bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A rare presentation of Legionella pneumophila and Mycobacterium intracellulare co‐infection masquerading as metastatic lung cancer in a patient with positive anti‐interferon gamma antibody
Authors: Cheng Hei‐Shun , Chiu Pui‐Hing , Wong Charles , Tong Chun‐Wai , Miu Pui‐Ling Flora
Published: August 2023

Adult‐onset immunodeficiency (AOID) syndrome due to the presence of anti‐interferon gamma antibody (AIGA) is characterized by multiple opportunistic infections. We report a case of a 65‐year old healthy woman who suffered from Legionella pneumophila and Mycobacterium intracellulare co‐infection with clinical presentation mimicking metastatic lung cancer. She presented with chronic cough and weight loss. Her positron emission tomography scan showed a right upper lobe mass, mediastinal lymphadenopathy and multiple bone lesions. Acid fast bacilli culture of the lung mass and mediastinal lymph node revealed Mycobacterium intracellulare and she improved with prolonged antibiotic. Relapse of disseminated Mycobacterium intracellulare infection occurred 15 months post‐treatment and AIGA was positive with functional neutralizing activity on downstream immune pathway. AOID syndrome secondary to AIGA was diagnosed. This case illustrated the importance of high index of suspicion of AOID syndrome and the difficulty of early diagnosis. Further studies on its predictive factors and AIGA‐targeted treatment modalities are urgently needed.
Aberrant expression of histone deacetylase 8 in endometriosis and its potential as a therapeutic target
Authors: Zheng Hanxi , Liu Xishi , Guo Sun‐Wei
Published: August 2023

Purpose

To screen Zn2+‐dependent histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1‐11 in endometriotic cells and then evaluated the HDACs identified from the screening in ovarian endometrioma (OE) and deep endometriotic (DE) lesions, and to evaluate the therapeutic potential of HDAC8 inhibition in mice.

Methods

Quantification of gene and protein expression levels of HDAC1‐11 in endometriotic cells stimulated by TGF‐β1, and immunohistochemistry analysis of Class I HDACs and HDAC6 in OE/DE lesion samples. The therapeutic potential of HDAC8 inhibition was evaluated by a mouse model of deep endometriosis.

Results

The screening identified Class I HDACs and HDAC6 as targets of interest. Immunohistochemistry analysis found a significant elevation in HDAC8 immunostaining in both OE and DE lesions, which was corroborated by gene and protein expression quantification. For other Class I HDACs and HDAC6, their lesional expression was more subtle and nuanced. HDAC1 and HDAC6 staining was significantly elevated in DE lesions while HDAC2 and HDAC3 staining was reduced in DE lesions. Treatment of mice with induced deep endometriosis with an HDAC8 inhibitor resulted in significantly longer hotplate latency, a reduction of lesion weight by nearly two‐thirds, and significantly reduced lesional fibrosis.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the progression‐dependent nature of specific HDAC aberrations in endometriosis, and demonstrate, for the first titme, the therapeutic potential of suppressing HDAC8.
Synthesis of Fe2O3@SnO2 Core‐shell Nanocomposites via Thermal Decomposition Route and their Application as an Adsorbent
Authors: Gangwar Kumkum , Jeevanandam Pethaiyan
Published: August 2023

In the current study, a thermal decomposition approach has been used to synthesize Fe2O3@SnO2 core‐shell nanocomposites in which Fe2O3 microsphere is the core and SnO2 is the shell. The thickness of shell (SnO2) is altered by varying amount of tin chloride pentahydrate (precursor of SnO2). Various characterization techniques were used to prove successful formation of Fe2O3@SnO2 core‐shell nanocomposites. XRD results confirm the presence of SnO2, α‐Fe2O3, and Fe3O4 in the calcined Fe2O3@SnO2 core‐shell nanocomposites. FE‐SEM and TEM studies reveal uniform deposition of SnO2 nanoparticles over the iron oxide microspheres. XPS analysis demonstrates the presence of Sn4+, Fe2+, Fe3+, and O2− in the Fe2O3@SnO2 core‐shell nanocomposites. Optical studies show that the Fe2O3@SnO2 core‐shell nanocomposites absorb in UV and visible regions. M−H studies on Fe2O3@SnO2 core‐shell nanocomposites indicate weak ferromagnetic and superparamagnetic behaviour of the nanocomposites at 5 K and 300 K, respectively. From M−T measurements, pure α‐Fe2O3 shows characteristic Morin transition (Tm), but the Fe2O3@SnO2 core‐shell nanocomposites do not show such transition. The Fe2O3@SnO2 core‐shell nanocomposites were explored as adsorbent for the removal of congo red (CR) from an aqueous solution.
Efficient Synthesis of Quinolines from 2‐Aminoaryl Ketones with α‐Methylene Carbonyl Derivatives: Exploiting the Dual Acid Sites of Metal Organic Framework Catalyst
Authors: Krishna Bandarupalli , Roy Sounak
Published: August 2023

We report on the use of heterogeneous metal organic framework (MOF) catalysts for the Friedländer synthesis of 2‐aminoaryl ketone with α‐methylene carbonyl derivatives, a versatile and widely used method for the synthesis of quinoline derivatives. The importance of the Lewis and Brønsted acid sites and their spatial proximity have been explored. Postsynthetic modifications were made to introduce the Brønsted −SO3H acid sites in the pristine MIL‐53(Al). Two modifications were carried out, resulting in two different MOFs: MIL‐53(Al)−NH−(CH2)3−SO3H, in which there is a significant spatial distance between the Lewis and Brønsted sites, and MIL‐53(Al)−SO3H, where the two sites are in close proximity. The availability of sulfonic acid groups has a significant impact on their catalytic performance. The sulfonated MIL‐53(Al) material exhibited a high yield of quinoline derivatives under solventless and mild reaction conditions, with a wide substrate scope and good reusability. Mechanistic studies revealed that the dual acidic sites of the catalysts play an important role in the reaction mechanism.
Influence of Phosphate Buffer on the Reaction of 3‐Nitrophenylboronic Acid with Alizarin Red S
Authors: Imaminato Keiju , Kusuyama Daisuke , Suzuki Shota , Sugaya Tomoaki , Ishihara Koji
Published: August 2023

The influence of phosphate buffer on the reaction of boronic acid with 1,2‐diol was studied using a reaction system suitable for kinetics and the reaction of 3‐nitrophenylboronic acid (3‐NO2PhB(OH)2) with alizarin red S. The reaction was accelerated with increasing concentrations of phosphate buffer. 1H and 11B NMR spectra were recorded for four pH‐controlled solutions, each containing different boronic acids, to determine the cause of the reaction rate acceleration. The results indicated that HPO42− interacted with both 3‐NO2PhB(OH)2 and 3‐NO2PhB(OH)3−, whereas H2PO4− hardly interacted with either 3‐NO2PhB(OH)2 or 3‐NO2PhB(OH)3−. The reaction rates were enhanced by the formation of outer‐sphere complexes between RB(OH)2 and HPO42− and RB(OH)3− and HPO42−.
Microwave‐Assisted Metal‐Free C(sp2)−H Thiocyanation of Aromatic Amines
Authors: Desai Bhargav , Satani Piyushkumar , Patil Rachit S. , Bhukya Hussain , Naveen Togati
Published: August 2023

In this work, we present a rapid, metal‐free and efficient method for thiocyanation of aromatic amines under microwave irradiation for the synthesis of aryl thiocyanates using inexpensive and nontoxic NH4SCN as thiocyanato source and K2S2O8 as an oxidant. This protocol tolerates a wide range of substituted anilines to provide the corresponding thiocyanated products in good to excellent yields. The features of this strategy include a broad substrate scope, high functional group tolerance, mild reaction conditions, and short reaction time.
Contextual attribute‐based access control scheme for cloud storage using blockchain technology
Authors: Panda Suryakanta , Sahoo Swagatika , Halder Raju , Mondal Samrat
Published: August 2023

Access control of data that are outsourced to cloud storage is a challenging problem because data owners lose direct control over outsourced data. Attribute‐based encryption (ABE) is a potential cryptographic solution to provide confidentiality and flexible sharing of these outsourced data. However, the traditional ABE schemes do not meet the need of the current dynamic environment where data access not only considers the user's static and inherent attributes but also takes the user's contextual information such as location and time of access. This paper presents an improved ABE scheme using blockchain technology that can handle the frequently changing location and time attributes of data users efficiently, leading to support for fine‐grained access control of cloud storage embedding contextual information in the access policy of ABE. A prototype implementation of the proposed ABE scheme using solidity on the Ethereum platform and the experimental evaluation in terms of performance and execution cost shows a promising result.
Melting and Crystallization Behaviors of Mold Flux with the Addition of Waste Electrolyte
Authors: Yang Yang , Wang Wanlin , Zhou Lejun , Zhong Xiaocan , Zheng Qing , Zhao Ru
Published: August 2023

The influence of waste fluoride electrolyte addition on key properties of mold flux is investigated, with the aim to convert the hazardous waste in electrolytic aluminum industry into treasure in steel industry. The results show that the initial melting temperature of mold fluxes decreases from 1614.40 K (1341.40 °C) to 1564.67 K (1291.67 °C), and the complete melting temperature decreases from 1704.45 K (1431.45 °C) to 1674.34 K (1401.34 °C) with the addition of waste electrolyte from 10.08 to 24.89 wt%. The crystallization of mold flux is enhanced, and its crystallization mechanism transforms from “constant nucleation rate and 2D growth” into “constant nucleation number and 3D growth” with the addition of waste electrolyte. The main precipitated crystals in mold fluxes are grossular (Ca3Al2(SiO4)3) and CaF2, but the phase transforms into gehlenite (Ca2(Al(AlSi)O7) at higher temperature. In addition, the crystallization activation energy is 13.80, 12.40, 12.01, 11.03, and 10.27 kJ mol−1, respectively, which further confirms that the addition of waste electrolyte can reduce the energy barrier of crystallization and promote the crystallization ability of mold flux.
Neoteric Advances in Oxygen Bridged Triaryl Boron‐based Delayed Fluorescent Materials for Organic Light Emitting Diodes
Authors: Naveen Kenkera Rayappa , Konidena Rajendra Kumar , Keerthika P.
Published: August 2023

Since their first demonstration, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials have been emerged as the most promising emitters because of their promising applications in optoelectronics, typified by organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs). In which, the rigid oxygen bridged boron acceptor‐featured (DOBNA) emitters have gained tremendous impetus for OLEDs, which is ascribed to their excellent external quantum efficiency (EQE). However, these materials often displayed severe efficiency roll‐off and poor operational stability. Therefore, there needs to be a comprehensive understanding of the aspect of the molecular design and structure‐property relationship. To the best of our knowledge, there is no detailed review on the structure‐function outlook of DOBNA‐based emitters emphasizing the effect of the nature of donor units, their number density, and substitution pattern on the physicochemical properties, excited state dynamics and OLED performance were reported. To fill this gap, herein we presented the recent advancements in DOBNA‐based acceptor featured TADF materials by classifying them into several subgroups based on the molecular design i. e. donor‐acceptor (D−A), D−A‐D, A−D‐A, and multi‐resonant TADF (MR‐TADF) emitters. The detailed design concepts, along with their respective physicochemical and OLED performances were summarized. Finally, the prospective of this class of materials in forthcoming OLED displays is also discussed.
Exosome‐derived long noncoding RNAs: Mediators of host–Plasmodium parasite communication
Authors: Chen Jin‐guang , Liu Shuang‐chun , Nie Qing , Du Yun‐ting , Lv Yin‐yi , He Lian‐ping , Chen Guang
Published: August 2023

Overcoming challenges associated with malaria eradication proves to be a formidable task due to the complicated life cycle exhibited by the malaria parasite and the lack of safe and enduring vaccines against malaria. Investigating the interplay between Plasmodium parasites and their mammalian hosts is crucial for the development of novel vaccines. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) derived from Plasmodium parasites or host cells have emerged as potential signaling molecules involved in the trafficking of proteins, RNA (mRNAs, miRNAs, and ncRNAs), and DNA. These lncRNAs facilitate the interaction between hosts and parasites, impacting normal physiology or pathology in malaria‐infected individuals. Moreover, they possess the capacity to regulate immune responses and associated signaling pathways, thus potentially influencing chromatin organization, epigenetic modifications, mRNA processing, splicing, and translation. However, the functional role of exosomal lncRNAs in malaria remains poorly understood. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of lncRNA and exosomal lncRNA profiles during malaria infection. It presents an overview of recent progress in elucidating the involvement of exosomal lncRNAs in host–parasite interactions. Additionally, potential exosomal lncRNAs linked to the domains of innate and adaptive immunity in the context of malaria are proposed. These findings may contribute to the discovery of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for malaria. Furthermore, the need for additional research was highlighted that aimed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying lncRNA transportation into host cells and their targeting of specific genes to regulate the host's immune response. This knowledge gap presents an opportunity for future investigations, offering innovative approaches to enhance malarial control.

This article is categorized under:

RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Small Molecule‐RNA Interactions

RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein‐RNA Interactions: Functional Implications

RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease
Crystal and electronic structure of the ternary Zintl bismuthide BaLiBi
Authors: Ovchinnikov Alexander , Bobev Svilen
Published: August 2023

Reported is the accurate refinement of the structure of the ternary bismuthide BaLiBi, based on single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data. This compound crystallizes with the ZrBeSi structure type with the space group P63/mmc (no. 194), a=4.9917(6) Å, c=9.079(2) Å, V=195.92(7) Å3 with two formula units per unit cell. In addition to being a colored ternary variant of the AlB2 type, the crystal structure of BaLiBi can be also viewed as a “stuffed” variant of the NiAs structure, where the Bi atoms form a hexagonal close packing, the Ba atoms occupy the octahedral voids in this packing, and the Li atoms are located between adjacent tetrahedral voids on their common triangular faces. In the absence of direct Bi–Bi interactions, the BaLiBi crystal structure rationalized according to the notation (Ba2+)(Li+)(Bi3−), suggesting an electron‐balanced composition, i. e., a Zintl phase. In line with this notation, scalar‐relativistic first‐principle calculations with the LMTO code reveal a semiconducting ground state, with a bandgap of about 0.6 eV. Fully relativistic electronic structure calculations predict a semimetallic ground state.
Bounds on lepton non-unitarity and heavy neutrino mixing
Authors: Blennow Mattias , Fernández-Martínez Enrique , Hernández-García Josu , López-Pavón Jacobo , Marcano Xabier , Naredo-Tuero Daniel
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We present an updated and improved global fit analysis of current flavour and electroweak precision observables to derive bounds on unitarity deviations of the leptonic mixing matrix and on the mixing of heavy neutrinos with the active flavours. This new analysis is motivated by new and updated experimental results on key observables such as Vud, the invisible decay width of the Z boson and the W boson mass. It also improves upon previous studies by considering the full correlations among the different observables and explicitly calibrating the test statistic, which may present significant deviations from a χ2 distribution. The results are provided for three different Type-I seesaw scenarios: the minimal scenario with only two additional right-handed neutrinos, the next to minimal one with three extra neutrinos, and the most general one with an arbitrary number of heavy neutrinos that we parametrise via a generic deviation from a unitary leptonic mixing matrix. Additionally, we also analyze the case of generic deviations from unitarity of the leptonic mixing matrix, not necessarily induced by the presence of additional neutrinos. This last case relaxes some correlations among the parameters and is able to provide a better fit to the data. Nevertheless, inducing only leptonic unitarity deviations avoiding both the correlations implied by the right-handed neutrino extension as well as more strongly constrained operators is challenging and would imply significantly more complex UV completions.
Decoding quantum field theory with machine learning
Authors: Grimmer Daniel , Melgarejo-Lermas Irene , Polo-Gómez José , Martín-Martínez Eduardo
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We demonstrate how one can use machine learning techniques to bypass the technical difficulties of designing an experiment and translating its outcomes into concrete claims about fundamental features of quantum fields. In practice, all measurements of quantum fields are carried out through local probes. Despite measuring only a small portion of the field, such local measurements have the capacity to reveal many of the field’s global features. This is because, when in equilibrium with their environments, quantum fields store global information locally, albeit in a scrambled way. We show that neural networks can be trained to unscramble this information from data generated from a very simple one-size-fits-all local measurement protocol. To illustrate this general claim we will consider three non-trivial features of the field as case studies: a) how, as long as the field is in a stationary state, a particle detector can learn about the field’s boundary conditions even before signals have time to propagate from the boundary to the detector, b) how detectors can determine the temperature of the quantum field even without thermalizing with it, and c) how detectors can distinguish between Fock states and coherent states even when the first and second moments of all their quadrature operators match. Each of these examples uses the exact same simple fixed local measurement protocol and machine-learning ansatz successfully. This supports the claim that the framework proposed here can be applied to nearly any kind of local measurement on a quantum field to reveal nearly any of the field’s global properties in a one-size-fits-all manner.
Spectral flow and the exact AdS3/CFT2 chiral ring
Authors: Iguri Sergio , Kovensky Nicolas , Toro Julián H.
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We compute all worldsheet three-point functions involving spectrally-flowed operators in chiral multiplets of the space-time theory for strings in AdS3×S3×T4, thus completing the analysis of the full AdS3/CFT2 chiral ring. We make use of techniques recently developed for the bosonic sector, based on holomorphic covering maps from the worldsheet to the AdS3 boundary. We highlight the role of the so-called series identifications when dealing with the complications originated by picture-changing spectrally-flowed states. We find an exact agreement with the predictions from the holographic CFT at the symmetric orbifold point.
Critical JT gravity
Authors: Castro Alicia
Published: August 2023

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate a critical behavior of JT gravity, a model of two-dimensional quantum gravity on constant negatively curved spacetimes. Our approach involves using techniques from random maps to investigate the generating function of Weil-Petersson volumes, which count random hyperbolic surfaces with defects. The defects are weighted geodesic boundaries, and criticality is reached by tuning the weights to the regime where macroscopic holes emerge in the hyperbolic surface, namely non-generic criticality. We analyze the impact of this critical regime on some universal features, such as its density of states. We present a family of models that interpolates between systems with ρ0(E) ~ $$ \sqrt{E-{E}_0} $$

E
−

E
0

and ρ0(E) ~ (E − E0)3/2, which are commonly found in models of JT gravity coupled to dynamical end-of-the-world and FZZT branes, and give a precise definition of what this phase transition means from the random geometry point of view.
Substitutional semi-rigid osteosynthesis technique for treatment of unstable pubic symphysis injuries: a biomechanical study
Authors: Berk Till , Zderic Ivan , Varga Peter , Schwarzenberg Peter , Berk Karlyn , Grüneweller Niklas , Pastor Tatjana , Halvachizadeh Sascha , Richards Geoff , Gueorguiev Boyko , Pape Hans-Christoph
Published: August 2023

Background/Purpose

The surgical fixation of a symphyseal diastasis in partially or fully unstable pelvic ring injuries is an important element when stabilizing the anterior pelvic ring. Currently, open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) by means of plating represents the gold standard treatment. Advances in percutaneous fixation techniques have shown improvements in blood loss, surgery time, and scar length. Therefore, this approach should also be adopted for treatment of symphyseal injuries. The technique could be important since failure rates, following ORIF at the symphysis, remain unacceptably high. The aim of this biomechanical study was to assess a semi-rigid fixation technique for treatment of such anterior pelvic ring injuries versus current gold standards of plate osteosynthesis.

Methods

An anterior pelvic ring injury type III APC according to the Young and Burgess classification was simulated in eighteen composite pelvises, assigned to three groups (n = 6) for fixation with either a single plate, two orthogonally positioned plates, or the semi-rigid technique using an endobutton suture implant. Biomechanical testing was performed in a simulated upright standing position under progressively increasing cyclic loading at 2 Hz until failure or over 150,000 cycles. Relative movements between the bone segments were captured by motion tracking.

Results

Initial quasi-static and dynamic stiffness, as well as dynamic stiffness after 100,000 cycles, was not significantly different among the fixation techniques (p ≥ 0.054).). The outcome measures for total displacement after 20,000, 40,000, 60,000, 80,000, and 100,000 cycles were associated with significantly higher values for the suture technique versus double plating (p = 0.025), without further significant differences among the techniques (p ≥ 0.349). Number of cycles to failure and load at failure were highest for double plating (150,000 ± 0/100.0 ± 0.0 N), followed by single plating (132,282 ± 20,465/91.1 ± 10.2 N), and the suture technique (116,088 ± 12,169/83.0 ± 6.1 N), with significantly lower values in the latter compared to the former (p = 0.002) and no further significant differences among the techniques (p ≥ 0.329).

Conclusion

From a biomechanical perspective, the semi-rigid technique for fixation of unstable pubic symphysis injuries demonstrated promising results with moderate to inferior behaviour compared to standard plating techniques regarding stiffness, cycles to failure and load at failure. This knowledge could lay the foundation for realization of further studies with larger sample sizes, focusing on the stabilization of the anterior pelvic ring.
The absence of reporting standards and a lack of objective, performance-based outcomes following intramedullary nailing of tibial shaft fractures: findings from a scoping review into 179 articles
Authors: Thwaites Simon , Abrahams John , Thewlis Dominic , Rickman Mark
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This scoping review was conducted to summarise the outcome tools reported in the assessment of tibial shaft fractures treated with intramedullary (IM) nailing, with a key focus on knee pain and function, and performance-based outcomes.

Methods

PubMed and Embase databases were searched on May 31, 2023. All study designs and populations were included, including ex vivo studies without fracture. Studies with only open or intra-articular fractures, or other fracture fixation, were excluded. Reported outcome tools and pertinent study characteristics were extracted and summarised.

Results

Of 488 articles identified, 179 met the inclusion criteria. For in vivo studies (n = 152), there were 13,705 fractures; the IM nailing approach not described for 30% of these. There were 133 unique patient outcomes, with a binary assessment of knee pain (29% of studies) and Lysholm score (21%) most common. Only 10/152 (7%) in vivo studies included an objective, performance-based measure of knee function. Fracture union was most frequent (52%) of 81 different clinical outcomes. For ex vivo studies (n = 29), there were 408 tibias included, with nail insertion location most prevalent (66% of studies) of 34 reported outcomes.

Conclusion

The heterogeneity of outcome tools reported limits comparison between studies and the most commonly reported patient outcomes may not be the most appropriate. Future studies should report the IM nailing approach and consider capturing both patient-reported and performance-based outcomes to help inform surgical decision making.
Legal imagination and the US project of globalising the free flow of data
Authors: Brännström Leila , Gunneflo Markus , Noll Gregor , Parsa Amin
Published: August 2023

Today, the US pursues the global capture of data (understood as a significant engine of growth) by way of bi- and plurilateral trade agreements. However, the project of securing the global free flow of data has been pursued ever since the dawn of digital telecommunication in the 1960s and the US has made significant legal efforts to institutionalise it. These efforts have two phases: In the first 1970s and 80s “freedom of information” phase, the legal justification (and contestation) of the global free flow of data hinged on imagining data as information, and its exchange as a practice of liberty. The second phase began in the late 1990s and continues today. In this phase, the free flow of data is aligned with a free-trade agenda in the context of first e-commerce and, starting in the 2000s, through attempts at creating a global public domain of personal data for the platform economy. The global free flow of data is an intrinsic aspect of informational capitalism. Assuming a constitutive, but not commanding role for law in informational capitalism, we conclude that the US attempt at ensuring free flow for its informational corporations is neither an entirely contingent nor a necessary outcome. It is a product of legal imagination.
Roles of depth, current speed, and benthic cover in shaping gorgonian assemblages at the Palm Islands (Great Barrier Reef)
Authors: Panero Marta , Galbraith G. F. , Srinivasan M. , Jones G. P.
Published: August 2023

Gorgonians are a diverse and conspicuous component of coral reef ecosystems, providing habitat structure that supports unique assemblages of fishes and invertebrates. Evaluating their overall importance as ecological engineers requires an understanding of their spatial patterns of distribution, abundance and assemblage composition, and the biophysical factors that drive these patterns. No baseline data are available on the spatial patterns of distribution of gorgonians for the Great Barrier Reef. In this study, we quantified the abundance, genera richness, and composition of gorgonian assemblages using video surveys at three depths (5, 10, and 15 m) at 16 locations at the Palm Islands, an inshore island group in the central Great Barrier Reef. We compared gorgonian abundance and genera richness between depths and assessed the role of benthic habitat in structuring gorgonian communities. We also conducted a preliminary investigation of the potential role of water currents in driving gorgonian spatial patterns in the Palm Islands, using in situ current meters. Gorgonian abundance and genera richness consistently increased with depth, although the magnitude of the depth effect varied among locations. Abundance increased with increasing percent cover of rubble and conversely declined with increasing cover of hard corals. The composition of gorgonian assemblages also varied among depths, with whip (Junceella, Viminella) and fan (Acanthogorgia, Anthogorgia, Annella) growth forms being dominant at depths of 5 and 10 m, and branching (Dichotella, Icilogorgia) and candelabrum (Ctenocella) forms being dominant at 15 m. The shallow gorgonian assemblage was associated with high coral cover, whilst the deeper assemblage was associated with high per cent cover of rubble, turf and/or macroalgae. This study highlighted that the abundance, diversity, and composition of gorgonian assemblages on coral reefs in the Palm Islands are determined by a range of biophysical factors linked to depth. Further work is required to isolate the primary drivers of these depth-related effects and evaluate their relative importance.
The structure of cognitive strategies for wayfinding decisions
Authors: Bock Otmar , Huang Ju-Yi , Onur Oezguer A. , Memmert Daniel
Published: August 2023

Literature proposes five distinct cognitive strategies for wayfinding decisions at intersections. Our study investigates whether those strategies rely on a generalized decision-making process, on two frame-specific processes—one in an egocentric and the other in an allocentric spatial reference frame, and/or on five strategy-specific processes. Participants took six trips along a prescribed route through five virtual mazes, each designed for decision-making by a particular strategy. We found that wayfinding accuracy on trips through a given maze correlated significantly with the accuracy on trips through another maze that was designed for a different reference frame (rbetween-frames = 0.20). Correlations were not significantly higher if the other maze was designed for the same reference frame (rwithin-frames = 0.19). However, correlations between trips through the same maze were significantly higher than those between trips through different mazes that were designed for the same reference frame (rwithin-maze = 0.52). We conclude that wayfinding decisions were based on a generalized cognitive process, as well as on strategy-specific processes, while the role of frame-specific processes—if any—was relatively smaller. Thus, the well-established dichotomy of egocentric versus allocentric spatial representations did not translate into a similar, observable dichotomy of decision-making.
Leitlinie S1 für das Management postviraler Zustände am Beispiel Post-COVID-19
Authors: Rabady Susanne , Hoffmann Kathryn , Aigner Martin , Altenberger Johann , Brose Markus , Costa Ursula , Denk-Linnert Doris-Maria , Gruber Samuel , Götzinger Florian , Helbok Raimund , Hüfner Katharina , Koczulla Rembert , Kurz Katharina , Lamprecht Bernd , Leis Stefan , Löffler Judith , Müller Christian A. , Rittmannsberger Hans , Rommer Paulus S. , Sator Paul , Strenger Volker , Struhal Walter , Untersmayr Eva , Vonbank Karin , Wancata Johannes , Weber Thomas , Wendler Maria , Zwick Ralf-Harun
Published: August 2023

Die vorliegende Leitlinie S1 ist die Aktualisierung und Weiterentwicklung der Leitlinie S1 Long COVID: Differenzialdiagnostik und Behandlungsstrategien. Sie fasst den Stand der Kenntnis zu postviralen Zuständen anhand des Beispiels Long/Post COVID zum Zeitpunkt des Redaktionsschlusses zusammen. Aufgrund der starken Dynamik der Wissensentwicklung versteht sie sich als „living guideline“. Der Schwerpunkt liegt auf der praktischen Anwendbarkeit auf der Ebene der hausärztlichen Primärversorgung, die als geeignete Stelle für den Erstzutritt und für die primäre Betreuung und Behandlung verstanden wird. Die Leitlinie gibt Empfehlungen zum Versorgungsgang, zu Differenzialdiagnostik der häufigsten Symptome, die in der Folge einer Infektion wie mit SARS-CoV‑2 auftreten können, zu therapeutischen Optionen, zu Patient:innenführung und -betreuung sowie zur Wiedereingliederung in den Alltag und zur Rehabilitation. Entsprechend des Krankheitsbildes ist die Leitlinie in einem interdisziplinären und interprofessionellen Prozess entstanden und gibt Empfehlungen zu Schnittstellen und Kooperationsmöglichkeiten.
Hyperpolarized Multi-organ Spectroscopy of Liver and Brain Using 1-13C-Pyruvate Enhanced via Parahydrogen
Authors: Hune Theresa L. K. , Mamone Salvatore , Schmidt Andreas B. , Mahú Inês , D’Apolito Natascha , Wiedermann Dirk , Brüning Jens , Glöggler Stefan
Published: August 2023

Hyperpolarization in nuclear magnetic resonance boosts the signals by several orders of magnitude. Using the singlet spin order of parahydrogen to create large non-equilibrium spin polarization is a fast approach to obtain hyperpolarized metabolites in seconds. In recent years, it has attracted particular interest in the field of biomedicine because signal-enhanced and 13C-enriched metabolites allow for real-time metabolic investigations in combination with imaging in vivo. With this, metabolism can be traced and characterized with spatial selectivity in the body. Here, we introduce a method to use signal-enhanced metabolites to study multiple organs in separate injections to obtain real-time kinetics in vivo of these organs. Using hyperpolarized 1-13C-pyruvate, we measured the kinetics of the conversion from pyruvate to lactate in the brain and the liver of mice. This we did by injecting the hyperpolarized pyruvate two times within half an hour and using each injection to measure the spectra of one region of interest. Organ cross-talk and especially how different organs affect each other in diseases is of major interest and poorly understood, because of the high complexity of biological systems. With the proof-of-principle study provided here, we are introducing a new tool to study organ-related interaction in vivo. It allows the characterization of different organs of the same animal within half an hour, which is enabled by the fast signal enhancement achieved with parahydrogen.
Mesostructural changes in cellulose within wood cell wall upon hydrothermal treatment at 200 °C
Authors: Kuribayashi Tomoko , Ogawa Yu , Morfin Isabelle , Matsumoto Yuji , Nishiyama Yoshiharu
Published: August 2023

Hydrothermal treatment between 150 °C and 230 °C is widely used in wood processing, from the steam treatment of timber for better dimensional stability and durability to the pretreatment for enzymatic saccharification and chemical pulping. Understanding the ultrastructural changes of wood cell walls through hydrothermal treatments is crucial for controlling and optimizing these hydrothermal treatment-based processes. Here, we studied the ultrastructure of wood cell walls of 24 hardwood species using simultaneous small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering measurements before and after the hydrothermal treatment at 200 °C. Most hardwoods show similar equatorial scattering features, representing the structure in the cross-section of the cell walls. In a water-saturated native state, there is a prominent correlation peak between 0.1 and 0.2 Å−1 and a second peak between 0.2 and 0.4 Å−1. The hydrothermal treatment above 160 ˚C drastically altered the structure at this nanometric scale: the two native correlation peaks disappeared, coincident with a buildup of a correlation peak in the 0.03–0.04 Å−1 range. The hydrothermal treatment likely removed the cell wall matrix component between the microfibrils through autohydrolysis and phase separation, leading to the collapse of microfibrils with each other in the normal wood. In cellulose-rich cell walls, such as the G-layer in tension wood, cellulose microfibrils are already collated in the native state.
The effect of sulfate half-ester groups on the mechanical performance of cellulose nanocrystal-natural rubber composites
Authors: Imiete Iikpoemugh Elo , Giannini Luca , Tadiello Luciano , Orlandi Marco , Zoia Luca
Published: August 2023

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are commercially produced via hydrolysis by sulfuric acid, resulting in the formation of sulfate half-ester groups on the surface of the nanoparticles. The sulfate half-esters promote good colloidal stability but could affect other properties of the CNCs. To study the impact of the sulfate half-ester groups on the mechanical properties of CNC-natural rubber composites, sodium hydroxide was used as a desulfation agent to partially remove this chemical functionality. Mechanical characterizations revealed that CNCs conferred outstanding mechanical properties to the composites. At the same time, differences in the amounts of sulfate half-ester groups had remarkable consequences for the tensile strength and the dynamic mechanical properties, while the vulcanization properties of the composites were less influenced.
i-Align: an interpretable knowledge graph alignment model
Authors: Trisedya Bayu Distiawan , Salim Flora D. , Chan Jeffrey , Spina Damiano , Scholer Falk , Sanderson Mark
Published: August 2023

Knowledge graphs (KGs) are becoming essential resources for many downstream applications. However, their incompleteness may limit their potential. Thus, continuous curation is needed to mitigate this problem. One of the strategies to address this problem is KG alignment, i.e., forming a more complete KG by merging two or more KGs. This paper proposes i-Align, an interpretable KG alignment model. Unlike the existing KG alignment models, i-Align provides an explanation for each alignment prediction while maintaining high alignment performance. Experts can use the explanation to check the correctness of the alignment prediction. Thus, the high quality of a KG can be maintained during the curation process (e.g., the merging process of two KGs). To this end, a novel Transformer-based Graph Encoder (Trans-GE) is proposed as a key component of i-Align for aggregating information from entities’ neighbors (structures). Trans-GE uses Edge-gated Attention that combines the adjacency matrix and the self-attention matrix to learn a gating mechanism to control the information aggregation from the neighboring entities. It also uses historical embeddings, allowing Trans-GE to be trained over mini-batches, or smaller sub-graphs, to address the scalability issue when encoding a large KG. Another component of i-Align is a Transformer encoder for aggregating entities’ attributes. This way, i-Align can generate explanations in the form of a set of the most influential attributes/neighbors based on attention weights. Extensive experiments are conducted to show the power of i-Align. The experiments include several aspects, such as the model’s effectiveness for aligning KGs, the quality of the generated explanations, and its practicality for aligning large KGs. The results show the effectiveness of i-Align in these aspects.
Cytotoxicity of poly-guanidine in medulloblastoma cell lines
Authors: Gallo-Oller Gabriel , de Ståhl Teresita Díaz , Alaiya Ayodele , Nilsson Sten , Holmberg Anders R. , Márquez-Méndez Marcela
Published: August 2023

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common pediatric brain tumor. The therapy frequently causes serious side effects, and new selective therapies are needed. MB expresses hyper sialylation, a possible target for selective therapy. The cytotoxic efficacy of a poly guanidine conjugate (GuaDex) incubated with medulloblastoma cell cultures (DAOY and MB-LU-181) was investigated. The cells were incubated with 0.05–8 µM GuaDex from 15 min to 72 h. A fluorometric cytotoxicity assay (FMCA) measured the cytotoxicity. Labeled GuaDex was used to study tumor cell interaction. FITC-label Sambucus nigra confirmed high expression of sialic acid (Sia). Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to visualize the cell F-actin and microtubules. The cell interactions were studied by confocal and fluorescence microscopy. Annexin-V assay was used to detect apoptosis. Cell cycle analysis was done by DNA content determination. A wound-healing migration assay determined the effects on the migratory ability of DAOY cells after GuaDex treatment. IC50 for GuaDex was 223.4 -281.1 nM. FMCA showed potent growth inhibition on DAOY and MB-LU-181 cells at 5 uM GuaDex after 4 h of incubation. GuaDex treatment induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. S. nigra FITC-label lectin confirmed high expression of Sia on DAOY medulloblastoma cells. The GuaDex treatment polymerized the cytoskeleton (actin filaments and microtubules) and bound to DNA, inducing condensation. The Annexin V assay results were negative. Cell migration was inhibited at 0.5 µM GuaDex concentration after 24 h of incubation. GuaDex showed potent cytotoxicity and invasion-inhibitory effects on medulloblastoma cells at low micromolar concentrations. GuaDex efficacy was significant and warrants further studies.
Sloppy Models, Renormalization Group Realism, and the Success of Science
Authors: Freeborn David
Published: August 2023

The “sloppy models” program originated in systems biology, but has seen applications across a range of fields. Sloppy models are dependent on a large number of parameters, but highly insensitive to the vast majority of parameter combinations. Sloppy models proponents claim that the program may explain the success of science. I argue that the sloppy models program can at best provide a very partial explanation. Drawing a parallel with renormalization group realism, I argue that it would only give us grounds for a minimal kind of scientific realism. Nonetheless, the program can offer certain epistemic virtues.
Effect of ball milling time on the formation and thermal properties of Ag2Se and Cu2Se compounds
Authors: Tarani Evangelia , Stathokostopoulos Dimitrios , Karfaridis Dimitrios , Malletzidou Lamprini , Sfampa Ioanna K. , Stergioudi Fani , Maliaris Georgios , Michailidis Nikolaos , Chrissafis Konstantinos , Vourlias George
Published: August 2023

The thermoelectric materials community has made significant progress on nanostructured and processable materials to improve efficiency and flexibility, reducing manufacturing costs. Selenide compounds, such as Ag2Se and Cu2Se, have received a lot of attention because of their promising capabilities in thermoelectric applications. Additionally, Se is significantly more abundant than Te, with approximately ten times higher availability. High-energy ball milling (HEBM) process is a powerful solid-state synthesis/powder mechanical alloying method. The objective of this work is to form selenide compounds at different milling times (1–20 h) by HEBM process. The structural characterization of the compounds was studied by X-ray Diffraction and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, while the thermal stability of the prepared samples was examined by Thermogravimetric Analysis. The experimental results show that the Ag2Se sample synthesized at 20 h presents lower thermal stability because of the higher specific surface area and the increased porosity as a result of the hardening effect. Additionally, Cu2Se presents Cu2O(SeO3) as the main phase at low temperatures, while at higher temperatures, CuO is the dominant phase. Therefore, as the heating temperature increases, there is a complete evaporation of Se and a conversion of the remaining copper into copper oxide. The present study demonstrates a simple method for the synthesis of Ag2Se and Cu2Se thermoelectric materials with high oxidation resistance.
Una refundición moretiana de una comedia de Claramonte: El valiente justiciero y El rey don Pedro en Madrid
Authors: Castrillo Alaguero Javier
Published: August 2023

Agustín Moreto is one of the most outstanding authors of our Golden Theatre, because he was, in addition to Calderón, the main exponent of a form of composition that, together with collaborative writing, constitutes one of the most common dramaturgical modalities among secular poets: the rewriting. In this sense, the dramatic production of Agustín Moreto includes numerous motifs and arguments that were already present in the previous theater, especially in that of Lope de Vega. However, he was not the only playwright whom he took as a model, because he also consulted works by authors such as Tirso de Molina, Mira de Amescua, Guillén de Castro or Andrés de Claramonte. This work presents a rewriting of Moreto, El valiente justiciero, which starts from a text by Andrés de Claramonte, El rey don Pedro en Madrid y el infanzón de Illescas. Throughout the article, the most prominent similarities and differences between both comedies will be analyzed and it will be shown that the technique used by Moreto in his rewritings is very similar regardless of who the author of the source comedy is.
An Integrated Modeling Approach for Vertical Gas Migration Along Leaking Wells Using a Compressible Two-Fluid Flow Model
Authors: Qiao Yangyang , Skadsem Hans Joakim , Evje Steinar
Published: August 2023

Gas migration behind casings can occur in wells where the annular cement barrier fails to provide adequate zonal isolation. A direct consequence of gas migration is annular pressure build-up at wellhead, referred to as sustained casing pressure (SCP). Current mathematical models for analyzing SCP normally assume gas migration along the cemented interval to be single-phase steady-state Darcy flow in the absence of gravity and use a drift-flux model for two-phase transport through the mud column above the cement. By design, such models do not account for the possible simultaneous flow of gas and liquid along the annulus cement or the impact of liquid saturation within the cemented intervals on the surface pressure build-up. We introduce a general compressible two-fluid model which is solved over the entire well using a newly developed numerical scheme. The model is first validated against field observations and used for a parametric study. Next, detailed studies are performed, and the results demonstrate that the surface pressure build-up depends on the location of cement intervals with low permeability, and the significance of two-phase co-current or counter-current flow of liquid and gas occurs along cement barriers that have an initial liquid saturation. As the magnitude of the frictional pressure gradient associated with counter-current of liquid and gas can be comparable to the relevant hydrostatic pressure gradient, two-phase flow effects can significantly impact the interpretation of the wellhead pressure build-up.
Is Metalinguistic Usage a Conversational Implicature?
Authors: Soria-Ruiz Andrés
Published: August 2023

I argue against the view that metalinguistic usage is a form of conversational implicature. That view, suggested by Thomasson (Anal Philos 57(4):1-28, 2016) and Belleri (Philos Stud 174(9):2211–2226, 2017), has been most recently fleshed out by Mankowitz (Synthese 199:5603–5622, 2021). I provide two types of criticism to the implicature view. From an empirical point of view, metalinguistic usage differs in key respects from standard cases of conversational implicature. From a conceptual standpoint, I argue that the calculation algorithm provided by the implicature view makes undesirable predictions. Although my main objective is negative, I end the paper by sketching an alternative neo-Stalnakerian view of metalinguistic usage, that can be gathered from work by Barker (Linguist Philos 25(1):1–36, 2002; Inquiry 56(2–3):240–257, 2013) and others.