bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Frequency of Epitope-Specific Naive CD4+ T Cells Correlates with Immunodominance in the Human Memory Repertoire
Authors: Kwok William W. , Tan Venus , Gillette Laurie , Littell Christopher T. , Soltis Michele A. , LaFond Rebecca B. , Yang Junbao , James Eddie A. , DeLong Jonathan H.
Published: February 2012

The frequency of epitope-specific naive CD4+ T cells in humans has not been extensively examined. In this study, a systematic approach was used to examine the frequency of CD4+ T cells that recognize the protective Ag of Bacillus anthracis in both anthrax vaccine-adsorbed vaccinees and nonvaccinees with HLA-DRB1*01:01 haplotypes. Three epitopes were identified that had distinct degrees of immunodominance in subjects that had received the vaccine. Average naive precursor frequencies of T cells specific for these different epitopes in the human repertoire ranged from 0.2 to 10 per million naive CD4+ T cells, which is comparable to precursor frequencies observed in the murine repertoire. Frequencies of protective Ag-specific T cells were two orders of magnitude higher in immunized subjects than in nonvaccinees. The frequencies of epitope-specific memory CD4+ T cells in vaccinees were directly correlated with the frequencies of precursors in the naive repertoire. At the level of TCR usage, at least one preferred Vβ in the naive repertoire was present in the memory repertoire. These findings implicate naive frequencies as a crucial factor in shaping the epitope specificity of memory CD4+ T cell responses.
Cutting Edge: Paradoxical Roles of BST2/Tetherin in Promoting Type I IFN Response and Viral Infection
Authors: Swiecki Melissa , Wang Yaming , Gilfillan Susan , Lenschow Deborah J. , Colonna Marco
Published: February 2012

Bone marrow stromal Ag 2 (BST2) is a transmembrane protein that prevents virus release from infected cells. It was also reported that BST2 inhibits type I IFN production by plasmacytoid dendritic cells. To determine BST2 impact on antiviral responses in vivo, we generated BST2−/− mice. Following infection with a murine retrovirus, BST2−/− mice had slightly elevated viral loads; however, infection with other enveloped viruses revealed unexpected roles of BST2. BST2−/− mice showed reduced type I IFN production by plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Moreover, BST2−/− mice had lower viral titers in lungs following intranasal infection with vesicular stomatitis virus expressing OVA and influenza B and increased numbers of virus-specific CD8 T cells in the lungs, suggesting that BST2 may facilitate entry and/or replication of enveloped viruses and modulate priming of CD8 T cells. These findings suggest complex roles of BST2 beyond retroviral control in vivo, possibly reflecting the involvement of BST2 in endocytosis and intracellular trafficking of viruses, viral nucleic acids, and Ags.
Cutting Edge: The Role of IFN-α Receptor and MyD88 Signaling in Induction of IL-15 Expression In Vivo
Authors: Colpitts Sara L. , Stoklasek Thomas A. , Plumlee Courtney R. , Obar Joshua J. , Guo Caiying , Lefrançois Leo
Published: February 2012

IL-15 plays a multifaceted role in immune homeostasis, but the unreliability of IL-15 detection has stymied exploration of IL-15 regulation in vivo. To visualize IL-15 expression, we created a transgenic mouse expressing emerald-GFP (EmGFP) under IL-15 promoter control. EmGFP/IL-15 was prevalent in innate cells including dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages, and monocytes. However, DC subsets expressed varying levels of EmGFP/IL-15 with CD8+ DCs constitutively expressing EmGFP/IL-15 and CD8− DCs expressing low EmGFP/IL-15 levels. Virus infection resulted in IL-15 upregulation in both subsets. By crossing the transgenic mice to mice deficient in specific elements of innate signaling, we found a cell-intrinsic dependency of DCs and Ly6C+ monocytes on IFN-α receptor expression for EmGFP/IL-15 upregulation after vesicular stomatitis virus infection. In contrast, myeloid cells did not require the expression of MyD88 to upregulate EmGFP/IL-15 expression. These findings provide evidence of previously unappreciated regulation of IL-15 expression in myeloid lineages during homeostasis and following infection.
Hyponatremia of non-small cell lung cancer: Indian experience
Authors: Bose Chinmoy K , Dey Subhashis , Mukhopadhyay Ashis
Published: February 2012

Background: Hyponatremia is a hazardous complication of lung cancer and its treatment. It is seen at presentation in approximately 15% of patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and 1% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Platinum compounds used as first-line agents along with taxols frequently cause hyponatremia. Till date there is no data on its prevalence in patients with advanced lung cancer in the Indian subcontinent. Aim: This study was undertaken to find out its incidence before and after institution of chemotherapy and to observe the results of treatment of hyponatremia in a group of lung cancer patient. Materials and Methods: Forty patients with advanced lung cancer (25 patients with stage III disease and 15 with stage IV disease) were included in the study. Variables looked at included, but were not limited to, serum sodium, serum albumin, serum alkaline phosphatase, serum lactate dehydrogenase, and hemoglobin. These variables were measured as per the standard clinical laboratory procedure. No ethics approval was required as these parameters are routinely measured in such patients. Results: In the chemo-naïve state, one out of five cases with SCLC (20%) had hyponatremia at presentation; among the 35 cases of NSCLC, 7 patients (20%) had hyponatremia at presentation, which is in sharp contrast to earlier reports of 1% prevalence of hyponatremia in this group. Among the 27 cases who died within 6 months, 11 had hyponatremia; this finding was statistically highly significant. Conclusion: In India, NSCLC patients are at high risk of having hyponatremia at presentation and this is significantly associated with a worse outcome.
How common is hypothyroidism after external radiotherapy to neck in head and neck cancer patients?
Authors: Srikantia Nirmala , Rishi Karthik S , Janaki M G , Bilimagga Ramesh S , Ponni Arul , Rajeev A G , Kaushik Kirthi , Dharmalingam Mala
Published: February 2012

Purpose: To identify the occurrence of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism among head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation to the neck and to justify routine performing of thyroid function tests during follow-up. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective nonrandomized study of 45 patients of head and neck cancer, receiving radiotherapy (RT). Thyroid stimulating hormone and T4 estimations were done at baseline and at 4 months and 9 months following RT. Results: Of the 45 patients, 37(82.2 %) were males and eight (17.8 %) were females. All patients received radiation to the neck to a dose of >40Gy. 35.6% received concurrent chemotherapy. Two patients underwent prior neck dissection. Fourteen patients (31.1%) were found to have clinical hypothyroidism (P value of 0.01). Five (11.1%) patients were found to have subclinical hypothyroidism with a total 19 of 45 (42.2%) patients developing radiation-induced hypothyroidism. Nine of 14 patients with clinical hypothyroidism were in the age group of 51 to 60 years (P=0.0522). Five of 16 patients who received chemoradiation and nine of 29 who received RT alone developed clinical hypothyroidism. Above 40 Gy radiation dose was not a relevant risk factor for hypothyroidism. Conclusion: Hypothyroidism (clinical or subclinical) is an under-recognized morbidity of external radiation to the neck which is seen following a minimum dose of 40 Gy to neck. Recognizing hypothyroidism (clinical or subclinical) early and treating it prevents associated complications. Hence, thyroid function tests should be made routine during follow-up.
Uterine carcinosarcomas: 8-year single center experience of 25 cases
Authors: Dave Kalpana S , Chauhan Anjana , Bhansali Ronak , Arora Ruchi , Purohit Sushma
Published: February 2012

Objectives: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the behavior and treatment outcomes of uterine carcinosarcomas in relation to their clinical and pathogenic features and to determine the optimal treatment strategy. Secondary objectives were to identify parameters predictive of survival. Materials and Methods: The hospital records of all 25 patients of uterine carcinosarcoma operated between 2000 and 2008 in Gujarat cancer research institute, Ahmedabad, were reviewed. Patients who presented with clinical evidence of recurrent disease or those who had incomplete medical records were excluded from our analysis. The status of these patients was updated up to November, 2010. Patients were classified according to the new 2009 FIGO staging system for endometrial carcinoma, to see what difference the assigned stage has on survival with the old treatment strategy. Survival was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and compared by Log-Rank test. Median survival time was derived with the Brookmeyer 95% confidence interval. For comparison of qualitative data, Chi-Square test and Fisher extract c2 were used. Results: Median age of patients was 56 years (range, 36-77 years). Only 36% of patients had stage I at diagnosis and another 36% were stage III. Most of the tumors (56%) were with homologous sarcomatous components and 64% of tumors were high grade (grade 2/3) at diagnosis. Fifty-two percent patients received postoperative adjuvant treatment. Twelve patients had no postoperative treatment: two were lost to follow-up immediately after surgery, four could not receive adjuvant treatment on account of severe medical complications and age factor which could have increased morbidity, and six patients declined treatment. Four of these patients expired within one year of diagnosis, two other within 18 months, and rest were lost to follow-up. The difference in survival of 13 patients who had taken adjuvant treatment was significantly more than the group who had not taken adjuvant therapy (P=0.025). The overall 3-year disease-free survival of 13 patients who had taken adjuvant therapy was 40%. However, these adjuvant treatment modalities had borderline statistical significance on overall survival of patients (P=0.075). The only statistically significant predictor of survival in this study was stage of the disease (P=0.035). Conclusions: This highly aggressive uterine malignancy warrants comprehensive surgical staging to assess tumor dissemination followed by systematic adjuvant therapy in patients with both early and advanced disease. The value of pelvic Radiotherapy in addition to systemic treatment remains ill-defined. Stage is the significant predictor of survival for the disease. Our results indicate that in this highly aggressive malignancy, further exploration of potential outcome benefits of postoperative treatment, especially chemoradiation, is warranted in larger group of patients after comprehensive surgical staging.
Clinical and laboratory observation systemic lupus erythematosus and acute lymphocytic leukemia: An unusual case
Authors: Maheshwari Anu , Pandey Meenu , Rath Bimbadhar , Chandra Jagdish , Singh Smita , Sharma Sunita
Published: February 2012

The association of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative malignancies is widely reported. There is scarce information available with regards to the association of SLE and malignancy in children. Usually, SLE precedes the onset of lymphoproliferative disease, but the neoplasia can occur earlier or even simultaneously. There are only five pediatric cases of SLE and associated acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) reported in literature. All of these except one satisfied the revised American College of Rheumatology Criteria for SLE. Three of these cases developed SLE several years after successful treatment of ALL. While two cases reported had simultaneous onset of SLE and ALL, one of the cases in this two-patient series, did not fulfill ≥4 criteria for diagnosis of SLE. We present a case of a 3-year-old boy with SLE and coexistent ALL. To the best of our knowledge, only two such cases of simultaneous presentation of both these diseases are present in literature.
Inguinal lymph node metastasis of colon cancer
Authors: McGraw Sloane , Thakkar Jigisha , Mehta Divyesh
Published: February 2012

We present a case of adenocarcinoma of colon with unusual metastasis to inguinal lymph nodes. Our patient is a young male with bilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy, bone pains, and jaundice who presented as carcinoma of unknown primary. He was diagnosed as widely metastatic adenocarcinoma of colon for which he received chemotherapy and has had a good response to the treatment.
125 Years of Perceptual-Motor Skill Research
Authors: Elliott Digby , Hayes Spencer J. , Bennett Simon J.
Published: February 2012

This article celebrates the contribution that the American Journal of Psychology (AJP) has made to the area of perceptual-motor skill over its 125-year history. We highlight the articles published in AJP and trace the technical and theoretical developments that stem from this groundbreaking work. Included in our overview are AJP articles on the excitability of the motor system, motor learning, adaptation to visual rearrangement, the ecological approach to perception and action, and the measurement of human handedness. We conclude by identifying a number of areas associated with perceptual-motor skill where AJP continues to make an important contribution.
The Higher Mental Processes inThe American Journal of Psychology
Authors: Carlson Richard A.
Published: February 2012

Research on the higher mental processes throughout the history of The American Journal of Psychology is reviewed. The domains covered include reasoning, judgment and decision, problem solving, and metacognition. Within each domain, the earliest contributions to the Journal are discussed, as is the development of the research domain over time. The increasing refinement of research methods and theoretical tools over time is accompanied by much consistency in research questions.
Nocturnal Emissions: A Failure to Replicate
Authors: Widaman Keith F. , Helm Jonathan L.
Published: February 2012

A time series of nocturnal emissions was presented in The American Journal of Psychology in 1904. The anonymous author of this remarkable article provided the time series to support his contention that his nocturnal emissions exhibited a seasonal pattern of variation. Specifically, he claimed to have heightened emissions during spring and summer, with dampened emissions later. The basis for this claim was a time series graph of average emissions by month across an 8-year period. The purpose of this article is to reanalyze these data with statistical procedures developed in the past century to validate the original conclusion drawn by the author. After analyses of the data with several state-of-the-art methods, no statistical support was found for a seasonal pattern of nocturnal emissions.
Affective Orientation Influences Memory for Emotional and Neutral Words
Authors: Greenberg Seth N. , Tokarev Julian , Estes Zachary
Published: February 2012

Memory is better for emotional words than for neutral words, but the conditions contributing to emotional memory improvement are not entirely understood. Elsewhere, it has been observed that retrieval of a word is easier when its attributes are congruent with a property assessed during an earlier judgment task. The present study examined whether affective assessment of a word matters to its remembrance. Two experiments were run, one in which only valence assessment was performed, and another in which valence assessment was combined with a running recognition for list words. In both experiments, some participants judged whether each word in a randomized list was negative (negative monitoring), and others judged whether each was positive (positive monitoring). We then tested their explicit memory for the words via both free recall and delayed recognition. Both experiments revealed an affective congruence effect, such that negative words were more likely to be recalled and recognized after negative monitoring, whereas positive words likewise benefited from positive monitoring. Memory for neutral words was better after negative monitoring than positive monitoring. Thus, memory for both emotional and neutral words is contingent on one’s affective orientation during encoding.
Experimental and computational investigation of the kinetic evolution of the glutaminolysis pathway and its interplay with the glycolysis pathway
Authors: Mirveis Zohreh , Patil Nitin , Byrne Hugh J.
Published: June 2024

Exploring cellular responses necessitates studying real‐time metabolic pathway kinetics, considering the adaptable nature of cells. Glycolysis and glutaminolysis are interconnected pathways fundamental to driving cellular metabolism, generating both energy and essential biosynthetic molecules. While prior studies explored glycolysis tracking, this research focuses on monitoring the kinetics of the glutaminolysis pathway by evaluating the effect of glutamine availability on glycolytic kinetics and by investigating the impact of a stimulator (oligomycin) and inhibitor (2DG) on the glycolytic flux in the presence of glutamine. Additionally, we adapted a rate equation model to provide improved understanding of the pathway kinetics. The experimental and simulated results indicate a significant reduction in extracellular lactate production in the presence of glutamine, reflecting a shift from glycolysis towards oxidative phosphorylation, due to the additional contribution of glutamine to energy production through the ETC (electron transport chain), reducing the glycolytic load. Oligomycin, an ETC inhibitor, increases lactate production to the original glycolytic level, despite the presence of glutamine. Nevertheless, its mechanism is influenced by the presence of glutamine, as predicted by the model. Conversely, 2DG notably reduces lactate production, affirming its glycolytic origin. The gradual increase in lactate production under the influence of 2DG implies increased activation of glutaminolysis as an alternative energy source. The model also simulates the varying metabolic responses under varying carbon/modulator concentrations. In conclusion, the kinetic model described here contributes to the understanding of changes in intracellular metabolites and their interrelationships in a way which would be challenging to obtain solely through kinetic assays.
Enriching Nano‐Heterointerfaces in Proton Conducting TiO2‐SrTiO3@TiO2 Yolk–Shell Electrolyte for Low‐Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Authors: Du Mengchen , Ji Shaozheng , Zhang Pan , Tang Yongfu , Liu Yanyan
Published: June 2024

A challenging task in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is seeking for an alternative electrolyte, enabling high ionic conduction at relatively low operating temperatures, i.e., 300–600 °C. Proton‐conducting candidates, in particular, hold a significant promise due to their low transport activation energy to deliver protons. Here, a unique hierarchical TiO2‐SrTiO3@TiO2 structure is developed inside an intercalated TiO2‐SrTiO3 core as “yolk” decorating densely packed flake TiO2 as shell, creating plentiful nano‐heterointerfaces with a continuous TiO2 and SrTiO3 “in‐house” interfaces, as well the interfaces between TiO2‐SrTiO3 yolk and TiO2 shell. It exhibits a reduced activation energy, down to 0.225 eV, and an unexpectedly high proton conductivity at low temperature, e.g., 0.084 S cm−1 at 550 °C, confirmed by experimentally H/D isotope method and proton‐filtrating membrane measurement. Raman mapping technique identifies the presence of hydrogenated HO─Sr bonds, providing further evidence for proton conduction. And its interfacial conduction is comparatively analyzed with a directly‐mixing TiO2‐SrTiO3 composite electrolyte. Consequently, a single fuel cell based on the TiO2‐SrTiO3@TiO2 heterogeneous electrolyte delivers a good peak power density of 799.7 mW cm−2 at 550 °C. These findings highlight a dexterous nano‐heterointerface design strategy of highly proton‐conductive electrolytes at reduced operating temperatures for SOFC technology.
Design and Motion Controllability of Emerging Hydrogel Micro/Nanorobots
Authors: Liu Yang , Feng Ying , Liu Linlin , An Miao , Yang Huaming
Published: June 2024

Micro/nanorobots (MNRs) are promising for biomedical applications due to their unconstrained nature and small enough size to pass through many tiny environments. However, the efficient movement of MNRs in liquid environments is still a challenge due to the low Reynolds number environment and the Brownian motion of particles. Herein, emerging MNRs with hydrogel‐loaded magnetic particles are designed. The proposed hydrogel MNRs (HMNRs) exhibit biocompatible and controllable characteristics. The motion controllability of HMNRs is realized by applying oscillating magnetic field and customized magnetic field. Experimentally, it is demonstrated that the HMNR swarms driven by the oscillating magnetic field exhibit a faster motion speed than the MNR swarms composed of magnetic particles. The HMNRs show precise controllability of the movement in the complex pipeline under the control of customized magnetic field. This method can offer a more benign approach to the general production of HMNRs for biological applications.
OCR provides guidance for protecting Jewish, Muslim students from harassment
Authors: Lyerly Eric
Published: June 2024

The Office for Civil Rights published a fact sheet in January 2023 detailing how postsecondary institutions can protect students from discrimination based on national origin, specifically “shared ancestry or ethnic considerations” (bit.ly/3iPfyZP). Campus Legal Advisor explained the significance of this fact sheet in the March 2023 issue (bit.ly/48gwhdu).
Fault diagnosis of power equipment based on variational autoencoder and semi‐supervised learning
Authors: Ye Bo , Li Feng , Zhang Linghao , Chang Zhengwei , Wang Bin , Zhang Xiaoyu , Bodanbai Sayina
Published: June 2024

The issue of fault diagnosis in power equipment is receiving increasing attention from scholars. Due to the important role played by bearings in power equipment, bearing faults have become the main factor causing the shutdown of wind turbines units. Therefore, this paper takes bearing equipment as an example for research. In order to solve the problem of insufficient and unbalanced fault sample data of wind turbines bearings, a fault diagnosis (FD) method based on variational autoencoder and semi‐supervised learning is proposed in this paper. Firstly, based on Label Propagation‐random forests (LP‐RFs) and a small number of labeled fault samples, a semi‐supervised learning algorithm is proposed to label the original data samples. Secondly, a small number of training samples are preprocessed by the variational autoencoder to reduce the imbalance of the fault samples. Then, the RFs‐based method is adopted to train the processed fault samples to obtain a mature FD classifier. Finally, the proposed method is applied to FD for bearings, and the results show that the proposed method can realize bearings fault diagnosis (BFD). And meanwhile, the proposed method can also be applied for fault diagnosis in power transmission and transformation systems.
2‐(Methyl(phenyl)amino)‐N‐(phenyloxyphenyl)acetamide structural motif representing a framework for selective SIRT2 inhibition
Authors: Kaya Selen Gozde , Eren Gokcen , Massarotti Alberto , Bakar‐Ates Filiz , Ozkan Erva , Gozelle Mahmut , Ozkan Yesim
Published: June 2024

The mammalian cytoplasmic protein SIRT2, a class III histone deacetylase family member, possesses NAD+‐dependent lysine deacetylase/deacylase activity. Dysregulation of SIRT2 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases, including neurological and metabolic disorders and cancer; thus, SIRT2 emerges as a potential therapeutic target. Herein, we identified a series of diaryl acetamides (ST61‐ST90) by the structural optimization of our hit STH2, followed by enhanced SIRT2 inhibitory potency and selectivity. Among them, ST72, ST85, and ST88 selectively inhibited SIRT2 with IC50 values of 9.97, 5.74, and 8.92 μM, respectively. Finally, the entire study was accompanied by in silico prediction of binding modes of docked compounds and the stability of SIRT2‐ligand complexes. We hope our findings will provide substantial information for designing selective inhibitors of SIRT2.
Exploring biologically oriented precision mental health initiatives for the care of patients with eating disorders: A narrative review
Authors: Norris Mark L.
Published: June 2024

Objective

Eating disorders (EDs) represent a major public health burden. Increasingly, studies suggest mental health (MH) fields are failing to improve the effectiveness of treatments and that alternative models of care must be considered. Precision mental health (PMH) seeks to tailor treatment to individual needs and relies on a comprehensive understanding of the neurobiological and physiological underpinnings of mental illness.

Methods

In this narrative review, published literature with focus on biological application of PMH strategies for EDs is reviewed and summarised.

Results

A total of 39 articles were retained for the review covering a variety of themes with relevance to PMH. Many studies of biological markers with PMH applicability focused on anorexia nervosa. Although a variety of potential PMH research applications were identified, the review failed to identify any evidence of implementation into routine ED practice.

Conclusions

Despite the theoretical merit of biological application of PMH in ED treatment, clinical applications for standard practice are lacking. There is a need to invest further in studies that seek to identify biological markers and investigate neurobiological underpinnings of disease in hopes of targeting and developing treatments that can be better tailored to the individualised needs of patients.
Adverse childhood experiences and self‐esteem among adolescents: The role of social capital and gender
Authors: Yan Yuqi , Zhang Jingyue , Lu Nan
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Adverse childhood experiences have long‐lasting effects on the self‐esteem of adolescents. However, the extrinsic mechanism linking them to self‐esteem, which is more modifiable, has rarely been examined. Therefore, this study examined the mediating roles of family, school, and peer social capital and the moderating role of gender in the association between adverse childhood experiences and adolescent self‐esteem.

Methods

This study involved a cross‐sectional survey of first‐ and second‐grade students in the only high school in Wusu, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Data were collected in May 2023. A sample of 2539 students (M = 16.84 years old; 55.65% female) was included. The measurement models of family, school, and peer social capital were constructed using confirmatory factor analysis. The mediating roles of the three types of social capital and the moderating role of gender were examined using mediation analysis and multiple‐group analysis, respectively.

Results

Family, school, and peer social capital significantly mediated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and adolescent self‐esteem, and family social capital played the strongest role. Gender significantly moderated the direct effect of adverse childhood experiences on self‐esteem. The direct effect was significant only among girls.

Conclusions

This study underscores the protective role of social capital for self‐esteem among adolescents in Northwestern China and similar areas with relatively limited social services. Comprehensive interventions promoting social capital, especially family social capital, should be conducted to enhance self‐esteem among adolescents.
Enoki‐Inspired Microfibers and Extracellular Matrix Enhance Biaxially Interlocking Interfaces
Authors: Tran Huy Quang , Shreem Polavaram Navatha , Yan Zishuo , Lee Donghee , Xiao Yizhu , Shahriar SM Shatil , Yan Zheng , Xie Jingwei
Published: June 2024

Taking inspiration from diverse interlocking and adhesion structures found in nature, a biaxially interlocking interface is developed in this work. This interface is formed by interconnecting two electrostatically flocked substrates and its mechanical strength is enhanced through the incorporation of enoki‐mushroom‐shaped microfibers and deposited extracellular matrix (ECM). Tips of flocked straight fibers can be transformed into mushroom shapes through thermal treatment. The tensile strength of interlocked scaffolds with mushroom‐shaped tips drastically increases when compared to scaffolds made of straight fibers, which is not reported previously. More cells proliferate within interlocked scaffolds with mushroom‐shaped tips than scaffolds with straight fibers. Additionally, the mechanical strength (e.g., compressive, tensile, and shear) of cell‐seeded interlocked scaffolds increases proportionally to the amount of ECM deposited by dermal fibroblasts. The biaxially interlocking interface developed in this study holds promise for applications in engineering interfacial tissues, modeling tissue interfaces, investigating tissue–tissue interactions, and facilitating tissue bridging or binding.
Quarkonium dynamics in the quantum Brownian regime with non-abelian quantum master equations
Authors: Delorme Stéphane , Katz Roland , Gousset Thierry , Gossiaux Pol Bernard , Blaizot Jean-Paul
Published: June 2024

Abstract

We present numerical solutions in a one-dimensional setting of quantum master equations that have been recently derived. We focus on the dynamics of a single heavy quark-antiquark pair in a Quark-Gluon Plasma in thermal equilibrium, in the so-called quantum Brownian regime where the temperature of the plasma is large in comparison with the spacing between the energy levels of the $$ Q\overline{Q} $$
Q

Q
¯

system. The one-dimensional potential used in the calculations has been adjusted so as to produce numbers that are relevant for the phenomenology of the charmonium. The equations are solved using different initial states and medium configurations. Various temperature regimes are studied and the effects of screening and collisions thoroughly analyzed. Technical features of the equations are analyzed. The contributions of the different operators that control the evolution are discussed as a function of the temperature. Some phenomenological consequences are addressed.
Mesh-based topology, shape and sizing optimization of ribbed plates
Authors: Amir Oded , Majdouba Ahmad
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we present a new parameterization and optimization procedure for minimizing the weight of ribbed plates. The primary goal is to reduce embodied CO2 in concrete floors as part of the effort to diminish the carbon footprint of the construction industry. A coupled plate-beam finite element model and its computational mesh enable simultaneous topology, shape and sizing optimization of ribbed plate systems. Using analytical sensitivity analysis and gradient-based optimization, we achieve significant weight reductions in the range of 24–57%, in comparison to reference designs with regular ribbing patterns. The results strengthen the argument in favor of ribbed plates as a structural system that can serve the environmental goals of the construction industry. While our focus is on ribbed concrete plates in buildings, the proposed mesh-based design parameterization is applicable in the general case of optimizing stiffened shells—with potential contributions also to automotive and aerospace applications. All computer codes used in this study are freely available through a public repository, https://zenodo.org/records/11489996.
Hidden in plain sight: camouflage and hiding behaviour of wild precocial chicks in an open landscape
Authors: Volkmer Tamara , Kupán Krisztina , Rohr-Bender Veronika A. , Guirao-Ortiz Miguel , Cruz-López Medardo , del Angel Salvador Gómez , Rodrigues Lourenço Falcão , Eberhart-Hertel Luke , Küpper Clemens
Published: June 2024

Camouflage represents an important component of self-protection when animals cannot easily evade predators and is often altered by behavioural responses to a predation threat. The cryptic plumage of many precocial chicks inspired early theoretical work on camouflage mechanisms, but so far, limited efforts have gone towards empirically testing the crypsis of chick plumage properties in their natural environment. We studied background matching and hiding behaviour in precocial snowy plovers Charadrius nivosus in Bahia de Ceuta, Northwest Mexico. This ground-nesting wader breeds in sparsely vegetated open habitats such as salt flats and sandy beaches. The open habitats provide a challenge for young chicks to evade predator detection. Examining background matching of wild chicks for luminance, pattern and colouration at their hiding spots, we found that chicks matched the luminance of their chosen spot better than at unchosen nearby spots. Pattern and colouration matching were age-related, with the plumage of older chicks matching their hiding spots better than those of recently hatched chicks. This suggests that with increasing mobility, chicks may be better able to find hiding places that optimise camouflage. Finally, we found that chicks were more likely to hide in soil cracks than expected by chance, suggesting that chicks chose these soil features in a barren landscape as preferred hideouts. We conclude that the cryptic plumage is an understudied but essential part of the anti-predator repertoire of precocial chicks. The plumage most likely works hand-in-hand with the anti-predator behaviours of chicks and their parents to increase survival chances of precocial young.

Significance statement

Many chicks rely on effective camouflage to evade predators and survive until fledging. We studied how plumage characteristics and behavioural choices enable snowy plover chicks to hide effectively from approaching predators in an open landscape. These chicks leave their nest scrapes shortly after hatching, relying on their cryptic plumage for several weeks to evade predator detection. We found that chicks chose hiding spots where their plumage had a higher match in luminance and, for older chicks, a higher match in pattern and colouration than at adjacent spots. When available, chicks chose to hide in small cracks that appeared in the soil from the evaporation of moisture. This study represents the first quantitative characterisation of cryptic chick plumage features in a natural population. Our results demonstrate that plumage and behavioural responses jointly contribute to the effective camouflage of small chicks.
Implications of therapy interruption on monthly migraine days and modified migraine disability assessment in patients treated with erenumab for chronic and episodic migraine: SQUARE study interim results
Authors: Gantenbein Andreas R. , Bonvin Christophe , Kamm Christian P. , Schankin Christoph J. , Zecca Chiara , Zieglgänsberger Dominik , Merki-Feld Gabriele Susanne , Pohl Heiko , Rudolph Nicole , Ryvlin Philippe , Agosti Reto , Schäfer Elisabeth , Meyer Ina , Kulartz-Schank Monika , Arzt Michael E.
Published: June 2024

Background

There are limited real-world data in Switzerland examining the impact of erenumab, a fully human IgG2 monoclonal antibody targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor, on migraine-related quality of life.

Objective

This 18-month interim analysis of 172 patients with episodic or chronic migraine from the SQUARE study provides first prospective insights on the impact of mandatory erenumab treatment interruption, following Swiss-reimbursement requirements, in a real-world clinical setting in Switzerland.

Findings

Recruited patients receiving 70 or 140 mg erenumab underwent treatment interruption on average 11.2 months after therapy onset with a mean duration of 4 months. There were sustained improvements in mean monthly migraine days (MMD) and migraine disability (mMIDAS) during initial treatment with erenumab. Treatment interruption was associated with a temporary worsening of condition. Symptoms ameliorated upon therapy reuptake reaching improvements similar to pre-break within 3 months.

Conclusions

Treatment interruption was associated with a temporary worsening of condition, which improved again after therapy restart.
Can Voice Parameters Provide Cutoff Values to Predict Dysphagia in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis?
Authors: Sapmaz Atalar Merve , Genç Gençer , Işık Elif Ezgi , Cangi Mehmet Emrah , Pehlivan Beyza , Bulut Serpil
Published: June 2024

In dysphagia assessment, along with well-defined measurements and signs, voice parameters can potentially support clinical decision as a marker, but more evidence is needed. This study aims to determine the voice parameters that can predict the risk of dysphagia and to determine optimal cutoff values in individuals with multiple sclerosis (IwMS). Seventy-six adults participated in the study, including 39 IwMS and 37 healthy individuals (HI). The study used the Dysphagia in Multiple Sclerosis Questionnaire (DYMUS), Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS), and Voice Handicap Index (VHI-10) and recorded voice samples using Praat programme. Voice recordings were taken pre- and post-swallowing. The voice parameters analysed are fundamental frequency (F0), standard deviation F0 (SD F0), jitter (local), shimmer (local), and harmonic-to-noise ratio (HNR). Roc analysis was performed to examine the diagnostic accuracy performance of the risk for dysphagia/penetration. The parameters of IwMS pre-swallowing differed significantly from those of HI on the VHI-10, DYMUS, GUSS scores, and jitter (local), shimmer (local), and HNR. IwMS but not HI exhibited significant differences in shimmer (local) and HNR between the pre- and post-swallowing measurements. In IwMS, GUSS revealed significant differences in shimmer (local) pre- and post-swallowing between the groups with and without dysphagia/penetration. In the ROC analysis results, the area under the curve (AUC) for shimmer (local) pre-swallowing was 73.1% (cutoff = 1.69); post-swallowing, it was 78.6% (cutoff = 1.57). In conclusion, IwMS can be associated with differences in shimmer (local) and HNR parameters, low quality of life-related to voice, and dysphagia/penetration risk. The AUC values for shimmer (local) in IwMS pre- and post-swallowing may help to strengthen diagnostic decisions of dysphagia risk.
A Modified Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing Evaluating Esophageal Dysphagia by a Capsule: A Pilot Study
Authors: Slovik Youval , Kaminer Benyamin Meir , Revital Gorali , Ron Alona , Harris Mai , Ziv Oren , Loutati Ayelet , Cohen Oded
Published: June 2024

While functional endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is the most useful diagnostic test for the evaluation of dysphagia, it cannot evaluate the esophageal phase of swallowing. To evaluate if a modification for the FEES exam by swallowing an empty capsule and screening of the upper esophagus could be used for early detection of esophageal dysphagia. A prospective, single-center, pilot study. At the end of a standard FEES exam, the patients were asked to swallow an empty capsule. Fifteen seconds later, the endoscope was inserted into the upper esophagus. A pathological capsule test was defined when the capsule was seen in the esophagus. In such cases, the patient was advised to undergo a gastroscopy, MBS, or esophageal manometry, which were compared to the results of the capsule test. The capsule test was utilized in 109 patients. A pathological capsule test was found in 55 patients (57.8%). In 48 patients (87.3%), an isolated or combined esophageal dysphagia was seen. The accuracy value of the capsule test compared to gastroenterology tests was 83.3%, sensitivity 88.46%, specificity 75%, PPV 85%, and NPV 80%. A modification of the standard FEES exam by including an empty capsule swallow test with an upper esophagus examination may provide a useful screening tool for esophageal dysphagia.
Simulation-based approach to analyze modular intralogistic systems in the chemical industry
Authors: Pannok Maik , Lier Stefan
Published: June 2024

Modular production systems are a response to trends towards shorter product life cycles, increasing product diversity and the resulting volatile market conditions, especially in the fine and specialty chemicals industry. The ability to flexibly adapt the production system to volatile market conditions allows different product types or production quantities to be realized quickly, flexibly and cost-efficiently. Against this background, modular intralogistic systems consisting of conceptually developed logistics equipment assemblies (LEAs) promise flexibility advantages in the case of volatile product, packaging or quantity requirements for the adjacent production-related intralogistic systems. This especially applies to the operation in small-scale, decentralized production networks. Various concepts of LEAs have already been developed for different intralogistics processes, such as the filling of liquids or granulates into small or large packages. However, the characteristics of these different modular concepts in a system integration have not yet been analyzed in the market environment of the chemical industry. Therefore, we analyze the performance of modular intralogistic systems consisting of a system integration of LEAs under disturbances and volatile market conditions in contrast to conventional intralogistic units already existing in the market. Accordingly, this paper develops a simulation-based approach as a methodological basis. With this methodology it is possible to compare different system configurations based on throughput, throughput time or utilization output parameters for different market requirements. Finally, the developed methodology represents a tool for decision support in the planning of modular intralogistic systems and provides the possibility to analyze new concepts of LEAs in a system integration.
Intrinsic aerobic capacity modulates Alzheimer’s disease pathological hallmarks, brain mitochondrial function and proteome during aging
Authors: Kugler Benjamin A. , Lysaker Colton R. , Franczak Edziu , Hauger Brittany M. , Csikos Vivien , Stopperan Julia A. , Allen Julie A. , Stanford John A. , Koch Lauren G. , Britton Steven L. , Thyfault John P. , Wilkins Heather M.
Published: June 2024

Low aerobic capacity is strongly associated with all-cause mortality and risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Individuals with early dementia and AD have lower aerobic capacity compared to age-matched controls. The mechanism by which aerobic capacity influences AD risk is unknown but is likely mediated by sexual dimorphism and tissue-level differences in mitochondrial energetics. Here, we used rats selectively bred for large differences in intrinsic aerobic exercise capacity. Brain tissue from 18-month and 24-month-old female and male low-capacity runner (LCR) and high-capacity runner (HCR) rats were analyzed for markers of mitochondrial function and AD-associated pathologies. LCR rats, irrespective of sex, exhibited a greater increase in brain amyloid beta (Aβ42) and tau hyperphosphorylation (pTauthr181/total tau) with aging. In female LCR rats, brain mitochondrial respiration at states 3, 4, and FCCP-induced uncoupling, when stimulated with pyruvate/malate, was reduced at 18 and 24 months, leading to lower ATP-linked mitochondrial respiration compared to mitochondria from HCR rats. Male LCR rats also showed reduced complex II-stimulated mitochondrial respiration (succinate + rotenone) at 24 months compared to HCR rats. Differences in mitochondrial respiration were associated with tau hyperphosphorylation and Aβ42 alterations in both HCR and LCR strains. Proteomic analysis unveiled a distinct difference in the mitochondrial proteome, wherein female LCR rats displayed diminished mitochondrial translation and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) proteins at 18 months compared to female HCR rats. Conversely, male LCR rats exhibited increased OXPHOS protein abundance but reduced tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle proteins compared to male HCR rats. These findings underscore a robust association between intrinsic aerobic exercise capacity, brain mitochondrial function, and AD pathologies during aging.
Pulsed THz radiation under ultrafast optical discharge of vacuum photodiode
Authors: Ushakov Aleksandr , Mamaeva Kseniia , Seleznev Leonid , Rizaev Georgy , Bukin Vladimir , Dolmatov Timophey , Chizhov Pavel , Bagdasarov Vladimir , Garnov Sergey
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we first present an experimental demonstration of terahertz radiation pulse generation with energy up to 5 pJ under the electron emission during ultrafast optical discharge of a vacuum photodiode. We use a femtosecond optical excitation of metallic copper photocathode for the generation of ultrashort electron bunch and up to 45 kV/cm external electric field for the photo-emitted electron acceleration. Measurements of terahertz pulses energy as a function of emitted charge density, incidence angle of optical radiation and applied electric field have been provided. Spectral and polarization characteristics of generated terahertz pulses have also been studied. The proposed semi-analytical model and simulations in COMSOL Multiphysics prove the experimental data and allow for the optimization of experimental conditions aimed at flexible control of radiation parameters.

Graphical Abstract
Bipolar-Valued Complex Hesitant fuzzy Dombi Aggregating Operators Based on Multi-criteria Decision-Making Problems
Authors: Özlü Şerif
Published: June 2024

Complex Hesitant Fuzzy sets are a powerful tool for depicting vagueness and uncertainty. This paper addresses to Bipolar-Valued Complex Hesitant Fuzzy sets (BVCHFSs) to decode inconsistent, complexity data because of including bipolarity being opposite polar, complexity dividing membership value into two parts, hesitation degree including several membership values. Then, we interpret some new rules such as addition, scalar multiplication, scalar power, multiplication, and present score function. Moreover, some aggregation operators based on BVCHFSs are presented, such as Bipolar-valued Complex Hesitant Fuzzy-Weighted Dombi Averaging operator (BVCHFWDA), Ordered and Hybrid concepts, and Bipolar valued Complex Hesitant Fuzzy-Weighted Dombi Geometric operator (BVCHFWDG), Ordered and Hybrid structures, and some properties, such as idempotency, monotonicity, and boundedness. Later on, the obtained operators are applied over an investment example to show originality and efficiency of suggested instructions. We test to merits and restrictions of the new instructions by comparing them with some existing measures based on bipolar complex fuzzy sets. The comparative analysis indicates that our discussed operators and distance measures over bipolar complex fuzzy sets are agreement especially for BVCHFWDA.