bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple anthropogenic pressures eliminate the effects of soil microbial diversity on ecosystem functions in experimental microcosms
Authors: Yang Gaowen , Ryo Masahiro , Roy Julien , Lammel Daniel R. , Ballhausen Max-Bernhard , Jing Xin , Zhu Xuefeng , Rillig Matthias C.
Published: July 2022

Biodiversity is crucial for the provision of ecosystem functions. However, ecosystems are now exposed to a rapidly growing number of anthropogenic pressures, and it remains unknown whether biodiversity can still promote ecosystem functions under multifaceted pressures. Here we investigated the effects of soil microbial diversity on soil functions and properties when faced with an increasing number of simultaneous global change factors in experimental microcosms. Higher soil microbial diversity had a positive effect on soil functions and properties when no or few (i.e., 1–4) global change factors were applied, but this positive effect was eliminated by the co-occurrence of numerous global change factors. This was attributable to the reduction of soil fungal abundance and the relative abundance of an ecological cluster of coexisting soil bacterial and fungal taxa. Our study indicates that reducing the number of anthropogenic pressures should be a goal in ecosystem management, in addition to biodiversity conservation.
Extensive co-binding and rapid redistribution of NANOG and GATA6 during emergence of divergent lineages
Authors: Thompson Joyce J. , Lee Daniel J. , Mitra Apratim , Frail Sarah , Dale Ryan K. , Rocha Pedro P.
Published: July 2022

Fate-determining transcription factors (TFs) can promote lineage-restricted transcriptional programs from common progenitor states. The inner cell mass (ICM) of mouse blastocysts co-expresses the TFs NANOG and GATA6, which drive the bifurcation of the ICM into either the epiblast (Epi) or the primitive endoderm (PrE), respectively. Here, we induce GATA6 in embryonic stem cells–that also express NANOG–to characterize how a state of co-expression of opposing TFs resolves into divergent lineages. Surprisingly, we find that GATA6 and NANOG co-bind at the vast majority of Epi and PrE enhancers, a phenomenon we also observe in blastocysts. The co-bound state is followed by eviction and repression of Epi TFs, and quick remodeling of chromatin and enhancer-promoter contacts thus establishing the PrE lineage while repressing the Epi fate. We propose that co-binding of GATA6 and NANOG at shared enhancers maintains ICM plasticity and promotes the rapid establishment of Epi- and PrE-specific transcriptional programs.
Optical anomalous Hall effect enhanced by flat bands in ferromagnetic van der Waals semimetal
Authors: Kato Yoshihiro D. , Okamura Yoshihiro , Minami Susumu , Fujimura Reika , Mogi Masataka , Yoshimi Ryutaro , Tsukazaki Atsushi , Takahashi Kei S. , Kawasaki Masashi , Arita Ryotaro , Tokura Yoshinori , Takahashi Youtarou
Published: July 2022

Geometrical aspects of electronic states in condensed matter have led to the experimental realization of enhanced electromagnetic phenomena, as exemplified by the giant anomalous Hall effect (AHE) in topological semimetals. However, the guideline to the large AHE is still immature due to lack of profound understanding of the sources of the Berry curvature in actual electronic structures; the main focus has concentrated only on the band crossings near the Fermi level. Here, we show that the band crossings and flat bands cooperatively produce the large intrinsic AHE in ferromagnetic nodal line semimetal candidate Fe3GeTe2. The terahertz and infrared magneto-optical spectroscopy reveals that two explicit resonance structures in the optical Hall conductivity spectra σxy(ω) are closely related to the AHE. The first-principles calculation suggests that both the flat bands having large density of states (DOS) and the band crossings near the Fermi level are the main causes of these Hall resonances. Our findings unveil a mechanism to enhance the AHE based on the flat bands, which gives insights into the topological material design.
Antiviral activity of ouabain against a Brazilian Zika virus strain
Authors: Carvalho Deyse Cristina Madruga , da Silva Poliana Gomes , Dantas Willyenne Marília , da Silva Severino Jefferson Ribeiro , da Silva Caroline Targino Alves , Chaves Elton José Ferreira , de Araújo Demetrius Antônio Machado , de Oliveira Ronaldo Nascimento , Rodrigues-Mascarenhas Sandra , Pena Lindomar José
Published: July 2022

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging arbovirus associated with neurological disorders. Currently, no specific vaccines or antivirals are available to treat the ZIKV infection. Ouabain, a cardiotonic steroid known as Na+/K+-ATPase inhibitor, has been previously described as an immunomodulatory substance by our group. Here, we evaluated for the first time the antiviral activity of this promising substance against a Brazilian ZIKV strain. Vero cells were treated with different concentrations of ouabain before and after the infection with ZIKV. The antiviral effect was evaluated by the TCID50 method and RT-qPCR. Ouabain presented a dose-dependent inhibitory effect against ZIKV, mainly when added post infection. The reduction of infectious virus was accompanied by a decrease in ZIKV RNA levels, suggesting that the mechanism of ZIKV inhibition by ouabain occurred at the replication step. In addition, our in silico data demonstrated a conformational stability and favorable binding free energy of ouabain in the biding sites of the NS5-RdRp and NS3-helicase proteins, which could be related to its mechanism of action. Taken together, these data demonstrate the antiviral activity of ouabain against a Brazilian ZIKV strain and evidence the potential of cardiotonic steroids as promising antiviral agents.
Metabolic signatures associated with oncolytic myxoma viral infections
Authors: Mahar Rohit , Ragavan Mukundan , Chang Mario C. , Hardiman Savannah , Moussatche Nissin , Behar Adam , Renne Rolf , Merritt Matthew E.
Published: July 2022

Oncolytic viral therapy is a recent advance in cancer treatment, demonstrating promise as a primary treatment option. To date, the secondary metabolic effects of viral infection in cancer cells has not been extensively studied. In this work, we have analyzed early-stage metabolic changes in cancer cells associated with oncolytic myxoma virus infection. Using GC–MS based metabolomics, we characterized the myxoma virus infection induced metabolic changes in three cancer cell lines—small cell (H446) and non-small cell (A549) lung cancers, and glioblastoma (SFxL). We show that even at an early stage (6 and 12 h) myxoma infection causes profound changes in cancer cell metabolism spanning several important pathways such as the citric acid cycle, fatty acid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. In general, the metabolic effects of viral infection across cell lines are not conserved. However, we have identified several candidate metabolites that can potentially serve as biomarkers for monitoring oncolytic viral action in general.
Sexual selection for males with beneficial mutations
Authors: Roberts Gilbert , Petrie Marion
Published: July 2022

Sexual selection is the process by which traits providing a mating advantage are favoured. Theoretical treatments of the evolution of sex by sexual selection propose that it operates by reducing the load of deleterious mutations. Here, we postulate instead that sexual selection primarily acts through females preferentially mating with males carrying beneficial mutations. We used simulation and analytical modelling to investigate the evolutionary dynamics of beneficial mutations in the presence of sexual selection. We found that female choice for males with beneficial mutations had a much greater impact on genetic quality than choice for males with low mutational load. We also relaxed the typical assumption of a fixed mutation rate. For deleterious mutations, mutation rate should always be minimized, but when rare beneficial mutations can occur, female choice for males with those rare beneficial mutations could overcome a decline in average fitness and allow an increase in mutation rate. We propose that sexual selection for beneficial mutations could overcome the ‘two-fold cost of sex’ much more readily than choice for males with low mutational load and may therefore be a more powerful explanation for the prevalence of sexual reproduction than the existing theory. If sexual selection results in higher fitness at higher mutation rates, and if the variability produced by mutation itself promotes sexual selection, then a feedback loop between these two factors could have had a decisive role in driving adaptation.
Prevalence and correlates of burnout among physicians in a developing country facing multi-layered crises: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Youssef Dalal , Youssef Janet , Abou-Abbas Linda , Kawtharani Malak , Hassan Hamad
Published: July 2022

Burnout among physicians is a serious concern that cultivates its seeds during their education. This study assessed the prevalence of burnout among Lebanese physicians and explored its correlates and the combined effects of the pandemic and the economic crisis on burnout. A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2020 using a snowball sampling technique. Moderate and high levels of burnout hit 90.7% of the physicians where personal, work-related, and client-related burnout were detected among 80.4%, 75.63%, and 69.6% of them respectively. A strong association was found between the higher level of burnout and female gender, younger age, being single, having a dependent child, living with an elderly or a family member with comorbidities, and insufficient sleeping hours. Physicians’ specialties, working in a public health facility, limited years of professional experience, lack of previous experience in a pandemic, and extensive working hours were also associated with increased burnout. Furthermore, low income, working in the frontline, higher threat perception, and fear of COVID-19 were contributing to higher burnout. The combined effect of threat perception and financial hardship significantly increased burnout levels. The alarming burnout level detected among physicians urges health authorities to take prompt actions to enhance the physicians’ well-being.
Impact of elevated systolic arterial pulmonary pressure on the total mortality rate after acute myocardial infarction in the elderly
Authors: Barywani Salim Bary , Johansson Magnus C. , Kontogeorgos Silvana , Mandalenakis Zacharias , Hansson Per-Olof
Published: July 2022

Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is associated with increased mortality after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the prognostic impact of elevated systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) in the very elderly patients after AMI is lacking. We aimed to study the impact of elevated sPAP on one- and five-year all-cause mortality after AMI in very elderly patients, 80 years of age and older. Of a total number of 353 patients (≥ 80 years) who were hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome, 162 patients presenting with AMI and with available data of sPAP on echocardiography were included and followed-up for 5 years. The survival analyses were performed using Cox-Regression models adjusted for conventional risk factors including LVEF. Altogether 66 of 162 patients (41%) had ST-segment elevation MI, and 121 (75%) of patients were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention in the acute phase. Echocardiography during the admission revealed that 78 patients (48%) had a LVEF ≤ 45% and 66 patients (41%) had a sPAP ≥ 40 mmHg. After one and five years of follow-up, 23% (n = 33) and 53% (n = 86) of patients died, respectively. A multivariable Cox-Regression analysis showed that the elevated sPAP (≥ 40 mmHg) was an independent predictor of increased mortality in both one and five years after AMI; HR of 2.63 (95%, CI 1.19–5.84, P 0.017) and HR of 2.08 (95%, CI 1.25–3.44, P 0.005) respectively, whereas LVEF ≤ 45% did not show any statistically significant impact, neither on one- nor on five-year mortality (HR 1.3, 95% CI 0.6–2.9, p = 0.469) and (HR 1.4, 95% CI 0.8–2.4, p = 0.158), respectively. Elevated sPAP was an independent risk factor for one- and five-year all-cause mortality after AMI in very elderly patients and sPAP seems to be a better prognostic predictor for all-cause mortality than LVEF. The risk of all-cause mortality after AMI increased with increasing sPAP.
A new endophyte Monascus ruber SRZ112 as an efficient production platform of natural pigments using agro-industrial wastes
Authors: El-Sayed El-Sayed R. , Gach Joanna , Olejniczak Teresa , Boratyński Filip
Published: July 2022

A number of biopigment applications in various industrial sectors are gaining importance due to the growing consumer interest in their natural origin. Thus, this work was conducted to valorize endophytic fungi as an efficient production platform for natural pigments. A promising strain isolated from leaves of Origanum majorana was identified as Monascus ruber SRZ112 produced several types of pigments. The nature of the pigments, mainly rubropunctamine, monascin, ankaflavin, rubropunctatin, and monascorubrin in the fungal extract was studied by LC/ESI–MS/MS analyses. As a first step towards developing an efficient production of red pigments, the suitability of seven types of agro-industrial waste was evaluated. The highest yield of red pigments was obtained using potato peel moistened with mineral salt broth as a culture medium. To increase yield of red pigments, favourable culture conditions including incubation temperature, incubation period, pH of moistening agent, inoculum concentration, substrate weight and moisture level were evaluated. Additionally, yield of red pigments was intensified after the exposure of M. ruber SRZ112 spores to 1.00 KGy gamma rays. The final yield was improved by a 22.12-fold increase from 23.55 to 3351.87 AU g−1. The anticancer and antioxidant properties of the pigment’s extract from the fungal culture were also studied. The obtained data indicated activity of the extract against human breast cancer cell lines with no significant cytotoxicity against normal cell lines. The extract also showed a free radical scavenging potential. This is the first report, to our knowledge, on the isolation of the endophytic M. ruber SRZ112 strain with the successful production of natural pigments under solid-state fermentation using potato peel as a substrate.
SARS-CoV-2 suppression and early closure of bars and restaurants: a longitudinal natural experiment
Authors: Takaku Reo , Yokoyama Izumi , Tabuchi Takahiro , Oguni Masaki , Fujiwara Takeo
Published: July 2022

Despite severe economic damage, full-service restaurants and bars have been closed in hopes of suppressing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 worldwide. This paper explores whether the early closure of restaurants and bars in February 2021 reduced symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 in Japan. Using a large-scale nationally representative longitudinal survey, we found that the early closure of restaurants and bars decreased the utilization rate among young persons (OR 0.688; CI95 0.515–0.918) and those who visited these places before the pandemic (OR 0.754; CI95 0.594–0.957). However, symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 did not decrease in these active and high-risk subpopulations. Among the more inactive and low-risk subpopulations, such as elderly persons, no discernible impacts are observed in both the utilization of restaurants and bars and the symptoms of SARS-CoV-2. These results suggest that the early closure of restaurants and bars without any other concurrent measures does not contribute to the suppression of SARS-CoV-2.
Sulfaphenazole reduces thermal and pressure injury severity through rapid restoration of tissue perfusion
Authors: Turner Christopher T. , Pawluk Megan , Bolsoni Juliana , Zeglinski Matthew R. , Shen Yue , Zhao Hongyan , Ponomarev Tatjana , Richardson Katlyn C. , West Christopher R. , Papp Anthony , Granville David J.
Published: July 2022

Pressure injuries, also known as pressure ulcers, are regions of localized damage to the skin and/or underlying tissue. Repeated rounds of ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) have a major causative role for tissue damage in pressure injury. Ischemia prevents oxygen/nutrient supply, and restoration of blood flow induces a burst of reactive oxygen species that damages blood vessels, surrounding tissues and can halt blood flow return. Minimizing the consequences of repeated I/R is expected to provide a protective effect against pressure injury. Sulfaphenazole (SP), an off patent sulfonamide antibiotic, is a potent CYP 2C6 and CYP 2C9 inhibitor, functioning to decrease post-ischemic vascular dysfunction and increase blood flow. The therapeutic effect of SP on pressure injury was therefore investigated in apolipoprotein E knockout mice, a model of aging susceptible to ischemic injury, which were subjected to repeated rounds of I/R-induced skin injury. SP reduced overall severity, improved wound closure and increased wound tensile strength compared to vehicle-treated controls. Saliently, SP restored tissue perfusion in and around the wound rapidly to pre-injury levels, decreased tissue hypoxia, and reduced both inflammation and fibrosis. SP also demonstrated bactericidal activity through enhanced M1 macrophage activity. The efficacy of SP in reducing thermal injury severity was also demonstrated. SP is therefore a potential therapeutic option for pressure injury and other ischemic skin injuries.
Predicting suitable habitats of Melia azedarach L. in China using data mining
Authors: Feng Lei , Tian Xiangni , El-Kassaby Yousry A. , Qiu Jian , Feng Ze , Sun Jiejie , Wang Guibin , Wang Tongli
Published: July 2022

Melia azedarachL. is an important economic tree widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of China and some other countries. However, it is unclear how the species’ suitable habitat will respond to future climate changes. We aimed to select the most accurate one among seven data mining models to predict the current and future suitable habitats forM. azedarachin China. These models include: maximum entropy (MaxEnt), support vector machine (SVM), generalized linear model (GLM), random forest (RF), naive bayesian model (NBM), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and gradient boosting machine (GBM). A total of 906 M. azedarachlocations were identified, and sixteen climate predictors were used for model building. The models’ validity was assessed using three measures (Area Under the Curves (AUC), kappa, and overall accuracy (OA)). We found that the RF provided the most outstanding performance in prediction power and generalization capacity. The top climate factors affecting the species’ suitable habitats were mean coldest month temperature (MCMT), followed by the number of frost-free days (NFFD), degree-days above 18 °C (DD > 18), temperature difference between MWMT and MCMT, or continentality (TD), mean annual precipitation (MAP), and degree-days below 18 °C (DD < 18). We projected that future suitable habitat of this species would increase under both the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios for the 2011–2040 (2020s), 2041–2070 (2050s), and 2071–2100 (2080s). Our findings are expected to assist in better understanding the impact of climate change on the species and provide scientific basis for its planting and conservation.
Dynamic CT myocardial perfusion without image registration
Authors: Hubbard Logan , Malkasian Shant , Molloi Sabee
Published: July 2022

The aim of this study was to validate a motion-immune (MI) solution to dynamic CT myocardial perfusion measurement, in the presence of motion without image registration. The MI perfusion technique was retrospectively validated in six swine (37.3 ± 7.5 kg) with a motion-susceptible (MS) perfusion technique performed for comparison. In each swine, varying severities of stenoses were generated in the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery using a balloon under intracoronary adenosine stress, followed by contrast-enhanced imaging with 20 consecutive volume scans per stenosis. Two volume scans were then systematically selected from each acquisition for both MI and MS perfusion measurement, where the resulting LAD and left circumflex (LCx) measurements were compared to reference microsphere perfusion measurements using regression and diagnostic performance analysis. The MI (PMI) and microsphere (PMICRO) perfusion measurements were related through regression by PMI = 0.98 PMICRO + 0.03 (r = 0.97), while the MS (PMS) and microsphere (PMICRO) perfusion measurements were related by PMS = 0.62 PMICRO + 0.15 (r = 0.89). The accuracy of the MI and MS techniques in detecting functionally significant stenosis was 93% and 84%, respectively. The motion-immune (MI) perfusion technique provides accurate myocardial perfusion measurement in the presence of motion without image registration.
Influence of the intertropical convergence zone on early cretaceous plant distribution in the South Atlantic
Authors: de A. Carvalho Marcelo , Lana Cecília C. , Sá Natália P. , Santiago Gustavo , Giannerini Michelle C. S. , Bengtson Peter
Published: July 2022

The influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) in the emerging South Atlantic region during the late Aptian (Early Cretaceous) is reflected in the spatio-temporal distribution of plant communities recorded in eight Brazilian sedimentary basins. The distribution of the bioclimatic groups of hygrophytes, hydrophytes, tropical lowland flora, upland flora, and xerophytes was quantified using pollen and spores. A predominance of xerophytes from the tropical xerophytic shrubland biome characterized the pre-evaporitic, evaporitic, and post-evaporitic paleoclimatic phases, in particular the evaporitic phase. The region experienced humidity events in the pre-evaporitic and post- evaporitic phases, especially near the paleoequator, where the tropical rainforest biome with two phytophysiognomies (lowland and montane rainforests) prevailed. Increasing humidity had a positive effect on plant diversity.
Relationship between anatomical characteristics and personality traits in Lipizzan horses
Authors: Debeljak Nataša , Košmerlj Aljaž , Altimiras Jordi , Šemrov Manja Zupan
Published: July 2022

We tested 35 Lipizzan horses older than 5 years, ridden and healthy in three behavioural tests (handling, fear-reaction, and target training test). Physiological (heart rate and heart rate variability) and anatomical measurements (120 head and body distances and angles) were collected to validate parameters that reliably inform on handling/cooperation, fear/exploration and trainability in horses. Utilizing a standard clustering methodology on the behavioural data, we identified four general types of responses and categorised an individual as intermediate, low fearful, horses with low cooperation or low trainability. We additionally analysed the head morphology following Tellington-Jones and Taylor recommendations and correlated the measurements with data from a horse personality questionnaire. Although allocation to a particular personality group was not associated with these two methods, these groups differed in six anatomical characteristics of head and body. Regardless of the group, our results indicated that shorter horses (<75.9 cm) with a wider muzzle (>10.5 cm) are trustworthy, less fearful and easier to handle and train. We also demonstrated that horses with stronger legs and a wider base of the head have a lower heart rate when exposed to the second trial of the handling test.
Comparing dormancy in two distantly related tunicates reveals morphological, molecular, and ecological convergences and repeated co-option
Authors: Hiebert Laurel S. , Scelzo Marta , Alié Alexandre , De Tomaso Anthony W. , Brown Federico D. , Tiozzo Stefano
Published: July 2022

Many asexually-propagating marine invertebrates can survive extreme environmental conditions by developing dormant structures, i.e., morphologically simplified bodies that retain the capacity to completely regenerate a functional adult when conditions return to normal. Here, we examine the environmental, morphological, and molecular characteristics of dormancy in two distantly related clonal tunicate species: Polyandrocarpa zorritensis and Clavelina lepadiformis. In both species, we report that the dormant structures are able to withstand harsher temperature and salinity conditions compared to the adults. The dormant structures are the dominant forms these species employ to survive adverse conditions when the zooids themselves cannot survive. While previous work shows C. lepadiformis dormant stage is present in winters in the Atlantic Ocean and summers in the Mediterranean, this study is the first to show a year-round presence of P. zorritensis dormant forms in NW Italy, even in the late winter when all zooids have disappeared. By finely controlling the entry and exit of dormancy in laboratory-reared individuals, we were able to select and characterize the morphology of dormant structures associated with their transcriptome dynamics. In both species, we identified putative stem and nutritive cells in structures that resemble the earliest stages of asexual propagation. By characterizing gene expression during dormancy and regeneration into the adult body plan (i.e., germination), we observed that genes which control dormancy and environmental sensing in other metazoans, notably HIF-α and insulin signaling genes, are also expressed in tunicate dormancy. Germination-related genes in these two species, such as the retinoic acid pathway, are also found in other unrelated clonal tunicates during asexual development. These results are suggestive of repeated co-option of conserved eco-physiological and regeneration programs for the origin of novel dormancy-germination processes across distantly related animal taxa.
Use-dependent increase in attention to the prosthetic foot in patients with lower limb amputation
Authors: Aizu Naoki , Oouchida Yutaka , Yamada Kouji , Nishii Kazuhiro , Izumi Shin-Ichi
Published: July 2022

Patients with lower limb amputation experience “embodiment” while using a prosthesis, perceiving it as part of their body. Humans control their biological body parts and receive appropriate information by directing attention toward them, which is called body-specific attention. This study investigated whether patients with lower limb amputation similarly direct attention to prosthetic limbs. The participants were 11 patients with lower limb amputation who started training to walk with a prosthesis. Attention to the prosthetic foot was measured longitudinally by a visual detection task. In the initial stage of walking rehabilitation, the index of attention to the prosthetic foot was lower than that to the healthy foot. In the final stage, however, there was no significant difference between the two indexes of attention. Correlation analysis revealed that the longer the duration of prosthetic foot use, the greater the attention directed toward it. These findings indicate that using a prosthesis focuses attention akin to that of an individual’s biological limb. Moreover, they expressed that the prosthesis felt like a part of their body when they could walk independently. These findings suggest that the use of prostheses causes integration of visual information and movement about the prosthesis, resulting in its subjective embodiment.
Associations between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cognitive impairment and the effect modification of inflammation
Authors: Kang Sunghyuk , Kim Eosu , Cho Hanna , Kim Dae Jung , Kim Hyeon Chang , Jung Sun Jae
Published: July 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cognitive impairment and explore the effect modification by the inflammatory status. A total of 4400 community-based participants aged 50–64 years from the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Etiology Research Center were included in this cross-sectional study. NAFLD was identified as the Fatty Liver Index 30 or higher in the absence of excessive alcohol consumption. Cognitive impairment was defined as the total score of the Mini-Mental State Examination (cutoff 24). The inflammatory status was evaluated using white blood cell (WBC) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Stratified analyses by the WBC count (the highest quartile) and the hsCRP level (≥ 1.0 mg/dL vs. < 1.0 mg/dL) were conducted. Participants with NAFLD showed an increased prevalence of cognitive impairment (odds ratio [OR] = 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04–1.52) compared with the non-NAFLD population. In women, this association was significantly stronger in the highest quartile WBC group than in lower WBC group (OR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.19–2.74 vs. OR = 1.02; 95% CI = 0.78–1.33, p-interaction = 0.05). NAFLD was positively associated with a higher proportion of cognitive impairment, and this association was stronger in women with higher inflammatory status.
A functional spreadable canola and milk proteins oleogels as a healthy system for candy gummies
Authors: Salama Heba H. , Hashim Ayat F.
Published: July 2022

Recently, interest and demand for healthy and useful food products have become a global requirement. Thus, the production of functional foods with high polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants is very challenging. In this study, four functional spreadable oleogels based on canola oil and milk proteins were developed. These spreadable oleogels were used as an innovative model for the preparation of candy gummies. The chemical composition, oxidative stability, and effects of storage conditions were studied. The results showed that the fat content in spreadable oleogels and gummies ranged from 35 to 47 and 2.40–4.15%, respectively. The protein content in spreadable doum and carrot was 7.41%, while it was 6.15% in the spreadable plain and ranged from 10.25 to 12.78% in gummies. The hardness of spreadable oleogels and gummies ranged from 0.3 to 0.9 and 6.22–16.30 N, respectively. Spreadable carrot and spreadable doum had peroxide values greater than 8 meqO2/kg after storage, whereas spreadable plain and spreadable canola oleogel had better oxidative stability. The antioxidant activity of spreadable oleogels and gummies ranged from 66.98–46.83% to 51.44–40.37%, respectively. In addition, transmission electron microscopy and polarized light microscopy micrographs showed the presence of a coherent entangled network between oleogels and nutritional polymers. The oil binding capacity of spreadable carrot oleogel had a maximum value of 97.89%, while formed gummies were higher than 99%. This study showed a promising way to make functional spreadable oleogels as a model for food products that are good for health and nutrition.
Human iPSC co-culture model to investigate the interaction between microglia and motor neurons
Authors: Vahsen Björn F. , Gray Elizabeth , Candalija Ana , Cramb Kaitlyn M. L. , Scaber Jakub , Dafinca Ruxandra , Katsikoudi Antigoni , Xu Yinyan , Farrimond Lucy , Wade-Martins Richard , James William S. , Turner Martin R. , Cowley Sally A. , Talbot Kevin
Published: July 2022

Motor neuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are primarily characterized by motor neuron degeneration with additional involvement of non-neuronal cells, in particular, microglia. In previous work, we have established protocols for the differentiation of iPSC-derived spinal motor neurons and microglia. Here, we combine both cell lineages and establish a novel co-culture of iPSC-derived spinal motor neurons and microglia, which is compatible with motor neuron identity and function. Co-cultured microglia express key identity markers and transcriptomically resemble primary human microglia, have highly dynamic ramifications, are phagocytically competent, release relevant cytokines and respond to stimulation. Further, they express key amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated genes and release disease-relevant biomarkers. This novel and authentic human model system facilitates the study of physiological motor neuron-microglia crosstalk and will allow the investigation of non-cell-autonomous phenotypes in motor neuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for detection of the New Guinea fruit fly Bactrocera trivialis (Drew) (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: Starkie Melissa L. , Fowler Elizabeth V. , Zhu Xiaocheng , Agarwal Arati , Rako Lea , Schneider Isarena C. , Schutze Mark K. , Royer Jane E. , Gopurenko David , Gillespie Peter , Blacket Mark J.
Published: July 2022

The cue-lure-responding New Guinea fruit fly, Bactroceratrivialis, poses a biosecurity risk to neighbouring countries, e.g., Australia. In trapping programs, lure caught flies are usually morphologically discriminated from non-target species; however, DNA barcoding can be used to confirm similar species where morphology is inconclusive, e.g., Bactrocerabreviaculeus and B.rufofuscula. This can take days—and a laboratory—to resolve. A quicker, simpler, molecular diagnostic assay would facilitate a more rapid detection and potential incursion response. We developed LAMP assays targeting cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 3 Subunit L (EIF3L); both assays detected B.trivialis within 25 min. The BtrivCOI and BtrivEIF3L assay anneal derivatives were 82.7 ± 0.8 °C and 83.3 ± 1.3 °C, respectively, detecting down to 1 × 101 copies/µL and 1 × 103 copies/µL, respectively. Each assay amplified some non-targets from our test panel; however notably, BtrivCOI eliminated all morphologically similar non-targets, and combined, the assays eliminated all non-targets. Double-stranded DNA gBlocks were developed as positive controls; anneal derivatives for the COI and EIF3L gBlocks were 84.1 ± 0.7 °C and 85.8 ± 0.2 °C, respectively. We recommend the BtrivCOI assay for confirmation of suspect cue-lure-trapped B.trivialis, with BtrivEIF3L used for secondary confirmation when required.
Frankincense extract protects against testicular damage through augmentation of antioxidant defense mechanisms and modulation of apoptotic genes expression
Authors: Alharbi Samir Abdulkarim , Asad Mohammed , Abdelsalam Kamal Eldin Ahmed , Chandy Sunil , Ibrahim Monjid Ahmed
Published: July 2022

Frankincense (Boswellia sacra Fluck.,) is traditionally used in the treatment of altered male fertile potential in several countries. This study evaluated the cytoprotective action of B. sacra oleo gum resin extract against cyclophosphamide (CP) induced testicular toxicity in rats (in-vivo) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced cytotoxicity in human Leydig cells (in-vitro). The methanolic extract of B. sacra was standardized for the presence of different boswellic acids using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and volatile constituents in the extract were detected by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Two doses of B. sacra extract were used in the in-vivo study. The HPLC analysis showed that extract contains about 36% w/w of total boswellic acids and GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of another 71 different constituents. Administration of B. sacra extract to rats increased serum testosterone levels, antioxidant enzyme activities, and sperm count with improved sperm quality in a dose-dependent manner, when compared to CP treated animals. Boswellia sacra extract also protected the human Leydig cells against LPS-induced damage and increased the expression of the Bcl-2 gene along with a decrease in caspase-3 gene expression. The results of this study show that B. sacra extract has a protective effect on the male reproductive system.
Intramolecular frustrated Lewis pair mediated approach to the CO bond activation and cleavage of carbon dioxide
Authors: Manankandayalage Chamila P. , Katakam Nandakumar , Unruh Daniel K. , Aquino Adelia J. A. , Krempner Clemens
Published: July 2022

A remarkably stable FLP-CO2 adduct smoothly reacts with Tf2O to undergo C–O bond cleavage with the formation of the formal FLP adduct of the elusive dication C2O32+.
Coloured hybrid materials: exploiting an emergent surface property of fluorinated Al2O3 containing anthocyanins and betacyanins
Authors: Pérez-Ramírez Erik , Torres Ivan Kaleb , Martínez-Ortiz Ma. Jesús , Rivera José L. , Felipe Carlos , Guzmán Ariel , Ibarra Ilich A. , Lima Enrique
Published: July 2022

Not just simple colours: inorganic matrixes were evaluated to characterize aluminium and fluorine species ([AlO45−], [AlO57−], [AlO69−], [AlF4−], [AlF52−] and [AlF63−]) by PXRD, XPS, 27Al MAS-NMR and IR-ATR.
Graphene-supported polyoxometalate entrapped in a MIL-88A network with highly efficient conversion of polysulfides in Li–S batteries
Authors: Dong Xin-Yang , Wang Ming-Liang , Feng Yi , Zhang Jia-Yuan , Cao Yun-Dong , Gao Guang-Gang , Zhang Yu-Xi , Fan Lin-Lin
Published: July 2022

PW11V can capture polysulfides and accelerate the redox reactions of lithium polysulfides. rGO provides access for electrons to reach the interface of PW11V and polysulfides and to trigger Li–S conversion reactions.
In(OTf)3-catalyzed N-α phosphonylation of N,O-acetals with triethyl phosphite
Authors: Sun Jian-Ting , Li Xin , Yang Tian-Yu , Lv Min , Chen Ling-Yan , Wei Bang-Guo
Published: July 2022

A practical approach to α-aminophosphonates has been developed through an In(OTf)3-catalyzed N-α phosphonylation of N,O-acetals with triethyl phosphite 7.
Mechanical deformation and multiple thermal restoration of organic crystals: reversible multi-stage shape-changing effect with luminescence-color changes
Authors: Feng Chi , Seki Tomohiro , Sakamoto Shunichi , Sasaki Toshiyuki , Takamizawa Satoshi , Ito Hajime
Published: July 2022

A reversible multi-stage shape-changing material based on an organic crystalline material is presented. Intriguingly, the interconversion among the three different shapes is accompanied by changes of the luminescence color.
High-performance all-solid-state electrochromic asymmetric Zn-ion supercapacitors for visualization of energy storage devices
Authors: Deng Chengfu , Zhang Kai , Liu Lei , He Zhibing , Huang Jinglin , Wang Tao , Liu Yansong , He Xiaoshan , Du Kai , Yi Yong
Published: July 2022

The EAZS shows high-performance features even in a wide-temperature range, such as widened voltage window, high energy/power density and ultralong cycle life. Its energy state is visually estimated by color transitions during charging/discharging.
Regulation of the integrated hydrogen storage properties of magnesium hydride using 3D self-assembled amorphous carbon-embedded porous niobium pentoxide
Authors: Wen Xiaobin , Liang Huiren , Zhao Ruolin , Hong Feifan , Shi Weitao , Liu Haizhen , Chen Haiqiang , Zhou Wenzheng , Guo Jin , Lan Zhiqiang
Published: July 2022

3D self-assembled amorphous carbon-embedded porous niobium pentoxide (C-p-Nb2O5) is prepared by the wet chemical method, and C-p-Nb2O5 doped MgH2 show excellent integrated hydrogen storage properties.
Simultaneous reinforcement of the electrical and mechanical properties of carbon nanotube fibers by using a natural cross-linkable thermosetting polymer
Authors: Cho Hyun Jun , Yoon Chul-Jun , Park Junbeom , Kang Hansol , In Insik , Kim Seung Min , Kim Young-Kwan
Published: July 2022

Urushiol is infiltrated into carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers, and the urushiol infiltrated CNT (U-CNT) fibers are cross-linked by thermal or photochemical treatment. The cross-linked U-CNT (CL-U-CNT) fibers exhibit considerably enhanced properties.
Emerging environmental contaminants at the air/aqueous and biological soft interfaces
Authors: Dalla Pozza Giada , Deardorff Danielle , Subir Mahamud
Published: July 2022

Emerging contaminants at the air/aqueous and model biological interfaces.
A phase‐shift modulated series resonant converter achieving zero‐voltage and zero‐current switching for wide output voltage range battery charging applications
Authors: Liang Yanke , Liu Xu , Lyu Shixuan
Published: July 2022

In this article, a phase‐shift modulated zero‐voltage and zero‐current switching (ZVZCS) series resonant converter (SRC) was proposed for constant current (CC) and constant voltage (CV) charging operating at the series resonant frequency. Wide output voltage range is achieved by adjusting the duty cycle of the primary inverter for CC charging and unity gain is for CV charging at full duty cycle. By tuning resonant tank parameters, discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) and boundary conduction mode (BCM) are obtained in CC charging and CV charging, respectively, which ensures zero‐current switching (ZCS) of rectifier diodes and nearly ZCS of leading leg in whole charging profile. Meanwhile, a constant triangular current provided by a novel auxiliary circuit is used to implement zero‐voltage switching (ZVS) for all primary MOSFETs with a reduced conduction loss. The auxiliary current is independent of duty cycle and load variation. Compared with the conventional ZVZCS phase‐shift full‐bridge converter with capacitive output filter, smaller conduction loss and turn‐off loss can be obtained in battery charging profile. Detailed circuit operation principles and model analysis are presented. A 100 kHz/1 kW prototype is built to verify the performance.
An FPGA‐based JPEG preprocessing accelerator for image classification
Authors: Li Tian‐Yang , Zhang Fan , Guo Wei , Shen Jian‐Liang , Sun Ming‐Qian
Published: July 2022

The FPGA‐based image classification accelerator has achieved success in many practical applications. However, most accelerators focus on solving the problem of convolution computation efficiency. End‐to‐end image classification involves many non‐convolutional operations, which can also become performance bottlenecks. Therefore, the authors propose an FPGA‐based JPEG preprocessing accelerator, which can accelerate non‐convolution operations of JPEG before feature extraction. To improve throughput and energy efficiency, four hardware structures are adopted in the design: 1) adaptive image block; 2) fast IDCT; 3) image block buffer; and 4) image block self‐location. The proposed design is evaluated on Xilinx XCZU7EV. The authors compare it with the optimized implementation of CPU and GPU, and the energy efficiency is improved by 23.07 times and 4.21 times, respectively. The throughput is 2.52 times better than the CPU implementation. And the authors demonstrate its practicality through a case study of image classification. These experimental results demonstrate its superior performance in terms of throughput and energy efficiency.
Stirring the base of the solar wind: On heat transfer and vortex formation
Authors: Finley A. J. , Brun A. S. , Carlsson M. , Szydlarski M. , Hansteen V. , Shoda M.
Published: July 2022

Context.Current models of the solar wind must approximate (or ignore) the small-scale dynamics within the solar atmosphere; however, these are likely important in shaping the emerging wave-turbulence spectrum that ultimately heats and accelerates the coronal plasma.

Aims.This study strives to make connections between small-scale vortex motions at the base of the solar wind and the resulting heating and acceleration of the coronal plasma.

Methods.TheBifrostcode produces realistic simulations of the solar atmosphere which facilitate the analysis of spatial and temporal scales which are currently at, or beyond, the limit of modern solar telescopes. For this study, theBifrostsimulation is configured to represent the solar atmosphere in a coronal hole region, from which the fast solar wind emerges. The simulation extends from the upper-convection zone (2.5 Mm below the photosphere) to the low corona (14.5 Mm above the photosphere), with a horizontal extent of 24 Mm × 24 Mm. The network of magnetic funnels in the computational domain influence the movement of plasma, as well as the propagation of magnetohydrodynamic waves into the low corona.

Results.The twisting of the coronal magnetic field by photospheric flows efficiently injects energy into the low corona. Poynting fluxes of up to 2 − 4 kWm−2are commonly observed inside twisted magnetic structures with diameters in the low corona of 1–5 Mm. Torsional Alfvén waves are favourably transmitted along these structures, and subsequently escape into the solar wind. However, reflections of these waves from the upper boundary condition make it difficult to unambiguously quantify the emerging Alfvén wave-energy flux.

Conclusions.This study represents a first step in quantifying the conditions at the base of the solar wind usingBifrostsimulations. It is shown that the coronal magnetic field is readily braided and twisted by photospheric flows. Temperature and density contrasts form between regions with active stirring motions and those without. Stronger whirlpool-like flows in the convection, concurrent with magnetic concentrations, launch torsional Alfvén waves up through the magnetic funnel network, which are expected to enhance the turbulent generation of magnetic switchbacks in the solar wind.
Population synthesis of pulsar wind nebulae and pulsar halos in the Milky Way
Authors: Martin Pierrick , Tibaldo Luigi , Marcowith Alexandre , Abdollahi Soheila
Published: July 2022

Context.The discovery of extended gamma-ray emission toward a number of middle-aged pulsars suggests the possibility of long-lived particle confinement beyond the classical pulsar wind nebula (PWN) stage. How this emerging source class can be extrapolated to a Galactic population remains unclear.

Aims.We aim to evaluate how pulsar halos fit in existing TeV observations, under the assumption that all middle-aged pulsars develop halos similar to those observed toward the J0633+1746 or B0656+14 pulsars.

Methods.We modeled the populations of supernova remnants, PWNe, and pulsar halos in the Milky Way. The PWN-halo evolutionary sequence is described in a simple yet coherent framework, and both kinds of objects are assumed to share the same particle injection properties. We then assessed the contribution of the different source classes to the very-high-energy emission from the Galaxy.

Results.The synthetic population can be made consistent with the flux distribution of all known objects, including unidentified objects, for a reasonable set of parameters. The fraction of the populations predicted to be detectable in surveys of the Galactic plane with HESS and HAWC is then found to be in good agreement with their actual outcome, with a number of detectable halos ranging from 30 to 80% of the number of detectable PWNe. Prospects for CTA involve the detection of 250 − 300 sources in the Galactic Plane Survey, including 170 PWNe and up to 100 halos. The extent of diffusion suppression in halos has a limited impact on such prospects but its magnitude has a strong influence. The level of diffuse emission from unresolved populations in each survey is found to be dominated by halos and comparable to large-scale interstellar radiation powered by cosmic rays above 0.1–1 TeV.

Conclusions.Pulsar halos are shown to be viable counterparts to a fraction of the currently unidentified sources if they develop around most middle-aged pulsars. Yet, if the phenomenon is rare, with an occurrence rate of 5 − 10% as suggested in a previous work from the local positron flux constraint, the total number of currently known TeV sources including unidentified ones cannot be accounted for in our model from young PWNe only. This calls for continued efforts to model pulsar-powered emission along the full evolutionary path, including the late stages past the young nebula phase.
Numerical modeling for 3D vortices patterns of electroconvective flow developing in shear flow
Authors: Pham Van-Sang , Van Duc-Anh
Published: July 2022

In this study, using direct numerical modeling, we investigate the electroconvective flow developing on the surface of an ion-exchange membrane surface in the high applied voltage condition. The modeling is obtained by solving the system of Poisson–Nernst–Planck–Navier–Stokes equations in a direct and coupled manner on the OpenFOAM platform. We report simulation results proving the dependence of the flow's pattern on the applied voltage and the mechanism behind the formation of vortices at high electric fields. For the first time, different types of vortices and the concurrent appearance of helical and unidirectional vortices are studied. The role of the vortices on the distribution of ions and the electric current is clarified to explain the over-limiting current phenomenon. This work contributes a useful OpenFOAM solver integration tool for modeling electrochemical problems.