bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AAV-mediated upregulation of VDAC1 rescues the mitochondrial respiration and sirtuins expression in a SOD1 mouse model of inherited ALS
Authors: Magrì Andrea , Lipari Cristiana Lucia Rita , Caccamo Antonella , Battiato Giuseppe , Conti Nibali Stefano , De Pinto Vito , Guarino Francesca , Messina Angela
Published: April 2024

Mitochondrial dysfunction represents one of the most common molecular hallmarks of both sporadic and familial forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the selective degeneration and death of motor neurons. The accumulation of misfolded proteins on and within mitochondria, as observed for SOD1 G93A mutant, correlates with a drastic reduction of mitochondrial respiration and the inhibition of metabolites exchanges, including ADP/ATP and NAD+/NADH, across the Voltage-Dependent Anion-selective Channel 1 (VDAC1), the most abundant channel protein of the outer mitochondrial membrane. Here, we show that the AAV-mediated upregulation of VDAC1 in the spinal cord of transgenic mice expressing SOD1 G93A completely rescues the mitochondrial respiratory profile. This correlates with the increased activity and levels of key regulators of mitochondrial functions and maintenance, namely the respiratory chain Complex I and the sirtuins (Sirt), especially Sirt3. Furthermore, the selective increase of these mitochondrial proteins is associated with an increase in Tom20 levels, the receptor subunit of the TOM complex. Overall, our results indicate that the overexpression of VDAC1 has beneficial effects on ALS-affected tissue by stabilizing the Complex I-Sirt3 axis.
Quantitative evaluation of OCT angiography images in healthy and glaucomatous subjects through a novel approach: exploring inter-image variability
Authors: Cassottana Paola , Iester Costanza , Bonzano Laura , Traverso Carlo E. , Iester Michele
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate inter-image intra-observer variability of macular, and optic disc (ONH) microvasculature measurements of glaucomatous and normal subjects using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCT-A) (OCT Topcon ImageNet 6; DRI OCT Triton, Topcon Corporation, JAPAN) - based imaging data analysis and processing with a newly made quantitative approach.

Methods

A total of 20 glaucomatous and 20 healthy eyes underwent three OCT-A scanning of the ONH and macula. Macular and papillary and peripapillary vascular networks were calculated. For each eye, eighteen scans were analyzed using a novel approach: custom MATLAB 2021b scripts were employed for imaging analyses. Grayscale distribution was performed using the histcounts MATLAB function with 51 bins. For all layers, the vascular layer coefficient of variation (vl CoV) of the three measures were performed. The vl CoV difference between the two groups was analyzed by Student t-test.

Results

In glaucomatous eyes, the vl CoV ranged from 4.49% to 8.54%, while in the control group from 3.58% to 8.32%. Both groups exhibited higher CoVs when assessing the optic disc. The papillary and macular microvasculature reproducibility was comparable between groups.

Conclusions

Utilizing Swept-Source OCT-A images our study has identified an easy and reproducible method that appears to be fast and can assist physicians in assessing macular and ONH perfusion with less inter-image variability, particularly in the 70 μm superficial area of the optic disc. The high reliability obtained suggested that this method could be useful as early clinical biomarker.
A plant NLR receptor employs ABA central regulator PP2C-SnRK2 to activate antiviral immunity
Authors: Huang Shen , Wang Chunli , Ding Zixuan , Zhao Yaqian , Dai Jing , Li Jia , Huang Haining , Wang Tongkai , Zhu Min , Feng Mingfeng , Ji Yinghua , Zhang Zhongkai , Tao Xiaorong
Published: April 2024

Defence against pathogens relies on intracellular nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat immune receptors (NLRs) in plants. Hormone signaling including abscisic acid (ABA) pathways are activated by NLRs and play pivotal roles in defence against different pathogens. However, little is known about how hormone signaling pathways are activated by plant immune receptors. Here, we report that a plant NLR Sw-5b mimics the behavior of the ABA receptor and directly employs the ABA central regulator PP2C-SnRK2 complex to activate an ABA-dependent defence against viral pathogens. PP2C4 interacts with and constitutively inhibits SnRK2.3/2.4. Behaving in a similar manner as the ABA receptor, pathogen effector ligand recognition triggers the conformational change of Sw-5b NLR that enables binding to PP2C4 via the NB domain. This receptor-PP2C4 binding interferes with the interaction between PP2C4 and SnRK2.3/2.4, thereby releasing SnRK2.3/2.4 from PP2C4 inhibition to activate an ABA-specific antiviral immunity. These findings provide important insights into the activation of hormone signaling pathways by plant immune receptors.
Photocatalytic Z/E isomerization unlocking the stereodivergent construction of axially chiral alkene frameworks
Authors: Wang Jie , Gu Jun , Zou Jia-Yu , Zhang Meng-Jie , Shen Rui , Ye Zhiwen , Xu Ping-Xun , He Ying
Published: April 2024

The past century has witnessed a large number of reports on the Z/E isomerization of alkenes. However, the vast majority of them are still limited to the isomerization of di- and tri-substituted alkenes. The stereospecific Z/E isomerization of tetrasubstituted alkenes remains to be an underdeveloped area, thus lacking in a stereodivergent synthesis of axially chiral alkenes. Herein we report the atroposelective synthesis of tetrasubstituted alkene analogues by asymmetric allylic substitution-isomerization, followed by their Z/E isomerization via triplet energy transfer photocatalysis. In this regard, the stereodivergent synthesis of axially chiral N-vinylquinolinones is achieved efficiently. Mechanistic studies indicate that the benzylic radical generation and distribution are two key factors for preserving the enantioselectivities of axially chiral compounds.
One substrate many enzymes virtual screening uncovers missing genes of carnitine biosynthesis in human and mouse
Authors: Malatesta Marco , Fornasier Emanuele , Di Salvo Martino Luigi , Tramonti Angela , Zangelmi Erika , Peracchi Alessio , Secchi Andrea , Polverini Eugenia , Giachin Gabriele , Battistutta Roberto , Contestabile Roberto , Percudani Riccardo
Published: April 2024

The increasing availability of experimental and computational protein structures entices their use for function prediction. Here we develop an automated procedure to identify enzymes involved in metabolic reactions by assessing substrate conformations docked to a library of protein structures. By screening AlphaFold-modeled vitamin B6-dependent enzymes, we find that a metric based on catalytically favorable conformations at the enzyme active site performs best (AUROC Score=0.84) in identifying genes associated with known reactions. Applying this procedure, we identify the mammalian gene encoding hydroxytrimethyllysine aldolase (HTMLA), the second enzyme of carnitine biosynthesis. Upon experimental validation, we find that the top-ranked candidates, serine hydroxymethyl transferase (SHMT) 1 and 2, catalyze the HTMLA reaction. However, a mouse protein absent in humans (threonine aldolase; Tha1) catalyzes the reaction more efficiently. Tha1 did not rank highest based on the AlphaFold model, but its rank improved to second place using the experimental crystal structure we determined at 2.26 Å resolution. Our findings suggest that humans have lost a gene involved in carnitine biosynthesis, with HTMLA activity of SHMT partially compensating for its function.
Extreme terahertz magnon multiplication induced by resonant magnetic pulse pairs
Authors: Huang C. , Luo L. , Mootz M. , Shang J. , Man P. , Su L. , Perakis I. E. , Yao Y. X. , Wu A. , Wang J.
Published: April 2024

Nonlinear interactions of spin-waves and their quanta, magnons, have emerged as prominent candidates for interference-based technology, ranging from quantum transduction to antiferromagnetic spintronics. Yet magnon multiplication in the terahertz (THz) spectral region represents a major challenge. Intense, resonant magnetic fields from THz pulse-pairs with controllable phases and amplitudes enable high order THz magnon multiplication, distinct from non-resonant nonlinearities such as the high harmonic generation by below-band gap electric fields. Here, we demonstrate exceptionally high-order THz nonlinear magnonics. It manifests as 7th-order spin-wave-mixing and 6th harmonic magnon generation in an antiferromagnetic orthoferrite. We use THz two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy to achieve high-sensitivity detection of nonlinear magnon interactions up to six-magnon quanta in strongly-driven many-magnon correlated states. The high-order magnon multiplication, supported by classical and quantum spin simulations, elucidates the significance of four-fold magnetic anisotropy and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya symmetry breaking. Moreover, our results shed light on the potential quantum fluctuation properties inherent in nonlinear magnons.
All-silicon multidimensionally-encoded optical physical unclonable functions for integrated circuit anti-counterfeiting
Authors: Wang Kun , Shi Jianwei , Lai Wenxuan , He Qiang , Xu Jun , Ni Zhenyi , Liu Xinfeng , Pi Xiaodong , Yang Deren
Published: April 2024

Integrated circuit anti-counterfeiting based on optical physical unclonable functions (PUFs) plays a crucial role in guaranteeing secure identification and authentication for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. While considerable efforts have been devoted to exploring optical PUFs, two critical challenges remain: incompatibility with the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology and limited information entropy. Here, we demonstrate all-silicon multidimensionally-encoded optical PUFs fabricated by integrating silicon (Si) metasurface and erbium-doped Si quantum dots (Er-Si QDs) with a CMOS-compatible procedure. Five in-situ optical responses have been manifested within a single pixel, rendering an ultrahigh information entropy of 2.32 bits/pixel. The position-dependent optical responses originate from the position-dependent radiation field and Purcell effect. Our evaluation highlights their potential in IoT security through advanced metrics like bit uniformity, similarity, intra- and inter-Hamming distance, false-acceptance and rejection rates, and encoding capacity. We finally demonstrate the implementation of efficient lightweight mutual authentication protocols for IoT applications by using the all-Si multidimensionally-encoded optical PUFs.
Highly efficient field-free switching of perpendicular yttrium iron garnet with collinear spin current
Authors: Yang Man , Sun Liang , Zeng Yulun , Cheng Jun , He Kang , Yang Xi , Wang Ziqiang , Yu Longqian , Niu Heng , Ji Tongzhou , Chen Gong , Miao Bingfeng , Wang Xiangrong , Ding Haifeng
Published: April 2024

Yttrium iron garnet, a material possessing ultralow magnetic damping and extraordinarily long magnon diffusion length, is the most widely studied magnetic insulator in spintronics and magnonics. Field-free electrical control of perpendicular yttrium iron garnet magnetization with considerable efficiency is highly desired for excellent device performance. Here, we demonstrate such an accomplishment with a collinear spin current, whose spin polarization and propagation direction are both perpendicular to the interface. Remarkably, the field-free magnetization switching is achieved not only with a heavy-metal-free material, Permalloy, but also with a higher efficiency as compared with a typical heavy metal, Pt. Combined with the direct and inverse effect measurements, we ascribe the collinear spin current to the anomalous spin Hall effect in Permalloy. Our findings provide a new insight into spin current generation in Permalloy and open an avenue in spintronic devices.
Reconfigurable optoelectronic transistors for multimodal recognition
Authors: Li Pengzhan , Zhang Mingzhen , Zhou Qingli , Zhang Qinghua , Xie Donggang , Li Ge , Liu Zhuohui , Wang Zheng , Guo Erjia , He Meng , Wang Can , Gu Lin , Yang Guozhen , Jin Kuijuan , Ge Chen
Published: April 2024

Biological nervous system outperforms in both dynamic and static information perception due to their capability to integrate the sensing, memory and processing functions. Reconfigurable neuromorphic transistors, which can be used to emulate different types of biological analogues in a single device, are important for creating compact and efficient neuromorphic computing networks, but their design remains challenging due to the need for opposing physical mechanisms to achieve different functions. Here we report a neuromorphic electrolyte-gated transistor that can be reconfigured to perform physical reservoir and synaptic functions. The device exhibits dynamics with tunable time-scales under optical and electrical stimuli. The nonlinear volatile property is suitable for reservoir computing, which can be used for multimodal pre-processing. The nonvolatility and programmability of the device through ion insertion/extraction achieved via electrolyte gating, which are required to realize synaptic functions, are verified. The device’s superior performance in mimicking human perception of dynamic and static multisensory information based on the reconfigurable neuromorphic functions is also demonstrated. The present study provides an exciting paradigm for the realization of multimodal reconfigurable devices and opens an avenue for mimicking biological multisensory fusion.
Programmable photoacoustic patterning of microparticles in air
Authors: Zhang Ruoqin , Zhao Xichuan , Li Jinzhi , Zhou Di , Guo Honglian , Li Zhi-yuan , Li Feng
Published: April 2024

Optical and acoustic tweezers, despite operating on different physical principles, offer non-contact manipulation of microscopic and mesoscopic objects, making them essential in fields like cell biology, medicine, and nanotechnology. The advantages and limitations of optical and acoustic manipulation complement each other, particularly in terms of trapping size, force intensity, and flexibility. We use photoacoustic effects to generate localized Lamb wave fields capable of mapping arbitrary laser pattern shapes. By using localized Lamb waves to vibrate the surface of the multilayer membrane, we can pattern tens of thousands of microscopic particles into the desired pattern simultaneously. Moreover, by quickly and successively adjusting the laser shape, microparticles flow dynamically along the corresponding elastic wave fields, creating a frame-by-frame animation. Our approach merges the programmable adaptability of optical tweezers with the potent manipulation capabilities of acoustic waves, paving the way for wave-based manipulation techniques, such as microparticle assembly, biological synthesis, and microsystems.
Exposing the molecular heterogeneity of glycosylated biotherapeutics
Authors: Schachner Luis F. , Mullen Christopher , Phung Wilson , Hinkle Joshua D. , Beardsley Michelle Irwin , Bentley Tracy , Day Peter , Tsai Christina , Sukumaran Siddharth , Baginski Tomasz , DiCara Danielle , Agard Nicholas J. , Masureel Matthieu , Gober Joshua , ElSohly Adel M. , Melani Rafael , Syka John E. P. , Huguet Romain , Marty Michael T. , Sandoval Wendy
Published: April 2024

The heterogeneity inherent in today’s biotherapeutics, especially as a result of heavy glycosylation, can affect a molecule’s safety and efficacy. Characterizing this heterogeneity is crucial for drug development and quality assessment, but existing methods are limited in their ability to analyze intact glycoproteins or other heterogeneous biotherapeutics. Here, we present an approach to the molecular assessment of biotherapeutics that uses proton-transfer charge-reduction with gas-phase fractionation to analyze intact heterogeneous and/or glycosylated proteins by mass spectrometry. The method provides a detailed landscape of the intact molecular weights present in biotherapeutic protein preparations in a single experiment. For glycoproteins in particular, the method may offer insights into glycan composition when coupled with a suitable bioinformatic strategy. We tested the approach on various biotherapeutic molecules, including Fc-fusion, VHH-fusion, and peptide-bound MHC class II complexes to demonstrate efficacy in measuring the proteoform-level diversity of biotherapeutics. Notably, we inferred the glycoform distribution for hundreds of molecular weights for the eight-times glycosylated fusion drug IL22-Fc, enabling correlations between glycoform sub-populations and the drug’s pharmacological properties. Our method is broadly applicable and provides a powerful tool to assess the molecular heterogeneity of emerging biotherapeutics.
Grey matter networks in women and men with dementia with Lewy bodies
Authors: Habich Annegret , Oltra Javier , Schwarz Christopher G. , Przybelski Scott A. , Oppedal Ketil , Inguanzo Anna , Blanc Frédéric , Lemstra Afina W. , Hort Jakub , Westman Eric , Segura Barbara , Junque Carme , Lowe Val J. , Boeve Bradley F. , Aarsland Dag , Dierks Thomas , Kantarci Kejal , Ferreira Daniel
Published: April 2024

Sex differences permeate many aspects of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), yet sex differences in patterns of neurodegeneration in DLB remain largely unexplored. Here, we test whether grey matter networks differ between sexes in DLB and compare these findings to sex differences in healthy controls. In this cross-sectional study, we analysed clinical and neuroimaging data of patients with DLB and cognitively healthy controls matched for age and sex. Grey matter networks were constructed by pairwise correlations between 58 regional volumes after correction for age, intracranial volume, and centre. Network properties were compared between sexes and diagnostic groups. Additional analyses were conducted on w-scored data to identify DLB-specific sex differences. Data from 119 (68.7 ± 8.4 years) men and 45 women (69.9 ± 9.1 years) with DLB, and 164 healthy controls were included in this study. Networks of men had a lower nodal strength compared to women. In comparison to healthy women, the grey matter networks of healthy men showed a higher global efficiency, modularity, and fewer modules. None of the network measures showed significant sex differences in DLB. Comparing DLB patients with healthy controls revealed global differences in women and more local differences in men. Modular analyses showed a more distinct demarcation between cortical and subcortical regions in men compared with women. While topologies of grey matter networks differed between sexes in healthy controls, those sex differences were diluted in DLB patients. These findings suggest a disease-driven convergence of neurodegenerative patterns in women and men with DLB, which may inform precision medicine in DLB.
A high-throughput approach for assessing antiscaling performance during mineral precipitation from seawater and hard water
Authors: Poulain A. , Besselink R. , Fernandez-Martinez A. , Kellermeier M. , Van Driessche A. E. S.
Published: April 2024

The undesired precipitation of minerals from solution poses challenges in various industrial and domestic applications, including water treatment, desalination, dishwashers and boilers. To mitigate this, threshold inhibitors - small quantities of water-soluble additives—are commonly employed to inhibit the precipitation of inorganic phases. However, concerns about the persistence of traditional additives like phosph(on)ates) in natural environments and stricter regulations warrant the development of more sustainable alternatives. We present a high-throughput approach using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer and automated data analysis to assess the scale inhibiting potential of numerous candidates and their combinations. The robustness and versatility of this method were validated by measuring the kinetics of alkaline-earth metal carbonates precipitating from simulated hard waters and seawaters across an extended range of experimental parameters. This approach allows for straightforward evaluation and quantification of each antiscaling additive’s effectiveness and operational range, enabling direct comparison of different additives and blends of additives. Moreover, it facilitates the study of scaling processes in both bulk solutions and at liquid/solid interfaces. By providing a rapid and reliable means of screening potential additives and formulations, our versatile toolbox will expedite the identification of effective scale inhibitors, thereby contributing to the advancement of sustainable practices in various industries reliant on water treatment and mineral precipitation control.
The landscape of abiotic and biotic stress-responsive splice variants with deep RNA-seq datasets in hot pepper
Authors: Kim Nayoung , Lee Junesung , Yeom Seon-In , Kang Nam-Jun , Kang Won-Hee
Published: April 2024

Alternative splicing (AS) is a widely observed phenomenon in eukaryotes that plays a critical role in development and stress responses. In plants, the large number of RNA-seq datasets in response to different environmental stressors can provide clues for identification of condition-specific and/or common AS variants for preferred agronomic traits. We report RNA-seq datasets (350.7 Gb) fromCapsicum annuuminoculated with one of three bacteria, one virus, or one oomycete and obtained additional existing transcriptome datasets. In this study, we investigated the landscape of AS in response to environmental stressors, signaling molecules, and tissues from 425 total samples comprising 841.49 Gb. In addition, we identified genes that undergo AS under specific and shared stress conditions to obtain potential genes that may be involved in enhancing tolerance to stressors. We uncovered 1,642,007 AS events and identified 4,354 differential alternative splicing genes related to environmental stressors, tissues, and signaling molecules. This information and approach provide useful data for basic-research focused on enhancing tolerance to environmental stressors in hot pepper or establishing breeding programs.
Evaluation of management practices in rice–wheat cropping system using multicriteria decision-making methods in conservation agriculture
Authors: Biswas Tufleuddin , Majumder Anurup , Dey Shamik , Mandal Anwesha , Ray Soumik , Kapoor Promil , Emam Walid , Kanthal Sahely , ISHIZAKA Alessio , Matuka Adelajda
Published: April 2024

In this study, we employed two multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, namely the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and the Analytic Hierarchic Process (AHP), to determine the best management choice for the cultivation of wheat with a regime of conservation agriculture (CA) practices. By combining alternative tillage approaches, such as reduced tillage and zero tillage, with the quantity of crop residues and fertilizer application, we were able to develop the regime of CA practices. The performance of the regimes compared to the conventional ones was then evaluated using conflicting parameters relating to energy use, economics, agronomy, plant protection, and soil science. TOPSIS assigned a grade to each alternative based on how close it was to the ideal solution and how far away it was from the negative ideal solution. However, employing AHP, we determined the weights of each of the main and sub-parameters used for this study using pairwise comparison. With TOPSIS, we found ZERO1 (0% residue + 100% NPK) followed by ZERO4 (50%residue + 100% NPK), and ZERO2 (100% residue + 50% NPK) were the best performing tillage-based alternatives. To best optimize the performance of wheat crops under various CA regimes, TOPSIS assisted the decision-makers in distinguishing the effects of the parameters on the outcome and identifying the potential for maneuvering the weak links. The outcomes of this investigation could be used to improve management techniques for wheat production with CA practices for upscaling among the farmers.
Optimization of culture medium to improve bio-cementation effect based on response surface method
Authors: Pan Zhikun , Cao Shiding
Published: April 2024

The main challenge in the large-scale application of MICP lies in its low efficiency and promoting biofilm growth can effectively address this problem. In the present study, a prediction model was proposed using the response surface method. With the prediction model, optimum concentrations of nutrients in the medium can be obtained. Moreover, the optimized medium was compared with other media via bio-cementation tests. The results show that this prediction model was accurate and effective, and the predicted results were close to the measured results. By using the prediction model, the optimized culture media was determined (20.0 g/l yeast extract, 10.0 g/l polypeptone, 5.0 g/l ammonium sulfate, and 10.0 g/l NaCl). Furthermore, the optimized medium significantly promoted the growth of biofilm compared to other media. In the medium, the effect of polypeptone on biofilm growth was smaller than the effect of yeast extract and increasing the concentration of polypeptone was not beneficial in promoting biofilm growth. In addition, the sand column solidified with the optimized medium had the highest strength and the largest calcium carbonate contents. The prediction model represents a platform technology that leverages culture medium to impart novel sensing, adjustive, and responsive multifunctionality to structural materials in the civil engineering and material engineering fields.
Multi-center study on mortality in children, and adults with sickle cell anemia-risk factors and causes of death
Authors: Alkindi Salam , Al-Jadidi Salma , Al-Adawi Safa , Elsadek Refaat Abdullah , Al Madhani Ali , Al-Nabhani Maryam , Pathare Anil V.
Published: April 2024

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major public health burden worldwide with increasing morbidity and mortality. The study evaluates the risk factors associated with mortality in SCD patients, between the years 2006 and 2020 at three hospitals in Oman. The analysis includes clinical manifestations, haematological, biochemical, and radiological parameters, use of antibiotics, and blood and exchange transfusions. Our cohort included 123 patients (82 males, 41 females), with a median age of 27 (Interquartile Range 21–35 years). SCD related complications included acute chest syndrome (ACS) in 52.8%, splenic sequestration in 21.1%, right upper quadrant syndrome in 19.5%, more than > 6 VOC/year in 17.9%, and stroke in 13.8%. At the terminal admission, patients had cough, reduced O2 saturation, crepitation and fever in 24.4%, 49.6%, 53.6% and 68.3% respectively. Abnormal chest X-ray and chest CT scan were seen in 57.7%, and 76.4% respectively. Laboratory parameters showed a significant drop in hemoglobin (Hb) and platelet counts from baseline, with a significant rise in WBC, LDH and CRP from baseline (p < 0.05, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test). All patients received antibiotics, whereas, 95.9% and 93.5% received simple blood transfusions, and exchange transfusions respectively, and 66.6% required non-invasive ventilation. Among the causes of death, ACS is seen in 32 (26%), sepsis in 49 (40%), and miscellaneous in 42 (34%). Sudden death was seen in 32 (26%) of patients. Male gender, with low HbF, rapid drop in Hb and platelet, and increased in WBC, LDH, ferritin, and CRP, correlated significantly with mortality in this cohort.
Understanding the relationship between surfing performance and fin design
Authors: Forsyth James R. , Barnsley Grant , Amirghasemi Mehrdad , Barthelemy Johan , Elshahomi Alhoush , Kosasih Buyung , Perez Pascal , Beirne Stephen , Steele Julie R. , in het Panhuis Marc
Published: April 2024

This research aimed to determine whether accomplished surfers could accurately perceive how changes to surfboard fin design affected their surfing performance. Four different surfboard fins, including conventional, single-grooved, and double-grooved fins, were developed using computer-aided design combined with additive manufacturing (3D printing). We systematically installed these 3D-printed fins into instrumented surfboards, which six accomplished surfers rode on waves in the ocean in a random order while blinded to the fin condition. We quantified the surfers’ wave-riding performance during each surfing bout using a sport-specific tracking device embedded in each instrumented surfboard. After each fin condition, the surfers rated their perceptions of the Drive, Feel, Hold, Speed, Stiffness, and Turnability they experienced while performing turns using a visual analogue scale. Relationships between the surfer’s perceptions of the fins and their surfing performance data collected from the tracking devices were then examined. The results revealed that participants preferred the single-grooved fins for Speed and Feel, followed by double-grooved fins, commercially available fins, and conventional fins without grooves. Crucially, the surfers’ perceptions of their performance matched the objective data from the embedded sensors. Our findings demonstrate that accomplished surfers can perceive how changes to surfboard fins influence their surfing performance.
The platform business model selection of online ride-hailing giants based on the aggregation model
Authors: Zhu Xueyu , Guo Min , Li Jinhong
Published: April 2024

Pure self-management model, pure aggregation business model and Self-support + aggregation model are three commonly used business modes on ride-hailing platforms. We use an analytical model to study these three business models and give the optimal business model decision of the platform. The research shows that the heterogeneity ratio of drivers, the cost of the platform under the Self-support model, the franchise fee received by the platform under the aggregation model and the dissatisfaction of the original users on the platform play a key role in the selection of the platform’s business model. When the difference between the franchise fee under the aggregation mode and the platform cost under the Self-support mode fails to generate positive feedback on the platform profit, the platform should choose the pure Self-support mode. When riders are more sensitive to the heterogeneity of service quality of the platform and user stickiness can be ensured, the platform should choose the pure aggregation business model. When user stickiness can be guaranteed and the cost of the platform under the self-run model is controllable, the platform should choose the Self-support + aggregation business model.
High-throughput sequencing-based analysis of the composition and diversity of the endophyte community in roots of Stellera chamaejasme
Authors: Zhang Jun-ze , Li Xin-zhong , Yin Ye-bing , Luo Si-cen , Wang Dong-xu , Zheng Heng , Liu Yi-xuan
Published: April 2024

Stellera chamaejasme (S. chamaejasme) is an important medicinal plant with heat-clearing, detoxifying, swelling and anti-inflammatory effects. At the same time, it is also one of the iconic plants of natural grassland degradation in northwest China, playing a key role in the invasion process. Plant endophytes live in healthy plant tissues and can synthesize substances needed for plant growth, induce disease resistance in host plants, and enhance plant resistance to environmental stress. Therefore, studying the root endophytes of S. chamaejasme is of great significance for mining beneficial microbial resources and biological prevention and control of S. chamaejasme. This study used Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology to analyze the composition and diversity of endophytes in the roots of S. chamaejasme in different alpine grasslands (BGC, NMC and XGYZ) in Tibet. Research results show that the main phylum of endophytic fungi in the roots of S. chamaejasme in different regions is Ascomycota, and the main phyla of endophytic bacteria are Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes (Bacteroidota). Overall, the endophyte diversity of the NMC samples was significantly higher than that of the other two sample sites. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) results showed significant differences in the composition of endophytic bacterial and fungal communities among BGC, NMC and XGYZ samples. Co-occurrence network analysis of endophytes showed that there were positive correlations between fungi and some negative correlations between bacteria, and the co-occurrence network of bacteria was more complex than that of fungi. In short, this study provides a vital reference for further exploring and utilizing the endophyte resources of S. chamaejasme and an in-depth understanding of the ecological functions of S. chamaejasme endophytes.
Insights into early recovery from Long COVID—results from the German DigiHero Cohort
Authors: Diexer Sophie , Klee Bianca , Gottschick Cornelia , Broda Anja , Purschke Oliver , Binder Mascha , Gekle Michael , Girndt Matthias , Hoell Jessica I. , Moor Irene , Sedding Daniel , Rosendahl Jonas , Mikolajczyk Rafael
Published: April 2024

65 million people worldwide are estimated to suffer from long-term symptoms after their SARS-CoV-2 infection (Long COVID). However, there is still little information about the early recovery among those who initially developed Long COVID, i.e. had symptoms 4–12 weeks after infection but no symptoms after 12 weeks. We aimed to identify associated factors with this early recovery. We used data from SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals from the DigiHero study. Participants provided information about their SARS-CoV-2 infections and symptoms at the time of infection, 4–12 weeks, and more than 12 weeks post-infection. We performed multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with early recovery from Long COVID and principal component analysis (PCA) to identify groups among symptoms. 5098 participants reported symptoms at 4–12 weeks after their SARS-CoV-2 infection, of which 2441 (48%) reported no symptoms after 12 weeks. Men, younger participants, individuals with mild course of acute infection, individuals infected with the Omicron variant, and individuals who did not seek medical care in the 4–12 week period after infection had a higher chance of early recovery. In the PCA, we identified four distinct symptom groups. Our results indicate differential risk of continuing symptoms among individuals who developed Long COVID. The identified risk factors are similar to those for the development of Long COVID, so people with these characteristics are at higher risk not only for developing Long COVID, but also for longer persistence of symptoms. Those who sought medical help were also more likely to have persistent symptoms.
CCDC58 is a potential biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis, immunity, and genomic heterogeneity in pan-cancer
Authors: Yang Kai , Ma Yan , Chen Weigang , Liu Lu , Yang Zelong , He Chaokui , Zheng Nanbei , Liu Xinyu , Cheng Xin , Song Junbo , Chen Yong , Qiao Hongyu , Zhang Ruohan
Published: April 2024

Coiled-coil domain-containing 58 (CCDC58) is a member of the CCDC protein family. Similar to other members, CCDC58 exhibits potential tumorigenic roles in a variety of malignancies. However, there is no systematic and comprehensive pan-cancer analysis to investigate the diagnosis, prognosis, immune infiltration, and other related functions of CCDC58. We used several online websites and databases, such as TCGA, GTEx, UALCAN, HPA, CancerSEA, BioGRID, GEPIA 2.0, TIMER 2.0, and TISIDB, to extract CCDC58 expression data and clinical data of patients in pan-cancer. Then, the relationship between CCDC58 expression and diagnosis, prognosis, genetic alterations, DNA methylation, genomic heterogeneity, and immune infiltration level were determined. In addition, the biological function of CCDC58 in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) was investigated. Pan-cancer analysis results showed that CCDC58 was differentially expressed in most tumors and showed excellent performance in diagnosis and prediction of prognosis. The expression of CCDC58 was highly correlated with genetic alterations, DNA methylation, and genomic heterogeneity in some tumors. In addition, the correlation analysis of CCDC58 with the level of immune infiltration and immune checkpoint marker genes indicated that CCDC58 might affect the composition of the tumor immune microenvironment. Enrichment analysis showed that CCDC58-related genes were mainly linked to mitosis, chromosome, and cell cycle. Finally, biological function experiments demonstrated that CCDC58 plays an important role in tumor cell proliferation and migration. CCDC58 was first identified as a pan-cancer biomarker. It may be used as a potential therapeutic target to improve the prognosis of patients in the future.
Putative climate adaptation in American pikas (Ochotona princeps) is associated with copy number variation across environmental gradients
Authors: Sjodin Bryson M. F. , Schmidt Danielle A. , Galbreath Kurt E. , Russello Michael A.
Published: April 2024

Improved understanding of the genetic basis of adaptation to climate change is necessary for maintaining global biodiversity moving forward. Studies to date have largely focused on sequence variation, yet there is growing evidence that suggests that changes in genome structure may be an even more significant source of adaptive potential. The American pika (Ochotona princeps) is an alpine specialist that shows some evidence of adaptation to climate along elevational gradients, but previous work has been limited to single nucleotide polymorphism based analyses within a fraction of the species range. Here, we investigated the role of copy number variation underlying patterns of local adaptation in the American pika using genome-wide data previously collected across the entire species range. We identified 37–193 putative copy number variants (CNVs) associated with environmental variation (temperature, precipitation, solar radiation) within each of the six major American pika lineages, with patterns of divergence largely following elevational and latitudinal gradients. Genes associated (n = 158) with independent annotations across lineages, variables, and/or CNVs had functions related to mitochondrial structure/function, immune response, hypoxia, olfaction, and DNA repair. Some of these genes have been previously linked to putative high elevation and/or climate adaptation in other species, suggesting they may serve as important targets in future studies.
Optimizing fault tolerance of RAM cell through MUX based modeling and design using symmetries of QCA cells
Authors: Naz Syed Farah , Ahmed Suhaib , Mughal Shafqat Nabi , Asger Mohammed , Das Jadav Chandra , Mallik Saurav , Shah Mohd Asif
Published: April 2024

Extensive research is now being conducted on the design and construction of logic circuits utilizing quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) technology. This area of study is of great interest due to the inherent advantages it offers, such as its compact size, high speed, low power dissipation, and enhanced switching frequency in the nanoscale domain. This work presents a design of a highly efficient RAM cell in QCA, utilizing a combination of a 3-input and 5-input Majority Voter (MV) gate, together with a 2 × 1 Multiplexer (MUX). The proposed design is also investigated for various faults such as single cell deletion, single cell addition and single cell displacement or misalignment defects. The circuit under consideration has a high degree of fault tolerance. The functionality of the suggested design is showcased and verified through the utilization of the QCADesigner tool. Based on the observed performance correlation, it is evident that the proposed design demonstrates effectiveness in terms of cell count, area, and latency. Furthermore, it achieves a notable improvement of up to 76.72% compared to the present configuration in terms of quantum cost. The analysis of energy dissipation, conducted using the QCAPro tool, is also shown for various scenarios. It is seen that this design exhibits the lowest energy dispersion, hence enabling the development of ultra-low power designs for diverse microprocessors and microcontrollers.
A role for the stringent response in ciprofloxacin resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: García-Villada Libertad , Degtyareva Natalya P. , Brooks Ashley M. , Goldberg Joanna B. , Doetsch Paul W.
Published: April 2024

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major cause of nosocomial infections and the leading cause of chronic lung infections in cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Antibiotic treatment remains challenging because P. aeruginosa is resistant to high concentrations of antibiotics and has a remarkable ability to acquire mutations conferring resistance to multiple groups of antimicrobial agents. Here we report that when P. aeruginosa is plated on ciprofloxacin (cipro) plates, the majority of cipro-resistant (ciproR) colonies observed at and after 48 h of incubation carry mutations in genes related to the Stringent Response (SR). Mutations in one of the major SR components, spoT, were present in approximately 40% of the ciproR isolates. Compared to the wild-type strain, most of these isolates had decreased growth rate, longer lag phase and altered intracellular ppGpp content. Also, 75% of all sequenced mutations were insertions and deletions, with short deletions being the most frequently occurring mutation type. We present evidence that most of the observed mutations are induced on the selective plates in a subpopulation of cells that are not instantly killed by cipro. Our results suggests that the SR may be an important contributor to antibiotic resistance acquisition in P. aeruginosa.
Link budget analysis of bi-directional LEO and GEO optical feeder links advancing the beam wander model’s accuracy
Authors: Cantore Carla , Monopoli Davide , Altamura Angelo , Mengali Alberto , Grande Marco , D’Orazio Antonella
Published: April 2024

The telecommunications of the future rely on the concept of a three-dimensional architecture able to integrate terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks with the goal to ensure a reliable and high-speed connectivity to users located anywhere. In this context, free space optical communications constitute a candidate technology for feeder links, thanks to their advantages in terms of bandwidth and achievable data rates. Nonetheless, due to the propagation impediments encountered by an optical beam travelling through atmosphere, flexible and accurate instruments able to support the design of optical feeder links are needed. Therefore, in this paper a link budget numerical tool able to meet these requirements is presented and the link budget analysis for real optical feeder links is performed demonstrating its prediction accuracy by means of the comparison with experimental results for both low Earth orbit and geostationary Earth orbit based configurations. Finally, the limits of the conventional beam wander model are analyzed and overcome.
Use of geopolymers as tunable and sustained silver ion release mediums
Authors: Kara Ilknur
Published: April 2024

Silver was incorporated up to 3.4% (w/w) into the geopolymer structure via precipitation as Ag2O by dispersing the geopolymer powder in an aqueous solution of AgNO3. The precipitates were mainly located in the fine pores within the nanoparticles of the geopolymer network. The fine pores enabled the formation of very fine precipitates, mainly between 2 and 5 nm. The silver-incorporated geopolymer was found to have a sustained Ag+ release that can be tuned down by a thermal treatment, e.g., calcination. The Ag+ release amount could be reduced by about 30-fold after calcination at 850 °C. Calcination reduces the specific surface area, causes shrinkage, and makes the geopolymer structure less pervious. The size of the precipitates remains stable even up to 1050 °C, despite a large amount of sintering-related shrinkage. These results suggest that geopolymers could be a tunable Ag+ source for various antibacterial applications.
Circulating microRNA-155-3p levels predicts response to first line immunotherapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Soleimani Maryam , Thi Marisa , Janfaza Sajjad , Ozcan Gizem , Mazurek Sylwia , Ozgun Guliz , Maurice-Dror Corinne , Eigl Bernhard , Chi Kim , Kollmannsberger Christian , Nappi Lucia
Published: April 2024

Predictive biomarkers of response to immune checkpoint-based therapies (ICI) remain a critically unmet need in the management of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The complex interplay of the tumour microenvironment (TME) and the circulating immune response has proven to be challenging to decipher. MicroRNAs have gained increasing attention for their role in post-transcriptional gene expression regulation, particularly because they can have immunomodulatory properties. We evaluated the presence of immune-specific extracellular vesicle (EV) microRNAs in the plasma of patients with metastatic RCC (mRCC) prior to initiation of ICI. We found significantly lower levels of microRNA155-3p (miR155) in responders to ICI, when compared to non-responders. This microRNA has unique immunomodulatory properties, thus providing potential biological rationale for our findings. Our results support further work in exploring microRNAs as potential biomarkers of response to immunotherapy.
Correlations between heart sound components and hemodynamic variables
Authors: Park Yong-Seok , Kim Hyun-Seok , Lee Seung-Ah , Hwang Gyu-Sam , Jung Woosuk , Moon Baehun , Kang Kyu-Min , Seo Woo-Young , Song Jun-Gol , Kim Sung-Hoon
Published: April 2024

Although the esophageal stethoscope is used for continuous auscultation during general anesthesia, few studies have investigated phonocardiographic data as a continuous hemodynamic index. In this study, we aimed to induce hemodynamic variations and clarify the relationship between the heart sounds and hemodynamic variables through an experimental animal study. Changes in the cardiac contractility and vascular resistance were induced in anesthetized pigs by administering dobutamine, esmolol, phenylephrine, and nicardipine. In addition, a decrease in cardiac output was induced by restricting the venous return by clamping the inferior vena cava (IVC). The relationship between the hemodynamic changes and changes in the heart sound indices was analyzed. Experimental data from eight pigs were analyzed. The mean values of the correlation coefficients of changes in S1 amplitude (ΔS1amp) with systolic blood pressure (ΔSBP), pulse pressure (ΔPP), and ΔdP/dt during dobutamine administration were 0.94, 0.96, and 0.96, respectively. The mean values of the correlation coefficients of ΔS1amp with ΔSBP, ΔPP, and ΔdP/dt during esmolol administration were 0.80, 0.82, and 0.86, respectively. The hemodynamic changes caused by the administration of phenylephrine and nicardipine did not correlate significantly with changes in the heart rate. The S1 amplitude of the heart sound was significantly correlated with the hemodynamic changes caused by the changes in cardiac contractility but not with the variations in the vascular resistance. Heart sounds can potentially provide a non-invasive monitoring method to differentiate the cause of hemodynamic variations.
Atomic-scale Ru anchored on chromium-shavings as a precursor for a pH-universal hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalyst
Authors: Han Qingxin , Lu Qiangqiang , Wang Xuechuan , Wei Chao , Guan Xiaoyu , Chen Luming , Wang Xiao , Li Ji
Published: April 2024

Chrome shavings produce electrocatalysts with atomically dispersed Ru sites. The CN/Cr2O3/Ru-1 catalyst has excellent HER catalytic performance under the synergistic effect of RuN4 and Cr2O3.
New perspective crosslinking electrochemistry and other research fields: beyond electrochemical reactors
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wu Yuen
Published: April 2024

This article highlights a perspective shift, focusing on the transition from the internal mechanisms of electrochemical processes to their interactions with the environment, thus unlocking potential applications in environmental regulation.