bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SV40 T-antigen uses a DNA shearing mechanism to initiate origin unwinding
Authors: Langston Lance D. , Yuan Zuanning , Georgescu Roxana , Li Huilin , O’Donnell Michael E.
Published: November 2022

Duplication of DNA genomes requires unwinding of the double-strand (ds) DNA so that each single strand (ss) can be copied by a DNA polymerase. The genomes of eukaryotic cells are unwound by two ring-shaped hexameric helicases that initially encircle dsDNA but transition to ssDNA for function as replicative helicases. How the duplex is initially unwound, and the role of the two helicases in this process, is poorly understood. We recently described an initiation mechanism for eukaryotes in which the two helicases are directed inward toward one another and shear the duplex open by pulling on opposite strands of the duplex while encircling dsDNA [L. D. Langston, M. E. O'Donnell,
eLife
8
, e46515 (2019)]. Two head-to-head T-Antigen helicases are long known to be loaded at the SV40 origin. We show here that T-Antigen tracks head (N-tier) first on ssDNA, opposite the direction proposed for decades. We also find that SV40 T-Antigen tracks directionally while encircling dsDNA and mainly tracks on one strand of the duplex in the same orientation as during ssDNA translocation. Further, two inward directed T-Antigen helicases on dsDNA are able to melt a 150-bp duplex. These findings explain the “rabbit ear” DNA loops observed at the SV40 origin by electron microscopy and reconfigure how the DNA loops emerge from the double hexamer relative to earlier models. Thus, the mechanism of DNA shearing by two opposing helicases is conserved in a eukaryotic viral helicase and may be widely used to initiate origin unwinding of dsDNA genomes.
The linguistics of odour in Semaq Beri and Semelai, two Austroasiatic languages of the Malay Peninsula
Authors: Kruspe Nicole , Majid Asifa
Published: November 2022

There is a long history presuming smell is not expressible in language, but numerous studies in recent years challenge this presupposition. Large smell lexica have been reported around the world thereby showing highlexical codabilityin this domain. Psycholinguistic studies likewise find smell can be described with relatively high agreement, demonstrating highefficient codability. Often the two go hand-in-hand: languages with high lexical codability also display high efficient codability. This study compares two Austroasiatic (Aslian) languages – Semaq Beri and Semelai – previously shown to diverge in their efficient codability for smell: Semaq Beri showed relatively high efficient codability, whereas Semelai did not. Despite this, we demonstrate that both languages have high lexical codability, i.e., large lexica of basic smell terms. This seems to be a feature of the Aslian language family, suggesting a long-standing preoccupation with odours. More generally, the dissociation between lexical and efficient codability suggests a more nuanced approach towards linguistic expressibility is necessary.
Mechanistic insights on KATP channel regulation from cryo-EM structures
Authors: Driggers Camden M. , Shyng Show-Ling
Published: November 2022

Gated by intracellular ATP and ADP, ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels couple cell energetics with membrane excitability in many cell types, enabling them to control a wide range of physiological processes based on metabolic demands. The KATP channel is a complex of four potassium channel subunits from the Kir channel family, Kir6.1 or Kir6.2, and four sulfonylurea receptor subunits, SUR1, SUR2A, or SUR2B, from the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family. Dysfunction of KATP channels underlies several human diseases. The importance of these channels in human health and disease has made them attractive drug targets. How the channel subunits interact with one another and how the ligands interact with the channel to regulate channel activity have been long-standing questions in the field. In the past 5 yr, a steady stream of high-resolution KATP channel structures has been published using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Here, we review the advances these structures bring to our understanding of channel regulation by physiological and pharmacological ligands.
What do gravitational wave detectors say about polymer quantum effects?
Authors: Garcia-Chung Angel , Carney Matthew F. , Mertens James B. , Parvizi Aliasghar , Rastgoo Saeed , Tavakoli Yaser
Published: November 2022

We compute the expected response of detector arms of gravitational wave observatories to polymerized gravitational waves. The mathematical and theoretical features of these waves were discussed in our previous work. In the present manuscript, we find both perturbative analytical, and full nonperturbative numerical solutions to the equations of motion of the detector arms using the method of geodesic deviations. These results show the modifications to both frequency and amplitude of the signal measured by the detector. Furthermore, we study the detectability of these signals in LISA by analyzing the modes in the frequency space.
Geodesic motion and phase-space evolution of massive neutrinos
Authors: Elbers Willem
Published: November 2022

The non-trivial phase-space distribution of relic neutrinos is responsible for the erasure of primordial density perturbations on small scales, which is one of the main cosmological signatures of neutrino mass. In this paper, we present a new code,
fastdf, for generating 1%-accurate particle realisations of the neutrino phase-space distribution using relativistic perturbation theory. We use the geodesic equation to derive equations of motion for massive particles moving in a weakly perturbed spacetime and integrate particles accordingly. We demonstrate how to combine geodesic-based initial conditions with the δf method to minimise shot noise and clarify the definition of the neutrino momentum, finding that large errors result if the wrong parametrisation is used. Compared to standard Lagrangian methods with ad-hoc thermal motions,
fastdf achieves substantial improvements in accuracy. We outline the approximation schemes used to speed up the code and to ensure symplectic integration that preserves phase-space density. Finally, we discuss implications for neutrino particles in cosmological N-body simulations. In particular, we argue that particle methods can accurately describe the neutrino distribution from z = 109, when neutrinos are linear and ultra-relativistic, down to z = 0, when they are nonlinear and non-relativistic. fastdf can be used to set up accurate initial conditions (ICs) for N-body simulations and has been integrated into the higher-order IC code monofonic.
Photometric and Spectroscopic Studies of the Long-Period Low-Mass-Ratio Deep-Contact Binary KN Per
Authors: Gao Xin-Yi , Li Kai , Cai Ya-Wen , Guo Ya-Ni , Gao Xing , Wang Xi , Yin Shi-Peng , Liu Fei , Sun Guo-You
Published: November 2022

Photometric analysis and spectroscopic study of the long-period low-mass-ratio deep-contact binary KN Per were performed. The light curves of the BV(RI)
c
band were from the Ningbo Bureau of Education and Xinjiang Observatory Telescope at the Xingming Observatory. Through the analysis of the Wilson–Devinney program, KN Per was found as an A-type low-mass-ratio deep-contact binary (q = 0.236; f = 53.4%). A cool spot applied on the primary component was introduced to explain the unequal maxima of the light curve. Based on the O − C analysis, we found that the rate of the increasing orbital period is

P

̇

= 5.12 ± (0.30) × 10−7 day yr−1, meaning the mass transfer from the secondary component to the primary one. By analyzing the spectroscopic data, we detected chromospheric activity emission line indicators, which correspond to the light-curve analysis. Seventy-one long-period (P > 0.5 day) contact binaries, including our target, were collected. The evolutionary states of all collected stars were investigated by the illustrations of mass–radius, mass–luminosity, and log M

T
–log J

o
. The relations of some physical parameters were also determined. With the instability parameters of KN Per, we determined that it is a stable contact binary system at present.
The Autonomous Data Reduction Pipeline for the Cute Mission
Authors: Sreejith A. G. , Fossati Luca , Ambily S. , Egan Arika , Nell Nicholas , France Kevin , Fleming Brian T. , Haas Stephanie , Chambliss Michael , DeCicco Nicholas , Steller Manfred
Published: November 2022

The Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment (CUTE) is a 6U NASA CubeSat carrying on-board a low-resolution, near-ultraviolet (2479–3306 Å) spectrograph. It has a Cassegrain telescope with a rectangular primary to maximize the collecting area, given the shape of the satellite bus, and an aberration correcting grating to improve the image quality, and thus spectral resolution. CUTE, launched on the of 2021 September 27th to a Low Earth Orbit, is designed to monitor transiting extra-solar planets orbiting bright, nearby stars to improve our understanding of planet atmospheric escape and star-planet interaction processes. We present here the CUTE autONomous daTa ReductiOn pipeLine, developed for reducing CUTE data. The pipeline has been structured with a modular approach, which also considers scalability and adaptability to other missions carrying on-board a long-slit spectrograph. The CUTE data simulator has been used to generate synthetic observations used for developing and testing the pipeline functionalities. The pipeline has been tested and updated employing flight data obtained during commissioning and initial science operations of the mission.
Activated and carbonized metal-organic frameworks for improved cycle performance of cathode material in lithium-sulphur batteries
Authors: Capkova D , Almasi M , Macko J , Kiraly N , Cech O , Cudek P , Fedorkova A Strakova , Knap V , Kazda T
Published: November 2022

The development of new battery systems has been intensively pursued in an effort to increase energy densities. Lithium-sulphur batteries represent a group of next-generation batteries with high theoretical capacity and energy density. The electrochemical properties of lithium-sulphur batteries may be improved by the application of appropriate conductive and porous additives to sulphur in the cathode material. Recently, materials belonging to the group of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely investigated as host materials for sulphur thanks to their unique porous structure. In this work, various types of MOFs (GaTCPP, MOF-76(Gd), MIL-101(Fe)-NH2) were applied to the cathode material. MOFs were activated or carbonized before cathode material preparation. The structure of activated GaTCPP showed the lowest capacity fading per cycle (0.07 %) from activated MOFs during cycling at 0.5 C for 200 cycles. The carbonization process may improve the electrochemical properties of the electrode material. The best electrochemical properties showed carbonized MOF-76(Gd), and the capacity fading rate per cycle was only 0.04 % despite 200 cycles at 0.5 C.
Reversible photoelectrochemical cell produced by using 3D print for the accumulation “solar” hydrogen
Authors: Chivikov S V , Rusetskyi I A , Fomanyuk S S , Danilov M O , Smilyk V O , Kolbasov G Ya
Published: November 2022

reversible photoelectrochemical system with using of accumulated hydrogen has been developed. Reversibility was ensured by introducing a third electrode based on Cu2S, onto which a metal hydride electrode based on MH alloys was discharged. The photoaccumulator made it possible to obtain a maximum current of 97 mA and Vo.c. ≈ 0.4 V, during the discharge by the MH electrode without illumination. A new feature of the cell design was construction in 3D. Almost all the details of the cell were printed on a 3D printer. It was found that the peak of current during cell illumination was several times higher than the maximum current obtained by the 2-electrode scheme. For consumers with uneven power consumption, such a system is equivalent to a solid state system with more power.
Mathematical and physical analysis of the character and position of shock waves during pumping of vacuum chambers
Authors: Bayer R
Published: November 2022

As part of the research in the field of pumping vacuum chambers in the Environmental Electron Microscope, research on supersonic flow through apertures is being carried out at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Technology of the Brno University of Technology in cooperation with the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the CAS. This paper deals with the character and location of shock waves during pumping of vacuum chambers of the experimental chamber as a basis for the forthcoming experiment of mapping the given shock waves using the Schlieren optical method.
Evaluation of ballistic resistance of thermoplastic and thermoset composite panels
Authors: Viliš J , Pokorný Z , Zouhar J , Vítek R , Procházka J
Published: November 2022

In this study, the ballistic resistance of composite panels made of solid fabrics was investigated. In the experimental part, the materials Twaron CT 747 TH110 impregnated with thermoplastic resin and Twaron CT 747 impregnated with thermoset resin were examined. The ballistic resistance of the composite panels was tested in the reduced version according to the NATO AEP-55 STANAG 4569 standard, protection level 1. The manufactured composite panels were tested by the rifle cartridges 7.62 x 51 mm FMJ M80. The high-speed camera was used to observe the impact of the missiles into the panel. As part of the evaluation of the experiment, the damage ranges of these panels were identified. The composite panel made of Twaron CT 747 TH110 impregnated with thermoplastic resin absorbed more energy of the impacting missiles than the panel made of Twaron CT 747 impregnated with thermoset resin. The results show that the panel made of Twaron CT 747 TH110 impregnated with thermoplastic resin, which was composed of 90 layers was not penetrated by the missile 7.62 mm M80 and complies with NATO AEP-55 STANAG 4569, protection level 1.
High power test of the power coupler for 325 MHz superconducting cavities with standing waves
Authors: Yoon Junyoung , Kako Eiji , Kim Eun-San
Published: November 2022

The fabricated power coupler is a coaxial capacitive-type coupler based on a conventional 3 1/8-inch Electronic Industries Alliance 50-Ω coaxial transmission line with a titanium nitride (TiN)-coated ceramic disk window. A high-power test in a standing wave was performed with the 20 kW and 325 MHz solid-state power amplifier (SSPA). The standing wave test is similar to the RF conditioning condition of the cavity before beam operation. It is also possible to adjust the position of the maximum power applied to the power coupler. Two power couplers were connected to a rectangular test cavity with a high vacuum and various measuring equipment, such as an arc detector, a power meter, a temperature sensor, and an electron pick-up probe. The interlock system under vacuum and arc instrumentation prevented the RF window from breaking the power coupler window during the high-power test. The interlock system was operated when the temperature, arc discharge, and electron emission were measured and exceeded the threshold. We conducted high-power tests at 3 kW in a standing wave to verify the performance of the fabricated power coupler. In this paper, we present the results of the high-power test with standing waves using movable shorts.
Investigation of radial gap size change under load and the impact on performance for a twin screw compressor using numerical simulation
Authors: Andres R , Hesse J , Spille A
Published: November 2022

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and the Finite Element Method (FEM) are common and validated tools in research and industry for solving fluid flow or performing structural analysis respectively. Despite being rather challenging, also the numerical simulation of screw compressors benefits from development and enhancement of numerical models, tools and methodologies. Differences between the real machine and the numerical model are inevitable, yet increasing accuracy and prognosis quality are desired by refining existing models and accounting for specific phenomena.

Clearances within the working chamber (mainly intermesh clearance between rotors and axial and radial gaps between rotors and housing) strongly affect the flow characteristics, efficiency and thus the overall compressor performance. These clearances change under operating conditions because of thermal expansion or due to forces acting on the structure, whereas the clearance size is often only known for the reference state out of operation. The extent of deformation and the quantification of the resulting clearances is therefore of high interest in order to get the numerical model closer to real operating conditions.

In this paper numerical simulation was used to determine the change in radial gap size between rotors and housing when the compressor is running and exposed to thermal and pressure loads. For a specific operating point, a 3D-CFD simulation for a 4-6 twin screw compressor with SRM profiles was conducted for the undeformed reference compressor geometry to calculate the flow field within the machine. Also, the temperature field within the housing and rotor solids was computed using the Conjugated Heat Transfer (CHT) method. The temperature and pressure fields were then submitted to the FEM solver to compute the deformation of rotors and housing. The results of this structural analysis served as input for a modification of geometry and numerical grids to account for the change in radial gap size. A re-run of the flow simulation in the deformed state enabled to quantify the impact on the machine performance and specific flow quantities. It could be shown that taking deformation into account, the volumetric efficiency is clearly affected.

Commercial solvers from Ansys were utilized for solving fluid and structure. The spatial discretization of the fluid volume around the rotors was realized by employing pre-generated grids using the mesh generator TwinMesh. Here, the rotor deformation can be defined in dependence of the axial position. The mesh of the housing maintained unchanged for all CFD simulations as a resulting gap size was determined by considering housing and rotor deformation relative to each other.
Experimental investigations and 3D simulations by the overset grid method on twin-screw machines in both pump and turbine mode
Authors: Moghaddam A H , Kutschelis B , Holz F , Skoda R
Published: November 2022

Twin-screw pumps due to their particular capabilities, offer u nique b enefits in comparison to other types of pumps. They can also recover wasted energy from the fluid system when run in a reversed way, i.e., in turbine mode. In this study, the possibility of benefiting twin-screw machines instead of conventional control valves in order to recover energy is investigated. Flow physics and energy recovery are analyzed experimentally and by 3D flow simulations in both, pump and turbine mode. Pump and turbine characteristics under different operating points are experimentally measured for low and high viscous fluids, i.e., water and oil, respectively. It is observed that for higher viscosity the dependency of volume flow rate on the pressure difference imposed on the pump is reduced. This observation indicates the significant effect of viscosity on the gap flow. Based on a simulation method by means of overset grid technique, unsteady 3D flow simulations with a high grid quality and a high spatial resolution particularly in gap regions in terms of y
+ < 1 are conducted and results are validated against experiments. The profound assessment of gap flow based on the simulation results shows that for highly viscous fluids such a soil, the rotational speed of spindles as well as the direction of rotation have a significant effect on gap flow characteristics and consequently on the pump and turbine performance. From the experiments, it is clarified that with a lower rotational speed of spindles and a higher pressure difference, a higher amount of energy up to about 50% of the fluid energy in the piping system can be recovered instead of being dissipated by a conventional control valve.
Experimental research on influence of interstage oil injection in a dual-motor-driven two-stage screw air compressor
Authors: Liao X , Wang C , Yuan H , Xing Z
Published: November 2022

Energy saving for compressed air production is of great importance all over the world due to its great energy cost and the indispensable utility of compressed air in the industrial sector. In recent years, oil-injected two-stage screw air compressors, especially driven by dual motors, are becoming a promising alternative to other compression equipment for their extraordinary efficiency and high reliability in a wide range of applications. However, two-stage screw air compressors have a different and complicated oil injection system compared with single-stage compressors. And an appropriate setting of oil injection parameters might result in a considerable performance improvement of the compressor. In this paper, a dual-motor-driven two-stage oil-injected screw compressor was tested under the actual service conditions and control modes experimentally. The effect of interstage oil injection on the compressor performance was studied in detail by varying the interstage oil injection flow rate and rotating speed. The performance parameters such as specific power, volumetric efficiency and adiabatic efficiency were calculated from the measured data. The results indicate that an excess amount of oil exists in the second stage compressor and reducing the oil moderately could decrease the power consumption of the two-stage air compressor unit.
Effect of Plasticisers and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle Concentration on the Properties of Polyethylene Thin Films
Authors: Alluhaibi Abeer Ahmed , Sendi Rabab Khalid
Published: November 2022

The present work describes the preparation of a polyethylene film covered with a protective layer of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). The presence of ZnO NPs on a slide supplemented with polyethylene was confirmed by the appearance of white cloud-like spots. Various ZnO NP concentrations were examined for their impact on optical and physical properties and in terms of inhibiting the growth of bacteria that can cause excessive irritation or intolerable skin sensitivity in the long term. This newly developed film holds potential for use in baby diapers to reduce bacterial contamination.
Assessment of risk factors causing delays in road construction in Egypt
Authors: Gamal Yasser A.S , Allah Elsayed Mohamed Abd , Maged Mina , Enieb Mahmoud
Published: November 2022

Delays are a common problem in the global construction industry, affecting the development of the road construction industry, particularly in developing countries. Where, the construction industry faces a lot of risk factors that can contribute to project delays, particularly during COVID-19. The road projects risk management framework was used to identify potential risk categories that could impede the success of road construction in Egypt. On the other hand, road construction in Egypt faces numerous challenges with increasing unexpected parameters throughout the project life cycle. In other words, unanticipated risk factors have a significant impact on the success of project execution. As a result, the study’s primary goals are to investigate the majority of the risk factors that cause road construction delays in Egypt. The impact of numerous risk factors has changed the delays in road projects as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world. As a result, the study incorporates previously unstudied factors. As well, the research has sought to investigate the new severity of risk factors during coronavirus infection. Moreover, risk breakdown structures have classified the risk factors into several categories. They include consultant risk, design risk, equipment risk, material risk, owner risk, contract risk, contractor risk, labor risk, external risk [coronavirus effects and others] and operational risk. The strategy employed in the paper is to incorporate the DEMATEL technique and risk analysis into the statistical model. Whereas the risk analysis prioritizes risk based on the evaluation of each specific project risk. Additionally, this approach has been able to create connections between risks, which may make it easier to understand the likelihood and severity of project risk than if the risks were just considered isolated events. Furthermore, the pilot survey is divided into two stages, the first of which is based on risk analysis to identify the most significant risks. As a result, the identification of the high-risk for each category has been researched. The second survey was issued to risk management by evaluating the importance of risk factors and creating causal relationships among components using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approach. Finally, it is noticed that operational risk and external risk caused by the effects of the coronavirus have the greatest impact on the delay of road projects.
Investigation The Effect of Particle Size and Annealing on the Performance of Nano/Micro Sized ZnO-Based Varistors
Authors: Alharthi Hend , Sendi Rabab , Mohammed Zaki , Althagafi Talal
Published: November 2022

In this study, the influence of different ZnO particle sizes and the oxygen annealing process on the microstructure, and electrical properties of ZnO-based varistors was investigated. ZnO-Bi2O3-Mn2O3 discs based varistors with different size of ZnO particles were prepared by conventional ceramic method. Then half of varistors discs were annealed in oxygen atmosphere at 700 °C. SEM, Raman spectroscopy, and current-voltage (I–V) measurement were used. The results showed a significant improvement in distribution and growth of grain sizes in nano-size samples compared to that of micro-size samples. The electrical properties including nonlinear coefficient and breakdown voltage improved to 49 and 2555 V in nano-size compared with 32.5 and 201V in micro-size.
Impact of oral naloxegol vs subcutaneous methylnaltrexone in treatment of opioid-induced constipation in the hospital setting
Authors: Nero Ricki , Allen Bryan , Hailu Kirubel , Noor Refat , Theiss Kimberly
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Peripherally acting μ-opioid receptor antagonists (PAMORAs) are indicated to treat laxative-refractory opioid-induced constipation (OIC). While several PAMORAs exist, no head-to-head comparative data are available. This study evaluated the efficacy, safety, and cost of oral naloxegol vs subcutaneous methylnaltrexone for OIC in the hospital.

Methods

In this multicenter retrospective chart review, patients who received oral naloxegol or subcutaneous methylnaltrexone as an inpatient were included if they were at least 18 years old, were still admitted to the hospital 48 hours after the first PAMORA dose, and either had an outpatient opioid prescription or received at least 30 morphine milligram equivalents in the 24 hours before the first PAMORA dose. The primary outcome was achievement of a bowel movement (BM) within 48 hours of the first dose. Secondary outcomes included a BM in 24 hours, time to the first BM, antimotility agent use, PAMORA cost per patient, and use of a second PAMORA due to failure of the first agent.

Results

A total of 330 patients were included with 2:1 allocation (220 patients receiving methylnaltrexone vs 110 patients receiving naloxegol). Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups, except for body mass index and weight. Naloxegol met a prespecified noninferiority margin of 15% in production of a BM within 48 hours (risk difference, –4.6%; 90% confidence interval, –13.6% to 4.5%; P = 0.028). Achievement of a BM within 24 hours and time to first BM were also noninferior. Antimotility agent use was higher with naloxegol, naloxegol cost $193.16 less per patient, and 2 patients switched from naloxegol to methylnaltrexone.

Conclusion

Oral naloxegol may be an effective, cost-efficient alternative to subcutaneous methylnaltrexone for treatment of OIC in the hospital setting.
Lactic acid induces HSPA1A expression through ERK1/2 activation
Authors: Nonaka Miwa , Kanouchi Hiroaki , Torii Saki , Nagano Hikaru , Kondo Shigetada , Fujii Akira , Nagano Masanobu , Takenaka Shigeo
Published: November 2022

Heat shock protein (HSP) A1A protects cells from various stressors. The concentrated liquid of the traditional Japanese rice black vinegar Kurozu increased HSPA1A expression in normal rat liver RLN-10 cells. Lactic acid, the primary component of concentrated Kurozu, induced HSPA1A expression in a concentration-dependent manner. Induction with 4 m m lactic acid increased HSPA1A expression by three times compared with that in the absence of lactic acid. The induction was inhibited by staurosporine or a selective MEK1/2 inhibitor (SL327). The phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was increased by lactic acid. These results suggest that lactic acid induces HSPA1A expression by activating ERK1/2. As well as lactate, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA), a ligand for G protein-coupled receptor 81 (GPR81), also induced HSPA1A at lower concentrations than lactate. The increased effect of DHBA on HSPA1A expression as compared with lactate may be related to the higher affinity of DHBA for GPR81 than of lactate.
DeepHomo2.0: improved protein–protein contact prediction of homodimers by transformer-enhanced deep learning
Authors: Lin Peicong , Yan Yumeng , Huang Sheng-You
Published: November 2022

Protein–protein interactions play an important role in many biological processes. However, although structure prediction for monomer proteins has achieved great progress with the advent of advanced deep learning algorithms like AlphaFold, the structure prediction for protein–protein complexes remains an open question. Taking advantage of the Transformer model of ESM-MSA, we have developed a deep learning-based model, named DeepHomo2.0, to predict protein–protein interactions of homodimeric complexes by leveraging the direct-coupling analysis (DCA) and Transformer features of sequences and the structure features of monomers. DeepHomo2.0 was extensively evaluated on diverse test sets and compared with eight state-of-the-art methods including protein language model-based, DCA-based and machine learning-based methods. It was shown that DeepHomo2.0 achieved a high precision of >70% with experimental monomer structures and >60% with predicted monomer structures for the top 10 predicted contacts on the test sets and outperformed the other eight methods. Moreover, even the version without using structure information, named DeepHomoSeq, still achieved a good precision of >55% for the top 10 predicted contacts. Integrating the predicted contacts into protein docking significantly improved the structure prediction of realistic Critical Assessment of Protein Structure Prediction homodimeric complexes. DeepHomo2.0 and DeepHomoSeq are available at http://huanglab.phys.hust.edu.cn/DeepHomo2/.
Changes in publicly and privately funded care in England following a national programme to reduce provision of low-value elective surgery
Authors: Anderson Michael
Published: November 2022

Background

This study assessed whether there is an association between changes in publicly and privately funded care for procedures classified as low value by the National Health Service (NHS) in England following implementation of the Evidence-Based Intervention (EBI) programme. Category 1 procedures should not be conducted and are no longer reimbursed by the NHS. Category 2 procedures are only reimbursed by the NHS in certain circumstances.

Methods

Changes in volumes of publicly and privately funded procedures per month in 2019–2020 compared with the previous year were analysed in private hospitals and local healthcare markets, and adjusted for volume of procedures and patient case mix including age, sex, co-morbidities, and deprivation. Supplementary analyses focused on the self-pay and insurance funding mechanisms.

Results

There was a statistically significant association between changes in publicly and privately funded care for category 2 procedures at the hospital (−0.19, 95 per cent c.i. −0.25 to −0.12) and local healthcare market level of analysis (−0.24, −0.32 to −0.15). A statistically significant association for category 1 procedures only existed at the hospital level of analysis (−0.19, −0.30 to −0.08). Findings were similar for patients accessing care through self-pay and insurance funding mechanisms.

Conclusion

Stronger associations between changes in publicly and privately funded care for category 2 procedures may exist as they are clinically indicated in certain circumstances. Reductions in publicly funded care were likely a combined result of the EBI programme and growing NHS waiting lists, whereas increases in privately funded care were influenced by both patient and supplier-induced demand.
An Asynchronous Maximum Independent Set Algorithm By Myopic Luminous Robots On Grids
Authors: Kamei Sayaka , Tixeuil Sébastien
Published: November 2022

We consider the problem of constructing a maximum independent set with mobile myopic luminous robots on a grid network whose size is finite but unknown to the robots. In this setting, the robots enter the grid network one by one from a corner of the grid, and they eventually have to be disseminated on the grid nodes so that the occupied positions form a maximum independent set of the network. We assume that robots are asynchronous, anonymous, silent and they execute the same distributed algorithm. In this paper, we propose two algorithms: The first one assumes that the number of light colors of each robot is three and the visible range is two, but uses the additional assumption that a local edge-labeling exists for each node. To remove this assumption, the second one assumes that the number of light colors of each robot is seven, and that the visible range is three. In both algorithms, the number of movements is $O(n(L+l))$ steps, where $n$ is the number of nodes and $L$ and $l$ are the grid dimensions.
Comparing the number and length of primary care consultations in people with and without intellectual disabilities and health needs: observational cohort study using electronic health records
Authors: Tyrer Freya , Morriss Richard , Kiani Reza , Gangadharan Satheesh K , Kundaje Harish , Rutherford Mark J
Published: November 2022

Background

In the United Kingdom, 15-min appointments with the general practitioner (GP) are recommended for people with complex health conditions, including intellectual disabilities and health needs, but we do not know whether this happens.

Aims

We compared number and length of primary care consultations (GP, nurse, other allied health, other) for people with and without intellectual disabilities and health needs.

Methods

Linked primary care data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) in England were used to investigate face-to-face and telephone primary care consultations in 2017–2019. Health needs investigated were: epilepsy; incontinence; severe visual/hearing impairments; severe mobility difficulties; cerebral palsy; and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy feeding. Age and gender-standardized consultation rates per year (Poisson), duration of consultations, and the proportion of “long consultations” (≥15 min) were reported.

Results

People with intellectual disabilities (n = 7,794) had 1.9 times as many GP consultations per year as those without (n = 176,807; consultation rate ratio = 1.87 [95% confidence interval 1.86–1.89]). Consultation rates with nurses and allied healthcare professionals were also twice as high. Mean GP consultation time was 9–10 min regardless of intellectual disability/health need status. Long GP consultations were less common in people with intellectual disabilities (18.2% [17.8–18.7] vs. 20.9% [20.8–21.0]). Long consultations with practice nurses were more common in people with health needs, particularly severe visual loss.

Conclusions

People with intellectual disabilities and/or health needs tend to have more, rather than longer, GP consultations compared with the rest of the population. We recommend further investigation into the role of practice nurses to support people with intellectual disabilities and health needs.
Adult Life-Span Development Is Largely Missing From the PK-12 Health Standards: A Risk Factor for U.S. Society
Authors: Levy Sheri R , Gu Danan
Published: November 2022

Background and Objectives

Scholars have lamented that the PK-12 system in the United States does not provide instruction about development across the life span. Indeed, graduates of the U.S. system tend to perform poorly on knowledge tests concerning middle and older adulthood and to agree with false information about aging (negative stereotypes of older adults). This study systematically reviewed for the first time the health education standards (HES) set by the board of education of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Research Design and Methods

HES were downloaded from each state’s department of education website between September 25, 2021 and December 17, 2021 and then systematically coded.

Results

Almost all states (47–49) mentioned each of the 8 National Health Education Standards, suggesting compliance with national guidelines which are not specific to adult life-span development. Whereas all states’ HES referred to instruction concerning childhood (n = 51) and adolescence (n = 51), few states’ HES referred to instruction about early adulthood (n = 22), middle adulthood (n = 9), and late adulthood (n = 11). Only 23 states mentioned an intention, broadly-speaking, to cover instruction concerning all of life-span development.

Discussion and Implications

These findings reveal a hole in U.S. HES concerning early to late adulthood and a risk factor for society. These findings signal an alarm on the significant, overdue need for PK-12 education about life-span development, especially with rapid population aging and the far-reaching negative effect of poor aging knowledge on ageism as well as the health and well-being of all age individuals.
Feasibility of using health and wellbeing data for school planning: the SHINE pilot in Scotland
Authors: Chambers Stephanie , Haughton Dawn , Mabelis Judith , Brown Judith , Inchley Jo
Published: November 2022

Child and adolescent mental health and wellbeing (MHWB) have received greater attention in recent years due to increases in mental ill health and reports of decreasing subjective wellbeing. The School Health and Wellbeing Improvement Research Network (SHINE) was established to create a national infrastructure to support Scottish schools to collect and use health and wellbeing (HWB) data to inform school improvement action planning. This study aimed to evaluate a pilot of SHINE’s provision of school-level HWB data reports from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey and their impact on school action planning. Using a qualitative case study design, we collected data in four local authorities across Scotland via pupil and school staff focus groups (n = 23 groups), and from interviews with senior leaders, school SHINE Leads, other relevant school-level stakeholders, local authority (LA) HWB and data leads (n = 30 interviews). Data analysis was supported using Normalisation Process Theory as a guiding framework. Implementation was at an early stage. Participants indicated that the data reports were an accessible and valuable source of local information to support the improvement agenda. SHINE’s expertise supported the lack of research capacity and strengthened HWB data literacy skills in schools. At the point of interview, data reports had not been shared widely within the school community, but there was some limited use of the reports to inform action planning around HWB. Through close working and further engagement with schools, SHINE has the potential to support them to deliver national commitments to improving HWB.
A systematic review of the association of diet quality with the mental health of university students: implications in health education practice
Authors: Solomou Solomis , Logue Jennifer , Reilly Siobhan , Perez-Algorta Guillermo
Published: November 2022

University students are at risk of experiencing mental health problems during the transition from home to university. This transition can also adversely affect their diet quality. This review aims to examine bidirectional associations from observational studies regarding the influence of diet quality on the mental health of university students, and vice versa. The databases PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched using relevant search terms. The searches were last updated on 15 July 2022. Majority of studies (36 out of 45) found that good diet quality of students was associated with better mental health in terms of depression, anxiety, stress and overall general mental well-being. Moreover, majority of studies (19 out of 23) found that stress and anxiety of students were associated with poorer diet quality. The effect sizes observed were generally small–moderate. Healthy diets of students have been associated with better mental health in terms of depression, anxiety, stress or other mental health issues. Stress experienced by university students has been associated with unhealthy diets. There are implications for health education research, as interventions to improve diet quality at the university level could reduce mental health issues; additionally, interventions to support students under stress may lead to healthier dietary habits when living on campuses. Randomized controlled trials and intervention studies are needed to further investigate these implications.
PRDM10directsFLCNexpression in a novel disorder overlapping with Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome and familial lipomatosis
Authors: van de Beek Irma , Glykofridis Iris E , Oosterwijk Jan C , van den Akker Peter C , Diercks Gilles F H , Bolling Maria C , Waisfisz Quinten , Mensenkamp Arjen R , Balk Jesper A , Zwart Rob , Postma Alex V , Meijers-Heijboer Hanne E J , van Moorselaar R Jeroen A , Wolthuis Rob M F , Houweling Arjan C
Published: November 2022

Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome (BHD) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by fibrofolliculomas, pulmonary cysts, pneumothoraces and renal cell carcinomas. Here, we reveal a novel hereditary disorder in a family with skin and mucosal lesions, extensive lipomatosis and renal cell carcinomas. The proband was initially diagnosed with BHD based on the presence of fibrofolliculomas, but no pathogenic germline variant was detected in FLCN, the gene associated with BHD. By whole exome sequencing we identified a heterozygous missense variant (p.(Cys677Tyr)) in a zinc-finger encoding domain of the PRDM10 gene which co-segregated with the phenotype in the family. We show that PRDM10Cys677Tyr loses affinity for a regulatory binding motif in the FLCN promoter, abrogating cellular FLCN mRNA and protein levels. Overexpressing inducible PRDM10Cys677Tyr in renal epithelial cells altered the transcription of multiple genes, showing overlap but also differences with the effects of knocking out FLCN. We propose that PRDM10 controls an extensive gene program and acts as a critical regulator of FLCN gene transcription in human cells. The germline variant PRDM10Cys677Tyr curtails cellular folliculin expression and underlies a distinguishable syndrome characterized by extensive lipomatosis, fibrofolliculomas and renal cell carcinomas.
The development of a semisynthetic diet deficient in methionine for adult cats for controlled feline nutrition studies: effects on acceptability, preference, and behavior responses
Authors: Pezzali Julia Guazzelli , Bullerwell Asha , Dancy Kaitlyn , DeVries Trevor J , Shoveller Anna K
Published: November 2022

Chemically defined diets are commonly used in amino acid (AA) requirement studies to allow for tight control of AA delivery. However, those diets are not representative of commercial diets in the market and are unpalatable. Methionine (Met) is usually the first limiting AA in cat diets, but little is known about its requirement for adult cats. Thus, the objectives of this study were: 1) to develop a semisynthetic diet limiting in Met and evaluate its effect on acceptance and feeding behavior in cats; and 2) to evaluate the effect of different sources and inclusions of Met on preference in cats fed the semisynthetic diet. A semisynthetic diet deficient in Met and total sulfur AA (TSAA) was developed. Healthy adult male cats (n = 9) were fed (0800 and 1600 h) the semisynthetic diet top dressed with DL-Met solution (T-DLM), to meet 120% of the TSAA requirement, for 8 d. Feed intake was measured and a 30-min video recording was taken at the 0800 h feeding to evaluate feeding behavior of the cats. Following the acceptability trial, two bowl tests were performed where first choice was recorded and intake ratio was calculated as consumed food (A/A + B). Three combinations were tested: semisynthetic diet deficient in Met (T-BASAL) vs. T-DLM; T-BASAL vs. diet sufficient in Met provided 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoic acid (T-MHA); and T-DLM vs. T-MHA. Average feed intake remained high throughout the acceptability period (94.5% intake of total offered), but some cats decreased intake, resulting in a decrease in BW (≤2.5% of initial BW) over time (P < 0.05). Behaviors were similar among days (P > 0.05) with the exception of grooming the chest and body (P < 0.05). No preferences were observed towards a specific treatment (Met source and level) during the two-bowl tests (P > 0.05) and agreed with the cats expressing similar feeding behaviors during the preference tests (P > 0.05). In conclusion, a semisynthetic diet deficient in Met was successfully developed and can be used in studies to evaluate the effects of low protein and AA supplemented diets. Cats seem to show no preference for Met source and/or inclusion level in a semisynthetic diet application, which is of benefit for future studies aiming to determine the Met requirement in this species.
Sugar Bait Composition Containing Ivermectin Affect Engorgement and Mortality of the Mosquito Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: Dias Alyne Cunha Alves , Teixeira Aurea Vieira , Lima Bezerra Flaviana , Andriolo Aline , Silva Alexandre de A
Published: November 2022

Toxins and attractants have been studied and used in sugar baits for mosquitoes. However, little importance has been given to the combination of sugar concentration, bait composition, and their relationship with mosquito engorgement and mortality. Therefore, the present study evaluated the effects of three concentrations of sucrose on baits with and without an attractant (concentrated guava juice), on engorgement and mortality rates of adult Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, Diptera: Culicidae). Toxic sugar baits (TSB) and attractant toxic sugar baits (ATSB) containing 10, 50, and 70% sucrose and 100 ppm ivermectin (IVM) were prepared to assess engorgement and mortality rates. Subsequently, different concentrations of IVM (0.312–100 ppm) in TSB and ATSB were prepared with sucrose concentrations of 10 and 70% to determine the lethal concentrations (LC50 and LC90) values. Engorgement on the baits was observed under a stereomicroscope, and mortality was followed up to 48 h after feeding. In general, more mosquitoes engorged on TSB regardless of the sugar concentration, while higher concentrations of sugar in ATSBs resulted in higher numbers of mosquitoes engorging. A large increase in the LC90 of IVM was observed for females feeding on ATSBs and TSBs with 70% sucrose relative to those feeding on baits with lower sugar concentrations. No such effect was observed for males.