bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Smart sustainable concrete: enhancing the strength and durability with nano silica
Authors: Kashyap Vikram Singh , Sancheti Gaurav , Yadav Jitendra Singh , Agrawal Utkarsh
Published: December 2023

A detailed investigation was conducted to analyse the mechanical and durability features of a mixture of binary cement concrete modified with nanomaterials. In the context of the concrete matrix, the substitution of fractional cement content was carried out using Nano silica (NS) at concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3%. Four distinct cementitious blends were subjected to a comprehensive match of tests, which encompassed compressive strength, flexural strength, split tensile strength, static modulus of elasticity, bulk density, water absorption, permeability, carbonation resistance, acid attack resistance, and rapid chloride penetration. The compositions of the mixes were investigated through the use of various microstructural analysis techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The research revealed significant improvements in the mechanical and durability characteristics of the material. An increment in the mechanical and durability properties of mixtures were seen due to inclusion of marble power and Nano silica due to enhanced pozzolanic activities of composite and its filling effect. It is worth mentioning that Nano silica has shown the potential to mitigate the degradation caused by exposure to sulfuric acid. The SEM-EDX analysis demonstrated a decrease in the Ca/Si ratio when compared to the reference combination, suggesting an increase in the consumption of calcium hydroxide (CH) and the creation of a more compact calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) gel. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) findings indicate that NS has the ability to act as an accelerator for pozzolanic processes. This is achieved by consuming calcium hydroxide (CH) and promoting the creation of extra calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H), which ultimately enhances the overall performance of the concrete mixture.
Antifungal stewardship: the Latin American experience
Authors: Riera Fernando , Cortes Luna Jorge , Rabagliatti Ricardo , Scapellato Pablo , Caeiro Juan Pablo , Chaves Magri Marcello Mihalenko , Sotomayor Claudia Elena , Rodrigues Falci Diego
Published: December 2023

Antifungal stewardship is a critical component of healthcare management that focuses on optimizing the use of antifungal medications to improve patient outcomes, minimize resistance, and reduce healthcare costs.  In resource-limited settings, the prevalence of fungal infections remains a significant health concern, often exacerbated by factors such as compromised immune systems, inadequate diagnostic capabilities, and limited access to antifungal agents. This paper reviews the current state of antifungal stewardship practices in developing countries, addressing the unique socioeconomic and healthcare landscape.
Insomnia, Suicidal Thoughts, and Mental Health Among Health-Care Workers During COVID-19
Authors: Wei Lien-Chung
Published: December 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated a significant mental health crisis among frontline healthcare workers (FHCWs), with increased reports of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, insomnia, and suicidal thoughts. This letter to the editor responds to a recent study on the psychological burden among FHCWs in Mexico and presents complementary findings from Taiwan. We found that fear of COVID-19, trust in information, and resilience were significant factors contributing to mental health outcomes, including insomnia and suicidal thoughts, among outpatients, healthcare workers, and the general population during the pandemic. These findings suggest that mental health interventions for healthcare workers should consider these factors and include strategies for clear communication, stress management, and resilience building. Particular attention should be given to nurses and residents/fellows who seem to be bearing a disproportionate share of the psychological burden. Ultimately, understanding these contributing factors can guide the development of targeted interventions to support the mental well-being of FHCWs during the pandemic.
Phone-based psychosocial counseling for people living with HIV: Feasibility, acceptability and impact on uptake of psychosocial counseling services in Malawi
Authors: Cox Carrie M. , Masiano Steven , Mazenga Alick , Stark Madeline , Udedi Michael , Simon Katherine R. , Ahmed Saeed , Nyasulu Phoebe , Kim Maria H.
Published: December 2023

People living with HIV experience psychosocial needs that often are not addressed. We designed an innovative low-resource model of phone-based psychosocial counseling (P-PSC). We describe cohort characteristics, acceptability, feasibility and utilization of P-PSC at health facilities supported by Baylor Foundation Malawi. Staff were virtually oriented at 120 sites concurrently. From facility-based phones, people with new HIV diagnosis, high viral load, treatment interruption or mental health concerns were referred without identifiable personal information to 13 psychosocial counselors via a WhatsApp group. Routine program data were retrospectively analyzed using univariate approaches and regressions with interrupted time series analyses. Clients utilizing P-PSC were 63% female, 25% youth (10–24 y) and 9% children (<10 y). They were referred from all 120 supported health facilities. Main referral reasons included new HIV diagnosis (32%), ART adherence support (32%) and treatment interruption (21%). Counseling was completed for 99% of referrals. Counseling sessions per month per psychosocial counselor increased from 77 before P-PSC to 216 in month 1 (95% CI = 82, 350, p = 0.003). Total encounters increased significantly to 31,642 in year 1 from ~6,000 during the 12 prior months, an over fivefold increase. P-PSC implementation at 120 remote facilities was acceptable and feasible with immediate, increased utilization despite few psychosocial counselors in Malawi.
A TERMINATING INTUITIONISTIC CALCULUS
Authors: FELLIN GIULIO , NEGRI SARA
Published: December 2023

A terminating sequent calculus for intuitionistic propositional logic is obtained by modifying the R

$\supset $

rule of the labelled sequent calculus

$\mathbf {G3I}$

. This is done by adding a variant of the principle of a fortiori in the left-hand side of the premiss of the rule. In the resulting calculus, called

${\mathbf {G3I}}_{\mathbf {t}}$

, derivability of any given sequent is directly decidable by root-first proof search, without any extra device such as loop-checking. In the negative case, the failed proof search gives a finite countermodel to the sequent on a reflexive, transitive, and Noetherian Kripke frame. As a byproduct, a direct proof of faithfulness of the embedding of intuitionistic logic into Grzegorcyk logic is obtained.
-ZARISKI PAIRS OF SURFACE SINGULARITIES
Authors: EYRAL CHRISTOPHE , OKA MUTSUO
Published: December 2023

Let$f_0$and$f_1$be two homogeneous polynomials of degreedin three complex variables$z_1,z_2,z_3$. We show that the Lê–Yomdin surface singularities defined by$g_0:=f_0+z_i^{d+m}$and$g_1:=f_1+z_i^{d+m}$have the same abstract topology, the same monodromy zeta-function, the same$\mu ^*$-invariant, but lie in distinct path-connected components of the$\mu ^*$-constant stratum if their projective tangent cones (defined by$f_0$and$f_1$, respectively) make a Zariski pair of curves in$\mathbb {P}^2$, the singularities of which are Newton non-degenerate. In this case, we say that$V(g_0):=g_0^{-1}(0)$and$V(g_1):=g_1^{-1}(0)$make a$\mu ^*$-Zariski pair of surface singularities. Being such a pair is a necessary condition for the germs$V(g_0)$and$V(g_1)$to have distinct embedded topologies.
Strategic CEO Activism in Polarized Markets
Authors: Homroy Swarnodeep , Gangopadhyay Shubhashis
Published: December 2023

In this article, we show that statements of U.S. CEOs on contentious social issues are not necessarily an expression of their political views. Republican-donor CEOs are three times more likely to make social statements with a liberal slant. CEO activism is more likely if firms’ operating environment is politically polarized and employees are Democrat-leaning. Such statements are associated with a 3% increase in consumer visits to a firm’s Democrat County stores without significantly reducing them in Republican counties. CEO activism is associated with a 0.12% gain in firm value, increased quarterly sales, and a reduced likelihood of shareholder activism on social issues.
Lexical processing in children with hearing impairment in oral word reading in transparent Arabic orthography
Authors: Mattar Mirna , El Akiki Carole , Leybaert Jacqueline
Published: December 2023

Word recognition mechanisms constitute an essential contribution to reading achievement in both deaf and hearing children. Little is known about how children with hearing impairment (HI) manage to read aloud words in the vowelled Arabic transparent script which provides full vowel information. This study aimed to compare word and pseudoword reading accuracy and speed between 32 Lebanese children with HI and 32 younger hearing Lebanese children. The two groups were carefully matched for reading comprehension and oral comprehension levels. Length, word frequency, and lexicality effects were assessed to characterize the functioning of the lexical and sublexical reading procedures. Reading errors were also analyzed to document reading difficulties in transparent Arabic orthography in the sublexical route. The results show significant effects of length, word frequency, and lexicality on reading accuracy and speed in both groups. They also indicate underdeveloped sublexical and lexical routes in children with HI who read less accurately and faster than the younger hearing children. Reading errors are numerous in children with HI. The data are discussed in light of the Dual Route Cascaded model. Suggestions are made about how to improve reading processes in children with HI.
High prevalence of asymptomatic malaria in Forest Guinea: Results from a rapid community survey
Authors: Hammer Charlotte C. , Diallo Mariama Dalanda , Kann Boubacar , Sanoh Fatoumata , Leno Tamba N’fantoma , Mansare Oumar , Diakité Ismail , Sow Abdoulaye Djibril , Konate Yacouba , Ryan-Castillo Emilie , Barry Alpha Mahmoud , Standley Claire J.
Published: December 2023

Malaria is endemic in Guinea; however, the extent and role in transmission of asymptomatic malaria are not well understood. In May 2023, we conducted a rapid community survey to determine Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) prevalence among asymptomatic individuals in Middle Guinea (Prefecture Dalaba) and Forest Guinea (Prefecture Guéckédou). In Dalaba, 6 of 239 (2.1%, confidence interval (CI) 0.9–4.8%) individuals tested positive for P. falciparum by a rapid diagnostic test (RDT), while in Guéckédou, 147 of 235 (60.9%, CI 54.5–66.9%) participants tested positive. Asymptomatic malaria needs to be considered more strongly as a driver of transmission when designing control strategies, especially in Forest Guinea and potentially other hyper-endemic settings.
A Simulation Study for Future Geodetic Satellites Tracked by Satellite Laser Ranging
Authors: Najder Joanna , Sośnica Krzysztof , Strugarek Dariusz , Zajdel Radosław
Published: December 2023

Satellite laser ranging (SLR) measurements play a key role in determining global geodetic parameters, such as station coordinates, geocenter motion, low‐degree Earth's gravity field parameters, and Earth rotation parameters. Observations to two LAser GEOdynamics Satellites (LAGEOS) and two Etalon satellites provide operational standard products and contribute to the realization of the scale and the origin of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF). Currently, an extension of the ITRF realizations is being considered with the inclusion of the Laser Relativity Satellite (LARES). In July 2022, the LARES‐2 satellite was launched with the main purpose to verify fundamental physics, especially the Lense‐Thirring effect emerging from General Relativity. We simulate orbits and observations for the LARES‐2 satellite, as well as the LARES‐like satellites, which complement the current constellation of LAGEOS‐1/‐2 and LARES‐1/‐2 using the butterfly configuration. We assess the impact of the observations to satellites with different orbital parameters on the determination of global geodetic parameters. We show that placing a satellite in a retrograde orbit (against the Earth's rotation), can improve the quality of the global geodetic parameters. The solution based on LAGEOS‐1/‐2 + LARES‐1/‐2 + a satellite supplementary to LAGEOS‐2 in a retrograde orbit achieves the 3D mean error at the level of 1.62 mm for the station coordinates, and mean errors of 0.7, 0.7, and 1.3 mm for theX,Y, andZgeocenter components, respectively, bringing us closer to fulfilling the requirements established by the Global Geodetic Observations System (GGOS) of 1 mm accuracy for the reference frame stability.
Ethical considerations for genetic research in low-income countries: perceptions of informed consent, data sharing, and expectations in Nicaragua
Authors: Delgado Iris S. , Outterson Abigail , Ramesh Vaishnavi , Amador Sanchez Alda Gabriela , Boza Alfonso César , Lopez-Pilarte Damaris , Amador Velázquez Juan José , Friedman David J. , Brooks Daniel R. , Scammell Madeleine K. , Wang Catharine
Published: December 2023

Genetic research presents numerous ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI), particularly when the research involves collaborations between investigators in high and low-income countries. Some ELSI issues are universal, and others are specific to context and culture. This study investigates perceptions of genetic research in Nicaragua, Central America, where local and U.S. based researchers have collaborated for over a decade. A total of 43 residents from northwestern Nicaragua, a region with high mortality rates attributed to chronic kidney disease of non-traditional causes (CKDnt), were interviewed, including research participants in ongoing studies (n = 36), health professionals (n = 3), labor leaders (n = 2), and family members of research participants (n = 2). Questions focused on informed consent, data-sharing, and post-study expectations. Audio recordings of interviews conducted in Spanish were transcribed and translated into English. English transcripts were coded and analyzed using NVivo 12 software. The lack of familiarity with terms in the consent form presented a barrier to participant comprehension of key elements of the genetic research study, raising concerns about the validity of informed consent. Research participants often viewed their participation as access to health care. Health professionals emphasized the importance of long-term partnerships between foreign-based researchers and local health institutions. Leaders and family members recommended that they be informed of research studies and allowed the opportunity to consent, as they felt the benefits and risks of research also apply to them. Our findings identified genetic research practices to be improved upon in order to be more responsive to the contextual realities of collaborators living in low-resource settings.
Anchovy boom and bust linked to trophic shifts in larval diet
Authors: Swalethorp Rasmus , Landry Michael R. , Semmens Brice X. , Ohman Mark D. , Aluwihare Lihini , Chargualaf Dereka , Thompson Andrew R.
Published: December 2023

Although massive biomass fluctuations of coastal-pelagic fishes are an iconic example of the impacts of climate variability on marine ecosystems, the mechanisms governing these dynamics are often elusive. We construct a 45-year record of nitrogen stable isotopes measured in larvae of Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax) in the California Current Ecosystem to assess patterns in food chain length. Larval trophic efficiency associated with a shortened food chain increased larval survival and produced boom periods of high adult biomass. In contrast, when larval food chain length increased, and energy transfer efficiency decreased, the population crashed. We propose the Trophic Efficiency in Early Life (TEEL) hypothesis, which states that larval fishes must consume prey that confer sufficient energy for survival, to help explain natural boom-bust dynamics of coastal pelagic fishes. Our findings illustrate a potential for trophic indicators to generally inform larval survival and adult population dynamics of coastal-pelagic fishes.
Machine learning-based motion tracking reveals an inverse correlation between adhesivity and surface motility of the leptospirosis spirochete
Authors: Abe Keigo , Koizumi Nobuo , Nakamura Shuichi
Published: December 2023

Bacterial motility is often a crucial virulence factor for pathogenic species. A common approach to study bacterial motility is fluorescent labeling, which allows detection of individual bacterial cells in a population or in host tissues. However, the use of fluorescent labeling can be hampered by protein expression stability and/or interference with bacterial physiology. Here, we apply machine learning to microscopic image analysis for label-free motion tracking of the zoonotic bacteriumLeptospira interroganson cultured animal cells. We use various leptospiral strains isolated from a human patient or animals, as well as mutant strains. Strains associated with severe disease, and mutant strains lacking outer membrane proteins (OMPs), tend to display fast mobility and reduced adherence on cultured kidney cells. Our method does not require fluorescent labeling or genetic manipulation, and thus could be applied to study motility of many other bacterial species.
National genomic surveillance integrating standardized quantitative susceptibility testing clarifies antimicrobial resistance in Enterobacterales
Authors: Kayama Shizuo , Yahara Koji , Sugawara Yo , Kawakami Sayoko , Kondo Kohei , Zuo Hui , Kutsuno Shoko , Kitamura Norikazu , Hirabayashi Aki , Kajihara Toshiki , Kurosu Hitomi , Yu Liansheng , Suzuki Masato , Hisatsune Junzo , Sugai Motoyuki
Published: December 2023

Antimicrobial resistance is a global health concern; Enterobacterales resistant to third-generation cephalosporins (3GCs) and carbapenems are of the highest priority. Here, we conducted genome sequencing and standardized quantitative antimicrobial susceptibility testing of 4,195 isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae resistant to 3GCs and Enterobacterales with reduced meropenem susceptibility collected across Japan. Our analyses provided a complete classification of 3GC resistance mechanisms. Analyses with complete reference plasmids revealed that among the blaCTX-M extended-spectrum β-lactamase genes, blaCTX-M-8 was typically encoded in highly similar plasmids. The two major AmpC β-lactamase genes were blaCMY-2 and blaDHA-1. Long-read sequencing of representative plasmids revealed that approximately 60% and 40% of blaCMY-2 and blaDHA-1 were encoded by such plasmids, respectively. Our analyses identified strains positive for carbapenemase genes but phenotypically susceptible to carbapenems and undetectable by standard antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Systematic long-read sequencing enabled reconstruction of 183 complete plasmid sequences encoding three major carbapenemase genes and elucidation of their geographical distribution stratified by replicon types and species carrying the plasmids and potential plasmid transfer events. Overall, we provide a blueprint for a national genomic surveillance study that integrates standardized quantitative antimicrobial susceptibility testing and characterizes resistance determinants.
Collaborative and privacy-preserving retired battery sorting for profitable direct recycling via federated machine learning
Authors: Tao Shengyu , Liu Haizhou , Sun Chongbo , Ji Haocheng , Ji Guanjun , Han Zhiyuan , Gao Runhua , Ma Jun , Ma Ruifei , Chen Yuou , Fu Shiyi , Wang Yu , Sun Yaojie , Rong Yu , Zhang Xuan , Zhou Guangmin , Sun Hongbin
Published: December 2023

Unsorted retired batteries with varied cathode materials hinder the adoption of direct recycling due to their cathode-specific nature. The surge in retired batteries necessitates precise sorting for effective direct recycling, but challenges arise from varying operational histories, diverse manufacturers, and data privacy concerns of recycling collaborators (data owners). Here we show, from a unique dataset of 130 lithium-ion batteries spanning 5 cathode materials and 7 manufacturers, a federated machine learning approach can classify these retired batteries without relying on past operational data, safeguarding the data privacy of recycling collaborators. By utilizing the features extracted from the end-of-life charge-discharge cycle, our model exhibits 1% and 3% cathode sorting errors under homogeneous and heterogeneous battery recycling settings respectively, attributed to our innovative Wasserstein-distance voting strategy. Economically, the proposed method underscores the value of precise battery sorting for a prosperous and sustainable recycling industry. This study heralds a new paradigm of using privacy-sensitive data from diverse sources, facilitating collaborative and privacy-respecting decision-making for distributed systems.
Metabolic tagging of extracellular vesicles and development of enhanced extracellular vesicle based cancer vaccines
Authors: Bhatta Rimsha , Han Joonsu , Liu Yusheng , Bo Yang , Lee David , Zhou Jiadiao , Wang Yueji , Nelson Erik Russell , Chen Qian , Zhang Xiaojia Shelly , Hassaneen Wael , Wang Hua
Published: December 2023

As key mediators of cellular communication, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been actively explored for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. However, effective methods to functionalize EVs and modulate the interaction between EVs and recipient cells are still lacking. Here we report a facile and universal metabolic tagging technology that can install unique chemical tags (e.g., azido groups) onto EVs. The surface chemical tags enable conjugation of molecules via efficient click chemistry, for the tracking and targeted modulation of EVs. In the context of tumor EV vaccines, we show that the conjugation of toll-like receptor 9 agonists onto EVs enables timely activation of dendritic cells and generation of superior antitumor CD8+ T cell response. These lead to 80% tumor-free survival against E.G7 lymphoma and 33% tumor-free survival against B16F10 melanoma. Our study yields a universal technology to generate chemically tagged EVs from parent cells, modulate EV-cell interactions, and develop potent EV vaccines.
Population fraction of Parkinson’s disease attributable to preventable risk factors
Authors: Payami Haydeh , Cohen Gwendolyn , Murchison Charles F. , Sampson Timothy R. , Standaert David G. , Wallen Zachary D.
Published: December 2023

Parkinson’s disease is the fastest-growing neurologic disease with seemingly no means of prevention. Intrinsic risk factors (age, sex, and genetics) are inescapable, but environmental factors are not. We identified repeated blows to the head in sports/combat as a potential new risk factor. 23% of PD cases in females were attributable to pesticide/herbicide exposure, and 30% of PD in males were attributable to pesticides/herbicides, military-related chemical exposures, and repeated blows to the head, and therefore could have potentially been prevented.
Longitudinal population-level HIV epidemiologic and genomic surveillance highlights growing gender disparity of HIV transmission in Uganda
Authors: Monod Mélodie , Brizzi Andrea , Galiwango Ronald M. , Ssekubugu Robert , Chen Yu , Xi Xiaoyue , Kankaka Edward Nelson , Ssempijja Victor , Abeler-Dörner Lucie , Akullian Adam , Blenkinsop Alexandra , Bonsall David , Chang Larry W. , Dan Shozen , Fraser Christophe , Golubchik Tanya , Gray Ronald H. , Hall Matthew , Jackson Jade C. , Kigozi Godfrey , Laeyendecker Oliver , Mills Lisa A. , Quinn Thomas C. , Reynolds Steven J. , Santelli John , Sewankambo Nelson K. , Spencer Simon E. F. , Ssekasanvu Joseph , Thomson Laura , Wawer Maria J. , Serwadda David , Godfrey-Faussett Peter , Kagaayi Joseph , Grabowski M. Kate , Ratmann Oliver ,   Rakai Health Sciences Program,   PANGEA-HIV consortium
Published: December 2023

HIV incidence in eastern and southern Africa has historically been concentrated among girls and women aged 15–24 years. As new cases decline with HIV interventions, population-level infection dynamics may shift by age and gender. Here, we integrated population-based surveillance of 38,749 participants in the Rakai Community Cohort Study and longitudinal deep-sequence viral phylogenetics to assess how HIV incidence and population groups driving transmission have changed from 2003 to 2018 in Uganda. We observed 1,117 individuals in the incidence cohort and 1,978 individuals in the transmission cohort. HIV viral suppression increased more rapidly in women than men, however incidence declined more slowly in women than men. We found that age-specific transmission flows shifted: whereas HIV transmission to girls and women (aged 15–24 years) from older men declined by about one-third, transmission to women (aged 25–34 years) from men that were 0–6 years older increased by half in 2003 to 2018. Based on changes in transmission flows, we estimated that closing the gender gap in viral suppression could have reduced HIV incidence in women by half in 2018. This study suggests that HIV programmes to increase HIV suppression in men are critical to reduce incidence in women, close gender gaps in infection burden and improve men’s health in Africa.
Hypoblast from human pluripotent stem cells regulates epiblast development
Authors: Okubo Takumi , Rivron Nicolas , Kabata Mio , Masaki Hideki , Kishimoto Keiko , Semi Katsunori , Nakajima-Koyama May , Kunitomi Haruko , Kaswandy Belinda , Sato Hideyuki , Nakauchi Hiromitsu , Woltjen Knut , Saitou Mitinori , Sasaki Erika , Yamamoto Takuya , Takashima Yasuhiro
Published: December 2023

Recently, several studies using cultures of human embryos together with single-cell RNA-seq analyses have revealed differences between humans and mice, necessitating the study of human embryos1–8. Despite the importance of human embryology, ethical and legal restrictions have limited post-implantation-stage studies. Thus, recent efforts have focused on developing in vitro self-organizing models using human stem cells9–17. Here, we report genetic and non-genetic approaches to generate authentic hypoblast cells (naive hPSC-derived hypoblast-like cells (nHyCs))—known to give rise to one of the two extraembryonic tissues essential for embryonic development—from naive human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Our nHyCs spontaneously assemble with naive hPSCs to form a three-dimensional bilaminar structure (bilaminoids) with a pro-amniotic-like cavity. In the presence of additional naive hPSC-derived analogues of the second extraembryonic tissue, the trophectoderm, the efficiency of bilaminoid formation increases from 20% to 40%, and the epiblast within the bilaminoids continues to develop in response to trophectoderm-secreted IL-6. Furthermore, we show that bilaminoids robustly recapitulate the patterning of the anterior–posterior axis and the formation of cells reflecting the pregastrula stage, the emergence of which can be shaped by genetically manipulating the DKK1/OTX2 hypoblast-like domain. We have therefore successfully modelled and identified the mechanisms by which the two extraembryonic tissues efficiently guide the stage-specific growth and progression of the epiblast as it establishes the post-implantation landmarks of human embryogenesis.
Chronic disease outcome metadata from German observational studies – public availability and FAIR principles
Authors: Schwedhelm Carolina , Nimptsch Katharina , Ahrens Wolfgang , Hasselhorn Hans Martin , Jöckel Karl-Heinz , Katzke Verena , Kluttig Alexander , Linkohr Birgit , Mikolajczyk Rafael , Nöthlings Ute , Perrar Ines , Peters Annette , Schmidt Carsten O. , Schmidt Börge , Schulze Matthias B. , Stang Andreas , Zeeb Hajo , Pischon Tobias
Published: December 2023

Metadata from epidemiological studies, including chronic disease outcome metadata (CDOM), are important to be findable to allow interpretability and reusability. We propose a comprehensive metadata schema and used it to assess public availability and findability of CDOM from German population-based observational studies participating in the consortium National Research Data Infrastructure for Personal Health Data (NFDI4Health). Additionally, principal investigators from the included studies completed a checklist evaluating consistency with FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, Reusability) within their studies. Overall, six of sixteen studies had complete publicly available CDOM. The most frequent CDOM source was scientific publications and the most frequently missing metadata were availability of codes of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Principal investigators’ main perceived barriers for consistency with FAIR principles were limited human and financial resources. Our results reveal that CDOM from German population-based studies have incomplete availability and limited findability. There is a need to make CDOM publicly available in searchable platforms or metadata catalogues to improve their FAIRness, which requires human and financial resources.
Quantitative biodistribution of nanoparticles in plants with lanthanide complexes
Authors: Hou H. , Xu Z. , Takeda Y. S. , Powers M. , Yang Y. , Hershberger K. , Hanscom Hailey , Svenson S. , Simhadri R. K. , Vegas A. J.
Published: December 2023

The inefficient distribution of fertilizers, nutrients, and pesticides on crops is a major challenge in modern agriculture that leads to reduced productivity and environmental pollution. Nanoformulation of agrochemicals is an attractive approach to enable the selective delivery of agents into specific plant organs, their release in those tissues, and improve their efficiency. Already commercialized nanofertilizers utilize the physiochemical properties of metal nanoparticles such as size, charge, and the metal core to overcome biological barriers in plants to reach their target sites. Despite their wide application in human diseases, lipid nanoparticles are rarely used in agricultural applications and a systematic screening approach to identifying efficacious formulations has not been reported. Here, we developed a quantitative metal-encoded platform to determine the biodistribution of different lipid nanoparticles in plant tissues. In this platform lanthanide metal complexes were encapsulated into four types of lipid nanoparticles. Our approach was able to successfully quantify payload accumulation for all the lipid formulations across the roots, stem, and leaf of the plant. Lanthanide levels were 20- to 57-fold higher in the leaf and 100- to 10,000-fold higher in the stem for the nanoparticle encapsulated lanthanide complexes compared to the unencapsulated, free lanthanide complex. This system will facilitate the discovery of nanoparticles as delivery carriers for agrochemicals and plant tissue-targeting products.
Cumulative trauma load and timing of trauma prior to military deployment differentially influences inhibitory control processing across deployment
Authors: Miller Lisa N. , Forbes David , McFarlane Alexander C. , Lawrence-Wood Ellie , Simmons Julian G. , Felmingham Kim
Published: December 2023

Military personnel experience high trauma load that can change brain circuitry leading to impaired inhibitory control and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Inhibitory control processing may be particularly vulnerable to developmental and interpersonal trauma. This study examines the differential role of cumulative pre-deployment trauma and timing of trauma on inhibitory control using the Go/NoGo paradigm in a military population. The Go/NoGo paradigm was administered to 166 predominately male army combat personnel at pre- and post-deployment. Linear mixed models analyze cumulative trauma, trauma onset, and post-deployment PTSD symptoms on NoGo-N2 and NoGo-P3 amplitude and latency across deployment. Here we report, NoGo-N2 amplitude increases and NoGo-P3 amplitude and latency decreases in those with high prior interpersonal trauma across deployment. Increases in NoGo-P3 amplitude following adolescent-onset trauma and NoGo-P3 latency following childhood-onset and adolescent-onset trauma are seen across deployment. Arousal symptoms positively correlated with conflict monitoring. Our findings support the cumulative trauma load and sensitive period of trauma exposure models for inhibitory control processing in a military population. High cumulative interpersonal trauma impacts conflict monitoring and response suppression and increases PTSD symptoms whereas developmental trauma differentially impacts response suppression. This research highlights the need for tailored strategies for strengthening inhibitory control, and that consider timing and type of trauma in military personnel.
Surgical drain has no benefits in hemiarthroplasty for femoral neck fractures in elderly patients
Authors: Lee Seung-Hun , Kwak Dae-Kyung , Yoo Je-Hyun
Published: December 2023

Femoral neck fracture is a common osteoporotic fracture in elderly patients and is effectively managed with arthroplasty. However, the benefits and risks of a surgical drain after arthroplasty in these patients are still debatable. Hence, we conducted this study to investigate the necessity of a surgical drain after hemiarthroplasty in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture. This study enrolled elderly patients (aged ≥ 70 years) who underwent cementless bipolar hemiarthroplasty for femoral neck fracture between April 2016 and December 2021. The patients were divided into two groups; the control group (199 patients) with a surgical drain after surgery performed between April 2016 and June 2020 and the study group (134 patients) with no surgical drain between July 2020 and December 2021. The demographics, perioperative data, and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Estimated blood loss, perioperative transfusion volume and rate, and length of hospital stay were significantly lower in the study group than in the control group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.008, and p < 0.001, respectively). Although there were no significant intergroup differences in the length of intensive care unit stay and in-hospital, 1-month, and 1-year mortalities, the incidence of postoperative medical complications was significantly lower in the study group than the control group (p = 0.001). A surgical drain may be unnecessary after hemiarthroplasty in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture considering less blood loss and transfusion, lower incidence of postoperative medical complications, and shorter hospital stay in the study group with no surgical drain.
Deep learning-enabled breast cancer endocrine response determination from H&E staining based on ESR1 signaling activity
Authors: Ng Chun Wai , Wong Kwong-Kwok
Published: December 2023

Estrogen receptor (ER) positivity by immunohistochemistry has long been a main selection criterium for breast cancer patients to be treated with endocrine therapy. However, ER positivity might not directly correlate with activated ER signaling activity, which is a better predictor for endocrine therapy responsiveness. In this study, we investigated if a deep learning method using whole-slide H&E-stained images could predict ER signaling activity. First, ER signaling activity score was determined using RNAseq data available from each of the 1082 breast cancer samples in the TCGA Pan-Cancer dataset based on the Hallmark Estrogen Response Early gene set from the Molecular Signature Database (MSigDB). Then the processed H&E-stained images and ER signaling activity scores from a training cohort were fed into ResNet101 with three additional fully connected layers to generate a predicted ER activity score. The trained models were subsequently applied to an independent testing cohort. The result demonstrated that ER + /HER2- breast cancer patients with a higher predicted ER activity score had longer progression-free survival (p = 0.0368) than those with lower predicted ER activity score. In conclusion, a convolutional deep neural network can predict prognosis and endocrine therapy response in breast cancer patients based on whole-slide H&E-stained images. The trained models were found to robustly predict the prognosis of ER + /HER2- patients. This information is valuable for patient management, as it does not require RNA-seq or microarray data analyses. Thus, these models can reduce the cost of the diagnosis workflow if such information is required.
Therapeutic interventions and the length of hospital stay for pediatric patients with COVID-19: a multicenter cohort study
Authors: Ishihara Tadashi , Tagami Takashi , Hirayama Atsushi , Nakamura Yuki , Sueyoshi Koichiro , Okamoto Ken , Tanaka Hiroshi
Published: December 2023

The evidence for pediatric patients with COVID-19 was very limited, which was attributed to the small number of the cases as well as the rare incidence of severe pneumonia in this population. This retrospective cohort study aimed to identify the characteristics of pediatric patients with COVID-19 in the early period of the pandemic by analyzing Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) data in Japan. This retrospective cohort analysis of Japanese multicenter research on COVID-19 using DPC data compared the outcomes and costs of treatment for pediatric patients with COVID-19. Of 4700 patients with COVID-19, 186 pediatric patients were included in this study. Among the included pediatric patients, 17 received therapeutic drugs specifically for COVID-19, while the remaining 169 pediatric patients received only symptomatic therapy. There were no significant differences in the length of hospital stay (9 vs. 8 days, p = 0.96), and medical cost (97,585 vs. 73,291 JPY) for the intervention and control groups, respectively by multiple regression analysis. This is the first epidemiological study to use DPC data to summarize the pathophysiology of pediatric patients in the early period of COVID-19 pandemic. There was no significant difference in length of hospital stay or medical cost by intervention.
Detection of safety helmet and mask wearing using improved YOLOv5s
Authors: Li Shuangyuan , Lv Yanchang , Liu Xiangyang , Li Mengfan
Published: December 2023

With the advancement of society, ensuring the safety of personnel involved in municipal construction projects, particularly in the context of pandemic control measures, has become a matter of utmost importance. This paper introduces a security measure for municipal engineering, combining deep learning with object detection technology. It proposes a lightweight artificial intelligence (AI) detection method capable of simultaneously identifying individuals wearing masks and safety helmets. The method primarily incorporates the ShuffleNetv2 feature extraction mechanism within the framework of the YOLOv5s network to reduce computational overhead. Additionally, it employs the ECA attention mechanism and optimized loss functions to generate feature maps with more comprehensive information, thereby enhancing the precision of target detection. Experimental results indicate that this algorithm improves the mean average precision (mAP) value by 4.3%. Furthermore, it reduces parameter and computational loads by 54.8% and 53.8%, respectively, effectively striking a balance between lightweight operation and precision. This study serves as a valuable reference for research pertaining to lightweight target detection in the realm of municipal construction safety measures.
Clean assembly of van der Waals heterostructures using silicon nitride membranes
Authors: Wang Wendong , Clark Nicholas , Hamer Matthew , Carl Amy , Tovari Endre , Sullivan-Allsop Sam , Tillotson Evan , Gao Yunze , de Latour Hugo , Selles Francisco , Howarth James , Castanon Eli G. , Zhou Mingwei , Bai Haoyu , Li Xiao , Weston Astrid , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Mattevi Cecilia , Bointon Thomas H. , Wiper Paul V. , Strudwick Andrew J. , Ponomarenko Leonid A. , Kretinin Andrey V. , Haigh Sarah J. , Summerfield Alex , Gorbachev Roman
Published: December 2023

Van der Waals heterostructures are fabricated by layer-by-layer assembly of individual two-dimensional materials and can be used to create a wide range of electronic devices. However, current assembly techniques typically use polymeric supports, which limit the cleanliness—and thus the electronic performance—of such devices. Here, we report a polymer-free technique for assembling van der Waals heterostructures using flexible silicon nitride membranes. Eliminating the polymeric supports allows the heterostructures to be fabricated in harsher environmental conditions (incompatible with a polymer) such as at temperatures of up to 600 °C, in organic solvents and in ultra-high vacuum. The resulting heterostructures have high-quality interfaces without interlayer contamination and exhibit strong electronic and optoelectronic behaviour. We use the technique to assemble twisted-graphene heterostructures in ultra-high vacuum, resulting in a tenfold improvement in moiré superlattice homogeneity compared to conventional transfer techniques.
Distinct roles of amylin and oxytocin signaling in intrafamilial social behaviors at the medial preoptic area of common marmosets
Authors: Kurachi Takuma , Shinozuka Kazutaka , Yoshihara Chihiro , Yano-Nashimoto Saori , Murayama Ayako Y. , Hata Junichi , Haga Yawara , Okano Hideyuki , Kuroda Kumi O.
Published: December 2023

Calcitonin receptor (Calcr) and its brain ligand amylin in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) are found to be critically involved in infant care and social contact behaviors in mice. In primates, however, the evidence is limited to an excitotoxic lesion study of the Calcr-expressing MPOA subregion (cMPOA) in a family-living primate species, the common marmoset. The present study utilized pharmacological manipulations of the cMPOA and shows that reversible inactivation of the cMPOA abolishes infant-care behaviors in sibling marmosets without affecting other social or non-social behaviors. Amylin-expressing neurons in the marmoset MPOA are distributed in the vicinity of oxytocin neurons in the anterior paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. While amylin infusion facilitates infant carrying selectively, an oxytocin’s inverse agonist, atosiban, reduces physical contact with non-infant family members without grossly affecting infant care. These data suggest that the amylin and oxytocin signaling mediate intrafamilial social interactions in a complementary manner in marmosets.
α-Synuclein emulsifies TDP-43 prion-like domain—RNA liquid droplets to promote heterotypic amyloid fibrils
Authors: Dhakal Shailendra , Mondal Malay , Mirzazadeh Azin , Banerjee Siddhartha , Ghosh Ayanjeet , Rangachari Vijayaraghavan
Published: December 2023

Many neurodegenerative diseases including frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), Lewy body disease (LBD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), etc., show colocalized deposits of TDP-43 and α-synuclein (αS) aggregates. To understand whether these colocalizations are driven by specific molecular interactions between the two proteins, we previously showed that the prion-like C-terminal domain of TDP-43 (TDP-43PrLD) and αS synergistically interact to form neurotoxic heterotypic amyloids in homogeneous buffer conditions. However, it remains unclear if αS can modulate TDP-43 present within liquid droplets and biomolecular condensates called stress granules (SGs). Here, using cell culture and in vitro TDP-43PrLD – RNA liquid droplets as models along with microscopy, nanoscale AFM-IR spectroscopy, and biophysical analyses, we uncover the interactions of αS with phase-separated droplets. We learn that αS acts as a Pickering agent by forming clusters on the surface of TDP-43PrLD – RNA droplets. The aggregates of αS on these clusters emulsify the droplets by nucleating the formation of heterotypic TDP-43PrLD amyloid fibrils, structures of which are distinct from those derived from homogenous solutions. Together, these results reveal an intriguing property of αS to act as a Pickering agent while interacting with SGs and unmask the hitherto unknown role of αS in modulating TDP-43 proteinopathies.
Predicting Bordeaux red wine origins and vintages from raw gas chromatograms
Authors: Schartner Michael , Beck Jeff M. , Laboyrie Justine , Riquier Laurent , Marchand Stephanie , Pouget Alexandre
Published: December 2023

Connecting chemical properties to various wine characteristics is of great interest to the science of olfaction as well as the wine industry. We explored whether Bordeaux wine chemical identities and vintages (harvest year) can be inferred from a common and affordable chemical analysis, namely, a combination of gas chromatography (GC) and electron ionization mass spectrometry. Using 12 vintages (within the 1990–2007 range) from 7 estates of the Bordeaux region, we report that, remarkably, nonlinear dimensionality reduction techniques applied to raw gas chromatograms recover the geography of the Bordeaux region. Using machine learning, we found that we can not only recover the estate perfectly from gas chromatograms, but also the vintage with up to 50% accuracy. Interestingly, we observed that the entire chromatogram is informative with respect to geographic location and age, thus suggesting that the chemical identity of a wine is not defined by just a few molecules but is distributed over a large chemical spectrum. This study demonstrates the remarkable potential of GC analysis to explore fundamental questions about the origin and age of wine.
Coupled mechanical oscillator enables precise detection of nanowire flexural vibrations
Authors: Sharma Maneesha , Sathyadharma Prasad Aniruddha , Freitag Norbert H. , Büchner Bernd , Mühl Thomas
Published: December 2023

The field of nanowire (NW) technology represents an exciting and steadily growing research area with applications in ultra-sensitive mass and force sensing. Existing detection methods for NW deflection and oscillation include optical and field emission approaches. However, they are challenging for detecting small diameter NWs because of the heating produced by the laser beam and the impact of the high electric field. Alternatively, the deflection of a NW can be detected indirectly by co-resonantly coupling the NW to a cantilever and measuring it using a scanning probe microscope. Here, we prove experimentally that co-resonantly coupled devices are sensitive to small force derivatives similar to standalone NWs. We detect force derivatives as small as 10−9 N/m with a bandwidth of 1 Hz at room temperature. Furthermore, the measured hybrid vibration modes show clear signatures of avoided crossing. The detection technique presented in this work verifies a major step in boosting NW-based force and mass sensing.
Upper mantle melt caused by a subducted slab in the Indian-Eurasian continental subduction zone
Authors: Li Guohui , Zhou Yuanze , Bai Ling , Gao Yuan , Li Yanan
Published: December 2023

A low-velocity layer atop the mantle transition zone has been extensively observed worldwide. In subduction zones, this layer is widely explained as partial melting triggered by slab subduction on a regional or global scale. However, direct observational evidence is still absent, and the response of the layer to slab subduction is not well known. Here, we image the seismic velocity around the mantle transition zone by matching synthetic and observed triplicated seismic P and sP waveforms in the Indian–Eurasian continental subduction zone. Our observations reveal a laterally varied low-velocity layer atop the mantle transition zone beneath the Hindu Kush, where a subducted slab extends to the mantle transition zone. The geometric morphology of the low-velocity layer documents that it is a partially molten layer induced by the subducted slab on a regional scale. Interestingly, our observations also support that the layer has a low viscosity. The decreased viscosity may facilitate slab motion in the deep mantle, contributing to slab stretching, tearing and break-off and its resultant rare recurring large intermediate-depth earthquakes in an intracontinental setting.