind creates a bow shock as it interacts with the interstellar medium (ISM). This bow shock has previously been detected in H α and infrared, but, similar to all but one bow shock from a massive runaway star (BD+43o3654), has escaped detection in other wavebands. We report on the discovery of 1.3 GHz radio emission from the Vela X-1 bow shock with the MeerKAT telescope. The MeerKAT observations reveal how the radio emission closely traces the H α line emission, both in the bow shock and in the larger scale diffuse structures known from existing H α surveys. The Vela X-1 bow shock is the first stellar-wind-driven radio bow shock detected around an X-ray binary. In the absence of a radio spectral index measurement, we explore other avenues to constrain the radio emission mechanism. We find that thermal/free–free emission can account for the radio and H α properties, for a combination of electron temperature and density consistent with earlier estimates of ISM density and the shock enhancement. In this explanation, the presence of a local ISM overdensity is essential for the detection of radio emission. Alternatively, we consider a non-thermal/synchrotron scenario, evaluating the magnetic field and broad-band spectrum of the shock. However, we find that exceptionally high fractions (≳ 13 per cent) of the kinetic wind power would need to be injected into the relativistic electron population to explain the radio emission. Assuming lower fractions implies a hybrid scenario, dominated by free–free radio emission. Finally, we speculate about the detectability of radio bow shocks and whether it requires exceptional ISM or stellar wind properties.
How Plants Recalibrate Cellular Iron Homeostasis
Authors: Vélez-Bermúdez Isabel Cristina , Schmidt Wolfgang
Published: November 2021

Insufficient iron supply poses severe constraints on plants, restricting species with inefficient iron uptake mechanisms from habitats with low iron availability and causing yield losses in agricultural ecosystems. Iron deficiency also poses a severe threat on human health. Anemia resulting from insufficient iron intake is affecting one of four people in the world. It is, therefore, imperative to understand the mechanisms by which plants acquire iron against a huge soil-cell gradient and how iron is distributed within the plant to develop strategies that increase its concentration in edible plant parts. Research into the processes that are employed by plants to adjust cellular iron homeostasis revealed an astonishingly complex puzzle of signaling nodes and circuits, which are intertwined with the perception and communication of other environmental cues such as pathogens, light, nutrient availability and edaphic factors such as pH. In a recent Spotlight issue in this journal, a collection of review articles summarized the state-of-the-art in plant iron research, covering the most active and, debatably, most important topics in this field. Here, we highlight breakthroughs that were reported after the publication date of this review collection, focusing on exciting and potentially influential studies that have changed our understanding of plant iron nutrition.
The MADS-domain factor AGAMOUS-Like18 promotes somatic embryogenesis
Authors: Paul Priyanka , Joshi Sanjay , Tian Ran , Diogo Junior Rubens , Chakrabarti Manohar , Perry Sharyn E
Published: November 2021

AGAMOUS-Like 18 (AGL18) is a MADS domain transcription factor (TF) that is structurally related to AGL15. Here we show that, like AGL15, AGL18 can promote somatic embryogenesis (SE) when ectopically expressed in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Based on loss-of-function mutants, AGL15 and AGL18 have redundant functions in developmental processes such as SE. To understand the nature of this redundancy, we undertook a number of studies to look at the interaction between these factors. We studied the genome-wide direct targets of AGL18 to characterize its roles at the molecular level using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-SEQ combined with RNA-SEQ. The results demonstrated that AGL18 binds to thousands of sites in the genome. Comparison of ChIP-SEQ data for AGL15 and AGL18 revealed substantial numbers of genes bound by both AGL15 and AGL18, but there were also differences. Gene ontology analysis revealed that target genes were enriched for seed, embryo, and reproductive development as well as hormone and stress responses. The results also demonstrated that AGL15 and AGL18 interact in a complex regulatory loop, where AGL15 inhibited transcript accumulation of AGL18, while AGL18 increased AGL15 transcript accumulation. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed an interaction between AGL18 and AGL15 in somatic embryo tissue. The binding and expression analyses revealed a complex crosstalk and interactions among embryo TFs and their target genes. In addition, our study also revealed that phosphorylation of AGL18 and AGL15 was crucial for the promotion of SE.
Multiple linear regression and linear mixed models identify novel traits of salinity tolerance in Olea europaea L.
Authors: Sodini Mirko , Astolfi Stefania , Francini Alessandra , Sebastiani Luca
Published: November 2021

Olive can be considered as moderately tolerant to salinity, with marked differences among cultivars. In the present study, two olive cultivars with different salt tolerance, ‘Leccino’ (sensitive) and ‘Frantoio’ (tolerant), were treated with 120 mM of NaCl for 30 days. We measured the expression of genes involved in the management of sodium in the leaves, such as NHX, SOS1 and H+ ATPase, and the concentration of Na+, K+, Mn2+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ in the roots, bark, xylem and leaves of the olive plants. The results were analyzed with multiple linear models and mixed models. Furthermore, we utilized the analysis of covariance to find significant relationships in our data. Both cultivars significantly reduced net photosynthesis and increased water-use efficiency after 30 days of treatment. Sodium accumulated significantly in the roots of both cultivars, and ‘Leccino’ plants were also able to translocate it to the leaves and the bark. The NHX and vacuolar ATPase subunit E genes were significantly overexpressed in both the cultivars treated with NaCl. The SOS1, ATPase11 and ATPase8 genes were overexpressed in ‘Frantoio’. The covariance between gene expression and element concentrations data was analyzed to identify significant interactions between cultivars and treatments. Na+ accumulation in the roots of ‘Frantoio’ was positively related to the accumulation of K+, Mn2+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ in the xylem, bark and leaves. ‘Frantoio’ capability to mobilize elements, especially Ca2+, together with the overexpression of key genes for sodium management, could be crucial for salt tolerance.
Herpes simplex viruses (1 and 2) and varicella-zoster virus infections in an adult population with aseptic meningitis or encephalitis
Authors: Lee Gha-Hyun , Kim Jiyoung , Kim Hyun-Woo , Cho Jae Wook
Published: November 2021

Three α-herpesviruses are known to be associated with central nervous system (CNS) infection; however, there are limited data on the incidence and clinical characteristics of α-herpesviruses CNS infections. This study aimed to assess the clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and outcomes in patients with human herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), human herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) CNS infections.

We identified cases of HSV-1, HSV-2, and VZV CNS infections and reviewed their clinical and laboratory characteristics. The study population was drawn from patients with HSV-1, HSV-2, and VZV polymerase chain reaction positivity in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) who visited Pusan National University Hospital between 2010 and 2018.

During the 9-year study period, a total of 727 CSF samples were examined, with 72.2% (525/727) patients identified as having a CNS infection. Of 471 patients with aseptic meningitis and encephalitis, the causative virus was identified in 145 patients, and no virus was detected in 337 patients. A total of 15.2% (80/525) were diagnosed with one of the 3 herpesviruses as causative agents, 59 patients had meningitis, and 21 patients had encephalitis. Eleven patients with HSV-1, 27 patients with HSV-2, and 42 patients with VZV CNS infections were included. The distribution of cases by age showed different patterns depending on the type of herpesvirus infection. Compared with the HSV-1 group, the median age in the HSV-2 group was younger (HSV-1: 58 years; HSV-2: 38 years; P = .004), and patients with VZV infections showed a bimodal age distribution. Encephalitis was more common in the HSV-1 group, and HSV-1 infection was associated with a poor prognosis at discharge. CSF white blood cell counts were significantly lower in patients infected with HSV-1 (117 × 106 cells/L) than in patients infected with VZV (301 × 106 cells/L) (P = .008).

These 3 herpesviruses are important causes of CNS infections regardless of immunologic status. HSV-1 infection was commonly associated with encephalitis and poor prognosis; HSV-2 and VZV CNS infections were associated with a low risk of mortality and neurological sequelae.
Community Resilience: A Dynamic Model for Public Health 3.0
Authors: Ellis Wendy , Dietz William H. , Chen Kuan-Lung Daniel
Published: November 2021

Objective:

To establish a model for Public Health 3.0 in order to define and measure community resilience (CR) as a method to measure equity, address structural racism, and improve population health.

Design:

To develop the CR model, we conducted a literature review in medicine, psychology, early childhood development, neurobiology, and disaster preparedness and response and applied system dynamics modeling to analyze the complex interactions between public systems, policies, and community.

Main Outcome Measures:

The CR model focuses on community and population health outcomes associated with the policies and practices of the housing, public education, law enforcement, and criminal justice sectors as CR measures. The model demonstrates how behaviors of these systems interact and produce outcome measures such as employment, homelessness, educational attainment, incarceration, and mental and physical health.

Results:

The policies and practices within housing, public schools, law enforcement, and criminal justice can suppress resilience for families and communities because they are shaped by structural racism and influence the character and nature of resources that promote optimal community health and well-being.

Conclusions:

Community resilience is relational and place-based and varies depending on the demographic makeup of residents, historical patterns of place-based racism and discrimination, jurisdictional policy, and investment priorities—all influenced by structural racism.

Implications for Policy and Practice:

Using system dynamics modeling and the CR approach, chief health strategists can convene partners from multiple sectors to systematically identify, measure, and address inequities produced by structural racism that result in and contribute to adverse childhood and community experiences.
Embedding Equity in a Local Government's Response to COVID-19
Authors: Myint Phyusin , Hawes Eva , Ellis Genevieve , Boman-Davis Marie , Montgomery Glenn
Published: November 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted life across the world and amplified inequities experienced by communities of color within the United States. Washington County was the first jurisdiction in the state of Oregon to have a confirmed COVID-19 case. To center equity within the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), new positions were created within the EOC including an Equity Officer and an Equity Technical Advisor position, an Equity Team, and a Language Access Coordinator. This team engaged stakeholders and community partners in addition to developing an equity framework to guide decision making within the EOC. Implementation of the framework resulted in better identification of urgent community needs, especially for groups most impacted by inequities. This integration also supports government leaders and communities in creating programs, policies, and procedures to equitably address community needs.
Leveraging Collective Impact to Address Structural Racism in Buncombe County, North Carolina
Authors: Hunter Dawn M. , Mpofu Zo
Published: November 2021

Buncombe County, North Carolina, was recognized in 2014 as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize Winner for its work fostering collaboration and partnership to address community health needs. As part of this work, Buncombe County Health and Human Services (HHS) convened a cross-sector Public Health Advisory Council that supported community-based initiatives and ensured that community members were involved in identifying and implementing solutions to issues such as poverty and child well-being.

Leveraging existing relationships and past efforts, Buncombe County has continued to build collaborative networks for systems change using a collective impact framework. Bringing together partners across sectors, including the faith community, Black fraternities and sororities, community health workers, consulates, and others, Buncombe County HHS is supporting efforts to train and equip community members to lead health promotion efforts and community conversations on historical trauma and racial healing; engage community members in the policymaking process through town halls; and archive the community's pandemic journey through storytelling. The collective impact framework has shaped an environment that supports community change by centering community aspirations and values. This environment informed recent declarations by Buncombe County HHS and the Board of Commissioners that racism is a public health crisis, as well as a resolution by the city of Asheville supporting community reparations.

This article explores how the collective impact framework has been used in Buncombe County to engage and continually invest in communities of color and reviews steps taken to develop and implement an equity action plan to address structural racism.
Predictors of Mortality in Neonatal Shock: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Saini Shiv Sajan , Shrivastav Amit Kumar , Kumar Jogender , Sundaram Venkataseshan , Mukhopadhyay Kanya , Dutta Sourabh , Ray Pallab , Kumar Praveen
Published: November 2021

Objectives:

To study the incidence, clinical profile, and predictors of mortality in neonatal shock.

Methods:

We enrolled consecutive inborn neonates, who developed shock during hospital stay (between January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019) at a tertiary-care, research center of northern India. We retrieved the clinical data from our electronic database, case record files, nursing charts, and laboratory investigations from the hospital's Health Information System. Non-survivors were compared with survivors to identify independent predictors of mortality.

Results:

We had 3,271 neonatal admissions during the study period. We recorded 415 episodes of neonatal shock in 392 neonates [incidence 12.0% (95% confidence interval: 10.9%–13.2%)]. Of 415 episodes, 237 (57%) episodes were identified as septic shock, 67 (16%) episodes as cardiogenic shock, and six (1.4%) episodes as obstructive shock. Remaining 105 (25%) episodes were contributed by more than one etiology of shock. There were 242 non-survivors among 392 neonates with shock (case fatality rate: 62%). On univariate analysis, gestational age, birth weight, incidence of hyaline membrane disease, early-onset sepsis, Acinetobacter sepsis, and cardiogenic shock were significantly different between survivors and non-survivors. Female gender and small for gestational age (SGA) neonates showed a trend of significance. On multivariable regression analysis, we found gestational age, SGA neonates, female gender, and Acinetobacter sepsis to have an independent association with mortality.

Conclusions:

Septic shock was the commonest cause of neonatal shock at our center. Neonatal shock had very high case fatality rate. Gestational age, SGA, female gender, and Acinetobacter sepsis independently predicted mortality in neonatal shock.
Arcobacter vandammei sp. nov., isolated from the rectal mucus of a healthy pig
Authors: Kerkhof Pieter-Jan , On Stephen L. W. , Houf Kurt
Published: November 2021

A study on the polyphasic taxonomic classification of an

Arcobacter

strain, R-73987T, isolated from the rectal mucus of a porcine intestinal tract, was performed. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that the strain could be assigned to the genus

Arcobacter

and suggested that strain R-73987T belongs to a novel undescribed species. Comparative analysis of the rpoB gene sequence confirmed the findings.

Arcobacter faecis

LMG 28519T was identified as its closest neighbour in a multigene analysis based on 107 protein- encoding genes. Further, whole-genome sequence comparisons by means of average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization between the genome of strain R-73987T and the genomes of validly named

Arcobacter

species resulted in values below 95–96 and 70  %, respectively. In addition, a phenotypic analysis further corroborated the conclusion that strain R-73987T represents a novel

Arcobacter

species, for which the name Arcobacter vandammei sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is R-73987T (=LMG 31429T=CCUG 75005T). This appears to be the first

Arcobacter

species recovered from porcine intestinal mucus.
Disentangling signatures of selection before and after European colonization in Latin Americans
Authors: Mendoza-Revilla Javier , Chacón-Duque Juan Camilo , Fuentes-Guajardo Macarena , Ormond Louise , Wang Ke , Hurtado Malena , Villegas Valeria , Granja Vanessa , Acuña-Alonzo Victor , Jaramillo Claudia , Arias William , Lozano Rodrigo Barquera , Gómez-Valdés Jorge , Villamil-Ramírez Hugo , Silva de Cerqueira Caio C. , Badillo Rivera Keyla M. , Nieves-Colón Maria A. , Gignoux Christopher R. , Wojcik Genevieve L. , Moreno-Estrada Andrés , Hunemeier Tábita , Ramallo Virginia , Schuler-Faccini Lavinia , Gonzalez-José Rolando , Bortolini Maria-Cátira , Canizales-Quinteros Samuel , Gallo Carla , Poletti Giovanni , Bedoya Gabriel , Rothhammer Francisco , Balding David , Fumagalli Matteo , Adhikari Kaustubh , Ruiz-Linares Andrés , Hellenthal Garrett
Published: November 2021

Throughout human evolutionary history, large-scale migrations have led to intermixing (i.e., admixture) between previously separated human groups. While classical and recent work have shown that studying admixture can yield novel historical insights, the extent to which this process contributed to adaptation remains underexplored. Here, we introduce a novel statistical model, specific to admixed populations, that identifies loci under selection while determining whether the selection likely occurred post-admixture or prior to admixture in one of the ancestral source populations. Through extensive simulations we show that this method is able to detect selection, even in recently formed admixed populations, and to accurately differentiate between selection occurring in the ancestral or admixed population. We apply this method to genome-wide SNP data of ~4,000 individuals in five admixed Latin American cohorts from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. Our approach replicates previous reports of selection in the HLA region that are consistent with selection post-admixture. We also report novel signals of selection in genomic regions spanning 47 genes, reinforcing many of these signals with an alternative, commonly-used local-ancestry-inference approach. These signals include several genes involved in immunity, which may reflect responses to endemic pathogens of the Americas and to the challenge of infectious disease brought by European contact. In addition, some of the strongest signals inferred to be under selection in the Native American ancestral groups of modern Latin Americans overlap with genes implicated in energy metabolism phenotypes, plausibly reflecting adaptations to novel dietary sources available in the Americas.
Modulation of cutaneous responses in the cuneate nucleus of macaques during active movement
Authors: He Qinpu , Versteeg Christopher S. , Suresh Aneesha K. , Rosenow Joshua M. , Miller Lee E. , Bensmaia Sliman J.
Published: November 2021

The authors have withdrawn their manuscript owing to an error identified in the data processing pipeline. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as reference for the project. If you have any questions, please contact the corresponding author.
Transcription Factor Gene Pea3 Regulates Erectile Function in Mice
Authors: Weinrich Jarret A.P. , Tyagi Aanchal , Kenney Megan C. , DiCasoli Richard J. , Kaltschmidt Julia A.
Published: November 2021

Background

Male mice with homozygous loss of function mutations of the ETS transcription factor gene Pea3 (Pea3 null) are infertile due to their inability to deposit semen plugs, however the specific deficits in male sexual behaviors that drive this phenotype are unknown.

Aim

To investigate the regulatory role of the Pea3 gene in organizing gross sexual behaviors and erectile functioning during active copulation.

Methods

The copulatory behavior of male mice (Pea3 null and control) with hormonally primed ovariectomized females was monitored via high-speed and high-resolution digital videography to assess for differences in female-directed social behaviors, gross sexual behaviors (mounting, thrusting), and erectile and ejaculatory function.

Outcomes

Pea3 null male mice have dramatically reduced erectile function during sexual intercourse, however other aspects of male sexual behaviors are largely intact.

Results

Pea3 null male mice exhibit greatly reduced erectile function, with 44% of males displaying no visible erections during mounting behaviors, and none achieving sustained erections. As such, Pea3 null males are incapable of intromission, and semen plug deposition, despite displaying largely normal female-directed social behaviors, mounting behaviors, and ejaculatory grasping behavior. Additionally, the coordination of the timing of thrusting trains is impaired in Pea3 null males.

Clinical Implications

The identification of the transcription factor Pea3 in regulating erectile function in mice may provide a useful target for understanding the genetics of male sexual dysfunction in human patients.

Strengths and Limitations

High-speed and high-resolution videography allows for a detailed analysis of male sexual behaviors and erectile functioning in Pea3 null and control mice. How disruption of the Pea3 gene translates to erectile dysfunction is still unknown.

Conclusion

The transcription factor gene Pea3 regulates the ability to achieve and maintain erections in male mice.
Intrinsic bursts facilitate learning of Lévy flight movements in recurrent neural network models
Authors: Ohta Morihiro , Asabuki Toshitake , Fukai Tomoki
Published: November 2021

Isolated spikes and bursts of spikes are thought to provide the two major modes of information coding by neurons. Bursts are known to be crucial for fundamental processes between neuron pairs, such as neuronal communications and synaptic plasticity. Deficits in neuronal bursting can also impair higher cognitive functions and cause mental disorders. Despite these findings on the roles of bursts, whether and how bursts have an advantage over isolated spikes in the network-level computation remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate in a computational model that not isolated spikes but intrinsic bursts can greatly facilitate learning of Lévy flight random walk trajectories by synchronizing burst onsets across neural population. Lévy flight is a hallmark of optimal search strategies and appears in cognitive behaviors such as saccadic eye movements and memory retrieval. Our results suggest that bursting is a crucial component of sequence learning by recurrent neural networks in the brain.
cSurvival: a web resource for biomarker interactions in cancer outcomes
Authors: Cheng Xuanjin , Liu Yongxing , Wang Jiahe , Chen Yujie , Robertson A. Gordon , Zhang Xuekui , Jones Steven J. M. , Taubert Stefan
Published: November 2021

Survival analysis is a technique to identify prognostic biomarkers and genetic vulnerabilities in cancer studies. Large-scale consortium-based projects have profiled >11,000 adult and >4,000 paediatric tumor cases with clinical outcomes and multi-omics approaches. This provides a resource for investigating molecular-level cancer etiologies using clinical correlations. Although cancers often arise from multiple genetic vulnerabilities and have deregulated gene sets (GSs), existing survival analysis protocols can report only on individual genes. Additionally, there is no systematic method to connect clinical outcomes with experimental (cell line) data. To address these gaps, we developed cSurvival (https://tau.cmmt.ubc.ca/cSurvival). cSurvival provides a user-adjustable analytical pipeline with a curated, integrated database, and offers three main advances: (a) joint analysis with two genomic predictors to identify interacting biomarkers, including new algorithms to identify optimal cutoffs for two continuous predictors; (b) survival analysis not only at the gene, but also the GS level; and (c) integration of clinical and experimental cell line studies to generate synergistic biological insights. To demonstrate these advances, we report three case studies. We confirmed findings of autophagy-dependent survival in colorectal cancers and of synergistic negative effects between high expression of SLC7A11 and SLC2A1 on outcomes in several cancers. We further used cSurvival to identify high expression of the Nrf2-antioxidant response element pathway as a main indicator for lung cancer prognosis and for cellular resistance to oxidative stress-inducing drugs. Together, these analyses demonstrate cSurvival’s ability to support biomarker prognosis and interaction analysis via gene- and GS-level approaches and to integrate clinical and experimental biomedical studies.

Key points

We developed cSurvival, an advanced framework using clinical correlations to study biomarker interactions in cancers, with source code and curated datasets freely available for all

cSurvival includes new algorithms to identify optimal cutoffs for two continuous predictors to stratify patients into risk groups, enabling for the first time joint analysis with two genomic predictors;

cSurvival allows survival analysis at the gene set (GS) level with comprehensive and up-to-date GS libraries

The cSurvival pipeline integrates clinical outcomes and experimental cancer cell line data to generate synergistic biological insights and to mine for appropriate preclinical cell line tools

cSurvival is built on a manually curated cancer outcomes database