bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alternative polyadenylation associated with prognosis and therapy in colorectal cancer
Authors: Zhang Yi , Xu Yunfei , Wang Yuzhi
Published: April 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most widely spread cancers globally. Aberrant alternative polyadenylation (APA) plays a role in cancer onset and its progression. Consequently, this study focused on highlighting the role of APA events and signals in the prognosis of patients with CRC. The APA events, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), somatic mutations, copy number variants (CNVs), and clinical information of the CRC cohort were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and UCSC (University of California-Santa Cruz) Xena database. The whole set was sorted into two sets: a training set and a test set in a ratio of 7:3. 197 prognosis-related APA events were collected by performing univariate Cox regression signature in patients with CRC. Subsequently, a signature for APA events was established by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate Cox analysis. The risk scores were measured for individual patients on the basis of the signature and patients were sorted into two groups; the high-risk group and the low-risk group as per their median risk scores. Kaplan–Meier curves, principal component analysis (PCA), and time-dependent receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves revealed that the signature was able to predict patient prognosis effectively and further validation was provided in the test set and the whole set. The high-risk and low-risk groups displayed various distributions of mutations and CNVs. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) alone and in combination with the signature predicted the prognosis of CRC patients, but the gene frequencies of TMBs and CNVs did not change in the low- and high-risk groups. Moreover, immunotherapy and chemotherapy treatments showed different responses to PD-1 inhibitors and multiple chemotherapeutic agents in the low and high-risk groups based on the tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) and genomics of drugs sensitivity in cancer (GDSC) databases. This study may help in understanding the potential roles of APA in CRC, and the signature for prognosis-related APA events can work as a potential predictor for survival and treatment in patients with CRC.
Topographical relocation of adolescent sleep spindles reveals a new maturational pattern in the human brain
Authors: Gombos Ferenc , Bódizs Róbert , Pótári Adrián , Bocskai Gábor , Berencsi Andrea , Szakács Hanna , Kovács Ilona
Published: April 2022

Current theories of human neural development emphasize the posterior-to-anterior pattern of brain maturation. However, this scenario leaves out significant brain areas not directly involved with sensory input and behavioral control. Suggesting the relevance of cortical activity unrelated to sensory stimulation, such as sleep, we investigated adolescent transformations in the topography of sleep spindles. Sleep spindles are known to be involved in neural plasticity and in adults have a bimodal topography: slow spindles are frontally dominant, while fast spindles have a parietal/precuneal origin. The late functional segregation of the precuneus from the frontoparietal network during adolescence suggests that spindle topography might approach the adult state relatively late in development, and it may not be a result of the posterior-to-anterior maturational pattern. We analyzed the topographical distribution of spindle parameters in HD-EEG polysomnographic sleep recordings of adolescents and found that slow spindle duration maxima traveled from central to anterior brain regions, while fast spindle density, amplitude and frequency peaks traveled from central to more posterior brain regions. These results provide evidence for the gradual posteriorization of the anatomical localization of fast sleep spindles during adolescence and indicate the existence of an anterior-to-posterior pattern of human brain maturation.
Survival among subgroups of patients with stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Huang Shi-Ting , Su Dan-Ke
Published: April 2022

To assess survival between subgroups (T1N1, T2N0, and T2N1) of patients with stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This retrospective cohort study evaluated pathologically confirmed stage II NPC patients from The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2004 to 2016. The included patients were divided into three subgroups: T1N1, T2N0, and T2N1. Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were assessed using the Kaplan–Meier method among the three subgroups. This study investigated 836 patients: 383 (45.8%) patients were in the T1N1 subgroup, 175 (20.9%) patients were in the T2N0 subgroup, and 278 (33.3%) patients were in the T2N1 subgroup. The 5-year OS (75.7%, 68.6%, and 75.7%) and CSS (85.3%, 83.4%, and 84.5%) were similar among the T1N1, T2N0, and T2N1 subgroups. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses revealed that the subgroup (T1N1, T2N0, and T2N1) of stage II NPC was not an independent prognostic factor for OS or CSS. Survival was comparable among subgroups (T1N1, T2N0, and T2N1) of stage II NPC patients. However, patients with T1N1, T2N0, and T2N1 stage disease who receive different treatments might have different prognoses.
Climate change will disproportionally affect the most genetically diverse lineages of a widespread African tree species
Authors: Lyam Paul T. , Duque-Lazo Joaquín , Hauenschild Frank , Schnitzler Jan , Muellner-Riehl Alexandra N. , Greve Michelle , Ndangalasi Henry , Myburgh Annerine , Durka Walter
Published: April 2022

Global climate change is proceeding at an alarming rate with major ecological and genetic consequences for biodiversity, particularly in drylands. The response of species to climate change may differ between intraspecific genetic groups, with major implications for conservation. We used molecular data from 10 nuclear and two chloroplast genomes to identify phylogeographic groups within 746 individuals from 29 populations of Senegalia senegal, a savannah tree species in sub-Saharan Africa. Three phylogroups are identified corresponding to Sudano-Sahelian, Zambezian and Southern African biogeographic regions in West, East and Southern Africa. Genetic diversity was highest in Southern and Zambesian and lowest in the Sudano-Sahelian phylogroups. Using species distribution modeling, we infer highly divergent future distributions of the phylogroups under three climate change scenarios. Climate change will lead to severe reductions of distribution area of the genetically diverse Zambezian (− 41–− 54%) and Southern (− 63–− 82%) phylogroups, but to an increase for the genetically depauperate Sudano-Sahelian (+ 7– + 26%) phylogroups. This study improves our understanding of the impact of climate change on the future distribution of this species. This knowledge is particularly useful for biodiversity management as the conservation of genetic resources needs to be considered in complementary strategies of in-situ conservation and assisted migration.
Changes in ventilation distribution in children with neuromuscular disease using the insufflator/exsufflator technique: an observational study
Authors: Casaulta Carmen , Messerli Florence , Rodriguez Romy , Klein Andrea , Riedel Thomas
Published: April 2022

Patients with neuromuscular disease often suffer from weak and ineffective cough resulting in mucus retention and increased risk for chest infections. Different airway clearance techniques have been proposed, one of them being the insufflator/exsufflator technique. So far, the immediate physiological effects of the insufflator/exsufflator technique on ventilation distribution and lung volumes are not known. We aimed to describe the immediate effects of the insufflator/exsufflator technique on different lung volumes, forced flows and ventilation distribution. Eight subjects (age 5.8–15.2 years) performed lung function tests including spirometry, multiple breath washout and electrical impedance tomography before and after a regular a chest physiotherapy session with an insufflator/exsufflator device. Forced lung volumes and flows as well as parameters of ventilation distribution derived from multiple breath washout and electrical impedance tomography were compared to assess the short-term effect of the therapy. In this small group of stable paediatric subjects with neuromuscular disease we could not demonstrate any short-term effects of insufflation/exsufflation manoeuvres on lung volumes, expiratory flows and ventilation distribution. With the currently used protocol of the insufflation/exsufflation manoeuvre, we cannot demonstrate any immediate changes in lung function.
Computational profiling of hiPSC-derived heart organoids reveals chamber defects associated with NKX2-5 deficiency
Authors: Feng Wei , Schriever Hannah , Jiang Shan , Bais Abha , Wu Haodi , Kostka Dennis , Li Guang
Published: April 2022

Heart organoids have the potential to generate primary heart-like anatomical structures and hold great promise as in vitro models for cardiac disease. However, their properties have not yet been fully studied, which hinders their wide spread application. Here we report the development of differentiation systems for ventricular and atrial heart organoids, enabling the study of heart diseases with chamber defects. We show that our systems generate chamber-specific organoids comprising of the major cardiac cell types, and we use single cell RNA sequencing together with sample multiplexing to characterize the cells we generate. To that end, we developed a machine learning label transfer approach leveraging cell type, chamber, and laterality annotations available for primary human fetal heart cells. We then used this model to analyze organoid cells from an isogeneic line carrying an Ebstein’s anomaly associated genetic variant in NKX2-5, and we successfully recapitulated the disease’s atrialized ventricular defects. In summary, we have established a workflow integrating heart organoids and computational analysis to model heart development in normal and disease states.
Turbulence-induced bubble nucleation in hydrothermal fluids beneath Yellowstone Lake
Authors: Caudron Corentin , Vandemeulebrouck Jean , Sohn Robert A.
Published: April 2022

Volcanic systems generate large amounts of gas, and understanding gas fluxes is a fundamental aspect of volcanology and hazard mitigation. Volcanic gases can be challenging to measure, but acoustic methods hold promise in underwater environments because gas bubbles are powerful sound sources. We deployed an acoustic system to study the nature of gas discharge at a large (~30 MW) thermal field on the floor of Yellowstone Lake, which has experienced numerous hydrothermal explosions since the last glaciation (~13.4 ka). We find that small (<10 Pa) turbulent flow instabilities trigger the nucleation of CO2 bubbles in the saturated fluids. The observation of CO2 bubbles nucleating in hydrothermal fluids due to small pressure perturbations informs our understanding of hydrothermal explosions in Yellowstone Lake, and demonstrates that acoustic data in underwater environments can provide insight into the stability of gas-rich systems, as well as gas fluxes.
Mediated Electron Transfer in Electrosynthesis: Concepts, Applications, and Recent Influences from Photoredox Catalysis
Authors: Francke Robert , Májek Michal
Published: April 2022

In organic electrosynthesis, mediators are often interposed between electrode and substrate when direct electron transfer does not proceed with the desired selectivity or when a specific reaction mechanism is to be induced to obtain a particular product. The mediated electron transfer occurs against a potential gradient, meaning that less positive (negative) potentials are required for oxidation (reduction) with respect to the potential needed for direct conversion, thus resulting in decreased energy consumption. In recent years, a large number of such indirect electrosyntheses have been reported. To understand the benefits and the mode of action, knowledge of a number of concepts and mechanisms is required. These are discussed in detail in this chapter using classic and recent examples. In addition, a section is devoted to combined photo- and electrochemical energy input, which has recently found its way into mediated organic electrochemistry.
Synergy of Electrochemistry and Asymmetric Catalysis
Authors: Jiang Yi-Min , Yu Yi , Shi Zhaojiang , Li Yi-Lun , Yan Hong , Ye Ke-Yin
Published: April 2022

Green and sustainable electrochemistry, when coupled with catalysis, provides novel opportunities for synthetic organic chemists to reach the yet-untouched chemical space. This is also the case for electrochemistry-enabled asymmetric catalysis, which has been experiencing a dynamic development in recent years. This chapter highlights recent advances in the synergy of electrochemistry and asymmetric catalysis in organic synthesis.
Redox-active Molecules and Their Energy Device Application
Authors: Shimizu AKIHIRO
Published: April 2022

Organic redox-active materials are fascinating in terms of sustainability and flexibility. Quinone-based organic cathode active materials have been developed for Li rechargeable batteries to increase capacity, cyclability, and voltage. Liquid quinones for redox flow batteries have also been developed to achieve high energy density. These redox-active organic materials would play essential roles in developing better batteries.
Highly sensitive metal ion sensing by graphene oxide functionalized micro-tapered long-period fiber grating
Authors: Wang Ruiduo , Kang Xin , Kong Depeng , Jiang Man , Ren Zhaoyu , Hu Baowen , He Zhengquan
Published: April 2022

An accurate as well as highly sensitive label-free chemical sensing platform for the detection of various metal ions was demonstrated.
Ligand removal energetics control CO2 electroreduction selectivity on atomically precise, ligated alloy nanoclusters
Authors: Rybacki Malena , Nagarajan Anantha Venkataraman , Mpourmpakis Giannis
Published: April 2022

Atomically precise, thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters (TPNCs) exhibit remarkable catalytic performance for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2R) to CO.
Nanocomposites of zirconia@activated carbon derived from a hazelnut shell for the adsorption of tetracyclines from water
Authors: Zhu Mengya , Zhang Ling , Chen Yingfan , You Nan , Shen Hua
Published: April 2022

A nanocomposite of activated carbon derived from hazelnut shell functionalized with zirconia nanoparticles (ZrO2@AC) was prepared via a pyrolysis method and was used for the adsorptive removal of tetracycline, chlortetracycline and oxytetracycline.
Light induced quasi-Fermi level splitting in molecular semiconductor alloys
Authors: Jain Nakul , Saxena Rishabh , Vaidya Sumukh , Huang Wenchao , Welford Adam , McNeill Christopher R , Kabra Dinesh
Published: April 2022

Quasi-Fermi-level splitting in molecular semiconductor alloys was studied.
Photocatalytic-induced bubble-propelled isotropic g-C3N4-coated carbon microsphere micromotors for dynamic removal of organic pollutants
Authors: Song Xiaoyi , Tao Yulian , Liu Jialiang , Lin Jian , Dai Pingqiang , Wang Qianting , Li Wei , Chen Wenzhe , Zheng Chan
Published: April 2022

An isotropic bubble-propelled g-C3N4@CMS micromotor that displays efficient self-propulsion powered by visible light irradiation and offers effective dynamic removal of organic pollutants for environmental applications is described.
Colloidal silver-based lateral flow immunoassay for detection of profenofos pesticide residue in vegetables
Authors: Wu Kuo-Hui , Huang Wen-Chien , Chang Shu-Chen , Shyu Rong-Hwa
Published: April 2022

A colloidal silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-based lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) was evaluated in terms of the rapid detection of profenofos (PEO) pesticide residue in vegetables.
Solvent effects on the kinetics of 4-nitrophenol reduction by NaBH4 in the presence of Ag and Au nanoparticles
Authors: Lomonosov Vladimir , Asselin Jérémie , Ringe Emilie
Published: April 2022

The presence of methanol, ethanol, or isopropanol in the reaction mixture substantially affects the kinetics of 4-nitrophenol reduction in aqueous medium.
A high-energy conversion-type cathode activated by amorpholization for Li rechargeable batteries
Authors: Lee Yongseok , Kang Jungmin , Ahn Jinho , Ko Wonseok , Park Hyunyoung , Lee Seokjin , Lee Sangyeop , Yoo Jung-Keun , Kim Jongsoon
Published: April 2022

An amorphorized Cu(PO3)2/C composite (A-CPO/C) achieves outstanding electrochemical performances compared to a low-crystalline Cu(PO3)2(LC-CPO/C) composite.
Thioether-based ROS responsive polymers for biomedical applications
Authors: Criado-Gonzalez Miryam , Mecerreyes David
Published: April 2022

Thioether-based reactive oxygen species (ROS) responsive polymers and polypeptides, with the ability to self-assemble in aqueous media and disassemble or being transformed in the presence of ROS, are ideal candidates for target biomedical therapies.
Bicarbazole-triazine hybrid type mixed host materials for blue phosphorescent OLEDs with enhanced efficiency and lifetime
Authors: Kim Dong Jun , Baek Seung-Hyun , Kim Woo-Sam , Ahn Kwang-Hyun , Lee Jeong-Hwan
Published: April 2022

Bicarbazole-triazine hybrid type exciplex-forming hosts with a high bond dissociation energy are introduced and successfully applied to realize high-performance blue PhOLEDs with high efficiency and a long operational lifetime.
An ultrastable perovskite–polymer exciplex through self energy-level adaption for under-water light-emitting devices
Authors: Zhang Yiwei , Zhang Baohuan , Fu Yulan , Han Yu , Zhang Tinglin , Zhang Lisha , Guo Jinxin , Zhang Xinping
Published: April 2022

A light emitting polymer and perovskite composite in the matrix of a photo polymerized polymer is reported. The material shows photoluminescence from exciplex of emitting polymer and perovskite, and superb water-repellent property is determined.
Substructure in the stellar halo near the Sun
Authors: Ruiz-Lara T. , Matsuno T. , Lövdal S. S. , Helmi A. , Dodd E. , Koppelman H. H.
Published: April 2022

Context. In an accompanying paper, we present a data-driven method for clustering in ‘integrals of motion’ space and apply it to a large sample of nearby halo stars with 6D phase-space information. The algorithm identified a large number of clusters, many of which could tentatively be merged into larger groups.

Aims. The goal here is to establish the reality of the clusters and groups through a combined study of their stellar populations (average age, metallicity, and chemical and dynamical properties) to gain more insights into the accretion history of the Milky Way.

Methods. To this end, we developed a procedure that quantifies the similarity of clusters based on the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test using their metallicity distribution functions, and an isochrone fitting method to determine their average age, which is also used to compare the distribution of stars in the colour–absolute magnitude diagram. Also taking into consideration how the clusters are distributed in integrals of motion space allows us to group clusters into substructures and to compare substructures with one another.

Results. We find that the 67 clusters identified by our algorithm can be merged into 12 extended substructures and 8 small clusters that remain as such. The large substructures include the previously known Gaia-Enceladus, Helmi streams, Sequoia, and Thamnos 1 and 2. We identify a few over-densities that can be associated with the hot thick disc and host a small metal-poor population. Especially notable is the largest (by number of member stars) substructure in our sample which, although peaking at the metallicity characteristic of the thick disc, has a very well populated metal-poor component, and dynamics intermediate between the hot thick disc and the halo. We also identify additional debris in the region occupied by Sequoia with clearly distinct kinematics, likely remnants of three different accretion events with progenitors of similar masses. Although only a small subset of the stars in our sample have chemical abundance information, we are able to identify different trends of [Mg/Fe] versus [Fe/H] for the various substructures, confirming our dissection of the nearby halo.

Conclusions. We find that at least 20% of the halo near the Sun is associated to substructures. When comparing their global properties, we note that those substructures on retrograde orbits are not only more metal-poor on average but are also older. We provide a table summarising the properties of the substructures, as well as a membership list that can be used for follow-up chemical abundance studies for example.
Viscous inertial modes on a differentially rotating sphere: Comparison with solar observations
Authors: Fournier Damien , Gizon Laurent , Hyest Laura
Published: April 2022

Context. In a previous paper, we studied the effect of latitudinal rotation on solar equatorial Rossby modes in the β-plane approximation. Since then, a rich spectrum of inertial modes has been observed on the Sun, which is not limited to the equatorial Rossby modes and includes high-latitude modes.

Aims. Here we extend the computation of toroidal modes in 2D to spherical geometry using realistic solar differential rotation and including viscous damping. The aim is to compare the computed mode spectra with the observations and to study mode stability.

Methods. At a fixed radius, we solved the eigenvalue problem numerically using a spherical harmonics decomposition of the velocity stream function.

Results. Due to the presence of viscous critical layers, the spectrum consists of four different families: Rossby modes, high-latitude modes, critical-latitude modes, and strongly damped modes. For each longitudinal wavenumber m ≤ 3, up to three Rossby-like modes are present on the sphere, in contrast to the equatorial β plane where only the equatorial Rossby mode is present. The least damped modes in the model have eigenfrequencies and eigenfunctions that resemble the observed modes; the comparison improves when the radius is taken in the lower half of the convection zone. For radii above 0.75 R⊙ and Ekman numbers E < 10−4, at least one mode is unstable. For either m = 1 or m = 2, up to two Rossby modes (one symmetric and one antisymmetric) are unstable when the radial dependence of the Ekman number follows a quenched diffusivity model (E ≈ 2 × 10−5 at the base of the convection zone). For m = 3, up to two Rossby modes can be unstable, including the equatorial Rossby mode.

Conclusions. Although the 2D model discussed here is highly simplified, the spectrum of toroidal modes appears to include many of the observed solar inertial modes. The self-excited modes in the model have frequencies close to those of the observed modes with the largest amplitudes.
Tax, marionnettiste de la transcription du HTLV-1
Authors: Martella Christophe , Waast Laetitia , Pique Claudine
Published: April 2022

Les rétrovirus sont des virus dont le génome est constitué d’un ARN rétrotranscrit en ADN dans la cellule, qui s’intègre alors dans le génome cellulaire. La transcription du génome rétroviral intégré est ensuite réalisée par la machinerie de transcription de l’ARN polymérase II. Dans le cas du virus T-lymphotrope humain de type 1 (HTLV-1, pour human T-lymphotropic virus type 1), rétrovirus responsable de la leucémie aiguë de l’adulte et de maladies inflammatoires, la transcription est contrôlée par la protéine virale Tax. Celle-ci agit selon un mode d’action original car le mécanisme activateur ne repose pas sur une interaction directe avec le promoteur viral, mais sur le recrutement de différents facteurs et cofacteurs cellulaires de la transcription. Les facteurs cellulaires recrutés par Tax sont impliqués dans l’activation initiale du promoteur, mais également dans les étapes ultérieures du processus de transcription lui-même. Cette revue décrit ce mécanisme particulier de transcription virale, de la levée de la répression transcriptionnelle jusqu’à l’élongation des transcrits viraux néosynthétisés.
Protéger l’état de santé de la population ou respecter les libertés individuelles en contexte épidémique
Authors: Thébaut Clémence
Published: April 2022

La crise sanitaire liée à la pandémie de COVID-19 a conduit la collectivité à s’interroger sur la valeur accordée à la santé, par rapport aux autres dimensions de la vie. Mais dans quelle mesure les économistes disposaient-ils d’outils pour guider les décisions publiques dans ce contexte épidémique ? Certains arbitrages préexistaient à la crise : entre la protection de la santé de la population à court, ou moyen ou long terme, entre la protection de la santé de certaines populations au détriment d’autres, entre la protection de la santé de la population et la satisfaction de besoins extra-sanitaires (loisirs, éducation, etc.). Les outils que les économistes mobilisent pour évaluer les interventions innovantes et coûteuses (médicaments, programmes de dépistage, etc.) peuvent être utilisés pour éclairer le débat démocratique. La crise a toutefois soulevé des arbitrages plus inédits lorsqu’il s’est agi de choisir entre, d’une part, la protection de l’état de santé de la population, et, de l’autre, la protection des libertés individuelles. Est-il possible et légitime de mobiliser les méthodes issues de l’économie du bien-être pour trancher ce dilemme ?
Digitalisierung in der Medizin – Weibliche Führungskräfte in der digitalen Medizin:
Neue Standards für Digitalisierung und Gleichstellung
Authors: Hohnstein Aileen
Published: April 2022

Allein unter Männern – im deutschen Gesundheitswesen kann das durchaus zum
Arbeitsalltag gehören. Diese Erfahrung hat auch Prof. Dr. med. Sylvia Thun
gemacht. Die renommierte Expertin für Interoperabilität engagiert sich deshalb
dafür, dass Frauen künftig in der digitalen Medizin eine größere Rolle
spielen.
Complications in Endoscopic Endonasal Pituitary Adenoma Surgery: An Institution Experience in 310 Patients
Authors: Namvar Mohamad , Iranmehr Arad , Fathi Mohamad Reza , Sadrhosseini Seyed Mousa , Tabari Azin , Shirzad Noushin , Zeinalizadeh Mehdi
Published: April 2022

Objective Endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs) have shown excellent results for majority of hypophyseal tumors. The aim of this study was to evaluate and report the complications of EEA in patients with pituitary adenoma (PA) who underwent surgery between 2013 and 2018.

Methods We performed a retrospective review of 310 consecutive patients/325 procedures with PA treated with an EEA from May 2013 to January 2018. Minor complications including transient diabetes insipidus (DI) or new anterior pituitary hormone insufficiency in one axis and major complications including CSF leakage, hematoma needing reoperation, vascular damage, brain infection, new pan-hypopituitarism permanent DI, new visual impairment, neurological deficits, and mortality were recorded.

Results We encountered 58 complications in 310 patients (18.7%) and 325 procedures (17.7%). Minor complications were 43 (13.9 and 13.2%) in 310 patients and in 325 procedures, respectively; whereas, major complications were 28 (9 and 8.6%, respectively). Total complications were associated with diameter group 2 (>30 mm), diaphragm sella violation, suprasellar extension, parasellar involvement, nonfunctional secretory type, and intraoperative arachnoid tearing.

Conclusion EEA can be considered as a safe surgical treatment which has acceptable complications in the management of PAs.
Perioperative Coagulation Profile in Major Liver Resection for Cancer: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Tzimas Petros , Lefkou Eleftheria , Karakosta Agathi , Argyrou Stellios , Papapetrou Evangelia , Pantazi Despoina , Tselepis Alexandros , Dreden Patrick Van , Stratigopoulou Panagiota , Gerotziafas Grigoris , Glantzounis Georgios
Published: April 2022

Hepatectomy-induced coagulation disturbances have been well studied over the past decade. Cumulative evidence supports the superiority of global coagulation analysis compared with conventional coagulation tests (i.e., prothrombin time or activated partial thromboplastin time) for clinical decision making. Cancer, however, represents an acquired prothrombotic state and liver resection for cancer deserves a more thorough investigation. This prospective observational study was conducted to assess the perioperative coagulation status of patients undergoing major hepatectomies for primary or metastatic hepatic malignancy. Patients were followed up to the 10th post-operative day by serial measurements of conventional coagulation tests, plasma levels of coagulation factors, and thrombin generation assay parameters. An abnormal coagulation profile was detected at presentation and included elevated FVIII levels, decreased levels of antithrombin, and lag time prolongation in thrombin generation. Serial hematological data demonstrated increased Von Willebrand factor, FVIII, D-dimer, fibrinogen and decreased levels of natural anticoagulant proteins in the early post-operative period predisposing to a hyper-coagulable state. The ratio of the anticoagulant protein C to the procoagulant FVIII was low at baseline and further declined post-operatively, indicating a prothrombotic state. Though no bleeding complications were reported, one patient experienced pulmonary embolism while under thromboprophylaxis. Overall, patients with hepatic carcinoma presenting for elective major hepatectomy may have baseline malignancy-associated coagulation disturbances, aggravating the hyper-coagulable state documented in the early post-operative period.
Field Trial Evaluations of a Switched Directional/Omnidirectional In-the-Ear Hearing Instrument
Authors: Preves David A. , Sammeth Carol A. , Wynne Michael K.
Published: April 2022

The use of directional microphones is one of the few methods available for hearing aids to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. The smaller microphones available with today's technology have increased the viability of their application for in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids. This study evaluated an ITE hearing aid containing two nondirectional microphones that provides wearer-selectable omnidirectional/directional operating modes. Ten sensorineural hearing-impaired patients were fitted binaurally. During the first trial period, the low-frequency gain decrease produced by the directional mode was not compensated for. The frequency responses were matched during the second trial period. For both trial periods, Hearing in Noise Test results using two uncorrelated noise sources indicated significant speech recognition improvements for the directional mode relative to the omnidirectional mode. Responses on Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit questionnaires, paired-comparison judgments, and interview data revealed that most subjects preferred the directional mode in noisier environments, but many also preferred the omnidirectional mode in quiet listening.

Abbreviations: AGC-O = automatic gain control with output compression, APHAB = Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit, BTE = behind-the-ear hearing aid, CD = compact disc, Dl = Directivity Index, HINT = Hearing in Noise Test, ITE = in-the-ear hearing aid, MCL = most comfortable listening level, NAL-R = National Acoustics Laboratories' revised prescriptive formula, SNR = signal-to-noise ratio, UCL = uncomfortable loudness level
Multidimensional Approach to the Differential Diagnosis of Central Auditory Processing Disorders in Children
Authors: Bellis Teri James , Ferre Jeanane M.
Published: April 2022

Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) may be viewed as a multidimensional entity with far-reaching communicative, educational, and psychosocial implications for which differential diagnosis not only is possible but also is essential to an understanding of its impact and to the development of efficacious, deficit-specific management plans. This paper begins with a description of some behavioral central auditory assessment tools in current clinical use. Four case studies illustrate the utility of these tools in clarifying the nature of auditory difficulties. Appropriate treatment options that flow logically from the diagnoses are given in each case. The heterogeneity of the population presenting with auditory processing problems, not unexpected based on this model, is made clear, as is the clinical utility of central auditory tests in the transdisciplinary assessment and management of children's language and learning difficulties.

Abbreviations: ADD = attention deficit disorder, ALD = assistive listening device, BF = binaural fusion, BF-CVC = consonant-vowel-consonant binaural fusion, CAPD = central auditory processing disorder, CST = Competing Sentences Test, DD = Dichotic Digits, DP = Duration Patterns, DR = Dichotic Rhyme, FP = frequency patterns, LPFS = low-pass filtered speech, RASP = Rapidly Alternating Speech Perception, SPN = speech in noise, SSW = Staggered Spondaic Words, TC = time-compressed speech, TCR = time-compressed speech with reverberation
Selective electrochemical etching of cantilever-type SOI-MEMS devices
Authors: Hao Xiuchun , He Peiling , Li Xin
Published: April 2022

It is possible to achieve selective electrochemical etching between different materials, such as p- and n-type silicon. However, achieving selective electrochemical etching on two different regions of the same p-type silicon material is a problem that has rarely been considered. Herein, a novel selective electrochemical etching technique for cantilever-type silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer-based microswitches is proposed. In this study, a p-type handle layer was selectively etched, and a p-type device layer was passivated. This was achieved using a circuit with two voltage sources: voltages of −1.2 and 0 V were applied to the handle and device layers, respectively. It was found that the proposed etching process can effectively prevent the in-use sticking of a cantilever-type switch. This is accomplished by increasing the gap between the device layer and its underlying handle layer and increasing the roughness of these layers. The technique is applicable to the fabrication of various cantilever-type SOI microelectromechanical systems, irrespective of the resistivity of the SOI wafer.
Technique extends limits of resistance thermometers to below 10 Kelvin
Authors: Lim Alane
Published: April 2022

Method can improve thermoelectric measurement of on-chip thermometry.
A microcontroller based self-locking laser system
Authors: Ruksasakchai P. , Cowdell C. E. , Sanchez L. , Weyland M. , Andersen M. F.
Published: April 2022

We present a self-locking laser system that does not require operator interventions. The system automatically finds a desired atomic transition and subsequently locks to it. Moreover, it has the ability to automatically detect if the laser is out of lock and activate the re-locking process. The design was implemented on two different diode lasers, a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) diode laser and a Fabry Perot (FP) diode laser, used as a repump laser for a magneto-optical trap in a laser cooling experiment and a Raman laser for a four-level Raman transition experiment, respectively. The design relies on frequency modulation transfer spectroscopy to obtain a sub-Doppler atomic spectrum of rubidium-85. This spectrum is then demodulated to obtain zero-crossing linear slopes at the exact points of each atomic and crossover transition. The frequency modulation, the signal analysis, and the automatic locking and re-locking of the lasers are all implemented using an Arduino Due microcontroller. The lock loop has a bandwidth of 7 kHz. The lasers used for the design are characterized, and the robustness of the lock is analyzed. The achieved linewidths of DBR and FP lasers are 1.4 and 5.5 MHz, respectively. The frequency drifts of both lasers are a few 100 kHz over a course of days. The capture range of the locking system is up to 4.9 GHz for the DBR laser and 725 MHz for the FP laser. Both lasers performed well under actual experimental conditions.
On the dimensionality of behavior
Authors: Bialek William
Published: April 2022

Significance

How do we characterize animal behavior? Psychophysics started with human behavior in the laboratory, and focused on simple contexts, such as the decision among just a few alternative actions in response to sensory inputs. In contrast, ethology focused on animal behavior in the natural environment, emphasizing that evolution selects potentially complex behaviors that are useful in specific contexts. New experimental methods now make it possible to monitor animal and human behaviors in vastly greater detail. This “physics of behavior” holds the promise of combining the psychophysicist’s quantitative approach with the ethologist’s appreciation of natural context. One question surrounding this growing body of data concerns the dimensionality of behavior. Here I try to give this concept a precise definition.
A conceptual framework for consciousness
Authors: Graziano Michael S. A.
Published: April 2022

This article argues that consciousness has a logically sound, explanatory framework, different from typical accounts that suffer from hidden mysticism. The article has three main parts. The first describes background principles concerning information processing in the brain, from which one can deduce a general, rational framework for explaining consciousness. The second part describes a specific theory that embodies those background principles, the Attention Schema Theory. In the past several years, a growing body of experimental evidence—behavioral evidence, brain imaging evidence, and computational modeling—has addressed aspects of the theory. The final part discusses the evolution of consciousness. By emphasizing the specific role of consciousness in cognition and behavior, the present approach leads to a proposed account of how consciousness may have evolved over millions of years, from fish to humans. The goal of this article is to present a comprehensive, overarching framework in which we can understand scientifically what consciousness is and what key adaptive roles it plays in brain function.
Human herpesvirus diversity is altered in HLA class I binding peptides
Authors: Palmer William H. , Telford Marco , Navarro Arcadi , Santpere Gabriel , Norman Paul J.
Published: April 2022

Significance

Viruses evolve to evade immune recognition that may otherwise limit transmission. Presentation of virus peptides by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I is a necessary step in the recognition of infection by immune cells. Virus adaptation to evade this immune recognition has not been formally tested across the diversity of HLA class I allotypes and virus strains. We analyzed genetic diversity of three human herpesviruses across peptides that bind diverse HLA class I allotypes. We find that adaptation to evade HLA class I recognition may be a general phenomenon shaping human herpesvirus genetic diversity, particularly for those proteins expressed during viral latency. This broad scope, across human and virus diversity, provides a unique comparative perspective of human–herpesvirus coevolution.
Endogenous pannexin1 channels form functional intercellular cell–cell channels with characteristic voltage-dependent properties
Authors: Palacios-Prado Nicolás , Soto Paola A. , López Ximena , Choi Eun Ju , Marquez-Miranda Valeria , Rojas Maximiliano , Duarte Yorley , Lee Jinu , González-Nilo Fernando D. , Sáez Juan C.
Published: April 2022

Significance

Pannexin1 is a glycoprotein that has been shown to form functional plasma membrane channels and mediate many cellular signaling pathways. However, the formation and function of pannexin1-based intercellular cell–cell channels in mammalian cells and vertebrate tissue is a question of substantial debate. This work provides robust electrophysiological evidence to demonstrate that endogenously expressed human pannexin1 forms cell–cell channels and lays the groundwork for studying a potential new type of electrical synapses between many mammalian cell types that endogenously express pannexin1.
Conservative management of post-traumatic pneumolabyrinth
Authors: Aguiar Cristina , Ribeiro Leandro , Larangeiro João , Condé Artur
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Pneumolabyrinth, defined by the presence of air in the labyrinth, is a rare clinical finding that can occur as a result of middle ear trauma, such as a traumatic injury with Q-tips.

Case report

We report the case of a patient that presented to the emergency department with vertigo and hearing loss complaints after aural cleansing with a Q-tip. On examination, the left tympanic membrane was perforated and there were signs of left vestibulopathy. A high-resolution CT scan was performed, and it showed the presence of air in the inner ear. Conservative management, instead of a surgical approach, was performed, with overall good vestibular and hearing outcomes.

Discussion

There is no clinical consensus on the best treatment of pneumolabyrinth, since, even with surgery, outcomes, mainly hearing outcomes, are usually poor. Nevertheless, surgery is usually reserved for patients with incapacitating vertigo or worsening hearing loss.
Comparison BIPM.RI(I)-K6 of the standards for absorbed dose to water of the PTB, Germany, and the BIPM, in accelerator photon beams
Authors: Kessler C , Burns D T , Roger P , Krauss A , Kapsch R-P
Published: April 2022

Main text

A key comparison has been made between the absorbed dose to water standards of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Germany, and the BIPM, in accelerator photon beams. The results show the standards to be in agreement within the standard uncertainty of the comparison of 5.7 parts in 103. The results are analysed and presented in terms of degrees of equivalence, suitable for entry in the BIPM key comparison database.

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCRI, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Nonclassical photon statistics and photon squeezing in the dissipative mixed quantum Rabi model
Authors: Chen Xu-Min , Chen Zhe-Kai , Che Han-Xin , Wang Chen
Published: April 2022

Nonclassical two-photon statistics and photon squeezing are considered as representative features of the nonclassicality of light. In this work we investigate two-photon correlation function and quadrature photon squeezing in the dissipative mixed quantum Rabi model (QRM), which includes both the one-photon and two-photon qubit–resonator interactions. The quantum dressed master equation combined with squeezed-coherent states is applied to obtain the steady state. Based on the zero-time delay two-photon correlation function, it is found that with the increase of the two-photon qubit–resonator interaction strength the photon antibunching behavior is monotonically suppressed, whereas the photon bunching signature persists. One additional giant photon bunching feature is unraveled at deep-strong two-photon coupling, which mainly stems from efficient successive transition trajectories. The finite-time delay two-photon correlation function asymptotically approaches the unit by raising the delayed time. Moreover, the steady-state quadrature photon squeezing becomes significant at strong two-photon coupling, which may become perfect in the zero temperature limit.
Structural and optical changes in GaAs irradiated with 100 keV and 2 MeV protons
Authors: Liu Xueting , Liu Ning , Zhang Guoqiang , Zhang Limin , Wang Tieshan
Published: April 2022

To clarify the proton energy dependence of proton irradiation damage in GaAs materials, intrinsic and Si-doped GaAs were irradiated with 100 keV and 2 MeV protons at different fluences. The evolution of lattice defects and optical properties of GaAs were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The results of Raman and XRD results show that the structures of the intrinsic GaAs and Si-doped GaAs does not change much after proton irradiation, which exhibits excellent radiation resistance. At the same time, the Raman results also prove that the radiation resistance of structural stability of Si-doped GaAs is lower than that of the intrinsic GaAs. However, in contrast to the structural properties, the optical properties of intrinsic GaAs degrade severely after irradiation in the PL spectrum, indicating that the optical properties of Si-doped GaAs are more stable than intrinsic GaAs. This is due to the changes of the light-emitting mechanism for Si-doped GaAs. In addition, the Raman and PL results also confirm that the damage produced by protons at 100 keV is greater than 2 MeV, which is consistent with the SRIM simulation.
Exploring the nature of electron-pair bonds: an energy decomposition analysis perspective
Authors: Zhang Yang , Wu Xun , Su Peifeng , Wu Wei
Published: April 2022

In this paper, the nature of electron-pair bonds is explored from an energy decomposition perspective. The recently developed valence bond energy decomposition analysis (VB-EDA) scheme is extended for the classification of electron-pair bonds, which divides the bond dissociation energy into frozen, reference state switch, quasi-resonance and polarization terms. VB-EDA investigations are devoted to a series of electron-pair bonds, including the covalent bonds (H–H, H3C–CH3, H3C–H, and H2N–NH2), the ionic bonds (Na–Cl, Li–F), the charge-shift (CS) bonds (HO–OH, F–F, Cl–Cl, Br–Br, H–F, F–Cl, H3Si–F and H3Si–Cl), and the inverted central carbon–carbon bond in [1.1.1] propallene. It is shown that the VB-EDA approach at the VBSCF level is capable of predicting the characters of the electron-pair bonds. The perspective from VB-EDA illustrates that a relatively high value of quasi-resonance term indicates a CS bond while a large portion of polarization term suggests a classical covalent bond.
Adaptive weighted particle swarm optimization (AWPSO) attitude determination algorithm based on Chi-square test
Authors: Liao Zhiming , Sun Xiyan , Ji Yuanfa , Wei Zhaochuan , Cheng Gui
Published: April 2022

The optimal search algorithm based on double-difference carrier phase is one of the methods to solve the attitude angle. An adaptive weighted particle swarm optimization (AWPSO) algorithm based on the Chi-square test is proposed to solve the attitude angle of ultra-short baseline. We establish the fitness function by introducing the relationship between attitude angle and baseline vector into the observation equations of double-difference carrier phase. Searching the attitude according to the fitness model instead of calculating the angle directly, which avoids solving the integer ambiguity. Using adaptive inertial weights and synchronous adaptive learning factors to speed up the convergence of attitude search. Constructing the candidate solution sequence to save the search result and calculating the Mahalanobis distance of the candidate solution. The local optimal solution is eliminated by the Chi-square test, and the attitude angle is gained by weighting the filtered sequence. Various static experimental results show that the new algorithm performs better than the direct solution method, the least square estimation method, and the PSO-based attitude solution method. The root mean square error of yaw angle and pitch angle is 0.245° and 0.236° directly at 0.575 m baseline.