bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical performance of binder-free and flexible spinel NiCo2O4electrode
Authors: Somsongkul V , Thong-em A , Chaojeen P , Kongmark C
Published: March 2022

This research aims to study the one-step hydrothermal synthesis of a binder-free and flexible spinel nickel cobaltite (NiCo2O4) electrode for supercapacitor application. The hydrothermal synthesis method is well known to generate highly crystalline products, with high purity, narrow size distribution, and low aggregation of particles. The spinel NiCo2O4nanoparticles were grown on a flexible carbon cloth substrate under hydrothermal conditions at 130°C for various reaction times (1, 3 and 6 h). The morphology of NiCo2O4nanoparticles was tuned from nanosheet to nanowire by varying the hydrothermal reaction time from 1 h to 6 h. The electrochemical properties of NiCo2O4electrodes were investigated. The NiCo2O4electrode prepared for 6 h exhibited the highest anodic and cathodic current density and the lowest charge transfer resistance compared with the other electrodes.
Solid-state reaction synthesis and characterization of Mn-doped LiFePO4 cathode material
Authors: Kyaw A M M , Panomsuwan G , Munprom R
Published: March 2022

Olivine type LiFePO4 has great advantages for Li-ion batteries due to its non-toxicity, high safety, and good cycle life performance. However, its low-rate capability and low energy density make some challenges for this LiFePO4. Several methods like doping with transition metals were used, and Mn ion was used in this work to improve the overall electrochemical properties. LiMn
x
Fe1-x
PO4 is promising cathode material owing to high voltage, structural and chemical stability. However, the electrochemical performance of these materials depends on phases and structures obtained from synthesis. In this work, the effect of solid-state reaction conditions, including calcination temperature and duration, on morphology, structure, and electrochemical properties of LiMn
x
Fe1-x
PO4 cathode materials with the composition of x = 0.5 was investigated. The morphology, crystallography and local structure of the synthesized materials were examined by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), respectively. The surface area was also determined by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) model. The effect of calcination temperature and reaction time upon the morphology, structures of the synthesized cathode materials were studied and discussed. The results could be essential for further development and employment of LiMn
x
Fe1-x
PO4 in Li-ion batteries.
High-harmonic generation (HHG) in silicene
Authors: Summueang C , Fudulwatjananon T , Boonchui S
Published: March 2022

Silicene, a freshly isolated silicon allotrope with a two-dimensional (2D) honeycomb lattice structure, is expected to have electrical properties comparable to graphene. Considering the certain external electric applying on silicene, we explore high-harmonic generation (HHG) effect and its factors. According to our investigation, the external electric field significantly influences the optical emission peaks of the low-frequency optical emission.
The effect of shot peening on corrosion performance of anodized laser powder bed fusion manufactured AlSi10Mg
Authors: Rautio T , Hamada A , Kumpula J , Järvenpää A
Published: March 2022

Anodizing is commonly used on aluminium to improve the surface properties of the product for better corrosion resistance and wear resistance. In this research, the anodizing of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) manufactured AlSi10Mg parts which were subjected to prior shot peening (SP) were investigated. Anodized specimens were analysed using SEM imaging and the corrosion properties were examined considering the effect of residual stress relief heat treatment and the SP process. The results showed that the SP deteriorates the corrosion performance of the material as such, but together with the subsequent anodizing it resulted to the lowest corrosion current of all investigated structures. As the SP can be used to lower the surface roughness of the LPBF parts and to increase fatigue life as well, the results of this work further encourage the use of SP with anodizing.
Application of near infrared spectroscopy for quality evaluation in Para rubber industry
Authors: Siano D , Puttipipatkajorn A , Puttipipatkajorn A , Noypitak S , Terdwongworakul A
Published: March 2022

Quality of products manufactured from Para rubber was an important aspect for merchandizing. Near infrared spectroscopy in a wavelength range of 900 to 1700 nm, which was a rapid and non-destructive technique, was applied to create quality predicting models for various Para rubber products. Near infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HIS) technique was implemented to predict dry rubber content (DRC) of cup lump. Classification of adulterated Para rubber sheet was investigated using NIR-HSI. And NIR portable system was also developed for moisture content determination of Para rubber timber. The results showed that the DRC of the cup lump could be predicted with high accuracy with the coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.99 and root mean square of error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.64%. Regarding the Para rubber sheet, the sulphuric acid coagulated sheets was classified from the formic acid coagulated sheet very good accuracy of 98.3%. Finally, The NIR portable system was developed and could be used to determine the moisture content of the timber with R2 and RMSEP of 0.96 and 5.37%, respectively. The application of NIRS was successful and provided feasibility for development into a future commercial use.
Heterogeneous spheroids with tunable interior morphologies by droplet-based microfluidics
Authors: Zhan Zhen , Liu Zeyang , Nan Haochen , Li Jianjie , Xie Yuan , Hu Chengzhi
Published: March 2022

Heterogeneous spheroids that mimic the complex three-dimensional environment of natural tissues are needed in various biomedical applications. Geometric cues from cellular matrix play invaluable roles in governing cell behavior and phenotype. However, the structural complexity of interior morphologies of spheroids is currently limited due to poor spatial resolution of positioning/orientation of cellular constructs. Here, a coaxial capillary microfluidic device is developed to generate gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) microspheres with tunable dimensions and interior morphologies, such as core-shell, or microspheres with interior undulated wavy, or spiral canals, by manipulating the two-phase flow of hydrogel precursor solution and methylcellulose solution. The formation of diverse and exquisite interior morphologies is caused by the interacting viscous instabilities of the two-phase flow in the microfluidic system, followed by water-in-oil emulsion and photo-initiated polymerization. Polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) is incorporated into the GelMA solution to tune the mechanical properties of the fabricated microspheres, and an optimized concentration of PEGDA is confirmed by evaluating the in vitro proliferation and vascularization of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Further, a heterogeneous spheroid with spiral blood vessel lumen is constructed to demonstrate the versatility and potential of the proposed droplet-based microfluidic approach for building functional tissue constructs.
Investigation on characterization and machinability of Al-4032/SiC metal matrix composite
Authors: Saini Pardeep , Singh Pradeep K
Published: March 2022

The Aluminium based metal matrix composites (AMCs) are quite popular for their superior mechanical properties, lightweight, and enhanced corrosion resistance. An increase in the reinforcement fraction enhances the mechanical properties of the base alloy but badly disturbs the ductility. The stir casting method has been employed for the fabrication of SiC reinforced aluminum metal matrix composite (MMC). Optical micrographs (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDAX) have been used for analysis of the composite microstructure, surface topography, and fracture behavior. Also, mechanical (tensile strength, micro-hardness, impact strength) characterization of the fabricated AMC has been attempted. The MMC has been machined with various combinations of machining parameters making use of a carbide cutter. The surface roughness (Ra value) has been measured to evaluate the surface quality. Response surface methodology (RSM) has been applied for optimizing the surface finish. The occurrence of hard reinforcement in base Al-alloy makes the MMC difficult to machine. But machining turns relatively easier at high cutting speed and low feed rate, causing improved surface finish. The best surface finish (Ra = 1.145 μm) was achieved at 0.066 feed rate (mm/tooth), 157 cutting speed (m/min), and 0.528 depth of cut (mm).
Gelatin/gentamicin sulfate-modified PMMA bone cement with proper mechanical properties and high antibacterial ability
Authors: Zheng Xiaoqiang , Wang Yifan , Liu Jingyu , Han Jintong , Cui Zhenduo , Wu Shuilin , Liang Yanqin , Zhu Shengli , Ge Xiang , Li Zhaoyang
Published: March 2022

With the aging of the population, the risk of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) caused by osteoporosis increases rapidly. Surgeons often fill the bone defect with injectable polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement through vertebroplasty. However, compared with cancellous bone, the higher mechanical properties of PMMA bone cement can easily lead to the fracture of the adjacent cone. Besides, the wound infection caused by surgery is also a serious problem. In order to solve these problems, we designed a new type of PMMA bone cement, by adding gelatin as a pore former, 5% (w/w) gentamicin sulfate (GS) for antibacterial purpose, and 30% (w/w) barium sulfate (BaSO4) to provide excellent radiopacity. Compared with the traditional PMMA bone cement, with the dissolution of gelatin after being immersed in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) for 14 d, the mechanical properties of modified PMMA bone cement decreased by approximately 67%, which is close to the human cancellous bone. Besides, the release of GS increased 3.8 times, and the GS concentration remained above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for 12 d. In addition, the setting properties, contact angle, antibacterial ability, and cell compatibility of PMMA bone cement also maintained well. The integration and dissolution of gelatin were observed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). All results indicate that the new type of gelatin-modified PMMA bone cement is a potential candidate material for vertebroplasty.
Adsorption of phosphate by cancrinite in red mud: a first-principles study
Authors: Xiaotian Zhou , Li Longjiang , Yueqin Qiu , Wanshuang Liu
Published: March 2022

Cancrinite is the key substance that affects the adsorption effect of phosphate from red mud(RM) . Therefore, cancrinite in RM was modified to improve its adsorption performance. Based on density functional theory(DTF), this paper optimized the structure of cancrinite, the main component of red mud, modified the cancrinite with sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, and studied the surface wettability changes of cancrinite before and after modification through dynamics relaxation. The effects of wetting modification on the adsorption properties of cancrinite were studied by molecular dynamics simulation of radial distribution function, adsorption site , adsorption energy and mean square displacement. Research shows that modified cancrinite Surface wettability increased by 77%, also has more adsorption sites, adsorption energy is smaller, diffusion process is accelerated, so the adsorption capacity is stronger. This study lays a theoretical foundation for enhancing the adsorption of phosphate from wastewater by RM.
Unconventional ferrimagnetism and enhanced magnetic ordering temperature in monolayer CrCl3 by introducing O impurities and Cl vacancies
Authors: Mastrippolito Dario , Wang Jing , Profeta Gianni , Ottaviano Luca
Published: March 2022

Among chromium trihalides, a specific group of layered van der Waals magnetic materials, chromium trichloride (CrCl3) is the only system relatively stable under ambient conditions. This is also observed in reduced dimensionality where the emergence of extrinsic long-range ordered oxidized and Cl-vacancy-defective CrCl3 phases is experimentally reported. In this work, the magnetic properties of such two-dimensional (2D) systems are studied using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, including the electron-electron (U) repulsion interactions, and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Once the Cl vacancies are introduced, the results indicate that the monolayer CrCl3 has a magnetic moment that is enhanced linearly (up to 3.14 µ

B
/Cr) in the (1%–10%) vacancy concentration range. This determines a strengthening of the ferromagnetic state and a two-fold increase of the Curie temperature (up to 146 K) as valuated from MC simulations. More interestingly, once oxygen extrinsic impurities are considered, the monolayer CrCl3 structure is hybridized forming a stable ordered phase (O–CrCl3) with oxygen atoms allocated on the Cr atomic layer in the center of the honeycomb ring formed by Cr atoms. The magnetic moments of the O–CrCl3 system are localized on both Cr and O atoms, with oxygen antiferromagnetically coupled to chromium, resulting in a 2D ferrimagnetic hexagonal lattice system with an average magnetic moment of 2.14 µ

B
/Cr and a high magnetic ordering temperature (110 K) predicted with DFT in the mean field approach.
Interphases in the electrodes of potassium ion batteries
Authors: Han Yupei , Vijaya Kumar Saroja Ajay Piriya , Tinker Henry R , Xu Yang
Published: March 2022

Rechargeable potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are of great interest as a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective energy storage technology. The electrochemical performance of a PIB is closely related to the reaction kinetics of active materials, ionic/electronic transport, and the structural/electrochemical stability of cell components. Alongside the great effort devoted in discovering and optimising electrode materials, recent research unambiguously demonstrates the decisive role of the interphases that interconnect adjacent components in a PIB. Knowledge of interphases is currently less comprehensive and satisfactory compared to that of electrode materials, and therefore, understanding the interphases is crucial to facilitating electrode materials design and advancing battery performance. The present review aims to summarise the critical interphases that dominate the overall battery performance of PIBs, which includes solid-electrolyte interphase, cathode-electrolyte interphase, and solid–solid interphases within composite electrodes, via exploring their formation principles, chemical compositions, and determination of reaction kinetics. State-of-the-art design strategies of robust interphases are discussed and analysed. Finally, perspectives are given to stimulate new ideas and open questions to further the understanding of interphases and the development of PIBs.
On some generic classes of ergodic measure preserving transformations
Authors: Glasner E. , Thouvenot J.-P. , Weiss B.
Published: March 2022

We answer positively a question of Ryzhikov, namely we show that being a relatively weakly mixing extension is a comeager property in the Polish group of measure preserving transformations. We study some related classes of ergodic transformations and their interrelations. In the second part of the paper we show that for a fixed ergodic

T
T

with property 

A

\mathbf {A}

, a generic extension

T
^

\widehat {T}

of

T
T

also has property 

A

\mathbf {A}

. Here

A

\mathbf {A}

stands for each of the following properties: (i) having the same entropy as

T
T

, (ii) Bernoulli, (iii)  K, and (iv) loosely Bernoulli.
On a probabilistic derivation of the basic particle statistics (Bose–Einstein, Fermi–Dirac, canonical, grand-canonical, intermediate) and related distributions
Authors: Kolokoltsov Vassili
Published: March 2022

Combining intuitive probabilistic assumptions with the basic laws of classical thermodynamics, using the latter to express probabilistic parameters in terms of the thermodynamic quantities, we get a simple unified derivation of the fundamental ensembles of statistical physics avoiding any limiting procedures, quantum hypothesis and even statistical entropy maximization. This point of view also leads to some related classes of correlated particle statistics.
A vacuolar membrane protein Vsb1p contributes to the vacuolar compartmentalization of basic amino acids in Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Authors: Ohnishi Shota , Kawano-Kawada Miyuki , Yamamoto Yusuke , Akiyama Koichi , Sekito Takayuki
Published: March 2022

Accumulation levels of Arg, Lys, and His in vacuoles of Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells were drastically decreased by the disruption of SPAC24H6.11c (vsb1+) gene identified by a homology search with the VSB1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The Vsb1p fused with green fluorescent protein particularly localized at vacuolar membranes in S. pombe cells. Overexpression of vsb1+ markedly increased vacuolar levels of basic amino acids; however, overexpression of the vsb1D174A mutant did not affect the levels of these amino acids. These results suggest that the vsb1+ contributes to the accumulation of basic amino acids into the vacuoles of S. pombe, and the aspartate residue in the putative first transmembrane domain conserved among fungal homologs is crucial for the function of Vsb1p.
Evitar: designing anti-viral RNA therapies against future RNA viruses
Authors: Zhang Dingyao , Tian Jingru , Wang Yadong , Lu Jun
Published: March 2022

Motivation

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the threat of emerging respiratory viruses and has exposed the lack of availability of off-the-shelf therapeutics against new RNA viruses. Previous research has established the potential that siRNAs and RNA-targeting CRISPR have in combating known RNA viruses. However, the feasibility and tools for designing anti-viral RNA therapeutics against future RNA viruses have not yet been established.

Results

We develop the Emerging-Virus-Targeting RNA (Evitar) pipeline for designing anti-viral siRNAs and CRISPR Cas13a guide RNA (gRNA) sequences. Within Evitar, we develop Greedy Algorithm with Redundancy and Similarity-weighted Greedy Algorithm with Redundancy to enhance the performance. Time simulations using known coronavirus genomes deposited as early as 10 years prior to the COVID-19 outbreak show that at least three SARS-CoV-2-targeting siRNAs are among the top 30 pre-designed siRNAs. In addition, among the top 19 pre-designed gRNAs, there are three SARS-CoV-2-targeting Cas13a gRNAs that could be predicted using information from 2011. Before-the-outbreak design is also possible against the MERS-CoV virus and the 2009-H1N1 swine flu virus. Designed siRNAs are further shown to suppress SARS-CoV-2 viral sequences using in vitro reporter assays. Our results support the utility of Evitar to pre-design anti-viral siRNAs/gRNAs against future viruses. Therefore, we propose the development of a collection consisting of roughly 30 pre-designed, safety-tested and off-the-shelf siRNA/CRISPR therapeutics that could accelerate responses to future RNA virus outbreaks.

Availability and implementation

Codes are available at GitHub (https://github.com/dingyaozhang/Evitar).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A Novel Reduced Reference Image Quality Assessment Based on Formal Concept Analysis
Authors: AlShaikh Muath
Published: March 2022

The assessment of image quality provides the confidentiality, safety, quality and transparency of the obtained images. At the same time, there are many existing quality metric approaches that belong to the group of modification alteration procedures (pixel-based metric). These techniques have not been well-matched with perceptual image quality. The Perceptual Human Visual System (HVS) aspect drives our approach; The human visual system (HVS) is the best judge of image quality. This paper presents a new reduced reference image quality metric in the spatial domain that reduces the complexity of the image quality assessment. From the reference and distortion images, we extract four intrinsic features, namely, contrast, entropy, histogram and standard deviation. Then, we build the formal concept analysis matrix for reference and distortion images. Finally, we compare the obtained matrixes to evaluate the image quality. The performance of the proposed technique is assessed using LIVE, TID2013 and CSIQ datasets, and the obtained results are compared in terms of PSNR, SSIM and NCC metrics. Also, a comparison with more recent and relevant approaches is performed to highlight the superior performance of our proposed approach, the experimental results indicated that the proposed approach provides efficient performance among the compression, Gaussian blur, Contrast and add noise distortion types.
The regulation of cardiac intermediary metabolism by NADPH oxidases
Authors: Nabeebaccus Adam A , Reumiller Christina M , Shen Jie , Zoccarato Anna , Santos Celio X C , Shah Ajay M
Published: March 2022

NADPH oxidases (NOXs), enzymes whose primary function is to generate reactive oxygen species, are important regulators of the heart’s physiological function and response to pathological insults. The role of NOX-driven redox signalling in pathophysiological myocardial remodelling, including processes such as interstitial fibrosis, contractile dysfunction, cellular hypertrophy, and cell survival, is well recognized. While the NOX2 isoform promotes many detrimental effects, the NOX4 isoform has attracted considerable attention as a driver of adaptive stress responses both during pathology and under physiological states such as exercise. Recent studies have begun to define some of the NOX4-modulated mechanisms that may underlie these adaptive responses. In particular, novel functions of NOX4 in driving cellular metabolic changes have emerged. Alterations in cellular metabolism are a recognized hallmark of the heart’s response to physiological and pathological stresses. In this review, we highlight the emerging roles of NOX enzymes as important modulators of cellular intermediary metabolism in the heart, linking stress responses not only to myocardial energetics but also other functions. The novel interplay of NOX-modulated redox signalling pathways and intermediary metabolism in the heart is unravelling a new aspect of the fascinating biology of these enzymes which will inform a better understanding of how they drive adaptive responses. We also discuss the implications of these new findings for therapeutic approaches that target metabolism in cardiac disease.
Lockdown and voting behaviour: a natural experiment on postponed elections during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Giommoni Tommaso , Loumeau Gabriel
Published: March 2022

The goal of this paper is to study the electoral impact of crisis management policies. With this aim, we exploit a natural experiment during the COVID-19 pandemic in France to evaluate the effect of the lockdown on voting behaviour. In particular, the country has been divided in two areas, red and green, subject to a ‘hard’ and a ‘soft’ lockdown, respectively. To measure voting behaviour, before and after the policy, we rely on the 2020 French municipal elections: the first round took place before the introduction of the restrictions, while the second round was delayed after the end of the lockdown. We estimate a spatial regression-discontinuity-design model comparing electoral outcomes around the border of red and green areas both in the second round and between the two electoral rounds. The main results suggest that lockdown regulations significantly affected voting outcomes. First, in localities under a harder lockdown, the incumbent’s vote share is higher. Second, voter turnout is larger where more stringent restrictions are adopted. These results suggest that lockdown policy mobilizes citizens and leads them to rally around the incumbent politicians.
Social Vulnerability, Frailty, and Their Association With Mortality in Older Adults Living in Rural Tanzania
Authors: Cooper Fiona , Lewis Emma Grace , Urasa Sarah , Whitton Louise , Collin Harry , Coles Selina , Wood Greta Karen , Ali Ali Mohamed , Mdegella Deborah , Mkodo Joyce , Zerd Francis , Dotchin Catherine , Gray William K , Walker Richard W
Published: March 2022

Background

Social vulnerability correlates with frailty and is associated with mortality and disability. However, few studies have investigated this relationship outside of high-income country settings. This study aimed to produce and analyze a culturally adapted social vulnerability index (SVI) to investigate the relationship between social vulnerability, frailty, and mortality in older adults in Tanzania.

Methods

An SVI was produced using data from a cohort study investigating frailty in older adults in Tanzania. Variables were selected based on previous SVI studies using the categories established by Andrew et al. from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, and National Population Health Survey. The SVI distribution was examined and compared with a frailty index (FI) produced from the same sample, using mutually exclusive variables. Cox regression survival analysis was used to investigate the association between social vulnerability, frailty, and mortality.

Results

A stratified cohort of 235 individuals were included in the study at baseline, with a mean age of 75.2 (SD 11.5). Twenty-six participants died within the follow-up period, with a mean of 503 days (range: 405–568) following the initial assessment. The SVI had a median score of 0.47 (interquartile range: 0.23, range: 0.14–0.86). Social vulnerability significantly predicted mortality when adjusting for age and gender, but not when also adjusting for frailty.

Conclusions

Social vulnerability can be successfully operationalized and culturally adapted in Tanzania. Social vulnerability is associated with mortality in Tanzania, but not independently of frailty.
International Conference – IP Protection for Plant Innovation 2021
Authors: Ghimire Saurav , Verdonk Tom
Published: March 2022

On 2 and 3 December 2021, international experts, key decision-makers, industry representatives, and professionals from the global plant innovation sector gathered virtually for FORUM Institut’s biennial ‘Conference on Intellectual Property Protection for Plant Innovation’. Along with the global update on plant breeders’ rights and patents, the conference covered a wide range of issues in intellectual property (IP) law in plant innovation, including the use of New Breeding Technologies (NBTs) and commercial use of off-patent events. This report provides a summary of the key points of the conference.
Development and validation of a self-report social determinants of health questionnaire in Australia
Authors: Oster Candice , Gransbury Bill , Anderson Deb , Martin Vicki , Skuza Pawel , Leibbrandt Richard
Published: March 2022

Social determinants of health have a significant effect on health and wellbeing. There is increasing recognition of the need for health professionals to measure and address the social determinants affecting the health and wellbeing of their clients, yet efforts to do so are hampered by the lack of a validated, brief self-report measure that covers a range of determinants in a single measure. This study aimed to develop and conduct initial validation of a measure of social determinants of health, the Steps to Better Health Questionnaire (STBH-Q). Construct validity was assessed via factorial validity using exploratory factor analysis and second order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), followed by convergent validity against the EQ-5D-5L quality of life measure. Reliability was assessed by exploring internal consistency. A convenience sampling approach was used, and 330 Australian adults aged 18 and over completed the survey. This initial validation suggests an underlying structure of STBH-Q consisting of Access; Employment, Finances & Education; Safety; Physical & Mental Health; and Family & Childhood, confirmed by second-order CFA. Results of convergent validity testing with the EQ-5D-5L demonstrated significant correlations of modest to moderate strength with the instrument as a whole and with the sub-scales in the expected direction. Cronbach’s alpha for the five scales ranged from 0.561 to 0.827. Further development and validation of the STBH-Q is needed to explore alternative questions regarding social connection and habits/addictions and add additional items to factors with only two items.
Ubiquitination at the lysine 27 residue of the Parkin ubiquitin-like domain is suggestive of a new mechanism of Parkin activation
Authors: Liu Jun-Yi , Inoshita Tsuyoshi , Shiba-Fukushima Kahori , Yoshida Shigeharu , Ogata Kosuke , Ishihama Yasushi , Imai Yuzuru , Hattori Nobutaka
Published: March 2022

The mitochondrial kinase PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and cytosolic ubiquitin ligase (E3) Parkin/PRKN are involved in mitochondrial quality control responses. PINK1 phosphorylates ubiquitin and the Parkin ubiquitin-like (Ubl) domain at serine 65 and promotes Parkin activation and translocation to damaged mitochondria. Upon Parkin activation, the Ubl domain is ubiquitinated at lysine (K) 27 and K48 residues. However, the contribution of K27/K48 ubiquitination toward Parkin activity remains unclear. In this study, ubiquitination of K56 (corresponding to K27 in the human), K77 (K48 in the human) or both was blocked by generating Drosophila Parkin (dParkin) mutants to examine the effects of Parkin Ubl domain ubiquitination on Parkin activation in Drosophila. The dParkin, in which K56 was replaced with arginine (dParkin K56R), rescued pupal lethality in flies by co-expression with PINK1, whereas dParkin K77R could not. The dParkin K56R exhibited reduced abilities of mitochondrial fragmentation and motility arrest, which are mediated by degrading Parkin E3 substrates Mitofusin and Miro, respectively. Pathogenic dParkin K56N, unlike dParkin K56R, destabilized the protein, suggesting that not only was dParkin K56N non-ubiquitin-modified at K56, but also the structure of the Ubl domain for activation was largely affected. Ubiquitin attached to K27 of the Ubl domain during PINK1-mediated Parkin activation was likely to be phosphorylated because human Parkin K27R weakened Parkin self-binding and activation in trans. Therefore, our findings suggest a new mechanism of Parkin activation, where an activation complex is formed through phospho-ubiquitin attachment on the K27 residue of the Parkin Ubl domain.
What is Stance Phase on Deformable Substrates?
Authors: Turner Morgan L , Falkingham Peter L , Gatesy Stephen M
Published: March 2022

Synopsis

The stance phase of walking is when forces are applied to the environment to support, propel, and maneuver the body. Unlike solid surfaces, deformable substrates yield under load, allowing the foot to sink to varying degrees. For bipedal birds and their dinosaurian ancestors, a shared response to walking on these substrates has been identified in the looping path the digits follow underground. Because a volume of substrate preserves a 3-D record of stance phase in the form of footprints or tracks, understanding how the bipedal stride cycle relates to this looping motion is critical for building a track-based framework for the study of walking in extinct taxa. Here, we used biplanar X-ray imaging to record and analyze 161 stance phases from 81 trials of three Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris) walking on radiolucent substrates of different consistency (solid, dry granular, and firm to semi-liquid muds). Across all substrates, the feet sank to a range of depths up to 78% of hip height. With increasing substrate hydration, the majority of foot motion shifted from above to below ground. Walking kinematics sampled across all stride cycles revealed six sequential gait-based events originating from both feet, conserved throughout the spectrum of substrate consistencies during normal alternating walking. On all substrates that yielded, five sub-phases of stance phase were drawn out in space and formed a loop of varying shape. We describe the two-footed coordination and weight distribution that likely contributed to the observed looping patterns of an individual foot. Given such complex subsurface foot motion during normal alternating walking and some atypical walking behaviors, we discuss the definition of “stance phase” on deformable substrates. We also discuss implications of the gait-based origins of subsurface looping on the interpretation of locomotory information preserved in fossil dinosaur tracks.
Seasonality and interannual variability of copepods in the Western English Channel, Celtic Sea, Bay of Biscay, and Cantabrian Sea with a special emphasis to Calanus helgolandicus and Acartia clausi
Authors: Valdés Luis , López-Urrutia Angel , Beaugrand Gregory , Harris Roger P , Irigoien Xabier
Published: March 2022

A total of five mesozooplankton time series data sets were assembled to compare the seasonal and interannual patterns of abundance of calanoid copepods in the Western English Channel (Station L4), Celtic Sea, Bay of Biscay (Continuous Plankton Recorder), and the Cantabrian Sea (RADIALES time series, Santander, St-4 and St-6) from January 1992 to December 1999. A strong seasonal component in taxonomic composition was detected at the locations considered. There was also a strong latitudinal effect on diversity at each location, southernmost locations being more diverse. The seasonal dynamics and year-to-year variability of two copepod species: Calanus helgolandicus and Acartia clausi were studied in detail. A latitudinal pattern in the seasonal cycles of both copepod species was observed. The peaks of both occur earlier in spring in the warmer southern region and move northwards, consistent with the temperature regimes at each location, supporting the broad concept that species occupy a thermal niche in time as well as in space. There was a strong degree of interannual variability between sites and between species. No clear trends, but some coherent events among data sets, reveal a regional response to environmental forcing factors. Correlations suggest possible connections with environmental indices like the North Atlantic Oscillation and the Gulf Stream North Wall index. There was a positive correlation between the NAO and the abundance of C. helgolandicus at station L4 off Plymouth; however, the relationship in the Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay was opposite to that expected based on previous results. Despite the differences in the sampling techniques used within each dataset, the results are comparable and coherent in terms of taxonomic composition and the seasonal and interannual patterns detected.
Protective continuous ventilation strategy during cardiopulmonary bypass in children undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease: a prospective study
Authors: Padalino Massimo A , Vedovelli Luca , Simonato Manuela , Bandini Andrea , Paganini Greta , Mezzalira Laura , Faganello Nicola , Carollo Cristiana , Gregori Dario , Vida Vladimiro , Cogo Paola
Published: March 2022

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate if a ‘protective’ (low-tidal/low-frequency) ventilation strategy can shorten the postoperative ventilation time and minimize acute lung injury in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) undergoing repair with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

METHODS

This is a single-centre prospective, interventional study, including children with CHD under the age of 5 years, undergoing open-heart surgery with a CPB >60 min, in hypothermia, haemodynamically stable, and without evident genetic abnormalities. Assist-control ventilation (tidal volume of 4 ml/kg, 10 breaths/min, positive end-expiratory pressure 5 cmH2O and FiO2 0.21) was applied in a cohort of patients during CPB. We compared clinical outcomes and in fully ventilated versus non-ventilated (control) patients. Propensity score was used to weigh ventilated and control groups to correct for the effect of other confounding clinical variables. Clinical and ventilation parameters and lung inflammatory biomarkers in tracheal aspirates were measured. The primary outcome was the postoperative intubation time of more or less than 48 h.

RESULTS

We included 140 children (53 ventilated, 87 non-ventilated) with different CHD. There were no deaths or adverse events in ventilated patients. Using a weighted generalized linear model, we found no sufficient evidence for an effect of intraoperative ventilation on postoperative intubation time [estimate 0.13 (95% confidence interval, –0.08; 0.35), P = 0.22].

CONCLUSIONS

Continuous low-tidal/low-frequency mechanical ventilation during CPB is safe and harmless. However, no significant advantages were found when compared to non-ventilated patients in terms of postoperative ventilation time.
Decline in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder traits over the life course in the general population: trajectories across five population birth cohorts spanning ages 3 to 45 years
Authors: Wootton Robyn E , Riglin Lucy , Blakey Rachel , Agnew-Blais Jessica , Caye Arthur , Cadman Tim , Havdahl Alexandra , Gonçalves Helen , Menezes Ana M B , Wehrmeister Fernando C , Rimfeld Kaili , Davey Smith George , Eley Thalia C , Rohde Luis Augusto , Arseneault Louise , Moffitt Terrie E , Stergiakouli Evie , Thapar Anita , Tilling Kate
Published: March 2022

Background

Trajectories of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits spanning early childhood to mid-life have not been described in general populations across different geographical contexts. Population trajectories are crucial to better understanding typical developmental patterns.

Methods

We combined repeated assessments of ADHD traits from five population-based cohorts, spanning ages 3 to 45 years. We used two measures: (i) the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) hyperactive-inattentive subscale (175 831 observations, 29 519 individuals); and (ii) scores from DSM-referenced scales (118 144 observations, 28 685 individuals). Multilevel linear spline models allowed for non-linear change over time and differences between cohorts and raters (parent/teacher/self).

Results

Patterns of age-related change differed by measure, cohort and country: overall, SDQ scores decreased with age, most rapidly declining before age 8 years (-0.157, 95% CI: -0.170, -0.144 per year). The pattern was generally consistent using DSM scores, although with greater between-cohort variation. DSM scores decreased most rapidly between ages 14 and 17 years (-1.32%, 95% CI: -1.471, -1.170 per year). Average scores were consistently lower for females than males (SDQ: -0.818, 95% CI: -0.856, -0.780; DSM: -4.934%, 95% CI: -5.378, -4.489). This sex difference decreased over age for both measures, due to an overall steeper decrease for males.

Conclusions

ADHD trait scores declined from childhood to mid-life, with marked variation between cohorts. Our results highlight the importance of taking a developmental perspective when considering typical population traits. When interpreting changes in clinical cohorts, it is important to consider the pattern of expected change within the general population, which is influenced by cultural context and measurement.
Identification of CD14 and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein as novel biomarkers for sarcoidosis using proteomics of serum extracellular vesicles
Authors: Futami Yu , Takeda Yoshito , Koba Taro , Narumi Ryohei , Nojima Yosui , Ito Mari , Nakayama Mana , Ishida Mimiko , Yoshimura Hanako , Naito Yujiro , Fukushima Kiyoharu , Takimoto Takayuki , Edahiro Ryuya , Matsuki Takanori , Nojima Satoshi , Hirata Haruhiko , Koyama Shohei , Iwahori Kota , Nagatomo Izumi , Shirai Yuya , Suga Yasuhiko , Satoh Shingo , Futami Shinji , Miyake Kotaro , Shiroyama Takayuki , Inoue Yoshikazu , Adachi Jun , Tomonaga Takeshi , Ueda Koji , Kumanogoh Atsushi
Published: March 2022

Sarcoidosis is a complex, polygenic, inflammatory granulomatous multi-organ disease of unknown cause. The granulomatous inflammation in sarcoidosis is driven by the interplay between T cells and macrophages. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play important roles in intercellular communication. We subjected serum EVs, isolated by size exclusion chromatography, from seven patients with sarcoidosis and five control subjects to non-targeted proteomics analysis. Non-targeted, label-free proteomics analysis detected 2292 proteins in serum EVs; 42 proteins were up-regulated in patients with sarcoidosis relative to control subjects; and 324 proteins were down-regulated. The protein signature of EVs from patients with sarcoidosis reflected disease characteristics such as antigen presentation and immunological disease. Candidate biomarkers were further verified by targeted proteomics analysis (selected reaction monitoring) in 46 patients and 10 control subjects. Notably, CD14 and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) were validated by targeted proteomics analysis. Up-regulation of these proteins was further confirmed by immunoblotting, and their expression was strongly increased in macrophages of lung granulomatous lesions. Consistent with these findings, CD14 levels were increased in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages during multinucleation, concomitant with increased levels of CD14 and LBP in EVs. The area under the curve values of CD14 and LBP were 0.81 and 0.84, respectively, and further increased to 0.98 in combination with angiotensin-converting enzyme and soluble interleukin-2 receptor. These findings suggest that CD14 and LBP in serum EVs, which are associated with granulomatous pathogenesis, can improve the diagnostic accuracy in patients with sarcoidosis.
Contemporary and emerging pharmacotherapeutic agents for the treatment of Lassa viral haemorrhagic fever disease
Authors: Joseph Adejoke Adijat , Fasipe Olumuyiwa John , Joseph Oluyemi Adesoji , Olatunji Olalekan Aliu
Published: March 2022

This review was designed to discuss the emerging and current pharmacotherapeutic agents for the treatment of Lassa viral haemorrhagic fever disease (LVHFD), also known as Lassa fever (LF). Original peer-reviewed articles that investigated LF were identified using the Medline Entrez-PubMed search. Information was also sourced from printed textbooks and reports by recognized health professional bodies such as the WHO, CDC, the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). A total of 103 articles were reviewed and 78 were found to contain information relevant to the study.

LF remains an endemic disease of public health concern in the West Africa region, and in the rest of the world as cases have been imported into non-endemic regions as well. Currently, there are no approved vaccines or therapeutics for the treatment of Lassa mammarenavirus (LASV) infection. There are, however, off-label therapeutics being used (ribavirin and convalescent plasma) whose efficacy is suboptimal. Research is still ongoing on possible therapeutic options and drug repurposing of therapeutic agents currently in use for other clinical conditions. Considered therapeutic options include favipiravir, taribavirin, Arevirumab-3 and experimental drugs such as losmapimod, adamantyl diphenyl piperazine 3.3, Arbidol (umifenovir) and decanoyl-RRLL-chloromethyl ketone (dec-RRLL-CMK).

Current treatments for LF are limited, hence the institution of mitigating measures to prevent infection is of utmost importance and should be prioritized, especially in endemic regions. Heightened searches for other therapeutic options with greater efficacy and lower toxicity are still ongoing, as well as for vaccines as the absence of these classifies the disease as a priority disease of high public health impact.
Effects of dietary vitamin E and fat supplementation in growing-finishing swine fed to a heavy slaughter weight of 150 kg: I. Growth performance, lean growth, organ size, carcass characteristics, primal cuts, and pork quality
Authors: Wang Ding , Dal Jang Young , Rentfrow Gregg K , Azain Michael J , Lindemann Merlin D
Published: March 2022

The study aimed to assess the effect of vitamin E (VE) supplementation and fat source on growth performance, lean growth, organ size, carcass characteristics, and pork quality of pigs at a heavy slaughter weight of 150 kg. A total of 64 pigs (32 barrows and 32 gilts; 28.41 ± 0.83 kg) were blocked by sex and body weight, and randomly assigned to one of eight dietary treatments (n = 8 per treatment) in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement with main effects of fat source (corn starch [CS; no fat added], 5% tallow [TW], 5% distiller’s corn oil [DCO], and 5% coconut oil [CN]) and VE supplementation level (11 and 200 ppm). Five-phase diets were formulated to meet requirement estimates of NRC and fed to pigs with each period of 25 kg from 25 to 150 kg. Increasing dietary VE supplementation from 11 to 200 ppm tended to increase average daily gain (ADG) in phase 5 (P = 0.08), and gain to feed ratio (G/F) in phase 4 (P = 0.06) and phase 5 (P = 0.06) resulting in increased G/F in the overall period  (P = 0.10). Compared with the pigs fed the CS diet in the overall period, the pigs fed DCO diets had greater ADG (P < 0.05), the pigs fed the TW and CN diets had lower average daily feed intake (P < 0.05), and the pigs fed the fat-added diets had greater G/F (P < 0.05). Belly firmness was greatest in the pigs fed the CN diet and lowest in those fed the DCO diet (P < 0.05). Increasing dietary VE level from 11 to 200 ppm increased absolute and relative liver weight, absolute ham yield (P < 0.05), and tended to increase the relative yield of picnic shoulder (P = 0.07) and ham (P = 0.06) and the pigs fed the corn oil diet tended to have greater belly yield (P = 0.08) than the other fat treatments. Increasing dietary VE level increased 45-min pH and ΔpH at slaughter but decreased a* value, chroma (P < 0.10), and belly depth (P < 0.05). However, no effects of VE supplementation and fat source were observed on the other carcass traits and meat quality measurements. In conclusion, increasing dietary  VE level from 11 to 200 ppm slightly increased growth rate and feed efficiency in the late finishing periods, and the addition of fat increased feed efficiency and backfat thickness, decreased lean content, and altered belly firmness. While there were some effects of VE supplementation and fat source observed on organ weight, primal cuts, carcass traits, and meat quality, there was no strong evidence that VE supplementation and fat source materially affected these measurements except for belly firmness.
Partisan Blocking: Biased Responses to Shared Misinformation Contribute to Network Polarization on Social Media
Authors: Kaiser Johannes , Vaccari Cristian , Chadwick Andrew
Published: March 2022

Researchers know little about how people respond to misinformation shared by their social media “friends.” Do responses scale up to distort the structure of online networks? We focus on an important yet under-researched response to misinformation—blocking or unfollowing a friend who shares it—and assess whether this is influenced by political similarity between friends. Using a representative sample of social media users (n = 968), we conducted two 2 × 2 between-subjects experiments focusing on two political issues and individuals’ political ideology as a quasi-factor. The first factor manipulated who shared the misinformation (politically similar vs. dissimilar friend); the second manipulated the misinformation’s plausibility (implausible vs. moderately plausible). Our findings, which replicated across political issues and levels of plausibility, reveal that social media users, particularly left-wing users, are more likely to block and unfollow politically dissimilar than similar friends who share misinformation. Partisan blocking contributes to network polarization on social media.