bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of pluronics and their conjugates with proteins on the rate of oxygen consumption by liver mitochondria and thymus lymphocytes
Authors: Kirillova GP , Mokhova EN , Dedukhova VI , Tarakanova AN , Ivanova VP , Efremova NV , Topchieva IN
Published: October 2023

The membranotropic properties of block co‐polymers and their protein conjugates were studied by their effect on the rate of oxygen consumption by isolated liver mitochondria and on thymus‐derived lymphocytes. The block co‐polymers consisted of poly(ethylene oxide) (PoE) [poly(ethylene glycol)] and poly(propylene oxide) (PoP) to give either PoE‐PoP or PoE‐PoP‐PoE. Both types inhibited uncoupled respiration of liver mitochondria in a medium containing glutamate and malate and also of lymphocytes. They also uncoupled respiration in the presence of succinate in K(+)‐containing medium and of lymphocytes. A method is described for linking protein to the block polymers to form conjugates. Such conjugates were formed from alpha‐chymotrypsin, BSA and cytochrome c, all of which produced similar effects on the respiration of the isolated mitochondria and lymphocytes. The data suggest that both the block co‐polymers and their protein conjugates inhibit the NADH dehydrogenase complex and induce a K(+)‐conductivity of the mitochondrial inner membrane; the surface activity of the conjugates allows them to pass through the plasma membrane and interact with the mitochondrial inner membrane.
Derivatives of colchicine preferentially taken up by the liver: an approach to the treatment of liver fibrosis
Authors: CA Palmerini , Floridi A. , Arienti G.
Published: October 2023

The distribution in the mouse of colchicine and of two colchicine derivatives, namely formylcolchicine/formylated serum albumin (FC/FTSA) and formylcolchicine/lactosaminated serum albumin (FC/LASA), was studied. The presence of radioactivity after the intravenous injection of labelled colchicine or of its derivatives was determined in liver, small intestine, kidney and blood. The radioactivity of the derivatives was better retained than that of colchicine. The derivatives accumulated in the liver to a much greater extent than colchicine, but were scarcely present in the gut. Tropism towards the liver might be important for the use of FC/LASA and FC/FTSA to control liver fibrosis.
Campus Student Suicide Rates: Fact or Artifact?
Authors: Silverman Morton M.
Published: October 2023

A review of all English‐language studies (14 foreign and 17 American) on campus student suicides was undertaken. Only studies reporting original data and containing sufficient demographic information to compute standard mortality rates (SMR) or crude suicide rates were analyzed and organized into single‐site studies. Only 4 single‐site studies had a higher suicide rate than the comparable populations. Multiple‐site collaborative studies done in the United States since 1960 strongly suggest a campus student suicide rate significantly less than in the matched control population. However, deficiencies in case finding, case definition, sampling bias, and statistical techniques may place these conclusions in doubt. The author outlines research methods that might be applied to future multiple‐site studies to resolve questions related to late adolescent and young adult suicidal behavior on campus and in other similar educational settings.
A simple synthetic approach to BaZrS3, BaHfS3, and their solid solutions
Authors: Romagnoli Lorenza , Ciccioli Andrea , Dale Phillip J. , Yetkin Hasan Arif , Panetta Riccardo , Latini Alessandro
Published: October 2023

A simple synthetic approach to BaZrS3, BaHfS3, and their solid solutions is presented and discussed here. The synthesis is performed under relatively mild conditions (T = 500°C) and is complete in a few hours. The reactants are powdered BaS, Me (Me: Zr, Hf) and S in a ratio 1:1:3, mixed and sealed under vacuum in borosilicate glass ampoules. No purification is usually required, and the yield is quantitative. The low synthesis temperature allows for the use of borosilicate glass as container material instead of silica glass, thus lowering the costs and simplifying the sealing of the reaction vessel; furthermore, the use of expensive ZrS2 and HfS2 is avoided. The same procedure was successfully used for the synthesis of solid solutions BaHf1‐xZrxS3 that were always obtained as crystalline single‐phase materials. The solid solutions display optical and structural properties that vary in a linear fashion with the composition and are intermediate between those of BaZrS3 and BaHfS3. The possibility of varying the band gap of the material between 1.78 (BaZrS3) and 2.11 eV (BaHfS3) in a continuous way by simply adjusting the Hf/Zr ratio is very intriguing for potential applications in multi‐junction and in‐door photovoltaic applications and light emitting devices.
Hello from the Other Side: Both Government Liabilities and Assets Matter for Sovereign Risk
Authors: PEPPEL‐SREBRNY JEMIMA
Published: October 2023

We provide evidence that for advanced economies' sovereign bond markets in recent decades, both sides of the government balance sheet matter: for explaining government borrowing cost empirically, (i) government assets are significant in addition to government liabilities, and (ii) it is government net worth (total financial and non‐financial assets less liabilities) rather than government liabilities that matters when both are included. The central country‐specific fiscal factor driving sovereign bond yields thus appears to be government net worth. The focus of policy and academic debates though has tended to be narrowly on government debt, even as government net worth has declined substantially in many OECD countries in recent decades.
Objective comparison of a sit to stand test to the walk test for the identification of unilateral lameness caused by cranial cruciate ligament disease in dogs
Authors: Triviño A. , Davidson C. , Clements D. N. , Ryan J. M.
Published: October 2023

Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a sit to stand test with the walk test for the identification of unilateral cranial cruciate ligament rupture in dogs.

Materials and Methods

Peak vertical force and vertical impulse were measured on a pressure‐sensitive walkway, during a sit to stand test and walk test, and in 10 dogs with unilateral cranial cruciate ligament rupture and 18 non‐lame dogs. Data collected were used to calculate symmetry indices (SI) of ipsilateral and contralateral hindlimbs (HL), diagonal limb pairs (DLP) and ipsilateral limb pairs (ILP).

Results

The symmetry indices of peak vertical force of HL during the walk test and sit to stand test were 100% and 90% sensitive for discriminating lame and non‐lame dogs respectively. The symmetry indices of vertical impulse of HLs during the walk test and sit to stand test were 100% and 50% sensitive for discriminating lame and non‐lame dogs respectively. Analysis of ipsilateral and diagonal limb pairs did not improve the discrimination in either test. The time taken to collect data from the sit to stand test data was shorter than for the walk test.

Clinical Significance

Whilst the sit to stand test required a shorter time for collection of data than the walk test, it did not accurately identify all dogs with lameness associated with CCLR, and thus has relatively limited clinical utility in its tested form.
Characterization of the novel HLA‐B*40:01:02:48 allele by next‐generation sequencing
Authors: Chen Nanying , Dong Lina , Zhao Shuoxian , Zhang Wei , Zhu Faming
Published: October 2023

HLA‐B*40:01:02:48 differs from HLA‐B*40:01:02:01 by one nucleotide substitution C to A at position ‐138 in 5′UTR.
A correlation between quantal content and decay time of endplate currents in frog muscles with intact cholinesterase.
Authors: Giniatullin R A , Khazipov R N , Vyskocil F
Published: October 2023

1. The relationship between quantal content and prolongation of endplate currents (EPC) was studied in the frog sartorius with intact synaptic acetylcholinesterase. 2. The prolongation of EPC was more pronounced in endplates with a higher quantal content both before and after potentiation of quantal release by 4‐aminopyridine (4‐AP). When the quantal content of EPC was lowered, either by high Mg2+ or repetitive stimulation, the EPC decay constant was reduced. 3. A certain critical value of about 120 quanta per nerve impulse was found, at which point the decay of EPC remained constant even through the quantal content was reduced further. 4. The reduction in both density and number of postsynaptic receptors, produced by alpha‐bungarotoxin and (+)‐tubocurarine led to a profound reduction in EPC decay during the progressive fall in EPC amplitude in both 4‐AP‐treated and ‐untreated endplates. Both drugs are known to produce a shortening of EPC in anti‐cholinesterase (anti‐ChE)‐treated muscles, due to a decrease in receptor density and less frequent repetitive binding of ACh. 5. It is assumed that the prolongation of multiquantal EPC is caused by an increased ACh concentration near the receptors, which may provide the opportunity for repetitive binding even with full cholinesterase activity. The critical quantum content of about 120 might be the number of quanta at which the probability of multiple release at single active zones is increased above zero.
Myofilament sliding per ATP molecule in rabbit muscle fibres studied using laser flash photolysis of caged ATP.
Authors: Yamada T , Abe O , Kobayashi T , Sugi H
Published: October 2023

1. To estimate the distance of myofilament sliding per ATP molecule hydrolysed during the actin‐myosin interaction in muscle, single glycerinated fibres prepared from rabbit psoas muscle were made to shorten under very small external loads (< or = 0.0005 maximum isometric force (Po), at 20‐22 degrees C) by the laser flash photolysis of caged ATP (P3‐1‐(2‐nitro) phenylethyladenosine 5'‐triphosphate), a biologically inert and photolabile precursor of ATP. The laser flash‐induced fibre shortening was recorded with a high‐speed video system at 200 frames s‐1. 2. Following the photochemical release of 75‐300 microM ATP, the fibres shortened uniformly along the fibre length not only at the level of fibre segments but also at the level of sarcomeres. The fibres did not shorten appreciably in response to 50 microM ATP. 3. The initial velocity of the laser flash‐induced fibre shortening increased with increasing concentration of released ATP, being 0.05 +/‐ 0.01, 0.12 +/‐ 0.04, 0.23 +/‐ 0.04, 0.38 +/‐ 0.03 and 0.95 +/‐ 0.08 microns s‐1 (half‐sarcomere)‐1 (means +/‐ S.E.M., n = 10) with 75, 100, 150, 200 and 300 microM ATP, respectively. 4. The distance of the laser flash‐induced fibre shortening also increased with increasing concentration of released ATP, being 10 +/‐ 2, 25 +/‐ 5, 65 +/‐ 7, 100 +/‐ 10 and 180 +/‐ 20 nm (half‐sarcomere)‐1 (means +/‐ S.E.M., n = 10) with 75, 100, 150, 200 and 300 microM ATP, respectively. 5. Comparison of the initial shortening velocities of the laser flash‐induced shortening with the force‐velocity relation of maximally Ca(2+)‐activated fibres indicated the presence of considerable internal resistance against myofilament sliding following release of ATP. The initial velocity of shortening following the release of 300, 150 and 75 microM ATP was equal to the shortening velocity of maximally Ca(2+)‐activated fibres under an external load of 0.55, 0.93 and 0.98 Po respectively. 6. These results suggest that, under nearly isometric conditions, the distance of myofilament sliding per ATP molecule hydrolysed is about 10 nm in each half‐sarcomere.
Pathways through the intercellular clefts of frog mesenteric capillaries.
Authors: Adamson R H , Michel C C
Published: October 2023

1. The three‐dimensional ultrastructure of endothelial intercellular clefts of frog mesenteric capillaries of known hydraulic permeability (Lp) has been investigated in the absence and presence of lanthanum ions as tracers of extracellular solute. 2. Experiments were carried out on the exposed mesenteries of pithed frogs and Lp of a chosen microvessel perfused with a Ringer solution containing serum albumin (10‐40 mg ml‐1) was determined. In some experiments the mesentery was fixed in situ with 2.5% glutaraldehyde immediately after Lp had been measured. In other experiments, measurement of Lp was followed by brief microperfusion (10‐20 s) with a second Ringer solution containing 1% lanthanum nitrate as a tracer before in situ fixation of the tissue. The tissue was prepared for electron microscopy using standard techniques. The perfused capillary was identified in the block and serial transverse sections were cut along its length over regions where Lp had been measured. 3. In six capillaries where the tissues were fixed immediately after measurement of Lp, Lp had a mean value (+/‐ S.E.M.) of 4 (+/‐ 0.5) x 10(‐7) cm s‐1 (cmH2O)‐1. Serial (30‐40 nm) sections of these vessels revealed that a single short narrow region of the intercellular clefts ran almost continuously from section to section. Additional tight regions were regularly seen, but they usually extended for relatively few sections. In 13.36 microns of reconstructed cleft, there were three interruptions of the tight region of 0.14, 0.14 and 0.17 microns respectively. In the region of these discontinuities, the wide region was uninterrupted from luminal to abluminal surface. 4. Examination of the tight junction on a tilting stage revealed that the outer leaflets of the adjacent cells were not fused, but separated by a gap of mean width (+/‐ S.E.M.) 2.3 (+/‐ 0.1) nm. 5. In four capillaries perfused with lanthanum nitrate before fixation, mean Lp (+/‐ S.E.M.) was 6.5 (+/‐ 0.02) x 10(‐7) cm s‐1 (cmH2O)‐1. Segments of intercellular clefts, totalling 23.56 microns in length, were reconstructed from serial sections and throughout these, electron‐dense deposits of lanthanum were observed to fill the luminal parts of the intercellular clefts up to the tight region. Lanthanum deposits filled the entire cleft to the abluminal surface at eleven sites, which accounted for a length of 2.52 microns out of the 23.56 microns. Only five of these regions were delimited within a continuous series of sections and their mean length (+/‐ S.E.M.) was 0.16 (+/‐ 0.063) microns.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Changes in serotonin metabolism may elicit obstructive apnoea in the newborn rat.
Authors: Hilaire G , Morin D , Lajard A M , Monteau R
Published: October 2023

1. Experiments were performed on anaesthetized newborn rats (aged 3‐10 days) to know whether an increase in central serotonin levels might favour the occurrence of obstructive apnoeas as previously suggested by in vitro results from our group. 2. The levels of serotonin (5‐HT), its precursor 5‐hydroxytryptophan (5‐HTP) and its metabolite, 5‐hydroxyindole‐acetic acid (5‐HIAA), were analysed in cerebrospinal fluid samples collected at the level of the obex prior to and after intraperitoneal injection of L‐tryptophan (50 mg kg‐1) in sixty‐eight anaesthetized newborn rats (control rats prior to injection and injected rats 15, 30 and 45 min after the injection). A significant increase in 5‐HT and 5‐HTP levels occurred 30 min after the injection, attesting to the activation of 5‐HT biosynthesis. 3. The EMG activity of both the genioglossus and the diaphragm was recorded before and after L‐tryptophan load (50 mg kg‐1) in twenty‐two newborn rats. After the injection of L‐tryptophan, the amplitude of the integrated genioglossus activity decreased, or was even abolished, either during a few respiratory cycles or for long periods in twenty‐one out of twenty‐two animals. Recovery of the genioglossus activity occurred within 45‐60 min. 4. The thoracic respiratory movements and the resulting upper airway pressure changes were recorded before and after L‐tryptophan injection (50 mg kg‐1) in sixty‐two animals. In some litters (n = 7), most of the animals (21/25) displayed, within 20‐40 min of the injection, recurrent episodes of obstructive apnoea often followed by central ones. These respiratory difficulties became severe and drastic, and led in two instances to respiratory distress and death. Lower doses of L‐tryptophan (10 mg kg‐1) did not induce any respiratory disorders unless these were potentiated by pargyline treatment (50 mg kg‐1, n = 7). The obstructive apnoeas liable to occur after an L‐tryptophan load (50 mg kg‐1) were prevented by blocking the 5‐HT receptor with methysergide (50 mg kg‐1, n = 5) or by blocking the 5‐HT biosynthesis by applying p‐chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) pretreatment at birth (300 mg kg‐1, n = 7). In other litters (n = 6), none of the eighteen newborn rats tested were affected by L‐tryptophan, however, In five young adult rats, L‐tryptophan again had no effect.4+ ĕ
Compartmentation of creatine kinase isoenzymes in myometrium of gravid guinea‐pig.
Authors: Clark J F , Khuchua Z , Kuznetsov A , Saks V A , Ventura‐Clapier R
Published: October 2023

1. This study was performed to investigate the possible presence and role of the creatine kinase (CK) system in the contraction and relaxation of skinned guinea‐pig uterus as well as the changes of the CK system during gestation. Experiments were performed on isolated longitudinal fibres of gravid and non‐gravid myometrium. 2. Total CK activity increased from 74 +/‐ 11 to 196 +/‐ 39 IU (g wet wt)‐1 during gestation. 3. The four isoenzymes of CK: muscle (MM), muscle‐brain (MB), brain (BB) and mitochondrial (mt‐CK) were found in myometrium. MM, MB and BB isoenzymes represented respectively 20.3 +/‐ 2.6, 10.3 +/‐ 4.4 and 72.7 +/‐ 2.2% of total activity. The distribution of isoenzymes did not significantly change with gestation, the contribution of mt‐CK increasing from trace to 5% of total activity. 4. BB‐CK was specifically bound to Triton X‐100‐skinned fibres with the non‐gravid uterus containing 6.7 +/‐ 1.9 IU (g wet wt)‐1 and the gravid uterus containing 44 +/‐ 13 IU (g wet wt)‐1. 5. Active tension of Triton X‐100‐treated fibres increased from 6.06 +/‐ 0.68 to 19.3 +/‐ 1.9 mM mm‐2 during gestation. 6. Submaximal tension (43.3 +/‐ 4.4% of maximal tension) can be developed in the absence of ATP and in the presence of 12 mM phosphocreatine (PCr) and 250 microM MgADP from endogenous CK in non‐gravid uterine fibres while the gravid uterus was able to generate 65.4 +/‐ 3.9% of maximal tension via the CK system. 7. The endogenous CK system was able to relax the skinned fibres from high‐tension rigor conditions by 47.3 +/‐ 4.2% of total relaxation in non‐gravid fibres and 60.6 +/‐ 3.2% of total relaxation in gravid fibres. 8. Non‐gravid and gravid uteri both contained mt‐CK of 17.5 +/‐ 8.4 and 140 +/‐ 22 micrograms (g wet wt)‐1 respectively as determined with antibodies against mt‐CK. 9. Oxygen consumption was studied in fibres where the plasmalemma was solubilized with 50 micrograms ml‐1 saponin. Maximal respiration was increased from 0.91 +/‐ 0.05 to 2.61 +/‐ 0.16 mumol oxygen min‐1 (g dry wt)‐1 in the gravid uterine fibres. However, creatine did not stimulate respiration in the uterine fibres treated with saponin. 10. It is concluded that the CK system undergoes qualitative as well as quantitative changes during gestation. BB‐CK is specifically localized in the myofilaments and mt‐CK is present in the uterine mitochondria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Characterization of the high‐affinity Ca2+ binding sites in the L‐type Ca2+ channel pore in rat phaeochromocytoma cells.
Authors: Kuo C C , Hess P
Published: October 2023

1. Two major types of ion‐ion interaction are demonstrated in the pore of the L‐type Ca2+ channel, the ‘lock‐in’ and the ‘enhancement’ effect. The former denotes that the ion at a certain site in the pore cannot move if the neighbouring site is occupied by the other ion. The latter denotes that the ion occupying a certain site may facilitate the exist of the other ion in the neighbouring site. 2. With inward currents carried by 300 mM external Li+, the exit rates of the blocking Ca2+ ion are decreased by approximately 4 times when the internal Li+ concentration is increased from 55 to 300 mM. With outward currents carried by 300 mM internal Li+, the exist rates of the blocking Ca2+ ion are decreased by approximately 2.5 times when the external Li+ concentration is increased from 55 to 300 mM. These findings demonstrate the ‘lock‐in’ effect. 3. When inward currents are carried in Li+ in the cell‐attached configuration, the on‐rates of the external Ca2+ are decreased in a rectangular hyperbolic fashion with increasing external Li+ concentration (apparent dissociation constant (Kd) approximately 75 mM in activity), suggesting competition between Ca2+ and Li+ for a certain site. On the other hand, the off‐rates of the blocking Ca2+ ion are increased linearly with increasing external Li+ concentration between 75 and 850 mM, and the line extrapolates to the zero point, indicating that Ca2+ exist is negligible at zero Li+. This finding demonstrates not only the existence of the enhancement effect in the channel, but also the indispensability of such an effect for Ca2+ to exit the pore. Moreover, a linear relationship up to 850 mM Li+ suggests that the affinity of Li+ to the enhancement sites is very low (apparent Kd very high) when a Ca2+ ion is present in the neighbouring site. 4. The unitary conductances of inward Ba2+ currents in the cell‐attached configuration are increased with increasing Ba2+ concentration. The apparent Kd obtained from a rectangular hyperbolic fit to the data is approximately 6 mM Ba2+ (in activity). When inward Ba2+ currents are blocked by Cd2+, the on‐rates of Cd2+ are decreased with increasing Ba2+ concentration also in a rectangular hyperbolic fashion, and the apparent Kd is approximately 5.5 mM. The similar Kd from these two different experiments suggests the high‐affinity set can accommodate no more than two Ba2+ ions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
cAMP‐activated chloride currents in amphibian retinal pigment epithelial cells.
Authors: Hughes B A , Segawa Y
Published: October 2023

1. The effect of cAMP on whole‐cell currents in isolated retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells of the bullfrog and marine toad was investigated by means of the perforated patch clamp technique. 2. Superfusing cells with either cAMP or forskolin led to the development of a time‐independent current that had a linear current‐voltage (I‐V) relationship. The reversal potential of (Vrev) of the cAMP‐activated current was unaffected by the removal of either Na+ or HCO3‐ from the external and internal solutions or by the addition of extracellular barium, but it was near the Cl‐ equilibrium potential (ECl) over a wide range of extracellular Cl‐ concentrations, suggesting the presence of a Cl(‐)‐selective channel. 3. The anion permeability sequence of the cAMP‐activated conductance calculated from biionic reversal potentials was NO3‐ = I‐ > Br‐ > Cl‐ >> HCO3‐ > methanesulphonate. 4. The conductance was blocked by a variety of Cl‐ transport inhibitors, including 4,4'‐diisothiocyanatostilbene‐2,2'‐disulphonic acid (DIDS), 4,4'‐dinitro‐2,2'‐ stilbene disulphonic acid (DNDS), frusemide, N‐phenylanthranilic acid (DPC) and niflumic acid. 5. The present study demonstrates that cAMP activates a Cl(‐)‐selective channel that most probably resides in the basolateral membrane.
ENLASA-Enfermería: instrumento para evaluar un entorno laboral saludable
Authors: Peña Alfaro Bairon Steve , Arango Bayer Gloria Lucia
Published: October 2023

Objetivo. Evaluar las propiedades psicométricas de un instrumento diseñado para medir el entorno laboral para la práctica asistencial de enfermería. Método. Estudio metodológico de 4 fases: 1) elaboración y redacción de ítems, 2) validez facial y de contenido por expertos, 3) prueba piloto, 4) validez de constructo y confiabilidad. Resultados. ENLASA-Enfermería es un instrumento que consta de 59 ítems distribuidos en 2 partes. Parte A: dimensión de componentes estructurales organizacionales y parte B: dimensión de procesos organizacionales. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron clasificar cada una de las partes como satisfactorias en términos de validez facial y de contenido; con consistencia interna satisfactoria y con una estructura interna que permitió reconocer los elementos conceptuales de un entorno laboral saludable que respaldan su contenido. Conclusiones. ENLASA-Enfermería es un instrumento válido y confiable, prometedor para la investigación y la evaluación de los entornos laborales saludables de enfermeros clínicos en el ámbito hospitalario en Colombia.
Renewable Energy Source Diffusion in Professional Sport Facilities
Authors: Wanless Liz , Seifried Chad , Kellison Tim
Published: October 2023

Professional sport facility sustainability initiatives offer sport organizations an opportunity to demonstrate congruence with societal concern for the environment, an effort that also affects stadia revenue generation. Guided by diffusion of innovations theory, this study harnessed diffusion modeling and logistic regression to determine how quickly renewable energy source adoption is diffusing across 175 professional sport stadia in the United States and Canada and the factors catalyzing early renewable energy source adoption. Results revealed 86 (49%) facilities adopted at least one type of renewable energy source, with solar emerging as the predominant technology adopted (68 total adoptions). Full diffusion for renewable source adoption was predicted for 2061 (p = .0094, q = 0.1404, root mean square error = 3.25, mean absolute error = 2.51), while not all renewable energy sources were predicted to fully diffuse (wind; p = .0117, q = −0.0710, root mean square error = .853, mean absolute error = 0.675). New stadia construction during the time of adoption, facility type, and geographical social systems emerged as significant factors catalyzing adoption in the early majority.
Quantum-inspired encoding enhances stochastic sampling of soft matter systems
Authors: Slongo Francesco , Hauke Philipp , Faccioli Pietro , Micheletti Cristian
Published: October 2023

Quantum advantage in solving physical problems is still hard to assess due to hardware limitations. However, algorithms designed for quantum computers may engender transformative frameworks for modeling and simulating paradigmatically hard systems. Here, we show that the quadratic unconstrained binary optimization encoding enables tackling classical many-body systems that are challenging for conventional Monte Carlo. Specifically, in self-assembled melts of rigid lattice ring polymers, the combination of high density, chain stiffness, and topological constraints results in divergent autocorrelation times for real-space Monte Carlo. Our quantum-inspired encoding overcomes this problem and enables sampling melts of lattice rings with fixed curvature and compactness, unveiling counterintuitive topological effects. Tackling the same problems with the D-Wave quantum annealer leads to substantial performance improvements and advantageous scaling of sampling computational cost with the size of the self-assembled ring melts.
Processable circularly polarized luminescence material enables flexible stereoscopic 3D imaging
Authors: Zhang Mingjiang , Guo Qi , Li Zeyi , Zhou Yajie , Zhao Shanshan , Tong Zhi , Wang Yaxin , Li Guangen , Jin Shan , Zhu Manzhou , Zhuang Taotao , Yu Shu-Hong
Published: October 2023

Endowing three-dimensional (3D) displays with flexibility drives innovation in the next-generation wearable and smart electronic technology. Printing circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) materials on stretchable panels gives the chance to build desired flexible stereoscopic displays: CPL provides unusual optical rotation characteristics to achieve the considerable contrast ratio and wide viewing angle. However, the lack of printable, intense circularly polarized optical materials suitable for flexible processing hinders the implementation of flexible 3D devices. Here, we report a controllable and macroscopic production of printable CPL-active photonic paints using a designed confining helical co-assembly strategy, achieving a maximum luminescence dissymmetry factor (
g
lum
) value of 1.6. We print customized graphics and meter-long luminous coatings with these paints on a range of substates such as polypropylene, cotton fabric, and polyester fabric. We then demonstrate a flexible textile 3D display panel with two printed sets of pixel arrays based on the orthogonal CPL emission, which lays an efficient framework for future intelligent displays and clothing.
Exceptional n-type thermoelectric ionogels enabled by metal coordination and ion-selective association
Authors: Zhao Wei , Zheng Yiwei , Jiang Meng , Sun Tingting , Huang Aibin , Wang Lianjun , Jiang Wan , Zhang Qihao
Published: October 2023

Ionic liquid–based ionogels emerge as promising candidates for efficient ionic thermoelectric conversion due to their quasi-solid state, giant thermopower, high flexibility, and good stability. P-type ionogels have shown impressive performance; however, the development of n-type ionogels lags behind. Here, an n-type ionogel consisting of polyethylene oxide (PEO), lithium salt, and ionic liquid is developed. Strong coordination of lithium ion with ether oxygen and the anion-rich clusters generated by ion-preferential association promote rapid transport of the anions and boost Eastman entropy change, resulting in a huge negative ionic Seebeck coefficient (−15 millivolts per kelvin) and a high electrical conductivity (1.86 millisiemens per centimeter) at 50% relative humidity. Moreover, dynamic and reversible interactions among the ternary mixtures endow the ionogel with fast autonomous self-healing capability and green recyclability. All PEO-based ionic thermoelectric modules are fabricated, which exhibits outstanding thermal responses (−80 millivolts per kelvin for three p-n pairs), demonstrating great potential for low-grade energy harvesting and ultrasensitive thermal sensing.
The role of rifampicin within the treatment of
Mycobacterium avium
pulmonary disease
Authors: Schildkraut Jodie A. , Raaijmakers Jelmer , Aarnoutse Rob , Hoefsloot Wouter , Wertheim Heiman F. L. , van Ingen Jakko
Published: October 2023

Rifampicin is recommended for the treatment of
Mycobacterium avium
complex pulmonary disease alongside azithromycin and ethambutol. We evaluated the azithromycin-ethambutol backbone with and without rifampicin in an intracellular hollow fiber model and performed RNA sequencing to study the differences in adaptation. In an
in vitro
hollow fiber experiment, we simulated epithelial lining fluid pharmacokinetic profiles of the recommended 3-drug (rifampicin, ethambutol, and azithromycin) or a 2-drug (ethambutol and azithromycin) treatment. THP-1 cells infected with
M. avium
ATCC700898 were exposed to these regimens for 21 days. We determined intra- and extra-cellular bacterial load- and THP-1 cell densities on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 21, alongside RNA sequencing. The emergence of macrolide resistance was studied by inoculating intra- and extra-cellular fractions of azithromycin-containing Middlebrook 7H10 agar plates. Complete pharmacokinetic profiles were determined at days 0 and 21. Both therapies maintained stasis of both intra- and extra-cellular bacterial populations for 3 days, whilst regrowth coinciding with the emergence of a macrolide-resistant subpopulation was seen after 7 days. THP-1 cell density remained static. Similar transcriptional profiles were observed for both therapies that were minimally influenced by exposure duration. Transcriptional response was slightly larger during 2-drug treatment. Rifampicin did not add to the antimycobacterial effect to the 2-drug therapy or suppression of emergence resistance. RNA transcription was not greatly altered by the addition of rifampicin, which may be due to strong transcriptional influence of azithromycin and host cells. This questions the role of rifampicin in the currently recommended therapy. These findings should be confirmed in clinical trials.
The master antioxidant defense is activated during EBV latent infection
Authors: Wang Ling , Howell Mary E. A. , Hensley Culton R. , Ning Katharine , Moorman Jonathan P. , Yao Zhi Q. , Ning Shunbin
Published: October 2023

Our recent publication shows for the first time that the master antioxidant pathway Keap1-NRF2 is constitutively activated in EBV- or HTLV1-transformed cells, with the mechanism being unclear (L. Wang, M. E. A. Howell, A. Sparks-Wallace, C. Hawkins, et al., PLoS Pathog 15:e1007541, 2019,
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1007541
). In this follow-up investigation, we show that EBV-triggered ROS production activates the Keap1-NRF2 pathway in EBV-transformed cells, and LMP1 plays a major role in this event. Further investigation shows that the mitochondria in cell lines with EBV Type 3 latency produce higher levels of mitochondrial ROS that are responsible for the activation of the Keap1-NRF2 pathway, compared with Type 1 latency. Moreover, using both pharmaceutical inhibitors and CRISPR-mediated gene editing, we show that the stress-related kinase TBK1 is required for NRF2 activation. As to the functional consequences, shRNA-mediated knockdown of NRF2 in EBV-transformed IB4 and HTLV1-transformed MT4 cells elevates endogenous reactive oxygen species levels, promotes DNA damage, downregulates cell proliferation, and promotes EBV reactivation. These findings, together with our previous report, disclose how EBV controls the intricate balance between oxidative stress and antioxidant defense, which greatly improve our understanding of EBV latency and pathogenesis and may be leveraged to opportunities toward the improvement of therapeutic outcomes in EBV-associated diseases.

IMPORTANCE

To our knowledge, this is the first report delineating the activation of the master antioxidant defense during EBV latency. We show that EBV-triggered reactive oxygen species production activates the Keap1-NRF2 pathway in EBV-transformed cells, and LMP1 plays a major role in this event, and the stress-related kinase TBK1 is required for NRF2 activation. Moreover, we show that the Keap1-NRF2 pathway is important for cell proliferation and EBV latency maintenance. Our findings disclose how EBV controls the balance between oxidative stress and antioxidant defense, which greatly improve our understanding of EBV latency and pathogenesis and may be leveraged to opportunities toward the improvement of therapeutic outcomes in EBV-associated diseases.
Chest wall and nasal chondromesenchymal hamartoma in a toddler: treated during a global pandemic
Authors: Zaldivar Joan Kristi Decena , Bautista Eduardo , Gagto Jesyl Obtinario
Published: October 2023

We report an extremely rare case of a synchronous left chest wall and left maxillary sinus chondromesenchymal hamartoma in a toddler female. Although the lesions appeared malignant on imaging, they were benign by biopsy. The enlarging left anterior chest wall mass was surgically resected to prevent cardiovascular compression. The significant chest wall defect was reconstructed using the bird-cage technique with overlying pectoralis major muscle flap and native skin. The lesions at the left posterior rib and left maxillary sinus were closely observed. This case is the first reported synchronous chest wall and maxillary sinus chondromesenchymal hamartoma.
Adalimumab-associated Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in a patient with Crohn’s disease
Authors: Devarkonda Vishal , Balmuri Shravya , Akabane Maria Antonia Costa Cruz , Akabane Hugo
Published: October 2023

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved TNF(Tumor necrosis factor) alpha inhibitors to manage a range of inflammatory conditions, including Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and other inflammatory disorders. However, these inhibitors can potentially increase the risk of secondary blood malignancies due to TNF alpha’s role in various cellular processes such as angiogenesis, cell cycle proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation. In this article, we present a unique case study of a patient who developed Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) while receiving adalimumab, a potent monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to TNF-alpha. We describe the patient’s successful treatment using standard-of-care chemotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, resulting in complete remission with no measurable residual disease. Furthermore, we conducted a literature review on this subject and identified five similar cases of ALL associated with TNF alpha inhibitors.
Melanoma with rhabdomyosarcomatous features: a potential diagnostic pitfall
Authors: Watter Henry , Milkins Russell , Chambers Claire , O'Brien Blake
Published: October 2023

Malignant melanoma is well-known for phenotypic plasticity, and rare cases of divergent differentiation have been described. This case report is of a tumour diagnosed as ‘rhabdomyosarcoma’ on the face of a man in his 80s. However, given the recent excision of an ulcerated melanoma (Breslow thickness 5.8 mm) from the same site, the more likely diagnosis would be recurrent melanoma with rhabdomyosarcomatous differentiation. This highlights a rare form of divergent differentiation and a potential diagnostic pitfall.
Intrauterine device migration into the bladder leading to stones formation
Authors: Saputra Akbar Novan Dwi , Permatasari Nisa Utami Ika
Published: October 2023

An intrauterine device (IUD) is a popular method of contraception mainly used in developing countries. Perforation is one of the most serious but a rare complication secondary to the insertion of an IUD, while perforation into the intravesical organs such as the bladder is even more rare. A 30-year-old multipara in early 30s, with two previous caesarean sections (CS) and one curettage, was found to have her IUD puncturing the bladder during a cystoscopy procedure to remove her bladder stones. Transvesical migration of an IUD is an uncommon complication with a high rate of calculi formation, which is thought to be caused by the IUD’s lithogenic potential. Imaging approaches such as ultrasound and pelvic X-rays are considered imperative in the accurate diagnosis. Any migrated IUD should be removed regardless of location. Prompt and continual monitoring of women using an IUD is essential and in a case where the IUD has migrated, the removal using the endoscopic approach is a safe and effective method.
Cretaceous stratigraphic framework and sedimentary architecture, Pakistan: signatures of rift-drift tectonics and submarine volcanism along the western continental margin of the Indian Plate
Authors: Umar Muhammad , Kassi Akhtar Muhammad , Jamil Muhammad , Kasi Aimal Khan , Khan Abdul Salam
Published: October 2023

Abstract

The lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and depositional environments of the Cretaceous successions Pakistan were investigated to reveal the major geological events, including local, regional and global scale tectonics, phases of volcanism, basin condensation, emergence of structural highs and episodes of non-deposition. The succession is entirely missing at Salt Range, but were excellently exposed in Kirthar-Sulaiman Fold-Thrust belts. Such deviating nature (e.g., Hazara, Kalla Chitta, Surghar & Kohat) suggesting episodical tectonic activities were associated with inter-intra rifting and drifting of the India-Madagascar-Seychelles and Antarctica-Australian Plates during Cretaceous time. Correspondingly, several unconformities within the Cretaceous succession at numerous stratigraphic intervals consistently attest the effect of tectonics throughout the period. The recognized unconformities over Kawagarh, Lumshiwal, Parh and Fort Munro formations testify episodic uplifts on local and/or regional scales during the Coniacian-Santonian, Coniacian-Maastrichtian, Campanian and Maastrichtian in response to the separation of Madagascar from the India-Seychelles plate. In contrast, there was continuous sedimentation of carbonate, clastic and/or submarine volcanics in the Kirthar and Indian-Eurasian suture zone. Significant geological events in the restricted regions e.g., local scale submarine volcanism (Bibai Formation), ironstone deposition (Dilband Formation) and basin condensation (Khuzdar) were also associated with such rifting-drifting phases along the WNW margin of the Indian Plate.
CR-TransR: A Knowledge Graph Embedding Model for Cultural Domain
Authors: Hou Wenjun , Bai Bing , Cai Chenyang
Published: October 2023

As a combination of information computing technology and the cultural field, cultural computing is gaining more attention. The knowledge graph is also gradually applied as a particular data structure in the cultural area. Based on the domain knowledge graph data of the Beijing Municipal Social Science Project “Mining and Utilization of Cultural Resources in the Ancient Capital of Beijing,” this article proposes a graph representation learning model CR-TransR that integrates cultural attributes. Through the analysis of the data in the cultural field of the ancient capital of Beijing, a cultural feature dictionary is constructed, and a domain-specific feature matrix is constructed in the form of word vector splicing. The feature matrix is used to constrain the embedding graph model TransR, and then the feature matrix and the TransR model are jointly trained to complete the embedded expression of the knowledge graph. Finally, a comparative experiment is carried out on the Beijing ancient capital cultural knowledge graph dataset and the effects of the classic graph embedding algorithms TransE, TransH, and TransR. At the same time, we try to reproduce the embedding method with the core idea of neighbor node information aggregation as the core idea, and CRTransR are compared. The experimental tasks include link prediction and triplet classification, and the experimental results show that the CRTransR model performs better.
What is the Trade-Off Between CO2 Emission and Video-Conferencing QoE?
Authors: Hoßfeld Tobias , Varela Martin , Skorin-Kapov Lea , Heegaard Poul E.
Published: October 2023

It is a natural thing that users of multimedia services want to have the highest possible Quality of Experience (QoE), when using said services. This is especially so in contexts such as video-conferencing and video streaming services, which are nowadays a large part of many users' daily life, be it work-related Zoom calls, or relaxing while watching Netflix. This has implications in terms of the energy consumed for the provision of those services (think of the cloud services involved, the networks, and the users' own devices), and therefore it also has an impact on the resulting CO
2
emissions. In this column, we look at the potential trade-offs involved between varying levels of QoE (which for video services is strongly correlated with the bit rates used), and the resulting CO
2
emissions. We also look at other factors that should be taken into account when making decisions based on these calculations, in order to provide a more holistic view of the environmental impact of these types of services, and whether they do have a significant impact.
VQEG Column: VQEG Meeting Dec. 2021 (Virtual/Online)
Authors: Gutiérrez Jesús , Brunnström Kjell
Published: October 2023

Welcome to a new column on the ACM SIGMM Records from the Video Quality Experts Group (VQEG).
Encouraging Scientific Collaborations with ConfFlow 2021
Authors: Hung Hayley , Gedik Ekin
Published: October 2023

We often find other collaborators by chance at a conference or by looking for them specifically through their papers. However, sometimes hidden potential social connections might exist between different researchers that cannot be immediately observed because the keywords we use might not always represent the entire space of similar research interests. As a community, Multimedia (MM) is so diverse that it is easy for community members to miss out on very useful expertise and potentially fruitful collaborations. There is a lot of latent knowledge and potential synergies that could exist if we were to offer conference attendees an alternative perspective on their similarities to other attendees. ConfFlow is an online application that offers an alternative perspective on finding new research connections. It is designed to help researchers find others at conferences with complementary research interests for collaboration. With ConfFlow we take a data-driven approach by using something similar to the Toronto Paper Matching System (TPMS), used to identify suitable reviewers for papers, to construct a similarity embedding space for researchers to find other researchers.
JPEG Column: 95th JPEG Meeting
Authors: Pinheiro Antonio
Published: October 2023

The 95
th
JPEG meeting was held online from 25 to 29 April 2022. A Call for Proposals (CfP) was issued for JPEG Fake Media that aims at a standardisation framework for secure annotation of modifications in media assets. With this new initiative, JPEG endeavours to provide standardised means for the identification of the provenance of media assets that include imaging information. Assuring the provenance of the coded information is essential considering the current trends and possibilities on multimedia technology.
VQEG Column: VQEG Meeting May 2022
Authors: Gutiérrez Jesús , Brunnström Kjell
Published: October 2023

Welcome to this new column on the ACM SIGMM Records from the Video Quality Experts Group (VQEG), which will provide an overview of the last VQEG plenary meeting that took place from 9 to 13 May 2022. It was organized by INSA Rennes (France), and it was the first face-to-face meeting after the series of online meetings due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Remote attendance was also offered, which made possible that around 100 participants, from 17 different countries, attended the meeting (more than 30 of them attended in person). During the meeting, more than 40 presentations were provided, and interesting discussion took place. All the related information, minutes, and files from the meeting are available online in the VQEG meeting website, and video recordings of the meeting are available in Youtube.
Characterization of the First Case of Classical Scrapie in a Sheep in Tunisia
Authors: Amara Abdelkader , Elmehatli Kéfia , Di Bari Michele Angelo , Pirisinu Laura , Andolsi Rihab , Gachout Souhir , Smida Boubaker Ben , Handous Meriem , Ammar Heni Haj , Khorchani Roukaya , Zrelli Malek , Iulini Barbara , Florio Caterina Lucia , Caramelli Maria , Casalone Cristina , De Antoniis Laura , Riccardi Geraldina , Esposito Elena , Giovannelli Matteo , D’Agostino Claudia , Chiappini Barbara , Nonno Romolo , Agrimi Umberto , Vaccari Gabriele
Published: October 2023

Classical scrapie is a contagious prion disease of sheep and goats. It is endemic in many countries in Europe, North America, and Asia. In Africa, imported scrapie cases have been described in South Africa and Kenia in the past. More recently, several cases have been reported from different regions of Libya, based on clinical signs and histological lesions. Here, we report the results of thorough investigations carried out on a suspect case of scrapie in a 6-year-old Barbarine sheep, born, and bred in Tunisia, showing behavioral changes, weight loss, itching, skin lesions, wool loss, and motor incoordination. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry revealed spongiform change in several brain areas with associated pathological prion protein deposition. Western blotting confirmed the diagnosis and showed a classical scrapie-like molecular pattern of PrPres, different from atypical scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in small ruminants. Sequence analysis of the prion protein gene showed that the animal carried the ARQ/ARQ genotype, one of the most susceptible to classical scrapie. The inoculation of sheep brain homogenate in a susceptible rodent model proved the experimental transmissibility of the disease. These results demonstrate the circulation of classical scrapie in Tunisia and confirm its presence in North Africa, indicating the need to improve epidemiological surveillance and diagnostic capacity for prion diseases in the region.