bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thresholds and alternative states in a Neotropical dry forest in response to fire severity
Authors: Peinetti H. Raúl , Bestelmeyer Brandon T. , Chirino Claudia C. , Vivalda Florencia L. , Kin Alicia G.
Published: December 2023

Neotropical xerophytic forest ecosystems evolved with fires that shaped their resilience to disturbance events. However, it is unknown whether forest resilience to fires persists under a new fire regime influenced by anthropogenic disturbance and climate change. We asked whether there was evidence for a fire severity threshold causing an abrupt transition from a forest to an alternative shrub thicket state in the presence of typical postfire management. We studied a heterogeneous wildfire event to assess medium‐term effects (11 years) of varying fire severity in a xerophytic Caldén forest in central Argentina. We conducted vegetation surveys in patches that were exposed to low (LFS), medium (MFS), and high (HFS) fire severities but had similar prefire woody canopy cover. Satellite images were used to quantify fire severity using a delta Normalized Burning Ratio (dNBR) and to map prefire canopy cover. Postfire total woody canopy cover was higher in low and medium than high severity patches, but the understory woody component was highest in HFS patches. The density of woody plants was over three times higher under HFS than MFS and LFS due to the contribution of small woody plants to the total density. Unlike LFS and MFS patches, the small plants in HFS patches were persistent, multistem shrubs that resulted from the resprouting of top‐killed Prosopis caldenia trees and, more importantly, from young shrubs that probably established after the wildfire. Our results suggest that the Caldén forest is resilient to fires of low to moderate severities but not to high‐severity fires. Fire severities with dNBR values > ~600 triggered an abrupt transition to a shrub thicket state. Postfire grazing and controlled‐fire treatments likely contributed to shrub dominance after high‐severity wildfire. Forest to shrub thicket transitions enable recurring high‐severity fire events. We propose that repeated fires combined with grazing can trap the system in a shrub thicket state. Further studies are needed to determine whether the relationships between fire and vegetation structure examined in this case study represent general mechanisms of irreversible state changes across the Caldenal forest region and whether analogous threshold relationships exist in other fire‐prone woodland ecosystems.
Camouflage efficiency in a colour‐polymorphic predator is dependent on environmental variation and snow presence in the wild
Authors: Perrault Charlotte , Morosinotto Chiara , Brommer Jon E. , Karell Patrik
Published: December 2023

Colour polymorphism can be maintained by colour morph‐specific benefits across environmental conditions. Currently, the amount and the duration of snow cover during winter decrease especially in northern latitudes, which can alter the potential for camouflage of animals with light and dark morphs. Tawny owls, Strix aluco, are colour‐polymorphic avian predators with dark (brown) and light (grey) colour morphs, where the grey morph is presumed to enjoy camouflage benefits under snowy conditions. We studied the camouflage potential of morphs in two tawny owls potential using passerines' probability to mob in the wild during winter with and without snow. For comparison with other seasons, we also repeated the experiment during spring and autumn. We found that grey tawny owls have a lower probability of being mobbed than the brown tawny owls only during snowy winters. The two colour morphs therefore experience differential benefits across snow conditions, which may help to maintain colour morphs in the population, although further warming of winter climate will reduce the potential for camouflage for grey tawny owls in northern latitudes.
Testing foraging optimization models in brown bears: Time for a paradigm shift in nutritional ecology?
Authors: Mikkelsen Ashlee J. , Hobson Keith A. , Sergiel Agnieszka , Hertel Anne G. , Selva Nuria , Zedrosser Andreas
Published: December 2023

How organisms obtain energy to survive and reproduce is fundamental to ecology, yet researchers use theoretical concepts represented by simplified models to estimate diet and predict community interactions. Such simplistic models can sometimes limit our understanding of ecological principles. We used a polyphagous species with a wide distribution, the brown bear (Ursus arctos), to illustrate how disparate theoretical frameworks in ecology can affect conclusions regarding ecological communities. We used stable isotope measurements (δ13C, δ15N) from hairs of individually monitored bears in Sweden and Bayesian mixing models to estimate dietary proportions of ants, moose, and three berry species to compare with other brown bear populations. We also developed three hypotheses based on predominant foraging literature, and then compared predicted diets to field estimates. Our three models assumed (1) bears forage to optimize caloric efficiency (optimum foraging model), predicting bears predominately eat berries (~70% of diet) and opportunistically feed on moose (Alces alces) and ants (Formica spp. and Camponotus spp; ~15% each); (2) bears maximize meat intake (maximizing fitness model), predicting a diet of 35%–50% moose, followed by ants (~30%), and berries (~15%); (3) bears forage to optimize macronutrient balance (macronutrient model), predicting a diet of ~22% (dry weight) or 17% metabolizable energy from proteins, with the rest made up of carbohydrates and lipids (~49% and 29% dry matter or 53% and 30% metabolizable energy, respectively). Bears primarily consumed bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus; 50%–55%), followed by lingonberries (V. vitis‐idaea; 22%–30%), crowberries (Empetrum nigrum; 8%–15%), ants (5%–8%), and moose (3%–4%). Dry matter dietary protein was lower than predicted by the maximizing fitness model and the macronutrient balancing model, but protein made up a larger proportion of the metabolizable energy than predicted. While diets most closely resembled predictions from optimal foraging theory, none of the foraging hypotheses fully described the relationship between foraging and ecological niches in brown bears. Acknowledging and broadening models based on foraging theories is more likely to foster novel discoveries and insights into the role of polyphagous species in ecosystems and we encourage this approach.
Weather influences survival probability in two coexisting mammals directly and indirectly via competitive asymmetry
Authors: Allison Austin Z. T. , Conway Courtney J. , Goldberg Amanda R.
Published: December 2023

Ecologists have studied the role of interspecific competition in structuring ecological communities for decades. Differential weather effects on animal competitors may be a particularly important factor contributing to the outcome of competitive interactions, though few studies have tested this hypothesis in free‐ranging animals. Specifically, weather might influence competitive dynamics by altering competitor densities and/or per‐capita competitive effects on demographic vital rates. We used a 9‐year data set of marked individuals to test for direct and interactive effects of weather and competitor density on survival probability in two coexisting mammalian congeners: Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus) and northern Idaho ground squirrels (Urocitellus brunneus). Ambient temperature and precipitation influenced survival probability in both species, but the effects of weather differed between the two species. Moreover, density of the larger Columbian ground squirrel negatively impacted survival probability in the smaller northern Idaho ground squirrel (but not vice versa), and the strength of the negative effect was exacerbated by precipitation. That is, cooler, wetter conditions benefited the larger competitor to the detriment of the smaller species. Our results suggest weather‐driven environmental variation influences the competitive equilibrium between ecologically similar mammals of differential body size. Whether future climate change leads to the competitive exclusion of either species will likely depend on the mechanism(s) explaining the coexistence of these competing species. Divergent body size and, hence, differences in thermal tolerance and giving up densities offer potential explanations for the weather‐dependent competitive asymmetry we documented, especially if the larger species competitively excludes the smaller species from habitat patches of shared preference via interference.
Introduction to special issue: Advancing disease ecology through eDNA monitoring of infectious agents
Authors: Childress Jasmine , Faust Christina L. , Deiner Kristy
Published: December 2023

This special issue focuses on the applications of environmental DNA (eDNA) sequencing for the detection and monitoring of disease‐causing agents, including viruses, bacteria, protozoans, myxozoans, fungi, trematodes, and arthropods. We explore the impact of eDNA technologies, such as metabarcoding and qPCR, in understanding the dynamics of pathogens in various environments as well as their implications for conservation, biosecurity, and veterinary and agricultural health under the “One Health” framework. This issue addresses how molecular sequencing provides innovative solutions to the challenges faced by conventional parasite and pathogen detection methods, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of disease agents. Finally, we discuss the challenges in eDNA applications, such as primer development and taxonomic resolution, and the opportunities for future research in advancing eDNA methodologies for infectious disease studies. This issue highlights the growing importance of eDNA surveillance in understanding and managing the health of ecosystems and at‐risk species.
Transient Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Passive Cooling in a Building with Diurnal Radiative Cooling Material Coated onto Its Rooftop
Authors: Kafaei Amir , Pirvaram Atousa , Karbasishargh Kamyab , Massah Fatemeh , Ning Leung Siu , Lakzian Esmail , O’Brien Paul G.
Published: December 2023

Building cooling loads, which continue to increase with increasing global temperatures, are responsible for large quantities of greenhouse gas emissions. Radiative cooling (RC), whereby structures are cooled by emitting radiation in the atmospheric window, from 8–13 μm, to outer space, is a promising clean technology that can be used to meet ever‐increasing building cooling demands. However, the effects of using RC on the airflow velocity and temperature distributions within the occupied zone of buildings are yet to be investigated. Herein, computational fluid dynamics simulations are performed to study the transient airflow velocity and temperature distributions in buildings that are cooled using RC material on their rooftops. For idealized conditions when the thermal mass of the house is neglected, the results show that when the cooling power provided by the RC material is , and the average temperature of the occupied zone in the building is reduced from 295 K to about 293 and 289.7 K after two minutes, respectively. These rapid cooling rates were attained without exceeding head‐to‐ankle temperature differences of about 2.7 °C and with air flow velocities maintained below 19.0 cm s−1, which is consistent with a comfortable environment.
Development of Finite‐Element Model for Drying of Tomato Flakes under Passive Greenhouse Dryer: Experimental Validation and Optimization Potential
Authors: Kumar Lalan , Prakash Om , Pandey Vijay Kumar , Ahmad Asim , Das Biplab
Published: December 2023

This research introduces and validates a finite‐element (FE) model for drying tomato flakes in a passive greenhouse dryer, supported by experimental data. The simulations accurately monitor crop and ground temperatures, reaching 49.1 and 61.1 °C, respectively. The moisture reduction is 96–4.25% (Wb), with a minimum relative humidity of 28.40% and a drying efficiency of 50.30%. Energy and exergy efficiencies are evaluated at 80% and 52.82%, respectively. The embodied energy is 1209.56 kWh, and the total cost of the proposed system is 15433.50 INR. The FE model effectively monitors temperatures and achieves a remarkable reduction in moisture, demonstrating its potential to optimize greenhouse dryer and promote sustainable, cost‐effective drying practices in the food industry. The rigorous comparison between experimental and simulated results confirms the precision of the FE model, highlighting its potential in optimizing greenhouse dryers and promoting sustainable, cost‐effective drying practices in the food industry.
Challenges in Laboratory Catalytic Testing for Ammonia Decomposition under Industrially Relevant Conditions
Authors: Gómez‐Cápiro Oscar , Ristig Simon , Folke Jan , Ruland Holger
Published: December 2023

Fundamental studies on screening catalyst materials with potential for application in large‐scale industrial ammonia reforming processes pose a significant challenge. Not only are the requirements on the catalyst itself critical, but the industrially relevant reaction conditions impose very high demands on the reactor materials, especially in terms of temperature and corrosion resistance, as well as the general layout of a suitable test rig on laboratory scale. Here, an automatized setup for high‐throughput studies on heterogeneous catalysts in ammonia decomposition, with a strong focus on reactor material selection and the capability of the setup to generate highly reproducible and thus comparable results, is described. With this approach, it is ultimately possible to contribute to identify possible catalyst materials applicable in industrial ammonia reforming.
Metaverse: Trend, emerging themes, and future directions
Authors: To Wai‐Ming , Yu Billy T. W. , Chung Andy W. L. , Chung David W. K.
Published: December 2023

Metaverse is going to change human life in a profound way because it offers an opportunity to merge our physical world with the digital/virtual worlds. Yet, how much effort has the research community across the world and disciplines contributed and what are the emerging themes of metaverse? The study aims to answer these important research questions using a bibliometric approach. Using a search of (“metaverse” OR “metaverses”) in “Article Title, Abstract, Keywords” and the date range up to 2022 on March 15, 2023 in Scopus, 1031 journal articles, reviews, and conference papers were identified. Among the 1031 identified documents, 816 (i.e., around 80%) were published in 2022. Feiyue Wang of the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences was found to be the most productive author with 17 metaverse publications, followed by Elif Ayiter of Sabancı Üniversitesi with 11 metaverse publications. The Chinese Academy of Sciences (with its Institute of Automation) was found to be the most productive affiliation with 29 publications. China, the United States, South Korea, and the United Kingdom were the most productive countries that contributed to over 58% of metaverse publications. Co‐occurrence of keywords analysis revealed that seven clusters were emerged. The clusters included “artificial intelligence and human perception,” “metaverses and blockchain,” “e‐learning and students,” “metaverse, avatar and immersive,” “virtual reality, virtual worlds, and Second Life,” “three dimensional computer graphics and deep learning,” and “augmented reality, mixed reality, and human computer interaction.” Implications and future directions are given.
Population structure, runs of homozygosity analysis and construction of single nucleotide polymorphism fingerprinting database of Longnan goat population
Authors: Ma Keyan , Li Dengpan , Qi Xingcai , Li Qiao , Wu Yi , Song Juanjuan , Zhang Yue , Yang Hai , Li Taotao , Ma Youji
Published: December 2023

The Longnan goat (LN) is a local breed discovered during the third census of China's livestock and poultry genetic resources. In order to thoroughly comprehend the population traits, this research examined a total of 70 animals from three different goat populations, namely the LN goat, Nanjiang Brown goat (NJ), and Boer goat (Boer). Specific‐Locus Amplified Fragment Sequencing was employed to analyze genetic diversity, population structure, and selective sweep patterns. Additionally, individual DNA fingerprints were generated to provide detailed genetic profiles for each subject. A total of 643,868 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected, with a majority located in intergenic and intronic regions. Genetic diversity analysis uncovered lower diversity within the LN population compared to the other two populations. The analysis of population structure unveiled significant genetic distance between LN and both NJ and Boer populations, with distinct clustering patterns observed. Moreover, genetic differentiation coefficients (FST) of 0.1019 and 0.0854 were determined between LN and Boer, as well as LN and NJ, respectively, indicating substantial genetic differentiation. Selective sweep analysis, combining FST and π ratio, identified several genes associated with growth and development, reproduction, hair color, and immunity that may serve as valuable candidates for marker‐assisted breeding. Furthermore, identification of 47,541 runs of homozygosity (ROHs) revealed non‐uniform distribution across chromosomes, with the highest frequency on chromosome 1 and the lowest on chromosome 27. Correlations between different inbreeding coefficients varied, with the highest observed between FHOM and FGRM, and the lowest between FROH >1.5Mb and FROH <500kb. A total of 46 candidate genes were annotated within high‐frequency ROH islands, primarily associated with biological processes such as reproduction, growth and development, and immunity. Finally, a DNA fingerprint, consisting of 371 highly polymorphic SNPs, was generated and presented in the form of a two‐dimensional code for convenient access. Based on the population structure analysis, LN goats have been found to have a distant genetic distance and a higher degree of differentiation from both the Boer and NJ populations. Evaluation of genetic diversity parameters and ROH analysis indicates that the LN population exhibits lower genetic diversity and shows signs of inbreeding. Our findings offer theoretical support for the identification of genetic resources within this population.
Association between energy‐adjusted dietary inflammatory index and total immunoglobulin E: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Su Liang , Wang Fang , Qin Cheng , Wang Zhimin , Yang Xuesong , Ye Jianzhou
Published: December 2023

The relationship between a pro‐inflammatory diet, assessed by the dietary inflammatory index (DII), and allergic diseases has attracted attention. However, the association between DII and immunoglobulin E (IgE) remains uncertain. We aim to investigate the association between energy‐adjusted DII (E‐DII) and total IgE. We analyzed data from the 2005 to 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The relationship between E‐DII and total IgE was assessed using linear regression and logistic regression analysis. Meanwhile, we conducted a subgroup analysis stratified by body mass index (BMI) and analyzed the mediating role of BMI. We included 3614 adult participants. After controlling for confounding factors, there was no statistical association between E‐DII and total IgE (β 0.023, 95% CI −0.01 to 0.057, p = .173) and the risk of high total IgE (OR 1.036, 95% CI 0.977 to 1.099, p = .233). We conducted subgroup analysis stratified by BMI. After controlling for confounding factors, only in overweight groups, E‐DII was statistically associated with total IgE (β 0.076, 95% CI 0.017 to 0.135, p = .012) and the risk of high total IgE (OR 1.124, 95% CI 1.015 to 1.246, p = .025). Generalized additive models and smooth curve fittings showed a positive linear relationship between E‐DII and total IgE in overweight participants. No statistical association was noted for the mediation effect of BMI on the association between E‐DII and total IgE in the overweight group (p = .23). Overweight participants with higher E‐DII were potentially at risk of elevated total IgE.
Successful treatment with enfortumab–vedotin of metastatic signet ring cell cancer expressing nectin‐4 and originating from the bladder
Authors: Aoki Maria , Naiki Taku , Naiki‐Ito Aya , Morikawa Toshiharu , Matsuyama Nayuka , Torii Koei , Kato Taiki , Maruyama Tetsuji , Inaguma Shingo , Yasui Takahiro
Published: December 2023

Introduction

As an aggressive adenocarcinoma phenotype, primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is an extremely rare variant. The prognosis of metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is extremely poor and the clinical course for its specific pathogenesis remains unelucidated.

Case presentation

A 64‐year‐old Japanese male patient was diagnosed with invasive urothelial carcinoma with glandular differentiation of a signet ring cell–type with pT4aN0M0, and he was eventually diagnosed with metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. He was initially responsive to systemic combination induction chemotherapy of S‐1 and cisplatin followed by avelumab switch maintenance therapy; however, signet ring cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder relapse occurred in the pathological findings of a biopsy from the right thigh. Immunohistochemical analysis of this specimen identified strong positive staining for nectin‐4 and, following enfortumab–vedotin treatment, the patient showed a good response.

Conclusion

We thus describe a rare case of metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder with nectin‐4 expression diagnosed by a biopsy of a metastatic site.
The possible role of nuclear factor erythroid‐2‐related factor 2 activators in the management of Covid‐19
Authors: Al‐kuraishy Hayder M. , Al‐Gareeb Ali I. , Eldahshan Omayma A. , Abdelkhalek Yasmine M. , El dahshan Magdy , Ahmed Eman A. , Sabatier Jean‐Marc , Batiha Gaber E.‐S.
Published: December 2023

COVID‐19 is caused by a novel SARS‐CoV‐2 leading to pulmonary and extra‐pulmonary manifestations due to oxidative stress (OS) development and hyperinflammation. COVID‐19 is primarily asymptomatic though it may cause acute lung injury (ALI), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), systemic inflammation, and thrombotic events in severe cases. SARS‐CoV‐2‐induced OS triggers the activation of different signaling pathways, which counterbalances this complication. One of these pathways is nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2), which induces a series of cellular interactions to mitigate SARS‐CoV‐2‐mediated viral toxicity and OS‐induced cellular injury. Nrf2 pathway inhibits the expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and the development of cytokine storm in COVID‐19. Therefore, Nrf2 activators may play an essential role in reducing SARS‐CoV‐2 infection‐induced inflammation by suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome in COVID‐19. Furthermore, Nrf2 activators can attenuate endothelial dysfunction (ED), renin‐angiotensin system (RAS) dysregulation, immune thrombosis, and coagulopathy. Thus this mini‐review tries to clarify the possible role of the Nrf2 activators in the management of COVID‐19. Nrf2 activators could be an effective therapeutic strategy in the management of Covid‐19. Preclinical and clinical studies are recommended in this regard.
MPI‐parallelization of the grid inhomogeneous solvation theory calculation
Authors: Roe Daniel R. , Brooks Bernard R.
Published: December 2023

The grid inhomogeneous solvation theory (GIST) method requires the often time‐consuming calculation of water–water and water‐solute energy on a grid. Previous efforts to speed up this calculation include using OpenMP, GPUs, and particle mesh Ewald. This article details how the speed of this calculation can be increased by parallelizing it with MPI, where trajectory frames are divided among multiple processors. This requires very little communication between individual processes during trajectory processing, meaning the calculation scales well to large processor counts. This article also details how the entropy calculation, which must happen after trajectory processing since it requires information from all trajectory frames, is parallelized via MPI. This parallelized GIST method has been implemented in the freely‐available CPPTRAJ analysis software.
The management and clinical outcomes of pregnancies in women with urea cycle disorders: A review of the literature and results of an international survey
Authors: Stepien Karolina M. , Langendonk Janneke G. , Dao Myriam , Gomes Daniel Costa , Douillard Claire , Filipsson Karin , Glamuzina Emma , Haverkamp Jorien A. , Langeveld Mirjam , Lehman Anna , de Lonlay Pascale , Lund Allan M. , Oscarson Mikael , Peltenburg N. Chantal , Ramadža Danijela Petković , Ramachandran Radha , Reismann Peter , Shtylla Alboren , Tchan Michel , Tan Chong Yew , Wilson Callum , Woodall Alison , Murphy Elaine , Wagenmakers Margreet A. E. M.
Published: December 2023

An increasing number of women with urea cycle disorders (UCDs) are reaching child‐bearing age and becoming pregnant. Improved diagnostics and increased awareness of inherited metabolic diseases has also led to more previously undetected women being diagnosed with a UCD during or shortly after pregnancy. Pregnancy increases the risk of acute metabolic decompensation with hyperammonemia—which can occur in any trimester, and/or the postpartum period, and may lead to encephalopathy, psychosis, coma, and even death, if not diagnosed promptly and treated appropriately. There are also (theoretical) concerns that a maternal UCD, or its treatment, may cause potential risks for the unborn child. Currently evidence on management and outcome of pregnancies in UCDs is limited to case reports and there are no clear guidelines. In order to inform management and investigate outcomes of pregnancies in women with a UCD, we performed a retrospective review of published cases and analyzed data collected from an international online survey. We conclude that, although risk during the intra‐ and postpartum period exists, multidisciplinary management by an experienced team and a prospective plan usually result in successful pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum period. No deaths were reported in mothers managed accordingly. With the exception of male neonates with Ornithine Transcarbamylase deficiency, the clinical outcome of children born to mothers with UCDs appears positive, although follow‐up is limited. The outcome for women presenting with a first acute metabolic decompensation during pregnancy or postpartum is less favorable. Deaths were associated with diagnostic delay/late management of hyperammonemia in previously undiagnosed women.
Toward a zero waste approach: Utilization of sugarcane bagasse for dye removal and multienzymes production
Authors: Ejaz Uroosa , Taj Ayaz , Sohail Muhammad , Alanazi Abdullah K. , Abo‐dief Hala M.
Published: December 2023

Global production of sugarcane bagasse (SB) by sugar industries exceeds more than 100 tons per annum. SB is rich in lignin and polysaccharide and hence can serve as a low‐cost energy and carbon source for the growth of industrially important microorganism. However, various other applications of SB have also been investigated. In this study, SB was used as an adsorbent to remove an azo dye, malachite green. Subsequently, the dye‐adsorbed SB was fermented by Trametes pubescens MB 89 for the production of laccase enzyme. The fungal pretreated SB was further utilized as a substrate for the simultaneous production of multiple plant cell wall degrading enzymes including, cellulase, xylanase, pectinase, and amylase by thermophilic bacterial strains. Results showed that 0.1% SB removed 97.04% malachite green at 30°C after 30 min from a solution containing 66 ppm of the dye. Fermentation of the dye‐adsorbed SB by T. pubescens MB 89 yielded 667.203 IU mL−1 laccase. Moreover, Brevibacillus borstelensis UE10 produced 38.41 and 18.6 IU mL−1 β‐glucosidase and pectinase, respectively, by using fungal‐pretreated SB. Cultivation of B. borstelensis UE27 in the medium containing the same substrate yielded 32.14 IU mL−1 of endoglucanase and 27.23 IU mL−1 of β‐glucosidase. Likewise, Neobacillus sedimentimangrovi UE25 could produce a mix of β‐glucosidase (37.24 IU mL−1), xylanase (18.65 IU mL−1) and endoglucanase (26.65 IU mL−1). Hence, this study led to the development of a method through which dye‐containing textile effluent can be treated by SB along with the production of industrially important enzymes.
2023 International Consensus Meeting on musculoskeletal infection: Summary from the treatment workgroup and consensus on treatment in preclinical models
Authors: Jennings Jessica Amber , Arts Jacobus J. , Abuhussein Ezzuddin , Alt Volker , Ashton Nicholas , Baertl Susanne , Bhattacharyya Sanjib , Cain Jarrett D. , Dintakurthi Yogita , Ducheyne Paul , Duffy Hannah , Falconer Robert , Gautreaux Malley , Gianotti Sofia , Hamilton John L. , Hylen Annika , van Hoogstraten Sanne , Libos Andres , Markovics Adrienn , Mdingi Vuyisa , Montgomery Emily C. , Morgenstern Mario , Obremskey William , Priddy Lauren B. , Tate Jermiah , Ren Youliang , Ricciardi Benjamin , Tucker Luke J. , Weeks Jason , Vanvelk Niels , Williams Dustin , Xie Chao , Hickok Noreen , Schwarz Edward M. , Fintan Moriarty T.
Published: December 2023

In vitro and in vivo studies are critical for the preclinical efficacy assessment of novel therapies targeting musculoskeletal infections (MSKI). Many preclinical models have been developed and applied as a prelude to evaluating safety and efficacy in human clinical trials. In performing these studies, there is both a requirement for a robust assessment of efficacy, as well as a parallel responsibility to consider the burden on experimental animals used in such studies. Since MSKI is a broad term encompassing infections varying in pathogen, anatomical location, and implants used, there are also a wide range of animal models described modeling these disparate infections. Although some of these variations are required to adequately evaluate specific interventions, there would be enormous value in creating a unified and standardized criteria to animal testing in the treatment of MSKI. The Treatment Workgroup of the 2023 International Consensus Meeting on Musculoskeletal Infection was responsible for questions related to preclinical models for treatment of MSKI. The main objective was to review the literature related to priority questions and estimate consensus opinion after voting. This document presents that process and results for preclinical models related to (1) animal model considerations, (2) outcome measurements, and (3) imaging.
The Na+/Ca2+ antiporter slr0681 affects carotenoid production in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 under high‐light stress
Authors: Zhang Jiaye , Zhong Huairong , Xuan Ning , Mushtaq Rubina , Shao Yahui , Cao Xue , Wang Pengchong , Chen Gao
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Carotenoids play key roles in photosynthesis and are widely used in foods as natural pigments, antioxidants, and health‐promoting compounds. Enhancing carotenoid production in microalgae via biotechnology has become an important area of research.

RESULTS

We knocked out the Na+/Ca2+ antiporter gene slr0681 in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 via homologous recombination and evaluated the effects on carotenoid production under normal (NL) and high‐light (HL) conditions. On day 7 of NL treatment in calcium ion (Ca2+)‐free medium, the cell density of Δslr0681 decreased by 29% compared to the wild type (WT). After 8 days of HL treatment, the total carotenoid contents decreased by 35% in Δslr0681, and the contents of individual carotenoids were altered: myxoxanthophyll, echinenone, and β‐carotene contents increased by 10%, 50%, and 40%, respectively, while zeaxanthin contents decreased by ~40% in Δslr0681 versus the WT. The expression patterns of carotenoid metabolic pathway genes also differed: ipi expression increased by 1.2‐ to 8.5‐fold, whereas crtO and crtR expression decreased by ~90% and 60%, respectively, in ∆slr0681 versus the WT. In addition, in ∆slr0681, the expression level of psaB (encoding a photosystem I structural protein) doubled, whereas the expression levels of the photosystem II genes psbA2 and psbD decreased by ~53% and 84%, respectively, compared to the WT.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that slr0681 plays important roles in regulating carotenoid biosynthesis and structuring of the photosystems in Synechocystis sp. This study provides a theoretical basis for the genetic engineering of microalgae photosystems to increase their economic benefits and lays the foundation for developing microalgae germplasm resources with high carotenoid contents. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Simultaneously characterization of multiple constituents in Valeriana jatamansi Jones using an online supercritical fluid extraction‐high‐performance liquid chromatography/supercritical fluid chromatography‐mass spectrometry system
Authors: Chen Haochang , Zhang Xiaotian , Ren Biao , Niu Yaru , Dong Jing
Published: December 2023

Valeriana jatamansi Jones is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, boasting rich effective compositions with versatile chemical structures and wide polarity, including iridoids, chlorogenic acid, and flavonoids. Previous reports indicate that conventional high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analytical methods have proven inefficient performance in comprehensively characterizing components in Valeriana jatamansi. In the present study, a hybrid online analytical platform combining supercritical fluid extraction with both conventional HPLC separation (reverse phase) and supercritical fluid chromatography (normal phase) has been established and validated. This system can provide online extraction with two different chromatographic separation modes to increase separation ability and has been connected to a mass spectrometer to acquire high‐resolution mass spectrometry data. Then, the online platform was applied to screening components in Valeriana jatamansi. A total of 117 compounds were identified, including five lignans, 18 organic acids, six flavonoids, and 88 iridoids. Thirty‐three compounds were reported from Valeriana jatamansi for the first time. These results enrich our understanding of the components of Valeriana jatamansi and prove that the developed online platform in this study is a robust approach for accelerating working efficiency in comprehensively analyzing complicated samples.
Preparation of branched polyethyleneimine‐assisted boronic acid‐functionalized magnetic MXene for the enrichment of catecholamines in urine samples
Authors: Yang Cheng , Hu Kai , Zhao Yuanqing , Liu Xiaobing , Li Lixin , Zeng Huahui , Zhang Zhenqiang , Zhang Shusheng
Published: December 2023

Herein, a magnetic borate‐functionalized MXene composite with multiple boronic affinity sites was fabricated by embedding Fe3O4 nanoparticles with 4‐formylphenylboronic acid functionalized Ti3C2Tx nanosheets and served as sorbent for the simultaneous extraction of catecholamines (CAs) in urine samples. The morphology and structure of the magnetic materials were investigated using scanning microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, X‐ray photoelectron spectrometer, and X‐ray diffraction. The introduction of polyethyleneimine can amplify the bonded boronic acid groups, thereby effectively improving the adsorption capacities for CAs based on the multiple interactions of boronic affinity, hydrogen bonding, and metal coordination. The adsorption performance was investigated using the kinetics and isotherms models, and the main parameters that influence the extraction efficiency were optimized. Under the most favorable magnetic solid‐phase extraction condition, a sensitive method for the analysis of CAs in urine samples was developed by combining magnetic solid‐phase extraction conditions with high‐performance liquid chromatography detection. The findings illustrated that the proposed approach possessed a wide linearity range of 0.05–250 ng/mL with an acceptable correlation coefficient (R2 ≥ 0.9984) and detection limits of 0.010–0.015 ng/mL for the target CAs. The research not only provides a notable composite with multiple boronic affinity sites but also offers an effective and feasible measure for the detection of CAs in biological samples.
Preoperative Contrast‐Enhanced Ultrasound Predicts Microvascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma as Accurately as Contrast‐Enhanced MR
Authors: Wang Cuiwei , Zhang Teng , Sun Shuwen , Ye Xinhua , Wang Yali , Pan Minhong , Shi Haibin
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Both contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance (CEMR) are important imaging methods for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to establish a model using preoperative CEUS parameters to predict microvascular invasion (MVI) in HCC, and compare its predictive efficiency with that of CEMR model.

Methods

A total of 93 patients with HCC (39 cases in MVI positive group and 54 cases in MVI negative group) who underwent surgery in our hospital from January 2020 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Their clinical and imaging data were collected to establish CEUS and CEMR models for predicting MVI. The predictive efficiencies of both models were compared.

Results

By the univariate and multivariate regression analyses of patients' clinical information, preoperative CEUS static and dynamic images, we found that serrated edge and time to peak were independent predictors of MVI. The CEUS prediction model achieved a sensitivity of 92.3%, a specificity of 83.3%, and an accuracy of 84.6% (Az: 0.934). By analyzing the clinical and CEMR information, we found that tumor morphology, fast‐in and fast‐out, peritumoral enhancement, and capsule were independent predictors of MVI. The CEMR prediction model achieved a sensitivity of 97.4%, a specificity of 77.8%, and an accuracy of 83.2% (Az: 0.900). The combination of the two models achieved a sensitivity of 84.6%, a specificity of 87.0%, and an accuracy of 86.2% (Az: 0.884). There was no significant statistical difference in the areas under the ROC curve of the three models.

Conclusion

The CEUS model and the CEMR model have similar predictive efficiencies for MVI of HCC. CEUS is also an effective method to predict MVI before operation.
Identification of potential forest thinning locations to mitigate water deficits in drylands
Authors: Wang Chenxu , Liu Yanxu , Zhang Yaosheng
Published: December 2023

Appropriate forest thinning measures can mitigate the conflicting relationship between past excessive afforestation and current increasing regional water deficiency in dryland ecosystems. However, since blind intervention in forest landscapes may incur additional economic costs and cause the loss of ecosystem services, forest thinning in drylands mostly exists in scientific discussions and is seldom implemented in reality. In this study, we propose an advanced technical route to predict the spatial arrangement of potential forest thinning locations under different policy scenarios. Taking Shanxi Province in China as a case study, we simulated eight policy scenarios for different stakeholders to assess the benefits and costs after forest thinning in the future. The results show that a water deficit of 533 million m3 exists in Shanxi Province that could potentially be mitigated by means of forest thinning. Under different policy scenarios, the thinned area ranged from 1142.91 to 1195.47 km2, which would result in an additional soil loss of 1.77–3.02 million m3/year and a loss of carbon sequestration of 3.15–3.24 million t/year. Considering both soil conservation and food security scenarios can help minimize the direct costs and loss of forest carbon sequestration capacity and maintain a sustainable landscape pattern. The method can be used as a decision support tool to identify the potential locations of forest thinning and resulting consequences under water scarcity conditions in drylands and to support stakeholders in making scientific adaptive forest landscape optimization decisions.
CanChatGPThelp patients answer their otolaryngology questions?
Authors: Zalzal Habib G. , Abraham Ariel , Cheng Jenhao , Shah Rahul K.
Published: December 2023

Background

Over the past year, the world has been captivated by the potential of artificial intelligence (AI). The appetite for AI in science, specifically healthcare is huge. It is imperative to understand the credibility of large language models in assisting the public in medical queries.

Objective

To evaluate the ability of ChatGPT to provide reasonably accurate answers to public queries within the domain of Otolaryngology.

Methods

Two board‐certified otolaryngologists (HZ, RS) inputted 30 text‐based patient queries into the ChatGPT‐3.5 model. ChatGPT responses were rated by physicians on a scale (accurate, partially accurate, incorrect), while a similar 3‐point scale involving confidence was given to layperson reviewers. Demographic data involving gender and education level was recorded for the public reviewers. Inter‐rater agreement percentage was based on binomial distribution for calculating the 95% confidence intervals and performing significance tests. Statistical significance was defined asp < .05 for two‐sided tests.

Results

In testing patient queries, both Otolaryngology physicians found that ChatGPT answered 98.3% of questions correctly, but only 79.8% (range 51.7%–100%) of patients were confident that the AI model was accurate in its responses (corrected agreement = 0.682;p < .001). Among the layperson responses, the corrected coefficient was of moderate agreement (0.571;p < .001). No correlation was noted among age, gender, or education level for the layperson responses.

Conclusion

ChatGPT is highly accurate in responding to questions posed by the public with regards to Otolaryngology from a physician standpoint. Public reviewers were not fully confident in believing the AI model, with subjective concerns related to less trust in AI answers compared to physician explanation. Larger evaluations with a representative public sample and broader medical questions should immediately be conducted by appropriate organizations, governing bodies, and/or governmental agencies to instill public confidence in AI and ChatGPT as a medical resource.

Level of Evidence

4.
Linear extension and calcification rates in a cold‐water, crustose coralline alga are modulated by temperature, light, and salinity
Authors: Gould Jessica , Ries Justin B.
Published: December 2023

Long‐lived crustose coralline algae are important ecosystem engineers and environmental archives in regions where observations of climate variability are sparse. Clathromorphum compactum is a cold‐water alga that precipitates calcite that serve as archives of change at annual to sub‐annual resolution. Understanding how environmental variability impacts the growth of this species is imperative for application in paleoclimate research, and for evaluating its vulnerability to change. Here, we present the results of the first, to‐our‐knowledge, controlled laboratory experiment isolating the effects of light, temperature, and salinity on calcification rates of C. compactum. Algal calcification rates were modulated by a combination of light exposure, salinity, and temperature, where temperature and salinity were positively correlated, and light level was negatively correlated with calcification rate. Linear extension of the skeleton also varied with treatment conditions, with the epithallial and perithallial layers of skeleton responding differently. Epithallial extension increased with salinity, while perithallial extension was governed only by a positive parabolic relationship with temperature. These results suggest that C. compactum growth will be impacted by environmental changes predicted for the Arctic over the coming decades. While increased temperature in the region may facilitate calcification in the algae, reductions in salinity associated with increased sea ice melt, and potentially increased light levels, may counteract this effect. The negative impact of increased light levels on algal calcification observed may not reflect the true impact of light availability on growth associated with a lengthening of the growing season (not evaluated in this study) accompanying reductions in annual sea‐ice.
Self‐Compression of High Energy Ultrashort Laser Pulses
Authors: Ran Qiandong , Li Hao , Chang Wonkeun , Wang QiJie
Published: December 2023

Nonlinear pulse compression techniques have been applied widely in the pursuit of ultra‐intense laser pulse with extremely high pulse energy (≈mJ) and extremely short pulse duration (≈sub‐10 fs). Although postcompression techniques using dispersive gratings or chirped mirrors have achieved 1 TW few‐cycle pulses, further increasing of the pulse intensity is limited by the damage threshold of dispersive optics, especially when self‐focusing and ionization in the propagation medium are considered. To overcome such limitations, ultrashort pulses self‐compression techniques without vulnerable dispersive optics have been explored in the past two decades. In this paper, the latest advances in these techniques will be reviewed with a discussion on the progress of various experimental approaches as well as their potential applications and roles in generating extremely intense optical fields for strong‐field physics research.
High‐performance MoS2 Homojunction Photodiode Enabled by Facile Van der Waals Contacts with 2D Perovskite
Authors: Lu Yueheng , Zhan Zhenye , Tan Jinbiao , Lai Haojie , Liu Pengyi , Zhou Yang , Xie Weiguang
Published: December 2023

p–n junction, as an important part of modern electronics and integrated circuits, is the basis of various functional devices. Compared with heterojunctions, 2D p–n homojunctions preclude interface problems and have greater potential in ultra‐sensitive photodetection. Here, through simple van der Waals contacts with a 2D perovskite layer, it is realized efficient p‐type doping of MoS2 and constructed a high‐performance photodiode based on MoS2 homogeneous p–n junction. The dark current is as low as 10−12 A, with an ideality factor of 1.3. Under illumination, the open circuit voltage of the device can reach up to 0.7 V. In addition, under zero bias, the device exhibits a high responsivity of 529 mA W−1 and a fast response time of 105/109 µs. This work not only provides a facile and stable method to construct the MoS2 p–n homojunction but also opens up possibilities for new‐type 2D‐based optoelectronic devices and technologies.
Dynamic pricing strategies for multi‐type knowledge payment products: A system dynamics approach
Authors: Guo Jiayuan , Bian Yijie , Li Ming , Chen Xu , Fan Xiangting
Published: December 2023

With the emergence of knowledge economy, knowledge payment has become an essential means of knowledge circulation. This study employs a system dynamics approach and integrates signal theory and customer value perception to investigate the dynamic pricing strategies for various knowledge payment products from the perspective of knowledge producers. First, this study analyzes the categories of knowledge payment products and proposes a theoretical research framework for designing dynamic pricing strategies for different products categories. Second, this study identifies the key factors that impact the profitability of knowledge payment platforms and construct a system dynamics model of product pricing strategies for knowledge payment platforms; next, three typical knowledge payment products on Zhihu Live are chosen as research objects, and system dynamics equations are constructed to simulate the profitability changes of different types of products in different periods. Finally, the results of simulation and sensitivity analysis are combined to select dynamic pricing strategies for different products types. This study offers an innovative exploration of multi‐stage pricing strategies for different types of knowledge payment products, which fills the gap in existing research and provides more scientific suggestions for knowledge producers and consumers in terms of knowledge transactions.