bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeted base editing in the mitochondrial genome of
Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Nakazato Issei , Okuno Miki , Zhou Chang , Itoh Takehiko , Tsutsumi Nobuhiro , Takenaka Mizuki , Arimura Shin-ichi
Published: May 2022

Significance

The mitochondrial genomes of land plants encode genes for cellular energy production and agriculturally important traits, but modification of the genomes is still difficult. Targeted base editing is one of the best ways to modify genes and intergenic regions and thus understand their functions, without drastically changing genome structure. In this study, we succeeded in creating plantlets of the model plant
Arabidopsis thaliana
, in which all of the many copies of the mitochondrial genomes in each cell had a targeted C:G base pair converted to a T:A pair. Introduced mutations were stably inherited by the next generation. This method will help to unravel the mysteries of plant mitochondrial genomes and may also serve as a basis for increasing crop yields.
Hippocampal-medial prefrontal cortex network dynamics predict performance during retrieval in a context-guided object memory task
Authors: Morici Juan Facundo , Weisstaub Noelia Victoria , Zold Camila Lidia
Published: May 2022

Significance

Recovering relevant information, while ignoring the irrelevant, is crucial for episodic memory (remembering a particular event at a specific temporal and spatial context). Information presented at any time could drive the retrieval of more than one memory trace; thus, there should be a mechanism to select the retrieval of the most relevant trace. However, how the brain controls memory interference is not well understood. Here, we analyzed the communication between ventral hippocampus (vHPC) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during the resolution of an episodic memory task in rats. We found an increased synchronization between the vHPC and mPFC and identified specific mPFC neural subpopulations that selectively respond to object–context associations, and their firing preference correlates with the animals’ behavioral responses.
Quantum speed limit and stability of coherent states in quantum gravity
Authors: Liegener Klaus , Rudnicki Łukasz
Published: May 2022

Utilizing the program of expectation values in coherent states and its recently developed algorithmic tools, this letter investigates the dynamical properties of cosmological coherent states for loop quantum gravity. To this end, the quantum speed limit (QSL) is adapted to quantum gravity, yielding necessary consistency checks for any proposal of stable families of states. To showcase the strength of the developed tools, they are applied to a prominent model: the Euclidean part of the quantum scalar constraint. We report the variance of this constraint evaluated on a family of coherent states showing that, for short times, this family passes the QSL test, allowing the transition from one coherent state to another one.
Defect density of states in natural and synthetic MoS2 multilayer flakes
Authors: Srivastava Shikha , Mohapatra Yashowanta N
Published: May 2022

It has become important to identify and study dominant defects in different forms of transition metal dichalcogenide materials, which are being explored for use in electronic devices. We have investigated the density and distribution of deep defect states in natural and synthetic multilayer MoS2 (m–MoS2) flakes using temperature-dependent admittance spectroscopy. The flakes sandwiched between suitable electrodes with an Au|m-MoS2|ZnO structure act as good quality diodes suitable for capacitance-based studies. The defect density of states (DOS) show Gaussian distribution, and density was found to be approximately 1014 and 1013 cm−3 eV−1 in the natural and synthetic MoS2 flake devices, respectively. Both types of flakes showed a deep level around 0.8 eV below the conduction band edge with a Gaussian disorder parameter of around 33 and 30 meV, respectively, at room temperature, indicating a common origin corresponding to these defect states. The synthetic MoS2 flake device shows the appearance of an additional defect state at around 0.7 eV, which is probably related to a stoichiometric defect. Our results point to the possible occurrence of a large lattice relaxation of donors with associated trap levels deep within the gap. Our results demonstrate an excellent non-destructive method of deriving defect DOS in multilayer flakes.
Radiomics-guided radiation therapy: opportunities and challenges
Authors: Abdollahi Hamid , Chin Erika , Clark Haley , Hyde Derek E , Thomas Steven , Wu Jonn , Uribe Carlos F , Rahmim Arman
Published: May 2022

Radiomics is an advanced image-processing framework, which extracts image features and considers them as biomarkers towards personalized medicine. Applications include disease detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy response assessment/prediction. As radiation therapy aims for further individualized treatments, radiomics could play a critical role in various steps before, during and after treatment. Elucidation of the concept of radiomics-guided radiation therapy (RGRT) is the aim of this review, attempting to highlight opportunities and challenges underlying the use of radiomics to guide clinicians and physicists towards more effective radiation treatments. This work identifies the value of RGRT in various steps of radiotherapy from patient selection to follow-up, and subsequently provides recommendations to improve future radiotherapy using quantitative imaging features.
Design, modeling and experiment of a miniature biped piezoelectric robot
Authors: Wang Weiyi , Deng Jie , Liu Yingxiang , Zhang Shijing , Li Jing , Gao Xiang
Published: May 2022

A novel miniature biped piezoelectric robot (MBPR) was designed with a patch-type beam structure. The robot utilizes an asymmetric friction-inertial driving principle to realize linear motion. The prominent feature is that it can move linearly under low frequency and low voltage, which is beneficial for untethered driving of the robot. In addition, the robot has the advantages of simple structure, convenience for multi-degree-of-freedom extension and strong load capacity. The effect of different dimensional parameters on the motion of the MBPR was studied and a prototype was fabricated, whose size was 39 × 15 × 4 mm3 and weighed 0.9 g. The MBPR achieved a maximum speed of 0.4 body length per second. To expand the motion degree of freedom, an array of MBPR was fabricated and tested. The results indicated that the robot array realized linear motion of 1.3 mm s−1 and rotation motion of 1.6° s−1. The array could carry a load of 25 g (13.8 times self-weight), which shows strong load capacity based on its lightweight structure. Finally, we designed a robot consisted of the array and an untethered power supply, 2-DOF untethered motion could be realized on the plane, which was conducive to finish large-scale movement and tasks in narrow environments.
Weighted network motifs as random walk patterns
Authors: Picciolo Francesco , Ruzzenenti Franco , Holme Petter , Mastrandrea Rossana
Published: May 2022

Over the last two decades, network theory has shown to be a fruitful paradigm in understanding the organization and functioning of real-world complex systems. One technique helpful to this endeavor is identifying functionally influential subgraphs, shedding light on underlying evolutionary processes. Such overrepresented subgraphs, motifs, have received much attention in simple networks, where edges are either on or off. However, for weighted networks, motif analysis is still undeveloped. Here, we proposed a novel methodology—based on a random walker taking a fixed maximum number of steps—to study weighted motifs of limited size. We introduce a sink node to balance the network and allow the detection of configurations within an a priori fixed number of steps for the random walker. We applied this approach to different real networks and selected a specific null model based on maximum-entropy to test the significance of weighted motifs occurrence. We found that identified similarities enable the classifications of systems according to functioning mechanisms associated with specific configurations: economic networks exhibit close patterns while differentiating from ecological systems without any a priori assumption.
Design and analysis of 1D photonic crystal doped with magnetized cold plasma defect for application of single/multi-channel tunable narrowband filter
Authors: Panda Abinash , Pukhrambam Puspa Devi
Published: May 2022

The present research demonstrates the tunable filtering properties of a single/multi-channel filter based on 1D photonic crystal (PhC), which is designed with dielectric materials (A, B) and magnetized cold plasma (P). The proposed filter has a configuration of

A
/
B

M

A
/
P
/
B

N

(
A
/
B
)

M

.

Transmission spectra of the structure is investigated for both right-hand polarization and left-hand polarization configurations of the plasma material by employing the well-known transfer matrix method. It is found that number of periods of the plasma layer (N) decides the single-channel and multi-channel operations of the filter. It is revealed that the external magnetic field can be manipulated to tune the frequency of the filter. Also, it is found that the geometrical parameters such as thickness of the plasma layer, plasma density, and incident angle play a significant role in tuning the defect mode frequency. Moreover, the color map plot is studied to provide a clear insight of shifting nature of the defect mode frequency. Quality factor of the filter is evaluated vis-à-vis different geometrical parameters. Our considered structure can be the mainstay for filtering applications in microwave regions, and can find suitable applications in dense wavelength division multiplexing and high speed signal processing.
Traversable wormholes in beyond Horndeski theories
Authors: Bakopoulos A. , Charmousis C. , Kanti P.
Published: May 2022

We construct a large class of explicit, asymptotically flat and regular wormhole solutions in higher order scalar tensor theories. The solutions are vacuum solutions of scalar tensor theory and no matter (exotic or regular) is introduced in order to support them. They are constructed via a general disformal transformation of a seed black hole solution. The seed solutions belong to a particular Horndeski theory which requires the presence of all extended Galileons and has a higher dimensional Lovelock origin. As a result, the resulting wormholes are always solutions of general beyond Horndeski theory. The particular class of wormholes we study are parametrised by their ADM mass and two coupling constants of the theory, one related to their higher dimensional Lovelock origin and one to the disformal transformation itself. The latter of the coupling constants affects the throat size of the wormhole solutions, thus giving them a compact or non-compact nature, as well as their properties.
Revisiting the Mass–Size Relation of Structures in Molecular Clouds
Authors: Xing Yuchen , Qiu Keping
Published: May 2022

We revisit the mass–size relation of molecular cloud structures based on the column density map of the Cygnus-X molecular cloud complex. We extract 135 column density peaks in Cygnus-X and analyze the column density distributions around these peaks. The averaged column density profiles, N(R), around all the peaks can be well fitted with broken power-laws, which are described by an inner power-law index n, outer power-law index m, and the radius R
TP and column density N
TP at the transition point. We then explore the M–R relation with different samples of cloud structures by varying the N(R) parameters and the column density threshold, N
0, which determines the boundary of a cloud structure. We find that only when N
0 has a wide range of values, the M–R relation may largely probe the density distribution, and the fitted power-law index of the M–R relation is related to the power-law index of N(R). On the contrary, with a constant N
0, the M–R relation has no direct connection with the density distribution; in this case, the fitted power-law index of the M–R relation is equal to 2 (when N
0 ≥ N
TP and n has a narrow range of values), larger than 2 (when N
0 ≥ N
TP and n has a wide range of values), or slightly less than 2 (when N
0 < N
TP).
On the Relation Between Coronal Green Line Brightness and Magnetic Fields Intensity
Authors: Zhang Xue-Fei , Liu Yu , Zhao Ming-Yu , Song Teng-Fei , Wang Jing-Xing , Li Xiao-Bo , Li Zi-Han
Published: May 2022

Two-dimensional (2D) solar coronal magnetogram is difficult to be measured directly until now. From the previous knowledge, a general relation has been noticed that the brighter green-line brightness for corona, the higher coronal magnetic field intensity may correspond to. To try to further reveal the relationship between coronal green line brightness and magnetic field intensity, we use the 2D coronal images observed by Yunnan Observatories Green-line Imaging System (YOGIS) of the 10 cm Lijiang coronagraph and the coronal magnetic field maps calculated from the current-free extrapolations with the photospheric magnetograms taken by Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft. In our analysis, we identified the coronal loop structures and construct two-dimensional maps of the corresponding magnetic field intensity in the plane of the sky (POS) above the limb. We derive the correlation coefficients between the coronal brightness and the magnetic field intensity for different heights of coronal layers. We further use a linear combination of a Gaussian and a quadratic profile to fit the correlation coefficients distribution, finding a largest correlation coefficient of 0.82 near 1.1 R
⊙ (solar radii) where is almost the top of the closed loop system. For the small closed loop system identified, the correlation coefficient distributions crossing and covering the loop are calculated. We also investigate the correlation with extended heliocentric latitude zones and long period of one whole Carrington Rotation, finding again that the maximum correlation coefficient occurs at the same height. It is the first time for us to find that the correlation coefficients are high (all are larger than 0.8) at the loop-tops and showing poor correlation coefficients with some fluctuations near the feet of the coronal loops. Our findings indicate that, for the heating of the low-latitude closed loops, both DC (dissipation of currents) and AC (dissipation of Alfvén and magnetosonic waves) mechanisms should act simultaneously on the whole closed loop system while the DC mechanisms dominate in the loop-top regions. Therefore, in the distributions of the correlation coefficients with different heights of coronal layers, for both large- and small-scale latitude ranges, the coefficients can reach their maximum values at the same coronal height of 1.1 R
⊙, which may indicate the particular importance of the height of closed loops for studying the coupling of the local emission mechanism and the coronal magnetic fields, which maybe helpful for studying the origin of the low-speed solar wind.
QTIA, a 2.5 or 10 Gbps 4-channel array optical receiver ASIC in a 65 nm CMOS technology
Authors: Sun H. , Huang X. , Chao C.-P. , Chen S.-W. , Deng B. , Gong D. , Hou S. , Huang G. , Kulis S. , Li C.-Y. , Liu C. , Liu T. , Moreira P. , Sun Q. , Ye J. , Zhang L. , Zhang W.
Published: May 2022

The Quad transimpedance and limiting amplifier (QTIA) is a 4-channel array optical receiver ASIC, developed using a 65 nm CMOS process. It is configurable between the bit rate of 2.56 Gbps and 10 Gbps per channel. QTIA offers careful matching to both GaAs and InGaAs photodiodes. At this R&D stage, each channel has a different biasing scheme to the photodiode for optimal coupling. A charge pump is implemented in one channel to provide a higher reverse bias voltage, which is especially important to mitigate radiation effects on the photodiodes. The circuit functions of QTIA successfully passed the lab tests with GaAs photodiodes.
Prototyping and qualification of 2S modules for the CMS Outer Tracker upgrade at the HL-LHC
Authors: Zhang F. , Blanchot G. , Higginbotham S. , Honma A. , Kalogeropoulos A. , Kovacs M. , La Rosa A. , Nasr S.
Published: May 2022

In preparation for the High Luminosity LHC, the entire tracker detector of the CMS experiment will be exchanged as part of the Phase-2 Upgrade. The new Outer Tracker will comprise approximately 13,000 silicon sensor modules, of which 7608 are “2S modules” consisting of two parallel mounted silicon strip sensors, and 5592 are “PS modules” consisting of one pixel and one strip sensor in a single module. These modules provide tracking information to the level 1 trigger by correlating the hit information of both sensor layers, allowing discrimination of particle tracks by their transverse momentum. To guarantee successful operation during data-taking, the production of the outer tracker modules has to fulfill strict requirements. This note will discuss the assembly procedures as well as some key results of the electronic, thermal and vibration tests performed at CERN for qualifying the 2S module design and for preparing the module assembly procedures.
Annual runoff coefficient variation in a changing environment: a global perspective
Authors: Xiong Jinghua , Yin Jiabo , Guo Shenglian , He Shaokun , Chen Jie , Abhishek
Published: May 2022

Assessing variations in the annual runoff coefficient (RC) on a basin scale is crucial for understanding the hydrological cycle under natural and anthropogenic changes, yet a systematic global assessment remains unexamined from a water-balance perspective. Here, we combine observation-based runoff and precipitation datasets to quantify basin-averaged RC changes in 433 major global river basins during the period 1985–2014. Thereafter, the ratios of terrestrial water storage changes and evaporation to precipitation (SC and EC, respectively) are obtained to evaluate the factors driving the RC changes. The results show that 12.93% of the basins experience significant decreasing trends in RC, with slopes ranging from −0.55 ± 0.17% yr−1 to −0.05 ± 0.02% yr−1, while 6.47% basins show increasing RCs with slopes ranging from 0.09 ± 0.04% yr−1 to 0.56 ± 0.17% yr−1. A higher percentage (62.95%) of basins reveal decreasing RCs for the regions with considerable human intervention compared to those (58.24%) with dominant natural variability. Changes in EC dominate the RC changes over 79.68% of the basins for both increasing and decreasing trends, with a maximum contribution (53.65%) from transpiration, among other partitioned components. Corroborated inferences from explicit investigation in the Yangtze River basin highlight the robustness of our results for global water managers and policymakers.
Fear of Cancer Recurrence and Sleep in Couples Coping With Early-Stage Breast Cancer
Authors: Perndorfer Christine , Soriano Emily C , Siegel Scott D , Spencer Rebecca M C , Otto Amy K , Laurenceau Jean-Philippe
Published: May 2022

Background

Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and sleep disturbance are common in cancer survivors. Yet, little research has examined their relationship, and even less is known about what links may exist between these variables among the intimate partners of cancer survivors.

Purpose

This study examines the relationship between FCR and sleep disturbance in breast cancer survivors and their partners. Using daily sleep data collected at two distinct periods early in survivorship—the completion of adjuvant treatment and the first post-treatment mammogram—higher survivor and partner FCR was hypothesized to predict greater sleep disturbance.

Methods

Breast cancer survivors and intimate partners (N = 76 couples; 152 individuals) each reported sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep onset latency, and wake after sleep onset each morning of two 21-day sleep diary bursts during the first year post-diagnosis. Three validated measures formed latent FCR factors for survivors and partners, which were used to predict average daily sleep.

Results

Across both sleep diary bursts, survivor FCR was associated with their own reduced sleep duration, reduced sleep quality, and greater sleep onset latency. Survivor FCR was also associated with their partners’ reduced sleep quality and greater sleep onset latency. Partner FCR was associated with their own reduced sleep duration, reduced sleep quality, and greater sleep onset latency. Partner FCR was also associated with survivors’ reduced sleep quality.

Conclusions

Findings revealed intrapersonal and interpersonal associations between FCR and sleep disturbance, addressing gaps in knowledge on FCR and an outcome with known short- and long-term implications for health and mortality.
Genomic landscape of chemical-induced lung tumors under Nrf2 different expression levels
Authors: Satoh Hironori , Arai Yasuhito , Furukawa Eisaku , Moriguchi Takashi , Hama Natsuko , Urushidate Tomoko , Totoki Yasushi , Kato Mamoru , Ohe Yuichiro , Yamamoto Masayuki , Shibata Tatsuhiro
Published: May 2022

The transcription factor Nrf2 plays a crucial role in the anti-oxidative stress response, protection of DNA from injury and DNA repair mechanisms. Nrf2 activity reduces cancer initiation, but how Nrf2 affects whole-genome alterations upon carcinogenic stimulus remains unexplored. Although recent genome-wide analysis using next-generation sequencing revealed landscapes of nucleotide mutations and copy number alterations in various human cancers, genomic changes in murine cancer models have not been thoroughly examined. We elucidated the relationship between Nrf2 expression levels and whole exon mutation patterns using an ethyl-carbamate (urethane)-induced lung carcinogenesis model employing Nrf2-deficient and Keap1-kd mice, the latter of which express high levels of Nrf2. Exome analysis demonstrated that single nucleotide and trinucleotide mutation patterns and the Kras mutational signature differed significantly and were dependent on the expression level of Nrf2. The Nrf2-deficient tumors exhibited fewer copy number alterations relative to the Nrf2-wt and Keap1-kd tumors. The observed trend in genomic alterations likely prevented the Nrf2-deficient tumors from progressing into malignancy. For the first time, we present whole-exome sequencing results for chemically-induced lung tumors in the Nrf2 gain or loss of function mouse models. Our results demonstrate that different Nrf2 expression levels lead to distinct gene mutation patterns that underly different oncogenic mechanisms in each tumor genotype.
Harmonic Measure Is Absolutely Continuous with Respect to the Hausdorff Measure on All Low-Dimensional Uniformly Rectifiable Sets
Authors: David G , Mayboroda S
Published: May 2022

It was recently shown that the harmonic measure is absolutely continuous with respect to the Hausdorff measure on a domain with an $n-1$ dimensional uniformly rectifiable boundary, in the presence of now well-understood additional topological constraints. The topological restrictions, while mild, are necessary, as the counterexamples of Bishop and Jones show, and no analogues of these results have been available for higher co-dimensional sets. In the present paper, we show that for any $d<n-1$ and for any domain with a $d$-dimensional uniformly rectifiable boundary the elliptic measure of an appropriate degenerate elliptic operator is absolutely continuous with respect to the Hausdorff measure of the boundary. There are no topological or dimensional restrictions contrary to the aforementioned results. Résumé en Français. On sait que la mesure harmonique associée à un domaine de ${\mathbb {R}}^n$ dont la frontière est uniformément rectifiable de dimension $n-1$ est absolument continue par rapport à la mesure de surface, sous des conditions topologiques récemment bien comprises. Ces conditions, bien que faibles, sont nécessaires, comme l’ont montré des contre exemples de C. Bishop and P. Jones. On ne disposait pas jusqu’ici de résultats analogues lorsque la frontière est de codimension plus grande. On démontre dans cet article que lorsque la frontière est uniformément rectifiable de dimension $d < n-1$, la mesure elliptique associée à des opérateurs elliptiques dégénérés appropriés est absolument continue par rapport à la mesure de Hausdorff, sans avoir besoin de condition topologique supplémentaire.
Carry That Weight! The Challenge of Managing Weight Changes During Inpatient Admission for Patients With Burn Injuries ≥20% TBSA
Authors: Lagziel Tomer , Akhavan Arya A , Yoon Joshua S , Martinez Stephanie L , Cox Carrie A , Duraes Eliana F R , Hultman Charles Scott , Caffrey Julie
Published: May 2022

The hypermetabolic state of patients with ≥20% total body surface area (TBSA) causes loss of muscle mass and compromised immune function with delayed wound healing. Weight loss is most severe in patients with ≥20% TBSA with initial weight gain due to fluid resuscitation. The American Burn Association (ABA) proposed quality measures for burn injury admissions, including weight loss from admission to discharge. We assessed how our outcomes adhere to these measures and if they correlate with previously described results. We retrospectively reviewed adult admissions with ≥20% TBSA burn injuries from 2016 to 2021. Four groups were established based on %TBSA: 20% to 29% (Group 1), 30% to 39% (Group 2), 40% to 59% (Group 3), and ≥60% (Group 4). We assessed weight changes from admission to discharge and performed multivariate analyses to account for age, sex, total surgeries, and length of stay. Data from 123 patients revealed 40 with 20% to 29% TBSA, 29 with 30% to 39% TBSA, 33 with 40% to 59% TBSA, 21 with ≥60% TBSA. A significant difference in weight loss was observed when comparing Groups 1 and 2 and Groups 3 and 4 (Group 1: −3.63%, Group 2: −2%, Group 3: −9.28%, Group 4: −13.85%; P-value ≤ .05). Groups 3 and 4 had significantly longer lengths of stay compared to Groups 1 and 2 (Group 1: 32.16, Group 2: 37.5, Group 3: 71.13, Group 4: 87.18; P-value ≤ .01). Most patients that experienced weight loss during their admission had <15% weight loss. We found no significant difference in outcomes for patients receiving oxandrolone vs not. The mean weight change was −11% for patients with an overall weight loss and +5% for patients with an overall weight gain. The significant difference between the two groups was admission body mass index (BMI; loss: 30.4 kg/m2, gain: 26.0 kg/m2; P-value ≤ .05). Patients with ≥20% TBSA suffer weight changes, likely due to metabolic disturbances. Increased length of stay and higher %TBSA may be associated with greater weight loss. Patients experiencing weight gain had lower admission BMI suggesting that patients with higher BMI are more prone to weight loss. Our findings support that patients with %TBSA ≥40 are unique, requiring specialized nutritional protocols and metabolic analysis.
Impact of Chronic Alcohol Use on Fluid Resuscitation in Burn Patients
Authors: McEwan Sasha , Iles Kathleen , Chrisco Lori , Pak Joyce , Agala Chris B , Williams Felicia N , King Booker , Nizamani Rabia
Published: May 2022

Acute alcohol intoxication in burn patients has been associated with increased mortality, renal dysfunction, and difficulty with adequate fluid resuscitation. It is less clear how chronic alcohol use, regardless of intoxication status on admission, impacts patient outcomes. In this study, we examine varying levels of alcohol use in burn patients and its impact on both short- and long-term outcomes.
Microspines in tropical climbing plants: a small-scale fix for life in an obstacle course
Authors: Lehnebach Romain , Paul-Victor Cloé , Courric Elisa , Rowe Nick P
Published: May 2022

Many climbing plants have microspines on their stems, which facilitate attachment and prevent slipping and falling from host plant supports. Extending via growth through complex environments and anchoring stems to substrates with minimal contact forces are key benefits for climbing plants. Microspines are also highly desirable features for new technologies and applications in soft robotics. Using a novel sled-like device, we investigated static and sliding attachment forces generated by stems in 10 species of tropical climber from French Guiana differing in size and climbing habit. Eight species showed higher static and sliding forces when their stems were pulled in the basal direction against a standard surface than in the apical direction. This anisotropic behaviour suggests that tropical climbers have evolved different ratchet-like mechanisms that allow easy sliding forwards but are resistant to slipping downwards. The presence of a downwards ‘stick-and-slip’ phenomenon, where static attachment is not significantly stronger than maximal sliding attachment, was present in most species apart from three showing relatively weak attachment by microspines. This indicates that diverse microspine attachment strategies exist in climbing plants. This diversity of functional properties offers a range of potential design specifications for climbing strategies on different substrates for artificial climbing artefacts.
Establishing neuronal polarity: microtubule regulation during neurite initiation
Authors: Higgs Victoria E , Das Raman M
Published: May 2022

The initiation of nascent projections, or neurites, from the neuronal cell body is the first stage in the formation of axons and dendrites, and thus a critical step in the establishment of neuronal architecture and nervous system development. Neurite formation relies on the polarized remodelling of microtubules, which dynamically direct and reinforce cell shape, and provide tracks for cargo transport and force generation. Within neurons, microtubule behaviour and structure are tightly controlled by an array of regulatory factors. Although microtubule regulation in the later stages of axon development is relatively well understood, how microtubules are regulated during neurite initiation is rarely examined. Here, we discuss how factors that direct microtubule growth, remodelling, stability and positioning influence neurite formation. In addition, we consider microtubule organization by the centrosome and modulation by the actin and intermediate filament networks to provide an up-to-date picture of this vital stage in neuronal development.
Pulmonary Endothelial Activation with COVID‐19: Possible Role of Reactive Oxygen Species
Authors: Paul Oindrila , Tao JianQin , Arguiri Evgenia , Christofidou‐Solomidou Melpo , Jain Nikita , Chatterjee Shampa
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Recent research suggests that endothelial activation plays a role in COVID‐19 pathogenesis by promoting a pro‐coagulative and pro‐inflammatory state. However, the mechanism by which the endothelium is activated in COVID‐19 is unclear.

Objective

To investigate the mechanism by which COVID‐19 activates the pulmonary endothelium.

Hypothesis

The pulmonary endothelium generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon exposure to the “inflammatory load” of the systemic circulation.

Methods

COVID‐19 was recreated in vitro and ex vivo, by exposing human lung endothelial cells (EC) or donor human lung slices (human precision‐cut lung slices or huPCLS) to medium supplemented with serum from COVID‐19 affected subjects. Sera were acquired from patients with COVID‐19 infection admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania. ROS (fluorescent dye, CellROX) and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM‐1) levels were assessed by fluorescence labeling and imaging.

Results

Both EC activation (as monitored by ROS production) and pro‐inflammatory phenotype (as assessed by ICAM‐1), were significantly higher with COVID‐19 as compared to normal subjects.

Conclusions

The endothelium is activated with COVID‐19 via ROS production; thus, the ROS produced drive a pro‐inflammatory phenotype by inducing the expression of ICAM‐1, a pivotal marker of endothelium inflammation. As ROS mediates EC activation and inflammation during COVID‐19, ROS blockade could be a therapeutic target in maintaining vascular health.
Comparing Prone Positioning Use in COVID-19 Versus Historic Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Authors: Hochberg Chad H. , Psoter Kevin J. , Sahetya Sarina K. , Nolley Eric P. , Hossen Shakir , Checkley William , Kerlin Meeta P. , Eakin Michelle N. , Hager David N.
Published: May 2022

IMPORTANCE:

Use of prone positioning in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) from COVID-19 may be greater than in patients treated for ARDS before the pandemic. However, the magnitude of this increase, sources of practice variation, and the extent to which use adheres to guidelines is unknown.

OBJECTIVES:

To compare prone positioning practices in patients with COVID-19 ARDS versus ARDS treated before the pandemic.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:

We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study of mechanically ventilated patients with early moderate-to-severe ARDS from COVID-19 (2020–2021) or ARDS from non-COVID-19 pneumonia (2018–2019) across 19 ICUs at five hospitals in Maryland.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:

The primary outcome was initiation of prolonged prone positioning (≥ 16 hr) within 48 hours of meeting oxygenation criteria. Comparisons were made between cohorts and within subgroups including academic versus community hospitals, and medical versus nonmedical ICUs. Other outcomes of interest included time to proning initiation, duration of prone sessions and temporal trends in proning frequency.

RESULTS:

Proning was initiated within 48 hours in 227 of 389 patients (58.4%) with COVID-19 and 11 of 123 patients (8.9%) with historic ARDS (49.4% absolute increase [95% CI for % increase, 41.7–57.1%]). Comparing COVID-19 to historic ARDS, increases in proning were similar in academic and community settings but were larger in medical versus nonmedical ICUs. Proning was initiated earlier in COVID-19 versus historic ARDS (median hours (hr) from oxygenation criteria, 12.9 vs 30.6; p = 0.002) and proning sessions were longer (median hr, 43.0 vs 28.0; p = 0.01). Proning frequency increased rapidly at the beginning of the pandemic and was sustained.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:

We observed greater overall use of prone positioning, along with shorter time to initiation and longer proning sessions in ARDS from COVID-19 versus historic ARDS. This rapid practice change can serve as a model for implementing evidence-based practices in critical care.
Medical Countermeasure Requirements to Meet NASA’s Space Radiation Permissible Exposure Limits for a Mars Mission Scenario
Authors: Werneth Charles M. , Slaba Tony C. , Huff Janice L. , Patel Zarana S. , Simonsen Lisa C.
Published: May 2022

The space radiation environment consists of a complex mixture of ionizing particles that pose significant health risks to crew members. NASA currently requires that an astronaut’s career Risk of Exposure Induced Death (REID) for cancer mortality should not exceed 3% at the upper 95% confidence level. This career radiation limit is likely to be exceeded for even the shortest round-trip mission scenario to Mars. As such, NASA has begun to pursue more vigorously approaches to directly reduce radiation risks, despite the large uncertainties associated with such projections. A recent study considered cohort studies of aspirin and warfarin as possible medical countermeasures (MCMs) acting to reduce background cancer mortality rates used in astronaut risk projections. It was shown that such MCMs can reduce the REID for specific tissues in restricted time intervals over which the drugs were administered; however, the cumulative effect on total lifetime REID was minimal. As an extension, the present work addresses more general MCM requirements that would be needed to meet current NASA radiation limits for a Mars mission scenario. A sensitivity analysis is performed within the major components of the NASA cancer risk model that would likely be modified by MCM interventions. This includes the background cancer incidence and mortality rates, epidemiologically based hazard rates derived from acute terrestrial exposures, and radiation quality factors used to translate terrestrial exposures to space radiation. Relationships between possible MCMs and each of these components are discussed. Results from this study provide important information regarding MCM requirements needed to meet NASA limits for planned Mars missions. Insight into the types of countermeasures expected to yield greatest reductions in crew risk is also gained.
B-cell Receptor Signaling Induced Metabolic Alterations in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Can Be Partially Bypassed by TP53 Abnormalities
Authors: Kluckova Katarina , Clear Andrew J. , D’Avola Annalisa , Rassenti Laura Z. , Kipps Thomas J. , Gribben John G. , Riches John C.
Published: May 2022

It has been unclear what role metabolism is playing in the pathophysiology of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). One reason is that the study of CLL metabolism is challenging due to the resting nature of circulating CLL cells. Also, it is not clear if any of the genomic aberrations observed in this disease have any impact on metabolism. Here, we demonstrate that CLL cells in proliferation centers exhibit upregulation of several molecules involved in glycolysis and mitochondrial metabolism. Comparison of CXCR4/CD5 intraclonal cell subpopulations showed that these changes are paralleled by increases in the metabolic activity of the CXCR4lowCD5high fraction that have recently egressed from the lymph nodes. Notably, anti-IgM stimulation of CLL cells recapitulates many of these metabolic alterations, including increased glucose uptake, increased lactate production, induction of glycolytic enzymes, and increased respiratory reserve. Treatment of CLL cells with inhibitors of B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling blocked these anti-IgM-induced changes in vitro, which was mirrored by decreases in hexokinase 2 expression in CLL cells from ibrutinib-treated patients in vivo. Interestingly, several samples from patients with 17p-deletion manifested increased spontaneous aerobic glycolysis in the unstimulated state suggestive of a BCR-independent metabolic phenotype. We conclude that the proliferative fraction of CLL cells found in lymphoid tissues or the peripheral blood of CLL patients exhibit increased metabolic activity when compared with the bulk CLL-cell population. Although this is due to microenvironmental stimulatory signals such as BCR-engagement in most cases, increases in resting metabolic activity can be observed in cases with 17p-deletion.
Preservation of Infraorbital Nerve in Orbital Floor and Maxillary Defect Reconstruction With Patient-Specific Three-Dimensional Implant: A Case Report
Authors: Cung Thai-Duong , Hu Shirley , Govindaraj Satish , Elahi Ebby
Published: May 2022

Reconstruction of orbitomaxillary defects poses many operative challenges because it requires consideration of cosmetic as well as functional elements: reestablishing facial symmetry while constituting the orbital volume and preserving involved neurovascular structures. The development of patient-specific polyetheretherketone implants have revolutionized complex craniofacial reconstruction due to its adaptability to anatomic constraints and accommodation of vital structures. Herein, we described 2 cases of orbitomaxillary reconstruction using PEEK implant with novel modifications to preserve the infraorbital nerve with optimal cosmetic outcomes and minimal postoperative morbidity.
Quantitative Analysis of Preoperative and Postoperative Photographs Posted on Social Media by Oculoplastic Surgeons
Authors: Maamari Robi N. , Farhood Zachary , Holds John B. , Couch Steven M.
Published: May 2022

Purpose:

To investigate and quantitatively analyze preoperative and postoperative photographs posted on social media by oculoplastic surgeons.

Methods:

Pre- and postoperative blepharoplasty photographs posted by oculoplastic surgeons on the social media platform Instagram were identified over a 4-month period. Photographs demonstrating a frontal pose of the periocular region were selected, and image analysis was performed to compare the preoperative and postoperative photographs. Quantitative image analysis was performed with a semiautomated script using ImageJ (v1.52k) software. Image analysis compared magnification, patient position, luminosity, relative color profiles, and edge detection/sharpness. Three oculoplastic surgeons graded these imaging metrics for the same photoset and the consensus grade was assigned to each category. Finally, the quantitative calculations were then compared with the consensus grades to develop receiver operating characteristic curves for further analysis.

Results:

The study included 104 posts from 35 members of ASOPRS. Regarding patient positioning, 9 postings were 5%–10% offset from the patients’ center, and 6 postings were more than 10% from the patients’ center. The majority of photosets demonstrated less than or equal to 2.5% difference in magnification (69/104), with 7 postings demonstrating a greater than 5% difference, and 3 postings exhibiting greater than 10% difference in magnification. In the periocular region, 17.3% (18/104) of postings were found to have a greater than 10% difference in luminosity (>25.5 pixel-value). A more than 5% difference (>12.75 pixel-value) in pre- and postoperative edge-detection measurements was identified in 12 of 104 postings. In 22 of 104 photosets, the mean absolute deviation in color channel ratios was more than 0.01 and 15 of 104 photosets were found to have a mean absolute deviation more than 0.05.

Conclusions:

Numerous quantifiable photographic inconsistencies were identified in surgical photographs posted on social media by members of ASOPRS. Adoption of an automated image analysis tool that compares before-and-after surgical photographs could promote standardized oculoplastic surgery photography on social media.
Astrocytic phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 regulates neuropathic pain by facilitating 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase–dependent cholesterol biosynthesis
Authors: Fang Yehong , Cui Huan , Liu Fan , Su Si , Wang Tao , Yuan Bo , Xie Yikuan , Ma Chao
Published: May 2022

Recent studies have noted the role of the phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) in developing neuropathic pain, but the underlying mechanisms are obscure. We found that PTEN was mainly expressed in astrocytes in the rat spinal cord and dramatically downregulated after chronic constriction injury (CCI). Intrathecal injection of a PTEN inhibitor induced pain-related behaviors in naive rats. By contrast, administration of a PTEN protector effectively mitigated CCI-induced pain. Adeno-associated virus–mediated overexpression of astrocytic PTEN in the spinal cord reduced glial activation and neuroinflammation and subsequently alleviated pain-related behaviors. Importantly, astrocyte-specific PTEN knockout (Pten conditional knockout, Pten CKO) mice showed nociceptive sensitization and glial activation. Proteomic analysis revealed that PTEN overexpression upregulated at least 7 enzymes in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway and the total cholesterol level in the spinal cord of CCI rats. Furthermore, PTEN directly interacted with enzymes, including 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. Astrocytic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase overexpression alleviated both CCI-induced pain and mechanical allodynia in Pten CKO mice. Finally, cholesterol replenishment attenuated CCI-induced pain and suppressed spinal glial activation. Taken together, these findings imply that spinal astrocytic PTEN plays a beneficial role in CCI-induced pain by regulating cholesterol biosynthesis, and an increased level of PTEN may accelerate cholesterol biosynthesis and reduce glial activation, thereby alleviating neuropathic pain. Recovery of PTEN or cholesterol might be an effective therapeutic strategy for neuropathic pain.
Effects of acupuncture treatment on posttraumatic headache after traumatic brain injury in patients
Authors: Wen Xi , Yang Yang , Li Yunhai , Liu Tong , Liu Yue , Wang Xiaoyin , Lu Fangyi , Yu Chanzhen , Xu Nenggui
Published: May 2022

Background:

Posttraumatic headache (PTH) after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common clinical symptom, which refers to a headache that occurs after TBI. Acupuncture is often used for the treatment of such patients in China, and significant clinical effects have been achieved. However, to date, its efficacy has not been methodically evaluated. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide evidence to prove the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of PTH in patients with TBI.

Methods:

This systematic review will be conducted in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols. The following electronic databases will be searched from their inception to February 2022: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, and Chinese databases such as Chinese Biomedical Literature (CBM), Chinese Medical Current Content (CMCC), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), WanFang Database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). No language restrictions will be applied to the search strategy. Randomized controlled trials and cohort and case-control studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be included in this study. The meta-analysis will be performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Each session of this systematic review will be conducted independently by 2 members.

Results:

This review evaluates the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of PTH after TBI.

Conclusion:

This review provides substantial evidence for the clinical application of acupuncture in PTH treatment after TBI.

Ethics and dissemination:

Since the data in this study will be retrieved from published trials, therefore the Patient Consent Statement and Ethical Approval are not required. We will disseminate our results by publishing the research in a peer-reviewed journal.

Trail registration number:

The protocol was registered in INPLASY (INPLASY 202220073).
Association between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and risk of peripheral artery disease in diabetes mellitus
Authors: Chen Kai-Hua , Wang Ting-Yao , Lee Chuan-Pin , Yang Yao-Hsu , McIntyre Roger S. , Subramaniapillai Mehala , Lee Yena , Chen Vincent Chin-Hung
Published: May 2022

An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the bidirectional hemostatic effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) on the risk of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. However, no previous study has focused on the relationship between SSRI and the risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD) in diabetes mellitus (DM). We sought to evaluate the association between SSRIs and the PAD risk in individuals with DM.

We conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study using data from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database from 1999 to 2010 in Taiwan. A total of 5049 DM patients were included and divided into 2 groups: DM with SSRI users and DM with SSRI non-users. Propensity score matching and 1-year landmark analysis were used for our study design. Stratified Cox proportional hazard regressions were used to analyze the hazard ratio of the PAD risk in certain subgroups.

DM with SSRI users did not affect the PAD risk compared to DM with SSRI non-users. These findings were consistent with all sensitivity analyses (i.e., age, sex, SSRI doses, antithrombotic medication use, and medical and psychiatric comorbidities).

In this study, we found that there was no significant difference of PAD risk between DM with SSRI users and DM with SSRI non-users. DM with SSRI user did not affect PAD risk across any SSRI dose, age, sex, antithrombotic medications, and multiple comorbidities in the subgroup analysis.