bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sequential maturation of stimulus-specific adaptation in the mouse lemniscal auditory system
Authors: Valerio Patricia , Rechenmann Julien , Joshi Suyash , De Franceschi Gioia , Barkat Tania Rinaldi
Published: January 2024

Stimulus-specific adaptation (SSA), the reduction of neural activity to a common stimulus that does not generalize to other, rare stimuli, is an essential property of our brain. Although well characterized in adults, it is still unknown how it develops during adolescence and what neuronal circuits are involved. Using in vivo electrophysiology and optogenetics in the lemniscal pathway of the mouse auditory system, we observed SSA to be stable from postnatal day 20 (P20) in the inferior colliculus, to develop until P30 in the auditory thalamus and even later in the primary auditory cortex (A1). We found this maturation process to be experience-dependent in A1 but not in thalamus and to be related to alterations in deep but not input layers of A1. We also identified corticothalamic projections to be implicated in thalamic SSA development. Together, our results reveal different circuits underlying the sequential SSA maturation and provide a unique perspective to understand predictive coding and surprise across sensory systems.
AI-aided geometric design of anti-infection catheters
Authors: Zhou Tingtao , Wan Xuan , Huang Daniel Zhengyu , Li Zongyi , Peng Zhiwei , Anandkumar Anima , Brady John F. , Sternberg Paul W. , Daraio Chiara
Published: January 2024

Bacteria can swim upstream in a narrow tube and pose a clinical threat of urinary tract infection to patients implanted with catheters. Coatings and structured surfaces have been proposed to repel bacteria, but no such approach thoroughly addresses the contamination problem in catheters. Here, on the basis of the physical mechanism of upstream swimming, we propose a novel geometric design, optimized by an artificial intelligence model. Using
Escherichia coli
, we demonstrate the anti-infection mechanism in microfluidic experiments and evaluate the effectiveness of the design in three-dimensionally printed prototype catheters under clinical flow rates. Our catheter design shows that one to two orders of magnitude improved suppression of bacterial contamination at the upstream end, potentially prolonging the in-dwelling time for catheter use and reducing the overall risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infection.
Machine embroidery of light-emitting textiles with multicolor electroluminescent threads
Authors: Cho Seungse , Chang Taehoo , Yu Tianhao , Gong Sunland L. , Lee Chi Hwan
Published: January 2024

Advances in electroluminescent threads, suitable for weaving or knitting, have opened doors for the development of light-emitting textiles, driving growth in the market for flexible and wearable displays. Although direct embroidery of these textiles with custom designs and patterns could offer substantial benefits, the rigorous demands of machine embroidery challenge the integrity of these threads. Here, we present embroiderable multicolor electroluminescent threads—in blue, green, and yellow—that are compatible with standard embroidery machines. These threads can be used to stitch decorative designs onto various consumer fabrics without compromising their wear resistance or light-emitting capabilities. Demonstrations include illuminating specific messages or designs on consumer products and delivering emergency alerts on helmet liners for physical hazards. Our research delivers a comprehensive toolkit for integrating light-emitting textiles into trendy, customized crafts tailored to the unique requirements of diverse flexible and wearable displays.
Adjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 spike protein vaccination elicits long-lived plasma cells in nonhuman primates
Authors: Prabhakaran Madhu , Matassoli Flavio , Leggat David , Hoover Abigayle , Srikanth Abhinaya , Wu Weiwei , Henry Amy R. , Wang Jennifer , Lin Bob C. , Teng I-Ting , Schramm Chaim A. , Castro Mike , Serebryannyy Leonid , Jean-Baptiste Nazaire , Moore Christopher , Gajjala Suprabhath , Todd John-Paul M. , McCarthy Elizabeth , Narpala Sandeep , Francica Joseph , Program VRC Production , Corbett-Helaire Kizzmekia S. , Douek Daniel C. , Kwong Peter D. , Seder Robert A. , Andrews Sarah F. , McDermott Adrian B.
Published: January 2024

Durable humoral immunity is mediated by long-lived plasma cells (LLPCs) that reside in the bone marrow. It remains unclear whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein vaccination is able to elicit and maintain LLPCs. Here, we describe a sensitive method to identify and isolate antigen-specific LLPCs by tethering antibodies secreted by these cells onto the cell surface. Using this method, we found that two doses of adjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 spike protein vaccination are able to induce spike protein–specific LLPC reservoirs enriched for receptor binding domain specificities in the bone marrow of nonhuman primates that are detectable for several months after vaccination. Immunoglobulin gene sequencing confirmed that several of these LLPCs were clones of memory B cells elicited 2 weeks after boost that had undergone further somatic hypermutation. Many of the antibodies secreted by these LLPCs also exhibited improved neutralization and cross-reactivity compared with earlier time points. These findings establish our method as a means to sensitively and reliably detect rare antigen-specific LLPCs and demonstrate that adjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 spike protein vaccination establishes spike protein–specific LLPC reservoirs.
Splicing modulators impair DNA damage response and induce killing of cohesin-mutant MDS and AML
Authors: Wheeler Emily C. , Martin Benjamin J. E. , Doyle William C. , Neaher Sofia , Conway Caroline A. , Pitton Caroline N. , Gorelov Rebecca A. , Donahue Melanie , Jann Johann C. , Abdel-Wahab Omar , Taylor Justin , Seiler Michael , Buonamici Silvia , Pikman Yana , Garcia Jacqueline S. , Belizaire Roger , Adelman Karen , Tothova Zuzana
Published: January 2024

Splicing modulation is a promising treatment strategy pursued to date only in splicing factor-mutant cancers; however, its therapeutic potential is poorly understood outside of this context. Like splicing factors, genes encoding components of the cohesin complex are frequently mutated in cancer, including myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML), where they are associated with poor outcomes. Here, we showed that cohesin mutations are biomarkers of sensitivity to drugs targeting the splicing factor 3B subunit 1 (SF3B1) H3B-8800 and E-7107. We identified drug-induced alterations in splicing, and corresponding reduced gene expression, of a number of DNA repair genes, including
BRCA1
and
BRCA2
, as the mechanism underlying this sensitivity in cell line models, primary patient samples and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of AML. We found that DNA damage repair genes are particularly sensitive to exon skipping induced by SF3B1 modulators due to their long length and large number of exons per transcript. Furthermore, we demonstrated that treatment of cohesin-mutant cells with SF3B1 modulators not only resulted in impaired DNA damage response and accumulation of DNA damage, but it sensitized cells to subsequent killing by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and chemotherapy and led to improved overall survival of PDX models of cohesin-mutant AML in vivo. Our findings expand the potential therapeutic benefits of SF3B1 splicing modulators to include cohesin-mutant MDS and AML.
The military gear microbiome: risk factors surrounding the warfighter
Authors: Kok Car Reen , Bram Zakariae , Thissen James B. , Horseman Timothy S. , Fong Keith S. K. , Reichert-Scrivner Susan A. , Paguirigan Carmen , O'Connor Kelsey , Thompson Kristina , Scheiber Alexander E. , Mabery Shalini , Ngauy Viseth , Uyehara Catherine F. , Be Nicholas A.
Published: January 2024

Combat extremity wounds are highly susceptible to contamination from surrounding environmental material. This bioburden could be partially transferred from materials in immediate proximity to the wound, including fragments of the uniform and gear. However, the assessment of the microbial bioburden present on military gear during operational conditions of deployment or training is relatively unexplored. Opportunistic pathogens that can survive on gear represent risk factors for infection following injury, especially following combat blasts, where fibers and other materials are embedded in wounded tissue. We utilized 16S rRNA sequencing to assess the microbiome composition of different military gear types (boot, trouser, coat, and canteen) from two operational environments (training in Hawai’i and deployed in Indonesia) across time (days 0 and 14). We found that microbiome diversity, stability, and composition were dependent on gear type, training location, and sampling timepoint. At day 14, species diversity was significantly higher in Hawai’i samples compared to Indonesia samples for boot, coat, and trouser swabs. In addition, we observed the presence of potential microbial risk factors, as opportunistic pathogenic species, such as
Acinetobacter
,
Pseudomonas,
and
Staphylococcus
, were found to be present in all sample types and in both study sites. These study outcomes will be used to guide the design of antimicrobial materials and uniforms and for infection control efforts following combat blasts and other injuries, thereby improving treatment guidance during military training and deployment.

IMPORTANCE

Combat extremity wounds are vulnerable to contamination from environments of proximity to the warfighter, leading to potential detrimental outcomes such as infection and delayed wound healing. Therefore, microbial surveillance of such environments is necessary to aid the advancement of military safety and preparedness through clinical diagnostics, treatment protocols, and uniform material design.
Marinomonas mediterranea
synthesizes an R-type bacteriocin
Authors: Lucas-Elío Patricia , ElAlami Tarik , Martínez Alicia , Sanchez-Amat Antonio
Published: January 2024

Prophages integrated into bacterial genomes can become cryptic or defective prophages, which may evolve to provide various traits to bacterial cells. Previous research on
Marinomonas mediterranea
MMB-1 demonstrated the production of defective particles. In this study, an analysis of the genomes of three different strains (MMB-1, MMB-2, and MMB-3) revealed the presence of a region named MEDPRO1, spanning approximately 52 kb, coding for a defective prophage in strains MMB-1 and MMB-2. This prophage seems to have been lost in strain MMB-3, possibly due to the presence of spacers recognizing this region in an I-F CRISPR array in this strain. However, all three strains produce remarkably similar defective particles. Using strain MMB-1 as a model, mass spectrometry analyses indicated that the structural proteins of the defective particles are encoded by a second defective prophage situated within the MEDPRO2 region, spanning approximately 13 kb. This finding was further validated through the deletion of this second defective prophage. Genomic region analyses and the detection of antimicrobial activity of the defective prophage against other
Marinomonas
species suggest that it is an R-type bacteriocin.
Marinomonas mediterranea
synthesizes antimicrobial proteins with lysine oxidase activity, and the synthesis of an R-type bacteriocin constitutes an additional mechanism in microbial competition for the colonization of habitats such as the surface of marine plants.

IMPORTANCE

The interactions between bacterial strains inhabiting the same environment determine the final composition of the microbiome. In this study, it is shown that some extracellular defective phage particles previously observed in
Marinomonas mediterranea
are in fact R-type bacteriocins showing antimicrobial activity against other
Marinomonas
strains. The operon coding for the R-type bacteriocin has been identified.
Rho-dependent termination enables cellular pH homeostasis
Authors: Bhardwaj Kanika , Kalita Arunima , Verma Neha , Prakash Anand , Thakur Ruchika , Dutta Dipak
Published: January 2024

The termination factor Rho, an ATP-dependent RNA translocase, preempts pervasive transcription processes, thereby rendering genome integrity in bacteria. Here, we show that the loss of Rho function raised the intracellular pH to >8.0 in
Escherichia coli
. The loss of Rho function upregulates tryptophanase-A (TnaA), an enzyme that catabolizes tryptophan to produce indole, pyruvate, and ammonia. We demonstrate that the enhanced TnaA function had produced the conjugate base ammonia, raising the cellular pH in the Rho-dependent termination defective strains. On the other hand, the constitutively overexpressed Rho lowered the cellular pH to about 6.2, independent of cellular ammonia levels. Since Rho overexpression may increase termination activities, the decrease in cellular pH could result from an excess H
+
ion production during ATP hydrolysis by overproduced Rho. Furthermore, we performed
in vivo
termination assays to show that the efficiency of Rho-dependent termination was increased at both acidic and basic pH ranges. Given that the Rho level remained unchanged, the alkaline pH increases the termination efficiency by stimulating Rho’s catalytic activity. We conducted the Rho-mediated RNA release assay from a stalled elongation complex to show an efficient RNA release at alkaline pH, compared to the neutral or acidic pH, that supports our
in vivo
observation. Whereas acidic pH appeared to increase the termination function by elevating the cellular level of Rho. This study is the first to link Rho function to the cellular pH homeostasis in bacteria.

IMPORTANCE

The current study shows that the loss or gain of Rho-dependent termination alkalizes or acidifies the cytoplasm, respectively. In the case of loss of Rho function, the tryptophanase-A enzyme is upregulated, and degrades tryptophan, producing ammonia to alkalize cytoplasm. We hypothesize that Rho overproduction by deleting its autoregulatory DNA portion increases termination function, causing excessive ATP hydrolysis to produce H
+
ions and cytoplasmic acidification. Therefore, this study is the first to unravel a relationship between Rho function and intrinsic cellular pH homeostasis. Furthermore, the Rho level increases in the absence of autoregulation, causing cytoplasmic acidification. As intracellular pH plays a critical role in enzyme function, such a connection between Rho function and alkalization will have far-reaching implications for bacterial physiology.
N-acetyltransferase 10 regulates alphavirus replication via N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) modiﬁcation of the lymphocyte antigen six family member E (LY6E) mRNA
Authors: Dang Yamei , Li Jia , Li Yuchang , Wang Yuan , Zhao Yajing , Zhao Ningbo , Li Wanying , Zhang Hui , Ye Chuantao , Ma Hongwei , Zhang Liang , Liu He , Dong Yangchao , Yao Min , Lei Yingfeng , Xu Zhikai , Zhang Fanglin , Ye Wei
Published: January 2024

Epitranscriptomic RNA modifications can regulate the stability of mRNA and affect cellular and viral RNA functions. The N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) modification in the RNA viral genome was recently found to promote viral replication; however, the mechanism by which RNA acetylation in the host mRNA regulates viral replication remains unclear. To help elucidate this mechanism, the roles of N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) and ac4C during the infection and replication processes of the alphavirus, Sindbis virus (SINV), were investigated. Cellular NAT10 was upregulated, and ac4C modifications were promoted after alphavirus infection, while the loss of NAT10 or inhibition of its N-acetyltransferase activity reduced alphavirus replication. The NAT10 enhanced alphavirus replication as it helped to maintain the stability of lymphocyte antigen six family member E mRNA, which is a multifunctional interferon-stimulated gene that promotes alphavirus replication. The ac4C modification was thus found to have a non-conventional role in the virus life cycle through regulating host mRNA stability instead of viral mRNA, and its inhibition could be a potential target in the development of new alphavirus antivirals.

IMPORTANCE

The role of N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) modification in host mRNA and virus replication is not yet fully understood. In this study, the role of ac4C in the regulation of Sindbis virus (SINV), a prototype alphavirus infection, was investigated. SINV infection results in increased levels of N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) and increases the ac4C modification level of cellular RNA. The NAT10 was found to positively regulate SINV infection in an N-acetyltransferase activity-dependent manner. Mechanistically, the NAT10 modifies lymphocyte antigen six family member E (LY6E) mRNA—the ac4C modification site within the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of LY6E mRNA, which is essential for its translation and stability. The findings of this study demonstrate that NAT10 regulated mRNA stability and translation efficiency not only through the 5′-UTR or coding sequence but also via the 3′-UTR region. The ac4C modification of host mRNA stability instead of viral mRNA impacting the viral life cycle was thus identified, indicating that the inhibition of ac4C could be a potential target when developing alphavirus antivirals.
Multifaceted roles for STAT3 in gammaherpesvirus latency revealed through
in vivo
B cell knockout models
Authors: Hogan Chad H. , Owens Shana M. , Reynoso Glennys V. , Liao Yifei , Meyer Thomas J. , Zelazowska Monika A. , Liu Bin , Li Xiaofan , Grosskopf Anna K. , Khairallah Camille , Kirillov Varvara , Reich Nancy C. , Sheridan Brian S. , McBride Kevin M. , Gewurz Benjamin E. , Hickman Heather D. , Forrest J. Craig , Krug Laurie T.
Published: January 2024

There are no directed therapies to the latency program of the human gammaherpesviruses, Epstein-Barr virus and Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus. Activated host factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a hallmark of cancers caused by these viruses. We applied the murine gammaherpesvirus pathogen system to explore STAT3 function upon primary B cell infection in the host. Since STAT3 deletion in all CD19+ B cells of infected mice led to altered B and T cell responses, we generated chimeric mice with both normal and STAT3-deleted B cells. B cells lacking STAT3 failed to support virus latency compared to normal B cells from the same infected animal. Loss of STAT3 impaired B cell proliferation and differentiation and led to a striking upregulation of interferon-stimulated genes. These findings expand our understanding of STAT3-dependent processes that are key to its function as a pro-viral latency determinant for oncogenic gammaherpesviruses in B cells and may provide novel therapeutic targets.
Automatic patient-level recognition of four
Plasmodium
species on thin blood smear by a real-time detection transformer (RT-DETR) object detection algorithm: a proof-of-concept and evaluation
Authors: Guemas Emilie , Routier Baptiste , Ghelfenstein-Ferreira Théo , Cordier Camille , Hartuis Sophie , Marion Bénédicte , Bertout Sébastien , Varlet-Marie Emmanuelle , Costa Damien , Pasquier Grégoire
Published: January 2024

Malaria remains a global health problem, with 247 million cases and 619,000 deaths in 2021. Diagnosis of
Plasmodium
species is important for administering the appropriate treatment. The gold-standard diagnosis for accurate species identification remains the thin blood smear. Nevertheless, this method is time-consuming and requires highly skilled and trained microscopists. To overcome these issues, new diagnostic tools based on deep learning are emerging. This study aimed to evaluate the performances of a real-time detection transformer (RT-DETR) object detection algorithm to discriminate
Plasmodium
species on thin blood smear images. The algorithm was trained and validated on a data set consisting in 24,720 images from 475 thin blood smears corresponding to 2,002,597 labels. Performances were calculated with a test data set of 4,508 images from 170 smears corresponding to 358,825 labels coming from six French university hospitals. At the patient level, the RT-DETR algorithm exhibited an overall accuracy of 79.4% (135/170) with a recall of 74% (40/54) and 81.9% (95/116) for negative and positive smears, respectively. Among
Plasmodium-
positive smears, the global accuracy was 82.7% (91/110) with a recall of 90% (38/42), 81.8% (18/22), and 76.1% (35/46) for
P. falciparum
,
P. malariae,
and
P. ovale/vivax,
respectively. The RT-DETR model achieved a World Health Organization (WHO) competence level 2 for species identification. Besides, the RT-DETR algorithm may be run in real-time on low-cost devices such as a smartphone and could be suitable for deployment in low-resource setting areas lacking microscopy experts.

IMPORTANCE

Malaria remains a global health problem, with 247 million cases and 619,000 deaths in 2021. Diagnosis of
Plasmodium
species is important for administering the appropriate treatment. The gold-standard diagnosis for accurate species identification remains the thin blood smear. Nevertheless, this method is time-consuming and requires highly skilled and trained microscopists. To overcome these issues, new diagnostic tools based on deep learning are emerging. This study aimed to evaluate the performances of a real-time detection transformer (RT-DETR) object detection algorithm to discriminate
Plasmodium
species on thin blood smear images. Performances were calculated with a test data set of 4,508 images from 170 smears coming from six French university hospitals. The RT-DETR model achieved a World Health Organization (WHO) competence level 2 for species identification. Besides, the RT-DETR algorithm may be run in real-time on low-cost devices and could be suitable for deployment in low-resource setting areas.
Longitudinal genomic surveillance of multidrug-resistant
Escherichia coli
carriage in critical care patients
Authors: El Chaar Mira , Khoury Yaralynn , Douglas Gavin M. , El Kazzi Samir , Jisr Tamima , Soussi Shatha , Merhi Georgi , Moghnieh Rima A. , Shapiro B. Jesse
Published: January 2024

Colonization with multidrug-resistant
Escherichia coli
strains causes a substantial health burden in hospitalized patients. We performed a longitudinal genomics study to investigate the colonization of resistant
E. coli
strains in critically ill patients and to identify evolutionary changes and strain replacement events within patients. Patients were admitted to the intensive care unit and hematology wards at a major hospital in Lebanon. Perianal swabs were collected from participants on admission and during hospitalization, which were screened for extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales. We performed whole-genome sequencing and analysis on
E. coli
strains isolated from patients at multiple time points. The
E. coli
isolates were genetically diverse, with 11 sequence types (STs) identified among 22 isolates sequenced. Five patients were colonized by
E. coli
sequence type 131 (ST131)-encoding CTX-M-27, an emerging clone not previously observed in clinical samples from Lebanon. Among the eight patients whose resident
E. coli
strains were tracked over time, five harbored the same
E. coli
strain with relatively few mutations over the 5 to 10 days of hospitalization. The other three patients were colonized by different
E. coli
strains over time. Our study provides evidence of strain diversity within patients during their hospitalization. While strains varied in their antimicrobial resistance profiles, the number of resistance genes did not increase over time. We also show that ST131-encoding CTX-M-27, which appears to be emerging as a globally important multidrug-resistant
E. coli
strain, is also prevalent among critical care patients and deserves further monitoring.

IMPORTANCE

Understanding the evolution of bacteria over time in hospitalized patients is of utmost significance in the field of infectious diseases. While numerous studies have surveyed genetic diversity and resistance mechanisms in nosocomial infections, time series of within-patient dynamics are rare, and high-income countries are over-represented, leaving low- and middle-income countries understudied. Our study aims to bridge these research gaps by conducting a longitudinal survey of critically ill patients in Lebanon. This allowed us to track
Escherichia coli
evolution and strain replacements within individual patients over extended periods. Through whole-genome sequencing, we found extensive strain diversity, including the first evidence of the emerging
E. coli
sequence type 131 clone encoding the CTX-M-27 beta-lactamase in a clinical sample from Lebanon, as well as likely strain replacement events during hospitalization.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine selectively depolarized the Finnish NATO discussion on Twitter
Authors: Xia Yan , Gronow Antti , Malkamäki Arttu , Ylä-Anttila Tuomas , Keller Barbara , Kivelä Mikko
Published: January 2024

It is often thought that an external threat increases the internal cohesion of a nation, and thus decreases polarization. We examine this proposition by analyzing NATO discussion dynamics on Finnish social media following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In Finland, public opinion on joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) had long been polarized along the left-right partisan axis, but the invasion led to a rapid convergence of opinion toward joining NATO. We investigate whether and how this depolarization took place among polarized actors on Finnish Twitter. By analyzing retweet patterns, we find three separate user groups before the invasion: a pro-NATO, a left-wing anti-NATO, and a conspiracy-charged anti-NATO group. After the invasion, the left-wing anti-NATO group members broke out of their retweeting bubble and connected with the pro-NATO group despite their difference in partisanship, while the conspiracy-charged anti-NATO group mostly remained a separate cluster. Our content analysis reveals that the left-wing anti-NATO group and the pro-NATO group were bridged by a shared condemnation of Russia’s actions and shared democratic norms, while the other anti-NATO group, mainly built around conspiracy theories and disinformation, consistently demonstrated a clear anti-NATO attitude. We show that an external threat can bridge partisan divides in issues linked to the threat, but bubbles upheld by conspiracy theories and disinformation may persist even under dramatic external threats.
Optimized film thicknesses for maximum refractive index sensitivity and figure of merit of a bimetallic film surface plasmon resonance sensor
Authors: Chylek Jakub , Ciprian Dalibor , Hlubina Petr
Published: January 2024

In this paper, a simple surface plasmon resonance (SPR) optical sensor with a bimetallic gold-silver film is proposed and its parameters are optimized based on reflectance spectra analysis. In comparison with most SPR sensors, which use single gold films, the evanescent field of this bimetallic configuration at the analyte–metal interface enables the sensing with substantially enhanced refractive index (RI) sensitivity and figure of merit (FOM). The proposed structure comprising a BK7 glass substrate, an adhesion layer of chromium, a gold-silver plasmonic layer, and a protective layer of silicon dioxide is employed in the Kretschmann configuration for liquid analyte sensing. In order to achieve the best sensing properties, the gold-silver layer thickness ratio is varied, and a thorough analysis of reflectance spectra is performed based on RI sensitivity and FOM. For this purpose, a liquid analyte of aqueous solutions of NaCl is employed for angles of incidence 63$$^\circ $$

∘

and 64$$^\circ $$

∘

, respectively. Moreover, based on the analysis, an optimized gold-silver layer thickness ratio is selected, and a sensitivity of 41,592 nm per RI unit (RIU) and FOM of 424 RIU$$^{-1}$$

-
1

are reached. The designed bimetallic SPR structure proves to be advantageous compared to single-gold-film structures employed for sensing applications.
Synthesis and Characterization of Parthenium hysterophorus-Mediated ZnO Nanoparticles for Methylene Blue Dye Degradation
Authors: Nzilu Dennis , Madivoli Edwin , Makhanu David , Wanakai Sammy , Kirui Gideon , Mwangi Vincent , Kareru Patrick
Published: January 2024

Herein, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized using Parthenium hysterophorus whole plant aqueous extract as reducing and capping agents. The synthesized ZnO NPs were characterized via UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). An intrinsic optical absorbance of ZnO NPs occurred at 337 nm in the UV-Vis spectrum. The FTIR analysis revealed the presence of secondary metabolites responsible for reducing and stabilizing the nanoparticles. Furthermore, SEM and TEM images revealed that ZnO NPs were spherical with an average particle size of 38 nm. The XRD analysis revealed that ZnO NPs had a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure with a crystallite size of 42.6 nm. The synthesized nanoparticles were investigated for degradation ability against methylene blue dye at varying conditions of ZnO NPs’ dosage, methylene blue concentrations, pH, temperature, and interaction time. Degradation efficiency of 55.69% was obtained at optimal conditions using 50 mg of ZnO NPs, 5 mg/L of MB dye concentration, and pH 12 and at 65°C within 32 minutes. Due to their novel green synthesis route, Parthenium hysterophorus-mediated ZnO NPs are promising candidates for removing persistent organic dyes from aquatic environments.
Professional Quality of Life and Psychological Impact on Frontline Healthcare Worker during the Fourth Wave of COVID-19
Authors: Ullah Hanif , Arbab Safia , Liu Chang-Qing , Khan Sher Alam , Shahzad Sohail , Li Ka
Published: January 2024

Aim. This research study aims to examine the professional quality of life (ProQOL) among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Pakistan during the fourth wave of COVID-19. Background. Under intense pressure to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, HCWs are more likely to experience psychological problems. Numerous investigations carried out in the past at various points during the pandemic have shown that COVID-19 has had important detrimental effects on HCWs. However, there are many unknowns with regard to ProQOL for HCWs. Methods. This is a cross-sectional study conducted with Pakistani HCWs who performed their duties during the fourth wave of COVID-19. Data were collected between January 1 and March 31, 2022. A total of 258 HCWs took part in the study evaluating ProQOL. The significance level was <0.05. Results. Most respondents were males (79.1%), and 20.9% were females. The scores of secondary traumatic stress (STS), burnout (BO), and compassion satisfaction (CS) were 24.03 ± 3.79, 19.18 ± 2.92, and 35.29 ± 4.37, respectively. Compared with higher-income groups, HCWs with lower incomes were significantly (P<0.001) more likely to experience psychological issues. Males had lower BO and STS than female HCWs (P<0.001). Similarly, doctors had a lower STS than nurses (P<0.05). HCWs who worked hours per day longer had a heavier STS (P<0.001). Conclusion. This study shows low BO levels, moderate CS levels, and STS levels among HCWs. HCWs with lower salary were at a higher risk of mental distress due to the pandemic. HCWs who worked for long hours and had less income had more STS and BO. HCWs who were dissatisfied with their works had poor CS. Implications for Nursing Management. It is supposed that these results may help HCW managers to improve job satisfaction and rewards while reducing working hours and workload to improve the ProQOL of HCWs fighting COVID-19. The government should focus on the mental health of HCWs, enhancing their satisfaction and allocating sufficient resources.
The Prospective Effect of Green Tea versus Pomegranate Peels Extracts on Submandibular Salivary Glands of Albino Rats after Methotrexate Administration (Histological and Immunohistochemical Study)
Authors: Taha Rasha M. , Abdel-Latif Ghada A. , Said Rania H.
Published: January 2024

Background. There is curiosity in the use of substances that can stop cell damage. Antioxidants are substances that can prevent free radicals from damaging cells, and they can be used to treat and avoid a wide variety of illnesses. Objectives. The current investigation set out to evaluate the histological changes brought on by a single high dose of methotrexate in the submandibular glands of rats treated with green tea and pomegranate peel extract, both are well‐known as antioxidants. Materials and Methods. Forty‐eight healthy Albino rats were used in the current study. Animals were divided into six groups. Group 1: Vehicle group which is control group, Group 2: methotrexate treated group, Group 3: green tea control group, Group 4: pomegranate peel extract control group, Group 5: green tea + methotrexate group, and Group 6: pomegranate peel extract + methotrexate group. Rats of all groups were left 1 week after the end of the treatment. Cervical dislocation was used to kill all of the rats. Samples were gained from the rats’ submandibular salivary glands of different groups for histological and immunohistochemical evaluation. Results. Green tea + methotrexate group showed improvement in the histological picture of the submandibular salivary gland compared to methotrexate group and the pomegranate peel extract + methotrexate group. Conclusion. The antioxidant activity of green tea is more potent than that of pomegranate peels extract in blocking methotrexate that induced cytotoxicity in the submandibular salivary glands of rats. As a result, it can be administered to people undergoing cancer treatment as a safeguard for their salivary glands.
A Recommendation Approach Based on Heterogeneous Network and Dynamic Knowledge Graph
Authors: Wan Shanshan , Wu Yuquan , Liu Ying , Xiao Linhu , Guo Maozu
Published: January 2024

Besides data sparsity and cold start, recommender systems often face the problems of selection bias and exposure bias. These problems influence the accuracy of recommendations and easily lead to overrecommendations. This paper proposes a recommendation approach based on heterogeneous network and dynamic knowledge graph (HN-DKG). The main steps include (1) determining the implicit preferences of users according to user’s cross-domain and cross-platform behaviors to form multimodal nodes and then building a heterogeneous knowledge graph; (2) Applying an improved multihead attention mechanism of the graph attention network (GAT) to realize the relationship enhancement of multimodal nodes and constructing a dynamic knowledge graph; and (3) Leveraging RippleNet to discover user’s layered potential interests and rating candidate items. In which, some mechanisms, such as user seed clusters, propagation blocking, and random seed mechanisms, are designed to obtain more accurate and diverse recommendations. In this paper, the public datasets are used to evaluate the performance of algorithms, and the experimental results show that the proposed method has good performance in the effectiveness and diversity of recommendations. On the MovieLens-1M dataset, the proposed model is 18%, 9%, and 2% higher than KGAT on F1, NDCG@10, and AUC and 20%, 2%, and 0.9% higher than RippleNet, respectively. On the Amazon Book dataset, the proposed model is 12%, 3%, and 2.5% higher than NFM on F1, NDCG@10, and AUC and 0.8%, 2.3%, and 0.35% higher than RippleNet, respectively.
Asymmetric Impact of Heterogenous Uncertainties on the Green Bond Market
Authors: Gyamerah Samuel Asante , Agbi-Kaiser Henry Ofoe , Asare Clement , Dzupire Nelson
Published: January 2024

Investing in green bonds has been recognized as a strategy that not only promotes environmental performance but also offers attractive investment returns. However, macroeconomic factors, such as geopolitical risk (GPR), climate policy uncertainty (CPU), and global economic policy uncertainty (GEPU), play a substantial role in shaping green bond returns. Using the returns of US green bonds as a proxy for the returns of green bonds, we argue in this paper that these heterogenous uncertainty measures might have asymmetric impacts on the returns of green bonds (GB). By employing monthly data from January 2016 to August 2022, we apply the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lags model (NARDL) to examine the asymmetric impact of these heterogenous uncertainty measures on the returns of GB. The NARDL findings reveal evidence of short‐run asymmetric impacts of GPR, GEPU, and CPU on the returns of green bonds. In the long run, there is an asymmetric impact of GPR and CPU on the returns of GB. However, there is a symmetric impact of CPU on the returns of GB in the long run. Specifically, in the short run, we found that a positive CPU shock causes a decline in the returns of green bonds. A similar magnitude of negative CPU shock causes an increase in the returns of green bonds. Moreover, a positive shock to GPR increases the return of green bonds, while a comparable negative shock to GPR reduces the return of GB. Furthermore, only negative shocks to GEPU have an impact on GB returns in the short run. Specifically, a negative GEPU shock reduces GB returns. In the long term, the returns of GB are positively impacted by negative shocks in GPR and both positive and negative shocks in GEPU, whereas positive shocks in GPR affect the returns of GB negatively.
Disease Activity and Tendency to Relapse in ANCA‐Associated Vasculitis Are Reflected in Neutrophil and Intermediate Monocyte Frequencies
Authors: Smargianaki Sofia , Elmér Evelina , Lilliebladh Sandra , Ohlsson Sophie , Pettersson Åsa , Hellmark Thomas , Johansson Åsa CM
Published: January 2024

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)‐associated vasculitis (AAV) is a group of autoimmune diseases with inflammation affecting small blood vessels and includes granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). In this study, we investigated granulocyte and monocyte subsets in a large cohort of AAV patients with emphasis on disease activity and tendency to relapse. A cohort of 105 patients with GPA or MPA and 126 healthy controls (HCs) were included. Clinical and laboratory data were collected for all patients, including disease activity, tendency to relapse, and pharmacological treatment. Using flow cytometry, circulating eosinophils, basophils, neutrophils, and monocytes were assessed. The monocytes were subdivided into classical (CD14++CD16−), intermediate (CD14++CD16+), and nonclassical (CD14−CD16+) monocytes. Mature (CD16high) or newly released (CD16dim) neutrophils were defined, as well as the frequency of CD177+ neutrophils. AAV patients displayed increased frequencies of intermediate monocytes, mature and newly released neutrophils, and an expanded population of CD177+ neutrophils compared to HC. MPA patients differed from GPA patients in terms of lower frequency of classical monocytes. No differences in cell frequencies regarding ANCA phenotype were observed. Paired data from 23 patients demonstrated that active disease was associated with an increased frequency of mature neutrophils and a decreased frequency of monocytes, in particular intermediate monocytes. Moreover, GPA patients with a tendency to relapse displayed an increased frequency of mature neutrophils with increased expression of CD177+. Relapsing MPA patients, on the other hand, showed decreased frequency of intermediate monocytes. Finally, rituximab treatment was associated with increased frequencies of classical and intermediate monocytes. In conclusion, AAV patients exhibit a skewing of different neutrophil and monocyte subpopulations that are associated with disease subtypes, disease activity, rituximab treatment, and propensity to relapse. These changes may contribute to the inflammatory process and could potentially be used as biomarkers for relapse prediction.
The Clinical and Pathological Effects of Serum C3 Level and Mesangial C3 Intensity in Patients with IgA Nephropathy
Authors: Hou Xiaoyue , Liang Yanan , Zhang Weiwei , Li Rong
Published: January 2024

Objective. To investigate the clinical and pathological effects of serum C3 level, mesangial C3 deposition intensity and blood lipid on IgA nephropathy. Methods. According to the deposition intensity of immunofluorescence (IF) complement C3 in mesangial region, a total of 151 patients were divided into: (1) negative group (65 cases), (2) weak positive group (51 cases), and (3) strong positive group (35 cases). According to the level of serum C3, the patients were divided into two groups: (1) 33 patients with decreased serum C3 (<85 mg/dL); (2) 118 patients with normal serum C3. The clinicopathological data of the patients were analyzed retrospectively according to the groups. Results. (1) With the increase of C3 deposition in mesangial region, the mean value of serum C3 level decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.001). (2) Compared with the normal serum C3 group, the blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), and albumin (Alb) in the serum C3 decreased group were higher, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05), while the fasting blood glucose (FBG), low‐density lipoprotein (LDL), triglyceride and 24‐hr urinary protein (24hUTP) were lower, which difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). (3) Compared with negative group and weak positive group, BUN, uric acid (UA), and Scr were higher in the strong positive group with C3 deposition, while eGFR was lower, with statistical significance (P < 0.05). However, C3 deposition in the mesangial region was related to T and enhanced mesangial C3 deposition was associated with more severe tubular atrophy and/or interstitial fibrosis, with statistically significant differences (P = 0.001). Conclusion. Patients with strong mesangial C3 deposition and elevated lipid levels had more severe tubule atrophy and/or interstitial fibrosis, as well as more severe pathological lesions, suggesting that activation of the complement system is involved in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy and increases the metabolic burden of the kidney.
Lie Symmetry Analysis for the Fractal Bond-Pricing Model of Mathematical Finance
Authors: Yue Chao , Shen Chuanhe
Published: January 2024

The classical bond-pricing models, as important financial tools, show strong vitality in bond pricing. However, these models also expose their theoretical defects, which leads to inconsistencies with the actual observation results and usually causes the theoretical prices of bonds to be lower than the actual market prices in the financial market. In order to change this situation, considering that the price change of the underlying is regarded as a fractal transmission system, the fractal derivative is introduced into the bond-pricing equation. In order to solve the fractal bond-pricing equation, we first convert it into an equivalent equation by using a fractal two-scale transform. Only in this case can we start to study it by means of the Lie symmetry analysis method. Then the geometric vector fields, the symmetry reductions, and the exact solution to the equations are obtained. Furthermore, the dynamic behaviors of the fractal bond-pricing equation are discussed. The results show that the fractal dimension bond-pricing formula can better explain price changes in the capital market than the classical one. That is to say, the classical bond-pricing equation is only a special case of the fractal-bond pricing equation, which makes up for the defect that the theoretical bond price given by the classical bond-pricing equation is often lower than the actual market price. The results of this paper provide a basis for bond pricing in the financial market in order to seek a more appropriate and real price.
Supplemental Figure 2 from Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors with Distinct Binding Modes Reveal Differential Functional Impact on B-Cell Receptor Signaling
Authors: Li Wei , Sano Renata , Apatira Mutiah , DeAnda Felix , Gururaja Tarikere , Yang Muhua , Lundgaard Greta , Pan Chin , Liu Jing , Zhai Yongjiao , Yoon Woo Hyun , Wang Longcheng , Tse Chris , Souers Andrew J. , Lee Chih-Hung
Published: January 2024

Supplemental Figure 2
Supplementary Table S2 from MIG6 Mediates Adaptive and Acquired Resistance to ALK/ROS1 Fusion Kinase Inhibition through EGFR Bypass Signaling
Authors: Chen Nan , Tyler Logan C. , Le Anh T. , Welsh Eric A. , Fang Bin , Elliott Andrew , Davies Kurtis D. , Danhorn Thomas , Riely Gregory J. , Ladanyi Marc , Haura Eric B. , Doebele Robert C.
Published: January 2024

Antibody details.
Supplementary Figure 1 from Spatial Distribution of Immune Cells Drives Resistance to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Donati Benedetta , Reggiani Francesca , Torricelli Federica , Santandrea Giacomo , Rossi Teresa , Bisagni Alessandra , Gasparini Elisa , Neri Antonino , Cortesi Laura , Ferrari Guglielmo , Bisagni Giancarlo , Ragazzi Moira , Ciarrocchi Alessia
Published: January 2024

Supplementary Figure 1. H&E stainings of Tru-Cut biopsies analyzed in the study.
Successful Treatment with Dabrafenib/Trametinib of a Malignantly Transformed and Metastasized BRAF V600E Mutant Pleiomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Vermeulen Elle , Vander Mijnsbrugge An-Sofie , Brock Stefanie , Vaeyens Freya , Dirven Iris , Ciçek Abdulhamid , Marcelis William , Klein Samuel , Bruneau Michaël , Neyns Bart , Duerinck Johnny
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Pleiomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is considered a low-grade glioma with a favorable prognosis following surgical resection. We present a case report of a BRAFV600E mutant malignantly transformed and disseminated PXA that was successfully treated with BRAF-/MEK-targeted therapy (dabrafenib/trametinib). Case Presentation: At the age of 16 years, our patient underwent an initial subtotal resection of a right occipital PXA. Six months later, a reintervention for an asymptomatic tumor recurrence was performed and complete resection was achieved. The patient has been followed up by MRI for 14 years without arguments for recurrence but was lost to follow-up thereafter. At 38 years of age, he presented with a symptomatic local recurrence with extra-cerebral soft tissue extension, for which a third surgical resection was performed. Anatomopathological examination reported a grade 3 anaplastic PXA (aPXA); molecular analysis detected a BRAFV600E mutation. Three months later, before the initiation of radiotherapy, a local tumor recurrence was diagnosed, for which he underwent a fourth surgical resection. Radiotherapy was performed following the surgical debulking. One month after completion of radiotherapy, disease progression was documented including multiple sites of extracranial metastases (skeletal, lung, cervical lymph node, and subcutaneous metastases). Systemic treatment with a combination of BRAF-/MEK-inhibitors (dabrafenib/trametinib) was initiated and resulted in a rapid and deep tumor response (partial response according to RECISTv1.1) and absence of BRAFV600E mutant ctDNA in plasma at 6 weeks after treatment initiation. A near-complete metabolic remission was documented on [18F]FDG-PET/CT 3 months after starting systemic therapy. Conclusion: We present a rare case of malignant transformation and systemic dissemination of a BRAFV600E mutant PXA, occurring 20 years after the initial diagnosis. This case highlights the importance of long-term follow-up of patients diagnosed with these rare central nervous system tumors that initially are considered benign and also illustrates that BRAF/MEK inhibition can be an effective therapy for BRAFV600E mutated PXA, underscoring the importance of performing molecular genetic profiling of these tumors.