bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of fullerene motion on thermally activated gold substrates with different shapes
Authors: Shamloo Amir , Bakhtiari Mohammad Ali , Tohidloo Mahdi , Seifi Saeed
Published: August 2022

In the current study, the regime of motion of fullerene molecules on substrates with different shapes at a range of specific temperatures has been investigated. To do so, the potential energy of fullerene molecules was analyzed using the classical molecular dynamics method. C20, C36, C50, C60, C72, C76, C80, and C90 fullerene molecules were selected due to their spherical shapes with different sizes. In addition, to completely analyze the behavior of these molecules, different gold substrates, including flat, concave, the top side of the step (upward step), and the downside of the step (downward step) substrates, were considered. Specifying the regime of the motion at different temperatures is one of the main goals of this study. For this purpose, we have studied the translational and rotational motions of fullerene molecules independently. In the first step of the investigation, Lennard-Jones potential energy of fullerene molecules was calculated. Subsequently, the regime of motion of different fullerenes has been classified, based on their displacement and sliding velocity. Our findings indicated that C60 is appropriate in less than $$5\%$$

5
%

of the conditions. However, C20, C76 and C80 molecules were found to be appropriate candidates in most cases in different conditions while they were incompetent only in seven situations. As far as a straight-line movement is considered, the concave geometry demonstrated a better performance compared to the other substrates. In addition, C72 indicated less favorable performance concerning the range of movement and diffusion coefficients. All in all, our investigation helps to understand the performance of different fullerene molecules on gold substrates and find their probable application, especially as a wheel in nano-machine structures.
Birth order and pediatric traumatic brain injury
Authors: Omer Mazin , Posti Jussi P. , Gissler Mika , Merikukka Marko , Bärnighausen Till , Wilson Michael Lowery
Published: August 2022

Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant problem of public health importance worldwide. Large population-based studies on the effect of birth order on health phenomena are exceedingly rare. This study examines the relationship between birth order and risk for pediatric TBI among sibling groups. We performed a retrospective cohort study following 59,469 Finnish newborns from 1987 until age 18 years. Data on first diagnosis of TBI was recorded within the 1987 Finnish Birth Cohort (FBC). Compared with first born siblings, later born siblings had an increased risk of TBI during the follow-up period (hazard ratio [HR] 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.91–1.14 for second born, HR 1.09; 95% CI 0.95 1.26 for third born, HR 1.28; 95% CI 1.08–1.53 for fourth or higher). When adjusted for sex and maternal age at child’s birth, HRs (95% CIs) for TBI during the follow-up period were 1.12 (0.99–1.26) for second born, 1.31 (1.12–1.53) for third born and 1.61 (1.33–1.95) for fourth born or higher children, respectively. Within this large register-based population-wide study, order of birth modified risk for pediatric TBI among sibling groups. Taken together, these study findings may serve to stimulate further inquiry into genetic, psychological, or psychosocial factors which underlie differences in risk and depth of effect within and between sibling groups.
A photosensor employing data-driven binning for ultrafast image recognition
Authors: Mennel Lukas , Molina-Mendoza Aday J. , Paur Matthias , Polyushkin Dmitry K. , Kwak Dohyun , Giparakis Miriam , Beiser Maximilian , Andrews Aaron Maxwell , Mueller Thomas
Published: August 2022

Pixel binning is a technique, widely used in optical image acquisition and spectroscopy, in which adjacent detector elements of an image sensor are combined into larger pixels. This reduces the amount of data to be processed as well as the impact of noise, but comes at the cost of a loss of information. Here, we push the concept of binning to its limit by combining a large fraction of the sensor elements into a single “superpixel” that extends over the whole face of the chip. For a given pattern recognition task, its optimal shape is determined from training data using a machine learning algorithm. We demonstrate the classification of optically projected images from the MNIST dataset on a nanosecond timescale, with enhanced dynamic range and without loss of classification accuracy. Our concept is not limited to imaging alone but can also be applied in optical spectroscopy or other sensing applications.
A statistical mechanics model for determining the length distribution of actin filaments under cellular tensional homeostasis
Authors: Ueda Yuika , Matsunaga Daiki , Deguchi Shinji
Published: August 2022

Tensional homeostasis is a cellular process whereby nonmuscle cells such as fibroblasts keep a constant level of intracellular tension and signaling activities. Cells are allowed thanks to tensional homeostasis to adapt to mechanical stress, but the detailed mechanism remains unclear. Here we address from a theoretical point of view what is required for maintaining cellular tensional homeostasis. A constrained optimization problem is formulated to analytically determine the probability function of the length of individual actin filaments (AFs) responsible for sustaining cellular tension. An objective function composed of two entropic quantities measuring the extent of formation and dispersion of AFs within cells is optimized under two constraint functions dictating a constant amount of actin molecules and tension that are arguably the two most salient features of tensional homeostasis. We then derive a specific probability function of AFs that is qualitatively consistent with previous experimental observations, in which short AF populations preferably appear. Regarding the underlying mechanism, our analyses suggest that the constraint for keeping the constant tension level makes long AF populations smaller in number because long AFs have a higher chance to be involved in bearing larger forces. The specific length distribution of AFs is thus required for achieving the constrained objectives, by which individual cells are endowed with the ability to stably maintain a homeostatic tension throughout the cell, thereby potentially allowing cells to locally detect deviation in the tension, keep resulting biological functions, and hence enable subsequent adaptation to mechanical stress. Although minimal essential factors are included given the actual complexity of cells, our approach would provide a theoretical basis for understanding complicated homeostatic and adaptive behavior of the cell.
Crystal structure of ChbG from Klebsiella pneumoniae reveals the molecular basis of diacetylchitobiose deacetylation
Authors: Lee So Yeon , Pardhe Bashu Dev , Oh Tae-Jin , Park Hyun Ho
Published: August 2022

The chitobiose (chb) operon is involved in the synthesis of chitooligosaccharide and is comprised of a BCARFG gene cluster. ChbG encodes a chitooligosaccharide deacetylase (CDA) which catalyzes the removal of one acetyl group from N,N’-diacetylchitobiose. It is considered a novel type of CDA due to its lack of sequence homology. Although there are various structural studies of CDAs linked to the kinetic properties of the enzyme, the structural information of ChbG is unavailable. In this study, the crystal structure of ChbG from Klebsiella pneumoniae is provided. The molecular basis of deacetylation of diacetylchitobiose by ChbG is determined based on structural analysis, mutagenesis, biophysical analysis, and in silico docking of the substrate, diacetylchitobiose. This study contributes towards a deeper understanding of chitin and chitosan biology, as well as provides a platform to engineer CDA biocatalysts.
A new Li-rich layered cathode with low lattice strain for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Ke Bingyu , Chu Shiyong , Li Jing-Chang , Xu Xiangqun , Yao Huan , Guo Shaohua , Zhou Haoshen
Published: August 2022

A new C2/m layered Li2Ni0.2Mn0.4Ru0.4O3 cathode demonstrates high energy density along with extremely small volume strain during the electrochemical process.
Ensemble GaAsSb/GaAs axial configured nanowire-based separate absorption, charge, and multiplication avalanche near-infrared photodetectors
Authors: Parakh M. , Pokharel R. , Dawkins K. , Devkota S. , Li J. , Iyer S.
Published: August 2022

In this study, molecular beam epitaxially grown axially configured ensemble GaAsSb/GaAs separate absorption, charge, and multiplication (SACM) region-based nanowire avalanche photodetector device on non-patterned Si substrate is presented.
The adsorption behaviors of N2O on penta-graphene and Ni-doped penta-graphene
Authors: Hua Hu , Ni Yun
Published: August 2022

N2O molecule is chemically adsorbed on the surface of Ni-doped penta-graphene only when the Ni atom is doped at the sp2 hybridized carbon site. External perpendicular electric field can enhance the adsorption performance.
Removal of hexavalent chromium ions using micellar modified adsorbent: isothermal and kinetic investigations
Authors: Sarfraz Sadaf , Ameer Safdar , Javed Mohsin , Iqbal Shahid , Aljazzar Samar O. , Zahra Manzar , Amin Shahid , Shah Khizar Hussain , Abourehab Mohammed A. S. , Elkaeed Eslam B. , Awwad Nasser S. , Ibrahium Hala A.
Published: August 2022

In this investigation, anionic sodium dodecyl (SDS) and cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactants were separately applied to locally accessible wheat bran to remove chromium(vi).
Magnetoelectric interaction in molecular multiferroic nanocomposites
Authors: Jalouli Alireza , Ren Shenqiang
Published: August 2022

Incorporation of molecular magnetic and ferroelectric V–Cr PBA and ImClO4 introduces a room temperature multiferroic composite.
Degradation of sulfadiazine in aqueous media by peroxymonosulfate activated with biochar-supported ZnFe2O4 in combination with visible light in an internal loop-lift reactor
Authors: Wang Yan , Gan Tao , Xiu Jingyu , Liu Ganghua , Zou Haiming
Published: August 2022

Solid waste resource utilization and the treatment of wastewater are two important aspects in environmental protection.
A Li+ and PANI co-intercalation strategy for hydrated V2O5 to enhance zinc ion storage performance
Authors: He Wei , Fan Zixuan , Huang Zequan , Liu Xingyu , Qian Jinchen , Ni Meng , Zhang Peigen , Hu Linfeng , Sun ZhengMing
Published: August 2022

Li+ and polyaniline (PANI) co-intercalated hydrated V2O5 with an enlarged spacing of 14.4 Å is successfully synthesized as cathode materials for high performance zinc ion batteries.
Giant and reversible photoluminescence modulation based on in situ electric-field-controlled antiferroelectric–ferroelectric phase transition
Authors: Zhang Yu , Huang Ying , Xue Wuming , Wu Xiao , Zhao Chunlin , Lin Tengfei , Lin Cong , Gao Min
Published: August 2022

The electric-field-controlled (E-controlled) photoluminescence (PL) effect in inorganic materials has aroused great interest because of its potential applications in displays, optical communication, and data storage.
Resiliency constraint proactive scheduling against hurricane in multiple energy carrier microgrid
Authors: Ghasemi Ali Akbar , Gitizadeh Mohsen , Kamwa Innocent , Ghareghani Omid
Published: August 2022

Hurricane, as one of the most frequent natural events, causes damage to the infrastructure of the upstream networks of multiple energy carrier microgrids (MECMs). Thus, the supply continuity of critical loads is threatened due to sudden islanding of MECMs from the upstream networks. Therefore, providing a framework to enhance the resilience of MECMs against this threat is necessary. In response to this issue, this paper presents a proactive optimal operation scheduling approach that is constrained to the feasible islanding of MECM from the upstream networks as well as the continuous suppling of the critical loads until the return of the upstream networks. Proposed resiliency constraint proactive scheduling is formulated as a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) that considers the interdependence between all three electric, gas and heat networks. The demand responsibility of all three electric, thermal and gas loads is used to consider the satisfaction of the consumer beside economic and resilient operation. Furthermore, both normal operation and contingency‐based uncertainties are taken into account and captured using a robust optimization method. Then in order to evaluate the resilience of the MECM, feasible islanding and preparedness indices are proposed. Finally, the effectiveness of proposed approach is illustrated using an MECM test.
Excitation of pipe bending modes by internal pressure: A phenomenon present in refrigerators with skin condenser
Authors: Schaefer Ricardo Luís , Lenzi Arcanjo
Published: August 2022

The concept of skin condenser refrigerators has been increasingly explored for its capacity to provide a larger internal cabinet volume. However, the discharge pulsation of the cooling gas has become a significant source of noise because it directly excites the cabinet. This paper analyzes the mechanisms of cabinet vibration excitation by gas pulsation in the condenser tubes. Initial tests were performed with vibration measurements on a refrigerator and on segments of the cabinet excited by pulsation only. The results showed that bending modes of cabinet segments were excited by the pulsation in the condenser tube. A theoretical analysis showed that asymmetry in the condenser tube cross section is responsible for bending moment generation and numerical evaluations confirmed this effect for different types of asymmetries.
Vermehrtes Schwitzen
Authors: Dichtl Karoline , Nagersheth Kalyani , Fernkäse Uta , Mayer Arnold
Published: August 2022

Vier Experten stellen Behandlungsansätze bei vermehrtem Schwitzen mithilfe von Schüßler-Salzen, Ayurveda, TCM und TEM vor.
Die Faszienverhältnisse von Uterus und Prostata
Authors: Corts Magga
Published: August 2022

Die Faszienverhältnisse von Uterus und Prostata im Vergleich – einige Strukturen ähneln sich, andere unterscheiden sich.
Die Heilpflanze für Männer
Authors: Stern Cornelia
Published: August 2022

Die Sägepalme (Serenoa repens W. BARTRAM) kann bei gutartig vergrößerter Prostata (benigner Prostatahyperplasie, BPH) hilfreich sein.
„Wer hat mir das Testosteron gestohlen?“
Authors: Miorin-Bellermann Juliane
Published: August 2022

Verschiebungen von Hormonkonzentrationen können auch Männer betreffen. Die Folgen können je nach Schieflage unterschiedlich sein. Zu beachten sind auch Verhältnisse zwischen Hormonen. Im Fallbeispiel dieses Beitrags zeigen Messungen von Hormonspiegeln eines jungen Mannes Auffälligkeiten, die bestehende Symptome erklären können. Eine Therapie mit naturheilkundlichen Mitteln, angepasster Ernährung, mehr Bewegung und Aufarbeitung von Traumata kann die Symptome des Patienten deutlich lindern.
Osteoporose: Schlüsselgrößen Kalzium und Vitamin D
Authors: Krapf Peter
Published: August 2022

Osteoporose führt zu einem zunehmenden Verlust an Knochenmasse und -struktur – und damit zu einem erhöhten Risiko für Skelettfrakturen und -schmerzen. Bei allen Betroffenen ist auf eine ausreichende Versorgung mit Kalzium und Vitamin D zu achten – bei hohem Risiko ergänzt durch spezifische Medikamente –, insbesondere durch Nahrungsmittel wie Fisch, Hartkäse, Milch, Brokkoli, Fenchel und Grünkohl sowie Substitution nach Bedarf. Naturheilkundliche Therapien wie Phyto-, Magnetfeld-, Laser-, Blutegel- und Mykotherapie können erheblich zur Schmerzlinderung, aber auch zur Knochenstabilität beitragen.
Männliche Depression – Mythos oder Realität?
Authors: Wüstel Jens-Michael
Published: August 2022

Es wirft Fragen auf, warum die Prävalenz der Depression bei Frauen heute noch als viel höher gilt, während Männer sich wesentlich häufiger suizidieren. Wenn in Studien „männertypische“ Depressionssymptome wie Aggression und Substanzmissbrauch einfließen, verringert sich der Unterschied der Geschlechter. Männer, die traditionelle Männlichkeitsvorstellungen am stärksten verinnerlicht haben, scheinen besonders anfällig für Depressionen zu sein.
„Gendermedizin ist für Frauen und Männer gleichermaßen relevant!“
Authors: Seidl Hildegard
Published: August 2022

Was bedeutet Gendermedizin und was nicht? Was ist Genderpflege? Wo gibt es noch Wissens- und Versorgungslücken? Was kann auch jede Heilpraktikerin und jeder Heilpraktiker tun, um diese Lücken zu schließen? Diese und weitere Fragen hat Dr. Hildegard Seidl, Fachreferentin für Gendermedizin und -pflege an der München Klinik, im Gespräch mit DHZ-Redakteurin Viktoria Konrat beantwortet.
Frauenherzen schlagen anders
Authors: Schmid Eva C.
Published: August 2022

Aufgrund ihrer durchschnittlich geringeren Körpergröße haben Frauen in der Regel ein kleineres Herz als Männer. Östrogene haben eine gefäßerweiternde Eigenschaft. So sind Frauen bis zu Menopause besser vor arteriosklerotischen Veränderungen der Gefäße geschützt. Ein Myokardinfarkt zeigt sich bei Frauen häufig anders.
Postoperative Central Cord Syndrome: Physiologic Decapitation in the PACU
Authors: Mock Sean M. , Harris Hannah , Kane Thomas , Dunford John
Published: August 2022

Central cord syndrome is a form of incomplete spinal cord injury appearing in the anesthesia literature primarily in trauma. Our institution recently managed a rare, life-threatening central cord syndrome following an uneventful anterior cervical discectomy and fusion which uniquely presented as respiratory depression progressing to quadriplegia. This patient's dramatic experience began nearly indistinguishably from more common etiologies of respiratory depression in the post-anesthesia care unit before blossoming swiftly into quadriplegia. We review the details of her presentation and pathophysiology with a message of vigilance to the anesthesia provider. Interpretation of her clinical exam and rapid intervention were key to preventing a lethal outcome. Central cord syndrome should be considered by anesthesiologists in the differential for respiratory depression following cervical spine surgery.
Test of a Homeopathic Algorithm for COVID-19: the Importance of a Broad Perspective
Authors: Miglani Anjali , Manchanda Raj Kumar , Kalsi Amrit , Kaur Prabhjeet , Saini Beenu , Arora Amit , Nagrath Cheshta , Kannoth Jithesh Thavarayil , Kudiyarasu Ram Kumar , Vardaan Rahul , Brahmachari Smita , Gupta Ankit , Arora Shelly , Balan Shirin , Sharma Kavita , Ray Malaya Kumar , Chawla Anu , Ghuliani Manjula , Pandey Anurag , Fibert Philippa , Rutten Lex
Published: August 2022

Background Most of the symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are covered by large repertory rubrics and hence many remedies have been proposed as “genus epidemicus”. The aim of this study was to combine the information from various data collections to prepare a COVID-19 Bayesian mini-repertory/an algorithm-based application (app) and test it.

Methods In July 2021, 1,161 COVID-19 cases from 100 practitioners globally were combined. These data were used to calculate “condition-confined” likelihood ratios (LRs) for 59 symptoms of COVID-19. Out of these, 35 symptoms of the 11 medicines that had at least 20 cases each were considered. The information was entered in a spreadsheet (algorithm) to calculate combined LRs of specific combinations of symptoms. The algorithm contained the medicines Arsenicum album, Belladonna, Bryonia alba, Camphora, Gelsemium sempervirens, Hepar sulphuris, Mercurius solubilis, Nux vomica, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla and Rhus toxicodendron. To test concordance, the doctors were then invited to re-enter the symptoms of their cases into this algorithm.

Results The algorithm was re-tested on 358 cases, and concordance was seen in 288 cases. On analysis of the data, bias was noticed in the Merc group, which was therefore excluded from the algorithm. The remaining 10 medicines, representing 81.8% of all cases, were included in the preparation of the next version of the homeopathic mini-repertory and app.

Conclusion The Bayesian mini-repertory and app is based on qualitative clinical experiences of various doctors in COVID-19 and gives indications for specific medicines for common COVID-19 symptoms. It is freely available [English: https://hpra.co.uk/; Spanish: https://hpra.co.uk/es ] for further testing and utilization by the profession.
Preanesthetic Evaluation and Preparation for Neurosurgical Procedures: An Indian Perspective
Authors: Bindra Ashish , Bharadwaj Suparna , Mishra Nitasha , Masapu Dheeraj , Bhargava Saurabh , Luthra Ankur , Marda Manish , Hrishi Ajay P. , Bhagat Hemant , Bidkar Prasanna U. , Vanamoorthy Ponniah , Ali Zulfiqar , Khan Maroof A.
Published: August 2022

Background A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to determine the preanesthetic evaluation (PAE) practices among the members of the Indian Society of Neuroanesthesiology and Critical Care (ISNACC). The survey aimed to assess the current clinical practice of PAE and optimization of neurosurgical patients in India.

Methods An online questionnaire was designed by the working group of ISNACC and circulated among its active members. Response to individual questions was considered significant if 50% or more respondents concurred. The survey questions to which less than 50% of respondents concurred were identified as inconclusive results.

Results Out of 438 active ISNACC members, 218 responded. Responses were obtained from various parts of the country. The majority of participants were practicing neuroanesthesiology. Questions asked were regarding clinical assessment, preoperative optimization, prognostication, and airway management in neurosurgery. More than 50% of practitioners acceded to most of the questions; however, the percentage of responses varied across different questions (50–100%). The questions related to preoperative duplex scanning in chronically immobilized patients, preoperative cognitive testing, and risk stratification during neurosurgical procedures received an inconclusive response (< 50%).

Conclusion The survey highlights the variable PAE practices perused by ISNACC members across the country. A guideline for uniform PAE practices may help to enhance research and improve perioperative care.
Aseptic Meningitis Due to Spontaneous Rupture of a Multicystic Craniopharyngioma with an Ommaya Catheter: A Case Report
Authors: Rangel Igor da Fonseca , Oliveira Ricardo C. , dos Santos Pablo V. B. , Rodrigues Renan S. , de Lima Carlos R. , Acioly Marcus A.
Published: August 2022

Craniopharyngiomas (CPs) are benign tumors that are believed to arise from embryonic remnants of the Rathke pouch epithelium. Herein, we report a case of aseptic meningitis due to spontaneous rupture of multicystic CP, which contained an Ommaya catheter. A 19-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital with a 4-day history of acute severe headache after strenuous physical exercise followed by altered sensorium, fever, and neck stiffness. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed marked pleocytosis and elevated protein levels. CSF culture was otherwise negative. Cyst reduction on subsequent imaging confirmed the diagnosis. The patient received intravenous steroid therapy and was discharged asymptomatic. This is a rare evolution of a multicystic CP, which was previously treated with intracystic therapy and had an Ommaya catheter. Clinicians should be aware of spontaneous CP rupture and look actively for the occurrence of cholesterol crystals or elevated CSF levels of cholesterol as well as prompt follow-up imaging.
Dysphonia as a Presenting Symptom of a Giant Left Atrial Sarcoma Developing within Five Years
Authors: Elbayomi Mohamed , Nooh Ehab , Weyand Michael , Agaimy Abbas , Harig Frank
Published: August 2022

An 83-year-old woman presented with a new onset of dyspnea and dysphonia. Physical examination revealed no abnormalities. Computerized tomography, bidimensional echocardiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance confirmed the presence of a cardiac mass in the left atrium. Surgical resection was uneventful and showed the origin of the mass in the ostium of the left inferior pulmonary vein. Histological evaluation revealed undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma with myxoid features. This case highlights the importance of considering cardiac neoplasms as a rare differential diagnosis, including rare and misleading clinical presentations.
The Current State of Targeted Muscle Reinnervation: A Systematic Review
Authors: Walsh Amanda R. , Lu Jocelyn , Rodriguez Esdras , Diamond Shawn , Sultan Steven M.
Published: August 2022

Background Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) is growing in popularity; however, literature evaluating patient characteristics and outcomes is limited.

Methods The EMBASE database was queried with the search terms “targeted muscle reinnervation” OR “TMR” AND “outcomes” OR “patient outcomes.” Clinical human studies in English were eligible for inclusion, yielding 89 articles. After rigorous exclusion criteria, a total of 13 articles were included in this review. Study data including geographic location, patient demographics, TMR indication, amputation level, number of nerve transfers performed, length of follow-up, and reported outcomes were extracted and analyzed.

Results The included articles represent 338 patients (341 limbs). Average patient age was 47.4 years. Indication for amputation included trauma (n = 125), infection (n = 76) cancer/tumor resection (n = 71), ischemia (n = 18), failed Charcot reconstruction (n = 15), failed hardware (n = 9), burn (n = 4), and CRPS (n = 4). Five studies included upper extremity TMR only, two included lower extremity TMR only, and six included both upper and lower extremity TMR. TMR was performed in an immediate or delayed fashion, with an average of 2.2 nerve transfers performed per limb overall. Average length of follow-up was 22.3 months. In three studies, patients with phantom limb pain undergoing delayed TMR were found to have significant or trending toward significant reduction in pain after TMR using numeric rating scale and patient-reported outcomes measurement information system scales. One article reported 9/10 patients with improved or complete resolution of phantom limb pain after delayed TMR. Three studies found that patients undergoing immediate TMR had lower pain scores compared with non-TMR controls.

Conclusion While there is evidence that TMR reduces neuroma-related pain and improves the quality of life for amputees, further outcomes studies are needed to study the patient experience with TMR on a larger scale. Establishing standardized, validated patient-reported outcomes assessment tools is critical to future investigation in this field.
Analyst target price and dividend forecasts and expected stock returns
Authors: Hao Jinji , Skinner Jonathon
Published: August 2022

This paper examines whether adding expected dividend yields implied by analyst dividend forecasts to expected capital gains implied by analyst target prices improves the portfolio strategy of buying stocks with the highest expected returns and selling stocks with the lowest expected returns. We find that the strategy based on the expected total returns performs only slightly better at the 1-month horizon because the short-term return predictability of the expected dividend yield is weak. We find that the strategy generates significant abnormal returns regardless of sorting the stocks universally or within industries, although sorting stocks within industries improves the performance.
A cross cultural comparison of brand love in consumer brand relationships: Is ‘transmissive brand love’ a potential platform for developing brand equity?
Authors: Luo Shanshan , Hamlin Robert
Published: August 2022

This article examines ‘brand love’ in a cross-cultural sample from New Zealand and China. Rather than interpersonal love, Howden’s model of spiritual love was applied in this research. Two groups of tertiary students, in New Zealand and China, were interviewed on their brand relationships using a semi-structured format and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The results showed that all four components of Howden’s model could be used to describe spiritual relationships, and that three were applicable to brand relationships. The Chinese and New Zealand samples were strongly differentiated on two of these components, which were consistent with individual love in the West and collective love in China. A new unified model of ‘transmissive’ brand love, where the brand acts as a conduit rather than a destination for human love, is developed from these results. This model addresses many of the theoretical issues that arise from brands not being properly responsive partners in ‘love’ relationships. The model is also jointly compatible with interpersonal love as expressed in Western societies, and collective love as expressed within Chinese culture. It therefore offers a significant contribution to our understanding of how brands can actively increase their equity as significant facilitators of human love relationships.
Introduction to the Special Issue: Policies for Inclusive Development in Africa
Authors: Dekker Marleen , Pouw Nicky
Published: August 2022

While there is increasing academic analysis and policy concern regarding growing inequality and the need for more inclusive development trajectories, it is equally important to advance our understanding of the pathways to attain more inclusive development in practice. This paper serves as the introduction to a special issue examining the empirical outcomes and processes of inclusive development policies in selected countries in Africa. The paper presents a policy implementation and assessment framework as a lens that connects the different case studies. The framework links general inclusive development strategies in employment, social protection and governance, to the participation and representation of the various stakeholders as well as the monetary and non-monetary transaction costs in accessing and/or implementing these programmes on the ground in different national and sub-national contexts. Based on the findings of the 9 case studies, the paper also advances policy directions and operational frameworks to attain more inclusive development in practice.
Consideration of climate change impacts will improve the efficiency of protected areas on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Authors: Lu Zijian , Wang Liangxu , Meng Nan , Dai Xuhuan , Zhu Jingyi , Yang Yanzheng , Li Ruonan , Ma Jinfeng , Zheng Hua
Published: August 2022

The protection of migratory birds and their habitats is important to the ecological stability of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Currently protected areas (PAs) were designed in accordance with species distribution patterns under current climatic conditions, thus ignoring climate change will lead to a decrease in the protection efficiency of PAs. In this study, using the flagship species
Grus nigricollis
, as an example, we used the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model to simulate the distributions and conservation status of
G. nigricollis
and optimized the existing PA boundaries . The results showed that (1) suitable habitat- for
G. nigricollis
accounts for 12.48% of the QTP area, and the PAs established under current climatic conditions cover 17.84% of this suitable habitat area; (2) future climate changes will influence the distribution and quality of
G. nigricollis
habitats, and the average protection efficiency of the current PAs in four climatic scenarios will decrease from 17.84% to 15.31%; and (3) through optimization, the efficiency of existing PAs can be increased by 0.75 times and reach 28.37%, indicating PA planning must consider not only current climate conditions but also the effects of climate changes. Our results aim to address shortcomings in the conservation efficiency of PAs and provide an example for resolving mismatched PA boundaries and habitat changes for species.
Augmenting neurogenesis rescues memory impairments in Alzheimer’s disease by restoring the memory-storing neurons
Authors: Mishra Rachana , Phan Trongha , Kumar Pavan , Morrissey Zachery , Gupta Muskan , Hollands Carolyn , Shetti Aashutosh , Lopez Kyra Lauren , Maienschein-Cline Mark , Suh Hoonkyo , Hen Rene , Lazarov Orly
Published: August 2022

Hippocampal neurogenesis is impaired in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients and familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD) mouse models. However, it is unknown whether new neurons play a causative role in memory deficits. Here, we show that immature neurons were actively recruited into the engram following a hippocampus-dependent task. However, their recruitment is severely deficient in FAD. Recruited immature neurons exhibited compromised spine density and altered transcript profile. Targeted augmentation of neurogenesis in FAD mice restored the number of new neurons in the engram, the dendritic spine density, and the transcription signature of both immature and mature neurons, ultimately leading to the rescue of memory. Chemogenetic inactivation of immature neurons following enhanced neurogenesis in AD, reversed mouse performance, and diminished memory. Notably, AD-linked App, ApoE, and Adam10 were of the top differentially expressed genes in the engram. Collectively, these observations suggest that defective neurogenesis contributes to memory failure in AD.
Evaluation of efficacy of Phyto-synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles in contributing drought resilience in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Authors: Singh Amardeep , Basnal Namita , Shukla Gyanika , Chaudhary Neha , Singh Swati , Gaurav Shailendra Singh
Published: August 2022

Wheat is the majorly cultivated staple crop worldwide. The world witnesses a great percentage of yield loss of wheat due to drought stress. The present study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of phytosynthesized iron oxide nanoparticles (FeONPs) in contributing to drought resilience in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under rain-fed conditions. FeONPs were biosynthesized by using leaf extract of Prosopis cineraria as a reducing and capping agent. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized to evaluate the structural and biochemical aspects. The FeONPs were found to be irregularly spherical in shape with a mean size of 42.6 nm. The concentration of nanoparticles in the sample was found to be 164.01 mg l−1. An experimental setup was laid out in a randomized-plot design with 3 replications for Rabi season 2020–2021. Five dosages of nanoparticles were prepared as 12.5, 25, 50, 75 and 100 ppm from the stock solution. The wheat crop varieties grown in the field were subjected to a total of 3 treatments; Nanopriming, foliar application of FeONPs at seedling development stage (20 DAS), and tillering stage (30 DAS). Plants that were not treated with NPs were considered as control. No irrigation regime was followed as the effect of NPs on the crop was to be assessed under rain-fed conditions only. Plant growth parameters were recorded. The obtained results revealed that the application of FeONPs positively affected all the morphological and yield attributes in the wheat crop. The highest concentrations used were found to be most effective and showed a significantly pronounced effect as compared to the control at p ≤ 0.05. The study concluded that the FeONPs can contribute to drought resilience in wheat.
Energy efficiency of pulse shaping in electrical stimulation: the interdependence of biophysical effects and circuit design losses
Authors: Varkevisser Francesc , Costa Tiago L , Serdijn Wouter A
Published: August 2022

Power efficiency in electrical stimulator circuits is crucial for developing large-scale multichannel applications like bidirectional brain-computer interfaces and neuroprosthetic devices. Many state-of-the-art papers have suggested that some non-rectangular pulse shapes are more energy-efficient for exciting neural excitation than the conventional rectangular shape. However, additional losses in the stimulator circuit, which arise from employing such pulses, were not considered. In this work, we analyze the total energy efficiency of a stimulation system featuring non-rectangular stimuli, taking into account the losses in the stimulator circuit. To this end, activation current thresholds for different pulse shapes and durations in cortical neurons are modeled, and the energy required to generate the pulses from a constant voltage supply is calculated. The proposed calculation reveals an energy increase of 14%–51% for non-rectangular pulses compared to the conventional rectangular stimuli, instead of the decrease claimed in previous literature. This result indicates that a rectangular stimulation pulse is more power-efficient than the tested alternative shapes in large-scale multichannel electrical stimulation systems.
Current lifestyles in the context of future climate targets: analysis of long-term scenarios and consumer segments for residential and transport
Authors: van den Berg Nicole J , Hof Andries F , Timmer Vanessa J , van Vuuren Detlef P
Published: August 2022

The carbon emissions of individuals strongly depend on their lifestyle, both between and within regions. Therefore, lifestyle changes could have a significant potential for climate change mitigation. This potential is not fully explored in long-term scenarios, as the representation of behaviour change and consumer heterogeneity in these scenarios is limited. We explore the impact and feasibility of lifestyle and behaviour changes in achieving climate targets by analysing current per-capita emissions of transport and residential sectors for different regions and consumer segments within one of the regions, namely Japan. We compare these static snapshots to changes in per-capita emissions from consumption and technology changes in long-term mitigation scenarios. The analysis shows less need for reliance on technological solutions if consumption patterns become more sustainable. Furthermore, a large share of Japanese consumers is characterised by consumption patterns consistent with those in scenarios that achieve ambitious climate targets, especially regarding transport. The varied lifestyles highlight the importance of representing consumer heterogeneity in models and further analyses.
Insights into the stability of engineered mini-proteins from their dynamic electronic properties
Authors: Steeves Adam H , Kulik Heather J
Published: August 2022

An understanding of protein stability requires capturing dynamic rearrangements and coupled properties over long lengthscales. Nevertheless, the extent of coupling in these systems has typically only been studied for classical degrees of freedom. To understand the potential benefit of extending such analysis to the coupling of electronic structure properties, we have carried out extensive semi-empirical quantum mechanical molecular dynamics of two Trp-cage variants. Small differences in the sequence of the two peptides lead to differences in their thermal stability that are revealed through electronic structure coupling analysis. In comparison, we find limited evidence that geometric coupling can distinguish the behavior of the two peptides. We show that Asp1 in the more stable variant shows significantly enhanced coupling to both sequence-adjacent and more sequence-distant residues. Non-nearest-neighbor couplings are stronger in the more stable variant, indicating a network of residues that help stabilize the protein. Our study highlights the complementary benefit of charge coupling analysis to interpret protein structure-function relationships.
Can plants integrate information on above-ground competition in their directional responses below ground?
Authors: Gottlieb Ruth , Gruntman Michal
Published: August 2022

Background and Aims

Light competition can induce varying above-ground responses in plants. However, very little is known regarding the effect of above-ground light competition cues on plant responses below ground. Here we asked whether light competition cues that indicate the occurrence and direction of neighbours above ground might affect directional root placemat.

Methods

In a common-garden experiment, we examined the integrated responses of the annual procumbent plant Portulaca oleracea to light competition cues and soil nutrient distribution. Soil nutrients were distributed either uniformly or in patches, and light competition was simulated using a transparent green filter, which was spatially located either in the same or opposite direction of the soil nutrient patch.

Key Results

As predicted, root proliferation of P. oleracea increased in the direction of the enriched soil patches but was homogenously distributed under the uniform nutrient distribution. Interestingly, root distribution was also affected by the light competition cue and increased in its direction regardless of the location of the soil patches.

Conclusions

Our results provide initial support to the idea that below-ground plant responses to competition might also be regulated by above-ground neighbour cues, highlighting the need to further investigate the combined effects of both above- and below-ground competition cues on root behaviour.
Phosphorus uptake and toxicity are delimited by mycorrhizal symbiosis in P-sensitive Eucalyptus marginata but not in P-tolerant Acacia celastrifolia
Authors: Tibbett Mark , Daws Matthew I , Ryan Megan H
Published: August 2022

Many plant species from regions with ancient, highly weathered nutrient-depleted soils have specialized adaptations for acquiring phosphorus (P) and are sensitive to excess P supply. Mycorrhizal associations may regulate P uptake at high external P concentrations, potentially reducing P toxicity. We predicted that excess P application will negatively impact species from the nutrient-depleted Jarrah forest of Western Australia and that mycorrhizal inoculation will reduce P toxicity by regulating P uptake. For seedlings of the N2-fixing legume Acacia celastrifolia and the tree species Eucalyptus marginata, we measured growth at P concentrations of 0–90 mg kg−1 soil and in relation to inoculation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Rhizophagus irregularis. Non-inoculated A. celastrifolia maintained leaf P concentrations at <2 mg g−1 dry mass (DM) across the range of external P concentrations. However, for non-inoculated E. marginata, as external P concentrations increased, leaf P also increased, reaching >9 mg g−1 DM at 30 mg P kg−1 soil. Acacia celastrifolia DM increased with increasing external P concentrations, while E. marginata DM was maximal at 15 mg P kg−1 soil, declining at higher external P concentrations. Neither DM nor leaf P of A. celastrifolia was affected by inoculation with AMF. For E. marginata, even at 90 mg P kg−1 soil, inoculation with AMF resulted in leaf P remaining <1 mg g−1 DM, and DM being maintained. These data strengthen the evidence base that AMF may not only facilitate P uptake at low external P concentrations, but are also important for moderating P uptake at elevated external P concentrations and maintaining plant P concentrations within a relatively narrow concentration range.
Test–Retest Reliability of a Computerized Neurocognitive Battery in School-Age Children with HIV in Botswana
Authors: Tsima Billy M , Lowenthal Elizabeth D , Van Pelt Amelia E , Moore Tyler M , Matshaba Mogomotsi , Gur Ruben C , Tshume Ontibile , Thuto Boitumelo , Scott J Cobb
Published: August 2022

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is prevalent among children and adolescents in Botswana, but standardized neurocognitive testing is limited. The Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery (PennCNB) attempts to streamline evaluation of neurocognitive functioning and has been culturally adapted for use among youth in this high-burden, low-resource setting. However, its reliability across measurements (i.e., test–retest reliability) is unknown. This study examined the test–retest reliability of the culturally adapted PennCNB in 65 school-age children (age 7–17) living with HIV in Botswana. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for PennCNB summary scores (ICCs > 0.80) and domain scores (ICCs = 0.66–0.88) were higher than those for individual tests, which exhibited more variability (ICCs = 0.50–0.82), with the lowest reliability on memory tests. Practice effects were apparent on some measures, especially within memory and complex cognition domains. Taken together, the adapted PennCNB exhibited adequate test–retest reliability at the domain level but variable reliability for individual tests. Differences in reliability should be considered in implementation of these tests.
CD30 Regulation of IL-13–STAT6 Pathway in Breast Implant–Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Kadin Marshall E , Morgan John , Wei Wei , Song Zhihui , Yang Yibin
Published: August 2022

Background

Breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is a rare, usually indolent CD30+ T-cell lymphoma with tumor cells, often surrounded by eosinophils, expressing IL-13 and pSTAT6.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to understand the unique tumor pathology and growth regulation of BIA-ALCL, leading to potential targeted therapies.

Methods

We silenced CD30 and analyzed its effect on IL-13 signaling and tumor cell viability. IL-13 signaling receptors of BIA-ALCL cell lines were evaluated by flow cytometry and pSTAT6 detected by immunohistochemistry. CD30 was deleted by CRISPR/Cas9 editing. Effects of CD30 deletion on transcription of IL-13 and IL-4, and phosphorylation of STAT6 were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. The effect of CD30 deletion on p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation was determined. Suppression of IL-13 transcription by a p38 MAPK inhibitor was tested. Tumor cell viability following CD30 deletion and treatment with a pSTAT6 inhibitor were measured in cytotoxicity assays.

Results

BIA-ALCL lines TLBR1 and TLBR2 displayed signaling receptors IL-4Rα, IL-13Rα1 and downstream pSTAT6. Deletion of CD30 by CRISPR/Cas9 editing significantly decreased transcription of IL-13, less so Th2 cytokine IL-4, and phosphorylation of STAT6. Mechanistically, we found CD30 expression is required for p38 MAPK phosphorylation and activation, and IL-13–STAT6 signaling was reduced by an inhibitor of p38 MAPK in BIA-ALCL tumor cells. Tumor cell viability was decreased by silencing of CD30, and a specific inhibitor of STAT6, indicating STAT6 inhibition is cytotoxic to BIA-ALCL tumor cells.

Conclusions

These findings suggest reagents targeting the IL-13 pathway, pSTAT6 and p38 MAPK, may become useful for treating BIA-ALCL patients.
SPRoBERTa: protein embedding learning with local fragment modeling
Authors: Wu Lijun , Yin Chengcan , Zhu Jinhua , Wu Zhen , He Liang , Xia Yingce , Xie Shufang , Qin Tao , Liu Tie-Yan
Published: August 2022

Well understanding protein function and structure in computational biology helps in the understanding of human beings. To face the limited proteins that are annotated structurally and functionally, the scientific community embraces the self-supervised pre-training methods from large amounts of unlabeled protein sequences for protein embedding learning. However, the protein is usually represented by individual amino acids with limited vocabulary size (e.g. 20 type proteins), without considering the strong local semantics existing in protein sequences. In this work, we propose a novel pre-training modeling approach SPRoBERTa. We first present an unsupervised protein tokenizer to learn protein representations with local fragment pattern. Then, a novel framework for deep pre-training model is introduced to learn protein embeddings. After pre-training, our method can be easily fine-tuned for different protein tasks, including amino acid-level prediction task (e.g. secondary structure prediction), amino acid pair-level prediction task (e.g. contact prediction) and also protein-level prediction task (remote homology prediction, protein function prediction). Experiments show that our approach achieves significant improvements in all tasks and outperforms the previous methods. We also provide detailed ablation studies and analysis for our protein tokenizer and training framework.