bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early Economic Analysis of Robotic-Assisted Unicondylar Knee Arthroplasty May Be Cost Effective in Patients with End-Stage Osteoarthritis
Authors: Yeroushalmi David , Feng James , Nherera Leo , Trueman Paul , Schwarzkopf Ran
Published: June 2020

Unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA), as an alternative to total knee arthroplasty (TKA), has been shown to be an effective option for patients with single-compartment end-stage knee osteoarthritis. Implant survival is contingent upon proper alignment, which has been improved with the advent of robotic-assisted surgery (r-UKA), but whether this outweighs the increased cost of the robotic-assist device has not been analyzed in the literature. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mid-term cost-effectiveness of r-UKA compared with UKA with traditional instrumentation (t-UKA) in the United States. A cost-effectiveness analysis using a four-state Markov model was performed using data from the 2018 National Joint Registry of England and Wales and a retrospective multicenter, cohort study on a cohort of 65-year-old patients having undergone r-UKA. The main outcome was cost per revision avoided and sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the impact of using different model assumptions on the results. The Markov model illustrated that the benefit derived from r-UKA versus t-UKA was beneficial from a payer's perspective. The estimated incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was $14,737 per revision avoided in a facility seeing 100 patients a year. Case volume was shown to be the primary variable affecting cost-effectiveness, with the value of r-UKA directly increasing with higher case volumes. Cost-effectiveness analyses demonstrated that the use of r-UKA is an effective alternative to t-UKA in patients with single-compartment knee osteoarthritis. While this study could benefit from longer follow-up clinical studies to illustrate the benefits of r-UKAs beyond the current 2 years time horizon, r-UKAs remained cost-effective, even after investigating several different assumptions.
Partially Healed Malaligned Distal Radius Fracture. Surgical Treatment in Patients older than 70 Years
Authors: Cruz-Sánchez Marcos , De la Torre-Rojo Jaime , Martínez-Andrade Cristóbal
Published: June 2020

Introduction Management of distal radius fractures remains controversial despite their high frequency. Elderly patients specifically present a high rate of secondary displacement, sometimes requiring a complex reconstructive surgery. The surgical treatment of displaced fractures evolving for several weeks in elderly patients has not been clearly reflected in the literature. This study aims to show clinical and radiological outcomes from this particular situation.

Material and Methods Retrospective study of 31 cases of distal radius fractures with more than 2 weeks of evolution. Fractures were graded according to the Fernández's classification. Pre- and postoperative radiological studies were carried out to evaluate the degree of correction achieved. A clinical evaluation was performed using the Mayo Wrist Score. Data on arthroscopy and bone substitutes use, specific surgical tips and complications were also collected.

Results Thirty-one patients with a mean age of 76 years old were operated for distal radius fracture with a delay in surgical treatment of 22 days. The most frequent fracture pattern was Fernández type III (38.7%). The clinical outcome according to the Mayo Wrist Score was 81.94 points with no relationship to fracture pattern or arthroscopic assistance. A statistically significant improvement was achieved for the correction of radial inclination, joint gap and ulnar variance. No statistically significant improvement was achieved in volar tilt correction. Complications were observed in 12.9% of the cases.

Conclusions Delayed surgical treatment of distal radius fracture in elderly patients provides similar results to those observed in other age groups and time of evolution. Despite not being the ideal scenario for the surgeon, it should be considered to avoid functional deterioration in this fragile age group.
A Rare Cause of Hand Infection: Streptococcus Constellatus
Authors: Nogueira Rúben Malcata , Vasconcelos Carolina , Teixeira Nelson
Published: June 2020

Hand infections represent common medical and surgical challenges that endanger delicate structures with severe consequences if not promptly addressed. Early identification and management are essential to achieve optimal outcomes. To the best of our knowledge this is the first reported case caused by Streptococcus constellatus, in which a severe periungueal infection evolved rapidly with septic thrombosis of digital vessels and culminated in amputation. This microorganism belongs to a group of commensal bacteria, Streptococcus milleri, that causes dental, peritonsillar and sinus abscesses. When bacteriemia outbursts, distant abscesses may form or endocarditis may ensue. A missed diagnosis and treatment can induce important morbidities, often delayed by the difficult isolation of the agent in the laboratory and its complex mechanisms of antibacterial resistance. This article focus on the importance of identifying serious hand infections requiring urgent or emergent treatment, since delayed or inadequate identification and management can lead to important and permanent deficits.
Use of Vascularized Periosteal Flaps in Upper Extremity Pathology
Authors: Barrera-Ochoa Sergi , Alabau-Rodriguez Sergi , Liburd Dorka , González Maria Victoria , Mir-Bulló Xavier , Soldado Francisco
Published: June 2020

Massive bone defects represent a challenge in orthopedics. The structural and biological contribution of vascularized bone flaps has significantly improved their treatment. Similarly, free vascularized periosteal flaps (VPF) have been used to treat bone defects in children, with higher flexibility, adaptability to the recipient's bed and good osteogenic and osteoinductive capacity. However, these are complex techniques related to donor area morbidity. We have started anatomical and clinical studies on the application of pediculated VPF in recalcitrant massive defects to reduce this morbidity. This article summarizes the fundamental aspects of the surgical technique, the main anatomical findings from cadaveric dissections and the applicability of pediculated VPF to treat biologically unfavorable bone defects at the upper limb. The authors review the vascularized humeral periosteal flap (VHPF), the dorso-ulnar and volar-radial forearm periosteal flaps and the vascularized first metacarpal periosteal flap, all described in previous papers. As a novelty, the dorsal wrist and hand VPF (4-5 radial periosteal flap and dorsum of the second metacarpal bone periosteal flap) are presented. In addition, clinical cases with recent VPF applications in common upper limb conditions are described.
Confirmation Bias Affects Estimation of Blood Loss and Amniotic Fluid Volume: A Randomized Simulation-Based Trial
Authors: Atallah Fouad , Moreno-Jackson Rafine , McLaren Rodney , Fisher Nelli , Weedon Jeremy , Jones Sharifa , Minkoff Howard
Published: June 2020

Objective This study was aimed to determine if confirmation bias affects diagnoses in obstetrics, specifically estimation of blood loss and amniotic fluid volume.

Study Design We performed a randomized simulation-based trial. Participants went through the following three consecutive scenarios: (1) the first involved estimating the volume of blood (actually a blood-like substance) in a container at the simulation model's perineum. The actual volume was either 500 or 1,500 mL. Participants were told it was blood seen after a vaginal delivery. One group was told that the “patient” was normotensive, the other was told that the “patient” was hypotensive. (2) The second scenario involved estimation of amniotic fluid from an ultrasound picture of four quadrants, with one group told that the patient was normotensive and the other group told that the patient had chronic hypertension. (3) The third scenario was a “negative image” of the first (i.e., if they had been randomized to the 500 mL/normotensive in scenario one, then they would be presented with the 1,500 mL/hypotensive). They also filled a survey including demographics and tolerance of ambiguity and confirmation bias scales.

Results From April 2018 through May 2018, a convenience sample of 85 providers was recruited. Participants were more likely to overestimate blood loss when they were told that the patient was hypotensive (p = 0.024), in comparison to when they were told the patient had normal blood pressure. They were also less likely to estimate the amniotic fluid as normal when they were told that the patient was hypertensive (p = 0.032).

Conclusion Confirmation bias affects estimates of blood loss and amniotic fluid.
A review of shape memory alloy based filtration devices
Authors: Yang Chi , Abanteriba Sylvester , Becker Andrew
Published: June 2020

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a class of functional materials with the ability to regain their original shapes after a large inelastic deformation upon external stimuli. In recent years, SMAs have been employed in many applications in different fields. Nitinol is the most widely used SMA due to its outstanding properties such as shape memory effect, superelasticity, biocompatibility, and corrosion resistance among other types of SMAs. Some efforts are also made to implement SMAs on filtration devices that require deployable structures. This motivates the authors to write a review of the recent developments in the field of SMA based filtration devices as far as the use of SMAs is concerned. The present work provides a brief overview of history and basics of SMAs. This paper then reviews and discusses the recent progress and applications of SMA based filtration devices and the challenges of these filtration devices. It is found that most devices are made of nitinol. The aim of this paper is to introduce SMA based filtration devices and promote future developments of functional filtration applications.
Routes to extreme events in dynamical systems: Dynamical and statistical characteristics
Authors: Mishra Arindam , Leo Kingston S. , Hens Chittaranjan , Kapitaniak Tomasz , Feudel Ulrike , Dana Syamal K.
Published: June 2020

Intermittent large amplitude events are seen in the temporal evolution of a state variable of many dynamical systems. Such intermittent large events suddenly start appearing in dynamical systems at a critical value of a system parameter and continues for a range of parameter values. Three important processes of instabilities, namely, interior crisis, Pomeau–Manneville intermittency, and the breakdown of quasiperiodic motion, are most common as observed in many systems that lead to such occasional and rare transitions to large amplitude spiking events. We characterize these occasional large events as extreme events if they are larger than a statistically defined significant height. We present two exemplary systems, a single system and a coupled system, to illustrate how the instabilities work to originate extreme events and they manifest as non-trivial dynamical events. We illustrate the dynamical and statistical properties of such events.
First exact solutions for mixed boundary value problems concerning the motions of fluids with exponential dependence of viscosity on pressure
Authors: Danish Gulzar Ahmad , Imran Muhammad , Fetecau Constantin , Vieru Dumitru
Published: June 2020

This paper presents exact expressions for dimensionless starting solutions corresponding to some oscillatory motions of fluids with exponential dependence of viscosity on pressure. These expressions are established in terms of standard Bessel functions of order zero and one. Fluid motion between two infinite horizontal parallel plates is generated by the lower plate, which applies oscillatory shear stresses to the fluid. The corresponding solutions, which are currently absent in the literature, are presented as sums of steady-state and transient components. These are useful for experimentalists who wish to eliminate transients from their experiments. For completeness, the dimensionless velocity field corresponding to the motion due to the lower plate applying a constant shear stress to the fluid is determined as a limiting case. Furthermore, to verify the results, it is shown that diagrams of the present steady-state solutions coincide with those of ordinary Newtonian fluids performing the same motions as the dimensionless pressure–viscosity coefficient tends to zero. The spatial distributions of starting solutions and some transversal sections are also presented and discussed.
Linear wormlike micelles exhibit behaviors similar to ordinary polymers in strong saline flows
Authors: Bandari Anashe
Published: June 2020

Micellar solutions are used in a wide variety of everyday applications, but because of their unusual rheological properties, it is important to understand their behavior in shear flows.
Chimeras and solitary states in 3D oscillator networks with inertia
Authors: Maistrenko Volodymyr , Sudakov Oleksandr , Osiv Oleksiy
Published: June 2020

We report the diversity of scroll wave chimeras in the three-dimensional (3D) Kuramoto model with inertia for N3 identical phase oscillators placed in a unit 3D cube with periodic boundary conditions. In the considered model with inertia, we have found patterns that do not exist in a pure system without inertia. In particular, a scroll ring chimera is obtained from random initial conditions. In contrast to this system without inertia, where all chimera states have incoherent inner parts, these states can have partially coherent or fully coherent inner parts as exemplified by a scroll ring chimera. Solitary states exist in the considered model as separate states or can coexist with scroll wave chimeras in the oscillatory space. We also propose a method of construction of 3D images using solitary states as solutions of the 3D Kuramoto model with inertia.
Synchronization of chemo-mechanical oscillators
Authors: Kasai Masahiro , Yamamoto Daigo , Nawa-Okita Erika , Shioi Akihisa
Published: June 2020

The synchronization of chemically driven oscillators plays a crucial role in various biological motions. An artificial model system of these chemo-mechanical oscillators is proposed in this study. The oscillator is composed of three liquid layers (oil/water/oil), which exhibit a back and forth motion in a glass tube. This motion is caused by the chemical reaction between a water-soluble surfactant and oil-soluble anions. The frequency is unique for an individual experimental setup because it depends on the surface state of the glass sensitively. When the glass tube with the liquid oscillator is placed on a plate with mechanical vibration, the frequencies of the oscillator and mechanical vibration become similar within a certain frequency range of mechanical vibration. When two or more glass tubes are placed in a boat floating on a water surface, all frequencies agree with each other by the joggling motion of the boat. The entrainment into the external vibration and mutual synchronization on the boat are explained by a simple mathematical model. The proposed chemo-mechanical oscillator may be used as a primitive model system for studying the interplay of macroscopic motion and molecular scale processes that control chemically driven motion.
A type of arrangement for photonic crystal structures interacting with a Terahertz wave with omnidirectional and thermal effects
Authors: Baseri A. , Keshavarz A. , Hatef A.
Published: June 2020

Omnidirectional photonic bandgaps are a new special type of one-dimensional quasi-photonic crystals that contains semiconductor and dielectric material layers and are investigated here in the Terahertz wave range. The proposed medium is constructed with a special type of layer arrangement, which uses both the Fibonacci sequence as a quasi-periodic sequence and the absolute periodic sequence in a period. As the Terahertz bandgaps of the transmittance spectrum are essential in some devices, the tuning and manipulation of these bandgaps has been of great interest in recent years. One of the best methods of manipulating these bandgaps to reach the desired outcome is by changing their arrangement using different types of quasi-periodic sequences in the structure. The beneficial results of applying these sequences have been clearly observed. So, we propose another new type of arrangement here in order to completely satisfy the changing methods of the photonic crystal structures. According to the results of the current investigation, it has been demonstrated that the proposed arrangement could be used to achieve a wide variety of desirable states. The semiconductor could make the bandgaps tunable via temperature changes through its thermally tunable permittivity. These types of media, which can operate as tunable Terahertz filters and mirrors, offer many promising omnidirectional Terahertz components and devices.
On a non-linear droplet oscillation theory via the unified method
Authors: Plümacher D. , Oberlack M. , Wang Y. , Smuda M.
Published: June 2020

Presently, the oscillation of a liquid droplet in a dynamically negligible outer medium subject to surface tension and small viscosity is investigated. By using the potential flow assumption, the unified transform method by Fokas is employed to reduce the corresponding free boundary problem formulated on a time-dependent domain into a nonlinear system of integro-differential equations (IDEs). This new system depends on one less spatial variable and is now defined on a time-independent domain. Most importantly, the resulting set of equations governs the general droplet oscillation with arbitrarily large deviations from the spherical shape. As the nonlinearity of the above IDE system up to now prevented an analytical solution, the Poincaré expansion technique is employed, retaining terms up to the second order. By decomposing the unknowns into normal modes, these equations are uncoupled and the resulting ordinary differential equations for the mode amplitudes are solved, and the results are compared to those of previous works. It should be stressed that the present analysis is limited to small viscosity, or, in other words, for small Ohnesorge numbers. The reason for this is that, inside of the droplet, a potential flow is assumed and the viscous effect is taken into account only at the droplet surface by the jump condition of momentum. This is only reasonable for a small viscosity and a short time. Otherwise, vorticity is generated at the interface and diffuses toward the inside of the droplet.
Core–shell behavior and exchange bias of Fe-doped CuO nanoparticles
Authors: Alves Oliveira Aline , Valerio-Cuadros Marlon Ivan , Soares de Brito Alex , Silva Tupan Lilian Felipe , Ivashita Flávio Francisco , Geshev Julian , Paesano Andrea
Published: June 2020

Cu1−xFexO nanoparticles were prepared using a freeze-drying process followed by heat treatment. The particles were then characterized using Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetization techniques. The results revealed complex magnetic behavior, which can be attributed to the presence of two different magnetic regions: the particle core, which has antiferromagnetic fluctuations, and the particle shell, where uncompensated spins are responsible for their superparamagnetic characteristics. At low temperatures, the moments freeze, revealing a ferromagnetic order for the shells and a dipolar magnetic interaction among the nanoparticles. In addition, an exchange-bias field revealed magnetic interactions between the core and the shell of the nanoparticles. The ferromagnetism observed in this system suggests that antiferromagnetic oxide matrices can be used for diluted magnetic semiconductor applications, if suitably doped.
Dual solutions in MHD stagnation point flow of nanofluid induced by porous stretching/shrinking sheet with anisotropic slip
Authors: Nadeem S. , Israr-ur-Rehman Muhammad , Saleem S. , Bonyah Ebenezer
Published: June 2020

In this article, the steady three-dimensional stagnated flow induced by a porous moving system is investigated. The flow field and thermal distribution are subject to anisotropic slip and a magnetic field. The existing nonlinear equations are unraveled numerically using a bvp4c code in Matlab. The impact of various parameters on flow profiles temperature surface friction and surface heat transfer rate is put together in graphs and tables. The accomplished results depict that the velocity fields enhance for both S < 0 (suction) and S > 0 (injection). Similarly, it is noticed that surface shear stress and heat transfer possess stronger behavior for the case of injection. The behavior of temperature fields is opposite for upper and lower solutions when checked for the Prandtl number Pr. Stability analysis shows that the primary solution is stable and substantially feasible, whereas the second solution is not stable. The velocity h(η) decays with the magnetic field for both solutions.
Extraction current transients for mobility determination—A comparative study
Authors: Dahlström Staffan , Ahläng Christian , Björkström Kim , Forsblom Sofia , Granroth Benjamin , Jansson Kaj , Luukkonen Axel , Masood Muhammad Talha , Poulizac Julie , Qudsia Syeda , Nyman Mathias
Published: June 2020

In this work, we measure the hole mobility in the model polymer system poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) by using different measurement techniques. Our main purpose is to determine how the recently developed charge extraction by a linearly increasing voltage technique for metal–insulator–metal devices (MIM-CELIV) compares to other commonly used methods, such as space charge limited currents and time-of-flight. Our findings suggest that the MIM-CELIV technique gives a slightly lower mobility than the other techniques, which is understandable given that the method measures the mobility of relaxed charge carriers in the dark unlike, for example, time-of-flight where charge carriers are photogenerated. In addition, we scrutinize the accuracy and reliability of the techniques used, showing that differences in mobility smaller than a factor of two are not detectable unless statistics from many devices are available.
Modeling process–structure–property relationship in organic photovoltaics using a robust diffuse interface approach
Authors: Kaka Fiyanshu , Singh Ravi K. , Ramamurthy P. C. , Choudhury Abhik
Published: June 2020

Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) can potentially provide a cost-efficient means of harnessing solar energy. However, optimum OPV performance depends on understanding the process–structure–property (PSP) correlation in organic semiconductors. In the working of bulk-heterojunction OPVs, the morphology plays a crucial role in device performance. In order to understand PSP linkage, a theoretical framework has been developed. We first established process–structure correlations by generating a range of morphologies with various blend ratios of donor and acceptor organic semiconductors for various annealing periods. Second, we calculated the effective electronic properties corresponding to the simulated structures using a diffuse interface approach that is numerically more robust and straightforward than the classical sharp interface method. This novel framework, wherein both the process–structure and the structure–property relationship have been established using the diffuse interface approach, completes the theoretical PSP linkage, allowing the optimization of process parameters for device applications. The theoretical PSP linkage is then benchmarked qualitatively with experimental results on a model P3HT:PCBM system. We have been able to identify the morphological characteristics that maximize device performance. This work is carried out in the broad overview of the integrated computational materials engineering framework wherein the processing parameters are optimized by determining the process–structure–property relationships.
Structures and phase transition of liquid crystals in a dynamic slit confinement
Authors: Zhang Ruifen , Wen Xin
Published: June 2020

We report on the dynamic confinement of colloidal liquid crystals in a two-dimensional slit pore with a periodically stretching and contracting boundary using Langevin dynamics simulations. The influence of moving walls on phase behavior is analyzed, and four structures are identified. It is found that boundary vibration can induce phase transition. Structural transition characterized by the change in particle orientation is caused by varying the amplitude or frequency of the oscillating boundary. The key factor determined by the work performed on the system maintaining a steady structure is also clarified from the energy perspective. The inhomogeneous mobility of these far-from-equilibrium structures is induced by the active boundary. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the slit dynamic confinement system and suggest a new way of generating order by dissipating energy in non-equilibrium systems.
Electron temperature and soft x-ray intensity scaling in laser heavy element plasma interaction
Authors: Kawasaki Hiromu , Sunahara Atsushi , Shimada Yuta , Ejima Takeo , Jiang Weihua , O’Sullivan Gerry , Nishikino Masaharu , Namba Shinichi , Higashiguchi Takeshi
Published: June 2020

We achieved a relative optically thin state in laser-produced heavy element plasmas at determined electron temperatures, which has been predicted by power balance and collisional-radiative models. We also mapped the power-loss processes in sub-nanosecond and nanosecond laser-produced high-Z plasmas. The electron temperature evaluation was in good agreement with the power balance model and was supported by the spectral analysis. The output flux in the soft x-ray region was stronger at a higher critical density.
Impact of deposition of indium tin oxide double layers on hydrogenated amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon heterojunction
Authors: Semma Masanori , Gotoh Kazuhiro , Wilde Markus , Ogura Shohei , Kurokawa Yasuyoshi , Fukutani Katsuyuki , Usami Noritaka
Published: June 2020

We report on the effect of sputtering deposition of indium tin oxide (ITO) as the transparent conductive oxide layer on the passivation performance of hydrogenated amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon heterojunctions. The influence of sputtering damage on passivation performance is studied by varying the ITO layer thickness from 0 nm to 80 nm. The passivation performance decreases considerably up to 10 nm and increases gradually from 20 nm to 80 nm, indicating that damage and recovery stages are present during the sputtering process. We focus on the injection energy as the cause of the recovery phenomenon. To optimize the passivation performance by intentionally enhancing the effect of the recovery stage while minimizing the initial damage at the heterointerface, we develop a two-step sputtering process in which the radiofrequency power is changed from 50 W to 100 W during deposition to prepare ITO double layers. Two step sputtering gives the lower damage, and the properties of ITO double layers are better than those of ITO single layers. These results show that two-step sputtering can realize greater a-Si:H passivation. Furthermore, better optical properties are obtained in ITO double layers compared with conventional ITO single layers. Therefore, modulating the radiofrequency power during ITO deposition can offer higher conversion efficiency.
Compensation of residual amplitude modulation fluctuations in an optoelectronic system for laser radiation frequency stabilisation
Authors: Kryuchkov D.S. , Zhadnov N.O. , Kudeyarov K.S. , Vishnyakova G.A. , Khabarova K.Yu. , Kolachevsky N.N.
Published: June 2020

Fluctuations of residual amplitude modulation in a scheme of laser frequency stabilisation by a Fabry – Perot cavity reduce the frequency stability of the laser systems intended for interrogating clock transitions of atoms and ions. The dependences of the residual amplitude modulation on a temperature of the waveguide-based electro-optical modulator used for modulating the radiation phase and on polarisation of the radiation are measured. The parameters are found, at which the influence of the residual amplitude modulation on the frequency stability is minimal. A system for active compensation is created, which reduces the contribution of fluctuations of residual amplitude modulation to the instability down to 2.1 × 10−16, which makes it possible to reach the thermal noise limit of a silicon cryogenic cavity.
Understanding the heat resistance of cucumber through leaf transcriptomics
Authors: Wang Min , He Xiaoming , Peng Qin , Liang Zhaojun , Peng Qingwu , Liu Wenrui , Jiang Biao , Xie Dasen , Chen Lin , Yan Jinqiang , Lin Yu'e
Published: June 2020

Heat stress is a major environmental factor limiting plant productivity and quality in agriculture. Cucumber, one of the most important vegetables among cucurbitaceae, prefers to grow in a warm environment. Until now the molecular knowledge of heat stress in cucumber remained unclear. In this study, we performed transcriptome analysis using two diverse genetic cucumber cultivars, L-9 and A-16 grown under normal and heat stress. L-9 displayed heat-tolerance phenotype with higher superoxide dismutase enzyme (SOD) enzyme activity and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content than A-16 under heat stress. RNA-sequencing revealed that a total of 963 and 2778 genes are differentially expressed between L-9 and A-16 under normal and heat stress respectively. In addition, we found that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with plant hormones signally pathway, transcription factors, and secondary metabolites showed significantly change in expression level after heat stress, which were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR assay. Our results not only explored several crucial genes involved in cucumber heat resistance, but also provide a new insight into studying heat stress.
CAMSAP3 facilitates basal body polarity and the formation of the central pair of microtubules in motile cilia
Authors: Robinson Alan M. , Takahashi Satoe , Brotslaw Eva J. , Ahmad Aisha , Ferrer Emma , Procissi Daniele , Richter Claus-Peter , Cheatham Mary Ann , Mitchell Brian J. , Zheng Jing
Published: June 2020

Significance

Cilia are composed of hundreds of proteins whose identities and functions are far from being completely understood. In this study, we determined that calmodulin-regulated spectrin-associated protein 3 (CAMSAP3) plays an important role for the function of motile cilia in multiciliated cells (MCCs). Global knockdown of CAMSAP3 protein expression in mice resulted in defects in ciliary structures, polarity, and synchronized beating in MCCs. These animals also displayed signs and symptoms reminiscent of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), including a mild form of hydrocephalus, subfertility, and impaired mucociliary clearance that leads to hyposmia, anosmia, rhinosinusitis, and otitis media. Functional characterization of CAMSAP3 enriches our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the generation and function of motile cilia in MCCs.
Modulation of innate immune signaling by a
Coxiella burnetii
eukaryotic-like effector protein
Authors: Burette Melanie , Allombert Julie , Lambou Karine , Maarifi Ghizlane , Nisole Sébastien , Di Russo Case Elizabeth , Blanchet Fabien P. , Hassen-Khodja Cedric , Cabantous Stéphanie , Samuel James , Martinez Eric , Bonazzi Matteo
Published: June 2020

Significance

Coxiella
burnetii
is a stealth pathogen that evades innate immune recognition by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway. This process is mediated by the bacterial Dot/Icm secretion system; however, the bacterial effector/s, as well as the molecular mechanism involved in this process have remained unknown to date. Here, by investigating
C. burnetii
proteins with eukaryotic-like features (EUGENs), we discovered a new effector protein, NopA (nucleolar protein A), which localizes at nucleoli of infected cells and perturbs nucleocytoplasmic transport by manipulating the intracellular gradients of the GTPase Ran. In doing so, NopA reduces the nuclear levels of transcription factors involved in the innate immune sensing of pathogens and single-handedly down-modulates the expression of a panel of cytokines.
Solar geoengineering may lead to excessive cooling and high strategic uncertainty
Authors: Abatayo Anna Lou , Bosetti Valentina , Casari Marco , Ghidoni Riccardo , Tavoni Massimo
Published: June 2020

Significance

Governing climate change and other global commons is challenging. Climate engineering has recently gained attention as a way to manage climate risks. Solar geoengineering is a technology that allows countries to unilaterally influence the world temperature. Solar geoengineering could trigger conflicting interventions by countries who prefer different temperatures; economic theory suggests that countries wanting a cooler climate impose it on others. Other countries may react through countergeoengineering interventions. We study the governance of solar geoengineering using a laboratory experiment in which participants engage in a public good-or-bad game. Results confirm that too much geoengineering can occur, leading to considerable economic losses and increased inequality. The experiment also highlights unforeseen governance risks associated with such technologies.
Gaussian determinantal processes: A new model for directionality in data
Authors: Ghosh Subhroshekhar , Rigollet Philippe
Published: June 2020

Significance

The increasingly complex nature of data has led statisticians to rethinking even the most basic of modeling assumptions. In this context, a determinantal point process (DPP) modeling paradigm promotes diversity in the sample at hand. In this work, we introduce a simple and flexible Gaussian DPP model to capture directionality in the data. Using the Gaussian DPP as an ansatz, we obtain an approach for dimensionality reduction that produces a better and more readable representation of the original data than standard principal component analysis (PCA). These findings are supported by a finite sample analysis of the performance of our estimator, in particular in a spiked model similar to the one employed to analyze PCA.
MYC protein stability is negatively regulated by BRD4
Authors: Devaiah Ballachanda N. , Mu Jie , Akman Ben , Uppal Sheetal , Weissman Jocelyn D. , Cheng Dan , Baranello Laura , Nie Zuqin , Levens David , Singer Dinah S.
Published: June 2020

The protooncogene MYC regulates a variety of cellular processes, including proliferation and metabolism. Maintaining MYC at homeostatic levels is critical to normal cell function; overexpression drives many cancers. MYC stability is regulated through phosphorylation: phosphorylation at Thr58 signals degradation while Ser62 phosphorylation leads to its stabilization and functional activation. The bromodomain protein 4 (BRD4) is a transcriptional and epigenetic regulator with intrinsic kinase and histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activities that activates transcription of key protooncogenes, including
MYC
. We report that BRD4 phosphorylates MYC at Thr58, leading to MYC ubiquitination and degradation, thereby regulating MYC target genes. Importantly, BRD4 degradation, but not inhibition, results in increased levels of MYC protein. Conversely, MYC inhibits BRD4’s HAT activity, suggesting that MYC regulates its own transcription by limiting BRD4-mediated chromatin remodeling of its locus. The MYC stabilizing kinase, ERK1, regulates MYC levels directly and indirectly by inhibiting BRD4 kinase activity. These findings demonstrate that BRD4 negatively regulates MYC levels, which is counteracted by ERK1 activation.
Selective reactivation of STING signaling to target Merkel cell carcinoma
Authors: Liu Wei , Kim Gloria B. , Krump Nathan A. , Zhou Yuqi , Riley James L. , You Jianxin
Published: June 2020

Significance

The immune-dampened status of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) tumors presents a major obstacle to developing effective immunotherapies. We propose that STING silencing may cause the immunologically “cold” MCC tumor microenvironments by blocking cytokine production and, consequently, impeding cytotoxic T cell infiltration, activation, and killing of tumor cells. Our findings indicate that targeted activation of STING
S162A/G230I/Q266I
by DMXAA could be a viable strategy for bolstering antitumor adaptive immunity in STING-silenced cancers. DMXAA does not stimulate human STING activity. Therefore, when combined with AAV delivery of STING
S162A/G230I/Q266I
to primary tumors, it may achieve tumor-specific STING activation without concomitant pathology caused by systemic inflammation frequently observed with traditional human STING agonists. This approach could synergize with existing immune-checkpoint therapies to improve MCC treatment.
Natural cryptic variation in epigenetic modulation of an embryonic gene regulatory network
Authors: Ewe Chee Kiang , Torres Cleuren Yamila N. , Flowers Sagen E. , Alok Geneva , Snell Russell G. , Rothman Joel H.
Published: June 2020

Significance

It has become apparent in recent years that the DNA code is not the sole basis for biological inheritance. Epigenetic tags including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and regulatory RNAs can be transmitted across generations. However, the impact of heritable epigenetic factors on embryonic development is not well understood. We found that starvation-induced developmental diapause triggers transmission of epigenetic memory that affects the specification of the endoderm for multiple generations. These results demonstrate that early life history and cryptic epigenetic factors can impart transgenerational effects that shape embryonic development.
Vulnerability to helpless behavior is regulated by the circadian clock component CRYPTOCHROME in the mouse nucleus accumbens
Authors: Porcu Alessandra , Vaughan Megan , Nilsson Anna , Arimoto Natsuko , Lamia Katja , Welsh David K.
Published: June 2020

Significance

Depression is one of the most common, disabling, and expensive of all neuropsychiatric disorders. Emerging evidence implicates circadian rhythm abnormalities in the pathophysiology of depression. In particular, the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a central component of the midbrain dopamine reward circuit, exhibits disturbed circadian rhythms in postmortem brains of depressed patients, as well as in stressed mice exhibiting depression-like (helpless) behavior. Here we provide evidence for a molecular mechanism by which higher levels of the core circadian clock protein CRYPTOCHROME in the NAc may block D1 dopamine receptor activation during the nocturnal active phase of mice, thereby compromising normal daily activation of NAc neurons and leading to helpless behavior. This mechanism suggests a promising target for future antidepressant drugs.
Regional brain responses associated with using imagination to evoke and satiate thirst
Authors: Saker Pascal , Carey Steve , Grohmann Marcus , Farrell Michael J. , Ryan Philip J. , Egan Gary F. , McKinley Michael J. , Denton Derek A.
Published: June 2020

Significance

This study provides three important insights into the neural representation of thirst. First, the experience of thirst can be dissociated from a physiological stimulus produced by changes in blood chemistry. Second, the network of brain regions associated with subjective thirst may incorporate regions involved in drinking behavior. Third, functional connectivity between the insula and the anterior midcingulate cortex appears necessary to generate an experience of thirst. In the absence of a physiological stimulus, use of imagination to evoke thirst also provides a means of investigating this subjective state with fMRI.
Effects of electropulsing on inclusion size and corrosion-resistance of 304 stainless steel
Authors: Jia Danbin , Zhong Liangcai , Yu Jingkun , Zhou Yuting , Liu Zhaoyang , Tian Chen , Wang Jiawei , Dai Wenbin
Published: June 2020

Electropulsing has been imposed on molten AISI 304 stainless steel and its effects on the inclusion size and corrosion properties have been investigated. The average size of inclusions in electropulsing-treated samples was finer than that in untreated ones. A theoretical analysis shows that the mobility of solute atoms increases with electropulsing treatment. This promotes the nucleation of inclusions. Owing to a smaller inclusion size, the electrochemical experiments reveal that the pitting corrosion resistance of the electropulsing-treated stainless steel is significantly improved. The beneficial effects of electropulsing on the refinement of inclusions and the resistance to pitting corrosion increase with an increase in current density. Electropulsing treatment, therefore, provides a promising means to improve pitting corrosion resistance.
Mechanosensing through YAP controls T cell activation and metabolism
Authors: Meng Kevin P. , Majedi Fatemeh S. , Thauland Timothy J. , Butte Manish J.
Published: June 2020

Upon immunogenic challenge, lymph nodes become mechanically stiff as immune cells activate and proliferate within their encapsulated environments, and with resolution, they reestablish a soft baseline state. Here we show that sensing these mechanical changes in the microenvironment requires the mechanosensor YAP. YAP is induced upon activation and suppresses metabolic reprogramming of effector T cells. Unlike in other cell types in which YAP promotes proliferation, YAP in T cells suppresses proliferation in a stiffness-dependent manner by directly restricting the translocation of NFAT1 into the nucleus. YAP slows T cell responses in systemic viral infections and retards effector T cells in autoimmune diabetes. Our work reveals a paradigm whereby tissue mechanics fine-tune adaptive immune responses in health and disease.
Mass measurement of Re-190
Authors: Griffiths M R , Wheldon C , Kokalova Tz , Turner A , Pirrie S , Ziman V , Ashwood N I , Malcolm J D , Barr M , Freer M , Faestermann Th , Wirth H-F , Hertenberger R , Gernhäuser R , Krücken R
Published: June 2020

In this paper, a measurement of the atomic mass and mass excess of

Re

75

190

are presented. This isotope and

Ir

77

192

were produced at the Maier-Leibnitz Laboratory (MLL) in Munich in the 192Os(d, α)190Re and 194Pt(d, α)192Ir reactions. The Q3D magnetic spectrograph was used to measure the momenta of the α-particle ejectiles in order to reconstruct states in both 190Re and 192Ir. A mass calibration was performed using known energy levels in 192Ir. These measurements were used to obtain a new value of the mass excess of 190Re, −35583 ± 5 keV. The previously known literature value is −35640 ± 70 keV.
Faradaic effects in electrochemically gated graphene sensors in the presence of redox active molecules
Authors: Neubert Tilmann J , Wehrhold Michel , Kaya Nur Selin , Balasubramanian Kannan
Published: June 2020

Field-effect transistors (FETs) based on graphene are promising devices for the direct sensing of a range of analytes in solution. We show here that the presence of redox active molecules in the analyte solution leads to the occurrence of heterogeneous electron transfer with graphene generating a Faradaic current (electron transfer) in a FET configuration resulting in shifts of the Dirac point. Such a shift occurs if the Faradaic current is significantly high, e.g. due to a large graphene area. Furthermore, the redox shift based on the Faradaic current, reminiscent of a doping-like effect, is found to be non-Nernstian and dependent on parameters known from electrode kinetics in potentiodynamic methods, such as the electrode area, the standard potential of the redox probes and the scan rate of the gate voltage modulation. This behavior clearly differentiates this effect from other transduction mechanisms based on electrostatic interactions or molecular charge transfer doping effects, which are usually behind a shift of the Dirac point. These observations suggest that large-area unmodified/pristine graphene in field-effect sensors behaves as a non-polarized electrode in liquid. Strategies for ensuring a polarized interface are discussed.
Deep learning of mammary gland distribution for architectural distortion detection in digital breast tomosynthesis
Authors: Li Yue , He Zilong , Lu Yao , Ma Xiangyuan , Guo Yanhui , Xie Zheng , Qin Genggeng , Xu Weimin , Xu Zeyuan , Chen Weiguo , Chen Haibin
Published: June 2020

Computer aided detection (CADe) for breast lesions can provide an important reference for radiologists in breast cancer screening. Architectural distortion (AD) is a type of breast lesion that is difficult to detect. A majority of CADe methods focus on detecting the radial pattern, which is a main characteristic of typical ADs. However, a few atypical ADs do not exhibit such a pattern. To improve the performance of CADe for typical and atypical ADs, we propose a deep-learning-based model that used mammary gland distribution as prior information to detect ADs in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). First, information about gland distribution, including the Gabor magnitude, the Gabor orientation field, and a convergence map, were produced using a bank of Gabor filters and convergence measures. Then, this prior information and an original slice were input into a Faster R-CNN detection network to obtain the 2-D candidates for each slice. Finally, a 3-D aggregation scheme was employed to fuse these 2-D candidates as 3-D candidates for each DBT volume. Retrospectively, 64 typical AD volumes, 74 atypical AD volumes, and 127 normal volumes were collected. Six-fold cross-validation and mean true positive fraction (MTPF) were used to evaluate the model. Compared to an existing convergence-based model, our proposed model achieved an MTPF of 0.53 ± 0.04, 0.61 ± 0.05, and 0.45 ± 0.04 for all DBT volumes, typical + normal volumes, and atypical + normal volumes, respectively. These results were significantly better than those of 0.36 ± 0.03, 0.46 ± 0.04, and 0.28 ± 0.04 for a convergence-based model (p ≪ 0.01). These results indicate that employing the prior information of gland distribution and a deep learning method can improve the performance of CADe for AD.
Towards full surface Brillouin zone mapping by coherent multi-photon photoemission
Authors: Li Andi , James Namitha Ann , Wang Tianyi , Wang Zehua , Petek Hrvoje , Reutzel Marcel
Published: June 2020

We report a novel approach for coherent multi-photon photoemission in the entire Brillouin zone with infrared light that is readily implemented in a laboratory setting. We excite a solid state material, Ag(110), with intense femtosecond laser pulses to excite higher-order multi-photon photoemission; angle-resolved electron spectroscopic acquisition records photoemission at large in-plane momenta involving optical transitions from the occupied to unoccupied bands of the sample that otherwise might remain hidden by the photoemission horizon. We propose this as a complementary ultrafast method to time- and angle-resolved two-color, e.g. infrared pump and extreme ultraviolet probe, photoemission spectroscopy, with the advantage of being able to measure and control the coherent electron dynamics.