bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Is Vocabulary Learnt? An Acquisitional Sequence of L2 Word Knowledge
Authors: González‐Fernández Beatriz
Published: July 2024

Second language acquisition (SLA) researchers have long searched for patterning in the development of linguistic elements (e.g., grammar and morphology). However, little attention has been given to the examination of systematicity in vocabulary acquisition, limiting our understanding about how overall vocabulary is learnt. The current study investigates L2 learners' lexical knowledge to explore whether there exists a consistent sequence in the acquisition of vocabulary components in second languages. Written form/meaning‐recall and written form/meaning‐recognition knowledge of four word‐knowledge components (form–meaning, collocations, multiple‐meanings, and derivatives) was assessed on 314 EFL learners from two distinct L1 backgrounds (Chinese and Spanish). Implicational and Mokken scaling analyses revealed a reliable hierarchy of knowledge of vocabulary aspects where recognition knowledge preceded recall knowledge across all components. The scale remained constant across the learner groups when explored independently (using an 80% accuracy threshold) and collectively (under both 75% and 80% accuracy thresholds). This finding indicates that the various aspects of word knowledge seem to be learnt incrementally in a consistent order by EFL learners, regardless of their L1. The study offers an empirically supported framework of word‐knowledge acquisition that improves our current understanding of L2 lexical development and can serve as guidance to further systematize vocabulary instruction in the EFL classroom.
Enhancing Young Learners’ Peer Collaboration: Pedagogical Ideas for Language Teachers
Authors: Kos Tomáš
Published: July 2024

An increasing body of research has explored patterns of interaction and peer support among young learners. Although some studies suggest that young learners can engage in collaboration when interacting on tasks, other studies indicate the opposite. Moreover, despite the claims that peer collaboration is conducive to learning, studies have not paid enough attention to the “how” to enhance peer collaboration on tasks. This article proposes that enhancing peer collaboration is a powerful pedagogical tool that promotes communication among peers and mutual support, thus positively affecting learners' performance during classroom work. At the heart of the article, it discusses some practical pedagogical ideas for teachers which focus on teaching collaborative principles and strategies during classroom work. Although it pays particular attention to the context of primary school English foreign language teaching, its content may also be relevant to primary school teachers of other foreign and second languages.
An experimental study on jute/banana fiber reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) composites with nanofiller
Authors: Tasnim Tasfia , Rabbi M. S. , Adil Md. Mahmudul , Hasib Md. Abdul
Published: July 2024

The incorporation of nanoparticles into natural fiber composites has the potential to alter the characteristics of natural fiber composites. In this study, various properties of jute and banana fiber reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composites with different nanofillers incorporation were investigated. Samples were prepared using the vacuum bagging technique. Inorganic nanoparticles (Al2O3, ZnO, MgO, CuO, and TiO2) were synthesized using a ball milling machine and in each sample, 3 wt.% of nanofillers were incorporated. The maximum ultimate tensile strength and elongation percentage is found for TiO2, which is 90.433% higher than pure PVA whereas MgO incorporated samples provides maximum flexural strength, which is 162.59% higher than PVA. The sample with Al2O3 provides strongest impact resistance, 17.3 J/cm2. It was found that the decomposition temperatures were slightly higher for MgO and CuO doping than the undoped PVA composite. The FT‐IR spectra exhibited notable hydroxyl groups and minor shifts indicating a reduction in hydrophilicity upon the introduction of nanoparticles. The water absorption exhibited a reduction of up to 36% in conjunction with an increase in density across all samples. The highest crystallinity is found for CuO nanofiller composite, validated by x‐ray diffraction analysis. Additionally, morphological changes in the composites were seen through scanning electron microscopy and EDX shows a strong peak at 2.1 keV indicate some impurities present in the samples.

Highlights

Jute/banana/PVA composites were prepared with 3 wt% nanoparticles incorporation.

Metal oxides such as Al2O3, ZnO, MgO, CuO, and TiO2 were used as nanoparticle.

The use of nanoparticle improved the tensile, flexural, and impact properties.

Decomposition temperatures were found higher for MgO and CuO incorporated composites.

Upon nanoparticle incorporation, water absorption exhibited a reduction of upto 36%.
Are survey stock price forecasts anchored by fundamental forecasts? A long-run perspective
Authors: Kuang Pei , Tang Li , Zhang Renbin , Zhang Tongbin
Published: July 2024

This paper firstly shows that a wide range of asset pricing models, including full information and Bayesian rational expectations models, typically imply that agents use the long-run cointegration relationship between stock prices and fundamentals to forecast future stock prices. However, using several widely used survey forecast datasets, we provide robust new evidence that survey forecasts of aggregate stock price indices are not cointegrated with forecasts of fundamentals (aggregate consumption, dividend, and output), both at the consensus and individual level. We argue that it is crucial to relax investors’ common knowledge of the equilibrium pricing function to reconcile this finding.
Bilevel Optimization of the Kantorovich Problem and Its Quadratic Regularization
Authors: Hillbrecht Sebastian , Manns Paul , Meyer Christian
Published: July 2024

This paper is concerned with an optimization problem which is governed by the Kantorovich problem of optimal transport. More precisely, we consider a bilevel optimization problem with the underlying problem being the Kantorovich problem. This task can be reformulated as a mathematical problem with complementarity constraints in the space of regular Borel measures. Because of the non-smoothness that is induced by the complementarity constraints, problems of this type are often regularized, e.g., by an entropic regularization. However, in this paper we apply a quadratic regularization to the Kantorovich problem. By doing so, we are able to drastically reduce its dimension while preserving the sparsity structure of the optimal transportation plan as much as possible. As the title indicates, this is the second part in a series of three papers. While the existence of optimal solutions to both the bilevel Kantorovich problem and its regularized counterpart were shown in the first part, this paper deals with the (weak-$$*$$

∗

) convergence of solutions to the regularized bilevel problem to solutions of the original bilevel Kantorovich problem for vanishing regularization parameters.
Light-mediated biosynthesis of size-tuned silver nanoparticles using Saccharomyces cerevisiae extract
Authors: Colleselli Lucia , Mutschlechner Mira , Spruck Martin , Albrecht Florian , Strube Oliver I. , Vrabl Pamela , Zeilinger Susanne , Schöbel Harald
Published: July 2024

Bio-based production of silver nanoparticles represents a sustainable alternative to commercially applied physicochemical manufacturing approaches and provides qualitatively highly valuable nanomaterials due to their narrow size dispersity, high stability and biocompatibility with broad application potentials. The intrinsic features of nanoparticles depend on size and shape, whereby the controlled synthesis is a challenging necessity. In the present study, the biosynthesis of size-tuned silver nanoparticles based on cell-free extracts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae DSM 1333 was investigated. Single parameter optimization strategies in phases of cultivation, extraction, and synthesis were performed to modify the nanoparticle scale and yield. Visible light was exploited as a tool in nanoparticle production. The influence of white light on the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles was determined by using novel LED systems with the exposition of varying irradiation intensities and simultaneous performance of control experiments in the dark. Characterization of the resulting nanomaterials by spectrophotometric analysis, dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, revealed spherical silver nanoparticles with controlled, light-mediated size shifts in markedly increased quantities. Matching of irradiated and non-irradiated reaction mixtures mirrored the enormous functionality of photon input and the high sensitivity of the biosynthesis process. The silver nanoparticle yields increased by more than 90% with irradiation at $$1.0 \pm 0.2\text{ mW }{\text{cm}}^{-2}$$

1.0
±
0.2

mW

cm

-
2

and the reduction of particle dimensions was achieved with significant shifts of size-specific absorption maxima from 440 to 410 nm, corresponding to particle sizes of 130 nm and 100 nm, respectively. White light emerged as an excellent tool for nano-manufacturing with advantageous effects for modulating unique particle properties.

Graphical abstract
Why do young men not seek help for affective mental health issues? A systematic review of perceived barriers and facilitators among adolescent boys and young men
Authors: Sheikh Ayesha , Payne-Cook Chloe , Lisk Stephen , Carter Ben , Brown June S. L.
Published: July 2024

Men are less likely to seek help for their mental health than women, but less is known about the specific patterns of help-seeking in adolescent boys and young men. This is concerning as adolescent boys and young men have high suicide rates but a low take-up of services. It is therefore of particular importance that the access needs of this group are understood. This review sought to identify the barriers and facilitators faced by adolescent boys and young men in help-seeking for affective mental health disorders. A search of the PubMed, APA PsycInfo, and Cochrane databases identified 3961 articles, of which 12 met the inclusion criteria. Six of the studies were qualitative, five were quantitative and one used mixed methods. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed the quality of the articles. Five key themes were identified, including the impact of social norms, with the subthemes of conformity to masculine norms and self-stigma, limited availability of information about mental health, and ‘male-friendly’ mental health literacy campaigns. Other themes referred to the help-seeking preferences of adolescent boys and young men, in terms of informal or formal and online or offline help-seeking. Some of the factors were well-researched (e.g., conformity to masculine norms as a barrier) whereas other factors (e.g., self-compassion as a facilitator) were less researched. These barriers and facilitators need to be considered in the development of future strategies to improve the help-seeking behaviour of adolescent boys and young men.
A quantitative analysis of the security of PoW-based blockchains
Authors: Alharby Maher , Alssaiari Ali , Alateef Saad , Thomas Nigel , Moorsel Aad van
Published: July 2024

This study analyzes the security implications of Proof-of-Work blockchains with respect to the stale block rate and the lack of a block verification process. The stale block rate is a crucial security metric that quantifies the proportion of rejected blocks in the blockchain network. The absence of a block verification process represents another critical security concern, as it permits the potential for invalid transactions within the network. In this article, we propose and implement a quantitative and analytical model to capture the primary operations of Proof-of-Work blockchains utilizing the Performance Evaluation Process Algebra. The proposed model can assist blockchain designers, architects, and analysts in achieving the ideal security level for blockchain systems by determining the proper network and consensus settings. We conduct extensive experiments to determine the sensitivity of security to four aspects: the number of active miners and their mining hash rates, the duration between blocks, the latency in block propagation, and the time required for block verification, all of which have been shown to influence the outcomes. We contribute to the findings of the existing research by conducting the first analysis of how the number of miners affects the frequency of stale block results, as well as how the delay in block propagation influences the incentives received by rational miners who choose to avoid the block verification process.
A pedagogy for the end of the world: teaching environmental health and justice in a sacrifice zone
Authors: Alkon Alison Hope
Published: July 2024

This article describes pedagogical changes that I have made to my Environmental Justice class at the University of the Pacific in response to increasingly crisis conditions with regard to both climate change and higher education. Over the past 15 years, my students are increasingly low-income, first generation, and from Stockton, a so-called “sacrifice zone” with abysmal environmental health outcomes in the heart of California’s Central Valley. My increasing focus on local environmental health disparities, combined with the intensification of the climate crisis, and my decision to prioritize support for student mental health in the midst of climate anxiety, have resulted in a class that feels both connected and immersive. Students are engaging with readings and other course materials, actively participating in discussion, and pushing us further with their own questions, passions, and lived experiences. In this “post”-covid world in which student engagement has become increasingly difficult, student mental health is increasingly tenuous, and climate anxieties plague students and faculty alike, this feels extraordinary and worth sharing. This essay is a chance to reflect on why this shift has occurred, and the potential for university classes to draw working class, diverse students into environmental and climate justice movements at a time when they are so desperately needed.
Generalized Hamiltonian systems on subvarieties: constant rank case
Authors: Fukuda Takuo , Janeczko Stanislaw
Published: July 2024

For the constraint variety in symplectic manifold, the solvable Hamiltonian vector fields on the constraint are investigated. According to P.A.M. Dirac [3], the space of solvable Hamiltonian systems is determined by the geometric restriction of the symplectic form to the constraint. Solvability condition of the generalized Hamiltonian systems is extended to singular varieties and applied under some assumption on singularities. The constraint being a smooth submanifold in a symplectic space was considered in [6]. In this paper, we investigate the solvability of generalized Hamiltonian systems and the constraint invariants on singular constraints in the constant rank case.
Lattice properties of strength functions
Authors: Ramanantoanina Andriamanankasina , Titkos Tamás
Published: July 2024

This paper investigates an important functional representation of the cone of bounded positive semidefinite operators. It is known that the representation by strength functions turns the Löwner order into the pointwise order. However, very little is known about the structure of strength functions. Our main result says that the representation behaves naturally with the infimum and supremum operations. More precisely, we show that the pointwise minimum of two strength functions $$f_A$$

f
A

and $$f_B$$

f
B

is a strength function if and only if the infimum of A and B exists. This complements a recent result of L. Molnár stating that the pointwise maximum of $$f_A$$

f
A

and $$f_B$$

f
B

exists if and only if A and B are comparable, as this latter statement is equivalent to the existence of the supremum. The cornerstone of each argument in this paper is a fact that was discovered recently, namely that the strength function of the parallel sum A : B (which is half of the harmonic mean) equals the parallel sum of the strength functions $$f_A$$

f
A

and $$f_B$$

f
B

. We provide a new proof for this statement, and as a byproduct, in some special cases, we describe the strength function of the so-called (generalized) short.
Sediment Cover Modulates Landscape Erosion Patterns and Channel Steepness in Layered Rocks: Insights From the SPACE Model
Authors: Guryan G. J. , Johnson J. P. L. , Gasparini N. M.
Published: July 2024

Erosional perturbations from changes in climate or tectonics are recorded in the profiles of bedrock rivers, but these signals can be challenging to unravel in settings with non‐uniform lithology. In layered rocks, the surface lithology at a given location varies through time as erosion exposes different layers of rock. Recent modeling studies have used the Stream Power Model (SPM) to highlight complex variations in erosion rates that arise in bedrock rivers incising through layered rocks. However, these studies do not capture the effects of coarse sediment cover on channel evolution. We use the “Stream Power with Alluvium Conservation and Entrainment” (SPACE) model to explore how sediment cover influences landscape evolution and modulates the topographic expression of erodibility contrasts in horizontally layered rocks. We simulate river evolution through alternating layers of hard and soft rock over million‐year timescales with a constant and uniform uplift rate. Compared to the SPM, model runs with sediment cover have systematically higher channel steepness values in soft rock layers and lower channel steepness values in hard rock layers. As more sediment accumulates, the contrast in steepness between the two rock types decreases. Effective bedrock erodibilities back‐calculated assuming the SPM are strongly influenced by sediment cover. We also find that sediment cover can significantly increase total relief and timescales of adjustment toward landscape‐averaged steady‐state topography and erosion rates.
Machine Learning‐Based Clustering of Oceanic Lagrangian Particles: Identification of the Main Pathways of the Labrador Current
Authors: Jutras M. , Planat N. , Dufour C. O. , Talbot L. C.
Published: July 2024

Modeled geospatial Lagrangian trajectories are widely used in Earth Science, including in oceanography, atmospheric science and marine biology. The typically large size of these data sets makes them arduous to analyze, and their underlying pathways challenging to identify. Here, we show that we can use a machine learning unsupervised k‐means++ clustering method combined with expert aggregation of clusters to identify the pathways of the Labrador Current from a large set of modeled Lagrangian trajectories. The presented method requires simple pre‐processing of the data, including a Cartesian correction on longitudes and a principal component analysis reduction. The clustering is performed in a kernelized space and uses a larger number of clusters than the number of expected pathways. To identify the main pathways, similar clusters are grouped into pathway categories by experts in the circulation of the region of interest. We find that the Labrador Current mainly follows a westward‐flowing and an eastward retroflecting pathway (20% and 50% of the flow, respectively) that compensate each other through time in a see‐saw behavior. These pathways experience a strong variability (representing through time 4%–42% and 24%–73% of the flow, respectively). Two thirds of the retroflection occurs at the tip of the Grand Banks, and one quarter at Flemish Cap. The westward pathway is mostly fed by the on‐shelf branch of the Labrador Current, and the eastward pathway by the shelf‐break branch. Among the pathways of secondary importance, we identify a previously unreported one that feeds the subtropics across the Gulf Stream.
Soil Moisture‐Temperature Coupling Increases Population Exposure to Future Heatwaves
Authors: Zhou Jingwei , Teuling Adriaan J. , Seneviratne Sonia I. , Hirsch Annette L.
Published: July 2024

Heatwaves have significant effects on ecosystems and human health. Human habitability is impacted severely as human exposure to heatwaves is projected to increase, however, the contribution of soil moisture effects to the increased exposure is unknown. We use data from four climate models, in which two experiments are used to isolate soil moisture effects and in this way to examine projected changes of soil moisture contributions to projected increases in heatwave events. Contributions from soil moisture to future population exposure to heatwaves are also investigated. With soil moisture effects combined with global warming, the longest yearly heatwaves are found to increase by up to 20 days, intensify by up to 2°C in mean temperature, with an increasing of frequency by 15% (the percentage relative to the total number of days for a year) over most mid‐latitude land regions by 2040–2070 under the SSP585 high emissions scenario. Furthermore, soil moisture changes are found to have a significant role in projected increases of multiple heatwave characteristics regionally compared with the global land area and contribute to more global population exposed to heatwaves.
Deep Multimodal Learning for Seismoacoustic Fusion to Improve Earthquake‐Explosion Discrimination Within the Korean Peninsula
Authors: Ronac Giannone Miro , Arrowsmith Stephen , Park Junghyun , Stump Brian , Hayward Chris , Larson Eric , Che Il‐Young
Published: July 2024

Recent geophysical studies have highlighted the potential utility of integrating both seismic and infrasound data to improve source characterization and event discrimination efforts. However, the influence of each of these data types within an integrated framework is not yet well‐understood by the geophysical community. To help elucidate the role of each data type within a merged structure, we develop a neural network which fuses seismic and infrasound array data via a gated multimodal unit for earthquake‐explosion discrimination within the Korean Peninsula. Model performance is compared before and after adding the infrasound branch. We find that the seismoacoustic model outperforms the seismic model, with the majority of the improvements stemming from the explosions class. The influence of infrasound is quantified by analyzing gated multimodal activations. Results indicate that the model relies comparatively more on the infrasound branch to correct seismic predictions.
PHF6 suppresses self-renewal of leukemic stem cells in AML
Authors: Jalnapurkar Sapana S. , Pawar Aishwarya S. , George Subin S. , Antony Charles , Somers Patrick , Grana Jason , Feist Victoria K. , Gurbuxani Sandeep , Paralkar Vikram R.
Published: July 2024

Acute myeloid leukemia is characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of self-renewing myeloid progenitors accompanied by a differentiation arrest. PHF6 is a chromatin-binding protein mutated in myeloid leukemias, and its isolated loss increases mouse HSC self-renewal without malignant transformation. We report here that Phf6 knockout increases the aggressiveness of Hoxa9-driven AML over serial transplantation, and increases the frequency of leukemia initiating cells. We define the in vivo hierarchy of Hoxa9-driven AML and identify a population that we term the “LIC-e” (leukemia initiating cells enriched) population. We find that Phf6 loss expands the LIC-e population and skews its transcriptome to a more stem-like state; concordant transcriptome shifts are also observed on PHF6 knockout in a human AML cell line and in PHF6 mutant patient samples from the BEAT AML dataset. We demonstrate that LIC-e accumulation in Phf6 knockout AML occurs not due to effects on cell cycle or apoptosis, but due to an increase in the fraction of its progeny that retain LIC-e identity. Our work indicates that Phf6 loss increases AML self-renewal through context-specific effects on leukemia stem cells.
Highly selective urea electrooxidation coupled with efficient hydrogen evolution
Authors: Zhan Guangming , Hu Lufa , Li Hao , Dai Jie , Zhao Long , Zheng Qian , Zou Xingyue , Shi Yanbiao , Wang Jiaxian , Hou Wei , Yao Yancai , Zhang Lizhi
Published: July 2024

Electrochemical urea oxidation offers a sustainable avenue for H2 production and wastewater denitrification within the water-energy nexus; however, its wide application is limited by detrimental cyanate or nitrite production instead of innocuous N2. Herein we demonstrate that atomically isolated asymmetric Ni–O–Ti sites on Ti foam anode achieve a N2 selectivity of 99%, surpassing the connected symmetric Ni–O–Ni counterparts in documented Ni-based electrocatalysts with N2 selectivity below 55%, and also deliver a H2 evolution rate of 22.0 mL h–1 when coupled to a Pt counter cathode under 213 mA cm–2 at 1.40 VRHE. These asymmetric sites, featuring oxygenophilic Ti adjacent to Ni, favor interaction with the carbonyl over amino groups in urea, thus preventing premature resonant C⎓N bond breakage before intramolecular N–N coupling towards N2 evolution. A prototype device powered by a commercial Si photovoltaic cell is further developed for solar-powered on-site urine processing and decentralized H2 production.
Exploring superionic conduction in lithium oxyhalide solid electrolytes considering composition and structural factors
Authors: Hussain Fiaz , Zhu Jinlong , Zhao Yusheng , Xia Wei
Published: July 2024

Lithium (Li) oxyhalides have emerged as promising solid electrolyte candidates for all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) due to their superior ionic conductivity and excellent cathode capability. However, the mechanism of Li transport in oxyhalides has remained unclear due to the complex nature of these compounds, which often comprise multiple phases such as crystalline and amorphous structures. Herein, a first-principles study using density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamic simulation is performed to gain a theoretical insight into the structural behavior and conduction pathway in oxyhalide electrolytes. Li2.5ZrCl5.5O0.5 electrolyte, as a case of study, is comprehensively investigated by considering various phases. It’s revealed that the $${\rm{P}}\bar{3}{\rm{m}}1$$

P

3

̅

m
1

phase is energetically more stable and exhibits one order of magnitude higher Li conductivity compared to the C2/m phase among potential crystalline phases (1.63 mS cm−1 versus 0.24 mS cm−1 at room temperature). Interestingly, an amorphous phase with even higher ionic conductivity (~40 mS cm−1) can be generated by creating LiCl-deficient Li-Zr-O-Cl compounds. The remarkably high ionic conductivity suggests that the amorphous structure is likely the dominant conducting pathway, facilitating fast Li transport due the weak bonding between Li and other atoms. Cl anion mobility is also observed in the amorphous phase through mean square displacement (MSD) calculation, although further analyses revealed this to be localized vibration. This study sheds light on the nature of oxychloride structures and promotes a deeper understanding of the superionic conduction mechanism in oxychlorides, which will contribute to the development of advanced solid electrolytes and ASSBs.
Multivariate associations between neuroanatomy and cognition in unmedicated and medicated individuals with schizophrenia
Authors: Zhao Qiannan , Gao Ziyang , Yu Wei , Xiao Yuan , Hu Na , Wei Xia , Tao Bo , Zhu Fei , Li Siyi , Lui Su
Published: July 2024

Previous studies that focused on univariate correlations between neuroanatomy and cognition in schizophrenia identified some inconsistent findings. Moreover, antipsychotic medication may impact the brain-behavior profiles in affected individuals. It remains unclear whether unmedicated and medicated individuals with schizophrenia would share common neuroanatomy-cognition associations. Therefore, we aimed to investigate multivariate neuroanatomy-cognition relationships in both groups. A sample of 59 drug-naïve individuals with first-episode schizophrenia (FES) and a sample of 115 antipsychotic-treated individuals with schizophrenia were finally included. Multivariate modeling was conducted in the two patient samples between multiple cognitive domains and neuroanatomic features, such as cortical thickness (CT), cortical surface area (CSA), and subcortical volume (SV). We observed distinct multivariate correlational patterns between the two samples of individuals with schizophrenia. In the FES sample, better performance in token motor, symbol coding, and verbal fluency tests was associated with greater thalamic volumes but lower CT in the prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices. Two significant multivariate correlations were identified in antipsychotic-treated individuals: 1) worse verbal memory performance was related to smaller volumes for the most subcortical structures and smaller CSA mainly in the temporal regions and inferior parietal lobule; 2) a lower symbol coding test score was correlated with smaller CSA in the right parahippocampal gyrus but greater volume in the right caudate. These multivariate patterns were sample-specific and not confounded by imaging quality, illness duration, antipsychotic dose, or psychopathological symptoms. Our findings may help to understand the neurobiological basis of cognitive impairments and the development of cognition-targeted interventions.
Association between self-reported and objectively assessed physical functioning in the general population
Authors: Moser Nicola , Sahiti Floran , Gelbrich Götz , Cejka Vladimir , Kerwagen Fabian , Albert Judith , Frantz Stefan , Heuschmann Peter U. , Störk Stefan , Morbach Caroline
Published: July 2024

Knowledge about a patient’s physical fitness can aid in medical decision-making, but objective assessment can be challenging and time-consuming. We aimed to investigate the concordance of self-reported health status and physical functioning with the 6 minute walking distance (6MWD) as objective measure of physical performance. The prospective characteristics and course of heart failure stages A/B and determinants of progression (STAAB) cohort study iteratively follows a representative sample of residents of the city of Würzburg, Germany, aged 30–79 years, without a history of heart failure (HF). The 6MWD was measured in 2752 individuals (aged 58 ± 11 years, 51% women) from a population-based cohort under strictly standardized conditions. Self-reported health status and physical functioning were assessed from items of the short form 36 (SF-36). After the respective classification of self-reported health status and physical functioning into ‘good’, ‘moderate’, and ‘poor’, we determined the association of these categories with 6MWD by applying a generalized linear model adjusted for age and sex. Prevalence of self-reported good/moderate/poor general health and physical functioning was 41/52/7% and 45/48/7%, respectively. Mean 6MWD in the respective categories was 574 ± 70/534 ± 76/510 ± 87 m, and 574 ± 72/534 ± 73/490 ± 82 m, with significant sex-specific differences between all categories (all p < 0.001) as well as significant differences between the respective groups except for the categories ‘moderate’ and ‘poor’ health status in men. This cross-sectional analysis revealed a strong association between self-reported health status and physical functioning with the objective assessment of 6MWD, suggesting that physicians can rely on their patients’ respective answers. Nevertheless, sex-specific perception and attribution of general health and physical functioning deserve further in-depth investigation. Decision-making based on self-reported health requires prospective evaluation in population-based cohorts as well as adult inpatients.
The association between family doctor contract services and the health of middle-aged and older people in China: an instrumental variables analysis
Authors: Zhang Weile , Su Min , Li Dongxu , Yang Fan , Li Zhengrong
Published: July 2024

Previous research on the association between Family Doctor Contract Services (FDCS) and health has only considered a single indicator of health and has not considered the endogeneity of independent variables. This study aimed to evaluate the association from a multidimensional perspective of the health of middle-aged and older people using the instrumental variables method and determine the underlying mechanisms. Using data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study surveys, a total of 19,438 sample was obtained. Health was measured by health related-quality of life (HR-QoL), subjective well-being, and cognitive function. The instrumental variables method was used to estimate the association. Mediation analysis was employed to analyze the underlying mechanisms. The results of the instrumental variables method showed a correlation between FDCS and health, such as HR-QoL (η = 33.714, p < 0.01), subjective well-being (η = 1.106, p < 0.05), and cognitive function (η = 4.133, p < 0.05). However, we found no evidence that FDCS improved physical health. We also identified reduced utilization of healthcare services and increased social activities as mediators of the effect of FDCS on health. The Chinese government should improve incentive-based initiatives to improve the quality of FDCS. Moreover, more attention needs to be paid to the multidimensional health of middle-aged and older people, especially vulnerable groups, such as older individuals and those in rural areas.
State-of-the-art sleep arousal detection evaluated on a comprehensive clinical dataset
Authors: Ehrlich Franz , Sehr Tony , Brandt Moritz , Schmidt Martin , Malberg Hagen , Sedlmayr Martin , Goldammer Miriam
Published: July 2024

Aiming to apply automatic arousal detection to support sleep laboratories, we evaluated an optimized, state-of-the-art approach using data from daily work in our university hospital sleep laboratory. Therefore, a machine learning algorithm was trained and evaluated on 3423 polysomnograms of people with various sleep disorders. The model architecture is a U-net that accepts 50 Hz signals as input. We compared this algorithm with models trained on publicly available datasets, and evaluated these models using our clinical dataset, particularly with regard to the effects of different sleep disorders. In an effort to evaluate clinical relevance, we designed a metric based on the error of the predicted arousal index. Our models achieve an area under the precision recall curve (AUPRC) of up to 0.83 and F1 scores of up to 0.81. The model trained on our data showed no age or gender bias and no significant negative effect regarding sleep disorders on model performance compared to healthy sleep. In contrast, models trained on public datasets showed a small to moderate negative effect (calculated using Cohen's d) of sleep disorders on model performance. Therefore, we conclude that state-of-the-art arousal detection on our clinical data is possible with our model architecture. Thus, our results support the general recommendation to use a clinical dataset for training if the model is to be applied to clinical data.
Early oxidative stress and DNA damage in Aβ-burdened hippocampal neurons in an Alzheimer’s-like transgenic rat model
Authors: Foret Morgan K. , Orciani Chiara , Welikovitch Lindsay A. , Huang Chunwei , Cuello A. Claudio , Do Carmo Sonia
Published: July 2024

Oxidative stress is a key contributor to AD pathology. However, the earliest role of pre-plaque neuronal oxidative stress, remains elusive. Using laser microdissected hippocampal neurons extracted from McGill-R-Thy1-APP transgenic rats we found that intraneuronal amyloid beta (iAβ)-burdened neurons had increased expression of genes related to oxidative stress and DNA damage responses including Ercc2, Fancc, Sod2, Gsr, and Idh1. DNA damage was further evidenced by increased neuronal levels of XPD (Ercc2) and γH2AX foci, indicative of DNA double stranded breaks (DSBs), and by increased expression of Ercc6, Rad51, and Fen1, and decreased Sirt6 in hippocampal homogenates. We also found increased expression of synaptic plasticity genes (Grin2b (NR2B), CamkIIα, Bdnf, c-fos, and Homer1A) and increased protein levels of TOP2β. Our findings indicate that early accumulation of iAβ, prior to Aβ plaques, is accompanied by incipient oxidative stress and DSBs that may arise directly from oxidative stress or from maladaptive synaptic plasticity.
Reduced risk for Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection observed in older adults with hybrid immunity
Authors: Pallett Scott J C , Heskin Jospeh , Keating Fergus , Tuck Jeremy , Mazzella Andrea , Randell Paul , Rayment Micahel , Jones Rachael , Mughal Nabeela , Davies Gary W , O’Shea Matthew K , Moore Luke S P
Published: July 2024

Background

Hybrid SARS-CoV-2 immunity may provide longer duration protection against severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalisation than purely vaccine-derived immunity. Older adults represent a high-risk group for severe disease, yet available data is skewed towards younger adults.

Methods

A prospective longitudinal study at a large London long-term care facility (LTCF) was conducted from March 2020 to April 2022 to assess the effect of hybrid versus vaccine-only immunity on SARS-CoV-2 infection in older adults during Omicron variant dominance. Hybrid immunity was assessed by a combination of SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction testing weekly (asymptomatic screening) and as required (symptomatic testing), as well as serial SARS-CoV-2 serology.

Results

280 participants (median age 82 yrs, IQR 76–88 yrs; 95.4% male) were followed up. 168/280 (60%) had evidence of hybrid immunity prior to the Omicron variant wave. Participants with hybrid immunity had substantially lower odds of acquiring COVID-19 infection during the Omicron wave compared to those with vaccine-only immunity (unadjusted odds ratio 0.26, 95% CI 0.14–0.47, chi-squared P < .0001). Participants with hybrid immunity had an odds ratio of 0.40 (0.19–0.79) for asymptomatic infection and 0.15 (0.06–0.34) for symptomatic infection (Likelihood ratio test, P < .0001).

Discussion

Our data highlight potential opportunities to target ongoing booster vaccination campaigns for those most at risk of severe infection. Reporting of data in older adults will be of particular value to examine the effect of hybrid immunity as new variants continue to emerge and vaccination strategies evolve.
Examining the Stability and Predictive Utility of Across- and Within-Domain Intra-Individual Variability in Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: DesRuisseaux Libby A , Guevara Jasmin E , Duff Kevin
Published: July 2024

Objective

Dispersion is a form of intra-individual variability across neuropsychological tests that has been shown to predict cognitive decline. However, few studies have investigated the stability and predictive utility of both across- and within-domain dispersion. The current study aims to fill these gaps in the literature by examining multiple indices of dispersion in a longitudinal clinical sample of individuals diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at baseline.

Method

Two hundred thirty-eight MCI patients from a cognitive disorders clinic underwent testing at baseline and after approximately 1.5 years. Linear regression was used to examine whether baseline across- and within-domain dispersion predicted cognitive decline in individuals whose diagnostic classification progressed to dementia (i.e., MCI-Decline) and those who retained an MCI diagnosis at follow-up (i.e., MCI-Stable). Cognitive decline was operationalized dichotomously using group status and continuously using standardized regression-based (SRB) z-scores.

Results

Dispersion variables at baseline and follow-up were positively correlated in both groups, with the exception of within-domain executive functioning and language dispersion in the MCI-Decline group. None of the dispersion variables predicted diagnostic conversion to MCI. Using SRB z-scores, greater across-domain dispersion predicted greater overall cognitive decline at follow-up, but this was not the case for within-domain variables with the exception of visuospatial skills.

Conclusions

Results suggest that across- and within-domain dispersion are relatively stable across time, and that across-domain dispersion is predictive of subtle cognitive decline in patients with MCI. However, these results also highlight that findings may differ based on the tests included in dispersion calculations.
Evaluation of antifungal activity of cerium oxide nanoparticles and associated cellular responses
Authors: Nishino Shunsuke , Oiki Sayoko , Yamana Yoshimasa , Hagiwara Daisuke
Published: July 2024

Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles, as a metal oxide nanomaterial, are increasingly used for various industrial and biomedical applications. Although their cytotoxicity to bacteria and the associated mechanisms have attracted particular attention, the mechanisms behind their antifungal effects have remained unclear. This study investigated the antifungal properties of CeO2, focusing on Aspergillus oryzae. CeO2 inhibited fungal spore germination on solid substrates, and the effect was fungistatic rather than fungicidal. CeO2 inhibited fungal growth, especially under UV irradiation, and induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Tocopherol reduced the intracellular ROS levels and the growth-inhibitory effects of CeO2, suggesting that ROS are involved in these growth-inhibitory effects. Transcriptomic analysis revealed upregulated expression of genes related to phospholipases and phosphate metabolism. CeO2 affected phosphate ion concentration in the medium, potentially influencing cellular responses. This research provided valuable insights into the antifungal effects of CeO2 application, which differ from those of conventional photocatalysts like TiO2.
Coffee consumption during pregnancy increases the risk of preeclampsia in rats by inhibiting 2-methoxyestradiol production
Authors: Chen Linyan , Wu Xiyuan , Wang Pan
Published: July 2024

Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific disease that causes maternal symptoms such as high blood pressure and adverse pregnancy outcomes. 2-methoxyestradiol (2-MeO-E2), an endogenous metabolite of 17β-estradiol (E2) formed by catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), plays an important role in pregnancy. Our earlier studies have shown that polyphenols present in coffee can inhibit COMT activity, which may inhibit the formation of 2-MeO-E2 and contribute to PE. Therefore, the current study aims to investigate the possible effect and mechanism of coffee intake during pregnancy on PE in rats. Coffee is administered with or without the co-treatment of 2-MeO-E2 to pregnant rats from the10th to the18th day of pregnancy. The results show that pregnant rats with coffee intake had prominent fetal growth restriction, hypertension, and proteinuria, which can be ameliorated by co-treatment of 2-MeO-E2. In addition, coffee treatment leads to significantly decreased serum 2-MeO-E2. Therefore, the PE symptoms induced by coffee treatment are probably mediated by decreased 2-MeO-E2. In sum, our findings provide a new mechanistic insight into how coffee intake could lead to increased risk of PE, and demonstrate the effectiveness of 2-MeO-E2 supplementation as a potential therapeutic agent for PE.
Macropinocytosis inhibits alkaliptosis in pancreatic cancer cells through fatty acid uptake
Authors: Chen Fangquan , Tang Hu , Lin Junhao , Xiang Limin , Lu Yanjiao , Kang Rui , Tang Daolin , Liu Jiao
Published: July 2024

Alkaliptosis, a form of regulated cell death, is characterized by lysosomal dysfunction and intracellular pH alkalinization. The pharmacological induction of alkaliptosis using the small molecule compound JTC801 has emerged as a promising anticancer strategy in various types of cancers, particularly pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In this study, we investigate a novel mechanism by which macropinocytosis, an endocytic process involving the uptake of extracellular material, promotes resistance to alkaliptosis in human PDAC cells. Through lipid metabolomics analysis and functional studies, we demonstrate that the inhibition of alkaliptosis by fatty acids, such as oleic acid, is not dependent on endogenous synthetic pathways but rather on exogenous uptake facilitated by macropinocytosis. Consequently, targeting macropinocytosis through pharmacological approaches (e.g. using EIPA or EHoP-016) or genetic interventions (e.g. RAC1 knockdown) effectively enhances JTC801-induced alkaliptosis in human PDAC cells. These findings provide compelling evidence that the modulation of macropinocytosis can increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to alkaliptosis inducers.
Early-onset lupus nephritis
Authors: Peyronel Francesco , Rossi Giovanni M , Palazzini Giulia , Odone Ludovica , Errichiello Carmela , Emmi Giacomo , Vaglio Augusto
Published: July 2024

Early-onset systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is a distinct clinical entity characterized by the onset of disease manifestations during childhood. Despite some similarities to patients who are diagnosed during adulthood, early-onset SLE typically displays a greater disease severity, with aggressive multiorgan involvement, lower responsiveness to classical therapies, and more frequent flares. Lupus nephritis is one of the most severe complications of SLE and represents a major risk factor for long-term morbidity and mortality, especially in children. This review focuses on the clinical and histological aspects of early-onset lupus nephritis, aiming at highlighting relevant differences with adult patients, emphasizing long-term outcomes and discussing the management of long-term complications. We also discuss monogenic lupus, a spectrum of conditions caused by single gene variants affecting the complement cascade, extracellular and intracellular nucleic acid sensing and processing, and occasionally other metabolic pathways. These monogenic forms typically develop early in life and often have clinical manifestations that resemble sporadic SLE, whereas their response to standard treatments is poor.
Marine Debris Harbor Unique, yet Functionally Similar Cryptofauna Communities
Authors: Payton Tokea G , Metzger Anna M , Childress Michael J
Published: July 2024

Synopsis

Human-made debris is entering the ocean at alarming rates. These artificial structures are becoming habitats for small marine taxa known as cryptofauna. Cryptofauna are among the most essential reef taxa; however, little is known about these organisms, let alone their fate considering degrading coral reefs and increasing anthropogenic disturbance. The current study explores differences in naturally occurring cryptofauna biodiversity compared to those inhabiting benthic marine debris. To explore this difference, we measured invertebrate diversity from autonomous reef monitoring structures (ARMS) located on patch reefs along the middle Florida Keys reef tract. ARMS were used as a proxy for natural structure to compare to marine debris removed from five reef locations. Plastic debris was the most abundant of all the debris material collected. Wood and concrete were identified as covariates since they are sourced from wooden lobster traps. Taxa diversity varied significantly between ARMS and debris, indicating that each structural unit contained significantly different and diverse communities. The most influential taxa identified included commensal shrimps, hermit crabs, brittle stars, segmented worms, and several families of crabs. Additionally, while functional richness increased with taxa richness for ARMS communities, debris communities showed decreasing functional richness and high functional similarity, suggesting a specialization of debris-specific taxa. Overall, these data assist in better understanding of the marine community ecology surrounding anthropogenic marine debris for future debris removal and management practices for comprehensive reef health.