bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A case of welder’s lung with end-stage pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Baur Xaver , Abraham Jerrold L.
Published: June 2023

Background Welding, performed regularly by more than a million workers worldwide, is associated with exposures to irritative, fibrogenic and carcinogenic fumes and gases.

Methods and Results We present the case of a welder who had worked under extremely poor hygiene conditions for nearly 20 years and had developed end-stage lung fibrosis, finally requiring lung transplantation. Detailed histopathology and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) analyses of his lungs showed advanced interstitial fibrosis and dust deposits in the lungs and in peribronchial lymph nodes containing welding type bodies, Fe, Si (silica), Ti (titanium), SiAl (aluminum silicates), Fe with Cr (Steel), and Zr (Zirkonium).

Conclusion In the absence of a systemic disorder and the failure to meet the criteria for diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), these findings suggest welder’s lung fibrosis as the most likely diagnosis.
Arbeitsmedizinische Aspekte bei der Eindämmung der COVID-19-Pandemie: Erfahrungen aus einem Großunternehmen der chemischen Industrie
Authors: Claus Matthias , Koch Gerold , Frambach Daniel , Warnke Arne Jonas , Webendörfer Stefan
Published: June 2023

Einleitung Ziel des Beitrags ist die Beschreibung der Erfahrungen eines Großunternehmens der chemischen Industrie bei der Eindämmung der COVID-19-Pandemie. Es werden Zeitpunkt und Inhalt getroffener Maßnahmen dargestellt sowie der pandemische Verlauf aus Unternehmenssicht beschrieben.

Methoden Die Darstellungen beziehen sich auf das Infektionsgeschehen und die Infektionsschutzmaßnahmen am Hauptstandort des Unternehmens in Ludwigshafen von März 2020 bis Mai 2022. Unternehmensintern erfasste Daten zu Meldedatum einer Infektion, Infektionsort, Anzahl enger Kontaktpersonen und Mitarbeitergruppe wurden u.a. mittels Werkskarte (aktive Infektionen) und Netzwerkgrafik (Infektionsketten) visualisiert, zudem wurden 7-Tages-Inzidenzen errechnet. Ergänzend wurde aus öffentlich zugänglichen Daten des Robert Koch-Instituts ein gewichteter Mittelwert der Inzidenzen aus werksnahen Landkreisen (gewichtet nach der Anzahl wohnhafter Mitarbeitender im Landkreis) berechnet und mit dem Verlauf unternehmensspezifischer Inzidenzen verglichen.

Ergebnisse Bis zum Ende des Follow-Ups am 31.05.2022 wurden 9379 Infektionen mit SARS-CoV-2 bei Mitarbeitenden und weitere 758 bei Leasingkräften erfasst, darunter 368 (4%) bzw. 84 (11%) vermutete Infektionen auf dem Werksgelände. Der Verlauf der 7-Tages-Inzidenzen bei Mitarbeitenden stimmte größtenteils mit dem Verlauf in der unmittelbaren Werksumgebung überein. Die Inzidenz vermuteter Werksinfektionen verblieb überwiegend auf vergleichsweise niedrigem Niveau unter 100 Neuinfektionen über 7 Tage/100 000.

Diskussion Die kontinuierliche Erfassung und Analyse von SARS-CoV-2-Neuinfektionen bei Mitarbeitenden liefern wertvolle Informationen zur effektiven Steuerung von Schutzmaßnahmen im Unternehmen. Damit kann zielgerichtet, mittels Verschärfung oder Lockerung von verordneten Schutzmaßnahmen, auf Veränderungen der Anzahl an Neuinfektionen auf dem Werksgelände reagiert werden.
Die Rolle des Öffentlichen Gesundheitsdiensts stärken
– ein Vergleich der ÖGD-Quotenauswahlverfahren in
Deutschland
Authors: Andersch-Rupprecht Claudia , Haderer Marika , Bader Alisa , Bräuer Julia , Schmidt Sebastian , Nagel Eckhard
Published: June 2023

Mit den Studienplätzen für den Öffentlichen
Gesundheitsdienst (ÖGD), die im Rahmen einer gesetzlich verankerten
Quote vergeben werden, zielen die Bundesländer Bayern, Hessen,
Rheinland-Pfalz und Sachsen-Anhalt darauf ab, den Fachkräftemangel im
ÖGD zu bekämpfen. Der Vergleich der Auswahlverfahren zeigt, dass
drei von vier Bundesländern (Bayern, Hessen und Rheinland-Pfalz) ein
2-stufiges Verfahren nutzen, dessen zweiter Schritt auf Interviews zum Testen
der sozialen und kommunikativen Fähigkeiten sowie der
persönlichen Eignung der Bewerber*innen zum Studium und zur
Tätigkeit im ÖGD basiert. Um zu eruieren, ob die Rolle des
ÖGD sowie die öffentliche Gesundheitsversorgung durch die Quoten
gestärkt wird, ist ein deutschlandweiter Vergleich der Auswahlverfahren
inklusive Evaluation elementar.
Cystic Cerebral Cavernous Malformations: Report of Five Cases and a Review of Literature
Authors: Shroff Krishna , Deopujari Chandrashekhar , Karmarkar Vikram , Mohanty Chandan
Published: June 2023

Introduction Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) account for about 5 to 13% of intracranial vascular malformations. Cystic cerebral cavernous malformations (cCCMs) are a rare morphological variant and can cause diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas. We describe our five such cases and review the existing literature on this entity.

Methods A search of the PubMed database for cCCMs was done, and all articles in English emphasizing the reporting of cCCMs were selected. A total of 42 publications describing 52 cases of cCCMs were selected for analysis. Epidemiological data, clinical presentation, imaging features, the extent of resection, and outcome were analyzed. Radiation-induced cCCMs were excluded. We have also described five of our cases of cCCMs and reported our experience.

Results The median age at presentation was 29.5 years. Twenty-nine patients had supratentorial lesions, 21 had infratentorial lesions, and 2 had lesions in both compartments. Among our four patients, three had infratentorial lesions, whereas one had a supratentorial lesion. Multiple lesions were seen in four patients. A majority (39) had symptoms of mass effect (75%), and 34 (65.38%) had raised intracranial pressure (ICP), whereas only 11 (21.15%) had seizures. Among our four operated patients, all of them had symptoms of mass effect, and two of them also had features of raised ICP. The extent of resection was gross total in 36 (69.23%), subtotal in 2 (3.85%), and not reported in 14 (26.93%). All four of our operated patients underwent gross total resection, but two of them underwent a second surgery. Of the 48 patients in whom the surgical outcome was reported, 38 improved (73.08%). One showed a transient worsening followed by improvement, one developed a worsening of the pre-existing focal neurological deficit (FND), two developed a new FND, and 5 had no improvement in their FNDs. Death occurred in one patient. All four of our operated patients improved after surgery, although three of them showed a transient worsening of FNDs. One patient is under observation.

Conclusion cCCMs are rare morphological variants and can cause considerable diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas. They should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any atypical cystic intracranial mass lesion. Complete excision is curative, and the outcome is generally favorable; although transient deficits may be seen.
An Evaluation of the Risk Factors and Respiratory Function Test Change of Children with Cystic Fibrosis Who Contracted COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Özaslan Mehmet Mustafa , Şenol Handan Duman , Barlık Meral , Çoksuer Fevziye , Dindar Bahar Girgin , Demir Esen , Gülen Figen
Published: June 2023

Objective Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared a global pandemic in March 2020, with millions of infected cases worldwide. Although the course is usually mild in the pediatric age group, there are unknown factors in patients with chronic lung diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the demographic characteristics and the clinical course of patients with cystic fibrosis who contracted COVID-19 infection.

Methods A total of 128 patients with cystic fibrosis who were under follow-up in our clinic were separated into two groups: those who had been infected with COVID-19 and those who had not. The COVID-19-positive patients were then grouped as those who were hospitalized and those treated as outpatients. In the COVID-19 group, the spirometry values of the patients before the infection were compared with those measured at 3 and 6 months after the infection.

Results The COVID-19 group comprised 34 (25.6%) cystic fibrosis patients with a mean age of 108.2 ± 60.8 months who contracted COVID-19 between April 2020 and October 2022. The rates of chronic bacterial colonization and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group (p = 0.001 and 0.005). Eight of the 34 patients were hospitalized, and 26 were isolated at home. Five patients required oxygen, and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) values were lower.

Conclusion A severe course of COVID-19 was not seen in any of the cystic fibrosis patients. A greater number of patients with chronic respiratory tract bacterial colonization and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis were hospitalized.
Obesity as a Predictor for Pulmonary Embolism and Performance of the Age-Adjusted D-Dimer Strategy in Obese Patients with Suspected Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Le Gal Grégoire , Tritschler Tobias , Gaugler Jan O. , Righini Marc , Robert-Ebadi Helia , Sanchez Olivier , Roy Pierre-Marie , Verschuren Franck , Miranda Sebastien , Delluc Aurélien
Published: June 2023

Introduction Obesity is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism, but studies evaluating its association with pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with suspected PE are lacking.

Objectives To evaluate whether body mass index (BMI) and obesity (i.e., BMI ≥30 kg/m2) are associated with confirmed PE in patients with suspected PE and to assess the efficiency and safety of the age-adjusted D-dimer strategy in obese patients.

Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of a multinational, prospective study, in which patients with suspected PE were managed according to the age-adjusted D-dimer strategy and followed for 3 months. Outcomes were objectively confirmed PE at initial presentation, and efficiency and failure rate of the diagnostic strategy. Associations between BMI and obesity, and PE were examined using a log-binomial model that was adjusted for clinical probability and hypoxia.

Results We included 1,593 patients (median age: 59 years; 56% women; 22% obese). BMI and obesity were not associated with confirmed PE. The use of the age-adjusted instead of the conventional D-dimer cut-off increased the proportion of obese patients in whom PE was considered ruled out without imaging from 28 to 38%. The 3-month failure rate in obese patients who were left untreated based on a negative age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off test was 0.0% (95% confidence interval: 0.0–2.9%).

Conclusion BMI on a continuous linear scale and obesity were not predictors of confirmed PE among patients presenting with a clinical suspicion of PE. The age-adjusted D-dimer strategy appeared safe in ruling out PE in obese patients with suspected PE.
How humour travels in the new and dynamic mediascape: a case study of a short video platform, Little Red Book, and an online teaching platform, Rain Classroom
Authors: Liang Lisi
Published: June 2023

As a vital part of translation studies, humour has drawn scholarly attention for decades, with classifications that range from Zabalbeascoa’s (The Translator 2(2):235–257, 1996) six types of jokes to Chiaro and Piferi’s (It’s green! It’s cool! It’s Shrek! Italian children, laughter and subtitles. In: Di Giovanni E, Elefante C, Pederzoli R (eds) Écrire Et Traduire Pour Les Enfants—writing and translating for children. Peter Lang, Brussels, 2010, p. 285) “Verbally Expressed Humour”. However, they are mainly related to printed pages, theatre, and film. Little research touches on the new media, which significantly impacts how information is produced and disseminated and how consumers react to and engage with these trendy platforms (Díaz-Cintas, Remael. Audiovisual translation: subtitling. Routledge, London and New York, 2021, p. 1). This significant gap in the video-sharing platforms on humour translation is the focus of this paper which intends to fill. This paper explores how humour is created and reconstructed in the dominant and constantly evolving new media era. Driven by the niche of an interdisciplinary study concerning humour and creative subtitles, the present research conducts a linguistic and semiotic analysis of humorous discourses and emojis in the Chinese contexts of the short video platform Little Red Book and the online teaching platform Rain Classroom. As the study implies, humour can be strengthened through diverse semiotic possibilities to provide better viewing experiences that bring about entertaining and educational outcomes.
A minireview on 3D printing for electrochemical water splitting
electrodes and cells
Authors: Xun Yanran , Zhang Kaixi , Jonhson Win , Ding Jun
Published: June 2023

The adoption of additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) for electrochemically related applications is receiving increased attention from the research community, particularly for water electrolysis driven by renewable energy. Additive manufacturing has demonstrated its great potential in the structural design of complex geometry and customization. Given the recent development of several fast-prototyping materials and methods, examining the gaps of electrocatalytic electrode materials and apparatus between the lab scale and industrial scale is important. In this paper, we have summarized the state-of-art 3D printing technologies and 3D printing techniques used in water electrolysis systems—both electrodes and reaction cells. The suitability and advantages of 3D printing methods in developing and designing water-splitting reaction systems are thoroughly discussed. In addition, recent progress demonstrating 3D-printed electrodes and water-splitting cells is reviewed. Finally, future directions for this developing field of research are given along with current difficulties.
Empirical model for optical transitions in inner semiconducting tubes of double wall carbon nanotubes
Authors: Jamal G. R. Ahmed , Mominuzzaman S. M.
Published: June 2023

The inter-wall distance, average diameter, and chirality of the constituent nanotubes play a significant role in determining the electronic structure of double wall carbon nanotubes (DWNTs). In DWNTs, the inner tube possesses a special status, granted by the outer tube, which acts as a shield. Here, we proposed an empirical model for estimating the different optical transitions of inner semiconducting tubes (ISCTs) of DWNTs from the chirality of the constituent single wall carbon nanotubes when the outer tube can be semiconducting or metallic. So far, there have been no well-known theoretical or empirical models to estimate the optical transitions of ISCTs of DWNTs except first principles simulations. The proposed model relates the optical transitions of ISCTs of DWNTs with the chirality of the inner tube and the average diameter of DWNTs. The relation is used to calculate the optical transitions of a number of ISCTs of DWNTs, and the result was found to be in good agreement with the recent experimental reports. The proposed relation can help understand the electronic behavior of DWNTs in terms of their structural parameters and can help in identifying the chirality of unknown DWNTs from its electronic properties.
The role of the chloroplast localised phosphate transporter GmPHT4;10 gene in plant growth, photosynthesis and drought resistance
Authors: Liu Liwei , He Xu , Wang Shuwen , Qin Xueting , Che Songhao , Wu Lei , Wang Dongchao , Tian Ping , Wei Xiaoshuang , Wu Zhihai , Yang Xue , Yang Meiying
Published: June 2023

In view of the importance of inorganic phosphate to plant growth and development, the role of phosphate transporters responsible for absorption and transportation in crops has attracted increasing attention. In this study, bioinformatics analysis and subcellular localisation experiment showed that GmPHT4;10 is a member of PHT4 subfamily of phosphate transporters and located in chloroplasts. The gene was induced by phosphate deficiency and drought, and was the highest in leaves. After GmPHT4;10 gene was replenished to AtPHT4;5 gene deletion mutant lines (atpht4;5), the phenotype of the transgenic lines was basically recovered to the level of wild-type, but there were significant differences in phosphate content and photosynthetic indicators between wild-type and revertant lines. Meanwhile, the difference of proline content and catalase activity between the two lines also indicated that GmPHT4;10 gene and its orthologous gene AtPHT4;5 were different in drought resistance and drought resistance mechanism. After overexpression of GmPHT4;10 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana, more phosphate and proline were accumulated in chloroplasts and catalase activity was increased, thus improving photosynthesis and drought resistance of plants. The results further supplement the cognition of PHT4 subfamily function, and provides new ideas and ways to improve photosynthesis by revealing the function of chloroplast phosphate transporter.
Trophoblast PR-SET7 dysfunction induces viral mimicry response and necroptosis associated with recurrent miscarriage
Authors: Zhou Xiaobo , Xu Yingchun , Ren Shengnan , Yang Ningjie , Sun Yang , Yang Qibing , Zhang Yue , Cai Han , Deng Wenbo , Chen Jingsi , Chen Dunjin , Cao Bin , Qi Hongbo , Wang Haibin , Lu Jinhua
Published: June 2023

Recurrent miscarriage (RM) is a distressing pregnancy complication. While the etiology of RM remains unclear, growing evidence has indicated the relevance of trophoblast impairment to the pathogenesis of RM. PR-SET7 is the sole enzyme catalyzing monomethylation of H4K20 (H4K20me1) and has been implicated in many pathophysiological processes. However, how PR-SET7 functions in trophoblasts and its relevance to RM remain unknown. Here, we found that trophoblast-specific loss of
Pr-set7
in mice led to defective trophoblasts, resulting in early embryonic loss. Mechanistic analysis revealed that PR-SET7 deficiency in trophoblasts derepressed endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), leading to double-stranded RNA stress and subsequent viral mimicry, which drove overwhelming interferon response and necroptosis. Further examination discovered that H4K20me1 and H4K20me3 mediated the inhibition of cell-intrinsic expression of ERVs. Importantly, dysregulation of PR-SET7 expression and the corresponding aberrant epigenetic modifications were observed in the placentas of RM. Collectively, our results demonstrate that PR-SET7 acts as an epigenetic transcriptional modulator essential for repressing ERVs in trophoblasts, ensuring normal pregnancy and fetal survival, which sheds new light on potential epigenetic causes contributing to RM.
Fluid flow structures gut microbiota biofilm communities by distributing public goods
Authors: Wong Jeremy P. H. , Fischer-Stettler Michaela , Zeeman Samuel C. , Battin Tom J. , Persat Alexandre
Published: June 2023

Bacterial gut commensals experience a biologically and physically complex mucosal environment. While many chemical factors mediate the composition and structure of these microbial communities, less is known about the role of mechanics. Here, we demonstrate that fluid flow impacts the spatial organization and composition of gut biofilm communities by shaping how different species interact metabolically. We first demonstrate that a model community composed of
Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron
(
Bt
) and
Bacteroides fragilis
(
Bf
), two representative human commensals, can form robust biofilms in flow. We identified dextran as a polysaccharide readily metabolized by
Bt
but not
Bf
, but whose fermentation generates a public good enabling
Bf
growth. By combining simulations with experiments, we demonstrate that in flow,
Bt
biofilms share dextran metabolic by-products, promoting
Bf
biofilm formation. By transporting this public good, flow structures the spatial organization of the community, positioning the
Bf
population downstream from
Bt
. We show that sufficiently strong flows abolish
Bf
biofilm formation by limiting the effective public good concentration at the surface. Physical factors such as flow may therefore contribute to the composition of intestinal microbial communities, potentially impacting host health.
Adaptive structural and functional evolution of the placenta protects fetal growth in high-elevation deer mice
Authors: Wilsterman Kathryn , Moore Emily C. , Schweizer Rena M. , Cunningham Kirksey , Good Jeffrey M. , Cheviron Zachary A.
Published: June 2023

Environmental hypoxia challenges female reproductive physiology in placental mammals, increasing rates of gestational complications. Adaptation to high elevation has limited many of these effects in humans and other mammals, offering potential insight into the developmental processes that lead to and protect against hypoxia-related gestational complications. However, our understanding of these adaptations has been hampered by a lack of experimental work linking the functional, regulatory, and genetic underpinnings of gestational development in locally adapted populations. Here, we dissect high-elevation adaptation in the reproductive physiology of deer mice (
Peromyscus maniculatus
), a rodent species with an exceptionally broad elevational distribution that has emerged as a model for hypoxia adaptation. Using experimental acclimations, we show that lowland mice experience pronounced fetal growth restriction when challenged with gestational hypoxia, while highland mice maintain normal growth by expanding the compartment of the placenta that facilitates nutrient and gas exchange between gestational parent and fetus. We then use compartment-specific transcriptome analyses to show that adaptive structural remodeling of the placenta is coincident with widespread changes in gene expression within this same compartment. Genes associated with fetal growth in deer mice significantly overlap with genes involved in human placental development, pointing to conserved or convergent pathways underlying these processes. Finally, we overlay our results with genetic data from natural populations to identify candidate genes and genomic features that contribute to these placental adaptations. Collectively, these experiments advance our understanding of adaptation to hypoxic environments by revealing physiological and genetic mechanisms that shape fetal growth trajectories under maternal hypoxia.
Toward healthy and sustainable diets for the 21st century: Importance of sociocultural and economic considerations
Authors: Biesbroek Sander , Kok Frans J. , Tufford Adele R. , Bloem Martin W. , Darmon Nicole , Drewnowski Adam , Fan Shenggen , Fanzo Jessica , Gordon Line J. , Hu Frank B. , Lähteenmäki Liisa , Nnam Ngozi , Ridoutt Bradley G. , Rivera Juan , Swinburn Boyd , Veer Pieter van’t
Published: June 2023

Four years after the EAT-Lancet landmark report, worldwide movements call for action to reorient food systems to healthy diets that respect planetary boundaries. Since dietary habits are inherently local and personal, any shift toward healthy and sustainable diets going against this identity will have an uphill road. Therefore, research should address the tension between the local and global nature of the biophysical (health, environment) and social dimensions (culture, economy). Advancing the food system transformation to healthy, sustainable diets transcends the personal control of engaging consumers. The challenge for science is to scale-up, to become more interdisciplinary, and to engage with policymakers and food system actors. This will provide the evidential basis to shift from the current narrative of price, convenience, and taste to one of health, sustainability, and equity. The breaches of planetary boundaries and the environmental and health costs of the food system can no longer be considered externalities. However, conflicting interests and traditions frustrate effective changes in the human-made food system. Public and private stakeholders must embrace social inclusiveness and include the role and accountability of all food system actors from the microlevel to the macrolevel. To achieve this food transformation, a new “social contract,” led by governments, is needed to redefine the economic and regulatory power balance between consumers and (inter)national food system actors.
Fertility loss in senescing Arabidopsis ovules is controlled by the maternal sporophyte via a NAC transcription factor triad
Authors: Van Durme Matthias , Olvera-Carrillo Yadira , Pfeiffer Marie L. , Doll Nicolas M. , De Winter Freya , Lin Zongcheng , Nowack Moritz K.
Published: June 2023

Flowers have a species-specific fertile period during which pollination and fertilization have to occur to initiate seed and fruit development. Unpollinated flowers remain receptive for mere hours in some species, and up to several weeks in others before flower senescence terminates fertility. As such, floral longevity is a key trait subject to both natural selection and plant breeding. Within the flower, the life span of the ovule containing the female gametophyte is decisive for fertilization and the initiation of seed development. Here, we show that unfertilized ovules in
Arabidopsis thaliana
undergo a senescence program that generates morphological and molecular hallmarks of canonical programmed cell death processes in the sporophytically derived ovule integuments. Transcriptome profiling of isolated aging ovules revealed substantial transcriptomic reprogramming during ovule senescence, and identified up-regulated transcription factors as candidate regulators of these processes. Combined mutation of three most-up-regulated NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) transcription factors, NAP/ANAC029, SHYG/ANAC047, and ORE1/ANAC092, caused a substantial delay in ovule senescence and an extension of fertility in Arabidopsis ovules. These results suggest that timing of ovule senescence and duration of gametophyte receptivity are subject to genetic regulation controlled by the maternal sporophyte.
Stability of nucleic acid bases in concentrated sulfuric acid: Implications for the habitability of Venus’ clouds
Authors: Seager Sara , Petkowski Janusz J. , Seager Maxwell D. , Grimes John H. , Zinsli Zachary , Vollmer-Snarr Heidi R. , Abd El-Rahman Mohamed K. , Wishart David S. , Lee Brian L. , Gautam Vasuk , Herrington Lauren , Bains William , Darrow Charles
Published: June 2023

What constitutes a habitable planet is a frontier to be explored and requires pushing the boundaries of our terracentric viewpoint for what we deem to be a habitable environment. Despite Venus’ 700 K surface temperature being too hot for any plausible solvent and most organic covalent chemistry, Venus’ cloud-filled atmosphere layers at 48 to 60 km above the surface hold the main requirements for life: suitable temperatures for covalent bonds; an energy source (sunlight); and a liquid solvent. Yet, the Venus clouds are widely thought to be incapable of supporting life because the droplets are composed of concentrated liquid sulfuric acid—an aggressive solvent that is assumed to rapidly destroy most biochemicals of life on Earth. Recent work, however, demonstrates that a rich organic chemistry can evolve from simple precursor molecules seeded into concentrated sulfuric acid, a result that is corroborated by domain knowledge in industry that such chemistry leads to complex molecules, including aromatics. We aim to expand the set of molecules known to be stable in concentrated sulfuric acid. Here, we show that nucleic acid bases adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine, and uracil, as well as 2,6-diaminopurine and the “core” nucleic acid bases purine and pyrimidine, are stable in sulfuric acid in the Venus cloud temperature and sulfuric acid concentration range, using UV spectroscopy and combinations of 1D and 2D
1
H
13
C
15
N NMR spectroscopy. The stability of nucleic acid bases in concentrated sulfuric acid advances the idea that chemistry to support life may exist in the Venus cloud particle environment.
Direct mapping of bending and torsional dynamics in individual nanostructures
Authors: Tong Ling , Li Deshuai , Su Ting , Gao Si , Wang Peng , Tang Jau , Wang Zhong Lin , Shi Kebin , Wang Zhi Wei
Published: June 2023

Investigating coherent acoustic vibrations in nanostructured materials provides fundamental insights into optomechanical responses and microscopic energy flow. Extensive measurements of vibrational dynamics have been performed for a wide variety of nanoparticles and nanoparticle assemblies. However, virtually all of them show that only the dilation modes are launched after laser excitations, and the acoustic bending and torsional motions, which are commonly observed in photoexcited chemical bonds, are absent. Unambiguous identification and refined characterization of these “missing” modes have been a long-standing issue. In this report, we investigated the acoustic vibrational dynamics of individual Au nanoprisms on free-standing graphene substrates using an ultrafast high-sensitivity dark-field imaging approach in four-dimensional transmission electron microscopy. Following optical excitations, we observed low-frequency multiple-mode oscillations and higher superposition amplitudes at nanoprism corners and edges on the subnanoparticle level. In combination with finite-element simulations, we determined that these vibrational modes correspond to out-of-plane bending and torsional motions, superimposed by an overall tilting effect of the nanoprisms. The launch and relaxation processes of these modes are highly pertinent to substrate effects and nanoparticle geometries. These findings contribute to the fundamental understanding about acoustic dynamics of individual nanostructures and their interaction with substrates.
The mRNA translation initiation factor eIF4G1 controls mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, axonal morphogenesis, and memory
Authors: Kim Sung-Hoon , Choi Jung-Hyun , Marsal-García Laura , Amiri Mehdi , Yanagiya Akiko , Sonenberg Nahum
Published: June 2023

mRNA translation initiation plays a critical role in learning and memory. The eIF4F complex, composed of the cap-binding protein eIF4E, ATP-dependent RNA helicase eIF4A, and scaffolding protein eIF4G, is a pivotal factor in the mRNA translation initiation process. eIF4G1, the major paralogue of the three eIF4G family members, is indispensable for development, but its function in learning and memory is unknown. To study the role of eIF4G1 in cognition, we used an eIF4G1 haploinsufficient (eIF4G1-1D) mouse model. The axonal arborization of eIF4G1-1D primary hippocampal neurons was significantly disrupted, and the mice displayed impairment in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Translatome analysis showed that the translation of mRNAs encoding proteins of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system was decreased in the eIF4G1-1D brain, and OXPHOS was decreased in eIF4G1-silenced cells. Thus, eIF4G1-mediated mRNA translation is crucial for optimal cognitive function, which is dependent on OXPHOS and neuronal morphogenesis.
WNK1 controls endosomal trafficking through TRIM27-dependent regulation of actin assembly
Authors: Jung Ji-Ung , Cobb Melanie H.
Published: June 2023

The protein kinase WNK1 (with-no-lysine 1) influences trafficking of ion and small-molecule transporters and other membrane proteins as well as actin polymerization state. We investigated the possibility that actions of WNK1 on both processes are related. Strikingly, we identified the E3 ligase tripartite motif-containing 27 (TRIM27) as a binding partner for WNK1. TRIM27 is involved in fine tuning the WASH (Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein and SCAR homologue) regulatory complex which regulates endosomal actin polymerization. Knockdown of WNK1 reduced the formation of the complex between TRIM27 and its deubiquitinating enzyme USP7 (ubiquitin-specific protease 7), resulting in significantly diminished TRIM27 protein. Loss of WNK1 disrupted WASH ubiquitination and endosomal actin polymerization, which are necessary for endosomal trafficking. Sustained receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) expression has long been recognized as a key oncogenic signal for the development and growth of human malignancies. Depletion of either WNK1 or TRIM27 significantly increased degradation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) following ligand stimulation in breast and lung cancer cells. Like the EGFR, the RTK AXL was also affected similarly by WNK1 depletion but not by inhibition of WNK1 kinase activity. This study uncovers a mechanistic connection between WNK1 and the TRIM27-USP7 axis and extends our fundamental knowledge about the endocytic pathway regulating cell surface receptors.
From second thoughts on the germ theory to a full-blown host theory
Authors: Casanova Jean-Laurent
Published: June 2023

In 1955, René Dubos famously expressed his “second thoughts on the germ theory”, attributing infectious diseases to various “changing circumstances” that weaken the host by unknown mechanisms. He rightly stressed that only a small minority of individuals infected by almost any microbe develop clinical disease. Intriguingly, though, he did not mention the abundant and elegant findings reported from 1905 onward that unambiguously pointed to host genetic determinants of infection outcome in plants and animals, including human inborn errors of immunity. Diverse findings over the next 50 y corroborated and extended these earlier genetic and immunological observations that René Dubos had neglected. Meanwhile, the sequential advent of immunosuppression- and HIV–driven immunodeficiencies unexpectedly provided a mechanistic basis for his own views. Collectively, these two lines of evidence support a host theory of infectious diseases, with inherited and acquired immunodeficiencies as the key determinants of severe infection outcome, relegating the germ to an environmental trigger that reveals an underlying and preexisting cause of disease and death.
Yeast increases glycolytic flux to support higher growth rates accompanied by decreased metabolite regulation and lower protein phosphorylation
Authors: Chen Min , Xie Tingting , Li Huan , Zhuang Yingping , Xia Jianye , Nielsen Jens
Published: June 2023

Supply of Gibbs free energy and precursors are vital for cellular function and cell metabolism have evolved to be tightly regulated to balance their supply and consumption. Precursors and Gibbs free energy are generated in the central carbon metabolism (CCM), and fluxes through these pathways are precisely regulated. However, how fluxes through CCM pathways are affected by posttranslational modification and allosteric regulation remains poorly understood. Here, we integrated multi-omics data collected under nine different chemostat conditions to explore how fluxes in the CCM are regulated in the yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
. We deduced a pathway- and metabolism-specific CCM flux regulation mechanism using hierarchical analysis combined with mathematical modeling. We found that increased glycolytic flux associated with an increased specific growth rate was accompanied by a decrease in flux regulation by metabolite concentrations, including the concentration of allosteric effectors, and a decrease in the phosphorylation level of glycolytic enzymes.
Cultural trauma and constitution: Precursors of political traditions and collective identities
Authors: Yair Gad
Published: June 2023

The sociology of constitutions is a rather new domain. This paper adds to the legal and political literature on national constitutions and their effects on political traditions and collective identities by using the theory of cultural trauma. Using cultural sociology's analyses of national trauma, it demonstrates that the meaning of national constitutions and their particular articles become clear when juxtaposed with the narratives of trauma that national leaders eternalised in their stories of constitution. Close scrutiny of the constitutions of the USA, France, Italy, Croatia, Poland and Ukraine shows that beneath the legal jargon and the distinct political worldviews of modern national constitutions lay constitutive national traumas. Those national traumas motivated constitutional authors to make sure that those traumas will never recur. In so doing they charted particular political destinies and created unique collective identities.
Photon counting-energy integrating hybrid flat panel detector systems for image-guided interventions: an experimental proof-of-concept
Authors: Treb Kevin , Hämisch York , Ullberg Christer , Zhang Ran , Li Ke
Published: June 2023

Objective. Current C-arm x-ray systems equipped with scintillator-based flat panel detectors (FPDs) lack sufficient low-contrast detectability and spectral, high-resolution capabilities much desired for certain interventional procedures. Semiconductor-based direct-conversion photon counting detectors (PCDs) offer these imaging capabilities, although the cost of full field-of-view (FOV) PCD is still too high at the moment. The purpose of this work was to present a hybrid photon counting-energy integrating FPD design as a cost-effective solution to high-quality interventional imaging. Approach. In the proposed hybrid detector design, the central scintillator and thin-film transistor elements in the FPD are replaced with a semiconductor PCD module to upgrade the imaging capabilities of the C-arm system while preserving the full FOV coverage. The central PCD module can be used for high-quality 2D and 3D region-of-interest imaging with improved spatial- and temporal-resolution as well as spectral resolving capability. An experimental proof-of-concept was conducted using a 30 × 2.5 cm2 CdTe PCD and a 40 × 30 cm2 CsI(Tl)-aSi(H) FPD. Main results. Phantom and in vivo animal studies show (1) improved visualization of small stent wires in both 2D and 3D images due to the better spatial resolution of the PCD; (2) dual-energy angiography imaging capability by using the spectral PCD; (3) better conspicuity of small peripheral iodinated vessels (contrast-to-noise ratio improvement range: (29%, 151%)); (4) the central PCD outputs can be fused seamlessly with the surrounding scintillator detector outputs to provide full field imaging: A post-processing chain was developed by leveraging the PCD’s spectral information to match the image contrast of the PCD images to the surrounding scintillator detector, followed by spatial filtering of the PCD image to match noise texture and spatial resolution. Significance. The hybrid FPD design provides a cost-effective option to upgrade C-arm systems with spectral and ultra-high resolution capabilities without interfering with the clinical need for full FOV imaging.
Secondary electrocardiographic stratification of NSTEMI to identify an acutely occluded culprit artery
Authors: Dzikowicz Dillon J , Carey Mary G
Published: June 2023

In the United States, approximately 720 000 adults will experience a myocardial infarction (MI) every year. The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is quintessential for the classification of a MI. About 30% of all MIs exhibit ST-segment elevation on the 12-lead ECG and is therefore classified as an ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), which is treated emergently with percutaneous coronary intervention to restore blood flow. However, in the remaining 70% of MIs, the 12-lead ECG lacks ST-segment elevation and instead exhibits a motley of changes, including ST-segment depression, T-wave inversion, or, in up to 20% of patients, have no changes whatsoever; as such, these MIs are classified as a Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI). Of this larger classification of MIs, 33% of NSTEMI actually have an occlusion of the culprit artery consistent with a Type I MI . This is a serious clinical problem because NSTEMI with an occluded culprit artery have similar myocardial damage like STEMI and are more likely to suffer from adverse outcomes compared to NSTEMI without an occluded culprit artery. In this review article, we review the extant literature on NSTEMI with an occluded culprit artery. Afterward, we generate and discuss hypotheses for the absence of ST-segment elevation on the 12-lead ECG: (1) transient occlusion (2) collateral blood flow and chronically occluded artery and (3) ECG-silent myocardial regions. Lastly, we describe and define novel ECG features that are associated with an occluded culprit artery in NSTEMI which include T-wave morphology abnormalities and novel markers of ventricular repolarization heterogeneity.
Electron density and temperature in a diffuse nanosecond pulse discharge in air at atmospheric pressure
Authors: Brisset A , Guenin T , Tardiveau P , Sobota A
Published: June 2023

This work presents the first experimental results on the electron properties of a nanosecond diffuse fast ionisation wave generated in synthetic dry air at atmospheric pressure under very strong overvoltage. Both density and mean temperature of electrons are investigated by incoherent Thomson scattering. The electron density is also derived from the Stark broadening of oxygen lines resolved by optical emission spectroscopy. The extreme voltages applied question some common hypothesis of the diagnostics implemented. The solutions adopted and the remaining limitations are discussed in the paper. Each diagnostic covers a specific region of interest within the discharge and they show good agreement in conditions where they overlap. It is shown that most of the volume of the pin-to-plane discharge is quite representative of a quasi-steady state glow discharge dominated by the emission of the first and second positive systems of nitrogen. Once its propagation completed within the first two nanoseconds and until the end of the 10 ns pulse, it is characterized by rather homogeneous properties close to the axis. The electron density is of the order of 1015 cm−3 and the mean temperature is about 3 eV within the whole air gap. About 6 ns after the start of the discharge from the pin, a sub-millimetric region of strong ionization develops at the pin, which is consistent with the observation of a continuum of emission spreading from the UV to the near-IR spectral range. Within this part of the discharge, the electron density reaches values greater than 1017 cm−3 with an ionization degree higher than 1%. The radiative recombination of nitrogen ions N2
+ and the three-body recombination of N+ with a large number of electrons could help to explain the continuum.
Onsager coefficients in a coupled-transport model displaying a condensation transition
Authors: Iubini Stefano , Politi Antonio , Politi Paolo
Published: June 2023

We study nonequilibrium steady states of a one-dimensional stochastic model, originally introduced as an approximation of the discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation. This model is characterized by two conserved quantities, namely mass and energy; it displays a ‘normal’, homogeneous phase, separated by a condensed (negative-temperature) phase, where a macroscopic fraction of energy is localized on a single lattice site. When steadily maintained out of equilibrium by external reservoirs, the system exhibits coupled transport herein studied within the framework of linear response theory. We find that the Onsager coefficients satisfy an exact scaling relationship, which allows reducing their dependence on the thermodynamic variables to that on the energy density for unitary mass density. We also determine the structure of the nonequilibrium steady states in proximity of the critical line, proving the existence of paths which partially enter the condensed region. This phenomenon is a consequence of the Joule effect: the temperature increase induced by the mass current is so strong as to drive the system to negative temperatures. Finally, since the model attains a diverging temperature at finite energy, in such a limit the energy–mass conversion efficiency reaches the ideal Carnot value.
Theoretical investigation of substitutionally doped symmetrical finite phenine nanotubes
Authors: Sharma Amrish , Sharma Hitesh , Mudahar Isha
Published: June 2023

Ab initio density functional theory calculations were performed to investigate the substitutional doping of boron and nitrogen in symmetrical phenine nanotubes. It was found that the doped structures are energetically favorable and can be grown experimentally. Furthermore, we investigated how electronic and magnetic properties of these nanotubes change in the presence of electron-rich (nitrogen) and electron-deficient (boron) impurities, and found that doping in these tubes resulted in a non-magnetic structure. The doping changes the electronic structure of the tube by reducing the energy gap and the reduction value is sensitive to the nanotube diameter and impurity type. The gap corresponding to the nitrogen doped tubes is in the range of 2.38 eV-2.64 eV, whereas for boron doped tubes, the value lies in 1.91 eV to 2.11 eV, respectively. Moreover, the nitrogen doped phenine nanotubes tend to be n-type semi-conductor. The doped phenine nanotube molecules with a high stability and tunable electronic properties may offer several interesting applications in nano-electronics.
A new 3D hidden conservative chaotic system with multistability and its circuit implementation
Authors: Wang Qiao , Hu Chenyang , Tian Zean , Wu Xianming , Sang Haiwei
Published: June 2023

A novel three-dimensional conservative system without an equilibrium point is constructed by replacing the square term x
2 + y
2 in the Vaidyanathan - Sundarapandian oscillator with a simple absolute value term |x|. The system is analyzed in detail by using time-domain waveform plots, bifurcation plots, Lyapunov exponent spectra, spectral entropy (SE), and C0 complexity. It is found that the system has rich dynamic behaviors: multiple phase trajectories can be tuned by only one parameter and multistability due to initial value sensitivity. The system shows that it can yield eight heterogeneous trajectories coexistent at different initial conditions, including periodic, quasi-periodic, and chaotic states. Additionally, the transient behavior was also observed. Finally, the experimental circuit was implemented, verifying both the physical realizability and the rich dynamic behaviors of the proposed system. With high complexity and sensitivity of parameter and initial condition, the proposed system is useful in image encryption and secure communication.
Stability and observability of magnetic primordial black hole-neutron star collisions
Authors: Estes John , Kavic Michael , Liebling Steven L. , Lippert Matthew , Simonetti John H.
Published: June 2023

The collision of a primordial black hole with a neutron star results in the black hole eventually consuming the entire neutron star. However, if the black hole is magnetically charged, and therefore stable against decay by Hawking radiation, the consequences can be quite different. Upon colliding with a neutron star, a magnetic black hole very rapidly comes to a stop. For large enough magnetic charge, we show that this collision can be detected as a sudden change in the rotation period of the neutron star, a glitch or anti-glitch.We argue that the magnetic primordial black hole, which then settles to the core of the neutron star, does not necessarily devour the entire neutron star; the system can instead reach a long-lived, quasi-stable equilibrium. Because the black hole is microscopic compared to the neutron star, most stellar properties remain unchanged compared to before the collision. However, the neutron star will heat up and its surface magnetic field could potentially change, both effects potentially observable.
Probing sterile neutrino dark matter in the PTOLEMY-like experiment
Authors: Choi Ki-Young , Lkhagvadorj Erdenebulgan , Yoo Seong Moon
Published: June 2023

We study the prospect to detect the cosmic background of sterile neutrinos in the tritium β-decay, such as the PTOLEMY-like experiments. The sterile neutrino with mass between 1 eV–10 keV may contribute to the local density as warm or cold dark matter component. In this study, we investigate the possibility for searching them in the models with different production in the early Universe, without assuming sterile neutrino as full dark matter component.
In these models, especially with low-reheating temperature and late-time phase transition, the capture rate per year can be greatly enhanced to be 𝒪(10) around the mass range 10–100 eV without violating other astrophysical and cosmological observations.