bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical response to EPA supplementation in patients with major depressive disorder is associated with higher plasma concentrations of pro-resolving lipid mediators
Authors: Lamon-Fava Stefania , Liu Minying , Dunlop Boadie W. , Kinkead Becky , Schettler Pamela J. , Felger Jennifer C. , Ziegler Thomas R. , Fava Maurizio , Mischoulon David , Rapaport Mark Hyman
Published: January 2023

Chronic inflammation has been implicated in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Activating the resolution of inflammation through ω-3 fatty acid supplementation may prove to be a successful therapeutic strategy for the treatment of MDD. Patients with MDD, body mass index >25 kg/m2, and plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ≥3 μg/mL (n = 61) were enrolled in a 12-week randomized trial consisting of 4 parallel arms: EPA 1, 2, and 4 g/d, and placebo. The supplement contained EPA and DHA in a 3.9:1 ratio. Depression symptoms were assessed using the IDS-C30 scale. Plasma fatty acids and pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs) were measured in 42 study completers at baseline and at the end of treatment by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The response rate (≥50% reduction in IDS-30 score) was higher in the 4 g/d EPA arm than placebo (Cohen d = 0.53). In the 4 g/d EPA arm, responders had significantly greater increases in 18-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (18-HEPE) and 13-hydroxydocosahexaenoic acid (13-HDHA) than non-responders (p < 0.05). Within the 4 g/d EPA arm, the increase in 18-HEPE was significantly associated with reductions in plasma hs-CRP concentrations (p < 0.05) and IDS-C30 scores (p < 0.01). In summary, response rates were greater among patients with MDD randomized to EPA 4 g/d supplementation and in those who showed a greater ability to activate the synthesis of 18-HEPE. The inverse association of 18-HEPE with both systemic inflammation and symptoms of depression highlights the activation of the resolution of inflammation as a likely mechanism in the treatment of MDD with ω-3 fatty acid supplementation.
Bacterial volatile organic compounds attenuate pathogen virulence via evolutionary trade-offs
Authors: Wang Jianing , Raza Waseem , Jiang Gaofei , Yi Zhang , Fields Bryden , Greenrod Samuel , Friman Ville-Petri , Jousset Alexandre , Shen Qirong , Wei Zhong
Published: January 2023

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by soil bacteria have been shown to exert plant pathogen biocontrol potential owing to their strong antimicrobial activity. While the impact of VOCs on soil microbial ecology is well established, their effect on plant pathogen evolution is yet poorly understood. Here we experimentally investigated how plant-pathogenic Ralstonia solanacearum bacterium adapts to VOC-mixture produced by a biocontrol Bacillus amyloliquefaciens T-5 bacterium and how these adaptations might affect its virulence. We found that VOC selection led to a clear increase in VOC-tolerance, which was accompanied with cross-tolerance to several antibiotics commonly produced by soil bacteria. The increasing VOC-tolerance led to trade-offs with R. solanacearum virulence, resulting in almost complete loss of pathogenicity in planta. At the genetic level, these phenotypic changes were associated with parallel mutations in genes encoding lipopolysaccharide O-antigen (wecA) and type-4 pilus biosynthesis (pilM), which both have been linked with outer membrane permeability to antimicrobials and plant pathogen virulence. Reverse genetic engineering revealed that both mutations were important, with pilM having a relatively larger negative effect on the virulence, while wecA having a relatively larger effect on increased antimicrobial tolerance. Together, our results suggest that microbial VOCs are important drivers of bacterial evolution and could potentially be used in biocontrol to select for less virulent pathogens via evolutionary trade-offs.
Tubular aryl hydratocarbon receptor upregulates EZH2 to promote cellular senescence in cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury
Authors: Wen Li , Ren Qian , Guo Fan , Du Xiaoyan , Yang Hongliu , Fu Ping , Ma Liang
Published: January 2023

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the serious clinical syndromes with high morbidity and mortality. Despite substantial progress in understanding the mechanism of AKI, no effective drug is available for treatment or prevention. In this study, we identified that a ligand-activated transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) was abnormally increased in the kidneys of cisplatin-induced AKI mice or tubular epithelial TCMK-1 cells. The AhR inhibition by BAY2416964 and tubular conditional deletion both alleviated cisplatin-induced kidney dysfunction and tubular injury. Notably, inhibition of AhR could improve cellular senescence of injured kidneys, which was indicated by senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity, biomarker p53, p21, p16 expression, and secretory-associated secretory phenotype IL-1β, IL-6 and TNFα level. Mechanistically, the abnormal AhR expression was positively correlated with the increase of a methyltransferase EZH2, and AhR inhibition suppressed the EZH2 expression in cisplatin-injured kidneys. Furthermore, the result of ChIP assay displayed that EZH2 might indirectly interact with AhR promoter region by affecting H3K27me3. The direct recruitment between H3K27me3 and AhR promoter is higher in the kidneys of control than that of cisplatin-treated mice, suggesting EZH2 reversely influenced AhR expression through weakening H3K27me3 transcriptional inhibition on AhR promoter. The present study implicated that AhR and EZH2 have mutual regulation, which further accelerated tubular senescence in cisplatin-induced AKI. Notably, the crucial role of AhR is potential to become a promising target for AKI.
HERC1 deficiency causes osteopenia through transcriptional program dysregulation during bone remodeling
Authors: Pedrazza Leonardo , Martinez-Martinez Arturo , Sánchez-de-Diego Cristina , Valer José Antonio , Pimenta-Lopes Carolina , Sala-Gaston Joan , Szpak Michal , Tyler-Smith Chris , Ventura Francesc , Rosa Jose Luis
Published: January 2023

Bone remodeling is a continuous process between bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts, with any imbalance resulting in metabolic bone disease, including osteopenia. The HERC1 gene encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase that affects cellular processes by regulating the ubiquitination of target proteins, such as C-RAF. Of interest, an association exists between biallelic pathogenic sequence variants in the HERC1 gene and the neurodevelopmental disorder MDFPMR syndrome (macrocephaly, dysmorphic facies, and psychomotor retardation). Most pathogenic variants cause loss of HERC1 function, and the affected individuals present with features related to altered bone homeostasis. Herc1-knockout mice offer an excellent model in which to study the role of HERC1 in bone remodeling and to understand its role in disease. In this study, we show that HERC1 regulates osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis, proving that its depletion increases gene expression of osteoblastic makers during the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. During this process, HERC1 deficiency increases the levels of C-RAF and of phosphorylated ERK and p38. The Herc1-knockout adult mice developed imbalanced bone homeostasis that presented as osteopenia in both sexes of the adult mice. By contrast, only young female knockout mice had osteopenia and increased number of osteoclasts, with the changes associated with reductions in testosterone and dihydrotestosterone levels. Finally, osteocytes isolated from knockout mice showed a higher expression of osteocytic genes and an increase in the Rankl/Opg ratio, indicating a relevant cell-autonomous role of HERC1 when regulating the transcriptional program of bone formation. Overall, these findings present HERC1 as a modulator of bone homeostasis and highlight potential therapeutic targets for individuals affected by pathological HERC1 variants.
SLC27A5 promotes sorafenib-induced ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma by downregulating glutathione reductase
Authors: Xu Feng-li , Wu Xiao-hong , Chen Chang , Wang Kai , Huang Lu-yi , Xia Jie , Liu Yi , Shan Xue-feng , Tang Ni
Published: January 2023

Sorafenib, a first-line drug for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), shows a favorable anti-tumor effect while resistance is a barrier impeding patients from benefiting from it. Thus, more efforts are needed to lift this restriction. Herein, we first find that solute carrier family 27 member 5 (SLC27A5/FATP5), an enzyme involved in the metabolism of fatty acid and bile acid, is downregulated in sorafenib-resistant HCC. SLC27A5 deficiency facilitates the resistance towards sorafenib in HCC cells, which is mediated by suppressing ferroptosis. Further mechanism studies reveal that the loss of SLC27A5 enhances the glutathione reductase (GSR) expression in a nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-dependent manner, which maintains glutathione (GSH) homeostasis and renders insensitive to sorafenib-induced ferroptosis. Notably, SLC27A5 negatively correlates with GSR, and genetic or pharmacological inhibition of GSR strengthens the efficacy of sorafenib through GSH depletion and the accumulation of lipid peroxide products in SLC27A5-knockout and sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Based on our results, the combination of sorafenib and carmustine (BCNU), a selective inhibitor of GSR, remarkably hamper tumor growth by enhancing ferroptotic cell death in vivo. In conclusion, we describe that SLC27A5 serves as a suppressor in sorafenib resistance and promotes sorafenib-triggered ferroptosis via restraining the NRF2/GSR pathway in HCC, providing a potential therapeutic strategy for overcoming sorafenib resistance.
Circular RNA circTRPS1-2 inhibits the proliferation and migration of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by reducing the production of ribosomes
Authors: Zhao Renchang , Chen Pengxiang , Qu Chenghao , Liang Jinghui , Cheng Yulan , Sun Zhenguo , Tian Hui
Published: January 2023

Circular RNAs play important roles in many cancers, including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), but the precise functions of most circular RNAs are poorly understood. Here we detected significant downregulation of circTRPS1-2 in ESCC based on high-throughput sequencing of three pairs of ESCC tissue and adjacent normal tissue, followed by PCR validation with another 30 tissue pairs. Patients with ESCC whose circTRPS1-2 expression was below the median level for the sample showed significantly shorter median overall survival (13 months) than patients whose circTRPS1-2 expression was above the median (36 months). Overexpressing circTRPS1-2 in the human ESCC cell lines K150 and E109, which express low endogenous levels of circTRPS1-2, inhibited cell proliferation and migration. Conversely, knocking down circTRPS1-2 using short interfering RNA promoted cell proliferation and migration. Similar results were observed in mice bearing K150 xenografts in which circTRPS1-2 was overexpressed or knocked down. Several ribosomal proteins co-immunoprecipitated with circTRPS1-2 from K150 cells in culture, and K150 cells overexpressing circTRPS1-2 showed reduced numbers of ribosomes by A260 absorbance measure and electron microscopy. Our results suggest that circTRPS1-2 can inhibit ESCC proliferation and migration by reducing the production of ribosomes, establishing its potential usefulness in ESCC treatment and prediction of prognosis.
Large-scale perfused tissues via synthetic 3D soft microfluidics
Authors: Grebenyuk Sergei , Abdel Fattah Abdel Rahman , Kumar Manoj , Toprakhisar Burak , Rustandi Gregorius , Vananroye Anja , Salmon Idris , Verfaillie Catherine , Grillo Mark , Ranga Adrian
Published: January 2023

The vascularization of engineered tissues and organoids has remained a major unresolved challenge in regenerative medicine. While multiple approaches have been developed to vascularize in vitro tissues, it has thus far not been possible to generate sufficiently dense networks of small-scale vessels to perfuse large de novo tissues. Here, we achieve the perfusion of multi-mm3 tissue constructs by generating networks of synthetic capillary-scale 3D vessels. Our 3D soft microfluidic strategy is uniquely enabled by a 3D-printable 2-photon-polymerizable hydrogel formulation, which allows for precise microvessel printing at scales below the diffusion limit of living tissues. We demonstrate that these large-scale engineered tissues are viable, proliferative and exhibit complex morphogenesis during long-term in-vitro culture, while avoiding hypoxia and necrosis. We show by scRNAseq and immunohistochemistry that neural differentiation is significantly accelerated in perfused neural constructs. Additionally, we illustrate the versatility of this platform by demonstrating long-term perfusion of developing neural and liver tissue. This fully synthetic vascularization platform opens the door to the generation of human tissue models at unprecedented scale and complexity.
Oncogenic mutations of PIK3CA lead to increased membrane recruitment driven by reorientation of the ABD, p85 and C-terminus
Authors: Jenkins Meredith L. , Ranga-Prasad Harish , Parson Matthew A. H. , Harris Noah J. , Rathinaswamy Manoj K. , Burke John E.
Published: January 2023

PIK3CA encoding the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) p110α catalytic subunit is frequently mutated in cancer, with mutations occurring widely throughout the primary sequence. The full set of mechanisms underlying how PI3Ks are activated by all oncogenic mutations on membranes are unclear. Using a synergy of biochemical assays and hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS), we reveal unique regulatory mechanisms underlying PI3K activation. Engagement of p110α on membranes leads to disengagement of the ABD of p110α from the catalytic core, and the C2 domain from the iSH2 domain of the p85 regulatory subunit. PI3K activation also requires reorientation of the p110α C-terminus, with mutations that alter the inhibited conformation of the C-terminus increasing membrane binding. Mutations at the C-terminus (M1043I/L, H1047R, G1049R, and N1068KLKR) activate p110α through distinct mechanisms, with this having important implications for mutant selective inhibitor development. This work reveals unique mechanisms underlying how PI3K is activated by oncogenic mutations, and explains how double mutants can synergistically increase PI3K activity.
Deciphering genetic causes for sex differences in human health through drug metabolism and transporter genes
Authors: Huang Yingbo , Shan Yuting , Zhang Weijie , Lee Adam M. , Li Feng , Stranger Barbara E. , Huang R. Stephanie
Published: January 2023

Sex differences have been widely observed in human health. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism behind these observed sex differences. We hypothesize that sex-differentiated genetic effects are contributors of these phenotypic differences. Focusing on a collection of drug metabolism enzymes and transporters (DMET) genes, we discover sex-differentiated genetic regulatory mechanisms between these genes and human complex traits. Here, we show that sex-differentiated genetic effects were present at genome-level and at DMET gene regions for many human complex traits. These sex-differentiated regulatory mechanisms are reflected in the levels of gene expression and endogenous serum biomarkers. Through Mendelian Randomization analysis, we identify putative sex-differentiated causal effects in each sex separately. Furthermore, we identify and validate sex differential gene expression of a subset of DMET genes in human liver samples. We observe higher protein abundance and enzyme activity of CYP1A2 in male-derived liver microsomes, which leads to higher level of an active metabolite formation of clozapine, a commonly prescribed antipsychotic drug. Taken together, our results demonstrate the presence of sex-differentiated genetic effects on DMET gene regulation, which manifest in various phenotypic traits including disease risks and drug responses.
Distributed context-dependent choice information in mouse posterior cortex
Authors: Orlandi Javier G. , Abdolrahmani Mohammad , Aoki Ryo , Lyamzin Dmitry R. , Benucci Andrea
Published: January 2023

Choice information appears in multi-area brain networks mixed with sensory, motor, and cognitive variables. In the posterior cortex—traditionally implicated in decision computations—the presence, strength, and area specificity of choice signals are highly variable, limiting a cohesive understanding of their computational significance. Examining the mesoscale activity in the mouse posterior cortex during a visual task, we found that choice signals defined a decision variable in a low-dimensional embedding space with a prominent contribution along the ventral visual stream. Their subspace was near-orthogonal to concurrently represented sensory and motor-related activations, with modulations by task difficulty and by the animals’ attention state. A recurrent neural network trained with animals’ choices revealed an equivalent decision variable whose context-dependent dynamics agreed with that of the neural data. Our results demonstrated an independent, multi-area decision variable in the posterior cortex, controlled by task features and cognitive demands, possibly linked to contextual inference computations in dynamic animal–environment interactions.
Changes in PRC1 activity during interphase modulate lineage transition in pluripotent cells
Authors: Asenjo Helena G. , Alcazar-Fabra María , Espinosa-Martínez Mencía , Lopez-Onieva Lourdes , Gallardo Amador , Dimitrova Emilia , Feldmann Angelika , Pachano Tomas , Martorell-Marugán Jordi , Carmona-Sáez Pedro , Sanchez-Pozo Antonio , Rada-Iglesias Álvaro , Klose Robert J. , Landeira David
Published: January 2023

The potential of pluripotent cells to respond to developmental cues and trigger cell differentiation is enhanced during the G1 phase of the cell cycle, but the molecular mechanisms involved are poorly understood. Variations in polycomb activity during interphase progression have been hypothesized to regulate the cell-cycle-phase-dependent transcriptional activation of differentiation genes during lineage transition in pluripotent cells. Here, we show that recruitment of Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) and associated molecular functions, ubiquitination of H2AK119 and three-dimensional chromatin interactions, are enhanced during S and G2 phases compared to the G1 phase. In agreement with the accumulation of PRC1 at target promoters upon G1 phase exit, cells in S and G2 phases show firmer transcriptional repression of developmental regulator genes that is drastically perturbed upon genetic ablation of the PRC1 catalytic subunit RING1B. Importantly, depletion of RING1B during retinoic acid stimulation interferes with the preference of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) to induce the transcriptional activation of differentiation genes in G1 phase. We propose that incremental enrolment of polycomb repressive activity during interphase progression reduces the tendency of cells to respond to developmental cues during S and G2 phases, facilitating activation of cell differentiation in the G1 phase of the pluripotent cell cycle.
Agricultural drought over water-scarce Central Asia aggravated by internal climate variability
Authors: Jiang Jie , Zhou Tianjun
Published: January 2023

A severe agricultural drought swept Central Asia in 2021, causing mass die-offs of crops and livestock. The anthropogenic contribution to declines in soil moisture in this region over recent decades has remained unclear. Here we show from analysis of large ensemble simulations that the aggravation of agricultural droughts over southern Central Asia since 1992 can be attributed to both anthropogenic forcing and internal variability associated with the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO). Although the negative-to-positive phase transition of IPO before 1992 offset human-induced soil moisture decline, we find that the positive-to-negative phase transition thereafter has doubled the externally forced rate of drying in the early growing season. Human-induced soil moisture loss will probably be further aggravated in the following century due to warming, albeit with increasing precipitation, and our simulations project that this trend will not be counterbalanced by the IPO phase change. Instead, this internal variability could modulate drying rates in the near term with an amplitude of −2 (+2) standard deviation of the IPO trend projected to amplify (weaken) the externally forced decrease in surface soil moisture by nearly 75% (60%). The findings highlight the need for the interplay between anthropogenic forcing and the natural variability of the IPO to be considered by policymakers in this climate-sensitive region.
Preterm birth is associated with xenobiotics and predicted by the vaginal metabolome
Authors: Kindschuh William F. , Baldini Federico , Liu Martin C. , Liao Jingqiu , Meydan Yoli , Lee Harry H. , Heinken Almut , Thiele Ines , Thaiss Christoph A. , Levy Maayan , Korem Tal
Published: January 2023

Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) is a leading cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality, yet its prevention and early risk stratification are limited. Previous investigations have suggested that vaginal microbes and metabolites may be implicated in sPTB. Here we performed untargeted metabolomics on 232 second-trimester vaginal samples, 80 from pregnancies ending preterm. We find multiple associations between vaginal metabolites and subsequent preterm birth, and propose that several of these metabolites, including diethanolamine and ethyl glucoside, are exogenous. We observe associations between the metabolome and microbiome profiles previously obtained using 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing, including correlations between bacteria considered suboptimal, such as Gardnerella vaginalis, and metabolites enriched in term pregnancies, such as tyramine. We investigate these associations using metabolic models. We use machine learning models to predict sPTB risk from metabolite levels, weeks to months before birth, with good accuracy (area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.78). These models, which we validate using two external cohorts, are more accurate than microbiome-based and maternal covariates-based models (area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.55–0.59). Our results demonstrate the potential of vaginal metabolites as early biomarkers of sPTB and highlight exogenous exposures as potential risk factors for prematurity.
Accuracy of tropical peat and non-peat fire forecasts enhanced by simulating hydrology
Authors: Mezbahuddin Symon , Nikonovas Tadas , Spessa Allan , Grant Robert F. , Imron Muhammad Ali , Doerr Stefan H. , Clay Gareth D.
Published: January 2023

Soil moisture deficits and water table dynamics are major biophysical controls on peat and non-peat fires in Indonesia. Development of modern fire forecasting models in Indonesia is hampered by the lack of scalable hydrologic datasets or scalable hydrology models that can inform the fire forecasting models on soil hydrologic behaviour. Existing fire forecasting models in Indonesia use weather data-derived fire probability indices, which often do not adequately proxy the sub-surface hydrologic dynamics. Here we demonstrate that soil moisture and water table dynamics can be simulated successfully across tropical peatlands and non-peatland areas by using a process-based eco-hydrology model (ecosys) and publicly available data for weather, soil, and management. Inclusion of these modelled water table depth and soil moisture contents significantly improves the accuracy of a neural network model in predicting active fires at two-weekly time scale. This constitutes an important step towards devising an operational fire early warning system for Indonesia.
A multiplexed microflow LC–MS/MS-PRM assay for serologic quantification of IgG N- and HPX O- glycoforms in liver fibrosis
Authors: Panigrahi Aswini , Zhang Lihua , Benicky Julius , Sanda Miloslav , Ahn Jaeil , Goldman Radoslav
Published: January 2023

Targeted quantification of glycoproteins has not reached its full potential because of limitations of the existing analytical workflows. In this study, we introduce a targeted microflow LC–MS/MS-PRM method for the quantification of multiple glycopeptides in unfractionated serum samples. The entire preparation of 16 samples in a batch is completed within 3 h, and the LC–MS quantification of all the glycoforms in a sample is completed in 15 min in triplicate, including online capture and desalting. We demonstrate applicability of the workflow on a multiplexed quantification of eight N-glycoforms of immunoglobulin G (IgG) together with two O-glycoforms of hemopexin (HPX). We applied the assay to a serologic study of fibrotic liver disease in patients of HCV etiology. The results document that specific IgG- and HPX-glycoforms detect efficiently fibrotic disease of different degree, and suggest that the LC–MS/MS-PRM assays may provide rapid and reproducible biomarker assay targeting simultaneously the N- and O-glycoforms of the peptides. We propose that such high throughput multiplexed methods may advance the clinical use of the LC–MS/MS assays.
Individual identification of inbred medaka based on characteristic melanophore spot patterns on the head
Authors: Morizumi Hajime , Sugimoto Naozo , Ueno Tomohiro
Published: January 2023

With disease progression, individual differences appear, even in an animal disease model with genetic homogeneity. Therefore, non-invasive long term observation and individual identification is desirable for late-onset diseases. To this end, the natural markings used in ecological studies are preferable to the external invasive markings used in animal husbandry and fisheries management. Here, we propose using the distribution pattern of melanophore spots on the head of an inbred strain of medaka, a small fish model organism with monotonous pigmentation, as biometric identifier. Long term and variation analyses show different patterns whose characteristics can be attributed to individual animals. These findings were also valid in a non-inbred medaka strain and will help individual follow-up of late-onset disease medaka models for the elucidation of the pathogenesis and drug discovery.
Mechanisms shaping the gypsum stromatolite-like structures in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Chile)
Authors: Criado-Reyes Joaquín , Otálora Fermín , Canals Àngels , Verdugo-Escamilla Cristóbal , García-Ruiz Juan-Manuel
Published: January 2023

The explanation of the origin of microbialites and specifically stromatolitic structures is a problem of high relevance for decoding past sedimentary environments and deciphering the biogenicity of the oldest plausible remnants of life. We have investigated the morphogenesis of gypsum stromatolite-like structures currently growing in shallow ponds (puquíos) in theSalar de Llamara(Atacama Desert, Northern Chile). The crystal size, aspect ratio, and orientation distributions of gypsum crystals within the structures have been quantified and show indications for episodic nucleation and competitive growth of millimetric to centimetric selenite crystals into a radial, branched, and loosely cemented aggregate. The morphogenetical process is explained by the existence of a stable vertical salinity gradient in the ponds. Due to the non-linear dependency of gypsum solubility as a function of sodium chloride concentration, the salinity gradient produces undersaturated solutions, which dissolve gypsum crystals. This dissolution happens at a certain depth, narrowing the lower part of the structures, and producing their stromatolite-like morphology. We have tested this novel mechanism experimentally, simulating the effective dissolution of gypsum crystals in stratified ponds, thus providing a purely abiotic mechanism for these stromatolite-like structures.
Antisocial and impulsive personality traits are linked to individual differences in somatosensory maps of emotion
Authors: Wainio-Theberge Soren , Armony Jorge L.
Published: January 2023

Somatosensory experience is an important component of emotion, playing a prominent role in many traditional emotion theories. Nonetheless, and despite the extensive literature on the influence of individual differences in emotional processing, the relation between personality traits and emotion-related somatosensation has received little attention. Here, we addressed this question in a large sample of healthy individuals through the “bodily maps of emotion” behavioural paradigm, in which participants indicated the location and extent of their body sensations for the 6 basic and 4 additional social emotions (contempt, envy, pride, shame). We found that emotional somatosensation in specific body areas, including the heart, the stomach, and the head, was related to specific personality factors, particularly antisocial attitudes and impulsivity. Moreover, the similarity of individual participants’ maps to the group-average was likewise negatively correlated with antisocial tendencies. Overall, our results suggest that differences in individuals’ sensitivity to somatosensation from different body areas, as well as the typicality of their topographical patterns, may partly underlie variation in higher-order social and affective traits.
Rapid stool antigenic test for typhoid fever among suspected cases, Northeast, Ethiopia
Authors: Geteneh Alene , Tadesse Selamyhun , Biset Sirak , Girma Lencho , Fissiha Paulos
Published: January 2023

Typhoid fever continued to be the key cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries with poor hygienic practices and limited access to safe drinking water. The Widal card agglutination test is the main diagnostic tool in Ethiopia, which is limited in differentiating the overlapping symptoms with other acute febrile illnesses such as malaria and viral enteritis. This eventually leds to unnecessary antibiotic use and eventual drug resistance. Therefore this study wants to assess the burden and associated potential risk factors of typhoid fever among suspected cases using the typhoid rapid stool antigen test in Northeast Ethiopia. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Gaint and Meket Shediho primary hospitals from May to July 2021. A total of 255 patients clinically suspected of typhoid fever, and willing to grant informed consent were included systematically. The demographic and hygiene-related variables were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The rapid stool antigenic test and xylose-lysine-deoxycholate agar (XLD) stool culture were evaluated for the level of agreement. The present study indicated that the prevalence of typhoid fever was 15.3%. This displayed that the human-restricted infectious disease, typhoid fever remained a challenge to Ethiopians. Washing hands with soap, history of typhoid fever, having previous history of hospitalization, and chronic underlying disease was the significant potential factor for typhoid fever. The higher agreement of the rapid stool antigenic test with the stool culture can indicate the factual burden of typhoid fever in the suspected population. This could minimize empiric treatment and the possible emergence of drug resistance. Thus, resource-poor settings may need to look for a rapid and reliable stool antigenic test.
Identification and validation of oxidative stress and immune-related hub genes in Alzheimer’s disease through bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Li Shengjie , Xiao Jinting , Huang Chuanjiang , Sun Jikui
Published: January 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in aged population. Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation play important roles in the pathogenesis of AD. Investigation of hub genes for the development of potential therapeutic targets and candidate biomarkers is warranted. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in AD were screened in GSE48350 dataset. The differentially expressed oxidative stress genes (DEOSGs) were analyzed by intersection of DEGs and oxidative stress-related genes. The immune-related DEOSGs and hub genes were identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis, respectively. Enrichment analysis was performed by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. The diagnostic value of hub genes was assessed by receiver operating characteristic analysis and validated in GSE1297. The mRNA expression of diagnostic genes was determined by qRT-PCR analysis. Finally, we constructed the drug, transcription factors (TFs), and microRNA network of the diagnostic genes. A total of 1160 DEGs (259 up-regulated and 901 down-regulated) were screened in GSE48350. Among them 111 DEOSGs were identified in AD. Thereafter, we identified significant difference of infiltrated immune cells (effector memory CD8 T cell, activated B cell, memory B cell, natural killer cell, CD56 bright natural killer cell, natural killer T cell, plasmacytoid dendritic cell, and neutrophil) between AD and control samples. 27 gene modules were obtained through WGCNA and turquoise module was the most relevant module. We obtained 66 immune-related DEOSGs by intersecting turquoise module with the DEOSGs and identified 15 hub genes through PPI analysis. Among them, 9 hub genes (CCK, CNR1, GAD1, GAP43, NEFL, NPY, PENK, SST, and TAC1) were identified with good diagnostic values and verified in GSE1297. qRT-PCR analysis revealed the downregulation of SST, NPY, GAP43, CCK, and PENK and upregulation of NEFL in AD. Finally, we identified 76 therapeutic agents, 152 miRNAs targets, and 91 TFs regulatory networks. Our study identified 9 key genes associated with oxidative stress and immune reaction in AD pathogenesis. The findings may help to provide promising candidate biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD.
Development and validation of a mass spectrometry based analytical method to quantify the ratios in hemagglutinin trimers in quadrivalent influenza nanoparticle vaccine – FluMos-v1
Authors: Shajahan Asif , Cai Cindy X. , Wolff Jeremy , Yang R. Sylvie , Ivleva Vera B. , Gowetski Daniel B. , Gall Jason G. D. , Lei Q. Paula
Published: January 2023

A strategy for the evaluation of different HAT (hemagglutinin variants) ratios on the FluMos-v1 mosaic nanoparticle influenza vaccine by LC-MS/MS-based PRM.
Tunable metacrylated silk fibroin-based hybrid bioinks for the bioprinting of tissue engineering scaffolds
Authors: Yang Jin , Li Zhihui , Li Shikai , Zhang Qianqian , Zhou Xiaojun , He Chuanglong
Published: January 2023

Dual-crosslinkable methacrylate gelatin (GelMA) and methacrylated silk fibroin (SFMA) bioink were fabricated into hybrid bioinks for the 3D bioprinting of cell-laden scaffolds.
Modification of the functional properties of chickpea proteins by ultrasonication treatment and alleviation of malnutrition in rat
Authors: Gao Yue , Hao Xiyu , Hu Yichen , Zhou Nong , Ma Qiang , Zou Liang , Yao Yang
Published: January 2023

High-intensity ultrasonication (HIU) is an emerging technology for improving the functional properties of the leguminous proteins in the food industry.
Impact of particle size on the nutrition release and antioxidant activity of rape, buckwheat and rose bee pollens
Authors: Yuan Yuan , Zhong Shun , Deng Zeyuan , Li Guangyan , Li Hongyan
Published: January 2023

The reduction in the particle size of wall-disrupted bee pollen promoted the release and extractability of nutritional compounds.
Correction: Carbon nanotube–titanium dioxide nanocomposite support for improved activity and stability of an iridium catalyst toward the oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Kim Eom Ji , Kim Ki hyun , Bak Junu , Lee KwangHo , Cho EunAe
Published: January 2023

Correction for ‘Carbon nanotube–titanium dioxide nanocomposite support for improved activity and stability of an iridium catalyst toward the oxygen evolution reaction’ by Eom Ji Kim et al., RSC Adv., 2022, 12, 35943–35949, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2RA05027G.
Asymmetric synthesis of complex tricyclo[3.2.2.0]nonenes from racemic norcaradienes: kinetic resolutionviaDiels–Alder reaction
Authors: Wang Siyuan , Zhou Yuqiao , Xiao Wanlong , Li Zegong , Liu Xiaohua , Feng Xiaoming
Published: January 2023

Herein, the enantioselective synthesis of complex tricyclo[3.2.2.0]nonenes through the Diels–Alder reaction is reported.
Prospects of carbon capture, utilization and storage for mitigating climate change
Authors: Roy Poritosh , Mohanty Amar K. , Misra Manjusri
Published: January 2023

CCUS have gained attention to combat rising climate change challenges. Transdisciplinary approaches are required for deploying large-scale CCUS projects. Acceptance of CCU seems higher than CCS while CCS is cost-effective compared to CCU.
Characterization of Ethyl Butyrate–Induced Cough Before and After Breath Control Techniques in Healthy Adults
Authors: Novaleski Carolyn K. , Hegland Karen Wheeler , Aleksandruk Mikala M. , Dalton Pamela H. , Mainland Joel D.
Published: January 2023

Purpose:

Methods for cough elicitation frequently involve aerosolized tussive agents. Here, we sought to determine whether healthy individuals demonstrate a quantifiable cough response after inhaling a volatile ester and if breath control techniques modify this chemically induced cough response.

Method:

Sixty adult male and female participants inhaled prepared liquid dilutions of ethyl butyrate dissolved in paraffin oil at 20%, 40%, and 60% v/v concentrations in triplicate, with presentation order randomized. We delivered stimuli through a face mask connected to an olfactometer and respiratory pneumotachograph. Participants rated sensations of their urge to cough and pleasantness of the odor while cough airflow was measured. Following baseline testing, participants were randomized to implement pursed-lip breathing or slow-paced breathing after inhaling ethyl butyrate to determine the effects of breath control on cough measures.

Results:

Inhaled ethyl butyrate elicited cough in 70% of participants. Higher concentrations of ethyl butyrate resulted in significantly greater sensation of the urge to cough,
F
(2, 80) = 10.72,
p
< .001, and significantly more generated coughs,
F
(2, 63) = 13.14,
p
< .001. Compared to baseline, participants rated significantly decreased urge to cough during breath control techniques,
F
(1, 40) = 11.01,
p
= .0019. No significant changes were observed in the number of generated coughs between baseline and breath control techniques,
F
(1, 31) = 7.23,
p
= .01.

Conclusions:

Airborne ethyl butyrate is a tussigenic agent in humans. Our findings provide opportunities for future research directions in normal and disordered cough responses to volatile compounds.
Spoken Communicative Intents Among 3- to 4.5-Year-Old French-Speaking Children: Procedure and Data From the Early Longitudinal Language and Neglect Study
Authors: Sylvestre Audette , Di Sante Mélissa , Leblond Jean
Published: January 2023

Purpose:

This study aimed to (a) provide speech-language pathologists and researchers with a play-based procedure to measure the expression of spoken communicative intents by children aged 3 to 4.5 years and (b) present indicators of these children's capacity to produce these intents in this context.

Method:

A method inspired by TRIAGE (Technique de Recherche d'Informations par Animation d'un Group d'Experts) allowed an advisory group of 16 speech-language pathologists to select and agree on definitions of intents to include in this procedure, among a set of 13 preselected intents based on the scientific literature. A longitudinal design including four measuring times was used to verify the production of these intents by 99 French-speaking children (46 boys;
M
age
= 36.09 months) at 36, 42, 48, and 54 months using the Neighborhood Game, a previously developed elicitation procedure of communicative intents conducted within the context of symbolic play. For each measurement time, the average percentage of children who had produced each intent at least 3 times was calculated with a 95% confidence interval. Nonparametric analysis of variance for longitudinal data was carried out to verify progression with age.

Results:

A finalized list of eight communicative intents was selected along with their definition and a standardized script to elicit them during symbolic play. The production frequency of most intents showed significant progression between the first and the fourth measurement time. Arguing is the only intent that is still not produced by more than 90% of children at the age of 54 months.

Conclusions:

This study led to the development of an assessment procedure, which presents ecological validity and elicits the expression of eight communicative intents among 3- to 4.5-year-olds. This procedure can support the work of speech-language pathologists and researchers. The accompanying indicators of children's capacity to produce these intents at a given age in this kind of context are a notable addition to the knowledge on typical language development.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.21844206
Prolonged Processing Time for Manual and Vocal Responses in Parkinson Disease: A Psychological Refractory Period Paradigm Study
Authors: Reif Angela E. , Summers Dale K. , A. Whitfield Jason , Goberman Alexander M.
Published: January 2023

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to examine a potential increased cognitive processing bottleneck within Parkinson disease (PD) by extending a previous overlapping task methodology. Additionally, this study extends previous overlapping task methodology in PD to examine the influence of modality (vocal vs. manual) on response delays in overlapping tasks in PD.

Method:

This study used the psychological refractory period (PRP) paradigm (overlapping-task paradigm) to study processing limitations as participants complete two tasks that increasingly overlap in time. Three levels of temporal overlap of tasks were utilized to vary cognitive demands on manual and vocal response time tasks. Ten participants with PD (PwPD) and 12 participants without PD were included in this study.

Results:

Participants with PD demonstrated response time delays across temporal overlap conditions (likely indicating motor deficits) along with a larger increase in response delays in the most overlapped, cognitively taxing condition (likely indicating longer central processing bottleneck). Additionally, modality did not influence response times differently in overlapping task conditions or within participant groups.

Conclusion:

An extension of previous overlapping task methodologies within a complex task was successful in demonstrating an increased central processing deficit across manual and vocal response delays in PD, regardless of modality of response.
Influence of slot/pole number combinations and pole shaping on electromagnetic performance of permanent magnet machines with unbalanced north and south poles
Authors: Qi Ji , Zhu Zi‐Qiang , Jewell Geraint Wyn , Yan Luocheng , Gan Chengwei , Ren Yuan , Brockway Simon , Hilton Chris
Published: January 2023

The influences of slot/pole number combinations on electromagnetic performances, including flux linkage, inductance, and torque ripple harmonic components etc., resulting from unbalanced characteristics between north and south poles in concentrated winding permanent magnet (PM) machines with symmetrical and asymmetric rotor pole shaping methods are theoretically analysed and experimentally validated in this paper. It shows that for the PM machines with odd number of coils per phase per submachine, including consequent pole (CP) and surface‐mounted PM (SPM) machines, the influences of unbalanced pole characteristics can lead to additional torque ripple harmonics due to additive effects in windings, but can be cancelled in other machines. Compared with symmetrical pole shaping method, asymmetric pole shaping method can result in lower torque ripple for CPPM machines with odd number of coils per phase per submachine, while symmetrical and asymmetric pole shapes have similar effects on torque ripple reduction for other CPPM machines and all the SPM machines. The findings have been validated by finite element analyses on 12‐slot/8‐pole, 12‐slot/10‐pole, 9‐slot/6‐pole, and 12‐slot/14‐pole machines, and by experiments with 12‐slot/8‐pole and 12‐slot/10‐pole CPPM prototypes.
Incentive‐based demand response program with self‐reported baseline supported by blockchain technology
Authors: Li Bin , Banimenia Izzeddin , Chuan Liu , Zhansheng Hou , Zhao Jianli
Published: January 2023

This research presents a decentralised incentive‐based demand response (DR) program using blockchain technology. Consumers self‐report baseline to the system operator (SO), the smart contract confirms the validity of the data to execute transactions and finally the validators record the information on the blockchain network. During the DR event, a set of consumers are randomly selected to deliver the required load reduction. The signalled consumer who delivers the load reduction is rewarded, and the non‐called consumers who diverge from their reported baseline are penalised. The randomness of choosing the consumers and penalty function restrict the baseline inflation. Here, we create a blockchain network and deploy a smart contract on the Ethereum build platform. A DR event scenario is adopted with residential houses data sets, all consumers report their baseline information to the SO through the Internet and smart meter. The SO calls four users to deliver the essential load reduction according to the probability of choosing a consumer. The smart contract verifies the received information to start transaction execution. We use proof of authority mechanism to select validation nodes from the participants using voting system. They validate each block before adding it to the blockchain. Last, the monetary transactions settle in participants' wallets. Our results confirm that decentralised systems like blockchain can significantly improve transparency, openness, and customer participation in the DR program. Also contributes to the security and privacy of user information with a minimal investment in new infrastructure.
Sportswomen and Digital Media: Case Study of “Dream Crazier” Campaign
Authors: Liu Xiaotong
Published: January 2023

The article focuses on popular feminist movements about sportswomen with the example of Nike’s movement “Dream Crazier”. It firstly considers the features of popular feminism, the media’s role as a carrier, and the increased visibility of feminist movements in the digital era. In addition, given the context of the Nike sportswomen campaign, the essay proposes to analyse the engagement of digital media forms, especially posters on sportswomen, with a broader and more effective circulation of feminist claims. The essay contends that by illustrating sportswomen in videos and posters and presenting the discourse of renowned sportswomen like Serena Williams, the campaign conveys feminist appeals on sexual sporting equality, presents female power, and also works with intersectionality that protects equal rights for black sportswomen. This reflects the characteristics of popular feminism in the contemporary period. The essay concludes with further consideration of popular feminism when it refers to the relationship between celebrity figures and commercialized companies.
Research and Exploration on the Optimization of the Completion System of the History Library Group of Colleges and University
Authors: Lu Ming , Wang Qi , Liu Yali , Cao Chen
Published: January 2023

This paper first analyzes the commonness and current problems in the systematic construction of the university history museum, and then, combining with the experience and practice in the systematic optimization construction of the university history museum in our college, focuses on the conception of the content setting and spatial hierarchy optimization of the history museum, as well as the specific construction organization and working mechanism. It provides an example and reference for the systematic optimization and construction of history museums in other universities.