bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New insights into the role of empagliflozin on diabetic renal tubular lipid accumulation
Authors: Sun Hong , Chen Juan , Hua Yulin , Zhang Yuyang , Liu Zheng
Published: August 2022

Background

Glucose cotransporter (SGLT) 2 suppression provides potent renal protective effect during diabetic kidney disease (DKD). This work aimed to explore how empagliflozin (EMPA, the selective and strong inhibitor of SGLT2) affected renal lipid deposition among patients undergoing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a T2DM mouse model and human renal proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells.

Methods

This work divided subjects as 3 groups: non-diabetic volunteers, patients treated with metformin and those treated with metformin plus EMPA. In an in vivo study, EMPA was adopted for treating db/db mice that were raised with the basal diet or the high-advanced glycation end products (AGEs) diet. In addition, AGEs and/or EMPA was utilized to treat HK-2 cells in vitro.

Results

Results showed that diabetic patients treated with metformin plus EMPA had lower AGEs levels and renal fat fraction (RFF) than those treated with metformin. Moreover, a significant and positive association was found between AGEs and RFF. Results from the basic study showed that EMPA decreased cholesterol level, tubular lipid droplets, and protein levels related to cholesterol metabolism in AGEs-mediated HK-2 cells, kidneys of db/db mice and those fed with the high-AGEs diet. Additionally, EMPA decreased AGEs levels in serum while inhibiting the expression of receptor of AGEs (RAGE) in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusion

EMPA inhibited the AGEs-RAGE pathway, thereby alleviating diabetic renal tubular cholesterol accumulation.
DNA methylation analysis of normal colon organoids from familial adenomatous polyposis patients reveals novel insight into colon cancer development
Authors: Devall Matthew A. , Eaton Stephen , Ali Mourad Wagdy , Dampier Christopher H. , Weisenberger Daniel , Powell Steven M. , Li Li , Casey Graham
Published: August 2022

Background

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an inherited colorectal cancer (CRC) syndrome resulting from germ line mutations in theadenomatous polyposis coli(APC) gene. While FAP accounts for less than 1% of all CRC cases, loss ofAPCexpression is seen in > 80% of non-hereditary CRCs. To better understand molecular mechanisms underlying APC-driven CRC, we performed an epigenome-wide analysis of colon organoids derived from normal-appearing colons of FAP patients versus healthy subjects to identify differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that may precede the onset of CRC.

Results

We identified 358 DMRs when comparing colon organoids of FAP patients to those of healthy subjects (FDR < 0.05, |mean beta difference| = 5%). Of these, nearly 50% of DMRs were also differentially methylated in at least one of three CRC tumor and normal adjacent tissue (NAT) cohorts (TCGA-COAD, GSE193535 and ColoCare). Moreover, 27 of the DMRs mapped to CRC genome-wide association study (GWAS) loci. We provide evidence suggesting that some of these DMRs led to significant differences in gene expression of adjacent genes using quantitative PCR. For example, we identified significantly greater expression of five genes:Kazal-type serine peptidase inhibitor domain 1(KAZALD1,P = 0.032),F-Box and leucine-rich repeat protein 8(FBXL8, P = 0.036),TRIM31 antisense RNA 1(TRIM31-AS1,P = 0.036),Fas apoptotic inhibitory molecule 2(FAIM2,P = 0.049) and (Collagen beta (1–0)galactosyltransferase 2(COLGALT2,P = 0.049). Importantly, bothFBXL8andTRIM31-AS1were also significantly differentially expressed in TCGA-COAD tumor versus matched NAT, supporting a role for these genes in CRC tumor development.

Conclusions

We performed the first DNA methylome-wide analysis of normal colon organoids derived from FAP patients compared to those of healthy subjects. Our results reveal that normal colon organoids from FAP patients exhibit extensive epigenetic differences compared to those of healthy subjects that appear similar to those exhibited in CRC tumor. Our analyses therefore identify DMRs and candidate target genes that are potentially important in CRC tumor development in FAP, with potential implications for non-hereditary CRC.
CRNDE acts as an epigenetic modulator of the p300/YY1 complex to promote HCC progression and therapeutic resistance
Authors: Liu Yu-Chin , Lin Yang-Hsiang , Chi Hsiang-Cheng , Huang Po-Shuan , Liao Chia-Jung , Liou Yu-Syuan , Lin Chiao-Chun , Yu Chia-Jung , Yeh Chau-Ting , Huang Ya-Hui , Lin Kwang-Huei
Published: August 2022

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common primary liver malignancies worldwide. The long-term prognosis for HCC remains extremely poor, with drug resistance being the major underlying cause of recurrence and mortality. The lncRNA colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed (CRNDE) is an epigenetic mediator and plays an important role to drive proliferation and drug resistance in HCC. However, CRNDE as an epigenetic regulator with influences sorafenib resistance in HCC is unclear. Thus, we explore the potential of targeting the CRNDE/p300/YY1 axis as a novel therapeutic strategy to overcome sorafenib resistance of HCC.

Method

Detection of the expression level of CRNDE and EGFR in clinical specimens of HCC. CRNDE, EGFR, p300, and YY1expression were altered in HCC cells through transfection with different plasmids, and cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and sorafenib resistance were subsequently observed. Immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation, re-chromatin immunoprecipitation, site-directed mutagenesis, RNA Immunoprecipitation, immune fluorescence, qRT-PCR, and western blotting were performed to uncover the mechanisms of CRNDE regulation. The xenograft nude mice model was used to investigate the tumor growth and sorafenib resistance.

Results

In this study, we showed that CRNDE expression is significantly positively correlated with that of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in clinical specimens of HCC and induces proliferation and sorafenib resistance of HCC via EGFR-mediated signaling. Mechanistically, CRNDE stabilized the p300/YY1 complex at the EGFR promoter and simultaneously enhanced histone H3K9 and H3K27 acetylation, which serve as markers of relaxed chromatin. EGFR was positively upregulated by the epigenetic complex, p300/YY1, in a manner dependent on CRNDE expression, leading to enhanced tumor cell proliferation and sorafenib resistance. Furthermore, C646, a p300 inhibitor, suppressed EGFR transcriptional activity by decreasing chromatin relaxation and YY1 binding, which effectively reduced proliferation/sorafenib resistance and prolonged overall survival.

Conclusion

Our collective findings support the potential of targeting the CRNDE/p300/YY1 axis as a novel therapeutic strategy to overcome sorafenib resistance of HCC.
Integrated single-cell RNA-seq and DNA methylation reveal the effects of air pollution in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion
Authors: Zhu Weiqiang , Gu Yan , Li Min , Zhang Zhaofeng , Liu Junwei , Mao Yanyan , Zhu Qianxi , Zhao Lin , Shen Yupei , Chen Fujia , Xia Lingjin , He Lin , Du Jing
Published: August 2022

Background

Maternal air pollutants exposure is associated with a number of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). However, the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. The present study aimed to understand the mechanism of RSA and its relationship with air pollution exposure. We compared data of decidual tissue from individuals with induced abortions and those with RSA by bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS), and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were verified using RT-qPCR and pyrosequencing. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the association between air pollutants exposure and RSA.

Results

We identified 98 DEGs with aberrant methylation by overlapping the RRBS and RNA-seq data. Nineteen immune cell subsets were identified. Compared with normal controls, NK cells and macrophages accounted for different proportions in the decidua of patients with RSA. We observed that the methylation and expression of IGF2BP1 were different between patients with RSA and controls. Furthermore, we observed significant positive associations between maternal air pollutants exposure during the year prior to pregnancy and in early pregnancy and the risk of RSA. Mediation analyses suggested that 24.5% of the effects of air pollution on the risk of RSA were mediated through IGF2BP1 methylation.

Conclusion

These findings reveal a comprehensive cellular and molecular mechanism of RSA and suggest that air pollution might cause pregnancy loss by affecting the methylation level of the IGF2BP1 promoter.
CircTRRAP (hsa_circ_0081234) participates in prostate cancer progression and glycolysis by HOXA1 via functioning as a miR-515-5p sponge
Authors: Li Zhihui , Guan Yawei , Teng Jingfei , Jia Zhuomin , Zhang Guohui , Ai Xing
Published: August 2022

Dysregulated circular RNAs (circRNAs) are implicated in prostate cancer (PCa) progression. Hsa_circ_0081234 (circTRRAP) has been revealed as a facilitator in PCa, but the mechanisms associated with circTRRAP in PCa progression are largely unclear. The present study was to explore the regulatory mechanism of circTRRAP-mediated PCa progression. A total of 50 PCa tissues and normal tissues were collected. RNA levels of circTRRAP, microRNA (miR)-515-5p and homeobox A1 (HOXA1) were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or western blot. Cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion were estimated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide, 5-ethynyl-2ʹ-deoxyuridine (EdU) and transwell assays, respectively. Cell glycolysis was assessed by measuring glucose uptake and lactate production. The target interaction between circTRRAP or HOXA1 and miR-515-5p was investigated by the dual-luciferase reporter assay. We observed the overt upregulaiton of circTRRAP in PCa samples and cells. Silencing of circTRRAP lowered tumor growth in vivo and restrained PCa cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis in vitro. miR-515-5p was negatively regulated by circTRRAP and its deficiency reversed the inhibiting effects of circTRRAP knockdown on PCa cell malignancy and glycolysis. HOXA1 was confirmed as a miR-515-5p target and miR-515-5p overexpression lessened PCa cell malignancy and glycolysis by decreasing HOXA1 expression. Importantly, circTRRAP mediated HOXA1 expression by functioning as a miR-515-5p sponge. In conclusion, circTRRAP took part in PCa progression and glycolysis through mediating the miR-515-5p/HOXA1 axis, suggesting that circTRRAP can serve as a potential therapeutic target for PCa patients.
Biogeographical survey of soil microbiomes across sub-Saharan Africa: structure, drivers, and predicted climate-driven changes
Authors: Cowan DA , Lebre PH , Amon CER , Becker RW , Boga HI , Boulangé A , Chiyaka TL , Coetzee T , de Jager PC , Dikinya O , Eckardt F , Greve M , Harris MA , Hopkins DW , Houngnandan HB , Houngnandan P , Jordaan K , Kaimoyo E , Kambura AK , Kamgan-Nkuekam G , Makhalanyane TP , Maggs-Kölling G , Marais E , Mondlane H , Nghalipo E , Olivier BW , Ortiz M , Pertierra LR , Ramond J-B , Seely M , Sithole-Niang I , Valverde A , Varliero G , Vikram S , Wall DH , Zeze A
Published: August 2022

Background

Top-soil microbiomes make a vital contribution to the Earth’s ecology and harbor an extraordinarily high biodiversity. They are also key players in many ecosystem services, particularly in arid regions of the globe such as the African continent. While several recent studies have documented patterns in global soil microbial ecology, these are largely biased towards widely studied regions and rely on models to interpolate the microbial diversity of other regions where there is low data coverage. This is the case for sub-Saharan Africa, where the number of regional microbial studies is very low in comparison to other continents.

Results

The aim of this study was to conduct an extensive biogeographical survey of sub-Saharan Africa’s top-soil microbiomes, with a specific focus on investigating the environmental drivers of microbial ecology across the region. In this study, we sampled 810 sample sites across 9 sub-Saharan African countries and used taxonomic barcoding to profile the microbial ecology of these regions. Our results showed that the sub-Saharan nations included in the study harbor qualitatively distinguishable soil microbiomes. In addition, using soil chemistry and climatic data extracted from the same sites, we demonstrated that the top-soil microbiome is shaped by a broad range of environmental factors, most notably pH, precipitation, and temperature. Through the use of structural equation modeling, we also developed a model to predict how soil microbial biodiversity in sub-Saharan Africa might be affected by future climate change scenarios. This model predicted that the soil microbial biodiversity of countries such as Kenya will be negatively affected by increased temperatures and decreased precipitation, while the fungal biodiversity of Benin will benefit from the increase in annual precipitation.

Conclusion

This study represents the most extensive biogeographical survey of sub-Saharan top-soil microbiomes to date. Importantly, this study has allowed us to identify countries in sub-Saharan Africa that might be particularly vulnerable to losses in soil microbial ecology and productivity due to climate change. Considering the reliance of many economies in the region on rain-fed agriculture, this study provides crucial information to support conservation efforts in the countries that will be most heavily impacted by climate change.
Preventing frailty with the support of a home-monitoring and communication platform among older adults—a study protocol for a randomised-controlled pilot study in Sweden
Authors: Teriö Minna , Pérez-Rodríguez Rodrigo , Guevara Guevara Tania , Valdes-Aragonés Myriam , Kornevs Maksims , Bjälevik-Chronan Sanna , Taloyan Marina , Meijer Sebastiaan , Guidetti Susanne
Published: August 2022

Background

POSITIVE (i.e. maintaining and imPrOving the intrinSIc capaciTy Involving primary care and caregiVErs) is a new intervention program consisting of home-monitoring equipment and a communication platform to support treatment of frailty symptoms initially in primary care and prevent disability in older adults.

Methods

The primary objectives are to estimate the potential efficacy of the POSITIVE system on improving frailty in at least one point in Fried’s criteria and five points in Frailty Trait Scale. The secondary objectives are to (A) assess the recruitment, retention, drop-out rates, compliance with the intervention and the intervention mechanisms of impact; (B) evaluate the usability and acceptance of the POSITIVE system, and to get estimations on; (C) the potential efficacy of the intervention on improving the participants’ physical performance, cognitive functions, mood, independency level in activities in daily living, the impact on quality of life and number of falls during the follow-up period; (D) the impact on the caregiver quality of life and caregiver burden; and (E) on the consumption of health care resources, participants’ perception of health and level of care received, and healthcare professionals’ workload and satisfaction.

A randomised controlled, assessor-blinded pilot study design recruiting from a primary care centre in Stockholm Region will be conducted. Fifty older adults identified as pre-frail or frail will be randomised into a control or an intervention group. Both groups will receive a medical review, nutritional recommendations and Vivifrail physical exercise program. The intervention group will receive the POSITIVE-system including a tablet, the POSITIVE application and portable measurement devices. The participants receiving the POSITIVE program will be monitored remotely by a primary care nurse during a 6-month follow-up. Data will be collected at baseline, 3 and 6 months into the intervention though the platform, standardised assessments and surveys. A process evaluation as per Medical Research Council guidance will be conducted after the 6-month follow-up period.

Discussion

The implications of the study are to provide estimations on the potential efficacy of the POSITIVE system in improving frailty among older adults and to provide relevant data to inform powered studies of potential efficacy and effectiveness, as well as to inform about the feasibility of the current study design.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov. Registration number: NCT04592146. October 19, 2020.
Competition vs cooperation: renewable energy investment under cap-and-trade mechanisms
Authors: Chen Wei , Chen Jing , Ma Yongkai
Published: August 2022

This paper explores the incentives of investment in renewable energy of two utility firms who compete or cooperate under either a cap-and-trade grandfathering mechanism (GM) or benchmarking mechanism (BM). We find that utility firms will invest in renewable energy more under BM than under GM, in both competitive and cooperative markets, and they will invest more in a competitive market than in a cooperative market, under either GM or BM. Furthermore, utility firms will produce more electricity and generate more total carbon emissions under BM than under GM. The profits of two firms, however, are higher in cooperative market than in competitive market. The government will benefit from implementing a BM to encourage utility firms to invest in renewable energy in a competing market.
Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Luspatercept for Anemia Treatment in Patients With Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes: The Phase II PACE-MDS Study
Authors: Platzbecker Uwe , Götze Katharina S. , Kiewe Philipp , Germing Ulrich , Mayer Karin , Radsak Markus , Wolff Thomas , Chromik Joerg , Sockel Katja , Oelschlägel Uta , Haase Detlef , Illmer Thomas , Al-Ali Haifa Kathrin , Silling Gerda , Reynolds Joseph G. , Zhang Xiaosha , Attie Kenneth M. , Shetty Jeevan K. , Giagounidis Aristoteles
Published: August 2022

Clinical trials frequently include multiple end points that mature at different times. The initial report, typically based on the primary end point, may be published when key planned co‐primary or secondary analyses are not yet available. Clinical Trial Updates provide an opportunity to disseminate additional results from studies, published in JCO or elsewhere, for which the primary end point has already been reported.

Luspatercept has high clinical activity in patients with transfusion-dependent lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS) and ring sideroblasts (RS) relapsed or refractory to erythropoietin. We report long-term luspatercept safety and efficacy in 108 patients with LR-MDS in the PACE-MDS study, including 44 non-RS and 34 non–transfusion-dependent or previously untreated patients. The primary end point was safety. Secondary end points included rates of hematologic improvement (HI) erythroid (HI-E), HI neutrophil, and HI platelet. Exploratory end points included erythropoiesis biomarker quantitation and mutation data. Median duration of luspatercept exposure was 315 days (range, 21-1,934 days). No new safety signals emerged. HI-E was observed in 53.7% of patients, including 36.4% of non-RS and 70.6% of non–transfusion-dependent patients. HI neutrophil and HI platelet were observed in 33.3% and 9.5% of patients, respectively. An almost three-fold increase in bone marrow late to early progenitor cell ratio accompanied HI-E response, irrespective of RS status. Lower baseline erythropoietin levels in non-RS patients (69.6 v 623.3 IU/L; P = .0077) and higher late to early erythroid progenitor cell ratio (10.44 v 4.48; P = .0106) in RS patients were associated with HI-E. This study highlights luspatercept's effects across LR-MDS subtypes, including untreated MDS-RS, serving as a platform for future trials.
The Terrible We
Authors: Awkward-Rich Cameron
Published: August 2022

In The Terrible We Cameron Awkward-Rich thinks with the bad feelings and mad habits of thought that persist in both transphobic discourse and trans cultural production. Observing that trans studies was founded on a split from and disavowal of madness, illness, and disability, Awkward-Rich argues for and models a trans criticism that works against this disavowal. By tracing the coproduction of the categories of disabled and transgender in the United States at the turn of the twentieth century and analyzing transmasculine literature and theory by Eli Clare, Elliott DeLine, Dylan Scholinski, and others, Awkward-Rich suggests that thinking with maladjustment might provide new perspectives on the impasses arising from the conflicted relationships among trans, feminist, and queer. In so doing, he demonstrates that rather than only impeding or confining trans life, thought, and creativity, forms of maladjustment have also been and will continue to be central to their development.

Duke University Press Scholars of Color First Book Award recipient
Formulating the concept of "mitigation agent"—a study on the Japanese-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce bulletin
Authors: de Sá Michele Eduarda Brasil
Published: August 2022

This paper introduces the expression "mitigation agent" and conceptualizes it by analyzing a publication called Japanese-Brazilian Exchange, a bulletin from the Japanese-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce. It had only one number published (November 1941) because of the growing tensions between Brazil and the powers of the Axis during the Second World War, which culminated in Brazil entering the group of the Allies (then opposing Germany, Italy, and Japan). Starting from the bulletin's content, the definition of "mitigation agent" is elaborated on and explained in an initial stage, especially concerning its roots in soft power.
EXPERIMENTAL MARKETING: INTERACTION WITH THE BUYER IN A PANDEMIC
Authors: ERSHOVA E
Published: August 2022

The article describes the trends in the development of experimental marketing, the main application strategies are considered. The described practice of using the use of experimental marketing tools gives an idea of the possibilities of interaction with the consumer in the conditions of social distancing.
THE KEY HR TRENDS IN CORPORATE TRAINING
Authors: KOSHEVENKO S
Published: August 2022

The article examines the main trends in corporate training in 2021. The author conducted an analysis of research in the field of hr-training, highlighted the main needs and directions of changes in corporate personnel training systems. The article identifies the main trends in the training of personnel of organizations in the period after the pandemic in 2021.
INVESTMENT POLICY OF THE REGIONS: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS
Authors: MYLNIKOVA L
Published: August 2022

The article deals with the problems associated with the formation and implementation of the regional investment policy, which is the main element of economic policy. It is established that the purposeful influence of the authorities and management of the subjects of the Russian Federation in the aspect of their areas of responsibility on the investment process will contribute to digitalization and the transition of regions to an innovative path of development, which is a driver of economic growth.
ABOUT THE ECONOMY SECURITY INDICATORS OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS OF RUSSIA
Authors: POBEDONOSTSEVA G , POBEDONOSTSEVA V
Published: August 2022

The article examines the directions of the new “cluster development” of the Russian Arctic territory in order to impart a science-intensive character to the basing at the Arctic zone of Russia and the traditional development of its natural resources.
THE DIVIDEND POLICY OF OIL AND GAS COMPANIES AS AN EFFECTIVE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TOOL
Authors: GALYNCHIK T , KHUSAINOVA A
Published: August 2022

One of the significant elements of effective management of a joint-stock company is a competent dividend policy. It should take into account the interests of both shareholders and the company itself. The article discusses the main indicators of the dividend policy of the largest public joint-stock companies in the oil and gas industry of PJSC NK Rosneft, PJSC ANC Bashneft and PJSC NK Lukoil.
THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF FORMING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF STATE CIVIL EMPLOYEES
Authors: VASYUKOV O.G. , BOLSHAKOVA V.M. , NAUMOV P.YU.
Published: August 2022

Target. Currently, the development of professional values and official behavior of civil servants are relevant for training personnel for the public authority system. One of the ways to form the personality of a civil servant who is a professional is to increase the real level of his social responsibility. The article is devoted to the study of the phenomenon of social responsibility of civil servants. Method or methodology of the work. The systematic, activity-based and axiological approaches were used as methodological principles in the work. The research methods were analysis and synthesis, movement from the general to the particular, comparison and analogy, movement from the abstract to the concrete, complex generalization and classification. Results. The main results of the study include the concretization of the concept of «social responsibility of civil servants», the identification of the essential properties of social responsibility, the determination of the features of its functioning, the formulation of urgent problems for further research in this aspect. Scope of the results. The scientific results of the article can be applied when conducting psychological and pedagogical research and organizing classes in educational institutions of higher education.
Wtórny rynek książki w Polsce : instytucje, asortyment, uczestnicy
Authors: Nieć Grzegorz
Published: August 2022

THE SECONDARY BOOK MARKET IN POLAND The concept of the secondary book market comprises institutions and processes related to the antiquarian bookseller’s assortment that has been published and introduced into trading at least once beforehand or, in other words, all library materials that have already been sold or published by a widely defined originator. The originator is here widely understood, because the said assortment includes traded items that are not only books, though they constitute the majority, but also all library materials, i.e.. manuscripts, official documents etc., as well as items of a completely different nature, e.g. stationery and artworks. This research covers all known institutions and forms of assortment exchange, its composition and the structure of the offer, sources and methods of sourcing, preparation and marketing as well as sale and the market participants. The latter can generally be divided into service providers (vendors, brokers, organisers of the exchange, experts) and service recipients (the selling party and the buying party), although many participants often play both roles. A special emphasis has been placed on customers who are very active buyers, i.e. bibliophiles, collectors and libraries. Non-commercial activity of stationary antiquarian bookshops seen as cultural institutions is also taken into account.
CO2 monitoring system for storage of grains and seeds
Authors: Wenneck Gustavo Soares , Saath Reni , Wenneck Guilherme Soares , Pereira Gustavo Lopes , Villa e Vila Vinicius , Alves Luis Henrique Brambilla
Published: August 2022

The monitoring of grain and seeds characteristics is fundamental to maintain postharvest quality. Grain mass changes through CO2 levels monitoring can reduce the product deterioration by anticipating actions to maintain the grain mass quality. This study aimed to develop a CO2 monitoring system in stored grains/seeds and to analyze its efficiency. The analysis was performed in four crop species (brachiaria, sunflower, corn, and soybean) with different water content and sanity condition. The system hardware was composed of a controller micro board, CO2 sensor and data stored module. The system routine was developed in C++ language. The monitoring of CO2 and flammable gases was performed for system analysis and verification. The system monitoring developed showed efficiency in CO2 levels determination in stored grains/seeds and low-cost, being a viable and applicable tool aiming to the maintenance of postharvest quality.
The dynamics of municipal contestation: responses from local government to perceived policy threats from higher authorities
Authors: Verhoeven Imrat , Strange Michael , Siles-Brügge Gabriel
Published: August 2022

This article focuses on the conflictual relations at the heart of what we call ‘municipal contestation’. This global phenomenon sees cities and other local governments – sometimes together with non-governmental players – contest policies proposed or implemented by higher governmental authorities, which they perceive as threats to their policy positions or local communities. Bridging public policy studies and social movement theory, we develop a new typology identifying conservative, moderate and radical ideal types of municipal contestation. In addition, we explore the dynamics of contestation, with municipalities ‘moving away’ from the institutional status quo when they shift from conservative to more moderate and radical forms of contestation, or ‘moving towards’ the status quo when they find it difficult to sustain such action. The article illustrates this typology and contestation dynamics by drawing on case studies involving resistance to central COVID-19 restrictions in England; municipal opposition to carbon capture and storage in the Netherlands; and a European campaign against a proposed European Union-United States trade agreement. We conclude how this general framework can be applied, refined, and adapted for further comparative and longitudinal studies.
80Gb/s NRZ Ge waveguide electro-absorption modulator
Authors: Liu Yufei , Sun Jialinag , Song Ruogu , Li Xinyu , Wang Jinyu , Wang Shuxiao , Yu Yijia , Yue Wencheng , Cai Yan , Yu Mingbin
Published: August 2022

We demonstrate a Ge electro-absorption modulator (EAM) in L band with a 3 dB electro-optical bandwidth beyond 67 GHz at −3 V bias voltage. The Eye diagram measurement shows a data rate of over 80 Gbps for non-return-to-zero on-off keying (NRZ-OOK) modulation at a voltage swing of 2.3 Vpp and the wavelength of 1605 nm. Through the comparison of multi-device results, it is proved that the introduction of the annealing process after CMP can increase the mean static extinction ratio of the EAM from 7.27 dB to 11.83 dB, which confirms the manufacturability of the device. The dynamic power consumption of the device is 6.348 fJ/bit. The performance of our device is comprehensive. The Ge EAM device also has excellent performance as a photodetector (PD) in the C and L communication bands. The responsivity of the device is 1.04 A/W at the wavelength of 1610 nm, resulting in ∼0.87 mW of static power consumption at −3 V bias voltage under 0.28 mW of optical input and the 3 dB opto-electric bandwidth of the devices are beyond 43 GHz at −3 V bias.
Phase interrogation of plasmonic tilted fiber Bragg grating biosensors through the Jones formalism
Authors: Fasseaux Hadrien , Loyez Médéric , Chah Karima , Caucheteur Christophe
Published: August 2022

Gold-coated tilted fiber Bragg gratings (TFBG) are refined plasmonic biosensors, highly sensitive to surrounding refractive index (RI) changes. Their interrogation usually relies on insertion loss measurements for single input polarized light, limiting the set of exploitable features. To overcome this limitation, we trigger the Jones formalism to retrieve the polarization enabling optimized plasmonic excitation for both phase and amplitude measurements. We present an experimental phase shift with a sensitivity as high as 45835°/RIU and further assess this approach to HER2 proteins sensing at 1µg/ml. We compare this angular modality with the one relying on the insertion loss using a quality factor that takes the shift as well as the dispersion into account. This strengthens its relevance in terms of precision for ultra-small RI variations.
Dynamic moist air monitor in a micro area with extremely high figure-of-merit
Authors: Chen Yikai , Kong Zhuoran , Sun Wenjie , Liang Ji , Xing Jiaxin , Lin Siyuan , Zhu Shijun , Zhang Hongchao , Shen Zhonghua , Lu Jian
Published: August 2022

In the rapidly changing moisture air, conventional relative humidity (RH) sensors are often difficult to respond in time and accurately due to the limitation of flow rate and non-uniform airflow distribution. In this study, we numerically demonstrate that humidity changes on micro-zones can be monitored in real time using a Bloch surface wave (BSW) ubiquitous in one-dimensional photonic crystals (1DPC). This phenomenon can be observed by leakage radiation microscope (LRM). After theoretically deriving the angular resolution limit of LRM, we obtained the minimum BSW angular change on a practical scheme that can be observed in the momentum space to complete the detection, and realized the dynamic real-time monitoring of small-scale humidity change in experiment for the first time. This monitoring method has extremely high figure of merit (FOM) without hysteresis, which can be used in humidity sensing and refractive index sensing as well as the research on turbulence.
Buckling-induced wavy optical fiber attenuator
Authors: Wang Yu-Han , Xu Zhu-Long , Wang Yong , Jiang Hanqing , Chuang Kuo-Chih
Published: August 2022

An optical attenuator is an optical device that can modulate the power level of an optical signal. Based on the macro-bending loss of optical fibers, we present a wavy fiber attenuator where the attenuation level can be controlled by a mechanical-induced buckling of the fiber. By bonding a fiber to a prestretched substrate and then releasing the prestrain, the fiber flexes into a sinusoidal wavy curve due to the constraints of the substrate. The level of the light attenuation can simply be controlled by stretching the substrate. The maximum attenuation of the proposed wavy optical fiber attenuator is −87.3 dB.
High-brightness and high-efficiency diode laser module based on double wavelength division multiplexing external cavities
Authors: Zhang Weiqiao , Liu Wenzhen , Wang Juwen , Cao Peng , Chen Jingxuan , Ting Fu , Zhou Xuyan , Zheng Wan-hua
Published: August 2022

In this Letter, a new, to the best of our knowledge, external cavity structure based on double wavelength division multiplexing external cavities is proposed and demonstrated. The electro-optical conversion efficiency is improved and the brightness of the spectral beam combining diode lasers is enhanced. One wavelength division multiplexing external cavity is placed on the rear-side of the laser emitters to provide the strong optical feedback for wavelength locking and the other wavelength division multiplexing external cavity is placed on the front-side of laser emitters to combine three emitter beams to one beam. A maximum output power of up to 7.5 W is obtained and the brightness of the laser diode is 100 MW cm−2 sr−1 with an electro-optical conversion efficiency of 46.5%. Compared with a standard cavity for spectral beam combining, the use of double wavelength division multiplexing external cavities results in an electro-optical conversion efficiency improvement of 6.5%. The whole structure provides a new technology to achieve high-brightness and high electro-optical conversion efficiency for a laser diode source.
Polarization-controlled electromagnetically induced transparency analogue based on multipolar resonances
Authors: Cui Ying , Wang Xiaosai , Ren Bin , Jiang Yongyuan
Published: August 2022

An asymmetric metasurface capable of a dynamically controlled electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) analogue is proposed by changing the polarization direction of the incident light. The metasurface composed of Z-L shape meta-atoms exhibits a narrowband transparency window at 1.858 THz for y-polarization incidence. This EIT window originates from the destructive interference between magnetic dipole (MD), toroidal dipole (TD) and electric quadrupole (EQ) resonances, where the coupling of MD and TD serves as bright mode and EQ acts as dark mode. By varying the polarization angle (φ) of the incident light, the transmission of the dip at 1.856/1.861 THz can be tuned from 0.90/0.95 to 0.08/0.03. Meanwhile, the Q-factor of 640.55 and the group delay of 117.21 ps are achieved at φ = 120°. This work will promote the development of novel multipolar supported EIT metasurfaces.
Sleep loss leads to the withdrawal of human helping across individuals, groups, and large-scale societies
Authors: Ben Simon Eti , Vallat Raphael , Rossi Aubrey , Walker Matthew P.
Published: August 2022

Humans help each other. This fundamental feature of homo sapiens has been one of the most powerful forces sculpting the advent of modern civilizations. But what determines whether humans choose to help one another? Across 3 replicating studies, here, we demonstrate that sleep loss represents one previously unrecognized factor dictating whether humans choose to help each other, observed at 3 different scales (within individuals, across individuals, and across societies). First, at an individual level, 1 night of sleep loss triggers the withdrawal of help from one individual to another. Moreover, fMRI findings revealed that the withdrawal of human helping is associated with deactivation of key nodes within the social cognition brain network that facilitates prosociality. Second, at a group level, ecological night-to-night reductions in sleep across several nights predict corresponding next-day reductions in the choice to help others during day-to-day interactions. Third, at a large-scale national level, we demonstrate that 1 h of lost sleep opportunity, inflicted by the transition to Daylight Saving Time, reduces real-world altruistic helping through the act of donation giving, established through the analysis of over 3 million charitable donations. Therefore, inadequate sleep represents a significant influential force determining whether humans choose to help one another, observable across micro- and macroscopic levels of civilized interaction. The implications of this effect may be non-trivial when considering the essentiality of human helping in the maintenance of cooperative, civil society, combined with the reported decline in sufficient sleep in many first-world nations.
13-amino derivatives of dehydrocostus lactone display greatly enhanced selective toxicity against breast cancer cells and improved binding energies to protein kinases in silico
Authors: Kemboi Douglas , Langat Moses K. , Siwe-Noundou Xavier , Tshiwawa Tendamudzimu , Krause Rui W. M. , Davison Candace , Smit Christie Jane , de la Mare Jo-Anne , Tembu Vuyelwa Jacqueline
Published: August 2022

The biological activities of dehydrocostus lactone and its analogues are suggested to be mediated by the lactone ring and α,β-methylene-γ-lactone. However, few studies exist on the structure-activity relationship of 13-amino derivatives of dehydrocostus latone. In this study new 13-amino derivatives of dehydrocostus lactone DHLC (1–4) were synthesized through Michael addition reactions, and were screened against three different breast cancer cell lines, namely hormone receptor positive breast cancer (MCF-7), triple-negative breast cancer (HCC70), and non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial (MCF-12A) cell lines. Dehydrocostus lactone (DHLC) exhibited IC50 values of 1.11 (selectivity index (SI) = 0.06), 24.70 (SI = 0.01) and 0.07 μM against HCC70, MCF-7 and MCF-12A cells, respectively. All the amino derivatives, except DHLC-3 displayed low micromolar IC50 values (ranging from 0.07–4.24 μM) against both breast cancer cell lines, with reduced toxicity towards MCF-12A non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial cells (SI values ranging from 6.00–126.86). DHLC-1 and DHLC-2 demonstrated the greatest selectivity for the MCF-7 cells (with SI of 121 and 126.86 respectively) over the MCF-12A cells. This reveals that, overall, the derivatives display greatly improved selectivity for breast cancer over non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial cells, with between 100-fold and 12 000-fold higher SI values. The improved docking scores were recorded for all the 13-amino dehydrocostus lactone derivatives for the enzymes analyzed. Compounds DHLC-4, and DHLC-3 recorded higher docking scores of -7.33 and -5.97 Kca/mol respectively, compared to the parent structure, dehydrocostus lactone (-5.34 Kca/mol) for protein kinase (PKC) theta (1XJD) and -6.22 and -5.88 Kca/mol, respectively for protein kinase iota (1RZR). The compounds further showed promising predicted adsorption, distribution, metabolisms and excretion (ADME) properties. Predicting the ADME properties of these derivatives is of importance in evaluating their drug-likeness, which could in turn be developed into potential drug candidates.
Advanced practice providers versus medical residents as leaders of rapid response teams: A 12-month retrospective analysis
Authors: Kreeftenberg Herman G. , De Bie Ashley J. R. , Mestrom Eveline H. J. , Bindels Alexander J. G. H. , van der Voort Peter H. J.
Published: August 2022

Purpose

In a time of worldwide physician shortages, the advanced practice providers (APPs) might be a good alternative for physicians as the leaders of a rapid response team. This retrospective analysis aimed to establish whether the performance of APP-led rapid response teams is comparable to the performance of rapid response teams led by a medical resident of the ICU.

Material and methods

In a retrospective single-center cohort study, the electronic medical record of a tertiary hospital was queried during a 12-months period to identify patients who had been visited by our rapid response team. Patient- and process-related outcomes of interventions of rapid response teams led by an APP were compared with those of teams led by a medical resident using various parameters, including the MAELOR tool, which measures the performance of a rapid response team.

Results

In total, 179 responses of the APP-led teams were analyzed, versus 275 responses of the teams led by a resident. Per APP, twice as many calls were handled than per resident. Interventions of teams led by APPs, and residents did not differ in number of admissions (p = 0.87), mortality (p = 0.8), early warning scores (p = 0.2) or MAELOR tool triggering (p = 0.19). Both groups scored equally on time to admission (p = 0.67) or time until any performed intervention.

Conclusion

This retrospective analysis showed that the quality of APP-led rapid response teams was similar to the quality of teams led by a resident. These findings need to be confirmed by prospective studies with balanced outcome parameters.
Genome-wide in silico identification and characterization of the stress associated protein (SAP) gene family encoding A20/AN1 zinc-finger proteins in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)
Authors: Billah Syyed Asim , Khan Nadir Zaman , Ali Waqar , Aasim Muhammad , Usman Muhammad , Alezzawi Mohamed Amar , Ullah Habib
Published: August 2022

Stress associated proteins (SAPs) in plants have a key role in providing tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses. SAP gene family inSolanum tuberosumhas not been fully studied before. This study identified 17StSAPgenes inS.tuberosumwhich code for A20/AN1 zinc-finger proteins. All the genes were distributed on ten different chromosomes and six segmental duplication events were identified. The SAPs inS.tuberosumand its orthologs inArabidopsis thalianawere classified into six groups through the phylogenetic analysis. Introns acrossStSAPgenes were identified in four genes. The promotor study of theStSAPgenes showed different hormone and stress-related cis-elements that could potentially have a role in environmental stress response. The expression ofStSAPgenes in response to heat, mannitol, and salt were analyzed throughin silicotranscriptomic analysis. This study could potentially help in further understanding the functions of SAP genes inS.tuberosum.
Measuring socioeconomic inequalities in prenatal HIV test service uptake for prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV in East Africa: A decomposition analysis
Authors: Astawesegn Feleke Hailemichael , Conroy Elizabeth , Mannan Haider , Stulz Virginia
Published: August 2022

Background

Despite efforts made towards the elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission, socioeconomic inequality in prenatal HIV test uptake in East Africa is not well understood. Therefore, this study aimed at measuring socioeconomic inequalities in prenatal HIV test uptake and explaining its main determinants in East Africa

Method

We analysed a total weighted sample of 45,476 women aged 15–49 years who birthed in the two years preceding the survey. The study used the most recent DHS data from ten East African countries (Burundi, Comoros, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe). The socioeconomic inequality in prenatal HIV test uptake was measured by the concentration index and illustrated by the concentration curve. Then, regression based Erreygers decomposition method was applied to quantify the contribution of socioeconomic factors to inequalities of prenatal HIV test uptake in East Africa.

Results

The concentration index for prenatal HIV test uptake indicates that utilization of this service was concentrated in higher socio-economic groups with it being 15.94% higher among these groups in entire East Africa (p <0.001), 40.33% higher in Ethiopia (p <0.001) which was the highest and only 1.87% higher in Rwanda (p <0.01) which was the lowest. The decomposition analysis revealed that household wealth index (38.99%) followed by maternal education (13.69%), place of residence (11.78%), partner education (8.24%), watching television (7.32%), listening to the radio (7.11%) and reading newsletters (2.90%) made the largest contribution to socioeconomic inequality in prenatal HIV test in East Africa.

Conclusion

In this study, pro-rich inequality in the utilization of prenatal HIV tests was evident. The decomposition analysis findings suggest that policymakers should focus on improving household wealth, educational attainment, and awareness of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) through various media outlets targeting disadvantaged sub-groups.
Divergent Plasmodium actin residues are essential for filament localization, mosquito salivary gland invasion and malaria transmission
Authors: Yee Michelle , Walther Tobias , Frischknecht Friedrich , Douglas Ross G.
Published: August 2022

Actin is one of the most conserved and ubiquitous proteins in eukaryotes. Its sequence has been highly conserved for its monomers to self-assemble into filaments that mediate essential cell functions such as trafficking, cell shape and motility. The malaria-causing parasite,Plasmodium, expresses a highly sequence divergent actin that is critical for its rapid motility at different stages within its mammalian and mosquito hosts. Each ofPlasmodiumactin’s four subdomains have divergent regions compared to canonical vertebrate actins. We previously identified subdomains 2 and 3 as providing critical contributions for parasite actin function as these regions could not be replaced by subdomains of vertebrate actins. Here we probed the contributions of individual divergent amino acid residues in these subdomains on parasite motility and progression. Non-lethal changes in these subdomains did not affect parasite development in the mammalian host but strongly affected progression through the mosquito with striking differences in transmission to and through the insect. Live visualization of actin filaments showed that divergent amino acid residues in subdomains 2 and 4 enhanced localization associated with filaments, while those in subdomain 3 negatively affected actin filaments. This suggests that finely tuned actin dynamics are essential for efficient organ entry in the mosquito vector affecting malaria transmission. This work provides residue level insight on the fundamental requirements of actin in highly motile cells.