bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Calculation of high-order harmonic generation of atoms and molecules by combining time series prediction and neural networks
Authors: Yan Jian-Zhi , Zhao Shi-Shun , Lan Wen-Di , Li Su-Yu , Zhou Shu-Shan , Chen Ji-Gen , Zhang Jing-Yi , Yang Yu-Jun
Published: August 2022

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) from the interaction of ultra-intense laser pulses with atoms is an important tabletop short-wave coherent light source. Accurate quantum simulations of it present large computational difficulties due to multi-electron multidimensional effects. In this paper, the time-dependent response of hydrogen atoms is calculated using a time-series prediction scheme, the HHG spectrum is reconstructed very accurately. The accuracy of the forecasting is further improved by using a neural network scheme. This scheme is also applied to the simulation of the harmonic emission on multi-electron systems, and the applicability of the scheme is confirmed by the harmonic calculation of complex systems. This method is expected to simulate the nonlinear dynamic process of multi-electron atoms and molecules irradiated by intense laser pulses quickly and accurately.
Tens of hertz ultra-narrow linewidth fiber ring laser based on external weak distributed feedback
Authors: Dang Laiyang , Zhang Chaoze , Zheng Bowen , Cao Yulong , Huang Ligang , Iroegbu Paul Ikechukwu , Lan Tianyi , Li Jiali , Yin Guolu , Zhu Tao
Published: August 2022

We suggest and demonstrate a single-frequency fiber ring laser with an ultra-narrow linewidth based on an external weak distributed feedback. A π phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating (PSFBG) is used to improve mode selection and enable single-longitudinal mode (SLM) laser operation. The linewidth is then further strongly compressed using a signal generated by a weak distributed feedback structure (WDFS) and injected into the main laser cavity to suppress spontaneous emission. The resulting ultra-narrow linewidth fiber ring laser achieves a side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of ∼72 dB, and low white frequency noise of ∼10.3 Hz2/Hz, which correspond to an instantaneous linewidth of ∼32.3 Hz in the normal operating condition of the laser. Our linewidth compression mechanism not only solves the problems associated with deep linewidth compression in long-cavity fiber laser, but also fosters the development of practical and reliable all-fiber structures. Our laser source is characterized by low cost, high coherence, and low noise, which are highly desirable features in coherent optical detection, high-resolution spectrometers, microwave photonics, and optical sensing.
Demonstration of beam steering using a passive silica optical phased array with wavelength tuning
Authors: Kim Jae-Yong , Yoon Jinhyeong , Kim Junhyeong , Kwon Nam-Hyun , Rhee Hyun-Woo , Baek Mideum , Lee Yongtae , Park Hyo-Hoon , Yoon Hyeonho
Published: August 2022

We demonstrate beam steering using a passive silica optical phased array (OPA) with wavelength tuning. In this OPA, a constant path difference is built up to assign sequential phase delays with a wavelength variation in arrayed waveguide channels for the beam steering. From as-fabricated 1 × 101 passive silica OPA chips, we successfully achieved beam forming with a transversal divergence angle of 0.57° at a 1548.3-nm wavelength and also beam steering of 15.4° by wavelength tuning of 30.7 nm. Combining a cylindrical lens in front of the end-fire radiators, the longitudinal divergence angle could be reduced from 13.0° to 0.42°. The side-mode suppression ratio of the beam was 10.3 dB at the center position. Through simulation, we analyzed the effects of the phase errors on the beam quality, due to the effective index fluctuation of the waveguide channels, and provided an allowable error range to attain beam forming from the passive OPA.
What is the nature of motor adaptation to dynamic perturbations?
Authors: Moullet Etienne , Roby-Brami Agnès , Guigon Emmanuel
Published: August 2022

When human participants repeatedly encounter a velocity-dependent force field that distorts their movement trajectories, they adapt their motor behavior to recover straight trajectories. Computational models suggest that adaptation to a force field occurs at the action selection level through changes in the mapping between goals and actions. The quantitative prediction from these models indicates that early perturbed trajectories before adaptation and late unperturbed trajectories after adaptation should have opposite curvature, i.e. one being a mirror image of the other. We tested these predictions in a human adaptation experiment and we found that the expected mirror organization was either absent or much weaker than predicted by the models. These results are incompatible with adaptation occurring at the action selection level but compatible with adaptation occurring at the goal selection level, as if adaptation corresponds to aiming toward spatially remapped targets.
COVID-19 and communication: A sentiment analysis of US state governors’ official press releases
Authors: Tano Mauricio , Baek Juha , Ordonez Adriana , Bosetti Rita , Menser Terri , Naufal George , Kash Bita
Published: August 2022

Objectives

This study examines the contents of official communication from United States governors’ offices related to the COVID-19 pandemic to assess patterns in communication and to determine if they correlate with trends for COVID cases and deaths.

Methods

We collected text data for all COVID-19 related press releases between March 1 and December 31, 2020 from the US governors’ office websites in all 50 states. An automated parsing and sentiment analyzer assessed descriptive statistics and trends in tone, including positivity and negativity.

Results

We included a total of 7,720 press releases in this study. We found that both positive and negative sentiments were homogenous across states at the beginning of the pandemic but became heterogeneous as the pandemic evolved. The same trend applied to the frequency and tone of press releases. Sentiments across states were overall positive with a small level of negativity. We observed a reactive official communication to the evolution of the number of COVID-19 cases rather than responsive or preventive.

Conclusions

The findings of both positivity and negativity in press communications suggest that the effect of discounted importance was present in official communications. Our findings support a state-dependent optimal communication frequency and tone, agreeing with the curvilinear communication model of organizational theory and implying that feedback cycles between government officials and public response should be shortened to rapidly maximize communication efficacy during the pandemic. Future research should identify and evaluate the drivers of the large differences in communication tone across states and validate the reactive characteristics of COVID-19 official communications.
Long COVID and its associated factors among COVID survivors in the community from a middle-income country—An online cross-sectional study
Authors: Moy Foong Ming , Hairi Noran Naqiah , Lim Eugene Ri Jian , Bulgiba Awang
Published: August 2022

Patients with COVID-19 usually recover and return to normal health, however some patients may have symptoms that last for weeks or even months after recovery. This persistent state of ill health is known as Long COVID if it continues for more than three months and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis. Long Covid has been overlooked, especially in the low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, we conducted an online survey among the COVID-19 survivors in the community to explore their Long COVID symptoms, factors associated with Long COVID and how Long COVID affected their work. A total of 732 COVID-19 survivors responded, with 56% were without or with mild symptoms during their acute COVID-19 conditions. One in five COVID-19 survivors reported of experiencing Long COVID. The most commonly reported symptoms were fatigue, brain fog, depression, anxiety and insomnia. Females had 58% higher odds (95% CI: 1.02, 2.45) of experiencing Long COVID. Patients with moderate and severe levels of acute COVID-19 symptoms had OR of 3.01 (95% CI: 1.21, 7.47) and 3.62 (95% CI: 1.31, 10.03) respectively for Long COVID. Recognition of Long COVID and its associated factors is important in planning prevention, rehabilitation, clinical management to improve recovery from COVID-19.
Optimization and characterization of alkaliphilic lipase from a novel Bacillus cereus NC7401 strain isolated from diesel fuel polluted soil
Authors: Akhter Kulsoom , Karim Ismat , Aziz Bushra , Bibi Azeem , Khan Jahanzeb , Akhtar Tasleem
Published: August 2022

Five Bacillus cereus strains including B. cereus AVP12, B. cereus NC7401, B. cereus BDBCO1, B. cereus JF70 and B. specie JL47 isolated from the diesel fuel polluted soil adhered to the roots of Tagetes minuta were screened for lipase production with phenol red agar method. B. cereus NC7401 strain successfully expressing and secreting lipase with maximal lipolytic activity was subjected to a submerged fermentation process with five different carbon (starch, glucose, maltose, fructose, and lactose) and five different nitrogen (tryptone, ammonium nitrate, peptone, urea, yeast extract) sources to produce lipase enzyme. Maximum enzyme activity was found with starch (30.6 UmL-1), maltose (40 UmL-1), and tryptone (38.6 UmL-1), and the lipases produced using these sources were named lipase A, B, and C respectively. The total protein content of 8.56, 8.86, and 2.75 μg mL-1 were obtained from B. cereus NC7401 cultured using starch, maltose, and tryptone respectively. Lipase was stable between temperature range 30–80°C and pH 5–10 whereas optimally active at 55°C and pH 8.0. The enzyme was relatively stable for 10 days at 4°C and its optimum reaction time with the substrate was 30 minutes. It was tolerant to 1.5% (v/v) methanol as an organic solvent, 1.5% (v/v) Triton X-100 as a media additive and 1.5% (w/v) Ni2+ as a metal ion. SDS, n-hexane, and Ag+ inhibited lipolytic activity. Oil stains were removed from cotton fabric which showed oil removal efficiency enhancement in the presence of a lipase. Fat hydrolysis of 20, 24, and 30% was achieved following 6 hours of incubation of the fat particles with lipase A, B, and C respectively at a concentration of 20 mg mL-1. To as best of our knowledge, this study on lipases extracted from bacteria of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan origin has never been reported before.
Comparing measures of centrality in bipartite patient-prescriber networks: A study of drug seeking for opioid analgesics
Authors: Yang Kai-Cheng , Aronson Brian , Odabas Meltem , Ahn Yong-Yeol , Perry Brea L.
Published: August 2022

Visiting multiple prescribers is a common method for obtaining prescription opioids for nonmedical use and has played an important role in fueling the United States opioid epidemic, leading to increased drug use disorder and overdose. Recent studies show that centrality of the bipartite network formed by prescription ties between patients and prescribers of opioids is a promising indicator for drug seeking. However, node prominence in bipartite networks is typically estimated with methods that do not fully account for the two-mode topology of the underlying network. Although several algorithms have been proposed recently to address this challenge, it is unclear how these algorithms perform on real-world networks. Here, we compare their performance in the context of identifying opioid drug seeking behaviors by applying them to massive bipartite networks of patients and providers extracted from insurance claims data. We find that two variants of bipartite centrality are significantly better predictors of subsequent opioid overdose than traditional centrality estimates. Moreover, we show that incorporating non-network attributes such as the potency of the opioid prescriptions into the measures can further improve their performance. These findings can be reproduced on different datasets. Our results demonstrate the potential of bipartiteness-aware indices for identifying patterns of high-risk behavior.
Solubility affects IL-1β-producing activity of the synthetic candidalysin peptide
Authors: Mori Taiki , Kataoka Hideo , Tanabe Gen , Into Takeshi
Published: August 2022

Candidalysin, a peptide toxin produced specifically from hyphae of Candida albicans, plays a crucial role in C. albicans pathogenesis in the oral cavity and vagina. Synthetic peptides have been widely used in previous studies to investigate the bioactivity of candidalysin. Although the solubility of the peptide, which is expected to have a hydrophobic property, has not been well characterized, candidalysin solutions are usually prepared in water. In this study, we prepared the synthetic peptide candidalysin in water (CLw) or in dimethyl sulfoxide (CLd) and compared their cytotoxicity and interleukin (IL)-1β-producing activity to determine whether the activity of the peptide would be affected. In addition, we evaluated whether the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome pathway or other pathways were involved in their activities. Unexpectedly, we found that CLw was not completely solubilized and contained abundant insoluble microparticles. CLw was active at comparably high concentrations (≥ 10 μM). In contrast, CLd is completely solubilized and sufficiently active at low concentrations, that is, 1 μM or less. CLw showed weak cytotoxicity and NLRP3-dependent and cathepsin B-dependent IL-1β-producing activity, whereas CLd showed strong cytotoxicity and cathepsin B-dependent IL-1β-producing activity. Fractionation of CLw revealed that NLRP3-dependent activity was caused by insoluble microparticles. Furthermore, nanoparticle tracking of CLd revealed that the peptide was present as nanoparticles with a size of 96 nm. CLw contained a small amount of such nanoparticles. Thus, the bioactivities of the synthetic peptide candidalysin, especially the IL-1β-producing activity, are affected by the solubility of the peptide depending on the solvent employed. The NLRP3-dependent activity of the synthetic peptide is caused by insoluble microparticles and may not be the intrinsic activity of candidalysin.
Metformin-associated lactic acidosis and factors associated with 30-day mortality
Authors: Thammavaranucupt Kanin , Phonyangnok Boonchan , Parapiboon Watanyu , Wongluechai Laddaporn , Pichitporn Watthikorn , Sumrittivanicha Jirut , Sungkanuparph Somnuek , Nongnuch Arkom , Jayanama Kulapong
Published: August 2022

Background

Metformin-associated lactic acidosis (MALA) is a rare event but underrecognition may lead to unfavorable outcomes in type 2 diabetes patients. While many risk factors of MALA have been identified, how to reduce mortality from MALA is a matter of debate. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with 30-day mortality amongst MALA patients.

Methods

An observational study enrolled patients diagnosed with MALA between January 2014 and December 2017. MALA was defined by a history of metformin administration, metabolic acidosis (arterial blood gas pH <7.35 or HCO3 <15 mmol/L), and elevated plasma lactate level (>5 mmol/L). We examined risk factors including age, sex, underlying diseases, current medications, blood tests, disease severity, and dialysis data. Mortality status was identified from medical records or report on telephone.

Results

We included 105 MALA patients. Most patients (95.2%) were diagnosed acute kidney injury stage 3 according to KDIGO 2012 definition. The 30-day mortality rate was 36.2% and dialysis rate was 85.7%. The survivors had higher proportions of underlying chronic kidney disease, presence of metabolic acidosis, receiving renal replacement therapy within 6 hours, and haemodialysis, whereas the non-survivors had higher percentage of hypertension and disease severity. Lower APACHE II score (HR = 0.95; 95%CI, 0.91–0.99; p = 0.038), time to dialysis < 6 hours (0.31; 0.14–0.69; 0.004), and haemodialysis (0.20;0.06–0.67; 0.010) were associated with lower 30-day mortality, using multivariate Cox-regression analysis.

Conclusions

Mortality rate amongst patients with MALA was high. Early dialysis treatment within 6 hours after admission and haemodialysis were independently associated with lower 30-day mortality. The large scale, well-designed studies need to confirm these encouraging results.
Mean field approximation for solving QUBO problems
Authors: Veszeli Máté Tibor , Vattay Gábor
Published: August 2022

The Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) problem is NP-hard. Some exact methods like the Branch-and-Bound algorithm are suitable for small problems. Some approximations like stochastic simulated annealing for discrete variables or mean-field annealing for continuous variables exist for larger ones, and quantum computers based on the quantum adiabatic annealing principle have also been developed. Here we show that the mean-field approximation of the quantum adiabatic annealing leads to equations similar to those of thermal mean-field annealing. However, a new type of sigmoid function replaces the thermal one. The new mean-field quantum adiabatic annealing can replicate the best-known cut values on some of the popular benchmark Maximum Cut problems.
Pattern recognition receptor ligand-induced differentiation of human transitional B cells
Authors: McMillan Jourdan K. P. , O’Donnell Patrick , Chang Sandra P.
Published: August 2022

B cells represent a critical component of the adaptive immune response whose development and differentiation are determined by antigen-dependent and antigen-independent interactions. In this study, we explored the effects of IL-4 and pattern-recognition receptor (PRR) ligands on B cell development and differentiation by investigating their capacity to drive the in vitro maturation of human transitional B cells. In the presence of IL-4, ligands for TLR7/8, TLR9, and NOD1 were effective in driving the in vitro maturation of cord blood transitional B cells into mature, naïve B cells as measured by CD23 expression, ABCB1 transporter activation and upregulation of sIgM and sIgD. In addition, several stimulation conditions, including TLR9 ligand alone, favored an expansion of CD27+IgM memory B cells. Transitional B cells stimulated with TLR7/8 ligand + IL-4 or TLR9 ligand, with or without IL-4, induced a significant subpopulation of CD23+CD27+B cells expressing high levels of sIgM and sIgD, a minor B cell subpopulation found in human peripheral blood. These studies illustrate the heterogeneity of the B cell populations induced by cytokine and PRR ligand stimulation. A comparison of transitional and mature, naïve B cells transcriptomes to identify novel genes involved in B cell maturation revealed that mature, naïve B cells were less transcriptionally active than transitional B cells. Nevertheless, a subset of differentially expressed genes in mature, naïve B cells was identified including genes associated with the IL-4 signaling pathway, PI3K signaling in B lymphocytes, the NF-κB signaling pathway, and the TNFR superfamily. When transitional B cells were stimulated in vitro with IL-4 and PRR ligands, gene expression was found to be dependent on the nature of the stimulants, suggesting that exposure to these stimulants may alter the developmental fate of transitional B cells. The influence of IL-4 and PRR signaling on transitional B cell maturation illustrates the potential synergy that may be achieved when certain PRR ligands are incorporated as adjuvants in vaccine formulations and presented to developing B cells in the context of an inflammatory cytokine environment. These studies demonstrate the potential of the PRR ligands to drive transitional B cell differentiation in the periphery during infection or vaccination independently of antigen mediated BCR signaling.
Retinal thickness in healthy Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
Authors: Cox Rebecca A. , Read Scott A. , Hopkins Shelley , Alonso-Caneiro David , Wood Joanne M.
Published: August 2022

Background

Understanding normative retinal thickness characteristics is critical for diagnosis and monitoring of pathology, particularly in those predisposed to retinal disease. The macular retinal layer thickness of Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children was examined using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

Methods

High-resolution macular optical coherence tomography imaging was performed on 100 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and 150 non-Indigenous visually healthy children aged 4–18 years. The imaging protocol included a 6-line radial scan centred on the fovea. Images were segmented using semi-automated software to derive thickness of the total retina, inner and outer retina, and individual retinal layers across the macular region. Repeated measures ANOVAs examined variations in thickness associated with retinal region, age, gender and Indigenous status.

Results

Retinal thickness showed significant topographical variations (p < 0.01), being thinnest in the foveal zone, and thickest in the parafovea. The retina of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children was significantly thinner than non-Indigenous children in the foveal (p < 0.001), parafoveal (p = 0.002), and perifoveal zones (p = 0.01), with the greatest difference in the foveal zone (mean difference: 14.2 μm). Inner retinal thickness was also thinner in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children compared to non-Indigenous children in the parafoveal zone (p < 0.001), and outer retinal thickness was thinner in the foveal (p < 0.001) and perifoveal zone (p < 0.001). Retinal thickness was also significantly greater in males than females (p < 0.001) and showed a statistically significant positive association with age (p = 0.01).

Conclusion

There are significant differences in macular retinal thickness between Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and non-Indigenous children, which has implications for interpreting optical coherence tomography data and may relate to risk of macula disease in this population.
Early-Life Mebendazole Exposure Increases the Risk of Adult-Onset Ulcerative Colitis: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Agrawal Manasi , Allin Kristine H. , Iversen Aske T. , Mehandru Saurabh , Colombel Jean-Frederic , Jess Tine
Published: August 2022

INTRODUCTION:

According to the hygiene hypothesis, exposure to parasites may protect against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Our aim was to examine the risk of IBD with childhood exposure to mebendazole, a broad-spectrum antihelminthic agent.

METHODS:

We conducted a population-based cohort study using prospectively collected historical data of all individuals born in Denmark between 1995 and 2018. We identified mebendazole exposure at age younger than 18 years and during early life (younger than 5 years). We performed adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to determine the risk of IBD, ulcerative colitis (UC), and Crohn's disease with mebendazole exposure after adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS:

Of 1,520,290 individuals in the cohort, 615,794 had childhood or adolescence mebendazole exposure. One thousand five hundred fifty-five and 1,499 individuals were subsequently diagnosed with pediatric-onset and adult-onset IBD, respectively. On multivariable analysis, mebendazole exposure at age younger than 18 years did not affect pediatric-onset or adult-onset IBD risk (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.87, 1.07, and 1.08, 95% CI 0.97, 1.19, respectively). On limiting mebendazole exposure to age younger than 5 years while there was no association with pediatric-onset IBD (aHR 0.98, 95% CI 0.87, 1.11), adult-onset IBD risk was increased (aHR 1.17, 95% CI 1.04, 1.31). This increase in risk was driven by UC (aHR 1.32, 95% CI 1.12, 1.55), but not Crohn's disease (1.03, 95% CI 0.87, 1.22).

DISCUSSION:

Early-life mebendazole exposure is associated with an increase in the risk of adult-onset UC. These findings suggest the importance of early-life exposures in shaping the risk of IBD later in life.
Why did Putin go too far? The rationality of Vladimir Putin’s decision to begin a war with Ukraine
Authors: Bäcker Roman , Rak Joanna
Published: August 2022

The paper aims to determine the extent of the rationality of Vladimir Putin’s decision to begin a war with Ukraine. Its central argument is that this decision was irrational on three levels. Firstly, the Russian decision-making elites failed to foresee the ability of the Ukrainian army and people to resist efficiently. It might have resulted from the imperial superiority syndrome reinforced by the experiences of 2014. Secondly, the elites treated the reports on the Russian army’s combat readiness as reliable and did not make an effort to verify them. Probably no one can determine the scale of the kleptocracy, and therefore no one has reliable data on the quality of the Russian army’s combat preparation. Thirdly, the elites failed to envisage the scale of support for Ukraine from Western democracies. What is more, they did not take into account the democratic rationality of Western politicians. The same politicians who appeared to Putin to be weak and incapable of action, immediately after the mass social protests and condemnation of Russia’s aggression by public opinion, acted following the clearly expressed will of the political nation. The article reflects on the systemic reasons for such a poor definition of the decision-making situation and then tries to formulate the general relationship between the quality of the decision-making elite and the acceleration of the bifurcation processes of the Russian autocratic regime.
The Impact of Biopharmaceutical Innovation on Disability, Social Security Recipiency, and Use of Medical Care of U.S. Community Residents, 1998–2015
Authors: Lichtenberg Frank R.
Published: August 2022

This study seeks to analyze the overall impact that biopharmaceutical innovation had on disability, Social Security recipiency, and the use of medical services of U.S. community residents during the period 1998–2015. We test the hypothesis that the probability of disability, Social Security recipiency, and medical care utilization associated with a medical condition is inversely related to the number of drug classes previously approved for that condition. We use data from the 1998–2015 waves of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and other sources to estimate probit models of an individual’s probability of disability, Social Security recipiency, and medical care utilization. The effect of biopharmaceutical innovation is identified by differences across over 200 medical conditions in the growth in the lagged number of drug classes ever approved. 18 years of previous biopharmaceutical innovation is estimated to have reduced: the number of people who were completely unable to work at a job, do housework, or go to school in 2015 by 4.5%; the number of people with cognitive limitations by 3.2%; the number of people receiving SSI in 2015 by 247 thousand (3.1%); and the number of people receiving Social Security by 984 thousand (2.0%). Previous innovation is also estimated to have caused reductions in home health visits (9.2%), inpatient events (5.7%), missed school days (5.1%), and outpatient events (4.1%). The estimated value in 2015 of some of the reductions in disability, Social Security recipiency, and use of medical care attributable to previous biopharmaceutical innovation ($115 billion) is fairly close to 2015 expenditure on drug classes that were first approved by the FDA during 1989–2006 ($127 billion). However, for a number of reasons, the costs are likely to be lower, and the benefits are likely to be larger, than these figures.
NF90/NFAR (nuclear factors associated with dsRNA) – a new methylation substrate of the PRMT5-WD45-RioK1 complex
Authors: Cox Jan , Esser Lea Marie , Jüdt Maximilian , Schmitz Katharina , Reiffert Kaja , Grimmler Matthias , Stork Björn , Wesselborg Sebastian , Peter Christoph
Published: August 2022

Protein-arginine methylation is a common posttranslational modification, crucial to various cellular processes, such as protein-protein interactions or binding to nucleic acids. The central enzyme of symmetric protein arginine methylation in mammals is the protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5). While the methylation reaction itself is well understood, recruitment and differentiation among substrates remain less clear. One mechanism to regulate the diversity of PRMT5 substrate recognition is the mutual binding to the adaptor proteins pICln or RioK1. Here, we describe the specific interaction of Nuclear Factor 90 (NF90) with the PRMT5-WD45-RioK1 complex. We show for the first time that NF90 is symmetrically dimethylated by PRMT5 within the RG-rich region in its C-terminus. Since upregulation of PRMT5 is a hallmark of many cancer cells, the characterization of its dimethylation and modulation by specific commercial inhibitors in vivo presented here may contribute to a better understanding of PRMT5 function and its role in cancer.
An adaptive energy management strategy for supercapacitor supported solar-powered electric vehicle charging station
Authors: Satheesan Jithin , Thankappan Nair Rajeev
Published: August 2022

Large-scale electric vehicle integration into the grid is expected in the imminent future. Congestion caused by these integrations can be addressed through a hybrid AC/DC microgrid. The DC sub-grid is exclusively dedicated to incorporating electric vehicles. Solar-powered charging station supported with a supercapacitor energy storage system in the DC sub-grid reduces the stress on the AC sub-grid. This paper presents a hybrid AC/DC microgrid voltage/frequency stability improvement strategy based on adaptive DC-link voltage regulation assisted by energy storage. The proposed volatility-based approach is an efficient strategy to enhance the microgrid stability during generation intermittency and load fluctuations. The combined control scheme of the interlinking converter and supercapacitor energy storage in the independent and hybrid operation modes achieve energy balance with the variations in solar irradiation and the addition/disconnection of electric vehicles. The proposed energy management strategy is tested in real-time under various volatile conditions to validate the performance. The hybrid microgrid with proposed energy management strategy provided a frequency improvement of 0.55% and voltage improvement of 5.4%.
English as a global language?: Naturalization of English through intellectual habitus in Korean academia
Authors: Cho Jinhyun
Published: August 2022

The global expansion of English-medium lectures (EMLs) in higher education has predominantly been approached in the context of globalization characterized by neoliberalism. While the spread of EMLs has been viewed as an outcome of institutional pursuit of global competitiveness and internationalization, ongoing global approaches risk overlooking local elements critical for the ascendance of English in specific local contexts. This paper seeks to balance the scholarly inquiry into EMLs by offering a local historical perspective, with the higher education sector of South Korea as a key site of investigation. A focus is placed on the intellectual habitus of Korean higher education which the paper argues has served as a fertile ground for EMLs to take hold. Within the context of the global centre-periphery binary, the article specifically examines how the binary relationship has been internalized in Korean higher education through local historicity in which the U.S. has metaphorically been established as the centre. The superior-inferior binary divisions between the U.S. and Korea have contributed to the construction of the local intellectual habitus marked by the domination of American educated elite groups and the emergence of English as the language of the centre. In conclusion, the paper challenges the normative claim of English as a global language by illustrating EMLs in Korea as a historical-structural construct resulting from the interplays between the global and local power inequalities.
New understandings of the rise of English as a medium of instruction in higher education: the role of key performance indicators and institutional profiling
Authors: Hultgren Anna Kristina , Wilkinson Robert
Published: August 2022

The rise of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) has prompted concerns over linguistic injustice, educational disadvantage, societal inequality and epistemic homogenization. As EMI tends to generate heated debates, its drivers need to be better understood. Borrowing conceptual frameworks from political science, this article proposes a new understanding of the drivers of EMI, pointing to the introduction of new steering tools in the 1980s to govern Europe’s higher education institutions. Conducting Process Tracing in a Dutch university, and drawing on document analysis and interviews with nine “elite participants” – Ministers of Education, University Rectors, Members of the University Executive Board, Faculty Deans and Programme Leaders – we argue that the very first EMI programme at our case university may be traced back to a set of governance reforms in the Dutch higher education sector that introduced key performance indicators and institutional profiling. Responding to calls for linguists to engage with the political economy, we identify previously under-illuminated links between political processes and EMI. We conclude that close attention to the political economy is key to understanding the rise of EMI, and more generally language shift, and ultimately to tackling linguistic injustice that may follow in its wake.
Interactive annotation of geometric ornamentation on painted pottery assisted by deep learning
Authors: Lengauer Stefan , Houska Peter , Preiner Reinhold , Trinkl Elisabeth , Karl Stephan , Sipiran Ivan , Bustos Benjamin , Schreck Tobias
Published: August 2022

In Greek art, the phase from 900 to 700 BCE is referred to as the Geometric period due to the characteristically simple geometry-like ornamentations appearing on painted pottery surfaces during this era. Distinctive geometric patterns are typical for specific periods, regions, workshops as well as painters and are an important cue for archaeological tasks, such as dating and attribution. To date, these analyses are mostly conducted with the support of information technology. The primitives of an artefact’s ornamentation can be generally classified into a set of distinguishable pattern classes, which also appear in a similar fashion on other objects. Although a taxonomy of known pattern classes is given in subject-specific publications, the automatic detection and classification of surface patterns from object depictions poses a non-trivial challenge. Our long-term goal is to provide this classification functionality using a specifically designed and trained neural network. This, however, requires a large amount of labelled training data, which at this point does not exist for this domain context. In this work, we propose an effective annotation system, which allows a domain expert to interactively segment and label parts of digitized vessel surfaces. These user inputs are constantly fed back to a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), enabling the prediction of pattern classes for a given surface area with ever increasing precision. Our work paves the way for a fully automatic classification and analysis of large surface pattern collections, which, with the help of suitable visual analysis techniques, can answer research questions like pattern variability or change over time. While the capability of our proposed annotation pipeline is demonstrated at the example of two characteristic Greek pottery artefacts from the Geometric period, the proposed methods can be readily adopted for the patternation in any other chronological periods as well as for stamped motifs.
Incidence tendency, etiological classification and outcome of congenital hypothyroidism in Guangzhou, China: an 11-year retrospective population-based study
Authors: Tan Min-Yi , Jiang Xiang , Mei Hui-Fen , Feng Yu-Yu , Xie Ting , Tang Cheng-Fang , Chen Qian-Yu , Zeng Chun-Hua , Huang Yonglan
Published: August 2022

Objectives

An increased incidence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) has been described worldwide over the years. In this study, we aimed to investigate the epidemiologic characteristics of CH, the iodine status in Guangzhou, China and to investigate which factors might influence the CH incidence during the period 2010–2020.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed all cases of CH detected by newborn screening during the period 2010–2020. CH was classified as either suspected thyroid dyshormonogenesis (SDH) or thyroid dysgenesis (TD) based on thyroid ultrasound at first diagnosis. Patients were re-evaluated after 4 weeks of L-thyroxine withdrawal at age of 2–3 years to confirm the diagnosis of permanent CH (PCH) or transient CH (TCH).

Results

From 2010 to 2020, 1,655 patients with CH were confirmed from 2,400,383 newborns (1:1,450). The CH incidence increased from 1:2,584 in period [2010–2014] to 1:1,086 in period [2015–2020]. Among the 1,337 patients with thyroid ultrasound, 84.29% were SDH whereas 15.71% had TD. Further analysis revealed that more SDH (78.32%) were TCH whereas more TD (87.12%) turned to be PCH. The proportion of blood spot thyrotropin values >5 mIU/L ranged from 8.03 to 20.46%, indicating iodine deficiency. The prevalence of preterm infants increased from 5.50% in period [2010–2014] to 7.06% in period [2015–2020] (p<0.001).

Conclusions

In the past decade, the CH incidence has increased progressively. SDH was the majority of CH, most of which were TCH, while most patients with TD were PCH. The increased incidence might be mainly due to iodine deficiency and increased rates of preterm infants in our study.
Two Notes on Composition
Authors: Biro John
Published: August 2022

If, as some philosophers maintain, there are no composites, we do not have to ask whether, as others hold, composition is identity. Here I argue that both groups are wrong: there are composites, and composition is not identity. I examine one argument for excluding composites from our ontology, based on their alleged causal redundancy. I give reason to think that composites are ineliminable in causal explanations of macroscopic effects. I go on to argue that the relation between composites and their components is not one of identity.
Theoretical analysis of aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel supported by reinforced concrete wall under low-speed impact load
Authors: Yang Ran , Zhang Jigang , Zhou Chenghao , Chen Wenli , Chen Jiguang , Zhao Yang
Published: August 2022

Honeycomb materials are widely used across engineering fields. The use of honeycomb sandwich structures as energy dissipation and impact protection materials for reinforced concrete components in the field of civil engineering is a novel concept. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the energy absorption characteristics, dynamic response theoretical model, and collapse energy dissipation theory for the use of honeycomb sandwich structures as protective materials. Based on the large-scale low-speed pendulum impact test and the corresponding finite element model, this study establishes an ideal model for the honeycomb sandwich panel under the impact of a square flat head and gives the corresponding theoretical derivation. At the same time, it puts forward a method to estimate the energy consumption and dynamic crushing distance based on the energy consumption theory angle of the covering layer.
Metadiscourse: the evolution of an approach to texts
Authors: Hyland Ken , Jiang Feng (Kevin)
Published: August 2022

Metadiscourse is the commentary on a text made by its producer in the course of speaking or writing, revealing something of how communication involves the personalities, attitudes and assumptions of those who are communicating. It offers a framework for understanding communication as social engagement and helps reveal how writers and speakers consider their audience in creating texts. This paper uses a bibliometric analysis to trace the growing interest in metadiscourse since its early incarnations in the 1980s. To do so we analysed all 431 papers relating to metadiscourse in the core collection of the Web of Science between 1983 and 2020, dividing the corpus into two periods following the massive increase in interest after 2006. We identify which topics have been most prevalent, which authors and publications most influential and which disciplines and journals most active in citing the metadiscourse literature. The findings show the importance of academic and business writing, cross-disciplinary, language and genre studies, and the increasing predominance of an interpersonal model. These findings may be of interest to those working in discourse analysis and the study of social interaction.
Modulatory effect of pomegranate extract on TRPA1, TRPM2 and caspase-3 expressions in colorectal cancer induction of mice
Authors: Kaya İnan , Dağ Serpil , Mavioğlu Kaya Müge , Tanrıverdi Erdi Anil , Beşeren Hatice , Aşasın Gizem
Published: August 2022

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of pomegranate fruit extract (PFE) on levels of transient receptor potential (TRP) channel and caspase-3 (Casp-3) expressions, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), total sialic acid (TSA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in mice with induced colorectal cancer (CRC) by investigating effects of PFE on in vitro mitotic index (MI).

Methods

Different PFE concentrations on​​ MI against 0.3 μg/mL mitomycin-C (MMC) in cell culture were evaluated by binocular light microscopy. During in vivo applications on Balb/c mice, it was given once physiological saline to group I, PFE for ten weeks to group II, a single dose of azoxymethane (AOM) plus dextran sulfate sodium in drinking water (DSS) to group III, and AOM plus DSS plus PFE to group IV. Tissue samples were evaluated by western blotting, spectrophotometric, and histopathological methods.

Results

Expressions of Casp-3, TRP ankyrin 1 (TRPA1), and melastatin 2 (TRPM2) channels and TNF-α, TSA, GSH, and MDA concentrations in evaluated tissues had significantly better levels in PFE-treated groups compared to CRC-induced mice.

Conclusions

Results of the present study indicate that PFE application in mice with induced CRC may be an important modulator of TRPA1 and TRPM2 channels, apoptosis, and inflammatory response by decreasing oxidative stress.
Comprehensive Behavioral Analysis of Opsin 3 (Encephalopsin)-Deficient Mice Identifies Role in Modulation of Acoustic Startle Reflex
Authors: Upton Brian A. , Nayak Gowri , Schweinzger Ivy , D’Souza Shane P. , Vorhees Charles V. , Williams Michael T. , Earl Brian R. , Lang Richard A.
Published: August 2022

Opsin-3 (Opn3, encephalopsin) was the first nonvisual opsin gene discovered in mammals. Since then, severalOpn3functions have been described, and in two cases (adipose tissue, smooth muscle) light sensing activity is implicated. In addition to peripheral tissues,Opn3is robustly expressed within the central nervous system, for which it derives its name. Despite this expression, no studies have investigated developmental or adult CNS consequences ofOpn3loss-of-function. Here, the behavioral consequences of mice deficient inOpn3were investigated.Opn3-deficient mice perform comparably to wild-type mice in measures of motor coordination, socialization, anxiety-like behavior, and various aspects of learning and memory. However,Opn3-deficient mice have an attenuated acoustic startle reflex (ASR) relative to littermates. This deficit is not because of changes in hearing sensitivity, although Opn3 was shown to be expressed in auditory and vestibular structures, including cochlear outer hair cells. Interestingly, the ASR was not acutely light-dependent and did not vary between daytime and nighttime trials, despite known functions ofOpn3in photoreception and circadian gene amplitude. Together, these results demonstrate the first role ofOpn3on behavior, although the role of this opsin in the CNS remains largely elusive.
Substantial microbial community shifts in response to an exceptional harmful algal bloom in coastal Southern California
Authors: Wilson Jesse M. , Erazo Natalia , Connors Elizabeth , Chamberlain Emelia J. , Clements Samantha M. , Carter Melissa L. , Smith Jennifer E. , Bowman Jeff S.
Published: August 2022

Phytoplankton blooms create organic matter that stimulates entire marine ecosystems, including other components of the microbial community. How the ecosystem responds varies depending on the intensity, duration, and composition of the bloom. When the bloom has a direct or indirect negative impact on the ecosystem, it is termed a harmful algal bloom (HAB). HAB frequency is expected to increase in response to changing oceanic conditions and coastal nutrient supply. Characterizing the response of the bacterial and archaeal communities to HABs will improve our understanding of the ecological impacts of these phenomena. We utilized time series of chlorophyll a, phaeophytin, dissolved oxygen, flow cytometry cell counts, and microbial community structure (assessed via 16S rRNA gene sequences) maintained by several observing programs to investigate how the microbial community was affected by an exceptional bloom of Lingulodinium polyedra in coastal Southern California. These multi-year datasets allowed us to compare the microbial community response to past events, such as a smaller L. polyedra bloom the previous year. We demonstrated that the bacterial and archaeal response to the 2020 bloom was unique taxonomically, with many novel heterotrophs, and higher trophic state variance. The measured heterotrophic response to the bloom resulted in massive oxygen drawdown and may have impacted the length of the bloom and contributed to a secondary diatom bloom following the main HAB event. Taken together, these data illustrate how the massive 2020 L. polyedra bloom created unique ecological conditions for coastal Southern California.
Low muscle mass and high visceral fat mass predict mortality in patients hospitalized with moderate-to-severe COVID-19: a prospective study
Authors: Beltrão Fabyan Esberard de Lima , Beltrão Daniele Carvalhal de Almeida , Carvalhal Giulia , Beltrão Fabyo Napoleão de Lima , de Aquino Igor Motta , Brito Thaíse da Silva , Paulino Barbara Costa , Aires Elisa , Viegas Diana , Hecht Fabio , Halpern Bruno , Pordeus Liana Clebia De Morais , Gonçalves Maria da Conceição Rodrigues , Ramos Helton Estrela
Published: August 2022

Introduction

The severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been positively correlated with several comorbidities. The primary outcome of the study was to assess the relationship between the mortality and severity of COVID-19 and obesity classes according to BMI, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) area, s.c. adipose tissue area, muscle area (MA), and leptin levels.

Methods

In this prospective cohort study, 200 patients hospitalized with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 underwent an unenhanced CT of the thorax and laboratory tests, and leptin levels between June and August 2020 were obtained.

Results

Our study included 200 patients (male 52%; mean age: 62 (49–74) years; obesity (BMI > 30): 51.5%)). Fifty-eight patients (23.5%) were admitted to the intensive care unit and 29 (14.5%) died. In multivariate logistic regression (corrected for leptin, sex, age, and serum biomarkers) and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses, high VAT > 150 cm2 (odds ratio (OR): 6.15; P < 0.002), MA < 92 cm2 (OR: 7.94; P < 0.005), and VAT/MA ratio > 2 (OR: 13.9; P < 0.0001) were independent risk factors for mortality. Indeed, the Kaplan–Meier curves showed that patients with MA < 92 cm2 and without obesity (BMI < 30) had a lower survival rate (hazard ratio between 3.89 and 9.66; P < 0.0006) than the other groups. Leptin levels were not related to mortality and severity.

Conclusion

This prospective study reports data on the largest number of hospitalized severe COVID-19 patients and pinpoints VAT area and MA calculated by CT as predictors of COVID-19 mortality.