bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A year in pharmacology: new drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2023
Authors: Kayki-Mutlu Gizem , Aksoyalp Zinnet Sevval , Wojnowski Leszek , Michel Martin C.
Published: March 2024

With 54 new drugs and seven cellular and gene therapy products, the approvals by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recovered 2023 from the 2022 dent back to the levels of 2020–2021. As in previous years of this annual review, we assign these new drugs to one of three levels of innovation: first drug against a condition (“first-in-indication”), first drug using a novel molecular mechanism (“first-in-class”), and “next-in-class,” i.e., a drug using an already exploited molecular mechanism. We identify four (7%) “first-in-indication,” 22 (36%) “first-in-class,” and 35 (57%) “next-in-class” drugs. By treatment area, rare diseases (54%) and cancer drugs (23%) were once again the most prevalent (and partly overlapping) therapeutic areas. Other continuing trends were the use of accelerated regulatory approval pathways and the reliance on biopharmaceuticals (biologics). 2023 marks the approval of a first therapy based on CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing.
Tip of the iceberg: unveiling the impact on back disorders from cumulative physical job exposure and evaluating bias from the healthy worker effect using a nationwide longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Wiben Amalie , Skovsgaard Christian , Søgaard Karen , Schiøttz-Christensen Berit , Olsen Kim Rose
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Longitudinal studies across various sectors with physically demanding jobs are notably absent in back disorder risk research. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cumulative physical job exposure (PJE) and hospital-diagnosed back disorders among individuals in Denmark. To assess the healthy worker effect, we compared the cumulative risk estimate with results from a naive cross-sectional model ignoring PJE history.

Methods

A nationwide longitudinal cohort study was conducted using Danish registers, encompassing individuals born between 1975 and 1978 and working in 1996. Cumulative PJE was measured with a 10-year look-back period for each year 2006–2017. PJE consisted of lower-body occupational exposures, including the total weight lifted, stand/sit ratio, and the frequency of lifting more than 20 kg per day from a job exposure matrix. Odds ratio for back disorders was estimated for each year and all years combined.

Results

The results unveiled a significant 31% increase in the risk of hospital-diagnosed back disorders after 4 years of cumulative PJE. The lowest risk (7%) was observed for incident back disorders with 1 year of exposure, suggesting a healthy worker effect. Nevertheless, this risk is still significantly elevated. This cumulative estimate is fourfold the estimate from the 2006 naive cross section model.

Conclusion

Our study clearly demonstrates an 31% increase in the risk of hospital-diagnosed back disorders with just 4 years of PJE over a 10-year period. Further, we find that cross-sectional studies strongly underestimate the risk of back disorders due to the healthy worker effect.
Inhibitory control in teleost fish: a methodological and conceptual review
Authors: Lucon-Xiccato Tyrone
Published: March 2024

Inhibitory control (IC) plays a central role in behaviour control allowing an individual to resist external lures and internal predispositions. While IC has been consistently investigated in humans, other mammals, and birds, research has only recently begun to explore IC in other vertebrates. This review examines current literature on teleost fish, focusing on both methodological and conceptual aspects. I describe the main paradigms adopted to study IC in fish, identifying well-established tasks that fit various research applications and highlighting their advantages and limitations. In the conceptual analysis, I identify two well-developed lines of research with fish examining IC. The first line focuses on a comparative approach aimed to describe IC at the level of species and to understand the evolution of interspecific differences in relation to ecological specialisation, brain size, and factors affecting cognitive performance. Findings suggest several similarities between fish and previously studied vertebrates. The second line of research focuses on intraspecific variability of IC. Available results indicate substantial variation in fish IC related to sex, personality, genetic, age, and phenotypic plasticity, aligning with what is observed with other vertebrates. Overall, this review suggests that although data on teleosts are still scarce compared to mammals, the contribution of this group to IC research is already substantial and can further increase in various disciplines including comparative psychology, cognitive ecology, and neurosciences, and even in applied fields such as psychiatry research.
Multidrug-resistant organism bloodstream infection and hospital acquisition among inpatients in three tertiary Greek hospitals during the COVID-19 era
Authors: Karakosta Polyxeni , Vourli Sophia , Kousouli Elisavet , Meletis Georgios , Tychala Areti , Louka Christina , Vasilakopoulou Alexandra , Protonotariou Efthymia , Mamali Vasiliki , Zarkotou Olympia , Skoura Lemonia , Pournaras Spyros
Published: March 2024

From 2019 (pre-COVID-19) to 2022 (COVID-19 years), three tertiary Greek hospitals monitored MDRO bloodstream infection (BSI) and hospital acquisition relying on laboratory data. Surveillance covered carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), in intensive care units (ICUs) and non-ICUs. Non-ICUs experienced significant increases in CRE, CRAB and VRE during the pandemic. In ICUs, CRE increased in 2021, CRAB in 2020 and 2021, and VRE in 2021 and 2022. KPC predominated among CRE. MDRO BSI and hospital acquisition incidence rates increased, driven by CRE and CRAB.
A reliable method for data aggregation on the industrial internet of things using a hybrid optimization algorithm and density correlation degree
Authors: Heidari Arash , Shishehlou Houshang , Darbandi Mehdi , Navimipour Nima Jafari , Yalcin Senay
Published: March 2024

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a new information technology sector in which each device may receive and distribute data across a network. Industrial IoT (IIoT) and related areas, such as Industrial Wireless Networks (IWNs), big data, and cloud computing, have made significant strides recently. Using IIoT requires a reliable and effective data collection system, such as a spanning tree. Many previous spanning tree algorithms ignore failure and mobility. In such cases, the spanning tree is broken, making data delivery to the base station difficult. This study proposes an algorithm to construct an optimal spanning tree by combining an artificial bee colony, genetic operators, and density correlation degree to make suitable trees. The trees’ fitness is measured using hop count distances of the devices from the base station, residual energy of the devices, and their mobility probabilities in this technique. The simulation outcomes highlight the enhanced data collection reliability achieved by the suggested algorithm when compared to established methods like the Reliable Spanning Tree (RST) construction algorithm in IIoT and the Hop Count Distance (HCD) based construction algorithm. This proposed algorithm shows improved reliability across diverse node numbers, considering key parameters including reliability, energy consumption, displacement probability, and distance.
Factors Influencing People’s Willingness to Shift Their Electricity Consumption
Authors: Hardmeier M. , Berthold A. , Siegrist M.
Published: March 2024

As the share of renewable energy sources, which are weather dependent and consequently volatile, continues to grow, it becomes increasingly important to explore strategies for organising both electricity production and consumption to ensure system stability. People’s flexibility in their energy consumption is one option to regulate the system. To better understand people’s willingness to align their electricity-consuming activities with a flexible pricing system, an online survey with 962 respondents was conducted. The analysis focused on the factors influencing their willingness to shift electricity-consuming activities away from peak hours, as well as the maximum shift duration of using certain devices. The results indicate that people with more flexible lifestyles and those who perceive shifting activities as taking less effort are more willing to shift their activities and indicate longer shift durations. The data also show that attitudes towards the environment, as well as financial, ecological, and motivational factors, play a role in explaining the variance in the willingness to shift and the shift duration. To conclude, increasing flexibility in everyday life could make a valuable contribution to the optimal use of electricity resources.
Harmonic expansion and nonsmooth dynamics in a circular contact region with combined slip-spin motion
Authors: Antali Mate
Published: March 2024

We analyse a rigid body in planar motion while touching a rough plane at a finite-sized, circular contact area. Assuming Coulomb friction between the tangential and normal pressure distributions, the resultant forces and torques can be expressed formally with a nonsmooth dependence on the kinematic variables. In the literature, the exact form of the tangential forces is available for special pressure distributions expressed by transcendent functions; recently, an approximate linear model was introduced. Now, we present a nonlinear extension of the approximation, which can be used effectively to characterise slipping-sticking transitions between the bodies.
A Compact Dual-polarized Probe-fed UWB Antenna System for Breast Cancer Detection Applications
Authors: Nawati Vanishree R , Sujatha B. K. , Karthikeya G. S. , Desai Arpan , Hsu Heng Tung , Palandoken Merih
Published: March 2024

This article proposes an electrically small, probe-fed Ultra-Wideband (UWB) monopole antenna on a slotted truncated ground plane for breast cancer detection. The physical footprint of the proposed antenna element is 33 mm × 35 mm × 0.5 mm. This element is designed on the low-cost FR4 Epoxy substrate with a thickness of 0.5 mm. The proposed antenna has an electrical size of 0.33λ × 0.35λ × 0.005λ at the lowest frequency of operation; the radiator offers an impedance bandwidth of 8.34 GHz, which implies a fractional bandwidth of 115.5%. A compact dual-polarized antenna topology with two orthogonally placed probe-fed monopole antennas is proposed to achieve polarization diversity. The impedance characteristics of the individual radiating elements are maintained in spite of the electrical proximity of the radiators. The numerically computed and experimentally measured results of dual-polarized electrically small UWB antenna agree quite well. The proposed dual-polarized antenna topology is investigated for its utility in breast cancer detection in simulation.
A combination nutritional supplement reduces DNA methylation age only in older adults with a raised epigenetic age
Authors: McGee Kirsty C. , Sullivan Jack , Hazeldine Jon , Schmunk Lisa J. , Martin-Herranz Daniel E. , Jackson Thomas , Lord Janet M.
Published: March 2024

An increase in systemic inflammation (inflammaging) is one of the hallmarks of aging. Epigenetic (DNA methylation) clocks can quantify the degree of biological aging and this can be reversed by lifestyle and pharmacological intervention. We aimed to investigate whether a multi-component nutritional supplement could reduce systemic inflammation and epigenetic age in healthy older adults.

We recruited 80 healthy older participants (mean age ± SD: 71.85 ± 6.23; males = 31, females = 49). Blood and saliva were obtained pre and post a 12-week course of a multi-component supplement, containing: Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Omega 3 fish oils, Resveratrol, Olive fruit phenols and Astaxanthin. Plasma GDF-15 and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were quantified as markers of biological aging and inflammation respectively. DNA methylation was assessed in whole blood and saliva and used to derive epigenetic age using various clock algorithms.

No difference between the epigenetic and chronological ages of participants was observed pre- and post-treatment by the blood-based Horvath or Hannum clocks, or the saliva-based InflammAge clock. However, in those with epigenetic age acceleration of ≥ 2 years at baseline, a significant reduction in epigenetic age (p = 0.015) and epigenetic age acceleration (p = 0.0058) was observed post-treatment using the saliva-based InflammAge clock. No differences were observed pre- and post-treatment in plasma GDF-15 and CRP, though participants with CRP indicative of an elevated cardiovascular disease risk (hsCRP ≥ 3µg/ml), had a reduction in CRP post-supplementation (p = 0.0195).

Our data suggest a possible benefit of combined nutritional supplementation in individuals with an accelerated epigenetic age and inflammaging.
Spontaneous imbibition of modified salinity brine into different lithologies: an improvement of comprehensive scaling used for fractured reservoir simulation
Authors: Bassir Seyed Mojtaba , Shokrollahzadeh Behbahani Hassan , Shahbazi Khalil , Kord Shahin
Published: March 2024

Spontaneous water imbibition into matrix blocks can be a significant oil recovery mechanism in fractured reservoirs. Many enhanced oil recovery methods, such as injection of modified salinity brine, are proposed for improving spontaneous imbibition efficacy. Many scaling equations are developed in the literature to predict spontaneous imbibition oil recovery. However, almost none of them included the impact of the diversity in ionic composition of injected and connate brines and the blending/interaction of a low salinity imbibing brine with a higher salinity connate brine. In this research, these two issues are included to propose new scaling equations for the scaling of spontaneous imbibition oil recovery by modified salinity imbibing brines. This study uses experimental data of the spontaneous imbibition of modified salinity brines into oil-saturated rock samples with different lithologies containing an irreducible high salinity connate brine. The collected tests from the literature were performed at high temperatures and on aged altered wettability cores. The results of 110 available spontaneous imbibition laboratory experiments (85, 12 and 13 tests on chalks, dolomites and sandstones, respectively) are gathered. This research initially shows the poor ability of three selected convenient scaling equations from the literature to scale imbibition recovery by modified salinity brine. Then, our newly proposed technique to find the scaling equation for spontaneous imbibition recovery by modified salinity brine, during the abovementioned conditions in limestones (Bassir et al. in J Pet Explor Prod Technol 13(1): 79–99, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-022-01537-7) is used in chalks, dolomites and sandstones to develop the three new scaling equations. Finally, a new general equation to scale imbibition recovery by modified salinity brine for all four lithologies is presented. Moreover, for each of the four datasets (chalk, dolomite, sandstone and all the four lithologies), the scaled data by the new equations is matched by two mathematical expressions based on the Aronofsky et al. model and the Fries and Dreyer model. These mathematical expressions can be used to develop transfer functions in reservoir simulators for a more accurate prediction of oil recovery by spontaneous imbibition of modified salinity brine in fractured reservoirs.
Preference for Immediate Rewards in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Substance Use Disorder: A Shared Intermediate Phenotype?
Authors: Scheres Anouk , Balan Martina , Paraskevopoulou Maria , Schellekens Arnt
Published: March 2024

Purpose of Review

This brief review explores to what extent ADHD and SUD are both associated with reward-related impulsivity, operationalized as steep delay discounting (DD). However, an integrated view on DD as a potentially shared intermediate phenotype for these frequently co-occurring conditions is lacking.

Recent Findings

Though mostly studied in separate conditions, some studies have investigated DD specifically in patients with co-occurring conditions of SUD and ADHD. In addition to reviewing literature that has documented the associations between ADHD and relatively steep DD and between SUD and relatively steep DD, we also reviewed more recent literature in which steep DD has been examined as a transdiagnostic mechanism.

Overall, literature on DD in SUD suggests a dose-response relation between SUD severity and DD. The literature suggests that relatively steep DD is a mechanism associated to (ab)use of a range of substances. As for the link between DD and ADHD, several meta-analyses reported steeper DD in individuals with ADHD than controls (medium effect sizes). Because these bodies of literature are based on studies in which the influence of comorbidity was not assessed, it is hard to conclude that relatively steep DD is directly related to the ADHD symptoms per se, or to the SUD per se. Therefore, a close inspection of more recent literature in which comorbidity was taken into account, and DD was treated as a transdiagnostic mechanism, was included here. Based on this reviewed recent work, we propose a model about the nature of the co-occurrence of ADHD, SUD, and DD. Implications of the nature of co-occurring ADHD, SUD, and relatively steep DD for prevention and intervention strategies are discussed.
Speculative Practicescapes of Learning Design and Dreaming
Authors: Costello Eamon , McDonald Jason , Macgilchrist Felicitas , Jandrić Petar , Carbonel Henrietta , Crighton Sally , Buch Anders , Peters Michael A.
Published: March 2024

This article addresses a serious issue that besets learning design: its over-reliance on frameworks that promise particular outcomes for individual learners that accord with pre-defined metrics. This is partly a function of the nature of learning design and development itself which is commonly seen as outcome-oriented activity that should benefit individual learners in specific ways. An alternative approach is adopted here which calls attention to other happenings at the heart of education, including positive emotions we experience that are made known through less measurable and more fleeting points of reference. Hence, we draw on sources such as poems and personal reflections in order not just to design learning but to dream it. The concept of a practicescape is invoked which serves not just to situate learning but to remind the learner that their learning experience only happens within the context of their finite lifetime. Seven practicescapes are presented and reflected on by the authors as a conversation framework for interrogating ideas of learning that owe more to dreams, poems, and possibilities than aims, objectives, or outcomes. Drawing on early Buddhist philosophy, the practicescapes attempt to honour particular affective states and conjure a heart-centred framework on which to hang speculative questions and provocations for learning design that are focused on cultivating and sustaining the most positive forms of human experience. These practicescapes are offered as a speculative learning design climbing frame that could take us from dreams of possibility to enlivened and embodied presents.
Enhanced editing efficiency in Arabidopsis with a LbCas12a variant harboring D156R and E795L mutations
Authors: Xin Cuiping , Qiao Dexin , Wang Junya , Sun Wei , Cao Zhenghong , Lu Yu , Jiang Yuanyuan , Chai Yiping , Wang Xue-Chen , Chen Qi-jun
Published: March 2024

Cas12a (Cpf1), a Class 2 Type V CRISPR/Cas nuclease, has several unique attributes for genome editing and may provide a valuable alternative to Cas9. However, a low editing efficiency due to temperature sensitivity and insufficient cleavage activity of the Cas12a nuclease are major obstacles to its broad application. In this report, we generated two variants, ttAsCas12 Ultra and ttLbCas12a Ultra harboring three (E174R, M537R, and F870L) or two (D156R and E795L) mutations, respectively, by combining the mutations from the temperature-tolerant variants ttAsCas12a (E174R) and ttLbCas12a (D156R), and those from the highly active variants AsCas12a Ultra (M537R and F870L) and LbCas12a Ultra (E795L). We compared editing efficiencies of the five resulting Cas12a variants (LbCas12a, ttLbCas12a, ttLbCas12a Ultra, AsCas12a Ultra, and ttAsCas12 Ultra) at six target sites of four genes in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The variant ttLbCas12a Ultra, harboring the D156R and E795L mutations, exhibited the highest editing efficiency of all variants tested in Arabidopsis and can be used to generate homozygous or biallelic mutants in a single generation in Arabidopsis plants grown at 22 °C. In addition, optimization of ttLbCas12a Ultra, by varying nuclear localization signal sequences and codon usage, further greatly improved editing efficiency. Collectively, our results indicate that ttLbCas12a Ultra is a valuable alternative to Cas9 for editing genes or promoters in Arabidopsis.
Simulation as an educational tool to teach emergency medicine residents about unconscious bias
Authors: Primiani Nadia , Murphy Lara , Dephoure Stephanie , Thompson Cameron , Ng Carly
Published: March 2024

Medical training embraces simulation-based education. One important topic that has recently been added to the simulation curriculum at the University of Toronto is unconscious bias. This educational innovation project evaluates a simulation that could be used as a novel instructional design strategy to teach unconscious bias. The simulation involved two resuscitation scenarios with a similar clinical trajectory. Each resuscitation was led by standardized physicians of different binary genders, followed by a debrief with highly trained facilitators. Tangible educational takeaways on team dynamic variation between different gendered team leaders were discussed following the simulation, highlighting its benefit to resident education on bias awareness and response. Limitations include inevitable unconscious bias in facilitators and unequal gender representation in the learner participants, which may impact simulation effectiveness. The findings support translating this simulation to other forms of bias education in future simulation development.
Exploring health disparities in congenital CMV (cCMV): a study in a Somali-American community to assess awareness of cCMV and facilitate understanding of universal cCMV screening
Authors: Hussein Khadra , Shanley Ryan , Schleiss Mark R.
Published: March 2024

Background

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) disproportionately impacts black and multiracial infants. While there have been strides made to address this health disparity, strategies to increase awareness and knowledge of cCMV have not been investigated in a Somali community.

Methods

Two survey study strategies (in-person and online), consisting of a pre-survey test, educational intervention, and a post-survey, were designed to gauge knowledge and perceptions about cCMV among Somali women aged 18 to 40 years old.

Results

96 respondents partook in the online module, and 15 in the in-person event. On recruitment, < 45% of women were aware of cCMV. Following the pre-intervention survey, educational modules were conducted, and the survey repeated. For statistical comparisons, a point was assigned for each correct survey query, and the mean of correct responses tabulated for pre- and post-surveys. In the online intervention, mean scores changed from 55 to 87% (paired t-test, p = 0.001), whereas in the in-person intervention, mean scores changed from 65 to 87% (paired t-test, p = 0.007), demonstrating enhanced cCMV awareness upon completion of both interventions. Using multiple linear regression, the expected post-test score was 2% (95% CI [− 8%, 12%]) higher for the online module compared to the in-person module, adjusting for pre-test score.

Conclusion

Both interventions were successful in enhancing knowledge about cCMV in this population, although there was no evidence either intervention was substantially better than the other. Educational efforts will be critical in enhancing the trust required to facilitate diagnostic evaluation and treatment of newborns identified with cCMV in this high-risk population.
Microfluidics for High Throughput Screening of Biological Agents and Therapeutics
Authors: Bhusal Anant , Yogeshwaran Swaprakash , Goodarzi Hosseinabadi Hossein , Cecen Berivan , Miri Amir K.
Published: March 2024

Microfluidic devices have been widely used for gene analysis, immunoassays, organ-on-chip technology, cell engineering, and disease modeling. Their integration into high throughput screening (HTS) platforms has led to large-scale testing of various biological and chemical agents. This brief review discusses existing microfluidic HTS modalities, including the droplet mode, the perfusion mode, and the array-based platforms in active or passive designs, by exploring their fabrication methods and key design features. The main compartments are discussed, and the future trajectories of microfluidic HTS platforms, particularly in drug screening, are explained in detail. This review aims to serve as a guide for bioengineers and clinicians, offering insights to advance the development of the microfluidic toolboxes utilized in drug screening efforts.
Available assessment tools for evaluating feedback quality: a scoping review oriented to education in digital media
Authors: Duran Espinoza Valentina , Rammsy Serón Francisca , Vargas Juan Pablo , Petric Dominik , Montero Jaras Isabella , Peña Felipe Silva , Valenzuela Nicolas Olivares , Villagrán Ignacio , Varas Cohen Julian , Fuentes-Cimma Javiera
Published: March 2024

Purpose

In recent years, the use of digital platforms for surgical and medical training has increased. Quality feedback is essential when using these methodologies, as it serves as the primary form of interaction between trainers and students. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate feedback using valid and reliable instruments. This scoping review aims to identify assessment tools available in the literature for evaluating feedback in medical education.

Materials

A scoping review was conducted between April and May 2022, using the databases Medline/PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, ERIC, and the Cochrane Library. No publication date limits were used, and English and Spanish were the included languages. The search was supported by the State-of-the-Art-through-Systematic-Review (StArt) software. Two reviewers selected articles based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer. Inclusion criteria were tools or instruments in medical education related to feedback, while tools unrelated to feedback assessment or inaccessibility were excluded. Items were organized to have an overview of the findings.

Results

From the initial 16,229 articles, 26 feedback quality assessment instruments were found, including the CME Faculty Assessment Instrument, DOCS-FBS, EFFECT instrument, EFFECT-S, EFeCT, Feedback Questionnaire, FEEDME-Feedback culture, FEEDME-Feedback provider, PACT, Quality of the feedback perceived by students, SETQ for Surgical Specialties, StudentPEP project evaluation questionnaire, IQ Instrument, and 13 others without specific names. None was exclusively developed for digital feedback.

Conclusion

Limited evidence exists on feedback evaluation tools, especially in digital contexts. The identified instruments highlight opportunities for further research and development of feedback tools appropriate for remote and asynchronous surgical training.
Synthesis strategies and obstacles of lignocellulose-derived hard carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries
Authors: Zhang Wenli , Huang Zongyi , Alshareef Husam N. , Qiu Xueqing
Published: March 2024

In this perspective, we present an overview of the research and advancement of lignocellulose-derived hard carbon anodes and their pivotal role in the commercialization of sodium-ion batteries. Hard carbon anodes, sourced from lignocellulosic biomasses, exhibit considerable promise due to their widespread availability, economical viability, and environmentally friendly attributes with zero carbon-dioxide emissions. Given the intricate compositions and composite nature of lignocellulosic materials, it becomes imperative to prioritize factors crucial for the fabrication of hard carbon anodes that exhibit enhanced sodium-ion storage capabilities. Thus, our study offers an extensive overview of the structure and performance nuances of hard carbon anodes derived from cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Furthermore, it delves into the fundamental principles governing synthesis methodologies and confronts the challenges inherent in producing lignocellulose-derived hard carbon anodes tailored specifically for sodium-ion batteries.

Graphical Abstract
Metal concentrations in fish tissues from Kara, Bolshoi Patok, and Maly Patok River basins, Northeastern European Russia
Authors: Hughson Claire , Ponomarev Vasily I. , Kondratenok Boris M. , Walker Tony R.
Published: March 2024

Fish and fish tissue are effective bioindicators due to their sensitivity to pollution and are frequently used for assessing aquatic ecosystem health. Establishing baseline metal concentrations in freshwater fish tissues within aquatic ecosystems is important prior to establishing industrial activities to help determine potential future industrial impacts. Historically, North-Eastern European Russia has been an area with relatively low levels of industrial development and is still in pristine condition. In this region, the noise-to-background ratio for industrial contaminants may be disproportionately high. This study measured baseline metal concentrations in freshwater fish tissues collected from three study sites (the Bolshoi Patok, Maly Patok and Kara Rivers) in northeastern European Russia as bioindicators of overall aquatic ecosystem health. Seven fish species, namely, European Grayling, Arctic Char, Whitefish, Perch, Pike, Roach, and Peled, were studied over a three-year period between 2000 and 2003. The copper (Cu), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn) concentrations were analysed in fish tissue samples. Metal concentrations measured in fish tissues in this study were comparable to those measured at remote sites in Alaska, the United States and Slovenia. Despite the small variation between the sampling sites, the metal concentrations were relatively low and considered to be in pristine condition. Metal concentrations measured in fish tissues in this study represent baseline conditions, which will be important for comparison against monitoring programmes should the region experience future industrial development.
Warplane 07
Authors: Hoogschagen Edwin
Published: March 2024

When Hungary got involved in World War II, the WM-21 Sólyom (Falcon) was the only Hungarian designed and manufactured plane in service with the Hungarian Royal Airforce. It was in widespread service as reconnaissance plane starting from 1938 onwards. In June of 1941, the machines failed to make an impression, mainly because of accidents and technical issues. The planes were diverted to the training role and were still used as such by May 1945.

The Sólyom story starts in 1927, with the Fokker C.V, of which the Hungarian Royal Airforce had acquired 76, mostly built under license by Manfred Weiss (WM). WM improved the C.V, which resulted in the WM-16, with 18 built in two variants. This WM-16 paved the way for the WM-21, of which 128 examples were built.
Experimental study of the effect of particle–wall interactions on inertial particle dynamics in wall turbulence
Authors: Wang G.H. , Chen W.B. , Zheng X.J.
Published: March 2024

Based on Voronoi analysis, the properties related to the near-wall motion of particles in a turbulent boundary layer were experimentally investigated via different release modes, with a friction Reynolds number

$Re_\tau =3530$

. For high-inertia sand particles with Stokes number

$St^+ \sim O(10^2\unicode{x2013}10^3)$

and a volume fraction

$\varPhi _v \sim O(10^{-4})$

, particle image tracking velocimetry was used to determine the particle position and near-wall distribution properties. We established three particle release modes, including top-released, bottom overall-released and bottom partially released sand particles, under the same flow field conditions and calculated the differences in particle near-wall clustering and void properties. It was confirmed that wall effects (including collision and strike-splash) have a great influence on particle clustering and void behaviour near the wall. In the top-released sand particle and locally laid sand particle cases, particles bounced off the smooth walls and re-entered the carrier flow, causing significant clustering and sparsing of particles near the walls. In contrast, in the overall sand-laying case where the bottom wall was completely covered with sand particles, there is no apparent cluster or void phenomenon near the wall

$(z/\delta <0.12)$

and the particles are randomly distributed, due to the combined effect of particle impact and splashing. In addition, the clustering and voids of particles become more pronounced with increasing wall-normal distance in the three release modes, and the particle distribution shows some self-similarity at each flow layer. The probability density function of the concentration of cluster particles decreases following a ‘

$-5/3$

’ power law. However, due to the particle–wall interaction, the probability density function gradually deviates from the ‘

$-5/3$

’ power law.
The propulsion direction of nanoparticles trapped in an acoustic field
Authors: Li Peijing , Nunn Alexander R. , Brumley Douglas R. , Sader John E. , Collis Jesse F.
Published: March 2024

Solid particles trapped in an acoustic standing wave have been observed to undergo propulsion. This phenomenon has been attributed to the generation of a steady streaming flow, with a reversal in the propulsion direction at a distinct frequency. We explain the mechanism underlying this reversal by considering the canonical problem of a sphere executing oscillatory rotation in an unbounded fluid that undergoes rectilinear oscillation; these two oscillations occur at identical frequency but with an arbitrary phase difference. Two distinct bifurcations in the flow field occur: (1) a stagnation point first forms with increasing frequency, which (2) splits into a saddle node and a vortex centre. Reversal in the propulsion direction is driven by reversal in the flow far from the sphere, which coincides with the second bifurcation. This flow is identified with that of a Stokeslet whose strength is the net force exerted on the particle, which has implications for studying the flow field around particles of non-spherical geometries and for modelling suspensions of particles in acoustic fields.
Probabilistic Petrophysical Reconstruction of Danta's Alpine Peatland via Electromagnetic Induction Data
Authors: Zaru N. , Silvestri S. , Assiri M. , Bai P. , Hansen T. M. , Vignoli G.
Published: March 2024

Peatlands are fundamental deposits of organic carbon. Thus, their protection is of crucial importance to avoid emissions from their degradation. Peat is a mixture of organic soil that originates from the accumulation of wetland plants under continuous or cyclical anaerobic conditions for long periods. Hence, a precise quantification of peat deposits is extremely important; for that, remote‐ and proximal‐sensing techniques are excellent candidates. Unfortunately, remote‐sensing can provide information only on the few shallowest centimeters, whereas peatlands often extend to several meters in depth. In addition, peatlands are usually characterized by difficult (flooded) terrains. So, frequency‐domain electromagnetic instruments, as they are compact and contactless, seem to be the ideal solution for the quantitative assessment of the extension and geometry of peatlands. Generally, electromagnetic methods are used to infer the electrical resistivity of the subsurface. In turn, the resistivity distribution can, in principle, be interpreted to infer the morphology of the peatland. Here, to some extent, we show how to shortcut the process and include the expectation and uncertainty regarding the peat resistivity directly into a probabilistic inversion workflow. The present approach allows for retrieving what really matters: the spatial distribution of the probability of peat occurrence, rather than the mere electrical resistivity. To evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed probabilistic approach, we compare the outcomes against the more traditional deterministic fully nonlinear (Occam's) inversion and against some boreholes available in the investigated area.
Spectroscopic Evaluation of Epidermis‐Equivalent Phantom in Terahertz‐Frequency Region
Authors: Mizuno Maya , Yamazaki Shota , Nagaoka Tomoaki
Published: March 2024

The complex refractive index and reflectance of an epidermis‐equivalent phantom were evaluated in the terahertz‐frequency region. The complex refractive indices of the epidermis and the epidermis‐equivalent phantom, made using ultrapure water, mineral oil, glycerin fatty acid ester, and agar, were measured using a terahertz time‐domain spectrometer. The complex refractive indices of the epidermis and the epidermis‐equivalent phantom were in agreement. However, their mean reflectances had a difference of approximately 3%. The difference disappeared on adding surface roughness to the epidermis‐equivalent phantom. Thus, we found that roughness of the surface of the epidermis‐equivalent phantom was required to ensure a match of the reflectance of the phantom with that of the epidermis at frequencies from 0.2 THz to 0.6 THz.
Serotonin effects on human iPSC-derived neural cell functions: from mitochondria to depression
Authors: Cardon Iseline , Grobecker Sonja , Jenne Frederike , Jahner Tatjana , Rupprecht Rainer , Milenkovic Vladimir M. , Wetzel Christian H.
Published: March 2024

Depression’s link to serotonin dysregulation is well-known. The monoamine theory posits that depression results from impaired serotonin activity, leading to the development of antidepressants targeting serotonin levels. However, their limited efficacy suggests a more complex cause. Recent studies highlight mitochondria as key players in depression’s pathophysiology. Mounting evidence indicates that mitochondrial dysfunction significantly correlates with major depressive disorder (MDD), underscoring its pivotal role in depression. Exploring the serotonin-mitochondrial connection, our study investigated the effects of chronic serotonin treatment on induced-pluripotent stem cell-derived astrocytes and neurons from healthy controls and two case study patients. One was a patient with antidepressant non-responding MDD (“Non-R”) and another had a non-genetic mitochondrial disorder (“Mito”). The results revealed that serotonin altered the expression of genes related to mitochondrial function and dynamics in neurons and had an equalizing effect on calcium homeostasis in astrocytes, while ATP levels seemed increased. Serotonin significantly decreased cytosolic and mitochondrial calcium in neurons. Electrophysiological measurements evidenced that serotonin depolarized the resting membrane potential, increased both sodium and potassium current density and ultimately improved the overall excitability of neurons. Specifically, neurons from the Non-R patient appeared responsive to serotonin in vitro, which seemed to improve neurotransmission. While it is unclear how this translates to the systemic level and AD resistance mechanisms are not fully elucidated, our observations show that despite his treatment resistance, this patient’s cortical neurons are responsive to serotonergic signals. In the Mito patient, evidence suggested that serotonin, by increasing excitability, exacerbated an existing hyperexcitability highlighting the importance of considering mitochondrial disorders in patients with MDD, and avoiding serotonin-increasing medication. Taken together, our findings suggested that serotonin positively affects calcium homeostasis in astrocytes and increases neuronal excitability. The latter effect must be considered carefully, as it could have beneficial or detrimental implications based on individual pathologies.
Preso enhances mGluR1-mediated excitotoxicity by modulating the phosphorylation of mGluR1-Homer1 complex and facilitating an ER stress after traumatic brain injury
Authors: Zhang Zhuoyuan , Gao Xiangyu , Tian Zhicheng , Yang Erwan , Huang Yutao , Liu Dan , Dai Shuhui , Zhang Haofuzi , Bao Mingdong , Jiang Xiaofan , Li Xin , Luo Peng
Published: March 2024

Glutamate receptor (GluR)-mediated excitotoxicity is an important mechanism causing delayed neuronal injury after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Preso, as a core scaffolding protein of postsynaptic density (PSD), is considered an important regulator during excitotoxicity and TBI and combines with glutamate receptors to form functional units for excitatory glutamatergic neurotransmission, and elucidating the mechanisms of these functional units will provide new targets for the treatment of TBI. As a multidomain scaffolding protein, Preso directly interacts with metabotropic GluR (mGluR) and another scaffold protein, Homer. Because the mGluR-Homer complex plays a crucial role in TBI, modulation of this complex by Preso may be an important mechanism affecting the excitotoxic damage to neurons after TBI. Here, we demonstrate that Preso facilitates the interaction between metabotropic mGluR1 and Homer1 to activate mGluR1 signaling and cause excitotoxic neuronal injury and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress after TBI. The regulatory effect of Preso on the mGluR1-Homer1 complex is dependent on the direct association between Preso and this complex and also involves the phosphorylation of the interactive binding sites of mGluR1 and Homer1 by Preso. Further studies confirmed that Preso, as an adaptor of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), promotes the phosphorylation of the Homer1-binding site on mGluR1 by CDK5 and thereby enhances the interaction between mGluR1 and Homer1. Preso can also promote the formation of the mGluR1-Homer1 complex by inhibiting the phosphorylation of the Homer1 hinge region by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα (CaMKIIα). Based on these molecular mechanisms, we designed several blocking peptides targeting the interaction between Preso and the mGluR1-Homer1 complex and found that directly disrupting the association between mGluR1 and scaffolding proteins significantly promotes the recovery of motor function after TBI.
Formulation of energy loss due to magnetostriction to design ultraefficient soft magnets
Authors: Tsukahara Hiroshi , Huang Haodong , Suzuki Kiyonori , Ono Kanta
Published: March 2024

The mechanism of energy loss due to magnetostriction in soft magnetic materials was analytically formulated, and our experiments validated this formulation. The viscosity of magnetic materials causes the resistive force acting on magnetic domain walls through strain due to magnetostriction, and magnetic energy is eventually dissipated by friction even without eddy currents. This energy loss mechanism explains the frequency dependence of the excess loss observed in the experiments, and the excess loss is dominated by the contribution of magnetostriction when the magnetostriction constant exceeds approximately 20 ppm. The random anisotropy model was extended by considering the effect of local magnetostriction as a correction to the magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The effect of magnetostriction was considerably suppressed by the exchange-averaging effect. The estimated effective random magnetoelastic anisotropy for nanocrystalline α-Fe reached as low as 18.6 J/m3, but this static effect could not explain the high excess loss at high frequencies observed in the experiments. The results of this research could provide new design criteria for high-performance soft magnetic materials based on low magnetostriction to reduce the excess loss.
Knowledge and handling practices for raw hen's eggs during purchase, preparation, storage, and consumption: a cross sectional study
Authors: Sabbah Mohammed , Badrasawi Kamal , Kharraz Lubna , Badrasawi Manal
Published: March 2024

The study aimed to assess the hen’s eggs knowledge, handling practices, and consumption among Palestinian consumers using the cross-sectional survey design. Online questionnaire was sent via social media platforms including well-known Facebook and WhatsApp groups in West bank, Gaza and Jerusalem, along with an invitation explaining the research objectives and the voluntary participation. The online questionnaire consisted of three main sections: socio demographic, knowledge and practices for hen’s eggs during purchase, preparation, storage, and consumption. The items were developed based on previous literature and international guidelines for hen's eggs purchase and handling, and subjected to content validity process, followed by a pilot study to determine the reliability of the questionnaire using Cronbach’s alpha test. The final data were analysed based on the dichotomous Rach model for knowledge and polytomous Rasch model for practices using Winsteps version 5.1.3. The Rasch SPSS output interval data files were used in the inferential analyses tests (one-way ANOVA test and independent samples t-test). The Rasch analysis showed that on average the participants had quite low level of knowledge of hen's eggs consumption safety, (person ability Mean 0.10 logit). The item difficulty measures ranged between + 1.65 (most difficult) and − 2.24 logit (easiest). It was not easy for the participants to endorse the items pertaining their practices in handling the hen’s eggs during purchase, preparation, storage and consumption, (person ability Mean − 0.11 logit). The item difficulty measures ranged between + 2.68 logits (most difficult) to − 2.45 logit (easiest). In addition, female participants significantly outperformed males in knowledge scores; and the level of hen's eggs hygiene practices and storage during purchase depended on participants’ knowledge level. The research recommended interventional programs to enhance Palestinians’ awareness and knowledge about hen's eggs knowledge, handling practices, and consumption. Further quantitative and qualitative research studies were also recommended.
Background and clinical significance of biomarker-based patient enrichment in non-small-cell lung cancer drug development
Authors: Harada Kenji , Ono Shunsuke
Published: March 2024

Pharmaceutical companies have adopted biomarker-based enrichment (personalized) strategies to improve research and development productivity. We explored the background in which personalized strategies are adopted and examined whether their adoption is linked to improved efficacy of new drugs approved for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We extracted data from the first labels of drugs approved for NSCLC between May 2003 and February 2021, and performed a qualitative comparative analysis and meta-analysis. Personalized strategies were adopted in more than half of the trials (16/27) and were often used in trials aimed at obtaining first-line indications and in drugs that were not first-in-class. The meta-analysis showed that personalized trials had significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) hazard ratio (HR) than trials without personalization but not for relative response rate ratio (RRR) or overall survival (OS) HR. Trials in which PFS HR was the primary endpoint tended to have improved PFS HR, and trials in which OS HR was the primary endpoint had worse PFS HR. The efficacy endpoints that are substantially affected by personalized strategies appear to differ, especially for new drugs with novel mechanism of action (MOA), because trial designs are employed to validate drug-specific advantages.