bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trajectories among recipients of social assistance in Norway: A local approach
Authors: Dahl Espen , Lorentzen Thomas , Hermansen Åsmund , Roaldsnes Andreas
Published: February 2024

Background and Purpose

Little scholarly attention has been paid to variations in local welfare provisions and how they frame beneficiaries’ welfare‐work trajectories. This is unfortunate since increasingly a varied menu of services is provided locally and welfare‐work trajectories unfold in a local context. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this debate by examining the welfare‐work trajectories among young social assistance recipients in Norwegian municipalities and how they are related to the local setting and in particular the organization of the local welfare office.

Data and Methods

National registers provide longitudinal information on all young social assistance recipients (N = 4654) in 2012. Information on municipalities (N = 373) and the local labour and welfare offices (N = 399) is collected from official government sources. Welfare‐work trajectories spanning seven years are created by sequence analysis forming eight clusters. The relationship between organizational features of the labour and welfare office and trajectory clusters is modelled by means of multinomial logistic regression, after controlling for variables on the individual, the municipal, and the regional level.

Results

The analysis shows that: (a) among the individual variables, those reflecting poor health consistently predict trajectories characterized by benefit receipt and loose attachment to the labour market; (b) variables related to the municipal level are of limited importance, and (c) variables pertaining to the organization of the labour and welfare offices play a minor role.

Conclusion

Once individual, municipal, and regional labour market factors are considered, characteristics of the welfare office are of marginal significance. [Correction added on 17 September 2024, after first online publication: The Abstract and Keywords have been added in this version.]
Expression of mPGES1 and p16 in feline and human oral squamous cell carcinoma: A comparative oncology approach
Authors: Nasry Walaa Hamed Shaker , Jones Kathleen , Rodriguez‐Lecompte Juan Carlos , Tesch Marvin , Martin Chelsea K.
Published: February 2024

Comparative cancer studies help us determine if discoveries in one species apply to another. Feline and human oral squamous cell carcinoma (FOSCC and HOSCC) are invasive tumours in which inflammation and abnormal p16 expression are reported. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of p16 and microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase 1 (mPGES1) in 42 HOSCC and 45 FOSCC samples with known expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) and cluster of differentiation 147 (CD147). High p16 expression was more common in HOSCC tumour cells compared to adjacent stroma and oral epithelium (p < .05), with a similar but statistically nonsignificant pattern in FOSCC. Interestingly, high mPGES1 expression in FOSCC was more common in the adjacent epithelium compared to the other compartments (p < .05). In HOSCC, mPGES1 was more similar between compartments but was numerically more common in the tumour compartment (p > .05). There were nominal (p > 0.05) differences in marker expression between high and low mPGES1 expressing tumours in both species, including high p16 observed more commonly in high mPGES1 tumours, and COX‐2 positive tumours being more common in low mPGES1 tumours. High CD147 HOSCC tumours were more common in the high mPGES1 HOSCC group (p < .05). In the FOSCC cohort, where there was no statistical difference in CD147 expression between high and low mPGES1 tumours, there were numerically higher CD147 cases in the high mPGES1group. Different expression patterns in FOSCC and HOSCC could be related to different risk factors. For example, p16 is a marker of papillomavirus‐driven HOSCC, but a causal relationship between papillomaviruses and FOSCC has yet to be definitively demonstrated. The significance of high P16 expression in the absence of papillomavirus infection deserves further study, and the relative contributions of COX2 and mPGES1 to tumour inflammation and progression should be explored. The findings reveal potential similarities in FOSCC and HOSCC biology, while also demonstrating differences that may relate to risk factors and pathogenesis that are unique to each species.
Residual force depression is not related to positive muscle fascicle work during submaximal voluntary dorsiflexion contractions in humans
Authors: Raiteri Brent James , Lauret Leon , Hahn Daniel
Published: February 2024

Residual force depression (rFD) following active muscle shortening is assumed to correlate most strongly with muscle work, but this has not been tested during voluntary contractions in humans. Using dynamometry, we compared steady‐state ankle joint torques (N = 16) following tibialis anterior (TA) muscle–tendon unit (MTU) lengthening and shortening to the time‐matched torque during submaximal voluntary fixed‐end dorsiflexion reference contractions (REF) at a matched MTU length and EMG amplitude. Ultrasound revealed significantly reduced (P < 0.001) TA fascicle shortening amplitudes during MTU lengthening without a preload over small and medium amplitudes, respectively, relative to REF. MTU lengthening with a preload over a large amplitude significantly (P < 0.001) increased fascicle shortening relative to REF, as well as stretch amplitudes relative to MTU lengthening without a preload (P = 0.001). Significant (P = 0.028) steady‐state fascicle force enhancement relative to REF was observed following MTU lengthening, and was similar among MTU lengthening‐hold conditions (3–5%). MTU shortening with and without a preload over small and large amplitudes significantly (P < 0.001) increased positive fascicle and MTU work relative to REF, but significant (P = 0.006) rFD was observed following MTU shortening with a preload (7–10%) only. rFD was linearly related to positive MTU work [rrm(47) = 0.48, P < 0.001], but not positive fascicle work [rrm(47) = 0.16, P = 0.277]. Our findings indicate that MTU lengthening without substantial fascicle stretch enhances steady‐state force output, which might arise from less shortening‐induced rFD. Our findings also indicate similar rFD following different amounts of positive fascicle/MTU work, which cautions against using work to predict rFD during submaximal voluntary contractions.

image

Key points

Accurately predicting muscle force is challenging because active muscle shortening depresses force output.

The residual force depression (rFD) that exists following active muscle shortening is commonly assumed to correlate strongly and positively with muscle work.

We found that tibialis anterior muscle fascicle work and muscle–tendon unit work did not accurately predict rFD during submaximal voluntary dorsiflexion contractions.

Fascicle shortening during fixed‐end reference contractions also potentially induced rFD of 3–5%, which was similar to the rFD following muscle–tendon unit shortening without a preload.

A higher number of active muscle fibres during shortening probably increased rFD, which suggests that motor unit recruitment during shortening might predict rFD.
Orexinergic neurons contribute to autonomic cardiovascular regulation for locomotor exercise
Authors: Narai Emi , Yoshimura Yuki , Honaga Takaho , Mizoguchi Hiroyuki , Yamanaka Akihiro , Hiyama Takeshi Y. , Watanabe Tatsuo , Koba Satoshi
Published: February 2024

While the hypothalamic orexinergic nervous system is established as having a pivotal role in the long‐term regulation of various organismic functions, including wakefulness, metabolism and hypertensive states, whether this system contributes to the rapid autonomic cardiovascular regulation during physical activity remains elusive. This study aimed to elucidate the role of the orexinergic nervous system in transmitting volitional motor signals, i.e. central command, to drive somatomotor and sympathetic cardiovascular responses. We first found that this system is activated by voluntary locomotor exercise as evidenced by an increased expression of Fos, a marker of neural activation, in the orexinergic neurons of Sprague–Dawley rats engaged in spontaneous wheel running. Next, using transgenic Orexin‐Cre rats for optogenetic manipulation of orexinergic neurons, we found that optogenetic excitation of orexinergic neurons caused sympathoexcitation on a subsecond timescale under anaesthesia. In freely moving conscious rats, this excitatory stimulation rapidly elicited exploration‐like behaviours, predominantly locomotor activity, along with pressor and tachycardiac responses. Meanwhile, optogenetic inhibition of orexinergic neurons during spontaneous wheel running immediately suppressed locomotor activities and blood pressure elevation without affecting basal cardiovascular homeostasis. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the essential role of the orexinergic nervous system in the central circuitry that transmits central command signals for locomotor exercise. This study not only offers insights into the brain circuit mechanisms precisely regulating autonomic cardiovascular systems during voluntary exercise but also likely contributes to our understanding of brain mechanisms underlying abnormal cardiovascular adjustments to exercise in pathological conditions, such as hypertension.

image

Key points

The hypothalamic orexinergic nervous system plays various roles in the long‐term regulation of autonomic and endocrine functions, as well as motivated behaviours.

We present a novel, rapid role of the orexinergic nervous system, revealing its significance as a crucial substrate in the brain circuit mechanisms that coordinate somatomotor and autonomic cardiovascular controls for locomotor exercise.

Our data demonstrate that orexinergic neurons relay volitional motor signals, playing a necessary and sufficient role in the autonomic cardiovascular regulation required for locomotor exercise in rats.

The findings contribute to our understanding of how the brain precisely regulates autonomic cardiovascular systems during voluntary exercise, providing insights into the central neural mechanisms that enhance physical performance moment‐by‐moment during exercise.
Gas Turbine's Role in Energy Transition
Authors: Gülen S. Can , Curtis Martin
Published: February 2024

Modern heavy duty industrial gas turbines in combined cycle configuration, with rated efficiencies (at ISO base load) above 60% net LHV, are expected to play a significant role in reducing the carbon footprint of utility scale electricity generation. Even without postcombustion capture (PCC), simply switching from coal-fired generation to natural gas-fired generation reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 60% (on a kg per MWh of generation basis). In simple cycle mode, with efficiencies above 40% net LHV and startup times around 20 min, 300–400+ MW gas turbines can easily serve as peakers to support variable renewable resources, i.e., wind and solar. In this paper, a close quantitative look is taken at the capabilities of gas turbines firing natural gas, hydrogen, or a blend thereof, both in simple and combined cycle configurations. Furthermore, using published data, first-principles calculations, and software simulations, it will be shown that the gas turbine constitutes an efficient and cost-effective technology, with and without carbon capture, as a key player in decarbonization of the electric power sector.
Novel Combustion Instability Diagnosis Method With Upstream Pulsation of Repetitive Laser-Induced Plasmas
Authors: Rubiella Clémence , Byun Hosung , Park Youchan , Do Hyungrok
Published: February 2024

In this experimental study, we are presenting the ability of laser-induced plasmas with successive pulsation to identify combustion instabilities (CI) of a premixed lab-scale combustor. An acoustic disturbance equivalent to a shockwave perturbation is generated in the main air supply line of a swirled injector prior to the fuel addition by focusing nanosecond laser pulses of 1.6 W average power at 10 Hz. The shockwaves are attenuated to be strong pressure waves when reaching the combustor and impact the pressure field for short periods. After plasma breakdowns, the system returns back to its original state after 4 ms once the added acoustic energy has been fully dissipated. Given a set geometry, it is observed that the laser-induced breakdown amplifies the characteristic frequency peaks of the combustor system when actuated in cold flow. Furthermore, when applied to reacting flows, the pulsating acoustic perturbations impact the pressure fluctuation in the combustor, e.g., reducing the amplitude of the primary characteristic frequency peak at certain conditions. The identification of the main instability modes thanks to the plasma shockwave provides proof of the potential use of this novel diagnosis strategy in various and complex combustion systems.
Influence of magnetic field strength on plasma, microstructure, and mechanical properties of Cr thin films deposited by MPPMS and DOMS
Authors: Li Y. G. , Liu W. Y. , Cui L.
Published: February 2024

Magnetic field strength plays a vital role in determining the discharge behavior in magnetron sputtering. It enables the customization of discharge plasma and thin film properties. This study aims to compare the discharge behavior and investigate the potential effects on Cr thin films deposited using modulated pulsed power magnetron sputtering (MPPMS) and deep oscillation magnetron sputtering (DOMS) at different magnetic field strengths. The magnetic field strength in the target center increased from 67 to 91 mT tuning by the target thickness from 8 to 3 mm, and the average electron temperature was higher in a DOMS discharge than that in a MPPMS discharge. For both MPPMS and DOMS deposited Cr thin films, the refractive index and mechanical properties have been promoted with the increase in magnetic field strength, and almost all Cr thin films showed a Cr(110) preferred orientation. The hardness and modulus increased from 11.3 and 275.6 to 13.8 to 285.1 GPa for MPPMS deposited thin films, while the hardness and modulus for DOMS Cr thin films were much higher, increasing from 11.2 and 283.6 to 17.3 to 297.2 GPa. The possible differences between MPPMS and DOMS were analyzed based on the plasma global model and empirical equations. The analysis revealed that the high discharge current of DOMS is primarily caused by the possibility of back-attraction ion difference between MPPMS and DOMS. The voltage oscillation in a DOMS discharge provides sufficient time for ionized ions to escape from cathode attraction. Regarding the difference in deposition rate, it should at least be the cooperative results of the target back-attraction effect and ion evacuation time difference in plasma.
Microscopic origins of radiative performance losses in thin-film solar cells at the example of (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 devices
Authors: Abou-Ras Daniel
Published: February 2024

The present work provides an overview of radiative performance losses in thin-film solar cells, focusing on those related to the open-circuit voltage, using (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 devices as examples. The microscopic origins of these losses are outlined, highlighting the presence of compositional variations, strain, and inhomogeneously distributed point defects on various length scales as contributors to band-gap and electrostatic potential fluctuations, which both contribute to the broadening of the absorption edge in the absorptance or quantum efficiency spectra of the semiconductor absorber layer or the completed solar-cell device. The relationship between this broadening and Urbach tails is discussed. It is shown that the photovoltaic band-gap energy as well as the broadening can be reliably determined from the arithmetic mean and standard deviation extracted from Gaussian fits to the first derivative of the absorptance or quantum efficiency spectra around the absorption edge. The more enhanced the broadening, the more the local maximum in the luminescence spectrum shifts to smaller energies with respect to the band-gap energy of the absorber layer, as verified for about 30 (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells.
A diagrammatic representation of entropy production
Authors: Vallejo Andrés
Published: February 2024

We introduce a natural way of visualizing the entropy production in heat transfer processes between a system and a thermal reservoir. This representation highlights the asymmetric character of the heating and cooling processes when they are analyzed from the second-law perspective.
Designer spectrographs for applications in the advanced undergraduate instructional lab
Authors: Grove Timothy T. , Daly C. , Jacobs Naomi
Published: February 2024

In an advanced undergraduate instructional laboratory, it is often necessary to analyze the spectrum of light emitted from an experimental setup. There are numerous instruments that are used to accomplish this analysis, including spectrometers and spectrographs. In this report, we present 3D-printed, low-budget spectrographs (∼ US $200), which are specifically designed for different applications. For example, one can either observe a visible spectrum over a large range of wavelengths about a desired center wavelength or achieve more precise measurements by choosing a smaller part of the visible spectrum. Our generalized design approach is well within the knowledge base of advanced undergraduate physics majors and can be applied to a wide range of applications within the visible spectrum. To demonstrate the utility of these designer spectrographs, we provide examples of recording multiple doublets in the sodium spectrum (a determination of the fine structure spin-orbit splitting of the 3p energy level) as well as measuring the wavelength differences between the hydrogen and deuterium Balmer alpha lines (a measurement of an isotope shift).
Spontaneous, persistent, T cell–dependent IFN-γ release in patients who progress to Long Covid
Authors: Krishna Benjamin A. , Lim Eleanor Y. , Metaxaki Marina , Jackson Sarah , Mactavous Lenette ,   NIHR BioResource, Lyons Paul A. , Doffinger Rainer , Bradley John R. , Smith Kenneth G. C. , Sinclair John , Matheson Nicholas J. , Lehner Paul J. , Sithole Nyaradzai , Wills Mark R.
Published: February 2024

After acute infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a proportion of patients experience persistent symptoms beyond 12 weeks, termed Long Covid. Understanding the mechanisms that cause this debilitating disease and identifying biomarkers for diagnostic, therapeutic, and monitoring purposes are urgently required. We detected persistently high levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with Long Covid using highly sensitive FluoroSpot assays. This IFN-γ release was seen in the absence of ex vivo peptide stimulation and remains persistently elevated in patients with Long Covid, unlike the resolution seen in patients recovering from acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. The IFN-γ release was CD8
+
T cell–mediated and dependent on antigen presentation by CD14
+
cells. Longitudinal follow-up of our study cohort showed that symptom improvement and resolution correlated with a decrease in IFN-γ production to baseline levels. Our study highlights a potential mechanism underlying Long Covid, enabling the search for biomarkers and therapeutics in patients with Long Covid.
Synthesis reveals approximately balanced biotic differentiation and homogenization
Authors: Blowes Shane A. , McGill Brian , Brambilla Viviana , Chow Cher F. Y. , Engel Thore , Fontrodona-Eslava Ada , Martins Inês S. , McGlinn Daniel , Moyes Faye , Sagouis Alban , Shimadzu Hideyasu , van Klink Roel , Xu Wu-Bing , Gotelli Nicholas J. , Magurran Anne , Dornelas Maria , Chase Jonathan M.
Published: February 2024

It is commonly thought that the biodiversity crisis includes widespread declines in the spatial variation of species composition, called biotic homogenization. Using a typology relating homogenization and differentiation to local and regional diversity changes, we synthesize patterns across 461 metacommunities surveyed for 10 to 91 years, and 64 species checklists (13 to 500+ years). Across all datasets, we found that no change was the most common outcome, but with many instances of homogenization and differentiation. A weak homogenizing trend of a 0.3% increase in species shared among communities/year on average was driven by increased numbers of widespread (high occupancy) species and strongly associated with checklist data that have longer durations and large spatial scales. At smaller spatial and temporal scales, we show that homogenization and differentiation can be driven by changes in the number and spatial distributions of both rare and common species. The multiscale perspective introduced here can help identify scale-dependent drivers underpinning biotic differentiation and homogenization.
Terpenoid balance in
Aspergillus nidulans
unveiled by heterologous squalene synthase expression
Authors: Park Sung Chul , Steffan Breanne N. , Yun Lim Fang , Gupta Raveena , Ayaloglu Butun Fatma , Chen Hongyu , Ye Rosa , Decker Timothy , Wu Chengcang C. , Kelleher Neil L. , Woo Bok Jin , Keller Nancy P.
Published: February 2024

Filamentous fungi produce numerous uncharacterized natural products (NPs) that are often challenging to characterize because of cryptic expression in laboratory conditions. Previously, we have successfully isolated novel NPs by expressing fungal artificial chromosomes (FACs) from a variety of fungal species into
Aspergillus nidulans
. Here, we demonstrate a twist to FAC utility wherein heterologous expression of a
Pseudogymnoascus destructans
FAC in
A. nidulans
altered endogenous terpene biosynthetic pathways. In contrast to wild type, the FAC transformant produced increased levels of squalene and aspernidine type compounds, including three new nidulenes (
1
–
2
, and
5
), and lost nearly all ability to synthesize the major
A. nidulans
characteristic terpene, austinol. Deletion of a squalene synthase gene in the FAC restored wild-type chemical profiles. The altered squalene to farnesyl pyrophosphate ratio leading to synthesis of nidulenes and aspernidines at the expense of farnesyl pyrophosphate–derived austinols provides unexpected insight into routes of terpene synthesis in fungi.
Remote submerged banks and mesophotic ecosystems can provide key habitat for endangered marine megafauna
Authors: Hays Graeme C. , Laloë Jacques-Olivier , Mortimer Jeanne A. , Rattray Alex , Tromp Jared J. , Esteban Nicole
Published: February 2024

The importance of some ecosystems remains poorly understood. We showed that mesophotic ecosystems (30 to 150 m) are a key habitat for a critically endangered species, with strong evidence that a globally important population of adult hawksbill turtles (
Eretmochelys imbricata
) almost exclusively foraged at these depths on remote submerged banks. This discovery highlights the need for such areas to be included in conservation planning, for example, as part of the United Nations High Seas Treaty. We equipped nesting turtles with Fastloc-GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite tags at an Indian Ocean breeding area and they all traveled to deep foraging sites (6765 days of tracking data across 22 individuals including 183,921 dive-depth measurements) rather than shallow coral reef sites. Both chart depths and depth data relayed from the tags indicated that turtles foraged at mesophotic depths, the modal dive depths being between 35 and 40 m. We calculate that 55,554 km
2
of the western Indian Ocean alone consists of submerged banks between 30 and 60 m.
Synthetic development of a broadly neutralizing antibody against snake venom long-chain α-neurotoxins
Authors: Khalek Irene S. , Senji Laxme R. R. , Nguyen Yen Thi Kim , Khochare Suyog , Patel Rohit N. , Woehl Jordan , Smith Jessica M. , Saye-Francisco Karen , Kim Yoojin , Misson Mindrebo Laetitia , Tran Quoc , Kędzior Mateusz , Boré Evy , Limbo Oliver , Verma Megan , Stanfield Robyn L. , Menzies Stefanie K. , Ainsworth Stuart , Harrison Robert A. , Burton Dennis R. , Sok Devin , Wilson Ian A. , Casewell Nicholas R. , Sunagar Kartik , Jardine Joseph G.
Published: February 2024

Snakebite envenoming is a major global public health concern for which improved therapies are urgently needed. The antigenic diversity present in snake venom toxins from various species presents a considerable challenge to the development of a universal antivenom. Here, we used a synthetic human antibody library to find and develop an antibody that neutralizes long-chain three-finger α-neurotoxins produced by numerous medically relevant snakes. Our antibody bound diverse toxin variants with high affinity, blocked toxin binding to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in vitro, and protected mice from lethal venom challenge. Structural analysis of the antibody-toxin complex revealed a binding mode that mimics the receptor-toxin interaction. The overall workflow presented is generalizable for the development of antibodies that target conserved epitopes among antigenically diverse targets, and it offers a promising framework for the creation of a monoclonal antibody–based universal antivenom to treat snakebite envenoming.
Nitrogen assimilation by
E. coli
in the mammalian intestine
Authors: Doranga Sudhir , Conway Tyrrell
Published: February 2024

Nitrogen is an essential element for all living organisms, including
Escherichia coli
. Potential nitrogen sources are abundant in the intestine, but knowledge of those used specifically by
E. coli
to colonize remains limited. Here, we sought to determine the specific nitrogen sources used by
E. coli
to colonize the streptomycin-treated mouse intestine. We began by investigating whether nitrogen is limiting in the intestine. The NtrBC two-component system upregulates approximately 100 genes in response to nitrogen limitation. We showed that NtrBC is crucial for
E. coli
colonization, although most genes of the NtrBC regulon are not induced, which indicates that nitrogen is not limiting in the intestine. RNA-seq identified upregulated genes in colonized
E. coli
involved in transport and catabolism of seven amino acids, dipeptides and tripeptides, purines, pyrimidines, urea, and ethanolamine. Competitive colonization experiments revealed that L-serine, N-acetylneuraminic acid, N-acetylglucosamine, and di- and tripeptides serve as nitrogen sources for
E. coli
in the intestine. Furthermore, the colonization defect of a L-serine deaminase mutant was rescued by excess nitrogen in the drinking water but not by an excess of carbon and energy, demonstrating that L-serine serves primarily as a nitrogen source. Similar rescue experiments showed that N-acetylneuraminic acid serves as both a carbon and nitrogen source. To a minor extent, aspartate and ammonia also serve as nitrogen sources. Overall, these findings demonstrate that
E. coli
utilizes multiple nitrogen sources for successful colonization of the mouse intestine, the most important of which is L-serine.

IMPORTANCE

While much is known about the carbon and energy sources that are used by
E. coli
to colonize the mammalian intestine, very little is known about the sources of nitrogen. Interrogation of colonized
E. coli
by RNA-seq revealed that nitrogen is not limiting, indicating an abundance of nitrogen sources in the intestine. Pathways for assimilation of nitrogen from several amino acids, dipeptides and tripeptides, purines, pyrimidines, urea, and ethanolamine were induced in mice. Competitive colonization assays confirmed that mutants lacking catabolic pathways for L-serine, N-acetylneuraminic acid, N-acetylglucosamine, and di- and tripeptides had colonization defects. Rescue experiments in mice showed that L-serine serves primarily as a nitrogen source, whereas N-acetylneuraminic acid provides both carbon and nitrogen. Of the many nitrogen assimilation mutants tested, the largest colonization defect was for an L-serine deaminase mutant, which demonstrates L-serine is the most important nitrogen source for colonized
E. coli
.
Supplemental Material: Strong seismic anisotropy due to upwelling flow at the root of the Yellowstone mantle plume
Authors: Wolf Jonathan , al. et
Published: February 2024

Supplemental text and equations, Figures S1–S2, and Table S1. 
Supplemental Material: Tectonic dismemberment and plume-ridge interaction in the Sub-Antarctic South Atlantic Ocean Basin: Confirmation from in situ geochemical and Sr isotopic compositions of minerals
Authors: Chen Shuangshuang , et al.
Published: February 2024

Geochemical data and supplemental figures generated in this study are 7 included in Supplemental Text S1, Tables S1–S8, and Figures S1–S10.
Genetic landscape and prognosis of conjunctival melanoma in Chinese patients
Authors: Shi Hanhan , Tian Hao , Zhu Tianyu , Chen Jie , Jia Shichong , Zong Chunyan , Liao Qili , Ruan Jing , Ge Shengfang , Rao Yamin , Dong Mei , Jia Renbing , Li Yimin , Xu Shiqiong , Fan Xianqun
Published: February 2024

Aims

Conjunctival melanoma (CoM) is a rare but highly lethal ocular melanoma and there is limited understanding of its genetic background. To update the genetic landscape of CoM, whole-exome sequencing (WES) and targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) were performed.

Methods

Among 30 patients who were diagnosed and treated at Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, from January 2018 to January 2023, WES was performed on 16 patients, while targeted NGS was conducted on 14 patients. Samples were analysed to identify the mutated genes, and the potential predictive factors for progression-free survival were evaluated. Furthermore, the expression of the mutated gene was detected and validated in a 30-patient cohort by immunofluorescence.

Results

Mutations were verified in classic genes, such asBRAF(n=9),NRAS(n=5) andNF1(n=6). MutatedFAT4andBRAFwere associated with an increased risk for the progression of CoM. Moreover, decreased expression of FAT4 was detected in CoM patients with a worse prognosis.

Conclusions

The molecular landscape of CoM in Chinese patients was updated with new findings. A relatively high frequency of mutatedFAT4was determined in Chinese CoM patients, and decreased expression of FAT4 was found in patients with worse prognoses. In addition, bothBRAFmutations andFAT4mutations could serve as predictive factors for CoM patients.
High S100A9 level predicts poor survival, and the S100A9 inhibitor paquinimod is a candidate for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Miura Shinichiro , Iwamoto Hiroshi , Namba Masashi , Yamaguchi Kakuhiro , Sakamoto Shinjiro , Horimasu Yasushi , Masuda Takeshi , Miyamoto Shintaro , Nakashima Taku , Ohshimo Shinichiro , Fujitaka Kazunori , Hamada Hironobu , Hattori Noboru
Published: February 2024

Background

S100A9 is a damage-associated molecular pattern protein that may play an important role in the inflammatory response and fibrotic processes. Paquinimod is an immunomodulatory compound that prevents S100A9 activity. Its safety and pharmacokinetics have been confirmed in human clinical trials. In this study, we investigated the effects of paquinimod in preventing the development of lung fibrosis in vivo and examined the prognostic values of circulatory and lung S100A9 levels in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Methods

The expression and localisation of S100A9 and the preventive effect of S100A9 inhibition on fibrosis development were investigated in a mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. In this retrospective cohort study, the S100A9 levels in the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from 76 and 55 patients with IPF, respectively, were examined for associations with patient survival.

Results

S100A9 expression was increased in the mouse lungs, especially in the inflammatory cells and fibrotic interstitium, after bleomycin administration. Treatment with paquinimod ameliorated fibrotic pathological changes and significantly reduced hydroxyproline content in the lung tissues of mice with bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Additionally, we found that paquinimod reduced the number of lymphocytes and neutrophils in BALF and suppressed endothelial–mesenchymal transition in vivo. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis and univariate and multivariate Cox hazard proportion analyses revealed that high levels of S100A9 in the serum and BALF were significantly associated with poor prognoses in patients with IPF (Kaplan-Meier curve analysis: p=0.037 (serum) and 0.019 (BALF); multivariate Cox hazard proportion analysis: HR=3.88, 95% CI=1.06 to 14.21, p=0.041 (serum); HR=2.73, 95% CI=1.05 to 7.10, p=0.039 (BALF)).

Conclusions

The present results indicate that increased S100A9 expression is associated with IPF progression and that the S100A9 inhibitor paquinimod is a potential treatment for IPF.
RE.GA.IN.: the Real-world Gastritis Initiative–updating the updates
Authors: Rugge Massimo , Genta Robert M , Malfertheiner Peter , Dinis-Ribeiro Mario , El-Serag Hashem , Graham David Y , Kuipers Ernst J , Leung Wai Keung , Park Jin Young , Rokkas Theodore , Schulz Christian , El-Omar Emad M
Published: February 2024

At the end of the last century, a far-sighted ‘working party’ held in Sydney, Australia addressed the clinicopathological issues related to gastric inflammatory diseases. A few years later, an international conference held in Houston, Texas, USA critically updated the seminal Sydney classification. In line with these initiatives, Kyoto Global Consensus Report, flanked by the Maastricht-Florence conferences, added new clinical evidence to the gastritis clinicopathological puzzle.

The most relevant topics related to the gastric inflammatory diseases have been addressed by the Real-world Gastritis Initiative (RE.GA.IN.), from disease definitions to the clinical diagnosis and prognosis. This paper reports the conclusions of the RE.GA.IN. consensus process, which culminated in Venice in November 2022 after more than 8 months of intense global scientific deliberations. A forum of gastritis scholars from five continents participated in the multidisciplinary RE.GA.IN. consensus. After lively debates on the most controversial aspects of the gastritis spectrum, the RE.GA.IN. Faculty amalgamated complementary knowledge to distil patient-centred, evidence-based statements to assist health professionals in their real-world clinical practice. The sections of this report focus on: the epidemiology of gastritis;Helicobacter pylorias dominant aetiology of environmental gastritis and as the most important determinant of the gastric oncogenetic field; the evolving knowledge on gastric autoimmunity; the clinicopathological relevance of gastric microbiota; the new diagnostic horizons of endoscopy; and the clinical priority of histologically reporting gastritis in terms of staging. The ultimate goal of RE.GA.IN. was and remains the promotion of further improvement in the clinical management of patients with gastritis.
Medical authority and expectations of conformity: crystallising a key barrier to person-centred care during labour and childbirth
Authors: Nelson Anna
Published: February 2024

Those giving birth within modern maternity systems are recognised as facing a number of barriers to person-centred care. In this paper, I argue that in order to best facilitate the conditions for positive change, work needs to be done to provide a more granular articulation of the specific barriers. I then offer a nuanced and contextually aware articulation of one key component of the overall failure to ensure person-centred care: medical authority and the expectation of conformity. Articulating these barriers with increased specificity is valuable, as it creates a stronger foundation from which to challenge existing problems which serve to constrain the autonomy of birthing individuals. The analysis offered in this paper also underscores the need for change at an institutional, rather than individual, level.
AI, doping and ethics: On why increasing the effectiveness of detecting doping fraud in sport may be morally wrong
Authors: Petersen Thomas Søbirk , Holmen Sebastian Jon , Ryberg Jesper
Published: February 2024

In this article, our aim is to show why increasing the effectiveness of detecting doping fraud in sport by the use of artificial intelligence (AI) may be morally wrong. The first argument in favour of this conclusion is that using AI to make a non-ideal antidoping policy even more effective can be morally wrong. Whether the increased effectiveness is morally wrong depends on whether you believe that the current antidoping system administrated by the World Anti-Doping Agency is already morally wrong. The second argument is based on the possibility of scenarios in which a more effective AI system may be morally worse than a less effective but non-AI system. We cannot, of course, conclude that the increased effectiveness of doping detection is always morally wrong. But our point is that whether the introduction of AI to increase detection of doping fraud is a moral improvement depends on the moral plausibility of the current system and the distribution of harm that will follow from false positive and false negative errors.
Incidence and determinants of seizures in multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials
Authors: Pozzilli Valeria , Haggiag Shalom , Di Filippo Massimiliano , Capone Fioravante , Di Lazzaro Vincenzo , Tortorella Carla , Gasperini Claudio , Prosperini Luca
Published: February 2024

Background

Seizures are reported to be more prevalent in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with the general population. Existing data predominantly originate from population-based studies, which introduce variability in methodologies and are vulnerable to selection and reporting biases.

Methods

This meta-analysis aims to assess the incidence of seizures in patients participating in randomised clinical trials and to identify potential contributing factors. Data were extracted from 60 articles published from 1993 to 2022. The pooled effect size, representing the incidence rate of seizure events, was estimated using a random-effect model. Metaregression was employed to explore factors influencing the pooled effect size.

Results

The meta-analysis included data from 53 535 patients and 120 seizure events in a median follow-up of 2 years. The pooled incidence rate of seizures was 68.0 per 100 000 patient-years, significantly higher than the general population rate of 34.6. Generalised tonic-clonic seizures were the most common type reported, although there was a high risk of misclassification for focal seizures with secondary generalisation. Disease progression, longer disease duration, higher disability levels and lower brain volume were associated with a higher incidence of seizures. Particularly, sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor (S1PR) modulators exhibited a 2.45-fold increased risk of seizures compared with placebo or comparators, with a risk difference of 20.5 events per 100 000 patient-years.

Conclusions

Patients with MS face a nearly twofold higher seizure risk compared with the general population. This risk appears to be associated not only with disease burden but also with S1PR modulators. Our findings underscore epilepsy as a significant comorbidity in MS and emphasise the necessity for further research into its triggers, preventive measures and treatment strategies.
Investigation of granular flow run-out behavior under dilative and compressive Coriolis conditions using DEM simulation
Authors: Zhang Bei , Li Wenyang , Huang Yu
Published: February 2024

Centrifuge modeling allows granular flows to be simulated under stresses characteristic of full-scale flows, while maintaining repeatability. However, the impact of the Coriolis effect on the run-out behavior of dry granular flows is not fully understood. In this study, using the discrete element method (DEM), we conducted simulations of dry granular flow both with and without Coriolis (dilative and compressive) conditions to analyze the impact of the Coriolis effect on granular run-out mobility, flow structure, and granular interaction. For unsteady flows, the dilative Coriolis force increased the moving distance of the flow centroid by 60%–70% and increased the maximum kinetic energy by 5%–17%, whereas those parameters were reduced by 30% and 2%–9%, respectively, under compressive Coriolis conditions. Results showed that selecting a lower centrifugal acceleration by reducing the rotational angular velocity in physical modeling is ineffective for realizing a weaker Coriolis effect. This study established that using a larger centrifuge could mitigate the Coriolis effect, but that this outcome became less notable as the centrifugal radius increased. Additionally, we suggest a preliminary relation that could be used to correct the results of experimental granular flow final run-out distance obtained using a geotechnical centrifuge.
Gaussian quantum steering in multi-event horizon spacetime
Authors: Wu Shu-Min , Li Jin-Xuan , Fan Xiao-Wei , Li Wen-Mei , Huang Xiao-Li , Zeng Hao-Sheng
Published: February 2024

We study Gaussian quantum steering in the Schwarzschild–de Sitter (SdS) spacetime that is endowed with both a black hole event horizon (BEH) and a cosmological event horizon (CEH), giving rise to two different Hawking temperatures. It is shown that the Hawking effect of the black hole always reduces the quantum steering, but the Hawking effect of the expanding universe does not always play the same role. For the first time, we find that the Hawking effect can improve quantum steering. We also find that the observer who locates in the BEH has stronger steerability than the observer who locates in CEH. Further, we study the steering asymmetry, and the conditions for two-way, one-way and no-way steering in the SdS spacetime. Finally, we study the Gaussian quantum steering in the scenario of effective equilibrium temperature. We show that quantum steering reduces monotonically with the effective temperature but now increases monotonically with the Hawking temperature of the black hole, which banishes the belief that the Hawking effect can only destroy quantum steering.
Magic behaviors in non-Markovian environment
Authors: Huang Zhiming , Zou Xiangfu , Rong Zhenbang , He Zhimin , Zhao Lianghui , Ye Yiyong , Situ Haozhen
Published: February 2024

Magic as an essential resource in fault-tolerant quantum computation may shed insight into quantum information processing of open quantum system. In this work, we study the dynamics of magic for atom system immersed in non-Markovian reservoir. It is found that magic decay process can be delayed and adjusted by the strength of classical driving field and non-Markovian memory effect. In addition, it is shown that the magic state is less susceptible to decay the process of system-environment coupling than stabilizer state, and for two atoms coupling to two independent reservoirs, magic can be generated. The results may be beneficial for theory and experiment of quantum computation and information in open quantum system.
Parisi–Wu quantization, CP violation and beyond the standard model
Authors: Kapoor A. K.
Published: February 2024

The Parisi–Wu scheme of quantization opens up the possibility of using anomalous fermionic gauge theories. An analysis of ultra-violet divergences reveals that the structure of counter terms is different from what is expected in conventional quantization schemes. In this paper, it is argued that there exists a possible mechanism of CP violation that requires at least three generations of quarks, a result well known from a phenomenological analysis of mass mixing of quarks. A few observations on possible ways of going beyond the Standard Model are included.
ON MULTIPLICATIVE (s,P)-CONVEXITY AND RELATED FRACTIONAL INEQUALITIES WITHIN MULTIPLICATIVE CALCULUS
Authors: PENG YU , DU TINGSONG
Published: February 2024

In this paper, we propose a fresh conception about convexity, known as the multiplicative [Formula: see text]-convexity. Along with this direction, we research the properties of such type of convexity. In the framework of multiplicative fractional Riemann–Liouville integrals and under the [Formula: see text]differentiable [Formula: see text]-convexity, we investigate the multiplicative fractional inequalities, including the Hermite–Hadamard- and Newton-type inequalities. To further verify the validity of our primary outcomes, we give a few numerical examples. As applications, we proffer a number of inequalities of multiplicative type in special means as well.
SOME RESULTS ON BOX DIMENSION ESTIMATION OF FRACTAL CONTINUOUS FUNCTIONS
Authors: YANG HUAI , REN LULU , ZHENG QIAN
Published: February 2024

In this paper, we explore upper box dimension of continuous functions on [Formula: see text] and their Riemann–Liouville fractional integral. Firstly, by comparing function limits, we prove that the upper box dimension of the Riemann–Liouville fractional order integral image of a continuous function will not exceed [Formula: see text], the result similar to [Y. S. Liang and W. Y. Su, Fractal dimensions of fractional integral of continuous functions, Acta Math. Appl. Sin. E 32 (2016) 1494–1508]. Secondly, we prove that upper box dimension of multiple algebraic sums of continuous functions does not exceed the largest box dimension among them, backing up our conclusion with an appropriate example. Finally, we draw the same conclusions for the product of multiple continuous functions.
EXPLORING EPITAXIAL GRAIN GROWTH AND MARANGONI-INDUCED CONVERSION IN COLUMNAR DENDRITES: A STUDY OF INCONEL 718 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING VIA DIRECT LASER ENERGY DEPOSITION
Authors: VARATHARAJULU M. , DURAISELVAM MUTHUKANNAN , PRADEEP G. V. KRISHNA , JAGADEESH B.
Published: February 2024

This study characterizes the microstructure changes of Inconel 718 (IN718) by laser cladding (LC). Well-bonded pore-free, crack-free, single-layer, and multi-layer (overlapped) LC was done on IN718 with the same powder. The basic microstructure illustrates the presence of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] -phases. The precipitation of an irregularly shaped laves phase was observed with dendritic grains in the top and bottom regions of the single-track LC. Further, the epitaxial grain growth of columnar dendrites was observed in the interdendritic region along the laves phase. High leveraging of quick-dissolving behaviors of the laves phase in multi-track LC enhances the high-temperature mechanical performance. Modified grain morphology of the multi-track LC in terms of size, shape, and orientation is reported. Columnar dendrites (short and long) are the most common grains, with varied sizes and orientations reported in line with the Marangoni effect. The microhardness at the top layer of single and multi-track exhibited a higher value of 490.6[Formula: see text]HV and 500.7[Formula: see text]HV, respectively, which is comparatively lower than the bottom layer of single and multi-track samples. The influencing process parameter over clad width is scan speed, and over clad height is powder feed. The nonlinear mathematical model is proposed with a reliability of 99.22% and 99.52% for clad width and height, respectively.