bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discrete‐time current regulator with arbitrary poles placement for alternating current machines
Authors: Zhu Yuan , Meng Ling , Xiao Mingkang
Published: June 2022

To pursue high‐performance motor drive, the current regulators are designed directly in the discrete domain. However, few kinds of research are developed to achieve arbitrary poles placement simply. To fill this gap, the authors propose a discrete‐time current regulator consisting of two parts: the main regulator used to obtain decoupling control of dq axes currents, and the bi‐proper compensator applied to realise arbitrary poles placement. To strengthen the anti‐disturbance ability of the current regulator, the active resistance is added to the inner feedback path. Combining the active resistance, a new zero‐order‐hold equivalent motor model is developed, based on which the main regulator is designed using the zero‐pole cancellation method. Furthermore, in this way, decoupling control for the two control objectives of reference tracking and anti‐disturbance is realised. To achieve fast tracking response and negligible overshoot, an easy‐to‐implement scheme that simplifies the tuning of the current regulator is proposed based on the arbitrary poles placement. Moreover, the current regulator can be treated as a two‐degree‐of‐freedom controller with this scheme. Finally, the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed current regulator are validated by the simulation results and experimental results in an alternating current machine drive platform.
Multi‐physics analysis of double‐sided tubular linear machine with misalignment faults
Authors: Guo Liang , Liu Junhui , Galea Michael
Published: June 2022

Multi air‐gap tubular linear machines usually take the form of a double‐sided tubular linear machine (DSTLM). Such machines have a higher space utilisation and higher power density than their single air‐gap counterparts, but at the same time the structure is more complex. It is traditionally very difficult to mechanically implement a movement between two slotted stators, whilst maintaining an even air gap distribution. Thermally, the inner stator is another complex aspect of a DSTLM. However, very little understanding of these two aspects and how they influence the performances of tubular machines exists today. Therefore in this paper, the aim is to accurately analyse the influence of temperature rise and eccentricity fault on the performances of DSTLM. A two‐way electromagnetic‐fluid‐thermal multi‐physics coupling model of the DSTLM is established. The variations of electromagnetic, fluid and thermal characteristics with the eccentricity are systematically analysed. A physical prototype is manufactured and the analysed results are verified by the experiments.
A novel bidirectional nonuniform hybrid circuit breaker considering different direction protection requirements
Authors: Jiang Zhuangxian , Guo Chao , Ye Chengjin , Ding Yi , Tang Xueyong , Fang Youtong
Published: June 2022

Hybrid switching technologies such as zero voltage switching (ZVS) and zero current switching (ZCS) are widely accepted to protect DC power systems from different kinds of faults. However, in some cases such as the protection of DC generators in the electrical distribution system of modern ships, different protection strategies are needed for faults in different directions and both ZVS and ZCS technologies may be needed in one circuit breaker. This special protection requirement will lead to being more complicated in the bidirectional protection of the system and limits the application of the hybrid circuit breakers. Therefore, a novel bidirectional nonuniform hybrid circuit breaker based on a special combination of ZVS and ZCS technologies is proposed to simplify the overall topology of the circuit breaker. The proposed scheme can interrupt high rate‐of‐rise fault current in one direction by ZCS technology while interrupting short‐circuit current in another direction with short‐circuit short‐delay strategy by ZVS technology. First, the topology and working principle of the proposed bidirectional nonuniform hybrid circuit breaker are introduced. Moreover, three current commutation processes involved in both directions of fault current interrupting are analysed to achieve the optimal connection structure. Furthermore, a high‐speed driving mechanism of the vacuum interrupter (VI) based on the flexible conjunction of an electromagnetic repulsion (EMR) driver and a permanent magnetic (PM) system is introduced and the structure of the optimal connection is designed. Finally, the proposed topology of the hybrid circuit breaker is validated using a realistic 800 V/1600 A prototype. The short‐circuit breaking off tests of both directions are conducted. The feasibility of the proposed scheme is verified with these tests.
Hierarchical search approach based online model predictive control of three‐level converter fed PMSM driving systems
Authors: Guan Bo , Zhen Xiaoliang , Yan Xuyang , Du Xiong
Published: June 2022

The finite‐control‐set model predictive control (FCS‐MPC) can achieve a high output and fast control response. However, the size of the candidate vector set of FCS‐MPC must be very huge to achieve a satisfactory steady‐state control performance. Although some studies suggest that the candidate vector set can be expanded by increasing the number of vectors in one period or directly defining new virtual vectors, there is a tricky contradiction between improving the steady‐state control performance and reducing the computational burden. It makes the online realization difficult. This study presents a hierarchical search approach based FCS‐MPC of three‐level converter fed permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) driving systems. The optimal vector is obtained by continuously shrinking the vector space, so that only 30 prediction calculations are needed to evaluate more than 20,000 candidate vectors. Consequently, the proposed method can achieve the excellent steady‐and transient‐state control performance online. Moreover, since the optimal vector is chosen directly from the vector set, the linear‐and over‐modulation are unified. No special treatment is necessary for over‐modulation driving systems, because the reference voltage is decided naturally by the cost function of FCS‐MPC. Some experimental results are shown finally to prove the correctness and feasibility of the proposed method.
High‐power DC‐DC converter with proposed HSFNA MPPT for photovoltaic based ultra‐fast charging system of electric vehicles
Authors: Priyadarshi Neeraj , Bhaskar M. S. , Sanjeevikumar P. , Azam Farooque , Khan Baseem
Published: June 2022

This research paper describes the implementation of a photovoltaic (PV) fed energy‐efficient high‐power DC‐DC converter for ultra‐fast charging systems with a proposed hybrid simplified Firefly and neighborhood attraction firefly (HSFNA) algorithm for maximum power point tracking (MPPT). The proposed high‐gain step‐up SEPIC converter is employed to deliver efficient MPPT operation, higher step‐up voltage gain, higher efficacy, and a more straightforward controlling mechanism. It provides continuous input current, maximum current handled ability, and higher quality DC voltage generation suitable for battery charging operation. Moreover, an isolated unidirectional dual‐bridge converter (IUDBC), DC‐DC converter, has been employed for ultra‐fast battery charging of electric vehicles. This accomplishes higher current charging to load, providing power transmission ability per battery demand by controlling several charging actions. Moreover, an ideal PV model approach has been implemented in this research work, providing accurate analysis of estimation of model parameters mathematically. Further, a proposed HSFNA based MPPT provides higher convergence velocity, fast‐tracking, accurate responses, higher efficiency, and can track global maximum power point (GMPP) under partial shade and varying operating conditions. Simulation and practical responses confirmed the effectiveness of the system design for ultra‐fast charging systems.
A new method to calculate corona losses for active conductors considering real transmission line unbalance
Authors: Llamo‐Laborí Héctor Silvio , Santos‐Fuentefria Ariel
Published: June 2022

This paper shows the characteristics of an algorithm that calculates the corona losses of transmission lines. The line can have up to four circuits, with any configuration, with single or bundled conductors, and taking into account the line unbalance. This is achieved by modelling the lines in phase quantities, for active conductor, and calculating the corona losses for each one. The results are given per active conductor and average per bundle. In lines with several conductors per phase the results are given per circuit and a total one. These characteristics allow choosing the most convenient configuration and spacing for the conductor bundles, which will reduce and balance corona losses. The results found with this method show that the value of the losses calculated with the formulas with transmission lines symmetrically transposed is conservative. The configuration and the number of conductors per phase have a noted influence in the value and the asymmetry of the corona losses. In double circuit lines, corona losses can be reduced by changing the arrangement of the phases of circuit two in reference to circuit one, with the advantage that, at the design stage, those changes are costless.
A general stability-driven approach for the refinement of multi-planet systems
Authors: Stalport M. , Delisle J.-B. , Udry S. , Matthews E. C. , Bourrier V. , Leleu A.
Published: June 2022

Context. Over recent years, the number of detected multi-planet systems has grown significantly. An important subclass of these are the compact configurations. Precise knowledge of this subclass is crucial for understanding the conditions in which planetary systems form and evolve. However, observations often leave these systems with large uncertainties, notably on the orbital eccentricities. This is especially prominent for systems with low-mass planets detected with radial velocities, and increasing numbers of these are being discovered in the exoplanet population. Refining these parameters with the help of orbital stability arguments is becoming a common approach.

Aims. Such dynamical techniques can be computationally expensive. In this work, we use an alternative procedure that is orders of magnitude faster than classical N-body integration approaches, and has the potential to narrow down parameter uncertainties.

Methods. We coupled a reliable exploration of the parameter space with the precision of the Numerical Analysis of Fundamental Frequencies (Laskar, J. 1990, Icarus, 88, 266) fast chaos indicator. We also propose a general procedure to calibrate the NAFF indicator on any multi-planet system without additional computational cost. This calibration strategy is illustrated using the compact multiplanet system HD 45364, in addition to yet-unpublished measurements obtained with the HARPS and CORALIE high-resolution spectrographs. We validate the calibration approach by a comparison with long integrations performed on HD 202696. We test the performances of this stability-driven approach on two systems with different architectures: first we study HD 37124, a three-planet system composed of planets in the Jovian regime; then, we analyse the stability constraints on HD 215152, a compact system of four low-mass planets.

Results. We revise the planetary parameters for HD 45364, HD 202696, HD 37124, and HD 215152, and provide a comprehensive view of the dynamical state these systems are in.

Conclusions. We demonstrate the potential of the NAFF stability-driven approach to refine the orbital parameters and planetary masses. We stress the importance of undertaking systematic global dynamical analyses on every new multi-planet system discovered.
Assembly process optimization of electromechanical meters based on robust design
Authors: Zhou Juan , Wu Zonghuan , Hong Tao
Published: June 2022

The assembly precision of the magnetic system of an electromechanical meter is an important guarantee for the measurement accuracy of the meter. The large gap between the two poles of the magnetic system is the key point that affects the assembly precision and is also the difficulty that electromechanical meter manufacturers face. In this paper, the controllable factors that affect the gap of a magnetic system are selected by performing an orthogonal experiment, the assembly process is analyzed, and the noise factors are selected; the orthogonal design achieved by using inner and outer array is used to design the experiment scheme, and the optimal combination of process parameters with a large signal-noise ratio (SNR) and good robustness is found through the experiment. Through experimental verification, the improved process capability index reaches 1.34, and the optimization effect is remarkable.
On the evolutions of triple point structure in wedge-stabilized oblique detonations
Authors: Luan Zhenye , Huang Yue , Deiterding Ralf , You Yancheng
Published: June 2022

The oblique detonation induced by a two-dimensional semi-infinite wedge is simulated numerically with the Navier–Stokes equations and a detailed H2/air reaction model based on the open-source program-Adaptive Mesh Refinement in Object-oriented C++. A spatially seventh-order-accurate weighted essentially non-oscillatory scheme is adopted for the convective flux discretization. The formation and evolution of the oblique detonation induced by wedges at different angles and inflow conditions are investigated, and a prediction model for the oblique detonation flow field is proposed. The results show that the formation of the oblique detonation flow field can be divided into two processes. The first process is similar to the oblique shock flow field with unreactive inflow. When the inflow passes through the wedge, the oblique shock wave starts to form at the tip, followed by the unstable curved shock surface and triple point. In this process, a thin reaction layer is formed on the wedge front, but the thickness of the reaction layer is almost constant. The second process is similar to the process of deflagration to detonation. As the reaction rate increases, the deflagration front is fixed on the wedge, the reaction layer thickens, and the deflagration front gradually approaches the oblique shock wave. When the deflagration front is coupled with the oblique shock wave, the oblique detonation is formed. Moreover, a theoretical prediction model for the triple point location is proposed. Compared with the numerical simulation results, the theoretical model prediction for the position of the transition point of the oblique shock wave–oblique detonation wave is relatively acceptable.
Metabolic and immune-sensitive contacts between lipid droplets and endoplasmic reticulum reconstituted in vitro
Authors: Kamerkar Sukrut , Singh Jagjeet , Tripathy Subham , Bhonsle Hemangi , Kumar Mukesh , Mallik Roop
Published: June 2022

Coordinated cell function requires a variety of subcellular organelles to exchange proteins and lipids across physical contacts that are also referred to as membrane contact sites. Such organelle-to-organelle contacts also evoke interest because they can appear in response to metabolic changes, immune activation, and possibly other stimuli. The microscopic size and complex, crowded geometry of these contacts, however, makes them difficult to visualize, manipulate, and understand inside cells. To address this shortcoming, we deposited endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-enriched microsomes purified from rat liver or from cultured cells on a coverslip in the form of a proteinaceous planar membrane. We visualized real-time lipid and protein exchange across contacts that form between this ER-mimicking membrane and lipid droplets (LDs) purified from the liver of rat. The high-throughput imaging possible in this geometry reveals that in vitro LD–ER contacts increase dramatically when the metabolic state is changed by feeding the animal and also when the immune system is activated. Contact formation in both cases requires Rab18 GTPase and phosphatidic acid, thus revealing common molecular targets operative in two very different biological pathways. An optical trap is used to demonstrate physical tethering of individual LDs to the ER-mimicking membrane and to estimate the strength of this tether. These methodologies can potentially be adapted to understand and target abnormal contact formation between different cellular organelles in the context of neurological and metabolic disorders or pathogen infection.
Normative values for heart rate response to exercise in young athletes at 10–18 years old
Authors: Mascherini Gabriele , Galanti Giorgio , Stefani Laura , Izzicupo Pascal
Published: June 2022

The assessment of the chronotropic response during acute physical exertion can allow the discovery of many cardiovascular diseases even at a young age. However, the increase in heart rate (HR) depends on the age and sex of the subject and the modality of the graded exercise test. This study aims to provide sex‐ and age‐related normative values for heart rate performance in young athletes aged 10–18. A retrospective study was carried out on 7896 young athletes (5356 males and 2540 females) aged between 10 and 18 who underwent pre‐participation screening to obtain eligibility for competitive sport. First, anthropometric parameters, performance data, and HR are reported. Thus, each age calculated third, tenth, twenty‐fifth, fiftieth, seventy‐fifth, ninetieth, and ninety‐seventh percentiles for the stage‐by‐stage HR response, according to sex and graded exercise test modality category. Young female athletes of all ages showed lower performance with fewer stages performed on the cycle ergometer and the treadmill. Young male athletes on treadmill and cycle ergometers show lower HR values at submaximal intensities. The treadmill allows a longer duration than the cycle ergometer for males and females. Sex, age, and the specificity of the movement performed must be considered in assessing the chronotropic response in the young population, particularly for those who carry out a training program. In addition, providing reference values of HR response to acute physical exertion may allow for a better functional assessment of the young athletes.
Late prenatal immune activation in mice induces transgenerational effects via the maternal and paternal lineages
Authors: Raymann Stephanie , Schalbetter Sina M , Schaer Ron , Bernhardt Alexandra C , Mueller Flavia S , Meyer Urs , Weber-Stadlbauer Ulrike
Published: June 2022

Prenatal exposure to infectious or noninfectious immune activation is an environmental risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders and mental illnesses. Recent research using animal models suggests that maternal immune activation (MIA) during early to middle stages of pregnancy can induce transgenerational effects on brain and behavior, likely via inducing stable epigenetic modifications across generations. Using a mouse model of viral-like MIA, which is based on gestational treatment with poly(I:C), the present study explored whether transgenerational effects can also emerge when MIA occurs in late pregnancy. Our findings demonstrate that the direct descendants born to poly(I:C)-treated mothers display deficits in temporal order memory, which are similarly present in second- and third-generation offspring. These transgenerational effects were mediated via both the maternal and paternal lineages and were accompanied by transient changes in maternal care. In addition to the cognitive effects, late prenatal immune activation induced generation-spanning effects on the prefrontal expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic genes, including parvalbumin and distinct alpha-subunits of the GABAA receptor. Together, our results suggest that MIA in late pregnancy has the potential to affect cognitive functions and prefrontal gene expression patterns in multiple generations, highlighting its role in shaping disease risk across generations.
Pretreatment Methods for the Determination of Antibiotics Residues in Food Samples and Detected by Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Mass Spectrometry Detectors: A Review
Authors: Li Fan , Luo Jinwen , Zhu Bingqi , Liu Zhu
Published: June 2022

With the increasing use of antibiotics worldwide, antibiotic monitoring has become a topic of concern. After metabolizing of antibiotics in animals, the metabolites enter the environment through excreta or ingested by the human body via food chain that may exacerbate the emergence of antibiotic resistance and then threaten human’s life. This article summarized several analytical methods used for the determination of antibiotics in recent 10 years. Due to the complex matrices and low concentration level of antibiotics in the food samples, a reliable analysis method is required to maximize the recovery rate. Several techniques like solid phase extraction (SPE), dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) and QuEChERS have been frequently used in the pretreatment process for analytes extraction and concentration. After the pretreatment, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry has been a reliable method for quantitative analysis and is able to determine multiple antibiotics simultaneously. This review also gives an overview about analytical conditions for antibiotics residues in different food samples and their method validation parameters.
Targeted Assessment of Mucosal Immune Gene Expression Predicts Clinical Outcomes in Children with Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Clarkston Kathryn , Karns Rebekah , Jegga Anil G , Sharma Mihika , Fox Sejal , Ojo Babajide A , Minar Phillip , Walters Thomas D , Griffiths Anne M , Mack David R , Boyle Brendan , LeLeiko Neal S , Markowitz James , Rosh Joel R , Patel Ashish S , Shah Sapana , Baldassano Robert N , Pfefferkorn Marian , Sauer Cary , Kugathasan Subra , Haberman Yael , Hyams Jeffrey S , Denson Lee A , Rosen Michael J
Published: June 2022

Background and Aims

We aimed to determine whether a targeted gene expression panel could predict clinical outcomes in paediatric ulcerative colitis [UC] and investigated putative pathogenic roles of predictive genes.

Methods

In total, 313 rectal RNA samples from a cohort of newly diagnosed paediatric UC patients (PROTECT) were analysed by a real-time PCR microfluidic array for expression of type 1, 2 and 17 inflammation genes. Associations between expression and clinical outcomes were assessed by logistic regression. Identified prognostic markers were further analysed using existing RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data sets and tissue immunostaining.

Results

IL13RA2 was associated with a lower likelihood of corticosteroid-free remission (CSFR) on mesalamine at week 52 (p = .002). A model including IL13RA2 and only baseline clinical parameters was as accurate as an established clinical model, which requires week 4 remission status. RORC was associated with a lower likelihood of colectomy by week 52. A model including RORC and PUCAI predicted colectomy by 52 weeks (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.71). Bulk RNA-seq identified IL13RA2 and RORC as hub genes within UC outcome-associated expression networks related to extracellular matrix and innate immune response, and lipid metabolism and microvillus assembly, respectively. Adult UC single-cell RNA-seq data revealed IL13RA2 and RORC co-expressed genes were localized to inflammatory fibroblasts and undifferentiated epithelial cells, respectively, which was supported by protein immunostaining.

Conclusion

Targeted assessment of rectal mucosal immune gene expression predicts 52-week CSFR in treatment-naïve paediatric UC patients. Further exploration of IL-13Rɑ2 as a therapeutic target in UC and future studies of the epithelial-specific role of RORC in UC pathogenesis are warranted.
DENTIST—using long reads for closing assembly gaps at high accuracy
Authors: Ludwig Arne , Pippel Martin , Myers Gene , Hiller Michael
Published: June 2022

Background

Long sequencing reads allow increasing contiguity and completeness of fragmented, short-read–based genome assemblies by closing assembly gaps, ideally at high accuracy. While several gap-closing methods have been developed, these methods often close an assembly gap with sequence that does not accurately represent the true sequence.

Findings

Here, we present DENTIST, a sensitive, highly accurate, and automated pipeline method to close gaps in short-read assemblies with long error-prone reads. DENTIST comprehensively determines repetitive assembly regions to identify reliable and unambiguous alignments of long reads to the correct loci, integrates a consensus sequence computation step to obtain a high base accuracy for the inserted sequence, and validates the accuracy of closed gaps. Unlike previous benchmarks, we generated test assemblies that have gaps at the exact positions where real short-read assemblies have gaps. Generating such realistic benchmarks for Drosophila (134 Mb genome), Arabidopsis (119 Mb), hummingbird (1 Gb), and human (3 Gb) and using simulated or real PacBio continuous long reads, we show that DENTIST consistently achieves a substantially higher accuracy compared to previous methods, while having a similar sensitivity.

Conclusion

DENTIST provides an accurate approach to improve the contiguity and completeness of fragmented assemblies with long reads. DENTIST's source code including a Snakemake workflow, conda package, and Docker container is available at https://github.com/a-ludi/dentist. All test assemblies as a resource for future benchmarking are at https://bds.mpi-cbg.de/hillerlab/DENTIST/.
Role of MaABI5-like in abscisic acid-induced cold tolerance of ‘Fenjiao’ banana fruit
Authors: Song Zunyang , Lai Xiuhua , Chen Hangcong , Wang Lihua , Pang Xuequn , Hao Yanwei , Lu Wangjin , Chen Weixin , Zhu Xiaoyang , Li Xueping
Published: June 2022

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone essential for plants to respond to various environmental stresses, and abscisic acid-insensitive 5 (ABI5) is a basic leucine zipper transcription factor of the ABA signaling pathway. Exogenous ABA induces cold tolerance in bananas; however, the role of MaABI5-like in ABA-induced cold tolerance remains unexplored. The present study found that exogenous ABA alleviated chilling injury of ‘Fenjiao’ banana, induced the accumulation of endogenous ABA, unsaturated fatty acids, and flavonoid content, and reduced the saturated fatty acid content. Moreover, ABA treatment upregulated the transcription levels of MaABI5-like, fatty acid desaturation genes, and flavonoid synthesis-related genes during cold storage. More interestingly, MaABI5-like directly interacted with the promoter of genes related to fatty acid desaturation (MaFAD3-1, MaFAD3-4, MaFAD3-5, MaFAD6-2, MaFAD6-3) and flavonoid synthesis (MaPAL-like, MaPAL-like1, MaC4H-like3, Ma4CL-like1, Ma4CL-like10, MaCHS6-4-like, and MaFLS) and activated their expressions. Furthermore, the transient overexpression of MaABI5-like in ‘Fenjiao’ banana fruit and ectopic expression in tomato plants enhanced cold tolerance and upregulated fatty acid desaturation and flavonoid synthesis-related gene transcript levels. The reduced expression of MaABI5-like by virus-induced gene silencing in ‘Fenjiao’ banana increased chilling injury and downregulated the expression of fatty acid desaturation and flavonoid synthesis-related genes. Thus, the study indicates that MaABI5-like regulates ABA-induced cold tolerance by increasing unsaturated fatty acid and flavonoid content.
Modulating climacteric intensity in melon through QTL stacking
Authors: Santo Domingo Miguel , Areco Lorena , Mayobre Carlos , Valverde Laura , Martín-Hernández Ana Montserrat , Pujol Marta , Garcia-Mas Jordi
Published: June 2022

Fruit ripening is one of the main processes affecting fruit quality and shelf life. In melon there are both climacteric and non-climacteric genotypes, making it a suitable species to study fruit ripening. In the current study, in order to fine tune ripening, we have pyramided three climacteric QTLs in the non-climacteric genotype “Piel de Sapo”: ETHQB3.5, ETHQV6.3 and ETHQV8.1. The results showed that the three QTLs interact epistatically, affecting ethylene production and ripening-related traits such as aroma profile. Each individual QTL has a specific role in the ethylene production profile. ETHQB3.5 accelerates the ethylene peak, ETHQV6.3 advances the ethylene production and ETHQV8.1 enhances the effect of the other two QTLs. Regarding aroma, the three QTLs independently activated the production of esters changing the aroma profile of the fruits, with no significant effects in fruit firmness, soluble solid content and fruit size. Understanding the interaction and the effect of different ripening QTLs offers a powerful knowledge for candidate gene identification as well as for melon breeding programs, where fruit ripening is one of the main objectives.
Epigenetic reprogramming of H3K27me3 and DNA methylation during leaf-to-callus transition in peach
Authors: Zheng Beibei , Liu Jingjing , Gao Anqi , Chen Xiaomei , Gao Lingling , Liao Liao , Luo Binwen , Ogutu Collins Otieno , Han Yuepeng
Published: June 2022

Plant tissues are capable of developing unorganized cell masses termed calluses in response to the appropriate combination of auxin and cytokinin. Revealing the potential epigenetic mechanisms involved in callus development can improve our understanding of the regeneration process of plant cells, which will be beneficial for overcoming regeneration recalcitrance in peach. In this study, we report on single-base resolution mapping of DNA methylation and reprogramming of the pattern of trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3) at the genome-wide level during the leaf-to-callus transition in peach. Overall, mCG and mCHH were predominant at the genome-wide level and mCG was predominant in genic regions. H3K27me3 deposition was mainly detected in the gene body and at the TSS site, and GAGA repetitive sequences were prone to recruit H3K27me3 modification. H3K27me3 methylation was negatively correlated with gene expression. In vitro culture of leaf explants was accompanied by DNA hypomethylation and H3K27me3 demethylation, which could activate auxin- and cytokinin-related regulators to induce callus development. The DNA methylation inhibitor 5-azacytidine could significantly increase callus development, while the H3K27me3 demethylase inhibitor GSK-J4 dramatically reduced callus development. These results demonstrate the roles of DNA methylation and H3K27me3 modification in mediating chromatin status during callus development. Our study provides new insights into the epigenetic mechanisms through which differentiated cells acquire proliferative competence to induce callus development in plants.
Mindfulness Intervention Decreases Frequency and Severity of Flares in Inactive Ulcerative Colitis Patients: Results of a Phase II, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Jedel Sharon , Beck Todd , Swanson Garth , Hood Megan M , Voigt Robin M , Gorenz Annika , Jakate Shriram , Raeisi Shohreh , Hobfoll Stevan , Keshavarzian Ali
Published: June 2022

Background

Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic, inflammatory disease, characterized by symptomatic periods (flare) interspersed with asymptomatic periods (remission). Evidence suggests that psychological stress can trigger flare. Studies have shown that mindfulness interventions (MI) reduce stress, foster more adaptive coping, and improve quality of life, but have been minimally used for UC patients. The objective of this study was to determine whether participation in an MI results in improvements in UC disease course and inflammatory cascades, mindfulness, perceived stress, and other psychological outcomes in inactive UC patients with limited or no exposure to past MI.

Methods

Participants were randomized to an 8-week MI or control group. Biological and psychological assessments were performed at baseline, post 8-week course, and at 6- and 12-months.

Results

Forty-three participants enrolled. The MI increased the state of mindfulness and mindfulness skills, decreased perceived stress and stress response in patients with inactive UC. The MI intervention significantly decreased the incidence of flare over 12 months (P < .05). None of the UC patients in the MI flared during 12 months, while 5 of 23 (22%) control group participants flared during the same period.

Conclusions

MIs could be considered as adjuvant treatment for a subset of UC patients with high perceived stress and low state of mindfulness.

The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01491997.
Relationship Between Preexisting Functional Mobility Impairments and Burn Treatment Outcomes
Authors: Smith Susan , Seoane Jacqueline , Emerson Lisa , Rainey Andrew , Smith Howard G
Published: June 2022

Burn severity is determined by total body surface area affected, temperature of source, and duration of exposure. Patients with impaired mobility are less capable of avoiding hazards and escaping traumatic injuries. Additionally, patients with impaired mobility frequently suffer from other comorbid conditions and have specialized needs, which can complicate their acute treatment. This study was a retrospective electronic medical records review of all adult patients, aged 18 years and older with a preexisting mobility impairment, admitted as inpatients to a single burn center for treatment of burn-related injuries from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2019. The 10-year review of 1520 adult burn admissions meeting the initial criteria of inpatient admission and burn injury revealed 174 patients with documentation supporting preexisting functional mobility impairment (11%). Surprisingly, patients’ overall lengths of stays were consistent with all burn populations at 0.81 days per % TBSA, with the average length of stay being 6.7 days. The demographic data were consistent with national burn registry data as male, Caucasian, and older, with mean age of 61.1 years. Demographic data and details of hospital course focusing on treatment, complications, and outcomes were extracted and analyzed. There is a paucity of literature describing the needs of this unique burn population. Burn-injured patients with preexisting mobility impairments suffer from similar mechanisms of injury. By identifying attributes unique to this population, we hope to develop specialized prevention education and treatment protocols.
Long-term dam behavior prediction with deep learning on graphs
Authors: He Peng , Pan Jianbo , Li Yueyang
Published: June 2022

Dam displacement prediction is one of the most crucial considerations for ensuring the dam’s long-term safe operation. Most existing models focus on predicting individual displacement and ignore the spatial and temporal correlation of data. To address these issues, a novel prediction model based on attention mechanism and graph convolutional network is proposed. To extract the spatial and temporal correlation of the original data, the position embedding and aggregation modules are employed in the prediction model. Through the aggregation module, a spatial-temporal graph is constructed. The spatial-temporal chart connects spatial diagrams of different time steps together. To capture the spatial-temporal features in the constructed graph, a recurrent graph convolutional module is employed. Through the recurrent graph convolutional module, the spatial-temporal features are used to predict the dam displacement. For verification, an arch dam is taken as an example. Comparing eight baseline models, the proposed model is more effective than other prediction models. Therefore, the proposed model can be adapted for engineering applications.
Extremely Low mtDNA Diversity and High Genetic Differentiation Reveal the Precarious Genetic Status of Dugongs in New Caledonia, South Pacific
Authors: Garrigue Claire , Bonneville Claire Daisy , Cleguer Christophe , Oremus Marc
Published: June 2022

New Caledonia is home to one of the largest remaining populations of dugongs (Dugong dugon) and is located at the southeastern limit of the species range. Local knowledge suggests that current levels of removal due to anthropogenic pressures are unsustainable, whereas trends suggest an ongoing decline in the population. Considering this unfavorable conservation context, this study aimed to assess the New Caledonian dugong population’s resilience by determining its level of genetic diversity and degree of isolation relative to other populations. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences (n = 55) collected from live and dead dugongs in New Caledonia were compared with a global data set of previously published sequences (n = 631) representing dugong populations throughout the species range. The New Caledonian dugong population displayed the lowest level of mtDNA diversity documented worldwide (3 haplotypes with 1-bp difference), suggesting a recent origin of the current population through limited colonization events. Population structure analyses indicate a strong genetic differentiation with all the putative populations represented in the global data set, including large neighboring Australian populations. These results show that the dugong population in New Caledonia is particularly isolated, fragile, and vulnerable to anthropogenic threats and diseases with low potential for resilience through incoming gene flow. Our findings call for an instant conservation response and consideration for IUCN population assessment to support the long-term survival of the New Caledonian dugong population.
A multianalyte assay for the detection of dermatomyositis-related autoantibodies based on immunoprecipitation combined with immunoblotting
Authors: Kuwana Masataka , Okazaki Yuka
Published: June 2022

Objective

To develop a multianalyte assay for the detection of dermatomyositis (DM)-related autoantibodies using immunoprecipitation (IP) combined with immunoblotting (IB).

Methods

Sera from 116 DM patients were subjected to RNA and protein immunoprecipitation assays as well as commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for anti-aminoacyl transfer RNA synthetase, anti-melanoma differentiation antigen 5 (MDA5), anti-Mi-2, anti-transcriptional intermediary factor-1γ (TIF-1γ), and anti-U1 ribonucleoprotein antibodies. The IP/IB assay was developed by immunoprecipitation of autoantigens from HeLa cell extracts using patient sera, followed by immunoblotting with an antibody against Mi-2, TIF-1γ, OJ, nuclear matrix protein (NXP)-2, MDA5, PM/Scl, small ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme (SAE), or Ku. A multianalyte assay was designed by mixing primary antibodies in the IP/IB assay.

Results

IP assays identified any DM-related autoantibodies in 100 patients (86%), of which 82% were covered by commercial ELISAs, with a false-positive result in two sera and a false-negative result in one serum. The results obtained from the multianalyte IP/IB assay and ‘gold-standard’ IP assays were concordant in terms of the presence or absence of anti-MDA5, anti-TIF-1γ, anti-OJ, anti-NXP-2, anti-PM/Scl, anti-SAE, anti-Mi-2, and anti-Ku antibodies.

Conclusion

This multianalyte IP/IB assay combined with commercial ELISAs is an alternative to ‘gold-standard’ IP assays for the detection of DM-related autoantibodies.
Modified Boyes’ procedure for the multiple finger extensor tendon ruptures in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A report of two cases
Authors: Kondo Naoki , Kanai Tomotake , Yamada Kazuya , Sakazume Yusuke , Tabata Satoshi , Ikarashi Fumie , Takano Mayuko , Watanabe Takahiro , Kakutani Rika , Kijima Yasufumi , Kawashima Hiroyuki , Ishikawa Hajime
Published: June 2022

Multiple subcutaneous extensor tendon ruptures in more than the ulnar three fingers sometimes occur in patients with rheumatoid arthritis accompanied by wrist deformity. In these situations, the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon of the middle finger (the FDS3 tendon) and that of the ring finger (the FDS4 tendon) are used for the transferred tendon (modified Boyes’ procedure). Here, we treated two patients with rheumatoid arthritis, whose extensor tendons of more than three fingers were ruptured, using the modified Boyes’ procedure. Case 1 had ruptures in four fingers (index through little), and Case 2 had ruptures in three fingers (middle through little). The FDS3 and FDS4 tendons were passed subcutaneously around the radial side of the wrist to the extensor sides and interlaced with the distal stump of the ruptured tendons. Switching of the finger movement was achieved smoothly in both cases. The post-operative evaluation showed an extension lag of −15° for the index finger 0° for the middle through the little fingers in Case 1, and 0° for the middle finger and −5° for the ring and little fingers in Case 2. The average post-operative extension lag was −3.5°. However, median nerve palsy occurred in both cases, and it gradually recovered. Stretching of the nerve by the correction of the wrist deformity and increased pressure in the carpal tunnel were supposed to be causes of this palsy. Modified Boyes’ procedure is a useful method for more than three ulnar finger extensor tendon ruptures; however, post-operative median nerve palsy should be considered.
Thermal Budgets of Magma Storage Constrained by Diffusion Chronometry: the Cerro Galán Ignimbrite
Authors: Lubbers Jordan , Kent Adam J R , de Silva Shanaka
Published: June 2022

The long-term thermochemical conditions at which large bodies of silicic magma are stored in the crust is integral to our understanding of the timing, frequency, and intensity of volcanic eruptions and provides important context for interpreting volcano monitoring data. Despite this, however, individual magmatic systems may exhibit a range of time–temperature paths, or thermal histories, that are the result of many complex and, in some cases, competing processes. This complexity contributes to an incomplete understanding of the long-term thermal evolution of magma stored within the Earth’s crust. Of recent interest to the volcanology community is the length of time large volumes of rheologically eruptible and geophysically detectable magma exist within the crust prior to their eruption. Here we use a combination of diffusion chronometry, trace element, and thermodynamic modeling to quantify the long-term thermal evolution of the 2.08 Ma, 630 km3 Cerro Galán Ignimbrite (CGI) in NW Argentina; one of the largest explosive volcanic eruptions in the recent geologic record. We find that diffusion of both Mg and Sr in plagioclase indicate that erupted magmatic material only spent decades to centuries at or above temperatures (~750°C) required to maintain significant volumes of stored eruptible magma. Calculated plagioclase equilibrium compositions reveal an array of liquids that is controlled overall by fractionation of plagioclase + biotite + sanidine, although high-resolution trace element transects record a diversity of fractionation pathways. Overall, we suggest that there is compelling evidence that the magma erupted from the CGI magmatic system spent most of its upper crustal residence in a largely uneruptible state and was rapidly remobilized shortly before eruption.
Solutal-buoyancy-driven intertwining and rotation of patterned elastic sheets
Authors: Manna Raj Kumar , Shklyaev Oleg E , Stone Howard A , Balazs Anna C
Published: June 2022

The intertwining of strands into 3D spirals is ubiquitous in biology, enabling functions from information storage to maintenance of cell structure and directed locomotion. In synthetic systems, entwined fibers can provide superior mechanical properties and act as artificial muscle or structural reinforcements. Unlike structures in nature, the entwinement of synthetic materials typically requires application of an external stimulus, such as mechanical actuation, light, or a magnetic field. Herein, we use computational modeling to design microscale sheets that mimic biology by transducing chemical energy into mechanical action, and thereby self-organize and interlink into 3D spirals, which spontaneously rotate. These flexible sheets are immersed in a fluid-filled microchamber that encompasses an immobilized patch of catalysts on the bottom wall. The sheets themselves can be passive or active (coated with catalyst). Catalytic reactions in the solution generate products that occupy different volumes than the reactants. The resulting density variations exert a force on the fluid (solutal buoyancy force) that causes motion, which in turn drives the interlinking and collective swirling of the sheets. The individual sheets do not rotate; rotation only occurs when the sheets are interlinked. This level of autonomous, coordinated 3D structural organization, intertwining, and rotation is unexpected in synthetic materials systems operating without external controls. Using physical arguments, we identify dimensionless ratios that are useful in scaling these ideas to other systems. These findings are valuable for creating materials that act as “machines”, and directing soft matter to undergo self-sustained, multistep assembly that is governed by intrinsic chemical reactions.
Excess natural-cause deaths in California by cause and setting: March 2020 through February 2021
Authors: Chen Yea-Hung , Stokes Andrew C , Aschmann Hélène E , Chen Ruijia , DeVost Shelley , Kiang Mathew V , Koliwad Suneil , Riley Alicia R , Glymour M Maria , Bibbins-Domingo Kirsten
Published: June 2022

Excess mortality has exceeded reported deaths from Covid-19 during the pandemic. This gap may be attributable to deaths that occurred among individuals with undiagnosed Covid-19 infections or indirect consequences of the pandemic response such as interruptions in medical care; distinguishing these possibilities has implications for public health responses. In the present study, we examined patterns of excess mortality over time and by setting (in-hospital or out-of-hospital) and cause of death using death certificate data from California. The estimated number of excess natural-cause deaths from 2020 March 1 to 2021 February 28 (69,182) exceeded the number of Covid-19 diagnosed deaths (53,667) by 29%. Nearly half, 47.4% (32,775), of excess natural-cause deaths occurred out of the hospital, where only 28.6% (9,366) of excess mortality was attributed to Covid-19. Over time, increases or decreases in excess natural non-Covid-19 mortality closely mirrored increases or decreases in Covid-19 mortality. The time series were positively correlated in out-of-hospital settings, particularly at time lags when excess natural-cause deaths preceded reported Covid-19 deaths; for example, when comparing Covid-19 deaths to excess natural-cause deaths in the week prior, the correlation was 0.73. The strong temporal association of reported Covid-19 deaths with excess out-of-hospital deaths from other reported natural-cause causes suggests Covid-19 deaths were undercounted during the first year of the pandemic.