bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical utility of family history of depression for prognosis of adolescent depression severity and duration assessed with predictive modeling
Authors: Gorham Lisa S. , Sadeghi Neda , Eisner Lillian , Taigman Jeremy , Haynes Katherine , Qi Karen , Camp Christopher C. , Fors Payton , Rodriguez Diana , McGuire Jerry , Garth Erin , Engel Chana , Davis Mollie , Towbin Kenneth , Stringaris Argyris , Nielson Dylan M.
Published: November 2021

Background

Family history of depression (FHD) is a known risk factor for the new onset of depression. However, it is unclear if FHD is clinically useful for prognosis in adolescents with current, ongoing, or past depression. This preregistered study uses a longitudinal, multi‐informant design to examine whether a child’s FHD adds information about future depressive episodes and depression severity applying state‐of‐the‐art predictive out‐of‐sample methodology.

Methods

We examined data in adolescents with current or past depression (age 11–17 years) from the National Institute of Mental Health Characterization and Treatment of Adolescent Depression (CAT‐D) study. We asked whether a history of depression in a first‐degree relative was predictive of depressive episode duration (72 participants) and future depressive symptom severity in probands (129 participants, 1,439 total assessments).

Results

Family history of depression, while statistically associated with time spent depressed, did not improve predictions of time spent depressed, nor did it improve models of change in depression severity measured by self‐ or parent‐report.

Conclusions

Family history of depression does not improve the prediction of the course of depression in adolescents already diagnosed with depression. The difference between statistical association and predictive models highlights the importance of assessing predictive performance when evaluating questions of clinical utility.
Modeling of process parameters to predict the efficiency of shallots stem cutting machine using multiple regression and artificial neural network
Authors: Tito Anand Mariya Anthony , Anandakumar Sugumar , Pare Akash , Chandrasekar Veerapandian , Venkatachalapathy Natarajan
Published: December 2021

The shallot stem cutting machine process parameters were optimized and analyzed to develop predictive models for predicting the efficiency of the machine for scale up process. The efficiency of the machine was above 90%. Influence of peripheral speed of the rollers and inclination angle of the rollers on efficiency was determined and models were developed using multiple linear regression and artificial neural network (ANN) models. The coefficients of multiple linear models were estimated and the equations were constructed. A two‐layer neural network consists of eight neurons in hidden layer and one neuron in the output layer was established. The models were validated and their performance was assessed using statistical parameters like R2, adjusted R2, and root mean square error values. R values of ANN model's training, testing, and validation were .998, .990, .998, and .996, respectively. R2 values of multiple linear regression analysis ranged from .618 to .722 and .992 for ANN model. The developed models have minimum mean square error of 0.47, 0.13, 0.59, 0.58, and 0.77 for multiple regression models and 0.208 for ANN model. The degree of fitting between estimated and predicted values was described using bias factor ranged from 0.99 to 1.02. The comparison plots of actual efficiency versus predicted efficiency showed that the machine efficiency predicted by ANN model was in good agreement with actual efficiency. Hence, the results concluded that the ANN model is more suitable for predict the efficiency of shallot's stem cutting machine.

Practical Applications

Processing of onion at industrial scale is very essential to ease the process of preparation of dishes at household. The shallot onion stem cutting is part of the unit operation involved in onion processing. A stem cutting machine was designed, developed, and process parameters were optimized. Mathematical model was developed to predict the efficiency using multiple linear regression and artificial neural network. The models will be used for developing automatic industrial scale machine.
Cell type specificity of glucocorticoid signaling in the adult mouse hippocampus
Authors: Viho Eva M. G. , Buurstede Jacobus C. , Berkhout Jari B. , Mahfouz Ahmed , Meijer Onno C.
Published: November 2021

Glucocorticoid stress hormones are powerful modulators of brain function and can affect mood and cognitive processes. The hippocampus is a prominent glucocorticoid target and expresses both the glucocorticoid receptor (GR: Nr3c1) and the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR: Nr3c2). These nuclear steroid receptors act as ligand‐dependent transcription factors. Transcriptional effects of glucocorticoids have often been deduced from bulk mRNA measurements or spatially informed individual gene expression. However, only sparse data exists allowing insights on glucocorticoid‐driven gene transcription at the cell type level. Here, we used publicly available single‐cell RNA sequencing data to assess the cell‐type specificity of GR and MR signaling in the adult mouse hippocampus. The data confirmed that Nr3c1 and Nr3c2 expression differs across neuronal and non‐neuronal cell populations. We analyzed co‐expression with sex hormones receptors, transcriptional coregulators, and receptors for neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. Our results provide insights in the cellular basis of previous bulk mRNA results and allow the formulation of more defined hypotheses on the effects of glucocorticoids on hippocampal function.
Even more oak species in Mexico? Genetic structure and morphological differentiation support the presence of at least two specific entities within Quercus laeta
Authors: Morales‐Saldaña Saddan , Valencia‐Ávalos Susana , Oyama Ken , Tovar‐Sánchez Efraín , Hipp Andrew L. , González‐Rodríguez Antonio
Published: November 2021

Differentiation among populations, sometimes despite ongoing gene exchange, is a key step in speciation. Therefore, comparison of intra‐ and interspecific differentiation patterns is of great significance to understanding speciation. The genus Quercus is an interesting system to test speciation models in the presence of gene flow, due to its weak interspecific reproductive barriers. The aim of the present study was to characterize the degree and pattern of morphological and genetic differentiation among different morphotypes in the white oak Quercus laeta, some corresponding to the previously described species Quercus centralis, Q. laeta, Quercus prinopsis, and Quercus transmontana, as well as geographically structured variation within Q. transmontana not described previously. Our goal was to evaluate if some of these can be considered distinct specific entities or are rather part of a continuum of variation. Nine microsatellite loci and two intergenic regions of chloroplast DNA were analyzed. Morphological differences were evaluated using geometric morphometrics. Chloroplast DNA showed low differentiation, suggesting introgression or sharing of ancestral haplotypes among the Q. laeta morphotypes. Nuclear microsatellites indicated differentiation into two distinct main genetic groups, which were congruent with morphological differentiation. In conclusion, nuclear markers and morphological variations suggest the existence of at least two different entities within Q. laeta.
Infant feeding, growth monitoring and the double burden of malnutrition among children aged 6 months and their mothers in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa
Authors: Kaldenbach Siri , Engebretsen Ingunn M. S. , Haskins Lyn , Conolly Catherine , Horwood Christiane
Published: November 2021

South Africa has a documented high prevalence of stunting and increasing obesity in children as well as obesity in adults. The double burden of malnutrition, which can be on an individual‐, household‐ or population level, has implications for both health and the economic development of a community and country. This paper describes a large‐scale survey (N = 774) of infant feeding, growth monitoring and anthropometry among mother and child pairs aged 6 months of age in KwaZulu‐Natal (KZN), South Africa, conducted between January and August 2017. Among children, a large increase in the prevalence of stunting and obesity was seen between birth and 6 months of age increasing from 9.3% to 21.7% and 4.0% to 21.0%, respectively. 32.1% of the mothers were overweight [body mass index (BMI): 25.0–29.9] and 28.4% had obesity grade 1 (BMI: 30–<40). Although most mothers (93%; 563/605) initiated breastfeeding, the introduction of other foods started early with 17.6% (56/319) of the mothers having started giving other fluids or food to their child within the first month. At 6 months 70.6% (427/605) children were still breastfed and 23.5% were exclusively breastfed. In addition, we found that length measurements were done less frequently than weight measurements between birth and 6 months, on average 2.2 (SD: 1.3) versus 5.8 (SD: 1.5) times. Moreover, there is a need for improvement of health worker training and understanding regarding anthropometric measurements when assessing malnutrition in children in the clinics. Early detection and improved infant feeding practices are key in preventing both stunting and obesity in children.
Segregation with social linkages: Evaluating Schelling’s model with networked individuals
Authors: Cerqueti Roy , De Benedictis Luca , Leone Sciabolazza Valerio
Published: November 2021

This paper generalizes the original Schelling model of racial and residential segregation to a context of variable externalities due to social linkages. In a setting in which individuals’ utility function is a convex combination of a heuristic function à la Schelling, of the distance to friends, and of the cost of moving, the prediction of the original model gets attenuated: the segregation equilibria are not the unique solutions. While the cost of distance has a monotonic pro‐status‐quo effect, equivalent to that of models of migration and gravity models, if friends and neighbors are formed following independent processes, the location of friends in space generates an externality that reinforces the initial configuration if the distance to friends is minimal, and if the number of friends is high. The effect on segregation equilibria crucially depends on the role played by network externalities.
Molecular identification of Rickettsia spp. in chigger mites in Taiwan
Authors: Kuo Chi‐Chien , Lee Pei‐Lung , Wang Hsi‐Chieh
Published: November 2021

The genus Rickettsia is the causative agent of several rickettsial diseases that are primarily transmitted by hard ticks. The occurrence of Rickettsia in chigger mites, which are vectors of scrub typhus in the western Pacific region, has been infrequently investigated. We identified Rickettsia spp. in chiggers collected from small mammals in six counties of Taiwan. Moreover, by capitalising on parallel Rickettsia detections on small mammals and their infested ticks and fleas, we were able to identify Rickettsia spp. that suggested more intimate associations with chigger mites. Rickettsia detection rates in 318 pools of chiggers were 21.7% and 22.3% when based on the ompB and gltA gene, respectively. Overall, we identified six (based on the ompB gene) and eight (gltA gene) Rickettsia species. Approximately half of the sequenced species were most similar to Rickettsia sp. clone MB74‐1 (ompB gene) and Rickettsia sp. TwKM02 (gltA gene). Furthermore, both species were either infrequently or never identified in small mammals, ticks and fleas, which suggests that chigger mites might be the primary host of both rickettsiae. Whether both species are pathogenic to humans remains to be studied. They may also be microbial endosymbionts of chigger mites, with their potential effects on the pathogenicity of the aetiologic agent of scrub typhus deserving further investigations.
Attributable mortality of candidemia at a German tertiary hospital from 1997 to 2001 before the introduction of echinocandins
Authors: Blankenheim Yael , Salmanton‐García Jon , Seifert Harald , Cornely Oliver A. , Koehler Philipp
Published: November 2021

Objectives

The relevance of candidemia has increased over the last decades due to higher incidence rates in an ageing society. Studies on amphotericin B and fluconazole have shown high attributable mortality rates of 38% and 49% in the United States. Incidence rates and locational factors might have an impact on the mortality rates at the University Hospital of Cologne (UHC), Germany.

Methods

We performed a matched case‐control study including 57 patients with candidemia, hospitalised at the UHC between 1 July 1997 and 30 June 2001. Controls were matched by age, sex, admission date, treatment on intensive care unit (ICU), number of days at risk, underlying diseases, surgical procedures and the Charlson Comorbidity Index.

Results

The incidence of candidemia was 3.5 per 10 000 admissions. For cases and controls, we observed in‐hospital‐mortality rates of 33.3% and 11.8%, and a 30‐day mortality of 23.5% and 7.8% respectively. The attributable mortality rate to candidemia was 21.5%, and at 30 days, it was 15.7%. Underlying conditions were more frequent in cases than in controls, especially central venous catheter (80% vs 33%, P < .001), chronic cardiovascular disease (39.2% vs 25.5%, P = .138), treatment on ICU (31.4% vs 13.7%, P = .033) and chronic liver disease (21.6% vs 0%, P < .001).

Conclusions

The attributable mortality of candidemia at the UHC between 1997 and 2001 was lower compared to studies performed in the United States with a similar design. Contributing factors might be lower incidence rates and less comorbidities in our study.
Automated immunofluorescence analysis for sensitive and precise dystrophin quantification in muscle biopsies
Authors: Vetter Tatyana A. , Nicolau Stefan , Bradley Adrienne J. , Frair Emma C. , Flanigan Kevin M.
Published: November 2021

Aims

Dystrophin, the protein product of the DMD gene, plays a critical role in muscle integrity by stabilising the sarcolemma during contraction and relaxation. The DMD gene is vulnerable to a variety of mutations that may cause complete loss, depletion or truncation of the protein, leading to Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies. Precise and reproducible dystrophin quantification is essential in characterising DMD mutations and evaluating the outcome of efforts to induce dystrophin through gene therapies. Immunofluorescence microscopy offers high sensitivity to low levels of protein expression along with confirmation of localisation, making it a critical component of quantitative dystrophin expression assays.

Methods

We have developed an automated and unbiased approach for precise quantification of dystrophin immunofluorescence in muscle sections. This methodology uses microscope images of whole‐tissue sections stained for dystrophin and spectrin to measure dystrophin intensity and the proportion of dystrophin‐positive coverage at the sarcolemma of each muscle fibre. To ensure objectivity, the thresholds for dystrophin and spectrin are derived empirically from non‐sarcolemmal signal intensity within each tissue section. Furthermore, this approach is readily adaptable for measuring fibre morphology and other tissue markers.

Results

Our method demonstrates the sensitivity and reproducibility of this quantification approach across a wide range of dystrophin expression in both dystrophinopathy patient and healthy control samples, with high inter‐operator concordance.

Conclusion

As efforts to restore dystrophin expression in dystrophic muscle bring new potential therapies into clinical trials, this methodology represents a valuable tool for efficient and precise analysis of dystrophin and other muscle markers that reflect treatment efficacy.
Costs and benefits of masting: economies of scale are not reduced by negative density‐dependence in seedling survival in Sorbus aucuparia
Authors: Seget Barbara , Bogdziewicz Michał , Holeksa Jan , Ledwoń Mateusz , Milne‐Rostkowska Fiona , Piechnik Łukasz , Rzepczak Alicja , Żywiec Magdalena
Published: November 2021

Masting is a widespread reproductive strategy in plants that helps to reduce seed predation and increase pollination. However, masting can involve costs, notably negative density‐dependent (NDD) seedling survival caused by concentrating reproduction in intermittent events. Masting benefits have received widespread attention, but the costs are understudied, which precludes understanding why some plant species have evolved intense masting, while others reproduce regularly.

We followed seed production, seed predation (both 13 yr), and seedling recruitment and survival (11 yr) in Sorbus aucuparia. We tested whether NDD in seedling survival after mast years can reduce the benefits of pulsed reproduction that come through predator satiation.

Seed predation rates were extreme in our population (mean = 75%), but were reduced by masting. The commonly accepted, but untested, assertion that pulsed recruitment is associated with strong NDD was unsupported. Consequently, the proportion of seedlings that survived their first year increased with fruit production. This provides a rare test of economies of scale beyond the seed stage.

Our results provide estimation of the costs of mast seeding, and indicate that these may be lower than expected. Low masting costs, if common, may help explain why masting is such a widespread reproductive strategy throughout the plant kingdom.
Household‐level consumption data can be redistributed for individual‐level Optifood diet modeling: analysis from four countries
Authors: Knight Frances , Woldt Monica , Sethuraman Kavita , Bergeron Gilles , Ferguson Elaine
Published: December 2021

A barrier to using Optifood linear programming (LP), which identifies nutrient gaps and supports population‐specific food‐based recommendation (FBR) development, is the requirement for dietary intake data. We investigated whether Household Consumption and Expenditure Surveys (HCESs) could be used instead of individual‐level 24‐h recalls (24HRs). The 24HR data from 12‐ to 23‐month‐old breastfeeding children in rural Kenya, Uganda, Guatemala, and Bangladesh were paired with HCES food consumption data from similar areas (n = 8) and time periods. HCES food intakes (g/week) were estimated using adult male equivalents, adjusted for breastfeeding. Paired HCES‐ and 24HR‐defined LP inputs and outputs were compared using percentage agreement. Mean overall percentage agreements were 42%, 63%, and 80%, for food, food subgroup, and food‐group model parameters, respectively. HCES food lists were on average 1.3 times longer than 24HR. Similar nutrient gaps (77–100% agreement), food sources of nutrients (71–100% agreement), and FBRs (80–100% agreement) were identified. The results suggest that HCES data can be used in Optifood analyses for 12‐ to 23‐month‐old children, despite recognized challenges of using it to estimate dietary intakes of young children compared with older age groups. Further analyses, however, are required for different age groups and locations to confirm expectations that it would perform equally well.
Fetal programming of human energy homeostasis brain networks: Issues and considerations
Authors: Rasmussen Jerod M. , Thompson Paul M. , Entringer Sonja , Buss Claudia , Wadhwa Pathik D.
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we present a transdisciplinary framework and testable hypotheses regarding the process of fetal programming of energy homeostasis brain circuitry. Our model proposes that key aspects of energy homeostasis brain circuitry already are functional by the time of birth (with substantial interindividual variation); that this phenotypic variation at birth is an important determinant of subsequent susceptibility for energy imbalance and childhood obesity risk; and that this brain circuitry exhibits developmental plasticity, in that it is influenced by conditions during intrauterine life, particularly maternal–placental–fetal endocrine, immune/inflammatory, and metabolic processes and their upstream determinants. We review evidence that supports the scientific premise for each element of this formulation, identify future research directions, particularly recent advances that may facilitate a better quantification of the ontogeny of energy homeostasis brain networks, highlight animal and in vitro‐based approaches that may better address the determinants of interindividual variation in energy homeostasis brain networks, and discuss the implications of this formulation for the development of strategies targeted towards the primary prevention of childhood obesity.
The neural habituation to hedonic and eudaimonic rewards: Evidence from reward positivity
Authors: Luo Yangmei , Zhang Xi , Jiang Hongda , Chen Xuhai
Published: November 2021

Rewards play an important role in people’s well‐being. However, the mechanisms underlying neural habituation to hedonic rewards (attainment of pleasure) and eudaimonic rewards (attainment of meaning and self‐realization) and their implications for longitudinal changes in well‐being remain unknown. By operationalizing hedonic rewards as “winning money for oneself” and eudaimonic rewards as “winning money for a charity”, 78 participants (41 women, aged from 17 to 24 years) completed a revised monetary gambling task during event‐related potential (ERP) recording. Subsequently, the participants’ well‐being was measured after one year. The results showed that the reward positivity (RewP) effect readily decreased as the hedonic rewards were repeated, whereas the RewP effect in response to eudaimonic rewards was relatively sustained over time. Moreover, the declining RewP effect for repeated eudaimonic rewards was marginally positively associated with longitudinal decreases in well‐being. These findings demonstrate at the neural level that sensitivity to repeated hedonic rewards is more prone to decrease than sensitivity to repeated eudaimonic rewards, and sustained eudaimonic reward sensitivity in the short term has greater implications for changes in well‐being in the long term.
Delay in puberty is dependent on heat shock protein B1 expression in native cross layers of Punjab under heat stress
Authors: Sharma Astha , Kumar B. V. Sunil , Dubey Prem Prakash , Kashyap Neeraj
Published: November 2021

Small heat shock protein B1 (HspB1) has been reported to play an essential role in thermotolerance. This study aimed to determine a correlation (if any) between HspB1 expression and age at first egg lay (puberty) in a native cross‐layer poultry of Punjab under heat stress. Forty native cross‐layer birds were reared in two different seasons, viz. summer (THI was more than 27), classified as the heat‐stressed group (n = 20) and winter season (THI was less than 21), classified as the control group (n = 20). Blood was collected from both the groups of birds in their 15th week of age and at puberty. Serum catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, reduced glutathione and corticosterone concentration and lipid peroxidation were measured to assess the oxidative stress in both the groups of birds. The serum antioxidants significantly decreased whilst corticosterone levels and lipid peroxidation significantly elevated in birds in response to summer heat stress. Moreover, in summer season, the activities of the antioxidant enzymes further decreased and lipid peroxidation further increased significantly in birds from their pre‐pubertal stage to puberty, which was not observed during the winter season. A clone of chicken HspB1 in BL21 (DE3) cells was revived, and recombinant HspB1 was purified using Ni‐NTA agarose column. Serum HspB1 concentration was estimated in different groups of birds by indirect ELISA that has been standardized using the recombinant chicken HspB1. Compared to the control, birds under heat stress had significantly higher serum HspB1 levels. The delay in puberty of all the heat‐stressed birds was significantly associated with the increase in their serum HspB1 levels. Taken together, the expression of HspB1 was found to be associated with age at puberty in the native cross poultry layers of Punjab.
Xper computed tomography‐guided translumbar inferior vena cava catheterization for long‐term hemodialysis: A case report and literature review
Authors: Bo Xiying , Liu Yawei , Liao Huaqiang , Bian Rongrong , Mei Changlin , Yu Shengqiang , Dong Weihua , Mao Zhiguo , Ye Chaoyang , Dai Bing
Published: November 2021

Hemodialysis is the most widely used renal replacement therapy for end‐stage renal disease patients. Exhausted vascular access due to repeated indwelling central venous catheters is becoming a challenging clinical problem, which also contributes to reduced survival of the hemodialysis patients. Lack of conventional peripheral and central venous access mandates the use of alternative strategies. We present a case of translumbar dialysis catheter (TLDC) for long‐term hemodialysis in a patient with central venous occlusion refractory to conventional endovascular techniques. After a careful literature review, totally 10 cohort studies including 216 cases through TLDC were reported. The incidence of procedure‐related complications was very low. The catheter‐related infection rate of TLDC was comparable with overall tunneled cuffed catheters (TCCs) reported by clinical practice guidelines for vascular access. Although the patency might be relatively low due to the catheter‐related complications, TLDC could be rescued by multiple systemic and topical medications and interventional therapies. Percutaneous translumbar placement of a cuffed tunneled hemodialysis catheter directly into the inferior vena cava (IVC) can provide a relatively safe salvage when traditional central venous sites such as the internal jugular, femoral, subclavian veins are unavailable. Xper computed tomography together with real‐time fluoroscopic guidance can reduce the intraoperative risks and complications.
Academic development and disparities in linguistically diverse middle school classrooms: The role of social network equality and linguistic integration
Authors: Molloy Elreda Lauren , Kibler Amanda K. , Johnson Haley E. , Williams Joanna Lee
Published: December 2021

As evidence mounts of persistent disparities in academic outcomes by English learner (“EL”) classification status, it is critical that we better understand how to create more equitable classroom learning environments. The present study investigates the role of classroom peer academic collaboration networks within linguistically diverse, “English‐medium” middle school classrooms. Across 29 classrooms, 491 early adolescents (including 158 EL students) identified whom they “usually work with” in class; from these data, we operationalized two characteristics of each classroom's peer network: social network equality (the extent to which academic collaboration ties were equally distributed) and linguistic integration (the extent to which cross‐group ties between ELs and non‐ELs were as common as same‐group ties). In multilevel models, we tested across‐year mean and fall‐to‐spring change in each of these network characteristics as predictors of relative across‐year growth in EL students’ assessed oral language proficiency, and in all students’ academic outcomes, including teacher‐rated class participation and content understanding, and standardized test scores in the content area of the observed class. We additionally tested whether EL status moderated associations between classroom network characteristics and academic outcomes. Findings suggest benefits of positive across‐year change in social network equality and linguistic integration for all students’ academic development in class. In addition, classroom network characteristics may help to reduce disparities: mean social network equality was more positively associated with relative growth in content understanding and standardized test scores for ELs than for non‐ELs, and change in linguistic integration positively predicted oral language development among EL students.
Polarized social distancing: Residents of Republican‐majority counties spend more time away from home during the COVID‐19 crisis
Authors: Roberts Damon C. , Utych Stephen M.
Published: November 2021

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic has presented unique challenges across the world in getting citizens to change their behaviors in response to a public health crisis. In the United States, it appears that partisan differences in willingness to comply with these measures have emerged: Democrats are typically more supportive than Republicans in their stated support of and willingness to comply with these measures. However, actual behaviors are notoriously hard to accurately capture with survey items.

Objective

To determine the extent to which county‐level partisanship influences average willingness to stay at home, and how these effects are moderated by county level characteristics.

Methods

We use personal device (cell phone) data provided by SafeGraph, aggregated at the county‐level, to determine how county‐level partisanship is correlated with willigness to stay at home. We additionally test whether these effects are conditional upon the prevalence of COVID‐19 in the county, and the percentage of the county under 30 years old.

Results

We find that county‐level partisanship predicts aggregate level compliance with social distancing behavior—citizens of counties that are more Republican spend more time away from home than Democratic counties. We find that the number of COVID‐19 cases in the county and the percentage of the county under the age of 30 moderate these effects.

Conclusion

Partisanship appears to be a powerful predictor, at the county‐level, of willigness to follow stay at home orders in the early stages of the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Clinical evidence for elevated levels of caveolin‐1 in circulation of patients with diabetic foot ulcers
Authors: Sheng Qizhi , Li Guanglei , Liu Huimin , Liu Ping
Published: November 2021

Caveolin‐1 directly interacts vascular endothelial growth factor receptor‐2 (VEGFR2) and therefore prevents VEGF‐induced angiogenesis. In addition, the production of nitric oxide (NO), which is effective in reducing ischemia in diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), is suppressed by caveolin‐1 in endothelial cells. The present study was designed to investigate the change of caveolin‐1 concentrations in DFU patients. A total of 150 participants were consecutively enrolled, including 40 DFU patients (DFU group), 40 diabetes patients without DFU (type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM] group), and 70 participants without diabetes (control group). Significant increased levels of plasma caveolin‐1, accompanied with decreased concentration of plasma VEGF‐A (vascular endothelial growth factor‐A) and NO, were detected in DFU patients. Moreover, Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation between plasma caveolin‐1 and VEGF‐A as well as NO levels in DFU patients. Furthermore, DFU patients had higher expression of caveolin‐1 in the popliteal artery, compared to those in control and T2DM groups. Simultaneously, the amounts of eNOS (an enzyme responsible for the production of NO) and VEGFR2 were attenuated in the popliteal artery of DFU patients. Taken together, our study provided clinical evidence for the possible association of elevated caveolin‐1 levels and the development of DFU. This may be induced by the suppressed VEGF‐A/VEGFR2 and eNOS/NO signalling axis.
CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE SYNTHESIS FROM TREATED OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCH USING IONIC LIQUID AND HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
Authors: Mohammad Zainol Muzakkir , Ab Rasid Nurul Suhada , Asmadi Mohd , Saidina Amin Nor Aishah
Published: November 2021

The synthesis of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) generally uses isolated crude cellulose with alkaline or acid pretreatment followed by bleaching with sodium chlorite. In this study, the simple [BMIM][Cl] ionic liquid was used as a solvent in the pretreatment process before conduct the bleaching process with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to isolate cellulose from empty fruit bunch (EFB) for further synthesis of CMC. The isolated crude EFB cellulose obtained was converted to CMC by adding 30 wt.% NaOH and various concentrations of sodium monochloroacetic acid (SMCA) at 55 °C for 3 h. The effects of SMCA concentration on the degree of substitution (DS) and CMC yield were investigated. The physicochemical properties of the CMC products were characterized using proton nuclear magnetic resonance, scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. Based on the results, CMC was demonstrated to be synthesized using ionic liquid pretreatment with H2O2 bleaching. Carboxymethyl cellulose synthesized in this study showed a high DS of 0.82. The CMC synthesized from EFB cellulose through ionic liquid pretreatment presented good chemical and physical properties as that reported in other studies.
Epitaxial growth by atomic layer deposition and properties of high-k barium strontium titanate on Zintl-templated Ge (001) substrates
Authors: Le Thanh Tung , Lam Chon Hei , Posadas Agham B. , Demkov Alexander A. , Ekerdt John G.
Published: November 2021

This work reports the atomic layer deposition (ALD) and epitaxial growth of 10–12 nm BaxSr1−xTiO3 (x ∼ 0.5) thin films on Zintl-templated Ge (001) substrates, formed with 0.5 monolayers of Ba. The best thin films were grown using two steps. An amorphous 2–3 nm layer was deposited at 225 °C and then was converted to a crystalline film by annealing for 15 min at 650 °C under vacuum to generate the seed layer that had an abrupt interface with the Ge (001) substrate. A 7–10 nm layer was subsequently grown and crystallized at the same conditions as the seed layer. Metal-insulator-semiconductor structures that employed Au electrodes were used to assess leakage currents and dielectric properties. Interfacial effects inherent to the ∼10 nm BaxSr1−xTiO3 films affect the capacitance measurements leading to k of 87 and 140 for 10.9 and 14.6 nm films, respectively. The epitaxial films have high k in the bulk. Using capacitance measurements for BaxSr1-xTiO3 films that are 13–18.4 nm thick, a bulk k of ∼2000 and low interfacial capacitance density (C/A) of ∼100 fF/μm2 were extracted from thickness dependent relationships. The 10 nm films display a high leakage current (∼102 A/cm2 at −1.0 V) that can be reduced (to ∼10−1 A/cm2 at −1.0 V) by capping the film with ∼1 nm Al2O3 using ALD before depositing the Au electrode or by annealing in O2 at 300 °C for 15 min. The thin low-k Al2O3 layer or the GeOx formed during the O2 annealing step, while improving leakage current, introduces a capacitor in series that further reduces the film dielectric constant such that a 9.9 nm Al-capped film and a 9.8 nm O2-annealed film yield dielectric constants of 80 and 41, respectively.
Tensile-strained self-assembly of InGaAs on InAs(111)A
Authors: Vallejo Kevin D. , Garrett Trent A. , Cabrera Carlos I. , Liang Baolai , Grossklaus Kevin A. , Simmonds Paul J.
Published: November 2021

We have determined a reproducible set of growth conditions for the self-assembly of tensile-strained In1−xGaxAs quantum dot (QD) nanostructures on (111)A surfaces. During molecular beam epitaxy, In1−xGaxAs islands form spontaneously on InAs(111)A when the Ga content x≥50%. We analyze the structure and composition of InGaAs/InAs(111) samples using atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy. We demonstrate control over the size and areal density of the islands as a function of In1−xGaxAs coverage, In1−xGaxAs composition, and substrate temperature. We calculated the conduction and valence band energy values for these QDs in an InAs matrix. This work supports the efforts to establish InAs(111)A as a platform for future incorporation with other (111)-oriented materials from the 6.1 Å family of semiconductors.
Autocrine inhibition by a glutamate-gated chloride channel mediates presynaptic homeostatic depression
Authors: Li Xiling , Chien Chun , Han Yifu , Sun Zihan , Chen Xun , Dickman Dion
Published: December 2021

An adaptive mechanism couples excess glutamate release to an activity-dependent anionic conductance at presynaptic terminals.
Biomaterials direct functional B cell response in a material-specific manner
Authors: Moore Erika M. , Maestas David R. , Cherry Chris C. , Garcia Jordan A. , Comeau Hannah Y. , Davenport Huyer Locke , Kelly Sean H. , Peña Alexis N. , Blosser Richard L. , Rosson Gedge D. , Elisseeff Jennifer H.
Published: December 2021

Biomaterial composition contributes to local, regional, and systemic alterations in B cells.
A message for microglia from microbiota
Authors: Wong Wei
Published: November 2021

Acetate produced by the microbiota regulates microglia function through epigenetic and mitochondrial effects.
Dynamic PET-facilitated modeling and high-dose rifampin regimens for
Staphylococcus aureus
orthopedic implant–associated infections
Authors: Gordon Oren , Lee Donald E. , Liu Bessie , Langevin Brooke , Ordonez Alvaro A. , Dikeman Dustin A. , Shafiq Babar , Thompson John M. , Sponseller Paul D. , Flavahan Kelly , Lodge Martin A. , Rowe Steven P. , Dannals Robert F. , Ruiz-Bedoya Camilo A. , Read Timothy D. , Peloquin Charles A. , Archer Nathan K. , Miller Lloyd S. , Davis Kimberly M. , Gobburu Jogarao V. S. , Jain Sanjay K.
Published: December 2021

Current rifampin dosing achieves subtherapeutic concentrations within
S. aureus
–infected bone, which can be overcome with higher rifampin dosing.
Structural Basis of Pore Formation in the Mannose Phosphotransferase System by Pediocin PA-1
Authors: Zhu Liyan , Zeng Jianwei , Wang Chang , Wang Jiawei
Published: December 2021

Listeria monocytogenes
is a ubiquitous microorganism responsible for listeriosis, a rare but severe disease in humans, who become infected by ingesting contaminated food products (i.e., dairy, meat, fish, and vegetables): the disease has a fatality rate of 33%. Pediocin PA-1 is an important commercial additive used in food production to inhibit
Listeria
species.
Beneficial Biofilms: a Minireview of Strategies To Enhance Biofilm Formation for Biotechnological Applications
Authors: Mukhi Mayur , Vishwanathan A. S.
Published: December 2021

The capacity of bacteria to form biofilms is an important trait for their survival and persistence. Biofilms occur naturally in soil and aquatic environments, are associated with animals ranging from insects to humans, and are also found in built environments.
Flying in the Face of Adversity: a
Drosophila
-Based Virtual CURE (Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience) Provides a Semester-Long Authentic Research Opportunity to the Flipped Classroom
Authors: Waddell Edward A. , Ruiz-Whalen Dara , O’Reilly Alana M. , Fried Nathan T.
Published: November 2021

A call for the integration of research experiences into all biology curricula has been a major goal for educational reform efforts nationally. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have been the predominant method of accomplishing this, but their associated costs and complex design can limit their wide adoption.
Roles of ESCRT Proteins ALIX and CHMP4A and Their Interplay with Interferon-Stimulated Gene 15 during Tick-Borne Flavivirus Infection
Authors: Tran Pham-Tue-Hung , Chiramel Abhilash I. , Johansson Magnus , Melik Wessam
Published: December 2021

Flaviviruses are important zoonotic viruses with high fatality rates worldwide. Here, we report that during infection the virus employs ESCRT protein members for virus replication and assembly.
The Spliced Leader RNA Silencing (SLS) Pathway in Trypanosoma brucei Is Induced by Perturbations of Endoplasmic Reticulum, Golgi Complex, or Mitochondrial Protein Factors: Functional Analysis of SLS-Inducing Kinase PK3
Authors: Okalang Uthman , Mualem Bar-Ner Bar , Rajan K. Shanmugha , Friedman Nehemya , Aryal Saurav , Egarmina Katarina , Hope Ronen , Khazanov Netaly , Senderowitz Hanoch , Alon Assaf , Fass Deborah , Michaeli Shulamit
Published: November 2021

In this study, we found that SLS is induced by depletion of the essential ER-resident chaperones BiP and calreticulin, ER oxidoreductin 1 (ERO1), and the Golgi complex-localized quiescin sulfhydryl oxidase (QSOX). Most strikingly, silencing of Rhomboid-like 1 (TIMRHOM1), involved in mitochondrial protein import, also induces SLS.
Atlas of the HIV-1 Reservoir in Peripheral CD4 T Cells of Individuals on Successful Antiretroviral Therapy
Authors: Gálvez Cristina , Grau-Expósito Judith , Urrea Victor , Clotet Bonaventura , Falcó Vicenç , Buzón Maria José , Martinez-Picado Javier
Published: November 2021

The main barrier for HIV-1 cure is the presence of latently infected CD4
+
T cells. Although various cell subpopulations have been identified as major HIV-1 reservoir cells, the relative contribution of infected CD4 subpopulations in the HIV-1 reservoir remains largely unknown.
Feeding with Sustainably Sourdough Bread Has the Potential to Promote the Healthy Microbiota Metabolism at the Colon Level
Authors: Da Ros Alessio , Polo Andrea , Rizzello Carlo Giuseppe , Acin-Albiac Marta , Montemurro Marco , Di Cagno Raffaella , Gobbetti Marco
Published: December 2021

Knowledge on environmental factors, which may compose the gut microbiota, and drive the host physiology and health is of paramount importance. Human dietary habits and food compositions are pivotal drivers to assembly the human gut microbiota, but, inevitably, unmapped for many diet components, which are poorly investigated individually.
Devonian to Triassic tectonic evolution and basin transition in the East Kunlun–Qaidam area, northern Tibetan Plateau: Constraints from stratigraphy and detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology
Authors: Sun Jiaopeng , Dong Yunpeng , Ma Licheng , Chen Shiyue , Jiang Wan
Published: November 2021

The late Paleozoic to Triassic was an important interval for the East Kunlun–Qaidam area, northern Tibet, as it witnessed prolonged subduction of the South Kunlun Ocean, a major branch of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean whose closure led to the formation of Pangea. However, the geologic history of this stage is poorly constrained due to the paucity of tectonothermal signatures preserved during a magmatic lull. This article presents a set of new provenance data incorporating stratigraphic correlation, sandstone petrology, and zircon U–Pb dating to depict changes in provenance that record multiple stages of topographic and tectonic transition in the East Kunlun–Qaidam area over time in response to the evolution of the South Kunlun Ocean. Devonian intra-arc rifting is recorded by bimodal volcanism and rapid alluvial-lacustrine sedimentation in the North Qaidam Ultra High/High Pressure Belt, whose sources include the Olongbuluke Terrane and southern North Qaidam Ultra High/High Pressure Belt. Southward transgression submerged the East Kunlun–Qaidam area during the Carboniferous prior to the rapid uplift of the Kunlun arc, which changed the provenance during the Early Permian. This shift in provenance for the western Olongbuluke Terrane and thick carbonate deposition throughout the North Qaidam Ultra High/High Pressure Belt in the late Early Carboniferous indicate that the North Qaidam Ultra High/High Pressure Belt should have been inundated, terminating an ~95 m.y. erosion history. The closure of the South Kunlun Ocean in the late Triassic generated a retroarc foreland along the Zongwulong Tectonic Belt, which is represented by the development of a deep-water, northward-tapering flysch deposystem that was supplied by the widely elevated Kunlun–Qaidam–Olongbuluke Terrane highland. This new scenario allows us to evaluate current models concerning the assembly of northern Tibet and the tectonic evolution of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean.
Conservative management of the colonic gallstone
Authors: Hurst Katherine Victoria , Peiris Georgina Bryony , Booth Michael
Published: November 2021

A 74-year-old woman presents with a 7-day history of increasing lower abdominal pains and reduced bowel movements; resulting in absolute constipation.

Twenty-four hours prior to admission she also had symptoms of nauseous and significant abdominal distention. Her past medical history included; diverticulitis, type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, an ultrasound scan in 2005 confirming gallstones, but no previous abdominal surgery.

She was initially treated for bowel obstruction and a CT arranged. CT showed a 4.5 cm gallstone in mid-sigmoid colon and a cholecystocolonic fistula. She was booked for colonoscopy±laparotomy, but on the morning of her planned procedure she repeatedly opened her bowels. Subsequent colonoscopy was negative and repeat CT confirmed the stone was no longer within the gastrointestinal tract.
Posterior uterine rupture in early first trimester
Authors: dos Anjos Siqueira Isabela , Murugappan Sita , Howat Paul , Khalid Arzoo
Published: December 2021

Uterine rupture can be associated with severe maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. It should be considered as a differential diagnosis in all pregnant women who present with acute abdomen, haemoperitoneum and have specific risk factors, even during the first trimester. This is a case report of a 25-year-old woman who presented to emergency department with abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding at approximately 6–8 weeks gestation. She developed an acute surgical abdomen and required urgent surgical management. Despite intervention, she had massive haemorrhage, disseminate intravascular coagulation, admission to intensive care unit and prolonged hospital stay as complications. Posterior uterine wall rupture while rare, must be considered as a differential diagnosis as early intervention is crucial to prevent bad outcomes.
Bartonella henselaemasquerading as possible gamma–delta T-cell lymphoma in a paediatric patient with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
Authors: Davis Kimberly , Battaglia Lauren , Kumar Beena , Ojaimi Samar
Published: November 2021

A 14-year-old boy with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and a right ventricular to pulmonary artery xenograft conduit presented to an Australian tertiary children’s hospital with prolonged fevers, weight loss, splenomegaly and a high proportion of gamma–delta T cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow, concerning for possible gamma–delta T-cell lymphoma. However, investigations did not reveal evidence of lymphoma or autoimmune disease. After 5 months of intermittent fever episodes and ongoing symptoms, he was found to have an extremely highBartonella henselaetitre (8192) on serological testing, with the organism also detected on blood PCR. After 6 months of oral azithromycin and rifampicin, with complete resolution of his symptoms 3 months into treatment, his blood PCR was negative and gamma–delta T cells in peripheral blood were decreasing. TheB. henselaetitre remained unchanged for some time, but decreased to 2048 around 1 year after treatment was started.
Paralysis from an ear infection: a severe case of otitis externa leading to acute complete cervical cord syndrome
Authors: Collins Rachael , Lafford George , Parry Laura
Published: December 2021

We report a case of a generally fit and well 54-year-old man who presented with a 2-day history of worsening left-sided otorrhea, headache, neck stiffness, vomiting and fever on the background of a 7-week history of otitis externa (OE). His condition progressed dramatically as he developed symptoms consistent with acute complete cervical cord syndrome with radiological evidence of skull base osteomyelitis, parapharyngeal, retropharyngeal and paravertebral abscesses and sigmoid sinus thrombus. Ultimately, he made a significant, although not complete, recovery. This case is unique in demonstrating how OE can develop into a potentially life threatening condition. It emphasises the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of OE, the recognition of ‘red flag’ symptoms and highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach when managing complex complications of OE.