bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting MFAP5 in cancer-associated fibroblasts sensitizes pancreatic cancer to PD-L1-based immunochemotherapy via remodeling the matrix
Authors: Duan Yi , Zhang Xiaozhen , Ying Honggang , Xu Jian , Yang Hanshen , Sun Kang , He Lihong , Li Muchun , Ji Yongtao , Liang Tingbo , Bai Xueli
Published: May 2023

Highly desmoplastic and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) contributes to tumor progression and resistance to current therapies. Clues targeting the notorious stromal environment have offered hope for improving therapeutic response whereas the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we find that prognostic microfibril associated protein 5 (MFAP5) is involved in activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Inhibition of MFAP5highCAFs shows synergistic effect with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy and PD-L1-based immunotherapy. Mechanistically, MFAP5 deficiency in CAFs downregulates HAS2 and CXCL10 via MFAP5/RCN2/ERK/STAT1 axis, leading to angiogenesis, hyaluronic acid (HA) and collagens deposition reduction, cytotoxic T cells infiltration, and tumor cells apoptosis. Additionally, in vivo blockade of CXCL10 with AMG487 could partially reverse the pro-tumor effect from MFAP5 overexpression in CAFs and synergize with anti-PD-L1 antibody to enhance the immunotherapeutic effect. Therefore, targeting MFAP5highCAFs might be a potential adjuvant therapy to enhance the immunochemotherapy effect in PDAC via remodeling the desmoplastic and immunosuppressive microenvironment.
Should a matched sibling donor still be considered the primary option for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in patients over 50 years of age with myelodysplastic syndrome?
Authors: Konuma Takaaki , Itonaga Hidehiro , Ishiyama Ken , Doki Noriko , Uchida Naoyuki , Sawa Masashi , Katayama Yuta , Tanaka Masatsugu , Ueda Yasunori , Onizuka Makoto , Miyakoshi Shigesaburo , Ozawa Yukiyasu , Fukuda Takahiro , Matsuoka Ken-ichi , Tanaka Junji , Kimura Takafumi , Ichinohe Tatsuo , Atsuta Yoshiko
Published: May 2023

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling donors (MSDs) are the preferred choice for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). However, as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is most frequently diagnosed in the elderly, MSDs are also likely to be of advanced age. It is unclear whether an MSD should be considered the primary choice for allogeneic HCT in elderly patients with MDS. We retrospectively compared survival and other outcomes in 1787 patients with MDS over 50 years of age and receiving allogeneic HCT between 2014 and 2020, using either MSD (n = 214), 8/8 allele-matched unrelated donor (MUD) (n = 562), 7/8 allele-MUD (n = 334), or unrelated cord blood (UCB) (n = 677) in Japan. In multivariate analysis, compared to MSD transplants, the risk of relapse was significantly lower following 8/8MUD transplants (hazard ratio [HR], 0.74; P = 0.047), whereas non-relapse mortality was significantly higher following UCB transplants (HR, 1.43; P = 0.041). However, donor type did not determine overall survival, disease-free survival, or graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)-free, relapse-free survival, but chronic GVHD-free, relapse-free survival was better after UCB (HR, 0.80; P = 0.025) and 8/8MUD (HR, 0.81; P = 0.032) compared to MSD transplants. Our study demonstrated that MSDs are not superior to alternative HCT methods, such as 8/8MUD, 7/8MUD, or UCB, in this population.
Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor dosing frequency and visual outcomes in macular oedema following branch retinal vein occlusion
Authors: Modi Yasha S. , Goduni Lediana , Moini Hadi , Gibson Andrea , Boucher Nick , Lucas Genevieve , Dhoot Dilsher S.
Published: May 2023

Objectives

To determine the relationship between treatment frequency with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents and visual acuity (VA) outcomes in eyes with macular oedema (MO) secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) in US clinical practice.

Methods

Study eyes that initiated anti-VEGF injections between January 2012 and May 2016 were followed for ≥1 year in a retrospective analysis of medical records (Vestrum Health database). Eyes were analysed in 2 cohorts by treatment duration (years 1 and 2) and then in 2 subcohorts by injection frequency (≤6 or ≥7 injections/year).

Results

Among 3099 eyes with MO secondary to BRVO, 1197 (38.6%) received ≤6 injections (mean injections, 4.6; baseline mean VA, 53 letters) and 1902 (61.4%) received ≥7 injections through 1 year (mean injections, 8.8; baseline mean VA, 52 letters). At year 1, mean VA gain from baseline was 10.4 versus 13.9 letters in eyes receiving ≤6 versus ≥7 injections (p < 0.001). At year 2, mean VA in eyes receiving ≤6 (n = 42) versus ≥7 injections (n = 227) was 64 versus 68 letters, respectively (p = 0.19). Mean VA change between the start and end of year 2 in eyes receiving ≥7 injections in year 1 and ≤6 in year 2 differed significantly from that of eyes receiving ≥7 injections in both years (–3.0 vs 0.7 letters, respectively; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

In routine clinical practice, more frequent dosing with anti-VEGF agents was associated with greater visual benefits in eyes with MO secondary to BRVO.
An mRNA processing pathway suppresses metastasis by governing translational control from the nucleus
Authors: Navickas Albertas , Asgharian Hosseinali , Winkler Juliane , Fish Lisa , Garcia Kristle , Markett Daniel , Dodel Martin , Culbertson Bruce , Miglani Sohit , Joshi Tanvi , Yin Keyi , Nguyen Phi , Zhang Steven , Stevers Nicholas , Hwang Hun-Way , Mardakheh Faraz , Goga Andrei , Goodarzi Hani
Published: May 2023

Cancer cells often co-opt post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms to achieve pathologic expression of gene networks that drive metastasis. Translational control is a major regulatory hub in oncogenesis; however, its effects on cancer progression remain poorly understood. Here, to address this, we used ribosome profiling to compare genome-wide translation efficiencies of poorly and highly metastatic breast cancer cells and patient-derived xenografts. We developed dedicated regression-based methods to analyse ribosome profiling and alternative polyadenylation data, and identified heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C (HNRNPC) as a translational controller of a specific mRNA regulon. We found that HNRNPC is downregulated in highly metastatic cells, which causes HNRNPC-bound mRNAs to undergo 3′ untranslated region lengthening and, subsequently, translational repression. We showed that modulating HNRNPC expression impacts the metastatic capacity of breast cancer cells in xenograft mouse models. In addition, the reduced expression of HNRNPC and its regulon is associated with the worse prognosis in breast cancer patient cohorts.
Multimodal spatiotemporal phenotyping of human retinal organoid development
Authors: Wahle Philipp , Brancati Giovanna , Harmel Christoph , He Zhisong , Gut Gabriele , del Castillo Jacobo Sarabia , Xavier da Silveira dos Santos Aline , Yu Qianhui , Noser Pascal , Fleck Jonas Simon , Gjeta Bruno , Pavlinić Dinko , Picelli Simone , Hess Max , Schmidt Gregor W. , Lummen Tom T. A. , Hou Yanyan , Galliker Patricia , Goldblum David , Balogh Marton , Cowan Cameron S. , Scholl Hendrik P. N. , Roska Botond , Renner Magdalena , Pelkmans Lucas , Treutlein Barbara , Camp J. Gray
Published: May 2023

Organoids generated from human pluripotent stem cells provide experimental systems to study development and disease, but quantitative measurements across different spatial scales and molecular modalities are lacking. In this study, we generated multiplexed protein maps over a retinal organoid time course and primary adult human retinal tissue. We developed a toolkit to visualize progenitor and neuron location, the spatial arrangements of extracellular and subcellular components and global patterning in each organoid and primary tissue. In addition, we generated a single-cell transcriptome and chromatin accessibility timecourse dataset and inferred a gene regulatory network underlying organoid development. We integrated genomic data with spatially segmented nuclei into a multimodal atlas to explore organoid patterning and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) spatial neighborhoods, highlighting pathways involved in RGC cell death and showing that mosaic genetic perturbations in retinal organoids provide insight into cell fate regulation.
High-contrast en bloc staining of mouse whole-brain and human brain samples for EM-based connectomics
Authors: Song Kun , Feng Zhihui , Helmstaedter Moritz
Published: May 2023

Connectomes of human cortical gray matter require high-contrast homogeneously stained samples sized at least 2 mm on a side, and a mouse whole-brain connectome requires samples sized at least 5–10 mm on a side. Here we report en bloc staining and embedding protocols for these and other applications, removing a key obstacle for connectomic analyses at the mammalian whole-brain level.
Optimized spirooxindole-pyrazole hybrids targeting the p53-MDM2 interplay induce apoptosis and synergize with doxorubicin in A549 cells
Authors: Islam Mohammad Shahidul , Al-Majid Abdullah Mohammed , Sholkamy Essam Nageh , Barakat Assem , Viale Maurizio , Menichini Paola , Speciale Andrea , Loiacono Fabrizio , Azam Mohammad , Verma Ved Prakash , Yousuf Sammer , Teleb Mohamed
Published: May 2023

Recently, cancer research protocols have introduced clinical-stage spirooxindole-based MDM2 inhibitors. However, several studies reported tumor resistance to the treatment. This directed efforts to invest in designing various combinatorial libraries of spirooxindoles. Herein, we introduce new series of spirooxindoles via hybridization of the chemically stable core spiro[3H-indole-3,2′-pyrrolidin]-2(1H)-one and the pyrazole motif inspired by lead pyrazole-based p53 activators, the MDM2 inhibitor BI-0252 and promising molecules previously reported by our group. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the chemical identity of a representative derivative. Fifteen derivatives were screened for cytotoxic activities via MTT assay against a panel of four cancer cell lines expressing wild-type p53 (A2780, A549, HepG2) and mutant p53 (MDA-MB-453). The hits were 8h against A2780 (IC50 = 10.3 µM) and HepG2 (IC50 = 18.6 µM), 8m against A549 (IC50 = 17.7 µM), and 8k against MDA-MB-453 (IC50 = 21.4 µM). Further MTT experiments showed that 8h and 8j potentiated doxorubicin activity and reduced its IC50 by at least 25% in combinations. Western blot analysis demonstrated that 8k and 8m downmodulated MDM2 in A549 cells. Their possible binding mode with MDM2 were simulated by docking analysis.
Reduced ability to neutralize the Omicron variant among adults after infection and complete vaccination with BNT162b2, ChAdOx1, or CoronaVac and heterologous boosting
Authors: Espíndola Otávio Melo , Fuller Trevon L. , de Araújo Mia Ferreira , Tort Luis Fernando Lopez , Guaraldo Lusiele , Calvet Guilherme , Resende Paola , Bonaldo Myrna , Whitworth Jimmy , Smith Chris , Siqueira Marilda , Brasil Patrícia
Published: May 2023

COVID-19 vaccines have dramatically reduced rates of severe infection requiring hospitalization. However, SARS-CoV-2 variants have reduced vaccine effectiveness at preventing any symptomatic infection. This real-world study analyzed binding and neutralizing antibodies generated after complete vaccination and boosting across three vaccine platforms. Binding antibodies decayed most slowly in people under 60 with hybrid immunity. Neutralizing antibodies against Omicron BA.1 were reduced compared to other variants. The anamnestic anti-spike IgG response to the first boost was more pronounced than after the second boost. Monitoring of the effects of SARS-CoV-2 mutations on disease severity and the effectiveness of therapeutics is warranted.
Attribution and driving force of nitrogen losses from the Taihu Lake Basin by the InVEST and GeoDetector models
Authors: He Xinghua , Tian Jiaming , Zhang Yanqin , Zhao Zihan , Cai Zucong , Wang Yanhua
Published: May 2023

Quantifying temporal and spatial changes in reactive nitrogen (Nr) losses from a watershed and exploring its main drivers are the key to watershed water quality improvements. Huge Nr losses continue to threaten the safety of the water environment in the Taihu Lake Basin (TLB). Here, the InVEST and GeoDetector models were combined to estimate Nr losses in the TLB from 1990 to 2020 and explore driving forces. Different scenarios for Nr losses were compared, showing that Nr loss peaked at 181.66 × 103 t in 2000. The key factors affecting Nr loss are land use, followed by elevation, soil, and slope factors, and their mean q-values were 0.82, 0.52, 0.51, and 0.48, respectively. The scenario analysis revealed that Nr losses increased under the business-as-usual and economic development scenarios, while ecological conservation, increased nutrient use efficiency, and reduced nutrient application all contribute to a reduction in Nr losses. The findings provide a scientific reference for Nr loss control and future planning in the TLB.
Training a quantum measurement device to discriminate unknown non-orthogonal quantum states
Authors: Concha D. , Pereira L. , Zambrano L. , Delgado A.
Published: May 2023

Here, we study the problem of decoding information transmitted through unknown quantum states. We assume that Alice encodes an alphabet into a set of orthogonal quantum states, which are then transmitted to Bob. However, the quantum channel that mediates the transmission maps the orthogonal states into non-orthogonal states, possibly mixed. If an accurate model of the channel is unavailable, then the states received by Bob are unknown. In order to decode the transmitted information we propose to train a measurement device to achieve the smallest possible error in the discrimination process. This is achieved by supplementing the quantum channel with a classical one, which allows the transmission of information required for the training, and resorting to a noise-tolerant optimization algorithm. We demonstrate the training method in the case of minimum-error discrimination strategy and show that it achieves error probabilities very close to the optimal one. In particular, in the case of two unknown pure states, our proposal approaches the Helstrom bound. A similar result holds for a larger number of states in higher dimensions. We also show that a reduction of the search space, which is used in the training process, leads to a considerable reduction in the required resources. Finally, we apply our proposal to the case of the phase flip channel reaching an accurate value of the optimal error probability.
Age-dependent differences and similarities in the plasma proteomic signature of postoperative delirium
Authors: Oren Rachel L. , Kim Erin J. , Leonard Anna K. , Rosner Bernard , Chibnik Lori B. , Das Sudeshna , Grodstein Francine , Crosby Gregory , Culley Deborah J.
Published: May 2023

Delirium is an acute confusional state and a common postoperative morbidity. Prevalent in older adults, delirium occurs at other ages but it is unclear whether the pathophysiology and biomarkers for the condition are independent of age. We quantified expression of 273 plasma proteins involved in inflammation and cardiovascular or neurologic conditions in 34 middle-aged and 42 older patients before and one day after elective spine surgery. Delirium was identified by the 3D-CAM and comprehensive chart review. Protein expression was measure by Proximity Extension Assay and results were analyzed by logistic regression, gene set enrichment, and protein–protein interactions. Twenty-two patients developed delirium postoperatively (14 older; 8 middle-aged) and 89 proteins in pre- or 1-day postoperative plasma were associated with delirium. A few proteins (IL-8, LTBR, TNF-R2 postoperatively; IL-8, IL-6, LIF, ASGR1 by pre- to postoperative change) and 12 networks were common to delirium in both age groups. However, there were marked differences in the delirium proteome by age; older patients had many more delirium-associated proteins and pathways than middle-aged subjects even though both had the same clinical syndrome. Therefore, there are age-dependent similarities and differences in the plasma proteomic signature of postoperative delirium, which may signify age differences in pathogenesis of the syndrome.
Characterizing non-communicable disease trends in undocumented migrants over a period of 10 years in Italy
Authors: Fiorini Gianfrancesco , Franchi Matteo , Pellegrini Giacomo , Rigamonti Antonello Emilio , Sartorio Alessandro , Marazzi Nicoletta , Corrao Giovanni , Cella Silvano Gabriele
Published: May 2023

Undocumented migrants represent a large part of the population in Countries of the European Union (EU) such as Italy. Their health burden is not fully understood and likely to be related mainly to chronic conditions. Information on their health needs and conditions may help to target public health interventions but is not found in national public health databases. We conducted a retrospective observational study of non-communicable disease (NCD) burden and management in undocumented migrants receiving medical care from Opera San Francesco, a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Milan, Italy. We analyzed the health records of 53,683 clients over a period of 10 years and collected data on demographics, diagnosis and pharmacological treatments prescribed. 17,292 (32.2%) of clients had one or more NCD diagnosis. The proportion of clients suffering from at least one NCD increased from 2011 to 2020. The risk of having an NCD was lower in men than women (RR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.86–0.89), increased with age (p for trend < 0.001) and changed with ethnicity. African and Asian migrants had a lower risk than Europeans of cardiovascular diseases (RR 0.62 CI 0.58–0.67, RR 0.85 CI 0.78–0.92 respectively) and mental health disorders (RR 0.66 CI 0.61–0.71, RR 0.60 CI 0.54–0.67 respectively), while the risk was higher in Latin American people (RR 1.07 CI 1.01–1.13, RR 1.18 CI 1.11–1.25). There was a higher risk of diabetes in those from Asia and Latin America (RR 1.68 CI 1.44–1.97, RR 1.39 CI 1.21–1.60). Overall, migrants from Latin America had the greatest risk of chronic disease and this was true for diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mental health disorders. Undocumented migrants demonstrate a significantly different health burden of NCDs, which varies with ethnicity and background. Data from NGOs providing them with medical assistance should be included in structuring public health interventions aimed at the prevention and treatment of NCDs. This could help to better allocate resources and address their health needs.
Broadband and high-efficiency polarization conversion with a nano-kirigami based metasurface
Authors: Liu Xing , Zhang Xiaochen , Dong Weikang , Liang Qinghua , Ji Chang-Yin , Li Jiafang
Published: May 2023

Nano-kirigami metasurfaces have attracted increasing attention due to their ease of three-dimension (3D) nanofabrication, versatile shape transformations, appealing manipulation capabilities and rich potential applications in nanophotonic devices. Through adding an out-of-plane degree of freedom to the double split-ring resonators (DSRR) by using nano-kirigami method, in this work we demonstrate the broadband and high-efficiency linear polarization conversion in the near-infrared wavelength band. Specifically, when the two-dimensional DSRR precursors are transformed into 3D counterparts, a polarization conversion ratio (PCR) of more than 90% is realized in wide spectral range from 1160 to 2030 nm. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the high-performance and broadband PCR can be readily tailored by deliberately deforming the vertical displacement or adjusting the structural parameters. Finally, as a proof-of-concept demonstration, the proposal is successfully verified by adopting the nano-kirigami fabrication method. The studied nano-kirigami based polymorphic DSRR mimic a sequence of discrete bulk optical components with multifunction, thereby eliminating the need for their mutual alignment and opening new possibilities.
Proof of concept nanotechnological approach to in vitro targeting of malignant melanoma for enhanced immune checkpoint inhibition
Authors: Alharbi Bandar , Qanash Husam , Binsaleh Naif K. , Alharthi Salem , Elasbali Abdulbaset M. , Gharekhan Chandranil H. , Mahmoud Muhammad , Lioudakis Emmanouil , O’Leary John J. , Doherty Derek G. , Mohamed Bashir M. , Gray Steven G.
Published: May 2023

Immunotherapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, have limitations in their effective treatment of malignancies. The immunosuppressive environment associated with the tumor microenvironment may prevent the achievement of optimal outcomes for immune checkpoint inhibitors alone, and nanotechnology-based platforms for delivery of immunotherapeutic agents are increasingly being investigated for their potential to improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade therapy. In this manuscript, nanoparticles were designed with appropriate size and surface characteristics to enhance their retention of payload so that they can transmit their loaded drugs to the tumor. We aimed to enhance immune cell stimulation by a small molecule inhibitor of PD-1/PD-L1 (BMS202) using nanodiamonds (ND). Melanoma cells with different disease stages were exposed to bare NDs, BMS202-NDs or BMS202 alone for 6 h. Following this, melanoma cells were co-cultured with freshly isolated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs). The effects of this treatment combination on melanoma cells were examined on several biological parameters including cell viability, cell membrane damage, lysosomal mass/pH changes and expression of γHA2X, and caspase 3. Exposing melanoma cells to BMS202-NDs led to a stronger than normal interaction between the hPBMCs and the melanoma cells, with significant anti-proliferative effects. We therefore conclude that melanoma therapy has the potential to be enhanced by non-classical T-cell Immune responses via immune checkpoint inhibitors delivered by nanodiamonds-based nanoparticles.
Homomorphic inference of deep neural networks for zero-knowledge verification of nuclear warheads
Authors: Turturica Gabriel V. , Iancu Violeta
Published: May 2023

Disarmament treaties have been the driving force towards reducing the large nuclear stockpile assembled during the Cold War. Further efforts are built around verification protocols capable of authenticating nuclear warheads while preventing the disclosure of confidential information. This type of problem falls under the scope of zero-knowledge protocols, which aim at multiple parties agreeing on a statement without conveying any information beyond the statement itself. A protocol capable of achieving all the authentication and security requirements is still not completely formulated. Here we propose a protocol that leverages the isotopic capabilities of NRF measurements and the classification abilities of neural networks. Two key elements guarantee the security of the protocol, the implementation of the template-based approach in the network’s architecture and the use of homomorphic inference. Our results demonstrate the potential of developing zero-knowledge protocols for the verification of nuclear warheads using Siamese networks on encrypted spectral data.
Accelerometry-based assessment of physical activity and sedentary behavior in adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and their healthy peers
Authors: Vyhlídal Tomáš , Dygrýn Jan , Hrubá Jaroslava , Chmelík František
Published: May 2023

Adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ASALL) compose a specific group that faces an increased risk of experiencing late effects of their earlier treatment. Physical activity (PA) may be one of the appropriate means for preventing or minimizing the late effects of treatment. The main purpose of this study is to characterize device-measured PA and sedentary behavior (SB) among ASALL. The specific objective was to compare the movement behavior with a group recruited from the healthy population and to determine the degree of compliance with health recommendations for PA in the adult population. Twenty ASALL and 21 healthy control group (CG) members participated in the study. Participants were between 18 and 30 years old. Movement behavior was assessed for seven days using an Axivity AX3 accelerometer and a 24-h wearing protocol. Movement behavior was characterized by the amount of time spent in SB, light PA (LPA), moderate PA (MPA), and vigorous PA (VPA). There were no significant differences in movement behavior or compliance with PA recommendations between the ASALL and CG. During the week, the ASALL accumulated 711 min per day of SB vs. 636 min per day in the CG (p = 0.26); the ASALL had 186 min per day of LPA vs. 201 min per day in the CG (p = 0.47); the ASALL had 132 min per day of MPA vs. 147 min per day in the CG (p = 0.25); and the ASALL had 5 min per day of VPA vs. 4 min per day in the CG (p = 0.48). All research participants (ASALL and CG) met the PA recommendations of > 150 min per week for moderate PA. The results of our study suggest that ASALL, even after suffering from that disease in childhood, display comparable levels of PA and SB to their healthy peers. Both groups met the health recommendations for PA. The device-based monitoring of PA and SB should be an integral part of monitoring the late effects of treatment.
Nutrigonometry IV: Thales’ theorem to measure the rules of dietary compromise in animals
Authors: Morimoto Juliano
Published: May 2023

Diet specialists and generalists face a common challenge: they must regulate the intake and balance of nutrients to achieve a target diet for optimum nutrition. When optimum nutrition is unattainable, organisms must cope with dietary imbalances and trade-off surplus and deficits of nutrients that ensue. Animals achieve this through compensatory rules that dictate how to cope with nutrient imbalances, known as ‘rules of compromise’. Understanding the patterns of the rules of compromise can provide invaluable insights into animal physiology and behaviour, and shed light into the evolution of diet specialisation. However, we lack an analytical method for quantitative comparisons of the rules of compromise within and between species. Here, I present a new analytical method that uses Thales’ theorem as foundation, and that enables fast comparisons of the rules of compromise within and between species. I then apply the method on three landmark datasets to show how the method enables us to gain insights into how animals with different diet specialisation cope with nutrient imbalances. The method opens new avenues of research to understand how animals cope with nutrient imbalances in comparative nutrition.
Shark mandible evolution reveals patterns of trophic and habitat-mediated diversification
Authors: López-Romero Faviel A. , Stumpf Sebastian , Kamminga Pepijn , Böhmer Christine , Pradel Alan , Brazeau Martin D. , Kriwet Jürgen
Published: May 2023

Environmental controls of species diversity represent a central research focus in evolutionary biology. In the marine realm, sharks are widely distributed, occupying mainly higher trophic levels and varied dietary preferences, mirrored by several morphological traits and behaviours. Recent comparative phylogenetic studies revealed that sharks present a fairly uneven diversification across habitats, from reefs to deep-water. We show preliminary evidence that morphological diversification (disparity) in the feeding system (mandibles) follows these patterns, and we tested hypotheses linking these patterns to morphological specialisation. We conducted a 3D geometric morphometric analysis and phylogenetic comparative methods on 145 specimens representing 90 extant shark species using computed tomography models. We explored how rates of morphological evolution in the jaw correlate with habitat, size, diet, trophic level, and taxonomic order. Our findings show a relationship between disparity and environment, with higher rates of morphological evolution in reef and deep-water habitats. Deep-water species display highly divergent morphologies compared to other sharks. Strikingly, evolutionary rates of jaw disparity are associated with diversification in deep water, but not in reefs. The environmental heterogeneity of the offshore water column exposes the importance of this parameter as a driver of diversification at least in the early part of clade history.
Extrapolation performance improvement by quantum chemical calculations for machine-learning-based predictions of flow-synthesized binary copolymers
Authors: Takasuka Shogo , Oikawa Shunto , Yoshimura Takayoshi , Ito Sho , Harashima Yosuke , Takayama Tomoaki , Asano Shigehito , Kurosawa Akira , Sugawara Tetsunori , Hatanaka Miho , Miyao Tomoyuki , Matsubara Takamitsu , Ohnishi Yu-ya , Ajiro Hiroharu , Fujii Mikiya
Published: May 2023

The study utilized machine learning to predict highly accurate polymer properties, mainly when quantum chemical calculation values were included as variables, thus suggesting a promising tool for accelerating polymer development with new monomers.
Magnetic properties of two coordination isomeric cobalt(ii) single-ion magnets
Authors: Cui Hui-Hui , Xu Hong-Juan , Zhang Tengkun , Luo Shuchang , Tong Wei , Wang Miao , Wang Jin , Chen Lei , Tang Yanfeng
Published: May 2023

Two isomeric Co(ii)-SIMs with highly irregular six- and seven-coordinate geometries have been synthesized and fully characterized.
2-Hydroxyphenyl benzimidazoles and their boron complexes: synthesis, structure, aggregation-induced emission and picric acid sensing
Authors: Arumugam Ramar , Nayak Prakash , Dey Bijoy , Kannan Ramkumar , Venkatasubbaiah Krishnan , Chandrasekhar Vadapalli
Published: May 2023

In this work, a novel series of differently substituted 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl) benzimidazoles (L1–L6) and tetra-coordinated boron compounds (1–6) are reported along with their applications in AIE behavior and picric acid sensing.
Formation and evolution of channels and voids in gravity sedimentation of kaolin suspensions studied by MRI
Authors: Rodin Victor V. , Holmes William M.
Published: May 2023

Magnetic resonance imaging was employed for the first time to visualize the gravity sedimentation of kaolin suspensions, allowing the internal spatial distribution of kaolin during sedimentation to be investigated.
Estimation and stochastic control of nonlinear dynamic systems over the AWGN channel: Application in tele‐presence and tele‐operation of autonomous vehicles
Authors: Takloo Somayeh Dolatkhah , Farhadi Alireza , Khaki‐Sedigh Ali
Published: May 2023

This paper is concerned with tele‐presence and tele‐operation of autonomous vehicles over the Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) channel. This wireless communication channel is subject to transmission noise and transmission power constraint. An encoder, decoder and controller are proposed by implementing a novel linearization method for linearizing the nonlinear dynamic systems at operating points. For the linearized systems, the encoder, decoder and controller are implemented that were previously proposed for output tracking as well as stability of linear dynamic systems. Two novel linearization methods are proposed and their satisfactory performances are proved for output tracking as well as stability of nonlinear dynamic system. The first method is based on the fixed linearization rate and the second one is based on the variable (optimal) linearization rate. The decoder that is based on the second method is in fact the extended Kalman filter with the optimal linearization rate. The performances of these two methods are compared with each other and the other proposed methods by implementing them to the problems of the tele‐presence and tele‐operation of autonomous vehicles over the AWGN channel. Their satisfactory performances are illustrated. It is illustrated that the second method has higher computational complexity with slightly better performance and is applicable to a larger class of reference trajectories.
XMM-Newton observation of V1504 Cyg as a probe for the existence of an evaporated corona
Authors: Dobrotka A. , Ness J.-U. , Nucita A. A. , Melicherčík M.
Published: May 2023

Aims. We present an analysis of an XMM-Newton observation of the dwarf nova V1504 Cyg during the decline from an outburst. Our goal is to search for evidence of an evaporated X-ray corona. Such a corona can be understood as an optically thin and geometrically thick disc around the central part of an optically thick and geometrically thin disc.

Methods. We study the X-ray spectra of a dwarf nova using a cooling-flow model and the evolution in the amplitude of variability and power density spectra in the UV and X-ray.

Results. The X-ray (pn) count rate increases from initially around 0.03 cps to 0.17 cps, with a harder spectrum and a higher degree of variability. Meanwhile, the OM/UVW1 light curve follows a slow decline with a decreasing amplitude of variability. Next, we split the X-ray data into two segments and analysed them separately. Both were described by a cooling-flow model, while the first low-luminosity segment required an additional power-law component, suggesting the presence of a wind. A spectral fitting revealed a higher temperature for the second brighter segment. A timing analysis revealed a potential break frequency at log(f/Hz) = −3.02 during the decline towards the quiescence. This detection is in agreement with optical data from Kepler observations.

Conclusions. The X-ray nature of the break frequency supports the innermost parts of the disc as source of the variability. Moreover, a similar frequency was observed in several other cataclysmic variables. Thus, a sandwich model where a geometrically thick corona surrounds the geometrically thin disc is a plausible accretion configuration.
Pilot studies for stock enhancement of purple sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus, Lamarck, 1816): usefulness of refuges and calcein marking for the monitoring of juveniles released into the natural environment
Authors: Correia Maria João , Mega Lopes Patrícia , Santos Pedro M. , Jacinto David , Mateus David , Maresca Francesco , Quintella Bernardo Ruivo , Cruz Teresa , Lourenço Sílvia , Pombo Ana , Costa José Lino
Published: May 2023

In the framework of stock enhancement, field experiments were conducted between March and July 2021 in rocky shores of Central Portugal to test the usefulness of refuges and calcein marking for juvenile sea urchins releases. Individuals with 10–20 mm in test diameter were captured in nature and tagged through immersion in a calcein bath with a concentration of 150 mg L−1, during 48 hr. Artificial shelters were used to provide refuge and an acclimatization structure for the released sea urchins, and in situ monitoring was carried out by counting the marked specimens over three months. Results point out to the importance of using shelters to provide protection to sea urchins, and validated the efficiency of the calcein tagging protocol for in situ monitoring. Sea urchins' test diameter growth during the experiment was estimated to be 0.470 mm month−1 (SD = 0.181).
The Microorganism Investigation and Information Visualization Display in Qingliangshan Grottoes, Yan ’an
Authors: Feng Ye , Zhang Jing
Published: May 2023

There are many grottoes of the Song and Jin Dynasties in northern Shaanxi, the Qingliangshan grottoes of Yan’an is typical representatives. Due to the influence of environmental and geographical factors, the microbial of the Qingliangshan grottoes have caused the surface weathering, pollution or discoloring of cultural relics, as well as the potential dangers, which have caused some damage to the grottoes. This paper based on the investigation of harmful microbial samples on the surface of the grottoes of Qingliangshan in northern Shaanxi Province. Using microscopy and molecular biology to analyze microbial communities, Understand the influence and harm of microorganisms on grottoes, then to display and publicize with graphical information, to make readers understand the influence of microbial disasters on the grottoes and further attract people’s attention. It is form a consensus on protecting the material and cultural heritage of grottoes and promote the inheritance of traditional Chinese culture.
Triadimefon Promoted Plasmid-mediated Conjugative Transfer of Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Genes within Bacterial Genus
Authors: Wang Jiamin , Wu Qingtong , Liu Yifan , Shao Mengying
Published: May 2023

The rapid spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has been a worldwide threat to the public health, especially via horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Conjugation is one of the major pathways of HGT. Triadimefon (TF) is a broad-spectrum antifungal compound used to control rust and powdery mildew on crops. Nevertheless, it is not known whether TF could affect the conjugation of ARGs and potential molecular mechanisms. Here, the effects of TF on conjugative transfer of RP4 plasmid within Escherichia coli were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that TF increased the transconjugant number by 1.41–2.21 folds and the frequency of conjugative transfer by 1.49–2.22 folds at concentrations of 0.1–10 mg/L. There was no obvious change in the number of donor and recipient strains in the mating system of intra-genus with TF. The main mechanisms include increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species and membrane permeability. Our findings highlight the promotion effect of TF on ARG conjugation, providing evidence of the risk of non-antibiotic agrochemical use in ARG dissemination.
Preparation of orally disintegrated membranes from liquorice inclusion complexes
Authors: Chen Lei , Liu Bei , Song Xiao-xu , Wang Yao , Zhao Wen-ying , Zhu Qing-shu
Published: May 2023

Objective: to prepare and evaluate orally disintegrating films of liquorice inclusion complexes. Methods: the active components of Chinese liquorice were extracted by pressurised extraction technique, and the inclusion complexes were prepared by antisolvent method, while the buccal disintegration films of liquorice inclusion complexes were prepared by solvent casting method, and the prepared buccal disintegration films were evaluated. Results: the home-made liquorice inclusion complexes orally disintegrated films formed better films, had good hardness and toughness, the thickness was around 0.1 mm and could disintegrate within 40 s, and the dissolution was rapid, the cumulative release reached 80.1% within 10 min, reaching the immediate release effect. Conclusion: the prepared buccal disintegrating membranes of liquorice inclusion complexes, which are expected to provide new ideas for the development and study of other drugs in the future, deserve further investigation.
Development of Temperature Calibration Device for Microwave Digestion System in Biochemical Laboratory
Authors: Hu Denglong , Zhang Wen , Ren Tingting , Li Xianhong , Chen Jiaying
Published: May 2023

As a sample pretreatment device, microwave digestion instrument is widely used in biochemical laboratories. The temperature parameters of the microwave digestion instrument directly decide the accuracy of the experimental results. At present, there is no relevant calibration specification，method or device for microwave digestion system in China. Due to the special working principle of the microwave digestion instrument, the calibration device must be used in the high temperature microwave environment, and the ordinary temperature measuring device will cause ignition, explosion and other phenomena, which will endanger the life and health of the calibration personnel. This article presents a set of calibration device for microwave digestion system, with measuring range of (0~200) °C, accuracy of no less than ± 0.1 °C, and resolution of 0.01 °C. The presented device also solves the potential problems of ignition and explosion, which commonly exist in ordinary temperature measuring devices.
Study on Calibration of Artificial Climate Chamber for Biological Application
Authors: Gong Wei , Zhang Wen , Ren Tingting , Zeng Lingjian , Feng Li
Published: May 2023

Artificial climate chamber for biological application is widely used in biological laboratories. Parameters such as temperature, humidity and light intensity of artificial climate chamber can directly decide the accuracy of the experimental results. At present, there is no relevant calibration specification, or method for artificial climate chamber in China. This article presents a novel calibration method for artificial climate chambers for biological application to evaluate temperature, humidity, and light intensity control performance of the equipment, by determine corresponding environmental conditions, calibration standards, location of standards and calculation equations. The calibration results show that the calibration method is scientific and practical for metrological performance evaluation of artificial climate chambers for biological application.
Feature Optimization of EEG Signals Based on Ant Colony Algorithm
Authors: Shengjie Zhang , Rongkai Pan , Guanglu Liu
Published: May 2023

EEG signal can be understood as a kind of bioelectrical signal, which can reflect emotional information when the body is in different emotional states. However, the data collected are often high-dimensional. including many irrelevant or redundant features. The high-dimensional features make the space cost increase exponentially, which brings many difficulties to the research. Ant colony optimization algorithm, a swarm intelligence algorithm, can be used for feature selection. Ant colony optimization algorithm is used for feature selection of EEG signals. The feature subset to be selected is trained cooperatively and learned actively. The classification accuracy is evaluated through convolutional neural network, and the optimal subset is selected from the iterative local optimal solution. The results show that the ant colony optimization algorithm can effectively reduce the time complexity and calculation cost, Improve the accuracy of classification.
LoRa network performance analysis for IoT systems
Authors: Charif Oumaima , Aknin Noura
Published: May 2023

Low power wide area networks (LPWANs) are a new generation of wireless communication technology designed for the Internet of Things to provide low energy and long range connectivity. LoRa is one of the promising technology. In this paper, we examine LoRa system performance and analyze the scalability of this technology considering packet payload size, spreading factor, number of nodes and number of gateways.
Toward a new semantic framework for internet of things-aware business process discovery
Authors: Elkodssi Iman , Sbai Hanae
Published: May 2023

A fundamental obstacle to the automatic detection of business processes is the lack of modeling concepts that explicitly express Internet elements as components of a business process model. In order to present a framework for discovering business process models from sensor data, we studied and compared the work associated with process modeling in an intelligent environment. In this article, we presented a semantic framework built on our Extended BPMN for IoT ontology model.
Direction of arrivalestimation in smart Antenna for tracking system
Authors: Smihily Sara , Rifi Mounir
Published: May 2023

The aim of this paper is to present a comparison between three of the main algorithms for the estimation of Direction Of Arrival (DOA) used in smart antenna systems to eliminate fading and interreferences, namely Conventional Beamformer, CAPON (Maximum Likelihood Methods ‘Minimum Variance Distorsionless Response’) and Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC), wich represent three different methods with different calculation techniques. In this work we also simulate several execution scenarios, using MATLAB, to evaluate the factors impacting the precision and the resolution of the DOA estimation in the case of MUSIC algorithm, as it is arguably the most used one, this evaluation is achieved by varying the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio), the spacing between element, the number of array elements and the number of samples (snapshots).
Distributed Rendezvous placement for producer mobility support in NDN-IoT
Authors: Bellaj Mohammed , Naja Najib , Jamali Abdellah
Published: May 2023

Named Data Networking is a new networking architecture proposed as a potential design for the next generation of networks. However, supporting the mobility of producers in NDN-based IoT systems remains an open challenge for researchers to address. To tackle this problem, the NDN research group introduced a solution called KITE [1]. Since this solution is an initial design, some issues to be resolved remain, including the rendezvous placement selection. The location of the rendezvous servers can significantly reduce the path stretch efficiently. This paper focuses on improving the KITE solution by addressing two specific issues. First, we aim to determine the optimal number of rendezvous servers to use in the network. Second, we seek to identify the best locations for the rendezvous servers to minimize the path stretch efficiently. We propose an evaluation metric called average hop count based on network centrality measures to select the number and the location for the rendezvous. We evaluate the Average hop count under different network centrality measures using random scale-free network topology. Our results show that the betweenness centrality measure performs better than other measures, and we, therefore, suggest using it as a metric for selecting the number of rendezvous servers and their locations.
Design and simulation of a low return loss UWB CPW-fed patch antenna for mobile wireless communications
Authors: Abbaoui Hind , Ghammaz Abdelilah , Belahrach Hassan , El Bakouchi Raefat-Jalila
Published: May 2023

With the recent development of wireless communication systems and the 5G spectrum, mobile broadband technology (MBB) has been thriving. In this contribution, the design of an Ultra Wide Band T-slotted rectangular microstrip patch antenna is presented which is suitable for high data rate applications. The antenna is fed using a coplanar waveguide and is designed for two central operating frequencies, the lower resonant frequency at 3.6 GHz, an internationally recognized standard for 5G wireless mobile communications and a higher frequency at 6.8 GHz, which is part of the new wifi-6E standards. All data of the characteristic parameters have been obtained by using the Computer Simulation Technology Microwave Studio Student suite 2021 (CST MWS).
Essstörungen für den/die Gastroenterologen:in – was sich zu wissen lohnt
Authors: Schweckendiek Daniel , Pauli Dagmar , Scharl Michael
Published: May 2023

Essstörungen sind potenziell lebensbedrohliche Erkrankungen, die mit schweren psychischen und somatischen Komorbiditäten einhergehen. Man geht davon aus, dass die Anzahl an Patienten im Nachgang der Covid-Pandemie stark ansteigen wird.

Hauptsächlich 4 Essstörungen werden im Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-5) und der International Classification of Diseases 11 (ICD-11) erwähnt: Anorexia nervosa (AN), Bulimia nervosa (BN), Binge eating disorder (BED) und Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Viele traditionelle Annahmen bei Essstörungen sind aufgrund neuer Forschungsresultate im Wandel begriffen. Der/die Gastroenterologe/in ist normalerweise nicht die erste Anlaufstelle für Patienten/-innen mit Essstörungen. Er spielt jedoch eine zentrale Rolle, insbesondere wenn es um das Management von gastroenterologischen Komplikationen geht.

In dieser Übersicht soll der Fokus vor allem auf relevante gastroenterologische Aspekte und weniger auf die psychiatrische/psychosomatische Behandlung gelegt werden. Die Grundlagen der wichtigsten Essstörungen werden wiederholt, Möglichkeiten der Erkennung und wichtige gastroenterologische Komplikationen genannt. Die Adipositas, die oft mit Essstörungen einhergeht, ist nicht Gegenstand dieser Übersicht.