bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Akute komplexe endovaskuläre Aortenchirurgie – Off-the-Shelf vs. Surgeon-modified Stentgrafts
Authors: Kapetanios Dimitrios , Stana Jan , Prendes Carlota Fernandez , Stavroulakis Konstantinos , Kölbel Tilo , Rantner Barbara , Tsilimparis Nikolaos
Published: October 2021

Hintergrund Die Behandlung komplexer abdomineller und thorakoabdomineller Aortenaneurysmen stellt für alle Beteiligten eine Herausforderung dar. Die offene chirurgische Versorgung ist ein Hochrisikoeingriff und ist besonders im Notfall mit erhöhter Morbidität und Mortalität assoziiert. Die endovaskuläre Ausschaltung mithilfe eines patientenspezifischen maßgefertigten Stentgrafts steht aufgrund der erforderlichen Herstellungszeit bei Patienten mit symptomatischen oder rupturierten komplexen Aneurysmen nicht zur Verfügung. In diesen Fällen müssen alternative endovaskuläre Techniken angewendet werden.

Ergebnisse Zu den endovaskulären Therapieoptionen komplexer Aneurysmen in dringenden Fällen und Notfällen zählen die „off-the-shelf“ und die „surgeon-modified“ Stentgrafts. Die ersten sind standardisiert hergestellte fenestrierte oder gebranchte Endoprothesen, die aufgrund der anatomischen Gegebenheiten bei etwa 50 – 80% der Patienten eingesetzt werden können. Die „surgeon-modified“ oder „vom Chirurgen modifizierten“ Stentgrafts beschreiben eine Technik, bei der eine kommerzielle Stentprothese unter sterilen Bedingungen und direkt vor der Implantation durch den Operateur bearbeitet wird, damit die benötigten Fenestrierungen, Scallops und Branches geschaffen werden. Die Modifikationsdauer beträgt 60 – 120 min angepasst an die Anatomie des Patienten. Es handelt sich um einen „off-label“-Gebrauch eines kommerziellen Stentgrafts außerhalb der Anweisungen des Herstellers und wenn möglich, sollte eine entsprechende ausführliche Patientenaufklärung als Behandlungsversuch
stattfinden. In der Literatur sind ähnliche Ergebnisse bez. Morbidität und Mortalität zwischen „off-the-shelf“ und „surgeon-modified“ Prothesen publiziert. Ein direkter Vergleich dieser Verfahren scheint aus mehreren Gründen (unterschiedliches Prothesendesign, Selektionsbias, unterschiedliche Techniken in der Prothesenmodifikation) jedoch schwierig und anhand der Literatur allein nicht eindeutig durchführbar.

Schlussfolgerung Die „surgeon-modified“ sowie die „off-the-shelf“ fenestrierten/gebranchten Stentprothesen werden in der Versorgung von Hochrisikopatienten mit symptomatischen oder gedeckt rupturierten komplexen Aortenaneurysmen angewendet. Die Ergebnisse beider Techniken sind vergleichbar gut, obwohl die langfristige Funktionsdauer der modifizierten Stentprothesen weiter getestet werden sollte.
Corona again? SSC after a severe COVID-disease
Authors: Arnstadt Benno , Zillinger Christian , Treitl Marcus , Allescher Hans-Dieter
Published: October 2021

Secondary sclerosing cholangitis (SSC) is a severe complication of intensive care treatment in critically ill patients. It is characterized by rapid onset and severe chlolestasis with elevation of gGT. In contrast to primary sclerosing cholangitis, SSC-CIP has a distinct and timely well defined trigger and can have a rapid progress to cirrhosis and liver failure. In context of the COVID-19-pandemic, there are reports about patients, who developed SSC after a severe COVID-infection and intensive care treatment.

We report on a 62-year old patient without any relevant pre-existing illnesses, who suffered from severe COVID-19 pneumonia with the need for long term ventilation. In the course of the disease he developed a critical-illness-polyneuropathy a pronounced cholestasis. After recovery from COVID-pneumonia, the PNP regressed but the cholestasis progressed. MRCP showed only irregular intrahepatic bile ducts, while EUS showed echogenic intraductal longitudinal structures characteristic for intraductal casts and for SSC-CIP. This was confirmed with ERC, where the complete necrotic bile ducts could be extracted and retrieved for histological and molecular analysis.

The patient was included in a scheduled ERC-program to prevent a progress of SSC and the concomitant cirrhosis.

SSC is an often missed diagnosis, which obviously can also occur in COVID-patients. In case of elevated liver function tests with cholestasis, EUS might be the key diagnostic method to characterize intraductal casts and identify those patients who should undergo ERC.
A Concise Copper-Catalyzed Oxytrifluoromethylation of Allyl Alcohols
Authors: Wang Guangwei , Chen Longhui , Yang Zequn , Sun Qi , Guo Minjie , Feng Xintong , Tang Xiangyang
Published: October 2021

An efficient oxytrifluoromethylation of 1-aryl-substituted allyl alcohols has been developed using Togni’s reagent II as a trifluoromethylation reagent and copper(I) chloride as a catalyst. This reaction proceeded through a one-pot process of trifluoromethylation followed by nucleophilic attack of the vicinal hydroxyl group. This strategy features good diastereoselectivity and broad substrate scope, which provides a facile access to various 2-aryl-3-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)oxiranes.
Comparative Evaluation of the Effect of Different Endodontic Irrigation Protocols on the Microhardness of Root Canal Dentin: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Takhar Kavneet , Jindal Neetu , Agarwal Renu , Rani Megha , Bansal Shallu
Published: October 2021

Aim and Objective The present in vitro study was done to comparatively evaluate the effect of different endodontic irrigation protocols on the microhardness at coronal, middle, and apical levels of root canal dentin.

Method The total sample size for the study was 100. Each sample consisted of a longitudinally sectioned half of a root of a single-rooted tooth, which was then embedded in acrylic resin. The prepared samples were divided randomly into five groups of twenty samples each. Each group was treated with its respective irrigant to be tested. Group I was the control—the specimens were treated with distilled water. The specimens in group II were treated with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), followed by ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA). Specimens in group III were treated with NaOCl, followed by CHX. Specimens in group IV were treated with NaOCl, followed by hydroxyethylidene bisphosphonate (HEBP), and specimens in group V were treated with NaOCl, followed by propolis. Following this, all the samples were placed on the Vickers microhardness tester, and the results were tabulated and statistically analyzed to determine the irrigant solutions' effect on the microhardness of root dentin at coronal, middle, and apical third.

Results Intergroup comparison of various irrigants showed that 18% HEBP showed the least reduction in the microhardness values of root canal dentin, and 17% EDTA caused the maximum decrease in microhardness values with a significant difference. When the baseline values were compared with the values after the use of experimental solutions in all the groups, it was observed that the microhardness gradually decreased from coronal to apical third of root dentin.

Conclusion On the basis of the results obtained, it can be concluded that weak chelators such as 18% HEBP do not affect the microhardness considerably, and that they can be used in future in place of strong chelators, that is, EDTA, which make root dentin weak by more microhardness reduction.
Surgical Techniques for Correcting Aberrant Frenal Attachment: A Clinical Review
Authors: Baiju C. S. , Joshi Karuna , Virmani Ria , Gupta Gunjan , Kaur Pawandeep
Published: October 2021

Frenum is a fold of mucous membrane, usually with enclosed muscle fibers, which attaches the lips and cheeks to the alveolar mucosa and/or gingival and underlying periosteum. Different types of frenal attachments have been observed and classified. Frenum with abnormal attachments may lead to mucogingival problems while hampering gingival health, as they cause an interference in the plaque control or may create a muscle pull. This condition may require management that can be usually performed with frenectomy and frenotomy procedures. Frenectomy is the complete removal of the frenum, while frenotomy is the incision and relocation of the frenal attachment. The present article is a compilation and review of a series of clinical cases of frenal excision through different surgical approaches.
Use of Groin Neurectomies for Noniatrogenic Testicular and Groin Pain
Authors: Sachdeva Sanchit , Chhabra Avneesh , Reisch Joan , Rozen Shai M.
Published: October 2021

Background Chronic groin neuralgia is a life-debilitating condition that plagues patients worldwide. While groin neuralgia is usually traced to iatrogenic causes (inguinal hernia repairs, vasectomy, and hysterectomy), there is a unique subset of patients that present with noniatrogenic groin neuralgia. The diagnosis and treatment of these patients present a particular challenge.

Methods A total of 30 patients (current mean age, 46.5 [range: 19–72] years) who presented with noniatrogenic groin neuralgia and received neurectomies on the iliohypogastric, ilioinguinal, and genitofemoral nerves between 2008 and 2017 were identified. A retrospective review of preoperative and immediate postoperative pain scores was compared with prospectively collected current pain on a Likert's scale (0–10). Additionally, patients were asked to complete a Short Form (SF)-20 and identify current pain medications. A two-sided Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test was used to analyze the data.

Results Of the 30 patients identified, 16 could participate (mean follow-up = 61 months). The average pain reduction for the entire group was 62.7%. When using an established 30% reduction pain as a marker for clinical significance, 12 successful and 4 unsuccessful patients had an average reduction of 81.1 and 7.68%, respectively (success rate of 75%). Patients with successful group showed a statistically significant increased social functioning (p = 0.012) and near-significant increase in mental health (p = 0.063). Improvements, albeit nonsignificant, in mean scaled scores for every other SF-20 quality of life (QoL) category were observed when comparing both groups.

Conclusion Neurectomy is a potentially beneficial surgery that can assuage pain and improve quality of life for patients with noniatrogenic groin neuralgia.
Biomechanical Assessment of the Influence of Inlay/Onlay Design and Material on Stress Distribution in Nonvital Molars
Authors: Darwich Ayham , Aljareh Abeer , Aladel Omar , Szávai Szabolcs , Nazha Hasan
Published: October 2021

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of inlays/onlays with or without pulp extension from different materials on stress distribution in endodontically treated molars by three-dimensional finite element analysis (3D FEA).

Materials and Methods We used 3D mandibular molar models in this study. The models represented mesio-occluso-distal (MOD) cavities restored by inlays, onlays that covered buccal cusps, and onlays that covered all cusps with pulp extension (modified inlay/onlay) or without pulp extension (conventional inlay/onlay). Three materials (L: lithium disilicate glass-ceramic, P: polymer-infiltrated ceramic network [PICN], and C: nanofilled composite resin) were utilized. A force of 600 N was applied vertically and obliquely. Stress distribution in FEA models was analyzed using the von Mises theory.

Results The results revealed that an oblique load generated higher stresses than vertical load. Composite resin restorations transmitted almost all the stress to the neighboring tooth structures, while lithium disilicate ceramic restorations absorbed most of the stresses. Moreover, modified inlays and onlays with pulp extension proved better than conventional inlays/onlays in terms of stress redistribution in dental structures. Onlays showed a better pattern of stress distribution than inlays within the restoration and the restored tooth.

Conclusions According to stress distribution in dental structures, modified lithium disilicate ceramic onlays with pulp extension have been found to be the best choice to restore endodontically treated molars among the studied restorations.
Social Media as a Source of Medical Information for Parents of Premature Infants: A Content Analysis of Prematurity-Related Facebook Groups
Authors: Taylor Katherine , Havinga Jaclyn , Moore Brittney , Tumin Dmitry , Bear Kelly
Published: October 2021

Objective Parents are increasingly turning to social media for medical recommendations. Our objective was to systematically examine posts on Facebook for parents of infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to analyze how advice on medical topics was requested and given, and whether this advice was potentially medically inappropriate.

Study Design One hundred Facebook groups were screened for study eligibility. In each group, up to 400 posts on medical topics were evaluated. The first 10 comments of each post were classified based on content and presence of medical advice. Appropriateness of advice was evaluated by a neonatologist.

Results Of 28 groups meeting study criteria, 10 permitted access for data collection. We identified 729 posts requesting medical advice of which 29% referenced the NICU period. Posts on diagnosis and development (30 and 32% of posts, respectively) were the most common topics, and most likely to receive advice (78 and 76% of posts on these topics, respectively). We identified 238 comments containing potentially inappropriate medical advice and 30 comments recommending going against medical advice.

Conclusion Parents are utilizing Facebook as a source of support and medical information. Parents are most likely to give development-related advice from their own parenting experiences. The high percentage of posts requesting advice about diagnosis and development in the post-NICU stage suggests parents seek increased anticipatory guidance.

Key Points
Images of vortex ropes could improve hydraulic machinery safety
Authors: Johnson-Groh Mara
Published: October 2021

Researchers analyzed the generation and transformation of cavitation vortex ropes with high resolution images.
Excitation of progressing dust ionization waves on PK-4 facility
Authors: Naumkin V. N. , Zhukhovitskii D. I. , Lipaev A. M. , Zobnin A. V. , Usachev A. D. , Petrov O. F. , Thomas H. M. , Thoma M. H. , Skripochka O. I. , Ivanishin A. A.
Published: October 2021

We report observation of the dust ionization waves (DIWs) excited by an external oscillating electric field on the Plasma Kristall-4 facility under microgravity conditions. It is shown that at the smallest excitation amplitude, the waves are linear, and the dispersion relation can be deduced from the experimental data. The microparticle oscillations are represented as a superposition of two longitudinal waves propagating in the opposite directions. In the investigated range of excitation frequency, the wavenumber is not directly proportional to the frequency, and the phase velocity is almost proportional to the frequency. We propose an interpretation of DIW assuming that the microparticle effect on the recombination rate rather than the microparticle subsystem compressibility is responsible for the wave propagation. The calculated phase velocity of DIW is compatible with the experimental one.
Accurate prediction of mutation-induced frequency shifts in chlorophyll proteins with a simple electrostatic model
Authors: Srivastava Amit , Ahad Safa , Wat Jacob H. , Reppert Mike
Published: October 2021

Photosynthetic pigment–protein complexes control local chlorophyll (Chl) transition frequencies through a variety of electrostatic and steric forces. Site-directed mutations can modify this local spectroscopic tuning, providing critical insight into native photosynthetic functions and offering the tantalizing prospect of creating rationally designed Chl proteins with customized optical properties. Unfortunately, at present, no proven methods exist for reliably predicting mutation-induced frequency shifts in advance, limiting the method’s utility for quantitative applications. Here, we address this challenge by constructing a series of point mutants in the water-soluble chlorophyll protein of Lepidium virginicum and using them to test the reliability of a simple computational protocol for mutation-induced site energy shifts. The protocol uses molecular dynamics to prepare mutant protein structures and the charge density coupling model of Adolphs et al. [Photosynth. Res. 95, 197–209 (2008)] for site energy prediction; a graphical interface that implements the protocol automatically is published online at http://nanohub.org/tools/pigmenthunter. With the exception of a single outlier (presumably due to unexpected structural changes), we find that the calculated frequency shifts match the experiment remarkably well, with an average error of 1.6 nm over a 9 nm spread in wavelengths. We anticipate that the accuracy of the method can be improved in the future with more advanced sampling of mutant protein structures.
Visual exposure enhances stimulus encoding and persistence in primary cortex
Authors: Lazar Andreea , Lewis Christopher , Fries Pascal , Singer Wolf , Nikolic Danko
Published: October 2021

Significance

Experience shapes sensory responses, already at the earliest stages of cortical processing. We provide evidence that, in the primary visual cortex of anesthetized cats, brief repetitive exposure to a set of simple, abstract stimuli expands the range and decreases the variability of neuronal responses that persist after stimulus offset. These refinements increase the stimulus-specific clustering of neuronal population responses and result in a more efficient encoding of both stimulus identity and stimulus structure, thus potentially benefiting simple readouts in higher cortical areas. Similar results can be achieved via local plasticity mechanisms in recurrent networks, through self-organized refinements of internal dynamics that do not require changes in firing amplitudes.
Characteristics of a dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator driven by pulsed-DC high voltage
Authors: Su Zhi , Zong Haohua , Liang Hua , Li Jun , Chen Xiancong
Published: October 2021

Dielectric barrier discharge using pulsed-DC high voltage (pulsed-DC DBD) have been proven to be capable of effectively reducing skin friction drag in turbulent boundary layers with limited power consumption, thus producing significant net power savings. In this work, the characteristics of pulsed-DC DBD, including power consumption, induced flow structure, thermal effect, and body force, are investigated sequentially. Both the power consumption and pressure waves produced by pulsed-DC DBD are similar to that of DBD using nanosecond pulses (ns-DBD), whereas the wall-bounded jet structure resembles that of DBD using sinusoidal high voltage (ac-DBD). A curved wall jet is induced at a small pulse width, which turns into a straight one due to the combined effect of momentum and thermal addition when the pulse width increases. With increasing pulse width, the induced body force goes up while the thermal effect weakens. Although pulse frequency has no impact on the wall-bounded jet topology, the body force increases with pulse frequency because of the enhanced energy entrainment. With these results, four parameters that affect the performance of pulsed-DC DBD are extracted, including the pulse leading edge, pulse width, frequency, and amplitude, which lays the foundation for the optimization of pulsed-DC DBD.
Quantum Monte Carlo study of topological phases on a spin analogue of Benalcazar–Bernevig–Hughes model
Authors: Guo Jiaojiao , Sun Junsong , Zhu Xingchuan , Li Chang-An , Guo Huaiming , Feng Shiping
Published: October 2021

We study the higher-order topological spin phases based on a spin analogue of Benalcazar–Bernevig–Hughes model in two dimensions using large-scale quantum Monte Carlo simulations. A continuous Néel-valence bond solid quantum phase transition is revealed by tuning the ratio between dimerized spin couplings, namely, the weak and strong exchange couplings. Through the finite-size scaling analysis, we identify the phase critical points, and consequently, map out the full phase diagrams in related parameter spaces. Particularly, we find that the valence bond solid phase can be a higher-order topological spin phase, which has a gap for spin excitations in the bulk while demonstrates characteristic gapless spin modes at corners of open lattices. We further discuss the connection between the higher-order topological spin phases and the electronic correlated higher-order phases, and find both of them possess gapless spin corner modes that are protected by higher-order topology. Our result exemplifies higher-order physics in the correlated spin systems and will contribute to further understandings of the many-body higher-order topological phenomena.
Computational investigation on the photovoltaic performance of an efficient GeSe-based dual-heterojunction thin film solar cell
Authors: Hossain Jaker , Mondal Bipanko Kumar , Mostaque Shaikh Khaled
Published: October 2021

This article reports the design and computational analysis of an efficient GeSe-based n-ZnSe/p-GeSe/p
+-WSe2 dual-heterojunction (DH) thin film solar cell using SCAPS-1D simulation program with physical parameters from the literature. The device has been optimized considering the thickness, doping and defect density of each layer. The optimized device shows an efficiency of ∼42.18% with a short circuit current density, J
SC of 47.84 mA cm−2, an open circuit voltage, V
OC of 1.07 V and fill factor, FF of 82.80%, respectively that remains within the Shockley-Queisser limit of a DH solar cell. The raised built-in potential developed between the two interfaces of the devices produces a surpassing V
OC. The higher J
SC is attributed to the current generated by absorption of sub-band gap photons by a tail-states-assisted two-step photon upconversion mechanism in the WSe2 back surface field layer. These results indicate the potential of manufacturing the high efficiency GeSe-based DH solar cell in future.
Robust superconductivity against water corrosion in Ba1−x
K
x
Fe2As2 bulks
Authors: Tu Chang , Dong Chiheng , Yao Chao , Yang Peng , Guo Wenwen , Zhang Qianjun , Wang Dongliang , Zhang Xianping , Ma Yanwei
Published: October 2021

The degradation behavior of Ba
x
K1−x
Fe2As2 bulks in deionized water has been investigated via magnetic and electrical measurements, x-ray diffraction (XRD) and microstructure analyses. It is found that the polycrystalline bulk suffers a small loss of superconductivity in the deionized water environment for the 1st 12 h. However, it remains stable through the latter 10 d of immersion. We conclude the corrosion mechanism and suggest that the barium carbonate crystals and the amorphous iron-oxide accumulated on the surface prevent further reaction between water and BaK122 compounds. This unique surface passivation effect of BaK122 bulks is beneficial for practical applications in humid atmospheres.
Current–voltage characteristics of strained, highly underdoped La

2−x

Sr
x
CuO4 thin films
Authors: Zajcewa I , Chrobak M , Maćkosz K , Jurczyszyn M , Minikayev R , Abaloszew A , Cieplak Marta Z
Published: October 2021

The temperature dependence of resistance and of current–voltage characteristics

I

−

V

are studied for two underdoped La1.952Sr0.048CuO4 films with different thickness and different degrees of built-in compressive strain. Strain induces an inhomogeneous superconducting (SC) state in the films, with two-step SC transition, consistent with the presence of SC islands coupled by the proximity effect. On further cooling, superfluid density is suppressed and global phase coherence is never reached. Instead, a reentrant increase of resistance appears, reaching several orders of magnitude in the thinner, more strongly strained film, and saturating at lowest temperatures. The saturation is accompanied by Coulomb blockade, which resembles the blockade reported for Josephson junction (JJ) arrays. However, increasing magnetic field quickly diminishes the influence of Coulomb blockade on transport, which is distinct from the behavior observed for JJ arrays. The observation of Coulomb blockade indicates that Cooper pairs survive in the insulating state, suggesting the local character of pairing.
Local tunability in a multi-port SQUID by an injection current
Authors: Xu Zuyu , Tian Wanghao , Chen Shixian , Yue Wencheng , Du Hongmei , Li Dingding , Wei Zihan , Lyu Yang-Yang , Sun Hancong , Wang Yong-Lei , Sun Guozhu , Chen Jian , Jin Biaobing , Wang Huabing , Wu Peiheng
Published: October 2021

The tunability in Josephson junctions is foundational to the superconducting classical and quantum applications. Here, we demonstrate the local manipulation of supercurrent realized in a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) with two Nb/TiO
x
/Nb Josephson junctions that is biased at the TiO
x
layer. Our measurements indicate that the multi-port device allows for an easy and in situ tunability of the supercurrent. The control mechanism can be finely explained by simple yet valid theoretical methods, which take an effective electronic temperature across the SQUID and the self inductive magnetic flux into account. Furthermore, we show that the phase difference and kinetic inductance of this device can be tuned locally via the injection current. Thus, the device provides perspective for several superconducting electronics such as tunable superconducting circuits, sensitive magnetometry, and fast digital elements.
Performance of first Bi-2212 cable with pre-over pressure and over pressure heat treatment
Authors: Yang Dongsheng , Yu Min , Ma Hongjun , Zhang Zhengchuang , Wang Min , Liu Sheng , Jin Huan , Gao Peng , Zhou Chao , Liu Fang , Liu Huajun , Hao Qingbin , Li Chenshan , Kanazawa Shintetsu , Chen Wenge , Nijhuis Arend , Li Jiangang , Qin Jinggang
Published: October 2021

Due to the excellent current carrying performance of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x
(Bi-2212) and the development of its industrial manufacturing technology, Bi-2212 is a promising material to be developed as superconductor for application in fusion reactor magnets. The cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC) concept is often chosen for the development of large-scale magnets because of their high stability. Bi-2212 is presently the only kind of copper oxide superconducting material which can be made into solid round wire, which provides a good basis for developing CICCs. The over pressure (OP) heat treatment can significantly improve the superconducting performance of Bi-2212 wires but it also reduces the wire diameter by ∼5%. This leads to an increase of the void fraction of CICCs, typically from 30% to 40% for a CICC with ITER scale dimensions. A pre-OP heat treatment before OP is proposed in this study. The reduction of the wire diameter can be completed before the formation of the continuous superconducting phase, which would dramatically decrease the CICC void fraction. One Bi-2212 cable consisting of 84 wires, was first pre-OP heat treated successfully and after completing the OP heat treatment, the cable’s transport performance was tested. The results showed good performance with a critical current (I
c) of 35.7 kA at 5.8 T background field in 4.2 K, which is consistent with the predication.
Line positions, intensities, and Einstein A coefficients for 3–0 band of 12C16O: A spectroscopy learning method*
Authors: Fan Zhi-Xiang , Ni Zhi-Zhang , He Jie-Jie , Wang Yi-Fan , Fan Qun-Chao , Fu Jia , Xu Yong-Gen , Li Hui-Dong , Ma Jie , Xie Feng
Published: October 2021

Based on the model- and data-driven strategy, a spectroscopy learning method that can extract the novel and hidden information from the line list databases has been applied to the R branch emission spectra of 3–0 band of the ground electronic state of 12C16O. The labeled line lists such as line intensities and Einstein A coefficients quoted in HITRAN2020 are collected to enhance the dataset. The quantified spectroscopy-learned spectroscopic constants is beneficial for improving the extrapolative accuracy beyond the measurements. Explicit comparisons are made for line positions, line intensities, Einstein A coefficients, which demonstrate that the model- and data-driven spectroscopy learning approach is a promising and an easy-to-implement strategy.
Phase behavior of rotationally asymmetric Brownian kites containing 90° internal angles*
Authors: Liu Huaqing , Zong Yiwu , Hou Zhanglin , Mason Thomas G. , Zhao Kun
Published: October 2021

Previous Monte Carlo simulations have shown that ordered tetratic phases can emerge in a dense two-dimensional Brownian system of rotationally asymmetric hard kites having 90° internal angles. However, there have been no experimental investigations yet to compare with these simulation results. Here, we have fabricated two types of micron-sized kites having internal angles of 72°–90°–108°–90° and 72°–99°–90°–99°, respectively, and we have experimentally studied their phase behavior in two-dimensional systems. Interestingly and in contrast to the Monte Carlo simulations, the experimental results show a phase sequence of isotropic fluid-hexagonal rotator crystal-square crystal as the area fraction ϕ
A increases for both types of kites. The observed square crystal displays not only a quasi-long-range translational order but also (quasi-)long-range 4-fold bond- and molecular-orientational order; these characteristics confirm that tetratic order can emerge even in dense Brownian systems of rotationally asymmetric particles. A model based on local polymorphic configurations (LPCs) is proposed to understand the origin of the square lattice order in these dense kite systems. The results in this study provide a new route to realize custom-designed self-assembly of colloids by controlling LPCs.
A review of interactions between ocean heat transport and Arctic sea ice
Authors: Docquier David , Koenigk Torben
Published: October 2021

Arctic sea ice has been retreating at fast pace over the last decades, with potential impacts on the weather and climate at mid and high latitudes, as well as the biosphere and society. The current sea-ice loss is driven by both atmospheric and oceanic processes. One of these key processes, the influence of ocean heat transport on Arctic sea ice, is one of the least understood due to the greater inaccessibility of the ocean compared to the atmosphere. Recent observational and modeling studies show that the poleward Atlantic and Pacific Ocean heat transports can have a strong influence on Arctic sea ice. In turn, the changing sea ice may also affect ocean heat transport, but this effect has been less investigated so far. In this review, we provide a synthesis of the main studies that have analyzed the interactions between ocean heat transport and Arctic sea ice, focusing on the most recent analyses. We make use of observations and model results, as they are both complementary, in order to better understand these interactions. We show that our understanding in sea ice - ocean heat transport relationships has improved during recent years. The Barents Sea is the Arctic region where the influence of ocean heat transport on sea ice has been the largest in the past years, explaining the large number of studies focusing on this specific region. The Pacific Ocean heat transport also constitutes a key driver in the recent Arctic sea-ice changes, thus its contribution needs to be taken into account. Although under-studied, the impact of sea-ice changes on ocean heat transport, via changes in ocean temperature and circulation, is also important to consider. Further analyses are needed to improve our understanding of these relationships using observations and climate models.
Parametric study of high-frequency characteristics of plasma synthetic jet actuator
Authors: SONG Guozheng , ZONG Haohua , LIANG Hua , SU Zhi , XIE Like , ZHENG Xing
Published: October 2021

A major issue of plasma synthetic jet actuator (PSJA) is the severe performance deterioration at high working frequency. In this study, experiments and numerical simulation are combined together to investigate the influence of thermal conductivity, throat length (L
th) and discharge duration (T
d) on the high-frequency characteristics of PSJA. Results show that the variation of the actuator thermal conductivity and discharge duration will not alter the saturation frequency of the actuator, whereas decreasing the throat length results in an increase of the saturation frequency. For a short-duration capacitive discharge of 1.7 μs, a clear shock wave is issued from the orifice, followed by a weak jet. As a comparison, when the discharge duration is increased up to 202.6 μs, a strong jet column is formed and no obvious shock wave can be visualized. Based on numerical simulation results, it becomes clear that the long-duration pulse-DC discharge is able to heat the cavity gas to a much higher temperature (3141 K) than capacitive discharge, greatly improving the conversion efficiency of the arc discharge energy to the internal energy of the cavity gas. In addition, high-speed Schlieren imaging is deployed to study the performance degradation mechanism of PSJA at high working frequency. Monitor of the exit jet grayscale indicates that as long as the saturation frequency is exceeded, the actuator becomes unstable due to insufficient refresh time. The higher the discharge frequency, the more frequently the phenomenon of ‘misfires’ will occur, which explains well the decaying jet total pressure at above saturation frequency.
Different transcriptional levels of Corazonin, Elevenin, and PDF according to the body color of the two-spotted cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus
Authors: Seike Hitomi , Nagata Shinji
Published: October 2021

Body color in insects changes according to the living environment and physiological stresses possibly involved in endocrine factors. To date, 3 predominant bioactive peptides, Corazonin, Elevenin, and pigment-dispersing factor (PDF), have been illuminated to be involved in the body color in insects and crustaceans. Here, we examined the possibilities that these 3 factors would contribute to body color changes via melanization in the two-spotted cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus, whose body color changes according to population density drastically. Quantitative analyses revealed the higher transcriptional levels of Corazonin and Elevenin in the crowded-conditioned crickets, whereas the transcriptional level of PDF was higher in the isolated-conditioned crickets. However, the body color was not changed by knockdown of Corazonin, Elevenin, and PDF by RNA interference. The present data indicated that coloration mechanisms in G. bimaculatus is differently controlled from the previous observation in Locusta migratoria, a closely related orthopteran species.
Testing hormonal responses to real and simulated social challenges in a competitive female bird
Authors: George Elizabeth M , Wolf Sarah E , Bentz Alexandra B , Rosvall Kimberly A
Published: October 2021

Competitive interactions often occur in series; therefore animals may respond to social challenges in ways that prepare them for success in future conflict. Changes in the production of the steroid hormone testosterone (T) are thought to mediate phenotypic responses to competition, but research over the past few decades has yielded mixed results, leading to several potential explanations as to why T does not always elevate following a social challenge. Here, we measured T levels in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), a system in which females compete for limited nesting cavities and female aggression is at least partially mediated by T. We experimentally induced social challenges in two ways: (1) using decoys to simulate territorial intrusions and (2) removing subsets of nesting cavities to increase competition among displaced and territory-holding females. Critically, these experiments occurred pre-laying, when females are physiologically capable of rapidly increasing circulating T levels. However, despite marked aggression in both experiments, T did not elevate following real or simulated social challenges, and in some cases, socially challenged females had lower T levels than controls. Likewise, the degree of aggression was negatively correlated with T levels following a simulated territorial intrusion. Though not in line with the idea that social challenges prompt T elevation in preparation for future challenges, these patterns nevertheless connect T to territorial aggression in females. Coupled with past work showing that T promotes aggression, these results suggest that T may act rapidly to allow animals to adaptively respond to the urgent demands of a competitive event.
Matrix factorization for biomedical link prediction and scRNA-seq data imputation: an empirical survey
Authors: Ou-Yang Le , Lu Fan , Zhang Zi-Chao , Wu Min
Published: October 2021

Advances in high-throughput experimental technologies promote the accumulation of vast number of biomedical data. Biomedical link prediction and single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data imputation are two essential tasks in biomedical data analyses, which can facilitate various downstream studies and gain insights into the mechanisms of complex diseases. Both tasks can be transformed into matrix completion problems. For a variety of matrix completion tasks, matrix factorization has shown promising performance. However, the sparseness and high dimensionality of biomedical networks and scRNA-seq data have raised new challenges. To resolve these issues, various matrix factorization methods have emerged recently. In this paper, we present a comprehensive review on such matrix factorization methods and their usage in biomedical link prediction and scRNA-seq data imputation. Moreover, we select representative matrix factorization methods and conduct a systematic empirical comparison on 15 real data sets to evaluate their performance under different scenarios. By summarizing the experimental results, we provide general guidelines for selecting matrix factorization methods for different biomedical matrix completion tasks and point out some future directions to further improve the performance for biomedical link prediction and scRNA-seq data imputation.
TargetNet: functional microRNA target prediction with deep neural networks
Authors: Min Seonwoo , Lee Byunghan , Yoon Sungroh
Published: October 2021

Motivation

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play pivotal roles in gene expression regulation by binding to target sites of messenger RNAs (mRNAs). While identifying functional targets of miRNAs is of utmost importance, their prediction remains a great challenge. Previous computational algorithms have major limitations. They use conservative candidate target site (CTS) selection criteria mainly focusing on canonical site types, rely on laborious and time-consuming manual feature extraction, and do not fully capitalize on the information underlying miRNA–CTS interactions.

Results

In this article, we introduce TargetNet, a novel deep learning-based algorithm for functional miRNA target prediction. To address the limitations of previous approaches, TargetNet has three key components: (i) relaxed CTS selection criteria accommodating irregularities in the seed region, (ii) a novel miRNA–CTS sequence encoding scheme incorporating extended seed region alignments and (iii) a deep residual network-based prediction model. The proposed model was trained with miRNA–CTS pair datasets and evaluated with miRNA–mRNA pair datasets. TargetNet advances the previous state-of-the-art algorithms used in functional miRNA target classification. Furthermore, it demonstrates great potential for distinguishing high-functional miRNA targets.

Availability and implementation

The codes and pre-trained models are available at https://github.com/mswzeus/TargetNet.
Phylotranscriptomic patterns of network stochasticity and pathway dynamics during embryogenesis
Authors: Ko Kuei-Yueh , Chen Cho-Yi , Juan Hsueh-Fen , Huang Hsuan-Cheng
Published: October 2021

Motivation

The hourglass model is a popular evo-devo model depicting that the developmental constraints in the middle of a developmental process are higher, and hence the phenotypes are evolutionarily more conserved, than those that occur in early and late ontogeny stages. Although this model has been supported by studies analyzing developmental gene expression data, the evolutionary explanation and molecular mechanism behind this phenomenon are not fully understood yet. To approach this problem, Raff proposed a hypothesis and claimed that higher interconnectivity among elements in an organism during organogenesis resulted in the larger constraints at the mid-developmental stage. By employing stochastic network analysis and gene-set pathway analysis, we aim to demonstrate such changes of interconnectivity claimed in Raff’s hypothesis.

Results

We first compared the changes of network randomness among developmental processes in different species by measuring the stochasticity within the biological network in each developmental stage. By tracking the network entropy along each developmental process, we found that the network stochasticity follows an anti-hourglass trajectory, and such a pattern supports Raff’s hypothesis in dynamic changes of interconnections among biological modules during development. To understand which biological functions change during the transition of network stochasticity, we sketched out the pathway dynamics along the developmental stages and found that species may activate similar groups of biological processes across different stages. Moreover, higher interspecies correlations are found at the mid-developmental stages.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Advances and perspectives on the evolutionary history and diversification of Neotropical Myrteae (Myrtaceae)
Authors: De Souza Neto José Dias , Dos Santos Eliane Kaltchuk , Lucas Eve , Vetö Nicole Moreira , Barrientos-Diaz Ossman , Staggemeier Vanessa Graziele , Vasconcelos Thais , Turchetto-Zolet Andreia Carina
Published: October 2021

Myrtaceae are one of the largest families of flowering plants and are widely distributed in the Neotropics, where they are mainly represented by the tribe Myrteae. Myrteae are the most species-rich tribe of Myrtaceae and include groups with significant ecological and economic importance. Myrteae are considered to be a model group for biodiversity studies in the Neotropics, and so understanding the history of their diversification in this area is extremely important. The last decade has witnessed an increase in macro- and microevolutionary studies of the group, and summarizing this knowledge is now crucial to plan future steps in research on Myrteae. Here we provide the first overview of evolution and diversification studies on Myrteae, highlighting recent advances in understanding their evolutionary history. We discuss biogeography, phylogeny, phylogeography, population genetics, genomics and cytology in light of current knowledge. Finally, we provide perspectives and open hypotheses to be tested in future studies to fill gaps in the evolutionary knowledge of specific groups/taxa in Myrteae.
The ABCD study: brain heterogeneity in intelligence during a neurodevelopmental transition stage
Authors: Zhao Qi , Voon Valerie , Zhang Lingli , Shen Chun , Zhang Jie , Feng Jianfeng
Published: October 2021

A complex curvilinear relationship exists between intelligence and age during the neurodevelopment of cortical thickness. To parse out a more fine-grained relationship between intelligence and cortical thickness and surface area, we used a large-scale data set focusing on a critical transition juncture in neurodevelopment in preadolescence. Cortical thickness was derived from T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance images of a large sample of 9- and 11-year-old children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. The NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery composite scores, which included fluid, crystallized, and total scores, were used to assess intelligence. Using a double generalized linear model, we assessed the independent association between the mean and dispersion of cortical thickness/surface area and intelligence. Higher intelligence in preadolescents was associated with higher mean cortical thickness in orbitofrontal and primary sensory cortices but with lower thickness in the dorsolateral and medial prefrontal cortex and particularly in the rostral anterior cingulate. The rostral anterior cingulate findings were particularly evident across all subscales of intelligence. Higher intelligence was also associated with greater interindividual similarity in the rostral cingulate. Intelligence during this key transition juncture in preadolescence appears to reflect a dissociation between the cortical development of basic cognitive processes and higher-order executive and motivational processes.
Therapeutic targeting of inflammation in hypertension: from novel mechanisms to translational perspective
Authors: Murray E C , Nosalski R , MacRitchie N , Tomaszewski M , Maffia P , Harrison D G , Guzik T J
Published: October 2021

Animal models, human observational and genetic studies have shown that immune and inflammatory mechanisms play a key role in hypertension and its complications. We review the effects of immunomodulatory interventions on blood pressure, target organ damage and cardiovascular risk in humans. In experimental and small clinical studies both non-specific immunomodulatory approaches, such as mycophenolate mofetil and methotrexate, and medications targeting T and B lymphocytes, such as tacrolimus, cyclosporine, everolimus, rituximab, lower blood pressure and reduce organ damage. Mechanistically targeted immune interventions include isolevuglandin (isoLG) scavengers to prevent neo-antigen formation, co-stimulation blockade (abatacept, belatacept), and anti-cytokine therapies (secukinumab, tocilizumab, canakinumab, TNF-α inhibitors). In many studies, trial designs have been complicated by a lack of blood pressure related endpoints, inclusion of largely normotensive study populations, polypharmacy, and established comorbidities. Among a wide range of interventions reviewed, TNF-α inhibitors have provided the most robust evidence of blood pressure lowering. Treatment of periodontitis also appears to deliver non-pharmacological antihypertensive effects. Evidence of immunomodulatory drugs influencing hypertension-mediated organ damage are discussed. Animal model, observational studies, and trial data in humans support the therapeutic potential of immune targeted therapies in blood pressure lowering and in hypertension-mediated organ damage. Targeted studies are now needed to address their effects on blood pressure in hypertensive individuals.
Genome sequencing of the NIES Cyanobacteria collection with a focus on the heterocyst-forming clade
Authors: Hirose Yuu , Ohtsubo Yoshiyuki , Misawa Naomi , Yonekawa Chinatsu , Nagao Nobuyoshi , Shimura Yohei , Fujisawa Takatomo , Kanesaki Yu , Katoh Hiroshi , Katayama Mitsunori , Yamaguchi Haruyo , Yoshikawa Hirofumi , Ikeuchi Masahiko , Eki Toshihiko , Nakamura Yasukazu , Kawachi Masanobu
Published: October 2021

Cyanobacteria are a diverse group of Gram-negative prokaryotes that perform oxygenic photosynthesis. Cyanobacteria have been used for research on photosynthesis and have attracted attention as a platform for biomaterial/biofuel production. Cyanobacteria are also present in almost all habitats on Earth and have extensive impacts on global ecosystems. Given their biological, economical, and ecological importance, the number of high-quality genome sequences for Cyanobacteria strains is limited. Here, we performed genome sequencing of Cyanobacteria strains in the National Institute for Environmental Studies microbial culture collection in Japan. We sequenced 28 strains that can form a heterocyst, a morphologically distinct cell that is specialized for fixing nitrogen, and 3 non-heterocystous strains. Using Illumina sequencing of paired-end and mate-pair libraries with in silico finishing, we constructed highly contiguous assemblies. We determined the phylogenetic relationship of the sequenced genome assemblies and found potential difficulties in the classification of certain heterocystous clades based on morphological observation. We also revealed a bias on the sequenced strains by the phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene including unsequenced strains. Genome sequencing of Cyanobacteria strains deposited in worldwide culture collections will contribute to understanding the enormous genetic and phenotypic diversity within the phylum Cyanobacteria.