bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Virulence differences of mpox (monkeypox) virus clades I, IIa, and IIb.1 in a small animal model
Authors: Americo Jeffrey L. , Earl Patricia L. , Moss Bernard
Published: February 2023

Human mpox (monkeypox), a disease with similarities to smallpox, is endemic in Africa where it has persisted as a zoonosis with limited human-to-human spread. Unexpectedly, the disease expanded globally in 2022 driven by human-to-human transmission outside of Africa. It is not yet known whether the latter is due solely to behavioral and environmental factors or whether the mpox virus is adapting to a new host. Genome sequencing has revealed differences between the current outbreak strains, classified as clade IIb, and the prior clade IIa and clade I viruses, but whether these differences contribute to virulence or transmission has not been determined. We demonstrate that the wild-derived inbred castaneous mouse provides an exceptional animal model for investigating clade differences in mpox virus virulence and show that the order is clade I > clade IIa > clade IIb.1. The greatly reduced replication of the clade IIb.1 major outbreak strain in mice and absence of lethality at 100 times the lethal dose of a closely related clade IIa virus, despite similar multiplication in cell culture, suggest that clade IIb is evolving diminished virulence or adapting to other species.
Variation in Andorran Spanish past perfectives
Authors: Hawkey James
Published: February 2023

Romance varieties differ in their usage of preterit and present perfect verb tenses. Both are past perfectives, but whereas Portuguese uses the preterit in most contexts, spoken French prefers the present perfect. Peninsular Spanish lies between the two, though evidence indicates that the present perfect is becoming the default past perfective (Schwenter and Torres Cacoullos 2008) in a process of ‘aoristic drift’ (Squartini and Bertinetto 2000). How does speaker multilingualism affect this? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with second-generation members of the Portuguese diaspora in Andorra. We might expect native competence in Portuguese to inhibit aoristic drift in Spanish, since contact has been shown to affect past perfective verb tense in other Romance varieties (Gili Gaya 1993;Hawkey 2020). Contrary to expectations, participants demonstrated aoristic drift. Dense and multiplex migrant networks are, however, shown to favour the maintenance of vernacular norms (Milroy 1980), including generalising the function of the present perfect.
Construcciones exclamativas de rechazo
Authors: Rodríguez Catalina Fuentes
Published: February 2023

La expresión Qué A ni qué B constituye enunciados exclamativos que aparecen en intervenciones
reactivas como comentarios de rechazo. Presenta variantes en su segundo miembro, algunas de ellas son términos minimizadores o
malsonantes, con diferente grado de intensificación. Constituyen una construcción semifijada en la que se unen la descortesía del
acto de habla de rechazo, el uso de formas malsonantes y la emoción inherente a la modalidad expresiva.
Effect of noise and organic solvents on acoustic stapedial reflex
Authors: Loukzadeh Ziba , Houshang Mehrparvar Amir , Razmjooei Zhale , Ghoveh Nodoushan Mohammad Ali , Vakili Mahmood
Published: February 2023

Objective:

Noise and solvents are two occupational exposures with possible hearing effects. We aimed to assess the effect of exposure to noise and organic solvents on acoustic reflex.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted on three groups: 80 workers exposed to impermissible amounts of organic solvents (mainly styrene), 78 workers exposed to loud noise and 67 subjects as a control group. The hearing status of the subjects was assessed by pure tone audiometry and acoustic reflex. Data were analysed by SPSS (ver. 20) (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) using Student’s t-test, chi-square test and ANOVA.

Results:

The mean hearing threshold at high frequencies was significantly higher in the noise group, followed by the solvent group, compared to the control group (p<.0001). Mean acoustic reflex was higher in the solvent group, followed by the noise group (p<.05). The frequency of absent acoustic reflex was also significantly higher in noise and solvent groups than in controls (p<.05).

Conclusion:

This study suggests that exposure to organic solvents alone without simultaneous noise, despite a normal hearing threshold, can affect acoustic reflex, so conducting preventive hearing tests such as acoustic reflex test, in workers exposed to organic solvents, may be one of the effective ways to prevent occupational hearing loss in these workers.
Controlling Magnetic and Electric Nondipole Effects with Synthesized Two Perpendicularly Propagating Laser Fields
Authors: Dou Yankun , Fang Yiqi , Ge Peipei , Liu Yunquan
Published: February 2023

Nondipole effects are ubiquitous and crucial in light-matter interaction. However, they are too weak to be directly observed. In strong-field physics, motion of electrons is mainly confined in transverse plane of light fields, which suppresses the significance of nondipole effects. Here, we present a theoretical study on enhancing and controlling the nondipole effect by using the synthesized two perpendicularly propagating laser fields. We calculate the three-dimensional photoelectron momentum distributions of strong-field tunneling ionization of hydrogen atoms using the classical trajectory Monte Carlo model and show that the nondipole effects are noticeably enhanced in such laser fields due to their remarkable influences on the sub-cycle photoelectron dynamics. In particular, we reveal that the magnitudes of the magnetic and electric components of nondipole effects can be separately controlled by modulating the ellipticity and amplitude of driving laser fields. This novel scenario holds promising applications for future studies with ultrafast structured light fields.
Large-Area Monolayer n-Type Molecular Semiconductors with Improved Thermal Stability and Charge Injection
Authors: Jiang Sai , Peng Lichao , Du Xiaosong , Dai Qinyong , Guo Jianhang , Gu Jianhui , Su Jian , Gu Ding , Wang Qijing , Guo Huafei , Qiu Jianhua , Li Yun
Published: February 2023

We fabricated monolayer n-type two-dimensional crystalline semiconducting films with millimeter-sized areas and remarkable morphological uniformity using an antisolvent-confined spin-coating method. The antisolvent can cause a downstream Marangoni flow, which improves the film morphologies. The deposited crystalline monolayer films exhibit excellent thermal stabilities after annealing, which reveals the annealing-induced enhancement of crystallinity. The transistors based on the n-type monolayer crystalline films show linear output characteristics and superior electron mobilities. The improved charge injection between monolayer films and Au electrodes results from the energy level shift as the films decrease to the monolayer, which leads to a lower injection barrier. This work demonstrates a promising method for fabricating air-stable, low-cost, high-performance, and large-area organic electronics.
Characterization of autonomic states by complex sympathetic and parasympathetic dynamics*
Authors: Nardelli Mimma , Citi Luca , Barbieri Riccardo , Valenza Gaetano
Published: February 2023

Assessment of heartbeat dynamics provides a promising framework for non-invasive monitoring of cardiovascular and autonomic states. Nevertheless, the non-specificity of such measurements among clinical populations and healthy conditions associated with different autonomic states severely limits their applicability and exploitation in naturalistic conditions. This limitation arises especially when pathological or postural change-related sympathetic hyperactivity is compared to autonomic changes across age and experimental conditions. In this frame, we investigate the intrinsic irregularity and complexity of cardiac sympathetic and vagal activity series in different populations, which are associated with different cardiac autonomic dynamics. Sample entropy, fuzzy entropy, and distribution entropy are calculated on the recently proposed sympathetic and parasympathetic activity indices (SAI and PAI) series, which are derived from publicly available heartbeat series of congestive heart failure patients, elderly and young subjects watching a movie in the supine position, and healthy subjects undergoing slow postural changes. Results show statistically significant differences between pathological/old subjects and young subjects in the resting state and during slow tilt, with interesting trends in SAI- and PAI-related entropy values. Moreover, while CHF patients and healthy subjects in upright position show the higher cardiac sympathetic activity, elderly and young subjects in resting state showed higher vagal activity. We conclude that quantification of intrinsic cardiac complexity from sympathetic and vagal dynamics may provide new physiology insights and improve on the non-specificity of heartbeat-derived biomarkers.
New developments in the MDT trigger processor for the ATLAS Level-0 muon trigger at High Luminosity LHC
Authors: Sundararajan P. , Ntekas K.
Published: February 2023

The High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) will have an instantaneous luminosity 5–7 times higher than LHC. The ATLAS detector, trigger and data acquisition systems will undergo a significant upgrade to cope with the increased particle rate. The upgrade of the ATLAS first-level muon trigger for High-Luminosity LHC foresees incorporating the high-resolution tracking capability of the Monitored Drift Tubes (MDT) in the current system based on Resistive Plate Chambers and Thin Gap Chambers. The MDT Trigger Processor (MDTTP) processes muon trigger candidates along with MDT hits to improve the accuracy of the transverse momentum calculation at the first-level (level-0) of the muon trigger. One of the major challenges is the capability to process all candidates in a bunch crossing within a tight latency constraint. The MDTTP hardware is based on the Apollo ATCA platform [6]. A complete hardware demonstrator is available and an updated prototype has been recently developed. Recent updates in the firmware development, integration and testing are presented.
An FPGA-based readout chip emulator for the CMS ETL detector upgrade
Authors: Zhang L. , Edwards C. , Gong D. , Huang X. , Lee J. , Liu C. , Liu T. , Liu T. , Olsen J. , Sun Q. , Wu J. , Ye J. , Zhang W.
Published: February 2023

We present an FPGA-based readout chip emulator board for the CMS Endcap Timing Layer (ETL) detector upgrade. The emulator board uses an Intel Cyclone 10 GX FPGA to emulate the digital functions of four Endcap Layer Readout Chips (ETROCs). Based on the actual ETROC design, the firmware is implemented and verified. The emulator board is being used for the ETROC digital design verification and system development.
An ATCA processor for Level-1 trigger primitive generation and readout of the CMS barrel muon detectors
Authors: Bestintzanos I. , Adamidis K. , Euaggelou I. , Fernandez Bedoya C. , Foudas C. , Lymperakis A. , Manthos N. , Navarro A. , Papadopoulos I. , Redondo I. , Sotiropoulos S. , Sphicas P. , Vellidis K.
Published: February 2023

An ATCA processor was designed to instrument the first layer of the CMS Barrel Muon Trigger. The processor receives and processes DT and RPC data and produces muon track segments. Furthermore, it provides readout for the DT detector. The ATCA processor is based on a Xilinx XCVU13P FPGA, receives data via 10 Gbps optical links and transmits track segments via 25 Gbps optical links. The processor is instrumented with a Zynq Ultrascale+ SoM connected with an SSD which provides the necessary resources for enhanced monitoring and control information. The design of the board as well as results on its performance are presented.
Approximating scaffold printability utilizing computational methods
Authors: Sedigh Ashkan , Ghelich Pejman , Quint Jacob , Mollocana Lara Evelyn C , Samandari Mohamadmahdi , Tamayol Ali , Tomlinson Ryan E
Published: February 2023

Bioprinting facilitates the generation of complex, three-dimensional (3D), cell-based constructs for various applications. Although multiple bioprinting technologies have been developed, extrusion-based systems have become the dominant technology due to the diversity of materials (bioinks) that can be utilized, either individually or in combination. However, each bioink has unique material properties and extrusion characteristics that affect bioprinting utility, accuracy, and precision. Here, we have extended our previous work to achieve high precision (i.e., repeatability) and printability across samples by optimizing bioink-specific printing parameters. Specifically, we hypothesized that a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) could be used as a computational method to address the imprecision in 3D bioprinting test data and uncover the optimal printing parameters for a specific bioink that result in high accuracy and precision. To test this hypothesis, we have implemented a FIS model consisting of four inputs (bioink concentration, printing flowrate, speed, and temperature) and two outputs to quantify the precision (scaffold bioprinted linewidth variance) and printability. We validate our use of the bioprinting precision index (BPI) with both standard and normalized printability factors. Finally, we utilize optimized printing parameters to bioprint scaffolds containing up to 30 x 106 cells/mL with high printability and precision. In total, our results indicate that computational methods are a cost-efficient measure to improve the precision and robustness of extrusion 3D bioprinting with gelatin-based bioinks.
Simulations with machine learning potentials identify the ion conduction mechanism mediating non-Arrhenius behavior in LGPS
Authors: Winter Gavin , Gómez-Bombarelli Rafael
Published: February 2023

Li10Ge(PS6)2 (LGPS) is a highly concentrated solid electrolyte, in which Coulombic repulsion between neighboring cations is hypothesized as the underlying reason for concerted ion hopping, a mechanism common among superionic conductors such as Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) and Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 (LATP). While first principles simulations using molecular dynamics (MD) provide insight into the Li+ transport mechanism, historically, there has been a gap in the temperature ranges studied in simulations and experiments. Here, we used a neural network potential trained on density functional theory (DFT) simulations, to run up to 40-nanosecond long MD simulations at DFT-like accuracy to characterize the ion conduction mechanisms across a range of temperatures that includes previous simulations and experimental studies. We have confirmed a Li+ sublattice phase transition in LGPS around 400 K, below which the ab-plane diffusivity

D

a
b

∗

is drastically reduced. Concomitant with the sublattice phase transition near 400 K, there is less cation-cation (cross) correlation, as characterized by Haven ratios closer to 1, and the vibrations in the system are more harmonic at lower temperature. Intuitively, at high temperature, the collection of vibrational modes may be sufficient to drive concerted ion hops. However, near room temperature, the vibrational modes available may be insufficient to overcome electrostatic repulsion, thus resulting in less correlated ion motion and comparatively slower ion conduction. Such phenomena of a sublattice phase transition, below which concerted hopping plays a less significant role, may be extended to other highly concentrated solid electrolytes such as LLZO and LATP.
Biophysical characterization of the structure of a SARS-CoV-2 self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) vaccine
Authors: Myatt Daniel P , Wharram Lewis , Graham Charlotte , Liddell John , Branton Harvey , Pizzey Claire , Cowieson Nathan , Rambo Robert , Shattock Robin J
Published: February 2023

The current SARS-Covid-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has led to an acceleration of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine technology. The development of production processes for these large mRNA molecules, especially self-amplifying mRNA (saRNA), has required concomitant development of analytical characterization techniques. Characterizing the purity, shape and structure of these biomolecules is key to their successful performance as drug products. This article describes the biophysical characterization of the Imperial College London Self-amplifying viral RNA vaccine (IMP-1) developed for SARS-CoV-2. A variety of analytical techniques have been used to characterize the IMP-1 RNA molecule. In this article, we use ultraviolet spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, size-exclusion chromatography small-angle X-ray scattering and circular dichroism to determine key biophysical attributes of IMP-1. Each technique provides important information about the concentration, size, shape, structure and purity of the molecule.
Short-term outcomes of health-related quality of life in patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer: multicentre, international, cross-sectional cohort study
Authors: Harji Deena P , McKigney Niamh , Koh Cherry , Solomon Michael J , Griffiths Ben , Evans Martyn , Heriot Alexander , Sagar Peter M , Velikova Galina , Brown Julia M
Published: February 2023

Background

Overall survival rates for locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC) continue to improve but the evidence concerning health-related quality of life (HrQoL) remains limited. The aim of this study was to describe the short-term HrQoL differences between patients undergoing surgical and palliative treatments for LRRC.

Methods

An international, cross-sectional, observational study was undertaken at five centres across the UK and Australia. HrQoL in LRRC patients was assessed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-CR29 and functional assessment of cancer therapy – colorectal (FACT-C) questionnaires and subgroups (curative versus palliative) were compared. Secondary analyses included the comparison of HrQoL according to the margin status, location of disease and type of treatment. Scores were interpreted using minimal clinically important differences (MCID) and Cohen effect size (ES).

Results

Out of 350 eligible patients, a total of 95 patients participated, 74.0 (78.0 per cent) treated with curative intent and 21.0 (22.0 per cent) with palliative intent. Median time between LRRC diagnosis and HrQoL assessments was 4 months. Higher overall FACT-C scores denoting better HrQoL were observed in patients undergoing curative treatment, demonstrating a MCID with a mean difference of 18.5 (P < 0.001) and an ES of 0.6. Patients undergoing surgery had higher scores denoting a higher burden of symptoms for the EORTC CR29 domains of urinary frequency (P < 0.001, ES 0.3) and frequency of defaecation (P < 0.001, ES 0.4). Higher overall FACT-C scores were observed in patients who underwent an R0 resection versus an R1 resection (P = 0.051, ES 0.6). EORTC CR29 scores identified worse body image in patients with posterior/central disease (P = 0.021). Patients undergoing palliative chemoradiation reported worse HrQoL scores with a higher symptom burden on the frequency of defaecation scale compared with palliative chemotherapy (P = 0.041).

Conclusion

Several differences in short-term HrQoL outcomes between patients undergoing curative and palliative treatment for LRRC were documented. Patients undergoing curative surgery reported better overall HrQoL and a higher burden of pelvic symptoms.
Hamartoma of mature cardiomyocytes presenting with atypical angina, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography uptake, and myocardial bridging: a case report
Authors: Bianchi Giacomo , Zancanaro Edoardo , Pucci Angela , Solinas Marco
Published: February 2023

Aim

Hamartoma of mature cardiomyocytes is a rare tumor and the present case shows a complex diagnostic pathway to understand its nature and treatment options in a young patient. The myocardial bridge was also part of the clinical evaluation discovered during the diagnostic workout.

Methods and results

A 27-year-old woman with atypical chest pain and a normal electrocardiogram received the diagnosis of neoformation of the interventricular septum with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake, and evidence of myocardial bridging on coronary angiography. On suspicion of malignancy, coronary unroofing and surgical biopsy was performed. The final diagnosis was hamartoma of mature cardiomyocytes.

Conclusion

This case offers great insight into medical reasoning and decision-making process. Given the history of chest pain, the patient was evaluated for possible ischemic, embolic, or vascular causes. Given a left ventricular wall thickness ≥15 mm, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) should always be suspected; nuclear magnetic resonance imaging is essential to distinguish between HCM. The magnetic resonance imaging is also critical in distinguishing HCM itself from tumoral phenocopies. To rule out a neoplastic process, 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) was used. A surgical biopsy was performed, and the final diagnosis was completed after the immune-histochemistry study. A myocardial bridge was found during preoperative coronagraphy and was treated accordingly.
The parABSm system is involved in megaplasmid partitioning and genome integrity maintenance in Thermus thermophilus
Authors: Li Haijuan , Xu Lingling , Li Xiaoxiao
Published: February 2023

The characteristics of the parABS system in polyploid bacteria are barely understood. We initially analyzed the physiological functions and mechanisms of the megaplasmid parABSm system in the thermophilic polyploid bacterium Thermus thermophilus. Deletion of parABm was possible only when a plasmid-born copy of parABm was provided, indicating that these genes are conditionally essential. The cell morphology of the parABm deletion mutant (ΔparABm) was changed to some extent, and in certain extra-large or twisted cells, the nucleoids were dispersed and damaged. Compared with that of the wild type, the frequency of anucleate cells was significantly increased. Genome content analyses showed that ΔparABm had lost ∼160 kb of megaplasmid and ∼23 kb of chromosomal sequences, respectively. Genome fluorescent tagging and PFGE experiments demonstrated that the truncated megaplasmid was frequently interlinked and could not be segregated correctly; thus, certain daughter cells eventually lost the entire megaplasmid and became twisted or enlarged with damaged nucleoids. Further, we found that when the megaplasmid was lost in these cells, the toxins encoded by the megaplasmid toxin–antitoxin (TA) systems (VapBC64_65 and VapBC142_143) would exert detrimental effects, such as to fragment DNA. Thus, parABSm might ensure the existence of these TA systems, thereby preventing genomic degradation. Together, our results suggested that in T. thermophilus, the megaplasmid-encoded parABS system plays an essential role in the megaplasmid partitioning process; also it is an important determination factor for the genome integrity maintenance.
Polygenic Risk Scores for Alzheimer’s Disease and General Cognitive Function Are Associated With Measures of Cognition in Older South Asians
Authors: Zhao Wei , Smith Jennifer A , Wang Yi Zhe , Chintalapati Manjusha , Ammous Farah , Yu Miao , Moorjani Priya , Ganna Andrea , Gross Alden , Dey Sharmistha , Benerjee Joyita , Chatterjee Prasun , Dey Aparajit B , Lee Jinkook , Kardia Sharon L R
Published: February 2023

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted in European ancestry (EA) have identified hundreds of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with general cognitive function and/or Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The association between these SNPs and cognitive function has not been fully evaluated in populations with complex genetic substructure such as South Asians. This study investigated whether SNPs identified in EA GWAS, either individually or as polygenic risk scores (PRSs), were associated with general cognitive function and 5 broad cognitive domains in 932 South Asians from the Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia for the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI-DAD). We found that SNPs identified from AD GWAS were more strongly associated with cognitive function in LASI-DAD than those from a GWAS of general cognitive function. PRSs for general cognitive function and AD explained up to 1.1% of the variability in LASI-DAD cognitive domain scores. Our study represents an important stepping stone toward better characterization of the genetic architecture of cognitive aging in the Indian/South Asian population and highlights the need for further research that may lead to the identification of new variants unique to this population.
Gender of Study Partners and Research Participants Associated With Differences in Study Partner Ratings of Cognition and Activity Level
Authors: Stites Shana D , Gurian Anna , Coykendall Cameron , Largent Emily A , Harkins Kristin , Karlawish Jason , Coe Norma B
Published: February 2023

Objectives

Studies of Alzheimer’s disease typically include “study partners” (SPs) who report on participants’ cognition and function. Prior studies show SP reports differ depending on the relationship between the SP and participant, that is, spouse or adult child. Adult children SPs are typically female. Could differing reports be due to gender? Knowing this may help explain variability in measurement.

Methods

The Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study enrolled a subset of participants from the Health and Retirement Study. Each participant had an SP. Bivariate and multivariable regression models compared 718 SP–participant dyads.

Results

In analyses of 4 groups defined by SP and participant gender, dyads composed of 2 women were less likely to identify as White (75.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 70.4–80.5) than dyads composed of 2 men (93.3%, 95% CI, 81.2–97.8). In analyses adjusted for the severity of cognitive and functional impairment, women SPs rated women participants as more active than they rated men, mean 2.15 (95% CI, 2.07–2.22) versus mean 2.30 (95% CI, 2.24–2.37), respectively, on a 4-point scale. Similarly, men SPs rated women participants as more active than they rated men, mean 2.1 (95% CI, 2.0–2.2) and mean 2.4 (95% CI, 2.3–2.5), respectively. In an analysis of cognitively unimpaired participants, women SPs rated participants’ memory worse than men SPs did (p < .05).

Discussion

SP and participant gender influence SPs’ reports of another person’s cognition and activity level. Our findings expand what is understood about how nondisease factors influence measures of disease severity.
Online interviews for qualitative health research in Africa: a scoping review
Authors: Akyirem Samuel , Ekpor Emmanuel , Aidoo-Frimpong Gloria Ama , Salifu Yakubu , Nelson LaRon E
Published: February 2023

Online interviews can be powerful tools in global health research. In this article, we review the literature on the use of and challenges associated with online interviews in health research in Africa and make recommendations for future online qualitative studies. The scoping review methodology was used. We searched on Medline and Embase in March 2022 for qualitative articles that used internet-based interviews as a data collection method. Following full-text reviews, we included nine articles. We found that online interviews were typically conducted via Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook Messaging and E-mail chats. Online interviews were used in Africa because of the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the need to sample participants across multiple countries or communities. Recruitment for online interviews occurred online, interviews were characterised by inaudible sounds, the inability to use video options and the challenges of including people with low income and education. We recommend that researchers critically evaluate the feasibility of online interviews within a particular African locality before fully implementing this data collection approach. Researchers may also collaborate with community-based organisations to help recruit a more socioeconomically diverse sample because of the potential of excluding participants with limited internet access.
Assessing competitive balance in the English Premier League for over forty seasons using a stochastic block model
Authors: Basini Francesca , Tsouli Vasiliki , Ntzoufras Ioannis , Friel Nial
Published: February 2023

Competitive balance is of much interest in the sports analytics literature and beyond. We develop a statistical network model based on an extension of the stochastic block model to assess the balance between teams in a league. We represent the outcome of all matches in a football season as a dense network with nodes identified by teams and categorical edges representing the outcome of each game as a win, draw, or a loss. The main focus and motivation for this paper is to assess the issue of competitive balance in the context of the English First Division / Premier League over more than 40 seasons. Our analysis provides evidence suggesting a structural change around the early 2000s from a reasonably balanced league to a two-tier league.
A symptomatic cystic axillary mass in a post-partum female
Authors: Werwie Nicole , Oostra Jodi , Hanley Kelly
Published: February 2023

Hemangiomas are rarely found in the axilla, with the most commonly identified axillary mass being lymphadenopathy. We report a unique case report of a post-partum female with an axillary mass that became larger and symptomatic while breastfeeding. On imaging, the mass was found to be complex and cystic, and aspiration was attempted several times. With a rapid return of swelling and worsening symptoms, there was concern for bleeding into the cystic cavity. Ultimately, the >10 cm mass had to be formally excised in the operating room, yielding definitive relief of symptoms. Final pathology reported the mass as a vascular malformation, either a hemangioma or arteriovenous malformation. It has been postulated that estrogen and progesterone may stimulate the growth of hemangiomas, which may explain this patient’s post-partum presentation. This case demonstrates a perplexing axillary mass that continued to re-accumulate until final excision.
Suppression of the target of rapamycin kinase accelerates tomato fruit ripening through reprogramming the transcription profile and promoting ethylene biosynthesis
Authors: Xiong Fangjie , Tian Jianwei , Wei Zhenzhen , Deng Kexuan , Li Yan , Zhang Yanjie
Published: February 2023

Tomato fruit ripening is a unique process of nutritional and energy metabolism. Target of rapamycin (TOR), a conserved serine/threonine protein kinase in eukaryotes, controls cell growth and metabolism by integrating nutrient, energy, and hormone signals. However, it remains unclear whether TOR participates in the modulation of tomato fruit ripening. Here, we showed that the manipulation of SlTOR by chemical or genetic methods greatly alters the process of tomato fruit maturation. Expression pattern analysis revealed that the transcripts of SlTOR declined as fruit ripening progressed. Moreover, suppression of SlTOR by TOR inhibitor AZD8055 or knock down of its transcripts by inducible RNA interference, accelerated fruit ripening, and led to overall effects on fruit maturity, including changes in colour and metabolism, fruit softening, and expression of ripening-related genes. Genome-wide transcription analysis indicated that silencing SlTOR reprogrammed the transcript profile associated with ripening, including cell wall and phytohormone pathways, elevated the expression of ethylene biosynthetic genes, and further promoted ethylene production. In contrast, the ethylene action inhibitor 1-MCP efficiently blocked fruit maturation, even following SlTOR inhibition. These results suggest that accelerated fruit ripening caused by SlTOR inhibition depends on ethylene, and that SlTOR may function as a regulator in ethylene metabolism.
Cosmic birefringence tomography and calibration independence with reionization signals in the CMB
Authors: Sherwin Blake D , Namikawa Toshiya
Published: February 2023

The search for cosmic polarization rotation or birefringence in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) is well motivated because it can provide powerful constraints on parity-violating new physics, such as axion-like particles. In this paper, we point out that since the CMB polarization is produced at two very different redshifts – it is generated at both reionization and recombination – new parity-violating physics can generically rotate the polarization signals from these different sources by different amounts. We explore two implications of this. First, measurements of CMB birefringence are challenging because the effect is degenerate with a miscalibration of CMB polarization angles; however, by taking the difference of the reionization and recombination birefringence angles (measured from different CMB angular scales), we can obtain a cosmological signal that is immune to instrumental angle miscalibration. Secondly, we note that the combination with other methods for probing birefringence can give tomographic information, constraining the redshift origin of any physics producing birefringence. We forecast that the difference of the reionization and recombination birefringence angles can be competitively determined to within ∼0.05 deg for future CMB satellites such as LiteBIRD. Although much further work is needed, we argue that foreground mitigation for this measurement should be less challenging than for inflationary B-mode searches on similar scales due to larger signals and lower foregrounds.
Unincreased mortality of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis compared to the general population in the past 17 years: Analyses from the IORRA cohort
Authors: Sugitani Naohiro , Tanaka Eiichi , Inoue Eisuke , Abe Mai , Sugano Eri , Saka Kumiko , Ochiai Moeko , Higuchi Yoko , Yamaguchi Rei , Sugimoto Naoki , Ikari Katsunori , Nakajima Ayako , Yamanaka Hisashi , Harigai Masayoshi
Published: February 2023

Objectives

The aim of this article is to investigate the mortality rate of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over the past 17 years.

Methods

Japanese patients with early RA enrolled in the Institute of Rheumatology, Rheumatoid Arthritis cohort from 2001 to 2012 were classified into Groups A (2001–06) and B (2007–12). The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and 5-year survival rate were calculated.

Results

Groups A and B had 1609 and 1608 patients, of which 167 and 178 patients were lost during follow-up and 47 and 45 deaths were confirmed, respectively. The SMR (95% confidence intervals) for Groups A and B were 0.81 (0.59–1.08) and 0.78 (0.57–1.04), respectively, with the condition that all untraceable patients were alive. Assuming that the mortality rate of untraceable patients was twice as high as that of the general population, the SMR was 0.90 (0.68–1.19) for Group A and 0.92 (0.68–1.23) for Group B. The 5-year survival rates were 96.9% and 97.0% for Groups A and B, respectively.

Conclusions

The 5-year mortality of patients with early RA has been comparable to that of the general Japanese population. The 5-year survival rate has been stable over the past 17 years.
Vaping Dose, Device Type, and E-Liquid Flavor are Determinants of DNA Damage in Electronic Cigarette Users
Authors: Tommasi Stella , Blumenfeld Hannah , Besaratinia Ahmad
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Despite the widespread use of electronic cigarettes, the long-term health consequences of vaping are largely unknown.

Aims and Methods

We investigated the DNA-damaging effects of vaping as compared to smoking in healthy adults, including “exclusive” vapers (never smokers), cigarette smokers only, and nonusers, matched for age, gender, and race (N = 72). Following biochemical verification of vaping or smoking status, we quantified DNA damage in oral epithelial cells of our study subjects, using a long-amplicon quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay.

Results

We detected significantly increased levels of DNA damage in both vapers and smokers as compared to nonusers (p = .005 and p = .020, respectively). While the mean levels of DNA damage did not differ significantly between vapers and smokers (p = .522), damage levels increased dose-dependently, from light users to heavy users, in both vapers and smokers as compared to nonusers. Among vapers, pod users followed by mod users, and those who used sweet-, mint or menthol-, and fruit-flavored e-liquids, respectively, showed the highest levels of DNA damage. The nicotine content of e-liquid was not a predictor of DNA damage in vapers.

Conclusions

This is the first demonstration of a dose-dependent formation of DNA damage in vapers who had never smoked cigarettes. Our data support a role for product characteristics, specifically device type and e-liquid flavor, in the induction of DNA damage in vapers. Given the popularity of pod and mod devices and the preferability of sweet-, mint or menthol-, and fruit-flavored e-liquids by both adult- and youth vapers, our findings can have significant implications for public health and tobacco products regulation.

Implications

We demonstrate a dose-dependent formation of DNA damage in oral cells from vapers who had never smoked tobacco cigarettes as well as exclusive cigarette smokers. Device type and e-liquid flavor determine the extent of DNA damage detected in vapers. Users of pod devices followed by mod users, and those who use sweet-, mint or menthol-, and fruit-flavored e-liquids, respectively, show the highest levels of DNA damage when compared to nonusers. Given the popularity of pod and mod devices and the preferability of these same flavors of e-liquid by both adult- and youth vapers, our findings can have significant implications for public health and tobacco products regulation.
Malaria Control by Mass Drug Administration With Artemisinin Plus Piperaquine on Grande Comore Island, Union of Comoros
Authors: Deng Changsheng , Wu Wanting , Yuan Yueming , Li Guoming , Zhang Hongying , Zheng Shaoqin , Li Mingqiang , Tan Ruixiang , Wang Yuxin , Nadia Julie , Feng Danhong , Li Di , Wu Zhibing , Xu Qin , Li Changqing , Wang Zhenhua , Liang Yuan , Doehl Johannes S P , Su Xinzhuan , Bacar Affane , Said Abdallah Kamal , Mohamed Hafidhou , Msa Mliva Ahamada , Wellems Thomas E , Song Jianping
Published: February 2023

Background

Mass drug administration (MDA) is a powerful tool for malaria control, but the medicines to use, dosing, number of rounds, and potential selection of drug resistance remain open questions.

Methods

Two monthly rounds of artemisinin-piperaquine (AP), each comprising 2 daily doses, were administered across the 7 districts of Grande Comore Island. In 3 districts, low-dose primaquine (PMQLD) was also given on the first day of each monthly round. Plasmodium falciparum malaria rates, mortality, parasitemias, adverse events, and genetic markers of potential drug resistance were evaluated.

Results

Average population coverages of 80%–82% were achieved with AP in 4 districts (registered population 258 986) and AP + PMQLD in 3 districts (83 696). The effectiveness of MDA was 96.27% (95% confidence interval [CI], 95.27%–97.06%; P < .00001) in the 4 AP districts and 97.46% (95% CI, 94.54%–98.82%; P < .00001) in the 3 AP + PMQLD districts. In comparative statistical modeling, the effectiveness of the 2 monthly rounds on Grande Comore Island was nearly as high as that of 3 monthly rounds of AP or AP + PMQLD in our earlier study on Anjouan Island. Surveys of pre-MDA and post-MDA samples showed no significant changes in PfK13 polymorphism rates, and no PfCRT mutations previously linked to piperaquine resistance in Southeast Asia were identified.

Conclusions

MDA with 2 monthly rounds of 2 daily doses of AP was highly effective on Grande Comore Island. The feasibility and lower expense of this 2-month versus 3-month regimen of AP may offer advantages for MDA programs in appropriate settings.
Transplantid.net: A Pilot Crowdsourced, Living, Online Library of Resources for the Teaching and Practice of Transplant Infectious Diseases
Authors: Puius Yoram A , Azar Marwan M , Tsai Helen , Vergidis Paschalis , Harris Courtney E , Anjan Shweta , Barros Nicolas , Belga Sara , Chuang Sally T , Czeresnia Jonathan M , Goel Shipra , Ince Dilek , Luk Alfred , Majeed Aneela , Multani Ashrit , Obeid Karam M , Swaminathan Neeraja
Published: February 2023

The field of transplant infectious diseases is rapidly evolving, presenting a challenge for clinical practice and trainee education. Here we describe the construction of transplantid.net, a free online library, crowdsourced and continuously updated for the dual purpose of point-of-care evidence-based management and teaching.
Limits of Arbitrage and Primary Risk-Taking in Derivative Securities
Authors: Tian Meng , Wu Liuren
Published: February 2023

Classic option pricing theory values a derivative contract via dynamic delta hedging and treating the contract as redundant relative to the underlying security. Dynamic delta hedging proves highly effective in practice, but the remaining risk is still large because of the practical limits of arbitrage. Derivatives can play primary roles in risk allocation. This paper quantifies the percentage variance reduction of delta hedging on U.S. stock options, proposes a top-down return attribution framework to identify the remaining risk sources of the delta-hedged option investment, and constructs a statistical return factor model to explain the variations of the delta-hedged option returns. (JEL C13, C51, G12, G13)
Interregional phase-amplitude coupling between theta rhythm in the nucleus tractus solitarius and high-frequency oscillations in the hippocampus during REM sleep in rats
Authors: Atiwiwat Danita , Aquilino Mark , Devinsky Orrin , Bardakjian Berj L , Carlen Peter L
Published: February 2023

Cross-frequency coupling (CFC) between theta and high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) is predominant during active wakefulness, REM sleep and behavioral and learning tasks in rodent hippocampus. Evidence suggests that these state-dependent CFCs are linked to spatial navigation and memory consolidation processes. CFC studies currently include only the cortical and subcortical structures. To our knowledge, the study of nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS)-cortical structure CFC is still lacking. Here we investigate CFC in simultaneous local field potential recordings from hippocampal CA1 and the NTS during behavioral states in freely moving rats. We found a significant increase in theta (6–8 Hz)-HFO (120–160 Hz) coupling both within the hippocampus and between NTS theta and hippocampal HFOs during REM sleep. Also, the hippocampal HFOs were modulated by different but consistent phases of hippocampal and NTS theta oscillations. These findings support the idea that phase-amplitude coupling is both state- and frequency-specific and CFC analysis may serve as a tool to help understand the selective functions of neuronal network interactions in state-dependent information processing. Importantly, the increased NTS theta-hippocampal HFO coupling during REM sleep may represent the functional connectivity between these two structures which reflects the function of the hippocampus in visceral learning with the sensory information provided by the NTS. This gives a possible insight into an association between the sensory activity and REM-sleep dependent memory consolidation.
Exosomes derived from human adipose‐derived stem cells alleviate hepatic ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury through the miR‐183/ALOX5 axis
Authors: Gong Yi , Dai Haisu , Liu Wei , Liao Rui , Chen Hailei , Zhang Leida , Wang Xiaojun , Chen Zhiyu
Published: February 2023

Ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury is a crucial factor causing liver injury in the clinic. Recent research has confirmed that human adipose‐derived stem cells (ADSCs) can differentiate into functional hepatocytes. However, the mechanism of the effects of ADSCs in the treatment of liver injury remains unclear. The characteristics of ADSCs were first identified, and exosome‐derived ADSCs were isolated and characterized. The function and mechanism of action of miR‐183 and arachidonate 5‐lipoxygenase (ALOX5) were investigated by functional experiments in HL‐7702 cells with I/R injury and in I/R rats. Our data disclosed that exosome release from ADSCs induced proliferation and inhibited apoptosis in HL‐7702 cells with I/R injury. The effect of miR‐183 was similar to that of exosomes derived from ADSCs. In addition, ALOX5, as a target gene of miR‐183, was involved in the related functions of miR‐183. Moreover, in vivo experiments confirmed that miR‐183 and exosomes from ADSCs could improve liver injury in rats and inhibit the MAPK and NF‐κB pathways. All of these findings demonstrate that exosomes derived from ADSCs have a significant protective effect on hepatic I/R injury by regulating the miR‐183/ALOX5 axis, which might provide a therapeutic strategy for liver injury.
The role of chemerin in the regulation of cGAS‐STING pathway in gestational diabetes mellitus placenta
Authors: Zhou Xuan , Zhang Huiting , Jiang Yi , Wei Lijie , Chen Yuting , Zhang Jingyi , Gao Peng , Zhu Shenglan , Fang Chenyun , Du Yuanyuan , Su Rui , He Mengzhou , Yu Jun , Wang Shaoshuai , Ding Wencheng , Feng Ling
Published: February 2023

Recent studies already confirmed that placenta mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with the progression of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Besides, a possible relationship between adipokine chemerin and disulfide‐bond A oxidoreductase‐like protein (DsbA‐L) had been revealed, whereas the potential interaction remains unclear. In addition, very little is still known about the cyclic GMP‐AMP synthase (cGAS)‐stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway and its mechanisms of action in the context of GDM. The present study aims to investigate the underlying mechanism of cGAS‐STING pathway and its regulatory relationship with chemerin in GDM. A total of 50 participants, including 25 cases of GDM patients and 25 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance, were enrolled, and their placenta tissues at term labor were collected. Besides, an insulin resistance cell model was established on the human trophoblastic cell line to explore the molecular mechanism of chemerin on cGAS‐STING pathway. Results showed that there were mitochondrial pathological changes in GDM placenta, accompanied by the decreased expression of DsbA‐L, increased level of chemerin, and the activation of cGAS‐STING pathway. In the insulin resistant cell model, overexpression of chemerin upregulated protein expression of DsbA‐L, and recombinant chemerin presented time‐dependent inhibition on the cGAS‐STING pathway, but this effect was not dependent on DsbA‐L. In conclusion, elevated chemerin is probably a protective mechanism, which may be a potential therapeutic strategy for GDM.