bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Roles of PD‐L1 in human adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells under inflammatory microenvironment
Authors: Sun Jinqiu , Zhong Hannah , Kang Bo , Lum Trenton , Liu Dongxue , Liang Shengxian , Hao Jijun , Guo Rui
Published: March 2024

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) display unique homing and immunosuppression features which make them promising candidates for cell therapy in inflammatory disorders. It is known that C‐X‐C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4, also known as CD184) is a critical receptor implicated in MSCs migration, and the protein programmed death ligand‐1 (PD‐L1) is involved in MSC's immunosuppression. However, it remains unclear how the molecular mechanisms regulate PD‐L1 expression for migration and immunosuppression of MSCs under the inflammatory microenvironment. In this article, we used the human adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSCs) treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as an in vitro inflammatory model to explore the roles of PD‐L1 on the migration and immunosuppression of MSC. Our results demonstrate that in hADMSCs, LPS significantly increased PD‐L1 expression, which mediated the migration of the LPS‐treated hADMSCs via CXCR4. In addition, we found that the increased PD‐L1 expression in the LPS‐treated hADMSCs inhibited B cell proliferation and immunoglobulin G secretion through nuclear factor‐κB. Our study suggests that the PD‐L1 plays critical roles in the homing and immunosuppression of MSCs which are a promising cell therapy to treat inflammatory diseases.
Characteristics of precipitation in East Asia associated with Okhotsk Sea blocking in June and July
Authors: Song Chan‐Yeong , Ahn Joong‐Bae
Published: March 2024

This study investigates the influence of Okhotsk Sea blocking (OKB) on summer precipitation in East Asia in terms of the movement, enhancement and extension of the monsoon rainband. For this purpose, a composite analysis is conducted for nine OKB events that occur in June and July from 2000 to 2022. The results show that the OKB events that occur in June are associated with decreased precipitation in East Asia, whereas those that occur in July are related to increased precipitation in the same region. The long‐lasting OKB can continuously maintain and intensify anomalous cyclonic circulations in northeastern Asia, leading to enhanced vertically integrated moisture flux convergence (VIMFC) along the northern edge of the Western North Pacific subtropical high. However, there are differences in spatial distribution and displacement of anomalous cyclonic circulations between June and July. The OKB occurring in June is related to simultaneously developing and progressively strengthening anticyclonic circulation in the Okhotsk Sea as well as cyclonic circulation in northeastern Asia. Under the displacement of an intensified and southwardly extended cyclonic circulation, the VIMFC shifts southward and into a southeast‐to‐northwest orientation, compared to climatology, resulting in decreased precipitation in East Asia, particularly in southern China and southern Japan. On the other hand, when the OKB occur in July, anticyclonic circulation in the Okhotsk Sea is developed initially followed by cyclonic circulation in northeastern Asia, amplifying several days after onset. Anomalous cyclonic circulation is much weaker and located more northward than in June, which is favourable for stagnating and enhancing the VIMFC in East Asia. As a result, precipitation can increase in the region, particularly on the Korean Peninsula and in Japan.
Multiscale identification of the inorganic shell of core (Co)/shell‐assembled nanoparticles
Authors: Simon Ghilhem , Costanzo Salvatore , Lisiecki Isabelle , Colomban Philippe
Published: March 2024

Core (Co)/shell (Co‐oxide) nanoparticles assembly exhibits interesting magnetic properties that depend on the inorganic shell characteristic (composition and crystalline structure). Assemblies of pure and partially oxidized cobalt (core/shell) nanoparticles, ~9 nm in diameter, were prepared and analyzed by techniques probing the matter at macroscale to nanoscale: UV–visible‐near‐infrared (NIR) transmission, FTIR, Raman microspectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Attention is paid to compare nonoxidized and (partially) oxidized Co nanoparticles, coated with lauric acid as stabilizing agent (ligands). The approximately 1 nm disordered inorganic coating is perfectly detected by transmission electron microscopy, UV–visible–NIR, infrared, and Raman spectroscopy. The Raman spectrum is sensitive to laser wavelength and power due to the local heating induced by the laser, which modifies the interaction between the organic chains and the nanoparticle inorganic shell. For comparison, nanoparticle films were analyzed under heating from room temperature to 300°C. The “fusion” (dynamic disorder) of lauric (dodecanoic) chains is observed concomitantly with the merging of very low wavenumber Lambs' modes into a Rayleigh wing, which is consistent with an increase in the topological nanoparticle disorder. Hydroxylation or water adsorption is observed for Co film. The UV–visible–NIR and Raman spectra of the Co‐oxide shell do not correspond to that of CoO (rock salt) nor to that of Co3O4 (spinel) but has some similarity to that of 2D delafossite (CoOOH) phase.
New clues for postbiotics to improve host health: a review from the perspective of function and mechanisms
Authors: Yan Ruonan , Zeng Xiaoqun , Shen Jiamin , Wu Zhen , Guo Yuxing , Du Qiwei , Tu Maolin , Pan Daodong
Published: March 2024

Strain activity and stability severely limit the beneficial effects of probiotics in modulating host health. Postbiotics have emerged as a promising alternative as they can provide similar or even enhanced efficacy to probiotics, even under inactivated conditions. This review introduces the ingredients, preparation, and identification techniques of postbiotics, focusing on the comparison of the advantages and limitations between probiotics and postbiotics based on their mechanisms and applications. Inactivation treatment is the most significant difference between postbiotics and probiotics. We highlight the use of emerging technologies to inactivate probiotics, optimize process conditions to maintain the activity of postbiotics, or scale up their production. Postbiotics have high stability which can overcome unfavorable factors, such as easy inactivation and difficult colonization of probiotics after entering the intestine, and are rapidly activated, allowing continuous and rapid optimization of the intestinal microecological environment. They provide unique mechanisms, and multiple targets act on the gut–organ axis, co‐providing new clues for the study of the biological functions of postbiotics. We summarize the mechanisms of action of inactivated lactic acid bacteria, highlighting that the NF‐κB and MAPK pathways can be used as immune targeting pathways for postbiotic modulation of host health. Generally, we believe that as the classification, composition, and efficacy mechanism of postbiotics become clearer they will be more widely used in food, medicine, and other fields, greatly enriching the dimensions of food innovation. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Optimization of computational intelligence approach for the prediction of glutinous rice dehydration
Authors: Jimoh Kabiru Ayobami , Hashim Norhashila , Shamsudin Rosnah , Che Man Hasfalina , Jahari Mahirah
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND

Five computational intelligence approaches, namely Gaussian process regression (GPR), artificial neural network (ANN), decision tree (DT), ensemble of trees (EoT) and support vector machine (SVM), were used to describe the evolution of moisture during the dehydration process of glutinous rice. The hyperparameters of the models were optimized with three strategies: Bayesian optimization, grid search and random search. To understand the parameters that facilitate intelligence model adaptation to the dehydration process, global sensitivity analysis (GSA) was used to compute the impact of the input variables on the model output.

RESULT

The result shows that the optimum computational intelligence techniques include the 3‐9‐1 topology trained with Bayesian regulation function for ANN, Gaussian kernel function for SVM, Matérn covariance function combined with zero mean function for GPR, boosting method for EoT and 4 minimum leaf size for DT. GPR has the highest performance with R2 of 100% and 99.71% during calibration and testing of the model, respectively. GSA reveals that all the models significantly rely on the variation in time as the main factor that affects the model outputs.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, the computational intelligence models, especially GPR, can be applied for an effective description of moisture evolution during small‐scale and industrial dehydration of glutinous rice. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
3D printing of high solid Al2O3 ceramics based on green and renewable photosensitive resin with low viscosity and low shrinkage
Authors: Yao Xin , Hu Jun , Li Xiaojie , Wei Wei , Liu Ren , Liu Jingcheng
Published: March 2024

A low‐viscosity bio‐based carbamate acrylate was synthesized by the reaction of pentamethylene diisocyanate derived from pentanediamine with a low molecular weight acrylate hydroxyl ester. The carbamate acrylate was used in the 3D printing of ceramics, and a correlation between the solid content and viscosity of the ceramic slurry was observed. The ceramic slurry exhibits good stability and low shrinkage. The results indicate that the viscosity of the ceramic slurry was 2.11 Pa s with a solid content of 80 wt%, which makes it suitable for digital light processing printing. In addition, a new type of photoinitiator called (2,4,6‐trimethylbenzoyl)bis(p‐tolyl)phosphine oxide (TMO) has been applied, demonstrating excellent potential in ceramic slurry. According to its thermogravimetric curve, a debinding and sintering process was designed, and ultimately an Al2O3 device with a density of 94.49% was prepared.
Fractographic analysis of fiber‐reinforced polymer laminate composites for marine applications: A comprehensive review
Authors: Ojha Somanath , Bisaria Himanshu , Mohanty Smita , Kanny Krishnan
Published: March 2024

In the past decade, polymer‐based glass fiber‐reinforced laminate composites have gained significant popularity in various mass transit applications, including marine, aircraft, and automotive industries. However, it is crucial to consider the degradation and potential failure of these materials, especially in mass transit networks. To address this concern, fractographic analysis has emerged as a valuable approach for investigating fracture surfaces, extracting vital information, and facilitating the development of new materials. Furthermore, it sheds light on the underlying physical mechanisms that contribute to composite failure. This paper primarily focuses on examining flaws, failure modes, and performing fractography analysis on fiber‐reinforced polymer (FRP) laminate composites subjected to various loading conditions such as tension, compression, flexure, impact, shear, and fracture. Fractography, as an indispensable method, plays a pivotal role in the comprehensive development of composite structures and has become a reliable tool for composite engineers. The outcomes of this study are expected to serve as a foundation for identifying areas that require further investigation in terms of fracture analysis and failure modes specific to FRP composite materials, particularly those used in marine applications.

Highlights

Introduction to FRP laminate composites in marine structures.

Concise analysis of failure modes in FRP laminate composites.

SEM fractography review of FRP laminate composites under varied loading conditions.

Comprehensive study on tensile, flexural, impact, compression, shear, and fracture toughness failure modes.

Summarization of identified defects in FRP composites.
Prenatal diagnosis and in utero treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia: An up‐to‐date comprehensive review
Authors: Okpaise Oluwateniayo O. , Ahn Hyunyoung , Tonni Gabriele , Ruano Rodrigo
Published: March 2024

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a term that encompasses a wide range of conditions that affect the adrenals. Diagnosis and treatment before birth are important as irreparable birth defects can be avoided, decreasing the need for surgical intervention later in life, especially regarding genitalia anomalies. Although early implementation of dexamethasone in the prenatal treatment of CAH has been controversial, there is recent evidence that this treatment can reduce long‐term complications.
Comparing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) enrollment data death dates to the National Death Index (NDI)
Authors: Pennap Dinci , Swain Richard S. , Akhtar Sandia , Liao Jiemin , Wei Yuqin , Li Jiaqi , Wernecke Michael , MaCurdy Thomas E. , Kelman Jeffrey A. , Mosholder Andrew D. , Graham David J.
Published: March 2024

Purpose

In the United States, the National Death Index (NDI) is the most complete source of death information, while epidemiologic studies with mortality outcomes often rely on U.S. Medicare data for outcome ascertainment. The purpose of this study was to assess the agreement of death information between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare enrolment data and NDI.

Methods

Using Medicare and NDI data from 1999 through 2016, we identified Medicare beneficiaries who were reported dead in the CMS Medicare enrolment database (EDB) and Common Medicare Environment (CME), linked these beneficiaries to the NDI using CMS Health Insurance Claim number, and compared death dates between the two data sources. To assess agreement between our data sources, we calculated kappa scores; where a kappa of 1 indicates perfect agreement and a kappa of 0 indicates agreement equivalent to chance. We also examined CMS to NDI linkage and death date matching for stability over time.

Results

Of the 36 785 640, Medicare beneficiaries reported dead in CMS enrollment data from 1999 to 2016, 97.5% were linked to the NDI. A kappa score of 0.98 showed a near perfect agreement between NDI and CMS reported deaths. The percentage of linked cases exactly matching on death dates increased from 94.8% in 1999 to 99.4% in 2016.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest strong concordance between death dates as recorded by CMS enrollment data and the NDI in the entire Medicare population.
Effect of statin treatment on the risk of cancer in patients with heart failure: A target trial emulation study
Authors: Ju Chengsheng , Lau Wallis C. Y. , Chambers Pinkie , Man Kenneth K. C. , Forster Martin D. , Mackenzie Isla S. , Manisty Charlotte , Wei Li
Published: March 2024

Purpose

A recent observational study suggested statins could reduce cancer diagnosis in patients with heart failure (HF). The findings need to be validated using robust epidemiological methods. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of statin treatment on the risk of cancer in patients with HF.

Methods

We conducted two target trial emulations using primary care data from IQVIA Medical Research Database‐UK (2000 to 2019) with a clone‐censor‐weight design. The first emulated trial addressed the treatment initiation effect: initiating within 1 year versus not initiating a statin after the HF diagnosis. The second emulated trial addressed the cumulative exposure effect: continuing a statin for ≤3 years, 3–6 years, and >6 years after initiation. The study outcomes were any incident cancer and site‐specific cancer diagnoses. Weighted pooled logistic regression models were used to estimate 10‐year risk ratios (RR). 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using non‐parametric bootstrapping.

Results

The first emulated trial showed that, compared to no statin, statins did not reduce the cancer risk in patients with HF (RR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.94–1.15). The second emulated trial showed that, compared to treatment ≤3 years, statins with longer durations did not reduce the cancer risk (3–6 years: RR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.70–1.33. >6 years: RR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.79–1.26). No significant risk difference was observed on any site‐specific cancer diagnoses.

Conclusions

The results from the target trial emulations suggest that statin treatment is not associated with cancer risk in patients with HF.
Non‐destructive, whole‐plant phenotyping reveals dynamic changes in water use efficiency, photosynthesis, and rhizosphere acidification of sorghum accessions under osmotic stress
Authors: Ginzburg Daniel N. , Cox Jack A. , Rhee Seung Y.
Published: March 2024

Noninvasive phenotyping can quantify dynamic plant growth processes at higher temporal resolution than destructive phenotyping and can reveal phenomena that would be missed by end‐point analysis alone. Additionally, whole‐plant phenotyping can identify growth conditions that are optimal for both above‐ and below‐ground tissues. However, noninvasive, whole‐plant phenotyping approaches available today are generally expensive, complex, and non‐modular. We developed a low‐cost and versatile approach to noninvasively measure whole‐plant physiology over time by growing plants in isolated hydroponic chambers. We demonstrate the versatility of our approach by measuring whole‐plant biomass accumulation, water use, and water use efficiency every two days on unstressed and osmotically stressed sorghum accessions. We identified relationships between root zone acidification and photosynthesis on whole‐plant water use efficiency over time. Our system can be implemented using cheap, basic components, requires no specific technical expertise, and should be suitable for any non‐aquatic vascular plant species.
Molecular Beam Epitaxy Growth of GaN/InGaN Heterostructures under In‐Bilayer Stabilized Conditions
Authors: Malindretos Joerg , Jaeckel Hendrik , Hilbrunner Constantin , Rizzi Angela
Published: March 2024

Molecular beam epitaxy is applied for the GaN/InGaN growth under In‐bilayer stabilized conditions, which require substrate temperatures above 580 °C for sufficient indium desorption. Under these conditions the indium content is limited to , as determined by a novel reflection high energy electron diffraction technique, which is based on indium adsorption and subsequent consumption at varying gallium flux. As‐grown structures show degraded surfaces after indium desorption. This effect is eliminated by applying excess gallium before and after InGaN growth, which results in morphologies and dislocation densities comparable to GaN/AlGaN structures.
BRCA2‐positive lung adenocarcinoma treated with olaparib: A case report
Authors: Motohashi Takumi , Isobe Kazutoshi , Yoshizawa Takahiro , Usui Yusuke , Shimizu Hiroshige , Sekiya Muneyuki , Miyoshi Shion , Nakamura Yasuhiko , Urabe Naohisa , Sakamoto Susumu , Homma Sakae , Sadamoto Sota , Tochigi Naobumi , Kishi Kazuma
Published: March 2024

A 66‐year‐old woman was found to have abnormal shadows on a chest radiograph at a previous hospital 4 years ago, which led to a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, cT2aN1M1b stage IVA. First‐line treatment included carboplatin and paclitaxel plus thoracic radiotherapy and stereotactic radiation therapy for brain metastases. The patient later underwent second‐line pemetrexed treatment, followed by third‐line nivolumab, fourth‐line docetaxel and bevacizumab, fifth‐line tegafur‐gimeracil‐oteracil, and sixth‐line gemcitabine. Two years ago, after observing an increase in the primary lesion and carcinoembryonic antigen levels (104.0 ng/mL), a computed tomography‐guided biopsy was performed from the primary site of lung cancer. A cancer genomic profiling test (FoundationOne® CDx cancer genome profile) revealed a breast cancer susceptibility (BRCA) 2 gene mutation. Therefore, she started taking olaparib. The treatment led to stable disease for approximately 2 years.
Green Synthesis of Bimetallic Nanoparticles and its Catalytic Activity of Multicomponent Reactions and Antibacterial Activity
Authors: Kopperundevi J. , Gopalakrishnan M. , Ramalingam G.
Published: March 2024

This present research work focuses on synthesizing Ag−Cu bimetallic nanoparticles utilizing an aqueous extract leaf of Excoecaria agallocha, employing a green synthesis route. The incorporation of silver (Ag) with copper (Cu) induces synergistic effects that enhance reaction kinetics and reduce the multicomponent reaction time. The catalysts synthesized through this environmentally friendly approach were thoroughly characterized using various analytical techniques, including HR‐TEM, XRD, SEM‐EDX, UV‐Vis Spectrophotometry, and FT‐IR. The UV‐visible spectrum displayed a peak at 257 nm, while the FT‐IR spectrum exhibited peaks at 574 cm−1, indicative of bimetallic peak reductions attributed to the influence of plant metabolites. HR‐TEM and XRD revealed the crystalline with (111), (200), (111), (200), and (220) plane values and shapes of BMNPs. Furthermore, the Ag−Cu bimetallic nanoparticles demonstrated outstanding catalytic performance with high product yield, along with notable reusability and recyclability and excellent antimicrobial activity when compared with commercial antibacterial chloramphenicol.
Synthesis of (3‐Thienyl)‐Substituted 2,2’‐Bipyridines and Their Application as Activators of Platinum Electrode Catalytic Activity Towards Cholesterol Electrooxidation
Authors: Okhokhonin. Andrei V. , Stepanova Marina I. , Tsmokaluk Anton N. , Mazur Alena V. , Valieva Maria I. , Starnovskaya Ekaterina S. , Gorbunov Evgeny B. , Gaviko Vasiliy S. , Krinochkin Alexey P. , Kopchuk Dmitry S. , Zyryanov Grigory V. , Kozitsina Alisa N. , Rusinov Vladimir L.
Published: March 2024

Several new derivatives of 2,2′‐bipyridines with a spacer group separated from the 2,2‐bipyridine fragment, namely, an ethynyl fragment, were obtained using the Sonagashira cross‐coupling reaction. The resulting derivatives were physically adsorbed on platinum electrode and were then used as activators of the catalytic activity of a platinum electrode in the reaction of cholesterol electrooxidation in an acetonitrile medium. Sensitivity, limit of detection and detectable concentration range were calculated, and the best results was established as 6.2±0.6 μA/mM, 0.08 mM and 0–0.3 mM, respectively. These results show that the prepared compounds adsorbed on platinum electrode are perspective systems for developing of new enzymeless cholesterol sensor based on them.
Molecular Engineering of 2D Spacer Cations to Achieve Efficient and Stable 2D/3D Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Zeng Ye , Wang Ruiqin , Chen Kaixin , Gao Xin , Liu Xiaorui , Wu Fei , Zhu Linna
Published: March 2024

Introducing 2D perovskite onto the surface of 3D perovskite could not only passivate the defects in 3D perovskite, but also protect the 3D perovskite from humidity invasion, which could improve the device stability. The choice of spacer cations in 2D perovskites directly influences the overall properties of the 2D layer, which is crucial to the efficiency and stability of devices. Herein, trifluoromethyl benzylamine is developed as the 2D spacer cation, and the effects of –CF3 at different substitution positions on the surface morphology, carrier dynamics, and device performances are systematically investigated. Results show that the 3‐TFPMAI‐treated 2D/3D perovskite film shows smoother morphology, with fewer surface defects and less nonradiative recombination. Moreover, with a matched energy level, 3‐TFPMAI modification can accelerate hole extraction and hole transporting. The 3‐TFPMAI‐treated 2D/3D cell achieves a champion efficiency of 22.68%. What's more, the introduction of fluoride‐containing groups increases the hydrophobicity of the 2D layer, which effectively resists moisture erosion and greatly improves the long‐term and operational stability of the perovskite solar cells.
Lithography‐Free Method to Synthesize Quasiperiodic Silicon Inverted‐Pyramid Arrays: A Broadband Light Trapper for High‐Efficiency Thin Silicon Solar Cells
Authors: Kumar Anil , Rani Divya , Saini Anjali , Joshi Neeraj , Varma Ravi Kumar , Dutta Mrinal , Samanta Arup
Published: March 2024

Thin silicon solar cells can be a low‐cost effective photo‐conversion device, if the device can efficiently absorb the solar spectrum. Herein, a new lithography‐free technique is developed for the fabrication of quasiperiodic silicon inverted‐pyramids arrays (SiIPAs), which show a high‐light‐trapping phenomenon in the ultraviolet–visible—near‐infrared (300–2000 nm). Fabricated SiIPA samples show a significant reduction of reflectance (3%) in the silicon absorption band (300–1000 nm). A unique additional absorption of 33–44% compared to the planar silicon is observed in the sub‐bandgap region of silicon (1100–2000 nm) for these samples. Photocurrent response measurement confirms the generation of additional electron–hole pairs in the sub‐bandgap region of silicon for the SiIPA samples in comparison with planar sample. In these results, the effect of field confinement and the creation of optical resonance modes within these structures, qualitatively supported by numerical simulation, are signified. The estimated short‐circuit current density using the experimental absorption spectrum of SiIPAs is 55.46 mA cm−2, which is far higher than the Lambertian limit of ≈43 mA cm−2. The theoretical efficiency of the solar cell can be achieved up to 35.22%, which surpasses the Shockley–Queisser limit of 33.7%.
Exploring the causal link between circulating cytokines and sarcopenia traits: A Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Di Wang , Luyao Yang , Chengwei Yang , Valtonen Anu M. , Juha‐Pekka Kulmala , Ying Gao
Published: March 2024

Background

Previous observational studies have linked circulating cytokines to sarcopenia, but their causal relationship remains unclear. This study employed Mendelian Randomization (MR) to investigate the causal links between circulating cytokines and sarcopenia‐related traits using genetic data.

Methods

A two‐sample bidirectional MR analysis was conducted using data from individuals of European ancestry, utilizing genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) statistics. The study selected instrumental single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with circulating cytokines and applied multiple MR methods, including inverse variance weighted (IVW), Weighted Median, MR‐Egger, Weighted Mode, Simple Mode, and MR‐PRESSO. The traits analyzed were appendicular lean mass (ALM) and grip strength. Heterogeneity, robustness, and consistency of results were assessed using Cochran's Q statistic, MR‐Egger regression, and “leave‐one‐out” sensitivity analyses.

Results

The IVM‐MR analysis showed a casual association between genetically predicted circulating levels of interleukin‐16 and both ALM and grip strength (ALM: OR = 0.990, 95% CI: 0.980–1.000, p = .049; grip strength: OR = 0.971, 95% CI: 0.948–0.995, p = .020). Additionally, interferon‐gamma‐induced protein 10 (IP‐10), interleukin‐1‐beta (IL‐1β), and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were correlated with ALM and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin‐12 (IL‐12), and interleukin‐5 (IL‐5) with grip strength. Comparable results were confirmed via the MR‐Egger, Weighted Median, Weighted Mode, and Simple Mode methods. Sensitivity analysis showed no horizontal pleiotropy to bias the causal estimates.

Conclusion

The results suggest a significant causal effect of inflammatory cytokines on sarcopenia, offering new avenues for therapeutic target development. However, the study's focus on a European ancestry cohort limits its generalizability to other populations. Future research should aim to include diverse ethnic groups to validate and broaden these findings, thereby enhancing our understanding of sarcopenia's mechanisms in a global context.
Role of ultrasound in detection of lymph‐node metastasis in gynecological cancer: systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Borges A. C. , Veloso H. , Galindo P. , Danés A. , Chacon E. , Mínguez J. A. , Alcázar J. L.
Published: March 2024

Objective

To assess the diagnostic performance of transvaginal sonography (TVS) for the preoperative evaluation of lymph‐node metastasis in gynecological cancer.

Methods

This was a systematic review and meta‐analysis of studies published between January 1990 and May 2023 evaluating the role of ultrasound in detecting pelvic lymph‐node metastasis (index test) in gynecological cancer, using histopathological analysis as the reference standard. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies‐2 tool. Pooled sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio were estimated.

Results

The literature search identified 2638 citations. Eight studies reporting on a total of 967 women were included. The mean prevalence of pelvic lymph‐node metastasis was 24.2% (range, 14.0–65.6%). The risk of bias was low for most domains assessed. Pooled sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio of TVS were 41% (95% CI, 26–58%), 98% (95% CI, 93–99%) and 32 (95% CI, 14–72), respectively. High heterogeneity was found between studies for both sensitivity and specificity.

Conclusion

TVS showed a high pooled specificity for the detection of pelvic lymph‐node metastasis in gynecological cancer, but pooled sensitivity was low. © 2024 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
The stationary Gierer–Meinhardt system in the upper half-space: existence, nonexistence and asymptotics
Authors: Ghergu Marius
Published: March 2024

We study the existence, nonexistence and asymptotics of positive solutions to the Gierer–Meinhardt system $$\begin{aligned} {\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \displaystyle -\Delta u+\lambda u=\frac{u^p}{v^q}+\rho (x)\,, u>0 &{} \text{ in } {\mathbb {R}}^N_+:={\mathbb {R}}^{N-1}\times (0, \infty ), \\ \displaystyle -\Delta v+\lambda v=\frac{u^m}{v^s} \,, v>0 &{} \text{ in } {\mathbb {R}}^N_+, \end{array}\right. } \end{aligned}$$

-
Δ
u
+
λ
u
=

u
p

v
q

+
ρ

(
x
)

,
u
>
0

in

R

+
N

:
=

R

N
-
1

×

(
0
,
∞
)

,

-
Δ
v
+
λ
v
=

u
m

v
s

,
v
>
0

in

R

+
N

,

where $$N\ge 3$$

N
≥
3

, $$\lambda >0$$

λ
>
0

and $$\rho \in C({\overline{{\mathbb {R}^N_+}}})$$

ρ
∈
C
(

R

+
N

¯

)

, $$\rho >0$$

ρ
>
0

. The solutions (u, v) are assumed to satisfy the homogeneous Neumann boundary condition $$\displaystyle \frac{\partial u}{\partial x_N}=\frac{\partial v}{\partial x_N}=0$$

∂
u

∂

x
N

=

∂
v

∂

x
N

=
0

on $$\partial {\mathbb {R}}^N_+$$

∂

R

+
N

and $$u(x)\rightarrow 0$$

u
(
x
)
→
0

, $$v(x)\rightarrow 0$$

v
(
x
)
→
0

as $$x\in {\mathbb {R}}^N_+$$

x
∈

R

+
N

, $$|x|\rightarrow \infty $$

|
x
|
→
∞

. Under various conditions on the exponents $$m,p,q,s>0$$

m
,
p
,
q
,
s
>
0

and the data $$\rho (x)$$

ρ
(
x
)

we obtain qualitative properties of the solutions (u, v). In particular, we derive the existence of a solution (u, v) with u(x) having the minimal asymptotic behaviour $$u(x)\simeq \Phi _\lambda (x)$$

u

(
x
)

≃

Φ
λ

(
x
)

as $$|x|\rightarrow \infty $$

|
x
|
→
∞

, where $$\Phi _\lambda $$

Φ
λ

denotes the fundamental solution of $$-\Delta +\lambda I$$

-
Δ
+
λ
I

in $${\mathbb {R}^N_+}$$

R

+
N

. The approach combines integral representations of solutions and various integral estimates with fixed point arguments.
Sleep deprivation increases the regularity of isometric torque fluctuations
Authors: Oliveira João H. , Santos Paulo , Pezarat-Correia Pedro , Vaz João R.
Published: March 2024

The regularity of the fluctuations present in torque signals represent the adaptability of the motor control. While previous research showed how it is affected by neuromuscular fatigue and ageing, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. It is currently under debate whether these changes are explained by central or peripheral neuromuscular mechanisms. Here, we experimentally manipulated the sleep of thirteen young adults through a supervised 24 h-sleep deprivation protocol. This study aimed to investigate the effect of sleep deprivation on the regularity of torque fluctuations, and other standard torque-related outcomes (Peak Torque – PT – and Rate of Torque Development – RTD). The participants were asked to perform knee extension maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) and submaximal knee extensions at 40% of MVC for 30 s. PT and RTD were calculated from the MVC and the regularity of the torque fluctuations was determined on the submaximal task through Sample Entropy (SampEn). In addition, rate of perceived effort (RPE) was collected. We found no significant changes in PT and RTD. The regularity of torque fluctuations significantly increased (i.e., a decrease in SampEn) after 24 h-sleep deprivation (PRE = 1.76 ± 0.268, POS24 = 1.71 ± 0.306; p = 0.044). Importantly, we found a negative correlation between RPE and SampEn relative changes after sleep deprivation. This study brings new insights towards the understanding of the underlying mechanisms that explain changes in torque fluctuations, demonstrating that these changes are not limited to neuromuscular processes but are also likely to be affected by other domains, such as psychological profile, which can indirectly affect the neural drive to the muscles.
Age and growth analysis of Loliginidae squid paralarvae in the NW Spanish coast using statolith increment counts
Authors: García-Mayoral Elsa , Roura Álvaro , Pierce Graham J. , González Ángel F.
Published: March 2024

Knowledge of recruitment to a fishery is particularly important in short-lived species, like most cephalopods, in which there is a complete turnover of individual every 1 or 2 years. In this study, age, body length, statolith length and growth rates of loliginid paralarvae (Alloteuthis media, A. subulata and Loligo vulgaris) were determined to evaluate the form of the growth curve and differences between species and hatching seasons. A total of 222 paralarvae collected in zooplankton samples along the Galician coast (NW Spain) were used to determine relationships between dorsal mantle length (DML), statolith length (SL) and the number of increments (NI)) deposited in the statolith. The paralarvae of L. vulgaris were between 1 and 35 days old, while both Alloteuthis species ranged in age from 1 to 54 days. Generalised additive models (GAMs) revealed non-linear growth in DML, with L. vulgaris exhibiting higher DML-at-age than Alloteuthis species. The best parametric model fit for these data was obtained using exponential regressions. The SL–NI relationship also differed between species, with L. vulgaris having larger statolith length at age. The paralarvae of L. vulgaris and A. media had two well-differentiated hatching peaks, one in late spring-early summer (beginning of the upwelling season) and another peak in late autumn (end of the upwelling season). Alloteuthis subulata had an earlier hatching peak in spring than in the other two loliginid species—and the second peak in autumn was barely visible, possibly because this species occurs further north in areas not sampled in autumn.
Assessment of Ecosystem Services Provided by Macrophytes in Southern Baltic and Southern Mediterranean Coastal Lagoons
Authors: Robbe Esther , Rogge Linda , Lesutienė Jūratė , Bučas Martynas , Schernewski Gerald
Published: March 2024

The ecological importance of macrophytes is well known and reflected in nature protection law, for example, as a key biological quality element. However, the socio-economic role, such as the impact of macrophyte presence on recreational activities, is often overlooked. The purpose of this study was to assess the human benefits (or ecosystem services) provided by macrophytes. We developed a list of 25 macrophyte ecosystem services and 79 assessment indicators based on expert knowledge and literature data. First, hypothetical scenarios of coastal lagoons were developed to assess the impact of different ecological states (i.e., macrophyte coverage) and management measures (i.e., fisheries) on the ecosystem service provision. Scenario assessments were carried out by stakeholder workshops and literature search. Second, the ecosystem service potential of submerged and emergent macrophyte habitats were assessed by macrophyte experts and literature data. Results showed that cultural services are most important in terms of the overall actual provision of ecosystem services (scenario assessment) but also showing highest potential of the hypothetical ecosystem service provision (habitat assessment). Highest overall potential is shown for reeds and tall forb communities (83 out of maximum 125), followed by seagrass beds (71) and seaweed communities (61). Our ecosystem service assessment approaches (i.e., scenario and habitat-based) using socio-cultural data (i.e., stakeholders and experts-based) and biophysical data (i.e., indicators-based) can serve as supportive tools for coastal management and policy implementation visualizing the benefits of macrophytes to humans.
Dynamics and Dependencies in Regional Collaboration for Biodiversity Restoration: Reflections from the Netherlands
Authors: Baumgarten Sabine , Aarts Noelle , Fliervoet Jan M. , Krabbenborg Lotte
Published: March 2024

Biodiversity restoration on a landscape level requires people with different backgrounds to connect and collaborate over an extended period of time. Hence, understanding how conservation and restoration goals are negotiated and achieved necessitates an understanding of the dynamics of the social fabric: the social networks and interactions that develop, underpin, and sustain collective action. This paper identifies patterns and factors that have contributed to constructive collaboration for biodiversity in the rural area of Ooijpolder-Groesbeek, which has been at the vanguard of nature and landscape development in the Netherlands. We conducted a historical analysis of the period between 1985 and 2022, based on a broad range of literature and interviews with key actors in the region. We provide a narrative account of the tipping points and the preceding processes that propelled the region to its current state. The emergence of these tipping points is analyzed through the lens of a conceptual framework on the dynamic interplay between practices, social interactions, events, and circumstances. Our findings reveal how an integrative landscape approach, the use of suitable boundary objects, and continuous network building and relation management across various levels have contributed to the success of the collective effort.
Physiological and immunological barriers in the lung
Authors: Kageyama Takahiro , Ito Takashi , Tanaka Shigeru , Nakajima Hiroshi
Published: March 2024

The lungs serve as the primary organ for respiration, facilitating the vital exchange of gases with the bloodstream. Given their perpetual exposure to external particulates and pathogens, they possess intricate protective barriers. Cellular adhesion in the lungs is robustly maintained through tight junctions, adherens junctions, and desmosomes. Furthermore, the pulmonary system features a mucociliary clearance mechanism that synthesizes mucus and transports it to the outside. This mucus is enriched with chemical barriers like antimicrobial proteins and immunoglobulin A (IgA). Additionally, a complex immunological network comprising epithelial cells, neural cells, and immune cells plays a pivotal role in pulmonary defense. A comprehensive understanding of these protective systems offers valuable insights into potential pathologies and their therapeutic interventions.
Phase field modelling and simulation of damage occurring in human vertebra after screws fixation procedure
Authors: Preve Deison , Lenarda Pietro , Bianchi Daniele , Gizzi Alessio
Published: March 2024

The present endeavour numerically exploits the use of a phase-field model to simulate and investigate fracture patterns, deformation mechanisms, damage, and mechanical responses in a human vertebra after the incision of pedicle screws under compressive regimes. Moreover, the proposed phase field framework can elucidate scenarios where different damage patterns, such as crack nucleation sites and crack trajectories, play a role after the spine fusion procedure, considering several simulated physiological movements of the vertebral body. Spatially heterogeneous elastic properties and phase field parameters have been computationally derived from bone density estimation. A convergence analysis has been conducted for the vertebra-screws model, considering several mesh refinements, which has demonstrated good agreement with the existing literature on this topic. Consequently, by assuming different angles for the insertion of the pedicle screws and taking into account a few vertebral motion loading regimes, a plethora of numerical results characterizing the damage occurring within the vertebral model has been derived. Overall, the phase field results confirm and enrich the current literature, shed light on the medical community, which will be useful in enhancing clinical interventions and reducing post-surgery bone failure and screw loosening. The proposed computational approach also investigates the effects in terms of fracture and mechanical behaviour of the vertebral-screws body within different metastatic lesions opening towards major life threatening scenarios.
Indirect: invertible and discrete noisy image rescaling with enhancement from case-dependent textures
Authors: Do Huu-Phu , Chen Yan-An , Do-Tran Nhat-Tuong , Hua Kai-Lung , Peng Wen-Hsiao , Huang Ching-Chun
Published: March 2024

Rescaling digital images for display on various devices, while simultaneously removing noise, has increasingly become a focus of attention. However, limited research has been done on a unified framework that can efficiently perform both tasks. In response, we propose INDIRECT (INvertible and Discrete noisy Image Rescaling with Enhancement from Case-dependent Textures), a novel method designed to address image denoising and rescaling jointly. INDIRECT leverages a jointly optimized framework to produce clean and visually appealing images using a lightweight model. It employs a discrete invertible network, DDR-Net, to perform rescaling and denoising through its reversible operations, efficiently mitigating the quantization errors typically encountered during downscaling. Subsequently, the Case-dependent Texture Module (CTM) is introduced to estimate missing high-frequency information, thereby recovering a clean and high-resolution image. Experimental results demonstrate that our method achieves competitive performance across three tasks: noisy image rescaling, image rescaling, and denoising, all while maintaining a relatively small model size.
Piezoelectric biosensors: shedding light on principles and applications
Authors: Skládal Petr
Published: March 2024

The three decades of experience with piezoelectric devices applied in the field of bioanalytical chemistry are shared. After introduction to principles and suitable measuring approaches, active and passive methods based on oscillators and impedance analysis, respectively, the focus is directed towards biosensing approaches. Immunosensing examples are provided, followed by other affinity sensing approaches based on hybridization of nucleic acids, aptamers, monitoring of enzyme activities, and detection of pathogenic microbes. The combination of piezosensors with cell lines and testing of drugs is highlighted, including mechanically active cells. The combination of piezosensors with other measuring techniques providing original hybrid devices is briefly discussed.

Graphical Abstract
Large-scale heavy precipitation over the Czech Republic and its link to atmospheric circulation in CORDEX regional climate models
Authors: Beranová Romana , Kyselý Jan
Published: March 2024

The study evaluates ability of regional climate models (RCMs) to reproduce relationships between large-scale heavy precipitation events (LHPEs) over the Czech Republic and atmospheric circulation. We use an ensemble of 32 RCM simulations with the 0.11° resolution from the Euro-CORDEX project, and compare the historical simulations (1951–2005) against observations from the E-OBS data set. A novel selection criterion for LHPEs is proposed, defining these as days with at least 70% of all grid boxes over a given area with precipitation amounts exceeding the 90th grid-specific percentile of the seasonal distribution of daily amounts. The association with atmospheric circulation is investigated through circulation types derived from sea level pressure using airflow indices (direction, strength and vorticity). The majority of the RCMs capture that the frequency of days with LHPEs is higher in winter than summer, but almost all underestimate the occurrence of LHPEs in both seasons. In winter, the observed LHPEs are connected mainly with cyclonic types and westerly supertype; the role of nonwesterly and cyclonic-nonwesterly supertypes is significant only in the eastern part, where the Atlantic influence is weaker. In summer, the importance of cyclonic and nonwesterly types in producing LHPEs increases compared to winter. The RCMs reasonably well reproduce these links, including differences between seasons and regions, if their ensemble mean is evaluated, but large variations occur among individual simulations mainly in summer. The importance of cyclonic vorticity is overestimated in the RCMs, while westerly advection of moist air plays a smaller role in models than in observations.
Molecular characterisation of a novel sadwavirus infecting cattleya orchids in Australia
Authors: Tran Nga T. , Campbell Paul R. , Crew Kathleen S. , Geering Andrew D. W.
Published: March 2024

The complete genome sequence of a novel sadwavirus infecting cattleya orchids in South East Queensland is described. Isometric virions of c. 27 nm diameter were observed in sap extracts viewed under a transmission electron microscope, and the genome sequence of this virus was determined by high-throughput sequencing. The viral genome consists of two RNA components, 5,910 and 4,435 nucleotides (nt) in length, each encoding a long polyprotein, with predicted cleavage sites at H/Y, E/G, Q/S, and Q/G for the RNA1 and T/G for the RNA2 translation products, respectively. RNA2 has an additional small ORF of 684 nt near the 3ʹ untranslated region. Phylogenetic analysis based on an amino acid sequence alignment of the Pro-Pol region suggested that this virus is most closely related to pineapple secovirus A, a member of the subgenus Cholivirus, but warrants classification as a member of a new species because it exhibited no more than 64% amino acid identity in pairwise sequence comparisons. Because of the prominent purple ringspots that were observed on the leaves of some of the plants, we propose the name “cattleya purple ringspot virus” for this virus (suggested species name: “Sadwavirus cattleyacola”).
Robots still outnumber humans in web archives in 2019, but less than in 2015 and 2012
Authors: Jayanetti Himarsha R. , Garg Kritika , Alam Sawood , Nelson Michael L. , Weigle Michele C.
Published: March 2024

The significance of the web and the crucial role of web archives in its preservation highlight the necessity of understanding how users, both human and robot, access web archive content, and how best to satisfy this disparate needs of both types of users. To identify robots and humans in web archives and analyze their respective access patterns, we used the Internet Archive’s (IA) Wayback Machine access logs from 2012, 2015, and 2019, as well as Arquivo.pt’s (Portuguese Web Archive) access logs from 2019. We identified user sessions in the access logs and classified those sessions as human or robot based on their browsing behavior. To better understand how users navigate through the web archives, we evaluated these sessions to discover user access patterns. Based on the two archives and between the three years of IA access logs (2012 vs. 2015 vs. 2019), we present a comparison of detected robots vs. humans and their user access patterns and temporal preferences. The total number of robots detected in IA 2012 (91% of requests) and IA 2015 (88% of requests) is greater than in IA 2019 (70% of requests). Robots account for 98% of requests in Arquivo.pt (2019). We found that the robots are almost entirely limited to “Dip” and “Skim” access patterns in IA 2012 and 2015, but exhibit all the patterns and their combinations in IA 2019. Both humans and robots show a preference for web pages archived in the near past.