bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consequences of information exchanges of vulnerable women on Facebook: An “information grounds” study informing value co‐creation and ICT4D research
Authors: Potnis Devendra , Halladay Macy , Jones Sara‐Elizabeth
Published: September 2022

Information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) research sporadically leverages information science scholarship. Our qualitative study employs the “information grounds” (IG) lens to investigate the consequences of information exchanges by pregnant women on Facebook, who are vulnerable in the doctor‐centric birth culture in rural America. The thematic analysis of in‐depth interviews with members and administrators of the Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) group shows that positive consequences outweigh negative consequences of information exchanges and lead to the following progression of outcomes: (a) VBAC group as an information ground, (b) social capital (e.g., cognitive, structural, and relational capital) built on the information ground, (c) seven emergent properties of the information ground, and (d) value co‐created (e.g., local, affordable, timely, enduring, and reliable support) by VBAC group members. The IG lens reveals the following roles of Facebook, an ICT, in development: (a) a linker that lets people with similar needs and interests convene and shapes their interactions, (b) a prerequisite to building an online, “third place” for social interactions, and (c) an apparatus for ubiquitously seeking, searching, sharing, and storing information in multiple formats and controlling its flow on the VBAC group. This paper fills in six gaps in the ICT4D research.
Stability analysis for fractional‐order neural networks with time‐varying delay
Authors: Wang Feng‐Xian , Zhang Jie , Shu Yan‐Jun , Liu Xin‐Ge
Published: September 2022

This paper focuses on the stability analysis for fractional‐order neural networks with time‐varying delay. A novel Lyapunov's asymptotic stability determination theorem is proved, which can be used for fractional‐order systems directly. Different from the classical Lyapunov stability theorem, constraint condition on the derivative of Lyapunov function is revised as an uniformly continuous class‐K function in the fractional‐order case. Based on this novel Lyapunov stability theorem and free weight matrix method, a new sufficient condition on Lyapunov asymptotic stability of fractional‐order Hopfield neural networks is derived by constructing a suitable Lyapunov function. Moreover, two numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of these criteria.
Biocatalytic production of 7‐methylxanthine by a caffeine‐degrading Escherichia coli strain
Authors: Mock Meredith B. , Cyrus Ashley , Summers Ryan M.
Published: September 2022

7‐Methylxanthine, a derivative of caffeine (1,3,7‐trimethylxanthine), is a high‐value compound that has multiple medical applications, particularly with respect to eye health. Here, we demonstrate the biocatalytic production of 7‐methylxanthine from caffeine using Escherichia coli strain MBM019, which was constructed for production of paraxanthine (1,7‐dimethylxanthine). The mutant N‐demethylase NdmA4, which was previously shown to catalyze N3‐demethylation of caffeine to produce paraxanthine, also retains N1‐demethylation activity toward paraxanthine. This study demonstrates that whole cell biocatalysts containing NdmA4 are more active toward paraxanthine than caffeine. We used four serial resting cell assays, with spent cells exchanged for fresh cells between each round, to produce 2,120 μM 7‐methylxanthine and 552 μM paraxanthine from 4,331 μM caffeine. The purified 7‐methylxanthine and paraxanthine were then isolated via preparatory‐scale HPLC, resulting in 177.3 mg 7‐methylxanthine and 48.1 mg paraxanthine at high purity. This is the first reported strain genetically optimized for the biosynthetic production of 7‐methylxanthine from caffeine.
Physiological metabolic topology analysis of Halomonas elongata DSM 2581T in response to sodium chloride stress
Authors: Yu Junxiong , Wang Zejian , Wang Jing , Mohisn Ali , Liu Hao , Zhang Yue , Zhuang Yingping , Guo Meijin
Published: September 2022

The halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata DSM 2581T generally adapts well to high level of salinity by biosynthesizing ectoine, which functions as an important compatible solute protecting the cell against external salinity environment. Halophilic bacteria have specific metabolic activities under high‐salt conditions and are gradually applied in various industries. The present study focuses on investigating the physiological and metabolic mechanism of H. elongata DSM 2581T driven by the external salinity environment. The physiological metabolic dynamics under salt stress were investigated to evaluate the effect of NaCl stress on the metabolism of H. elongata. The obtained results demonstrated that ectoine biosynthesis transited from a nongrowth‐related process to a growth‐related process when the NaCl concentration varied from 1% to 13% (w/v). The maximum biomass (Xm = 41.37 g/L), and highest ectoine production (Pm = 12.91 g/L) were achieved under 8% NaCl. Moreover, the maximum biomass (Xm) and the maximum specific growth rates (μm) showed a first rising and then declining trend with the increased NaCl stress. Furthermore, the transcriptome analysis of H. elongata under different NaCl concentrations demonstrated that both 8% and 13% NaCl conditions resulted in increased expressions of genes involved in the pentose phosphate pathway, Entner–Doudoroff pathway, flagellar assembly pathway, and ectoine metabolism, but negatively affected the tricarboxylic acid cycle and fatty acid metabolism. At last, the proposed possible adaptation mechanism under the optimum NaCl concentration in H. elongata was described.
3D terrain estimation from a single landscape image
Authors: Takahashi Haruka , Kanamori Yoshihiro , Endo Yuki
Published: September 2022

This article presents the first technique to estimate a 3D terrain model from a single landscape image. Although monocular depth estimation also offers single‐image 3D reconstruction, it assigns depth only to pixels visible in the input image, resulting in an incomplete 3D terrain output. Our method generates a complete 3D terrain model as a textured height map via a three‐stage framework using deep neural networks. First, to exploit the performance of pixel‐aligned estimation, we estimate terrain's per‐pixel depth and color free from shadows or lights in the perspective view. Second, we triangulate the RGB‐D data generated in the first stage and rasterize the triangular mesh from the top view to obtain an incomplete textured height map. Finally, we inpaint the depth and color in the missing regions. Because there are many possible ways to complete the missing regions, we synthesize diverse shapes and textures during inpainting using a variational autoencoder. Qualitative and quantitative experiments reveal that our method outperforms existing methods applying a direct perspective‐to‐top view transform as image‐to‐image translation.
ATG5: A central autophagy regulator implicated in various human diseases
Authors: Changotra Harish , Kaur Sargeet , Yadav Suresh Singh , Gupta Girdhari Lal , Parkash Jyoti , Duseja Ajay
Published: September 2022

Autophagy, an intracellular conserved degradative process, plays a central role in the renewal/recycling of a cell to maintain the homeostasis of nutrients and energy within the cell. ATG5, a key component of autophagy, regulates the formation of the autophagosome, a hallmark of autophagy. ATG5 binds with ATG12 and ATG16L1 resulting in E3 like ligase complex, which is necessary for autophagosome expansion. Available data suggest that ATG5 is indispensable for autophagy and has an imperative role in several essential biological processes. Moreover, ATG5 has also been demonstrated to possess autophagy‐independent functions that magnify its significance and therapeutic potential. ATG5 interacts with various molecules for the execution of different processes implicated during physiological and pathological conditions. Furthermore, ATG5 genetic variants are associated with various ailments. This review discusses various autophagy‐dependent and autophagy‐independent roles of ATG5, highlights its various deleterious genetic variants reported until now, and various studies supporting it as a potential drug target.
Pi‐Class Glutathione S‐transferase (GSTP1)‐Selective Fluorescent Probes for Multicolour Imaging with Various Cancer‐Associated Enzymes
Authors: Fujikawa Yuuta , Mori Masaya , Tsukada Minami , Miyahara Seiya , Sato‐Fukushima Honoka , Watanabe Eita , Murakami‐Tonami Yuko , Inoue Hideshi
Published: September 2022

Pi‐class glutathione S‐transferase (GSTP1) is highly expressed in a wide variety of human cancer tissues compared to the corresponding normal counterpart. Therefore, GSTP1 is a potential target enzyme for overcoming resistance to chemotherapeutic agents or visualizing specific lesions such as cancer. Here, we present orange and red fluorescence‐emitting probes selective for GSTP1. Carbofluorescein and TokyoMagenta fluorophores were modified with a previously described GSTP1‐selective chromogenic compound to generate orange and red fluorescence probes, respectively. Of these probes, Ps‐CF, the orange fluorescence‐emitting probe, was confirmed to be highly specific for detecting GSTP1 exogenously or endogenously expressed in various cancer cells. Additionally, it was demonstrated that Ps‐CF is applicable for the simultaneous detection of GSTP1 and another cancer‐associated enzyme by using a green fluorescence emitting γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) probe. In conclusion, the fluorescent probes developed in this study enable the simultaneous detection of multiple tumour markers such as GSTP1 with other cancer‐associated enzymes by concurrently using spectrally distinguished fluorescent probes, potentially broadening the scope of cancer detection.
Anorexia nervosa and COVID‐19 infection: Clinical case report
Authors: Simeunovic‐Ostojic Mladena , Herremans Evy E. , Thai Khoa , Maas Joyce
Published: September 2022

The true risk of COVID‐19 infection in anorexia nervosa (AN) including the duration of viral RNA shedding and infectivity is still unclear. We report on a case of a patient with severe AN with a mild course of COVID‐19 and prolonged viral RNA shedding for at least 39 days after symptom onset. A careful evaluation of long‐term infectivity must include viral load, live virus isolation, and viral genome sequencing.
Phosphoric‐Acid Retention in High‐Temperature Proton‐Exchange Membranes
Authors: Tang Hongying , Gao Jian , Wang Yidong , Li Nanwen , Geng Kang
Published: September 2022

Great efforts have been conducted to develop high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT‐PEMFC) due to its features of enhanced electrocatalyst reactivity, simplified hydrothermal management system and high CO tolerance of catalysts, and remarkable progress has been achieved. However, the easy leaching of phosphoric acid (PA) from the membranes during operation limits its commercial scale‐up in complicated environments. This concept here mainly focuses on the recent developments for mitigation of PA loss in PEMs. The probable mechanisms of PA loss are proposed. The approaches to improve PA retention for example via introduction of phosphonic acid by covalent bond, using ion‐pairs interaction and siphoning effect, and blending with inorganic nanoparticles are described in detail. Among these strategies, the siphoning effect from the intrinsic microporous PEMs is the most efficient and enables the cell to operate flexibly within a broad temperature range. Therefore, this concept may provide new ideas for the scientists to retain PA, to improve the cell performance and expand the potential applications of PA doped PEMs at elevated humidity and wide temperature range.
Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Achiral Carbon Dots in Bi‐Solvent Systems Triggered by Supramolecular Self‐Assembly
Authors: Zhang Zhiwei , Yang Chujing , Dai Yankai , Zhang Xinying , Chen Jingqi , Feng Lingyan
Published: September 2022

An innovative strategy for circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) of carbon dots (CDs) has been developed: The achiral CDs displayed contrary supramolecular chirality and opposite CPL in two different bi‐solvent systems, which are due to the formation of self‐assembled helical nanostructures with two diverse assembly modes (P and M) in aggregate state via intermolecular π‐π interactions and differential hydrogen bonding (H‐bonding) without the need of any additional element of chirality.
Investigation of the effect of presulphidation on coke deposition on 25Cr‐35Ni alloy during ethane steam cracking
Authors: Mohebi Somayeh , Darvishi Ali , Hosseini Shahin , Bolhasani Akbar , Karamian Soroush , Dehghani Ourmazd , Khanbolouk Faraz
Published: September 2022

The process of hydrocarbons cracking is carried out in the presence of heat‐resistant alloys Fe‐Ni‐Cr, which HP40 alloy (25Cr‐35Ni) has the most applications among olefin plants. Since these alloys naturally tend to form coke, the industry has always tried to reduce the coke formation by reducing the catalytic properties of the coils. In this research, the effect of dimethyl disulphide (DMDS) concentration (200–900 ppm) on the HP40 alloy of industrial coils at the presulphidation stage is evaluated. In the presulphidation stage, the alloy surface is in contact with sulphur in the absence of hydrocarbons, and this affects the amount of coke formation in the cracking process. Also, the surface composition and morphology of coke are identified using EDX and SEM analysis. These results showed that at the 500 ppm concentration of DMDS, coke deposition is minimized. Additionally, our findings indicated that coke morphology has not changed under different presulphidation conditions, and coke is still a filament type, but the size of the filaments has changed. Moreover, the study of HP40 composition in both preoxidized and presulphide stages shows that presulphidation reduces the amount of Fe and Ni in the coke layer significantly.
The mortality for the implantable cardiac defibrillator in nonischemic cardiomyopathy: An updated systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: He Wenfeng , Xue Cheng , Zheng Jiankang , Shuai Zhuang
Published: September 2022

The implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) is common for the management of nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). Mortality is a crucial issue for patients with NICM. We can understand the mortality events of ICD versus medicine treatment via a systemic review and meta‐analysis of randomized clinical trials. The comparison between ICD treatment and medicine treatment was performed to find if the ICD treatment can be associated with lower relative risk and hazard ratio of mortality than the medicine treatment. In addition, the different kinds of mortality events were analyzed for the ICD treatment. After a restricted selection, 9 studies with a total of 4001 NICM patients were enrolled. The focused outcome was the events of all‐cause mortality, sudden cardiac death, and cardiovascular death. The results showed that ICD treatment might be associated with lower relative risk and hazard ratio of all‐cause mortality and sudden cardiac death. However, the relative risk and hazard ratio of cardiovascular mortality was not significantly different between ICD treatment and medicine treatment. In the current meta‐analysis, the ICD treatment might show a lower relative risk and hazard ratio of all‐cause mortality and sudden cardiac death when compared with medicine treatment. However, no significant differences were observed in cardiovascular mortality between ICD and medicine treatment.
Zinc‐ion hybrid supercapacitors: Design strategies, challenges, and perspectives
Authors: Chen Xiudong , Zhang Hang , Gao Yun , Liu Jin‐Hang , Cao Xiaohua , Zhan Changchao , Wang Shitao , Wang Jiazhao , Dou Shi‐Xue , Cao Dapeng
Published: September 2022

Zinc‐ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSCs) may be the most promising energy storage device alternatives for portable and large‐scale electronic devices in the future, as they combine the benefits of both supercapacitors and zinc‐ion batteries. Even though many surprise outcomes have been accomplished with ZHSCs, the creation of suitable cathode materials and electrolytes, as well as the enhancement of zinc anodes, continue to be the most difficult obstacles in the development of high‐performance ZHSCs. The low capacitance of the cathode material, poor stability, and low utilization rate of the zinc anode seriously affect the electrochemical performance and application of ZHSCs. Furthermore, parasitic processes in aqueous electrolytes, such as the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions might result in low‐voltage windows and unsatisfied cycling performance of the ZHSCs. This review provides a concise summary of the most recent developments and energy storage mechanisms in ZHSCs. Meanwhile, the cathode material design strategy (structural engineering, hybrid‐composite design, heteroatom doping, and so on), the zinc anode design strategy (zinc foil improvement, zinc‐free metal composites, and so on), and the structure–activity relationship of the electrochemical performance of ZHSCs are discussed. Additionally, a summary of the impact of modifications in electrolyte composition on the electrochemical performance of ZHSCs is provided. Finally, this review also discusses the future development direction of ZHSCs. It is anticipated that this evaluation will serve as a helpful reference for the creation of high‐performance ZHSCs, which will hasten the development of these devices.
A security hybrid mechanism using fuzzy with adaptive ElGamal approach in cloud
Authors: Kavitha Ravichandran , Valarmathi AngaThevar
Published: September 2022

Due to the increasing number of people accessing their personal medical information online, it has raised concerns about the security of their data. Unauthorized access to patient's records can lead to disclosure of their privacy. There are various types of frauds that can affect the integrity of a patient's records such as theft of identity and tax fraud. It is therefore necessary to implement a secure data access and retrieval system in order to prevent these types of crimes. Security passwords are often the only barrier between hackers and users. Many of us often use the same ones for multiple accounts. Biometric passwords are more secure than traditional ones due to their ability to be created by observing a person's eyes. They can also be created with a secret key that's stored in an encrypted format. Proposed method combines a secure key with an optimized fuzzy extraction algorithm to provide high‐level security. The file is then encrypted using adaptive ElGamal and its digital signature is uploaded in cloud. Data recovery services are also introduced to help users keep their data secure using seed block algorithm (SBA). These services can be utilized to recover files once they get lost or get destroyed. The proposed security approach for back‐up files (SBA) can be used to minimize the time it takes for the recovery process. It also addresses the issue of unauthorized access to the data stored on remote servers.
Efficient exact algorithms for continuous bi‐objective performance‐energy optimization of applications with linear energy and monotonically increasing performance profiles on heterogeneous high performance computing platforms
Authors: Khaleghzadeh Hamidreza , Reddy Manumachu Ravi , Lastovetsky Alexey
Published: September 2022

Performance and energy are the two most important objectives for optimization on heterogeneous high performance computing platforms. This work studies a mathematical problem motivated by the bi‐objective optimization of data‐parallel applications on such platforms for performance and energy. First, we formulate the problem and present an exact algorithm of polynomial complexity solving the problem where all the application profiles of objective type one are continuous and strictly increasing, and all the application profiles of objective type two are linear increasing. We then apply the algorithm to develop solutions for two related optimization problems of parallel applications on heterogeneous hybrid platforms, one for performance and dynamic energy and the other for performance and total energy. Our proposed solution methods are then employed to solve the two bi‐objective optimization problems for two data‐parallel applications, matrix multiplication and gene sequencing, on a hybrid platform employing five heterogeneous processors, namely, two different Intel multicore CPUs, an Nvidia K40c GPU, an Nvidia P100 PCIe GPU, and an Intel Xeon Phi.
Deep learning: A taxonomy of modern weapons to combat Covid‐19 similar pandemics in smart cities
Authors: Saeedvand Saeed , Jafari Masoumeh , Aghdasi Hadi S. , Baltes Jacky , Rahmani Amir Masoud
Published: September 2022

The Covid‐19 pandemic has affected many lives over the past year. In addition to the enormous health cost, the necessary lockdowns and government‐mandated suspension to prevent the spread of the virus had a huge economic impact. The new challenges in 2021 were combating new virus mutations and providing effective vaccines globally. Artificial intelligent (AI) and machine learning have made significant improvements in many different applications during the last decades. One of the advanced and robust technologies in machine learning is deep learning (DL), which can be employed to help prevent initial infections and detect and monitor their progress and side effects. Fast and accurate Covid‐19 infection detection and treatment of suspected patients is essential to make better decisions, ensure treatment, and even save patients' lives. Modern technologies are required to achieve these objectives and create a sustainable society. This article presents a taxonomy in DL algorithms to cover both the technical novelties and empirical results techniques for Covid‐19 in smart cities. In this regard, (i) we demonstrate possible DL algorithms capable of combating Covid‐19; (ii) we propose an up‐to‐date perspective of DL algorithms in social prevention and medical treatment; and (iii) we identify the challenges in combating Covid‐19 outbreaks.
Agility, innovation, environmental management and competitiveness in the hotel industry
Authors: López‐Gamero María D. , Molina‐Azorín José F. , Pereira‐Moliner Jorge , Pertusa‐Ortega Eva M.
Published: September 2022

The hotel industry is characterized by operating in a global, dynamic and uncertain environment where stakeholders' concerns on sustainable development are growing. However, there is limited research on whether hotels have flexibility and capacity for change, to develop environmental practices that meet stakeholder demands and improve their competitiveness. Through the dynamic capabilities theory, the resource‐based view and the stakeholder theory, this paper develops a model that considers agility and innovation as antecedents of environmental management and competitive advantages as consequences. A Partial Least Squares analysis is carried out based on data from Spanish hotels. The results indicate that agility and innovation influence environmental management positively; agility influences innovation positively; and agility influences environmental management indirectly through innovation. Moreover, environmental management positively influences cost and differentiation competitive advantages. This study contributes to the literature by examining the role of two important dynamic capabilities and their impact on environmental management and showing how the interaction and mediation between these capabilities favors competitive advantages.
A novel step‐up topology for multilevel power conversion
Authors: Jain Anekant , Gupta Krishna Kumar , Jain Sanjay K.
Published: September 2022

Renewable energy sources employ a power conditioning unit for injecting power into the grid. Such resources of small capacity are characterized by low generated voltage and thus require a high voltage boost at the inversion stage. This paper proposes a novel transformer‐less, single‐phase grid‐connected, 13‐level inverter to yield the voltage boost. The presented topology is realized through 12 unidirectional switches, 2 diodes, and 3 capacitors. A single‐stage circuit synthesizes 13 levels with a single input source and yielding an overall voltage gain of six. The adapted modulation technique is robust enough to keep the capacitors self‐balanced for all values of the modulation index. The proposed topology is modular and cost‐effective in comparison to other similar typologies due to reduced device count and space requirement. The presented topology is validated experimentally with satisfactory operation in yielding input voltage boost by a factor of six.
Dynamic winter weather moderates movement and resource selection of wild turkeys at high‐latitude range limits
Authors: Gonnerman Matthew , Shea Stephanie A. , Sullivan Kelsey , Kamath Pauline , Overturf Kaj , Blomberg Erik
Published: September 2022

For wide‐ranging species in temperate environments, populations at high‐latitude range limits are subject to more extreme conditions, colder temperatures, and greater snow accumulation compared with their core range. As climate change progresses, these bounding pressures may become more moderate on average, while extreme weather occurs more frequently. Individuals can mitigate temporarily extreme conditions by changing daily activity budgets and exhibiting plasticity in resource selection, both of which facilitate existence at and expansion of high‐latitude range boundaries. However, relatively little work has explored how animals moderate movement and vary resource selection with changing weather, and a general framework for such investigations is lacking. We applied hidden Markov models and step selection functions to GPS data from wintering wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) near their northern range limit to identify how weather influenced transition among discrete movement states, as well as state‐specific resource selection. We found that turkeys were more likely to spend time in a stationary state as wind chill temperatures decreased and snow depth increased. Both stationary and roosting turkeys selected conifer forests and avoided land covers associated with foraging, such as agriculture and residential areas, while shifting their strength of selection for these features during poor weather. In contrast, mobile turkeys showed relatively weak resource selection, with less response in selection coefficients during poor weather. Our findings illustrate that behavioral plasticity in response to weather was context dependent, but movement behaviors most associated with poor weather were also those in which resource selection was most plastic. Given our results, the potential for wild turkey range expansion will partly be determined by the availability of habitat that allows them to withstand periodic inclement weather. Combining hidden Markov models with step selection functions is broadly applicable for evaluating plasticity in animal behavior and dynamic resource selection in response to changing weather. We studied turkeys at northern range limits, but this approach is applicable for any system expected to experience significant changes in the coming decade, and may be particularly relevant to populations existing at range peripheries.
Guidelines for the digestive enzymes inhibition assay
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhao Minjie , Liu Tao , Feng Fengqin , Zhou Aicun
Published: September 2022

As digestive enzymes play a key role in the digestion and absorption of nutrients, more and more studies have focused on the inhibitory effect of various biochemicals on digestive enzymes, such as amylase, glucosidases, lipases, and proteases, etc. Presently, assays were developed to evaluate the inhibitory activity of digestive enzymes vary. Therefore, to facilitate the study of digestive enzyme inhibitory activity, it is critical to select an adequate assay. In this guideline, assays used recently were selected for extended discussion, including the reaction systems of each assay as well as the practice of digestive enzymes inhibition assessment.
Identification of Adulterated Evening Primrose Oil Based on GC‐MS and FT‐IR Combined with Chemometrics
Authors: Pan Fengguang , Yang Enqi , Chen Xianmao , Li Peizhi , Wu Xinling , Zhang Mingdi
Published: September 2022

Evening primrose oil has a high market value due to its rich unsaturated fatty acids, so it is likely to be adulterated under the drive of economic interests. In this study, evening primrose oil's fatty acid and physicochemical properties are systematically determined, and the characteristic fatty acids are screened out. The feasibilities of GC‐MS and FT‐IR in identifying oil adulteration are also evaluated. Evening primrose oil's major fatty acids are linoleic acid (C18:2), γ‐linolenic acid (C18:3n6), palmitic acid (C16:0), oleic acid (C18:1), and stearic acid (C18:0). In addition, palmitoleic acid (C16:1), hexadecadienoic acid (C16:2), nonadecanoic acid (C19:0), eicosatrienoic acid (C20:3), erucic acid (C22:1), tricosanoic acid (C23:0) and lignoceric acid (C24:0) are rarely detected in other related studies on the evening primrose oil. This study uses fatty acids as indicators, hierarchical cluster analysis, and cosine similarity analysis to identify the evening primrose oil mixed with >5% peanut oil and >10% sunflower oil. Besides, the principal component analysis also distinguishes evening primrose oil blended with different proportions of peanut and sunflower oils. In summary, this study confirms that fatty acids can be characteristic indexes to identify adulterated evening primrose oil by GC‐MS and FT‐IR combined with chemometrics.

Practical Applications: This study further clarifies the major and characteristic fatty acids of evening primrose oil. On this basis, the adulteration of evening primrose oil (taking peanut oil and sunflower oil as an example) is identified. Therefore, it is helpful to assess the quality and identify the authenticity of the evening primrose oil, which is vital for the stability of the evening primrose oil market and the interests of consumers. These methods combined with chemometrics can also be extended to ensure the certification of other oils and to classify oils into different classes. The improvements in vegetable oil quality will also benefit the vegetable oil industry and control bodies.
A shared mucosal gut microbiota signature in primary sclerosing cholangitis before and after liver transplantation
Authors: Hole Mikal Jacob , Jørgensen Kristin Kaasen , Holm Kristian , Braadland Peder R. , Meyer‐Myklestad Malin Holm , Medhus Asle Wilhelm , Reikvam Dag Henrik , Götz Alexandra , Grzyb Krzysztof , Boberg Kirsten Muri , Karlsen Tom Hemming , Kummen Martin , Hov Johannes R.
Published: September 2022

Background and Aims:

Several characteristic features of the fecal microbiota have been described in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), whereas data on mucosal microbiota are less consistent. We aimed to use a large colonoscopy cohort to investigate key knowledge gaps, including the role of gut microbiota in PSC with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the effect of liver transplantation (LT), and whether recurrent PSC (rPSC) may be used to define consistent microbiota features in PSC irrespective of LT.

Approach and Results:

We included 84 PSC and 51 liver transplanted PSC patients (PSC‐LT) and 40 healthy controls (HCs) and performed sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (V3–V4) from ileocolonic biopsies. Intraindividual microbial diversity was reduced in both PSC and PSC‐LT versus HCs. An expansion of Proteobacteria was more pronounced in PSC‐LT (up to 19% relative abundance) than in PSC (up to 11%) and HCs (up to 8%; QFDR < 0.05). When investigating PSC before (PSC vs. HC) and after LT (rPSC vs. no‐rPSC), increased variability (dispersion) in the PSC group was found. Five genera were associated with PSC before and after LT. A dysbiosis index calculated from the five genera, and the presence of the potential pathobiont, Klebsiella, were associated with reduced LT‐free survival. Concomitant IBD was associated with reduced Akkermansia.

Conclusions:

Consistent mucosal microbiota features associated with PSC, PSC‐IBD, and disease severity, irrespective of LT status, highlight the usefulness of investigating PSC and rPSC in parallel, and suggest that the impact of gut microbiota on posttransplant liver health should be investigated further.
Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor differentially controls mossy cell activity across the dentate gyrus longitudinal axis
Authors: Steiner Alex , Owen Benjamin M. , Bauer James P. , Seanez Leann , Kwon Sam , Biddinger Jessica E. , Huffman Ragan , Ayala Julio E. , Nobis William P. , Lewis Alan S.
Published: September 2022

Understanding the role of dentate gyrus (DG) mossy cells (MCs) in learning and memory has rapidly evolved due to increasingly precise methods for targeting MCs and for in vivo recording and activity manipulation in rodents. These studies have shown MCs are highly active in vivo, strongly remap to contextual manipulation, and that their inhibition or hyperactivation impairs pattern separation and location or context discrimination. Less well understood is how MC activity is modulated by neurohormonal mechanisms, which might differentially control the participation of MCs in cognitive functions during discrete states, such as hunger or satiety. In this study, we demonstrate that glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1), a neuropeptide produced in the gut and the brain that regulates food consumption and hippocampal‐dependent mnemonic function, might regulate MC function through expression of its receptor, GLP‐1R. RNA‐seq demonstrated that most, though not all, Glp1r in hippocampal principal neurons is expressed in MCs, and in situ hybridization revealed strong expression of Glp1r in hilar neurons. Glp1r‐ires‐Cre mice crossed with Ai14D reporter mice followed by co‐labeling for the MC marker GluR2/3 revealed that almost all MCs in the ventral DG expressed Glp1r and that almost all Glp1r‐expressing hilar neurons were MCs. However, only ~60% of dorsal DG MCs expressed Glp1r, and Glp1r was also expressed in small hilar neurons that were not MCs. Consistent with this expression pattern, peripheral administration of the GLP‐1R agonist exendin‐4 (5 μg/kg) increased cFos expression in ventral but not dorsal DG hilar neurons. Finally, whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings from ventral MCs showed that bath application of exendin‐4 (200 nM) depolarized MCs and increased action potential firing. Taken together, this study adds to known MC activity modulators a neurohormonal mechanism that may preferentially affect ventral DG physiology and may potentially be targetable by several GLP‐1R pharmacotherapies already in clinical use.
Spatial and temporal dynamics of water isotopes in the riverine‐marine mixing zone along the German Baltic Sea coast
Authors: Aichner Bernhard , Rittweg Timo , Schumann Rhena , Dahlke Sven , Duggen Svend , Dubbert David
Published: September 2022

River estuaries are characterized by mixing processes between freshwater discharge and marine water masses. Since the first are depleted in heavier stable isotopes compared with the marine realm, estuaries often show a linear correlation between salinity and water stable isotopes (δ18O and δ2H values). In this study, we evaluated spatial and seasonal isotope dynamics along three estuarine lagoon transects, located at the northern German Baltic Sea coast. The data show strong seasonality of isotope values, even at locations located furthest from the river mouths. They further reveal a positive and linear salinity‐isotope correlation in spring, but ‐in two of the three studied transects‐ hyperbolic and partially reverse correlations in summers. We conclude that additional hydrological processes partially overprint the two‐phase mixing correlation during summers: aside from the isotope seasonality of the riverine inflows, the shallow inner lagoons in the studied estuaries are influenced by evaporation processes. In contrast the estuarine outflow regions are under impact of significant salinity and isotope fluctuations of the Baltic Sea. Deciphering those processes is crucial for the understanding of water isotope and salinity dynamics. This is also of relevance in context of ecological studies, for example, when interpreting oxygen and hydrogen isotope data in aquatic organisms that depend on ambient estuarine waters.
Prostate cancer incidence in men with prostate‐specific antigen below 3 ng/mL: The Finnish Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Ola Idris Olasunmbo , Talala Kirsi , Tammela Teuvo , Taari Kimmo , Murtola Teemu , Kujala Paula , Raitanen Jani , Auvinen Anssi
Published: September 2022

Prostate‐specific antigen (PSA)‐based screening for prostate cancer (PCa) can reduce PCa mortality, but also involves overdetection of low‐risk disease with potential adverse effects. We evaluated PCa incidence among men with PSA below 3 ng/mL and no PCa diagnosis at the first screening round of the Finnish Randomized Study of Screening for PCa. Follow‐up started at the first screening attendance and ended at PCa diagnosis, emigration, death or the common closing date (December 2016), whichever came first. Cox regression analysis was used to estimate hazard ratios and their confidence intervals (CI). Among men with PSA <3 ng/mL, cumulative PCa incidence was 9.1% after 17.6 years median follow‐up. Cumulative incidence was 3.6% among men with baseline PSA 0 to 0.99 ng/mL, 11.5% in those with PSA 1.0 to 1.99 ng/mL and 25.7% among men with PSA 2 to 2.99 ng/mL (hazard ratio 9.0, 95% CI: 7.9‐10.2 for the latter). The differences by PSA level were most striking for low‐risk disease based on Gleason score and EAU risk group. PSA values <1 ng/mL indicate a very low 20‐year risk, while at PSA 2 to 2.99 ng/mL risks are materially higher, with 4‐ to 5‐fold risk for aggressive disease. Using risk‐stratification and appropriate rescreening intervals will reduce screening intensity and overdetection. Using cumulative incidence of clinically significant PCa (csPCa) as the criterion, rescreening intervals could range from approximately 3 years for men with initial PSA 2 to 2.99 ng/mL, 6 years for men with PSA 1 to 1.99 ng/mL to 10 years for men with PSA <1 ng/mL.
The WID‐qEC test: Performance in a hospital‐based cohort and feasibility to detect endometrial and cervical cancers
Authors: Schreiberhuber Lena , Herzog Chiara , Vavourakis Charlotte D. , Redl Elisa , Kastner Christine , Jones Allison , Evans Iona , Zikan Michal , Cibula David , Widschwendter Peter , Pfau Karin , Math Barbara , Seewald Martin , Amory Sylvain , Obrist Peter , Widschwendter Martin
Published: September 2022

The majority of endometrial and cervical cancers present with abnormal vaginal bleeding but only a small proportion of women suffering from vaginal bleeding actually have such a cancer. A simple, operator‐independent and accurate test to correctly identify women presenting with abnormal bleeding as a consequence of endometrial or cervical cancer is urgently required. We have recently developed and validated the WID‐qEC test, which assesses DNA methylation of ZSCAN12 and GYPC via real‐time PCR, to triage women with symptoms suggestive of endometrial cancer using ThinPrep‐based liquid cytology samples. Here, we investigated whether the WID‐qEC test can additionally identify women with cervical cancer. Moreover, we evaluate the test's applicability in a SurePath‐based hospital‐cohort by comparing its ability to detect endometrial and cervical cancer to cytology. In a set of 23 cervical cancer cases and 28 matched controls the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) is 0.99 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97‐1.00) with a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 92.9%, respectively. Amongst the hospital‐cohort (n = 330), the ROC AUC is 0.99 (95% CI: 0.98‐1) with a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 82.5% for the WID‐qEC test, respectively, and 33.3% and 96.9% for cytology (considering PAP IV/V as positive). Our data suggest that the WID‐qEC test detects both endometrial and cervical cancer with high accuracy.
A high‐throughput approach to predict A‐to‐I effects on RNA structure indicates a change of double‐stranded content in noncoding RNAs
Authors: Delli Ponti Riccardo , Broglia Laura , Vandelli Andrea , Armaos Alexandros , Burgas Marc Torrent , Sanchez de Groot Natalia , Tartaglia Gian Gaetano
Published: September 2022

RNA molecules undergo a number of chemical modifications whose effects can alter their structure and molecular interactions. Previous studies have shown that RNA editing can impact the formation of ribonucleoprotein complexes and influence the assembly of membrane‐less organelles such as stress granules. For instance, N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) enhances SG formation and N1‐methyladenosine (m1A) prevents their transition to solid‐like aggregates. Yet, very little is known about adenosine to inosine (A‐to‐I) modification that is very abundant in human cells and not only impacts mRNAs but also noncoding RNAs. Here, we introduce the CROSSalive predictor of A‐to‐I effects on RNA structure based on high‐throughput in‐cell experiments. Our method shows an accuracy of 90% in predicting the single and double‐stranded content of transcripts and identifies a general enrichment of double‐stranded regions caused by A‐to‐I in long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs). For the individual cases of NEAT1, NORAD, and XIST, we investigated the relationship between A‐to‐I editing and interactions with RNA‐binding proteins using available CLIP data and catRAPID predictions. We found that A‐to‐I editing is linked to the alteration of interaction sites with proteins involved in phase separation, which suggests that RNP assembly can be influenced by A‐to‐I. CROSSalive is available at http://service.tartaglialab.com/new_submission/crossalive.
Nonattendance in addiction mental health services: Patient and appointment factors
Authors: Blaauw Eric , Venema Simon D. , Muskee Liza
Published: September 2022

This study examined patient and appointment factors as predictors of nonattendance in addiction mental health services. Data were collected from the electronic files of 7,641 patients treated for a substance use disorder in outpatient clinics of an addiction mental health organization in the Netherlands. Negative binomial regression analyses revealed that cocaine use, poly substance use, limitations in interpersonal functioning, presence of anxiety disorder and cluster C personality disorder, age, level of education, source of income, and planning consistency were associated with nonattendance.
Lactational exposure to venlafaxine provokes late repercussions on reproductive parameters in male rat offspring
Authors: da Silva Moreira Suyane , de Matos Manoel Beatriz , Inácio João Pedro Gaspar , de Souza Carolina Gabrielli , Reis Ana Carolina Casali , Jorge Bárbara Campos , de Aquino Ariana Musa , Scarano Wellerson Rodrigo , Cardoso Claudia Andrea Lima , Arena Arielle Cristina
Published: September 2022

Exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can affect hormone‐dependent processes, such as the brain sexual differentiation. Because the use of these antidepressants cause concern during lactation, we evaluated the possible effects of venlafaxine on lactational exposure and its late repercussions on reproductive parameters in male rats. Lactating rats were exposed to venlafaxine (3.85, 7.7, or 15.4 mg/kg/body weight; gavage), from lactational day 1 to 20. Venlafaxine and O‐desmethylvenlafaxine residues were found in all milk samples of dams treated, demonstrating the lactational transfer of this antidepressant to the offspring. Although the maternal behavior was normal, the dams presented an increase in urea and uric acid levels in the groups treated with 7.7 and 15.4, respectively, as well as a spleen weight increased in the 3.85 and 15.4 groups. The male offspring showed a decrease in play behavior parameters in the intermediate dose group. Sperm analysis indicated a reduction in sperm motility in all treated groups. The androgen receptor expression in the hypothalamus was decreased in the highest dose group, although the sexual behavior had not been affected. In conclusion, venlafaxine was transferred through breast milk and promoted changes in play behavior, sperm quality, and hypothalamic androgen receptor (AR) content, which may indicate an incomplete masculinization of the brain of male offspring.
Tri‐mode optical biopsy probe with fluorescence endomicroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy
Authors: Wood Harry Alexander Charles , Ehrlich Katjana , Yerolatsitis Stephanos , Kufcsák András , Quinn Tom Michael , Fernandes Susan , Norberg Dominic , Jenkins Nia Caitlin , Young Vikki , Young Irene , Hamilton Katie , Seth Sohan , Akram Ahsan , Thomson Robert Rodrick , Finlayson Keith , Dhaliwal Kevin , Stone James Morgan
Published: September 2022

We present an endoscopic probe that combines three distinct optical fibre technologies including: A high‐resolution imaging fibre for optical endomicroscopy, a multimode fibre for time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, and a hollow‐core fibre with multimode signal collection cores for Raman spectroscopy. The three fibers are all enclosed within a 1.2 mm diameter clinical grade catheter with a 1.4 mm end cap. To demonstrate the probe's flexibility we provide data acquired with it in loops of radii down to 2 cm. We then use the probe in an anatomically accurate model of adult human airways, showing that it can be navigated to any part of the distal lung using a commercial bronchoscope. Finally, we present data acquired from fresh ex vivo human lung tissue. Our experiments show that this minimally invasive probe can deliver real‐time optical biopsies from within the distal lung ‐ simultaneously acquiring co‐located high‐resolution endomicroscopy and biochemical spectra.
CGRP induces myofibroblast differentiation and the production of extracellular matrix in MRC5s via autocrine and paracrine signalings
Authors: Kayalar Ozgecan , Oztay Fusun
Published: September 2022

There are contradictory views on which calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) causes pulmonary fibrosis. Fibrotic potency of CGRP was tested and compared to that of transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β). Myofibroblast differentiation, cell proliferation, and activations of TGF‐β and Wnt pathways were examined for 24, 48, and 72 h in A549 and MRC5 cell lines stimulated with CGRP and TGF‐β. CGRP‐induced cell proliferation in MRC5s early on while cell proliferation in A549 occurred progressively. CGRP promoted fibroblast‐myofibroblast differentiation by inducing the transcription of ACTA2, COL1A1, SMAD2/3, and SMAD4 genes, the production of collagen, fibronectin, α‐smooth muscle actin, and activation of TGF‐β signaling starting from 24 h. Additionally, TGF‐β signaling induced by CGRP decreased the DKK1 level and activated the Wnt signaling in MRC5s. After CGRP stimulation, Wnt7a levels were increased from 24 to 72 h, while Wnt5a levels were elevated at 72 h in MRC5s. CGRP did not induce epithelial–mesenchymal transition in A549s, unlike TGF‐β. A comparison of fibrotic potency of CGRP and TGF‐β showed that TGF‐β is a powerful profibrotic molecule and induces earlier myofibroblast differentiation. Even so, CGRP promotes myofibroblast differentiation and extracellular matrix production by inducing Smad‐dependent‐TGF‐β and Wnt signalings via autocrine and paracrine signalings in MRC5s.