bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical simulation study on hydrogen ammonia mixed combustion in a swirl combustion chamber
Authors: Liu Jiang , Wang Tianyu , Zhang Yuqi
Published: June 2024

The NO
x
emissions and combustion performance of pure ammonia and hydrogen-doped combustion (90% NH3 volume fraction and 10% H2 volume fraction) in the cyclone combustion chamber were comprehensively analyzed through numerical simulations under varying thermal operating conditions. The findings reveal that the flame characteristic length in hydrogen-doped combustion surpasses that in pure ammonia combustion, indicating an extended migration of the high-temperature zone after hydrogen doping. Furthermore, the addition of hydrogen results in an elevated exhaust temperature within the combustion chamber, while the Outlet Temperature Distribution Function (OTDF) decreases, signifies an enhancement in the uniformity of temperature distribution at the outlet. Moreover, the reflux zone experiences less impact, and the mixed gas velocity increases following hydrogen doping. Notably, NO
x
emissions demonstrate a significant decrease after the addition of hydrogen. The average NO emission concentration in pure ammonia combustion, under various operating conditions, is measured at 212.47 mg/m3, representing a 3.51-fold increase compared to hydrogen-doped combustion.
Summary of caesium evaporation and deposition during SPIDER first campaign
Authors: Fadone M. , Pouradier Duteil B. , Sartori E. , Gasparrini C. , Cavallini C. , Candela V. , Rizzolo A. , Barbisan M. , Serianni G.
Published: June 2024

SPIDER (Source for the Production of Ions of Deuterium Extracted from a Radio frequency plasma) is currently in a major shutdown period dedicated to the upgrade of several components in order to enhance its performances and guarantee their agreement with the ITER requirements. During this phase, an in-depth inspection of the beam source components is fundamental to understand SPIDER behaviour during the previous experimental campaigns, and in particular caesium evaporation inside the source by means of Cs ovens. Caesium evaporation and its deposition on the plasma grid (PG) is fundamental to minimize the work function of PG surface causing an increased generation of negative ions and a reduction of the electron density in front of the PG, which means less co-extracted electrons. This work presents the analysis of the caesium ovens performances and of their status after removal. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) analyses were carried out on samples of plasma source walls, and the experimental data was compared to the results obtained from other investigations: numerical models for the caesium evaporation and deposition, chemical surface analyses (performed in strategical locations of the source walls and extraction grid), and Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (LAS) measurements. The non-uniformity of Cs distribution has been taken into account since it has repercussions on negative ion extraction efficiency and uniformity.
Offline data processing software for a Li2MoO4 bolometer demonstration experiment at China Jinping Underground Laboratory
Authors: Zhao Kangkang , Xue Mingxuan , Peng Haiping , Duan Deyong , Liu Taiyuan , Zhang Yunlong , Yang Junfeng , Lin Qing , Xu Zizong , Wang Xiaolian
Published: June 2024

A cryogenic scintillating bolometer demonstration experiment utilizing Li2MoO4 crystals is proposed for exploring neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) at China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL). The hardware and software framework R&D for the entire detection system is currently in progress. In this study, we present a comprehensible offline data processing software designed for this project. The software facilitates event trigger and reconstruction by applying an optimal filter and Monte Carlo truth stream data generator. Based on the simulated stream data, a significant noise suppression and an increase on energy resolution are obtained, with an improvement of approximately 40% comparing to that estimated from the original pulse waveform.
Development of a cylindrical mirror analyser electron spectrometer and associated data acquisition system to study inner shell electron emission following ion-atom collision
Authors: Tyagi Rohit , Kelkar A.H.
Published: June 2024

In this paper we report on the development and performance of a cylindrical mirror
analyser electron spectrometer for ion atom collision experiments. A low cost data acquisition
system using Arduino microcontroller has also been developed and tested. We have measured the
Auger emission spectra for various gaseous targets in collision with 1 MeV proton beams. Relative
total Auger emission cross sections have also been measured for N2 molecular target as a
function of incident proton energy. The projectile energy dependence agrees well with earlier
reported measurements.
Melt-extruded biocompatible surgical sutures loaded with microspheres designed for wound healing
Authors: Deng X , Gould M L , Katare R G , Ali M A
Published: June 2024

Sutures are commonly used in surgical procedures and have immense potential for direct drug delivery into the wound site. However, incorporating active pharmaceutical ingredients into the sutures has always been challenging as their mechanical strength deteriorates. This study proposes a new method to produce microspheres-embedded surgical sutures that offer adequate mechanical properties for effective wound healing applications. The study used curcumin, a bioactive compound found in turmeric, as a model drug due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-bacterial properties, which make it an ideal candidate for a surgical suture drug delivery system. Curcumin-loaded microspheres were produced using the emulsion solvent evaporation method with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the aqueous phase. The microspheres’ particle sizes, drug loading (DL) capacity, and encapsulation efficiency (EE) were investigated. Microspheres were melt-extruded with polycaprolactone and polyethylene glycol via a 3D bioplotter, followed by a drawing process to optimise the mechanical strength. The sutures’ thermal, physiochemical, and mechanical properties were investigated, and the drug delivery and biocompatibility were evaluated. The results showed that increasing the aqueous phase concentration resulted in smaller particle sizes and improved DL capacity and EE. However, if PVA was used at 3% w/v or below, it prevented aggregate formation after lyophilisation, and the average particle size was found to be 34.32 ± 12.82 μm. The sutures produced with the addition of microspheres had a diameter of 0.38 ± 0.02 mm, a smooth surface, minimal tissue drag, and proper tensile strength. Furthermore, due to the encapsulated drug-polymer structure, the sutures exhibited a prolonged and sustained drug release of up to 14 d. Microsphere-loaded sutures demonstrated non-toxicity and accelerated wound healing in the in vitro studies. We anticipate that the microsphere-loaded sutures will serve as an excellent biomedical device for facilitating wound healing.
Amorphous titanium oxide (aTiO2) thin films biofunctionalized with CAP-p15 induce mineralized-like differentiation of human oral mucosal stem cells (hOMSCs)
Authors: Ureiro-Cueto Guadalupe , Rodil Sandra E , Silva-Bermúdez Phaedra , Santana-Vázquez Maricela , Hoz-Rodríguez Lia , Arzate Higinio , Montoya-Ayala Gonzalo
Published: June 2024

Insufficient osseointegration of titanium-based implants is a factor conditioning their long-term success. Therefore, different surface modifications, such as multifunctional oxide coatings, calcium phosphates, and the addition of molecules such as peptides, have been developed to improve the bioactivity of titanium-based biomaterials. In this work, we investigate the behavior of human oral mucosal stem cells (hOMSCs) cultured on amorphous titanium oxide (aTiO2), surfaces designed to simulate titanium (Ti) surfaces, biofunctionalized with a novel sequence derived from cementum attachment protein (CAP-p15), exploring its impact on guiding hOMSCs towards an osteogenic phenotype. We carried out cell attachment and viability assays. Next, hOMSCs differentiation was assessed by red alizarin stain, ALP activity, and western blot analysis by evaluating the expression of RUNX2, BSP, BMP2, and OCN at the protein level. Our results showed that functionalized surfaces with CAP-p15 (1 µg ml−1) displayed a synergistic effect increasing cell proliferation and cell attachment, ALP activity, and expression of osteogenic-related markers. These data demonstrate that CAP-p15 and its interaction with aTiO2 surfaces promote osteoblastic differentiation and enhanced mineralization of hOMSCs when compared to pristine samples. Therefore, CAP-p15 shows the potential to be used as a therapeutical molecule capable of inducing mineralized tissue regeneration onto titanium-based implants.
Effect of nanodiamonds surface deposition on hydrophilicity, bulk degradation and in-vitro cell adhesion of 3D-printed polycaprolactone scaffolds for bone tissue engineering
Authors: ElBakry Hadiah A , Ammar Mohamed M , Moussa Taheya A
Published: June 2024

This study was designed to deposit nanodiamonds (NDs) on 3D-printed poly-ϵ-caprolactone (PCL) scaffolds and evaluate their effect on the surface topography, hydrophilicity, degradation, and in-vitro cell adhesion compared to untreated PCL scaffolds. The PCL scaffold specimens were 3D-printed by fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique with specific porosity parameters. The 3D-printed specimens’ surfaces were modified by NDs deposition followed by oxygen plasma post-treatment using a plasma focus device and a non-thermal atmospheric plasma jet, respectively. Specimens were evaluated through morphological characterization by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), microstructure characterization by Raman spectroscopy, chemical characterization by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, hydrophilicity degree by contact angle and water uptake measurements, and in-vitro degradation measurements (n = 6). In addition, in-vitro bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells adhesion was evaluated quantitatively by confocal microscopy and qualitatively by FESEM at different time intervals after cell seeding (n = 6). The statistical significance level was set at p ⩽ 0.05. The FESEM micrographs, the Raman, and FTIR spectra confirmed the successful surface deposition of NDs on scaffold specimens. The NDs treated specimens showed nano-scale features distributed homogeneously across the surface compared to the untreated ones. Also, the NDs treated specimens revealed a statistically significant smaller contact angle (17.45 ± 1.34 degrees), higher water uptake percentage after 24 h immersion in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) (21.56% ± 1.73), and higher degradation rate after six months of immersion in PBS (43.92 ± 0.77%). Moreover, enhanced cell adhesion at all different time intervals was observed in NDs treated specimens with higher nuclei area fraction percentage (69.87 ± 3.97%) compared to the untreated specimens (11.46 ± 1.34%). Surface deposition of NDs with oxygen-containing functional groups on 3D-printed PCL scaffolds increased their hydrophilicity and degradation rate with significant enhancement of the in-vitro cell adhesion compared to untreated PCL scaffolds.
Pressure-dependent bandgap characteristics in photonic crystals with sensing applications
Authors: Sherawat Varnam , Bokolia Renuka , Sinha Ravindra Kumar
Published: June 2024

The present study elucidates a photonic crystal (PhC)-based pressure sensor exploiting the change in refractive index with pressure and the corresponding structural deformation of the dielectric material. The stress-sensitive refractive indices of the constituent materials of the PhC have been considered to study the effect of applied pressure on the photonic bandgap (PBG) characteristics of the structure. The designed pressure sensor, proposed using a two-dimensional hexagonal lattice arrangement of air holes in a dielectric slab, operates in the high-pressure range of 1–6 GPa. A comparative study of the PBG characteristics with the application of high pressure has been reported for three semiconducting materials—GaAs, Ge and Si, used for the dielectric slab in the proposed structure. GaAs is found to exhibit the highest sensitivity to pressure variations and shows more pronounced shifting of the midgap wavelength with pressure in comparison to Ge and Si. The largest PBG is seen in the Ge-based structure, closely followed by the GaAs and Si-based structures. The proposed structure is suitable for high-pressure sensing applications.
Magnetic field enhanced terahertz generation from shape-dependent metallic nanoparticles
Authors: Simon Moses , Chauhan Prashant
Published: June 2024

This communication deals with the analytical study of terahertz (THz) generation via frequency-difference mechanism using two circularly symmetric Gaussian laser beams with slightly different frequencies

ω
1

and

ω
2

and wave vectors

k
→

1

and

k
→

2

 

simultaneously propagating through a mixture of spatially corrugated noble-metal nanoparticles. The mixture, consisting of spherical nanoparticles (SNPs) and cylindrical nanoparticles (CNPs), is placed in a host medium under the influence of an externally applied static magnetic field. The two co-propagating laser beams impart a nonlinear ponderomotive force on the electrons of the NPs, causing them to experience nonlinear oscillatory velocity. Furthermore, the consequent nonlinear current density excites THz radiation at the beat frequency

ω

 

(

=

ω
1

−

ω
2

)

. Magnetic fields influence the surface plasmon resonance condition associated with electrons of the nanoparticles due to enhancement in ponderomotive nonlinearities, thereby causing an increment in the amplitude of the generated THz field. It is observed that the generated THz radiation has a strong dependence on the shape and size of the NPs in addition to the magnetic field strength. CNPSs provide greater THz amplitude than SNPs due to additional resonance modes, and combining both kinds of nanostructures further enhances the amplitude. THz radiation plays an important role in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields, communications, security and THz spectroscopy.
Radical Politics from the 1930s to the 1960s
Authors: Browning Gary
Published: June 2024

From an early age, Murdoch was interested in politics. She was a progressive radical at Badminton School in the 1930s, learning from the School’s special interest in refugees. She joined the Communist Party shortly after going to Oxford University, where she was also active in the Labour Club. She wrote stirring political poetry. After Oxford, she went to the Treasury, spied for the Soviet Union, and wrote committed reviews of theology and politics for The Adelphi. She joined UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) at the end of the war, working in Belgium and Austria. The experience of working in refugee camps reinforced her sensitivity to the plight of displaced persons. After the war she left the Communist Party but still supported radicalism, writing a number of essays, including, in 1958, the notable essay on utopian socialism, ‘A House of Theory’. She campaigned against the bomb, sexual discrimination, and American intervention in Vietnam.
Outsiders: Migrants, the Displaced, Refugees, and the Holocaust
Authors: Browning Gary
Published: June 2024

Murdoch’s novels include many outsiders. The displaced, refugees, and migrants appear in them all. The Flight From the Enchanter is notable for including multiple migrants and refugees. These migrants vary: some are powerful and aggressive; others are victims. They are all affected by their status, and other characters in the novels are affected by these outsiders. The question of how outsiders should be treated politically is frequently raised. Even sympathetic characters are often inattentive to the plight of these refugees. The situation of migrants in many of the novels is problematic. It is not clear if they have rights. The Italian Girl and The Time of the Angels show the desperation of Russian migrants. A late novel, The Message to the Planet, deals with the Holocaust. Many of its characters look at the Holocaust from a variety of different perspectives. Murdoch does not tell the reader what to think. She invites the reader to think for themselves about it.
Conclusion
Authors: Browning Gary
Published: June 2024

Is Murdoch a political thinker? Is she a notable political theorist? This book answers ‘yes’ to both these questions. The chapter reviews preceding chapters, highlighting how Murdoch in her fiction and non-fiction offers insightful analysis and striking images of politics and recognizes the impact of political developments in the twentieth century. She relates politics to other activities, such as art and philosophy, which can provide guidance and insight on political matters. In her early career she is original in diagnosing issues for socialism and highlighting how theory can provide an imaginative focus for socialism. In her later career, her philosophical recognition of the significance of political axioms, shows how political morality can be understood as separate from personal morals. The impact of politics in the twentieth century is shown in her novels, where the wave of post-war migration into the UK is represented by multiple characters in her novels hailing from overseas. Moreover, her novels explore the nature of sexuality and the regulation of sexuality in the post-war world. Murdoch takes on the thorny and difficult issue of the Holocaust, presenting different ways in which it might be understood. Overall, Murdoch is revealed as a notable political theorist, whose political insight sheds light on post-war politics. The originality and significance of Murdoch’s appreciation of politics is shown by a comparison of her ideas with those of Arendt, Weil, and Oakeshott.
The Puerto Rico Young Adults’ Stress, Contextual, Behavioral, and Cardiometabolic Risk (PR-OUTLOOK) Study: design and methods
Authors: Pérez Cynthia M , Kiefe Catarina I , Person Sharina D , Tucker Katherine L , Torres Polaris , Sandoval Estefanía , Boneu Claudia , Ramírez Zuleika , Mattei Josiemer , Rodríguez-Orengo José , Almodóvar-Rivera Israel , Rosal Milagros C
Published: June 2024

The Puerto Rico (PR) Young Adults’ Stress, Contextual, Behavioral and Cardiometabolic Risk Study (PR-OUTLOOK) is investigating overall and component-specific cardiovascular health (CVH) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in a sample of young Puerto Rican adults (aged 18-29 years) in PR (target n = 3000) and examining relationships between individual-, family- or social-, and neighborhood-level stress and resilience factors and CVH and CVD risk factors. The study researchers are conducting standardized measurements of CVH and CVD risk factors and demographic, behavioral, psychosocial, neighborhood, and contextual variables and establishing a biorepository of blood, saliva, urine, stool, and hair samples. The assessment methods are aligned with other National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute–funded studies: the Puerto Rico Observational Study of Psychosocial, Environmental, and Chronic Disease Trends of adults aged 30-75 years; the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos; the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study; and the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults. PR-OUTLOOK data and the study biorepository will facilitate future longitudinal studies of the temporality of associations between stress and resilient factors and CVH and CVD risk factors among young Puerto Ricans. These resources have potential for advancing the scientific understanding of these conditions in a high-risk but understudied young population.
Pollinator-mediated selection on Krameria oil flowers: a flower–pollinator fit adaptation to an atypical oil-collecting behaviour?
Authors: Carneiro Liedson Tavares , Cocucci Andrea Aristides , Sérsic Alicia N , Machado Isabel Cristina , Alves-Dos-Santos Isabel
Published: June 2024

Background and Aims

Spatial variation in plant–pollinator interactions is a key driver of floral trait diversification. A so far overlooked qualitative aspect of this variation is the behavioural component on flowers that relates to the pollinator fit. We tested the hypothesis that variation in pollinator behaviour influences the geographical pattern of phenotypic selection across the distribution range of the oil-producing Krameria grandiflora (Krameriaceae). This variation mainly involves the presence or absence of flag petal grasping, which is only performed by representatives of Centris (Centridini, Apidae), an oil-collecting bee group highly associated with Krameriaceae pollination.

Methods

We quantified variation in floral traits and fitness and estimated pollinator-mediated selection in five populations at a large geographical scale comprising the entire species range. In each population, we sampled individual pollen arrival and germination as a fitness measure, indicating pollination success and pollination performance, which was then relativized and regressed on standardized flower–pollinator fit (flag–stigma distance), advertisement (sepal length) and reward (oil volume) traits. This generated mean-scaled selection gradients used to calculate geographical selection dispersion.

Key Results

Unexpectedly, stronger selection was detected on the flower–pollinator fit trait in populations highly associated with the absence of flag petal grasping. Geographical variation in selection was mainly attributed to differential selection on the flag–stigma distance generating a selection mosaic. This may involve influences of a spatial variation in pollinator behaviour as well as composition and morphology.

Conclusions

Our results show the adaptive significance of the specialized flag petals of Krameria in the absence of the grasping behaviour and highlight the contribution of geographical variation in pollinator behaviour on flowers in driving selection mosaics, with implications for floral evolution, adaptation to pollinator fit and phenotypic diversity in specialized systems.
Shaping scientists: How faculty values influence graduate student recruitment and diversity, equity, and inclusion
Authors: Jensen Alex J , Bombaci Sara P
Published: June 2024

Recruitment is central to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within higher education, but how faculty recruit their graduate students and consider DEI in this context remains unknown. We surveyed environmental science faculty across the United States, aiming to better understand what faculty value when recruiting, as well as when, how, and why they consider DEI. We show that faculty valued applicant character traits highest, followed by soft skills and relevant technical experience. DEI-related criteria were of low to medium importance and were generally rated lower by faculty who were White, male, and at R1 institutions, although there were nuances related to applicant degree (MS versus PhD), whether we were asking about the applicant’s commitment to DEI or their demographic identity, and the stage of the recruitment process. We identified opportunities for more inclusive graduate recruitment, including higher pay, more objective evaluation strategies, and a need for institutions to incentivize productivity without undermining the faculty’s ability to attract diverse graduate students.
A modeling framework for detecting and leveraging node-level information in Bayesian network inference
Authors: Xi Xiaoyue , Ruffieux Hélène
Published: June 2024

Bayesian graphical models are powerful tools to infer complex relationships in high dimension, yet are often fraught with computational and statistical challenges. If exploited in a principled way, the increasing information collected alongside the data of primary interest constitutes an opportunity to mitigate these difficulties by guiding the detection of dependence structures. For instance, gene network inference may be informed by the use of publicly available summary statistics on the regulation of genes by genetic variants. Here we present a novel Gaussian graphical modeling framework to identify and leverage information on the centrality of nodes in conditional independence graphs. Specifically, we consider a fully joint hierarchical model to simultaneously infer (i) sparse precision matrices and (ii) the relevance of node-level information for uncovering the sought-after network structure. We encode such information as candidate auxiliary variables using a spike-and-slab submodel on the propensity of nodes to be hubs, which allows hypothesis-free selection and interpretation of a sparse subset of relevant variables. As efficient exploration of large posterior spaces is needed for real-world applications, we develop a variational expectation conditional maximization algorithm that scales inference to hundreds of samples, nodes and auxiliary variables. We illustrate and exploit the advantages of our approach in simulations and in a gene network study which identifies hub genes involved in biological pathways relevant to immune-mediated diseases.
COL10A1 expression distinguishes a subset of cancer-associated fibroblasts present in the stroma of high-risk basal cell carcinoma
Authors: Esposito Mauro , Yerly Laura , Shukla Prachi , Hermes Victoria , Sella Federica , Balazs Zsolt , Lattmann Evelyn , Tastanova Aizhan , Turko Patrick , Lang Ramon , Kolm Isabel , Staeger Ramon , Kuonen François , Krauthammer Michael , Hafner Juerg , Levesque Mitchell P , Restivo Gaetana
Published: June 2024

Background

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequently diagnosed skin cancer and the most common malignancy in humans. Different morphological subtypes of BCC are associated with a low or high risk of recurrence and aggressiveness, but the underlying biology of how the individual subtypes arise remains largely unknown. As the majority of BCCs appear to arise from mutations in the same pathway, we hypothesized that BCC development, growth and invasive potential is also influenced by the tumour microenvironment and, in particular, by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and the factors they secrete.

Objectives

To characterize the stroma of the different BCC subtypes with a focus on CAF populations.

Methods

To investigate the stromal features of the different BCC subtypes, we used laser capture microdissection (LCM) followed by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Fifteen BCC samples from five different ‘pure’ subtypes (i.e. superficial, nodular, micronodular, sclerosing and basosquamous; n = 3 each) were selected and included in the analysis. Healthy skin was used as a control (n = 6). The results were confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). We validated our findings in two independent public single-cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) datasets and by RNAscope.

Results

The stroma of the different BCC subtypes were found to have distinct gene expression signatures. Nodular and micronodular appeared to have the most similar signatures, while superficial and sclerosing the most different. By comparing low- and high-risk BCC subtypes, we found that COL10A1 is overexpressed in the stroma of sclerosing/infiltrative and basosquamous but not in micronodular high-risk subtypes. Those findings were confirmed by IHC in 93 different BCC and 13 healthy skin samples. Moreover, scRNA-Seq analysis of BCCs from two independent datasets found that the COL10A1-expressing population of cells is associated with the stroma adjacent to infiltrative BCC and shows extracellular matrix remodelling features.

Conclusions

We identified COL10A1 as a marker of high-risk BCC, in particular of the sclerosing/infiltrative and basosquamous subtypes. We demonstrated at the single-cell level that COL10A1 is expressed by a specific CAF population associated with the stroma of infiltrative BCC. This opens up new, tailored treatment options, and suggests COL10A1 as a new prognostic biomarker for BCC progression.
Measuring the Total Number of US Job Seekers
Authors: Braun Christine
Published: June 2024

I document a substantial rise in the proportion of job seekers who are classified as out of the labour force in the United States since 1980. I propose an adjusted unemployment rate to account for these searchers; the adjustment increases the unemployment rate by 5.2 percentage points, rids the unemployment rate of its downward trend and decreases volatility by 50%. I also construct a measure of total search effort in the economy, including employed job seekers. Finally, estimates of the Phillips curve using the adjusted unemployment rate or total searcher rate show no sign of a flattening output-inflation relationship in the post-2008 recession period.
Maternal Investments in Children: The Role of Expected Effort and Returns
Authors: Bhalotra Sonia , Delavande Adeline , Font-Gilabert Paulino , Maselko Joanna
Published: June 2024

We investigate the importance of subjective expectations of returns to and effort costs of the two principal investments that mothers make in newborns: breastfeeding and stimulation. We find heterogeneity across mothers in rural Pakistan in expected effort costs and expected returns for outcomes in the cognitive, socio-emotional and health domains, and that this contributes to explaining heterogeneity in investments. We find no significant differences across women in preferences for child developmental outcomes. We simulate the impact of alternative policies on investments. Our findings highlight the relevance of interventions designed to address maternal depression and reduce perinatal fatigue alongside interventions that increase perceived returns to investments.
IGF-I assay methods and biologic variability: evaluation of acromegaly treatment response
Authors: Clemmons David R , Bidlingmaier Martin
Published: June 2024

Serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) is the primary biochemical measure of disease activity in patients with acromegaly, and the 2014 Endocrine Society guidelines recommended normal age-adjusted serum IGF-I as the biochemical target of treatment. However, quantification and interpretation of IGF-I levels are subject to limitations that may affect therapeutic decisions. Techniques for measuring IGF-I have evolved greatly over the past 40 years and continue to do so. Results can vary substantially for different assays, procedures, and laboratories. For any assay, the interpretation of IGF-I values requires robust reference ranges. Using currently available large normative databases, the upper limit of normal (ULN) for IGF-I in middle-aged and elderly individuals is lower than historical reference ranges. Thus, the goal of achieving IGF-I < 1× ULN is more demanding than in the past, and some patients with acromegaly who were classified as “normal” (IGF-I < 1× ULN) in previous studies would be reclassified as above the ULN based on newer normative data. In addition, substantial intra-individual, week-to-week variation in serum IGF-I levels (unrelated to assay performance) has been observed. With changes over time in the measurement of IGF-I and the advent of updated reference ranges derived from large normative databases, it is difficult to justify rigid adherence to the goal of maintaining IGF-I below the ULN for all patients with acromegaly. Instead, symptoms, comorbidities, and quality of life should be considered, along with growth hormone and IGF-I levels, when evaluating the need for further treatment.
Risk of fractures following bariatric surgery with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy: a Danish population-based cohort study
Authors: Winckelmann Lotte A , Gribsholt Sigrid B , Bødkergaard Katrine , Rejnmark Lars , Madsen Lene R , Richelsen Bjørn
Published: June 2024

Objective

We examined the association between Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and fracture risk, including major osteoporotic fractures (MOF), and the use of anti-osteoporosis medication (AOM). While RYGB is associated with impaired bone health and increased fracture risk, it remains uncertain whether SG has a similar impact and whether this risk is primarily due to MOF or any fracture.

Design

We conducted a nationwide cohort study covering patients treated with RYGB (n = 16 121, 10.2-year follow-up) or SG (n = 1509, 3.7-year follow-up), from 2006 to 2018, comparing them with an age- and sex-matched cohort (n = 407 580).

Methods

We computed incidence rates and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs, using Cox regression for any fracture, MOF, and use of AOM with adjustment for comorbidities.

Results

Compared with the general population cohort, RYGB was associated with an increased risk of any fracture (HR 1.56 [95% CI, 1.48-1.64]) and MOF (HR 1.49 [1.35-1.64]). Sleeve gastrectomy was associated with an increased risk of any fracture (HR 1.38 [1.13-1.68]), while the HR of MOF was 1.43 (0.97-2.12). The use of AOM was low but similar in all cohorts (approximately 1%).

Conclusions

Bariatric surgery increased the risk of any fracture and MOF to similar extend. Risks were similar for RYGB and SG. However, SG had a shorter follow-up than RYGB, and the cohort size was rather small. More research is needed for long-term SG fracture risk assessment. The use of AOM was low in all cohorts.
Targeted Next Generation Sequencing molecular profiling and its clinical application in adrenocortical cancer
Authors: Cioppi Francesca , Cantini Giulia , Ercolino Tonino , Chetta Massimiliano , Zanatta Lorenzo , Nesi Gabriella , Mannelli Massimo , Maggi Mario , Canu Letizia , Luconi Michaela
Published: June 2024

Objective

Adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy with a generally poor but heterogeneous prognosis, especially depending on the tumour stage at diagnosis. Identification of somatic gene alterations combined with clinical/histopathological evaluation of the tumour can help improve prognostication. We applied a simplified targeted-Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) panel to characterise the mutational profiles of ACCs, providing potentially relevant information for better patient management.

Design and methods

Thirty frozen tumour specimens from a local ACC series were retrospectively analysed by a custom-NGS panel (CDKN2A, CTNNB1, DAXX, MED12, NF1, PRKAR1A, RB1, TERT, TP53, ZNRF3) to detect somatic prioritised single-nucleotide variants. This cohort was integrated with 86 patients from the ACC-TCGA series bearing point-mutations in the same genes and their combinations identified by our panel. Primary endpoints of the analysis on the total cohort (113 patients) were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and hazard ratio (HR) for the different alterations grouped by the signalling pathways/combinations affected.

Results

Different PFS, OS, and HR were associated to the different pathways/combinations, being NF1 + TP53 and Wnt/β-catenin + Rb/p53 combined mutations the most deleterious, with a statistical significance for progression HR which is retained only in low-(I/II) stages—NF1 + TP53 combination: HR = 2.96[1.01-8.69] and HR = 13.23[3.15-55.61], all and low stages, respectively; Wnt/β-catenin + Rb/p53 combined pathways: HR = 6.47[2.54-16.49] and HR = 16.24[3.87-68.00], all and low-stages, respectively.

Conclusions

A simplified targeted-NGS approach seems the best routinely applicable first step towards somatic genetic characterisation of ACC for prognostic assessment. This approach proved to be particularly promising in low-stage cases, suggesting the need for more stringent surveillance and personalised treatment.
Improving efficiency evaluation in the presence of ratio data: inverse non-radial Enhanced Russell Models
Authors: Akbarian Dariush , Oukil Amar
Published: June 2024

Accepted by: Ali Emrouznejad

In many real-world scenarios, decision makers often rely on data available in ratio form. Under the data envelopment analysis (DEA) framework, radial (R) models, such as DEA-R, do consider ratio data for the efficiency evaluation of decision-making units. Nevertheless, the omission of the slack values over the evaluation process may lead to inaccurate results. Hence, this paper introduces non-radial Enhanced Russell Models (ERM) with ratio data for more precise and reliable assessments. Furthermore, we develop new inverse non-linear ERM formulations to determine the optimal levels of inputs and outputs for preset ratio-efficiency scores. The validity of the proposed models is demonstrated through illustrative examples and a real-world case study, highlighting their practical relevance across diverse organizational contexts. Our research contributes novel insights and methodologies to the field of efficiency assessment, offering managers robust tools for more accurate decision-making.
Precision Symptom Phenotyping Identifies Early Clinical and Proteomic Predictors of Distinct COVID-19 Sequelae
Authors: Epsi Nusrat J , Chenoweth Josh G , Blair Paul W , Lindholm David A , Ganesan Anuradha , Lalani Tahaniyat , Smith Alfred , Mody Rupal M , Jones Milissa U , Colombo Rhonda E , Colombo Christopher J , Schofield Christina , Ewers Evan C , Larson Derek T , Berjohn Catherine M , Maves Ryan C , Fries Anthony C , Chang David , Wyatt Andrew , Scher Ann I , Byrne Celia , Rusiecki Jennifer , Saunders David L , Livezey Jeffrey , Malloy Allison , Bazan Samantha , Maldonado Carlos , Edwards Margaret Sanchez , Mende Katrin , Simons Mark P , O’Connell Robert J , Tribble David R , Agan Brian K , Burgess Timothy H , Pollett Simon D , Richard Stephanie A
Published: June 2024

Background

Post-COVID conditions (PCC) are difficult to characterize, diagnose, predict, and treat due to overlapping symptoms and poorly understood pathology. Identifying inflammatory profiles may improve clinical prognostication and trial endpoints.

Methods

This analysis included 1988 SARS-CoV-2 positive U.S. Military Health System beneficiaries who had quantitative post–COVID symptom scores. Among participants who reported moderate-to-severe symptoms on surveys collected 6 months post-SARS-CoV-2 infection, principal component analysis followed by k-means clustering identified distinct clusters of symptoms.

Results

Three symptom-based clusters were identified: a sensory cluster (loss of smell and/or taste), a fatigue/difficulty thinking cluster, and a difficulty breathing/exercise intolerance cluster. Individuals within the sensory cluster were all outpatients during their initial COVID-19 presentation. The difficulty breathing cluster had a higher likelihood of obesity and COVID-19 hospitalization than those with no/mild symptoms at 6 months post-infection. Multinomial regression linked early post-infection D-dimer and IL-1RA elevation to fatigue/difficulty thinking and elevated ICAM-1 concentrations to sensory symptoms.

Conclusions

We identified three distinct symptom-based PCC phenotypes with specific clinical risk factors and early post-infection inflammatory predictors. With further validation and characterization, this framework may allow more precise classification of PCC cases and potentially improve the diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment of PCC.
Synchronized development of thymic eosinophils and thymocytes
Authors: Ota Ayami , Iguchi Takahiro , Nitta Sachiko , Muro Ryunosuke , Mino Nanami , Tsukasaki Masayuki , Penninger Josef M , Nitta Takeshi , Takayanagi Hiroshi
Published: June 2024

The thymus is an organ required for T cell development and is also an eosinophil-rich organ; however, the nature and function of thymic eosinophils remain unclear. Here, we characterized the gene expression and differentiation mechanism of thymic eosinophils in mice. Thymic eosinophils showed a distinct gene expression profile compared with other organ-resident eosinophils. The number of thymic eosinophils was controlled by medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs). In Rag-deficient mice, the unique gene expression signature of thymic eosinophils was lost but restored by pre-T cell receptor signalling, which induces CD4+ CD8+ thymocyte differentiation, indicating that T cell differentiation beyond the CD4− CD8− stage is necessary and sufficient for the induction of thymic eosinophils. These results demonstrate that thymic eosinophils are quantitatively and qualitatively regulated by mTECs and developing thymocytes, respectively, suggesting that thymic eosinophils are a distinct, thymus-specific cell subset, induced by interactions with thymic cells.
Chemolithoautotrophic diazotrophs dominate dark nitrogen fixation in mangrove sediments
Authors: Wang Shasha , Jiang Lijing , Zhao Zhuoming , Chen Zhen , Wang Jun , Alain Karine , Cui Liang , Zhong Yangsheng , Peng Yongyi , Lai Qiliang , Dong Xiyang , Shao Zongze
Published: June 2024

Diazotrophic microorganisms regulate marine productivity by alleviating nitrogen limitation. So far chemolithoautotrophic bacteria are widely recognized as the principal diazotrophs in oligotrophic marine and terrestrial ecosystems. However, the contribution of chemolithoautotrophs to nitrogen fixation in organic-rich habitats remains unclear. Here, we utilized metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approaches integrated with cultivation assays to investigate the diversity, distribution, and activity of diazotrophs residing in Zhangzhou mangrove sediments. Physicochemical assays show that the studied mangrove sediments are typical carbon-rich, sulfur-rich, nitrogen-limited, and low-redox marine ecosystems. These sediments host a wide phylogenetic variety of nitrogenase genes, including groups I–III and VII–VIII. Unexpectedly diverse chemolithoautotrophic taxa including Campylobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Zetaproteobacteria, and Thermodesulfovibrionia are the predominant and active nitrogen fixers in the 0–18 cm sediment layer. In contrast, the 18–20 cm layer is dominated by active diazotrophs from the chemolithoautotrophic taxa Desulfobacterota and Halobacteriota. Further analysis of MAGs shows that the main chemolithoautotrophs can fix nitrogen by coupling the oxidation of hydrogen, reduced sulfur, and iron, with the reduction of oxygen, nitrate, and sulfur. Culture experiments further demonstrate that members of chemolithoautotrophic Campylobacteria have the nitrogen-fixing capacity driven by hydrogen and sulfur oxidation. Activity measurements confirm that the diazotrophs inhabiting mangrove sediments preferentially drain energy from diverse reduced inorganic compounds other than from organics. Overall, our results suggest that chemolithoautotrophs rather than heterotrophs are dominant nitrogen fixers in mangrove sediments. This study underscores the significance of chemolithoautotrophs in carbon-dominant ecosystems.
Determination of antifungal efficacy and phytotoxicity of a unique silica coated porous zinc oxide nanocomposite medium for slow-release agrochemicals
Authors: Yadav Annu , Sohlot Monika , Sahu Sudama Ram , Banerjee Tirthankar , Bhattacharya Jaydeep , Bandyopadhyay Kaustav , Das Sumistha , Debnath Nitai
Published: June 2024

Aims

In this study, the antifungal efficacy and phytotoxicity of silica coated porous zinc oxide nanoparticle (SZNP) were analyzed as this nanocomposite was observed to be a suitable platform for slow release fungicides and has the promise to bring down the dosage of other agrochemicals as well.

Methods and results

Loading and release kinetics of tricyclazole, a potent fungicide, were analyzed by measuring surface area (SBET) using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) isotherm and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively. The antifungal efficacy of ZnO nanoparticle (ZNP) and SZNP was investigated on two phytopathogenic fungi (Alternaria solani and Aspergillus niger). The morphological changes to the fungal structure due to ZNP and SZNP treatment were studied by field emission-scanning electron microscopy. Nanoparticle mediated elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in fungal samples was detected by analyzing the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, thiol content, lipid peroxidation, and by 2,7-dichlorofluorescin diacetate assay. The phytotoxicity of these two nanostructures was assessed in rice plants by measuring primary plant growth parameters. Further, the translocation of the nanocomposite in the same plant model system was examined by checking the presence of fluorescein isothiocyanate tagged SZNP within the plant tissue.

Conclusions

ZNP had superior antifungal efficacy than SZNP and caused the generation of more ROS in the fungal samples. Even then, SZNP was preferred as an agrochemical delivery vehicle because, unlike ZNP alone, it was not toxic to plant system. Moreover, as silica in nanoform is entomotoxic in nature and nano ZnO has antifungal property, both the cargo (agrochemical) and the carrier system (silica coated porous nano zinc oxide) will have a synergistic effect in crop protection.
Hyperarithmetical complexity of infinitary action logic with multiplexing
Authors: Pshenitsyn Tikhon
Published: June 2024

In 2023, Kuznetsov and Speranski introduced infinitary action logic with multiplexing $!^{m}\nabla \textrm{ACT}_{\omega }$ and proved that the derivability problem for it lies between the $\omega $ level and the $\omega ^{\omega }$ level of the hyperarithmetical hierarchy. We prove that this problem is $\varDelta ^{0}_{\omega ^{\omega }}$-complete under Turing reductions. Namely, we show that it is recursively isomorphic to the satisfaction predicate for computable infinitary formulas of rank less than $\omega ^{\omega }$ in the language of arithmetic. As a consequence we prove that the closure ordinal for $!^{m}\nabla \textrm{ACT}_{\omega }$ equals $\omega ^{\omega }$. We also prove that the fragment of $!^{m}\nabla \textrm{ACT}_{\omega }$ where Kleene star is not allowed to be in the scope of the subexponential is $\varDelta ^{0}_{\omega ^{\omega }}$-complete. Finally, we present a family of logics, which are fragments of $!^{m}\nabla \textrm{ACT}_{\omega }$, such that the complexity of the $k$-th logic lies between $\varDelta ^{0}_{\omega ^{k}}$ and $\varDelta ^{0}_{\omega ^{k+1}}$.
Altered expression of human myxovirus resistance protein A in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Honda Hiroyuki , Sadashima Shoko , Yoshimura Motoi , Sakurada Naonori , Koyama Sachiko , Yagita Kaoru , Hamasaki Hideomi , Noguchi Hideko , Arahata Hajime , Sasagasako Naokazu
Published: June 2024

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder. The etiology of sporadic ALS (sALS) has not yet been clarified. An increasing body of evidence suggests the involvement of viral infections and interferons (IFNs). Human myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA) is an IFN-induced dynamin-like GTPase that acts as a potent antiviral factor. This study examined MxA expression in ALS patient spinal cords using immunohistochemistry. Thirty-two cases of sALS (pathologically proven ALS-TDP), 10 non-ALS, other neurological disease control cases were examined. In most ALS cases, MxA cytoplasmic condensates were observed in the remaining spinal anterior horn neurons. The ALS group had a significantly higher rate of MxA-highly expressing neurons than the non-ALS group. Colocalization of MxA cytoplasmic condensate and transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43)-positive inclusions was rarely observed. Because MxA has antiviral activity induced by IFNs, our results suggest that IFNs are involved in the pathogenesis of ALS in spinal cord anterior horn neurons. Our study also suggests that monitoring viral infections and IFN activation in patients with ALS may be critically important.