bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polycera norvegica is a valid species, and a plea for good taxonomic practices – a reply to Korshunova et al., 2021
Authors: Malaquias Manuel António E. , Sørensen Cecilie Gotaas , Rauch Cessa , Pola Marta
Published: April 2022

In this letter we highlight the inconsistencies and dismantle the arguments used by Korshunova et al. (2021) where the authors have treated the nudibranch species Polycera norvegica as a junior synonym of Polycera capitata (original designation: Thecacera capitata). We show that in accordance with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Thecacera capitata should be considered a nomen dubium, and we reinstate Polycera norvegica as the valid name of this species.
Infrastructures, Circulation and the Limits of Empire: German War Aims in the First World War
Authors: Hamlin David
Published: April 2022

German war aims in the First World War developed over the course of the war in part as a response to shifts in the structure of global markets. Germany's industrial economy before the war relied substantially on access to global markets for raw materials, which were mediated by networks of infrastructure constructed as collaborative efforts by private capital and states, particularly the American and British imperial states. During the war, Great Britain and eventually the United States leveraged their position within those networks to isolate the German economy. In response, the German state sought to generate its own public-private alliances to develop German-dominated infrastructures of circulation and exchange in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. This often entailed working through other states, appropriating their sovereignty to further German ambitions. Military victory, however, so weakened these dependent states that they were unable to serve their expected role in advancing German imperial goals.
The psychosocial antecedents of the adherence to the Mediterranean diet
Authors: Carfora Valentina , Morandi Maria , Jelić Anđela , Catellani Patrizia
Published: April 2022

Objective:

Most previous research on the antecedents of healthy food choice has not investigated the links between these antecedents and has focused on specific food choice rather than on an overall diet. In the present study, we tested the plausibility of an integrated theoretical model aiming to explain the role of different psychosocial factors in increasing the intention to adhere to the Mediterranean Diet (MeDiet).

Design:

An online survey measured participants’ attitude and perceived behavioural control (i.e. rational antecedents), subjective norm (i.e. social antecedent), positive and negative anticipated emotions (i.e. emotional antecedents), food choice health and mood motives (i.e. motivational antecedents), past adherence to the MeDiet (i.e. behavioural antecedent), and intention to adhere to the MeDiet.

Setting:

Italy.

Participants:

1940 adults: 1086 females; 854 males; mean age = 35·65; sd = 14·75; age range = 18–84.

Results:

Structural Equation Modelling (sem) analyses confirmed the plausibility of the proposed model. Perceived behavioural control was the strongest rational antecedent of intention, followed by the emotional (i.e. anticipated emotions) and the social (i.e. subjective norm) antecedents. Mediation analysis showed that motivational antecedents had only an indirect impact on intention via emotional antecedents. Finally, multigroup sem analysis highlighted that past adherence to the MeDiet moderated the hypothesised paths among all the study variables.

Conclusions:

The above findings advance our comprehension of which antecedents public communication might leverage to promote an increase in the adherence to the MeDiet.
Can food parenting practices explain the association between parental education and children’s food intake? The Feel4Diabetes-study
Authors: Flores-Barrantes Paloma , Mavrogianni Christina , Iglesia Iris , Mahmood Lubna , Willems Ruben , Cardon Greet , De Vylder Flore , Liatis Stavros , Makrilakis Konstantinos , Martinez Remberto , Schwarz Peter , Rurik Imre , Antal Emese , Iotova Violeta , Tsochev Kaloyan , Chakarova Nevena , Kivelä Jemina , Wikström Katja , Manios Yannis , Moreno Luis A
Published: April 2022

Objective:

This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of food parenting practices (FPP), including home availability of different types of foods and drinks, parental modelling of fruit intake, permissiveness and the use of food as a reward in the relationship between parental education and dietary intake in European children.

Design:

Single mediation analyses were conducted to explore whether FPP explain associations between parents’ educational level and children’s dietary intake measured by a parent-reported FFQ.

Setting:

Six European countries.

Participants:

Parent–child dyads (n 6705, 50·7 % girls, 88·8 % mothers) from the Feel4Diabetes-study.

Results:

Children aged 8·15 ± 0·96 years were included. Parental education was associated with children’s higher intake of water, fruits and vegetables and lower intake of sugar-rich foods and savoury snacks. All FPP explained the associations between parental education and dietary intake to a greater or lesser extent. Specifically, home availability of soft drinks explained 59·3 % of the association between parental education and sugar-rich food intake. Home availability of fruits and vegetables was the strongest mediators in the association between parental education and fruit and vegetable consumption (77·3 % and 51·5 %, respectively). Regarding savoury snacks, home availability of salty snacks and soft drinks was the strongest mediators (27·6 % and 20·8 %, respectively).

Conclusions:

FPP mediate the associations between parental education and children’s dietary intake. This study highlights the importance of addressing FPP in future interventions targeting low-educated populations.
The Concept of Recovery and Temporality in Drug User´s Stories
Authors: Hilte Mats Bertil
Published: April 2022

Abstract: Background: Temporality and the embodiment of time is an important dimension in different recovery models, as well as in drug users’ recovery stories. Aim: The main objective of this article is twofold: first, to perform a critical analysis of prominent recovery models and their multiple temporalities, and second, to explore of how female drug users, enrolled in drug treatment, narrate their recovery process. Methods: The empirical data is drawn from a previous work, which focused on female drug users, their experiences of drug use, and of being enrolled in drug treatment. That study, which is now revisited, was designed as a qualitative case study based on semi-structured, tape-recorded, and transcribed interviews with 29 recovering drug users. Results/Conclusion: The findings in this study indicate the existence of different recovery stories – a therapeutic story, a cognitive one, and a twelve-step story. These stories embody differing motives and temporalities. In the process of developing new stories of themselves, the women in recovery reorder their narratives and open up to connect with the past and present, and thereby initiate a process leading to new interpretations of self.
Schmerz nach Schulterprothese – nicht immer Infekt oder Lockerung
Authors: Jensen Jana , Vavken Patrick
Published: April 2022

Zusammenfassung. Die Neuropathie des Nervus suprascapularis wird zunehmend als Ursache für persistierende Schulterschmerzen erkannt. Die Ursache kann, wie im Fall unserer Patientin, iatrogen sein, aber ebenso primär durch Ganglien oder sekundär durch Zug. Häufig erfolgt die Diagnosestellung und somit adäquate Therapie verzögert. Mit diesem Fallbeispiel möchten wir gerne die Neuropathie des Nervus suprascapularis in den Fokus für die Praxis rücken.
CME: Herzinsuffizienz – Überblick, Klinik, Diagnostik und Therapie
Authors: Kerov Agata , Meier Angelina , Wigger Olivier , Linka André
Published: April 2022

Zusammenfassung. Die Herzinsuffizienz ist eine der häufigsten internistischen Erkrankungen mit geschätzt mehr als 10 Millionen Betroffenen in Europa. Weitere knapp 10 Millionen Menschen weisen bereits eine Herzmuskelschwäche, jedoch noch keine Symptome auf. Zusammen mit Verletzungen und Pathologien des Bewegungsapparats gehört die Herzinsuffizienz auch in der Schweiz zu den häufigsten Gründen für eine Hospitalisation. Dieser Artikel gibt einen kurzen Überblick über dieses häufige Krankheitsbild und erläutert anhand eines Fallbeispiels die Abklärungsstrategie und Therapiemöglichkeiten.
Characterizing Changes in Eastern U.S. Pollution Events in a Warming World
Authors: Fiore Arlene M. , Milly George P. , Hancock Sarah E. , Quiñones Laurel , Bowden Jared H. , Helstrom Erik , Lamarque Jean‐François , Schnell Jordan , West J. Jason , Xu Yangyang
Published: April 2022

Risk assessments of air pollution impacts on human health and ecosystems would ideally consider a broad set of climate and emission scenarios, as well as natural internal climate variability. We analyze initial condition chemistry‐climate ensembles to gauge the significance of greenhouse‐gas‐induced air pollution changes relative to internal climate variability, and consider response differences in two models. To quantify the effects of climate change on the frequency and duration of summertime regional‐scale pollution episodes over the Eastern United States (EUS), we apply an Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis to a 3‐member GFDL‐CM3 ensemble with prognostic ozone and aerosols and a 12‐member NCAR‐CESM1 ensemble with prognostic aerosols under a 21st century RCP8.5 scenario with air pollutant emissions frozen in 2005. Correlations between GFDL‐CM3 principal components for ozone, PM2.5 and temperature represent spatiotemporal relationships discerned previously from observational analysis. Over the Northeast region, both models simulate summertime surface temperature increases of over 4°C from 2006–2025 to 2081–2100 and PM2.5 of up to 1–4 μg m−3. The ensemble average decadal incidence of upper quartile Northeast PM2.5 events lasting at least three days doubles in GFDL‐CM3 and increases by ∼50% in CESM1. In other EUS regions, inter‐model differences in PM2.5 responses to climate change cannot be explained solely by internal climate variability. Our EOF‐based approach anticipates future opportunities to data‐mine initial condition chemistry‐climate model ensembles for probabilistic assessments of changing regional‐scale pollution and heat event frequency and duration, while obviating the need to bias‐correct concentration‐based thresholds separately in individual models.
Linking Water Quality to Drinking Water Treatment Costs Using Time Series Analysis: Examining the Effect of a Treatment Plant Upgrade in Ohio
Authors: Heberling Matthew T. , Price James I. , Nietch Christopher T. , Elovitz Michael , Smucker Nathan J. , Schupp Donald A. , Safwat Amr , Neyer Tim
Published: April 2022

We estimate a cost function for a water treatment plant in Ohio to assess the avoided‐treatment costs resulting from improved source water quality. Regulations and source water concerns motivated the treatment plant to upgrade its treatment process by adding a granular activated carbon building in 2012. The cost function uses daily observations from 2013 to 2016; this allows us to compare the results to a cost function estimated for 2007–2011 for the same plant. Both models focus on understanding the relationship between treatment costs per 1,000 gallons (per 3.79 m3) of produced drinking water and predictor variables such as turbidity, pH, total organic carbon, deviations from target pool elevation, final production, and seasonal variables. Different from the 2007–2011 model, the 2013–2016 model includes a harmful algal bloom toxin variable. We find that the new treatment process leads to a different cost model than the one that covers 2007–2011. Both total organic carbon and algal toxin are important drivers for the 2013–2016 treatment costs. This reflects a significant increase in cyanobacteria cell densities capable of producing toxins in the source water between time periods. The 2013–2016 model also reveals that positive and negative shocks to treatment costs affect volatility, the changes in the variance of costs through time, differently. Positive shocks, or increased costs, lead to higher volatility compared to negative shocks, or decreased costs, of similar magnitude. After quantifying the changes in treatment costs due to changes in source water quality, we discuss how the study results inform policy‐relevant decisions.
PD-L1 and ICOSL discriminate human Secretory and Helper dendritic cells in cancer, allergy and autoimmunity
Authors: Hoffmann Caroline , Noel Floriane , Grandclaudon Maximilien , Massenet-Regad Lucile , Michea Paula , Sirven Philemon , Faucheux Lilith , Surun Aurore , Lantz Olivier , Bohec Mylene , Ye Jian , Guo Weihua , Rochefort Juliette , Klijanienko Jerzy , Baulande Sylvain , Lecerf Charlotte , Kamal Maud , Le Tourneau Christophe , Guillot-Delost Maude , Soumelis Vassili
Published: April 2022

Dendritic cells (DC) are traditionally classified according to their ontogeny and their ability to induce T cell response to antigens, however, the phenotypic and functional state of these cells in cancer does not necessarily align to the conventional categories. Here we show, by using 16 different stimuli in vitro that activated DCs in human blood are phenotypically and functionally dichotomous, and pure cultures of type 2 conventional dendritic cells acquire these states (termed Secretory and Helper) upon appropriate stimuli. PD-L1highICOSLlow Secretory DCs produce large amounts of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines but induce very low levels of T helper (Th) cytokines following co-culturing with T cells. Conversely, PD-L1lowICOSLhigh Helper DCs produce low levels of secreted factors but induce high levels and a broad range of Th cytokines. Secretory DCs bear a single-cell transcriptomic signature indicative of mature migratory LAMP3+ DCs associated with cancer and inflammation. Secretory DCs are linked to good prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and to response to checkpoint blockade in Melanoma. Hence, the functional dichotomy of DCs we describe has both fundamental and translational implications in inflammation and immunotherapy.
Using deep learning to predict abdominal age from liver and pancreas magnetic resonance images
Authors: Le Goallec Alan , Diai Samuel , Collin Sasha , Prost Jean-Baptiste , Vincent Théo , Patel Chirag J.
Published: April 2022

With age, the prevalence of diseases such as fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and type two diabetes increases. Approaches to both predict abdominal age and identify risk factors for accelerated abdominal age may ultimately lead to advances that will delay the onset of these diseases. We build an abdominal age predictor by training convolutional neural networks to predict abdominal age (or “AbdAge”) from 45,552 liver magnetic resonance images [MRIs] and 36,784 pancreas MRIs (R-Squared = 73.3 ± 0.6; mean absolute error = 2.94 ± 0.03 years). Attention maps show that the prediction is driven by both liver and pancreas anatomical features, and surrounding organs and tissue. Abdominal aging is a complex trait, partially heritable (h_g2 = 26.3 ± 1.9%), and associated with 16 genetic loci (e.g. in PLEKHA1 and EFEMP1), biomarkers (e.g body impedance), clinical phenotypes (e.g, chest pain), diseases (e.g. hypertension), environmental (e.g smoking), and socioeconomic (e.g education, income) factors.
Modeling the disruption of respiratory disease clinical trials by non-pharmaceutical COVID-19 interventions
Authors: Arsène Simon , Couty Claire , Faddeenkov Igor , Go Natacha , Granjeon-Noriot Solène , Šmít Daniel , Kahoul Riad , Illigens Ben , Boissel Jean-Pierre , Chevalier Aude , Lehr Lorenz , Pasquali Christian , Kulesza Alexander
Published: April 2022

Respiratory disease trials are profoundly affected by non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) against COVID-19 because they perturb existing regular patterns of all seasonal viral epidemics. To address trial design with such uncertainty, we developed an epidemiological model of respiratory tract infection (RTI) coupled to a mechanistic description of viral RTI episodes. We explored the impact of reduced viral transmission (mimicking NPIs) using a virtual population and in silico trials for the bacterial lysate OM-85 as prophylaxis for RTI. Ratio-based efficacy metrics are only impacted under strict lockdown whereas absolute benefit already is with intermediate NPIs (eg. mask-wearing). Consequently, despite NPI, trials may meet their relative efficacy endpoints (provided recruitment hurdles can be overcome) but are difficult to assess with respect to clinical relevance. These results advocate to report a variety of metrics for benefit assessment, to use adaptive trial design and adapted statistical analyses. They also question eligibility criteria misaligned with the actual disease burden.
Sympathetic axonal sprouting induces changes in macrophage populations and protects against pancreatic cancer
Authors: Guillot Jérémy , Dominici Chloé , Lucchesi Adrien , Nguyen Huyen Thi Trang , Puget Angélique , Hocine Mélanie , Rangel-Sosa Martha M. , Simic Milesa , Nigri Jérémy , Guillaumond Fabienne , Bigonnet Martin , Dusetti Nelson , Perrot Jimmy , Lopez Jonathan , Etzerodt Anders , Lawrence Toby , Pudlo Pierre , Hubert Florence , Scoazec Jean-Yves , van de Pavert Serge A. , Tomasini Richard , Chauvet Sophie , Mann Fanny
Published: April 2022

Neuronal nerve processes in the tumor microenvironment were highlighted recently. However, the origin of intra-tumoral nerves remains poorly known, in part because of technical difficulties in tracing nerve fibers via conventional histological preparations. Here, we employ three-dimensional (3D) imaging of cleared tissues for a comprehensive analysis of sympathetic innervation in a murine model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Our results support two independent, but coexisting, mechanisms: passive engulfment of pre-existing sympathetic nerves within tumors plus an active, localized sprouting of axon terminals into non-neoplastic lesions and tumor periphery. Ablation of the innervating sympathetic nerves increases tumor growth and spread. This effect is explained by the observation that sympathectomy increases intratumoral CD163+ macrophage numbers, which contribute to the worse outcome. Altogether, our findings provide insights into the mechanisms by which the sympathetic nervous system exerts cancer-protective properties in a mouse model of PDAC.
A meteorological dataset of the West African monsoon during the 2016 DACCIWA campaign
Authors: Kohler Martin , Bessardon Geoffrey , Brooks Barbara , Kalthoff Norbert , Lohou Fabienne , Adler Bianca , Olawale Jegede Oluwagbemiga , Altstädter Barbara , Amekudzi Leonard Kofitse , Aryee Jeffrey Nii Armah , Atiah Winifred Ayinpogbilla , Ayoola Muritala , Babić Karmen , Bärfuss Konrad , Bezombes Yannick , Bret Guillaume , Brilouet Pierre-Etienne , Cayle-Aethelhard Fred , Danuor Sylvester , Delon Claire , Derrien Solene , Dione Cheikh , Durand Pierre , Fosu-Amankwah Kwabena , Gabella Omar , Groves James , Handwerker Jan , Jambert Corinne , Kunka Norbert , Lampert Astrid , Leclercq Jérémy , Lothon Marie , Medina Patrice , Miere Arnaud , Pätzold Falk , Pedruzo-Bagazgoitia Xabier , Reinares Martínez Irene , Sharpe Steven , Smith Victoria , Wieser Andreas
Published: April 2022

As part of the Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa (DACCIWA) project, extensive in-situ measurements of the southern West African atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) have been performed at three supersites Kumasi (Ghana), Savè (Benin) and Ile-Ife (Nigeria) during the 2016 monsoon period (June and July). The measurements were designed to provide data for advancing our understanding of the relevant processes governing the formation, persistence and dissolution of nocturnal low-level stratus clouds and their influence on the daytime ABL in southern West Africa. An extensive low-level cloud deck often forms during the night and persists long into the following day strongly influencing the ABL diurnal cycle. Although the clouds are of a high significance for the regional climate, the dearth of observations in this region has hindered process understanding. Here, an overview of the measurements ranging from near-surface observations, cloud characteristics, aerosol and precipitation to the dynamics and thermodynamics in the ABL and above, and data processing is given. So-far achieved scientific findings, based on the dataset analyses, are briefly overviewed.
Combination gemcitabine and PD-L1xCD3 bispecific T cell engager (BiTE) enhances T lymphocyte cytotoxicity against cholangiocarcinoma cells
Authors: Wathikthinnakon Methi , Luangwattananun Piriya , Sawasdee Nunghathai , Chiawpanit Chutipa , Lee Vannajan Sanghiran , Nimmanpipug Piyarat , Tragoolpua Yingmanee , Rotarayanont Siriphorn , Sangsuwannukul Thanich , Phanthaphol Nattaporn , Wutti-in Yupanun , Somboonpatarakun Chalermchai , Chieochansin Thaweesak , Junking Mutita , Sujjitjoon Jatuporn , Yenchitsomanus Pa-thai , Panya Aussara
Published: April 2022

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a lethal cancer with rapid progression and poor survival. Novel and more effective therapies than those currently available are, therefore, urgently needed. Our research group previously reported the combination of gemcitabine and cytotoxic T lymphocytes to be more effective than single-agent treatment for the elimination of CCA cells. However, gemcitabine treatment of CCA cells upregulates the expression of an immune checkpoint protein (programmed death-ligand 1 [PD-L1]) that consequently inhibits the cytotoxicity of T lymphocytes. To overcome this challenge and take advantage of PD-L1 upregulation upon gemcitabine treatment, we generated recombinant PD-L1xCD3 bispecific T cell engagers (BiTEs) to simultaneously block PD-1/PD-L1 signaling and recruit T lymphocytes to eliminate CCA cells. Two recombinant PD-L1xCD3 BiTEs (mBiTE and sBiTE contain anti-PD-L1 scFv region from atezolizumab and from a published sequence, respectively) were able to specifically bind to both CD3 on T lymphocytes, and to PD-L1 overexpressed after gemcitabine treatment on CCA (KKU213A, KKU055, and KKU100) cells. mBiTE and sBiTE significantly enhanced T lymphocyte cytotoxicity against CCA cells, especially after gemcitabine treatment, and their magnitudes of cytotoxicity were positively associated with the levels of PD-L1 expression. Our findings suggest combination gemcitabine and PD-L1xCD3 BiTE as a potential alternative therapy for CCA.
Ion transport and limited currents in supporting electrolytes and ionic liquids
Authors: Schalenbach Maximilian , Durmus Yasin Emre , Tempel Hermann , Kungl Hans , Eichel Rüdiger-A.
Published: April 2022

Supporting electrolytes contain inert dissolved salts to increase the conductivity, to change microenvironments near the electrodes and to assist in electrochemical reactions. This combined experimental and computational study examines the impact of supporting salts on the ion transport and related limited currents in electrochemical cells. A physical model that describes the multi-ion transport in liquid electrolytes and the resulting concentration gradients is presented. This model and its parameterization are evaluated by the measured limited current of the copper deposition in a CuSO4 electrolyte under a gradually increasing amount of Na2SO4 that acts as a supporting salt. A computational sensibility analysis of the transport model reveals that the shared conductance between the ions lowers the limited currents with larger supporting salt concentrations. When the supporting salt supplies most of the conductance, the electric-field-driven transport of the electrochemically active ions becomes negligible so that the limited current drops to the diffusion-limited current that is described by Fick’s first law. The transition from diluted supporting electrolyte to the case of ionic liquids is elucidated with the transport model, highlighting the different physical transport mechanisms in a non-conducting (polar) and a conducting (ionic) solvent.
Nanoscopic analyses of cell-adhesive protein adsorption on poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) surfaces
Authors: Nishida Kei , Baba Koki , Murakami Daiki , Tanaka Masaru
Published: April 2022

Nanoscopic analyses of protein adsorption on the nanometer-scale structures of PMEA substrates were performed. The polymer-poor regions displayed increased adhesion strength and conformational changes in adsorbed fibronectin compared to fibrinogen.
Supramolecular organometallic chemistry: the platinum(iv) paradigm
Authors: Puddephatt Richard J.
Published: April 2022

Organoplatinum complexes with hydrogen bond donors as substituents undergo self assembly to form interesting molecular materials, such as a polyrotaxane.
Oak-inspired anti-biofouling shape-memory unidirectional scaffolds with stable solar water evaporation performance
Authors: Xu Hao , Xing Hanye , Chen Sheng , Wang Qian , Dong Liang , Hu Kang-Di , Wang Bao , Xue Jingzhe , Lu Yang
Published: April 2022

Inspired by the oak wood with vertically aligned channels and antimicrobial polyphenols, we developed an anti-biofouling shape-memory scaffold, which maintains stable solar-driven water evaporation even after exposure to fungi and bacteria.
Tunable multimodal printable up-/down-conversion nanomaterials for gradient information encryption
Authors: Wu Youfusheng , Xue Enbo , Tian Bin , Zheng Ke , Liang Jing , Wu Wei
Published: April 2022

Color-tunable and multiple luminous categories are beneficial for the architecture of superior coding capacity and high-confidentiality information encryption.
Nitroxide mediated radical polymerization for the preparation of poly(vinyl chloride) grafted poly(acrylate) copolymers
Authors: Vebr Aurélien , Dallegre Magali , Autissier Laurent , Drappier Charlotte , Le Jeune Karel , Gigmes Didier , Kermagoret Anthony
Published: April 2022

Alkoxyamines grafted on PVC initiated the NMP of butylacrylate or PEGA to yield PVC-g-poly(acrylate) presenting Tg from 63.5 to −10.5 °C.
A multi-input/multi-output molecular system based on lanthanide(iii) complexes
Authors: Qian Chengyuan , Ma Yanshun , Zhang Yunhua , Yuan Liling , Zhang Dingxin , Zhao Lili , Luo Jian , Wang Xiaohui
Published: April 2022

This is the first study to use a bis(azobenzene)-functionalized Tb(iii) complex to construct a MIMO molecular system that exhibits efficient multi-responsive behaviors with multistates upon applying multiple stimuli as input signals.
Materials-driven approaches to understand extrinsic drug resistance in cancer
Authors: Pritchard Justin R. , Lee Michael J. , Peyton Shelly R.
Published: April 2022

This perspective describes the systems biology and controllable microenvironment tools needed to de-convolve and parse a crowded network of signals and responses necessary to interrogate the high dimensional interactions governing drug resistance in patients.
Case Study: CRISPR 101 – a novel online learning course harnessing innovative ways to teach a complex biomolecular technology
Authors: Pal Martin , Cranna Nicki , Herold Marco J. , Bumsted O’Brien Keely
Published: April 2022

Complex biomolecular technologies revolutionise scientific research. Fully embedding scientific advances in the community requires innovative ways to educate learners on the molecular foundations upon which these technologies are based. In this case study, we present the conception and design of Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI’s) inaugural wholly online learning course focussed on explaining the revolutionary genome-editing technology, clustered regulatory interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR). Utilising WEHI’s strength in bringing science educators and world-leading CRISPR scientists together, we designed a multimodal online resource that introduces learners, without an extensive background in either science or genome editing, to the fundamental concepts of CRISPR technology. Using the online course creation tool, Articulate 360, we guided learners through three modules containing targeted lessons designed to focus on specific learning outcomes. Integrated videos, research articles, interviews, and other resources, allowed for self-paced learning that met various learning style needs. The extensive resources provided opportunities to delve deeper into the content for advanced learners. The effectiveness of the course, evaluated with survey responses collected upon completion of the course, highlighted the ease of use and functionality of the course, and an increased understanding of CRISPR technology after course completion. We anticipate future online learning course development to showcase complex molecular technology that will be valuable for tertiary education, as well as for those in the wider community interested in understanding important advances in biomedicine.
Spatiotemporal traffic data imputation via tensorial weighted Schatten‐p norm minimization
Authors: Wang Shaofan , Zhao Yongbo , Zhang Yong , Hu Yongli , Yin Baocai
Published: April 2022

Spatiotemporal traffic data exhibit multi‐granular low‐rank structure due to their periodicity among different timelines. Traditional low rank data completion methods fail to characterize such properties and produce unsatisfactory results for data imputation. In this paper, a tensorial weighted Schatten‐p norm minimization (TWSN) is proposed for spatiotemporal traffic data imputation. TWSN consists of an approximation term and a low‐rank regularization term over the recovered tensor data, where the latter is a combination of the weighted Schatten‐p norm in the matrix form of each mode of the tensor. For each mode, TWSN utilizes a selection scheme of the mode‐wise weights to capture different properties of singular values of each mode of the tensor. Overall, TWSN not only plays a balancing role between the rank function and the nuclear norm, but also captures the anisotropic correlation of singular values of each mode of the tensor. TWSN is evaluated on four real‐world datasets with different ping frequencies (2, 5, 10 min) and its performance is compared with several state‐of‐the‐art methods. The experimental results show that TWSN outperforms other methods under various data missing scenarios.
Road geometry perception without accurate positioning and lane information
Authors: Li Kan , Yang Xiaoyu , Luo Yuehui , Li Huiyun
Published: April 2022

Road geometry perception indicates road direction and drivable area for Lane Keeping System and Lane Departure Warning System in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems or routing and decision‐making in Autonomous Driving. High‐definition map with accurate positioning or lane information is generally required. However, these two types of information are not always available because of positioning failure or lane mark degradation. In this paper, a road geometry estimation method is proposed without requirement of accurate positioning and lane information. Due to the fact the lane guides the front vehicle, the potential correlation between the relative azimuth of front vehicle and the direction of road is explored. The stable and observable information of front vehicles are exploited, such as the license plate location. A radar‐camera fusion system using image processing, and a nonlinear system is then built with Unscented Kalman Filter to estimate the road curvature. Simulation results with Carla demonstrate that the method enhances the road geometry perception by 77.1%, compared with the baseline method. The proposed method can provide reliable road geometry information for autonomous driving when accurate positioning and lane information are unavailable, so that it renders more robust and safer perception for future autonomous driving.
Thrust measurement of an ion thruster by a force probe approach and comparison to a thrust balance
Authors: Scharmann Steffen , Keil Konstantin , Zorn Jana , Dietz Patrick , Nauschütt Benny , Holste Kristof , Hannemann Klaus , Klar Peter J. , Kloss Samuel , Graubner Swen , Neumann Andreas , Simon Jens
Published: April 2022

A key parameter when characterizing the performance of an electric propulsion system is obviously its thrust. The thrust can be either determined directly using a so-called thrust balance or deduced from indirect measurements. Here, we present a comparison of thrust measurements of the same radio frequency ion thruster in the thrust range from 250 μN to 1.5 mN using three different approaches: a conventional direct measurement employing a thrust balance and two indirect measurements, one based on a force probe located stationary in the thruster’s plume in conjunction with a scan of the ion beam profile using a Faraday-array scanner, and another one based on a measurement of the beam current at the grid system and a correction for beam divergence deduced from the Faraday-array scans. The results of the three approaches are compared for different beam currents, and pros and cons of the approaches are discussed.
Tunable broadband terahertz metamaterial absorber based on vanadium dioxide
Authors: Yang Guishuang , Yan Fengping , Du Xuemei , Li Ting , Wang Wei , Lv Yuling , Zhou Hong , Hou Yafei
Published: April 2022

The special electromagnetic properties of metamaterials have contributed to the development of terahertz technology, and terahertz broadband absorbers for various applications have been investigated. The design of metamaterial absorbers with tunability is in a particularly attractive position. In this work, a tunable broadband terahertz metamaterial absorber is proposed based on the phase transition material vanadium dioxide (VO2). The simulation results show that an excellent absorption bandwidth reaches 3.78 THz with the absorptivity over 90% under normal incidence. The absorptivity of the proposed structure can be dynamically tuned from 2.7% to 98.9% by changing the conductivity of VO2, which changes the structure from a perfect reflector to an absorber. An excellent amplitude modulation with the absorptivity is realized. The mechanism of broadband absorption is explored by analyzing the electric field distribution of the absorber based on impedance matching theory. In addition, it also has the advantage of polarization and incident angle insensitivity. The proposed absorber may have a wide range of promising applications in areas such as terahertz imaging, sensing, and detection.
Tunable electronic structure in twisted WTe2/WSe2 heterojunction bilayer
Authors: Chen Zi-Si , Guo Wen-Ti , Ye Jiefeng , Zhong Kehua , Zhang Jian-Min , Huang Zhigao
Published: April 2022

Electronic structures of non-twisted and twisted WTe2/WSe2 heterojunction bilayers were investigated using first-principles calculations. Our results show that, for the twisted WTe2/WSe2 heterojunction bilayer, the bandgaps are all direct bandgaps, and the bandgap (K–K) increases significantly when the twist angle is from 0° to 10°. However, when the twist angle is from 11° to 14.2°, the bandgaps are all indirect bandgaps and the bandgap (G–K) significantly reduces. The band structure of the twisted WTe2/WSe2 heterojunction bilayer differs significantly from that of the non-twisted. Twisted WTe2/WSe2 heterojunction bilayers can be seen as a direct bandgap to an indirect bandgap conversion when turned to a certain angle. Interestingly, the bandgap of the WTe2/WSe2 heterojunction bilayer is very sensitive to the change in the twist angle. For example, when the twist angle is 10.5°, a maximum bandgap will appear. However, the minimum bandgap is 0.041 eV at 14.2°. Our findings have important guidance for device tuning of two-dimensional heterojunction materials.
Predicting new potential antimalarial compounds by using Zagreb topological indices
Authors: Brito Daniel , Marquez Edgar , Rosas Felix , Rosas Ennis
Published: April 2022

Molecular topology allows describing molecular structures following a two-dimensional approach by taking into account how the atoms are arranged internally through a connection matrix between the atoms that are part of a structure. Various molecular indices (unique for each molecule) can be determined, such as Zagreb, Balaban, and topological indices. These indices have been correlated with physical chemistry properties such as molecular weight, boiling point, and electron density. Furthermore, their relationship with a specific biological activity has been found in other reports. Therefore, its knowledge and interpretation could be critical in the rational design of new compounds, saving time and money in their development process. In this research, the molecular graph of antimalarials already in the pharmaceutical market, such as chloroquine, primaquine, quinine, and artemisinin, was calculated and used to compute the Zagreb indices; a relationship between these indices and the antimalarial activities was found. According to the results reported in this work, the smaller the Zagreb indices, the higher the antimalarial activity. This relationship works very well for other compounds series. Therefore, it seems to be a fundamental structural requirement for this activity. Three triazole-modified structures are proposed as possible potential antimalarials based on this hypothesis. Finally, this work shows that the Zagreb indices could be a cornerstone in designing and synthesizing new antimalarial compounds, albeit they must be proved experimentally.
Pre-diagnostic routes to colorectal cancer in Central New Zealand: factors that lead to emergency presentation and longer diagnostic intervals at primary and secondary level care
Authors: Warren Melissa , Emery Jon , Krishnasamy Mei , O'Donnell Anne , Gough Karla
Published: April 2022

Introduction Although international large-scale studies have investigated routes to diagnosis for colorectal cancer, there is limited information on how New Zealanders seek help for bowel symptoms across different pre-diagnostic routes. Aim To better understand pre-diagnostic routes for colorectal cancer, including the characteristics of patients and key events associated with each route. Methods This study was a retrospective audit of hospital administrative and medical records for 120 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of colorectal cancer between 2016 and 2017. All patients were receiving care at one of two hospitals in central New Zealand; one urban and one rural. Extracted data were used to: categorise pre-diagnostic routes for colorectal cancer; describe the characteristics of people who presented by each route; and compare key events in the diagnostic and treatment intervals for people who presented by each route. Results Six routes to the diagnosis of colorectal cancer were identified. The three main routes included: routine general practitioner (GP) referral (28%, 95% CI: 21–37%), emergency presentation (27%, 95% CI: 20–35%), and other outpatient services (26%, 95% CI: 19–34%). Patients diagnosed by routine GP referral had the longest time to diagnosis, impacting on timeliness of treatment. Discussion This study has generated detailed insights about pre-diagnostic routes for colorectal cancer in New Zealand and shown consistency with findings from previously published international research. The granular findings can now inform areas for person- and system-level interventions that, in turn, could be tested in future studies to minimise emergency department and late presentations for colorectal cancer treatment in New Zealand.
Body site locations of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis in patients referred to the Waikato District Health Board teledermoscopy clinic
Authors: Kim Kyla , Kim Ji Won , Santos Isabella , Oakley Amanda
Published: April 2022

Introduction Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and actinic keratosis (AK) are usually located on sun-exposed areas of the body. Aims Our main aims were to identify the common body site locations of BCC, SCC and AK in patients attending the Waikato District Health Board teledermoscopy clinic, also known as the Waikato Virtual Lesion Clinic, as well as to analyse whether the distribution of location changes with age and sex. Methods This is a retrospective study where the body site location of 3272 keratinocytic lesions was determined and analysed in 1864 patients attending the Waikato District Health Board teledermoscopy clinics between 2010 and 2021. Results All three types of lesion were most commonly located in the head and neck region (40.9% of BCCs, 38% of SCCs, 83.2% of AKs), followed by 26.8% on the trunk for BCC, 32.3% on the lower extremities for SCC, and 11.6% on the upper extremities for AK. Discussion Our findings of body site locations for keratinocytic lesions were consistent with other studies. Patients were commonly diagnosed with multiple keratinocytic lesions.
Rotational dynamics and transition mechanisms of surface-adsorbed proteins
Authors: Zhang Shuai , Sadre Robbie , Legg Benjamin A. , Pyles Harley , Perciano Talita , Bethel E. Wes , Baker David , Rübel Oliver , De Yoreo James J.
Published: April 2022

Significance

The exquisite organization exhibited by hybrid biomolecular–inorganic materials in nature has inspired the development of synthetic analogues for numerous applications. Nevertheless, a mechanistic picture of the energetic controls and response dynamics leading to organization is lacking. Here, we pair high-speed atomic force microscopy with machine learning and Monte Carlo simulations to analyze the rotational dynamics of rod-like proteins on a crystal lattice, simultaneously quantifying the orientational energy landscape and transition probabilities between energetically favorable orientations. Although rotations largely follow Brownian diffusion, proteins often make large jumps in orientation, thus rapidly overcoming barriers that usually inhibit rotation. Moreover, the rotational dynamics can be tuned via protein size and solution chemistry, providing tools for controlling biomolecular assembly at inorganic interfaces.
Synaptopodin stress fiber and contractomere at the epithelial junction
Authors: Morris Timothy , Sue Eva , Geniesse Caleb , Brieher William M. , Tang Vivian W.
Published: April 2022

The apical junction of epithelial cells can generate force to control cell geometry and perform contractile processes while maintaining barrier function and adhesion. Yet, the structural basis for force generation at the apical junction is not fully understood. Here, we describe two synaptopodin-dependent actomyosin structures that are spatially, temporally, and structurally distinct. The first structure is formed by the retrograde flow of synaptopodin initiated at the apical junction, creating a sarcomeric stress fiber that lies parallel to the apical junction. Contraction of the apical stress fiber is associated with either clustering of membrane components or shortening of junctional length. Upon junction maturation, apical stress fibers are disassembled. In mature epithelial monolayer, a motorized “contractomere” capable of “walking the junction” is formed at the junctional vertex. Actomyosin activities at the contractomere produce a compressive force evident by actin filament buckling and measurement with a new α-actinin-4 force sensor. The motility of contractomeres can adjust junctional length and change cell packing geometry during cell extrusion and intercellular movement. We propose a model of epithelial homeostasis that utilizes contractomere motility to support junction rearrangement while preserving the permeability barrier.
TRPC3 channel gating by lipids requires localization at the ER/PM junctions defined by STIM1
Authors: Liu Haiping , Lin Wei-Yin , Leibow Spencer R. , Morateck Alexander J. , Ahuja Malini , Muallem Shmuel
Published: April 2022

TRPC3, a member of the transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily of cation channels, is a lipid-regulated, Ca2+-permeable channel that mediates essential components of the receptor evoked Ca2+ signal. The modes and mechanisms by which lipids regulate TRPC3 and other members of the TRPC channel family are not well understood. Here, we report that PI(4,5)P2 regulates TRPC3 in three independent modes. PLC-dependent hydrolysis generates diacylglycerol (DAG) that interacts with lipid-binding site 2 in the channel pore. PI(4,5)P2 interacts with lipid site 1 to inhibit TRPC3 opening and regulate access of DAG to the pore lipid site 2. PI(4,5)P2 is required for regulating pore ionic selectivity by receptor stimulation. Notably, the activation and regulation of TRPC3 by PI(4,5)P2 require recruitment of TRPC3 to the ER/PM junctions at a PI(4,5)P2-rich domain. Accordingly, we identified an FFAT site at the TRPC3 N-terminal loop within the linker helices that envelope the C-terminus pole helix. The FFAT site interacts with the ER-resident VAPB to recruit TRPC3 to the ER/PM junctions and control its receptor-mediated activation. The TRPC3’s lipid interacting sites are fully conserved in TRPC6 and TRPC7 and in part in other TRPC channels. These findings inform on multiple modes of regulation of ion channels by lipids that may be relevant to diseases affected by aberrant TRPC channel functions.
Measuring the polarization reconstruction resolution of the ARIANNA neutrino detector with cosmic rays
Authors: Anker A. , Baldi P. , Barwick S.W. , Beise J. , Besson D.Z. , Bouma S. , Cataldo M. , Chen P. , Gaswint G. , Glaser C. , Hallgren A. , Hallmann S. , Hanson J.C. , Klein S.R. , Kleinfelder S.A. , Lahmann R. , Liu J. , Magnuson M. , McAleer S. , Meyers Z.S. , Nam J. , Nelles A. , Novikov A. , Paul M.P. , Persichilli C. , Plaisier I. , Pyras L. , Rice-Smith R. , Tatar J. , Wang S.-H. , Welling C. , Zhao L.
Published: April 2022

The ARIANNA detector is designed to detect neutrinos with energies above 1017 eV. Due to the similarities in generated radio signals, cosmic rays are often used as test beams for neutrino detectors. Some ARIANNA detector stations are equipped with antennas capable of detecting air showers. Since the radio emission properties of air showers are well understood, and the polarization of the radio signal can be predicted from the arrival direction, cosmic rays can be used as a proxy to assess the reconstruction capabilities of the ARIANNA neutrino detector. We report on dedicated efforts of reconstructing the polarization of cosmic-ray radio pulses. After correcting for difference in hardware, the two stations used in this study showed similar performance in terms of event rate and agreed with simulation. Subselecting high quality cosmic rays, the polarizations of these cosmic rays were reconstructed with a resolution of 2.5° (68% containment), which agrees with the expected value obtained from simulation. A large fraction of this resolution originates from uncertainties in the predicted polarization because of the contribution of the subdominant Askaryan effect in addition to the dominant geomagnetic emission. Subselecting events with a zenith angle greater than 70° removes most influence of the Askaryan emission, and, with limited statistics, we found the polarization uncertainty is reduced to 1.3° (68% containment).
Classification of Fermi-LAT blazars with Bayesian neural networks
Authors: Butter Anja , Finke Thorben , Keil Felicitas , Krämer Michael , Manconi Silvia
Published: April 2022

The use of Bayesian neural networks is a novel approach for the classification of γ-ray sources. We focus on the classification of Fermi-LAT blazar candidates, which can be divided into BL Lacertae objects and Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars. In contrast to conventional dense networks, Bayesian neural networks provide a reliable estimate of the uncertainty of the network predictions. We explore the correspondence between conventional and Bayesian neural networks and the effect of data augmentation. We find that Bayesian neural networks provide a robust classifier with reliable uncertainty estimates and are particularly well suited for classification problems that are based on comparatively small and imbalanced data sets. The results of our blazar candidate classification are valuable input for population studies aimed at constraining the blazar luminosity function and to guide future observational campaigns.