bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computational analysis of the sequence-structure relation in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein using protein contact networks
Authors: Guzzi Pietro Hiram , di Paola Luisa , Puccio Barbara , Lomoio Ugo , Giuliani Alessandro , Veltri Pierangelo
Published: February 2023

The structure of proteins impacts directly on the function they perform. Mutations in the primary sequence can provoke structural changes with consequent modification of functional properties. SARS-CoV-2 proteins have been extensively studied during the pandemic. This wide dataset, related to sequence and structure, has enabled joint sequence-structure analysis. In this work, we focus on the SARS-CoV-2 S (Spike) protein and the relations between sequence mutations and structure variations, in order to shed light on the structural changes stemming from the position of mutated amino acid residues in three different SARS-CoV-2 strains. We propose the use of protein contact network (PCN) formalism to: (i) obtain a global metric space and compare various molecular entities, (ii) give a structural explanation of the observed phenotype, and (iii) provide context dependent descriptors of single mutations. PCNs have been used to compare sequence and structure of the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants, and we found that omicron has a unique mutational pattern leading to different structural consequences from mutations of other strains. The non-random distribution of changes in network centrality along the chain has allowed to shed light on the structural (and functional) consequences of mutations.
The simplified tailor-made workflows for a 3D slicer-based craniofacial implant design
Authors: Tantisatirapong Suchada , Khunakornpattanakarn Sarunyapong , Suesatsakul Thanyakarn , Boonpratatong Amaraporn , Benjamin Itsara , Tongmeesee Somprasong , Kangkorn Tanasit , Chanwimalueang Theerasak
Published: February 2023

A specific design of craniofacial implant model is vital and urgent for patients with traumatic head injury. The mirror technique is commonly used for modeling these implants, but it requires the presence of a healthy skull region opposite to the defect. To address this limitation, we propose three processing workflows for modeling craniofacial implants: the mirror method, the baffle planner, and the baffle-based mirror guideline. These workflows are based on extension modules on the 3D Slicer platform and were developed to simplify the modeling process for a variety of craniofacial scenarios. To evaluate the effectiveness of these proposed workflows, we investigated craniofacial CT datasets collected from four accidental cases. The designed implant models were created using the three proposed workflows and compared to reference models created by an experienced neurosurgeon. The spatial properties of the models were evaluated using performance metrics. Our results show that the mirror method is suitable for cases where a healthy skull region can be completely reflected to the defect region. The baffle planner module offers a flexible prototype model that can be fit independently to any defect location, but it requires customized refinement of contour and thickness to fill the missing region seamlessly and relies on the user's experience and expertise. The proposed baffle-based mirror guideline method strengthens the baffle planner method by tracing the mirrored surface. Overall, our study suggests that the three proposed workflows for craniofacial implant modeling simplify the process and can be practically applied to a variety of craniofacial scenarios. These findings have the potential to improve the care of patients with traumatic head injuries and could be used by neurosurgeons and other medical professionals.
A new method for analyzing non-uniform guiding structures
Authors: Yasi Negar , Boozari Mahdi , Alijani Mohammad G. H. , Neshati Mohammad H.
Published: February 2023

This paper presents a new technique for analyzing a non-uniform transmission line (NUTL). This method expands the differential equations of voltage and current as the slope functions. Then, differential equations are solved using the explicit Runge–Kutta technique with the fourth-order method with four stages. It is shown that the proposed method can be used not only for analyzing the NUTL but also for analyzing the no-uniform waveguides (NUWG). Additionally, it is shown that the sensitivity of the proposed method concerning the discretization error is suitable. Several theoretical and practical NUTLs and NUWG are investigated to verify the proposed method’s accuracy and advantages. The performance of the proposed method is compared with those obtained by the other popular techniques, such as uniform cascaded sections (UCS).
Long-term participant retention and engagement patterns in an app and wearable-based multinational remote digital depression study
Authors: Zhang Yuezhou , Pratap Abhishek , Folarin Amos A. , Sun Shaoxiong , Cummins Nicholas , Matcham Faith , Vairavan Srinivasan , Dineley Judith , Ranjan Yatharth , Rashid Zulqarnain , Conde Pauline , Stewart Callum , White Katie M. , Oetzmann Carolin , Ivan Alina , Lamers Femke , Siddi Sara , Rambla Carla Hernández , Simblett Sara , Nica Raluca , Mohr David C. , Myin-Germeys Inez , Wykes Til , Haro Josep Maria , Penninx Brenda W. J. H. , Annas Peter , Narayan Vaibhav A. , Hotopf Matthew , Dobson Richard J. B. ,   RADAR-CNS consortium
Published: February 2023

Recent growth in digital technologies has enabled the recruitment and monitoring of large and diverse populations in remote health studies. However, the generalizability of inference drawn from remotely collected health data could be severely impacted by uneven participant engagement and attrition over the course of the study. We report findings on long-term participant retention and engagement patterns in a large multinational observational digital study for depression containing active (surveys) and passive sensor data collected via Android smartphones, and Fitbit devices from 614 participants for up to 2 years. Majority of participants (67.6%) continued to remain engaged in the study after 43 weeks. Unsupervised clustering of participants’ study apps and Fitbit usage data showed 3 distinct engagement subgroups for each data stream. We found: (i) the least engaged group had the highest depression severity (4 PHQ8 points higher) across all data streams; (ii) the least engaged group (completed 4 bi-weekly surveys) took significantly longer to respond to survey notifications (3.8 h more) and were 5 years younger compared to the most engaged group (completed 20 bi-weekly surveys); and (iii) a considerable proportion (44.6%) of the participants who stopped completing surveys after 8 weeks continued to share passive Fitbit data for significantly longer (average 42 weeks). Additionally, multivariate survival models showed participants’ age, ownership and brand of smartphones, and recruitment sites to be associated with retention in the study. Together these findings could inform the design of future digital health studies to enable equitable and balanced data collection from diverse populations.
Socio-ecological factors shape the distribution of a cultural keystone species in Malaysian Borneo
Authors: Kurz David J. , Connor Thomas , Brodie Jedediah F. , Baking Esther L. , Szeto Sabrina H. , Hearn Andrew J. , Gardner Penny C. , Wearn Oliver R. , Deith Mairin C. M. , Deere Nicolas J. , Ampeng Ahmad , Bernard Henry , Goon Jocelyn , Granados Alys , Helmy Olga , Lim Hong-Ye , Luskin Matthew Scott , Macdonald David W. , Ross Joanna , Simpson Boyd K. , Struebig Matthew J. , Mohd-Azlan Jayasilan , Potts Matthew D. , Goossens Benoit , Brashares Justin S.
Published: February 2023

Biophysical and socio-cultural factors have jointly shaped the distribution of global biodiversity, yet relatively few studies have quantitatively assessed the influence of social and ecological landscapes on wildlife distributions. We sought to determine whether social and ecological covariates shape the distribution of a cultural keystone species, the bearded pig (Sus barbatus). Drawing on a dataset of 295 total camera trap locations and 25,755 trap days across 18 field sites and three years in Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, we fitted occupancy models that incorporated socio-cultural covariates and ecological covariates hypothesized to influence bearded pig occupancy. We found that all competitive occupancy models included both socio-cultural and ecological covariates. Moreover, we found quantitative evidence supporting Indigenous pig hunting rights: predicted pig occupancy was positively associated with predicted high levels of Indigenous pig-hunting groups in low-accessibility areas, and predicted pig occupancy was positively associated with predicted medium and low levels of Indigenous pig-hunting groups in high-accessibility areas. These results suggest that bearded pig populations in Malaysian Borneo should be managed with context-specific strategies, promoting Indigenous pig hunting rights. We also provide important baseline information on bearded pig occupancy levels prior to the 2020–2021 outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), which caused social and ecological concerns after mass dieoffs of bearded pigs in Borneo. The abstract provided in Malay is in the Supplementary file.
The interplay of acute cortisol response and trait affectivity in associating with stress resilience
Authors: Shao Robin , Man Idy S. C. , Yau Suk-Yu , Li Cheng , Li Pinky Y. P. , Hou Wai Kai , Li Shirley Xin , Liu Fiona Yan , Wing Yun Kwok , Lee Tatia M. C.
Published: February 2023

Resilience is the cornerstone to mental health, and entails multiple biological and psychological mechanistic processes. However, the interplay of the psychobiological processes in shaping resilience is unclear. Here we report the results of testing whether an acute cortisol response and positive affectivity traits moderate the relationship between participants’ five-year major life stress and current psychological symptoms. The participants comprised 147 individuals (93 females and 54 males, age = 24–45 years) without clinical diagnosis. Acute stress was induced using the Trier Social Stress Task. We found that both the cortisol response to anticipatory acute stress and positive affectivity moderated the stress–symptom relationship. Specifically, a positive relationship between life stress and current symptoms was only observed at low, but not high, levels of cortisol response and positive affectivity. Moreover, the moderating effect of cortisol response was only observed at a low level of trait positive affectivity. These results unravel how the biological and emotional processes of the stress response interact to shape resilience to major life stress.
Rapid and sensitive immunoassay for alpha-fetoprotein in serum by fabricating primary antibody–enzyme complexes using protein self-assembly
Authors: Liu Zilong , Liu Xing , Pei Hua , Bao Kunlu , Su Benchao , Cao Hongmei , Wu Long , Chen Qi
Published: February 2023

The focus of this manuscript is to develop a facile method for the uniform preparation of heptavalent PAECs and to investigate the performance of heptavalent PAECs in immunoassays.
A modular scaffold for triggerable and tunable nitroxyl (HNO) generation with a fluorescence reporter
Authors: Sawase Laxman R. , C. V. Jishnu , Manna Suman , Chakrapani Harinath
Published: February 2023

We report a new tool that permeates cells to generate nitroxyl (HNO), which is a short-lived cell signalling molecule, along with a fluorescent reporter. The use of this tool eliminates the need for independent assays to infer the production of HNO.
Jahn–Teller effects in initial and final states: high-resolution X-ray absorption, photoelectron and Auger spectroscopy of allene
Authors: Muchova Eva , Hollas Daniel , Holland David M. P. , Bacellar Camila , Leroy Ludmila , Barillot Thomas R. , Longetti Luca , Coreno Marcello , de Simone Monica , Grazioli Cesare , Chergui Majed , Ingle Rebecca A.
Published: February 2023

Carbon K-edge resonant Auger spectra of gas-phase allene following excitation of the pre-edge 1s → π* transitions are presented and analysed with the support of EOM-CCSD/cc-pVTZ calculations.
Molecular dynamic simulations identifying the mechanism of holoenzyme formation byO-GlcNAc transferase and active p38α
Authors: Wang Yu , Zhang Zhiyang , Liu Xiaoyuan , Chen Nianhang , Zhao Yuan , Wang Chaojie
Published: February 2023

Molecular dynamic simulations identifying mechanism of holoenzyme formation byO-GlcNAc transferase and active p38α.
Manganese-based oxide electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction: a review
Authors: Wang Peng , Zhang Shiqi , Wang Zhaobo , Mo Yuhan , Luo Xiaoyang , Yang Fan , Lv Meili , Li Zhaoxiang , Liu Xuanwen
Published: February 2023

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER), as an essential process in water decomposition and air batteries, has received increasing attention in the context of clean energy production and efficient energy storage.
A new class of amide-based organogels: from oil spill recovery to self-assembly structure analysis
Authors: Yang Dongdong , Xia Shuwei , Bao Mutai , Chen Xiuping , Kang Hu , Zhao Haosen , Li Yiming
Published: February 2023

H-bonding and van der Waals forces affect the self-assembly between molecules, explaining the self-assembly process of the gel. The spatial configuration of the dimer and the forces between molecules can be visualized through the ESP graph.
Stretchable conductive nanocomposites of low electrical percolation threshold for washable high-performance-interconnects
Authors: Kwag Seungho , Ko Youngpyo , Jeon Jun-Young , Jang Doojoon , Park Minju , Choi Yoohyeon , Cho Jinhan , Kim Heesuk
Published: February 2023

We report a rationally designed stretchable conductive composite of low Ag percolation threshold concentration with the aid of boron nitride (BN) as a non-conductive auxiliary filler.
Circularly polarized organic room temperature phosphorescence activated by liquid crystalline polymer networks
Authors: Huang Ao , Huang Jiang , Luo Hui-Ying , Luo Zhi-Wang , Wang Pu , Wang Ping , Guan Yan , Xie He-Lou
Published: February 2023

Circularly polarized organic room temperature phosphorescence (CPRTP) withgmax= +0.098 was activated by the rigid environment of anin situcross-linked liquid crystalline polymer network.
Formation and evolution of topologically closepacked crystals during the rapid solidification of liquid metal tungsten
Authors: Wang Cun-jing , Mo Yun-fei , Zhou Li-li , Liang Yong-chao , Tian Ze-an , Han Lei , Fan Lang-tao , Xie Xiao-lu
Published: February 2023

The critical nucleus forms only when the three types of atoms arrange in terms of the β-W unit cell.
Structural characterization and electronic properties of Ni/rubrene bilayers with alternative stacking sequences
Authors: Tanguturi Ranganadha Gopalarao , Tsai Jian-Chen , Li You-Siang , Tsay Jyh-Shen
Published: February 2023

For Ni/rubrene bilayers on Si(100) substrate with alternating stack arrangement, the magnetic interaction of Ni layer is governed by a spinterface where an appreciable shift of valence band of bilayer has been found.
Design of canals lined with geomembranes
Authors: Giroud Jean-Pierre , Plusquellec Hervé , Blond Eric
Published: February 2023

First, a review of important issues that must be addressed when designing the use of geomembrane linings in canals is presented: water flow characteristics affecting exposed geomembranes and mechanisms that could cause failure of geomembrane linings. The reviewed mechanisms include: deformation of the supporting soil; uplift of geomembrane by wind, flowing water, or groundwater; mechanical damage to the geomembrane lining, e.g. by puncture or excessive stresses Recommendations are presented to address these issues. Then, design methods are presented for the sizing of canal components such as geomembrane protection, geomembrane ballasting, and geomembrane anchorage. It is shown that, in many cases, the association of geomembrane watertight lining and concrete protection layer is a successful solution.
Geosynthetics in Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure Construction
Authors: Yoo Chungsik
Published: February 2023

Geosynthetics engineering has made phenomenal advances during the last decade in areas of manufacturing as well as practical applications. As a result, geosynthetics have become essential and regular construction materials that facilitate construction, ensure better short- and long-term performance and reduce the long-term maintenance cost in routine civil engineering works. Geosynthetics are also being recognized as fundamentals to sustainable infrastructure development as they reduce the carbon footprint contributed by infrastructure development by minimizing the use of natural resources. The creative use of geosynthetics in geo-engineering practice is expected to continuously expand as innovative materials and products are becoming available. In this paper, the issues related to global warming and sustainable benefits of geosynthetics are first discussed. Recent geosynthetics applications in transportation infrastructure development are introduced with research findings. Finally, the pathway forward regarding geosynthetics technology within the framework of sustainable infrastructure development is discussed.
Effect of sand cushion reinforced with geogrid on heave of footing rested on expansive soil
Authors: Gomaa Youssef Youssef , Elsayed Abdelrahman Gihan , Emad Abdeltawab Abdelrahman
Published: February 2023

The swelling phenomenon of expansive soil is considered one of the most serious problems that face geotechnical engineers. The principal purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of geogrid for reinforcing sand cushion on the heave of isolated footing resting on a top of a sand cushion underlined by highly active expansive clay using the large-scale box model. An artificial case study was imposed to prove the cost-effectiveness of using geogrid reinforcement with sand cushion. After performing experiments, there are many important conclusions that have been extracted from this study, for instance, using biaxial geogrid leads to control the heave of swelling soil due to the tension developed in geogrid. As well, the heave of the footing decreases slightly when the thickness of the sand cushion layer is changed from 0.75B to B.
Safety factors comparison of landfill lining components using single & double interface shear strength results
Authors: Sylivery Victor , Kalumba Denis , Jjuuko Samuel
Published: February 2023

The design of a competent basal lining system is crucial in ensuring a long-lasting and functional engineered municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill. However, due to the inclusion of numerous geosynthetics and geomaterials forming a multi-layered lining system, there rises an uncertainty on determining the critical or weakest interface. This is exacerbated by the different properties offered by these lining materials and their inter-crossing functions in landfills. According to ASTM D5321-20 standard, the interface shear strengths used in design of bases and side-slopes of lining systems are determined through a single interface testing configuration. However, minimal research has been done to evaluate the consequences of multi-interface testing configurations on the minimum factors of safety (FoSmin). The present study was thus conducted to further investigate this phenomena while establishing the appropriateness of double interface testing configuration using large direct shear equipment. It was found that, the difference in the FoSminwas insignificant for critical interfaces observed under single and double interface testing configurations.
Accompagnement des transidentités aux États-Unis, avancées et reculs, impact en Europe
Authors: Bargiacchi Anne
Published: February 2023

En matière d’accompagnement des personnes trans, comme dans d’autres domaines, ce qui se passe aux États-Unis est régulièrement observé et source d’inspiration au niveau international ; les remous politiques récents autour de l’accompagnement trans affirmatif dans certains États, en particulier pour les mineurs, ont un impact indéniable en Europe, en étant régulièrement utilisés par les « camps » qui s’affrontent aujourd’hui sur cette question. Le contexte politique et l’organisation du système de santé et d’assurance maladie colorent cet accompagnement de manière très spécifique aux États-Unis, et omettre ces aspects ou les simplifier sont source d’interprétations erronées et de désinformation. Comprendre ces déterminants est essentiel pour définir ce qui appartient au champ médical, et replacer au centre des discussions l’intérêt des personnes concernées, les principes de bienfaisance, de non malfaisance et d’équité. Dans cet article, nous discuterons donc d’organisation des soins et de recommandations de bonnes pratiques, mais aussi, à partir d’articles et de références « non scientifiques », du climat politique et social et de son impact sur l’accompagnement des personnes trans, y compris hors des États-Unis.
Alter und Altern aus Sicht der Schul- und der Chinesischen Medizin
Authors: Agarwal Kamayni , Spyra Peer-Severin
Published: February 2023

Die Traditionelle Chinesische Medizin (TCM) bietet uns Chancen, den Entwicklungsgang zu modulieren zu einem leichteren und erfüllten Altern. Dies darf aber nicht mit einem „Anti-Aging-Programm“ verwechselt werden. Es geht um „healthy aging“ im Sinne des Erhalts einer guten Lebensqualität mit Kontrolle über die Aktivitäten des täglichen Lebens als „best agers“ – alt an Jahren, aber gesund in Körper, Geist und Seele. Der Ansatz geht dabei davon aus, dass ein gutes energetisches Gleichgewicht bei der Geburt eines Menschen vorhanden ist, das zeitlebens aufrechterhalten werden sollte. Blockaden des Energieflusses führen zu Erkrankungen, da dann das Abwehr-Qi (Wei-Qi) durch pathogene Einflüsse geschwächt wird und die Versorgung aller Organe behindert. Dies gilt es zu vermeiden.
Akupunktur kann die
Entwicklung einer Demenz
nach Schlaganfall verringern
– eine retrospektive
Untersuchung
Authors: Usichenko Taras
Published: February 2023

Zielsetzung Circa ⅓ aller Patienten kann nach einem Schlaganfall eine
Demenz entwickeln. Die Akupunktur wird mit Erfolg für die
anschließende Rehabilitation nach einem Schlaganfall als ergänzende
Behandlung angewendet. Das Ziel dieser retrospektiven Kohortenstudie war es, die
potenzielle Wirkung von Akupunktur zum Schutz von Schlaganfallpatienten vor Demenz
zu untersuchen 1.
Adjustierung des sozialmedizinischen Verlaufs nach medizinischer
Rehabilitation: methodische Weiterentwicklung der
Reha-Qualitätssicherung der Deutschen Rentenversicherung
Authors: Leinberger Sarah , Hetzel Christian , Kaluscha Rainer
Published: February 2023

Ziel der Studie Die berufliche (Wieder-)Eingliederung der Rehabilitanden
stellt neben der Lebensqualität ein wichtiges Behandlungsergebnis einer
medizinischen Rehabilitationsmaßnahme in Trägerschaft der
Deutschen Rentenversicherung dar. Um den sozialmedizinischen Verlauf in Form der
beruflichen (Wieder-)Eingliederung als Qualitätsindikator nutzen zu
können, musste zunächst eine geeignete Operationalisierung
gefunden werden, um anschließend eine Risikoadjustierung hinsichtlich
vorbestehender ergebnisrelevanter Rehabilitanden-, Fachabteilungs- und
Arbeitsmarktmerkmale zu erarbeiten, welche die Fachabteilungen nicht unmittelbar
beeinflussen können.

Methodik Dazu wurde mittels multipler Regressionsanalysen und
Kreuzvalidierung eine Adjustierungsstrategie entwickelt, welche die
Einflüsse ergebnisrelevanter Confounder (Einflussgrößen)
mathematisch kompensiert und so sachgerechte Fachabteilungsvergleiche
bezüglich der sozialmedizinischen Verläufe der Rehabilitanden
nach ihrer medizinischen Rehabilitation zulässt. Als geeignete
Operationalisierung des sozialmedizinischen Verlaufs in Form der beruflichen
(Wieder-)Eingliederung wurden unter Einbezug von Experten die
sozialversicherungspflichtigen Beschäftigungstage im ersten und zweiten
Jahr nach der Rehabilitationsmaßnahme ausgewählt. Methodische
Herausforderungen bei der Entwicklung der Adjustierungsstrategie stellten die
Auswahl einer geeigneten Regressionsmethode für die
Verteilungsbesonderheiten der Zielgröße, die adäquate
Modellierung der Mehr-Ebenenstruktur der Daten, und die Selektion der relevanten
Einflussgrößen auf den sozialmedizinischen Verlauf dar. Auf
Basis der adjustierten Ergebnisse wurde ein anwenderfreundliches
Rückmeldekonzept entwickelt.

Ergebnisse Als angemessene Regressionsmethode zur Modellierung der
U-förmig verteilten Anzahl der Beschäftigungstage wurde die
Fractional Logit Regression gewählt. Die Mehr-Ebenenstruktur der Daten
(cross-classified Arbeitsmarktregionen und Fachabteilungen) ist aufgrund von
durchweg niedrigen Intraklassenkorrelationen statistisch zu
vernachlässigen. Potenzielle Einflussgrößen wurden
theoretisch vorselektiert (unter Einbezug medizinischer Experten bei
medizinischen Parametern) und indikationsspezifisch über
Rückwärtsselektion auf ihre prognostische Relevanz
geprüft. Die Strategie erwies sich nach Kreuzvalidierung als stabil. Die
Ergebnisse der Adjustierung wurden unter Einbezug der Nutzerperspektive
(Interviews und Fokusgruppen) anwenderorientiert in einem
Rückmeldekonzept dargestellt.

Schlussfolgerung Das entwickelte Adjustierungsverfahren ermöglicht
durch die Kompensation vorbestehender Rehabilitandenmerkmale einen sachgerechten
Fachabteilungsvergleich zur Beurteilung der Behandlungsergebnisse im Rahmen der
Reha-Qualitätssicherung. Die methodischen Herausforderungen,
Entscheidungen und Limitationen werden in diesem Beitrag ausführlicher
dargestellt.
Detrimental Changes in Health during Menopause: The Role of Physical Activity
Authors: Hulteen Ryan M. , Marlatt Kara L. , Allerton Timothy D. , Lovre Dragana
Published: February 2023

Midlife women experience changes in cardiometabolic, physical, and psychosocial health during menopause that negatively impacts their overall quality of life. Factors that contribute to these increases in cardiometabolic risk include weight gain as well as increases in fat mass (particularly abdominal adiposity), insulin resistance, and vascular dysfunction. Other deleterious changes in physical health (e. g. reduced sleep health, bone density, and balance) as well as changes in psychosocial health (e. g. mood, anxiety, and depression) often coincide and are linked to these increases in cardiometabolic risk. Physical activity and exercise are important lifestyle components that have been demonstrated to improve cardiometabolic, physical, and psychosocial health, yet physical activity and exercise is known to decline during perimenopause and into the postmenopausal years. In this narrative review, we summarize these changes in overall health during menopause as well as how declining physical activity contributes to these changes. Additionally, we discuss how incorporating physical activity and exercise during menopause can potentially ameliorate health declines. We conclude that there exists a significant, positive impact of physical activity on cardiometabolic, physical, and psychological health among midlife women, particularly if undertaken during the perimenopausal and postmenopausal years.
A Novel Neurorehabilitation Approach for Neural Plasticity
Overstimulation and Reorganization in Patients with Neurological
Disorders
Authors: Alashram Anas R. , Annino Giuseppe
Published: February 2023

Neurological disorders are those that are associated with impairments in the
nervous system. These impairments affect the patient’s activities of
daily living. Recently, many advanced modalities have been used in the
rehabilitation field to treat various neurological impairments. However, many of
these modalities are available only in clinics, and some are expensive. Most
patients with neurological disorders have difficulty reaching clinics. This
review was designed to establish a new neurorehabilitation approach based on the
scientific way to improve patients’ functional recovery following
neurological disorders in clinics or at home. The human brain is a network, an
intricate, integrated system that coordinates operations among billions of
units. In fact, grey matter contains most of the neuronal cell bodies. It
includes the brain and the spinal cord areas involved in muscle control, sensory
perception, memory, emotions, decision-making, and self-control. Consequently,
patients’ functional ability results from complex interactions among
various brain and spinal cord areas and neuromuscular systems. While white
matter fibers connect numerous brain areas, stimulating or improving non-motor
symptoms, such as motivation, cognitive, and sensory symptoms besides motor
symptoms may enhance functional recovery in patients with neurological
disorders. The basic principles of the current treatment approach are
established based on brain connectivity. Using motor, sensory, motivation, and
cognitive (MSMC) interventions during rehabilitation may promote neural
plasticity and maximize functional recovery in patients with neurological
disorders. Experimental studies are strongly needed to verify our theories and
hypothesis.
Zum 200. Geburtstag von Adolf Kussmaul (1822–1902): Beschreiber der Kussmaul-Atmung und Wegbereiter der Endoskopie
Authors: Koehler Ulrich , Degerli Mikail Aykut , Hildebrandt Olaf , Conradt Regina
Published: February 2023

Adolf Kussmaul (1822–1902) hat in Heidelberg Medizin studiert. Der Name Kussmaul ist v.a. durch die Panarteriitis nodosa, den Pulsus paradoxus und den Venenpuls bei schwieliger Mediastinopericarditis sowie die hochfrequente und tiefe Atmung bei diabetischer Ketoazidose weltweit bekannt geworden. Kussmaul war auch Wegbereiter der endoskopischen Diagnostik und Therapie von Erkrankungen des Ösophagus und des Magens. Seine ärztliche Tätigkeit als Landarzt, die er in Kandern im Schwarzwald 1850 begonnen hat, musste er wegen gesundheitlicher Probleme nach drei Jahren beenden. Kussmaul hat dann den klinisch-wissenschaftlichen Weg beschritten. 1855 promovierte er in Würzburg bei Virchow und habilitierte in Heidelberg. Von 1859–1888 war er in Erlangen, Freiburg und Straßburg als ordentlicher Professor tätig. Nach der Emeritierung hat Kussmaul in Heidelberg weiterhin als Arzt gearbeitet und seine „Jugenderinnerungen eines alten Arztes“ verfasst.
Growth of Flow-Related Aneurysms Following Occlusion of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation
Authors: Świątnicki Wojciech , Böcher-Schwarz Hans G. , Standhardt Harald
Published: February 2023

Background Flow-related aneurysms (FRAs) associated with cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) pose a significant therapeutic challenge. Both their natural history and management strategy are still unclear and underreported. FRAs generally increase the risk of brain hemorrhage. However, following AVM obliteration these vascular lesions are expected to disappear or remain stable.

Methods We present two cases where growth of FRAs was detected following complete obliteration of an unruptured AVM.

Results The first patient presented with proximal middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm growth after spontaneous and asymptomatic thrombosis of the AVM. In our second case, a very small aneurysmal-like dilation located at the basilar apex enlarged to a saccular aneurysm following complete endovascular and radiosurgical obliteration of the AVM.

Conclusion The natural history of flow-related aneurysms is unpredictable. In the cases where these lesions are not managed first, there should be close follow-up. When aneurysm growth is evident, active management strategy seems mandatory.
Adductor Canal Nerve Block versus Intra-articular Anesthetic in Knee Arthroscopy: A Single-Blinded Prospective Randomized Trial
Authors: Perry Michael , LeDuc Ryan , Stakenas Steven , Wozniak Amy , Francois Audrice , Evans Douglas
Published: February 2023

Effective perioperative pain control following knee arthroscopy allows patients to reduce narcotic intake, avoid side effects of these medications, and recover more quickly. Adductor canal nerve blockade (ACB) and intra-articular injection of local anesthetic have been described as adjuvant treatments for postoperative pain control following surgery of the knee. This study directly compares the effect of each of these treatment modalities. Patients undergoing knee arthroscopy were blinded and randomized to receive either an ACB (n = 60) or intra-articular injection of local anesthetic (IAB, n = 64). Outcome measures included patient reported visual analog scale (VAS) scores at 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 36, 48 hours and 1 week and total narcotic consumption at 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively. Student's t-tests were used to compare unadjusted VAS scores at each time point and use of postoperative pain medication between treatment groups. Adjusted VAS scores were estimated in a multivariable general linear model with interaction of time and treatment group and other relevant covariates. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender, age, body mass index, and insurance type. ACB patients had significantly higher pain scores than IAB patients at hours 1 and 2 (hour 1: 4.02 [2.99] vs. 2.59 [3.00], p = 0.009; hour 2: 3.12 [2.44] vs. 2.17 [2.62], p = 0.040). ACB patients had higher pain scores than IAB patients up to hour 16, though hours 4 to 16 were not significantly different. Adjusted covariate analyses demonstrate an additional statistically significant reduction in pain score in the IAB group at hour 4. There were no differences in narcotic consumption. Intraoperative local anesthetic and regional ACB each provides adequate pain control following knee arthroscopy, and intraoperative local anesthetic may provide enhanced pain control for up to 4 hours postoperatively.

Level of Evidence: Level 1 evidence, randomized control trial.
Late-Stage Two-Step C11–H Arylation of Dibenzooxa/thiazepines
Authors: Du Hongguang , Xu Jiaxi , Yang Zhanhui , Chen Yang , Ma Meng-Yao
Published: February 2023

A practical and efficient synthesis of 11-aryldibenzooxa/thiazepines is achieved, via a late-stage and two-step C11–H arylation of simple dibenzooxa/thiazepines. The adoption of Grignard addition and DDQ dehydrogenation allows for operationally simple and chemically reliable, step-efficient, and high-yielding transformations. The two-step and one-pot procedures provide excellent yields. The gram-scale experiment demonstrates the promising synthetic potentials in large-scale applications, and the advantages of this method are also highlighted in the efficient synthesis of an H460TaxR inhibitor.
Hepatokines and Adipokines in Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Mukhuty Alpana , Mondal Samim Ali , Mukhopadhyay Satinath
Published: February 2023

Hepatokines and adipokines are secretory proteins derived from hepatocytes and adipocytes, respectively. These proteins play a main role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MetS), characterized by obesity, dysglycemia, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Adipose tissue and liver are important endocrine organs because they regulate metabolic homeostasis as well as inflammation because they secrete adipokines and hepatokines, respectively. These adipokines and hepatokines communicate their action through different autocrine, paracrine and endocrine pathways. Liver regulates systemic homeostasis and also glucose and lipid metabolism through hepatokines. Dysregulation of hepatokines can lead to progression toward MetS, type 2 diabetes (T2D), inflammation, hypertension, and other diseases. Obesity is now a worldwide epidemic. Increasing cases of obesity and obesity-associated metabolic syndrome has brought the focus on understanding the biology of adipocytes and the mechanisms occurring in adipose tissue of obese individuals. A lot of facts are now available on adipose tissue as well. Adipose tissue is now given the status of an endocrine organ. Recent evidence indicates that obesity contributes to systemic metabolic dysfunction. Adipose tissue plays a significant role in systemic metabolism by communicating with other central and peripheral organs via the production and secretion of a group of proteins known as adipokines. Adipokine levels regulate metabolic state of our body and are potent enough to have a direct impact upon energy homeostasis and systemic metabolism. Dysregulation of adipokines contribute to obesity, T2D, hypertension and several other pathological changes in various organs. This makes characterization of hepatokines and adipokines extremely important to understand the pathogenesis of MetS. Hepatokines such as fetuin-A and leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2, and adipokines such as resistin, leptin, TNF-α, and adiponectin are some of the most studied proteins and they can modulate the manifestations of MetS. Detailed insight into the function and mechanism of these adipokines and hepatokines in the pathogenesis of MetS can show the path for devising better preventative and therapeutic strategies against this present-day pandemic.
1.5 Copper-Catalyzed Directed C—H Functionalization
Authors: Xu H. , Dai H.-X.
Published: February 2023

Copper-catalyzed C—H bond functionalization has attracted significant attention in recent years, and in this review the key achievements are summarized. Using this methodology, a variety of C—C and C—heteroatom bonds (including C—N, C—O, C—S, C—Se, C—halide, C—P, and C—Si) can be formed with the assistance of monodentate and bidentate directing groups.
1.6 Copper-Catalyzed Acidic C—H Functionalization
Authors: Shang Y. , Ren Y. , Su W.
Published: February 2023

Copper-catalyzed functionalization of acidic C—H bonds has emerged as a fruitful field due to the abundance and inexpensive nature of copper salts. In this chapter, we summarize the relevant advances in which copper promotes direct C—H functionalizations, including cross-dehydrogenative transformations, of activated organic substrates. The chapter is classified based on the types of activating group, including carbonyl, nitrile, nitro, as well as electron-deficient (hetero)aromatic groups.
1.14 Nickel-Catalyzed Directed C—H Functionalization
Authors: Chatani N.
Published: February 2023

This chapter summarizes some selected examples of nickel-catalyzed directed C—H functionalization reactions that involve the activation of a C—H bond as a key step. It is now recognized that nickel complexes, mostly nickel(0) and nickel(II), are some of the most attractive and effective catalysts for the development of C—H functionalization reactions because of the low cost and earth-abundance of nickel, and, most importantly, because the complexes can exist in various oxidation states (+1, +2, +3, and +4) during the transformation, which leads to unique reactivity.
A brief history of heuristics: how did research on heuristics evolve?
Authors: Hjeij Mohamad , Vilks Arnis
Published: February 2023

Heuristics are often characterized as rules of thumb that can be used to speed up the process of decision-making. They have been examined across a wide range of fields, including economics, psychology, and computer science. However, scholars still struggle to find substantial common ground. This study provides a historical review of heuristics as a research topic before and after the emergence of the subjective expected utility (SEU) theory, emphasising the evolutionary perspective that considers heuristics as resulting from the development of the brain. We find it useful to distinguish between deliberate and automatic uses of heuristics, but point out that they can be used consciously and subconsciously. While we can trace the idea of heuristics through many centuries and fields of application, we focus on the evolution of the modern notion of heuristics through three waves of research, starting with Herbert Simon in the 1950s, who introduced the notion of bounded rationality and suggested the use of heuristics in artificial intelligence, thereby paving the way for all later research on heuristics. A breakthrough came with Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky in the 1970s, who analysed the biases arising from using heuristics. The resulting research programme became the subject of criticism by Gerd Gigerenzer in the 1990s, who argues that an ‘adaptive toolbox’ consisting of ‘fast-and-frugal’ heuristics can yield ‘ecologically rational’ decisions.
Gravitational lensing hunts for exoplanets around binary stars
Authors: Thompson Avery
Published: February 2023

Two stars and one planet make a challenging system for microlensing, but the technique is adept at finding small and distant planets.
Propagation phenomena of the solution for the relativistic BGK model
Authors: Sun Baoyan
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we recognize the finite propagation speed of the solution for the relativistic Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook model of the Marle-type near equilibrium regime in the whole space Rx3. The global solutions vanish outside a modified line cone ⟨x⟩ = aMt with a, M > 1. Moreover, one can see that the slope of the modified line cone aM can be as close as to the maximum speed of the relativistic transport part. This means that the propagation speed is optimal.
Design of a fractional-order atmospheric model via a class of ACT-like chaotic system and its sliding mode chaos control
Authors: Naik Manisha Krishna , Baishya Chandrali , Veeresha Pundikala , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: February 2023

Investigation of the dynamical behavior related to environmental phenomena has received much attention across a variety of scientific domains. One such phenomenon is global warming. The main causes of global warming, which has detrimental effects on our ecosystem, are mainly excess greenhouse gases and temperature. Looking at the significance of this climatic event, in this study, we have connected the ACT-like model to three climatic components, namely, permafrost thaw, temperature, and greenhouse gases in the form of a Caputo fractional differential equation, and analyzed their dynamics. The theoretical aspects, such as the existence and uniqueness of the obtained solution, are examined. We have derived two different sliding mode controllers to control chaos in this fractional-order system. The influences of these controllers are analyzed in the presence of uncertainties and external disturbances. In this process, we have obtained a new controlled system of equations without and with uncertainties and external disturbances. Global stability of these new systems is also established. All the aspects are examined for commensurate and non-commensurate fractional-order derivatives. To establish that the system is chaotic, we have taken the assistance of the Lyapunov exponent and the bifurcation diagram with respect to the fractional derivative. To perform numerical simulation, we have identified certain values of the parameters where the system exhibits chaotic behavior. Then, the theoretical claims about the influence of the controller on the system are established with the help of numerical simulations.
Chaos and complexity in the dynamics of nonlinear Alfvén waves in a magnetoplasma
Authors: Roy Subhrajit , Roy Animesh , Misra Amar P.
Published: February 2023

The nonlinear dynamics of circularly polarized dispersive Alfvén wave (AW) envelopes coupled to the driven ion-sound waves of plasma slow response is studied in a uniform magnetoplasma. By restricting the wave dynamics to a few number of harmonic modes, a low-dimensional dynamical model is proposed to describe the nonlinear wave–wave interactions. It is found that two subintervals of the wave number of modulation k of AW envelope exist, namely, (3/4)kc<k<kc and 0<k<(3/4)kc, where kc is the critical value of k below which the modulational instability (MI) occurs. In the former, where the MI growth rate is low, the periodic and/or quasi-periodic states are shown to occur, whereas the latter, where the MI growth is high, brings about the chaotic states. The existence of these states is established by the analyses of Lyapunov exponent spectra together with the bifurcation diagram and phase-space portraits of dynamical variables. Furthermore, the complexities of chaotic phase spaces in the nonlinear motion are measured by the estimations of the correlation dimension as well as the approximate entropy and compared with those for the known Hénon map and the Lorenz system in which a good qualitative agreement is noted. The chaotic motion, thus, predicted in a low-dimensional model can be a prerequisite for the onset of Alfvénic wave turbulence to be observed in a higher dimensional model that is relevant in the Earth’s ionosphere and magnetosphere.
Confidence-ranked reconstruction of census microdata from published statistics
Authors: Dick Travis , Dwork Cynthia , Kearns Michael , Liu Terrance , Roth Aaron , Vietri Giuseppe , Wu Zhiwei Steven
Published: February 2023

A reconstruction attack on a private dataset
D
takes as input some publicly accessible information about the dataset and produces a list of candidate elements of
D
. We introduce a class of data reconstruction attacks based on randomized methods for nonconvex optimization. We empirically demonstrate that our attacks can not only reconstruct full rows of
D
from aggregate query statistics
Q
(
D
)∈ℝ

m

but can do so in a way that reliably ranks reconstructed rows by their odds of appearing in the private data, providing a signature that could be used for prioritizing reconstructed rows for further actions such as identity theft or hate crime. We also design a sequence of baselines for evaluating reconstruction attacks. Our attacks significantly outperform those that are based only on access to a public distribution or population from which the private dataset
D
was sampled, demonstrating that they are exploiting information in the aggregate statistics
Q
(
D
) and not simply the overall structure of the distribution. In other words, the queries
Q
(
D
) are permitting reconstruction of elements of this dataset, not the distribution from which
D
was drawn. These findings are established both on 2010 US decennial Census data and queries and Census-derived American Community Survey datasets. Taken together, our methods and experiments illustrate the risks in releasing numerically precise aggregate statistics of a large dataset and provide further motivation for the careful application of provably private techniques such as differential privacy.
Invitation to respond by rhetoric or delivery
Authors: Choi Hyangmi , Bull Peter
Published: February 2023

English (an SVO language) and Korean (an SOV language) are polar opposites in terms of grammatical order. Studies show that rhetorical devices (RDs) are effective in generating collective audience responses in British political oratory. This article attempts to study the functions of RDs in Korean oratory and the importance of speech delivery. Through the analysis of the speaker-audience turn-taking systems, it is suggested that RDs do not function as cross-cultural universals in the invitation of audience responses but rather depend on the syntactic structure of a given language and the use of nonverbal factors. Thus, due to SOV language features, RDs do not play a predominant role in inviting audience responses in Korean oratory, whereas speech delivery is crucial.
Chiral-fluctuations mediated helical to paramagnetic phase transition and scaling study in β-Mn type Co8Zn8Mn4 chiral magnet
Authors: Pardeep  , Lalita  , Bitla Yugandhar , Saha Sujoy , Patra Ajit Kumar , Basheed G A
Published: February 2023

We report detailed magnetization and ac susceptibility studies on a chiral cubic β-Mn type Co8Zn8Mn4 alloy near the onset of magnetic ordering temperature. The Co8Zn8Mn4 alloy undergoes a complex series of temperature-driven transition from paramagnetic (PM) to helimagnetic phase through an intermediate inhomogeneous chiral fluctuations phase. The Gaussian shaped peak in

χ

′

(

T
,
H

= 0 Oe) at

T

H
M

 
≅

343.19 K is analogous to that of the zero-field transition to long-period modulated helical state. Moreover, a pronounced field-induced anomaly in

χ

′

(T,

H
⩾

500 Oe) rises quickly with field above

T

H
M

like a fingerprint, evident of a field-induced crossover into a precursor region. The in-field critical behavior characterizing a ferromagnetic-PM phase transition in the vicinity of ordering temperature confirms that Co8Zn8Mn4 chiral magnet belongs to the 3D-Heisenberg universality class. The existence of precursor region and the sizable expansion in the transition temperature,

T

C

can be explained by the Landau equation.