bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Settling Russia's Imperial and Baltic Debts
Authors: Denza Eileen , Poulsen Lauge
Published: May 2023

The 1918 Soviet default is the longest and most complex sovereign debt dispute in history. The first settlement with a major Western power came with the United Kingdom in 1986. It followed a settlement almost twenty years earlier for claims arising from the Soviet annexation of the Baltic states. We show how the two negotiations became intertwined and prompted both states to take pragmatic positions on international law. Whereas the Soviet Union showed little interest in legally justifying its inconsistent positions on debt succession, the United Kingdom developed contested legal arguments on state recognition to justify using gold belonging to the Baltic States to settle Soviet claims. In addition, we document how UK government lawyers admitted internally that Britain's involvement in the Russian Civil War had been illegal, which in turn justified very limited compensation to British claimants.
Electronic health record data quality variability across a multistate clinical research network
Authors: Mohamed Yahia , Song Xing , McMahon Tamara M. , Sahil Suman , Zozus Meredith , Wang Zhan ,   Greater Plains Collaborative, Waitman Lemuel R.
Published: May 2023

Background:

Electronic health record (EHR) data have many quality problems that may affect the outcome of research results and decision support systems. Many methods have been used to evaluate EHR data quality. However, there has yet to be a consensus on the best practice. We used a rule-based approach to assess the variability of EHR data quality across multiple healthcare systems.

Methods:

To quantify data quality concerns across healthcare systems in a PCORnet Clinical Research Network, we used a previously tested rule-based framework tailored to the PCORnet Common Data Model to perform data quality assessment at 13 clinical sites across eight states. Results were compared with the current PCORnet data curation process to explore the differences between both methods. Additional analyses of testosterone therapy prescribing were used to explore clinical care variability and quality.

Results:

The framework detected discrepancies across sites, revealing evident data quality variability between sites. The detailed requirements encoded the rules captured additional data errors with a specificity that aids in remediation of technical errors compared to the current PCORnet data curation process. Other rules designed to detect logical and clinical inconsistencies may also support clinical care variability and quality programs.

Conclusion:

Rule-based EHR data quality methods quantify significant discrepancies across all sites. Medication and laboratory sources are causes of data errors.
SOME CONSEQUENCES OF AND
Authors: PENG YINHE , WU LIUZHEN , YU LIANG
Published: May 2023

Strong Turing Determinacy, or
${\mathrm {sTD}}$
, is the statement that for every set A of reals, if
$\forall x\exists y\geq _T x (y\in A)$
, then there is a pointed set
$P\subseteq A$
. We prove the following consequences of Turing Determinacy (
${\mathrm {TD}}$
) and
${\mathrm {sTD}}$
over
${\mathrm {ZF}}$
—the Zermelo–Fraenkel axiomatic set theory without the Axiom of Choice:

(1)

${\mathrm {ZF}}+{\mathrm {TD}}$
implies
$\mathrm {wDC}_{\mathbb {R}}$
—a weaker version of
$\mathrm {DC}_{\mathbb {R}}$
.

(2)

${\mathrm {ZF}}+{\mathrm {sTD}}$
implies that every set of reals is measurable and has Baire property.

(3)

${\mathrm {ZF}}+{\mathrm {sTD}}$
implies that every uncountable set of reals has a perfect subset.

(4)

${\mathrm {ZF}}+{\mathrm {sTD}}$
implies that for every set of reals A and every
$\epsilon>0$
:

(a)

There is a closed set
$F\subseteq A$
such that
$\mathrm {Dim_H}(F)\geq \mathrm {Dim_H}(A)-\epsilon $
, where
$\mathrm {Dim_H}$
is the Hausdorff dimension.

(b)

There is a closed set
$F\subseteq A$
such that
$\mathrm {Dim_P}(F)\geq \mathrm {Dim_P}(A)-\epsilon $
, where
$\mathrm {Dim_P}$
is the packing dimension.
Popular Constitutionalism in the US Empire: The Legal History of US Citizenship in Guam
Authors: Dardani Ross
Published: May 2023

This article presents a legal history of US citizenship in Guam. I argue that members of Guam’s Congress mobilizing for US citizenship in the 1930s and in the immediate aftermath of World War II offer a powerful and instructive example of popular constitutionalism, or the interactive, extrajudicial process that generates constitutional meaning. Guamanians made constitutional claims to US naval leaders and lawmakers, arguing that colonized people living in the US empire should be US citizens despite ambiguous Supreme Court precedents in the Insular Cases, congressional inaction, and naval obstruction. Guamanians interpreted the Constitution in a way that pressured and influenced naval leaders to support and US lawmakers to ultimately enact legislation that extended citizenship to Guam. This legal history demonstrates the complexity of popular constitutionalism within the context of US empire. By claiming that they should be considered US citizens after the United States formally annexed Guam after the Spanish-American War, Guamanians drew on the Constitution to demand equality, dignity, and full inclusion in the US polity for colonized people. US naval leaders and lawmakers turned this egalitarian reading of the Constitution to their own strategic advantage, however, deploying it as a valuable piece of Cold War propaganda. This article thus provides a useful example of the ideological indeterminacy of popular constitutionalism. The Constitution can be interpreted by marginalized populations to demand equality and inclusion. But the Constitution can also be interpreted by the military and congressional leaders of a global empire to maintain systems of power, oppression, and subordination.
Election-Related Post-Traumatic Stress: Evidence from the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election
Authors: Fraser Timothy , Panagopoulos Costas , Smith Kevin
Published: May 2023

The 2020 U.S. presidential election saw rising political tensions among ordinary voters and political elites, with fears of election violence culminating in the January 6 riot. We hypothesized that the 2020 election might have been traumatic for some voters, producing measurable symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We also hypothesized that negative sentiment toward the opposing party correlates with PTSD. We measured PTSD using a modified version of the PCL-5, a validated PTSD screener, for 573 individuals from a nationally representative YouGov sample. We modeled the association between affective polarization and PTSD, controlling for political, demographic, and psychological traits. We estimate that 12.5% of American adults (95% CI: 9.2% to 15.9%) experienced election-related PTSD, far higher than the annual PTSD prevalence of 3.5%. Additionally, negativity toward opposing partisans correlated with PTSD symptoms. These findings highlight a potential need to support Americans affected by election-related trauma.
Jean Mabillon and the Debate on the Regular Origins of Secular Canonesses in Seventeenth-Century France
Authors: VANDERPUTTEN STEVEN
Published: May 2023

This paper reviews the classic perception that the debate on the regular origins of secular canonesses in early modern France consisted of a clash between authors who sought to legitimise the members’ current status and privileges, and prominent scholars such as Jean Mabillon whose sole aim was to present a truthful account of the past. Through a case study of the abbey of Remiremont it shows that local commentators gained a nuanced understanding of that community's past and present identities, while Mabillon and others relied on second-hand arguments and flawed methods to make a case for a regular reform.
Do natural catastrophic events and exceptional climatic conditions also affect parasites?
Authors: Poglayen Giovanni , Gelati Antonio , Scala Antonio , Naitana Salvatore , Musella Vincenzo , Nocerino Martina , Cringoli Giuseppe , Frangipane di Regalbono Antonio , Habluetzel Annette
Published: May 2023

Parasites and parasitologists have always lived together in good and bad luck in a sort of forced marriage. In recent times bad luck certainly prevailed, because of increasing man-made emergencies such as wars, chemical disasters, but also because of natural disasters, amplified by climate change, that condition more and more parasite–host equilibrium. The symposium at the National Congress of the Italian Society for Parasitology, was a first occasion for Italian parasitologists to reason about ‘disaster parasitology’ and researchers’ responsibilities. Extreme weather events and their impacts on parasites’ epidemiology are illustrated, comparing disasters that recently occurred in Italy with literature data. In particular, the Sardinian Island was hit subsequently by fires and floods exacerbating the effects on ecosystems and parasite–host-relationships. Examples of Cryptosporidium outbreaks in man and Fasciola hepatica infections in various hosts after heavy rains are reviewed and effects of droughts on pasture borne parasites, such as gastro-intestinal nematodes of ruminants are discussed. Heavy rains may also cause dissemination of toxic substances released accidentally from chemical plants as happened e.g. in Milan province (IT) after the dioxin hazard. The overlapping effects of strictly man-made disasters with climate change dependent extreme weather events is further challenging the understanding of what are the consequences of disasters on ecosystems and parasite epidemiology.

GIS applications combined with AI programs may help to face the complex challenges, allowing the collection and analysis of spatial/temporal data at whatever level desired. Examples illustrated in the article suggest their employment also in a more systematic, prevention-oriented manner.
Review Essay: Whence Came the Modern American Right?
Authors: Santin Bryan M.
Published: May 2023

For scholars of American political history, the 2016 election was a moment of methodological reassessment. After Donald Trump eviscerated his seemingly “respectable” GOP challengers in the Republican presidential primary and went on to win the general election, historians and theorists of the American Right rethought the reigning “ostracization thesis,” a memorable phrase Edward H. Miller uses to describe a historiographical narrative grounded in the theory that American conservatives, led by Ronald Reagan, had prevailed in the 1980s by systematically purging their movement of extremists in the 1960s and 1970s (258). In 2017, Rick Perlstein, one of the most celebrated popular historians of the conservative movement, published an essay in the New York Times memorably titled “I Thought I Understood the American Right. Trump Proved Me Wrong.” In it, he expressed regret for helping to forge this narrative in his first book, Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus (Hill and Wang, 2001). Cory Robin updated his influential book The Reactionary Mind (Oxford University Press, 2011; 2018) to account for Trump's ascendance. “Like most observers of American politics,” Robin wrote in the preface to the second edition, “I was shocked by Trump's victory in the 2016 presidential election.” But if the 2016 election prompted a critical reassessment, then the 2020 election and its chaotic coda (i.e., the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021) prompted a scholarly reckoning not only with modern American conservatism, but also with the broader narrative arc of twentieth-century American politics. The four recent books under review here, which were all published after the 2020 election, represent some of the first revisionist fruits of this reckoning.
Evacuation at Home Delayed the First Medical Intervention in Minamisanriku Town after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake
Authors: Tsuboi Motohiro , Sasaki Hiroyuki , Park Hyejeong , Usuda Yuichiro , Hanashima Makoto , Saito Masaji , Takahashi Shoko , Sakisaka Kayako , Hibiya Manabu , Kiyota Kazuya , Hatsugai Kazuaki , Nishizawa Masafumi , Sugawara Yumi , Tsuji Ichiro , Egawa Shinichi
Published: May 2023

Introduction:

In Japan, evacuation at home is expected to increase in the future as a post-disaster evacuation type due to the pandemic, aging, and diverse disabilities of the population. However, more disaster-related indirect deaths occurred in homes than in evacuation centers after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE). The health risks faced by evacuees at home have not been adequately discussed.

Study Objective:

This study aimed to clarify the gap in disaster health management for evacuees at home compared to the evacuees at the evacuation centers in Minamisanriku Town, which lost all health care facilities after the 2011 GEJE.

Methods:

This was a retrospective cross-sectional and quasi-experimental study based on the anonymized disaster medical records (DMRs) of patients from March 11 through April 10, 2011, that compared the evacuation-at-home and evacuation-center groups focusing on the day of the first medical intervention after the onset. Multivariable Cox regression analysis and propensity score (PS)-matching analysis were performed to identify the risk factors and causal relationship between the evacuation type and the delay of medical intervention.

Results:

Of the 2,838 eligible patients, 460 and 2,378 were in the evacuation-at-home and evacuation-center groups, respectively. In the month after the onset, the evacuation-at-home group had significantly lower rates of respiratory and mental health diseases than the evacuation-center group. However, the mean time to the first medical intervention was significantly delayed in the evacuation-at-home group (19.3 [SD = 6.1] days) compared to that in the evacuation-center group (14.1 [SD = 6.3] days); P <.001). In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, the hazard ratio (HR) of delayed medical intervention for evacuation-at-home was 2.31 with a 95% confident interval of 2.07–2.59. The PS-matching analysis of the adjusted 459 patients in each group confirmed that evacuation at home was significantly associated with delays in the first medical intervention (P <.001).

Conclusion:

This study suggested, for the first time, the causal relationship between evacuation at home and delay in the first medical intervention by PS-matching analysis. Although evacuation at home had several advantages in reducing the frequencies of some diseases, the delay in medical intervention could exacerbate the symptoms and be a cause of indirect death. As more evacuees are likely to remain in their homes in the future, this study recommends earlier surveillance and health care provision to the home evacuees.
Herbicide screening for weed control and crop safety in California melon production
Authors: Bean Travis M. , Stoddard Scott , Sosnoskie Lynn M. , Osipitan Adewale , Devkota Pratap , Kyser Guy B. , Hanson Bradley D.
Published: May 2023

Weed management in cantaloupe and other melon crops is important to maximize fruit yield; however, there are few registered herbicides available in California. Several independent herbicide trials were conducted at University of California field stations in Davis (Yolo County), Five Points (Fresno County), and Holtville (Imperial County) from 2013 to 2019 to evaluate both registered and unregistered herbicides and incorporation methods (sprinklers, cultivation, or none) for crop safety and weed control in melons. Although specific treatments varied among locations depending on local practice and research objectives, ethalfluralin and halosulfuron were used in all experiments, and bensulide and S-metolachlor were evaluated in 4 of 6 site-years. Additional herbicides included clethodim, clomazone, DCPA, napropamide, pendimethalin, sethoxydim, and sulfentrazone. Among registered herbicides, halosulfuron, halosulfuron + ethalfluralin, and ethalfluralin + bensulide combinations provided consistently beneficial weed control across all site-years compared to the nontreated control. S-metolachlor performed as well as the best of the registered herbicides tested at each site-year; although moderate injury was noted at the Davis location, this did not reduce melon yield. The method used to incorporate preplant herbicides had a significant impact on weed control efficacy but varied by location. Mechanical incorporation of preplant herbicides resulted in improved weed control and yield compared to sprinklers. Early-season weed control, whether by herbicides or hand weeding, resulted in significant yield increase in most site-years.
RDS-NExT workshop: consensus statements for the use of surfactant in preterm neonates with RDS
Authors: Bhandari Vineet , Black Rachel , Gandhi Bheru , Hogue Susan , Kakkilaya Venkatakrishna , Mikhael Michel , Moya Fernando , Pezzano Chad , Read Pam , Roberts Kari D. , Ryan Rita M. , Stanford Richard H. , Wright Clyde J.
Published: May 2023

Objective

To provide the best clinical practice guidance for surfactant use in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). The RDS-Neonatal Expert Taskforce (RDS-NExT) initiative was intended to add to existing evidence and clinical guidelines, where evidence is lacking, with input from an expert panel.

Study design

An expert panel of healthcare providers specializing in neonatal intensive care was convened and administered a survey questionnaire, followed by 3 virtual workshops. A modified Delphi method was used to obtain consensus around topics in surfactant use in neonatal RDS.

Result

Statements focused on establishing RDS diagnosis and indicators for surfactant administration, surfactant administration methods and techniques, and other considerations. After discussion and voting, consensus was achieved on 20 statements.

Conclusion

These consensus statements provide practical guidance for surfactant administration in preterm neonates with RDS, with a goal to contribute to improving the care of neonates and providing a stimulus for further investigation to bridge existing knowledge gaps.
Gestational ethanol exposure impairs motor skills in female mice through dysregulated striatal dopamine and acetylcholine function
Authors: Bariselli Sebastiano , Mateo Yolanda , Reuveni Noa , Lovinger David M.
Published: May 2023

Fetal alcohol exposure has deleterious consequences on the motor skills of patients affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and in pre-clinical models of gestational ethanol exposure (GEE). Deficits in striatal cholinergic interneurons (CINs) and dopamine function impair action learning and execution, yet the effects of GEE on acetylcholine (ACh) and striatal dopamine release remain unexplored. Here, we report that alcohol exposure during the first ten postnatal days (GEEP0-P10), which mimics ethanol consumption during the last gestational trimester in humans, induces sex-specific anatomical and motor skill deficits in female mice during adulthood. Consistent with these behavioral impairments, we observed increased stimulus evoked-dopamine levels in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) of GEEP0-P10 female, but not male, mice. Further experiments revealed sex-specific deficits in β2-containing nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR)-modulation of electrically evoked dopamine release. Moreover, we found a reduced decay of ACh transients and a decreased excitability of striatal CINs in DLS of GEEP0-P10 females, indicating striatal CIN dysfunctions. Finally, the administration of varenicline, a β2-containing nAChR partial agonist, and chemogenetic-mediated increase in CIN activity improved motor performance in adult GEEP0-P10 females. Altogether, these data shed new light on GEE-induced striatal deficits and establish potential pharmacological and circuit-specific interventions to ameliorate motor symptoms of FASD.
Taurine as a key intermediate for host-symbiont interaction in the tropical sponge Ianthella basta
Authors: Moeller Florian U , Herbold Craig W , Schintlmeister Arno , Mooshammer Maria , Motti Cherie , Glasl Bettina , Kitzinger Katharina , Behnam Faris , Watzka Margarete , Schweder Thomas , Albertsen Mads , Richter Andreas , Webster Nicole S , Wagner Michael
Published: May 2023

Marine sponges are critical components of marine benthic fauna assemblages, where their filter-feeding and reef-building capabilities provide bentho-pelagic coupling and crucial habitat. As potentially the oldest representation of a metazoan-microbe symbiosis, they also harbor dense, diverse, and species-specific communities of microbes, which are increasingly recognized for their contributions to dissolved organic matter (DOM) processing. Recent omics-based studies of marine sponge microbiomes have proposed numerous pathways of dissolved metabolite exchange between the host and symbionts within the context of the surrounding environment, but few studies have sought to experimentally interrogate these pathways. By using a combination of metaproteogenomics and laboratory incubations coupled with isotope-based functional assays, we showed that the dominant gammaproteobacterial symbiont, ‘Candidatus Taurinisymbion ianthellae’, residing in the marine sponge, Ianthella basta, expresses a pathway for the import and dissimilation of taurine, a ubiquitously occurring sulfonate metabolite in marine sponges. ‘Candidatus Taurinisymbion ianthellae’ incorporates taurine-derived carbon and nitrogen while, at the same time, oxidizing the dissimilated sulfite into sulfate for export. Furthermore, we found that taurine-derived ammonia is exported by the symbiont for immediate oxidation by the dominant ammonia-oxidizing thaumarchaeal symbiont, ‘Candidatus Nitrosospongia ianthellae’. Metaproteogenomic analyses also suggest that ‘Candidatus Taurinisymbion ianthellae’ imports DMSP and possesses both pathways for DMSP demethylation and cleavage, enabling it to use this compound as a carbon and sulfur source for biomass, as well as for energy conservation. These results highlight the important role of biogenic sulfur compounds in the interplay between Ianthella basta and its microbial symbionts.
Aerobic methylation of hydrogen sulfide to dimethylsulfide in diverse microorganisms and environments
Authors: Li Chun-Yang , Cao Hai-Yan , Wang Qing , Carrión Ornella , Zhu Xiaoyu , Miao Jie , Wang Peng , Chen Xiu-Lan , Todd Jonathan D , Zhang Yu-Zhong
Published: May 2023

Dimethylsulfide (DMS) is the major biosulfur source emitted to the atmosphere with key roles in global sulfur cycling and potentially climate regulation. The main precursor of DMS is thought to be dimethylsulfoniopropionate. However, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a widely distributed and abundant volatile in natural environments, can be methylated to DMS. The microorganisms and the enzymes that convert H2S to DMS, and their importance in global sulfur cycling were unknown. Here we demonstrate that the bacterial MddA enzyme, previously known as a methanethiol S-methyltransferase, could methylate inorganic H2S to DMS. We determine key residues involved in MddA catalysis and propose the mechanism for H2S S-methylation. These results enabled subsequent identification of functional MddA enzymes in abundant haloarchaea and a diverse range of algae, thus expanding the significance of MddA mediated H2S methylation to other domains of life. Furthermore, we provide evidence for H2S S-methylation being a detoxification strategy in microorganisms. The mddA gene was abundant in diverse environments including marine sediments, lake sediments, hydrothermal vents and soils. Thus, the significance of MddA-driven methylation of inorganic H2S to global DMS production and sulfur cycling has likely been considerably underestimated.
Single-nucleus multi-omics of human stem cell-derived islets identifies deficiencies in lineage specification
Authors: Augsornworawat Punn , Hogrebe Nathaniel J. , Ishahak Matthew , Schmidt Mason D. , Marquez Erica , Maestas Marlie M. , Veronese-Paniagua Daniel A. , Gale Sarah E. , Miller Julia R. , Velazco-Cruz Leonardo , Millman Jeffrey R.
Published: May 2023

Insulin-producing β cells created from human pluripotent stem cells have potential as a therapy for insulin-dependent diabetes, but human pluripotent stem cell-derived islets (SC-islets) still differ from their in vivo counterparts. To better understand the state of cell types within SC-islets and identify lineage specification deficiencies, we used single-nucleus multi-omic sequencing to analyse chromatin accessibility and transcriptional profiles of SC-islets and primary human islets. Here we provide an analysis that enabled the derivation of gene lists and activity for identifying each SC-islet cell type compared with primary islets. Within SC-islets, we found that the difference between β cells and awry enterochromaffin-like cells is a gradient of cell states rather than a stark difference in identity. Furthermore, transplantation of SC-islets in vivo improved cellular identities overtime, while long-term in vitro culture did not. Collectively, our results highlight the importance of chromatin and transcriptional landscapes during islet cell specification and maturation.
Mechanochemical feedback loop drives persistent motion of liposomes
Authors: Fu Meifang , Burkart Tom , Maryshev Ivan , Franquelim Henri G. , Merino-Salomón Adrián , Reverte-López María , Frey Erwin , Schwille Petra
Published: May 2023

Achieving autonomous motion is a central objective in designing artificial cells that mimic biological cells in form and function. Cellular motion often involves complex multiprotein machineries, which are challenging to reconstitute in vitro. Here we achieve persistent motion of cell-sized liposomes. These small artificial vesicles are driven by a direct mechanochemical feedback loop between the MinD and MinE protein systems of Escherichia coli and the liposome membrane. Membrane-binding Min proteins self-organize asymmetrically around the liposomes, which results in shape deformation and generates a mechanical force gradient leading to motion. The protein distribution responds to the deformed liposome shape through the inherent geometry sensitivity of the reaction–diffusion dynamics of the Min proteins. We show that such a mechanochemical feedback loop between liposome and Min proteins is sufficient to drive continuous motion. Our combined experimental and theoretical study provides a starting point for the future design of motility features in artificial cells.
Resilience to autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease in a Reelin-COLBOS heterozygous man
Authors: Lopera Francisco , Marino Claudia , Chandrahas Anita S. , O’Hare Michael , Villalba-Moreno Nelson David , Aguillon David , Baena Ana , Sanchez Justin S. , Vila-Castelar Clara , Ramirez Gomez Liliana , Chmielewska Natalia , Oliveira Gabriel M. , Littau Jessica Lisa , Hartmann Kristin , Park Kyungeun , Krasemann Susanne , Glatzel Markus , Schoemaker Dorothee , Gonzalez-Buendia Lucia , Delgado-Tirado Santiago , Arevalo-Alquichire Said , Saez-Torres Kahira L. , Amarnani Dhanesh , Kim Leo A. , Mazzarino Randall C. , Gordon Harper , Bocanegra Yamile , Villegas Andres , Gai Xiaowu , Bootwalla Moiz , Ji Jianling , Shen Lishuang , Kosik Kenneth S. , Su Yi , Chen Yinghua , Schultz Aaron , Sperling Reisa A. , Johnson Keith , Reiman Eric M. , Sepulveda-Falla Diego , Arboleda-Velasquez Joseph F. , Quiroz Yakeel T.
Published: May 2023

We characterized the world’s second case with ascertained extreme resilience to autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease (ADAD). Side-by-side comparisons of this male case and the previously reported female case with ADAD homozygote for the APOE3 Christchurch (APOECh) variant allowed us to discern common features. The male remained cognitively intact until 67 years of age despite carrying a PSEN1-E280A mutation. Like the APOECh carrier, he had extremely elevated amyloid plaque burden and limited entorhinal Tau tangle burden. He did not carry the APOECh variant but was heterozygous for a rare variant in RELN (H3447R, termed COLBOS after the Colombia–Boston biomarker research study), a ligand that like apolipoprotein E binds to the VLDLr and APOEr2 receptors. RELN-COLBOS is a gain-of-function variant showing stronger ability to activate its canonical protein target Dab1 and reduce human Tau phosphorylation in a knockin mouse. A genetic variant in a case protected from ADAD suggests a role for RELN signaling in resilience to dementia.
TomoTwin: generalized 3D localization of macromolecules in cryo-electron tomograms with structural data mining
Authors: Rice Gavin , Wagner Thorsten , Stabrin Markus , Sitsel Oleg , Prumbaum Daniel , Raunser Stefan
Published: May 2023

Cryogenic-electron tomography enables the visualization of cellular environments in extreme detail, however, tools to analyze the full amount of information contained within these densely packed volumes are still needed. Detailed analysis of macromolecules through subtomogram averaging requires particles to first be localized within the tomogram volume, a task complicated by several factors including a low signal to noise ratio and crowding of the cellular space. Available methods for this task suffer either from being error prone or requiring manual annotation of training data. To assist in this crucial particle picking step, we present TomoTwin: an open source general picking model for cryogenic-electron tomograms based on deep metric learning. By embedding tomograms in an information-rich, high-dimensional space that separates macromolecules according to their three-dimensional structure, TomoTwin allows users to identify proteins in tomograms de novo without manually creating training data or retraining the network to locate new proteins.
Early alterations in the MCH system link aberrant neuronal activity and sleep disturbances in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Calafate Sara , Özturan Gökhan , Thrupp Nicola , Vanderlinden Jeroen , Santa-Marinha Luísa , Morais-Ribeiro Rafaela , Ruggiero Antonella , Bozic Ivan , Rusterholz Thomas , Lorente-Echeverría Blanca , Dias Marcelo , Chen Wei-Ting , Fiers Mark , Lu Ashley , Vlaeminck Ine , Creemers Eline , Craessaerts Katleen , Vandenbempt Joris , van Boekholdt Luuk , Poovathingal Suresh , Davie Kristofer , Thal Dietmar Rudolf , Wierda Keimpe , Oliveira Tiago Gil , Slutsky Inna , Adamantidis Antoine , De Strooper Bart , de Wit Joris
Published: May 2023

Early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with hippocampal hyperactivity and decreased sleep quality. Here we show that homeostatic mechanisms transiently counteract the increased excitatory drive to CA1 neurons in AppNL-G-F mice, but that this mechanism fails in older mice. Spatial transcriptomics analysis identifies Pmch as part of the adaptive response in AppNL-G-F mice. Pmch encodes melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), which is produced in sleep–active lateral hypothalamic neurons that project to CA1 and modulate memory. We show that MCH downregulates synaptic transmission, modulates firing rate homeostasis in hippocampal neurons and reverses the increased excitatory drive to CA1 neurons in AppNL-G-F mice. AppNL-G-F mice spend less time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. AppNL-G-F mice and individuals with AD show progressive changes in morphology of CA1-projecting MCH axons. Our findings identify the MCH system as vulnerable in early AD and suggest that impaired MCH-system function contributes to aberrant excitatory drive and sleep defects, which can compromise hippocampus-dependent functions.
Pareto optimization with small data by learning across common objective spaces
Authors: Tan Chin Sheng , Gupta Abhishek , Ong Yew-Soon , Pratama Mahardhika , Tan Puay Siew , Lam Siew Kei
Published: May 2023

In multi-objective optimization, it becomes prohibitively difficult to cover the Pareto front (PF) as the number of points scales exponentially with the dimensionality of the objective space. The challenge is exacerbated in expensive optimization domains where evaluation data is at a premium. To overcome insufficient representations of PFs, Pareto estimation (PE) invokes inverse machine learning to map preferred but unexplored regions along the front to the Pareto set in decision space. However, the accuracy of the inverse model depends on the training data, which is inherently scarce/small given high-dimensional/expensive objectives. To alleviate this small data challenge, this paper marks a first study on multi-source inverse transfer learning for PE. A method to maximally utilize experiential source tasks to augment PE in the target optimization task is proposed. Information transfers between heterogeneous source-target pairs is uniquely enabled in the inverse setting through the unification provided by common objective spaces. Our approach is tested experimentally on benchmark functions as well as on high-fidelity, multidisciplinary simulation data of composite materials manufacturing processes, revealing significant gains to the predictive accuracy and PF approximation capacity of Pareto set learning. With such accurate inverse models made feasible, a future of on-demand human-machine interaction facilitating multi-objective decisions is envisioned.
Identifying appropriate prediction models for estimating hourly temperature over diverse agro-ecological regions of India
Authors: Bal Santanu Kumar , Pramod V. P. , Sandeep V. M. , Manikandan N. , Sarath Chandran M. A. , Subba Rao A. V. M. , Vijaya Kumar P. , Vanaja M. , Singh V. K.
Published: May 2023

The present study tests the accuracy of four models in estimating the hourly air temperatures in different agroecological regions of the country during two major crop seasons, kharif and rabi, by taking daily maximum and minimum temperatures as input. These methods that are being used in different crop growth simulation models were selected from the literature. To adjust the biases of estimated hourly temperature, three bias correction methods (Linear regression, Linear scaling and Quantile mapping) were used. When compared with the observed data, the estimated hourly temperature, after bias correction, is reasonably close to the observed during both kharif and rabi seasons. The bias-corrected Soygro model exhibited its good performance at 14 locations, followed by the WAVE model and Temperature models at 8 and 6 locations, respectively during the kharif season. In the case of rabi season, the bias-corrected Temperature model appears to be accurate at more locations (21), followed by WAVE and Soygro models at 4 and 2 locations, respectively. The pooled data analysis showed the least error between estimated (uncorrected and bias-corrected) and observed hourly temperature from 04 to 08 h during kharif season while it was 03 to 08 h during the rabi season. The results of the present study indicated that Soygro and Temperature models estimated hourly temperature with better accuracy at a majority of the locations situated in the agroecological regions representing different climates and soil types. Though the WAVE model worked well at some of the locations, estimation by the PL model was not up to the mark in both kharif and rabi seasons. Hence, Soygro and Temperature models can be used to estimate hourly temperature data during both kharif and rabi seasons, after the bias correction by the Linear Regression method. We believe that the application of the study would facilitate the usage of hourly temperature data instead of daily data which in turn improves the precision in predicting phenological events and bud dormancy breaks, chilling hour requirement etc.
In vitro ruminal degradability of wheat straw cultivated with white-rot fungi adapted to mushroom farming conditions
Authors: Martens Siriwan D. , Wildner Vicki , Zeyner Annette , Steinhöfel Olaf
Published: May 2023

Biological treatment of cereal straw for ruminant nutrition purposes might present an environmentally friendly option of valorizing a widely available by-product of grain production for farming systems with low external input. Several strains of white-rot fungi have been selected in the past under mostly controlled laboratory conditions for their capacity of lignin degradation. The study adapted to conditions on farm for upscaling purposes. The development of the in vitro straw digestibility with two different moistening pre-treatments and inoculated with three different fungi species, namely Pleurotus ostreatus, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Volvariella volvacea, was determined up to 42 days of fermentation with five sampling times. The effect of physical straw pre-treatments on nutritional parameters was evaluated. The neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD30h), enzymatically soluble organic substance (ELOS) and the gas production (Hohenheim Feed value Test, HFT) as indicators for in vitro ruminal degradability decreased over time independent of the fungus: HFT, ELOS and NDFD30h by up to 50, 35 and 30% of the original straw. Remoistening and autoclaving the straw increased the gas production significantly by 2.6 mL/200 g dry matter (DM), and ELOS and NDFD30h by 45 and 51 g/kg DM compared to the original straw (34.9 mL/200 mg DM, 342 g/kg DM, 313 g/kg NDF).
Effect of Bacillus subtilis on mechanical and self-healing properties in mortar with different crack widths and curing conditions
Authors: Yamasamit Nattapong , Sangkeaw Panisa , Jitchaijaroen Wittaya , Thongchom Chanachai , Keawsawasvong Suraparb , Kamchoom Viroon
Published: May 2023

This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) in self-healing cracks in concrete and enhancing concrete strength through microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP). The study evaluated the ability of the mortar to cover cracks within 28 days, taking into account the width of the crack, and observed the recovery of strength after self-healing. The use of microencapsulated endospores of B. subtilis was also examined for its impact on the strength of concrete. The compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strengths of normal mortar were compared to those of biological mortar, and it was found that biological mortar had a higher strength capacity. Microstructure analysis using SEM and EDS showed that bacterial growth increased calcium production, contributing to the improved mechanical properties of the bio-mortar.
Usefulness of gastric aspirates for diagnosing nontuberculous mycobacteriosis
Authors: Shimoda Masafumi , Morimoto Kozo , Yoshiyama Takashi , Tanaka Yoshiaki , Furuuchi Koji , Fujiwara Keiji , Ito Masashi , Nishimura Masashi , Yoshimori Kozo , Ohta Ken
Published: May 2023

Distinguishing between nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) and pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is difficult. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of gastric aspirate examination for NTM-PD diagnosis and for differentiating NTM-PD from other diseases, including pulmonary TB. We retrospectively collected data for 491 patients with negative sputum smears or a lack of sputum production at Fukujuji Hospital. We compared 31 patients with NTM-PD to 218 patients with other diseases (excluding 203 with pulmonary TB). Additionally, we compared 81 patients with NTM cultured from at least one sputum or bronchoscopy sample to the other 410 patients. Gastric aspirate examination for NTM-PD diagnosis showed 74.2% sensitivity and 99.0% specificity for culture positivity. There was no significant difference between the nodular bronchiectatic disease and cavitary disease types for culture positivity (p = 0.515). The significance of NTM isolation from gastric aspirate showed 64.2% sensitivity and 99.8% specificity for culture positivity. Gastric aspirate examination revealed NTM in one TB patient, allowing TB to be ruled out in 98.1% of patients with NTM cultured from gastric aspirates. Gastric aspirate examination is helpful for early-stage NTM diagnosis and ruling out pulmonary TB. This could lead to more accurate and timely treatment.
Machine learning predictive model for aspiration screening in hospitalized patients with acute stroke
Authors: Park Dougho , Son Seok Il , Kim Min Sol , Kim Tae Yeon , Choi Jun Hwa , Lee Sang-Eok , Hong Daeyoung , Kim Mun-Chul
Published: May 2023

Dysphagia is a fatal condition after acute stroke. We established machine learning (ML) models for screening aspiration in patients with acute stroke. This retrospective study enrolled patients with acute stroke admitted to a cerebrovascular specialty hospital between January 2016 and June 2022. A videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) confirmed aspiration. We evaluated the Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS), an early assessment tool for dysphagia, in all patients and compared its predictive value with ML models. Following ML algorithms were applied: regularized logistic regressions (ridge, lasso, and elastic net), random forest, extreme gradient boosting, support vector machines,k-nearest neighbors, and naïve Bayes. We finally analyzed data from 3408 patients, and 448 of them had aspiration on VFSS. The GUSS showed an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) of 0.79 (0.77–0.81). The ridge regression model was the best model among all ML models, with an AUROC of 0.81 (0.76–0.86), an F1 measure of 0.45. Regularized logistic regression models exhibited higher sensitivity (0.66–0.72) than the GUSS (0.64). Feature importance analyses revealed that the modified Rankin scale was the most important feature of ML performance. The proposed ML prediction models are valid and practical for screening aspiration in patients with acute stroke.
Divalent metallocenes of the lanthanides – a guideline to properties and reactivity
Authors: Schäfer Sebastian , Kaufmann Sebastian , Rösch Esther S. , Roesky Peter W.
Published: May 2023

A comprehensive overview of the syntheses, properties and reactivities of divalent metallocenes of the lanthanides is presented.
Advanced stimuli-responsive membranes for smart separation
Authors: Huang Tiefan , Su Zhixin , Hou Kun , Zeng Jianxian , Zhou Hu , Zhang Lin , Nunes Suzana P.
Published: May 2023

This review summarises the advancements of stimuli-responsive membranes, focusing on stimuli-responsive chemistry, controllable membrane properties, membrane preparation, and advanced applications.
Efficient and air-stable n-type doping in organic semiconductors
Authors: Yuan Dafei , Liu Wuyue , Zhu Xiaozhang
Published: May 2023

In this review, the key factors that determined air stability and doping efficiency of n-type doped organic semiconductors were summarized, together with the discussion of their applications in organic electronics.
Latest advances and perspectives of liquid biopsy for cancer diagnostics driven by microfluidic on-chip assays
Authors: Xie Yujiao , Xu Xiawei , Wang Jing , Lin Jie , Ren Yong , Wu Aiguo
Published: May 2023

We provide a comprehensive review of the strategies for integrating separation and detection units in microfluidic assays for liquid biopsy.
A digital multimeter-based portable photoelectrochemical immunoassay for the detection of cardiac troponin I with enzymatic biocatalytic precipitation
Authors: Huang Bizhen , Ran Jing , Li Ruishen , Zhuang Wei , Chen Jiabi , Guo Haixin
Published: May 2023

A portable photoelectrochemical immunoassay for cTnI detection was fabricated based on efficient photocurrent response of Cu2O coupling with split-type enzymatic biocatalytic precipitation reaction with a digital multimeter readout.
“Lighting up” fluoride: cellular imaging and zebrafish model interrogations using a simple ESIPT-based mycophenolic acid precursor-based probe
Authors: Jain Neha , Sonawane Prasad M. , Liu Haoyan , Roychaudhury Arkaprava , Lee Youngseob , An Jongkeol , Kim Donghyeon , Kim Dongwook , Kim Yunsu , Kim Yeu-Chun , Cho Kyung-Bin , Park Hee-Sung , Kim Cheol-Hee , Churchill David G.
Published: May 2023

The discovery and implementation of media that derive from bioinspired designs and bear optical readouts featuring large Stokes shifts are of continued interest to a wide variety of researchers and clinicians.
Organelle-targeted gene delivery in plants by nanomaterials
Authors: Law Simon Sau Yin , Miyamoto Takaaki , Numata Keiji
Published: May 2023

This feature article highlights the latest developments and our strategies in organelle-specific nanomaterial delivery within plants.
Ring expansion and fused cyclization catalysis to construct indoloquinazolinones with functionalization
Authors: Baidya Ramlal , Das Prasenjit , Pratihar Pintu , Maiti Dilip K.
Published: May 2023

A straightforward, moisture insensitive, and regioselective FeIII–CuII/p-TSA–CuIcombocatalysed reaction is achieved from isatins and 2-alkynylanilines to diverse 12-benzoyl/benzyl/alkyl indolo[1,2-c]quinazolin-6(5H)-ones with gram-scale scalability and high atom economy.
Efficient synthesis of 6-membered cyclic monothiocarbonates from halohydrin and carbonyl sulfide
Authors: Li Yang , Li Jianghui , Zhang Yingying , Fang Zizheng , Zhang Chengjian
Published: May 2023

Selective and efficient synthesis of 6-membered cyclic monothiocarbonates in mild reaction conditions using easily accessible starting materials.
Stereoselective synthesis of vinylphosphonates through aromatic aza-Claisen rearrangement of α-aminophosphonates
Authors: Kaboudin Babak , Ghashghaee Mojtaba , Fukaya Haruhiko , Yanai Hikaru
Published: May 2023

A novel approach for the stereoselective synthesis of vinylphosphonates via an aromatic aza-Claisen rearrangement of 1-aminophosphonates.
A red ambient afterglow material with lifetime of 0.5 s and efficiency over 12%
Authors: Shen Xingsha , Luo Yanju , Chen Kuan , Fu Caixia , Liu Ruyi , Huang Yan , Wu Kaiqun , Luo Juan , Lu Zhiyun
Published: May 2023

γCbPhAP, a red ambient phosphorescence-dominated afterglow material showing a long τDelay of 0.50 s and a relatively high φDelay of 12.2% under ambient conditions was designed and synthesized.
Three-dimensional modelling of 300 mm Czochralski silicon crystal growth with a transverse magnetic field
Authors: Liu Wenkai , Chen Songsong , Liu Yun , Wen Zhican , Jiang Fuman , Xue Zhongying , Wei Xing , Yu Yuehui
Published: May 2023

A method including a polynomial fitting step was proposed for crystallization interface correction of Czochralski crystal growth simulation, which can obtain an axisymmetric interface under a non-axisymmetric flow when the crystal rotates.
Fluorescence profiles of water droplets in stable levitating droplet clusters
Authors: Fedorets Alexander A. , Kolmakov Eduard E. , Medvedev Dmitry N. , Nosonovsky Michael , Dombrovsky Leonid A.
Published: May 2023

Levitating cluster of fluorescent droplets.
A simple topology-based model for predicting the activation barriers of reactive processes at 0 K
Authors: Ayarde-Henríquez Leandro , Guerra Cristian , Duque-Noreña Mario , Chamorro Eduardo
Published: May 2023

A fundamental correlation exists between the barrier of reactive processes and the structural stability concept, which can be cast into a model for predicting energy threshold in reactions involving organic and organometallic compounds.
Informing air–carbon ablation modeling with theoretical calculations of atomic oxygen and nitrogen interacting with carbon surfaces
Authors: Nieman Reed , Sands Michael , Wang Yingqi , Minton Timothy K. , Mussoni Erin E. , Engerer Jeffrey , Guo Hua
Published: May 2023

DFT calculations shed light on energy parameters for elementary processes in O/N interactions with HOPG.
Investigation of the mechanical and transport properties of InGeX3 (X = S, Se and Te) monolayers using density functional theory and machine learning
Authors: Shi Yong-Bo , Chen Yuan-Yuan , Wang Hao , Cao Shuo , Zhu Yuan-Xu , Chu Meng-Fan , Shao Zhu-Feng , Dong Hai-Kuan , Qian Ping
Published: May 2023

Recently, novel 2D InGeTe3 has been successfully synthesized and attracted attention due to its excellent properties.
Structural change dynamics of heteroleptic Cu(i) complexes observed by ultrafast emission spectroscopy
Authors: Sanga Masashi , Nakamura Kosuke , Iwamura Munetaka , Nozaki Koichi , Takeda Hiroyuki , Monma Yu , Ishitani Osamu
Published: May 2023

Excited-state dynamics of heteroleptic Cu(i) complexes were investigated using ultrafast emission spectroscopy. Initially, very fast ‘P-opening‘ structural change occurs, and it is followed by Jahn–Teller distortion with a time constant of 0.78 ps.
Understanding the broadband near-infrared luminescence in a highly distorted garnet Ca4HfGe3O12:Cr3+ phosphor
Authors: Liao Zurong , Zhong Jiyou , Li Chaojie , Jiang Huan , Zhao Weiren
Published: May 2023

A comprehensive study of a highly distorted garnet Ca4HfGe3O12:Cr3+ phosphor with desired and undesired properties.