bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treatment, outcome and re-vaccination of patients with SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-associated immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Ruzicka Michael , Wurm Sonja , Lindner Lars , Dreyling Martin , von Bergwelt-Baildon Michael , Boeck Stefan , Giessen-Jung Clemens , Milani Valeria , Stemmler Joachim H. , Subklewe Marion , Weigert Oliver , Spiekermann Karsten
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Following the emergency use authorization of BNT162b2 by the Food and Drug administration (FDA) in early December 2020, mRNA- and vector-based vaccines became an important means of reducing the spread and mortality of the COVID-19 pandemic. The European Medicines Agency labelled immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) as a rare adverse reaction of unknown frequency after vector-, but not mRNA-vaccination. Here, we report on the long-term outcome of 6 patients who were diagnosed with de-novo, vaccine-associated ITP (VA-ITP), and on the outcome of subsequent SARS-CoV-2 re-vaccinations.

Methods

Patients were included after presenting to our emergency department. Therapy was applied according to ITP guidelines. Follow-up data were obtained from outpatient departments. Both mRNA- or vector-based vaccines were each used in 3 cases, respectively.

Results

In all patients, the onset of symptoms occurred after the 1st dose of vaccine was applied. 5 patients required treatment, 3 of them 2nd line therapy. All patients showed a complete response eventually. After up to 359 days of follow-up, 2 patients were still under 2nd line therapy with thrombopoietin receptor agonists. 5 patients have been re-vaccinated with up to 3 consecutive doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, 4 of them showing stable platelet counts hereafter.

Conclusion

Thrombocytopenia after COVID-19 vaccination should trigger a diagnostic workup to exclude vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) and, if confirmed, VA-ITP should be treated according to current ITP guidelines. Re-vaccination of patients seems feasible under close monitoring of blood counts and using a vaccine that differs from the one triggering the initial episode of VA-ITP.
Optimizing BLDC motor drive performance using particle swarm algorithm-tuned fuzzy logic controller
Authors: Shi Jun , Mi Qingtao , Cao Weifeng , Zhou Lintao
Published: October 2022

A brushless DC (BLDC) motor is synchronous motor with trapezoidal/square wave counter-electromotive force, which is a typical example of highly coupled nonlinear systems. In industrial control, BLDC motor drive usually uses proportional–integral (PI) controller to control the speed, but it is very difficult to adjust the scale factors. In this study, we present a particle swarm algorithm-tuned fuzzy logic-PI (PF-PI) controller applied to the speed control system. The objective of this paper is to optimally tune the PI controller parameters to obtain the best drive response. The scale factors are optimized using particle swarm optimized-PI (P-PI) controller and PF-PI controller. The three performance indicators integral time absolute error (ITAE), integral time square error (ITSE) and integral square error (ISE) are used to measure the effectiveness of PF-PI controller optimization. The results show that the optimal torque ripple and speed response curves are obtained by using ITAE as the performance indicator. The conclusions demonstrate that the proposed method provides superior dynamic performance for BLDC motor.

Highlights

In terms of research content, we propose a new PF-PI controller driven control system based on the traditional BLDC speed control system, and the applicability of three performance indicators on the controller is discussed.

In terms of research method, we compare the no-load start, variable speed and sudden addition disturbance load start capabilities of P-PI controller and PF-PI controller, and verify the fast and robustness of PF-PI controller.

In the research significance, the PI controller structure is improved and the dynamic performance of BLDC speed control system is enhanced.
The Africa-Diaspora Orbit: Anani Dzidzienyo’s Contributions to African/Black Studies and Black Liberation
Authors: Gyamfi Bright
Published: October 2022

Drawing on interviews and archival and published materials, Gyamfi reinterprets Anani Dzidzienyo’s significance as a Black Studies scholar and activist. Dzidzienyo was a pioneer in academic African diaspora studies who institutionalized the inclusion of Africa and Brazil. For fifty years, Dzidzienyo created Black Studies and Afro-Latin American programs, designed Afro-Brazilian courses that expanded Portuguese and Brazilian Studies, and supported freedom struggles in Africa and Brazil. In so doing, he built a transnational network of scholar-activists and institutions. Yet, for all this, scholars have mostly neglected Dzidzienyo’s work and wide influence on multiple fields of study and liberation movements.
A new species of the Ordovician horseshoe crab Lunataspis
Authors: Lamsdell James C. , Isotalo Phillip A. , Rudkin David M. , Martin Markus J.
Published: October 2022

Horseshoe crabs as a group are renowned for their morphological conservatism punctuated by marked shifts in morphology associated with the occupation of non-marine environments and have been suggested to exhibit a consistent developmental trajectory throughout their evolutionary history. Here, we report a new species of horseshoe crab from the Ordovician (Late Sandbian) of Kingston, Ontario, Canada, from juvenile and adult material. This new species provides critical insight into the ontogeny and morphology of the earliest horseshoe crabs, indicating that at least some Palaeozoic forms had freely articulating tergites anterior to the fused thoracetron and an opisthosoma comprising 13 segments.
Disease, DPs, and DDT: A Global Health Perspective on the History of Refugee Relief
Authors: Bailey Roderick
Published: October 2022

At the end of the Second World War, millions of men, women, and children shared a similar experience: delousing, at the hands of Allied armies and relief agencies, to prevent the spread of infectious disease. The procedure lasted seconds. In studies of displaced populations in this period, its effects upon them are commonly presented as invasive, humiliating, and, for some, reminiscent of Nazi abuse. Adopting a wider lens, this article explores how events and developments in a global range of settings shaped demands for effective delousing as well as the character of measures devised to achieve it. Harnessing fresh perspectives on how delousing was managed, delivered, and experienced, the article also advances understanding of how refugees responded to it.
ECONOMIC THEORY, REFORMISM, AND THE EMERGENCE OF ECONOMIC RIGHTS: MODELS OF IDENTIFICATION AND DISSOCIATION IN THE EUROPEAN CORPORATIONS OF TRADES DURING THE “LONG” EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
Authors: Rodríguez Gonzálvez Francisco Jorge
Published: October 2022

This study addresses the incompatibility question between the corporate organization of industry and a system based on the general recognition of economic rights and freedoms in continental western Europe. A dissociation/identification model based on a comparative analysis verifies the consistency of the premise that makes the emergence of economic rights possible only after suppressing the corporations of trades. The model stems coherently from the ideas of eighteenth-century political economists and crystallizes in reform policies aimed at eliminating corporate elements contrary to economic freedoms. The results directly link the intellectual model and the actual expressions of economic rights within the declarations written at the end of the old regime. While dissociation creates an opportunity for corporate continuity within a framework of recognized economic freedoms, the French identification model implies the suppression of corporations.
Health risk and the welfare effects of Social Security
Authors: Bagchi Shantanu , Jung Juergen
Published: October 2022

We quantify the importance of idiosyncratic health risk in a calibrated general equilibrium model of Social Security. We construct an overlapping generations model with rational-expectations households, idiosyncratic labor income and health risk, profit-maximizing firms, incomplete insurance markets, and a government that provides pensions and health insurance. We calibrate this model to the US economy and perform two computational experiments:
$\left (i\right)$
cutting Social Security’s payroll tax, and
$\left (ii\right)$
modifying Social Security’s benefit-earnings rule. Our findings suggest that health risk amplifies the welfare implications of both experiments: downsizing Social Security always leads to higher overall welfare, but the welfare gain is larger when we account for health risk, and increasing the progressivity of Social Security’s benefit-earnings rule has a larger positive effect on welfare in the presence of health risk. We also find that allowing households additional tools to self-insure against health risk weakens the precautionary motive, so our experiments have similar welfare implications both with and without health risk.
Characterizing sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) varieties diversity to identify those with contrasting traits of interest for intercropping systems in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of West Africa
Authors: Ganeme Aminata , Kondombo Clarisse Pulchérie , Raboin Louis-Marie , Dusserre Julie , Kabore Roger , Adam Myriam , Traoré Salifou
Published: October 2022

Sorghum is an important staple crop in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the Sudano-Sahelian zone of West Africa, sorghum is mainly intercropped with cowpea, but these intercropping systems are facing low-productivity problems. The overall aim of this research was to identify sorghum varieties with different agro-morphological and physiological traits that could improve the performance of the intercropping systems. We followed a two-step methodology comprising (i) identification of varieties and plant traits of interest in intercropping systems, using participatory methods, and (ii) agro-morpho-physiological characterization of 50 sorghum varieties, to examine the range of variation in traits of interest. The results show that landraces are the varieties most widely used by farmers, and that 82.5% of farmers consider the variety type they choose for intercropping to be important. Farmers mentioned plant height, number of leaves and stem diameter as important traits to consider. Analysis of variance showed significant differences between varieties for half of the 24 agro-morpho-physiological traits studied. Hierarchical clustering identified three main groups of varieties, distinguished by morphological traits such as stem diameter, total number and size of leaves (group 1), root traits (depth, growth angle, dry matter) and relative chlorophyll content (groups 2 and 3). Based on this classification, we recommend several varieties from each of the three groups, exhibiting contrasting traits, for an assessment of their performances in intercropping systems.
The Effect of Surface Heating Heterogeneity on Boundary Layer Height and Its Dependence on Background Wind Speed
Authors: Liu Rui , Liu Shaofeng , Huang Huishan , Dai Yongjiu , Zeng Xubin , Yuan Hua , Wei Zhongwang , Lu Xingjie , Wei Nan , Zhang Shupeng , Wei Junhong
Published: October 2022

The planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) is a fundamental variable of the planetary boundary layer (PBL). The effect of surface heterogeneity is challenging in the PBL parameterization for numerical weather and climate models. Here we use large eddy simulation data to investigate the impact of surface heating heterogeneity on the PBLH spatial variations and mean values over a domain of typical mesoscale model grid size. It is found that this impact depends on background wind condition. Variance decomposition and Fourier spectra both reveal that for the fully developed sheared convective PBL, surface heterogeneity contributes little to the spatial variation of PBLH, except for the case with heterogeneity scale of 14.4 km. This suggests that surface heterogeneity with length scales less than ∼10 km, which is typical for mesoscale modeling, does not induce significant subgrid spatial variation of PBLH. The domain‐averaged PBLH is found to generally increase as surface heterogeneity scale decreases, until reaching the scale on the order of PBLH. The findings can be used to inform the parameterization development of PBL processes over heterogeneous surface.
Tidal Constraints on the Martian Interior
Authors: Pou L. , Nimmo F. , Rivoldini A. , Khan A. , Bagheri A. , Gray T. , Samuel H. , Lognonné P. , Plesa A.‐C. , Gudkova T. , Giardini D.
Published: October 2022

We compare several recent Martian interior models and evaluate how these are impacted by the tidal constraints provided by the Love number k2 and the secular acceleration in longitude s of its main moon, Phobos. The expression of the latter is developed up to harmonic degree 5 to match the accuracy of the current observations. We match a number of current interior structure models to the recent measurements of the tidal parameters and derive estimations of the possible core radius, temperature profile, and attenuation in the Martian interior. Our estimation of the core radius is 1,820 ± 80 km, consistent with recent seismic measurements. The attenuation profiles in the Martian interior at the main tidal period of Phobos are similar between the considered models, giving a range for the degree‐2 bulk tidal attenuation Q2 = 93.0 ± 8.40 but diverge at seismic frequencies. At seismic frequencies, model shear attenuation Qμ ranges between 100 and 4,000 in the lower mantle, so that a measurement of seismic shear attenuation could be used as an effective means for distinguishing between the models considered. Other constraints such as elastic lithosphere thickness and Chandler Wobble period favor a thicker elastic lithosphere and models with a frequency dependence α of the shear attenuation between 0.15 and 0.4. Improved constraints on the Martian interior should be possible with additional seismic and radio observations from the InSight mission.
Upregulation of CRABP2 by TET1-mediated DNA hydroxymethylation attenuates mitochondrial apoptosis and promotes oxaliplatin resistance in gastric cancer
Authors: Tang Xiaolong , Liang Yahang , Sun Guorui , He Qingsi , Hou Zhenyu , Jiang Xingzhi , Gao Peng , Qu Hui
Published: October 2022

Oxaliplatin is the main chemotherapy drug for gastric cancer (GC), but quite a few patients are resistant to oxaliplatin, which contributes to the poor prognosis of GC patients. There is therefore an urgent need to identify potential targets for reversing chemotherapy resistance in GC patients. In this study, we analyzed the tumor samples of GC patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy based on oxaliplatin through quantitative proteomics and identified the potential chemoresistance-related protein cellular retinoic acid binding protein 2 (CRABP2). CRABP2 was significantly upregulated in the tumor tissues of chemoresistant GC patients and was closely related to prognosis. The results of cell function experiments showed that CRABP2 can promote the oxaliplatin resistance of GC cells in vitro. Coimmunoprecipitation and GST pulldown assays showed that CRAPB2 expedited the binding of BAX and PARKIN in GC cells and facilitated the ubiquitination-mediated degradation of BAX. Furthermore, both the in vitro assay and cell-derived xenograft (CDX) in vivo model verified that CRABP2 promoted oxaliplatin resistance by inhibiting BAX-dependent cell apoptosis. Further experiments proved that the abnormally high expression of CRABP2 in oxaliplatin-resistant GC cells was affected by TET1-mediated DNA hydroxymethylation. The patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model suggested that interference with CRABP2 reversed oxaliplatin resistance in GC in vivo. In conclusion, the results of our study show that CRABP2 was a key molecule in oxaliplatin resistance regulation and could be a new target for reversing the chemoresistance of GC.
Integrated stress response is involved in the 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol-induced unconventional cell death mechanism
Authors: Urano Yasuomi , Osaki Shoya , Chiba Ren , Noguchi Noriko
Published: October 2022

Perturbation of proteostasis triggers the adaptive responses that contribute to the homeostatic pro-survival response, whereas disruption of proteostasis can ultimately lead to cell death. Brain-specific oxysterol—i.e., 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol (24S-OHC)—has been shown to cause cytotoxicity when esterified by acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase 1 (ACAT1) in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Here, we show that the accumulation of 24S-OHC esters caused phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiator factor 2α (eIF2α), dissociation of polysomes, and formation of stress granules (SG), resulting in robust downregulation of global protein de novo synthesis in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. We also found that integrated stress response (ISR) activation through PERK and GCN2 activation induced by 24S-OHC treatment caused eIF2α phosphorylation. 24S-OHC-inducible SG formation and cell death were suppressed by inhibition of ISR. These results show that ACAT1-mediated 24S-OHC esterification induced ISR and formation of SG, which play crucial roles in 24S-OHC-inducible protein synthesis inhibition and unconventional cell death.
Proteotoxic stress-induced apoptosis in cancer cells: understanding the susceptibility and enhancing the potency
Authors: Iuliano Luca , Dalla Emiliano , Picco Raffaella , Mallavarapu Showmeya , Minisini Martina , Malavasi Eleonora , Brancolini Claudio
Published: October 2022

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is aggressive cancer with few therapeutic options. LMS cells are more sensitive to proteotoxic stress compared to normal smooth muscle cells. We used small compound 2c to induce proteotoxic stress and compare the transcriptomic adaptations of immortalized human uterine smooth muscle cells (HUtSMC) and LMS cells SK-UT-1. We found that the expression of the heat shock proteins (HSPs) gene family is upregulated with higher efficiency in normal cells. In contrast, the upregulation of BH3-only proteins is higher in LMS cells. HSF1, the master regulator of HSP transcription, is sequestered into transcriptionally incompetent nuclear foci only in LMS cells, which explains the lower HSP upregulation. We also found that several compounds can enhance the cell death response to proteotoxic stress. Specifically, when low doses were used, an inhibitor of salt-inducible kinases (SIKs) and the inhibitor of IRE1α, a key element of the unfolded protein response (UPR), support proteotoxic-induced cell death with strength in LMS cells and without effects on the survival of normal cells. Overall, our data provide an explanation for the higher susceptibility of LMS cells to proteotoxic stress and suggest a potential option for co-treatment strategies.
Tubular cell polyploidy protects from lethal acute kidney injury but promotes consequent chronic kidney disease
Authors: De Chiara Letizia , Conte Carolina , Semeraro Roberto , Diaz-Bulnes Paula , Angelotti Maria Lucia , Mazzinghi Benedetta , Molli Alice , Antonelli Giulia , Landini Samuela , Melica Maria Elena , Peired Anna Julie , Maggi Laura , Donati Marta , La Regina Gilda , Allinovi Marco , Ravaglia Fiammetta , Guasti Daniele , Bani Daniele , Cirillo Luigi , Becherucci Francesca , Guzzi Francesco , Magi Alberto , Annunziato Francesco , Lasagni Laura , Anders Hans-Joachim , Lazzeri Elena , Romagnani Paola
Published: October 2022

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequent, often fatal and, for lack of specific therapies, can leave survivors with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We characterize the distribution of tubular cells (TC) undergoing polyploidy along AKI by DNA content analysis and single cell RNA-sequencing. Furthermore, we study the functional roles of polyploidization using transgenic models and drug interventions. We identify YAP1-driven TC polyploidization outside the site of injury as a rapid way to sustain residual kidney function early during AKI. This survival mechanism comes at the cost of senescence of polyploid TC promoting interstitial fibrosis and CKD in AKI survivors. However, targeting TC polyploidization after the early AKI phase can prevent AKI-CKD transition without influencing AKI lethality. Senolytic treatment prevents CKD by blocking repeated TC polyploidization cycles. These results revise the current pathophysiological concept of how the kidney responds to acute injury and identify a novel druggable target to improve prognosis in AKI survivors.
Wax worm saliva and the enzymes therein are the key to polyethylene degradation by Galleria mellonella
Authors: Sanluis-Verdes A. , Colomer-Vidal P. , Rodriguez-Ventura F. , Bello-Villarino M. , Spinola-Amilibia M. , Ruiz-Lopez E. , Illanes-Vicioso R. , Castroviejo P. , Aiese Cigliano R. , Montoya M. , Falabella P. , Pesquera C. , Gonzalez-Legarreta L. , Arias-Palomo E. , Solà M. , Torroba T. , Arias C. F. , Bertocchini F.
Published: October 2022

Plastic degradation by biological systems with re-utilization of the by-products could be a future solution to the global threat of plastic waste accumulation. Here, we report that the saliva of Galleria mellonella larvae (wax worms) is capable of oxidizing and depolymerizing polyethylene (PE), one of the most produced and sturdy polyolefin-derived plastics. This effect is achieved after a few hours’ exposure at room temperature under physiological conditions (neutral pH). The wax worm saliva can overcome the bottleneck step in PE biodegradation, namely the initial oxidation step. Within the saliva, we identify two enzymes, belonging to the phenol oxidase family, that can reproduce the same effect. To the best of our knowledge, these enzymes are the first animal enzymes with this capability, opening the way to potential solutions for plastic waste management through bio-recycling/up-cycling.
Stratifin as a novel diagnostic biomarker in serum for diffuse alveolar damage
Authors: Arakawa Noriaki , Ushiki Atsuhito , Abe Mitsuhiro , Matsuyama Shinichiro , Saito Yoshinobu , Kashiwada Takeru , Horimasu Yasushi , Gemma Akihiko , Tatsumi Koichiro , Hattori Noboru , Tsushima Kenji , Miyashita Keiko , Saito Kosuke , Nakamura Ryosuke , Toyoda Takeshi , Ogawa Kumiko , Sato Motonobu , Takamatsu Kazuhiko , Mori Kazuhiko , Nishiya Takayoshi , Izumi Takashi , Ohno Yasuo , Saito Yoshiro , Hanaoka Masayuki
Published: October 2022

Among the various histopathological patterns of drug-induced interstitial lung disease (DILD), diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) is associated with poor prognosis. However, there is no reliable biomarker for its accurate diagnosis. Here, we show stratifin/14-3-3σ (SFN) as a biomarker candidate found in a proteomic analysis. The study includes two independent cohorts (including totally 26 patients with DAD) and controls (total 432 samples). SFN is specifically elevated in DILD patients with DAD, and is superior to the known biomarkers, KL-6 and SP-D, in discrimination of DILD patients with DAD from patients with other DILD patterns or other lung diseases. SFN is also increased in serum from patients with idiopathic DAD, and in lung tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with DAD. In vitro analysis using cultured lung epithelial cells suggests that extracellular release of SFN occurs via p53-dependent apoptosis. We conclude that serum SFN is a promising biomarker for DAD diagnosis.
Global forestation and deforestation affect remote climate via adjusted atmosphere and ocean circulation
Authors: Portmann Raphael , Beyerle Urs , Davin Edouard , Fischer Erich M. , De Hertog Steven , Schemm Sebastian
Published: October 2022

Forests can store large amounts of carbon and provide essential ecosystem services. Massive tree planting is thus sometimes portrayed as a panacea to mitigate climate change and related impacts. Recent controversies about the potential benefits and drawbacks of forestation have centered on the carbon storage potential of forests and the local or global thermodynamic impacts. Here we discuss how global-scale forestation and deforestation change the Earth’s energy balance, thereby affect the global atmospheric circulation and even have profound effects on the ocean circulation. We perform multicentury coupled climate model simulations in which preindustrial vegetation cover is either completely forested or deforested and carbon dioxide mixing ratio is kept constant. We show that global-scale forestation leads to a weakening and poleward shift of the Northern mid-latitude circulation, slows-down the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, and affects the strength of the Hadley cell, whereas deforestation leads to reversed changes. Consequently, both land surface changes substantially affect regional precipitation, temperature, clouds, and surface wind patterns across the globe. The design process of large-scale forestation projects thus needs to take into account global circulation adjustments and their influence on remote climate.
Noise-injected analog Ising machines enable ultrafast statistical sampling and machine learning
Authors: Böhm Fabian , Alonso-Urquijo Diego , Verschaffelt Guy , Van der Sande Guy
Published: October 2022

Ising machines are a promising non-von-Neumann computational concept for neural network training and combinatorial optimization. However, while various neural networks can be implemented with Ising machines, their inability to perform fast statistical sampling makes them inefficient for training neural networks compared to digital computers. Here, we introduce a universal concept to achieve ultrafast statistical sampling with analog Ising machines by injecting noise. With an opto-electronic Ising machine, we experimentally demonstrate that this can be used for accurate sampling of Boltzmann distributions and for unsupervised training of neural networks, with equal accuracy as software-based training. Through simulations, we find that Ising machines can perform statistical sampling orders-of-magnitudes faster than software-based methods. This enables the use of Ising machines beyond combinatorial optimization and makes them into efficient tools for machine learning and other applications.
Multicellular immune dynamics implicate PIM1 as a potential therapeutic target for uveitis
Authors: Li He , Xie Lihui , Zhu Lei , Li Zhaohuai , Wang Rong , Liu Xiuxing , Huang Zhaohao , Chen Binyao , Gao Yuehan , Wei Lai , He Chang , Ju Rong , Liu Yizhi , Liu Xialin , Zheng Yingfeng , Su Wenru
Published: October 2022

Uveitis is a severe autoimmune disease, and a common cause of blindness; however, its individual cellular dynamics and pathogenic mechanism remain poorly understood. Herein, by performing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU), we identify disease-associated alterations in cell composition and transcriptional regulation as the disease progressed, as well as a disease-related molecule, PIM1. Inhibiting PIM1 reduces the Th17 cell proportion and increases the Treg cell proportion, likely due to regulation of PIM1 to the protein kinase B (AKT)/Forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) pathway. Moreover, inhibiting PIM1 reduces Th17 cell pathogenicity and reduces plasma cell differentiation. Importantly, the upregulation of PIM1 in CD4+ T cells and plasma cells is conserved in a human uveitis, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH), and inhibition of PIM1 reduces CD4+ T and B cell expansion. Collectively, a dynamic immune cellular atlas during uveitis is developed and implicate that PIM1 may be a potential therapeutic target for VKH.
Expression strategies for the efficient synthesis of antimicrobial peptides in plastids
Authors: Hoelscher Matthijs P. , Forner Joachim , Calderone Silvia , Krämer Carolin , Taylor Zachary , Loiacono F. Vanessa , Agrawal Shreya , Karcher Daniel , Moratti Fabio , Kroop Xenia , Bock Ralph
Published: October 2022

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) kill microbes or inhibit their growth and are promising next-generation antibiotics. Harnessing their full potential as antimicrobial agents will require methods for cost-effective large-scale production and purification. Here, we explore the possibility to exploit the high protein synthesis capacity of the chloroplast to produce AMPs in plants. Generating a large series of 29 sets of transplastomic tobacco plants expressing nine different AMPs as fusion proteins, we show that high-level constitutive AMP expression results in deleterious plant phenotypes. However, by utilizing inducible expression and fusions to the cleavable carrier protein SUMO, the cytotoxic effects of AMPs and fused AMPs are alleviated and plants with wild-type-like phenotypes are obtained. Importantly, purified AMP fusion proteins display antimicrobial activity independently of proteolytic removal of the carrier. Our work provides expression strategies for the synthesis of toxic polypeptides in chloroplasts, and establishes transplastomic plants as efficient production platform for antimicrobial peptides.
Decoding the spatial chromatin organization and dynamic epigenetic landscapes of macrophage cells during differentiation and immune activation
Authors: Lin Da , Xu Weize , Hong Ping , Wu Chengchao , Zhang Zhihui , Zhang Siheng , Xing Lingyu , Yang Bing , Zhou Wei , Xiao Qin , Wang Jinyue , Wang Cong , He Yu , Chen Xi , Cao Xiaojian , Man Jiangwei , Reheman Aikebaier , Wu Xiaofeng , Hao Xingjie , Hu Zhe , Chen Chunli , Cao Zimeng , Yin Rong , Fu Zhen F. , Zhou Rong , Teng Zhaowei , Li Guoliang , Cao Gang
Published: October 2022

Immunocytes dynamically reprogram their gene expression profiles during differentiation and immunoresponse. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we develop a single-cell Hi-C method and systematically delineate the 3D genome and dynamic epigenetic atlas of macrophages during these processes. We propose “degree of disorder” to measure genome organizational patterns inside topologically-associated domains, which is correlated with the chromatin epigenetic states, gene expression, and chromatin structure variability in individual cells. Furthermore, we identify that NF-κB initiates systematic chromatin conformation reorganization upon Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. The integrated Hi-C, eQTL, and GWAS analysis depicts the atlas of the long-range target genes of mycobacterial disease susceptible loci. Among these, the SNP rs1873613 is located in the anchor of a dynamic chromatin loop with LRRK2, whose inhibitor AdoCbl could be an anti-tuberculosis drug candidate. Our study provides comprehensive resources for the 3D genome structure of immunocytes and sheds insights into the order of genome organization and the coordinated gene transcription during immunoresponse.
Recurrent neural networks with explicit representation of dynamic latent variables can mimic behavioral patterns in a physical inference task
Authors: Rajalingham Rishi , Piccato Aída , Jazayeri Mehrdad
Published: October 2022

Primates can richly parse sensory inputs to infer latent information. This ability is hypothesized to rely on establishing mental models of the external world and running mental simulations of those models. However, evidence supporting this hypothesis is limited to behavioral models that do not emulate neural computations. Here, we test this hypothesis by directly comparing the behavior of primates (humans and monkeys) in a ball interception task to that of a large set of recurrent neural network (RNN) models with or without the capacity to dynamically track the underlying latent variables. Humans and monkeys exhibit similar behavioral patterns. This primate behavioral pattern is best captured by RNNs endowed with dynamic inference, consistent with the hypothesis that the primate brain uses dynamic inferences to support flexible physical predictions. Moreover, our work highlights a general strategy for using model neural systems to test computational hypotheses of higher brain function.
Volcano-type relationship between oxidation states and catalytic activity of single-atom catalysts towards hydrogen evolution
Authors: Cao Dong , Xu Haoxiang , Li Hongliang , Feng Chen , Zeng Jie , Cheng Daojian
Published: October 2022

To date, the effect of oxidation state on activity remains controversial in whether higher or lower oxidation states benefit the enhancement of catalytic activity. Herein, we discover a volcanic relationship between oxidation state and hydrogen evolution reaction activity based on Os single-atom catalysts. Firstly, a series of Os SACs with oxidation states ranging from  + 0.9 to  + 2.9 are synthesized via modifying the coordination environments, including Os-N3S1, Os-N4, Os-S6, Os-C3, and Os-C4S2. A volcano-type relation between oxidation states and hydrogen evolution activity emerge with a summit at a moderate experimental oxidation state of  + 1.3 (Os-N3S1). Mechanism studies illustrate that with increasing oxidation states, the adsorption of H atoms on Os is strengthened due to increased energy level and decreased occupancy of anti-bonding states of Os-H bond until the anti-bonding states become empty. Further increasing the oxidation states weakens hydrogen adsorption because of the decreased occupancy of Os-H bonding states. In this work, we emphasize the essential role of oxidation state in manipulating activity, which offers insightful guidance for the rational design of single-atom catalysts.
Thermal management of chips by a device prototype using synergistic effects of 3-D heat-conductive network and electrocaloric refrigeration
Authors: Li Ming-Ding , Shen Xiao-Quan , Chen Xin , Gan Jia-Ming , Wang Fang , Li Jian , Wang Xiao-Liang , Shen Qun-Dong
Published: October 2022

With speeding up development of 5 G chips, high-efficient thermal structure and precise management of tremendous heat becomes a substantial challenge to the power-hungry electronics. Here, we demonstrate an interpenetrating architecture of electrocaloric polymer with highly thermally conductive pathways that achieves a 240% increase in the electrocaloric performance and a 300% enhancement in the thermal conductivity of the polymer. A scaled-up version of the device prototype for a single heat spot cooling of 5 G chip is fabricated utilizing this electrocaloric composite and electromagnetic actuation. The continuous three-dimensional (3-D) thermal conductive network embedded in the polymer acts as nucleation sites of the ordered dipoles under applied electric field, efficiently collects thermal energy at the hot-spots arising from field-driven dipolar entropy change, and opens up the high-speed conduction path of phonons. The synergy of two components, thus, tackles the challenge of sluggish heat dissipation of the electroactive polymers and their contact interfaces with low thermal conductivity, and more importantly, significantly reduces the electric energy for switching the dipolar states during the electrocaloric cycles, and increases the manipulable entropy at the low fields. Such a feasible solution is inevitable to the precisely fixed-point thermal management of next-generation smart microelectronic devices.
Two-particle time-domain interferometry in the fractional quantum Hall effect regime
Authors: Taktak I. , Kapfer M. , Nath J. , Roulleau P. , Acciai M. , Splettstoesser J. , Farrer I. , Ritchie D. A. , Glattli D. C.
Published: October 2022

Quasi-particles are elementary excitations of condensed matter quantum phases. Demonstrating that they keep quantum coherence while propagating is a fundamental issue for their manipulation for quantum information tasks. Here, we consider anyons, the fractionally charged quasi-particles of the Fractional Quantum Hall Effect occurring in two-dimensional electronic conductors in high magnetic fields. They obey anyonic statistics, intermediate between fermionic and bosonic. Surprisingly, anyons show large quantum coherence when transmitted through the localized states of electronic Fabry-Pérot interferometers, but almost no quantum interference when transmitted via the propagating states of Mach-Zehnder interferometers. Here, using a novel interferometric approach, we demonstrate that anyons do keep quantum coherence while propagating. Performing two-particle time-domain interference measurements sensitive to the two-particle Hanbury Brown Twiss phase, we find 53 and 60% visibilities for anyons with charges e/5 and e/3. Our results give a positive message for the challenge of performing controlled quantum coherent braiding of anyons.
Clinical severity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 lineages compared to BA.1 and Delta in South Africa
Authors: Wolter Nicole , Jassat Waasila , Walaza Sibongile , Welch Richard , Moultrie Harry , Groome Michelle J. , Amoako Daniel Gyamfi , Everatt Josie , Bhiman Jinal N. , Scheepers Cathrine , Tebeila Naume , Chiwandire Nicola , du Plessis Mignon , Govender Nevashan , Ismail Arshad , Glass Allison , Mlisana Koleka , Stevens Wendy , Treurnicht Florette K. , Subramoney Kathleen , Makatini Zinhle , Hsiao Nei-yuan , Parboosing Raveen , Wadula Jeannette , Hussey Hannah , Davies Mary-Ann , Boulle Andrew , von Gottberg Anne , Cohen Cheryl
Published: October 2022

Omicron lineages BA.4 and BA.5 drove a fifth wave of COVID-19 cases in South Africa. Here, we use the presence/absence of the S-gene target as a proxy for SARS-CoV-2 variant/lineage for infections diagnosed using the TaqPath PCR assay between 1 October 2021 and 26 April 2022. We link national COVID-19 individual-level data including case, laboratory test and hospitalisation data. We assess severity using multivariable logistic regression comparing the risk of hospitalisation and risk of severe disease, once hospitalised, for Delta, BA.1, BA.2 and BA.4/BA.5 infections. After controlling for factors associated with hospitalisation and severe outcome respectively, BA.4/BA.5-infected individuals had a similar odds of hospitalisation (aOR 1.24, 95% CI 0.98–1.55) and severe outcome (aOR 0.72, 95% CI 0.41–1.26) compared to BA.1-infected individuals. Newly emerged Omicron lineages BA.4/BA.5 showed similar severity to the BA.1 lineage and continued to show reduced clinical severity compared to the Delta variant.
Chiral superstructures of inorganic nanorods by macroscopic mechanical grinding
Authors: Yang Zhiwei , Wei Yanze , Wei Jingjing , Yang Zhijie
Published: October 2022

The development of mechanochemistry substantially expands the traditional synthetic realm at the molecular level. Here, we extend the concept of mechanochemistry from atomic/molecular solids to the nanoparticle solids, and show how the macroscopic grinding is being capable of generating chirality in self-assembled nanorod (NR) assemblies. Specifically, the weak van der Waals interaction is dominated in self-assembled NR assemblies when their surface is coated with aliphatic chains, which can be overwhelmed by a press-and-rotate mechanic force macroscopically. The chiral sign of the NR assemblies can be well-controlled by the rotating directions, where the clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation leads to the positive and negative Cotton effect in circular dichroism and circularly polarized luminescence spectra, respectively. Importantly, we show that the present approach can be applied to NRs of diverse inorganic materials, including CdSe, CdSe/CdS, and TiO2. Equally important, the as-prepared chiral NR assemblies could be served as porous yet robust chiral substrates, which enable to host other molecular materials and induce the chirality transfer from substrate to the molecular system.
Reference bioimaging to assess the phenotypic trait diversity of bryophytes within the family Scapaniaceae
Authors: Peters Kristian , König-Ries Birgitta
Published: October 2022

Macro- and microscopic images of organisms are pivotal in biodiversity research. Despite that bioimages have manifold applications such as assessing the diversity of form and function, FAIR bioimaging data in the context of biodiversity are still very scarce, especially for difficult taxonomic groups such as bryophytes. Here, we present a high-quality reference dataset containing macroscopic and bright-field microscopic images documenting various phenotypic characters of the species belonging to the liverwort family of Scapaniaceae occurring in Europe. To encourage data reuse in biodiversity and adjacent research areas, we annotated the imaging data with machine-actionable metadata using community-accepted semantics. Furthermore, raw imaging data are retained and any contextual image processing like multi-focus image fusion and stitching were documented to foster good scientific practices through source tracking and provenance. The information contained in the raw images are also of particular interest for machine learning and image segmentation used in bioinformatics and computational ecology. We expect that this richly annotated reference dataset will encourage future studies to follow our principles.
Parasocial relationships on YouTube reduce prejudice towards mental health issues
Authors: Lotun Shaaba , Lamarche Veronica M. , Samothrakis Spyridon , Sandstrom Gillian M. , Matran-Fernandez Ana
Published: October 2022

Intergroup contact has long been established as a way to reduce prejudice among society, but in-person interventions can be resource intensive and limited in reach. Parasocial relationships (PSRs) might navigate these problems by reaching large audiences with minimal resources and have been shown to help reduce prejudice in an extended version of contact theory. However, previous studies have shown inconsistent success. We assessed whether parasocial interventions reduce prejudice towards people with mental health issues by first creating a new PSR with a YouTube creator disclosing their experiences with borderline personality disorder. Our intervention successfully reduced explicit prejudice and intergroup anxiety. We corroborated these effects through causal analyses, where lower prejudice levels were mediated by the strength of parasocial bond. Preliminary findings suggest that this lower prejudice is sustained over time. Our results support the parasocial contact hypothesis and provide an organic method to passively reduce prejudice on a large scale.
Taming numerical errors in simulations of continuous variable non-Gaussian state preparation
Authors: Provazník Jan , Filip Radim , Marek Petr
Published: October 2022

Numerical simulation of continuous variable quantum state preparation is a necessary tool for optimization of existing quantum information processing protocols. A powerful instrument for such simulation is the numerical computation in the Fock state representation. It unavoidably uses an approximation of the infinite-dimensional Fock space by finite complex vector spaces implementable with classical digital computers. In this approximation we analyze the accuracy of several currently available methods for computation of the truncated coherent displacement operator. To overcome their limitations we propose an alternative with improved accuracy based on the standard matrix exponential. We then employ the method in analysis of non-Gaussian state preparation scheme based on coherent displacement of a two mode squeezed vacuum with subsequent photon counting measurement. We compare different detection mechanisms, including avalanche photodiodes, their cascades, and photon number resolving detectors in the context of engineering non-linearly squeezed cubic states and construction of qubit-like superpositions between vacuum and single photon states.
Bioprocess development for biosurfactant production by Natrialba sp. M6 with effective direct virucidal and anti-replicative potential against HCV and HSV
Authors: Hegazy Ghada E. , Abu-Serie Marwa M. , Abou-elela G. M. , Ghozlan Hanan , Sabry Soraya A. , Soliman Nadia A. , Teleb Mohamed , Abdel-Fattah Yasser R.
Published: October 2022

Halophilic archaea is considered an promising natural source of many important metabolites. This study focused on one of the surface-active biomolecules named biosurfactants produced by haloarchaeon Natrialba sp. M6. The production trend was optimized and the product was partially purified and identified using GC–Mass spectrometry. Sequential optimization approaches, Plackett–Burman (PB) and Box–Behnken Designs (BBD) were applied to maximize the biosurfactants production from M6 strain by using 14 factors; pH, NaCl, agitation and glycerol; the most significant factors that influenced the biosurfactant production were used for Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The final optimal production conditions were agitation (150 rpm), glycerol (3%), NaCl (20.8%), pH (12) and cultivation temperature (37°C). GC–Mass spectrometry for the recovered extract revealed the presence of a diverse group of bipolar nature, hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain and charged function group. The majority of these compounds are fatty acids. Based on results of GC–MS, compositional analysis content and Zetasizer, it was proposed that the extracted biosurfactant produced by haloarchaeon Natrialba sp. M6 could be a cationic lipoprotein. The antiviral activity of such biosurfactant was investigated against hepatitis C (HCV) and herpes simplex (HSV1) viruses at its maximum safe doses (20 μg/mL and 8 μg/mL, respectively). Its mode of antiviral action was declared to be primarily via deactivating viral envelopes thus preventing viral entry. Moreover, this biosurfactant inhibited RNA polymerase- and DNA polymerase-mediated viral replication at IC50 of 2.28 and 4.39 μg/mL, respectively also. Molecular docking studies showed that surfactin resided well and was bound to the specified motif with low and accepted binding energies (ΔG = − 5.629, − 6.997 kcal/mol) respectively. Therefore, such biosurfactant could be presented as a natural safe and effective novel antiviral agent.
Prediction of activity-related energy expenditure under free-living conditions using accelerometer-derived physical activity
Authors: Jeran Stephanie , Steinbrecher Astrid , Haas Verena , Mähler Anja , Boschmann Michael , Westerterp Klaas R. , Brühmann Boris A. , Steindorf Karen , Pischon Tobias
Published: October 2022

The purpose of the study was to develop prediction models to estimate physical activity (PA)-related energy expenditure (AEE) based on accelerometry and additional variables in free-living adults. In 50 volunteers (20–69 years) PA was determined over 2 weeks using the hip-worn Actigraph GT3X + as vector magnitude (VM) counts/minute. AEE was calculated based on total daily EE (measured by doubly-labeled water), resting EE (indirect calorimetry), and diet-induced thermogenesis. Anthropometry, body composition, blood pressure, heart rate, fitness, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, PA habits and food intake were assessed. Prediction models were developed by context-grouping of 75 variables, and within-group stepwise selection (stage I). All significant variables were jointly offered for second stepwise regression (stage II). Explained AEE variance was estimated based on variables remaining significant. Alternative scenarios with different availability of groups from stage I were simulated. When all 11 significant variables (selected in stage I) were jointly offered for stage II stepwise selection, the final model explained 70.7% of AEE variance and included VM-counts (33.8%), fat-free mass (26.7%), time in moderate PA + walking (6.4%) and carbohydrate intake (3.9%). Alternative scenarios explained 53.8–72.4% of AEE. In conclusion, accelerometer counts and fat-free mass explained most of variance in AEE. Prediction was further improved by PA information from questionnaires. These results may be used for AEE prediction in studies using accelerometry