bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AMPKα2 controls the anti-atherosclerotic effects of fish oils by modulating the SUMOylation of GPR120
Authors: Yan Cheng-hui , Liu Hai-Wei , Tian Xiao-xiang , Li Jiayin , Ding Ye , Li Yi , Mei Zhu , Zou Ming-Hui , Han Ya-ling
Published: December 2022

Consuming fish oils (FO) is linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in certain populations. However, FO failed to exhibit therapeutic effects in some patients with cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to determine the possible reasons for the inconsistent effects of FO. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) α2 is an important energy metabolic sensor, which was reported to involve in FO mediated regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism. In an in vivo study, FO administration significantly reduced the aortic lesions and inflammation in the Ldlr−/− mouse model of atherosclerosis, but not in Ldlr−/−/Prkaa2−/−and Ldlr−/−/Prkaa2−/−Sm22Cre mice. Mechanistically, inactivation of AMPKα2 increased the SUMOylation of the fatty acid receptor GPR120 to block FO-induced internalization and binding to β-arrestin. In contrast, activation of AMPKα2 can phosphorylate the C-MYC at Serine 67 to inhibit its trans-localization into the nuclei and transcription of SUMO-conjugating E2 enzyme UBC9 and SUMO2/3 in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which result in GPR120 SUMOylation. In human arteries, AMPKα2 levels were inversely correlated with UBC9 expression. In a cohort of patients with atherosclerosis, FO concentrations did not correlate with atherosclerotic severity, however, in a subgroup analysis a negative correlation between FO concentrations and atherosclerotic severity was found in patients with higher AMPKα2 levels. These data indicate that AMPKα2 is required for the anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic effects of FO.
The burden of heatwave-related preterm births and associated human capital losses in China
Authors: Zhang Yali , Hajat Shakoor , Zhao Liang , Chen Huiqi , Cheng Liangliang , Ren Meng , Gu Kuiying , Ji John S. , Liang Wannian , Huang Cunrui
Published: December 2022

Frequent heatwaves under global warming can increase the risk of preterm birth (PTB), which in turn will affect physical health and human potential over the life course. However, what remains unknown is the extent to which anthropogenic climate change has contributed to such burdens. We combine health impact and economic assessment methods to comprehensively evaluate the entire heatwave-related PTB burden in dimensions of health, human capital and economic costs. Here, we show that during 2010-2020, an average of 13,262 (95%CI 6,962-18,802) PTBs occurred annually due to heatwave exposure in China. In simulated scenarios, 25.8% (95%CI 17.1%-34.5%) of heatwave-related PTBs per year on average can be attributed to anthropogenic climate change, which further result in substantial human capital losses, estimated at over $1 billion costs. Our findings will provide additional impetus for introducing more stringent climate mitigation policies and also call for more sufficient adaptations to reduce heatwave detriments to newborn.
Clustering of single-cell multi-omics data with a multimodal deep learning method
Authors: Lin Xiang , Tian Tian , Wei Zhi , Hakonarson Hakon
Published: December 2022

Single-cell multimodal sequencing technologies are developed to simultaneously profile different modalities of data in the same cell. It provides a unique opportunity to jointly analyze multimodal data at the single-cell level for the identification of distinct cell types. A correct clustering result is essential for the downstream complex biological functional studies. However, combining different data sources for clustering analysis of single-cell multimodal data remains a statistical and computational challenge. Here, we develop a novel multimodal deep learning method, scMDC, for single-cell multi-omics data clustering analysis. scMDC is an end-to-end deep model that explicitly characterizes different data sources and jointly learns latent features of deep embedding for clustering analysis. Extensive simulation and real-data experiments reveal that scMDC outperforms existing single-cell single-modal and multimodal clustering methods on different single-cell multimodal datasets. The linear scalability of running time makes scMDC a promising method for analyzing large multimodal datasets.
The sound of a Martian dust devil
Authors: Murdoch N. , Stott A. E. , Gillier M. , Hueso R. , Lemmon M. , Martinez G. , Apéstigue V. , Toledo D. , Lorenz R. D. , Chide B. , Munguira A. , Sánchez-Lavega A. , Vicente-Retortillo A. , Newman C. E. , Maurice S. , de la Torre Juárez M. , Bertrand T. , Banfield D. , Navarro S. , Marin M. , Torres J. , Gomez-Elvira J. , Jacob X. , Cadu A. , Sournac A. , Rodriguez-Manfredi J. A. , Wiens R. C. , Mimoun D.
Published: December 2022

Dust devils (convective vortices loaded with dust) are common at the surface of Mars, particularly at Jezero crater, the landing site of the Perseverance rover. They are indicators of atmospheric turbulence and are an important lifting mechanism for the Martian dust cycle. Improving our understanding of dust lifting and atmospheric transport is key for accurate simulation of the dust cycle and for the prediction of dust storms, in addition to being important for future space exploration as grain impacts are implicated in the degradation of hardware on the surface of Mars. Here we describe the sound of a Martian dust devil as recorded by the SuperCam instrument on the Perseverance rover. The dust devil encounter was also simultaneously imaged by the Perseverance rover’s Navigation Camera and observed by several sensors in the Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer instrument. Combining these unique multi-sensorial data with modelling, we show that the dust devil was around 25 m large, at least 118 m tall, and passed directly over the rover travelling at approximately 5 m s−1. Acoustic signals of grain impacts recorded during the vortex encounter provide quantitative information about the number density of particles in the vortex. The sound of a Martian dust devil was inaccessible until SuperCam microphone recordings. This chance dust devil encounter demonstrates the potential of acoustic data for resolving the rapid wind structure of the Martian atmosphere and for directly quantifying wind-blown grain fluxes on Mars.
Spatial transcriptomics landscape of lesions from non-communicable inflammatory skin diseases
Authors: Schäbitz A. , Hillig C. , Mubarak M. , Jargosch M. , Farnoud A. , Scala E. , Kurzen N. , Pilz A. C. , Bhalla N. , Thomas J. , Stahle M. , Biedermann T. , Schmidt-Weber C. B. , Theis F. , Garzorz-Stark N. , Eyerich K. , Menden M. P. , Eyerich S.
Published: December 2022

Abundant heterogeneous immune cells infiltrate lesions in chronic inflammatory diseases and characterization of these cells is needed to distinguish disease-promoting from bystander immune cells. Here, we investigate the landscape of non-communicable inflammatory skin diseases (ncISD) by spatial transcriptomics resulting in a large repository of 62,000 spatially defined human cutaneous transcriptomes from 31 patients. Despite the expected immune cell infiltration, we observe rather low numbers of pathogenic disease promoting cytokine transcripts (IFNG, IL13 and IL17A), i.e. >125 times less compared to the mean expression of all other genes over lesional skin sections. Nevertheless, cytokine expression is limited to lesional skin and presented in a disease-specific pattern. Leveraging a density-based spatial clustering method, we identify specific responder gene signatures in direct proximity of cytokines, and confirm that detected cytokine transcripts initiate amplification cascades of up to thousands of specific responder transcripts forming localized epidermal clusters. Thus, within the abundant and heterogeneous infiltrates of ncISD, only a low number of cytokine transcripts and their translated proteins promote disease by initiating an inflammatory amplification cascade in their local microenvironment.
Cell-type specific profiling of histone post-translational modifications in the adult mouse striatum
Authors: Carpenter Marco D. , Fischer Delaney K. , Zhang Shuo , Bond Allison M. , Czarnecki Kyle S. , Woolf Morgan T. , Song Hongjun , Heller Elizabeth A.
Published: December 2022

Epigenetic gene regulation in the heterogeneous brain remains challenging to decipher with current strategies. Bulk tissue analysis from pooled subjects reflects the average of cell-type specific changes across cell-types and individuals, which obscures causal relationships between epigenetic modifications, regulation of gene expression, and complex pathology. To address these limitations, we optimized a hybrid protocol, ICuRuS, for the isolation of nuclei tagged in specific cell-types and histone post translational modification profiling from the striatum of a single mouse. We combined affinity-based isolation of the medium spiny neuron subtypes, Adenosine 2a Receptor or Dopamine Receptor D1, with cleavage of histone-DNA complexes using an antibody-targeted micrococcal nuclease to release DNA complexes for paired end sequencing. Unlike fluorescence activated cell sorting paired with chromatin immunoprecipitation, ICuRuS allowed for robust epigenetic profiling at cell-type specific resolution. Our analysis provides a framework to understand combinatorial relationships between neuronal-subtype-specific epigenetic modifications and gene expression.
Ultrafast, autonomous self-healable iontronic skin exhibiting piezo-ionic dynamics
Authors: Boahen Elvis K. , Pan Baohai , Kweon Hyukmin , Kim Joo Sung , Choi Hanbin , Kong Zhengyang , Kim Dong Jun , Zhu Jin , Ying Wu Bin , Lee Kyung Jin , Kim Do Hwan
Published: December 2022

The self-healing properties and ionic sensing capabilities of the human skin offer inspiring groundwork for the designs of stretchable iontronic skins. However, from electronic to ionic mechanosensitive skins, simultaneously achieving autonomously superior self-healing properties, superior elasticity, and effective control of ion dynamics in a homogeneous system is rarely feasible. Here, we report a Cl-functionalized iontronic pressure sensitive material (CLiPS), designed via the introduction of Cl-functionalized groups into a polyurethane matrix, which realizes an ultrafast, autonomous self-healing speed (4.3 µm/min), high self-healing efficiency (91% within 60 min), and mechanosensitive piezo-ionic dynamics. This strategy promotes both an excellent elastic recovery (100%) and effective control of ion dynamics because the Cl groups trap the ions in the system via ion-dipole interactions, resulting in excellent pressure sensitivity (7.36 kPa−1) for tactile sensors. The skin-like sensor responds to pressure variations, demonstrating its potential for touch modulation in future wearable electronics and human–machine interfaces.
Circular polarized light-dependent anomalous photovoltaic effect from achiral hybrid perovskites
Authors: Zhu Tingting , Bie Jie , Ji Chengmin , Zhang Xinyuan , Li Lina , Liu Xitao , Huang Xiao-Ying , Fa Wei , Chen Shuang , Luo Junhua
Published: December 2022

Circular polarized light-dependent anomalous bulk photovoltaic effect - a steady anomalous photovoltaic current can be manipulated by changing the light helicity, is an increasingly interesting topic in contexts ranging from physics to chemistry. Herein, circular polarized light-dependent anomalous bulk photovoltaic effect is presented in achiral hybrid perovskites, (4-AMP)BiI5 (ABI, 4-AMP is 4-(aminomethyl)piperidinium), breaking conventional realization that it can only happen in chiral species. Achiral hybrid perovskite ABI crystallizes in chiroptical-active asymmetric point group m (Cs), showing an anomalous bulk photovoltaic effect with giant photovoltage of 25 V, as well as strong circular polarized light - sensitive properties. Significantly, conspicuous circular polarized light-dependent anomalous bulk photovoltaic effect is reflected in the large degree of dependence of anomalous bulk photovoltaic effect on left-and right-CPL helicity, which is associated with left and right-handed screw optical axes of ABI. Such degree of dependence is demonstrated by a large asymmetry factor of 0.24, which almost falls around the highest value of hybrid perovskites. These unprecedented results may provide a perspective to develop opto-spintronic functionalities in hybrid perovskites.
Atomic fluctuations lifting the energy degeneracy in Si/SiGe quantum dots
Authors: Paquelet Wuetz Brian , Losert Merritt P. , Koelling Sebastian , Stehouwer Lucas E. A. , Zwerver Anne-Marije J. , Philips Stephan G. J. , Mądzik Mateusz T. , Xue Xiao , Zheng Guoji , Lodari Mario , Amitonov Sergey V. , Samkharadze Nodar , Sammak Amir , Vandersypen Lieven M. K. , Rahman Rajib , Coppersmith Susan N. , Moutanabbir Oussama , Friesen Mark , Scappucci Giordano
Published: December 2022

Electron spins in Si/SiGe quantum wells suffer from nearly degenerate conduction band valleys, which compete with the spin degree of freedom in the formation of qubits. Despite attempts to enhance the valley energy splitting deterministically, by engineering a sharp interface, valley splitting fluctuations remain a serious problem for qubit uniformity, needed to scale up to large quantum processors. Here, we elucidate and statistically predict the valley splitting by the holistic integration of 3D atomic-level properties, theory and transport. We find that the concentration fluctuations of Si and Ge atoms within the 3D landscape of Si/SiGe interfaces can explain the observed large spread of valley splitting from measurements on many quantum dot devices. Against the prevailing belief, we propose to boost these random alloy composition fluctuations by incorporating Ge atoms in the Si quantum well to statistically enhance valley splitting.
CENP-F-dependent DRP1 function regulates APC/C activity during oocyte meiosis I
Authors: Zhou Cheng-Jie , Wang Xing-Yue , Dong Yan-Hua , Wang Dong-Hui , Han Zhe , Zhang Xiao-Jie , Sun Qing-Yuan , Carroll John , Liang Cheng-Guang
Published: December 2022

Chromosome segregation is initiated by cohesin degradation, which is driven by anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C). Chromosome cohesin is removed by activated separase, with the degradation of securin and cyclinB1. Dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1), a component of the mitochondrial fission machinery, is related to cyclin dynamics in mitosis progression. Here, we show that DRP1 is recruited to the kinetochore by centromeric Centromere protein F (CENP-F) after nuclear envelope breakdown in mouse oocytes. Loss of DRP1 during prometaphase leads to premature cohesin degradation and chromosome segregation. Importantly, acute DRP1 depletion activates separase by initiating cyclinB1 and securin degradation during the metaphase-to-anaphase transition. Finally, we demonstrate that DRP1 is bound to APC2 to restrain the E3 ligase activity of APC/C. In conclusion, DRP1 is a CENP-F-dependent atypical spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) protein that modulates metaphase-to-anaphase transition by controlling APC/C activity during meiosis I in oocytes.
Genome of Paspalum vaginatum and the role of trehalose mediated autophagy in increasing maize biomass
Authors: Sun Guangchao , Wase Nishikant , Shu Shengqiang , Jenkins Jerry , Zhou Bangjun , Torres-Rodríguez J. Vladimir , Chen Cindy , Sandor Laura , Plott Chris , Yoshinga Yuko , Daum Christopher , Qi Peng , Barry Kerrie , Lipzen Anna , Berry Luke , Pedersen Connor , Gottilla Thomas , Foltz Ashley , Yu Huihui , O’Malley Ronan , Zhang Chi , Devos Katrien M. , Sigmon Brandi , Yu Bin , Obata Toshihiro , Schmutz Jeremy , Schnable James C.
Published: December 2022

A number of crop wild relatives can tolerate extreme stress to a degree outside the range observed in their domesticated relatives. However, it is unclear whether or how the molecular mechanisms employed by these species can be translated to domesticated crops. Paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) is a self-incompatible and multiply stress-tolerant wild relative of maize and sorghum. Here, we describe the sequencing and pseudomolecule level assembly of a vegetatively propagated accession of P. vaginatum. Phylogenetic analysis based on 6,151 single-copy syntenic orthologues conserved in 6 related grass species places paspalum as an outgroup of the maize-sorghum clade. In parallel metabolic experiments, paspalum, but neither maize nor sorghum, exhibits a significant increase in trehalose when grown under nutrient-deficit conditions. Inducing trehalose accumulation in maize, imitating the metabolic phenotype of paspalum, results in autophagy dependent increases in biomass accumulation.
Genetic approaches for assessment of phosphorus use efficiency in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
Authors: Kadirimangalam Sai Rekha , Jadhav Yashoda , Nagamadhuri K. V. , Putta Latha , Murugesan Tharanya , Variath Murali T. , Vemula Anil Kumar , Manohar Surendra Singh , Chaudhari Sunil , Choudhary Sunita , Kholova Jana , Pasupuleti Janila
Published: December 2022

Production of phosphorus efficient genotypes can reduce environmental pollution. Identification of P-efficient groundnut genotypes is a need of the hour to sustain in P-deficient soils. The pot experiment showed significant differences between genotypes (G) and treatments (T) for all the traits and G × T interaction for majority of traits. The G × T × Y interaction effects were also significant for all the traits except leaf P% (LP%), leaf acid phosphatase (LAP) and root dry weight (RDW). In lysimeter experiment, the effect of G, T and G × T were significant for leaf dry weight (LDW), stem dry weight (SDW), total transpiration (TT) and transpiration efficiency (TE). For traits, LDW, SDW, TT, TE, ICGV 00351 and ICGS 76; for SDW, TT, ICGV 02266 are best performers under both P-sufficient and deficient conditions. Based on P-efficiency indices and surrogate traits of P-uptake, ICGV’s 02266, 05155, 00308, 06040 and 06146 were considered as efficient P-responding genotypes. From GGE biplot, ICGV 06146 under P-deficient and TAG 24 under both P-sufficient and deficient conditions are portrayed as best performer. ICGV 06146 was identified as stable pod yielder and a promising genotype for P-deficient soils. The genotypes identified in this study can be used as a parent in developing mapping population to decipher the genetics and to devleop groundnut breeding lines suitable to P-deficient soils.
Metformin enhances the antitumor activity of oncolytic herpes simplex virus HF10 (canerpaturev) in a pancreatic cell cancer subcutaneous model
Authors: Abdelmoneim Mohamed , Eissa Ibrahim Ragab , Aboalela Mona Alhussein , Naoe Yoshinori , Matsumura Shigeru , Sibal Patricia Angela , Bustos-Villalobos Itzel , Tanaka Maki , Kodera Yasuhiro , Kasuya Hideki
Published: December 2022

Oncolytic virus (OV) therapy is a promising cancer immunotherapy, especially for cold tumors by inducing the direct lysis of cancer cells and initiation of potent antitumor response. Canerpaturev (C-REV) is an attenuated oncolytic herpes simplex virus-1, which demonstrated a potent antitumor effect in various preclinical models when used either alone or combined. Metformin is a commonly prescribed antidiabetic drug that demonstrated a potent immune modulator effect and antitumor response. We combined C-REV with metformin in a low immunogenic bilateral murine tumor model to enhance C-REV’s antitumor efficacy. In vitro, metformin does not enhance the C-REV cell cytotoxic effect. However, in in vivo model, intratumoral administration of C-REV with the systemic administration of metformin led to synergistic antitumor effect on both sides of tumor and prolonged survival. Moreover, combination therapy increased the effector CD44+ CD8+ PD1- subset and decreased the proportion of terminally-differentiated CD103+ KLRG-1+ T-regulatory cells on both sides of tumor. Interestingly, combination therapy efficiently modulates conventional dendritic cells type-1 (cDC1) on tumors, and tumor-drained lymph nodes. Our findings suggest that combination of C-REV and metformin enhances systemic antitumor immunity. This study may provide insights into the mechanism of action of OV therapy plus metformin combination against various tumor models.
Mendelian randomization study of the genetic interaction between psoriasis and celiac disease
Authors: Li Lin , Fu Lixin , Zhang Liwen , Feng Yanyan
Published: December 2022

Epidemiological studies have observed some relationship between psoriasis and celiac disease (CD), while the causal link between these 2 autoimmune diseases was unclear. In the current study, we aimed to explore the causal link between psoriasis and celiac disease with bidirectional 2-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) study. Eligible instrument variables (IVs) with genome-wide significance (p < 5E−08) were extracted from the summary-level datasets from the published genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which were conducted in the European population. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was performed as the main analysis, sensitivity analyses and post-MR analyses were also performed. Our MR analyses found that genetically doubling the odds of CD would increase the risk for psoriasis (p = 1.58e−03, OR [95% CI] 1.232 [1.061–1.432]). And the results were supported by sensitivity analyses. While we found that genetically determined psoriasis was not associated with the risk for CD (IVW: p = 0.985, OR [95% CI] 1.000 [0.965–1.037]). Our study provided novel genetic evidence that patients with CD were at an increased risk of developing psoriasis, while psoriasis was not associated with the risk for CD. Clinicians should be aware of the associations and pay attention to skin manifestations in patients with CD.
Pan-cancer functional analysis of somatic mutations in G protein-coupled receptors
Authors: Bongers B. J. , Gorostiola González M. , Wang X. , van Vlijmen H. W. T. , Jespers W. , Gutiérrez-de-Terán H. , Ye K. , IJzerman A. P. , Heitman L. H. , van Westen G. J. P.
Published: December 2022

G Protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the most frequently exploited drug target family, moreover they are often found mutated in cancer. Here we used a dataset of mutations found in patient samples derived from the Genomic Data Commons and compared it to the natural human variance as exemplified by data from the 1000 genomes project. We explored cancer-related mutation patterns in all GPCR classes combined and individually. While the location of the mutations across the protein domains did not differ significantly in the two datasets, a mutation enrichment in cancer patients was observed among class-specific conserved motifs in GPCRs such as the Class A “DRY” motif. A Two-Entropy Analysis confirmed the correlation between residue conservation and cancer-related mutation frequency. We subsequently created a ranking of high scoring GPCRs, using a multi-objective approach (Pareto Front Ranking). Our approach was confirmed by re-discovery of established cancer targets such as the LPA and mGlu receptor families, but also discovered novel GPCRs which had not been linked to cancer before such as the P2Y Receptor 10 (P2RY10). Overall, this study presents a list of GPCRs that are amenable to experimental follow up to elucidate their role in cancer.
Mesenchymal stromal cells donate mitochondria to articular chondrocytes exposed to mitochondrial, environmental, and mechanical stress
Authors: Fahey Megan , Bennett Maureen , Thomas Matthew , Montney Kaylee , Vivancos-Koopman Irene , Pugliese Brenna , Browning Lindsay , Bonassar Lawrence J. , Delco Michelle
Published: December 2022

Articular cartilage has limited healing capacity and no drugs are available that can prevent or slow the development of osteoarthritis (OA) after joint injury. Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-based regenerative therapies for OA are increasingly common, but questions regarding their mechanisms of action remain. Our group recently reported that although cartilage is avascular and relatively metabolically quiescent, injury induces chondrocyte mitochondrial dysfunction, driving cartilage degradation and OA. MSCs are known to rescue injured cells and improve healing by donating healthy mitochondria in highly metabolic tissues, but mitochondrial transfer has not been investigated in cartilage. Here, we demonstrate that MSCs transfer mitochondria to stressed chondrocytes in cell culture and in injured cartilage tissue. Conditions known to induce chondrocyte mitochondrial dysfunction, including stimulation with rotenone/antimycin and hyperoxia, increased transfer. MSC-chondrocyte mitochondrial transfer was blocked by non-specific and specific (connexin-43) gap-junction inhibition. When exposed to mechanically injured cartilage, MSCs localized to areas of matrix damage and extended cellular processes deep into microcracks, delivering mitochondria to chondrocytes. This work provides insights into the chemical, environmental, and mechanical conditions that can elicit MSC-chondrocyte mitochondrial transfer in vitro and in situ, and our findings suggest a new potential role for MSC-based therapeutics after cartilage injury.
Calcium as an innovative and effective catalyst for the synthesis of graphene-like materials from cellulose
Authors: Béguerie Théotime , Weiss-Hortala Elsa , Nzihou Ange
Published: December 2022

Pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass (hard carbon) produces poorly graphitic biochar. In this study, nano-structured biochars were produced from microcrystalline cellulose using calcium as a non-conventional catalyst. Calcium is abundant, environmental-friendly and widely accessible. Graphitization of calcium-impregnated cellulose was carried out at 1800 °C, a temperature below 2000 °C where the graphitization usually occurs. XRD, Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution TEM together with the in-house numerical tool developed enable the quantification of the graphene fringes in the biochars. The non-impregnated cellulose biochar was composed of short and poorly stacked graphene fringes. The impregnation with 2 wt.% of calcium led to the conversion of the initial structure into a well-organized and less defective graphene-like one. The graphene-like structures obtained were composed of tens of stacked graphene fringes with a crystallite size up to 20 nm and an average interlayer spacing equal to 0.345 nm, close to the reference value of standard hexagonal graphite (0.3354 nm). The increase of the calcium concentration did not significantly improve the crystallite sizes of the graphene-like materials but rather drastically improved their rate. Our results propose a mechanism and provide new insights on the synthesis of graphene-like materials from bio-feedstocks using calcium where the literature is focused on transition metals such as iron and nickel among others. The decrease of the graphitization temperature below 2000 °C should lower the production cost as well as the environmental impact of the thermal graphene-like materials synthesis using biomass. This finding should stimulate further research in the field and broaden the application perspectives.
Root biomass and cumulative yield increase with mowing height in Festuca pratensis irrespective of Epichloë symbiosis
Authors: Laihonen Miika , Rainio Kalle , Birge Traci , Saikkonen Kari , Helander Marjo , Fuchs Benjamin
Published: December 2022

Increasing agricultural soil carbon sequestration without compromising the productivity of the land is a key challenge in global climate change mitigation. The carbon mitigation potential of grass-based agriculture is particularly high because grasslands represent 70% of the world’s agricultural area. The root systems of grasses transfer large amounts of carbon to below-ground storage, and the carbon allocation to the roots is dependent on the grasses’ photosynthesizing shoot biomass. In a common-garden experiment, Festuca pratensis was used as a model species to study how mowing and weed control practices of perennial cool-season fodder grasses affect total yield and root biomass. Additionally, grass-associated Epichloë endophytes and soil residual glyphosate were tested for their effect on the total yield and root biomass alone or in interaction with mowing. The results demonstrate that elevating the cutting height increases both cumulative yield and root biomass in F. pratensis. Endophyte symbiosis increased the total yield, while glyphosate-based herbicide residues in the soil decreased the root biomass, which indicates a reduction of soil bound carbon sequestration. The findings demonstrate that carbon sequestration and yield quantities on farmed grasslands may significantly be improved by optimizing strategies for the use of plant protection products and adjustment of mowing intensity.
Bioengineered synthesis of phytochemical-adorned green silver oxide (Ag2O) nanoparticles via Mentha pulegium and Ficus carica extracts with high antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activities
Authors: Shahzad Shirazi Maryam , Moridi Farimani Mahdi , Foroumadi Alireza , Ghanemi Kamal , Benaglia Maurizio , Makvandi Pooyan
Published: December 2022

Silver oxide nanoparticles have various biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. However, conventional nanofabrication of Ag2O is associated with the use of toxic chemicals and organic solvents. To circumvent this hurdle, herein silver oxide quantum dots (Ag2O-QDs) were synthesized quickly (3 min) via the use of ultrasonic irradiation and plant-extract. Additionally, due to ultrasonic irradiation's effect on cell-wall destruction and augmentation of extraction efficiency, ultrasonic was also used in the preparation of Mentha pulegium and Ficus carica extracts (10 min, r.t) as natural eco-friendly reducing/capping agents. The UV–Vis result indicated a broad absorption peak at 400–500 nm. TEM/SEM analysis showed that ultrasound introduced a uniform spherical particle and significantly reduced particle size compared to the conventional heating method (∼ 9 nm vs. ∼ 100 nm). Silver and oxygen elements were found in the bio-synthesized Ag2O by EDS. The FTIR and phenol/flavonoid tests revealed the presence of phenol and flavonoid associated with the nanoparticles. Moreover, nanoparticles exhibited antioxidant/antibacterial/antifungal activities. The MIC and MBC results showed the Ag2O QDs synthesized with M. pulegium extract have the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli (MBC = MIC:15.6 ppm), which were significantly different from uncoated nanoparticles (MBC = MIC:500 ppm). The data reflects the role of phyto-synthesized Ag2O-QDs using ultrasonic-irradiation to develop versatile and green biomedical products.
Racial differences in prevalence and anatomical distribution of tarsal coalition
Authors: Park Jeong Jin , Seok Hyun Gyu , Woo In Ha , Park Chul Hyun
Published: December 2022

Previous studies have reported a prevalence of tarsal coalition of 0.03–13%. Calcaneonavicular coalition is known as main anatomical type, and the bilateral occurrence of tarsal coalition is known to be 50% or more. These are the results of studies on Caucasians, there have been few studies targeting large number of East Asians so far. We hypothesized that the prevalence and characteristics of tarsal coalition in East Asians might differ from those in Caucasians. The medical records of 839 patients who underwent bilateral computed tomography on foot and ankle in our hospital from January 2012 to April 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The overall prevalence was 6.0%, talocalcaneal coalition was the most common anatomical type. The overall bilateral occurrence was 56.5%, talocalcaneal coalition had the highest bilateral occurrence (76.0%) among anatomical types. Isolated union of the posterior facet was the most common subtype of talocalcaneal coalition (43.2%). Talocalcaneal coalition had a significantly higher proportion of coalition-related symptomatic patients than calcaneonavicular coalition (p = 0.019). Our study showed a similar trend to other East Asian studies, confirming the existence of racial differences. The possibility of tarsal coalition in foot and ankle patients in East Asians should always be considered, and bilateral examination is essential for diagnosis.
Transcultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Thai-Brief Resilient Coping Scale: a cross-sectional study during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Thailand
Authors: Nochaiwong Surapon , Ruengorn Chidchanok , Awiphan Ratanaporn , Phosuya Chabaphai , Ruanta Yongyuth , Kanjanarat Penkarn , Wongpakaran Nahathai , Wongpakaran Tinakon , Thavorn Kednapa
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to examine the transcultural adaptation, construct validity, and psychometric properties of the Thai-Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) among the general population and college students through the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Thailand. We invited the 4004 participants to complete sets of anchor-based measurement tools, including depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, well-being, and perceived social support. The scale factor structure of the Thai-BRCS was assessed using factor analysis, and nonparametric item response theory (IRT) analysis. The psychometric properties of the Thai-BRCS for validity (convergent and discriminant) and reliability (internal consistency and reproducibility) were assessed. Based on the construct validity testing, factor analysis, and nonparametric IRT analysis reaffirmed the unidimensionality with a one-factor structure of the Thai-BRCS version. For convergent validity, the scale was significantly correlated with all sets of anchor-based measurement tools (all P < 0.001). The discriminant validity was satisfactory with a group of medium and low resilience and the risk of adverse mental outcomes. For scale reliability, it revealed excellent internal consistency (alpha = 0.84, omega = 0.85) and reproducibility (intraclass correlation = 0.91). The Thai-BRCS version fulfills transcultural adaptation with satisfactory psychometric properties to measure psychological resilience in the Thai population during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deep learning based sentiment analysis and offensive language identification on multilingual code-mixed data
Authors: Shanmugavadivel Kogilavani , Sathishkumar V. E. , Raja Sandhiya , Lingaiah T. Bheema , Neelakandan S. , Subramanian Malliga
Published: December 2022

Sentiment analysis is a process in Natural Language Processing that involves detecting and classifying emotions in texts. The emotion is focused on a specific thing, an object, an incident, or an individual. Although some tasks are concerned with detecting the existence of emotion in text, others are concerned with finding the polarities of the text, which is classified as positive, negative, or neutral. The task of determining whether a comment contains inappropriate text that affects either individual or group is called offensive language identification. The existing research has concentrated more on sentiment analysis and offensive language identification in a monolingual data set than code-mixed data. Code-mixed data is framed by combining words and phrases from two or more distinct languages in a single text. It is quite challenging to identify emotion or offensive terms in the comments since noise exists in code-mixed data. The majority of advancements in hostile language detection and sentiment analysis are made on monolingual data for languages with high resource requirements. The proposed system attempts to perform both sentiment analysis and offensive language identification for low resource code-mixed data in Tamil and English using machine learning, deep learning and pre-trained models like BERT, RoBERTa and adapter-BERT. The dataset utilized for this research work is taken from a shared task on Multi task learning DravidianLangTech@ACL2022. Another challenge addressed by this work is the extraction of semantically meaningful information from code-mixed data using word embedding. The result represents an adapter-BERT model gives a better accuracy of 65% for sentiment analysis and 79% for offensive language identification when compared with other trained models.
Podocyturia: an earlier biomarker of cardiovascular outcomes
Authors: Eid Assaad A. , Habib Robert H. , Chehab Omar , Al Jalbout Nour , Tamim Hani , Makki Maha , El Bejjani Martine , Lima Joao , Badr Kamal F.
Published: December 2022

Urinary podocin and nephrin mRNAs (podocyturia), as candidate biomarkers of endothelial/podocyte injury, were measured by quantitative PCR in Type II diabetics with normal albumin excretion rates (AER) at baseline, at 3–4 years, and at 7 years. Development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) was collected as outcome. Visit 1 podocyturia was significantly higher in subjects who subsequently developed CVD versus those who did not. Visit 1 AER terciles exhibited similar time to CVD, in contrast with stepwise and substantial increases in CVD events predicted by Visit 1 podocyturia terciles. Covariate-adjusted hazard ratios were highest for podocin, intermediate for nephrin mRNAs, and lowest for AER. Podocyturia was also measured in patients with and without significant coronary obstruction, and in 480 normoalbuminuric subjects at the enrolment visit to the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Podocyturia > 3 × 106 copies was associated with presence of obstructive coronary artery disease. In the MESA population, Visit 1 podocyturia was significantly higher in men, subjects with elevated BMI, and those with Type II DM. Conclusions: Podocyturia may be an earlier predictor of cardiovascular events than moderate albuminuria; it is significantly higher in patients with obstructive coronary artery disease, and in subjects with established risk factors for CVD.
Metabolic reprogramming and membrane glycan remodeling as potential drivers of zebrafish heart regeneration
Authors: Spelat Renza , Ferro Federico , Contessotto Paolo , Aljaabary Amal , Martin-Saldaña Sergio , Jin Chunsheng , Karlsson Niclas G. , Grealy Maura , Hilscher Markus M. , Magni Fulvio , Chinello Clizia , Kilcoyne Michelle , Pandit Abhay
Published: December 2022

The ability of the zebrafish heart to regenerate following injury makes it a valuable model to deduce why this capability in mammals is limited to early neonatal stages. Although metabolic reprogramming and glycosylation remodeling have emerged as key aspects in many biological processes, how they may trigger a cardiac regenerative response in zebrafish is still a crucial question. Here, by using an up-to-date panel of transcriptomic, proteomic and glycomic approaches, we identify a metabolic switch from mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis associated with membrane glycosylation remodeling during heart regeneration. Importantly, we establish the N- and O-linked glycan structural repertoire of the regenerating zebrafish heart, and link alterations in both sialylation and high mannose structures across the phases of regeneration. Our results show that metabolic reprogramming and glycan structural remodeling are potential drivers of tissue regeneration after cardiac injury, providing the biological rationale to develop novel therapeutics to elicit heart regeneration in mammals.
Multivariate effects of pH, salt, and Zn2+ ions on Aβ40 fibrillation
Authors: Wang Hongzhi , Wu Jinming , Sternke-Hoffmann Rebecca , Zheng Wenwei , Mörman Cecilia , Luo Jinghui
Published: December 2022

Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide aggregation plays a central role in the progress of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), of which Aβ-deposited extracellular amyloid plaques are a major hallmark. The brain micro-environmental variation in AD patients, like local acidification, increased ionic strength, or changed metal ion levels, cooperatively modulates the aggregation of the Aβ peptides. Here, we investigate the multivariate effects of varied pH, ionic strength and Zn2+on Aβ40fibrillation kinetics. Our results reveal that Aβ fibrillation kinetics are strongly affected by pH and ionic strength suggesting the importance of electrostatic interactions in regulating Aβ40fibrillation. More interestingly, the presence of Zn2+ions can further alter or even reserve the role of pH and ionic strength on the amyloid fibril kinetics, suggesting the importance of amino acids like Histidine that can interact with Zn2+ions. Both pH and ionic strength regulate the secondary nucleation processes, however regardless of pH and Zn2+ions, ionic strength can also modulate the morphology of Aβ40aggregates. These multivariate effects in bulk solution provide insights into the correlation of pH-, ionic strength- or Zn2+ions changes with amyloid deposits in AD brain and will deepen our understanding of the molecular pathology in the local brain microenvironment.
Hall-Bulk photovoltaic effect in BiFeO3/SrTiO3 at low temperatures
Authors: Zhang Hang-Bo , Alexe Marin
Published: December 2022

The bulk photovoltaic effect is considered promising for the next generation of solar cells as it could exceed the Shockley-Queisser limit. Studies have shown many materials have the bulk photovoltaic effect, however, the inner properties such as carrier mobility, relaxation time, etc., have been barely reported, largely hindering further understanding and utilization of the bulk photovoltaic effect. In this paper, we employ a Hall effect to study the transport properties of the bulk photovoltaic effect in a BiFeO3/SrTiO3 heterostructure. We interpret the magnetic field-dependent bulk photovoltaic currents using the fundamental Lorentz force law acting on photocarriers. A carrier transport with ~3 ps relaxation time, a mobility of $$3.3\times {10}^{3}\,{{{{{{\rm{cm}}}}}}}^{2}{{{{{{\rm{V}}}}}}}^{-1}{{{{{{\rm{s}}}}}}}^{-1}$$
3.3
×

10

3

cm

2

V

−
1

s

−
1

for the non-thermalised carrier and a mean free path larger than 50 nm are revealed. This is in good agreement with the ballistic transport mechanism. This work provides a generic approach to acquiring the basic characteristics of the bulk photovoltaic effect.
Eruption chronology of the December 2021 to January 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption sequence
Authors: Gupta Ashok Kumar , Bennartz Ralf , Fauria Kristen E. , Mittal Tushar
Published: December 2022

The 15 January 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai, and the preceding eruptions on 19 December 2021 and 13 January 2022, were remarkable, partly because the eruptions generated extensive umbrella clouds, regions where the volcanic clouds spread laterally. Here we use satellite remote sensing to evaluate the umbrella cloud tops’ heights, longevities, water contents, and volumetric flow rates. We identified two umbrella clouds at distinct elevations on 15 January 2022. Specifically, after 05:30 UTC, the strong westward propagation of an upper umbrella cloud at 31 km ± 3 km enabled the visibility of the lower umbrella cloud at 17 km ± 2 km. The satellite-derived volumetric flow rate for 15 January 2022 was ~5.0 × 1011 m3 s−1, nearly two orders of magnitude higher than the volumetric flow rates estimated for the 19 December 2021 and 13 January 2022 eruptions. Finally, we found that the umbrellas on all three dates were ice-rich.
Micro/nano-modified titanium surfaces accelerate osseointegration via Rab7-dependent mitophagy
Authors: Tang Cuizhu , Deng Jiali , Xu Ruogu , Li Jingping , Yin Chengcheng , Yang Yang , Zhou Yinghong , Deng Feilong
Published: December 2022

Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy is required for micro/nano-modified titanium implants to accelerate osseointegration and the small GTPase Rab7 is essential for this mitophagy pathway.
Optical mapping of the evolution of water content during the swelling of hydrophilic polymers
Authors: Liu Shasha , Gao Yajing , Wang Wei , Wang Xiaoliang
Published: December 2022

A novel total internal reflection microscopy technique was reported for label-free and real-time mapping the evolution of the water content within hydrogels during swelling.
(Et4N)[WIII(DAPBH)(CN)2], the first pentagonal-bipyramidal W(iii) complex with unquenched orbital angular momentum: a novel Ising-type magnetic building block for single-molecule magnets
Authors: Manakin Yu. V. , Mironov V. S. , Bazhenova T. A. , Yakushev I. A. , Gilmutdinov I. F. , Simonov S. V. , Yagubskii E. B.
Published: December 2022

The first pentagonal-bipyramidal tungsten(iii) complex (Et4N)[WIII(DAPBH)(CN)2] with a N3O2-type Schiff-base ligand and two apical cyanide groups was synthesized and characterized structurally and magnetically.
Steroidal alkaloid with unprecedented triheterocyclic architecture
Authors: Zhou Zhong-Shun , Zhao Yun-Li , Hu Bin-Yuan , Wang Bei , Liu Ya-Ping , Zhu Yan-Yan , He Ying-Jie , Wang Zhao-Jie , Dai Zhi , Zhao Li-Xing , Luo Xiao-Dong
Published: December 2022

Veratrazine A, a steroidal alkaloid with a unique 6/5/5 triheterocyclic scaffold as the side chain, was isolated from the roots of Veratrum stenophyllum and exhibited moderate and dose-depended anti-inflammatory activities in vitro and in vivo.
Impacts of external fields on aromaticity and acidity of benzoic acid: a density functional theory, conceptual density functional theory and information-theoretic approach study
Authors: Li Meng , Wan Xinjie , He Xin , Rong Chunying , Liu Shubin
Published: December 2022

Aromaticity and acidity propensities of benzoic acid are impacted differently by different strengths and directions of a uniform external field due to the different changing patterns in frontier orbitals and partial charges.
High thermoelectric performance of two-dimensional layered AB2Te4 (A = Sn, Pb; B = Sb, Bi) ternary compounds
Authors: Huang Yuhong , Yuan Hongkuan , Chen Hong
Published: December 2022

High figure of merit (zT) at optimal temperature (T) and carrier concentration (n) indicates that the considered monolayers are promising p-type thermoelectric materials.
Nano-droplet jumping due to surface wettability variation: molecular modeling approach
Authors: Farrokhbin Mojtaba , Hashemzadeh Rizi Saeed , Lohrasebi Amir
Published: December 2022

Modeling a nano-droplet jumping due to the rapid increasing of the substrate hydrophobicity, using the molecular dynamics simulations. The results indicate that above a critical value of surface hydrophobicity the nanodroplets completely detached from the substrate.
Mechanical stimuli-driven cancer therapeutics
Authors: An Jusung , Hong Hyunsik , Won Miae , Rha Hyeonji , Ding Qihang , Kang Nayeon , Kang Heemin , Kim Jong Seung
Published: December 2022

Mechanical cancer therapy utilizing ultrasound and magnetic fields is regarded as an emerging effective therapeutic strategy. This review highlights the latest advances in applications of mechanical cancer therapy to present novel perspectives.
Effect of alkali metal addition on catalytic performance of Ag/ZrO2/SBA-16 catalyst for single-step conversion of ethanol to butadiene
Authors: Winkelman Austin D. , Dagle Vanessa Lebarbier , Lemmon Teresa L. , Kovarik Libor , Wang Yong , Dagle Robert A.
Published: December 2022

Alkali addition to a Ag/ZrO2/SBA-16 system for ethanol to butadiene affects a beneficial decrease in Lewis acid sites, mitigating ethanol dehydration. This results in remarkable butadiene selectivity and superior productivity over the lifetime study.
State-of-the-art methodological investigation of carotenoid activity and metabolism – from organic synthesis via metabolism to biological activity – exemplified by a novel retinoid signalling pathway
Authors: Bohn Torsten , de Lera Angel R. , Landrier Jean-Francois , Carlsen Harald , Merk Daniel , Todt Tilman , Renaut Jenny , Rühl Ralph
Published: December 2022

Research strategy for carotenoids starting with causal data from epidemiological / supplementation studies via lab experiments, multi-omics analyses and final validation. Studies should preferably be done by a consortium of multiple expert groups.
Renewed interest in biopolymer composites: incorporation of renewable, plant-sourced fibers
Authors: Weyhrich Cody W. , Petrova Stella P. , Edgar Kevin J. , Long Timothy E.
Published: December 2022

Fully-renewable green composites are accessible when natural fibers are dispersed in a non-petroleum sourced polymeric matrix, which show promise for more sustainable composite materials and demand further research to expand their use.