bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recycling nonlocality in a quantum network
Authors: Mao Ya-Li , Li Zheng-Da , Steffinlongo Anna , Guo Bixiang Guo , Liu Biyao , Xu Shufeng , Gisin Nicolas , Tavakoli Armin , Fan Jingyun
Published: July 2022

The nonlocality of an entangled qubit pair can be recycled for several Bell experiments. Here, we go beyond standard Bell scenarios and investigate the recycling of nonlocal resources in a quantum network. First, we show that the ability to recycle nonlocality can be independent of the size of the network. Then, we realize a photonic quantum 3-branch star network in
which three sources of entangled pairs independently connect three outer parties with a central node. After measuring, each outer party respectively relays their system to an independent secondary measuring party. We experimentally demonstrate that the outer parties can perform unsharp measurements that are strong enough to violate a network Bell inequality with the central party, but weak enough to maintain sufficient entanglement in the network to allow the three secondary parties to do the same. Moreover, the violations are strong enough to exclude any model based on standard projective measurements on the EPR pairs emitted in the network. Our experiment brings together the research program of recycling quantum resources with that of Bell nonlocality in networks.
The Effects of Teleworking in a Pandemic Context on the Well-Being of People with Disabilities: A Canadian Qualitative Study
Authors: Lecours Alexandra , Gilbert Marie-Hélène , Boucher Normand , Vincent Claude
Published: July 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to numerous changes in work environments. Thousands of workers quickly found themselves having to telework without being prepared, which had consequences on their well-being. Authors proposed telework practices that promote the well-being of workers in a pandemic context, but less attention has been paid to consider the needs of disabled workers. Purpose. This study aimed to explore the effects of telework during the pandemic on the well-being of people with disabilities. Methods. Following an interpretive descriptive research design, interviews were conducted with 16 workers with disabilities (i.e., motor, or sensory). The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis strategy. Results. The results revealed 15 factors that influence the well-being of teleworkers with disabilities. These factors are related to interactions between three spheres of the worker's life: the individual, the organization, and the environment. Ten recommendations are proposed to consider the reality of disabled individuals in the telework practices. Conclusion. Given that telework has expanded since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and will likely continue to remain a widespread modality of work delivery, it becomes even more important to expand knowledge about it, to benefit the well-being of disabled teleworkers.
Iron (hydr)oxide formation in Andosols under extreme climate conditions
Authors: Klaes Björn , Thiele-Bruhn Sören , Wörner Gerhard , Höschen Carmen , Mueller Carsten W. , Marx Philipp , Arz Helge Wolfgang , Breuer Sonja , Kilian Rolf
Published: July 2022

Redox-driven biogeochemical cycling of iron plays an integral role in the complex process network of terrestrial ecosystems, such as carbon and phosphorous cycling, the fate of nutrients and greenhouse gas emissions. We investigate Fe-(hydr)oxide (trans)formation pathways from volcanic glass and titanomagnetite phenocrysts in acidic topsoils of South Patagonian Andosols, combining bulk geochemical analyses with micrometer-scale-measurements on individual aggregates. Our data indicate that Fe-(hydr)oxide (trans)formation is closely linked to tephra weathering and organic matter turnover, regulated by frequent hydrological perturbations related to the hyper-humid climate. We document abiotic and microbially-mediated pathways, including Fe-(hydr)oxide nucleation after glass dissolution and complexation with organic ligands, maghemitization and dissolution-(re)crystallization processes from metastable precursors. Ultimately, hematite represents the sole thermodynamically stable Fe-(hydr)oxide formed under these conditions. The insights into iron cycling in pristine Andosols have implications for a better understanding of the colloidal delivery of bio-available iron and carbon sequestration in the unique Patagonian fjord ecosystem.
Genetically modified MSCs into neural and endothelial cell-like cells induced by a branched peptide amphiphile hydrogel
Authors: Li Yixiu , Yin Peiyi , Yu Wang , Zhou Tiantian , Jiang Xinghai , Wu Kai , song yulin
Published: July 2022

Background： Spinal cord injury (SCI) remain one of the great clinical challenges because of their considerable long-term disability potential. In this study, A branched amphiphilic peptide (B-PA) segments were constructed and self-assembled into hydrogels to support bone marrow derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) encoding Recombinant Rat VEGF165（VEGF165）, neurotrophins-3(NT-3)and angiopoietin-1(ANG-1) genes. In addition, B-PAS promoted the transdifferentiation of BMSCs into nerve and vascular endothelial cells. Methods：Self-assembly of b-PA into a nanofiber hydrogel was triggered by the culture medium and analysed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Rat BMSCs were cultivated using the differential adhesion method and assessed by flow cytometry. Cells were inoculated into the hydrogel and investigated using calcein-AM/PI, CCK-8, and cell adhesion assays. Cells transfected with adenoviral vectors of biocarrier (Adv-Bic) and adenoviral vectors of NT-3 gene (AdvNT-3) were cultured for 7 days and evaluated by immunofluorescence and real time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. Results：The molecular weight and purity of b-PA were 2191.72 and >95%, respectively. Self-assembled nanofibers had a diameter of 5-8 nm and a length ranging from hundreds of nanometres to micrometres. The resulting CD29+/44+ cells could differentiate into osteoblasts and fat cells, and the hydrogel supported cell growth, proliferation and adhesion. Cells in the hydrogel overexpressed VEGF165, NT-3 and Ang-1, and NSE and Nestin markers of CD31+/34+ cells were also abundant. Conclusions： The hydrogel has potential as a tissue engineering scaffold with good cytocompatibility, and can induce genetically modified BMSCs to transdifferentiate into neural and endothelial cell (EC)-like cells.
Intraspecific Variations in Leaf Functional Traits of Cunninghamia lanceolata provenances
Authors: Xu Rui , Cheng Shundan , Zhou Jing , Tigabu Mulualem , Ma Xiangqing , LI MING
Published: July 2022

Background
Studies on intra-specific variability in leaf functional traits is important to evaluate adaptation of the species to predicted climate change, and to develop long-term conservation strategy. The main objectives were to investigate the relationship between the functional traits leaves and C, N, P stoichiometry of Chinese fir from different geographical provenances and their relationship with the main environmental factors of provenance.
Results
In this study, we measured 12 leaf functional traits on 36-year-old Cunninghamia lanceolata trees from 13 provenances. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to examine the variability. Redundancy analysis (RA) was computed to examine the relationship between geo-climatic factors of provenance origin and leaf functional traits while Pearson’s correlation coefficient was computed to assess inter-trait correlations. The results showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.01) in intraspecific leaf traits among provenances, except leaf P content. The relationships among leaf traits are consistent with the general trend observed in the leaf economic spectrum. Mean annual temperature appeared to be a key factor that influences intraspecific leaf traits variability compared to mean annual precipitation.
Conclusion
These results provide useful insights about adaptation of leaf trait of Chinese fir in a changing climatic condition. Thus, our findings shed light on the importance of interspecific trait variability in Chinese fir and the potential effect of climate change.
Ellagic Acid Alleviates Mice intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury: A Study Based on Transcriptomics Combined with Functional Experiments
Authors: Fan Shuyuan , Xu yue , Li kun , Li bin , Diao yunpeng
Published: July 2022

Background：It has been reported that intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IIRI) is closely related to inflammatory response, apoptosis and oxidative stress. Ellagic acid (EA) has been proved to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and can inhibit tumor angiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of EA on IIRI in mice.Methods：A mouse model of IIRI was established by clamping the mesenteric artery. Effects and mechanisms of EA on IIRI were investigate by transcriptomics combined with functional experiments. Results: The symptoms of IIRI were reflected in significant increases in inflammatory factors such as TNF-α and IL-1β; significant increases in oxidative stress indicators such as MDA and GSH and decreases in SOD and promotion of the apoptotic protein Bax/Bcl-2. These indicators were significantly alleviated by EA. And after EA treatment, transcriptomics results identified AKT1 differentially expressed mRNAs mainly enriched in PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Conclusion: This study illustrates the protective effects against IIRI, the possible mechanisms were also studied. This study provides new scientific information for the application of EA in IIRI therapy.
Sustainable total factor productivity of transport: considering safety issues and environmental impacts
Authors: Lu Mingxuan , Chen Peirong
Published: July 2022

Economy, environment and safety are three important components of sustainable transport. This paper proposes a productivity measurement standard that comprehensively considers economic growth, environmental impact and safety issues, namely sustainable total factor productivity (STFP). We measure the growth rate of STFP in transport sector of OECD countries in terms of Malmquist-Luenberger productivity index by applying data envelopment analysis (DEA). It is found that the growth rate of total factor productivity in transport sector can be overestimated if safety is ignored. In addition, we discuss the influence of socio-economic factors on the measurement results, finding that there exists a threshold on the impact of environmental regulation intensity on the growth of STFP in transport. That is, STFP increases with environmental regulation intensity if it is smaller than 0.247, while STFP decreases if it is larger than 0.247.
A kinesin mediates VEGFR2 recycling and regulates VE-cadherin phosphorylation, essential for vascular permeability
Authors: Cho Hyun-Dong , Zhou Christopher , Tu Kayeman , Nguyen Tara , Sarich Nicolene A. , Yamada Kaori
Published: July 2022

Excessive vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) signaling induces vascular leakage and angiogenesis in diseases. VEGFR2 trafficking to the cell surface, mediated by kinesin-3 family protein KIF13B, is essential to respond to VEGF-A in inducing angiogenesis. However, the precise mechanism of how KIF13B regulates VEGF-induced signaling and endothelial permeability is unknown. Here we show that KIF13B-mediated recycling of internalized VEGFR2 through Rab11-positive recycling vesicle regulates VE-cadherin phosphorylation and endothelial permeability. Phosphorylated VEGFR2 at the cell-cell junction was internalized and associated with KIF13B in Rab5-positive early endosomes. KIF13B mediated VEGFR2 recycling through Rab11-positive recycling vesicle, and inhibition of this recycling attenuated phosphorylation of VEGFR2 at Y951, Src, and VE-cadherin at Y685, which are necessary for endothelial permeability. Failure of VEGFR2 trafficking to the cell surface induced accumulation and degradation of VEGFR2 in lysosomes. Furthermore, in the animal model of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), inhibition of KIF13B-mediated VEGFR2 trafficking also mitigated vascular leakage. Thus, the present results identify the fundamental role of VEGFR2 recycling to the cell surface in mediating vascular permeability, suggesting a promising strategy for mitigating vascular leakage associated with inflammatory diseases.
Depression, Anxiety, & Loneliness Among Cancer Survivors During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: White Larissa Lee , Goldberg-Scott Shauna , Feigelson Heather Spencer , Burnett-Hartman Andrea N.
Published: July 2022

Purpose: Although studies have evaluated the mental health impacts in those recently diagnosed with cancer during the pandemic, few studies focused on cancer survivors who are past their primary cancer treatment. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression, anxiety, and loneliness between those with and without a history of cancer.Methods: Kaiser Permanente Research Bank participants were invited to complete a series of surveys from May to December 2020. The difference in score of depression, anxiety, and loneliness were estimated using linear mixed regression. All models adjusted for age group, sex, race/ethnicity, Kaiser Permanente region, smoking status, and Charlson comorbidity score.Results: Among cancer survivors, 21% and 19% met the thresholds for increased risk of depression and anxiety. Among those without a history of cancer, 24% met the thresholds for increased risk of depression and anxiety. Both groups reported decreases in mean depression, anxiety, and loneliness scores between May and July 2020, however, scores increased from August to December 2020. Cancer survivors had decreased depression, anxiety, and loneliness scores compared to those without a history of cancer. Among cancer survivors, younger age groups and females reported increased depression, anxiety, and loneliness scores, while non-Hispanic Black and Asian participants reported decreased depression, anxiety, and loneliness scores.Conclusion: The results of this study highlight the continued necessity of addressing mental health needs and social support in cancer survivors, especially those who are younger and female, during and after a public health emergency.
Using Hand Painting in the Fabrication of a Negative Refractive Index Metamaterial Based on Circular Shape with Paper as the Dielectric
Authors: Hamonangan Felix R.M. , Yudistira Hadi Teguh , Qalbina Fitrah , Saputro Adhitya Gandaryus , Faisal Amir
Published: July 2022

This study aims to use the hand-painting method in designing and fabricating a metamaterial based on a circular shape that exhibits a negative refractive index over the microwave spectrum. Hand painting is a simple and inexpensive fabrication method. This study applies silver ink as a periodic conductor to glossy paper as the dielectric substrate. The spectrum of investigation in this study is 3–6 GHz, and the experimental results obtained are compared with the simulation results. The slight error obtained between transmission results from the simulation and the experiments reflects limitations in the fabrication methods used. Overall, the experimental results present good agreement with the simulation results. The electrical properties of the metamaterial are retrieved from the transmission and reflection simulation results. The simulation results are employed instead of the experimental results because of the fluctuating data provided by the latter. The refractive index presents a negative value at 3–3.6 GHz.
Effect of the Aramid Pulp on the Physicochemical, Viscoelastic Properties and Rheokinetics of Polyurethanes
Authors: Cruz Joziel Aparecido , Amico Sandro C. , Bianchi Otávio
Published: July 2022

This publication highlights the effect of aramid pulp (1 wt.%) on equilibrium swelling, enthalpy reaction, solid viscoelastic properties, and rheokinetics of castor oil (CO) and polyether (PE) polyol blend (50/50 CO/PE) with polymeric isocyanate (pMDI). The CO-pMDI system showed a lower solubility parameter difference (Δδi) than the PE-pMDI and CO/PE-pMDI. Crosslink density values νe are higher for CO-pMDI, and when added to aramid pulp, there is a slight increase due to the possible restriction of swollen volume. Regarding the pseudo-solid behavior, AP restricts the macromolecular movement and confers reinforcing characteristics to PU systems. The Prout–Tompkins autocatalytic model satisfactorily described the reactions, resulting in activation energy values Ea within 45−54 kJ/mol. However, for the CO/PE blend, the difference between the reactivity of the polyols and the solubility parameter with pMDI results in a two-step reaction kinetics. Aramid pulp practically does not change the reaction mechanism, only the viscosity of the medium. Furthermore, the thermodynamic parameters (ΔS* and ΔH*) indicated that the PU with AP resulted in more ordered complexes. The adequate description of the polymerization reaction and the effect of the aramid pulp allowed obtaining PU formulations with tunable characteristics for strict composite processing composites.
High-performance glass filters for capturing and culturing circulating tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts
Authors: Tanaka Hiromasa , Iwata Daijiro , Shibata Yuki , Hase Tetsunari , Onoshima Daisuke , Yogo Naoyuki , Shibata Hirofumi , Sato Mitsuo , Ishikawa Kenji , Nagasawa Ikuo , Hasegawa Yoshinori , Ishii Makoto , Baba Yoshinobu , Hori Masaru
Published: July 2022

Various liquid biopsy methods have been developed for the non-invasive and early detection of diseases. In particular, the detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in blood has been receiving a great deal of attention. We have been developing systems and materials to facilitate such liquid biopsies. In this study, we further developed glass filters (with various patterns of holes, pitches, and non-adhesive coating) that can capture CTCs, but not white blood cells. We optimized the glass filters to capture CTCs, and demonstrated that they could be used to detect CTCs from lung cancer patients. We also used the optimized glass filters for detecting CAFs. Additionally, we further developed a system for visualizing the captured cells on the glass filters. Finally, we demonstrated that we could directly culture the captured cells on the glass filters. Based on these results, our high-performance glass filters appear to be useful for capturing and culturing CTCs and CAFs for further examinations.
Disk potential functions for quadrics
Authors: Kim Yoosik
Published: July 2022

We compute the disk potential of Gelfand–Zeitlin monotone torus fiber in a quadric hypersurface by exploiting toric degenerations. Lie theoretical mirror symmetry, and the structural result of the monotone Fukaya category.
Metagenome profile reveals changes in hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial community composition enriched at different temperatures
Authors: Singha Ningombam A. , Neihsial Roselin , Kipgen Lhinglamkim , Lyngdoh Waniabha J. , Nongdhar Jopthiaw , Singh Prabhakar , Chettri Bobby , Singh Arvind K.
Published: July 2022

The variation in temperature in an ecosystem significantly impact the bacterial community composition and their functional genes. Such changes in the microbiota are well investigated using 16S rDNA metagenomic approach. We report crude oil (CO) degradation activity and metagenome profile of four hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial consortia enriched from an oily sludge at 4±2 ˚C (3% w/v CO), 25±2 ˚C (1% and 3% w/v CO), and 45±2 ˚C (3% w/v CO) in Bushnell-Haas medium. The total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) removal and hydrocarbon degradation activity was found maximum for consortia raised at 25±2 ˚C and minimum for consortium enriched at 4±2 ˚C. The consortium developed at 25±2 ˚C showed alkane hydroxylase and catechol 2, 3-dioxygenase activities also. The 16S metagenomic approach revealed predominance of Proteobacteria (62.12%-91.25%) at all temperatures followed by Bacteroidetes (18.94%-37.77%) at 4±2 ˚C and 25±2 ˚C. The consortium at 45±2 ˚C showed a diverse community structure comprising 7.38% Actinobacteria and 0.41% Bacteroidetes. Further significant variation in overall community composition and relative abundance was observed between consortia at genus level. The functional analysis predicted 247 KOs mapped in xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism pathways involved in hydrocarbon degradation. This study revealed changes in bacterial community composition and metabolic construction in response to variation in temperature and hydrocarbon concentration.
Bioenergetic control of soil carbon dynamics across depth
Authors: Henneron Ludovic , Balesdent Jerôme , Alvarez Gaël , Barré Pierre , Baudin François , Basile-Doelsch Isabelle , Cécillon Lauric , Fernandez-Martinez Alejandro , Hatté Christine , Fontaine Sébastien
Published: July 2022

Soil carbon dynamics is strongly controlled by depth globally, with increasingly slow dynamics found at depth. The mechanistic basis remains however controversial, limiting our ability to predict carbon cycle-climate feedbacks. Combining radiocarbon and thermal analyses of soil carbon with long-term incubations in absence/presence of continuously 13C/14C-labelled plants, we show here that bioenergetic constraints of decomposers consistently drive the depth-dependency of soil carbon dynamics over a range of mineral reactivity context. The slow dynamics of subsoil carbon was tightly related to both its low energy density and high activation energy of decomposition, leading to an unfavorable ‘return-on-energy-investment’ for decomposers. We also observed strong acceleration of millennia-old subsoil carbon decomposition induced by roots (‘rhizosphere priming’), showing that sufficient supply of energy by roots is able to alleviate the strong energy limitation of decomposition. These findings demonstrate that the slow dynamics of subsoil carbon results from its poor energy quality together with the lack of energy supply by roots at depth.
A novel mutation, c.1342T>C (p.Cys448Arg) identified from an infant with fever-triggered recurrent acute liver failure, affects expressions of NBAS mRNA and protein and induces cellular stress in vitro
Authors: Ji Juhua , Yang Mingming , JunJun Jia , Wu Qi , Cui Hengxiang , Zhu Baofeng , Chu Xin
Published: July 2022

The mutations in neuroblastoma amplified sequence (NBAS) gene correlate with two clinical spectra: short stature with optic nerve atrophy and Pelger-Huët anomaly (SOPH) syndrome and infantile liver failure syndrome 2 (ILFS2). Here, we describe a study of a 26-month-old Chinese girl who was diagnosed with fever-triggered recurrent acute liver failure (ALF). The clinical characteristics were great elevation of liver enzymes, severe coagulopathy, and acute renal failure. Whole-exome and Sanger sequencing of the patient and his parents revealed that she carried novel compound heterozygous missense mutations in NBAS c.938_939delGC and c.1342T > C (p.Cys448Arg). The frameshift mutation c.[938_939delGC] should cause truncated NBAS protein without normal function and c.1342T > C (p.Cys448Arg) mutation affects evolutionarily conserved amino acid residues. And we found the ratio of peripheral CD3+CD4+CD45+ to CD3+CD8+CD45+ was lower in patient than that in normal children, and c.1342T > C mutation reduced expression of NBAS mRNA and protein, enriched intracellular reactive oxygen species, and induced cell apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress in vitro cell models. Our study would enrich our understanding of the mechanism of NBAS mutation in regulating the ALF progress. We recommend NBAS gene analysis in children with unexplained fever-triggered recurrent ALF or liver dysfunction.
Comparison of 30-day planned and unplanned readmissions to huge hospital in China
Authors: Zhang Mengjiao , Liu Siru , Bi Yongdong , Liu Jialin
Published: July 2022

Purpose: To compare and analyze the clinical characteristics and influencing factors of planned and unplanned readmissions within 30 days to provide a basis for the quality of care management.Methods: We searched for inpatients at West China Hospital from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020. Patients were divided into unplanned readmission and planned readmission groups according to 30-day readmission status. Patient demographics and related information were collected for each patient.Results: We identified 1,242,496 hospitalized patients, including 74,494 (6.0%) 30-day planned readmissions and 9,895 (0.8%) unplanned readmissions. There were statistically significant differences between planned and unplanned readmissions in terms of patient gender, marital status, age, length of initial stay, the time between discharge, stay in ICU, surgery, and health insurance.Conclusion: Accurate information on 30-day planned and unplanned readmissions facilitates effective planning of healthcare resource allocation. Identify risk factors for 30-day unplanned readmission and develop interventions to reduce readmission rates.
Effects of CYP3A4/5 and ABC transporter polymorphisms on osimertinib plasma concentrations in Japanese patients with non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Yokota Hayato , Sato Kazuhiro , Sakamoto Sho , Okuda Yuji , Fukuda Natsuki , Asano Mariko , Takeda Masahide , Nakayama Katsutoshi , Miura Masatomo
Published: July 2022

Background: The effects of polymorphisms in CYP3A4 (20230G>A), CYP3A5 (6986A>G), ABCB1 (1236C>T, 2677G>T/A, 3435C>T), ABCG2 (421C>A), and ABCC2 (-24C>T) on the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of osimertinib in 23 patients with non-small cell lung cancer were investigated.Methods: Blood sampling was performed just prior to and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 h after osimertinib administration at the steady-state on day 15 after beginning therapy.Results: There were significant correlations of the area under the plasma concentration-time curve over the last 24-h dosing interval (AUC0-24) of osimertinib with age (P = 0.038), serum albumin (P = 0.002), and serum creatinine (P = 0.012). Additionally, there were significant differences in the AUC0-24 of osimertinib among the groups administered vonoprazan, histamine 2-receptor antagonists or esomeprazole, and no acid suppressants (P = 0.021). By contrast, there were no significant differences in the AUC0-24 of osimertinib between genotypes of CYP3A4/5 or ABC transporters. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the AUC0-24 of osimertinib between patients with diarrhea, skin rash, or hepatotoxicity and those without these conditions. In multivariate analysis, only serum albumin value was an independent factor predicting the AUC0-24 of osimertinib. Conclusions: Analysis of CYP3A4/5 and ABC transporter polymorphisms before osimertinib therapy may not predict the efficacy or side effects of osimertinib. However, lower serum albumin values were associated with an increase in the AUC0-24 of osimertinib. After beginning osimertinib therapy, periodic measurement of serum albumin values should be performed.
COVID-19 outcomes in people living with HIV: peering through the waves
Authors: Sales Thaís Lorenna Souza , Souza-Silva Maíra Viana Rego , Delfino-Pereira Polianna , Neves João Victor Baroni , Sacioto Manuela Furtado , Assis Vivian Costa Morais , Duani Helena , de Oliveira Neimy Ramos , Sampaio Natália da Cunha Severino , Ramos Lucas Emanuel Ferreira , Schwarzbold Alexandre Vargas , Jorge Alzira de Oliveira , Scotton Ana Luiza Bahia Alves , de Castro Bruno Mateus , Silva Carla Thaís Cândida Alves da , Ramos Carolina Marques , Anschau Fernando , Botoni Fernando Antonio , Grizende Genna Maira Santos , Nascimento Guilherme Fagundes , Ruschel Karen Brasil , Menezes Luanna Silva Monteiro , Castro Luís César , Nasi Luiz Antônio , Carneiro Marcelo , Godoy Mariana Frizzo , Nogueira Matheus Carvalho Alves , Júnior Milton Henriques Guimarães , Ziegelmann Patricia Klarmann , Almeida Rafaela Charão , Francisco Saionara Cristina , Neto Sidney Teodoro Silveira , Araújo Silvia Ferreira , Avelino-Silva Thiago Junqueira , Aliberti Márlon Juliano Romero , Pires Magda Carvalho , Silva Eduardo Sérgio da , Marcolino Milena Soriano
Published: July 2022

Background: HIV infection remains a public health concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Data regarding exposure of COVID-19 in HIV infected patients remains scarce. We evaluated clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients infected with HIV, and compared with a paired sample without HIV infection. Methods: This is a substudy of a large Brazilian cohort that comprised two periods (2020 and 2021). Data was obtained through the retrospective review of medical records to collect variables of interest and primary outcomes: intensive care admission, mechanical ventilation and death. COVID-19 patients infected with HIV were compared to COVID-19 patients without concomitant diagnosis of HIV infection using the Chi-Square Test and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and the Wilcoxon test for numerical variables. Both groups were matched for age, sex, number of comorbidities and hospital of origin using the technique of propensity score matching (up to 4:1).Results: Throughout the study, 17,101 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized, 130 (0.76%) of these infected with HIV. The median age was 54 (IQR: 43.0;64.0) years in 2020 and 53 (IQR: 46.0;63.5) years in 2021, with predominance of females in both periods. People living with HIV (PLHIV) and their controls showed similar prevalence for the admission in the ICU and mechanical ventilation requirement in the two periods, with no significant differences. In 2020, in-hospital mortality was higher in the PLHIV compared to the controls (27.9% vs 17.7%; p=0.049), but there was no difference in mortality between groups in 2021 (25.0% vs 25.1%; p>0.999). Conclusion: Our results reiterate that PLHIV were at higher risk of COVID-19 mortality in the early stages of the pandemic, however, this finding did not sustain in 2021, indicating that measures such as large-scale immunization programs have successfully contributed to reducing the excess mortality seen in PLHIV.
Periodontal ligament stem cells inhibit THP-1 macrophage pyroptosis via modulating the NF-κB/NLRP3/GSDMD signaling axis
Authors: Wang Wenxuan , Fan Chun , Yu Xinbo , Qiu Xu , Hu Yingzhe , Li Shuhan , Gao Xiangru , Ji Qiuxia
Published: July 2022

Background: To investigate the pathological crosstalk between pyroptosis and periodontitis by addressing the following questions: 1) Does pyroptosis play any pathobiological roles in the onset and progression of periodontitis?; 2) Are the localized periodontal macrophages major cell type in pyroptosis?; 3) Can in vitro stimulation by Porphyromonas gingivalis-derived lipopolysaccharide (P.g-LPS) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in THP-1 macrophages induce pyroptosis via activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3/GSDMD signaling axis?; and 4) Is there any paracrine effect of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) on the NF-κB/NLRP3/GSDMD pathway in pyroptosis?Methods: Clinical periodontitis tissue samples were collected from voluntarily enrolled participants who visited the Dental Clinic of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. In vitro, THP-1 macrophage pyroptosis was induced by treating with P.g-LPS in combination with ATP. The qRT-PCR, western blotting, and ELISA methods were used to determine the expression levels of NF-κB, NLRP3, caspase-1, ASC, GSDMD, IL-1β, and IL-18. We used the 2ʹ,7ʹ‑dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate fluorescence probe to measure ROS levels in THP-1 cells. The caspase-1 activity assay, cytotoxicity assay, and double staining with Hoechst 33342 and propidium iodide were performed in pyroptotic THP-1 macrophages to test the paracrine effect of human PDLSCs on pyroptosis. Results: High expressions of the canonical pyroptosis-associated factors were detected in periodontitis gingival tissues from patients compared to the healthy controls. P.g-LPS treatment exhibited significant stimulation of the canonical pyroptotic effectors, including NF-κB, NLRP3, caspase-1, GSDMD-N, IL-1β, and IL-18 at both mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, induction of pyroptosis drastically increased the caspase-1 activity, the release of lactate dehydrogenase, and the percentage of cells with damaged membranes, but these pathological effects could be ameliorated via paracrine effects of PDLSCs. Conclusions: Macrophage pyroptosis is an important contributor to the development of periodontitis, while PDLSCs can significantly attenuate the pyroptosis process induced by P.g-LPS/ATP by inhibiting the NF-κB/NLRP3/GSDMD signaling through its paracrine effects in vitro. These evidences cumulatively confirm the immunomodulatory roles of PDLSCs in periodontitis and may be exploited as an effective therapeutic target.
Giant piezoresistivity in a van der Waals material induced by intralayer atomic motions
Authors: Tang Lingyun , Mao Zhong-Quan , Wang Chutian , Fu Qi , zhang Yichi , Shen Jingyi , Yin Yuefeng , Shen Bin , Tan Dayong , Li Qian , Wang Yonggang , Medhekar Nikhil , Wu Jie , Yuan Huiqiu , Li Yanchun , Fuhrer Michael , Zheng Changxi
Published: July 2022

The presence of the van der Waals (vdW) gap in layered materials creates a wealth of intriguing phenomena different to their counterparts in conventional materials. For example, pressurization can generate a large anisotropic lattice shrinkage along the vdW stacking orientation and/or a significant interlayer sliding, and many of the exotic pressure-dependent properties derive from these mechanisms. Here we report a giant piezoresistivity in pressurized \(\beta \text{’}\)-In2Se3. Upon compression, a six-orders-of-magnitude drop of electrical resistivity is obtained below 1.2 GPa in \(\beta \text{’}\)-In2Se3 flakes, yielding a giant piezoresistive gauge \({\pi }_{P}\) of -5.33 GPa− 1. Simultaneously, the sample undergoes a semiconductor-to-semimetal transition without a structural phase transition. Surprisingly, linear dichroism study and theoretical first principles modelling show that these phenomena arise not due to shrinkage or sliding at the vdW gap, but rather are dominated by the layer-dependent atomic motions inside the quintuple layer, mainly from the shifting of middle Se atoms to their high-symmetric location. Our work not only provides a prominent piezoresistive material but also points out the importance of intralayer atomic motions beyond vdW gap.
Water Quality Modelling and Evaluation at Marine Outfalls
Authors: saie Yasser El
Published: July 2022

The increasing water demand of urban and industrial areas in most semi-arid and arid coastal cities led planners to seek renewable alternative water sources and resources. In the past decade, Egypt has launched many large-scale projects along its Red Sea and Mediterranean coasts to cope with the continuous increase of population and urban and industrial developments. Desalination is the most feasible solution to the huge water demand in the region, especially due to the known and limited water resources of the Nile and expected drought due to climate change and upstream dams’ construction. Reverse osmosis desalination plants have become an important source of freshwater production in Egypt. However, the treatment of brine wastewater is still a challenging problem. Hyper saline water effluent as a by-product of seawater desalination, has a negative impact on the marine ecosystem, if discharged inadequately. In this work, a simulation method was proposed to design a safe disposal system for brine effluents. This study uses the model of (CORMIX v 9.0) near-field hydrodynamic model to simulate, predict and manage the brine discharge dispersion and dilution behavior, and assess the initial dilution discharged into coastal water areas through different outfall systems configurations. The research will be applied to desalination plants located along the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea coasts. Based on the simulation results, the design of desalination plants reject brine removal system with a multi-port diffuser will be determined. The design parameters are the, diameter, length and number of ports in the effluent system. These optimized simulation frameworks provide planners with effective tools to meet environmental standards while achieving economic or cost-effectiveness and Hydrodynamic performance that is appropriate and up to date. Applicability of the proposed method was demonstrated by a case study.
The Presence of Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies and Antiphospholipid Antibodies in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 patients: A Case-Control Study among Sudanese Patients
Authors: Aldeen Mohammad Shams , Masaad Musa Logman , Azhary Ayman , haj Abdulomez Suliman al , Alzebier Mohammed Ahmed , Abdalgader Motasim , Aman Farag Alla , Ismail Salahaldeen , Abuzeid Nadir , Musa Abdualmoniem , Mengistu Samuel Tekle , Hamida Mohammed Elfatih
Published: July 2022

Patients infected with COVID-19 are at increased risk for thrombosis, suggesting an important role for COVID-19-induced coagulopathy. This study aimed to investigate the presence of prothrombotic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) and antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in the course of COVID-19 infection and to correlate these markers with severity and fatality, suggesting that COVID-19-induced autoimmune thrombosis is an axis in the inflammatory circuit of infection. To investigate this, we conducted a case-control study in which the cases had a positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the controls had a negative result, in addition to confirming that the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibodies were negative. An indirect immunofluorescence assay using granulocyte biochips (AESKU slides from AESKU DIAGNOSTICS- Germany) was used to detect ANCA, as well as multiplex ELISA for the detection of antiphospholipid antibodies for all patients with COVID-19 and for the control group. The results showed that of the 45 cases, 1/45(2.2%) revealed positive for aPL and 7/45(15.6%) tested positive for ANCA, 5 were men and 2 were females; one case tested positive for both aPL and ANCA. A cytoplasmic reaction against eosinophils was observed in 2 cases; both were positive for ANCA. Other markers (CRP, APTT, PT, INR ESR, and neutrophil and lymphocyte counts) were included in the study, along with demographic data. NO aPL or ANCA was detected in the control group. These findings suggest that aPL and ANCA are induced by inflammation of COVID-19 and possibly contribute to severity and mortality.
CausNet : Generational orderings based search for optimal Bayesian networks via dynamic programming with parent set constraints
Authors: Sharma Nand , Millstein Joshua
Published: July 2022

Background : Finding a globally optimal Bayesian Network using exhaustive search is a problem with super-exponential complexity, which severely restricts the number of variables that it can work for. We implement a dynamic programming based algorithm with built-in dimensionality reduction and parent set identification. This reduces the search space drastically and can be applied to large-dimensional data. We use what we call ‘generational orderings’ based search for optimal networks, which is a novel way to efficiently search the space of possible networks given the possible parent sets. The algorithm supports both continuous and categorical data, and categorical as well as survival outcomes. Results : We demonstrate the efficacy of our algorithm on both synthetic and real data. In simulations, our algorithm performs better than three state-of-art algorithms that are currently used extensively. We then apply it to an Ovarian Cancer gene expression dataset with 513 genes and a survival outcome. Our algorithm is able to find an optimal network describing the disease pathway consisting of 6 genes leading to the outcome node in a few minutes on a basic computer. Conclusions : Our generational orderings based search for optimal networks, is both efficient and highly scalable approach to finding optimal Bayesian Networks, that can be applied to 1000s of variables. Using specifiable parameters - correlation, FDR cutoffs, and in-degree - one can increase or decrease the number of nodes and density of the networks. Availability of two scoring option - BIC and Bge - and implementation for survival outcomes and mixed data types makes our algorithm very suitable for many types of high dimensional data in a variety of fields.
Inhibition of SARS-COV-2 Receptor-Binding domain/ACE2 by Bazedoxifene
Authors: omotuyi olaposi , Olatunji Olusina M. , Nash Oyekanmi , Oyinloye Babatunji , Soremekun Opeyemi , Ijagbuji Ayodeji , Fatumo Segun
Published: July 2022

Coronavirus spike glycoprotein (GP)-Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) and its interaction with host receptor angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is one of the most structurally understood but therapeutically untapped aspect of COVID-19 pathogenesis. In this study, Fragment-based lead discovery was conducted to identify potential lead anti-SARS-COV-2 drug candidate acting at RBD/ACE2 interface. From the original 12000 chemical building blocks, benzimidazole (BAZ) scaffold was identified. Fingerprint-based similarity search of the FDA-approved drug library for BAZ-containing compounds identified 12 drugs with the benzimidazole-like substructure. When these compounds were re—docked into GP/ACE2 interface, the consensus docking identified bazedoxifene as the hit. In vitro RBD/ACE2 inhibition kinetics showed micromolar IC50 value (1.237 μM) in the presence of bazedoxifene. Molecular dynamics simulation of RBD/ACE2 in the presence BAZ resulted in loss of contact and specific hydrogen-bond interaction required for RBD/ACE2 stability. Taken together, these findings identified benzimidazole scaffold as a building block for developing novel RBD/ACE2 complex inhibitor and provided mechanistic basis for the use of bazedoxifene as a repurposable drug for the treatment of COVID-19 acting at RBD/ACE2 interface.
Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization by Immunoglobulin Preparations Manufactured from Plasma Collected in the US and Europe
Authors: Farcet Maria R. , Karbiener Michael , Knotzer Simone , Schwaiger Julia , Kreil Thomas R.
Published: July 2022

After >2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, immunoglobulins (IG) contain highly potent SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies, based on the large proportion of US plasma donors who have gone through COVID-19 or vaccination against. Neutralization of Omicron SARS-CoV-2 by antibodies generated after non-Omicron infection or vaccination has been lower though, raising concerns about the potency of IG against this new virus variant. Also, as plasma collected in the US remains the main source of IG, the neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 for plasma collected elsewhere has been less well studied. Here, we confirm Omicron neutralization by US as well as EU plasma-derived IG lots.
RETRACTED: Saudi Women in Mixed-Gender Workplaces: Remote Work Challenges in the Age of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Aldawsari Abeer , Alshareef Mai , Albalawi Abdulmajeed , Bajandouh Abeer
Published: July 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Multifocal Invasive Streptococcus Pyogenes Infection in Previously Healthy Child: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Holmes Connor , Moolman Nico , Spafford Peter
Published: July 2022

Background: Invasive streptococcus pyogenes infections are rarely seen in healthy children. The multifocal nature of the following case is unusual and presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the treating physician. Case presentation: In this case report, we discuss an otherwise healthy 11-year-old boy with a multifocal invasive streptococcus pyogenes infection presenting with a myriad of musculoskeletal complications at distant sites. He suffered from multiple abscesses, septic arthritis of sternoclavicular joint and multiple sites of osteomyelitis, osteitis and tenosynovitis in the neck hand and foot. A significant course of intravenous antibiotic therapy was required for resolution of disease.Conclusions: Streptococcus pyogenes is a common culprit in head and neck infections. This case is unique because of the multifocal nature of our patient’s infection. The Otolaryngologist – Head and Neck Surgeon should acknowledge the potential for rare and diffuse complications from invasive streptococcus pyogenes infection.
Speech Quefrency Transform (SQT)
Authors: Hasanain Ahmad Zuhair , Kepuska Veton Z , Silaghi Marius Calin , Kostanic Ivica N
Published: July 2022

Human speech consists mainly of three components: a glottal signal, a vocal tract response, and a harmonic shift. The three respectively correlate with the intonation (pitch), the formants (timbre), and the speech resolution (depth). Adding the intonation of the Fundamental Frequency (FF) to Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems is necessary. First, the intonation conveys a primitive para-language. Second, its speaker-tuning reduces background noises to clarify acoustic observations. Third, extracting the speech features is more efficient when they are computed together at the same time.This work introduces a frequency-modulation model, a novel quefrency-based speech features' extraction that is named Speech Quefrency Transform (SQT), and its proper quefrency scaling and transformation function. The cepstrums, which are spectrums of spectrums, are suggested in time unit accelerations, whereby the discrete variable, the quefrency, is measured in Hertz-per-microsecond. The extracted features are comparable to Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) integrated within a quefrency-based pitch tracker. The SQT transform directly expands time samples of stationary signals (i.e., speech) to a higher dimensional space, which can help generative Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) in unsupervised Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks. The proposed methodologies, which are a scalable solution that is compatible with dynamic and parallel programming for refined speech and cepstral analysis, can robustly estimate the features after applying a matrix multiplication in less than a hundred sub-bands, preserving precious computational resources.