bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design optimization and production of a small-scale semi-trailer chassis for testing
Authors: Ibrahim Arafat M , Ali Ahmed M , Kamel Hisham
Published: May 2023

The automotive industry is placing a high priority on the design and optimization of articulated vehicles to minimize the risk of potential accidents or failures. Before mass production, field testing is a crucial step in the development process, requiring extensive dynamic tests to provide a secure design. However, these tests can be both expensive and time-consuming. This study presents the design process of a small-scale low-bed semi-trailer chassis, manufactured to simulate the structural response of an actual semi-trailer. The aim was to identify weak points through analysis under bending conditions and then optimize the thickness and width of the various cross-sections to increase strength while minimizing costs. After manufacturing and welding based on the optimized design, the equivalent chassis was subjected to two load cases for experimental testing. The test results confirmed the accuracy of the finite element analysis, with a deviation of 7.75 to 10.24% in stress levels compared to the numerical results. Overall, this study demonstrates an effective approach to optimize the design of low-bed semi-trailers for improved safety and cost-effectiveness.
A case of early reperfusion of celiac artery for type A acute aortic dissection with malperfusion
Authors: Izubuchi Ryo , Uchida Keiji , Yasuda Shota , Cho Tomoki , Matsumoto Atsushi , Kaneko Shotaro , Ikematsu Makoto , Kakuta Sho , Yamamoto Sousuke , Ogata Makoto
Published: May 2023

Malperfusion of the celiac artery alone, with acute aortic dissection, rarely requires early intervention. A 57-year-old woman had thrombosed type A acute aortic dissection with celiac malperfusion, for which total arch replacement was performed after percutaneous balloon angioplasty of the celiac artery. The endovascular treatment minimized extensive hepatic infarction, which saved the patient's life.
Introduction to this special section: Advancements in sensor technology
Authors: Calvez Joël Le , Ay Erkan
Published: May 2023

Sensor technology has seen rapid advancements in recent years, driven by advancements in materials science, miniaturization, and data analytics.
Performance comparison of compact phased arrays and traditional seismic networks for microseismic monitoring at a CO2 sequestration test site
Authors: Zhang Jian , Hutchenson Kevin D. , Nyffenegger Paul A. , Grant Elige B. , Jennings Jason , Tinker Mark A. , Macquet Marie , Lawton Don C.
Published: May 2023

As carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration scales toward the gigatonnes level, the need for underground reservoir surveillance is driving efforts in advancing technologies for cost-effective passive seismic monitoring. Quantum Technology Sciences, in cooperation with Carbon Management Canada's Containment and Monitoring Institute (CaMI), installed a network of four permanent compact volumetric phased arrays (seismic and acoustic detection and ranging [SADAR] system) at CaMI's Field Research Station (FRS) to demonstrate the results that can be achieved through passive monitoring of microseismicity using this technology. Configured as a sparse network, the SADAR arrays provide passive, persistent, and permanent data acquisition and analysis for monitoring microseismicity in the earth volume of interest. Data from the phased arrays are processed to take advantage of the spatial coherence of the incident seismic signals to increase signal resolution while suppressing noise and clutter signals and providing signal attributes such as angle of incidence and phase velocity. The CaMI FRS has a network of 28 permanent surface stations that are deployed in an x-shaped geometry centered on the injection well. It has a downhole array of 24 geophones that are permanently deployed in an observation well. This provides a ready and unique opportunity to evaluate the detection and location performance of the different systems for passive seismic monitoring. We analyze observations of five example events selected from the microseismicity detected by the SADAR arrays with moment magnitudes (Mw) down to approximately −2. Signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and location uncertainties are compared for the events acquired using SADAR arrays versus the surface sensors. The results demonstrate improved performance of networked SADAR arrays compared to traditional surface sensor deployment for detecting and locating microseismicity. Specifically, the results show that coherent processing of SADAR arrays achieves S/N gains up to about 20 dB and location errors down to 10 m.
Seismic Soundoff: New takes on energy independence and policies
Authors: Geary Andrew
Published: May 2023

Government policies, incentives, and funding directly impact gains in energy efficiency and energy independence. In this episode, Diana Sineva and Stephen Brown highlight recent policy changes in the United States and how the changes impact the world and the oil and gas sector. They discuss cutting-edge policy and research to offer a novel perspective on topics that will impact the world for generations.
Phase II Randomized Trial of Lenalidomide in Children With Pilocytic Astrocytomas and Optic Pathway Gliomas: A Report From the Children's Oncology Group
Authors: Warren Katherine E. , Vezina Gilbert , Krailo Mark , Springer Linda , Buxton Allen , Peer Cody J. , Figg William D. , William-Hughes Chris , Kessel Sandy , Fouladi Maryam , Gajjar Amar , Bowers Daniel
Published: May 2023

PURPOSE

Children with low-grade glioma often require long-term therapy and suffer from treatment morbidity. Although targeted agents are promising, tumor targets often encompass normal developmental pathways and long-term effects of inhibition are unknown. Lenalidomide is an immunomodulatory agent with wide-ranging properties. Phase I studies indicated greater tolerability of lenalidomide in children compared with adults and a potential dose-response effect.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a phase II trial of lenalidomide in children with pilocytic astrocytomas and optic pathway gliomas who failed initial therapy. Primary objectives included determination of objective response rate of children randomly assigned to regimen A, low-dose (20 mg/m2/dose), or regimen B, high-dose (115 mg/m2/dose) lenalidomide, and assessment for early progression. Secondary objectives included estimation of event-free survival, overall survival, incidence of toxic events, and assessment of plasma lenalidomide concentrations. Lenalidomide was administered once daily × 21 days of each 28-day cycle for each regimen.

RESULTS

Seventy-four eligible patients were enrolled (n = 37, each arm). The predefined activity level of interest was achieved for both arms. Four objective responses were observed in each arm, and the number of early progressors was low. Eighteen patients completed 26 cycles of therapy (regimen A, n = 12; regimen B, n = 6). The median number of cycles was 14 (range, 2-26) for regimen A and 11 for regimen B (range, 1-26). Of 74 eligible patients who received study drug, 30 required dose reduction for toxicity (regimen A, n = 6; regimen B, n = 24) and 16 discontinued because of toxicity (regimen A, n = 2; regimen B, n = 14).

CONCLUSION

Lenalidomide demonstrates a sufficient level of activity in children with low-grade glioma to warrant further exploration. Low-dose (20 mg/m2/dose administered once daily × 21 days of each 28-day cycle) lenalidomide appears to have better tolerability with comparable activity.
Ruxolitinib Versus Best Available Therapy for Polycythemia Vera Intolerant or Resistant to Hydroxycarbamide in a Randomized Trial
Authors: Harrison Claire N. , Nangalia Jyoti , Boucher Rebecca , Jackson Aimee , Yap Christina , O'Sullivan Jennifer , Fox Sonia , Ailts Isaak , Dueck Amylou C. , Geyer Holly L. , Mesa Ruben A. , Dunn William G. , Nadezhdin Eugene , Curto-Garcia Natalia , Green Anna , Wilkins Bridget , Coppell Jason , Laurie John , Garg Mamta , Ewing Joanne , Knapper Steven , Crowe Josephine , Chen Frederick , Koutsavlis Ioannis , Godfrey Anna , Arami Siamak , Drummond Mark , Byrne Jennifer , Clark Fiona , Mead-Harvey Carolyn , Baxter Elizabeth Joanna , McMullin Mary Frances , Mead Adam J.
Published: May 2023

PURPOSE

Polycythemia vera (PV) is characterized by JAK/STAT activation, thrombotic/hemorrhagic events, systemic symptoms, and disease transformation. In high-risk PV, ruxolitinib controls blood counts and improves symptoms.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

MAJIC-PV is a randomized phase II trial of ruxolitinib versus best available therapy (BAT) in patients resistant/intolerant to hydroxycarbamide (HC-INT/RES). Primary outcome was complete response (CR) within 1 year. Secondary outcomes included duration of response, event-free survival (EFS), symptom, and molecular response.

RESULTS

One hundred eighty patients were randomly assigned. CR was achieved in 40 (43%) patients on ruxolitinib versus 23 (26%) on BAT (odds ratio, 2.12; 90% CI, 1.25 to 3.60; P = .02). Duration of CR was superior for ruxolitinib (hazard ratio [HR], 0.38; 95% CI, 0.24 to 0.61; P < .001). Symptom responses were better with ruxolitinib and durable. EFS (major thrombosis, hemorrhage, transformation, and death) was superior for patients attaining CR within 1 year (HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.78; P = .01); and those on ruxolitinib (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.94; P = .03). Serial analysis of JAK2V617F variant allele fraction revealed molecular response was more frequent with ruxolitinib and was associated with improved outcomes (progression-free survival [PFS] P = .001, EFS P = .001, overall survival P = .01) and clearance of JAK2V617F stem/progenitor cells. ASXL1 mutations predicted for adverse EFS (HR, 3.02; 95% CI, 1.47 to 6.17; P = .003). The safety profile of ruxolitinib was as previously reported.

CONCLUSION

The MAJIC-PV study demonstrates ruxolitinib treatment benefits HC-INT/RES PV patients with superior CR, and EFS as well as molecular response; importantly also demonstrating for the first time, to our knowledge, that molecular response is linked to EFS, PFS, and OS.
Synthetic Studies on Cimiciduphytine
Authors: Ojima Ken-ichi , Ueda Hirofumi , Tokuyama Hidetoshi
Published: May 2023

Synthetic studies on a dimeric indole alkaloid, cimiciduphytine, were conducted based on modifying our synthesis of (+)-haplophytine. The key feature of this synthesis is the development of chemoselective deallylation of an N,O-diallyl derivative of a hydroxy aniline derivative, and copper sulfate-mediated oxidative lactonization via oxidation of the amino moiety. A highly convergent strategy led us to synthesize the originally proposed cimiciduphytine. However, the compound was unstable under air and underwent cyclization to generate a bridged derivative.
Familiarity is the Path to the Dark Side
Authors: Knopf Christina
Published: May 2023

This paper considers depictions of politicians as servants of the Dark Side in political cartoons and political satire comic books from 2015-2020. Particular attention is given to images of Donald Trump as Darth Vader. The use of such pop culture references provides what Morris (1993) called “domestication” – the conversion of abstract ideas into concrete ones, unfamiliar people to familiar ones, and/or distant events to close ones.  Guided by the interaction view of metaphor offered by the philosopher Max Black, this paper will discuss how different audiences may decode Dark Side allusions in political satire differently and, significantly, how the domestication of public figures like Donald Trump as Darth Vader and Darth Sidious may result in greater public acceptance of egregious political acts.
Space Cowboys and Alien Landscapes
Authors: Barclay Bridgitte
Published: May 2023

As Star Wars women Rey, Jyn Erso, Ahsoka Tano, and others build on Leia’s legacy, it is also important to celebrate the mid-century science fiction writer who influenced Star Wars earlier on – Leigh Brackett, Queen of Space Opera. Brackett not only wrote the first draft of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) before her death, but she also influenced American film and sf in the decades before. She was an accomplished screenwriter when Lucas approached her for The Empire Strikes Back, having written Rio Bravo (1959) and co-written The Big Sleep (1946) with William Faulkner, for example. And her pulps and novels established her as an authority in the science fiction genre, as well. She was the first woman to be shortlisted for the Hugo Award for The Long Tomorrow (1955), a novel that denounces the toxic violence of militarized science and venerates resistance. Similarly, Brackett’s Shadow Over Mars (1944) condemns authoritarian exploitation and reveres rebellion. These familiar themes, of course, are also in The Empire Strikes Back. While some of her elements did not make it to the final film – the Luke-Leia-Han love triangle and Luke’s Jedi twin Nellith, for instance – her style of frontier anti-authoritarian Space Opera resistance comes through clearly. Resurrecting Brackett’s work on The Empire Strikes Back and analyzing the influence of her earlier work situates the Star Wars saga as a descendant of mid-century feminist sf as we simultaneously celebrate its more inclusive contemporary narratives.
Systemic antibiotics are not required for successful two-stage revision hip arthroplasty
Authors: Petrie Michael J. , Panchani Sunil , Al-Einzy Mohammad , Partridge David , Harrison Tim P. , Stockley Ian
Published: May 2023

Aims

The duration of systemic antibiotic treatment following first-stage revision surgery for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is contentious. Our philosophy is to perform an aggressive debridement, and to use a high local concentration of targeted antibiotics in cement beads and systemic prophylactic antibiotics alone. The aim of this study was to assess the success of this philosophy in the management of PJI of the hip using our two-stage protocol.

Methods

The study involved a retrospective review of our prospectively collected database from which we identified all patients who underwent an intended two-stage revision for PJI of the hip. All patients had a diagnosis of PJI according to the major criteria of the Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) 2013, a minimum five-year follow-up, and were assessed using the MSIS working group outcome-reporting tool. The outcomes were grouped into ‘successful’ or ‘unsuccessful’.

Results

A total of 299 two-stage revision THAs in 289 patients met the inclusion criteria, of whom 258 (86%) proceeded to second-stage surgery. Their mean age was 68.1 years (28 to 92). The median follow-up was 10.7 years (interquartile range (IQR) 6.3 to 15.0). A 91% success rate was seen in those patients who underwent reimplantation, decreasing to 86% when including those who did not proceed to reimplantation. The median duration of postoperative systemic antibiotics following the first stage was five days (IQR 5 to 9). There was no significant difference in outcome between those patients who were treated with antibiotics for ≤ 48 hours (p = 0.961) or ≤ five days (p = 0.376) compared with those who were treated with longer courses. Greater success rates were seen for Gram-positive PJIs (87%) than for Gram-negative (84%) and mixed-Gram PJIs (72%; p = 0.098).

Conclusion

Aggressive surgical debridement with a high local concentration of targeted antibiotics at the time of first-stage revision surgery for PJI of the hip, without prolonged systemic antibiotics, provides a high rate of success, responsible antibiotic stewardship, and reduced hospital costs.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(5):511–517.
Revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
Authors: Inclan Paul M. , Brophy Robert H.
Published: May 2023

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft failure from rupture, attenuation, or malposition may cause recurrent subjective instability and objective laxity, and occurs in 3% to 22% of ACL reconstruction (ACLr) procedures. Revision ACLr is often indicated to restore knee stability, improve knee function, and facilitate return to cutting and pivoting activities. Prior to reconstruction, a thorough clinical and diagnostic evaluation is required to identify factors that may have predisposed an individual to recurrent ACL injury, appreciate concurrent intra-articular pathology, and select the optimal graft for revision reconstruction. Single-stage revision can be successful, although a staged approach may be used when optimal tunnel placement is not possible due to the position and/or widening of previous tunnels. Revision ACLr often involves concomitant procedures such as meniscal/chondral treatment, lateral extra-articular augmentation, and/or osteotomy. Although revision ACLr reliably restores knee stability and function, clinical outcomes and reoperation rates are worse than for primary ACLr.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(5):474–480.
May 2023 Critical Care Case of the Month: Not a Humerus Case
Authors:   Departments of Family and Community Medicine and Internal Medicine, Banner University Medical Center-South Campus, Tucson, AZ USA, Ogle Carli , Bixby Billie , Campion Janet
Published: May 2023

No abstract available. Article truncated after 150 words. History of Present Illness: A 57-year-old woman with history of bone disease presented with a 3-day history of cough with thick yellow phlegm and progressive shortness of breath. No fever, chest pain or abdominal pain was noted. In the emergency department, she had SpO2 of 55% on room air, and then 90% on 15L NRB. Past Medical History/Social History/Family History • Bone disease since birth • Asthma • Severe scoliosis • Gastrointestinal reflux disease • Cholecystectomy • Spinal growth rods • Lives in adult care home, supportive family • No smoking or alcohol use • No illicit drug use • There is no family history of any bone disease Home Medications: • Albuterol MDI PRN • Alendronate 10mg daily • Budesonide nebulizer BID • Calcium carbonate BID • MVI daily • Lisinopril 10mg daily • Loratadine 10mg daily • Metformin 500mg BID • Metoprolol 12.5mg BID • Montelukast 10mg daily • Naprosyn PRN • Omeprazole 20mg daily • Simvastatin 10mg daily • Tizanidine PRN • Vitamin D 2000 IU daily Allergies: Cefazolin, PCN, Sulfa …
Quantitative laser–matter interaction: a 3D study of UV-fs-laser ablation on single crystalline Ru(0001)
Authors: Grimaudo Valentine , Lopez Diego Monserrat , Prone Giulia , Lüthi Thomas , Flisch Alexander , López Alena Cedeño , Grozovski Vitali , Tulej Marek , Riedo Andreas , Zboray Robert , Lörtscher Emanuel , Broekmann Peter , Wurz Peter
Published: May 2023

Laser ablation is nowadays an extensively applied technology to probe the chemical composition of solid materials. It allows for precise targeting of micrometer objects on and in samples, and enables chemical depth profiling with nanometer resolution. An in-depth understanding of the 3D geometry of the ablation craters is crucial for precise calibration of the depth scale in chemical depth profiles. Herein we present a comprehensive study on laser ablation processes using a Gaussian-shaped UV-femtosecond irradiation source and present how the combination of three different imaging methods (scanning electron microscopy, interferometric microscopy, and X-ray computed tomography) can provide accurate information on the crater’s shapes. Crater analysis by applying X-ray computed tomography is of considerable interest because it allows the imaging of an array of craters in one step with sub-µm accuracy and is not limited to the aspect ratio of the crater. X-ray computed tomography thereby complements the analysis of laser ablation craters. The study investigates the effect of laser pulse energy and laser burst count on a single crystal Ru(0001) sample. Single crystals ensure that there is no dependence on the grain orientations during the laser ablation process. An array of 156 craters of different dimensions ranging from <20 nm to ∼40 µm in depth were created. For each individually applied laser pulse, we measured the number of ions generated in the ablation plume with our laser ablation ionization mass spectrometer. We show to which extent the combination of these four techniques reveals valuable information on the ablation threshold, the ablation rate, and the limiting ablation depth. The latter is expected to be a consequence of decreasing irradiance upon increasing crater surface area. The ion signal generated was found to be proportional to the volume ablated up to the certain depth, which enables in-situ depth calibration during the measurement.
Eyebox expansion with accurate hologram generation for wide-angle holographic near-eye display
Authors: Chlipala Maksymilian , Martinez-Carranza Juan , Idicula Moncy Sajeev , Kukołowicz Rafał , Kozacki Tomasz
Published: May 2023

Small eyebox in wide-angle holographic near-eye display is a severe limitation for 3D visual immersion of the device. In this paper, an opto-numerical solution for extending the eyebox size in these types of devices is presented. The hardware part of our solution expands the eyebox by inserting a grating of frequency fg within a non-pupil forming display configuration. The grating multiplies eyebox, increasing the possible eye motion. The numerical part of our solution is an algorithm that enables proper coding of wide-angle holographic information for projecting correct object reconstruction at arbitrary eye position within the extended eyebox. The algorithm is developed through the employment of the phase-space representation, which facilitates the analysis of the holographic information and the impact of the diffraction grating in the wide-angle display system. It is shown that accurate encoding of the wavefront information components for the eyebox replicas is possible. In this way, the problem of missing or incorrect views in wide angle near-eye display with multiplied eyeboxes is efficiently solved. Moreover, this study investigates the space-frequency relation between the object and the eyebox and how the hologram information is shared between eyebox replicas. The functionality of our solution is tested experimentally in an augmented reality holographic near-eye display that has maximum field of view of 25.89°. Obtained optical reconstructions demonstrate that correct object view is obtained for arbitrary eye position within extended eyebox.
High light extraction performance using evanescent waves for top emission OLED applications with thin film encapsulation
Authors: Yang Hye In , Mude Nagarjuna Naik , Kim Jin Young , Oh Jun Hyeog , Pode Ramchandra , Kwon Jang Hyuk
Published: May 2023

We report high light extraction from the top emission OLED (TEOLED) device structure by improving mainly the waveguide mode loss in the atomic layer deposition processed thin film encapsulation (TFE) layer. A novel structure incorporating the light extraction concept using evanescent waves and the hermetic encapsulation of a TEOLED device is presented here. When the TEOLED device is fabricated using the TFE layer, a substantial amount of generated light is trapped inside the device due to the difference in refractive index (RI) between the capping layer (CPL) and the aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layer. By inserting a low RI layer at the interface between the CPL and Al2O3, the direction of the internal reflected light is changed by the evanescent waves. The high light extraction with the low RI layer is attributed to the presence of evanescent waves and an electric field in the low RI layer. The novel fabricated TFE structure, CPL/ low RI layer/ Al2O3/ polymer/ Al2O3, is reported here. The current efficiency of the fabricated blue TEOLED device using this low RI layer is improved by about 23% and the blue index value is enhanced by about 26%. This new approach for light extraction will be applicable to future encapsulation technology for flexible optoelectronic devices.
Atmospheric dispersion management in mid-IR mode-locked oscillators
Authors: Sorokin Evgeni , Rudenkov Alexander , Tolstik Nikolai , Kalashnikov Vladimir , Demesh Maksim , Sorokina Irina T.
Published: May 2023

The atmospheric dispersion in the mid-infrared transparency windows presents an important albeit often neglected factor when developing ultrashort-pulsed lasers. We show that it can amount to hundreds of fs2 in 2–3 µm window with typical laser round-trip path lengths. Using the Cr:ZnS ultrashort-pulsed laser as a test-bed, we demonstrate the atmospheric dispersion influence on femtosecond and chirped-pulse oscillator performance and show that the humidity fluctuations can be compensated by an active dispersion control, greatly improving stability of mid-IR few-optical cycle laser sources. The approach can be readily extended to any ultrafast source in the mid-IR transparency windows.
Fractal two-scale method for calculating the laser scattering distribution of asphalt pavement
Authors: Yang Tao , Lai Jiancheng , Yan Wei , Zhao Yan , Wu Zhixiang , Ji Yunjing , Wang Chunyong , Li Zhenhua
Published: May 2023

The laser scattering characteristic of pavement is one of the important factors that affect the detection performance of optical sensors such as lidars. Because the wavelength of laser does not match the roughness of the asphalt pavement, the common analytical approximation model of electromagnetic scattering is not applicable in this case, so it is difficult to calculate the laser scattering distribution of the pavement accurately and effectively. According to the self-similarity of the asphalt pavement profile, a fractal two-scale method (FTSM) based on fractal structure is proposed in this paper. We used the Monte Carlo method to obtain the bidirectional scattering intensity distribution (SID) and the back SID of the laser on the asphalt pavement with different roughness. Then we designed a laser scattering measurement system to verify the simulation results. We calculated and measured the SIDs of s-light and p-light of three asphalt pavements with different roughness (σ=0.34 mm; 1.74 mm; 3.08 mm). The results show that, compared with the traditional analytical approximation methods, the results of FTSM are closer to the experimental results. Compared with the single-scale model based on the Kirchhoff approximation, FTSM has a significant improvement in computational accuracy and speed.
Resonant silicon waveguide with strong transverse electric field rotation for magnetic-field-induced non-reciprocity
Authors: Iukhtanov Nikita G. , Rybin Mikhail V.
Published: May 2023

Non-reciprocal devices suitable for on-chip implementation are of high
importance in modern photonics. In most cases, non-reciprocity is
caused by the magneto-optical effect. At the same time, the external
magnetic field is convenient to apply in the normal direction to the
chip plane, which leads to Voigt geometry and modes with in-plane
transverse rotations of the electric field. Here, we propose two
resonant magnetic material-free silicon waveguides supporting such
modes. The first one is a rectangular waveguide with air holes inside,
whose modes have higher rotations at the telecom wavelength, but the
silicon thickness is non-standard. The second one is based on a
220-nm-thick silicon waveguide compatible with commercially available
silicon-on-insulator wafers. We also propose the scheme of an optical
isolator based on a Mach–Zehnder interferometer with a rotation
elements delay in its arms.
Keyframe-aided resolution enhancement network for dynamic super-resolution structured illumination microscopy
Authors: Tang Yujun , Wen Gang , Liang Yong , Wang LinBo , Zhang Jie , Li Hui
Published: May 2023

Deep learning has been used to reconstruct super-resolution structured illumination microscopy (SR-SIM) images with wide-field or fewer raw images, effectively reducing photobleaching and phototoxicity. However, the dependability of new structures or sample observation is still questioned using these methods. Here, we propose a dynamic SIM imaging strategy: the full raw images are recorded at the beginning to reconstruct the SR image as a keyframe, then only wide-field images are recorded. A deep-learning-based reconstruction algorithm, named KFA-RET, is developed to reconstruct the rest of the SR images for the whole dynamic process. With the structure at the keyframe as a reference and the temporal continuity of biological structures, KFA-RET greatly enhances the quality of reconstructed SR images while reducing photobleaching and phototoxicity. Moreover, KFA-RET has a strong transfer capability for observing new structures that were not included during network training.
Neurocomputational mechanisms underlying fear-biased adaptation learning in changing environments
Authors: Wang Zhihao , Nan Tian , Goerlich Katharina S. , Li Yiman , Aleman André , Luo Yuejia , Xu Pengfei
Published: May 2023

Humans are able to adapt to the fast-changing world by estimating statistical regularities of the environment. Although fear can profoundly impact adaptive behaviors, the computational and neural mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. Here, we conducted a behavioral experiment (n = 21) and a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment (n = 37) with a novel cue-biased adaptation learning task, during which we simultaneously manipulated emotional valence (fearful/neutral expressions of the cue) and environmental volatility (frequent/infrequent reversals of reward probabilities). Across 2 experiments, computational modeling consistently revealed a higher learning rate for the environment with frequent versus infrequent reversals following neutral cues. In contrast, this flexible adjustment was absent in the environment with fearful cues, suggesting a suppressive role of fear in adaptation to environmental volatility. This suppressive effect was underpinned by activity of the ventral striatum, hippocampus, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) as well as increased functional connectivity between the dACC and temporal-parietal junction (TPJ) for fear with environmental volatility. Dynamic causal modeling identified that the driving effect was located in the TPJ and was associated with dACC activation, suggesting that the suppression of fear on adaptive behaviors occurs at the early stage of bottom-up processing. These findings provide a neuro-computational account of how fear interferes with adaptation to volatility during dynamic environments.
A single N-terminal amino acid determines the distinct roles of histones H3 and H3.3 in the Drosophila male germline stem cell lineage
Authors: Chandrasekhara Chinmayi , Ranjan Rajesh , Urban Jennifer A. , Davis Brendon E. M. , Ku Wai Lim , Snedeker Jonathan , Zhao Keji , Chen Xin
Published: May 2023

Adult stem cells undergo asymmetric cell divisions to produce 2 daughter cells with distinct cell fates: one capable of self-renewal and the other committed for differentiation. Misregulation of this delicate balance can lead to cancer and tissue degeneration. During asymmetric division ofDrosophilamale germline stem cells (GSCs), preexisting (old) and newly synthesized histone H3 are differentially segregated, whereas old and new histone variant H3.3 are more equally inherited. However, what underlies these distinct inheritance patterns remains unknown. Here, we report that the N-terminal tails of H3 and H3.3 are critical for their inheritance patterns, as well as GSC maintenance and proper differentiation. H3 and H3.3 differ at the 31st position in their N-termini with Alanine for H3 and Serine for H3.3. By swapping these 2 amino acids, we generated 2 mutant histones (i.e., H3A31S and H3.3S31A). Upon expressing them in the early-stage germline, we identified opposing phenotypes: overpopulation of early-stage germ cells in the H3A31S-expressing testes and significant germ cell loss in testes expressing the H3.3S31A. Asymmetric H3 inheritance is disrupted in the H3A31S-expressing GSCs, due to misincorporation of old histones between sister chromatids during DNA replication. Furthermore, H3.3S31A mutation accelerates old histone turnover in the GSCs. Finally, using a modified Chromatin Immunocleavage assay on early-stage germ cells, we found that H3A31S has enhanced occupancy at promoters and transcription starting sites compared with H3, while H3.3S31A is more enriched at transcriptionally silent intergenic regions compared to H3.3. Overall, these results suggest that the 31st amino acids for both H3 and H3.3 are critical for their proper genomic occupancy and function. Together, our findings indicate a critical role for the different amino acid composition of the N-terminal tails between H3 and H3.3 in an endogenous stem cell lineage and provide insights into the importance of proper histone inheritance in specifying cell fates and regulating cellular differentiation.
ResMiCo: Increasing the quality of metagenome-assembled genomes with deep learning
Authors: Mineeva Olga , Danciu Daniel , Schölkopf Bernhard , Ley Ruth E. , Rätsch Gunnar , Youngblut Nicholas D.
Published: May 2023

The number of published metagenome assemblies is rapidly growing due to advances in sequencing technologies. However, sequencing errors, variable coverage, repetitive genomic regions, and other factors can produce misassemblies, which are challenging to detect for taxonomically novel genomic data. Assembly errors can affect all downstream analyses of the assemblies. Accuracy for the state of the art in reference-free misassembly prediction does not exceed an AUPRC of 0.57, and it is not clear how well these models generalize to real-world data. Here, we present the Residual neural network for Misassembled Contig identification (ResMiCo), a deep learning approach for reference-free identification of misassembled contigs. To develop ResMiCo, we first generated a training dataset of unprecedented size and complexity that can be used for further benchmarking and developments in the field. Through rigorous validation, we show that ResMiCo is substantially more accurate than the state of the art, and the model is robust to novel taxonomic diversity and varying assembly methods. ResMiCo estimated 7% misassembled contigs per metagenome across multiple real-world datasets. We demonstrate how ResMiCo can be used to optimize metagenome assembly hyperparameters to improve accuracy, instead of optimizing solely for contiguity. The accuracy, robustness, and ease-of-use of ResMiCo make the tool suitable for general quality control of metagenome assemblies and assembly methodology optimization.
Data-driven segmentation of cortical calcium dynamics
Authors: Weiser Sydney C. , Mullen Brian R. , Ascencio Desiderio , Ackman James B.
Published: May 2023

Demixing signals in transcranial videos of neuronal calcium flux across the cerebral hemispheres is a key step before mapping features of cortical organization. Here we demonstrate that independent component analysis can optimally recover neural signal content in widefield recordings of neuronal cortical calcium dynamics captured at a minimum sampling rate of 1.5×106 pixels per one-hundred millisecond frame for seventeen minutes with a magnification ratio of 1:1. We show that a set of spatial and temporal metrics obtained from the components can be used to build a random forest classifier, which separates neural activity and artifact components automatically at human performance. Using this data, we establish functional segmentation of the mouse cortex to provide a map of ~115 domains per hemisphere, in which extracted time courses maximally represent the underlying signal in each recording. Domain maps revealed substantial regional motifs, with higher order cortical regions presenting large, eccentric domains compared with smaller, more circular ones in primary sensory areas. This workflow of data-driven video decomposition and machine classification of signal sources can greatly enhance high quality mapping of complex cerebral dynamics.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic and anti-pandemic measures on tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and malaria–A systematic review
Authors: Kessel Barbora , Heinsohn Torben , Ott Jördis J. , Wolff Jutta , Hassenstein Max J. , Lange Berit
Published: May 2023

COVID-19 pandemic puts an enormous strain on health care systems worldwide and may have a detrimental effect on prevention, treatment and outcomes of tuberculosis (TB), viral hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and malaria, whose ending is part of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We conducted a systematic review of scientific and grey literature in order to collect wide-ranging evidence with emphasis on quantification of the projected and actual indirect impacts of COVID-19 on the four infectious diseases with a global focus. We followed PRISMA guidelines and the protocol registered for malaria (CRD42021234974). We searched PubMed, Scopus, preView (last search: January 13, 2021) and websites of main (medical) societies and leading NGOs related to each of the four considered infectious diseases. From modelling studies, we identified the most impactful disruptions; from surveys and other quantitative studies (based e.g. on surveillance or program data), we assessed the actual size of the disruptions. The identified modelling studies warned about under-diagnosis (TB), anti-retroviral therapy interruption/decrease in viral load suppression (HIV), disruptions of insecticide-treated nets (ITN) distribution and access to effective treatment (malaria), and treatment delays and vaccination interruptions (viral hepatitis). The reported disruptions were very heterogeneous both between and within countries. If observed at several points in time, the initial drops (partly dramatic, e.g. TB notifications/cases, or HIV testing volumes decreased up to -80%) were followed by a gradual recovery. However, the often-missing assessment of the changes against the usual pre-pandemic fluctuations hampered the interpretation of less severe ones. Given the recurring waves of the pandemic and the unknown mid- to long-term effects of adaptation and normalisation, the real consequences for the fight against leading infectious diseases will only manifest over the coming years.
Effectiveness of Xpert MTB/RIF and the Line Probe Assay tests for the rapid detection of drug-resistant tuberculosis in the Central African Republic
Authors: Farra Alain , Koula Karen , Jolly Boris Lokoti , Gando Hervé Gildas , Ouarandji Louis Médart , Mossoro-Kpinde Christian Diamant , Manirakiza Alexandre , Simelo Jean Pierre , de Dieu Iragena Jean
Published: May 2023

The Xpert MTB/RIF and Line Probe Assay (LPA) tests are more and more frequently used in mycobacteria testing laboratories for the rapid diagnosis of multi-drug resistance (MDR-TB). In this study, we demonstrate the effectiveness of these tests in the Central African Republic. Rifampicin resistance cases detected by the Xpert MTB/RIF during the year 2020 are also underwent first- and second-line LPA, and a first-line of drug susceptibility testing (DST) on solid medium and we compared these results. 101 rifampicin resistance cases based on the Xpert MTB/RIF were detected. Mean age was 34 years [16–81]. The 20–40 years age group represented 73.2% and the male-to-female sex ratio was 1.9:1. Patient profiles were dominated by treatment failure cases (40.6%) followed by relapsed cases (30.7%) and new cases (18.8%). These 101 rifampicin resistance were also detected with the first-line LPA and were confirmed by the DST. Similarly, the isoniazid results obtained with the first-line LPA, were confirmed by the DST, giving a concordance of 100% for these antibiotics. Rifampicin resistance were for the most part due to the absence of the WT8 sequence (56%) and the presence of the Mut3 mutation (53.4%). The majority of the isoniazid resistance (94.2%) were due to the Mut1 mutation in the katG gene and 4.2% of the cases involved both the katG gene and the inhA gene promoter with the Mut1 mutation. The second-line LPA test no resistance to second-line antibiotics. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of the Xpert MTB/RIF and the LPA tests for the rapid diagnosis of MDR-TB in the Central African Republic. However, due to their high cost, these tests have not been extensively deployed in the country. Public authorities and their TB-partners can help make these molecular tests more accessible to fight MDR-TB in the country.
Understanding West Nile virus transmission: Mathematical modelling to quantify the most critical parameters to predict infection dynamics
Authors: Fesce Elisa , Marini Giovanni , Rosà Roberto , Lelli Davide , Cerioli Monica Pierangela , Chiari Mario , Farioli Marco , Ferrari Nicola
Published: May 2023

West Nile disease is a vector-borne disease caused by West Nile virus (WNV), involving mosquitoes as vectors and birds as maintenance hosts. Humans and other mammals can be infected via mosquito bites, developing symptoms ranging from mild fever to severe neurological infection. Due to the worldwide spread of WNV, human infection risk is high in several countries. Nevertheless, there are still several knowledge gaps regarding WNV dynamics. Several aspects of transmission taking place between birds and mosquitoes, such as the length of the infectious period in birds or mosquito biting rates, are still not fully understood, and precise quantitative estimates are still lacking for the European species involved. This lack of knowledge affects the precision of parameter values when modelling the infection, consequently resulting in a potential impairment of the reliability of model simulations and predictions and in a lack of the overall understanding of WNV spread. Further investigations are thus needed to better understand these aspects, but field studies, especially those involving several wild species, such as in the case of WNV, can be challenging. Thus, it becomes crucial to identify which transmission processes most influence the dynamics of WNV. In the present work, we propose a sensitivity analysis to investigate which of the selected epidemiological parameters of WNV have the largest impact on the spread of the infection. Based on a mathematical model simulating WNV spread into the Lombardy region (northern Italy), the basic reproduction number of the infection was estimated and used to quantify infection spread into mosquitoes and birds. Then, we quantified how variations in four epidemiological parameters representing the duration of the infectious period in birds, the mosquito biting rate on birds, and the competence and susceptibility to infection of different bird species might affect WNV transmission. Our study highlights that knowledge gaps in WNV epidemiology affect the precision in several parameters. Although all investigated parameters affected the spread of WNV and the modelling precision, the duration of the infectious period in birds and mosquito biting rate are the most impactful, pointing out the need of focusing future studies on a better estimate of these parameters at first. In addition, our study suggests that a WNV outbreak is very likely to occur in all areas with suitable temperatures, highlighting the wide area where WNV represents a serious risk for public health.
Occurrence of scorpion sting and associated factors in a highly marginalized municipality in Guerrero, Mexico: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Trinidad-Porfirio Blanca Estela , Morales-Pérez Arcadio , Nava-Aguilera Elizabeth , Flores-Moreno Miguel , Morales-Nava Liliana , García-Leyva Jaime , Silva-Domínguez Rufino , Cortés-Guzmán Antonio Juan , Fernández-Salas Ildefonso , Andersson Neil
Published: May 2023

Background

Scorpion sting is a neglected public health problem, despite a global estimate of 1.2 million scorpion stings and some 3,250 deaths annually

Methods

This cross-sectional study estimates the occurrence of scorpion stings and identifies associated factors in seven communities in the highly marginalized municipality of Chilapa, in the Mexican state of Guerrero. After informed consent, 1,144 households provided information on 4,985 residents. The questionnaire collated sociodemographic data, characteristics of the dwelling, efforts to avoid scorpion stings, and individual information of scorpion stings suffered in the last year. Cluster-adjusted (acl), bivariate and multivariate analysis relied on the Mantel-Haenszel procedure

Results

The overall period prevalence of scorpion stings in the year prior to the study was 4.4% (218/4985), 5.4% in men (126/2320), and 3.5% in women (92/2665), p<0.01. The majority occurred at home 68.3% (149/218), followed by agricultural fields 26.6% (58/218), street 2.8% (6/218), and work 2.3% (5/218). Factors associated with scorpion sting were carrying firewood (OR 2.1; CI95%acl 1.40–3.09), keeping free-range hens around of the home (OR 1.9; CI95%acl 1.19–2.85), residing in a rural area (OR 1.7; CI95%acl 1.04–2.78), being male (OR 1.6; CI95%acl 1.18–2.28), and helping with housework (OR 1.6; CI95%acl 1.04–2.40)

Conclusion

This study confirms scorpion bites are a public health problem in these marginalized communities in Guerrero State, with risk factors related to living conditions and the work process at home and in the fields. Almost all risk factors identified could be reduced with low-cost interventions implemented by the communities themselves.
Effect of alteplase, benzodiazepines and beta-blocker on post-stroke pneumonia: Exploration of VISTA-Acute
Authors: Phan Thanh G. , Beare Richard , Bath Philip M. , Ievlieva Svitlana , Ho Stella , Ly John , Thrift Amanda G. , Srikanth Velandai K. , Ma Henry ,   on behalf of the VISTA-Acute Collaborators
Published: May 2023

Background

Post-stroke pneumonia is a frequent complication of stroke and is associated with high mortality. Investigators have described its associations with beta-blocker. However, there has been no evaluation of the role of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (RTPA). We postulate that RTPA may modify the effect of stroke on pneumonia by reducing stroke disability. We explore this using data from neuroprotection trials in Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive (VISTA)-Acute.

Method

We evaluated the impact of RTPA and other medications in random forest model. Random forest is a type of supervised ensemble tree-based machine learning method. We used the standard approach for performing random forest and partitioned the data into training (70%) and validation (30%) sets. This action enabled to the model developed on training data to be evaluated in the validation data. We borrowed idea from Coalition Game Theory on fair distribution of marginal profit (Shapley value) to determine proportional contribution of a covariate to the model. Consistent with other analysis using the VISTA-Acute data, the diagnosis of post-stroke pneumonia was based on reports of serious adverse events.

Results

The overall frequency of pneumonia was 10.9% (614/5652). It was present in 11.5% of the RTPA (270/2358) and 10.4% (344/3295) of the no RTPA groups. There was significant (p<0.05) imbalance in covariates (age, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), diabetes, and sex). The AUC for training data was 0.70 (95% CI 0.65–0.76), validation data was 0.67 (95% CI 0.62–0.73). The Shapley value shows that baseline NIHSS (≥10) and age (≥80) made the largest contribution to the model of pneumonia while absence of benzodiazepine may protect against pneumonia. RTPA and beta-blocker had very low effect on frequency of pneumonia.

Conclusion

In this cohort pneumonia was strongly associated with stroke severity and age whereas RTPA had a much lower effect. An intriguing finding is a possible association between benzodiazepine and pneumonia but this requires further evaluation.