bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theory of quasi-exact fault-tolerant quantum computing and valence-bond-solid codes
Authors: Wang Dong-Sheng , Wang Yun-Jiang , Cao Ningping , Zeng Bei , Laflamme Raymond
Published: December 2021

In this work, we develop the theory of quasi-exact fault-tolerant quantum (QEQ) computation, which uses qubits encoded into quasi-exact quantum error-correction codes (‘quasi codes’). By definition, a quasi code is a parametric approximate code that can become exact by tuning its parameters. The model of QEQ computation lies in between the two well-known ones: the usual noisy quantum computation without error correction and the usual fault-tolerant quantum computation, but closer to the later. Many notions of exact quantum codes need to be adjusted for the quasi setting. Here we develop quasi error-correction theory using quantum instrument, the notions of quasi universality, quasi code distances, and quasi thresholds, etc. We find a wide class of quasi codes which are called valence-bond-solid codes, and we use them as concrete examples to demonstrate QEQ computation.
Protocol for generation of high-dimensional entanglement from an array of non-interacting photon emitters
Authors: Bell Thomas J , Bulmer Jacob F F , Jones Alex E , Paesani Stefano , McCutcheon Dara P S , Laing Anthony
Published: December 2021

Encoding high-dimensional quantum information into single photons can provide a variety of benefits for quantum technologies, such as improved noise resilience. However, the efficient generation of on-demand, high-dimensional entanglement was thought to be out of reach for current and near-future photonic quantum technologies. We present a protocol for the near-deterministic generation of N-photon, d-dimensional photonic Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) states using an array of d non-interacting single-photon emitters. We analyse the impact on performance of common sources of error for quantum emitters, such as photon spectral distinguishability and temporal mismatch, and find they are readily correctable with time-resolved detection to yield high fidelity GHZ states of multiple qudits. When applied to a quantum key distribution scenario, our protocol exhibits improved loss tolerance and key rates when increasing the dimensionality beyond binary encodings.
In situ measurements of low energy D plasma-driven permeation through He pre-damaged W
Authors: Li Xue-Chun , Zhou Hai-Shan , Liu Hao-Dong , Wang Lu , Luo Guang-Nan
Published: December 2021

Experiments concerning the effect of helium (He) plasma exposure on deuterium (D) plasma-driven permeation through tungsten (W) foils in a linear plasma facility have been performed. 0.05 mm thick W foils were exposed to ∼2 × 1020 m−2 s−1 He plasma with various fluences at 883 K. After He irradiating, D permeation tests were performed for the samples and retention was also measured by high-resolution thermal desorption spectroscopy. It was observed that He pre-irradiation resulted in a significant reduction of D permeation and retention in W. Microstructure observation indicated that the surfaces of the samples after He irradiation turned rough and He nanobubbles were formed near the surface. Defective structures including He nanobubbles likely enhance D reemission and accordingly reduce the permeation and retention in He pre-irradiated W.
Improved scaling law for the prediction of deuterium retention in beryllium co-deposits
Authors: Založnik Anže , Baldwin Matthew J. , Doerner Russell P. , De Temmerman Gregory , Pitts Richard A.
Published: December 2021

Hydrogen isotope co-deposition with Be eroded from the first wall is expected to be the main fusion fuel retention mechanism in ITER. Since good fuel accounting is crucial for economic and safety reasons, reliable predictions of hydrogen isotope retention are needed. This study builds upon the well-established empirical De Temmerman scaling law De Temmerman et al (2008 Nucl. Fusion
48 075008) that predicts D/Be ratios in co-deposited layers based on deposition temperature, deposition rate, and deuterium particle energy. Expanding the data used in the original development of the scaling law with an additional dataset obtained with more recent measurements using a different technique to the original De Temmerman approach, allows us to obtain new values for free parameters and improve the prediction capabilities of the new scaling law. In an effort to improve the model even further, scaling with D2 background pressure was included and a new two-term model derived, describing D retention in low- and high-energy traps separately.
Beryllium erosion and redeposition in ITER H, He and D–T discharges
Authors: Romazanov J. , Kirschner A. , Brezinsek S. , Pitts R.A. , Borodin D. , Rode S. , Navarro M.X. , Schmid K. , Veshchev E. , Neverov V.S. , Kukushkin A.B. , Alekseev A.G. , Linsmeier Ch.
Published: December 2021

The Monte-Carlo code ERO2.0 was used to simulate steady-state erosion and transport of beryllium (Be) in the ITER main chamber. Various plasma scenarios were tested, including a variation of the main species (hydrogen, deuterium, helium), plasma conditions (density, temperature, flow velocity) and magnetic configurations. The study provides valuable predictions for the Be transport to the divertor, where it is expected to be an important contributor to dust formation and fuel retention due to build-up of co-deposited layers. The Be gross and net erosion rates provided by this study can help identifying first wall regions with potentially critical armour lifetime.
Theoretical study of the Alfven eigenmode stability in CFETR steady state discharges
Authors: Varela J. , Huang J. , Spong D.A. , Chen J. , Chan V. , Garcia L. , Wingen A. , Ghai Y. , Zou Y.
Published: December 2021

The aim of this study is to analyze the stability of Alfven eigenmodes (AE) in the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR) plasma for steady state operations. The analysis is done using the gyro-fluid code FAR3d including the effect of the acoustic modes, EP finite Larmor radius damping effects and multiple energetic particle populations. Two high poloidal β scenarios are studied with respect to the location of the internal transport barrier (ITB) at r/a ≈ 0.45 (case A) and r/a ≈ 0.6 (case B). Both operation scenarios show a narrow TAE gap between the inner-middle plasma region and a wide EAE gap all along the plasma radius. The AE stability of CFETR plasmas improves if the ITB is located inwards, case A, showing AEs with lower growth rates with respect to the case B. The AEs growth rate is smaller in the case A because the modes are located in the inner-middle plasma region where the stabilizing effect of the magnetic shear is stronger with respect to the case B. Multiple EP populations effects (NBI driven EP + alpha articles) are negligible for the case A, although the simulations for the case B show a stabilizing effect of the NBI EP on the n = 1 BAE caused by α particles during the thermalization process. If the FLR damping effects are included in the simulations, the growth rate of the EAE/NAE decreases up to 70%, particularly for n > 3 toroidal families. Low n AEs (n < 6) show the largest growth rates. On the other hand, high n modes (n = 6 to 15) are triggered in the frequency range of the NAE, strongly damped by the FLR effects.
Using public participation within land use change scenarios for analysing environmental and socioeconomic drivers
Authors: Penny Jessica , Djordjević Slobodan , Chen Albert S
Published: December 2021

This paper aims to improve the understanding of environmental and socioeconomic drivers on land use change (LUC) through public participation (PP), and provide recommendations for long-term policy making to support sustainable land use (LU) management. PP was necessary to help understand and address the problem and concerns of stakeholders within the study area. Through two collaboration workshops seven individual future LU scenarios were created. Using the future land use simulation model, LU was projected up till 2060, after which logistic regression analysis took place to find the most significant driver. Results found that LUC within the baseline scenario and the ones chosen by stakeholders were very different, however concluded that Paddy field extent would decrease in the future to be replaced by more drought resilient agriculture; Perennials & Orchards and Field Crops. Outcomes from future scenarios propose that future LUC was driven by environment spatial factors such as elevation and climate, not soil suitability. With, first hand interviews suggesting it is indirect external factors such as, crop price that drive LUC. Overall the study provides steps towards dynamic LUC modelling where future scenarios have been tailored to details specified by the public through their participation.
High-temperature corrosion behavior of TP91, C22 alloy and C22 based on laser coatings in simulated reducing corrosion environment
Authors: Liu Congcong , Liu Zongde , Gao Yuan , Wang Xinyu , Zheng Chao
Published: December 2021

To explore corrosion characteristics of TP91, C22 alloy and C22 laser coatings in reducing environment caused by low-nitrogen combustion at 500 °C–600 °C, a synthetic corrosive medium containing 0.2 vol% H2S-0.1 vol% O2–N2 were selected. Results showed that the order of corrosion resistance is: C22 laser coatings>C22 alloy>TP91. 550 °C was the limit corrosion temperature for C22 alloy and C22 laser coatings. The reason for the strong corrosion resistance of C22 alloy and C22 laser coatings is that a dense layer of Cr-rich corrosion products due to the is produced in the inner layer, thus protecting the matrix from direct corrosion by corrosive gas. Finer grains before corrosion tests and the formation of dense Cr2O3 inner layers in much speedier process were the main reasons for the best corrosion resistance of C22 laser coatings.
Effect of friction stir processing parameters on the microstructure and properties of ZK60 magnesium alloy
Authors: Hu Yijie , Sun Youping , He Jiangmei , Fang Dejun , Zhu Jiaxin , Meng Xiangchao
Published: December 2021

Friction stir processing is an important method for acquiring ultrafine-grained materials. In this paper, 3 mm ZK60 magnesium alloy sheet was carried for friction stir processing. The best processing parameters with a small grain size and maximum mechanical properties were obtained by comparing different rotation speeds and processing speeds. Fine recrystallized grains and high-angle grain boundaries were observed in stirring zone under different processing parameters. With increasing rotation speed, the grain size and high-angle grain boundary ratio increase; while with increasing processing speed, the grain size decrease, and the ratio of high-angle grain boundaries increase. When rotation speed and processing speed are 1400 r·min−1 and 100 mm·min−1, the processing plate have the largest ultimate tensile strength are 267.52 Mpa, that reached 84.62% of the base metals, and the yield strength, elongation and grain size are 166.97 Mpa, 15.32% and 1.12 ± 1.64 μm, respectively. The processing plate has more excellent damping performance than rolled.
Mechanical properties and constitutive model of Sn-58Bi alloy
Authors: Zhang Kebin , Li Wenbin , Song Ping , Zhao Changfang , Zhang Kewen
Published: December 2021

Sn-58Bi alloy is a strain-rate-sensitive material. To study the mechanical properties of Sn-58Bi alloy, an MTS universal testing machine and split-Hopkinson pressure bar were used to conduct quasi-static and dynamic testing on Sn-58Bi alloy, obtaining the stress-strain curve of Sn-58Bi alloy at the strain rate of 0.001–6316 s−1. By comparing the tensile and compressive stress–strain curves of Sn-58Bi alloy under quasi-static conditions, it is found that Sn-58Bi alloy is brittle, with its tensile yield strength lower than its compressive yield strength. By comparing the compressive stress–strain curves of Sn-58Bi alloy at different strain rates, it is found that the yield strength of Sn-58Bi alloy increases with increasing strain rate, and a strain-hardening phenomenon is manifested at high strain rate. By revising the Johnson–Cook constitutive model, the constitutive model of Sn-58Bi alloy at different strain rates was established, with the calculated results of the model in good agreement with the experimental results.
Recent advances in g-C3N4 based gas sensors for the detection of toxic and flammable gases: a review
Authors: Bhati Vijendra Singh , Takhar Vishakha , Raliya Ramesh , Kumar Mahesh , Banerjee Rupak
Published: December 2021

In recent years, many 2D nanomaterials like graphene, MoS2, phosphorene, and metal oxide nanosheets have been investigated for gas sensing applications due to their excellent properties. Amongst other 2D nanomaterials, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has attracted significant attention owing to its simple synthesis process, tunable electronic properties, and exceptional physicochemical properties. Such remarkable properties assert g-C3N4 as a potential candidate for the next-generation high-performance gas sensors employed in the detection of toxic and flammable gases. Although several articles and reviews are available on g-C3N4 for their synthesis, functionalities, and applications for the detection of humidity. Few of them have focused their attention on gas sensing using g-C3N4. Thus, in this review, we have methodically summed up the recent advances in g-C3N4 and its composites-based gas sensor for the detection of toxic and flammable gases. Moreover, we have also incorporated the synthesis strategies and the comprehensive physics of g-C3N4 based gas sensors. Additionally, different approaches are presented for the enhancement of gas sensing/detecting properties of g-C3N4 based gas sensors. Finally, the challenges and future scope of g-C3N4 based gas sensors for real-time monitoring of gases have been discussed.
Elevated Brain Natriuretic Peptide and High Brachial Pulse Pressure in Patients With Diabetes
Authors: Dillinger Jean-Guillaume , Patin Charlotte , Bonnin Philippe , Vidal-Trecan Tiphaine , Paven Elise , Gautier Jean-François , Riveline Jean-Pierre , Amah Guy , Henry Patrick
Published: December 2021

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) is frequent in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), and early detection improves prognosis. We investigated whether analysis of brachial blood pressure (BP) in daily practice can identify patients with DM and high risk for subsequent HF, as defined by brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) >50 pg/ml.

METHODS

3,367 outpatients with DM without a history of cardiovascular disease were enrolled in a prospective study.

RESULTS

Age (mean ± SD) was 56 ± 14 years, 57% were male, 78% had type 2 DM, and HbA1C was 7.4 ± 1.4%. A history of hypertension was recorded in 43% of patients and uncontrolled BP was observed in 13%. BNP concentration (mean ± SD) was 21 ± 21 ng/l and 9% of patients had high risk of incident HF. Brachial pulse pressure (PP) was the best BP parameter associated with high risk of incident HF compared with diastolic, systolic, or mean BP (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.70, 0.65, 0.57, and 0.57, respectively). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that elevated PP was independently associated with high risk of incident HF (odds ratio [95% confidence interval, CI]: 2.1 [1.5–2.8] for PP ≥65 mm Hg). Study of central aortic BP and pulse wave velocity on 117 patients demonstrated that high risk of incident HF was associated with increased arterial stiffness and subendocardial ischemia. After a mean follow-up of 811 days, elevated PP was associated with increased all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [95% CI]: 1.7 [1.1–2.8]).

CONCLUSIONS

Brachial PP is powerful and independent “easy to record” BP parameter associated with high risk of incident HF in diabetic patients.
Improving the Quality of Neuropsychological Assessment Practice: The Development of a Self-Assessment Audit Tool
Authors: King Lorraine , Hirst Ruth E , Methley Abigail , Javed Humma M , Bowman Alan R , Stevens Lucy H
Published: December 2021

Objective

Strict competency frameworks exist for training in, and provision of, clinical neuropsychological assessment practice. However, as in all disciplines, daily clinical practice may drift from the gold standard practice without routine monitoring and audit. A simple-to-use, but thorough and evidence-based audit tool has been developed to facilitate the tracking, maintenance, and discussion of best practice over time.

Method

A literature search and liaison with experienced neuropsychology colleagues did not unearth any pre-existing audit standards. Therefore, 39 new standards were generated, which were guided by best practice literature and clinical neuropsychology colleague discussions, to form the proposed self-assessment audit tool. Due to the diverse nature of services, both core and supplementary standards are proposed to enable the audit to be tailored to suit individual services’ needs.

Results

During its development, the tool has so far been trialed in two U.K. National Health Service clinical services in different localities, on three occasions, with a total patient population of N = 78 in order to refine the standards and to generate practice recommendations.

Conclusions

This audit tool is presented for services to self-assess their neuropsychological assessment practice. The authors plan to take this work forward with the British Psychological Society’s Division of Neuropsychology as a policy document for self-assessment and peer review. Other potential developments include contributing to clinical neuropsychology training tools and refining audit standards for use more widely, such as in pediatric services, or internationally with diverse populations.
Quantifying and correcting slide-to-slide variation in multiplexed immunofluorescence images
Authors: Harris Coleman R , McKinley Eliot T , Roland Joseph T , Liu Qi , Shrubsole Martha J , Lau Ken S , Coffey Robert J , Wrobel Julia , Vandekar Simon N
Published: December 2021

Motivation

Multiplexed imaging is a nascent single-cell assay with a complex data structure susceptible to technical variability that disrupts inference. These in situ methods are valuable in understanding cell–cell interactions, but few standardized processing steps or normalization techniques of multiplexed imaging data are available.

Results

We implement and compare data transformations and normalization algorithms in multiplexed imaging data. Our methods adapt the ComBat and functional data registration methods to remove slide effects in this domain, and we present an evaluation framework to compare the proposed approaches. We present clear slide-to-slide variation in the raw, unadjusted data and show that many of the proposed normalization methods reduce this variation while preserving and improving the biological signal. Furthermore, we find that dividing multiplexed imaging data by its slide mean, and the functional data registration methods, perform the best under our proposed evaluation framework. In summary, this approach provides a foundation for better data quality and evaluation criteria in multiplexed imaging.

Availability and implementation

Source code is provided at: https://github.com/statimagcoll/MultiplexedNormalization and an R package to implement these methods is available here: https://github.com/ColemanRHarris/mxnorm.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Hydrosurgical and conventional debridement of burns: randomized clinical trial
Authors: Legemate Catherine M. , Kwa Kelly A. A. , Goei Harold , Pijpe Anouk , Middelkoop Esther , van Zuijlen Paul P. M. , Beerthuizen Gerard I. J. M. , Nieuwenhuis Marianne K. , van Baar Margriet E. , van der Vlies Cornelis H. ,   HyCon Study Group, Dokter J. , Gardien K. L. M. , Hiddingh J. , Hofland H. W. C. , Lucas Y. , Meij-de Vries A. , Nijhuis T. H. J. , Oen I. M. M. H. , Roodbergen D. T. , Scholten-Jaegers S. M. H. J. , Stoop M. , Vlig M. , Trommel N.
Published: December 2021

Background

Tangential excision of burned tissue followed by skin grafting is the cornerstone of burn surgery. Hydrosurgery has become popular for tangential excision, with the hypothesis that enhanced preservation of vital dermal tissue reduces scarring. The aim of this trial was to compare scar quality after hydrosurgical versus conventional debridement before split-skin grafting.

Methods

A double-blind randomized within-patient multicentre controlled trial was conducted in patients with burns that required split-skin grafting. One wound area was randomized to hydrosurgical debridement and the other to Weck knife debridement. The primary outcome was scar quality at 12 months, assessed with the observer part of the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS). Secondary outcomes included complications, scar quality, colour, pliability, and histological dermal preservation.

Results

Some 137 patients were randomized. At 12 months, scars of the hydrosurgical debrided wounds had a lower POSAS observer total item score (mean 2.42 (95 per cent c.i. 2.26 to 2.59) versus 2.54 (95 per cent c.i. 2.36 to 2.72; P = 0.023)) and overall opinion score (mean 3.08 (95 per cent c.i. 2.88 to 3.28) versus 3.30 (95 per cent c.i. 3.09–3.51); P = 0.006). Patient-reported scar quality and pliability measurements were significantly better for the hydrosurgically debrided wounds. Complication rates did not differ between both treatments. Histologically, significantly more dermis was preserved with hydrosurgery (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

One year after surgery scar quality and pliability was better for hydrosurgically debrided burns, probably owing to enhanced histological preservation of dermis.

Registration number

Trial NL6085 (NTR6232 (http://www.trialregister.nl)).
Measuring heritable contributions to Alzheimer’s disease: polygenic risk score analysis with twins
Authors: Karlsson Ida K. , Escott-Price Valentina , Gatz Margaret , Hardy John , Pedersen Nancy L. , Shoai Maryam , Reynolds Chandra A.
Published: December 2021

The heritability of Alzheimer’s disease estimated from twin studies is greater than the heritability derived from genome-based studies, for reasons that remain unclear. We apply both approaches to the same twin sample, considering both Alzheimer’s disease polygenic risk scores and heritability from twin models, to provide insight into the role of measured genetic variants and to quantify uncaptured genetic risk. A population-based heritability and polygenic association study of Alzheimer’s disease was conducted between 1986 and 2016 and is the first study to incorporate polygenic risk scores into biometrical twin models of Alzheimer’s disease. The sample included 1586 twins drawn from the Swedish Twin Registry which were nested within 1137 twin pairs (449 complete pairs and 688 incomplete pairs) with clinically based diagnoses and registry follow-up (Mage = 85.28, SD = 7.02; 44% male; 431 cases and 1155 controls). We report contributions of polygenic risk scores at P < 1 × 10−5, considering a full polygenic risk score (PRS), PRS without the APOE region (PRS.no.APOE) and PRS.no.APOE plus directly measured APOE alleles. Biometric twin models estimated the contribution of environmental influences and measured (PRS) and unmeasured genes to Alzheimer’s disease risk. The full PRS and PRS.no.APOE contributed 10.1 and 2.4% to Alzheimer’s disease risk, respectively. When APOE ɛ4 alleles were added to the model with the PRS.no.APOE, the total contribution was 11.4% to Alzheimer’s disease risk, where APOE ɛ4 explained 9.3% and PRS.no.APOE dropped from 2.4 to 2.1%. The total genetic contribution to Alzheimer’s disease risk, measured and unmeasured, was 71% while environmental influences unique to each twin accounted for 29% of the risk. The APOE region accounts for much of the measurable genetic contribution to Alzheimer’s disease, with a smaller contribution from other measured polygenic influences. Importantly, substantial background genetic influences remain to be understood.
Regulation of lysosomal trafficking of progranulin by sortilin and prosaposin
Authors: Du Huan , Zhou Xiaolai , Feng Tuancheng , Hu Fenghua
Published: December 2021

Haploinsufficiency of the progranulin protein is a leading cause of frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Accumulating evidence support a crucial role of progranulin in the lysosome. Progranulin comprises 7.5 granulin repeats and is known to traffic to lysosomes via direct interactions with prosaposin or sortilin. Within the lysosome, progranulin gets processed into granulin peptides. Here, we report that sortilin and prosaposin independently regulate lysosomal trafficking of progranulin in vivo. The deletion of either prosaposin or sortilin alone results in a significant decrease in the ratio of granulin peptides versus full-length progranulin in mouse brain lysates. This decrease is further augmented by the deficiency of both prosaposin and sortilin. A concomitant increase in the levels of secreted progranulin in the serum was observed. Interestingly, while the deletion of both prosaposin and sortilin totally abolishes lysosomal localization of progranulin in neurons, it has a limited effect on lysosomal trafficking of progranulin in microglia, suggesting the existence of a novel sortilin and prosaposin independent pathway mediating progranulin lysosomal trafficking. In summary, our studies shed light on the regulation of lysosomal trafficking and processing of progranulin in vivo.
Case report: epipericardial fat necrosis—a rare cause of chest pain
Authors: van den Heuvel Frederik M A , Dimitriu-Leen Aukelien C , Habets Jesse , Nijveldt Robin
Published: December 2021

Background

Epipericardial fat necrosis (EFN) is a rare cause of chest pain, which is often unrecognized.

Case summary

A 58-year-old man previously known with a transient ischaemic attack presented with a sharp, substernal chest pain. Pulmonary embolism was ruled out by computed tomography (CT) angiography. However, CT angiography revealed an inhomogeneous epipericardial mass. On cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, the mass had an inhomogeneous signal intensity without infiltration of surrounding tissue. Late gadolinium enhancement imaging showed subtle hyperenhancement. Tissue characterization by means of parametric mapping revealed very low native T1 relaxation times and increased T2 relaxation times. In conclusion, the epipericardial mass showed fibrofatty inflammatory markers, suggestive of EFN. The chest pain resolved spontaneously. Follow-up CT 3 months later showed a marked regression of the mass which confirmed the diagnosis EFN.

Discussion

Epipericardial fat necrosis is a benign and self-limiting inflammatory cause of chest pain, which can be diagnosed with multi-modality imaging and must not be overlooked in the differential diagnosis of patients with acute pleuritic chest pain.
High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I after coronary artery bypass grafting for post-operative decision-making
Authors: Omran Hazem , Deutsch Marcus A , Groezinger Elena , Zittermann Armin , Renner André , Neumann Johannes T , Westermann Dirk , Myles Paul , Ramosaj Burim , Pauly Markus , Scholtz Werner , Hakim-Meibodi Kavous , Rudolph Tanja K , Gummert Jan , Rudolph Volker
Published: December 2021

Aims

Current troponin cut-offs suggested for the post-operative workup of patients following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery are based on studies using non-high-sensitive troponin assays or are arbitrarily chosen. We aimed to identify an optimal cut-off and timing for a proprietary high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) assay to facilitate post-operative clinical decision-making.

Methods and results

We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing elective isolated CABG at our centre between January 2013 and May 2019. Of 4684 consecutive patients, 161 patients (3.48%) underwent invasive coronary angiography after surgery, of whom 86 patients (53.4%) underwent repeat revascularization. We found an optimal cut-off value for peak hs-cTnI of >13 000 ng/L [>500× the upper reference limit (URL)] to be significantly associated with repeat revascularization within 48 h after surgery, which was internally validated through random repeated sampling with 1000 iterations. The same cut-off also predicted 30-day major adverse cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality after a median follow-up of 3.1 years, which was validated in an external cohort. A decision tree analysis of serial hs-cTnI measurements showed no added benefit of hs-cTnI measurements in patients with electrocardiographic or echocardiographic abnormalities or haemodynamic instability. Likewise, early post-operative hs-cTnI elevations had a low yield for clinical decision-making and only later elevations (at 12–16 h post-operatively) using a threshold of 8000 ng/L (307× URL) were significantly associated with repeat revascularization with an area under the curve of 0.92 (95% confidence interval 0.88–0.95).

Conclusion

Our data suggest that for hs-cTnI, higher cut-offs than currently recommended should be used in the post-operative management of patients following CABG.
Testing the accuracy of 3D automatic landmarking via genome-wide association studies
Authors: Savriama Yoland , Tautz Diethard
Published: December 2021

Various advances in 3D automatic phenotyping and landmark-based geometric morphometric methods have been made. While it is generally accepted that automatic landmarking compromises the capture of the biological variation, no studies have directly tested the actual impact of such landmarking approaches in analyses requiring a large number of specimens and for which the precision of phenotyping is crucial to extract an actual biological signal adequately. Here, we use a recently developed 3D atlas-based automatic landmarking method to test its accuracy in detecting QTLs associated with craniofacial development of the house mouse skull and lower jaws for a large number of specimens (circa 700) that were previously phenotyped via a semiautomatic landmarking method complemented with manual adjustment. We compare both landmarking methods with univariate and multivariate mapping of the skull and the lower jaws. We find that most significant SNPs and QTLs are not recovered based on the data derived from the automatic landmarking method. Our results thus confirm the notion that information is lost in the automated landmarking procedure although somewhat dependent on the analyzed structure. The automatic method seems to capture certain types of structures slightly better, such as lower jaws whose shape is almost entirely summarized by its outline and could be assimilated as a 2D flat object. By contrast, the more apparent 3D features exhibited by a structure such as the skull are not adequately captured by the automatic method. We conclude that using 3D atlas-based automatic landmarking methods requires careful consideration of the experimental question.
Genome assembly of Danaus chrysippus and comparison with the Monarch Danaus plexippus
Authors: Singh Kumar Saurabh , De-Kayne Rishi , Omufwoko Kennedy Saitoti , Martins Dino J , Bass Chris , ffrench-Constant Richard , Martin Simon H
Published: December 2021

Milkweed butterflies in the genus Danaus are studied in a diverse range of research fields including the neurobiology of migration, biochemistry of plant detoxification, host–parasite interactions, evolution of sex chromosomes, and speciation. We have assembled a nearly chromosomal genome for Danaus chrysippus (known as the African Monarch, African Queen, and Plain Tiger) using long-read sequencing data. This species is of particular interest for the study of genome structural change and its consequences for evolution. Comparison with the genome of the North American Monarch Danaus plexippus reveals generally strong synteny but highlights 3 inversion differences. The 3 chromosomes involved were previously found to carry peaks of intraspecific differentiation in D. chrysippus in Africa, suggesting that these inversions may be polymorphic and associated with local adaptation. The D. chrysippus genome is over 40% larger than that of D. plexippus, and nearly all of the additional ∼100 Megabases of DNA comprises repeats. Future comparative genomic studies within this genus will shed light on the evolution of genome architecture.
Sex-Specific Effect of Blood Oxygen-Carrying Capacity on Orthostatic Tolerance in Older Individuals
Authors: Diaz-Canestro Candela , Montero David
Published: December 2021

Blood oxygen (O2)-carrying capacity is reduced with aging and has been previously linked with the capacity to withstand the upright posture, that is, orthostatic tolerance (OT). This study experimentally tested the hypothesis that a definite reduction in blood O2-carrying capacity via hemoglobin manipulation differently affects the OT of older women and men as assessed by lower body negative pressure (LBNP). Secondary hemodynamic parameters were determined with transthoracic echocardiography throughout incremental LBNP levels for 1 hour or until presyncope in healthy older women and men (total n = 26) matched by age (64 ± 7 vs 65 ± 8 years, p < .618) and physical activity levels. Measurements were repeated within a week period after a 10% reduction of blood O2-carrying capacity via carbon monoxide rebreathing and analyzed via 2-way analysis of covariance. In the assessment session, OT time was similar between women and men (53.5 ± 6.1 vs 56.4 ± 6.0 minutes, p = .238). Following a 10% reduction of blood O2-carrying capacity, OT time was reduced in women compared with men (51.3 ± 7.0 vs 58.2 ± 2.8 minutes, p = .003). The effect of reduced O2-carrying capacity on OT time differed between sexes (mean difference [MD] = −5.30 minutes, p = .010). Prior to presyncope, reduced O2-carrying capacity resulted in lower left ventricular end-diastolic volume (MD = −8.11 mL∙m−2, p = .043) and stroke volume (MD = −8.04 mL∙m−2, 95% confidence interval = −14.36, −1.71, p = .018) in women relative to men, even after adjusting for baseline variables. In conclusion, present results suggest that reduced blood O2-carrying capacity specifically impairs OT and its circulatory determinants in older women.
Assessment of a claimed ultra-low frequency electromagnetic (ULFEM) earthquake precursor
Authors: Wang Can , Christman Lilianna E , Klemperer Simon L , Glen Jonathan M , McPhee Darcy K , Chen Bin
Published: December 2021

The rate of occurrence of anomalous ultra-low frequency electromagnetic (ULFEM) pulses has been claimed to have increased days to weeks prior to the M5.4 2007 and M4.0 2010 Alum Rock earthquakes. We re-examine the previously reported ultra-low frequency (ULF: 0.01–10 Hz) magnetic data recorded at a QuakeFinder site located 9 km from the earthquake hypocentre, and compare to data from a nearby Stanford-USGS site located 42 km from the hypocentre, to analyse the characteristics of the pulses and assess their origin. Using pulse definitions and pulse-counting algorithms analogous to those previously reported, we corroborate the increase in pulse counts before the 2007 Alum Rock earthquake at the QuakeFinder station, but we note that the number of pulses depends on chosen temporal and amplitude detection thresholds. These thresholds are arbitrary because we lack a clear physical model or basis for their selection. We do not see the same increase in pulse counts before the 2010 Alum Rock earthquake at the QuakeFinder or Stanford-USGS stations. In addition, the majority of pulses in the QuakeFinder data and Stanford-USGS data do not match temporally, indicating the pulses lack a common origin and are not from lightning or solar-driven ionospheric/magnetospheric disturbances. Our assessment of the temporal distribution of pulse counts shows pulse counts increase during peak human activity hours, suggesting these pulses result from local cultural noise and are not tectonic in origin. The many unknowns about the character and even existence of precursory earthquake pulses means that standard numerical and statistical tests cannot easily be applied. Yet here we show that exhaustive investigation of many different aspects of ULFEM signals can be used to properly characterize their origin.
Paraquat sorption- and organic matter-induced modifications of soil spectral induced polarization (SIP) signals
Authors: Mellage Adrian , Zakai Gal , Efrati Bar , Pagel Holger , Schwartz Nimrod
Published: December 2021

Quantifying the capacity of soils to immobilize sorbing contaminants of concern relies on batch sorption experiments, typically performed at skewed solid-to-liquid ratios. The geophysical method spectral induced polarization (SIP) provides a powerful non-invasive monitoring alternative that can capture changes in soil electrical properties driven by contaminant sorption, yielding an approach whereby immobilization can be monitored in situ. Here, we present SIP signals obtained from a series of columns packed with a water saturated natural sandy-loam soil, with and without solid organic matter (SOM) amendment, contaminated with increasing concentrations of the herbicide paraquat. Our results highlight that soil polarization drops proportional to increasing amounts of sorbed paraquat in the SOM-free soil, exhibiting a Langmuir-type leveling-off behaviour. The addition of 8 percent-SOM yielded an increase in both the real ($\sigma ^{\prime}$) and imaginary ($\sigma ^{\prime\prime}$) conductivity of the uncontaminated treatment, driven by the contribution of charged sites in the SOM. Further, SOM modified the dependence between $\sigma ^{\prime\prime}$ and sorbed paraquat, likely driven by continued polarization within the polydisperse SOM with continued paraquat addition. However, the time constant ($\tau $), derived using the Cole–Cole model, shed light on a saturation-type dependence governed by a drop in ion mobility with increasing sorption. Thus, aiding the interpretation of sorption-driven SIP signals.
Abnormal activation of Yap/Taz contributes to the pathogenesis of tuberous sclerosis complex
Authors: Terry Bethany K , Park Raehee , Cho Seo-Hee , Crino Peter B , Kim Seonhee
Published: December 2021

The multi-systemic genetic disorder tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) impacts multiple neurodevelopmental processes including neuronal morphogenesis, neuronal migration, myelination and gliogenesis. These alterations contribute to the development of cerebral cortex abnormalities and malformations. Although TSC is caused by mTORC1 hyperactivation, cognitive and behavioral impairments are not improved through mTORC1 targeting, making the study of the downstream effectors of this complex important for understanding the mechanisms underlying TSC. As mTORC1 has been shown to promote the activity of the transcriptional co-activator Yap, we hypothesized that altered Yap/Taz signaling contributes to the pathogenesis of TSC. We first observed that the levels of Yap/Taz are increased in human cortical tuber samples and in embryonic cortices of Tsc2 conditional knockout (cKO) mice. Next, to determine how abnormal upregulation of Yap/Taz impacts the neuropathology of TSC, we deleted Yap/Taz in Tsc2 cKO mice. Importantly, Yap/Taz/Tsc2 triple conditional knockout (tcKO) animals show reduced cortical thickness and cortical neuron cell size, despite the persistence of high mTORC1 activity, suggesting that Yap/Taz play a downstream role in cytomegaly. Furthermore, Yap/Taz/Tsc2 tcKO significantly restored cortical and hippocampal lamination defects and reduced hippocampal heterotopia formation. Finally, the loss of Yap/Taz increased the distribution of myelin basic protein in Tsc2 cKO animals, consistent with an improvement in myelination. Overall, our results indicate that targeting Yap/Taz lessens the severity of neuropathology in a TSC animal model. This study is the first to implicate Yap/Taz as contributors to cortical pathogenesis in TSC and therefore as potential novel targets in the treatment of this disorder.
Integrin CD11b provides a new marker of pre-germinal center IgA+ B cells in murine Peyer’s patches
Authors: Gao Peng , Adachi Takahiro , Okai Shinsaku , Morita Naoki , Kitamura Daisuke , Shinkura Reiko
Published: December 2021

Activated B cells can enter germinal centers (GCs) for affinity maturation to produce high-affinity antibodies. However, which activated B cells will enter GCs remains unknown. Here, we found a small population of CD11b+IgA+ B cells located outside of GCs in murine Peyer’s patches (PPs). After injection of the CD11b+IgA+ PP B cells into a PP of a recipient mouse, they entered GCs forty hours later. They expressed GC surface markers and pre-GC B cell genes, suggesting that CD11b provides a novel surface marker of pre-GC IgA+ B cells in murine PPs. Furthermore, independently of dendritic cell activation, CD11b expression on B cells can be induced by bacterial antigens, such as pam3CSK4 and heat-killed Escherichia coli in vitro. In addition, mice orally administered with pam3CSK4 or heat-killed E. coli increased the number of PP GC B cells within two days, and enhanced the mucosal antigen-specific IgA response. Our results demonstrate that the induction of CD11b on B cells is a promising marker for selecting an effective mucosal vaccine adjuvant.
Molecular Biologic and Epidemiologic Insights for Preventability of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Giovannucci Edward
Published: December 2021

The etiology of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been informed from both a molecular biology perspective, which concerns the study of the nature, timing, and consequences of mutations in driver genes, and epidemiology, which focuses on identifying risk factors for cancer. For the most part, these fields have developed independently, and it is thus important to consider them in a more integrated manner. The molecular mutational perspective has stressed the importance of mutations due to replication of adult stem cells, and the molecular fingerprint of most CRCs does not suggest the importance of direct carcinogens. Epidemiology has identified numerous modifiable risk factors that account for most CRCs, most of which are not direct mutagens. The distribution of CRCs across the large bowel is not uniform, which is possibly caused by regional differences in the microbiota. Some risk factors are likely to act through or interact with the microbiota. The mutational perspective informs when risk factors may begin to operate in life and when they may cease to operate. Evidence from the mutational model and epidemiology supports that CRC risk factors begin early in life and may contribute to the risk of early-onset CRC. Later in carcinogenesis, there may be a “point of no return” when sufficient mutations have accumulated, and some risk factors do not affect cancer risk. This period may be at least 5-15 years for some risk factors. A more precise knowledge of timing of risk factor to cancer is required to inform preventive efforts.
Self-Efficacy Among Caregivers of Children With Food Allergy: A Cohort Study
Authors: Pappalardo Andrea A , Herbert Linda , Warren Christopher , Lombard Lisa , Ramos Ashley , Asa’ad Amal , Sharma Hemant , Tobin Mary C , Choi Jonathan , Hultquist Haley , Jiang Jialing , Kulkarni Ashwin , Mahdavinia Mahboobeh , Vincent Eileen , Gupta Ruchi
Published: December 2021

Objective

The prevalence of pediatric food allergy (FA) is increasing and, due to early disease onset, requires significant caregiver management that is associated with psychosocial burden. Caregiver perception of how they cope and handle FA-related events (self-efficacy) has been linked to psychosocial outcomes in racially/geographically homogenous samples. This study explores FA-related caregiver self-efficacy and associations with FA-related caregiver quality of life (QoL) in a diverse cohort.

Methods

Caregivers of children, diagnosed with IgE-mediated FA who identified as non-Hispanic Black or White, were recruited from U.S. academic allergy clinics. Caregivers completed demographic and medical questionnaires, the Food Allergy Self-Efficacy Scale for Parents (FASE-P), Food Allergy Independent Measure—Parent Form (FAIM), and the Food Allergy Quality of Life—Parental Burden (FAQL-PB). Bivariate and multivariate associations estimated relationships between study variables.

Results

Caregivers of 365 children (Mage = 5.8 years, 62.2% male, 31.1% Black) were enrolled. Caregivers reported high FA self-efficacy (M = 82.06/100), moderate perceptions of risk/FA severity (FAIM: M = 3.9/7), and some limitations on the FAQL-PB (M = 3.9/7). Self-efficacy was related to lower perceptions of risk/FA severity across all demographic groups (r = −.42, p < .001). Caregivers who reported higher self-efficacy reported better QoL, particularly Black caregivers (r = .67).

Conclusions

In this sample of caregivers of children with FA, greater self-efficacy was related to improved QoL regardless of sociodemographic factors. Caregivers’ perception of risk was lower for those with greater self-efficacy. Future research into the impact of FA management on QoL among diverse caregivers is needed.
Study on the protective effect and mechanism of Liriodendrin on radiation enteritis in mice
Authors: Li Jiajun , Zheng Xin , Li Xiong , Yang Jing , Liu Wei , Yang Lei , Liu Bin
Published: December 2021

Patients receiving pelvic or abdominal radiotherapy may experience acute and/or chronic side effects due to gastrointestinal changes. However, effective medicine for treating radiation enteritis has not been found yet. Sargentodoxa cuneata is a famous Chinese medicine used to treat intestinal inflammation, and our research team has found the main biologically active compound through its extraction, which is Liriodendrin. In this study, we found that Liriodendrin can reduce the expression of Cer, Cer1P and S1P in the sphingolipid pathway, thereby reducing the histological damage to the intestinal tract of mice and inhibiting the apoptosis of intestinal tissue cells. In addition, Liriodendrin can reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), and it is suggested through flow cytometry that the proportion of neutrophils in the intestinal tissue can decrease due to the existence of Liriodendrin. At the same time, the western blot evaluation revealed that Liriodendrin significantly inhibited the activation of Bcl-2/Bax/Caspase-3 and NF-κB signaling pathways. The results show that Liriodendrin can inhibit intestinal inflammation and intestinal cell apoptosis through the sphingolipid pathway. Therefore, the aforementioned results demonstrated that Liriodendrin may be a promising drug for the treatment of radiation enteritis.
Metabolite shift in Medicago truncatula occurs in phosphorus deprivation
Authors: Dokwal Dhiraj , Cocuron Jean-Christophe , Alonso Ana Paula , Dickstein Rebecca
Published: December 2021

Symbiotic nitrogen (N) fixation entails successful interaction between legume hosts and rhizobia that occur in specialized organs called nodules. N-fixing legumes have a higher demand for phosphorus (P) than legumes grown on mineral N. Medicago truncatula is an important model plant for characterization of effects of P deficiency at the molecular level. Hence, a study was carried out to address the alteration in metabolite levels of M. truncatula grown aeroponically and subjected to 4 weeks of P stress. First, GC-MS-based untargeted metabolomics initially revealed changes in the metabolic profile of nodules, with increased levels of amino acids and sugars and a decline in amounts of organic acids. Subsequently, LC-MS/MS was used to quantify these compounds including phosphorylated metabolites in the whole plant. Our results showed a drastic reduction in levels of organic acids and phosphorylated compounds in –P leaves, with a moderate reduction in –P roots and nodules. Additionally, sugars and amino acids were elevated in the whole plant under P deprivation. These findings provide evidence that N fixation in M. truncatula is mediated through a N feedback mechanism that in parallel is related to carbon and P metabolism.