bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection: relationship of central nervous system manifestations with physical disability and systemic inflammation
Authors: Busatto Geraldo F. , de Araujo Adriana Ladeira , Castaldelli-Maia João Mauricio , Damiano Rodolfo Furlan , Imamura Marta , Guedes Bruno F. , de Rezende Pinna Fabio , Sawamura Marcio Valente Yamada , Mancini Márcio C. , da Silva Katia R. , Garcia Michelle L. , Sumita Nairo , Brunoni Andre Russowsky , da Silva Duarte Alberto J. , Burdmann Emmanuel A. , Kallas Esper G. , Cerri Giovanni G. , Nitrini Ricardo , Bento Ricardo F. , Rocha Vanderson Geraldo , de Souza Heraldo Possolo , Miguel Euripedes C. , de Carvalho Carlos R. R. , Forlenza Orestes V. , Batistella Linamara Rizzo
Published: May 2022

Background

Despite the multitude of clinical manifestations of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), studies applying statistical methods to directly investigate patterns of symptom co-occurrence and their biological correlates are scarce.

Methods

We assessed 30 symptoms pertaining to different organ systems in 749 adults (age = 55 ± 14 years; 47% female) during in-person visits conducted at 6–11 months after hospitalization due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including six psychiatric and cognitive manifestations. Symptom co-occurrence was initially investigated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and latent variable modeling was then conducted using Item Response Theory (IRT). We investigated associations of latent variable severity with objective indices of persistent physical disability, pulmonary and kidney dysfunction, and C-reactive protein and D-dimer blood levels, measured at the same follow-up assessment.

Results

The EFA extracted one factor, explaining 64.8% of variance; loadings were positive for all symptoms, and above 0.35 for 16 of them. The latent trait generated using IRT placed fatigue, psychiatric, and cognitive manifestations as the most discriminative symptoms (coefficients > 1.5,p< 0.001). Latent trait severity was associated with decreased body weight and poorer physical performance (coefficients > 0.240;p⩽ 0.003), and elevated blood levels of C-reactive protein (coefficient = 0.378; 95% CI 0.215–0.541;p< 0.001) and D-dimer (coefficient = 0.412; 95% CI 0.123–0.702;p= 0.005). Results were similar after excluding subjects with pro-inflammatory comorbidities.

Conclusions

Different symptoms that persist for several months after moderate or severe COVID-19 may unite within one latent trait of PASC. This trait is dominated by fatigue and psychiatric symptoms, and is associated with objective signs of physical disability and persistent systemic inflammation.
Health Technology Assessment in Support of National Health Insurance in South Africa
Authors: Wilkinson Maryke , Gray Andrew Lofts , Wiseman Roger , Kredo Tamara , Cohen Karen , Miot Jacqui , Blecher Mark , Ruff Paul , Johnson Yasmina , Poluta Mladen , McGee Shelley , Leong Trudy D , Brand Mark , Suleman Fatima , Maramba Esnath , Blockman Marc , Jugathpal Janine , Cleary Susan , Nematswerani Noluthando , Moodliar Sarvashni , Parrish Andy , Jamaloodien Khadija K , Stander Tienie , MacQuilkan Kim , Crisp Nicholas , Wilkinson Thomas
Published: May 2022

South Africa has embarked on major health policy reform to deliver universal health coverage through the establishment of National Health Insurance (NHI). The aim is to improve access, remove financial barriers to care, and enhance care quality. Health technology assessment (HTA) is explicitly identified in the proposed NHI legislation and will have a prominent role in informing decisions about adoption and access to health interventions and technologies. The specific arrangements and approach to HTA in support of this legislation are yet to be determined. Although there is currently no formal national HTA institution in South Africa, there are several processes in both the public and private healthcare sectors that use elements of HTA to varying extents to inform access and resource allocation decisions. Institutions performing HTAs or related activities in South Africa include the National and Provincial Departments of Health, National Treasury, National Health Laboratory Service, Council for Medical Schemes, medical scheme administrators, managed care organizations, academic or research institutions, clinical societies and associations, pharmaceutical and devices companies, private consultancies, and private sector hospital groups. Existing fragmented HTA processes should coordinate and conform to a standardized, fit-for-purpose process and structure that can usefully inform priority setting under NHI and for other decision makers. This transformation will require comprehensive and inclusive planning with dedicated funding and regulation, and provision of strong oversight mechanisms and leadership.
African Americans’ perceptions of nutrition interventions: a scoping review
Authors: Greene Matthew , Houghtaling Bailey , Sadeghzadeh Claire , De Marco Molly , Bryant De’Jerra , Morgan Randa , Holston Denise
Published: May 2022

Nutrition education and policy, systems and environmental (PSE) change interventions may be able to address food insecurity and obesity, conditions which are disproportionately experienced by African Americans. Work that seeks to address these disparities and advance social justice should uplift and learn from participant voices, particularly from marginalised groups. This scoping review aimed to summarise the available literature describing African Americans’ perceptions of and experiences participating in nutrition interventions. We conducted an electronic literature search with the assistance of a research librarian which encompassed six databases (MEDLINE, PyscINFO, Agricola, ERIC, SocINDEX and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses) and identified thirty-five sources meeting our inclusion criteria. The majority of studies assessing African Americans’ satisfaction with interventions examined educational interventions alone, and about half of the included studies assessed satisfaction through quantitative methods alone. The only studies which found participants to be dissatisfied with interventions used qualitative methods and examined interventions providing education alone. Future work should evaluate African Americans’ experience with nutrition-focused PSE changes, interventions which may be better able to address racial disparities in obesity and food insecurity. Nutrition educators working with African Americans should also consider evaluating future interventions using qualitative inquiry, to obtain an in-depth understanding of participant experiences with interventions.
Application of probability theory to neonatal cardiac evaluation
Authors: Rodríguez Velásquez Javier O. , Correa Herrera Sandra C. , Bertolotto Cepeda Ana M.
Published: May 2022

Based on probability theory, a methodology that allows diagnosing neonatal cardiac dynamics was previously developed; however, diagnostic applications of this method are required to validate it to the neonatal cardiac dynamics was conducted, allowing to differentiate normal from pathological dynamics. The hourly maximum and minimum heart rate values from 39 continuous and ambulatory electrocardiographic records with a minimum length of 21 hours were taken, from newborns between 0 and 10 days of life, 9 clinically within normality limits and 30 with cardiac pathologies. The probability of occurrence of heart rates in ranges of 5 beats/minute was calculated. The distributions of probability were analysed, and finally the diagnosis was determined by the physical-mathematical methodology. Then, a statistical validation of sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic agreement was performed. Normal registries showed probability distributions with absent or minimal presence of heart rates of the ranges between 125 and 135 beats/minute, while the abnormal ones had values within these ranges, as well as absence or minimal presence of heart rates from 75 beats/minute to 85 beats/minute. The sensitivity and specificity were 100%, and the Kappa coefficient had a value of 1. Hereby, it is concluded that through an application of a physical–mathematical methodology of neonatal cardiac diagnosis, it is possible to differentiate normality from disease.
Electron‐Scale Current Sheet as the Boundary of a Linear Magnetic Hole in the Terrestrial Current Sheet Observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission
Authors: Wang G. Q. , Volwerk M. , Xiao S. D. , Wu M. Y. , Chen Y. Q. , Zhang T. L.
Published: May 2022

Ion‐scale and electron‐scale magnetic holes widely exist in many space plasma regions, and have been extensively studied. However, characteristics of the charged particles and current densities inside the linear magnetic holes (LMHs) with a size between typical ion and electron scales are unclear. Here, we report a LMH with a cross section size of ∼2.4 ion gyroradii in the terrestrial current sheet using the high‐resolution data of the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission. We find that the electron velocity and temperature have significant variations at the sharp boundaries of this LMH, while the ion parameters have no significant change. The decrease of the magnetic field pressure is mainly balanced by the electron thermal pressure. A strong electron flow accompanied by an enhancement of the electric field is formed by electron drift motions on the outermost boundary with a thickness of 0.12–0.24 ion gyroradius. This electric field might originate from variations of the ion and electron gyrations when crossing the sharp boundary. The electron flow forms a thin current sheet on the outermost side of the LMH instead of being distributed over the entire cross section. Most of the trapped electrons are wrapped by this thin current sheet. These results could improve our understanding of the properties of LMHs with a size between typical ion and electron scales.
Novel Hybrid Numerical Simulation of the Wave Equation by Combining Physical and Numerical Representation Theorems and a Review of Hybrid Methodologies
Authors: Lyu Chao , Zhao Liang , Capdeville Yann
Published: May 2022

We present a novel hybrid method to simulate wave propagation through remote regional models. By reviewing and refining the two main existing hybrid categories, the multiple point sources method and direct discrete differentiation method, containing five distinct subcategories, the proposed hybrid method has the following three advantages. (a) The meshing of the local target model is completely independent of that of the global reference model. (b) Only three physical quantities, that is, the gradient ∇q, potential q, and second temporal derivative of the potential ∂ttq for the acoustic wave equation (traction, displacement, and acceleration for the elastic scenario) are required to construct the hybrid inputs during the first global simulation. They are located exactly on the two‐dimensional (2D) hybrid interface, which is highly accurate and memory efficient for three‐dimensional (3D) hybrid numerical simulations. The required memory of hybrid inputs can be reduced fourfold if the very high polynomial degree spectral element method (SEM) is used for the 3D local hybrid simulation. (c) An efficient artificial perfectly matched layer (PML) can be adopted naturally without any elements overlapping between the local and PML domains in the second hybrid simulation. We build on theoretical analysis and 2D/3D numerical forward simulations based on the SEM to illustrate this new hybrid method and demonstrate its validity. The proposed hybrid method is promising for efficiently probing key 3D structures anywhere within the Earth using the so‐called “box tomography.”
Peak Frequency Changes From HV Spectral Ratios in Central Italy: Effects of Strong Motions and Seasonality Over 12 Years of Observations
Authors: Vassallo Maurizio , Cultrera Giovanna , Di Giulio Giuseppe , Cara Fabrizio , Milana Giuliano
Published: May 2022

We analyzed 12 years of continuous seismic data acquired by two seismic stations in Central Apennines (Italy) with the aim to investigate the temporal variations of H/V spectral ratios. The two stations are located in the epicentral areas of the main strong motion earthquakes occurred in Central Italy in the last 12 years (L’Aquila 06 April 2009, Mw 6.1; Amatrice 24 August 2016, Mw 6.0; Visso 26 October 2016, Mw 5.9, and Norcia 30 October 2016, Mw 6.5). H/V ratios are computed both on continuous and earthquakes data recorded by the two stations. H/V ratios are subjected to abrupt changes after strong earthquakes. The results highlight that after strong shaking, there are remarkable drops of the peak frequencies (7%–10% of reduction). After this sudden decrease, the peak frequency slowly recovers to the initial value in a time ranging from a few months to a few years. We also observe a moderate frequency variation (of order of 2%–3%) linked to seasonal variations: the peak frequencies increase in the spring‐summer months and decrease during the winter. The frequency changes after strong earthquakes have been interpreted in terms of velocity variations of the shallow layers. This effect must be taken into account for microzonation, geophysical, and engineering studies that are often carried out in the epicentral areas after strong earthquakes. H/V analysis over time proved to be a useful procedure for highlighting temporal changes relating to the properties of shallow layers of the propagation medium and could provide relevant information for the site characterization of permanent seismic stations.
A Morphometric Investigation of Large‐Scale Crustal Shortening on Mars
Authors: Atkins R. M. , Byrne P. K. , Bohnenstiehl D. R. , Wegmann K. W.
Published: May 2022

Mars' surface exhibits abundant topographic expressions of large thrust fault‐related folds that have been attributed to global planetary contraction. Morphometric analyses of such structures provide insight into their growth history. With global THEMIS imagery and HRSC–MOLA topographic data, 49 thrusts with lengths between 35 and 544 km were mapped across Mars' surface. Assuming planar fault geometries with dips of 30°, the average maximum displacement‐length ratio (Dmax/L) of these structures is 6.1 × 10−3 ± 1.4 × 10−3, with smaller ratios observed for faults within the northern lowlands (2.9 × 10−3 ± 0.9 × 10−3) compared to the southern highlands (9.2 × 10−3 ± 1.9 × 10−3). However, these differences may be accounted for if mechanical layering in the northern lowland crust promotes either a shallowing of the fault dip angle relative to the southern highlands or the development of ramp‐flat geometries such that the topographic scarp height may under‐estimate the total fault displacement or a combination of these two scenarios together. Alternatively, these Dmax/L patterns may reflect hemispheric differences in the brittle‐ductile transition (BDT) depth; however, the observed pattern is stratigraphically inconsistent with the Martian crustal dichotomy, whereby the northern lowlands have thinner (or denser) crust and therefore presumably a deeper BDT than the southern highlands. Fault displacement‐length profiles are commonly asymmetric, with multiple local minima observed along their lengths. Spectral analysis of these profiles, using Fourier‐ and S‐Transforms, indicates power at a range of spatial frequencies, reflecting complex growth and linkage histories, with peak spectral frequency, or number of segments, being negatively correlated with the Dmax/L ratios.
QRF4P‐NRT: Probabilistic Post‐Processing of Near‐Real‐Time Satellite Precipitation Estimates Using Quantile Regression Forests
Authors: Zhang Yuhang , Ye Aizhong , Nguyen Phu , Analui Bita , Sorooshian Soroosh , Hsu Kuolin
Published: May 2022

Accurate and reliable near‐real‐time satellite precipitation estimation is of great importance for operational large‐scale flood forecasting and drought monitoring. The state‐of‐the‐art precipitation post‐processing model is based on a deterministic approach to construct relationships between satellites estimates and ground observations. We propose a probabilistic postprocessor, the Probabilistic Post‐Processing of Near‐Real‐Time Satellite Precipitation Estimates using Quantile Regression Forests (QRF4P‐NRT), based on quantile modeling, yielding both deterministic and probabilistic predictions. The experimental design incorporates different solutions of near‐real‐time predictors to further improve the model performance. Using the Integrated Multi‐satellitE Retrievals Early Run for Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (IMERG‐E) product as an example, we illustrate that the proposed method significantly improves the overall quality of the raw IMERG‐E and is also superior to the bias‐corrected product (IMERG Final Run, IMERG‐F) at daily scale in a complex mountain basin. Evaluations of the corrected IMERG‐E, raw IMERG‐E, and IMERG‐F using ground observation show that the corrected IMERG‐E improves correlation coefficients (0.7), mean error (−0.14 mm/day) and root mean square error (3.3 mm/day) relative to the raw IMERG‐E (0.31, −0.72  and 5.5 mm/day) and IMERG‐F (0.34, −0.09  and 6.0 mm/day). The error decomposition further confirms that the QRF4P‐NRT improves on the various deficiencies of the raw IMERG‐E product. The ensemble assessment also demonstrates that the quantile outputs provide reliable prediction spread and sharp prediction intervals. The promising results indicate the great potential of the proposed method for probabilistic post‐processing for near‐real‐time satellite precipitation estimates, and for further applications such as hydrological ensemble forecasting.
Bayesian causal network modeling suggests adolescent cannabis use accelerates prefrontal cortical thinning
Authors: Owens Max M. , Albaugh Matthew D. , Allgaier Nicholas , Yuan Dekang , Robert Gabriel , Cupertino Renata B. , Spechler Philip A. , Juliano Anthony , Hahn Sage , Banaschewski Tobias , Bokde Arun L. W. , Desrivières Sylvane , Flor Herta , Grigis Antoine , Gowland Penny , Heinz Andreas , Brühl Rüdiger , Martinot Jean-Luc , Martinot Marie-Laure Paillère , Artiges Eric , Nees Frauke , Orfanos Dimitri Papadopoulos , Lemaitre Herve , Paus Tomáš , Poustka Luise , Millenet Sabina , Fröhner Juliane H. , Smolka Michael N. , Walter Henrik , Whelan Robert , Mackey Scott , Schumann Gunter , Garavan Hugh ,   The IMAGEN Consortium, Banaschewski Tobias , Barker Gareth J. , Bokde Arun L. W. , Desrivières Sylvane , Flor Herta , Grigis Antoine , Garavan Hugh , Gowland Penny , Heinz Andreas , Brühl Rüdiger , Martinot Jean-Luc , Martinot Marie-Laure Paillère , Artiges Eric , Nees Frauke , Orfanos Dimitri Papadopoulos , Lemaitre Herve , Paus Tomáš , Poustka Luise , Hohmann Sarah , Millenet Sabina , Fröhner Juliane H. , Smolka Michael N. , Walter Henrik , Whelan Robert , Schumann Gunter
Published: May 2022

While there is substantial evidence that cannabis use is associated with differences in human brain development, most of this evidence is correlational in nature. Bayesian causal network (BCN) modeling attempts to identify probable causal relationships in correlational data using conditional probabilities to estimate directional associations between a set of interrelated variables. In this study, we employed BCN modeling in 637 adolescents from the IMAGEN study who were cannabis naïve at age 14 to provide evidence that the accelerated prefrontal cortical thinning found previously in adolescent cannabis users by Albaugh et al. [1] is a result of cannabis use causally affecting neurodevelopment. BCNs incorporated data on cannabis use, prefrontal cortical thickness, and other factors related to both brain development and cannabis use, including demographics, psychopathology, childhood adversity, and other substance use. All BCN algorithms strongly suggested a directional relationship from adolescent cannabis use to accelerated cortical thinning. While BCN modeling alone does not prove a causal relationship, these results are consistent with a body of animal and human research suggesting that adolescent cannabis use adversely affects brain development.
CD4+ T cells are required to improve the efficacy of CIK therapy in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Liu Shaochuan , Meng Yuan , Liu Liang , Lv Yingge , Yu Wenwen , Liu Ting , Wang Limei , Mu Di , Zhou Qiuru , Liu Min , Ren Yulin , Zhang Dong , Li Baihui , Sun Qian , Ren Xiubao
Published: May 2022

As a widely studied adoptive treatment method, CIK (cytokine-induced killer cells) treatment has shown clinical benefits in many clinical trials on non-small cell lung cancer. As a heterogeneous cell population, however, CIK cells have a strong instability and individual differences in their efficacies, which are collaboratively regulated by the tumor microenvironment and CIK subpopulations. Among them, CD4+ T cells belong to a crucial subgroup of the CIK cell population, and their influence on CIK therapy is still unclear. Herein, we show how CD4+ T cells positively regulate the functions of CD3+CD56+ T and CD3+CD8+ T cells. During this process, we found that Th1/Th17 CD4+ subgroups can induce the phosphorylation of the AKT pathway by secreting IL-17A, and upregulate the expression of T-bet/Eomes transcription factors, thereby restoring the function of CD8+/CD3+CD56+ T cells and reversing the exhaustion of PD-1+Tim-3+ T cells. These findings will provide guidance for the clinical screening of suitable populations for CIK treatment and formulation of strategies for CIK therapy plus immune checkpoint treatment. Based on these findings, we are conducting an open-label phase II study (NCT04836728) is to evaluate the effects of autologous CIKs in combination with PD-1 inhibitor in the first-line treatment of IV NSCLC, and hope to observe patients’ benefits in this clinical trial.
Single-cell characterization of malignant phenotypes and microenvironment alteration in retinoblastoma
Authors: Wu Cheng , Yang Jiaqi , Xiao Wei , Jiang Zehang , Chen Shuxia , Guo Dianlei , Zhang Ping , Liu Chunqiao , Yang Huasheng , Xie Zhi
Published: May 2022

Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy of childhood. It is known that the tumor microenvironment (TME) regulates tumorigenesis and metastasis. However, how the malignant progression in RB is determined by the heterogeneity of tumor cells and TME remains uncharacterized. Here, we conducted integrative single-cell transcriptome and whole-exome sequencing analysis of RB patients with detailed pathological and clinical measurements. By single-cell transcriptomic sequencing, we profiled around 70,000 cells from tumor samples of seven RB patients. We identified that the major cell types in RB were cone precursor-like (CP-like) and MKI67+ cone precursor (MKI67+ CP) cells. By integrating copy number variation (CNV) analysis, we found that RB samples had large clonal heterogeneity, where the malignant MKI67+ CP cells had significantly larger copy number changes. Enrichment analysis revealed that the conversion of CP-like to MKI67+ CP resulted in the loss of photoreceptor function and increased cell proliferation ability. The TME in RB was composed of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), astrocyte-like, and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Particularly, during the invasion process, TAMs created an immunosuppressive environment, in which the proportion of TAMs decreased, M1-type macrophage was lost, and the TAMs-related immune functions were depressed. Finally, we identified that TAMs regulated tumor cells through GRN and MIF signaling pathways, while TAMs self-regulated through inhibition of CCL and GALECTIN signaling pathways during the invasion process. Altogether, our study creates a detailed transcriptomic map of RB with single-cell characterization of malignant phenotypes and provides novel molecular insights into the occurrence and progression of RB.
Fluorinated ether electrolyte with controlled solvation structure for high voltage lithium metal batteries
Authors: Zhao Yan , Zhou Tianhong , Ashirov Timur , Kazzi Mario El , Cancellieri Claudia , Jeurgens Lars P. H. , Choi Jang Wook , Coskun Ali
Published: May 2022

The development of new solvents is imperative in lithium metal batteries due to the incompatibility of conventional carbonate and narrow electrochemical windows of ether-based electrolytes. Whereas the fluorinated ethers showed improved electrochemical stabilities, they can hardly solvate lithium ions. Thus, the challenge in electrolyte chemistry is to combine the high voltage stability of fluorinated ethers with high lithium ion solvation ability of ethers in a single molecule. Herein, we report a new solvent, 2,2-dimethoxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-dioxolane (DTDL), combining a cyclic fluorinated ether with a linear ether segment to simultaneously achieve high voltage stability and tune lithium ion solvation ability and structure. High oxidation stability up to 5.5 V, large lithium ion transference number of 0.75 and stable Coulombic efficiency of 99.2% after 500 cycles proved the potential of DTDL in high-voltage lithium metal batteries. Furthermore, 20 μm thick lithium paired LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 full cell incorporating 2 M LiFSI-DTDL electrolyte retained 84% of the original capacity after 200 cycles at 0.5 C.
Mobility enhancement in heavily doped semiconductors via electron cloaking
Authors: Zhou Jiawei , Zhu Hangtian , Song Qichen , Ding Zhiwei , Mao Jun , Ren Zhifeng , Chen Gang
Published: May 2022

Doping is central for solid-state devices from transistors to thermoelectric energy converters. The interaction between electrons and dopants plays a pivotal role in carrier transport. Conventional theory suggests that the Coulomb field of the ionized dopants limits the charge mobility at high carrier densities, and that either the atomic details of the dopants are unimportant or the mobility can only be further degraded, while experimental results often show that dopant choice affects mobility. In practice, the selection of dopants is still mostly a trial-and-error process. Here we demonstrate, via first-principles simulation and comparison with experiments, that a large short-range perturbation created by selected dopants can in fact counteract the long-range Coulomb field, leading to electron transport that is nearly immune to the presence of dopants. Such “cloaking” of dopants leads to enhanced mobilities at high carrier concentrations close to the intrinsic electron–phonon scattering limit. We show that the ionic radius can be used to guide dopant selection in order to achieve such an electron-cloaking effect. Our finding provides guidance to the selection of dopants for solid-state conductors to achieve high mobility for electronic, photonic, and energy conversion applications.
Transmembrane stem cell factor protein therapeutics enhance revascularization in ischemia without mast cell activation
Authors: Takematsu Eri , Massidda Miles , Auster Jeff , Chen Po-Chih , Im ByungGee , Srinath Sanjana , Canga Sophia , Singh Aditya , Majid Marjan , Sherman Michael , Dunn Andrew , Graham Annette , Martin Patricia , Baker Aaron B.
Published: May 2022

Stem cell factor (SCF) is a cytokine that regulates hematopoiesis and other biological processes. While clinical treatments using SCF would be highly beneficial, these have been limited by toxicity related to mast cell activation. Transmembrane SCF (tmSCF) has differential activity from soluble SCF and has not been explored as a therapeutic agent. We created novel therapeutics using tmSCF embedded in proteoliposomes or lipid nanodiscs. Mouse models of anaphylaxis and ischemia revealed the tmSCF-based therapies did not activate mast cells and improved the revascularization in the ischemic hind limb. Proteoliposomal tmSCF preferentially acted on endothelial cells to induce angiogenesis while tmSCF nanodiscs had greater activity in inducing stem cell mobilization and recruitment to the site of injury. The type of lipid nanocarrier used altered the relative cellular uptake pathways and signaling in a cell type dependent manner. Overall, we found that tmSCF-based therapies can provide therapeutic benefits without off target effects.
SIMILE enables alignment of tandem mass spectra with statistical significance
Authors: Treen Daniel G. C. , Wang Mingxun , Xing Shipei , Louie Katherine B. , Huan Tao , Dorrestein Pieter C. , Northen Trent R. , Bowen Benjamin P.
Published: May 2022

Interrelating small molecules according to their aligned fragmentation spectra is central to tandem mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomics. Current alignment algorithms do not provide statistical significance and compounds that have multiple delocalized structural differences and therefore often fail to have their fragment ions aligned. Here we align fragmentation spectra with both statistical significance and allowance for multiple chemical differences using Significant Interrelation of MS/MS Ions via Laplacian Embedding (SIMILE). SIMILE yields spectral alignment inferred structural connections in molecular networks that are not found with cosine-based scoring algorithms. In addition, it is now possible to rank spectral alignments based on p-values in the exploration of structural relationships between compounds and enhance the chemical connectivity that can be obtained with molecular networking.
WAKE-mediated modulation of cVA perception via a hierarchical neuro-endocrine axis in Drosophila male-male courtship behaviour
Authors: Chen Shiu-Ling , Liu Bo-Ting , Lee Wang-Pao , Liao Sin-Bo , Deng Yao-Bang , Wu Chia-Lin , Ho Shuk-Man , Shen Bing-Xian , Khoo Guan-Hock , Shiu Wei-Chiang , Chang Chih-Hsuan , Shih Hui-Wen , Wen Jung-Kun , Lan Tsuo-Hung , Lin Chih-Chien , Tsai Yu-Chen , Tzeng Huey-Fen , Fu Tsai-Feng
Published: May 2022

The nervous and endocrine systems coordinate with each other to closely influence physiological and behavioural responses in animals. Here we show that WAKE (encoded by wide awake, also known as wake) modulates membrane levels of GABAA receptor Resistance to Dieldrin (Rdl), in insulin-producing cells of adult male Drosophila melanogaster. This results in changes to secretion of insulin-like peptides which is associated with changes in juvenile hormone biosynthesis in the corpus allatum, which in turn leads to a decrease in 20-hydroxyecdysone levels. A reduction in ecdysone signalling changes neural architecture and lowers the perception of the male-specific sex pheromone 11-cis-vaccenyl acetate by odorant receptor 67d olfactory neurons. These finding explain why WAKE-deficient in Drosophila elicits significant male-male courtship behaviour.
Regulation of A-to-I RNA editing and stop codon recoding to control selenoprotein expression during skeletal myogenesis
Authors: Noda Yuta , Okada Shunpei , Suzuki Tsutomu
Published: May 2022

Selenoprotein N (SELENON), a selenocysteine (Sec)-containing protein with high reductive activity, maintains redox homeostasis, thereby contributing to skeletal muscle differentiation and function. Loss-of-function mutations in SELENON cause severe neuromuscular disorders. In the early-to-middle stage of myoblast differentiation, SELENON maintains redox homeostasis and modulates endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ concentration, resulting in a gradual reduction from the middle-to-late stages due to unknown mechanisms. The present study describes post-transcriptional mechanisms that regulate SELENON expression during myoblast differentiation. Part of an Alu element in the second intron of SELENON pre-mRNA is frequently exonized during splicing, resulting in an aberrant mRNA that is degraded by nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). In the middle stage of myoblast differentiation, ADAR1-mediated A-to-I RNA editing occurs in the U1 snRNA binding site at 5′ splice site, preventing Alu exonization and producing mature mRNA. In the middle-to-late stage of myoblast differentiation, the level of Sec-charged tRNASec decreases due to downregulation of essential recoding factors for Sec insertion, thereby generating a premature termination codon in SELENON mRNA, which is targeted by NMD.
Neural signals regulating motor synchronization in the primate deep cerebellar nuclei
Authors: Okada Ken-ichi , Takeya Ryuji , Tanaka Masaki
Published: May 2022

Movements synchronized with external rhythms are ubiquitous in our daily lives. Despite the involvement of the cerebellum, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In monkeys performing synchronized saccades to periodically alternating visual stimuli, we found that neuronal activity in the cerebellar dentate nucleus correlated with the timing of the next saccade and the current temporal error. One-third of the neurons were active regardless of saccade direction and showed greater activity for synchronized than for reactive saccades. During the transition from reactive to predictive saccades in each trial, the activity of these neurons coincided with target onset, representing an internal model of rhythmic structure rather than a specific motor command. The behavioural changes induced by electrical stimulation were explained by activating different groups of neurons at various strengths, suggesting that the lateral cerebellum contains multiple functional modules for the acquisition of internal rhythms, predictive motor control, and error detection during synchronized movements.
Catalytic asymmetric Tsuji–Trost α−benzylation reaction of N-unprotected amino acids and benzyl alcohol derivatives
Authors: Liu Jian-Hua , Wen Wei , Liao Jian , Shen Qi-Wen , Lin Yao , Wu Zhu-Lian , Cai Tian , Guo Qi-Xiang
Published: May 2022

Catalytic asymmetric Tsuji–Trost benzylation is a promising strategy for the preparation of chiral benzylic compounds. However, only a few such transformations with both good yields and enantioselectivities have been achieved since this reaction was first reported in 1992, and its use in current organic synthesis is restricted. In this work, we use N-unprotected amino acid esters as nucleophiles in reactions with benzyl alcohol derivatives. A ternary catalyst comprising a chiral aldehyde, a palladium species, and a Lewis acid is used to promote the reaction. Both mono- and polycyclic benzyl alcohols are excellent benzylation reagents. Various unnatural optically active α-benzyl amino acids are produced in good-to-excellent yields and with good-to-excellent enantioselectivities. This catalytic asymmetric method is used for the formal synthesis of two somatostatin mimetics and the proposed structure of natural product hypoestestatin 1. A mechanism that plausibly explains the stereoselective control is proposed.
A route towards the fabrication of large-scale and high-quality perovskite films for optoelectronic devices
Authors: Rezaee Ehsan , Kutsarov Dimitar , Li Bowei , Bi Jinxin , Silva S. Ravi P.
Published: May 2022

Halide perovskite materials have been extensively explored for their unique electrical, optical, magnetic, and catalytic properties. Most notably, solar cells based on perovskite thin films have improved their power conversion efficiency from 3.8% to over 25% during the last 12 years. However, it is still a challenge to develop a perovskite-based ink, suitable for upscaling the fabrication process of high-quality perovskite films with extreme purity, good crystallinity, and complete coverage over the deposition area. This is particularly important if the perovskite films are to be used for the scaled production of optoelectronic devices. Therefore, to make halide perovskites commercially available for various applications, it is vital to develop a reliable and highly robust deposition method, which can then be transferred to industry. Herein, the development of perovskite precursor inks suitable for use at low-temperature and vacuum-free solution-based deposition processes is reported. These inks can be further tailored according to the requirements of the deposition method, i.e., we propose their use with the industrially viable deposition technique called “slot-die coating”. Furthermore, a route for the preparation of low-cost and high-volume manufacturing of perovskite films on both rigid and flexible substrates is suggested in this paper. The presented approach is suitable for the fabrication of any functional layers of perovskites, that can be employed in various scaled applications, and it seeks the potential and the methodology for perovskite film deposition that is scalable to industrial standards.
A novel non-invasive method of measuring microcirculatory perfusion and blood velocity in infants: a pilot study
Authors: Gangaram-Panday Norani H. , te Nijenhuis Louwrina H. , Fine Ilya , Reiss Irwin K. M. , van Weteringen Willem
Published: May 2022

Current haemodynamic monitoring is mainly aimed at the macrocirculation. Multiple studies have demonstrated the importance of the microcirculation in relation to the patient’s condition and impact of treatment strategies. However, continuous monitoring of the microcirculation is not yet possible in the neonatal field. A novel dynamic light scattering (DLS) sensor technology for continuous monitoring of the microcirculation was investigated in the neonatal population. Thirty-one haemodynamically stable infants were included. Sequential measurements at the forehead, upper extremity, thorax, abdomen and lower extremity were conducted with the DLS sensor. For analyses stable measurements were selected. The DLS parameters, total blood flow (TBF) and relative blood velocity (RBV), were compared between measurement locations. Changes in relative haemodynamic indices (relHIs), indicating the distribution of blood flow in the microcirculatory blood vessels, were associated with heart rate decelerations. Measurements performed at the forehead had significantly lower TBF levels, compared to measurements at other locations. Early changes in relHIs around a heart rate deceleration were recorded a median (IQR) of 22.0 (13.5–27.0) s before the onset. Measurement of the currently unavailable parameters TBF, RBV and relHIs is possible with DLS technology. Validation of the DLS technology is needed for clinical implementation.
Multiple health complaints in preadolescence and hospital contacts during adolescence: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Bernstorff Martin , Rask Charlotte Ulrikka , Rytter Dorte , Hansen Stefan Nygaard , Bech Bodil Hammer
Published: May 2022

Multiple health complaints (MHC) is increasing among preadolescents in many countries, but their prognostic effect for individual thriving or societal resource use is scarcely studied. This makes interpreting the significance of this increase challenging. We contribute by examining whether MHC in preadolescence predicts hospital contacts in adolescence by doing a nation-wide population-based cohort-study following preadolescents from the Danish National Birth-Cohort from 2010 to 2018. 96,382 children were invited at age 11. Responses to a modified version of the Health Behaviour in School Children Symptom Checklist (headache, dizziness, stomachache, irritability, feeling nervous, difficulty in getting to sleep and feeling low) was dichotomized into MHC (≥ 2 concurrent symptoms, each with a frequency of at least weekly, yes/no). Hospital contacts were derived from Danish registers from the date of answering the questionnaire to December 31st 2018. Negative binomial regression estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) comparing children with MHC to children without. Analyses were further broken down by hospital sector (psychiatric/somatic) and contact type (in-patient/out-patient/emergency room). 47,365 (49.1%) responded. Mean age was 11.2 years, 52% girls. 10.3% of responders reported MHC. For hospital contacts, the unadjusted IRR was 1.74 [95% CI 1.65, 1.83]. Results were robust to adjustment for sociodemographic variables and somatic/psychiatric morbidity diagnosed before baseline, IRR 1.62 [95% CI 1.54–1.71]. In conclusion, MHC in preadolescents are prognostic of hospital contacts. This shows that we cannot ignore MHC, and to prevent potentially unhelpful healthcare use, we must act. Future research should focus on the underlying causes of MHC to understand which changes will be most helpful and thus how to act.
Chiral germanium micro-gears for tuning orbital angular momentum
Authors: Al-Attili Abdelrahman Zaher , Burt Daniel , Li Zuo , Higashitarumizu Naoki , Gardes Frederic , Ishikawa Yasuhiko , Saito Shinichi
Published: May 2022

Group IV light sources with vertical emission and non-zero orbital-angular momentum (OAM) promise to unlock many novel applications. In this report, we demonstrate cylindrically symmetrical germanium micro-gear cavities, fabricated by etching a grating around the circumference of standard micro-disks, with periods ranging from 14 to 22. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements were done to identify the confined whispering-gallery modes (WGM). Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations were conducted to map the resonant modes to their modal profiles and characteristics. Vertical emission of WGMs with non-zero OAM was demonstrated, with a clear dependence of the OAM order ($$\ell$$
ℓ
) on the WGM azimuthal order and the number of micro-gear grating periods. As the chirality, or the direction of rotation, is not controlled in a symmetrical cavity, we propose introducing staircase or triangular-shaped gear periods resulting in an asymmetry. By choosing the diameter, number of periods, and the asymmetrical direction of the gear-teeth, it is possible to generate OAM signals with certain wavelength, OAM order and chirality.
Improvement of automated analysis of coronary Doppler echocardiograms
Authors: Bossenbroek Jamie , Ueyama Yukie , McCallinhart Patricia E. , Bartlett Christopher W. , Ray William C. , Trask Aaron J.
Published: May 2022

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of heart disease, and while it can be assessed through transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE) by observing changes in coronary flow, manual analysis of TTDE is time consuming and subject to bias. In a previous study, a program was created to automatically analyze coronary flow patterns by parsing Doppler videos into a single continuous image, binarizing and separating the image into cardiac cycles, and extracting data values from each of these cycles. The program significantly reduced variability and time to complete TTDE analysis, but some obstacles such as interfering noise and varying video sizes left room to increase the program’s accuracy. The goal of this current study was to refine the existing automation algorithm and heuristics by (1) moving the program to a Python environment, (2) increasing the program’s ability to handle challenging cases and video variations, and (3) removing unrepresentative cardiac cycles from the final data set. With this improved analysis, examiners can use the automatic program to easily and accurately identify the early signs of serious heart diseases.
Study of the sorting pattern of dredger fill under artificial disturbance based on the concealment degree
Authors: Yanzhao Yuan , Juyun Zhai
Published: May 2022

This paper focuses on the sorting pattern of silt deposited at estuaries under artificial disturbance based on the concept of bidirectional concealment, which is introduced for such silt with similar particle size, low disturbance exposure angle, and difficult sorting. By establishing the relationship among the absolute concealment (Δi), the drag force coefficient ($${C}_{\mathrm{D}}$$

C
D

), and the lift force coefficient ($${C}_{\mathrm{L}}$$

C
L

) of highly concealed silt particles under disturbance and considering the concepts of disturbance intensity, disturbance direction, and particle concealment degree, the contribution equation for the effective depth (Y) of artificial disturbance in the deposited slurry is introduced, and the mechanical equation for the internal disturbance of silt is established. On this basis, the motion initiation probability for fine particles ($${\varepsilon }_{{d}_{i}}$$

ε

d
i

) is calculated using the Shields parameter ($$\Theta$$
Θ
c), and the theoretical model of plastic sandy silt sorting under artificial disturbance is derived from the Markov chain-based three-state transition. The method proposed in this paper can explain the bedload gradation of sandy silt under internal physical disturbance. The calculated data in this paper agrees well with that of the flume test on uniform sandy silt and the related sediment particle theories. Therefore, the clay particle transport pattern model in slurry under artificial disturbance based on the bidirectional concealment degree can explain the gradation changes of flow-plastic sandy silt under artificial disturbance, thus providing a theoretical basis for the research on the sorting of flow-plastic sandy silt under artificial disturbance.
Substances with zero static permittivity
Authors: Kharlamov Vladimir F.
Published: May 2022

The structure of materials with a negative electric susceptibility has been determined. Their electrical properties correspond to vanishing static dielectric permittivity. We give a theoretical explanation of anomalous polarization of powders observed in experiments and the mechanism of emergence in an aerosol cloud of an electric field, which is responsible for spark discharges (lightnings). We also explain the ball lightning properties known from observations. A fundamental scientific problem has been solved and the grounds have been laid for applications of new principles in electronics and electrical engineering.
The role of psychosocial factors in patients’ recollections of breast reconstruction options discussed with their surgeons
Authors: Wang Haoqi , Liu Jun , Bordes Mary Catherine , Chopra Deepti , Reece Gregory P. , Markey Mia K. , Hoffman Aubri S.
Published: May 2022

A patient’s comprehension and memory of conversations with their providers plays an important role in their healthcare. Adult breast cancer patients whose legal sex was female and who underwent treatment at the Center for Reconstructive Surgery at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center were asked to indicate which breast reconstruction procedures they discussed with their surgeon. We focused on the three most frequent responses: (a) participants who remembered discussing implant-based, tissue-based, and combination procedures; (b) participants who remembered only an implant-based option being discussed; and (c) participants who remember only a tissue-based option being discussed. We used multinomial logistic regression models to explore the psychosocial factors associated with patients’ recollections of their breast reconstruction options after discussions with their reconstructive surgeons, controlling for medical factors that impact surgical decision-making. Our analyses identified body mass index, body image investment, and body image as statistically significantly associated with the reconstructive options that a participant recalls discussing with their surgeon. Our findings highlight body image investment and body image as important psychological factors that may influence what patients remember from consultations about breast reconstruction options.