bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shelters for aquaculture of Octopus sinensis: preferences for gap width and horizontal versus vertical plates
Authors: Suzumura Yuta , Matsubara Keiji , Morii Shunzo , Abe Masami , Gleadall Ian G. , Nishikawa Masazumi , Katayama Ayu , Nishitani Goh , Okawara Yu , Kimura Riku , Akiyama Nobuhiko
Published: January 2022

It is difficult to keep a large number of cultured octopuses together in the same holding tank due to the high incidence of cannibalism. Appropriate shelters within which the octopuses can more readily avoid their peers are expected to ameliorate this problem. Shelters can be constructed from square plates assembled with appropriate spacing (gap) between them. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the optimum plate orientation and gap width between plates for shelters to maximize the accommodation of octopuses. It was found that the number of shelter occupants increased with the number of gaps available, such that more than half of the individuals in the experimental tank used the same shelter simultaneously. Octopuses tested singly to determine preferences for shelters placed vertically or horizontally preferred the vertical arrangement. Octopuses of more than 300 g tested singly in aquaria given shelters with different gap widths (20–100 mm) were found to not enter shelters with gap widths of 20 or 40 mm. It is concluded that octopus shelters constructed from square vertical plates spaced with gap widths suitable for octopuses are a useful contribution towards maximizing the number of octopuses that can be maintained in culture conditions.
Is the Sardinian Blue Zone the New Shangri-La for mental health? Evidence on depressive symptoms and its correlates in late adult life span
Authors: Ruiu Marilena , Carta Valeria , Deiana Clara , Fastame Maria Chiara
Published: January 2022

Background

An area of extraordinary longevity (i.e., Sardinian Blue Zone) characterized by a very high prevalence of long-lived successful agers has been validated in Sardinia, an Italian island located in the Mediterranean Sea.

Aims

This study was primarily aimed at examining whether dietary habits (intake of vegetables and fruit, animal-derived proteins, and carbohydrates-rich food), time spent on hobbies, subjective physical health, and socio-cultural context (Sardinian Blue Zone vs. another Sardinian rural area) predicted self-reported depressive symptoms in older adults recruited in the Sardinian Blue Zone and another Sardinian rural area not being characterized by a higher prevalence of long-lived individuals.

Methods

Three hundred and eighteen community-dwellers, age 65 years and older, 188 females and 130 males (Mage = 79.1 years, SD = 6.9 years) were recruited from the Sardinian Blue Zone and another Sardinian rural area. Each participant individually completed a battery of instruments to assess lifestyle, food habits, perceived physical health, and depressive symptoms through the CES-D inventory.

Results

Significant associations were found between depressive signs, perceived physical health, time spent gardening, proteins, and carbohydrates intake, respectively. Approximately 17% of the variance in the CES-D condition was predicted by socio-cultural context, perceived physical health, and gardening. Participants recruited in the Sardinian Blue Zone spent more time gardening and self-reported better physical health.

Conclusions

current results suggest that a socio-cultural context where people age well (i.e., the Sardinian Blue Zone), and a healthy and physically active lifestyle are crucial for promoting well-being in late adulthood.
Digital twin-driven smart supply chain
Authors: Wang Lu , Deng Tianhu , Shen Zuo-Jun Max , Hu Hao , Qi Yongzhi
Published: January 2022

Today’s supply chain is becoming complex and fragile. Hence, supply chain managers need to create and unlock the value of the smart supply chain. A smart supply chain requires connectivity, visibility, and agility, and it needs be integrated and intelligent. The digital twin (DT) concept satisfies these requirements. Therefore, we propose creating a DT-driven supply chain (DTSC) as an innovative and integrated solution for the smart supply chain. We provide background information to explain the DT concept and to demonstrate the method for building a DTSC by using the DT concept. We discuss three research opportunities in building a DTSC, including supply chain modeling, real-time supply chain optimization, and data usage in supply chain collaboration. Finally, we highlight a motivating case from JD.COM, China’s largest retailer by revenue, in applying the DTSC platform to address supply chain network reconfiguration challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hope: A Literary History
Authors: Potkay Adam
Published: January 2022

Hope for us has a positive connotation. Yet it was criticized in classical antiquity as a distraction from the present moment, as the occasion for irrational and self-destructive thinking, and as a presumption against the gods. To what extent do arguments against hope today remain useful? If hope sounds to us like a good thing, that reaction stems from a progressive political tradition grounded in the French Revolution, aspects of Romantic literature and the influence of the Abrahamic faiths. Ranging both wide and deep, Adam Potkay examines the cases for and against hope found in literature from antiquity to the present. Drawing imaginatively on several fields and creatively juxtaposing poetry, drama, and novels alongside philosophy, theology and political theory, the author brings continually fresh insights to a subject of perennial interest. This is a bold and illuminating new treatment of a long-running literary debate as complex as it is compelling.
Fundamentals of Modern VLSI Devices
Authors: Taur Yuan , Ning Tak H.
Published: January 2022

A thoroughly updated third edition of an classic and widely adopted text, perfect for practical transistor design and in the classroom. Covering a variety of recent developments, the internationally renowned authors discuss in detail the basic properties and designs of modern VLSI devices, as well as factors affecting performance. Containing around 25% new material, coverage has been expanded to include high-k gate dielectrics, metal gate technology, strained silicon mobility, non-GCA (Gradual Channel Approximation) modelling of MOSFETs, short-channel FinFETS, and symmetric lateral bipolar transistors on SOI. Chapters have been reorganized to integrate the appendices into the main text to enable a smoother learning experience, and numerous additional end-of-chapter homework exercises (+30%) are included to engage students with real-world problems and test their understanding. A perfect text for senior undergraduate and graduate students taking advanced semiconductor devices courses, and for practicing silicon device professionals in the semiconductor industry.
Inverse cascade suppression and shear-layer formation in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence subject to a guide field and misaligned rotation
Authors: Benavides Santiago J. , Burns Keaton J. , Gallet Basile , Cho James Y-K. , Flierl Glenn R.
Published: January 2022

Astrophysical flows are often subject to both rotation and large-scale background magnetic fields. Individually, each is known to two-dimensionalize the flow in the perpendicular plane. In realistic settings, both of these effects are simultaneously present and, importantly, need not be aligned. In this work, we numerically investigate three-dimensional forced magnetohydrodynamic turbulence subject to the competing effects of global rotation and a perpendicular background magnetic field. We focus on the case of a strong background field and find that increasing the rotation rate from zero produces significant changes in the structure of the turbulent flow. Starting with a two-dimensional inverse energy cascade at zero rotation, the flow first transitions to a forward cascade of kinetic energy, then to a shear-layer dominated regime and finally to a second shear-layer regime where the kinetic energy flux is strongly suppressed and the energy transfer is mediated by the induced magnetic field. We show that the first two transitions occur at distinct values of the Rossby number, and the third occurs at a distinct value of the Lehnert number. The three-dimensional results are confirmed using an asymptotic two-dimensional, three-component model, which allows us to extend our results to the planetary-relevant case of an arbitrary angle between the rotation vector and guide field. More generally, our results demonstrate that, when considering the simultaneous limits of strong rotation and a strong guide field, the order in which those limits are taken matters in the misaligned case.
On complete submanifolds with parallel normalized mean curvature in product spaces
Authors: dos Santos Fábio R. , da Silva Sylvia F.
Published: January 2022

A Simons type formula for submanifolds with parallel normalized mean curvature vector field (pnmc submanifolds) in the product spaces

$M^{n}(c)\times \mathbb {R}$

, where

$M^{n}(c)$

is a space form with constant sectional curvature

$c\in \{-1,1\}$

, it is shown. As an application is obtained rigidity results for submanifolds with constant second mean curvature.
Body (of) Knowledge: Women, the Body, and Dance in Postwar Japan
Authors: Baldock Alice Bethany Susan
Published: January 2022

This study examines the revolution of ideas surrounding the body in 1950s Japan from the perspective of two women dancers, Noh dancer Tsumura Kimiko (1902–74) and butoh dancer Motofuji Akiko (1928–2003). By contrasting one mid-twentieth-century view—that the postwar era offered a chance to “liberate” individual bodies—with the backdrop of continued control over bodies exercised by large institutions, I first show that this perceived rupture was not as stark as it initially appears. Moreover, I show how Tsumura and Motofuji rejected popular ideas about the body's purpose to forge their own. This allowed them to critique and confront the issues that popular views presented, particularly for disabled or gendered bodies. These issues involved increasing urbanization and the treatment of bodies based upon their desirability. This article argues that Tsumura's and Motofuji's conceptions of “body” challenged gender norms and presented new ideas about how to live.
Vascular abnormalities – a true cause of pulsatile tinnitus?
Authors: Walters H , Chung N , Arullendran P
Published: January 2022

Objective

Pulsatile tinnitus can be a symptom of vascular pathology. However, many of these pathologies present as incidental findings on scanning for unrelated symptoms. This study investigated whether the pathologies attributed to pulsatile tinnitus could instead be considered incidental findings.

Methods

This retrospective study evaluated imaging results of 272 pulsatile tinnitus cases for clinically relevant pathologies, and examined correlations between the site of symptoms and the imaging findings.

Results

Of 272 patients, 238 (88 per cent) had normal scans, 17 (6 per cent) had clinically insignificant incidental findings, and 18 (7 per cent) had findings requiring further investigation or intervention; regarding these latter 18 patients, findings for 8 patients (42 per cent) did not correlate with the symptomatic side. The rates of intracranial aneurysm and arteriovenous malformation in the pulsatile tinnitus group were comparable to those in normal populations.

Conclusion

The comparable rates of vascular abnormalities within the symptomatic pulsatile tinnitus group, plus clinically relevant findings contralateral to symptoms, suggest that vascular pathologies could be incidental findings rather than causes of pulsatile tinnitus. Evaluation is recommended of the effectiveness of the new National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines for pulsatile tinnitus investigation.
A paediatric case of myopericarditis post-COVID-19 mRNA vaccine
Authors: Türe Mehmet , Akın Alper , Demir Muhammed , Akay Cihan
Published: January 2022

Myopericarditis is a condition, which primarily involves the pericardium, with minimal myocardial involvement. In myopericarditis, chest pain, elevated cardiac enzymes, and electrocardiographic changes occur. Although COVID-19 mRNA vaccines significantly contribute to preventing the COVID-19 disease, rarely myocarditis and/or pericarditis may develop due to these vaccines. We present a previously healthy 14-year-old male patient who developed myopericarditis after receiving the second dose of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.
Safety and efficacy of early augmentation with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of drug-free patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder
Authors: Joshi Mohita , Kar Sujita Kumar , Dalal Pronob K.
Published: January 2022

Background

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder that results in significant disability and substantial compromise in the quality of life. Until now, the role of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been primarily explored in individuals with treatment-resistant OCD. In this study, we investigated the safety and efficacy of rTMS as an early augmentation strategy in drug-free patients with OCD.

Methods

This is a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study that involved the administration of a total of 20 sessions of rTMS (active/sham) to drug-naïve OCD patients using a standard protocol (1-Hz; 20 trains [80 pulses/train]; 1600 pulses per session at 100% resting motor threshold) at supplementary motor area. All patients (active and sham) were started on escitalopram 10 mg/d, which was subsequently increased to 20 mg/d after 10 days.

Results

Out of the 24 patients, 13 received active and 11 received sham rTMS. At the end of rTMS therapy, there was a substantial reduction (P = .001) in total Yale-Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale, obsessions (P = .030) and compulsions (P = .001) between the groups. Only few patients (N = 8) reported mild side effect with rTMS, local pain, and headache being the commonest. The study revealed large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.6) of rTMS as an early augmentation strategy in drug-free patients of OCD.

Conclusions

rTMS is a safe and effective early augmentation strategy in the management of OCD. Larger randomized controlled trials are required to establish the therapeutic role of rTMS as early augmentation in OCD.
A SUBSTRUCTURAL GENTZEN CALCULUS FOR ORTHOMODULAR QUANTUM LOGIC
Authors: FAZIO DAVIDE , LEDDA ANTONIO , PAOLI FRANCESCO , ST. JOHN GAVIN
Published: January 2022

We introduce a sequent system which is Gentzen algebraisable with orthomodular lattices as equivalent algebraic semantics, and therefore can be viewed as a calculus for orthomodular quantum logic. Its sequents are pairs of non-associative structures, formed via a structural connective whose algebraic interpretation is the Sasaki product on the left-hand side and its De Morgan dual on the right-hand side. It is a substructural calculus, because some of the standard structural sequent rules are restricted—by lifting all such restrictions, one recovers a calculus for classical logic.
Supporting value sensitivity in the humanitarian use of drones through an ethics assessment framework
Authors: Wang Ning , Christen Markus , Hunt Matthew , Biller-Andorno Nikola
Published: January 2022

The current humanitarian use of drones is focused on two applications: disaster mapping and medical supply delivery. In response to the growing interest in drone deployment in the aid sector, we sought to develop a resource to support value sensitivity in humanitarian drone activities. Following a bottom-up approach encompassing a comprehensive literature review, two empirical studies, a review of guidance documents, and consultations with experts, this work illuminates the nature and scope of ethical challenges encountered by humanitarian organizations embarking upon innovation programmes. The Framework for the Ethics Assessment of Humanitarian Drones (FEAHD) identifies five values and five key questions related to ethical considerations along the decision chain of humanitarian drone activities. It fills a gap between high-level, principle-based guidance related to humanitarian innovation, and detailed operation-oriented checklists for projects involving the use of drones. In this way, the FEAHD contributes to support value sensitivity in the humanitarian use of drones.
Diagnostischer Prozess und klinische Entscheidungsfindung
Authors: Georg Jürgen
Published: January 2022

Zusammenfassung. Das folgende Praxisbeispiel beschreibt, wie der Begriff des diagnostischen Prozesses geklärt und dessen Schritte an einem Fallbeispiel geübt werden können. Ferner zeigt es, wie die Genauigkeit von Pflegediagnosen geprüft, die Notwendigkeit der Fachsprachenentwicklung begründet und die Dringlichkeit einzelner Pflegediagnosen priorisiert werden können.
Seismic Velocity Variations at Different Depths Reveal the Dynamic Evolution Associated With the 2018 Kilauea Eruption
Authors: Liu Zhiqiang , Liang Chuntao , Huang Huixuan , Wang Chaoliang , Cao Feihuang
Published: January 2022

Advances in noise‐based velocity change measurements have revealed anomalies before volcanic eruptions. Still, it is difficult to assign them to a certain depth based on the traditional coda wave method. Here we used volcanic tremor (1–2.5 s) and oceanic noise (3 and 3.5 s) as passive sources to calculate the Rayleigh wave velocity changes associated with the 2018 Kilauea eruption. Our simulation show that the velocity decreased at least by 5% at 1–2 km depth beneath the East Rift zone in the co‐eruption time. Before the eruption, we observed a decrease (1%) at the same depth, whereas, at the depths of 0–1 and 2–8 km, the velocity increased by 0.2%–1%. Combined with microearthquakes, The Global Positioning System data, and numerical simulation, our observations suggest that magma intrusion may open the magma dike at 1–2 km depth but induce higher compressive stress (about 3.6–14.4 MPa) in the surrounding areas.
River Organic Carbon Fluxes Modulated by Hydrodynamic Sorting of Particulate Organic Matter
Authors: Repasch Marisa , Scheingross Joel S. , Hovius Niels , Vieth‐Hillebrand Andrea , Mueller Carsten W. , Höschen Carmen , Szupiany Ricardo N. , Sachse Dirk
Published: January 2022

Rivers regulate the global carbon cycle by transferring particulate organic carbon (POC) from terrestrial landscapes to marine sedimentary basins, but the processes controlling the amount and composition of fluvially exported POC are poorly understood. We propose that hydrodynamic sorting processes modify POC fluxes during fluvial transit. We test this hypothesis by studying POC transported along a ∼1,200 km reach of the Rio Bermejo, Argentina. Nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry revealed that POC was either fine, mineral‐associated organic matter, or coarse discrete organic particles. Mineral‐associated POC is more resistant to oxidation and has a lower particle settling velocity than discrete POC. Consequently, hydraulic sorting and downstream fining amplify the proportion of fine, mineral‐associated POC from ∼55% to ∼78% over 1,220 km of downstream transit. This suggests that mineral‐associated POC has a greater probability of export and preservation in marine basins than plant detritus, which may be oxidized to CO2 during transit.
Monitoring Fracture Saturation With Internal Seismic Sources and Twin Neural Networks
Authors: Nolte D. D. , Pyrak‐Nolte L. J.
Published: January 2022

Seismic coda‐wave analysis is a well‐developed method for detecting subtle physical changes in complex media by measuring arrival times in the late‐arriving energy from multiply scattered or reflected waves. However, a challenge arises when multiply scattered waves are not sufficiently separated in time from the direct arrivals to provide a clear coda wave train. Additional complications for monitoring changes in fracture systems arise when the signals originate from unsynchronized internal sources, such as natural or induced seismicity, from acoustic emission, or from transportable intra‐fracture sources (chattering dust), that generate uncontrolled signals that vary in arrival time, amplitude and frequency content. Here, we use a twin neural network (TNN also known as a Siamese neural network) for dimensionality reduction to analyze signals from chattering dust to classify the fluid saturation state of a synthetic fracture system. The TNN with shared weights generates a low‐dimensional representation of the data input by minimizing contrastive loss, serving as the input to a multiclass classifier that accurately classifies whether multiple fractures in a fracture system are fully saturated or partially saturated, or whether a change in saturation has occurred in different fractures in the system. These results show that information buried in unresolved codas from uncontrolled sources can be extracted using machine learning to monitor the evolution of fracture systems caused by physical and chemical processes even when the scattered and direct wave fields overlap.
Cleaner Pandemic Air Led to Reduced Lightning Strikes Worldwide
Authors: Vasquez Krystal
Published: January 2022

As people stayed home during the COVID-19 lockdowns, air quality improved. But the improvement was accompanied by an unusual meteorological side effect: a decrease in lightning.
A coordinate-based meta-analysis of white matter alterations in patients with alcohol use disorder
Authors: Spindler Carolin , Mallien Louisa , Trautmann Sebastian , Alexander Nina , Muehlhan Markus
Published: January 2022

Introduction: Besides the commonly described gray matter (GM) deficits, there is growing evidence of significant white matter (WM) alterations in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). WM changes can be assessed using volumetric and diffusive magnetic resonance imaging methods, such as voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The aim of the present meta-analysis is to investigate the spatial convergence of the reported findings on WM alterations in AUD. Methods: Systematic literature search on PubMed and further databases revealed 18 studies eligible for inclusion, entailing a total of 462 AUD patients and 416 healthy controls (up to January 18, 2021). All studies that had used either VBM or DTI whole-brain analyzing methods and reported results as peak-coordinates in standard reference space were considered for inclusion. We excluded studies using approaches non-concordant with recent guidelines for neuroimaging meta-analyses and studies investigating patient groups with Korsakoff syndrome or other comorbid substance use disorders (except tobacco). Results: Anatomical likelihood estimation (ALE) revealed four significant clusters of convergent macro- and microstructural WM alterations in AUD patients that were assigned to the genu and body of the corpus callosum, anterior and posterior cingulum, fornix, and the right posterior limb of the internal capsule. Discussion: The changes in WM could to some extent explain the deteriorations in motor, cognitive, affective, and perceptual functions seen in AUD. Future studies are needed to clarify how WM alterations vary over the course of the disorder and to what extent they are reversible with prolonged abstinence.
Procalcitonin is expressed in osteoblasts and limits bone resorption through inhibition of macrophage migration during intermittent PTH treatment
Authors: Baranowsky Anke , Jahn Denise , Jiang Shan , Yorgan Timur , Ludewig Peter , Appelt Jessika , Albrecht Kai K. , Otto Ellen , Knapstein Paul , Donat Antonia , Winneberger Jack , Rosenthal Lana , Köhli Paul , Erdmann Cordula , Fuchs Melanie , Frosch Karl-Heinz , Tsitsilonis Serafeim , Amling Michael , Schinke Thorsten , Keller Johannes
Published: January 2022

Intermittent injections of parathyroid hormone (iPTH) are applied clinically to stimulate bone formation by osteoblasts, although continuous elevation of parathyroid hormone (PTH) primarily results in increased bone resorption. Here, we identifiedCalca, encoding the sepsis biomarker procalcitonin (ProCT), as a novel target gene of PTH in murine osteoblasts that inhibits osteoclast formation. During iPTH treatment, mice lacking ProCT develop increased bone resorption with excessive osteoclast formation in both the long bones and axial skeleton. Mechanistically, ProCT inhibits the expression of key mediators involved in the recruitment of macrophages, representing osteoclast precursors. Accordingly, ProCT arrests macrophage migration and causes inhibition of early but not late osteoclastogenesis. In conclusion, our results reveal a potential role of osteoblast-derived ProCT in the bone microenvironment that is required to limit bone resorption during iPTH.
A novel 1-bp deletion variant in DAG1 in Japanese familial asymptomatic hyper-CK-emia
Authors: Fan Luoming , Miura Shiroh , Shimojo Tomofumi , Sugino Hirotoshi , Fujioka Ryuta , Shibata Hiroki
Published: January 2022

Asymptomatic hyper-CK-emia (ASCK) is characterized by persistent elevation of creatine kinase (CK) in serum without any neurological symptoms. We ascertained a two-generation family of ASCK patients without clear neurological abnormalities except for the high levels of serum CK (810.5 ± 522.4 U/L). We identified a novel 1-bp deletion variant in the DAG1 gene shared by the patients in the family (NM_001177639: exon 3: c.930delC:p.R311Gfs*70). The variant causes premature termination of translation at codon 477, resulting in a protein product completely devoid of the essential DAG1 domain. Since ASCK has been associated with DAG1 in only one case carrying compound heterozygous missense variants, our new finding of a novel 1-bp deletion revealed the previously unknown dominant effect of DAG1 on ASCK.
Native lattice strain induced structural earthquake in sodium layered oxide cathodes
Authors: Xu Gui-Liang , Liu Xiang , Zhou Xinwei , Zhao Chen , Hwang Inhui , Daali Amine , Yang Zhenzhen , Ren Yang , Sun Cheng-Jun , Chen Zonghai , Liu Yuzi , Amine Khalil
Published: January 2022

High-voltage operation is essential for the energy and power densities of battery cathode materials, but its stabilization remains a universal challenge. To date, the degradation origin has been mostly attributed to cycling-initiated structural deformation while the effect of native crystallographic defects induced during the sophisticated synthesis process has been significantly overlooked. Here, using in situ synchrotron X-ray probes and advanced transmission electron microscopy to probe the solid-state synthesis and charge/discharge process of sodium layered oxide cathodes, we reveal that quenching-induced native lattice strain plays an overwhelming role in the catastrophic capacity degradation of sodium layered cathodes, which runs counter to conventional perception—phase transition and cathode interfacial reactions. We observe that the spontaneous relaxation of native lattice strain is responsible for the structural earthquake (e.g., dislocation, stacking faults and fragmentation) of sodium layered cathodes during cycling, which is unexpectedly not regulated by the voltage window but is strongly coupled with charge/discharge temperature and rate. Our findings resolve the controversial understanding on the degradation origin of cathode materials and highlight the importance of eliminating intrinsic crystallographic defects to guarantee superior cycling stability at high voltages.
Nano-spectroscopy of excitons in atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides
Authors: Zhang Shuai , Li Baichang , Chen Xinzhong , Ruta Francesco L. , Shao Yinming , Sternbach Aaron J. , McLeod A. S. , Sun Zhiyuan , Xiong Lin , Moore S. L. , Xu Xinyi , Wu Wenjing , Shabani Sara , Zhou Lin , Wang Zhiying , Mooshammer Fabian , Ray Essance , Wilson Nathan , Schuck P. J. , Dean C. R. , Pasupathy A. N. , Lipson Michal , Xu Xiaodong , Zhu Xiaoyang , Millis A. J. , Liu Mengkun , Hone James C. , Basov D. N.
Published: January 2022

Excitons play a dominant role in the optoelectronic properties of atomically thin van der Waals (vdW) semiconductors. These excitons are amenable to on-demand engineering with diverse control knobs, including dielectric screening, interlayer hybridization, and moiré potentials. However, external stimuli frequently yield heterogeneous excitonic responses at the nano- and meso-scales, making their spatial characterization with conventional diffraction-limited optics a formidable task. Here, we use a scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscope (s-SNOM) to acquire exciton spectra in atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenide microcrystals with previously unattainable 20 nm resolution. Our nano-optical data revealed material- and stacking-dependent exciton spectra of MoSe2, WSe2, and their heterostructures. Furthermore, we extracted the complex dielectric function of these prototypical vdW semiconductors. s-SNOM hyperspectral images uncovered how the dielectric screening modifies excitons at length scales as short as few nanometers. This work paves the way towards understanding and manipulation of excitons in atomically thin layers at the nanoscale.
Galectin-9 restricts hepatitis B virus replication via p62/SQSTM1-mediated selective autophagy of viral core proteins
Authors: Miyakawa Kei , Nishi Mayuko , Ogawa Michinaga , Matsunaga Satoko , Sugiyama Masaya , Nishitsuji Hironori , Kimura Hirokazu , Ohnishi Makoto , Watashi Koichi , Shimotohno Kunitada , Wakita Takaji , Ryo Akihide
Published: January 2022

Autophagy has been linked to a wide range of functions, including a degradative process that defends host cells against pathogens. Although the involvement of autophagy in HBV infection has become apparent, it remains unknown whether selective autophagy plays a critical role in HBV restriction. Here, we report that a member of the galectin family, GAL9, directs the autophagic degradation of HBV HBc. BRET screening revealed that GAL9 interacts with HBc in living cells. Ectopic expression of GAL9 induces the formation of HBc-containing cytoplasmic puncta through interaction with another antiviral factor viperin, which co-localized with the autophagosome marker LC3. Mechanistically, GAL9 associates with HBc via viperin at the cytoplasmic puncta and enhanced the auto-ubiquitination of RNF13, resulting in p62 recruitment to form LC3-positive autophagosomes. Notably, both GAL9 and viperin are type I IFN-stimulated genes that act synergistically for the IFN-dependent proteolysis of HBc in HBV-infected hepatocytes. Collectively, these results reveal a previously undescribed antiviral mechanism against HBV in infected cells and a form of crosstalk between the innate immune system and selective autophagy in viral infection.
Relative infectiousness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine breakthrough infections, reinfections, and primary infections
Authors: Abu-Raddad Laith J. , Chemaitelly Hiam , Ayoub Houssein H. , Tang Patrick , Coyle Peter , Hasan Mohammad R. , Yassine Hadi M. , Benslimane Fatiha M. , Al-Khatib Hebah A. , Al-Kanaani Zaina , Al-Kuwari Einas , Jeremijenko Andrew , Kaleeckal Anvar Hassan , Latif Ali Nizar , Shaik Riyazuddin Mohammad , Abdul-Rahim Hanan F. , Nasrallah Gheyath K. , Al-Kuwari Mohamed Ghaith , Butt Adeel A. , Al-Romaihi Hamad Eid , Al-Khal Abdullatif , Al-Thani Mohametabd H. , Bertollini Roberto
Published: January 2022

SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals and in those who had a prior infection have been observed globally, but the transmission potential of these infections is unknown. The RT-qPCR cycle threshold (Ct) value is inversely correlated with viral load and culturable virus. Here, we investigate differences in RT-qPCR Ct values across Qatar’s national cohorts of primary infections, reinfections, BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) breakthrough infections, and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) breakthrough infections. Our matched-cohort analyses of the randomly diagnosed infections show higher mean Ct value in all cohorts of breakthrough infections compared to the cohort of primary infections in unvaccinated individuals. The Ct value is 1.3 (95% CI: 0.9–1.8) cycles higher for BNT162b2 breakthrough infections, 3.2 (95% CI: 1.9–4.5) cycles higher for mRNA-1273 breakthrough infections, and 4.0 (95% CI: 3.5–4.5) cycles higher for reinfections in unvaccinated individuals. Since Ct value correlates inversely with SARS-CoV-2 infectiousness, these differences imply that vaccine breakthrough infections and reinfections are less infectious than primary infections in unvaccinated individuals. Public health benefits of vaccination may have been underestimated, as COVID-19 vaccines not only protect against acquisition of infection, but also appear to protect against transmission of infection.
Circularly polarised luminescence laser scanning confocal microscopy to study live cell chiral molecular interactions
Authors: Stachelek Patrycja , MacKenzie Lewis , Parker David , Pal Robert
Published: January 2022

The molecular machinery of life is founded on chiral building blocks, but no experimental technique is currently available to distinguish or monitor chiral systems in live cell bio-imaging studies. Luminescent chiral molecules encode a unique optical fingerprint within emitted circularly polarized light (CPL) carrying information about the molecular environment, conformation, and binding state. Here, we present a CPL Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope (CPL-LSCM) capable of simultaneous chiroptical contrast based live-cell imaging of endogenous and engineered CPL-active cellular probes. Further, we demonstrate that CPL-active probes can be activated using two-photon excitation, with complete CPL spectrum recovery. The combination of these two milestone results empowers the multidisciplinary imaging community, allowing the study of chiral interactions on a sub-cellular level in a new (chiral) light.
Confocal imaging dataset to assess endothelial cell orientation during extreme glucose conditions
Authors: Porras Hernández Ana María , Barbe Laurent , Pohlit Hannah , Tenje Maria , Antfolk Maria
Published: January 2022

Confocal microscopy offers a mean to extract quantitative data on spatially confined subcellular structures. Here, we provide an imaging dataset of confocal z-stacks on endothelial cells spatially confined on lines with different widths, visualizing the nucleus, F-actin, and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), as well as the lines. This dataset also includes confocal images of spatially confined endothelial cells challenged with different glucose conditions. We have validated the image quality by established analytical means using the MeasureImageQuality module of the CellProfilerTM software. We envision that this dataset could be used to extract data on both a population and a single cell level, as well as a learning set for the development of new image analysis tools.
Frequencies and characteristics of genome-wide recombination in Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Streptococcus suis
Authors: Lee Isaiah Paolo A. , Andam Cheryl P.
Published: January 2022

Streptococcus consists of ecologically diverse species, some of which are important pathogens of humans and animals. We sought to quantify and compare the frequencies and characteristics of within-species recombination in the pan-genomes of Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus suis. We used 1081, 1813 and 1204 publicly available genome sequences of each species, respectively. Based on their core genomes, S. agalactiae had the highest relative rate of recombination to mutation (11.5743) compared to S. pyogenes (1.03) and S. suis (0.57). The proportion of the species pan-genome that have had a history of recombination was 12.85%, 24.18% and 20.50% of the pan-genomes of each species, respectively. The composition of recombining genes varied among the three species, and some of the most frequently recombining genes are implicated in adhesion, colonization, oxidative stress response and biofilm formation. For each species, a total of 22.75%, 29.28% and 18.75% of the recombining genes were associated with prophages. The cargo genes of integrative conjugative elements and integrative and mobilizable elements contained genes associated with antimicrobial resistance and virulence. Homologous recombination and mobilizable pan-genomes enable the creation of novel combinations of genes and sequence variants, and the potential for high-risk clones to emerge.
Viral immune evasins impact antigen presentation by allele-specific trapping of MHC I at the peptide-loading complex
Authors: Sethumadhavan Sunesh , Barth Marie , Spaapen Robbert M. , Schmidt Carla , Trowitzsch Simon , Tampé Robert
Published: January 2022

Major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) molecules present antigenic peptides to cytotoxic T cells to eliminate infected or cancerous cells. The transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) shuttles proteasomally generated peptides into the ER for MHC I loading. As central part of the peptide-loading complex (PLC), TAP is targeted by viral factors, which inhibit peptide supply and thereby impact MHC I-mediated immune responses. However, it is still poorly understood how antigen presentation via different MHC I allotypes is affected by TAP inhibition. Here, we show that conditional expression of herpes simplex viral ICP47 suppresses surface presentation of HLA-A and HLA-C, but not of HLA-B, while the human cytomegaloviral US6 reduces surface levels of all MHC I allotypes. This marked difference in HLA-B antigen presentation is echoed by an enrichment of HLA-B allomorphs at US6-arrested PLC in comparison to ICP47-PLC. Although both viral factors prevent TAP-mediated peptide supply, our data imply that MHC I allomorphs favor different conformationally arrested states of the PLC, leading to differential downregulation of MHC I surface presentation. These findings will help understand MHC I biology in general and will even advance the targeted treatment of infections depending on patients’ allotypes.
Formulating a multi-layered framework for automobile architecture
Authors: Chandra Sushil
Published: January 2022

Product architecture is defined as allocation of components to functions and their interfaces. But what makes this formulation insufficient for automobile architecture is their multi-layered allocation of components and the visual aspect of the architecture. This paper suggests, through an empirical study of two-wheeler models being manufactured by a prominent manufacturer, a multi-tiered framework along with a visual template for two-wheeler architecture which includes their visual schema as well. This paper investigates and demonstrates that this framework and template satisfy the requirements of product architecture by using examples from the domain of motorcycle design. Further, this paper investigates the utility of this framework for platforming strategy, innovation, adoption of new technology and standardization.
Age-related changes in oral sensitivity, taste and smell
Authors: Braun Tobias , Doerr Johanna M. , Peters Laura , Viard Maxime , Reuter Iris , Prosiegel Mario , Weber Susanne , Yeniguen Mesut , Tschernatsch Marlene , Gerriets Tibo , Juenemann Martin , Huttner Hagen B. , Hamzic Samra
Published: January 2022

Oropharyngeal sensitivity plays a vital role in the initiation of the swallowing reflex and is thought to decline as part of the aging-process. Taste and smell functions appear to decline with age as well. The aim of our study was to generate data of oral sensitivity in healthy participants for future studies and to analyse age-related changes and their interdependence by measuring oral sensitivity, taste, and smell function. The experiment involved 30 participants younger than and 30 participants older than 60. Sensitivity threshold as a surrogate of oral sensitivity was measured at the anterior faucial pillar by electrical stimulation using commercially available pudendal electrode mounted on a gloved finger. Smell and taste were evaluated using commercially available test kits. Mean sensitivity was lower in young participants compared to older participants (1.9 ± 0.59 mA vs. 2.42 ± 1.03 mA;p = 0.021). Young participants also performed better in smell (Score 11.13 ± 0.86 vs 9.3 ± 1.93;p < 0.001) and taste examinations (Score 11.83 ± 1.86 vs 8.53 ± 3.18;p < 0.001). ANCOVA revealed a statistical association between sensitivity and smell (p = 0.08) that was moderated by age (p = 0.044). Electrical threshold testing at the anterior faucial pillar is a simple, safe, and accurate diagnostic measure of oral sensitivity. We detected a decline of oral sensitivity, taste, and smell in older adults.

Trial registration:Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03240965. Registered 7th August 2017—https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03240965.
Forecasting asylum-related migration flows with machine learning and data at scale
Authors: Carammia Marcello , Iacus Stefano Maria , Wilkin Teddy
Published: January 2022

The sudden and unexpected migration flows that reached Europe during the so-called ‘refugee crisis’ of 2015–2016 left governments unprepared, exposing significant shortcomings in the field of migration forecasting. Forecasting asylum-related migration is indeed problematic. Migration is a complex system, drivers are composite, measurement incorporates uncertainty, and most migration theories are either under-specified or hardly actionable. As a result, approaches to forecasting generally focus on specific migration flows, and the results are often inconsistent and difficult to generalise. Here we present an adaptive machine learning algorithm that integrates administrative statistics and non-traditional data sources at scale to effectively forecast asylum-related migration flows. We focus on asylum applications lodged in countries of the European Union (EU) by nationals of all countries of origin worldwide, but the same approach can be applied in any context provided adequate migration or asylum data are available. Uniquely, our approach (a) monitors drivers in countries of origin and destination to detect early onset change; (b) models individual country-to-country migration flows separately and on moving time windows; (c) estimates the effects of individual drivers, including lagged effects; (d) delivers forecasts of asylum applications up to four weeks ahead; (e) assesses how patterns of drivers shift over time to describe the functioning and change of migration systems. Our approach draws on migration theory and modelling, international protection, and data science to deliver what is, to our knowledge, the first comprehensive system for forecasting asylum applications based on adaptive models and data at scale. Importantly, this approach can be extended to forecast other social processes.
Oriental freshwater mussels arose in East Gondwana and arrived to Asia on the Indian Plate and Burma Terrane
Authors: Bolotov Ivan N. , Pasupuleti Rajeev , Subba Rao Nalluri V. , Unnikrishnan Suresh Kumar , Chan Nyein , Lunn Zau , Win Than , Gofarov Mikhail Y. , Kondakov Alexander V. , Konopleva Ekaterina S. , Lyubas Artyom A. , Tomilova Alena A. , Vikhrev Ilya V. , Pfenninger Markus , Düwel Sophie S. , Feldmeyer Barbara , Nesemann Hasko F. , Nagel Karl-Otto
Published: January 2022

Freshwater mussels cannot spread through oceanic barriers and represent a suitable model to test the continental drift patterns. Here, we reconstruct the diversification of Oriental freshwater mussels (Unionidae) and revise their taxonomy. We show that the Indian Subcontinent harbors a rather taxonomically poor fauna, containing 25 freshwater mussel species from one subfamily (Parreysiinae). This subfamily most likely originated in East Gondwana in the Jurassic and its representatives arrived to Asia on two Gondwanan fragments (Indian Plate and Burma Terrane). We propose that the Burma Terrane was connected with the Indian Plate through the Greater India up to the terminal Cretaceous. Later on, during the entire Paleogene epoch, these blocks have served as isolated evolutionary hotspots for freshwater mussels. The Burma Terrane collided with mainland Asia in the Late Eocene, leading to the origin of the Mekong’s Indochinellini radiation. Our findings indicate that the Burma Terrane had played a major role as a Gondwanan “biotic ferry” alongside with the Indian Plate.
CD97 is associated with mitogenic pathway activation, metabolic reprogramming, and immune microenvironment changes in glioblastoma
Authors: Safaee Michael M. , Wang Elaina J. , Jain Saket , Chen Jia-Shu , Gill Sabraj , Zheng Allison C. , Garcia Joseph H. , Beniwal Angad S. , Tran Y. , Nguyen Alan T. , Trieu Melissa , Leung Kevin , Wells Jim , Maclean James M. , Wycoff Keith , Aghi Manish K.
Published: January 2022

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor with a median survival under two years. Using in silico and in vitro techniques, we demonstrate heterogeneous expression of CD97, a leukocyte adhesion marker, in human GBM. Beyond its previous demonstrated role in tumor invasion, we show that CD97 is also associated with upregulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/Erk) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathways in GBM. While CD97 knockout decreased Akt activation, CD97 targeting did not alter MAPK/Erk activation, did not slow GBM cell proliferation in culture, and increased levels of glycolytic and oxidative phosphorylation metabolites. Treatment with a soluble CD97 inhibitor did not alter activation of the MAPK/Erk and PI3K/Akt pathways. Tumors with high CD97 expression were associated with immune microenvironment changes including increased naïve macrophages, regulatory T cells, and resting natural killer (NK) cells. These data suggest that, while CD97 expression is associated with conflicting effects on tumor cell proliferative and metabolic pathways that overall do not affect tumor cell proliferation, CD97 exerts pro-tumoral effects on the tumor immune microenvironment, which along with the pro-invasive effects of CD97 we previously demonstrated, provides impetus to continue exploring CD97 as a therapeutic target in GBM.
Identification of potential edible mushroom as SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitor using rational drug designing approach
Authors: Sen Debanjan , Debnath Bimal , Debnath Pradip , Debnath Sudhan , Zaki Magdi E. A. , Masand Vijay H.
Published: January 2022

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is highly pathogenic to humans and has created health care threats worldwide. This urgent situation has focused the researchers worldwide towards the development of novel vaccine or small molecule therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2. Although several vaccines have already been discovered and are in use for the masses, no therapeutic medication has yet been approved by FDA for the treatment of COVID-19. Keeping this in view, in the present study, we have identified promising hits against the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 from edible mushrooms. Structure-based virtual screening (VS) of 2433 compounds derived from mushrooms was performed with Mpro protein (6LU7). Four promising hits, namely, Kynapcin-12 (M_78), Kynapcin-28 (M_82), Kynapcin-24 (M_83), and Neonambiterphenyls-A (M_366) were identified based on the result of docking, Lipinski’s rule, 100 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and MM/PBSA binding free energy calculations. Finally, the inhibitory properties of these hits were compared with three known inhibitors, baicalein (1), baicalin (2), and biflavonoid (3). Data indicated that M_78, M_82 and M_83 compounds present in edible mushroom Polyozellus multiplex were potent inhibitors of Mproprotein (6LU7). It could be concluded that edible mushroom Polyozellus multiplex has potential activity against SARS-CoV-2 infection and identified molecules could be further explored as therapeutic inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2.