bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Boosting intermediate temperature performance of solid oxide fuel cells via a tri‐layer ceria–zirconia–ceria electrolyte
Authors: Zhang Jun , Lenser Christian , Russner Niklas , Weber André , Menzler Norbert H. , Guillon Olivier
Published: April 2022

Using cost‐effective fabrication methods to manufacture a high‐performance solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is helpful to enhance the commercial viability. Here, we report an anode‐supported SOFC with a three‐layer Gd0.1Ce0.9O1.95 (gadolinia‐doped‐ceria [GDC])/Y0.148Zr0.852O1.926 (8YSZ)/GDC electrolyte system. The first dense GDC electrolyte is fabricated by co‐sintering a thin, screen‐printed GDC layer with the anode support (NiO–8YSZ substrate and NiO–GDC anode) at 1400°C for 5 h. Subsequently, two electrolyte layers are deposited via physical vapor deposition. The total electrolyte thickness is less than 5 μm in an area of 5 × 5 cm2, enabling an area‐specific ohmic resistance as low as 0.125 Ω cm−2 at 500°C (under open circuit voltage), and contributing to a power density as high as 1.2 W cm−2 at 650°C (at an operating cell voltage of 0.7 V, using humidified [10 vol.% H2O] H2 as fuel and air as oxidant). This work provides an effective strategy and shows the great potential of using GDC as an electrolyte for high‐performance SOFC at intermediate temperature.
How differently designed guidance influences simulation‐based inquiry learning in science education: A systematic review
Authors: Sun Yanyan , Yan Zhenping , Wu Bian
Published: April 2022

Background

Guidance has showed positive effects on promoting inquiry‐based learning in science education. While an increasing number of studies focus on the design of guidance in simulation‐based inquiry learning due to recent technology developments, how different designs of a same type of guidance affect learning remains a question.

Objectives

This study reviews the (quasi‐)experimental research on the learning effects of differently designed guidance in simulation‐based inquiry learning in the past decade (2011–2020). The investigation is guided by two questions: how differently designed guidance affects inquiry‐based learning in simulated environments in terms of learning process and learning outcomes, and what role technology plays in the design of guidance. In particular, we report on studies that compares the effects of a same type (process constraints/prompts/heuristics/scaffolds/metacognitive supports/direct presentation of information) of guidance with different instructional designs, and select a total of 28 peer‐reviewed journal articles. The results indicate no equivocal tendency of effectiveness towards a specific design. Instead, each type of guidance has related factors that may influence its effectiveness. Three major factors that related to optimization of inquiry learning guidance in simulation‐based environments are identified: the learner factor, the pedagogical factor, and the technological factor.
Patient education by smartphones for bowel preparation before colonoscopy
Authors: Li Peng , He Xueqian , Yang Xufang , Du Jing , Wu Weiquan , Tu Jiangfeng
Published: April 2022

Background and Aim

We aim to evaluate the effect of smartphone education on the bowel preparation quality of patients undergoing colonoscopy by meta‐analysis.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials using smartphones to educate patients on bowel preparation for colonoscopy were screened from the PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases from inception to August 31, 2021. After extracting the data, Review Manager software was used for meta‐analysis.

Results

A total of 12 randomized controlled trials with 4165 patients were included in the meta‐analysis. There were 2060 patients in the smartphone group, including 1784 patients with adequate bowel preparation, with a rate of 86.6%, and 2105 patients in the control group, including 1614 patients with adequate bowel preparation, with a rate of 76.7%, and pooled risk ratio (RR) was 1.15 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07–1.23, P < 0.01). Eight included studies reported the adenoma detection rate. The adenoma detection rate in the smartphone group was 26.2%, and the rate in the control group was 19.3%, with an RR of 1.29 (95% CI: 1.03–1.62, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Using smartphones to educate patients on bowel preparation for colonoscopy improved the quality of bowel preparation and increased the adenoma detection rate.
Symptoms of depression and insomnia in older age: A within‐individual analysis over 20 years
Authors: Brouwer Annelies , van de Ven Peter M. , Kok Almar , Snoek Frank J. , Beekman Aartjan T. F. , Bremmer Marijke A.
Published: April 2022

Background

Depression and insomnia often co‐occur, and precede one another. Possibly, insomnia gives rise to depression, and vice versa. We tested whether insomnia symptoms of an older individual are associated with later depressive symptoms in that older individual, and vice versa.

Methods

We performed a longitudinal analysis of data from a prospective cohort study in a large sample of community‐dwelling older people (N = 3081), with measurements every three years, over a time period of 20 years. The within‐individual longitudinal reciprocal relationship between symptoms of depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), and symptoms of insomnia (three‐item questionnaire, including difficulty initiating sleep, nightly awakenings, and early morning awakening) was modeled by means of a bivariate linear growth model. We tested whether symptoms of insomnia were associated with symptoms of depression three years later, and vice versa.

Results

Severity of symptoms of depression and insomnia and their within‐individual average change over time were moderately correlated (correlation of intercepts: rho 0.41, 95% CI: 0.36 to 0.46 p < 0.001; correlation of slopes: rho 0.39, 95% CI: 0.25 to 0.52, p < 0.001). Symptoms of depression were not found to be associated with an additional risk of higher symptoms of insomnia three years later, and vice versa (p = 0.329 and p = 0.919, respectively). Similar results were found when analyses were corrected for covariates.

Conclusions

In older individuals, depression and insomnia are associated and tend to increase concurrently over time, but constitute no additional risk for one another over repeated three‐year intervals. These findings contradict previous research that suggests that depression and insomnia are risk factors for one another over time. The current study stands out due to the longitudinal within‐individual statistical approach, but is limited by the three‐year interval between measures.
Are there Age‐Related Differences in the Effects of Prior Knowledge on Learning? Insights Gained from the Memory Congruency Effect
Authors: Brod Garvin , Shing Yee Lee
Published: April 2022

Humans accumulate knowledge throughout their entire lives. In what ways does this accumulation of knowledge influence learning of new information? Are there age‐related differences in the way prior knowledge is leveraged for remembering new information? We review studies that have investigated these questions, focusing on those that have used the memory congruency effect, which provides a quantitative measure of memory advantage because of prior knowledge. Regarding the first question, evidence suggests that the accumulation of knowledge is a key factor promoting the development of memory across childhood and counteracting some of the decline in older age. Regarding the second question, evidence suggests that, if available knowledge is controlled for, age‐related differences in the memory congruency effect largely disappear. These results point to an age‐invariance in the way prior knowledge is leveraged for learning new information. Research on neural mechanisms and implications for application are discussed.
Factors related to turnover intention among emergency department nurses in China: A nationwide cross‐sectional study
Authors: Jiang Nan , Zhou Xuan , Gong Yanhong , Tian Mengge , Wu Yafei , Zhang Jiali , Chen Zhenyuan , Wang Jing , Wu Jianxiong , Yin Xiaoxv , Lv Chuanzhu
Published: April 2022

Background

Turnover intention among nurses is high, especially in the emergency department. However, factors that are associated with Chinese emergency department nurses' turnover intention have been scarcely studied.

Aims

The present study examined relationships between turnover intention and demographic characteristics, job‐related factors, depressive symptoms, and organizational commitment among emergency department nurses.

Study Design

A cross‐sectional study of emergency department nurses was conducted in China between July and August 2018. The questionnaire included demographic characteristics (age, gender, level of education, and self‐rated health status), job‐related factors (qualification title, job seniority, night shifts, and workplace violence), depressive symptoms, organizational commitment, and turnover intention. A hierarchical linear regression model was used to identify factors that are associated with turnover intention among emergency department nurses.

Results

A total of 17 582 emergency department nurses participated in the study. The response rate was 68.9%. The findings indicated that poor self‐rated health status (β = 0.25, p < .001), working more than 11 night shifts per month (β = 0.14, p < .01), experiencing workplace violence in the past year (β = 0.08, p < .05), and higher depressive symptom scores (β = 0.07, p < .001) positively correlated with turnover intention. More years of service (β = −0.38, p < .001) and higher organizational commitment scores (β = −0.45, p < .001) negatively correlated with turnover intention.

Conclusions

Health status, job seniority, night shift frequency per month, workplace violence, depressive symptoms, and organizational commitment were significantly associated with emergency department nurses' turnover intention.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

To reduce turnover intention in the emergency department nurses, hospital administrators and managers should implement measures to improve their physical and mental health, increase organizational commitment, develop staff acceptable shift schedules, and reduce incidences of workplace violence.
Cytotoxic activity of Nep1‐like proteins on monocots
Authors: Steentjes Maikel B. F. , Herrera Valderrama Andrea L. , Fouillen Laetitia , Bahammou Delphine , Leisen Thomas , Albert Isabell , Nürnberger Thorsten , Hahn Matthias , Mongrand Sébastien , Scholten Olga E. , van Kan Jan A. L.
Published: April 2022

Necrosis‐ and ethylene‐inducing peptide 1 (Nep1)‐like proteins (NLPs) are found throughout several plant‐associated microbial taxa and are typically considered to possess cytolytic activity exclusively on dicot plant species. However, cytolytic NLPs are also produced by pathogens of monocot plants such as the onion (Allium cepa) pathogen Botrytis squamosa.

We determined the cytotoxic activity of B. squamosa BsNep1, as well as other previously characterized NLPs, on various monocot plant species and assessed the plant plasma membrane components required for NLP sensitivity.

Leaf infiltration of NLPs showed that onion cultivars are differentially sensitive to NLPs, and analysis of their sphingolipid content revealed that the GIPC series A : series B ratio did not correlate to NLP sensitivity. A tri‐hybrid population derived from a cross between onion and two wild relatives showed variation in NLP sensitivity within the population. We identified a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for NLP insensitivity that colocalized with a previously identified QTL for B. squamosa resistance and the segregating trait of NLP insensitivity correlated with the sphingolipid content.

Our results demonstrate the cytotoxic activity of NLPs on several monocot plant species and legitimize their presence in monocot‐specific plant pathogens.
Hydrogen sulphide ameliorates hexavalent chromium toxicity in two cereal crops: Role of antioxidant enzymes and proline metabolism
Authors: Singh S. K. , Husain T. , Suhel M. , Prasad S. M. , Singh V. P.
Published: April 2022

Chromium pollution in soils is a major threat as it reduces crop yields. Hence, researchers seek methods/strategies which could curtail such losses.

We report the role of H2S in alleviating hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] stress in two cereals crops, i.e. wheat and rice seedlings, by estimating various physiological attributes.

Cr(VI) reduced shoot and root length in both cereals through increased accumulation of Cr(VI) in root tips and increased in oxidative stress markers, i.e. superoxide radicals (SOR), H2O2 and lipid peroxidation (as MDA equivalent). Supplementation with H2S alleviated Cr(VI) toxicity in both cereal crops.

Application of H2S increased tolerance to Cr(VI) stress by protecting photosynthesis and enhancing activity of antioxidant enzymes, particularly glutathione‐S‐transferase and content of proline. Rice was more resistant to Cr(VI) than wheat seedlings.
Pandemic lockdown, isolation, and exit policies based on machine learning predictions
Authors: Evgeniou Theodoros , Fekom Mathilde , Ovchinnikov Anton , Porcher Raphaël , Pouchol Camille , Vayatis Nicolas
Published: April 2022

The widespread lockdowns imposed in many countries at the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic elevated the importance of research on pandemic management when medical solutions such as vaccines are unavailable. We present a framework that combines a standard epidemiological SEIR (susceptible–exposed–infected–removed) model with an equally standard machine learning classification model for clinical severity risk, defined as an individual's risk of needing intensive care unit (ICU) treatment if infected. Using COVID‐19–related data and estimates for France as of spring 2020, we then simulate isolation and exit policies. Our simulations show that policies considering clinical risk predictions could relax isolation restrictions for millions of the lowest risk population months earlier while consistently abiding by ICU capacity restrictions. Exit policies without risk predictions, meanwhile, would considerably exceed ICU capacity or require the isolation of a substantial portion of population for over a year in order to not overwhelm the medical system. Sensitivity analyses further decompose the impact of various elements of our models on the observed effects. Our work indicates that predictive modeling based on machine learning and artificial intelligence could bring significant value to managing pandemics. Such a strategy, however, requires governments to develop policies and invest in infrastructure to operationalize personalized isolation and exit policies based on risk predictions at scale. This includes health data policies to train predictive models and apply them to all residents, as well as policies for targeted resource allocation to maintain strict isolation for high‐risk individuals.
Shoot tip cryotherapy for plant pathogen eradication
Authors: Wang Min‐Rui , Bi Wen‐Lu , Bettoni Jean Carlos , Zhang Dong , Volk Gayle M. , Wang Qiao‐Chun
Published: April 2022

Diseases caused by plant pathogens such as viruses, viroids and phytoplasmas cause huge economic losses of agricultural production and limit the safe movement of plant materials across borders. The use of pathogen‐free planting materials provides a strategy for efficient management of these diseases and facilitates the global exchange of genetic resources. Shoot tip cryotherapy is a novel biotechnology method that uses cryogenic procedures to eradicate plant pathogens from the diseased plants. Combining thermotherapy or chemotherapy with shoot tip cryotherapy has further enhanced pathogen eradication efficiency. This review provides updated and comprehensive information on shoot tip cryotherapy and the combination of thermotherapy or chemotherapy with shoot tip cryotherapy for pathogen eradication. Prospects are proposed for future studies.
γ‐Secretase inhibitors suppress IL‐20‐mediated osteoclastogenesis via Notch signalling and are affected by Notch2 in vitro
Authors: Yang Benyi , Fu Chaoran , Wu Yilin , Liu Yuanbo , Zhang Zhen , Chen Xin , Wu Dongle , Gan Ziqi , Chen Zhengyuan , Cao Yang
Published: April 2022

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic immune disease involving the small joints, which often causes irreversible damage. In recent years, elevated interleukin 20 (IL‐20) has been observed in synovial fluid, while IL‐20 receptor overexpression has been observed in synovial cells. IL‐20 is a pleiotropic cytokine that participates in various immune diseases. Further understanding of the relationship between IL‐20 and RA can help to identify a potential clinical treatment for RA. This study demonstrated that IL‐20 can regulate osteoclast differentiation and function in a dose‐dependent manner, while influencing the expression of Notch signalling. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting showed that γ‐secretase‐inhibiting drugs can reverse the effects of IL‐20. The effects of Notch2 on IL‐20‐induced osteoclastogenesis were investigated by immunofluorescence and Notch2 gene silencing via transfection of small interfering RNA; the results showed that Notch2 obviously affected the expression levels of the key protein NFATc1 and downstream osteoclastic proteins. In conclusion, we found that IL‐20 regulated the osteoclastogenesis in a dose‐dependent manner via Notch signalling, primarily by means of Notch2 activity. This study may help to find new targets for RA treatment.
Signal of safety due to adverse drug reactions induced by tacrolimus with or without azithromycin
Authors: Yonezawa Ryo , Sunaga Tomiko
Published: April 2022

Introduction

We identified two reports of drug levels increased and acute kidney injury caused by the drug‐drug interaction between azithromycin (AZM) and tacrolimus (TAC). However, it is unclear whether the combination of these two drugs causes additive or synergistic adverse drug reactions. Therefore, we evaluated the disproportionality in reporting drug level increased and acute kidney injury for these two drugs are used alone and in combination with each other.

Method

Data from the US Food and Drug Administration's Adverse Event Reporting System from 1974 to Q3/2021 were used. Reports based on exposure to macrolide antibiotic alone, TAC alone, and each macrolide antibiotic + TAC were extracted. Proportional reporting ratios (PRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and a lower limit of the 95% CI (Lower95CI) value of 2.0 or higher was interpreted as a signal of safety.

Results

Lower95CIs for macrolide antibiotic alone and TAC showed no potential signals of safety, including drug level increase, acute kidney injury, and control event. The PRRs and 95% CI for drug levels increased were 3.27 (2.69–3.97) for AZM + TAC, and 10.81 (9.59–12.17) for clarithromycin (CAM) + TAC. For CAM + TAC, the PRR and 95% CI were 8.42 (7.51–9.44) in acute kidney injury. However, AZM + TAC was not associated with a signal of safety in acute kidney injury.

Conclusions

This suggests that AZM + TAC has a low risk of causing acute kidney injury but may cause increased drug levels.
5‐HT7 receptors expressed in the mouse parafacial region are not required for respiratory chemosensitivity
Authors: Shi Yingtang , Sobrinho Cleyton R. , Soto‐Perez Jaseph , Milla Brenda M. , Stornetta Daniel S. , Stornetta Ruth L. , Takakura Ana C. , Mulkey Daniel K. , Moreira Thiago S. , Bayliss Douglas A.
Published: April 2022

A brainstem homeostatic system senses CO2/H+ to regulate ventilation, blood gases and acid–base balance. Neurons of the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) and medullary raphe are both implicated in this mechanism as respiratory chemosensors, but recent pharmacological work suggested that the CO2/H+ sensitivity of RTN neurons is mediated indirectly, by raphe‐derived serotonin acting on 5‐HT7 receptors. To investigate this further, we characterized Htr7 transcript expression in phenotypically identified RTN neurons using multiplex single cell qRT‐PCR and RNAscope. Although present in multiple neurons in the parafacial region of the ventrolateral medulla, Htr7 expression was undetectable in most RTN neurons (Nmb+/Phox2b+) concentrated in the densely packed cell group ventrolateral to the facial nucleus. Where detected, Htr7 expression was modest and often associated with RTN neurons that extend dorsolaterally to partially encircle the facial nucleus. These dorsolateral Nmb+/Htr7+ neurons tended to express Nmb at high levels and the intrinsic RTN proton detectors Gpr4 and Kcnk5 at low levels. In mouse brainstem slices, CO2‐stimulated firing in RTN neurons was mostly unaffected by a 5‐HT7 receptor antagonist, SB269970 (n = 11/13). At the whole animal level, microinjection of SB269970 into the RTN of conscious mice blocked respiratory stimulation by co‐injected LP‐44, a 5‐HT7 receptor agonist, but had no effect on CO2‐stimulated breathing in those same mice. We conclude that Htr7 is expressed by a minor subset of RTN neurons with a molecular profile distinct from the established chemoreceptors and that 5‐HT7 receptors have negligible effects on CO2‐evoked firing activity in RTN neurons or on CO2‐stimulated breathing in mice.

Key points

Neurons of the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) are intrinsic CO2/H+ chemosensors and serve as an integrative excitatory hub for control of breathing.

Serotonin can activate RTN neurons, in part via 5‐HT7 receptors, and those effects have been implicated in conferring an indirect CO2 sensitivity.

Multiple single cell molecular approaches revealed low levels of 5‐HT7 receptor transcript expression restricted to a limited population of RTN neurons.

Pharmacological experiments showed that 5‐HT7 receptors in RTN are not required for CO2/H+‐stimulation of RTN neuronal activity or CO2‐stimulated breathing.

These data do not support a role for 5‐HT7 receptors in respiratory chemosensitivity mediated by RTN neurons.
Peak-time sensitivity kernels for noise cross-correlation envelopes
Authors: Cornuelle Bruce D. , Skarsoulis Emmanuel K.
Published: April 2022

The envelope of the time-lagged cross-correlation of an underwater noise field between two hydrophones can under certain conditions be used as a proxy for active acoustic receptions between the two locations enabling the study of ocean variability. Previous work looked at the sensitivity of cross-correlation peak amplitudes with respect to the distribution of the noise sources. The present study examines the sensitivity of the cross-correlation envelope peak times with respect to changes in the sound-speed distribution. A wave-theoretic scheme allowing for finite-frequency calculations in two and three dimensions, combined with the Born approximation for perturbations of the Green's function and the peak arrival approach, is used to obtain sensitivity kernels with respect to environmental (sound-speed) changes. These kernels provide a way to infer ocean structure from the cross-correlation peaks, considered as observables on their own and valid even in cases where the cross-correlation function does not approximate the time-domain Green's function between the two receivers. The sensitivity behavior is studied for different propagation conditions and noise-source distributions, ranging from spatially distributed uncorrelated noise sources to point sources, such as individual ships. Deviations from linearity are addressed and discussed.
A predominantly tropical influence on late Holocene hydroclimate variation in the hyperarid central Sahara
Authors: Van der Meeren Thijs , Verschuren Dirk , Sylvestre Florence , Nassour Yacoub A. , Naudts Evi L. , Aguilar Ortiz Luis E. , Deschamps Pierre , Tachikawa Kazuyo , Bard Edouard , Schuster Mathieu , Abderamane Moussa
Published: April 2022

The climate history of the Sahara desert during recent millennia is obscured by the near absence of natural climate archives, hampering insight in the relative importance of southerly (tropical) and northerly (midlatitude) weather systems at submillennial time scales. A new lake sediment record from Ounianga Serir oasis in northern Chad, spanning the Late Holocene without interruption, confirms that immediately before ca 4200 years ago, the Sahara experienced an episode of hyperaridity even more extreme than today’s desert climate. The hypersaline terminal lake which formed afterwards never desiccated during the late Holocene due to continuous inflow of fossil groundwater, yet its water balance was sensitive to temporal variation in local rainfall and lake surface evaporation. Our in-lake geochemical proxies show that, during the last 3000 years, century-scale hydroclimate variation in the central Sahara primarily tracked the intensity of the tropical West African monsoon, modulated at shorter time scales by weather patterns linked to shifts in midlatitude Atlantic Ocean circulation.
Next-generation T cell–activating vaccination increases influenza virus mutation prevalence
Authors: Bull Maireid B. , Gu Haogao , Ma Fionn N. L. , Perera Liyanage P. , Poon Leo L. M. , Valkenburg Sophie A.
Published: April 2022

To determine the potential for viral adaptation to T cell responses, we probed the full influenza virus genome by next-generation sequencing directly ex vivo from infected mice, in the context of an experimental T cell–based vaccine, an H5N1-based viral vectored vaccinia vaccine Wyeth/IL-15/5Flu, versus the current standard-of-care, seasonal inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) and unvaccinated conditions. Wyeth/IL-15/5Flu vaccination was coincident with increased mutation incidence and frequency across the influenza genome; however, mutations were not enriched within T cell epitope regions, but high allele frequency mutations within conserved hemagglutinin stem regions and PB2 mammalian adaptive mutations arose. Depletion of CD4
+
and CD8
+
T cell subsets led to reduced frequency of mutants in vaccinated mice; therefore, vaccine-mediated T cell responses were important drivers of virus diversification. Our findings suggest that Wyeth/IL-15/5Flu does not generate T cell escape mutants but increases stochastic events for virus adaptation by stringent bottlenecks.
Twin-free, directly synthesized MFI nanosheets with improved thickness uniformity and their use in membrane fabrication
Authors: Kim Donghun , Ghosh Supriya , Akter Nusnin , Kraetz Andrea , Duan Xuekui , Gwak Gyeongseok , Rangnekar Neel , Johnson J. R. , Narasimharao Katabathini , Malik Maqsood Ahmad , Al-Thabaiti Shaeel , McCool Benjamin , Boscoboinik J. Anibal , Mkhoyan K. Andre , Tsapatsis Michael
Published: April 2022

Zeolite nanosheets can be used for the fabrication of low-defect-density, thin, and oriented zeolite separation membranes. However, methods for manipulating their morphology are limited, hindering progress toward improved performance. We report the direct synthesis (i.e., without using exfoliation, etching, or other top-down processing) of thin, flat MFI nanosheets and demonstrate their use as high-performance membranes for xylene isomer separations. Our MFI nanosheets were synthesized using nanosheet fragments as seeds instead of the previously used MFI nanoparticles. The obtained MFI nanosheets exhibit improved thickness uniformity and are free of rotational and MEL intergrowths as shown by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging. The nanosheets can form well-packed nanosheet coatings. Upon gel-free secondary growth, the obtained zeolite MFI membranes show high separation performance for xylene isomers at elevated temperature (e.g.,
p
-xylene flux up to 1.5 × 10
−3
mol m
−2
s
−1
and
p
-/
o
-xylene separation factor of ~600 at 250°C).
The future of Earth system prediction: Advances in model-data fusion
Authors: Gettelman Andrew , Geer Alan J. , Forbes Richard M. , Carmichael Greg R. , Feingold Graham , Posselt Derek J. , Stephens Graeme L. , van den Heever Susan C. , Varble Adam C. , Zuidema Paquita
Published: April 2022

Predictions of the Earth system, such as weather forecasts and climate projections, require models informed by observations at many levels. Some methods for integrating models and observations are very systematic and comprehensive (e.g., data assimilation), and some are single purpose and customized (e.g., for model validation). We review current methods and best practices for integrating models and observations. We highlight how future developments can enable advanced heterogeneous observation networks and models to improve predictions of the Earth system (including atmosphere, land surface, oceans, cryosphere, and chemistry) across scales from weather to climate. As the community pushes to develop the next generation of models and data systems, there is a need to take a more holistic, integrated, and coordinated approach to models, observations, and their uncertainties to maximize the benefit for Earth system prediction and impacts on society.
A proteomic surrogate for cardiovascular outcomes that is sensitive to multiple mechanisms of change in risk
Authors: Williams Stephen A. , Ostroff Rachel , Hinterberg Michael A. , Coresh Josef , Ballantyne Christie M. , Matsushita Kunihiro , Mueller Christian E. , Walter Joan , Jonasson Christian , Holman Rury R. , Shah Svati H. , Sattar Naveed , Taylor Roy , Lean Michael E. , Kato Shintaro , Shimokawa Hiroaki , Sakata Yasuhiko , Nochioka Kotaro , Parikh Chirag R. , Coca Steven G. , Omland Torbjørn , Chadwick Jessica , Astling David , Hagar Yolanda , Kureshi Natasha , Loupy Kelsey , Paterson Clare , Primus Jeremy , Simpson Missy , Trujillo Nelson P. , Ganz Peter
Published: April 2022

A reliable, individualized, and dynamic surrogate of cardiovascular risk, synoptic for key biologic mechanisms, could shorten the path for drug development, enhance drug cost-effectiveness and improve patient outcomes. We used highly multiplexed proteomics to address these objectives, measuring about 5000 proteins in each of 32,130 archived plasma samples from 22,849 participants in nine clinical studies. We used machine learning to derive a 27-protein model predicting 4-year likelihood of myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, or death. The 27 proteins encompassed 10 biologic systems, and 12 were associated with relevant causal genetic traits. We independently validated results in 11,609 participants. Compared to a clinical model, the ratio of observed events in quintile 5 to quintile 1 was 6.7 for proteins versus 2.9 for the clinical model, AUCs (95% CI) were 0.73 (0.72 to 0.74) versus 0.64 (0.62 to 0.65),
c
-statistics were 0.71 (0.69 to 0.72) versus 0.62 (0.60 to 0.63), and the net reclassification index was +0.43. Adding the clinical model to the proteins only improved discrimination metrics by 0.01 to 0.02. Event rates in four predefined protein risk categories were 5.6, 11.2, 20.0, and 43.4% within 4 years; median time to event was 1.71 years. Protein predictions were directionally concordant with changed outcomes. Adverse risks were predicted for aging, approaching an event, anthracycline chemotherapy, diabetes, smoking, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer history, cardiovascular disease, high systolic blood pressure, and lipids. Reduced risks were predicted for weight loss and exenatide. The 27-protein model has potential as a “universal” surrogate end point for cardiovascular risk.
A Comparative Study of Body Lice and Bed Bugs Reveals Factors Potentially Involved in Differential Vector Competence for the Relapsing Fever Spirochete Borrelia recurrentis
Authors: Potts Rashaun , Scholl Jamie L. , Baugh Lee A. , Pietri Jose E.
Published: April 2022

Borrelia recurrentis
is the causative agent of louse-borne relapsing fever and the only
Borrelia
species transmitted by an insect rather than a tick vector. While bed bugs (
Cimex lectularius
L.) are not established vectors of any human pathogens, a recent study reported that they may be competent vectors of
B. recurrentis
.
Bimodal Expression Patterns, and Not Viral Burst Sizes, Predict the Effects of Vpr on HIV-1 Proviral Populations in Jurkat Cells
Authors: Atindaana Edmond , Kissi-Twum Abena , Emery Sarah , Burnett Cleo , Pitcher Jake , Visser Myra , Kidd Jeffrey M. , Telesnitsky Alice
Published: April 2022

A bedrock assumption in HIV-1 population modeling is that all active cells release the same amount of virus. However, the findings here revealed that when HIV-infected cells expand into clones, each clone differs in virus production.
Tissue Specific Dual RNA-Seq Defines Host–Parasite Interplay in Murine Visceral Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania donovani and Leishmania infantum
Authors: Forrester Sarah , Goundry Amy , Dias Bruna Torres , Leal-Calvo Thyago , Moraes Milton Ozório , Kaye Paul M. , Mottram Jeremy C. , Lima Ana Paula C. A.
Published: April 2022

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is caused by two species of
Leishmania
parasites,
L. donovani
in the Old World and
L. infantum
in the New World and countries bordering the Mediterranean. Although cardinal features such as hepato-splenomegaly and alterations in blood and immune function are evident, clinical presentation may vary by geography, with for example severe bleeding often associated with VL in Brazil.
Li-stuffed garnet electrolytes: structure, ionic conductivity, chemical stability, interface, and applications
Authors: Chen Bowen , Sarkar Subhajit , Palakkathodi Kammampata Sanoop , Zhou Chengtian , Thangadurai Venkataraman
Published: April 2022

Current lithium-ion batteries have been widely used in portable electronic devices, electric vehicles, and peak power demand. However, the organic liquid electrolytes used in the lithium-ion battery are flammable and not stable in contact with elemental lithium and at a higher voltage. To eliminate the safety and instability issues, solid-state (ceramic) electrolytes have attracted enormous interest worldwide, owing to their thermal and high voltage stability. Among all the solid-state electrolytes known today, the Li-stuffed garnet is one of the most promising electrolytes due to its physical and chemical properties such as high total Li-ion conductivity at room temperature, chemical stability with elemental lithium and high voltage lithium cathodes, and high electrochemical stability window (6 V vs. Li+/Li). In this short review, we provide an overview of Li-stuffed garnet electrolytes with a focus on their structure, ionic conductivity, transport mechanism, chemical stability, and battery applications.
Momentum relaxation of holographic Weyl semimetal from massive gravity
Authors: Zhao Junkun
Published: April 2022

We consider the effects of momentum relaxation on the topological quantum phase transitions in holographic Weyl semimetals. The translational symmetry breaking in the field theory is realized in the framework of massive gravity. The quantum phase transition is between a Weyl semimetal phase and a topological trivial phase, which is controlled by M/b, i.e. the ratio of mass parameter and time reversal symmetry breaking parameter. We find that the critical value of the phase transition $$(M/b)_c$$

(
M
/
b
)

c

, characterized by the anomalous Hall conductivity, decreases with the increasing of graviton mass, i.e. the momentum relaxation strength. There exists a critical value of graviton mass above which the topological phase transition disappears and therefore the Weyl points are destroyed. All these phenomena are qualitatively similar to that of axion fields induced momentum relaxation, indicating that a universal feature emerges in the momentum relaxed holographic Weyl semimetals, which is also consistent with the predictions from weakly coupled field theory.
Cognitive Functioning among Older Adults in Japan and Other Selected Asian Countries: In Search of a Better Way to Remeasure Population Aging
Authors: OGAWA NAOHIRO , FUKAI TAIYO , MANSOR NORMA , KAMARULZAMAN NURUL DIYANA
Published: April 2022

Japan is the oldest society in the world. It has the highest proportion of the population aged 65 and over, a demographic indicator that has been used by demographers for more than a century. One of the main objectives of this study is to apply a new indicator—the cognition-adjusted dependency ratio (CADR)—to remeasure the level of population aging from an innovative point of view. To compute this new index, we apply the mean age-group-specific immediate recall scores for Japan and four other Asian countries, and we compare the results with those derived from the United States and various developed nations in Europe. Our analysis shows that Japan’s pattern and level of age-related decline in cognitive functioning are highly comparable to those of many other developed nations, particularly in Continental Europe. Among the other Asian countries, Malaysia shows a pattern of change similar to countries in Southern Europe, although Malaysia has slightly lower scores than Southern Europe in all age groups. More importantly, these comparative results based on CADR are astonishingly different from the corresponding results obtained from conventional old-age dependency ratios. The Japanese case is the most salient example.
Spatial characterization of seabed environmental conditions and geotechnical properties for the development of marine renewable energy in Sweden
Authors: Nyberg Johan , Zillén-Snowball Lovisa , Strömstedt Erland
Published: April 2022

Although knowledge of seabed properties is of high importance in selecting sites and determining technical designs and solutions for renewable energy offshore installations, it is often overlooked in marine spatial planning, owing to the absence of appropriate spatial analysis of these conditions. Identification and quantification of seabed conditions and geotechnical properties in finding safe and environmentally sustainable areas for installations of offshore renewable energy are therefore presented, using information produced in marine geological mapping. Six seabed environmental and 13 geotechnical parameters, which can be extracted from existing marine geological information and are of importance in analysing environmental conditions and planning designs are identified and presented, in addition to the suitability of various installation techniques for different areas on the Swedish seabed. Geographical information systems (GIS) are used to geospatially evaluate the different parameters in finding suitable locations and cable routes for a wave energy plant with gravity and/or suction caisson foundations. The presented categories and ranges of the environmental and geotechnical values for the various parameters have the possibility to be improved as new data are produced from future mapping. The parameters identified and presented here are valuable as they can be incorporated into multi-parameter evaluations for optimal site selection of different offshore installations.

Supplementary material:
The open geological information is available at
http://www.sgu.se
Subcortical Cognition: The Fruit Below the Rind
Authors: Janacsek Karolina , Evans Tanya M. , Kiss Mariann , Shah Leela , Blumenfeld Hal , Ullman Michael T.
Published: April 2022

Cognitive neuroscience has highlighted the cerebral cortex while often overlooking subcortical structures. This cortical proclivity is found in basic and translational research on many aspects of cognition, especially higher cognitive domains such as language, reading, music, and math. We suggest that, for both anatomical and evolutionary reasons, multiple subcortical structures play substantial roles across higher and lower cognition. We present a comprehensive review of existing evidence, which indeed reveals extensive subcortical contributions in multiple cognitive domains. We argue that the findings are overall both real and important. Next, we advance a theoretical framework to capture the nature of (sub)cortical contributions to cognition. Finally, we propose how new subcortical cognitive roles can be identified by leveraging anatomical and evolutionary principles, and we describe specific methods that can be used to reveal subcortical cognition. Altogether, this review aims to advance cognitive neuroscience by highlighting subcortical cognition and facilitating its future investigation.
Deaths of Despair in Comparative Perspective
Authors: King Lawrence , Scheiring Gábor , Nosrati Elias
Published: April 2022

A socially patterned epidemic of deaths of despair is a signal feature of American society in the twenty-first century, involving rising mortality from substance use disorders and self-harm at the bottom of the class structure. In the present review, we compare this population health crisis to that which ravaged Eastern Europe at the tail end of the previous century. We chart their common upstream causes: violent social dislocations wrought by rapid economic change and attendant public policies. By reviewing the extant social scientific and epidemiological literature, we probe a collection of dominant yet competing explanatory frameworks and spotlight avenues for future sociological contributions to this growing but underdeveloped domain of research. Deaths of despair are deeply rooted in socioeconomic dislocations that shape health behavior and other proximate causes of health inequality; therefore, sociology has great untapped potential in analyzing the social causes of deaths of despair. Comparative sociological research could significantly extend the extant public health and economics scholarship on deaths of despair by exploring the variegated lived experience of socioeconomic change in different institutional contexts, relying on sociological concepts such as fundamental causes, social reproduction, social disintegration, alienation, or anomie.
Critical Periods in Vision Revisited
Authors: Mitchell Donald E. , Maurer Daphne
Published: April 2022

For four decades, investigations of the biological basis of critical periods in the developing mammalian visual cortex were dominated by study of the consequences of altered early visual experience in cats and nonhuman primates. The neural deficits thus revealed also provided insight into the origin and neural basis of human amblyopia that in turn motivated additional studies of humans with abnormal early visual input. Recent human studies point to deficits arising from alterations in all visual cortical areas and even in nonvisual cortical regions. As the new human data accumulated in parallel with a near-complete shift toward the use of rodent animal models for the study of neural mechanisms, it is now essential to review the human data and the earlier animal data obtained from cats and monkeys to infer general conclusions and to optimize future choice of the most appropriate animal model.
Feature Detection by Retinal Ganglion Cells
Authors: Kerschensteiner Daniel
Published: April 2022

Retinal circuits transform the pixel representation of photoreceptors into the feature representations of ganglion cells, whose axons transmit these representations to the brain. Functional, morphological, and transcriptomic surveys have identified more than 40 retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types in mice. RGCs extract features of varying complexity; some simply signal local differences in brightness (i.e., luminance contrast), whereas others detect specific motion trajectories. To understand the retina, we need to know how retinal circuits give rise to the diverse RGC feature representations. A catalog of the RGC feature set, in turn, is fundamental to understanding visual processing in the brain. Anterograde tracing indicates that RGCs innervate more than 50 areas in the mouse brain. Current maps connecting RGC types to brain areas are rudimentary, as is our understanding of how retinal signals are transformed downstream to guide behavior. In this article, I review the feature selectivities of mouse RGCs, how they arise, and how they are utilized downstream. Not only is knowledge of the behavioral purpose of RGC signals critical for understanding the retinal contributions to vision; it can also guide us to the most relevant areas of visual feature space.
[Retracted] Application of a Remotely Controlled Artificial Intelligence Analgesic Pump Device in Painless Treatment of Children
Authors: Zhang Fengyang , Wu Shihuan , Qu Meimin , Zhou Li
Published: April 2022

In order to effectively improve the application of analgesic pump devices in the treatment of children, a method based on remote control artificial intelligence is proposed. 100 children with dental pulpitis who were treated in a hospital from December 2018 to December 2020 were selected as the research subjects; they were randomly divided into control group and observation group by an equidistant sampling method, with 50 cases in each group. Children in the control group were given articaine and adrenaline anesthesia, and the observation group was treated with articaine and adrenaline combined with a computer‐controlled anesthesia system, the anesthesia pain degree and satisfaction degree of the two groups of children were observed and compared. The results showed that the pain score in anesthesia and intraoperative pain score in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The total satisfaction of 96.6% patients in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (84.7%) and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). There were no serious complications in both groups. The application of the computer anesthesia system combined with articaine adrenaline in the painless treatment of children’s dental pulp proved to have better effects, the treatment compliance is higher, and it is worthy of clinical promotion.
USP7 Attenuates Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and NF-κB Signaling to Modulate Chondrocyte Proliferation, Apoptosis, and Inflammatory Response under Inflammation
Authors: Dong Xiaofei , Yang Chang , Luo Yao , Dong Wei , Xu Xiaoxiao , Wu Yanru , Wang Jiawei
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this research was to observe the functions and mechanisms of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 7 (USP7) on chondrocytes under tumor necrosis factor alpha- (TNF-α-) induced inflammation. Knee osteoarthritis (OA) models of mice were constructed by anterior cruciate ligament transection. The knee joint of mice was observed by histological staining, and the expression of USP7 was measured by immunohistochemistry staining. After knocking down or inhibiting USP7, chondrocyte proliferation was measured by histological staining and the CCK-8 assay; apoptosis was measured by western blot, flow cytometry, Caspase-3 activity, and TUNEL staining; and inflammatory response was measured by qRT-PCR and ELISA. The 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA), siRNA of CHOP (si-CHOP), and QNZ were used to verify the signaling pathways. It was found that USP7 was reduced in the knee joint cartilage of OA mice. The knockdown of USP7 or its inhibitor decreased chondrocyte proliferation and accelerated apoptosis and inflammatory response under inflammation. The USP7 inhibitor exacerbated cartilage destruction in mice with OA. The knockdown of USP7 or its inhibitor activated the BiP-eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP signaling of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and NF-κB/p65 signaling. 4-PBA, si-CHOP, and QNZ partly reversed chondrocyte proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammatory response caused by USP7 knockdown. In conclusion, through inhibiting the BiP-eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP signaling of ERS and NF-κB/p65 signaling, USP7 promotes chondrocyte proliferation and suppresses the apoptosis and inflammatory response under TNF-α-induced inflammation.