bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The mechanism of cleavage of Evans chiral auxiliaries by LiOOH: origins of the different regioselectivities obtained with LiOH, LiOOH, LiOBn and LiSBn
Authors: Chow Ka Ho , Quinn Ronald J. , Jenkins Ian D. , Krenske Elizabeth H.
Published: September 2023

Oxazolidinones are widely used as chiral auxiliaries in asymmetric synthesis. The chiral auxiliary can be selectively removed using LiOOH, LiOBn or LiSBn, but not LiOH, which instead favours endocyclic cleavage with opening of the oxazolidinone ring. Although Evans originally suggested that the regioselectivity of HO−-mediated hydrolysis may be governed by the relative rates of formation of the two tetrahedral intermediates, whereas the regioselectivity of HOO− cleavage might be determined by their relative breakdown rates, it was not clear why this should be the case. Since then, there appear to have been no mechanistic studies that account for the differing selectivities of LiOH v. LiOOH, and the reason for this difference in selectivity has remained somewhat of an enigma in organic chemistry for many years. Herein, we report DFT computations with M06-2X-D3//B3LYP-D3 to examine the origins of the regioselectivities. The computations predict that all four nucleophiles prefer to attack at the endocyclic carbonyl group, which is less hindered. The barrier for decomposition of the initially formed tetrahedral intermediate determines whether or not the reaction continues all the way to the endocyclic cleavage products. For LiOH, the barrier for decomposition of the intermediate is small and the endocyclic cleavage products are formed. For LiOOH, LiOBn and LiSBn, the decomposition barrier is large, and the exocyclic cleavage pathway instead becomes preferred. An alternative mechanism involving formation of a novel cyclic peroxide intermediate was found to involve a relatively high energy pathway and has been excluded.
Neolucia bollami Eastwood, Braby & Graham, sp. nov. (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae): speciation of a new allochronic cryptic butterfly from south-western Western Australia
Authors: Eastwood Rodney G. , Braby Michael F. , Williams Matthew R.
Published: September 2023

South-western Western Australia is a global biodiversity hotspot renowned for exceptional diversity of plants and animals. The evolutionary processes that have generated this high biodiversity are not always clear, particularly for invertebrates, yet the area supports a very large number of endemic species that have diversified in situ. We use an integrative taxonomic approach based on adult and immature morphology, ecology, behaviour and molecular data to investigate the taxonomic status of a sympatric but seasonally isolated form (Neolucia agricola occidens Waterhouse & Lyell, 1914 form ‘Julimar’) of the polyommatine butterfly Neolucia agricola (Westwood, 1851) in south-western Western Australia. Our molecular dataset comprised 112 samples representing all Neolucia Waterhouse & Turner, 1905 species (100 COI 5′ sequences, 658 bp, plus 12 COI 3′, tRNA Leu, COII and EF1-α sequences, 3303 bp). Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis of the combined dataset recovered form ‘Julimar’ and N. agricola as reciprocally monophyletic, with a mean uncorrected ‘p’ pairwise divergence of 5.77% for the ‘barcode’ region of COI. Based on this and other evidence we recognise form ‘Julimar’ as a new species, Neolucia bollami Eastwood, Braby & Graham, sp. nov., sister to N. agricola and endemic to south-western Western Australia. As a result of these findings, we evaluated the evolutionary history of the two Neolucia species in WA and the processes that may have contributed to the diversification in sympatry or allopatry. We conclude that the multiple effect traits associated with a host shift, including host fidelity and temporal divergence, played an important role in the diversification process and in maintaining the reproductive integrity of the nascent allochronic species. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:53D9AD14-9694-4B5E-889C-A8D533E7F57D
Quantum Brayton Refrigeration Cycle with Finite-Size Bose–Einstein Condensates
Authors: Yuan 袁 Jiehong 结红 , Ruan 阮 Huilin 慧琳 , Liu 刘 Dehua 德华 , He 何 Jizhou 济洲 , Wang 王 Jianhui 建辉
Published: September 2023

We consider a quantum Brayton refrigeration cycle consisting of two isobaric and two adiabatic processes, using an ideal Bose gas of finite particles confined in a harmonic trap as its working substance. Quite generally, such a machine falls into three different cases, classified as the condensed region, non-condensed phase, and regime across the critical point. When the refrigerator works near the critical region, both figure of merit and cooling load are significantly improved due to the singular behavior of the specific heat, and the coefficient of performance at maximum figure of merit is much larger than the Curzon–Ahlborn value. With the machine in the non-condensed regime, the coefficient of performance for maximum figure of merit agrees well with the Curzon–Ahlborn value.
Exploring mass–energy equivalence with consideration of quantum nature
Authors: Baek Jongheon
Published: September 2023

Mass–energy equivalence (MEE) has become a basis of modern physics. In spite of the current educational trends highlighting modern physics education, it has been pointed out that interpretations of MEE are still not in general agreement. In addition, the derivations of MEE found in textbooks gloss over some logical oversights. MEE is often introduced with only a declarative knowledge that mc
2 represents the rest energy of a particle, making the learning process difficult for students. To resolve the instructional challenges, distinguished papers on MEE are analyzed. By specifying common features of derivations in each paper, it is found that there are at least three types of MEE. By identifying the entire hierarchical structure of each one, a type of MEE is suggested that can potentially be useful in the establishment of the connection between the particle and field.
Linear and nonlinear spin current response of anisotropic spin-orbit coupled systems
Authors: Muñoz-Santana D , Maytorena Jesús A
Published: September 2023

We calculate the linear and the second harmonic (SH) spin current response of two anisotropic systems with spin–orbit (SO) interaction. General expressions of wide applicability for the these response functions are first derived for a generic two-band Hamiltonian. The first system is a two-dimensional (2D) electron gas in the presence of Rashba and k-linear Dresselhaus SO couplings. The calculations show how narrow or wide the response spectra can be, what is their overall shape and size, and frequency shiftings, depending on which crystal orientation is selected. The quantitative knowing of this makes possible a comparative study for several orientations, which would allow to select a spectrum with particular characteristic. We find that vanishing linear and second order response tensors are achievable under SU(2) symmetry conditions, characterized by a collinear SO vector field. Additional conditions under which specific tensor components vanish are possible, without having such collinearity. Thus, a proper choice of the growth direction and SO strengths allows to select the polarization of the linear and SH spin currents according to the direction of flowing. The second system is an anisotropic 2D free electron gas with anisotropic Rashba interaction, which has been employed to study the optical conductivity of 2D puckered structures with anisotropic energy bands. The presence of mass anisotropy and an energy gap open several distinct scenarios for the allowed optical interband transitions, which manifest in the linear and SH response contrastingly. The linear response displays only out-of-plane spin polarized currents, while the SH spin currents flow with spin orientation lying parallel to the plane of the system strictly. The models illustrate the possibility of the nonlinear spin Hall effect in systems with SO interaction, under the presence or absence of time-reversal symmetry. The results suggest different ways to manipulate the linear and nonlinear optical generation of spin currents which could find spintronic applications.
Growing patterns
Authors: Goh Ryan , Scheel Arnd
Published: September 2023

Pattern forming systems allow for a wealth of states, where wavelengths and orientation of patterns varies and defects disrupt patches of monocrystalline regions. Growth of patterns has long been recognized as a strong selection mechanism. We present here recent and new results on the selection of patterns in situations where the pattern-forming region expands in time. The wealth of phenomena is roughly organised in bifurcation diagrams that depict wavenumbers of selected crystalline states as functions of growth rates. We show how a broad set of mathematical and numerical tools can help shed light into the complexity of this selection process.
Breakdown development in a nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge in humid air in plane-to-plane geometry
Authors: Ambrico Paolo F , Aceto Domenico , Ibba Lorenzo , Yang Xin , Dilecce Giorgio , Ambrico Marianna , Furno Ivo , Adamovich Igor V
Published: September 2023

We used the ns electric field induced second harmonic (EFISH) generation diagnostic to measure the electric field evolution in a 200 ns pulse, dielectric barrier, plane-to-plane discharge in humid air, on the time scale shorter than the laser pulse duration. Plasma imaging by an ICCD camera detected a uniform evolution of the discharge emission during the breakdown. Spectroscopic measurements tracked the N2 second positive and first negative systems to infer the reduced electric field (E/N) evolution. EFISH measurements showed the electric field persistent during the entire HV pulse, with the residual field between pulses and the field inversion at the start and end of the HV pulse. The experimental data are consistent with the simulations, with the electron attachment and negative ion kinetics incorporated. The modeling predictions indicate that the rapid electron density decay due to attachment and recombination is the dominant factor sustaining the electric field in the plasma after breakdown. Spectroscopic E/N determination showed the time evolution at variance with the EFISH measurements, which may be due to the electron attachment and non-locality of the EEDF. Possible explanations are discussed.
The Galactic Center as a laboratory for theories of gravity and dark matter
Authors: De Laurentis Mariafelicia , de Martino Ivan , Della Monica Riccardo
Published: September 2023

The Galactic Center (GC) of the Milky Way, thanks to its proximity, allows to perform astronomical observations that investigate physical phenomena at the edge of astrophysics and fundamental physics. As such, it offers a unique laboratory to probe gravity, where one can not only test the basic predictions of general relativity (GR), but is also able to falsify theories that, over time, have been proposed to modify or extend GR; to test different paradigms of dark matter; and to place constraints on putative models that have been formulated as alternatives to the standard black hole paradigm in GR. In this review we provide a general overview of the history of observations of the GC, emphasizing the importance, in particular on the smallest-observable scales, that they had in opening a new avenue to improve our understanding of the underlying theory of gravity in the surrounding of a supermassive compact object.
Fast dynamic 1D simulation of divertor plasmas with neural PDE surrogates
Authors: Poels Yoeri , Derks Gijs , Westerhof Egbert , Minartz Koen , Wiesen Sven , Menkovski Vlado
Published: September 2023

Managing divertor plasmas is crucial for operating reactor scale tokamak devices due to heat and particle flux constraints on the divertor target. Simulation is an important tool to understand and control these plasmas, however, for real-time applications or exhaustive parameter scans only simple approximations are currently fast enough. We address this lack of fast simulators using neural partial differential equation (PDE) surrogates, data-driven neural network-based surrogate models trained using solutions generated with a classical numerical method. The surrogate approximates a time-stepping operator that evolves the full spatial solution of a reference physics-based model over time. We use DIV1D, a 1D dynamic model of the divertor plasma, as reference model to generate data. DIV1D’s domain covers a 1D heat flux tube from the X-point (upstream) to the target. We simulate a realistic TCV divertor plasma with dynamics induced by upstream density ramps and provide an exploratory outlook towards fast transients. State-of-the-art neural PDE surrogates are evaluated in a common framework and extended for properties of the DIV1D data. We evaluate (1) the speed-accuracy trade-off; (2) recreating non-linear behavior; (3) data efficiency; and (4) parameter inter- and extrapolation. Once trained, neural PDE surrogates can faithfully approximate DIV1D’s divertor plasma dynamics at sub real-time computation speeds: In the proposed configuration,

2

ms of plasma dynamics can be computed in

≈

0.63

ms of wall-clock time, several orders of magnitude faster than DIV1D.
Phase shifting to measure the modal composition of the scattered helical beam
Authors: Sarkar Tushar , Yadav Amit , Karmakar, Tanushree , Singh Rakesh Kumar
Published: September 2023

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a non-interferometric and highly stable technique to recover the incident orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes from the randomly scattered coherent light. To implement and demonstrate this technique, a non-separable state is generated by encoding spiral and non-spiral modes into the orthogonal polarization bases prior to propagation through a random scattering media. Recovery of the complex OAM mode of the incident light becomes possible by quantitatively measuring the complex Fourier coefficients from the polarization correlation of the random light field along with the three-step phase-shifting method. A detailed theoretical basis of the proposed method is presented and verified by numerical simulation and experimental tests.
Eulerian polynomials and the 𝑔-indices of Young tableaux
Authors: Han Guo-Niu , Ma Shi-Mei
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we introduce

k
k

-Young tableaux and their

g
g

-indices. We first present certain expansions of

(
c
(
x
)
D

)
n

(c(x)D)^n

in terms of inversion sequences as well as

k
k

-Young tableaux, where

c
(
x
)

c(x)

is a smooth function in the indeterminate

x
x

and

D
D

is the derivative with respect to

x
x

. By studying the connections between

k
k

-Young tableaux and standard Young tableaux, we then present combinatorial interpretations of Eulerian polynomials, second-order Eulerian polynomials, and André polynomials in terms of standard Young tableaux.
Strong convergence of parabolic rate 1 of discretisations of stochastic Allen-Cahn-type equations
Authors: Gerencsér Máté , Singh Harprit
Published: September 2023

Consider the approximation of stochastic Allen-Cahn-type equations (i.e.

1
+
1

1+1

-dimensional space-time white noise-driven stochastic PDEs with polynomial nonlinearities

F
F

such that

F
(
±
∞
)
=
∓
∞

F(\pm \infty )=\mp \infty

) by a fully discrete space-time explicit finite difference scheme. The consensus in literature, supported by rigorous lower bounds, is that strong convergence rate

1

/

2

1/2

with respect to the parabolic grid meshsize is expected to be optimal. We show that one can reach almost sure convergence rate arbitrarily close to (and no better than)

1
1

when measuring the error in appropriate negative Besov norms, by temporarily ‘pretending’ that the SPDE is singular.
Shifted Witten classes and topological recursion
Authors: Charbonnier Séverin , Chidambaram Nitin , Garcia-Failde Elba , Giacchetto Alessandro
Published: September 2023

The Wittenrr-spin class defines a non-semisimple cohomological field theory. Pandharipande, Pixton and Zvonkine studied two special shifts of the Witten class along two semisimple directions of the associated Dubrovin–Frobenius manifold using the Givental–Teleman reconstruction theorem. We show that theRR-matrix and the translation of these two specific shifts can be constructed from the solutions of two differential equations that generalise the classical Airy differential equation. Using this, we prove that the descendant intersection theory of the shifted Witten classes satisfies topological recursion on two11-parameter families of spectral curves. By taking the limit as the parameter goes to zero, we prove that the descendant intersection theory of the Wittenrr-spin class can be computed by topological recursion on therr-Airy spectral curve. We finally show that this proof suffices to deduce Witten’srr-spin conjecture, already proved by Faber, Shadrin and Zvonkine, which claims that the generating series ofrr-spin intersection numbers is the tau function of therr-KdV hierarchy that satisfies the string equation.
An optimized HEK293T cell expansion protocol using a hollow-fiber bioreactor system
Authors: Frank Nathan D , Miller Mindy , Sethi Dalip
Published: September 2023

Viral vectors are commonly used to introduce genetic material into cells to modify cell function for a variety of purposes. Manufacture of those modified viruses may use a variety of cell types to generate high titers of viral particles; one of the most common being HEK293 cells. These cells have been modified into different lines aimed at satisfying specific use cases. HEK293T cells, for example, have been modified to include the SV40 large T antigen. Efficient viral particle production by HEK293T cells requires the maintenance of favorable cell culture conditions during expansion and transfection. This protocol describes the use of the Quantum® hollow-fiber bioreactor (HFB) system for the automated expansion of HEK293T cells, and the results derived using the protocol described herein were not compared with those from tissue culture flasks or other expansion platforms, as the parameters described are unique to Quantum’s hollow fiber cell expansion environment. The purpose of this protocol is to help users of Quantum to focus on relevant parameters of expansion in the HFB milieu and to provide guidelines for a successful expansion of HEK293T cells in the Quantum system. The steps provided have been optimized to reliably control environmental factors related to glucose, lactate, and pH. Data reflecting this consistency are provided along with procedural time points reflected in text and figure formats.
Short anagen hair syndrome: association with mono- and biallelic variants in WNT10A and a genetic overlap with male pattern hair loss
Authors: Cesarato Nicole , Schwieger-Briel Agnes , Gossmann Yasmina , Henne Sabrina K , Hillmann Kathrin , Frommherz Leonie H , Wehner Maria , Xiong Xing , Thiele Holger , Oji Vinzenz , Milani Donatella , Tantcheva-Poor Iliana , Giehl Kathrin , Fölster-Holst Regina , Teichler Anne , Braeckmans Delphine , Hoeger Peter H , Jones Gabriela , Frank Jorge , Weibel Lisa , Blume-Peytavi Ulrike , Hamm Henning , Nöthen Markus M , Geyer Matthias , Heilmann-Heimbach Stefanie , Basmanav F Buket , Betz Regina C
Published: September 2023

Background

Short anagen hair (SAH) is a rare paediatric hair disorder characterized by a short anagen phase, an inability to grow long scalp hair and a negative psychological impact. The genetic basis of SAH is currently unknown.

Objectives

To perform molecular genetic investigations in 48 individuals with a clinical phenotype suggestive of SAH to identify, if any, the genetic basis of this condition.

Methods

Exome sequencing was performed in 27 patients diagnosed with SAH or with a complaint of short, nongrowing hair. The cohort was screened for variants with a minor allele frequency (MAF) < 5% in the general population and a Combined Annotation Dependent Depletion (CADD) score > 15, to identify genes whose variants were enriched in this cohort. Sanger sequencing was used for variant validation and screening of 21 additional individuals with the same clinical diagnosis and their relatives. Genetic association testing of SAH-related variants for male pattern hair loss (MPHL) was performed using UK Biobank data.

Results

Analyses revealed that 20 individuals (42%) carried mono- or biallelic pathogenic variants in WNT10A. Rare WNT10A variants are associated with a phenotypic spectrum ranging from no clinical signs to severe ectodermal dysplasia. A significant association was found between WNT10A and SAH, and this was mostly observed in individuals with light-coloured hair and regression of the frontoparietal hairline. Notably, the most frequent variant in the cohort [c.682T>A;p.(Phe228Ile)] was in linkage disequilibrium with four common WNT10A variants, all of which have a known association with MPHL. Using UK Biobank data, our analyses showed that c.682T>A;p.(Phe228Ile) and one other variant identified in the SAH cohort are also associated with MPHL, and partially explain the known associations between WNT10A and MPHL.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that WNT10A is associated with SAH and that SAH has a genetic overlap with the common phenotype MPHL. The presumed shared biologic effect of WNT10A variants in SAH and MPHL is a shortening of the anagen phase. Other factors, such as modifier genes and sex, may also play a role in the clinical manifestation of hair phenotypes associated with the WNT10A locus.
Retrospective pharmacogenetic study of psoriasis highlights the role of KLK7 in tumour necrosis factor signalling
Authors: Zhang Haihan , Patrick Matthew T , Tejasvi Trilokraj , Sarkar Mrinal K , Wasikowski Rachael , Stuart Philip E , Li Qinmengge , Xing Xianying , Voorhees John J , Ward Nicole L , He Kevin , Zhou Xiang , Gudjonsson Johann E , Nair Rajan P , Elder James T , Tsoi Lam C
Published: September 2023

Background

Multiple treatment options are available for the management of psoriasis, but clinical response varies among individual patients and no biomarkers are available to facilitate treatment selection for improved patient outcomes.

Objectives

To utilize retrospective data to conduct a pharmacogenetic study to explore the potential genetic pathways associated with drug response in the treatment of psoriasis.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective pharmacogenetic study using self-evaluated treatment response from 1942 genotyped patients with psoriasis. We examined 6 502 658 genetic markers to model their associations with response to six treatment options using linear regression, adjusting for cohort variables and demographic features. We further utilized an integrative approach incorporating epigenomics, transcriptomics and a longitudinal clinical cohort to provide biological implications for the topmost signals associated with drug response.

Results

Two novel markers were revealed to be associated with treatment response: rs1991820 (P = 1.30 × 10–6) for anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) biologics; and rs62264137 (P = 2.94 × 10–6) for methotrexate, which was also associated with cutaneous mRNA expression levels of two known psoriasis-related genes KLK7 (P = 1.0 × 10–12) and CD200 (P = 5.4 × 10–6). We demonstrated that KLK7 expression was increased in the psoriatic epidermis, as shown by immunohistochemistry, as well as single-cell RNA sequencing, and its responsiveness to anti-TNF treatment was highlighted. By inhibiting the expression of KLK7, we further illustrated that keratinocytes have decreased proinflammatory responses to TNF.

Conclusions

Our study implicates the genetic regulation of cytokine responses in predicting clinical drug response and supports the association between pharmacogenetic loci and anti-TNF response, as shown here for KLK7.
Age Differences in Perceived Preparedness for the Continuation of COVID-19 Pandemic: Important Role of Social Support
Authors: Chen Zhirui , Cong Zhen
Published: September 2023

This study examined the age differences in perceived preparedness for the continuation of COVID-19 pandemic; and tested the moderating effects of three types of social support, i.e., emotional, financial and instrumental support. Using a sample of 450 adults in Texas, USA from the research project ‘Vulnerability and Resilience to Disasters’ (October 2020 to January 2021), results of multiple linear regressions showed that compared with people aged over sixty-five, those aged eighteen–forty-four perceived a lower level of preparedness for the ongoing COVID-19 and there was no significant difference in perceived preparedness between individuals aged sixty-five+ and those aged forty-five–sixty-four. Receiving emotional and instrumental support was, respectively, more important for people aged sixty-five+ to perceive a better level of preparedness than for those aged eighteen–forty-four and forty-five–sixty-four. The findings highlighted the unique strengths of older adults in COVID-19 preparedness from the life course perspective and the importance of social support in their disaster preparedness. Based on these findings, social workers could incorporate the wisdom and experience of older adults into disaster management and develop age-specific interventions to promote preventive behaviours during future public health disasters.
Pleiotropy with sex-specific traits reveals genetic aspects of sex differences in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Nordengen Kaja , Cappelletti Chiara , Bahrami Shahram , Frei Oleksandr , Pihlstrøm Lasse , Henriksen Sandra Pilar , Geut Hanneke , Rozemuller Annemieke J M , van de Berg Wilma D J , Andreassen Ole A , Toft Mathias
Published: September 2023

Parkinson’s disease is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder with a higher incidence in males than females. The causes for this sex difference are unknown. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 90 Parkinson’s disease risk loci, but the genetic studies have not found sex-specific differences in allele frequency on autosomal chromosomes or sex chromosomes. Genetic variants, however, could exert sex-specific effects on gene function and regulation of gene expression.

To identify genetic loci that might have sex-specific effects, we studied pleiotropy between Parkinson’s disease and sex-specific traits. Summary statistics from GWASs were acquired from large-scale consortia for Parkinson’s disease (n cases = 13 708; n controls = 95 282), age at menarche (n = 368 888 females) and age at menopause (n = 69 360 females). We applied the conditional/conjunctional false discovery rate (FDR) method to identify shared loci between Parkinson’s disease and these sex-specific traits. Next, we investigated sex-specific gene expression differences in the superior frontal cortex of both neuropathologically healthy individuals and Parkinson’s disease patients (n cases = 61; n controls = 23). To provide biological insights to the genetic pleiotropy, we performed sex-specific expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis and sex-specific age-related differential expression analysis for genes mapped to Parkinson’s disease risk loci.

Through conditional/conjunctional FDR analysis we found 11 loci shared between Parkinson’s disease and the sex-specific traits age at menarche and age at menopause. Gene-set and pathway analysis of the genes mapped to these loci highlighted the importance of the immune response in determining an increased disease incidence in the male population. Moreover, we highlighted a total of nine genes whose expression or age-related expression in the human brain is influenced by genetic variants in a sex-specific manner. With these analyses we demonstrated that the lack of clear sex-specific differences in allele frequencies for Parkinson’s disease loci does not exclude a genetic contribution to differences in disease incidence. Moreover, further studies are needed to elucidate the role that the candidate genes identified here could have in determining a higher incidence of Parkinson’s disease in the male population.
Outcomes of pulmonary vein isolation with radiofrequency balloon vs. cryoballoon ablation: a multi-centric study
Authors: Almorad Alexandre , Del Monte Alvise , Della Rocca Domenico Giovanni , Pannone Luigi , Ramak Robbert , Overeinder Ingrid , Bala Gezim , Ströker Erwin , Sieira Juan , Dubois Aurélie , Sorgente Antonio , El Haddad Milad , Iacopino Saverio , Boveda Serge , de Asmundis Carlo , Chierchia Gian-Battista
Published: September 2023

Aims

Cryoballoon (CB) ablation is the mainstay of single-shot pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). A radiofrequency balloon (RFB) catheter has recently emerged as an alternative. However, these two technologies have not been compared. This study aims to evaluate the freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATas) at 1 year: procedural characteristics, efficacy, and safety of the novel RFB compared with CB for PVI in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods and results

This prospective multi-centre study included consecutive patients with symptomatic drug-resistant paroxysmal AF who underwent PVI with RFB or CB between July 2021 and January 2022 from three European centres. A total of 375 consecutive patients were included, 125 in the RFB group and 250 in the CB. Both groups had comparable clinical characteristics. At 12.33 ± 4.91 months, ATas-free rates were 83.20% and 82.00% in the RFB and CB groups, respectively (P > 0.05). Compared with the CB group, the RFB group showed a shorter procedure time [59.91 (45.80–77.12) vs. 77.0 (35.13–122.71) min (P < 0.001)], dwell time [19.59 (14.41–30.24) vs. 27.03 (17.11–57.21) min (P = 0.04)], time to isolation, and thermal energy delivery in all pulmonary veins (P < 0.001). First-pass isolation was comparable. No major complications occurred in either group, with no stroke, atrio-oesophageal fistula, or permanent phrenic nerve injury. Transient phrenic nerve palsy occurred more frequently with CB than RFB (7.20% vs. 3.20%; P = 0.02). Oesophageal temperature rise occurred in 21 (16.8%) patients in the RFB group, and gastroscopy showed erythema in two of them with complete recovery after 30 days.

Conclusions

The RFB appears to have a safety and efficacy profile similar to that of the CB for PVI. Shorter procedural times appear to be driven by shorter left atrial dwell and thermal delivery times.
Ageism in Birthday Cards: A Mixed-Method Content Analysis
Authors: Lin Shayne S-H , Walden Allison
Published: September 2023

Background and Objectives

Ageism is oftentimes sugarcoated within humor. Paper birthday cards are 1 delivery approach in which ageist messages are perpetuated and reinforced through humor.

Research Design and Methods

A convenience sample of birthday cards (k = 227), all indicating a decade of age, were acquired from 7 national retail stores in Colorado Springs, CO. The decades sampled ranged from 21 to 100. With a predeveloped codebook, 3 raters coded the decade birthday cards on various variables, including age group, ageist tone, and humor.

Results

Birthday cards intended for age 30–60 contained significantly more ageist messages compared to cards intended for age 21 and age 70–100, which did not show a significant difference from each other. Additionally, birthday cards with humor showed more ageist messages than cards without humor. Characteristics of decade birthday cards were also explored.

Discussion and Implications

Consumers need to learn to evaluate these ageist messages in birthday cards to reduce the perpetuation of damaging stereotypes.
Experimental validation of membrane distillation unit coupled with a sweeping gas membrane using solar energy
Authors: Boukhriss Mokhless , Maatoug Med Ali , Farhani Slah , Timoumi Mahdi , Jammali Adel , Bacha Habib Ben
Published: September 2023

This work presents an experimental validation of MD unit coupled with a sweeping gas membrane (SGMD) using solar energy experimental validation of a sweeping gas membrane distillation (SGMD) unit coupled with solar energy. This station is installed at the University of Kairouan in Tunisia. SGMD is the least used membrane distillation (MD) configuration, and it is very expensive to build. SGMD is used to completely remove solutions containing non-volatile compounds such as salts and recover only high-purity water. A theoretical and experimental study was carried out with the parameters that intervene in the system. The theory of the system is described by a mathematical model based on the heat and mass transfer of the MD unit. Experimental studies were carried out for two types of processes: with preheating and without preheating of the charge (brine). With a low gas flow, the evaporation capacity varies between 0.15 and 0.25 l/m2 h. The operating parameter (liquid velocity) is affected by the layer on both sides of the membrane. Utilizing the water heating by the solar collector increases the evaporation efficiency in the SGMD, and increasing the flow rate the permeate flow in the SGMD. SGMD unit experimental data were submitted to evaluate the reliability obtained from the MD unit, aspects of heat transfer, mass transfer, in solation patterns and all temperatures considering the efficiency of the MD unit.
Evaluation of omadacycline against intracellular Mycobacterium abscessus in an infection model in human macrophages
Authors: Jahanbakhsh S , Howland J , Ndayishimiye Uwineza M O , Thwaites M T , Pillar C M , Serio A W , Anastasiou D M , Hufnagel D A
Published: September 2023

Background

Omadacycline is an aminomethylcycline antibiotic in the tetracycline class that was approved by the US FDA in 2018 for the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. It is available in both IV and oral formulations. Omadacycline has broad-spectrum in vitro activity and clinical efficacy against infections caused by Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. Omadacycline is being evaluated in a 3 month placebo-controlled Phase 2 clinical trial of oral omadacycline versus placebo in adults with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary disease caused by Mycobacterium abscessus (NCT04922554).

Objectives

To determine if omadacycline has intracellular antimicrobial activity against NTM, bacteria that can cause chronic lung disease, in an ex vivo model of intracellular infection.

Methods

Two strains of M. abscessus were used to infect THP-1 macrophages. Intracellular M. abscessus was then challenged with omadacycline and control antibiotics at multiples of the MIC over time to evaluate intracellular killing.

Results

At 16 ×  the MIC at 72 h, omadacycline treatment of intracellular NTM yielded a log10 reduction in cfu of 1.1 (91.74% reduction in cfu) and 1.6 (97.65% reduction in cfu) consistent with killing observed with tigecycline, whereas amikacin and clarithromycin at 16 ×  the MIC did not show any reduction in cfu against the intracellular M. abscessus.

Conclusions

Omadacycline displayed intracellular activity against M. abscessus within macrophages. The activity was similar to that of tigecycline; as expected, intracellular killing was not observed with clarithromycin and amikacin.
The growth inhibitory and apoptotic effects of umbelliprenin in a mouse model of systemic candidiasis
Authors: Rashidi Mohsen , Bazi Ali , Ahmadzadeh Alireza , Romeo Orazio , Rezaei-Matehkolaei Ali , Abastabar Mahdi , Haghani Iman , Mirzaei Sepideh
Published: September 2023

Aims

Umbelliprenin has shown promising biological activities, including immunoregulatory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. The present study investigated the growth inhibitory and apoptotic effects of umbelliprenin against Candida albicans in a BALB/c mice model of disseminated candidiasis.

Methods and results

First, an antimicrobial assay via microdilution sensitivity test was performed. Then, twenty-five 6-week-old female BALB/c mice (20 ± 12 g) were divided into five groups of five mice, including one control group (no umbelliprenin treatment) and four experimental groups: C. albicans-infected mice treated with umbelliprenin at the doses of 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg kg −1. The brain, lung, kidney, spleen, and liver tissues were examined for fungal infection and histological lesions, and TUNEL staining was performed to assess apoptosis. The β-1, 3-glucan synthase assay was used to evaluate enzymatic activity, and gene expression analysis was also performed to investigate the transcriptional changes of ERG11, CDR1, ALS1, and HWP1 genes. The MIC of umbelliprenin was 1.5 mg mL−1. Our results showed that at the 40 mg kg −1 dose, umbelliprenin was able to eradicate fungal infection in BALB/c mice. The percentage of apoptotic cells in umbelliprenin-treated groups increased in a concentration-dependent manner. Umbelliprenin (40 mg kg −1) also inhibited the expression of β-1, 3-glucan synthase, and the genes involved in antifungal resistance (CDR1 and ERG11), as well as the expression of the genes encoding adhesins (ALS1 and HWP1).

Conclusion

Our results showed that umbelliprenin could promote antifungal effects, partly via inducing apoptosis.
Fortify the Truth: How to Defend Human Rights in an Age of Deepfakes and Generative AI
Authors: Gregory Sam
Published: September 2023

Audiovisual digital media and tools are critical elements in contemporary human rights documentation and advocacy. Generative AI, deepfakes and synthetic media compound questions of what to trust in an existing situation of government suppression, difficulty proving witness accounts and broader societal challenges to trust. There is a need to ‘fortify the truth’ by fostering resilient witnessing practices that can ensure trustworthy videos and strengthen narratives of vulnerable communities. The author identifies and speculates on actions at tactical, strategic, tools, technology, and policy levels, drawing upon human rights organization WITNESS’s work on proactive preparation for emerging technologies and technical infrastructures. Practical steps occur across a trajectory of using images and video in human rights advocacy and activism including filming, storytelling, watching, analysing, sharing, advocacy, and preservation. Guidance on filming must evolve to address deepfakes and opportunities and challenges in ‘authenticity infrastructure’. Narrative video advocacy and formal legal and policy processes must adapt to new technologies including text-to-image and text-to-video, new disinformation threats such as ‘floods of falsehood’ and new presentation opportunities. The evolution of watching, scrutinizing, and sharing videos accountability amid increasing volume and normalized image manipulation includes positive dimensions of the ‘media forensic turn’, including collaborative ‘open-source intelligence’ verification, and negative aspects involving excessive scrutiny. Finally, preserving audiovisual media is critical, and emerging socio-technical infrastructure should be shaped for community control. Underlying principles for ‘fortifying the truth’ include taking a proactive approach, centring voices and needs of people facing human rights abuses, and working with and challenging technologists and technology companies.
How Crime Shapes Insurance and Insurance Shapes Crime
Authors: Baker Tom , Shortland Anja
Published: September 2023

Crime creates demand for insurance but supplying insurance may promote crime. We examine five case studies of insured crimes (auto theft, art theft, kidnap and hijack for ransom, ransomware, and payment card fraud) and find a co-evolutionary process through which insurers engage with insureds, governments, and legal and extralegal third parties to mitigate losses, particularly when criminal innovations destabilize the insurance market. “Insurance as crime governance” stimulates demand for security, shapes criminal incentives, engages with the state to combat crime, and tolerates some crime in the interest of profitability.
Validation of co–Symptom Screening in Pediatrics Tool: a novel dyadic approach to symptom screening in pediatric patients receiving cancer treatment
Authors: Tomlinson Deborah , Dupuis L Lee , Dix David , Crellin-Parsons Nicole , Cook Sadie , Kulkarni Ketan , Schechter Tal , Tomlinson George A , Sung Lillian
Published: September 2023

Background

Co-Symptom Screening in Pediatrics Tool (co-SSPedi) is a dyadic (child-guardian) approach to symptom assessment. Objectives were to evaluate the reliability and validity of co-SSPedi for pediatric patients receiving cancer treatments.

Methods

This multicenter study included dyads of patients aged 4-18 years of age with cancer or undergoing hematopoietic cell transplant and their guardians. Two groups were enrolled. The more symptomatic group included those receiving active treatment for cancer or undergoing hematopoietic cell transplant where patients were in hospital or clinic for 4 consecutive days. The less symptomatic group included those receiving maintenance therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia or who had completed cancer treatments. At baseline, all dyads completed co-SSPedi, and guardians completed measures of mucositis, nausea, pain, quality of life, and overall symptoms. In the more symptomatic group, dyads completed co-SSPedi and a global symptom change scale on day 4.

Results

There were 501 dyads included: 301 in the more symptomatic group and 200 in the less symptomatic group. Median time to complete co-SSPedi was less than 3 minutes in both groups. Test-retest reliability intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.85 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.77 to 0.90). For internal consistency, total co-SSPedi Cronbach alpha was 0.81 (95% CI = 0.78 to 0.83). For known groups validation, mean difference in total co-SSPedi scores between the more symptomatic and less symptomatic groups was 7.8 (95% CI = 6.7 to 8.8; P < .0001). For convergent validation and responsiveness, all hypothesized relationships were demonstrated.

Conclusions

Co-SSPedi is a novel approach to dyadic symptom assessment that is reliable, valid, and responsive in pediatric patients aged 4-18 years.
A LOFAR prompt search for radio emission accompanying X-ray flares in GRB 210112A
Authors: Hennessy A , Starling R L C , Rowlinson A , de Ruiter I , Kumar A , Eyles-Ferris R A J , Ror A K , Anderson G E , Gourdji K , van der Horst A J , Pandey S B , Shimwell T W , Steeghs D , Stylianou N , ter Veen S , Wiersema K , Wijers R A M J
Published: September 2023

The composition of relativistic gamma-ray burst (GRB) jets and their emission mechanisms are still debated, and they could be matter or magnetically dominated. One way to distinguish these mechanisms arises because a Poynting flux dominated jet may produce low-frequency radio emission during the energetic prompt phase, through magnetic reconnection at the shock front. We present a search for radio emission coincident with three GRB X-ray flares with the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR), in a rapid response mode follow-up of long GRB 210112A (at z ∼ 2) with a 2 h duration, where our observations began 511 s after the initial Swift-BAT trigger. Using time-sliced imaging at 120–168 MHz, we obtain upper limits at 3σ confidence of 42 mJy averaging over 320 s snapshot images, and 87 mJy averaging over 60 s snapshot images. LOFAR’s fast response time means that all three potential radio counterparts to X-ray flares are observable after accounting for dispersion at the estimated source redshift. Furthermore, the radio pulse in the magnetic wind model was expected to be detectable at our observing frequency and flux density limits which allows us to disfavour a region of parameter space for this GRB. However, we note that stricter constraints on redshift and the fraction of energy in the magnetic field are required to further test jet characteristics across the GRB population.
Post-transcriptional repression of CFP-1 expands the regulatory repertoire of LIN-41/TRIM71
Authors: Kumari Pooja , Thuestad Lars Harald , Ciosk Rafal
Published: September 2023

The Caenorhabditis elegans LIN-41/TRIM71 is a well-studied example of a versatile regulator of mRNA fate, which plays different biological functions involving distinct post-transcriptional mechanisms. In the soma, LIN-41 determines the timing of developmental transitions between larval stages. The somatic LIN-41 recognizes specific mRNAs via LREs (LIN-41 Recognition Elements) and elicits either mRNA decay or translational repression. In the germline, LIN-41 controls the oocyte-to-embryo transition (OET), although the relevant targets and regulatory mechanisms are poorly understood. The germline LIN-41 was suggested to regulate mRNAs indirectly by associating with another RNA-binding protein. We show here that LIN-41 can also regulate germline mRNAs via the LREs. Through a computational-experimental analysis, we identified the germline mRNAs potentially controlled via LREs and validated one target, the cfp-1 mRNA, encoding a conserved chromatin modifier. Our analysis suggests that cfp-1 may be a long-sought target whose LIN-41-mediated regulation during OET facilitates the transcriptional reprogramming underlying the switch from germ- to somatic cell identity.
Real-time imaging of drug-induced trapping of cellular topoisomerases and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 at the single-molecule level
Authors: Sun Yilun , Chen Jiji , Pommier Yves
Published: September 2023

Topoisomerases (TOP1, TOP2α, and β) are nuclear enzymes crucial for virtually all aspects of DNA metabolisms. They also are the targets of important anti-tumor chemotherapeutics that act by trapping the otherwise reversible topoisomerase-DNA covalent complex intermediates (TOPccs) that are formed during their catalytic reactions, resulting in long-lived topoisomerase DNA-protein crosslinks (TOP-DPCs) that interfere with DNA transactions. The Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) family protein PARP1 is activated by DNA damage to recruit DNA repair proteins, and PARP inhibitors are another class of commonly used chemotherapeutics, which bind and trap PARP molecules on DNA. To date, the trapping of TOPccs and PARP by their respective inhibitors can only be measured by immune-biochemical methods in cells. Here, we developed an imaging-based approach enabling real-time monitoring of drug-induced trapping of TOPccs and PARP1 in live cells at the single-molecule level. Capitalizing on this approach, we calculated the fraction of self-fluorescence tag-labeled topoisomerases and PARP single-molecules that are trapped by their respective inhibitors in real time. This novel technique should help elucidate the molecular processes that repair TOPcc and PARP trapping and facilitate the development of novel topoisomerase and PARP inhibitor-based therapies.
Optimizing the electron transport chain to sustainably improve photosynthesis
Authors: Gu Lianhong
Published: September 2023

Genetically improving photosynthesis is a key strategy to boosting crop production to meet the rising demand for food and fuel by a rapidly growing global population in a warming climate. Many components of the photosynthetic apparatus have been targeted for genetic modification for improving photosynthesis. Successful translation of these modifications into increased plant productivity in fluctuating environments will depend on whether the electron transport chain (ETC) can support the increased electron transport rate without risking overreduction and photodamage. At present atmospheric conditions, the ETC appears suboptimal and will likely need to be modified to support proposed photosynthetic improvements and to maintain energy balance. Here, I derive photochemical equations to quantify the transport capacity and the corresponding reduction level based on the kinetics of redox reactions along the ETC. Using these theoretical equations and measurements from diverse C3/C4 species across environments, I identify several strategies that can simultaneously increase the transport capacity and decrease the reduction level of the ETC. These strategies include increasing the abundances of reaction centers, cytochrome b6f complexes, and mobile electron carriers, improving their redox kinetics, and decreasing the fraction of secondary quinone–nonreducing photosystem II reaction centers. I also shed light on several previously unexplained experimental findings regarding the physiological impacts of the abundances of the cytochrome b6f complex and plastoquinone. The model developed, and the insights generated from it facilitate the development of sustainable photosynthetic systems for greater crop yields.