bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of masticatory performance by motion capture analysis of jaw movement
Authors: Imaoka Masaaki , Okuno Kentaro , Kobuchi Ryuichiro , Inoue Taro , Takahashi Kazuya
Published: June 2023

Background

The assessment of masticatory performance (MP) is conducted in hospitals, but is difficult to perform in nursing facilities that lack specialists in dysphagia. To select the appropriate food textures in nursing practice, a simple method of evaluating the MP should be developed.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate motion parameters that influence MP by motion capture analysis of maxillofacial movement on chewing gummy jelly in healthy adults.

Methods

The subjects were 50 healthy adults. The state of chewing gummy jelly was photographed using a high‐speed camera. Simultaneously, we evaluated the amount of glucose extracted (AGE) obtained with gummy jelly as a reference value for MP. The subjects were divided into two groups: normal and low masticatory groups (NG and LG, respectively) based on the AGE. The cycle of mastication was classified into three phases: closing phase (CP), transition phase (TP) and opening phase (OP) through motion capture analysis of the video photographed. Parameters of jaw movement and their associations with the AGE were examined.

Results

The transition phase rate (TR) and opening phase rate (OR) were correlated with the AGE. Furthermore, the TR in the NG was significantly higher than in the LG, whereas the OR was significantly lower than in the LG. The age, TR and opening velocity were significant independent variables.

Conclusion

Motion capture technology facilitated the analysis of jaw movement. The results suggested that MP can be evaluated by analysing the TP and OP rates.
Development of integrated jaw–neck motor function in children at 6, 10 and 13 years of age compared to adults: A kinematic longitudinal study
Authors: Nilsson Evelina , Häggman‐Henrikson Birgitta , Domellöf Erik , Hellström Fredrik , Häger Charlotte K. , Österlund Catharina
Published: June 2023

Background

The functional integration of the jaw and neck motor systems, of great importance to everyday oral activities, is established in early childhood. Detailed characterisation of this developmental progress is largely unknown.

Objective

To establish developmental changes in jaw–neck motor function in children over the ages 6–13 years compared to adults.

Methods

Jaw and head movement kinematics during jaw opening–closing and chewing were longitudinally recorded in 20 Swedish children (8 girls) at 6 (6.3 ± 0.4), 10 (10.3 ± 0.3) and 13 (13.5 ± 0.7) years of age and 20 adults (9 women, 28.2 ± 6.7). Movement amplitudes, jaw movement cycle time (CT), coefficient of variation (CV) and head/jaw ratio for amplitudes were analysed. Linear mixed effect analysis and Welch's t‐test were used.

Results

Children showed pronounced movement variability and longer CT at 6 and 10 years old during opening and chewing (p < .001). Compared to adults, 6‐year‐olds showed higher head/jaw ratios (p < .02) and longer CT (p < .001) during opening and chewing, and higher CV‐head (p < .001) during chewing. Whereas 10‐year‐olds showed larger jaw and head amplitudes (p < .02) and longer CT (p < .001) during opening, and longer CT (p < .001) and higher CV‐head (p < .001) during chewing. For 13‐year‐olds, longer CT (p < .001) during chewing was found.

Conclusion

Children showed pronounced movement variability and longer movement cycle time at 6–10 years and developmental progress in jaw–neck integration from 6 to 13 years, with 13‐year‐olds displaying adult‐like movements. These results add new detailed understanding to the typical development of integrated jaw–neck motor function.
Occurrence, presence and severity of bruxism and its association with altered state of consciousness in individuals with severe acquired brain injury
Authors: Kothari Simple F. , Devendran Anupriyadarshini , Sørensen Astrid B. , Nielsen Jørgen Feldbæk , Svensson Peter , Kothari Mohit
Published: June 2023

Background

Excessive jaw muscle activity is a frequent complication after acquired brain injury (ABI).

Objective

The study aimed to identify the occurrence and severity of jaw muscle activity and its association with altered state of consciousness in patients with ABI.

Methods

A total of 14 severe ABI patients with varied altered state of consciousness were recruited. A single‐channel electromyographic (EMG) device was used to assess the jaw muscle activity for three consecutive nights during Week 1 and Week 4 following admission. Differences in number of EMG episodes/h between Week 1 and 4 were analysed using non‐parametric tests and association between the EMG activity and altered state of consciousness were analysed using Spearman's correlation test.

Results

Nine of fourteen (64%) patients showed indications of bruxism (cutoff: >15 EMG episodes/h). The average EMG episodes/h at admission were 44.5 ± 13.6 with no significant changes after Week 4 of admission (43 ± 12.9; p = .917). The EMG episodes/h ranged from 2 to 184 during Week 1 and 4–154 during Week 4. There were no significant correlations between the number of EMG episodes/h during the three nights and the individuals altered state of consciousness during Week 1 and Week 4.

Conclusion

Patients with ABI had a conspicuously high but variable level of jaw muscle activity at admission and it tend to remain high after 4 week of hospitalisation which could potentially lead to adverse effects such as excessive tooth wear, headaches and pain in jaw muscles. The lack of associations between individuals altered level of consciousness and EMG activity could be due to low sample size and further studies are clearly warranted in this patient group with special needs. Single‐channel EMG devices can record jaw muscle activity early in the hospitalisation period and might be a helpful tools for early detection of bruxism in ABI patients.
Seasonal assembly of skin microbiota driven by neutral and selective processes in the greater horseshoe bat
Authors: Li Aoqiang , Li Zhongle , Leng Haixia , Jin Longru , Xiao Yanhong , Sun Keping , Feng Jiang
Published: June 2023

Skin microbiota play an important role in protecting bat hosts from the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which has caused dramatic bat population declines and extinctions. Recent studies have provided insights into the bacterial communities of bat skin, but variation in skin bacterial community structure in the context of the seasonal dynamics of fungal invasion, as well as the processes that drive such variation, remain largely unexplored. In this study, we characterized bat skin microbiota over the course of the bat hibernation and active season stages and used a neutral model of community ecology to determine the relative roles of neutral and selective processes in driving microbial community variation. Our results showed significant seasonal shifts in skin community structure, as well as less diverse microbiota in hibernation than in the active season. Skin microbiota were influenced by the environmental bacterial reservoir. During both the hibernation and active season stages, more than 78% of ASVs in bat skin microbiota were consistent with neutral distribution, implying that neutral processes, that is, dispersal or ecological drift contributing the most to shifts in skin microbiota. In addition, the neutral model showed that some ASVs were actively selected by the bats from the environmental bacterial reservoir, accounting for approximately 20% and 31% of the total community during hibernation and active season stages, respectively. Overall, this research provides insights into the assemblage of bat‐associated bacterial communities and will aid in the development of conservation strategies against fungal disease.
Decoding the drivers of deep‐time wetland biodiversity: insights from an early Permian tropical lake ecosystem
Authors: Trümper Steffen , Vogel Björn , Germann Sebastian , Werneburg Ralf , Schneider Joerg W. , Hellwig Alexandra , Linnemann Ulf , Hofmann Mandy , Rößler Ronny
Published: June 2023

Wetlands are important to continental evolution, providing both arenas and refugia for emerging and declining biotas. This significance and the high preservation potential make the resulting fossiliferous deposits essential for our understanding of past and future biodiversity. We reconstruct the trophic structure and age of the early Permian Manebach Lake ecosystem, Germany, a thriving wetland at a time when the tropical biosphere faced profound upheaval in the peaking Late Palaeozoic Icehouse. Nine excavations, high‐resolution spatiotemporal documentation of fossils and strata, and U–Pb radioisotopic dating of tuffs allow us to distinguish autogenic and allogenic factors shaping the limnic biocoenosis. The Manebach Lake was an exorheic, oxygen‐stratified, perennial water body on the 101–102 km2 scale, integrated into the catchment draining much of the European Variscides. Lake formation paralleled an Asselian regional wet climatic interval and benefited from rising base level due to post‐Variscan half‐graben tectonics. Stromatolite‐forming cyanobacteria, bivalves, several crustaceans, amblypterids and xenacanthid sharks formed a differentiated biocoenosis in the lake. Fossil stomach remains and teeth prove the rare presence of acanthodians, branchiosaurs and large amphibians. The results indicate woody‐debris‐bearing lake littorals devoid of semi‐aquatic and aquatic plants as places suitable for stromatolites to grow, underpin the model of declining freshwater‐shark diversity in most Permian Variscan basins, demonstrate fish/amphibian ratios in limnic assemblages to measure lake perenniality and reveal taphonomic biases in lake taphocoenoses. Our outcomes call for more knowledge about the diversity, ecology and fossilization pathways of past limnic biotas, particularly microorganisms and actinopterygian fishes, to reconstruct deep‐time continental ecosystems.
Early development of electrophysiological activity: Contribution of periodic and aperiodic components of the EEG signal
Authors: Rico‐Picó Josué , Moyano Sebastián , Conejero Ángela , Hoyo Ángela , Ballesteros‐Duperón M. Ángeles , Rueda M. Rosario
Published: June 2023

Brain function rapidly changes in the first 2 years of life. In the last decades, resting‐state EEG has been widely used to explore those changes. Previous studies have focused on the relative power of the signal in established frequency bands (i.e., theta, alpha, and beta). However, EEG power is a mixture of a 1/f‐like background power (aperiodic) in combination with narrow peaks that appear over that curve (periodic activity, e.g., alpha peak). Therefore, it is possible that relative power captures both, aperiodic and periodic brain activity, contributing to changes in electrophysiological activity observed in infancy. For this reason, we explored the early developmental trajectory of the relative power in theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands from infancy to toddlerhood and compared it with changes in periodic activity in a longitudinal study with three waves at age 6, 9, and 16 to 18 months. Finally, we tested the contribution of periodic activity and aperiodic components of the EEG to age changes in relative power. We found that relative power and periodic activity trajectories differed in this period in all the frequency bands but alpha. Furthermore, aperiodic EEG activity flattened between 6 and 18 months. More importantly, only alpha relative power was exclusively related to periodic activity, whereas aperiodic components of the signal significantly contributed to the relative power of activity in theta and beta bands. Thus, relative power in these frequencies is influenced by developmental changes of the aperiodic activity, which should be considered for future studies.
Selecting an optimal real‐time fMRI neurofeedback method for alcohol craving control training
Authors: Fede Samantha J. , Kisner Mallory A. , Dean Sarah F. , Kerich Mike , Roopchansingh Vinai , Diazgranados Nancy , Momenan Reza
Published: June 2023

Real‐time fMRI neurofeedback (rt‐fMRI‐NF) is a technique in which information about an individual's neural state is given back to them, typically to enable and reinforce neuromodulation. Its clinical potential has been demonstrated in several applications, but lack of evidence on optimal parameters limits clinical utility of the technique. This study aimed to identify optimal parameters for rt‐fMRI‐NF‐aided craving regulation training in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Adults with AUD (n = 30) participated in a single‐session study of four runs of rt‐fMRI‐NF where they downregulated “craving‐related” brain activity. They received one of three types of neurofeedback: multi‐region of interest (ROI), support vector machine with continuous feedback (cSVM), and support vector machine with intermittent feedback (iSVM). Performance was assessed on the success rate, change in neural downregulation, and change in self‐reported craving for alcohol. Participants had more successful trials in run 4 versus 1, as well as improved downregulation of the insula, anterior cingulate, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Greater downregulation of the latter two regions predicted greater reduction in craving. iSVM performed significantly worse than the other two methods. Downregulation of the striatum and dlPFC, enabled by ROI but not cSVM neurofeedback, was correlated with a greater reduction in craving. rt‐fMRI‐NF training for downregulation of alcohol craving in individuals with AUD shows potential for clinical use, though this pilot study should be followed with a larger randomized‐control trial before clinical meaningfulness can be established. Preliminary results suggest an advantage of multi‐ROI over SVM and intermittent feedback approaches.
Residual effects of 12 weeks of power‐oriented resistance training plus high‐intensity interval training on muscle dysfunction, systemic oxidative damage, and antioxidant capacity after 10 months of training cessation in older people with COPD
Authors: Baltasar‐Fernandez Ivan , Losa‐Reyna Jose , Carretero Aitor , Rodriguez‐Lopez Carlos , Alfaro‐Acha Ana , Guadalupe‐Grau Amelia , Ara Ignacio , Alegre Luis M. , Gomez‐Cabrera Mari Carmen , García‐García Francisco J. , Alcazar Julian
Published: June 2023

Objective

This study aimed to assess the residual effects of a 12‐week concurrent training program (power training + high‐intensity interval training) in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods

A total of 21 older adults with COPD [intervention (INT), n = 8; control (CON), n = 13; 76.9 ± 6.8 years] were assessed at baseline and 10 months after the completion of the intervention by the short physical performance battery (SPPB), health‐related quality of life (EQ‐5D‐5L), vastus lateralis muscle thickness (MT), peak pulmonary oxygen uptake (peak VO2) and peak work rate (Wpeak), early and late isometric rate of force development (RFD), leg and chest press maximum muscle power (LPmax and CPmax), and systemic oxidative damage and antioxidant capacity.

Results

Compared to baseline, after 10 months of detraining, the INT group presented increased SPPB (∆ = 1.0 point), health‐related quality of life (∆ = 0.07 points), early RFD (∆ = 834 N∙s−1), LPmax (∆ = 62.2 W), and CPmax (∆ = 16.0 W) (all p < 0.05). In addition, a positive effect was noted in INT compared to CON regarding MT and Wpeak (both p < 0.05). No between‐group differences were reported in peak VO2, late RFD, systemic oxidative damage, and antioxidant capacity from baseline to 10 months after the completion of the intervention (all p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Twelve weeks of concurrent training were enough to ensure improved physical function, health‐related quality of life, early RFD and maximum muscle power and to preserve MT and Wpeak but not peak VO2, late RFD, systemic oxidative damage and antioxidant capacity in the subsequent 10 months of detraining in older adults with COPD.
Divergent Pathways: How Pre‐Orientation Programs Can Shape the Transition to College for First‐Generation, Low‐Income Students1
Authors: Beard Lauren M. , Schilt Kristen , Jagoda Patrick
Published: June 2023

First‐generation, low‐income (FGLI) students attend college at historically high rates in the United States. However, FGLI students continue to struggle in transitioning to college, particularly in elite universities. In this article, we engage with interview and supplemental survey data from 40 FGLI students at an elite university to demonstrate how self‐advocacy skills—conceptualized as a form of cultural capital—can support FGLI students' transition into college. We do this through the case of pre‐orientation programs, which are increasingly offered across universities, where half of the sample participated in pre‐orientation and half did not. We interviewed both subsets at the start of their first academic year, as well as during their COVID‐19‐induced departure from campus residences. In response, we argue that students who participated in pre‐orientation more often demonstrate self‐advocacy skills, both in‐person and online, especially in comparison with those who did not participate. We show that forming relationships with peers, as well as faculty and staff, during pre‐orientation is key to enacting self‐advocacy. Lastly, we also respond to previous studies that typically associate self‐advocacy skills with the cultural competencies of higher‐income and continuing‐generation students, while making clear how these skills can benefit FGLI students in transitioning into school.
Characterization of the novel HLA‐B*44:324:02 allele by sequencing‐based typing
Authors: Cargou Marine , Elsermans Vincent , Top Isabelle , Guidicelli Gwendaline , Visentin Jonathan
Published: June 2023

HLA‐B*44:324:02 differs from HLA‐B*44:324:01 by one nucleotide substitution in codon 99 in exon 3.
Full‐length sequence of the novel HLA‐B*40:537 allele by next‐generation sequencing in a Chinese individual
Authors: Zhong Xian‐xin , Quan Zhan‐rou , Luo Sheng‐hua , Yuan Rui , Song Lin‐li
Published: June 2023

One nucleotide substitution in codon 116 of HLA‐B*40:06:01:12 results in a novel allele, HLA‐B*40:537.
Cryopreserved platelets washed with a dialysis machine for dimethyl sulphoxide removal
Authors: Yi Xiaoyang , Huang Ya , Lin Xianjue , Liu Minxia , Wu Yueqing , Ma Yuyuan , Fu Qiuxia , Yan Shaoduo , Wang Lei , Chen Yujian , Han Ying , Wang Haibao
Published: June 2023

Background and Objectives

Cryopreserved platelets (cPLTs) can be stored for years and are mainly used in military settings. However, the commonly used cryoprotectant dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) has toxic side effects when utilized in high quantities. We developed a novel method to aseptically remove DMSO from thawed cPLTs by dialysis.

Materials and Methods

One unit of platelets (N = 6) was mixed with 75 mL of 27% DMSO within 4 days after collection and stored at −80°C for 1 week. The platelet counts, platelet distribution width, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet activity, platelet release, platelet aggregation, platelet metabolism indicators and platelet ultrastructural features (determined by electron microscopy) of the samples at the pre‐freeze, post‐thaw wash (post‐TW) and 24 h post‐thaw wash (24‐PTW) stages were determined and compared.

Results

The DMSO clearance rate from the post‐TW platelets was 95.56 ± 1.3%, and the platelet recovery rate after washing was 74.66 ± 6.34%. The total count, activity, release factors, aggregation and thrombolytic ability of the post‐TW platelets were lower, whereas the MPV and apoptosis rates were higher compared with those of the pre‐freeze platelets. The lactic acid, glucose and potassium ions released from the platelets during washing were filtered away by the dialyser, which significantly reduced their concentration. However, 24‐PTW platelets were metabolically active, resulting in a decrease in pH and glucose content and an increase in lactic acid content. The level of potassium ions remained low after 24 h of storage and washing. The pre‐freeze platelets maintained their normal disc shape and exhibited an open canalicular system (OCS) and a dense tubular system. The cPLTs appeared irregular after washing, with protruding pseudopodia and an extensive OCS, which increased the release of their contents.

Conclusion

We developed a novel dialysis method to effectively remove DMSO from cPLTs under aseptic conditions and maintain platelet quality. The clinical efficacy of our method remains to be determined. However, the function of the platelets declined 24 h after washing, making them unsuitable for transfusion.
Stability from graph symmetrisation arguments with applications to inducibility
Authors: Liu Hong , Pikhurko Oleg , Sharifzadeh Maryam , Staden Katherine
Published: June 2023

We present a sufficient condition for the stability property of extremal graph problems that can be solved via Zykov's symmetrisation. Our criterion is stated in terms of an analytic limit version of the problem. We show that, for example, it applies to the inducibility problem for an arbitrary complete bipartite graph , which asks for the maximum number of induced copies of in an ‐vertex graph, and to the inducibility problem for and , the only complete partite graphs on at most five vertices for which the problem was previously open.
Creating Geometric Imperfections in Thin-Walled Structures Using Acoustic Excitation
Authors: Xue Jennifer , Baizhikova Zheren , Ballarini Roberto , Chen Tian
Published: June 2023

Thermomechanical buckling of slender and thin-walled structural components happens without warning and can lead to catastrophic failure. Similar phenomena are observed during plasmolysis (contraction of a plant cell’s protoplast) and rupture of viral capsids. Analytical formulas derived from stability analyses of elastic plates and shells that do not account for the effects of random geometric imperfections introduced during the manufacturing process or biological growth may vastly over-estimate buckling capacity. To ensure structural safety, the formulas must therefore be combined with empirical data to define “knockdown factors” which are in turn used to establish safety factors. Towards improved understanding of the role of imperfections on mechanical response, ingenious methods have been used to fabricate and test near-perfectly hemispherical shells and those containing dimple-like defects. However, a method of inducing imperfections in the form of randomly shaped surfaces remains elusive. We introduce a protocol for realizing such imperfect shells and measuring the pressure required to buckle them. Silicone is poured onto an elastomeric mold under an acoustic excitation, which can be either random sound, or if desired the same as the modal frequency of the mold. Illustrative micro-computed-tomography images and buckling pressure experiments of a nearly perfect shell and an imperfect one show that the method is effective in introducing randomly shaped imperfections of significant magnitudes. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that the experimental results when combined with computational simulations can lead to improved understanding of stochastic buckling phenomena.
Factors influencing the Shear Wave Elastography evaluation of the patellar tendon
Authors: Pelea Michael Andrei , Serban Oana , Badarinza Maria , Rosca Roxana , Fodor Daniela
Published: June 2023

Aim: There is no clear standardization for tendon Shear Wave Elastography (SWE), and data regarding the factors that influence the correctness of evaluation are scarce. We aimed to determine the intra- and interobserver agreement in patellar tendon SWE, and to establish the influence of various factors on elasticity values.Materials and methods: We recruited 37 healthy volunteers; SWE of the patellar tendon was performed by two examiners. The following factors were analyzed: probe frequency, degree of joint flexion, size of region of interest (ROI), distance of the color box from the probe footprint, utilization of coupling gel as standoff, and the effect of physical exercise on elastic modulus values.Results: Highest overall interobserver [k=0.767, 95%CI (0.717-0.799), p<0.001] and intraobserver agreement [k=0.920 (0.909-0.929) for examiner 1, k=0.891 (0.875-0.905) for examiner 2] was obtained with the knee in the neutral position, using the L18-5 probe. With the knee flexed at 30º and 45º, the elasticity values were higher compared to the neutral position (p<0.001). With the probe immersed in 0.25 and 0.50 cm coupling gel, the median values were lower compared to the probe placed on the skin (p=0.001, p=0.018). The ROI dimensions and the placement of the SWE box at the level of the skin or at 0.5 cm below skin did not significantly influence the elastic modulus. After physical exercise, the elasticity values decreased in the proximal and middle portion of the tendon (p=0.002, p<0.001).Conclusion: The best results obtained in patellar tendon SWE were with the knee in neutral position, in the proximal or middle tendon, after 10 minutes of relaxation and with the probe placed directly on the skin with minimal pressure. The size and position of ROI do not significantly influence the examination.
Development and Reliability of a Visual-Cognitive Reactive Triple Hop Test
Authors: Farraye Byrnadeen T. , Simon Janet E. , Chaput Meredith , Kim HoWon , Monfort Scott M. , Grooms Dustin R.
Published: June 2023

Context: Current lower-extremity return to sport testing primarily considers the physical status of an athlete; however, sport participation requires continuous cognitive dual-task engagement. Therefore, the purpose was to develop and evaluate the reliability of a visual-cognitive reactive (VCR) triple hop test that simulates the typical sport demand of combined online visual-cognitive processing and neuromuscular control to improve return to sport testing after lower-extremity injury. Design: Test–retest reliability. Methods: Twenty-one healthy college students (11 females, 23.5 [3.7] y, 1.73 [0.12] m, 73.0 [16.8] kg, Tegner Activity Scale 5.5 [1.1] points) participated. Participants performed a single-leg triple hop with and without a VCR dual task. The VCR task incorporated the FitLight system to challenge peripheral response inhibition and central working memory. Maximum hop distance, reaction time, cognitive errors, and physical errors were measured. Two identical testing visits were separated by 12 to 17 days (14 [1] d). Results: Traditional triple hop (intraclass correlation coefficients: ICC(3,1) = .96 [.91–.99]; standard error of the measurement = 16.99 cm) and the VCR triple hop (intraclass correlation coefficients(3,1) = .92 [.82–.97]; standard error of the measurement = 24.10 cm) both demonstrated excellent reliability for the maximum hop distance, and moderate reliability for the VCR triple hop reaction time (intraclass correlation coefficients(3,1) = .62 [.09–.84]; standard error of the measurement = 0.09 s). On average, the VCR triple hop resulted in a hop distance deficit of 8.17% (36.4 [5.1] cm; P < .05, d = 0.55) relative to the traditional triple hop. Conclusions: Hop distance on the VCR triple hop had excellent test–retest reliability and induced a significant physical performance deficit when compared with the traditional triple hop assessment. The VCR triple hop reaction time also demonstrated moderate reliability.
Neutrophil-intrinsic TNF receptor signaling orchestrates host defense against
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Youn Christine , Pontaza Cristina , Wang Yu , Dikeman Dustin A. , Joyce Daniel P. , Alphonse Martin P. , Wu Meng-Jen , Nolan Sabrina J. , Anany Mohamed A. , Ahmadi Michael , Young Jeremy , Tocaj Aron , Garza Luis A. , Wajant Harald , Miller Lloyd S. , Archer Nathan K.
Published: June 2023

Staphylococcus aureus
is the leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections and is a major health burden due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. To address the unmet need of alternative treatments to antibiotics, a better understanding of the protective immune mechanisms against
S. aureus
skin infection is warranted. Here, we report that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) promoted protection against
S. aureus
in the skin, which was mediated by bone marrow–derived immune cells. Furthermore, neutrophil-intrinsic TNF receptor (TNFR) signaling directed immunity against
S. aureus
skin infections. Mechanistically, TNFR1 promoted neutrophil recruitment to the skin, whereas TNFR2 prevented systemic bacterial dissemination and directed neutrophil antimicrobial functions. Treatment with a TNFR2 agonist showed therapeutic efficacy against
S. aureus
and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
skin infections, which involved increased neutrophil extracellular trap formation. Our findings revealed nonredundant roles for TNFR1 and TNFR2 in neutrophils for immunity against
S. aureus
and can be therapeutically targeted for protection against bacterial skin infections.
Battery-free and AI-enabled multiplexed sensor patches for wound monitoring
Authors: Zheng Xin Ting , Yang Zijie , Sutarlie Laura , Thangaveloo Moogaambikai , Yu Yong , Salleh Nur Asinah Binte Mohamed , Chin Jiah Shin , Xiong Ze , Becker David Lawrence , Loh Xian Jun , Tee Benjamin C. K. , Su Xiaodi
Published: June 2023

Wound healing is a dynamic process with multiple phases. Rapid profiling and quantitative characterization of inflammation and infection remain challenging. We report a paper-like battery-free in situ AI-enabled multiplexed (PETAL) sensor for holistic wound assessment by leveraging deep learning algorithms. This sensor consists of a wax-printed paper panel with five colorimetric sensors for temperature, pH, trimethylamine, uric acid, and moisture. Sensor images captured by a mobile phone were analyzed by neural network–based machine learning algorithms to determine healing status. For ex situ detection via exudates collected from rat perturbed wounds and burn wounds, the PETAL sensor can classify healing versus nonhealing status with an accuracy as high as 97%. With the sensor patches attached on rat burn wound models, in situ monitoring of wound progression or severity is demonstrated. This PETAL sensor allows early warning of adverse events, which could trigger immediate clinical intervention to facilitate wound care management.
Activation of regulatory dendritic cells by Mertk coincides with a temporal wave of apoptosis in neonatal lungs
Authors: Silva-Sanchez Aaron , Meza-Perez Selene , Liu Mingyong , Stone Sara L. , Flores-Romo Leopoldo , Ubil Eric , Lund Frances E. , Rosenberg Alexander F. , Randall Troy D.
Published: June 2023

Multiple mechanisms restrain inflammation in neonates, most likely to prevent tissue damage caused by overly robust immune responses against newly encountered pathogens. Here, we identify a population of pulmonary dendritic cells (DCs) that express intermediate levels of CD103 (CD103
int
) and appear in the lungs and lung-draining lymph nodes of mice between birth and 2 weeks of age. CD103
int
DCs express XCR1 and CD205 and require expression of the transcription factor BATF3 for development, suggesting that they belong to the cDC1 lineage. In addition, CD103
int
DCs express CCR7 constitutively and spontaneously migrate to the lung-draining lymph node, where they promote stromal cell maturation and lymph node expansion. CD103
int
DCs mature independently of microbial exposure and TRIF- or MyD88-dependent signaling and are transcriptionally related to efferocytic and tolerogenic DCs as well as mature, regulatory DCs. Correlating with this, CD103
int
DCs show limited ability to stimulate proliferation and IFN-γ production by CD8
+
T cells. Moreover, CD103
int
DCs acquire apoptotic cells efficiently, in a process that is dependent on the expression of the TAM receptor, Mertk, which drives their homeostatic maturation. The appearance of CD103
int
DCs coincides with a temporal wave of apoptosis in developing lungs and explains, in part, dampened pulmonary immunity in neonatal mice. Together, these data suggest a mechanism by which DCs sense apoptotic cells at sites of noninflammatory tissue remodeling, such as tumors or the developing lungs, and limit local T cell responses.
Association between 6-thioguanine nucleotide levels and preventing production of antibodies to infliximab in patients with inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Phillips Jennifer , Leary Sam , Tyrrell-Price Jonathan
Published: June 2023

Objective

Combination therapy with infliximab and a thiopurine has been shown to be more effective than monotherapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The therapeutic efficacy of thiopurines is correlated with 6-thioguanine (6-TGN) levels between 235 and 450 pmol/8×108erythrocytes. The primary aim of the study was to investigate the association between 6-TGN levels and inhibition prevention of the production of antibodies to infliximab (ATI).

Design

We performed a retrospective review of the medical records of patients being treated with infliximab for IBD at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. Demographic and biochemical data were extracted, alongside thiopurine metabolite levels, trough levels of infliximab and the presence of ATI. χ2tests were used to investigate the association between 6-TGN levels and prevention of ATI. Logistic regression was used to compare the odds of prevented ATI between those with a 6-TGN level between 235 and 450 pmol/8×108erythrocytes, those with a 6-TGN level outside of this range, and the baseline group who were on infliximab monotherapy.

Results

Data were extracted for 100 patients. Six of 32 patients with a 6-TGN level between 235 and 450 pmol/8×108erythrocytes developed ATI (18.8%) compared with 14 out of 22 (63.6%) patients with a 6-TGN outside of this range and 32 out of 46 (69.6%) patients on monotherapy (p=0.001). The OR (95% CI) for prevented ATI in those with a 6-TGN between 235 and 450 pmol/8×108erythrocytes compared with a 6-TGN outside of this range was 7.6 (2.2, 26.3) (p=0.001) and compared with monotherapy was 9.9 (3.3, 29.4) (p=0.001).

Conclusion

6-TGN levels between 235 and 450 pmol/8×108erythrocytes prevented production of ATI. This supports therapeutic drug monitoring to help guide treatment and maximise the beneficial effects of combination therapy for patients with IBD.
Clinical assessment of parietal lobe function
Authors: Tabi Younes A , Husain Masud
Published: June 2023

The notion of specific assessments of the function of a particular lobe of the brain is in many ways archaic. Advances in our understanding of brain network function have revealed that brain functions are underpinned by large-scale networks with long range connections between cortical distant regions. It would, therefore, be more correct to discuss the contributions of parietal areas to specific functions. Nevertheless, in clinical practice, as we show here, simple bedside assessment can still often point towards parietal dysfunction, or at least reveal an impairment in a function to which parietal regions normally contribute.
Inflammatory rheumatic diseases with onset after SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccination: a report of 267 cases from the COVID-19 and ASD group
Authors: Ursini Francesco , Ruscitti Piero , Addimanda Olga , Foti Rosario , Raimondo Vincenzo , Murdaca Giuseppe , Caira Virginia , Pigatto Erika , Cuomo Giovanna , Lo Gullo Alberto , Cavazzana Ilaria , Campochiaro Corrado , Naclerio Caterina , De Angelis Rossella , Ciaffi Jacopo , Mancarella Luana , Brusi Veronica , Marchetti Elena , Motta Francesca , Visentini Marcella , Lorusso Sebastiano , De Santis Maria , De Luca Giacomo , Massaro Laura , Olivo Domenico , Pellegrini Roberta , Francioso Francesca , Luppino Jessica , Di Cola Ilenia , Foti Roberta , Varcasia Giuseppe , Caso Francesco , Reta Massimo , Dagna Lorenzo , Selmi Carlo , Iagnocco Annamaria , Giacomelli Roberto , Iannone Florenzo , Ferri Clodoveo
Published: June 2023

Objectives

To better define the spectrum of new-onset post-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 vaccine inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) from a large multicentric observational study.

Methods

Consecutive cases of IRD encountered during a 12-month period and satisfying one of the following inclusion criteria: (a) onset of the rheumatic manifestations within 4 weeks from SARS-CoV-2 infection or (b) onset of the rheumatic manifestations within 4 weeks from the administration of one of the COVID-19 vaccines ws recruited.

Results

The final analysis cohort comprised 267 patients, of which 122 (45.2%) in the post-COVID-19 and 145 (54.8%) in the postvaccine cohort. Distribution of IRD categories differed between the two cohorts: the post-COVID-19 cohort had a higher percentage of patients classified as having inflammatory joint diseases (IJD, 52.5% vs 37.2%, p=0.013) while the post-vaccine cohort had a higher prevalence of patients classified as polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR, 33.1% vs 21.3%, p=0.032). No differences were detected in the percentage of patients diagnosed with connective tissue diseases (CTD 19.7% vs 20.7%, p=0.837) or vasculitis (6.6% vs 9.0%, p=0.467). Despite the short follow-up period, IJD and PMR patients’ response to first-line therapy was favourable, with both groups achieving a drop in baseline disease activity scores of ~30% and ~70% respectively.

Conclusion

Our article reports the largest cohort published to date of new-onset IRD following SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccines. Although causality cannot be ascertained, the spectrum of possible clinical manifestations is broad and includes IJD, PMR, CTD and vasculitis.
Impact of Spatial Memory on a Predator–Prey System with Allee Effect
Authors: Wu Daiyong , Lu Fengping , Shen Chuansheng , Gao Jian
Published: June 2023

Recently, spatial memory and Allee effect have been widely investigated in population models, independently. This paper introduces these two aspects to a predator–prey system, and studies the interaction of two species. Allee effect causes bistability, and the predator-free steady-state is always locally stable. Prey-taxis can play a stable role in positive constant steady-state, and spatial memory delay generates the inhomogeneous Hopf bifurcation and even stability switching. In the absence of spatial memory delay, the stronger the predator is subject to the Allee effect, the larger the prey-taxis coefficient is required to keep two species coexist in a stable spatially homogenous form. With the same prey-taxis coefficient, the critical threshold of spatial memory delay corresponding to large predator diffusion coefficient is distinctly bigger than the one corresponding to small predator diffusion coefficient. Moreover, the amplitudes of spatial patterns, which reflect the degree of inhomogeneity, oscillate as spatial memory delay varies.
A Data Analytic Elucidation on the Spatial Agglomeration of Singapore Maritime Industry
Authors: Chew Lock Yue , Chung Ning Ning , Sia Wen Xuan , Huynh Hoai Nguyen , Sim Glenn , Chua Alvin , Huang Zhongwen
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we create three new statistical measures to characterize the spatial patterns and structure of firms and subsectors of industry. The new measures give a direct quantification of the tendency of subsectors to spatially agglomerate, the likelihood of cross-subsector spatial co-agglomeration, and the potential of leading and following behaviors between firms. Unlike the conventional measures which deduce possible agglomeration through deviations from the baseline distribution or distance density, our measures study agglomeration in terms of clustering and co-location behaviors to provide a clear physical picture on spatial agglomeration. With each measure quantifying one of the three different ways in which firms agglomerate spatially, their collective use provides a combined perspective on the agglomeration behavior and location choice of firms that is not available from the conventional measures. We employ this joint application of measures to show that Singapore maritime firms have a propensity to distribute themselves spatially in a manner that allows them to reap the benefits of localization externalities from the agglomeration economy.
Sustainable Cities: The Role of Governance for Greater Innovations
Authors: Tan Yi Xuan
Published: June 2023

Tackling future demands and challenges requires a paradigm shift in urban governance and planning. It is no longer sufficient for cities to strive for sustainability, minimize environmental losses and repair damaged systems. Instead, cities will need to shift toward maximizing ecological gains such as restoring ecosystems and moving toward self-sustaining and self-restorative development that improve both human and planetary health. In an increasingly uncertain world where cities undergo rapid changes economically, environmentally, politically and socially, the role of strong urban governance is important to encourage innovations for sustainable cities while balancing the interests of various stakeholders and managing any risks or trade-offs in the process. This paper provides insights on three key urban governance strategies that can lead to sustainability at systems level: scaling up solutions through partnership and business model innovation; tracking performance through a multi-stakeholder local-level governance approach; and integrating front-end design and procurement with back-end data-driven operation processes.
Designing AI-Powered Art-Making Tools
Authors: Chung John Joon Young
Published: June 2023

We are living in the era of art-making being transformed by rapidly advancing generative AI technologies. With these technologies, what are some approaches to design and build AI-powered art-making tools?
Disruption of Intracellular Calcium Homeostasis Leads to ERLIN2-Linked Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia in Patient-Derived Stem Cell Models
Authors: Zhu Xintong , Tan Xiaoyin , Wang Junwen , Dai Limeng , Li Jia , Guan Xingying , Wang Ziyi , Zhang Mao , Hu Jun , Bai Yun , Guo Hong
Published: June 2023

Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a category of neurodegenerative illnesses with significant clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Homozygous truncated variants of the ERLIN2 gene lead to HSP18 (MIM #611225). However, it is still unclear whether there is an autosomal dominant pathogenic pattern. The specific molecular mechanism needs to be investigated. We generated patient-derived iPSC models to study the mechanism of ERLIN2 heterogeneous variants leading to HSP. We identified a heterozygous missense variant p.Val71Ala of ERLIN2 in an HSP family. Based on IP-mass spectrometry, we found that the ERLIN2 heterozygous missense variant protein recruited the ubiquitin E3 ligase RNF213 to degrade IP3R1. The degradation of IP3R1 leads to the reduction of intracellular free calcium, which triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis. Calcium homeostasis imbalance inhibited the MAPK signaling pathway that contributed to decreased cell proliferation. In summary, these results suggest that the autosomal dominant inheritance of heterozygous missense variants in ERLIN2 is a novel pathogenic mode of HSP. Furthermore, the disruption of intracellular calcium homeostasis is the pathological mechanism.
Modeling and Invulnerability Analysis of Multilayer Air Traffic Network considering Altitude Layer
Authors: Ren Guangjian , Liu Yin
Published: June 2023

In this paper, a network coupling mechanism is studied to couple the air sector network, airport network, and air route network into a multilayer air network model. Then, the altitude layers are divided into three: high, medium, and low, and the arrival and departure flight procedures are also considered. By defining the association between the altitude layers and the waypoints, a multilayer air network model considering the altitude layer is constructed. Then, the line graph theory is used to redefine the nodes and edges, and the network is reconstructed to obtain a new single-layer one which is easy to calculate. Finally, a case study is carried out in Chengdu control area. The results show that the proposed model is closer to the reality, and the invulnerability performance is more referential. Besides, it also reflects the impact of altitude layers on the efficiency of airspace. The results are helpful for air traffic controllers to manage airspace better and have significance for promoting air traffic safety and stability.
Mve—Polynomial of Cog‐Special Graphs and Types of Fan Graphs
Authors: Rasool Kavi B. , Rashed Payman A. , Ali Ahmed M.
Published: June 2023

The study of topological indices in graph theory is one of the more important topics, as the scientific development that occurred in the previous century had an important impact by linking it to many chemical and physical properties such as boiling point and melting point. So, our interest in this paper is to study many of the topological indices “generalized indices’ network” for some graphs that have somewhat strange structure, so it is called the cog‐graphs of special graphs “molecular network”, by finding their polynomials based on vertex − edge degree then deriving them with respect to x, y, and x y, respectively, after substitution x = y = 1 of these special graphs are cog‐path, cog‐cycle, cog‐star, cog‐wheel, cog‐fan, and cog‐hand fan graphs; the importance of some types of these graphs is the fact that some vertices have degree four, which corresponds to the stability of some chemical compounds. These topological indices are first and second Zagreb, reduced first and second Zagreb, hyper Zagreb, forgotten, Albertson, and sigma indices.
Erector Spinae Plane (ESP) Block for Postoperative Pain Management after Open Oncologic Abdominal Surgery
Authors: Dubilet Michael , Gruenbaum Benjamin F. , Semyonov Michael , Ishay Shlomo Yaron , Osyntsov Anton , Friger Michael , Geftler Alexander , Zlotnik Alexander , Brotfain Evgeni
Published: June 2023

Patients undergoing abdominal oncologic surgical procedures require particular surgical and anesthesiologic considerations. Traditional pain management, such as opiate treatment, continuous epidural analgesia, and non-opioid drugs, may have serious side effects in this patient population. We evaluated erector spinae plane (ESP) blocks for postoperative pain management following elective oncologic abdominal surgeries. In this single-center, prospective, and randomized study, we recruited 100 patients who underwent elective oncological abdominal surgery between December 2020 and January 2022 at Soroka University Medical Center in Beer Sheva, Israel. We compared postoperative pain levels in patients who were treated with a preincisional ESP block in addition to traditional pain management with intravenous opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and acetaminophen, compared to patients who were only given traditional pain management (control). Patients who were treated with a preincisional ESP block demonstrated significantly lower Visual Analog Scale scores at 60 minutes and 4, 8, and 12 hours following the surgery, compared to the control group (

p
<
0.001

). Accordingly, patients in the ESP group required less morphine from 60 minutes to 12 hours after surgery, but they required increased non-opioid postoperative analgesia management at 4, 8, and 12 hours after surgery (

p

from 0.002 to <0.001) compared to the control group. In this study, we found ESP blocks to be a safe, technically simple, and effective treatment for postoperative pain management after elective oncologic abdominal procedures.
Table S1 from Intracellular Acetyl CoA Potentiates the Therapeutic Efficacy of Antitumor CD8+ T Cells
Authors: Chowdhury Snehanshu , Kar Anwesha , Bhowmik Debaleena , Gautam Anupam , Basak Debashree , Sarkar Ishita , Ghosh Puspendu , Sarkar Deborpita , Deka Alvina , Chakraborty Paramita , Mukhopadhyay Asima , Mehrotra Shikhar , Basak Soumen , Paul Sandip , Chatterjee Shilpak
Published: June 2023

Supplementary table for all up and down-regulated genes from RNAseq analysis
Supplementary Data from Intracellular Acetyl CoA Potentiates the Therapeutic Efficacy of Antitumor CD8+ T Cells
Authors: Chowdhury Snehanshu , Kar Anwesha , Bhowmik Debaleena , Gautam Anupam , Basak Debashree , Sarkar Ishita , Ghosh Puspendu , Sarkar Deborpita , Deka Alvina , Chakraborty Paramita , Mukhopadhyay Asima , Mehrotra Shikhar , Basak Soumen , Paul Sandip , Chatterjee Shilpak
Published: June 2023

Supplementary figures and figure legends