bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A chemical catalyst enabling histone acylation with endogenous acyl-CoA
Authors: Habazaki Misuzu , Mizumoto Shinsuke , Kajino Hidetoshi , Kujirai Tomoya , Kurumizaka Hitoshi , Kawashima Shigehiro A. , Yamatsugu Kenzo , Kanai Motomu
Published: September 2023

Life emerges from a network of biomolecules and chemical reactions catalyzed by enzymes. As enzyme abnormalities are often connected to various diseases, a chemical catalyst promoting physiologically important intracellular reactions in place of malfunctional endogenous enzymes would have great utility in understanding and treating diseases. However, research into such small-molecule chemical enzyme surrogates remains limited, due to difficulties in developing a reactive catalyst capable of activating inert cellular metabolites present at low concentrations. Herein, we report a small-molecule catalyst, mBnA, as a surrogate for a histone acetyltransferase. A hydroxamic acid moiety of suitable electronic characteristics at the catalytic site, paired with a thiol-thioester exchange process, enables mBnA to activate endogenous acyl-CoAs present in low concentrations and promote histone lysine acylations in living cells without the addition of exogenous acyl donors. An enzyme surrogate utilizing cellular metabolites will be a unique tool for elucidation of and synthetic intervention in the chemistry of life and disease.
Microbial growth under drought is confined to distinct taxa and modified by potential future climate conditions
Authors: Metze Dennis , Schnecker Jörg , Canarini Alberto , Fuchslueger Lucia , Koch Benjamin J. , Stone Bram W. , Hungate Bruce A. , Hausmann Bela , Schmidt Hannes , Schaumberger Andreas , Bahn Michael , Kaiser Christina , Richter Andreas
Published: September 2023

Climate change increases the frequency and intensity of drought events, affecting soil functions including carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling, which are driven by growing microorganisms. Yet we know little about microbial responses to drought due to methodological limitations. Here, we estimate microbial growth rates in montane grassland soils exposed to ambient conditions, drought, and potential future climate conditions (i.e., soils exposed to 6 years of elevated temperatures and elevated CO2 levels). For this purpose, we combined 18O-water vapor equilibration with quantitative stable isotope probing (termed ‘vapor-qSIP’) to measure taxon-specific microbial growth in dry soils. In our experiments, drought caused >90% of bacterial and archaeal taxa to stop dividing and reduced the growth rates of persisting ones. Under drought, growing taxa accounted for only 4% of the total community as compared to 35% in the controls. Drought-tolerant communities were dominated by specialized members of the Actinobacteriota, particularly the genus Streptomyces. Six years of pre-exposure to future climate conditions (3 °C warming and + 300 ppm atmospheric CO2) alleviated drought effects on microbial growth, through more drought-tolerant taxa across major phyla, accounting for 9% of the total community. Our results provide insights into the response of active microbes to drought today and in a future climate, and highlight the importance of studying drought in combination with future climate conditions to capture interactive effects and improve predictions of future soil-climate feedbacks.
River interlinking alters land-atmosphere feedback and changes the Indian summer monsoon
Authors: Chauhan Tejasvi , Devanand Anjana , Roxy Mathew Koll , Ashok Karumuri , Ghosh Subimal
Published: September 2023

Massive river interlinking projects are proposed to offset observed increasing droughts and floods in India, the most populated country in the world. These projects involve water transfer from surplus to deficit river basins through reservoirs and canals without an in-depth understanding of the hydro-meteorological consequences. Here, we use causal delineation techniques, a coupled regional climate model, and multiple reanalysis datasets, and show that land-atmosphere feedbacks generate causal pathways between river basins in India. We further find that increased irrigation from the transferred water reduces mean rainfall in September by up to 12% in already water-stressed regions of India. We observe more drying in La Niña years compared to El Niño years. Reduced September precipitation can dry rivers post-monsoon, augmenting water stress across the country and rendering interlinking dysfunctional. Our findings highlight the need for model-guided impact assessment studies of large-scale hydrological projects across the globe.
Automated Construction of a Photocatalysis Dataset for Water-Splitting Applications
Authors: Isazawa Taketomo , Cole Jacqueline M.
Published: September 2023

We present an automatically generated dataset of 15,755 records that were extracted from 47,357 papers. These records contain water-splitting activity in the presence of certain photocatalysts, along with additional information about the chemical reaction conditions under which this activity was recorded. These conditions include any co-catalysts and additives that were present during water splitting, the length of time for which the photocatalytic experiment was conducted, and the type of light source used, including its wavelength. Despite the text extraction of such a wide range of chemical reaction attributes, the dataset afforded good precision (71.2%) and recall (36.3%). These figures-of-merit were calculated based on a random sample of open-access papers from the corpus. Mining such a complex set of attributes required the development of novel techniques in knowledge extraction and interdependency resolution, leveraging inter- and intra-sentence relations, which are also described in this paper. We present a new version (version 2.2) of the chemistry-aware text-mining toolkit ChemDataExtractor, in which these new techniques are included.
A WAV file dataset of bottlenose dolphin whistles, clicks, and pulse sounds during trawling interactions
Authors: Di Nardo Francesco , De Marco Rocco , Lucchetti Alessandro , Scaradozzi David
Published: September 2023

Globally, interactions between fishing activities and dolphins are cause for concern due to their negative effects on both mammals and fishermen. The recording of acoustic emissions could aid in detecting the presence of dolphins in close proximity to fishing gear, elucidating their behavior, and guiding potential management measures designed to limit this harmful phenomenon. This data descriptor presents a dataset of acoustic recordings (WAV files) collected during interactions between common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and fishing activities in the Adriatic Sea. This dataset is distinguished by the high complexity of its repertoire, which includes various different typologies of dolphin emission. Specifically, a group of free-ranging dolphins was found to emit frequency-modulated whistles, echolocation clicks, and burst pulse signals, including feeding buzzes. An analysis of signal quality based on the signal-to-noise ratio was conducted to validate the dataset. The signal digital files and corresponding features make this dataset suitable for studying dolphin behavior in order to gain a deeper understanding of their communication and interaction with fishing gear (trawl).
Modulation of cigarette smoke induced alterations by aqueous Ocimum sanctum leaf extract in pulmonary tissue of rodents
Authors: Ranawat Pavitra , Kaur Navdeep , Koul Ashwani
Published: September 2023

Smoking has been associated with an increased risk of asthma, lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic bronchitis, and a massive amount of oxidative stress. The present study was undertaken to determine the modulatory effects of Holi Basil/Tulsi, (Ocimum sanctum) leaf extract on cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary damage in mice. Cigarette smoke (CS) inhalation increased the levels of pulmonary lipid peroxidation, and reactive oxygen species and decreased the levels of glutathione. Histoarchitectural alterations and enhanced tissue lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in pulmonary tissue was distinctly indicative of damage. Enhanced mucin production was also observed through mucicarmine and Alcian Blue-Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) staining. Increased expression of MUC5AC was also observed. Alterations in the lung were also evident through FTIR studies. Administration of Ocimum sanctum leaf extract (80 mg/kg b.w) to CS exposed mice ameliorated these alterations to a greater extent. These findings are suggestive of the fact that Ocimum sanctum leaf extract effectively modulated CS-induced deleterious effects on pulmonary tissue.
AIEgen orthopalladated hybrid polymers for efficient inactivation of the total coliforms in urban wastewater
Authors: Sessa Lucia , Diana Rosita , Gentile Francesco Silvio , Mazzaglia Fabio , Panunzi Barbara
Published: September 2023

Monitorable AIE polymers with a bioactive pattern are employed in advanced biomedical applications such as functional coatings, theranostic probes, and implants. After the global COVID-19 pandemic, interest in developing surfaces with superior antimicrobial, antiproliferative, and antiviral activities dramatically increased. Many formulations for biocide surfaces are based on hybrid organic/inorganic materials. Palladium (II) complexes display relevant activity against common bacteria, even higher when compared to their uncoordinated ligands. This article reports the design and synthesis of two series of orthopalladated polymers obtained by grafting a cyclopalladated fragment on two different O, N chelating Schiff base polymers. Different grafting percentages were examined and compared for each organic polymer. The fluorescence emission in the solid state was explored on organic matrixes and grafted polymers. DFT analysis provided a rationale for the role of the coordination core. The antibacterial response of the two series of hybrid polymers was tested against the total coliform group of untreated urban wastewater, revealing excellent inactivation ability.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of COVID-19 variants effects in an age-structured model
Authors: Cho Giphil , Kim Young Jin , Seo Sang-hyup , Jang Geunsoo , Lee Hyojung
Published: September 2023

This study analyzes the impact of COVID-19 variants on cost-effectiveness across age groups, considering vaccination efforts and nonpharmaceutical interventions in Republic of Korea. We aim to assess the costs needed to reduce COVID-19 cases and deaths using age-structured model. The proposed age-structured model analyzes COVID-19 transmission dynamics, evaluates vaccination effectiveness, and assesses the impact of the Delta and Omicron variants. The model is fitted using data from the Republic of Korea between February 2021 and November 2022. The cost-effectiveness of interventions, medical costs, and the cost of death for different age groups are evaluated through analysis. The impact of different variants on cases and deaths is also analyzed, with the Omicron variant increasing transmission rates and decreasing case-fatality rates compared to the Delta variant. The cost of interventions and deaths is higher for older age groups during both outbreaks, with the Omicron outbreak resulting in a higher overall cost due to increased medical costs and interventions. This analysis shows that the daily cost per person for both the Delta and Omicron variants falls within a similar range of approximately $10–$35. This highlights the importance of conducting cost-effect analyses when evaluating the impact of COVID-19 variants.
Satellites capture socioeconomic disruptions during the 2022 full-scale war in Ukraine
Authors: Ialongo Iolanda , Bun Rostyslav , Hakkarainen Janne , Virta Henrik , Oda Tomohiro
Published: September 2023

Since February 2022, the full-scale war in Ukraine has been strongly affecting society and economy in Ukraine and beyond. Satellite observations are crucial tools to objectively monitor and assess the impacts of the war. We combine satellite-based tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) observations to detect and characterize changes in human activities, as both are linked to fossil fuel combustion processes. We show significantly reduced NO2 levels over the major Ukrainian cities, power plants and industrial areas: the NO2 concentrations in the second quarter of 2022 were 15–46% lower than the same quarter during the reference period 2018–2021, which is well below the typical year-to-year variability (5–15%). In the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, the NO2 tropospheric column monthly average in April 2022 was almost 60% smaller than 2019 and 2021, and about 40% smaller than 2020 (the period mostly affected by the COVID-19 restrictions). Such a decrease is consistent with the essential reduction in population and corresponding emissions from the transport and commercial/residential sectors over the major Ukrainian cities. The NO2 reductions observed in the industrial regions of eastern Ukraine reflect the decline in the Ukrainian industrial production during the war (40–50% lower than in 2021), especially from the metallurgic and chemical industry, which also led to a decrease in power demand and corresponding electricity production by thermal power plants (which was 35% lower in 2022 compared to 2021). Satellite observations of land properties and thermal anomalies indicate an anomalous distribution of fire detections along the front line, which are attributable to shelling or other intentional fires, rather than the typical homogeneously distributed fires related to crop harvesting. The results provide timely insights into the impacts of the ongoing war on the Ukrainian society and illustrate how the synergic use of satellite observations from multiple platforms can be useful in monitoring significant societal changes. Satellite-based observations can mitigate the lack of monitoring capability during war and conflicts and enable the fast assessment of sudden changes in air pollutants and other relevant parameters.
Observation of photonic Peierls transition for manipulating microwave in metallic diaphragm-array periodic structures
Authors: Wu Chia Ho , Liu Chengyang , Lin Xianqing , Wang Wei , Guo Yi Chun , Wang Zhuoyuan , Ye Guoqiang , He Fang , Ni Donghua , Wang Xiaolong , Shen Linfang , Shen Jianqi , Cai Zhengbing , Chen Gang
Published: September 2023

Peierls transition that modifies electronic band structure has attracted intensive attention in solid state physics. In the present work, we report that a photonic analog of Peierls transition has been observed in a 1-D triangular metal diaphragm array, where the photonic bandgap structures have been designed at will by adjusting periodically metal diaphragm positions. It is shown by the numerical analysis that the transmission and radiation effect of the present periodic metal structure designed through the Peierls transition rule exhibits the behavior significantly different from an original periodic structure with each unit cell containing a metal diaphragm. The near- and far-field measurement results are in good agreement with our theoretical simulation. The present effect of photonic Peierls transition can serve as a working mechanism for designing new types of guided wave devices. It can be seen that the photonic Peierls transition would be one of the simplest ways for modifying the transport characteristics of electromagnetic waves in periodic structures.
Autoencoder-based multimodal prediction of non-small cell lung cancer survival
Authors: Ellen Jacob G. , Jacob Etai , Nikolaou Nikos , Markuzon Natasha
Published: September 2023

The ability to accurately predict non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient survival is crucial for informing physician decision-making, and the increasing availability of multi-omics data offers the promise of enhancing prognosis predictions. We present a multimodal integration approach that leverages microRNA, mRNA, DNA methylation, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and clinical data to predict NSCLC survival and identify patient subtypes, utilizing denoising autoencoders for data compression and integration. Survival performance for patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) was compared across modality combinations and data integration methods. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas data, our results demonstrate that survival prediction models combining multiple modalities outperform single modality models. The highest performance was achieved with a combination of only two modalities, lncRNA and clinical, at concordance indices (C-indices) of 0.69 ± 0.03 for LUAD and 0.62 ± 0.03 for LUSC. Models utilizing all five modalities achieved mean C-indices of 0.67 ± 0.04 and 0.63 ± 0.02 for LUAD and LUSC, respectively, while the best individual modality performance reached C-indices of 0.64 ± 0.03 for LUAD and 0.59 ± 0.03 for LUSC. Analysis of biological differences revealed two distinct survival subtypes with over 900 differentially expressed transcripts.
Built environment microbiomes transition from outdoor to human-associated communities after construction and commissioning
Authors: Young Gregory R. , Sherry Angela , Smith Darren L.
Published: September 2023

The microbiota of the built environment is linked to usage, materials and, perhaps most importantly, human health. Many studies have attempted to identify ways of modulating microbial communities within built environments to promote health. None have explored how these complex communities assemble initially, following construction of new built environments. This study used high-throughput targeted sequencing approaches to explore bacterial community acquisition and development throughout the construction of a new build. Microbial sampling spanned from site identification, through the construction process to commissioning and use. Following commissioning of the building, bacterial richness and diversity were significantly reduced (P < 0.001) and community structure was altered (R2 = 0.14; P = 0.001). Greater longitudinal community stability was observed in outdoor environments than indoor environments. Community flux in indoor environments was associated with human interventions driving environmental selection, which increased 10.4% in indoor environments following commissioning. Increased environmental selection coincided with a 12% reduction in outdoor community influence on indoor microbiomes (P = 2.00 × 10–15). Indoor communities became significantly enriched with human associated genera includingEscherichia,Pseudomonas, andKlebsiellaspp. These data represent the first to characterize the initial assembly of bacterial communities in built environments and will inform future studies aiming to modulate built environment microbiota.
Phase encoded quantum key distribution up to 380 km in standard telecom grade fiber enabled by baseline error optimization
Authors: Pathak Nishant Kumar , Chaudhary Sumit , Sangeeta  , Kanseri Bhaskar
Published: September 2023

Phase encoding in quantum key distribution (QKD) enables long-distance information-theoretic secure communication in optical fibers. We present a novel theoretical model characterizing errors from various sources in practical phase encoding-based QKD systems, namely the laser linewidth, detector dark counts, and channel dispersion. This model provides optimized optical pulse parameters and less distortion in pulses, which eliminates system imperfections and leads to a reduced quantum bit error rate (QBER) for practical QKD scenario. This analysis is applicable to various fiber-based phase and time encoding protocols. In particular, we implement this to a differential phase shift (DPS) QKD scheme operating at a 2.5 GHz clock, which produces a secure key rate of 193 bits/s at a fiber length of 265 km and an unprecedented QBER < 1$$\%$$
%
up to 225 km length with standard telecom components. We show that by adjusting the quantum efficiency and dark count rates of detectors, proposed system can establish secure keys up to 380 km distance using standard telecom grade fiber with a QBER of 1.48%. Moreover, the system is compatible with existing optical fiber networks and capable of establishing a secure key exchange between two cities 432 km apart using ultra-low-loss (ULL) specialty fiber.
Autonomic dysregulation in long-term patients suffering from Post-COVID-19 Syndrome assessed by heart rate variability
Authors: Mooren Frank C. , Böckelmann Irina , Waranski Melina , Kotewitsch Mona , Teschler Marc , Schäfer Hendrik , Schmitz Boris
Published: September 2023

Post-COVID-19 Syndrome (PCS) is a condition with multiple symptoms partly related to dysregulation of the autonomic nerve system. Assessment of heart rate variability (HRV) using 24 h Holter-ECG may serve as a surrogate to characterize cardiac autonomic activity. A prospective study including 103 PCS patients (time after infection = 252 days, age = 49.0 ± 11.3 years, 45.7% women) was performed and patients underwent detailed clinical screening, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and 24 h Holter monitoring. Data of PCS patients was compared to 103 CAD patients and a healthy control group (n = 90). After correction for age and sex, frequency-related variables differed in PCS patients compared to controls including LF/HFpower, LF/HFnu, and LF/HF ratio (24 h; p ≤ 0.001). By contrast, these variables were largely comparable between PCS and CAD patients, while sympathetic activation was highest in PCS patients during the 24 h period. Overall, PCS patients showed disturbed diurnal adjustment of HRV, with impaired parasympathetic activity at night. Patients hospitalized during acute infection showed an even more pronounced overactivation of sympathetic activity compared to patients who underwent ambulant care. Our data demonstrate persistent HRV alterations in PCS patients with long-term symptom duration, suggesting a sustained impairment of sympathovagal balance. Moreover, sympathetic overstimulation and diminished parasympathetic response in long-term PCS patients are comparable to findings in CAD patients. Whether HRV variables have a prognostic value in PCS and/or might serve as biomarkers indicating a successful interventional approach warrants further longitudinal studies.
Changes in the thermodynamical profiles of the subsurface ocean and atmosphere induce cyclones to congregate over the Eastern Arabian Sea
Authors: Abhiram Nirmal C. S. , Abhilash S. , Martin Max , Sankar Syam , Mohapatra M. , Sahai A. K.
Published: September 2023

The Arabian Sea accounts for a small fraction of Tropical Cyclones—about 2% of the annual global mean. However, the damage they might inflict there and along its coastlines, which are thickly populated, is considerable. This study explores the influence of the changes in the vertical profiles of atmosphere and oceanic environment throughout the seasons of March–June (MAMJ) and October–December (OND) in clustering the cyclogenesis over the Eastern Arabian Sea (EAS) next to the Indian West coast in recent decades. Further investigation has been done into the precise contribution of atmospheric and oceanic factors to fluctuations in cyclone intensity throughout the MAMJ and OND seasons separately. Two seasons have been studied independently in order to better understand the distinct influences of the vertical fluctuation of atmospheric factors and the thermal structure of the oceanic subsurface on cyclogenesis. More severe cyclones are caused by high tropical cyclone heat potential, and ocean subsurface warming present in this sea region influences the genesis of storms mostly during MAMJ. On the other hand, mid tropospheric relative humidity and thermal instability influences more on increasing cyclogenesis and its clustering over EAS during OND season. The findings suggest that large-scale oceanic subsurface conditions have a crucial influence on cyclogenesis over EAS through oceanic sensitivity to atmospheric forcing. This cyclone tendency and its clustering over EAS needs attention in terms of forecasting, catastrophe risk reduction, and climate change adaptation due to the security of coastal urban and rural habitats, livelihoods, and essential infrastructure along the coasts.
Micropatterned primary hepatocyte co-culture (HEPATOPAC) for fatty liver disease modeling and drug screening
Authors: Cottier Karissa E. , Bhalerao Devika , Lewis Candice , Gaffney Jeannemarie , Heyward Scott A.
Published: September 2023

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a highly prevalent, progressive disorder and growing public health concern. To address this issue considerable research has been undertaken in pursuit of new NAFLD therapeutics. Development of effective, high-throughput in vitro models is an important aspect of drug discovery. Here, a micropatterned hepatocyte co-culture (MPCC) was used to model liver steatosis. The MPCC model (HEPATOPACTM) is comprised of hepatocytes and 3T3-J2 mouse stromal cells plated onto a patterned standard 96-well or 24-well plate, allowing the cultures to be handled and imaged in a standardized multi-well format. These studies employed high content imaging (HCI) analysis to assess lipid content in cultures. HCI analysis of lipid accumulation allows large numbers of samples to be imaged and analyzed in a relatively short period of time compared to manual acquisition and analysis methods. Treatment of MPCC with free fatty acids (FFA), high glucose and fructose (HGF), or a combination of both induces hepatic steatosis. MPCC treatment with ACC1/ACC2 inhibitors, as either a preventative or reversal agent, showed efficacy against FFA induced hepatic steatosis. Drug induced steatosis was also evaluated. Treatment with valproic acid showed steatosis induction in a lean background, which was significantly potentiated in a fatty liver background. Additionally, these media treatments changed expression of fatty liver related genes. Treatment of MPCC with FFA, HGF, or a combination reversibly altered expression of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism, insulin signaling, and lipid transport. Together, these data demonstrate that MPCC is an easy to use, long-term functional in vitro model of NAFLD having utility for compound screening, drug toxicity evaluation, and assessment of gene regulation.
Design of dual-band power amplifier using bandstop filter and dual-mode bias circuit for multistandard transceiver systems
Authors: Zarghami Sepehr , Hayati Mohsen
Published: September 2023

This paper presents a dual-band power amplifier (PA) using a meandered line bandstop filter (BSF). An important challenge addressed in this design is to achieve proper isolation between the operational bands of the amplifier. The proposed BSF provides isolation and efficiency, effectively separating the output power and power gain between the two operational bands. Additionally, a dual-mode bias circuit is designed to serve as an inductor choke and control the second harmonics for both operating frequencies simultaneously. Two dual-band PAs, utilizing LDMOS and GaN HEMT transistors, have been designed using the proposed output matching circuit, which incorporates the BSF, bias circuit, and compensation circuit. The results obtained from both PAs, employing different transistors, are identical. Based on the presented concepts, a dual-band PA with an LDMOS transistor has been fabricated and measured. The measurements reveal an efficiency of 79.23%, an output power of 39.85 dBm, and a power gain of 14.85 dB at a frequency of 0.7 GHz. Similarly, at a frequency of 1.9 GHz, the efficiency is 77.24%, the output power is 38.22 dBm, and the power gain is 13.22 dB.
Viral maintenance and excretion dynamics of coronaviruses within an Egyptian rousette fruit bat maternal colony: considerations for spillover
Authors: Geldenhuys Marike , Ross Noam , Dietrich Muriel , de Vries John L. , Mortlock Marinda , Epstein Jonathan H. , Weyer Jacqueline , Pawęska Janusz T. , Markotter Wanda
Published: September 2023

Novel coronavirus species of public health and veterinary importance have emerged in the first two decades of the twenty-first century, with bats identified as natural hosts for progenitors of many coronaviruses. Targeted wildlife surveillance is needed to identify the factors involved in viral perpetuation within natural host populations, and drivers of interspecies transmission. We monitored a natural colony of Egyptian rousette bats at monthly intervals across two years to identify circulating coronaviruses, and to investigate shedding dynamics and viral maintenance within the colony. Three distinct lineages were detected, with different seasonal temporal excretion dynamics. For two lineages, the highest periods of coronavirus shedding were at the start of the year, when large numbers of bats were found in the colony. Highest peaks for a third lineage were observed towards the middle of the year. Among individual bat-level factors (age, sex, reproductive status, and forearm mass index), only reproductive status showed significant effects on excretion probability, with reproductive adults having lower rates of detection, though factors were highly interdependent. Analysis of recaptured bats suggests that viral clearance may occur within one month. These findings may be implemented in the development of risk reduction strategies for potential zoonotic coronavirus transmission.
Multi-ocean distribution of a brooding predator in the abyssal benthos
Authors: Lörz Anne-Nina , Schwentner Martin , Bober Simon , Jażdżewska Anna M.
Published: September 2023

How far are species distributed on the abyssal plains? Spanning from 3000 to 6000 m below sea level, abyssal plains cover three-quarters of the ocean floor and are the largest but also least explored habitat on Earth. The question of vertical and horizontal distribution is central to understanding biogeographic and population genetic processes within species inhabiting the deep-sea benthos. Amphipod crustaceans are an important and dominant taxon in this ecosystem. As they are brooders, their dispersal capacities are more limited compared to species with free-swimming larvae, and with the exception of a few scavenging species deep-sea amphipods are restricted to a single ocean. Based on an integrative taxonomic approach (morphology, COI, 16S and 18S) we demonstrate the occurrence of a predatory amphipod species, Rhachotropis abyssalis, in three oceans: the Antarctic Ross Sea, the Northwest Pacific and the North Atlantic; regions more than 20,000 km apart. Although such extensive geographic distributions may represent a rare exception for brooding predators, these findings might also be no exception at all, but a reflection of the rare sampling and rare taxonomic investigation of invertebrate predators in the deep-sea. Our findings highlight our abysmal state of knowledge regarding biodiversity and biogeography on abyssal plains.
Multi-mode joint modulation of array wireless power transfer
Authors: Li Da , Wu Xusheng , Gao Wei , Gao Jianxin
Published: September 2023

In this paper, an array multi-transmitter multi-mode wireless power transfer system is proposed. The system realizes the joint modulation of three transmitter coil working modes of single transmitter coil, dual transmittercoil and four transmitter coils in the wireless power transfer system through PI closed-loop control, which can realize the stable output of WPT system in three different transmitter coil work modes. It effectively compensates for the shortcomings of the single working mode of a single transmitter coil and the limited range of effective working areas, and improves the robustness of the wireless power transfer system.
Effects of climate warming and human activities on the distribution patterns of Fritillaria unibracteata in eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhao Dan , Wang Jun , Dai Wei , Ye KunHao , Chen Jie , Lai Qianglong , Li Haiying , Zhong Binglian , Yu Xiaoli
Published: September 2023

Fritillaria unibracteata is an endangered medicinal material species endemic to the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, and belongs to the national Class III endangered plant. In addition to expelling wind and removing damne, it also warms menstruation and relieves pain in clinic use of tranditional Chinese medicine. In recent years, affected by the destruction of shrubs and climate change, the habitat of F. unibracteata wild resources has been seriously damaged, indicating of great significance to predict its potential suitable habitat using MaxEnt model. The AUC values without human activities were 0.983 ± 0.013–0.988 ± 0.001, while it is 0.982 ± 0.015–0.989 ± 0.000 with human activities, justifying their applications for predicting the potential areas of F. unibracteata. Without human activities, there were 8.47 × 104 km2 of highly suitable habitats in northern Sichuan, southern Gansu and southeastern Qinghai. But the poorly, moderately and highly suitable areas of F. unibracteata have decreased to 33.8 × 104 km2, 9.66 × 104 km2 and 6.64 × 104 km2 due to human activities. Environmental variables affecting F. unibracteata distribution included the minimum temperature in the coldest month (−16.89–−4.96 °C), annual precipitation (416.64–866.96 mm), temperature annual range (24.83–31.97 °C), elevation (2879.69–3981.82 m), human footprint (2.58–23.66) and mean UV-B of highest month (7381.92–8574.27 kJ/m2). In the 2050s and 2090s, human activities would significantly reduce the highly suitable habitats of F. unibracteata. Under SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, the centroid would move to the low latitude area from the current position first, and then to a high latitude area. Wild resources of F. unibracteata in China can be effectively conserved based on our results.
Misdiagnosis of chronic kidney disease and parathyroid hormone testing during the past 16 years
Authors: Liu Haojie , Zhao Huan , Zheng Danna , He Wenfang , Liu Yueming , Jin Juan , He Qiang , Lin Bo
Published: September 2023

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a prevalent pathological condition worldwide. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is an important index related to bone metabolism in CKD patients and has not received enough attention. This study was performed to investigate the incidence and diagnostic rate of CKDin hospital as well as PTH testing and treatment for secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in patients with stage 3 to 5 CKD. The data of patients who visited Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital from February 2006 to April 2022 were retrieved from the hospital database. All data were divided into three subgroups using PTH testing and SHPT treatment as major comparative indicators for analysis. The data were then analyzed for overall PTH testing, CKD incidence, and diagnostic rate. Among 5,301,391 patients, the incidence of CKD was 13.14%. The missed diagnosis rate for CKD was 65.76%. The total PTH testing rate was 1.22%, of which 15.37% of PTH testing was performed in patients with stage 3 to 5 CKD. The overall diagnosis rate of SHPT in patients with stage 3 to 5 CKD was 31.0%. The prophylactic medication rate was 7.4%, and the rate of post-diagnostic drug therapy was 22.2% in patients who underwent SHPT treatment. The high misdiagnosis rate and low PTH testing rate of CKD requires prompt attention from clinicians. SHPT treatment should be considered especially in patients with stage 3 to 5 CKD.
Cubic Fe-bearing majorite synthesized at 18–25 GPa and 1000 °C: implications for element transport, subducted slab rheology and diamond formation
Authors: Stagno Vincenzo , Bindi Luca , Bonechi Barbara , Greaux Steeve , Aulbach Sonja , Irifune Tetsuo , Lupi Stefano , Marras Giulia , McCammon Catherine A. , Nazzari Manuela , Piccirilli Federica , Poe Brent , Romano Claudia , Scarlato Piergiorgio
Published: September 2023

The chemistry and mineralogy of slabs subducted into lower mantle control slab rheology and impact the deep volatile cycle. It is known that the metamorphism of little-altered oceanic crust results in eclogite rocks with subequal proportions of garnet and clinopyroxene. With increasing pressure, these minerals react to stabilize pyrope-rich tetragonal majoritic garnet. However, some eclogites contain higher proportions of omphacitic clinopyroxene, caused by Na- and Si-rich metasomatism on the ocean floor or during subduction. The mineralogy of such eclogites is expected to evolve differently. Here, we discuss the results of the crystallization products of omphacitic glass at ~ 18 and ~ 25 GPa and 1000 °C to simulate P–T regimes of cold subduction. The full characterization of the recovered samples indicates evidence of crystallization of Na-, Si-rich cubic instead of tetragonal majorite. This cubic majorite can incorporate large amounts of ferric iron, promoting redox reactions with surrounding volatile-bearing fluids and, ultimately, diamond formation. In addition, the occurrence of cubic majorite in the slab would affect the local density, favoring the continued buoyancy of the slab as previously proposed by seismic observations. Attention must be paid to omphacitic inclusions in sublithospheric diamonds as these might have experienced back-transformation from the HP isochemical cubic phase.
Identification of metabolites from complex mixtures by 3D correlation of 1H NMR, MS and LC data using the SCORE-metabolite-ID approach
Authors: Watermann Stephanie , Bode Marie-Christin , Hackl Thomas
Published: September 2023

Not only in metabolomics studies, but also in natural product chemistry, reliable identification of metabolites usually requires laborious steps of isolation and purification and remains a bottleneck in many studies. Direct metabolite identification from a complex mixture without individual isolation is therefore a preferred approach, but due to the large number of metabolites present in natural products, this approach is often hampered by signal overlap in the respective 1H NMR spectra. This paper presents a method for the three-dimensional mathematical correlation of NMR with MS data over the third dimension of the time course of a chromatographic fractionation. The MATLAB application SCORE-metabolite-ID (Semi-automatic COrrelation analysis for REliable metabolite IDentification) provides semi-automatic detection of correlated NMR and MS data, allowing NMR signals to be related to associated mass-to-charge ratios from ESI mass spectra. This approach enables fast and reliable dereplication of known metabolites and facilitates the dynamic analysis for the identification of unknown compounds in any complex mixture. The strategy was validated using an artificial mixture and further tested on a polar extract of a pine nut sample. Straightforward identification of 40 metabolites could be shown, including the identification of β-d-glucopyranosyl-1-N-indole-3-acetyl-N-l-aspartic acid (1) and Nα-(2-hydroxy-2-carboxymethylsuccinyl)-l-arginine (2), the latter being identified in a food sample for the first time.
Invasive physiologic assessment of coronary artery stenosis by resting full-cycle ratio and fractional flow reserve: a prospective observational study
Authors: Lee Oh-Hyun , Roh Ji Woong , Kim Yongcheol , Heo Seok-Jae , Im Eui , Cho Deok-Kyu
Published: September 2023

Resting full-cycle ratio (RFR), an alternative to fractional flow reserve (FFR) for evaluating intermediate coronary artery stenosis, helps reduce patients’ time, cost, and discomfort. However, the validation data for RFR and FFR are lacking. We aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of RFR and FFR and evaluate effective decision-making for revascularization using their values. Patients subjected to an invasive physiological study for intermediate coronary artery stenosis in Yongin Severance hospital between October 2020 and April 2022 were prospectively and consecutively recruited. We evaluated the correlation between RFR and FFR measurements and the diagnostic performance of RFR (≤ 0.89) versus FFR (≤ 0.80). In all, 474 intermediate coronary stenosis lesions from 400 patients were evaluated using RFR and FFR values. There was a strong linear relationship between RFR and FFR (r = 0.75, 95% CI 0.70–0.78, p < 0.01). Comparing diagnostic performance between RFR and FFR, RFR demonstrated diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 85.0%, 80.0%, 86.7%, 67.1%, and 92.7%, respectively. We analyzed the RFR value in the hyperemia zone (0.86–0.93) according to positive (RFR: 0.86–0.89) and negative (RFR: 0.90–0.93) areas. PPV in positive area is 47.8% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 33.8% to 62.0%) and NPV in negative area is 87.7% (95% CI: 80.3% to 93.1%). Excellent correlation exists between RFR and FFR and the diagnostic value of RFR without hyperemia compared with FFR in establishing the accurate functional significance of coronary artery stenosis was shown. RFR alone could evaluate the functional significance of coronary artery stenosis without unnecessary hyperemia, except in the positive area.

Trial registration: URL: http://trialsearch.who.int; Unique identifier: KCT0005255.
Cortico-striatal activity associated with fidget spinner use: an fMRI study
Authors: Narukawa Suzuka , Nishimura Momoka , Kuze Izumi , Ohno Ibuki , Fukunaga Masaki , Kobayasi Kohta I. , Murai Shota A.
Published: September 2023

Fidget spinners are said to be a very successful toy, and it's said that it has a good impact on attention for children with ADHD and hand motor control. However, there is limited scientific evidence to support these claims, and there is a lack of data on neurobiological responses to rotating fidget spinners. To better understand the mechanism whereby fidget spinners affect motor behavior, we tried to identify the neural correlates of rotating fidget spinners using functional magnetic resonance imaging and non-magnetic fidget spinners with five types of ease of rotation. As a result, we confirmed that the pre/postcentral gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, supplementary motor area (SMA), cerebellum, and striatum are activated when rotating spinners. Furthermore, the SMA was activated more with easier-to-rotate spinners. Additionally, a psychophysiological interaction analysis revealed increased functional connectivity between the SMA and the caudate while rotating fidget spinners compared to just holding them. These results suggest that the fine motor control associate with spinning a fidget spinner is supported by the cortico-striatal circuits involved in planning and reward.
Strain-rate-dependent plasticity of Ta-Cu nanocomposites for therapeutic implants
Authors: Kardani Arash , Montazeri Abbas , Urbassek Herbert M.
Published: September 2023

Recently, Ta/Cu nanocomposites have been widely used in therapeutic medical devices due to their excellent bioactivity and biocompatibility, antimicrobial property, and outstanding corrosion and wear resistance. Since mechanical yielding and any other deformation in the patient's body during treatment are unacceptable in medicine, the characterization of the mechanical behavior of these nanomaterials is of great importance. We focus on the microstructural evolution of Ta/Cu nanocomposite samples under uniaxial tensile loading conditions at different strain rates using a series of molecular dynamics simulations and compare to the reference case of pure Ta. The results show that the increase in dislocation density at lower strain rates leads to the significant weakening of the mechanical properties. The strain rate-dependent plastic deformation mechanism of the samples can be divided into three main categories: phase transitions at the extreme strain rates, dislocation slip/twinning at lower strain rates for coarse-grained samples, and grain-boundary based activities for the finer-grained samples. Finally, we demonstrate that the load transfer from the Ta matrix to the Cu nanoparticles via the interfacial region can significantly affect the plastic deformation of the matrix in all nanocomposite samples. These results will prove useful for the design of therapeutic implants based on Ta/Cu nanocomposites.
Using next generation antimicrobials to target the mechanisms of infection
Authors: Gadar Kavita , McCarthy Ronan R.
Published: September 2023

The remarkable impact of antibiotics on human health is being eroded at an alarming rate by the emergence of multidrug resistant pathogens. There is a recognised consensus that new strategies to tackle infection are urgently needed to limit the devasting impact of antibiotic resistance on our global healthcare infrastructure. Next generation antimicrobials (NGAs) are compounds that target bacterial virulence factors to disrupt pathogenic potential without impacting bacterial viability. By disabling the key virulence factors required to establish and maintain infection, NGAs make pathogens more vulnerable to clearance by the immune system and can potentially render them more susceptible to traditional antibiotics. In this review, we discuss the developing field of NGAs and how advancements in this area could offer a viable standalone alternative to traditional antibiotics or an effective means to prolong antibiotic efficacy when used in combination.
Multicomponent hyperspectral grade evaluation of ilmenite using spectral-spatial joint features
Authors: Yi Xinqiang , Chen Manjiao , Guo Wang , Hu Xinjun , Zhang Jiahong , Fei Xue , Han Lipeng , Tian Jianping
Published: September 2023

The grade information of nine components in ilmenite was evaluated from spectral and spatial dimensions based on hyperspectral imaging combined with chemometric methods.
Kinetics and optimization studies of modified VPO/γ-Al2O3 catalyst prepared in situ for cross-aldol condensation
Authors: Guo Hui , Ge Tingting , Li Yuchao , Li Yuxia , Zheng Yanxia , Guo Xinpeng , Huang Haofei , Wang Ming , Zuo Cuncun
Published: September 2023

Modified VPO/γ-Al2O3 catalysts were prepared in situ for the first time and applied to the aldol condensation reaction of acetic acid and formaldehyde. VPO/γ-Al2O3 exhibited excellent catalytic performance at a calcination temperature of 350 °C.
Structural diversity of copper(i)–ethylene complexes with 2,4-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrimidine directed by anions
Authors: Maekawa Masahiko , Hayashi Terumasa , Sugimoto Kunihisa , Okubo Takashi , Kuroda-Sowa Takayoshi
Published: September 2023

Four novel di-, tetranuclear and polymeric Cu(i)–C2H4 complexes bridged by 2,4-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrimidine were anion-dependently prepared and structurally characterized.
Mononuclear copper(i) complexes bearing a 3-phenyl-5-(pyridin-4-yl)-1,2,4-triazole ligand: synthesis, crystal structure, TADF-luminescence, and mechanochromic effects
Authors: Gusev Alexey , Braga Elena , Zamnius Ekaterina , Kiskin Mikhail , Ali Amjad , Baryshnikov Glib , Linert Wolfgang
Published: September 2023

New highly luminescent heteroleptic copper(i) halide complexes, [CuL(PPh3)2X] (X = Cl, Br, I), based on 3-phenyl-5-(pyridin-4-yl)-1,2,4-triazole (L) and triphenylphosphine (PPh3) ligands were successfully synthesis and structurally characterized.
Reaction landscape of a mononuclear MnIII–hydroxo complex with hydrogen peroxide
Authors: Grotemeyer Elizabeth N. , Parham Joshua D. , Jackson Timothy A.
Published: September 2023

The reaction of a mononuclear MnIII–hydroxo complex with hydrogen peroxide under different reaction conditions yields bis(μ-oxo)dimanganese(iii,iv), MnIII–hydroperoxo, and MnIII–peroxo intermediates.
rGO induced enhanced antifouling properties in electrospun PVA–rGO nanocomposite membranes
Authors: Karunanithi Arthi , Suryawanshi Tejas Yuvaraj , Redkar Neha , S. Mural Prasanna Kumar , Saxena Sumit , Shukla Shobha
Published: September 2023

Remediation of water contaminated by oils, using advanced materials and membrane based processes.
Eremophilane and cadinane sesquiterpenoids from the fruits of Alpinia oxyphylla and their anti-inflammatory activities
Authors: Dong Jie , Zhou Mi , Pan Da-bo , Qin Qian-yu , Li Ting , Yao Xin-sheng , Li Hai-bo , Yu Yang
Published: September 2023

Six previously undescribed eremophilane and six new cadinane sesquiterpenoids were isolated. Compound 18 has been found to exhibit potential anti-inflammatory activity.
Construction of curcumin-fortified juices using their self-derived extracellular vesicles as natural delivery systems: grape, tomato, and orange juices
Authors: Liu Hang , Song Jiawen , Zhou Lei , Peng Shengfeng , McClements David Julian , Liu Wei
Published: September 2023

Different fruit and vegetable juices were first used to encapsulate curcumin to improve its solubility, stability, and bioaccessibility, which is expected to enable designing of polyphenol-enriched beverages and have an impact on human health and well-being.