bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modification of natural clinoptilolite zeolite to enhance its hydrogen adsorption capacity
Authors: Akyalcin Sema , Akyalcin Levent , Ertugrul Ecem
Published: January 2024

In this study, natural clinoptilolite was treated with HCl, HNO3, and C2H2O4 at various concentrations (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 M) at different temperatures (60, 70, and 80 °C) and treatment times (2, 3, and 4 h). The hydrogen adsorption capacity of natural clinoptilolite increased from 0.446 to 3.255 mmol/g after treating with 0.5 M HNO3 at 80 °C for 2 h. The correlation of the newly produced textural and structural properties with hydrogen adsorption ability is explained by characterizing the modified clinoptilolites using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, and temperature programmed desorption of ammonia (NH3-TPD) measurements. The results show that the hydrogen adsorption capacity of modified clinoptilolites is associated with both the quantity and strength of the strong acid sites, in addition to the enhanced surface area and micropore volume. The hydrogen adsorption data for natural and acid-treated clinoptilolite samples at 77 K obeyed the Freundlich isotherm model.
Comparison of Histological Skin Changes After Massive Weight Loss in Post-bariatric and Non-bariatric Patients
Authors: Hany Mohamed , Zidan Ahmed , Ghozlan Nasser A. , Ghozlan Mohamed N. , Abouelnasr Anwar Ashraf , Sheta Eman , Hamed Yasser , Kholosy Hassan , Soffar Mohammed , Midany Walid M. El , Torensma Bart
Published: January 2024

Background

Changes in the skin structure, including the collagen and elastin content, have been reported with massive weight loss (MWL) following bariatric metabolic surgery (BMS) and have been correlated to a higher risk of complications after body-contouring surgery (BCS). This study aimed at comparing the histological characteristics of the skin of patients having surgical MWL (SMWL) post-BMS to those with non-surgical massive weight loss (NSMWL).

Methods

This prospective study compared the epidermal thickness, and collagen and elastin fibers content in 80 skin biopsies obtained from BCS procedures performed to patients who experienced MWL defined more than 50% of excess weight loss (%EWL) either SMWL (40 biopsies) or NSMWL (40 biopsies). Twenty biopsies in each group were obtained from abdominoplasties and 20 from breast reductions. Epidermal thickness was measured in H&E-stained sections, collagen fibers were assessed using Masson trichrome-stained sections, and elastin fibers were assessed using Modified Verhoeff’s stained sections. Image analysis software was used to calculate the fractions of collagen and elastin fibers.

Results

This study included 77 patients, 38 SMWL patients, and 39 NSMWL patients. The SMWL group had a significantly higher age (p < 0.001), a longer time interval from intervention (p < 0.001), higher initial weight (p < 0.001), higher initial BMI (p < 0.001), lower current weight (p = 0.005), lower current BMI (p < 0.001), and significantly higher %EWL than NSMWL group (p < 0.001). No significant differences were detected between the two groups regarding complications after abdominoplasty (p = 1.000). The elastic fibers content in the dermis was significantly higher in the abdominal region of the NSMWL group than SMWL (p = 0.029). All other parameters showed non-significant differences between NSMWL and SMWL in the skin of abdomen and breast.

Conclusion

The SMWL group had a significant reduction in elastic fiber content in the skin of the abdomen compared to the NSMWL group. The collagen content was equally reduced in both groups with non-significant differences in both breast and abdomen regions in both groups.

Graphical Abstract
Trajectory Data-Driven Network Representation for Traffic State Prediction using Deep Learning
Authors: Yasuda Shohei , Katayama Hiroki , Nakanishi Wataru , Iryo Takamasa
Published: January 2024

In this study, we propose a trajectory data-driven network representation method, specifically leveraging directional statistics. This approach allows us to extract major intersections and define links from observed trajectories, thereby mitigating the reliance on existing network data and map matching. We apply Graph Convolutional Networks and Long-Short Term Memory models to the trajectory data-driven network representation, suggesting the potential for fast and accurate traffic state prediction. The results imply significant reduction in computational complexity while demonstrating promising prediction accuracy. Our proposed method offers a valuable approach for analyzing and modeling transportation networks using real-world trajectory data, providing insights into traffic patterns and facilitating the exploration of more efficient traffic management strategies.
A Review of Racial and Ethnic Differences in Sleep-memory Associations and the Potential Contributions of Social Determinants of Sleep
Authors: Hokett Emily , Duarte Audrey
Published: January 2024

Purpose of Review

We highlight evidence within the last 5 years of racial and ethnic differences in sleep-memory associations and explore potential causes and treatments of poor sleep in minoritized racial and ethnic groups.

Recent Findings

Emerging research suggests that memory performance in Black adults may be more sensitive to sleep quality than in White adults. Sleep quality and sleep duration are also associated with memory performance in other minoritized racial and ethnic groups, including Asian and Hispanic adults. However, comparisons between groups are scarce.

Poor sleep is associated with poor memory outcomes in minoritized racial and ethnic groups. Social determinants of health, including racism-related stress, discrimination, and neighborhood conditions, may contribute to these associations. More experimental and epidemiology research is needed to fully understand the relationship between sleep and memory performance in minoritized racial and ethnic groups. We conclude with suggested future directions for sleep and memory research.
Experimental investigation of rubberized concrete slab-on-grade containing tire-recycled steel fibers
Authors: Tahwia Ahmed M. , Noshi Amr , Abdellatief Mohamed , Matthana Mohamed H.
Published: January 2024

The current study investigates the role of recycled steel fiber (RSF) and crumb rubber (CR) in the fracture behavior of rubberized reinforced concrete (RRC) slab-on-grade in terms of load–deflection responses, crack patterns, failure loads, deflection values, and toughness. RRC slab-on-grade measuring 1000 m × 1000 mm with a thickness of 60 mm were tested experimentally, and the soil was simulated with a steel model. The main parameters were the incorporation of CR as fine aggregate (i.e., 0%, 10%, and 20%) in the presence of RSF (0 and 0.5% by vol). The findings showed that a significant increase in the initial crack load of RRC slabs as compared to the reference slab, as well as slabs incorporated with high volumes of CR, showed favorable findings in post-cracking capacity and toughness compared to the reference slab. The incorporation of CR with 05% RSF can enhance the failure cracking load of concrete slabs by 12.79% (10%) and 20.97% (20%) at the center of the slab. The reference slab-on-grade failure load reached 43.0 kN, while the failure loads for the slabs containing 10% and 20% CR were 43.0 kN and 38.70 kN, respectively, without the addition of RSF. It was noticed that the slab deflection increased by 12.28% and 20.13%, respectively, compared to the reference slab. Finally, the slabs incorporating 0.5% RSF and 20% CR achieved a maximum failure load of 52.03 kN, which was attained because of additional microcracks forming closer to the loaded region, which enhanced the ductility of the slab-on-grade. Hence, the RSF and CR can be used to produce sustainable slab-on-grade with enhanced ductility, leading to a reduced overall cost and saving natural resources.
Modeling disinformation networks on Twitter: structure, behavior, and impact
Authors: Muñoz Pau , Díez Fernando , Bellogín Alejandro
Published: January 2024

The influence and pervasiveness of misinformation on social media platforms such as Twitter have been well-documented in recent years. These platforms’ real-time, rapid-fire nature and the personalized, echo-chamber-like environments they foster, often inadvertently, assist in misinformation amplification. To better understand this situation and how to encourage safer and broader narratives, this paper presents a comparative study of the activity of 275 Twitter accounts tagged as disinformation sources and 275 accounts tagged as legitimate journalists over a 3.5-year period in the Spanish context. By employing various modeling techniques, we investigate the structural differences and behavioral patterns between the two groups. Our findings demonstrate that disinformation accounts exhibit a coordinated behavior, among other distinct characteristics, leading to more efficient (dis)information propagation. The implications of these findings for understanding the dynamics of disinformation networks and combating their impact are discussed.
Preparation of biochar adsorption material from walnut shell by supercritical CO2 pretreatment
Authors: Zhuang Zitong , Liu Yanbing , Wei Wenwen , Shi Jinwen , Jin Hui
Published: January 2024

In order to treat dyes in the wastewater of the printing industry and to reutilize walnut shell (WS) waste generate economic benefits, supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) pretreatment technology was developed to prepare porous biochar as a precursor for adsorption material. Orthogonal experiments were conducted at the temperatures of 200, 300, and 400 ℃ with durations of 20, 40, and 60 min, and a control group was set up using N2 pretreatment. Then, KOH activation was employed to prepare biochar adsorption material. The biochars were analyzed and characterized using TGA, BET, SEM, FT-IR, and XRD, and the liquid and gas phase products of the pretreatment process were analyzed semi-quantitatively and quantitatively using GC–MS and gas chromatography. Methylene blue (MB) dye was selected as an indicator to measure the adsorption capacity of biochar, and adsorption kinetics were analyzed based on the data. The results indicate that pretreatment with SC-CO2 effectively enhanced the performance and yield of the activated carbon. The highest specific surface area increased by 18%, and the maximum adsorption of MB increased by 23% compared to the N2 control group. The yield increased by 8–262% and the specific surface area increased by 50–192% compared to the direct activation of walnut shell (WS). During the pretreatment processes for the preparation of biochar adsorption material with the best specific surface area, phenol-enriched bio-oil was produced as a by-product which has economic value.

Graphical Abstract
HÄPPI – Konzeption eines Modells für die ambulante Versorgung in Deutschland
Authors: Schwill Simon , Meißner Anika , Mink Johanna , Bublitz Susanne , Altiner Attila , Buhlinger-Göpfarth Nicola
Published: January 2024

Hintergrund

Die Primärversorgung könnte bei steigendem Versorgungsdruck durch Integration weiterer Berufsgruppen aufrechterhalten und ausgeweitet werden. Dabei müssen die hausärztliche Versorgung und Grundprinzipien der Allgemeinmedizin berücksichtigt werden.

Zielsetzung

Ziel war es, unter Einbindung vielfältiger Perspektiven ein Modell für ein hausärztliches Primärversorgungszentrum mit einem interprofessionellen Team (HÄPPI) zu entwickeln.

Material und Methoden (Prozess)

Eine multiprofessionelle Arbeitsgruppe im Hausärzteverband Baden-Württemberg entwickelte ab 2022 in insgesamt 9 Workshops das HÄPPI. Anfang 2023 wurden 9 Interviews (45–60 min) mit Expert*innen aus 8 unterschiedlichen Versorgungsbereichen (medizinische*r Fachangestellte*r, Hausärzt*in, Krankenkassenmitarbeiter*in, Jurist*in, Fachärzt*in, Physician Assistant, Pflegefachkraft, Sozialarbeiter*in) durchgeführt, um Hypothesen für eine gelungene interprofessionelle Zusammenarbeit zu generieren.

Ergebnisse

Die Expert*innen benannten als Chancen u. a. eine erweiterte und patientenzentrierte Versorgung, ein verbessertes Versorgungsmanagement chronisch kranker Menschen und den Ausbau des Versorgungsangebots. Als Herausforderungen wurden Dokumentation und Teamzusammenarbeit sowie externe Rahmenbedingungen benannt. Als Lösungsansätze wurden z. B. eine einheitliche Dokumentation und ein regelmäßiger, teamorientierter Austausch vorgeschlagen. Unter Berücksichtigung dieser Ergebnisse wurden in der Arbeitsgruppe Ziele des HÄPPI formuliert und das HÄPPI-Konzept in einer Kurz- und einer Langversion entwickelt.

Diskussion

Durch einen semistrukturierten Prozess war es möglich, ein konkretes und realistisches Modell für eine zukunftsorientierte Primärversorgung in Deutschland zu formulieren, das schrittweise implementiert werden kann. HÄ müssen bei den Herausforderungen im Prozessmanagement unterstützt und andere Gesundheitsberufe für das HÄPPI gewonnen werden.
The Cambridge Anthology of British Medieval Latin
Authors: Conybeare Catherine
Published: January 2024

This anthology presents in two volumes a series of Latin texts (with English translation) produced in Britain during the period AD 450-1500. Excerpts are taken from Bede and other historians, from the letters of women written from their monasteries, from famous documents such as Domesday Book and Magna Carta, and from accounts and legal documents, all revealing the lives of individuals at home and on their travels across Britain and beyond. It offers an insight into Latin writings on many subjects, showing the important role of Latin in the multilingual society of medieval Britain, in which Latin was the primary language of written communication and record and also developed, particularly after the Norman Conquest, through mutual influence with English and French. The thorough introductions to each volume provide a broad overview of the linguistic and cultural background, while the individual texts are placed in their social, historical and linguistic context.
Armed conflict and household water sources
Authors: Naufal George , Malcolm Michael , Diwakar Vidya
Published: January 2024

Access to safe drinking water is among the most important determinants of public health outcomes. We pair household-level data from Iraq together with data on armed conflict and adopt a generalized difference-in-differences approach to study the relationship between household drinking water sources and armed conflict intensity. We find that households located in conflict-affected areas are more likely to use piped water accessed at their homes or bottled water as their primary source of drinking water, but are less likely to use public water sources or tanked water delivered on trucks and carts. We explore the temporal dynamics of these adjustments as well as heterogeneity by household characteristics. We further present direct evidence that conflict-exposed households are less likely to travel to obtain water.
From Tents to Pit Houses: A Quantitative Study of Dwelling Trends in Mesolithic Norway, 9500–4000 bc
Authors: Fretheim Silje E.
Published: January 2024

A quantitative analysis of 150 Mesolithic dwellings in Norway, dated to between 9500 and 4000 cal bc, forms the core of a chronological and regional study based on fifteen variables, including floor size and shape, floor modifications and wall features, internal hearths, numbers and distribution of artefacts, traces of maintenance or reuse, and the number of dwellings per site. The study identifies a distinct change in dwelling traditions between the Early and Middle Mesolithic, around 8000 cal bc. Tents are typical of the Early Mesolithic, whereas remains of pit houses dominate in all later phases of the Mesolithic. The study also sheds light on variability in dwelling traditions after 8000 cal bc, which appears to relate to changes in social structure, growing territoriality, and regional differences.
Constructing the Viking and Laval cases as a major defeat for social Europe: a contextual and processual analysis
Authors: Louis Julien
Published: January 2024

This Article brings new perspectives on the well-known Viking and Laval cases, decided by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in December 2007, by studying the processes and modalities of the construction of this case law as a major defeat for social Europe. It demonstrates that the political and legal implications of these two rulings were socially constructed by a variety of European actors (especially trade unionists and academics specialising in labour law) rather than legally inscribed in the rulings. In doing so, the author defends a constructivist approach in the analysis of European case law, both contextual and processual. The Article is divided into two parts. The first retraces the pre-ruling construction of the Viking and Laval cases, and shows that trade union and academic actors as well as parliamentarians worked to construct the judgements on these cases as decisive landmarks for social Europe. The second part considers the process of interpretation of the rulings after they were delivered by the CJEU. It evidences the central role played by trade union and academic actors in promoting a critical reading of the rulings, arguing that the Court subordinated social rights to economic liberties. The Article concludes by showing that this interpretation has tended to become subject to consensus, to the extent that it is now European common sense.
The “New Woman” in the Periodical Press: Portraying Usefulness at St. Stephen’s Girls’ College in Hong Kong, 1921-1941
Authors: Wang Stella Meng
Published: January 2024

This paper uses the writings of European teachers and Chinese students at St. Stephen’s Girls’ College in Hong Kong—published in English periodicals of its school magazine and local English newspapers—to examine how the school tactically positioned itself as an educational site for the “useful women of China” during a period in Republican China that was simultaneously defined as a time of “cosmopolitan modernity” and “national rebuilding.” St. Stephen’s brand of usefulness responded to the “New Woman” phenomenon in Republican China, and it was defined through the narrative of science learning and a sense of service. Through its progressive science curriculum and social service branch, the school helped prepare a class of “career women” for China. It was in educating this class that St. Stephen’s, in resonance with the colonial state, envisioned its role in the shaping of modern China.
Characterization of very-large-scale motions in supersonic and hypersonic turbulent boundary layers
Authors: Yu Ming , Dong SiWei , Guo QiLong , Tang ZhiGong , Yuan XianXu , Xu ChunXiao
Published: January 2024

Very-large-scale motions are commonly observed in moderate- and high-Reynolds-number wall turbulence, constituting a considerable portion of the Reynolds stress and skin friction. This study aims to investigate the behaviour of these motions in high-speed and high-Reynolds-number turbulent boundary layers at varying Mach numbers. With the aid of high-precision numerical simulations, numerical experiments and theoretical analysis, it is demonstrated that the very-large-scale motions are weakened in high-Mach-number turbulence at the same friction Reynolds numbers, leading to the reduction in turbulent kinetic energy in the outer region. Conversely, the lower wall temperature enhances the very-large-scale motions but shortens the scale separation between the structures in the near-wall and outer regions.
Squishy oscillations
Authors: Worster M. Grae
Published: January 2024

The dynamics of soft porous media involves complex interactions between fluid flow and elasticity. The recent paper by Fiori et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 974, 2023, A2) highlights phenomena relating to the periodic loading of such poro-elastic media, including hysteresis and the localisation of deformation at high frequencies. These effects could result in rectification and steady streaming in many important applications.
Christ: A Religious Priest? A Thomistic Approach
Authors: Day Damian
Published: January 2024

The nature and value of the religious priesthood have often been questioned, including after Vatican II. John Paul II, however, claims that the religious priest ‘reproduces in his life the fullness of the mystery of Christ’. Examining Aquinas’s understanding of Christ’s total self-sacrifice provides a model that explains how. In this article, I present a Christological and Thomistic approach to the question by identifying Christ as a religious priest, highlighting one of Aquinas’s patristic sources (St Gregory the Great) and one of his greatest spiritual interpreters of modern times (Bl Columba Marmion). Because of his grace of headship, Christ contains all the perfections found in his members. The perfection of Christ’s priestly and religious life consists in his total sacrifice of himself to the Father out of love. Christ firmly fixed his will to offer himself from the moment of the Incarnation. By vowing to follow the counsels, religious priests imitate the fixity of Christ’s will to offer himself as a total self-holocaust. This conclusion allows me to propose that Christ is the religious priest, which has several theological and pastoral implications.
Is peace a human phenomenon?
Authors: Robinson Elva J. H. , Rodrigues António M. M. , Barker Jessica L.
Published: January 2024

Peace is a hallmark of human societies. However, certain ant species engage in long-term intergroup resource sharing, which is remarkably similar to peace among human groups. We discuss how individual and group payoff distributions are affected by kinship, dispersal, and age structure; the challenges of diagnosing peace; and the benefits of comparing convergent complex behaviours in disparate taxa.
Global dynamics and spatiotemporal heterogeneity of a preytaxis model with prey-induced acceleration
Authors: Mu Chunlai , Tao Weirun , Wang Zhi-An
Published: January 2024

Conventional preytaxis systems assume that prey-tactic velocity is proportional to the prey density gradient. However, many experiments exploring the predator–prey interactions show that it is the predator’s acceleration instead of velocity that is proportional to the prey density gradient in the prey-tactic movement, which we call preytaxis with prey-induced acceleration. Mathematical models of preytaxis with prey-induced acceleration were proposed by Arditi et al. ((2001) Theor. Popul. Biol. 59(3), 207–221) and Sapoukhina et al. ((2003) Am. Nat. 162(1), 61–76) to interpret the spatial heterogeneity of predators and prey observed in experiments. This paper is devoted to exploring the qualitative behaviour of such preytaxis systems with prey-induced acceleration and establishing the global existence of classical solutions with uniform-in-time bounds in all spatial dimensions. Moreover, we prove the global stability of spatially homogeneous prey-only and coexistence steady states with decay rates under certain conditions on system parameters. For the parameters outside the stability regime, we perform linear stability analysis to find the possible patterning regimes and use numerical simulations to demonstrate that spatially inhomogeneous time-periodic patterns will typically arise from the preytaxis system with prey-induced acceleration. Noticing that conventional preytaxis systems are unable to produce spatial patterns, our results imply that the preytaxis with prey-induced acceleration is indeed more appropriate than conventional preytaxis to interpret the spatial heterogeneity resulting from predator–prey interactions.
Sparcl: A language for partially invertible computation
Authors: MATSUDA KAZUTAKA , WANG MENG
Published: January 2024

Invertibility is a fundamental concept in computer science, with various manifestations in software development (serializer/deserializer, parser/printer, redo/undo, compressor/decompressor, and so on). Full invertibility necessarily requires bijectivity, but the direct approach of composing bijective functions to develop invertible programs is too restrictive to be useful. In this paper, we take a different approach by focusing on partially invertible functions—functions that become invertible if some of their arguments are fixed. The simplest example of such is addition, which becomes invertible when fixing one of the operands. More involved examples include entropy-based compression methods (e.g., Huffman coding), which carry the occurrence frequency of input symbols (in certain formats such as Huffman tree), and fixing this frequency information makes the compression methods invertible.

We develop a language Sparcl for programming such functions in a natural way, where partial invertibility is the norm and bijectivity is a special case, hence gaining significant expressiveness without compromising correctness. The challenge in designing such a language is to allow ordinary programming (the “partially” part) to interact with the invertible part freely, and yet guarantee invertibility by construction. The language Sparcl is linear-typed and has a type constructor to distinguish data that are subject to invertible computation and those that are not. We present the syntax, type system, and semantics of the language and prove that Sparcl correctly guarantees invertibility for its programs. We demonstrate the expressiveness of Sparcl with examples including tree rebuilding from preorder and inorder traversals, Huffman coding, arithmetic coding, and LZ77 compression.
Role-Play Simulations for Decision Making in Contexts of Uncertainty: Challenges and Strategies When Engaging Elites as Participants
Authors: Alejandro Audrey , Maertens Lucile , Cheli Zoé , Fragnière Augustin
Published: January 2024

This study explores the application of role-play simulations (RPS) in addressing complex challenges (e.g., the climate crisis) beyond traditional educational settings. Drawing from pilot simulations involving 12 scientific experts and 12 policy makers, the article identifies three key challenges in conducting RPS with elite participants and provides practical strategies for overcoming them. Namely, the article emphasizes the importance of adapting the scenarios to sociopolitical contexts, choosing an ethical recruiting method to ensure inclusivity, and managing group diversity while maintaining a balance between the playfulness and the seriousness of the simulation. Overall, our study underscores the potential of RPS to foster dialogue between scientific and political actors and provides practical guidance for their effective use.
Design, fabrication, and measurement of a miniaturized MIMO antenna applicable for 5G communication
Authors: Bhattacharya Ankan
Published: January 2024

The design of low-profile Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) antennas for various 5G applications is a topic of huge interest in academia, research, and telecommunication sector. In this aspect, a compact and low-profile 5G MIMO antenna has been designed and analyzed for various 5G applications, specifically for the 24 GHz bands (24.25–24.45 GHz and 25.05–25.25 GHz) and local multipoint distribution system band (27.5–28.35 GHz) of the 5G spectrum. The proposed antenna structure is 20 × 20 × 1 mm3 in dimension. Two spade-shaped radiators composed of Copper (annealed) material are placed orthogonally to improve isolation and maintain signal diversity. Rogers RT 5880 is used as the material for substrate. The antenna exhibits a wide bandwidth of 21.5–28.5 GHz. The mutual isolation |S21| has been maintained ≤29 dB due to the insertion of a T-shaped parasitic strip in between the radiating elements. Novelty in design and superiority in performance has been observed when compared with related antenna categories.
Introduction
Authors: Barskova Polina
Published: January 2024

The present situation urgently calls for the multifaceted studies of Russophone literature against war. The authors of the following essays develop their inquiry through the following questions: How does the relationship with the notion of the enemy shape the war poetry of Boris Slutskii and Ian Satunovskii? To what extent can the war poetry of the latter be seen as a matrix of his biographic narrative construction, especially considering that Satunovskii's lyrical subject is shattered, stuttering, de-language/d? How does today's popular poetry of protest differ from today's avant-garde poetics? What are the differences between their means of expression, address, and foci? All of these studies seek to explore the anti-war position in modernist poetry that has been developed through drastically different means, yet the general purpose is aptly formulated by one of our authors as “to bear witness and respond to the ongoing atrocities and destruction.”
Through a Glass Darkly: Introduction to Research Cluster
Authors: Newman John Paul , Beilinson Orel
Published: January 2024

The study of suicide is an emerging and important interdisciplinary field in central and east European Studies. The importance of the topic is self-evident. Suicide is literally a matter of life and death, important in its own right; but the study of suicide is also a means of addressing larger questions in the history, culture, and politics of the region. Suicide is almost always an object of grave concern whenever and wherever it occurs, thus prompting a wealth of statistical and discursive documentation and information. It is a supremely individual act—arguably the supreme individual act—but also one that implicates and involves the community or society in which it occurs. This is especially true during times of seeming or actual spikes in the occurrence of self-killing, so-called “suicide epidemics” that demand immediate attention and explanation. But the reasons for suicide are also often highly elusive, creating what Irina Paperno has termed a “black hole” into which is drawn the explanations, rationalizations, and justifications of all those proximate to the act. In this way, to study suicide in its social context is also to study the attitudes and the anxieties of the society in question. It is to look through a glass darkly: to see a reflection of contemporary concerns and attitudes that might otherwise have gone unseen.
Synergien stärken Behandlungsqualität
Authors: Kloos Victoria-Fabiola , Rached Imane Henni , Ledtermann Ivonne
Published: January 2024

Was ist zu dem Thema bekannt?

Synergien im aufsuchenden gerontopsychiatrischen Setting zeichnen sich durch kooperative Zusammenarbeit und Kollaborationen zwischen den verschiedenen Schnittstellenpartnern und Professionen aus. Internationale Studien zeigen die Wirksamkeit und die Bedeutung für die Gesundheitsversorgung von älteren Menschen.

Wie wird eine neue Perspektive eingebracht?

Der Artikel versucht einen Überblick über Synergieeffekte im aufsuchenden gerontopsychiatrischen Setting zu generieren. Die theoretischen Ausführungen können für weiterführende Überlegungen im Hinblick auf zukünftige aufsuchende Versorgungsangebote dienen.

Was sind die Auswirkungen auf die Praxis?

Dadurch kann eine erste Annäherung einer kritisch-konstruktiven Diskussion über Chancen und Herausforderungen der aufsuchenden gerontopsychiatrischen Versorgung angeregt werden.
Impact of perinatal administration of probiotics on immune cell composition in neonatal mice
Authors: Rühle Jessica , Schwarz Julian , Dietz Stefanie , Rückle Xenia , Schoppmeier Ulrich , Lajqi Trim , Poets Christian F. , Gille Christian , Köstlin-Gille Natascha
Published: January 2024

Background

Newborns and especially preterm infants are much more susceptible to infections than adults. The pathogens causing infections in newborns are often detectable in the intestinal flora of affected children even before disease onset. Therefore, it seems reasonable to prevent dysbiosis in newborns and preterm infants. An approach followed in many neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is to prevent infections in preterm infants with probiotics however their mechanisms of action of probiotics are incompletely understood. Here, we investigated the effect of perinatal probiotic exposure on immune cells in newborn mice.

Methods

Pregnant mice were orally treated with a combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum (Infloran®) from mid-pregnancy until the offspring were harvested. Immune cell composition in organs of the offspring were analyzed by flow cytometry.

Results

Perinatal probiotic exposure had profound effects on immune cell composition in the intestine, liver and lungs of newborn mice with reduction of myeloid and B cells and induction of T cells in the probiotic treated animals’ organs at weaning. Furthermore, probiotic exposure had an effect on T cell development in the thymus.

Conclusion

Our results contribute to a better understanding of the interaction of probiotics with the developing immune system.

Impact

probiotics have profound effects on immune cell composition in intestines, livers and lungs of newborn mice.

probiotics modulate T cell development in thymus of newborn mice.

effects of probiotics on neonatal immune cells are particularly relevant in transition phases of the microbiome.

our results contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms of action of probiotics in newborns.
Genetic evidence for causal effects of immune dysfunction in psychiatric disorders: where are we?
Authors: Iakunchykova Olena , Leonardsen Esten H. , Wang Yunpeng
Published: January 2024

The question of whether immune dysfunction contributes to risk of psychiatric disorders has long been a subject of interest. To assert this hypothesis a plethora of correlative evidence has been accumulated from the past decades; however, a variety of technical and practical obstacles impeded on a cause-effect interpretation of these data. With the advent of large-scale omics technology and advanced statistical models, particularly Mendelian randomization, new studies testing this old hypothesis are accruing. Here we synthesize these new findings from genomics and genetic causal inference studies on the role of immune dysfunction in major psychiatric disorders and reconcile these new data with pre-omics findings. By reconciling these evidences, we aim to identify key gaps and propose directions for future studies in the field.
CTRP3 alleviates mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress injury in pathological cardiac hypertrophy by activating UPRmt via the SIRT1/ATF5 axis
Authors: Shi Lei , Tan Yanzhen , Zheng Wenying , Cao Guojie , Zhou Haitao , Li Panpan , Cui Jun , Song Yujie , Feng Lele , Li Hong , Shan Wenju , Zhang Bing , Yi Wei
Published: January 2024

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is an independent risk factor for heart failure. Disruption of mitochondrial protein homeostasis plays a key role in pathological cardiac hypertrophy; however, the mechanism of maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis in pathological cardiac hypertrophy remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the regulatory mechanisms of mitochondrial protein homeostasis in pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Wildtype (WT) mice, knockout mice, and mice transfected with lentivirus overexpressing mouse C1q-tumor necrosis factor-related protein-3 (CTRP3) underwent transverse aortic constriction or sham surgery. After 4 weeks, cardiac function, mitochondrial function, and oxidative stress injury were examined. For mechanistic studies, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were treated with small interfering RNA or overexpression plasmids for the relevant genes. CTRP3 overexpression attenuated transverse aortic constriction (TAC) induced pathological cardiac hypertrophy, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress injury compared to that in WT mice. TAC or Ang II resulted in compensatory activation of UPRmt, but this was not sufficient to counteract pathologic cardiac hypertrophy. CTRP3 overexpression further induced activation of UPRmt during pathologic cardiac hypertrophy and thereby alleviated pathologic cardiac hypertrophy, whereas CTRP3 knockout or knockdown inhibited UPRmt. ATF5 was a key regulatory molecule of UPRmt, as ATF5 knockout prevented the cardioprotective effect of CTRP3 in TAC mice. In vitro, SIRT1 was identified as a possible downstream CTRP3 effector molecule, and SIRT1 knockout blocked the cardioprotective effects of CTRP3. Our results also suggest that ATF5 may be regulated by SIRT1. Our study demonstrates that CTRP3 activates UPRmt via the SIRT1/ATF5 axis under pathological myocardial hypertrophy, thus attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress injury.
Generation of a new therapeutic d-peptide that induces the differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia cells through A TLR-2 signaling pathway
Authors: Yu Fei , Chen Yingshi , Zhou Mo , Liu Lingling , Liu Bingfeng , Liu Jun , Pan Ting , Luo Yuewen , Zhang Xu , Ou Hailan , Huang Wenjing , Lv Xi , Xi Zhihui , Xiao Ruozhi , Li Wenyu , Cao Lixue , Ma Xiancai , Zhang Jingwen , Lu Lijuan , Zhang Hui
Published: January 2024

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is caused by clonal disorders of hematopoietic stem cells. Differentiation therapy is emerging as an important treatment modality for leukemia, given its less toxicity and wider applicable population, but the arsenal of differentiation-inducing agents is still very limited. In this study, we adapted a competitive peptide phage display platform to search for candidate peptides that could functionally induce human leukemia cell differentiation. A monoclonal phage (P6) and the corresponding peptide (pep-P6) were identified. Both l- and d-chirality of pep-P6 showed potent efficiency in inducing AML cell line differentiation, driving their morphologic maturation and upregulating the expression of macrophage markers and cytokines, including CD11b, CD14, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α. In the THP-1 xenograft animal model, administration of d-pep-P6 was effective in inhibiting disease progression. Importantly, exposure to d-pep-P6 induced the differentiation of primary human leukemia cells isolated AML patients in a similar manner to the AML cell lines. Further mechanism study suggested that d-pep-P6 induced human leukemia cell differentiation by directly activating a TLR-2 signaling pathway. These findings identify a novel d-peptide that may promote leukemia differentiation therapy.
Microbial decomposition of biodegradable plastics on the deep-sea floor
Authors: Omura Taku , Isobe Noriyuki , Miura Takamasa , Ishii Shun’ichi , Mori Mihoko , Ishitani Yoshiyuki , Kimura Satoshi , Hidaka Kohei , Komiyama Katsuya , Suzuki Miwa , Kasuya Ken-ichi , Nomaki Hidetaka , Nakajima Ryota , Tsuchiya Masashi , Kawagucci Shinsuke , Mori Hiroyuki , Nakayama Atsuyoshi , Kunioka Masao , Kamino Kei , Iwata Tadahisa
Published: January 2024

Microbes can decompose biodegradable plastics on land, rivers and seashore. However, it is unclear whether deep-sea microbes can degrade biodegradable plastics in the extreme environmental conditions of the seafloor. Here, we report microbial decomposition of representative biodegradable plastics (polyhydroxyalkanoates, biodegradable polyesters, and polysaccharide esters) at diverse deep-sea floor locations ranging in depth from 757 to 5552 m. The degradation of samples was evaluated in terms of weight loss, reduction in material thickness, and surface morphological changes. Poly(l-lactic acid) did not degrade at either shore or deep-sea sites, while other biodegradable polyesters, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and polysaccharide esters were degraded. The rate of degradation slowed with water depth. We analysed the plastic-associated microbial communities by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and metagenomics. Several dominant microorganisms carried genes potentially encoding plastic-degrading enzymes such as polyhydroxyalkanoate depolymerases and cutinases/polyesterases. Analysis of available metagenomic datasets indicated that these microorganisms are present in other deep-sea locations. Our results confirm that biodegradable plastics can be degraded by the action of microorganisms on the deep-sea floor, although with much less efficiency than in coastal settings.
A renal clearable fluorogenic probe for in vivo β-galactosidase activity detection during aging and senolysis
Authors: Rojas-Vázquez Sara , Lozano-Torres Beatriz , García-Fernández Alba , Galiana Irene , Perez-Villalba Ana , Martí-Rodrigo Pablo , Palop M. José , Domínguez Marcia , Orzáez Mar , Sancenón Félix , Blandez Juan F. , Fariñas Isabel , Martínez-Máñez Ramón
Published: January 2024

Accumulation of senescent cells with age leads to tissue dysfunction and related diseases. Their detection in vivo still constitutes a challenge in aging research. We describe the generation of a fluorogenic probe (sulfonic-Cy7Gal) based on a galactose derivative, to serve as substrate for β-galactosidase, conjugated to a Cy7 fluorophore modified with sulfonic groups to enhance its ability to diffuse. When administered to male or female mice, β-galactosidase cleaves the O-glycosidic bond, releasing the fluorophore that is ultimately excreted by the kidneys and can be measured in urine. The intensity of the recovered fluorophore reliably reflects an experimentally controlled load of cellular senescence and correlates with age-associated anxiety during aging and senolytic treatment. Interestingly, our findings with the probe indicate that the effects of senolysis are temporary if the treatment is discontinued. Our strategy may serve as a basis for developing fluorogenic platforms designed for easy longitudinal monitoring of enzymatic activities in biofluids.
Quantum octets in high mobility pentagonal two-dimensional PdSe2
Authors: Zhang Yuxin , Tian Haidong , Li Huaixuan , Yoon Chiho , Nelson Ryan A. , Li Ziling , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Smirnov Dmitry , Kawakami Roland K. , Goldberger Joshua E. , Zhang Fan , Lau Chun Ning
Published: January 2024

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have drawn immense interests in scientific and technological communities, owing to their extraordinary properties and their tunability by gating, proximity, strain and external fields. For electronic applications, an ideal 2D material would have high mobility, air stability, sizable band gap, and be compatible with large scale synthesis. Here we demonstrate air stable field effect transistors using atomically thin few-layer PdSe2 sheets that are sandwiched between hexagonal BN (hBN), with large saturation current > 350 μA/μm, and high field effect mobilities of ~ 700 and 10,000 cm2/Vs at 300 K and 2 K, respectively. At low temperatures, magnetotransport studies reveal unique octets in quantum oscillations that persist at all densities, arising from 2-fold spin and 4-fold valley degeneracies, which can be broken by in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic fields toward quantum Hall spin and orbital ferromagnetism.
Human coronavirus OC43-elicited CD4+ T cells protect against SARS-CoV-2 in HLA transgenic mice
Authors: dos Santos Alves Rúbens Prince , Timis Julia , Miller Robyn , Valentine Kristen , Pinto Paolla Beatriz Almeida , Gonzalez Andrew , Regla-Nava Jose Angel , Maule Erin , Nguyen Michael N. , Shafee Norazizah , Landeras-Bueno Sara , Olmedillas Eduardo , Laffey Brett , Dobaczewska Katarzyna , Mikulski Zbigniew , McArdle Sara , Leist Sarah R. , Kim Kenneth , Baric Ralph S. , Ollmann Saphire Erica , Elong Ngono Annie , Shresta Sujan
Published: January 2024

SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells are detected in some healthy unexposed individuals. Human studies indicate these T cells could be elicited by the common cold coronavirus OC43. To directly test this assumption and define the role of OC43-elicited T cells that are cross-reactive with SARS-CoV-2, we develop a model of sequential infections with OC43 followed by SARS-CoV-2 in HLA-B*0702 and HLA-DRB1*0101 Ifnar1−/− transgenic mice. We find that OC43 infection can elicit polyfunctional CD8+ and CD4+ effector T cells that cross-react with SARS-CoV-2 peptides. Furthermore, pre-exposure to OC43 reduces subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease in the lung for a short-term in HLA-DRB1*0101 Ifnar1−/− transgenic mice, and a longer-term in HLA-B*0702 Ifnar1−/− transgenic mice. Depletion of CD4+ T cells in HLA-DRB1*0101 Ifnar1−/− transgenic mice with prior OC43 exposure results in increased viral burden in the lung but no change in virus-induced lung damage following infection with SARS-CoV-2 (versus CD4+ T cell-sufficient mice), demonstrating that the OC43-elicited SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive T cell-mediated cross-protection against SARS-CoV-2 is partially dependent on CD4+ T cells. These findings contribute to our understanding of the origin of pre-existing SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells and their effects on SARS-CoV-2 clinical outcomes, and also carry implications for development of broadly protective betacoronavirus vaccines.
Modeling critical thermoelectric transports driven by band broadening and phonon softening
Authors: Zhao Kunpeng , Yue Zhongmou , Wuliji Hexige , Chen Hongyi , Deng Tingting , Lei Jingdan , Qiu Pengfei , Chen Lidong , Shi Xun
Published: January 2024

Critical phenomena are one of the most captivating areas of modern physics, whereas the relevant experimental and theoretical studies are still very challenging. Particularly, the underlying mechanism behind the anomalous thermoelectric properties during critical phase transitions remains elusive, i.e., the current theoretical models for critical electrical transports are either qualitative or solely focused on a specific transport parameter. Herein, we develop a quantitative theory to model the electrical transports during critical phase transitions by incorporating both the band broadening effect and carrier-soft TO phonon interactions. It is found that the band-broadening effect contributes an additional term to Seebeck coefficient, while the carrier—soft TO phonon interactions greatly affects both electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient. The universality and validity of our model are well confirmed by experimental data. Furthermore, the features of critical phase transitions are effectively tuned. For example, alloying S in Cu2Se can reduce the phase transition temperature but increase the phase transition parameter b. The maximum thermoelectric figure of merit zT is pushed to a high value of 1.3 at the critical point (377 K), which is at least twice as large as those of normal static phases. This work not only provides a clear picture of the critical electrical transports but also presents new guidelines for future studies in this exciting area.
Boosting the electron beam transmittance of field emission cathode using a self-charging gate
Authors: Xiao Dongyang , Du Huanhuan , Sun Leimeng , Suo Xiaochen , Wang Yurong , Zhang Yili , Zhang Shaolin , Kuang Shuangyang , Hu Fangjing , Tu Liangcheng , Yu Daren , Song Peiyi
Published: January 2024

The gate-type carbon nanotubes cathodes exhibit advantages in long-term stable emission owing to the uniformity of electrical field on the carbon nanotubes, but the gate inevitably reduces the transmittance of electron beam, posing challenges for system stabilities. In this work, we introduce electron beam focusing technique using the self-charging SiNx/Au/Si gate. The potential of SiNx is measured to be approximately −60 V quickly after the cathode turning on, the negative potential can be maintained as the emission goes on. The charged surface generates rebounding electrostatic forces on the following electrons, significantly focusing the electron beam on the center of gate hole and allowing them to pass through gate with minimal interceptions. An average transmittance of 96.17% is observed during 550 hours prototype test, the transmittance above 95% is recorded for the cathode current from 2.14 μA to 3.25 mA with the current density up to 17.54 mA cm−2.